Chap 3

“It all started on the day we had that crazy apple sale, remember? No one was buying them so Apple Jack and I went into town and advertised…with not much luck, that’s when we figured out that we’d have to do something different with the apples rather then just selling them as is. It’s always about the options! Anyways we decided to ask Granny Smith on how to make apple treats,” he paused and smiled fondly at the memory, Apple Jack added, “it was mah birthday that day too!” “Yup, and I had the most marvelous plan up my sleeve, earlier that day when we had gone into town that day I saw AJ here eyeing a pretty cool looking Cowboy hat, and I knew then and there it would be the best present for her, so we both worked hard that day, and after we got our shares of bits I hoofed it back into town, and bought it” “Ah couldn’t belive it… he used every single last bit he earned to get me that hat… it was so expensive” Apple Jack blushed. “Well.. it was a birthday present… but at the same time it was a apology present as well.. you see earlier that day my parents had told me that I would be enrolled in Canterlot to become a guard… personally I hated the idea, I never liked standing still in one place or fighting. I was so sad. I was leaving ALL of my best friends behind,” Tiger sighed remembering just how depressed he was about that day, “when we first moved to PonyVille you and Pinkie Pie were the only ones that played with me and then I met Big Mac and cute little AppleBloom was born. Those days are irreplaceable.” “So that’s why you were in such a hurry that day, why in the hay didn’t you tell me?” Apple Jack almost glared at Tiger, who looked away, “I..didn’t want to say good bye” he said quietly. “Ya KNOW I worried a LOT about you!” angry tears filled Apple Jack’s eyes, “Ah ran up to PonyVille the next day only to find a completely empty house where you and yer family were stayin!!” Apple Jack exclaimed. “I’m so sorry, for everything” he backed away. “Sis let him tell his story,” Big Mac had taken a seat in a comfort chair. “It better be good or else I’m gonna buck you so hard you ain’t gonna know what hit you” Apple Jack looked away. “I went to Canterlot, and I started training as a guard. Surprisingly I wasn’t too bad with the sword, but I still hated fighting. Years passed, not a day went by when I didn’t think of you AJ,” Tiger murmered the last bit out and was barely out of hearing range which made the 3 other ponies look at him, “I didn’t hear that last part Tiger,” Apple Jack looked at him with curiosity. “Nothing” Tiger shook his head and continued, “I got promoted to Knights. Princess Celestia has guards who stand watch and protect her and Canterlot… but Knights are the ponies who are sent all around Equestria to protect other ponies and nations. “Ah didn’t know there was another group like that!” AppleBloom’s eyes went wide. “Trust me…it isn’t that glamorous” Tiger muttered, “I was first assigned to a place called Hoofington, that place apparently had been under the attack of a certain darkness…” Tiger winced at the thought of the place. “Darkness?” Apple Jack looked at him. “Yes, according to the Princess it was the same darkness that had attached to her dear sister Princess Luna, that darkness wasn’t just limited to ‘Nightmare moon’ you know, it was a much greater force before… before the elements of Harmony were created. Princess Celestia used those elements and shattered the Darkness, but that same Darkness managed to survive and take a hold of many areas of Equestria… along with Princess Luna. That is why Princess Celestia formed the Knights of Equestria to protect where she could not reach, 1000 years along with a 100 generation of Knights. She desperately wanted to protect everyone from the Darkness but those areas are always shrouded … you all should know, the Evergreen forest is one of them” Tiger mentioned the name sending shivers down Apple Bloom’s back, she remembered that one incident with the Cockatrice, and how Fluttershy’s bravery had saved the day. “So what do ya’ll do there in these ‘shrouded areas’ then?” Apple Jack asked. “We go inside… to the very core, and we stamp out the darkness mirror… once that happens light is let in and the Darkness dissipates” Tiger explained. “That doesn’t sound too hard” Big Macintosh said. “Stamping the mirror isn’t that hard… it’s just what the Darkness does” Tiger closed his eyes, “it tests your very resolve, it stretches your mind to the limits and leaves a cold fear inside of you… that’s why only a select few ponies are ever made into Knights, I didn’t like it one bit, but I was one of the only ones who could do it along with the other Knights… dear Sol Lune my friend … how I miss you” Tiger seemed to stare off into the distance. “Tiger ye aren’t gonna get anywhere if you keep on mumbling like that!” Apple Jack had gotten a little annoyed at Tiger’s dazed states. “I’m sorry” he shook his head, “anyways Hoofington was a actual town that had been taken… there were no ponies there anymore, houses were crumbling and it was colder then winter inside…”

---Skies above PonyVille---

“Well that takes care of tomorrow’s forecast!” a light blue Peguses pony with rainbow hair stretched. “Though… the skies are looking pretty different tonight,” she tilted her head and shrugged as she flew off into the clouds.