//------------------------------// // Closing Anthem // Story: Aeternitas Book I: Lunar Shadow // by Shadowlight Wanderer //------------------------------// Chapter 12 "Hyyyyyyyypppp!!!!" Applejack gasped loudly, pushing Pinkie Pie off of her. The knife in her chest exploded into white light. So did the woundwhich closed and didn't left a single mark. "Applejack, you are alive !!!" Pinkie cried and before Applejack could react in any way, she gave her a quick kiss on the lips. Applejack frowned "Pinkie, what are a doin’ ?" Pinkie giggled and blushed "I am sorry. I was just too excited for you being all right. I don't know what happened but I was just trying to do to some rescue action when you came back to life." Applejack slowly arised "Pinkie, what do ya think happened here ?" Pinkie put her hoof to her chin "Well, I think we triggered all the Pinkiejack haters. " she waved at something in the distance " But I would not mind if I were you. Related or not, I still believe in our ship" Applejack blinked a few times, before shaking her head and explaining. "No, no, I meant that I was dying and now I am fine ? How does that work ?" Pinkie raised an eyebrow and smiled. "I don't know but I am super duper glad that you are ok again !!!" Applejack sighed "I think our story here is far from normal and far from over" she gestured around " We don't even know where are we " Suddenly, a powerful punch collided with Pinkie's face. Pink earth pony fell to the ground and saw Rainbow Dash with a face changed from fury, her hoof lifted for another strike Applejack shielded Pinkie with her body "Hold it right there. What do ya think yar doin' ?" Sweat was dropping from Rainbow's face. "She wanted to kill you. I saw that. I am going to... " "What are you going to do , Rainbow Dash? Do I need to remind you that you didn't act any better ? If it wasn't for me, you would kill Pinkie for sure." Rarity said, emerging from the shadows and breathing heavily. Rainbow shivered "I was trying to protect AJ. I...I was so worried that you...you..." Rainbow suddenly burst into tears, her emotions overwhelming her. " I would never forgive myself if I would let you die." Applejack hugged tightly the crying pegasus. "There, there. I know ya didn't mean it. We all came through some pretty scary stuff since the tea with the princesses. And I bet we also did some pretty scary stuff ourselves. But the important thing that none of us meant it and now we are all awoken from this nightmare. I guess nothin’ back there was real. Both Pinkie and I had wounds. The illusion was somehow broken and now there is no sign on us. So we should just forgive, move on and stick together like friends should. Who is with me" "Ihhh behhhiiinn thhhrahhhingggghh thhhooo theilllll yuuuuu. Rhaaaainhof, chhhouuut yuuu plhhhiisssh mooof, yuuu ahh squhhhishhinnghhh mahhh liverhhhh" came a voice from down below. Applejack and Rainbow Dash parted from their hug. Rainbow was still standing on Pinkie, squishing her to the flat level. "Ouupsie" Rainbow moved back. Pinkie exhaled and inflated herself back. Rainbow looked at Pinkie "Pinkie, you can reconstruct your body in a second. I wasn't sure if you actually had a liver" Pinkie smiled "I have liver when I want to have it and you kind of taken me by surprise" Both mares started giggling and after a moment hugged each other, laughing. Rarity hugged her friends with tears in her eyes. Applejack laughed as well. Four friends laughed and cried at the same time, letting go all the stress and pressure gained through the dangerous journey. Suddenly, a small discharge of energy appeared on the edge of their vision and familiar voice shouted “Guys, what is going on ?” Ponies looked up to see Fluttershy, staring at them in disbelief. Then yellow pegasus jumped upon her friends and hugged them too. "I thought you are all in danger" she cried " O, guys I am so happy that you are okay." "Yeah, we are glad to see you too Fluttershy.What's with the portal ?" asked Rainbow Dash "I met Discord and he helped me get to you." Fluttershy explained "Discord is here ? Well, in that case we may have a chance of winning this game. Where is he ?" Fluttershy lowered her head "Our ways parted before I walked into the portal. But I trust that he will do the right thing." Applejack sighed "Well, this is not as good as I thought but nevertheless, we have each other and we are safe" "Darling, your definition of safety is rather wide. We still don't know where we are and we can be trapped here forever." Rarity exclaimed, lifting her hoof to her forehead. "Wait a minute, do you hear that ?" Pinkie Pie looked through the mist " Is that singing ?" "I think it is. Come on girls, we have to find our sisters and Twilight " said Rarity, as the group started galloping towards the source of the sound. ********************* "Ouch, my head" Scootaloo complaint, arisingfrom the cold floor. At least, she wasn't hanging on that stupid tree anymore. Well, now she was in some kind of a hallway. Spooky, what else it could be called ? She trotted forward, trying to recall correctly the events before landing down here. She was flying when she snapped out of her flashback. No, not even flying. More like floating. There was some weird stuff going on. She started to back away until she touched something warm and then... ******************** "Have any of you seen Twlight ?" Fluttershy asked, when the rescue group was running through the main hall. "I am afraid I saw some glimpse, darling. But it was not the best one. She disappeared in the flash of white light and probably teleported far away." "Oh my, that sounds terrible" Fluttershy whispered. "Well, we must find our sisters first. Maybe they know something about Twilight and we will be able to continue our search" Applejack cut the dialogue. After a several minutes of running, ponies spotted light in the distance. "What is that ?" asked Rarity "I don't know, but I think we are getting close. Come on !!!" shouted Rainbow Suddenly, the translucent wall appeared before them. "I am afraid you are not going anywhere" hissed the voice from nowhere. "You again !" cried Rarity "Let us go to our sisters !" screamed Rainbow Dash. "This is not an option. You will be needed here." Applejack's eye twitched "LET.US.THROUGH !!!!!" she yelled as she stumped her hoof to the ground. The earth beneath her trembled and glow in a dark green light. Suddenly, a few stalagmites shot through the ground , passing through the barrier. Applejack gasped "Wha' ? How did I ?..." Rainbow Dash flew above and dashed towards the wall Fluttershy close her eyes. With a sudden flash of cerise light, the tunnel was filled with hurricane wind and temperature visibly lowered. Barrier was shaken but didn't break. Voice laughed "This is perfect. I just need one more to confirm my suspicion. My dear Fluttershy, if you want to see your Crusader friends again, attack me. Now !" Fluttershy shivered "You want me to attack you. ? Please no..." Voice sighed "Well I am sorry..." A circle of dark, magical energy surrounded Fluttershy. "But I am not expecting any objections today !!!" Fluttershy screamed and all of the sudden, her irises turned from blue to orange. She looked stared at the wall with emotionless expression and said one word "leave" Her voice was softer than quietest whisper, but just as it was said, a wave of yellow energy crashed with the barrier, shattering her. Fluttershy collapsed. She covered her ears "I hear the voices ! From everywhere !" Rainbow looked around "What did you do to her ?" Voice seemed really amused "I did not do anything. I just needed to confirm that you indeed posses the powers of the legend. Sadly, you won't live long enough to discover your capabilities. See you" The voice faded "Emm, guys, whatever just happened, you may want to check this out" said Pinkie, pointing at something beyond the shattered barrier Five ponies looked at quickly extending blackness. "What in the heck is that ?" asked Applejack "Trouble" muttered Rainbow Dash "I am scared " Fluttershy hugged Rarity. The unicorn hugged Fluttershy back "There, there, we will figure the way out, darling" Rarity gulped, looking at the void. "Maybe with this weird powers out of nowhere we have a chance ?" suggested Pinkie "Forget it. I don't know anything about this stuff or how it came out !" replied Applejack, slowly moving backwards. "Yeah, me neither " Rainbow flew over them trying to find the way out of the room. "Are we going to die here ? " asked Fluttershy, when the five friends gathered on the island on the ocean of nothingness Pinkie waved her hoof "No silly, we are too important to the plot to die right now" "To what ?!" asked the rest Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes, smiled and cuddled with her best friends. "Let's just say that every good story needs an element of suspense".