Chapter 1

The giant crab fled across the desert, and Rarity followed. She had pursued him on horseback (lol) for days now. Sand, rocks, and cacti made up the landscape all around her. It felt as though the sun's unforgiving rays pierced her very soul at times. She and her horse were nearly dead when the first buildings came into view. She suddenly had an idea where she was. The town ahead, she reckoned, was Appleoosa.

The town, also, was nearly dead. The outskirts were silent. The only inhabitants of these parts were shadows and ghosts of a more prosperous time. The population, brought down to a mere thirty, lived inches from one another in the center of town. This repelled the vulture ponies that would raid at night somehow. The heat of the desert was intense, but the chill she felt when she entered town was unwelcome. The decayed buildings depressed her. She felt the urge to turn back, but she knew she was where she needed to be. There was an alien odor in the air that she immediately recognized. HE was definitely here.

The horse trotted slowly. Rarity was tired and her wits were dull, but she tried her best to keep a sharp eye. She heard the faint tune of an old familiar pony song that she listened to in the days of living in Ponyville being played on a piano. The cheery song was absolutely haunting in contrast to her dead surroundings. Rarity, unaware that anypony still lived here, was sure this was an encounter with the beyond. She spit out her cigarette and let out a gasp. She instinctively turned around but regained her composure. No spooks were gonna stop her from getting her vengeance on the devil who murdered her entire town along with her kin. Her eyes watered at the recollection of their faces… their cries. Her pace was slower, but her horse turned around and marched forward.