//------------------------------//
// Epilogue Three: Thorn and the Pregnant Mare 
// Story: Split Second 
// by wille179 
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	The caravan was made nearly one hundred fifty like-minded crystal ponies, all of whom wished to start new lives elsewhere in the world, away from the horrid memories that filled their old home and ex-prison. Each and every one of them had gathered their few worldly possessions and embarked together on the long trek south.
Some of the ponies in the group had suffered greatly at the hooves of King Sombra, nearly broken under his personal attention. Ruby, for instance, had - from her perspective - had been one of his sex slaves just days before his defeat. Now that he was gone, she had decided to flee as far away from that place as she could.
As the caravan passed through the mountain pass, a roar sounded from the clouds above them. Every single pony froze. Whispers of “What is that?” and “Dragon!” passed through the group. Quickly, the group took refuge under the pine trees.
But, despite their efforts to hide, the ferocious-looking dragon with smoking black wings and a scarred face landed near them. “COME OUT, COME OUT, LITTLE PONIES. YOU HAVE SOMETHING I NEED. COME OUT, AND I WON’T BURN YOU ALL.”
Hesitantly, a stallion stepped forwards to confront the dragon. Emboldened by the dragon’s lack of reaction, more and more ponies stepped forwards.
And as they did, the dragon began to shrink until, when the last of them had come forwards, he was no bigger than Princess Celestia.
“What do you want with us?” the stallion that had stepped forwards first asked. “We have no treasure, no weapons, and nothing of value. Please, spare us and let us be on our way, kind dragon.”
The dragon lifted his claw and pointed. “Her.”
Ruby’s eyes went wide. “Me? What do you need me for?”
Instead of answering, the dragon raised his other hand, in which he was grasping a severed unicorn’s horn. He pointed the disembodied horn at the mare, which darkened with black magic. The mare’s sclera turned green and her expression went blank.
The dragon walked up towards her and whispered into her ear, despite knowing that she couldn’t hear anything now. “My mom thanks you for your womb.”
He tapped the transfixed Ruby on the head with the severed horn. In that instance, space seemed to fold in on itself, vanishing Ruby to a place none of her traveling companions could follow.
The dragon looked at the rest of the caravan, and nodded. With a flap of his wings, he took flight, flying off to parts unknown.
That would be the last time they saw either Ruby or the dragon.






To be continued in...




Split Second: An Eternity Divided