Author's Note: So I've been wanting to write a Friendship is Magic fanfic for a while, but couldn't think of any good ideas. I had the idea of one with an OC, but that got scrapped, then a PinkieShy fanfic (which is still in the works)...

Then, recently, I came up with an idea. A sort of 'dystopian reality' retelling of Season 1 of Friendship Is Magic, a darker version of the events that caused Twilight to meet her friends and how they faced Nightmare Moon. Again, probably been done before, but this is my own take on it.

Please enjoy! And please review. I would love to know what you think.

Prologue

It was dark. Cold.

The sky was never completely colourless in Equestria, even at night. But right now, on this dark winter's evening, the sky just seemed so... grey. A dark smokey grey, with a few streaks of navy and royal blue just barely visible. The clouds hung menacingly above, black and grey shadows threatening lightning and thunder.

Why? Oh, why on this particular night had they decided to send her out on a scouting mission? Why not a stronger flyer or navigator?

Why her?

Derpy, of course, knew the answer to this. She wasn't as stupid as all the other ponies thought she was. She knew that Cloudsdale couldn't spare anypony else. All the other agents were either helping the civilians of their hometown get to safety, out lending a hoof to the other cities and towns in Equestria, or...

Or they were on the battlefield.

Derpy shuddered, and it wasn't because of the cold.

Stay focussed, Derpy, you can't mess this one up, she thought. Everyone was counting her, she couldn't let them down.

Derpy continued her flight across the gloomy skies, her grey fur almost acting camoflage. This gave her some comfort: if any enemies were coming this way, they would have to strain their vision to see her. Unfortunately, she herself would have to strain her eyes. It was bad enough that it was a misty, windy, and that rain was falling from the sky, heavier than she could ever remember it falling before. Even on the clearest of days, her eyesight had never been particularly good.

After flying a little longer, she began to panic. What if she had missed it? What if she had past her destination ages ago, and just hadn't seen it?

Stay calm, Derpy, she ordered herself. If she panicked too much, her wings might close up on her, and then she would really would be in trouble.

The wind battered against her, growing more violent every second, but she flew on. She looked down, but realised she couldn't see far down in this fog, so she flew a little lower. She surveyed her path. She could just about see the tops of the bare trees, their leafless limbs stretching out like claws towards her. She could also hear the rushing of water. A river, maybe? Slightly distracted by this, she didn't notice the giant gust of wind coming straight for her, a huge current that slammed into her, pushing her back. The shock caught the grey pegasus off guard.

Her wings closed.

The wind gave a terrifying roar as Derpy Hooves plummeted to the ground.