What Went Wrong?

by StormbadgerXIII

Onwards, Upwards

What Went Wrong?
Chapter 4 - Onwards, Upwards

Derpy had never seen so many ponies running around, yet not bumping into each other. She, on the other hoof, kept doing so, much to the annoyance of them. She took to hovering just above the chaos, but just under the pegasi, who sped just below the roof. A dark-grey hoof grabbed her; Thunderlane looked into her eyes.

"Come on, Derpy, we have to get you to a safe location!"

"But-"

"No buts! Go!" He effectively dragged her through the gap of earthbound and winged ponies. He finally stopped at a room, labelled 'Secure', and goaded her in. "Stay put."

Derpy did so. And she waited... and waited... and waited...

She was just about to fall asleep from boredom when a loud voice rang through the castle, slightly tinny.

"Good job, ponies, in setting up so fast for a defence. However this time it took ten minutes. Ten. Minutes. Make it three next time." The voice cut out, leaving a slight, painful reverberating ring throughout the halls.

A minute later, the door opened, Thunderlane and Spitfire standing at the doorway. The stallion smiled. "Another drill. Don't worry about it." He held out a hoof to Derpy.

Derpy grabbed his hoof and lifted herself up. "Had me worried for a second."

"Had us all worried." Spitfire smirked. "Luna isn't too obvious when it comes to drills."

"Aww, man!" A (very young-sounding) colt groaned from down the hallway. "I wanted to see some real action!"

"Pound..." Thunderlane muttered to himself. "Can't believe a sixteen year old joined up. Wait here, I need to talk to him." He flew off.

"Pound Cake?" Derpy asked Spitfire. "Seriously?"

"Mhm." She smiled sadly. "Seems like he really wanted to join."

Derpy nodded. She heard Thunderlane arguing with the little beige pegasus about the realities of combat, how overeagerness could cost you your life, et cetera. As the words and threats got harsher she felt her ears droop a little. Spitfire rubbed her head.

"Don't worry, Derpy."

But she couldn't help but worry.

"...so don't go rushing in. You're too young to be killed."

"I can't use a crossbow!"

"I didn't say you had to use a crossbow!"

"You told me to not go rushing in!"

"Don't rush in recklessly! You'll be killed quickly!"

"Says you."

"That's how Leroy died, remember?"

"What, that idiot? I'm not like him."

"Because you're smart enough not to just charge."

"But-"

"Pound, enough. You're too young to even be here. Don't waste your future on something so pointless."

Pound shut up, instead deciding to walk off, muttering oaths under his breath. Thunderlane returned to the two mares. "Let's hope he listens..."

Spitfire sighed. "I don't want another repeat of last time..."

---

Derpy had been told that one of the VIP rooms had been cleared. For a small room, it wasn't too bad. Really comfortable, too. Guess that's why it was VIP.

She lay on the bed, and pulled out her journal, flipping through it. It had been pretty well preserved for fifteen years. She read some of her past entries, remembering them like they were yesterday. She found the last one she wrote.

"Dear diary,

Today is going to be a great day! I've got lots of shopping to do, though, but I've decided to treat myself with muffins. (Yay muffins!) Then I'm going to have lunch with Carrot Top at The Haybale. I'll try not to order muffins; I don't want everypony to think I'm obsessed with them. But they make really good muffins, so that might be hard...

Dinky's birthday is in a month. I'm so looking forward to it! I hope she's invited lots of friends, but Pinkie's running it so I don't have to worry about it too much.

Well, gotta go, Diary. See you soon! Bye!"

She had missed Dinky's birthday. She had missed fourteen of them. Her only family... gone. Vanished. Poof.

She sniffed, seeing a drop of clear liquid fall on her glasses. The thought of Dinky, growing up without a mother... it hurt more than when she had broken her leg three... no, eighteen... years ago.

Time travel hurts your brain.

Well, I might as well write a new entry. She thought. Let see, it's been fifteen years, and I wrote about a page and a half every day... so... She did some fancy mathematics. I'm going to need a new book.

She turned to where the next journal entry would have been, and saw a small, well-written note in somepony else's hoofwriting.

"Derpy,

I know what went haywire with the experiment. Meet me in Canterlot when you can. If you can.

Twilight Sparkle."

Derpy blinked. "Wait... why would Twilight look through my-" She shook her head. "Never mind that, I have to get to Canterlot!" She stood up, posing dramatically. "For me! For Dinky! For Equestria!"

---

"What do you mean I can't leave?" Derpy exclaimed.

"Dash says no." Snowflake said matter-of-factly, staring down at her. He was standing in front of the door heading outside and he looked like he wasn't going to be moving any time soon.

"I have to get to Canterlot!"

"Canterlot? You crazy?"

"I need to meet Twilight Sparkle!"

"Why?"

"So I can get back to where I came from?"

"Not gonna happen." He growled. "Not unless Dash says yes."

An immaculately timed Rainbow Dash flew up to them. "What's going on?"

"Derpy wants to leave."

"I need to get to Canterlot!"

"Canterlot?" Dash asked, shocked. "Why in Equestria would you want to go there?"

"Twilight might have a way to send me back to the past so I don't disrupt the time continuum and cause a large-scale temporal disaster!"

Dash and Snowflake just blinked.

"...So I don't wipe out time."

"Oh."

"Can I go? Please please please?"

"Dash?" Snowflake asked, turning to his cyan-coated companion.

"Ugh... I guess maybe."

"Yay!"

"But don't blame me if you get killed."

"Ok- wait, what?"

"Snowflake, step aside."

"Right." The massive pony took a step aside and knocked on the door thrice. Both doors were enveloped in magic, and swung open. Derpy grinned, trotting out...

...only to bump into Thunderlane.

"Derpy? What are you doing?"

"Going to Canterlot."

"Canterlot?" Thunderlane blurted.

"Yes, Canterlot." Derpy sighed.

"Why do-"

"Twilight might have a way to get me back to the past."

Thunderlane groaned, rubbing his muzzle with a hoof. "Derpy, forget it. Canterlot is being run by the CSE. You won't even be able to get in."

"I'm not a part of the Republic, remember?"

"Oh yeah..." Thunderlane mumbled. "Still, there's a CSE battalion coming here, and if you're intercepted..." He grabbed her shoulders, pulling her close, muzzles almost touching. "I can't bare anything happening to you, ok?"

Derpy blinked, then pushed him away. "I need to get back." She smiled. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. I might not be a clever pony but I am-"

The klaxon rang again. Derpy sighed. Thunderlane started bellowing orders, Dash flying out and getting everypony ready for an invasion. Derpy was nearly bowled over a few times, and had to keep her wings beating to stop her falling over.

Finally, the sirens stopped. A voice called out from the walls, complaining about another drill. That pony was subsequently hit by a crossbow bolt in the chest and tumbled off the edge.

"We're under attaaaaaaack!" Dash bellowed, readying a set of crossbows.

In less than three seconds everything became a whirlwind of pandemonium. Bolts started flying, ballistae firing their tree trunk-sized arrows at targets Derpy couldn't see. She saw Twist on one of them, loudly proclaiming wounds and kills on the others. Derpy looked around, trying not to scream in fear. Ten or so pegasi, clad in golden plates of armour, flew above, dropping glowing gemstones which fragmented and exploded. One headed right for Derpy.

Now she screamed, and jumped out of the way. She felt the heat from the blast and a shard of stone just narrowly miss her crotch. She scrambled to her feet, and ran to the safety of the castle.

The door was locked, and the unicorns outside weren't going to open it. Pegasi flew around in the sky, various contours and wakes mixing with each other. The thunks of crossbows and the twangs of bows echoed around. An armoured pony, a royal guard, landed limply with a wet thud in front of Derpy, his mane and coat stained red at places. Derpy shrieked and ran, trying to find somewhere to go. She bumped into a familiar orange earth pony mare, who just picked her back up.

"Darn it, Derpy, what are y'all doin'?!"

"Door locked pony dead blood help!"

"Calm down!" Applejack ordered. Derpy tried, then noticed that Applejack's odd leg was in fact made of metal and ceramics. "Manticore took it off, happy?"

Derpy nodded. She heard, and then saw, Big McIntosh and Apple-Bloom run up to the two of them. "Applejack!"

"Took ya long enough!" Applejack smirked, just as a whole wing of gold-clad pegasi circled them. Derpy cowered. The three Apple family members formed into a triangle.

"Surrender now and you will not be harmed!" One of the white pegasi bellowed.

"Up yours!" Applejack laughed. Big McIntosh pulled out a sword. Apple-Bloom kicked her strange-looking crossbow into gear, the string glowing.

"Die, scum!"

That was the last thing he said before his face was smashed in with a ceramic hoof. Big McIntosh jumped forward and knocked another guard's helmet off. Apple-Bloom's crossbow shot in rapid succession, the string automatically pulling back and firing.

The guards lasted all of thirty seconds. Applejack chuckled, wiping her bloodied hooves on the guard she just snapped the neck of. "Never mess with the Apple Family."

Derpy opened her eyes, but shut them again after seeing the violence wreaked on the royal guards. Big McIntosh patted her head. "Better them than you."

Apple-Bloom helped Derpy up. "Y'all need t'get somewhere safe!"

"I need to go to Canterlot! Twilight can help me!"

Applejack slowly turned her neck to face Derpy. "Twilight?"

"Yes!"

Applejack was on Derpy in a second, a prosthetic hoof raised to cause some serious pain. Big McIntosh pulled her off Derpy before she could do any harm.

"Don't y'all mention that... that... traitor!" Applejack roared, trying to get to Derpy, hooves flailing. Apple-Bloom helped Derpy up again, whispering for her to run.

Derpy complied.

---

She sat down, having found an area away from the battle. She could hear it way off, though, but with some whooshes of flame and zaps of lightning joining in. She sighed, remembering the aftermath of Applejack's hoofwork. Those poor ponies...

A couple of pegasi landed right in front of her, startling her. They were royal guards, as their golden armour proclaimed. One of them, a stallion, raised a spear to her throat. Another, a mare, readied a crossbow.

"H-hi." Derpy squeaked, raising her hooves.

"She's unarmed." The mare muttered to her companion, gesturing to the grey pegasus in front of them.

The stallion still held the spear at the ready, eyeing Derpy over. "Yeah, but I still wouldn't be too careful. These Lunatics have some nasty ways..."

"You've been paying too much attention to the propaganda, Point." The mare smirked, walking up to Derpy. "Besides, you don't look like PLR."

"I-I'm not... I'm just a VIP." Derpy said quietly. "I can't even use a crossbow."

"I see." The mare murmured. "We should take her with us."

"I guess so." The stallion said, lifting his spear up so it wasn't at Derpy's throat.

"Yeah, yeah, stop complaining and move your fla-" the mare started, but froze. She fell over limply, a crossbow bolt in her rump. The stallion turned, but got a bolt in his leg for his trouble. He looked at it, then the green goo surrounding it. "Damn..." He fell, his armour clattering loudly.

Derpy shrieked, scooting to the nearest wall. Thunderlane dropped right in front of her.

"Derpy, are you ok?"

"Y-you killed them!"

"Paralysis. I never kill ponies."

Derpy blinked. "Uh..."

"I only kill cockatrices and manticores. I may be military but there are some things I don't do."

"What if-"

"Do you want to get out of here or not?" Thunderlane snapped, leaning towards her.

Derpy nodded.

"Good, because that's where we're going."

---

Thunderlane had lead them over the walls, a fair distance from the battle. Derpy could still see the pegasi flying and shooting at each other. The occasional bolt landed a fair distance away. Thunderlane gestured to the forest.

"There. Dash'll understand why I did this."

Derpy trotted up to him. "Why...?"

"I... I didn't want to see you getting hurt. This war is bloody enough as is." He sighed. "Head to Ponyville Library. Tell them the thunder sent you."

"'The thunder'?" Derpy asked, smiling. "Sounds mysterious."

Thunderlane nodded. "Better than using my normal name."

"It isn't that much different, you know." Derpy giggled. Thunderlane blushed.

She turned to face the (still rather scary) Everfree forest, gulped, put on a brave face and started walking.

"Wait, Derpy!" Thunderlane called out. Derpy spun around; Thunderlane was standing right behind her.

He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, using his forehooves to pull her closer. Derpy blushed, her wings shooting out in response. Thunderlane's did as well.

After a good, solid minute, he pulled off. "Sorry, but I've been wanting to do that for eighteen years."

"Buh..." Derpy managed to vocalise.

Thunderlane sighed. "Well, if Twilight's plan goes well, I can tell you about my crush sooner."

Derpy just blinked, her face a bright scarlet.

"Derpy, you have to go now." Thunderlane insisted, pointing to the forest. Derpy didn't move. "Derpy, go."

"What?" Derpy said, snapping back into reality. "Oh, yeah, right." She giggled awkwardly, and then galloped into the thick foliage.

---

After she had made some distance between her and the Fort, she found a nice rock to sit on. It wasn't a chair by any means, but it had to do.

I just got kissed.

She put a hoof to her lips, blushing, remembering what just happened.

By Thunderlane.

She felt a yearning to go back, to talk to Thunderlane about... stuff. But he wanted her to leave. It was safer. Or was it?

Of course it is. Did you see the horrible fighting? She could still hear the fight, now with some loud dull thuds and soft roars mixed in to it.

She decided to get moving, hopefully find somewhere to hunker down for the inevitable night. Which, considering the orange lights poking through the treetops, was going to happen very soon.

She trotted along the dusty path, when she heard galloping behind her. And a lot of it. Panicking, she vaulted into a nearby bush and hid, poking her head out.

A whole throng of ponies, hundreds of them, all wearing identical golden armour (save for a few in robes or other types of uniform) thundered past. She saw the paralysed stallion being carried on a stretcher. Another stallion was barking orders of retreat. Eventually the mass ended, trailing off further into the dense forest. Derpy poked her head out, the rest of her body following.

She sighed with relief. That meant the battle was over.

---

She followed the trail the army had taken until she reached the point where the cockatrice had ambushed her. Its body was still laying there, a couple of flies circling around it. Derpy's eyes lingered on it. Do its eyes still do that stoning thing if it's dead?

She sighed, turning her head to the rest of the path. Then she remembered something. She spun, looking at where Dash had gone when the cockatrice ambushed them. Curiosity took a hold of her, and she trotted into the bushes.

The bushed ended at a little clearing, a small orange shaft of light poking through. A single large stone sat in the middle of it. A few birds and butterflies danced around. Derpy stepped forward, and right up to the stone.

Here lies
Fluttershy
Whose brave sacrifice will not be in vain
I will We will always love you

Derpy looked down, and bounced back with horror. She was standing on a grave. Fluttershy's grave.

She heard a pony land behind her. "Derpy, what are you doing here?"

Derpy turned to see Rainbow Dash, who looked a little worse for wear; her flight jacket had some tears in it, and she had a couple of bruises and cuts.

Derpy stammered. "Th-Thunderlane let me-"

"I know about that, girl." Rainbow walked up. "I mean, what are you doing here?"

"I... I was curious about... when you left and we got attacked..."

Dash hummed a reply, then sat next to Fluttershy's grave. "Hey Fluttershy. How are you doing?"

Derpy took a few step back respectfully.

"Yeah, I'm doing alright. Got into a nasty fight. Good to see you're doing better than me, though." She chuckled mirthlessly. "Damn, I still wish it was me..." She leaned down to the grave, kissing the earth. "Miss ya heaps."

"What... what happened?" Derpy asked hesitantly.

Dash sighed, standing up. "About a year ago, Fluttershy and I were serving together. She was head of the Medical Wing, I was in charge of the Aerial Wing." She closed her eyes. "She wanted to see a battle, to see where all the injuries were coming from. I kept telling her 'no, don't, you'll get hurt'. But she had been mailing Iron Will a lot." She chuckled that sad chuckle again. "Anyways, we got into the battle, but far enough away, but we were ambushed. She..." She sniffed, a tear dropping. "She didn't have a chance. Bolt to the chest. Not an instant, quick, painless death, too."

Derpy stepped forward, as Dash kept talking, fighting sobs. "I got one in the wing. I... I tore those guys apart. In front of her..." Dash fell to her haunches. "She didn't blame me, though. She never did. She blamed herself for getting in the way. Said that she should have listened to me. I..."

Derpy sat across from Dash.

"It was my fault... I gave in to her... I..."

And with that, anything Dash said was lost in the wailing of a pony who had one of the best parts of her life savagely and slowly torn away from her.

---

An hour passed, and Dash had decided to go back to base. Derpy decided to stay for a little while to keep Fluttershy company, and waved as Dash flew off.

"H-hey Fluttershy..." She quietly muttered. "I... I'm sorry. I don't know what to say. I'm not used to talking to dead ponies." She chuckled. "So yeah. I'm back after fifteen years. Everypony seems... hurt. It's like I've stepped into a whole new world. But Twilight's got a plan to get me back. Hopefully I can stop this from ever happening or something..."

She sat down, looking at Fluttershy's grave. "I don't know much about time and stuff. I leave that to the smart ponies." She could imagine Fluttershy saying that the grey pegasus was a smart pony. "Heh heh, thanks. But I really need to get to Ponyville. So... sorry, I have to go." She got up

A soft breeze blew through the trees, sounding an awful lot like a goodbye from the meek butter-coloured pegasus. She blinked. "Freaky..."

---

She staggered out of the forest, and saw that night had fallen on the ruins of Ponyville. Luna's moon shone brightly, a series of shooting stars streaking across the sky. "So... pretty..."

She needed to sleep. She knew that. But she needed to get to the library first. Or a bed.

Slowly, she walked into town, threatening to topple over from the breeze. The streets were bare. Not just of ponies, but objects too. The buildings seemed like gigantic skeletons in the night, looming over her.

Finally, she saw the library, and her eyes lightened up. She staggered quickly towards it, desperate to stop and sleep.

She saw a pony move on the balcony. "Stop! Don't move!"

Derpy didn't stop. "Can't...! Need...! To...! Sleep...!"

"Stop or I will shoot!"

"The... Thunder... sent..."

THUNK!

She toppled over, faceplanting. There was a sharp pain in her leg. She tried to get up, but she couldn't. Her body wasn't responding. She tried crawling, but gave up after a metre.

She closed her eyes. She desperately wanted to sleep. She needed to sleep. She needed to get to the library... but she needed the sleep more.

She gave up. Sleep first.

"You idiot, you shot her!"

Sleep now.

...

Comments

[Inferno demon Dash]

Shit, that bastard shot Derpy!!! They will PAYYYYY.....and a very tragic FlutterDash......WWWWWWWHHHHHHHYYYYYYYY damn, I love that pairing and it sounds like it has so much heartache to it. Applejack is pissed and wonder what happened to Scootaloo? I konw it seems harsh but I'm hoping Thunderlane dies to give Deerpy a tragic feel, I like him though he's pretty cool.....wonder what happened to Sweetie Belle though. And it's Apple Bloom, not need for a line, and it's other hoof, not hand.

[DreadedCandiru2]

Lemme guess: when the chips were down, Teacher and BBBFF forced Twi to see things their way and AJ is too dim to realize that she isn't the only one who meekly falls in line with family.

[SigmatheAwesome]

That was a brilliant chapter. Particularly that Fluttershy scene.

[bahatumay]

Well, that has answered a few questions. I still want another chapter, though.

Wait, wait. Don't tell me.
LEEEEROOOOOYY WINGKIINS!!
Also, Red Rule reference ftw.

[StormbadgerXIII]

1289659 I used the line in Apple Bloom's name to make it more of a first name than a fusion name (her surname, and that of the other members of her family, is Apple). But thanks for pointing out that inconsistency.

1295342 Good guess. Also, this reference to this Red Rule is entirely coincidental as I have not heard of it.

1293615 I really really liked writing that Fluttershy scene. It just felt good to write.

[bahatumay]

1298878
Ahh... well, one of the lines made me think of this story.

[StormbadgerXIII]

1299460 Looks like an interesting read, thank you for pointing it out to me.

[tyler262]

why do I have the feeling that Thunderlane is a traitor.

[StormbadgerXIII]

1301855 Well, he did say that Rainbow Dash would understand, and considering she's second to Luna in terms of command, I seriously doubt he'd be a traitor. Or he might, and he's just saying that to calm Derpy down and keep her care-free.

Unless somepony comes and tells Derpy what's going on, guess we'll never know.