The first thing Twilight realized was that, somehow, it was possible to stumble while standing up. Judging from the squeaks grunts around her, that was also the first thing everyone else discovered.
The second thing, however, managed to throw her even more off balance then she already was. Given the confused comments of her friends, the darkness was just as unnerving to them as it was to her.
She had enough presence of mind to light her horn--and, thankfully, Rarity apparently did too--which led to the third revelation--that they were standing in a small chamber composed entirely of black... things.
Snakes jumped to her mind and, thankfully, were quickly discarded--the stuff had neither scales nor any visible eyes. They could be some giant form of worm, she supposed, but somehow the substance under her hooves felt too solid for that. Maybe they were some other kind of bug...?
"What the hay are all these vines?!"
Twilight blinked, looking over to Applejack. "These are vines?"
"Yeah. Thick ones, mind. Probably real old." The orange mare bit her lip. "And ifn' they're old enough, it don't bode well for Ponyville."
Fluttershy nodded, looking around. "It might not even be here anymore..."
The group fell silent, eyeing the black vines that wrapped around the chamber in somber, horrified awe.
Rarity took a slow, steadying breath. "Well... we always knew things would be very different. Best not to walk in with assumptions, right? We figure out what's going on and go from there."
"...Right. This chamber is about as big as the main library atrium." Twilight paused. "In fact, it might actually be the main library atrium--can we tear the vines off and see if there are shelves behind them?!"
Rainbow Dash saluted. "On it!" She reached into her saddlebags, pulling out a crowbar, and hooked it into one of the walls.
"I'm more worried about our air supply," Pinkie pointed out. "I mean, I did pack oxygen tanks, but in this chamber we've got maybe three hours--assuming there's no air flow."
"These are plants," Spike pointed out.
"Doesn't necessarily mean they'll make air." She bit her lip. "Spike, can you not flame until we're out?"
"We may need him to burn through some of these vines," Twilight pointed out. "But yeah, the air thing's important... we may need those tanks at some point."
Spike chuckled. "Don't worry, I can keep it to myself till it's needed."
"HnnnnnnnnnnGRA!" With a wet snapping sound, Rainbow wrenched a vine in half. "Got--OH GEEZE, THAT SMELL! Ew, disgusting! What is in these things?!"
Twilight levitated a few vials out of her saddlebags, scooping up some of the byzantium substance dripping from the broken stem. "We can figure that out later. Can you see a shelf behind there?"
"Yeah. No books, though. Not even any crumbly paper. Just a bunch of cobwebs and dead bugs."
"Right. Somebody must have taken the books. Means this place was evacuated...." She shrugged. "Probably a big thing, if they took the time to clear out the library. So... maybe all of Ponyville got out before..."
She trailed into silence.
"...We don't have enough information," she finally admitted. "We need to get out and take a lay of the land." Corking the vials and putting them back into her saddlebags, she stared at the broken vine. "Okay, so if that's a shelf, the front door should be somewhere along this wall..."
Pinkie Pie zipped to the vines, tapping them with her hooves before moving on. "Thick. Thick. Thick. Thick. Th--no." She paused, putting her ear against the wall and tapping again. "Applejack, come here, do you hear that?"
Applejack trotted over, putting her ear to the wall and tapping it. "...Yeah. Good news, bad news girls." She turned. "We found the door, but... there's vines on tha other side as well, from tha sound of it."
Rarity blinked. "Earth pony thing?"
"Eeeyup, pretty much." She pushed off the vines. "And they're real thick, too. Not likely to be any hollow chambers or anything."
"Sounds like we'll need a blowtorch," Spike commented.
"Thank you ever so much for volunteering, darling." Rarity fluttered her eyelashes at him.
"I'd..." Twilight sighed. "I don't want to destroy the door. Emotional connection, you know. But... it's probably rotted anyway..."
Spike put a claw on her back. "I know, Twi. I don't... I don't like it either."
"Well, should be easy to check." Rainbow took a tight grip of her crowbar and zipped between the two earth ponies, slamming the bent metal into thick vine. "Hrrrrrrg!"
Applejack quirked a brow. "Need some help there, sugarcube?"
"Nope! I, hnnf, I got it!" With a final grunt, the pegasus tore the vine away from its mount. "Hah! Yeah, beat that! Ha!"
"There are still a bunch o' vines, Dash."
"Yeah, but now we can see the wood of the door!"
Pinkie nodded, peeking through the gap. "That's true! And--oh. Oh my gosh. Ohmygosh, girls! IT'S NOT ROTTED AT ALL!"
"What?!" Twilight galloped over, almost tripping on the vines, and looked. "Oh. Oh wow. I... wow... Spike! Spike you've got to see this!"
"Give me room," Spike reminded her as he sidled up. "I'm a big dragon now. Well, bigger. I take up a lot of space."
Twilight stepped aside, nudging Pinkie out of the way. "Look, see? The boards are still there!"
Spike stared at the faded red wood for a long moment.
Then, suddenly, he surged forward, claws gripping the vines and tearing them off rapidly.
"Whoa." Rainbow glanced from the scene to her crowbar. "Why'd I even bring this?"
Pinkie shrugged. "We can't have Spike do everything."
The vines were torn away in record time, leaving the door visible to everyone. It sagged on its hinges a bit, and the handle had been crumpled to a barely present streak of black iron, but it was still clearly that very same door that Twilight Sparkle had opened so long ago, when she first arrived in Ponyville.
"...Can you open it?"
Fluttershy's words were all but whispered, yet in the silence they reverberated without opposition.
Twilight nodded. "Yeah. I think I can."
Her horn lit up, magic wrapping around the mangled handle; with a quiet grunt of effort, she slowly swung the door into the room, hinges protesting every minute. The vines on the ground were slowly shoved back, their crinkling forms giving way to show the scarred, ashen wood that had once been the library's floor.
"...Well Ah'll be." Applejack took off her hat and held it to her chest. "Tha candle's still there."
The ponies all stared at the faded, just barely recognizable image on the front of the door.
After a moment, Rarity cleared her throat. "Well. This is... all very emotional. And nostalgic. But... as much as I do want to indulge in a memoryfest, and I really truly do, we should see about getting out of here, yes?"
Twilight shook her head, breaking out of her stunned silence. "Right." She turned to look out the door, took in the black vines that all but filled the passageway, and sighed. "Spike?"
"On it. Half-right angle upward, right?"
"Thirty degrees, actually. Less slope."
"Right." Spike tapped the vines. "Living wood, or near enough... don't want anything else getting burned..." He nodded at the ponies. "No peeking. Don't want to hurt your eyes."
"Got it. The kitchen door should be somewhere over... there. I don't know if the vines made that a chamber, but if it's anything like this room--"
"Let me check." Applejack walked over to the indicated wall, tapped it twice, nodded, and spun around. With a powerful kick, the black wood shattered inward. "Kitchen's open."
"Ooo! I wonder if the stove still works!" Pinkie bounded in. "I can bake us some flatbread while we wait!"
Rainbow Dash hovered over, landing when she realized there wasn't enough room to fly in. "Flatbread?"
"It's been a thousand years, Dash. I don't think there's enough sugar for cookies."
"Right. Hey, could one of you unicorns come in and light this place up?"
Twilight rolled her eyes. "Everypony in the kitchen! Spike, you'll be okay out here, won't you?"
"I'm a big strong dragon, Twi. I'll be able to handle the dark."
"You know we're just... right over there. If you need us."
"Twilight." Rarity put a hoof on her shoulder. "It will be fine."
"I... I'm just worried, I guess." Twilight bit her lip, looking around. "I thought there would be ponies around, or at least some ruins. I didn't expect... this. Any of this."
Fluttershy sighed. "I don't think any of us expected this. But... well... it is what it is."
"Seriously guys, dark room here. Not that I'm afraid of the dark or anything," Rainbow assured them, "but you know, I'd really like to not bump into vines."
Twilight rolled her eyes. "Alright, alright, we're coming. Spike, you think you'll be done in ten minutes?"
"Ten. Hm..." Spike pushed against the vines. "Hard to tell. I'll check in with you then, or if I see light before then."
"That's... that's a good idea." Twilight paused in the kitchen doorway. "If you hear anything--voices, or creatures moving around, you come right back and tell us, okay? We should face anything we find together--"
"Twilight." Spike smiled. "I'll be fine. I can brush my own teeth and everything."
The purple unicorn chuckled awkwardly. "I know, I know, I just... you know. Be careful, alright?"
"I will. I promise."
"He's only going to be burning through a few vines of suspicious coloration that have enveloped the entire building and blocked out all outside light sources and whose inner substances smell worse than a rotting skunk," Pinkie pointed out casually.
Twilight snorted. "Yes. He's only going to be doing that." She stepped into the kitchen, put a semi-translucent forcefield over the doorway, and nodded to the dragon as he turned to start at his task. "And now, we wait."
For a moment or two, the only sound was the roar of fire and the crackling of burning vines.
"...Soooooo." Rainbow Dash rubbed the back of her head. "Now that we're here and all... I mean... what do you think is out there?"
Applejack snorted. "Nothin' we'd recognize, Ah reckon."
"No no no, yeah, I got that, but is it like... roving bands of ponies worshiping ancient technology, or some grim kingdom ruled by an insane Celestia, or maybe it's after the end and everyone's a mutant, or... what?"
"Idle speculation won't help us," Twilight pointed out.
"But it'll pass the time," Pinkie pointed out. "Ooo! What if we've become figures of legend?"
Fluttershy shook her head. "I don't think I would like that. I'm not really all that... legendary. They'd probably expect me to be some sort of monster-fighting lady of war...."
I am loving this story. I don't think I've ever seen a like this before.
Please, keep up the amazing work!
I get the feeling that this song is going to fit really well with the story
Are you mad? The suspense is killing me!
Wait, when did they disappear again? At the end of the season 3 final, right? Does that mean that Discord is still a statue? You know, because Celestia needed the elements to release him again. Or did he get free recently, because this magical "1000 years" were just over?
Well, we will see. I really like the idea of this story. So many theories can be made what happened after so much time.
On another note, no bearer means that no-one stopped Starlight Glimmer. If they were a thousand years absent, what is most likely the case, then I would be disappointed if there are no records about Stalin Glimmer and her communism (equality) empire.
And:
What?! Fluttershy, you are not?! My life was a lie!
Alright everypony, lay down your ideas for ridiculous-over-the-tippy-cloud-top speculations of what each mare has become legendary for!
...To be fair, I will start.
Twilight: Grizzled and insane archmage known for her wild battles against Starswirl the Bearded!
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Without them at that time we wouldn't have starlight, because Tirek would have gotten his way first.
Rainbow's guesses are hilarious. Mine is on an dystopian kingdom without magic where medieval ponies struggle against monsters and the occasional passing of the roving centaur titan. Tirek is in the character tags, after all.
Hmm... It's Tirek vs. Plunder Vines... Someone might have noticed that magic of their return...
Those presumably-Plunder-Vines aren't moving... Why... Maybe not Plunder Vines?
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Who knows, her village was in the middle of nowhere and Tirek only managed to reach the Ponies so fast in the season 4 finale because of Discord's help. Now he didn't have any.
Hmm, plunder vines. Makes sense that they got out of control, I suppose.
Which also brings to mind another question: what happened to Discord? He would have been just freshly redeemed when the manes disappeared.
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Fluttershy: A half-wild hermit who lived in the depths of the Everfree and commanded the beasts and monsters of the wilderness.
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Pinkie Pie: Pinkie Pie.
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Discord could have gotten free when his Plunder Vines started growing. That seems probable
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The Plunder Vines could have lost all their energy a thousand years ago. That's more likely than not.
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Fluttershy: Bloodthirsty warrior who, just by looking someone in the eyes could turn their blood to ice and kill them, known for her love of killer animals and her constant demand for those to please and 'love' her. Enslaved the demon Discord, God of Chaos and Slaughter.
If I'm reading right and they were transported at the end of season 3.
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Discord was reformed in "Keep Calm and Flutter On", the third-to-last episode of Season 3, so he would have already been free by the time the six vanished. The question is, considering how he had just recently reformed and hadn't gone through his character arc in season 4, how Fluttershy's disappearance would affect him.
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I don't think she'd go with the time changing plan, though. When everything went to shit they had never ruined her village, so at most three commune endured. But time would allow Tirek to do it. I mean, there were no heroes capable of facing him, as far as we know.
The three got bonned, though. I wonder if Celly and Lulu got through it alive.
I literally just put this into tracking. Good timing!
OK, we got confirmation that Twilight is still unicorn. But, well, since all of them obviously have longivity, it might be pointless at this point.
... and we have plunderseeds-covered Equestria with no clue to tell how much time have actually passed. (wonder if the sun and moon still up?)
Need the next chapter, pronto!
Well, my very little time has passed in Equestria theory seems to have a little more backing now. I hope we get to meet some new people next chapter.
I'm sure you loosened it for him, Dash.
Well, yeah.
Curses, still no answers. You have me curious.
good job I am really curious right now, please quickly relaise the next chapter .
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Twilight Sparkle: Daughter of Celestia, Star of the Morning and Evening. Destroyed herself in a gambit to claim her birthright before she was ready. Some historians claim she was actually Celestia's rebellious sister, seeking to reclaim the godhood she lost for her impertinence.
Applejack: An allegorical folk hero, representing the traditional earth pony values of family, integrity, and so forth. Indicative of the narrow role Sparkle permitted for the common folk.
Fluttershy: The dragon queen, whose breath was life itself. It was her gaze that burned, scouring the souls of her subjects with the guilt and shame that they would otherwise never feel, the emotions that were her hoard. Sparkle used her distant descendant Spike to bind her will and body as part of the alicorn spawn's mad bid for power. When she vanished, she took all draconic sanity and restraint with her.
Rainbow Dash: A visible light golem made by Sparkle, mindlessly devoted to its creator. Bound to a small prism, it moved at impossible speeds, enforcing its mistress's will through omnipresence and atmospheric disturbances caused by its sheer velocity. Sparkle's experiments with giving it sapience—though not free will—gave it some degree of speech and a semblance of personality, but those were as artificial as any other part of the construct.
Rarity: The Dragoncharmer, direct descendant of Sombra the Black. Through wiles and subtle spells, she swayed Queen Fluttershy until Sparkle could shackle the dragon queen's mind more effectively. Vain, profligate, and self-absorbed, she attached herself to Sparkle's cause for the prestige and wealth it promised, most especially the crystals for which she lusted like her ancestor.
The Sixth: Do not speak Her name.
Do not picture Her symbol.
Do not look at Her color.
She did not leave.
She cannot leave.
She is in all of us.
That is not a good thing.
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Okay you need to make a fic of this.
Woah, this is such a creative story! Definitely unique; I've never read a story with this plot before. Great job, and keep up the good work! I can't wait to read the next update.
Here I was thinking about Tirek and completely forgetting about the Plunder Vines!
Gezz... I wonder why...
Nicely done. Really looking forward to what else you will do.
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It does sound like another fanfic I read before (Family Secrets: The Reveal) (sadly it was abandoned) where Fluttershy is a dragon princess and many of the Main 6 are not normal ponies (or pony in that matter).
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Rainbow Dash: a living rainbow that can speed around the world in a second and is known to have lovers that would 'taste the rainbow'. could talk but mostly said she was 20% cooler than any foe she crossed.
Flash Theory! Everfree probably expanded and Ponyville never stood a chance
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Welp, here is my go.
Twilight sparkle: An Earth pony of renowned speed and strength. So fast it would seem as if she was teleporting around the battlefield. Twilight was a very hoofs on mare that was somewhat unpredictable, because she would regularly spout nonsense it is believed she came from a parallel world. While unable to read she provided the wisdom that only a pony that saw the world in its truest form could provide. A well known oddity is despite being fearless to the point of stupidity she would have panic attacks if anypony mentioned "cheese."
Rainbow dash: A unicorn Hailed as a Genius with a vast knowledge and intellect, it is said that she traveled through time to apprentice under every great spell caster in history. A great lover of all literature and a powerful sorceress she was confident she could cast any spell and answer any question. It is also believed she was in a romantic relationship with the great adventurer Daring Do despite being a bookworm with no athletic skills. Accounts show that she would take any challenge as long as it wasn't a physical one.
Applejack: A happy go lucky stallion With a very "Go with the flow" attitude, though despite being a Prince of a long forgotten line he was not the most reliable of stallions. Often relying on tricks and cunning he was the rogue of the group and could often be found trying to seduce mares. It is believed he is the progenitor of all the various fruit farming clans and is directly related to half of Equestria due to his promiscuous ways.
Pinkus Piecus (aka Pinkie Pie): The creature known as Pinkius Piecus is one few can agree on but there are some theories. Some believed her to be a changeling that would regularly make others happy and love her so she could feed. Others believe she was a draconequus and simply loved causing chaos to be funny and break the occasional wall. A few even believe she may have simply been a earth pony with a few odd quirks but really that's just ridiculous. The most widely accepted theory is Piecus was a God that decided to live upon Equis and would use her divine abilities to help the ponies around her to live happy lives. The Church of Pie is still around today.
Fluttershy: One of the saddest beings of legend. As a ghost with the ability to take physical form it is believed that looking into her eyes would bring forth all the sins a pony committed as a physical weight on their withers, so only the innocent or the just could be near her for long. Famously known as the "Mysterious Mare Fare Well" for few would survive encounters with her no matter how hard she tried to spare them. It is believed she was an Alicorn spirit that absorbed the magic from each foe she vanquished. A beautify and deadly being that would often mourn taking life, she later became known as the "Alicorn of Death."
Rarity: While a good pony one should not be fooled into underestimating this mare by the noble name or even this mare's regal appearance. Believed to be an enchantress that would bewitch ponies into doing her bidding there are many accounts that say that this mare is responsible for such dark deeds. Deadly things are often beautiful and with a voice believed to ensnare others to its will it is accepted that this pony is the child of Nightmare moon itself and can shift between a normal unicorn and a vampony. "Beware the pony's voice, Beware." excerpt from the Diary of Rover, Alpha of the Diamond Dogs.
Spike: A Simple barn owl that was believed to be highly intelligent. He was known as the group's mascot and was often referred to as the best assistant a hero ever had. There have also been mentions of adventures where he was turned into a dog or a phoenix to help the group but the most well known story of him is the Crystal Empire Tale of "The Owl that became a Dragon." from the tales of the Shadow King. A great and glorious tale of how the owl combined with a sacred treasure to turn into a dragon to destroy the Evil King Shadow.
I like the premise and the writing is decent, but we're really not seeing enough per chapter. There's such as thing as too much suspense.
Another great chapter.
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Wow, just wow. You must have one heck of an imagination. I commend you on your ability to think up such ridiculous legends. But alas, when one considers the fact that a millennia has passed since their last sighting, it is plausible. Although if Princess Celestia is still alive, well, and benign, she must have ensured that any records of them were as accurate as possible. That is, if there is any pony left alive to keep such records.
I'm not sure, since I haven't read it, but are some of those Fallout: Equestrian references? I'm just guessing from what little I know of Fo:E and the Fallout 4 game.
Calling it now, it's only been a short time since they vanished... maybe some months.
Please, tell me there are plans to continue this riveting story???
So this is dead huh?
Well, I can truthfully say you have me intrigued.
But it sadly ends before it can really begin. The comment section is amusing enough but...
It's been over a year since the last update so, if this story is abandoned, can you post your plan for the story as closure? I would like to know where this story was headed after all. The narrative is uniquely captivating and a bit of resolution would be nice...
Still, great story.
Ohh this is interesting.
Tracked in hope.
Well, there is that one 'verse with Knight-Hospitaller Fluttershy kicking flank and taking names...
Um. Not... really helping...