Ch. 18 - Dusk Of The Dead
“It sure is nice bein' outta the house again!”
Applebloom skipped up the path, stopping in front of the Cutie Mark Crusader club house. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle followed close behind, the former wheeling her scooter.
Scootaloo glanced to the sky. “If only it wasn't so cloudy,” she commented. “Not to mention, you didn't even get out until the after noon. We barely have time left to crusade.”
“Hey! It was hard enough convincing Applejack to let me out,” Applebloom said, frowning. “Haven't been grounded that long for a while.” Other than school – and Twilight Time, which Applejack seemed more insistent she attend – Applebloom had been confined to the farm. Usually bored. When not bored, forced to attend to Granny Smith's every need.
“I'll say,” Sweetie Belle said, taking the time to right a toppled stack of boxes. “My mom and dad had me grounded for a while, too.” Truth be told, they only cut her grounding off early because they're really busy, as was Rarity, so there would be no one to watch her at home.
“Well, we're all out now,” Scootaloo said. “What are we going to do today? We missed a lot of crusading over the past few weeks...hmm...” Scootaloo tapped her chin. “I might need to consult the list.”
Applebloom and Sweetie Belle looked at each other wearily. “Uh Scoots...do ya really think that's such a good idea?” Applebloom asked.
“Huh?” Scootaloo said, blankly. “What do you mean?”
“What Applebloom means is...” Sweetie Belle paused, biting her lip. “...maybe...we ought to just...hang out?”
“Hang out? What are you two...?” Scootaloo shook her head. “You aren't making any sense. We've got a lot of catching up to do, girls. We lost two weeks after that last time, so we don't have time to just hang out!”
“Scoots, do ya even remember the last thing we did? Ah mean, seriously?”
“...well, yeah...” Scootaloo said, matter-of-factly. “We took the motor-cart out for a test drive...”
“Which we lost control of,” Applebloom added.
“...which we walked away from...” Scootaloo said, indignantly.
“After Painwheel saved our sorry flanks,” Sweetie said.
“...and then there was the fight...and getting Rainbow Dash treated and everything else...” Scootaloo continued, her resolve starting to falter. She glanced down at the ground.
“Which would'na happened if we hadn't been drivin' an unstable, poorly constructed automobile, recklessly through the town streets,” Applebloom said, eyes narrowed.
“...it wasn't that poorly designed...”
“Scoots!”
“Well it wasn't! Geez!” Scootaloo folded her forelegs. “...it ran at least...”
“An' exploded.”
“Okay, okay! Fine!” Scootaloo exclaimed. She threw her hooves in the air. “What do you want me to say? That our poor judgment, reckless abandon, and youthful fixation of getting our cutie marks almost got not only us three killed, but many other ponies? That our crusade tipped off something close to a...disaster...”
“...yeah, that about covers it,” Sweetie said, genuinely taken aback. “Thanks Scootaloo.”
Scootaloo slumped to the ground, sitting contrite on her haunches. “...wow...” she said, guilt washing over her. “I guess we really messed up, huh?”
“Yeah, we kinda' gathered that when our families – specially Applejack – went and yelled at us for bein' so thickheaded.” Applebloom kicked at the dirt. “Ah been thinkin'...maybe we're goin' about this whole cutie mark business the wrong way. Ya feel me?”
“What do you mean? This way is always how we've done it,” Scootaloo said. “It's what the Cutie Mark Crusaders are all about.”
“Yeah, and haven't ya noticed we're no closer to our cutie marks than when we started?”
“Then we just haven't found our special talents yet, that's all.”
“Or...like Twilight's always saying: our 'sperimental model ain't right. Maybe we ain't getting our cutie marks 'cause we've tried ta get 'em the wrong way.”
Sweetie Belle tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Maybe cutie marks are the kind of thing you don't go looking for.” She smiled, watching her friends turn to her with bewildered expressions. “Maybe we're supposed to let ourselves discover our marks naturally, over the course of just...doing stuff.”
“Doin' stuff?” Applebloom repeated.
“But we've been doing plenty of stuff!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “We've done all kinds of amazing stuff, week after week, for...for...” She screwed up her face, rubbing her temple. “For I don't know how long, now! And all of that didn't help?”
“Maybe it's supposed to be natural-like,” Applebloom mused. “We went outta our way all this time, yet everypony else just kind of stumbled inta theirs. Like Applejack when she came home from Manehatten.”
“Or Rarity when she was looking for stuff to make her dresses better,” Sweetie said.
“...or when Rainbow Dash did the Sonic Rainboom by accident, trying to outfly some racing opponents...a race she only entered because she happened to stumble onto Fluttershy getting bullied...” Scootaloo sat, mulling over the thought. She opened and closed her mouth a number of times. Then she sat up, eyes going wide. “Do you think, by trying to force our cutie marks, we've actually just been delaying them?” Scootaloo gasped in horror. This was a possibility she never considered.
“All Ah know is Ah feel right guilty about now,” Applebloom said, frowning. She sighed, “When Ah asked Applejack to let me come out today, she looked hesitant. An' when she finally said Ah could, she hugged me extra long, an' told me not to do anythin' foolhardy an' half baked. Like Ah always do.” Her ears sagged sadly. “Ah never realized, but how much has Applejack been worried sick about me when Ah'm off crusading with you girls?” She shook her head. “Makes me feel lower 'en a snake in the grass. What is also in a limbo competition.”
“...did we ever do limbo?” Sweetie asked, curious.
“Four months ago,” Scootaloo said, sighing. “I remember because we tried it with a painted metal pole, and the paint wasn't dry yet. Had a white stain on my fur for two weeks.” How sad was it that Scootaloo could easily place it low on the list of most egregious, costly failures?
The three sat in silence for a while then, wallowing in their shared feelings of foolishness.
Finally, Sweetie Belle grew restless. “...so...what do we do now?”
“Ah don't know,” Applebloom said. For a moment she returned to silence, then stood back up. “Ah guess we just...step inside and figure somethin' out. Somethin' that don't involve threats a' bodily harm. What do you think Scoots?”
Scootaloo stared silently. The color was draining from her face.
“Scoots?”
Scootaloo gawked in Applebloom's direction, eyes fixed at a point above the latter's head.
“Scootaloo?” Sweetie asked. “What's wrong?”
“Muh...muh...”
“Mummies? We already tried that,” Applebloom said.
“Muh...muh...muh...”
Applebloom gave her friend a bewildered look. “What are you on about?”
“Monster...” Scootaloo whispered.
“Come again?”
“MONSTER!” Scootaloo shouted, pointing a hoof over Applebloom's head.
Applebloom and Sweetie Belle turned around frantically, then froze. Their eyes too grew wide. Wide with abject terror.
“UUUUUURRREEEEEE!”
The Cutie Mark Crusaders bolted, undead pursuer following not far behind.
“Now darling, doesn't this one look better than your old rags?”
Painwheel beheld the vestments in question. A cotton qipao, brown like creamed coffee, reproduced to the best of the fashionista's ability according to the one Painwheel already wore. Certainly a logical choice; the one-piece article of clothing served well enough. It could also be worn without interfering with the shoulder and thigh “nails”, or with the Buar Drive.
The human grudgingly gave Lab Zero credit: there were far worse choices to dress her in, especially for their beloved berserker. “It looks good,” she said.
“Oh I'm glad you love it!” Rarity said, flashing a stately smile. “Although I must say, this is only a temporary measure. I mean really, it's so simple, so...minimalist. Don't worry though, dear. This little number didn't take me any time at all to put together. But I do have something else, one I'm much more proud of.” She levitated the piece away, hanging on the lip of a bookshelf. Walking to her saddlebags lying on the floor, she rummaged through its contents. “Ah ha! Here it is!” Another article of clothing billowed out of the bag, encased in the unicorn's aura. “What do you think about this one, Painwheel?”
Blink. “...it's wonderful,” Painwheel said, surprised. The second piece was a magenta sundress. The center of the bust was adorned by a floral insignia. Cactus flower* by the look of it. “I love the flower.”
“I knew you would, dear,” Rarity said, brightly. She regarded her creation closely, scrutinizing it. “...are you sure though? I didn't have that much fuchsia fabric left, and not enough to seriously stand out from the rest of the dress. I was so worried the flower design wouldn't pop out.”
“Maybe you could use a green backing,” suggested Painwheel. “It is a cactus flower, after all.”
Rarity gasped. “Oh my! Why didn't I think of that?” She continued to regard her creation, frenetically tapping her chin, immersed in thought. “Green backing...with spikes on it! Like a cactus' thorns!” She frowned, realizing what she said. “Oh...maybe a bit...too...on the nose...I apologize Painwheel, I wasn't thinking, I...”
“It's fine,” Painwheel said, shaking her head. “I'm sure it'll look lovely if you make it.”
“Oh thank you, darling,” Rarity said, wiping sweat from her regal brow. “Anyway, I won't have time to take it back in for an alteration. You've got to be ready by tonight.”
“Tonight?”
“Why, the party dear! Don't you remember?” Rarity dug another coat hanger from the saddlebag and hung the sundress on it. “The one Pinkie Pie is throwing for you. She asked me, since I already had these numbers ready, to fill in for her today while she gallivanted around town, dispersing more invitations.”
“...oh...” Painwheel said, spirits dropping. She frowned. “I suppose there's no way we can call it off, huh?” A hopeful glance was directed towards the unicorn.
Said unicorn shook her head. “Afraid not. Now I know you aren't feeling well,” Rarity said, taking stock of the unsightly bags under the human's eyes. “But Pinkie Pie went to such trouble arranging all this. It simply wouldn't do to spoil all that hard work. Unlady-like, even.” Rarity hung the sundress on the shelf, next to the new qipao, which she levitated off its hanger. “Plus, I can say with more than a little pride that I'd love to see you wear these there. And it doesn't matter if nopony else shows up. It just means we'll have exclusive rights to seeing you in them.”
Painwheel squirmed in her chair uneasily. “Do you...do you think anyone will show up?”
“If I know Pinkie, she'll drag some ponies over if she has to,” Rarity said, smirking. “Now while I'm here, let's get you into this replacement. A simple round of cloth replacing spells ought to do the trick.” She began concentrating, her horn glowing bright. “But...ugh...I'm sure more than a few ponies want nothing more to attend. This I swear with certainty!”
“Hey Goose! Al! You wanna come to the Painwheel party? It'll be a lot of fun!”
“For the fifth time, no!” Goose Down yelled impatiently. “Stop asking already!”
“Oh. Okie doki...loki...” Pinkie said, hanging her head. “Guess I'll keep asking around then.” She began walking slowly past. Looking back she added, “It'll be tonight, outside Sugarcube Corner. You know...if you change your mind...”
“Not. Likely.” Goose Down watched the party pony slink off.
Beside him, Al Gratin frowned sadly. “You know Goose, I like Pinkie Pie's parties.”
“Well you're not going if that monster is going to be there,” Goose stated. He leafed back through the sheet of paper in his hoof. “Come on, let's do this.”
Al sighed. “Fine.”
The two set their sights back to the city municipal building, then went inside.
Fifteen minutes later, Goose stormed out.
“Can't believe this!” he shouted, tossing the sheet of parchment to the wind.
Al Gratin followed Goose out. Tired eyes watched the parchment flutter through the air. He sighed, “It's okay, Goose.”
“It's not okay, Al!” Goose exclaimed, scratching his head violently. “Fifty signatures! Mayor Mare looked at a petition with fifty signatures and rejected it out of hoof! It's clear she has every intention of following the princesses, regardless of what we, the 'unwashed pony masses'!” He paused, huffing. “And I know what you're going to say, Al. 'Let's bring it up at the next town hall meeting.'”
“Well yeah, there's that,” Al said. “Anypony can put a bunch of names on a piece of paper and say it stands for a multitude. But if the mayor sees all of Ponyville turn out to say their peace-”
“The mayor will just ignore it too!” Goose retorted, snorting. He turned around, starting to walk away.
Al, shocked, ran after him. “Hold on! Goose! Where are you going?”
“To get ready,” responded Goose Down, curtly.
“Whatever for?”
“If the mayor won't listen, and 'Princess' Twilight Sparkle is too enamored with the beast to see reason,” Goose said, trotting along, only barely allowing the cafe owner to keep up, “then I'll just have to go to Canterlot and voice our grievances to Celestia herself.” He scowled. “I'll go over your head, alright, Sparkle. And nothing is going to stop-”
“AAAAAHHHH!”
The two stallions stopped in their tracks. Ears perked up, hearts fluttering as oft-disused fight-or-flight responses kicked in.
“What in tartarus was that?” Al asked, looking around frantically.
Goose Down blinked, “It sounded like...the screams of...children? But where did it-”
“UUUUURRRRRRRRRRYYYYY!”
“I knew we should have taken a right instead of a left!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed, leaning against the alley wall.
Applebloom and Scootaloo backed into the wall to either side of the unicorn filly. Trembling mightily, the two cowered. Scootaloo chanced a few frantic glances around the alley. Searching for something – anything – that could be used for rapid egress. Unfortunately, nary a ladder nor a drain pipe nor even a set of stackable trash cans were there with them.
No way out. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were trapped.
“Princess Twilight! PRINCESS TWILIGHT!”
Twilight Sparkle shot to attention, the bags of groceries she'd been carrying tumbled to the ground. At her side, Spike scrambled to pick them up in spite of his own encumbrances. “Come on!” he said, exacerbated.
The librarian princess looked around, then saw the source of the call. “Oh, uh...you again?”
Al Gratin galloped full tilt, finally collapsing to the ground at Twilight's hooves. “Puh...hah...gasp...Puh-rin...P-Princess...gasp...Twilight...”
“What is it? What's wrong?” Twilight said, suddenly growing more worried. She never made a habit of eating at this stallion's cafe, so she couldn't remember his name. But the only other time she ever had significant contact with him was...
“Princess! A monster!” Al gasped, looking fearfully up at the royal. “A monster is attacking! It's attacking...gasp...it's attacking kids!”
“What?!” Twilight exclaimed, mounted dread evolving into stark terror. “What kids? Where?”
“It's those three fillies you're always hanging out with!” Al said, watching the princess growing even more shocked. “They were being chased by something...something not natural!”
“Not natural...” Twilight whispered, blood running cold. “Like...like undead?”
Al nodded his head furiously. “You gotta come quick! Goose...Goose is out there! When he saw what was happening, he just...and I...all I could think to do was...”
“Where?!” Twilight shouted, gripping the hysterical stallion around the shoulders. “Where is this happening?!”
“Down the road, near city hall!” the cafe owner choked. He shook his head. “Princess, you've got to save Goose and those kids! What I saw...it's so much worse than anything I've ever seen...”
Twilight released the stallion, marching forward. Sensing the need to attend his boss, Spike fell in step behind her. Scattered groceries and bags littered the ground where he abandoned them.
“Spike! I need you to get back home and send a message to Princess Celestia,” Twilight ordered sternly. Every muscle in her body ached to take off, both figuratively and to the air. But if her suspicions were correct, she couldn't afford to leave her mentor in the dark.
Equestria itself could hinge in the balance.
“What should I say?” Spike asked, whipping out a piece of parchment and a quill. For all his faults, he was always the best assistant.
“Tell her that a new enemy has attacked ponyville,” Twilight said. “A necrolized one. Tell her that she's needed in Ponyville right away; that she must arrive with all haste.” The alicorn unfurled her wings, beating them so as to rise into the air. Above her, the sun was already setting.
She turned one last time back to the dragon before flying off. “Tell her it very well could be a Skullgirl.”