Equestria: 372 days after the collapse. Following Dashiell, Rainbow/ Pinkimena Pie/ Twilight Sparkle. Canterlot.
The room maintained its lingering silence; only small beams of light pierced the ever-present darkness. Dash was still in shock after the events that had just transpired. Pinkie lay on her back, paralyzed in pain after the fight. Dash quickly hopped off her departed opponent, hooves slightly shaking. The room adopted an eerie silence, the last hit echoing in everyponys’ minds. Dash fluttered over to Pinkie, her side severely wounded by the creature.
“Pinkie!!!” Dash shouted, finally regaining her senses. Dash quickly opened one of her bags, grabbing a bottle of clear liquid and bandages. “Pinkie! Stay with me,” Dash said desperately, “you’re gonna make it, just focus on me!”
Twilight was stuck in the shadows, the black holding her in an iron grip. Years of lessons that Celestia had taught her of wars stuck in her mind. Somewhere far back she remembered the relief of never having to experience war, to be forever safe. The comfort and safety of her old life ebbed away slowly as she finally realized the events that just transpired.
Dash was holding pressure to Pinkie’s side, Pinkie moaning from the extreme pain. “Twilight, Pinkie is patched up. She’ll live, but she needs a few days of rest. We have to find Fluttershy as soon as possible.” Dash stated, sadness lingering at the end of every word. Twilight just nodded and helped Dash pick up Pinkie.
“Twi? Do you even know where the basement to this place is?”
“Yeah, all we need to do is go to the main vault,”
“Let’s hurry then, we don’t need any more of these things getting in the way.”
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What are these things? The first one was easy, but the rest seemed… armed. Pinkie did have a gash made from a blade… I need to figure this out.
How about we start with you admitting that you want to kill them, you need it.
Celestia-dammit, leave me alone already!
You’re basically telling yourself to go away at this point.
You are NOT me. I don’t know where you came from, nor do I even care! But I just wanna end this, all of it!
Dashie, Dashie, Dashie. You live for the sword; it’s in your blood. All you want is to kill. The only reason you don’t go after your friends is because you know them. Anypony else is an obstacle.
And I would suppose that you could fix this, that you could do a much better job than me, right?
None of you will ever come close; you know that this is unnatural, that no normal being could do this. A higher being is involved, all three of the princesses happen to die in two different locations, and that is suddenly not a possibility?
Well… no. But that doesn't mean that we can’t fix it. If we got all of the elements, we could fix this.
Think what you want, but remember that if you do something right, nopony should know you’ve done anything at all.
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The two conscious mares reached a large door at the end of the hallway, yet again emblazoned with an eight pointed sun. The door seemed untouched by the outside world, keeping an eerily clean exterior. Twilight got to work on opening the large locking mechanism. Dash looked at Pinkie, an unsettling look on her face. Pinkie let out several moans and yelps in the few minutes Dash waited for Twilight.
“Okay, door’s open. Let’s move.” Twilight ordered, gesturing a hoof to the room.
Dash picked up Pinkie and rested her on her wings. Twilight took point as they began the journey into the giant basement. The whole place was a mess, furniture knocked over, excess supplies scattered around the ground, along with documents lining the floor. The room, however, lacked the blood that all of the other previous rooms boasted.
There was dust settled on every overturned table and desk, seemingly unmoved in years. As Twilight lit her horn, Dash noticed that something wasn’t right, the papers were all stacked in perfect stacks, the stacks were just very scattered. Dash began kicking aside the papers with one of her free hooves. As Twilight trotted over to Dash, her search unfruitful, Dash was pawing at a small wooden door.
*Tap*
*Tap-tap-tap*
*Tap-tap*
*Tap-tap*
*Tap*
*CLICK*
The door seemed to magically open, and much to the surprise of Twilight, nopony was opening it. Dash readjusted Pinkie before motioning Twilight to the stairs, leading even further into the darkness. As she lit her horn, a loud series of clicks and pops came from the now closed door.
“Now listen Twi, Fluttershy is probably gonna be hurtin’, she’s not used to this, and to be honest, I don’t know about the fate of her parents. Please don’t say anything rash.” Dash pleaded.
“I promise.” Twilight confirmed. “But have you thought about our next move?”
“A little here and there, but the major thing that comes to mind is getting the others.” Dash said. “Unfortunately, this route is very dangerous, but it is necessary. We have no clue when something else bad is gonna happen.” Dash finished with a sigh.
“We do need the others, but the elements are gonna be a high profile target.” Twilight said, motioning to Dash’s saddlebags. “We do have to keep this whole situation on the down low.”
“We need to rest after we find Flutters, Pinkie needs her wounds tended and I need a break from fighting.” Dash said in a dejected tone. “It takes a lot out of ya.”
“I know, and I’m sorry. I wish I could take your place, but I’m nowhere near as brave as you.” Twilight replied.
“Unfortunately, you guys had to be dragged into this too. As long as you can lay low and defend yourself if you need to, you’re gonna be fine.”
The two conscious mares finally reached another door, this on emblazoned with a crescent moon with splatters around it. Dash used the back of her hoof to nudge open the door, readying her blade with the other. Dash spun around to check behind the doors, which were cleared. Twilight had a different priority, however.
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Twilight kept her hooves quiet as she approached the faded yellow blob lying in one corner of the room. As soon as she finally drew near to what she feared to encounter, it was too late.
“EEK! Who’s there?! Please don’t hurt me!” the timid pegasus pleaded, sobbing loudly. “I don’t have anything! Just leave me!” Twilight took a step back before clearing her throat.
“Fluttershy?” Twi asked uncertainly.
“T-Twilight? How did you get down here? What happened? Is this gonna get better? Have the princesses started finding the cause?” Fluttershy rattled the questions off at machine gun speed.
“We don’t know, we don’t know, and something… odd is happening with the princesses.” Twi answered mechanically.
“Wait. You said… we?” Fluttershy quizzed, hope clearly displayed on her face.
“Yeah, luckily we have two more of our friends… Thank Celestia that Dash got us, we wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for her.” Twilight finished. It was obvious that Fluttershy stopped paying attention at the mention of Dash. She shakily got to her hooves and trotted towards the door. Dash was changing Pinkie bandages, her wounds seemingly improved.
“DASHIE!!!” Fluttershy squealed in delight, instantly springing on the blue pegasus.
“Ohmycelestiaimsogladyoumadeitithoughtforsurethaty-“ Dash held up a hoof.
“I’m glad to see you too, Shy.” Dash said as she returned the hug. “But before we can catch up we have to get Pinkie patched up.” Dash said, motioning towards the still-unconscious mare. “The healing potion we found at the shop sure works like a charm.” Dash said, holding up a vial of glowing blue liquid.
“Shop?” Twilight asked, obviously intrigued.
“Yeah, I stopped at a blacksmith shop of an old friend. That’s how we got this body armor, weapons, and charms, remember?”
“Wait, so this wasn’t from Celestia’s armory?” Twilight inquired.
“Nope, from an old friend. I told you this all before.” Dash said, slightly irritated.
“I guess I never really thought of it until now, but this stuff is more advanced than Celestia’s guards are equipped with.”
“Yep, he was really smart and always kept his stuff under close control.”
“You don’t happen to know where he is now, do you?”
“Nah, old Double Down could be anywhere, haven’t seen him for years.”
“Too bad. This stuff is powerful, could maybe fix some stuff, and maybe find some answers.”
“Well, if we ever see a thug that looks like him, I’ll try to keep him in one piece.” Dash shot a wink at Twi. “If you wouldn’t mind setting up shop Twilight, I’ll finish taking care of Pinkie and then we can fill Flutters in on what’s been happening.”
“Sounds good.” Twi said, trotting to the center of the room while Dash fluttered back over to Pinkie’s side.
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After a while of medical treatment and decorating, the three conscious mares sat around a cloth with various assorted objects. “Well, Shy, here we are. About one year ago, we still had everything, but today, we have nothing. Some stuff happened and the whole world went to hell. As far as we know, the princesses were assassinated in two different parts of Equestria at about the same time.” Rainbow sharply inhaled before continuing the explanation. “I found Pinkie as the only one of our friends still in Ponyville, we traveled to Canterlot to find something like a changeling, but a bit different…”
“These things can actually inhabit a pony’s personality and use their abilities, but the abilities get less and less effective as time goes on as far as I can assume. They can also fight very well and aren’t weak” Dash took a break to motion towards Pinkie. “We found Twilight and after some convincing we got her to come with us. We ended up in Cloudsdale and found your parents’ house.” At this Fluttershy winced a bit. “I knew that you were gone because all of the pictures were gone. I found your note and came here.” Dash swallowed, knowing what conversation followed this one.
“We got in a fight just in the main room of the castle and Pinkie was hurt. And now, here we are.” Dash finished. “What happened with you?” She asked with genuine concern.
“Well, I left Ponyville about an hour after whatever happened. I found my parents’ house. I-I took a-all of th-the pictures t-to war-warn you.” Fluttershy was starting to tear up. Suddenly she felt feathery down on her shoulder, and looked over to see a smiling blue pegasus to her side. “I lived there for a while, b-but eventually I ran out of food and supplies. I went to town and got some, almost not getting out alive.” Fluttershy paused.
“I thought that down here would be safest until you guys would hopefully find me. Luckily you did, I just ran out of food.”
“Fluttershy, I know this is gonna hurt to talk about this, but did you see your parents?” Twilight asked, softening her tone at the end of the sentence.
Fluttershy instantly deflated. “Y-yeah. I-I saw m-my d-dad flying aw-away, but I-I couldn’t even f-fly after h-him, He wa-was too fast.” Fluttershy managed to choke out. “ M-My mom I-I s-saw a-a-at t-th-…” Fluttershy broke out in tears. Rainbow instantly drew Fluttershy in a tight embrace, sharing some of her yellow friend’s tears.
“It’s okay, you don’t need to talk about it.” Dash cooed. Fluttershy couldn’t even respond, she could only continue sobbing into Dash’s shoulder.
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After about an hour of talking about the weapons that Fluttershy would be using, everypony was just about too tired to focus; everypony got set in for bed. Just at the point where Twilight was about to fade away into the realms of sleep, a rumble shook the castle, pieces of the ceiling fell to the floor, shattering to shards.
Dash instantly drew all her hoof-blades and her sword. “Stay here, I’ll check it out.” Dash barked, running out of the room. Dash had to concentrate harder than before, her mind dragging from sleep loss. As soon as she hit the panel that lead to the castle, she hesitated. Rainbow cautiously approached the door, tilting her head and resting an ear on the cold metal.
Dash could hear faint voices, almost too muffled to even begin to recognize. Dash instantly tensed as she realized that the voices were drawing closer.
“S- you s-y sh- to-k ou- three o- our bes- guys?” The first voice was rough and sandpapery.
“Ye-h, c-t throu-h ‘em li-e th-y were paper.” The second voice was soft and clear. “I’m lu-ky I e-en got away.”
“So y-u think she would -ide here?”
“Definitely, I k-ow she’s an e-ement holder, -he’ll need to check the castle to move away from the city.”
“Well, hopefully this girl i-n’t as tough as you make her out to be.” A third voice joined in.
“Yeah, we can’t deal with any more deaths than we already have” Fourth. Dash thought.
With a quick spin, Dash was off, she knew that these guys were gonna find them eventually. Damn, why didn’t we move those papers back over the door!? Dash mentally cussed to herself. She burst through the door, startling Twilight and waking Fluttershy.
“Listen up, we’re gonna get some heat. Four guys are coming, no doubt from the group of thieves that I took care of at the library. In case things go south, you guys need to defend yourself. Twilight, if anything, just teleport away.” Dash rattled off the instructions as she grabbed a small bag within her saddlebags. She took a deep inhale, “Fluttershy, I know you’re gonna be fine as long as you stay with Twilight. If I yell out the word ‘apple’, you guys leave. It’s been an honor knowing you guys.” Dash finished.
“Good luck.” Twilight said, words falling short of how she really felt. Fluttershy was openly crying. “Oh, and tell Pinkie to stay strong.” Dash said before turning back and running out of the room. “Don’t worry Shy, she’ll come back,” Twi said wistfully, “she always does.”
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Dash walked with velvet hooves down the hallway. It seemed to stretch for miles and miles, only the darkness greeted her. When she reached twenty feet from the hatch, she reached in her bag and threw out a few tiny orbs. She took a moment to breathe and draw all of her blades. She thought for a moment before taking out another object from her bag. This time it was a black box about the size of her hoof.
With great care, she placed the box against the wall, and continued walking back. After throwing out a few more orbs, she walked back another ten paces and stopped, hiding herself in the shadows. Dash knew that she wouldn’t have to wait very long; she knew that thieves wanted to steal, and they’ll do it as quickly as they can.
As if her thoughts were magic, there was an explosion that blew open the trap door. Dash readied herself, mentally preparing for another round of playing hero.
“Are you sure they’re down here?”
“Positively, all we need to do is find them.”
“Let’s get to it then.”
Within a matter of seconds, a powdery explosion poured from the front of the hallway, covering everything in the vicinity a dark black.
“Ah bollocks! She’s smarter than we thought.”
“But her luck’s about to run out.”
Dash heard the sound of their hoofsteps grow closer together, no doubt angry about the first trap. A silent release of a spring was heard, and then another.
“Aye, boss! I’m all tied up! I can’t move me bloody hooves mate!”
“He’s right, I’m tied up too. Just go get her; we’ll be there in a sec.”
The two standing thieves were foolish enough to keep trotting forward at an even faster pace than before. Yet another powdery explosion followed. Rainbow leapt from her position in the dark, successfully ran her blade across the throat of the first pony, causing a sharp gasp and a muffled cry. Dash quickly took up the space behind the second pony, making sure that he still couldn’t see.
Dash took out a curved, black knife and flung the knife perfectly in the center of the chest of the first tied up pony, frightening the other to no end. Unfortunately, he already untied himself and the one in the darkness behind her swung his arm in a strong hook, which Dash was ready for, throwing him over her shoulder. Rainbow gasped slightly as his knife cut into her right hoof.
The recently untied pony was up and ready for more, swinging a kick that connected with Dash’s ribcage, a dull thud resounded. Dash shook of the pain and grabbed his leg, twisting quickly upwards, a sharp cracking sound resulted. The crippled pony cried in pain as the second thief swung yet another hook at Dash, this time it was successfully caught with Dash’s hoofblade.
Dash took advantage of his pain, flipping over him and catching him in a chokehold. In a matter of seconds and a quick twist of her hooves, yet another ear shattering crack resounded throughout the hallway. Dash let out a scream of pain when she realized that the bandit had taken the opportunity to swing his knife directly into Dash’s side. Dash fell to the ground grasping immediately at the gash that was now pouring blood. Dash slowly got back on her hooves, with no lack of cussing and screaming. Dash quickly staggered over to the one last thief.
“Hahahahahaha! You lose, but good fight anyways.” The stallion said.
“Nah, I never lose, I’m awesome.” Dash said with a twisted grin, delivering the last blow to the still chuckling stallion. Dash began hobbling to Twilight, hoping to warn her that they had to move, now. At least half a dozen clicks resounded from the hall behind her as Rainbow stopped dead in her tracks.
“Don’t make a move, don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”
Dash looked at her hooves, took her last breath and yelled her last word. “APPLE!!!!!!”