Caverna De La Muerte Part 2
“What… WHAT?!” David reared back, his face growing pale underneath his charcoal coat. “You can’t–” The diamond dog stared hard at Jugo before stomping into the darkness, a deep growl filling his throat. The sound ceased in a few short seconds, David returning with empty eyes. The fur around his collar stood on end, his tail between his legs.
“He… he was lyin’, right boss?” The Mastiff shuffled forward, “... boss?”
David flinched away from his comrade, shaking his head. The Mastiff seemed to shrink, shoulders slumping, hanging his head.
“Ugh…” A soft murmur left Rarity’s lips, her brow wrinkling as her eyelids fluttered open. As the light from Jugo’s lantern flowed through the cavern, the unicorn snapped her eyes shut, pain slamming into her like a sledgehammer. “M-My head… A-Applejack, darling, are you alright…?”
Applejack sniffled, tears spilling from her eyes as she warmly embraced Rarity, chuckling as she choked down tears, “Just fine, sugar cube… just fine… I think the Diamond dogs lost one of their own… Rarity… I’m nervous…”
Jugo had finished the impromptu burial thanks to the quick work of the diamond dogs, placing the diamond-studded dog collar on top of the burial site, a small stone resting on top of it to hold the trinket in place. The group shared a brief moment of silence in honor of their former friend, or, in Jugo and Glendon’s case, enemy.
They all backed away from the grave site and approached the two ponies, forming a small circle as Jugo placed a lantern at the group’s center, huddling desperately around the light.
“Alright… so… what’s the plan? What do we do?” Applejack asked as she quickly got to her hooves and cleaned herself up.
Glendon rubbed his brow with his feathers as he sighed, “Well, given our lack of weaponry and our first fatality… ’m willing to truce… I’m willing to talk yeh…” He gave David an apologetic look. As the leader of his own band of misfits, he could only imagine the pain he was feeling right now.
Jugo quickly turned to Rarity, “The map! Rarity, do you still have that map on you?!”
The unicorn slowly climbed to her hooves, limbs shaking with uncertainty. She felt light-headed and wholly drained; her bones ached, and her mouth was as dry as a desert. Rubbing her forehead delicately, she attempted to light her horn and take the map from her bags, but a shock of pain shot through her body.
“Ack–” Wincing against the pain, she instantly extinguished her horn. “I-I think so…” Opening her bags with her teeth, she managed to pull the paper out without too much struggle. “I think I.. overdid it there…”
David let out a soft growl, his tail slapping heavily against the cave floor. “Not need ponies dumb map. We can sniff our way out.” Glancing at his companion, the giant Mastiff nodded and got on all fours, sniffing the ground.
Walking a few steps, his ears perked up, “There’s a draft this way…”
David nodded, “We move.” Glancing back at the grave site, he closed his eyes. “We will be back for Pugsly…”
Jugo quickly snapped a look at David, “If anything, we need to be careful of the mercury and the dozens of narrow caverns that we could get stuck in; there was a reason my people were chosen to mine here… ever heard of putting a canary in a coal mine?”
“So we use the map and the pooches’ noses. Better to be safe than sorry.” replied Glendon as his face turned pale, “Ay… er… mercury, you said…?”
Applejack leaned close as she reviewed the map with Rarity. It was practically impossible to determine where they were now, but fortunately, the cave was linear, with only two entrances/exits. With enough time and patience, they could escape.
“We’ll have to trust the mutt’s nose for now. It’s too dark in here, but… at least it’s not claustrophobic. I think… we’re all standing up straight, and if Jugo here is standing right, we could narrow the path down to… these caverns…”
Jugo leaned over and examined the map, “The estuary or the mine itself… if we are near the estuary, we cannot let the water into our bodies, even by accident. It’s full of toxic chemicals from the mercury and coal.”
Rarity grimaced but nodded. “If it comes to it, and if I can regain my strength, I should be able to find some caves off of the map… and I assume our new friends here could dig us out.” Turning, she glanced at the Diamond Dogs with a raised brow.
David sneered, “Aye, we could if ya wanted ta’ be caved in. There’s a reason why we haven’t made a den here: the ground is too brittle.”
Rarity sighed, “So much for that, then…”
The Mastiff began to clear a path to a separate part of the cave, removing the rubble that blocked their way with his enormous tail. Stepping aside, he nodded his head towards the darkness ahead of them. “Whatever you have in mind, let’s get going… this part of the cave doesn’t smell right…”
A strong scent of decay began to linger as the air became thick and dense with the stench of rot and death. Flapping echoed through the cavern when hundreds of ravens from seemingly nowhere suddenly swarmed from the darkness, but the strangest thing about this murder of crows was… laughter, weeping, and whispering amongst the birds.
One raven landed on top of the lantern cocking its head between the group, fluttering its wings and tail feathers before appearing to speak.
” A feast in time of famine…”
“FEAST!” cried the birds in shrill squawks, “FEAST IN FAMINE!”
” A banquet…”
“BANQUET, BANQUET, BANQUET!”
“We feast… on…” laughed the raven.
The swarm of birds laughed in reply, cackling amongst themselves.
The Diamond Dogs howled, the Mastiff backing up and shrinking in cowardice, and David snapped his jaws at the flying fowl. His canines barely missed the crows, teeth bared in rage.
Rarity squealed, ducking her head down, trying to avoid the creatures. An icy, sharp fear began to fill her, and it was growing unsettlingly familiar. “I-I wish Fluttershy were here…”
“KEEP MOVING!” David shouted above the flurry of feathers and voices, wrapping his tail around the large Mastiff before dragging him to his feet.
Jugo screamed at the murder as he lifted the lantern and jabbed it toward the swarm, “THERE WILL BE NO MORE DESTRUCTION! MAAR, SEND YOUR GOONS BACK TO THE UNDERWORLD! BY BOREAS’ NAME I DEMAND IT! THE FAITH DEMANDS IT!” his voice hitched, weakening from his desperate screaming, “EVEN YOU MUST YIELD!! OUR TIME IT IS NOT!”
The swarm swirled around the group, pecking and diving at Jugo, specifically the Harpy, who was doing his best to fight against the birds, fleeing with the lantern as they followed him. The lantern’s light flickered as the dozens of birds clawed, pecked, and even shoved Jugo.
The Harpy screamed as he was helplessly lifted from the ground, a shadowy silhouette of the creature flailing helplessly against the swarm as a second figure formed from the mass of shadow from the throng of ravens. From the shadows revealed a creature wielding a large scythe. Overlooking the shadows of Jugo and the ravens attacking him and with one swift motion, the shadow slashed into Jugo’s, and the Harpy’s shadow fell limp, the sound of the lantern hitting the stone floor and the flock of birds scattered filled the cavern.
And when the swarm finally dissipated, all that remained was the lantern and a pile of dark ebony feathers.
“Jugo??” Rarity cried out, struggling and stumbling through the stone debris, “JUGO!” Fear swallowed her, and as she reached the lantern, she knew what had happened. A deep sob left her throat, her ears pinned to her skull as she wept. “No… no, no, no, this wasn’t supposed to happen…!”
“Shut UP, pony!” David barked, stomping over. His tail thumped against the ground, his sooty fur a mess of scratches and loose feathers. “If we don’t move, we will be the next meal!”
Turning his head, the diamond dog leader growled at his remaining member, “GET UP, YOU IDIOT! We need to move, NOW.”
Glendon and Applejack stared at the blackness, paralyzed by fear and shock at what had just happened. Glendon quickly ran toward the lantern, calling, “JUGO, YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO COME BACK WITH US, JUGO MRS. MEADOWS STILL NEEDS YOU! WE NEED YOU, COME BACK DAMNIT!” Glendon stopped at the lantern as he desperately searched.
“JUGO! YOU BIRD BRAIN, GET BACK HERE!" he suddenly turned to David, his eyes full of an unbridled rage, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, YOU FLEA-RIDDEN MUTT? THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! YOU KILLED HIM! YOU KILLED US ALL!” snarled Glendon as he quickly fetched a match and grenade from his satchel, lighting the match against the side of the black ball and threatening to light the fuse.
“I’LL KILL YOU, YOU DAMN MANGY MUTT! I’LL KILL YOU!” yelled Glendon.
Applejack quickly shouted, “PLEASE, WE CAN’T GO ON LIKE THIS! WE’LL ALL BE DEAD BEFORE WHATEVER IS AFTER US CAN KILL US AT THIS RATE!”
“Silence.”
Rarity’s calm, collected voice muted everything around them. Even the rumbling of the cavern seemed to cease almost immediately after her command. She did not turn to face the group directly, getting to her hooves before delicately tossing her mane.
Taking a deep breath, the unicorn slowly turned around, her features locked in a strange position. She looked neither scared nor hurt, but the sadness behind her stoic mask was unmistakable for Applejack to recognize.
“Glendon, if you light that, you’ll kill not just the Diamond Dogs but the rest of us in the process. Put that away.” Leaning down, Rarity took the lantern in her teeth, unwilling to test her magic yet. “David, you and your companion find us a path. Applejack, you take the rear. Glendon, you shall be our guard. I have no idea if a firearm will be of any use, but it’s better than nothing.”
David raised his brows, opening his mouth to say something before he was immediately interrupted by Rarity, “And yes, I know you have a weapon as well. Just make sure not to hurt any of us in the process. I wouldn’t be surprised if powder-shot would make this cave even more unstable than it already is…”
“We are not going to panic. We will find a way out of here, and we WILL find Jugo.” Her gaze turned and locked with Glendon, her brow furrowed. “I promise.”
Glendon stared at Rarity, his face full of remorse and rage but not directed at the mare in question. Her beautiful eyes tempered his soul, shimmering in the darkness like gems of their own. He would’ve been blushing had it not been for the stress plaguing him. He lowered his head shamefully as he fell into the rear with Applejack, putting the match out on his tongue before tucking the grenade away.
“I only got my grenades… they’re the only things that survived the fall other than the matches… I got a few lead balls for David if he intends on using them on whatever is out there and not my back.”
“That should be all well and good. If David can use them, then we shall.” Nodding her head, Rarity trotted to the front of the pack, using the lantern to light the way.
Applejack let out a shallow sigh of relief as she turned toward the opposite direction of where the murder came from and trotted forward with the rest of the group. A harrowing silence followed them, the only noise interrupting the quiet being the airy draft that echoed through the cavern, filling their ears with an empty ambiance.
The caverns felt like they went on for miles, and with no sense of time or direction, what could have been minutes felt like hours stuck underneath the surface. Before anyone could become content with the darkness and nothingness… some foreign noise or smell kept them on their guard.
Applejack spoke if only to break the tension, “Er… David? ... Can I ask you a question?”
The Diamond Dog glanced over at the farmer, raising a brow. He didn’t seem very impressed by the equines, but his distaste for ponies had to be ignored with their circumstances. “What do you want, pony…”
Applejack chuckled a worn smile crossed her face, “What do you think of the er…Doge of Swallowtail, given that he’s a Diamond Dog.”
He snorted, his shoulders twitching before he barked with laughter, “Hah, that old fool? He’s a worthless excuse for one of our own. Couldn’t handle it on the ground, so he had to climb up a tree like a frightened kitten!”
“We don’t consider ’im one of our own. That yellow belly runt is just entertainment for all those featherbrained idiots. I hope ya didn’t come down here just t’ get on that bastard’s good side. He ain’t worth the gems he sits on.” The Mastiff lumbered forward, quite literally sticking his snout into the conversation.
David shoved his companion back, “Git back there, ya fool! But yeah… don’t trust that worthless hide as far as ya can throw ’em… he’ll sell ya out fer any price.”
Rarity glanced back at the group briefly, her eyes lidded, expression unimpressed. “Keep your voices down, and don’t become distracted, dears…”
Applejack sighed, “Unfortunately for me and Rarity, that’s exactly what happened. Who would’ve thought visiting Mrs. Meadows could’ve brought us here…”
Glendon snapped, “Mrs. Meadows didn’t do a damn thing. If not for these dolts, we could have all had tea and biscuits with Jugo and the Barn Owls.”
“Look, fact is… we’re here now, and we can’t go back and stop the wagon theft, or just not steal in the first place…” Applejack said as she gave David a knowing glare, “So there’s no point badgering anybody about anything other thing til we’re out of this pi-” she tripped.
“PIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!” shouted Applejack before a loud, watery crash echoed from the bottom of the massive hole that David nearly fell in himself, barely missing it by a few inches.
“Applejack!” Rarity cried out, setting down the lantern before trotting to the edge of the pit. This time, she finally attempted to light her horn, receiving only a minor shock of pain in response. Her horn lit slowly but steadily, lighting up the cave far better than the lantern could alone. “Are you okay?!”
“Agh, it’s just some water…” David rolled his eyes, stepping around the crater carefully.
“Water… Water!” Rarity’s eyes widened, and she quickly looked around, “She can’t get in the water; Jugo said something about mercury!” Searching through her bags, she found a length of rope and tossed it into the water, “Grab on, we’ll pull you up!”
Applejack was at the bottom swimming as she desperately kept her head up, coughing violently as the mare spat as much water from her mouth as she could, “I’M ALRIGHT, I DIDN’T SWALLOW ANYTHING!” she said before coughing.
Glendon quickly sprinted over before perching at the edge of the pit and slowly spreading his wings, “Alright– fock, ow ow ow ow.” winced Glendon, “I’ll get her out– Applejack! SWIM, SWIM FOR YOUR LIFE!”
“W-What!? Why!?” called Applejack as a large dorsal fin was seen cutting through the water behind her; the massive beast’s shadow could be barely seen by Rarity’s blue light.
Glendon quickly dove down with his wings spread as he screamed, “SWIM, KEEP SWIMMING I’LL GET YOU!”
Applejack slowly turned behind to see the fin as she quickly mashed her legs against the water, kicking and paddling as wildly as she could.
“Aw Tartarus damn it all…” Muttered the large Mastiff. Sparing a glance at Rarity and David, the dog took a few steps back before making a running charge, diving off the pit’s edge and into the darkness below.
“WATCH OUT!” Rarity yelled. Thankfully, the diamond dog missed Glendon on the way down, diving into the water with a loud splash.
The Mastiff lifted his head from the water, doggy-paddling over to Applejack before swimming beneath her, surfacing with the earth pony on his back. He was much faster than Applejack, but he was a much larger target as well…
Beads of sweat ran down Rarity’s forehead, fear and anxiety making her feel trapped. She needed to do something. They couldn’t lose another creature down here, and especially not Applejack. Looking above, the unicorn narrowed her brow, studying the stone ceiling.
Glendon pressed his claws to his face as he sighed, “Of course, the big bastard dived in as well. DON’T DRINK THE WATER! How the HELL is that thing even alive? BLIMEY, that’s a big fish!”
“NOW’S NOT THE TIME TO BE SAYIN’ THIS GLENDON!” shouted Applejack.
The Diamond dog could see the beast, its massive head peeking over the water. It was impossible. The water was tainted, and before then, it was a freshwater estuary with no prey that could sustain such a monster. But his eyes did not deceive him; it was a real great white shark. Its black, empty eyes stared down at the prey with an extraordinary hunger as it swam towards the two.
Suddenly, Glendon dove toward the beast, gripping a single dagger he found in his sack. Tossing the satchel full of grenades over the top next to Rarity before the griffin made his hail mary.
“DÍOLTAS!” screamed Glendon as he crashed into the water, and seconds later, a violent thrashing erupted. Glendon wildly stabbed and clawed the beast’s eye and face, practically being waterboarded as he clung to the shark’s body, digging his knife into the side of its head as crimson blood spewed from the fresh wounds.
“DIE! DIE! DIE!” Screamed Glendon before he was promptly rolled over and forced under the water, out of sight. Giving Applejack and the Mastiff enough time to escape and reach the rope. But the battle, although brave and spectacular, lasted only a minute before desperate splashing, and finally, a blood-curdling CRUNCH was heard.
And before anyone realized what had just happened, all that remained was a pool of bloodied water and a single dagger coated in crimson floating aimlessly on top of the water.
“Glendon, NO!” Rarity let out a desperate cry and, without thinking, clenched her eyes shut. Her horn crackled with energy before firing towards the cavern’s ceiling, rubble and dirt falling to the ground as a large snap echoed through the pit. A massive stone dislodged from the stony surface and descended to the water below. A loud crash and a massive splash rocked the waters below. Rocking Applejack and the her savior in the rapids.
Rarity just managed to flinch back as the boulder made contact with the water, sending an icy-cold mist into the air. David, who was holding the rope in a death grip, shook himself from side to side, trying to dry his coat. Scrambling towards the pit’s edge, he peered into the darkness, looking for his comrade.
“We’re okay!” The Mastiff called out, holding Applejack under one of his massive arms.
“Then pull yourselves up, ya lazy bastard!” David barked out, glancing quickly at Rarity. “Help me with this, ya mule!” Rarity, however, did not respond, still staring into the murky abyss below.
Applejack panted as she quickly looked around, seeing the blood and dagger, turning a deep shade of green as she quickly turned away, “I think I’m going to be sick… RARITY GET US OUT PLEASE!” cried Applejack, her pleas snapping Rarity out of her shock just enough to pull the two out of the pit with David’s help.
Applejack panted heavily as she quickly shook herself dry, toppling over as she covered her soaked head, trembling, “How, what, why!?” called Applejack, “IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE! IT JUST DOESN’T MAKE SENSE; WHAT KIND OF PLACE IS THIS?”
“Caverna De La Muerte….” replied a cold voice as a shadowy figure began approaching them from the darkness, revealing a tall, lanky monstrous beast with the head of a raven and the legs of a grey wolf wearing a cloak and wielding a large scythe.
“The Cavern Of Death…” he said, reaching toward the group as he walked, “You want to see Glendon, Jugo, and Pugsly? You all easily could’ve done that had you listened… had you obeyed my warning… you’re selfish, all wanting the same luxuries and things, throwing your lives away for worthless trash…”
“Only when you’re stripped of your ‘valuables’ do you actually see the benefit of working together… even then, you only do the bare minimum and are content silently loathing and hating each other....” he said, clacking the wood staff against the stone floor.
“Unicorns, Griffins, Harpy, Earth pony, Diamond dog, it all doesn’t matter. As long as your species is on top, right? Such a waste of life and space… you should all be thanking me…at least I’m unbiased and efficient… what kind of a cruel, heartless creature would invent new ways to kill and maim? Then manufacture these tools of destruction on mass. Or maybe create a system where forcing a living and sentient creature to do your biding is justified. Who could do such a horrible thing to their fellow creatures.... I’ll tell you...mortals.”
The Diamond Dogs instantly began to cower underneath the frosty visage of death, the Mastiff falling to the ground with a thump, tail between his legs, ears hanging low as if he were trying to disappear. David, however, had a bit more spunk and courage left in him, pulling out his firearm and shakily aiming it at their captor.
“Why fear death when it may come at any time?!” He howled, pounding a fist to his chest, “Fight me, coward! Or are you going to send another beast after us? Can’t look us in the eye while ya stab us in the back, eh?”
Rarity stood numbly, unable to move, her eyes locked onto the creature before them. She recognized this voice back at the tavern. Her heart ached. Why hadn’t she listened? Why did she insist that they come looking for this stupid wagon? Now Glendon and Jugo were… were…
BANG! David fired at the creature, baring his teeth with anger and fear, “IF YA WANT ME DEAD, Y’ALL HAVE TO COME N’ GET ME FIRST!”
“Put that down!” Rarity hissed. Her horn sparked, struggling to lift the lantern to eye level, trying to get a better look at the monster before them and whether or not the gunshot had done any damage.
Maar laughed as he swatted the lead ball away with the flick of his cloak, “You think I didn’t do this myself? You fool, how else is a SHARK going to be in a cavern full of toxic chemicals, or how is a murder of crows and ravens able to find a home at the bottom of this cave? …because I did that. I killed Pugsly, Glendon, and Jugo.”
“And they’re with me, forever, and I will have their souls as my playthings for the rest of time, and you will learn soon enough what eternity in HELL will be like.” smiled Maar as he slowly raised his scythe.
“STOP!” shouted Applejack as she quickly darted in front of the group, “We didn’t come here to exploit anypony; we aren’t here because we’re selfish. We’re here because we’re selfless! Because we care about folks other than our own ’cause it’s the right thing to do, it’s the only thing to do!”
“Are you begging for your life?” sneered Maar, “Most unbecoming…”
“No, I ain’t. I’m begging you to see reason. I know who you are, and I know that we can’t beat you, not with guns, not with weapons…”
Maar paused as he stared at Applejack, even recoiling back in shock as the mare dared to approach closer.
“We traveled across continents, faced pirates, met Queen’s and Doge’s and whatnot, all in the name of friendship! How could you say we did it for ourselves!? We had no idea what we were getting into, and we still packed our bags and went for it! Because we do care, and we live for something other than ourselves!”
Maar quickly snatched Applejack by the throat before yanking her up, pressing the blade of his scythe to her neck. The mare wincing and straining but kept her eyes locked on the creature.
“I… ain’t… lying.” strained Applejack, “You’d kill me now...if I was lying and just begging for my life.”
Maar sighed, “... No… you’re right....you of all creatures aren’t a liar… I cannot strike you down, nor can I harm Rarity if I am to be upfront… I’d get in a lot of trouble if I did anything… permanent to you two…”
David lowered his weapon, his eyes flickering from his companion, Applejack, to Rarity herself. The knowledge that his gun had done and could do nothing to damage this creature scared him far more than any cave-in ever could. The canine slowly stepped back, grabbing his friend by the scruff of his neck to try and slip into the darkness unnoticed.
Maar dropped Applejack at Rarity’s hooves as he cocked his head up toward David, “Go ahead, David, run! Run, and I’ll see you very, very soon!” he then peered down, giving the ponies an unimpressed look. Finding the display pathetic and near groveling.
Rarity gritted her teeth, dropping the lantern to the ground without care, trotting up to the monster that held her friend in its clutches. She showed no fear as she stepped closer, her eyes narrowing, glinting in the darkness.
She only stopped a few feet away from Maar, standing her ground, her horn lighting up as it illuminated the cave around them. A blue aura wrapped around the apple farmer, pulling her from Death’s grasp.
“Selfish?” Rarity stared, her blue eyes becoming as sharp and cold as ice. “You call us selfish? Taking the lives of innocent creatures who were only trying to do the right thing– and you call US selfish?”
“Can you not see the hypocrisy?” She glared, daring to take another step forward. “You consume every creature eventually. You stalk them and have them fearing they may be taken at any moment. And you dare demean us? When you couldn’t just wait for their time to naturally end?”
Rarity stomped a hoof, the noise echoing through the caves around them. “Bring them BACK. This INSTANT. I demand you return our friends to us! You had no right to claim them, you– you selfish BEAST! You MONSTER!”
Maar peered down, his face inches away from Rarity's, “Oh ho, you’re a very bold little lady. Are you back-talking me now that you know I can’t grab that beautiful soul yet? I don’t do takebacks… besides they all lived their lives and made the choices that brought them here today. If it wasn’t me, it would’ve been something else…”
“Besides, why shouldn’t I be a beast… when you’ll only destroy yourselves… are you not aware of the war? Let’s not pretend everycreature here is doing this because they wanted to do the right thing. David and his gang robbed lied, and cheated their entire lives, and they just left you to die.”
“Glendon gave his life away to save Applejack and that goon of his, only to turn tail and run away like a coward. At least that griff finally made a decent choice compared to a lifetime of misdeeds and misconduct…”
Applejack quickly shot up, “That’s not fair! Glendon was working with Mrs. Meadows and was protecting her property. He helped us up until you took him away! Surely, he could’ve changed his life or was already on that path! And what about Jugo, what did HE do!?”
“Life isn’t fair…you of all ponies should know better than that…your mother and father say hi, by the way…” sneered Maar.
Rarity gritted her teeth, taking several more steps until she was nose to nose with Maar, leaning up on the tips of her hooves for that minimal gain in height. And without thinking–
She slapped Maar right across his beak. For a split second, even she was surprised at her own gall. Would he attack her now that she had laid a hoof on him? Did it even matter, considering where they were?
“You have no right to judge or belittle others for their lives. You heartless take and take, yet you call US the selfish ones? Are you really that empty? Is there nothing but hatred and misery in your heart, or do you lack even that?” Her tone was cold but unafraid, staring directly into Maar’s eyes. “Just because you have never held anyone dear doesn’t mean others don’t.”
“You may strike me down, perhaps not now, but remember this:” Rarity turned. If looks could kill… “Even when you take my spirit, you will never have the joy we had. The love we experience. The hardships we faced. All of that is far above a creature like you.”
“But in a way, I pity you.” She fully turned her back, lifting her head high. “I suppose it’s only your nature, after all.”
Maar stared at Rarity as he felt his face with his wing, slowly leaning back with a playful smile on his face. The vigor and liveliness of Rarity was intoxicating. Their anger, fear, and resilience against Death himself were admirable. Applejack, too, had provided him with entertainment that he hadn’t experienced in years.
“Unfortunately for everyone, Rarity, it is my right to judge everyone… and you are correct… it is in my nature to HATE life for how wasteful and destructive it is… but I don’t hate you, and I don’t hate you either…” he’d look down at Applejack.
“....Celestia would try and kill me if I took your souls now, and frankly… now that her sister is back too, I’m not really in the mood for a death battle… so I’ll make you a deal… I’ll give you the wagon and those three laggards… but I need you Rarity…” he’d look down at her, “I need a kiss.”
Rarity nearly jumped a foot at the request, her pale fur fluctuating between a pale green and a bright pink. “Wh-wh-what?! He wanted a-a… what?” She turned to Applejack as if hoping she had misheard Maar.
“Oh, for Tartarus sake, just fockin’ kiss ’em, ya daft cu–” David called out from somewhere in the darkness, the end of his sentence muffed by a paw.
The unicorn bristled, staring into the darkness, wishing she could give the canine a dirty look before turning her gaze back to Maar. She bit her lip, her brow furrowed. It was only a kiss, and she knew she couldn’t just leave Jugo and Glendon behind over her own pride.
She closed her eyes and let out a soft huff before finally opening them again. Hesitantly, she stepped forward, closer to the monster who had cut short the life of her friends. “... Fine. I suppose ‘Death and the Lady’ had some basis in truth after all…”
“If it’s any consolation… this was meant for a different horned pony.” He’d flick the mare’s horn before leaning in close and awkwardly pecking her lips with his beak. The kiss itself was unnatural and cold, but in an instant, Rarity could see something. Through the blackness, she could see… herself, older and more regal, wearing an oversized fur coat and playing with that young foal she saw from a previous vision.
“That’s going to be somebody very important…” replied Maar as he stood behind her. Turning around, Rarity could see she was in the abyss of darkness, but unlike before, the air was missing its thickness and dampness. The vision into the future glowed a bright blue, soft, dreamy.
“The future is always changing, Rarity, and though I can see every possibility within a fraction of a second… it takes less than that for any living creature to make a big difference or change… which is why I must warn you and your friends of Equestria’s downfall.” he’d point to the foal.
“You must make sure she lives… do you understand that?... If she dies… Equestria, The Crystal Empire, Equus, as you understand and comprehend it, will cease to be. I cannot disclose when, where, or how… but keep that foal in check…”
“I-I–” Rarity’s eyes widened, fear and curiosity keeping her still, trying to keep the image of that foal in her mind’s eye. Chills ran down her spine, but she kept her composure. “But, who– who are they? When will I know…?” She shook her head, trying to gather her senses. “I… I understand. Now, I kept my part of the bargain. Return our friends at once!”
Maar stared at the Pegasus foal, watching the older Rarity play dressed up and host a tea party with the younger mare. His expression was fearful, watching the child intensely as he slowly turned toward the present Rarity. Showing a very rare expression fear and anxiousness toward the child.
“You will learn in due time…very soon…very, very soon. A storm is coming, and I do not know if you six can overcome it…I will uphold my end of the agreement, bringing Jugo, Glendon, Pugsy, and yourself back to the land of the living, unharmed.”
Rarity blinked, suddenly realizing what the kiss had been, “Wait– you– you tricked me! You… you KILLED me?!”
“Rarity… have you never heard of the kiss of Death?” laughed Maar, “I thought you knew better… worry not, I do not intend on keeping you here any longer…” The creature quickly snapped his head, cracking his neck as it violently rattled and popped. A deep cawing escaped from the beast’s throat, seeming to reverberate through Rarity’s form.
A blinding white light filled Rarity’s vision, and in the blink of an eye, she witnessed a beautiful grassy field and a deep orange sunset peaking behind the horizon. She spun wildly, looking for her friends, relieved to see the group alive and well, reunited. Sprawled out on the grass just a few yards away from the supply wagon.
Applejack slowly sat up as she looked around, “Daddy…?” she quickly shook her head, “Ungh… my head… Rarity? Rarity!” she quickly got up and galloped toward her before nearly tackling her into a hug, “We did it! We did it! We’re alive, we’re all alive!”
Rarity blinked, realizing tears had started falling from her cheeks. The all-encompassing cold she had felt in Maar’s presence was gone, but she still felt hollow and empty. A fear that wouldn’t pass so quickly…
She wrapped her hooves around her friend and buried her face into her neck. “Oh, Applejack… I… I was so scared. I-I’m so sorry I insisted we go into that cave. I shouldn’t… shouldn’t have pushed so hard. You n-nearly…”
"Nearly...but that don't mean it counted." Applejack said, giving Rarity a reassuring smile.
A cough interrupted her, the Diamond Dogs looking around wearily. David raised his head, looking around in fright, until his eyes landed on a particular canine. He rushed to his feet, grabbing the figure.
“Pugsly! You’re alive!” David grinned, wrapping the dog in a hug. The Mastiff wobbly got back on his feet and pulled the two in for a hug, just grateful everything was over. “Maybe… maybe there was some sorta gas leak… y’know, just… a bad dream?”
Rarity felt her coat crawling, “I wish it was…”
Slowly pulling from the farmer’s embrace, Rarity turned her head to Glendon and Jugo, her eyebrows knitting with concern. She got to her hooves, slowly stumbling over to the pair. “Are you two alright?”
The two scrambled to their feet as they frantically looked around for any danger, feeling themselves down before looking at one another and then Rarity.
Jugo slowly looked toward the cavern behind them, surprised to see the entire mountain and cave system was gone. All that was left was the field and grass they were standing in and the dirt roads leading away from the former mine into town. Slowly stepping forward, he stared in disbelief at the emptiness in the landscape.
“Where’s the mountain!? Did we get blackout drunk or something!?” Squawked Glendon as he groaned, “Augh, my back is killing me… feels like I got a squeeze from my nan...”
The griffin looked around, slowly processing the horrors and past day as he felt himself wither and cower at his own anxiety, “....What happened down there?”
Jugo slowly turned around, facing the group with a slight smirk on his face, “....I told you so.”
“AH SHUT UP JUGO, GO BACK TO BEING DEAD!” snapped Glendon.
Rarity sighed in relief and managed to force a smile onto her face. “I think we should, perhaps, simply forget about that little misadventure… agreed?”
Shoving himself away from the large mutt and dropping to the ground, David grunted and dusted himself off. “... fine. But you owe us, pony.”
“You have my word.” Rarity tilted her head in acknowledgment.
Trading glances with his companions, David nodded and turned his back, taking a random direction and sticking by it. Pugsly wasn’t far behind, with the Mastiff pausing briefly to smile at the equines, “Good luck.”
Rarity struggled to put on a smile, “Thank you… Celestia knows we’ll need it.”
Once the four watch the trio of Diamond Dogs walk into the sunset, and eventually out of sight. The group sat down and faced the setting sun. Pondering over their mortality, while some had faced death before in the heat of a gun battle or with the natural circumstances of life. Today was the perfect reminder, that Death was the one true equalizer. While some like Glendon and Rarity fretted over their ineviable encounter with him.
Others, like Jugo and Applejack were contended knowing that there time was not and to count the blessing of cheating literal death. Applejack counted more than just that blessing, she thanked the stars for Rarity. Looking toward her she felt something...different. Closer, closer than she'd ever felt with her before, and somehow she knew Rarity could feel it to. Despite their adventures, nothing had ever reached the level of fear, terror, and hopelessness. But she never had to solely rely on her either.
Glendon spoke up, "We aren't seriously going to honor that agreement with David right? The fock is he talking about *we* owe him, we saved his life the ungrateful bastard!"
"Glendon, please." sighed Jugo.
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Oh man, what a fitting title for these 2 latest chapters, the hairs on the back of my neck were up the entire time I was reading these!
Both AJ & Rarity were at point here, looking forward to see what else it's in store for the rest of the crew!
11703431
You have no idea how much your words mean to me, thank you.
Great poison water that's what we need
Apparently death is following us and killing them one at a time this is so like Final Destination right now
Are you mad you're going to kill us all
Wait what I mean that's great and all but who's telling him not to strike them down
Oh wow that was crazy but pretty good so it looks like the group had to understand the situation and he had to find a way out of here since one creature got killed but things got worse when other creatures in the cave were basically attacking them and one by one they being killed off first it was jego then Glendon try to save Applejack from being poisoned and killed by a shark but that suddenly the remainder of the group Face death once again Applejack and Rarity try to reason with him if they can bring the fall in alive but of course he won't but Rarity did not let up so she gave him a finger too even though it did not much but he was impressed of The Bravery that the two ponies did so he made a deal with her to kiss him which she unfortunately did and apparently also got herself killed because again kiss of death but he did hard his deal and bring back the three dead creatures to life and the diamond dogs are great to get back their wagon and off the way and it looks like things turned out pretty well but the only question is what is the kid and who is she I guess we'll find out next time