//------------------------------// // What Now? // Story: Bites Of The Dead // by Vinyls_Account //------------------------------// Twilight moved Pinkamina to a more comfortable laying position, still being courteous to the friend that she hoped would soon return. Twilight gathered everybody around the table, including Pinkamina. With Rarity's "need" to take a shower, Twilight almost needed to chain her down to just so she would listen to her plans. When they all were gathered, and calmed down, Twilight finally spoke. "I'm going to get straight to the point: Canterlot is going to fall, I don't know in how long, could be tomorrow, or in a month from now." Her face was serious, and her voice was like a knife. "But what I do know is that they need us. We need to leave as soon as we can, but this time there is no train to take us there, so we need to walk." Twilight used her magic to pick up an old rolled up piece of paper from one of the shelves. She plunked it on the table and used her hooves to open it up, revealing it was a map. Obviously we can't take the direct route, because Canterlot is on a cliff face. So we are going to have to take the indirect rout around the mountain." She used her hoof to roughly trace where they were heading. "On the other side there is a gradual incline, and then a path that cuts along the cliff...." "Uhg!" Rarity grunted. "All that walking, my hooves will get all yucky!" "Rarity" Apple Jack warned. "Since when does the fate of Equestria come before my hooves?" Rarity said dramatically. "Since always," Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. Rarity leaned back in disgust and put her hoof on her breast "I cannot believe what I just heard! I will have you know..." "Shut up you stupid city girl!" Pinkamina spoke. Rarity looked each of her other three friends with a shocked face, as if looking for the support to help defend herself. When nopony did anything, she leaned back in her chair, made a pouty face and crossed her arms in anger. "HA" Rainbow Dash was amused. "I guess Pinkamina really is on our side!" Pinkamina gave a death glance at Rainbow Dash. "The only way I would ever be on your side is if you decided you wanted to join the dogs; then I might have some fun!" "Alright, then." Rainbow Dash gave in annoyed. "Jeez take a joke." "As I was saying," Twilight continued, “there is a path that cuts along the cliff that leads to the front gates of Canterlot. I'm not going to lie, I don't know how dangerous it’s going to be, one... Or all of us could die." "That is a risk we're ALL willin’ ta take, sugar cube!" Apple Jack proclaimed slamming her hoof on the table. "That's right!" Rarity continued "And I know if we work together we can accomplish anything!" Rainbow Dash flew in the air. "YEAH!" She proclaimed. "We're a team, we can do this!" She put her hoof in the center of the table as if for a group handshake. This was quickly dashed by Pinkamina who said. "Huh, It’s funny. It almost sounds like you're including little old me on this "Team" of yours." "Y’know..." Rainbow spoke disappointingly at the interruption. "I am really starting to miss Pinkie Pie right now." "I bet you are." Pinkamina smirked in response. "Grrr," Rainbow Dash growled. She stuck out her tong, and with her hoof brought her right eyelid down. "Yeah," Pinkamina replied. "You're so mature," she said sarcastically. "Hey!" Rainbow Dash started to threat. "Rainbow Dash!" Twilight interrupted. "Stop this!" Rainbow Dash looked over in shock at Twilight and brought a hoof up to point at Pinkamina. "But she..." Twilight would have none of it. "Rainbow Dash!" She said again. "Sit down!" "Fine…" She grunted floating back down to her chair. Twilight turned her head to Pinkamina. "And Pinkamina, let me clear some things up for you. Yes, we are taking you, You might not be Pinkie Pie right now, but she is in you somewhere. We are going to do our best to get rid of you, so we can get our friend back." "Oh great," Pinkamina rolled her eyes. “That sooooo makes me feel better." "I wasn't trying to make you feel better." Twilight explained. "I figure you know our general feeling towards you, so why bother hiding them.” "Hmph" Pinkamina grunted. "Aaaww, don't feel bad,” Twilight encouraged. "We are probably going to treat you more like a queen than a prisoner." "Aaah" Apple Jack interrupted. "We are?" "Of course we are!" Twilight clarified. "Right now she might be an annoying psychopath, but she's still Pinkie Pie." "I am not!" Pinkamina interrupted. "That Goddamn stupid good-for-nothing party pony is no longer here, and she will NEVER come back!" Those words rang in Rarity's head. Not to long ago she was tied up and nearly tortured by this crazy pony. Thought ran through her head. Can we keep her with us? Even if she is dear Pinkie, how long will it take to bring her out? This last thought nearly drove her insane. Can I forgive her even if Pinkie does come back? She was so deep in her head that she didn't realize the angry looking face she was making, Apple Jack did however. "Are you alright, Rarity?" Apple Jack asked. "You seem a bit out of it." Rarity looked up in surprise, she quickly when back to her usual warm smile though. "Oh, I'm fine dear." She answered. "I guess I'm just a bit tired. Actually, speaking of that, Twilight are we done here? I really need to get this blood out of my hair and get my beauty rest. The sun is already setting." "Almost, Rarity." Twilight answered. "I just need to wrap up. Alright so, this trip will take us two nights and three days." She pointed to a spot on the map. "Here is the midway point; it is the border between the forest, and a large field, that connects with the backside of the mountain. It is also where we are going to make camp for the first night. Here is about half way around the mountain, so on the next day, we will walk the rest of the way around, and the up about two thirds, where the path starts." She again traced the general path they were going to take. "There, we will camp for our second and final night." "Aaah, Twilight?" Apple Jack interrupted. "Yes, Apple Jack?" Twilight responded. "Well, you said that out first night will be the half-way point, so why do we have to stay another night?" Apple Jack asked. "Good question!" Twilight smiled. "The path through the cliff is actually fairly treacherous, when we arrive there, the sun will be setting. To be able to cross, we need the full light of the sun, and even at that, it is still high risk." "Ah see, makes sense now." Apple Jack admitted. Twilight smiled in response. "And that wraps that up. Tomorrow, we are all going to pack our bags, oh and Rarity, if there is anything else you need to make, that comes first priority, if it starts becoming a bit too much work, we will pack your bags for you." "Thank you, dear." Rarity replied. "Can I shower now?" Twilight chuckled. "Yes, go" At those words Rarity seemed to almost teleport to the stairs she was so fast. "Thaaaaank yoooou!" She called out running up them. "Twilight is it ok if I use your bed tonight?" Apple Jack asked. "That's fine Apple Jack, I'm going to sleep downstairs tonight. Well, actually, I won’t be sleeping much; I need to finish those swords up." Jokingly, she continued. "Rainbow Dash over here distracted me from that." She waved her hoof at Twilight. "Aaah shad up." Twilight gave a chuckle, then remembered. "Ah Pinkamina, almost forgot about you, one second." She went to a corner of the wall, and brought her head down. Her horn lit up, and a couple seconds later a beam shot out, a box formed around the corner. "This is your room for tonight Pinkamina. In here you can move freely." "But I can barely stand up in that!" Pinkamina complained. "It's this or stay chained up" Twilight smiled. Pinkamina gave a disgusted stare at Twilight, as if trying to determine if she was serious or not. When she realized she was serious, she hung her head and said. "Fine..." Twilight gave a smile. Putting a board of magic under Pinkamina, she lifted her up and moved her into the box. She then locked the box, so she couldn't get out, and released the chains on Pinkamina's legs. "I'll get you a blanket and a pillow." Twilight said, still worrying about Pinkie Pie. She went over to the closet and got those items, when she dropped them in however, Pinkamina tried to make a dash for freedom. Her plan didn't go the way she hoped though. She slammed her face on the purple wall of magic and fell backwards putting her hooves to her face in pain. "Sorry." Twilight laughed. "I forgot to tell you, it’s the same type of barrier as the one outside, without me or Rarity to unlock it, you are stuck in there." she gave a smile and tuned away. "Well then girls, good night" Twilight walked to the stairs. "I've got a long night ahead of me." "Don't exhaust yourself now" Apple Jack worried. "I'll try." Twilight concluded as she trotted down the stairs. "Aah Rainbow, would you mind taking the guest bedroom tonight?" Apple Jack asked "Uuuh, sure." Rainbow Dash answered. "Actually Rarity's going to want it, I'll wait for her and see if I can sleep with her. In the meantime I guess I'll just chat with Pinkamina." "Kill me now." Pinkamina said annoyed. "Alright, then. Night" Apple Jack said running up the stairs. "Good night. Oh please tell Rarity to hurry up!" Rainbow Dash begged. "Will do!" Apple Jack called back. "So Pinkamina." Rainbow Dash flew over. "Think you could answer a couple of my questions?" Pinkamina started to get herself comfortable. "Depends." She said simply. "Alright." Rainbow Dash started. "My first one is, are you planning on giving Pinkie Pie back to us soon?." "Oh you haven't figured it out yet." Pinkamina laughed. "Me and Pinkie Pie are the same, I don't ‘Choose’ to give Pinkie Pie back, she just comes back if the situation is perfect, and by perfect, I mean once in a blue moon, and all the planets align on the same day, and the sun explodes, the moon get hit by a meteor, and leaves our orbit..." "Ok I get it." Rainbow Dash interrupted. "So then if what you are telling me is true, what brought you out?" "Pinkie Pie's weakness." Pinkamina plunked herself onto her makeshift bed, facing away from Rainbow Dash. "Weakness?" Rainbow Dash questioned. "She found something she couldn't laugh off, so she retreated into me." Pinkamina clarified. "So we can make you retreat into Pinkie Pie?" Rainbow Dash continued. "Heh. You would have an easier time having idol conversation with Fluttershy right now." Pinkamina teased. Rainbow Dash got angered by this, her face even shone bright red. "Why, you!" she said. With the help of her wings, she lifted herself up to hind legs, and brought her right hoof up. "Rainbow Dash!" Rarity called out with a demanding voice. "Stop this now!" Rainbow Dash turned her head to see Rarity standing there, with a wet mane hanging off the side of her head. "But she..." "Whatever she did she probably deserves it, but you need to remember Pinkie Pie is still in there." Rarity continued. Rainbow Dash just stood there for a moment, as if fighting the urge to come down hard on Pinkamina. "You must be tired Rainbow Dash." Rarity spoke again. "Come on, let’s go to Twilight’s guest bedroom and go to sleep alright?" "You're right." Rainbow Dash said quietly dropping to all four hooves again. Just before Rainbow Dash closed the door to the guest bedroom, Pinkamina spoke. "Weakling." Was all she said. "Good night Pinkamina." Rainbow Dash replied, closing the door. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To anyone who read the other version of this chapter, I am sorry, that was a monstrosity and is gone forever. SHOOOOOOOOOUTTTT OOOOOOUUUTTTSSS a hug and a thank you to: vincoono for faving this. five hugs and five thank you's to: SpikeThePony of funnyjunk for proofreading this chapter. Wow guys chapter 10! We are in to the double digits! so much more to write and so many more characters to kill =D I can hardly wait!