Year 13 – Day 103
As the snow began to fall, Mystic parted the tiny gate. She got a view of the cramped streets carving through the slums.
The alarms continued to blare throughout the night. Soldiers could be heard shouting orders. Mystic looked up and spotted several pegasi patrolling the area.
Blinking her tears back, her cheeks flushed as she gritted her teeth. As quietly as she could, she closed the gate. Mystic looked to her left to see the small garden that was filled with wilted and dried up plants. It smelled musty and the pots containing the plants were chipped and worn with age.
The unicorn spotted some large pots in the far right corner, walked over, and hid behind them again. She rubbed her hooves together, and then her forelegs as she shivered. The unicorn hugged herself.
Hot heaves of air escaped her nostrils. Her veins pulsed. Her throat tightened as her eyes formed an icy glare.
We were so close! she thought, levitating a pot and tossing it over a building. We could’ve defeated Hong right then! Why didn’t I just end him when I had the chance?!
The same questions and conflict have been eating away at her for hours.
All of this work, all of this build-up to having a better life, lost! she thought of the ponies that couldn’t make it out. The injustice that plagued the city’s system.
Her mind flashed back to the skyscrapers that Cierra had destroyed. A burning sensation rose within her chest.
How could she?! Mystic thought angrily, yet heartbroken. She felt a tear beginning to roll down her cheek.
She tried to figure out why Cierra would do such a thing. And if she remembered if her mentor said anything that would give her a reason to do that.
Remember...
Mystic placed her hooves over her muzzle and let out a scream.
Why did I just wake up like I did?! Mystic thought. She punched the wall. Did Fate just drop me in with no memories and set me up to fail miserably?!
If she could find Fate, she would choke her to death and burn her body many times over. This was so unfair.
She felt her hatred towards Hong grow along with her anger towards Cierra. There was one option with her mentor that would’ve disrupted the entire population and one with the general where the population would’ve been in strict living conditions. Both didn’t weren’t good for the city or herself. But she couldn’t help as if she were missing something on Cierra’s side.
Her mind continued to swirl with emotions along with ‘what might have been’ if they had succeeded. If they did complete their mission, what would have been the impact on the citizens’ lives?
“You honestly didn’t think I knew exactly where to put the charges so they wouldn’t hurt as many ponies as possible?!” Cierra’s voice echoed.
Was she sure about that? Mystic thought with another shiver.
Cierra might not have been clear about a lot, but did she have the right ideas?
The unicorn immediately perked up, remembering a conversation in her earlier years.
“Midtown is filled with Hong’s highest supporters,” Cierra’s voice echoed, “I would love to see their slice of paradise destroyed.”
Her heart throbbed.
If that is true… she thought, horrified at the implications of her actions. The conflict continued within her.
But a growl escaped her throat. That might be true. More tears rolled down her cheeks and recalled how Cierra wouldn’t listen. One of her biggest role models turned and became a shadow of who she was... far from...
Mystic briefly choked. “The pony I once knew...” She placed a hoof on her cheek, feeling it was still swollen.
She buried her face into her hooves as she shivered harder. When she got to know the Liberators, they were some of the most special ponies she’d met. Recently, Mystic didn’t admit it much because of her pride and warrior image, but they were like... family. Ponies that couldn’t ever be replaced.
Mystic imagined all of their smiling faces as she tried to force them into reality. She’d do whatever she could to have that life back.
The unicorn’s mind went back to that defining moment of her split-second choice.
The dark magic might’ve almost consumed her, but she could’ve just lunged for the plunger and detonated... then the thought of innocent ponies being caught in the crossfire crossed her mind again.
Mystic screamed into her hooves again.
It was a heat of the moment thing, it happened so fast. Mystic’s muscles tightened as she heaved.
Mystic thought back to everypony who had both abused and used her. The Triple Trio, who were nice but framed her. The citizens weren’t any better, and Hong was worse. The Liberators and their ideals were nothing but covers to what they really were.
And Sunshine. A growl rumbled from her throat. The filly meant well, but her little ideas she’s received knowing the filly weren’t enough. They were never enough to change anything. Or anypony halfway as decent as the Liberators.
Mystic gasped. Her anger immediately faded as her blood turned to ice.
Oh, no! Sunshine! she thought. The kids!
She knew that there were tons of soldiers patrolling the city. The unicorn stood up, stepped out onto the street, and turned left to the south.
She immediately hugged the wall of a house and slipped into the shadows.
“How do I get to them?” she asked herself, beginning to come up with a plan.
The cobblestone path merged onto a dirt road. Mystic looked back at the scarce houses at the edge of the city limits. The alarms were now nothing more than a low pitch as snow fell from the blackened clouds. Mystic turned and galloped down the road, the crooked branches of the trees speeding by her as the moon’s rays scarcely streamed onto the earth below.
Oh, Sunshine! Mystic thought, her muscles almost cramping as the pit in her stomach grew. The kids! I hope they’re okay!
Maybe there was still a chance to get what was left of the Liberators out. Mystic’s ears wilted as she thought of how she’d break the terrible news to them all.
The snow fell harder as the dirt road got thinner and the terrain rougher.
Mystic picked up her speed as if Hong were right on her tail.
She cringed as the biting wind hit her coat. The unicorn wasn’t deterred and forbade her mind to think of the worse.
Keep your mind clear, she thought.
The forest seemed to get thicker. She wondered why in the world the cabin they used as a last resort was built here and...
Mystic’s forelegs suddenly collided with something hard. A scream of surprise and pain escaped her throat before she was flat on the ground.
Peeved, she stood up and shook off the pain.
She nearly froze when she saw the worn-down cabin at the end of the path.
A ray of moonlight shone on it and revealed that the door was barged open.
Her heart sank.
Oh no!
She nearly called out for Sunshine but clapped a hoof over her lips. The unicorn levitated her machete out, crouched, and scurried over to the porch of the cabin.
Mystic pressed her back up against the wall and carefully peeked inside.
She nearly yelped when she saw the corpse of the pony that escorted the kids.
Mystic made her way over to the corpse and placed a hoof on his neck and nearly pulled back when she touched the ice-cold flesh.
Mystic swallowed her uneasiness as ragged breaths escaped her muzzle into a frosty mist.
She stood up, listening for any scrambling or scurrying around the cabin.
It was ghost quiet.
Unnerved, she lit her horn to look at the room she was in. Her face dropped, devastated at what she saw.
A couch, a couple of chairs, a table, plates, and utensils were thrown aside as if a tornado hit the place. Mystic carefully walked past the wreckage. Close by, the beds were tossed onto their sides.
“K-Kids?” she called, trying to stay strong.
The floorboards creaked underneath her hooves as the wind whistled through the room.
Mystic saw a small kitchen on the other side of the room and the bathroom on the far right.
The cabin wasn’t much bigger than that.
Did Hong do this? she thought, horrified.
Then she stepped on something metal.
The unicorn looked down to see a knife along with a piece of cloth.
She levitated it and her eyes widened.
It was a black bandana.
No, it wasn’t Hong, Mystic thought. She looked down at the blade on the floor and back at the room. Then, to her right, she saw a sheet of paper taped on the wall.
Immediately, she stepped up to it and her eyes widened when she read, “Liberators, this is the price you pay for crossing us. - The Skull Bandits”
Almost immediately, Mystic scurried around the cabin. She looked around and let out a few calls, but there wasn’t any sign of the kids.
Her breaths quickened. Stressed, Mystic kicked the floor. When she did, a surprised squeak escaped her when she made contact with something metal.
The unicorn looked down and saw it was a latch for a trapdoor.
The spark of hope returned.
With no time to lose, Mystic opened the trapdoor and descended the creaking stairs.
“Kids?!” she cried.
The spark of hope dropped.
The barely lit up basement was empty.
No! No! No! No! she shook her head. “This can’t be happening!”
She lit up her horn, illuminating the area.
Shattered crates were scattered along the floor. Mystic immediately deterred there was a struggle.
Her nerves pulsed as she processed what she’s seeing.
Soon, her breathing quickened.
No! That can’t be the case! she thought.
She turned, stomped up the stairs and out of the cabin.
I will find those kids and Sunshine! she thought, blinking her tears back.
Year 13 – Day 106
As she galloped through the dark forest, Mystic’s insides were as cold as the outside around her.
“Sunshine?! Sunshine?!” she cried, tears rolling down her distraught face.
I’ve searched for far too long! I must find...
She yelped when she saw she was heading right towards a rushing river. Immediately, she took a right.
“Sunshine?!” she wailed.
The unicorn came to an opening where the moon’s soft glow streamed onto the snow.
With a gasp, she stopped.
She nearly vomited.
A small corpse was in the middle of the clearing.
Her legs became like noodles.
Her eyes glossed.
The trees seemed to close in around Mystic.
“No...” she whispered.
With hesitant, heavy steps, Mystic stepped forward.
As she got closer, she saw a familiar gold mane.
Mystic’s eyes widened, horrified as a tear rolled down her cheek.
Her legs were stiff as she forced her way forward.
She reached the corpse and overturned it to see the frost-covered face of Sunshine.
Mystic nearly collapsed.
Her lip trembled as former happier memories flowed through her mind.
Her legs gave out and she landed on her stomach.
“No...” she breathed, tenderly reaching for her friend.
She gently touched the corpse. The unicorn nearly retracted from how cold the filly was.
“Sunshine...” she breathed.
Almost like ghosts, memories of laughter, and their heart-to-heart moments echoed through her mind.
Tears of regret rolled down her cheeks.
She gently sat Sunshine’s body up and pulled herself up to sit.
Then she began to sob, knowing the reality in front of her.
Sobbing hard, she hugged Sunshine, holding her close. The unicorn wanted to feel the filly’s warmth. But the coldness of the body and surrounding atmosphere caused her to shiver harder.
Not caring much about anything, Mystic allowed herself to fall onto her side. She hugged Sunshine as tight as she could.
She whispered Sunshine’s name repeatedly.
She prayed. She hoped that Sunshine would still be alive and tap her on the shoulder that everything would be okay. But no such gesture came.
She imagined her smile.
Her warm heart.
Everything.
She wanted to bawl. Cry her heart out. But with how much pain she’s endured, it hurt too much to focus on it.
Mystic didn’t know how long she’d stayed there. It felt like an eternity. A hundred thoughts of regret and anger flowed through her mind. Memories of Cierra, Meng, Song, and Juan emerged. All of her family... gone.
She opened her eyes and imagined Sunshine beside her with a solemn grin, despite the filly’s body pressed against her. The unicorn continued to sob.
You’ll be okay... she almost heard.
With the hardened, frozen body, Mystic could almost feel her friend’s soft mane, her tender warm hooves. Her breaths along her neck.
The unicorn opened her eyes to see her imaginary Sunshine, but then… she vanished like smoke.
Mystic could hear her heart break again as she looked at the reality in front of her.
She longed to smile again. The unicorn remembered that Sunshine loved a very peculiar flower.
“If only I could have a sunflower...” she whispered.
She let her icy tears continue to roll down her cheeks.
After a few more minutes, Mystic realized she was still in the middle of the woods and she’s freezing.
She felt her eyes drooping as a yawn escaped her muzzle.
I can’t fall asleep, she thought with a shiver. The unicorn sat up and kept Sunshine close.
Mystic stood up. More tears ran down her face as she took her first step. She slipped and nearly fell.
Year 13 – Day 108
With Sunshine secured on her back, Mystic’s forelegs continued trudging through the snow. The blackened forest around her felt as if it were a blur. Her mind wandered. Her body on autopilot.
“We can’t change what’s done,” Mystic’s own voice echoed. “We can only move on.”
How can I move on from this? Mystic thought as tears drenched her cheeks.
“If we don’t stop soon, we’ll all be dying,” came Meng’s voice.
I feel as if I might die now. More shivers.
“We are reformers of society,” Cierra’s voice echoed. “We must succeed no matter the cost.”
Mystic squeezed her eyes shut.
“Don’t make me beg you, Mystic,” Sunshine’s voice pleaded.
Regret flowed through her body, causing her to feel sick.
How could I have been so blind? she thought, wiping her cheeks again. I had a true friend, and I didn’t give her the love she deserved...
She just wanted to die and not cause any more damage. It sounded so easy.
The unicorn looked up, seeing the stars twinkling in the black sky.
It made her choke up. Sunshine loved looking at the stars.
I’m so sorry, she thought. unable to help feel responsible for the filly’s demise. The chilliness of the body on her back seeped into her coat.
She closed her eyes and continued forward.
Then, she remembered her promise to Sunshine again.
“I swear on my own life and by the sky above and all that is holy that I will never hurt myself, and I’ll fight for all that is good and those who deserve saving!”
Or whatever good was left in the world... she thought. If there still is any...
With a sense of unease, Mystic glanced at her worn satchel. With her blurred vision, she saw several glowing syringes she’d recently stolen.
Guilt washed over her at the thought of what she’d done. But she shook her head.
A lot of ponies need them, but I need them even more, she thought. Who knows when my dark magic might come back?
Mystic stepped over a small crack in the ground.
I only hope there are more around the world, she thought, looking over her to make sure Sunshine was still secure.
As much as it hurt, Mystic forced her aching limbs to move. Her lips trembled as she felt the world close in around her. The snow fell harder as Mystic continued to an unknown future.