//------------------------------//
// Forbidden Fruit (8) 
// Story: Tales from the Equestrian Others- The Fallen Angel of Ponyville 
// by Scarlet Raven Thorn 
//------------------------------//

The Friendship Express chugged up to Ponyville station with a loud screeching whistle.
As soon as the doors opened a herd of ponies shambled out; earth ponies, unicorns, pegasi, and tourists from the Crystal Empire. Among these ponies was an orange-furred unicorn in a star spangled cloak with an unkempt vermilion mane and tail; he stroked his goatee as he looked around, and readjusted his glasses. He called out to a pink unicorn sporting a two-toned purple mane with an aquamarine stripe running through it, who was anxiously glancing around the station. The other pony galloped over to meet him in a hug and exchanged a quick greeting before the stallion pointed sheepishly at his mountain of overstuffed bags that would have made Rarity look like a light packer. The pink mare then picked up a majority of the bags in her magic and began to trot off with her friend- who was only carrying one- in the direction of Twilight's castle.
And, although there were fewer, a hoof-full of reformed changelings and a single gryphon toting a pastry cart exited from the blue caboose a moment later. Walking alongside a highlighter yellow changeling with lavender eyes and purple wings was a single pony. She was a pale blue unicorn with a midnight blue mane and indigo eye shadow.
"Wow, that's so cool Moonlight Raven!" The changeling buzzed excitedly. "Do you think she could make a dress for me? I've honestly always wanted one, but my Queen- I mean- our old tyrant Chrysalis would never let us bring pony-made things into the hive."
"I guess so." The unicorn, Moonlight Raven, dully answered. "But don't you ever miss your old form Arachne? You looked so dark and edgy."
"Sometimes. I think the hardest part is finding my own identity. Chrysalis used to dictate everything in our lives, from which food we were allowed to eat to what role we would play in the Hive. I actually used to be part of the assault team that stormed Canterlot castle. But it's not like I can't change back to my old self," came Arachne's response as she enveloped herself in a green flame that changed her back into her old hole-filled black form. "although I don't think all my holes are in the right places."
"So what was the point of your metamorphosis if you can just change back?" Moonlight asked. "It seems a little pointless."
The changeling shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. It almost feels like it was all just a ploy so we could market ourselves to a more sensitive audience."
"Well I think you look better like this." The unicorn stated.
"Thanks!" Arachne beamed. "You're the first pony to say that! I feel like ever since we've changed that the ponies have lost all respect for us, and have started treating us worse. While there has been a few ponies willing to give us a chance, most are still weary of us. A few times I've been ridiculed for being a monster. They don't understand that every-ling was just following Chrysalis's orders! We had to. We were starving. She was the only mother we had ever known, and her magic kept us safe from the creatures of the Badlands as well."
"So she gave birth to all of you? Must have been one heck of a mother's day." Moonlight's mouth twisted upwards, if only slightly.
"No, that's a common misconception. We're not bees." Arachne clarified. "Every few seasons, when there was enough food in the Hive, Chrysalis would pair her strongest changelings to- um- get down and dirty if you know what I mean. Each female would lay one or two eggs, and then that egg would be brought down into the nursery where they would be tended to by nurses until a week before their hatching. From there Chrysalis would take over, so that when the eggs hatched the grubs would imprint on her. I never got to meet my real parents, and even if I did we wouldn't have recognized each other."
"No family? Do you at least have any siblings?" The mare shuddered at the thought, she couldn't imagine life without her twin sister. While everypony often remarked that they were direct opposites, the two loved each other very much.
"Well I have my several clutch-mates, but I don't think we're actually blood related. Our eggs were just put together depending on what we were supposed to do in life, and then our clutch-mates become our team-mates once we've graduated training." Arachne explained. "There used to be no such things as promotions in the Hive, so for the most part our clutch-mates are the only 'lings we ever get to know, other than the instructor assigned to train us and Chrysalis herself that is. And even then both were only figures we had to respect, not some-ling we actually got to know."
"But do you love your clutch-mates?" The pale pony inquired.
"Of course I do!" The changeling exclaimed, shocked by her new friend's question. "Why wouldn't I?! We've done everything together since the day we hatched! We train together, we eat together, we bathe together, we even invaded Canterlot together! Losing a clutch-mate is like losing a piece of yourself, that's how close we are! A changeling without their clutch-mates is as good as a dead changeling, and might even die from starvation! In the desperate times under Chrysalis's rule we would sparingly feed off of each other's love. And although we were always hungry, we were at least together and alive."
Moonlight put a calming hoof on the changeling's shoulder. "So are you still with your clutch-mates now that Thorax has taken reign?"
"Well, we've drifted apart some." Arachne admitted. "But we're still pretty close. Although at the invasion of Canterlot we lost Jewel to a guard, his magic left a gaping hole in her chest and she plummeted to the streets below. She never got a proper changeling burial, and I doubt the ponies were as kind enough to even give her one of theirs. And Chrysiridia passed away from the impact of hitting the ground after Shining Armor's and Princess Cadence's magic blasted us all the way to the more mountainous region of the Macintosh Hills. Then, not long after, Weevil died of starvation on our way back to the Hive. Damselfly was the last to go. She was the youngest out of all of us, and died from a deadly plague outbreak that killed almost three quarters of our population. It was terrifying!"
The unicorn quickly wrapped her fore-legs around the crying changeling. She couldn't possibly imagine the pain she had gone through, nor the horrid memories she was reliving. "I'm sorry for bringing it up. I didn't mean to upset you."
"No, no." Arachne sniffed. "It's okay. I've actually really needed to talk about it for a while. But I didn't want to cause my clutch-mates, Scarab and Mantis, any distress. And I should be sorry. We only just met, and I'm already telling you my life story."
"It's okay. I'm actually here to visit my sister Sunshine Smiles." Moonlight stated. "She was staying with our cousin Lily Lace for a couple of months to help her start off her career as a fashion designer, when Lily suddenly went missing about a week ago. Smiley has been sending me letters every day since she first arrived in Ponyville, but when I learned about what happened to Lily I couldn't help but to come down myself. I'm worried about my sister. She told me that she's scared to go outside in her last letter, so I wrote her back trying to convince her to try this omnivore restaurant she had mentioned. I don't know if she did, but she has always really enjoyed trying new places and things."
Arachne wiped her nose. "I hope that you find your cousin. And your sister sounds like a nice pony if she was willing to take time out of her life to come to Ponyville."
"She's probably one of the nicest ponies I've ever met." Moonlight remarked. "Want to meet her?"
"Sure." The changeling answered with a widening smile. "I'd love too."
As they continued to trot through the streets of Ponyville Moonlight asked, "So what brings you to Ponyville anyways?"
"Oh. I'm actually on a trip to see the world, starting with Equestria!" Arachne excitedly claimed. "I've already been to Baltimare and Manehattan, but while they were nice they were too loud and too busy for my tastes. From there I went to Canterlot for the first time since the invasion, and apologized to everypony through the Canterlot Press after paying my respects to Jewel. After Ponyville I plan on visiting Applepalooza, I heard they make fantastic pie! I also wanted to go to the Crystal Empire, but I'm not ready to face Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor after ruining their wedding. Not yet anyways. From there I guess I'll just go to Yakyakistan if I do decide to visit the Empire, and if not I heard Griffonstone has begun to improve. And then, well I haven't thought that far ahead."
"I've personally always wanted to visit Japony." Moonlight mentioned, and then blushingly added, "I'm actually a huge fan of anime and manga."
"Really?! Me too!" Arachne stated, putting a hoof to her chest. "I actually used to read manga from the newspaper stands while in disguise on missions! What's your favorite anime?"
"I actually like the more fluffy anime, like Orvfever High School Host Club." Moonlight's blush deepened.
Arachne laughed. "I'm sorry. It's just, you don't look like that kind of mare. Don't get me wrong, I like that anime a lot. But I guess I just prefer something darker like Tartarus-sing Ultimate, or a little more fast-paced anime like Ponyball-Z. Hey, maybe we can visit Japony together? What do you think?"
"Yeah." Moonlight smiled, an actual noticeable smile. "I think that would be-
She was interrupted by a sudden outraged cry, "LET ME GO!"
The pony and changeling stopped, looked at each other in concern, and then galloped over to the steadily growing crowd in the marketplace plaza.
"You've got to listen to me! I didn't do anything!" A white-furred gryphoness with slate grey feathers yelled out.
The gryphoness was covered in angry scratches and shallow gashes; her feathers were in desperate need of preening, while her left wing was beyond broken and dislocated to the point of where it just hung limply at her side.
Three enforcement officers surrounded her, and one more was standing over her with a firm hoof on her back.
The one that was holding her down, a pink pegasus mare with a pair of handcuffs as her cutiemark, spoke. "Then can you explain why you're covered in blood you filthy predator?"
"Can't you just look past my claws and listen to me?!" The gryphoness cried out in rage. "My friend and I were attacked by a monster at Ghastly Gorge!"
"Likely story." The mare growled into the gryphoness's ear.
"Please! You've got to believe me!" The gryphoness pleaded. "This giant pony-looking thing came galloping at us, and before we even had a chance to react it had snapped up my wing! I've never seen anything move so fast!"
"Suuure." The officer rolled her eyes. "A giant monster suddenly came out of nowhere and attacked you and your friend. Where is she then?! Why are you the only one that came back?! Admit it, you killed her!"
"What?! No! It really was a monster!" The gryphoness claimed. "I- I tried to fight it off, but-"
She was interrupted by a sudden forceful strike to the back of her head, smacking her beak against the ground. "Quiet! Nopony is going to believe your lies!"
The gryphoness defiantly raised her head, blood from her beak flowed onto the ground below. "Why won't you listen to me?! You- you Celestia worshiping plot-holes! You think you ponies are so great, just absolutely bucking perfect don't you?!" 
She turned to face the crowd. Her glare was positively scorching, filled with unrivaled hatred and rage. She spat a wad of bloody mucus towards a unicorn stallion.
"Well, look at you now! Where's that friendship you ponies are so keen on?! Not a single one of you has even tried to help me! Just because your silly little princesses raise the sun and moon, you think you're all high and mighty! Well you're all just a bunch of good for nothing, plant-loving, princess floozies! It's time someone knocked you off of your high hooves!"
"I said quiet!" The officer screamed, smacking the gryphoness against the ground a couple more times.
"Cowarbs!" The gryphoness choked out, her words slightly garbled from a bitten tongue. "Ou on't eben care 'bout un of yer own! Zunzine Ziles iz 'etter dan all of ou!" 
The gryphoness suddenly collapsed, sobbing loudly; she curled into a ball and covered her head with her claws as the pegasus atop her started mercilessly striking her and the other three officers joined in on the beating. They started spitting out racial slurs and other hurtful phrases.
"Meat-Eater!"
"Ugly feather-head!"
"Murder!"
"Go back to Gryphonia!"
It wasn't long before the angry crowd- riled by her words- joined in. Ponies were naturally herd creatures after all. They started to toss rocks, fruit, and whatever else they could get their hooves on, pelting the gryphoness with the hard objects. Fruit smothered against her coat, leaving colorful stains that matted her fur. Stone bruised the skin underneath her feathers, while in other cases a particularly sharp rock would pierce her skin and cause her to bleed.
Arachne stumbled back in terror, having had undergone similar treatment in her lifetime. She turned to her friend with a horrified look. "Moonlight! Moonlight! Why are you just standing there?! They're attacking that poor gryphon!" 
"That's my sister she named!" Moonlight Raven suddenly exclaimed, and with a tremendously loud voice yelled, "GET OFF OF HER!"
The unicorn suddenly barreled through the crowd, and tackled an officer to the ground. The charcoal stallion let out a startled cry before his head slammed against the solid ground with enough force to knock him unconscious.
"Hey! Stop her!" The pegasus still atop the bloodied and blackening bird ordered.
The two other officers, a pale blue unicorn mare and another pegasus stallion galloped off to incapacitate Moonlight. 
Arachne, still in her original changeling form, leapt out in front of them. The two officers scrambled back in fear at the sight of the unreformed changeling, but still held their ground. Arachne gave off a vicious hiss, pawing at the ground underneath her as she readied her self.
The unicorn lit her horn up in an aura of orange magic, preparing a stun spell meant to knock-out the changeling with a painful electric shock. Arachne saw the spell charging from the corner of her eye, and her training instincts automatically kicked in. Like a bouncy ball she sprang upwards, and darted over to the mare. With a single powerful blow from the changeling's chitinous hoof the unicorn was in the air, and a sudden kick to her barrel sent her crashing into a fruit stand where she was left unconscious in a pile of smashed fruit and splintered wood. 
A sudden force tackled Arachne, and she crashed into the fountain. The white-coated pegasus officer attempted to bash her head into the fountain's concrete base, but the changeling moved out of the way just in the nick of time. And with a swift kick to an unmentionable area, the stallion collapsed.
Meanwhile Moonlight had ignited her own horn, and had it aimed at the pegasus mare atop the gryphoness.
The mare slowly clapped her hooves together. "Bravo. You and your disgusting bug over there, you just broke more laws than I can count. Assaulting multiple officers? Damage to public property? Endangering civilians? You'll be lucky to get out in seven or even eight years. But your friend, oh, it just committed an act of war. For a monster that specializes in changing its form, I guess they can't change what they are, can they?!"
Moonlight just narrowed her eyes, and then out of nowhere let loose a dynamic eruption of magic that blasted the surprised and bewildered officer clear over the neighboring shops' roofs. "Huh. I guess those magic seminars with Princess Twilight weren't a total waste of time."
Arachne trot over to her, and together they helped the gryphoness to her feet. The crowd stared at them in horror, surprise, and waning anger.
"Look at you!" The changeling yelled, dropping her disguise and assuming her yellow form. She gestured to the barely conscious gryphoness. "Look at her! She's right! You're all so quick to judge! All she wanted to do was warn you! But you shut her down! You stood there as she was being beaten, and then you have the audacity to join in! You want to see a real monster?! Then just look in the mirror!"
The chitinous-equine began to cry and Moonlight took over. "This is Ponyville?! This is the friendship capital of Equestria?! Lies! Even when my cousin Lily Lace went missing you did nothing! You think the changelings and gryphons are cruel?! Do you want to know the number one murderer in Equestria?! Other ponies! Ponies kill ponies! Not gryphons! Not changelings! Not minotaurs, not diamond dogs, not even dragons! Ponies!"
A creme-coated mare stepped out of the crowd, hanging her head down in shame as she approached the trio. She turned to face the crowd. "You all know me. And for those of you that don't, I'm Bon Bon. My marefriend Lyra went missing at the beginning of this week. No pony stepped forward to help me look but Minuette and Octavia. You all know Lyra. She's a little weird, and is obsessed with hands. But even so, you all talked to her almost every day. Noteworthy, you and Lyra played together every week! Cherry Berry, you and Lyra grew up being fillyhood friends. Shoeshine, every day you come to my shop. And every day Lyra would play a special song on her lyre just for you, all because you once told her it was your favorite tune. You all know Lyra. But when she suddenly vanished, where were you?"
Another mare trotted forward, holding her head high. "And you all know me by my music. I am Octavia, I've lived here my entire life. Vinyl Scratch went missing the same day as Lyra. You all praised her. You called her music the newest trend. She achieved the greatness I have strived for! She signed your autographs, posed for your photos, and played at your parties. But then she disappeared and not one of you other than Bon Bon ever came to check on me. Berry Punch, you were her drinking buddy! And who payed for all those drinks? Vinyl did. Rainbow Swoop, remember when you crashed and broke your wings and got yourself stuck in a hole in the middle of nowhere? Who happened to be trotting by and pulled you out with her magic? Who carried you all the way to the hospital? Who visited you every single day after she learned you were an avid fan just so she could see your smile? Vinyl did. Vinyl did so much for you all. But now?! Now you're all acting like she never existed."
Moonlight Raven's scowl faded into a pained frown. "My sister Sunshine Smiles has just been attacked and taken Discord knows where. But you were all too focused on this gryphon, on something she can't help but to be, and you beat her mercilessly instead of hearing her out. If standing up for what's right makes me an instant criminal, then, arrest me."
"Me too." Arachne declared.
"Arrest me." Bon Bon stated.
"Arrest me!" Octavia demanded.
A blue unicorn stepped forward. "My name is Minuette, and I say, arrest me."
Another pony stepped up. "Arrest me."
The effect was overwhelming, pony after pony joined the gryphoness's side.
"Arrest me."
"Arrest me."
"Arrest me."
By now the officers had woken up, and the lead pegasus had redirected her flight path to the plaza. The mare quickly glanced around, mouth agape. And then with trembling steps she walked over to the gryphoness. The crowd fell into silence, but stood tense and ready to protect her.
The pink pegasus removed her police cap. She threw it to the ground, and stomped it flat with her hoof. "A- arrest me."
"Captain Lock Down?!" The charcoal stallion eye's widened in surprise.
"You heard me Spy Glass. Arrest me." Lock Down ordered. "I've realized how blind I was, how misguided- no, wrong I was, thanks to these three. If anypony deserves to get arrested, it's me. Do your job officer."
Spy Glass pulled out a pair of handcuffs, which were thrown across the plaza. "No. Arrest me. I joined in, that's on my head."
Lock Down nodded her head in respect, then turned to face her other officers. "Blunt Force, By-the-Book?"
"Arrest me." The white pegasus said, limping over to his fellow officers but keeping a good distance from Arachne.
"By-the-Book, what's your choice?" Lock Down asked the cyan mare.
The unicorn looked from left to right, finding herself all alone. She looked back at Lock Down. "This- this is against so many rules and regulations!"
"By-the-Book," Blunt Force spoke up. "we've been partners long enough, I know that you'll make the right choice."
"I- I- I-" The lawful pony stuttered, she then took a deep breath. "I place myself under arrest."
The crowd began to cheer as the mare joined them.
She was met by a pat on the back from her pink-coated superior. "I'm proud of you. The right choice doesn't always fall under the law, because the law isn't always right."
"No, the law is rarely right." Spy Glass agreed.
Lock Down turned to face the crowd. "Everypony. I'm sorry. I can't express that enough. I pushed my views upon you, that goes especially to my officers."
Spy Glass, Blunt Force, and By-the-Book hung their heads in shame. The clip-clop of hooves coming towards them brought back their attention. Lock Down shut her eyes, and let out a deep sigh.
"I can only ask for their forgiveness." She then made her way over to the gryphoness. "But for you three, I don't deserve it. I didn't judge you by what I could have learned, but by what I had been told growing up."
Arachne put her hoof on the mare's shoulder. "And it doesn't have to be that way. Changelings, gryphons, and ponies can live in peace. And it doesn't have to be just us. We can extend our hooves and claws out to the dragons and diamond dogs as well."
"Hooves, claws, or paws; fur, feathers, scales, or chitin it shouldn't matter in the end." Lock Down stated. "What does matter, is how we choose to see another race."
"Because in the end, it doesn't matter what you look like and whether you eat meat or plants." Bon Bon spoke up.
"We all brush our teeth at the end of the day!" Minuette nodded in agreeance.
Lock Down put a gentle hoof around the gryphoness's soft, but snarled, feathers. "What's your name?"
"Giselle." The gryphoness coughed out with a spray of blood.
Giselle suddenly collapsed, Arachne and Moonlight managed to catch her before she could fall.
"Quick!" Moonlight yelled. "We need to get her to the hospital!"
"I'm on it!" Arachne stated. She lit up her horn and Moonlight felt a slight tingling pressure on her own, a moment later a spiderweb hammock made of magical threads linked her and Moonlight's horns together. "A basic changeling spell like this will do just fine! Let's go!"
Giselle felt herself begin to gently rock as Arachne and Moonlight began to gallop towards the hospital. Blunt Force and By-the-Book stayed behind to manage the crowd, insisting that they not follow and give them space. Meanwhile, Spy Glass galloped ahead, creating a clear path in front of them with a siren spell. Lock Down flew alongside the stretcher, intent on seeing the gryphoness in good care.
The gryphoness coughed red again, and turned to the mare. "Heh. You should stop worrying about me, and worry more about Sunshine Smiles. That thing that took her, it wasn't natural. I've dealt with quarry eels, rouge diamond dogs, tatzlwurms, and even a few owlbears. This, 'tis but a flea bite."
"No, this is my fault. This is my responsibility." Lock Down insisted, the guilt eating her alive. "When I saw you rushing into town like Tirek himself was after you, covered in blood, I attacked you out of blind fear. I can't apologize enough for that. You see, my grandfather fought in the Great Hippogryph War. He nearly died while fighting on the front, more than likely against your own grandfather. His brother was taken from him, his friends too. He never forgave Gryphonia for it. And my dad- my dad, he was a royal guard. At the time of the Canterlot invasion he was stationed at the castle. He never came home. A changeling had murdered him. I never could find it in myself to forgive the changelings, and my mother only reinforced that hatred. I guess those views just ended up being passed down."
"And you're our friend Giselle." Moonlight emphasized from up front. "While I can't deny that I am absolutely terrified about what happened to my sister, and I want to go find her more than anything, I know that she would want me to take care of you first. That's just how she is, she puts others before herself. Besides, she's stronger than she looks. If you think my magic is powerful, wait until you see hers. She was once a student in Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns you know."
"You unicorns are overpowered, you know that?" Giselle managed to laugh out before falling into a series of violent coughs and gasps.
The gryphoness then suddenly fell limp.
Arachne took immediate notice. "Faster! We need to go faster!"
"Well that's why we have these babies!" Lock Down picked up Moonlight from her middle. The changeling followed suit, her own wings beginning to buzz and push her through the air.
They shot like a cannonball down the streets of Ponyville, the pegasus's and changeling's wings pumping furiously.

***

Scarlet Thorn managed to recapture her balance just in time, the edge crumbled away a little.
Currently, the two mares and dragoness were literally scooting along the cavern wall. The thin cliff bank they were standing on was a small jutting little less than three quarters of a foot, forcing the zebra and pegasus up on their hind legs as they cautiously slid leftwards. They had been at this with their backs pressed against the wall for quite some time now, but progress was anything other than quick. Their efforts had gotten them almost to the midway point of the pit, with the bank slowly but surely growing wider.
"Scarlet please take care, you have given us quite the few scares." Zecora cautioned.
"I'm trying," Scarlet continued to slide herself along. "but it isn't easy with this heavy splint."
Zecora glanced down at the splint, nothing more than two relatively thick branches held around the mare's leg by a wrapping of gauze. "For the situation you had put yourself through, I'm afraid it was the best that I could do."
"Less talking, more scooting." Sound-Off demanded.
"If we go any faster, it could result in disaster." Zecora warned. "Following the tale of the arrogant rabbit and tortoise ace, slow and steady wins the race."
"Yeah, but fast and furious prevents one from being injurious." Sound-Off remarked. "Oh sweet Luna, now I'm rhyming!"
"Scarlet you have been awfully quiet, does it have to do with your recent diet?" Zecora inquired. "If you are feeling distress, telling your friends is for the best."
At the mention of the rotten pony flesh that she had eaten, the mare's stomach threatened to empty itself. The mare managed to choke back the rising heat in her throat and then quickly lied, "I'm fine. Just got to keep pressing forward."
Her friends looked at her with concern, but chose instead not to say anything. In reality, Scarlet was the exact opposite of alright. One part of her, the pony part, wanted nothing more than to collapse and bawl her eyes out. Another part demanded that she scream out her frustration, preferably right in Luna's royal face with some unsightly words. A third part, the part pushed to the border of insanity, whispered into her ear. And yet another part, the part that was Agent Scorpio, could hardly bother to give a buck. As an agent of Z.O.D.I.A.C. and vetran in the war against Grim Noise, she had fought against the things that went bump in the night for almost five years now.
And yet she couldn't bring herself to fully hate the lunar princess. Luna had offered her salvation. Once she had walked a dark path, a sacrifice of the good of the few for the good of the many she had told herself. Who didn't love rainbows? They were a symbol of hope, as much as a part of Equestria as the princesses. But such an exquisite beauty of six perfect colors was not free, and overpopulation was a rising concern for the happy country. It was only part of the pegasus culture after all, failure was genetic. Pull the weed out by its roots, or it would grow back. She had proven herself and her right to live in the factory, and eventually rose to become its queen. Scarlet Thorn was not a failure.
Her only failure was- No. She didn't think of it. She never thought of it.
Her talent wasn't making peace with her pain or the pain others caused, it was in hiding those feelings. Burying them so deep that not even Daring Do would have been able to recover them. No, not even Scarlet Thorn herself had that luxury. The title of key master belonged to Agent Scorpio. Cold, unforgiving, and nihilistic, Agent Scorpio had been born to protect and pick up the pieces of the broken mare. Luna had helped to create that; she had returned the mare's dignity to her.
Coming to her in her dreams, Luna slowly healed the mare and absolved her of her sins. And through Z.O.D.I.A.C. had given her the chance to protect her son. Everything that she had done, hadn't been for Equestria. It wasn't for Luna. It wasn't for Cobra. It wasn't even for herself. They were all just factors to the greater equation. If anything, it had been for her son. Black Dawn deserved a world at peace, more than just skin deep harmony. He was her greatest expectation; if Luna had been her salvation then Black Dawn was her redemption. But that was a thought, and memory, that she was working hard to push out of her mind and she really didn't want nor need to deal with at the moment. She had Cobra Strike, and they still had Black Dawn. That gave her reason to focus on the now.
"Scarlet! Scarlet, why did you stop?" Sound-Off demanded, pulling the mare from her thoughts.
"S- sorry." Scarlet stuttered out. "I needed to rest."
The lie was weak. But she knew Sound-Off wouldn't question it, and she wouldn't be able to put two and two together. And just as the pegasus had predicted, the reptile just let it be. "Well you've been standing there for almost five minutes, but with your injuries I can understand. But look, Zecora has already made it to the jutting! It would be better to rest there."
Scarlet followed the dragoness's claw to where their zebra companion was resting on a cliff balcony, she caught their stares and waved them over. The pegasus nodded at her striped friend, before turning back to Sound-Off. "Okay, just give me a second."
She tightened her wings' grip on her scythe and took a deep breath before continuing against the damp wall. Sound-Off followed after, her spikes scraping against the stone. A couple of minutes later they had made it over to where Zecora was sitting.
"Ah it took you a while, I have been preparing lunch meanwhile." Zecora stated, pulling out three sandwiches from her bag. "I hope that your appetites have not been ruined by surroundings so bloody, I have made treats of peanut butter and honey."
The zebra mare took a bite from her sandwich, clearly having no problem with eating. Her comrades simply chalked it up to her being an assassin.
"No thanks." Scarlet politely declined, her throat growing warm again. "I'm not hungry."
"Me either, sorry." Sound-Off apologized.
Both of their bellies suddenly rumbled, betraying their feelings.
Zecora smiled. "Your bellies' cries, seem to state otherwise. Are you sure you do not wish to eat? All this travelling is no easy feat."
"Ah screw it." Sound-Off gave in, and took the sandwich from Zecora. She took a small bite, more of a nibble really. "Hey! This is pretty good!"
Scarlet watched the young dragoness scarf down the rest of the sandwich. Of course Sound-Off's stomach would have won; the gluttonous little reptile just couldn't help herself when it came to food, even while in the corpse-ridden bowels of the underworld.
"Scarlet come sit and enjoy this meal, you'll see that to your hunger it will appeal." Zecora patted at the empty spot in between her and Sound-Off.
"Like I said, I'm not hungry." The pegasus stated, despite her protesting belly.
"Then in my bag is where it shall keep, but if you change your mind it is your's to reap." The zebra declared. "Would you like instead a drink of water, surely your mouth has gone dry from the slaughter?"
Scarlet couldn't deny that her lips were feeling dry, and that her throat was hoarse. She took the canteen from Zecora, and took a big swig out of it. It helped with the wretched taste in her mouth. "Thanks."
"And for you Sound-Off," Zecora began upon turning to the reptile. "by now you must be feeling in your throat a cough."
"Nah, I'm good." Sound-Off said. "Us dragons don't dehydrate easily."
"Alright but if you need it please ask, I have brought with me a few flasks." Zecora noted, putting the canteen back into her saddlebag. "Even us assassins who are masters of patience and stealth, come to learn the benefits of keeping up our health. A grumbling belly could easily give you away, and especially out in the field thirst is nothing to downplay."
"So you assassins just sit down wherever you are and eat?" Sound-Off asked, raising an eyebrow.
"As long as we remain unnoticed and are safe, and as so long we are not discovered by chafe." The zebra responded. "The group that I am a part in does indeed value our meals, lunch does not interfere with our deals."
"Wait, group? Are there other assassins that you have contact with?! So cool!" Sound-Off exclaimed.
"Indeed there are but in scarce amounts, and as my apprentice you shall hear their accounts. But that is talk for another day, it is time we continue going about our way." Zecora pushed herself up, and re-secured her staff to her belt. "Are you feeling rested and ready to go my friends? We've still a long way down until the end. Luckily the path ahead is wider, no longer will we have to crawl like wall spiders."
Indeed the road ahead of them had broadened considerably; a simple path that spiraled downwards into the dark edges of the pit.
Sound-Off adjusted the straps of her makeshift quiver. "Well, I'm ready. Zecora?"
"To purge the world of Vanished I will gladly fight, upon the surface they are but blights." The zebra stated, holding her hoof against her chest. "I am the will of the Marrigan incarnate, but the question is can you take up arms Scarlet?"
Scarlet closed her eyes, and let the scorpion take control. When she opened them, there was a vicious glint followed by a small but cruel smile. "Let's cleanse the Everfree."
"That is the spirit, it is indeed just the type of valor we must exhibit. Let's find our missing mares, and then leave this nightmarish lair." Zecora began to trot along their path, quietly humming a song to herself no doubt from her homelands.
"Well you both seem excited." The dragoness remarked, keeping pace next to the pegasus pony. "You're doing particularly well. You really had me worried there, with that whole speech about Luna and all."
"I wasn't in the right mind. It's this cavern, it's getting to me." Scarlet admitted. "But I have to keep it together, for the sake of those captured by the Vanished. We're agents of Z.O.D.I.A.C., that means we can't let the circumstances overwhelm us."
A sudden roar from above grabbed their attention.
The gryphon Vanished had found them. Its rotting wings- little more than feathers loosely clinging to tatters of bone pierced flesh- unfurled from its body. It leapt off of the cliff, falling downwards before catching itself and shooting up.
"Even circumstances like that?!" Sound-Off cried out.
"I- I don't understand!" Scarlet exclaimed. "They're not supposed to be able to fly!"
The Vanished shot toward them, but was knocked back by a blur of black and white. Zecora kicked the monster in the chest. Using the force of the impact she pushed herself off with the crunch of bone and with a backflip landed in front of them.
"Some help would be nice! Of strain I am beginning to feel the strife!" The assassin yelled.
Scarlet shook herself into action, and swung her scythe outwards. Through she couldn't clearly speak with the handle in her mouth, she still managed to mumble, "Hoot it! Hoot it!"
"Allow me to translate," Zecora began. "shoot the blasted thing before we meet our fate!"
"O- oh! On it!" Sound-Off exclaimed, pointing her crossbow at the rapidly approaching monster, and letting loose a bolt before reloading.
The arrow-tip flew right in between a hole in the Vanished's wing. The dragoness tried again, but this time the Vanished angled itself sideways and the bolt flew straight past it. 
"Hoot it, ou idjiot!" Scarlet yelled.
"What do you think I'm trying to do?!" The reptile yelled back, missing another shot.
She reloaded again, and let another bolt fly. This time it struck the Vanished in the eye, causing it to flare out its wings with a pained screech. It suddenly grabbed the arrow in its claws, and with a sickening squelch ripped it free. The optic nerve came loose with an audible snap; the mutated gryphon held out the pierced eye in front of it, glaring at them with its remaining wicked one as the blood flowed freely out from its socket. It snapped the bolt in half, and let it- along with its eye- fall into the darkness below.
The three companions watched in shock. Sound-Off struggled to steady her aim.
She shot. She missed. She shot again. She missed again. The Vanished glided towards them, as if wanting them to see and fear all of its glory. Suddenly it roared, and rocketed towards them.
Zecora fumbled with her bag, searching for a particular potion, when she was suddenly knocked off the cliff by a blur. A second gryphon Vanished had slammed into the zebra mare, seizing the shaman in its claws.
"Unhand me this instant! Or I will wipe you from existence!" Zecora warned, ignoring the blood dripping down her side from where its claws had pierced her hide. When the Vanished naturally failed to respect her request, the zebra snorted. "I gave you an assassin's warning, now you will be left mourning!"
Zecora suddenly jabbed the head of her staff straight into the monster's gullet. It rammed easily through the unarmored rotten flesh, lodging itself into the thing's warm intestines. She then wretched her staff free, blood and puss splashed upon her like a great wave and stained her coat red. The Vanished shrieked, and released her from its grasp. Before she could fall with it, the zebra righted herself and tugged on a hidden cord attached to her saddle bag. Hang glider wings exploded outwards from the sides of her bags. She glided down towards the bottom of the pit.
The first Vanished unexpectedly changed course immediately; flying instead above the pegasus and dragoness, and quickly pivoting around to dive after its fallen ally.
"Zecora! Come back!" Sound-Off cried out.
"My friends meet me at the bottom, and be careful not to get spotted! Hurry and get going, follow the trail that is glowing!" Zecora called out as she slipped into the darkness.
"Oh yak dung! Let's go Scarlet!" Sound-Off ordered.
The mare nodded her head, staggering after the dragoness.
There was a sudden wailing cry coming from the bottom of the pit; a loud warbling screech that echoed deafeningly throughout the entire chamber. From the connecting caverns came a series of various clickings and answering cries. The alarm had been detonated. They knew they were here now.
"Buck!" Scarlet screamed, "Go, go, go!"
Sound-Off and Scarlet began to run down the feebly lit path, hearing hoofsteps and growls from all around them. It was impossible to tell where they were all coming from; the croakings were echoing off of the walls, and so numerous were they that each cancelled out the next creating a chaotic uproar.
A sequence of pebbles suddenly rained down from above them. With a heavy thud and a loud roar a pony Vanished landed directly behind them, large and bulky as Cerberus himself. Countless bones punctured its decaying hide, boils filled with puss popped as it rose- splattering chunks of yellow onto the wall- onto massive hooves that Celestia herself could have easily fit under. A bald jaw connected to its face with a frill of skin tatters, and from the bare bone sprouted a long curved horn like a rhinoceros's. It began to charge after them, ramming its head forward like a bull. Luckily its massive weight and incredible bulk kept it from moving quickly on the quaking ridge, and it habitually stopped every time it thrust its head forward.
Scarlet squeaked as the horn on its muzzle barely poked her rump, and instinctively bucked. Her hoof smashed against the brute's forehead, causing it to stumble before snorting and letting out an enraged bellow that shook the dust from the ceiling.
The two rolled out from underneath a stomping hoof.
"What do we do?!' Sound-Off demanded.
The mare looked around desperately, but she could only see so far out in front of her. "Fight!"
She suddenly skidded around, using her scythe as a counterbalance. She attempted to slash at its chest, but spiked bone plating kept her from doing any real damage. The Vanished merely swatted at her, as if she were a bothersome mosquito. The mare easily dodged its slow and clumsy blows. Attempting to slash out at its forelegs, she slid underneath an oncoming hit and sliced upwards. She succeeded, but the monster apparently didn't even feel it as it kept chasing after them leaving behind puddles of blood.
Sound-Off shot at its face, lodging multiple bolts deep into the hulking thing's flesh. The bolts embedded deeply into its forehead and cheeks, causing puss to spill out of the wounds and drip down the thing's face. Again it gave no reaction.
Scarlet's eyes darted around wildly, but she couldn't find a weak spot. Almost every single part of the Vanished's body was well armored, and the parts that weren't were just gigantic twisted mounds of swollen flesh. It suddenly snapped at the pony in front of it, and she barely managed to dive out of the way from its enormous jaws with a little less of her coat than before.
She struck out at the exposed skull, seeing it as the weakest spot. She did succeed in cracking it, leaving a large spiderweb of growing fissures. The thing hissed like a cragadile, swinging its head out. Pinned against the wall, the horn pierced through Scarlet's soft belly; deep enough to make her scream, but shallow- or perhaps simply by luck- enough to not pierce any major organs. She kicked weakly at the monster's head, dislodging herself with a squelch and wet pop. She fell to the ground with a thump, but managed to raise herself onto trembling hooves. Blood began to cascade out of the wound in a steadily growing stream, quickly weakening the mare. Her adrenaline was fading at an alarming rate, and she only managed to avoid being squished flat because of Sound-Off dragging her forward.
"Oh buck me!" Sound-Off swore as she tugged the mare along. "You're losing blood again!"
Scarlet, unable to keep a hoof over the weeping wound because of her injury, only ground her teeth against her scythe.
A foreleg suddenly swung toward the mare. Then- with excruciating pain from her leg- Scarlet pushed the dragoness away and leapt high into the air, landing atop of the Vanished. It reared upwards and bucked wildly, attempting to throw the mare without falling off of the cliff. Scarlet hung on for dear life, the handle of her scythe catching on the monster's horns. It rammed itself against the wall, causing the cavern to indent inwards and the weak ground to tremble and crack. 
The pegasus's teeth rattled fiercely, so much so that her vision was blurred to the point of the world was nothing but splotches of color. The hook of her blade began to slide away, creating hot sparks as it slid against the bone. She was suddenly thrown into the air by the force of the bucking monster, and she swung her body forward in a panic.
Her scythe hooked into the monster's neck with a spray of blood, the sharp edge slicing cleanly into the hill of muscles and skin only to catch on its thick vertebrae.
The Vanished squealed in agony, falling forward and swerving towards the edge. It barely managed to catch its front hooves on the edge; scrambling to drag itself upwards, the thing kicked its hind legs wildly in the air but they were facing the wrong way to gain footing against the rock. Scarlet's grip on her scythe slipped, her teeth unused to upholding her full body weight, but she somehow managed to catch her good fore-leg around the handle. Her leg burned like fire, and the discomfort from the handle lodging itself underneath her elbow.
"Scarlet, hang on!" Sound-Off yelled.
She attempted to approach the monster and rescue her friend but the Vanished- despite its situation- snapped wildly at her, scooting its body slowly towards the reptile. The cracks along the ground began to grow outwards.
"Sound-Off!" The non-the-wiser mare cried out, her leg beginning to slip.
"I'm trying!" Sound-Off shouted.
The dragoness rolled underneath the thing's horn as it swung repeatedly towards her. The Vanished's tongue lolled out of its mouth, wriggling after her like a snake. Sound-Off hastily shot it with a bolt. It squealed in pain, and swiped at the reptile. It's hoof slammed into the plateau, which finally gave out and broke from the heavy impact. Sound-Off barely managed to roll away. 
Scarlet's scythe fell away from the mare, its owner held out a hoof towards her friend.
The little dragoness reached out for her, her claw tips scratched the pegasus's hoof.
The Vanished screeched as it completely lost its footing, hooves flailing as it fell. Scarlet's eyes widened in surprise, and then acceptance. Together they plummeted down towards the sharp and jagged tree below.
"SCARLET!" Sound-Off screamed, still reaching out for her.
Scarlet smiled with tears in her eye.
"Tell them I'm sorry." She said, closing her eyes.
Scarlet took a deep breath, and prayed that her death would be swift and her friends would make it out alive. Would it hurt to die? Would she be alive for a few hellish moments after hitting the ground, or would it be instantaneous? Her blood floated out of her, fanning out above her like a blossoming flower of scarlet. She spread her wings out. The wind whistled through her feathers faster and faster, was this what Rainbow Dash felt? Her life began to flash before her eyes. 
The orphanage. Meeting her only friend. Running away. Encountering her first Vanished in the Everfree. Surviving the attack with a slash to her side. Ponyville. Meeting Cobra Strike. Living together out on the streets. Getting into trouble. Being adopted. Her foster parents. Being abducted and taken to the Rainbow Factory. Her escape, Cobra's rescue. Training under the old king. Her fillyhood years past by, and soon enough she had graduated high school. Cobra playing at gigs, scraping by until he was discovered. Losing her- No! Don't think about it. Never think about it. Meeting Gallant and Sound-Off. Becoming the queen of the factory, and mastering her combat skills over the next several years. Her finding out about her pregnancy. The birth of Black Dawn. Raising their son together. Moving into a bigger house. Rescuing Slasher. Joining Z.O.D.I.A.C. and pledging herself to Luna. Fighting, always fighting. From birth to now she had fought. Fought for her survival. Fought through the pain. Fought for redemption.
She thought about Black Dawn and Cobra Strike; they were fighters too. They would grieve. They would scream. They would cry. But they would fight.
"I love you." Scarlet Thorn whispered.
A magenta magical aura suddenly enveloped the mare, and swiftly dragged her into the shadows.