Scarlet

by Capo First

Ignis

Scarlet gazed over the table at the other two, her face unwavering as she picked at her food. The couple had been mind enough to offer her food and shelter for the night. She sighed inwardly as she looked at her food. Vegetarian. Why does no one eat meat? she wondered. It wasn't bad for you or anything. In fact, she had heard good things about consuming meat.

"So... Scarlet." The green pegasus broke the silence, looking at her curiously. "Why exactly were you stealing from the market in the first place?"

Scarlet considered the question, unsure of how to reply. Should she make up a story, or tell them the truth? As if they would believe the truth... What would be the harm in telling them?

"Would you like the short version or the long version?"

---

The nurse from the doctor's office looked around in the crowded market. Where did she go? The changeling scanned the area, looking for clues. Finally, he spotted something. The creature smiled in its disguise. There was one thing Scarlet couldn't resist, and it knew it.

Bacon grease.

---

Scarlet sighed. Of course they wanted the detailed story. It never changed. That was just nature, to be as inquisitive as possible. She looked at them over the table with weary eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'm being hunted." The two widened their eyes but said nothing. "By changelings," she added. "I've been running from them for quite some time now. I can never stay in one place, for fear that they will hurt innocent lives. They are ruthless."

"But why are they hunting you?" Capo asked, cocking her head to one side slightly.

Scarlet hesitated. She had never told anyone the full story of her and Topsy... but these two ponies seemed... different somehow. Like she knew she could trust them. It made her uneasy. Still, she continued.

"I... I used to be a happy mare... I was married to such a wonderful stallion. His name was Topsy Turvy. He was a jester, and was oftentimes the only one that could bring a smile to my face. No two ponies were happier together. And then..." Scarlet trailed off, her eyes filled with tears already. The other two remained silent, unsure of what to say. After a lengthy pause, she continued.

"You remember when the changelings invaded Canterlot?" The couple nodded. "That's when they came for us. They didn't stick only to Canterlot, they were everywhere. They came to our home in Ponyville. I don't know why they chose us. Maybe it was random, maybe they had heard about Topsy... Whatever. They took us to... someplace... a hive of sorts." At this point Magikasta spoke up.

"Well how did you escape?" he inquired. Capo shot him a glance for interrupting. Scarlet sighed heavily and continued, looking down at her plate.

"They... did things to us there. I can only remember parts of it. They altered my entire life's memories. I can't remember my childhood, or my parents, or my friends before Topsy. I can remember him though. That's the worst part. I can remember everything they did to him there. They made me watch as they... they cut off his horn... jeered at me as they poked me with it... it was horrible. He remained calm until the end though... Told me to hold on, and pull through... that I could escape. When the end came... They made me do it... I was forced to... to pull the lever... opening the gate, releasing the hounds! I was forced to watch as they tore him to shreds, blood splattering everywhere in the air, I could taste it on my tongue! And that's not the worst part. Do you want to know the worst part?"

The two remained silent, in shock. Scarlet continued anyway, tears now freely flowing from her eyes.

"I laughed. I laughed and laughed and laughed, as limbs were thrown around, guts splattered against the walls, and my laughter echoed around the room! They had broken me, turned me into a monster... one of them. My mind was gone, I was insane. My whole sense of self was gone, I was just an empty shell, free to bend to their wish. I was taken back to my cell... I... I can't remember much after that. Just pain. All I knew was pain. I found myself escaping... But I don't know how long I had been in there. All I knew was that I was getting out, that I couldn't take it anymore..."

Scarlet collapsed into her arms, her sobs shaking the table. After a second, Capo got up to comfort her, still in shock. Magik merely stared, shaking slightly. Scarlet looked up suddenly, her eyes still red.

"When they broke my mind... I never healed completely. It was separated into two parts, with two different memories. It makes developing close relationships impossible. I never know what the other side might do... or what she's even like." Scarlet's ear twitched, and her eyes widened slightly. "Also, a changeling has just entered the building," she added calmly.

---

The changeling opened the door as quietly as he could. No need to retain this form here, he thought as he shifted back to his natural state. He crossed the floor, his hooves making a small distinct noise, not like that of a hoof, but more of that of a wet sponge. He reached the bottom of the stairs and began to climb to the second floor, his heart rate raising as he neared his target.

---

Scarlet leapt to her feet quietly. They were on the third floor, that gave them maybe... a minute? Then what? Scarlet glanced at the other two. "Do either of you have any weapons?" She asked in a hushed voice. Magik shook his head, but Capo rolled her eyes. Magik stared incredulously at Capo as she pulled a dagger out of her ponytail and crossed to the closed door. Without a word, Scarlet held up her hoof and waited. The room was dead silent. Soon enough, the other two could hear the strange footsteps of the creature as it started climbing the steps to the third floor. The seconds dragged into what seemed like hours. With a sudden movement, Scarlet dropped her hoof. Capo spun, flinging open the door and stabbing the dagger straight into the beast's eye with a strange grace. The creature dropped to the ground with a slight cry, green blood squirting out of its punctured eyeball. The trio stood there for a moment, staring at the dead changeling. Finally, Magikasta spoke up.

"Why the hell do you carry a dagger?" Capo shot him a look.

"You try taking care of yourself your entire life and tell me then you don't need a way to defend yourself," she replied, wiping the dagger on the side of the changeling before tucking it back into her ponytail. Magik stared in awe as if she were a completely different mare. Capo smirked at his expression before turning to Scarlet. "We need to dispose of the body."

"I'll do it. I have to leave anyway, otherwise I risk putting you two in further danger." She shook her head at their protests. "They came for me, not you. As long as I stay here they will keep coming."

"At least let us dispose of the body for you. You don't want that slowing you down," Magik added. Scarlet nodded and dashed to the nearest window, unable to look at the two any longer.

"Goodbye! Thank you for your hospitality!" Scarlet leapt out of the window and soared. The couple watched her go sadly before dragging the body downstairs and throwing it in the unused cellar.

"That will hold it until we can properly get rid of it," Magik stated, before shutting the door tight. "Now lets go finish our dinner."

Scarlet was perched on top of a building a little ways away, looking sadly at Capo and Magikastas' house. She knew what was coming. She just couldn't bring herself to tell them.

---

They came in the night. The smell of the dead always alerts them, and they came in flocks, like vultures. Their target's last known location was Canterlot, and there was a dead changeling in a Canterlot home. It didn't take a genius.

The couple awoke with a start as their door was blown clean off its hinges by a blast of magic. Immediately the ponies scrambled out of bed. Capo already had her dagger at the ready. Magik sprang to the window and opened it, ready to flee if needed.

Chrysalis strode into the household, her horn nearly scraping along the ceiling as she and her servants progressed to the cellar door. With another blast of magic the door was flat on the ground, the dead body clearly visible. There was a murmur among the company. It was true. The Queen cackled loudly.

"Scarly... you've been a bad girl. Come out and speak to me, I'm sure we can smooth this over." She chuckled. Capo and Magik, three floors above, shivered at the laughter.

"When she's coming up the stairs, I'll hit her with the dagger," Capo whispered. Magik nodded and waited by the window. Capo hid around the corner, dagger at the ready as the Queen began her march up the steps. She crossed the second floor and proceeded to the third, where she found the remnants of their dinner.

"Oh look Scarly, you were here? Are you still here? I brought dessert!" The Queen laughed at her own joke again as she crossed to the stairs to the fourth floor. "Just come down and we'll have a goo-"

Capo spun around the corner and hurled the knife at breakneck speeds towards Chrysalis. Without so much as blinking, she stopped it mid flight with magic and sent it back at her. Capo tried to leap out of the way, but the knife tore through the sensitive muscles at the base of her right wing. As screamed, her vision flashing as she blindly stumbled backwards towards her waiting lover. Magik caught her and jumped out of the open window, barely keeping aloft with the combined weight.

Chrysalis crossed to the window and looked out at the two fleeing ponies. "Search the house," she commanded. The changelings spread out, searching every available corner as Chrysalis gazed out the window. A changeling approached her.

"She isn't here. She was, but she left," the minion reported to his leader. Chrysalis hissed with impatience.

"Burn it down." She walked down the stairs and out the door, careful to avoid being seen by the ponies awoken by the loud noises. Soon enough, a small fire had started in the base of the house. The flames travelled up the structer, licking at the wood and eventually consuming it in a raging inferno. Magikasta looked back, watching his life burn away as he carried Capo to the outskirts of town. He slung the sobbing and bleeding Capo onto his back and stared in silence back at the city, a small plume of smoke rising from it.

"I'm so sorry." Magik wheeled around as Scarlet walked out of the darkness, her eyes full of tears. She started to approach him, but he merely flattened his ears and backed away slightly.

"Sorry doesn't cut it. My life is destroyed because of you!" Magik snorted angrily. "I have nothing left!"

"You have her." Scarlet nodded to the sobbing mare on his back. Capo looked up, one wing covered in blood and hanging limply by her side. "Let me help that wing." Scarlet approached again.

"How do I know that you aren't going to hurt her more?" Magik questioned, raising a wing to block her. Scarlet started to respond but Capo cut her off.

"Magik... she only wants to help... It's not her fault." Capo sniffled, her face a mess of tears and blood spray. Magik reluctantly lowered his wing and let Scarlet approach, holding an bandage she had acquired earlier.

"Now this will only be a second..." Capo let out a whimper as Scarlet began wrapping the base of the wing. Magik shifted uncomfortably as she worked. Finally Scarlet stood up, her hooves now bloody. "That will help the wound heal," she said, backing away. "Please don't use it for a few weeks, I would hate for the wound to reopen." Magik stepped forward.

"And where exactly do you think you're going?" Scarlet looked confused.

"Onwards. Haven't I caused you enough grief?"

"You destroyed our life, we have nothing left." Scarlet nodded. "We can't go back in the city, the changelings will kill us if we go back. So we're coming with you."

"If you feel that you could cope, then you are welcome to follow me." Without another word, Scarlet turned and trotted into the darkness. Magik stared for a second before following, carrying the handicapped Capo on his back.

Comments

[Capo First]

Sorry for the delay on chapter 4! I have been a tad bit busy (*cough*procrastination*cough*) as of late, but now I am in the process of writing it!