A purple batpony stallion and a white unicorn mare danced around the ballroom to soft music. The two held tightly to each other simply enjoying the moment, the music, and each other's scent.
A pleasing mix of sweet chalk, red lilies, bluegrass, and cool rum swung around them in their movement. The place with it being nearly empty but the two never noticed. They could have the whole place to themselves for as long as possible.
After a few more swings the two came to a stop. The mare leaned into the stallion's shoulder. Her thick glasses did little to hide her beauty from him as she giggled when his finely combed beard brushed against her nose. "Do you miss this?" She questioned.
"Of course, every minute of it..." The stallion word's drifted as he leaned his mouth into hers. "I will always desire you, Moondancer."
She hummed at the mention of her name but pulled back from his kiss. "As I desire you too, Jack Nox. But it seems our time is up."
"What...?" He could barely compute her words as a loud booming flew through his ears. The ballroom grew dark. Seeing this he gripped tighter to her. "I don't want this to end."
"But I have to go..." Her voice drifted as her image shifted back and forth before fading from sight.
The loud booming continued to increase in volume. Sounding as if it was right above him the echoes were like engines firing. He looked in all directions for the source as the ballroom darkened to pitch black.
The dream was ending.
******
In the skies above, distorted forms of zombified pegasi soldiers flew by with watchful eyes. Their bold golden armor was the only other color in the sky outside of the grayish-brown as the Sun and Moon locked in a twisted eclipse refusal to let any other color fill the sky. It had been this way for far too long and the only hope that came for the ones that once looked up was when the rain clouds covered the horrible sight.
Deep within a tavern crashing and splashing could be heard as a purple batpony fell back, laughter covering his lips. He wore a shredded brown robe under a maroon blazer only keeping his right arm out to hold his drink, keeping the rest of himself clean tightly to the warmth of his old clothing. The right hand itself also had a thick and long glove held over just as tight. The tavern was mostly empty outside of him and a cloaked warrior.
"Damn it, that loud noise broke the connection!" The batpony continued to drink.
"Are you sure it wasn't the cider instead?" The cloak warrior simply padded him on the back and refused every drink the batpony offered.
“Come on, Stone. It’s rude to let a pony drink alone.” The batpony gulped down another.
“Oro, you are never alone, Jack. As long as your connection to her is still strong.” The warrior pushed the offer away again. “Besides I’ve already had enough.” His lies were easy for the batpony to see.
“I would rather hold those hips directly rather than through the dreamscape.” Jack swiped at his hand and turned away. He took another drink and let the smooth malt cider take his pain away. There wasn’t much else they could do in this new world.
Jack laughed at the thought, new world. He didn’t care at all about the hell Equestria was going through anymore. Just wishing it would let him enjoy at least some happiness.
Jack’s ears lifted at the sounds of footsteps approaching the tavern. “They found us again?”
Stone reached for a rusted and cracked katana yet refused to remove it from its sheath. “Flash must be getting desperate.”
Jack used the rim of the cider to lift his head before breaking the glass enough to use it as a weapon. “Fucking jackass can’t let his former friend get some sleep.” The two turned toward the door.
“Wait, that…”
A blue earth pony in a fine suit and small glasses walked in. “There you two are.” He jumped out of the way from the broken glass as Jack chucked it.
“Damn it, Noteworthy. You need to be more careful. Stone nearly chopped you in half.” Jack was the only one laughing as the others knew Stone was nowhere near that aggressive, best shown by how Jack had already thrown the bottle before even seeing who it was.
“You are the ones that need to be more careful after blowing up the King’s Third Watch Tower!”
“That was his idea, “ Stone pointed to Jack.
“What? It was blocking my view of the Sun.” Jack poured another drink and raised it to the sky.
“Liar,” Noteworthy facepalmed while walking over. “The Sun has been blocked out since Canterlot fell!”
“Fine, it was blocking my view of the Moon!” Jack laughed harder knowing full well the Moon had been locked into place for just as long.
“I told him it was a bad idea.”
“Which is why I’m here.” Noteworthy stopped at the bar and placed down some cuffs. “Make this easy.”
“You’re handing me over to Flash?!” Jack jumped back and lifted his left arm in the robe, revealing a massive weapon over the arm, aiming it at Noteworthy in defiance.
“Iron Sentry just wants to have a talk.”
Jack fired the cannon, missing Noteworthy, and destroying part of the bar. "You can tell Flash Sentry that I'm not interested!" The batpony emphasized his desire by refusing to acknowledge the soldier's new title.
"I swear," the earth pony rubbed his eyes. "I'm the only one still trying to keep order around here!" He held up his hands in a surrendering motion. "Just calm down and come with me. We don't want things to go down like they did on the permafrost." His words struck right through Jack’s chest. "And since Mad Jack's army fell last month, there is only so much fighting that can be done, even by another Jack."
"I don't care what that Apple Bitch is doing." Jack sneered.
“What's the plan?” Stone stood ready.
“I turn you in and a friend of mine breaks you out during transport.”
“Won’t that make things worse?”
“It’s either that or facing Iron Sentry's firing squad.” Noteworthy moved the cuffs over Jack's hands only to stop halfway.
Jack leaned over with a cruel smile at Noteworthy being slowed by the massive weapon. “What? Haven’t got enough foreplay in since your stallion left you.” He was stopped as Noteworthy elbowed him in the gut.
“Sorry, your arm is not as big as his,” Noteworthy finally gave a laugh of his own.
“Oh, maybe someday I’ll meet this former lover of yours and ask him.” Jack shook the chains and walked closer, “I'll ask him how long it took him to pop that little ass of yours.”
“Said the stallion who hasn't fucked anything from mare to stallion to random toy in over two years.” Noteworthy pushed back.
“Okay, please stop with the sex jokes around me.” Stone pushed the two away before they killed each other.
“Fine.” Jack sat back down and got another drink.
Noteworthy pulled out a note, “Now, this is the friend. He’ll get you to safety.”
Jack took the picture and stuck it in his coat. Noteworthy looked over to Stone and pointed to the rusted katana. “You're going to need to hand that to me.”
“No,” Stone took a tight grip on the hilt yet refused to lift it from its sheath. “This stays with me.”
Noteworthy's eyes narrowed before giving up. "Fine, but if they break that stick, it's on you." He pulled out cuffs for Stone as well. "Now let's get moving, Dr. Nox--" He was stopped as the doors exploded.
Smoke spread everywhere as their ears rang from the blast. Soldiers ran inside and quickly surrounded them. "Knock, knock." A voice called out to them.
"Looks like leaving might not be an option anymore." Jack looked away in shame as a gray earth pony in spiked armor walked toward them. Her mane was once just as all gray as her fur now neon green and spiked up over the left side of her face where severe burns still stood.
"Damn it," Noteworthy whispered as the earth pony walked over to him. He bowed to her and answered, "Lieutenant Limestone. I was told that I would be the one to bring the two to Iron Sentry's airship--" He was caught off guard as Limestone punched him in the gut. The hit knocked him clear to the other side of the room.
"Plans have been changed and the monolith has been found. We can't take chances with these two. I've been ordered to give them to the zombified corp." Her soldiers charged in.
Jack knocked back the soldiers as they tackled him. He placed his hand over the metal gun over his other arm, making it glow. He lifted and aimed at Limestone. "Stand down, Limestone, I don't wish to see another pie sister fall in this war." His hesitation, laughter, and drunkenness were gone as if they were never there in the first place.
Stone huffed and gripped tightened on his rusted katana. He stood beside Jack and echoed his words. "Your sister would have given us a five-minute running start."
"Yeah, Pinkie was always far more merciful than me. I still don't know where the King vanished her to." She held up her shotgun and was ready for a fight. "And, frankly I don't fucking care." She charged in as Jack's weapon filled the room with light.
******