The six mares pressed westward with Fluttershy now far in the lead, occasionally she would scout the distance, scanning the horizon through the scope of her rifle. Despite Twilight and Dash's concern for their friend's sudden personality change, Fluttershy would not hand her rifle over for Twilight for examination. After three failed attempts, Twilight conceded and begrudgingly gave up. They were now closing in on Appleloosa, the largest town in the west that had yet to be attacked. With aching backs and sore hooves, they marched on in relative silence until...
“Rainbow Dash, would you mind carrying the map?” Twilight spoke, her voice carrying on the breeze that flowed over the parries. Rainbow Dash, who trotted beside her came to a stop, looking bewildered.
“Yeah... sure, but why? Is it getting heavy or something.” She cocked an eyebrow.
“I think I know why the map isn't working now but it worked for Fluttershy, I think it's because the map chose to show it's self to her.”
“The map chose to show her?” Her furrowed brow raised higher. “You sure about that?”
“I think so. I think that if we all take turns with the map it may happen again. I've tried everything else I can think of, It's worth a try right?” Twilight said. Wearily, Dash looked to Fluttershy who stopped and was again scanning their surrounding as she waited for them to catch up, her rifle slung over her shoulder.
“Is it?” she questioned. “As soon as she got a hold of that map it's like she couldn't control herself, and now that she's got that thing, she's almost like a whole different pony. Do we really know what we are getting into?”
“I know, Rainbow, but what choice do we have? You saw what that rifle is capable of, she took down two of those monsters with it and didn't even get a scratch. If the other relics are anywhere near as powerful as that then we need to make certain that they don't get a hold of any of them.” Twilight shuttered to think of the devastation those things could cause if they had Fluttershy's rifle. Just one of them destroyed an entire town, and with just that one rifle she was able to completely overwhelm two of them like they were nothing.
“Speaking of which, I think we should come up with a name for those things. Just calling them monsters or 'Those things' is going to get somepony confused, especially in a town like Appleloosa where they haven't been attacked yet.”
“You want to name them?!” Twilight gasped, her mouth ajar. Suddenly a blur of pink caught Twilight's eye. Turning her head, she found Fluttershy had quickly closed the gap between them and pressed her hooves against Twilight's lips.
“If you don't want to get us killed, then keep your voice down!” Fluttershy commanded, glaring into Twilight's eyes before finally releasing her lips. “Appleloosa is the last town that hasn't been hit, that means that the Scrapt are bound to be around here, I'd rather get the drop on them than the other way around.”
“S-sorry...” Twilight felt a niggling of anger towards Fluttershy's attitude but she knew she was right.
“Scrapt?” Rainbow Dash asked, bemused. Her eyes followed Fluttershy as she turned her back without responding, beginning to walk towards a large hill. She came to a stop halfway between the small herd and the hill.
“Yeah, the Scrapt. Might as well call them that now, since that's what they'll be if I come across them.” Fluttershy's tone was an even mix of cockiness and anger.
“Oookay then...” Rainbow Dash glanced at Twilight who glanced back at her, both with the same perplexed look. Without another word Fluttershy galloped up the steep hill, climbing to the top, she settled her rifle on the ground, a tripod extending from its base. Pressing her eye against the scope, she began scanning the distance as she did periodically since getting her rifle.
“You sure she's okay Twilight?” Applejack asked as she came up behind Twilight and Rainbow Dash. Twilight turned her head to see Pinkie Pie and Rarity with her, all glancing up at the top of the hill.
“I don't know. She wouldn't let me lay a hoof on her rifle, and she's been completely different since getting it, like she's possessed…” Twilight wore a fretful look as considered the implications of this.
“Well, she did save our lives.” Rarity inserted.
“Yeah, but still, this ain't right, she's not Fluttershy anymore.” Applejack frowned.
“Come on guys, quit talking about her likes she's not here.” Rainbow Dash interjected. “Look, yeah, she's not acting like herself, can you blame her? She just had a near death experience, and now, with that thing, her rifle, she feels strong, what's so wrong about that huh?” Rainbow Dash looked disappointed in her friends, though deep down she felt as they did, concerned for her oldest friend.
“Look, you've seen what that rifle is capable of, imagine if one of those monsters…” Twilight paused hesitantly before continuing. “The Scrapt, got a hold of it instead of Fluttershy?” All her friends looked uneasy, Rainbow Dash gulped at the thought. They knew the devastation those things could cause on their own, if they had a weapon like that, they felt like there would be no way to stop them. “Getting those other relics is our only choice.”
“Ohh! I think Fluttershy is trying to play charades!” Pinkie Pie squeaked excitedly, gesturing toward the top of the hill. The turned their heads up to see Fluttershy motioning with her hoof. Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Twilight and Applejack looked at each other uncertainly before Twilight sighed and trotted up the hill.
“What's up Fluttershy?” Twilight asked as the rest of the group caught up.
“I see Appleloosa, it doesn't look good...” Up to this point, Fluttershy's personality and tone had been
completely different but as she said those words, the same tone of compassion and kindness shone through with plenty of worry and
sadness. Their collective hearts sank as they realized what must have happened.
“We were too late.”
*********************************************
The small herd walked into the outskirts of the ravaged town, if Ponyville had looked like a disaster hit it, there were no words to describe the carnage that sprawled in front of them. Buildings were ablaze the smell of smoke hung in the air along with a much more horrifying and sickening smell. The six look around in horror, crying and screaming could be heard like a terrible chorus all over the decimated town.
How could I let this happen… Twilight repeated over and over again as they trotted through Appleloosa, her eyes scanning back and forth the closer they got to the center of town, the worse things looked. Suddenly, a high pitched scream rung out, stealing Twilight's attention. Looking up, she saw that somehow she had fallen behind the rest of the group who were stopped, frozen in their tracks several meters ahead of them.
“What is it?!” Twilight shouted and she galloped to be beside her friends until she too came to a dead halt. Her mouth went dry and her mind went blank, nausea welled up in her stomach at the sight before them.
“No...” Rainbow Dash whispered, the shock and trauma in her voice made the rest of the group feel even more terrified. This is the first time any of them had seen it… death. A young stallion lay butchered in the street, long, gaping slashes ran through his abdomen and blood soaked the ground. It was at this moment Twilight looked down, following the pool of blood until she realized their hooves rested in a drying puddle of his blood.
Suddenly, Rarity began hyperventilating, her body trembled so fiercely they could feel it through the ground in their hooves. They all wished to comfort her, but they couldn't bring themselves to even move.
“N-no… no… this can't… this can't be.” Rarity's voice was barely audible. She began to stagger back, shaking her head meekly, as though trying to deny the reality of what was before her. Suddenly, she broke into a horrible crying fit before bolting away faster than any of them had seen her run before.
“Rarity!” Twilight called out, spinning around, her hooves pulling away from the sticky earth beneath them. It was too late, she bolted away, running out of sight behind the wreckage of the fallen buildings.
“Applejack, go get her.” Fluttershy said in a commanding tone. She jostled her shoulder, re-situating her rifle and began walking, stepping around the dead body with a stoic face.
“R-right.” Applejack said hesitantly, looking to Twilight for reassurance. Looking back and forth between Fluttershy and Applejack, she finally gave an uneasy not and, without another word, Applejack took off after Rarity. Twilight turned her attention to her friends, still frozen, staring helplessly at the mangled body.
“Pinkie Pie, are you...”
“I'm, I'm going to be okay.” Twilight was surprised, her voice was heart broken and traumatized, but sincere. Tears stained her pink fur, but Pinkie and a strength in her eyes, something Twilight had never seen before. She believed her, she believed Pinkie would be okay, in her own time. As satisfied as she could be with that answer, she turned her attention to Rainbow Dash.
“Dashie…” Twilight said softly. The endearing nickname slipped out from her lips unintentionally, but after hearing her own words, she felt they were right and appropriate. Rainbow Dash didn't respond, she didn't speak, her face was blank, but not with the hardened steel of Fluttershy's, it's was pure grief and shock. Rainbow Dash looked absolutely destroyed. Twilight opened her mouth to speak, but before she could utter a word, a trembling voice came from the rubble.
“Princess? I-is that you?”
Twilight turned around to see Sheriff Silverstar slink out from behind a demolished house, he looked tired and beaten, but his voice had a hint of hope now. Behind him, the remnants of the town's inhabitants filed in, every pony looking worse off than the last. It was at this moment that Twilight realized to her horror that much of the ponies left mares and the young.
“Yes… it's me.” Twilight spoke weakly. She felt the weight of a crushing guilt fall over her.
“Thank Celestia you've come. What is going on? Those thing, those monsters, they just came and started destroying everything. When we tried to stop them they...” His voice trailed off and his head fell. He couldn't bring himself to finish what he was saying.
“How many were there?” Fluttershy cut in, walking swiftly towards him.
“Um, I don't know, it all happened so fast and-”
“That's not good enough! Do you want more ponies to die on your watch? Tell me how many you saw!” She demanded, putting her face in the sheriff's face. Her presence was imposing and overbearing and commanded respect, she was absolutely nothing like the Fluttershy they knew.
“Fluttershy stop this, can't you see he's-”
“Six, there was about six of them!” Sheriff Silverstar blurted out. Seemingly satisfied, Fluttershy began walking away, inspecting the town. Twilight stared at her, her mind racing. Worry for her friends, grief and guilt over the loss over life and how helpless she was to prevent it, but worst of all, the words of the sheriff hit her like train. S-six? Six of them. Oh Celestia… six of them. We barely escaped with our lives from one of those things. H-how many more are there?
Twilight looked back at Rainbow Dash, hoping for some solace, but she found only more hopelessness as Rainbow stared down at the dead body, her broken look completely unchanged. She was traumatized.
How are we going to make it through this?