The afternoon sun shined brightly over the cluttered trashy town, baking the dry soil and left a scaly surface of cracks. Rainbow Dash sat along the edge of a crudely built bell tower made of scrap metal and dead drying wood. She tried to stay under the shade to keep herself from getting hot as she searched for a fellow pegasus. It was very odd, she noticed, that not a single pegasus was to be seen flying in the sky. At first she thought it was because of the unbearable hot air high above, where even she had trouble breathing in, that kept them from being in the air where they belonged.
She examined the town again, looking over it all. In the middle of the central part of it was a wide dirt road, shops and other buildings lined the street. Ponies were trotting along and across it, going along their daily business. Every home was built out of wood, dead and as dry as the desert surrounding the town. Metal roofing plated the top of each and every home, attracting sun and possibly kept the heat outside instead of inside...
Her attention turned again to the ponies moving along far below. They had not noticed her yet and minded their own selves.
Another strange thing that Rainbow Dash had picked up since she had first flown around the town. Some earth ponies were wearing freaky white robes trimmed with gold. The sleeves were long and they stood on their back legs, walking awkwardly. What's with everypony? She thought, shaking her head disapprovingly. The only normal ponies were the unicorns and the farmer-ish looking earth ponies, nothing of them had changed. The cyan pegasus peeked from where she hid in the cool shades under a bell, the only place she could find refugee in the hot sky, even so she hung her tongue out as she panted like a dog in the heat.
"I can't take this anymore!" She vented, leaping off the bell tower and opened her wings to glide down. "We walk!"
Unexpectedly she was blasted up higher into the air, forgetting that when the air was heated it would rise. Basic knowledge for a weatherpony... The stinging heat of embarrassment left a red mark across Dash's cheeks as she quickly folded her wings.
She dove towards the dusty sun-bleached earth and opened her wings at the last few feet above the ground to prevent herself from splattering across it. A small cloud of dust welled up, blocking her view momentarily and bringing up a cough from her. The ponies around her stopped what they were doing and looked at their newcomer, curious to see who had fallen from the sky.
Rainbow Dash coughed again, shaking herself and fanned the dust off with her wings. When it all settled down she looked at everyone with a confident smirk. I think I should make myself known here. Maybe somepony will help me out.
"Attention everypony! I, Rainbow Dash the greatest flier in Equestria, am in need of your help." She paused, waiting for the townsponies to react. She was met with cold hard stares and an utter, uneasy silence. Pinkie worriedly looked up at Dashie without moving her head, just her eyes. The entire street had gone quiet the moment Rainbow Dash had revealed herself to them. Everypony looked at her with pure anger in their eyes, despite that she had done nothing wrong. The hate in their eyes and empty wordless air began to unnerve Rainbow, her eyes darted around as she searched for a friendly face.
"I... I... uh..." She began again, her voice becoming dry and cracked. "I need your help..." Dash turned her head to look at an old pony wrapping a protective leg around her grandchild. "Please..." She begged.
They kept silent, not a word... not even the wind was blowing. Rainbow Dash stepped back, suddenly putting everything together...
"No... N-no!" She gasped. The townsponies stepped forward, picking up weapons or readying what they already were holding. Pinkie Pie tugged on Dashie's belt, glancing fearfully at the hostile crowd. Dash reached to grab Pinkie but one old looking colt noticed and swiped at her with a pick ax.
"Run!" Pinkie screamed, panicking now. At this point she was too scared to even 'giggle at the ghosties' like she always did when something frightened her. Dash took the advice very well, turning and kicking the colt who had attacked her. The old colt leaped back in surprise, giving Dash the gap to escape. She pushed through, running as the crowd tried to sneak in kicks and tossed rocks at her as she fled. They had missed but one rock had mad it's mark, flying high and fast, striking Dash's right wing. It broke with a sickening crunch and she screamed in pain, stopping just to look at it. It was twisted from the impact and rendered her chances to escape into next to impossible. Rainbow Dash was not exactly quick on her hooves.
Tears came to her eyes, never before had she been treated like this... Ponyville had always been a peaceful place. Dash had never been subjected to horrors like this. Despite the overwhelming pain, she continued to run far and fast. The crowd gave chase, attracting attention and bringing more into their numbers.
Rainbow Dash's heart was beating as fast as a hummingbird's wings and she turned into a corner, ducking under a pile of crates behind a weathered building. She covered her mouth as the mob ran by, shouting and yelling.
"Find the pegasus!"
"How did she even get past the barrier!?"
"Get the bounty hunters on her trail!"
"Report this incident to the General in Doaria!"
Rainbow Dash huddled tighter, tears streaming down her face as she resisted her urge to scream in pain in fear. She trembled violently and Pinkie simply watched, the horror fixated in her eyes as she realized there was nothing she could do... Dash shut her eyes and waited for the mob to rush past before she even dared to stick her head out from her hiding place. She looked to the left, a cloud of dust had formed where the hostiles had gone off. Glancing to her right she saw nopony else on the dusty road. Pinkie Pie tugged on the belt tied around Rainbow's chest. Dash winced in pain, the belt had rubbed against her throbbing broken wing. Pinkie whimpered guiltily.
"No... I'm fine... Ah!" She took a step forward and accidentally, by reflex, attempted to open both her wings. The pain was too much to continue searching for the Drunken Dragon, not to mention staying out in the open with an angry mob out on the prowl. Rainbow Dash was confused... what had she done to get them so angry? Why did they hate pegasi so much?
A grim idea slowly crept in the back of her mind and she trembled. Was it possible that pegasi are on the edge of extinction? What had they done, as a race, to anger the others to the point where they must be killed on sight? So many questions swam around her head and little answers arose to solve them. However now was not the time to ponder such things.
I got to find medical attention... uugh...
"Hey!" A young voice boomed in the distance. Pinkie shrieked. "Run Dashie!"
Rainbow turned to run but before she could go as far as a yard, a cloud of magic encased itself around her, trapping her.
"Nooo!!!" She screamed, struggling with all she had, bucking her legs around in mid air.
"Calm down! You'll only hurt yer'self s'more!"
"No! You're going to kill me! Lemme go! Lemme go!" Dash screamed again. The unicorn revealed himself, stepping out the dusty fog that had remained in the air from the mob. It was unnatural how it had stayed... as if not a lick of wind had been blown... The unicorn colt moved up until he was in front of her, adding strength to his binding spell to constrict her limbs. She was paralyzed now, not even able to open her mouth to speak.
"Okay." The unicorn breathed out, glaring at her with testy purple eyes. His coat was a light brown color, almost like syrup and his mane a rich maroon. "I've clamped your mouth shut for two reasons. A, you are one loud bitch."
Excuse me!?
"And B... I'm here to help you. That knife of yours... I've seen one just like it." He added, staring at Pinkie, who kept as still as she could be. There was an awkward pause for a few moments and the unicorn looked at Rainbow Dash expectantly. She looked around, checking if anypony else was around before looking back at him before raising her eyebrow. Realization dawned his face and he laughed.
"I'm sorry! Let me free your mouth." He said, releasing his hold on her. Dash groaned.
"Who... who are you?" She asked. "And why do you want to help me?"
The unicorn opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the sound of thundering hooves in the distance. "Ah! It is not safe to speak here. I shall take you to my group's meeting spot. My brother should be there." He exclaimed, his horn coated itself in that magical aura once more, covering Dash's mouth and cloaked with an invisibility spell. He moved her above him as the farmer colt who had attacked Dash earlier came up to him.
"Remy. Why is yer horn a-glowin'?" He demanded. The mob behind the bearded farmer looked rugged after running around the block, the dusty sands floating down on their coats. Their presence sparked fear into both Pinkie and Dash's hearts. They were so close and yet so unaware... if this Remy revealed their presences to them...
"N-nuthin' boss! I... uh... Just gettin' some crates!" Remy quickly lied, summoning some crates from the alley way where Dash had come out of. As much as she wanted to sigh in relief, Dash couldn't even if she wished to.
Remy turned to go but one of the mobsters raised up a hoof. "Hang on there buddy boy. Is that a feather on that there box?" The unicorn froze in his tracks and Dash saw him cringe. "Uh... Must've been a bird of some kind. Heh."
"Such a large feather for a bird, Remy..." The bearded colt slowly muttered, examining it. He looked up right where Rainbow Dash floated above Remy. Panic tore into all three of their hearts at that moment and Remy did his best to keep his poker face from breaking.
"Colorful too." He added, eyeing him with suspicion. "Remy, I've been takin' care of you since yer parent's died in that pegasi raid back when The Empress came into power." He said, trotting around the unicorn.
Pega-pegasi raid? Dash thought to herself, watching the farmer circle Remy.
"Are you sayin' I'm hiding the pegasus?" Remy asked.
"I said nothin' of the sort." The farmer answered. "I believe she was around here. Be careful... she is armed and dangerous. If you see her, capture her. Understand?"
Remy nodded. "Yes'sir!"
"Good, now get!" The farmer cried. "An' finish yer job I left you with today!"
"Yes'sir!" The unicorn colt cried out as he ran off, Rainbow Dash floating besides him unseen.
One bulky earth pony came up to the head farmer. "Uhm... Boss? He left the crates behind..."
The farmer stroked his beard with his hoof. "I know son... Get yer cousin and follow him."
"Sure thing Pa."
* * *
Remy had brought Rainbow Dash to a dull looking building that looked like it had been through quite a lot of damage. Wooden planks covered up what used to be holes in the wall and mold had infected it, producing a sickly green color and a heavy stench. Pinkie glanced up and saw a sign hanging on a single chain, still and covered in what seemed to be holes from something... Drun...en... ra...on... What a funny name for a house.
The light brown unicorn entered the worn down building, lowering the invisible pegasus behind him to float inside. Dash moved her eyes around and saw several ponies lying in awkward positions and at odd places. Tables, on the floor... One was hanging on a ceiling fan. Another dense odor filled the air which Pinkie recognized as alcohol. She was never a drinker but she did know of a pony by the name Berry Punch who came to her for anti-depressants to try and keep herself from being drunk all day. Most of the time she had the very same smell that she was sniffing up right now.
Remy's legs trembled, obviously tired of hauling Rainbow Dash around, and slumped against the bar counter. A pinkish pony leaned against the counter, wiping clean a glass with a towel. She glared at him before putting the glass away. "Whadda ya want, kiddo?"
"Huh... the.... Punch... Special..." He wheezed. The bartender raised an eyebrow. "You okay?"
"Never... better..."
The bartender sighed and went to the side and opened a small knee length door. "Come with me then for your drink, sir."
Remy followed, his magic ceasing and letting Rainbow Dash free to move again. However he kept her invisible still. Dash looked down at Pinkie quietly and she shrugged. The two followed Remy and the pink bartender to a door labeled Winery. The bartender took out a key and unlocked it, letting Remy enter. Dash ran quickly through, her broken wing brushed against the closing door. She squealed in pain.
The bartender opened the door again and looked in. "You alright, kid?"
"Yes... I'm fine!" He replied. Dash put her hoof in her mouth, keeping the rest of her scream snuffed out. The bartender shook her head and shut the door again. A small clicked indicated that the door had been locked and they were safe.
With a heavy sigh, Remy released his invisibly spell. "We made it..." He gasped.
Rainbow Dash trotted over to him, one of her eyes tightly shut as her wing started to throb again.
"Why didn't you just let me walk with you when I was invisible back there?" She asked.
Remy paused. "Uh..."
"You don't think things through... do you?"
He chuckled. "Nope..."
She rolled her eyes and her shoulders moved along with them. She moaned in pain again doing so.
"Oh no... That doesn't look good... You need to see a doctor with magic!"
"The sooner the better. If this wings heals abnormally... Ah! Oowww... it hurts..."
Remy shivered, he never liked looking at wounds. Sometimes by seeing them he could feel the pain too... He pointed a hoof down the hall, the walls laden with giant barrels that were most likely filled with wine and other alcoholic drinks. "Just this way. I promise there will be someone to help you. He'll fix you right up, wing, cuts, bruises and all." Rainbow Dash trotted behind him. "He better... I need to get home."
The path was long and winding, the never-ending sight of barrels seemed to go on forever as they walked. Pinkie looked up at Dashie and started to whisper. "You sure we can trust him?"
Keeping her voice just under her breath, Dash replied. "He saved our lives... what choice do we have?"
Pinkie pouted. "I don't trust him... He knows that old colt that tried to stab you a while ago."
"And?" She stressed out, trying to grasp her point.
"Just be careful, Dashie..." Pinkie muttered, becoming still again. Remy stopped in front of a large iron door. "Here we are." He said, his voice echoing down the tunnel. Rainbow Dash's eyes focused on the decor on the door... It was the same Equestrian emblem that she had found on the note. Wait a minute... Does this mean I was just at the Drunken Dragon now? If that's the case...
"Remy." She called out as he began to utilize magic to open the door.
"Hm?" He replied, still gathering power.
"What day is it today?"
"Why, it's Friday of course!" He remarked, smirking. Rainbow Dash sighed. "Thanks."
"Something the matter?"
"No, no... I just thought something special was going to happen today because I thought it was Thursday." She explained.
"Oh... Oh! You know about the meeting?" He exclaimed as the door swung open. Dash nodded. "Yes. I think they can help me find a way home."
He extended a hoof in an expression to let her go in first. She did so, minding her broken wing and keeping it from hitting the door to prevent another pain attack. Remy followed and shut the door. The room was small and had a table with a large map strewn over it. Six ponies, two earths and four unicorns sat around it discussing some important topic when they glanced over when the sound of the closing door reached their ears.
"Well, lookie here! Our little scout has brought home a girl!" Somepony had called out. Rainbow Dash flushed and stamped her hooves on the ground. "I'm not with him! I need help!"
One of the unicorns, a white one with a red mane, came forward. "With a wing like that, I would agree with you. Stay still." He ordered. His horn started to glow and Dash cried out in pain again as her wing bones shifted in place before it had been broken. When the magic released she fell on her knees, panting from the amount of pain that had washed over her. The healed wing was numb but with a tentative jerk, movable again.
"Sorry about that. I should have warned you it was going to hurt." He apologized. "Why didn't you?" Dash grunted, getting back up. "I had a feeling you wouldn't be too keen on letting me do it." The unicorn reasoned. He then smiled and offered a welcoming hoof. "My name is Medak. I'm a doctor from Doaria."
He then raised a hoof to point out the others. A red earth mare with an orange mane and a bandanna tied around her head. "Mercy, she's our other scout, save for Remy of course."
"Heya." Mercy simply said, waving at Dash. Her voice was sharp and had a strange accent unlike one she's heard before. He then pointed to the other earth pony. "This here is Wilhelm. You can say he's the oldest of our small group." Remy stepped forward, grinning. "He's also my older brother."
Something clicked in Pinkie's mind. So Remy was the pony that Wilhelm was writing to in that note Dashie found?
The last two unicorns were twins who shared the same coat color, grey, but their manes were of different shades of gold. The lighter maned one was named Gavin and the darker maned, Gabin. "Pleased to meet you!" The both spoke in unison, in perfect harmony that they sounded as one with an echoing voice. Rainbow Dash's ears folded back. "Thank you... It's so nice to meet everypony here but there is something I want to ask..."
"Shoot." Mercy said. "We'll do what we can as long as it's in our power."
"Agreed." Wilhelm added. "What is it?"
How do I say this...
"I'm... not from around here...So I'll start with the most important question. Where am I?" Rainbow Dash asked.
Medak motioned to her and lead her to a cushion on the ground. Dash took at second look at everypony else and realized they too were sitting on pillows. "Oh, thank you." She said.
Remy was the one to answer. "You're in Siria. It's a poor town that relies on farming as it's main source of income."
"But in a desert?"
"Yeah, I know... but one mare invented a special breed of carrot that allows it to be grown in all sorts of environments." Mercy explained. "She reached under the table and pulled out a basket of dry looking carrots. "Try one." She bit into one and tossed it in Dash's direction. The cyan pegasus jumped up and caught it, chewing half of it in her mouth and bit it down in half. It was strangely juicy despite being so dry looking. The flavor wasn't that bad either. "It's great. Thanks... What about the wall around this town? What's it for?"
"Pegasi. Ever since we were attacked by The Empress's forces back in the day, that wall's been built to keep 'em out." Gavin answered, a grim look on his face. "We lost a lot of good ponies that day." Gabin added.
"But pegasi fly, I easily got over that wall." Dash replied, raising an eyebrow. Medak rubbed his two hooves together. "Well it's only activated by magic. If anypony were to see a pegasi, all of the unicorns in town are summoned to activate the shield. you must have gotten lucky to have flown in without being noticed. Did you come in at night, per chance?"
Dash nodded. "Yeah, I did. Why?"
"Night is when the guards don't keep watch. Mainly because they rather spend their time here, in this bar... Some protection, eh?"
Rainbow Dash finished her other half of the carrot and noticed that they were staring at her intently. "What is it?"
"Your weapon... it is... odd." Mercy slowly said, squinting at Pinkie. "It seems to stare back at me with those little eyes of hers..."
"I... found it in the desert last night. Um..." Dash tried to change the subject, not wanting them to find out that her little knife was actually alive... She didn't know how'd they would react to it. That was something she did not want to risk.
"Why... why are there no pegasi around anyway? What did we do that made everypony here tried to kill me? On a related note, why are you helping me?"
Wilhelm stood, moving towards Rainbow Dash. "The Empress is the reason. She rose up an army of pegasi and fought our two Queens. She left the sun queen a damaging scar and nopony has seen her since. We do know that she's out there hiding with her loyal army. My friend in Doaria has told me he has spoken with her on several occasions since I last visited the city. I returned yesterday to tell my friends here of this for I plan to head out by morning to return to Doaria."
"And we're going with him!" Mercy included, raising a confident hoof. She whooped excitedly. "I've always wanted to go to Doaria! I've heard it's a miraculous oasis in this wasteland."
"I've been there myself." Medak said. "It really is a beautiful place. The moon queen did a fine job taking over her sister's place."
All the while Dash listened to them. Sun queen? Moon queen? That had to be Celestia and Luna...
"I need to find a way home..." Rainbow Dash finally asked, breaking their small conversation that the group had going on, detailing the wonders of the city by the name of Doaria.
"Oh... Well, where do you live then, girl?" Mercy asked, bringing the map closer to her.
"I don't think you'll find it there Mercy... I'm... I'm from Equestria." Dash explained, her ears folded back and her wings drooped. "Equestria...? I've never heard of such a place before..."
Rainbow Dash sighed. "I had a feeling you wouldn't..."
There was an awkward silence for a long while until Remy lifted up his hoof. "Hey... Brother, why don't we take uh..." He stopped. The group laughed. "It appears you have not given us your name, miss." Medak said.
Rainbow Dash smiled apologetically. "Oh. No one asked so I just... Um. My name is Rainbow Dash."
The group shared confused looks. "Rainbow Dash, you said?" Wilhelm said, sitting in front of her. His eyes did not stray from Pinkie. "From Equestria..." His gaze was very unsettling to Rainbow Dash and Pinkie. It felt as if he knew more than he did. He closed his eyes and dipped his head. "Very well then. Rest up Miss Dash. Tomorrow we all head out for Doaria."
Wilhelm glanced towards his partners with a lingering gaze before going to his cushion and lying on it.
"Good night, my friends." He said. Mercy smiled tenderly and pushed the carrot basket back under the table.
"Night, love."
One by one, they all said evening goodbyes and sank into their dreams, leaving Rainbow Dash alone with Pinkie Pie to speak. It had been quite a day for her and they had much to discuss.
"What do you think of Remy now?" Rainbow whispered.
"I don't know... did you see that Wilhelm guy? He was looking at me so weird... I feel so icky all over now!" Pinkie gagged and rubbed her blade with her hooves, a scrapping sound breaking the silence of the night. "Pinkie!"
"Sorry... I'll be more quiet."
"The sun and moon queens... Do you think they could be Celestia and Luna?"
Pinkie pulled herself out of Dash's sheath and crawled down on the floor so that she faced Rainbow Dash. The pegasus was lying on her stomach, a blanket draped over her. The meeting room was quiet and dark... it unnerved Dash.
"You know something else?" Pinkie giggled, resting her head on her hooves and looking up at Dash with her small blue eyes. "I think Mercy likes Wilhelm. Tee hee!"
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "Oh Pinkie..." But she couldn't help but smile. Pinkie yawned and blinked several times sleepily.
"Looks like somepony needs to have her sleep..." Pinkie yawned again hugged Dash's hoof, the best she could to come close to curling up in sleep. Dash smiled and lowered her head and closed her eyes. Soon... We'll find home. I promise... someone in Doaria has to help... they have too.
...
Wilhelm rolled over slightly, keeping careful not to awake Mercy. He eyed the strange rainbow maned pegasus... She was speaking... to her knife.
I'll just have to keep a careful eye on her. She may be the one the sun queen speaks of... Or she may be what the Empress desires...