The Harmony War

by Ten Speed

Chapter 2: Down the Rabbit Hole

It struck me in the middle of my chest as if to fill the whole where my heart used to be. A moment later I was still standing there. I opened my eyes and looked down in confusion. As my sight narrowed on my chest I found no evidence of ever being hit. No wound, no burns, no blood. Frantically I searched again, for something, anything.

“I've been cheated!” my thoughts lashed out as I let my self collapse. I screamed as loud as I could, just to let it out. I pounded my fist on the ground, tears stinging my eyes. “Wait! Am I in hell!?” my mind raced. My head began to spin with questions. I was suddenly nauseous and vomited.

As my brain was reeling with questions something interrupted me. A voice! It was vaguely familiar and was enough to break my train of thought and bring me back to reality. Confused I finally lifted my head to study my surroundings. I blinked my eyes to try and adjust to the dim light. I wasn't in that sad, downtrodden little village anymore but it was somewhere equally as depressing. It was a dreary room littered with derelict furniture, books and scrolls were strewn about carelessly. The walls of the dark room seemed to press down, suffocating me. I shuddered, it was as if all the life and color were sucked out of this forsaken shelter.

“How do you feel?”

My mind registered what I heard this time and my head snapped forward. There to meet my gaze were two penetrating violet eyes.

“Like Alice falling down the rabbit hole,” came my hoarse response.

“What? Never mind. I'm Twi-”

“I know who you are,” I interrupted.

“Well, would you care to share your name then?” she asked perplexed sinking to her haunches, a hint of indignation in her voice.

“I'm not in a sharing mood. I need answers, what happened? Why the hell am I here?” I demanded gruffly, “I should be dead right now,” I added.

I expected my tone to catch her off guard but she never batted an eyelash. I caught her melancholy eyes glance to her right and mine followed. A large white heap. As I strained my eyes through the dim light I could see it was a body. It's coat was matted and stained, the mane a tangled mess, and a few ragged feathers clung to the tattered wings.

Was I really seeing this? What was I doing here? This couldn't be real. None of it could be. “This has to be purgatory, it has to be,” I tried to convince myself. “I was killed by that rocket. What would draw me to this place?”

“The Princess sacrificed her own life to bring you here,” she spit out venomously. “The truth is were at war. Four years ago Discord broke from his prison and laid siege to all of Equestria,” she continued.

“Four years?” I thought dismissing the coincidence. I turned my attention back to the pony speaking. It was now I noticed how rough a shape she was in. Her coat and mane were also matted and unkempt. A long jagged scar carved a path above her left eye. Her horn had been broken off at what I assumed would be the middle and what remained had fractures that ran the length of it. I still couldn't believe what I was seeing but I didn't show it.

“As to where we are, we're in the Canterlot library in a prohibited wing. The spells here are too dangerous for anypony to ever know and they've been sealed away for over a thousand years,” she stated grimly.

“That still doesn't explain what I'm doing here,” I interrupted. I didn't know what I should have felt. I was in world from a fictional T.V. show. I got that, but I couldn't decide if it was real or if this was some repulsive trick my mind was playing on me.

She, my baby girl, loved watching My Little Pony and I would watch it with her. At first I had no interest in it and only watched it to spend time with her. Eventually, however, I grew to enjoy it as much as she did. To see this place in shambles felt like yet another insult. Something my daughter had loved was sharing the same despairing reality my life had become. I had to push those thoughts aside for now though, I needed to remember as much as I could about this cartoon I was now unwillingly a part of.

“Princess Celestia and I didn't know who or what we were bringing here, or from where...” Twilight hesitated and muttered under her breath, “or at what cost.”

“The spell description wasn't clear, it only said it would summon one capable of wielding The Elements,” she explained.

“HAHA!” I scoffed louder than I had intended but I didn't shy away. I remembered what The Elements were. “Sorry to be the bearer of bad news you but you've got the wrong person for the job,” I stated with contempt as I made my way onto my feet again.

Before she could offer any sort of rebuttal we were interrupted by the groans of the ancient doors straining under their own colossal weight.

“We have to go! We've spent to much time here already!” Twilight whispered in an urgent tone quickly rising to all fours.

“What about your Princess?” I pointed with my head.

“She's dead, there's nothing we can do for her. Come on!” She urged me again as she turned and began to run.

I was taken aback by how coldly she responded as I following her through the shadows. “I thought Canterlot was suppose to be a safe place,” I asked myself wondering what could cause it to be otherwise. I was about to ask why we were in such a hurry when Twilight stopped dead in her tracks. I almost tripped over the top of her but managed to catch my balance. When I looked up again there was a figure standing in front of us.

I squinted my eyes but before I could determine who it was Twilight blurted out, “Trixie!?” The surprise in her voice was obvious as she recoiled.

“It's been a long time Twilight,” came a smug response. “In fact the last time you saw The Great and Powerful Trixie, Trixie was leaving Ponyville after you had embarrassed Trixie in front of everypony... again...” Trixie leveled her gaze at Twilight accusingly.

“Trixie! We don't have time for petty old grudges and this certainly isn't the place! We need to get out of here, now!” Twilight shifted uneasily, the panic in her voice rising.

“Don't you worry Twilight, The Great and Powerful Trixie isn't here for revenge. Like Trixie said it's been a long time since you've seen Trixie but Trixie has been watching you and Trixie knows what you're up to and what you and you're princess have done.” Trixie replied in a casual manner staring straight through me.

“Then what is it you want?” Confusion crossed Twilight's face, the urgency still behind her words.

“Redemption,” Trixie grinned wickedly. “By Trixie's estimate Discord's forces will be here any moment and they'll catch you and you're new friend if you don't have any way to slow them down.” Trixie glanced at Twilight's shattered horn. “And seeing as you can't even wield magic anymore that would be rather difficult wouldn't it?”

Twilight grimaced. “What are you saying then?” she asked impatiently pinning her ears back.

The same vindictive grin had found it's way onto Trixie's face again. “What The Great and Powerful Trixie is saying is Trixie will to stay here to make sure you and you're... new friend escape.”

“That's suicide!” Twilight blurted in shock.

“Well, well, well, it seems we have some neighsayers in the audience. You better hope your friend...” I was really tired of her saying that. How pretentious could this pony be? “...has the answers to end all of this. Now be gone with you!” She demanded as she turned her nose up and flipped her cape.

As Trixie's horn began to emit a purple aura the air crackled with energy. The electricity made the hair on my neck stand on end. Twilight looked up at me and nodded and without a seconds hesitation we were running again as we could hear the clamoring of more hoofsteps echo down the corridor. The murals and tapestries on the walls were a blur as we raced for an exit. The pale light filtered through the deteriorating windows guided our path.

It was evident when whatever was chasing us had made it to Trixie. The echo of Trixie's voice chased us down the hallway as she cried with supreme confidence, “Watch in awe!” Suddenly the hallway was swallowed with a blinding light as the walls shuddered and began to collapse.

I didn't know how but we had made it through that devouring light and we were now outside. The great hall that had been moments before now matched the grim sight that lay before us. “If only I had slowed for moment,” I thought turning around to take a final look at the devastation caused by Trixie's spell. I peered through the dust that hung heavily in the air, the desecrated city before us wasn't anymore welcoming than when I had first arrived. The sky was roiling with menacing clouds and the ground was heaved and gaping, vainly trying to swallow any moisture it could from the restless sky.

“Let's go, we can talk on the way,” Twilight snorted taking off at a trot.

I was still slightly caught off guard at how callous and unforgiving she seemed to be not mention the fact she even existed outside of someones imagination. “Good,” I thought, “I still have questions that I need answered.” I kept pace with the worn purple mare as we made our way out of the dead and eroding city of Canterlot.

Comments

[mcb893]

images.wikia.com/dragonage/images/2/2a/Anchorman-well-that-escalated-quickly.jpg