July Eighteenth

Dear Diary,

I found this book by the side of the road. I can't bear to imagine the horrors that befell its previous owner. Of course, I checked it for Midnight Rain's poison. I'm neither stupid nor suicidal. There didn't seem to be any on it. The fact that I am not dead right now confirms this. I should probably introduce myself now. My name is Starlight. I'm a pegasus, but I don't dare try to fly this time of year. None of us do. You see, nearly twenty years ago, six ponies opened a crystal box. The effects of the box seemed to be positive. They gained power and saved all of Equestria from a terrible threat, Lord Tirek. The following month, one of them began acting strange. Her mane changed texture and she carried a strange aura of insanity. When her friends tried to reach out to help her, she attacked them with a knife. One by one, in the six months that followed, each of the ponies revealed a hidden persona, each of them possessing a taste for blood. At the end of one month, they each assumed their normal forms to make way for the next monster. After six months, they thought it was over. It wasn't. The cycle repeated, each of them falling prey to the curse for two months every year. Right before they are due to transform, they try their best to protect the public. They lock doors, cast spells, and bury themselves alive. It doesn't matter what they do. They always break free. The residents of Ponyville are trapped. A magical barrier surrounds our once-beautiful town, protecting the rest of Equestria from our troubles. Ponyville has been abandoned by the world. Last month, June, was the first month of Midnight Rain. She is the most powerful of the monsters. Unlike the others, she doesn't try to find a reason for her insanity. She just kills. During her month, Nopony is allowed outside. Unfortunately, rebellious teenagers often tempt fate and step outside at night. I guess that's what happened to whoever used to own this journal. This month is the second month of Rainbow Knife. She targets any pegasi who dare leave their houses. For lack of Pegasi, she goes after anypony who seems to be particularly beautiful or talented. The curse took her desire to be the best and twisted it into evil. Some ponies think they can outrun her. They are quickly proven wrong. If Rainbow Knife sees you, there will soon be nothing left of you but a splatter of blood and a rainbow. Thankfully, when our princess realized that she was cursed, she cast a powerful spell on Ponyville. This spell prevents any of the cursed ponies from entering our homes while transformed. As long as we stay inside, we are safe. I think it's getting late now. It's hard to tell with the sun covered by so many clouds. Not that night and day matter anymore, anyway. Good night.

Starlight