Rainbow continued following the mysterious blue pegasus, calling and yelling out at her- but she didn't turn around. Nothing she did indicated she knew of her presence at all. Still she chased after the figure, but for some reason the figure seemed to be able to walk faster than her sprinting.
Sure, Rainbow could stop. But that figure had a strong sense of purpose- and Rainbow felt like she'd be non-existent if she let her leave. It's as if the figure could help her in her current state... To explain her insanity. To explain everything.
Rainbow slowed down, trying to catch her breath. The figure continued walking, disregarding her. Rainbow looked up again, eyes narrowed and locked in a determined frown. I don't care who you are- I'll find out why everything is how it is.
*
"Rainbow!" Dainty squealed, tackling Rainbow back onto the sand.
Rainbow hugged her tightly, ruffling her mane lovingly. "I'm so glad you're safe. Thanks, Nightshade."
"There were greater purposes for me to save this filly." Nightshade said simply.
"Sis... I'm scared... I don't know what all these memories are..." Dainty snuggled against her chest.
"I don't know either." Rainbow sighed. "But we'll find out, yeah?"
Dainty nodded.
Octavia noticed Lily staring down at the sand, her expression cloudy.
"Hey... You alright?" She asked, kneeling down before the filly.
"I... I think so. But... Why do I suddenly remember my mom and dad's... Grave...?"
Octavia froze. Lily's parents were still alive in the previous reality.... But they died getting her out from underground in this reality.
"Don't worry. It's nothing." Octavia lied- she simply couldn't bare telling Lily the truth. She gave her a quick squeeze, and ruffled her mane. "Come on. Once this war is over, everything will be back to normal."
"O...Ok..." Lily said, but Octavia could clearly tell she still wasn't convinced.
"We should get moving. The moment the barricade finds us, they'll start raining us with troops again. The only bridge from here to the mainland is still intact... From there we cross Fillydelphia and Ponyville." Nightshade said, looking out towards mainland Equestria.
"There's a long road ahead, isn't there..." Rainbow sighed.
*
"Nopony move!" Starshine yelled. "Or the captain dies."
The bar froze, and Soarin gritted his teeth together. Shining Armor looked Starshine in the eye, his gaze unwavering and a slight frown on his face.
"So everything changes in this new world, aye..." he said, narrowing his eyes.
"Of course it does." Starshine said. "Stand up, captain."
Shining Armor did so, raising his arms to show he wasn't armed.
"Sir!" Soarin warned in a hushed tone through gritted teeth.
Shining Armor flicked his wrist, indicating for him to shut up.
"Kneel down." Starshine said, flicking the pistol towards the ground.
"Uh... No." Shining Armor said.
"No?" Starshine raised an eyebrow. "There won't be a second warning."
"Still a no." Shining Armor said. The guards in the background stirred, ready to draw their weapons. The captain made a few movements with his eyes, telling them to stand down. They seemed to get the message, as the took their hooves away from their weapons.
"You asked for it." Starshine grinned.
There was a loud bang and flash as he pulled the trigger. Shining Armor flinched, taking a step back. There was no blood, just a crushed bullet that fell on the floor out of mid-air. The bar watched in shock as Starshine looked down at the crushed bullet.
"The hell?" he exclaimed, aiming for Shining Armor's head and pulling the trigger once again. There were two separate clunks as a crushed bullet and its shell clattered to the ground.
Starshine roared, emptying the clip at Shining Armor- but none of the bullets hit. They all got crushed in mid-air, then fell onto the ground in metal pancakes. Soarin had his mouth wide open, staring in awe.
Starshine fired the last bullet, but instead of it getting crushed; it stopped in mid air with a jump of sparks.
"What sorcery...?" he gasped, taking a step back.
The air in front of Shining Armor rippled, a dark shape appearing. Neon let go of the bullet that she pinched out of the air, her blank expression unreadable.
"Surprise, mother bucker." she said, slamming a fist into Starshine's face. He crashed into a table behind him, crushing the glassware and plates with his back, also cracking the weak wooden table in half. He crashed through, slamming onto the cold metal floor.
"Try not to destroy the bar." Shining Armor said.
"Done." Neon closed a claw around Starshine's head, lifted him off the ground; and slammed him back into the ground again. The strike was controlled, with only enough power to knock him out but not as to cause too much damage.
"Officers... Lock him away." Shining Armor said, taking his seat at the bar table again; picking up his cup of cider and taking a sip. "Thanks Neon. Want a drink?"
"I would enjoy the social factor, however am incapable of consuming alcoholic goods."
"Just sit down." Shining Armor said irritably as two officers dragged an unconscious Starshine out of the bar.
*
"Ma'am." an officer saluted as Spitfire entered the bridge, a command center high above the rest of the OASIS; overlooking the huge kilometer-long super cruiser. The sun's rays were disrupted by the hundreds of science faction ships crowded around it, traveling into the bridge in broken pieces. To the left was Earth, once a beautiful blue and green and white planet. But now it was nothing but a dirt brown and dull grey, a wasteland created by the barricade- a dark grey web strung over the atmosphere.
Crowded around the planet were the science faction ships, hidden within the fleet several other rebellion cruisers like the OASIS. In the middle of the mass was the largest ship of them all- the S.F. COLOSSUS, the Science Faction flagship. It was at least twenty times larger than the OASIS- and some say it was so huge it had its own gravitational pull, and had to have special generators installed to counter the effect.
Spitfire trotted across the bridge, slowing to a stop in front of the huge windows of the bridge. She gazed out towards space, the stars shimmering in the infinite darkness. In this brand new reality... Everything was so much different. She was viewing a sight she never thought she'd ever see- it was as if she were in a different world.
"Ma'am." the officer said again, standing behind her with a data pad.
"Yes, officer?" Spitfire turned away from the majestic sight of space to face the officer.
"There has been an assassination attempt on Captain Shining Armor in the bar."
"An 'attempt'. Didn't succeed, so just lock the damn bastard up and forget it." Spitfire said irritably.
"We already did that, ma'am."
"Well," Spitfire sighed, heading down to the lower levels of the bridge to check on the weapons systems. "I guess you're a bucking genius then."
"Uh..."
"Don't answer that. Just interrogate the assassin and see what you could get out of him- anything would be nice. Try not to kill him." Spitfire said, waving the officer off.
"Yes ma'am." the officer said obediently, turning and leaving.
Spitfire walked through the rows and rows of monitors. There didn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary- everything was normal. Everything was calm- and Spitfire liked it that way. Sometimes she felt scared about the storm, and what it might bring- but that's what Soarin's here for. She supports him so he could support her when she needs it- and sure, he could be a great comfort when he needed to be one.
She sighed, stopping and facing the wall at the end of the bridge. What could be the worst to happen? The world burns and kills everypony? That might be a good thing, in a way. But no- she would never let that happen.
She pounded a hoof against the metal wall, her eyes narrowed into a determined frown. She will protect everypony with her new authority. She will make sure none of them get hurt. She will make sure that she uses her new authority perfectly.
"I won't let anypony get hurt." she said to herself, shaking away any doubt in her heart. She'll make sure everypony lives through this crisis. She'll see to it.
*
Rainbow gazed out towards the far side of the suspension bridge, trying in vain to ignore the snapped wires and cracked cement roads.
"Remind me why we have to cross this thing again?" she raised an eyebrow.
"It's the only bridge that leads to the mainland, in the direction we need to be heading.
We just need to get through Fillydelphia and Ponyville to get to Foal Mountains- and I can't teleport because there are too many obstacles in the way." Nightshade said. "We'll just have to slowly cross it."
"Why can't you teleport with obstacles around?" Rainbow asked.
"Well, I could; but one of you might end up fused with an object if I miscalculate- given the fact that I don't use teleportation spells, and my ability is a mere lucky magical mutation. And taking you guys one by one is too dangerous- knowing the science faction, they could do something to you if you're alone in two seconds. If we stick together, it's harder for them to get to us." Nightshade said, taking a weapon from a nearby dead assault unit. There were carcasses of science faction units all over the place- but not a sign of organic units. "Check around corners. It's not just the robots we should be worrying about."
"Gotcha." there were several clicks as Rainbow's cleaver unfolded in her hooves.
Nightshade continued searching the assault unit for other weapons. She stood up, turning to the fillies and handing them a pistol each.
"You two know how to use these?"
"I...I guess..." Dainty shivered.
"Stay in the center, you two. Octavia and Rainbow, you two stay upfront. I'll be at the rear." Nightshade said.
"Got it." Octavia said, picking up an anti-matter rifle off the floor.
The bridge was in a really bad state, and looked like it could collapse at any moment- but it was the only way across to where they needed to go. Rusting remains of cars were scattered across the cracked streets, weed and grass growing out of the cracks. The bright painted colors were long gone, all decayed into a revolting brown. Indistinguishable pieces of vehicles and other mechanical products could be found here and there, with the occasional old splatter of blood.
"Shoot at anything that moves. We don't know what's out here, so stay sharp. Rainbow, Octavia, take the lead." Nightshade said, following the group as they started making their way across the bridge.
There was an unnatural eery silence as they set hooves on the bridge. All they could hear were each other's breathing, and their own silently echoing hoofsteps. Octavia swung around the first car, checking if there was anypony or anything hiding behind it. She raised a hoof, waving them on.
Nightshade peered behind them, her hooves ready to whip to her side and draw out the throwing knives.
Slowly they moved through the cars, keeping an eye out for each and every corner. They all suddenly stopped as they heard a deep moan, their ears turning this way and that; trying to locate the sound.
"That is not good..." Rainbow muttered.
"It's still alive." Nightshade said, drawing out an explosive knife. "Everypony go! Faster- come on! The thing could easily take down the bridge or leap over it- GO!" she ushered the fillies to run, waving at Octavia and Rainbow to tell them to start moving.
Then there was silence again, but they didn't stop; the sound of their own hoofsteps pursuing them. Slowly growing in volume, was the sound of water moving away from an object- and it was getting closer.
There was a slight ripple on a surface as a fin emerged from the depths, sliding through the sea and leaving behind it a trail of disrupted water.
"Shuck- here it comes!" Rainbow yelled, sliding the cleaver handle forward.
"Octavia- use the anti-matter rifle! Since water is matter- you might be able to create a big enough explosion to kill it!" Nightshade said.
"Right." Octavia said, raising the rifle. A purple beam shot out of the rifle, slithering through the air and making contact with the water. She held down the trigger, the glow of the beam intensifying.
"Careful now-" Rainbow warned.
"Trigger's jammed!" Octavia yelled, struggling to unlock the jammed trigger. The aging rifle must've had some defects over the years of just lying on the street.
"Let go of it!" Nightshade yelled.
But it was already too late- the beam overrode the safety mechanisms, firing the rifle. However, because of the intense heat and energy used to contain the anti-matter, the containment cylinder had melted away- the anti-matter fired was unstable. While most of it was directed into the water, some escaped.
There was a bright purple flash as the rifle exploded into sparks and webs of purple lightning, pieces of metal flying everywhere. Octavia screamed, falling back and hitting her back on a car with a loud clunk and crack.
"Shuck-" Rainbow cursed, running to her side. "Octavia! Look at me-" she waved her hooves frantically in front of her face.
Octavia moaned, clutching her head. She didn't seem to sustain any physical damage, despite the carnage.
The beam of anti-matter channeled through the air, hitting the area of water behind the mutated killer whale. There was a bright purple and yellow explosion, much larger than the one earlier. A huge wave of water exploded outwards, flying high up into the sky and creating a micro tsunami on the surface.
The killer whale roared, but its momentum kept it going. Its dead body flipped on its side, tumbling through the water. Waves and water leaped out of the way as it continued its rampage through the sea, now completely out of control. It hit a wave head on, the force causing it to flip into the air. Then its side slammed into one of the supports of the bridge.
One of the only two.
The age old and decaying concrete was long battered and scarred by the pounding waves of the new wasteland, and the huge mass of the whale barreled right through it- reducing it into chunks that flew up into the air, then crashing back down into the water in huge splashes.
"Buck-" Rainbow almost stumbled over as the bridge tilted violently to one side, the steel framing inside the concrete groaning loudly. Several loud cracks were heard as the gravel roads began splitting apart- the bridge was ripping itself to pieces.
Then there were loud clunks and splashes as the section where the support was knocked out began collapsing, cars and pieces of the bridge alike tumbling into the turmoil of water below.
"Run! RUN!!" Nightshade yelled, pushing the fillies forward as they started galloping towards the far other side.
"Come on, Octavia-" Rainbow dug a hoof under Octavia's arm, lifting her to her hooves.
"Go..." Octavia managed, rubbing her head. She was in a very bad state- her face pale, and she was barely supporting herself.
"Not a chance." Rainbow said, lifting her onto her back.
"Oh shuck-" Nightshade cursed as she spotted an anti-matter rifle being crushed under a falling piece of concrete.
The anti-matter was released, mixing with the normal matter and causing an explosion the size of a micro nuke just twenty meters behind them. The explosion set off a chain reaction, lighting up the remaining fuel inside the cars and sending them high up into the sky with huge fireballs.
"Come on! GO!!" Rainbow yelled, carrying Octavia on her back and galloping on all fours towards the opposite end, zig-zagging through all the cars.
Now they had not only a collapsing bridge chasing them, but also large unstoppable chain of exploding cars.
All they heard were the loud booms, and saw their own dancing shadows in front of them as they were backlit by the fireballs.
Nightshade yanked Lily to one side, a flaming car sent up into the air earlier slamming down into that exact spot where she was a second ago. She covered her face from the licking flames, pushing the screaming fillies on.
There was a distinct boom behind her, and she turned around to look up.
A large passenger bus had been flipping high up into the air, its burning carcass leaving a large trail of thick black smoke behind it as it arched down straight for them. There was no place to run away to, no cover to hide behind.
But it wasn't over- it never was.
Nightshade whipped out several explosive throwing knives, pulling the pins on them all. She threw them up into strategically calculated places of the belly of the bus. A second later, when the bus was about to fall and crush them; it exploded with a loud bang and a bright yellow flash. It was sent tumbling back into the flames as the explosives went off, the force knocking it out of its original trajectory.
"KEEP MOVING!!" Nightshade yelled as she pushed the fillies onwards.
Smoldering remains of cars rained down from the sky, arching high over head and slamming down with loud cracks. Some tumbled off the side, splashing into the comparably dark waters and disappearing under the surface.
"Get out of the way!!" Rainbow yelled, quickly darting to the side.
Nightshade looked behind them- an explosion had ripped through a really long car, sending it straight across and tumbling right down the middle of the street- headed straight for them.
"Shuck."