Mapping Manehattan

by The Red Parade

evening

There’s an old saying, coined by a family business that used to operate downtown. ‘The Sun Never Sets Over Manehattan,’ they said.

As Fiddle and Lightning pass by the ruined building, they can’t help but laugh at how ironic it is. The sun has set over Manehattan, or the old Manehattan, anyways. But as they pass the street corner, a streak of light flies into the air.

The two freeze, staring in awe as a red flare is hurled high into the sky. Neither of them were expecting to see the signal, but it’s as real as the city is destroyed. The boss is alive, but more importantly, she’s back.

They look at each other, wide-eyed, and laugh. Because things are about to change.

As they trot down the roads, the memories come flooding back. The time they’ve spent together is etched hard into their memories, as they recall looting thrift stores and exploring restaurants, playing cards in the rain and making paper airplanes.

The city might be the same. It might still be a skeleton of civilization, filled with gangs of horrible ponies and empty buildings, but in the cracks, there are signs of life. For every Ravager there’s a Whitey, and for every rouge guard there’s Lyra and a Bon Bon. For every monster, there’s a hero, whether they realize it or not.

Fiddle and Lightning make their way home, dodging between car chassis and alleyways, and hopping over fences and cutting through maintenance tunnels.

This is their city. Nopony is going to take that from them. Their mission might almost be over, but Manehattan still needs saving.

As Fiddle jumps over a gate, she lands in a puddle and splashes water over herself and Lightning. Lightning laughs, shaking the water from her mane.

Fiddle chuckles, kicking at the puddle to splash more water on her.

Lightning retaliates by gently shoving Fiddle into a bigger puddle in front of her. She falls forwards and lands on her chest, laughing. Lightning’s lucky their saddlebags are waterproof, or else they’d be in serious trouble.

She pulls Fiddle back up onto her hooves and they carry on, down the roads and sidewalks.

Cracks run up and down the road like veins, making a sort of wavy path leading into the city. At the intersection of Fourth Street and Central Street, next to a wrecked military humvee, a tiny flower begins to blossom from the ground.

In the alley nearby a raccoon pokes its head out of a trash can. It sniffs at the air before scurrying off into the bushes in front of the Manehattan Trade Center. A squirrel crawls about halfway up the big tree in the courtyard and pauses, before jumping safely to the ground.

Tiny birds sit on the roof edges and keep vigil over the city. After a few seconds they spread the wings and take off into the sky. Then they soar freely above the clouds and into the air.

The sun never sets over Manehattan.

Comments

[Nitro Indigo]

I know this chapter isn’t an ending, but it feels like it, and the description is beautiful. I’ve got to say, though, that I couldn’t piece together an overarching plot; every chapter feels self-contained.

Also, why wasn’t there a chapter on Monday?

[The Red Parade]

10300248
I had it ready to go but apparently I never published it. Go me! Either way it should be up now. The next chapter will be the last one.