BANG BANG

"You may enter"

"Your majesty, you have a message from Twilight Sparkle" the pony said while producing a scroll from his saddlebag, "She says it's urgent"

"Ah, thank you Captain, you may leave now"

"As you wish Princess Luna" the pony left, his sword cutie mark showing to Luna as he left. It was rare for Twilight to send her letters, and if matters were urgent they usually went to her sister, Celestia. As Luna opened the letter she sipped from her cup of coffee. Unlike most ponies it was morning for the Princess of the night,  but like most ponies, she liked to wake up with a cup of coffee. She set her cup down as she began to read the letter.

Dear Princess Luna,

As Celestia may have told you one of the elements of harmony, Applejack, died recently. I was the cause of this because I brought Applebloom with me into the Everfree at night, and now both of them are dead. Along with that two other fillies have gone missing, both friends of Applebloom, who we think might have gone into the forest to find her. It is all my fault that this has happened, and I beg of you to find the monster that killed them and bring it to justice.

Your faithful subject,

Twilight Sparkle

Luna's normal smile had disappeared. She was saddened at the news of Applejack's death of course, but to hear that the three fillies she had loved dearly were also assumed dead? She couldn't believe it. Even though Twilight didn't mention the other two fillies names she knew they were most likely the other members of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, the small group she had grown to love in her visits to Ponyville. Luna quickly finished her coffee and made her way to the armory. Even though Equestria was now a war free country the Canterlot armory was always stocked with all matter of weaponry and armor, along with some pieces from before her banishment. After what must have been an hour Luna exited the armory clad in old fashioned armor made specifically for Alicorns, and a small bow.

If that monster thought it was going to get away with killing her favorite fillies, it had another thing coming...

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"Scootaloo can you give me a hand over here?" Applebloom asked, struggling to cut a piece of wood. The three of them had decided to make proper beds for themselves, since sleeping on the floor wasn't very comfortable, even for dead ponies.

"Yeah, just a second!" Scootaloo shouted back, "Do you think you can take it from here Sweetie?"

"Mhmm, you go help Applebloom" Sweetie Belle said, concentrating on her work. Because there were three of them they had decided to try and make one part of the bed each. Applebloom had to make the frames, Sweetie had to make the covers, and Scootaloo had to make the pillows and mattresses. Because Scootaloo was able to collect the leaves rather quickly she finished first and opted to helping the other two with their tasks. Applebloom had finished one frame and Sweetie was on the second set of sheets.

"Can you hold that end still?" Applebloom asked as Scootaloo appeared in her sights. Scootaloo nodded and moved to secure the end Applebloom was talking about, and as Applebloom took her swing with the axe something appeared next to Scootaloo, causing her to jump. Because Scootaloo hadn't been holding the end down the piece of wood flew up and hit Applebloom in the head, throwing her to the ground.

"What the hay happened Scoots?!" Applebloom shouted, holding her head with one of her hooves.

"She happened!" Scootaloo shouted back, pointing next to her. When Applebloom looked at where Scootaloo was pointing she was shocked. It was Princess Luna herself, clad in some scary looking armor with a bow attached to her hip that looked like it could do some serious damage to anypony unfortunate to be hit with an arrow from it.

"Scootaloo, is that you?" Luna asked, giving Scootaloo a confused look. The thing standing in front of her definitely looked and sounded like Scootaloo, but the glowing blue eyes and stiches confused her.

"Yeah it's me" Scootaloo said sarcastically, forgetting how she looked, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to find the monster that killed Applejack and Applebloom" Luna said in a serious tone of voice.

"What killed me?" Applebloom asked as she got up,  the pain from getting hit in the head starting to go away.

"Applebloom?!" Luna shouted, surprised to see her favorite filly in her current state.

"What was this about Applejack?" Sweetie Belle asked as she trotted over, causing Luna's jaw to drop even further. The three fillies could have sworn the moon got a little bit closer to the ground for a moment while Luna tried to figure out what was going on.

"What happened to you three?" Luna asked quietly, still trying to wrap her head around the current situation.

"Well you see..." Applebloom started.

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"...and then you showed up which made Scoots let go of the piece of wood that hit me in the head" Applebloom finished, taking a breath of air. She thought she would never stop talking.

"So you two are cursed, and Scootaloo is dead?" Luna asked, her confusion evident in her voice.

"Yup" Scootaloo said, taking a seat next to Applebloom. While she explained everything to Luna the other two got back to work on their beds.

"And you are the only one that can leave the forest?" Luna asked while pointing at Scootaloo.

"Yup"

"Do your families know about this?" Luna asked, her question being answered by the sad expressions of the fillies, "I see..."

"Do you know of a way we could talk with our families?" Sweetie Belle asked hopefully, thinking that somepony as smart as Luna would know what to do.

"There might be a way, but it will require Scootaloo to leave the forest on a regular basis" Luna said calmly.

"I'm okay with that, what's the plan?" Scootaloo asked eagerly, getting to her hooves.

"Well for now I want you to come with me, and we will see how they react to the news of your predicament" Luna said while patting her back, signaling for Scootaloo to climb on. After Scootaloo was situated Luna took off, the two of them waving goodbye to Applebloom and Sweetie Belle.

"So what is your plan?" Scootaloo asked as Luna picked up speed, flying towards Twilight's library.

"You'll find out soon, don't worry" Luna said before beginning to fly at full speed. It was late at night already as it was, and she didn't want to wake any of the ponies from their sleep. Within minutes she was hovering above the library, quickly landing on the balcony so that Scootaloo could get off. When she looked through the door she saw Twilight looking at her with a cup of tea floating next to her.

"Princess?"

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After explaining the situation to Twilight Luna asked her to get the remaining elements to come over, hoping to explain the situation to them as well. It only took an hour for the four of them to arrive, each of them surprised by both the Princess and Scootaloo's appearance.

"Would you like some tea Princess Luna?" Rarity asked, levitating the tea kettle in front of her as she poured a cup for herself.

"No thank you, I had a cup of coffee before leaving Canterlot" Luna said politely, raising a hoof to put down the cup Rarity had raised for her.

"So what's with the getup, are you guys getting ready for Nightmare Night early this year?" Rainbow Dash asked, laughing to herself.

"No, as a matter of fact Scootaloo is currently dead" Luna said in a matter of fact tone of voice. Much like Twilight the other elements froze in places, turning to look at Scootaloo in surprise, only to be smiled at.

"But she's right there, how can she be dead?" Rainbow Dash asked, skepticism getting the best of her.

"Zecora brought me back since it was only my head that fell off" Scootaloo said with a smile, the sentence not sounding weird to her at all. After the amount of times she had it explained to her she thought nothing of it. When she looked at the ponies in front of her she was surprised to find them all with open mouths. They were stunned by how nonchalantly Scootaloo had said she was undead.

"What of the other two?" Rarity asked after shaking her head.

"Cursed, but also dead" Scootaloo replied, again, the sentence seemed normal to her, but not to anypony else.

"What killed them?" Fluttershy asked quietly.

"A type of creature called a Blank. They were once ponies like you and me, but the things they did in the Everfree caused them to become cursed and now feast on flesh and can live forever" Luna explained, pausing to read the ponies' faces, "Applebloom and Sweetie Belle became Blanks after they died"

"Are they what killed AJ?" Rainbow asked, anger in her voice.

"No that was Sweetie Belle" Scootaloo blurted out, covering her mouth immediately afterwards.

"WHAT?!" Rarity shouted, jumping across the room at Scootaloo, "WHAT DID YOU SAY MY SWEET LITTLE SISTER DID?!"

"Scootaloo isn't lying Rarity, but it wasn't her that did it" Luna said as she pulled Rarity off of Scootaloo.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE DID IT, BUT ALSO DIDN'T?! THAT MAKES NO SENSE!" Rarity screamed, tears flowing down her face.

"It was the curse, it took over her and made her do it, it's also why Applebloom had turned Sweetie Belle into a Blank in the first place" Luna said sternly, staring Rarity straight in eyes, calming her down.

"Ok, but what happens now?" Rainbow asked as she helped Rarity sit down, her anger, now directed at herself, causing her to shake.

"I was hoping you would be kind enough to converse with them through letters" Luna said happily.

"Who will send them?" Fluttershy asked, looking over at Spike, who had been in the other room organizing books until Rarity started screaming.

"Scootaloo will bring letters back and forth each week" Luna said, looking over at Scootaloo, who nodded happily.

"Okay, thank you for bringing this news to me Princess, and I'm sorry for my actions..." Rarity said, avoiding Luna's gaze.

"It is okay, your actions are understandable," Luna said as she stood up, nodding to Scootaloo, "but I'm afraid we must go now". After their goodbyes were said and done Scootaloo climbed back onto Luna's back again and they left, allowing the five remaining elements of harmony to talk about what they learned that night.

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"Applebloom, could you come here for a moment?" Luna asked from the edge of the clearing the fillies had made around their new home. Her and Scootaloo returned almost half and hour ago and Luna had explained what was going to happen to them.

"Okay, I'll be there in a second Princess" Applebloom said as she finished making her bed, which they had managed to finish just before Luna and Scootaloo had returned.

"What is it Princess?" Applebloom asked as she trotted over the the Princess happily.

"Well, I wanted to talk to you about this Grey Hoof pony you mentioned" Luna said as she looked up to the sky, which was filled with the image of her moon.

"Do you mean me?" Applebloom said, another voice coming out of her body.

"Applebloom?" Luna asked worriedly.

"Yes, I believe that is this one's name" Applebloom said as she looked at her body, "My name is Grey Hoof"

"How are you doing this?!" Luna demanded, scared for Applebloom's safety.

"I'm not quite sure really, but that is beside the point" Grey Hoof said, moving towards Luna, "I've heard that you are one of the rulers of this land, is that correct?"

"Yes" Luna answered quickly.

"Well then I wonder what will happen if I do... THIS!" Grey Hoof shouted as Applebloom lunged forwards, attempting to bite Luna. Although Luna's reflexes where much greater than a normal pony's she wasn't able to dodge and was bit in her foreleg.

"Why would you do this Grey Hoof?" Luna asked as she held her leg.

"To get rid of you of course" Grey Hoof laughed, "and I believe these two would love to have some food"

"You're sick" Luna snarled.

"I know isn't it lovely?" Grey Hoof said with a laugh as Applebloom fell to the ground.

"Princess?" Applebloom asked lazily.

"It is okay Applebloom, go back to your friend, I..." Luna trailed off as she looked at her leg, "I need to go back to Canterlot"

"Okay, thank you for helping us Princess" Applebloom said happily, not noticing the bite mark on Luna's leg.

"I will come visit you again soon, but goodbye for now" Luna said as she took off, leaving the fillies camp behind. As she flew back to Canterlot she examined her leg. It was unlike anything she had read about before, but she was sure that there would be something in the Canterlot archives that would help her save the young fillies from a terrible fate. After she landed back in her room she cleaned the wound, quickly checking to see if anything had changed about her. If she turned no one would be able to help the fillies, so she had to make sure she was going to be okay.

"Stay strong my fillies, I will help you as fast as I can" Luna said as she headed for her sister's chambers. It was nearly morning, and so it was time for the moon to set and the sun to rise on a new day. Next Chapter: Family Issues Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 4 Minutes