Price

by Havoc

Unwanted News

"Relax, it's just things. We still have what's important."

Rarity sat with her sister shaking slightly in each other's hooves in the middle of her boutique which had been ripped apart by the storm. One of the walls had collapsed and everything that wasn't nailed down or hanging on for dear life had been torn apart by disturbingly focused wind gusts. All her dresses were ripped to shreds. Years of work gone in a day.

What had made it particularly dangerous was the over abundance of sharp objects that had flown around the room when the windows broke. Scissors and needles had peppered the walls and floor and even the gemstones that Rarity had collected the day before had become a threat. Rarity shuddered, recalling what had happened, and what could have happened.

---

The window shattered and instantly everything in the room began to move. Her sewing machine was picked up and thrown into the dresser she was hiding under.

"This can't be real!"

Her sister was holding on to her for dear life, her eyes shut tightly.

The dresser began to groan and the two ponies hiding under it were thrown out into the wind as all the remaining windows and doors were destroyed and the room became a whirlwind of impacts and heavy things.

Rarity felt the warmth in her hooves taken away from her.

NO!

Even as she tumbled through the air and was battered by her dress models she looked around desperately to find Sweetie Bell. Her heart thudded in her chest, her body fueled by fear and adrenaline

Sweetie Bell was thrown into a pile of dresses that hadn't quite taken off yet due to being pinned in place with a dozen needles. She scrambled to free herself as the winds made the fabric engulf her.

Rarity's chest pounded as she struggled to find solid footing. She managed to find purchase on the floor and she righted herself just in time to hear another chest pound. Her box of gemstones had been picked up and opened and now the hundreds of razor sharp diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires were poised to fly through the air. Rarity had a second to take in where the box was pointing before it exploded like a cannon.

She had only a moment to react.

Time slowed down as she cast the fastest spell in her life.

---

Rarity hugged her sister and looked over to the perfect outline of a unicorn filly outlined by gemstones embedded deep in the wall around it.

"And that's all that matters, Sweetie Bell."

Her sister looked up at her with big, tear stained eyes.

"We still have each other."

---

Ponyville had been ravaged. Every building had suffered some damage in the high winds but what struck most as odd was a few buildings were damaged so much more then the others. It had nothing to do with the structures themselves as some more fragile shops had been untouched as if ignored by the storm. Rarity's boutique had been written off as a total loss, Twilight's library had suffered immense internal damaged from something that had flown about in the winds but otherwise was intact. Sugarcube Corner looked as if a giant had taken out centuries of frustration on it.

Twilight walked through town with Spike as if in a waking nightmare. She stumbled on every broken bit of wood and brick that littered the street and her gaze swayed side to side but anyone looking at her could tell she wasn't seeing anything.

"S... Spike."

Spike looked up at her with a growing look of concern on his face.

"Yes, Twilight?"

Twilight took a deep breath and centered herself in the present.

"We need to find our friends."

They went to where Pinkie Pie should've been because it was the closest. They stopped and stared at the pile of rubble before them. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were in the middle of it trying to lift an entire corner of the roof.

"COME ON, LIFT!"

They screamed in effort and managed to lift it a foot or so before they dropped it. Twilight galloped over.

"What are you trying to do? Is somepony under there?!"

Applejack's head whipped around and her eyes lit up.

"Oh thank Celestia, you're aliv-"

Applejack's tone was one of relief. Rainbow Dash just looked frustrated that her friend had stopped helping for even a second. She turned around and gestured frantically to the quarter of the gingerbread house they were trying to lift.

"Pinkie! No time! Help us lift!"

Twilight's eyes widened.

Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no!

Twilight's horn glowed and the entire building was surrounded by a light purple aura. The earth pony and pegasus could only stand back and watch as some of the rubble was lifted off of a pink form lying amongst a nest of splintered wood. The debris were set down carefully and Rainbow Dash wasted no time in digging up her friend.

"Pinkie Pie! Pinkie Pie, can you hear me? Say something?!"

The pink mare didn't move. Rainbow noticed a thick beam of wood still resting on her friend's back.

"Applejack, how did this happen?"

Twilight looked over to her friend and noticed for the first time that Applejack's hat was missing. Her hair was dishevelled and looked like she had been through a tumble dryer.

"We'er hiding out in here with Pinkie after it became apparent that we, me and Dash, couldn't help nomore. We barred the windows and were actually fairly well off before something just crashed into the roof. The whole place groaned and Pinkie just looked at us, calm as could be. She shoved us mighty hard and then the whole place just collapsed in on itself. We were safe under a section of the roof that had held up but she was buried."

They both turned over to their friends, Rainbow having removed the beam was now hunched over Pinkie, crying into her ear.

"Please, Pinkie!"

"Dashie."

Her voice was quiet.

"Yes, Pinkie?"

Pinkie opened her eyes and they slid in and out of focus as she talked.

"Can you do something for me?"

"Anything."

"Can you tell Applejack to find Gummy and... and ask Twilight to check on Fluttershy and Rarity for me?"

Pinkie closed her eyes and put her hoof on Rainbow's.

"I don't feel up for it right now."

---

Fluttershy's cottage was no more. What hadn't been reduced to splinters by the winds had been struck multiple times by lightning. Amidst the carnage of burning wood and broken animal houses sat a small pile of rubble. A small bump in the wreckage. Twilight slowly walked towards this bump. Her breath came in short, ragged gasps. Her legs didn't want to go any further and she stopped.

The bump shifted slightly and Twilight's heart pounded in her chest.

What I am going to find?

The bump exploded and Twilight had to shield her eyes from the wave of wood and stone. She looked back to see a yellow pegasus breathing heavily, eyes aflame.

"Fluttershy?"

A bunny poked his head out from under her wing and looked around cautiously before tapping her on the shoulder and nodding as if to say, 'It's alright." Her eyes settled on Twilight's and her expression softened. She picked her way through the rubble of her cottage and hugged Twilight as hard as she could.

"I'm so sorry. You've lost everything."

Fluttershy looked at Angel and then to Twilight.

"No, I didn't."

---

Applejack returned to the ruin of Sugarcube Corner with Gummy clamped firmly to her head. She'd found him wandering around town aimlessly, snapping at the ankles of passers by.

Applejack moved to adjust her hat to get the sun out of her eyes as the clouds had long since been busted when the storm stopped. Then she realized that she'd lost it to the storm and had just poked Gummy who swayed back and forth on her head. She sighed and trotted over to Rainbow Dash who hadn't left Pinkie's side. As she moved over the broken pieces of the store she had once loved to go to she paused and looked down at a cupcake lying on the floor. It was perfectly intact and she would have knocked it over had she not noticed it. Rainbow Dash glanced in Applejack's direction.

"Hey, Pinkie... Pinkie... Applejack's back with Gummy."

Pinkie stirred and smiled at the sight of Applejack's temporary hat.

"Oh, goooood. Gummy found you..."

Gummy unclamped himself from Applejack's head and waddled over to Pinkie Pie's side, worming his way under her shoulder and resting his head on her chest. Applejack had a sudden thought.

Ah hope Applebloom and Macintosh are okay.

"Applejack."

Rainbow Dash got up and motioned for Applejack to follow her. They walked a short distance away and Rainbow Dash pulled her aside.

"She needs a doctor. Like now. She's been getting worse since you left, fa... fading in and out you know? I woulda gone sooner but I didn't want to leave her alone. Stay with her, I'm going to find some help."

Rainbow Dash looked even more like hell. The bags under her eyes had gotten more noticeable and her eyes were red and wet.

"Alright, I'll keep her here. You hurry back. Fast as you can."

Applejack reflexively closed her eyes and waited for the rush of air of her friend taking off. She waited a moment. She opened her eyes to see Rainbow clearly straining to get into the air, running and flapping her wings. She got a few feet of air but landed again and nearly fell over from exhaustion. She shook her head and started jogging.

Something is very wrong.

She walked over to Pinkie who was fast asleep. Applejack noted the rising and falling of her chest and she sat down next to her. And worried.

What in the hay happened today? Not only did that storm just come out of nowhere but it seemed almost, angry. Like it wanted to hurt everypony.

She looked around town and saw the damage on the other buildings. Then she noticed the lack of it. Pinkie drew a long breath and let it out slowly.

Wait, how come Sugarcube Corner was all blown to pieces but no other shops? Or houses?

She noticed that Ponyville actually didn't look all that bad. It just looked like a bad storm had come through and she'd weathered those before. Nothing like this though.

Twilight and Fluttershy came galloping into view with Rarity, Sweetie Bell and Spike in tow.

"We came as fast as we could. Is she..."

Applejack looked over at Pinkie Pie whose breathing had gotten very shallow. Gummy was nuzzling her cheek but she gave no reaction. Applejack took a long breath.

"She's in real bad shape."

"Oh, my goodness! What happened?"

"She-"

The words stuck in her throat and she coughed and tried again.

"The shop was about to collapse and I guess she kinda sensed it. She just looked at me and Dash and shoved us real hard out of the way and the next thing you know the whole place just folded in on top of her."

Rarity gasped and nearly fainted and Fluttershy was on the verge of tears. Twilight just looked shocked.

Pinkie Pie coughed and pointed to Rarity. They all looked confused and leaned in towards Pinkie.

"Yes dear, what is it? Do you need something, just name it and I can get it for you."

Pinkie Pie spoke just above a hoarse whisper and Rarity had to lean in to hear it.

"I see a light."

Rarity's eyes widened and she yelped.

"No, Pinkie, no no, don't go towards it darling!"

Pinkie Pie smiled and coughed again.

"No, silly, behind you."

They all turned around and nearly jumped out of their skins.

"I need you all to come with me. Right now."

Princess Celestia picked her way through the debris still in the streets, flanked by two royal guards that gave everything in sight a suspicious look. Elsewhere flights of guards were landing around the town. Rainbow Dash walked out from behind Celestia and went over to check on Pinkie Pie.

"Sweetie Bell, I'll turn you over to your parents in Canterlot."

Applejack stepped forward.

"Begging your pardon your majesty but I need to check up on my family."

"I'm sorry."

A white light emanated from the Princess and Applejack's vision began to fade.

"We have no time."

Comments

[ThePhantomAssassin]

First!! And manly tears are being shed.

[Odd_Sarge]

I'M NOT EVEN CRYING!
HOW IS TIS NOT MAKING ME CRY?

[Havoc]

1038406

Are you dehydrayed?