Succumbing to a dark power that threatens to consume her, Twilight must save her friends and Canterlot from the invading Changeling forces. How far would you go for Revenge?
Trapped deep within the crystal caverns, buried beneath the hallowed halls of Canterlot castle, Twilight Sparkle anguished as she struggled to accept that she had failed to prevent the wedding of her brother and the demented mare he had betrothed. Exhausted and left to suffer, she lashed out at her surroundings in an attempt to vent her rising fury.
In doing so, she has unleashed a terrible presence that threatens to consume her entirely as it resonates with the growing hatred in her heart. Changed beyond the recognition of her friends and family, they must now struggle to come to grips with her new form... and her new appetite...
Will the remaining bearers of the Elements of Harmony, the princess, and her family be enough to save Twilight from this Entity? Will she even want to be saved?
Twilight Sparkle, the purple unicorn protege of Princess Celestia, lay crying within the dark crystal caverns beneath Canterlot. Her tormentor, once babysitter and best friend, Princess Cadence having already gone hours ago, leaving her alone in the cold darkness. Her magic reserves were exhausted in her attempts at trying to strike out at the phantom images of her captor with concentrated blasts, all to no avail. It would be hours before she had the strength to attempt teleportation out of this place, far too late to stop the wedding.
"What am I supposed to do now... " Sobbing quietly, she lowered her face into her hooves. Her friends, her brother, even her own teacher and mentor had turned their backs on her in a time of need. They believed the lies of that... that bitch!
She growled lowly as she raised her head, tears staining her face as it scrunched into a snarl. Struggling to her hooves, she slowly walked forwards aimlessly, gaining speed with every step until she was at a full gallop. Screaming with all her might, she leaped at the nearest crystal outcropping, turning a full one-hundred and eighty degrees as she landed, Applejack and Rainbow Dash would have been proud.
With a mighty scream of rage and frustration, she slammed her back hooves hard into the crystal. The sound of both crystal and bone cracking in succession echoed around her.
Falling back, she screamed in agony as her right rear leg now bent back at an odd angle, a bony protrusion sticking out of the skin and fur. She dropped to the ground, clutching at her leg the best that she could and crying even harder.
"D-dammit... dammit... Dammit!!" She cursed repeatedly into her mane, blood pooling around her lower body from the grievous wound, but it didn't matter to her, not anymore. If she was trapped down here anyways, dying through blood loss was better than starvation.
Unbeknownst to her, the crystal she had struck with the last of her strength now bore a large fracture upon its surface. If one were to have cast light over it, they would have seen that it was different from the many others that surrounded it. It was larger than normal for one, although that was relative in a cave literally made up of giant crystals, what stood out most was that instead of the light blue and shimmering coloration of its counterparts, this one was pitch black. It bore no reflection and instead of sharing a smooth surface with the other crystals, it was rough and seemed almost perforated.
Suddenly, from within the surface of the crystal, three bright red orbs sitting in a triangular pattern appeared and seemed to stare with a heavy gaze upon the pony that lay bleeding before it.
~ ~ ~
From deep within the shadows, a consciousness awoke within the confines of the crystal, snapping awake as a loud crack reverberated throughout its prison. Slowly opening its scarlet eyes, the being within took notice of its surroundings for the first time.
Gazing through the prism wall, what lay before it was a prone form of a creature that it had never seen, not that it had seen many others. The creature was small in stature and seemed to walk on four legs, though one was seriously injured and it now clung to it feverishly. Its eyes, though filled with tears, were a light purple, and a pink and lavender streak of color went through the hair on her head and tail. But none of this mattered to the Entity. The most important thing that this creature had provided was an opening. The smallest of cracks, barely the size of a splinter, had graced the surface of its prison. A splinter was all that it needed...
With a great deal of effort, the Entity began feeding itself through the crack, its form neither corporeal nor phantasmal as it sought to gain a physical presence on the outside of the crystal that had confined it. As it brought forth more and more of its essence, appearing as though a thick miasma that wafted through the air, the Entity angled itself to face the creature that had released it.
It felt no gratitude towards this thing for its freedom, only contempt. The Entity seethed with the desire to end this creature before it. It had known no other emotion in its existence other than the hate that had given birth to it so, so very long ago... Now that it was free, it could act on that hatred...
~ ~ ~
Twilight had long since stopped cursing and now lay curled in on herself, shivering in the cold darkness of the cave. She nursed her rear leg through her tears of pain and anguish, an occasional whimper echoing off the cavern walls around her.
"Wh-why... why m-me... I've been a g-good pony, right? I n-never hurt anypony else... I've nev-never broken a law, or even called somepony a bad name until t-today..." She sobbed as she curled her tail around her, her back to the crystal that she had tried to shatter in her blind anger.
"I... I h-have to save th-them... but what can I d-do... I'm just... o-one pony..." She cried silently for a few moments more, the faces of her friends and family who were in danger, flashing through her mind's eye. Then the face of the one who brought her current circumstance about... The pony whose smug smile she could still see when she closed her eyes. Her face twisted into an angry snarl once more, sobs morphing into growls of anger... and hatred... Her breathing began to quicken as she thought of what she would give to wipe that smile off of that mare's face... of what she would do to see that would-be princess in as much pain as she was in currently...
~ ~ ~
The Entity, now having fully escaped its quartz prison, began to descend upon the mare as she mulled over the many ways she would want revenge. It paid no heed to her emotional state at first, as many of the feelings she was giving off were foreign to it. It's only desire was to end this creature and proceed on its way out of this place. However, just as the Entity had begun to close in, there was a shift in the creature's emotional state and it felt something... resonate from within it...
The Entity could not understand, nor discern the emotions that this creature had been putting off moments before, but this one... this feeling that now began to rise from within it's very being, it knew that one all too well. If it was careful in its approach, the Entity could use this creature to its benefit...
With a new objective in mind, the Entity slowly began to blanket her in its essence.
Her quick breathing forced her to inhale the dark mist as it covered her in its embrace. Unable to fully see in the darkness of the cave, she was none the wiser to what was happening to her.
"I wa-want to see her face... Her eyes as she re-realizes that she's been ex-exposed... I-I want to see her in ch-chains... I want to see her... to see her..." Her mind grew foggy as the Entity slowly crept into her body through her skin and lungs.
Her thoughts turned from those of chains, dungeons, and other morally correct ways of judgment, to a more sinister and vile repertoire of methods...
'I want to see her bleed and scream...' Her eyes, wide and bloodshot, stared viciously into the darkness. Black veins began spider-webbing across her body, pulsing in time with her breaths. The pain in her leg was now only a dull throb, in fact, her whole body felt almost numb, but she didn't care. All she wanted, no... what she needed, was to see that wretched pony torn to pieces before her very eyes. She wanted to rend the flesh from her bones and devour her very being. She wanted to drink deep the blood from her veins and bathe in the remnants of whatever would be left.
Her face split into a manic grin as she slowly began to giggle at such grim and perverse ideas. Her small bout of joy grew louder with each passing second, before exploding into a peal of crazed laughter as her fur began to sizzle and melt off of her body. She took no notice as her mane and tail slowly followed suit, leaving her stark naked on the ground. As her skin began to turn black in patches, the darkest parts would begin to boil before falling off and splashing into a dark puddle of melted flesh and fur beneath her, a sickening squelch would accompany the larger pieces. She paid no heed to sounds of her collapsing body as she continued to laugh even as her eyes began to melt from within her skull, her voice beginning to sound wet and sickening as her throat was filled with liquidated tissue. Her mind was nothing more than a scrambled mess as her bones, now stained black from the dead and dying flesh that dripped from them, slowly began to warp and fall away.
The wretched sound of her bones splashing into the seemingly bottomless black sludge of her melted remains filled the air around her. Her gurgled, choking laughter finally subsided as her throat melted away to join the pool of fluid below, the flesh on her skull splitting and sliding off into the vile substance. Finally, with the sound of a silent hiss, all that remained was the silent and still organ that once pumped her life-blood through her veins and a single stained skull, the lower jaw still gaping open in a mockery of laughter.
A foul odor filled the cave, it reeked of burnt flesh and hair, of death.
Her skull finally began to cave and melted into the puddle below, leaving just the lump of meat to be spared. The veins of the lone organ slowly began to darken, followed quickly by the rest of the muscle as the last of the mist infused itself, and then all was still.
~ ~ ~
A tall, almost blindingly white alicorn stood smiling at the back of the ballroom in her castle. Her mane and tail were an aurora of colors as they shifted softly in an invisible wind. She wore a golden crown and chest piece that bore a magnificent purple gem, along with golden shoes that adorned her hooves. A brilliant yellow sun marked either side of her flanks, proclaiming her destiny and duty to all who looked upon it.
Decorations were being put in place and the room had been thoroughly cleaned once more in last-minute preparations for the wedding. Princess Celestia wanted to oversee the arrangements herself, along with her assistant. She turned to her left to a small pink unicorn mare with a blonde mane and tail. She was currently looking over a clipboard with a pair of glasses.
"How is everything progressing on your end, Lemon Daisy?" Celestia asked sweetly as the pony looked up at her.
"Everything is going great your Majesty! Though, I do have a question?" Lemon raised her clipboard a bit, shielding half her face as she looked slightly away from the Princess.
Celestia for her part only raised an eyebrow at her strange behavior.
"Yes? What is it?" It took her a few moments to say anything, but when she did, her nervousness was obvious.
"U-um, the Maid of Honor, ma'am. Why has she been marked off the guest list?" Celestia reared back in surprise, her eyes wide. Taking the clipboard in her golden aura, she looked upon the guest list and saw that Twilight's name was indeed marked out, the telltale signature of Shining Armor beside it in the same red ink.
'I know we were all upset with her accusations, but to actually cut her from the wedding entirely? That seems a bit harsh, Shining...' With a sigh, she returned the clipboard to the nervous pony and gave her a reassuring smile.
"No worries my little pony. The groom and his sister are not agreeing at the moment, I'm sure things will come around soon as the-" Celestia's eyes widened and she felt her veins turn to ice within her. Her whole world fell away and only the cold remained for a moment as she gasped, trying to breathe but nothing would come.
It lasted for only half a second, but to her, it felt like an eternity. Feeling crept back into her as she looked around the ballroom quickly, everything was as it was before. Nothing had changed. She gasped as she felt a cold sweat on her brow.
'Wh-what was that!?' She thought to herself.
"Princess?" Her eyes snapped to her left where Lemon Daisy stood, looking over her with a worried gaze. Standing a little taller, Celestia's eyes hardened as she took a step forward, intent on seeking out the source of that cold chill. She made it two hoofsteps before the ballroom began to fill with nobles, each coming up and bowing to her, barring her way. She tried to politely go around them, but they would not have it, and soon she was back on the dais, the nobles all taking their seats in preparation for the no doubt beautiful wedding to come.
Celestia grimaced at her timing, it would have to wait until after the wedding.
~ ~ ~
Silence reigned for nearly an hour within the darkness of the caves. Not a sound, whether large or small could be heard...
But if one were to wait a little longer and strain their ears... the faintest echo of something could be gleaned through the empty air... a single, hard, throb...
Chapter Two: A Beautiful Day for a Wedding ( Remastered)
Princess Celestia, the primary Diarch of the kingdom of Equestria and the one pony capable of raising the Sun to provide life and light for those of the world, was currently faced with one of the most frustrating and confounding of situations.
Before the wedding's earliest of proceedings could even take place, her young nephew Prince Blue Blood had appeared before her on the dais and decided to make his opinion on the marriage of Princess Cadence and their, as he put it, glorified guard dog, known to all present. He stood before her now, holding up the entire event, as he spouted nonsense off a scroll that floated aloft before him, held in his magic.
"-Furthermore, the marriage between a royal such as Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, and any other would-be suitor should benefit Equestria as a whole. I don't see how her marrying someone within the guard, someone whom I might add who is not of noble birth-" He continued in his haughty tone all the while Celestia vaguely tuned him in and out.
This had not been the first time he had approached her on this subject, and she already knew that her answer would not change. Cadence would be allowed to choose any suitor that she deemed worthy, not whomever the government thinks she should be with. However, Blue Blood's problem stems from another issue altogether, he wanted her for himself. It was no secret among the nobles or royals, that Blue Blood is and always will be a narcissistic mule. But it is also known that he pines for Cadence, who had turned down his advances on more than several occasions.
She even had to put a restraining order on him for a time. Celestia tried to bring peace between the two, but Blue Blood was relentless and Cadence had simply become disgusted with him and his shallow attitude.
Celestia had tried to subtly teach her nephew the error of his ways, but it had all fallen on deaf ears it would seem. Glancing about her, she saw many of the other room occupants were just as bored as she was with this farce. With a sigh, she steeled her gaze and leveled it on Blue Blood just as he took a moment to prepare for the next part of his speech.
"Enough!" Blue Blood's mouth snapped shut and everypony looked to Celestia as she stood firm, her wings spread and her gaze hard as she stared him down. Blue Blood gulped silently as he rolled up the scroll and returned it to his coat, he knew when his aunt wasn't playing around, but he stood tall in spite of the fury in her gaze.
"I have been patient with you Blue Blood, but you seem adamant in your ignorance of what you were taught. My verdict now will be the same as it has always been, Cadence is her own mare and may marry whom she chooses! Guards!" The doors to the ballroom slammed open at her call, everypony in the pews turning to watch as four guards in pristine day guard armor marched in quickly, approaching the two royals.
"Ma'am!" The lead officer, a light grey pegasus mare who stood almost a hoof shorter than the other four, saluted the princess alongside her comrades.
"Lieutenant Steel Blitz, I want you and your squad to secure the prince in his chambers for the remainder of the evening. He is not to leave without my authorization, understood?" Steel Blitz's dark green eyes turned gleeful and Celestia almost felt a twinge of regret at having put her unit on guard outside the wedding today... almost.
"Yes, Ma'am!" Turning on her hooves, she clopped her right hoof on the ground loud enough for a single loud clap to echo through the room.
Instantly, two of the three guards lit their horns as the third, a large earth pony, kicked Blue Blood's back legs out from beneath him, causing him to kneel before the lieutenant.
"Gah! What do you think you're doing! Aunty, you aren't honestly going to let them do this to me!?" Blue Blood whined at his aunt as the two unicorns combined their magic to form a solid sparkling silver chain that wrapped around his torso and front hooves, holding them to his chest and bringing his chin to meet the floor below, much to his protest. Celestia looked at him in pity as they began to drag him from the wedding hall.
"I am sorry nephew, but sometimes, a lesson must be taught the hard way. I will see you after the wedding, we have much to discuss." She fell silent as he yelled at the guards dragging him away, demanding to be released at once.
The other nobles and guests stared in shock at the scene, never before had such a thing occurred in front of them, much less at the command of their benevolent, loving princess.
"Ahem..." Everypony turned to the front and found not the harsh gaze of a ruler, but the kind smile of the princess that they knew.
"I do apologize for that everypony, I had been meaning to talk to him about his, attitude, in a more private manner, but we are pressed for time. Now, we have a wedding to continue!" With that, there were smiles and small bits of laughter that reverberated through the crowd.
Meanwhile, the remaining bearers of the Elements of Harmony and Twilight's closest friends stood off to Celestia's right. Rarity was nearly having a fit trying not to laugh alongside Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, who had no such qualms. Fluttershy looked towards the door with pity while Applejack merely shook her head.
"Some ponies jus' don' know when ta give up." She stated her southern slang as natural as a scarecrow in a wheat field. The others nodded, giving small sounds of agreement.
'Now that that's over...' Celestia thought as the groom stepped up to her left and the birds that Fluttershy had trained began to sing. The door to the ballroom opened once more, but instead of hardened military, Princess Cadence began her walk down the aisle. Everypony looked to her with bright smiles and hope-filled eyes. Her white dress with golden trim shimmering in the light of the sun that poured in through the windows on all sides of the ballroom.
Celestia's smile outshone all of those in the room. Everything about this day was going to be perfect, just as her niece had hoped, nothing could go wrong...
'Twilight...' Her heart nearly dropped out of her chest as she suddenly felt cold. Her eyes looked to her left where the groom stood for a brief moment, noting only the absence of a single mare. An important mare who should have been here, but had fallen to darker thoughts and now had been left alone. Spike stood next to Shining Armor, a suit and tie covering his scales and holding a red pillow with a set of golden horn rings. He shifted nervously from paw to paw, glancing around repeatedly, no doubt looking for his guardian and sister figure. She had to stop herself from sighing openly.
'I... I will talk to her after the wedding. Things will be fine, I'm sure. It was all just a misunderstanding of course...' She nodded to herself and turned her attention once more back to Cadence as she approached them, a bright smile upon her face and small tears in her eyes.
The steady sound of pulsing flesh echoed within the caverns, slowly growing in strength.
With each strong beat, movement began to return to the cave. A pulsing black organ, within a massive puddle of steaming black sludge, began to rise. Thin black veins trailed from within the puddle, holding the flesh aloft as though it were a morbid work of art. The rest of the puddle began to shift as the pulsing grew stronger, the veins visibly bulging as they jerked in motion, like a grim picture book.
With another loud pulse, long protrusions resembling bones began to form from the depths of the puddle, connecting to one another as they formed a frame once familiar, but oh so foreign. The small organ was soon engulfed in a cage of dark ribs, protecting it from the elements.
Each fresh pulse of the organ now directed the fluid beneath as it began to twist and mold into red muscle, tendons, and sinew. Wrapping its way around the structure, the flesh flexing and stretching to form. With the organ now hidden beneath its cage of flesh and bone, its macabre symphony was drowned out, but the show continued in spite of the organ's silence.
The last of the muscle soon reached the base of a horn that rested on the forehead of the skull, skin starting to grow in patches around the body that had been born from the puddle beneath it.
The skin started off a light pink when it had grown, but now a dark purple began to stain it. It grew darker and darker as the color spread and stretched across the body. Fur began to sprout upon the new skin, a dark purple matching the hide beneath. From the top of the head, a dark, near-black mane of disheveled hair began to bleed from the scalp, all while a similarly colored tail began to trail from its flank.
Eyelids snapped open to reveal black orbs with three, almost unnoticeable, glowing teal dots that sat in a triangular shape within each eye, a dark fluid eerily reminiscent of the puddle below pouring from them as though a mockery of tears. The image of a black, four-cornered star, trailed by two smaller white ones on its upper left and lower right corners, slowly faded into existence upon both sides of her flank.
All was silent for a moment as the being took time to realize itself. Her tears dripped into the puddle beneath her, small ' plips' being the only sound to echo around her.
"...." She turned slowly, her hooves lifting from the puddle beneath her, making small splashing sounds. She looked down to see herself within the puddle and merely stared. Lifting her right hoof, she looked its stained surface over as the liquid dripped from her leg and back into the puddle beneath her.
"... Interesting..." Her eyes snapped open as she looked around for the strange voice that echoed with the sounds of others. It was as if an older mare, a younger mare, and a filly had all spoken at once. Their voices not combining, but echoing around one another.
"...Hello?" She asked cautiously, only to hear the voice once more. This time she realized it was not somepony else who was speaking, but it had been her own voice. She gazed back down at her reflection within the puddle, the darkness of the cave meaning nothing to her eyes that could see through it as though she were in the open light. She stared at herself, not knowing who she was or why she was here.
'Everything is... fuzzy' She thought as she tried to recall what happened. What could have brought her here? She closed her eyes and she strained to remember. Blinking in confusion, she glanced at her surroundings. Other than the puddle, nothing seemed familiar-
Her eyes caught the sight of scorch marks in the crystal walls... The sound of mocking laughter and magical blasts being fired echoed in her memory. Her eyes widened as she recalled her previous life. Images had begun to flash before her mind in rapid succession, a warm home filled with books, a small dragon with a bright smile, her family, her friends, her mentor... the wedding... the betrayal... the pain... the anger... the hatred!
Her eyes snapped open alongside her mouth, which opened far wider than it should. Stretches of skin and flesh connected her upper and lower jaw as the skin of her cheeks ripped themselves apart. Her teeth, rows of sharp, dagger-like protrusions, gleamed in the darkness as an acidic hiss escaped her throat, black saliva dripping from her mouth.
The puddle beneath her boiled and hissed as two large bulges began to grow from it, each one snaking around her front legs and raising to her eye level. Three crimson red eyes opened upon the top of each tendril and gaping mouths of sharp teeth spread below them. The serpents snapped and hissed as the mare glared into the darkness.
'I remember now! I remember all of it!' She began to walk forward, her legs stained black from the puddle that followed beneath her, a dark stain left in its wake.
'I am... was... Twilight Sparkle... I was the personal student of Princess Celestia... I was the Element of Magic... I was... I was... BETRAYED!' A black mist steamed from her body flowing around her and the twin serpents, as they seemed to grow in size, their angry hissing getting louder and her own body starting to grow lankier. Her ribs began to show through her fur and skin as she grew taller while her horn started to get longer and curved, sharpening its front edge.
'I'm going to consume them!' She screamed in her head, images of blood and dismembered bodies sprang to life in her mind. The image of a burning Canterlot, vivid in her mind's eye.
With a start she froze, her eyes shaking as she realized what she had been thinking.
'Wh-what?' Her body shrank as she returned to her previous form. Her horn returning to normal and her jaw reconnecting itself, her sharp teeth hidden away within her maw. She took a moment and sat down, her mind racing at all that had just transpired.
'Why did I...' she looked to her left and right, noticing the small remnants of the serpents as they returned to the puddle beneath her. She shook her head.
"I... I don't have time to worry about it... I have to get out of here, the wedding could still be going on, I have to stop it!" She shouted as she stood to her hooves, slightly shaking from the events that had taken place. Her strange, distorted voice echoed through the caverns.
"Hello!" Her head snapped to her right, she was close to a crystal wall and she could have sworn she heard a voice on the other side.
"Hello is anypony there!? I thought I heard something!" She walked closer to the wall, keeping silent as she placed her ear to its surface, listening carefully.
" My name is Princess Cadence! I need your help if you can hear me!" She snapped.
With a terrifying roar, she returned to her twisted, demonic state, her serpents striking forward alongside three more long, black clawed tendrils that formed from the fluid beneath her.
The wall was smashed to rubble in an instant and she was upon the trembling form within the dust in moments, her eyes locked on the pony beneath her who stared back in shock and horror.
With a scream she tried to run, only to have her back left leg snatched within the teeth of one serpent. Her scream of fear turned to pain as she struggled to get away, her horn flickering with a blue light as she tried to use magic, but to no avail. Twilight hissed hungrily, her jaw spreading even wider, skin splitting to reveal the depths of her gaping maw as a long, slithering tongue slipped from her mouth, black fluid dripping down its length and past her teeth, as the serpent slowly pulled her towards its master.
"St-stop! Pl-please! I'm beg-begging you!" Cadence cried out as she fought to gain purchase on the ground, blood pouring from the biting teeth on her rear leg.
"I... will... DEVOUR YOU!" Twilight hissed out as her murderous gaze bore hungrily into the mare, the liar, the backstabber, the insect that caused it all!
Chapter Three: Sunshine Sunshine, Lady Bugs Awake ( Remastered)
Cadence pawed helplessly at the ground, attempting to gain a hoof-hold and yelping in pain as the monster dragged her towards it with the strange appendage. It's gurgled hiss sent shivers down her spine. Her eyes shut tight and tears poured from them as she screamed for any who would save her from this fate.
"Pl-please! Somepony! Anypony! S-Save m-!" With a single hard yank, she was snatched off the ground by her leg. Her strangled pleas turning into a scream of pain, blood pouring from the wound in her leg.
As the second serpent whipped forward, she crossed her hooves in front of herself in a vain attempt, but it did nothing to stop it as the serpent's sharp teeth bit hard into her flesh and jerked, pulling her leg away and turning her right side up. Her screams only encouraged the creature as it bore down on her, seeming to get even taller as its mouth grew wider. The sharp jagged teeth began to grow in length and the long tongue covered in a black slime slithered forward, nearly touching her face.
She closed her eyes and cried silently, sobbing as she waited for her demise at the jaws of this monster, her thoughts drifting to the ones she loved so dearly and pleading for them to forgive her weakness. Shining Armor, the stallion who despite all odds, had stolen away her heart and who loved her as much as she did him. Her adoptive aunt Celestia, who had been kind enough to take her in after she had become an alicorn so many years ago, guided her and helped her to establish a true home here in Canterlot. Twilight Sparkle, the young and energetic filly who she had taken care of on nights that Mrs. Velvet, Twilight's Mother, would let her babysit, and her would-be little sister had she gotten married...
She lamented on never seeing them again, never feeling their loving embrace. Her sobs and hiccups grew softer as she felt the disgusting tongue of the monster begin to wrap around her neck slowly, tormenting her with as it took its time. Her fur became stained with the dark saliva and she whimpered as she felt a shadow over her head, the heavy and harsh breath of the creature baring down her neck. Keeping her eyes closed, she kept the thoughts of those she loved in the forefront of her mind, her favorite memories of being together with Shining, of dining in the castle with Celestia, of the silly little song her and Twilight shared...
If this was the end... she would go with a smile... and the memories that she cherished most...
"... Sunshine... sunshine... hic... ladybugs... awake..." She whispered silently, her trembling lips trying valiantly to curl into the shape of a small smile as she felt the mouth of the creature begin to close around her head.
She waited for the final moments that never came. One second passed into two, then three, then four, but the silence was deafening. Her tear-stained eyes slowly opening in confusion, the scene that met her vision was something she wished to never see again. Her entire head was within the creature's mouth, it's teeth just centimeters from her face and it's long tongue held her in place by her throat. Trails of dark saliva dripped around her vision, the smell of death and decay filling her nostrils.
The creature began to move suddenly. Assuming the worst, she quickly shut her eyes, her lips releasing an almost silent whimper. Only to open them again in surprise as she felt the hot breath over her head vanish and the long tongue begin to unwrap from her neck. Cadence turned her head as best she could to stare back at it as the creature backed away from her, it's own twisted eyes wide as it returned her gaze. Slowly it began to shrink, the serpent-like creatures holding her up dropping her to the ground. She yelped in pain as she landed on her injured rear leg, quickly gripping at the wound with her uninjured foreleg.
With a grimace she turned to face the creature once more, only to look in shock at what seemed to be a normal-sized, if very dark looking, unicorn mare across from her. Her eyes had not changed, however, and that more than anything unsettled her. The serpent-like tendrils had also vanished into what looked like a pool of black tar beneath her. She seemed to be saying something that Cadence barely caught.
"Clap your hooves..." Her eyes widened even more if possible. The voice was different and heavily distorted, but it was a voice she knew all the same. She stared at the mare and they both continued in unison.
"And do a little shake..." Silence reigned between them.
"T-twilight?" Cadence asked, fearing the answer. After a moment that lasted far longer than Cadence would have liked, the mare gave a small nod, her mouth slightly open in surprise. Cadence could still see the sharp teeth behind them and it made her shiver.
"Cadence? What..." Twilight took a step forward, only to stop when Cadence flinched away from her. She thought back to what had just happened, what she had nearly done. Lifting her right hoof, she stared in contemplation.
'I... I don't regret it... I really wanted to...' Her eyes shook with turmoil as she realized that she had nearly killed and eaten one of her best friends, even if she had been the cause of everything that happened.
"Wh-what... what happened to you?" Cadence asked softly, her legs slightly shaking from the amount of pressure she was putting to stop the bleeding. She flinched as Twilight's eye's snapped to her and the dark sludge beneath her began to boil and hiss.
"Don't you remember...? You're the one who put me down here after all." She accused as the sound of her puddle echoed between them. Cadence stared in shock, then realization, as she struggled to her hooves, limping on her back left leg that now no longer bled freely, and keeping her right foreleg under her barrel.
"N-No! I didn't! The Cadence in the castle right now, she's an imposter! Something called a Changeling." Twilight looked to her with suspicion, her gaze hard. After a few more moments she relaxed and nodded slowly.
"I remember reading about them before, but I never thought I would ever encounter one..." Her face turned pensive as she looked away from the princess and she contemplated the situation, Cadence sighed in relief.
"You believe me?" Twilight looked back up and nodded as she approached her, Cadence flinched back again, taking a few struggling steps before falling on her flank due to putting too much pressure on her hind leg, she yelped lightly before grimacing. Twilight continued her advance undeterred, upon reaching pink mare she lit up her horn, a dark aura encasing it. The same aura engulfed Cadence's injuries and she gasped in sharp pain.
"Hold still, I can't heal the wounds, but I can stop the bleeding for a time." Cadence glanced at her nervously as she worked. Silence filled the air between them as Cadence took the time now to fully inspect the younger mare's body. Her eyes trailed over the dark purple coat before she gasped at the sight of her cutie mark. Before she could observe more, a twinge of pain in her legs brought her back to her current situation. She watched silently as the blood in her limbs slowed, then looked up carefully to the face of the mare who tended to her.
"H-how..." Twilight sent a sharp look at her, causing Cadence to look away and whimper. With a sigh, Twilight continued her work.
"...I don't know..." Cadence looked back towards her carefully, avoiding meeting her gaze.
"...I was in the ballroom, I had my suspicions about the imposter. No one believed me..." Her form started to shift, but with a great show of will, she kept herself the same and continued her work, not looking at Cadence.
"Obviously at the time, I didn't know she was fake. I had just thought that you had turned evil and were plotting something against my brother." She grits her teeth as she thought back to the actions of the imposter.
"The fake you returned while I was alone... after my friends and Celestia had..." She released a shuddering breath as a trail of fresh black tears made their way down her face, Cadence felt that she would have probably tried to wipe them away if they weren't so off-putting.
"She sent me here... I don't really remember what happened after she left... I just know I woke up... different..." She glanced at Cadence as her horn's glow faded.
"I'm not Twilight Sparkle anymore... I don't know who, or what, I am... But I KNOW you are the real Cadence. The fake didn't know our song..." She backed away slowly as Cadence struggled to her hooves, wincing as she stood. She looked to Twilight as tears started to form in her own eyes.
Her friend and the favorite little filly had become something terrible, something that she didn't know how to approach, and it was all because she had been captured by that thrice-damned Changeling!
"...We can fix this... I can fix this!" She looked Twilight in the eyes, shrugging off the urge to look away, it wasn't easy as the dark orbs stared back.
"I'll find a way to get you back to being you. I promise!" Twilight turned her head to the side slightly, her eyes still locked with Cadence's, before finally looking away.
"What if... I don't want to?" Her voice was slightly above a whisper, but Cadence still heard her and she stared in shock.
"Wh-what?" Twilight sighed and turned to look her in the eyes again.
"I'm stronger now... I can do things I had never even dreamed of... I don't know what caused this, but I'm thankful for it." Cadence took a step back at the bite in Twilight's voice, tears streaming down her face.
"B-but you have to! You can't stay like, like this! You're not a pony anymore Twilight, I don't know what you are! You have to, you have family and friends who lov-" Twilight's puddle hissed and boiled louder than before, a tendril shoot out and forming a serpent that snapped it's jagged teeth just inches in front of her face, silencing her.
"I WAS BETRAYED!!" Twilight's voice grew strangled as her form began to stretch and twist, partly taking on her more demonic appearance.
"I was left alone, abandoned, when I had needed them most! I knew you better than any of them! Better than Shining, better than Celestia! I remembered you as you had always been! But they, they refused to listen, they refused to take a moment and look at the facts before them, and by the time I am done with the Changeling that has brought this about, THEY SHALL SEE WHAT THEIR BETRAYAL HAS WROUGHT!!" She had not completely transformed into her more monstrous state, but it was enough to have Cadence backing away and crying profusely as she hugged the nearest wall, her eyes wide in fear and horror at the demon before her. After a few moments of heavy breathing, Twilight slowly returned to normal, her serpent withdrawing within the puddle that now simmered beneath her. She stared at Cadence in silence as she considered how the mare now shrunk away from her. Closing her eyes, she grit her teeth before biting back her temper and looking away.
"The wedding is still happening... If you want to stop it, we have to go..." Turning from Cadence, she began to walk out of the hole in the cavern and back towards the larger opening. Cadence stayed still for a moment more, trembling as she watched after the mare. Cautiously, she crawled out from the cave and began trailing after Twilight, her head low and tears dripping from her face.
Cadence limped along behind Twilight as she stared at the pony's back.
'How... how could this have happened... no matter what Twilight, I will find a way to bring you back to us! I swear it on my life!' Her gaze on the pony hardened along with her resolve, her limping steps gaining strength.
~ ~ ~
The entity from within the crystal observed the one it now knew as Twilight Sparkle, adjusting to her new form. It curiously maneuvered within her mind and studied her memories more closely. Such strange things, these ponies.
Sadness, fear, envy, disgust, resentment, Hatred. It knew only of the last emotion, the others, though they held similar aspects, were foreign to it. Yet there were still more emotions here that it not only did not understand but seemed almost polar opposites to what it did know.
Joy, courage, kindness... Love...? It paused on the last one, it seemed like a strong emotion, possibly rivaling to the hatred that composed its existence. It would need to take extra care with how it would proceed, the host seemed particularly attached to those last few...
~ ~ ~
Twilight and Cadence walked together in silence for a time. Neither had spoken since they left the small cave that would have become Cadence's tomb. They soon came across a large gorge in the cavern, the bottom seemed almost endless as it sank towards the abyss and the other side could be seen.
Glancing to a fro, neither could see a way across until an idea came to the pink alicorn. Cadence sat down and began to preen her wings the best she could, straightening crooked feathers so she could fly across smoothly. Looking over to her companion, Twilight watched her momentarily, before sighing and turning away from her. Hearing a small splashing, Cadence stopped her work and stared after Twilight as she walked towards a nearby crystal wall.
"Wh-where are you going? I-I can fly us across." She spoke aloud, nearly jumping at the sound of her own voice after so much tense silence. Twilight turned her head only slightly, her left eye staring back at Cadence, causing her to wilt beneath her gaze.
"You go ahead... I think... I have another way across... I'll meet you at the wedding..." She seemed distracted as she spoke, her right hoof raised and resting on the cavern wall. Cadence looked unsure as she stood up and faced her.
"Twili-" A sharp look from the dark mare stopped Cadence before she could fully say the dead mare's name. Twilight's glare was venomous.
"Never... say that name..." Cadence gave a tentative nod, gulping nervously.
"A-are you... certain? I can fly us across... it's not that far." She paused as she spoke, glancing down apprehensively at the strange puddle that had been following her friend through the tunnels. Twilight, however, ignored her and turned back to the wall, saying nothing. With a slight push, her hoof began to sink into the crystal, black liquid oozing from the contact. Dark, spiderweb-like marks began to stretch and cross the surface of the wall from where it and her hoof met. She grinned as she pushed forward, her whole form sinking into the wall and leaving a massive black spot in a shape eerily similar to a pony. Cadence watched in shock as the mare phased through the crystal itself, but then in horror as the wall began to crack and chip as the black spot grew a little more, long black veins splitting across the surface for a moment longer before finally stopping. Hearing a hiss, she looked down to see the puddle sinking into the base of the wall, a dark stain left in its wake.
A few louder cracks caught her attention, and she looked back up to see a dark, shadowy figure beginning to move through the wall, the damage to the wall trailing after the presence within and spreading out, splintering across the surface of the wall as it gave chase to its master.
"O-oh Celestia... what have you become... Twilight..." She whispered, tears burning her eyes as she stared after the form in horror. Shaking herself, she turned and spread her wings. With a final glance back at the dark figure that had faded deeper into the wall, she turned and jumped over the cavern, spreading her wings and flapping with all her might to get across.
The sound of wing beats echoing through the hall of Canterlot castle drew the attention of many a castle worker. Maids and servants, wandering nobles and commoners alike looked to the source often in surprise and some in annoyance.
Cadence ignored these looks and the occasional shout in her direction as she flew as quickly towards the Castle ballroom, cringing at the pain in her legs that she kept close to her barrel, but pushing forward nonetheless. Her eyes darting left and right, she watched the walls around her for any sign of the creature she had once known as Twilight Sparkle, her favorite little filly and close friend, now transformed into something far more sinister. Gasping for air as she flew, she turned a corner in the Castle's wing and spotted the door to the ballroom, it was closed and there were no guards to bar her path. She scrambled to the door, pushing it open with all the strength she had left, adrenaline pumping through her system.
"-And do you Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, ta-," Celestia was now facing the fake Cadence, proceeding with the wedding.
"Stop!" Everypony attending the ceremony snapped their heads in her direction as she fluttered into the room, landing on shaking legs, breathing heavily and looking worn. Small drops of blood began to drip from the wounds on her legs, having been reopened slightly due to her frantic movements. Celestia stepped forward, her eyes wide as she stared at her, while the imposter grimaced, glaring daggers at the real Cadence. Looking between the two, Celestia stared in momentary confusion.
"What is the meaning of this?" The imposter at the dais opened her mouth as if to defend herself, her face having already scrunched into a false sense of shock, but before she could utter a single word, Cadence began to shout.
"We don't have time for this! I'll sum it up as quickly as I can. I'm the real Cadence, I've been trapped in the Crystal Caves beneath the city for the last few days. The imposter behind you is a Changeling that's been feeding off of Shining's love for me ever since she trapped me down there! She's kept him in a trance to hide her feeding and manipulation of him!" Cadence took a moment to catch her breath while everypony turned to the fake who did her best impression of a goldfish, clearly not expecting to be interrupted and outed in the same sentence. Celestia's gaze turning hard, she and the rest of the bearers quickly backed away from her.
The imposter sighed after a moment, before smirking as her eyes shined with an emerald light. Suddenly she was consumed in a tower of green magic, the nobles and commoners in the seats nearest scrambling to climb over the back of the pews to get away, frantic yelling and screaming erupting from them. When the tempest died down, there stood a creature that often was only seen in the depictions of books.
She stood as tall as Celestia, but instead of skin and fur, her body seemed to be made of black chitin, some green covering her belly and back. She spread two wicked insect-like wings that buzzed softly, her long seaweed like mane and tail barely moving as she did so. The most disturbing thing to them, however, was how her long legs, her wings, her mane and tail, even her twisted horn, seemed to be riddled with holes that they could see through.
She laughed at the shocked and fearful stares, her slightly distorted voice sending cold shivers down everypony's spine. After a moment, she turned her venomous gaze upon Cadence and smirked.
"My, my, to think you would escape from those caves, much less in time to reveal everything. Well, no sense letting your little victory go to waste. I am a Changeling, Queen Chrysalis, and I have come to declar-" Cadence cut her off before she could finish.
"I don't care! I just don't. Fucking. Care! I don't care who you are, I don't care what you were planning, I don't even care about what you did to me. Right now, the only thing I care about, is that you leave!" Everypony looked in bewilderment, all the while she paid them no heed as her eyes frantically searched the walls of the room, her frame trembling.
Chrysalis looked to the frazzled mare with wide eyes, before huffing in irritation as she adopted a more offended visage.
"Are you serious? After all I've done? After all the planning I've put into this? Do you honestly expect me to just flee because you demand it?" She burst out laughing, only to stop short as she heard the high pitched sound of magic ringing through the air. With quick reflexes, she dodged to the side, crouching into a defensive stance. A bright gold beam of light blasted past where she had been standing and burned into the stone pillar behind her.
"I may not know the whole story, but I won't allow this to continue." Turning to face her attacker, Chrysalis found the glaring eyes of the ruler of Equestria bearing down on her. She glared back in challenge. Catching movement on either side of her, she spotted the orange earth pony mare called Applejack and the cyan mare with a rainbow mane called Rainbow Dash, flanking their Princess.
"We got your back Princess!" Rainbow Dash yelled as she shed the wedding attire alongside her friend in one easy motion, the cloth collapsing to the ground in heaps. Applejack seemingly pulled her hat from out of nowhere and steadied it on her head while she glared hard at Chrysalis.
"What we got here is a pest problem, an ah hate pests!" She growled, pawing her front right hoof into the floor and snorting.
Taking a moment to glance at the mares, Celestia gave a curt nod of approval. With the guards that had been stationed outside having been assigned another task, the two bearers of Honesty and Loyalty were her best bet at winning this. Chrysalis cursed her luck if it were just Celestia, she might could have stood a better chance in a one on one, but it would seem the circumstances were not in her favor.
Fluttershy, Rarity and Pinkie Pie quickly took it upon themselves to gather up the young ones. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo had all been the flower fillies for the wedding, but right now they were terrified and needed to be protected. Looking past the group that would no doubt soon come to blows, Rarity focused her magic on Spike, who watched the events beside a stone still Shining Armor. With a quick yank of her head, he yelped in surprise before finding himself in her embrace and suddenly thrust into the middle with the fillies.
Snapping her attention from the walls around them, Cadence turned her panicked gaze to the three hostile ponies and one changeling.
"No, no no! We don't have time for this! She's coming, and if you-" A cry from Rainbow Dash interrupted her as the prismatic mare leaped forward, aiming her right hoof at Chrysalis' horn, attempting to take out her magic on the first blow.
Chrysalis' dodged deftly, snarling as she lit up her horn and batted the pegasus away with a minor blast. The winged pony was faster then she had anticipated, preventing the Changeling from charging the spell completely and seriously injuring the mare.
'Ugh, amateur-' She thought in annoyance, only for a set of orange hooves to come crashing against her chest, making her gasp in pain as she was launched back, colliding with the entranced Shining and sending them both falling over in a heap. Shining's eyes rolled in his head as the green tint to them slowly began to fade.
Scrambling back to her hooves with a hiss and kicking the poor stallion out of her way, Chrysalis glared back at the earth mare that had dared to strike her. Applejack quickly turned from the heavy buck she delivered and leaped to capitalize on her momentary advantage. Rainbow Dash, who had only been knocked a few feet away, jumped to join the fray, her wings propelling her forward.
Chrysalis' cursed at her situation, it would be difficult to deal with these two. She smirked, but not too difficult. Lighting up her horn, she snatched Rainbow Dash from the air with a yelp, using her own flight momentum to slam her into Applejack, knocking the two of them off the dais and down the few stairs in a tumble of limbs and cries of pain.
"You're going to have to try better than that to take me down." She smirked at them as she straightened her frame, only to be blasted further back by a beam of golden magic slamming into her. With a groan, she looked up to see Celestia staring her down at her once more from the center of the dais. The ruler's gaze was hard and she saw no mercy in those eyes.
"Rainbow Dash, Applejack, keep her off balance, I'll provide ranged support." She crouched a bit, her wings flaring as her horn lit up once more. Chrysalis quickly got back to her hooves, grimacing as her chest twinged in pain and a small bit of green blood began to leak from the left side of her mouth.
"So it's going to be like that..." Catching movement in the corner of her eye, she saw that the two ponies she had sent tumbling had untangled themselves and were advancing on her again. Both mares gave the Changeling burning glares as Rainbow leaned her neck over, releasing a few popping sounds as Applejack straightened her hat and spit off to the side, her eyes never once leaving her target.
"You have to stop this now!" Cadence shouted, attempting to step forward but falling short when she was quickly reminded of the pain in her legs. She gasped as she fell to the floor, her wings too exhausted to hold her aloft anymore and her legs in too much pain. She lit her horn, hoping to use a spell to regain their attention, but the blue light faded shortly after its conception. She groaned in frustration at her own weakness while the nobles and commoners nearest to her, and weren't currently enthralled by the battle, stared at her in confusion.
~ ~ ~
Dusty Joy was not having a good day, in fact, she was having a rather horrible day. Groaning in frustration, she thought back on what it had been that lead her here.
First of all, as a Thestral, or bat pony as her kind have been affectionately nicknamed, she shouldn't even be up at this Luna-forsaken hour. But with the wedding going on today, a lot of the staff in the castle were having to pull doubles to make sure that everything was spotless for the event. Dark bags rested beneath her tired yellow eyes as she continued to dust a small bust of princess Celestia that rested on a pedestal in the hallway, the same bust she had been dusting for the past half hour.
The second thing to have gone wrong is that her boss, Peach Seed, had decided to give her the longest hall in the whole, fucking, castle, to clean all by herself. She had tried to argue the point but apparently, the other two ponies who were supposed to be helping decided to call in their vacation time a week in advance so that they could avoid the wedding detail. She cursed them inwardly as she lightly bit on the feather duster handle in her teeth, her eyes drooping somewhat.
Finally, the final nail in the coffin for her bad day was getting reprimanded for having kicked a stallion in the face when he had come up behind her and smacked her flank. She blushed lightly in anger at remembering that particular event. She had been leaning over, trying to clean underneath one of the hall benches, when he had suddenly come up from behind her and smacked it!
Her boss was understanding of the situation thankfully, but he still had to reprimand her in front of the pervert! Of course, it did make it just a teeny bit better, when he turned and began to lay into the stallion about his own behavior, then having the culprit escorted from the grounds by a couple of guards.
Her eyes began to close a bit more as she barely continued to dust the small sculpture, most of the tool missing and hitting thin air. Maybe a small nap wouldn't hurt? Nopony would be coming down this hall anytime soon with the wedding anyway and it's not like she hasn't worked hard enough. After a few more moments, the dark grey and black speckled mare drifted off while standing in front of the bust, the feather duster still held lightly in her teeth.
After barely a few seconds of the young mare passing out, the stillness of the hall was interrupted by the sound of stone and paint cracking and chipping. Just down the way from her, a massive dark stain began to spread like a disease from the base of the wall, climbing up to its center. The stone surface seemed to almost rot and decay as small bits of stone and paint fell to the floor as black, vein-like tendrils spider-webbed across its surface and followed the shadow that moved beneath it. It continued its path down the hallway, the wall it was attached to decaying in its wake. It almost seemed to gain speed as it progressed, but never going faster than the average pony's quick trot.
Passing by the sleeping Dusty Joy, the wall before her gave a small groan as it rotted and heaved, the dark tendril-like veins branching out. The back of the bust that she had been dusting rested against the wall behind it and one of the veins lightly touched where it connected. With an even louder crack, the bust fell in half, the upper portion crashing to the floor, waking her with a start and causing her to drop the duster.
"Wh-what! I'm not sleeping, I swear!" She looked left and right in a slight panic, only to sigh in relief when she saw that no pony was there. Her tufted ears flicked at the strange sounds that filled the hall and she glanced to the wall ahead of her and her eyes grew wide in shock.
The entire wall before her was near black and decayed. The bust she had been cleaning was broken in half, with the head of the piece resting on the floor at her hooves. Looking down the hall, she watched in horror as the shadowy stain continued in its path of corrosion towards the other end and around the corner.
"...Nope... Nope, nope, no way, nu-huh, not in this lifetime. Somepony else can deal with this, I'm out." She turned on her hooves, leaving her duster to lay on the floor and trotting out toward the other end of the hall, in the opposite direction of the creepy stain.
"I don't get paid enough for this!" Her shout echoed down the hall.
~ ~ ~
"I don't suppose any of you have any earplugs?" Steel Blitz sighed in annoyance for what seemed like the tenth time that morning as Blue Blood continued to yell through his door while she and her squad stood next to it. Light Shine, the blue unicorn stallion and twin brother to Emerald Haze, the jade green unicorn across from him, had been asking for some way to block out the noble's obnoxious pleas.
"No, Light, we don't have any earplugs, neither you or your brother know a spell to counter sound, and no you can't use my wings to muffle the noise by wrapping them around your head. So when you ask us, again, five more minutes from now, about some way to block out the sound of that overgrown colt, not only will my answer be the same as the last nine times, but it'll be accompanied by an armored hoof to the groin." She glared up at him as he smirked back, only to wince, his ears flaying back at Blue Blood's obnoxious voice.
"Let me out at once! You can't do th-" Maple Branch, the large dark brown earth pony, lightly kicked the door with one rear leg without much looking at it. The force of the kick echoed around the hall junction and they could hear the prince fall on his flank away from the door that he must have been leaning against, an imprint of a large hoof now embedded into the hard mahogany frame.
"Pipe down lad, the princess will be ere' soon enough to let ya' sorry flank out." His voice was gruff and the others looked to him in surprise. It wasn't often that their large, normally stoic friend spoke or acted out in some way without being ordered to unless he had a few too many pints down at the pub. Glancing over at them, he shrugged.
"E's actin like one o' me sister's lil' ones. They can be a bit o'er the top, so sometimes I af' to step in an' put me hoof down." They all looked to him for a bit longer, before nodding and glancing aside. Silence reigned through the hall before Emerald looked toward their lieutenant, a small blush on his face.
"So uh, l-lieutenant? I had a question..." Light Shine silently snickered at this while Maple Branch smiled lightly. Giving the blue unicorn a sharp glare, Steel Blitz turned and smiled at Emerald, her expression lighter as she nodded for him to go ahead.
"I-I was, um, wondering if, a-after our shift today you'd like to, maybe go get a drink together? W-with me?" His blush only grew as he spoke, his eyes flicking from her to his hooves. Steel Blitz's smile softened and she sighed.
She'd known that Emerald had had a crush on her for some time, it wasn't exactly his best-kept secret. She had put this squad together nearly a year ago, so she had plenty of time to get to know all of them personally aside from what she read in their files. They had all become fast friends and they each had their own little quirks, but one that stood out the most at times was that Emerald was shy when it came to mares. He wasn't borderline afraid to talk the ones he liked, it just usually took him a while to get the strength to ask one of them out. She hoped he wouldn't take this the wrong way, it wasn't him! Honest! It's just, she's not exactly into stallions per se.
"Listen, Emerald, I-" She hardly began to see him deflate at her words before a loud crack caught her attention, the rest of her guard instantly swapping to alert. Eyes sharp and ears perked, they glanced in every direction for the source.
"There!" Turning their heads, they followed the direction of Light Shine's gaze as he nodded to something coming around the junction of the hall. A massive black stain moved through the wall itself, causing it to decay and crack, spider-like veins splitting and marring the wall's surface as it trailed its way towards them.
"Squad, Blossom Position!" The whole squad blurred into motion. Steel jumping to the front of the group while Emerald took a position to her back right, Light stood to her back left and Maple planting himself firmly behind them, a bulwark in the event the enemy made it passed the first three.
"Emerald, what can you see?" Steel barked as her gaze never left the stain, it was approaching them at an even speed while Emerald quickly ignited his horn and began to search through the wall.
"I'm not seeing anything Lieutenant, it's like there's nothing there... Wait! I can sense... there is something but, hang on." Closing his eyes, his horn grew brighter with its green light. He prodded within the wall with is aura as he felt about it, trying to feel what could be causing such damage when his mind touched something that shouldn't have been there, his head exploded with images of blood, death, and something else, something... The image of a demonic figure, twisted in nature and dripping with a black fluid lashed out at him within his mind, sending him back to his body.
His eyes snapped open with a yelp of fear and he fell back, a cold sweat covering his body and he shook, breathing heavily. His brother glanced over at him in worry.
"L-l-l-lieutenant!" He stared at the stain with fearful eyes. As Steel glared at it, the shadow began to close in, and then proceeded to continue through the wall beside them, across from Blue Blood's door. If they didn't do something soon it would proceed unhindered!
"Well!?" She demanded in haste, snapping her gaze to the down and terrified stallion. He gulped in air and frantically shook his head.
"I-I don't know! B-but it's dangerous!" He gasped out while struggling back to his hooves. Steel cursed beneath her breath and turned back to the stain.
"Can the two of you halt it's spread with your magic?" She wasn't stupid, she knew she couldn't physically stop something that was obviously using the wall as it's medium, but that damn well wouldn't stop her from trying. Hearing two sets of horns light up behind her, she chanced a glance back, seeing Emerald back on his hooves as he and his brother combined their magic.
They grunted and strained as they tried to feel for the source of the shadow that moved through the wall, but to no avail. Their horns died down as they looked to their lieutenant with worry and frustration.
"I'm sorry ma'am, but we can't even get a grip on the wall itself! It's like magic doesn't work near it." Light Shine watched with worry as the stain passed them by, but not before the whole hallway shook as something large suddenly slammed into the wall where the stain's front was, smashing through it and bursting into the service hall on the other side. They all stood on alert as the dust settled, revealing Maple Branch standing in the rubble what was left, not a scratch on him or his armor. He glanced around to the edges of the wall, noting that the decay and stain continued it's path down the hall, undeterred. Turning to their lieutenant, who stared at him with a raised brow, he shrugged.
"Was worth a shot." He paused momentarily to dust himself off. With that, Steel turned to the twins, her body rigid and eyes determined.
"Stay with the charge, Maple and I will go and follow this thing, if it's headed where I think it's headed, there is gonna be big trouble." They looked like they wanted to argue, but a sharp glare from their superior officer made them bite their tongues.
"We still have our orders to keep him confined. The two of you will stay, if we need back up, we'll send for you. Everypony have their dragon fire charm?" They each reached within the neck of their armor and produced a necklace with a pendant at the end that resembled a fireball, green in color. The pendant was used among the guard to quickly deliver messages to each other in emergencies, it was a one time use only, so they had to be cautious with it.
Nodding to them, she turned and began to sprint down the hall, the loud stomping hoof-steps of Maple chasing after her.
"... Darnit, I never got her answer." Emerald sighed while his brother just chuckled and clapped him on the back with a hoof.
"What in the name of Aunty are you fools doing out there!?" The muffled and ear-grating voice of the prince came through the door, causing both brothers to groan in annoyance.
~ ~ ~
"You have to stop! You need to get out of here dammit!!" Cadence continued to scream at the fighting mares who all ignored her cries. Celestia turned her gaze to her briefly, worry creasing her brow, before having to snap her attention back to the front, throwing up another shield to block a blast of magic.
Rainbow Dash and Applejack were worse off, small bruises and singed fur shared between the two of them as they dodged the magic to the best of their ability. Everypony was breathing heavily and though they outnumbered the Changeling Queen, they didn't seem to be making any progress other than having backed her up against a wall on the far side of the ballroom. Only a few minor injuries marred Chrysalis' frame, but nothing substantial enough to put her out of commission.
"Go ahead, keep fighting me! It will only delay the inevitable! Even now, my Changeling swarm chips away at the shield that surrounds Canterlot. Any moment now and they'll be breaking through, your city will be overrun!" She laughed as Rainbow launched herself at her again, screaming in anger. But the queen was ready for her, with a wicked grin her horn lit up in her toxic green aura as she captured the mare in a strong telekinetic grip, holding her in front of herself. Celestia immediately stopped the blast she had been charging and stared angrily at the Changeling while Rainbow struggled in the magic grip.
"Rainbow!" Her friends all called out to her in fear and worry as the Changeling smirked.
"Let... me... go!" Rainbow cried, struggling to move and escape the magical grasp.
"Now what Princess? Are you still willing to fight me? Go ahead, fire one of your blasts, I'm certain It will hit me this time." Celestia grimaced at the grinning Changeling.
"Coward!" She exclaimed, thinking quickly to find a way to free Rainbow without harming her.
Cadence stood near the middle of the aisle now, struggling to make her way towards them on shaking legs, her voice had started to go hoarse as she been yelling to get them to stop. The only good thing she can think to come of the fight was that the spell on Shining had been weakened enough from that impact he took at the start of the fight. He now stood next to her, helping to hold her up on his own shaky and weakened hooves.
"Cadence, what... what in Equestria happened?" He asked wearily, grasping at his head as another wave of nausea overtook him, the result of the leftover magic that the Changeling had been using on him. He flinched in pain as he forced his eyes open to watch the battle unfold. He cursed himself for not being of any use to her majesty. He tried to light his horn one more time for the sake of it, the bare tip flickering before going out.
"I- I can't explain right now..." Cadence fought to catch her breath, her throat sore from all the yelling.
"But we have to stop them. Chrysalis' needs to leave now or else-" The echoing sound of a large stone cracking rang throughout the room, cutting her off mid-sentence.
Her eyes slowly widened in horror as she turned her head to the doors at the front of the room. The wall next to them now sported a rather large crack in its surface. Only those who were not completely absorbed by the situation upfront, took notice of the damage and all watched in silent trepidation as a great black shadow began to grow on the wall's surface. It began to decay and fall to pieces before their very eyes as it began to move around the room, making its way toward the ongoing conflict. The hanging banisters that held depictions of flowers and were colored a pristine white began to darken as it passed, tearing apart and breaking away from their holds as they drifted to the floor below.
Cadence slowly began to lower herself to the floor in an attempt to make herself as small as possible while never taking her eyes off the shadow, her ears flayed back in fear as fresh tears poured from them. Shining watched the wall decay and he stared in shock.
"What in Celestia's name...?" He whispered to himself. Looking to Cadence, he took note of her apparent fear and immediately he hugged her close, glaring back at the wall in defiance.
"I-it's too late... she's here... she's here..." Cadence clenched her eyes tight as she whimpered into Shining's chest. He gulped nervously as he watched the decay spread across the room, making its way towards the fighting ponies.
Celestia had lit up her horn once more, a plan to free Rainbow and strike at the Queen in the same motion were fresh in her mind, but she froze as she watched the wall behind the Changeling grow dark, it's surface looking as though decades were passing in mere seconds. She stared in shock as it only grew darker behind the Queen, was this some magic of hers?
Chrysalis took no notice of the happening's around her as she focused solely on the princess.
"What's the matter, princess? If you don't free your precious little pony here, I might just have to take a quick bite." She hissed as she opened her mouth, a long, thin and forked red tongue stretching out as she leaned towards Rainbow, who closed her eyes tight.
Suddenly, Chrysalis found that she could no longer move her head forward, there was also a strange sensation around her neck. It almost felt like something was holding her back. Looking down, she stared in surprise and confusion as what appeared to be some kind of black rope, made from some foul-smelling liquid, wrapped tightly around her neck.
"Wha-" She didn't get so much as a word out before with a hard yank, she was snatched from where she stood and brought to heel into the decaying wall behind her. Her concentration broken, Rainbow was freed and she quickly dashed to the princess' side alongside Applejack, both who looked towards the scene with slight confusion and wariness.
"Wow princess, I didn't know you could do that." Rainbow spoke as she watched more black tendrils stretch from the dark stain on the wall behind Chrysalis, catching her legs and pinning them to the stone, a black liquid beginning to pour from where they connected with its surface.
"I... did not do this..." Celestia whispered in awe and more than a little worry as she watched the Changeling Queen be taken captive by this... thing.
The doors to the ballroom burst open once more as Steel Blitz and Maple Branch came bounding into the room. Nopony took much notice of them however as their gaze was firmly locked on the struggling Queen.
"Well, fuck..." Steel quipped as she took in the scene before her. Glancing about at all the nobles and commoners with their head's stuck in their flanks, she turned back to Maple and nodded her head to the right side of the room, he nodded an affirmative.
Turning to the opposite side, she took a deep breath, before barking orders into the crowd.
"Alright everypony, time to evacuate! All mares and foals to the front and out the door first, stallions form up in a wall behind them and block anything that gets through!" Nopony moved for a moment as they just stared at her as though she had grown a second head, she growled in frustration.
"Did I fucking stutter!? Get moving!" The ponies burst into a flurry of scrambling hooves as they quickly tried to follow her orders in a disorganized mess. The mares ushering the foals to the front as the stallions worked to form a defensive barrier behind them as they made their way out of the pews and down the aisle alongside the ponies on the right side of the ballroom where Maple directed them. Nodding to herself, Steel looked beyond them at the dais to see how things were progressing, only to spot three of the Element Bearers formed in a small circle around a young dragon and three other foals. With a groan, she sprinted past the quickly moving herd and made her way towards them.
Rarity was the first to spot her and quickly waved her over as she approached.
"Thank goodness, the guard finally made it here, what took you so long!" She complained, Steel ignored her and immediately began to give them orders.
"Take the fillies and the dragon and follow the herd out! I'll watch your backs." Pinkie jumped into her face, nearly shouting and flailing her hooves.
"Are you kidding me! We're not leaving without Dashie and Jacky!" She proclaimed, a hoof pointed in the direction of the two worn-out ponies who stood on either side of Celestia, Steel gave a vehement sigh.
"I understand that you want to help your friends, but you can't be here right now! We don't know what that thing is or what it's capable of, so we need to get all non-combatants out of the situation so that the rest of us can deal with it safely." She tried to convey the importance of this. If any of them were still hanging around when the shit hit the fan again, it could end badly.
"I'm not leaving without them! You can take the fillies and Spike, but we're staying!" Turning in surprise, all three mares stared at Fluttershy who stared back with a hard, unflinching gaze that made them wince and want to look away.
"Fine! Do what you want, come on you four, let's get you to safety." Giving up on the three mares, she quickly guided the four young ones out of the circle and led them to the herd, where Maple took charge of them, seeing them out.
Once the door was closed and the only remaining ponies in the ballroom were herself, Maple, the Element Bearers, her captain and his bride to be, Celestia, and the now captive and struggling Changeling, she took on a more combative stance alongside her second in command.
'Let's not forget that thing in the wall...' She thought bitterly as she carefully examined the dark stain that held the Changeling against her will. Chrysalis could only scream in frustration and anger as she tried to free herself from the strange bindings holding her to the stone surface.
"What is this! What trickery have you done, Celestia!?" She turned her gaze to the Princess, only to stare in surprise as the ruler's horn was not lit with her golden magic. This wasn't her doing, this was something else entirely. Grunting with effort, she struggled even more. Suddenly she paused and her eyes grew wide, she could feel something from within the wall behind her.
All Changelings, no matter their divergent species, had the ability to sense emotions. This was beneficial for the hunting of targets who held a great deal of love for them to feed off of. But some emotions stung them harshly when exposed to them in larger amounts. What she was feeling now was one such emotion. An emotion in such a stunningly large amount, that she nearly forgot to breathe and she shook in fear. There was so much hate coming from this wall... this thing that held her captive.
Several loud gasps and even a scream of fright caught her attention, looking up to see everypony in the room staring in shock and horror above her. Fearful, but curious, she chanced a look up and what she found there stole the voice from her throat.
Moments before she had looked up, the wall above her had grown ever darker until it was finally a pitch-black where no light reflected from its surface. Black liquid began pouring down from a point directly above the Changeling's head, dripping down the wall beneath it and pooling on the floor below. Slowly, a structure began to climb through the large stain, a massive head easily larger than the top half of its prey's body. Chrysalis began to shiver in terror as it looked down upon her with a predatory grin, it's dark purple, almost black fur dripping with the same black fluid that poured from the wall where it leaned. Its black eyes stared at her hungrily as it opened it's mouth wide, sharp rows of jagged, dagger-like teeth lining it's maw as it let out a distorted, demonic screech that caused everypony in the room to cover their ears in a vain attempt to drown it out. Several of the windows in the room cracked and one shattered, the glass falling to the floor and scattering across the marble.
Chrysalis could feel hot tears streaming down her face as she struggled even harder against her bindings, her eyes never breaking contact with the creature's as her horn lit up in desperation, only to flicker out as though something were blocking it. Screaming and yelling, she cried in fear and panic as she felt the creature above her rear it's head back in preparation to launch forward and no doubt bite off her upper half.
With a final scream of terror, she was suddenly blinded by a bright golden light and felt the wall behind her shake with a tremendous force. Falling forward, somehow free from her bindings, she crawled away and down the dais as she blinked rapidly to restore her vision. She climbed into the first pew at the bottom of the small set of stairs and over it to the second, cowering behind it like a filly as she shook and cried at what had almost come to pass. She didn't care that she had gotten free or how it happened, all she knew was that she was alive and that she could still feel the hatred from that monster in the air around her, engulfing her senses.
Celestia breathed heavily, the tip of her horn smoking slightly as she recovered from the powerful blast of magic she had produced to destroy the... thing. She didn't know what it was, but she knew she couldn't allow it to continue to exist in her presence. It felt foul to her, sickly and twisted, yet... familiar. She would have to wait until after everything had calmed down before she could thoroughly investigate it.
Cadence stared in horror at the massive, burning hole through the wall where she knew that Twilight had been. Looking to Celestia, fresh tears poured from her eyes as she gulped nervously.
"Y-y-you... killed her...?" Celestia, still gasping for air and sweating profusely after the expulsion of so much magic at once, looked to her in confusion.
"You... ki-killed... Twilight..." Everypony stared at her in shock.
The castle ballroom was silent as everypony kept their eyes on Cadence, the revelation of what she had just said slowly settling within their minds. Slowly turning away from her niece, Celestia stared with wide eyes at the rubble and fire where she had just unleashed her devastating blast of magic. Tears fell from her eyes lightly as she watched the small embers burn.
"What...? " The quiet question, carrying the weight of everyone's own thoughts, filled the air as Shining stared at his betrothed, his frame trembling and his eyes begging her. Cadence looked away, unable to meet his eyes and leaning back into him.
"I-it... was Twilight, what was left of her... after the caves..." A few gasps and sounds of disbelief followed after her voice, Celestia feeling her blood turn to ice.
"Cadence... are you certain that... that... was Twilight...?" Everypony looked to Celestia as she watched the small fires flicker. Nodding her head, Cadence slowly pushed away from her fiance and stood up on shaking hooves, wincing at the pain.
"Careful..." Shining was reluctant to let her stand on her own, standing next to her and letting her lean against him as she stabled herself with him. Nodding to him in thanks, she faced Celestia once more, her eyes stronger than before despite the fresh tears that trailed down her cheeks.
"I wouldn't be here in the first place if it wasn't for her. She found me in the caves where I was trapped. At first, she thought I was..." She glanced over towards the Changeling Queen who now peered over the back of the pews, watching them with apprehension, all the while trying to stop her own trembling.
"But I managed to prove who I was before she... before any real harm had been done... she proved to me that it was her in the same way." Celestia finally tore her eyes from the burning rubble and gave her a questioning look, she knew it wasn't the full story, but she would not interrupt.
"Our song, the one I taught her as a filly. It became a sort of greeting for us. Nopony but us knew it, it's how she knew that the fake Cadence was an imposter. She didn't know the song." Cadence nodded her head once more in Chrysalis' direction. After another moment of silence, Celestia closed her eyes and nodded in solemn acceptance.
"Then... she succumbed to dark mag-" She was cut off as the sound of hoof steps behind her caught her attention. Before she could look to find the source, there stood five mares before her, each in varying degrees of pain and anger, some physical and some emotional.
"No!" Rainbow Dash yelled, her disheveled mane bouncing as she struggled to stay aloft just at her eyesight, an injury to her wing making her struggle. Anger was prominent in her face as she outright denied what Celestia had been about to say.
"Twilight wouldn't do that! There's no way she'd give in to something like that!" She continued, her hover slightly rocking as she favored her right rear leg in the air, her injuries light, but nothing critical. Celestia sighed as she looked at the ponies before her who nodded in agreement with their friend.
"Listen my little ponies-" A loud snort cut her off again and she looked to see that now Applejack had stepped forward, her face like stone, cold and unreadable.
"No, you listen here princess. We know Twilight, all of us here do. Ain't no way, no how would that meek little mare ever use a magic like that. Ah've seen Twilight accomplish heaps of things without that little horn. She would nev-... what in tarnation?" She grumbled in annoyance as the sound of something sizzling had slowly begun to fill the air around them, growing in volume until it could no longer be ignored as the ponies in the room searched for its source. All eyes in the room slowly turned to face the burning rubble. They watched in silent worry as the fires began to fade, dark smoke taking their place until finally, even that was snuffed out.
The soft sound of a liquid dripping to the floor drew their gaze as they watched small rivers of a black fluid beginning to bleed from the rubble, pouring over the larger pieces and streaming out from under it. Celestia and those closest began to back away as Cadence stared, eyes wide. Steel Blitz and Maple Branch rushed to the front of their ruler, pushing the Bearers back behind them and taking on defensive stances.
"Sh-she's alive?" Cadence's shock at this realization overwhelmed her fear with joy. Twilight was alive!... Twilight is... alive... her moment of elation ebbed away as reality quickly came crashing back down. Cadence began to backpedal away from the dais, dragging Shining with her as he tried to stay in place to see what was happening.
Everypony watched in morbid fascination as the small rivers grew in size, before a proverbial flood of the liquid gushed forth from the rubble, coalescing into a single large puddle that stretched out across the marble floor. Cadence idly noted that there seemed to be more of it than before as it began to spill down the dais, pouring its way towards the pews. Chrysalis watched from behind the back of the first pew, her eyes wide and her body trembling.
'All forces... full retreat...' Her hive mind sent forth a message to her army that awaited on the outskirts of Canterlot's barrier. Her drones replied in confusion as they stilled in their attempts to break through, some unsure. She responded to their uncertainty with one memory. A single moment burned into her mind's eye that would haunt her for the rest of her days, the horrifying visage that had very nearly ended her existence. Most of her drones quickly complied at the sight, while a few decided they would stay behind as an extraction team to save their Queen from this creature that seemed out for her blood. The four remaining Changelings began to redouble their efforts to break through the shield, concentrating their attacks on a single point in tandem, beginning to chip through it at a more efficient rate.
Chrysalis was so distracted with calling her retreat, that she had not noticed when the puddle had begun to seep beneath the pew before her, it's edge creeping under and around her hooves.
Celestia stared at the growing lake of fluid, her heart in a turmoil of worry and fear as she fought to keep an unreadable expression.
'Twilight...'
~ ~ ~
Twilight's mind felt as though a heavy fog had settled over it as she felt her rage and hatred boil around and within her. She had her, She had her! Only for her vengeance to be denied by nopony other than her own mentor, her teacher, Celestia herself!
An echoing growl began to rise within the depths of her mind. Unbeknownst to the irate mare, however, a small part of her, a part that went ignored in her all-consuming rage, shimmered with a faint light.
In the darkness of her subconscious, the Entity glared at this light in disgust. It was this light that prevented it from fully consuming the host right now despite the mare's strong hatred overshadowing it. The light kept it at bay, but it would not last, the Entity knew. All things had a breaking point, it would simply have to wait and be patient.
~ ~ ~
Everypony jumped at the sound of a strong, pulsing, throb. It's suddenness startling everypony from the silence. After a moment, nothing more happened.
"What was tha-" Rarity began, only for a second throb to echo in the room. Everypony watched in horror as what looked like a blackened heart began to form on the top of the puddle, resting in its epicenter. Within moments, the mound of flesh began to rise along with blackened bones that quickly formed a protective cage around it. A skull took its place at the front of the bony structure and twisted its neck as it turned to look at them with empty sockets, it's frame snapping in its motion as the sound of bones rattling and creaking filled the air.
It stared at Celestia as she watched flesh begin to form in patches upon the twisted facsimile of a pony. The sound of somepony losing their lunch could be heard from somewhere behind her, but no pony else dared to look away.
As the flesh began to form around its throat and the right half of its skull, a single orb of flesh began to grow and form, before a black eye with three teal dots stared hard at Celestia, a strangled cry beginning to come from its half-formed lips that left its force sounding gargled and raspy.
"ceee... leeeeest... iiiiiiaaaaa!!!!" The room shook with the force of the cry as her form slowly became whole. She stood a little taller than Celestia, her body lanky and so thin her ribs could be clearly seen. Her head leaned forward with her large mouth, filled with razor-sharp teeth, wide open. Black saliva dripped around her teeth as her long twisted tongue stretched out. The puddle beneath her boiled and hissed around as two massive black serpents rose on either side of her, snapping and hissing as they watched the ponies with their haunting crimson eyes.
Many more tendrils slowly rose around her, some with claws, some with scythe-like blades, and others with mouths of gnashing teeth.
Trembling even more, Chrysalis began to back away, trying to make her way down the pew and out through the door before the demented creature noticed her. Only when she tried to lift her legs, they would not budge. Looking down in confusion, she yelped as she finally realized that she was standing within the puddle's radius, small tendrils having risen and now wrapped through the holes in her legs, rooting her in place. A single large tendril shot from the puddle beneath her and wrapped around her muzzle, clamping it shut. Everypony looked to her, hearing her voice, staring in shock at seeing her captured once again.
Celestia gulped nervously at the sight before her. If this truly was Twilight... oh mother help her...
Twilight stared at the princess in utter rage and contempt for the barest of moments, before her eyes caught the fearful faces of the bearers who trembled behind her... She grit her teeth in frustration. They were all here... all of those who had betrayed her... She squeezed her eyes shut, the dark stains beneath them dripping into the puddle below. Resolving herself, she opened them once more and bore her gaze into the mares.
"Why...?" The question was quiet but held so much weight behind it. The mares looked to her in fear and confusion, silence reigning between them as they processed her question.
"Look to me Twilight, not them." Twilight's burning eyes, along with that of her serpents, swapped to Celestia in an instant. releasing a distorted cry, two of her tendrils lashed out at the princess, whose eyes widened in shock at the sudden assault. The guards before her tried to intercept the attack but weren't fast enough and the shield she cast in front of her on reflex shattered with the impact of the first clawed tendril. Throwing herself to the side, a tendril with a scythe-like blade passed right where her head had been, grazing the side of her right cheek and leaving a bleeding gash.
"Never say that name!" Rising to her hooves, Celestia now stared at her former student with sorrow and more than a little fear as tears began to drip from her eyes.
Steel Blitz and Maple jumped at Twilight with cries of outrage, but the moment they set hoof within her puddle, they were defeated, one tendril grasping the pegasus around the barrel, while three more pinned the large earth stallion.
"Get-" Steel Blitz didn't get to finish, as like Chrysalis, another tendril quickly wrapped around both her muzzle and Maple's, silencing them both.
Taking a few steps towards her, Celestia stopped just outside the puddle's edge, her eyes watching it warily, before looking back to the puddle's origin. This magic, if one could call it that, was nothing she had ever encountered. It was obviously dark magic, but it wasn't the same as what she was used to seeing. Twilight didn't have the telltale signs that were associated with its use either, the green and red eyes. whatever this was... it was darker... and far more malevolent.
"Twi-" She froze as she the bubbles in the liquid boiled more violently, tendrils raising to strike again. Twilight's gaze never left her, nor did she seem opposed to the idea of striking at the princess a second time. Celestia nervously bit her bottom lip before proceeding with extreme caution.
"I... I know you are angry... but this isn't you. You don't have to do this, your friends and family are here for you..." Twilight snarled, her serpents hissing and snapping their fangs in response, but otherwise, she remained silent.
"I don't know what happened to you in those caves, but we can help you if you let us. Don't let this magic rule you." Silence met her, the hissing and bubbling of the puddle slowly seeming to subside. Celestia let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. Only to freeze, a cold chill going down her spine, as she heard a small, distorted chuckle. She watched as Twilight's frame trembled with her restrained laughter, fresh tears pouring from her dark eyes.
"Help me? Help me? Now you want to help me!? Where were you back then? Where were my friends? Where were any of you? When I confronted that insect alone, when she sent me to those damned caverns, when she tormented me, taunted me, drove me to the point of exhaustion and despair! Where the fuck were you, Celestia!? Where were you when I became THIS!?" The pool beneath her boiled full force now, hissing as a dark mist rose around her. Her fur, once a dark purple, now almost looked black as it glistened with the damp air, making it hard to see her tears as they dripped freely into the puddle beneath her. Her eyes burned with unbridled rage and resentment, the serpents coiling around Twilight's frame, snapping their fangs and glaring at Celestia who took a step back, her mouth open slightly and her form trembling, tears finally gracing her features.
"Wh-what... what happened...?" Cadence's trembling voice was almost lost in the sounds of the boiling liquid and hissing serpents. The ponies in the room aside from the guards, Twilight, Shining, and Chrysalis, looked around nervously.
"What did you do... ?" Cadence asked again, leaning off of Shining and limping forwards once more, her eyes burning holes into the bearers and Celestia, who flinched from the gaze of her adopted niece.
"She... She tried to tell us..." Everypony turned to see Fluttershy, sitting with her mane in front of her face and tears pouring from her eyes as she kept them clenched shut.
"She tried to tell us that the Cadence we knew... that something wasn't right..." She sobbed as she shook, Rarity walking up and putting her hooves around her friend, her own tears running her mascara down her face.
"We... We thought it was simple foolishness, that she was merely afraid that you... that she, would steal her brother away from her. We dismissed her concerns... and her along with them..." Her eyes shook as she stared down into Fluttershy's mane while stroking the mare's back. Her normally perfectly styled mane had begun to stick out in places, stress overriding her fashion sense.
"After we left the room, leaving Twilight there, we looked fer the fake Cadence, but never found er'." Applejack stood rigidly, rubbing her right foreleg, a large bruise on it. Her pleading eyes never leaving Twilight, tears threatening to fall.
"W-we never went ba-back to check on her... we thought that m-maybe, she'd come around and ev-everything would be happy again..." Pinkie's mane and tail had deflated, her eyes watery and red as tears streamed from them. She looked to the floor and fiddled with her hooves, scrunching her eyes shut. Rainbow Dash silently nodded, not saying a word as she stared at the floor, a small puddle of tears at her hooves and her wings drooping from her sides.
Twilight growled at their confessions, a shadow overtaking her face as she trembled. Slowly, a strange sound began to rise within the room.
Recognizing their own voices, the bearers looked in shock at Twilight and her tendrils. The few with gnashing teeth were now whispering loud enough for all to hear what they echoed in their stolen voices.
"Dear Princess Celestia..." It started with Applejack's voice, who felt cold chills run down her spine as she stared in shock.
"Today, we all learned a little somethin' about friendship..." It continued as they slowly began to remember the lesson, each of them bowing their heads as more tears flooded forth, evidence of their shame.
"We learned that you should take your friend's worries seriously..." Fluttershy hiccuped and cried harder into Rarity as the shadow of her voice taunted her.
"Even if you don't think she has anything to worry about." Rainbow Dash stared with wide, shaking eyes, her tears silently dripping down her face.
"And that you shouldn't let your worries turn a small problem..." Rarity clenched her eyes tight, her ears laying back as she tried to drown out the mockery of her own voice.
"Into an enormously huge, entire town in total chaos, princess has to come and save the day problem!" Pinkie now lay her head in her hooves, bawling her eyes out as the voices continued. They echoed the lesson repeatedly into the air of the room.
"That is enough!" Celestia's voice cut through the echoes, her hoof stamping hard enough that the marble floor beneath her cracked and splintered.
"You have made your point, don't torment your friends..." Her gaze softened on Twilight, who stared at her, her own eyes hard. The voices slowly subsided, until only the sound of her snakes' hissing and snapping could be heard. Cadence looked to Twilight, who stared back at Celestia, but something far more important was happening in her eyes. Twilight's form wasn't as twisted as before. She had shrunk, now half of Celestia's size, she wasn't as lanky and her face and come back together. Her serpents had shrunk as well, but the puddle beneath her had not. Many of the tendrils that had been lashing about her had gone or shrunk in some way.
'Is... is she calming down...?' Looking to the other mares, the answer became clear. Their regret and sorrow at their own actions had planted the seeds for forgiveness in the mare that stood before them.
'Then maybe...' Turning to Shining, she watched him carefully as he stared at his younger sister, his eyes wide and tears pouring down his face.
"Do... you remember?" Cadence's voice caught his attention and he looked to her, at a loss for words.
"I... I remember... bits and pieces... putting the wedding together, meeting with Twilight and her friends, parts of briefings, but the rest is..." He trailed off, uncertain and she nodded in understanding, looking to Twilight she saw that though her head was facing Celestia, the three dots in her left eye that she guessed where now her pupils, were looking towards them, her form was shaking slightly and her fur had returned to it's dark purple, instead of its near black. Cadence looked back to Celestia, who no doubt had noticed the changes and realized what was happening. Closing her eyes and lowing her head, Celestia let her tears fall as she spoke.
"Shining, you left her in here as well, barring her from the wedding entirely... and I... I left her too... and it was a mistake that I swore I would never do again..." Shining stared in shock at the princess, his form shaking as she told him what he had done, what he could never do willingly. Celestia thought back to how she had once left another pony in the dark, and what had become of it. How could she have done the same thing twice? She trembled as she looked up to her former student.
Twilight now stood at her normal height, her frame trembling as tears flowed from her eyes, her face twisting between a snarl and wanting to openly cry. The fog of anger struggling to maintain itself in her mind as her heart ached. The guards behind her, now freed from the tendrils that held them captive, kept silent as they retreated from the puddle, shaking off the foul-smelling liquid and grimacing.
Chrysalis slowly backed away towards one of the large windowed doors on the sidewall behind her. The tendrils that had been holding her had slowly melted away while Twilight struggled with her emotions. Opening the window as silently as she could, she looked back towards Twilight and snarled.
'I'll be back you little monster, and when I do...' With a final quiet growl, she slipped out through the window and took to the skies towards the barrier where her four drones had managed to create a sizable hole. Not even registering them, she flew out the hole and they followed obediently.
"I'm sorry... I'm so, so sorry." Celestia's frame shook and her voice trembled. With that, the scene shifted and Twilight fell to her knees within her puddle as it shrank in size, soaking into her hooves until it was only large enough to encompass her shaking frame. The serpents and tendrils that had surrounded her had shrunk away and vanished within it as her cries filled the air. Her distorted voice carrying with it the anger, the sorrow, the hate, and the grief that she carried within. Ignoring everypony else and even his own exhausted state, Shining Armor sprinted past them all and dove into the pool of dark liquid, giving no care to the stains it left upon his fur as he pulled his baby sister into a hug, holding her close as she screamed and cried while the rest of the room's occupants looked on. Shame, sorrow, and regret prominent on many of their faces.
"I'm sorry Twily, I'm so sorry..." Shining cried into his sister's mane...
As Twilight wept within her brother's hooves, the Entity looked on from within her mind in seething contempt. Its eyes darted to the light within her that had grown stronger, resisting its influence. This could not be allowed. This mare it had bonded to showed so much promise, it would not allow her to slip from its grasp so easily!
It desperately began to pull thoughts and memories from the depths of her mind, focusing on the moment where she had felt the most pain. With the last of its might, it thrust these thoughts to the forefront of her mind. The light that had grown in the darkness suddenly shrank to a near pinprick as the dark Entity glared back in triumph.
~ ~ ~
The sounds of crying came to a sudden stop, as those in the room watched the brother and sister who embraced one another. Shining leaned his muzzle closer to her, nuzzling into her mane and whispering comforting words.
'And you can forget about being my best mare. In fact, if I were you, I wouldn't show up to the wedding at all!' His voice echoed mockingly in Twilight's mind.
"It's alright Twily, I've got you..." He received no response as he suddenly felt like the world had turned upside down.
"Wha-" His reaction was short-lived as he impacted the wall to the far side of the ballroom. The stone surface cracked and splintered from the impact, blood splattering across the surface as he fell to the floor. Cadence screamed with a horrified expression at seeing her fiance now lying prone against the wall, his sides punctured by large holes that bled profusely.
"Shining/ Captain!" Everpony shouted, only to snap their eyes to the source of a distorted growl that grew in volume.
They stared in abject horror as Twilight's body slowly crawled to her hooves with the sounds of twisting flesh and snapping bones. Her form twisted and jerked into its demonic state, the puddle beneath her growing until it once more poured down the dais and her serpents hovered over her threateningly. One of the serpents' mouths dripped with a crimson ichor, the only sign of the source of Shining Armor's current state.
"What have you done!?" Celestia screamed in shock at the actions of the mare. With a cry, Steel Blitz jumped into the air and dove after her adversary, Maple Branch leaping into the pews closest, being careful to avoid the black fluid. Using his back legs, he began to kick the pews from their place, tossing them at the demon to serve as a distraction for his lieutenant.
Celestia fell back along with the bearers, giving the soldiers space to do their work as they watched in worry and sorrow. The princess squeezed her eyes shut tight, the small bit of hope that had taken place in her heart having been burned to ashes with Twilight's last act. When she next opened them, she watched as the mare fought off the guards, but something seemed off...
Twilight's eyes looked almost hollow as she stared back, her black sclera tainted by thin red veins that pulsed within her darkened orbs.
'C'mon yall, let's go check on the princess.' Applejack's voice rang through Twilight's mind, accompanied by the voices of her friends as they followed her in agreement. With a demonic roar, dozens of tendrils erupted from around her, striking out at the lone pegasus and intercepting the large debris being flung her way.
As the two guards kept her attention, Celestia turned to the remaining mares, a look of panic in her eyes.
"Girls, I need you to go and get the Elements of Harmony! The two guards outside the vault will be able to open it for you, but you must hurry!" Rainbow Dash and Applejack looked uncertain.
"No way princess, we'd be better off here, fighting!" Rainbow Dash tried to argue, but with a stomp of her hoof, Celestia made her stance on this firm.
"If you want to help Twilight, you must get the Elements!" Tears began to pour from her eyes as she turned and watched the battle as it played out before her. The lieutenant couldn't keep this up for much longer, she already had a few injuries in spots that her armor did not cover, and the armor itself was littered with gashes. Maple Branch threw another pew at her former student, only for it to be shattered into splinters within the gaping maw of a serpent.
"I fear that, without them, we may not be able to stop her..." Her voice trembled as she stared at the creature that had once been her protege. The image of a sweet and adoring foal appeared before her eyes, only to be crushed beneath the clawed, black hoof of this demon.
'Wait... claws?' Celestia's eyes narrowed as she looked to Twilight more closely. Yes, her hooves which were already stained black up to the knees, now looked to have gained claw-like appendages, the black fluid slowly creeping up her legs. Looking to her student's eyes, she flinched back after realizing that there were no longer only two. A third eye had appeared, just below her horn. It split the skin from the base of her horn to the crease of her brow. This eye was not black, it was a deep, pulsing red. Was she changing into something even worse? Would this dark power not rest until she no longer even resembled a pony?
"Go now!" Celestia yelled in panic, looking to the mares who also stared in terror. With a jump, they all scrambled to their hooves and bolted for the door, dodging thrown pews and avoiding the black fluid that seemed to cover half of the room now. With the bearers finally gone, Celestia turned to find Cadence had limped over to the prone Shining Armor and lay crying in his lap, her back to the chaos. Trotting over to them quickly, she placed her ear on the fallen stallion's chest and tried to block out the sounds of combat.
It was faint, but the barest hint of a heart-beat greeted her.
"He's alive... thank goodness." She let out a slow and shaky breath, pulling away.
"A-alive?" Cadence asked shakily through her sobs as she looked up to her aunt. With a nod, Cadence's tears returned full force and she hugged Shining around his neck, not caring that his blood now stained her fur as she cried audibly.
"Cadence!" She shook the distraught mare by her withers, briefly regaining her attention.
"Yes, he is alive, but he needs medical attention. Those wounds are serious, and if we leave him then he could bleed to death." Cadence's eyes snapped open and in a panic, she fought hard to activate her magic. Her horn lit up for a brief moment, before going out once more.
"I-I can't! I'm not strong enough to carry him without my magic!" She slumped back into him. Celestia lit her horn and tore a curtain from the nearby wall and began to tear long strips from it.
"Cadence, I need you to move." Cadence didn't budge as she held on tighter.
"Cadence! If you want to save his life than you have to move!" She shouted more firmly. Cadence jerked up and slowly backed off, but she never took her hoof away from Shining's. Celestia was careful as she wrapped the torn bits of curtain around his barrel tightly, being careful as she pulled his back away from the wall a bit to slip them through.
'I don't know if the impact may have broken or damaged something internally, so it's best to leave him in place for the medics.' She thought as she tied the last strip, her brow sweating.
"That should hold for now..." She wasn't so sure, to be honest, blood had already begun to seep through the cloth. Softly reaching beneath the collar of his wedding attire, she cursed at finding that he had not worn his dragon fire pendant. Turning to her niece, she pushed the mare's hoof off of Shining.
"Cadence, go get Maple's dragon fire pendant. Use it to call a medic and the rest of the guard here immediately." Cadence looked between her aunt and her love, torn between both duties. With a shaky nod, she turned and limped her way towards the burly earth pony, still chucking large slabs of wood at Twilight. Celestia turned to watch her soldiers fight a losing battle and grimaced.
'Why... why did it turn out like this?' Her eyes focused on the mare that had once regarded her with the highest praise and she shivered at the gruesome visage that now overshadowed her memory of a smiling filly.
Steel Blitz dove hard to the right, narrowly dodging a strike to her neck and quickly pulling up to swing her right-wing out at the chest of her attacker, the shimmer of metal blades hidden within her feathers. The blades passed through the flesh of her attacker as cleanly as butter and she pulled back with a hard flap until she was out of range of the tendrils that struck just where she had been. She watched in frustration as the wound on her enemy, just like all the others she had managed to inflict, merely sealed itself. The demonic Twilight almost seemed to grin mockingly at her as the black fluid continued to rise up her legs, now creeping up her chest and flank.
'By the Sun, nothing I do is working! What in Tartarus are we supposed to do against something that can regenerate as fast as we can damage it?.' A shadow passed over Twilight and in an instant, her head jerked to the side with a mighty snap of her jaws, splitting a pew in half and showering splinters about the area. Steel tried to take the opportunity to dive in and get a free hit but was yanked back in a golden aura just as two scythe-like tendrils passed where she had been, nearly bisecting her. She trembled slightly in fear at having come so close to death.
"Are you alright Lieutenant?" Celestia's voice broke her from her reverie. With a nod to the princess, she returned to hovering in the air with her own wings once the magic around her had dissipated. She flinched slightly from the many small cuts and gashes that littered her barrel and legs but ignored it.
"We can't hold her back anymore princess, I'd recommend a full retreat." Celestia stared at her former student, who stared back with her jaw gaping open and her tongue slithering out between the rows of jagged teeth, her eyes were still unfocused and empty.
"We can't do that just yet. I've sent the bearers to retrieve the Elements, with them, we should be able to stop this." Blitz took no chances and didn't take her eyes off the enemy even as it turned it's attention to more pews that Maple continued to hurl in her direction.
"Are you certain that will work your majesty? Magic doesn't seem to affect her at all." Celestia looked to her Lieutenant, unsure.
"The Elements are a different kind of magic. They will work... they must work." It seemed more that she was trying to convince herself of this as her ears flayed back in worry. Steel merely nodded as she leaned her neck to the side, releasing a few loud pops as she prepared to rejoin the fray.
"Let's get to work then, shall we?" With a hearty beat of her wings, she dove into the conflict once more, weaving through the tendrils that surrounded her enemy.
Celestia watched her go with a deep breathe. Igniting her horn in a golden aura, she readied herself to attack her own student.
'Forgive me... Twilight.' She gave herself a single moment to mourn the act of having to hurt yet another who was close to her heart.
Maple Branch was down to three pews, his ammunition running low as the littered remains of previously intact furniture littered the space around him. His breathing was heavy and he worked to dodge the occasional tendril that managed to reach him from its source. His large size made it difficult, however, leading to several puncture wounds in his right side through his armor and a few gashes on his legs, but he persisted. Taking a moment to breathe now that the lieutenant rejoined the fray, he heard hoof steps approaching from his left and he jerked his head, hoof raised and ready to swing.
"Wait!" He stopped, seeing princess Cadence standing before him, a foreleg raised and hiding her face, she was trembling. Lowering his hoof, he limped up to her.
"My apologies, princess, 'ow can I 'elp?" His baritone voice just barely cut through the sound of a roar. Taking a glance, he saw that the lieutenant managed to take out the enemy's left eye with a strike of her wing blades. Only for the socket to open and a tendril to lash out and strike at her from where her eye had been. He shivered at the twisted method of attack.
"I-I need your pendant to save Shining!" Cadence begged immediately after lowering her hoof and seeing she wasn't about to be struck by mistake. Maple took a moment to process the request. Looking around him, he took note of the dire situation. The pendant was a one-time use item among the guards, meant to be used only in the case of an emergency.
'Ah'd say this counts.' He nodded and reached into his armor, plucking the pendant and chain from it's hiding place. With a light yank, he snapped the chain and hoofed the pendant over to the princess, who took it quickly in shaking hooves.
"You know 'ow to use it?" He asked as he turned and raised the next pew on its side. Cadence nodded in affirmation without replying. Holding it up to her mouth, Cadence let out a warm breath on its surface, causing it to shimmer a deep green.
"Attention royal guard, this is Princess Mi A More Cadenza of the Celestial Royal Family! There is an emergency within the Canterlot ballroom! All able-bodied soldiers are to report immediately! Priorities are combat class, medical class, and defensive support! To all medical class personnel, Captain Shining Armor has been grievously injured, make haste!" With her message now within the confines of the pendant, Cadence dropped it to ground and stomped it with her hoof, shattering the item and causing a swathe of green flame to billow out beneath from beneath. Forming into a large ball of green inferno, it shot through the door in seconds, splintering off into small sections in its search of all who wore a pendant. A single lick of flame rushed towards the lieutenant, who pulled back upon seeing the light of the flame from out of the corner of her eye.
Before her eyes, the words Cadence spoke appeared in bright green lettering, lasting mere moments before fading. With a nod of approval toward Cadence, Steel leaped back into the fight with renewed vigor. The idea of reinforcements driving her to continue for as long as possible.
Twilight struck out repeatedly, trying to take down the annoying pegasus before her. Her mind was a haze and she felt as though her entire body was on fire, burning not with passion, but a seething and powerful rage. Glancing past the pegasus, her eyes, of which the damaged one had already regenerated, met Celestia's for the briefest of moments. The memory of her beloved mentor walking past her, not stopping to look as she strode from the ballroom after the others who had already betrayed her, played within her mind's eye.
'You have a lot to think about.' The twisted mare's world burned red.
Chapter Seven: Shackles of the Mind and Body ( Remastered)
The hurried sound of hoofsteps bounced along the walls of Canterlot Castle as the remaining bearers sprinted and flew respectively down the path leading to the castle vaults. Expressions of worry, grief, and some pain marred their faces as they made their way through the stone halls.
"Ack!" With a start, they turned to see Applejack heaving Rainbow back to her hooves as she struggled to stand. She winced slightly, favoring her right hind leg which bore a nasty bruise from her fight with Chrysalis. Both mares were covered in injuries from their encounter with the Changeling queen.
"S-sorry." Rainbow put on a strained grin and tried to push forward once more, only to wince and fall back on the farmer's shoulder, who struggled to keep both of them up.
"Come on now partner, don't be too stubborn. We're both on our last legs an' we can't afford to fall out." Applejack pushed her back to her hooves and they continued towards their friends at a more sedate pace.
"I know, I know, but we have to get the Elements if we're gonna save Twilight. I can't let a small thing like this stop me." Rainbow responded as she tried to flap her wings to get airborne, only to cringe at the sharp pain in her sides. A shadow cast over her and she turned to see the worried gaze of Fluttershy as she hovered next to them. She softly landed before the prismatic mare and placed a tender hoof on her withers.
"Don't flap them, you could cause even more damage." She pushed Rainbow onto her haunches and turned to Applejack with a stern gaze.
"You should sit down Applejack, you both need to rest." Applejack shook her head in refute.
"Now ah know ah said we can't be too stubborn Fluttershy, but we can't stop movin' neither. The longer we spend sittin' on our flanks tryin' to catch our breath, the longer they spend fightin' back at the ballroom." Fluttershy walked up to her as she spoke, pushing the mare into a sitting position much the same as Rainbow. Applejack tried to fight against the butter-yellow hoof, but the soreness in her frame allowed the weaker mare to overpower her.
"Right now, both of you need to rest. Pinkie Pie and Rarity can run ahead to the vault and get the Elements while I take care of your wounds." Both Applejack and Rainbow looked like they wanted to argue more, but one look from Fluttershy's stern gaze had them both holding their tongues.
"Good thing you stepped up darling, if you hadn't I was worried I'd need to use a sleep spell on the two of them." Rarity walked up between the three of them, Pinkie bouncing up next to her.
"No kidding, and wowee Fluttershy! I've never seen you take control like that unless it had something to do with animals... or snoring dragons that black out the skies with their yucky black smoke!" Pinkie blurted as she turned to Fluttershy with a smile, causing the bashful mare to let out a sound akin to a mouse, hiding partially behind her mane.
"Heh, it's not too surprising really. Besides that, you two should get going. The vault shouldn't be too much farther I think... wait, what's that?" They each perked up their ears to listen as Rainbow Dash looked about her, trying to find the source of a clamoring noise that quickly increased in volume. The source of the noise quickly became apparent as several guards rounded a side hall ahead of them, their armored bodies marching towards them in rank.
"Halt!" The lead guard, a red stallion unicorn in standard Day Guard armor shouted as he and his squad reached the mares. The guards came to an abrupt stop and he quickly approached the mares, giving a brisk salute.
"Ma'ams, sergeant Red Cardinal and Squad 16 of Company 3. We're on our way to the ballroom as ordered by princess Cadence, is everything okay here?" His eyes flitted over to the injured states of Rainbow and Applejack, concern showing in his features.
"We're fine for now, these two just need some rest and perhaps a bit of medical attention. You said you were going to the ballroom? You wouldn't happen to know if anything had changed since we left?" Rarity asked as her and the other mares looked to the guard with a flicker of hope. Red Cardinal took a moment to look a bit closer at Rainbow Dash and Applejack, before nodding and turning to his squad.
"Private Spring! Front and center!" His shout prompted a turquoise pegasus mare in armor with saddlebags to quickly rush to the front. The bags on her side held the image of a red cross, the universal symbol for medical supplies. She gasped at seeing the two injured mares and quickly rushed to their side, quickly retrieving bandages and ointments from the bag. Turning back to Rarity, Red Cardinal shook his head as he spoke.
"We haven't heard anything new since the dragon fire message was sent. When we received it, we grouped up to grab supplies and were making a beeline to the ballroom when we came across you. Before we can let you go, I'll need you to give me any details you or the others can provide. I have to know what we're up against." A cry of pain caught their attention and they looked to see Rainbow and the private glaring at one another.
"It wouldn't hurt so much if you'd stop squirming!" Private Spring yelled while Rainbow looked like she was going to shout back, only for a yellow hoof to be placed on her foreleg, silencing her.
"Please... stop fighting." Looking to her friend, any fight Rainbow had, left her as Fluttershy stood next to her with tears brimming in her eyes.
"Fine..." Rainbow conceded as the private returned to bandaging her leg. Rarity turned back to the sergeant and shook her head.
"I'm sorry sir, but that simply won't do. You see, we're under direct orders from princess Celestia as it were. We have to get to the Elements Vault as soon as possible, it's the only chance we have to save our friend!" Rarity explained as evenly as she could, trying not to let her feelings of worry and her sense of urgency overcome her decorum.
"Ma'am, I understand where you are coming from, but I need that information." Rarity huffed and stomped her hoof while they glared at one another.
"Did you not hear me? I said we are under direct orders from the Princess!" Red Cardinal did not budge as he stared her down.
"And I will not take my squad into a potential death trap if there is knowledge about the situation ahead sitting right in front of me!" The two were dangerously close to butting heads now before a pair of pink hooves pushed the two apart.
"Hey now! Fluttershy is already all teary-eyed because Rainbow won't stop being a stubborn filly. Don't go making her cry anymore or you'll have to deal with auntie Pinkie!" The baker proclaimed as she looked between the two with an unnaturally sharp gaze. Rarity looked down, slightly ashamed while the sergeant merely grunted and looked away.
"How 'bout this, sergeant. You let them go to the vault, an' I'll tell y'all everythin' ah know." The sergeant turned to see Applejack now standing nearby, a few bandages wrapped around her legs and barrel. He contemplated her request for a moment, before nodding and turning back to Rarity.
"Acceptable, you two may go. Let them pass!" His squad divided along the hall to allow an opening large enough for the two mares. Rarity turned to Applejack with a thankful expression.
"Thank you Applejack, it's nice to know at least somepony still as some manners." Chuckling lightly, Applejack waved her off as the sergeant rolled his eyes.
"S'lright, now git you two. We gotta save Twilight, remember?" Rarity nodded and began to trot through the soldiers at a brisk pace, Pinkie hopping after her.
"You take care of yourself, Jackie! And you too Dashie! We'll be back before the end of the chapter!" Applejack watched them go and gave a look of slight confusion after Pinkie.
'Sometimes the things that mare says makes no sense.'
"Hurry up you guys! We're running low on- Ow!" Rainbow cut herself off as Private Spring tightened a bandage around the base of her wing. Applejack chuckled at her friend's expense while the guards closed ranks once more.
"Now, about that information?" Looking beside her, she found the sergeant giving her an expectant look and she sighed, taking off her hat and wincing as she eased herself back into a sitting position.
"Y'all might wanna take a seat fer this one."
~ ~ ~
Cadence clenched her eyes shut as she kept her hoof on Shining. The two of them had been moved into the hall just outside the ballroom when the first of the guard began to show up after the dragon fire message, the two medics in the squad having quickly retrieved Shining and herself.
After having been in the hall for only a few minutes, watching as more and more guards came running and rushing into the ballroom, it was only minutes until the first of the screaming had started.
It had begun as a quiet in the sounds of combat. While the fighting had been going strong, suddenly everything came to a halt as the proverbial orchestra of battle ended. Though she knew it was foolish, she held hope that maybe Celestia had somehow gotten through to Twilight. Such hope was short-lived as the silence was cut by a hoarse scream that chilled her to the bone, the sound of shocked silence following. A single guard came crawling into the hall, his eyes wild and screams of agony reverberating through the hall. Cadence had to cover her ears to try and drown him out, but it was the sight of what caused him such pain, that brought her own voice to join with his.
The poor soul that struggled to crawl away was cut in half at the barrel. Blood and organs dragged behind him as he pulled himself from the ballroom. It was a short-lived moment as he nearly reached the other end of the hall before his screams came to a stop and his head rested against the floor, eyes, and mouth still open in a terrified and pain-filled expression. Cadence's hooves covered her mouth as her eyes shook with horror. At some point, a medic had rushed into the hall and covered the remains with a sheet, but the sight was forever burned into her mind.
Ever since, Cadence has kept her eyes shut tight and wept while the sounds of fighting and more screams of injury or death permeated the air of the hall, emanating from the ballroom. She could hear the sounds of medics rushing about her, no doubt tending to the many injured guards that she could hear whimpering in the hall. If she had to guess, they likely turned the space into a medical bay of sorts, but she dared not to open her eyes to confirm it.
'Please girls, hurry!' She begged to the bearers in her heart.
~ ~ ~
Within the ballroom, the fighting raged on as guards worked to dodge long tendrils with blade-like appendages.
"Hold positions! Do not let her gain ground!" Celestia's voice echoed across the chaos, commanding the defensive unit to press forward, their iron and linden shields littered with gouges and dents from the repeated assault. A great black serpent slammed into the wall of metal and wood, engulfing one of the guards, shield and all. The horrified scream of the unfortunate victim rang out in a garbled mess as the serpent reared back with its prize, jaws clamping shut and silencing its prey forever. A single limb tore away from between the serpent's teeth, falling to the ground.
Splashing into the dark pool of liquid beneath it, blood poured from the appendage, mixing with the foul fluid that had given birth to the serpent. The soldiers quickly closed ranks once more, filling in the hole left by their now deceased comrade.
A black clawed hoof stepped forward within the liquid, crushing the leftover limb and sending ripples through the red and black concoction. Following its origin, the leg slowly turned a dark purple, stained with streaks of blood. The creature that they all faced in the vain hope of survival, Celestia's former student and once a hero of the ponies of Equestria, Twilight Sparkle stood before them. Her blood-stained lips grinned wickedly with jagged sharp teeth, her eyes a glowing red with a third resting beneath her horn. Lifting up her clawed foreleg, she held the mutilated limb in her grasp and she grinned maliciously as with a sickening crunch, she bit into it and tore it to pieces, devouring it as she stared into the eyes of her mentor. Celestia trembled, her whole body aching from the various injuries she had received prior to the guards' swift arrival. Whatever this thing was, it was no longer Twilight Sparkle, it was a demon. Even if the Elements did work to turn her back to normal, she didn't know if she could ever look her pupil in the eyes again and not see this image overshadowing her.
Lieutenant Steel Blitz struggled against the medics that fought to push her out of the combat zone and into the emergency medical bay, her eyes shaking with outrage and determination. Her armor had been ripped off piece by piece and her body was littered with minor wounds, but the one that pulled her from combat was the deep gash along her side, just below her wing. Blood poured from this wound freely despite the attempts to still the flow by the medics.
"Lieutenant, you have to come lie down, we can't do anything for you here!" One of the medics shouted to her as he pushed her back towards the hall with all his might even as she strained to shove her way past them and back to the fight. Her eyes blazed with anger as she snapped at the guard.
"Leave me! I will not abandon the princess, nor will I let the loss of our brothers and sisters be in vain!" Without warning, she suddenly found herself off her hooves and flung over the withers of a larger pony as he held her in place and made his way out to the hall.
"Tha's enuff lieutenant! Ye've done all ye can! We both need to rest now." Maple Branch ignored her struggling as he hobbled into the hallway. The lieutenant struggled harder than ever, only to gasp in pain as the wound in her side threatened to split even wider.
"D-dammit Maple! Put me down, that's an order!" Maple shook his head, a trail of blood dripping from his brow.
"Not this time ma'am, ye need medical an' I ain't gonna let you kill yerself by bein' stubborn." As he walked towards the nearest gurney, he gently sat her down, then proceeded to hold her in place while the medics used some spare belts from their uniforms to act as straps to hold her.
"Goddess' dammit!" She cursed loudly, though it was mostly drowned out from the screaming of the other, more grievously injured guards. A deep, familiar cough and the sound of something splattering on the ground caught her attention. Struggling to look beside her she found Maple, holding himself up against the nearby wall, blood pouring from his mouth. It was then she saw it, a deep wound on the front of his chest.
"M-Maple..." He looked to her with a grin as medics rushed to him, the area beneath his eyes had darkened considerably.
"S'lright lieutenant, tis jus'... a flesh woun'..." She watched numbly as the medics quickly escorted him to another gurney.
Tears dripped from her eyes as she lay there while the medics got to work on her and her subordinate, her face contorted in a mixture of rage, worry, and grief.
"Twilight please! If there is any part of you left in there, come back to us!" Celestia yelled to the dark creature that had once been her student. The demonic Twilight only shifted her head a little, seemingly contemplating the request, before her face splitting grin grew even wider. Her horn lit up for the first time, a black aura taking the place of its once bright purple hue. Celestia's eyes widened in apprehension, this was the first time that the mare would be using actual magic against them. Considering Twilight's impressive talent with it, accompanied by the fact that she was the bearer for the Element of Magic, no good could come from this.
"Prepare for a counter-attack! Do not let her use magic!" She could feel her panic rising. Every second that horn was lit could mean disaster for all those in the mare's path.
A piercing scream rang out, halting all movement as everypony looked to the door, finding the mares that would be Twilight's friends alongside a contingent of fresh guards. Fluttershy looked to the verge of passing out, while Rarity was holding her stomach, still looking back into the hall where the wounded and dying lie with horror-filled eyes. Rainbow Dash and Applejack looked to Twilight in abject terror and no small amount of sickness with the amount of blood upon her and mixing into her pool of black liquid. Pinkie Pie stood at the forefront, tears streaming from her eyes as they never left the empty, blood-red orbs of Twilight's own.
Each of them bore their respective Element of Harmony, the hopeful solution to the situation they now found themselves in. Celestia breathed a sigh of relief, strength renewed as she turned again to face the monster before her, only to watch in surprise as it seemed that Twilight had frozen in place, her form shifting slightly and the pool beneath her beginning to shrink and shift. Something was wrong, but she couldn't wait to find out what.
"Now girls! The Elements are our only hope!"
~ ~ ~
Bright, it was too bright within the mind that should have been consumed by its darkness and hate! The Entity glared harshly at the once dim light that had grown in strength the moment those mares had returned with some strange objects. It fought to exert it's influence, struggling in vain as the light overpowered it, threatening to expel it from its host. Ethereal though it was, a shape began to take form within the light, reminiscent of the pony that it had attached itself too, before it had changed her to suit its own purpose.
The ethereal mare stared at him with a hard and immovable gaze, her purple eyes blazing with the emotions it could not understand and had deemed a threat.
Clearly it had been right to see them as such.
~ ~ ~
"It's not working!" Rainbow shouted as she and her friends now stood in a circle around the frozen Twilight. Each of their faces baring expressions of intense concentration, but the Elements around their necks refused to glow. After a few more moments, they each opened their eyes and stared in frustration.
"Dagnabit! What's wrong with these stupid things?" Applejack grumbled anxiously as she tapped hers with her hoof. Celestia stepped forward past her bulwark, despite the guards' protests. As she approached, she kept a close eye on the mare. Ever since the Elements had entered the room, she had become completely immobile, only the occasional trembling of her form as it seemed she was struggling to try and move. The two serpents, and the many tendrils that she had been using to assault them, had also vanished beneath the pool of blood-stained fluid, no longer able to maintain their form. Taking the briefest of glances, she looked over the nearest Element quickly, before returning her eyes to the still paralyzed mare, she wasn't willing to take chances.
"Where is the Element of Magic?" Pinkie quickly raised her hoof and produced the crown from within her mane.
"Right here! But it won't work without Twilight right?" Celestia took the crown within her magic, turning it over so that the gem within now faced their adversary.
"Technically, yes. But perhaps it will recognize me once more..." Before she could place it upon her head however, the gem had begun to glow as it was directed to the demonic mare. Surprised by the reaction, Celestia and the others watched as the glow continued to become more intense.
"Wha-?" Suddenly, a bright pulse of purple magic blasted from the crown, flooring everypony in the room with the exception of Twilight as she was rooted in place. Celestia, having been launched back several hoof steps, strained to look up at the crown in confusion.
'What is happening?'
~ ~ ~
Everything was burning! The whole of the Entity's existence was nothing more than searing pain and unbearable agony as a gurgled, monstrous scream echoed within the mindscape of its host. The longer it tried to keep it's hold over her mind, the worse the pain became. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, the Entity gave a horrendous roar of defiance at the ethereal pony before it that now glowed like a Sun. With a vow of its return, the Entity released its hold, delving deep within the mare's subconscious where it would wait for another chance.
With the Entity's withdrawal, the light from the ethereal form grew until naught was left but an empty, white void.
~ ~ ~
A monstrous scream of pain, followed by a blinding white light from the Element of Magic flooded the room for what seemed an eternity. In moments the light faded and slowly everything began to come back into focus for the ponies in the room.
The Element of Magic hovered softly above the dark purple coat of an average-sized pony. It had lost its shape as a crown and now took the form of a necklace like the others. Twilight lay unconscious beneath it, having reverted to her normal, if still slightly monstrous-looking state. The pool of liquid slowly receded in size, drawing in the blood that it had consumed until it was naught but a stain upon her hooves.
Everypony slowly raised themselves back to their hooves, careful as they approached the sleeping mare.
"Is... is it over?" Rarity asked as Celestia brushed her hoof through Twilight's now darkened and blood stained mane. A tear dripping down her grief-stricken face as she nodded slowly.
"Yes... for now, her anger has abated. But the Element of Magic seems to have neither purged nor harmed her in any way that I can see... But... why?" The guards behind Celestia, as well as others that had filled the room, approached the group with caution while the princess' thoughts continued to race and find the answer to why the Element had not cured, sealed away, or even destroyed the very obvious threat before it.
"I apologize for this, your Majesty... But I have to ask that you stand aside." Interrupted by her thoughts, Celestia followed the voice only to stare at a grim-faced guard who held iron shackles in his hooves, a magic suppression ring resting on top of the chains.
Slowly, Twilight's eyes crept open in the darkness. Groaning out in slight discomfort, her distorted voice lightly echoed around the walls of the chamber, causing her to wince at the noise, her head hurting something fierce.
"Ooooh, anypony get the number of that train?" She whispered to herself as she tried to raise up, only to find that she was firmly attached to the ground.
"Wha?" Groggily looking down, her eyes widened in surprise as her vision focused and she found her fore-hooves chained to the floor, she could feel a large metal band wrapped around her barrel, attached to more chains that linked to hooks scattered on the floor and even more restraints on her back hooves. She didn't need to try and feel for a magic suppression ring as it's weight more than made itself known. Blinking slowly, her surprise turned to understanding as her eyes took on an apathetic and cold glare.
"So... This is what it's come to..." The sound of iron groaning and the creaking of old hinges had her ears flicker towards the only door to the chamber, soft torchlight flooding the room from the narrow hall outside.
"I'm so, so sorry..." Straining to look up, Twilight's eyes met with Celestia's. The great alicorn stood just outside a metal door connected to a thick stone wall. She looked worse for wear as her fur was still matted and sticking out in places. Bandages trailed her body, taking the place of her normally pristine golden regalia, varying in size with the most notable injury being her left-wing, which was held tightly to her side in a sling. Her eyes glinted with tears as her lips quivered with repressed sorrow. Twilight blinked slowly at her, before calmly laying her head back down on her now crossed fore-hooves.
Silence reigned between the two mares, Celestia almost taking a step forward as though to say something, but biting her lower lip and halting herself. Twilight merely stared at the floor in front of her as Celestia pleaded for the mare to say something, anything. A guard stepped up beside Celestia, his horn lit with a blue aura as he held a key aloft.
"Princess, they are causing a scene... again." Celestia sighed and nodded her head. Casting one last look to her former protege, she felt her heart drop to her hooves as she watched her stare lifelessly into the cold floor. Turning, she began to walk away, the guard stepping forward to close the heavy door.
"Dimmed Star." Celestia's ears perked at the sound of her voice, quickly turning back. Pushing the guard away from the door, she entered the room halfway.
"Princess, don't get to close!" The guard admonished, but she ignored him as she looked to the mare before her, neither meeting the other's gaze.
"What?" Celestia's voice was almost a whisper as she could feel her heart throbbing in her chest. With a slow and careful movement, the chained mare angled her head to look the princess in the eyes once more.
"My name... is Dimmed Star." With that, she laid her head back down and closed her eyes, not giving the shocked princess a chance to respond. Celestia stood in the doorway, her frame trembling as the tears she fought so hard to contain, slipped free and trailed down her face. Blood leaked from the corner of her mouth as she bit hard on her lip. With a simple nod, she backed out of the dungeon once more, turning and sprinting down the hall. A faded, but powerful memory thrusting itself to the forefront of her mind.
'Luna? Luna? No, I am NIGHTMARE MOON!' The haunting laughter of her corrupted sister, and now the echoing voice of her demonic student, chased her back to the upper levels of the castle.
The guard watched as the princess ran down the torch-lit hallway with sympathy. Turning back to the doorway, he stepped forward and the iron door once more became engulfed in his blue aura. As he began to slide it to a grinding close, he glanced into the room and felt a shiver run down his spine as Dimmed Star watched him with one black eye, the three teal dots that acted as her iris glowing brightly in the darkness. With a shudder, he slammed the door shut and quickly locked it.
"M-monster..." He whispered as he gulped, breathing heavily as he fought to bring himself back under control. After a few deep breaths, he looked back to the heavy iron door and his horn lit up once more, an arcane circle appearing on the frame and lines of arcane script beginning to spread out across it.
'A little extra protection won't hurt.' He thought as he cast a few extra warding spells on the walls surrounding the door for good measure.
In the dark of the chamber, Dimmed Star closed her eyes and breathed quietly, delving into her own memory. She searched for anything that could tell her how she ended up in the dungeons of Canterlot, but her memory was choppy at best after her confrontation with Celestia. She remembered crying, then screams, the sounds of fighting and a coppery, sweet taste in her mouth that caused her stomach to rumble a bit. Sighing, she looked down at her hooves, stained black by the dried pool of liquid that kept itself firmly attached. She turned it over as best she could with the chain brace holding it so close to the ground and scoffed.
'I wonder...' With another glance at the door, she turned to the chain and her teal eyes glowed a bit brighter, the small sound of liquid dripping to the ground met her ears.
Her face split into a sharp-toothed grin.
~ ~ ~
"LET US OUT!" Rainbow Dash rushed the door once more, slamming bodily into it as her friends and their sisters all watched with anxiety and frustration. Rainbow bounced back to the floor, a yelp of pain escaping her lips as she grasped at her bandaged side. Applejack snorted at her as she rolled her eyes.
"Now see, tha' right ther' is jus' gonna make it worse. Y'all need to calm it down, Dash." Rainbow grimaced and turned on her friend as she stood up, her feathers ruffling.
"How can you say that!? How can you all be so calm about all of this!? The Princess just locked up one of our friends!" Applejack stood up shakily, stepping up to the angry mare and glaring hard into her eyes.
"She had no choice Dash! She KILLED over a dozen guards, dang near killed her own brother, left dozens more injured an' tried to kill the Princess herself! Heck, ah'd be surprised if even half o' the injured guards make it through the night!" Rainbow flinched back, her ears folding as she wilted, only to push forward and stand her ground with her snout almost touching the irate farmer.
"She only did those things because she got possessed by something! What about Princess Luna!? When she was Nightmare Moon, she tried to kill us! She even managed to imprison the Princess! And there's no telling what she did back before she was trapped in the Moon! Yet she still walks free!" Applejack pushed forward, both mare's headbutting each other and pushing, neither one willing to give in.
"WILL YOU TWO KNOCK IT OFF ALREADY!" The two mares found themselves suddenly separated and pushed to the opposite sides of the room by a blue aura. Rarity stepping in between them, her normally perfect mane a frazzled mess and her mascara staining her cheeks. Turning to Rainbow Dash, she gave the mare a harsh glare.
"You are scaring the foals!" She pointed a hoof to the side where the two mares saw Fluttershy and Pinkie, both in varying forms of distress, holding the fillies as the three of them looked between the two, shivering heavily and crying. Rainbow Dash and Applejack both winced and bowed their heads in shame. Rarity closed her eyes and took a deep breath, before looking to Rainbow once more.
"What happened with Princess Luna is a bit different here Rainbow Dash." The prismatic mare looked up and before she could say anything, Rarity raised her hoof and silenced her.
"I understand where you are coming from, but what happened with her was over a thousand years ago and she served her sentence on the Moon if you recall. Yes, she was still Nightmare Moon upon her return, but we managed to turn her back to Princess Luna before the day was over. This is different because Twilight was not sealed away and she did not return to her normal self. She stayed the way she was, or rather, the form she was in before she changed into that... uh, more dreadful one." Rarity's ears were now folded back as she looked to her hooves. The mares were all silent as they contemplated her words, but the sound of a hiccup caught their attention and they looked for the source, only to feel their hearts jump to their throats.
Spike sat in the furthest corner of the room from the mares, his head bowed and his tail curled around to his front where they could not see. The poor drake had not taken the news of what had happened to Twilight very well. At first, they had tried not to tell him, dodging his questions about where she was and what happened in the ballroom. It hadn't been too hard, that was until a guard came into the room and began to question them about the events in the ballroom. Even though they spoke to the guard in hushed whispers as far from the drake as they could, none of them took into account that as a dragon, his hearing was impeccable. His outburst at hearing that Twilight was in the dungeons was loud enough to make everypony in the room flinch, even worse was when he began to hyperventilate, causing him to exhale bouts of green flame. The carpet had to be put out several times.
Upon sitting him down and finally explaining to him in the easiest way possible that Twilight had, as Rainbow bluntly put it, ' pulled a Nightmare Moon' he passed out. When he awoke, he secluded himself in the corner and hadn't moved or made a sound until now. Despite their worry, the mares decided it was likely best to leave him to his thoughts, for now, clearly this was not as grand an idea as they had thought. Rarity turned away from the two formerly arguing mares and walked cautiously up behind the drake.
"Spiky?" She whispered as she approached him, she could hear his soft voice mumbling quietly and she strained to hear what he was saying.
" It's all my fault, I never should have left her. I'm a bad friend, I'm a bad friend, I'm a bad friend...' His little mantra continued and Rarity rose a hoof to her mouth, her eyes wide with tears.
"Oh Spiky..." Embracing him from behind, she pulled him into her as the others looked on. Pinkie's mane was completely deflated as she held tightly to a whimpering Sweetie Belle. Fluttershy tried to keep her face dry as she held onto both a disheveled Scootaloo and an anxious Applebloom who watched the scene from within the mare's wings. Rainbow Dash clenched her eyes and turned her head away while Applejack brought her hat down to cover the top of her face. It was deathly quiet within the room as Spike's mantra continued, fresh tears falling from Rarity's face and onto his stiffened back.
"It's not your fault Spiky... we all share the blame, but never you. She loves you, she would never blame you..." Rarity whispered as she kissed the top of his head. Glancing to the window, she saw that the sun was low on the horizon, the sky turning to a burning orange. Looking back down, she found that Spike now looked up at her, his eyes red and swollen and his lips still as he finally stopped his mantra. She smiled softly at him and lit up her horn, placing her hoof to his forehead as it was enveloped in the blue aura.
"It's been a long day, why not go on to sleep dear? I promise a better one will await you on the morrow." Spike looked to her as his eyes slowly drifted closed, just before they shut entirely, his lips moved with no sound, but she could tell what he was trying to say, and it made her heartache.
'Oh Twilight, please be ok... if not for us, then for Spike...' She thought with a sigh, she pulled her hoof from his head and the light of her magic faded, only to brighten again as she lifted him up and levitated him towards his basket next to the sixth bed in the room, Twilight's bed. After a moment of thought, however, she changed direction and placed him on the mattress, covering him up and watching him snuggle into the pillow, breathing in Twilight's scent. Rarity sighed and turned back to her friends, only to stop and blush as she noticed them all staring.
"Wh-what?" Rainbow Dash and Applejack looked to one another, then back to her.
"I thought you were kidding when you said you knew a sleep spell. Didn't think you could do magic like that." Rainbow muttered out as she sat down finally. Applejack nodded in agreement and walked back to her bed, jumping in and sitting on the mattress. Rarity huffed as she made her way towards Pinkie and gave the mare a hug before collecting Sweetie Belle into her own forelegs.
"It's not that hard, plus it's not so much a, ' go to sleep now' spell as it is a, ' you should go to sleep now.' It's more of a spell of suggestion that only works if the mind is already tired. Mother used it on me when I was a foal and was struggling to sleep and she taught it to me for when Sweetie Belle was having trouble." A sudden knock at the door caught the mare's attention. The fillies sinking more into the mares who held them as they looked to the door with worry.
"It's not gonna be more news about the scary stuff is it?" Sweetie Belle asked with no small amount of trepidation. The girls looked to one another and grimaced.
"Sorry Sweetie, but this is something that needs to be taken care of." Rarity said as she nodded towards the door. Rainbow Dash was nearest, but that didn't mean she was willing to get up.
"Come in!" She nearly shouted, venom on her tongue. A quick shush from the other mares however quickly reminded her of their sleeping drake and she instantly felt sheepish, rubbing the back of her head.
"Oops?" Looking to the drake, they sighed with relief at seeing he was still sound asleep, clutching tightly to the pillow on the mattress. The sound of the doorknob clicking caught their attention and they looked towards the door to see a disheveled Princess walk in. Rainbow Dash almost immediately opened her mouth to say something, but before Rarity could try and stop her, she froze at seeing the Princess' face.
Celestia looked to the ground as the door closed behind her. She slowly lowered herself to a sitting position and continued to look at the ground, the signs of freshly spilled tears having dried on her face. She dared not to look up at the mares around her.
'They have every right to hate me. I hate myself for much the same reason. I can't believe I let this happen. I can't believe I let this happen again... To a sister... and now to a dear friend... Oh Starswirl, what would you have done...' She closed her eyes as she waited for the yelling, for the harsh words and the insults.
Silence.
She slowly opened her eyes and raised her head, cautiously looking to the mares around her. Each looked to her with some anger, some understanding, some sympathy, and some even a bit hopeful. Blinking, she straightened herself and took a deep breath.
"... She is awake..." This caused all ears in the room that were not asleep to perk up immediately. Pinkie stepped forward before any of them, her eyes pleading.
"Is she okay Princess? Is she back to normal? Can we see her?" As much as she hated having to break their hearts, she shook her head, causing the normally jubilant mare to back up a step, her eyes clenching shut.
"O-oh..." Turning away from the princess, she walked back towards Fluttershy and sat next to her. Fluttershy opened her wings and, taking a moment to adjust, made enough room as Pinkie leaned into her.
"Then why are you here?" Celestia flinched as she turned to the most irate of the group. Rainbow Dash kept her back to the princess, glaring at the wall.
"I came because the guard told me you were causing trouble again... I know you don't like it, but I did what I had to do..." Silence was her only answer, so she chose to continue.
"The council convenes tomorrow morning. There, Twilight's sentence is to be decided." All of the mares turned to look at her with sharp gasps.
"So soon? But I thought that every trial had a three week grace period!" Rarity spoke in shock, her hoof to her mouth, Celestia simply shook her head.
"That is normal for most cases, but this one is a more pressing matter. The charges that have been placed on her are far too severe, so she has been placed to the top of the list in the courts." A snort caught her attention and she looked to see Applejack now glaring at her.
"What're the charges." It was not a question and Celestia knew that she wouldn't back down. The apple farmer was a stubborn one.
"Multiple homicides, multiple attempted homicides, attempted regicide, and multiple counts of assault, property damage, a-and... cannibalism..." The mares all looked to her, but none of them showed much surprise.
"Wh-what do you think her chances are?" The soft voice caught everypony off guard as they looked to Fluttershy, who had not looked up from huddling with the fillies and Pinkie. Celestia thought for a moment of all the possible outcomes of the trial, none of them particularly pleasing.
"I don't know." Applejack scoffed at this and turned on the bed, her back now facing the princess. Celestia flinched as the other mares gave her a sharp glare at having caught her in a lie.
"I just... I can't be certain. But it's best that you all get some rest. If you want to help her, then you need to be well-rested for tomorrow morning." This made the mares look to her with confusion as she gave a small smile.
"After all, you'll be needed as character witnesses." Each of the mares brightened at this.
"Awe yeah!" Rainbow Dash nearly shouted, shooting a hoof into the air, only to wince in pain as she gripped her side. The others chuckled lightly and a small groan caught their attention. Looking to Twilight's bed, they all held their breath as Spike shuffled a bit, before lying still. With a sigh, the mares all stood up and began to move towards their beds, Applebloom and Scootaloo joining their sister and idol respectively.
Celestia nodded quietly as she watched the mares all head them before she stood up herself, turning towards the door.
"Goodnight girls." Silence once again was their only response, causing her to lay her ears back once more.
'Still mad...' She opened the door with the golden glow of her horn and stepped out of the room, closing it behind her. As she walked away from the room, a few guards stepping into place on either side of her, she silently contemplated if she should have told them.
'... Dimmed Star...'
~ ~ ~
The sound of another stack of books and scrolls being deposited on a desk echoed around the massive common area. The light of several candles keeping the table and it's contents illuminated as Cadence pulled another volume of, ' Canterlot Laws and Ethics: Volume XIV' alongside a small tome that was titled, ' Crystal Caves of Canterlot: Facts Versus Fiction.' Her eyes were bloodshot and dark bags showed her exhaustion as she read both books, swapping from one to the other in quick succession on top of glancing to a glowing mirror that showed her an image of a sleeping Shining Armor in a medical bed.
'Don't worry Shining, I'll get her back.' She resolved as she turned another page, her light blue magic bringing forth more tomes on both law and ancient legends.
Interlude: Dusty Joy's Even Worse Day ( Remastered)
Dusty Joy grumbled quietly to herself as she worked to scrub the wall of the East Wing hallway, a pile of used and dirty rags and scrubbers overflowing from the small waste bin she had brought with her. Several types of cleaning supplies sat around her as she worked hard to try and remove the black stains from the wall, scraping and removing any paint that managed to cling to the surface, only to find that the stains were rather persistent and it didn't help that the few sconces on the walls barely helped to keep the hallway lit as the sun dipped beneath the horizon through the windows, making it harder to tell the stain from the shadows around them.
~ ~ ~
After having left the hall earlier in the day when the stains first appeared, her boss Peach Seed, a slightly round and peach-colored earth pony stallion, found her out in the gardens sleeping underneath one of the many fruit trees. She had quite the rude awakening when he splashed her with water from the nearby pond. She later found herself in the offices getting, even more, reprimands for sleeping on the job and abandoning her post.
"I HAD to leave the post! There was nothing I could do!" She argued, her boss raising a critical eye.
"Nothing you could do young lady? It's a HALLWAY, there is plenty for you to do. Dust, vacuum the rugs, sweep and mop the marble flooring, polish the doorknobs. Do I need to put your instructions in even more detail?" He took a moment and ran his hoof through his bright green mane, before reaching below his desk and opened a drawer, pulling out a small stack of papers and placing them on his desk. Leaning over, he took a pen in his teeth and began to write, Dusty looking to him in worry.
"What are you writing?" He sighed as he placed the pen back down and pushed the stack of packers forward, showing his signature at the bottom.
"It's your resignation. Please don't make this any harder than it has to be." She looked to him in shock, her head slowly shaking.
"No... no no no NO! You can't do this, I need this job!" Peach took a deep breath and pushed the pen towards her even as she drew back.
"Look, I'm giving you a choice here, either you sign this and we agree on a mutual separation where it won't reflect badly on your resume, or I just fire you and your resume will show that to every job you ever apply to hereafter." Tears welled up in Dusty eyes and she violently shook her head, slamming her hooves on the table with her wings spread wide.
"NO! This isn't fair! You don't even know what happened in that hallway!" Peach leaned back and gave her a look of admonishment.
"Please Miss Joy, we both know about that stallion and that the situation was already resolved. But that is not an excuse to-" She slammed her hooves on the table again, making him jump as she glared hard at him.
"THAT'S NOT WHY I DID IT!!" Taking a moment to collect himself, he gave a huff of air as he sat straight again and gave her a stern look, his irritation finally showing through.
"Then what, Miss Joy. What could have been so bad that you needed to abandon your duties and go take a nap out in the gardens?" Dusty glared back just as harshly as she dropped off his desk and walked to the door, giving a sharp glare back to him as she opened it.
"I'll show you." Peach raised an eyebrow, then proceed to stand and follow her out of the office.
The two of them trotted in silence through the castle, occasionally however they would have to stop as a contingent of guards would rush past them and towards the other end of the castle. Peach Seed continued watching the latest group of guards with a hint of concern for a few moments, before turning and following Dusty.
"... I wonder what all the fuss is about." He stated simply, the first break in the silence between them. Dusty snorted as she continued forward, her sharp glare still present.
"If I had to take a guess? Probably whatever caused what I'm about to show you." Peach perked up at this, was it really so severe?
The two of them finally reached the back end of the East Wing hallway of the castle, a pair of double doors blocked their path. Dusty came to a stop and turned to face him, her glare not stopping him as he simply nodded to her. Stepping up beside her and to the doors, he pushed them open and gasped in shock.
Starting from almost the center of the hall, the left wall was in a severe state of disrepair. A great black stain raised up its surface starting from the floor, then ran parallel with the ground as it continued its destructive path down the hall and to the other end where it vanished around the corner. If the stain was the worst of it, then it wouldn't have been as much of a problem, but sadly it was not to be. The paint on the wall had chipped and fell away, leaving only the blackened concrete visible. The remains of the banners that had been hung on the wall, lay in dark tatters across the hall floor along with the remains of a bust that had been cracked in half, the head of which he could only guess was likely the shattered parts scattered about. Along with the stain, the wall held even darker spider web-like veins that looked to rise off the wall a bit. Dusty stood behind him, a smug look on her face as she watched his expression go from shock to horrified. His left eye began to twitch uncontrollably and she snickered lightly.
"See, I told you it wasn't my fault." Her words seemed to spark some life back into the stallion as he blinked rapidly, shaking his head for a moment almost as if to make sure he wasn't dreaming himself. After a few moments of silence, he took in a deep, shuddering breath and let it out in a long sigh.
"... Okay, you can keep your job... this uh... this definitely counts as something out of your control." Dusty grinned in triumph and threw her hoof into the air.
"Yes!" Peach looked back to her with a raised eyebrow, only to roll his eyes as she shrugged her shoulders. Looking back to the disaster before him, he groaned.
"The amount of paperwork this is going to take... I guess neither of us gets the night off..." The smirk on Dusty's face vanished immediately as she looked to him with dread.
"Um... what?" Peach turned to face her and gave as best an apologetic look as he could, she didn't like that look.
"I'm sorry about this, but I still need you to try and clean up what you can, especially those stains. We have to get this mess taken care of so that the stonemasons can come in and repair any structural damage." Dusty stared at her, her left eye having developed a twitch. She could not formulate a response as her mind raced at the idea of having to clean up this mess on her own. Peach turned to the doors and walked past her, pausing for a moment to place a hoof on her shoulder.
"I know it's a lot to ask of you, especially with us being short staffed right now, but I promise that I'll compensate you for your time and the effort that you put in." Dusty opened her mouth as if to say something, but all that came out were a few incoherent sounds as she stared down the hall at the immense task before her. Peach removed his hoof and continued towards the door, calling back to her.
"I'll come by every few hours to check on your progress. If something like this happens, you need to come and get me instead of just going off and taking a nap, I'll overlook it this time." The door shut behind him, leaving her in the hall as she continued to stare at the hall, her eyes pinpricks and her left eyelid twitching unhealthily.
~ ~ ~
Several hours later, she found herself with sore hooves and even darker bags under her eyes as she continued to scrub the same spot on the wall. The stain, no matter how hard she tried or what type of scrubber she used, simply would not go away! She had begun with the floor itself, picking up the tattered remains of the many banners, that had been a nightmare as almost every time she would touch them, they fell into even more pieces! The chipped pieces of paint along the floor had been a bit easier and the bust was a simple matter of sweeping. The wall itself was the primary challenge, she had put it off for as long as she could. She hadn't made any progress since she first started trying to remove the stain either. She had used every cleaning chemical short of pouring sulfuric acid on the surface and nothing worked! The rags and scrubbers then began to turn black themselves the more she used them, forcing her to collect new ones, which led to the growing pile next to her.
Just as she was about to throw the current rag into the pile, her other hoof reaching for a stack of fresh ones at the same time, the door at the back of the hall opened and she looked to see Peach Seed stepping through, a grim look on his face. Standing to her hooves, she looked around the hall with worry, making sure that the floor was as clean as possible, before standing as straight as she could and facing him with a smile, her heart in her hooves.
'Maybe if I'm really, REALLY nice and polite, he won't be mad about the wall and I won't get fired...' Her small bit of hope slowly dwindled as she watched him glance to the wall and grimace, his irritation clear. As he approached her, he looked to the massive pile of scrubbers and other supplies, then again at the wall.
"No luck then I take it." He spoke softly as he studied the wall. Dusty gave a shaky chuckle and continued to smile, her ears folded back.
"I-it'll come off... I'm sure of it! ... please don't fire me..." His ears perked up and his eyes widened as he looked to her, a sympathetic look taking the place of his grimace.
"Oh! No no, I'm not here because of that, I'm sorry. I know you are trying your hardest, it isn't your fault that this isn't coming off. It's definitely a conundrum..." He glanced at the wall after seeing Dusty visibly relax and release a breath she had been holding.
"Oh thank Celestia..." She whispered under her breath, Peach giving a slight smirk, only to frown once more.
"But." Dusty immediately tensed up as he said this. Turning to walk past her and further down the hall, he motion for her to follow. With a side glance at the supplies, she shrugged and dropped the scrubbers, trotting into step beside him.
"There is another situation that has come up, and though some of the, ahem, darker details have been withheld from me, I have been told that some professionals were sent in to clean up the portions that you as a maid are not prepared or trained for." Dusty smiled at this, finally a break!
"So I'm done with the wall? You guys have somepony else coming to take care of it?" He glanced to her with an apologetic smile and her good mood instantly soured. She really hated that look.
"I'm sorry, but the wall is still our problem until we pass it on to the masons, even worse is that the stain doesn't end in this hall. Rather, it ends where this hall leads, which is another problem altogether." The two of them came around the corner and Dusty's eyes widened as the hall before her was littered with open boxes of medical kits, torn bits of medical tape and other disposables, and the scuff marks of many, MANY hooves. The mess went all the way to the other side of the hall, all the way to the doors that lead to the Canterlot Ballroom, then seemed to stop.
"What happened here?" She asked quietly as they proceeded, stepping over the mess. She could see many spots on the floor and the walls they were cleaner than the rest, as though somepony else had already been here and scrubbed them. A few of the rugs that were normally centered on the marble flooring were also missing.
"Chaos is the best way to describe it without making you sick to your stomach. I'll leave it at that. This is also more of what you'll need to clean up, but the bigger project is in here." They stopped just before the large double doors of the Canterlot ballroom. He nodded to the doorknob for her and she cautiously reached forward with her hoof, turning and pushing it open.
She stared in complete shock at the utterly destroyed ballroom. The floor was near completely black, as though somepony had emptied a half dozen cans of black paint on the floor and let it dry, with only just the edges of the floor still retaining their pristine white. Many of the wooden pews that had been brought in for the wedding, lay shattered across the ground along with chunks of the floor, deep gouges showing where they had been removed. A few of the pillars lay on their sides, either broken in half or shattered entirely. The black stain from before had also reappeared on the inside of the room near the doors, following the wall to the dais where it finally came to stop at a massive hole, stained black rubble sitting in the opening as the cool night air brought a chill across her fur. The littered and ruined remains of more banisters and curtains lay across the floor of the wall, the wind occasionally catching on one and causing it to fall to pieces even more.
The red carpet that had led up to where the center of an aisle should have been, had been completely removed. It wasn't the only sign that someone else had already been here to clean up something. Many of the remains of the pews had been pushed to the sides of the room, clearing the floor as it looked like someone had done some intense scrubbing of their own. She spied a stain of dark red on one of the mostly still intact pews, she gulped audibly.
"I know." Nearly jumping out of her fur, she snapped her head to her left where she found Peach Seed standing alongside her and looking around at the destruction.
"When I first saw it, I could hardly believe it, much less understand what happened. There were guards everywhere and everything was covered in..." He put his hoof to his lips as he suppressed a strangled sound. The dark red stain she remembered seeing sent a shiver down her spine.
"I know I've already asked a lot of you, and believe me, you'll be compensated for it. But if I could, I'd like to ask a bit more." Once more, the poor mare found herself unable to respond as her mind simply shut down. He glanced to her in worry. After still not getting a response, he waved his hoof in front of her blank eyes, still nothing. He slowly backed out of the room, looking left and right with a sheepish grin.
"So uh, I'll just leave you to it... again... good luck?" He turned and quickly trotted back down the hall.
The quiet in the destroyed ballroom was deafening for a few more moments, only to be interrupted by a shout of pure outrage.
The newly named Dimmed Star stood panting in the dark of her cell, straining to keep her voice down so that the guards just outside would not hear her. A thin sheen of sweat covered her frame, dripping down her fur and into the medium-sized pool of black fluid that rested beneath her. Closing her black eyes, she took a deep breath, releasing it as she slowly drew the puddle back onto her legs, letting it soak into her. The whole of the floor was a black stained mess with small gouges and nicks in the stone. Opening her eyes again, she walked over to the back corner of the room where a notebook that had not been there before sat, along with a pile of bones, some that still held chunks of meat.
Dropping next to the book, her horn lit up with its black aura and one of the few bones that still had meat was quickly brought up to her lips. Taking one end into her mouth, she chewed idly while picking up a quill with her aura and began to jot down notes.
'Let's see what else we have now.' Looking to the page before, she nodded to herself as she swirled her tongue around the edge of the bone in her mouth, scraping and savoring the meat still clinging to it.
Dimmed Star had spent the entire time since getting out of her ' restraints,' testing her body and her new abilities. She had begun with her horn's magic first, as it was the more familiar to her than what she could do without it and she wanted to see if there were any changes in her mana pool or the strength of her spells in general. So far everything seemed to remain the same with the exception that her magic's aura had changed color altogether. She did note that although the color of a unicorn's natural aura was the same as their iris, her's took on the color of her sclera. Glancing over, she took in her appearance once more in the small hoof-held mirror she had also acquired. The mare that stared back at her looked nothing like what she had come to expect in the many years of her previous life. The glowing teal dots that acted as her iris flicked about the face in the mirror, before she turned back to the notebook.
'The Ink my body seems to produce and absorb is quite useful but I'll need to avoid using it for practical things. The stains it leaves behind are quite bothersome and I'd hate to ruin a book by using it to turn the page.' She had come to call the liquid Ink, as it reminded her of the same ink used by quills. It was a black fluid that left a dark stain on any surface, it made sense to her.
Raising her left hoof, some of the fluid rose up off her leg and formed into a ball at the tip, small strands connecting it to her, before changing shape into a three-fingered claw, then the scythe-like blade that she had remembered using back in the ballroom. She quirked her head and it closed in on itself, fusing together once more and becoming a ball again, before gradually molding itself into the form of a very small rabbit. The little black rabbit sat on her hoof and stared back at her, its eyes a glowing red. It leaned forward as though sniffing her, before turning and beginning to hop around the frog of her hoof. She grinned lightly, her sharp teeth flashing before she felt her stomach grumble after watching it for a moment.
'Great, made myself hungry again.' She melted the rabbit back into a ball and let the liquid hover above her hoof again. After a moment of thought, she narrowed her eyes at the ball and watched as more fluid poured from her hoof and into it, slowly rising off her stomach and into a standing position. Her magic kept the quill jotting notes down in the journal as she watched the liquid intently, a long black pole now resting along the frog of her hoof.
Suddenly, with the sound of a sickening squelch, the shape of a large curved blade shot from one end of the staff. With a strained grunt, sweat now cresting her brow, the entire object began to harden. A sound akin to glass under strain came from the scythe as it crystallized in her hoof. Nary another minute passed and she stood using the staff of the weapon to keep herself up as she panted, sweat dripping down her face, a triumphant grin as her sharp teeth closed tightly around the end of the bone in her mouth, snapping it and letting the rest fall to the floor with a clatter.
'Full solid object creation, success.' She lowered her quill and took the weapon in her aura, holding it in the air before her to get a good look.
The entire object looked as though it had been crafted out of obsidian, it's uneven surface slightly jagged in places and it's blade nearly transparent. Giving it a slight spin through the air, a whistling could be heard, she raised an eyebrow at this.
'Why does it make that sound? Is it because of the uneven surface?' She brought it closer and ran the frog of her hoof along the edge of the blade, the familiar bite of pain causing her to flinch slightly, but otherwise, she ignored it. Lifting her hoof, she looked to the wound as the black Ink poured from the wound in place of blood, before it suddenly rose up, grabbed the edges of the injury, and sealed it shut as though it was never there.
'Back to its normal speed it would seem.' She thought. That was another thing that she had been testing the limits of. After getting free from the restraints, she had noticed that she had no wounds on her body and after forcing herself to push through the fear of pain, she had finally bitten into her leg with her sharp teeth, tearing into the flesh and making her tear up at the pain. When she released it, she almost missed when the Ink that filled her veins quickly shut the wound and repaired her flesh. After seeing her newfound regeneration, she began to toy with it to see if it had limits. It did, as she had discovered after many hours of testing.
She could recover from any wound that she was able to inflict on herself, and if her memory served, even getting fully vaporized would only delay her. But as she tested the limits and boundaries, she began to feel quite sick and even found that her ability to heal was getting much slower with each new injury, until her body stopped healing itself entirely. It was at this point that she had passed out, for how long she had no way of telling. When she awoke, the last of her wounds were just sealing closed and she came to the conclusion that her body could only take so much damage before her regeneration would be burnt out and she would become fully vulnerable to harm, possibly even death. Another drawback had been the extreme hunger she felt upon waking, hence the devoured corpse of a meal behind her.
Glancing to the scythe out of the corner of her eye, she lowered it to the floor and let her aura fade. With a hard stomp on the shaft, the weapon shattered, its pieces flying off, before freezing in the air, melting into a liquid state again and beginning to fly back towards her hoof. She watched the spectacle with interest as the liquid swirled around her hoof in a whirlpool, before getting absorbed by her body once more.
'So no matter how far, it will always return to me?' She had already spent a great deal of time toying with the Ink, seeing how it reacted to her emotions and how long she could manipulate it before tiring herself out, but she had yet to see if any part of it would return to her it wasn't directly in contact with her in some way. She turned back to the notebook and lowered herself once more. Picking up the quill, she jotted down a single question that had been burning in her mind since she began her testing.
'What am I?' She stared at the underlined words before she felt a wetness fall from her right eye. Blinking in confusion, she looked to the mirror and stared as a single black tear dripped from the corner of her eye. She watched as the liquid came to a stop halfway down her face, before it was soaked up through her fur and the stain it left behind faded away, leaving her coat as its new dark purple. The sound of the heavy iron door to her cell slowly creaking open made her ears flick in its direction, but she did not look up as she picked up another bone in her magic and dropped one end into her mouth, idly chewing on the leftover cartilage of the dead rabbit. Light slowly filled the room as the door opened.
'Here we go.'
~ ~ ~
Celestia stood within her private chambers, staring within the frame of a full-body mirror outlined with golden decorations, each one accentuating a symbol of the Sun in some way. She sighed as the dress maids and doctors around her fussed over trying to put her normal regalia on while not hindering her movement or the bandages over her wounds. Stretching the wing that was once held in a sling, she winced at the jolt of pain it caused her but ignored it for the most part.
'I'm lucky it was a sprain, had that pillar hit me without my barrier...' The memory of when her student had actually yanked one of the stone pillars from its place and had thrown it at her with all the fury of a Minotaur, still sent a shiver down her spine.
" Princess? I need you to place your wing back down please." Looking to her left, she barely gave the doctor a sound of acknowledgment, before wincing as she folded her wing back, the doctor quickly placing it back into a sling. Celestia turned back away from the doctor, absent-mindedly stepping into her golden shoes.
'... Dimmed Star... Why would she change her name? She did seem quite upset when anypony called her Twilight, but to outright cast her name aside?' She glanced to the mirror once more as a maid began to levitate her chest ornamentation over to her, the symbol of a blazing Sun upon its surface. She barely registered its familiar weight, her mind wandering.
' Where did she even come up with such a name? Dimmed Star... it's so different from anything I could imagine her thinking up... but this isn't Twilight that I'm talking about anymore. Something has taken hold of her, and it's rooted itself so deep that the Elements could only suppress it, not cleanse her of its influence.' She blinked as a lightweight was placed upon her head. Clearing her thoughts, she looked into the mirror to see herself in full regalia. Her colorful and radiant mane and tail flowed against an invisible wind, her fur as white as snow and the regalia shined brilliantly in the light of the risen Sun that shined through the balcony to her right, not showing any of the wear or damage from the battle the day before. Perhaps it was a different set and the other had been sent for repairs? She hardly cared enough to notice. Her eyes connected to her own, the light bags under them the only sign of her sleepless night.
'... Traitor...' A voice called in the back of her mind, mockingly. Her eyes closed tightly, willing the voice that had haunted her the entirety of the night to be silent once more. She had been down this road once before, a thousand years ago. Looking to the writing desk on the other side of the mirror, she looked longingly to the framed image of herself, a small purple and green baby dragon and a young purple unicorn filly. She sat next to the young filly who held the small drake with a bright smile, but it could not match that of the filly's. Despite having been told many times to look to the camera, the filly could not help but constantly steal glances at her beloved mentor all the while hugging the drake as though he were a brand new teddy bear.
She sighed as she turned away from the picture and the mirror, hardly noticing that the doctors and hoof maids had already left out. Walking to the balcony, she peered out at the Sun, mentally noting that it was in the right position for the current time, before the sound of wings flapping and hooves adorned in shoes clipped upon the concrete surface. She didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
"Did you have a good evening, sister?" Silence was her answer. Turning to face her, Celestia took in her younger sister's appearance.
Although technically they were near the same age, because Luna had been sealed in the Moon, time for her had stopped and thus so did the aging of her body. She stood a full head shorter than her and though her mane flowed much like her own and was speckled with lights reminiscent of the night sky, she couldn't help but wonder how much more detailed her mane and tail would be if she had never been sealed away. She stood before her in regalia quite similar to herself, only instead of the luminous gold, it was a deep black with the emblem of a crescent Moon on the front of the chest ornament. Her own crown bore purple amethyst jewels and was much taller than that of her sister Luna's, which bore no distinctive features or decorations.
What drew her attention the most, however, was the one part of her sister that was not ornamentation. It was a single band of silver, that sat upon her sister's horn. Internally she struggled every time she saw it, but it was the best of what she could hope for after so long. Ever since Luna's return, Celestia had been fighting hoof and wing to get her reinstated into the Diarchy, but the governing council that she had appointed had other ideas.
"Tis not I with whom you should be concerned, dear sister," Luna spoke cautiously as she approached her eldest. Celestia nodded lightly towards her as the two embraced. She eyed the silver band upon her horn and scowled inwardly. Although she had served her sentence on the Moon, she had still assaulted the Princess on her return as Nightmare Moon. Not only that, but she had succeeded in sealing her away with the Moon in her place and then proceeded to bring about Eternal Night as prophesied. Thankfully she was stopped and returned to her natural state by Twilight and her friends, but the council would not have everything go quite so smoothly. They agreed to allow Luna back within the Diarchy, but only after serving a minimum of two years under house arrest, her magic sealed unless she was performing her duties as Ruler of the Night and under armed guard at all times. Speaking of, she glanced up to note the two pegasus guards flying just above the balcony, circling the two of them from a respectable distance.
She had only managed to get her sister out of the council's clutches for one night so far, and that had been last Nightmare Night. It had taken a great effort on her part to work around the council and even though she was successful for the one night, she was still feeling the backlash even today. Yet she could not complain, though she would have liked to have had her sister at the wedding ceremony yesterday, in hindsight, she was glad that they had forbade her presence.
"Sister?" Celestia realized she had been silent far too long and had created an awkward pause. She pulled away from her sister and gave the best smile she possibly could.
"It's nothing Luna, you needn't concern yourself with it." However, Luna would not be deterred. Her wings spread and she slipped into her old Ponish, as she was want when flustered.
"Do not take us for a fool sister! We know what hath transpired between thyself and thy apprentice. We..." Nearing the end of her outburst, she calmed herself with a deep breath and continued in modern Equish, " I want to know if you are going to be OK?"
"How much did you hear exactly?" Celestia's ears folded back as she sat upon the balcony. Luna ruffled the feathers of her wings as she made it a point to eye up her sister's bandaged body, causing Celestia to feel very self-conscious.
"Not enough, t'would seem." She turned from Celestia and looked to the rising Sun.
"But enough to know that thou must attend her trial this morn. We do not suppose thou has time to recount the tale?" Celestia also looked to the Sun, mentally assuring herself of the time, before shaking her head.
"Sadly no, I must be in the Courts with the council before she is brought to trial." She could practically see the weight that seemed to appear on her sister's shoulders as she said this. Any mention of the council always brought her sister down in some way.
"We- I see." A silence passed between them for a few moments, before Luna turned to face the edge of the balcony.
"Very well then, I shall see you tonight in the realm of dreams. There you can show me what happened." A familiar feeling of dread boiled in Celestia's stomach as she stared at her sister's back wide-eyed.
"P-please..." Luna stopped her movement in surprise and looked over her shoulder, only to stare in shock at what greeted her.
Celestia now stood, her body trembling as her face was hidden in shadow as it looked to the ground. A tear dripped to stone between her hooves.
"Sister?" Luna asked fearfully. After a moment, Celestia raised her head to face her sister. Luna gasped as she witnessed the face of a struggling and broken mare. Rushing forward, she embraced her sister's quaking form and held her tightly, tears glistening in her own eyes.
"Pl-please don't... don't make me relive that..." Celestia's voice came in a bare whisper and Luna felt as though she had been stabbed through the heart.
"We are so sorry sister. We can still be a bit insensitive, we are so, so very sorry." The two sat embracing one another for a time, Celestia fighting to regain control of herself and Luna struggling with the image of her usually strong and indomitable sister, now barely holding herself together.
~ ~ ~
Spike wearily opened his eyes as the Sun's light streamed in through the windows of the guest suite. He slowly raised himself up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and pushing the covers off of himself.
"Oh hey, Spike's awake!" The squeaky sound of Sweetie Belle's voice made him look over to the bed to his immediate right. There he could see the blurry forms of three fillies playing what looked to be a game of ' Go Fish.' From the looks of it, Applebloom was winning and Scootaloo wasn't too happy about it as they seemed to be betting with stacks of candy. Sweetie Belle still had a hoof full of sweets and didn't seem particularly interested in either winning or losing judging from the smile she bore.
"Did y'all sleep well?" Applebloom asked around the lollipop she was currently enjoying. Spike nodded slowly, carefully looking around the room as his vision cleared up.
"Where is everypony?" His voice was hoarse and his throat hurt. Reaching a claw up, he rubbed at it carefully. Sweetie Belle perked up at this and quickly hopped off the bed and over to the nightstand nearby.
"Rarity said you might have a sore throat when you woke up, something about crying in your sleep?" She reached up and grabbed a tray that held a glass of water in between her teeth. She wobbled unsteadily as she walked over to him and placed it on the edge of the bed, pushing it towards him and struggling to climb the mattress. Looking to one another for a moment, Applebloom and Scootaloo put down their own cards and rushed to join the drake and filly.
Spike took the glass of water gratefully and gulped down almost half of the glass in one go, before placing it back on the tray just as Scootaloo and Applebloom made it up the bed.
"As for everypony else, they all went to the trial." Scootaloo's scratchy voice provided as she sat across from him, with Sweetie to his right and Applebloom to his left. He blinked in confusion at this.
"Trial? What trial?" They all looked to him for a moment, before realization dawned and Applebloom face-hoofed herself.
"Tha's right! Y'all were asleep when all that talk went down." He looked to her, even more, confused as she glanced at the others, hoping either one of them would take this one. Scootaloo pretended not to notice and whistled, while Sweetie Belle suddenly found the hairs of her tail very interesting.
'Traitors' She mouthed in their direction, turning back to the worried drake.
"We-well. They said tha' 'cause of wha' she did at the weddin' an' all, Twilight has a trial today." Spike's eyes widened in shock.
"WHAT! Bu-but what about the three-week grace period! There are procedures and rules an-and-" He quickly shot to his clawed feet on the bed, nearly tipping the tray and glass of water in his panic.
"I have to get to the trial!" He shouted as she rushed to the edge of the bed and tried to jump off, only to be snatched back by his tail. Looking back, he found the tip in the mouth of Scootaloo, whose tail was held by Applebloom, her lollipop discarded, whose tail was held by Sweetie Belle.
"Ya can't!" Scootaloo strained through her mouthful. Spike clawed at the mattress's edge, trying to pull away.
" I have to!" He shouted as he struggled to pull his tail free from their grasp. Neither side budged an inch as both sides struggled, one driven by the longing and need to be there for someone who had always been there for them, the other three driven by desperation to keep the promise they had made to their sisters and friends. Spike pulled harder, tears brimming in his eyes.
"Let. Me. Go!" He shouted back at the three fillies.
"We can't!" They called back, strain showing on each of their faces. The struggle continued for a few moments more before finally, one side gave out and Spike was yanked back hard onto the mattress, the tray and glass of water finally spilling over onto the side of the mattress. Before he could recover, the fillies were on him, holding him in place.
"Please! I have to go! I have to be there for her! I HAVE TO PROVE I'M NOT A BAD FRIEND!" His tears flowed freely now. Suddenly he felt the hard slap of a hoof across his face and all was silent. He slowly looked to see the crying and red face of Applebloom standing over him.
"You're not a bad friend!" She shouted, her voice loud enough to rival Pinkie's party cannon. Spike sat below them, frozen for a moment, before looking down as he sniffled.
"Bu-but I am... I... I walked out on her too... I..." Instead of the slap of a hoof, he felt himself become wrapped up in the forelegs of his friends.
"You didn't know any better, Spike... None of us would have..." Sweetie Belle whimpered into him as she held tightly. The other two nodded in agreement as they tightened their hugs. Spike closed his eyes for a moment, letting himself be retrained the best way that they knew how.
"Why... why won't you let me go?" He asked in an almost whisper. Scootaloo raised her head this time, her eyes slightly red from holding back her own tears.
"They made us promise to keep you here..." She mumbled. Spike trembled in their grasp. No one would let him see his Twilight.
"They... they said it was for the best... that you wouldn't recognize her anyways..." Spike shook his head in violent protest to Sweetie Belle's words, his movement prompting them to tighten their grips.
"I'll always recognize Twilight! No matter what she looks like now, I'll always know it's her! Sh-she's my mo... my... my friend!" He strained, his voice choking with his sobs. There was a silence between them as he finally stopped struggling, each of them breathed heavily after having exercised so much of their energy.
"It'll be okay Spike." Applebloom's voice finally carried over them. Spike didn't bother to look in her direction, he was too tired.
"Yeah, have some faith in them. They'll get this whole thing sorted out!" Scootaloo boasted, her own heavy breathing causing her words to come in gasping breaths. Sweetie Belle only nodded, having less stamina than her two physically active friends, she was hard-pressed to keep up.
Taking a deep breath, Spike finally relented, bringing a claw to his face to wipe at his eyes.
"Yo-you're right... I should believe in my friends..."
The sky above Canterlot was a dark and depressing grey, thunder rumbled through the clouds above and a cold air swept through the dark alleys of the city. The streets of the normally bustling city were barren of life, save for the occasional stray animal rushing to find shelter from the coming storm. A newspaper fluttered softly through the cold air, passing by the closed up windows of a bakery.
'The city is in mourning...' Celestia thought to herself as she stood outside the courtroom of Canterlot Castle. Her body was still wrapped in bandages and her eyes held dark bags beneath them. She stared down at the city below her through the large stained glass window. Of the many ponies who had attended the wedding the previous day, several had been reporters. Their original purpose had been to report on the happy tidings of a royal marriage, but with what had occurred...
'To think they could get the news out so quickly... and to be able to name all those who died, somepony will pay dearly for this...' Celestia's frown deepened. A flash of light startled her from her thoughts and she watched as finally, the clouds above began to weep. She raised her right hoof and softly placed it against the glass, the coolness of the rain on the other side chilling the glass against the frog of her hoof.
'How could it have become like this?... What could I have done to prevent it?... What can I do now to make it right?...' Her mind was in turmoil, much like the storm that raged outside her castle walls. The rumbling of thunder echoed around her, the cavernous hall giving the sound waves a perfect stadium with which to play their symphony.
"Princess?" A soldier's voice spoke softly from behind her. She did not want to face him, she did not want to go into that room, to face the one she had failed more than any other than her sister. She closed her eyes tight, holding back a choked sob.
'Please... don't make me do this... please...' She prayed to the Gods and Goddess above. To any that would show her mercy, but fate would not let her escape this.
"Princess, it's time..." The guard pressed once more, a bit of urgency in his voice. With a trembling breath, the Princess removed her hoof from the winder and turned to face him. Her heart in her hooves.
"Yes... it is..." She spoke softly, quietly walking past the guard and towards the doors of the courtroom.
~ ~ ~
The quiet of the Courtroom was deafening to all those present. The air tense with anxiety and no small amount of worry.
The Bearers sat in the booth normally reserved for the Jury, while Celestia sat upon a high throne at the back of the room, just behind a large crescent table where six other ponies sat, each going through an envelope of records with varying degrees of interest. The many rows of chairs to the front of the Courtroom were barren of all but two other occupants. A navy blue unicorn stallion with an even darker navy blue mane and tail held tightly to the trembling and weeping form of a grey unicorn mare, her mane and tail were also grey but a dark purple and white streak ran through both.
"Shhh, shh. It's gonna be ok sweetheart... it'll be ok." Night Light whispered softly into the mare's ear as he held her close, her tears staining his chest fur. His own eyes were red from holding back his own sorrow in the face all that had occurred. Celestia looked to them from across the courtroom and felt her heart in her hooves. It hurt to see the parents of a pony whom they all loved so much, suffer so greatly. Their son in a coma, their daughter on trial for terrible crimes. It left her wishing that she were anywhere other than here at this exact moment.
'But I need to be here... I have to see this through...' She sighed and looked to the ponies going through the papers before her.
The six ponies sat in groups of two, each divided by tribe as the council had been constructed for hundreds of years. The two in the middle represented the Unicorns. A tall white stallion in fine black suit and tie with a curled blue mane and a monocle over his right eye, looked carefully through the information before him, his face stoic and his breathing even. Fancy Pants was a high ranked upper-class stallion, his position into the council had been something of a surprise to Celestia. Not many of the upper class tended to care much about the goings-on within the government, often preferring to keep to themselves unless it benefited them in some way or other. Celestia's eyes drifted to unicorn mare beside him.
' Hasty Vote, however...' There were not many ponies that Celestia could say she outright despised, even among the council there were only two ponies she would admit to having no attachment towards. This mare was one of them. Hasty Vote sat with the envelope before her, her stylish rimmed glasses held to her snout with what looked to be a diamond-encrusted laurel of some sort. Her dark brown mane was expertly curled into locks about her face and neck. She wore a rather boorish fuzzy pink dress that went along with the fuzzy pink designer's hat that sat upon her head. Her peach-colored fur could barely be seen under all that pink. The mare looked through the documents with her nose raised a good inch higher than it should and her horn glowed a dark hazelnut as a quill went about taking notes next to her.
This mare had been the one to force a vote to have her sister under house arrest. She had at first tried to have Luna imprisoned in Tartarus, but Celestia would not have it. She may be more of a figurehead these days when it came to overseeing the affairs of the country as a whole, but she had not been so foolish as to let them have all the power. There were many ' back doors' she had left herself in the case that she would have to intervene in the affairs of a government on the verge of corruption. She had only been forced to exercise this once in the thousand years of having to rule without her sister, and that had been upon her return and this mare had the gal to propose imprisonment. Using a bylaw that she had held in reserve, she threatened to dissolve the council and reinstate Luna fully into the Diarchy, effective immediately.
Hasty was furious, and no doubt has gone through every text in the laws trying to find a loophole in the system. Looking away from the abhorrent amount of pink, Celestia gazed further down the table and to the members of the council from the Earth pony tribe. She paused on the stallion who trembled lightly. His papers were roughly handled and he looked to be struggling to remain in control of the emotions streaming across his features. The light grey stallion ran his hoof through his oily black mane, sweeping the few locks that had come loose back into place. The stubble on his chin looked to be only a few hours old and the bags under his eyes showed his lack of sleep. Business Savvy was in no small amount of frustration, the documents before them outline not only the charges held against the defendant but also the names of those lost with minor descriptions as to how.
His son had been one of the soldiers who died, even worse, she had eaten him.
~ ~ ~
"LIKE TARTARUS I'M GOING TO SIT THIS ONE OUT!!" Fancy Pants found himself slammed into the wall behind him, his monocle falling to dangle under him as Business Savvy held him in place. The other council members watched idly from the side, some with disinterest, some with worry.
"Sav, you aren't yourself my friend. You are much too close to this case to give an informed and reasonable vote." He felt the pressure on his chest tighten as Business Savvy tried to push in further, his eyes wild and his normally well-oiled mane a mess.
"DON'T TRY TO SELL ME THAT YAK-SPIT! I have EVERY right to be in this trial! That bitch KILLED my SON!" he exclaimed, pulling his right hoof back, only to slam it into the wall behind Fancy, next to his head. Fancy Pants was starting to sweat lightly, as he struggled to stay calm.
"That is enough, Business Savvy. If you don't calm down, then you are NOT going to be part of the trial. We will find a stand-in." Everypony turned to see Celestia with them in the meeting room, her hard gaze lowered at Business Savvy. The irate Earth stallion slowly pulled back from Fancy Pants, who took a moment to straighten his suit and replace his monocle, before finding that the princess and Savvy were in a hard staring contest.
"You're threatening ME Princess?! What about you? She was YOUR student. If anypony is too close in this case, it's YOU!" the force of his yell causing their ears to ring. Celestia simply glared back at the stallion, she had been through too much already to be fazed by a single Earth pony.
"You are right, we are BOTH too close to this case. However, I will only be there in presence, I will have no political sway over the events that take place. You, however, are a member of the council and will be necessary to provide an even vote. Now, either you calm down and promise to give a fair and concise ruling, or I WILL have you sent home under armed guard." The two stared at one another in silence for a moment longer, before Savvy straightened himself, sweeping a hoof through his mane. He took several deep breaths before walked forward and pushing past the princess.
"I'll see you in the courtroom." His quiet voice was still brimming with repressed rage, the door closing with a soft click behind him. Celestia closed her eyes and took a few calming breaths of her own.
"Are you sure that it is wise Princess?" Opening her eyes, she found the other council members before her, with Fancy Pants standing in front.
"What choice do we have? It's either this or find a stand-in, but that would take to long. The trial will begin within the hour, a suitable stand in wouldn't be available for several more." Fancy nodded and made his own way past the princess quietly, the other members following behind him. Hasty Vote gave the princess a sharp look.
"Personally," Her high pitched, chipper like voice cut through the air like a razor and made Celestia's ears hurt. " I don't think you need to be there at all, whether politically involved or otherwise." Celestia glared at the mare while she smiled a sickeningly sweet smile.
"Just my opinion, your majesty." She trotted out after the others calmly, her pungent perfume nearly making the princess gag.
~ ~ ~
Celestia watched Savvy carefully, his slightly ruffled black suit struggling to retain its previously ironed smoothness.
'If he cannot pull himself together soon, we may have to postpone the trial... not that I wouldn't mind that.' She thought idly. A small groan to her right caught her attention. Turning she found the Bearers all sitting rather stiffly in the Juror's booth. It was the only place that all six of them could fit comfortably while being visible by all occupants of the room. The source of the groan quickly revealing itself to be the prismatic pegasus as she lifted off her seat a few inches, glancing anxiously around the room.
"We've been in here for hours, how much longer is it gonna take?" She complained even as Rarity turned and shushed her.
"These things take time darling. Not only do the council have to get their own thoughts together for the trial ahead, but the guards have to make sure that Twilight is prepared as well. Speaking of... I haven't seen a defense attorney... I don't suppose anypony else has?" She already knew the answer of course, but a small amount of hope could still be heard in her voice. That was quickly snuffed out as the others shook their heads.
"There will not be a defense." Everypony looked to the center of the room to see Hasty Vote had stood from her chair and was calmly approaching the mares. Rainbow Dash and Applejack both visibly bristled, while Rarity looked to the mare with a slightly more critical eye.
"What do you mean? No defense?" The shy voice of Fluttershy cut through the momentary silence as the mare came to a stop before them. She smiled a sweet smile to them all, before turning her gaze to Fluttershy, who flinched back slightly.
"What I mean dear, is that the convicted has already been found to be guilty, we don't need a vote to determine that." Her smile was far too chipper. Rainbow Dash growled as her wings flared, nearly swatting both Rarity and Pinkie in the faces.
"What do you mean she's already been found guilty! We haven't even had the trial yet!" Hasty turned to the brash pegasus, her smile never faltering.
"Now now, none of that or we'll have to have you escorted out of the courtroom dearie. You wouldn't want to miss being here for the sentencing now, would you?" Rainbow glared hard at the mare before her, everything about her screamed at her to knock her on her flank. An orange hoof reached forward and pulled her back into her seat, however. A rough snort escaped from Applejack as she stood calmly, standing above the other five as she stared into the mare's cheerful eyes.
"Y'all best watch what you say 'round us. Ya can belittle us all ya like, but when y'all threaten our friends, our FAMILY... Y'all are steppin' on a rattler's tail..." Her glare hardened as she finished. Hasty Vote's smile lessened somewhat before she raised an eyebrow.
"Are you threatening me? Did you not just hear what I told your friend there, or can you even understand me? I suppose it's reasonable to assume considering your, upbringing." Her smile got wider as the other gasped, however, Applejack did not react.
"Y'all talk an awful lot for a pony that was spoon-fed her whole life, makes me wonder how y'all fit in them clothes at all." Hasty Vote stared slack-jawed at the apple farmer while her friends all fought to hold back a guffaw of laughter. Even Celestia found herself struggling not to openly snicker. Just as Hasty Vote looked about ready to fire another insult of her own, there was a loud knock upon the door of the courtroom. With an angry blush and a snort, she made her way back to the council table and sat back down.
"You may come in!" Her shrill voice filled the room.
The doors slowly crept open, the sound of groaning wood was drowned out by the gasps of all those present as the scene behind them unfolded.
~ ~ ~
Dimmed Star was many things: twisted, sadistic, unstable, psychopath, murderer, cannibal; albeit that last one, she would dispute on account of the fact that she no longer considered herself a pony in the same sense that they would. But ignoring all of those, she was undeniably bored even as she was pulled along on the hardwood platform that her entire frame was chained to, its wheels squeaking quietly as they rolled.
The moment the door to her cell had been opened, she had cackled at the expressions of the guards who nearly pissed themselves. Of course, they immediately sounded an alarm, causing even more guards to come rushing down the hall, all of them dog piling her. Applying the new and stronger restraints upon her person with all the care of treating a rabid animal, they hauled her through the castle while keeping spears trained on her at all times. If she could smirk at the memory she would, but it was hard to do so with the thick chain around her muzzle.
As they found their way through the castle, she was curious as to where they were headed. She had thought it was merely breakfast time when the guards first opened the door, she didn't think it warranted getting paraded through the castle to go see the princess.
'A simple runner would have sufficed.' She thought to herself as they passed through a set of double doors.
Dimmed Star wasn't a fool, she knew the entire layout of the Castle like the back of her hoof and it took little deduction for her to realize that they were on the final hall before the courtrooms. She did, however, have no idea as to why they would be going to the courtrooms so soon after having her locked up. As they closed in on the final set of doors, they came to a slow stop and two of the guards stepped up to her platform, slowly lowering their spears while the rest moved in closer with theirs pointing to every vital spot on her.
'Awe, I think they like me' She imagined that she would grinning widely at this, but alas, it was not to be. The two guards on either side of her now began to go over her restraints, checking them for any vulnerabilities.
Not only had they replaced the iron shackles on her hooves, but they had also added an iron collar around her neck that three iron chains were attached to, leading to the front end of the platform she stood on. The simple metal band that had been around her barrel, however, had been replaced with several lengths of chain. Wrapping around her barrel, they too were attached to the platform in some way, a few of them having been crudely hammered into place with nails the size of railroad spikes. One of the guards cautiously reached toward her face, the others all watching him and her with bated breath as he tested the muzzle restraints.
Dimmed Star had half a mind to flinch toward him, if only to see their reactions, but decided against it as he raised his hoof higher to check the two magic suppression rings on her horn.
"A-are you su-sure this will ho-hold sir?" He asked shakily as he made sure the rings were functioning properly. The guard on the other side nodded carefully as he slowly back down off the platform.
"No pony could get out these restraints, not even the Princess..." His voice was low, but he seemed quite certain. Dimmed Star merely rolled her eyes.
'No pony, maybe.' She thought as a guard stepped up to the doors and banged his hoof, the sound echoing within the room in front of them. A shrill voice could be heard from the other side, granting entrance and they finally began to move forward once more, pushing into the courtroom.
The shocked looks on the faces of those present were priceless!
'Oh for Star Swirl's sake, I need to get a camera for moments like these.' She chuckled internally. The expressions of all those present quite clearly showed that they were not expecting her to arrive in such a state. Celestia rose from her throne, a sharp glare aimed at the captain of the squad as they came to a halt before the council. Dimmed Star threw a sidelong glance to her ' friends' in the booth normally reserved for the Jury, before passing over them to see her parents.
Her heart throbbed with a pain she had not felt since becoming what she was now, regret. Her mother stared at her in shock, tears streaming down her face as her hoof covered her mouth. Her father held even tighter to her mother, his eyes never leaving her's as denial brimmed alongside his tears. She quickly looked away from them as her heart sped up, her own anxiety at seeing their reactions to her quelling any enjoyment she had been feeling.
"Prisoner Twilight Sparkle, convicted for the crimes of mass homicide, attempted regicide, cannibalism, and destruction of Government property. For the Court." The guard in front spoke as everypony else sat back down slowly, although her friends all looked to the guards in disgust. Celestia, however, refused to be seated.
"What is the meaning of this, Squad Captain?" The guard looked to the princess is slight trepidation, but held his ground as everypony awaited his response.
"I apologize for the state of the prisoner your majesty. She was discovered this morning outside of the restraints that we had originally placed upon her, including the magic suppression ring. All of the previous restraints were found on the floor of the cell, corroded and falling to pieces." Everypony looked to Dimmed Star in shock at hearing this. Celestia slowly lowered herself to the cushion below her, the look of astonishment never leaving her face.
"Do you know of any way that she could have done this?" Everypony looked to Fancy Pants as he carefully analyzed the mare on the platform, the guard shook his head.
"There's nothing that I know of that can do that to metal, not unless you leave it out in the elements for about two hundred years, but even then..." He glanced over his shoulder to the prisoner who seemed to suddenly find the rest of the courtroom rather interesting.
"Did she attempt to flee in any way, or struggle as you detained her once more?" Fancy Pants followed up. He eyed the bits of the mare that he could see through the many restraints. Though he saw no physical wounds, he could see places where her fur was more ruffled than a natural coat of fur and a great deal of dirt and dust-covered her. It was not enough to block out her actual colors, but it was noticeable enough. After receiving no answer, Fancy Pants turned to look at the captain, who now seemed to be struggling with himself.
"Answer the question, Captain..." Celestia's voice rumbled across the room, a hidden venom behind her words as her eyes burned into the captain. He took a shaky step back and quickly bowed to the floor.
"N-No your majesty! She did not struggle or attempt to make any sort of escape!" The temperature of the room went up by several degrees. The captain dared not look to his ruler, he knew the image that would greet him would haunt his memory for eternity. The other guards also quickly dropped into bows where they stood, their hearts pounding.
"What does it matter if the monster is chained?" If possible the room got hotter as everypony looked in shock to Business Savvy. Sweat dripped from his brow, but it was not due to any fear he felt for their ruler, but more than likely the rising temperature of the room. Celestia's eyes bore into him now.
"... What..." She let out with a hiss. He turned to her with a sharp glare, matching her heated stare with his own.
"I said, ' What does it matter if the MONSTER is chained?' Need I say it again or have you finally gone deaf in your old age?" Celestia rose to her hooves quickly even as Rainbow Dash and Applejack were both held in place by their friends.
"Princess, stop this right now or leave the Court Room." Hasty Vote state simply, her voice calm as she addressed the princess. Turning her heated gaze to the mare, she saw that several of the council members were looking at her with a similar conviction. With a show of great restraint, she drew her temper back in and returned her face to that of an impassive mask.
"We will discuss this later." She stated harshly. The council members gave no response as they returned to facing the guards who had brought the prisoner.
Dimmed Star watched all of this in mild amusement. She would never admit that seeing Celestia get angry over the Earth pony addressing her as a monster had brought her a sense of warmth, unrelated to the temperature in the room of course.
"You may go, captain, leave two guards posted here and two more posted outside if you would." Wind Rider, a pegasus stallion who represented the Pegasus tribe, said to the captain, his wings fluttering a bit to cool himself off. The captain and his squad rose to their hooves quickly. With a jerk of his head to the two guards pulling the platform, they unhooked themselves and placed the yokes on the floor, before walking to stand on either side of the curved table. The captain gave a brisk bow to the princess before turning on his hooves and heading out the door with the rest of the company.
Dimmed Star watched the captain pass her with the best smirk that she could manage. Once the doors clicked shut behind them, silence once more ruled the courtroom. Finally, Hasty Vote stood to her hooves, her bright pink outfit greatly offended Dimmed Star's sight.
"Well then, let the sentencing of Twilight Sparkle commence."
Chapter Eleven: Let Sleeping Demons Lie ( Remastered)
"I WAS SO CLOSE!!" Chrysalis shouted with venom as she kicked her hooves against the nearest tree. The sound of the impact echoed through the small clearing that she had taken refuge in, dual imprints of her chitinous hooves embedded deep within the tree bark. With another scream, she lit her horn and fired a concentrated beam of her green magic in a wide sweep, cleaving several trees in half at the middle, their upper halves crashing to the forest floor.
The few of her Changeling guard who had stayed to ensure her safety, quickly took shelter behind the felled logs to escape their queen's wrath. Chrysalis stood trembling with rage, her breathing heavy and her eyes furious. The only image in her mind was that of the small purple unicorn that had seemed at first to be nothing more than a minor nuisance. It took less than a second however for that image to twist and become something far more malevolent. With a start, she shook her head, trying to rid herself of the image.
"Damn her... Damn her to Tartarus..." Taking a deep breath, she finally brought herself to a seated position and raised her hooves to rub her temples. What happened? How did it end up like this?
'The plan was foolproof; take the place of the guard captain's betrothed, use the position to weaken his magic and leave the city vulnerable. How was it that one little pony could throw months of planning out the window!?' Her mind was racing as she thought back to the captain's sister. Her name had been Twilight, right? The mare didn't seem like much when she had first met her, barely worth noting even. It was only when she started to point suspicion at her that she needed to be dealt with, and the crystal caves had held Cadence for days, there was no way for a simple unicorn to accomplish what an alicorn princess could not, right?
'And yet here I am, still a week's worth of flying out from the Hive, beaten.' She snarled once more and the few changelings who had dared to peek over their barriers of wood quickly ducked back down for fear of another outburst. But Chrysalis only sighed in frustration.
'She isn't going to be happy about this...' A stray thought floated to her mind, just as unassuming as any other, but it carried with it the true weight of her failure. Her eyes widened in horror and now she felt a fear that had not come over her since the events of the wedding itself.
'Sh-she... she... O-oh... no...' With an audible gulp, Chrysalis glanced in the direction of her Hive, the dark clouds above rumbled with restrained thunder and the dark forest before her seemed to only grow darker.
~ ~ ~
"Excuse me...?" Silence was the only response to the haughty voice that spoke with the authority of somepony in an important position and feeling very insulted.
Hasty Vote stared in disbelief at the scene before her. She had just announced that the start of the Hearing would commence, only for the sound of a light snore to catch everypony's attention and draw their gaze to the now sleeping form of one Twilight Sparkle. Although the mare was restrained quite heavily and it looked to be quite uncomfortable, she slept soundly while standing on the wooden trolley covered in iron chains.
Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie had both let out guffaws of laughter at the unexpected situation, while even Celestia herself fought to hold back a light snicker. If the situation weren't so dire, she might have even indulged in the humor.
"Ahem... I said, excuse me." Hasty Vote spoke once more, her voice louder and her eyes hard. Her only response was another light snore, which brokered more chuckles from the Elements of Laughter and Loyalty. She snapped her gaze to the two of them, causing them to quickly find something else to occupy their interest, Rainbow whistling a small tune and Pinkie scratching the inside of ear at a rather impossible angle.
"Can we please get on with this?" Business Savvy asked gruffly, his irritation clearly showing on his face as he glared daggers at the convicted. A few strands of his greasy mane having come loose and dangled around his brows. He pointed his hoof to the nearest guard, making him jump to attention.
"You there, wake her this instant." The guard gave a brisk salute and made to move towards the trolley.
"Hold on now." Hasty's voice called out, making the guard pause. She gave a light smile to Savvy, who only glared back.
"This needs to be dealt with a bit more, tact. Having a guard shake her awake could make her a bit, unreasonable. How about somepony else?" She looked around the courtroom, her sweet smile still in place. As she scoped out the room however, it did not appear that anypony was willing to get within close physical contact of the convicted. Glancing to the pews behind the court railings, she eyed up Twilight's parents as a Timber Wolf would a filly out in woods alone.
"How about you, Mrs. Sparkle? Surely you could wake up your daughter without much of a fuss?" Silence met her request as both parents stared at her in surprise, before glancing to one another. Night Light held his wife a bit tighter as she trembled.
"You don't have to do this sweetie... I can wake her." Twilight Velvet only shook her head as she pulled away from him, pushing the scrying crystal of their son into his hooves.
"N-no... I... I can do this... she is still our daughter... somewhere in there..." She whispered back. Slowly she stood on shaking hooves and made her way down the pews and to the center aisle. Hasty's smile broadened as she watched the older mare approach at a sedate pace. Celestia watched the scene with great sorrow.
'A mother should not be forced to do this...' Soon enough, Twilight Velvet came to an unsteady stop just before Hasty Vote, who only raised a hoof and pointed it towards the convicted mare who slept soundly. Twilight Velvet shakily turned and glanced at the sleeping form of her daughter. With no small amount of trepidation, she approached until she stood directly in front of the trolley. The whole room was silent as they watched what would happen.
Twilight Velvet felt her tears slipping past her eyes once more as she got a closer look at what had become of her daughter. Her eyes trailed over her darker palette, and no matter how many times she tried to blink the image away, the mare before her stayed, unchanged.
"Ahem." Hasty's voice echoed from behind her, making her jump slightly. Reminded of exactly why she was here, Twilight Velvet raised her left hoof and placed it lightly on the trolley.
"Tw...," taking a moment, she fought back a choked sob.
"Tw-Twilight? D-dear?" She failed. Her sob came with a few more tears and her heart ached, she got no response, however. Swallowing thickly, she lifted herself a bit more onto the trolley, bringing her just a bit closer.
"Twily? It's t-time to wake up." Still nothing. Twilight Velvet lowered her ears as she looked back towards Hasty Vote pleadingly. The mare only shook her head and made a ' go on' motion with her hooves. Defeated, she turned back to her daughter, and nearly gasped in shock. For the briefest of moments, she saw not the mare that was in chains, nor even the grown Twilight Sparkle that she remembered before the wedding. What she saw was the small, sleeping form of a young purple filly, her filly. But as quickly as it came, it vanished. She choked out a sob as she stared at the sleeping mare before her. Climbing up onto the trolley entirety, she wrapped her hooves around her and sobbed into her neck.
"O-oh sweet-ie." she cried openly as she held tightly to the little filly that she had raised. Her mind was flooding itself with memories of birthdays and holidays, outings and celebrations that she had spent with her. Watching her grow and assisting her with her studies.
Hasty Vote took in a deep breathe and released it, a sigh of frustration. She opened her mouth, ready to reprimand the older mare, only to freeze in shock and fear as the eyes of the mare she sought to convict, bored deep holes into her own. Those black orbs glared with white-hot daggers that she could feel burrowing deep within her own soul. Twilight Velvet continued to cry into her daughter's mane, oblivious to the knowledge that she had achieved what she was called upon for.
~ ~ ~
She wasn't one-hundred percent sure as to when she had fallen asleep, but there was one thing for certain, she hadn't woken up this warm in a long time. Sure, waking up wrapped up in a comforter like a burrito was quite warm, but there was a difference in being wrapped in a blanket and being wrapped up by somepony who truly cherished you. At first, she had thought she was merely dreaming, but the weight of the chains about her body told her otherwise, this was most certainly real, and it was most certainly her mother clinging to her and balling her eyes out.
Her heart soared at this revelation. Despite how she had changed, despite what she had done, her mother still loved her, she still saw HER, not what she had become. She could feel her own tears starting to well up before the sound of someone in agitation caught her attention. Her small moment of happiness was cut short as she looked past the shoulder of her weeping mother, and into the now stunned and terrified eyes of one Hasty Vote.
It had been this mare's ceaseless droning that had initially put her to sleep if she had to guess. But now there was something else. Glancing between her mother's back and the eyes of the coated unicorn, it didn't take a genius like her to figure out what happened.
~ ~ ~
Hasty fought hard to bring herself under control, coughing into her hoof and forcing herself to give the best smile that she could in response to the convicted's harsh glare.
"That will do Mrs. Sparkle." She spoke clearly, her voice not wavering as she gained more bravado. Twilight Velvet took a for more moments of sobbing before she acknowledged what the council member had said. Slowly, she pulled back and out of the embrace that she had forced upon her daughter. Dimmed Star couldn't help the ache that she felt at the loss of her mother's warmth. The two looked into each other's eyes before Twilight Velvet shakily clamored down from the Trolley. Her husband Night Light quickly aided her off, having rushed to them the moment his wife had broken down. Hasty merely raised an eyebrow at this.
"Are we done with the pity show? Can we PLEASE Move on to the sentencing?!" Business Savvy shouted, a thick vein pulsing out of his neck and his mane even more of a mess from his stress. The other council members looked to him and after some murmuring, nodded as well.
"Yes, I do believe it is time we moved on. Mr. Sparkle, if you would be so kind as to remove the binding around your daughter's muzzle? I feel this would go better if she could speak as well." Fancy Pants directed. Night Light nodded hesitantly, before lighting up his horn and carefully taking the chains over his daughter's muzzle into his magical grip. He caught her eyes for a brief moment before he looked away and slid the chains off, letting them drop to the floor with a loud thunk.
"Ohhh, that feels muuuch better." Dimmed Star spoke quickly, stretching her jaw and yawning. Those who had not heard it were taken aback by her multi-toned voice. Ignoring them, she tried to stretch her neck, but to no avail.
"I don't suppose we could do away with all of these? It's very uncomfortable." She gave the best attempt at a pleading expression that she could, but it only served to put them off even more with her eyes. Hasty Vote coughed to gain her attention once more.
"So sorry deary, but the restraints aren't going anywhere. Now before we begin, Mr. and Mrs. Sparkle, if you would please take your seats again. Oh and Mrs. Sparkle, well done." She gave a chipper smile to the clearly emotionally upset parents, who quickly made their way back to the pews. Dimmed Star watched them for a moment, before looking back to the council, or rather, past them.
"I'll ask again, remove the restraints. Please." She spoke bluntly, her gaze boring into the Princess' own. Celestia looked over her former student carefully, her posture wasn't threatening and there was no way that she could cast magic with two magic suppression rings on. But every word of her request was laced with warning. She thought back to when she was initially brought in, the captain had stated that she was found outside of the previous restraints. She quickly began to wonder just who was in control of this room.
"Maybe we could remove a few of them-" Fancy Pants started, clearly looking to keep things civil, however, the guttural sound of a throat being cleared cut him off and pulled their attention once more to the mare who seemed determined to stay the center of attention. Hasty Vote smiled sweetly at Fancy Pants, who raised an eyebrow at her interruption.
"I'm sorry Fancy dear, but it almost seemed like you were actually suggesting that we let the prisoner out of her restraints without consulting the rest of us." Her words, though carried in a tone of kindness, felt every bit as foul as her pungent perfume smelled. Turning from Fancy without giving him a chance to respond, she trotted up towards the trolley and shook her head with a light chuckle.
"You seem to be under the wrong impression, Miss Sparkle, you are our prisoner here. You don't have the right to make requests. Now just a quick reminder, do not speak out of turn and raise your hoof if you wish to have a say... oh, well I suppose that would be a small problem for you wouldn't it." The mare smiled up at Dimmed Star who glared back in silence. Turning away from her, Hasty took a single step forward, triumph in her smile.
Until the sound of metal chains and restraints colliding with hardwood met her sensitive pony ears. She froze mid-step as hoof steps from behind her approached calmly. Everypony in the room stared behind her in utter shock, disbelief, and fear.
"You know," a dark multi-toned voice spoke from her left side, her body beginning to tremble at the presence.
"It wasn't a request so much as a demand." Slowly, she turned her head and stared horrified into the wickedly grinning visage of one Dimmed Star. Her sharp-toothed grin got wider at the look in Hasty's eyes.
"Now I'd liked to give you a quick reminder, do not speak out of turn and raise your hoof if you have anything to say... oh, well you might just have a problem with that." Hearing her own words echoed back to her, Hasty quickly looked down, only to find all four of her hooves were glued to the floor with a black, tar-like fluid that seemed to drain from Dimmed Star's own legs. Before she could exclaim her emotions, a black tentacle wrapped itself around her muzzle, keeping it firmly shut.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Already trying to break the rules? Keep this up and you'll have to be removed from the courtroom. This Hearing is only just getting started, and believe me, you don't want to miss it." Her sharp-toothed grin was accentuated by her licking her lips with her long black tongue, a hungry look in her eyes.
~ ~ ~
Steel Blitz glared at the porcelain white ceiling above her. The sound of other injured guards singing cadence to pass the time had long ago bounced on her final nerve, but she couldn't quite bring herself to tell them to shut it.
'They're just trying to distract themselves.' She told herself over and over again. Honestly, it probably wouldn't be quite so bad, if Maple Branch hadn't thrown his baritone in with the lot of them. Add in that he was a cot away from her and she was ready to tear her feathers out.
"Heya lieutenant!" And here she thought her day couldn't get any worse. Turning as best she could on the cot, she found Light Shine and his brother Emerald Haze standing next to her cot. Emerald was currently in the middle of a conversation with Maple who had thankfully left the cadence chant to the other guards. Light Shine gave her a bright smile as he brought up a small basket of fruits and a juice bottle in his magic.
"We thought you guys could use some cheering up!" He levitated the gift basket up to the small table in between her and Maple.
"You two can still eat solid foods right?" He snickered as he glanced over her bandaged form, only to receive a dead leg in his right foreleg. He hadn't even seen the lieutenant move!
"Ow! ok ok, I get it, save the jokes for post or something." Steel sighed but smiled nonetheless.
"It's good to see you guys, how did babysitting Blueblood pan out?" Light Shine shook his head grinning as he rubbed his foreleg.
"Ah you know, he whined, he made demands, we ignored him. The usual. When we got the Dragon Fire message though, we jumped ship and made our way towards the ballroom, but by the time we got there, it was over." He glanced around carefully before leaning in a bit closer.
"The higher-ups aren't telling us much and the tabloids have only scratched what I can guess is the surface. All we're going off of is that the princess's student went nuts and started murdering ponies left and right. Exactly how much of that is true lieutenant?" He whispered carefully. Steel glanced about as well, being sure that there were no eavesdroppers. Certain that all was clear and the cadence was still going strong, she faced him again.
"That about sums it up actually, although there is a LOT more to it. I don't even know all the details, and I was in the thick of it." She gestured to her injured state. He nodded an affirmative and leaned back into a more restful position, which was just as well because it was that moment that Emerald Haze decided to pop over for his own little visit.
"Hey, lieutenant!" He greeted with a cheery smile, although his greeting was much more subdued than his more outgoing brother.
"How are you feeling?" His cheerful expression quickly gave way to concern as he eyed her bandages carefully. Steel smiled softly at him.
"I feel like Princess Luna lowered the Moon on top of my whole body, then proceeded to roll it up and down from the tips of my wings to the frog of my hooves." Emerald flinched, before they all had a good chuckle, with Steel wincing due to the small painful spasms.
"I'm sorry we didn't make it there sooner, we could have stopped at least some of this." His ears dropped as he glanced about at all the injured soldiers in the medical wing. She merely waved him off.
"If you had been there then you'd be lying here with the rest of us or worse. Don't reflect on what you could have done, but what you can do now." She gave him a stern gaze, making sure he got the message. He nodded meekly in response and she sighed, it would have to do for now.
"So how long are you gonna be here for?" Light Shine asked, glancing between her and Maple, who somehow had drifted off to sleep through the singing cadence.
"The doc said something about two or three days, give or take a magical treatment. The damage in my side if mostly superficial, but it's still deep and if I try to move too much it could tear something worse than a few muscles. As for Maple..." She glanced at the large stallion's heavily bandaged chest. He had been impaled by one of the sharp tentacles that the princess' pupil had used as weapons. Though he was breathing normally now, it hadn't been so easy the night before.
~ ~ ~
"We've got a flat-line! Prepare for defib!" Doctors and nurses scrambled around Maple's cot, curtains were closed around to give some privacy, but a large pool of blood had begun to flow from under the curtains. Through the pain of her own injuries and fighting her nurse, Steel had fought to try and get to him.
"Maple!! MAPLE BRANCH YOU BETTER NOT DIE ON ME DAMMIT!!" She screamed through the taste of blood that poured into her mouth, no doubt from a torn internal injury.
Every soldier that wasn't passed out due to their own injuries or medication watched the events in trepidation.
"Somepony help me restrain her!" The nurse yelled, practically wrapping all four legs around the pegasus to keep her in her cot.
"We're a bit busy here!" A voice shouted from nearby. The sound of magickal energy charging up a defib could be heard through the curtains of Maple's cot.
"CLEAR!" Came the shout of the doctor, followed by the telltale sound of magically charged electricity being forced into a body. There was no response.
"Again! Hit him again dammit!" Steel screamed as a light blue aura wrapped around her, assisting the nurse in pulling her back into her cot where she was quickly strapped down. She fought back, of course, shaking the whole cot as she tried to force her way over.
"Ma'am you have to stop! You're gonna tear open your injuries!" The nurse yelled over the commotion, but Steel refused to take her eyes off the shadows moving through the curtains of Maple's cot.
"TO TARTARUS WITH ME!! MAPLE!! LIVE DAMMIT!! THAT'S A FUCKING ORDER!!!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, tears stinging her eyes.
"CLEAR!"
~ ~ ~
A stinging in her eyes made Steel raise her hoof to wipe away the tears before they could start. With a shaky breath, she looked back to the ceiling.
"He got lucky... He flat-lined four times before they stabilized him. Technically he was dead for a full six minutes altogether. Doc says he won't be leaving the med bay for at least a month, and that's with magic treatments. As for returning to active duty..." She sighed again. This whole thing had been just one problem after the other. Glancing over, she saw Emerald staring at Maple with shock and Light had now rested a hoof on his withers, his jaw clenched.
"H-he never said anything." Emerald whispered, his voice cracking softly. Nodding, she closed her eyes and took steady breaths.
"Of course not. He's always fought to make sure we didn't worry about him. After all, he's the strong one, he'd say." She chuckled a bit. The others began to speak again, but she couldn't quite catch what they were saying. Suddenly everything seemed foggy, even with her eyes closed. It wasn't long after that sleep claimed her, a blissful rest after all the ordeals she had been through.
Chapter Twelve: Trials and Tribulations ( Remastered)
The courtroom was a flurry of movement within seconds, everypony jumping to their hooves and the guards leaping forward with their spears at the ready. Before they could reach her, however, they found themselves slammed roughly against the walls of the room by black tendrils emanating from Dimmed Star's puddle that had begun to fill the floor of the courtroom, stopping just short of the council table.
"Release her at once!" Business Savvy yelled out, his face twisted in anger as he glared daggers at her. Dimmed Star glanced to him for a moment, before turning back to Celestia, who stood with her uninjured wing flared and her horn alight in a golden aura.
"Do you want to do this the easy way, or the hard way?" Celestia watched her carefully, the magic around her horn slowly fading as she took in the situation that lay before her.
'She's taken a hostage and has already covered the floor in that dark magic... even if I were to bring the full force of my power down on her, the potential devastation she could cause before I could subdue her would be far too risky.' She contemplated as she glanced over the pool of liquid and the now frantically squirming Hasty. With a deep breath, she nodded to Dimmed Star and lowered herself back into her seat.
"Everypony relax... She isn't going to hurt anypony..." Although her tone carried with it the authority of her command, it also held a small undertone of uncertainty. Slowly, the other ponies in the room began to take their seats once more, looks of worry and no small amount of fear shared among them.
"ARE YOU BUCKING KIDDING ME!?" Celestia snapped her gaze to a still standing and very irate Business Savvy. His wild eyes glared daggers between her and Dimmed Star.
"You're not going to do anything!?" He screamed to Celestia who hardened her gaze upon him. Most of the other council members looked unsure, however, the pegasus stallion on the other side of the table who had also not taken his seat chose to voice his own misgivings.
"I agree. Although I believe it can be handled in a more civilized manner, we can't just sit here while the prisoner has escaped her bonds and taken a council member hostage." The pegasus stallion, a light blue pegasus wearing a wonderbolt veteran jacket spoke as he glanced cautiously to Dimmed Star.
"Surely you could do something to remedy this?" He asked as he turned his attention back to the princess, only to be taken aback as she glared at the two of them.
"Sit. Down." She ordered, her eyes burning with a subtle bit of solar magic. Her anger and frustration had finally begun to boil to the surface. The pegasus, Wind Rider, swallowed nervously before nodding and taking his seat. Turning her glowing gaze from him, she turned to the fuming form of Business Savvy who glared back, not intimidated by her power.
"If you think I'm going to just sit here while that THING is free, you have another thing coming, Princess!" He shouted, vehemence clear in his voice. The response that met him, however, did not come from the one he had expected.
"If you don't want to be here, then allow me to show you the door!" Snapping his head forward, he just caught the malicious grin across Dimmed Star's face, before he found himself within her tendrils’ grasp. He yelped as he was yanked into the air above them. She had had enough of this stallion’s attitude, and insulting her had only worsened her mood.
"Dimmed Star!" Celestia called out, causing her to stop her actions and look to the princess curiously.
"Put him down, please?" She asked carefully, the magic in her gaze having faded as she took on a pleading look. Dimmed Star growled for a moment, before shrugging her shoulders and releasing the stallion, dropping him back to the floor with a heavy thud.
"As you wish, Celestia." Celestia flinched at the casual use of her name from the pony who once treated her title with all the reverence she would have given to a loved one. Business Savvy scrambled to his hooves, shaking with fury.
"H-ho-how d-dare yo-you..." He stumbled over his own words as he glared at Dimmed Star, who merely stuck her tongue out at him. Grinding his teeth, he turned and bolted past her and towards the doors of the room.
"I-I won't stay f-for this farce any l-longer!" He proclaimed, throwing the doors open and sprinting from the room. Dimmed Star looked after him with a raised brow, before turning back to the princess and remaining council members.
"What crawled up his ass?" She asked casually, as though she hadn't just threatened to throw him from the room herself. Celestia only sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, rubbing her temple with her fore-hoof.
"You will have to forgive our fellow council member his outburst, he has a good reason to be upset." Dimmed Star directed her gaze to Fancy Pants, who studied her carefully.
"Oh? Well, whatever it is I'm sure it's something that could be-"
"You killed his only son." Dimmed Star stopped at that, a momentary pause as she considered this turnout with mild confusion, before shrugging it off and pressing onward.
"I... see." She spoke softly. An awkward silence stretched for a few moments.
"Princess?" The quiet voice would not have been heard, had it not been so silent. Celestia looked to see Twilight Velvet was now standing in the pews, a bit of confusion showing on her face.
"Yes, Mrs. Sparkle?" She addressed her, giving her the floor. Twilight Velvet shuffled in place nervously, glancing between Dimmed Star and the princess.
"Y-you called Twilight by another name... was that an accident?" She asked carefully. She stumbled over her words slightly, unsure as to how she should have posed the question. Celestia's response began with a shaking of her head.
"No, Mrs. Sparkle, there was no mistake." Turning from her, she addressed the room as a whole.
"Forgive me for not mentioning this earlier, but I suppose there is no time quite like the present. Mares and gentlecolts, may I introduce you to Miss Dimmed Star, formerly known as Twilight Sparkle." Dimmed Star smiled brightly as everypony looked to her, some in confusion, others uncertain.
"Nice to meet you all." Dimmed Star grinned at them. Standing from her seated position, she took to walking in a casual circle around her hapless victim, who watched her as best as she could with wide and fearful eyes.
"Now that introductions and most of the drama is out of the way, I'll go ahead and get to the point. I want to go home to Ponyville." She stopped just behind Hasty, not looking at any of them, but rather studying the mare's absurdly pink clothes. The council members looked to her in bewilderment, while Celestia looked contemplative.
"You can't be serious? You expect us to just let you walk out of here?" Wind Rider demanded, his wings half flared as he glared at the mare. Did her arrogance know no bounds? Dimmed Star didn't even bother to look up from what she was doing, as she had now taken Hasty's fuzzy pink hat from her head and was rolling it around in her hooves.
"I understand that you don't want to be imprisoned, Miss... Star? But as Wind Rider says, we can't simply let you walk out a free mare." Fancy Pants placed his hooves before him on the table, resting his chin on them.
"Before you all start bickering over what is morally right and wrong and how this should be handled, I want you all to consider something." She took the pink hat, now covered in black stains, and placed it upon her own head as she began to walk around the room, her eyes flitting to each member.
"You are all acting under the assumption that I am the villain. But let's think back to what actually happened at the wedding yesterday." She came to a stop in front of the Jury booth where the Element Bearers watched her carefully. She glanced among them, taking in their expressions of hope and trepidation. Despite the pang of anger and some remorse that threatened to show on her face, she kept it from showing and turned away from them, making her way around the edge of her puddle.
"How about you ask any one of the five witnesses there? I'm sure that they could elaborate." She nudged her head in the direction of the Elements, who looked surprised at being thrust to the center of attention.
"How about you, Celestia? I'm sure you remember what happened." Her tone carried with it a spike of venom as her piercing eyes bore into Celestia's own. Celestia shivered as she thought back to the day before when those same eyes were filled with a bloodlust that could not be sated.
"Yes... I remember." Dimmed Star nodded, looking away and continuing her path around the room.
"If I can recall, Cadence arrived before me and no doubt called out the imposter. Huh, the Cadence at the wedding was a fake, who'd have guessed?" She shot a seething look to the princess and her friends, all of whom flinched in shame. Ignoring their reactions, she once more found herself next to Hasty, circling her once more.
"When I did arrive, the imposter, a Changeling might I add, was neck-deep in battle with the princess and two others. It was during this conflict that I took the opportunity to get behind the imposter, capturing her..." It was at this point that the ponies in the room grew concerned. Dimmed Star's voice had grown darker than before as she thought back to when she had vengeance within her grasp. Her form shifted slightly, the ruined pink hat falling from her head and to the floor where she carelessly stepped on it.
"I had her... I had her... the imposter, who had threatened all of Canterlot, who had taken my brother hostage and imprisoned somepony I considered a sister... who had turned my friends and mentor against me and then locked me away in the dark..." Her eyes were unfocused as she glared at an invisible adversary. Her lips splitting open slightly and her sharpened teeth flashing before them. The ponies in the room all felt their blood run cold. Celestia stood carefully, watching the mare intensely, only to flinch back when her unfocused gaze locked onto her own.
"But then... just as I was about to deal with her, I was stopped." She snarled out as she glared at the princess, who felt a bead of sweat drip from her brow.
'If she attacks me, I'll have no choice but to defend myself, but the others could get caught in the crossfire...' She frantically thought about how to diffuse the situation. Dimmed Star glared for a moment longer, the tension in the air thick and heavy. However, just as suddenly as the malice had come, it faded. She slowly returned to her base form as she looked to the princess impassively.
"You took away my chance for revenge, Celestia. You stopped me from getting justice and terminating a threat to Equestria." Turning away from her, she sighed and continued her path around the room. Celestia released a breath she hadn't realized she had taken and sat back down.
"I had the enemy in my grasp and was ready to end her, but then I was viciously attacked by the princess herself." Celestia felt her ears drop as she remembered her actions.
"But, I had no idea that it was you... You must understand, when you came through the wall, the form that you took... it wasn't exactly..." She wasn't sure how she would have described the horrific image of the demonic Dimmed Star crawling out of the wall, Dimmed Star herself nodded idly.
"True, I never proclaimed my identity. However, the fact remains that you attacked me unprovoked, with lethal force." She glared at the princess who only felt smaller.
"Are you trying to sell us a self-defense plea?" Wind Rider asked incredulously. His expression of disbelief spoke volumes. Dimmed Star broke her gaze from the princess to give him a once over, making him feel very self-conscious once he realized that she was quite close to him now.
"I'm not pleading anything. It's a fact." She stated as she turned away from him, making her way back to the center of the room.
"Think of it this way, in a situation where two parties are fighting one another when a third party is introduced, you would have to quickly assume whether that party is friend or foe. What normally determines this factor is the object of that party's ire. The phrase that best fits a situation like this would be, ' the enemy of my enemy is my friend.'" Now standing once more in the center of the room.
"Taking what you have said, as well as the witness reports before us, into account; your argument is valid." Fancy Pants nodded towards her.
"However, what of the dozen's of Canterlot Guards that you slew after the fact?" Dimmed Star only stared back at him, the confusion in her mind returning.
"I'll be honest with you, I don't really remember doing that." Fancy Pants raised an eyebrow at this but motioned for her to continue.
"The last thing that I recall prior to waking up within the dungeons, was crying into the chest of my older brother." Celestia's eyes widened in surprise.
'That was when that third eye had appeared.' She thought back as she remembered the glaring red orb that had split the skin beneath her student's horn. Its black pupil had burned into her eyes with a malice almost palpable.
'I had thought that she had feigned those emotions at the time, perhaps I was mistaken?' Dimmed Star looked from Fancy Pants to her, catching her gaze. For a moment, in those black orbs that even now held a great anger directed towards her, she could see a glinting of confusion.
"I believe you." The ponies of the courtroom gasped in shock and surprise. Wind Rider himself seemed the most disturbed by this.
"Your majesty, with all due respect. You can't be serious?" She did not bother to look at him as she kept her gaze locked with Dimmed Star's.
"I have been alive for a very long time, Wind Rider. I've met with Minotaurs, conversed with Griffons, debated with Dragons and once bested a Sphinx in a contest of Riddles where the victor would be given the rights to an egg long dormant." She stated in a matter of fact tone, turning her eyes to him as she stared him down. Wind Rider nodded slowly, before raising his hoof in light protest.
"That may be your highness, but you are also biased in this case, which is why you do not have any ruling in this Hearing. Not only that, but the mare before us now is nothing like how your former student was. She is ruthless and no doubt cunning. If she is even half as intelligent as she was before this change, then there can be no question that she could trick you just as easily as any of us." Turning from the princess, he gave a nod towards Dimmed Star as Celestia thought this over.
'He has a point, she is not the same Twilight that I knew before... but still... I want to believe that there can be a chance.' She looked longingly towards her former pupil as Dimmed Star watched the council member with bored eyes.
"You say that you don't remember killing the guards, but what of the Captain of the Guard, Shining Armor? Do you remember what you did to him, your own brother?" Wind Rider pressed on. Dimmed Star felt her eyes widen in surprise, for the first moment since she woke up in the dungeons, suddenly she felt worry and a sense of dread building within her chest. The Ink beneath her reflected this as it quivered lightly, Hasty Vote clenching her eyes shut as she felt the liquid almost tighten around her.
'Do you remember what you did to him, your own brother?' The question echoed within her mind, only causing her worry to rise. Celestia and her friends watched her face twist from one of a calm demeanor to an expression of worry that they were all too familiar with.
"Where is he... where is Shining...?" Her voice was low, just above a whisper, and it quivered with the weight of her dread. Wind Rider had the decency to blink at this sudden change in her. Did she really not remember after all?
"He's... in a coma, here in the medical wing of the Castle, under armed guard." It was Celestia who answered, catching Dimmed Star's attention. Her eyes widened and her grasp over Hasty Vote tightened further causing the mare to squeal audibly as she struggled against the tendrils around her. The ponies in the room watched her with worry, some concerned for the life she held in her tendrils, some fearful for their own lives as they made to back away, and the few who were concerned for Dimmed Star herself.
"What did... I do...?" She could barely bring herself to ask, her voice barely above a whisper. Any answer to her question was muted however as her mind began to burn through a multitude of scenarios, all of them being drawn from what speculations she had made from their conversation. Her thoughts racing through the many ways she could have put him in this state, she felt her stomach churn and the small meal she had before threatened to revisit her. Her mind had gone from a calm and confident state to one filled with worry and a drowning sense of guilt. The darkest parts of her mind seemed to expand, trying to claw its way back from the depths that the Element of Magic had forced it too. It could feel the host's emotions in turmoil and it sought to drive her back into a state of madness.
Her eyes were clenched shut, Ink trailing from them, staining her fur as static drowned out any sound around her. The voices of the council members were naught but noise now.
'Shining... Shining...' She begged in her heart that he was alright, no longer paying attention to those around her. Suddenly, her cold body felt warmer and her body felt heavier, as though something held her.
Snapping her eyes open, she stared in shock as she found herself within the embrace of one she had thought she'd kill if she ever got in her way again. Celestia, still bandaged and now covered up to her ankles in Dimmed Star's Ink, had braved the situation and now held the mare in her own hooves.
"It's not your fault, Twilight..." She whispered into her ear. Dimmed Star tried to respond, but no words would come. The madness in her mind slowly subsided as a warm light pushed it back to the darkness.
"You weren't in control. Whatever did this to you, it had taken over completely." Dimmed Star did not relax into her, despite how warm she felt, how safe she felt.
"Thank you, Celestia." Celestia accepted her thanks with a light nuzzle above her mane, which Dimmed Star quickly pulled away from. Taking steps back from her, Dimmed Star took a deep breath and released it, relaxing herself.
"Thank you, again. But I remind you, my name is Dimmed Star." Celestia felt her heart drop a little, but not as much as it had before. She nodded towards her, signaling her acceptance. Dimmed Star hesitated for a moment, before nodding back.
'I need to find a way to control my emotional state better... this is getting out of hoof.' She thought as she dwelled on how she very nearly fell into despair. Celestia did not move from where she stood, watching her with no small amount of concern, Dimmed Star studied her silently.
'To think she still holds out hope for me...' The sound of a loud bell rung out from somewhere outside of the courtroom, startling everypony. Looking out the window, Dimmed Star could see that the rain clouds had finally begun to part and it was now reaching midday. She could have sworn that these proceedings had been going on for far longer.
"Perhaps we should call it a day and revisit this tomorrow?" Fancy Pants asked carefully as he looked to the watch on his hoof. Most everypony in the room sounded an agreement.
"No." Everypony turned to look at Dimmed Star in shock as she had turned her back to them, now facing the doors of the courtroom.
"Excuse me? Did you just say no?" Wind Rider asked incredulously. Dimmed Star didn't bother to even grace him with her gaze as she began to walk towards the doors, Celestia taking a step forward after her, only to stop herself as she bit her lip in thought and worry.
"I'm done with this game. I'm going to check on my brother, collect my things, and then I'm getting on the next train back to Ponyville for awhile. Then, I have an insect to squash." She spoke with conviction, a growl rumbling within her throat as thoughts of what she would do when she caught up to the Changeling Queen filled her mind. Her pool of Ink drew itself back into her hooves quickly so as not to be left behind, the tendrils wrapped around Hasty Vote tossing the mare aside as they withdrew. Hasty gasped for air as though she had been deprived of it while crawling her way to the back of the room as quickly as she could, shaking all the while.
"You can't just leave! You're a criminal who killed dozens and cost thousands of bits in government property damage!" Wind Rider protested. Dimmed Star stopped as she reached the door, slowly turning her head to glare at him, before her face twisted into a wicked grin, flashing her sharp teeth.
"Then stop me." She said in a sing-song voice, her multiple tones only serving to make it seem more of a threat than a suggestion, as she pushed forward and phased right through the door itself, leaving a pitch-black stain on its surface. The ancient carved wood creaked and groaned as it began to crack and split from the epicenter of the stain, black veins of her Ink spider-webbing across its surface.
The room stared in shock after her, before the sound of hooves drew their attention.
"Don' y'all worry now, we'll keep an eye on her Princess!" Applejack shouted as she ran past the princess, tipping her hat towards her before sprinting for the door, Rainbow Dash hot on her hoofs.
"And I will keep an eye on them, your majesty." Rarity offered as she stopped to bow to the still surprised Princess, before pressing on with a bouncing Pinkie and trotting Fluttershy.
"We've got this!" Pinkie shouted back just as the doors closed behind them. Celestia blinked after them, before chuckling softly to herself.
"I hardly see this as a laughing matter, your highness!" The shrill voice of Hasty Vote erupted next to her, making her jump in surprise. The mare looked to have seen better days. Her once pink and fuzzy outfit was now almost completely stained black, along with much of her peach-colored fur. Her hat was still on the ground, now nothing more than a black lump of cloth and that strange liquid that came from her former student.
"I agree, this has to be dealt with, Princess. You need to rally the guard and have her taken back to the dungeons at once." Wind Rider spoke from her other side, his gaze was not as wild as his fellow council member's, but it was stern nonetheless. Celestia openly sighed before them, before straightening herself and glaring down at the two of them.
"You wish for me order the remaining members of the guard to retrieve a pony who can walk through walls, use magic despite having had limiter rings placed upon her, and capable of who knows what else, all the while being able to heal herself from scraps after being blasted apart by one of my strongest spells, resistant to any other magic we have tried and has a craving for flesh." The two looked ready to say something, only to stop as their minds raced to find a solution to these problems. Celestia snarled as she turned from them, her mane and tail whipping in an imaginary wind.
"Foals, the both of you. What do you think would happen if I were to do such a thing? We would have a repeat of yesterday and then where would we be?" She made her way around the table and back towards her seat. As she took it once more, she heard the doors to the courtroom open and looked to see Dimmed Star's parents silently leaving the room. Twilight Velvet glanced back just before the door closed and caught her gaze. The two shared it for a moment before the door sealed shut, bits of it chipping and falling to the floor.
"You have excellent points your majesty, but they are right as well. We can't just let her wander Equestria unsupervised." Fancy Pants stated as he held his eyeglass aloft in his magic, a white cloth working to clean it. Celestia looked to him for a moment as she contemplated this.
'I already know this, but what could I do that she would not see as an act of aggression?' She wondered. Hearing a groan, she looked over to see one of the guards finally waking from his impromptu nap. Her eyes widened for a moment before a smile graced her lips.
"Oh, I think I'll have that covered." The council members looked to the guard, confused, as he finally stood up, looking around.
"This is so stupid!" Scootaloo exclaimed as she collapsed to the floor, her hooves splayed out as she grumbled under her breath. Sweetie Belle giggled next to her as she dragged a small pile of sweets over to her side of the floor. The few cards before them the only tell that they had been playing a game of Go-Fish, each betting their own candy in hopes to get more.
"You could always try again Scootaloo, don't you have another bag?" Sweetie reminded her defeated friend, a mischievous smirk playing on her lips. Scootaloo only grumbled more as she reached forward and dragged a nearby cushion to her face, where she muffled her yell of frustration.
Applebloom and Spike both watched this with amusement as they each munched on small treats of their own, an apple slice and a cut of sapphire respectively.
"Ah think she's tappin out Sweetie, no point in kicking her while she's down." Applebloom chuckled as Sweetie turned to her.
"I guess so, what about you Applebloom? Wanna play?" Her devious smirk settled only to make Applebloom shiver as she remembered the last time she tried to compete with Sweetie in a card game. She was still paying that one off with her desserts at school for another week.
"N-nah, I'm good. How bout you, Spike? Wanna try your hoof, er, claw maybe?" She turned to the young drake who sat on the edge of the bed, kicking his legs softly as he munched his own snack. He shook his head, his expression turning from one of amusement, to worry.
"I don't think I could bring myself to play anything right now. I'm too worried about Twilight." The room became awkwardly silent at this admission. Applebloom sighed as Sweetie Belle nodded in understanding, turning back to count her winnings. Scootaloo raised her face out of the cushion, looking towards the door.
"Grown-ups are stupid..." She grumbled out, breaking the silence. A noise of agreement echoed from the others as they sat. Sweetie Belle glanced around between them for a bit, before shrugging her shoulders and unwrapping a taffy.
"So how much longer do you think they'll be in there?" She asked just before popping the treat into her mouth. Applebloom looked to the window to see if she could gauge the sun's location.
"Ah dunno, it's been hours, but the sky's so cloudy ah can't tell what time it is." Spike, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo all looked to her with blank expressions. She blushed lightly at the sudden attention.
"Wh-what?" Spike only chuckled, before pointing to a nearby clock on the wall.
"It's a little past eleven, how do you get by every day without looking at a clock?" Applebloom grumbled in slight embarrassment as her friends chuckled.
"Ah can't help we don't have clocks at home. We work in the fields an' yard all day, so we had ta learn how ta tell time using the sun." Scootaloo cocked her head to the side a bit, confused.
"But if you use the sun to tell time, then how do you tell time on rainy days? Or even at night?" Her question only caused the embarrassed blush on Applebloom's face to grow as she grumbled out a response that they strained to hear.
"What was that Applebloom?" Sweetie asked, a smile playing on her lips. Applebloom huffed in annoyance as she finally looked to them.
"Ah haven't figured that out yet OK! Applejack, Granny, an' even Big Mac won't tell me how they do it. They keep sayin, ' It'll come with time AB.'" Her friends laughed at her misfortune as she dropped her face in her hooves. Spike's laughter turned to a light chuckle as he laid his claw on her shoulder.
"No worries Applebloom. If they say it takes time, then it'll take time. No need to rush it like you girls do with your cutie marks." Applebloom lifted her face to see his smile and her blush only grew more, her face almost entirely red now.
"Th-thanks Spike..." She uttered nervously. Sweetie and Scootaloo shared a knowing look, before turning back to their cards.
"Ok, I'm gonna win this time!" Scootaloo declared, her wings buzzing as she slightly hovered a bit off the floor, before dropping back down. Sweetie smirked at her friend, pulling the cards to her and beginning to shuffle them.
"We'll see about that, my enemy!" She chuckled deviously. She stopped for a moment however as she noticed something was off about her friend. With her wings raised for the first time in a long while, she could just see the signs of a fading dark spot under her left-wing, along her ribs.
"Hey Scoot, what's that?" She asked curiously as she tried to shuffle the cards without looking, a trick she had yet to master. Scootaloo blinked in surprise as now all eyes were on her before she quickly closed her wings and cleared her throat.
"Ah, it's nothing to worry about. C'mon, I want my candy back!" She smiled bravely at her friends. Sweetie only stared at her for a moment, before shaking it off and grinning back.
"Alright then, here I come!" She proclaimed her challenge, Applebloom and Spike watching the new match with renewed interest.
~ ~ ~
Dimmed Star walked calmly through the halls of Canterlot Castle, the remaining Elements trailing along behind her. The silence was deafening among them as they walked. Occasionally they would pass a guard, who would immediately ready his spear at the sight of Dimmed Star, only to be quickly pulled away by the girls with hushed whispers explaining the situation to them. After a few of the guards had done this, they finally began to spread the word around the castle to the rest of them. This didn't stop any guards they came across from being on edge of course. The Element Bearers looked to one another in the quiet tension, each trying to figure out how to break the silence with their friend, who had ignored their presence up to this point.
"Shouldn't we say something?" Rarity whispered to them, glancing slightly as they walked to see if Dimmed Star could hear them or not. There was no reaction from her, so she assumed that she had gone unheard. Applejack glanced to Rarity and shrugged.
"Ah suppose, but ah'm not too sure how. Ah mean... we are kinda to blame for all this." She whispered back, her eyes now back on Dimmed Star. Rainbow Dash trotted up next to her, a challenge in her eyes.
"Woah, Woah, Woah, how is this our fault?" She kept her voice low, but it was still loud enough to cause the girls to turn to her with a light glare and, ' shush' her. Applejack shook her head at her friend.
"Come on Rainbow Dash. After all that has happened, are you seriously trying to say that we didn't play a part in this? We turned our backs on her. She was turned into... This, because we weren't there for her. You can't deny that." Rarity huffed at the prismatic mare, who looked ready to argue, only to lose any fire as she realized that the fashionista had a point.
"I know that. But we can't take all the blame, can we?" She asked weakly as they trailed along behind. Surprisingly, it was Fluttershy who answered as she came up beside Rarity.
"We may not hold all of the blame Dashie, but we still hold some and that's more than enough for her to hate us. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't want to be friends with us anymore..." The meek pegasus whimpered as she watched the carpet pass beneath them. The mares fell silent again as they walked. Passing an intersection in the hall, the sound of flapping wings caught their attention down the hall next to them. Turning, they just barely caught a glimpse of something pink shooting down the hall behind them, heading in the direction of the courtroom.
"Was that Princess Cadence? What's she in such a hurry for?" Rarity asked curiously as they continued on. Pinkie began to jump up and down as she tried to take guesses.
"Oh, oh! I know! She's late for a very important date! Oh wait, Shining Armor is still injured, so I guess she can't be going on a date. Oh! Maybe she just really needs to go to the bathroom! I remember this one time that-" Her stream of words was quickly cut short as an orange hoof planted itself over her lips.
"Please Pinkie, now kinda isn't the time." Applejack pushed, the other girls nodding lightly. Pinkie looked to them and frowned, pushing the mare's hoof away.
"It may not be the right moment, but if we keep going like this, we aren't going to get anywhere." She stressed, before trotting past them and making a beeline towards Dimmed Star. The girls looked after her in surprise, before trotting to catch up.
Dimmed Star did well to pretend she couldn't hear every word that the girls, 'whispered' as she made her way through the castle with them in tow.
'The entire hallway is quiet, save their own voices.' She thought idly. At first, their chatter had been easily ignored, but as they kept on, it began to grate on her nerves. Not only because she was still quite mad at them, but also because no matter how angry she was, she still longed for their friendship. She could feel her heart aching at how lonely she felt right now but ignored it in favor of being angry, over an apology seeking doormat.
The sound of their hooves picked up, the only sign to her that they had chosen to catch up with her. A flash of pink in the peripheral of her right eye told her that Pinkie had been the first to reach her.
"Soooo, Hiya Twi-" A quick glare silenced the exuberant mare, causing her to take a half step back before she gathered her courage once more and fell into step beside her.
"Uh, eh heh, sorry about that. How about Dimmy? Can I call you Dimmy?" The cotton candy mare smiled brightly, undeterred by the hard gaze that watched her carefully as they walked. The other Elements followed behind closer now, each watching the two with worry and hope. Dimmed Star faced forward once more.
"Whatever, just don't ever call me by THAT name again. Understood?" Her voice was cold and it bit into their sense of hope, but Pinkie seemed unfazed as she smiled wider.
'Yes! I'm back in the field!' She imagined herself on the edge of a hoofball field, the sound of a whistle being blown by Gummy dressed in a coach outfit. Dimmed Star was in the field on the opposing side. In her little daydream, she wore a helmet that had the word party painted on it bright pink and a jersey with the image of a filly Pinkie hugging a filly Dimmed Star as the two smiled happily, the word, ‘ Goal’ in all caps above them. Shaking the image from her head, she faced forward as well.
'One step at a time Pinkie!' She sang to herself. They traveled in relative silence once more, making their way through the halls of Canterlot Castle. Glancing over every so often with her smile still present, she watched as Dimmed Star would glance at her as well.
'What does she want?' Dimmed Star would be lying if she didn't admit that it was a bit creepy the way Pinkie kept looking at her. But in that same light, it was Pinkie and as she had learned before, there was no sense in trying to figure her out. Suddenly she could hear another set of hooves on her left. Looking over, she now found a nervously grinning Applejack, who took a spare moment to tilt her head in her direction.
"Pardon my intrusion, Miss Star." Applejack wasn't exactly sure what she should say or how she could say it, but she couldn't just let Pinkie be the only one to try. Dimmed Star blinked slowly at her.
"Just Dimmed Star is fine." She responded after a moment. Applejack let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding and her smile became more genuine.
"Then, if you don't mind Dimmed Star, might we take a moment and have a word with you?" She asked cautiously, coming to a stop. Dimmed Star hesitated on her next step for a moment, before coming to a full stop as well, Pinkie coming around now to stand next to Applejack.
"Fine, let's get this over with." Dimmed Star hissed through gritted teeth. The rest of the girls finally approached as they came up to them in the middle of the hall. Dimmed Star look to each of them, some brave enough to look back, others looking away immediately.
"Well?" She demanded after none had said anything. Applejack looked to the rest of them, none looking too eager to say anything, before sighing in defeat and stepping forward.
"Ah'm sorry, Dimmed Star." Dimmed Star raised her right eyebrow, which Applejack took as her cue to go on. Reaching up, she slid her hat from her head and held it over her chest.
"We all made a mistake when we left you in at the wedding rehearsal, and we're paying for that even now. But friends do that, ya know? Make mistakes. But that's OK, 'cause as friends, we can always come back from that, right?" She asked cautiously, her words carefully chosen. At the mention of the wedding rehearsal, Dimmed Star's fur bristled and she fought back the urge to growl in her throat. Settling with a hard stare instead, she looked to each of them in turn.
"You think that just because you say your sorry, that we can all be friends again?" Applejack took a step back in surprise, stuttering a bit as she thought back on her words. Dimmed Star's eyes snapped to her.
"Saying you're sorry might work for something as small as spilling a glass of juice, or even breaking an antique in someone else's home. But what you and Celestia did? That was an act of betrayal." She walked forward slowly, causing Applejack to backpedal.
"You left me alone, you left to comfort the very thing I was trying to protect you all from. You weren't there when she came back and taunted me with her own malice." She growled out as Applejack continued to back away, stopping when she found herself pressed against the wall. Realizing that she had nowhere to go, she took a deep breath and gathered her courage, standing firm and nervously staring back into Dimmed Star's anger-filled eyes. The two stared each other down in the silence, before a blur of pink and yellow jumped between them, causing Dimmed Star to back up in surprise. Fluttershy now stood between them, her wings spread and tears in her eyes.
"Please stop this!" She cried out, her voice filled with distress. Dimmed Star felt a small tug on her heart but squashed it immediately. Fluttershy managed to keep her gaze on Dimmed Star's as she stood her ground.
"You're our friend! No matter what name you choose, no matter how bad things get, you'll always be... our friend..." Her voice began to lose strength as she spoke, tears trailing down her cheeks. The other Elements watched her in awe before they felt emboldened by her actions and moved to stand beside her. Dimmed Star watched as each of them came to stand in front of her once more, the fear in their eyes gone, only conviction remained. Rarity pulled the weeping mare into her hooves as she shot her own glare at Dimmed Star.
"This is ridiculous!" Rainbow Dash shouted, catching her attention. The rainbow mare glared at her in irritation.
"So we made a mistake, a BIG mistake yeah, but we're trying to make up for it! Doesn't that mean anything to you?" She tried to spread her wings out, but the bandages holding her wings in place stopped her. Dimmed Stare glared hard at her, her eyes brimming with restrained anger.
"I want you to take a good, long look at me, Rainbow Dash. I want you to see exactly what your MISTAKE has wrought, and then I want you to ask me that again." Rainbow flinched back, before doing as she was told and taking a closer look at the body of her friend. The others took this chance to do the same, finally close enough to her to be able to see her more clearly, as up to now, they had only seen her from a distance.
Dimmed Star's black eyes stared each of them down as they felt their bravado slowly wane with each passing second.
"Your betrayal did more than just leave me crying in the darkness. Every time I look in the mirror now, I'll be reminded of the pain that you all caused me." The girls had no response for that as each bowed their head in shame. Dimmed Star sighed as she turned from them, looking down the hall towards the medical wing.
"In my heart, I want to forgive you... I know I should..." Her voice was low, but not so much that it went unheard. They immediately perked up hearing this, only to have their hopes dashed as she started to walk away from them.
"But I can't. Not while the wounds are still fresh..." Her tone remained sullen as she walked away. The girls looked to one another, a bit of hope renewed. She couldn't forgive them now, but in time, things could get better and that was enough for them. A thought suddenly struck one of them, however, and Rarity quickly trotted after her.
"Wait, but, what about Spike? You aren't mad at him are you?" She pleaded, worry in her eyes. Dimmed Star paused and looked back to her in slight surprise.
'Spike?' The little dragon had not even crossed her mind in her bouts of anger. Even now as she thought back to yesterday, when he trailed after them as they left the wedding rehearsal, she felt no anger towards the young drake, only sorrow. Rarity took her lack of response in a different light, however.
"Please Dimmed Star, you have to know that he is just a child! Such an action can't possibly be held against him!" She begged, the others now having caught up with them again. Dimmed Star took a moment to take in her words and her own feelings on the matter, before giving a light nod.
"You're right, I can't be angry with him... I'll need to talk to him when we get to the room so-" Her eyes widened as she suddenly realized something. Quickly looking down at herself, she stared at her dark purple fur and the black stains that covered her legs up to her knees.
'Will... will he even recognize me?' She thought worriedly. An even worse thought then came to mind and nearly made her cry.
'Will he... be afraid of me?' She began to tremble slightly, her frame just barely shaking. Rarity reached a hoof forward and lightly placed it on her shoulder, shocking her out of her stupor.
"It will be fine. We've already spoken to Spike and he can't wait to see you." She smiled softly as Dimmed Star looked to her, worry evident in her eyes. After a moment, she nodded, before turning and beginning her walk once more. After she got a good ways ahead of them, the girls began to follow as they began to talk among themselves once more.
"Well, it didn't go exactly how ah had hoped, but it's a start." Applejack noted as they walked, placing her hat back upon her head. The girls nodded in agreement.
"Hey, it's better than her going full monster on us and trying to tear us apart." Pinkie piped in with a chipper smile. She got a few disgruntled agreements for that one. Fluttershy wiped her eyes with her hooves and glanced around with a smile.
"It's also a good sign that she is worried about Spike and how he'll think of her. Up to now, she hasn't really shown any concern for what she's become." Rarity nodded, rubbing her shoulder up against Fluttershy's.
"And I was surprised by how you took action Fluttershy. You helped to defuse a potentially dangerous situation with no thought to how she might have reacted." She praised the meek pegasus, who blushed and ducked behind her mane.
"W-well, I just hate seeing my friends fight is all." She managed, trying not to trip as she walked with one eye able to see past her mane. Rarity hummed in agreement, before facing forward herself.
The hall finally came to an end and branched off to the left and right, Dimmed Star didn't hesitate as she turned left and continued on. As they turned with her, they came upon a set of double doors, a golden plaque above the only indication to them that it was the medical wing. Before anything more could be said, she strode forward and pushed through the doors, actually opening them rather than going through them.
The massive room on the other side was filled with noise from the injured guards. Some complaining about their injuries, others singing military songs, and still others trying to have decent conversations above the noise. But all fell silent when slowly, one by one, the guards took notice of who had entered.
Dimmed Star stood silently at the front of the room, glancing around the many beds and searching for her brother. The guards shivered in terror, some even passing out as her gaze passed over them. Those that could, stood up as quickly as their injuries would let them, taking defensive stances, but none dared to say anything or make any sudden moves.
"Where is Shining Armor?" Her voice carried over the quiet. Silence was her only response. The girls finally came through the door behind her, pausing in the doorway at the awkward situation.
"Uh... maybe coming here was a bad idea..." Rainbow Dash whispered nervously. Dimmed Star ignored her and continued on, walking past the many beds. The more injured guards that were unable to stand and defend themselves pushed up as best they could, pressing their backs to the bed posts. A few of the less disciplined guards even went so far as to crawl out of the beds and hide behind them. She only rolled her eyes at this and kept up her search. As she passed a pair of beds, she spotted the two guards that had tried to stop her the day before, both were unconscious.
Finally, she noted a door on the other end of the room, two guards standing nearby it with spears. Both of them had quickly taken notice of her when she had entered the room and were already in combat stances, sweat beading down their brows. She approached them slowly, stopping just a few hoofsteps away.
"I'm here to see my brother." She stated simply. Both guards looked to each other nervously, before glancing about the medical bay and staring at the multitude of others in cots, many of which were in critical conditions the day before because of this very mare. The guard on the left nodded quickly, dropping his spear and backing away, while the guard on the right looked to his partner in shock.
"D-dude!" He exclaimed, a look of hurt on his face. His fellow guard looked to him with an, ' are you serious' look.
"I am not gonna end up like them." He stated simply, raising his hooves in surrender. Dimmed Star smirked at this, while the other guard groaned in disbelief, before dropping his own spear and backing away.
"I'm so fired for this..." He grumbled. Dimmed Star only shook her head in amusement and strolled past them and through the door.
"Thanks, boys~" She sang as she entered. The rest of the Elements decided it was probably best to wait outside while she spent some time with her brother.
Cadence awoke with a start, lifting her head from the desk where a small pool of saliva had leaked from the side of her mouth.
"Huh, wha?" She asked in a daze, her eyes unfocused and her coordination off. A snicker to her right caught her attention. Turning to face the sound, she blinked rapidly, clearing her vision to find herself face to face with her fellow princess, Luna, who held a hoof to her mouth as she failed to hide her amusement.
"We said, doth thou plan to sleep in the archives for the whole of this day?" Luna repeated the question that had startled her adopted niece into the waking world. Cadence stared at her for a moment, mouthing the word day as she glanced up to the windows to see the cloudy sky, lit up by the sun beyond them. Her eyes widened in shock and she shot to her hooves.
"Oh no!" She panicked as her horn lit up with light blue magic, snatching a nearby saddlebag and beginning to fill it with scrolls and texts. Luna watched as the young mare frantically went through each title that she brought to the bag, mumbling to herself.
"Is aught well, dear niece?" Cadence jumped again, nearly dropping the bag and texts as she had forgotten that the princess was there with her.
"I'm so sorry Luna, but I'm late for Twilight's trial!" She almost yelled, her wings lifting her up, keeping herself off of her still sore and bandaged hooves. She had neglected to return to the medical wing for any pain medicine due to burying herself in her studies.
"I stayed up all night studying so that maybe I could convince Celestia and the Council to.. to... Oh I don't know! I just want to help her!" She exclaimed, her frustration at having overslept being overwhelmed by her frustration of not knowing what she was doing entirely. Luna glanced at a nearby text that flew past her and into the bag, noting its title and relevance.
"We believe, that may no longer be necessary." She responded carefully. Cadence looked up to her, everything in the air coming to a complete stop.
"Wh-what?" She asked fearful, worried that the council had already decided their verdict and she had not been there to fight for her would-be sister. Luna sighed and directed her gaze towards the two solar guards that waited for her just inside the doors of the archive.
"We passed by a knight whom was quite disturbed, on our way to awaken thee. T'would seem that the Court has ended and the now named ' Dimmed Star,' is free to move about the palace." Both guards nodded in affirmation, but Cadence only appeared to be confused.
"Dimmed Star? But, I thought we were holding Twilight's trial this morning?" She slowly lowered herself back onto the large cushion that had been her seat, her exhaustion slowly catching up to her. Luna shook her head as she lit her horn in a dark blue light, pulling one of Cadence's many texts towards her and flipping through it as she spoke.
"Tis hearsay amongst the knights that the mare, Twilight Sparkle, hath changed her name." Cadence felt her heart drop at this. A name she had always cherished, was now nothing more than a memory to her. She lowered her head in silence as if mourning the loss of a loved one. Luna glanced up from the book, noting the look of sorrow on her niece's face. Closing the text, she walked up to her and placed a hoof on her shoulder.
"Fret not, dear niece. She may hath changed her name, but we've no doubts that she is still the same mare underneath." Cadence raised her head, tears in her eyes.
"But she is different, Luna. She... she's the one who..." She lifted her hooves up, the bandages covered in stains of dark red and badly in need of changing. Luna looked to her hooves and grimaced at the sight.
"She didn't know it was me, of course." Cadence continued, lowering her hooves back down, softly setting them in her lap. She winced slightly as they twinged a bit, no doubt they were swollen beneath the bandages. Luna nodded in understanding as she pieced together what she meant.
"Changelings are indeed a most troublesome species. They hath turned many a country on its head with their tricks. From what we hath heard, tis miraculous that thee is even alive." Cadence looked up to her at that, surprise evident on her face.
"You know about what happened?" Luna nodded, her face grim.
"Despite our, confinements, we are still quite capable of receiving important information. T'was bad enough the council forbade my presence at the ceremony, but for us to not be there when our sister needed us most." Luna turned, anger in her eyes as they glared at an unseen enemy. Cadence shuffled her wings nervously, she had never really seen Luna angry, Nightmare Moon notwithstanding. With a small sigh, Luna turned back to her niece and smiled softly.
"Thou say that she has changed, but underneath all of her ire, we... I... am most sure that she is still the filly that you love so dearly. If thou wish to see her return to herself, then do not abandon hope, as I once did." Cadence listened to her words carefully, hope brimming in her heart. Saying what she thought needed to be said, Luna smiled wider and turned towards the door, making her way out. The two Solar guards filed into position behind her as she reached them, but her company came to a stop as she halted at the door.
"Thou had best make haste... hearsay is that she will be leaving the palace before the sun sets this day." Cadence felt her eyes widen at this and turned to try and confirm it, but Luna and her guards had already left the archive. Biting her lower lip, she glanced around to the texts around her, only to shake her head.
'I won't need these anymore... all that studying for nothing...' With a hard flap of her wings, she thrust herself into the air again, bringing her legs up to keep them from hitting anything as she flew through the archive door and down the hall towards the courtroom.
'You're not leaving before I get a chance to see you again!' She promised as she flew through the halls quickly.
~ ~ ~
Dimmed Star closed the door behind her as she entered the room, the sound of a heart monitor being the only other noise. Looking to the only bed in the room, she found her brother lying there, an oxygen mask over his face and bandages wrapped tightly around his barrel, dark red stains covering them, and several wires attached to his frame that lead to the nearby machines. Quietly, she stepped closer to the bed, working her way around the many medical devices that kept tabs on her brother's health.
As she approached his side, she got a closer look at his face. He seemed so peaceful, almost as if he were only sleeping, instead of being in a coma. She stared at him in silence as he breathed softly, his warm breath occasionally fogging up the mask.
"You hopeless foal..." She spoke finally, resting a hoof on the edge of the mattress.
"Why did you have to push so hard to be the Captain... to learn a spell that only you could cast to protect Canterlot... and put a big target on your flank..." Her voice was low as she spoke, her eyes never leaving his face. She reached a trembling hoof forward, as if to touch him, but froze just before she could.
'Hey, what are you crying for?' The echo of his voice played in her mind, as a distant memory came to the forefront.
~ ~ ~
"Hey, what are you crying for?" A young Shining Armor asked around a choked voice. He lay on the ground, his body bruised and his right eye black and swollen shut. An even younger Twilight sat next to him, her tears dripping down her face as she buried her head into his chest, lightly beating on him with her small hooves.
"You dummy! Shining Armor is a big, stupid dummy! Why didn't you just stay out of it!" She cried out, her voice strangled as she fought to speak over her own cries of distress. The two were in a park in Canterlot, it was barren of any other ponies, but that hadn't been the case minutes before.
They had been on their way home from the bookstore, Twilight happily bouncing along as she held a brand new text of the history of Starswirl the Bearded aloft in her magic. Shining could only chuckle at her excitement, he had bought the book for her as a surprise while they were out.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you~" She chanted over and over again for the fifth or sixth time. Shining laughed aloud at this.
"You've said that enough times don't you think? It's not that big a deal you know." Twilight looked up to him with a bright smile on her face.
"It is a big deal to me! My big brother ALWAYS gets me the best books! Mom still thinks I should be reading what all the other kids are, and Dad only gets me those boring mystery novels." Shining looked to her in surprise as she pouted.
"But I thought you liked mystery books? What about those books I gave you on your birthday?" Hearing the hurt in his voice, Twilight turned back to him and shook her head vigorously.
"No, no. The ones you get me are always based on fact and things that have, or could happen! Dad only gets me the ones that are completely impossible. Like that one with the baker who turned out to be a super-advanced robot from the future, sent back in time to solve a murder at a baking contest against aliens that would decide the fate of the world." She stuck her tongue out as if disgusted even by the idea. Shining chuckled and ruffled her mane, causing her to giggle as she tried to dodge away from it.
"Yea well, a gift is a gift. And no matter how impossible it may be, you should always cherish it, because it came from somepony who loves you." Twilight smiled back at him. Before she could respond, however, the sound of a yell caught their attention. Looking over, they found themselves at the park just a few blocks from their home. A couple of stallions were hovering over a cowering mare.
"Come on, fork it over already!" The stallion on the right yelled, his patience wearing thin. He clapped his fore-hooves together threateningly. The mare trembled as she quickly took off her saddlebag, holding it out to the older male. He smirked as he reached for it.
"That's more lik-OOF" He never finished as he was immediately tackled and held down by an angry Shining Armor. Twilight blinked in surprise at seeing her brother there, when he had been right next to her a moment ago!
"Go, get out of here!" Shining yelled to the mare, who nodded quickly, taking her saddlebags and sprinting off just as the other stallion came up behind Shining and bashed him in the head with both hooves. Twilight screamed at seeing her brother go down, rushing forward to try and get between them.
"DON'T!" Shining's voice called out, stopping her in her tracks. He glared at her with an intense gaze despite the pain he felt in his head even as the bigger of the two stallions stood up, brushing himself off. She looked to the two in fear as they glared at her, then turned their attention back to him.
"You got a lot of nerve swiping our score like that you little shit!" The older stallion yelled, kicking Shining in the ribs, making him let out a yelp of pain. Twilight raised a hoof towards him, her voice shaky as she yelled at them, begging them to stop.
"Stop it! Stop hurting him!" Both stallions kicked and beat her older brother relentlessly, before finally getting bored with him and stepping away. The younger stallion took it upon himself to walk up to Twilight, who immediately crouched low, holding her book in front of her as a shield while she trembled and her tail curled around herself protectively. Tears spilled from her eyes as she cried in fear.
"Your brother's gonna get himself in a lot more trouble if he comes back on our turf again kid. Do yourself, and him a favor and hand over whatever you got that's valuable." She didn't move as he waited for a response. Spitting in the dirt, he lit up his horn and snatched her book from her own magical grip, the shock making her gasp with a sharp pain in her horn. He turned the book over and read the title, before scoffing.
"Man, this cheap thing ain't worth much... but I guess it'll do for a paperweight or somethin'." He turned and went to walk away, only to walk right into a large blue hoof colliding with his face, a tooth flying out of his mouth. Shining stood over the downed unicorn, panting as he struggled to stay standing.
"That's... my sister's... book..." He gasped out, before collapsing to the ground, Twilight's book held tightly in his hooves. The older stallion rushed over, dragging his partner onto his back and leaning over one last time to kick Shining in the face.
"We'll remember this!" He shouted as he sprinted off, his friend out cold on his back. Twilight shakily looked up to find herself inches from her brother who held his muzzle in pain. Glancing around to see that the bad guys were gone, she rushed up to him, crying and begging for him to be OK. He could only smile at her, despite the blood coming from his nose and a gash on his cheek.
"Its ok, Twili..."
~ ~ ~
The sound of liquid hitting cloth reached her ears, and Dimmed Star looked down to see black spots on the surface of the bedsheet. Bringing her hoof to her face, she wiped her tears as best she could, before letting out a shuddering breath.
"You've always been like that... risking yourself for the sake of others. That's one of the reasons I always looked up to you." She lifted her head, tears still brimming in her eyes as she watched him. Sighing, she finally reached forward and placed her hoof on his chest.
"I... I'm sorry... Shining... I'm so sorry..." She barely whispered her emotions in turmoil. It was never Shining's fault that he left her at the rehearsal, much like how she couldn't bring herself to blame Spike for leaving. The difference here, however, was that Shining had been under mind control, where Spike was simply too young to know better. She clenched her eyes shut as she held back a choked sob, softly gripping the bandages that wrapped around his barrel with her hoof.
From within the darkness of her mind, the being that had changed her so drastically watched. It observed the mare weeping over the body of her sibling. It was strange how one minute she could be bloodthirsty, and the next she would be like this, crying for something so insignificant. A scorching warmth burned into its essence, causing it to flinch back as it glared now at the center of a warm light that kept it at bay. That blasted light that held those four emotions it did not understand. Ever since that strange item had forced it to the depths of its host's mind, it had been unable to leave due to that burning light.
It's anger at the light boiled stronger as it's bright red glare intensified. It only seemed to glow brighter in response to this, forcing it further back. Relenting, for the time being, it slowly began to close its eyes, preparing to rest and gather its strength, for the time when all the host knew was hatred. Just as its eyes closed, the light seemed to dim just a bit, and it could swear it almost caught a glimpse of a bright purple shape at the center before its eyes closed entirely and it fell into a deep slumber.
After allowing herself a few more moments of weakness, Dimmed Star sniffled a bit, before straightening up and pulling her hoof away. Wiping her eyes once more, she looked around the room until she found a clock on the far wall.
"I have to go now, Shining, but I'll come back... I promise... You had better be up and moving when I do OK?" She leaned forward and kissed his cheek softly, before turning and making her way towards the door. Her thoughts drifting to the one who was truly to blame for everything that had occurred.
"It might be a while though... I have to finish what I started..." She growled low, the image of the Changeling Queen burning in her mind's eye.
'I'm coming for you, Insect, and I hope you have your army with you... because I'm STARVING!' She hissed in her mind, her long black tongue slithering out of her mouth, running across the surface of her jagged teeth in anticipation, her eyes burning with malice.
~ ~ ~
Celestia breathed a sigh of relief as she stepped out of the courtroom, the doors behind her shutting slowly.
'I wonder if being absolute plot holes is enough of a reason to dissolve the council?' She thought bitterly as she thought back to the arguments and debates she had just gone through.
Hasty Vote had been the most vocal, obviously. Her distress at having become Dimmed Star's plaything for the duration of the Hearing was quite evident and she made it a point to keep going back to that, playing the victim card again and again.
'I swear if I have to see her ever again it'll be too soon.' Her head ached with the thought of dealing with that despicable mare. Walking casually through the hall, she glanced out the windows and watched as the sky was slowly being cleared by the city's weather team. She awed at the aerial acrobatics that the pegasi pulled off, such agility that she would never have due to her large size.
'What joy it must be, to be free of having to rule a kingdom, deal with nobles, and tread lightly around those you have wronged...' The last one turned her mind to the main subject of their earlier conversation, Dimmed Star.
The council had been right that they could not very well let her roam the lands unchecked, and so after much debating, she had finally gotten them to come to an agreement.
A special task force was to be assigned to keep an eye on the mare, secretly of course. If she knew that she was under constant surveillance, she could become aggressive and that would be a problem. The task force would be ordered to never engage her in combat, only observe and provide important, detailed information on her movements and actions. Should something that requires immediate attention come up, then they would be provided with red dragon fire charms.
These charms were much like the ones that the guard normally wore, however instead of the message being sent to all members of the guard who wore one, it was enchanted to be sent directly to the Princess herself, as it was tied to her own magic. All that was left was to choose the guards that would make up the task force itself. Celestia already had a squad in mind, but the council insisted that they add a few of their own to the group.
'That damned council, half are decent ponies, while the other half are witless mules… No offense to any actual mules...' She groaned as she faced forward once more. It was lucky that she did at that moment of course, as a pink blur appeared in front of her, nearly flying right into her.
"Celestia!" Cadence shouted in surprise, flapping her wings to hold herself up. Celestia looked up to the younger alicorn curiously.
"Cadence? Why are you in such a hurry?" Cadence took a moment before answering, looking around the hall, and the princess, seemingly searching for something.
"Luna came and found me in the archives, I had been studying all night to try and be ready to defend Twilight's case this morning, but I overslept. She told me that the Trial was already over and that Twilight was going home today." Once she confirmed that Twilight wasn't anywhere around, she faced the princess once more.
"Do you know where she is? I have to see her before she leaves." Celestia nodded in understanding.
"She said she was going to see Shining Armor, before collecting her things and catching the earliest train to Ponyville. But Cadence... did Luna tell you anything else?" She asked nervously, unsure of what else Luna may have found out somehow. Cadence looked glum as she raised her bandaged hooves, lightly holding them together in front of her.
"She told me that Twilight changed her name... she calls herself Dimmed Star now... Do... do you know where she came up with that?" Celestia only shook her head.
"No, I'm afraid I can't say... It came as a surprise to me as well. She had told me last night when I left her in the dungeons, but I had thought it best not to say anything to anypony and that perhaps she would come around with time. That does not seem to be the case." Cadence lowered her hooves in defeat. Celestia glanced at the bandages around her legs and winced at how bloody they were. Glancing to her own wrappings, she noted that very few held dark stains upon their surface.
"Cadence, when was the last time you had those changed?" She asked worriedly. Cadence glanced at her hooves and gave a half-hearted chuckle.
"I... haven't. I was too focused on learning everything I could. I haven't even taken the time to get medicine for them." Celestia raised an eyebrow at this. She must have been in excruciating pain right now. Looking to her flapping wings, she put two and two together.
"That's why you haven't landed. Your legs hurt too much." Cadence smiled sheepishly as Celestia shook her head and chuckled.
"What am I to do with you? Come along, you need to see the doctor's before you go darting around the castle in search of your future sister-in-law." Cadence opened her mouth to argue, only to find herself following along beside the princess without having intended to. Celestia's horn was alight in its golden aura that now surrounded Cadence, carrying her along beside her.
"You're going to wear yourself out if you keep flying like that. Rest your wings, we'll be there in a little bit." Celestia glanced to her adoptive niece who only nodded, closing her wings to her sides and relaxing.
The doors to the medical wing closed softly behind the Elements as they strolled from the room, the guards within breathing a sigh of relief now that the source of their present state had left.
Once more in the quiet halls of the castle, Dimmed Star and company made their way to the next destination, their suite.
As the girls behind her chatted about what they would do once they returned home, Dimmed Star could only feel a growing anxiety the closer they got to the room where Spike awaited her. She bit her lower lip nervously, being mindful of her sharp teeth. Although Rarity had reassured her, it did not stop her mind from wandering to the worst possible outcomes that could occur when they reached the room.
'Will he run? Will he scream... Will he even look at me?' As much as the first two hurt to think about, that last one seemed to hurt far more. Thinking back, she remembered when she had first hatched the little drake.
He had been such a fragile thing for a baby dragon. She closed her eyes as she remembered the way he would gaze upon her, his wide eyes filled with adoration that only a child looking upon their mother could have. But she wasn't his mother, she reminded herself as her eyes glistened at the memory. She may have hatched him, but she only played a part in raising him, more the role of a sister than a mother. Her own mother had taken the bulk of the responsibilities in raising the hatchling so that she could focus on her studies, but that didn't stop her from sneaking off to spend time with him.
She remembered how her mother was having such trouble trying to teach him how to walk, the infant constantly struggling to stay on all fours like those around him. It didn't take her long to figure out that due to his size, walking like a quadruped simply wasn't possible yet. His body would have to grow longer before he could emulate the older of his species. Taking it upon herself, she began to teach him in secret, first to walk, then to run.
She smiled softly as the sounds of his little feet running around her in excitement played in her ears.
"Dimmed Star?" The sound of the voice right next to her snapped her from her reverie and she opened her eyes quickly taking in her surroundings. She had apparently stopped in the hall at some point, the girls having caught up to her and watched her worriedly. Rarity stood in front of her, concern in her features.
"What?" She asked briskly, annoyed at having her precious memories be interrupted. Rarity's ears folded back as she glanced down, before looking back up to her.
"I'm... so sorry dear, it's just... you stopped suddenly and when we caught up to you, you were crying..." Dimmed Star raised a hoof and wiped at her eyes quickly.
"It's nothing." She snapped, before walking past Rarity, who turned to watch her leave. Fluttershy came up to her and gave a comforting nuzzle that she reciprocated.
"Just give her time." The shy mare advised, then proceeded to follow after Dimmed Star. Taking her advice to heart, Rarity and the others followed suit.
The rest of the trip was left in relative silence, the girls concerned for their friend, Dimmed Star concerned for the little purple dragon she grew closer and closer to confronting.
After what seemed like hours of traversing the castle's intricate hallways, they finally came to the door of the suite that the girls had been sharing for the past week. Dimmed Star stood before it, shaking like a frightened filly. Her eyes trembling as she stared at the doorknob, her hoof resting on its surface and her heart beating like a drum. The girls behind her looked on in worry before Fluttershy's turned to a look of compassion.
So focused on the back of her hoof that hovered over the doorknob, Dimmed Star did not notice she had approached until her yellow hoof hovered over her own. Looking to the mare in surprise, she felt her mouth open slightly at what she saw.
Fluttershy stood next to her, a smile on her face as she pushed Dimmed Star's hoof up against the doorknob. Her eyes showed nothing but assurance as Dimmed Star looked to them in concern.
"It'll be okay." Her comforting tone left Dimmed Star feeling a bit more relaxed. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she turned back to the door and moved to push it open.
However before she could, the knob turned on its own and the door swiftly opened before them.
~ ~ ~
"You're really good at that Spike." Applebloom looked on with awe as the young dragon scratched the back of his head, embarrassed by the praise.
"It's not really that hard, here I'll show you." Taking up another piece of paper, he began to fold it much slower this time.
"When you fold it here, you gotta watch the corners. If they aren't even, then the whole thing can end up looking less like a crane and more like a balled-up piece of paper." He chuckled as he carefully crafted the crane. Once it was complete, he held it up for her to inspect.
"Mine doesn't look anything like that." Turning, they found Sweetie Belle looking rather downtrodden as she held up a piece of paper that at first glance looked more like a giraffe than a crane.
"I guess an origami cutie mark isn't in the books for me." She sighed, disappointed.
"How about this then?" A voice full of pride commanded their attention. Looking next to Sweetie, they found Scootaloo happily holding up an expertly crafted paper crane. Sweetie and Applebloom awed in amazement while Spike stared in shock.
"How did you figure it out so fast? And with hooves!?" His voice of surprise only spurred the young pegasis' ego as she puffed her chest out in pride.
"Ah it wasn't so hard, certainly easier than trying to beat this one in a card game." She grinned, nudging Sweetie Belle with her hoof as both fillies looked to each other for a moment, before breaking out in giggles. Applebloom and Spike joined in their laughter after only a moment, before an idea struck the young farmer.
"Hey ah got an idea! Let's really see what's better, hooves or claws!" Looking to her in confusion, she grinned as she turned and trotted over to a nearby dresser, pulling a drawer open and retrieving a large stack of colored paper. Returning to her friends, she dropped it down between Scootaloo and Spike.
"What ah mean is, let's have a competition to see who can make the most cranes!" She beamed as the two of them looked to each other with challenging smiles.
"Oh there is no doubt about it, claws are better!" Spike fired the first shot, snatching up the first sheet of paper as Scootaloo quickly grabbed hold of the next, her own grin matching him.
"Nuh-uh! Hooves are gonna win this one!" As the two began to furiously craft crane after crane, Applebloom walked over and sat with Sweetie Belle while they watched.
"Thanks, Sweetie." Sweetie Belle looked to the young apple farmer in surprise.
"Thanks for what?" Applebloom smirked and nudged the unicorn with her shoulder, nearly knocking her over in the process.
"Y'all know what, don't play dumb. If ya hadn't suggested for Spike to show us his paper foldin, we never woulda got his mind off of Twilight." Sweetie smiled softly as they watched the growing pile of cranes and the two participants who would shoot light-hearted insults at one another's crafting appendages from time to time.
"I only did what we were all trying to do, cheer him up. It never would have worked without all three of us keeping his attention like this." Applebloom nodded in agreement. The two sat in silence as they watched the pile of cranes grow.
~ ~ ~
The girls blinked in amazement at the mountain of cranes before them. The contest had ended moments before and only because they had run out of any paper left in the room. The colorful mound reached above the edge of the nearby bed and it was a wide as two of the beds put together.
"Do you think we overdid it?" Scootaloo asked next to Spike, who rubbed his chin in thought.
"For the honor of claws winning? Nope." She turned to him with a grin.
"You mean hooves winning!" They both turned to Applebloom expectantly, who looked between the two of them in surprise.
"Wait, y'all weren't counting?" They both blinked at this, before letting out groans of annoyance.
"We thought you were counting!" Scootaloo exclaimed. Spike sighed in defeat as he turned away from the girls while they argued over who should have been counting. Shaking his head he grinned at the fun he had managed to partake in, despite how things had turned out the previous day and this morning. Looking back at them, he smiled as the two girls now wrestled with one another, but neither one looked angry, only smiling as they tussled.
'They're the best friends a dragon could ask for.' He turned to Sweetie, who had taken to being the referee and began to call out made-up fouls or rules for their bout, but before he could say anything, he caught a whiff of something. It was subtle at first, but it grew stronger the more he focused on it.
Turning with the smell, he tried to figure out what it reminded him of. The most prominent of the smell wasn't unfamiliar to him as a fire-breather, burnt fur. It was quite strong and almost completely covered the other scents around it.
'What is that?' He focused on the other scents that were only slightly fainter, but all familiar. He could smell the scent of the many animals that always accompanied Fluttershy, the expensive perfume that he'd become accustomed to from his time spent around Rarity, the smell of apples and tree bark that he'd always associated with Applejack. Taking a deeper breath, he felt his mouth water at the smell of fresh pastries and baked goods that Pinkie always worked with, and finally, he could smell the rain as though it were indoors and not outside where it should be, the best way to tell if Rainbow Dash was around.
It took him only a brief moment to realize that the smells were coming from the direction of the door, or to be more precise, they wafted in under the small crevice between the door and the floor itself.
"They're back." He whispered, before grinning widely. He turned back to the girls who had stopped wrestling to look in his direction at his odd sniffing.
"Girls, they're back!" He yelled in excitement, rushing towards the door. The girls barely gave it thought before they tried to rush after him, Applebloom and Scootaloo struggling to untangle themselves.
"Spike wait!" Sweetie Belle called out to him, but he would not hear it. As he reached the door, he jumped up, it being just a bit higher than he could reach normally. Grasping the knob, he twisted it as he dropped down, his claws gripping the door's edge as he yanked it open, a smile on his face as he expected to see the girls, but most importantly, Twilight.
~ ~ ~
The door swung open and Dimmed Star stared at the young drake on the other side of the doorway. The silence was deafening as each looked to one another in surprise. Dimmed Star fought to keep her trembling under control, opening her mouth as though to say something as the young dragon slowly looked her over in confusion, before taking a step back from her.
That one step felt like a thousand to Dimmed Star, as she felt her heart drop to her hooves and shatter. Her wide eyes stared after Spike while he only looked on in slight trepidation. Her mouth moved only slightly, but no sound escaped her lips.
Spike looked to the strange mare who stood in the doorway, her off-putting black eyes watching him. She had not been what he was hoping to see, not even close. It was scary the way she looked at him, as though she knew him, expected something from him. The smell of burnt fur was far stronger now, and he could tell from the proximity that it was this mare that stood before him.
Taking a step back as well, Dimmed Star turned away from him and began to walk back out into the hall, her eyes wide and unshed tears threatening to fall. The girls moved out of her way to give her space as she passed. Fluttershy made to follow, but Rarity held her hoof up, blocking her.
"Like you said, dear... she needs time... but also I think... somepony else..." She turned a meaningful gaze to the young drake who stood in the doorway, his claws clasped together as he stared at the back of the mare who walked away. Walking up to him, she leaned down and rested her forehead against his, being mindful of her horn and Spike's crest. Spike for his part was surprised by this sudden action and he blushed furiously at the proximity of his crush's face to his own, but her sorrowful expression told him that now was not the time to be having a crisis in the romance department.
"Oh, Spikey... go to her... of all of us, she needs you, more than anypony." She spoke softly, her voice tired. Her words left him in confusion as she raised her head up, giving him a quick peck to his forehead. Walking further into the room, she nudged his back with her hoof, pushing him out and into the hall as she and the other girls walked into the room after her, each giving him their best looks of encouragement. Turning to look after them, his mouth trying to form words to express what he did not understand, he could only watch as the door closed behind them, leaving him alone in the hall with the strange mare.
Dimmed Star had stopped moving a little ways away from the door and had sat down, her mind trying to process her emotions. Her heart in tatters once more, she hiccuped as she fought to keep her tears in check, only to fail as they trailed down her muzzle, the black fluid dripping and staining the carpet below.
'I... I knew it was a possibility... but I... I...' Her eyes clenched tight as she fought to keep herself from screaming at the injustice of it all.
Spike watched the mare cautiously, wringing his claws together as he tried to piece together why Rarity had said what she did, and why she had been adamant that he should be the one the talk to this stranger. Glancing around the hall, he hoped that the door would open to let him back in, but the sound of a sob drew his attention. Looking once more to the stranger, he could see her frame trembling and hear the sounds of crying, her distorted voice only adding to his wariness. Glancing to the floor, he took a deep breath, before slowly making his way towards her.
Dimmed Star didn't even hear his approach over the sound of her own sorrow as he slowly crept around her, before stopping in front of her and watching her silently. He swallowed nervously as he looked her over more closely.
Memories of the day before rose unbidden to his mind as he looked at her.
'That thing... it was Twilight, what was left of her after the caves...' Cadence's words rang in his memory as he felt his eyes widen. He remembered when that scary creature had come through the wall at the wedding, but he just couldn't believe it had actually been Twilight. Even after the fact, when the fighting broke out again, Rarity and Fluttershy had kept himself and the crusaders hidden as best they could, while blocking their own view of what had unfolded. Spike hadn't seen her in this form.
Taking another cautious step towards her, his eyes wide, he took a few tentative sniffs. The smell of burnt fur was overwhelming from this range and it nearly made him gag, but he held strong, taking deeper sniffs the closer he got.
Dimmed Star tried to wipe her tears away once more but to no avail. However, in the brief moment of pause between her sobs, she had opened her eyes and now started in surprise at seeing the young dragon before her. He sniffed harder as tears slowly began to trail from his own eyes. The two stared at one another for a brief moment, before he suddenly jumped forwards and latched onto her, causing her to stumble back.
"S-Spike!?" She asked in shock and disbelief. He slowly nuzzled deeper into her fur, burying his nose into her chest and taking deep breaths while grasping at her with his claws.
"I... I can sm-smell you... I know your scent a-anywhere... it's faint... but I can smell in-ink... and parchment..." His words sent a shock through her as she stopped trying to stall her tears and merely let them flow. Ever so slowly, she wrapped her hooves around him softly, before full on cradling him into her chest. The two stayed like that for a long while, not even caring when the door to the suite opened and the girls filed out with all of their belongings and the crusaders in tow. They watched the scene with bright smiles on their faces and a few tears in their eyes.
"Twilight... my Twi-Twilight." Dimmed Star said nothing to correct the young drake as he began to cry loudly into her chest. Her heart throbbed from within and her head dipped forward to nuzzle him. A memory from long ago rose to the forefront of her mind, from back when Spike had first begun to learn how to talk.
~ ~ ~
'Come on Spike, say it, say Twilight!' A young Twilight Sparkle encouraged, holding out a piece of quartz crystal to entice the infant to do what she asked. At first, only a babble of sounds had escaped his lips as he reached for her from the baby chair. Getting only incoherent noises from the young drake for the fourth time, Twilight sighed in disappointment. Smiling despite herself, she looked to him fondly as he giggled at her. Reaching her hoof forward, she presented the treat to him.
'Here you silly dragon, we'll get it next time.' Instead of reaching for the small crystal, however, his claws went past it and latched onto her foreleg. She watched him in awe as his mouth moved and finally, he uttered his first word.
'M-momma!'
~ ~ ~
The loading dock at the Canterlot train station was nearly empty, which was no surprise given how the weather had been earlier that morning.
After securing their belongings and making sure the foals were all settled, Dimmed Star, with Spike in tow, and the rest of the girls had made their way out of the castle and through the streets of Canterlot. Had it been warmer and with less rain, the streets might have been a bit busier, but as it was there were very few ponies out and about. This came as somewhat of a small blessing to the group as it meant that those few who were out, only stared nervously in the direction of Dimmed Star, quickly scurrying off once they would meet her annoyed gaze.
When they had first arrived at the train station and approached the outdoor ticket booth however, the attendant had quickly slammed his window shut upon spotting her, those next to him doing much the same. It was only due to Rarity and Applejack's quick action that Dimmed Star hadn't ripped her way through the windows to get at the ' pathetic and worthless sacks of meat,' as she had put it in her frustration. At their suggestion to wait on the loading dock to spend more time with Spike, she had relented and allowed them to handle the arduous task of persuading the attendant to open the window once more.
Dimmed Star sat on the loading dock, her bags next to her along with Spike's. The small drake had refused to let go of her ever since the two of them had been reunited. When they had begun to leave, he had climbed onto her back and buried his snout into her mane, taking deep breaths. She didn't mind it any, as it only cemented that he would never see her as anything less than his.
Now with him in her lap once more, she gently stroked his back while he slept, dry tears staining his cheeks. It had been only a few minutes when the rest of the girls returned, nervous smiles on their faces.
"Well, it took some convincing, but we did manage to get the tickets." Rarity chuckled as she came to sit next to Dimmed Star. The dark mare glanced to her with slight irritation, before motioning her head towards the sleeping drake. Rarity gasped softly as she raised a hoof to her mouth.
"Oh! So sorry dear." She spoke much lower this time, so as to prevent herself from waking him. Dimmed Star only nodded slightly, acknowledging the apology.
"It's fine. I just don't want to wake him right now..." She raised her hoof from his back, instead using it to stroke the young one's head, causing him to smile lightly. She gave her own soft smile, her features serene.
"Uh, I hope he's a hard sleeper, cause we got company." Rainbow caught their attention. Looking to where she pointed, they found both Celestia and Cadence, a small contingent of guards standing close by, and the head of the Council, Fancy Pants, who looked to Rarity with a smile and a slight nod.
"I'm glad we caught up to you, I was worried I wouldn't get a chance to see you when we got to the medical wing and they told us that you had already left and you weren’t in your room." Cadence limped forward, her hooves in fresh bandages and pain medicine running through her system. Dimmed Star looked to her for a moment, before turning away and continuing to watch Spike sleep. Cadence felt her ears droop as she looked at her longingly. Taking a few more steps towards her, she and Rarity shared a small glance as the fashionista stood and trotted away to give them space. Coming to a stop next to the mare, Cadence slowly sat down, wincing as her hooves twinged.
"Do they hurt?" Dimmed Star's voice came as a surprise to the princess as she looked to her. She caught her pupils, the three teal dots at the center of her black eyes, glancing at her hooves out of the corner of her eye.
"N-no... not anymore. The doctors took good care of me." She responded carefully, looking to her bandages herself. Her mind drifted back to how she had gotten the injuries in the first place. The memory of what the mare next to her had nearly done as she mistook her for the fake counterpart as fresh in her mind as though it had just happened. A shiver ran down her spine and her breath hitched.
"Are you... afraid of me too?" Her heart leaped as she snapped to look to her future sister-in-law. Dimmed Star was no longer looking at her, now fully occupied with stroking Spike's spinal crest. Raising her hoof, Cadence let it hover over her shoulder for a moment, before letting it come into contact with her.
"Yes... I am afraid. But I'm not afraid of you, Dimmed Star... I'm afraid for you..." Her answer was met with silence.
Celestia walked up to the rest of the girls while the crusaders tried to sneak a bit closer to hear what Dimmed Star and Cadence were saying, only to be pulled back by their sisters, Scootaloo being dragged over to sit with Rainbow Dash.
"How has she been?" Celestia asked cautiously, her eyes never leaving the back of her former student.
"It has been difficult, but we are all having to adjust." Rarity sighed as Fancy Pants came to stand beside her. The rest of the girls nodded in agreement.
"I understand..." The sound of a train had everypony look down the tracks, seeing it approaching rapidly. Raising to their hooves, everypony began to gather their bags and prepare to board. Fancy Pants took this as an opportunity to approach.
"Miss Star, a word if you would." Dimmed Star paused as she allowed Cadence to lift Spike and set him on her back, he grabbed ahold of her fur tightly in his sleep, once more burying his face into her mane. Seeing that he had her attention, Fancy Pants cleared his throat and straightened his monocle with his magic.
"The Council doesn't always see eye to eye, nor are we omnipotent. Please keep in mind that we are no more villains than you yourself claim to be. We only sought what was best for everypony, and at the time and given the circumstances, what we did was what we had thought was best. With what you've said being taken into account, as well as the witnesses that can verify such, you were well within your right to defend yourself." Dimmed Star's eyes watched him with irritation as he spoke.
"That said, I need to know that you aren't going to harm anypony else. Can you tell me that with certainty?" The two of them stared hard at one another as the train came to a stop behind them, the sound of steam releasing from its engines drowning out all others for a moment. Dimmed Star's eyes glinted in the small bit of light that refracted from the metal of the transport as Celestia and the rest of the ponies present waited for her answer with bated breath.
"I'll say this once, and only once." She finally spoke as she turned from him, two black tendrils of Ink bleeding from her forelegs. Fancy Pants and Cadence both took worried steps back as the guards behind Celestia made to move forward, only to stop at the princess' silent motion. Slowly, the tendrils reached forward and grasped ahold of the bags that she and Spike had brought with them. Giving a toothy grin as she turned and made her way to the now open train doors, Dimmed Star pushed past the conductor who had opened them, he stumbled to get out of her way.
"I'll do what I have to if it means protecting myself and those closest to me." Fancy Pants swallowed nervously as she disappeared into the train. The rest of the Elements slowly began to file in after her, the crusaders looking nervous. Celestia came to stand next to him after the doors closed shortly after, the conductor making his way towards the front of the train.
"I suppose that's the best I'm going to get as an answer." Fancy sighed dejectedly. Celestia took a deep breath herself, steeling her nerves.
"It is better than the alternative." She nodded, tilting her head in the direction of the window where the girls began to get comfortable. Dimmed Star was nowhere to be seen however, likely having chose to sit away from anywhere that she could have been observed. Cadence fluffed her wings a bit, trying to warm herself on this cold, rainy day.
"I'm going back to the archives... I have a lot of work to do." Celestia glanced to her niece who watched the train as it began to pull out of the station.
"If you’d like, I could perhaps join you?" Cadence waved after the train as it passed, the few girls that they could see through the windows waving back.
"I would like that..."
~ ~ ~
" 'Nothur!" Business Savvy demanded as he slammed down the fifth glass of alcohol. The stallion barely even looked up as the barkeep of the Sun's Retreat tavern placed another pint. Reaching forward, he grasped the glass in his hoof, holding tightly to it as though it would flee should he let go. His hair was a mess compared to its usual slicked back appearance, his normally well kept business suit soaked from the rain and his fur sticking out in places. His eyes were red and old tear stains could be seen trailing down his face.
The stallion had not taken the Hearing well, even less so when a guard had informed him that the mare responsible for killing his only son was walking around freely. At first it had seemed like an assured and simple thing, convict the murderous bitch and send her to prison for the rest of her life. It was supposed to be that simple... He growled in annoyance, before throwing his head back and draining almost half of the alcohol within the glass. Slamming it back down, he took a few large gulps of air and glanced over to the picture that sat at the bar with him.
Another glass sat on the bar, holding the picture up. This pint was still full and he dared not touch or drink from it. The picture that leaned on it showed the image of a young stallion, his fur as pale white as his father's and his green mane and tail were short and well-trimmed. His sea-green eyes shined with a mirth he'd inherited from his mother and he smiled brightly as he held up the letter that had the word ' accepted' in bold across the top. Savvy hiccuped as he looked at the image.
He dropped his head low as he felt a sob escape his lips, before forcing himself to sit up once more and raise his glass to the picture.
" 'Nothur one ferr you, my b-boy." His voice cracked as he spoke, his words a bit slurred. It was at this moment that the doors to the quaint little tavern opened and Hasty Vote strolled in, her outfit changed out for a clean and still absurdly pink dress and scarf, her forehooves covered in short, fuzzy pink gloves. Her mane and fur had been cleaned and she now wore a new large, pink designer hat. Wind Rider walked in after her as the doors shut, breathing a sigh of annoyance.
Glancing through the room, Hasty let out a sound of success as she spotted the miserable stallion at the end of the bar. She practically tiptoed her way through, being extra careful as not to let her clothing touch any of the chairs or tables as she passed, Wind Rider trailing behind her with much less care.
"So, this is where you ran off to. Enjoying yourself are we?" Hasty Vote spoke, her voice haughty as she stood next to him. Savvy ignored her as he continued to gulp down his drink. She huffed in annoyance while she waited, Wind Rider coming up to take a seat next to the mourning father. However, just as he was about to sit, Savvy's foreleg swung out and nearly knocked him over, sending him stumbling back.
"Hey! What's yo-" He stopped as Savvy glared at him, his hoof pointing to the picture and pint that sat above the chair.
"Tha's my s-shon's chair." His eyes were slightly unfocused, and his words slurred more, but his anger at Wind Rider nearly sitting where his son had, kept him focused. Wind Rider nodded after a moment, making his way to sit on the other side of Savvy.
"So this is all you're going to do then? Drink your sorrows away and grieve for your boy?" Hasty asked, her tone none to caring as Savvy glared at her now.
"Take car' what you shay bout my s-son." He warned, turning away from her and pushing his now sixth empty glass away.
" 'Nothur!" He shouted, gaining the barkeep's attention as he washed a few glasses. Before he could put them down to come over, however, Hasty stepped up to the bar and placed a bag of bits on the edge.
"I think he's had enough deary, would you give us a moment alone?" The bartender looked to her curiously for a moment, before leaning over to grab the bag in his teeth and making his way through the kitchen doors. Savvy looked to her in anger as he straightened himself up in the chair, or rather as best he could.
"Wha' do you think you're doin'?" He growled out, about to yell for the bartender to come back. Hasty Vote stopped him, however, as she levitated his son's picture up and began to look it over. He yelled in anger as he lunged at her, reaching for the picture, only for her to casually step to the side, sending him sprawling to the floor in his inebriated state.
"My, my. He was such a handsome colt. It's such a shame he was heartlessly murdered and then consumed by that monster." She tsked as she walked around Savvy, who could only growl in frustration while trying to stand.
"Shut up!" He yelled out as she came around to his head, dropping the picture on the floor before him. He gasped as he reached to catch it before it hit the floor, flinging both his front hooves forwards and sending himself across the floor once more, but he caught it.
"Is this how you're going to deal with his loss? Drinking the night away until you can't even remember his face?" Hasty asked, disgusted. Savvy didn't care what she thought though, he only cared about the picture he brought close to himself, hugging it tightly.
"Wh-wha's it matter to you?" He groaned out. Wind Rider glanced down at him to make sure that he couldn't see that he had taken the full pint that had held up his son's picture and sipped from it.
"It's simple my friend, we only want to help." Wind Rider shrugged as he spoke around the lip of the glass. Hasty nodded with a sweet smile as she crouched down a bit to be face to face with Savvy.
"Indeed dear. We simply can't let you drown your life away like this when you could be doing so much more. Like dealing with your son's killer, for instance." Savvy's eyes snapped open, he glared at Hasty Vote as she smiled back.
"Wha' are y-you talkin’ bout." He mumbled out as he fought to bring himself to a sitting position. Hasty's smile widened as her hazel colored magic helped him to right himself.
"What I mean dear, is helping us to deal with a free-roaming murderer. Mr. Rider and I have a few ideas, and we'd like to discuss them with you." Savvy glanced over to Wind Rider, who watched him back carefully, the quarter empty pint still in his hoof.
"Wha' makes you th-think I want any part of... whatever... you two are scheming?" He slurred out, before groaning as he felt his head begin to spin and his stomach take a few somersaults. Hasty gave a light laugh as she placed a hoof on his chest where he clutched the image.
"Because dear, your son deserves Justice, don't you think?" She batted her eyes sweetly as he looked down to the picture, tears welling in his eyes once more as he gazed upon his son's face.
"I... don't think I shou-" Hasty placed her hoof against his lips for a moment silencing him as he looked to her confused. Pulling away, she nodded to the picture.
"What was his name?" Savvy looked back to the image, hiccuping as he stared at it.
"G-gavel... Dream Gavel... H-he... he always wanted to be a guard... I... I told him no... that he needed to go into the family business… Needed to follow in my hoofsteps..." His slurred speech slowly began to correct itself as he drifted back to his memories, Wind Rider and Hasty watching him carefully as he spoke of his son, tears dripping down his face.
"He went behind my back though... got accepted into the guard... I was so mad that day, but his mother was so happy for him. She took this picture, and yet no matter how angry I was... How much I wanted to yell at him for defying me... I was so, so... proud of him..." He clenched his eyes shut as the tears dripped onto the picture of his son, who could only smile back to his grieving father. Hasty walked up to stand beside him and patted his back softly.
"Awe, there there deary. I know it's hard, but you can get past this and I know just the way to do it." Savvy slowly calmed down as Wind Rider finished the drink, setting the glass down and making his way over to them. Glancing to his fellow council member, Savvy's eyes bore his sorrow for all to see, as well as a glimmer of hope.
"H-how?" Hasty smiled and turned to Wind Rider, who nodded as he walked around to the front of Savvy. The three council member's chatted for quite some time inside the quiet Tavern.
The train from Canterlot made its way down the mountainsides at a sedate pace, the clouds above having broken to allow the rays of the midday sun to flood the world below, warming it and slowly beginning to dry the many puddles and drops of water upon the leaves of the trees and grass. As the train quickly made its approach, the ponies within made do with either sleeping the time away or finding other ways to occupy themselves.
The Element Bearers sat in the front cart along with the crusaders and Spike who had woken up some time ago. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were having a hoof wrestling contest while Pinkie and Scootaloo cheered them on. Rarity had taken Sweetie Belle aside and began to fuss over the little one's mane and tail, much to Sweetie's chagrin and Applebloom's amusement.
Fluttershy had taken up a window seat and watched as the scenery passed by with a smile, enjoying the view of nature and the many animals that the train would pass from time to time. The only two who sat away from the rest were Spike and Dimmed Star, who held one another in a soft embrace while they watched the others enjoy themselves.
As the train pulled around the edge of a cliff, the small town of Ponyville came into sight.
"We're almost there!" Fluttershy let out excitedly, catching everypony’s attention. With laughs and smiles, the ponies almost climbed over one another as they rushed the windows.
"It feels like it's been ages since I've been in my own bed!" Rainbow exclaimed as she tried to spy her cloud home from the window, she could just catch a glimpse of it floating within the clouds. Applejack took her hat off and dropped it on top of Applebloom who gave a startled shout.
"Ah know what ya mean Dash. It'll be good to see Granny an’ Big Mac again. Not to mention ah'm sure we got plenty of chores backed up and waitin fer us." She winked down at Applebloom who's bright smile quickly drained into a look of horror.
"Awe come on!" She complained, dropping from the window to sulk in the seat and leaving the others to laugh at her misfortune.
Dimmed Star watched as the girls gushed about what they missed most about being home, and how much longer it would take until they arrived. Her chest felt warm and her lips formed a small smile as she gazed upon them. Once upon a time, she would have been next to them, laughing and carrying on happily.
'Things are different now though...' She thought as she raised a hoof, going over the stained surface with a critical eye, her smile fading to a straight line as she thought about the day before.
'I may forgive them in time, but it will never the same, not with how I am now.' A soft touch on her hoof pulled her from her thoughts and she found Spike's claw resting softly on her hoof. He smiled brightly at her as she gazed upon him.
"Everything's gonna be fine Star, I just know it." She had told him of her name change shortly after he awoke, and though he was visibly upset by it, he accepted the change. However, that did not stop him from choosing exactly which part of her name that he would use. When she had asked him why he only chose to call her Star, his response had shaken her.
'Because a Star is a light, and no matter how dim it gets, it can still light the way when you need it most.' She'd had to bite the inside of her cheek rather roughly to stop herself from crying. Even after seeing her now, after being told of everything that had happened at the wedding and even what she had done, he still held onto hope for her. It wasn't long after that they fell into the silence that they had enjoyed up till now.
The sound of a stomach rumbling caught them both off guard as she grinned at the blushing drake.
"So-sorry, we haven't had anything to eat yet today." He mumbled out an excuse while she could only chuckle.
"We'll have to see if we can find you some gems when we get there." She poked at his scaled belly with a hoof, causing him to chuckle at her.
"Did somepony say they needed gems?" Dimmed Star and Spike looked up to find Rarity had approached them, a smile on her face. Dimmed Star felt a grimace coming on but chose to suppress it in lue of manners. Spike only smiled at his crush and gave a half-hearted grin.
"Yea, we were just talking about getting some food when we got home." At the word food, suddenly the sound of multiple stomachs complaining of emptiness went off around the cabin. Rarity and Fluttershy both looked mortified while Rainbow and Pinkie burst into fits of laughter. Applejack could only shake her head and the crusaders clutched at their own stomachs with bright smiles.
"Well, it looks like we may not make it home in time before we all starve!" Applejack grinned while she walked over to her seat and pulled a bag out from under it, beginning to rummage through its contents.
"I cannot believe that just happened." Rarity grumbled, her ears folded back and her face beat red. Applejack only chuckled at her expense as she pulled out a smaller sack from the bag and opened it to reveal several large apples.
"Ah know it ain’t much for a lunch, but these oughta tide us over till we get home." The girls each took and apple, grateful for the food. Spike smiled at Dimmed Star as he stood and walked over to the farmer. She finished giving apples to the crusaders as he approached and handed him the sack.
"They're two left, so yall enjoy." He nodded and accepted the bag.
"Thanks, Applejack." Turning back to Dimmed Star, he quickly returned to sitting in front of her while reaching inside it to produce two juicy apples. He took a bite from one as he held the other out for Dimmed Star, who looked to it cautiously for a moment, before accepting it with a smile.
"Thank you, Spike." Taking the apple in her hooves, she sniffed it carefully, noting that it smelled odd to her for some reason.
'Normally the smell of an apple would have made me even hungrier... but for some reason, it's like... I can't discern its scent.' She thought idly as she turned it over in her hooves, before merely shrugging her shoulders and opening her mouth wide to take a bite. As her teeth sunk through the flesh of the fruit, it's juices flooded forth, filling her mouth and dripping down her chin. She bit off the large chunk and chewed carefully, her face twisting funnily as she fought to keep the food in her mouth.
'What.... why does it taste so? ... Oh my gosh!' Her confusion turned to panic as her eyes widened, the taste of the fruit in her mouth, which had already been unpleasant, began to turn sour and made her stomach churn. Quickly grabbing the empty sack from Spike, ignoring his confusion, she relieved her mouth and stomach of their contents. Everypony looked to her in shock as she began to wretch, her sides clenching as her body rejected the act.
"Star!?" Spike asked in a panic, dropping his half-eaten fruit to the floor and rushing to her side, gripping her mane and pulling it up and behind her head, worry etched across his face.
"Are you alright darling!?" Rarity asked as she and the others rushed to her side, the crusaders hanging back a bit.
Dimmed Star breathed heavily as her body shook, slowly trying to recover. She pushed the now full sack away, some liquid staining the bottom and slowly beginning to seep out, much to everypony's disgust.
"I... I don't know..." She gasped out as she held her sore stomach, Spike releasing her mane and rushing to take the sack to a nearby trash bin. She looked to him in thanks as he returned with a few napkins from their bags. Taking them, she wiped at her mouth, grimacing at the foul taste.
"Was it a bad apple?" Rainbow asked as she looked to the remains of her own fruit, holding her stomach as though preparing for the worst. Applejack glared at the mare in the offense.
"Ah'll have ya know these are from the farm! Each one of em was hoof picked by me!" Rainbow rolled her eyes at this, before turning on her.
"Yea, but we've been in Canterlot for nearly a week! How long has that bag been in your stuff?" Applejack snarled as she and Rainbow began to butt heads, while Pinkie Pie picked up the apple that Dimmed Star had bitten into and looked it over carefully.
"Hmmm." Spiked looked to the baker, hopeful, while Dimmed Star tried to sit up a bit more comfortably.
"Nothing wrong here! Just a perfectly normal apple as far as I can tell, although it IS a smidge smaller than the one I had." Her comment caught the attention of Applejack, who pushed Rainbow's face out of her own and trotted over to her.
"Lemme see that." Pinkie tossed the apple to her hooves and she looked it over as well.
"No bruising, no holes, no age markins', this apple is just fine." Taking it to her mouth, everypony held their breath as she took a bite on the other side from where Dimmed Star had. She chewed it carefully and savored the flavor, before swallowing loudly and shaking her head.
"Ah don't feel any different." She looked the apple over once more, trying to see if there was something she was missing.
"You don't feel any different, because it's not the apple that's the problem. It's Dimmed Star herself." Everypony looked in surprise as Fluttershy spoke out. Dimmed Star glanced at the shy mare inquisitively as she gave Dimmed Star a look of understanding and concern.
"What are you talking about dear? What could be wrong with her?" Rarity glanced to Dimmed Star out of the corner of her eyes, before looking back to her friend.
'Outside of the obvious of course...' She dared not voice that out loud.
Fluttershy sighed as she trotted forward and came face to face with Dimmed Star, who looked her over critically, wondering what she was thinking.
"Could you open your mouth... um, if you wouldn't mind that is?" Dimmed Star blinked at her in surprise, before slowly complying and opening her mouth wide.
Two rows of sharp, jagged teeth sat before the shy mare as she nervously inched closer and inspected her friend's mouth. The rest of the Elements each tensed as she grew closer to those jaws. After barely a minute passed, she nodded to herself and backed away from her.
"You can close it now." Dimmed Star did just that, licking her lips as they felt a bit dry.
"Well?" Dimmed Star asked impatiently as Fluttershy walked back to her own seat, pulling her saddlebags out from under it and trotting back.
"It's simple, you couldn't eat the apple because you can't eat apples... not anymore." She shied away at everypony's confused looks. Ignoring them for the moment, she once again approached Dimmed Star and opened her bag, sorting through it. After a few moments, she pulled out a medium-sized tin can that held the image of a fish on top.
"Your teeth aren't flat anymore, meaning you can't exactly chew food like you used to. Also, though you can bite into things such as fruits and vegetables, your body will reject them because they don't have the nutrients that you need anymore." She gripped the tab of the can in her teeth and pried it open, revealing two dead fish and causing most everypony in the room aside from her, Spike, and Dimmed Star to reel away from the stench.
"Gah! Fluttershy what are you doing carrying around dead fish!?" Rainbow complained as she held both hooves over her nose. Fluttershy didn't bother to look at her as she answered while holding out the tin towards Dimmed Star, who raised an eyebrow.
"I always carry a variety of foods when I go on a trip, I never know what kind of animal friends I might come across. But the real question isn't why I'm carrying around dead fish, but rather... why Dimmed Star's mouth is watering right now..." Everypony snapped their attention back to Dimmed Star to see that indeed, her mouth was slightly open and a bit of her black drool had begun to leak from the corner of her lips. Having been caught drooling at the sight and smell of the fish, Dimmed Star wiped at her mouth with the napkins again and gave a small cough of embarrassment.
"We both know the answer to that, don't we Dimmed Star..." Fluttershy and Dimmed Star shared a glance before she nodded while stretching a hoof out and accepting the tin.
"I'm a carnivore now." Barely giving the others a glance, she reached forward and gripped one of the fish in her teeth, before pulling it out and beginning to tear into it as the others watched in horror, with the exception of Fluttershy who only looked on knowingly.
"Ewwwww!" The crusaders all gagged as they immediately looked away, their exclamation breaking the tension. Applejack gave Dimmed Star an odd look, before idly taking another bite of the apple in her hooves.
"Well... at least it wasn't the apple." Rainbow looked to her for a moment, before shaking her head.
"You and your apple pride." Applejack chose to ignore the comment and continued to eat as Rarity finally managed to bring herself back from the brink of disgust.
"Oh, dear... I hope you don't mind me asking darling, but, however are you going to get by now? With you having to eat... that from now on, I'm unsure if Ponyville will be able to accommodate you." Dimmed Star looked up in thought as she munched on the remaining half of the fish she had been eating. After a moment, she opened wide, snapping her jaws around the rest of the meal and visibly gulping it down in one go, causing most of the others to turn green, before speaking.
"When they had me in the dungeons, I decided to go for a stroll through the Canterlot gardens." They looked to her in surprise at this, but she continued without giving them a chance to ask.
"While I was near the ponds, I had gotten really hungry and had been about to reach for some of the local fruit, when I spotted a rabbit instead. I wasn't entirely aware of why I did it, but I felt the urge to go after it." Fluttershy frowned at this but didn't say anything against it.
"When I caught up to it, I was going to just catch it, then let it go. I had thought I was just having a bit of fun... But when I reached out for it, instead of grabbing it gently as I had intended, I snapped its head off in my mouth..." Rarity was no longer able to keep her own apple down as she rushed to the trash bin that Spike had used earlier.
"The burst of flavor surprised me, and before I knew it, I had eaten it whole. It was sometime later that I returned to the dungeons, having eaten two more rabbits and dragging the carcass of a deer with me for a later snack. I hadn't even thought to try any fruits or vegetables." Having said her piece, she let her tongue slither forth and wrap around the tail end of the second fish, before dragging it to her jaws to be shredded just as the one before it.
The girls and Spike looked to her in slight shock, witnessing her devour the fish had more than helped to reduce the impact of her words, but it didn't make them any less jarring. Fluttershy took a moment before nodding and digging into her bag once more, pulling out a few more tins of fish that she placed in front of Dimmed Star.
"I understand, prey need to have predators just as much as the predators need to have prey. It keeps populations in check and helps to provide balance. I can put you in touch with a good meat grocer from Manehattan, she's always willing to help me out with getting food for my animal friends." She smiled as Dimmed Star swallowed the last of the fish, before reaching forward and pulling the tins closer. She looked down at them silently, before glancing up and smiling back at the shy mare.
"Thanks." Fluttershy blushed as she ducked behind her mane.
"O-oh, it's no trouble." Everypony chuckled as Fluttershy returned to her more timid state, the crisis of her friend's food problem having been averted for the time being. Rainbow placed a hoof to her head and groaned in annoyance while Applejack looked to her confused.
"Greeeeeaaaat, now I gotta send a letter to Gilda." Pinkie bounded over to her with an odd look on her face.
"Gilda? Do you mean your old griffon buddy? I thought you two weren't friends anymore?" Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes as she looked to bounding ball of energy.
"Technically we aren't, not after her last visit anyways. But if there is one pon- er, Griffon, I know that would have a good idea of where we can get some meat other than fish, it's her." Pinkie nodded quickly.
"Oh! That's a great idea! And I can look up some recipes to make some new meals! Ohhh, do you think meat would hold up in a cupcake?" Rainbow looked to her strangely as the two began to discuss the impossibilities of meat as a substitute for sweets.
Dimmed Star looked at each of them in turn, her smile growing ever so slightly. No matter how hard she had pushed them away, here they were, brainstorming ideas on how to help her get food. She watched as Applejack walked over to assist Rarity, who was still retching over the trash bin. Pinkie and Rainbow Dash were laughing as Pinkie began to spout out new baking ideas involving meat, each one more ridiculous than the last. The crusaders had opted out of the conversation, not that she could really blame them, deciding to watch the scenery fly by out the window. Spike was sitting at her side, taking the tins of fish from in front of her and carefully using a quill to jot down the expiration dates on the tins on a small slip of parchment, his tongue sticking out of his mouth as he tried to write in the moving train.
She looked over to Fluttershy, the one who had surprised her the most in this situation. The mare was no longer looking back, now in the process of taking her saddlebags back to her seat. She pushed them under the booth as Dimmed Star watched her.
'Honestly, it shouldn't surprise me as much. Fluttershy works with animals all the time, to her I must just seem like another animal friend.' As depressing as the thought was that she might have been viewed as a wild animal, the thought did not stick as when Fluttershy turned back, she blushed at Dimmed Star's gaze, smiling softly at her, before taking a seat and brushing at her mane with her hooves. Dimmed Star took a deep breath, before letting it out.
As cold as she could be, right now, she didn't have the heart to tell them that she wouldn't be getting her food from anypony else. She thought back to when she had hunted those animals in the garden, the thrumming of her heart, the blood pulsing in her veins, the feel of her teeth and jaws closing around the necks and flesh of the struggling creatures. She shivered and almost drooled at the thought. Glancing over, she debated on snagging another of the fish tins, but seeing that Spike had already put them into their bags, she could only frown in mild disappointment.
'Perhaps later.' She gave a huff of feigned annoyance, only to smile as she peeked out the windows to see Ponyville getting closer by the second.
~ ~ ~
The girls and Spike made their way through Ponyville, the small town much more lively than Canterlot had been. Dimmed Star had elected to carry her luggage with her horn's black magic this time, rather than the tendrils. At first, Dimmed Star had expected a reaction similar to when Zecora had first come to town, but it seemed that the ponies had learned their lesson about not judging a book by its cover.
' Unlike a certain princess I could name.' She thought with a bit of venom, the memory of getting blasted apart was still quite fresh, and no matter how tough of a front she tried to put on, that had hurt, A LOT. Ignoring that for the moment, however, she did notice that although they weren't outright running from her in fright, they did give her a wide space when she and the others passed. A few gave tentative waves, but their nervous smile belied their true feeling, they were afraid. She scoffed as they neared the fountain, the center of the town market. It was only Tuesday, so there weren't many open shops and many of the carts were only there as place holders for when market day came on Saturday.
Stopping at the fountain, she turned to face the others as they reached her. For a few moments, they all stood in awkward silence.
"I suppose this is the part where I say, ' thanks for coming and I hope you had a great time,' but we all know that isn't going to work at this moment." They could only respond with awkward coughs and looking away from her. She grunted at this, before turning and beginning to walk in the direction of her home, Spike sitting nervously on her back and waving back to them.
"Wait!" Her ears flicked back, catching the voice of Applebloom. Looking back in slight surprise, she found the young pony and her two friends had moved to the front of the group. Now that they had her attention, they each looked to one another nervously, before Applebloom was pushed forward by Scootaloo. She looked up to Dimmed Star with wide and nervous eyes as she stumbled over her words.
"W-we were wonderin’.... u-um... c-could we come play with Spike tomorrow? Y'know, after school?" Spike leaned around Dimmed Star's head to look down at them in surprise as well before a smile split his face and he looked to Dimmed Star pleadingly.
"Can they Star? I promise I'll do all my chores and everything before they even get out of school!" She looked between them all in awe.
'What in Equestria happened between these four while I was away?' She asked herself in confusion, before sighing and feeling her heart submit.
"Very well, but only if your chores are done and none of you bother me too much. I have a few things I need to study. You also need to check with your families." Turning to the crusaders, she nodded towards Applejack and Rarity, both who smiled brightly at them.
"Ah don't see a problem with it, how bout you Rares'?" Applejack turned to Rarity who was tapping her chin carefully with her hoof, causing Sweetie Belle to begin to beg.
"Pleeeeeeeeeease! I'll be good I promise!" Rarity gave a thoughtful hum, before grinning and laughing.
"Of course you can dear, it will give me time to check in with a few clients in the meantime." Both crusaders gave a shout of victory and clapped their hooves together. Dimmed Star gave a light smile at them, before turning her attention to the last of their group, Scootaloo looked as though she wanted to say something, but held her tongue and only smiled back nervously.
"I... I'll be fine, my parents are cool with me hanging out with the girls anytime." She held up her own hoof and clapped it together with the other two, both who cheered. Dimmed Star raised an eyebrow at her response, however, but chose to ignore it.
'I don't care too much I suppose, so long as they leave me to my studying.' She nodded at them as she turned once more and continued on her way.
"See you girls tomorrow!" Spike called from her back as they each trotted off, heading home. As Dimmed Star and Spike walked through the town, she couldn't help but notice that without the girls there, she felt a bit colder, more alone. Keeping her thoughts to herself, she merely listened as Spike rattled off his many ideas for games for the next day. She smiled fondly, if only he could make more friends his age.
Blinking, she had a sudden realization as they stopped at the door to their home.
'Why don't I have him in school? Because I've been teaching him? Because he's my number one assistant?' She felt the impact of her choices hit her as she realized that although she had given him a great education, she had neglected to provide him with the simple joy of just being a kid. He did all the chores, he cooked, he cleaned, he took care of her. Of all the knowledge that she had accumulated over the years, did she even know how to make a daisy sandwich?
'.... I've been so selfish... How could it be that it took the crusaders asking to play with him for me to realize...' She grit her teeth in anger at herself as she pushed the door open and proceeded inside.
As they entered through the door, she levitated their bags to the nearby couch and made her way towards a shelf in the back of the library main entrance. Spike hopped from her back and rushed to the bags, opening his own and beginning to unpack.
"Spike, I have a question for you." She spoke idly while searching though the many titles of the books before her, occasionally levitating a title off of the shelf and adding it to a nearby desk. Spike looked up from his unpacking, a paper crane in each claw.
"Sure, what's up Star?" She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, a mischievous grin playing on her lips as she found a particular text that she had been hoping to find. Pulling it to her, she began to flip through the pages until she found what she wanted and tore the paper from the book, it's perforated edge easing the task. Trotting over to him, she floated it down in front of him so that he could read it himself.
"A school enrollment form? What would I need that for?" He asked curiously, setting down the cranes to take the paper.
"I had a thought on our way back, something I'm ashamed to say hasn't crossed my mind until now." She frowned as she sat down before him.
"Spike, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I haven't been fair to you. But I want to make it up to you, and this is the only way that I can think of. I want you to go to school, not for the education, anything you learn there you will already know anyways, but to make friends. To spend time with those your age and to have fun. It's something that I never got to do, but that was my own choice. It's only now that I realize that I haven't given you that choice, so I want to do that now." Reaching forward, she tapped a hoof on the paper in his claws as he looked down at it once more.
"I don't want you to answer me just yet. Take the rest of this week and think about it, you can give me your answer on Sunday. If it's no, then that's it, we'll set this aside and I won't bring it up again, but a few things are still going to change around here with how I have treated you. If you say yes, the same applies as before, with the exception that we'll go Monday morning to talk with Miss Cherilee and have you enrolled." Spike looked at the paper intensely as his mind wondered as to what he should do. Leaning forward, she placed her hoof now on his shoulder, making him look up to her.
"Don't worry about it right now Spike, you've got all week. Now go ahead and unpack, I've got some things I need to do and tomorrow we'll discuss a new set of chores for you." She smiled as his eyes widened, small tears just being held back within his eyes. Jumping forward, he hugged her tightly as she hugged him back.
"Thank you... Twilight..." She frowned slightly at his use of her old name but said nothing. If there was anypony that she wouldn't mind calling her that name, it was him. But that didn't mean she would let him get away with it all the time.
~ ~ ~
It was sometime later that the two had finished unpacking and Spike was now laying in his basket in the room, the Sun setting in the distance. Dimmed Star had not moved from where she sat at the desk downstairs, a small candle illuminating the pages of the books that surrounded her. Her face was twisted in frustration and annoyance as she lifted the book before her and tossed it aside, only to replace it with another.
"Where is it!?" She growled in anger as she flipped through the pages rapidly. This text, like all the others before it and all those that would come after, was a book on Changelings. Each one titled after their habits, their biologies, the way they hunted, and even possible breeding rituals. But none of them had yet to give her what she needed most.
With a grunt of effort, Dimmed Star levitated the last of the wooden braces into place, securing the structural integrity of the shadowy, medium-sized space where she stood, the little bit of light from a nearby lantern keeping it from being bathed in total darkness. Wiping the sweat and dirt from her brow, she trotted over to the lantern and levitated up a bottle of water from the saddlebags nearby, taking deep gulps as she sat.
'That should do it, hopefully.' Glancing about the room, she took note of the sturdy wooden walls, floor, ceiling, and pillars.
'Who would have thought that making a meat locker would take so long.' Reaching around the lantern, she pulled a text of construction towards her, opening it and going over the more simple details.
'It's not pretty or perfect, but it'll do for what I need.' She nodded as she placed the book into the saddlebag and pulled out another one, this one was a spellbook. Flipping through the pages, she hummed in thought as she came across a list of freezing spells.
'I could just go to the market and buy some ice to pack in here, but being that the ponies still won't come near me, that could be troublesome.' It had been three days since their return from Canterlot and although things on the outside seemed fine, there was a tense atmosphere around town whenever she went out. Sighing, she placed the book and water bottle inside the bag once more, before picking it up and settling it on her back. Grabbing the lantern in her teeth, she turned and trotted towards the only door into the locker and set the lantern just outside the entrance. Facing the interior, her horn lit up with a dark aura and her eyes closed as she concentrated. The humid air in the room began to grow chilly, and soon frost started to form on the walls and floor. The entire process of slowly freezing the room was taking a great deal of time. Sweat beaded down her brow as she focused harder, the magic of her horn growing brighter. With a final push, icicles began to grow from the ceiling and the walls were now covered in almost two inches of thick ice, it was perhaps a full half-hour before the room was cold enough to be considered a viable freezer.
Opening her eyes to see the progress, she released a breath and her magic faded. She breathed heavily as she glanced about the room, soft puffs of warm air visible before her. Reaching a hoof over, she tapped at the ice, humming in thought. Glancing to the wooden frame beneath the crystalized water, she grimaced internally.
'Now that I think about it, the instructions did say something about building out of metal or concrete for better results... Too late now I suppose.' Closing the heavy door and sliding its lock into place, she grabbed the lantern in her teeth and made her way up the small set of stairs, stepping out and into a small clearing in the Everfree Forest. The Moon sat high overhead, a half-crescent that was slow in the process of fading into a New Moon over the next several days. Taking a moment to stretch, she sighed in relief at finally being out of the stuffy underground.
The sound of a twig breaking snapped her from her reverie and made her turn a full one-eighty, her eyes searching for the source, only to see nothing within the trees behind her. She waited with bated breath for a few moments, expecting to see green eyes at any moment.
She had already encountered a few Timberwolves on her way into the forest at the start of the night, but after she had smashed them to pieces enough times, she had figured that they would have learned their lesson and left her alone. She watched the trees carefully, but nothing revealed itself. Slowly, she relaxed and released her breathe.
'Must have just been a bunny or something... hmmm bunnies...' As her mind drifted more towards a good meal after a night of hard work, she turned to begin the long trek back home, only to stumble as she bumped into something large, dropping the lantern and causing the light within to flicker and die. Jumping back, she glared at the creature that had ruined her fantasies of a good meal, only to blink in surprise as the light of the crescent moon revealed its features more.
What she had expected was another Timberwolf, but what she got was something else entirely as a large and angry-looking Manticore growled before her, its scorpion tail raised high and its fangs bared. She barely spared it a once over, before her face split into a toothy grin.
"Well then... Don't you look yummy." Her Ink began to bleed from her hooves, staining the grass around her and causing the nearby plants to begin to wither and die. The Manticore only roared back in challenge, raising a claw and slashing at the air before it threateningly. She only just caught the sight of a scar on his forepaw, and her grin wavered for a moment.
"Oh? Aren't you...?" She thought back to her first foray into the very forest that they stood when a Manticore had bared their path and threatened her and her friends, all because it had a thrice-damned thorn in its paw... Her grin widened, the skin of her cheeks splitting and showing even more of her own jagged teeth.
"I don't suppose you're still friends with Fluttershy are you?" The only response she got was in the form of a roar, just as the massive creature bounded forwards, its teeth bared and its claws outstretched. Dimmed Star licked her lips as her eyes narrowed, the puddle of Ink beneath her beginning to boil and rise.
"Good."
~ ~ ~
"YES!" Applebloom blurted out, before realizing what she had done and quickly drew back, looking everywhere but at her friends and Spike while her face turned a shining red.
It was Saturday and the market in town was in full swing, so the Crusaders and Spike decided to hang out at one of their homes for the day. Spike had volunteered the Library and so here they were, sitting in the main lobby. Spike had been hanging out with the girls every day after they got out of school, and up until now, he hadn't told them about the choice he was having to make by tomorrow. Applebloom's immediate reaction had surprised him, to say the least.
"A-ah mean, you should definitely come to our school with us! We can hang out a lot more and play more games and... and... ugh..." She covered her blushing face with her hooves while Sweetie Belle snickered at her plight. Spike only watched her with mild confusion, until Scootaloo got his attention by tapping his shoulder.
"Yeah! I mean, the homework sucks and Miss Cherilee can sometimes be really pushy about certain subjects, but it can be a lot of fun when you have friends there." She grinned and slugged his shoulder, causing him to pull away and rub at it vigorously.
"Yikes, watch that left hook!" They both chuckled until Sweetie Belle caught their attention.
"Well, there are a few other things you may have to worry about, but so long as you stick with us, things should be okay." She smiled at the drake while he looked to the three of them bewildered.
"I think I can handle homework and pushy teachers, I wouldn't have been able to live with Star all this time otherwise. But what other problems could I possibly have to deal with?" The girls looked to one another worriedly, before Applebloom groaned and Scootaloo rolled her eyes.
"Diamond Tiara." All three said at once, the very name seeming to cause grief among them. Spike's eyes widened suddenly and he too groaned in annoyance.
"I forgot that she was in your class." The girls had, ' regaled' him with many of their confrontations with the school bully and her lackey, Silver Spoon. Sweetie Belle gave him a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry too much about it, as long as we stay where Miss Cherilee can see us during recess and lunch, she won't have a lot of chances to cause trouble." The other two nodded and smiled as well, helping to lift his spirits a bit more. He grinned as he leaned over to a nearby bowl of gems and snagged a small emerald.
"Well, at least it'll be better than what I normally do. Sitting around the library all day waiting for Star to call on me is pretty boring, especially since she actually hasn't called on me at all." His face dropped at this, a small indication that he wasn't sure how to handle not being needed like he had always been and struggling to fill the free time. The crusaders looked to one another worriedly, before glancing at the stairs that led up to the balcony of the library. Dimmed Star was currently in her room, another study session heavily underway.
"What do you think she's doing up there?" Scootaloo asked as she craned her neck a bit more as if that would somehow allow her to see into the room. Spike only shook his head as he leaned backwards a bit, turning to look at the balcony as well.
"I have no idea. Ever since we spoke about reducing my chores, she's insisted on doing her own notes, making her own schedules, and pretty much not letting me help her at all. Plus, with the whole school thing on top of it, I kind of feel like she's pushing me away at times." His tone of voice dropped as well as his shoulders, but only for a moment as he glanced back to the bowl of gems, a smile spreading across his face.
"But then she does something that shows me that that isn't the case. She got me this bowl of gems from Rarity as a surprise yesterday. I've been munching on them occasionally, but I want them to last as long as possible. And the night before, she actually tried her hoof at cooking dinner for us!" He burst into a fit of laughter as he recalled how panicked she looked after the first bit of smoke began to fill the library. It had taken her nearly an hour to make a decent meal for the two of them. The girls laughed with him as they tried to imagine Dimmed Star cooking.
"Speaking of food, how is she doin’ with... uh, y'know...?" Applebloom asked as they calmed down a bit more. Spike scratched the back of his head for a moment as he thought on how to respond.
"Well, she's been making an effort to try and cook meals for me only so far. The only food I've actually seen her eat has been large pieces of raw meat, but I haven't seen where she's been getting it from." The girls cringed a bit at the idea of a pony eating meat, but it only lasted a moment. It was strange to know that the topic of eating meat was beginning to become almost normal for them.
"Anyways, I don't think it's gonna do much good to dwell on it. Let's get back to what we were doing before." He smiled back at them, only for the girls to groan in dread.
"I would much rather we keep talking about ponies eating meat, it's soooo much more interesting then trying to do homework." Scootaloo grumbled as she looked down at the workbook in front of her. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle both nodded in agreement as they each glared at their own workbooks, Spike could only chuckle at their expense.
"Well I did have plans to bring out a few board games for us to play, but a few fillies decided to put off their math assignments until the last minute. You had a month to do these pages, how in Equestria did you manage to put them off until a few days before they were due?" Spike asked bewildered as the girls began to open their books. Scootaloo gave a soft grunt, while Applebloom and Sweetie Belle looked sheepish.
"Ah actually have mine almost done, Big Mac's been awful patient with me. Ah don't get a lot of these problems right the first time, but 'cause of him, ah almost always get em' the second go." Applebloom smiled brightly as she found her spot in the workbook and reached for a nearby quill, gripping it softly between her teeth. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked to her enviously while Spike only smiled back.
"At least there is one of you who I won't need to tutor." Applebloom nearly dropped the quill as she sputtered, her face turning red and her own smile growing more. The other crusaders only snickered, before getting to work on their own books.
~ ~ ~
Dimmed Star trotted down the stairs from her room, her face twisted in aggravation and the mutilated remains of a book on possible Changeling Migration practices in a small trash bin held aloft in her magic.
'I swear if I ever get my hooves on the author, I'll make what I did at the wedding look like a fiesta.' She promised to herself as she turned and headed towards the kitchen. She stopped however when she saw what sat between her and her destination, a small smile gracing her features.
Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Spike were each sleeping soundly at the small table where she had left them some time ago. The first two were using their workbooks as pillows and Spike had fallen back, lying splayed out on the floor as he snored lightly. Every now a then a small green flame would jettison from his nostrils, making her very glad that she had invested a great deal of time making the home and most of the furniture flame resistant.
'Always pays to be prepared.' She thought idly as she shook her head at him. Hearing the scratching of a quill, she looked to see the final member of the crusaders still wide awake, a familiar frustration on her face. Raising an eyebrow, she closed the distance between herself and the table, peeking over Scootaloo's shoulder to see the problem she was working on.
'Well, it's mostly right, except for...' She leaned a bit more, her mind working the calculations while her shadow slowly crept over the young filly. So deep in thought was she, that she did not hear the quill stop. It was only the small gasp that pulled her away from the workbook to see Scootaloo looking up to her with nervous eyes and a slight smile.
"U-um... Hi?" She asked meekly. Dimmed Star blinked at her for a moment, before she felt her heart drop a bit.
'Ah... that's right... they're still afraid of me.' She took a deep breath as she backed away from the filly, her face betraying nothing but a blank expression as she turned to the kitchen.
"You've got the general idea, but you should try swapping the X with the thirty-six, also don't forget that in an equation like that, always do the multiplication first." Having said her piece, she continued her way to the kitchen as Scootaloo looked after her in surprise. Looking back to her workbook, she glanced between the kitchen and the notes carefully, before grabbing her quill once more and doing what had been suggested.
When she finished, she pulled Applebloom's workbook out from under her friend's head, nudging her carefully onto the table. With her tongue sticking out in concentration, she searched through the workbook until she found the same page and compared both problems. After only a moment her eyes widened and she smiled widely, dropping the workbooks and rushing towards the kitchen just in time for Dimmed Star to come walking out, an empty trash bin in her magic.
"Thank you so much!" Scootaloo exclaimed as she lept at the mare, wrapping her forelegs around her chest in a tight embrace and her wings beating rapidly. Dimmed Star stood in shock, staring at the filly as though she had grown a second head.
"Wha... I... um... You're... Welcome?" She wasn't entirely sure how to respond. Moments before, she had been under the impression that this filly was completely afraid of her, but now here she was, hugging her and thanking her for something so small. Awkwardly, she pushed the grinning filly back, but this did nothing to dissuade the young one's enthusiasm.
"Can you help me with a few more?" Her eyes begged as she jumped up and down before the mare, causing Dimmed Star's head to follow her bouncing. Dimmed Star for her part was still trying to recover from the momentary shock that she had endured.
"I... uh... yes?" She squeaked out, unsure. Scootaloo gave a shout of joy before her eyes widened and she looked back to her sleeping friends, the gurgled sound of Applebloom's own snore was all the assurance she needed to know that they were still sleeping soundly. Turning back to Dimmed Star, who had set the trash bin to the side, she grinned broadly.
"Can we go upstairs then? I don't wanna wake them up." Dimmed Star looked her over warily, before glancing to the other three and sighing.
"I... suppose, just... don't touch anything up there." Scootaloo nodded vigorously before she quickly went to retrieve her workbook and saddlebag. Dimmed Star watched her curiously, it was odd seeing somepony other than Spike who would want to actually spend time with her these days. Not even the other Element Bearers had been by all that much, sans Fluttershy of course, but she had only come over to deliver more tins of fish.
Once the filly had placed her bag upon her back, workbook inside, she rushed to the foot of the stairs and waited happily as Dimmed Star made her way around the table and three sleeping little ones. When she reached the stairs, she paused as she hovered a hoof on the first step.
"Are... you sure you want me to help you? Wouldn't you rather somepony else? Perhaps Spike, or even your own parents?" She asked cautiously. At first, Scootaloo's ears drooped a bit, before jumping back to attention and she smiled wider.
"Nah! Spikes great and all, but you taught him, which means you know a lot more!" Despite the childish logic, Dimmed Star couldn't help but chuckle at the fact that she didn't have an argument for that one.
"Alright then, but just so you know, I've been told I can be a boring teacher." She grinned as she took the first step, beginning to trot up the stairs as Scootaloo fell into step behind her.
"It can't be that bad!" She grinned happily as she followed after the older mare, a bright smile upon her face.
~ ~ ~
Dimmed Star waved goodbye to the crusaders as they trotted off to their homes, each of them smiling back and waving. Spike grinned as he waved after his friends before he and Dimmed Star stepped back inside.
"It's been quite a day, what do you want for dinner?" He asked as he made his way towards the kitchen, only to be halted as a hoof stepped on his tail, holding him in place. Looking back, he stared in confusion at Dimmed Star as she only shook her head.
"As much as I appreciate the sentiment, remember what we discussed?" He took a moment as he thought back before his eyes widened and he chuckled.
"Oh yeah." She only smiled back before stepping past him and making her way to the kitchen, the young drake following shortly after with a grin.
Once they were in the kitchen, Dimmed Star trotted over to the fridge and opened it, looking through its contents carefully, nervously chewing at her lip. Spike sat at the table watching her as she pulled out a few vegetables, before making her way over to the pantry and collecting a few more items.
"Sooo, what were you and Scootaloo up to?" He asked casually, trying to pass the time with idle chat while she began to fill a pot with water. Dimmed Star glanced at him, before refocusing on the task at hoof.
"It wasn't much, she just wanted to have somepony help her with her homework. A certain drake had apparently fallen asleep during the study session." She shot him a wry smile, before ducking beneath the counter to find another pot. Spike could only smile sheepishly as he wrung out his claws.
"Yeah, sorry about that." Dimmed Star only rolled her eyes and smiled, before lighting her horn and turning on the stove. Spike watched as she retrieved a knife and a cutting board, beginning to chop some carrots as she waited for the water to boil. As she worked, his mind wandered to the question that had been burning in his thoughts for nearly a week now. He needed to give her an answer by tomorrow and although the crusaders were definitely pushing for him to say yes, he still felt like he needed a bit more time. One thought, in particular, had been eating at him, and he didn't quite know how to voice it.
After what seemed like a few minutes of kicking his hind legs in the chair and pondering, the smell of smoke caught his attention. Looking to Dimmed Star quickly, he gaped at the scene that had somehow unfolded.
Dimmed Star was rushing between the two pots of boiling water, each stuffed with almost whole, or poorly chopped ingredients. One had somehow caught fire, while the other was boiling over and the hot broth was leaking across the stove, counter, and dripping to the floor. The poor mare was in a panic as she tried to first put the fire out with a damp towel, only to have the towel itself burst into flames. She let out a yelp as she fell back from the inferno, before jumping back to her hooves, her frazzled mane sticking out in even more places. Seeing that Spike had his eyes on her, she smiled back nervously as she levitated a pitcher out of the cupboard and filled it with water at the sink, before quickly bringing it over and pouring it over the flames, dousing both the pot and the towel, then turning off the stove entirely.
"Um... Dinner's gonna be a bit late, why don't you uh, go read one of your comic books?" She suggested hesitantly, even as she began to refill the pitcher and set it nearby once more, just in case. Spike watched her wide-eyed as he slowly nodded.
"Okay... I'll guess I'll just... be in the bedroom... if you need me?" He asked cautiously as he stepped away from the table, slowly backing out of the kitchen. Dimmed Star gave a nervous laugh and waved him off.
"I-it'll be fine! You'll see!" Her demeanor did nothing to reassure the young drake as he smiled back nervously, before turning and darting out of the kitchen. Once he was gone, Dimmed Star sighed, turning back to the stove with an angry glare.
"I can recite the names and properties of every element known to pony kind on the periodic table, but for the life of me I can't cook a simple vegetable stew!?" She slammed her forehead against the counter, careful not to hit her horn despite her frustration.
"This is ridiculous!" Raising her head, she brought over the two cookbooks and went over the recipes again. As far as she could tell, she had followed the instructions, for the most part anyway. Glancing to the still-smoldering remains of the pot that had caught fire, she groaned in annoyance.
It took her a few minutes to clean up the mess from both pots, and although one had only been a rather bad case of an overflowing pot, the other had done far more damage to the stove than she had thought. With the stove unusable and nothing else to do, Dimmed Star collected a bowl and plate from the cupboard, before opening the fridge again and pulling out a few more fresh vegetables, along with something else that was wrapped in a thick paper, a deep red liquid staining its surface in places.
'I guess its salad and steak night... again.' She thought irritably as she set to work on making Spike's salad while dropping the package of meat on her own nearby plate. This time it only took her a few minutes to chop the vegetables and add a few small fruits and gems from a nearby cabinet. Taking both the plate and bowl in her magic, she made her way out of the kitchen and trotted up the stairs to the bedroom that she and Spike shared.
"Spike, I've got dinner ready." Stepping into the room, she found the young drake laying across the bed with one of his comic books in his claws. He glanced up and smiled at seeing what she held in her magic. As she made her way towards him, she had to navigate the hurricane of their room, books and scrolls were strewn everywhere, nearly hiding the floor entirely.
‘I need to clean this up… later.’ She thought idly as she finally made it to the bedside.
"Salad again?" She only glowered at this, dropping the bowl in his lap as her face glowed a bit in embarrassment.
"I need to get the stove fixed..." She mumbled, before jumping into the bed as well and sitting beside him. Spike only laughed and wiped a tear from his eye.
"If you weren't being so stubborn about it, I could just teach you how to cook." Dimmed Star grunted as she tore at the paper wrappings of her meal with her teeth. Tearing off the top portion, she spit the paper back onto the plate.
"I told you, Spike, I want to learn how to do this myself. I should have been the one doing the cooking in the first place, but I was always so absorbed in my studies. It was selfish of me." She nibbled at the large piece of meat that hung out from the opening of the wrapper as she glanced at him. Spike only grinned back, before looking down at his own salad, his mind deep in thought.
"You could at least let me give you a few pointers, even if I don't actually do much else." His low tone of voice caught her attention quickly, causing her to swallow the piece she had just bitten off and placed her meal back on the plate.
"Spike? What's the matter?" He looked up from his salad, he hadn't touched it since she had brought it to him, she noted. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but closed it just as quickly, shaking his head.
"It's... nothing... I think I'm just being paranoid..." Creasing her eyebrows in concern, Dimmed Star set her plate to the side and rested a hoof on his back lightly.
"Spike, if something is bothering you, you can tell me." Spike bit his lip as he looked back up to her, before sighing and nodding his head.
"Do you... remember when Owlicious first came to stay with us?" Dimmed Star nodded carefully, before glancing to the empty bird stand near the window. When she had come back, her pet owl had been one of the first things she had checked on. But he was nowhere to be found. Even stranger was that the avian had not returned at all since they had been home. It wasn't uncommon for him to be gone a day or two, but almost a week? Shaking her head to rid herself of these thoughts, she focused back on Spike who continued his thoughts.
"Well... remember when I thought that you were replacing me with him? How I felt like you didn't need me anymore?" His voice grew lower with each word, and he trembled slightly while wringing his claws together. He looked back down to stare at his claws while Dimmed Star looked him over.
"I do, but I also remember telling you that no matter what, nopony would ever replace you as my number one assistant." She stroked his back softly as he smiled at this, leaning into her side a bit.
"I... I know... it's just... with everything that's happened... with the way you've changed and... cutting back on my chores... no longer needing me to help you study...." He mumbled to her as she paused in her strokes, realization dawning on her. Pushing him off of her and taking his face in her hooves, she turned him to look her in the eyes.
"Spike, just because I've cut back on your chores, does not mean that I don't want you around anymore or that I'm pushing you away." He stared back with glistening eyes as she spoke, his expression pleading.
"I will always need you, Spike... more than you know... I'm just giving you the freedom that you deserve. I'm sorry if it seems like I was trying to push you away, I just wanted to do right by you and take more responsibility." Spike took a few moments as he watched her, soaking in her words, before smiling slightly and nodding as he pulled away from her hooves. Raising an arm, he rubbed at his eyes to clear away the unshed tears.
"Okay then... Thanks for helping me get over that..." Dimmed Star smiled serenely at the young drake as he began to pick through his salad finally, making an effort to avoid the asparagus. Giving a light chuckle, she brought her plate back to her lap, before the two of them leaned into one another's side, simply enjoying each other's company as they ate.
“Do you think I can help with your studies at least a tiny bit?” Spike asked suddenly. Dimmed Star glanced to him curiously, he hadn’t looked up from his meal. She hummed in thought while watching him eat, before smiling deviously.
“Only if you eat your asparagus.” Spike looked up to her aghast.
Spike wrung his claws together as he and Dimmed Star stood just outside the schoolhouse, the damp early morning air cooling his scales.
"A-are you sure this is OK? I mean... isn't it a bit late in the school year?" He asked nervously as he looked over to the brightly smiling Dimmed Star who stared back at him. She chuckled lightly, before nudging him towards the door by pushing on his new bright green backpack that Rarity had been kind enough to gift him the day before.
"Don't get cold claws on me now, we're already here. Besides, the school has only been in session for a few months, I'm sure you'll catch up. Let's get inside so we can talk to Cheerilee before the class starts." Despite digging his claws into the dirt, he couldn't hope to keep himself from being pushed through the door as Dimmed Star strode inside, pushing him along with her muzzle.
Dimmed Star had been positively giddy ever since Spike told her that he wanted to go to school, so much so that she had shot from the house with him in her magical grasp, rushing about the stores in town to buy school supplies. It had been a bit of a struggle to get what they needed initially, in her excitement she had forgotten the current predicament that the towns-ponies were still rather wary of her, and some had gone so far as to close the doors to their shops when they saw her approaching. One had even screamed when she approached, causing Dimmed Star's mood to turn a one-eighty from happily excited, to extremely pissed. It took Spike jumping between her and the unfortunate merchant to stop her from tearing into the mare herself, but it hadn't stopped her from slicing the merchant's cart in half when Spike wasn't looking, leaving the mare to stare in horror at her ruined merchandise.
It was only when they ran into Applejack and Fluttershy, who were each out getting groceries, that any relief for their plight had been found.
Fluttershy had volunteered to take Spike to get what he would need, happy for the little drake to be going to school and making friends, while Applejack decided to walk around town with Dimmed Star to try and show the towns-ponies that she was harmless... mostly.
As the two of them entered the building, the sounds of foals talking merrily and enjoying their time before class filled the air, and Cheerilee could be seen standing near her desk where it looked as though she was busy writing up the attendance sheet. The room slowly grew quiet however as they were spotted by the students, some who stared with curiosity, some with excitement, and some with no small amount of worry. Dimmed Star paused in her stride as she took in their stares, before shaking them off and pressing onward. Spike glanced back to her, before looking back to the students and smiling nervously as he waved a bit. The crusaders smiled back broadly, each waving back to him happily.
Cheerilee for her part barely noticed their approach as she worked on the sheet before her. It came as a surprise when the sound of several ponies clearing their throats came from almost directly behind her, making her jump and turn around, expecting to see a group of ponies.
"OH! I'm so sorry I d-" Her voice caught in her throat as she stared at Dimmed Star, her eyes wide.
"O-oh! M-Miss Dimmed S-Star, how can I h-help you?" She asked nervously, a bit of sweat beading at her brown.
"Hello, Cheerilee." Her voice caught the mare off guard even more with its multiple tones. Despite knowing of her, Cheerilee and most of the townsfolk had hardly any real interaction with Dimmed Star aside from seeing her leaving and entering her home on occasion, usually late in the evening and always heading out into the Everfree. This being the first time actually talking with the formerly known Twilight Sparkle, Cheerilee was rightfully left speechless, much to Dimmed Star's chagrin.
Dimmed Star tapped her hoof impatiently while waiting for a response from the school teacher, who finally picked up on the mare's growing frustration and quickly straightened herself, trying hard not to tremble.
"Um, yes, hello Miss Star... uh as I said before, what can I do for you?" It took a tremendous amount of effort for her to not stutter. Dimmed Star frowned at this reaction but ignored it in favor of nudging Spike forward with a hoof.
"I'm interested in having Spike here be enrolled in your class. Is that going to be a problem?" Although she kept her voice as even as she could, a small bit of a growl managed to edge its way into her tone, Spike looked back to her worriedly. Cheerilee, however, did not seem to notice as she looked down at Spike, who smiled back at her nervously before lifting up a paper document and holding it out towards her.
"Enroll...? Oh! Of course!" Her fear of the pony before her momentarily forgotten, she darted around her desk and opened a drawer, a smile on her face as she pulled out a few documents and brought them back over to them as she took the enrollment form from Spike.
"There won't be any trouble at all, I'll just need you to fill out this form for safety and contact information as well as well as for anything else that may be relevant." Dimmed Star took the papers in her magic while Spike stretched on the tips of his claws, trying to see them as well. Nodding, Dimmed Star trotted around Spike and up to the teacher's desk, taking up a spare pencil to begin filling in the information.
Cheerilee stood awkwardly next to Spike, watching as Dimmed Star filled out the necessary paperwork. When she finished, she dropped the pencil back on the table and walked back to them, leaning down and nuzzling Spike as he blushed, embarrassed in front of the class.
"Have a good day Spike, I'll be here to pick you after classes." He awkwardly pushed her away while she grinned at him.
"C'mon Star, I know my way home. You don't have to pick me up." He mumbled as he glanced at the students who watched, a few snickering at his dilemma. Dimmed Star only shook her head and smiled.
"Fine then big colt, just make sure you're home before the sun sets and get your homework done, I will be checking it. I have a few errands in town myself today so we'll have to catch up when both of us get back home." He nodded as she turned to Cheerilee, the look in her eyes returning to blank stare as she caused the mare to shuffle nervously under her gaze.
"Take care of him." She let the statement hang as her eyes darkened, the unspoken threat making Cheerilee audibly gulp and nod vigorously.
"O-of course! He'll fit in just fine with the other foals." She smiled shakily. Dimmed Star eyed her for a moment longer, before trotting past them and out the door of the schoolhouse. Spike waved after her, a slight smile playing on his lips as he watched her go.
The room was quiet for a few more seconds, before Cheerilee breathed a sigh of fresh air, her heart pounding in her chest.
'I wonder if it's too soon for me to file for retirement?' She asked herself as she stepped up to Spike, placing a hoof on his shoulder and making him look up to her questioningly.
"Well then Spike, welcome to my class. We'll introduce you and then find an open seat." She smiled brightly at him as he clasped his claws together nervously, before looking out to the class of what he could only guess was about thirty or so students. He could only name a few of them, and even fewer he had only seen in passing. Several waved back to him as he swallowed nervously.
"U-uhm... Hi? My name is Spike..."
~ ~ ~
Dimmed Star trotted calmly through the streets of Ponyville, occasionally nodding her head in greetings to the few ponies brave enough to wave in her direction.
It had been a few hours since she had dropped Spike off at the schoolhouse, she had returned home shortly after that and returned to her studies. But her efforts were for naught and it angered her to no end.
'If I had stayed in Canterlot, I could have gone to the archives and possibly found something a bit more useful...' She grit her teeth together, angry at herself for not thinking of such a thing instead of letting her emotions rule her and drive her from the abundant amount of resources due to her issues with the princess.
'I suppose I could send a letter asking for the information, but I'm not exactly keen on talking to her yet.' Lost in thought, she barely realized that she had walked through the doors of a building, and it was with a single breath that she snapped from her thoughts and looked to find herself in the sweet-smelling bakery that was Sugar Cube Corner. She glanced about curiously, unsure as to why her hooves would have carried her here when suddenly she felt her stomach rumble at the sight of the many baked goods. Suddenly feeling self-conscious, she blushed and her ears folded back as she looked to the many baked goods in the displays.
Cupcakes, muffins, cookies, and pastries of any that you could imagine sat before her and she paced before the display, licking her lips as she remembered the taste of the wonderful confectioneries, bemoaning the fact that she could no longer enjoy such things.
'Oh!' Her eyes lit up as she spotted one that she had eaten once before, a medium-sized blueberry cupcake that was topped with whipped cream instead of icing, a bright red cherry resting in its center.
"Hiya Dimmy!" Said mare jumped about with a yelp, her eyes wide as she twisted her neck a full one-hundred and eighty degrees to see the pink mare that stood directly behind her. The sound of bones cracking and snapping filled the lobby of the bakery, causing those who had watched the scene to lose immediate interest in their meals. Pinkie stared in wide-eyed shock as Dimmed Star glared at her, her neck still twisted in an unnatural way.
"Pinkie Pie..." She spoke through gritted teeth as her body began to turn, readjusting the bones in her neck with a sickening crunch. Pinkie chuckled nervously, her ears laid back.
"Uh, Hiya Dimmy?" She tried again, a bit more reserved after the display before her. Dimmed Star only stared back at her for a moment, before taking a breath and releasing an annoyed sigh.
"It would do you well in the future, Pinkie, to not startle me. I could have done far worse than simply turned to look at you." Her glare intensified as she nodded to the ground beneath them. Pinkie blinked, unsure, as she glanced to the ground and swallowed nervously.
The floor below them was covered in Dimmed Star's Ink, but the part that Pinkie herself stood on had the beginnings of sharp tendrils edging their way from the surface. She watched nervously as the tendrils began to withdraw, and the puddle itself soaked back into Dimmed Star's hooves once more. The floor where they stood was now stained black, and the smell of the sweet treats was nearly overpowered by the stench of burnt fur.
"O-oh... yea... eheh..." Pinkie looked back up from the ground, worry still in her features despite how she tried to hide it behind a smile. The other customers stared at the two with wide and fearful eyes, leading Dimmed Star to glare at them in aggravation.
"I'll be going now..." Turning towards the door, Dimmed Star made her way past Pinkie and the few customers who had stood in line behind her. Pinkie watched her go with concern, an internal struggle of whether to stay and clean up, or go and help out her friend. It was a simple choice and one that she made with ease as she bounced after the dark mare. Once outside, Dimmed Star closed her eyes and sighed.
'This... this isn't fair...' She thought back to all the fun memories she'd had when she would visit Sugar Cube Corner, the many smiles of the ponies within and without. She bit her cheek to prevent the tears in her eyes from falling as she looked up towards the raised Sun. Her hurt filled gaze began to burn with anger as the Sun's light burned into her eyes.
'It's not my fault... I didn't choose to be this... I'm not the one who...' The thoughts of the wedding drifted through her mind.
"Dimmed Star!" Pinkie's voice called out to her, breaking her from her thoughts and causing her to glance back in the direction of the bakery. Pinkie had just come through the doors and had begun to make her way around to Dimmed Star's side. She smiled brightly, as though what had just transpired inside the bakery had been a daily occurrence for her. Dimmed Star rolled her eyes, before trotting forward and getting herself back on track from before she had accidentally walked into Sugar Cube Corner. Pinkie happily bounced along beside her, smiling just the same.
The two trotted in silence as they made their way through town, Dimmed Star attempting to ignore the mare, Pinkie merely being happy in her presence.
"What do you want, Pinkie?" She finally asked in annoyance as the two of them stood next to a cart in the shopping district. Though it wasn't Market day, some stalls stayed open throughout the week. The one they stood before now was a stall that sold many of the latest books and texts, although from what Dimmed Star could see, they were all fictional and mostly directed towards young fillies. She grimaced in annoyance at once more being denied the information that she needed.
"What? Is there something wrong with wanting to hang out with one of my bestest friends?" Pinkie asked happily. Dimmed Star glanced to her out of the corner of her eye, while the pony behind the stall merely watched the two of them curiously.
"We're friends, are we?" Dimmed Star asked questioningly. In her mind, she still called the mares that made up the Elements her friends, but in truth, she wasn't entirely sure how she saw them right now. Her question had quite the impact on the mare next to her however. She stopped smiling as brightly and her ears drooped, while her eyes looked to her in worry.
"We... we are still friends... right Dimmy?" Dimmed Star turned from the stall to face her fully, eyeing the mare up and down.
"I'm not sure, Pinkie. How many times have you and the girls come to visit me at my home this week, compared to the week before? Or perhaps the week before that? Or even before that?" Pinkie deflated more and more with each question until her head drooped along with her ears and her mane had lost some of its fluff. She looked as though she had given up on answering, and so Dimmed Star rolled her eyes and made to move past her once more.
"We don't know how..." She stopped at the whisper of a voice. Looking back, she found Pinkie still looking to the ground, her hoof playing in the dirt.
"Mind repeating that?" She turned back to the mare, her ears directing themselves towards her to hear her better. Pinkie took a shaky breath as she looked up from what she was doing to meet Dimmed Star's gaze.
"The other girls and I... we don't know how to approach you... We've been wanting to come over all week. To say hi, to hang out, to play games or even talk about our day... but we..." Dimmed Star let nothing escape her as she paid close attention to the mare.
"Rarity has been so anxious that she's buried herself in her work... I went to see her last night, but she was playing her phonograph so loudly that she couldn't hear me knocking on the door. Applejack is always either in the fields at her farm or here in the market. I saw her with you yesterday, but she kept covering her eyes with her hat when you weren't looking... Rainbow Dash..." She glanced to the sky, Dimmed Star following her gaze slowly. After seeing that the aforementioned prismatic mare was no were to be seen, she sighed.
"I see her in the sky sometimes, doing cloud work... but I don't see her outside of her house any more than that... Fluttershy said that she's been bringing you more cans of fish, but that she hasn't been staying long. She's super busier than normal, a lot of animals from the Everfree have come to her home seeking shelter, they're in such a panic that she can't make sense of why they won't go back... and I... I've..." Tears began to well up in her eyes and Dimmed Star groaned internally. It was one thing to cry herself, or to make somepony else cry, but when you've made Pinkie cry?
"I've been a bad friend!!" And there it was, the mare let out a cry and the tears began to flow freely. Dimmed Star watched as the mare hiccuped and cried openly, causing the few ponies in the market to stop their browsing and watch them curiously. The pony behind the bookstall began to back up. Sighing, Dimmed Star reached forward and placed her hoof over Pinkie's mouth, muffling her cries. Pinkie opened her eyes slowly and looked to Dimmed Star, who stared back stoically.
"You aren't a bad friend, Pinkie..." Looking away for a moment, she glanced out at the town around her, looking to spy the colorful coats of her friends, but none were present.
"Do you... want to hang out?" She asked tentatively, glancing back to the distraught mare. Pinkie perked up near-instantly, her mane bouncing back and her smile bright.
"YES! I'd love to hang out with you! Oh, oh, what do you wanna do?" Dimmed Star flinched back at the mare's sudden return to her usual self. Shaking her head with a small smile, she merely turned and began trotting away.
"Or I could just follow you and we can see where the day goes!" She bounced along after her friend, the day looking brighter already.
~ ~ ~
Spike and the crusaders laughed as they stepped from the schoolhouse. The bell signaling the end of the day ringing softly in the background as they made their way down the dirt trail into town.
"Finally!" Spike groaned as he stretched his claws into the air, the muscles in his joints loosening. The girls only giggled as they strolled beside him.
"You'll get used to it Spike, after all, it was only your first day." Sweetie Belle smiled at him. He rolled his eyes in response, before pulling his backpack from his shoulders and holding it up for their inspection.
"Yes, my first day and my first massive load of homework. Does Miss Cheerilee always give so many assignments to the new students?" He asked incredulously as he weighed the now much heavier backpack in his claws. The girls just laughed at him as they reached a crossroads.
"Well, ah have to get back home soon. Granny says that I need to help wash the hogs today." Applebloom smiled as she began to walk down the path that would lead her home, while Spike and the others waved her off.
"I should get going too, I was hoping we could hang out today but Rarity needs me to model for a new line of filly dresses that she's been working on." Sweetie groaned in annoyance while rolling her eyes. Spike and Scootaloo could only chuckle as she began to trot off into town. Turning to one another, Scootaloo could only shrug her shoulders.
"Don't look at me like that, I don't have to be home until just before sundown." Spike raised an eyebrow at this, which only prompted her to stick her tongue out at him.
"Hey, I'm not lying." Looking back towards town, Spike pondered on what he should do.
"Well... I don't think Star would mind if you came over for a bit. Wanna put our heads together and have a study session?" Scootaloo's eyes lit up at the mention of Dimmed Star, but she gave a sigh of defeat when Spike brought up their collective homework.
"I guess it's better than scooting around Ponyville with nothing to do. Why not, let's go study." She gave a half-hearted hurrah and the two of them began the long trek back to the library.
The dark caverns of the Changeling home were damp and deserted. The muted sound of wings buzzing about through many of the internal channels could be heard if one strained to listen hard enough, but Chrysalis paid it no heed as she cautiously made her way through the tunnel that she and her guard currently resided. None spoke as they crept further into the dark, their eyes taking little time to adjust to the changes in light.
Slowly the group entered the main chamber where a dark throne sat in the center, carved from the very rock of the chamber itself. Chrysalis released a slow and shaky breath upon noting that the throne was empty.
'She's not here... then perhaps I may yet save us...' Turning to the nearest guard, she kept her voice low.
"Gather the drones and meet me in the nursery, we've not much time." The guard looked to her in confusion, only to be startled back as she pressed closer to his face, releasing an intimidating hiss.
"Go now!" The drone clicked a response of acknowledgment, before turning to another nearby tunnel and quickly darting into the darkness.
"Let us hurry, we must gather the larvae and eggs if-" A voice as cold as the icy north filled the air and Chrysalis felt chilled to her very core.
"Leaving so soon Chrysalis? If I didn't know any better, I would think that you were trying to avoid me..." Turning shakily, Chrysalis felt her eyes widen at the sight of a dark figure now resting in the once empty throne. The throne that had once belonged to herself and had been sat in by generations of Changeling Queens.
Despite their natural ability to see in the dark, the figure that sat upon the throne before them could not be made out entirely. Her shape was distinctly that of a tall pony, a long waving mane and tail along with a set of great wings that were half spread, but that was as far as they could tell within the darkness that seemed to cling to her as though it were her skin. The only other feature that could clearly be seen, and the most haunting aside from her ice-cold voice, were the four glowing red eyes that watched them in a seething, unadulterated rage.
Moving slowly, Chrysalis dipped her head into a low bow, being cautious to keep herself between the mare and the changelings behind her.
"M-my Queen... H-how long have you been there?" The figure stared back from her shadows.
"I thought we had a deal, Chrysalis." She ignored the changeling's question in favor of her own interrogation. Standing from the throne, she began to make her way down the steps of carved stone. Chrysalis glanced up, sweat dripping down her frame as she fought every instinct to run and to remain prostrate before this being.
"I-I... th-there were... unforeseen circ-" Chrysalis did not get the chance to defend herself as she found the air in her lungs forcibly ejected from the impact of an unseen force. She flew back and collided with the wall of the cavern, before finding herself in a state that reminded her far too much of her time at the wedding in Canterlot. The bindings that held her in place, however, were not strange black tendrils, but rather an ominous red magic. The four eyes of the creature that advanced upon her glowed brighter in the darkness.
"Unforeseen? Did you not place spies within the city and surrounding villages months in advance as I had instructed?" She did not give Chrysalis the chance to answer, however, as she raised a single long leg and slammed her hoof into Chrysalis' throat, causing the changeling to gurgle out a pained and muted scream. She struggled against her bonds to the wall even as the pony pressed harder into her throat, the sound of chitin cracking under extreme pressure echoed throughout the chamber. The changeling guard that had arrived with Chrysalis dared not to make any movements to defend their queen or face the wrath of this faceless mare.
"ANSWER ME, WRETCH!"Chrysalis struggled to answer without breath, the edges of what she could see slowly fading as she struggled to suck in air until finally, she nodded her head. The mare released the pressure on her neck and stepped back, revealing the cracks in the chitin around Chrysalis' neck, green blood dripping slowly from the wound.
"Then there are no excuses." Chrysalis gasped for breath, her chest heaving as she felt the black that had begun to encompass her vision slowly fade. The soft hoofsteps of the one she had bargained with slowly stepped away until they stopped some distance from her.
"After all I have done for you... All I asked was for one thing, Chrysalis, just one. Bring me the Princess... Bring Celestia to me, battered and broken, and you would get everything that you and your kind rightfully deserve." She turned so that two of her eyes bore into Chrysalis' struggling frame.
"Were it not for me, your entire race would be extinct." She growled, before turning to the changeling guards and beginning to advance upon them. The changelings shook in horror as she approached, each of them looking to any of the other tunnels and wondering if they could escape, until a red dome of magic appeared around them, trapping them in place. Seeing the new direction of the pony's ire, Chrysalis struggled even more against the stone she was bound to.
"N-No! No! Please, leave them be!" Tears of panic and pain began to stream from her eyes as she fought to free herself, to save her clutch from the monster that stood before them.
"It is such a waste. I sacrificed much to help your kind, abducting ponies and other creatures from the surrounding nations where you no longer could. Your magic so far gone that your abilities to shapeshift were nothing more than a long-forgotten dream." She spat as she stopped just before the trembling guards, a burning anger within her eyes as she looked back to the distraught changeling queen.
"How many years of work? Yet your race is still on the verge of dying out. And now that you have failed to do what I have asked, your deaths are all but assured. Since you can't seem to lead your changelings properly, I’ll just have to find a better use for them." Chrysalis thrashed even harder against the magic bindings, her eyes wide and terrified.
"PLEASE NO!! L-LET ME TRY AGAIN!! I'LL SEE IT DONE, I SWEAR!!" The pony's eyes took on something more of a sadistic nature as a haunting and hollow laugh began to escape the shadows of her frame. A dark horn was wrapped in the crimson magic before a single changeling was plucked from the group and dragged forward, it clawed at the ground as it clicked and chittered to its siblings, begging to be spared and pleading for them to save it. They could only clench their eyes closed as they turned their heads away.
"I warned you once before Chrysalis! Now you have left me with no other choice then to do it my way!" The changelings trapped within the dome of red magic backed as far as they could from their captive sibling as it found itself consumed by the red aura before its eyes widened and a pained screech erupted from its fanged maw.
In the darkened tunnel nearby, the guard that had been sent to gather the other drones watched in terror as his sibling was set upon by the mad mare in the shadows, Chrysalis' pleading yells all but drowned under its own screams of pain and the sounds of breaking chitin and tearing flesh. The silhouette of the changeling within the red aura writhed in agony, before parts of it began to stretch and grow, the sickening sound of blood splashing across the cavern floor echoed across the chamber.
Glancing about to make sure that it had not been seen, the lone changeling slowly crept back and away from the main chamber, before turning and quickly making his way back to the entrance of the cave system.
He moved as quietly as he could for what seemed hours until the surface could be seen, the bright midday sun burning his eyes. he ignored the searing pain in favor of his own survival, as he leaped into the air and in a flash of green, the changeling vanished.
A single brown feather drifted to the ground before a dark grey hoof stamped down on it. Four red eyes watching as the creature that the changeling had transformed into raced off into the distance, a grin of jagged teeth upon her face.
“Retrieve him.” She commanded as an unholy screech echoed from the caverns behind her.
~ ~ ~
"Spike, I went over this with you at least three different times the last time we covered this. How are you still struggling with it?" Spike groaned in defeat as his head was buried in his arms.
"Because Star, last time was like, two years ago? I haven't had to brush up on recent Equestrian history since the Hearth's Warming play! Also, I'm not good at remembering the dates of things!" He threw his claws up in frustration, while Dimmed Star raised an eyebrow at him.
Spike and Dimmed Star sat in the lobby of the library with pillows and cushions surrounding them as Spike tried to finish his assigned homework, while Dimmed Star had been doing some studying of her own. She had still refused to allow the drake to help her in her own studies, but she had stopped secluding herself away in her room after their talk on the previous Saturday.
Scootaloo watched on as the two of them squabbled over the homework as she chewed on the end of her own pencil, a workbook sitting on the cushion before her.
"Dinner is almost ready~!" A cheerful voice echoed from the kitchen echoed across the library, causing the ears of everypony to perk up immediately.
"How is it that you won't let me cook anymore, but you'll let Pinkie come and cook twice in a row? I thought you said that you wanted to learn some responsibility?" Spike asked as he turned to his guardian. Dimmed Star felt her cheeks warm as she looked away from him, before clearing her throat and pointing back to his homework.
"Don't change the subject... besides she fixed the stove... somehow..." Spike and Scootaloo chuckled at her discomfort, before redirecting themselves to their assignments once more.
"Hey Dimmed Star, can you tell me if I'm doing this right?" Scootaloo asked as she went over the math book next to her, trying to compare the equations in it to the one that she was currently struggling with within her own workbook. Dimmed Star looked to the filly with a smile as she lit up her horn, enveloping the workbook in a teal light as she levitated it over for her to scrutinize.
"Hmm." She hummed to herself as she brought about her own quill from her research, making small notes on a fresh sheet of parchment, before sending the workbook and the paper back to the young pegasus' hooves.
"You did great with question twenty, but you should go back to questions seven, eight, and twelve. Those notes will help you find what you did wrong." Scootaloo nodded happily as she began to flip through the pages in her textbook while looking back and forth between the workbook and the parchment that Dimmed Star had given her. Spike grinned as he watched them from the corner of his eye.
"Still struggling with math?" Scootaloo took a brief moment to stick out her tongue at him, before giggling and turning back to her work.
"No more than you are with history." The young drake blushed even as Dimmed Star gave him a devious smirk.
"Looks like the dragon got burned." He could only grumble before turning back to his textbook and continued to read the passage he was on.
"Thanks for letting me come over and helping me with my homework, Dimmed Star." Looking away from the drake, Dimmed Star smiled warmly at the filly who scribbled in her workbook, trying to correct her mistakes.
"It's no problem Scootaloo and I've told you, Star is fine. You don't need to keep up formalities with me." Scootaloo looked up with a grin at the mare, her wings buzzing briefly before clamping back to her sides.
Glancing over the young pegasus, Dimmed Star looked past her to see the setting sun just outside the window, a touch of concern appearing in her features.
"Although, don't you think you should be heading home soon? It's getting rather late." Scootaloo looked up from her work with a shaky smile, her pencil dropping to rest at her hooves.
'Don't send me away...' A stray thought echoed in the back of Scootaloo's mind.
"Can't I stay for dinner at least? Pinkie Pie said she was gonna make cupcakes..." Giving the best impression of a puppy, the filly made her eyes as big as possible while pouting, however, the power of intense cuteness seemed to have no effect on the grown mare as she only raised an eyebrow at her.
"Scootaloo, you've been coming over every day for the past week, staying until almost sunset at times much like today. I don't mind the company, but you've stuck to us like Spike sticks to his comic books." The aforementioned drake gave an indignant yell, only for Dimmed Star to poke him in the ribs with a hoof and causing him to laugh. Turning back to the young filly with a soft smile, her expression became worried as Scootaloo was no longer looking up at her, but rather her head was bowed and her ears were laid back.
'Please don't make me go...' The filly felt her chest tighten.
"Scootaloo? Is there something wrong?" Scootaloo looked up from the floor, a nervousness in her gaze. She began to rub her left foreleg with her right and bit her lower lip, her wings taught against her sides. After a small silence, she sighed and gave a shaky smile.
"N-no, everything is fine. I just reeeeaaally wanna have one of Pinkie's delicious cupcakes before I go home. I'm sure mom and dad won't mind me being a bit late." Dimmed Star's eyebrows creased in concern at her movements.
'Somethings... not right...' She eyed the young filly carefully, causing her to chuckle nervously and shrink back a bit.
"Dinner's ready~!" Pinkie bounced into the lobby wearing a bright yellow apron with the words, ' Kiss the Cook' embroidered on the front. The jubilant mare made sure to dive into the pile of cushions and pillows, sending white feathers everywhere.
"Gah! Pinkie!" Dimmed Star exclaimed as said mare had latched onto Dimmed Star's side, giggling all the while.
"Come on Dimmy! I worked really hard to come up with a new recipe with the meat in the fridge and I just know you'll love it!" Dimmed Star tried valiantly to pry the mare from her side, only to groan in defeat as she refused to let go.
"Fine... Let's eat then." She shook her head with a soft smile at the mare, who only grinned back. The two of them had spent the entire afternoon the day before spending time together. When Dimmed Star had brought up that she hadn't been able to cook anything properly, the mare had nearly tackled her, begging her to let the pink enigma come over and cook. After much debating and begging, Dimmed Star had only agreed when she had pointed out that it wasn't healthy for Spike to only be eating salad. So for his health, she gave in and allowed Pinkie Pie to come and cook dinner.
It had come as quite a shock however when it came to light that the mare could not only cook, but was handy with tools in the kitchen. She had fixed the stove, the leak in the kitchen drain, the faulty fridge light, and had even cleaned the burn marks from the counter! Dimmed Star couldn't help but feel that she was taking advantage of the mare, a small bit of guilt settling in her stomach.
'Why should I feel guilty? I mean... she's probably just doing all of this to try and make up for what she did at the wedding anyway... so why does it feel wrong?' Dimmed Star pondered as she sighed a defeated breath.
As she made her way towards the kitchen, Spike at her side and Pinkie still with her hooves wrapped around her waist as she dragged along giggling, Scootaloo watched them go with a soft smile.
'Is this what it’s like… to be a real family? … Not like...' The image of a light green hoof flashed across her mind and she flinched instinctively. Taking her hoof from her left leg, she brought it closer and rubbed beneath the surface of her right-wing, a sore spot making her whimper slightly.
"Scootaloo?" Yanking her hoof from her side and snapping her wings closed, she looked to Dimmed Star who watched her curiously.
"Aren't you coming?" Scootaloo's mouth opened in surprise slightly, before she felt herself smile as she nodded rapidly.
"Ye-yea!" Standing to her hooves, she bounded her way across the cushions and up to Dimmed Star's left side, Spike having already taken her right side. Dimmed Star only chuckled as she dragged the limp form of her pink friend back towards the kitchen, Spike and Scootaloo laughing along the way.
~ ~ ~
Scootaloo sighed dejectedly as she pushed her scooter through the darkening streets of Ponyville proper. She had long left the library after having dinner and finished her homework, but she had made no real attempt to get home before the sun fully set on the horizon. Glancing up from the dirt path, she watched as the clouds rolled past in the cool wind and the pegasi above rushed to keep them in place.
Her eyes darted to and fro, hoping to catch the sight of her idol in the mass of working weather ponies, but it was not to be. She slumped her shoulders and leaned down, resting her chin on the bar of her scooter while her back leg pushed her ever forwards.
'When is Rainbow Dash gonna hang out with me again?' She wondered idly, the cool air on her face making her muzzle itch a tiny bit. Reaching forward to rub it and relieve the light irritation, she took the momentary pause to yawn as well. A full belly had always had the effect of making her more tired than usual, and Pinkie's cooking was always the best. She smiled at the memory of the spread that the baker had set out for Dimmed Star, Spike and herself. She hadn't tasted an onion and garlic stew that good since... since…
'Since before mom started gambling...' Her eyes drifted back to the road below and she felt herself trembling lightly. The creaking of the wheels on her scooter did little to soothe the young filly of her hardships, even less so when she found herself coming to stop as she bumped into the gate of an old fence. Looking up from the ground, she found herself sitting just outside her home, the old picket fence was broken and falling to pieces. The bright purple paint having aged long ago and chipped from its surface. Beyond that sat an untrimmed yard that looked more like it belonged on the edge of the Everfree, with the exception that it was littered with trash and old junk. She grimaced at the sight, no matter how many times she tried to clean it up, her father still managed to mess it up again.
The sounds of yelling drew her attention to the small two-story home itself. The white paint had seen better days much like the fence, the roof being the only part of the home that looked mostly intact. She could see light coming from the windows on the left that lead into the living room, the shadows of two figures reminiscent of ponies could be seen as they yelled and argued at one another.
'Again...' Scootaloo gripped the handlebar of her scooter tighter as she felt anxiety build up rapidly in her chest, her frame trembling even more.
Stepping quietly from the scooter, she pushed the gate open as she pushed it along through the tall grass until she stood next to the front door and leaned it against the wall of the home. She sat in the yard and quietly rubbed at her foreleg with her hoof as the yelling continued, her ears pressed back as she fought to block them out. She couldn't entirely make out what the argument was about, but she could guess.
"Mom must have lost more money..." She mumbled as she clenched the fur on her leg tightly. It wasn't always like this. There was a time once when Scootaloo would come home and her adoptive parents would be in the yard to greet her with bright smiles. Glancing to the small trashed garden to her right, she pictured the many roses and daffodils that her father had been growing at one time. But now only twigs and dead bushes rested against the house.
The sound of glass breaking and a scream caused her to jerk her head in the direction of the window, her anxiety climbing as she watched the two ponies continue to yell at one another. Clenching her eyes shut, she fought back the tears that threatened to fall just as the door in front of her swung open, flooding the doorstep in light.
"What the fuck are you doing home so late!?" The voice of the gruff stallion before her demanded as he glared down at her, causing Scootaloo to flinch back from him.
"Get in the damn kitchen! Dinner's been ready for over an hour!" She nodded rapidly, daring not to speak as she rushed past him and towards the kitchen where a cold meal waited. Despite having already eaten, she knew better than to try and say anything on the matter.
"Tartarus damned brat." Brutus Meadow grumbled as he slammed the door shut, the force causing the frame to shake and sending Scootaloo's beloved scooter to the dirt where it would lay for the rest of the night.
With the sound of a thunderclap, the entire front wall to a bookstore on the outskirts of a small town was torn from its frame thrown aside. Splinters of wood and twisted nails lay scattered about the establishment as the crescent moonlight above filtered in. The dark figure that had once stood in the doorway, wasted no time in quickly rummaging through the many shelves. She could have simply walked through the door, as was her usual of late, but her patience was growing thin and her malice grew with every second. Dark and serpent-like tendrils lifted books away from the furthest parts of the room and brought them to their mistress as she discarded one useless text after the next.
This continued for a brief while until finally, all the books that could possibly contain what she needed were within the grasp of her darkened aura. Her face twisted in a grimace, Dimmed Star trotted out of the store and began to make her way back home through the Everfree and away from the neighboring town of Birch-twig.
"I'm getting tired of this, Insect." Her voice echoed into the night with a grim undertone.
~ ~ ~
As the sun rose high into the early morning sky, Spike and his fellow classmates made their way towards another day of learning and fun. It was only him, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo for the moment, but they were due to meet up with Apple Bloom at the next intersection that led to the schoolhouse. As they walked, Spike tried and failed to fight off a large yawn, while Sweetie Belle kept talking about how she and Rarity had stayed up the night before trying to finish her essay.
"I mean, come on! How hard is it to write three paragraphs on Sapphire Shores! It's all I had to do, but noooo, Rarity just HAD to have me include a whole extra page dedicated to her wardrobe which SHE made!" Scootaloo only rolled her eyes at her friend's expense as she and Spike dealt with the unicorn’s ever-increasing irritation.
The young pegasus looked to actually be more tired than Spike, and that was saying something. Her normally vibrant orange coat seemed a bit dull and ruffled in places. Her mane was unkempt, which wouldn't be too unusual for her, but it also seemed to be matted in some places as though she hadn't had a bath recently. Spike, not wanting to be rude, decided it was in his best interest not to say anything about the smell, it was too light for other ponies to notice anyways. But the really strange thing was that her wings were practically glued to her barrel.
Scootaloo would almost always ride to school on her beloved scooter. It was her favorite way of getting around. But here she was, walking next to them as though she had never ridden one in her life. The bags beneath her eyes didn't seem to be going away anytime soon either. Before Spike could ask her the burning question, the sound of galloping hooves caught their attention and all turned to see Apple Bloom rushing down the path and heading straight for them, a large smile on her face.
"Hey, y'all! Ready for a fresh day of learnin'?" She exclaimed as she skidded to a halt beside her two best friends. She almost seemed to be bouncing and for some reason, she looked... brighter?
Spike and the other girls blinked at her for a moment as they tried to figure out what was different. The filly's coat seemed to shine almost as bright as freshly churned butter and her mane and tail looked to be especially well-groomed today. Even her bright pink bow seemed to almost sparkle in the light. She started to blush slightly at all the staring and pushed past them, heading for the school.
"Q-quit yer dallyin'! We're gonna be late!" She declared, meanwhile one of them noticed something else that was off about their farmer friend.
"Hey Applebloom, what do you have in there?" Sweetie Belle prodded her friend, who currently carried not one, but two separate saddlebags. The others looked to her curiously as her face flushed brighter and she looked anywhere but straight at them.
"N-n-nuthin!" She quickly replied, keeping her head forward and trotting onward, a single shy glance back at the resident drake leaving him with more questions than answers.
With a shrug, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle followed after as Spike brought up the rear. It promised to be an interesting day that at the very least.
~ ~ ~
Dimmed Star sat within the darkness of her room, confining herself away from all distraction as she poured over the new texts she had acquired the previous evening, through less than moral methods. Each book that failed to provide her with the information she desired, met a grizzly end at the bladed tendrils that now whipped through the air above her in agitation. The floor stained black with her Ink bubbled and hissed as she grit her sharp teeth in frustration, her dark eyes bloodshot.
"no... no... no... no. NO. NO. NO!!" She screamed as she flung the latest text with enough force for it to leave a sizable crater in the adjacent wall to her blacked-out window. A multitude of tendrils followed on its heels, skewering the book in place before splitting apart and shredding its contents.
"WHERE ARE YOU!?" She screeched to the heavens, her body halfway between her normal form and her demonic state as her eyes shook with unbridled rage.
Deep within the mare's psyche, the Entity stirred.
"Dimmy?" A timid, yet hopeful voice crept through the small crack beneath the door, snapping the enraged mare back to reality. Breathing heavily, Dimmed Star reigned herself in and slowly made her way to the door, her body creaking and popping as it restored itself. Stopping just short of the door, she breathed a sigh of annoyance.
"Yes, Pinkie?" She could practically feel the mare on the other side poof back into her natural happy state.
"OH, good! I was worried for a moment there when I heard you screaming all angry and everything. I just finished making lunch and I was wondering if you'd be coming down soon? I have a surprise for you~" The mare asked in her usual chipper way. Dimmed Star raised a hoof to her face and nursed the oncoming headache, despite the small smile that played on her lips.
"I'll be down in a minute Pinkie... just let me... clean up..." She spared a slight glance to the bedroom, most of its contents were utterly destroyed in some form or another in her bouts of rage and frustration. She winced at the state of the bed, having been practically cut in half.
"Okie dokie lokie~" Pinkie chimed back, and the mare could be heard as she bounced her way back to the stairs and down to the living area. With a sigh of irritation, as well as defeat, Dimmed Star turned and made her way to the restroom, hoping to at least freshen up a little.
~ ~ ~
Within just a few minutes, Dimmed Star stepped through the door of her room and quickly closed it behind her, locking it with a flick of her horn. She didn't want Spike or Pinkie walking into that mess before she had some time to actually clean it up. Luckily Spike would be at school for a while yet, Pinkie on the other hoof...
Turning towards the stairs, she made her way carefully down to the living area, thoughts of a fresh meal guiding her steps.
'I wonder what's she made this time?' She thought idly as she came around the bend of the stairs, only to freeze at the sight before her.
"Surprise!" Pinkie shouted from behind their group of friends, who all stood together smiling awkwardly as they waved back at her, the table in front of them filled with several plates of their favorite foods. Dimmed Star stared back at them for a brief moment, before turning on her hooves and making her way back upstairs. Pinkie began to panic at this and jumped forwards, grabbing ahold her rear legs.
"W-wait! Please don't go! Give them a chance! You gave me one!" Dimmed Star turned a sour glare on the pink mare, who wilted for a moment, before giving a stern glare of her own and tightening her hold.
"I gave you a chance because you reached out to me. They, however," She snapped her gaze back towards the other mares, who each had the decency to look guilty.
"They haven't tried since the train ride home." She stared them down, only for Applejack to return a look of stern indignation.
"Now hold on an apple pickin' minute! what about the other week when Fluttershy an' ah' helped you an' Spike out with his school supplies, don't that count for somethin'?" Fluttershy turned and looked between the two mares, her eyes wide and suddenly aware that she had been dragged into the conversation. Dimmed Star gave the hardened farmer a scalding look, but she didn't back down.
"Fluttershy helped Spike, not me. She would barely look at me then, and the only other interaction I've had with her were the few times she would leave fish in my mailbox with a note saying, ' Sorry.' As for you, I would hardly call a few words to other ponies while I was present as a passing conversation." Applejack flinched back at that, the bite in Dimmed Star's words leaving a stinging feeling in her chest.
"You're right... we haven't been the best of friends the past few weeks... but we are truly sorry for that..." Rarity stepped forward, her head bowed and her ears laid back as she gave the dark a mare a pleading look.
"We've had to take some time to... process everything... After the wedding, the hearing, and the ride home, there was so much for us all to put together still..." Dimmed Star examined the fashionista carefully.
"Pinkie Pie did tell me that you were each having some trouble with it... But that's not an excuse. If you had questions or wanted to at the very least break the ice, then you should have come forward on your own, not have Pinkie drag you here." She turned once more, her tone having grown more agitated by the second as she began to make her way back upstairs, a plump pink pony firmly attached to her rear left leg.
The sound of rushing wind was accompanied by a flash of rainbow and cyan as Rainbow Dash now hovered in front of her, a look of frustration on her face.
"Hey! We're trying here, okay!? And it wasn't just Pinkie that brought us here, we ALL wanted to come see you! We just... It... Gah!! It's really hard to face somepony when they look like they want to kill you!!" She stomped her hoof on the stairs as she landed in front of the mare. Dimmed Star growled in response, her earlier anger having gone unsated now rising back to the forefront. Before she could lash out at the brash pegasus, a butter-yellow hoof came into view and placed itself on Rainbow's withers. Turning to see Fluttershy now hovering just beside the stairwell, small tears in her eyes and a look of concern.
"S-she doesn't mean any harm... D-Dimmed Star... She's just... scared... We all are..." She looked away in shame as did the others. Dimmed Star felt the rage that had begun to build in her slowly start to subside at those words and she breathed a sigh of irritation and acceptance.
"Finally..." The others looked to her in slight confusion, while she merely shook her head and turned to glance at the pink mare fervently glued to her leg.
"You can let me go now, I'll stay." Pinkie's solemn expression exploded into a wide grin and she jumped from the stairs.
"YES!" She turned and rushed back down the few steps and made a beeline for the kitchen, disappearing through the doors. Dimmed Star rolled her eyes and allowed the slightest of smiles to grace her lips as she calmly walked the few steps needed to reach the ground floor. The other mares, however, could only stare at her in confusion.
"U-um, pardon darling, but what do you mean... finally?" Rarity voiced as Dimmed Star came to a stop at the table and began to glance through the few meat-based meals that were obviously reserved for her. She glanced up momentarily, noting as Fluttershy and Rainbow came from behind her and retook their places.
"It's the same conversation I had with Pinkie the other night." She spoke as though one were talking about the weather. With a brief flash of her black aura, the nearest plate of freshly cooked bacon was dragged close to her and she began to pick through the pieces for the ones with the most crunch.
"The only way that any of us are going to be able to get past this, is for you to be honest with yourselves and with me." She stated as a matter of fact while floating a long piece of the delicacy to her lips and began to devour it. The other mares looked to one another for a moment, before a dawning comprehension overtook their features. Applejack for her part started to chuckle lightly as she tipped her hat to cover her eyes.
"Y'all were waitin' fer us to admit the truth to ya'... about how we feel..." It was an observation that had come at the sudden revelation. Dimmed Star said nothing, only nodding as she consumed another piece of bacon.
"HEY! You weren't supposed to start eating yet!" An indignant Pinkie shouted as she exited the kitchen, several trays of baked goods and a few glasses of juice balanced about her body in a bizarre fashion. Dimmed Star froze as though she were a filly that had been caught with her hoof in a cookie jar.
"But... I thought...?" She tried through a small mouthful as she looked to the pink baker, who was taking no prisoners this day.
"Nu-huh Missy! You know the rules, everypony has a plate before anypony starts eating. It's rude to eat in front of others." She spoke as though she were a professional in culinary etiquette, which she probably was. Dimmed Star suddenly felt small as she gulped the last of the tasty bacon and sat back from the table. The others looked between the two in utter confusion, before Rainbow Dash burst out laughing.
"Ha Hah!!! She's got you whipped!" The weather mare proclaimed as the others joined in with their own chuckles and snorts. Dimmed Star had the decency to blush as Pinkie ignored their teasing and began to pass around more plates and set the drinks.
"But... it's my home..." Dimmed Star tried, only to receive a sympathetic glance from Rarity.
"It's alright darling, it isn't the first time Pinkie's commandeered a living space." Their friends chimed in agreement.
The tension in the air at their arrival had finally seemed to pass and everypony had started to relax again. Once all the meals had been passed around, and with an okay from Pinkie, they began to eat and chat with one another.
"So uh... how long have you two been hanging out exactly?" Rainbow asked through a mouthful of cupcake. Dimmed Star raised an eyebrow at the question, but before she could answer, Pinkie jumped into the conversation.
"Dimmy walked into Sugarcube Corner just last week! She looked to be trying to find a tasty treat but then I really, really, really wanted to say hello! But I accidentally startled her and she turned around all creepy like and scared the other customers and then I chased after her when she left and-" She continued to ramble muffled noises despite having a muffin crammed into her mouth via an Ink soaked hoof. Turning back to Rainbow, who now sported her own raised eyebrow, she sighed.
"As she said, a little over a week." Bringing a glass of water to her lips, she sipped it as Rainbow nodded slowly.
"U-um... I-I don't mean to be a bother... but um..." Fluttershy held up a shaky hoof as she pointed it towards Dimmed Star's few plates of meat-based meals. Dimmed Star thought back to precisely where said meat came from and almost felt a bit guilty... almost.
"To answer your question, I've been hunting in the Everfree." This brought silence to the table, with the exception of Pinkie who continued to talk through the chewing of her muffin and describing the past week's events. Fluttershy's eyes widened and her ears laid back.
"O-oh... I-I guess the fish... wasn't enough then...?" Dimmed Star gave the animal caretaker a deadpan stare as if to say, ' no shit.' The meek mare flinched back awkwardly.
"Now now, I thought we had already moved past this part of the evening?" Rarity pushed herself into the conversation. She looked among everypony at the table who all seemed a bit on edge again. With a roll of her eyes, she face-hoofed.
"For Celestia's sake girls. We've all had plenty of time to make peace with her new diet. Did you all seriously think that she would be satisfied with just a few tin cans of fish?" Turning to the shyest of her friends, she shook her head in disappointment.
"Fluttershy dear, you were the first of us to bring it up and even provided those tins of food. Haven't you been having an influx of animals taking shelter in your home of late? Did you truly not consider why that might be?" Fluttershy flushed in embarrassment and nervousness.
"I-I had a f-feeling... but I... I didn't want to accuse..." Dimmed Star rolled her eyes at this and huffed in annoyance, catching their attention.
"What else was I to do? You had said that you could get me in contact with a meat vendor, even Rainbow mentioned talking to her old griffon friend about it, but neither of you had made the effort to come and say hi, much less take those extra steps. Hunting was the only choice left to me." The two pegasi looked away in embarrassment and shame. Fluttershy then nodded to herself and gave Dimmed Star a more determined look.
"I-if I get you the information for the vendor, does that mean you'll stop hunting in the Everfree?" Dimmed Star was taken aback by the sudden energy of the normally meek mare. Deciding to take a moment and give it some actual thought, debating on the pros and cons of hunting, versus having an available meat vendor. On the one hoof, having to always hunt for her food in the night when no pony was awake and then prepping and storing it in her meat locker was time-consuming, time that could be better spent elsewhere. While on the other hoof, a vendor could get expensive depending on the quality and freshness of the meat, not to mention how far the vendor lived could lead to high shipping expenses.
She was fortunate to find that Celestia had not cut her off from her monthly stipend, yet, but there was also no guarantee that it would be enough to cover the extra costs... Besides, she licked her lips as she thought of the thrill that she felt when overpowering and ending the lives of the many creatures she had consumed already. It was so much fun to be free of restraint in those moments. Half the time she had to force herself to preserve what meat she could before devouring the rest in a bloody frenzy.
"I'm sorry Fluttershy, but I don't think I can give up hunting... I... enjoy it too much..." She spoke in a partially dreamy state, her mouth twisting into a toothy smile that made those at the table a bit more wary of her. Fluttershy's head and ears lowered in disappointment and sadness.
"O-oh... okay then..." Although the mare was more than understanding of her friend's situation, it did little to help how she felt about the animals that lived closest to her ending up on the menu. She made a mental note to not allow Angel Bunny back into the Everfree without her supervision.
"However," Fluttershy looked back up, her eyes hopeful as Dimmed Star gave her a sympathetic smile.
"I haven't been hunting near your home or Zecora's, so you needn't worry." This raised Fluttershy's spirits a bit and she gave a small sigh of relief.
"Th-thank you. I'll be sure to let the critters in my home know not to stray too far into your territory." Dimmed Star nodded to her and continued her ravaging of the plate before her before a sudden thought occurred to her.
"Speaking of Zecora... has anypony seen or heard from her recently?" She asked curiously. Despite her numerous forays into the wilds of the Everfree, she had not once seen the hermit zebra. The others shook their heads or gave some form of negative to the question.
~ ~ ~
Zecora cautiously peeked outside the windows of her home, charms of some unknown purpose and streaks of some form of mud were painted across her face and body. She looked near and far, before slowly making her way out of the door to her home and rushing through the nearby trees to a well-worn path.
‘The beast is gone and now is the time, I must hurry if I am to collect more thyme!’ She rushed about, grasping at herbs along her path, keeping a watchful eye over the light of the sun above.
~ ~ ~
Shrugging her shoulders, Dimmed Star reached forwards and pulled a plate of chicken legs and breasts toward herself, pushing the empty plate that once held the bacon off to the side.
The soft tapping of chalk against a blackboard could be heard around the classroom as Cheerilee worked to write up another paragraph for the fillies and colts to copy in their notebooks. It was nearing lunch and Spike could feel himself growing ever more sleepy with each new line. Despite Applebloom and Sweetie's best attempts to keep him awake during the lecture, the drake had continued to drift and doze.
Sweetie giggled once more as she had begun to get creative with each new attempt, having used anything from her hoof to a ruler, to the tip of her quill to keep him awake. Applebloom for her part seemed almost as jittery as she had this morning, with the exception that she was near constantly watching the clock above the board. Scootaloo watched the two with an unusually reserved expression, normally the brash filly would have joined the two of them in their varied methods of keeping the drake awake.
"Spike, would you like to come up here and finish this for me?" Spike jumped at the sudden call of his name, looking to the front of the room and seeing that Cheerilee was giving him a disapproving stare. He gulped nervously while his classmates' snickers broke the quiet of the room.
"Uh.. sure thing Miss Cheerilee." He croaked out, sliding from behind the desk and making his way towards the board. Just as he reached for the chalk however, the school bell rang, announcing lunch. He breathed a sigh of relief and turned back towards his desk, rushing to grab his things and follow after the crusaders as the three fillies trotted out of the room.
"Sorry Miss Cheerilee! I'll finish it up after lunch, I promise!" He yelled back as Cheerilee tried to call after him. She huffed in frustration, before smiling and waving out the fillies and colts as they herded their way to the schoolyard.
Spike and the crusaders made their way over their favorite spot for lunch, a small patch of grass that rested beneath the shade of a small oak tree.
"Hang on y'all!" Applebloom hurriedly caught their attention as she rushed ahead of them, dropping off both her saddlebags and turning back to Spike, quickly turning him around and trying to push him in the opposite direction.
"H-hey, what’s the big idea?" Bewildered by the filly's antics, he dug his heels and tried to remain in place. Applebloom only pushed him away harder while the other two watched in confusion.
"C-come back in just a few minutes Spike. Ah need to set somethin' up first!" She proclaimed a deep blush on her muzzle and her eyes squeezed shut as she struggled to push him away. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked on at the two of them before glancing at each other and then back to the final member of their club before the realization hit like a cart of apples. With a bright smile on each of their faces, they jumped beside Applebloom and assisted in shoving the poor drake away, who was now both confused and overpowered by the three fillies.
"Get going Spike, it won't take long! I'll come and get you when we're done!" Scootaloo guaranteed as she flashed a bright smile at the drake. Finally relenting, Spike allowed himself to be directed away from the tree and began his trek out towards the other classmates with a feeling of uncertainty. With a sigh of relief, Applebloom turned to her friends, thankful.
"Thank you gals, ah don't think ah could'a pushed him away on mah own. For such a small dragon, he's a lot heavier than ah thought." She froze however when she noticed the strange, predator-like smiles that her friends were giving her.
"U-Uhm... gals?" Shying away from them as they approached, she yelped as her friends descended upon her, the two of them quickly grabbing hold of the unfortunate filly and dragging her off under the tree.
~ ~ ~
Spike wandered around the playground aimlessly, casually adjusting the shoulder strap of his green backpack from one shoulder to the other as it got slightly sore. He had taken to only using one strap at a time as opposed to using them both since the hard spinal ridges of his back would get in the way of the bag itself whenever he tried to put it on. As he wandered around, he thought about what the girls were up to that he couldn't be involved in, but decided it was probably best to leave them to it.
"Fillies can be weird sometimes..." He quietly mumbled as he glanced about the schoolyard, taking note of the many fillies and colts who had already sat down to enjoy their lunch. With a sigh, he meandered his way over towards one of the few open spaces and sat down in the grass, placing his bag before him and unzipping it.
'If they're gonna do their own thing, that's fine I guess. But it's not gonna stop me from getting a full belly.' He smiled as his claws pulled out a purple and green lunch box from within his bag. Opening it, his smile turned into a slight frown and he bowed his head in morbid acceptance. Of course, Star would have been the one to make his lunch for him...
The meager meal consisted of Star's number one dish, a salad. He sighed audibly before a smile graced his lips.
'She's trying at least...' Though the dark mare still had her reservations about their friends and general hostility towards other ponies, she still cared for him a great deal. Enough so that she would struggle in the kitchen in the early hours of the morning to try and make him a homemade meal for school. Luckily, however, there was also the small addition of a jar of gemstones and a single cupcake that he could tell was Pinkie's work.
'Waste not want not...' He thought to himself before picking up the plastic fork and stabbing a large piece of carrot through the middle. As he ate, Spike looked around himself to see the other students chatting and getting along happily, an empty feeling began to settle in his stomach that was unrelated to his present hunger.
'Great, now I'm lonely.' He rolled his eyes at himself and turned back to his meal. He had barely made a small dent in the lettuce, many of the accompanying vegetables sitting untouched. With another sigh, he reached into his bag and withdrew a small juice box. Taking the straw and stabbing it through the mark on top, he sipped it quietly as he eyed the small jar of gems.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here? The little lizard's been kicked out of the blank flank club!" The sound of a young filly's voice, followed by her haughty laughter and the snorting chortle of another filly, decided to announce themselves. Turning to face the grating sound, Spike found himself beset by none other than the bully duo of Cheerilee's class, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Each of them sported smiles that were less than pleasant and neither of them seemed to be going anywhere anytime soon.
'Not exactly the type of company I was hoping to enjoy around this time of day.' Spike internally groaned at this turn of events. Up until now, he had managed to avoid running into this pair over the course of his time in school. It wasn't like he never saw them, they sat in his class after all. It was more a matter of he and the girls were always hanging out together and in plain view of Miss Cheerilee, whom it seemed had gotten held up in the classroom and hadn't made her way out to the grounds yet to observe the students during their break period.
"Go away, I'm trying to eat." Spike stated simply as he turned back to his lunchbox. He'd dealt with far worse things than a couple of bullies at this point, there wasn't any need for him to pay them much mind. Diamond gasped at being ignored, her face scrunching up in anger as she stomped her way around to the front of him and gave a snarky laugh, Silver Spoon right beside her.
"How could you just ignore me like that, lizard!? You should pay attention when a pony is talking to you!" She threw her hoof forward, smacking his lunchbox and his remaining meal, into the grass and across the yard. The small jar of gems that he'd been looking forward too shattered, scattering glass and precious stones into the dirt. Spike jumped to his feet, his eyes sharp and anger clear on his face. All thoughts of ignoring them having been swept aside in a sea of his ire.
"Hey! What's wrong with you!" His fore-claws balled into fists as he fought to keep himself from lashing out. Diamond only smirked and laughed while Silver Spoon giggled.
"There's nothing wrong with me, but there is certainly something wrong with the school board if they're starting to let pets come to class." Her words rang in his ears and he felt his heart drop to his feet as he comprehended those words.
"Wh-what?" His voice was shaky as he stared at her wide-eyed. Diamond grinned triumphantly, she had managed to bait him. Beginning to pace around him, she forced him to turn in a circle to keep her in his field of view.
"You heard me, lizard." She casually flipped her mane as she walked, careful not to tip the pristine tiara that rested upon her white and purple streaked mane. Spike gritted his teeth at that word, it wasn't something he hadn't heard before, being called a lizard from time to time by Rainbow or Scootaloo as they joked around with him was a normal occurrence and it was often just a little light teasing. But the way Diamond said it... something about it didn't sit right and he wanted her to stop. The trio now had a sizable audience as many of their nearby classmates watched the display with curiosity and apprehension.
"What in Equestria made you think that trying to come to school was a good idea? No pony wants you here and no pony needs you here. The only reason Miss Cheerilee even tolerates you in her class is because she's scared of your creepy looking owner." Diamond sneered as she spoke, giving a shudder for effect. Spike's fists curled up even tighter and he could hear his pulse in his ears.
"Don't talk about Star like that!" He shouted, a slight puff of smoke erupting from his nostrils and making Diamond jump back with a startled sound before she grinned back.
"Awe, what's the matter? Are you gonna stand up for your owner now?" Spike's eyes shook with barely restrained anger.
"She's not my owner!" He yelled back at her, stomping his foot.
"Then, like, what is she to you?" Silver Spoon's mocking voice came from behind him. Turning to face the newest threat, Spike bared his teeth in an angry grimace, his tail twitching behind him. Silver only grinned back as Diamond came back around to stand beside her friend.
"That's a good question Silver," She bumped her flank against her friend's who returned the gesture in time with her movements.
"So, answer the question, lizard. What is she if she isn't your owner? There's no way you two are actually related, although, with her appearance, I could see her being some kind of creepy science experiment. Is that what you are? Some failed science things that got out of their cages?" The two friends laughed at the idea while Spike seethed with anger, his breathing becoming heavier as his pupils dilated into tighter slits.
The fillies barely registered the change, that was until small gouts of emerald flame began to spew between his bared fangs. Both fillies looked at the drake with a slight bit of fear for just a moment. Diamond Tiara finally glared back, however, taking a step towards the drake.
"Go ahead, do it, I dare you" Her voice dripped with warning as Spike clenched his clawed fists even tighter, his tail lashing out behind him and digging a small trench as he fought against the urge to take her up on that offer.
"That is enough!" Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon both felt their blood run cold and their eyes widened in surprise. Quickly turning on their hooves, they found themselves being stared down by none other than Cheerilee herself. A small grey pegasus colt with a navy blue mane and tail, stood at her side glaring at the two of them. The other students, who had been quietly observing, quickly took this as their cue to make themselves scarce and went back to their own meals.
The sudden appearance of their teacher snapped Spike from his anger induced reverie, his fists slowly starting to relax and his flames dwindling to a small stream of smoke.
"I leave you fillies alone for five seconds and you jump back to your habits like a couple of manticores! In my office, now!" The magenta pony demanded as she pointed towards the schoolhouse. The fillies gave quick nods while sprinting past the teacher, giving the colt sour glares as he stuck his tongue out at them. Taking a deep, calming breath, Cheerilee turned regard Spike with a worried gaze, before giving him her best, most reassuring smile.
"Please don't mind them, Spike... It's been a bit hard trying to reign in their bullying of others. Their parents haven't exactly been cooperative. But If you'd like, you can discuss what happened with your guardian and we can set up a meeting between the parents so we can talk about this together, like civilized ponies, and hopefully prevent this sort of thing from happening again." Spike's heart was still racing with anger. Despite the small joy he felt at having seen Diamond get caught in the act, he couldn't help but feel unfulfilled in his attempts to defend himself and Dimmed Star. He looked to his feet and nodded carefully, afraid of what he might say should he try to speak. Cheerilee gave the poor drake a sympathetic frown, before stepping forward and nuzzling his head.
"Everything will be fine Spike, you'll see. Just be sure to talk with Miss Star about this. I'll be sending a note home with those two." Spike leaned into her embrace for the briefest of moments, taking deep breaths and letting them out slowly as he fought to calm himself.
"Wh-what about my lunch?" He asked shakily. Cheerilee sighed and glanced to the ruined meal that covered the schoolyard.
"I can share mine with you. My big brother always makes too much anyway, so it's not a problem." The colt cut in, catching their attention. He smiled at the drake and held his hoof up in greeting. Spike stared back for a moment before smiling and placing his fist against the colt's hoof.
"Um, hi? My name's Spike, but are you sure?" Placing his hoof back on the ground, the colt nodded in affirmation as Cheerilee backed away from Spike with a smile on her face.
"Hi Spike, I'm Rumble, and it's no problem. I told you, Thunderlane always makes to much. I usually share it with my... uh ahem... a-anyways. They won't mind." He finished with a stammer and a slight blush. Spike only tilted his head in confusion while Cheerilee could help but giggle lightly.
"Alright then, if you two have this handled, then I need to head back inside." Cheerilee waved at the two of them as she turned and headed back towards the school, her kind eyes darkening as mumbles of frustration at the two fillies she was about to confront whispered between her lips. Spike watched nervously after her, only catching a few words that were not meant for those of a certain age to hear, before a light grey hoof clapped him on the back, nearly knocking the wind out of him.
"Well? C'mon!" Rumble proclaimed as he pushed the drake down the hill towards the school. Spike wondered what was with everypony pushing him in one direction or another today before a thought hit him.
"Wait! I gotta get my stuff first." Spike spun out of Rumble's path, causing the colt to stumble in surprise for a moment. collecting his bag and lunchbox, Spike tried to scoop what bits of his lunch he could back into the tin to be discarded later, only managing to gather the larger pieces left over. Shortly after, he fell into step beside the colt and they both walked towards the wall of the schoolhouse where a single unicorn filly sat waiting for them.
"Hi, Spike!" The light purple, almost pink, filly waved energetically, catching him off guard.
"Uh... hello?" Spike returned, confused. She merely waved him off as Rumble came to sit beside her, giving her a small nuzzle which she sweetly returned with a bright smile. Seeing the strange look Spike gave him however left the colt with a bright blush.
"This is Dinky, she's uh... m-my... m-marefriend..." He admitted quietly while Dinky chuckled and tried to hide her own blush by pretending to adjust her blonde mane. Spike's eyes widened and he felt his own cheeks redden a bit.
"O-oh, so earlier when you said..." Rumble only nodded and Spike scratched awkwardly at the back of his head.
"Well, I don't want to be a bother to you two or anything..." He mumbled, only for a light yellow aura to snatch his bag from him and place it on the ground beside them.
"Sit." Dinky demanded, not even looking at him anymore as her horn was alight with magic. Spike looked to Rumble who could only nod at the drake.
"Don't bother saying, ' no thank you,' she's kinda pushy that way." He whispered towards the drake, unaware of the flick of his marefriend's ear in his direction. He became very much aware of her presence however when he found a whole head of broccoli stuffed in his mouth, fixed into position by a light yellow aura.
"Hush you." The filly stated as she took a piece for herself from her own yellow lunchbox. Spike chuckled at their antics before sitting down in the grass. Turning to the young filly, a single question remained on his mind.
"So, how do you know my name already?" Dinky looked up and he felt his heart drop at the hurt he saw in her eyes.
"We're in the same class! I sit right behind Scootaloo!" She declared as if it was obvious. Spike scratched his head sheepishly.
"Oh... sorry..." She sighed to herself, mumbling about colts as she picked out her favorite foods from her lunch. It looked to be well made, with a great deal of love if the number of heart-shaped fruits were any indication. Rumble, finally having finished chewing through the large head of broccoli, took a large gasp of air.
"Don't take it personally, I'm in the same class as well and I think I was asleep during your introduction. I sit next to Twist by the window." He reached into a saddlebag that was nearby and pulled out a wonderbolt themed lunch box. Popping it open, he pulled out two zip-lock bags that each held sandwiches and two fruit cups.
"Peanut butter and jelly, or daffodils and tulips?" He asked, holding up both bags for Spike to see. Spike looked between the two choices and bit his lip in thought.
"There you are! Sweetie and I have been looking all over for you!" Scootaloo suddenly exclaimed next to his ear in frustration, causing the poor drake to yelp in surprise. Both she and Sweetie Belle now stood on either side of Spike with matching grins that he had never seen on them before, and that worried him.
"Uh... girls?" His question was left hanging as Scootaloo grabbed ahold of him and began to drag him back to the tree while Sweetie Belle grabbed his things.
"Sorry to drake-nap and run, but we already have some plans for lunch." She apologized to the two bewildered ponies as she trotted off after the struggling drake who just wanted to eat in peace and the filly who refused to let him go. Looking at the scene before them, Rumble turned to his marefriend and sighed.
"Well, we had a new friend... for like ten seconds..." Dinky nodded alongside him with a small huff of annoyance.
"..."
"..."
"Wanna follow 'em?" His marefriend didn't waste time on a response as she had already used her magic to pack their belongings, throwing both of their saddlebags onto his back.
"Oof! Why do I have to carry it all?" He asked as he tried to hurry after the filly that had gotten a head start. She turned a bright smile in his directions, a smile that made the whole world fall away.
" 'Cause you looooveee me~" She chanted in a singsong voice, causing him to blush and grumble, but he never denied it or the small smile that threatened to overtake his features.
~ ~ ~
"Can you let me go?" Spike begged as he struggled against the orange forelegs that dragged him along. Scootaloo grunted in effort as she tried to take him a bit further, before finally coming to a stop and letting go. The drake stood and brushed off the grass and bits of dirt that had collected on his scales, scowling at the filly that struggled to catch her breath.
"You... really are... heavy..." She panted as she wiped her brow. Spike ignored the comment about his weight in favor of eyeing the strange scene she had led him to.
The two of them stood before the tree where he and the crusaders would normally have their lunch, but there was a major difference. For one, the large red blanket with a bunch of crocheted apples on its surface was new. He'd never seen the girls lay out a picnic blanket for lunch, although that wasn't the biggest surprise. There, in the center of the blanket, sat a banquet of delicious food! There were apple fritters, caramel apples, apple pie, stuffed apples, apple chips apple cheesecake, salted caramel apple crisp, apple cobbler… There were certainly a lot of apple-themed goodies. Two empty plates sat across from one another as well, along with a couple of juice boxes. Spike stared in confusion at the setup, turning to the practically bouncing pegasus next to him.
"What do you think?" She pleaded, her eyes smiling and hopeful. Spike blinked at her for a moment, his uncertainty rising.
"Uh... it's nice and all, but I don't see what the big deal is?" An indignant huff caught their attention and both looked to see Sweetie Belle staring at Spike with a harsh look of disapproval. Just a little behind her, Rumble and Dinky watched the trio with interest.
"Do you like it or not Spike?" Sweetie Belle pressured, nearly planting her muzzle into his face as she stomped up to him, leaving his things on the ground behind her. Luckily for Spike, his survival instincts kicked in before his brain had time to react and he quickly nodded his head.
"Y-yea! It's uh, r-really nice that you girls would do this." Unfortunately, this seemed to be the wrong answer as both girls groaned and face-hooved. Spike twisted his claws together nervously, unsure as to what he had done to cause such a reaction. Suddenly, Sweetie Belle grabbed him by the shoulders and forced him to turn around, pushing him to the blanket.
"I hope you can figure this part out a bit faster..." She mumbled under breath, unaware of his ability to hear her. Spike gulped as he allowed himself to be corralled onto the blanket and then forcibly made to sit in front of one of the plates.
"Sit. Stay. Watch." She commanded. Spike was quick to obey, sitting straight and keeping his eyes forward, focusing on the tree that provided them with shade.
Sweetie left him on the blanket as she rushed back over to Scootaloo, giving her equally excited friend a quick nod. With a grin like a cheshire cat, Scootaloo looked towards the tree and cupped her hooves to her mouth.
"Now!" It actually took a bit longer for anything to happen, as Spike stared at the tree in utter confusion, before slowly, carefully, a yellow hoof stepped out from behind the small oak.
Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo both bounced in place, giddy in excitement as Dinky gasped in awe. Rumble stared in shock and almost fell over carrying the saddlebags, before receiving a sharp jab to his ribs, courtesy of the filly beside him.
For the first time since the day he had moved to Ponyville, Spike felt his heart leap into his throat.
Applebloom could feel her heart pounding in her chest, her face was flushed and she could feel a tingle in her legs that reached to her hooves. A mix of excitement and nervous fear reverberated within her body as she fought to keep herself rooted in place. Her eyes were clenched tight as she waited for the signal, thinking back on how the day had come to this.
~ ~ ~
"H-hey granny?" Applebloom cautiously asked as she and her elder worked to wash the dishes from the evening's meal. The green mare glanced to the younger one, a curious eye looking over the filly as she looked away with a light blush.
"Wha' is it youngin'?" She nudged the filly with her shoulder, prompting her to look at her elder. Applebloom bit her lip nervously as she brought her eyes back to her granny.
"H-how um.. how did... uh..." Granny Smith raised an eyebrow at the strange interaction, before huffing and turning off the water in the sink. Grabbing a nearby towel, she dried her hooves in the cloth as she turned and sat before her charge.
"Y'all 're gonna hafta speak up now." Applebloom sat down as well, looking to her hooves nervously, her face flushed a bright red that nearly matched her mane. She took a deep breath and tried to steady herself, before bringing her gaze to match that of her grandmother's.
"H-how did Ma an' Pa meet?" The elder mare's eyes widened in surprise a moment of silence passed between the two before a soft smile graced her features and she gave a small chuckle, a twinkle in her eyes.
"Well now, wha' brought this about?" Applebloom nervously rubbed a hoof against her foreleg as she suddenly found the nearby counter far more interesting.
"A-ah was jus' wonderin' was a-all..." She tried to sneak a glance back at her elder, only to flinch back as she found the mare's gaze bore into her with a raised brow.
"Izzat so?" She watched as the filly bit her lip again, before sighing and placing a hoof on the young one's head. The two sat in silence for a moment as Granny Smith looked past the filly and through the doorway into the living room. There, a portrait of two smiling ponies watched them as the filly awaited her response, their faces obscured by shadow.
"The two of ‘em were young, younger than y'all actually when they firs' met." Applebloom's ears perked up as her granny began to speak. Raising her head just a bit as the light green hoof kept softly combing through her mane, she watched her grandmother's face take on an expression of one who looked back on fond memories.
"Back then, ah was a much differen' sorta' mare. Ah had a lot ta prove after yer Granpappy passed an' the farm fell to me. Iffin' ah had been more concerned with him when he was younger, rather than mah pride, perhaps yer Pa would still be with us..." Her eyes watered slightly as she thought back to a time when she was far younger, more stubborn and hard-headed. She shook herself slightly, before smiling back down at her granddaughter.
"But y'all didn' ask 'bout me, y'all wanted to know 'bout yer folks huh?" Applebloom shared her smile, nodding her head eagerly. The elder mare chuckled as she finally removed her hoof and placed it against her own chin.
"As ah was sayin', they were real young the firs' time they met, although yer Pa wouldn't fess up to me for exactly how long they had been 'together.' He leastways gave me a bit of an idea." She stood slowly, the slight popping of her bad hip causing her to wince momentarily before she turned and made her way over to the hall that led out of the kitchen, Applebloom bounding after her. As they stepped into the hall, Granny Smith carefully made her way through the narrow passage until she reached a cabinet that sat a short way in, a small lamp sitting on top.
"Now where did ah put tha' consarnit thang?" She mumbled as she nudged open the cabinet and began digging through its contents. Applebloom could feel a tingling in her hooves as she waited with excitement. The only time this cabinet was normally opened was when Granny and Applejack had a really good story to tell about the family from times past. Granny Smith pushed aside several newer looking albums, before letting out a triumphant noise as she gripped an older, more dusty one from the back. She winced as the dust clogged her nostrils, sneezing slightly. With a kick of her back leg, she closed the cabinet and placed the book on the floor between them, spitting out the dirt and dust.
"Gah, really oughta clean that out more often," She idly noted, before flipping the album open and revealing pictures and clippings of a time before Applebloom could remember. Her eyes widened and shimmered in the dim light with wonder as she beheld the visage of both her parents in many of the images.
"Now, see here is your Pa, Bright Mac, a few days 'fore he and your Ma got married. Granted ah didn' know what he was plannin' at the time and jus' figured he had a bad case of the jitters. He used to get those from time to time if he ate too much zap apple jam, heh heh." She pointed out a picture of an older, yellow stallion with the same fiery red mane as Applebloom herself. The large brown stetson between his hooves being twisted in a nervous anxiety while he tried to smile at the camera. Turning the page, Granny Smith sighed and pointed out the next image.
"This un' here is a photo yer Pa took of yer Ma without my knowin', 'fore they were officially together. Ah don't rightly know when it was taken, but it couldn'a been too long after when IT happened." Applebloom looked upon the image of a beautiful, young, peach-colored mare with a bright orange, messy mane that she kept in a side ponytail. She wasn't looking at the camera as she glanced into the trees above her, showing that the picture had been taken without her knowledge.
"Yer Ma was part of a family with whom we'd had a feud fer many years, I thought it would continue well after ah had passed too, but Bright Mac an' her changed all that in a single night." Flipping through a few more pages, she stopped at one that brought a few tears to her eyes, along with the warmest of smiles.
The photo had been taken at night, a bright and beautiful full moon hanging behind the floral archway that sat behind the smiling couple as they leaned against one another.
"When Buttercup's Pa and ah discovered their hidden relationship, we uh, didn' take too kindly at firs'. But Butter's Pa took it the wors', especially considerin' we both ended up stumblin' upon the weddin' by mistake." Granny's soft green hoof grazed the image slightly, as though she were reaching out in hopes of feeling her loved one's fur just one more time, a single tear trailing her cheek. Applebloom watched her granny carefully with bated breath, almost afraid to ask what came next.
"Your Pa had learned that Buttercup an' her family were gonna move away, so in an act of love, he took a chance an' proposed to Buttercup on the spot when they got together that night. That sweet mare nev'r even hesitated, no matter how angry her father got when he found out." Sniffling slightly, Granny slowly closed the album and looked to her young charge with a smile.
"Your Ma and Pa met when they were young. They nev'r hid anythin' from each other and they nev'r lied to one another. If'n y’all have your heart set on a certain somepony, don't let fear an' doubt get in yer way. Y'all got the same determined eyes of yer Pa, an' ya got yer Ma's kind and lovin' soul." She reached under Applebloom's chin and raised her head up, giving the filly's forehead a quick peck with her lips.
"Y'all will do right by yer heart, ah know it. Now run along, it's almost yer bedtime an' ya got school tomorrow." Applebloom nodded, before leaning closer and wrapping her grandmother in a soft embrace, catching the elder mare off guard.
"Thanks for the story, Granny." Applebloom whispered, causing the mare to tremble slightly, before forcing herself to stop as she returned the embrace.
"Don' y'all worry none, Bloom." She smiled past her granddaughter at the album that lay beneath them.
'Y'all would be so proud of yer little ones.' The single tear that had trailed down her cheek, finally dropping to land with a soft plopping sound against the cover of the album.
~ ~ ~
"Now!" Scootaloo's voice startled Applebloom from her reminiscing, causing her heart to race and butterflies to flutter wildly in her stomach. She fought with herself to take that first step, to follow the plan, but her hooves refused to budge.
'Come on, don't get cold hooves now!' She clenched her eyes shut and strained to stop the pounding in her ears.
'Y'all got the same determined eyes of yer Pa, an' ya got yer Ma's kind and lovin' soul. Y'all will do right by yer heart, ah know it.' Granny Smith's words rang within Applebloom's mind and she gasped as she felt her fear and anxiety begin to melt away. With a newfound strength, she stepped into the light.
~ ~ ~
Dimmed Star stood calmly outside the entrance to the library, the afternoon sun above bearing down on her and the remaining Element bearers as they stood upon her doorstep, staring back with full bellies and wide smiles.
"Thank ya kindly fer the hospitality, Dimmed Star. If'n ya ever need anythin', don't y’all be afraid to come on by the farm." Applejack offered as she held up a hoof to the mare. A moment passed in silence as Dimmed Star stared back at the proffered hoof, her expression not changing from that of an impassive gaze as she merely raised a brow at the action. Applejack chuckled nervously as she gestured toward her hoof with a tilt of her head. The other mares watched with uncertainty as time continued to pass.
"Do not think that this little meal has changed anything." Her eyes held a dangerous glint as Applejack withdrew her leg, retreating to stand next to the others. Each of them looked to the dark mare with concern in their features, Pinkie's lips trembling slightly.
"But, Dimmed Star darl-" Rarity quickly bit her tongue at the scathing look that Dimmed Star shot her way, silencing the alabaster unicorn.
"One meal together, is not going to make me forget about your betrayal. One apology, is not going to make things right between us. One moment of hospitality, does not equate to forgiveness..." The mares' expressions varied as each struggled with the weight of her words.
"But... but we're trying, aren't we? Doesn't that mean anything?" Fluttershy stepped forward, her eyes pleading. Dimmed Star's gaze shot to the mare, a low and guttural growl emanating from between her lips. The other's eyes widened and they backed up several more steps as Dimmed Star looked to each of them in turn.
"Pinkie Pie is trying, the rest of you are trotting a very fine line." Turning back to her home, her low growl began to infect her voice.
"If you truly want to make it up to me, then be there for me, without having to rely on somepony else to drag you here." She glared over her withers at them, her dark eyes sharp and piercing.
"And you had better do it quickly, my time in Ponyville is running out, depending on how soon I get my answers..." The mares flinched back at the bite in her voice.
"A-answers?" The quiet voice of Rainbow Dash echoed back, unsure but curious. Dimmed Star looked back towards her home, through the door frame and up to her room which still lay in ruins.
"I will find her... and I will take what was denied to me... nothing, not Celestia, not Luna, not Discord, and certainly not any of you, will stop me." She trotted forward, a single tendril of Ink leaking from her foreleg and grasping the handle of the door, causing it to creak and groan at its touch. With a final glare back, she grinned maliciously, baring her sharp teeth.
"I will devour her entire being." With that, Dimmed Star slammed the door shut, closing them out. The girls sat in stunned silence for a few moments, wary of the door should it open again.
"Sh-she's leaving? To hunt the changeling?" The question hung in the air for mere seconds before the mares jumped into action together, Applejack and Rarity at the forefront.
"We gotta tell the Princess!" AJ exclaimed as she pawed her forehoof at the ground, her gaze determined. Rarity faced the mare with a harsh rebuttal on her tongue.
"And betray her again!? Honestly, Applejack, I would have thought you would know better than this." Rainbow Dash pushed her way in between the two of them.
"We gotta do something Rarity if she goes off full murder mode, how are we supposed to stop her!?" Fluttershy shivered behind them, covering her head with her wings.
"I-I do-don't want to se-see so much blo-bl-blood again!" Tears threatened to spill from her eyes.
Pinkie Pie watched as the mares argued over what they should do, surprisingly subdued given the situation. She looked back towards the library with a look of longing and sorrow, her normally poofy mane and tail having slightly straightened out.
"Girls..." Her voice was lost in the ranting of the mares and the mumbled concerns of their meek friend.
"I say we call the guard again, have them watch her house you know? Keep an eye on her in case she does leave." Rarity gasped in shock at Rainbow's idea.
"Are you positively mad! You saw what she did to those poor guards at the wedding! You would have Ponyville's own being slaughtered in the same manner!?" Rainbow reared back in defense.
"Girls!" Once more, Pinkie's voice went unheard.
"What! No! I mean just have them watch her, you know? No way do I want a repeat of -that!" Applejack stomped her hoof, getting their attention.
"We can't jus' let her do as she pleases Rare's. We told the Princess we'd keep an eye on 'er, and Ah ain't gonna go back on that." She huffed as Rarity turned back to face her, the white unicorn's face turning a slight red in her anger.
"And just WHAT do you propose we do Applejack? Follow Rainbow's advice and let her massacre the Ponyville guard? Call the Princess and have her send the Royal Army? The results will still be the same! The only thing we know for certain is that the Element of Magic managed to stop her rampage, but we can't rely on that as its firmly in the Princess' hoov-" Shoving herself between the mares and forcing them to acknowledge her, Pinkie once more called for their attention.
"GIRLS!" Silence followed her shout as it echoed off the homes and buildings around them. A few stray ponies stopped to stare at the group for a moment in bewilderment. Glaring to each of her friends in turn, Pinkie stomped a hoof and snorted in anger.
"I can't believe you! Arguing over what to do about our friend as though she's some sort of wild animal!" Rainbow Dash and Applejack went to interject, but Pinkie's firm glare had them backing down before they could begin.
"I know what she's done, but she is still our friend!" Tears welled up in her eyes as she glanced back to the library.
"She's suffered so much... could you honestly say you wouldn't be as angry as her if the same had happened to any of you?" The quiet that followed was more than enough of an answer. Looking back at them, her eyes glistened with barely restrained tears.
"If Applebloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, or Angel Bunny had been taken from you, ripped from your hooves and their life snuffed out in front of you... would you just lie down and take it, or would you be out there doing everything in your power to take down the bad guy?" Her sudden question startled them, causing the mares to think about how they would handle such a thing.
"Ah... Ah would never stop lookin'... Ah'd hunt them to the end of Equestria and beyond..." The thought of losing her younger sibling in such a manner caused a near physical pain in Applejack's heart. She clenched her eyes shut and held a hoof to her chest. Rainbow Dash looked to the sky, her eyes misty as she imagined a life without her biggest fan. Rarity gasped as she held a hoof to her mouth, tears in her eyes as she thought of the idea of losing Sweetie Belle. Fluttershy stared at Pinkie with horror-filled eyes, the mere mention of Angel being taken in such a way, shaking her to her core. Pinkie shook her head at them in sorrow.
"Dimmy didn't lose Spike... she lost herself..." She clenched her eyes tight, fighting back the urge to scream in frustration.
"I wish... I wish I could take back what happened... I wish I could go back in time and tell past-me not to turn away from her, to listen to Twilight and trust her judgment... but I can't. And neither can any of you. This is who she is now... it's what she is now... we can either choose to accept it, or run away from it..." She raised her head and stared at each of them in the eyes, causing them to wilt under her bright blue gaze.
"We made her this way… so I won't run... I'll keep my head high... and I'll stay with her... because that's what friends do." She ended with a note of finality, turning away from them and slowly trotting back towards Sugarcube Corner. The mares watched her go, their minds a flurry with Pinkie's words. Silently, the four of them parted, giving one another passing glances as they each made their own way home. None of them noticing the shadow that watched from the window of the dimly lit library.
~ ~ ~
Spike felt as though he had become related to a goldfish quite suddenly as he could only stare and gape at the filly before him.
Applebloom blushed profusely as she stood beside the tree, a bright and sleeveless red sundress draped around her withers and reaching to her back hooves. A few, green, embroidered vines stretched up from the bottom of the dress, stopping just around her flanks with a few yellow flowers blooming here and there. Her mane was no longer simply flowing behind her, having been curled in some places and now brought to her right side as a smaller pink bow held it in a sidetail, similar to how her mother's had been. Her hooves looked freshly shined and her coat looked to have been combed through. Her lips shimmering in the light of the sun, a sign of the lip gloss that Sweetie Belle had been kind enough to provide.
Given the look on Spike's face, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo wasted no time in clapping their hooves to one another in success. Applebloom ignored her friends' quiet cheers and chose instead to focus on the drake that sat dumbfounded on the blanket.
'Jus' say somthin' already!' She pleaded to him with all her heart. It was pounding in her chest and she didn't know how much more she could take.
Spike for his part was in absolute awe. He watched as a small wind caught little bits of Applebloom's mane and toyed with them in the wind. The slightest hint of a caramel apple's scent danced in his nostrils and he could feel his dry mouth water. His heart throbbed in his chest and he could feel his face burning with a bright blush.
"H-h-hi?" He provided after nearly a minute of silence. He immediately wanted to kick himself for how squeaky his voice had sounded. Applebloom's blush, however, only grew stronger.
"H-hi Spike..." She squeaked out in turn. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo watched the two of them with giddy anticipation, Dinky having stepped beside them at some point with a matching grin on her face. Rumble watched from the sidelines, a slight blush on his cheeks as he looked on, feeling as though he were intruding.
"Do... do ya like it?" It was barely a whisper, but Spike's hearing just managed picked up on Applebloom's soft voice. He nervously wrung his claws together, trying to sit straighter and fighting to keep his tail from moving around too much. Slowly, he nodded, his heart aching and his face flushed.
His affirmation on her attire was more than enough to send her heart into a flutter as she blushed profusely. The sound of slight snickering caught her attention however and she looked to see her friends and the two newcomers just standing there, staring at them with goofy grins on their faces. With a slight grimace, she gave them a scathing look and tilted her head towards the playground. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked to her in confusion for only a moment, before realization dawned on them.
Turning to their new companions, Scootaloo grabbed ahold of Dinky, while Sweetie Belle gripped Rumble's tail in her teeth. The two of them let out small yelps of surprise that were promptly ignored as they were dragged off towards the schoolyard, leaving the young drake and farmer to themselves.
Spike didn't even register the absence of their friends, his eyes were too focused on the picture of beauty that stood before him. With the two of them now alone, Applebloom slowly made her way towards the blanket, sitting across from him and nervously rubbing her foreleg. The two stayed silent for a few more moments, an awkwardness hanging in the air.
"Uh..." Spike's sudden attempt at vocabulary startled Applebloom and she looked to him in confusion, before giggling lightly.
"C-c'mon Spike, ah'm still me..." She tried slowly, hoping to stem the heat in her face as well as the awkward tension between them. Spike blinked a few times at that, before chuckling slightly and scratching at the back of his head nervously.
"Y-yea..." The two returned to their silence, glancing around one another with nervous blushes on their faces. Applebloom's eyes caught a glimpse of one of the many food items that sat around them, inspiration striking her.
"Would... would y'all like somethin' to eat? A-ah made it fer... us..." Her blush grew brighter as she spoke, the realization of her words bearing down on her. Spike looked to her with wide eyes, his purple scales growing darker as he gave the large basket of food a once over.
"How did you make all of this?" He asked, genuinely curious. Applebloom grinned at finally having something to talk about.
"Mah granny helped out. We got up earlier this mornin' and she helped me put it all together." The filly leaned forward gripping the basket and holding it out for him to see.
"Wanna try some?" Spike's eyes traced the food and his stomach gave a rumble of approval at the sight and smells. Nodding, he reached out and took a few of the apple fritters that sat on top, placing them on his own plate. Applebloom smiled and withdrew her hooves, placing the basket back in place, before grabbing a few for herself.
Smiling, Spike took the first fritter and popped it into his mouth, savoring the flavor. Applebloom giggled at him as he closed his eyes and groaned as though he were in bliss. The two of them ate in relative silence, appreciating one another's company and just enjoying the meal. As Spike ate, he began to look her over again in a new light, something seemed... different.
'Aside from her change in attire and her hair... it almost looks like she's... glowing?' He thought as he stared at her. The sunlight danced upon her golden fur, lending evidence to this as he was entranced by the visual. Her mane flowing softly in a loose breeze.
Applebloom could feel the blush in her face returning as she tried to ignore his constant gaze, her eyes flitting between her hooves and his eyes.
"U-um, Spike?" He flinched back at the sudden calling of his name, her change in tone bringing him back from his musings. He noted the light blush on her face and his own scales turned a dark purple.
"Y-yea?" He tried cautiously, his mouth suddenly dry. She looked back up from her hooves, leaning forwards slightly as her heart pounded in her ears. Spike could feel his heart hammering in his chest as she leaned closer, that scent of caramel apples growing ever stronger.
"A-ah... ah r-really... l-l-lik-," The sound of the schoolhouse bell rang out, drowning out her words and pulling them away from the moment. From a few nearby bushes, they could hear a familiar voice shout.
"Oh come on!"
Applebloom sighed, her ears laid back in defeat as she and Spike sat together. The moment ruined, she pulled back and began to pack the leftover food items back into the basket as Spike watched her curiously.
"Appl-," His attempt cut off by a yellow hoof, Applebloom looked to him with tears in her eyes and a soft smile as she held his lips closed.
"N-not now, Spike... L-let's jus', get back to class..." Pulling her hoof away, she stood and gripped the basket of treats in her teeth, moving it to the edge of the blanket to set it down.
"Ah'll clean all this up, y'all go on and tell Miss. Cheerilee ah'll be there soon." Spike watched as she began to roll up the blanket, nodding slowly.
"Uh... yeah... ok..." He turned slowly, grabbing his own bag and making his way after the other students as they filed back into the schoolhouse. He looked back several times, watching as Applebloom slowly cleaned up, before going back behind the tree, possibly to change out of the dress. Just before he made it back into the building, he watched as Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle ran from a few of the bushes that had been close by, rushing to the tree where the filly had disappeared.
His heart ached with worry and confusion.
Chapter Twenty-Three: A Tortured Soul ( Remastered)
Scootaloo watched as the dirt and rocks of the trail passed beneath her, only looking up ever so often to confirm her location. She listened to the sound of the dirt crunching beneath the wheels of her scooter, counted the number of large rocks she missed, paced out each kick as her left hind leg thrust her ever onward. Her chin rested on the handlebar as she rolled through town, her thoughts adrift.
The school day had passed quickly, far too quickly for her taste. She may not have particularly enjoyed the work given to her, but she did enjoy the time she got to spend with her friends. The fun and antics that she and the girls got up to were always the highlights of her day. Even though things seemed to end on a bit of a sour note today, she still had fun. Helping Applebloom into that dress had been a bit girly sure, but it was still fun. Seeing Spike's face when he saw her, that had been hilarious! And waiting in anticipation for the moment when Applebloom would confess had been so exciting! Too bad the bell got in the way of that, but they all knew they were on a short-timer, and getting everything set up had eaten up a good chunk of that.
‘Well, if Sweetie hadn't been so insistent on the lip gloss and brushing through her coat two more times, we probably would have finished with enough time...' She pondered as her eyes drifted towards the clouds, instinctively trying to spy out a certain blue speedster. With no luck once more, she sighed and finally set her eyes forward, groaning as her small home came into view.
She wished that she could have gone back to Dimmed Star's, but if she had, then she knew exactly what she would come home to afterward. Her ears laid back against her head as she remembered the scolding she received from her father about staying out so late... She raised a hoof to her face, lightly brushing near her left eye and wincing at the pain it brought her. Bringing her hoof back down, she noted that just the barest hint of orange makeup had been collected there. She nodded solemnly, having more than once been appreciative of the makeup kit that Sweetie had gotten her last Hearth's Warming... If only she didn't have to use it for things like this...
'At least this time he partially missed.' She thought bitterly, the memory of his wild, drunken swing, still fresh in her mind. Sighing, she stopped kicking the ground beneath her, allowing her scooter to come to a slow stop as she had now made it to the front of her house. Biting her lip, she debating on taking the back door instead but shook her head at this.
'If he doesn't see me at least once, he'll get mad again...' Making her way through the gate, she rolled through the heavy grass and parked her scooter once more along the side of the house. Taking a deep and steadying breath, she opened the door and made her way inside, her heart filled with dread and anxiety.
The lights were off and the sound of a heavy snore could be heard echoing down the short entryway. She flinched at the noise, slowly closing the door behind her and making her way through the hall. Her nose scrunched up in disgust as she approached the living room, the smell of old booze and something she couldn't quite pinpoint, wafting through the musty air. Peeking around the corner, she found her adoptive father, a dark beige earth pony, asleep on his sofa with a bottle of dark liquid sitting in the hole that had been carved out in the arm. Many more bottles were scattered about the coffee table, along with plates that were covered in half-eaten food. The floor of the room had been carpet at one point, but after a stain of alcohol and some arguing, it had been ripped up with a kitchen knife, leaving only the bare wood that was covered in the tacks that had held the carpet in place. She could still see several portions of the old red cloth, memories of days when she would have been sitting on it reading adventure stories with her mom played in her head...
Taking careful steps into the room, she maneuvered her way through the mess of garbage, before reaching her father's chair. Her mouth was dry and she felt the heavyweight of fear in her chest.
"D-dad?" She tried in a whisper, her voice cracking slightly as she instinctively flinched back, expecting a response. The only thing to return was a particularly loud snore. She would have found it funny if she wasn't so scared.
"Da-daddy?" She tried again, her voice only slightly above a whisper this time. Still, he did not respond, leaving her with her final and most dreaded option.
Taking a deep breath for strength, she leaned forward and carefully placed a trembling hoof on his foreleg, shaking it slightly as she raised her voice.
"Dad!" The reaction was immediate as his bloodshot eyes shot open and he fumbled into wakefulness. Scootaloo quickly snatched her hoof away and backed up to the edge of the coffee table, her tail between her legs and her ears laid back as she watched in worry. Brutus slowly came cognitive as he looked around, his eyes finally settling on the filly before him.
"Wha..." He seemed to still be mostly out of it.
"I-I was just letting you know that I'm h-home." Scootaloo spouted quickly, hoping to take advantage of his sleepy state and still get away with him having seen her at least once. She turned and tried to trot her way out of the room before he could fully wake, a glimmer of hope in her chest.
"Ey!" That hope died as quickly as it had been born, bringing her to stop in her tracks, panic rising. Turning slowly to look him in the eyes, her father would always get angry if she didn't look him in the eyes.
"Y-yes?" Her voice cracked once more as she awaited his orders. He blinked at her carefully for a moment, before his eyes trailed over to the half-empty bottle of booze, it had obviously been sitting there for a while.
"Bring me another..." She nodded quietly, turning and finally rushing from the room as he slumped back into his chair.
Her heart pounding in her chest, Scootaloo made her way to the kitchen and opened the fridge, pulling out a cold bottle of her father's choice addiction. As she turned and kicked the door closed, her eyes landed on the sink, filled with more dishes. Her eyes glazed over for just a moment as she imagined pulling the top off of the bottle and pouring its contents down the drain, imagining things going back to how they used to be afterward.
Her mother, a bright red pegasus with a short cut mane of yellows and golds, struggling as she tried not to laugh with her mouth full of food. Her father making funny faces and sounds using the various vegetables on his plate, doing his best impression of a walrus while Scootaloo herself would guffaw at his antics. A happy and loving family...
She blinked as her vision swam with tears, washing away the fantasy and returning her to the dirty and downtrodden mess that awaited her in reality. Blinking away the tears and sniffing, she gripped the cold bottle in her teeth and made her way back to the living room, her father didn't like waiting.
Once she made it back with the drink, she was elated to find that her father had actually fallen back to sleep. Creeping into the room, she carefully placed the bottle on the edge of the coffee table, before turning tail and rushing back into the hall and up the stairs along the side. As she trotted up to the second floor, she slowed her pace a bit, her excitement of being able to avoid her father for a second-round subsiding as she now had to slowly make her way past their bedroom where her mother slept.
She wasn't sure what her parents did for a living to make money, but she knew that her mother liked to gamble most of it away. It had started just a few years after the adoption, that much was certain, but everything truly went downhill when she fell into debt with people that she couldn't pay...
Scootaloo made her way past the room, its door closed tight thankfully, so there was no risk of her being spotted should her mother wake suddenly. Releasing a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding, Scootaloo grinned at her luck and made her way into her bedroom, closing the door behind her.
Her room was more barren than one would expect of a young filly, but that was because most of what she had owned had been sold off by her father to cover her mother's debts. The only things she was allowed to keep were her bed, a box of broken or unwanted toys, a small desk with a mirror, and her scooter. Trotting over to the bottom side of the bed, she raised her ears and listened intently, making sure that no pony was up or heading her way. Having confirmed that she would not be bothered, she struggled as she lifted the mattress' bottom end on her back, before gripping a small case, hidden beneath the mattress, in her teeth and pulling it out. Her small treasure retrieved, she lowered the mattress back in place and trotted over to the desk, her eyes carefully examining herself in the mirror.
To anypony else, she looked rather normal, her fur bright and her eyes sparkling, but she could see far past that. Opening a drawer, she pulled out a bottle of water and a washrag, placing them on the desk as she opened the small case. Inside were an assortment of brushes and small bottles and vials of makeup, the kit that Sweetie Belle had provided to her had become Scootaloo's greatest treasure. It allowed her to live a normal life outside of this place.
Taking the rag and bottle, she unscrewed the cap and soaked the article of cloth, before softly dabbing it around her left eye. A large, dark bruise slowly came into view as the makeup of the day was removed. She flinched as she pressed too hard in one spot, causing a spike of pain to shoot through her face. She paused for a moment, allowing it to pass, before returning to her work. Once her eye was clean, she moved to another part of her body... then another... then another.
This process always took some time, and she was always thorough. She had tried leaving the makeup on one time, trying to carry it over to another day, only to discover that it was a rather cheap set that wasn't intended for extended use. It had begun melting off of her soon into the day and she had to rush from school with a lie of illness to keep her secret hidden. It was better to clean it off at the end of the day and replenish it again the next.
'I wonder what Dimmed Star is doing?' She thought idly to herself as she scrubbed at the makeup. She imagined that Spike and Dimmed Star would be curled up together like they were every afternoon at this time, working on schoolwork, before being treated to a hot meal by Pinkie Pie. The jubilant mare popping in every now and again to bring a smile to their faces. She sighed as she closed her eyes, remembering the past week in bliss. She missed the banter she would always share with Spike and he and she would take jabs at one another, or simply try to help each other with their work. The disapproving, yet caring stares of Dimmed Star as she often tried to get them to focus more and stop fooling around so much. The smile on the mare's face whenever Scootaloo would proudly show her a problem that she had solved on her own, and the joy she felt in her heart at such a smile. She felt so warm in those moments, so at peace.
A trail of tears graced her cheeks, the cold liquid startling her from her reverie and bringing her once more back to the present, where the image of her that stared back was far from warm. Her bright purple eyes were dull and sullen from lack of sleep, the large bruise covering her left eye only accenting the dark bags beneath. several more bruises ran the length of her body, under her wings, across her back, and on her flanks. A few small lines of pink flesh crisscrossed here and there, fur no longer growing where gashes had been forced to heal without stitches. She tightened her wings along her side, despite the pain it caused, in an attempt to hide her ribs that could easily be seen without the aid of makeup. Her stomach grumbled quietly, but she ignored it like always.
She knew she wasn't as bad off as she could have been, she did actually get to eat after all. But it was only once a day since her parents were budgeting money to cover both debts, alcohol, and more gambling...
Often she could get a decent enough meal, but as a growing filly her body required far more than what she was given, and so it came to this. It only made the... punishments... worse... Standing on her hooves, she turned herself around as she watched the mirror carefully, keeping an eye out for anything she might have missed, before nodding and stashing both the rag and the bottle back in the desk. Pulling out the vials of makeup, she popped open a few of the caps and stared in trepidation at the low amounts left, biting her lip in worry.
'I can't just ask Sweetie for more, as far as she knows I've never even touched this.' She glanced between the many colors, wondering if she could combine a few to make more of the same color. Just as she was reaching for a brush to try, a loud crash came from downstairs, followed by a barrage of curses.
"Where is that damn brat!?" Her father's voice echoed up the hall, followed quickly by his heavy hoof steps. Panicking, Scootaloo threw the vials and bottles back into the case and stuffed it into her saddlebags, before yanking her closet open and pulling out an old grey hoodie. She counted the heavy steps as she pulled it over her head and down her torso, pushing her wings through holes on its back and hiding the bulk of the bruises, her father didn't like looking at them. She turned back to the door just as it was thrust open, the seething stallion bearing down on her with a face of absolute fury.
"Do you have any idea of what you've done!?" He screamed, gripping her right ear in clenched teeth. She released a yelp of pain, begging for him to let go as he forcibly dragged her out of the room, her mother standing groggily in the hall and glaring at them.
"What did she do this time Brutus?" She demanded, her eyes narrowing on the filly as she cried helplessly, blood beginning to leak from where the stallion's teeth were clenched too tightly into the flesh. He glared back but did not answer as he made it to the stairs and dragged the filly down them.
"P-please daddy! L-let go-o-o!" Scootaloo squealed, her body trembling and terror in her eyes. Brutus surprisingly did as she asked, but not in the manner that she would have expected. Rearing back, he flung her forward, sending the filly sprawling into the living room with a scream of pain, the top half of her right ear having ripped and now dangled by a thin piece of flesh. Blood poured over her face as she screamed in pain, tears blinding her. Brutus strode to her and grabbed the back of her head with a hoof, before forcing it into the floor that was covered in spilled booze and broken pieces of glass, she screamed even louder.
"Do you see this!? Do you see what you did!? I told you to bring me a drink, not set it on the Celestia damned table!" Scootaloo cried helplessly, her ear in agony and the bits of glass that stabbed at her creating nicks and cuts in her neck and face. She tried to blink the tears from her eyes, begging her father to let go as she caught a glimpse of her mother at the bottom of the stairs.
"M-m-mommy! He-help me-e-e-e!!!" She pleaded desperately, hiccuping through her sobs and a hoof reaching out to her. Vibrant Glow watched the two of them, her eyes were nervous. Even for punishment, this was extreme. Brutus finally released the filly's head, kicking her in the side and sending her into the leg of the table, knocking the wind out of her and silencing her for a moment.
"I can't have one damn thing in this house!" He screamed in anger, turning on his wife now as she looked away and bit her tongue.
"All of my money is gone! Spent in some Goddess forsaken casino! A brat I have to feed because the thrice-damned orphanage is half a country away! Sold everything of value just to keep a roof over our heads!" He ranted, stomping around the two of them as Scootaloo struggled to breathe, coughing a small amount of blood and curling in on herself as she whimpered.
"I have one damn thing left to me, one! But I can't seem to have that anymore, can I Scootaloo!?" He turned once more on the helpless filly, the small and easy target. He gripped her tail in his teeth and dragged her away from the table, she screamed in fear and latched onto its legs, dragging it with her.
"Let go dammit!" He screamed as he struck out with a hoof, jabbing it's hard edge into her side and causing her to release the object with another scream of pain. In desperation, she kicked out hard with her back legs, just catching something with her hoof.
"Shit!" A cry of surprise and pain came from behind and she suddenly found herself free. Not looking back, she limped as fast as she could out of the living room and to the entryway, Vibrant Glow staring after her in shock.
"Get back here you little cunt!" Hearing him bearing down on her once more, Scootaloo ignored the pain in her gut and sprinted at the door, grabbing ahold to it just as he reached her. She gripped the handle, turning and yanking it open as he gripped her around the barrel.
"Let go of the damned door!" He yelled, pulling back tightly. Scootaloo felt something pop in her barrel and bit back a scream of absolute agony, turning it into drive as she lunged down and bit his leg hard, blood flooding her mouth.
"Fucking bitch!" Brutus shouted, releasing her and yanking his leg away, giving her the opening she needed. Bolting from the home, she spread her wings and let them buzz as quickly as possible, not enough to fly, but plenty to speed her up as she made her way out towards the edge of town and into the Everfree.
~ ~ ~
Spike sat with Dimmed Star as the two of them poured over his homework, a look of struggle upon his face, but not one induced by the current workload.
After the events of the school day, Applebloom had rushed home before he could have a chance to speak with her, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle trailing after with small excuses of having to head home early. As he made his way home, he kept thinking back on the events of lunch, still unsure how to proceed.
'What was she going to say?' He wondered as he thought back to when she had been interrupted. Remembering that moment also brought back the visual of the filly in her dress, her crimson mane shifting softly and the smell of caramel apples wafting to his nostrils. He inhaled deeply, hoping to keep that smell going.
"Spike, are you listening to me?" Dimmed Star's voice brought him back to the present, shaking him from his memories. Looking to his guardian and friend, he smiled sheepishly.
"Uh... yes?" She sighed in mild irritation.
"Is there something wrong? You've been out of it this whole evening. We've been at this for almost an hour now and it almost seems as though we haven't made any real progress because you keep getting distracted." She scolded as she pushed the school texts and papers out of the way and adjusting themselves so that they now sat across from one another, instead of Spike leaning against her side like he normally would.
Spike bit his lip in slight embarrassment as he suddenly found himself to be under scrutiny. How could he possibly tell Star about what happened with Applebloom? He didn't even know what happened! He mulled over his thoughts as Dimmed Star raised an eyebrow at his silence, waiting patiently for his answer.
He looked back down as he struggled to find some way to change the subject, his eyes landing on his claws that were clasped together, tracing slowly across their sharp edge, leading up to his scales. He lifted them closer to his face, partially examining them with more scrutiny than usual. His mind trailing back to the run-in with the two school bullies as their taunts and jibes echoed in his ears.
"Spike?" Dimmed Star's voice pulled him from his memories and back to the present, his eyes meeting her worried gaze. He took in her form, a pony form. Although he knew she was more than that now, she still looked like one of them. Biting his lower lip nervously, he became acutely aware of his sharper teeth, sharper than a pony's. Bowing his head once more, he lowered his claws into his lap.
"Star... am... am I a... p-pet?" At first, he got no answer, just a sharp intake of breath. He waited for a moment, expecting some form of response, only for the quiet to continue. Chancing a lookup, his eyes widened and he felt his cold blood freeze over.
Dimmed Star's eyes were wide, an expression bordering confusion and rage across her face as her mouth struggled to retain its normal shape even as the flesh split to reveal more of her jagged teeth. A black miasma had begun to slowly drift away from her body and he could hear the sounds of joints twisting from within her flesh. It terrified him.
"Who. Said. That?" She demanded as her eyes trained on him, the malice in her voice promising a painful end to those in her way. Spike trembled as he quickly shook his head, fighting back the urge to run.
"N-no pony! I promise! I-It was just, s-something I had been thinking about!" He quickly tried to diffuse her anger, jumping to his feet as he backed away. He didn't get far as a tendril of Ink lashed out from beneath the pillows that Dimmed Star had sat upon, the bright red and yellow cushions slowly turning black as her Ink began to fill the floor beneath her. She slowly rose to her hooves as the tendril snaked its way around Spike, making him sweat nervously as it slowly came to form a serpent with red eyes. It neither grasped nor touched him as it hissed softly, angling its long body to coerce Spike forward. He stumbled slightly, afraid as he came to a stop just before his guardian, his friend, and mentor.
"Do not lie to me, Spike… Somepony put that in your head. You have never once questioned anything of the sort, never once brought up the fact that you were different. You were raised to believe that you were equal, and you are equal. Somepony has infected your thoughts, and I. Will. Not. Have It!!" She hissed venomously, the candles that kept the home lit in the low afternoon light flickering as their warmth was overshadowed by her rage. Spike trembled even as the serpent that encircled him seemed to almost caress his scales, treating him as though he were made of glass.
'Oh Celestia what do I do!? She's gonna kill Diamond and Silver if I tell her!' He warred within himself, his mind racing frantically as he fought to think of something, anything that could quell the mare.
A frantic knocking on wood broke the tension in the air, startling the both of them. Light seemed to fill the room again as Dimmed Star's anger was put on hold for the moment, a ferocious growl vibrating in her throat as she forcibly called back her Ink within her hooves. Just as Spike breathed a sigh of relief, rushing towards the door past her, but not before she shot him a stern glare.
"This conversation is not over." Spike gulped audibly as he reached the entryway, pulling the door open.
"Hi Spiky!~" Pinkie's happy voice met his ears and he smiled back at the bright pink mare as she bounced her way inside. Dimmed Star raised an eyebrow at the mare, who stopped bouncing and suddenly seemed a bit more subdued under Dimmer Star's gaze.
"Hiya Dimmy, um, I wanted to apologize." Dimmed Star said nothing as she watched her, Pinkie taking this her cue to keep going.
"I didn't mean to cause so much trouble today, honest. I was just trying to help everypony be friends again. I guess I should have thought about it more..." She lowered her head slightly, before finding herself in a surprisingly warm embrace. She blinked as she looked to see Dimmed Star was hugging her.
"It's okay Pinkie, I know what you were trying to do and I appreciate it. But they have to come to me on their own terms if they want forgiveness." Leaning back from her friend, Dimmed Star gave the mare her best, most reassuring smile.
"Much like you did." Pinkie beamed back brightly, almost vibrating in place, before she jumped forward and grasped the mare in another hug, knocking the wind out of her.
"Yay! We're friends again! Oh, I can't wait to tell the Cakes! They've been so worried about me because I've been all sad and mopey and-" Dimmed Star barely listened to the mare as she looked past the fluffy pink mane to glare at Spike, who was laughing uproariously at her current situation.
'Ugh, the things I do for my friends...' Dimmed Star thought with irritation, before smiling to herself.
Chapter Twenty-Four: An Educator's Solemn Duty ( Remastered)
She stumbled through the dark forest, the light from the Moon above obscured by the thick foliage. Her legs, caked in mud, ached from the exertion and her lungs burned as she struggled to breathe. Her eyelids fluttering, she strained to keep them open, the dried blood across her face chipping and falling away to dust. A fresh trail leaked from the torn flesh of her right ear, the top half flailing about as she moved.
Whimpering, she pressed on through the darkness, forcing herself to keep moving, to keep living, no matter what.
The sound of wood creaking from behind met her ears and she froze, her heart pounding in fear. Shakily, she turned to peek behind her, her eyes meeting yellow. Her small whimper became a gurgled cry as her eyes clenched shut, turning and hobbling away as fast as her legs could carry, but it was in vain.
The creatures stepped out from the shadows, their wooden bodies creaking and their foul breath filling her nostrils, making her gag at the smell. Slowly stalking towards her, they growled and snapped their splinter-like fangs. There was no need to chase their prey, she was already on her last legs. Walking faster than she could flee, they quickly caught up to her, both of them now standing on either side and snapping at her hooves, playing with their food.
Crying profusely, she tripped as one sliced through the flesh of her foreleg, sending her tumbling into the dirt and mud. Curling in on herself, their shadows overtook her, their piercing yellow eyes staring down at her hungrily. Closing her eyes tightly, she begged and pleaded for the pain to end, for anyone to come and save her.
When it seemed that nothing was going to happen, she opened her eyes just slightly, a faint glimmer of hope that somehow her prayers had been answered. Looking above her, she was horrified to find them still there, the creatures that would feast upon her flesh and her life. Their dark beige and vibrant reds almost completely hidden by the bark and leaves that covered their bodies. The angry glare in her father's eyes and the disapproving stare of her mother boring into her very being.
"You are such a worthless daughter! You can never do anything right!" His voice thundered above, causing her to curl in on herself even more.
"I-I'm s-s-sorry Da-daddy!" She sobbed, before her mother came closer, her face disgusted.
"No wonder you were in that orphanage, we never should have adopted you. Always needy, always hungry. We give you a roof over your head and still, you don't appreciate us. Are we just not good enough!?" The filly shook her head, her eyes clenched shut.
"N-N-o-o! Th-that's not-" But her voice was drowned out by their howling, their constant berating.
"We never should have loved you!" A crack of thunder echoed with their voices before darkness descended on her with gnashing fangs and splintering claws. She screamed as the world faded into darkness.
~ ~ ~
Purple eyes snapped open in shock, Scootaloo's voice escaping as a barely audible scream. Lightning flashed through the sky above, its faint light only just reaching her through the trees as it’s thunderous clap shook the world.
The filly lay beneath the roots of a fallen tree, half of her body sunken into a muddy hole as cold rain continued to pour through the canopy above. Coughing up the water that had filled her lungs, she fought against the suction of the liquidated dirt, gasping in pain as she dragged herself from the pit, her body aching and the dried blood across her face becoming a morbid painting as it absorbed the moisture that trailed down her frame. Her body trembling, she limped through the cold storm and shadows of the Everfree.
Her eyes ran with tears that intermingled with the blood and rain, dripping down her neck and to the forest floor as she went. Hours seemed to pass, and there seemed to be no end to the pain in sight. The storm, both the one above and the one within, were endless and weighed upon her body with their might. Her thoughts were clouded with memories of the times she longed for, but the times that hurt the most were most prominent, bearing down on her being. Slowly, her bright eyes grew dull, the light within beginning to lose its spark as she found herself edging ever further into the darkness and the cold.
Miles behind her, a single blue light floated along, following the tracks in the mud, the softest sound of laughter echoing from it as it raced to meet its new plaything.
~ ~ ~
"And that's kinda why I didn't tell her..." Spike explained, standing before his teacher in a yellow raincoat as he wrung out his coat's hat over a trash bin. Cheerilee for her part stared at the young drake, her left eye twitching and her mouth parted slightly as she fought to comprehend what he had just told her.
"S-so let me get this straight... if you tell Miss Star about what happened, then...," She let the sentence hang as she nodded her head in the direction of a particular pair of students in her class, who were thankfully not paying attention. Raising a hoof, she slid it across her neck. Spike nodded reluctantly, looking to her apologetically as her eyes widened even further at his confirmation.
"Oh, Celestia..." Her voice mirrored her horror at the thought. Gulping nervously, she looked him over carefully as he removed his coat.
"She... She hasn't done anything, you know... to you, has she?" Her worry increasing as she thought of the young drake, this child, living in the same home with such a mare. Seeing where she was going, he quickly threw his claws up in denial.
"No no! Star would never hurt me, and not anypony else if she could help it... I think... Yea she has to eat meat now, and she loves hunting in the forest, but it's not like she's eyeing us all up like that." He smiled fondly as he looked back down, his claws trailing carefully over the brim of his yellow hat as he thought about how angry she had gotten when he'd asked if he was a pet, how much she cared.
"She gets angry more often, and will take it out on her surroundings... but I think with a little more interaction, she'll start to be a bit kinder to everypony." He looked up to her with a bright smile, his green eyes sparkling with hope and determination. Cheerilee looked to him with just as much worry as before, but also with a sense of pride.
"Very well Spike, I'll trust you. But should you ever need anything, my door is always open." He nodded to her, pausing for a moment, before leaning forward and giving her a light hug that she warmly returned with a chuckle.
"Now now, don't want to make the fillies jealous, get in your seat so we can start class." His face flushed at her small jibe, nodding as he grabbed his things and quickly took his seat. As he reached into his backpack for a pencil, Miss Cheerilee called the class to order, quieting down the other students.
"Okay everypony, oh and drake," the class chuckled at the small correction before she continued, " It's time to get started, now does anybody remember what we talked about during yesterday's history lecture about the E.U.P guard?" Several hooves shot up as she smiled at them, of course, most of the young ponies that had paid any attention during the lecture were the pegasi, but it was still nice to see more than two or three hooves hit the air when she asked a question.
Scanning the crowd, she had to do a double-take as an empty desk stood out to her. Staring in confusion, she quickly did a headcount, coming up short. It took her no time at all to realize who was missing either, as there was a distinct lack of a bright orange pegasus in the room.
"Applebloom, Sweetie, do you know where Scootaloo is?" She turned to the filly's closest friends, who each looked to one another nervously, their actions quickly displaying the answer. With a sigh, she turned from the podium and trotted up to the blackboard and grabbing hold of a piece of chalk. Quietly jotting down a few assignments, she replaced the chalk and made her way over to the desk and flipped through several folders from the bottom drawer. Nodding once she found the right one, she took a sheet of paper from it and copied the address before heading to the door, grabbing a pink raincoat from a stand beside it.
"Alright class, I'll be leaving you all for a few minutes. I want you to follow the instructions on the board and stay in your seats, she looked pointedly at two of the fillies who had already begun to turn from their chairs. They quickly snapped back to the front with nervous smiles as she watched them for a few moments.
"Twist, you’re in charge until I return, and I will return shortly, so I expect every creature to have completed at least the first assignment by then." The cream-colored filly gave a vigorous nod to her teacher, her curly red mane bouncing.
"Yes, Miss Cheerilee." The class chimed as books were opened and pencils started moving. She waited for just a moment more, worry creeping into her heart before she shook it off and decided to trust her students. Opening the door, she grimaced as the cold rain splashed against her face as she pushed out into the storm.
Taking the trail at a quick trot, she was thankful that the weather team had managed to filter out the brunt of the wild storm. It wasn't often that the Everfree's weather made it into their little town, but when it did, it made sure they knew it.
As she approached her destination, she groaned at the sight that met her. The town guardhouse was always a worn-looking building, with the guards within looking even more so, but to not even see one guard sitting at the window was never a good sign. It usually meant that they were either out on patrol, or on lunch.
Reaching the building, she stepped beneath the corner of the roof that hung above the window and tapped the glass quickly, hoping that someone was still inside. The constant downpour of rain against the roof was all that met her ears as she waited for a few more minutes, before knocking against it even harder.
"Hello! Is anypony there!?" Shouting over the rain, she felt a rush of annoyance.
'Why now of all times! Always so useless!' She complained. It wasn't technically their fault she guessed, with the Element Bearers having taken care of any threat that raised in the recent past, the guard had become complacent and lazy, even to the point that most of the officers were either out of shape or too old to do more than give you a stern talking too. Placing her face against the glass, she tried to peek through and see if anypony was there, to no avail.
"Dammit!" cursing in frustration, she turned to look around, trying to think of what she could do. Retrieving the copy of the address from within her coat, she bit her lip as she glanced at the shack and back.
'Technically, I'm supposed to have a guard with me when I approach a parent's home... but I suppose it couldn't hurt this once.' Her mind made up, she studied the address for a few seconds, committing it to memory, before stashing the paper back in her pocket and trotting out into the rain.
~ ~ ~
"Pst." Spike looked up in surprise at the sound, turning to find its source. Applebloom looked to him for a moment like a moth would a lantern, before blushing and looking away as their eyes met.
"S-sorry to botha' ya Spike, but have y'all seen Scoot anywhere?" Sweetie Belle looked past her friend at him as well, her eyes hopeful. Shaking his head, he dashed their hopes as the three of them looked around, making sure that nopony was eavesdropping.
"I thought you three normally walked together?" He asked, his voice low as to keep from being discovered. The two of them shook their heads.
"Not always, we normally walk to school with our sisters on days like this. Though, for some reason Rarity was much clingier than usual. She had me play dress up with her for what felt like forever last night. Even when I wanted to go to bed, she insisted that I sleep with her instead of my own room." Sweetie Belle scratched at the side of her head with a hoof, confusion and concern etched across her face. Applebloom nodded at this, her scarlet red mane bouncing along with the pink bow. Spike noted absently that she had put it back into its usual style with some disappointment, he blinked owlishly at that thought before blushing and focusing on what she was saying.
"Ah know right! Applejack wuz jus' like that! She kept showin’ up every time ah turned aroun', askin' me if'n ah wuz ok or needed anythin'. She kept takin' tools from mah hooves, tellin' me they were too dangerous fer me to be usin'. Ah've been helpin' fix the fence fer ages, Ah don’ need a babysitter!" Spike looked between the two of them, concern showing in his features.
"Um, ok? But, about Scootaloo?" The two friends looked to one another, worry in their eyes.
"We don't know, she's always just sorta, here, on rainy days. I don't think I've seen her come to school with anypony besides that time Rainbow Dash brought her." The three of them sat in silence as they pondered over where their feathered friend could be when Applebloom’s eyes suddenly lit up as an idea struck her.
"Y'all don't think she's sick do ya? Ah know she's seemed a bit more distant yesterday, but ah didn' think much of it." Sweetie Belle rubbed her chin in thought.
"I'm not sure, she didn't seem sick, but you never know." Spike shivered as he imagined the filly home in bed with a thermometer and a wet rag on her forehead.
"If she is, I hope she didn't give it to me with as often as she dragged me around yesterday." He raised a claw to his head, feeling for any change in temperature. The two fillies giggled at him, causing him to quickly remove his appendage in embarrassment.
"Well, if that is the case, I hope she gets better soon." Sweetie wished her friend well as she returned to her work, her script looking more akin to a fancy letter than a bit of school work. Applebloom nodded as she bit into her pencil, moving it around a bit as she contemplated the next question.
"I hope so too..." Spike whispered as he turned to the nearest window, just catching a flash of lightning that stretched across the sky.
~ ~ ~
Wood scraped across the floor as Dimmed Star pushed her bed back into place, her ears laying back in an effort to block out the noise. Breathing with exertion, she fell back on her haunches as she wiped the sweat from her brow, the sound of furious scrubbing drawing her attention. Looking over, she smiled slightly at the concentrated face of Pinkie as the mare stared a hole into the dark flooring that she was attempting to clean.
"Pinkie, I don't think any amount of scrubbing is going to get that stain out." She chuckled lightly as the mare glared at the stain, determination in her eyes and her nose scrunching up in challenge.
"Never say never Dimmy! There's no stain that Pinkamena Diane Pie can't clean! Just ask Mrs. Cake!" She proclaimed, before dipping the rag back into a nearby bucket of suds and returning to her work. Dimmed Star smirked at the mare's attempts, before looking around at their progress.
The disaster that had once been her room was beginning to look livable again, which was a good thing as sleeping on the cushions in the living room was not the most comfortable thing according to a certain drake. When Star had alluded to Spike the reason as to why they couldn't sleep in their room, she made sure to leave out a few key details. Glancing over, she grimaced at the sight of Spike's basket, sliced in half with stuffing from its cushion spilling out.
'I'll buy him a sapphire cupcake, that should smooth things over until we get him a new bed.' She thought idly as she looked around. Her eyes caught Pinkie taking a small break to glare at the stain once more, causing her to snicker again. Hearing this, Pinkie looked over to stare at her, before she too started giggling. It wasn't long until both mares were rolling on the floor in laughter, Pinkie holding her sides and Dimmed Star wiping dark tears from her eyes, only for them to fall to the floor and add more stains.
"Hey! Stop making my work harder, haha!" Pinkie giggled as she pointed to the stains. Dimmed Star's sharp teeth were barely restrained behind her wide smile.
"You could stand to do more, the only thing you've done so far is try to clean that one stain!" Pinkie gasped in mock hurt, her eyes shining.
"That is sooo not true! I cooked you some yummy bacon this morning no matter how bad it smelled and besides, this is a really tough stain!" The two erupted into more laughter just as a flash of lightning and the rumble of thunder startled them from their elation. Pinkie looked out over the bed as she peered through the window, the rain outside spilling against the glass and pouring down its surface.
"Yowza, those Everfree storms really are no joke. I hope Dashy is doing ok up there." She looked to the clouds, wondering if the cyan mare was having an easier or harder time above the storm. A slight splash from behind caught her off guard, causing her to turn around. Dimmed Star stood nearby, her face stoic and eyes sharp as she looked around carefully, trickles of Ink bleeding from her hooves and slowly filling a puddle beneath her. Pinkie leaned back a bit, her confusion and worry evident on her face.
"S-sorry Dimmy, I didn't mean to, you know..." Dimmed Star didn't seem to be paying the mare any attention however. She breathed in carefully as she closed her eyes, the Ink below her slowly trying to draw itself back in. Opening them once more, she noticed Pinkie's fearful gaze, following it to the puddle beneath where she studied it for a long moment.
"Sorry Pinkie, it was just the lightning... I'm still not that great with... surprises..." Pinkie's eyes rose from the puddle, understanding and relief flooding her features as her ears perked up once more.
"That's okay Dimmy, I thought it was, well never mind." The room was bathed in silence then as the two sat and listened to the rain, Pinkie watching curiously as Dimmed Star's Ink returned to her body. With a gasp and a smile, the silence was broken as Pinkie bounced over to the dark mare.
"Dimmy, Dimmy, Dimmy! I have an idea!" Dimmed Star looked to the mare in confusion, an eyebrow raised.
"Bring your goo back and cover the whole floor with it, that way I don't have to fight a stain that never ever, ever, ever, ever gets any smaller!" Dimmed Star blinked at her suggestion, looking around at the floor beneath them and biting her lip in worry.
"I don't know Pinkie, my Ink kind of has a rather... harsh, effect on things." Pinkie nodded quickly, her smile never fading.
"Yeeeees, but it doesn't seem to always be like that. Only when you pass through things with it, or when you are super duper upset! Why not try using it without being angry?" Dimmed Star stared at Pinkie's smiling face in surprise, before nodding cautiously and focusing on her Ink, drawing it back out and into the open. The fluid trailed through the fur of her legs, before pooling together once more beneath her. Closing her eyes in concentration, she cleared her mind and focused on something that she liked, anything to keep her anger under control. Her mind raced as she tried to think of anything that would keep her calm, Pinkie watching the puddle with both trepidation and hope.
An image became clearer within her mind's eye as Dimmed Star smiled softly, a warm feeling growing within her. The image was of Spike, a younger and more innocent little drake than he was today. The image shifted repeatedly, like a painting in motion, as the little wyrm laughed and giggled before her, his tiny claws grasping at her fur and mane. With this image, she focused and expanded her Ink, allowing it to slowly flood the room. Pinkie gasped in delight, before jumping up onto the nearby bed to avoid the puddle. She watched with a bright smile as it expanded from its owner, coating the floor and subsequently painting it in tandem.
~ ~ ~
Within the dark recesses of Dimmed Star's mind, the Entity stirred, its eyes snapping open and glaring at the light that kept it at bay. The light that seemed stronger now as it glared back with as much vehemence. Glowering at its current warden, the Entity sneered in disgust, before a gaping maw of glowing red light smiled out from the shadows. It may not be able to directly control the host anymore, but it could most certainly still influence their thoughts.
A sickening sound, the Entity's voice revealed itself in the form of grotesque laughter, the twisted gurgling and bubbling of its voice echoing with malice as it extended dark tendrils of miasma that filled its host's thoughts, bleeding into her mind.
The light that imprisoned it grew ever weaker.
~ ~ ~
Dimmed Star basked in the sound of Spike's voice as the two of them played together in the field, laughing and rolling about until suddenly she found herself alone. Looking about her in worry, she tried to call out for the drake, but nothing came out. Grasping at her neck, she tried to speak, yet still, nothing would come. Hearing a cry, she turned to see the infant Spike, in the hooves of Celestia as she glared back at her.
"Something like you doesn't need to be taking care of someone else, you'll only do more harm than good!" Dimmed Star's eyes widened at her words, the warmth in her chest vanishing as a cold anger took its place. She tried to speak once more, but again no sound came. Celestia only shook her head in shame.
"You could have been a great unicorn, and an even better mentor than I. But you chose this instead, and so I must keep your choices from influencing those around you... Goodbye, Twilight." Dimmed Star's eyes bored into the princess with rage as the alicorn turned and began to walk away, Spike still struggling to escape the grasp of her hoof as he grabbed at the air towards Dimmed Star, his cries of protest ringing in her ears.
Dimmed Star tried to chase after them, but was unable to move. She struggled against her motionless body, a silent scream demanding her freedom. Her movements slowing, she glared at the ground beneath her, rage growing evermore as her lips moved, but still, no sound came out. She tried again, and again, and again. Finally, with the crescendo of her rage, she leaped forward after the princess, her hooves tearing through the ground and her voice free as it shattered the sky.
"GIVE ME BACK MY SON!!"
~ ~ ~
Pinkie looked around at the puddle of Ink as it had fully covered the floor, beaming as she thought of how much of a genius she was.
"Okie dokie Dimmy, I think that's enough!" She called, turning to her friend with a smile, only to immediately throw herself to the window and wall behind her, yelling out in horror.
Dimmed Star leaped at the mare, her form twisted and jaws open wide as she snapped them closed where Pinkie had been, just catching a tuft of pink fur. Panicking, Pinkie leaped from the bed to a nearby bookshelf, avoiding the now steaming and bubbling liquid below.
"D-Dimmy! It's me, P-Pinkie! Please don't eat me-e-e!" She cried out, tears pouring from her eyes as she began to jump from one piece of furniture to the next with the demonic mare in tow. Her only response was a terrifying roar as the mare grew even lankier, thrusting herself after the baker even faster than before. Missing the mare by less and less as she closed in, the two of them left a trail of destruction throughout the room as Pinkie struggled to find a way to reach out to her friend.
"Come on, think!" She begged herself. Daring to look back at her attacker, she found herself set upon by the mare, her jaws wide and ready to end her life. A cold shiver ran down her spine, causing her body to shake for a moment with a strange, yet familiar sensation that made her eyes go wide. Hope filling her, she turned and instead of fleeing from the monster that threatened to consume her, she jumped at the mare and grasped her hooves around her body in a tight hug, her eyes squeezed shut.
'Oh Celestia please let this work!' She begged and pleaded. The sudden change in motion brought the two of them crashing into the Ink soaked floor, splashing the fluid around and covering both of them until all was silent as still. Despite everything coming to a halt, Pinkie refused to release her enraged friend, hugging her tightly even as the sounds and feelings of the mare slowly shifting back into her natural pony form had begun.
Slowly opening her eyes, Pinkie raised her head up until she and Dimmed Star were face to face, both of them panting heavily. Dimmed Star looked to her with confusion as the two lay there, Ink dripping from the both of them.
"Uh... what... happened?" The baker did not answer as she stared back, tears pouring from her eyes and sniffling.
"Y-you're back... thank goodness... you're back..." She placed her forehead against Dimmed Star's chest and wept profusely, not caring to explain. Dimmed Star felt herself tense up, feeling slightly uncomfortable at this unknown situation, before wrapping her hooves around the mare and calmly stroking her mane as she whispered comforting words into her ear.
~ ~ ~
Celestia sighed as she tossed aside another piece of parchment, something about a lord out near Trottingham requesting funding to have a railroad built from his private estate to the capital so he wouldn't have to ' inconvenience' himself by going out of his way to take it at the local train station on the other side of the city.
'He could simply have one of his many carriages take him, but no, he has to bother me with this drivel, as though I don’t already have more important matters to deal with.' She sighed once more, her horn lighting up as she poured herself another cup of tea, the sound of something cracking causing her to stop. Confused, she quickly inspected her tea set, looking for any damage.
"What in Equestria?" She asked quietly as she found no damage. Standing, she replaced the cup on its tray and levitated it alongside her as she trotted over to her door. Glancing into a nearby mirror, she quickly made sure she was presentable, before stepping out where she could be seen among the other nobles and guards, her path set towards the kitchens.
Within her room, the light that cast from the fireplace flickered and bounced upon many a surface, but one in particular fractured the light into several pieces that sparkled against the walls.
The almost black Element of Magic sat upon her work desk, a single small crack gracing its surface.
Her purple eyes stared up into the canopy above, cold rain pouring down as it splashed into the puddles of mud and water that surrounded her. The agony that consumed her had long ago sapped what little strength she had left, leaving her to do nothing but lay motionless in the mud. There, she cried silently beneath the rain, the wracking sobs of her body leaving her to suffer through more pain.
Beneath the mud and cloth that covered her barrel and frame, her right side had darkened considerably as an ominous bruise threatened to stretch across the whole of her chest and side. The glass that rested within her cheek and throat would tremble with her movements, slicing their way ever further into the long swollen flesh with every hitched breath, sending small streams of fresh blood to join the dried trails of the previous night. Her vision began to blur as she watched the drops of water cascade around her, darkness covering the edges of what she could see.
“Gu… he…” Her voice gurgled as she tried to speak, to pray for help, but naught would come. The pain in her neck and throat spiking with each attempt. Clenching her eyes tightly, she begged for the pain to stop, for anything to make it go away.
Soft laughter echoed just within reach of her hearing. Eyes wide with a mixture of hope and fear, she struggled to raise her head, the world spinning around her as she fought to balance herself. There was nothing there, nothing that she could see at the very least. The laughter returned, it’s chime-like sound doing little to assuage her fears.
“Wh… ghk…” Her throat burned as she fought to speak, her voice a false imitation of what it had been. Nevertheless, a response came in the form of a flash of light as a small blue flame appeared before her. Scootaloo’s eyes strained to make out the ball of light, but the blur of her vision prevented her from seeing anything more than its flickering edges. The flame did not move, simply floating between the trees as she watched it.
Slowly, a fog descended on her mind as she stared at the flickering light, the world around it falling away. Shakily drawing herself up, she found herself limping towards the warm luminescence, its bright and comforting glow felt soothing upon her fur. A flicker of hope rose within her as the light waited for her, a burst of soft and cheerful laughter echoing from within it.
With a teary smile, Scootaloo carefully made her way towards it, ignoring the searing pain and the occasional root that would trip her into the dirt. She could no longer feel the cool rain and the closer she got to the light the warmer she felt.
Suddenly, the flame began to move. It cast itself back a great distance away from her and into the forest, not far enough to disappear, but enough for her to feel the cold and the pain once more. Desperate, she called out for it to wait, her broken and choked voice barely above a whisper. The flame did not move, waiting patiently as the filly climbed over the large roots and passed through the thick underbrush to catch up, to feel its warmth once more. The warm light waited for her to close much of the distance between them, before leaping back again. Guiding the filly as she fought to stay within its presence, to feel its warmth and soothing light.
‘Please! Don’t leave me alone!’
~ ~ ~
Lightning arced its way across the grey sky, illuminating the darkroom and casting Dimmed Star’s shadow across the floor. When the shade returned, the only light left was that of the dim glow of her teal eyes, burning into the wall opposite of her as she seethed, the faintest hint of a dark mist emanating from her body.
She had lost control, she had let go for just a moment, and it had almost cost her the one pony she was able to call ‘friend’. The sound of teeth grinding against one another joined with the rolling thunder as she burned a hole into the wood with her gaze.
‘Where dammit… where did it go wrong?’ Her anger at having lost control was palpable in the air around her, the low growl in her throat just above a whisper. Leaping from the bed, her hooves met the blackened wood with a heavy thud and she began to pace across the room as she cast her eyes towards the door that led to the bath. The light that streamed beneath it was dim, the only sign of its occupancy.
Pinkie Pie had secluded herself within, claiming that she needed to clean the Ink from her fur, but Dimmed Star could still faintly hear the whimpers of the mare behind the closed door, the sound of vigorous scrubbing accompanying them. Grimacing, she turned away from the door and found instead the shattered remains of her mirror. Multiple sets of glowing pupils sitting within black sclera stared back at her mockingly. With a snarl, she slammed her forehooves into them, her Ink flooding forth and reducing the fragments to dust, leaving her uncaring even as the wooden floor beneath it groaned and splintered at the substance’s caustic properties. Breathing heavily, she bit back her rage, forcing herself to calm down and think more rationally.
‘What’s it matter anymore, she’s seen me at my worst even before this. I shouldn’t be so bothered by this!’ The Ink climbed its way back up her hooves, leaving the portion of the floor where her hooves rested thoroughly ruined and devoid of stability. Raising a hoof, the floor creaked and a portion of it fell into the small divot she had created in her fury. Glancing about her, she grabbed the nearest object, a fallen piece of the dresser, and used it to cover the hole. It could be dealt with at a later time.
A door slamming shut from behind made her jump, twisting around to see the bathroom door was still closed, but there was now a shadow that blocked some of the room’s light from filtering beneath it. Sighing, she turned and trotted away from the mess and towards the bedroom door.
“I’ll be waiting downstairs Pinkie, just… come down when you’re ready…” No response came even as she watched the shadow beneath the door remain in place. Taking a deep breath, Dimmed Star continued on her way out of the room and down towards the kitchen.
~ ~ ~
Pinkie sobbed quietly as she leaned against the door frame. She had finally regained the courage to face her friend again, only to catch the mare in the act of destroying more of the room. Hurriedly closing the door, she had collapsed against it and found herself sliding down its surface, her haunches coming to rest upon the cool floor.
‘I don’t know if I can do this!’ She struggled with herself, reaching up and grasping her head within her hooves, her body trembling as the tears fell. For a moment she sat there, her mind in turmoil as her fear threatened to overtake her.
“I’ll be waiting downstairs Pinkie, just… come down when you’re ready…” Dimmed Star’s voice cut through the silence, bringing her back to stare wide-eyed at the door. Her lips opened as if to respond, but she clamped them shut quickly, waiting. A sharp inhale of breath and a few hoof-steps later were the only tell that Dimmed Star had left. Now truly alone with her thoughts, clearer since Dimmed Star had brought her back to reality, she bowed her head in shame.
‘That… that wasn’t her… that wasn’t Dimmy... ‘ Trembling, she brought her hooves down to let them rest upon the floor again. It wasn’t her friend that had attacked her, something else had… something… Her eyes widened and she quickly began to look herself over once more in a panic, her heart racing as she tried to spot any potential leftover goo that could still be clinging to her. Never again, she never wanted to see that horrible liquid again. Blinking away the remaining tears, she stood on shaking hooves and made her way back to the tub, another wash wouldn’t hurt, just to be safe.
The sound of running water could be heard through the door of the bathroom, just slightly lower than the rain that pelted against the bedroom window.
~ ~ ~
Cheerilee cursed her luck, she cursed it thrice over and demanded recompense for the amount of manure she was having to go through at this very moment. The rain was bad enough, but having to dodge a tree that was struck down by lightning? Either the Goddess had a vendetta against her or this was karma for that one time she spent a week at the Burning Mare concert as a filly.
‘I have to be getting close! Come on, which one!’ Looking left and right, she scanned mailboxes in hopes of finding the right home.
Suddenly a number jumped out at her, forcing her to skid to a stop in a small trench of mud. Groaning at the mess on her hooves, she stomped back towards the mailbox and sighed in relief.
“Finally!” She called to the sky above, before trotting through the small wooden fence and into the front yard. Her eyes traced the yard’s state of disarray for nary a moment before dismissing it in favor of her purpose for being here. Reaching the door, she stepped beneath the small alcove its frame provided and shook off her hooves as best she could, it wouldn’t do to be covered in mud when talking with the parents of her students. Once she felt she was presentable enough the young mare turned to the door and knocked.
Waiting for a few moments, nothing happened. Blinking in confusion, she leaned over and placed an ear against the door, expecting to hear hoof steps. No such sound met her as she leaned away from it. Taking a deep breath to help keep her patience, she smiled brightly as she knocked again, louder this time. The wind picked up on her right, causing her pink raincoat’s hood to slap against her face distractedly. Sputtering as rain and wind briefly pelted her, she swatted at the article before the sound of groaning wood caught her attention.
“WHAT DO YOU WANT!?” A voice screamed into her face, causing her to backpedal from the door. Staring wide-eyed, she took in the state of the stallion before her. He looked as though he’d just been through Tartarus, his fur was matted and messy, his mane was tangled and dirty water dripped from his face and body. He glared at her with narrowed eyes that shook, dark bags beneath the only sign of his lack of sleep.
“O-oh, dear… I seem to have come at a bad time… Mr…?” She leaned back a bit as the smell of the stallion, and the home’s atmosphere filled her nostrils. Coughing, she did her best to use the fabric that had been previous a nuisance, now her only chance at breathing clean air as she covered her nose and mouth. The stallion either took no notice or simply didn’t care as he stared back at her, before glancing around behind the mare, his eyes searching in a panic for a moment.
“What. Do. You. Want.” He demanded of her again. Cheerilee felt herself slump a bit at this, before sighing in resignation.
“I’m sorry to bother you, sir, my name is Miss Cheerilee. I’m Scootaloo’s teacher, Mrs. Glow and I spoke when she was first enrolled?” Trying to steer the conversation into somewhat more familiar territory, she gave him the best smile that she could muster, doing her utmost to not breathe in. The stallion stopped his constant searching and focused his eyes onto the mare once more, his apprehension seeming to skyrocket at the mention of his daughter. A flash of lightning sparked across the sky, startling them both as they each looked to the clouds above, thunder rumbling across the town.
“Celestia dammit!” The stallion grumbled, looking to the ground as his mind raced, before turning back to his home. Concern overriding her instinct, Cheerilee jumped forward and placed a hoof upon the stallion’s side, stopping him.
“Sir, please! I need to know if Scootaloo is okay, she wasn’t in class this morning!” The stallion glared at her hoof for a long moment before shrugging her off and turning his gaze to her. She almost wilted under his withering stare, but her concern for her student was more important to her than accommodating this stallion’s bad attitude. She glared back in defiance as the two stood in the doorway.
“Scoot… yes… you sh-should come inside, it’ll be easier to... speak that way.” Turning, he continued his trek into the home as Cheerilee watched him go. The dark entryway left open to her, Cheerilee paused as she eyed the dark home. Something didn’t feel right, almost every instinct in her was screaming to not go inside for some reason. Biting her lip nervously, she cautiously went to take a step forward before lightning flashed behind her once more.
Without the stallion blocking her path, the scene of the hallway struck Cheerilee to her core and the blood in her veins froze.
In the brief moment of light caused by the storm, the shadowy hallway and all of its contents were revealed before her. A crimson fluid stained the wall and streaked across the floor, leading a trail both outside of the entryway and up the stairs. Several red soaked towels and a bucket were strewn about in a haphazard mess alongside what appeared to be feathers, both orange and red in color, scattered in the hall. Darkness returned to the home and Cheerilee stood imprisoned by her locked muscles upon the doorstep, her body's trembling no longer caused by the cool rain.
“Are you coming or what!?” The stallion called, only now did she hear the strain in his voice. A tone of voice that she had come to be familiar with when a student tried to lie about having done their homework. Her mouth opening and closing for a moment, fear and horror warring with both her urge to flee and the need to know if Scootaloo was alright.
‘Oh Celestia, what do I do, what do I do, what do I do!?’ Her mind raced as she stared down the shadows of the hallway. This was exactly why you bring a guard with you! She screamed at herself. Ponyville was always peaceful with the exception of the occasional creature from the Everfree running rampant, but nopony ever got hurt! The most anypony had ever done was steal a sweet roll from a cart on market day, even that pony got off with a warning and a day of probation! The sound of hooves stomping on wood echoed through the hallway, the only sign to her that the stallion was on his way back to the door.
‘To Tartarus with this! I need to get help!’ Without waiting for the stallion to make his appearance again, Cheerilee’s legs carried her away from the home at a frantic pace. His voice calling out behind her.
“Guard! Guard! GUARD!!!” Screaming at the top of her lungs, she didn’t bother trying to keep her hood up any longer, the rain coating her face and mane.
~ ~ ~
Brutus stood in shock at the doorway to his home, watching as the mare ran and began to scream for the guard. Looking back down the hall, his heart raced as panic began to set in.
‘How!? How did she see it!?’ Low thunder rumbled from on high, sending him into a cursing fit as he glared at the sky that had dared to betray him.
‘I have to get to her first!’ His eyes dark and shaking, he rushed from his home, slamming the door shut in his wake and galloping after the mare. If he could get to her before anypony else, he could still salvage this. He just had to shut her up, the same way he shut his wife up... She just wouldn’t stop screaming at him for running Scootaloo off! What did she care anyway, it wasn’t like she had been ‘Mother-of-the-Year’ material! It was her fault in the first place, her and her stupid gambling habit! She lost all of their money, all of his money!
His building anger grew as he chased after the magenta mare, the storm doing little to hide her bright raincoat. Every month the collectors would come, taking his hard earnings and leaving them with little to live with. Every month she would beg for a bit more, to try again and again, always promising that it would be the last, that she had a surefire way to win this time and get their lives back. The mare looked back, spotting him hot on her tail. Screaming, she picked up speed, tears streaming down her face. Gritting his teeth, he tried to speed up, but his lungs burned and his muscles ached. His lack of physical activity and heavy drinking were taking their toll. Looking around as they ran, he grinned as he suddenly ran between two homes to his right.
‘The guardhouse is on the East side of town, I can catch her if I cut her off.’ His thoughts, clouded with anger and fear, kept him from thinking about what he would actually do once he’d caught up to her. If she got the guard, his life would be over, but he could save it, he could keep everything if he got rid of her. Just do away with them all and he could have his life back! A choking laugh escaped his lips as he imagined himself once more sitting in his bright home, a single bachelor with no wife to ruin his finances, no filly to constantly have to take care of and feed. This mare may have done him no wrong, but she was trying too, she was trying to take away his chances at a peaceful and quiet life, he couldn’t let that happen!
The sudden pain of slamming his injured foreleg into something solid caused him to cry out, his body flailing as he fell forward into the mud. Growling in frustration and rage, he scrambled back to his hooves and continued to run. He didn’t have time to waste!
~ ~ ~
Dimmed Star stared out the kitchen window as she waited for the kettle to announce itself. The soft burning of the stove filling the kitchen with a slight warmth that could only be felt to those sensitive enough. The burning rage within herself had calmed to a low simmer, imitating the flames that flickered beneath the vessel, not as potent but still present.
Raising a hoof, she brushed the corner of the lavender curtain to the side, broadening her view of the village. One perk of living so close to the town square was that there weren’t many buildings blocking her view. Remembering back, she was reminded of the many times that she had stood in this exact spot, watching as ponies, friends and strangers alike, would trot by with happy smiles and laughter. Their blissful ignorance to the possibility of their lives ending in a moment’s notice causing her to growl. Lowering her hoof back down, she turned and moved back towards the cabinets, pulling out the materials she would need for when the pot was finished. Retrieving a small jar within her aura, she turned and placed it upon the counter, a drawer opening and a measuring spoon floating into view. A single brown mug that hung upon a hook above the faucet was brought to rest alongside the jar of cocoa powder.
The kettle slowly began to hum in place on the stove, its small vibrations signaling that it would soon be ready for use. Quietly standing before it, Dimmed Star examined the burn marks that marred the stove and countertop, her ears folding slightly as she recalled her horrid attempts at cooking. It had been Pinkie that had repaired the kitchenware, whether she had done so out of some hope in gaining favor with her or out of the kindness of her own heart, Dimmed Star did not care. The point was that she had done it, more than that even.
Memories of the times Pinkie had dropped by unannounced, offering to cook meals for her and Spike, even pushing through her disgust at touching raw meat and learning how to make a feasible meal of it for her. The thought of having possibly scared away the one friend who had been willing to make the effort to reach out pained her. A knot began to form in her stomach just as the kettle started to whistle. Alighting her horn with its teal aura, she turned the burner off and captured the handle of the kettle in her magical grasp, pouring steaming water into the mug.
She kept her mind busy with the mundane task, barely registering each movement as the silence in the kitchen continued to haunt her. Lately, it had been more lively, even with Spike gone to school, Pinkie was almost always there these days… Following her around, making jokes and asking if she needed anything. Turning towards the living room, she trotted through the portal of her kitchen doorway and into the spacious area, placing the mug of cocoa carefully upon the coffee table where it would wait patiently for its owner to come down from the bath. Sitting upon a single yellow cushion, Dimmed Star watched as steam rose from the cup, wafting through the air and tempting her with its sweet smell. It reminded her of Pinkie, though the mare did little with the chocolate itself, she always smelled of sweets.
The knot in her stomach felt heavier as she waited for the mare to come down, with any luck, something of this friendship could still be salvaged…
~ ~ ~
“Come on sweety! Dinner’s almost done, and your dad is waiting.” The melodic voice called as she followed behind, a bright smile upon her face.
“W-wait up mom! I can’t fly yet, remember?” Scootaloo laughed, her heart soaring as she trailed behind her mother through the trees, the mare looking back to her daughter with vibrant colors and a healthy smile. The bright sun above shone through the canopy and guided the both of them as they laughed and played, Scootaloo trying to catch her mother in an invigorating game of tag.
“Haha! You’re not gonna catch me that way slowpoke!” Vibrant Glow called back to her, just dodging the filly as she dove for her tail. Scootaloo rolled over in the dirt, her giggling joined with her mother’s.
“Come on you two! I’m starving over here!” Her eyes widened with her smile as the sound of her father’s voice, filled with mirth as he stood just out of side ahead of them, the bright light of the sun keeping her from seeing him.
“Come along dear, we have to hurry!” Her mother called to her as she continued to gallop through the trees. Rolling back onto her hooves, Scootaloo laughed and chased after her, she couldn’t wait to see her dad and tell him all about the fun she and her mother were having. Maybe he would even join in after dinner?
“I’m coming, Mom, Dad!” She called after them, her eyes bright and glowing with happiness.
~ ~ ~
“Mgm, cmg… M-m… Da-dgd…” Scootaloo’s broken voice escaped her like a whisper, fresh blood dripping from her lips as she gurgled her laughter. She followed slowly through the forest, one hoof forward, then the next. Her eyes now glowing a soft blue as she followed behind the flickering flame that floated just ahead of her, leading her through the forest, pausing only to wait for the filly to catch up.
In the shadows of the trees around her, yellow eyes watched and waited. The Timberwolves dared not show themselves, they would wait and bide their time, then they could take what was left…
Cheerilee galloped through the desolate streets, the rain had lightened considerably by now, but the wind rushing past had blown the hood of her raincoat off and what little water that fell left her face and mane soaked. Gasping for air, her voice had long since gone hoarse, she breathed in deep and prepared to yell for the guard again. Exiting the side street and entering the town proper, she glanced back behind her fearfully. There was no sign of the stallion and hope loomed on the horizon. Facing the square once more, an internal struggle began as she fought with herself on where to go.
‘The guardhouse is empty, where can I go for help!?’ Turning to the nearest structure, the shadow of a familiar library loomed overhead. Her breath hitching, she shivered as a cold chill traveled down her spine. Recalling the tale that Spike had woven earlier this morning, she wondered if it was in any way a good idea. As an educator, she took any possible threats seriously, no matter how fantastical, for the safety of her charges. She had only met Dimmed Star once since her change from the mare previously known as Twilight Sparkle, once was more than enough to instill a sense of worry and no small amount of fear. The coldness in her eyes whenever she looked at others was like that of a predator eyeing prey.
As she contemplated her options, Brutus finally came barreling out of an alley just a short ways behind her. His breathing heavy and labored, the bite mark on his right foreleg bled from where he had reopened the wound with his untimely impact involving the alley’s refuse. Wrenching his head in every direction, his eyes lit up with victory as he spotted the mare, her gaze pointed away from him. Throwing caution and subtlety to the stormy winds, he sprinted at her with his head bowed low, prepared to strike her down and end it. In his haste, however, he failed to remember that the square was made up of part dirt and cobblestone, his large hooves making loud clicks as they connected with the rock beneath him. Ears twitching in his direction, Cheerilee turned to find him almost on top of her, eyes wide in fear and horror as she made to jump out of the way.
Missing her by mere centimeters, Brutus growled as he slid past, nearly falling as his injured leg tried to give out on him.
“Hold still you fucking bitch!” Cheerilee denied his request as she twisted around and began galloping away again, the library just ahead.
‘It’s better to make a deal with the Nightmare, then be in her path!’ Casting her reservations aside, Cheerilee made a beeline for the door.Facing her retreating form, Brutus wasted no time as he sprinted after her, eyes wild with desperation. If he didn’t stop her now, his life was well and truly over! As the two of them ran, Cheerilee leaped over the remains of a fallen branch, the storm must have knocked it off of either a nearby tree or even the library itself. Seeing this, the stallion’s eyes widened in excitement, there was his answer! Instead of jumping the branch as the mare had, Brutus leaned down and caught the branch between his teeth, gripping it tightly.
Eyeing the mare’s backside as they closed in on the building, he aimed carefully, before flinging his head forward with all his might, releasing the branch and sending it spiraling at the mare’s back hooves.
‘I’m gonna make it! I’m gonna make it!’ Cheerilee cheered as the door to the library was just about in hoof’s reach. As she reached out with her hoof to grasp the handle, something large and heavy collided with her back legs, sending her sprawling into the dirt with a yelp. Before she could turn to see what had happened, Brutus fell upon her, throwing his full weight into the pounce. Rocks and stone mixed with dirt as the two of them slid across the ground, Cheerilee’s raincoat tearing itself apart.
“ It… ha… It didn’t have… to be like this… ha…” Brutus heaved as he struggled to keep the mare pinned beneath him.
“Pl-please, don’t do this!” Cheerilee begged, her eyes fearful and pleading. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, the fear of what this pony would do put her mind into overdrive as she thought of every possible scenario, most of them ending with her six hooves underground. The stallion’s face twisted in anger and vehemence, the veins in his neck pulsing as he gritted his teeth. He and the mare grappled with one another as he fought to secure a grip around her neck.
“Shut up!! This is your own damn fault!” Beating against him with her hooves, Cheerilee’s struggle became erratic in her fear, allowing for him to finally get ahold of her. As he squeezed, a triumphant grin overtook his features.
“Heh, heh heh! You damned cunt! You, that stupid brat and my whore of a wife! All of you want to ruin my life, everything I’ve earned! Well, I won’t let you, not anymore! When I’m through with you, I’m gonna burn that damn house to the ground, then I’m gonna find that little bitch and finish what I started!” His eyes were unfocused now as he ranted, spittle frothing at the corners of his lips as he grinned manically. Cheerilee’s eyes were horrified as she choked, gasping for air, the stallion’s hooves gripping tighter no matter how hard she tried to pry them away.
“I can start over, I’ll move to another town and find happiness again! Won’t that be nice? Isn’t that a nice goal, Miss Teacher!?” He yelled gleefully, lightning flashing through the air with a roaring thunder on its tail.
The edges of Cheerilee’s vision were fading to darkness and her lungs burned from the lack of oxygen, but something the stallion said had rung out to her. Teacher… She was a teacher. Rolling her eyes just a little, she could just see the road that leads to her schoolhouse, the school full of young, bright minds that she was privileged to be given the opportunity of molding into the wonderful adults she knew they could be. Their bright smiles and cheerful laughter, the moments of embarrassment and first crushes between young hearts. If she died here, she would miss all of those precious moments. She would never see them fulfill their life’s ambitions, their hopes, and their dreams. Tears brimmed in her eyes, looking back to the face of the pony above her, this was not a stallion. He was a colt that had lost his way, he had fallen from the teachings of his educator and his parents, perhaps he never had any… Fear that one day a student of her own could go down such a path gripped her heart with a force that this pony’s hooves could never hope to match. A fire ignited in her veins at the thought of not being there to prevent such a future and her struggles, which had lessened with her weakness, were now renewed with the adrenaline that spiked through her system.
“Just give up and die already!” Brutus screamed, irritated with the mare’s sudden tenacity, his grip around her neck almost slipping. The smallest bit of space was revealed as the stallion lifted to readjust himself, it was all she needed to curl in on herself and land a solid kick with one of her back legs, the hard surface of her back hoof colliding with his lower jaw and sending him sprawling back. The sound of a tooth clattering against stone could be heard from somewhere nearby. As the stallion struggled back to his hooves, Cheerilee shot to her own, coughing and wheezing as she could finally draw breath once more. Turning bloodshot eyes to her assailant, she grits her teeth in fury. This pony wanted to silence her, he wanted to make sure he got away with whatever he had done in that home. He wanted to take her life away, take her away from the fillies and colts she cherished so dearly. He wanted to take away the moments that she, as their teacher, had every right to witness. The precious moments that filled her with joy and gave substance to her existence. No way in Tartarus!
‘I am not going to die here! Not to this piece of filth!’ The empowered educator stood her ground, for her life and the future of her students! Adrenaline cascaded through her veins like red hot magma, the fur on the back of her neck standing on end as she bristled and the trembling of her body coming to an abrupt halt. Letting out a ferocious yell, she threw herself at the stallion just as he turned to face her, blood trickling from his mouth. His expression of rage turned to shock as the other side of his face met the same fate as before, the hard surface of the Earth pony’s hoof smashing into his jawline, sending the wretch back into the cobblestone.
Using the momentum from her first swing, Cheerilee followed through and spun a complete one-hundred and eighty degrees, stopping on a dime to send both her back hooves into the side of the unfortunate pony. The echoing sound of shattered ribs met her ears, the stallion screaming in horrified agony as he flew several feet away, crashing into the signpost of the library and taking it down with himself. The enraged school teacher glared over her withers at the pitiful state that the attacker had found himself in, groaning in pain and fitfully trying to crawl away. Growling in her throat and lashing her tail about like a feral lioness, she approached the pitiful excuse for a stallion, her eyes catching the limb that he’d used to trip her up and snarling as she leaned down and took it in her own teeth. Stomping a hoof on his messy and disgusting tail, she placed the edge of the branch against his neck, applying enough pressure to cause his breath to become strained as she held him in place.
“You’re not going anywhere!” She growled through clenched teeth and wood, her sea-green eyes burning into his. The bright yellow light of the building’s interior suddenly flooded the doorstep, illuminating the both of them.
“What the fuck is going on out here!?”
~ ~ ~
Dimmed Star continued to stare at the now cold mug of cocoa, the reflective glare of her teal eyes doing little to stem her growing irritation. Pinkie had yet to come down and it was beginning to vex her to no end.
‘Would she just hurry up? I’d rather get this apology done and over with…’ Although she felt an inkling of guilt in her stomach, it was not due to having nearly eaten her friend. No, any remorse for such actions had long since been squashed after she had slaughtered so many creatures of the Everfree, consuming them often without waiting to store or cook the remains. The guilt that settled within was due to having lost control of herself and it only enraged her further.
‘What good will I be when I face off with the Insect if I can’t keep myself in check? It’d be worthless to me if I can’t make her suffer…’ Her thoughts briefly trailed back to the wedding. Although the feeling of having the object of her revenge within her grasp, helpless and horrified, was thoroughly euphoric, she had been too hasty. The bug deserved a slower, far more excruciating punishment.
As she imagined the multitude of ways that she could torture the changeling, dark saliva dripped from her gaping mouth, the manic grin that split her cheeks doing nothing to hide her jagged teeth.
“D-Dimmy?” The whisper brought Dimmed Star back to the present, snapping her neck to the side to see Pinkie Pie trembling as she stood near the door of the library, a towel wrapped around her and her fur and mane sticking out in places where she had vigorously scrubbed at herself. Her own eyes were tearful and puffy, the faintest hint of tears still resting on the edges of her eyelids as she stared at the dark mare worriedly.
“Ah, you’ve finished then?” Pinkie’s slow nod was met with a raised brow from Dimmed Star as she eyed the mare’s back hoof that had taken a step back in response to her speaking.
“I see…” Sighing to herself, she waved a hoof at the mug of cold chocolate.
“I had hoped that we could… discuss, what had happened… and I wanted to… apologize... “ Though she spoke the word, she felt no real attachment towards it. Glancing back at the baker, she watched as Pinkie Pie’s eyes raced between the mug, herself, and the door behind her.
“I… I should go… I-I’m supposed to.. T-take care of the twins! Ye-yea, Mr. Cake asked me to.” Her voice trembled as she back further against the door, her chest rising and falling quickly. Dimmed Star rose from her cushion, nodding slightly.
“Very well then, at least let me wa-”
“NO!” Pinkie’s outburst was startling, her eyes clenched shut as Dimmed Star’s hoof was frozen in place midstep. Holding absolutely still, Dimmed Star’s eyes narrowed on the mare. This was not unfamiliar, not after all the hunting she had done. This was prey that had been backed into a corner, and the mare’s fight or flight response was in overdrive. Something within Dimmed Star ached at the sight, but it was far too deep for her to notice nor care.
“I… I have to go… I can’t… n-not… no-not right now… pl-please…” The normally cheery and jubilant baker sobbed as she turned and dashed through the door and into the pouring rain. Watching silently as the door slowly swung closed once more, Dimmed Star could feel the tension in the air around her grow tenfold. There was no thunder to drown out the rumbling of her growl this time. Clenching her teeth tightly, she ignited her horn and took hold of the mug of cocoa, sending it flying through the air to crash against the wall of the kitchen, the brown fluid splattering against the wall and counter. Standing in the middle of the room, Dimmed Star glared at the door of her home for some time as she lost herself in thought.
‘The one mare… the one pony I could finally call a friend again… and she’s terrified of me… all I have left now is Spike and…’ The image of a smiling orange filly came to mind, the anger in her slowly dwindling as she took deep breaths. She needed to learn more control, if this continued to happen or if she continued to allow her apathy to rule her, then even they would eventually leave…
‘I… don’t want them to go… I don’t want to… to be alone…’ The sudden realization caused her eyes to widen, dark tears brimming within. Somewhere within her cold heart, something still yearned to be surrounded by those she cared for. Glancing back to the door, she remembered the first time she had come through it, to a party filled with future friends who smiled and laughed. That day, her whole life had changed for the better, or so she thought until now. Now those memories only brought her anger and pain. Turning away from it, Dimmed Star ignored the guilt that now clawed at her, choosing instead to dry her tears and find something more productive for her time.
A loud thud and the sound of breaking wood caught her attention however just as she was about to take the first of the stairs to her room. Looking to the door curious but expectant, nopony came inside or knocked. With a raised brow, she turned and stalked towards the door, casting glances to the windows on either side. The weather seemed to have lightened a bit, or at the very least it was taking a bit of a break. Now standing at the door, she contemplated whether she was in the mood to deal with anymore heartache.
‘It's entirely possible that Pinkie came back, but given her current frame of mind I’m doubtful…’
“You’re not going anywhere!” The declaration that came shouting through her door was jarring but more so worrisome. Anger reignited in her eyes as she rushed forward, concerned that some pony was trying to harm Pinkie. Grasping the door with her magic, she yanked it open, her Ink already beginning to coat the floor beneath her as she bared her teeth and yelled.
“What the fuck is going on out here!?” The sight that greeted her was not one she had been expecting in the least.
~ ~ ~
Dimmed Star’s glowing eyes glared at the two ponies that were on her porch. The mare she immediately recognized as Spike’s teacher and a normally friendly face, but the stallion was new. The two remained silent as they stared back at her in surprise before the stallion finally realized he was no longer being pinned. Rolling out from under the mare, he yanked his tail and tripped the hoof that had been holding it down. Cheerilee yelped as she fell forward, losing her balance as the stallion turned to run, making tracks in the dirt as he made his escape.
“You damn bitch, I’ll make sure you pay for this!!” He yelled back as he ran. Glancing between the stallion’s retreating form and Cheerilee’s injured state, Dimmed Star raised an eyebrow as a hypothesis took root. Acting on her instincts, a single shadowy serpent extended from the edge of her Ink, moving with the speed of a cobra as it’s maw opened with a feral hiss, its eyes locked onto the fleeing pony.
Brutus flinched with every step as he ran, the little bit of adrenaline and alcohol that had kept him going up to this point were tapering off. He was in no condition to keep fighting that damned mare, much less two of them. With no other choice, he would have to run, he would have to run for the rest of his li-
A sharp pain tore through his back left leg, causing him to yell in agony. With a hard tug, he felt himself being yanked from the ground as he began to fly through the air, back the way he came. His voice filled the air with pain and confusion as his body picked up speed. With the force of a bull, his body slammed into the wall of the great tree library, wood splintering apart and the sound of crunching bone echoing through his ears. Brutus could swear he felt every bone in his body shatter individually, the silent scream of pain his only indication that he was even alive as he slowly slid to the ground with a soft thump.
Dimmed Star’s demonic growl grew in volume as she stepped out of the light of her home, the door slowly swinging shut. The rain that fell around them was naught more than a sprinkle now, but the muggy and dark atmosphere it left was doing little to curb the terrifying image of the mare as she stalked over Cheerilee’s prone form. The teacher trembling as she struggled back to stand on shaky limbs, the ruined raincoat in tatters around her hooves. Raising a single hoof, Dimmed Star lifted Cheerilee’s chin, forcing the mare to make eye contact with her.
Cheerilee trembled as she stared back at the mare, the closeness between them giving the educator a more in-depth opinion of her strange eyes and voice. She was definitely a predator, and though she had sought the mare out in desperation to save her own life, regret and despair were the only things she could feel at this very moment.
“Allow me to repeat the question.” As she spoke, the serpent of Ink began to drag the still body of the stallion towards her. Unable to struggle against the motion, Brutus could only whimper in agony. Once he was close enough, the serpent raised him by the leg with a yank, eliciting a scream from him as the broken bones in his body all cried out at in protest.
“What. The fuck. Is going on out here?” Turning her head to look at the upside-down stallion, his eyes were clouded with pain. Tears and blood streamed from him like water in a river, leaving a constant trail to the ground below. She doubted the stallion could even hear or understand her at this point, so she returned her gaze to the other perpetrator of her would-be quiet evening.
“Well?” Cheerilee struggled with her words, her eyes darting between the mare and the half-dead pony that hung like meat on a hook before her.
“H-he… he tr-tried to kill me… I-I was, tr-trying to get away…” Dimmed Star considered the mare for a moment, before nodding slowly as she stepped away from the teacher and fully faced her newest plaything with a small grin beginning to spread across her features.
“Well then, it looks like I get to play hero again…” Her glare became wicked as her smile split her jaw, the jagged teeth and hungry growl that whispered between them.
“Good, I could use some stress relief...” Her tongue lashed out, gracing the pony’s face for a moment and lathering her tongue in his blood as his whimpers fed her hunger. Cheerilee’s eyes went wide in horror and disgust, before she scrambled forward, stumbling partly. She hadn’t been sure if what Spike told her that morning could be believed, but seeing it first hoof, she had no doubts that this mare, this creature, was about to eat her assailant. Worry for the little drake’s safety skyrocketed, but it would have to be put aside for the time being.
“W-wait! You can’t!” Dimmed Star’s glare stopped her cold, leaving her to tremble as she fought to keep eye contact.
“Why?” She growled, her irritation growing with each passing second. It had been a very long morning and Dimmed Star was finally given a chance to not only relieve a bit of stress but also cut loose a little. Keeping her appetite for both violence and flesh in check was getting harder every day. Spike, Scootaloo and Pinkie were always there to help, keeping her distracted and making sure she didn’t get too angry. But one of them… one of her anchors had just walked out her door a crying mess. She had no idea if Pinkie would ever come back… and that only brought her pain and frustration. Cheerilee had yet to answer, her words falling over themselves as she tried to make a coherent sentence. Annoyed with her posturing, Dimmed Star snapped her head back to the stallion in time to see his eyes finally come back to focus, he stared at her fearfully as she grinned back, licking her lips and leaning forward. Nothing wrong with taking a bite, right? Her lips divided as she opened her mouth, the rows of jagged teeth stretching towards him.
“H-he might have hurt Scootaloo!” The teacher’s outburst left Dimmed Star petrified, her once hungry and sadistic eyes now wide in shock. Leaning back from him as she returned to her normal state, she gave the stallion a once over, before looking back to the teacher with barely restrained rage burning in her eyes. Cheerilee’s eyes were squeezed shut, praying to Celestia that the mare didn’t eat the stallion in front of her. He needed to pay for his crimes, but the right way, nopony should have to be put through this!
“Say that again…” Opening her eyes nervously, she found the angry Dimmed Star bearing down on her now, the stallion was now being held within the grasp of a large clawed tendril, the serpent that had been holding him before now hissing and snapping its teeth inches from his face. His mouth was open in a quiet scream as the claw squeezed him slowly, blood leaking from between its digits. Dimmed Star stepped between her and the stallion, bringing her focus back to the mare whose form almost seemed to be shifting slightly. She could swear the sound of cracking bones was a lot closer this time, as though they were coming from Dimmed Star and not the broken pony in her grasp.
“He… He’s Scootaloo’s... father… I went to her home when she didn’t show up for class… I tr-tried going to the guard first… Th-there was… so much blood…” She couldn’t bring herself to say anymore, tears falling from her eyes as she finally looked away from the mare. Dimmed Star watched as the teacher broke down, before slowly turning back to the piece of rotten meat that hung within her Ink’s grasp. Stalking forward, she brought him closer and took a deep breath, taking in his foul scent as the serpent withdrew to the depths of her puddle.
“L-le-let… me… g-go…” His choked force begged, his eyes trying in vain to see past the pouring red that dripped over them. His only response was another tight squeeze from the claw that surrounded him, ensuring he remained silent as the air in his lungs was forced out and he was left screaming in silence. Without wasting a moment more, Dimmed Star took off past the stallion, slamming him into the ground and dragging his helpless form through the mud and stone. A trail of blood and Ink was left in her wake as she sprinted through the town, following the stench of alcohol and sweat.
Cheerilee’s eyes slowly opened in confusion, the sound of the tortured stallion had gone, along with the mare’s ever-present growl. Blinking owlishly, she looked around at the empty space before spying the trail that leads away from her, back towards Scootaloo’s home.
“Oh Celestia, what have I done…”
~ ~ ~
Dimmed Star galloped through the town, her body fluctuating as it struggled to try and shift into another form. It was taking every ounce of restraint that she could muster to stop herself from changing and then tearing the stallion in her grasp asunder, casting the foul remnants to the worms. No, she needed him for now, she needed to know if Scootaloo was alright. Turning from an alley and back into the open street, she kicked up her pace as the trail grew stronger. It wasn’t long before she found herself in front of a desolate home, bereft of any semblance of love or care. Sneering at the home’s appearance, she stomped through the overgrown yard and up the walkway, the tall grass that she passed through fading to ash as the Ink overtook it.
The weak wood of the door stood no chance, shattering off the hinges and scattering its remains into the hall. Stepping through the doorway, Dimmed Star looked around carefully, making sure to absorb every facet of the home’s interior. The first thing that caught her attention was the smell of blood. Although the home was already filthy, the coppery smell stood out to her against the multiple foul odors that permeated it. Her eyes had no trouble spotting the trails of blood in the hall and she felt her rage spike once more, a drop of worry for the dear filly that had been so consistent in her life of late keeping her from going berserk.
“What happened here…?” She growled, her voice echoing the shadow of her rage as it grew deeper, more animalistic. No response came and her patience was already on death’s door along with this stallion. A tendril of Ink lashed forward and pierced through the stallion’s gut as the claw released him. His eyes shot wide at the new level of pain and he wailed in agony as the tendril speared him to the wall of the home. The tendril began to slowly crystallize as Dimmed Star stepped up to the stallion, her form shifting as she gained enough height to be on the same level with his head.
“Whether you tell me or not, I will have my answers.” Her jaw began to split open as she spoke. Leaning in closer, she whispered into his ear as a rumbling growl rippled through her throat.
“And if I find something I don’t like…” With a snap of her jaws, she missed his head by centimeters, causing him to flinch back. Turning away from him, Dimmed Star began her search through the home. Stepping away as the tendril of Ink finally broke off, leaving the stallion nailed to the wall with a single black spear, its shimmering surface reflecting the dim light from outside. Brutus’ head leaned down toward the spear, mustering what strength he could to shakily take it within his hooves, wheezing in pain as he tried to pull himself free, his eyes darting to the monster that held him captive, afraid she would turn around again.
Combing through the mess of glass, blood, and ruined towels, Dimmed Star took in the scene of the home.
‘He tried to clean it up but was interrupted when Cheerilee arrived. Why he would open the door in the first place with such a mess is beyond me.’ Stepping over the evidence, she observed the amount of blood on the floor, much of it leading into the large room to the left, while still more made a trail up the stairs. Worry crept into her features, but something seemed off. Giving the blood more than a cursory glance, her mind made quick calculations.
‘There’s too much… This is more blood than the body of a filly could contain… which means…’ Smirking, she looked back to the stallion that was trying in vain to pry himself from the wall.
“Oh, you naughty little colt. You killed somepony else today, didn’t you?” Brutus’ felt what blood remained in his system freeze. Shakily looking over, he found the creature grinning wickedly at him.
“Sh-she… m-made me…” He struggled to speak, blood spouting from his lips with each attempt, causing him to squeeze his eyes shut in pain. Dimmed Star raised a brow at his confession, before turning back to the hall and following the first trail into the living area. As she turned the corner, however, a single large serpent rose from the trail of Ink just in front of the stallion. Brutus opened his eyes at the sound of its hissing, confusion in his features before horror overtook him as the serpent lashed forward, snapping its maw open and pinning his head to the wall as its teeth sunk into his neck.
Dimmed Star ignored the stallion’s struggles as her pet kept him from trying to escape any further, choosing to continue her browsing. Her nose scrunched up in disgust at the state of the living room, the amount of garbage and stains upon both the floor and furniture were bad enough, but the smell was the worst of it. It reminded her of when she had gone to assist Applejack in fertilizing one of her orchard fields, the burning smell of ammonia permeating the air. Something light connected with her hoof and the sound of glass skittering across the wood met her ears.
Looking down, Dimmed Star’s rage grew, her form shifting even further and her jaw opening in a slow and malicious hiss. Small orange feathers rested within a dried puddle of blood. The broken remains of a bottle were covered in the life fluid with small bits of orange fur and purple hairs strewn about. Scootaloo had definitely been at the mercy of the stallion. The Ink beneath her bubbled and steamed as her form seemed to twist, even more, the dark liquid slowly rising up her legs. Biting back her urge to dash into the hall and tear that thing to pieces, Dimmed Star whipped around and instead chose to explore more of the home.
Turning down the hall, her steps were hurried as she made her way through to the back of the house. She didn’t have a lot of time if there was any chance of saving the filly. Entering what could only be assumed was the kitchen, Dimmed Star’s first action was to tear the doors from the fridge and every cabinet. Anywhere that a prisoner or a body could be held, she searched, destroying the home even further than it had already been and turning up nothing as a result. Growling under her breath, she trotted up to the wall and phased through the surface. Gliding through the home’s interior, Dimmed Star stepped out from the plaster on the second floor, the wall behind her collapsing in on itself. Seeing the second trial that had followed the stairs, she took after it.
The first of the rooms led to a sight that would have unnerved most ponies, but Dimmed Star took it in stride. Stepping up to the bed, her heart clenched in worry as she tore through blood-soaked sheets that were wrapped around a large lump, revealing the terrified and lifeless eyes of a pegasus mare. With a sigh of relief, she continued to search the room in much the same manner as she had the kitchen. Tossing the body of the mare into the hall where it fell with a thud as she flipped the mattress, tearing it apart as well just in case. Still, the filly’s whereabouts alluded her and this only enraged her further. Now running full-on, she melted through the walls of the home, leaving the house to slowly start decaying in her wake.
Coming to the final room, she stopped in surprise.
‘Scoots…’ The cleanest room of the home, it had to belong to Scootaloo. The small saddlebags on the floor only helped to confirm her suspicions. Slowly, being careful to take in everything around her, Dimmed Star searched the room as peacefully as she could. Though she could not stop the decay that followed in the shadow of her Ink, she made special care to use her magic to lift and protect everything she could. The saddlebags were first, followed with the box of toys and desk. Bringing them close, the burning sensation of tears began to well up within her eyes and her form trembled in rage and fear.
“Scootaloo… if you’re in here, please come out…” A piece of the ceiling fell to her right, making her look to it in hope, only for it to be unfounded. Looking around now, the house had begun to fall apart, the combination of her Ink and the act of phasing through it had taken its toll, causing it to begin collapsing. Still, the little filly was nowhere to be found. A rumbling growl overtook the noise of the home collapsing as she turned her burning rage to that who was deserving. Barely registering the action, the items in her aura vanished, teleported outside of the decay’s influence. Dimmed Star turned her body to face the direction where the stallion was on the first floor, the black of her sclera broken by glowing red veins.
“I’m done with holding back!!” With a roar of demonic fury, she dove through the walls of the home once more, expediting the structure’s decay and starting a chain reaction.
Brutus’ struggled in vain as he tried to grip the serpent to pull it away, but it was like his hooves just kept falling through it! Even worse, with each attempt it would tighten its grip, sinking its teeth deeper, but never enough to hit anything vital. Suddenly, he felt as though he was dropping lower to the floor. Looking around, he watched in horror as the home that he had lived in for so long seemed to age and fall apart before his eyes. But lo, he could feel the floor! His back hooves could just tap the surface of the wood. Kicking out, he fought to gain traction, his broken bones and torn muscles pleaded for him to stop, but he did not heed them. Finally, his back hooves touched down and he could move his lower half forward a bit when he was suddenly reminded of both the serpent and the spear that was currently lodged in his gut.
‘Damn that monster!’ His eyes brimmed with tears, his hope slipping through his hooves. Just as he was on the verge of giving up, the spear in his gut melted away and the serpent released him, allowing him to fall to the ground. Gasping out in pain, Brutus’ eyes were wide in shock before a gleeful smile broke across his bloodied features.
“F-fr-free!” He gurgled as he turned to the open door of his home, trying to crawl his way out. Parts of the walls and ceiling of the building were falling around him, but he paid them no heed as his vision tunneled on the light just beyond the door. His life lay ahead of him, he could see it, he could feel it!
The world shook with a horrifying roar, frozen in terror, he could only move his eyes enough to see the collapsing wall beside him grow a great black spot. Before the decay could properly set in, the massive head of what was once the petite form of Dimmed Star lunged from the surface, her vision stained red and her jaw open with massive rows of teeth stretched out.
“N-NO-…” The only objection he could voice was silenced as his upper half was snapped shut within her gaping maw as the home fell around them. Blood exploded through the gaps of collapsing debris and mixed with the last of the rain that fell. Dust rose up from the remains of the destroyed home.
~ ~ ~
The wisp’s soft giggling and child-like laughter echoed through the trees of the Everfree as it danced along the path. They were getting closer, and it couldn’t wait to see the reaction on its plaything’s face when the spell was broken. Oh what a joy it was, it had been so long since a new plaything had wandered into its path. The timberwolves and manticores weren’t very fun anymore as they had long since learned to avoid it. But this creature was young! It hadn’t been taught the ways of the world and had easily fallen into under its influence.
It had considered playing with the toy longer, but this one was already broken and broken toys weren’t much fun. The eyes of the filly glowed a vibrant blue, matching the color of the wisp’s flame as they trailed through the forest. For the briefest of moments, the fae vanished further ahead before returning quickly to keep the trance. They were so close! Oh the look on her face, when she awoke, would be priceless! Giggling excitedly, it continued to draw and lead the filly.
Following the path and passing through the underbrush, between the great trees of the wild forest, the shadows broke to reveal the grey light of the sun filtered through the dark clouds above, shining down upon a great scar that stretched across the land. Jagged walls and massive caverns lined its inner walls, a steep drop from the edge that fell to reveal sharp rocks and stone at the bottom. The wind whistled through the ravine, carrying with it an ominous groan that would often keep the weary and faint of heart at bay.
Ghastly Gorge awaited the arrival of its visitors.
~ ~ ~
Pinkie Pie walked sullenly through the light rain, her form almost seeming deflated as her mane and tail had straightened out. Her eyes scanned the dirt and stone beneath her as she went, her mind a flurry of emotions and regret.
‘I’m so sorry Dimmy, I just… I need a little time…’ Her eyes rose a bit to spot the outline of Sugarcube Corner just ahead of her. Home was where she needed to be the most right now… and right now Ponyville just didn’t seem like it…
‘Perhaps I should go visit Ma and Pa, I haven’t seen them in a while and it’d be nice to catch up. Limestone, Marble, and Maud would be there too. Maud always knows what to say to help out.’ Her ears rose a bit and the smallest hint of color began to return to her features. As she pondered her funds to get a train ticket, the galloping of another closed in behind her. Turning to see who would be in such a hurry, she found herself nearly toppled over as Cheerilee clung to her, gasping for breath.
“Miss Cheerilee?” The mare took a few extra breaths, before grasping Pinkie’s head and forcing her to look the mare in the eyes.
“You have to stop her!” Confusion was her first reaction before Cheerilee began to recount the tale of her morning. She barely stopped to take breaths in between sentences before finally pointing a hoof back the way she came.
“She is going to kill that stallion! Despite what he did and what he tried to do, nopony deserves a fate like that!” Tears poured from her eyes as Pinkie looked back towards Dimmed Star’s home in worry and fear. She couldn’t do anything, but she wasn’t sure if she could face the mare again. Trembling with uncertainty, she turned back to the traumatized teacher, her fear-stricken eyes burning into her. Squeezing her eyes shut, flashes of the wedding came clawing to the front of her mind. The blood that dripped from the surface of the walls and the screams of those who would be buried that day echoed in her ears.
Suddenly a much more recent image came forth, the gaping maw and sharp teeth of her friend snapping at her in an attempt to rend her asunder, black tendrils of the evil liquid clawing at her. Gasping in fear, her eyes snapped open and she found herself back in the street. Cheerilee looked on in shock as the mare seemed to spaz out, checking her body over and using the little bit of rain that fell to furiously scrub at herself. Pinkie kept whispering to herself about how something wouldn’t come off, but the teacher couldn’t see anything on the normally jubilant baker.
“P-Pinkie Pie?” The two of them stood in the light rain, one trying in vain to erase a stain that was not there, the other concerned for the well being of her student and the life of a pony that had tried to kill her.
The sound of a monstrous roar echoed through the air, nearly mistakable as thunder. Eyes wide in fear and worry, the two mares watched with trepidation as in the distance a large cloud of dirt and dust plumed into the sky beyond the buildings...
Rainbow Dash lazed about on the soft white of a small cloud. The bright sun above kept her warm and she often found herself dozing in and out of sleep as she rested. The occasional winged shadow would pass over her, but only briefly as the pegasus would continue with their work.
The storm had begun to calm down some time ago, its wild lightning strikes and heavy wind were difficult to reign in. Yawning loudly, Rainbow stretched her limbs as she settled in. With the bulk of the work finished, all that was left was to wait for the dark clouds to dissipate and she would be free to head home and relax. She wondered idly if she would have time later to get in some stunt practice, it had been a few days since her last training session. Oh, she could swing by and pick up the squirt after school! The little filly hadn’t really been around much lately, so it would be great to spend some quality time with her number one fan. Grinning widely, Rainbow’s eyes slowly drifted shut, the warm sun and softness of the cloud beneath her leading to a restful nap.
Thunder erupted from beneath her, sudden and startling. With a yelp of surprise, Rainbow leaped into the air and hovered as she stared down in worry. The other pegasi came to a halt alongside her, watching the clouds with trepidation.
“Do you think it’s gonna start up again?” Flitter asked worriedly as she and her twin sister Cloud Chaser floated closer together. The other pegasi murmured amongst themselves, concern and annoyance prevalent among them.
‘That… didn’t sound like any thunder I’ve ever heard…’ Rainbow watched the clouds below intensely, waiting to see even the smallest hint of an electrical current in the looming cumulonimbus, but nothing came. Turning to the nearest team member, she swatted him across the flank with her tail, she ignored his look of irritation.
“Did you see any lightning?” He shook his head before going back to watching the clouds. Looking at the other pegasi, she tried again.
“Did anypony see lightning?” Her voice carried over to them, every team member giving signs of a negative. A cold sweat started to form at her brow as she looked back down. That was definitely not thunder… but it most definitely sounded familiar…
‘No… no, not again…’ Drifting towards the clouds, Rainbow tentatively landed on the wild storm’s surface. Cautiously pushing at key points so as to not set off anything dangerous, Rainbow managed to make a single hole in the clouds, revealing the dark grey landscape beneath. Her eyes widened and her heart leaped into her throat as she spotted what looked like a collapsed home, a cloud of dust and debris slowly floating into the air. She knew that home, it was Scootaloo’s!
With a hard flap of her wings, Rainbow flew through the gap in the clouds as pegasi landed back at the opening, peering down after her in curiosity.
~ ~ ~
Rarity hummed to an imaginary tune as she worked, a serene smile on her face. A mass of cloth, scissors, measuring tapes and more swirled above her as she brought her workspace to life.
“Oh, I simply cannot wait for Dimmed Star to see this! Once she’s in this dress and sees how hard I worked to make it just perfect, she’ll have to forgive me!” Twirling in place, she beamed brightly, bringing together the fabric over a nearby effigy. Her tongue appeared from the corner of her mouth as she leaned in close, her glasses adjusting with the light of her light blue aura. Folding the fabric over, she began placing pins to hold it in place as she measured other portions.
“When I’m done with this, she’ll be so taken in that she’ll bounce right back to her old self! I just know it!” Ignoring the rumble of what sounded like thunder in the background, she continued to hum her musical ingenuity.
The lights in her home flickered weakly as the building trembled momentarily. Blinking in confusion, the objects in the air slowly dropped back onto a nearby desk, the blue aura disappearing as her horn’s magic faded.
“What in Equestria? I swear if Spike has gone on another greed rampage…” Grumbling at having her work interrupted, Rarity stepped up to a nearby window. Her workroom was on the second floor of the home, above her shop. She could easily see over most of the smaller houses as hers had been designed not only to catch the eye with its unique design but also to be seen from a distance. Swiping the bright purple curtains to the side, Rarity froze at the sight that greeted her. A great cloud of dust and debris drifted above a row of nearby houses.
“Oh my goodness!” The concern in her voice was immediate, the alabaster mare turning to hightail it out of the room and down the stairs that lead to the open floor of her shop. Stopping only to done a white raincoat, her cutie mark and shop logo embroidered on the side. It was lucky that Sweetie Belle was at school right now, she’d hate for the little filly to see somepony get hurt in this mess.
~ ~ ~
Applejack watched the stallion across from her carefully, her eyes sharp as she took in everything about him from the bead of sweat on his brow, to the nervous gulp that he tried to hide. Big Macintosh glared back just as sternly, his mouth dry as he found himself backed into a corner. This was his only chance, and he’d be darned if he would lose to her again! The sound of granny’s rocker creaking in the corner of the room seemed to almost mock him.
“Do y’all... have any twos?” His voice cracked with nervousness. The grin that split his sister’s face was all he needed to know and he groaned his defeat.
“Nnnope! Go fishin’ Big Mac. Mah turn, y’all got any eights?” With a sigh, the large stallion tossed over all but one of his cards, the single two of hearts that he’d been holding onto since the round had begun. Granny Smith chuckled as Applejack hollered in victory.
“Whoo-doggy, tha’ settles it! Y’all get to wash the pigs tomorrow an' ah get the day off!” Big Mac slumped over, his chin resting on the coffee table while he grumbled his protest.
“Now don’ y’all go bein’ a sore loser, Macintosh. Y’all knew what ya were in fer before you made tha' there deal.” Granny Smith called out the stallion, causing him to sit up straighter as he looked to her in defeat, before nodding in agreement.
“Yes, ma’am.” Applejack’s grin never left her cheeks as she trotted over to her brother and clapped a hoof on his withers.
“Don’ y’all worry none, Big Mac. I ain’t gonna jus’ let ya do all the chores by yourself. Ah got some caramel candies ah can use to bribe AB and her friends with.” Big Mac only shook his head with a chuckle.
“Nnnope. Ah lost AJ, fair an’ square. Let Bloom an’ her friends be.” Granny Smith smiled proudly at her grandson, Applejack only squeezing his shoulder with a grin.
“Alright then, ya stubborn colt. Heh heh.” Stepping away from him, she began to pack away the playing cards, before a cough caught both of their attention. Granny Smith slowly rose from her chair, limping towards them with a smirk playing on her lips as she approached.
“How’s abou' we make it more interestin’? You an’ me, loser takes all of Big Mac’s chores startin’ the day after tomorrow, up til the end of the week.” Now it was Applejack’s turn to pale as Big Mac snickered across from her. Raising a brow at her granddaughter, Granny Smith waited for her response. Looking to her brother for help, the stallion jumped to his hooves and quickly left the room.
‘Traitor!’ Applejack called after him in her mind, glaring in his direction. A hard knock on the coffee table pulled her back to her Granny, who stared back with a no-nonsense gaze as she took the seat where Big Mac had been.
“Uh…” A grating thunder echoed in the distance, causing Winona to start barking up a storm of her own.
“Y’all keep it down in there!” Granny Smith called out, quieting the hound and returning their home to silence, only for the hurried thuds of Big Mac to come rushing back into the room, a concerned look in his eyes.
“Hey sis, y’all might wanna come take a look at this.” Glancing between one another, Applejack and Granny Smith both rose from the table and made their way into the kitchen, looking out the window as Big Mac directed them. In mere moments the home became a flurry of motion. Applejack rushing to the coat hangers as she tossed a raincoat to Big Mac, who had just grabbed a dark brown leash from under a cupboard in the hall.
“Don’t forget the wagon!” Granny Smith called as she brought a bag filled with supplies. Winona ran around Big Mac dodging his attempts to grab ahold of her as he whistled for her to sit. Her tail was tucked between her legs and she whimpered as she shied away from him, before he finally managed to corner her, tying the leash to her collar. He looked to the small hound worriedly as he pulled her along, the canine struggling against the leash.
“Y’all have been keeping up on her training, right!?” He called out to his sister as she took the bag from their granny and stuffed it into a saddlebag.
“Yea, now come on already!” Granny Smith was waiting in the hall as the two farmers rushed past her, Winona having to be carried out by the scruff of her neck as they pushed through the open screen door.
“Y’all be careful out there!” She hollered after them, eyes squinting at the shadow of dust beyond.
~ ~ ~
Fluttershy rested softly on the sofa in her living room, a large book nestled in her hooves and a bright blue comforter draped itself around her frame. Smiling sweetly as she leaned against a cushion, the various animals that surrounded her listened intently.
“-When the sun rose high over the hill, beautiful flowers bloomed across the entire field, filling it with wonderful colors! The scary clouds had gone away, but the much-needed water that they had provided the night before gave life to the dry land as all the animals, big and small, emerged from their homes to face a new day.” Angel Bunny rolled his eyes at the story, looking bored as he sat curled up next to his owner. The other animals were enthralled by the mare’s storytelling, but he couldn’t have cared less, after all, it wasn’t the story he’d suggested in the first place. Crossing his forepaws, the little rabbit simmered as he looked over longingly at the small red book, a family of picturesque bunnies frolicking on the cover.
A soft thunder rumbled from outside of the small cottage, the reaction was immediate as every animal within began to panic and rush to safety. Many of the smaller creatures were able to find shelter within the many small homes and holes that were designed for them, while the medium to large animals made do with whatever they could find. Although she was shaking herself, Fluttershy quickly sought to placate them. The small rabbit that had been resting within the covers with her was the only one not trying to hide, his stance alert and defensive instead as his ears faced the direction of the sound, listening intently.
“Shhh, shhh, i-it’s okay little ones, it’s j-just the storm outside. Just like in the story, the rain clouds are working to keep the land beautiful and full of life.” Angel looked to the mare incredulously, before shaking his head and hopping from the couch. Turning to see her closest animal friend bouncing away, Fluttershy watched him curiously.
“Is everything okay Angel?” The rabbit ignored her question as he jumped up to the edge of the window by the door, pushing open the wooden frame, the other animals quickly voicing their displeasure at this by whimpering and trying to hide further.
“Oh no! You shouldn’t be doing that Angel, you’ll let the rain and cold in!” Pushing out from beneath the warm embrace of her comforter, Fluttershy quickly flapped her wings and hovered over to the window, reaching to pull it closed. As her hoof gripped the edge, Angel hopped up and swatted at her leg, causing her to pull back in surprise and shock.
“Angel Bunny! That wasn’t a very nice thing to do, I thought we had gotten over you hitting ponies to get their attention? A simple tap will always be the better choice.” Looking her dead in the eyes, Angel slapped a paw to his face in irritation, before pointing back out the window. Her brow creasing in confusion, the animal-caretaker stepped closer to the window and followed his outstretched limb, the animals behind her coming up for a better look as well.
“Oh? Is there something you want me to see- Oh my!” Her ears lay back in worry as she spotted the cloud of dust in the distance over Ponyville, her concern about the storm evaporating. Though she lived on the town’s outskirts, much like the Apple family, she had settled in her small home on the top of a small hill to prevent it from flooding. The cloud looked small from this distance but comparing it to the surrounding structures assured her that it was much larger than it appeared. Biting her lip in concern, she turned to see her animal friends looking at her with worry, several shaking their heads at her.
“I know, I know. It’s very thoughtful for you all to be worried about me, but I have to go, somepony could have gotten hurt and I just know the other girls will be there.” Lifting above them with a flap of her wings, she took to the nearby cabinets and began packing medical supplies. A few squirrels and birds assisted her as they came up with bandages and ointments for her to pack. Angel watched her with concern, fear gripping him as he looked back to the cloud of debris… something didn’t feel right. Determination overtaking him, he pulled the window closed and hopped onto the back of a nearby flamingo, startling it for a moment before he continued on his way, bouncing from one mammal to the next.
Landing on the shoulder of the largest creature in the room, Harry the bear looked to Angel as the small bunny began to make waving motions at the door behind them. Getting the idea, Harry nodded and moved to stand in front of it just as Fluttershy finished her packing, Angel now standing on the bear’s shoulder with his forepaws crossed.
“Okay, I think I’ve got everything we’ll need, so-” Fluttershy had not been watching where she flew as she flitted towards the door, bags across her back and waving to the animals behind her. Her sudden collision with something large and furred was not something she had been expecting, much less the soft yet firm grip of the bear’s arms as they closed around her, hugging her in place.
“H-Harry? What are you doing?” Looking up to the bear’s face, he shook his head with a small rumble of his voice, Angel making sure to tap the bear’s shoulder with his foot and catching her attention, giving his own disapproving look.
“Now now you two, don’t be like that. I have to go, my friends need me, and what if some poor critter is hurt? How would you feel if I couldn’t come to help you when you needed me too?” Harry grumbled at her, refusing to move.
“Harry…” The tone of the mare’s voice changed, now more akin to a mother scolding their foal. Cringing away, Harry’s features turned sorrowful as he released her and reluctantly stepped aside. Angel was not so easily swayed, however, looking to the bear and squeaking at him, gripping the fur on Harry’s shoulder as he tried in a vain attempt to pull the bear back in front of the door. Floating up to the distraught rabbit, Fluttershy smiled softly at him as he looked over to her, worry evident in his eyes.
“It’ll be alright Angel, I’ll be back before you know it and then we can finish the story, how does that sound?” Angel squeaked back to her in protest, hopping up and down as he waved his forelegs at her. Taking no notice of the bunny’s antics, or simply choosing to ignore them, the bright yellow pegasus pushed through the door to her home and began flying towards town. As the door closed behind her, Angel watched her go with silent trepidation.
~ ~ ~
Spike slumbered quietly as his head lay upon his desk, the smallest bit of drool leaking from the side of his mouth. Applebloom snickered softly at him, a light blush dusting her cheeks, while Sweetie Belle glanced to the two of them for a moment before turning to look at the clock again. The small hand on the timepiece ticked by slowly, each second seeming to last a lifetime.
“I’m really starting to get worried, Miss Cheerilee’s been gone for so long…” Applebloom’s ears perked at this, looking to see the time as well.
“Ah’m sure she’s fine Sweetie. She probably jus’ got held up or somethin’.” A sharp shushing noise from behind caused them both to turn and find another young filly, her coat a light cream with a fuzzy red mane and tail. Twist watched them disapprovingly as she used a hoof to straighten her thick purple glasses.
“You guys need to focus! She could be back any minute and we have to get our work done.” Applebloom raised a brow at this, turning to see that most of the class was either taking naps or whispering to each other. Their workbooks were all closed with the exception of a few of the foals that were having trouble and seeking assistance from their neighbors.
“Ah think we’re all jus’ ‘bout done with the work, Twist. There ain’t really anythin’ left to do.” Twist looked back to her friend, ready to fire a retort, only for her voice to fail her as she came up with nothing to counter the farmer.
“I don’t think Miss Cheerilee would mind us talking with all of our work done, it’s not like we’re doing anything wrong, right?” Sweetie Belle chimed in, looking between the two fillies. Crossing her hooves, Twist seemed to contemplate the argument.
“Maybe not, but we aren’t supposed to be talking class, it’s the first rule on the list!” Pointed a hoof to the large sign next to the chalkboard.
“But… yer’ talkin’ right now ain’t ya?” Blinking owlishly, Twist blushed as she turned away from Applebloom’s smirk, hiding her face within the workbook in embarrassment. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom giggled to one another before a roaring thunder overtook the whispers of the class. Fillies and colts alike screamed in fear, friends grabbing and holding onto one another while others dove beneath their desks.
Reptilian eyes snapped open, shimmering like vibrant emeralds in the dim light. Rocketing from his desk, Spike stared out of the window intently, his gaze searching.
“S-Spike! Yo-you need to get back in your s-seat!” Twist called out, despite that she was currently huddled beneath her own, workbook clutched close to her chest. Applebloom trotted over to him, Sweetie Belle nervously attached to her side as they approached.
“What is it, Spike? It’s jus’ the storm, nothin’ we ain’t heard before.” She looked out the window curiously, watching the small bits of rain that splashed against the pane. Shaking his head, Spike stepped away ran towards the door, grabbing his raincoat and bag as he went.
“That wasn’t the storm!” He spoke, his voice certain, but tinged with worry. The two crusaders watched him wrench the door open and sprint out into the rain.
“Hey, wait! Spike, you can’t leave!” Twist tried calling as she ran up to the open door, stopping at the frame and watching him go. She suddenly found herself being spun in place as two more figures sprinted out past her, making her dizzy for a moment before she saw who it had been.
“A-Applebloom!? Sweetie!?” Both fillies continued their chase, hot on the dragon’s heels.
~ ~ ~
Dust filled the air as the collapsed and broken building began to settle, the once silent street echoing the remnants of crashing wood and stone. The soft rain pelting against the debris slowed even more, before finally coming to a stop altogether. Suddenly, the sound of somepony coughing broke through the air, the shifting of wood disturbing the still monument that had once been a home.
Shoving the last of the debris that had collapsed off of himself, Brutus emerged. His upper body was coated in blood and wounds, large gashes that dripped copious amounts of his blood as he crawled through the remnants of his house. Coughing once more, blood poured from his lips as he struggled to move, shaking limbs working in tandem to pull him free, despite the immense pain.
‘I’m alive, I’m ALIVE!’ His wild eyes were focused on the road ahead of him, adrenaline pumping through what little blood remained in his system. The last image he’d seen before the building had come down was the back of that monster’s throat, razor-sharp teeth closing around him. How it hadn’t killed him in that instant, he would never know or would he care. He was alive and that was all that mattered to him. The sound of flapping wings drew his eyes up, spotting the shadow of a pegasus through the cloud of dirt and dust.
“Squirt!” Rainbow Dash flew through the dust, eyes searching as her heart raced. The cloud of debris made it difficult to see beneath her, but she could just make out the different parts of the home. Skipping past the majority of it, she hovered over the section that she knew had been where the filly’s bedroom was, landing on an outstretched plank of wood.
“Squirt, if you can hear me, hang on!” Diving into the mound of wood and stone, she began pushing the largest pieces she could out of the way, checking every feasible spot that she could reach. Her eyes began to well up with tears as she continued to search with no sign of her number one fan.
“Hello! Is anypony hurt!” A voice called out, catching her attention. Turning to look behind her, the dim blue light of a familiar magical aura shined through the dusty air.
“Rarity! Over here, I could use a hoof!” The lighted glowed brighter as it came closer, the frame of its owner finally coming into view.
“Rainbow? What in Equestria happened here!?” Finally making her way through the worst of it, Rarity carefully trotted around the wreckage until she was next to her feathered friend. The weather mare shook her head as she went back to her search.
“I don’t know, but can you use your magic to help me? I can’t find Scootaloo!” Rarity’s attention snapped back to the mare, concern in her features.
“Darling, wouldn’t she be at the schoolhouse right about now?” Rainbow Dash froze suddenly, dropping the piece of the foundation she had been struggling to move. Relief flooded the mare’s system as she slumped down, her racing heart slowly coming down.
“Oh thank Celestia…” It made sense if she thought about it. The filly would have been at school ages ago, which would be why she couldn’t find her anywhere in this mess. Rarity stepped up beside the mare, placing a hoof on her whithers in comfort. The two of them sat in silence as Rainbow wiped the unshed tears from her eyes, thankful that Rarity hadn’t said anything about them.
“There now, feeling a bit better?” Nodding thankfully, Rainbow looked across the destroyed home as a whole, her brows creasing.
“Scootaloo might be at school, but we need to keep searching, her parents could still here somewhere.” Rising back to her hooves, she lifted from the ground and began to hover over the debris, speeding up the pace of her wings as she fought to blow away the mass cloud of dust. Rarity covered her eyes as the rush of wind blew the dirt around her. It took several minutes of flapping her wings to even make a dent in the cloud, the wind left over from the calming storm fighting against her.
“Hey now, stop blowin’ it this way!” A country drawl caught their attention, causing Rainbow to slow her wingbeats, sweat dripping from her brow. As the dust began to clear, the forms of Big Macintosh, Applejack, and a struggling Winona trotted into view. Applejack’s head was bowed with her hat tilted forward with Big Mac sputtering and trying to clear the dirt from his mouth and face. Looking up from the ground, Applejack glared at the prismatic mare.
“Thank y’all kindly for the dirt bath, it’s jus’ what ah always wanted…” Reaching up, she removed her hat and began brushing off the dirt while Rainbow Dash looked to her sheepishly.
“Sorry A.J.” Rolling her eyes at the mare, Applejack looked around at the remains of the home and whistled.
“Whoo doggy, storm sure did a number on this place… Y’all find anypony yet?” The two mares shook their heads, before returning to looking around. Nodding, Applejack turned back to find Big Mac unloading from the wagon he brought, Winona still on her leash as she struggled even harder the closer he brought her. Worry tinged her features as she watched the canine.
“Winona! Here girl!” Her eyes widened in surprise when her faithful companion refused to heed her call. Big Mac, still standing near the wagon, held the leash tightly and watched the dog carefully.
“Y’all sure her trainin’s up to snuff?” Applejack growled at his questioning gaze, before stomping over to them.
“Yes. Ah. Am.” Taking the leash from her brother, she pulled on the hound even as the canine pulled back.
“Come on Winona, y’all gotta get sniffin’ now!” Winona yelped in distress, digging her front paws into the mud and dirt as she fought against her owner. Big Mac rubbed at his chin carefully as he observed the decidedly distraught canine. Something in the distance caught his eye and he felt a bit of sweat dripping down his brow.
“Uh, sis?” Applejack ignored him as she and Winona struggled in their impromptu tug-of-war. One trying desperately to escape the scene, the other trying to get them to start sniffing out the area.
“AJ, y’all might wann-” Applejack glared at him out of the corner of her eyes, strain, and frustration in her face.
“Jus’ let me do this Big Mac, ah can handle this!” Raising a brow at her, he sighed and shook his head. Turning away from the struggle, he stepped up to the wagon and began pulling out a few heavy blankets, stacking them on his back. Looking to the object he had seen before, he began counting down in his head as he turned to the wreckage and headed towards it.
‘Five… four… three… two…” Just as he was about to finish, a cry of displeasure came from behind him, a small smirk gracing his lips.
“Applejack! Just what do you think you’re doing to Winona!” Fluttershy hovered above a now visibly shocked Applejack, the farmer’s eyes widened as the animal caretaker fluttered in front of her, holding a shivering Winona in her hooves as the canine fought to bury its nose in her fur.
“Ah was tryin’ to git ‘er to start sniffin’! Fer some reason she jus’ won’t listen to me!” Desperate to defend herself, Applejack quickly returned fire. The butter-yellow pegasus would not be deterred.
“She’s scared Applejack! If you had paid any attention to the way she was behaving, you would have noticed that!” Applejack’s ears folded down, it wasn’t often that Fluttershy would yell at her friends, but when she did, she was usually right. Floating away from the farmer, Fluttershy lowered herself to the ground, whispering sweet nothings to the trembling ball of fur in her limbs. Applejack watched them with a grimace, guilt settling in her gut as she scratched at the back of her head.
“It’s okay little one, I know Applejack wasn’t being very considerate with your feelings, but she’s just worried. She cares about you a lot, I’m sure of it. We could really use your help in finding anypony that could be hurt, if you want to that is.” Shakily, Winona pried herself from the gentle mare’s fur, looking up to her with fearful eyes, before glancing around to the remains of the home. After a moment more, and glancing to the mare for a bit more encouragement, Winona gave a small yip before jumping from her hooves and making her way to Applejack, her tail wagging slightly.
“Well if tha’ don’ beat all…” Unhooking her from the leash, Applejack patted the hound on her head reassuringly.
“Ah’m sorry you two, guess I was jus’ a little too worked up.” Winona gave an excited yip, before running off to join Big Mac at the ruins of the house and begin sniffing. Fluttershy nodded her approval as she came up to her.
“There now, everything’s fine. You just need to remember that she has feelings too.” Applejack lowered her hat and bowed her head at the mare.
“Y’all would think ah’d already know tha’.” Both mares chuckled and giggled respectively before trotting up to help in the search.
Winona, her nose to the ground as she sniffed, tracked her way through the debris. At first, nothing seemed too out of the ordinary, just dirt, wood, stone, and more dirt. However, as she came around the bend of the home a new smell intertwined with the old ones. A coppery smell that was familiar, that she had been trained to find. Barking as she followed the smell, she came across a crimson trail, the liquid mixing with the mud and dirt as it led away from the home.
“Go on Winona, there’s a good girl!” Her master’s call from behind caused her tail to wag excitedly as she could hear the hoofsteps of the ponies following. A short way past the destroyed home, the mare’s gasped at what the dog found. A stallion lay against the wall of a nearby house, the color of his fur and mane were hidden beneath the thick layer of blood and a dark, black liquid that trailed his form. Strange lacerations covered his middle section and it looked to them as though he’d been stabbed at one point through the gut. Rarity screeched at the condition of the poor stallion as Fluttershy leaped into action, throwing off her bags and retrieving medical supplies.
“Applejack, I need you to apply pressure here!” The farmer didn’t hesitate as she did as instructed, trusting the pegasus to know what to do. Rainbow Dash felt herself turning a peculiar shade of green as she looked away. If this was who she thought it was, how in Equestria was she supposed to break this to Scoots? Fluttershy and Applejack raced against the clock to save the stallion’s life as Big Mac galloped back to the wagon, hooking himself to it to create a makeshift ambulance, only to pause as he felt the ground beneath him began to tremble.
A struggling and mud-covered hoof collided a small grey pebble, sending the stone skittering over the edge of the great chasm before her. Her movements weak, and her body trembling from exhaustion and blood loss, Scootaloo pressed on towards the gorge, her eyes alight with a hypnotic blue glow that mimicked the fiery fae that guided her.
The soft giggling of the creature had become almost hysterical as its excitement grew. This was it, this was what it had worked so hard for throughout the night! Just a little further and its toy would go tumbling down, down, down into the abyss. The spell that held sway over it would be released just as her hooves carried her over the edge, and-
The fae blinked suspiciously as it eyed the creature before it, there was something off, something it hadn’t seen in the shadows cast by the forest, but now stood out in the grey light that poured down above them. Floating a bit closer, the fae released a strange, warbled screech of irritation, this toy had wings! Drifting away from the creature, it seethed in its frustration, the pale blue of its flame now interrupted with the occasional flicker of yellow. What was it supposed to do now? It would be no fun if the toy awoke from the spell and didn’t fall! All of its hard work was for nothing!
Baring its needle-like teeth, a malicious thought played in its head as it debated on tossing the toy aside and letting the forest have it back. It wouldn’t take long for the Timberwolves that had been following them to devour the little thing, it wasn’t like such tiny wings could carry it to… safety…
Dawning realization brought back the fae’s jubilant smile, turning to regard the creature once more just to confirm its suspicions. Indeed, the wings were far too small, its plan would work after all! Giddily bouncing within the air, it swiftly bade the toy to move closer to the cliff’s edge. Scootaloo obeyed as only a lost child could, her eyes did not see the trickster before her, she could not see the drop that led to the bottom of Ghastly Gorge, she could not hear the howling wind that picked up speed the further down you went. She could only take one step at a time, a haunting smile playing upon her lips as she followed her visions of happiness and warmth.
The timberwolves salivated as they watched the scene before them take place. Once the young foal had fallen and the wisp had dissipated, they would be free to descend into the caverns from nearby crevices and find themselves an easy meal at the bottom. Though meager the size of the filly was, it had been some time since they had managed to find something large enough to consider a decent meal since that… creature… had come and claimed the forest for her own. Something snapped from behind them and the wooden effigies turned on their heels, baring their fangs as they growled at the shadows. A single striped hoof stepped into the light as a pair of golden eyes glared at them from within a deep hood. A soft chant and a flash of brilliant gold light and the creatures found themselves blinded and yelping in anguish, fleeing from the cloaked figure and back into the forest, thoughts of their meal vanishing in their fear of this newcomer.
Scootaloo’s hooves graced the edge of the gorge, her steps halting only briefly as she paused in her movements, the fae now giggling near uncontrollably as it held her close. It wanted to prolong this moment of joy, oh the despair that its toy would feel would sate its appetite for play at last! Well, at least until the next toy came along.
With a vicious smile, the fae’s pale blue flame began to burn with a ruby red hue, this was a moment to die for.
“Begone foul creature of flame! This foal is not yours to claim!” Shock overtook ecstasy as the fae found her toy being yanked away from the edge, a hair’s breadth from falling over. Screeching in rage, its flame roared a brilliant yellow as it sought the source of its ire, its fiery gaze landing upon the cloaked form that held its toy close. Screeching once more, the fae lunged for the creature, intent on reclaiming what was taken.
Zecora stared down the dark fairy in contempt as she reached for a small pouch around her neck, snapping its string and casting its contents before her. With no time to change its direction, the fae’s vicious cry turned to one of agony as it flew into the cloud of salt and wrought iron shavings, its flame flickering through a variety of different and conflicting colors upon contact. Angry yellow gave way to a sickly green as it screeched a horrific cry of pain, followed briefly with a shadow of purple as fear consumed it. Making haste, Zecora turned and wrapped both herself and the injured filly within her cloak, a strange Zebrican mantra flowing from her lips as her worn cloak began to glow with the golden etched runes of her homeland. Her chant continued even as the fae behind her gave a final screech of pain, it’s body contorting grotesquely, before exploding in a colorfilled inferno that fell upon the two of them and scorched the surrounding landscape.
As the flames slowly began to die down, the shaman calmed her chanting and the glow of her cloak faded. Peaking from beneath it, she found the area around them blackened with the smallest gouts of colored flame still lingering among the stones. With a sigh of relief, she allowed the cloak to fall from the foal she had saved from a terrible fate, using a hoof to try and wipe at the mud that covered the filly’s frame.
“The danger has passed, little foal. Now is the time for you to let go.” Staring into the glowing eyes of the filly, she whispered a different chant, the words flowing seamlessly into the filly’s ears and drawing out the dark magic that held her captive. The blue light of her eyes flashed golden for a brief moment before fading to purple, and Scootaloo blinked in confusion as she looked to the mare that stood in front of her. Before she could think of anything to say, her vision turned to darkness and her body fell toward the ground. The pain and exhaustion that had been held at bay, returning full force. Zecora reacted quickly, catching the unconscious filly in her hooves with worry stretching across her features.
“Oh, merciful goddesses above and below… is that sweet Scootaloo that I have in tow?” Wiping away more of the mud, her heart raced in fear and horror at the state of the filly. If she did not receive treatment immediately, then it would have been better to let the fae have her rather then this suffering. With careful movement, the shaman placed the foal upon her back and tied her in place with a few spare strings of twine from within her cloak. Careful to avoid being too rough, she galloped through the forest towards her home.
~ ~ ~
Brutus found himself struggling to follow the movements of those around him. His eyes were heavy and there was a constant ringing in his ears that drowned out their words. Any attempt to move was met with a fresh spark of excruciating pain and his whole body felt as if he was still beneath the debris of his home. The yellow mare to his left was yelling at him now… what was she trying to say? Tears poured from her eyes as she seemed to be begging something of him. The orange mare on his right had stopped trying to stem the flow of blood from his many wounds, choosing only to look away in defeat. The other two mares were close by, their eyes avoiding his. Lazily looking to the ground around him, he could scarcely count the number of bloody bandages that had been used up, all in a vain attempt to save him.
‘I… I don’t… deserve to be saved…’ It was cold… though he could no longer feel the wind around them, the cold seemed to emanate from somewhere closer, as if it was spreading from within his own body. His eyes slowly drifted closed as he felt hot tears begin to stream down his face, the only warmth that he was allotted.
For the first time in years, his mind felt clear… like he’d taken his first breath of fresh air after having been underwater for a long, long time… it hurt to breathe…
“H-h-hi!” Eyes snapping open, he looked around to find himself in an old, yet familiar setting. The room was filled with desks and seats that each came up to about his knees and he could swear that he could almost hear the chalk scratching on the board upfront. Looking around in confusion, his eyes widened at what more he found.
“M-m-my na-name is… B-Brutus Mead-dows, um… I’m eleven an-and I l-like gar-gardening…” The young colt at the front of the room stuttered as he struggled to introduce himself, scratching at his right foreleg with his left. A light giggle came from beside him, causing him to turn and finding a bright red filly that smiled at the colt upfront. How could he be here?
“Thank you, Brutus, why don’t you go ahead and have a seat next to Miss Glow?” A stallion’s voice came from somewhere nearby, but there was only himself and the two younglings that he could see. The small colt nodded his head towards the board, before looking around cautiously. The little red filly raised her hoof up high, waving him down as she smiled.
“Over here!” The young Brutus’ smiled shyly as he trotted around the other seemingly empty desks. Once he made it to the empty one at her side, the older Brutus watched with silent awe as Vibrant held out a hoof in greeting.
“Hiya! I’m Vibrant Glow, but you can call me Vi~” She smiled towards the colt, it seemed infectious as the young Brutus smiled back to her, tapping her hoof with his own.
“H-hi, it’s nice to meet you. My na-name is-” Vibrant shook her head, her medium-length golden mane dancing in the light.
“You already said your name silly! Oh! Class is starting, you can look over on my book until Mr. Lift can get yours.” The colt swallowed nervously, before sliding his seat closer so he could see the textbook. Placing his hoof on her desk, he meant to use it as a brace to help slide the chair, only for him to instead grasp ahold of the filly’s rested hoof. The two blinked in surprise, before looking over to one another briefly. Warmth spread through the colt’s cheeks like wildfire, while the filly’s eyes seemed to change from her normally boisterous gaze, to something more subdued as her red face grew a bit darker.
“Mr. Meadows, Miss Glow? Are you following along?” Their teacher’s sudden interruption of their intense staring contest startled the both of them and the older Brutus that had been entranced by the scene, tears threatening to fall from his eyes.
“Y-yes, sir!” Both foals called, removing their hooves from one another and blushing profusely, the reason now easily chocked up to embarrassment. Brutus watched the two as they followed along with their teacher, his mouth opening slightly as his heart ached within his chest. His eyes began to feel heavy as the edges of his vision grew dark. Shaking his head in an attempt to remain awake, Brutus found that the darkness had already consumed his vision. Blinking slowly, he stood in the cold dark, alone.
“Why… why am I seeing this…?” His quiet voice croaked out, its somber timber fading through the cold space.
“What are you doing sleepy head?” A whisper called out to him. Opening his eyes once more, he found himself laying within a comfortable bed, the bright rays of the sun beaming through the nearby window and basking everything in a golden glow. Something moved next to him and he turned to see the virulent crimson fur of his beloved. Vibrant’s beautiful green eyes sparkled in the yellow light as they looked to him through the strands of her golden locks. She smiled as she shuffled closer to him, laying one of her wings across his barrel over the blankets.
“Vi-Vi…?” His voice caught in his throat as he gazed at her. She did not respond, choosing to sigh happily as she nuzzled closer to him. Suddenly it occurred to him, he had been here before… though it wasn’t quite this bright… he’d been in this exact moment…
“Are you excited? I know I am…” Vibrant’s melodic voice rose from her lips as it only brought more tears from his eyes. He looked upon her form now, this was Vibrant before her gambling… before the collectors and before the drinking… this was HIS Vibrant… Brutus’ features struggled to maintain composure as he reached a trembling hoof over, attempting to brush his hoof through her wondrous mane, only for it to pass through as though she were made of air, eyes wide with shock he now reached for her with both forelegs as he sat up in the bed, clamoring to find some purchase on her.
“Pl-please… please… just let m-me…!” He tried again and again, but each attempt was met with failure, the weight of it bearing down on him. Despite all of this, the beautiful mare took no notice, her serene smile never wavering. Cracking open one of her jeweled eyes, she locked gazes with him.
“I’ve hardly been able to sleep… I’m so nervous, but I can’t wait to finally be married...” The stallion cried heavily, his voice wracking his body as he threw himself upon her, trying to hold her in his hooves once more, feel her warmth, her touch. His actions, however, held a different consequence as he tumbled through the scenery, shock, and fear upon his features as he found himself falling through a black void.
Suddenly, the darkness vanished and he found himself now standing in what appeared to be a small room. The walls were decorated with colorful animals and infant’s toys were scattered about. A small crib sat near the center of the room, empty and waiting for an occupant. His heart dropped to his hooves, a choked sob breaking the silence until an even more broken sound came from somewhere behind him…
Turning, he spotted the wilted form of his wife sitting in a corner of the room, tears streaming down her face as she cried in her anguish, holding tightly to a book with two pacifiers on the cover...
“M-my… m-m-my… b-baby…” She wept silently, her frame trembling as she rocked back and forth on the floor, her golden tail wrapped around her flanks. Her eyes clenched shut and her grip upon the book closed tighter the longer he watched. How many times had they tried before? His eyes caught the barest glimpse of the fresh scar that crossed his wife’s abdomen through her crossed limbs and dull red fur, matted from having gone unwashed. How could he have failed her...
Was this when it had all started? Was this why… Tears flooded forth anew from Brutus as he looked away from his wife’s grieving form, her pained cries and wails drowning him in her sorrow…
“Please… no more… I… I can’t…” The sobbing of his wife faded, to be replaced with something else… something that seemed more cheerful. Anxiety gripped him as he slowly opened his eyes again, feeling his blood freeze over at the new location.
“N-no…” Fillies and colts of varying ages, sizes and tribes all ran around him in the large playroom. Their vibrant colors dancing among one another.
“H-how… how do we…” Looking around desperately, he could not see where his wife’s voice was coming from, it only echoed through the small room a little louder than the foals.
“Don’t worry dear, it’ll come to you. Now, go on, you too Mr. Meadows.” A soft push came from behind, causing him to take several steps. Glancing to where he’d felt the push, he stared at the empty space in confusion.
“Look out!” A brash filly’s voice called out, just as the form of a little orange filly came crashing through his legs and into a pile of toys. The fillies and colts that had been playing with them scattered, their complaints and protests of the filly’s abrupt arrival being made very apparent.
“No… no no no…” Brutus’ voice never rose above a whisper as he turned with a heavy heart, finding the small filly as she climbed her way back to her hooves and gave a sheepish grin towards him.
“S-sorry about that! Um, I’ll just… yea.” Without saying anything more, she grasped ahold to the makeshift scooter, it’s plastic and cardboard frame bent out of shape. Giving a sigh of annoyance, she pushed her way out of the pile, allowing the foals to return as she went towards the back of the room.
“Who was that?” His ears flicked behind him, trying to focus on the voice, despite his eyes never leaving the filly’s retreating form.
“Oh… well, she doesn’t have a name. It isn’t like we haven’t tried giving her one, she just won’t take it…” Brutus took a trembling step forward, slowly making his way towards the filly as she sat at the back of the room near a box of materials, digging through it.
“Why won’t she take it?” He halted at the sound of his own voice now, guilt clawing at his chest.
“She… she wants to have her parents name her… like the other foals. She’s been here since she was just an infant. Placed on our doorstep without a note or a letter… We can only assume she was left here because… well…” Though he could not see where the invisible mare was indicating, he could remember the scene well enough, and his heart broke even more. The filly’s tiny wings, far smaller than they should be for a foal her size, stood up from her back as they buzzed like a humming bird’s occasionally.
As he watched the filly work, the other foals slowly began to dissipate, fading from existence as she was left alone. Sometimes she would look up, watching where the foals had been playing, raising a hoof with her mouth slightly open as she tried to call out to them, only for her ears to fall back as she would look away, blinking tears from her eyes.
“It’s unfortunate, but the likelihood is that she will be here until she comes of age. The other foals won’t make friends with her because she’s so much older, and in turn, she doesn’t try to make friends with them since they are more likely to be chosen, her friendships would always be temporary...” The voice started to fade near the end, his hooves carrying him closer to the filly where he collapsed to his knees next to her.
“I… I-I’m… so s-sorry… I wish I c-could have been… st-stronger… I…” Tears dripped from his face as he bowed his head, weeping into his forelegs before the filly as she worked along on her project, his presence doing nothing to disturb the memory.
“I would like to talk to her.” His own voice echoed around him and he felt as though a hammer had been driven into his heart. Turning slowly, his eyes widened as he found the image of his younger self staring him down… no… not him. He followed the gaze past himself and to the filly who was fixated on her work.
“...Are you sure? You haven’t even spoken to any of the oth-” The voice of the mare was cut off by his wife’s, her stern tone overtaking the mare’s business-like approach.
“I want to meet her too.” Glancing back, his lips trembled as the image of his wife, cleaner now but with an air of sorrow still clinging to her, faded into view next to his younger self, leaning against him for strength. He watched as the two nuzzled one another for a moment as if to help encourage the other before they stepped forward to approach the filly. Bowing his head, shame and sorrow warred with one another in his features as the couple passed through him, hot tears dropping to his hooves as they continued on, unabated by his ethereal form. He choked back the sobs that tried to escape him, turning to watch as the memory began to fade.
“D-don’t… don’t take her… She.. s-she deserves better…” His voice whispered as his eyes bored into the back of his younger self’s head. As the vision reached towards the filly, his younger lips moving but no sound coming out, the image of the filly seemed to blink for a moment. In that single instant, Brutus saw not the sweet, carefree and jubilant filly that he had adopted on this same day so long ago… but a downtrodden, bruised and tormented filly, her eyes fearful as she stared back at the younger version of himself. Snapping his gaze from the tortured filly, he found the hoof that had been raised in greeting now held a dark bottle, the downward swing was already in motion. Yelling in outrage, Brutus leaped at the mirage of himself, rearing back his own hoof to bring it against the image’s skull.
“LEAVE HER ALONE!!” His cry of anguish and rage was met with silence as he passed through the memory, once more falling through darkness. Looking about himself as he fell, he yelled in fear and helplessness, grasping about to find something to hold onto, his heart racing in his chest.
“Daddy! Please stop!” His eyes widened in horror, the filly’s words echoing around him as the sound of a bottle shattering could be heard.
“N-No! Pl-please!” He begged the air around him.
“Brutus, you went too far this time! Do you know what will happen if she goes to the guard!? Our lives are over, do you hear me!?” He could faintly hear his own heavy breathing, his heart pounding in his chest.
“Please! Stop!” His pleas were left unheard by the cold void that he fell through, his body twisting in an effort to slow his plummet.
“Wh-what are you doing? Brutus… BRUTUS STOP! PLEASE!” Vibrant’s cries of fear and pleading were mixed with the sounds of a struggle, her pitiful attempts to fight back having been easily thwarted as her screams became a gurgled orchestra before falling silent. Brutus wept as he fell, no longer fighting against the howling wind that rushed past his ears.
“I’M SORRY! I S-SO SOR-” The impact with the hard ground knocked the wind from his lungs, leaving him to wheeze in pain as he lay in the dirt.
“D-daddy? Is that you?” Brutus’ eyes snapped open in shock. Shaking off what he could of the immense pain, the stallion rolled over to see where the voice was coming from.
“Sc-Scoot?” He spotted the vaguely familiar form of the filly standing in the shadows of a few nearby trees. She tilted her head slightly as she watched him. Struggling to his hooves, he faced the filly and began to limp towards her.
“Scoot! I… I’m so sorry sweetie… I… d-daddy’s just been… having a... b-bad time…” His voice trailed off as he watched the filly, covered by the shadows of the forest… wait, why was he in the forest? Looking about, he only barely recognized a few bushes of the foliage, this was the Everfree… this was where Scootaloo had-
“It’s ok-okay Daddy, I u-understand.” Quickly looking back to the filly, her voice seemed different… like it was strained and gurgling… Shaking his head in trepidation, he took a step back as she stepped closer. The shadows that covered her form gave way, revealing a horror more grotesque than any he could have imagined.
“But we’re t-together now… We can be a f-family again.” The filly’s empty eye sockets stared him down, tears of crimson nectar pouring from them and dripping down her face. The grey fur of her body was still orange in some places, at least where there was skin for the fur to be had. Barely a moment of her stepping into the light was needed before the stallion fell back with a yell of terror, Scootaloo’s half-rotted lips curving into a smile. Scrambling to get away, Brutus turned to flee, only to come face to snout with his wife’s dead gaze. Her once brilliantly emerald orbs now a dull grey as they stared him down. Crying out in horror, the stallion tripped in his attempt to get away, collapsing onto his back, only to see the remainder of the mare he’d once swore to share his life with.
Much like Scootaloo, her fur had turned grey and white across most of her body, but that was where the similarities ended. Limping forward, Vibrant’s words were lost in a cacophony of gurgling and choking sounds, her lower jaw completely missing as her tongue hung across her torn open throat, copious amounts of her crimson life-blood pouring from the wound and drizzling down her front. Most of her feathers had fallen from her wings, leaving only the grotesque and bare limbs beneath, their flesh peeling away from the bone in a mockery of what they once were as it draped along her sides, dragging in the mud. A hoof step from behind turned the blood in his veins to ice as he whimpered.
“W-we’ll be… together… f-forever… A happy family…” His screams echoed through the dark canopy of the forest above.
With a screeching roar, tendrils of Ink erupted from the depths of the destroyed home, sending splinters of wood and stone scattering about as the Bearers and Big Mac all turned to face the sudden expulsion of debris. Winona yelped in terror, turning tail and sprinting her way through a back alley nearby, her instincts demanding that she fled. Most of the Bearers looked on in shock as Dimmed Star crawled out from beneath the refuse, portions of her body still phasing through the bulk of it while the tendrils around her would toss aside what was left. Rainbow Dash, however, glared at the mare despite her rising and imposing form.
Growling angrily, Dimmed Star shook off what debris covered her frame as gashes across her body quickly began closing, the Ink within working its way through the edges of her wounds, sealing them closed. Turning to face the other Bearers, their eyes widened as they found that the right half of her skull was in the process of reconstructing itself, as though it had been crushed under a massive weight. Her left eye darted to each of them in turn, studying them carefully as her jaw readjusted itself to align properly with a sickening crunch.
‘I shouldn’t have phased through the house so much…’ She thought idly as shelooked beyond the mares, each who watched her with varying expressions of disbelief and anger. Upon locating her quarry, Dimmed Star’s lips split into a grimace and she growled in disgust, the stallion was already dead. Her heart weighed heavily with her failure to end his life with her own hooves, her fury having once more been denied.
“What did you do!?” Her face having fully reformed, Dimmed Star snapped both eyes from the body of the stallion to the form of Rainbow Dash bearing down on her, ruby eyes furious as she stopped to hover just before the mare. Dimmed Star glared back unflinchingly as she glanced around to the others, taking in her current dilemma. From the outside, this certainly looked bad. Her next words would decide whether or not the situation could be salvaged. This would be a lot easier if Cheerilee were here to explain things. With a sigh of irritation, Dimmed Star turned back to Rainbow, making sure to move slowly as to not appear threatening.
“It’s not what it looks like Rainbow… well… not exactly… though… perhaps… ?” Shoot, the more she thought about it, the more this was exactly how it looked. Rainbow’s glare only grew in intensity as she flapped closer, the veins in her neck visibly bulging as she yelled.
“Not what it looks like!? I heard you, Dimmed Star! I knew that wasn’t thunder! Your crazy goo is all over his body! Why!? Why did you kill Scootaloo’s dad!?” At the mention of the young pegasus, however, Dimmed Star’s eyes grew dark as all pretense at keeping a placating facade was swiftly discarded. Rainbow Dash blinked for the barest of moments as she suddenly found herself staring up into the dark eyes of Dimmed Star, half shifted into her alternate form, the dark mare’s shadow cast over the pegasus that had just seconds ago hovered above her. Dimmed Star’s voice hissed out of her throat in a deep and rumbling growl as the prismatic mare felt her heart skip in fear, her wings taking her several paces away to gain distance between the two of them.
“Never... call that thing a father in my presence again…” Rainbow’s brow furrowed as she glared back at the dark mare. A moment of silence passed between the two of them, Dimmed Star’s cold eyes boring into Rainbow’s crimson irises.
A soft brushing against her foreleg snapped Dimmed Star from her irritation at the weather mare before her as she looked down and found Fluttershy there, stroking her foreleg and shushing the distorted growls that Dimmed Star hadn’t realized she’d been producing. The other Bearers now stood around them, Applejack taking up the space near Rainbow as she rooted her hooves and straightened her hat, emerald eyes carefully watching and calculating each of Dimmed Star’s movements. Rarity stood on the other side of Fluttershy, keeping a respectable distance from their friend in the event of something going wrong.
“Th-there, there, Star. I-It’s gonna be... o-okay…” Fluttershy choked out, her voice trembling as she spoke. The stains of blood on her hooves and forelegs from her attempts to stall the stallion’s bleeding were beginning to dry, crusting and flaking away little by little with her movements. Though she sought to soothe Dimmed Star’s anger, Fluttershy couldn’t help the sickness she felt in her stomach as she watched her crimson coated hoof with a morbid fascination out of the corner of her tear-filled eyes.
“What in tarnation happened here, Star? An’ don’ go leavin’ out any details, Ah’ll know if’n ya do.” Dimmed Star looked away from their shy friend to find Applejack staring her down intently. Rainbow Dash bristled from beside the farmer as she tried to appear taller, her crimson eyes glaring. Taking a deep breath, Dimmed Star’s form slowly shifted back to her default state, shrinking down and causing Fluttershy’s soft strokes to slowly become a full-on hug as the mare trembled in her embrace. At first, Dimmed Star had a mind to push the mare off, until the image of a pink maned baker flashed through her mind. The vision of Pinkie Pie’s crying face as she snuggled closer into Dimmed Star’s fur just after her little… episode… left a clawing feeling of guilt in her stomach.
‘Pinkie…’ Raising a foreleg tentatively, Dimmed Star draped it around the back of the yellow mare carefully, before sighing as the slightest hint of warmth seemed to spread through her system at the contact. Taking a deep breath, she turned to the others as she began her tale. The simplest place to start was with her encounter regarding Cheerilee and the stallion on her porch. She had failed to recollect the pony’s name, as the only thing she cared about was why they were fighting on her porch. The thought that Cherilee would ever be in a brawl with another pony was hard to swallow, and though Rainbow appeared to want to say something, Applejack prevented the mare from speaking out of turn, allowing Dimmed Star to finish her side of the story unhindered. The dark mare recounted to them what she had learned and what she had done; the retelling of her trip through the dilapidated conditions of the home, the horrid mess of both it and that of its occupants therein, and the distinct lack of a certain filly whom Cheerilee had confirmed was absent from school.
By the time she was done, Rainbow Dash and Rarity were looking at her in utter shock and disbelief, while Fluttershy had only begun to tremble more in the embrace she shared with Dimmed Star. Taking a few moments to herself as she left them to their thoughts, she wondered how they would take the news. Would they blame her? Would they abandon her again…? The sound of a hoof stamping in the mud drew her away from her musings, finding Rainbow Dash glaring at her with tearful eyes as she now stood upon the ground, her wings spread wide.
“No! No, no, no, no! I don’t believe that! You’re lying, you have to be! Sh-she’s at school, she’s a-at school where sh-she’s supposed to be!” Dimmed Star spoke nothing in her defense, only watching as the pegasus began to lose her fight to remain calm.
“She ain’t lied once, RD.” Collectively, the group turned to the resident Element of Honesty as the farmer nodded to Dimmed Star with a hint of understanding in her watery eyes. For the briefest of moments, the dark mare wondered where such certainty had been back at the wedding rehearsal but chose to let it go… for the moment…
“Even if she was, ain’t like we couldn’t go ask Cheerilee ourselves…” Tipping her hat down a bit to cover her eyes, the Applejack looked down and to the side as her brother, Big Mac, trotted up slowly beside her, lending his side for the apple farmer to lean against as he kept his eyes on Dimmed Star’s form. Rainbow looked to the honest mare, her jaw trying and failing to form words before she fell to her hindquarters and stared at the ground, rivers of hot tears now pouring down her face as she hiccuped at first, then screamed her frustration to the cloudy sky above, slamming her hooves over and over again in the dirt. Rarity, bowed her head as well, her sapphire mascara beginning to run despite her best efforts at maintaining her composure.
Dimmed Star suddenly found herself feeling a bit colder as Fluttershy had changed targets, quietly stumbling her way over to their cyan friend and pushing past her flailing limbs, no matter how many times Rainbow tried to push her away, even striking out at her, Fluttershy would not be denied. The mare grappled with Rainbow until finally, the weather pegasus had either tired herself out or simply could no longer bring herself to struggle anymore. Collapsing into the animal caretaker’s limbs, Rainbow cried heavily into her chest while Fluttershy wrapped the both of them up in her wings, softly whispering something the others could not catch to the distraught mare, rocking them back and forth in place.
“Da-darling?” Taking her eyes away from the scene, Dimmed Star nodded silently at the alabaster mare, giving Rarity the floor.
“You… you said that you never found her… b-body… right?” Dimmed Star closed her eyes and thought back to before she let loose. Thankful once more for her photographic memory, she went back through her tour of the home. From the entrance to the hallways, the kitchen, and the bedrooms, even through the very walls themselves… nothing…
“No… There was no sign of her. There was a great deal of blood in the home, spilled along the floor and stairs. I only found one body, a mare. If I had to guess, it was Scoot’s mom.” Her eyes locked back on to the body of the stallion once more, her blood boiling from within just staring at him. Rarity raised a hoof to her mouth, shock in her eyes.
“O-oh my… but… doesn’t that mean there is a chance…? Could Scootaloo have… gone off someplace? Could she have es-escaped?” The choking sobs of Rainbow came to a sudden halt at this and the mare’s ruby orbs peered over the lemon-colored wings of her friend. The whites of her eyes were partly bloodshot and bits of snot trailed from her nose and down her muzzle, but the smallest glimmer of hope dared to shine in those desperate orbs.
“S-sh-she c-could be… a-alive?” Pushing herself to a standing position, the mare began to frantically look about at the debris around them.
“Th-then we go-gotta find something! An-anything that co-could tell us!” Her strength renewed, she finally broke free of Fluttershy’s constricting grasp and began to dig through the nearest pile of debris.
“Sq-Squirt! Can you hear me!” Dimmed Star and the others watched on solemnly as the cyan mare desperately dug through the remains of the home, calling out for the filly to show any sign of herself. Turning away from the heart-wrenching sounds of Rainbow’s desperate search, Dimmed Star felt her heart pounding heavily in her chest… it hurt to see one of her friends in so much pain, especially a pony who had always been so strong.
“I searched everywhere… she’s not here, Rainbow…” Whether the mare heard her or not, Rainbow did not respond as she leaped from one section of the home to another, clinging onto the hope that she so desperately needed. Applejack leaned closer to her brother as he laid a foreleg over her withers, burying her muzzle into his neck as she fought to keep her friends from seeing her own distress. How was she supposed to tell Applebloom that one of her best friends was likely gone?
Suddenly, the cyan mare abandoned her search as she took to the air, drawing their eyes to her in surprise as she rocketed away in a blur of cyan and rainbows, slamming bodily into the corpse of the stallion, skidding the two of them across the dirt.
“Where is she!? Tell me dammit! Where’s Scootaloo!?” The Bearers looked after the prismatic mare, mortified at her sudden and violent act. Applejack and Big Mac took off after her, trailed by Fluttershy as they attempted to pull her from the body as she screamed and beat the stallion’s head with her hooves.
“R-Rainbow! It ain’t no good! He’s dead, leave 'im be!” Dimmed Star watched from the rubble as Rarity sobbed nearby, the two of them watching as the three ponies struggled with their friend.
“No! Let me go! Wake up dammit! Tell me where she is! Where is she!?” Her cries continued long after the farmers had pinned her to the ground while Fluttershy dragged the stallion’s body further away, her aqua eyes clenched shut as she cried.
Rarity, no longer fighting the tears that poured freely, slowly moved closer towards Dimmed Star, her eyes pleading.
“Pl-please… tell us you have some way… some spell o-or ability that would help us find her.. to know for certain…?” The dark mare only shook her head.
“I don’t know any spells for tracking and my senses aren’t too much higher than a normal pony’s… They’ve been put to the test enough times in the Everfree for me to know their limits. I could maybe get her scent for a few yards, perhaps a quarter of a mile, but no further. Even then, we don’t know how long she’s been missing… the rain could have washed away her scent by now.” Dimmed Star’s eyes looked up towards the sky, her teal pupils studying the patterns of the rain clouds above. Although the storm had stopped and the wind was beginning to die down, it still felt as though it were raining… Unbeknownst to her, a single dark tear slid its way down the left side of her face, dripping to the rubble beneath. Rainbow’s enraged screams had devolved into a fit of sobs at this point, her voice echoing around the nearby buildings.
“I can track her…” The new voice startled her, drawing her eyes away from the clouds above and down below, finding the source with relative ease as he stood at the edge of the ruined home.
Spike twiddled his claws together quietly, shuffling his feet as his guardian and Rarity stared back at him. The hunched forms of Sweetie Belle and Applebloom could easily be seen trying to hide behind his tiny frame, their nervous gazes peeking around him as they watched the scene with fear and worry.
“Spike? What are you doing here?” The drake swallowed nervously, glancing around as though he’d been caught doing something wrong.
“I-I heard you… I heard your voice from the schoolhouse. I thought… I got worried… so I, uh, we came to help.” He glanced back to indicate the two crusaders who smiled up to her weakly. Sweetie Belle glanced back over to the body of the stallion, her face turning green as her eyes widened shakily. Seeing this, Rarity’s own protective instincts took over and she rushed to the fillies and drake, situating herself between them and the gruesome scene behind her.
“Th-this is no place for fillies and colts! You all need to head back to the school this instant!” She did her best to give them a disapproving glare. The foals and drake had the decency to look sheepish at this, looking anywhere but to the irate mare.
“There’s no point, Rarity. It’s already the middle of the day and Cheerilee has been… well, I don’t know where she is now, but I doubt classes will be taking place. That aside…” Dimmed Star stepped down from the pile of refuse that she had been standing on, slowly approaching the younglings. Glancing over to the body of the stallion, she wished she had dealt with the corpse sooner so as to have spared the foals such a sight. Turning back to the drake, she dipped her head as she approached and nuzzled his brow as he leaned into her.
“Are you sure, Spike? Do you think you can find her?” Spike nodded slowly, grateful for the comforting motion of his guardian. As she pulled away, his eyes took on a determined look, their reptilian pupils sharpening.
“I want to try.” Dimmed Star smiled down at the drake, her pride in the youngling growing every second.
“Pl-please…” The two of them turned to find the prone form of Rainbow Dash, still pinned beneath Big Mac’s hooves. Said mare was now looking at them, her eyes begging as she struggled to speak through her sobs.
“Pl-please fi-find… find he-her… please…” Dimmed Star bit the inside of her cheek hard enough to tear flesh as she watched the mare. Applejack stood close by, nursing a few bruises and scrapes caused by the pegasus’ struggles as Fluttershy sat next to the cyan mare, holding her head in her hooves as she wept into her prismatic mane. Dimmed Star turned back to the drake as he trembled, watching the desperate mare as she tried to reach a pleading hoof out to him, begging him to find the filly all the while. Placing her Ink stained hoof upon his shoulder, Dimmed Star turned him away from the heartbreaking scene, pushing him towards the rubble as she glanced to Rarity who watched on while holding tightly to the two crusaders.
“Keep an eye on them… we’ll find her… I promise…” The alabaster unicorn nodded as she watched them go. Dimmed Star took one last look back at the group before she trotted after Spike, her horn alighting with its dark aura as a familiar saddlebag blinked into existence and hovered next to her. Stepping up beside Spike, the bags lowered themselves to his claws as he reached up for them. Pausing momentarily, Dimmed Star hesitated to give the bags to the young drake. His emerald eyes looked up to her curiously as he waited.
“Star?” The dark mare struggled with the weight of this decision. If Spike could track the filly… what would they find at the end of the trail? Would she be okay? Would she be dead? Her eyes traced the scaled features of her charge, could she risk him seeing such a thing? Her thoughts trailed back to the body of the stallion nearby… A nameless corpse was one thing, but the body of a dear friend?
“Spike… I need you to promise me something.” Nodding slowly, the drake watched as his guardian chewed her lip in thought, before continuing.
“When we get close, I want you to wait for me while I go ahead, understood?” Spike looked to her in confusion.
“But, I want to make sure Scootaloo is okay.” His quiet voice only just reached her ears as he mumbled his desire to see his friend. She understood how he felt. Although the filly and she had not interacted much more than the times she had come over and studied with them, she was one of few ponies that had begun to accept her again. The bright, smiling face of the filly intruded her thoughts, forcing her to shake her head to clear it away and focus on their task. It would do no good to dwell on what was, if there was a chance that she could still be alive somewhere, now was the time.
“I know, Spike, but it’s something I need you to promise me.” Placing a hoof beneath his chin, she raised his head so that their eyes would meet. Sniffling slightly, Spike nodded his acceptance and she smiled softly at him.
“Thank you, Spike. Now, don’t push yourself.” Levitating the bag of school supplies into his claws, Spike lifted the top and began to dig through its contents. The first thing he took a big whiff of was the bag itself, taking care to try and single out any defining scents. Nodding, he reached into the bag and began taking out several items, each ranging from books to pencils and paper, he took long sniffs of each, trying to single out a single scent that wouldn’t lead him astray. The final few things to be pulled from the bag were a few near-empty vials, causing his eyes to widen as he turned them over in his claws.
“I thought so…” Catching this, Dimmed Star stepped closer and peered over his shoulder to get a better look.
“What is it, Spike, makeup?” The drake nodded in affirmation as he took deep sniffs of the vials.
“Yeah, I thought I smelled it whenever Scoot was around, but I just always thought it was something that rubbed off of Sweetie Belle or something.” Taking another deep sniff, the wind began to pick up at that moment, causing him to turn his head suddenly and drop the vials. Looking between him and the contents of the bag, Dimmed Star felt an inkling of hope as she alighted her horn and collected the items, placing the bag upon her back as she followed after the drake as he took off, the two of them rushing away from the ruined home as the rest of the Bearers, Big Mac, and two fillies watched after them.
~ ~ ~
Everything hurt… why did everything hurt?
Scootaloo’s consciousness faded in and out as she blinked away the sleep from her tired eyes. The only thing she could see was a ceiling of ringed wood? Oh, she must be at the library… maybe she had fallen asleep on the floor again and had slept wrong. Her vision grew blurry for a moment as if her eyes were struggling to see. Trying to sit up, the pain in her body screamed at her and she found herself unable to move as she lay there, her mouth opening in a horrified expression, but no sound escaping.
A shadow passed over her and the sound of somepony talking could be heard, but it seemed distant and muffled. Who was that? Why couldn’t she see or hear them? A hoof brushed against her forehead as another pushed her back into the soft blankets below. Scootaloo could feel something cold being placed upon her burning fur and skin above her eyes, trails of a cool liquid dripping down from the sides of her brow. The shadow hovered for a moment longer, before it stepped away and out of view.
‘No… please, come back…’ Scootaloo begged for the shadow to return, for it to tell her why she hurt so much, why her body felt as though it were on fire. The edges of her vision began to darken once more as her eyes slowly closed, her consciousness fading…
~ ~ ~
Spike jumped over the rise of several large roots, his breath escaping in gasps as he pressed onward, following the scent of cheap makeup. The crunch of the roots he’d just cleared told him that Dimmed Star was still very much in pursuit. The dark mare barely seemed winded, although it was hard to tell if such strenuous exertion would tire her out like it used too.
How long had they been following the trail? About an hour now, maybe more? The canopy of the trees above did little to help him tell the time as they blocked out much of the light that would have filtered through. Though he could at least tell that the sky had grown considerably less grey, the occasional ray of golden light beaming down through a gap in the foliage. Slowly coming to a stop at one such ray of sunshine, Spike leaned over and huffed, the pulsing of his heart in his ears.
“I told you not to push yourself.” Looking back, Dimmed Star stepped out of the dark trees and into the patch of light, her eyes watching him worriedly. Waving her off, Spike stood up straighter and gave the mare a forced smile.
“I-It’s no problem, Star. Just n-need a breather is all.” Spike gasped for air repeatedly as he spoke. They had mostly kept a sedate pace through the forest at first, but every now and again he would get what seemed like a stronger hold of the trail, leading them to these small sprint sessions where they would run until he ran out of breath. Sighing at him, Dimmed Star closed the distance between them, leaning her muzzle into his chest as she pushed him back into a seated position.
“H-hey!” Placing an Ink covered hoof in front of him, she prevented the drake from rising as she gave him a stern glare.
“No, you need to rest, Spike. We can keep going after you’ve got your strength back.” Sitting herself down on a nearby fallen tree, Dimmed Star watched the drake for a moment, making sure he remained seated and caught his breath. Spike took deep and controlled breaths, both to help expedite his recovery as well as to keep the scent’s trail as fresh as possible. The rain had diluted it a great deal, sometimes causing him to second guess himself.
After she was certain that he would take his time, Dimmed Star allowed herself to relax a bit, the events of the day were slowly beginning to catch up to her. The sound of water trickling caught her ears and she looked down to see a small trail of it pouring from beneath the log she sat upon. It pooled into a small puddle, its rippling surface reflecting the light that shone down upon it. Watching the water calmly, Dimmed Star raised a hoof and dipped it into the surface of the cool liquid, lazily allowing it to soak.
‘What an exhausting day… First, I nearly kill Pinkie Pie… she may never speak to me again, much less look at me… then Cheerilee brings all of this to my doorstep… and now here I am with Spike, scouring the Everfree for Scootaloo, who could be dead by now…” Looking around to the shadows that encircled them, Dimmed Star thought of the many creatures that made this enchanted forest their home. Timber Wolves and Manticores, Chimeras and Cragodiles… any of those wouldn’t hesitate to snatch up a runaway filly… And she wouldn’t hesitate to separate their heads from their bodies should that be the case. Though a Hydra would be trickier… had she ever eaten Hydra before?
Spike’s heavy breathing had slowed down considerably and he was able to more clearly focus on the scent he’d been following for the last few hours. Giving Dimmed Star a cautious look, he quirked a brow at seeing her mouth begin to water slightly, her dark saliva dripping from the corner of her lips, and began to wonder what she was thinking about. Probably food… hunting did seem to be one of her preferred pastimes these days. Chuckling to himself, Spike leaned back and sighed deeply. Star had been right to force him to relax, the two of them hadn’t eaten since morning as it was and he’d left his school bag back at the library. Frowning, he thought back to how he and the other two crusaders had arrived there first, only to discover that nopony was home.
That hadn’t stopped him though; dropping off their saddlebags at the library, Spike had followed after Dimmed Star’s scent, whereupon they came across the destroyed home. Had they arrived any later, he worried that any chance of a search for the filly would have been cut short without him offering to try and sniff the filly out. Taking another deep breath, Spike breathed much more easily now that his heart wasn’t struggling for oxygen. However, something seemed different about the air this time. Blinking in confusion, Spike took a few more tentative sniffs, before standing up and following the trail around the small area, his brows furrowed in concentration. Noticing the drake’s odd behavior, Dimmed Star rose from the log and trotted over to him.
“Spike?” A raised claw halted any further questions, the drake concentrating on his task. Watching him carefully, Dimmed Star noted that he repeated the same actions a few times, going back and forth between three paths in the trees.
“There’s… something off with the scent. Here, this is the path we were following. Scoot’s scent is strong this way.” Stepping up to one path, he pointed down the trail for a moment before moving back to the second.
“And this is the way we came… but here…” As the drake approached the third path, he sniffed the air again, taking deep breaths as he closed his eyes.
“I can smell her this way too, but… it’s as if it’s masked by something else… like herbs and spices of some kind… maybe incense?” The more the drake thought about it, the clearer the image became in his mind as he and Dimmed Star looked to the path in surprise, their thoughts culminating into one as they looked to one another.
“Zecora!” Without missing a beat, the two of them raced down the trail, the Zebra Shaman’s home now their next destination.
~ ~ ~
Continuing to hum quietly, Zecora stepped over to a nearby table that held a stone bowl and pestle. Several clay pots and jars sat around it, their lids open and contents exposed to the air as they filled the room with the smell of various herbs and medicines. Sitting at the hoof woven cushion, the zebra took hold of the nearest jar in her teeth, tilting it just enough to pour a few of the dried leaves into the bowl. Calculating eyes watched carefully as the leaves fell, measuring out the exact amount before halting in her actions and proceeding to do the same with a few of the other jars around.
From leaves to chopped roots and tiny seeds, the shaman worked to grind the ingredients into a thick paste. Her task took up much of the day, keeping the shaman busy as her patient slept. Every once in awhile, she would rise and return to her charge, carefully replacing the wet cloth that helped to keep the filly’s fever in check as well as to change any bandages that needed it. A trash bin at the filly’s bedside was almost overflowing with the remains of muddied rags and past wrappings; a single sleeve from what had once been the grey hoodie that the filly had been wearing dangled over the lip of the bin from underneath the myriad of used bandages.
A glass vial sat on the nightstand near the bed’s headboard, shards of a dark glass refracted the light of a nearby candle. Occasionally, Scootaloo would wake and her pained cries would fill the small home, drawing Zecora away from her tasks as she helped to soothe the agony that the filly was in. It was just after one such instance that the herbalist decided it was time to change Scootaloo’s bandages again, as the ones around her throat had grown spotty with a bit of fresh blood.
“Shhh… I am sorry for the pain that you feel, little one. But I fear that this agony has only just begun…” Her ears folded back in guilt as Scootaloo cried, her purple eyes seemingly distracted as she fought to keep them open in her bouts of pain, but it needed to be done if the filly was to recover.
Removing the thick covers from the top of the filly’s body, she began unwrapping several of the foal’s limbs, cleaning the wounds beneath them before rubbing more of the deep green salve that she had spent the day making upon their surface. Chanting in her native tongue, the zebra worked calmly but quickly to minimize the filly’s suffering. Once the small pegasus’ limbs had been tended too, she looked above the filly’s head and let out a sigh at the bandage there. The top portion of Scootaloo’s right ear had been removed for the sake of the filly, it had been dead for some time and only served as a catalyst for infection at that point. Cutting it off had been excruciatingly painful for the filly, causing her to scream as best she could with her damaged throat and neck. It hadn’t been any better when the medicine mare had set the broken ribs in her barrel either…
Shaking her head in sorrow, the striped mare continued her work as she began to unwrap the bindings over the filly’s throat and part of her face, wincing as the shredded flesh beneath came into view. Taking solace in the fact that the swelling had diminished considerably, Zecora wiped away the old salve and replaced it with the new batch as she had done for the filly’s limbs, chanting all the while as she prayed for Scootaloo’s rapid recovery.
A loud humming came from a nearby pedestal as a large stone upon its surface began to tremble, the rune carved into its surface glowing with a golden light. Looking away from her work, Zecora eyed the stone critically before sighing.
“I suppose it was only a matter of time, though I wish-” She found herself being cut off as something slammed into her home’s barrier, the humming of the stone now reaching a crescendo as it pulsed outwardly. Turning to her door, the shaman glared as her eyes began to shine with the same golden light for a brief moment as if permitting her to see something beyond the wooden portal. Pursing her lips, Zecora turned back to the filly and quickly placed a few sterile wrappings over the open wounds to prevent further infection before she stood and trotted over to the pedestal and covered the stone with a dark cloth that rested beneath it, muffling its irritating noise for the sake of the sleeping foal. The glow of her eyes began to fade as she took a deep breath and made her way over to the door, her features stern and apprehensive.
~ ~ ~
Dimmed Star and Spike burst through the treeline as they entered the clearing that led to the home of the Everfree’s resident Shaman. The many decorative pieces of Zecora’s homeland that littered the area would have normally sparked Dimmed Star’s intrigue as they had done in the past, every time she had come to visit it would seem like more and more of the objects would appear, but this was not a social call.
Bounding past the many decorations, Spike huffed as he caught his breath at the door to her home, carved out within the body of an ancient willow. Reaching to knock on the door, a flash of golden light from behind him and a screeching roar called his attention away.
“Star!?” Looking behind him, the drake was surprised to find the dark mare rising from the dirt and mud from several paces away, as if she had been thrown back. Dimmed Star’s eyes were livid as she hurried back to her hooves and approached the home once more, confusion and anger in her features. Just like before however, as she trotted up towards the door, a wall of golden light appeared and blocked her path. Although it did not eject her as viciously as before when she had run headfirst into it, the wall did force her back several steps.
“What is this!?” Dimmed Star growled as she stared at the barrier in confusion and frustration. What was this? No magic had had any effect on her since her transformation! At least not since Celestia had blasted her to pieces back at the wedding, but that had been a fluke, right… right!? Spike watched from his place on the doorstep, worry in his eyes.
“What’s wrong?” Looking around him, the drake stepped down from the few steps that led up to the zebra’s door, tentatively reaching out to where the barrier had appeared, only to be yanked back as something took hold of his tail.
“Although you are quite persistent, not all magic are you resistant.” Spike turned to find the shaman just behind him, his tail pressed firmly to the ground with her hoof as she glared out past the invisible barrier of her home, turquoise eyes carving daggers into the growling and enraged form of Dimmed Star as the dark mare stared back. For the first time since her transformation, fear crept its way into Dimmed Star’s heart.
“Alas, I did not prepare any tea, for tonight I had no plans to entertain company.”
The two mares stared one another down as the light above the canopy slowly grew, the dark clouds above dispersing and permitting the sun’s warm rays to warm the land once more. Spike glanced nervously between the two of them, his claws clasped together as his eyes darted from the Shaman that held him in place and the visibly enraged mare on the other side of the yard.
“Zecora…” Dimmed Star’s growling voice rumbled forth, her teeth clenched tight in an effort to maintain her temperament. Her teal pupils darted between the captive drake and the Zebrican Shaman who watched the dark mare carefully before turning to the drake in her grasp, passing on a reassuring smile in response to his uncertain expression.
“Hello Spike, it is good to see you. A visit, I fear, that has been long overdue.” The youngling looked up to the mare’s strong cyan eyes, a nervous tremble trailing down his frame as his claws gripped one another tighter.
“H-hi Zecora… um, you-... I uh…” Zecora chuckled softly at his nervous attempts to converse, before resting her free hoof upon his head in a comforting motion, the movement causing her multitude of golden jewelry to chime as they came into contact with one another.
“There is no need for you to fret, I will only be keeping you for a moment yet. Why don’t you go on inside, your friend and I have much to decide.” His heart tight in worry and no small amount of fear, Spike looked back towards his irate guardian for some form of assistance. Dimmed Star for her part was struggling against herself. Her anger at the Shaman for having separated the two of them like this was potent, but her worry for the drake’s safety and concerns of the unknown magic superseded her rage on a monumental scale. Breathing carefully, the dark mare gave the young wyrm an uneasy smile, nodding towards the home.
“Go ahead, Spike… Zecora just wants to talk, I’m sure…” Her eyes darted back to the silent zebra who only nodded in affirmation, her cheerful expression having remained unchanged as she softly stroked the scales upon the young drake’s head. A quiet pause took place as Spike watched the two of them worriedly, before finally relenting to the adult’s whims and moving to step within the confines of the small home, Zecora carefully releasing her hold on his tail once she could be sure he was moving in the right direction. However, just as the door was about to close, Zecora caught the edge with a hoof and gave the youngling a discerning stare.
“Oh and one more thing. Beneath the covers that I have sewn, if you would be so kind as to leave my patient alone.” Although her face was still smiling, Spike could read from Zecora’s eyes that she promised a most unpleasant outcome should he disobey. Nodding rapidly, he found himself unable to respond as his mouth suddenly felt dry and his heart pounded in his ears.
“Good, then we shall see you soon. There are some jade gem shavings beneath the cupboard you will see. Should you grow hungry, you may enjoy as much as you like, so please feel free.” With that, the door was closed and Spike found himself left to the silent space of Zecora’s home.
~ ~ ~
Breathing a sigh of relief, Zecora counted the seconds she needed to brace herself for the coming conversation, it had arrived far sooner than she had planned. Even worse, she wasn’t sure if she was up to it. Turning back to face the dark mare that stood beyond her home’s defenses was harder than it seemed, her heart aching as her eyes landed on the form of what had once been a dear friend. Pushing aside the dregs of her worry, the shaman stepped away from the door and down the few steps needed to place herself just before the simmering mare and her veritable lake of black tar that bubbled around her…
‘What?’ Blinking rapidly, Zecora found herself quickly stepping back as she stared at the mass of dark fluid that now encompassed much of her front yard, its boiling surface hissing as the greenery beneath turned to ash and small plumes of smoke seethed from beneath. A nervous tremor made its way through her body as she quickly locked eyes with the rather irate mare beyond the barrier. Her mind flashed back to the first time she had come across the… creature... that her friend had become…
~ ~ ~
“Hmm hm hmm hm, hmm hm hmm~” A soft tune hummed through the early morning air as Zecora strolled through the frequently used path towards her home. Several bags of herbs and roots were strapped to her sides beneath the worn cloak that kept the cool morning dew upon the leaves and grass from brushing against her fur, it had been a bountiful start of harvest. Her normal route had been all but run dry of anything useful, thus leading to the spiritual mare taking a more uncommon trail in search of the ingredients she needed for many of her usual potions and spells that the townsfolk of Ponyville would often purchase.
‘I’ll have to remember where that patch of thistle grows, it is not often that I can find so much in such a small alcove.’ The skip in her step spoke volumes of her excitement as she rounded a small oak and made her way over to a worn stump, one of many resting spots that had been selected over her time living in the Everfree. The sound of a Cockatrice’s cry could be heard through the trees to the south, but it was distant and Cockatrice were normally nocturnal hunters, she would have nothing to fear at this hour of the morning. Unstrapping the many heavy satchels that lay upon her back, Zecora set them alongside the wooden seat and dipped a searching hoof into one, fishing out a single cloth from one and opening it to reveal several colorful berries and flowers, a fruitful snack to restore her energy for the remainder of her trot home.
As she ate, Zecora closed her eyes and breathed deeply, the early crisp air chilled her to her very core, yet its refreshing nature left her feeling at peace and content with the promising start of a new day. The cries of the Cockatrice were oddly soothing, almost like a lullaby despite the early hours. Returning to her melodic tune, Zecora hummed and swayed herself left and right to the rhythm, sometimes pausing to allow the Cockatrice its own place in her impromptu concert.
That was until a vicious screech overtook the peaceful morning, sending the cries of birds into the air as the sound of something heavy slamming into the ground could be heard in the distance. Leaping from her seat, Zecora’s eyes watched the treeline carefully as her ears flicked to and fro, listening for any potential threats that could sneak up on her. Another thud and the sound of something cracking, akin to a tree being bent over, once more echoed through the air along with… was that laughter?
‘What in the name of the Goddess…?’ A throaty, manic cackle was now filling the air, its strange reverberations had at first lead her to believe there was more than one participant. Worry gripping her heart, Zecora galloped full tilt in the direction of the racket, her satchels and meal laying forgotten near the stump.
A trot through the thick underbrush of the forest had most certainly not been on Zecora’s list of things to do this morning when she had first set out on her usual route, but any thought lamenting this was lost in the myriad of concerns that flew through her mind as she sought the source of the conflict that was shaking the forest with each renewed screech and haunting laugh. Just as the shaman made to jump over a small brook, she was forced to jump away as something massive and green crashed through the quiet section of forest. Staring in shock, the stunned mare had to blink several times to make sure that what she was seeing was real.
It was as if the creature had leaped right from the old storybooks! An ethereal green body the size of a small home, moss and other greenery growing from the top of its back and the two great pincers in front. A deadly tail swung through the air, its sharp stinger seeking purchase on an imaginary foe as bright green venom dripped from the tip, an Everfree Scorpio! A near-extinct species from what Zecora could recall, although this particular specimen looked too small to be a full adult, despite its already impressive bulk. From what little was known, the celestial Scorpio’s were all but secluded to the badlands in the Dragon territory. Although this was a grand discovery, there were several things wrong with this particular specimen, like the fact that it’s left claw was missing the lower portion of its pincer, fluorescent green blood pouring from the gaping wound, or the myriad of fresh gashes that littered the celestial beast’s hard carapace, more of the creature’s life essence seeping from several that cut through the weaker parts of its carapace. The poor creature was panicked, trying to claw at something on its back while its great tail lashed out randomly, tearing down trees and decimating the landscape.
‘By the spirits…’ Zecora watched in both wonder and horror at the sight, the Scorpio’s terrified screech filling the air as it turned and she could finally see what ailed it. Her stomach churned with its contents as the source of the maniacal cackling came into view upon the back of the great beast. If the Scorpio looked as though it had been born from a fairy tale, then this… thing... could only have come from some poor soul’s horrid nightmare! Its form was vaguely pony shaped, but that is where any similarity ended as it’s wide jaws were split in a disgusting facsimile of a smile, sharp teeth the length of small daggers jutting out from the blackened lips. A long black tongue arched through the air as if tasting the very scent of the copious amounts of celestial blood that poured from the wound it had rooted itself in. A vile black fluid cacked the area of carapace around the foul thing, tendrils of the fluid rising and slashing at the exposed flesh of the wounded Scorpio, eliciting more pained cries.
Rearing back, the Scorpio’s tail flailed dangerously, attempting to knock the creature from its back. What the dark monstrosity did next not only caught Zecora by surprise but left the Scorpio screeching louder than ever before. As the tail had swiped close to it, the creature had turned and in a blink, snapped its jaws around the length of the tail, leaving the top half to fall away to the ground below in a shower of its blood and venom. Giving a hearty laugh at the Scorpio’s plight as it screeched in pain and rage, the creature suddenly melted into the great carapace. Just as quickly as the battle had begun, it ended with what looked to be dozens of black spikes erupting from within the poor celestial’s body. Frozen in utter shock, Zecora looked on as with a final shudder and weak cry from its mandibles, the once majestic beast finally crumpled to the ground with a heavy thud.
“This is disgusting!!” The vile creature’s voice echoed from within the body of the Scorpio before it came sliding out of the side of the beast, leaving a trail of dripping black fluid and a dark stain upon the carapace that cracked and began to chip away. As the dark creature trotted away from its kill, it spat in disgust as it tried to cleanse its palette of the, apparently horrible, taste of the celestial beast. Slowly, the creature’s body began to shrink from its lanky form, the dark fluid around it seeming to soak into its hooves.
“What an unbelievable waste of time!” The creature, now in a form far more closely resembling a normal unicorn mare, shouted to the sky, her ire at the wasted hunt clearly visible by the expression on her face. Zecora watched the mare cautiously, her eyes slowly beginning to glow with a golden hue. This mare’s aura was foul, as though a sickness made manifest within her very being… Had she escaped from Tartarus? It was possible, as it was the only place she could think of that could birth such a thing.
“How can something that smells so delicious, taste so gross…” Grumbling to herself, the mare trotted away back towards the treeline, her irritation apparent given the expression on her face. As she faded into the shadows of the trees, Zecora slowly stepped out and into the open, approaching the downed carcass of the Scorpio and placing a solemn hoof against its hard shell.
“A sorrowful end to such a rare find, if only there were a remedy that could reverse time.” Giving a silent prayer for the creature’s soul to find peace, Zecora turned her gaze to the direction that the dark mare had wandered, her turquoise eyes shining with determination as she trotted after her.
~ ~ ~
The shaman had followed the dark mare until she reached Ponyville, and though she worried that the mare would become hostile upon entering the township, it seemed more likely that she actually lived there! Many of the ponies that worked the early morning shift in the market would give the mare careful waves and even the occasional smile. Nopony was panicking at the sight of a mare, covered hoof to mane in the fluorescent lifeblood of a celestial beast! The exact details were lost on her but further tracking found that the mare lived in the same library as her friend Twilight Sparkle, even the young Spike seemed happy to see her when he opened the door in greeting. It was the work of several days of observation and interrogating the patrons of the market before she finally discovered who the mare was, and consequently, who she had been.
The same dark fluid used to fell one of the hardiest species of the Everfree boiled and hissed a mere hoofsteps pace away from her. The only security that it would bring her no harm was the barrier that stood between them, although she was uncertain for how much longer it would remain. Glancing cautiously to where the invisible wall separated them, Zecora pondered over whether or not the stone would hold out for much longer, the sands of time were against her in the war of attrition.
“Are you going to say something, or just stare at me all damned day?” Dimmed Star’s growling voice finally roused the shaman from her thoughts, bringing her back to the current situation at hoof. Coughing lightly, a slight blush upon her cheeks, Zecora nodded to the mare with a light chuckle.
“Ah, yes, I supposed we should get started then-” A horrendous screeching, like the sound of a hoof on a chalkboard, sent the zebra’s ears to flatten against her head as she cringed at the horrible sound, eyes catching sight of a clawed tendril scraping against the wall of the barrier, its golden light rippling from the contact.
“What is this magic?!” Her voice and eyes demanding answers, Dimmed Star glared teal daggers into the eyes of the shaman. Bracing herself for any further surprises, Zecora huffed in annoyance.
“Not all magic can you safely endure, it took a great deal of time to make this method pure. Had you not ventured into the Everfree as much, then I would have never found the counter to your dark touch.” Glaring back into Dimmed Star’s eyes, the shaman held her ground, stomping a hoof to try and maintain a tougher facade.
“Now if you don’t mind, a civil discussion I had hoped to find. I do not want this to see a violent end, especially from one so dear as a friend.” The two mares continued to stare each other down for a moment longer, before Dimmed Star finally relented, seeing that her anger would get her nowhere in this conversation. Something within the depths of her heart ached for it to go further, but she pushed the urge down, her concern for Spike keeping her grounded for the time being.
“Fine, we’ll do it your way, for now…” As she spoke, the Ink that had surrounded her slowly began to seep back into her hooves, leaving behind a devastated landscape. Mourning the loss of her yard and no small number of her ornaments that were no longer visible, Zecora sighed in acceptance. At least she hadn’t attacked the barrier again outright, the stone may not have held a full onslaught.
“Thank you, I do appreciate the gesture, though I do not mean to pester.” Dimmed Star’s eyes rolled in annoyance, a low growl in her throat.
“Whatever, will you just take down the shield now?” That shaman’s eyes carefully traced the mare’s body, searching for any signs of hostility.
‘She hasn’t harmed anypony in town that I know of… but I have also drawn her anger by keeping her from the ones she loves…’The tension in the air slowly grew thicker as Dimmed Star’s impatience grew more visible, the fur on her neck bristling if only slightly as the dark mare’s glaring eyes stared venomously into her own. Swallowing thickly, the shaman deemed it would be more beneficial to steer the conversation towards something the mare would care more about, or more specifically, some-filly.
“I shall consider your request, but first, isn’t there something more important you wish to ask? I’m sure there was a reason you would rush to enter my home, and I’m certain it wasn’t to collect an overdue tome.” Raising an eyebrow, Zecora angled her head just enough to nod towards the great tree, her eyes never leaving Dimmed Star’s. The dark mare’s own expression changed rather quickly, surprise evident in her features as her attention now snapped to the treehouse itself.
“Scootaloo! Is she okay!?” The sudden change in her demeanor was a bit startling, to say the least. Especially after having been witness to a fraction of the dark mare’s more volatile temperament.
“She is safe, of that, you can be certain. But her condition is…,” The sharp look that the dark mare shot in her direction regarding the filly’s condition quickly made the shaman rethink the wording of what came next.
“... Improving… It will take some time before she can return to Ponyville, I cannot take a risk in moving her for a few days as she heals.” Despite her attempts to keep the situation calm, Dimmed Star still seemed to be visibly struggling to maintain her form.
“How… bad… is she…?” Sighing dejectedly, Zecora shook her head in slight defiance.
“I am sorry, truly, but even I cannot be sure. For some of the damage, I could find no cure. Her fever has hardly taken a rest, but I can assure you that I am truly doing my best. In this I ask that you take heed, please give me the time and space that I need.” Dimmed Star glared at the tree home beyond the shaman, her eyes straining to see past the wooden surface, to see something that would disperse her worries and anxiety. Gritting her teeth, the slight taste of her Ink in her mouth, she turned back to the striped mare with a small nod, her frame slumping in defeat as her ears fell back.
“How long?” At that moment, Zecora’s eyes flashed with her golden magic, giving her the slightest glimpse past the raging dark aura that had been all but consuming her form. There, in the heart of that terrible storm, a soft glow of a warm light could be seen. Breathing a sigh of relief, a genuine smile grace Zecora’s lips.
‘At last, some proof that all is not lost. Perhaps there is salvation, even if it has a cost…’
“Four days at the least, perhaps even five should the fever choose not to subside. But after that, she will need much support… I fear the wounds run far deeper than my initial report.” Dimmed Star seemed to contemplate the response, her face twisting from one emotion to the next as she seemed uncertain whether to be angry or depressed at this news.
‘I should have torn that bastard apart on my doorstep!’
“Now, that discussion aside, I would love to hear the tale that led poor Scootaloo into the forest to hide.” Glancing up from her thoughts, Dimmed Star scoffed at the striped mare’s rather irritating glare.
“Long story short, her father was a repugnant piece of filth and her mother was a useless bag of flesh and bones, no seriously she was dead when I got there. Both are now laying lifeless in the mud and I’m sorry to say I didn’t get the satisfaction of tearing them apart myself… well, mostly…” A wicked grin split Dimmed Star’s features as she remembered the many tortuous things that Scootaloo’s father was put through before he succumbed to his wounds. His screams would be lulling her to sleep for the next month at least! The sound of Zecora clearing her throat to gain her attention quickly brought her back to the present, now huffing at the disapproving eyes of the shaman.
“They may have wronged her in many ways, but they were still her parents and she no doubt loved them in her own way. Your anger, though just, has left the poor filly alone, how exactly do you intend to tell her that she no longer has a home?” Blinking in surprise, Dimmed Star stared back over at the treehouse in wonder and worry. An orphan…? Was that what Scootaloo would be from now on? Thoughts of the filly going away to Canterlot or Cloudsdale to live in an orphanage or some random foster home invaded her mind…
“NO!” Slamming her hooves against the barrier, Dimmed Star roared her denial as Zecora stepped away, her eyes watching the barrier carefully with a heightened level of concern. Grinding her teeth together, the dark mare allowed herself to be pushed away by the shield's forceful shove, placing her several paces away once more.
“I… I wasn’t sure what I would do when I found her… but I wasn’t going to just leave her to die! And I’ll be thrice-damned to Tartarus before I let her go to some random pony that could hurt her again! ” Dimmed Star growled out, her teal iris’ glaring at the shaman who watched her carefully. After barely a few moments had passed, Zecora’s smile returned and she nodded approvingly.
“Knowing that, I can trust that she would be safe to leave with you, when she is ready, that is what she will do. However-” Holding up a hoof to stall the dark mare’s questioning gaze, she gave a small nod towards the barrier’s edge.
“On that day, I will only release her, once you have passed through the barrier undeterred.” Confusion quickly overtook Dimmed Star’s features as she looked to where she knew the shield to reside.
“What are you-” A muffled cry echoed from within the treehouse behind them, startling both mares as they immediately looked to find Spike rushing from the door, his eyes panicked and tears streaking down his cheeks.
“Z-Zecora! She woke up! I-I didn’t mean to!” Zecora’s eyes widened as she darted towards the home, a curse from her homeland slipping through her clenched teeth. Dodging out of her path, Spike ran straight through the barrier and into Dimmed Star’s arms, his cries buried in her chest.
“Spike, Spike look at me, what happened?! SPIKE!?” The whelp wheezed into her, refusing to speak despite the dark mare’s desperate pleas for information.
~ ~ ~
As the door closed in front of him, Spike found himself alone in the small home, the scents of the many herbs, spices and potions assailed his nostrils.
“I hope Zecora knows what she’s doing…” Sighing quietly, his emerald gaze traced the confines of the living space, curiously staring at the many different and unique decorations that were hung up on the walls and ceiling.
‘I wonder where she gets all this stuff, or does she make it herself? Could she make me one?’ Chuckling, he began to make faces at one of the masks closer to his eye level until its large empty eyes slowly began to eat away at his confidence.
‘On second thought, maybe not…’ As he nervously stepped away from the object, the young wyrm began to wander the home, taking a lap around the cauldron at a sedate pace. As he rounded the large pot near the back of the living space, he found himself frozen in place as his sight landed on the mound of blankets that covered the bed. Anxiety began to fill his stomach as he watched the covers rise and fall with a slow, steady breathing.
‘Beneath the covers that I have sewn, if you would be so kind as to leave my patient alone…’ The shaman’s warning crossed his mind even as he stepped a bit closer towards the bed. The smell of makeup and sweat was heavy here, causing him to breathe a bit shallower to prevent overloading his senses. Looking back over towards the door, he struggled with himself as he fought to decide on the right course of action. On one claw, he respected Zecora and trusted that she had good intentions but on the other, he and Dimmed Star had spent what felt like hours chasing Scootaloo’s trail through the Everfree in desperation. Standing on the tips of his back claws, the young drake attempted to crane his neck to see over the edge of the bed, the smallest bit of orange fur was only just visible, giving him the courage he needed to go for broke.
“Uh… Scootaloo?” As quietly as he could, Spike whispered to try and rouse the sleeping filly from beneath the blankets. Despite Zecora’s words to leave the filly alone, he couldn’t help but worry for his friend. If he could just talk to her, then he could tell Dimmed Star that everything was okay and they could all go home! No response came however which only served to push the drake further.
‘I’m not gonna let Star down!’ Quickly making his way towards the bedside, Spike grasped ahold to the wooden frame. After several trying attempts, he managed to pull himself up to the side of the bed, his tail extended out for balance as he wobbled on the edge of the frame.
“Hey Scoot, we were-” Spike’s voice caught in his throat as his reptilian gaze landed on the visage of his friend, the state of her health now in full view. With a yelp of shock and horror, his grip relaxed too much and he found himself falling from the bedside, collapsing to the ground and knocking over a nearby trash bin. The contents spilled out before him, his eyes locking on to the mass of bloodied bandages and ruined clothe. Desperately crawling away from the mess, the sound of something above drew his attention.
“Ghu-...ik-...ug-...” Scootaloo was nearly sitting up in the bed, her hooves reaching for something unseen above her. The wet cloth that had covered her forehead and eyes had fallen away, revealing the tear-filled orbs beneath as they shook in fear and agony. Her mouth hung open as she fought to speak, to scream, to make any sound that could escape from her heavily bandaged throat, the small red spots on the cloth slowly growing larger the more she tried. Horrified at what he had done, what he had forced his friend to wake up to, Spike turned away and bolted for the door, yanking it open and running as far away from the guilt as he could.
~ ~ ~
Eyes darting towards the open door of the shaman’s home, Dimmed Star made to step forward, before being abruptly reminded of the golden barrier that quickly pushed her further away with Spike still clutching tightly to her barrel. A growl in her throat, she clenched her eyes tight and brought a hoof around the back of the young drake, lifting him off the ground enough for her to carry him as she turned and galloped through the treeline as best she could with three legs, back towards town.
“Damn it all!” There was nothing they could do, the filly was in Zecora’s hooves and the only option left for her was to wait… A single tendril of Ink lashed out from the side of her barrel, cleaving a large tree to its core as she screamed in frustration while she ran. As her form faded in the distance, turquoise eyes watched from one of the windows to the shaman’s home, a small glint of golden light flashing in their center.
A growl of annoyance only just made its way past Dimmed Star’s snarling lips as she slowly stalked through the dark underbrush of the Everfree, a sorrowful young drake trailing in her wake. The two of them had been walking for nearly an hour, the path from Zecora’s to Ponyville being much shorter now that they could take the direct route instead of following Scootaloo’s faded scent.
“You were told to leave her alone…” Spike winced at the accusing tone in his guardian’s voice, his grip on her tail faltering only slightly. It was the first time she had spoken since she had dragged them away from Zecora’s home, his heart dreaded her disappointment. Nodding slowly, his eyes glanced up towards the back of the dark mare’s head, tears long dried beginning to reemerge.
“I… I know… I j-just… I wanted…” Dimmed Star could only sigh at the drake’s inability to express himself. Slowing her trot to a crawl, Spike accidentally walked into her at her sudden change in pace, stumbling slightly as he kept himself from falling. With a flourish of movement, Dimmed Star turned and pulled the youngling into her hooves, gripping his small frame tight against her barrel. Looking up in slight confusion, he found the darkened eyes of the mare peering down at him with an emotion he couldn’t quite place. Leaning down, she softly nuzzled the top of his head as he closed his eyes, accepting the embrace.
“I know, Spike, I know. But that doesn’t excuse what you did…” Spike’s eyes clenched tighter, his tears tracing down his face once more. Frowning down at the sight, Dimmed Star placed a soft kiss atop his scales, before pushing away and straightening herself before him. Spike sniffed as he wiped at his eyes with a forearm, looking up to the dark mare with a sad nod.
“You’ll be grounded when we get back, that means no toys, no crusading, no comics, and no books other than what you need for school work. You’ll only be allowed to see your friends during class and then you come straight home after. How long will be determined by your behavior after today, understand?” Though she spoke softly, Dimmed Star’s tone was strict and permitted no arguments. Spike’s eyes widened at her declaration before he bowed his head and nodded, not trusting himself to speak as he hiccuped. He’d never been grounded before… Dimmed Star felt her heart lurch at the drake’s reaction but forced herself to commit as she wrapped the young dragon within her dark aura of magic, depositing him on her back as she turned and continued their way through the forest. His claws shakily gripped her mane for support, his quiet whimpers drowning her heart in guilt.
‘I’m sorry, Spike, but this is a lesson you’re going to have to learn the hard way.’
~ ~ ~
The whistle of the Canterlot Express echoed through the Ponyville train station. Doors sliding open from its multiple cars allowed the many occupants within the opening needed to swarm the loading dock and begin to mingle with the crowd waiting to board on the train’s next scheduled route.
A grunt of pain was easily missed among the many conversations as a short pegasus mare stepped out hind hooves first onto the platform from the furthest cart. With another grunt of pain and exertion, Steel Blitz growled through her teeth that gripped the large suitcase she was struggling to pull free of the train, its bottom edge caught on the frame of the door.
“One-second Lieutenant!” A voice from within called before the bag was enveloped in a hazy green aura and lifted out of her grip and past her to the platform. Turning with a scowl, Steel Blitz glared at the jade green unicorn who gulped at her sudden animosity.
“Ah… s-sorry uh, Steel. Gotta get used to that…” Giving the stallion a stern glare for a moment longer, Steel released a sigh of annoyance, before wincing as her side twinged in pain. Using the leading edge of her wing, she gently massaged the bandaged stitches, aching to scratch the healing flesh beneath.
“It’s fine, Emerald, we’ve all got to adjust to being in a covert unit. Where are the others?” Steel glanced around her subordinate curiously, trying to spy out the other member of her squad and the two newbies. Seeing a chance at small talk with his commanding officer, Emerald grinned as he stepped up beside the smaller mare, his own luggage joining her’s in the air beside them.
“Light Shine is scouting ahead, he said he’ll catch up with us once he’s got an understanding of the town’s layout. As for the other two…” Steel nodded in acceptance of Light Shine’s excuse as she and Emerald began to make their way through the crowd, keeping to the sides of the large mass to avoid getting singled out by any who might recognize them from Canterlot.
“Parasol took off almost as soon as she got out of the cart, the filly was a golden blur before I could blink and could barely stay seated the whole way here as it was. Are you sure she’s up for this Lie- Steel?” Emerald only just caught himself, his eyes darting around to see if anypony had noticed his slip of the tongue while Steel glared at him again through the corners of her eyes.
“It’s not about what I think, Emerald. They were assigned to us, we just have to accept that and roll with it. What about the other one, Pack Rat?” Slightly shivering at the name, Steel silently thanked her parents for not cursing her with a name that had any relation to a hoarding tendency. Emerald groaned at the mention of their second new member, before glancing towards the front of the train as they approached it. A single bright lime-green unicorn stallion with a carefully combed black mane was still standing near the doors, speaking with one of the train’s employees. As they got closer, they could make out his cutie mark, a bulging sack that looked to be overflowing with a dark powdery substance. They had barely stepped within earshot before both were beset by the stallion’s childish whining; it reminded them of a certain prince they had to deal with only just over a week ago.
“I don’t want to hear it! I had exactly three luggage carts loaded before I left Canterlot, two with suitcases, one with duffle bags, have you any idea what even one of those cases is worth? You could not hope to obtain one with a year’s worth of salary! If you don’t produce them right now, I’ll-” Teeth gripped his short black tail and yanked, cutting him off mid-sentence as he yelped. Falling back on his haunches, Pack Rat turned to begin yelling at the sudden invasion of his personal space, only to meet the steely dark grey eyes of Steel Blitz as she glared at him dangerously.
“M-Miss Blitz! Oh, thank goodness you’re here! This hooligan has done something with my luggage and is refusing to cooperate!” Huffing loudly, Pack Rat rose back to hooves and made a show of dusting himself off as he glared back at the shaken employee. The poor stallion looked to be barely out of colthood and seemed unsure of what to do. It hardly took one look from Steel to see the corner of an instructions booklet peeking out from beneath the pegasus’ wings.
‘The first day on the job and he gets thrown to the timber-wolves.’ Steel gave the young porter a sympathetic look, before turning back to the current target of her ire as he opened his mouth to continue berating the new employee.
“Shut it, Pack! Your luggage will be here in a minute, all non-carry on baggage is held in the back storage compartment, you don’t need to harass the employees!” Pack Rat started at the aggressive tone, his head snapping to his superior officer in dismay.
“B-but Miss, I-” A stomp of her hoof cut him off as she glared at him.
“That. Is. Enough!” The whining stallion’s ears laid back as he was successfully cowed. With a snort of irritation, Steel looked back to the porter as he watched her with admiration in his eyes. Smiling softly, Steel absently plucked a single bit from a pouch around her hips with a feather tip and held it out for him.
“Here, for the trouble and the hasty retrieval of his belongings. I hope you won’t be discouraged by one bad apple.” The porter stared at her in awe for only a moment longer, before nodding his head with a smile and accepting the tip. With a happy kick in his step, the young employee took off down the platform, making his way to the back storage compartment. Glaring once more at Pack Rat, who watched the porter go with his mouth agape, Steel rolled her eyes and stepped past him.
“That wasn’t so hard, now was it? When you’ve got your stuff, get your flank to the guard shack in the next twenty minutes or so help me I will stuff you in a box and mail you back to Canterlot.” The moment the threat left her lips a large object slammed into the ground next to them. Everypony in the vicinity jumped at the noise and turned to see the source was a large brown package, the words, “Fragile,” and, “Handle with care,” stamped to nearly every crunched up side.
“My bad!” Looking up, a soft grey pegasus mare with a bright yellow mane was smiling sheepishly at them as she quickly flew down to scoop the package back up. Several of the local ponies chuckled at the mare’s antics, while Pack Rat only gaped at the mishandled material.
~ ~ ~
“Where is she now?” A clipped and professional voice demanded as the Bearers looked to one another nervously.
Mayor Mare stood before them, a scowl across her features as she and the Bearers stood just outside the yellow line of restriction tape that cut off the collapsed remains of Scootaloo’s home from the rest of the town. Two of Ponyville’s guards stood behind her, their armor a soft beige coloring. Both had been assigned to stand guard at the Town Hall for the day and were glaring daggers at the mares alongside their superior. The soft brown earth mare could swear that if her mane wasn’t dyed, it’d be naturally grey before the end of the day.
“She’s gone into the Everfree in search of Scootaloo… We’re not sure how long it will take or… even if she will find her.” Glancing nervously to her trembling, rainbow maned compatriot, Rarity leaned further against her side to offer what assurance she could while Fluttershy did the same on Rainbow’s other side. Looking up shakily, Rainbow offered a small, if unsure, smile of thanks, before casting her eyes back to the ground below. Mayor Mare watched the interaction quietly, offering what support she could through a softer gaze at the downtrodden pegasus. Raising a hoof to her temple, the Mayor sighed as she felt the incoming signs of a headache. She had arrived at the scene as quickly as she could when some ponies from the neighborhood had rushed the Town Hall with news of the home’s collapse. What she and the guards had come across was the Bearers and Big Macintosh attempting to clean up what amounted to a crime scene of all things! She had ordered the two young fillies with them to return home and had every intention of speaking with them later to get more details, but for now, it was the Bearers who held her immediate attention.
“And when she returns? You of all ponies know I can’t let this go. She has to be taken in.” Taking a moment to steady herself, straightening her slightly crooked glasses, the Mayor looked back to the Bearers intent on giving them a stern lecture about how they could be counted as accessories to a crime, only to step back as she found all of them glaring dangerously at her.
“Y’all might wanna rethink that. The last time somepony tried that there trick, it didn’ end well fer ‘em.” Applejack’s gaze was locked with the Mayor’s, emerald eyes shining dangerously. Taking a step forward, Applejack tilted her hat as if readying for a fight while the two guards on either side of the Mayor quickly stepped between them.
“Don’t move another step!” The guard to her left threatened, raising a sword in his aura as his partner hefted a spear in his hooves. A heavy thud to their left caught them off guard as Big Mac bore down on them now, his own deep green eyes glaring daggers at the two armored stallions who were beginning to sweat nervously. The Mayor looked shocked at the sudden change in the attitude of the Bearers and Big Mac as they all glared back at her and the guards with vehemence.
“Wh-what has gotten into you mares? I understand being there for your friend but… for something like this!?” She gestured with a hoof to the destruction behind them along with two tarps that covered the remains of a pair of bodies that were not meant to be seen by any who wished to keep their most recent meals down. Stamping a hoof into the mud and stone below, she shook her head in denial.
“This is too much, even for a hero of Equestria, even as the student of the Princess! Murder is murder!” She tried to meet the eyes of each Bearer, but found that only Rarity and Applejack were able to raise their heads high enough as Fluttershy, despite her muzzle scrunched into a scowl of her own, was too occupied trying to comfort her oldest friend who could only glare at the mud-soaked ground beneath her.
“Listen, Mayor Mare, I understand where you are coming from, truly. But you need to believe us when we say that this will not end well for you. This is for your own good!” Rarity, her gaze softening somewhat, pleaded to the head of their small town. Mayor Mare snapped her gaze to the fashion designer, confusion clearly prevalent in her features.
“So you and Applejack have said, but I fail to see where this skewed reasoning is coming from!” Sighing dejectedly, she tried to give the mares one of her kindly smiles that seemed to always help get others on her side, it worked wonders during the elections.
“From what you’ve told me, it paints the deceased as the villains here, but none of you can provide proof for your claims, nor have any other witnesses without a bias. An investigation has to happen and all parties must be present for it! Despite what you each have said, one truth rings out that cannot be ignored. You admit that Twilight Sparkle killed that stallion, and all of you are attempting to cover for her! If you will not back down, I will not have a choice but to detain each of you as well for accessories to murder!” She stamped a hoof once more to punctuate her rant. Her kindly smile slowly morphing back into a scowl near the end.
“I’m a witness…” Blinking owlishly, everypony turned in surprise at the sudden declaration, gasping at the roughed up and trembling frame of a mulberry earth mare. Cheerilee smiled weakly at the group as she trotted forward, her mane still a mess and her coat covered in dirt and dried mud. Several dark bruises were showing through her fur and a few scrapes crusted with dried blood from her previous altercation with Brutus Meadows. Glancing over to the tarps, she shuddered at the idea that he was likely one of the two bodies that lay nearby. With trembling hooves, she carefully approached the Mayor as one of the guards moved to intercept her. Stopping short of the guard, she glared at the stallion as her eyes hardened, before looking past him to the confused expression on the Mayor’s face.
“I was there, Mrs. Mayor. I saw the… p-proof, of what happened…” The memory of the hallway coated in blood, the shadow of the large stallion standing over the mess, nearly caused the mare to heave as she cautiously glanced over to the destroyed home, her stomach turning as she looked over the remains. Mayor Mare looked between the school teacher and the debris, curiosity overtaking her anger at the Bearer’s strange actions.
“Miss Cheerilee, my Celestia, what happened to you?” It took a moment before Cheerilee could bring herself to look away from the wreckage, her breathing slightly erratic as she looked back to the Mayor, before staring at the ground at her hooves, light tears trailing her face.
“I-I’m sorry it took so long fo-for me to get here… A-after I helped Pinkie, I h-had to return to the schoolhouse and check on the foals. I… sent them home early t-today…” The Bearer’s eyes widened at the mention of their pink friend, each questioning what the baker would need help with that had prevented her from coming to their aid as well. Looking back up, the Mayor only nodded slightly in understanding, before motioning with a hoof for the mare to continue. Taking a deep, shaky breath, Cheerilee glared back at the guards who suddenly felt as though they were now the ones on thin ice.
“I guess I’ll start at the beginning…”
~ ~ ~
In an alley nearby, a blue unicorn stallion with a blonde mane and tail sat listening to the conversation as the Mayor and the other’s talked. A soft groan made its way out of his throat as he rubbed at his temples with both hooves.
‘Not even one damned day and we already have a situation…’ Looking to the sky and glaring in the general direction of the Sun, he lamented his place in the world.
‘The Lieutenant is gonna have my cutie mark for this.’ With a sigh of resignation, Light Shine leaned back against the wall of the alley and continued to make mental notes of everything the mare’s discussed.
~ ~ ~
Mayor Mare found herself struggling between the Law and her own morals as she and Cheerilee made their way to the town guard shack. The two guards that had followed the Mayor were given direct orders, one to remain and prevent others from passing the restriction tape and the other to retrieve a medical team from the General Hospital to retrieve the bodies for examination. Glancing silently to the mare beside her, the Mayor shivered slightly at the fire in her normally kind eyes. Cheerilee was a mare on a mission, and that mission was what led them to their current circumstances.
It had taken only a few minutes for Cheerilee to recall her part in the events that lead to the destroyed home and dead ponies, her testimony supplementing that of the Bearers and leading the Mayor to relent, if reluctantly. She still requested that they send Twilight, or the mare that now called herself Dimmed Star, to her office as soon as she arrived back in town. Once that was settled, the mare’s excused themselves to go and search for their baker friend Pinkie Pie, worry etched into their features after Cheerilee had told them of the condition that the mare had been found in. None had noticed the flash of blue fur that had scurried away from the scene as they all took separate paths.
Now, the Mayor found her stomach twisting into knots as she and the teacher made their way across town, her demeanor slowly changing with every step.
“Uh, pardon if I’m being a bit upfront, Miss Cheerilee. But why did you insist that I accompany you to the guard shack?” Cheerilee looked over to the Mayor with a smile that was practically beaming with sadistic glee, it almost made the Mayor wish she was still staring down the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony rather than be the focus of such a smile.
“Oh! I’m sorry Mrs. Mayor, I thought you’d have figured it out after my testimony. We’re going to the Guard Shack because I’m going to demand some severe changes!” The Mayor blinked as she paused in her steps, Cheerilee coming to a stop just ahead of her.
“I-I’m sorry? Miss Cheerilee, I get that you were a bit upset with the guard not being there to escort you, but I’m certain this is something that could be brought up at the next Town Mee-” Cheerilee’s eye narrowed dangerously, causing the Mayor’s voices to choke up as her ears began to lay flat against her skull. A feeling of dread washed over her as Cheerilee’s unblinking eyes stared into her very being. She knew this feeling well, everypony knew this feeling. There wasn’t a student in Equestria that hadn’t been subjected to the look at least once in their lives. The disapproving, reproachful eyes of their teacher that had just found them doing something that they weren’t supposed to, it made her heart pound thunderously in her chest as she suddenly felt as though she were still a filly in class.
“This isn’t just about them not escorting me Mrs. Mayor… I ran through this town, screaming at the top of my lungs for help. I came very close to dying today because the guard is failing horribly at doing their jobs! The most I have seen them do is stand around at the Town Hall and maybe, maybe, patrol the occasional neighborhood once in a while. Ever since the, ‘Heroes of Equestria,’ came about, they’ve been lazy and useless! It's not the Bearer's fault of course, but the truth is that the guards are using them as an excuse to slack off! They haven’t had a single training session in the fields outside the schoolhouse in months!” Breaking her gaze from the Mayor, Cheerilee continued her path through town as she now set her sights on the building ahead of them. Mayor Mare quickly moved to follow, an urging in the back of her mind demanding that she follow and stand straighter as instincts from her school days took hold.
“I absolutely refuse to let this go. Not while my students are at risk because they won’t do their Celestia damned jobs!” Her hooves were now stomping across the cobblestone road as she and the Mayor closed in on the Guard Shack. Gulping nervously, Mayor Mare could only whimper as she and the irate educator made their way through town, several of the nearby ponies watching curiously as the mulberry mare fumed in anger.
“M-Miss Cheerilee, please, le-let’s discuss this at my o-office, I’m sure we could a-arrange something!” The distraught Mayor was now panicking as she stumbled, struggling to keep up with the pace that Cheerilee was setting. In a blink, Cheerilee was on her again, her harlequin green eyes blazing.
“If you won’t do something about this, I will take it to the courts in Canterlot! I will not tolerate it, Mrs. Mayor!” Mayor Mare backpedaled with a yelp, falling over herself to get away from the enraged mare.
“That won’t be necessary.” The new voice caught both mares off guard as they looked to see an approaching mare along with an emerald green unicorn, a stack of luggage floated along behind them. The mare’s steel grey eyes locked onto the two of them for a moment, before she cast her sight over to the Guard Shack that was now only a few yards off from them, the window guard simply watching the scuffle out front with a bored expression as he leaned back in his chair.
“I apologize for interrupting, but I’m glad I ran into you when we did, it’ll save us a trip to Town Hall later on. I’d like to speak with you Mrs. Mayor, you too ma’am, privately.” Returning her gaze to the two mares, she raised an eyebrow as the Mayor quickly rose to her hooves in embarrassment, wiping off the dirt that had collected on her coat and collar.
“I’m sorry, but we’re already busy, and I have a few heads I want to knock some sense into.” Cheerilee would later deny that her voice had carried a growl akin to a wild animal, causing the Mayor to take an extra step away from her. The short grey pegasus only smirked at this, before turning to the Mayor.
“This is urgent business from Canterlot, I’d appreciate it if you would both cooperate.” With a slight nod towards her squadmate, the green stallion quickly opened one of the suitcases and produced a manilla envelope, levitating it over to the Mayor who gasped at the seal emblazoned on it.
“Your discretion is appreciated, of course.” Steel Blitz grinned as the Mayor quickly nodded in affirmative, clutching the envelope close to her chest and taking the lead as she took a brisk trot towards the Guard Shack, Cheerilee following in confusion, but still fuming as Steel and Emerald took up the rear.
