---

---

Even the late night events that occurred, Kyle was able to get some sleep before an overexcited and early bird Applebloom jumped on him, waking him up all of a sudden.

"Wake up! Wake up Kyle!" Said Applebloom while bouncing on his back.

"Ugh... Applebloom... What time is it?" Asked Kyle, regretting to have staid awake for too long last night.

"Why it's six in the morning of course! Everyone's asleep!"

"It's too early Applebloom, don't you think?"

"Yeah! That's exactly why we're going to join the Cutie Mark Crusaders right now!"

"What?"

"The Cutie Mark Crusaders! My friends! Come on! We may earn our cutie marks before lunch!" Said Applebloom as the last word of that morning conversation.

Kyle got up slowly, as Applebloom bounced around the room picking up her bow, and a note she had on the desktop. He could feel the effort of the last day. Even if he managed to pull it off he was still somewhat damaged and not accustomed to such a heavy work. But, he started feeling the energy the young Applebloom emanated, and started filling his own batteries. Besides, his sleep wasn't that much of a sleep anyway, it was filled with nightmarish visions of things he wasn't expecting to see, and a past that somehow knew where he was.

"What's the list for?" Asked Kyle idly, while he put the mattress away with care in one corner of the room.

"Oh, it's a list of what to do today!"

"And... What's on the menu?"

"Well, Scootaloo is always talking about trying bungee, so we might do that."

"Wait... Bungee? The thing with the rope... And the high bridge?" Asked Kyle, afraid of the answer. He wasn't very fond of heights anymore.

"Why?" Asked Applebloom, and continued with a grin "Don't tell me you're afraid of heights Mr. Skylark?"

"Well, no... Kind of... I had bad experiences with heights in the past"

"Don't you worry Kyle, you'll see how fun is gonna be!"

And although Kyle wasn't really sure about all that, Applebloom transmitted confidence, somehow, he knew that their shenanigans would only be so dangerous. He was suddenly eager to meet the other girls, if they were nearly as Applebloom, it was going to be a fun packed morning for him, and after that dark night he was needing that fun more than anything.

"By the way, you ok? You don't look so good," asked Applebloom, observing that Kyle looked a bit pale.

"Oh? Yes, I am fine Applebloom, just still a bit sleepy I guess haha," lied Kyle.

"Alright then, let's get moving, the others must be waiting near the entrance of the farm, oh and don't make any sound, Applejack doesn't know we're leaving this soon!"

"Oh yeah?" Said Applejack standing at the door while observing the two ponies. "You should know by now sis, that I'm always way ahead of you"

Kyle felt like if they were caught, even if he was an adult and shouldn't have really felt any guilt, he had to admit the presence of Applejack scared him a bit.

"Hehe just be careful Applebloom, don't hurt yourself eh? And take care of Kyle," said Applejack and asked. "Y'all don't want something to eat before going?"

"S'all good Applejack, we'll get something with the girls!" Answered Applebloom and started pushing Kyle. "Come on Kyle, lets get going!"

"Alright alright! Good bye Applejack, thanks for everything," said Kyle politely.

Applejack smiled at him and said her goodbyes, but for some reason, she didn't like the tone the colt said it. It was something in the way he said it that made it sound permanent. If Applejack had knew the background of the colt she would have been very right to doubt or fear his words, as he used to mean his goodbyes, or even his "I think I'll go for a stroll now" when he was surrounded by people. It was always permanent, he never returned. And for some reason Applejack sensed that. But she shook that feeling off and returned to her bed, she still had a couple of hours of sleep before the morning routine.

--

The morning sun hit Kyle in the head, blinding him while he got out of the house, he contemplated the panorama. Sweet Apple Acres looked gorgeous, he thought. He also glanced at the terrains they had been working on yesterday, they looked ready to be planted, Kyle enjoyed the pattern they made. It was the fruit of his hard work after all, so he was somewhat proud.

"Come on Kyle!" Said Applebloom, snapping Kyle from his thoughts.

"Sure, uhm... Applebloom?"

"Yeah?"

"Where are we going... This isn't the entrance of the farm?" Asked Kyle when finally noticed they took another route.

"Oh, I knew Applejack was nearby when I said that, I had to keep it cool. We're actually going to meet at the super secret base of the Cutie Mark Crusaders!" Answered quite cleverly Applebloom.

"Super secret base?" Asked Kyle, he wasn't sure where this was all going.

"Well of course! We need to see if you're Cutie Mark Crusaders material dear Kyle, we have to TEST you!"

"Oh dear... I've never been really good at tests Applebloom and it's... Early in the morning," said Kyle with a yawn.

"You'll do just fine, you'll see! Plus, it's gonna be fun!"

Kyle smiled, he was fascinated of how positive that little pony was. That's one of the things he most liked from kids, their optimism and positive view of the world, they still didn't know any of its bad sides, of its complications or the hidden evil that waited in silence. He always thought it would be wonderful if they'd never know, but he knew that facing its bad sides was part of growing up and that, in fact, in the end led to a happier life. "Well in the majority of cases anyways..." Thought Kyle.

Applebloom led Kyle to her tree house, in a secluded part of Sweet Apple Acres, the tree house looked old, but neatly fixed and upgraded with a few modern details, like several posters, including one of a mysterious masked pony and another of a blue pegasi with a rainbow colored mane. It was, he had to admit, quite a nice place to have a "Super secret base".

"Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo! We're here!" yelled Applebloom.

"Finally! We've been waiting for hours!" answered an orange coated little filly.

"Oh come on Scootaloo, it's only been a few minutes," said Sweetie Belle. "So this is the pony you were talking about yesterday?"

Kyle blushed a tad when the two fillies stood there looking at him, in half admiration and half disbelief. It's not often when they saw an adult pony without a cutie mark. And they felt that relieving for some reason that pony standing in front of them, without a cutie mark on his flank, calmed their anxious spirits, because they knew that they weren't the only ones, and that some people didn't find their special talent way after their childhood. It was an unexpected light of hope.

"Hi girls..." Said Kyle with awkwardness.

"This is Kyle Skylark, and like us, he doesn't have a cutie mark! He's staying with us at the farm, so I thought on making him an honorary member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders!" said Applebloom with excitement.

"Wait just a second! He has to pass the entrance exam first!" said Scootaloo, as he walked around Kyle, pretending to be observing his qualities. Kyle meanwhile stood still, a bit intimidated by the three fillies.

"I think he'll do just fine Scoot, I mean, look at him!" said Sweetie Belle.

"We'll just see about that!" said Scootaloo. Although the colt did inspire her confidence, she wasn't sure about accepting a random guy in their group. She was quite happy to have found such good friends, and she already had enough troubles with herself to now be facing the threat of someone to replace her.

Scootaloo was in many ways a happy filly, but she and Skylark had more than one thing in common: They didn't have parents, Scootaloo's past was also mysterious, they didn't have their cutie marks and they both thought about their family when things were quiet. Not the happiest of the thoughts for a little filly, but Scootaloo dealt with it with many hobbies, a rebellious attitude, a likeness for speed and with the help of her beloved friends. That's why the presence of yet another pony around them made her feel a little insecure and scared. She didn't have a sister like Sweetie Belle and Applebloom, so she rarely hanged with other ponies other than them.

While Applebloom and Sweetie Belle usually hanged with the other ponies, like Applejack and the Apple family, and even that blue pegasi Scootaloo admired so much. Scootaloo didn't have the same excuse to hang out with them, and she felt always happy when she was around the others. In fact, of her most precious memories, there's the ones where she shared company with Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and the other group of six friends that the other two already knew well.

In time this changed, it was long since she first met Sweetie Belle and Applebloom, and she had grown up. She became more social and less intimidated thanks to her friend's influence, she even started a club of fans of Rainbow Dash, the pegasus pony she dreamed to become like one day. So her life had improved quite a lot thanks to the magic of friendship. But still, a newcomer was something that she wasn't all that accustomed to.

"Well, nice to meet you young ladies, what are your names?" asked Kyle politely even though by now he had already figured their names.

"I am Sweetie Belle!" said the little filly with the white coat and the purple and pink mane.

"And I'm Scootaloo, and who exactly are you Mister?" said the orange coated filly with the spiky purple mane in an rude tone.

"I told you who he was, Kyle Skylark, the guy that staying with us..." Repeated Applebloom, but was interrupted by Kyle who, noticing the tone of the filly, replied by himself.

"Well, I am Kyle Skylark, my friend Applebloom here wanted me to meet you guys, she told me you have a secret society I could be part of..." Said, and then added in a dramatic whisper "...a society for blank flanks!"

"YES! That's ours! But first you have to pass the trials!" said Sweetie Belle excited.

"Alrighty then! Tell me what are the trials!"

"Eh... One second," said Applebloom and at this moment the three fillies left Kyle hanging, while they made an improvised circle between the three of them and started whispering. If he had wanted he would have understood what the ponies were saying since their whispers weren't precisely low. But he decided to contemplate the beautiful meadow instead, and let them discuss whatever they had to discuss in peace. So he sat there while the three discussed what on earth could they do as trials for the young colt.

"Maybe we can make him zip-line without crashing!" whispered Scootaloo with a little giggle.

"That could be a bit difficult... I mean we have tried quite some times and we always end up covered in tree sap, remember?" replied Applebloom in a disapproval tone.

"How about singing?!" asked Sweetie Belle.

"Singing?" said Applebloom and Scootaloo at the same time.

"Yeah, we could make him sing our theme song!"

"...I don't think so Sweetie Belle," said Scootaloo "Maybe we can just go bungee like we said, and see if he can keep up!"

"Well since we can't come up with anything better, it'll have to do!" finally said Applebloom enthusiastically.

Then the three fillies, lead by Applebloom, strolled back to where they left Kyle. Then with a smile Applebloom told him the news, they were going to do some bungee and find out if their cutie marks were all about defying gravity and getting an adrenaline rush. Kyle wasn't quite sure about the idea, but he followed the girls without protesting.

While walking, they started talking about what their future cutie marks would be.

"I'm sure mine's gonna be just awesome! Probably something to do with velocity, or maybe hoof fighting!" said Scootaloo animatedly.

"And mine will be beautiful, just like my sister's Rarity!" squealed Sweetie Belle jumping around Kyle.

"Well mine will be something unexpected, I can see that girls!" added Kyle, joining the joy of the conversation.

"Unexpected eh? Well mine will be the most fantabulous of 'em all!" screamed Applebloom tackling playfully Sweetie Belle, who also knocked down Kyle who also landed on Scootaloo creating a big sandwich of fillies with colt meat.

"Giiiirls!" said Scootaloo trying not to laugh.

"Wait, don't worry Scootaloo, I got this," said Kyle and with a bit of effort got in his four hooves again, carrying the two fillies on top while they continued laughing. "Come on Scootaloo, jump on the stupid wagon!"

Scootaloo sighted at how ridiculous the colt looked with both ponies on top of him laughing to their hearts content. She couldn't hold it anymore and laughed as well, as she jumped on Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. Kyle continued walking, while the three fillies tried to push each other to see who'd fall first from the wagon, with a happy smile in his face, nothing could ruin that day.

--

A few minutes of traveling made them realize one important thing, they didn’t had breakfast. So they stopped to get some apples from one of the last trees of Sweet Apple Acres, as they were already almost at the end of their terrains.

“So girls, where exactly are we going to go?” asked Kyle as he ate his apple.

“Ghastly Gorge! It’s a big and scary gorge that’s like a couple of hours away from Sweet Apple Acres,” replied Scootaloo with bright eyes.
“Hmm never heard of it.”

“It’s alright Kyle, we’ve been there a couple of times, is quite safe,” said Applebloom while trying to reassure the colt.

“If you say so...” he said, not really convinced it was the best idea. “I’ll have to keep both eyes open,” he thought.

Once they finished their quick breakfast they got on the road again. As the day advanced, only a few lazy clouds sprout in the sky and the scenery slowly changed as they got near Ghastly Gorge to a less friendly landscape. Though Kyle didn’t see any problem with a darker ambience, not until they got to the actual gorge at least.

The gorge was large, to say the least, a complex canyon that went on zig zag through the forest. It looked like a big scar from higher altitudes, although even if Kyle would have had the chance to see it from above that wouldn’t have been much of a relief. The place did not look safe at all.

Inside the gorge there were several caves, many dangerous unwelcome plants, heavy winds and even a little stream that went underground at some points, and created powerful rivers at some others. Everything suited to be a dangerous place to respect, as well as a perfect fit for the Cutie Mark Crusaders adventure spirit.

“Er... Girls? This is Ghastly Gorge... Right?” asked Kyle afraid of the answer.

“Yep! Ghastly Gorge!” answered Scootaloo.

“Yeah... I was afraid so...” said Kyle in a murmur.

“Come on Skylark you still have to see the FUN part!” continued her.

“Yeah, you have to see the bridge, and the awesome stream will be jumping over!” said Sweetie Belle joining the conversation.

“You girls are some of the most weird little fillies I’ve seen... I mean, don’t you guys like dolls and tea parties?”

“But of course we do! It’s only, we’ve already tried that and the way to find your cutie mark as soon as possible is to do as many things as possible! Rainbow Dash said so herself!” said Applebloom animously.

“She did eh... I kind of want to meet her,” said Kyle sarcastically. “To put such ideas in the mind of young hyperactive kids... Ugh!” thought to himself.

Although he wasn’t really angry with Rainbow Dash, as he didn’t even know her yet, he was only frustrated because he was being willingly dragged to something positively scary. To have a home would have been useful now, he could have made up the excuse that he left the stove on.

“Hey, we’re with you Kyle, it’s alright! You’ll see how everything will be fun,” said Scootaloo, as the others went ahead. She noticed Kyle’s nervousness, and couldn’t but relate. At some points of her life, she had been scared of something as well. She didn’t remember most of them, but only a handful; like when she had to sing in front of an audience for a project at school or that night when the crowd started laughing and she had to get back on stage with her friends.
Kyle was both amused and touched by the filly’s concern. He didn’t expect Scootaloo to be the one to calm him down, neither to notice his nervousness for the matter. He felt the whole situation to be quite ridiculous, from a serious point of view. An adult being treated by a kid. But he welcomed odd situations, mostly, so he took courage from the fact that the whole day had been a contradiction to the normal rules of the universe. Or something like that, he thought. But there was something even more sure about all that, it was the first time in that morning that Scootaloo had actually call Kyle, for his name and not his last name.

So he smiled Scootaloo, said his thanks and continued walking with her to the bridge where they had the things prepared on.

It was a big bridge, as Sweetie Belle said, the only bridge to cross Ghastly Gorge safely in miles. Although it didn’t look like many people transited the place anymore, as it looked a bit old and unattended. On it they had already the things they’d need prepared, two big ropes, elastic ropes made specifically for bungee; a series of apparatuses of safety, things that Kyle had only seen on construction ponies who worked in tall buildings; and a big flag that Kyle recognized as the Cutie Mark Crusaders logo.

“Where did you girls get all this stuff? And why do we need the flag?” asked Kyle to no one in concrete.

“Well, Scootaloo got the bungee ropes from RD, we’re borrowing them from her,” answered Applebloom.

“Sweetie Belle made the flag! Isn’t it awesome?” said Scootaloo, while Sweetie Belle blushed. “Isn’t it awesome?”

“Very! I like the design, you have talent little Sweetie Belle,” said Kyle poking Sweetie Belle and making her say a squeaky thank you. “What about those things?”

“Oh the harnesses? I got those from the farm, believe it or not there was a time where we weren’t all boring,” said Applebloom with a chuckle.

“Heh, well sounds neat! You girls will have to teach me though, I haven’t done this before,”

“We haven’t either! That’s the fun of it!” said Scootaloo as she started preparing everything.

“Oh boy...” shivered Kyle

“Rainbow Dash told me how to set everything, and the security measures to take,”

As Scootaloo worked, she seemed really professional, making sure everything was correctly tied up and adjusting everyone’s harnesses so they were correctly on. By which point she asked:

“Hey Kyle are you going to wear that with the harness as well?” said pointing at Kyle’s peculiar clothing.

“Yeah, I would rather, is it a problem Scoot?” asked him innocently.

“No, not really. But you’re going to sweat!” said her giggling.

It was when she was finished when the real deal started, as it was time to start jumping of the bridge.

“So girls... Who will go first” asked Kyle as they all took a peek over the bridge to see how high they actually were, and the answer was very, very high.

As the four gulped, Sweetie Belle said: “Eh... Why don’t you go Scootaloo, since you were the one who suggested it and all...”

“I... Think Applebloom was more eager to start right Applebloom?” said Scootaloo as she stood back from the bridge’s edge.

“But... Uh... I... I think Sweetie Belle would like the honor of being first...” she answered.

“I uh...” started Sweetie Belle, but was interrupted by the colt Skylark.

“Sigh, alright, I’ll go ahead first girls...” said Kyle as he had no choice.

“Yeah Kyle said he wanted to go first!” said Sweetie Belle.

“I didn’t say tha-” was about to reply Kyle, but got shut by Sweetie Belle’s hoof.

“Haha, so Scootaloo tell him the procedure!” said her laughing nervously while pressing her hoof against Kyle’s mouth.

“Ok so, you have to stand right here, where the flag is.” said Scootaloo, as she revealed the purpose of the flag. “And then, with the rope secured to your harness you just... Jump!”

“I just... Jump...” repeated Kyle.

“Yes! And don’t worry we’ll pull you up when the rope stops bouncing,” finished with a smile.

“Alright...here I go...”

“You can do it Kyle!” said Applebloom.

“Yes you can, yes you can!” cheered Sweetie Belle.

“You’ll enjoy the ride you’ll see!” said Scootaloo.

And just like that, he stood where the flag was. Looked back, to see the rope well attached to one of the pivots that were in each edge of the bridge. He glanced at the fillies, as they looked at him with admiration eyes. Then he sighted at the precipice, the river below made it look even more dangerous as it seemed to have a pretty strong stream. But also kind of safe, in a matter of speaking, as it looked like if the rope broke, you’d hit water instead of pure rock. The idea of staying alive even in the worse of the cases was comforting. “Alright, stop digressing brain, let’s focus on this,” Kyle told himself.

So he jumped, and he fell. He didn’t have any other alternative.

As he felt the air flowing through him at such high speed memories from a mysterious and vague past started springing in his head. He had his eyes well closed, he wasn’t screaming, but mostly because he was too scared too. But then, a much more comforting thought sprout in his conscience, Scootaloo smiling at him and telling him it would be fun.

So he opened his eyes.

And then he started screaming.

“WOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO AHHHHHHHHH!”

The scream resonated through the whole Ghastly Gorge. It was a mix between absolute fun and absolute terror. But it was enough for the fillies to start screaming in joy.

“HOORAY KYLE WAY TO GO! WOOOO!” they yelled.

As the rope bounced repeatedly, without letting him touch the ground, he started laughing. He had done it. “Talk about overcoming fears!” he thought.

“Girls!” he yelled. “You HAVE to try this!”

As they pulled him up, he started feeling the second rush of adrenaline, remembrance of the moment. Once up, he stood there, allowed himself for a narcissistic pose and said:

“Well, I hope I passed the test!”

“That was aaaawesome!” said Scootaloo as she jumped around him.

“Amazing, I want to go next!” screamed Applebloom in excitement.

“And I’ll go next! How was it Kyle? Tell us!” asked Sweetie Belle while bouncing on Kyle’s back.

“It was simply amazing, I was so scared at first, but then as if something changed inside me in the middle of the fall, I opened my eyes, and saw how fast I was falling, and and and, I didn’t touch the river down below, instead I was pulled up and it was such a rush of adrenaline!” he tried to explain.

--

The fun and joy that the bungee session had brought them make them not realize how the lazy clouds of the morning became a large cumuli of dark clouds. Only when the clouds reached their position and darkened the day they did realize that a storm was coming their way. And it came quite fast as well, they just realized when a sprinkle started falling from the skies.

“Alright girls, I think this this means is time to head home,” said Kyle.

“Oh come on Kyle, just one more!” said the eager Scootaloo.

“Yeah I want to go too!” said Sweetie Belle, knocking down Scootaloo.

“Me first!” screamed Applebloom, stumbling on both fillies.

“Alright alright, but let’s keep it quick while the rain is still a simple sprinkle, so only one go girls!” said Kyle, unleashing the inevitable fight between the girls. “O-kay... I guess I’ll have to decide...”

Instantly the three fillies stopped, only to stare at the colt with bright shiny eyes.

“Alright...” started Kyle, having no real idea of what to do to decide. “I’ll just, uh, turn around, and you girls... Have to... Jump! The one that jumps right when I turn around again wins. And uh, yeah the one who jumps higher, in case you all have perfect timing, wins.”

“READY!” yelled the three instantly.

“Ok... Let’s do this,” said the colt, and then he turned around only to hear the “clop clop” of three fillies trying to jump all the time. “Three... Two... One... NOW!”

The three were in the air when he turned around. Sweetie Belle though, didn’t last long and landed with his little head before her hooves causing a squeaky “Ouch!”. Applebloom was right besides Scootaloo, but it was Scootaloo’s wings who decided the match as she tried desperately to flap them. Thus Applebloom landed first, resulting on Scootaloo being the winner.

“No fair Scoot! You cheated!” started Applebloom.

“Well, he didn’t say we couldn’t use wings,” finished Scootaloo, showing her tongue to Applebloom.

“Alright alright, Scootaloo wins then,” said Kyle smiling at the trifle. Poor Scootaloo tried really hard to flap her wings, but they weren’t strong enough to lift her for no more than a couple of seconds. He could sympathize with her. “Come on let’s finish this before the storm gets worse.”

“Storm?” asked Sweetie Belle. “It’s barely raining!”

“I know, Sweetie Belle, but you see those dark clouds there? They are storm clouds, and they are getting closer,” answered Kyle quite wisely.

“How do you know so much about weather Kyle?” inquired Applebloom.

“Oh I... Had some experience with weather in the past...” said gloomily.

As Scootaloo got ready for the last jump, Kyle glanced at the menacing sky. It was getting dangerously close, and the color of those clouds wasn’t comforting at all. Nonetheless, little Scootaloo was too excited to stop her, and it was just going to be one jump afterall. “What could go wrong?” he thought. “Many... Many things...” said a little voice in his head, a voice that reminded him of past endeavors, a little friend called conscience. He had to do something.

“Hey Scoot, I don’t think you should jump!” said under the increasing rain.

“What?” yelled a smiling Scootaloo who didn’t hear a word Kyle said. “Here I go!”

She jumped, much to Kyle’s horror, and to Applebloom and Sweetie Belle’s admiration. Then it happened, what couldn’t have gone wrong, went. A thunder was heard, and a lightning stroke. The bridge, old as it was couldn’t resist the sudden hit of nature in its balustrades. It started trembling, and collapsing.

In a blink of an eye Kyle pushed Applebloom and Sweetie Belle away from where they were standing, as it was starting to crumble. He then yelled with a potent voice that snapped the girls from their terror. “GET OUT OF THE BRIDGE, NOW!” And the girls obeyed, looking back when they got to the safety of the road just to see another lightning and Kyle jumping from the bridge.

“Applejack!” screamed Applebloom.

“What?!” said a terrified Sweetie Belle. “She’s not here Applebloom!”

“I know I know! We need to find her! WE NEED HELP!!” yelled, and started galloping to the farm.

“Wait!” yelled Sweetie Belle stopping Applebloom. “What about Scootaloo and Kyle?!”

“He’ll save her don’t worry, but they’ll need our help to get out of there, come on! Before the storm gets worse!” said Applebloom both confident and scared.

What the girls didn’t see was how the second lightning hit the flag, that acted as a lightning rod, making the bit of bridge nearby crumble in itself and starting to fall down. And with it, the bungee rope that was tied to the edge.
Kyle didn’t have much alternatives, but he did have an ace under his sleeve. Or perhaps, under his clothing. He knew there was no other way to save the little filly, that started screaming as soon she realized the big mess that everything was turning to. So he jumped.

And he fell.

--

Applejack was bucking the last apples of the day when she heard the couple of thunders far in the horizon.

“A storm’s a’ brewin’,” she said to herself. “I wonder when are those fillies going to come back...”

“They are with Kyle anyway, so they should be ok,” thought. But she was still thinking on the way Kyle said goodbye that morning, something about it didn’t feel right for her. “He wouldn’t leave us so soon... I mean heck he’s only been with us for one day, and he has no place to go right?” continued thinking. “Perhaps we scared him? No, I don’t think so, he looked quite happy. Maybe he’s not a hard worker... No, he did seem quite fond of helping.”

“Ah, thank you Twilight, I was worried I couldn’t get the last apples before the storm. It was a miracle that you decided to stop by Sweet Apple Acres!” said Applejack to her purple friend, who was helping her with the last two carts of apples.

Twilight Sparkle was a unicorn, a very talented in magic unicorn, that had come to Ponyville about a year and a half ago. She smiled at her friend and replied: “No problem at all Applejack! We’re always glad to help.”

“Where’s Spike?” asked Applejack.

“Oh he’s at the library, he had another case of the “dragon sneezes” and burned another book on accident. So I told him to stay and clean up the mess,” she replied and added “While I was out to get a new copy of the book” and pointed at the book stashed in one of the carts.

“Hehe, I imagine it must be difficult for a dragon to live in a library, with all the fire and all.”

“It is sometimes a problem, but nothing that a good clean up can’t help!”

“By the way, you didn’t happen to see the Cutie Mark Crusaders and another pony today right?”

Twilight stopped to think for a moment and then replied: “No, I don’t think so. Why? Also, another pony?”

“Well because I haven’t seen Applebloom and Kyle since early this morning.”

“Kyle?”

“He’s the other pony that was with them.”

“Who is he?” asked Twilight, curious about a new comer to town. The last newcomer she’d seen to town was the little Pipsqueak and his family from Trottingham, and it was always splendid to receive new people in Ponyville.

“Well Big Mac found him at the end of the farm, apparently he crashed after riding a heck of a lot. So Big Mac offered him to have some breakfast, and he staid with us for the day. Very nice fella, though a little mysterious. He doesn’t have a cutie mark and apparently he doesn’t have a home to go to either!” explained Applejack.

“No cutie mark and no home? That is indeed mysterious... Did he say where he came from?”

“Well he did say that the last place where he was, was Trottingham,” and then she realized “Which is also the place where the new family came from right?”

“Yeah! Do you think it’s coincidental?” asked an increasingly interested Twilight.

“Yes, he seemed quite a lonely fellow, so I don’t think he has anything to do with the ‘Squeak’s’ family,” replied Applejack. “But it is quite impressive that he made it from there by walking, instead of taking the trains.”

“Ponies these days barely use the old roads anymore, that is true,” said Twilight. “So how come he’s with the Crusaders?”

“Well asides from the lack of a cutie mark?” she said mocking Twilight. “Hehe, he clicked very well with Applebloom, and he did seem to be fond of kids.”

“And didn’t you find that weird?”

“Well if it was somepony else, yes, I would have.” And after a pause added “But with him, it was different... You could see the innocence in his face. He’s a good chap!”

Twilight smiled at the idea, she wanted to meet that colt. It reminded her of herself, when he first arrived to Ponyville. She didn’t know anyone, but they all welcomed her like if she was an “all time” friend. The ponies at Ponyville could sense good ponies, at least that was her experience with them. And she will always be touched by the fact they considered her a good pony right from the beginning.

She didn’t delve too much in her thoughts, not because she didn’t want to but because she saw two little fillies rushing towards them.
“Applejack? Isn’t that Applebloom and Sweetie Belle?”

“Yeah! Wait, where’s Scootaloo and Kyle...?”

--

He fell.

But he wasn’t scared, or rushed with adrenaline this time. He was determined. The same determination that allowed him to survive all these years. The same determination that caused “his” plans to fail in the past. A past that didn’t stop from getting close to him ever since he laid feet in Ponyville. And now it was catching up with him, and asking him to reveal himself, pay the bounty and go to jail for escaping.

And then he paid the price, he didn’t even stop to care, Scootaloo was on his mind. He had to save her.

A sound of cloth being ripped apart was muffled by the fast falling. A shame, he really liked his vest. No matter. The Skylark flew free.

He caught Scootaloo before she hit the cold water, she had her eyes tight closed.

She felt the warmth of the colt and the wind in her face and opened her eyes, to see herself mounted on Kyle’s back while he flew up and away from the bridge. But she didn’t have time to admire the blue pony’s wings, nor to be surprised by the sudden discovery. The rope was still well secured to her harness and the bridge collapsed, threatening to take her away from Kyle.

“Kyle!” she screamed under the heavy rain. “The rope!”

Kyle looked back to see that she was being pulled, and the rope tensing as the rock that once was part of the bridge fell into the water. His brain was thinking as fast as he could, his wings ached like crazy as he hadn’t used them in a long time, and he was overwhelming himself.

“Can you get the harness out?!” yelled Kyle trying to fight the rope.

“I can’t It’s stuck!” she screamed desperately.

“Ok, we have only one shot, get ready!”

“For what?!”

He didn’t think on the consequences. He only knew facts. The first fact was that the rope was tense enough that it’ll pull him and the filly away when he stopped flapping his wings. The second fact was that the harness was loose.

Doing one last effort and spending all his strength he flapped his wings violently. He grabbed Scootaloo under his legs in a difficult but well pulled maneuver. Flew upside down all he could. He felt the rock moving. “Just... A little... More!” he shouted.

The rock stopped budging. He let go. Secured Scootaloo from slipping away and stopped flapping his wings.

The rope took it’s revenge, and pulled them with all the strength accumulated. The harness got violently out of little Scootaloo’s body, causing a moment of intense fear as Kyle felt something slipping through his hooves. But they were safe. Or at least the safer you can be while being torpedoed away by a giant slingshot.

He relaxed his muscles, they were flying away, but he’d be able to control the landing and Scootaloo was well secured under his protecting legs. That was the mistake he didn’t calculate. They were flying away, but the direction was the still collapsing bridge.

The last he felt as a boulder hit him was an intense pain and Scootaloo screaming. Everything went pitch black.

--

“What!?” shouted both ponies when they heard the news from the two scared fillies.

“Come on, we have to go now!” said Applejack to Twilight.

“Yes, let’s not waste any more time!” she agreed.

“Wait Applejack, shouldn’t we go too?” asked Applebloom realizing the life of her friends was at stake.

“No! You and Sweetie Belle head to the farm house, now!” replied instantly Applejack, with an authoritarian voice, a voice Applebloom had heard few times in her short life. A voice she had learn to not question. It was the voice of her big sister being seriously worried.

“A...Alright...” she finally said, and she and Sweetie Belle head back to the Apple house.

“Do you think they’ll be alright?” asked Sweetie Belle.

“I don’t know... Applejack was serious...”

“I’m sure they will, Applebloom. I’m sure Kyle saved Scootaloo and now they are just waiting for someone to get them out from the gorge. You’ll see how we’ll all be laughing when this is over...” tried Sweetie Belle. She was terrified, she cared a great deal for her friends. But if Applebloom wasn’t going to be optimistic, she would. For her friends.

--

He saw him. A him as he remembered. Not a scary figure per see, but something he had to respect. Or at least not joke about.

“Equestria...” said the shadowy figure. “Before it, the different kind of ponies divided themselves in tribes. And disharmony ruled the land.”

He paused, and stared to an image of Kyle Skylark, it was himself, the image of his past self.

“Ah yes... I remember those days quite well. Do you remember those days Skylark?”

“Yes,” answered his echoed voice from the past.

“Then why did you stop me from getting the last one of the Elements?” the shadowy figure asked calmly.

“I didn’t stop you...” his voice sounded bitter.

“Ah, but I find you did. The last Element, the element that no one, but you and I, knows. You crushed, quite literally if I may,” he said this with a subtle grin that chilled the blood of the timeless Skylark “the only way I had to get it. The element of Magic. The most powerful of them.”

There was no response from the past Skylark. Only a silent dripping.

“You know you’ve only gained meaningless time, right? You know I cannot be stopped,” he sighed “And here I thought that leaving you alone would stop you from interfering in my plans... Ah I was quite a fool, I should have known. We often find our destiny in the road we take to evade it.”

He suddenly remembered, he couldn’t do anything, something had blocked him. The shadowy memory became brighter. Now he could see his past self clearly. And he saw the tears that once were his. And the hate. The hate for that being who had ruled his destiny since he was born.

“A mistake, I won’t be taking again, I should say, dear Skylark,” his voice suddenly changed to a menacing one “Oh how I would love to slice your throat and let you bleed to your dead. Ah, it’s such a shame we can’t kill directly...”

The Skylark from the past and the timeless Skylark froze scared of the coldness of the being.

“But it’s time for you to go. Adieu, Kyle Skylark,” and that being, who mastered the threads of destiny and played with the unstoppable flux of time waved his hand. The Skylark fell from his tree.

But, much to the displease of the powerful being, the last words of the fallen Skylark echoed through the shapeless place.

--

He woke up slowly, wet and extremely tired. The first he saw was the sight of rocks, and the grey walls of a natural cave. He tried to get on his hooves.

“Kyle!” said a voice behind him.

“Oh Scootaloo...” said Kyle, as he remembered what happened. “Are you hurt? Did Applebloom and Sweetie Belle made it? Where are we?”

“Calm down, I’m fine, thanks to you,” she said blushing a bit. “I don’t know if they made it, but I am quite positive about it, since I didn’t see anyone on the bridge when we flew through it. And we landed in the water some miles away, so I dragged you to this cave.”

He relaxed his aching muscles again. “Ah, what a relief... Thanks for saving me Scootaloo,” he said smiling at her.

And she cuddled with him as an answer. “No, Kyle, thank you. You were amazing with those wings! How come you didn’t tell us you were a pegasus pony?”
“Ah... Thanks. I well, am not very much fond of my wings...” he answered vaguely.

“Why not? Personally I think they fit you, being your name Skylark and all,” she said innocently.

“Well, I guess, but in the past, they were the cause of the death of a friend of mine...” Why was he telling something he’d never tell before to a little filly like Scootaloo.

She got quiet, cuddling with Kyle so they could maintain the warmth and fight better the coldness the storm was leaving. After a long pause, she looked up and knocked with her head on Kyle’s neck. Making him look at her.

“Well, it saved the life of a friend of yours in the present.”

He smiled at her, and flapped a bit his wings. His left wing was injured, it hurt. But he didn’t care. He used his right wing to cover Scootaloo.

“Do you think they’ll rescue us today?” Apparently she knew of Kyle’s injured wing.

“I think we may have to wait until the rain stops... So maybe we’ll need to stay here for the night,” he said and added “But don’t worry, I’m sure they are already looking for us.”

“Oh, I’m not worried, a little storm doesn’t scare me!” she said confidently. And with a very bad timing as well, as just as she said that an enormous thunder resonated through the entire cave. In an instinctive response Scootaloo pressed her head under Kyle’s wing. Realizing that move, she looked at Kyle and blushed as she giggled.

Kyle smiled and simply said: “You have a beautiful mane, you know that?”

“Thanks, not many people tell me that...”

“Well, they should!”

And then another lightning stroke nearby, causing another huge sound to surround the cave and scare little Scootaloo.

Kyle was a bit away, he still had in his mind the “dream” or memory he had while he was blacked out. Thus he was in two places, in a cave in the bottom of a big scary gorge and back in a memory and timeless world. But the jump Scootaloo did when the second thunder rose snapped him out of it. He put again his right wing over Scootaloo and this time got a good grip of her.

“You should get some sleep Scoot...”

“I... I am too scared Kyle...” she finally admitted.

“Hmm hey, what if I sing you a lullaby?” At which Scootaloo looked at him a bit puzzled, but she smiled anyways.

“Let’s hear it!”

“I remember a bed song when I was your age, I don’t think you’d ever hear it...” said, and got air and started singing as melodically and softly as he could.

Dreams will caress your soul
Lift your body and calm your spirit
...

“The song continues,” he said softly “But I-”

He stopped, because Scootaloo had already delved in the land of dreams, where she was surely living a great adventure up in the sky.

Flying free, like a Skylark.

--

The Colt Skylark.
To be Continued.