Luna had returned after she was sure that the group had adapted to the news she'd told them. Rainbow Dash apparently needed a little time to herself, as Twilight Sparkle did, but she was satisfied as long as the majority were still willing to fight and help Dusk in some way. She would let those two adapt in their own way. The Pegasus was self-dependant enough and her sister was handling Twilight, so they would be fine.
Of all of them, Luna had been most distressed by the turn of events. She had failed in her part to keep Doom at bay, but not out of any negligence of duty. Something had been preventing her accesses to Dusk's dreams on the night it had happened, blocking her out to stop her lending her power to him. Combined with all that happened to him the previous day, it had been enough for the darker part of him to break free.
She had her suspicions, for she had felt an influence like that before. She would be certain to find out more once the problem was dealt with, but right now she had to lend her student and her friend her aid. They had lingered in Canterlot's walls long enough, while Doom spread his corrupting influence among her subjects. Now was the time to act.
She had put this forward to them, but the exact nature of what they should do was now being debated.
"So, we can't use these Element things then?" asked Ray.
"No, we can't," Applejack sighed impatiently. "Unless we're all tagether, they won't work."
"Well, we have two of the most powerful beings in Equestria anyway!" he pointed out. "We'd just need to head back with them and our problems would be over!"
"You would suggest that my sister and I attack our own subjects?" demanded Luna incredulously.
"I'm sure he doesn't, princess," defended Rarity, "but couldn't you dispel the magic affecting them?"
"Not without knowing the exact nature of the magic at work. Besides, I fear that the presence of either of us would aggravate Doom into more violent actions, considering I was the one who helped his downfall last time," said Luna grimly.
"Um, excuse me, princess, but um… couldn't you do what you did last time to bring Dusk back?" asked Fluttershy timidly.
"There were many other factors at play when I managed that, dear Fluttershy, not the least of which were the fragments of Unity around his neck. My spell helped him harness that power in order to overcome his darker side," she explained. "Now that it is a fully realised Element, getting it around his neck would be next to impossible."
"Oh right… forget I said anything then…" she muttered.
"It was a good idea, Fluttershy." She smiled gratefully from Ray's encouragement. "What if we took some soldiers back?"
"Then we'd just be doing the princess plan, but more ponies would get hurt," pointed out Pinkie. "Plus, they'd just give Doomy some new friends if they don't beat him."
"Well, we gotta do something," Ray said, a little desperately. "Why don't we just go out there and get him?"
"We need to think carefully about how we must act," Rarity countered. "Any wrong move could be disastrous."
"But so far, we're making no moves at all!" he returned. "Doesn't anypony have any ideas we can't say are wrong?"
"I think I might," came the voice of Twilight. She stood in the door, Spike carrying a book beside her. Signs of crying were evident, from her red puffy eyes to her tear-stained cheeks.
"Twah'light! There ya are!" Applejack's face softened as the unicorn approached. "You doin' okay, sugarcube?"
"Much better now, AJ," she replied and there was no falseness in her voice. "I have been better, but I'm over it now and ready to help."
Rarity still looked concerned. "Twilight, we understand if you don't feel up to this. This has to be very hard for you."
"I appreciate your concern, Rarity, but you're forgetting who's involved here in all of this." There was only a slight break in her voice. "I've run from this long enough, now I'm going to stand my ground and do my part."
"Which is what?" Ray asked.
She nodded to Spike, who placed the book down at an open page. "This is a spell I found which would help Dusk out and stop Doom. It's a separation spell, a kind used as a sort of drastic measure for psychiatrists with treating multiple personality disorders in their patients. The magic used is to separate the other personality from the actual pony to cure them of it."
Luna examined it closely. Yes, she had seen this spell used a few times before. It had been conceived in the 7th century, when unicorns had something of a golden age, discovering all manner of spells for a multitude of problems. Some were more dangerous and more controversial than others and this spell wasn't without its side effects.
"Great! What's the catch?"
"The catch, Ray Strike, is what should happen if this spell is not properly executed by a unicorn who without the necessary skill." Luna fixed her gaze on Twilight. "In some extreme cases, the ponies being treated have had aspects of their whole personality ripped away with the others, sometimes leaving them more broken than before."
"That was more in the case of those with more than one personality," replied Twilight. "It was more effective on those with only one."
"Even so, there are still risks with using this magic," said Luna. "Are you sure that this is what you want to do?"
There was a moment of hesitation before she answered. "I am. I've looked through a number of books and this looks like the only way we'd be able to rescue Dusk from Doom, possibly get rid of him for good."
Even after this, Luna could sense a question hanging in the air from the group, one that they seemed to have guessed from her reaction before.
"Twilight… did you know?" Fluttershy asked.
Twilight seemed to consider for a moment. "Yes, I did. I was there at the door, when Pinkie was talking to Dusk, remember? I could have done something about this, helped him in some way, but I failed. I was too scared… but I'm going to make up for it now. I'm going to do what I have to do to save him. I'm the only one who can do this spell and I'll understand if you want to stay out of this."
What came next reminded Luna of how strong the resolve of their friendship was.
"Twah'light, this might be yer coltfriend in trouble, but it's our home that Doom is threatenin'." Applejack stepped forward. "You'd have ta hogtie me an' hang me upside down 'fore ya can get me not ta come along."
"While the rope would chafe me something dreadful, the same goes for me," put in Rarity. "Dusk has helped me more times than I'd care to mention. A lady always repays her debts."
"I wasn't scared of Nightmare Moon, I wasn't scared of Discord and his nasties and I'm not scared now," proclaimed Pinkie. "I'm gonna help too. Dusk has been bullied long enough by Doomy super meanie pants."
Fluttershy put herself tentatively forward. "I… I'm going to help too. I know you all think I'm… weak and… helpless but… he's still my big brother and… I want to help too."
"You all know you're not gonna leave me behind," Ray said bravely, standing almost protectively beside Fluttershy.
Even though she might have been expecting this, Twilight still smiled around at them all. "Thank you, all of you. Now, we just need to find Rainbow Dash and get started."
"Where is Dashie anyway?" Pinkie wondered. "She should have been back by now. She must really like her air."
"I think I might be able to help you there." Luna felt her own rage rise at the sound of their enemy's voice.
"Doom! You dare to come here and threaten us in our city?! Show thyself!" she demanded.
The only response was laughter, followed by what it originated from, cantering through the window. It wasn't Doom that came to meet them, but a colour puppet in his form, speaking with his words through its mouth.
Luna stepped forward to meet it. "What trickery is this?"
"If you are trying to respond to this, I expected nothing less, but I'll tell you that this is merely being used to convey a message to you. By now, you are no doubt wondering where your cyan friend has run off to. Well, quite simply, she is in my care, having already stopped by to see me. She is more foolish than even all of you are."
"What have you done to her?!" Ray shouted, forgetting it couldn't respond.
It ploughed on with its message. "She brought this on herself, as if she could have any chance against my power. If you want to see her again, you know where to find us. It's time for us to catch up, I think. Face me, if you still think you can. Oh and by the way, if I see any sign of either princess approaching, I will command my slaves to kill themselves in the most violent, painful ways possible. Message received and understood, Miss Sparkle?"
Even though it was just a recorded message, Luna could have sworn it turned its head towards her sister's protégée, malice laden in its voice before it vanished into nothingness.
"You know this is most likely a trap," Celestia said, having now re-joined them.
"I know, princess," replied Twilight. "But we don't have much choice now. Rainbow is in trouble and the longer we wait, the more chances there will be Doom will do something to her… if he hasn't already."
"Do we have a plan then?" asked Applejack.
"I'm the only one that can perform this spell. I'll need to go up against Doom and perform it on him to save Dusk," she explained.
"What about us?" asked Pinkie.
"I'll need personal, uninterrupted access to Doom while I perform it. You all need to hold off the converted ponies he has under his influence, in case he tries to call for help and stop me," she outlined.
"But… but those are our friends… I… I can't imagine h-h-having to hurt any of them…" stammered Fluttershy.
"Ah must confess, the idea don't exactly sit right with me neither," put in Applejack. "Ah mean, ma family might be in there…"
"I know, I don't much like it either," agreed Twilight. "But it has to be done. Just keep them back long enough for me to perform the spell. Once that's done, his influence will leave and they'll be returned to normal, most likely with no memory of what they've done."
The only affirmation they gave to this plan was silence, a slight nod of the head or the exchange of nervous glances. Luna could sympathize. She'd feel the same, if she were in their position and cursed Doom even more for barring them in such a way. She would have given anything to help them, but she couldn't if it meant risking the safety of their subjects.
She glanced at Celestia and knew her sister was in much the same mind from the expression she wore. Being helpless was even worse considering the kind of power they could wield.
"I sincerely hope that you're right about this, Twilight," Rarity said after a while.
The lavender unicorn only nodded. "You're not the only one."
"So, uncertain outcome, overwhelming odds, small chance of success?" Ray grinned broadly at them all. "What are we waiting for?"
Luna had to smile admirably at the stallion's bravery. However, she didn't miss her sister's lingering gaze on him, just for a moment, before the group ran off to the train station. She was probably just curious about him though, as Luna was and hoped to learn more about him if he came back.
That was a rather big if though…
They rode this train to Ponyville alone. The town had been sealed off from others coming and going by royal guards, the trains halted. They'd let them through when they saw who they were and were told they had to power the train themselves. As it turned out, Pinkie knew a little bit about driving the train and it was she who powered them on their way back home.
The journey was in relative silence. Nopony said a word, fear hanging over them like a storm cloud. Fear that Twilight Sparkle shared and harboured more than anypony. Even though she had a solution now, had found a way to rescue Dusk, the doubts as to whether or not she could actually do it were stronger than ever. For one thing, she actually needed to be in direct contact with Doom to use it, no easy task to be sure.
For another… she just wasn't sure if she could do it. Getting close to him, getting him in a position where she could use it would mean having to fight him. How could she be expected to fight him, to hurt him? Not Doom, but who he was underneath. She'd be hurting Dusk, something that her mind reviled against completely. Even if he was consumed by his darkness now and he would have no such reservations… she just couldn't imagine it.
Was this part of what Cadence had told her about? Even after that talk with her, she still didn't understand if she actually loved Dusk or not. She wanted him back, wanted him to be safe from Doom forever, but was that really love? How could she be sure of it? Every time she tried to figure it out, her mind just returned to what Cadence had said to her when she asked how would she know?
"That's not for me to say, but for you to find out for yourself, with him."
"But how do I find out?" she whispered. "How do I know?"
There was no answer. Only the steady rhythm of the train resounded in her ears.
That fear was set still when they arrived in Ponyville, coming to a halt at the station. Even from the train window, she could see the signs of wreck and ruin throughout the town. They exchanged looks with each other and, one by one, left the train to face their challenge.
The seven of them stayed close together while they walked through the streets, quite aware of how lifeless everything appeared. At first, there was complete silence, apart from the crackling of fires and the wind blowing. Then, out of the shadows, they came, crawling and creeping towards them. They didn't attack, but they kept their distance, snarling and hissing at them as they walked by.
Twilight looked over at their faces, mentally recalling individual faces. The Mayor, Big Mac, Granny Smith, Bon-Bon, Lyra, Derpy, Rose, Daisy, Junebug, everypony. Their neighbours, their friends… fighting Paraserpents and Discord was one thing, but this… it just made her hate that monster even more for what he had done.
They found him, standing atop a building in the centre of town, again almost guided there by his horde. The whole ground around it had been broken and cracked, all of it stemming from a point in the centre, like something large had crashed in there… or something fast. He wore a triumphant smile on his face, gazing down at them with complete assurance and superiority.
"Welcome home, ladies and gentlecolts. We missed you." He looked around and gestured with his hoof. "An improvement, don't you think?"
"Where's Rainbow Dash?" demanded Twilight, determined not to let him get the best of them.
"Such defiance, even now. Much like her…" A glow of his horn brought her forward, restrained by two of the townsfolk.
She raised her head weakly, her lip bloody, her eye black and her body covered with bruises and welts. "I'm sorry, guys…"
"You can thank her for this." He pointed to the crash centre. "It was thanks to her efforts this was possible."
The Pegasus coughed and managed a weak smile. "Guess… I still need… to work… on my landings…"
"Rainbow Crash indeed," he mocked. "Crashing and burning, along with your pathetic hopes and dreams."
"You guys… mind shutting him up…?" she asked weakly. "Listening to him… it's worse than… fighting him…"
"Just hold on there, you'll be alright. Let her go," commanded Rarity.
He growled at her. "You presume to order me?"
"Yes, we do." Ray stepped forward. "Let the mare go or you'll regret it."
"I will… once I am finished with her." He turned his back on them, walking towards her slowly. "I was trying to think of a way to make an example of her to you all, since she was so kind as to offer herself. Weren't you, Rainbow?"
She spat in his face. "Bite me, jerk."
"You see? Defiant, rebellious… righteous. We can't have that, can we?" He paced around her. "So, what would be the best way to tame a Pegasus, to bring her down from her cloud? I have been pondering this for a while now…"
"Leave her alone, you meanie!" shouted Pinkie.
"Then, I had an idea. What is that pegasi pride more than anything? Something that makes them truly unique in their own right?" Twilight knew the answer as he stroked her back. "Their wings…"
It happened before any of them could so much as cry out. He pushed away the two ponies, grabbed her, and hefted her into the sky, only giving her time to cry out as his magical aura appeared around the shapes of her wings.
CRACK! CRACK!
Rainbow Dash's scream could have rent the sky asunder. It was heart-wrenching, horrible to hear and mingled with their own shrieks of terror. She hovered there, screaming in agony, her wings hanging lifelessly until her head joined them. She'd passed out from the pain. Tossing her like a ragdoll, Doom flung her to the ground.
Twilight felt something move beside her, saw a green blur streak forward. It jumped up, caught her, glowed with a yellow aura and vanished. They had only just registered their shock when it returned again, though only one pony came back this time. His defiant grin contrasted with Doom's grimace of hatred.
"See, I was gonna let you off easier before, but now… you're gonna get it." Though he was smiling, Twilight could hear the threat in Ray's voice.
"You incompetent fool! What gave you the right to interfere?!" roared Doom.
Ray pressed a hoof to his chin. "Let's see… you attacked my new home, my friends, take over the body of my best friend and everypony here and you just broke my other best friend's wings like twigs. Where would you like me to start?"
Twilight asked what they were all thinking. "Ray… did you just… where's Rainbow?"
"Yes, I did and I took her somewhere safe, don't worry. Sorry I can't tell you where, there are unpleasant ears listening," he said pointedly.
"But… how did you-?"
"Not important," he cut off. "Right now, we gotta job to do. I know all of you aren't exactly one hundred percent behind this, but I wouldn't mind having a hoof here."
Some of her fear now gone, Twilight nodded along with the others, all of them preparing to fight. But Twilight's eyes were fixed on the snarling stallion. She didn't have any doubts about battling him anymore. Not after seeing that. If it meant saving her friends and Dusk, she'd do it.
"You would do this realising you would harm your friends?" taunted Doom. "You'd never have it in you!"
"Well then, it's good thing I still don't know who half the ponies in this town are!" countered Ray with a grin.
"KILL THEM! KILL THEM ALL!" he screeched. On his command, they charged at them, galloping full pelt.
They, however, stood their ground and fought. Twilight shot off spells that paralyzed and stunned attackers, Applejack kicked with her bucking hooves, Rarity used her hooves and magic to hold her own, Pinkie shot off with her party cannon and Fluttershy cowered behind the majority of them, protected by the other stallion in their group, which he was doing a good job.
Now that this new power had been revealed, Ray was easily the quickest fighter among them. It was remarkable, watching him teleport between opponents and delivering a flurry of kicks and punches before engaging another target in seconds. He would look a little breathless at times, but there seemed to be little to no effort for his teleporting, sometimes not even staying in a spot for a full second before moving again.
But Twilight tore her eyes from him, telling herself she could marvel at his abilities later. She had her own battle to fight and her opponent was marching through the horde, throwing or hitting ponies out of his way. As their eyes locked on each other, Twilight could tell that both of them had the same thought at the same time.
You're mine.
Whilst wondering only mildly why he wanted to fight just her, Twilight charged at him, already planning to pull him away from his minions and prevent more damage to the town. She put the energy into a teleport spell, focusing on their destination in a deserted meadow and performed it just as his hoof collided with her chest.
Rarity, along with some of the others, tried to call out to Twilight to stop her, but she knew long before that it was futile. She had seen the look on her face, what was driving her to confront Doom in such a way and knew that this was part of the plan. They had to let her face him alone, because she was the only one who could save him. Something she knew and wanted to do herself.
Meanwhile, they were being steadily surrounded by the sheer mass of ponies screeching for their blood. Though she could hold her own with her hooves and her magic was moderately helpful, there wasn't much for Rarity to work with here and there were far too many of them, coming from every direction. She would shriek when one grabbed her, rid herself of them only to have another latch on seconds later.
It was like fending off drunken stallions trying to take advantage of her, only rather less satisfying and with no end in sight. She glanced around, to see how her friends were coping and was shocked to see that some of the others had vanished. Had they been taken by the horde? Were they falling so soon to their immeasurable numbers and relentlessness?
Her question was answered when Ray appeared next to Applejack, grabbed her and teleported her away. Less than a second later, she received the same treatment, her head and stomach both suffering from the discomfort of the teleport.
For the second time today, she saw the others all getting to their hooves and shaking off the effects. Thankfully, he had taken them somewhere devoid of anypony, so they were uninterrupted.
"Okay, ah don't know how Twah'light or you can stand ta get around like that," groaned Applejack. "That's jus' nasty."
"You get used to it," she shrugged. "Everypony okay now? All body parts still present?"
"Yes, of co… wait, why would we be missing body parts?" asked Rarity.
He laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of his head. "Just… uh, you know, sometimes that can happen with teleporting. You know, in rare cases…"
"How, exactly?"
"Um… if the unicorn in question hasn't got quite a good grip or… there isn't enough power in the spell. Stuff like that…"
"You mean you knew that and yet you still-"
"Okay then! Never mind that now, snob, we've got work to do," he cut off. Rarity tried again, but he spoke over her. "Right, we might be safe now, but they'll soon be after us again and we need to prepare."
She gave up and resigned herself to mild annoyance. Though they were friends now, the stallion knew how to push her buttons sometimes.
"That's a given," nodded Spike. "What do we do?"
"Well, first, Fluttershy…" He paused for a moment as the Pegasus set her eyes on him. "Don't take this the wrong way but… I don't think you're… much of a fighter."
"Oh don't worry, it's fine," she said quickly. "Like I said, I'm too weak and helpless to fight, so I understand if I'm getting in your way."
"Oh. Okay then…" He coughed, surprised by this statement, but continued. "But there is something else you can do that'll keep you away from the fighting, but still allow you to help."
"What can I do?" she asked dutifully.
"I want you to go to my room at the inn, number four and look after Rainbow Dash, that's where I took her. I assume you've looked after animals with broken wings in the past?"
"Oh yes, plenty of times."
"Good, this shouldn't be much different then," he said brightly. "Go there, barricade yourself in and look after her. The Doomites shouldn't bother you because they'll be more focused on us, so you should be safe. Can you do that?"
She looked a little nervous, but kept a brave face. "If you need me to, I'll do it. But… are you sure you don't need me here?"
"Don't worry, we'll be fine. Right now, Rainbow needs you. Go." She hesitated, nodded and started to fly off. "Hey, Fluttershy! Just… um… good luck. And be careful."
She remained stationary for a moment, then hurried back and embraced Ray. "You too…" Her cheeks flushed, she pulled away and flew off, disappearing down a side street.
Rarity allowed herself a smirk at his reaction. Ray also stood motionless, gazing at the spot where she had gone, a red tint in his cheeks and a smile tugging at his mouth. He blinked, shook his head and coughed, turning back to the group.
"Right, as for us, we need to find a place to hole up and fight for when the Doomites find us," he announced. "Now, let's-"
"Hold on, sugarcube, ah gotta ask… Doomites?" questioned Applejack.
"Yeah. You know, like in that movie… the one with the evil spirits and that book… chainsaw… no?" All of them, apart from Spike who nodded in understanding, looked at him blankly. "Guess it's a guy thing then."
"Anyway, where do we go sir, Captain Ray, sir?" asked Pinkie.
So, she wasn't the only one who noticed how he'd taken leadership of the group.
"Hm... quick, over here." He led them to a two storey house not too far away. They hurried inside and shut the door behind them. "Right, check around the house, then report back here with your findings, points of entry into the house specifically. Applejack, Pinkie, you take the ground floor, Rarity and Spike the top."
Since he obviously knew what he was doing, Rarity galloped upstairs with Spike, who looked quite pleased at being paired with her. They split off in different directions so they could check more quickly. Rarity opened one door, found a bathroom, shut it and moved on to her other remaining door. It was a children's bedroom, its occupant now gone.
For some reason, she found herself stepping slowly inside and looking around. The walls were painted blue, decorated with little rocket ships, frozen in the motion of blasting off into space and pieces of paper with crude drawings in crayon. A similar pattern was matched by the bed spread, small enough for the young one to lay their head every night. A little colt, by the look of it. But he wasn't here…
Her hoof stepped on something and she looked down. A toy, a small cart with a little wooden pony attached to it, next to a drawing of some stars that looked like it had been halted. She picked it up, turning it slowly in her hooves. Had this child been playing with this when all this had happened? Perhaps drawing this picture too? Where was he now? Was… out there? Who had turned him… his parents or perhaps a complete stranger?
Rarity bowed her head, trying to stem the tide of anger that flooded through her. This was the true horror of Doom's deed. Turning families, friends, even children into his mindless, rage-driven slaves, all for what? She knew now even more why Dusk had kept this hidden. If these were the things he had seen, what might be done and what he was trying to prevent… how could he even begin to tell them of that?
"Rarity? You okay?" She turned and saw Spike waiting for her at the door. "Something wrong?"
"No, Spike I…" She stopped when her voice broke for a moment. "I'm fine, don't worry."
The baby dragon didn't miss it though. He approached her and hugged her leg gently. "It'll all be fine. You'll see. We'll all be okay in the end."
"Yes I… I certainly hope so." She returned it, thankful for his sympathy. "Come on, we'd best report back to Ray."
"Right. After you, milady," he bowed.
"Aren't you just the sweetest?" she cooed, rubbing the top of his head and stepping out, putting her thoughts of the child who stayed in that room out of her mind.
"What we got?" Ray asked, getting straight to the point.
"Kitchen in the back with one window and some very nice looking cookies in a jar," reported Pinkie.
"Back door near the kitchen an' a bathroom, no window," added Applejack.
"A hatch that leads into an attic is just above the staircase. Parent's bedroom and study at the front, window each in both of them," stepped in Spike.
"Same here regarding one children's bedroom and a bathroom at the rear of the second floor," finished Rarity.
"Great. First, lock and barricade both of these doors. Use anything you can find, anything heavy and big and shove it in front. Same goes for the windows but if you find some wood and nails, those would be good too. Cover everything on the ground floor, they shouldn't be able to get in the top and we'll sort out defensive strategies after. Got that?" They all nodded affirmative. "Let's go then!"
Rarity pulled him aside for a moment. "You seem to know a lot about this sort of thing."
"Comes with reading and watching plenty of stuff with zombies," he responded. "Don't worry, I got this."
"I thought I recognised a fellow prepper," remarked Spike. "Organise before they rise, right man?"
"Exactly!" he agreed.
Rarity giggled a little, thankful for an opportunity to laugh. "Well, now that you have Spike's stamp of approval, I'm sure we'll be fine."
"My thoughts exactly." His grin faltered when he grimaced a little, clutching his head.
"Are you all right, dear?" Rarity started to approach him. "You seem a little distressed."
"Just a small headache, it's nothing… lot of stuff going on, you know?" he chuckled, rubbing his head and shaking it a little. "Right, what are you doing standing staring at me, snob? Chop-chop, work to do!"
"Don't presume to tell me what to do, you ruffian!" she returned lightly, proceeding to approach Applejack. "Anything I can do to assist?"
"If y'all wouldn't mind helpin' me move this here closet, be much appreciated," she offered.
"Oh dear…" She looked warily at it. "That sounds like… heavy work."
"That's 'cause it is heavy, now either stand there an' whine or get there an' move this thing!" she snapped.
Rarity rolled her eyes and took her position. "Honestly, just because we are being approached by a horde of bloodthirsty ravenous ponies who outnumber us a hundred to one does not give you cause to be rude."
"Ma sincere apologies." Applejack looked at her seriously. "Y'all realise this plan's pretty much a one way trip."
Rarity paused in her task. That was true enough. Once the Doomites learned where they were, they'd completely surround them and cut off any escape. The only way out would be on to the roof and from there, the only way to go would be down. They'd just keep coming, they wouldn't tire or stop while they…
They could only do so much.
"It had crossed my mind, yes," she finally answered. "But it is necessary to do our part."
"Ah get that… but it don't make it much easier."
Rarity didn't reply to that. Suddenly, pushing a heavy closet seemed far more appealing that discussing this subject.
"Jus' so ya know, whatever happens… ah got yer back, Rarity," the farm pony said with complete honesty.
"And I yours, Applejack," she replied. It might seem hopeless, but at least they had each other. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.
She went flying and landed on the grass hard, but still functioning. Twilight stood up again, feeling the throbbing in her chest from Doom's punch, who stood opposite her, anger and contempt competing on his expression for superiority.
"Nopony here to help you, Sparkle," he laughed. "Are you sure that was wise?"
"This is between you and me, Doom," she retorted. "This is just so I don't have to worry about breaking anything. Other than you."
"Rainbow Dash said much the same and she isn't looking so well now." He growled low in his throat, leering at her. "You won't attack me. Not when you'll know who you'll be hurting."
"Then you don't know me as well as you think," she countered. "I'll do what it takes to save him, even if it means going through you to do it."
"Brave words, if you can back them up," he snarled.
"Then how about we stop wasting time with words?" She let her horn glow and lowered her head.
"If you insist." He responded in kind, though with that terrible smile. "I prefer it this way. When I return to Ponyville with your lifeless corpse, they'll see how even the most powerful part of their friendship can fail. It will truly break them."
"We'll see. Let's dance! I'll lead!" She shot off a spell at him, which he blocked.
His growl growing louder, he responded in kind with his own magic, but she blocked that too. He got faster when he realised she wasn't playing around, but so did she. From there, the two of them entered a furious flurry of spells and bolts hurtling at each other. Both were skilled to keep casting them and both were fast enough to block them. They were at a stalemate which could be broken at any moment.
It was Doom who did, calling on a more powerful spell and releasing it as a huge beam of magical energy, humming loudly as it shot towards her. She put additional power into an equally powerful shield, stopping it from hitting her. Locked in this new battle, it was now a matter of which of them would tire of their spell first. She could make him out grimacing, but the power of his spell and her shield was taking its toll on her too.
Before she ran out of strength completely, she pushed against the beam with her shield, something that he didn't expect and staggered a little. It was enough for Twilight to push again, sending her energy wall at him, dissipating his beam and smacking right into him. He recovered quickly though and seemed only more angry, his horn glowing again.
"Succumb to the darkness!" he roared, strengthening the shadows around her and plunging her into darkness.
She couldn't see anything. In her panic, she fired of a few spells blindly. None of them penetrated the dark in the least. It was only added when she felt a sharp pain from behind, a spine-chilling cackle. Twilight fired off a spell there but Doom had gone. He was out there, he had the advantage. She couldn't see!
Calm down… think, this isn't helping. If it's dark, turn on a light. So she did, flaring her horn with magical light, piercing the shadows around her. She heard a yell near her, knowing she'd blinded him and swung her hoof in its direction. She winced as it made contact, but followed up with a spell, blasting him back and bringing light to her vision once more.
"You dare…!" He was more of an animal than a pony, eyes alive with feral rage. "You'll pay for that!"
"Try it," she challenged, knowing she'd kicked the hornet's nest now.
Soon enough, she felt their sting, in the form of black shimmering spikes of vapour he conjured and shot at her. She dodged the three of them, one cutting skimming close to her mane, another slicing her cheek though it would have been in her head. She barely had time to block, let alone counter with the speed he cast them.
But he was laughing, toying with her while she danced out of their way, enjoying her distress. His mistake for not finishing her now he had her.
She darted her eyes around, saw a log nearby and caught it in a levitation spell. She held it before her, spikes slamming into the wood, but thankfully not her. Taking a chance, she tossed the log right at him. It caught him off-guard, but she heard the splintering of wood from his hoof, which broke her projectile in half.
He roared in rage at her and his black aura surrounded the ground he stood on. He ripped it from the earth, standing on a large chunk of dirt and stone, while other only slightly smaller ones orbited around him, held in the dark aura of his magic. With a snarl punctuating each attack, he shot them at her now, forcing her to jump aside to dodge.
Thundering crashes shook the ground, making her stagger from each impact and he just kept pulling up more. Marvelling a little at his sheer determination to end her in such a way, she took action by teleporting on top of a rock he threw at her. Shooting spells that gave each one the texture of rubber, she jumped from rock-to-rock, closing the distance between them.
He tried to step it up, shooting more rocks at her, some smaller than before and striking her in places. Though it hurt, it wasn't enough to stop her and she blocked them when she could, keeping up her advancing by bouncing until she was within jumping distance of the one he stood on. They locked eyes on each other, Twilight so focused on reaching him that she didn't see that there was one more large rock he could use until it was too late.
But he didn't use it. He seemed to falter for a moment, hesitate to use it against her. Big mistake. Soaring right at him, her hoof smacked across his face. She landed on the earth, hit him again and blasted him off with a spell. The earth fell back at the same time he did and she jumped after him to press her attack.
She knocked him to the ground, pinned him as best she could with her legs and pressed her horn against his, performing the spell that would save him…
Standing tensed, her nerves at their peak and her mind sharply aware of everything that was going on around her, Applejack stood ready, or as ready as she would be, for a fight. One of the Doomites had spotted them while they built their barricades, just as they finished and had screeched to alert more before charging in to attack. It had just been one battering against the window first, but now more had joined it.
She wasn't alone on this floor either, as Ray stood with his back opposite to her, watching the two windows and front door, while she watched the back, along with Spike. He had organised them into two teams, one watching the ground floor, one the first. They would hold off the bulk that would crash in through the ground floor, while the others would use their ranged attacks, Rarity's magic and Pinkie's cannon respectively, to hold them off from the top floor.
She could now and again see through the window a Doomite getting wrapped up in fabric, magically twisting around them or hear the almost rhythmic boom of the cannon. But others ignored their fallen comrades and kept pushing on. They'd get through one of them in the end. It was only a matter of time and a question of which one.
None of them said a word. They were too tense, too nervous, to speak. Applejack's eyes darted between windows. Spike twitched his tail and shivered a little. Ray appeared to be collected, but his expression was set and his limbs rigid. There was nothing they could do, but wait. Wait for the inevitable.
Applejack could fully understand the phrase 'calm before the storm' now and this was gonna be one heck of a storm. One that was driving her crazy waiting for it. Finally, it came.
The sound of shattering glass reached her ears. "That's the kitchen!"
"Take care of it!" She was already running off by the time Ray gave her the order.
She arrived to see three hooves reaching in through the window there, shoving aside the tables and chairs they'd set up. Finally, they pushed them aside and they clambered on in, their eyes fixed on Applejack, mouths open and dripping with saliva.
Not intimidated by the sight, Applejack met them first, sending Bucks McGillicutty and Kicks McGee crashing into the two stallions that charged after her and ducking, sliding under the mare who dived at her. She smacked into the wall, recovering instantly and rounding to attack her again. Her horn glowed with a magical aura, surrounding a kitchen knife.
"Well now, that's just cheatin'," she remarked, the mare leering at her. She began to feel around with her hoof. "Well, two can play at that game, you with yer knife…" She found something metal and took it. "An' me with ma… spatula?"
Both she and the mare stared at her weapon of choice. Applejack smiled sheepishly at her, which faded when she screeched at her and sent the knife whizzing towards her head. She knocked it aside with the spatula, the metallic clang resounding around the kitchen. There was no time to relax when it came around again, only just blocking it.
This strange and deadly game kept up, the mare advancing closer and closer to her whilst Applejack was forced to keep her distance, trying to fend off the killer kitchen utensil with her own. Knowing that she'd soon be cornered with nowhere to go, she acted quickly. She caught the knife in-between the gaps of the spatula on its next round, twisted and flung it away out of her reach.
Taking advantage, she pulled back on the metal handle, confronted her attacker and flipped it in her face. It didn't do a thing, only to make her irritated and begin a lunge forward. Applejack was about to run, when it suddenly occurred to her.
"Wait, what the hay am ah doin'?" She tossed aside the spatula and punched the mare in the face, knocking her back and knocking her out. "Ah always preferred the orchard ta the kitchen, anyways."
Barricading the exposed window as quickly as she could, she ran back into the front room to check on the other two. Two of their windows had been smashed open too and they were both tending to each one. Spike had set fire to the end of a chair leg and was waving it in the faces of some Doomites. They reacted to it by backing away from it.
Ray, having let one pony in his window and some other already clambering in, once again demonstrated his newly revealed teleporting ability and its prowess in a fight. He darted forward, kicking the stallion in question, teleporting back to the same position and kicking him again before he could recover. He kept this up, kicking, teleporting and kicking again about five more times and finishing by hitting him with both hooves. The stallion barrelled backwards, knocking away its friends.
"Nice one," she praised, helping him fix his barricade. "You should show Twah'light some-a them moves."
"I was considering it." He whipped his head at the sound of another window breaking. "That was the second window in here."
Applejack heard commotion from the kitchen, seeing shadows moving. "Ditto back there. Might be too many fer me ta handle on ma own."
"Same here." He glanced back at her. "Mind giving me a hoof?"
"If you'd be inclined ta do likewise," she returned.
"Of course." He gave her one last grin and turned to engage his group, whilst Applejack did likewise.
She galloped forward, kicking an offending stallion in the jaw, spinning around and offering a punch to the mare behind him. At Ray's call, she jumped back and offered similar treatment to those behind her while he worked his skills on her group. When she felt it was too much for her, she let him know and they swapped again, using their combined efforts to lessen their numbers.
They kept this up until both groups had dwindled to the remaining four, two for each of them. Se bucked a stallion into his friend, whipped around and saw Ray punch one pony, teleport, get the other from behind, teleport in-between them and slam both their heads together, sending them crumpling in a dazed heap.
"Not bad fer a hard day's work," she remarked, like they were back down on the farm. "It's always so hard ta find good help these days, ain't it?"
"Yes siree, I aim ta please ma'am," he replied in another terrible attempt at her accent.
"Yeah, still needs work," she noted.
"Um, guys? A little help here?" More ponies were attempting to get in through Spike's window, the dragon desperately beating them back with his chair leg, which had now gone out.
They were both there in seconds, lending their efforts to stem the tide, which wasn't really helped by a few more leaking in through the windows that they had just defended. While she punched and kicked, Applejack let Spike hop onto her back, where he sat fending off Doomites with his chair leg like a sword.
Ray kept using his teleport to dart back and forth between windows, covering them up again or else suddenly leaping in to help them both if they were starting to get overwhelmed. He even used their advantage to his own. When one grabbed him and threw him at a group, he teleported back behind him, using the same momentum of the kick to get him in the back of her head.
A good worker, thinks on his hooves and he's not bad in a scuffle. Applejack was already feeling more confident with him fighting with them.
"Applejack! I got an idea!" Spike grabbed a curtain pole that had been torn off. "Get some distance from these guys!"
"Okay then." She ran back to give them some space, saw him point the thing forward like a lance. "Spike, ya ain't serious, are ya?"
"I'm dead serious, Applejack," he replied. "Now, hi ho! Have at thee, you scurvy knaves!"
Feeling him kick her sides and roll her eyes, Applejack reared her legs, whinnied and charged at the approaching group. Using her strength and his pole, she and Spike knocked aside any Doomite who got in their way, doing enough damage so there weren't a whole lot left standing. These they finished off by circling around and taking out or from Ray doing it for them.
It seemed silly, but it had worked. Not that she would openly admit that.
"Ha ha, you dogs!" mocked Spike. "You should know better than to cross the mighty Sir Spike and his valiant steed, Applejack!"
"Spike, valiant or not, ah ain't nopony's steed, got that?" she said sharply.
"Yes ma'am," he squeaked, hopping off her back.
"Guys, more company." At Ray's warning, they saw they were once again surrounded by hungry, snarling faces. Stragglers from the last attack and new faces who had clambered in to join the fun.
Getting an idea, she saw some of the curtain ropes had fallen off. Acting fast, she tied them together, fashioned them into a lasso and looped it around a fallen Doomite.
"Sorry ta do this to ya," she murmured. "Duck an' cover, fellers!"
Giving them a second to get out of the way, she gathered up momentum, swinging her make-shift flail around in a circle and knocking down more Doomites. Once they didn't get back up again, she flung the other out of the window and heard a satisfying sound of loud yelps when he knocked into more that were coming through.
"Bet they've never seen that at any of the rodeos you've been in," joked Ray.
"Ah'm pretty sure there's a good reason fer that," she agreed.
"Finally, a break…" Spike jerked back up when a collective screech resounded from outside. "Or maybe not."
"Come on Spike, keep at it," she encouraged. "It ain't done till we're the only ones left standin'."
"But there's loads of them!" he protested. "And the ones we knocked down before are starting to get back up again!"
"Then, we'll just have to knock 'em down again, won't we?" Ray looked to Spike. "Come on, what did the Guide say about panicking in a zombie attack?"
"That panic is just as dangerous and destroys a group just as easily as zombies do," he recited. "You're right, Ray. I gotta keep my head in the game."
"There you go! Remember, we they may have these," he said, gesturing to his teeth, "but we've got these." He pointed to his head.
"You got it!" They bumped hoof and claw together, revitalised.
Applejack laughed a little. "Y'all gotta lend me this here book sometime. Ah feel like ah'm missin' out."
"You're telling me. I've had to train you all from scratch, that wasted some time," he said with his own laugh.
"Yeah well, y'all can train me all ya want in yer lil' zombie games when this is over."
"That's a promise. Pinkie promise?"
"Pinkie promise," she agreed, miming the actions.
Offering her winning smile to the two boys, she held on to the confidence that they were holding out just a little longer and hoped she would have the strength to keep at it.
She opened her eyes, feeling disorientated and strange. She took a moment to get used to this new sensation, breathed and took in her surroundings. It was completely dark, so she had to light her horn to see properly and even then, it only barely penetrated the encroaching, all-consuming blackness around her.
It looked like some kind of cave. She could make out the rocky walls, the grey stone floor and heard her echo while she moved. But she knew that this was no ordinary geological structure. This was inside Dusk's mind. All this darkness was Doom, having taken over. Now, it was time to find that one speck of light that remained.
She spotted it, down the end of the tunnel. Driven by her determination to end this now, she galloped towards it, getting closer and closer with every step. She could feel the shadows, moving around her, knowing that she wouldn't have long. Doom was already acting against her, trying to drive her out. She could feel it, pushing against her like water gradually freezing into a wall of ice.
But she didn't need long, she was almost there, she knew she was. She finally reached that beam of light, confirming what she already knew.
"Dusk! You're alive!" she cried, unable to gauge how happy she was to see him.
He was trapped inside a circle of rocks, enclosed like teeth above his head. There was enough space for her to see him, but not enough so he could squeeze out to freedom. His head was bowed as he sat in the middle, his raising only slightly to look at her. There was no life in his eyes. They were as dead as the rocks that enclosed him.
"Most of me is…" he replied in a monotone voice.
"He must have put you in here. He can't finish you, so he keeps you locked away," she murmured. "Don't worry, I'll have you out of there in a moment."
He looked up a little more, but not by much. "Why?"
"What do you mean, why?" she asked, surprised by his response.
"I mean, why bother trying to break me out?" he asked dejectedly. "I can't beat him, you can't. Nopony can… why try?"
"But you did!" she insisted. "You beat him last time, you can do it again."
"And even if I do, what then?" He bowed his head again. "There's nothing good waiting for me, just more pain. Pain that'll allow him to come back again, no matter how hard I try to hold him back. It's a cycle, you see? One you can't break…"
"Yes I can, I can do it, I can save you!" she said desperately. "There's always something waiting for you, like you're friends!"
He was starting to weep now. "Friends that I'll just hurt again by letting him out, who'll never forgive me for what I've done this time. I saw what he did to Rainbow too, you know…"
"Give them time, they will. Come on, Dusk, please!" she begged.
Those lifeless eyes looked up again. "And what about us?"
"That's not important now, we can talk about that later," she promised, feeling the darkness getting closer.
"No, don't you see?" He stood up now, looking out pathetically at her. "We have to do this now, you know what I mean."
"Dusk, please-"
"Twilight, I need to know. Do you-?"
"No!" she screamed, knowing what the question would be. "No, I still don't know… I don't know…"
Her voice echoed around them in the wake of this, like a cruel reminder of this fact. Dusk looked even more forlon now in the wake of these words and fell back again.
"You see? What's the point?" He didn't even look at her. "Just go, leave while you have the chance. Before he kills you too…"
"No, I'm not leaving you! I'm getting you out!" She blasted a spell at the rock, but it had no effect on it at all.
"I think that's made my point," he said, sounding more desperate now. "Leave now, just run. I don't think I could stand watching him break you too."
"Dusk, I-"
"Time's up!" She whipped around, saw Doom's rage-filled eyes, felt his hoof smack into her.
She was flying, flying away from him, further and further. She screamed out his name, tried to reach out for him. In the dark, she could have sworn she heard him calling out too…
She was blasted back again, forced out of Dusk's… Doom's head, landing with a hard crash on the ground. Disorientated again from her efforts, she pushed herself back up and looked over at him. He was laughing at her, bearing his teeth in a feral grin.
"Did you really think that would work on me?" he sneered. "You're more pathetic than I thought, Twilight Sparkle!"
Twilight couldn't understand it. She'd been in there, she had found Dusk, she'd used the spell, yet it hadn't worked. It should have done, yet it hadn't. Perhaps he wasn't weakened enough yet. She'd have to keep at it… but she wasn't sure how much longer she could go on for. The spell had taken more out of her than she thought, she could probably only manage it one more time.
Still, she thought, preparing to re-enter battle, she had to try. She prepared a new spell to use against him. Perhaps take a leaf from Ray's book…
Dusk though, in his head. He looked so weak, so hopeless… why? No, think about that later, focus on the now. She'd come too far to lose him now. She already had once, she wasn't going to again.
She charged at Doom, teleporting behind him when he sent a spell shooting at her. He missed and she crashed into him, knocking him to the ground. She jumped over him, galloped away and teleported so that she was charging right at his head, just as he was getting back up. She knocked him down again, hearing his roar of rage. Knowing this was taking a tax on her magic levels, she aimed to do it one more time.
But he grabbed her when she charged for the third time. He threw her up into the air, her legs flailing wildly, trying to find her balance again. She felt something grab her and whip her back towards him, towards his hoof which was swinging towards her. Acting quickly, she teleported again so that she was approaching him from behind and smacked him in the back of the head.
Taking advantage of the closed distance between them, she teleported them both to a point in the sky, punched him twice in the face while he hovered there and finished with a spell blast back towards the ground. She fell just behind him, intending to try another strategy while he was knocked down on the ground, perhaps attempt the spell again.
But she saw Doom recover again. Though there were signs of strain beginning to show, the odd bruise and slight bleeding, he was still prepared to fight against her and only seemed angrier than ever. She saw his horn glow and tried to prepare to block whatever spell he sent at her.
Something cold gripped her waist again and jerked her to a halt in mid-air. She looked to see Doom rising back up on a tentacle made of shadow, like the one that had a hold of her and others that were coming to join it, holding her in place. She tried to struggle free, but their grip was too strong. And it was getting tighter, one of them wrapping around her throat.
"Get out of that," he growled, his eyes burning with hatred.
Twilight did. A quick idea surfaced in her mind and she conjured up a blade made of magical energy. Acting quickly, she cut the tentacles that held her in place and sliced at the one Doom stood on, forcing him to the ground. Using her magic to land gently, she was shocked when he barrelled at her and only just managed to block his magical blade with hers.
Flares of light and shadow shot up as their blades clashed against each other, Twilight's double-edged knight's sword against his wicked scimitar. Neither of them knew anything about sword fighting, only hacking and slashing at each other whilst trying to maintain the energy needed to keep their blades. But it was a deadly duel nonetheless.
Twilight might occasionally scratch him somewhere, which only made him more furious and press his attack, the shadow sword rising and falling again at her, giving her more breaks in her skin. Nothing serious, but enough to make her cry out. There was a moment he thought he had her, his sword pushing past hers and swinging at her neck.
But again, he appeared to hesitate, the blade slowing just before it hit her, giving her enough time to block it and push it away. That gave her spirit, knowledge that he must be tiring now. He was powerful, determined, yes. But his moves were becoming predictable in his rage, enough that she was able to block one blow, push away the blade and swing hers at his face.
At the last moment, she turned it into a hammer, hitting his head with a resounding clang and sending him flying away. Knowing that she must have weakened him enough by now, she summoned up more energy to perform her spell, charging at him, finally to bring an end to all of this.
"ENOUGH!" His face a visage of hate and anger, his horn glowed more brightly than ever before. "DIE, DIE, DIE!"
Black orbs appeared all around her, growing bigger, larger, darker every second. Acting instinctively, she surrounded herself in a shield. The orbs began to explode, rocking the earth around her and the confines of her shield. Her face sweated, putting all of her energy into keeping it up, but the blast was powerful enough to rock her off her hooves and send her flying.
Her strength gave, the shield fell, she tried to bring it back up-
SMACK!
The cold, hard, stone cliff hit her as hard as she hit it. Unfortunately, she felt the brunt of it, pain spreading like fire from her back to every inch of her body. She fell back down, hitting the ground with even more agony coursing through her. She had energy, but the pain was terrible and she could barely move from it.
She had just enough strength to raise her head. Out of the smoke, he came, stalking towards her, breathing and snarling like an angered lion. His mane was wilder than before, his eyes alive with that burning hatred. She tried to cast a spell, but didn't have the will, her horn flickering feebly.
This was the end. She'd tried… she'd failed…
"Now… this ends!" He raised his hoof and she closed her eyes, thinking only of Dusk…
Having just lowered her hoof from knocking down another pony, Applejack heard the crash at the rear of the house. The window there had already been broken, which could only mean that the door had just been breached. She galloped away from her door, reach the corridor that led to it and froze. Now she could see why the door had broken open like that.
It was her brother, Big Macintosh, who had barged through the rear door, his face livid and his muscles rippling.
Her will to fight vanished suddenly in that instant. She'd had a hard enough time raising a hoof to fend off ponies she knew well enough that she liked. It wasn't that he was bigger and stronger than her that stopped her… he was her brother. A pony she held as closely and dearly in her heart as any of her friends, perhaps more so.
She couldn't even to begin to consider the possibility of hurting him. Hurt him… but perhaps she could reach him. He had paused in the door when he saw her. Perhaps he recognised her in his animal like rage and had stopped.
There might be a chance for this. "Big Mac, it's me, Applejack. Yer lil' sister, remember? Ya don't wanna do this, ya don't wanna hurt me."
For a moment, she thought she saw a flash of recognition in his feral eyes. She approached slowly, her hooves raised in a gesture of peace, trying to keep that contact. She held on to the hope that this was working, that their family connection wouldn't let him hurt her.
"That's it, come on now… jus' listen to ma voice, it's okay," she soothed.
He seemed to falter a little and she thought she might be getting through to him. She raised her hoof to place it on his shoulder, to hug him… he would accept it and be back to normal, he could help them.
She proved to be wrong when his huge hoof crashed into her face and shattered that hope completely. There wasn't any chance of reaching him. As much as she hated to admit, she needed to fight him.
Fighting back tears, she reared her hooves and bucked at her brother… no, the thing that used to be her brother. It was like hitting a tree when he stopped them and tossed her up into the air, so that she crashed back down onto the floor. She scrabbled back as he advanced, others coming in behind him. She couldn't fight him, she just couldn't…
But somepony else did.
"NO!"
Just as Big Mac was about to bring his hooves down on her head, a yellow flash from Ray and a kick from both legs knocked him into the air. Her brother started to fall, but he teleported beneath him, punching him back up, falling backwards to the left, he kicked him to the left. Every time he went in one direction, Ray would kick or punch him in the opposite direction every half second that passed, all without punching the ground.
On the eighth time he did this, he teleported above and gave one last drop kick, sending him back to the ground. Seeing her chance, Applejack sprang back up, mentally asking her brother's forgiveness and bucking him into the group that was coming through the door. He fell into unconsciousness, his body providing a barricade barring them access.
They both panted with exhaustion, Ray especially, who was clutching his head again.
"You okay, hun?" she asked gently. She'd noted how during that attack, his aura had briefly turned red.
"Yeah, I'm fine…" He shook his head. "The Flying Flash Bullet just takes a lot out of me, that's all…"
"Sorry, what was that you jus' said?" she giggled.
"What? Rainbow Dash names her moves, so do I," he defended, still gritting his teeth and rubbing his head.
"No, no, it's fine," she said quickly. "Ah like it, catchy."
"Thanks…" He stopped rubbing his head and looked at Big Mac. "Sorry about that…"
"Well, he is ma brother. Even if he was a… a Doomite." She hid her tears again by looking away. "Ya did what ya had ta."
"I know, but that doesn't make it any easier…"
She was about to say some words of comfort when they heard Spike's distressed calls from the main room. They returned to see that even more Doomites had arrived, swarming through the windows. They'd been able to handle them before, when only a small amount had been attacking. Now, it looked like the rest of the town had shown up, drawn in by the noise.
They exchanged a look with each other. This was a lost cause. There were too many even for them to handle now. There was only one thing they could do.
"FALL-BACK! RETREAT!" commanded Ray, galloping to the stairs.
Applejack scooped Spike onto her back and followed him, narrowly avoiding the grasp of a nearby Doomite. They were pouring through the windows now, already starting to follow them up the stairs. They'd catch up in seconds-
There was a resounding boom next to her, along with magic being cast. A wall of what looked like pink jelly and thick fabric covered the stairs, preventing them from climbing up. Applejack nodded her thanks to Rarity and Pinkie, who looked just as worn from the battle as she and Ray were.
"Come on, into the attic!" urged Ray, pulling down the ladder.
"MARINES, WE ARE LEAVING!" screamed Pinkie, blasting her cannon at one who was starting to poke through her barricade.
They retreated up to the attic. They pulled up the ladder and closed it behind them, but Applejack had a feeling that this wouldn't hold them back for very long. Pinkie had used her party cannon to blast a hole in the roof which they'd all climbed through to get on top.
Applejack stared openly at the sight that awaited them. The entire house was surrounded by Doomites, all of them screeching and roaring for their blood, some trying to clamber over each other to climb onto the roof. There was nowhere else to run. The other rooftops were too far away to jump to. They were trapped.
One way, just like Applejack had said at the start of all this.
"Nowhere to go then," Rarity breathed. "This is, as they say, it."
"Sure does look like it," agreed Applejack. "They'll be up here soon."
"So… what do we do now?" Spike asked. Poor feller, still just a baby…
"We take as many nasties down as we can," Pinkie said solemnly. "One last party to go out on. We'll even have confetti."
"Okay then, last stand." Ray started to glow again. "Never thought it would end like this."
"You mean stuck on a roof of somepony's house surrounded by a horde of angry ponies who want to tear us into tiny, tiny pieces and use us as confetti at their party? Yeah, me neither," agreed Pinkie. "I always thought I'd go out with a party."
"No, I mean… with friends." He smiled around at them. "I'm glad I met you all. Even you, Rarity."
"The same to you, Ray," she returned.
"Yeah… you can kiss me too, if you like."
"Don't push it."
"Had to try." They heard the sound of the Doomites breaking in to the attic. "This is it then. Good luck everypony."
Applejack tensed herself, agreeing somewhat with Ray. At least she was with friends.
Twilight waited for the blow that would end her existence forever. She at least wished it to be quick. She didn't want to linger, in pain and suffering.
But the blow didn't come. She dared to open her eyes. Doom stood there, his hoof still raised, but it wasn't coming down. He looked just as confused and bewildered as she was.
"What… what is this?!" He roared again, clutching his chest, beating it. "Why?! Why am I doing this?! WHY?!"
Then, she understood. Why he was fixated on her, why he hadn't finished her when he had the chance so many times, why he couldn't do it now. It was the same reason that she was fighting, the one she had tried to run from.
No running from it now. She finally understood what Cadence meant. At last, she knew.
"Because… he's still in there," she gasped, smiling triumphantly. "He won't let you hurt me…"
"Impossible! He's gone, I'm in control now!" he roared.
"No, you're not. You can try, but… you will never, ever keep him down because he's better than you." She looked right into his eyes. "You're so much better."
"I AM BETTER! I am stronger, faster, and more powerful!" he screeched, still unable to hit her.
"I'm not talking to you. I'm talking… to him." She forced herself to stand, never once taking her eyes off his. "Keep fighting, Dusk… I'm coming…"
"No, no! NO! Get away from me!" He tried to back up, but he was kept in place, struggling against an unseen force.
"I know you can do it, Dusk," she pressed on. "You can do it, because I know where that strength is coming from. I know what's keeping you going, because… because it's keeping me going too."
"Keep away from me!"
"I'm going to do it, Dusk. I'm going to save you, because… I love you." There, a flash of emerald against jade. "Did you hear that? I love you too. And that is enough!"
She forced herself forward, calling on her magic once more and pressing her lips against his, her horn against his.
She was back again in the cave. This time though, she felt different. Stronger. The darkness no longer worried her and fell back before the light of her magic. She even managed to reach Dusk more quickly this time and a little more life was back in his eyes.
"Twilight?" There was even some hope in his voice now. "What… what are you doing?"
"What does it look like? I'm getting you out of here." She lowered her horn, fired a spell, splitting the rock. "No time at all."
He stared in amazement. "But… but how are you…?"
"Because I have something I didn't last time." She fired again. It was ready to break way. "You know what it is."
"Did you… really mean that?" That hope grew brighter now, the beginnings of a smile appearing on his lips.
"I did." She smiled first, prepared the last one.
"NO!" Doom grabbed her mane, threw her into the dark, away from the light. "I am the strongest here!"
"No, not now!" She saw him, striding towards her. "I'm so close, please!"
"Oh, we're long past that." He grabbed her mane again, hatred burning on his face. "Now, I'm going to make her suffer."
Those horrible orbs of anger and rage, they would be the last thing she saw. Made worse by the light growing brighter behind him.
"I beat you, though!" she cried in defiance. "You couldn't kill me out there, we both know that!"
"That was there, this is here!" he roared. "Nothing to hold me back here, nothing to stop me!"
"Then, why hesitate?" she asked, that light growing brighter still. "Why haven't you killed me then? Scared?"
"I know no fear!"
"But you do! I can see it all in here! That's all anger and hate are, the poor, orphan children of fear!" She would have this before she died. "You're alone in this world, Doom. That's why you hate it. There is nopony else like you!"
"SILENCE!" He was right in her face now, that light almost blinding. "IN MY MIND, OUT OF IT, I WILL DESTROY YOU! BOTH OF YOU! DIE NOW, TWILIGHT SPARKLE!"
BOOM!
Debris from the rock showered around them. Bolts of colour slammed into Doom, forcing him to drop her. That light was now shining as brightly as the sun and stepping out of it was Dusk. The lights of his Element of Harmony shone around his neck, deep-set defiance on his face while he bombarded Doom.
"Get your filthy hooves off my marefrined!" She tingled a little form the use of that word. He stopped when he reached her. "Are you okay… my love?"
"Never better, my love," she replied with no hesitation, letting him place Magic on her head. "Thank you."
"My pleasure, I have a feeling we'll need it." She had never seen a smile so warm, so fulfilled as the one he gave her now. "So, shall we then?"
She looked at Doom, who was cowering before the light. "Yes, we shall."
"You think you can destroy me?!" he roared. "I am your anger, your fury, your hatred, everything that could give you strength but you are too scared to use!"
He raised an eyebrow. "Strange, I don't feel very scared. You, on the other hoof…"
"NO! You can't destroy me! You tried before and you failed! I am a part of you! I WILL NEVER DIE!" he screamed.
"You might be right, Doom," nodded Dusk. "You might be a part of me, a part of my mind that can't be let go. But, there's something you don't realise."
"I am too," finished Twilight, knowing what he was going to say. "And I've had enough of you."
Their horns glowing in perfect unison, their Elements shining, they cast a spell more powerful than either of them could have managed on their own. Combining both of their magic, they pushed back against the shadows, forcing them out with their glowing light. It wasn't something she did. It was something they both did.
Together.
The last thing Twilight heard was Doom crying out, screaming against her, saw a flash of duke blue in her vision. Then, exhausted by her efforts, she keeled over and gave in to darkness…