Rainbow knew where Derpy was fleeing to, and she didn’t like it. She hadn’t been there since she had left years ago. But the only thing on her mind was revenge. She was blinded with rage.
The island hadn’t changed one bit in the years past. But the beautiful surrounding lake had turned into a marshy swamp. Humidity hung thick in the air, frogs croaked nearby, and mosquitoes buzzed loudly. The place seemed more dead than alive, despite the abundance of natural life- a living wasteland of what had been.
Rainbow landed on the island, hardly noticing her exhaustion. Derpy stood nearby, trying to catch her breath.
“You’re father was no father to you” she spat, tears sparkling at the edges of her eyes. “He reminded me of my parents and what they did to me. I was doing you a favor! Killing him to make sure you didn’t have to do it yourself. Don’t you remember what Sword Flash told us? We look out for each other! Why are you so determined to forget everything that he taught us? Do you hate your past? Is that why you told me to forget everything when we arrived in Ponyville, and just try to live a normal life as if nothing had ever happened? I’m never going to forget Rainbow. NEVER.” Her whole body shook with emotion.
Rainbow was no longer in control.
“YES I DID WANT TO FORGET EVERYTHING. I WANTED IT ALL GONE.” she roared.
Sword Flash limped around slowly to face his son, who was still watching, shocked. Rough Pebble’s smug expression flickered for just a moment.
“I shall kill you myself” he decided, drawing his sword. Unlike the swords of his companions, Rough Pebble’s blade was massive, with an obsidian grip and long blade that tapered down to a deadly tip. Poison dripped from the end and burnt tiny holes in the dirt.
Rainbow had no idea how her mentor could face him and win. He was already weakened greatly from his wounds. He seemed slower, and more sluggish, and his breath came in labored gasps. Her body screamed at her to jump down there and protect Sword, but her mind held her back.
Rough Pebble was good. He was much more experienced than any of his comrades. Sword Flash found himself on the defensive as Rough Pebble’s blade surrounded him in deadly patterns.
With each parry, Sword Flash grew progressively weaker and weaker. His eyes were dim with hardly any light left in them. It seemed as though Death had claimed him already, and he was barely hanging on. Rough Pebble laughed manically, tasting victory. Any minute now, and he will have defeated his father- one of the greatest swordponies in Equestria. He would be unstoppable.
Sword Flash stumbled slightly, and Rough Pebble noticed. Quick as a flash, he swept Sword’s legs out from under him, using the same move his father had taught him decades ago. Sword collapsed in a heap, Rough Pebble standing over him with a triumphant face.
“Should I tell you what I’m going to do to Rainbow and Derpy when I find them? I’m going to gather a new gang of ponies, and we will not be stopped!” he sneered.
At the mention of his two beloved daughters, Sword Flash’s eyes reignited stronger than ever before. He leaped to his feet.
Panicking at his father’s sudden burst of energy, Rough Pebble swung at his neck, expecting the sword to pass through. Sword moved with lightning speed. Rough Pebble’s sword bounced back with so much force, it almost impaled him in the forehead. The old warrior’s burning gaze fixed on Rough Pebble, who took a step back nervously. He tripped over the body of one of his followers as he backed up.
Rough Pebble didn’t even see it coming. All he saw was a flash of steel and his vision went dark. The decapitated head hit the ground as Sword Flash watched with a grim expression. It was over.
Hot sunlight streamed down on the two warriors as steel clashed on steel. Thick fog hung over the ground and caused a myriad of tiny droplets to form on both warriors as they fought with all their strength and skill. The warm steamy environment only worsened with each breath they took. Sweat and tears glistened on their faces.
“You’ll pay for what you did, Derpy” Rainbow Dash growled through clenched teeth.
The rainbow mane warrior skillfully sidestepped a thrust and countered, swinging a fatal blow aimed at her opponent’s head. But Derpy was no longer there. Ducking the overhead blow, she kicked out with both back hooves and tackled Rainbow Dash to the ground. Both swords skittered off into the darkness. The two mares grappled together, kicking and punching, each trying to gain advantage over the other. Anger and grief overcoming her exhaustion, Dash reared up on both back hooves and struck a full force blow to Derpy’s right flank. While Derpy recoiled in pain, she took the opportunity to grab her sword and regain her balance. Derpy lay panting hard at Dash’s feet. There was no mercy in Dash’s eyes. Cold hatred swirled in the depths of her enraged purple gaze.
“Do it then” Derpy rasped. “Make it quick. You’ve made your choice and you won fair and square. But your father was wron-“
“DON’T TALK TO ME ABOUT MY FATHER” Dash screamed.
Tears of fury streaked her dust caked face and obscured her sight until all she saw was the gray outline of the pony she hated so much, the gray pony that she wanted dead, the gray pony that was responsible for her father’s death. Dash leveled the sword until it was pointed at Derpy’s neck. Her vision turned red. She swung.
Her sword thudded to the ground next to Derpy, missing her entirely. The blade sank almost up to the hilt in mud.
The gash had taken its toll. Sword Flash stumbled and fell as Rainbow and Derpy rushed to him. The poison had reached his heart. His breath came in shallow gasps, and smoke rose from every orifice.
He was unable to speak, but he turned his head to look one last time at his two apprentices, who sat by him, devastated. And he passed into the void.
Derpy glanced up, confused.
“Go.”
“Leave. I never want to see you again.” Rainbow choked. She looked more miserable than angry now, her ears and tail drooping. She turned and sat at the edge of the island, looking out over the marshland, ignoring the flies that buzzed around her, and not caring about the thick mud that caked her flank.
Derpy took the dagger she had by her side. With a little hesitation, she stabbed herself in the chest.
Rainbow turned around, horrified as Derpy fell. She ran towards her.
“NO! DERPY!”
The gray mare looked up at her, with sorrow and remorse in her eyes.
“I never wanted to hurt you Rainbow. I-I-I just wanted to make things right.” she stammered.
Rainbow looked wildly from side to side, looking for anything that would staunch the bleeding. Derpy shook her mane, a sad smile crossing her features. She coughed violently into her hoof. When she moved it away, it was coated in blood. Her breath was coming in shallow gasps- exactly the same as when Sword Flash had passed.
“It’s for the best Dash. I don’t want to forget like you do Rainbow. I never did, even when we got to Ponyville. And I'll be happy enough to see Sword Flash again” she told Rainbow, her expression content, despite the blood pouring from her wound and pooling at the ground around Rainbow’s hooves.
“Please. Don’t forget. Me or Sword Flash.” And with that, Derpy took her last breath.
Rainbow closed her sister’s eyelids so it looked like she was sleeping. The cyan pony lifted her as gently as possible into her hooves, and started the long flight back to Ponyville. She flew with Derpy’s bloodstained body clutched tightly against her chest. Never again would she spend time in the present trying to forget the past. Derpy was right. Remember the past, and move on with the present.