Meanwhile, on the other side of town.
At the brightly lit Summer Sun Celebration in Ponyville, the festive atmosphere had suddenly plunged into a chilling panic.
The celebration was supposed to reach its climax when Princess Celestia raised the first light of dawn.
However, the sun did not rise as expected.
Princess Celestia was nowhere to be found.
In her place was an eternal night!
A figure radiating a chilling aura descended upon the dais where the Princess should have appeared—Nightmare Moon.
Unlike her previous fury when battling Ye Ziji in the sky, she now seemed somewhat listless.
Having just fought a closely matched battle and let her intriguing prey slip away from right under her hooves, she was in an extremely foul mood.
She looked down at the ponies below, who had once been her subjects.
The terror and dread on their faces was the exact sight she had yearned to see for a thousand years.
Yet now, it all felt so…
dull and unrewarding.
These weak, mortal ponies could not even elicit a shred of interest in conquest.
She frowned slightly, projecting her voice across all of Ponyville through magic, filled with undisguised irritation and disdain.
“My beloved subjects!”
“One thousand years have passed, and I have returned! From this day forth, I shall replace my foolish, shallow sister. Day shall be no more!”
“And you shall live forever in the beautiful, eternal night under my rule!”
The crowd erupted into an immediate uproar as panic-stricken ponies scattered in all directions.
Seeing this, Nightmare Moon let out a cold snort.
It seemed she didn’t even have the patience to enjoy their terror.
With a mere sweep of her wings, she blew away her sister’s foolish, ignorant royal guards who had stepped forward to confront her.
Then, endless darkness swept outward like a tide, and the moon remained firmly hung in the sky—
Eternal night had fallen.
***
Amidst the chaos, only a lavender Unicorn fought against the stampede of ponies, desperately charging toward the Golden Oak Library.
“The prophecy is real… The prophecy came true!”
Twilight Sparkle muttered, her eyes wide with anxiety and panic.
She burst into the library, and with Spike’s help, buried herself in piles of books, searching frantically.
Before long, four other figures rushed in after her.
They were Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie, who had all met Twilight Sparkle earlier at the celebration.
“Twilight! What in the world is going on?”
Applejack was the first to speak, her face etched with worry.
“Who was that big pony? What did she do to the Princess?!” Rainbow Dash hovered in the air, her mane practically bristling with tension.
“Oh, darling, eternal night? This is a complete fashion disaster! What about my new summer line?” Rarity cried, pressing a hoof to her forehead, panicking on an entirely different level.
“Whoa! An eternal party night!”
Only Pinkie Pie’s focus was unique; she even blew a party noisemaker, but quickly tucked it away with an apologetic smile under everyone’s stern glares.
“She is Nightmare Moon!”
Twilight Sparkle peeked out from behind an ancient tome, her horn glowing bright as she rapidly scanned the pages.
“The legendary evil Alicorn who was imprisoned in the moon! She wants to plunge Equestria into eternal darkness!”
“So what do we do?” Applejack asked, voicing the question on everypony’s mind.
“There has to be a way! There just has to be!”
Twilight Sparkle said, continuing to flip through books.
“Found it! The Elements of Harmony!”
“Legend says the Princess used them to defeat Nightmare Moon! They are kept in… the depths of the Everfree Forest, inside the Princess’s old castle!”
At the mention of the “Everfree Forest,” every pony except Rainbow Dash gasped.
To ordinary ponies, that place was an absolute no-pony’s-land.
“Alright! What are we waiting for? Let’s go!” Rainbow Dash said, rubbing her hooves together, unable to wait.
“Wait!” Twilight Sparkle called her back.
She looked down in thought for a moment, seemingly making a difficult decision.
“We… we should ask Fluttershy to come along. She can communicate with animals; she might be able to help us in the forest.”
This suggestion was instantly shot down by Rainbow Dash.
“Fluttershy? You mean the pony who’s afraid of her own shadow? Come on, Twilight! She’s so timid she didn’t even show up to the celebration. She’s probably hiding in her cottage shaking right now!”
Faced with Rainbow Dash’s blunt dismissal, Twilight Sparkle’s face showed signs of struggle and hesitation.
She knew Rainbow Dash was speaking the truth.
Yet for some reason, she felt that the Princess’s instruction for her to come to Ponyville and “make friends” had a deeper meaning.
Perhaps these five ponies she had just met had some connection to defeating Nightmare Moon.
As she wavered, Applejack nudged her gently with a hoof, before offering some advice in her reliable voice.
“Twilight, I think Rainbow Dash has a point.”
“The Everfree Forest is no joke. It’s way too dangerous for Fluttershy. Leaving her behind might be for her own good. With me and Rainbow Dash around, we’ll keep everypony safe, don’t you worry!”
Her words made Twilight Sparkle fall into deep thought.
Indeed, forcing a timid friend into a dangerous situation was against the spirit of friendship.
Perhaps she was just too fixated on what was written in the books.
“…Alright.” Twilight Sparkle sighed softly, nodding in agreement with Applejack.
“You’re right. Let’s go then, we can’t delay any longer!”
With their minds made up, the five ponies hesitated no further.
Led by Twilight Sparkle, they left the brightly lit library and resolutely stepped into the dark, legendarily treacherous depths of the Everfree Forest.
***
Meanwhile, in the cozy cottage at the edge of the Everfree Forest, a completely different scene of peace and tranquility unfolded.
Fluttershy stepped out of the kitchen, carrying a steaming bowl of carrot porridge.
She walked to the window, glancing outside with a touch of worry.
The moon still hung high in the sky, casting a cold, clear light.
By all accounts, the sun should have risen long ago.
“How strange… Why is it still night?”
She murmured to herself in a barely audible voice, tilting her head in confusion.
However, there was a more pressing matter at hand.
Shelving her doubts about the time for now, she trotted over to the fireplace where Ye Ziji lay.
She carefully placed the aromatic bowl of porridge on the floor, then knelt down to look with concern at the stranger, who was still unconscious.
The rich, sweet scent of carrots immediately attracted Angel, who was resting nearby.
The greedy little rabbit hopped over right away.
Twitching its little nose, it stuck out its tongue, trying to get a lick.
Fluttershy, quick of hoof, immediately blocked him.
“Angel, no!”
She said in a rare, slightly firm tone, “This is for our guest! I made some for you too, it’s in the kitchen. No stealing food from other ponies.”
Angel stomped his foot in annoyance, but obediently turned around, hopping off to the kitchen to find his own breakfast.
Fluttershy turned her gaze back to Ye Ziji.
The warmth of the hearth, the comfortable surroundings, and his body’s natural recovery allowed Ye Ziji’s consciousness to slowly drift upward from its deep slumber.
What woke him first was that warm, sweet aroma.
It drifted into his nostrils, stimulating his empty stomach and his exhausted spirit.
“Ugh… mmph?”
His eyelids fluttered a few times before slowly opening.
What met his eyes was no longer the freezing night sky and destructive magical beams.
Instead, it was a room constructed of wooden logs.
A crackling fireplace, floral wreaths hanging on the wall, and…
a butter-yellow face leaning very close, filled with concern and a hint of panic.
Ye Ziji blinked, slightly dazed.
He nudged his stiff limbs, finding himself lying on a soft blanket.
The last memory in his mind was the moment he cast his spatial magic to escape.
‘Where is this?
Did I successfully escape?’
A wave of relief at surviving the ordeal washed over him, followed by confusion about his current surroundings.
“Who are you…?”
Seeing the strange stallion wake up, Fluttershy instantly became flustered.
Unsure of how to speak, her mind raced anxiously:
*Oh, he’s awake!
What do I say?
Hello?
Or, how are you feeling?
Oh, goodness, what should I do…
He looks so weak…*
Though his mind was conscious, his control over his body had not fully returned.
Driven by survival instincts and wariness of this unknown environment, Ye Ziji struggled, trying to push up his heavy body with his front hooves.
However, even this simple movement was incredibly difficult right now.
No sooner had he lifted his upper body than the room began to spin, and spots danced before his eyes.
His body swayed uncontrollably, and he nearly collapsed again.
“Oh! Please, please don’t move!”
Seeing Ye Ziji struggle, Fluttershy, who had been watching him anxiously, let out a startled squeak.
She practically lunged forward on instinct.
Using her slender but surprisingly firm body, she gently pressed him back down, guiding him to lie on the soft blanket once more.
“You… you’re very badly hurt. You need to rest,” she said in a tiny voice, but one carrying clear concern and a faint note of authority.
Her hooves were warm and gentle against Ye Ziji’s body.
Ye Ziji stopped struggling.
Feeling her touch and seeing the deep worry overflowing from those clear teal eyes, his guard relaxed slightly.
Seeing that he had stopped moving, Fluttershy finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, as if remembering something, she quickly trotted back to bring the steaming bowl of carrot porridge over.
Rather than handing the bowl directly to Ye Ziji, she scooped up a spoonful with a small spoon, blew on it gently to cool it down, and carefully held it to his lips.
“Um, my… my name is Fluttershy.”
She lowered her head, not daring to meet Ye Ziji’s eyes, her voice so quiet it was almost lost.
“This is my home.”
“I saw you, um… suddenly appear outside, lying on the ground… so I brought you inside.”
She paused, gathering her courage to peek at Ye Ziji before quickly bowing her head again.
In an even softer voice, she coaxed, “You… you look very hungry. Please… please have some porridge, okay? You can… speak after you eat.”
Ye Ziji stared at her quietly.
Butter-yellow coat, long pink mane, a voice so gentle it bordered on timid, and that pure, innate kindness—it was Fluttershy!
*Fluttershy!
It really is Fluttershy!* he confirmed to himself.
*My luck isn’t half bad.
This teleportation actually dumped me right at the doorstep of the kindest, most helpful pony of all.*
The last shred of his wariness dissolved.
Ye Ziji let out a long breath, his tense body completely relaxing.
Since he was in a safe environment with a built-in caregiver, there was no need to force himself to keep fighting.
He obediently opened his mouth, letting Fluttershy feed him.
The warm carrot porridge slid down his throat, its sweet vegetable freshness and rich grain flavor instantly soothing his empty stomach and weary soul.
A warm current rose from his belly, slowly spreading through his body.
It wasn’t just the energy from the food, but the deep peace of mind that came from being treated so gently.
Seeing him willing to eat, a faint smile graced Fluttershy’s face.
Spoonful by spoonful, she patiently fed him.
Ye Ziji didn’t hold back either, peacefully enjoying the luxury of being hand-fed.
Before long, the bowl was empty.
After the porridge was finished, Fluttershy brought a bowl of fresh water, feeding him in the same manner.
The cool, refreshing water moistened his parched throat, making him feel like he was fully coming back to life.
“Thank you,” Ye Ziji finally managed to say.
Though his voice was still raspy, it was filled with sincere gratitude.
“You’re… you’re welcome,” Fluttershy replied, her cheeks turning slightly pink.
She gathered the bowl and spoon, then tucked the blanket around him.
“You… you should rest. Recovering your strength is the most important thing.”
With that, she picked up the bowl and spoon with her teeth and hurried back into the kitchen as if fleeing, leaving Ye Ziji lying quietly by himself in front of the fireplace.
Listening to the sound of running water from the kitchen and the crackling of the logs in the hearth, Ye Ziji closed his eyes and drifted into a peaceful, restorative sleep.
Magic began to gather once more, thread by thread, as his physical injuries slowly repaired themselves.
He knew he was safe.
For now.