//------------------------------// // Aftermath (3) // Story: Purity // by maxxxxxx //------------------------------// Dash flew across town as fast as she could but after they day she had she was sore and weak. Her body ached and protested each flap. However, she pressed on. It didn't take her long to catch up to her injured friend, who was still slowly limping towards her home. “AJ!” Gliding down, she skidded on the ground coming to a complete stop in front of her. The blood on her leg had clotted for the most part but her constant movement had opened the gash further, causing fresh blood to spill out. Even upon Dash's arrival she had continued to walk. Applejack looked up from the ground, grinning through the pain. “Hey RD, glad yer here. Is Scootaloo alright?” “Yeah, she seemed fine but I had her stay at the hospital just in case. She told me that Zecora told her and Apple Bloom that something bad was going to happen. Apple Bloom went home to warn your family, I bet they're okay!” Despite the news, her face now only seemed more worrisome. She stopped, lifting her hind leg just off the ground. “Rainbow, can you give me a lift?” A wave of soreness and exhaustion pulsed through her entire body, her body knew she was in no shape to carry a full grown mare. All her body wanted to do was collapse right there or on a comfy cloud and nap it off for the rest of the day. That's what her body wanted, but Dash was not about to let her friend down, and heart knew that. She shook off her tiredness. “You got it Applejack.” She hovered herself just above Applejack, analyzing her for the best way to grab her without touching her injured leg. Carefully she wrapped her hooves around her chest, just under her front legs. With a few strong flaps they were airborne, her lower legs dangling. Free from the stress of her weight, her body went limp in Dash's hooves. “Applejack, you seriously need to lose some weight!” She grunted as she willed herself through the pain. “It ain’t my fault yer get'n out of shape.” Despite everything that had happened, they still managed to laugh. ************************************************************************************************************ After a very slow flight they finally made it to Sweet Apple Acres. It was a disaster. The barn lay in ruins. The trees had been devastated, the few that had not been flattened by the explosion had been striped bare. “No.” Applejack spoke in a barely audible whisper. Dash's body was giving out. Using the last of her strength she gently placed her friend on her hooves, every muscle shaking in protest. As soon as she was safely on the ground Dash went limp, she collapsed on the ground, panting hard. Her mouth was dry, her body ached and the only thing she could hear was her blood rushing through her ears and her heart beating out of her chest. Without a second thought Applejack ran over to the ruined barn, adrenaline temporarily taking away the pain in her leg. She frantically began throwing pieces or rubble aside digging for her family, tears began pouring down her face. “Why? This can't be happening!” She was hyperventilating. Rainbow dash shakily trotted up behind her and gingerly placed a hoof on her shoulder. “What's all that cry'n for?!” Applejack and Rainbow Dash spun around in the direction of the familiar old voice. Three ponies were standing at the entrance of the cellar. “Granny Smith!” Applejack ran and hugged her grandmother and the rest of the family joined in a group hug. “I'm so glad y'all are okay!” “Zecora told me and Scootaloo that something bad was going to happen, but I guess she came here first and warned Big Mac and Granny Smith. When I came back they pulled me into the cellar and then there was a huge explosion! What in Celestia is going on? Is Ponyville alright? What about Scootaloo?” Apple Bloom took a deep breath as she finished. Rainbow Dash walked over to the Apple family. “Scoots is at the hospital, a house fell on her. Don't worry, she woke up and seemed fine but I told her not to leave until she get's checked on. Ponyville is not in good shape, Twilight did her best to protect the town but it was a big explosion, and you know about as much as we do about what the hay is going on, just that it came from the ever free forest.” Apple Bloom's face became more and more grave as Rainbow Dash explained the situation. Dash couldn’t blame her, it was all she could do not to loose it when she saw Scootaloo underneath all that rubble. “Girls!” A voice called from a distance, the ponies turned. For a moment they saw a flash of purple light, “Girls!” Rainbow Dash almost fell over as Twilight and Rarity magically appeared then Twilight yelled two inches from her face. “Oh, sorry Rainbow Dash... I must have miscalculated the distance.” She looked around at the carnage that was Sweet Apple Acres, what few trees were standing had been stripped bare. The barn was beyond repair, they would have to make an entirely new one. Twilight felt a powerful guilt was over her. As if reading her mind Applejack spoke up. “Now don't you go thinking that any of this is your fault, you saved most of Ponyville from that explosion.” “But Applejack, your farm is completely destroyed! Your family could have been seriously hurt because I couldn’t cast a bigger shield! This is my fault!” “Twilight darling you don't really believe that do you? Just think of how much worse a mess everything would be had you not been here.” Twilight nodded, but she was clearly unconvinced. Dash tried a different approach. “So why did you run all the way out here? Did you get a hold of the princess or something?” Twilight's eye's lit up with focus. “Right! I got a letter from Princess Celestia, she needs us in Canterlot with the element's of harmony, she also says to stay away from the Everfree forest at all costs.” Rainbow Dash scanned the area quickly, fear swelling in her chest. “Where is Fluttershy?!” She exclaimed, fear apparent on her face. “You think she went back? I-I asked her to stay away!” Twilight began to panic, Fluttershy wouldn’t go off on her own would she? ********************************************************************************************************* “No!” Fluttershy sprinted over to where her cottage was. Though, It was hard to be certain she was in the right place, and she really hoped she had just gotten lost. There was nothing left of her home, not even the trees or stream. Being the closest to the explosion, it would have taken the most damage but there was just nothing left. Tears poured down her face. “Angel bunny, all my animals. Why did this happen. Oh Angel.” She broke down and wailed on the ground into her forelegs. Pinkie Pie sat beside her rubbing her back in an attempt to comfort her. The air was dead still, the smell of smoke and ozone lingered overbearingly. Suddenly Fluttershy felt something hit her side. She squeaked in fear and clung to Pinkie Pie. Pinkie looked over her friend's should and smiled. “Fluttershy look! It's Angel!” She turned her head and there she saw the small white rabbit. She gasped and lunged at him, wrapping her forelegs around him. “Angel! Oh I'm so glad you're okay!” The bunny squirmed out of her grasp, and ran to the only standing object, a rock protruding out of the ground not far from where her home was. He jumped up and down in front of it, pointing. Fluttershy followed, then she remembered what was on the other side of the rock. She zoomed over to the rock at speeds Rainbow Dash would be proud of. On the other side of the rock was a cave! “Oh, are you all okay? You can come out now, everything is all right.” She cooed gently, one by one all the animals made they're way out of the cave. She was surprised so many animals could fit inside, though she had been too scared to go inside it herself she assumed it was a smaller cave, she was happy she was wrong. She glanced over all the animals and sighed in relief. “All safe.” “Oh Fluttershy I'm so glad all your animals are safe!” Pinkie happily bounced over to her friend. “So am I. I have never been so worried before, I thought you were all...” She trailed off, then shook away that unpleasant thought. “I'm just happy your all safe.” “Fluttershy!” She looked into the sky where she expected to find the source of the familiar voice, sure enough and rainbow blur was descending quickly towards her. Rainbow Dash skidded on her hooves coming to a screeching stop in front of Fluttershy. Her wings hurt almost as much as before Twilight healed them, she felt nauseous and her throat and mouth felt like she swallowed a desert. Despite being in incredible shape, she had pushed her body way too hard. She collapsed on the ground and began dry heaving, everything seemed to be spinning. Fluttershy rushed over to her side. “Dashie are you okay?” She didn't respond, she could barely hear a thing. As a top athlete she knew what her symptoms meant. She had become extremely dehydrated and over exerted herself. Her wing trembled as she used it to block her friends from view as she vomited. Fluttershy, gently stroked her back. The vomiting spell lasted nearly a minute before Rainbow Dash passed out. “Dashie! Dashie!” She shook her friend trying to wake her up. When that didn't work she turned to Pinkie. “Pinkie Pie, do you have any water?!” Pinkie shook her head as she stared shocked at the unconscious Rainbow Dash. “Fluttershy!” She turned around, Twilight and the other girls had appeared behind them. Fluttershy stood silent. Twilight eyes were met the pegasus lying on the ground, she gasped and ran to her side. “Rainbow Dash! Rainbow what happened?! Are you okay?” She shook her vigorously, tears beginning to pool in her eyes. Fluttershy pulled Twilight away from her. “Twilight, She is severely dehydrated and exhausted. She needs to get to the hospital and..” A weak and shaky voice interrupted her. “I'm not.” She coughed. “I'm not going to the hospital.” Dash rolled over facing her friends, but was still too weak to stand. Applejack padded over to her, and reached into a bad hanging over her shoulders. She pulled out a bottle of water, and uncapped it. “You need to drink something sugar cube.” She gently lifted her head up and held it with her hoof and grabbed the other end of the sports bottle with her mouth. Dash weakly opened her mouth as Applejack put pressure on the other end, squeezing out life sustaining water. Dash eagerly chugged it down, before she got half way finished AJ pulled the bottle out of her mouth. “Don't go too fast now, you don't want to throw up. Breath for a sec.” Dash nodded and took a few deep breaths. AJ nodded and placed the bottle back in her mouth. Dash sucked the rest down and Applejack helped her to her hooves. “Thanks AJ, Sorry for making you worry.” “Think nothing of it sugar cube.” “Oh Dashie! I'm so glad you're alright!” Fluttershy enveloped her in a warm hug, Rarity, Pinkie and Applejack joined in. She smiled and returned the hug. 'I really do have the best friends don't I. Wait?' “Where's Twilight?” They looked around in confusion, Twilight was nowhere to be seen. **************************************************************************************************** “Where am I?” Twilight stood in the middle of what appeared to be a crater. Is this what's left of the Everfree Forest? How did I get here? “Girls!?” She shouted, getting only her echo as a reply. The ground was completely bare, and the once lush forest around her was completely devoid of life. She turned around towards the center of the crater, then stopped dead in her tracks. A single figure stood at the center on a mound of dead scorched earth only a meter away from her. “Who are you?” She said in little more than a whisper. It turned slowly, as it moved the completely dead wind kicked up, lashing hot sand and ash at her. It stared into her eyes, with and expressionless face. “I'm Zander. I'm a human.”