Sunny and Hitch stayed wrapped in each other’s forelegs for a moment. For them, it felt like an eternity. They didn’t even notice when all their friends, who’d noticed the romantic moment, pressed in around them. But as their euphoria began slightly diminishing, they could feel the warmth offered by these three. Zipp, Pipp, and Izzy all chattered excitedly, wondering different details about how they’d come together so rapidly. All they could offer as an explanation was the depth of their friendship and the heat of the moment. Either way, love had been created from this bubbling cauldron of emotion, and their friends were very happy for them. True, Zipp was a little disappointed, but she was much too happy at reuniting with Pipp to be upset.
“I think this jail cell just got a million times happier!” Izzy said.
“I know it did,” Pipp said. “It feels like our friendship has been rejuvenated! Even though we’re stuck here, I…I just feel happy to be with you ponies!”
“I think we all feel that way, Pipp,” Sunny said, offering herself for one more nuzzle from her new special stallion. “But at the same time, we do still need to form some kind of plan to break out of here and get back to Maretime.”
“What about stopping Scarlet Wing?” Zipp asked.
“I don’t think we can do it on our own,” Sunny responded. “We’d need an army of equines, big enough to swallow Scarlet Wing and put an end to the horrible Distrust Dust forever.”
“But Maretime is weeks and weeks of trotting away,” Pipp pointed out. “Even if we do get out, that gives Luster and her cronies enough time to spread even more Dust through the forest. Coming back with an army would be really risky.”
“You may be right,” Sunny said thoughtfully.
“I know she’s right,” Zipp said, causing Pipp to smile at the way her sister rushed to her defense.
“Well, we have to do something,” Sunny said. “We can’t just sit on our rumps and wait to die.”
“Who said anything about doing that?” Zipp asked. “I believe in us, firmly, and I know, if we can break out, we can beat Scarlet Wing. What was it you said back in Bridlewood on our first adventure, Sunny? We’re brave and strong and-“
“-weird and clever,” Sunny finished with a giggle.
“Yep! That’s us!” Izzy said, throwing a friendly hoof on Sunny’s shoulder.
“I guess you’re right,” Sunny said. “Okay, we can do this…but first, we need a plan.”
“The only plan you’re gonna be involved in,” came a threatening mare voice, “is the one of Equestria’s glorious evolution.”
Everypony turned and saw Meadow standing there with two other Scarlet Wing agents. She threw open the metal doors to the cell and ordered the prisoners forward. In these moments, Sunny’s group knew that their friendship had to remain as strong as ever. They were bound together with terrible iron shackles that ground into the flesh beneath their coats. Like tiny daggers, the chains did their torturous task. Each hoofstep became wracked with horrific pain, driving Izzy and Pipp to tears. But they dared not show weakness in this moment. So, they bit back their liquids and marched forward.
They were led back into the massive cave from before. Once more, the horrible blood red writing accosted their vision. It was as if Luster herself had taken some of her prisoners, killed them, and then created ink out of their own remnants. It seemed to the forcibly incarcerated that the writing was even more illegible and evil than before. However, the two words “EVOLVE BEYOND” still stood proudly over Luster’s jagged throne. It was before this egoistic monument that they were hurled and forced to bow, their noses stuffed into the dirt. They couldn’t breathe, and Sunny wanted nothing more than to reach out a hoof and touch Hitch, who was right beside her.
Luster Dawn made her way out of a side cavern, dressed in a royal robe made of red and black. Her horn glared down at the cowering equines with great evil, and her wings were spread in a show of power and authority. Slowly, she strode down the aisle through a throng of hundreds of agents, who all bowed in respect to their leader. If her goal was to strike fear into the hearts of Sunny and her friends, it was being accomplished. Sunny had never felt her legs shake so horribly once she saw the hostile Alicorn all ready for an execution. It was in this moment that Sunny knew her fate had been sealed and hope began slipping away.
“Scarlet Wing!” Luster announced once she reached her throne. “These five ponies cowering before me have been tried and found guilty in my court! Is there a higher court in the land?”
“NO!” Scarlet Wing announced as one.
“These ponies refuse to evolve from Twilight Sparkle’s teachings! Is there a more lofty goal than this?”
“NO!”
“What must we all do?!”
“EVOLVE BEYOND!”
“Indeed,” Luster said, a sneer coming over her face. “Evolve beyond…and now, these ponies shall find out what it means to do so. But first, I must question their leader to see if she truly understands our purpose. Sunny Starscout. I have viewed your ambitions ever since you were a small filly. Through my network of spies, I saw how you attempted to cause regression in Maretime Bay. Scarlet Wing, this is a pony who touts friendship above all!”
This proclamation caused a massive wave of boos and jeers to rain down on Sunny’s head. She flattened her ears as inappropriate heckling and mockery assaulted her spirit. It was as if they each had a stone and were hurling them deep into her very soul. She felt the tears come, and she was very thankful that few ponies could see what she was feeling. But Hitch was right beside her, and he pressed in on her as much as he could, trying to reassure her that she wasn’t alone. She had done so much good, and created so much harmony in Equestria. Her Alicorn powers weren’t a mistake.
Luster waved a hoof and the jeering stopped. “Because she touts such nonsense, she has helped create a world where our glorious evolution has been HALTED! However, I am willing to show mercy to anypony who’s willing to leave their friends behind and join us in our progression. Sunny…will you do this?”
“You can take your evolution and fire it into the stars, for all I care,” Sunny said, in a voice that shocked even her with how venomous it was. “Friendship is the pinnacle of pony society! We mustn’t leave anypony behind, no matter how weak we make them out to be! Friendship is Equestria’s ultimate goal, and my friends proved that when they powered that magical transformation that blew away your Dust and caused love and harmony to once again reign supreme in our land!”
“DID YOU HEAR THAT, SCARLET WING?!” Luster screeched. “THIS IS A PONY WHO REFUSES TO EVOLVE! SHE IS WEAK…but…she also intrigues me. Her Alicorn powers could be of great use to us, if only she’d see the light. Well…perhaps it’s time you saw the light. Meadow?”
Suddenly, out from behind the shadowy throne, Meadow Bloom stepped. In one of her wings, she held a dagger. In the sharp light of the cavern’s sunlit vents, it glinted with sneers of its own. Despite its inanimate nature, it seemed to jeer along with the agents, who restarted their own calls of contempt. Meadow herself was smirking as she crept steadily forward. Her dagger was raised, ready to draw blood. Sunny felt completely helpless as Meadow came closer and closer. She wanted to stop her former friend, to push back against her and keep her away from where her true friends stood. But her chains wouldn’t allow it.
“Meadow…I believe the pony on the end is the weakest,” Luster said. “Please, help us all evolve beyond her pitiful existence.”
Meadow sneered viciously…and then plunged the dagger straight into Izzy’s heart.