It seems to be an ordinary day for Twilight Sparkle, but to her something's amiss. After witnessing the harsh death which came to Pinkie Pie, it's up to Twilight to save herself and her assistant Spike and escape this nightmare before it's too late!
It seems to be an ordinary day for Twilight Sparkle, but to her something's amiss. After witnessing the harsh death which came to Pinkie Pie, it's up to Twilight to save herself and her assistant Spike and escape this nightmare before it's too late!
Featuring: Twilight Sparkle, Spike the Dragon, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy. Mentions: Princess Luna, Princess Celestia.
It seemed like an ordinary day in the country of Equestria. The birds were singing their song, the bees were making honey, and the sun was shining as bright as it always had. Indeed, it seemed to be an ordinary day, but to Twilight Sparkle, something was amiss. But what it was she couldn't exactly figure out.
Twilight stood in her castle's library, gazing long and hard at her mighty collection of knowledge. Her affixed stare seemed as though she could read each thin page of each book all at once. She carefully counted the bunch, anxiously trying to see if they were all there.
“Yes, yes… 1,200,500 books and counting… that's all of them… but… something has to be missing…” Twilight muttered to herself.
“Twilight,” Spike spoke softly, wandering inside, “are you okay?”
“No! Something is gone, but I don't know what!” Twilight yelled, bursting into tears.
The young dragon handed his master a handkerchief and quietly comforted the poor alicorn. He couldn't exactly understand why she was so upset, but he put that aside. All he knew was that she needed him right now. Twilight held the small dragon close and wept.
“Maybe you should go see Pinkie Pie. She could cheer you up. C’mon, I'll take you to Sugarcube Corner.” Spike managed to say, hoping the purple alicorn would agree.
“I suppose I should. Besides, Pinkie could help me with her Pinkie Sense! I've got nothing to lose, Spike!” Twilight said, suddenly bursting with spontaneous energy that seemed to be nonexistent just a few minutes ago. Her change of mood startled Spike.
The two friends found their way to Sugarcube Corner. The village surrounding the premises looked normal, but strangely none of the citizens went outside. Why would they pass up such a gorgeous day?
Twilight paced a bit before heading inside the building. Spike held Twilight's wing gently and followed her, fear striking his young heart. Sugarcube Corner’s interior looked as if no one had lived in there for weeks! There were spider webs in all corners, dust filled the room, and most disturbingly there was a greenish mold growing on the walls.
“This place is a complete dump!” Twilight shrieked, terrified of what must have happened.
“Twilight? Is that you?” called a familiar voice. It was Pinkie Pie.
“Pinkie?! What happened?! Where are you?!” Twilight called out, concerned about her dear friend.
Twilight ran up the stairs, calling for her friend. She entered Pinkie’s room. She could hear a faint breathing sound coming from under the bed.
“Pinkie? I'm so glad to see y--”
Twilight paused in horror as to what she found under the bed.
Pinkie Pie wasn't herself anymore. Her hair was straighter than ever; almost rock hard. Her pink fur was a more gray color, and her blue eyes were faded white. There was a small amount of blood dripping from her mouth. She looked like she was attacked.
“Twilight… you came to save me.” Pinkie spoke with a smile.
“What happened to you?” Twilight spoke softly, carefully pulling the pony out from under the bed.
“I can't remember… all I know is that the Pinkie you remember is dead now.” Pinkie said with a frown. She stared at the floor, her breathing getting fast.
“M-monster!” Spike screamed as he wandered into the room.
Pinkie's eyes darted at the dragon, her face expressing a look of pain.
“Spike! This is Pinkie!”
“Oh… sorry…”
“It's okay. I know my appearance is gruesome. But that's not important. Twilight, there is a presence here. It does not have good intentions.”
Twilight tilted her head in curiosity at her friend's sudden seriousness.
“What do you mean? What's going on?”
The once pink pony dug through her drawers, pulling out various jars and tools.
“There is a ghost haunting Ponyville. I don't know what it wants, but it clearly has no good intentions. It already stole my soul…” Pinkie said, sighing.
“They took your soul?!” Twilight cried.
“I don't have much time before my body disappears! Here, this book should answer all your questions and help you escape.” Pinkie Pie said while handing the alicorn the book.
“Bu--”
“Go! Now!” Pinkie screamed in pain. The pony was slowly fading away.
Twilight grabbed the saddle bag and held Spike. She teleported the both of them outside. In the upper story a soft explosion could be heard. Pinkie's soul, and what was left of her, was gone now.
“What is going on, Twilight?!” Spike yelled, his heart racing.
Twilight shook her head in disbelief as to what she just witnessed. Did this mean that she was the fate of Equestria now? Why did a spirit haunt her village? What did it want?!
The sky seemed to be slightly tinted gray. The sun’s brightness seemed to dim, too. How peculiar.
Twilight teleported herself and her young assistant to her castle's library. She counted the books. Something was missing; there were only 1,200,499 books.
“I should go check up on Applejack and her family… after all, Granny Smith is quite wise when it comes to mysterious things.” The purple alicorn spoke, heading out of the library.
“Wait up!” Spike called, running to his master.
“No, you stay here. I don't want you to see something you’ll regret.”
With each step Twilight's uneasiness grew. She felt like she was walking around a ghost town; it frightened her.
She soon came to a stop. A brick wall had blocked the entrance to Sweet Apple Acres. A small, blood stained note read ‘Seek the tailor whom shall trim this wall for you’.
“Seek the tailor… what tailor? Does it mean… oh no!”
Twilight galloped frantically to Carousel Boutique, praying that her friend Rarity was still okay. She pushed with all her might to try and open the door. It was no use, it was boarded from the inside. She heard a terrified screech.
“Hold on, Rarity!” Twilight yelled, bucking the door with all her might.
Finally the alicorn broke it down. She ran inside, calling for her friend. Quietly, the door was fixed, and shut behind the clueless princess.
“Twilight… come here, Twilight… I have something beautiful to show you…” an invisible Rarity spoke.
“Where are you, Rarity?” She asked, looking around the messy room.
A pony stepped out from the shadows. It was Rarity. But, something wasn't right. Her lips were sewn in a forced-smile, her hair was messy, and several stitches ran up and down her body.
“Aren't I beautiful? I'm a living doll!”
Twilight gazed at what had become of her friend. She quickly knew what she had to do. Twilight lunged for a pair of scissors.
“Darling, what are you doing?” the deformed unicorn asked. She glared at the alicorn, suspicious of what she was planning on doing.
“I'm fixing a mistake!” The alicorn cried. In an instance she had cut the threads of the unicorn’s stitches.
“You fool! Those were the only things keeping me together!” Rarity yelled.
Twilight watched as her friend fell apart. White fabric and cotton remained where the unicorn once stood.
“I guess that… spirit… got her soul, too…” Twilight sighed, trotting out of the Boutique.
Twilight soon arrived at Sweet Apple Acres. The brick wall that had once blocked the path had disappeared, just like the poor unicorn Rarity. The farm looked as though it were going through a drought; the apple trees bore no apples. The land was dry and brown, and specks of dust floated in the air.
There was no sign of the Apple family being present. Twilight knew that someone had to be there; after all, the land did look kept.
“Applejack? Are you here?” Twilight spoke with a shiver.
“Ah’m over ‘ere, Sugarcube!” Applejack replied.
Twilight ran over to Applejack as fast as she could. It didn't take long for her to notice that Applejack was… different. Her hooves were stuck to the ground like roots, her fur had a tree-like texture to it, and leaves grew in her mane.
“Do somethin’ Sugarcube! Ah can't move er--” her mouth was forced shut before she could finish.
“What do I do?!” Twilight panicked.
Applejack was now a tree. Her ears became branches, and started growing apples.
“Oh! I know!” the alicorn exclaimed. With a swift tug, Twilight picked the two apples with her magic.
It was too late, however. The tree that was once Applejack had disappeared.
Twilight was desperate to save her last remaining friends. She figured she would go to Fluttershy's cottage first, but then remembered that her animal friends are probably protecting her. So, with that thought, Twilight flew off to find Rainbow Dash.
“Rainbow Dash! Where are you?!” Twilight cried. She flew to Rainbow’s house and knocked on the door. No answer.
High and low did the alicorn search, with no results. And then, just as she was about to give up, she heard a flapping noise behind her.
“Twilight? What's wrong?” Rainbow asked, unaware of what Twilight has been going through.
“Rainbow! Everyone is dead! Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack… what are we gonna do?!” Twilight yelled, her voice quivering.
Rainbow Dash looked into the alicorn’s eyes. Something about Rainbow was… strange.
“Oh Celestia! Don't tell me you're dead, too!” Twilight back away.
“Twilight… this is hard to hear, but… well…” Rainbow paused and glanced at her hooves. She was turning into cloud.
“What's happening to you?!” Twilight gasped, tears in her eyes.
“Enough about me! Go save Fluttershy!” Rainbow screamed at Twilight.
“But--”
“I’m going to be fine, just go, damn it!”
With a sob, Twilight flew away. And as the alicorn flew to the yellow pegasus’ cottage, Rainbow Dash faded away in the sky.
Twilight galloped to her gentle friend's cottage. She had to save someone. She can't be alone.
The princess broke down Fluttershy's door and ran straight in. Right away she was captured in a warm, soft embrace.
“There, there, Twilight. I know what you've seen, it's okay now. This cottage is your new sanctuary.” Fluttershy spoke calmly.
Twilight tried to calm down, but instead, she started to cry.
“Oh, Fluttershy… what are we going to do?” the alicorn sobbed.
The yellow pegasus let go of the princess and opened a drawer. Inside the drawer there lay a heart shaped key.
“Here, take this. With this key, you'll be free from this place. All you have to do is take the key and--”
A swarm of butterflies bursted into the room. They surrounded the pegasus and started biting her.
“Fluttershy!!!” Twilight wept.
“Twilight! Take the key, open the book Pinkie gave you! On one of the pages there is a keyhole, put the key in and unlock it! You'll then be able to go home!” Fluttershy screamed as her flesh was being devoured.
Twilight nodded, took the key, and ran off. As she ran, she could hear Fluttershy's screams come to a complete stop; she had been eaten alive by the butterflies.
Twilight made it back to the castle just in time. She was relieved to find that Spike was still there, alive of course.
“C’mon, Spike. We need to get going. All we have to do is find the page with the keyhole in it and we’re free.” the alicorn whispered softly as she flipped through the book’s pages.
“But where’s Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy? Are they okay?” Spike asked.
Twilight didn't know what to tell him. He would be devastated to know what happened to their friends, especially Rarity. With a little shake of the head, Twilight motioned him to be silent.
Flip, flip, flip--she paused. She started to read what the book said.
Many ponies do not know about the legend of the Soul Stealer. The Soul Stealer is an ancient creature that was banished for all eternity by Princess Luna. However, it is said that if one were to make a sacrifice of five souls, the Soul Stealer would be released from their prison. Although it has been attempted, only true corrupted souls could be used for sacrifice. If a soul isn't corrupted they will be freed.
It was at this point that Twilight stopped reading. She understood everything. Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy were not corrupted.
Twilight soon found the page she was looking for and jammed the key into the keyhole. A bright, warm light filled the room, and a magic portal appeared.
“Come, Spike. Let's go home.” the princess said, grabbing her young assistant.
Twilight awoke that morning with fear. She darted her eyes across her room. Perfectly normal. She heard laughter from outside. Twilight looked through her window and saw all of her friends there; alive and happy.
With a sigh, the young alicorn got up and started her day.
Eventually, she asked Spike about the weird dream they had.
“What are you talking about? We didn't share a dream!” the dragon said with a concerned look on his face.
“Bu--” Twilight's eyes widened.
And there, the alicorn realized that only she remembered everything. Twilight stared outside of her window and thought to herself.
As she stared, Twilight caught a glimpse of a butterfly. It had blood on its wings.
