It didn’t take long for the word to spread. A scroll sent from Celestia arrived in Ponyville, vomited forth from Spike. Pinkie’s cries of pleasure could be held all the way in Canterlot, moments after it faded, a letter appeared before Celestia, this one in a puff of pink smoke. Applejack couldn’t help but laugh at that, and at the fact the party had already been planned out in exacting detail. Leave it to Pinkie and this ‘Cheese Sandwich’ to have something planned just on the off chance the impossible happened.
Soon they were on their way to Ponyville, the train empty, save for the group by order of Celestia. Unlike last time, Celestia had wisely decided she didn’t want to hear the details in their entirety, content to allow them to open up in their own time. Even the two aliens had been widely left in peace for the time being, though Celestia had attempted to speak to both of them when they had passed her.
The first, the diminutive creature Celestia now knew was Koghad the Demiurg, was the far nicer of the two, speaking in an accent very similar to Applejack’s own, and keeping his statements curt but respectful. The second, the human known as Kas, had barely spoken a word, ignoring even direct questions from the Monarch. She had exited the craft moments after the laughter had started, rushing to Rainbow’s side and placing a hand on her shoulder. From the tensing, Celestia could tell that something had passed between the pair at some point, but that was for Rainbow to reveal, not for her to pry.
The train moved quickly by Equestrian standards, massive advances in magi-tech had allowed previously unthought of innovation, but it was barely a crawl compared to what they were all now used to. Applejack and the others separated themselves on the train, speaking in low, hushed tones and occasionally glancing over at Rainbow, Gilda and Kas. It wasn’t hard to work out the subject of their conversation, Rainbow soon standing and moving to another cart, picking up one of the books on recent history that Celestia had provided for their journey. To ‘catch them up’ as she had put it.
“Steady on egghead,” Gilda cracked a smile, following after Rainbow, the attempt at levity falling flat. “What’s with the reading?”
Rainbow didn’t look up, instead flicking through the pages, staying as silent as she had done since they had returned. Changing tact’s, Gilda spread her wings, knocking a few of the other piles of books flying as she stretched, the act far too accidental to be anything but planned.
“Come on, lets blow the train and just fly down, you both know we’re faster.”
Again, Gilda got no response, a scowl spreading across her face.
“Rainbow?” she growled, no response once more.
“Rainbow!”
She roared, slamming a fist into the floor and pulling the book down with the other. Rainbow paused for a moment, slowly looking up as she finally spoke.
“Let, go.”
The words were icy cold, malice seeping from them like a physical entity. Gilda paused for a second, looking as if she was going to retain her grip on the book, before her tail dropped, her claw falling back to the floor.
For a long moment nothing was said, before Rainbow finally spoke again.
“We’ve been gone for a while,” she murmured. “Decades in Equestrian time from what I can gather. Twenty years almost to the day. Time…must really work differently here than it does…out there.”
She trailed off, looking wistfully out of the window.
“Twenty years?” Gilda breathed softly, trying to wrap her head around the time. They had all known it was a long time, but for it to be so radically different from the time they had felt, close to half, was a shock that hit the Griffon like a body blow from a Warboss.
The rest of the journey continued in near silence for Rainbow, the Pegasus brushing off questions from Gilda and Kas, focusing on looking through the window at the land beyond. Eventually they reached Ponyville, the train pulling to a halt, Twilight, Pinkie, Rarity and Fluttershy all standing on the platform, beaming from ear to ear, Pinkie barely able to contain herself, looking like she might pop at any moment. Standing beside the older mares were the equally excited Apple Family, Applebloom, Granny Smith and Big Mac all waiting, their fresh, tear stained faces plain for all to see. Sweetie Belle was with them, standing beside Applebloom, looking expectantly for the last Crusader.
Applejack was the first off the train, her battlesuit wisely left behind on the train, a squad of Canterlot Guards standing around it, half protecting it, half in awe of it. The pink blur that shot towards Applejack was predictable, but what was less predictable was the red blur that knocked Pinkie Pie aside, the pink earth pony spinning as she fell in a cloud of dust, Big Mac grabbing hold of his sister and pulling her close.
His strength had not diminished with age, Applejack’s cybernetics groaning in protest as her brother sobbed into her mane.
“It’s good ta see ya too, Big Mac,” Applejack whispered softly, her words genuine if short, her mind still too overwhelmed by the mere act of being back to think of something more comforting. She doubted Big Mac would mind, based on his equal lack of words, it didn’t seem his stoic attitude had changed at all.
Following closely behind Big Mac was the rest of the Apple Family, Applebloom having grown into a fine young mare, the spitting image of Applejack, though still sporting her reddish pink hair, while Granny Smith looked as old as ever, somehow still holding on to life with a fire that would have put any to shame. Tears were in all their eyes now, the Apple Family clan embracing hard as finally, Pinkie got back to her feet, Twilight and the others rushing towards the rest of the occupants of the train.
For a long time, little of substance was said on the platform, sobbing or screams of delight as Pinkie embraced another long lost friend, or friend to be in the case of Koghad and Kas, echoing around the vastly expanded Ponyville station, guards at the entrances keeping back the majority of the crowds. Finally, after what felt like hours but in truth was probably not even half an hour, the sobs had subsided, Pinkie seemed to have tired herself out, and conversation began to break out, Twilight the first to speak, bowing her head in shame before Applejack.
“Applejack…I know words aren’t enough for this, but I’m so sorry for putting all of this in motion.”
She raised her head to look around at all of them, spreading her wings as she did so.
“The same apology goes for all of you, all those my actions endangered. I swear, upon my crown, as the Princess of Friendship and the Element of Magic, no harm shall come to you again, no more shall you have to return to the dark places Rainbow spoke of.”
Rainbow watched as Twilight continued her speech, her eyes flicking to her friend’s wings. She hadn’t been an Alicorn when they had left, normally such a change would have surprised her, and everyone who she had brought back, but in light of everything they had seen, this was a minor change that could be addressed at a later stage.
Clearing her throat, Rainbow stepped forward, her voice hoarse from barely speaking since they returned.
“I don’t want to cut you off, Twilight, but…could we save this until we have had a bath? We can catch up on…” she trailed off, unsure of what exactly they could catch up on that wouldn’t give her friend more nightmares than she could ever escape from. Luckily, Applejack took up the reigns, nodding her head in agreement.
“Can catch up on all we missed while we were gone,” she finished smoothly. “Ah don’t know about the rest of y’all, but Pinkie’s party sure sounds sweet right about now, and ah think she’s likely gonna explode if we don’t move this along so we can get ta it sharpish.”
“I know right?!” Pinkie all but screamed. “Do you know how hard it is organising something to celebrate not one, not two, but six returning friends and two new ones???”
“And one who didn’t make it,” Lightning murmured softly, looking directly at Pinkie. “Wavechill was with us when we left, and he’s not with us now because he fell. Throw the party in his honour.”
With that, Lightning pushed past the crowd, Pinkie looking like someone had punched her in the gut with a power-fist, Applejack realising that no one had told them of the one death in the group.
The silence returned, before Rainbow once again broke it.
“The library, may we use the bath there?” her voice was devoid of emotion again, Wavechill’s memories brought up as Spitfire glared at her, wishing a mere look could kill.
“It’s…not a library anymore…” Twilight whispered, her voice equally diminished, her ears flat against her head as the realisation that her actions had caused not simply suffering, but a death, hit her full force.
“Can we use it.” Rainbow reiterated again, receiving a nod, before shooting into the sky, buffeting the others with a powerful downdraft. A second later, Gilda followed suite, no one else coming after the pair, Kas looking around awkwardly as she was left behind.
***
Tears streaked down Rainbows face as she flew at full speed, her feathers ruffling as she felt the build-up of energy that surrounded a Sonic Rainbow surging forward. She kept herself just below the threshold for creating such an event, content to merely speed away from everyone as she took in the city below her.
When she had left, Ponyville had been tiny, a ten-minute walk from side to side if that. Now, it was a sprawling metropolis of metal and glass, ground vehicles plying the many roads of the village powered by what could only have been magi-tech engines, and in the centre of it all, a giant crystalline tree. This was what Twilight had meant when she said the library wasn’t a library anymore. Now it was more of…a…
Rainbow couldn’t think of the words anymore stopping in mid-air, hovering in front of the great tree as someone approached her, Rainbow expecting to find Gilda, but instead turning to see Twilight beside her, her friend fixing her with a hard stare.
“My castle,” she said, gesturing at the tree.
“What happened to the library?” Rainbow asked, allowing her gaze to fly back out across the city.
“Tirek,” Twilight responded simply. “I’ll tell you all about it, in return for knowing how Wavechill died.”
“You don’t want to know that,” Rainbow whispered.
“Yes, I do,” Twilight insisted. “My actions…my actions caused the…”
“Your actions caused nothing!” Rainbow snapped, her teeth flashing as ager swelled inside her. Twilight once again looked shocked, moving backwards as fear shot across her face. Rainbow forced her rage into check, before continuing. “Your actions, Twilight, caused nothing. You made a mistake, I took my team in, I led them to where it happened, I oversaw the action. Me, Rainbow Dash. I am responsible, not you, and you do not want to know about it.”
“But…” Twilight began.
“No buts,” Rainbow cut her off. “If that’s your castle then that’s where I’m going. I…I will tell you what bits I can at the party. I promise. But not now.”
With that, Rainbow shot off again, disappearing inside the castle, Twilight watching as she went, Gilda close behind her, having held back as the two conversed in mid-air.
“What happened out there?” Twilight breathed softly.
She had expected scars, Rainbow had borne her fair share when she had returned the first time, after a far shorter period in that universe, but the level of those changes was beyond believe. Spitfire missing a wing, nearly all of Applejack's body being replaced with strange cybernetics completely different that what Rainbow had once borne, Lightning and Scootaloo looking like they had heard more screams than anyone could have been able to count, Gilda looking even colder and harder than normal, Wavechill simply…gone.
But it was Rainbow who drew Twilight’s fears the most. She was barely recognisable anymore, leathery winged, sharpened fangs, talons in place of forehooves, even a face devoid of fur and skin, replaced with what looked like smooth ceramic. The other changes could be explained, natural responses to seeing warfare up close, PTSD as Twilight had read it was called, or replacements for battlefield injury, but Rainbow’s modifications were not simply replacements, they were augmentations. She had changed her body to fit in with wherever she had ended up to such an extent that she was barely a pony anymore. And the way others looked at her, Spitfires abject hatred, Scootaloo’s fear, Lightning’s disgust, Applejack’s pity and Gilda’s…Twilight didn’t know if admiration was the right word, but it was as close as she could think of. What events had transpired to cause them? And why, with everything Rainbow had told them of her first time in that place, all the gory and sordid details, did she now not wish to speak of any of it.
With a million questions burning in her sorrow fuelled mind, Twilight returned to the others, resolving herself to do as Celestia herself had done, allowing the group to come out in their own time, to learn what had happened when they were ready to tell her, and not a moment before.
***
Twilight’s palace was a huge building, having grown alongside Ponyville itself, the city spreading out from this one dominant building, safe in its great shadow, the city now looking akin to the Crystal Empire itself, and yet even it now struggled to contain the throngs of ponies who filled its halls, the entire city seemingly coming out for this momentous occasion. In the twenty years that had passed, the Swooping Pegasi and Applejack herself had become legends, stories conjured up about their deeds and heroic struggles that had since become fact. Now, everyone was clamouring to see the real deal, those that did would not soon forget what they saw.
Of all the returned ponies and one Griffon, Applejack took the change the most in her stride. In the back of her mind she wondered if that was thanks to the T’au mentality of adaptability compared to the ancient and entrenched Eldar ways, but in her heart, she knew it was primarily because she was still so much an outsider to those who had braved Commoragh. She had seen the Dark Eldar as a foe, not as an ally, and she was now sure she would rather stand against them for eternity, than with them for a second.
Koghad helped as well, the Demiurg’s booming laughter echoing around the castle, a mug of cider always in his hand, the other hand usually pulling in ponies for nearly bone shattering hugs. Whatever his personal feelings on the world, Koghad was clearly in his element at a party such as this.
The others were not devoid of their own share of the party of course, numerous ponies approaching Scootaloo, Spitfire and Lightning to gawp at them, or work up the courage to ask the scarred ponies for autograph’s, each of them being politely but firmly turned away.
“We’re not hero’s,” Applejack heard Lightning say as she turned yet another pony away. “We’re survivors. You want to honour someone, make sure to remember those of us who didn’t come back, ok?”
The pony walked away, looking dejected, Applejack couldn’t blame him, but then again, she couldn’t blame Lightning either. No one was to blame, that was partially the problem with their return. A world that had moved on, six friends who had become legends they had never asked for.
It was only Rainbow, Gilda and Kas that stood apart, at least apart from the crowds, none wanting to approach the trio, Rainbow’s visage and Gilda’s fearsome attitude putting off any within the sizable crowd from actually approaching.
“She’s popular.”
The voice made Applejack jump, turning to see Twilight beside her.
“Yeah, that she is,” Applejack nodded. “Comes with bein’ a leader ah suppose. The legend is far prettier than tha facts though, that’s for sure.”
“And what are the facts?” Twilight asked, not wanting to press but also not able to contain her curiosity.
“Ya don’t want to know, Twi,” Applejack signed.
“Rainbow told me the same thing,” Twilight signed.
“Aye, but she’s right ya know,” this time it was Koghad, the Demiurg swaying as he approached the pair, his mug sloshing as he walked. “Some things ya drink to remember, but ah feel if you knew what the facts, ya’d be drinking the same as me and tha others.”
“Applejack’s not drinking,” Twilight pointed out, fixing the squat figure with a withering stare.
“Oh, she would be,” Koghad smirked, pushing a playful elbow into Applejack’s side, the metal making a satisfying tap as he did so. “Hard ta get drunk on an iron stomach though, eh lass?”
“Go have mine then,” Applejack rolled her remaining eye. “Ya seem ta be able to take enough of it for you, me and about five others besides.”
“Ya know, I think ah will,” Koghad laughed, disappearing into the crowd in a heartbeat.
“He’s a strange one, isn’t he?” Twilight mused.
“Aye, that he is,” Applejack nodded. “But he’s one of the best men ah’ve ever known. Dependable, tough, honest. Ah wouldn’t be here without him, that’s for sure.”
Twilight nodded, before trying one final time.
“So…it can’t be as bad as he’s saying, right?”
Applejack turned to face Twilight, just enough so the maximum cybernetics were on display, her robotic eye staring unblinking at the alicorn.
“Words don’t do it justice, Twi. Whatever ya hear, double it.”
“But how?” Twilight pleaded. “Nothing can be…”
“It was,” Applejack’s words were firm. “Twilight, ah know ya have always been a glutton fer knowledge, but ah’m askin’ ya, please, let this go, ok?”
“Fine,” Twilight signed, Applejack not believing her for one second. “I suppose I can at least fill you all in a bit on what’s happened, we have so much to catch up on!”
The sudden change of topics startled Applejack, but she smiled nonetheless, nodding in agreement.
“That we do. Ah’ll round up Scoots and the others, ya gather the rest of the gang, and we’ll have a big ol’ catch up, just like old times?”
To say Twilight smiled was an understatement, the Alicorn looking like a weight was off her shoulders at the prospect of things returning, or starting to return, to how they had once been. A few minutes later, Applejack had found a small secluded room, Rainbow and the others filing in behind her, while Twilight rounded up Rarity, Pinkie, Fluttershy and Spike, as well as Applebloom and Sweetie Belle, Applejack surprised but not unwelcoming of Scootaloo’s old friends.
For a time, they chatted about how their day to day lives had changed and evolved, Rarity telling the others all about the Carousel Boutique’s numerous new locations, up to eleven as of a few months ago, Pinkie plying the entire group with her newest recipes for baked goods, pulled as always from seemingly nowhere. Fluttershy even mentioned she had opened a successful veterinary hospital, renowned as the finest institute for treating sick and injured animals across the whole of Equestria and beyond. However, eventually the small talk was exhausted, Rainbow asking the question everyone else had been dying to ask.
“So…the library, this Tirek. What happened?”
The mood instantly became heavy, a snort of derision sounding from Spitfire as the conversation was brought to a clearly less comforting place.
“Where to begin?” Rarity signed, looking to Fluttershy, who took the lead.
Surprisingly, the once shy Pegasus spoke with a smooth, almost practiced confidence as she filled them in on everything that happened around the time of Tirek’s invasion. From Discord’s role and betrayal, to Tirek turning on Discord and Twilight being granted the magic of the other three Alicorns, culminating in a great battle between the pair, only stopping when Twilight gave up her powers.
“So, without the elements, how did you stop him?”
It was Applejack who asked this question, beating Rainbow to the punch, wanting to know almost as badly as the Pegasus.
“Well, the Tree of Harmony helped there,” Twilight beamed, eager to impart her own knowledge. “The Tree is where the original Elements of Harmony came from, and it still contained a power as significant if not more so than the four elements that we had left. When we needed it most, the medallion that Tirek gave to Discord became the final key we needed to open the chest, and in doing so, gave its power freely once more, empowering us all with the Elements of Harmony, and allowing…”
“The four elements,” Rainbow cut in, standing up. “Right?”
“I’m sorry?”
“The four elements,” Rainbow repeated. “Laughter, Kindness, Generosity, Magic. Four.”
“Well, yes there were only four with your disappearance,” Twilight conceded. “It was a difficult few years, we hoped you’d return, but when you didn’t, and when the Tree called to us, it also called to Sweetie Belle and Applebloom, and gifted them the powers of Honesty and Loyalty respectively.”
“Mah sister is an Element bearer now?” Applejack asked, a smile spreading across her face. “Talk about keepin’ big news secret sis! And loyalty too? It fits, that’s fer sure.”
“And my little Sweetie Belle just makes the perfect honesty bearer,” Rarity beamed. “Even if at times she can be a little bit too honest.”
“Hey, it’s not my fault that…” Sweetie Belle began before Rainbow cut across her.
“The tree…replaced us…after two years?” she asked softly. “That’s...all it took?”
“Well, yes,” Twilight admitted. “In our greatest time of need, the tree…”
“FUCK THE TREE!” Rainbow roared, her wings flaring, her fanged bared as her muscles bulged instinctively. Fluttershy, Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom all let out shrieks of terror at the unexpected and unprecedented outburst of rage, at least in their eyes, the others all on their feet themselves, though none dared step forward.
“It took mere years to replace us?! After all we did? After all I went through to get home?!” Rainbow continued to roar, taking a step towards Twilight. “I may have still been on Saim-Hann when it happened. I may never have needed to go to Commoragh, I may never…”
A shape slammed into Rainbow as she took another step, Scootaloo diving at Rainbow to stop her from seemingly ripping Twilight apart. Scootaloo’s attack was fast, but Rainbow seemed to move like light itself, absorbing the blow, wrapping a talon around Scootaloo’s neck and lifting the pony into the air, before slamming her down, her talon tightening around her neck, blood swelling from beneath her claws. The act was over in the time it took anyone to blink.
Fluttershy let out a scream as Scootaloo thrashed in Rainbow’s grip, Twilight charging her horn as she took her own step forward.
“Rainbow Dash! Let go of her!” she roared, not waiting for a response as she let fly with her magic.
The blast was powerful, hitting Rainbow square in the chest and knocking her backwards, the others diving to get out of the way. Rainbow did not stay down for long however, leaping back to her hind hooves and standing upright, snarling as she prepared to charge. Spitfire and Lightning tensed to leap into combat, even Gilda looking unsure of what to do, but the charge never came.
Instead, tears flew to Rainbow’s eyes as the reality of everything crashed down on top of her. For years, all that had mattered was getting home, bringing Applejack home, to reunite the Elements of Harmony and make Equestria safe once more. Any price had been worth paying, any actions justifiable under that singular goal. Now, it was clear that was all utterly worthless, her actions striving towards a goal that no longer needed fulfilling.
With a scream, Rainbow took to the air, smashing through the door and sending party go’ers on the other side flying as she streaked into the night, Lightning and Gilda close behind her, while the others rushed towards Scootaloo, Fluttershy taking some bandages offered by Pinkie from seemingly nowhere and wrapping them around her torn throat as Applebloom and Sweetie Belle rushed to the fallen Crusader. The damage was superficial to any with even an ounce of combat knowledge, but to those without it looked mortal to say the least.
“What was that?!” Twilight roared, rounding on Applejack and Spitfire.
“The real Rainbow,” Spitfire spat. “You wanted to see her, that’s her. Excuse me while I go and deal with her properly.”
And with that, Spitfire was also gone, galloping through the now silent party as Twilight turned to Applejack.
“Ah said ya didn’t want to know, this is why,” Applejack said bluntly, stooping to aid Fluttershy. “Rainbow ain’t the same as she was, she ain’t even close. Ah don’t know if it’s the war mask, Commoragh, both or somethin’ else entirely, but ah do know that there’s still somethin’ good in her. Spitfire and Lightning don’t see it, ah doubt you do either Scoots, but ah do, and ah will find it.”
“What is this Commoragh place?” Rarity managed, placing a hoof to her mouth as she saw the bloody flecks across the floor. “Rainbow mentioned it once when she first returned, as somewhere she never wanted to visit. Don’t tell me she actually went there?”
“We were all there,” Scootaloo managed, her voice a pained rasp. “It changed her…changed all of us.”
“All she wanted ta do was get back here, to bring the Elements back together. Ah think she held onto that above all else, used that ta keep herself together, as much as she did at least. Now that she doesn’t have that…ah don’t know what she’s gonna do.”
“We have to find her,” Pinkie cut in. “We have to make sure she’s ok!”
“No,” Applejack shook her head. “We need to find her alright, but we need to be prepared to stop her again, if she’s…reverted.”
“Again?” Twilight asked, her eyes wide. “You had to fight her before?”
“Ah did,” Applejack sighed heavily.
“But…ya won, right, Applejack?” Applebloom asked, looking up from Scootaloo. “Ya beat her and made her see that y’all were just tryin’ to help her, right?”
“No,” Applejack shook her head solemnly. “She beat me, and ah don’t know what we’ll be able ta do if she’s got her War Mask back on.”
“We’ve got this,” Twilight assured her, stomping a hoof down resolutely. “Together. We’ve got this.”
Little else needed to be said, Scootaloo pushing herself to her feet and nodding, standing firm alongside the Bearers of Harmony and Applejack. In a blinding flash, six necklaces materialised around each of the Bearers necks, bearing their Cutie Marks, Applejack barely phased by seeing honesty around another’s neck, far more pressing things on her mind.
Without a word, they galloped off after the others, leaving the now utterly ruined party behind without a second thought.
***
Lightning let out a roar as her hooves connected with Rainbow’s back, all of her pent up rage going into the blow, catching the sobbing Pegasus unaware and sending her careening to the ground. If she had been focused on her flight, the move never would have worked, but as it was, Lightning had the upper hoof, and she was determined to make use of it, delivering another thunderous blow to the prone Pegasus before Gilda caught up.
“Get off her!” the Griffon screeched, the pair grappling and exchanging punches, blood flying everywhere as Rainbow slowly rose, turning to look at the fighting pair with hazy, unfocused eyes, before she launched forward.
Neither of the pair were safe as Rainbow collided with them, her razor-sharp talons lashing out at both Pegasus and Griffon, the fight becoming a three-way brawl. A kick sent Lightning flying, a talon very nearly ripped Rainbow’s eye free, the chromatic warrior lashing out in barely coordinated fury. Even so, it was clear that only one had the upper hoof in the fight, Lightning knew it, Gilda knew it.
Spitfire didn’t.
Running full tilt, the grounded Pegasus slammed into Rainbow, knocking her to the ground once more and delivery a thunderous blow that shattered teeth. Rainbow made to rise, but something cold pressed against her head, her vision clearing to reveal a T’au Pulse Pistol in her grip, the barrel pressed firmly against Rainbow’s head.
“I should pull the trigger,” Spitfire scowled, Lightning and Gilda approaching her, Spitfire glaring at the Griffon. “One move from you and she gets one, then you do, understand?”
“Where did you even get a gun from?” Gilda snarled.
“Call it insurance,” Spitfire smirked sarcastically. “You don’t think I’d let myself stay in a room with her and not be armed, do you?”
Not waiting for a response, Spitfire turned back to Rainbow.
“Like I said, I should pull the trigger, you’ve earnt death, but we’re back in Equestria now, and I respect laws.”
“Do it,” Croaked Rainbow.
“No,” Spitfire smirked. “You don’t get off that easily.”
With a grunt, Spitfire slammed the pistol into Rainbow’s head, before bringing it around to aim at Gilda.
“So, here’s the deal, for the both of you; leave, and never come back. You got us home, but this isn’t your world anymore, and you’re not in charge of anything, not now, not ever. Go skulk in whatever’s left of the Shrine we all once cared about, that is your territory now. You have no home beyond that, you have no friends beyond the monsters you’ve both got, and your pet, Kas. Go now, and I won’t kill either one of you, I won’t even tell the world what daemons you are. But push me, and I will make sure Celestia and Luna hear of everything you did. I’ll tell every pony under the sun, I’ll travel to Griffonstone, to Yakyakistan, to Mount Aris, hell, even to the Changeling Kingdom. I will make sure everyone on this world knows exactly what you are and what you’ve both done, and I will bring them down upon you so that not even a smear remains.”
“You wouldn’t,” Gilda snarled.
“Try me,” Spitfire snarled back, the Pulse Pistol whining as Spitfire increased the charge to emphasise her point.
Gilda looked like she was about to say something else, before a grunt came from Rainbow, the Pegasus rising, the blood already stopping as the pain began to seal shut her wounds. Instantly, Spitfire turned the pistol on Rainbow, but Rainbow made no effort to move or avoid it.
“Done,” she whispered.
“I…” Spitfire began, tightening her grip on the trigger, before stopping. “Wait, done?”
“We accept,” Rainbow nodded quietly. “You won’t see us again. I’ll send Kas coordinates for the ship. She’ll bring it, and we’ll be out of your manes.”
“Rainbow…” Gilda began to protest.
“Be silent,” Rainbow snarled, before turning, Gilda reluctantly following closely behind. Spitfire kept the pistol trained on the pair as they headed towards the forest, still aiming it at the place they entered for a good five minutes, enough time for Applejack, Scootaloo and the Elements of Harmony to find them, only then did Spitfire drop her aim.
“It’s over. She’s gone.” she breathed a sigh of relief, slipping the pistol back into her saddlebag. “It’s finally…over.”