“Apple Bloom!? … Apple Bloom!?”

“Apple Bloom, you idiot! Where are you!?”

The panicked voices are faint in the forest, but Apple Bloom keeps walking. She has been for several minutes with Cadence's instructions for her to leave the Fellowship behind for their safety looping in her mind.

Her steps are heavy, her breath is shaking and her palms are sweaty as she nimbly makes her way through the forest. Her eyes and ears scan the numerous trees for signs of the Fellowship, and her feet are careful to avoid getting caught in the gnarled roots that snake in and out of the ground. She passes an old stone building with only a corner remaining and a large tree sprouting from it, and next to it is a tipped over statue of a unicorn knight pressing a sword into the ground. It has been overtaken by thorns and is breaking under the root, and while Apple Bloom does want to have a closer look at it, she keeps walking, forcing herself to go faster.

She blinks tears out of her eyes and tries to keep her heart and breathing steady, but all it does is make her feel sick.

She wants to puke.

She wants to cry.

She wants to run back to the camp and apologize for running off.

But she knows she cannot do it. The safety of the Fellowship depends on her leaving them behind. Besides, Mount Dread is the largest mountain in the Frozen North. How hard can it be to find it?

“Apple Bloom?” says a voice that is much closer than the others.

Apple Bloom stops and looks to her side, realizing that she is in a clearing where the sinking sun has bathed both her and Shining Armor in a dark orange hue. The Amulet also whispers in her ear, bringing both hers and Shining Armor's ears to twitch.

“Oh, hi, Shining,” says Apple Bloom as calmly as her trembling body will allow.

“What are you doing outside of the camp?” asks Shining Armor.

“I was just exploring.”

“Alone with your pack?”

Apple Bloom nods, and Shining Armor returns the nod, his hand twitching and his eyes losing focus.

“That's funny. Twilight liked to explore, too,” he says. “She wasn't like the other kids, though. They explored for the fun. She explored for the knowledge. She would bring parchment, ink and quills with her and take notes on everything, and completely ignore all the other kids. Including me.”

Shining Armor forces a chuckle and looks down, shaking his head, and Apple Bloom's hand slides to the pouch holding the Amulet, feeling a sickness moving into her chest.

“I can only imagine the snooping she did when my father sent her off to be tutored by Celestia,” says Shining Armor. He sighs and looks at Apple Bloom. “Faust, I miss her. Do you miss her?”

Apple Bloom nods, and he nods with her.

“Do you have the Amulet?” asks Shining Armor after a slight hesitation.

Apple Bloom's hand tightens on the pouch and she steps back, and Shining Armor pauses for a moment before taking a step forward.

“What's wrong? Why are you tense?” asks Shining Armor, his voice sinking to an overly friendly tone.

“You don't look good,” says Apple Bloom. “Maybe you should go back to the camp and take a breather.”

“We both should go back. But before we do, I was wondering if I could use the Amulet? Just for a moment.”

“I don't think that's a good idea.”

“But it can help us get Twilight back. You do want her back, don't you?”

Apple Bloom takes another shaky step back, her colors fading and her chest getting heavier to where she can hardly breathe, and Shining Armor's facade breaks to hostile confusion as he slowly walks towards her.

“You don't want Twilight back?” asks Shining Armor.

“You really need to sit down. I think you might be getting sick,” says Apple Bloom.

“You're dodging the question.”

Apple Bloom hesitates. “I do want her back, and Twist and Button, but the Amulet can't bring anypony back.”

“Yes it can, and I can prove it. You'll see. I just need a moment with the Amulet to bring Twilight back, and we can return to camp with her. We'll be heroes. We'll be loved,” says Shining Armor.

Apple Bloom shakes her head. “No.”

Shining Armor frowns. “Why not?”

“It can't be done. Its too dangerous to use.”

“And yet here you are, wielding it.”

“That's 'cuz I have to. It was given to me. I'm responsible for it.”

Shining Armor steps forward and Apple Bloom steps back, her mouth getting dry and her ears splayed back as the unicorn looks down at her with pulsing dark eyes.

“You can have it back when I'm done with it. All I need to do is cast one spell. That is all,” says Shining Armor, his voice getting heavier.

“I can't let you do that. Twilight wouldn't want me to,” says Apple Bloom.

“Twilight is dead, and I can get her back. Just give it me.”

“No.”

“...Give it to me.”

“No.”

“Give it me. Now!”

“I-I can't.”

Shining Armor suddenly snarls and lunges at Apple Bloom, and she shrieks as she is tackled to the ground, completely overpowered by the unicorn. His hands claw at the pouch holding the Amulet, and as Apple Bloom screams at him and pushes against him with her hands and feet, the Amulet speaks indistinguishable words that make the air heavier and colder.

When the fabric rips and the Amulet falls out, Shining Armor tries to grab it, but Apple Bloom rolls over it and holds it tight. An odd feeling washes over her, like a skin tight blanket being pulled over her, and when she feels Shining Armor loosen, she scrambles out from underneath him and throws the hood of her cloak over her head, and she looks behind her at Shining Armor, seeing him claw like a hungry dog in the grass in a graying world that appears to be breaking into green mist.

“Where are you, you little runt!” growls Shining Armor. He swipes the ground, flinging mulch all around him. “You want judge me like everypony else!? All you self-righteous bastards who never lost anything! You don't know what what its like to lose somepony! You don't know! You can never know!”

Apple Bloom growls and swiftly punches Shining Armor in the jaw. His drop kicks up leaves and twigs, and she steps back, seething with her fists clenched tight, watching with great restraint as the unicorn pushes himself up, groaning and holding his jaw. He looks around, his craze breaking into panic and his circular crawling slow and pathetic.

Apple Bloom takes a few paces back, her hardened face softening and regret coming down on her when she sees the tears in his eyes and his drooped ears and messy mane covered in leafs.

“I'm sorry,” says Shining Armor meekly. “I didn't mean to hurt you, Apple Bloom. I just... I just want her back. You understand, don't you? I need Twilight back. I need her and the Amulet can bring her back. Don't you see that the Amulet can bring her back!”

Pinkie Pie suddenly steps in front of Apple Bloom, putting herself between her and Shining Armor, her hammer drawn, her mane flat and her steps heavy. Seeing her, Shining Armor scrambles to his feet and grips his sword, his pathetic state shifting to panic.

“Well. Well. Well. Sir Sprinkles has succumbed to the dark side of the world,” says Pinkie Pie. “It was only a matter of time, I guess. I could see all the issues in your eyes, clear as water.”

Apple Bloom quietly takes a few more steps back, being sure to avoid the thick twigs and anything else that can give away her position.

“That's rich coming from you,” says Shining Armor. “And where were you hiding this whole time? Everypony's out looking for you.”

“I was crying in a corner.” Pinkie Pie presses her hammer head into the ground and leans over its handle. “But then I noticed that Apple Bloom was running away and I saw you being you. But even though you broke a promise I'm going to be nice and give you five seconds to put down your weapon and come back with me to the camp. If you do not comply I will hurt you very, very badly and believe me, you do not want me hurting you.”

“Oh really?”

“Five.”

Apple Bloom steps back.

“You think you're some self righteous blade for hire? You're nothing but a glorified whore!” says Shining Armor.

Pinkie Pie holds up four fingers. “Four.”

Shining Armor sparks his horn and a translucent rose colored crystal covers his arm like a long shield, and he aims his broken sword at Pinkie Pie. Apple Bloom is now shrinking behind a tree.

“Three,” says Pinkie Pie.

“That Amulet will bring Twilight back!” says Shining Armor, taking a step back.

“Two.”

Apple Bloom tightens her grip on the Amulet and hugs the collar of her cloak, swallowing stones and shaking sweat off.

“Of course you don't want her back! You didn't love her! She was only a body for you to fuck!” accuses Shining Armor.

Pinkie Pie is holding up one finger, her body stiff and eyes locked, and Shining Armor slides his foot back and braces himself with his crystal shield up and blade gleaming in the sunlight.

“None of you loved her!” says Shining Armor. “Little Twilight was only there to serve as a trophy for your pedestal, but she is my sister and I will get her back one way or the other.”

Pinkie Pie inhales and lowers her finger. “One. I sure hope Apple Bloom ran far away!”

She then flips her hammer and in a burst of speed that kicks up a cloud of damp leaves, she charges Shining Armor. Apple Bloom ducks around the tree, closes her eyes and presses her hands over her folded ears. Even then she can still hear the crackles of energy, the grunts and screams of both ponies fighting.

She whimpers and rocks herself. The Amulet is cold against her head and she hears Sombra's voice whispering through the air. Then she hears it. Giggling.

“Come find me, Apple Bloom,” says the Shadow Foaling.

Apple Bloom opens her eyes and sees the Shadow Foaling standing in front of her, twenty feet away. She is rocking on her heels, her grin wide and teeth glowing, and her tattered dress ripples in the cold wind of the gray world.

Apple Bloom remains pressed against the tree, watching the Shadow Foaling and a blanket of icy blue and green frost covering the gray ground and trees. The Shadow Foaling giggles and skips away, the tips of her dress breaking like vapors and her skips leaving no trail.

“Find me, Apple Bloom,” says the Shadow Foaling.

Against her better judgment, Apple Bloom stands up and walks after the Shadow Foaling, gulping and wringing her hands at the gray world.

“Over here,” says the Shadow Foaling.

Apple Bloom looks to her side and sees the demon poking out from behind a tree, grinning and waving. Her feet move on their own and she hurries after the Shadow, but when she starts moving the demon laughs and slips out from view.

Apple Bloom runs to the tree and uses it to stop herself when she slides across the ground, and she swallows and tries to steady her frantic heart when she stiffly looks around the tree. Not too far from her, surrounded by trees, vines and overgrown bushes is a crumbling building with old stone blocks and a collapsed tower. A pair of feet stand at the entrance with a crumbled stone body next to it, and in the doorway, the Shadow Foaling stands, beckoning her to come with enticing wiggle of her finger.

“Come, Apple Bloom,” says the Shadow Foaling.

Despite her desire to go in the opposite direction, Apple Bloom walks forward, her limbs seemingly having a mind of their own. The Shadow Foaling's grin widens and she slips into the darkness, and when Apple Bloom enters the building she finds that the ruins have a great view of the river and the landscape across it. Or, the frozen river and landscape, anyway.

The Shadow Foaling is nowhere to be seen, and Apple Bloom looks around the room, seeing nothing but gray, black and frost, and when she pokes her head outside her heart nearly drops to her stomach from seeing the steep, thirty foot drop that leads to the forest. Luckily there is a set of stairs nearby that take her down, but unluckily the stairs are broken and entangled with roots and vines.

“Find me, Apple Bloom,” whispers the Shadow Foaling.

Apple Bloom looks to the source of the voice and a mosaic of a star surrounded by old black stones. Tiles are missing and vines have burrowed through the stones, but the picture is still there. She carefully steps forward and brushes her hand along the mosaic, marveling at the simple picture.

“You're so close,” says the Shadow Foaling, her voice still without a body. “You're so close to freeing us. Doesn't it feel good?”

Apple Bloom looks out the window again, and this time she sees a dark tower in the distance with a tip sharp like an arrow and glowing green.

“Foaling, I know you're there,” says the eerie whisper of the Amulet, its voice all around her. “I can feel it with you.”

The tower flashes a blinding green light, and Apple Bloom gasps and ducks out of sight, clutching her chest and the Amulet, her racing and mouth dry as the interior is bathed in green. After several seconds of her heart beating in her ears, the green slides out of view, and she peeks outside and sees a beam of green sweeping the forest.

“You cannot hide forever. I will find you,” says the Amulet.

Apple Bloom takes a deep breath, and then rushes out the window, scrambling down a series of broken steps and leaping off the stairway halfway down, landing painlessly on the hill below. The beam then swerves to Apple Bloom and the burning Eye of Sombra flashes in front of her eyes, paralyzing her.

“And I will take what is mine!”

Frozen claws hook and drag into Apple Bloom's palm, and she yelps and drops the Amulet as she clutches her wrist, seething and falling to her knees with her cloak's invisibility flickering away and her hood around her shoulders. The mulch around the Amulet freezes, and dark red blood crystallizes on her palm, forming an eye. Her heart races and her breathing becomes short and fast as she looks at the dark eye embedded in her bloody palm. She brushes the scab with a trembling finger, feeling sick from feeling the crystal bumps.

A whisper of garbled words ooze into her ears, and she finds herself looking at the Amulet, now surrounded by a ring of sharply frozen ground. The ice is tainted with a hue of black and green, and like a string pulling on her, she reaches for it with her marked hand.

“Apple Bloom?” calls Spike.

Apple Bloom gasps and turns around, quickly snatching up the Amulet and clumsily draws her sword. She then turns around and aims it at Spike, who is near the steps of the ruins. The whispering remains and with a struggling heart she looks at Spike with eyes blood red and tears soaking her face, and the drake is looking at her, his face heavy with worry.

“Apple Bloom, what's wrong?” asks Spike.

“Stay back!” orders Apple Bloom.

Spike steps closer, his hand held out. “Apple Bloom-”

Apple Bloom waves her sword at him. “I said stay back!”

Spike steps back, now with both of his hands up.

“Apple Bloom, what's wrong? What happened? You can tell me. I'm you're friend, remember?” says Spike carefully.

“And how long will you be my friend?” Apple Bloom steps back. “How long until you turn against me?”

Spike swallows and inches closer to her, and she steps back again, not daring to take her eyes off of him, and she squeaks when her back hits a dead tree.

“I made a promise to protect you,” says Spike.

“But can you protect me from yourself?” says Apple Bloom.

Spike stops and Apple Bloom tightens her grip on the Amulet and her sword, her chest heaving as tears flow from her bloodshot eyes.

“Or will you try to take it, too?” says Apple Bloom.

Spike looks at the Amulet. His fingers and nostrils twitch, and he slowly steps forward, extending his hand while Apple Bloom quivers in her spot, her sword barely held up and the Amulet close to her chest. He stops when he is in front of her and extends his hand. The whispers of the Amulet are louder, but the words in Apple Bloom' ears are still unknown, and she locks eyes with Spike. The glint is there. The need to hold the jewel. The desire to take it for himself. But Spike's needy eyes soften and he closes his hand and steps back.

“I'm sorry, but you're right. I can't go with you,” says Spike. “I know that I'll hurt you for the Amulet sooner or later. I can feel it.”

Apple Bloom lowers her sword and looks down, sniffling. “I'm sorry, too. But I have to get away from all of you, for all our sakes.”

Spike nods, then he pauses, scrunches his brow and sniffs the air. Apple Bloom blinks and barely notices a blue glow out of the corner of her eye. She looks at her sword and gasps at the glowing blade, and she looks at Spike as his steel blade scrapes against its sheath.

“Run!” orders Spike.

Without hesitation, Apple Bloom turns tail and bolts into the forest, and Spike runs around the ruins skidding to a stop when he sees a black unicorn stallion with a white mane wearing the Lulamoon Sanctuary armor and a red cape standing out in the open, wielding an axe with a belt of smaller curved axes. Flanking him are a four more soldiers, and Spike takes a deep breath and holds his blade up as he approaches them with confident strides, grateful that he doesn't smell Gilda. But when six more soldiers appear he stops, then a dozen more appear and his eyes bulge, and when a few dozen more appear from the trees he shakes his head.

“Nah uh.”

And Spike runs the opposite way with the soldiers screaming and charging after him.