//------------------------------// // Assaults // Story: Starting Over // by Twilight Nightmare //------------------------------// Trixie was worried for her sister; there was no masking that as the three enjoyed breakfast and then Trixie dropping Summer off at the filly’s grandparents for the morning. Lessons with Rainbow Dash were up in the air with the stunt Rose pulled with Scootaloo. Neither of them spoke to the rainbow maned pegasus since Rose had used the rune to re-regulate the poor filly’s flow of magic. She was a little surprised that no pony thought to check for that, but then again this was a little town. Even so, shouldn’t a Pegasus family know those things better than a unicorn? Something just didn’t add up there… Of course the fact that rune casting was pretty much extinct as not many ponies seemed to know about it, much less practice it. Trixie never really thought about it much before, but Twilight and the doctor was two of the only ponies who seemed adept in it. Of course Nomad knew some, and to that extent even Trixie knew a little as there were several old tomes in the shop before the left for Ponyville. Something was off about it though, why was a school of magic so potent not be widely used? Sure it took more skill and studying to learn the spells, but they were often times more effective that just casting spells with their horn. Even earth ponies and pegasi had the potential to cast some rune spells if they had some unicorn blood in them. Blood…that was something that was bothering Trixie even more as she spent her morning going from stall to stall looking for the best deals on fruits. They got an advance from Rarity and Trixie intended to use it well and buy some good, yet cheap food. Too bad that wasn’t helping to take her mind of what Rose had done to herself. It was stupid, very stupid. The mare had carved runes into her own body, using her own blood to charge the lines and make them permanent yet virtually invisible unless in use. It was a mixture of rune casting and blood magic…and surely the spells Rose used could justify blood magic. While rune casting was safe…for the most part…blood magic could be dangerous. The runes could draw mush more power than necessary to cast the spells at the trade-off of being nearly instantaneous. If used too much it could kill Rose very quickly. The other bad part about it is that it was actually mostly considered dark magic as it could fuel the darker emotions such as anger and depression. It was something that was scaring Trixie as Rose didn’t seem to be in the best mental state after dinner with their parents. “Well good morning, sugarcube.” Applejack said as Trixie arrived at her stall, not aware of who was running it. “What can ah get for ya?” “Applejack, right?” Trixie asked to make sure of the identity of the earth pony pedaling apples. “Yeah, are ya looking to try some of our apples? They’re the best in all of Equestria?” Applejack asked, though it looked like she was straining a little to keep civil. Probably trying to be professional seeing how she was selling her families produce. “Look, I know you don’t really like me, so maybe I should just go somewhere else.” Trixie said, starting to back away from the pony who sighed. “Look sugarcube, it isn’t that I hate ya or anything. Just the last time you were here you did kinda cause some trouble.” Applejack sighed, “But I’m willing to let the past stay in the past, ya know?” “I am to, but it was you bunch that ruined my show. I am sorry for going a little overboard defending it, but it was a show. A story and some magic to entertain, it wasn’t meant to be taken seriously. It isn’t my fault that those two colts took it seriously and lured that Ursa into town. For your information, it destroyed everything I had and the damage to my reputation as a showmare …” Trixie said, getting interrupted by Applejack who snorted. “Look sugarcube, I am willing to let the past stay in the past, but please don’t get into the whole showmare thing. I don’t right trust showmares, not after what they did to mah family.” Applejack said, gritting her teeth a little. Trixie was about to retort when a wave of magic washed over her preceded by an explosion. “Horse fathers…” Trixie muttered as she recognized the trace of magic. She turned and ran off, followed closely by Applejack. XXXXXXX “I don’t know what your problem is, but I’m not going to put up with this.” Rose snapped out as she glared at the Pegasus from under her hood. She was just going over to see Rarity and ask some questions…okay, a lot of questions about the shop. She wasn’t expecting to run into a still irate Pegasus who looked ready to attack her at any moment. “Look, all I’m saying is be more careful! You could have hurt Scootaloo! She’s like my little sister!” Rainbow Dash barked out, anger filling her voice as she bristled her wings. “Look, the spell is the same exact one that I need to use on my own daughter if her magic become unbalanced! I know exactly what I’m doing, I’m one of the most powerful unicorns in Equestria!” Rose snapped out. Usually she wouldn’t boast like this, but she was in a bad mood after dealing with her sister’s anger over using blood magic. All she wanted was a way to defend herself at a moments notice, she knew what she was doing! And now she was being questioned by this…this stuck up pegasus who knew squat about magic! “As if, the most powerful unicorn is one of my best friends!” Rainbow Dash snarled, stomping a hoof on the ground. “Rarity? Please, she’s nice and everything, but her power isn’t really that strong.” Rose scoffed. She had a feeling what the pegasus was going to say next, many of her memories returning, though a lot wasn’t making much sense. It was part of the reason she turned to using blood magic despite its drawbacks. “Twilight Sparkle is twenty percent more the unicorn that you ever hope to be.” Rainbow Dash snorted, glaring angrily at Rose who scoffed herself. “Oh please, that pathetic mare can’t hold a candle to me.” Rose sneered, feeling so angry and vindictive. She knew why, she remembered how they treated her and sucked up to that…that traitor of a princess who along with her own brother helped push her into the pain she suffered…the pain she was suffering as memories of begging for mercy filled her mind. She wanted to hurt this pegasus for her part in what happened, and before she could think about it the words started flowing from her mouth. She couldn’t help feeling a sense of satisfaction seeing the mare’s eyes before her water with tears, while another part of her was screaming to stop…to hug the distraught pegasus. “The foolish mare is dead! She died begging for you to save her, for her friends and family to save her. And where were you? Kissing that traitor’s flank while Twilight was torn apart!” “Where is she!” Rainbow raged, a demand more than a question as she stomped over to Rose. The anger in the pegasus’s eyes was starting to scare Rose a little, but she refused to back down. Worse case she would be testing out her new runes much sooner than expected. “Dead, Twilight Sparkle is dead! Get it through that pea sized brain of yours.” Rose screamed angrily, magic filling the air as her anger was growing more and more. “She’s dead and she’s never coming back! And it is partly your fault!” “Where is she?” A new voice asked, a male voice that seemed so full of rage that it sent a shiver down Rose’s spine as she turned to see none other than Shinning Armor and a few guards around him. “Oh as if you care? So where’s your precious wife? Hope the two of you are enjoying the honeymoon that was paved with your sister’s tears!” Rose screamed angrily. A part of her wondered if it was the blood magic causing her anger, but she knew better. She hasn’t really used it yet and it would only effect her while using it. No, she was truly feeling anger at the stallion after seeing the memories of him disowning her. All for some ungrateful princess who only pretended to care for Twilight to get close to him. “We aren’t married for your information.” A voice said, the guards moving to allow a new pony to come next to Shinning Armor. The sight of the new pony sent fear spiking into Rose’s heart as the pony from her nightmares, the mocking voice telling her she was unloved and about to die filling her mind. The same voice that belonged to the pony before her. “Never again.” Rose said quietly, her fear being replaced by anger at the creature before her. Cadence would pay for all the pain Rose has suffered, she would pay for what had happened to Rose. The only reason she might forgive the others, someday, was because of Summer. Cadence though…she would pay. “Never again what?” Cadence asked, that voice triggering even more mocking memories of Rose pleading for mercy as she was trapped somewhere. She couldn’t remember where she was at back then, just the multiple images of the pink alicorn reflecting off dozens of crystal surfaces. “Never again!” Rose shrieked as her cloak was blown back from the wind created from the surge of magic. Every pony stood in shock seeing lines light up along the now visible surfaces of Rose’s body, glowing blue then an angry red. “Twi-Twilight?” Cadence asked in shock as cracks started forming in the ground around Rose, red light shinning up from them as they traveled outwards from her. Before anyone could move a blast went up around her, a concussive wave flying outwards knocking all of the ponies out. Rose stared out in shock as the spell wasn’t supposed to be this powerful; it wasn’t supposed to cause as much damage to the surroundings as it did. She wavered a little as she saw Trixie running to her, worry etched on her face just before collapsing. “ROSE!” Trixie sobbed out as she slid next to Rose who was slowly closing her eyes.