-Quill-
My mare...my lavender mare...gone. I tried not to let my misery show, to keep my head in the game. I couldn't let my personal feelings for my Twilight to get in the way of what I had to do. I needed to stay strong...for her. If we banish The Entity within three days...my dearest will be free...and all those who have died shall be returned to us. I sighed, looking down at the leather pouch that hung around my neck, the crystal tucked safely inside. I gently held my hoof up, resting the tiny pouch upon it and staring at it. This little thing...was going to destroy The Entity's magical barriers and allow us a straight shot at defeating him...although now that I think about it...I'm not sure how we will. Rarity's dead...Twilight's Possessed...what do we do without magic?
I didn't have long to ponder these thoughts, as my stomach began to make it's grievances known, churning up my lunch and threatening to unleash it upon the raft in which I was situated on. Fluttershy, Scootaloo, and myself were aboard the same raft in which Pinkie Pie and Scootaloo made their infamous 'escape' to Hoofington. Scootaloo looked a little worse for the wear, and I understood completely. It must have been hard for her to make this same trip twice...and I didn't really know of anything that I could say to make her feel better. Fluttershy seemed...pensive, in deep thought, which was odd for the timid mare. I stared at her for a moment until my curiosity got the better of me, my mouth opening and releasing the words
"Fluttershy...are you alright?" The yellow mare blinked for a moment out of surprise, suddenly coming out of her deep trance. She nodded and looked at me with a tiny smile, muttering
"Oh...yes, um...I was just thinking about poor Pinkie...I hope her and the others are alright." I was about to reply when Scootaloo suddenly opened her mouth, her tone surprising the both of us as she mumbled angrily
"Pinkie Pie's going to be fine...she's been through more then any of us will ever now...than I'LL ever know..." Fluttershy whimpered a little at Scootaloo's voice, whispering back to her
"I'm...I'm sorry...I didn't mean...I just...I know that...oh..." she didn't finish her statement, merely looking towards the boards below her hooves as Scootaloo sighed, turning around and giving the yellow mare a tiny hug, whispering
"It's alright...just don't worry about her. We've got our own selves to worry about, and our own mission to complete." Fluttershy nodded as I looked down the river, the open plains offering us no comfort as the sky began to darken. I narrowed my eyes and shuddered as I spoke
"Worry indeed..." The two mares looked to what I was addressing and both shivered, growing wide-eyed as they beheld Hoofington...or what was supposed to be Hoofington. A black vortex of darkness swirled over the town, the sky as black as night. The only light visible were the town lights themselves, casting an eerie, orangish glow across the wide plains. Fluttershy squeaked as she looked over the desolate place with fear, whimpering
"We...we're going...there?!" Scootaloo gave Fluttershy a comforting rub on her side, speaking in a reassuring tone
"It'll be ok Fluttershy, we're just going to go in and out, Quill knows what he's doing..." She looked to me with a silent "right?" and I nodded, flipping open the spellbook and returning once more to the chapter about the crystal and the barrier. I looked across the chapter, my eyes skimming back and forth rapidly.
I closed the book, giving an affirmative nod and turning back to the girls with
"Alright, the Crystal needs to be enchanted, which luckily already is due to Rarity's fashion like magic, and with it we'll be able to detect the Entity's dark Miasma. The closer we are to it's center, the brighter the Crystal will glow. Once we reach the very center of the darkness, all we have to do is place the Crystal down, and wait for it to absorb it's dark energy." Scootaloo raised an eyebrow at this and spoke with a questioning tone
"And...the crystal's going to do this...all on it's own...automatically...with a gleaming enchant spell from a Fashion Diva on it?" I sighed and facehoofed a little, looking at Scootaloo and shaking my head
"I don't honestly know...I don't have a better plan and I'm just going strictly off the book. I DO know that Starswirl used a variety of crystals when experimenting with The Entity's dark magic, and it turned out ALL of them worked. He described crystals as a...cradle of light, a container, if you will. Crystals apparently represent beauty and light, something The Entity hates...so I guess it makes sense" Scootaloo nodded a little, but then asked
"Alright...so The Entity hates Crystals...why do the crystals absorb his power then?" I thought for a moment, our raft steadily getting closer and closer to the town. I finally answered, a questioning tone in MY voice as well
"Perhaps...maybe the Light the crystals represent is the only thing that can keep The Entity's power at bay? It makes sense now, actually, seeing as not even the strongest light can pierce The Entity's dark shadow...it's need a tinge of darkness as well! AH HA! So that's the reason! In order to pierce the shield of Death and Darkness, you have to meet fire with fire! Brilliant!" Scootaloo and Fluttershy smiled at my raised mood, and I have to admit I did feel lighter in spirit.
Our raft finally reached the embankment, and we gently hopped off the wooden platform and onto the grass. Scootaloo looked spacey, and I understood why. She was probably imagining the last time she had done this, with a deeply sorrowful Pink Mare. We walked forward cautiously, the dark swirl of clouds ahead belching loud thunder and purple streaks of lightning. Fluttershy squeaked with each thunderous explosion, whimpering as we moved along towards the backyards of several buildings
"W...why is the sky like this? What's going on?!" she yelped, a crack of thunder roaring out overhead. I looked up, my own curiosity delving into the possibilities. I picked the most likely, looking over to Fluttershy and saying
"Perhaps it is The Entity's magic, or it's Miasma, this IS a place with a bloody history...it is possible that a part of The Entity's evil was left behind when Pinkie left for Ponyville." Fluttershy nodded, the three of us moving up one of the alleys towards the main street. Scootaloo whispered as we moved along slowly, the darkness of the alley intensifying the dreary mood that had settled over us
"I remember...this is one of the alleyways where I delivered Pinkamena's goods...all the homeless ponies were so happy to see a tray of cupcakes here...every night. They never asked...they never looked for an answer...they were just...happy that someone...somewhere, was watching over them." I felt my heart beat with a sad thump as I looked towards Scootaloo with sympathy and pride, muttering to her
"You did a wonderful thing Scootaloo...you and Pinkie, despite the lengths you both went to...you saved so many lives. You should be proud of what you've done for them." Scootaloo smiled a little, looking over at me and with her voice cracking said
"I am...I am proud of what I've done..." Fluttershy looked about, our party nearing the streets as she whispered
"But...where are they all? Where is everypony?" The same question poked at my mind as well, the alley around us and the street before us totally devoid of any kind of life. I looked about cautiously, the thunder continuing to crackle and boom overhead. Scootaloo turned her head to the right, walking down the street with a hushed
"This way...it's this way..." I nodded as Fluttershy and myself followed her. I knew Scootaloo was taking us to the fateful Bakery where Pinkie Pie had committed her dark deeds. A few more minutes of walking and silence took place until I finally raised my head and my eyes to look upon the dark bakery. It seemed as if the vortex of the sky was centered just above the bakery, the purplish lightning making the dark windows gleam with a deadly shine.
Fluttershy gulped as Scootaloo ascended the tiny wooden stairs to the patio, walking up to the door and putting a hoof on the handle, pushing it down and jumping back, just in case the bakery wasn't safe. The door opened inward with a very loud, ear-shattering creak, a void of blackness now visible to us on the other side. Scootaloo looked back at us and I nodded, walking up the steps...and after a little coaxing, Fluttershy came as well. We entered the bakery silently, looking about at the scene before us. Everything looked...perfect. The shelves were straight and unscratched, the floor untouched and barren of dust. All of the goods that were on display looked healthy and ready to eat...as if they had just been baked. I muttered looking about the perfectly preserved, yet sadistically darkened Bakery, mumbling
"Something weird is going on..." Scootaloo nodded, poking her head into the kitchen as Fluttershy walked near the shelves, looking at all the baked goods. I turned my head to Scootaloo and said
"Scootaloo, you know this place better then both me and Fluttershy, here, take the crystal." I slipped the necklace off my neck and threw it to Scootaloo, who caught it in her mouth easily. She waltzed over to what I presumed to be the basement door and opened it, staring down into the abyss of black that awaited her at the bottom. Fluttershy walked up to Scootaloo, gently nudging her and whispering
"It's...um...awfully dark down there...you should let me...you know...go with you, just in case..." Scootaloo looked at her timid friend in surprise and said through the necklace in her mouth
"But Fluttershy...won't you be scared?" Fluttershy stared down into the darkness, fearful for a moment but shaking her head regardless, looking to her and saying
"Oh...I think I'll be ok, Pinkie's been trying to help me be braver so...I think it'll be ok. Come on." They both nodded and descended, myself bringing up the rear.
I shuddered as we commenced our dark descent, the black void of nothingness clinging to us like a thick coat, making it hard to breathe. The stairs seemed to go on forever, each of our hoofsteps making a loud creaking noise against the wood. Finally we reached the bottom, the expanse of the basement opening up into a large room adorned with several long tables and a large, iron like stove sitting in one corner. Surgical tools and other baking utensils were situated perfectly and sorted by category on one of the tables, and the only light source available was a dimly lit lantern that swayed gently above our heads, giving the room a dark, eerie glow.
Scootaloo went over to the middle of the basement, setting down the leather pouch and pushing the crystal out with her hoof, muttering
"This has to be the worst place in this whole building...a lot of death and agony happened down here...there's no way it could be anywhere else" We all stepped back with Scootaloo as she placed the crystal in the middle of the floor, waiting. I stared with great intensity towards the crystal...wondering...hoping. We stared for Celestia, heavens rest her soul, knows how long, and nothing happened. It was Scootaloo who was first to sigh, walking forwards towards the crystal and muttering "Well...it was worth a sh-HORSEFEATHERS!!!" She jumped back with fright as the Crystal suddenly gleamed with a bright, white light. I put a hoof out defensively in front of Fluttershy as Scootaloo retreated back behind us, watching as the crystal grew brighter and brighter. Just as the crystal reached it's brightest intensity, I shielded my eyes and and turned my head away, as to avoid being blinded. The light suddenly disappeared, and as I looked back, I sighed a little in relief. The crystal was now a sickening black color, the inside swirling with a dark miasma. Scootaloo went under my outstretched hoof and towards it, turning back momentarily to hear me say
"Be careful Scootaloo! It's coated in The Entity's miasma, use the pouch to pick it up, don't touch it directly." She nodded, heading over towards the crystal with the leather pouch, gently placing it over the crystal and tightening the string, closing it back up. She held the string up in her mouth, smiling as she exclaimed
"YES! It worked! The crystal wo- AAARRGHH!!!" her shouts of glee were cut off by her own shouts of terror as a portion of the ground beside her burst outwards and a hoof reached up grabbing her. It was a sickening green color, bits and pieces of flesh falling off of it. Scootaloo looked down to what was grabbing her and screamed. A colt, or what was left of one, was staring up at her, most of his face peeled away to reveal bone and rotten teeth. Fluttershy herself also screamed as more and more hooves burst upwards out of the ground around Scootaloo, trying to grab her. Fluttershy and I both rushed forward as Scootaloo shook herself, trying to get out of the rotten colt's grip. She dropped the necklace by accident, the pouch flying over and landing on one of the tables. I shouted as I went for Scootaloo
"Fluttershy get the pouch and get out of here! I'll get Scootaloo!" We split up as we ran across the basement floor, dead and rotten hooves flailing about and trying to grab hold of something. I reached Scootaloo, turning on my front hooves and bucking backwards with all my might with my rear hooves, smacking the rotten hoof away from Scootaloo. A sickening crunch sound permeated the air as a hellish groan followed right after it. I pulled Scootaloo with my front hooves and threw her towards the stairs, quickly following up as I turned my head to Fluttershy. She was running right for us, the pouch in her teeth, when suddenly several hooves burst up from the stone ground and grabbed her. She squealed as more and more undead ponies began rising up, their bodies rotten and disfigured, and tried to grab the yellow mare. I rushed back towards Fluttershy, the ponies beginning to drag her downwards into the black void. She saw this and threw the pouch with all her might towards me, screaming
"GO!!! RUN!!! SAVE YOURSELF!!!" I caught the pouch as Scootaloo shrieked
"Fluttershy NO! Quill save her!!! SAVE HER!!!" Fluttershy shook her head, screaming and grasping onto the edge of the hole as she was pulled further down, the sounds of flesh tearing and bones crunching from below. Fluttershy shrieked in pain as tears spilled from her eyes, shouting over and over
"Go!!! Save Pinkie!!! Save PinKIIEEEEEEEEEE!!!!" She was finally pulled off the ledge, sinking into the cesspool of the undead who continued to claw at her as she sank within their mass. Scootaloo tried to leap for the hole but I quickly blocked her path, grabbing onto her mane by my teeth, along with the pouch, and tried to drag her backwards. Scootaloo shrieked as she flailed her arms towards the hole, crying madly
"NOOO!!! FLUTTERSHY!!! FLUTTERSHY!!!" I threw my head up, tossing her up a few stairs as the Undead began to emerge from the hole, sluggishly coming after us. I shouted as I bounded up the stairs
"Scootaloo we have no TIME! Fluttershy's DEAD, we can save her along with the others within three days!!! COME ON!" Scootaloo rushed up the stairs in front of me, crying as we rushed upwards out of the basement. I bucked the basement door shut with a loud bang as a deep groaning sound was heard from outside.
We rushed out and gasped, witnessing more and more undead ponies climbing out of the ground, all hellbent on taking us down. I looked to the left, spotting the nearest alley and shouting "There! Come on!" We rushed off the patio and down the alley, hooves bursting up behind us and swiping at us. "Keep running Scootaloo!!! Don't stop running!" I shouted, myself and Scootaloo bounding over small fences and across the plains, heading for the raft. As we reached it, I gasped as several hooves began to sprout up from the water near the raft. I bucked and swiped at all that I could, Scootaloo jumping aboard and trying to use one of the long wooden poles on the embankment to get the raft moving. She shouted
"Quill come on!" and I nodded, jumping onto the raft. I entertained the idea that we had gotten away...but these dead bastards wouldn't let us go without a fight. Several hooves shot up from the water and tore the pole away from Scootaloo, several more trying to grab the raft. I bucked as many as I could, trying to get them to let go when I heard a splash behind me. I whirled around and saw Scootaloo half submerged in the water, holding on for dear life and beating her wings furiously, pushing the raft with sheer wind power. I moved towards her quickly just as she started to shriek in pain, blood pooling up from somewhere underneath her. I tried to pull her back aboard as the raft moved faster and faster, my screams of
"Scootaloo STOP! STOP IT!!! Get back up here!" falling on deaf ears. She did nothing but smile and wince as the raft sailed along, a large trail of watery blood following in our wake. She muttered weakly as she began to lose her grip, sliding towards the water
"Too...heavy...I'm d...done" I held her hooves tightly as the raft broke free of the undead ponies, moving quickly up the river and moving into safe waters. Scootaloo looked up at me...weak...innocent...tired. I felt tears spilling down my eyes as we held each other's hooves, her grip growing weaker and weaker. She looked up at me and whispered "Quill...?" I nodded, letting her know I was here...letting her know I wasn't going anywhere. A tear dropped down her cheek as she continued to whisper "Save my mom...stop...the pain...save mom...mommy......." Her head slowly dropped to the raft, her cheek pressing up against the wood and her eyes closing, a peaceful look settling over her face. I dropped to my belly and wept openly, Scootaloo's hooves growing cold in mine. We floated along, her and I, the trees of the Everfree starting to come into view. I leaned over, sniffing loudly as I kissed the top of her head, muttering through my sobs as I gently let go of her hooves, whispering
"Goodbye...Scootaloo..."
She slid gently off the raft, sinking into the water and disappearing into her watery grave, and leaving me to bury my face in my hooves and weep. I don't know how long I laid there, crying, sniffing, weeping for the two dear mares I lost. As the raft gently pushed up against a sandy incline, stopping all movement, I looked up with a glare of darkest anger. The Entity killed Celestia and Luna...it killed Rarity, Big Macintosh, Fluttershy, Scootaloo...and took my Twilight away. I didn't care what happened to me at this point...I was going to kick the Entity's ASS!
The crystal in the pouch suddenly started to glow and I looked down at it, staring at it. It went on and off, the glow brightening and dimming slowly. I hopped the raft, walking in an aimless direction, head down and body weary. I wasn't giving up...like hell I was. I just felt so weak...defeated. Fluttershy...gone...Scootaloo...gone...everypony....gone. There was no telling if Applejack and Rainbow Dash were alive, if Pinkie Pie hadn't already been killed by The Entity., or if there really was any hope left at all. I sighed, walking along slowly until the crystal began to glow a bit brighter. I looked at it, curious, and continued walking in the same direction, with a little more speed. The more I moved forward the brighter the crystal glowed. Perhaps...well...it was just a theory but maybe...I broke into a trot, moving forward still as the crystal grew bright, and suddenly started to dim again. I stopped, turning to my right and moving, and was delighted to see the crystal glowing even brighter. I nearly shouted with glee as my Theory became fact! It seemed as if the miasma in the crystal was acting like some sort of magnet or map...the darkness trying to get back to its master!
I went into a full gallop, moving this way and that way, changing direction as I made my way towards my final destination. Finally, I broke through a thin treeline and stopped, my mouth agape and my eyes fixated in horror as I beheld the monstrosity in front of me. A large castle was situated in front of me, its dark battlements and towers taunting me with their eerie stonework. A visible, purplish shield covered the estate, like half of a bubble, but upon close inspection I noticed a part of the bubble was weak and discolored near the bottom...as if something had broken through! My spirits soared as I realized Pinkie Pie must have made it inside! She may be alive yet!
I bounded forward with joy but suddenly yelped in surprise, my hooves flying up off the ground as the pouch soared up into the air with violently force, dragging me up with it. I flailed about, trying not to get strangled on the string as the shield opened up near the top and dropped me inside. I hit the ramparts with a loud thud and a small outburst of pain, rubbing my flank a little with my hoof. I gently got up on my hooves, looking across the darkened roofs of the castle. Narrowing my eyes in determination, I gently trot my way across the many battlements and tiled roofs, trying to find away inside. I scanned the area around me, trying to find a door or maybe a ladder I could get down, with a bright flash caught my eye, blasting with bright intensity to my left. I heard the audible shout of "NO!!!" although I could not discern who it had come from. Looking over, I saw a large square of glass in the ceiling, giving me access to look down into the castle below. I rushed over as the sounds of crumbling rocks sounded off from underneath me, my head peering over the edge to look down into what appeared to be the throne room. As I took in the scene before me, I couldn't help but gasp loudly, shouting with all my might
PINKIE PIE!!!!!