Riddle of the Rusty Horseshoe

by Penumbra Quill

  “Don’t forget the ponies on the train,” Apple Bloom chimed in.

  “And all the ponies we passed in the stands at the Canterlot Wonderbolts show. And the announcer,” Sweetie Belle said, her eyes getting huge.

  “So… a lot,” Lilymoon finished. Auntie Eclipse clucked her tongue.

  “Oh dear. That’s bad. You see, if enough ponies believe in the same fear… it becomes a permanent part of our world. The same way a strong friendship can create magic. In this case, a shared fright feeds strength to whatever is feared. Your Olden Pony just went from being a foal’s ghost story to a real problem.”

  Scootaloo plopped down on a cushion in defeat, ignoring the dust that plumed up around her. She’d unleashed a terror on Ponyville. Maybe even on Canterlot. And there was no way to stop it.

  “You really think Twilight can help us?” Scootaloo asked for the seventh time. Lilymoon, Ambermoon, and the Crusaders were racing toward Princess Twilight Sparkle’s castle. Even though she’d said the same thing the last six times, Sweetie Belle reassured Scootaloo.

  “Twilight’s saved Equestria more times than I can count! Besides, our sisters and their friends are the bravest ponies we know!”

  A screaming streak of rainbow zoomed past them. Scootaloo paused, frowning in confusion. Was that…?

  “Rainbow Dash?” she called.

  The colorful blur did a three-point turn in midair and blazed back toward them. It was Rainbow Dash, and she looked terrified.

  “Did you see her? Is she here?” Rainbow Dash asked, glancing around jerkily.

  “Who?” asked Apple Bloom.

  “The Olden Pony! She’s terrorizing the town!” Rainbow Dash was freaking out. Scootaloo hated to see her idol so upset. Especially since she was the one responsible for passing the fear fern spores to Rainbow Dash. “Go ahead. Say it. I was wrong; you were right. The Olden Pony is real! And she keeps screaming for her rusty horseshoe. Why would anypony want a rusty horseshoe? It doesn’t make any sense!” Rainbow Dash gestured wildly.

  “Don’t worry. We’re on our way to get Princess Twilight. We think she can fix this,” Scootaloo told her.

  “What? But Twilight’s in town. Where the Olden Pony is! You don’t want to go there!” Rainbow Dash tried to drag Scootaloo in the opposite direction.

  “We have… a… plan!” Ambermoon said, grabbing Scootaloo and trying to pull her back.

  “Now, what in the deep-dish strudel is goin’ on here?” Applejack’s voice rang out. As she walked up, Fluttershy at her side, she tipped her hat back to squint at the odd scene. “Are y’all playin’ tug-of-war with Scootaloo?”

  Apple Bloom took a deep breath and tried to explain everything as fast as she could. “Scootaloo bumped into a fear fern at Lilymoon’s house and now the Olden Pony is real and everypony who Scootaloo touched can see her and—”

  Applejack stomped a hoof to interrupt her little sister. “Now, Apple Bloom. You know I only want the truth.”

  “We’ll show them, won’t we?” came a terrifyingly familiar voice. Rainbow Dash and the fillies jumped, startled to see the Olden Pony creep out from behind a stand of trees.

  “Where’d she come from?” Sweetie Belle whimpered.

  “Where’d who come from?” Fluttershy asked, looking quizzically from the cowering ponies to Applejack.

  “The Olden Pony,” Scootaloo said weakly. The spooky old mare looked different now—somehow more solid. Bigger. And much scarier. Auntie Eclipse was right, Scootaloo realized. The ponies’ fear was making her stronger. The Olden Pony advanced on the group, muttering horribly under her breath. Scootaloo shrank back.

  Fluttershy looked at her in concern. “Oh no. It sounds like you’re seeing things. Maybe you’re getting sick. Do you have a fever?” Fluttershy laid a cool hoof on Scootaloo’s forehead before she could jerk away.

  “Don’t touch her!” the Crusaders and Moon sisters yelled.

  Fluttershy leaped back, startled and hurt. “Why not?”

  “Because now you’re mine, too,” came a voice like the sound of creaking hinges.

  Fluttershy’s eyes grew wide and she backed away, trembling. “It’s the… the… Olden Pony!”

  Applejack frowned at Fluttershy, then her expression cleared with a realization.

  “Oh, I get it. This is one of your practical jokes, huh, Dash? Okay, I’ll play. Ooooh. I’m so scared of the Golden Pony.” Applejack pretended to be frightened.

  “Olden Pony!” Rainbow Dash corrected her.

  “Fine. Now. Aren’t we supposed to be havin’ a little chitchat with these fillies about their behavior at your Wonderbolts show?” Applejack asked. Neither Rainbow Dash nor Fluttershy answered. Their eyes were locked on the red Cyclops-like glare of the ancient mare. Applejack sighed. “Guess it’s up to me, then. C’mon, y’all,” she told the CMCs and their friends, shooing them forward with a hoof, “let’s go.” And then Applejack nudged Scootaloo.

  Scootaloo watched miserably as Applejack finally saw what the others were reacting to. Her jaw dropped, and her eyes grew wide in terror. She backed up, next to Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, quaking. Then all three of them stampeded away, the Olden Pony cackling in terrible pursuit.

  “Listen,” Ambermoon told the others, “remember what Auntie Eclipse said? Shared fear gives the Olden Pony more power. Maybe she’ll go away if we can convince everypony in town not to be afraid.”

  “First we have to convince ourselves,” Apple Bloom pointed out.

  When the group of five fillies arrived in town and turned down Ponyville’s main street in search of Twilight, Scootaloo knew that there was no chance of doing what Ambermoon had suggested.

  The town was in chaos. Ponies screamed and ran in terror. The Olden Pony almost seemed to be everywhere! Scootaloo watched as the Olden Pony popped out of an apple cart to scare Big McIntosh. As he stampeded off, the spooky pony disappeared, only to reappear in an alleyway, startling Miss Cheerilee. She even chased Filthy Rich in circles around the town square.

  “I’ll give you as many bits as you want,” Filthy Rich whimpered, “just leave me alone!”

  “I don’t want bits. I want my rusty horseshoe!” the Olden Pony proclaimed. Filthy Rich leaped into an open pickle barrel and pulled the lid on top, trying to hide. But the Olden Pony just cackled and gave the barrel a shove, sending it (and Filthy Rich) rolling down the street. Ponies leaped out of the way of the sloshing, screaming barrel. The Crusaders, Lilymoon, and Ambermoon ducked behind a building to get away from the hysteria.

  “Scootaloo. You never finished your story,” Lilymoon said suddenly.

  Scootaloo was confused. “What story?”

  “The Olden Pony story. How does it end? What makes her go away?”

  Scootaloo shrugged. “The story doesn’t really have an end,” she said, shaking her head. “She’s just always wandering Equestria, yelling for her rusty horseshoe.”

  “Why’s she so upset, anyhow?” Apple Bloom wondered.

  “Maybe she’s lonely,” Ambermoon said. The other ponies all turned to look at her. Ambermoon carefully didn’t meet their eyes. “I mean… it’s easy to be angry when you don’t have any friends. Or you feel like nopony is listening to you.” Scootaloo could tell Ambermoon was speaking from experience. She knew how that felt, too.

  “Yeah, when you guys didn’t believe me, and I thought I was losing you as friends, it was pretty much the worst feeling ever,” Scootaloo admitted.

  “You think that’s how the Olden Pony feels?” Sweetie Belle asked with wide eyes. “She just wants a friend?”

  Scootaloo started to laugh at the very idea of it, but then she paused. Why not? Nopony ever actually talked to the Olden Pony. They just ran away from her. That did sound pretty lonely.

  “I think I might have an idea of how to stop everypony from being afraid,” said Scootaloo. “But I’m gonna need some help.”

  “What are friends for?” Apple Bloom grinned. “We’re in!”

  Everypony seems to
be talking at once, Scootaloo thought. Twilight and her friends sat at their thrones around the map table in the Castle of Friendship, arguing and recounting their horrific experiences with the Olden Pony. Lilymoon, Ambermoon, and the Crusaders stood nearby, waiting to get a word in edgewise. Finally, Twilight Sparkle raised her hooves to interrupt the cacophony.

  “And the reason this ghost story became real is because your father is growing especially powerful fear ferns?” Twilight asked, fixing her eyes on Ambermoon and Lilymoon. Scootaloo squirmed for them. She’d been in trouble enough times to know how intense Twilight’s gaze could be. “First the bogle, then the werepony, now this. I’m not sure I like how much dangerous magic seems to be coming from your family’s house.” Twilight frowned.

  “It wasn’t our father’s plant. He’s just… watching it for a friend,” Lilymoon said quickly. Scootaloo blinked. Lilymoon was lying! It was just a small lie… but why? The other Crusaders glanced at Scootaloo. They’d noticed, too.

  “Whatever the case, we need to stop this fear before it gets any stronger,” Twilight said. She thought for a moment. “The Olden Pony keeps asking for her rusty horseshoe. Maybe we could try just giving her what she wants?” she suggested.

  “I already tried that. It didn’t work; she just knocked it aside and kept chasing us,” Scootaloo explained. “But… I think I may have another idea.” Twilight nodded for Scootaloo to continue. She felt a little nervous, laying out her plan to the bravest ponies in Equestria, but she cleared her throat and went for it. “We’ll need everypony in town to help. Hopefully, that’ll be enough to cover the ones I accidentally touched in Canterlot, too.” Scootaloo looked around the room as she explained. “Spooky things aren’t as scary when you understand them. And I think the Olden Pony just needs understanding and friendship.” The others looked at her, waiting for her to go on. “So I thought we could all welcome her as our new friend,” Scootaloo finished lamely.

  “That’s it? That’s your plan?” Rainbow Dash asked in disbelief.

  “It does seem rather simplistic,” Rarity chimed in. And suddenly, all the ponies were talking over one another again.

  “Hey!” Sweetie Belle yelled. The older ponies fell silent. Scootaloo was just as shocked as they were. She hadn’t known such a loud noise could come out of Sweetie Belle. “You didn’t believe us when we tried to tell you about the Timberwolf, either. Well, this time, you’d better listen! Or we’ll all be in even worse trouble! I mean… uh… please,” Sweetie Belle added politely.

  “Sweetie Belle has a point,” Twilight said dryly. “We did promise to listen to you fillies in the future. And I agree that friendship is stronger than fear. What do you need from us, Scootaloo?”

  The tiniest hoofshaving of moon hung in the sky above the Ponyville town square. Scootaloo stood alone in the eerie darkness, shivering. She was beginning to rethink her plan. But it was a little late for that. She stepped bravely forward and yelled into the night.

  “OLDEN PONY! I WANT TO TALK TO YOU!”

  A freezing wind, colder than Scootaloo had ever felt, blew past. Icicles formed on the nearby eaves, and a chill danced down Scootaloo’s back.

  “Whoooo calls?” The Olden Pony’s voice creaked, echoing from all corners of the town. The shadows cast by the shops seemed to grow and mass together before revealing a huge figure with a single glowing flame of an eye. Scootaloo gulped. Fear had definitely made the ancient mare stronger. She tried to keep her voice steady as she answered.

  “I do. Scootaloo. I hear you’re looking for something.”

  “MY RUSTY HORSESHOE! WHERE IS IT? WHERRRRRRREEEE?” In the blink of an eye, the Olden Pony was towering over Scootaloo, her dark shawl seeming to blot out even the light of the stars.

  “I already gave you one of those and you didn’t want it,” Scootaloo said, bravely holding her ground. “I think you’re really looking for something else.”

  “WHAT?” the Olden Pony demanded, leering at Scootaloo.

  “Friendship,” Scootaloo said, forcing a smile despite her fear.

  The Olden Pony hesitated. She seemed to be considering that. Scootaloo quickly continued, pressing her advantage. “I think nopony ever listens to you, so I will. That’s what it means to be a friend. Tell me about your rusty horseshoe. Why do you want it so badly?”

  The Olden Pony appeared confused. Scootaloo realized that this must be the first time the ancient mare hadn’t had a pony run away from her. Maybe she wasn’t sure what to do.

  “I… need it?” the Olden Pony said, hesitantly raising the hoof without a shoe.

  “Why does it have to be rusty?” Scootaloo asked. Her constant questions seemed to be keeping the Olden Pony from pouncing on her. Plus, she had always wondered about that.

  “I’m not sure.” The Olden Pony seemed to consider this, surprised.

  “Then why don’t you let your new friends give you something nicer?” Scootaloo suggested. She flared her wings wide and yelled, “Now!”

  The doors of every building in the town square suddenly swung open, and the residents of Ponyville poured out. Scootaloo could see they looked nervous, but her friends led them forward. Everypony held something in their forehoof—each object the same yet different. The Olden Pony looked at them, then glared.

  “WHERE’S MY RUSSSSSSTY HORSESHOOOOOEEEE?” she rasped menacingly.

  “Try this on instead,” Apple Bloom said, moving to stand alongside Scootaloo. She held out a candy-apple-red horseshoe for the Olden Pony. The ancient mare frowned and leaned down to examine it. “I painted it special for you, my new friend!”

  “You can have this one, too,” Sweetie Belle squeaked, joining Scootaloo’s other side and trying not to tremble as she held out a soft embroidered horseshoe. “My sister helped me design it for you.”

  “And these are from us,” Ambermoon said. She and Lilymoon held out horseshoes that were perfect opposites, like the sisters themselves. One shoe was white with a black stripe; the other was black with a white stripe.

  “I… I… don’t understand,” the Olden Pony said, sounding unsure for the first time. “You should be running from me!”

  “We don’t run from our friends, silly!” Rainbow Dash said, flying up with a Wonderbolt-blue horseshoe in her hooves. It even had tiny lightning bolts decorating it, Scootaloo noticed.

  One by one, the other ponies stepped forward to present their gifts to the surprised Olden Pony. Soon horseshoes of every shape, size, color, and material formed a pile in front of the ancient mare. Shiny shoes, polka-dot shoes, ribbon-wound shoes, flowery shoes, shoes that made music when you stepped on them. Cranky Doodle’s shoe was made of an old toupee. And Pinkie Pie had baked a cupcake in the shape of a horseshoe.

  “For when you get hungry on a walk,” she explained brightly.

  The Olden Pony just stood there, staring at the mountain of horseshoes. She looked around at the sea of smiling pony faces surrounding her.

  “You’re… not afraid?” the Olden Pony asked.

  And then Scootaloo knew what she had to do. She didn’t like it. But she was the only pony who could do it.

  “Nope. We’re just glad you’re our friend,” she said. And then she leaned close to the terrifying mare and hugged her. The Olden Pony froze… then patted Scootaloo’s back with her unshod hoof.

  “Well. Thank you, dearie,” the Olden Pony said. And then… she disappeared, along with the pile of horseshoes.

  The town square erupted in cheers!

  “Yaaaay, Scootaloo! You did it! She’s gone! We’re saved!” Ponies surrounded Scootaloo and hoisted her onto their shoulders. Scootaloo grinned, although she couldn’t help but feel a little pang of guilt—after all, if she hadn’t infected the ponies with the fear fern in the first place, none of this would’ve happened. Apple Bloom seemed to guess what she was thinking, and she beamed up at her friend.

  “Just go with it!” she said.

  The next morning, everypony worked together to clean up the chaos in the town f
rom the terror of the day before. By noon, it was as though the Olden Pony had never been there.

  “That’s the power of friendship in action,” Applejack said, admiring the sparkling town square. And good soap, Scootaloo thought, smiling to herself.

  The Crusaders, Lilymoon, and Ambermoon joined Twilight and her friends at Sugarcube Corner for a well-deserved treat after their cleaning spree. Pinkie Pie trotted out with more of the horseshoe cupcakes she had baked, but the fillies declined to try them.

  “Uh… too soon,” Scootaloo explained to Pinkie.

  “More for me!” Pinkie Pie shrugged and happily nommed the cakes herself.

  “Hey…” Rainbow Dash pulled Scootaloo aside with a wing. “I just wanted to say I’m sorry for giving you a hard time about the Olden Pony. Just ’cause I didn’t see her doesn’t mean I shouldn’t have listened to you. We okay?”

  “Totally,” Scootaloo said, relieved that things were right with Rainbow Dash again.

  “And before I forget, these are for you,” Rainbow Dash said, holding out five tickets with the Wonderbolts logo on them. “VIP tickets for you and your friends to our Cloudsdale Expo. It’s about twenty percent cooler than the Flyfest,” she added with a wink.

  “Really?” Scootaloo couldn’t believe it. “You sure you want us there after last time?”

  “Just try not to shut down this show.” Rainbow Dash smiled, giving Scootaloo’s head a playful noogie.

  As the other ponies finished up their treats, Twilight Sparkle addressed the group.

  “There have been a lot of strange things happening in Ponyville lately. And while we’ve managed to handle all of them before they got too out of hoof, I’m worried about what will come next.” Twilight turned to the Unicorn sisters. “Lilymoon, Ambermoon. I think it’s time my friends and I had a talk with your family. I have quite a few questions about the safety of the magic they’re practicing.” Lilymoon and Ambermoon shared a worried look.