//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: The Sisterverse Social // by brokenimage321 //------------------------------// Pinks was the first to break the treeline. She scanned the waters, then turned and started galloping downstream. This wasn’t the first time someone had ever fallen in, but the river was especially fast and deep this time of year— And then she spotted her. There she was, splashing and gurgling as the river rushed onwards. “Help!” she shrieked. “S-somebody!” “Hold on, Serenade!” cried someone, from just behind her. Pinks would have turned to see who it was, but she was already sprinting down the riverbank, her brain going full speed. Lasso? No, Jackie didn’t bring hers and we don’t have time. Tree branch? Not long enough. Balloon raft? Mentally, she groaned. C’mon, Pinks, now ain’t the time to be messin’ around— And then she heard another sound. One that sent chills down her spine. The sound of falling water. Pinks skidded to a halt, mouth dry. She knew, without looking, that, two hundred yards ahead, the river went over a cliff, into a deep, cold pool. It was only thirty or forty feet, not a high fall by any means—she even went over it on purpose, when it got really hot, just to cool off—but the force of the water could pull weak swimmers under in no time flat. And especially if you were already struggling— Pinks turned and watched Serenade sweep towards her, already losing the fight with the river. She glanced around, and saw the other ponies, chests heaving and sweat dripping off their foreheads, gathered around her, looking on helplessly. And, suddenly, Pinks knew what she had to do. She turned to the pony closest to her—the yellow pegasus sister. Seeing her turn, the pegasus turned to look at her. Pinks opened her mouth. “Catch me,” she said. And then, she leapt. * * * Flyby’s shriek caught all of them off-guard, but most especially Rainbow. They all whipped their heads to look, and saw the pink pony making a graceful arc of a dive deep into the middle of the river. She bobbed to the surface, then started swimming towards the flailing unicorn. Without warning, Flyby spread her wings and flew after her. “Fly!” Rainbow cried. “What are you doing?” Flyby dove, and managed to grab the pink one’s tail in her mouth, just as she grabbed the unicorn. Everyone cheered—but Rainbow’s gaze was still locked on her sister. Rainbow saw her wings dip—saw her falter—while everyone else was still getting ready to pat themselves on the back. Without thinking, Rainbow leapt forward and spread her wings. She managed to wrap her arms around Flyby’s middle, just as she was about to sink under. But, all too soon, she could sense herself sinking towards the water, too. * * * Applejack swore. Now there were four ponies in need of rescue. If Pinks had just left well enough alone, they might have been able to fish the little one out of the river downstream, then rush her to the hospital—might have been able to save her, even— But this wasn’t the time to think that way. Not while her sister and both confounded pegasi were still in danger. Applejack threw her hat onto the riverbank, then ran downstream. All this foolishness had one advantage—with all these ponies making a chain, there might be enough of them to reach the sandbar on the next bend. Applejack leapt into the water, then waded out until the rushing water was inches away from her belly. “Over here!” she cried, as the ponies swept into view. By now, Pinks had the unicorn firmly in her grasp, but she’d managed to pull the yellow one almost all the way into the water with her. But the rainbow one was still keeping up, and she shot Applejack a grateful look. As they passed her, the rainbow one flicked her tail towards Applejack, who managed to catch it in her teeth. The rainbow one cried out, but Applejack held firm, and dug her hooves into the sand. The river swept the ponies downstream, but, with a jerk, all of them came to a sudden stop. Pinks managed to hold onto the unicorn, the yellow one held onto Pinks, the rainbow one held the yellow one, and Applejack held the rainbow one’s tail. Now, all they needed was— Applejack felt the sand under her hooves begin to slip. The river, heedless of their plight, was still pulling all of them onwards—and Applejack, strong as she was, was not as strong as the river. Applejack cried aloud, then scrabbled backwards, sending up clouds of silt. But still, the river pulled her onwards—towards the falls that she could hear just around the bend— And then, a warm tingly feeling spread across her chest. Applejack looked down, and saw glowing, purple light enveloping her middle. * * * Twilight groaned, sweat already running down her face, as she tried to haul the orange pony backwards against the stream. She turned to look at Radiance, who stared back with wide, frightened eyes. “G-get Serenade,” Twilight hissed through gritted teeth. Radiance turned to stare at her. Twilight could see the gears turning in her head—but still, she did nothing. “Get Serenade!” Twilight cried. “O-or grab somepony! Do something!” Radiance took a half-step backwards. Twilight’s eyes widened. “Don’t you dare—!” she began… But, before she could finish the thought, Radiance turned and ran. “Radi-i-i-iance!” Twilight screamed, anger, fear, and hopelessness in her cry. “You come back here—!” From the river, Twilight heard a scream, and she felt her magic slip. She turned and gasped—the river had pulled the orange pony from her grasp, and now all five of them were about to go under. Twilight turned and sprinted down the bank, trying to keep up with them. “Dammit, Radiance,” she snarled, tears running down her cheeks, “Damn you, damn you, damn you—” * * * As Pinks sunk underwater for the third time, she had to admit—perhaps she hadn’t thought this plan all the way through. She kicked, and her head popped up above the water—and, more importantly, the little filly. She had both her arms and legs wrapped around Pinks. It was kinda cute, truth be told—but the extra weight made it hard to stay up, and it certainly wasn’t easy to swim with her clamping Pinks’s arms to her side. Especially with the waterfall coming up as fast as it was. The sound of the waterfall grew louder in her ears. Pinks chuckled to herself. All things considered, if this was Her Time To Go, it was kinda neat that she was getting to do the whole “last great sacrifice” thing. Only—her smile faltered a little—she wished she didn’t have to drag anypony else along with her… Applejack least of all— And then, something very strange happened. Pinks hit something hard. * * * Twilight skidded to a halt, and stared. Just ahead was the waterfall, its roar almost deafening, spraying water in graceful clouds. For a split-second, she caught herself scanning for ponies lost in the spray— But, twenty feet short of the edge, all five ponies had bunched up together in a tight knot—some still struggling, some just confused, but none of them moving. The water flowed around them as if they were stones in the middle of the river. And then, she saw it, almost invisible against the spray and the bright afternoon sun: A bright-blue barrier, made of three flat, six-sided sections, standing vertical in the middle of the river. The water rushed on, but it held firm for the ponies pressed against it. Twilight looked up and saw Radiance, just a few feet away, her horn burning bright, and a vein in her neck pulsing. “Twilight,” she barked, in a tone that brooked no argument. “Grab someone, quick. I can’t keep this up forever.” Twilight stayed frozen. “Move!” Radiance roared. Twilight jumped, then ran to the riverbank. She lit her horn, then wrapped her magic around the orange pony at the back—the only one not pinned down by another body. “That’s it, Twilight,” Radiance called. “You can do it!” As Twilight pulled the orange pony back towards the riverbank, Twilight turned to look at her sister, her horn still lit, her gaze steel, but a faint smile on her lips. And, despite herself, Twilight felt herself smiling, too.