A/N: It has taken me a rather long time, but the second chapter for The Next Strike is finally up! Celia is now known as The Eclectic Bookworm and, a very long time ago, she won this story in a contest that I hosted - Equestria: A Contest!
I really hope that she enjoys it and still thinks that I'm doing a good job portraying her characters!
Class is dismissed early, but not all of the ponies are allowed to leave. Sweetie Belle isn't allowed to leave either, even though she tries, several times, and instead is left to stand in the corner of the room, pawing the wood floor in irritation.
"I said that we need to go," says the white unicorn, and her only answer is an unkind look from the teacher.
She and Silver Spoon have never been on the best of terms, even after all those years have passed. Even though Apple Bloom forgave her for everything that had been said and done as a child, and her niece swears that she is an amazing teacher.
Sweetie Belle still can't let go of the way she burnt with embarressement because of Silver Spoon.
So she insists that the children need to leave and Silver Spoon insists they need to stay, and it isn't until Moonlight Shimmer clears her throat that anything actually happens.
"Who's gone?" asks the young unicorn, gaze wide and ears flattened to her head. "And why do you keep saying we need to leave?"
"Your parents," breaths Sweetie Belle, brushing past the silver coated mare. "All of them. They're gone."
-x-x-x-
Silver Spoon lets the class go on one condition. She has to come with them, because until the town bell chimes three, she is still their teacher and she is still in charge of them.
The two older mares usher their students through the streets, across the town, into the wide land of Sweet Apple Acres, and they do it in silence. The children, on the other hand, mutter amongst themselves and whisper at each other, each trying to figure out what's going on.
"It has to be a joke, right? Like, just something that Mom and the others are doing to be funny?" says Cherry Crisp, pressing herself close to Lemon Lime.
The larger filly nods, her bright green mane falling into her wide eyes. "Course. Yer Mah and my Mah probably set the whole thing up, 'nd then they got Auntie Belle to get the whole thing goin'. We're gonna get there 'nd it'll be a party or somethin'."
"Yeah, yeah! That's totally what I was thinking," agreed Cherry Crisp, at the same time that Misty Fly shakes her head.
The young earth pony's eyes are narrowed, face drawn into something worried and just shy of being scared. "I don't think so. You know as well as I do that Auntie Belle doesn't play jokes, and neither would Aunt Twilight."
Cherry Crisp tries to argue, but cannot think of anything to counter that statement with.
-x-x-x-
There's a mare already waiting in the farmhouse when they get there. A small thing, really, no older then Ruby and maybe even a little bit younger. She has a dark coat, and the strangest light blue stripes that Misty Fly has ever seen.
They remind her of a photo she saw once, of her mother standing in a forest with a black and white mare, one whose name she has never been able to learn.
"Who's that?" demands the young mare, stopping in the doorway before any of her friends can follow her inside.
Sweetie Belle casts the grey mare a smile, but it is strained and forced and so very fake. "Her name's Ursa. Your mothers used to know each other."
"Oh," says Misty Fly, casting the other filly a wary look. Doesn't move though, doesn't take another step. Not until Ursa casts her a small smile
until Ruby gives her an impatiant push
until she has no more choice but to step inside. At least, thinks Misty Fly, she has a lot of practice with pretending. Not to be upset, usually, but not being afraid can't be much of a difference.
Right?
Right.
Misty Fly returns the smile, and steps inside.
-x-x-x-
Their parents are gone.
Taken.
Lost to the shadows and Sweetie Belle cannot find them, cannot even enter the dark forest that they have been taken too. It is different from anywhere else she has been - and, oh, she has been to many place and many lands. Seen things that no other pony has, faced challenges no other pony should, and those tales will be told, eventually.
Not now, though. Not here.
This is the story of six young mares and one older one, who still insists on watching over her students, even as Ponyville begins to fade into the distance.
-x-x-x-
"Wow," breathes Moonlight Shimmer, gazing up at the dense forest with wide eyes.
Beside her, Chaotic Jewel takes a deep breath. Cannot think of anything else to describe the Endov Forest, so she just nods in agreement.
It is an odd thing to look at. Watching as the branches twist around each other, like the most macabre of dances. Fog creeps out from among their roots, heavy in the air. Something inside snarls and growls and hisses, and the daughter of Chaos can understand each and every word.
They are not nice ones, not by far, and she dips her head so that her mane is hanging in her eyes. "My mom's in there?"
"That's what Sweetie Belle said," answers Silver Spoon, ears flattening against her mane. "And you remember what I said, don't you? You don't have to do this, none of you do."
And Chaotic Jewel guesses that she doesn't. Just like she doesn't have to put up with others mocking her
staring at her
whispering at her
acting as though she is less then them, and maybe it would work. It has in the past and it could again. But it might not too, and that thought ways heavy on Chaotic Jewel's mind.
The young pegasus looks from her teacher to the forest and then back again. "If my mom's in there, then I do."
-x-x-x-
"Silver Spoon?" questions Moonlight Shimmer, and she has to trot to catch up to the elder mare, her short legs harder to lift over the dense underbrush. Briars catch on her fur, tug, pull, pinch, and she knows that much of their taken path is now lined with bits of pelt.
The gray mare looks down at the pegasus filly, tries to smile and knows that she is probably failing. "Yes?"
"I just...I was just wondering why you came out here with us. I mean, I know it's not because you and Mom get along." Even though she's young, Moonlight Shimmer knows that much.
None of their parents like her teacher very much, save for Applejack, who goes into those conference meetings with a smile on her face and always leaves them looking happy. Looking almost like a weight has been lifted off of her shoulders - and Silver Spoon always leaves them feeling the same way, knowing that somepony, at least, has forgiven her for past grievences
has made it clear there is nothing else that needs to be proven
has told her, time and time again, that there is always room on the farm and always an ear to listen and wouldn't it be awful if Applejack was truly gone? Wouldn't it be horrible to watch Applebloom fall apart, as the elder mare once did when it was the Everfree Forest that had swallowed up the youngest of the Apple Clan?
It would be.
It would be just as horrid for this forest to swallow up her young charges, but those words won't come to her and so Silver Spoon just shushes Moonlight Shimmer and ushers her on ahead.
-x-x-x-
The beast comes from nowhere. Appears out of the shadows or maybe out of a tree. Silver Spoon isn't sure. Just knows that one moment there is just dark forest and the next there is a dark creature there, made out of moving blackness and row after ro after row of sharp fangs.
Behind her, Ursa gasps, already backing away. "No! No, that can't be here!"
"What in tarnation is that?" cries Lemon Lime, nearly tripping over herself in an attempt to get away from the beast, closer to the only adult mare there.
Silver Spoon's hooves feel as though they have been glued to the ground. She cannot move, cannot breath, and then it growls and Moonlight Shimmer screams and it feels as if the young teachers world is about to fall apart.
-x-x-x-
"Get away from her," screams Cherry Crisp, and her hooves carry her over the forest floor before she even realizes that she's moving.
The creature, tall and dark and all fangs, glances her way but doesn't stop. Just moves closer and closer to Moonlight Shimmer, who is looking up at it with wide eyes. Cannot move, cannot breath, cannot think - and neither can Cherry Crisp, who only knows fear for her friend and pain in her leg and adrenaline racing through her veins.
A small, distant part of her wonders if this is how Misty Fly feels when she runs. Then her mind snaps back to the present and she is hit with the horrific realization that she will not make it in time
there are claws
there are fangs
there is a snap and a crackle and the smell of brimstone, and pain lances through Cherry Crisp as claws rip at her flesh.
Hers.
Not Moonlight Shimmer's.
And that realization makes everything else worth it.
-x-x-x-
One moment, Cherry Crisp is standing right beside Lemon Lime.
The next, she is running. Is in front of Moonlight Shimmer and in front of the shadow beast and Ursa is shouting about the stars and alll that Lemon Lime can think of is the deep red suddenly staining her best friends coat.
"Cherry! Cherry!" screeches Lemon Lime, her hooves already carrying her across the forest floor. She takes a leap, lunging at the beast, and goes right through it.
Cold shadows cling to her, wrap around her legs, and the earth filly screeches again, this time no words and just a frantic, panicked sound. Lemon Lime hits the ground and rolls, burrs tearing at her fur, at her flesh, gives a low whimper.
She is not standing to see Silver Spoon charge as well.
Everyone is too focused on the three trapped fillies to see the gray mare take action.
It isn't until the beast of shadow is gone and away, until scarlette matts smooth fur, that anyone really sees the Silver Spoon that has always been so desperate to be shown.