Prologue
A/N: Hey all bulk of explanation at the end, just doing the normal disclaimers so I don't get sued. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is copyright of Hasbro. Any intellectual property that is used in this story that is not my own is property of their respective owners.
It was a warm breezy night. The simple gusts of the wind ruffled the leaves, while the stars and moonlight danced through the thickets of trees. The calm night air filled with the crunching of gravel under hooves as a lone mare trotted her way down the forest path.
It was a strange sensation, watching this filly prance down the road seeing her from a spectator's position, but alas there was nothing to be done. The observer floated silently watching the young girl walk down the trail and see what would come of it.
Suddenly as if a hand had stolen the moon and blocked out the stars, the night was soon pitch black. The only sight the watcher could see was the pony and the nearest surrounding trees. For what seemed like an eternity the nameless pony just shivered in the cold dark and manically looked all over her surroundings. Another breeze rocked her skin but instead of a cooling breeze it was a spine chilling gust of wind that wrapped its icy fingers up her spine. Her tail jumped and froze as did the rest of her body and her body trembled like a leaf in the wind. Almost as suddenly as the night had grown cold, it returned to the calm warm night that it had just left. The stars once again gazed down watching the pony as the moon lit up the forest with its brilliant glow.
"Very strange" the pony muttered to herself. Gathering her thoughts and legs together again she began to walk again, if not at a quickened pace. What she failed to notice were the pair of glowing eyes peering out of the brush behind her. As she trotted down the path the pounding of her hooves drowned out the light sounds of dirt being turned and twigs snapping. It was after a large snap of a nearby branch that the observer was keen that the pony was being followed. She spun around in the air and looked all around but was unable to find the source to the noise. Leaving it to a small woodland creature she turned back to watch the trotting pony again.
It wasn't until several minutes later that the pony finally noticed something strange about her path. She could have sworn that she had walked past that rock a few moments ago. And that tree trunk seemed to look exactly like the one she had just passed after tripping over herself. She decided to draw a line in the dirt with her hoof and ran off into a full gallop. With the loud noises of her galloping soon filled the night sky and neither the pony nor the observer heard the dark chuckling that followed after the mare took off.
It took another long run and several minutes before the pony stopped. Gasping and panting for air her eyes went wide when right before her was the same line she had drawn not long ago.
"I'm going around in circles?" she gasped in shock. Following her gasp of disbelief the forest once again turned into a black inky curtain of cold. The same icy feel crept up the pony's spine again but this time a shrill chuckle could be easily heard from the brush. She spun in place looking everywhere for the source of the noise but saw nothing but pure darkness surrounding her. The chuckling got even louder until it sounded as if it was right next to the poor pony. Only it wasn't just a single chuckle now, it was two voices chuckling in unison. Getting more and more desperate the pony screamed and ran off down the path, fear overriding common sense.
The wind began to pick up and blow faster and faster and soon was circling and spiraling around and the chuckling grew louder and louder until it was full on maniacal laughing. The voices grew in volume as the winds grew in speed until the only thing the nameless pony could make out was the screaming wind and howling laughter surrounding her. Unable to take it any longer she ducked her head under her hooves and screamed in abject terror.
As she screamed the wind and laughter soon quelled until the wind finally died. However the chuckling continued albeit quieter. As it died down it began to become more corporeal and closer to the pony.
"Aw look at the poor dear, frightened to death she is" a raspy voice echoed through the air. Hearing the voice she seized up and her eyes went wide. She could hear the faint sound of footsteps approaching her. It was a terrible sound like metal grinding on rock as the feet scraped across the gravel the grinding almost sending her into frenzy by itself.
"Poor things shaking like a leaf brother. I told you we shouldn't have snuck up on her like that" another voice chimed in louder than the other. This one was more present and pronounced but also echoed as if in they were in the mind of the pony. The observer tried to look around to see the encroaching voices but was only greeted by two very large shadows, at least the size of small trees.
"Well what can you expect my brother. Walking about out here in the woods at night, 'specially these woods. Don't you know these woods be dangerous my child" the light raspy voice cooed in the mare's ear. Unexpectedly the voice was calm, smooth, almost like silk and put the pony into a slight state of ease. Her mind slowly began to haze over to the point where she could only slightly nod at the whisperer.
"Now there you go again spitting silk in their heads brother. Now we won't have any fun with her" the louder voice pouted and whined. The observer could only watch as the two shadows played with the pony. Making out large limbs, and pointed heads, and every so often a glint of moonlight would break through the trees and catch the shadows sending of a dull glint.
"But it'll put her at ease my brother, can't have food that's too tense brother. Hard to chew and all that" he chuckled darkly. The observer worriedly turned her attention to the pony whom she expected to run away. But to her horror and shock the pony only giggled and gayly swayed her legs like a little filly with a crush.
"So where are you from my dear girl" the raspy voice once again whispered into her ear. The pony took a moment or two to break through the trance. Finally coherent enough to speak she fluttered her dreamy eyes and giggled a few more times before finally speaking.
"From Ponyville" she dreamily said kicking the dirt starry-eyed. The observer gasped and bolted to the pony only to pass through her like a ghost. She screamed and hollered but to no avail as the shadows continued their toying with the poor girl.
"My, my, my, Ponyville how that sounds like a lovely little place to fill up. Are there more colts and mares like yourself my dear" the loud voice licking his lips. Metal on metal grinding sounds resonated the air.
"Oh yesss hehe, there are lots of ponies there, I have lots of friends that would love to meet you" she exclaimed her eyes blank and expressionless. The shadows both grinned wide their sharp white teeth glowing in the full moon. No wait, they weren't white… they were silver.
"Perfect, well my dear it seems you have given all we need. It's time for you to serve your masters one final time" the raspy voice maniacly cackled his final line. He motioned for the other shadow to join him next to the pony. They both kneeled, or what the observer could only assume them kneeling, and quietly whispered in her ear.
The observer looked in horror as the girl began to scream loudly and the shadows held her down. Her body began to glow a brilliant light and the shadows began to laugh loudly an evil, ear splitting cackle. Soon the mare was enveloped in light. The shadows were soon illuminated but the observer could not see from the vantage point it was at and it was too locked in place by fear to even attempt to move. Finally finishing inspecting their prey the two shadows stopped and patted her head like a child.
"Are you ready to serve us my dear" they both said in unison their voices blending perfectly into one. The original pony was illuminated so the observer could get a good look at her. Her coat was a dull brownish-orange while her mane was a brilliant yellow. All wrapped up in her mane was flowers and plants while her tail was drooped but showed a dark forest green. Her blank pupiless eyes were a brilliant colorful brown and it was easy to tell she was long since gone.
"Please let my light feed my hungry masters" she happily sang into the night air. With this her form soon faded into nothing but a large ball of light. The observer gasped and flew over to where the pony once was. She attempted to grasp the ball but her hooves phased through like she was nothing. What happened next terrified her, the shadows soon began to slide towards the ball and growl hungrily. The observer flew away terrified what may happen to her if she were to get too close.
"Shall we feast brother" the loud shadow screamed hungrily into the air.
"A feast we shall have brother" the raspy voice screamed in the air in reply. The shadows then rabidly jumped into the ball of light as it flashed a brilliant flash blinding the observer for what seemed like forever. The only sound she could hear was what sounded to be animalistic feeding frenzy of teeth gnashing and claws ripping. But how could they be making that noise? There was nothing left of the poor girl to eat. Finally after the gnashing and ripping had died down, so too did the light where the poor defenseless pony once stood. All that was left after the light died was the two shadows. They smacked their lips loudly and snapped their fingers, making a crude metal snap. The cold soon left the air as the warm welcoming air of the night was returned to the observer's lungs.
Feeling the warm air made the observer noticed that she had been holding her breath for the entire time the two shadows had… fed on the mare. She let out a labored exhale the air leaving a burning sensation in her lungs. Panting she looked up to where the two shadows where only for her heart to stop again noticing they were faced in her general direction. Even with the moonlight returning the shadows fronts remained in complete darkness as if painted to their front.
The watcher's heart began to pound furiously as they shadows chuckled and cackled manically their gigantic limbs wrapping around their sides in fits of laughter. As their laughter died down they finally looked back at the observer.
"And now you know we're here" the raspy voice yelled into the night.
"And you know what we can do" the loud voice roared hotly.
"We have allowed you this insight to deliver a warning" the raspy voiced echoed throughout the forest.
"The sun shall be a trinket in our pocket" the loud voice chanted into the air.
"The moon will be our toy to control" the raspy voice screamed with manic.
"Your friends cannot protect you" the loud voice said raising his fist in the air.
"Your love cannot save you" the raspy thrust his fist into the air. The shadows suddenly appeared in front of the observers face as their eyes glew a vibrant sickly yellow, their pupils dilated and sinister. The observer's heart jumped into her throat as the eyes bore straight into her soul.
"And our day will come princess" the shadows said in their unison voice. The eyes grew larger and larger as the watcher soon felt herself falling in pitch blackness. Gravity puling against her, she flailed and flapped her legs wildly unable to catch herself. She soon hit the floor of the black pit at full speed.
Princess Celestia woke with a start in her giant bed. She was covered from head to hoof in sweat and was gasping and panting for air. It took her a minute or two to recognize she was back at her palace and leapt out of bed. She raced to her sister's room and quickly shook her sister awake.
"Luna! Luna!" she gasped shaking the dark blue pony vigorously. Pushing her sister off her Luna rubbed the sleep from her eyes and blinked a few times before glaring sleepily at her sister.
"Sister, thou had better have a good reason for waking me at such an hour" she crankily pouted watching her sister lazily.
"Luna, this is important, have you had any strange dreams tonight" Celestia asked panicked. Luna dwelled on it for a moment then shook her head vigorously.
"Not strange, but I was having a marvelous dream about sugar cube corner and amazing amounts of sweets. So if you please I would like to return back to my delectable daydreams" she said throwing the covers back over her head. Not a moment later Celestia grabbed her by her ankle and was dragging her out of her room.
"Sister I demand you stop this foolish act this instant" Luna screamed angrily her voice echoing through the halls. But Celestia didn't stop until she was at the guard barracks. Once arriving she proceeded to slam on the door roughly. Finally hearing hoofsteps approaching the door it creaked open with a very tired looking guard stallion rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"My Princess, whatever is the matter. It is so late, can it not wait until the morning" the guard tiredly yawned.
"It is of the utmost importance. I want every guard woken and sent to surrounding towns. Concentrate your search on towns near forests and send a battalion to Ponyville" she angrily commanded to the guard. Caught off guard by Celestia's roughness he quickly jumped, saluted and ran off to wake the other guards.
"Sister what happened that has you in such a peculiar mood" Luna held her sister concerned. Celestia sighed and rubbed her strained eyes.
"I'm not sure sister, but whatever it is, it's going to be bad for everyone in Equestria if we don't stop it soon" she looked out over her land worried.
A/N: Hey everybody, I know it's been a good couple of years since I last posted and I can't apologies enough. After my last post life kinda just slapped me in the face for a good long while and then with school and all that it's been hard but I'm out of high school and this summer will be the premier of this little experiment right here. Let me know what you all think and constructive criticism is welcome. If I receive enough good feedback on this prologue we'll go into the full story.