Into Darkness We Ride

by Rated Ponystar

What We Fight For

Golden Scabbard stared across the kitchen table at the little filly. The anonymous orphan ate ravenously, devouring the stale bread and drinking down the watery soup she had offered her. The carrot was long-gone, stem and all, and all that remained of the apple was the stem and a partially-devoured core.

Goldy considered her size, and the fact that she hadn’t said a word since she’d led her home. Her coat and hooves were slicked with street grime. And her mane had obviously never felt a brush. She was young; perhaps not yet able to speak. Or she was mute. Perhaps her parents had died before they’d taught her to speak.

She belched, and continued feeding without missing a beat.

The guard captain smiled and levitated over a napkin with her chipped horn. The little filly almost reminded her of Rainbow Dash in her mannerisms. Except, her friend had become numb to fear. The poor little yearling before her had yet to develop that trait.

“Guess you haven’t eaten this well in a while,” she said with smile.

The filly looked up from her plate and shrank, as if only now remembering she was there. Her ears folded and she shrank beneath her gaze.

“Hold still.” The napkin levitated closer and brushed the crumbs and soup off her lips. “Be careful. Don’t eat too fast, okay? You don’t want to make yourself sick.”

Her confidence bolstered, the small gray filly continued to tear into her meal, slurping loudly at her soup bowl. The silver spoon clattered to the floor, discarded in favor of simplicity.

Goldy shook her head and chuckled. She’d seen it before. Most ponies when nearly starved to death would eat with a fervor to reflect it. She’d seen far too many of her fellow warriors die literally eating themselves to death.

She tried an alternative approach.

“Do you have a name?”

The filly paused, swallowing a bite of bread. She stared at her, clutching the bread she’d been given.

“Can you speak?”

The foal hid behind her bread helping and shook her head.

Goldy smiled in the friendliest manner she could muster. “Can you understand me?”

A nod.

Encouraged by the little orphan’s reply, she tried again. “Do you… come from Equestria?”

The filly shook her head.

“You’re very young. Were you born here?”

A nod.

Goldy sighed inwardly. To have been born in such darkness, and never to have seen the golden light of the sun or the silvery moon… Something so elemental, so essential, was surely the birthright of all that lived. And the fact that this little filly could die soon, having never seen either bothered her.

“Your mother and father – did they fight in the army?”

She nodded.

“They… never came home, then?”

She shook her head, hugging the bread loaf as though it were a doll. She seemed so small, so vulnerable. It amazed her that such a young foal could survive on her own at all.

“I’m sorry…”

No reply.

“My parents died during the attack on Canterlot. My mother was a maid in service to Princess Luna, and my father was the captain of the Royal Guard. When Princess Luna gave the order to evacuate the city, they stayed behind to help with the old, hurt and sick. They said they’d come for me.”

The filly was looking at her, eyes sad and sympathetic.

“It was hard for me too,” she continued. “Not knowing what happened to them, it ate me up inside. Sometimes, just… just the not-knowing is worse than them not being there anymore… but Shining Armor… he knew my father.” She shrugged. “Guess he talked about me a little bit.”

She paused and looked at her guest and grimaced at her look of confusion.

“S-sorry. I guess I started rambling a bit… I’m not very good at entertaining kids. Wish I had some keys to jingle for you.”

The filly tilted her head.

Goldy stood, surprising her guest, and hobbled around the table. “You ever even seen a bathtub before?”

The little orphan looked up at her, ears pinned.

“That’s okay. Everypony gets filthy enough for one eventually,” she said with a smile. She turned to the kitchen, and returned, levitating a steaming pot of water. “C’mon, kid. You get to try one of the simple pleasures of life.

Stepping into the bathroom, Goldy produced a small metallic pan and placed it on the floor, before emptying the contents of the pot into the tub. Adding a bit of cold water to the tub caused the steam to dampen, while leaving the water warm and toasty. Slipping the back of her fetlock into the water to test the temperature, she smiled and turned to her diminutive guest.

The little filly eyed the tub curiously, and her hostess motioned to it. Cautiously the little earth pony trotted up to the tub and peered in.

“It’s okay. Jump in.”

She looked up at her with nervous eyes and eyed the water.

Goldy chuckled. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to make a stew out of you. I promise.”

The filly looked up at her, ears folding. Apparently that hadn’t been the right thought to bring to the yearling’s mind.

She sat and extended her leg. “Need a hoof up?”

Without waiting for a nod, she scooped up the filly’s rump and deposited her into the warm water. A small, nigh-inaudible squeak escaped the young pony and she scrambled through the water to the edge.

“Easy, easy…” she whispered softly, stroking a hoof through her mane. She smiled. “I assume you’ve never had a nice warm bath before, have you?”

The nervous filly looked up at her with scared eyes.

“It’s okay. Just relax,” she cooed, running her hoof down through the little pony’s mane. “You’ll get used to it. You’ll feel a lot better. Hay, you probably won’t even wanna get out.”

The filly, her expression still unsure, nonetheless relaxed into the steamy water. Soon her trembles ceased, and a smile blossomed on her face. She paddled at the water delightedly with innocence that could only be had by a foal.

Goldy softly massaged the back of the yearling’s pelt with her goof hoof, and was amazed by how much dirt and grime came away. The water became murky, leaving her coat a pale gray. Her muzzle, to her amusement, remained a spotty darker gray. Her mane and tail cleaned into an off-black. She seemed to enjoy the scrubber pouf she used, and giggled airily as she rubbed her belly clean.

“Close your eyes,” she urged her, levitating a nearly-empty bottle from the bathroom.

The filly looked up curiously and obeyed, shutting her eyes tight. A spurt of shampoo landed in her mane, and Goldy gingerly began to massage the suds through her hair and along her pelt. She seemed to enjoy it, and a warm and happy smile blossomed on her face.

Acquiring a measuring cup from the kitchen, Goldy rinsed the little foal clean, and she shook, sending water droplets everywhere.

Before long, the water’s temperature began to decline, and Goldy levitated the filly out of the bath water. Noticing her shivers, she was quick to wrap a towel around her and scrub her dry.

Cradling her against her chest, she trotted over to the couch. The tiny filly’s shivers slowly subsided.

“So…” she said with a grunt, reclining against the arm of the sofa. “You can’t speak, so you can’t tell me your name. I wonder if I could guess it…”

The filly tilted her head and smiled at the prospect of a guessing game.

Goldy smirked cheekily and booped the young pony’s muzzle. “Is it Silly Filly?”

Her diminutive guest sniffed a soft laugh and shook her head.

The hostess smiled and raised a hoof to her cheek and pondered. “Let’s see… Graycoat?”

The filly shook her head.

“No? Hmm.” She slowly smiled and flashed a grin at the yearling. “Is it… ticklish?!” She rolled on top of the filly the next instant and attacked her sides and belly with nuzzles and gentle pokes with her good hoof.

A soft squeak escaped her little victim and her breathy laughs, soft as they were, brought a ray of warmth to Goldy’s heart. Without thinking about it, she traded the filly’s towel for a blanket, and got up, trotting over to the fireplace where the last few glowing embers of the previous fire still burned.

After piling up some more makeshift peat in the hearth, she poked at the still-burning coals. Some of the ash she kicked up brought about a sneeze and a sniffle.

Goldy paused the poker mid-motion and considered the soot she was tracking. She considered the filly’s mane and coat colors.

“Ash…” she muttered.

Movement from the corner of her eye caught her attention and she looked at the nodding filly.

“Ashe?”

The filly nodded again.

Goldy smiled and replaced the poker in its holster. “Ashe, hm?” She nodded and limped back to the sofa, curling up behind the filly. “I like that name.”

Ashe smiled and reached up, bumping muzzles with her.

The mare smiled and curled her good leg around the filly and pulled her in closely. She snuggled under the blanket with her and tucked her beneath her chest, warm and safe. “Okay, then. Ashe it is.”

The little filly squirmed closer and yawned, her eyes growing heavy.

“You know something, Ashe?” she whispered as the filly drifted off, “I think I found a reason to bother fighting again…”

The only reply she received was a soft snore.

***

“Two-hundred sixteen dead…” he said in disbelief.

“Yessir,” the guardspony replied, expression stern as ever.

“I guess there would be panic when the last two known Elements died,” Shining Armor said, sweeping a hoof back through his mane. He looked at his orderly and passed the notes back to him. “Just try and contain the crowds for now. We don’t need anymore death today, Lieutenant.”

His guard saluted and walked back down the hall. He turned around and sighed exhaustedly. It had been a hectic twenty hours. Rioters, looters, and doomsayers had flooded the streets. Buildings crumbled, foals were torn from the hooves of mothers, countless had been trampled underhoof, and large crowds had gathered at the gates, demanding that they be allowed to leave.

Another dozen wall guards were dead, and Shining Armor had had to reassign several of his own personal cadre just to replace them. The city was in crisis, and the population seemed resigned to their fate.

Even Princess Twilight’s “return” had done little to ease the collective restlessness of the citizens. Nearly ten percent of the city had been abandoned, those inhabitants taking up residence near the north gates, demanding release from their artificial prison. Worse, the growing crowd at the northern gates had pulled needed guards from elsewhere on the wall just to contain the demonstrations.

It was ugly. He couldn’t lie to himself. Hay, he hadn’t even seen hide nor hair of Cadance since the staged funeral, and typically she was a source of his comfort for him. She had vanished to “tend to some things” as she had put it, and given him no clues as to the specifics. All of her usual spots -- the med station, the throne room, the situation chambers -- had reported her missing.

He trotted up the silent hallways and ascended the stairs to the royal suite. A pair of guards allowed him entry, and he proceeded directly to the sink to wash the sweat off his face. A glimpse in the mirror told him he had most certainly seen better days.

Part of him was wondering if the golem ruse had been worth the growing cost.

He pressed a hoof against the entrance to the bedroom and froze at the doorway, blinking across the dimly-lit chamber.

There, veiled behind the thin silk of the bed, was his wife, draped limply across the mattress. Only the glowstone embedded in the ceiling gave away her shape. Her slippers, royal vest and crown laid discarded haphazardly on the floor.

He adopted a smile, relieved that she had at least found a moment of rest for herself.

“Wow. If you were looking for someplace to hide, you couldn’t have done a better job,” he said warmly, stepping out of his own armored greaves. “I mean, our own bedroom? Who would’ve thought of that?”

No reply. Typically, Cadance was more responsive to his humor, such as it was. Something must have been wrong.

Shining Armor’s face softened and he edged closer. “Cadie? You okay?” he asked.

His wife tensed as she sensed him drawing nearer. Frowning, he stepped up onto the mattress and slid softly across the covers.

She didn’t reply. She refused to even look at him.

“Cadance, please,” he said softly. “I know it’s been hard; on you, on me… Applejack, Rainbow Dash…”

She flinched, clenching her streaming eyes. His brow furrowed. He might have known that that was what had been bothering his wife. It had only been a couple days, and the fact that she couldn’t hold her two dearest friends close anymore had taken its toll on her. She couldn’t stand not-knowing what had happened to them.

He nuzzled behind her ear. “But it doesn’t mean you have to shut everything out… I’m here for you. I always will be. You don’t have to bear that weight alone.”

Cadance sniffled, giving the first time in a long while that she was alive.

“I’m just so tired of it all…” she muttered into the sheets. “I’m tired of fighting… tired of goodbyes… I’m tired of all the death and funerals and nopony smiling…” She weakly struck the mattress with her hoof and wept. “I’m so tired… I don’t want to do it anymore…”

Shining frowned and encircled his mate with heavy hooves.

“I know…” he consoled softly. “I’m tired too…”

For a long time, that was how they laid. He stroked her mane and peppered her cheek and neck with comforting kisses.

“But…” he spoke up softly, after she’d calmed slightly, “if it wasn’t for us, it would all be over. We wouldn’t have made it this long.” He squeezed her tightly. “And there’s no other princess everypony else can look to to lead them out of this…”

Cadance swallowed and wiped her eyes. “Then I don’t want to be a princess anymore…” she muttered.

Shining Armor considered for a moment. He smiled and turned her to face him and pressed his lips against hers.

“Then, maybe once this is all over with, we can retire from the whole ‘royalty’ thing.”

Her dull eyes sparkled for a moment. She liked that idea, apparently, and an amused smile crossed her face. “Shiny, I don’t think it works like that.”

“What do you mean? You’re a princess, Cadie. If you decide you’re done, I don’t think that there’s much anypony can do to stop you.” He kissed her again and pulled her closer. “We could go find an empty field somewhere… build a little cabin for ourselves… plant a great big apple orchard… then we could finally start a family together.”

His wife blinked at him and smirked, fluttering her lashes sarcastically. “Why, Shiny! Kids?”

“Hay yeah,” he said, smile splitting into a large grin. “Twenty of ‘em – for a start.”

Cadance threw her head back and laughed for what felt like the first time in ages.

“Twenty little foals in the sun… nopony else to worry about…” She sighed, leaning over and laying her head against his chest. She yawned, heavy dark bags hanging under her eyes. “You really are ambitious.”

“No other way to live, babe,” he said smugly clutching her tightly. “As I recall, it made you go nuts for me.”

“Oh, right…” his wife muttered with a sarcastic roll of her eyes. “It was you that fell for me.”

“Hmmm… you might be right… must’ve been that love spell you put me under messin’ with my head…” he said with a wink.

“Please,” she scoffed up at him, grinning. “You were head-over-hooves about me before I’d even met you. I think you’ve just taken too many shots to the head over your career to remember how it happened.”

The two shared a laugh before staring at one another for several long moments.

“I’m worried about them, Shiny…”

He nodded. “Me too…”

She hugged him tightly, as if he were security itself. “I want them to succeed so bad.”

“They will,” he said. “They’re the ones the Elements chose… they’ll make it. I know it.”

Cadance nodded and laid her head back. “It just feels so cold and empty now with them gone… It’s so quiet without Rainbow Dash yelling at soldiers... or Applejack helping in the soup kitchen…”

Shining Armor’s face grew solemn. “Cadance… listen, I know I haven’t exactly been the best husband over the past couple years. I know I’ve been concentrating a lot on the city’s security and… and I haven’t been as… attentive as I should be.”

His princess frowned, reaching up to stroke his cheek. “Shiny…”

“C-can I…” he said, claiming her hoof in his own, “can I finish first?”

She grew silent.

He looked into her eyes and leaned down to nuzzle her. “Sweetie, I promise… I promise that once this whole thing is over, it’ll all change. Whatever you want to do, wherever you want to go, it’ll be you and me forever, no matter what happens. And I’ll spend the rest of my life making you the happiest mare I can… I give you my word.”

She was crying again, but it seemed to be for different reasons, judging from the smile on her face.

“Shiny…” she said softly, stroking her hoof through his mane, “you’re exactly the same stallion that I fell in love with all those years ago. I knew you then, and I know you now.” She sniffled again. “And even though this war may have taken us away from each other a lot… I love you more today than I ever have since, and it’ll be the same way tomorrow.” She leaned up and kissed him passionately.

They separated after a moment and shared a smile.

“And cottage, kids, or kingdom, I’ll keep on loving you to the very day we part. Because that was the promise we made to each other.” She rested a hoof over his. “We swore that our love would always bring us back to each other… and the love we have will conquer anything that stands against us.”

Then, Shining Armor, for whatever reason, felt playful.

He grinned. “I believe it, ever since you conquered my heart.” He winked. “How could I see a pony as beautiful as you and not want to wake up next to you for the rest of my life?”

She shook her head with a smile, eyes half-lidded. “You can say some of the most beautiful things sometimes. Corny, but beautiful things.” She leaned forward and kissed her husband passionately. “Now I remember why I fell in love with you…”

“Turn-on, isn’t it?” he asked, flashing a grin.

“Mr. Smooth Criminal…” she whispered.

“A hardened criminal—” He jolted, eyes widening as his wife’s hoof drifted elsewhere.

“You feel a little dusty down there, Shiny.” She winked.

“H-hey, don’t gloat,” he snapped playfully through his blush. “Pretty sure I saw some cobwebs between your legs, too.”

Cadance giggled and rolled onto her back, posing alluringly for her husband.

“Well, if you can still get it up after all these years, mister, you’re welcome to help me clean.” She pressed her lips against his again and grinned. “And help me get a jumpstart on those twenty kids you promised me…”

***

She had been cold for the longest time; numb and unfeeling, except for the pain throbbing in the depths of her heart. The pain of loss and regret echoed across distant memories and left a stubborn soreness.

Then she was warm; almost hot. It was a sensation that Applejack hadn’t felt in years, and though she could feel a bit of sweat dotting her brow, she snuggled deeper into its source. A rich blanket of warmth engulfed her tightly, safe and secure.

She didn’t care whether or not she could move. She only cared that for the first time in ages she had slept warmly. She hadn’t woken up shivering. In that moment, she was in Heaven, amongst blooming meadows and innumerable apple trees as far as the eye could see.

The image brought to mind the smell of sweet fruit and fresh flowers. She tingled with the feeling of peace. Every leaf, every blade of grass and every grain of soil bent towards her, as if she were the sun – the source of all life itself. She felt so warm and vibrant, so alive and happy and free from the cares of the world. Everything was in Harmony; everything was perfect.

It was beautiful, and nothing could tear her out of it – except a familiar snort right behind her head.

Applejack’s ear flicked at the hot breeze, and her green eyes lazily drifted open. Bountiful fields folded to the visage of a drab landscape bathed in utter darkness. Dead trees and gnarled, dry foliage twisted about on each other in a cruel mockery of life. She felt distant and numb to everything again – everything but warmth.

It took her a moment to recognize the waterfall basin before her as it lapped at the dark shoreline. Neighagra Falls continued to thunder just through the veil of darkness. Only the mist and noise gave away it was there in the shadows.

Even in darkness, the warmth persisted. It didn’t take her long to guess the source. Blinking the sleep out of her eyes, she looked behind her.

Rainbow was draped over her, still deep in sleep’s grasp. She adjusted in response to her movement, and snored no more, snuggling closer.

Applejack smiled. Rainbow Dash could be cute when she thought nopony was looking. She thought of how funny it’d be to shout her awake.
Then guilt took her for thinking such things. It wasn’t like Rainbow got enough sleep, anyway. Every other evening, she’d heard her pacing around the house, double-checking the doors and windows to be sure all was secure.

She’d find her polishing her weapons and armor in the living room at times. Other times she’d find her just sitting at the kitchen table formulating battle strategies, or staring at nothing in particular; nothing but the empty wall on the other side of the room, and five other empty chairs at the eating space.

The latter had always felt eerie to Applejack. It was almost like her friend was in communion with something she couldn’t see. Then again, Rainbow had seen a lot and come to terms with much.

It was the most restful she’d seen the pegasus in years. Her hooves wrapped around her chest and she nuzzled deeper into her blond mane. Waves of nostalgia washed over her as she looked back on sunny days over Ponyville and saw her friend lounging on clouds overhead.

Some things really never changed.

In olden times, Applejack would have happily given the mare what-for for not being up in a timely manner. But here and now, she couldn’t be happier that her friend had finally found the peace she’d needed to rest that had eluded her for so long. They would doubtless need it down the road.

Her eyes grew heavy watching her friend sleep, and a yawn escaped her.

Maybe there was no harm in sleeping in just a bit longer.

Great, now old-you is rubbin’ off on me, she thought. She chuckled and relaxed beneath the blanket. Rainbow Dash’s comforting and reassuring hold lured her back into her dreams.

The next time she awoke it was from a gentle nudge against the side of her head. A soft, comforting whisper grazed the tip of her ear.

She shifted.

“AJ…” the voice softly said again. Rainbow tickled her sides with feathery appendages.

“No…” she protested into the blanket. “Better when I sleep…”

She could feel the pegasus’s smile without seeing it. “This is the pony who used to give me such a hard time for napping all the time.”

“Sleepin’ and nappin’ are two different things,” she muttered drowsily.

“Are not.”

“Mrrrrrre too…” She folded her ears to keep Rainbow from pestering her with her talking.

She heard a chuckle behind her, and her friend pressed against her, squeezing tightly. She felt her nuzzle against her ear gently. “C’mon, AJ… we can’t stay here forever. We gotta go.”

All the contentment and happiness she had been feeling evaporated, and a sigh escaped her. “I know…”

Rainbow softly stroked a hoof through her mane. “And, hay, if we can make enough time, maybe we could set up camp early.”

“Yeah… maybe.” Applejack lifted her head and yawned. The biting air pierced her coat the second the pegasus moved off of her. She flinched and pushed herself groggily up to her hooves.

“WHOO!”

The farmpony nearly leapt out of her skin at Rainbow’s sudden exuberance. The pegasus’s fur and feathers alike bristled, and she shook the sleep out of her body with a quick prance around the clearing.

Applejack rolled her eyes with the barest hint of a smile, and trudged over to her saddlebags nearby. She produced an apple – a rarity these days generally reserved for royalty and gifted personally to her by Cadance – and took an eager bite of it. Her knees immediately weakened with the taste of her breakfast. Tears brimmed in her eyes as delight flooded through her.

“You okay there, cowgirl?”

“Best. Thing. I’ve ever tasted,” she replied, nearly coming to tears. She chewed slowly, savoring every mouthful, and far too soon it was gone.

Rainbow stopped her as she reached for another. “Easy, AJ. We gotta ration everything, remember?”

She looked at her friend, and received a raised eyebrow in return. She gazed back down at the red fruit cradled in her hoof. If only she could take one more bite; one more taste…

At last, she sighed and slowly slid it back into the saddlebag where it belonged. “I know… I know that.” She shook her head and quickly buttoned the flap shut. “I can’t figure when you got to bein’ the one with self-control. What world am I in?”

Rainbow chuckled and threw a hoof around her. “Well, once we put everything back to normal, you can be the responsible one again if you want. I can go back to sleeping on clouds all the time.”

Applejack smiled. “Deal. Ain’t sure I could trust you with much else, anyway.”

The pair rolled up their blanket pile in short order and stowed them in the bag of holding Shining Armor had provided them with. Tightening the clasps on their luggage, the pair took one last long drink of water from the basin and filled their canteens before giving a lasting glimpse to the once-familiar landscape.

Applejack shook her head groggily and turned towards the south. “C’mon. Let’s get outta here.”

Apparently Rainbow took notice and trotted up beside her.

“Are you feeling okay?”

She looked up, finding the pegasus looking at her with a concerned expression. She turned away and tried to hide the fact she was lying.

“Fine…”

Rainbow eyed her unconvincingly. “You sure about that? You look like you didn’t sleep so hot.”

Applejack shook her head. “Just… nightmares.”

“About…?”

She sighed and turned away as they passed by the remains of a triage tent that had been abandoned in a hurry so many years before. She could still recognize the royal crest on it. No sun or wind or rain to damage it. In fact, it looked hauntingly like it had been the one that...

She shivered and quickly turned away. “I-I don’t wanna talk about it.”

Rainbow slid up next to her and draped a wing around her withers. She leaned in and nuzzled her neck comfortingly.

“It’ll be okay…” her friend promised softly.

Applejack looked up at her, her vision blurry with tear-stricken eyes. “Do you really believe that, Rainbow?”

She noticed her friend’s pause, however brief it was, and found her smug grin thereafter unbelievable. “Oh, sure! Totally! It’s you and me, AJ! Nopony can stop our tag team!”

In spite of her doubt, Applejack managed to force something that resembled a smile and continued to march. “Yeah… guess that’s true enough...” She sucked in a breath and turned to Rainbow again. “Lead the way, darlin’.”

The pegasus flashed a grin and did just that, spiraling into the air and performing a series of energetic spins, cartwheels, and loops, with the slower earth pony following along behind her.

Both ponies were ignorant of the silent figures moving in the darkness around them.

Author's Note:

Late again! Won't somebody kick my ass and make me work?! T_T

-TUC

Comments

[Aatxe360]

I think I offered once, but you don't want a creep like me around. I would also bug you about another story of yours... This is starting to feel a little like that one. Just a little.

[Sunny]

Always a curious to see this develop further. Thanks for the update

[Biker_Dash]

I'm just happy thai I have read three updated chapters from you today... THE AWESOMENESS HAS BEEN TRIPLED!

[SHL]

Eh, a "not dark to death" chapter!" Thank you, TwilightUCrazy ^^

...

Wait... that means the next chapter...

Oh, dammit.

[TwilightUCrazy]

5751362

Well get on it, dammit! Yeesh! What do I pay you for?!

[Aatxe360]

5753857

I'm supposed to get paid for this?!

[TwilightUCrazy]

5754125

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...