Zenara the Forgotten Pony

Chapter 3: Shadows of Ourworld

Applejack moves a basket of dark grey apples to a conveyor belt and sighs. "sometimes I miss that old nag..."

"applejack? What happened here?" Twilight asks looking around the barn.

"what happened?" Applejack frowns. "the apple farm's been like this since the Flim Flam brothers showed up and took over the place." She grumbles and goes back to moving baskets. 

"what!?" Twilight stares at her shocked. "how could your friends let that happen to you?! didn't they help you?"

"ha! Friends." Applejack rolls her eyes. "friendship is a waste of time."

"okay? What about your family?" Twilight questions.

"big mac moved to the big city to become a singer. He's the leader of a popular stallion band." Applejack scoffs. "he never cared about the farm."

"that doesn't sound like big mac..." Twilight frowns.

"granny smith retired years ago, and little applebloom is completely insane so I sent her to boarding school in Canterlot." Applejack huffs. "I don't really give a hoot any way. They left me here on my lonesome to run the farm." She turns to twilight and sighs. "but running a farm is hard work so I gave up." she looks around the inside of the barn. "heck if Flim and Flam hadn't shown up with this here cider making machine I probably would still be on my own." She moves another basket of apples to the machine. "I have the world's easiest job now though. Move basket of apples from over there to over here." She points at a few baskets of apples on the ground by the door, then at the opening in the machine where you dump the apples in.

'lazy? The applejack I know isn't lazy... she'd never take a day off for any reason.' Twilight frowns. "so that's all you do... move baskets?"

"yup." Applejack nods. "Flim and Flam said long as I do that I can keep living here."

"oh." Twilight's ears fold back. "I-I'm so sorry."

"why?" Applejack smirks. "being lazy is what I love. Free room and board and an easy job. What more could any pony ask for? I'm really living the life."

"I... I should go." Twilight mumbles backing out of the barn. 'weird lazy Applejack... scary Fluttershy... what's next? Unfun pinkiepie? Unfashionable rarity?' She looks up in the sky and frowns. "Rainbowdash that can't fly? This place is all wrong... it's like friendship doesn't exist here."

"you're right. Friendship is a foreign concept here." A dark voice chuckles from the shadows.

"who's there!?" Twilight looks around eyes wide and ear back.

"relax light pony if I wished you dead I would have done it already." A Draconequus appears Behind Twilight, but this one is not Discord nor does it appear to be a dark purple shadow realm dweller.

"who are you?" Twilight backs up a few steps hesitating to trust the strange creature.

"Names Caco." Caco smirks. "I am the mightiest Draconequus in Equestria. Tell me light pony... how do you enjoy my world?"

"your world?" Twilight questions looking towards ponyville. "but what about Celestia and Luna?"

"they don't exist here." Caco chuckles. "genius isn't it? I simply took out the rulers of the shadow realm and took away the magic of friendship. Nobody here to stop me with the elements of harmony since nobody can get along." He smirks. "what brings a light pony to my realm?"

"Zenara." Twilight replies.

"oh yes the shadow walker." Caco nods. "yes I do know of her though she prefers to keep mostly to herself." He moves his hand to make a cup appear and then, in a poof of smoke, red liquid fills the cup.

"what's a shadow walker?" Twilight asks confused.

"a light pony that can bend shadows." Caco replies unamused. "she can freely enter into the shadow realm from the light world or vice versa. Well actually her dad could, she however only just recently gained that ability."

"what do you mean?" Twilight frowns.

"well she has been locked here for oh um... hm..." he puts his hand on his chin. "probably about 1006 years?" Caco puzzles for a moment.

"1,000 and six?" Twilight looks at the ground. "that's before Luna was..."

"sealed in the moon?" Caco nods. "indeed it was about two years before the two princesses got in a battle that destroyed their castle." He chuckles. "pity really I'm sure she doesn't even know why they did it, I'm sure I don't have a clue either. All I know is she was still a foal when she came here. Just getting her start using Shadow magic really." Caco chuckles. "It was certainly fun watching her struggle. Bound to this place because of the king and queen of the light realm." He glances over at twilight. "I too am bound to this place but alas I find that I would rather not leave." He smirks. "that is... until Zenara finds a certain somebody."

"what are you talking about?" Twilight questions.

"my insufferable little brother." Caco growls. "always thought he was better than me! always got all the attention! Always thought life was a joke." He growls lower narrowing his eyes. "you know one time he actually thought it'd be delightful to turn my bedroom upside down!?"

"Discord..." Twilight mumbles.

"oh so you've heard of him?" Caco smirks. "in that I'll tell you something." He sips his drink then turns back to Twilight with a devious smirk. "When I find Discord. I'm going to take his power. Even if it means that he dies."