At first, the fabric of Equestria’s reality unraveled almost whimsically.

Though sark storm clouds spread over the land, alive with flashes of green and orange lightning, the citizens of Equestria who had not seen the massacre in Ponyville firsthand were none the wiser that anything was wrong beyond the strange storm clouds The first the civilian population had any inkling something wasn’t right was when the storm clouds opened and candy began to shower down from above. Fillies and colts rushed outside with bags and buckets, collecting the heaven sent treats.

It was Nightmare Night, after all, and many children were already out and about trick or treating. The thought never occurred to them that there might be something dangerous or deadly about the candy. For all they new, this was some new and delightful spell cast by one of the many princesses of Equestria to help celebrate the spooky holiday. All the children needed to do was raise their receptacle of choice to the sky and watch in wonder as it filled with lollipops, candy corn, peppermint sticks, chocolates, and other sugar frosted sweets. How could this not be some wonderful gift from one of their benevolent rulers? Even a few wary adults got in on the act, carrying bowls and barrels outside to catch the treats, just as delighted by the strange turn of events as Equestria's children.

But delight swiftly turned to horror as piece by piece, terrible monstrosities built themselves up and rose from every barrel, bowl, bucket, and bag. Candy ghouls, in a riot of colors, shapes, and sizes spilled onto the ground and leaped into the air, falling upon their unsuspecting victims with wild abandon. There was almost a carnival atmosphere among the monstrosities as they laughed and sang and shredded their prey to gory pieces.

The most unfortunate, of course, had been those greedy ponies (adult and child alike) who had scarfed down the diabolical candies as swiftly as they had fallen from the sky. Their stomachs roiled and churned as unnatural life took shape inside them. It was not long before candy ghouls ripped through flesh and bone to be unnaturally birthed into the world. They burst giggling out of bellies, chests, and backs, many eating their way to freedom, devouring their 'hosts' alive from the inside out. A few merely clawed their way back up the throats of those who had swallowed them, dislocating and ripping of the jaws that had so recently chewed them. As the candy abominations were disgorged steaming into the night, they left behind ruined but, perhaps more horrifically, still very much aline ponies shaking in shock and pain who made for helpless playthings for the sadistic monsters games.

The ghouls feasted on the living and dead alike, but teases and tormented the living the way a cat might torment a mouse. Those they slaughtered soon rose again, candified, and joined the growing horde as it crashed like a tidal wave over the countryside. A flood of carnivorous candy spread outwards from the heart of Equestria, changing and warping the land in its wake. Plants and trees melted and twisted as they were coated in caustic candy, smothered by the living candy that sheathed it. The ground itself began to harden and turn brittle as sweets seeded the earth, tendrils of candy spreading and taking root deep in the ground. Even the water in the rivers and lakes were not immune as the cursed treats that still rained from the storm clouds dissolved in the water, turning it to a viscous and fizzing green soda.

All this was thanks to the widening rift that linked this universe and the Candyverse. Soon, there would no longer be a way to tell one from the other.

<hr>

As the reality storm reached the Everfree Forest it was impossible to block out the screams of the animals that made the deadly forest their home. The echoing snap of ancient tree limbs as they shattered under the weight of the blighted candy rain was just as unnerving. Try as they might, Rarity and Applejack could do nothing to block out the cries of the world outside dying all around them. Though they seemed to be safe, for now, in the tree house shelter that was all that remained of the protective Tree of Harmony.

They were two among the few survivors that had retreated from the Candy Mare's onslaught and with the aid of Starswirl the Bearded, had the time to take shelter in the ruins of the Castle of the Two Sisters. Thankfully not long after it had been destroyed by King Sombra, the remains of the Tree of Harmony had reforged itself into a sanctuary of sorts that offered the remaining survivors protection they desperately needed. At the time that the new building had sprouted up from the earth, no one was certain why it had taken the form of shelter, but now it was clear that it was in case of a situation just like this one.

The cursed candy rain steamed away to nothing as it came in contact with the fortresses outer walls, but that didn’t stop candy ghouls from hungrily prowling the ruins outside. Though the survivors might be safe for the moment, they were trapped here, and unable to do anything as the world beyond their enchanted shelter suffocated and died under the hellish candy rain.

It would only be a matter of time until the cultists, or the Candy Mare herself, would find the refugees. It was not certain that the edifice could withstand an assault from the self styled goddess or her acolytes, but even if it could the air of hopelessness inside the sacred shelter was palpable.

Fortunately, there were those that had not yet given up hope. Starswirl the Bearded and a few of the other Pillars of Harmony were busy coordinating with those they had managed to rescue. It was an eclectic mix of soldiers and civilians; ponies, griffins, and dragons alike. All shivered in terror as they listened to the agony of the living and the laughter of the dead outside in the dark forest, but they did their best to carry out the instructions of the Pillars to help secure their refuge from invasion. Everyone here had lost somebody, a family member, a friend, or even a lover. Even the Pillars had not gone unscathed as poor Mistmane and brave Rockhoof were numbered among those who had fallen in battle, felled by cruel cultist daggers or the relentless assault of the candy ghouls. It was all the more reason to listen carefully to what the legendary heroes had to say, for even they were not invulnerable against the madness that had consumed the world.

The Pillars were having a hushed meeting now, clumped away from the others.

Mage Meadowbrook looked the most distressed, and with good cause. She had exhausted her supply of medicines trying to treat those who had been injured in the assault. Sadly, she had watched the injured succumb one by one to the Candy Curse, and been forced to listen as their cries of pain morphed into howls of laughter. Those who it was deemed could not be saved were swiftly dumped over the walls, left to die outside only to rise again moments later and join the growing horde of riotous ghouls.

Starswirl spoke to his friends more stoically, if no less grimly. He had been responsible for weeding out those less obviously infected than the injured from the healthy with his magic. Those who were deemed contaminated were not immediately condemned to die, however. Starswirl knew all about the contagion that would be boiling beneath the skin of the afflicted. This gave those infected a ray of hope that, unfortunately, the sorcerer did not share. Where Mage Meadowbrooks medicines had simply failed, however, his familiarity with the curse seemed to only deepen rather than lessen his own sense of despair. He knew from prior experience that his spells and cantrips would were useless in reversing the rot and corruption before he even tried them. Despite, try them he still did, unwilling to let even a single soul pass into the Candy Mare's collection without some kind of fight. If they could lessen their adversaries numbers by even one by denying them a new convert to her grizzly army, then it was worth the expenditure of his magic and skill. Unfortunately his spells faired little better than Meadowbrook’s potions, delaying the inevitable just long enough for those already infected to be isolated and eventually teleported outside.

Flash Magnus had watched on with agitation as one by one, soldiers he had fought beside succumbed horrifically to the Candy Curse. At first he had tried to embody the stolid resolve expected of a seasoned soldier, but as his comrades fell into gibbering madness it was plain to see that his calm veneer was cracking. The pegasus was restless, pacing, flexing his wings as if he would leap into the sky at any moment. Perhaps he wanted to leap back into the fray, to live and die his last moments fighting an enemy he could at least get his hooves on. Doing some sort of damage to those who had taken so many of his fellow soldiers and friends, even if such a defiant act would be his final one. His words were the harshest and the most easily overheard as the Pillars held their impromptu meeting. What he had to say was hardly comforting to those who tried to listen.

In contrast, Somnambula was quiet and calm, almost serene. It was almost like she was somehow above it all, looking down on a world lost to madness not with horror, disgust, or even anger, but instead with pity and infinite patience. Her words did not seem to do anything to soothe her comrades agitation, but her mere presence was enough to calm those who looked upon her. Her demeanor alone was enough to make the survivors dare to hope. Hope for what though? For justice? For survival? For a chance for revenge? It was hard to say. It was clear that even if they could stop the Candy Mare, there wouldn’t be much left of Equestria to save.

The Pillars seemed to reach some kind of agreement. Rarity was surprised when Somnambula broke off from the others and approached her and Applejack, where they stood staring out over the battlements as tornadoes of liquorice swept back and forth over the land. Applejack, to the contrary, sort of saw this coming. It wasn't a secret that there were some among the survivors that were not looking to the remaining Pillars for salvation, but the last two Elements of Harmony to somehow save the day...

“How are the two of you holding up?” asked the Pillar of Hope with a slightly foreign sounding accent.

“About as well as could be expected, given everypony we know and love are dead or dyin’ and we got front row seats to watch the end of Equestria,” replied the farm pony cynically. It was clear she did not share the survivors hope that the Elements of Harmony would somehow be able to win the day.

“We’re positively ghastly dear. We’ve lost so much so quickly I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. The fact I was most worried about whether or not my friends would like the costumes I had made for them at the start of today seems so ridiculous,” murmured Rarity with a sad little smile. “I know I used to say this often before, and there were many times I really meant, but the statement has never been as true as it is now: This is the Worst. Possible. Thing.”

Somnambula nodded her understanding. “It is likely to only get worse from here. Starswirl believes that the Tree of Harmony was diminished by its destruction, and that this edifice only contains a fraction of its power. As this world becomes less ours and more and more hers, even that remnant of protection shall fade. Even with Starswirl and the other unicorns working to enhance that protection, we will not be able to shelter here much longer.”

“So what do you propose we do!?” yelled Applejack, suddenly angry. “Just give up and throw ourselves inta the enemies jaws!? Horseapples to that!”

“Applejack, darling, calm yourself!” chided Rarity worriedly.

“No! Ah’m tired of tryin’ ta stay calm and think things through, and act like... like none of this is happening, or somehow it’s all some stupid joke and things are somehow gonna work out!” Thick, hot tears were running down AJ’s muzzle now, trickling over her freckles and cascading to the floor. “Mah family is dead! Mah friends are dead! The farm I grew up in and town Ah loved is gone! Everythin’ and everyone Ah ever loved or cared for is gone! An’ it’s all because of some sugar dusted tart from some other dimension and her gaggle of psychopathic followers! Ah am completely done with bein’ calm!”

Irritation flashed in Rarity’s eyes as she tried, and failed, to bite back the words she said next. “Do you think it’s any easier for the rest of us? For me!?” Hot tears of her own were even now melting her mascara, thin black tears fell leaving dark trails through her white fur. “You’re not the only one who watched her friends die today! Nor are you the only one who is hiding out in this Celestia-forsaken corner of Equestria, huddled against a storm of murder and madness that’s roaring just beyond the thickness of a few walls! You aren’t the only one who lost family and loved ones today Applejack!”

“So what?” barked the farm pony, before she really had a chance to realize what she was saying. “Just because everyone else is sufferin’ that don’t mean Ah gotta keep it all bottled up inside! It don’t mean that Ah gotta act like this ain’t the end! Face it! Everycreature is just waitin’ ta die!”

“I hate you,” hissed Rarity, causing Applejack to reel back as if she had been physically struck. “You’re always like this. You think bluntly stating the obvious is somehow a virtue because it’s honest, but do you really think that kind of honesty is what we need right now? Everyone here is sad and afraid, and you flying into a rage isn’t helping anyone!”

“An’ what? Do ya think yer helpin’ them any by so generously concealing the truth?” shot back the farm pony, causing the fashionista to wince as well. “Dress it up however ya like, but no matter how pretty you try to paint it there is no hiding the truth. We’ve lost. The end. Do you get that? We’ve lost!”

“But you haven’t lost each other,” Somnambula said calmly. Her presence had practically been forgotten up to this moment, but the pegasi’s words made both the earth pony and unicorn fall silent.

Rarity and Applejack locked eyes with one another. It was clear that they were both frightened and angry. They were confused by how things had managed to go so bad so quickly. They were looking for anyone to blame, but the truth was it was that neither of them were at fault. They were friends. At that moment, they were all they still had.

“Ah reckon ya might be right about that,” admitted Applejack, her anger fading as quickly as it had risen.

“Indeed,” agreed Rarity. “We still have at least one friend we haven’t lost yet.”

“We have all had much taken from us by this Candy Mare,” continued Somnambula. “But there is still hope, if the two of you are willing to help us.”

The pair of friends shared a glance again before Applejack asked the question in both their minds, “How? What can we do?”

“My friends and I are divided on how to proceed,” explained the pegasus from ancient times, “In the past there were seven of us to make decisions, which led to many problems, but we always had a tie breaking vote if there was no majority. Now there are only four of us, and we remain deadlocked.”

“Pardon me dear,” interjected Rarity. “But I don’t see how adding Applejack and myself to your vote would be helpful were we to... disagree with one another on how to proceed. We may be friends, but that does not mean we always see eye to eye. You still might have a tie.”

Somnambula snorted slightly. A laugh neither of the ponies understood until she said, “You would not be helping us to vote. Allow me to explain. As I said before, this shelter will not last long. The Candy Mare is sure to come here once she is done ravaging our world, to devour the last of the survivors gathered here. Such is her way. Meadowbrook and I have proposed fleeing to another world to escape, saving as many as we can from the coming slaughter in hope of returning one day to reclaim what has been lost. Flash and Starswirl, however, wish to gamble on one last stand, though it may mean the destruction of us all.”

“But why? We weren’t able to defeat the Candy Mare with the full might of Equestria,” Rarity pointed out. “How could we possibly stand against her with the few who remain?”

The pegasus from another time sadly cast down her eyes. “They do not intend to survive. Starswirl is convinced that the Candy Mare will simply follow us should we flee, no matter how many realities we might cross. Instead he and Flash intend to do everything in their power to cripple her, so that what has happened here may not happen to another realm. If that means that the survivors they leave behind have to travel to another world afterwards, then so be it. At least then any pursuit might be delayed.”

“Sacrifice ourselves ta save the multiverse,” muttered Applejack. “Yeah, that sounds like an idea Starswirl’d cook up. Can’t say as Ah like the idea of dyin’ for a temporary solution though.”

“Nor I,” admitted Somnambula. “But there is a third option. Though we lost our good friends Mistmane and Rockhoof, the inheritors of their power still remain, the sole survivors of their own circle of friends. Call it fate or happenstance, if we were to combine our forces there is a brighter hope we might achieve. It may be possible to end the threat of the Candy Mare once and for all, if you are willing.”

“I don’t understand,” Rarity confessed, confused. “What exactly are you proposing?”

“Banishing the Candy Mare, just like the Pony of Shadows,” answered Applejack as understanding dawned. “Ah reckon that’s the real reason why we’re here. They don’t want ta run or ta fight. They want ta lure the Candy Mare inta a trap!”

“With us as the bait!” blurted her friend as the shape of the plan at last took shape in herm ind. “But when the Pony of Shadows was banished to limbo, we had the Elements of Harmony. Without them, would we be able to banish the Candy Mare?”

“Yer thinkin’ about the second time he was banished, Rarity,” the earth pony said matter-of-factly. “The first time they didn’t need the Elements. But Ah think yer right to be concerned. Ah reckon Ah already know the cost of performin’ that little trick without em. Limbo.”

“That is correct,” Somnambula sighed, “Starswirl thinks tapping into the last of the Tree of Harmony’s power we can open a portal to Limbo, trapping the Candy Mare outside of time and space. But it will require the two of you working with the four remaining Pillars to be successful... And even then, we will be pulled into Limbo with her. Neither we nor the survivors would have to die, but we would be sacrificing our freedom once more to ensure the Candy Mare's eternal imprisonment.”

The three ponies fell silent. Removing a creature as terrible as the Candy Mare from the multiverse sounded like the best course of action, but the cost would be consigning themselves to the same oblivion to which they would send her. It was a weighty cost to consider.

“Does it hurt?” asked Rarity.

“What?”

“Being trapped in Limbo.”

“There is no sense of the passage of time. Just a momentary blackness, like falling asleep, and then nothing," assured Somnambula. "One moment we were at Ponehenge in my time, the next we awakened in your time. A thousand years, gone in an instant, but we remained blissfully unaware.”

"Ah guess that don't sound so bad..." though she said this, something still seemed to be on the country mare's mind. "But are ya sure it'll work? Me and Rarity might have helped save Equestria a time or two, but we ain't exactly Legendary, like Mistmae and Rockhoof were."

At this, Somnambula smiled, "Yet isn't it strange that you, those chosen by the Tree of Harmony to be the inheritors of their powers, should happen to be the sole survivors from your circle of friends. That you would just happen to live on after they fell today. As individuals they were larger than life, irreplaceable, but they still live on through the two of you. Some may think me a little naive, but I can't help but see the hand of fate at work in this, and that fills me with hope and certainty that this is the correct path for us to follow. That we will succeed if we work together, combining the knowledge of the past with the hope for the future... How can we fail?"

“Well shoot... What have we got left ta lose?”

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