A New Tale In Equestria.

by Sylif Daring Doo

Nearing the end.

_____*Next week, Gwen's house, 11:32 PM*_____

Skitter looked up at the night sky, she was on the roof of Gwen's house, she breathed in the fresh air, she felt the cooling breeze run along her body, she closed her eyes and smiled.

It was an odd thing, feeling such happiness from nothing, but it was moments like this, the pure silence, having peace, even for a single night, Skitter opened her eyes and stared at the moon, she couldn't help but admire it as it loomed above.

Skitter looked down to the ground, she saw the light of the moon dimly illuminating the grass, she watched as the grass waved in the short breeze. 'If only this could last, even for a few more minutes.' She thought as she gazed up again.

She shook her head free of all thought, she then focused her gaze to the moon.

____*the next day, Gwen's house, 12:10 PM*____

Skitter waited in the living room for Roxanne, who had just gone to the bathroom, they were supposed to meet Lyaroa in the town soon, Firefly and Solar had already gone to school, Gwen was at work now, so Skiter was once again bored out of her mind.

She had tried contacting her hive last night, no reply once again, she had begun to think that maybe.....

Skitter shook these thoughts out of her head as footsteps neared the stairs. "You ready Skitter?" Roxanne asked.

She nodded and headed to the door, throwing up her disguise as Star beforehand.

____*Ponyville market.*____

Roxanne spotted Lyaroa waiting for them near Applejack's stall, she seemed to be growing more impatient by the minute, but she still took her time in heading over.

Lyaroa looked over and noticed them walking over, she sighed in relief and met them halfway. "Glad to see you could make it." She said hurriedly.

Roxanne didn't say or give off an expression at how strange it was, the way Lyaroa said that, it was like she was on edge.....very skittish for some reason. "What's this all about Lyaroa?" She asked.

Lyaroa chuckles nervously and started walking, she motioned the two to follow.

As they walked, Lyaroa started talking. "I'm actually in kind of a rush guys, but I'll try to explain." She said. "Recently, I've heard rumors, and before you say anything, you should know that I wouldn't bother you over a pointless rumor." She added.

Roxanne walked up next to Lyaroa and looked at the Sentinel. "What kind of rumors?" She asked.

Lyaroa produced a small stack of photos and handed it to Roxanne. "Take a look." She said.

Roxanne examined the photos, she cringed slightly as she discovered they were photos of dead bodies, murder scenes mostly, they were all of the same topic as she looked through them, one victim, one knife, same injuries, the cause of death was obviously a slit throat, but each and every individual had a symbol on them, it was that of an upside down cross with a skeletal dragon at the bottom. "What does this have to do with the rumors?" She asked.

Lyaroa quickly checked the surrounding area and got closer to Roxanne, but not too close. "The rumors would have you believe that the members of a cult are committing suicide, I have reason to believe differently, I believe that it's a death cult killing people and trying to cover it up." She whispered.

Skitter knew what she was saying, and didn't like the idea of it at all.

"What else?" Roxanne asked quietly.

Lyaroa noticed some people walking by. "Not here." She looked up at the sky, she quickly made some clouds. "I'm going to send us up there to talk privately." She said.

Roxanne was about to object when she found herself suddenly in the sky. "Oh no." She said, expecting to fall, after a few moments of nothing, she opened her eyes and looked around, she noticed that she was on a cloud, but she was also back in Pegasus form. "Seriously?" She asked as she spotted Lyaroa standing on a cloud.

Lyaroa chuckled. "Yes, it was easier and faster than going around your anti magic barrier, besides, didn't you say so yourself that you wouldn't mind it every now and then?" She pointed out in fake obliviousness.

Roxanne sighed. "Alright, now tell us what's going on." She ordered.

Lyaroa nodded. "As I said, I believe that it's a death cult covering up murders, however, there's more going on than normal, for one, almost all of the bodies have near impossible to detect signs of struggling with someone before dying, the main question is why." She replied as she paced back and forth on the cloud.

Skitter looked at the Sentinel. "So, what else is there?" She asked.

Lyaroa looked at Skitter. "I also discovered that all of the victims shared one thing in common aside from wounds, and that the majority of these killings took place near Canterlot, so it's possible it's an isolated incident." She replied.

Roxanne looked up a little, and then back at Lyaroa. "So, what do you want US to do about it?" She asked.

"Yea, I'm ready to kick some butt!" Skitter exclaimed happily.

Lyaroa looked at Skitter and shook her head. "Sorry Skitter, your sitting this one out, along with everyone else." She said firmly but calmly.

Roxanne looked at Lyaroa. "What are you talking about?" She asked.

Lyaroa looked at Roxanne and gave a light smile. "That's the thing about this cult.....they have it out for me, they believe that the 'false god' should die.......along with any who follow, so I'm going to go alone, I just thought you should know, besides, you have a kid Roxie, I can't ask you to leave her like that." She replied with a hint of sadness.

Roxanne caught on to the hint, she blinked. "First off, do you know where they are? secondly, do you really think you can keep me and Fang from going?......stupid question, you CAN, but you still know what I meant." She said bluntly.

"Not to mention, Golden's probably itching for something to do, you can bring him and Fang." Skitter added.

Lyaroa sighed and rubbed her eyes, after a few minutes she groaned and looked up. "Fine!.....anyway, judging from the location of the attacks, the frequency, the efficiency.....I would have to go with one of Fillydelphia's outlying areas" She explained. 'Maybe I should bring Shade, he seemed itchy for a fight last time I saw him.' She thought.

Lyaroa looked at Skitter again. "You still aren't going." She said.

Skitter actually looked annoyed, it may have been easy to annoy her, but it was rare for her to actually express it. "Why not!?" She asked harshly.

Lyaroa crossed her arms. "Two reasons." She held up two fingers. "One, we need someone dependable here while we are gone to look after the kids, Spark is pretty self reliant, but someone needs to keep an eye on him every now and then. Two, if I'm taking anyone with me, it'll be anyone who's upright, not to be racist, but if this death cult is the one I'm thinking of, we can't afford to have any equine with us." She answered truthfully.

"Also, as a third reason, if by some coincidence everyone else finds out, we'll need you to keep everyone here somehow." Lyaroa added.

Skitter huffed. "Is that all?" She asked sarcastically. "HOW exactly am I supposed to do that?" She wondered.

Lyaroa blinked. "Skitter, your the former future queen of a changeling hive with peculiar abilities, trust me, you can stall, also uh.....can you set up a meeting at the library?.....I need to tell everyone something." She said.

Skitter nodded. "Ok, when?" She asked.

Lyaroa shrugged. "Maybe now?" She suggested.

Skitter grumbled and muttered something about 'rushing her' before flying off.

Lyaroa blinked and looked at Roxanne. "I don't know about you, but I would prefer it if you didn't go with to deal with this cult." She said with a hint of concern.

Roxanne walked over and flew up to Lyaroa's eye level. "And what happens if this cult gets their hands or hooves or whatever on kids?" She asked calmly.

Lyaroa didn't speak, she just looked away.

Roxanne sighed and put her hoof on Lyaroa's face, forcing the Sentinel to look her in the eye. "What if they reach OUR kids?" She asked in a now dangerous tone, her eyes becoming black pits with white pinpricks in the center.

Lyaroa paused her thought, she didn't WANT to think about it, while she had no biological children, she did have her friends, her adoptive family, those she considered to be her own.

She finally looked at Roxanne with determination. "Get your affairs and whatever in order, we leave in three days at longest, I need to get some people together.

Lyaroa then teleported them off the cloud and dispersed it, but not before turning Roxanne back into her fox form.

_____*Lyaroa's house, 4:00 PM*_____

Lyaroa walked out into the training yard and saw Golden training, he was performing combos that seems to become more brutal and precise as it went on. "Golden." She said shortly.

Golden noticed Lyaroa and stopped his training, he was breathing heavily and was sweating all over. "What is it?" He asked as he put his staff away.

Lyaroa did take note of Golden's odd staff, but never mentioned it. "I have reason to believe that a death cult is roaming free in Equestria, killing innocents and covering it up, I would like it if you tagged along." She answered.

Golden sat down on one of the benches. "Why?" He asked. "This isn't our world, why should we care what happens to it?" He added.

Lyaroa narrowed her vision on the bear as he drank some water. "Smug attitude coming from a guy who interfered in someone else's war." She countered.

Golden chuckled and then looked at Lyaroa. "I'll consider joining you.....when do you leave?" He asked.

"Three days longest, at least one day." She replied.

Golden scratched the back of his head and smirked. "Alright, I might be there." He said cooly as he went to the door.

Lyaroa didn't say anything as she watched Golden go back inside. 'Ok, next.' She thought as she teleported elsewhere.

____*The Everfree Forest.*____

Lyaroa approached Shade's cave, she noticed that there was an odd odor coming from it, but she pushed past it as she entered the cave. "Shade, you here?" She asked.

She heard a shuffling and water dripping from somewhere in the cave, which was strange as it hadn't rained in a week. "Why are you here Lyaroa?" Came Shade's voice.

Lyaroa crossed her arms and looked behind her, seeing the wolf standing there. "I'm here to ask you to join me on a mission." She answered.

Shade blinked, he walked closer to the Sentinel. "And that would be?" He asked.

Lyaroa then told him about what was going on, including the cult, and the deaths, Shade sighed and paced around the cave. "Why does this concern me?......I literally have no reason to help." He pointed out.

Lyaroa shook her head. "Like I said, I'm asking, that's all." She replied as she headed to the cave entrance. "If you feel like going, meet me at the house." She added before leaving via teleport.

____*later that day, Lyaroa's house, 8:32 PM*_____

Fang stood there in silence as Lyaroa finished her explanation of what was going on, he was somewhat in shock as it actually connected to his visions, he eventually sighed. 'If the bad thing that the shadow mentioned is at this place, I can't afford to stay.' He thought.

"You don't have to go you know, no pressure there." Lyaroa mentioned.

Fang chuckled. "No, I'm going, I sat the last two out, not this time." He said before heading upstairs.

_____*Two days later, Lyaroa's house, 9:10 AM*_____

Lyaroa sat in the living room with Golden, Fang and Roxanne, Shade had told her that he would go after he thought it over, Golden was going just because he could at this point.

Spark and Firefly didn't have school today, and were going to be staying over at Gwen's until they got back, thankfully, Lyaroa had given Skitter more than enough money to pay for food and other costs, it was a good thing that Skitter was good with money, or it would have been a bad idea.

The excuse that the kids were given was that they need a vacation, Spark did not question it because he was used to Lyaroa's shenanigans at this point, Firefly was confused and asked WHY they needed one, and why they couldn't go, Roxanne answered with. 'The place we're going isn't for kids, but it's the kind of vacation that adults like.' This had unfortunately gotten Firefly even more curious, and asking more questions, much to Lyaroa's amusement.

Lyaroa heard a knock at the door, she teleported over and opened it up, seeing that it was Shade she let him in. "Morning." She said shortly.

Shade noticed everyone and rubbed his eyes. "Hey." He said.

Fang stood up and walked around a little. "So, when are we leaving?" He asked.

Lyaroa locked the door and looked at everyone. "Do you have everything?" She asked, seeing everyone nod, she grinned. "Ok, then we leave immediately." She answered.

Roxanne raised an eyebrow. "And just HOW long is it going to-" She was cut off as Lyaroa snapped her fingers, and they all teleported from the house.

____*somewhere else.*____

The five fell down and landed in a pile, with Golden on the bottom, Fang on top of him, Lyaroa on him, Shade on her, and Roxanne on top.

Golden grumbled. "I'm ALWAYS the fall guy." He complained.

"Stuff it Gold." Fang said.

Shade sighed. "Why did this happen again?" He wondered.

Lyaroa mumbled something under her breath. "We should probably move." She said.

Roxanne chuckled. "I don't know why you guys are complaining, it's a nice view." She told them before jumping off the pile.

"Say's the fox as she lands on top." Shade then got off the pile.

One by one they got free, soon, Lyaroa looked around and blinked as she noticed they were at the entrance to a ravine, leading to a mountain.

"Let's get moving, the sooner this is done, the better." Lyaroa said as she walked to the ravine.

Roxanne looked at the ravine as she moved towards it, and only one thought ran through her mind. 'I have a bad feeling about this.'

Author's Note:

So, we're nearing the end of this story, and I'm actually going to miss writing this, as fun as it's been, it needs to end at some point.

I won't be saying much in the authors notes this time, but I feel like i should say something at least.

Well, to be honest, after this is over, and I've finished my other stories, I'm not entirely sure what to write afterwards, I have an idea or two left, but after that.......nevermind, I'll figure it out.

See you next time guys!