Synthesis of the Atheist

by BlackRoseRaven

Desert Ghosts

Chapter Fourteen: Desert Ghosts
~BlackRoseRaven

The train slowly rumbled to a halt at the terminus just outside Appleloosa with a hiss of steam and several loud clanks as the machinery finished running down. There were no ponies to greet it on the ghostly platform, though: only sand, and a bit of litter that rolled slowly around the ground as a bitter wind hissed quietly past.

The structure was only half-complete, like they had begun building a full station, but the construction had been shut down, or perhaps simply abandoned. It added to how phantasmal the atmosphere was, as the door of the passenger car finally opened and Luna Brynhild hopped down to the platform with a grimace, glancing down at the sand that had blown in through the incomplete walls and the ajar doors.

She looked back and forth slowly as Scrivener Blooms and Twilight Sparkle followed her down, and then Applejack: the earth pony shivered as she looked back and forth despite how warm it was here in the desert morning, the goldenrod mare murmuring: “This ain't right at all... Braeburn ain't never missed being here when the train rolls in.”

Luna grunted, then glanced over at Twilight Sparkle, who was frowning nervously back and forth. “Thou feels it too, does thou not?”

“Yeah, I do, Luna. I don't like it.” Twilight shivered a bit: there was a... it was hard to describe. There was a sensation in the air of something tainted and unnatural, a feeling like static electricity as she murmured: “We should hurry into town, find out if this feeling is still present there.”

Applejack looked at them uncertainly, biting her lip, and when Luna glanced at her curiously as the others climbed out of the train, she said finally: “I wanna go to my cousin's ranch. Braeburn... I'm worried about him.”

Luna hesitated, then she looked over her shoulder as Celestia stepped down out of the train. The ivory mare looked back at her, seeing her question in her eyes, and then the white winged unicorn looked back and forth before giving the slightest of nods back to Luna Brynhild, who smiled faintly.

She strode quickly forwards, then turned around, looking out over the group: they all looked nervous but ready, and the sapphire mare studied each and every pony here, thinking of everything they had to get done before she turned her eyes to Princess Luna, asking calmly: “Will thou defer to me, if I am to give orders?”

“Of course.” Princess Luna bowed her head politely, looking respectfully across at Luna Brynhild. “I am not a warrior. But please do not forget that I am here to help, however I can.”

“And thou can.” Luna Brynhild nodded firmly. “Take Freya into town with thyself, Shining Armor, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie. My big sister can attend to the logistics and scan the town for any signs of danger. Antares, my son, thou art in charge of offloading the train with Meadowlark, Scarlet Sage, and Apple Bloom. Unload all the necessary supplies, then wait here for word of where to carry the supplies. Discombobulation, I am sure, is lingering around here as well, have him wait here with thee when he shows his face.

“The rest of us shall head to the Apple ranch, and see what awaits us there.” Luna Brynhild finished, and she smiled when Celestia nodded in quiet approval as Antares saluted awkwardly, even as he looked a little disappointed. But for now, Luna Brynhild turned her attention to Applejack, as Big Mac stepped calmly up beside her. “Lead us onward.”

Applejack nodded with a relieved smile, then took the lead with her big brother: the three groups parted ways quickly, two groups walking in opposite directions towards different exits as Antares sat back with a sigh, lowering his head and muttering: “Great. I feel like a rear-echelon mother-bucker.”

“Hey, watch your mouth, kid.” Apple Bloom said irritably, as Scarlet Sage sighed a little, but gave a small smile as she turned away with Meadowlark. Antares looked up embarrassedly, and Apple Bloom hesitated before she sighed, stepping towards Antares and looking down at him softly. “Look, I know you're anxious to prove yourself. I always was, too. But this is a job somepony has to do, and while I wish I was going out there to meet Braeburn and be investigating stuff, the little stuff has to be done too. And it ain't no reflection on your abilities, I think you know that. Your mom's just trying to keep everypony she can safe and in the best possible place for now.”

“I... I know, I'm sorry, it just kind of slipped out, I guess. I'm just still... embarrassed from what happened on the train, and still feel like... a kid, I guess.” Antares shook his head slowly, then he offered a small smile. “I'm sure my chance'll come.”

“That's better. Let's go.” Apple Bloom smiled and nodded, reaching up to slap him on the shoulder, and then she turned and gestured at him easily. “Besides, I'd rather be doing this than trying to make nice with the locals. Carrying boxes is easier than playing politics.”

Antares grunted in agreement at this, but even as he followed Apple Bloom towards the storage car, he couldn't help but still feel a little bitter... and beneath that, a lingering nervousness that only made him more edgy, feeling like they were already being watched by malicious eyes.

Applejack led them to a large, ranch-style house outside of Appleloosa: it sat near a shallow gorge fenced in and shielded by jutting stones, with a long, beaten path that wound back and forth through a verdant field of apple trees. Luna had taken a moment to peer curiously into this gorge with interest, noting that there were a few workers here and there... and more than ponies, enormous buffalo were also present, although they looked at the outsiders with as much distrust as the few ponies they had passed so far did.

The ranch house itself had been fortified, although badly: shutters had been boarded closed over windows, and there was a half-mangled attempt to fence in the porch. Applejack and Big Mac traded uneasy looks at this, hurrying up the dusty path towards the one story ranch before a voice snapped angrily at them before they could reach the stairs: “Hey, what do you think you're doing here?”

The two earth ponies both halted and turned with surprise to see a grizzled old Pegasus glaring at them, his mane short and a rough, uneven beard squaring his features. He had a rifle on his back and a thick vest protecting his body... but one of his wings was clearly broken, and he looked old that Luna was surprised he was standing at all. Especially since even from here she could smell the reek of whiskey wafting off him.

“What, what is it?” called a worried voice, and a lanky earth pony staggered hurriedly around the corner of the house, his bright green eyes looking fearfully up... then blinking in surprise before his jaw dropped in shock. The yellow stallion had a rough orange mane and tail, and was dressed in a badly-weathered cowboy hat and dust-speckled rawhide vest... and after a moment, he gave a laugh before running forwards: “Applejack, Big Mac, what are you doing here?”

“Braeburn!” Applejack smiled in warm relief, leaping forwards and trading a fierce hug with her cousin, and then Big Mac did the same as the mare grinned widely and jerked her head towards Luna, Scrivener and Twilight. “We're here to help, that's what. Didn't you get my letter back?”

“What, what do you...” Braeburn glanced towards the trio of other ponies, and then he did a double-take, mouthing wordlessly for a few moments as Luna Brynhild grinned widely and posed, raising her head proudly. “P-P-Princess Luna? And... that there can't be Twilight Sparkle, she's... she's a... oh hell, look at 'em, Tex!”

“Don't care.” the old Pegasus said in a surly voice, and then he spat to the side and turned around, striding back around the corner of the house, and Braeburn only rolled his eyes before turning a warm look back to his cousins.

“Oh, don't mind him none, he's been helping out lots. None of the townsfolk like him all that much, but he's always done a great job at keeping watch over the fields out here.” Braeburn stepped backwards, and then he looked with awe towards Luna again, bowing awkwardly several times as she approached with Scrivener and Twilight on either side. “And we've been havin' trouble, lots of trouble, but never did I think that... well, you now, you would come yourself, Princess, I, I... heck, I don't even know what to say!”

“Now hold on, Braeburn, that ain't who you think it is, for one thing. We got a long story to tell you, but I think you better tell your side of things first.” Applejack interrupted, and she glanced with a grimace at the ranch house, adding in a quieter voice: “Hurts to see this place like this.”

“I... yeah, let's head inside, and I'll tell you everything. In the last few days, things have been getting worse. Ponies are scared.” Braeburn said after a moment, losing a little of his bounce as he smiled faintly and looked nervously over at Luna, Scrivener and Twilight again. Then he shook his head quickly and gestured hurriedly at the door. “Well, go on in, I'm gonna go and see if Tex wants to sit in too, maybe see if Little Strongheart is around. The buffalo have been having a lot of trouble too, after all. We gotta stick together through this.”

Applejack nodded as Big Mac strode up onto the badly-fortified deck. Then he frowned a little, pausing with his hoof on the handle as he asked awkwardly: “You do this yourself?”

“Yeah, you know, to help keep safe. But I'll get to all that with everything else. Excuse me for just a minute.” Braeburn smiled and turned around, hurrying off and calling loudly for the Pegasus that had left.

Big Mac, meanwhile, turned an almost-pained look back towards a 'fortified' window, where several nails were sticking out at odd angles and the boards were clearly loose. Then he sighed tiredly, opening the door and letting himself inside as Applejack followed, saying soothingly: “It's okay, big brother. We'll... we'll make sure we get everything fixed up.”

Luna, Scrivener and Twilight followed into the ranch house: it seemed fairly spacious and sprawling, but the inside wasn't much neater: sawdust littered the floor, and furnishings had been piled in rough barricades in front of the windows in the rooms they passed through on the way to the kitchen. Lanterns were everywhere, and Luna noted at least three barrels of oil in the den room... and that on many of the shelves, books and trinkets had been shoved aside or knocked out of place so that boxes of ammunition could be stored there instead.

The kitchen was dirty and crowded, but they managed to squeeze in around the wide round table all the same, Applejack only looking more worried now as Big Mac grimaced and walked over to the counter, inspecting boxes of rations and apples that had been piled up: enough food for weeks. It looked like Braeburn had been stockpiling. The crimson stallion sighed after a moment, then cleared some junk off the stove before he began to dig around for a kettle, as Luna asked mildly: “So I take it this is not the usual state of home?”

“Not at all, no. Now I'm starting to get real worried.” Applejack said softly, shaking her head slowly. “Braeburn's always taken good care of this place. Kinda has to, since the whole Apple Family pitched in to build it for him, since he ain't the best stallion with tools.”

“No, I never would have guessed.” Luna said dryly, glancing towards a window with a large nail sticking through the broken glass, as the shutters rattled weakly in a faint breeze. “Does he live here alone?”

“Well, he has the hired help around, of course, and I know he's got friends who visit and help out. But Braeburn wants to be a pioneer, so... here he is.” Applejack smiled wryly, shaking her head a little. “I don't know how it is in your Equestria... but the Apple Clan here lives all over the country, there's some of us in almost every big place 'round Equestria. And we're always there for each other, but... that don't change the fact we're pretty far spread out.”

Luna nodded slowly, and Twilight rubbed slowly at her gemstone vest before she looked curiously over at the sapphire mare, who glanced up curiously at the gentle nudge she felt to her mind. Then she hesitated before finally nodding, and as Applejack frowned at her, Luna said quietly: “The sensation in the air. 'Tis... still strong here. It is not a good sign.”

Applejack grimaced a little, and then she glanced over her shoulder at a loud thumping, followed by a muted curse. A moment later, Braeburn stepped into the kitchen through the archway, grinning lamely as he looked back and forth and said awkwardly: “Sorry 'bout that. Tex ain't too interested in meeting strangers right now, but he promised to pass on word to everyone 'round these parts, but... oh heck, where're my manners? I'm Braeburn, and it's well... I wish I could say it was a pleasure to welcome y'all to Appleloosa, but... as you can see, things are a little tense right now.”

“My name is Luna Brynhild, and this is my husband, Scrivener Blooms, and our friend and partner Twilight Sparkle.” Luna replied, and Braeburn nodded before he winced over at the sight of Big Mac preparing tea. He hurried towards the crimson stallion, but without much of a glance in his direction, the large earth pony gently pushed his cousin away and continued unhurriedly about his work. “What has been happening here? What is this evil I feel in the air?”

“I... well... y'know Big Mac, you don't have to do everything.” Braeburn said crankily, and when the large red stallion slowly turned his eyes on his cousin, Braeburn cleared his throat and strode over to the table, slumping down at it with a grumble as Applejack smiled despite herself. “Sorry. I don't... I feel like I ain't got... any of my own life in control...

“It all started several months back... we didn't think it was anything big at first.” Braeburn sighed a little, looking up and shaking his head slowly. “Everypony thought it was just some funny storm off in the distance. But the storm just kept coming back, and getting worse. And then the buffalo told us that some of their tribe had gone missing...”

He stopped, then shook his head slowly, tracing a hoof over the table and murmuring: “Of course... you know, we acted all concerned but we didn't really think to... do much about it. A few ponies decided they'd help the buffalo look for their friends, though, and they decided to check the mountains first, where that strange storm kept showing up... and none of 'em ever came back.

“Then... then the sounds started. The knocking on the walls at night, and the sound like... like little claws crawling all over the place.” Braeburn shivered, hugging himself as he leaned back in his chair and gazed back and forth at them. “And... and there's the... no, no, you ain't gonna believe me...”

He shrank a little, turning his eyes away, and Luna frowned as Applejack reached up a hoof, touching his shoulder and saying quietly: “Braeburn, you're family... I came out here to help you, and to be honest, in the last few days I've seen things... well, believe me. Between us, I think you're the one who's gonna think I'm telling tall tales.”

Braeburn smiled faintly at this, then he bit his lip before looking up and saying finally: “I've seen... I've seen this... thing. I don't think it's a pony... it's too big, and it... it just vanishes. And it screams, but it sounds like it's... like it's trying to sing, almost, I don't know how to describe it. But it makes your blood freeze in your veins. I know other ponies in town have seen it too, but no one wants to admit it. But everyone's heard it... some of 'em say it's a hound from Hell, others say it's someone from town, come back to haunt us until we avenge his death. I... I don't know, though. And... and the dead don't... I mean...”

Twilight only smiled faintly at this as Luna grimaced and looked over at Scrivener, who looked back uneasily. For a few moments, there was silence between them as they studied each other, and each other's memories: Scrivener saw into Luna's experiences, and Luna paged through Scrivener's vast knowledge of mythology and the supernatural, both real and false.

There were a few possibilities that fit the description Braeburn gave, but they both decided to defer judgment for now. It sounded like there was definitely something haunting and hunting ponies, though, and Luna grimaced before she muttered: “We will set up patrols and warding runes, around this ranch and in town. Hopefully we will get a good look at this beast to better know what we are up against.”

Twilight nodded quickly as Braeburn looked up, his eyes going wide with surprise as he asked in a dumbfounded voice: “So you... you believe me? You really believe me?”

“'Tis far from the most unbelievable thing I have heard or encountered.” Luna remarked, and Braeburn began to smile... then yelped and flinched when the kettle suddenly began to whistle, and the sapphire mare couldn't help but smile wryly, remarking dryly: “Thou seems just a tad bit... anxious, I believe is the word. And what is with the state of this building?”

“Oh, I... I had to do something to make sure that it was safe here, you know? For me and the ponies who stay with me.” Braeburn smiled lamely, settling slowly as Big Mac calmly took the kettle off the burner. “It... I mean, Tex seems fine, but his little shack is locked down pretty tight, and he won't accept a lick of help anyway. I know it's a little rough-”

“'Tis more than a little rough, 'tis rather... well, I do not have the word for it. Perhaps the poet does.” Luna glanced mildly over at Scrivener, who only shrugged awkwardly before she huffed grumpily. “Idiot.”

She bopped him with her horn, and Braeburn smiled awkwardly, hesitating a moment before he asked finally: “So... you say you aren't Princess Luna, and... I reckon I ain't ever seen the Princess in armor or nothing, but you sure do look a lot like her. And it's been a year or so since I last saw Twilight Sparkle, but I don't remember... well...”

“Oh very well. We shall explain our story, then. And afterwards, we shall neaten up the defenses of this little household and then head into town to check on my sister, Freya.” Luna nodded firmly, then smiled as Big Mac began to slide mugs of tea over the table to each of the ponies, Braeburn looking up both gratefully and lamely at the crimson stallion. “Excellent. But to begin...”

Appleloosa was suspicious and scared, and the atmosphere was only adding to the feeling of lingering malignancy in the air as Celestia looked slowly back and forth. As they walked down the wide dirt road towards the sheriff's office, the ivory mare could see ponies stepping out of buildings to stare at her with hope and amazement, likely thinking she was their princess... and it hurt Celestia's heart. So many of them looked so awed... but it only made the fact so many of them looked pale, exhausted, hurt in the soul stand out all the more, like how sometimes a light in the shadows could only strengthen the darkness everywhere around it.

At her side, Princess Luna looked worriedly back and forth, whispering: “Freya, this... this sensation, I have never felt anything like it before. What do I sense?”

“It's more familiar to me, but I can't place it myself.” Celestia replied quietly, shaking her head slowly and closing her eyes for a moment. “It's like something I've felt before, but... made more suffocating, more engulfing.”

She stopped, then looked up as the sheriff looked up from where he was sitting on a chair in front of his home, a rifle falling out his lap as the mustached pony leapt up to his hooves before hurrying forwards, stumbling over his fallen weapon. “Princess Luna! Oh, I don't think I've ever been so happy to see anypony in my whole life! And... and is that... is that you, Princess Celestia?”

The ivory mare only smiled faintly as the sheriff gaped up at the armored pony, her rainbow mane twisting slowly backwards as Ratatoskr peered down from her shoulder. “No, my name is Freya. But I am here to help, if I can. We have others here as well, all strong allies...” She paused, looking towards Princess Luna, but when the sapphire mare bowed her head in deference, Celestia continued calmly: “I need to know what's going on in town, including who is missing and if possible, when they vanished. And a platoon of Royal Guard will be arriving tomorrow as well, they will need a place to stay.”

She stopped, and as the sheriff only continued to stare up at her with amazement, she prompted gently: “Perhaps you could take me to where the last disappearance occurred? And while on the way, tell me about the strange phenomenon that's been happening in the mountain?”

“I... I... of course! Of course, yes, of course, right away!” the sheriff said hurriedly, nodding rapidly before he pointed down the road with a hoof, and Celestia calmly turned to follow with Princess Luna watching intently, Shining Armor, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie all striding along behind the winged unicorns. The pink earth pony seemed distracted by the town around them, looking uneasily at the ponies, the barricades that had been built here and there, the simple lack of joy... while Shining Armor, meanwhile, was looking at Celestia with newfound respect, as the sheriff rambled: “I'm... I'm glad to have help, believe me there, and I'm happy to help... however I can help! But... we've been up and down, and... well...”

“Take a moment to gather your thoughts, it's alright.” Celestia said gently, and then she paused before glancing towards Ratatoskr, asking the squirrel in a quieter voice: “I know you understand me on some level, so please take a look around and come back to me if you find anything.”

The red squirrel nodded a few times, then leapt quickly off Celestia and shot off down the street: only Princess Luna seemed to notice its departure, however, as the sheriff breathed slowly and looked ahead before he said finally, quietly: “This... ma'am, I don't know who you are, but Princess Luna, Miss... Freya... this isn't my fault. We've done everything in our power... I've done everything in my power to keep these ponies safe, and to help the buffalo out as I can. But no matter what we do... fences, traps, making the whole town jam into the tavern and any other community buildings where they can spend the night, however uncomfortable it is... it don't work.”

“How many have gone missing?” Celestia asked quietly, and the sheriff looked down silently in shame. Princess Luna softened, but Celestia only said softly: “I need to know.”

“Twenty-seven ponies. A big chunk of a little town... and a whole bunch of buffalo, too.” the sheriff said quietly, and then he sighed and turned down a side street, motioning ahead with his head, and Celestia looked up, eyes immediately locking on a spot marked with a single, bright-red post that had been hammered into the dirt ground in front of a business. “We... we've been asking for help for a month now, but...”

“None of your letters were received by myself or Princess Celestia. We only recently became aware of the problem.” Princess Luna said softly, shivering in surprise. “Twenty-seven ponies... why hasn't anyone tried to contact any nearby settlements, or attempt to come to Canterlot themselves?”

“What nearby settlements? Appleloosa is a frontier town still.” The sheriff laughed dryly as they approached the marked spot, then he sighed and looked miserably up at the general store sitting on the corner, the red pole standing out starkly against the background of the building's faded green paint. “The owner was... finishing up for the night, had a few of his employees helping him lock up. That, and no pony really wants to walk these streets alone anymore. It wasn't even that late, but... the moment the sun sets, you won't see a soul on these streets, unless they're in a big group.”

“Well... apparently there was... a... a commotion outside. Some... some kind of noise.” The sheriff shuddered, eyes flicking to the side, and both winged unicorns recognized clearly he was trying to hide something from them, but for now neither commented. “Anyway, Starch, the owner, he... he kind of snapped. He grabbed a rifle and ran outside, saying he was gonna put a stop to this, and the stockboys said they heard a shot, and then it all went quiet. One of 'em went to the door, looked out, saw Starch standing right there, rifle in his hooves, just staring down the street... and then he was gone. Just vanished.”

Celestia frowned at this, then she looked back and forth slowly before glancing at Princess Luna, saying quietly: “I'm going to take a look around.”

“Of course. Sheriff, do you mind telling me a bit more about what's been happening here?” Princess Luna took over, and Celestia smiled a little despite herself: for all her differences, this Luna was still almost as sharp in a few ways as her little sister Brynhild.

The ivory mare stood for a moment by the red post, mulling over the sheriff's words as she looked back and forth: in one direction, the dirt street became what was little more than a series of dusty paths winding around tenant buildings, while in the other direction, the street was open, and there were several lamps that would have helped light up the road...

She faced in this direction, then looked back and forth before she noticed an irregularity, only a short distance away. The mare quickly strode towards this, then leaned down before she shivered as she reached a hoof slowly forwards, touching the splotch of blackness.

“Corruption.” she whispered, and she understood that malevolence now, why it felt familiar. It was the same dark mire that ran through Scrivener's veins, except as she studied it, she understood clearly that this was even more concentrated, and somehow... different from Scrivener's. And as her eyes roved upwards, she noted that it had splattered over the street lamp as well, and even if she was generous in her estimation and thought the splatter had arced high and whatever had likely taken a bullet had been hit high up... she would guess that whatever had been hit had to at least be as large as she was. Maybe even larger.

As she leaned forwards, she noticed something strange as well: the corruption had bonded to the metal, seemed to be... pulsing, and alive. The ivory mare shivered a little at the sight of this, and then she concentrated, her horn glowing bright gold.

The same aura spread over the corruption on the pole, and it visibly boiled, making Celestia stumble backwards in surprise as the slime actually tried to fight off her magic before the mare concentrated harder, pouring more energy into the spell. And finally, grayness spread through the slime before it petrified completely.

“Impossible. It's alive... not sentient, but still... alive.” Celestia whispered to herself, studying it silently, and then she glanced down as she felt something scrabble at her leg, her eyes widening... and then she sighed in relief, smiling faintly at the sight of Ratatoskr, the squirrel chittering at her before it leapt up and scrambled up to her shoulder. “Oh. I'm sorry, I thought...”

The squirrel only chittered, then leaned carefully up as Celestia tilted her head, feeling it putting its mouth to her ear before the rodent whispered quietly: “This is a bad place. There's poison everywhere.”

“Take a message to Discombobulation, I know you'll be able to find him. Tell him about what I've found, and that we're going to need...” She was cut off as there was a rumble in the distance, and behind her the sheriff cursed weakly as Princess Luna and the other ponies all looked up in surprise.

Near the horizon, the sky had begun to turned a bruised black and purple, swirling, ill clouds spreading slowly outwards as flashes of poisonous light rumbled through them. Celestia grimaced at this sight, stepping slowly out onto the road so she could get a better view straight down the street and out of the small settlement, as Shining Armor slowly strode up beside her and whispered: “What in the name of Tartarus...”

But Celestia didn't know: all she could do was look out at the storm, studying it silently before she felt a hand gently settle on her shoulder, and she looked up somehow without surprise to see Discombobulation was now standing beside her, his metal fingers gripping tightly into her armored shoulder. She looked up at him, and he looked back at her before nodding silently once, and then the Draconequus vanished from the spot.

A moment later, Discombobulation reappeared near Luna Brynhild, who was standing outside among the other gathered ponies. Braeburn almost screamed at the sight of the Draconequus as Applejack and Big Mac both jumped, but Luna only looked up at him with a grimace, asking sharply: “What is it?”

“Celestia's scared, but as good at giving orders as ever, just like Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing. Of course, she didn't get a chance to finish her orders to me before I ran off, but I know what she wants me to say to you, anyway.” Discombobulation paused, then mimicked Celestia's voice as he said calmly: “The town needs to be placed on full watch immediately. We also need to establish a base of operations. And I have found traces of concentrated corruption, which points to-”

“Tyrant Wyrms.” Scrivener shivered, then gritted his teeth, looking out at the storm as he muttered: “That... that feels like Clockwork World to me. All I can think of is the machinery we saw, and how much of it seemed... alive...”

Luna nodded slowly as Twilight Sparkle shivered a bit, gazing over at them and asking worriedly: “But... Tyrant Wyrms... I mean, they can't be controlled, can they? They're parasites but they don't...”

“It's okay. It will be okay, Twilight, do not fear, whatever is going on we will figure it out.” Luna Brynhild soothed quietly, and then she glanced at Discombobulation, instructing: “Go to Antares, and tell him to start bringing the supplies here. Braeburn has offered us his home to use as a base of operations and I am inclined to agree. We can make additional camp in the apple meadows as well.”

The Draconequus nodded, then politely bowed before vanishing again: this time, he stumbled a little when he reappeared beside the parked train, grabbing at his chest and wheezing as he mumbled: “It's always so much more tiring when you have somewhere to be instead of nowhere to go...”

He shook himself out, then looked back and forth before groaning as he spotted the offloaded supplies, but no ponies nearby. The Draconequus strode moodily over to one of the crates and kicked it grumpily, then walked quickly past as he felt another pulse of unnatural, evil energies ripple through the air around him.

Whatever was in the distance, it scared him. It felt... wrong, and diseased, and worst of all, dead. It was the kind of place that normally he would scurry away from until he could no longer feel its presence, but where he was and what he was doing was far outside the norm anyway, so he guessed that for once he was going to have to be a big boy and try to pretend to be tough. And he definitely wasn't here just because he wanted to impress Tia, of course, and even less because he was worried about her walking into this whole den of snakes and saws and pointy bad things.

Discombobulation strode quickly to one of the holes in the half-complete wall, sticking his head out and feeling a little more relief than he wanted to admit at the sight of the four ponies staring off into the distance at the bruised sky and the flashes of unnatural light.

He looked at them for a moment, then called loudly: “This isn't platform nine and three-quarters, and I would much prefer if none of you put on your robes or wizard hats. But you can say 'arr' like a pirate if you want.”

Antares looked over his shoulder uneasily, visibly shaken by the energy distortions, but Scarlet Sage only smiled faintly as she asked quietly: “What did Celestia have to say?”

“I... I did not go and see her.” Discombobulation lied huffily, looking awkwardly back and forth before adding quickly: “I saw Scrivener Blooms, though, who is rather serious and upset. I do not entirely blame her, since... all of these current events are proving to be a little serious and upsetting. She says you're all supposed to come to where she is, and to bring the stuff with you. Remember, the yellow dot on your minimap indicates where you're supposed to go. The other icons indicate side-quests, which you really don't have time for right now.”

“I know where the ranch is, if it's anywhere near what it's like in our world, I'll be able to find it.” Apple Bloom said, and Antares nodded nervously, looking out at the sky again for a few moments.

Discombobulation grumbled a bit, then he shifted back and forth before muttering: “Oh fine. Come along, little ponies. This is only because I have nothing better to do, of course, but I'll take you there myself. Maybe I'll even carry something. Maybe not, though.”

“Don't worry, Bob, we wouldn't want you to hurt yourself. I got it.” Apple Bloom said easily, and Discombobulation gave her a sour look as the earth pony winked over at the Draconequus, and Scarlet Sage smiled despite herself as she followed her partner back into the train terminal.

“I hope you make a wrong left at Albuquerque like all the other sexually-dysfunctional rabbits, and end up being hunted by a fat man with an inability to pronounce words correctly and a double-barrel shotgun.” Discombobulation mimed holding up a weapon and glaring down the sights, and then he paused and added dryly, glancing at Apple Bloom as she strode past: “I really don't like how many of my metaphors I owe you understanding to the psychotic Vasquez.”

“Cowlick doesn't make guns anymore, though. Well. Correction, she doesn't make guns that kill on purpose anymore.” Apple Bloom replied, shrugging a bit as she strode towards their offloaded supplies: crates that had been passed on to them from a guard post they had docked at, a few satchels that no one had bothered to take with them, some other odds and ends. “This'll need two trips. I don't understand why they decided to move the terminal away from the town, either... I saw there's still a set of tracks that must lead down to the platform actually in Appleloosa.”

“Maybe they expected to expand more, Red, and it didn't work out.” Scarlet Sage shrugged a bit, then smiled despite herself as Apple Bloom looked thoughtfully at the crate in front of her. “No. Don't do it.”

“Don't do what?” Apple Bloom asked innocently, but she was grinning a little in spite of her best efforts to hide it before she stepped up beside the large wooden box and grasped it firmly, then grunted and quickly shifted, half-rolling it up onto her back and shaking her head out briskly. “Got it!”

“Dammit, Red.” Scarlet Sage laughed and shook her head all the same as Meadowlark and Antares came in from outside, and both stared as Apple Bloom grinned over her shoulder at the other ponies, while Discombobulation simply huffed. “Okay, okay. Everypony, grab what you can before Apple Bloom kills herself.”

“Oh hell, I'm fine. Sleipnir always made me carry more weight than this while training.” Apple Bloom argued, and then she shifted a bit and added: “Just make sure you let me know if it looks like it's slipping. Think I got it balanced but it ain't like I can see or anything.”

The others nodded, and between themselves, the three other ponies gathered up most of the satchels and equipment bags, while Discombobulation created a large strap on another crate and hauled it up over his metallic shoulder, looking haughtily down at Apple Bloom. The earth pony only huffed at him, though, then remarked mildly: “I helped out putting that arm of yours together with Cowlick, you know, so I get fifty percent of the credit for you being able to do that.”

“You're just jealous that I'm Jax. Well. Half-Jax.” Discombobulation paused meditatively. “I wonder if that's racist or not. But I'm saying it as a good thing. Unless that makes me the token black character who gets killed off at the start of every horror movie.”

Antares looked up dumbly at this, the glossy-black unicorn blinking, and Discombobulation cleared his throat awkwardly and waved his free hand. “Just forget I said anything.”

The stallion sighed tiredly as Meadowlark nudged him gently, and Apple Bloom shook her head as she carefully began to walk forwards. But once she was sure the large crate was fairly firmly balanced, she picked up speed a bit and then frowned a little as she stepped around a half-finished wall, adding thoughtfully: “You know, now that I'm up here... I think I see why this platform is here. Yeah, yeah, see those marks there? They were going to pave a road here... I think this was supposed to be a shipping terminal, not a passenger platform.”

“Fascinating.” Discombobulation said dryly, and when the engineer glared at him, he cleared his throat loudly and said awkwardly: “I apologize. I blame that ugly storm on the horizon, and the reek of malice in the air. It all lends to making me... well, I could really use a coffee is what I'm getting at, and I don't even like coffee all that much.”

Apple Bloom grunted, then she and the Draconequus fell in step with each other, leading the group together as Scarlet Sage smiled and followed behind the two, while last came Meadowlark and Antares. The young couple were staying close, and Antares kept shooting nervous looks towards the storm at the horizon, even as Meadowlark said quietly: “Mir, it's gonna be okay.”

“I just...” Antares didn't know how to put it into words: how strong that unnatural feeling had become with the storm on the horizon, or the way... he couldn't focus, how his mind was aching. It was like the energy in the air was amplifying his stress and frustration, and he shook his head hurriedly as he looked ahead silently, then smiled faintly when Meadowlark stepped close and stretched out a wing, half-wrapping it around him as she kissed his cheek quietly.

It reassured him, and he felt like even if he hadn't said anything, she all the same understood him. And as they strode quietly in the wake of the other ponies, he began to talk even before he realized what he was saying, explaining: “It's hurting me. It's getting in my head, because that energy feels... familiar, but warped. It feels like my Mom and Dad, but... wrong, and nasty, it's all the things I grew up with protecting me turned evil. Darkness... but not darkness like I grew up surrounded by.”

“More than that, you sense something... more than that, don't you?” Meadowlark asked quietly, and Antares smiled faintly even as he nodded slowly, closing his eyes. “Look, we're going to deal with it... whatever it is out there. And we're going to do it together. I'm going to stay with you the whole time, by your side.”

“I appreciate it, Meadowlark. More than I can say.” Antares said softly, and then he shook his head and looked down with a quiet laugh, closing his eyes. “I've got this awful feeling about things, though... a feeling I just can't shake. Like something bad is going to happen.”

“I hate it when you say that, because it usually ends up being true, Antares.” Scarlet Sage murmured, looking uneasily over her shoulder, and Antares smiled wryly as he looked up at her before she sighed and tossed her own nervous glance in the direction of the storm. “Let's just... keep moving forwards for now. There's not a lot else we can really do, right?”

“Right.” Antares said after a moment, and then he hesitated before looking up and asking quietly: “Scar... do you think Dad's going to be okay?”

“Yeah, I do.” Scarlet said softly without hesitation, and then she smiled over her shoulder at Antares. “He's got Mom, and Twilight, and me and you, right? Not to mention all his other friends and family and... he's tough. You know Dad's tough.”

Antares Mīrus nodded in agreement, then he glanced down hesitantly before Discombobulation said dryly from the front of the group: “Luna really has no purpose in life except to make as many people around him as miserable as possible. But because of that, he'll never be without a purpose in life. And if you have purpose, you can survive. He's going to be fine, and you're gonna go far, kid.”

“Allonym said that last line to me once before.” Antares said thoughtfully, and Discombobulation made a loud retching sound, making the stallion smile despite himself as Scarlet Sage rolled her eyes in amusement. “You can't still not like him.”

“He'd want me to hate him. Whether he's dead or not.” Discombobulation argued, looking moodily ahead. “Just being dead doesn't make you any less of a dick then you were in life. It just makes you dead. And by the way, that is my original quote, all my own thoughts, not taken from anywhere.”

“So your original thoughts sound like Dad when he's in a bad mood?” Scarlet Sage asked mildly, and Discombobulation slowly turned a sour look on her, but she only shrugged innocently. “Hey, just saying.”

The Draconequus grumbled a little, then he said sourly: “At least I don't require power tools to get off, little miss plug-in. Oh, wait, wait, I can do better than that.” Discombobulation paused as Scarlet Sage looked sour and Apple Bloom glared at him, then he suddenly posed with one hand in the air, declaring in a chipper voice: “Strap on! Apply directly to the-”

“I'll apply my hoof up your ass if you don't stop.” Apple Bloom interrupted grouchily, glaring over at him, and the Draconequus grumbled, the two glowering at each other as Scarlet Sage sighed and Antares tried desperately to think of something other than... oh god oh god oh god. “Anyway, I'll have you know that-”

“Look, there's the ranch up ahead, I'm going on ahead!” Antares shouted almost desperately, and then he shot off like a rocket, almost knocking both Apple Bloom and Discombobulation over as he charged through the desert and straight towards the ranch house, bags filled with equipment rattling loudly against his body.

To his surprise, although the ranch house was visible, it took him much longer to reach it than he'd expected: almost ten minutes, and most of that had been spent running. He wheezed as he reached the main yard, beginning to approach... and then he heard the distinct sound of a rifle cocking, looking slowly up to see both a grizzled Pegasus and the bore of a gun glaring at him.

Antares slowly swallowed, then he offered a weak grin, asking lamely: “You uh... you're not Braeburn by any chance, are you?” When his only response was the Pegasus narrowing his eyes, Antares cleared his throat. “Uh. Sorry, then, I'll... I'll just uh...”

“What are... idiot, that is my son!” Luna's voice shouted angrily, and Antares wheezed in relief as he looked up to see his mother approaching. The Pegasus grumbled moodily as he lowered his weapon, and the mare glared down at him, even as the ancient pony didn't so much as flinch. “And what manner of idiocy art thou practicing, in any event, pointing such ugly weaponry at any stranger who steps upon land that is not even thine own!”

“Oh, get out of my face, hag!” the old Pegasus snapped, glaring up at her, and Luna gaped down at the grizzled stallion as he huffed, sending rancid, whiskey-reeking breath washing out over her features. “This ain't a place for little girls playing dressup to-”

Luna growled, reaching out and ripping the rifle out of the Pegasus' hooves, almost knocking the old stallion over. He yelled and grabbed at it, both of them ignoring the other ponies that hurried over, but Luna held it childishly above her head, where the Pegasus couldn't reach with his wing broken. “How dare thee! Why, if thou weren't such a doddering, ancient wretch, I would bring mountains of pain tumbling down upon thy old, ugly head, great drunken coot!”

“Hey, hey, whoa, calm down now!” Braeburn managed to squeeze himself between the two ponies, and then he grinned lamely, looking back and forth as Antares watched lamely from the sidelines. “Look uh... okay, Tex, thank you for all the help but you can go on home for now, we got things here handled, right? And Miss Brynhild, it'd be mighty nice of you to just... pass that rifle back over.”

“Very well.” Luna said moodily, in a tone that Antares recognized meant trouble... and then Braeburn gaped as Luna gritted her teeth and slowly bent the rifle almost in half, the wooden stock splintering and the barrel warping before she grumpily held it down to Braeburn.

He took it with a look of disbelief, and the grizzled Pegasus leaned grouchily past the earth pony, then stared at the broken weapon before he let out a yell of frustration and spun around, spitting curses the whole time as he stomped away. And then Braeburn slowly turned the gun back and forth in his hooves and whimpered: “My rifle.”

Luna's grin turned to puzzlement, and then she asked slowly: “Wait... thy rifle?”

“Yeah, it isn't Tex's... he's just been borrowing it, like how he lives in what was the old storage shed and well...” Braeburn stumbled to a halt, then looked awkwardly up at Luna, and Luna looked lamely back at the stallion.

Then Scrivener awkwardly strode up beside the two, saying carefully: “Don't worry, Braeburn, we'll uh... we'll get it fixed, okay? You just uh... don't worry about it or anything, really, we have a friend who is great with this kind of thing. Luna, let's go show Antares where he can store the things.”

“Yes, yes. Uh. Come along, Antares. Where are the others, though?” Luna asked quickly, as Braeburn only continued to sit lamely in front of the house, as Applejack shook her head slowly and Big Mac walked over to pat his cousin gently on the back.

Antares smiled awkwardly, mumbling about how he'd hurried ahead; when the others arrived some fifteen minutes later, Discombobulation and Apple Bloom still arguing, it made it a little clearer why the stallion had done so. Luna, however, quickly stopped them from fighting by remarking that Twilight Sparkle had gone to fetch Celestia some time ago, meaning she would be arriving shortly, and the chimerical creature had hurriedly dropped his crate and volunteered to go and get the rest of the things from the train station.

Celestia arrived only a few minutes after Discombobulation left: Princess Luna was with her, but Twilight Sparkle had agreed to stay in town to begin setting up wards with Shining Armor's assistance. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were also eager to help, and were rounding up every capable pony they could find in town to assist defending Appleloosa.

Celestia already had a plan: something that surprised the ponies of this layer, but didn't Luna Brynhild or any of the others who knew all too well how sharp the mind of the ivory mare was. More than a plan, though, Luna Brynhild could feel that the Valkyrie fury had been awoken in her big sister's blood, and called for justice and revenge for these innocent ponies that had been preyed on by vicious, cowardly enemies. After all, she could feel that call herself... and she was all too eager to sate that hunger, and with luck, save the ponies of this layer from suffering any more than they already had.

Comments

[Shirohige]

More lulz. Antares seems so nervous, though, about everything. I wonder if you're going to make him a bit more... I don't know the word. Confident. I guess. Well, I'll be interested to see his character development.

[Black TearsWolf]

Hurry up and have make up/Angry sex with Celestia, Discombulation

[AXl711]

I think Discombobulation is one of my top favorite characters. I would also like to take this moment to say that I LOVE Hellsing!

[hellcatte]

I just realized Allonym's death was very, VERY similar to the death of a certain character in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. His last act was unknowingly making a reference.