My Little Pony_Ponyville Mysteries_Peryton Panic

by Penumbra Quill

  “But that’s not fair!” Scootaloo protested.

  “We’re trying to protect you!” Rainbow Dash asserted. “Weird things keep happening! And we don’t want them happening to you! Who knows what’ll be next?”

  “I think we’re about to find out,” Spike said drily as a frantic Granny Smith raced into the dining room.

  “It was horrible!” Granny panted. “The worst thing I ever saw since the frost beetles ate three quarters of the orchard!”

  “Slow down, Granny. Take a deep breath. Now. What was horrible?” Applejack said, putting a hoof on Granny’s shoulder.

  “Quit jabberin’ and listen!” Granny scowled, knocking Applejack’s hoof away. “I ain’t a frail flower to be coddled and swaddled. I had just tucked down fer my nap. It was nice ’n’ dark, and I had my fav’rite pillow, the one cousin Tart Pippin gave me for Hearth’s Warming.” Granny closed her eyes, miming snuggling into a pillow.

  After a few moments, Sweetie Belle wondered if Granny had really fallen asleep. She jumped when Granny’s eyes flew open!

  “That’s when I saw it! A huuuuuge beast, movin’ in the shadows! And it kept makin’ this horrible ringin’ noise I could feel all the way down to my teeth!” Granny took out her dentures and shook them to illustrate.

  “Ew,” whispered Scootaloo.

  “Uh, Granny? Ya don’t suppose that was just yer alarm clock?” Applejack said with a patience that made Sweetie Belle think they’d had this conversation before.

  “Of course it was my alarm clock!” Granny retorted. “Alarmin’ me to get outta there before that beastie took a bite of Apple!”

  “We’ll look into it, Granny,” Twilight reassured her. “Applejack, why don’t you take her home and make sure everything’s safe on the farm?” Applejack nodded and hustled Granny to the door.

  “Hmph. I know a shadow creature when I see one!” Granny huffed as Applejack escorted her out. “You can tell ’cause-a their eyes. Like white fires a-burrrrrnin’ in their sockets!”

  Sweetie Belle frowned. That sounded familiar. Like something she’d once seen in a dream…

  “Plus they smell like corn custard!” Granny’s voice went on as she left.

  “We were makin’ corn custard yesterday,” Apple Bloom whispered to her friends. “The whole farmhouse smells like it now. I think Granny just had a nightmare.”

  The older ponies turned back to the CMCs. Sweetie Belle could tell that more lectures were on the menu before dinner.

  “Look, you know Twilight believes in giving ponies second chances,” Starlight Glimmer said with a half smile that made Sweetie Belle realize the Unicorn was talking about herself. “Just take a little break from Lilymoon and Ambermoon until we can figure out what’s going on.”

  “Uh, Twilight?” Applejack walked back in with Granny. Sweetie Belle thought both ponies had a strange look on their faces. “You probably should see this.”

  Twilight curiously trotted over to a window, the others following her.

  Sweetie Belle peered over Rarity’s shoulder to see. Outside the castle, a small group of ponies had formed, and they were yelling and hammering on the front door.

  “A huge creature attacked me!”

  “Something’s terrorizing Ponyville!”

  “We’re doooooomed!”

  They were never going to get dinner, Sweetie Belle realized. Twilight and her friends had been interviewing the distraught ponies to try to figure out what was going on in Ponyville. And it seemed as if each of them had a different story. Octavia Melody had complained that some creature had ruined her cello practice by insisting on playing handbells right outside her window. Bulk Biceps said a huge creature made of boxes tried to attack him. And Lotus Blossom reported that a shadow had chased her all the way across Ponyville. Sweetie Belle sighed. At least nopony could hear her stomach growling over Lyra and Bon Bon’s argument.

  “I’m telling you, it was a chimera!” Lyra said. “I saw goat hoofprints in the garden!”

  Bon Bon rolled her eyes. “Chimeras also have lion paws. Or are you forgetting who’s the monster expert here?” she said, raising an eyebrow.

  Twilight cleared her throat. “So you two think there was a creature in your yard. But neither of you actually saw it?” Twilight clarified. Spike feverishly scribbled on a scroll. But Sweetie Belle could see he’d stopped taking notes and was now doodling what looked like a cartoon of her sister.

  “Yes.” Lyra and Bon Bon nodded.

  “We’ll look into it,” Twilight reassured them as Starlight hustled the duo out of the room, bringing in Muffins.

  “I was delivering packages, and a monster attacked me!” Muffins blurted.

  “What kind of monster?” Twilight asked. Sweetie Belle leaned forward with interest. Muffins was the first pony in the group who had actually seen a creature.

  “It was big and pony-shaped, all white, with short hair!”

  “That sounds a little like Bulk Biceps,” Twilight said. Starlight rolled her eyes and Sweetie Belle had to smother a giggle.

  “Oh no. It couldn’t be him! He would have said hi! But when the monster attacked my mail cart of boxes, it went ‘aaaaaghghghgh!’”

  “Definitely Bulk Biceps,” Rainbow Dash muttered to the others in disgust. “Guess that explains his ‘creature made of boxes.’”

  Twilight thanked Muffins and told her they’d let her know when they found some answers.

  “Honestly,” Rarity said with a toss of her mane. “Everypony is so on edge lately. Strange footprints? Interrupting handbells? Please.”

  “I’m glad nopony saw a real monster,” Fluttershy said.

  “Yup. But that was one doozy of a waste of time,” Applejack said.

  “Wait. You mean you’re not going to investigate any of the ponies’ stories?” Sweetie Belle asked.

  “No point!” Rainbow Dash said. “There was obviously no real monster. Just a bunch of scaredy-ponies. Uh, no offense,” she added, looking to Granny, who snorted.

  “Y’all are just gonna act like nothing happened?” Apple Bloom asked.

  “We’ll keep our eyes open for anything strange. But what we need now is some sleep,” Twilight said, stifling a yawn.

  The older ponies nodded and started toward the door. But Sweetie Belle hung back with the other Cutie Mark Crusaders.

  “Some of those stories sure sounded worth checking out to me,” Scootaloo told her friends. “Talk about it at school tomorrow?” Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom nodded seriously.

  After everything that had happened lately, Sweetie Belle didn’t wonder if a scary new creature would show up in Ponyville—she wondered when.

  Sweetie Belle squirmed anxiously in her seat. Today was the day Miss Cheerilee was going to cast the school play. This year, the class was doing a musical. And even more exciting, they’d be performing it in Canterlot, in front of Princess Celestia! The class fell silent as Miss Cheerilee unfurled the cast list. Sweetie Belle squeezed her eyes shut and held her breath. Please let me get the lead role! Please let me get the lead role. Please let me get the—

  “Pip?” Miss Cheerilee asked. Sweetie Belle peeked with one eye. “You’re the narrator. Diamond Tiara?” Surely Miss Cheerilee wouldn’t cast her as the lead role, Sweetie Belle hoped.

  “You’ll play the Dragon Princess.”

  “Ew.” Diamond Tiara made a face. “A Dragon? At least I get a crown.”

  “And, Sweetie Belle…” Miss Cheerilee said, flipping pages of her notes.

  Sweetie Belle nearly bit her hooves in worry.

  “You’ll be our star!”

  With a joyful cry, Sweetie Belle leaped out of her chair! Scootaloo and Apple Bloom jumped up, too, grinning and dancing with her.

  But Miss Cheerilee wasn’t done talking.

  “If you can sing a solo for the whole class, right now.”

  “Of course!” Sweetie Belle smiled. Music started to play from somewhere. Sweetie Belle confidently opened her mouth to begin the opening bars�
�� and nothing came out. She cleared her throat and tried again. This time she managed a small squeak.

  Sweetie Belle’s eyes darted nervously around the classroom. Snips and Snails were snickering. Twist looked at her with pity. Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes to Silver Spoon. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo gaped. But still, Sweetie Belle couldn’t force out a single note! She was sure her face was turning as bright red as Apple Bloom’s hair. With a whimper, she rushed out of the Schoolhouse…

  To find herself in a shadowy wood. The sound of chimes echoed oddly in the weird landscape. Sweetie Belle looked around for their source, but all she could see was a large, deerlike creature stepping out of the shadows. Its body rippled like smoke, and massive wings lay folded against its back. The huge sweep of its antlers seemed almost graceful against the night sky. And then the creature turned its eyes on Sweetie Belle.

  Twin white flames bored into her. She felt as if the creature could see deep into her heart. As if it could read her mind. And then, a feeling of pain, sharp and burning, seemed to engulf Sweetie Belle. She screamed…

  And woke up in her bedroom, once more on the floor. Sweetie Belle panted for a moment, shaking off the terror of the nightmare. She winced as she sat up. She’d have to stop having these nightmares, or she’d be covered in bruises! But as Sweetie Belle climbed back into bed, resigning herself to another sleepless night, she wondered—had that pain she’d felt been hers… or the creature’s?

  The next day at the school yard, Sweetie Belle was exhausted. She was surprised to find that Apple Bloom and Scootaloo weren’t very energetic, either.

  “I was up late reading the newest Daring Do book,” Scootaloo mumbled.

  “And our chickens were makin’ such a racket, I didn’t get a wink-a sleep,” Apple Bloom complained.

  Miss Cheerilee opened the door to the Schoolhouse and cheerfully beckoned the ponies inside.

  “I have a big surprise for you today, class! We’re going to have auditions for our class play.”

  “I hope it’s not a musical,” Scootaloo muttered. Sweetie Belle gaped.

  “What did you say?” she asked.

  “Oh, just a silly dream I had,” Scootaloo said, waving a hoof as if it were nothing.

  “I had a dream about us doing a class musical, too!” Apple Bloom blurted out.

  “So did I!” squeaked Sweetie Belle. “And I got the lead role, but I couldn’t sing!”

  “Did you run outside of the school into this weird, dark forest place?” Scootaloo asked.

  “And see this super-strange creature made of, like, shadow, with wings and horns?” Apple Bloom added in a rush. Sweetie Belle nodded.

  “And did it have—”

  “Burning white eyes?!” all three Cutie Mark Crusaders yelled at the same time.

  Their classmates shot them some frowns and odd looks.

  “We musta all had the same dream!” Apple Bloom said in amazement.

  “You mean nightmare,” Scootaloo corrected.

  “I didn’t want to tell you about it, because I was afraid you’d call me a scaredy-pony again,” Sweetie Belle admitted.

  “Sweetie Belle.” Scootaloo raised her right hoof in an earnest pledge. “We’ll never call you that again. Promise.”

  Apple Bloom nodded. “Hey… I wonder if we’re the only ponies who dreamed the same thing,” Apple Bloom said. “We should ask Lilymoon and Ambermoon if they did, too. I mean, since it’s about freaky creatures ’n’ all.”

  “We’d better ask at recess,” Sweetie Belle said, pointing. The rest of the class was already inside the Schoolhouse. They were late!

  It seemed to take moons until recess. When it finally came, the Crusaders practically pounced on Lilymoon with their questions.

  “Did you have a nightmare last night?” Apple Bloom demanded. “With a creature with antlers and wings and glowing eyes?”

  “Nooooo,” Lilymoon said, narrowing her eyes. “Ambermoon and I never have nightmares. Auntie puts sleep charms in our pillows to keep dreams away.”

  “All dreams?” Sweetie Belle asked in surprise. She could understand not wanting nightmares, but she wasn’t sure it was worth giving up good dreams.

  “Yeah.” Lilymoon nodded. “But tell me more about this creature. Was it all shadowy? And did it make noise when it walked?”

  “Yes!” Scootaloo agreed.

  “It sounded like it was ringing a bell!” Apple Bloom said at the same time.

  “That’s a peryton.” Lilymoon frowned. “I’ve met some before. In fact, that’s when I got my cutie mark.”

  “What does it mean when you see them in your dreams?” Sweetie Belle asked. Her stomach did a little flip-flop when she saw the worried look on Lilymoon’s face.

  “I’m not sure,” Lilymoon admitted. “But when you see them in the real world—they’re a warning.”

  “About what?” Scootaloo asked.

  Lilymoon shrugged. “The best way to find out… is to ask one.”

  This was a bad idea, Sweetie Belle thought for probably the hundredth time. She stood in the darkness of the Everfree Forest, scattering magic herbs with the other Crusaders while Ambermoon and Lilymoon prepared the rest of the peryton summoning spell. The moon was the tiniest sliver of a hoofshaving tonight, and the air was still, almost as if the trees were holding their breaths, Sweetie Belle thought.

  As Ambermoon finished painting silvery, glowing triangles on the leafy ground, Sweetie Belle squinted to look closer. At the center of the biggest triangle was… a cupcake?

  “Is that part of the spell?” Sweetie Belle asked.

  “Not exactly.” Ambermoon frowned. “We don’t have all the ingredients Auntie Eclipse’s spell book says we need to call a peryton.”

  “Why didn’t you just ask Auntie Eclipse for them?” Scootaloo shrugged.

  “We kinda didn’t ask permission to borrow her book.…” Lilymoon admitted. “The book says we need fresh gooseberries to call a peryton. So we’re using a goose feather and a strawberry cupcake.”

  Sweetie Belle’s worry deepened. If she knew one thing about spells, it was that even the tiniest change could have a huge effect on the outcome.

  “Now we need to summon the peryton with the ancient Earth pony Dance of Memory,” Ambermoon said, using the glow of her horn to read from the ancient spell book. The others waited for her to go on, but she didn’t.

  Finally, Scootaloo prompted her. “So… how do we do that?”

  “It’s… not in the book. I was hoping Apple Bloom would know what it was,” Ambermoon admitted.

  “Just ’cause I’m an Earth pony doesn’t mean I know every kinda dance in our history!” Apple Bloom said, miffed.

  “Look. Do you want to summon this peryton or not?” Ambermoon said irritably.

  Not, Sweetie Belle thought. Maybe the peryton nightmare didn’t mean anything. And maybe it was a coincidence that all three CMCs had dreamed the same thing. But even as she thought it, Sweetie Belle knew that was wrong. Too many other things she’d heard were starting to remind her of her dream—like Octavia hearing bells while she was practicing and Lyra noticing hoofprints in the garden. And Granny Smith seeing a creature with white eyes.

  With a sigh, Sweetie Belle began leaping and twirling. The others gaped at her.

  “C’mon, just dance. It’s better than nothing, right?” she said. With a shrug, the others joined in, except Ambermoon.

  “I don’t dance. Besides, somepony has to invoke the spell.” Ambermoon shrugged. And with that, her glowing horn went dark.

  Sweetie Belle gasped and stumbled. The Forest was now so dark, she couldn’t see anything. Which was the point, she guessed.

  “Peryton, watcher, guide. Guardian in shadow-hide. Come to us with answers true. Heed our call, we summon you!” Ambermoon’s voice rang out across the silent Forest.

  Nothing happened. As the moments stretched on, Sweetie Belle was about to make a joke about the cupcake being a “berry” bad substitute… and then she saw it.


  Two white lights flickered deep in the woods. And they were getting nearer.

  “The peryton’s eyes,” she breathed. The others turned as the bell-like chimes of its hooves grew nearer. Its shadowy body glowed silver in the darkness, a blend of a proud stag and a powerful eagle. It was beautiful, actually, Sweetie Belle thought, surprised she hadn’t noticed before.

  The moment was broken when Lilymoon stepped forward into the creature’s path.

  “Peryton. Why have you been haunting my friend’s dreams? Why are you here in Ponyville? Do you bring us a message?”

  The peryton didn’t answer. Instead, it opened its massive wings and flapped them, blowing Lilymoon’s mane into her eyes. Then with a roar, it began to buck and shake its antlers. Ambermoon shouldered Lilymoon out of the way a moment before the peryton’s sharp flying hooves landed where the Unicorn had been standing.

  “What’s happenin’?” Apple Bloom said, a quaver in her voice.

  “Why isn’t it listening to you, Lilymoon?” Ambermoon demanded.

  “I… I don’t know!” Lilymoon said helplessly.

  “But your cutie mark! It’s about supernatural creatures, right?” Apple Bloom continued. Lilymoon stared helplessly at the peryton.

  “Maybe we should get out of here,” Scootaloo suggested.

  Sweetie Belle agreed. But there was something about the peryton that made her feel sorry for it. She didn’t think it wanted to hurt them. Instead, it seemed as if it was hurting. Or scared. She knew how that felt. And before she knew it, she was singing the rose song under her breath.

  The peryton’s head snapped up to look at Sweetie Belle.

  “What’s it doing now?” Apple Bloom hissed to Lilymoon.

  “It’s… listening to Sweetie Belle,” Lilymoon said.

  Shocked, Sweetie Belle went quiet. The peryton tossed its head in agitation, rearing on its taloned hind legs.

  “Keep singing!” Ambermoon hissed.

  So Sweetie Belle did, pouring all the love and reassurance into her song that Rarity always did when she sang it for her sister.