The steady creaking of wheels could be heard, as Applejack slowly pulls her heavily laden cart deeper into the woods. Up ahead the voices of many teenage ponies could be heard, happily going about their business. Applejack paused a moment in her trek, and smiled to herself, as memories of her and her brother rose to the surface of her thoughts, before continuing her way forward to the base of the tree.
“Apple Bloom!” She cried. “I’m here with all yer party supplies!”
“Applejack?” Apple Bloom says, as she opens the door to the tree house, and begins making her way down. “What are you doing here? I thought Pinkie Pie would be bringing everything?”
“She’s too busy getting the town ready for Nightmare Night, so I volunteered ta bring these out to you. Are ya’ll sure you want to hole up here for the night? It’s looks like she really outdid herself this year.”
“We’re sure.” Apple Bloom says cheerfully. “Besides, ah think we got the second best party organizer in all of Ponyville to help us out,” she says, as Diamond Tiara climbs her way down from the tree house, to help unload the supplies.
“Well, I’ll be. Sure is nice ta see you all getting along so well. Helping my sister organize this here party really means a lot to her,” Applejack says, as she begins to take out boxes from her cart.
“It’s the least I can do,” Diamond Tiara replies. “Your sister was one of the first ponies willing to be my friend after all the trouble I used to cause. And besides, I really enjoy organizing events like this. I think over half the teens in Ponyville are planning to come. I just hope we have enough food for everypony.”
“Oh I wouldn’t worry about that.” Applejack says with a grin. “Seems we made a few too many apple pies, and fritters, so Granny and I decided to donate them to ya’ll, just in case.”
“Thanks big sis!” Apple Bloom says, coming and giving her sister a hug, “you’re the best!”
“Aww, shucks,” She replies, just doing my part. Now ya’ll don’t get too wild tonight,” she admonishes, “especially when the boys show up,” she adds with a sidelong wink.
“O-of course not,” Apple Bloom stammers, her cheeks going red.
“Well, that’s good ta here, especially with Tender Taps coming an all.”
“A-ah have no idea what yer talkin about sis,”Apple Bloom says, looking away. “Anyway I need ta help get this stuff unloaded. See you tomorrow!” She says hefting up a box, and quickly trotting away.
Applejack grins. “Riiight, she says to the retreating form of her sister, “have a good time! An none of that Prench kissin ya hear!” she says, right before the door to the clubhouse slams.
Hours later, as dusk begins to creep it’s way across the forest floor, a dark figure slowly makes it’s way out of the last vestiges of the Everfree, toward the long dirt road leading from Ponyville to Sweet Apple Acres. The figures pauses for a moment, as it hears the sounds of hoofsteps, and quickly conceals itself in the tall dying grasses that line either side of the roadway.
Moments later a young stallion comes into view by the light of the full moon. His face and coat are painted into that of a skeleton, with for some reason a fake bow and arrow across his back. He is oblivious to his surroundings, his attention fully focused on a strange device in his hoof. The device flashes and occasionally emits sounds and noises, some of which cause him to pause in his pace.
Making sure that there is no pony else nearby, the dark figure pounces upon him, knocking him unconscious, and dragging him deeper into the woods. Almost as an afterthought, the figure returns to take the strange device with him, not wanting to leave any evidence behind.
Shortly afterwords Button Mash wakes up, his head throbbing, to find that he is being held down by magic. His muzzle is gagged, so that he cannot call out for help. Even so, the sight of the menacing figure looming above him causes him to try and scream out in terror.
“Delicious!” The figure says, it’s magic drawing forth all the terror swirling above the young stallion, and drawing it into itself. “You see my queen? Fear is SO much more satisfying than mere ‘love’.” And it’s so very easy to produce.”
The figure concentrates for a moment, and a small sliver of ebony crystal appears in mid air, then with a thought, it plunges into the teens leg. Button tries once more to scream in pain and terror, as once again the figure feeds.
This goes on for some time.
Finally, just before Button passes out from blood loss and exhaustion, the figure stops it’s torture.
“Such a fine meal.” It says. “A pity it is over, but I would say that this one is just about finished. Ah, but before you slip off to the safety of death, I need just one last thing from you little pony,” the figure says, before looming over Button one final time. “Information”.
Two eyes light up with a sickening purple light, as tendrils of dark mist seep from the figure, and enter young Button through his ears, nose, and mouth. Button can feel something inside of his mind. A dark ink, smothering him from the inside out. One by one his recent memories flash before his eyes, only to be burned out, forever. The process seems to go on for hours, but in fact only lasts a few moments.
The mindless husk of the young stallion formerly known as Button Mash stops struggling and lies still. Moments later it stops breathing and dies.
This fact is barely noticed by the Chrysalis hybrid. It’s mind is awash in new memories and information. Ponies and faces flit across it’s mind, lingering on two in particular.
“Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle,” it thinks to itself. “Sisters to two of the six!”
Memories flash between the two minds as fast as thought can travel, both having realized that they share common enemies.
“Interesting,” he/she thinks to itself. “And both of them will be attending a party tonight. For Nightmare Night. How apropos. Yes, a Nightmare indeed for the brood of those meddling ponies who dared to help thwart my… our plans.”
The figure takes a moment to change, becoming an exact replica of Button Mash, then picking up the object that he now knows to be a ‘Game Colt’, he returns to the road, and begins making his way toward the club house.
“Now then, he says to himself, his eyes going to the small screen. Let’s see if this ‘Manecraft’ allows one to mine crystals...”
An hour later, the party at the headquarters of the Cutie Mark Crusaders is in full swing. Teenagers are going through the usual awkward rituals of interest and avoidance. Some playing ‘spin the bottle’, pretending not to want to win, the more committed playing ‘seven minutes in heaven’, in the CMC’s small closet.
“Button,” Sweetie Belle says. “Why have you been avoiding me?”
‘Button Mash’ looks up from his game, his cheeks flushing at being caught out. “Hmm, I am sorry Sweetie Belle,” he says in genuine embarrassment. “It seems that I was unable to break away my attention from this infernal device. The further one goes in this ‘Manecraft’, the further one is enticed to continue. This form of electronic succubus is truly insidious. One day I must find it’s creator, I have a place for a mind such as that in my empire.”
Sweetie Belle giggles. “I like this new commanding way of speaking you are using tonight. It’s very… grown up.” Sweetie says, as she begins leading ‘Button’ by his hoof.
“Thank you,” he replies, forcing a smile at the sibling of his foe. “Where, may I ask, are you taking me?” He says, his attention still partially on his game.
“Silly colt,” She says, giving him a dreamy smile, “it’s our turn,” she says, before opening the closet door, and guiding him inside.
Moments later understanding dawns upon the Chrysalis hybrid, as Sweetie Belle, begins to kiss her colt friend passionately. Had Applejack been there she would have been unsurprised that the ‘no Prench kissing rule’, was long ago out the window.
Embers of long dead passions begin to ignite in the dominated mind of Chrysalis. As a spectator she catches glimpses of lovers, rapes, and tortures spanning hundreds of years.
The small parts of her mind that are still her own recoil in disgust and horror, as her body is forced to respond to the will of it’s new master.
“Oh Button!” Sweetie Belle says, as her seeming colt friend continues his expert ministrations. “Yes, Button yes!” She says loudly, attracting the attention of the ponies on the other side of the door, many of whom begin shouting advice and encouragement to the couple.
“Perhaps,” the voice of Button Mash says in her ear, “we should continue this conversation somewhere more… private?”
He accentuates his point, nibbling on her ear, and caressing her with his hooves.
“O-okay,” she replies breathlessly, trying to keep the eagerness out of her voice.
They exit the closet, red faced, as all of their friends smile and hoot at them. After getting a cup of punch to fortify her, Sweetie Belle steps outside and makes her way down the ladder. Moments later the form of Button Mash follows her.
Wordlessly, he takes her hoof in his own, and they make their way into the woods, until they find a nearby clearing.
There, in the moonlit field, they once again cling to each other in a passionate embrace. Kissing and teasing each other, each becomes more and more bold in their desire.
Suddenly Sweetie Belle begins to feel something.
“B-Button?” She says, breaking off a kiss, and pushing him back from her gently.
The full moon clearly illuminates both of their bodies, sweat glistens in the moonlight. She looks downwards at his body, her eyes widening in surprise.
“Is that your… Is that your...” She begins to ask.
“No my dear,” Button says, his voice changing, becoming deeper and more sinister, even as his form begins to twist and distort, “that is NOT mine unfortunately, merely a reasonable facsimile.”
The figure now looking down at Sweetie Belle, no longer remotely resembles Button Mash, nor does it look at all like the former Queen Chrysalis. Yet this form is familiar to Sweetie Belle, having seen it in the pages of her history books, after talking to her sister about her adventures fighting against him.
“So-” she manages, before the stallion lowers himself roughly down upon her, kissing her once more.
Sweetie begins to struggle against him, both physically and with her magic, but both are to no avail.
Screams begin to fill the night, unheard of by the party nearby. And then, after a time, silence.
Some time later the Chrysalis hybrid makes its way back toward the clubhouse, gently tugging a slack faced and unresponsive Sweetie Belle behind it on a leash of magic.
“That was surprisingly enjoyable.” He thinks to the former queen, smiling to himself, his spirits high.
“You are an animal! Chrysalis replies inside her own head. “A filthy disgusting beast! I shall never be able to purge myself of these sickening memories.”
The figure pauses mid stride.
“That? You think that was me at my worst? Foolish bug! That was me having FUN! Oh yes, yes indeed. I do believe I LIKE this one,” he says tugging at the chain of magic, pulling Sweetie Belle closer, “I think I shall make her the first of my new concubines. One can never start too soon after all.”
“Som...Som...Som...” Sweetie mutters to herself, over and over, her eyes glassy, and her expression vacant.
“And ponies consider ME a monster,” Chrysalis thinks, feeling nothing but pity for the young mare.
“Hush now,” he fires back. “It’s time for some… party games.”
The figure rises up before the entrance to the club house. He extends a hoof, and giant shards of black crystal erupt from the ground, completely encasing the tree house. With a gesture, the door crashes inward, causing all the ponies inside to stop and stare, as a dark figure enters the room.
“Good evening!” He says, bowing gracefully.
“W- who are you?” Diamond Tiara asks, moving to the front of the room. This is a PRIVATE party,” she says boldly.
“Ah, but you see,” he replies, pulling on his leash, “I am merely a ‘plus one’ as they say,” he says, tugging Sweetie Belle into view.
Several ponies gasp at the sight of their friend. He mane is disheveled and full of twigs, her coat dirty and scratched. Her eyes are vacant and lifeless. And all they can hear from her is “Som… Som… Som...”
“SOMBRA!” Apple Bloom shouts, making her way toward her best friend, with Scootaloo only a step behind her. “What have you done to her?”
“HAHAAAHAAHAAAA! Foolish brood of my enemies! What HAVEN’T I done to her!” He says tugging Sweetie Belle back to his side. “But she is in your past, you should be more concerned with your future!” He says, smiling wickedly at the crowd before him.
“W-what are you talking about?” Apple Bloom says angrily, still in shock at the sight of her friend standing listlessly beside King Sombra.
“Originally I had planned to simply slaughter you all, devouring your fear, watching you die, and turning this tree house into a carnal pit as a warning to my enemies. But, thanks to the ministrations of your friend here,” (upon hearing this Sweetie Belle shudders), “I’m feeling a bit more generous. So I’ve decided to play a game instead. A party game if you will.
Each one of you will be released. If you can then manage to avoid capture for… oh, let’s say… fifteen minutes time, then you and all of your remaining friends can go free. On this I will give you my word. Of course though, if you cannot escape,” Sombra says, toying with a crystal in his hoof, “Well, I can assure you that your end with be more horrific than anything you can possibly image.”
“And what if we decide that we don’t want to play your little ga-” Diamond Tiara starts to say, before the crystal that was in Sombra’s hoof impales her between her eyes. Her limp body crashes to the floor, and blood begins to pool around her head.
{Sigh}, “No matter soldier, slave, saint, or sinner, there is always ONE that has to ask that type of question.” Sombra replies as ponies gather around the lifeless form of their friend in shock.
“You die.” He states simply. “You either play my game, or you die.”
Some of the crowd begin to panic. Silver Spoon falls to the floor next to the lifeless body of her best friend, holding her hoof and crying. The more level headed ponies become angry, turning their attentions back to Sombra.
“Good, good. Rage at me! Let me see the fire in your eyes! Turing that fire into fear, that rage into terror, such is what I live for! Now then, young stallions and mares, who among you will be first? Who will be the hero that saves you all?”
“I will!” Scootaloo says, walking forth defiantly, rage filling her features. “My friends beat you before Sombra, and when I beat you now, all of us are getting out of here, and that includes her. She says pointing a hoof at Sweetie Belle, “You said ALL of our friends, remember?”
Sombra glances down at his new concubine, a frown briefly crosses his features. “So I did, so I did. Very well young mare, my word is my bond.” He says stepping out of the doorway. “I’ll even give you a five minute head start. Let’s see if you are the hero that your friends so desperately need.”
Scootaloo gives Apple Bloom one final look, and then dashes out of the door. Sombra doesn’t even look back. He leans against the door frame, and lifts Button’s ‘Game Colt’ before his eyes and begins to play.
Well over five minutes pass before Sombra glances up at the clock, and says “Excuse me for a moment.” Then he backs out of the doorway, sealing it with crystal.
Eight minutes ago, Scootaloo dashed from the clubhouse. She grabbed up her scooter, and took off down the dusty road at full speed. Several minutes go by until she reaches a small bridge over a creek that feeds into Apple Bloom’s farm. Crossing the bridge, she carefully hides the scooter behind nearby bushes. And then she turns, facing the path of the winding stream, and then she awkwardly rises into the air.
“Hah,” she thinks to herself. “He’s going to see the scooter tracks for sure. He’s bound to follow them. He thinks I’m going to make as fast a dash as I can. But I only need to get away from him for fifteen minutes. And even though my wings haven’t grown out much since puberty, I can still fly well enough to find a place to hide.”
Moments later she spies a tall oak tree that is still heavily laden with autumn leaves. She flies as best she can into the deepest parts of the foliage, lands on a thick branch near the base. And silently waits.
Minutes pass, with no sound except the wind rustling the leaves around her. Suddenly, she hears a scrabbling sound at the base of the tree. Panic grips her heart.
“No, no way! He couldn’t have found me,” She thinks.
Sweat begins to bead at her forehead as the scrabbling sound draws closer, and closer.
“What should I do,” she thinks frantically. “Fly? No, I’m not good enough, he would shoot me down. And if I try to move, he will spot me for sure. All I can do is hope he passes me by.”
The scrabbling noise is right below her now, then right behind her head on the other side of the tree trunk, then above her. She starts to let out a breath, but then the sound comes again, back down behind her again, then below her, then suddenly a squirrel climbs up onto the branch she is sitting on. It sits between her legs, staring up at her.
Scootaloo heaves a sigh of relief. “Oh thank Celestia!” She whispers. “For a second there I thought that I was going to die.”
“You are.” The squirrel says darkly. And then the screaming begins.
Back at the clubhouse ponies had been trying in vain to find a way to escape. Some had tried shattering the crystals, some had tried tearing out the walls or floorboards, only to find the room completely encased. Apple Bloom had been cradling Sweetie Belle in her arms, trying to comfort her, but getting no response only “Som...Som...Som...”
“Poor Sweetie Belle,” Apple Bloom says, rocking her gently, “Don’t worry, Scootaloo will get away. No one is faster than she is. She will save us, then we will go get Twilight and her friends and make him pay for all this. You’ll see, it’s going to be all right. It will”
Sweetie Belle pauses in her mantra, looking up at Apple Bloom, suddenly there is a grinding noise as the crystal blocking the door retracts, and Sombra strides in once more. He effortlessly tosses the broken body of Scootaloo across the room which crashes to the floor lifelessly. The room falls silent as everybody stares at the mangled and mutilated body leaning awkwardly against the far wall.
“No, not the hero that you needed after all. So then, who’s next?” He asks with an evil smile.
Fear and rage fill the hearts of the remaining ponies. One by one, each of them attempt to make their escape, as Apple Bloom continues to cradle her best friend in her arms, trying to comfort her. One by one Sombra returned with each of their corpses. Each of them mangled and broken in horrible ways.
The last one to go was Tender Taps, who wordlessly gave Apple Bloom a kiss before leaving. She could tell by the look in his eyes, that he knew that he was walking to his death. After Sombra left, Apple Bloom began to cry, her tears falling onto Sweetie Belle’s face. She cried and cried. But then Sweetie Belle reached up and stroked her cheek.
Apple Bloom looked down at her. Sweetie’s face was screwed up in concentration, she was trying to think, to say something. Finally she forced out a word.
“Cry...stals.” She managed to say. “Crystals. CRYSTALS!”
Apple Bloom hung her head. Her hopes dashed. All Sweetie was doing was repeating Sombra’s mantra. It was hopeless.
Moments later Sombra returned, tossing Tender’s body on top of all of the rest.
“I must say, this has been a most entertaining evening. I’ve feasted, fought, and fornicated. At times even all at once! Oh yes, I think once that I have reclaimed my kingdom, I shall make this an annual event. Perhaps I shall tour Equestria, setting up a hunt in a different location each year!
So then young Apple Bloom, you are the last. Shall you die here with the rest? Or will you try to save at least one of your friends, hmm?”
Apple Bloom slowly rises to her hooves.
“It looks like you’ve beaten us.” She admits, bowing her head. “But, even if I fail, I have to at least TRY to save my friend.”
“Excellent! One last hunt then, with the sisters of my enemies lives in the balance! Go then young Apple, show me how worthy your bloodline is.”
Sombra retracts the crystal one last time, and Apple Bloom walks outside. Inside she can hear Sweetie Belle begin to whimper at being left alone with Sombra.
She stops at the top of the ladder, takes a deep breath, and looks out at the landscape of her home, one last time.
The full moon illuminates the landscape around her, the skeletal looking trees, the winding path, the glittering sand surrounding the tree house…
“Wait… sand? There’s never been any sand out here.” Apple Bloom thinks, as she slowly makes her way down the ladder.
Sure enough, the tree house is surrounded by black glittering sand.
“Wait, that’s not sand. It’s crystals, tiny black crystals. THAT’S what Sweetie Belle meant!” Apple Bloom thinks excitedly. “No wonder Sombra was able to find every pony. He was tracking us with these crystals!”
Apple Bloom looked all around the base of the tree house, being careful not to touch any of the sand like crystals. Unfortunately, they completely surrounded it. Then, Apple Bloom remembered the old swing in the back that they used to play on as foals. It was still there. It was out of reach from where she stood, but she might be able to jump across to it, and swing out far enough to clear the field of crystals.
‘If’ she could jump far enough. She thinks. And ‘if’ the rope wasn’t too rotten to support her weight that is.
Taking another deep breath, she tensed her legs, and jumped. Her leap carried her far enough, and she tucked up her legs just in time to avoid scraping them on the sand. At the longest point of her swing, she let go, clearing the crystals with inches to spare.
She was out! She had a chance! She knew these woods better than any pony, and Sombra had no way of tracking her. She could do this!
Quickly she cut through the woods, not heading toward her home, no, he would expect that, but heading toward the Everfree. She was careful to avoid soft ground, or breaking the foliage to limit his ability to find her quickly. Finally she made her way to the swollen creek that led down from the Everfree to her farm. Careful not to leave any hoof prints in the bank of the stream, she climbed down into the cold dark water, and began to make her way upstream.
As she made her way closer to the Everfree, the banks of the stream rose up higher and higher on either side of her. The flooding from the year before had carved out vast recesses in the clay walls surrounding her, making almost cave like indentations far into the banks. In these, water turned into calm pools, a haven for fish and crayfish that chose not to fight the current, the clay caverns above the water line serving some creatures as burrows for the oncoming winter.
Onward Apple Bloom went, with no idea how much time had passed, or how close she was to the dangers of the Everfree. She had to get to a certain place. It was a long shot, but she might win Sombra’s game, if only she had enough time. Apple Bloom made her way upstream as fast and as quietly as she could, all the while straining her ears, hoping not to hear the sounds of pursuit.
A hope that was soon dashed.
“OH APPLE BLOOM!” The voice of Sombra thundered from downstream. “You cannot escape me Apple Bloom!” He shouted.
Fear gripped Apple Bloom’s heart. How? How had he found her? She avoided the sand trap. She had understood Sweetie Belle’s warning.
“That was the only thing that she said right?” Apple Bloom thinks to herself, “she reached up, and touched my cheek and said ‘Crystals’. That was it right? Wait… NO! no, no, no!”
Apple Bloom reaches up and touches her cheek with her hoof. There on her hoof, glittering in the moonlight she can just make out, tiny bits of sand like crystal.
Tears well up in her eyes once more. “Why Sweetie Belle? Why?” she thinks, before plunging her head into the ice cold waters.
She keeps herself under as long as she can, scrubbing at her face, mane and body, until she can no longer hold her breath. Somewhere, downstream, she can hear a bellow of rage. She takes that to mean that the crystals are all gone, and the link to him must be broken.
“I WILL find you Apple Bloom, you are a clever mare, this I will grant you, but I am SOMBRA, greatest King in all of Equestria!”
Apple Bloom ignores the ranting of Sombra as best she can. Her hopes have been restored, she still has a chance. But she needs to find a place to hide, a very particular place.
She makes her way upstream once more, as quietly as she can. She can hear Sombra getting closer, not even attempting to hide his presence. Trying no doubt to make her afraid. She pauses at a recess in the bank, deeper than most. ‘Yes’ she thinks, “this is the place, I knew it had to be close.”
She wades into the recess as far as she can, well underneath the bank above her. She takes hooffulls of clay from the wall behind her, covering her face and mane thickly, making her almost invisible against her surroundings. She continues digging at the wall until she encounters something soft and warm. She gropes around the creek bed and finds a sharp stone, then clutching in her hoof she backs against the wall, and waits.
Before long the splashing of hooves, accompanied by the rants of Sombra draw close. She sees him pass before her hidden recess as he goes further up stream.
“He’s alone,” she thinks. “Sweetie Belle must be back at the clubhouse.”
Suddenly, Sombra stops moving. He begins to make his way back downstream. He pauses in front of the recess Apple Bloom is hiding in, and peers inside. Sombra smiles as he stands back up, resting his hoof on the bank above her.
“A pity,” he says, almost as if speaking to the night itself, “if you had only made it a few minutes more you would have won. How did I find you? It was your fear child, this close it’s aroma was thick in the air. A shame I decided not to bring your friend with me, your last memory could have been that of her watching you die. Hahahahahaaa!”
But Apple bloom was thinking of another memory. One of just last month when her, Applejack, and Fluttershy had been at this very shore. Where Fluttershy had used her stare to convince a creature not to go any further downstream from the Everfree. Where they watched it settle into the mud and clay of the stream bed to hibernate for the winter.
Apple Bloom raised the sharp edged rock in her hoof, quickly turned, and stabbed it into the warm ‘wall’ behind her.
It had been sleeping soundly. The roars of Sombra were no more than the whispers of worms digging through the mud. But being stabbed in it’s soft underbelly was something more than it could ignore.
It erupted from the bank, scattering rocks and mud everywhere, as its rage filled eyes scanned the area for its attacker.
There, below it, in the middle of the stream, was a startled looking pony. How dare it! How DARE it! We had an agreement with the yellow one. We were allowed this place. And now we are attacked?!? It shall DIE! IT SHALL DIE!!!
Sombra was caught completely unprepared, when the hydra burst forth from the banks of the stream. It was a young hydra, scarcely more than five stories tall, but it was enraged, and it was staring right at him.
“Clever girl,” Sombra says, looking over at the clay covered Apple Bloom, still almost completely concealed in the ruined creek shore. His regal head nods at her in acknowledgement.
Then the hydra attacked.
