A Pony Called Death

by thehalfelf

Intervention

Intervention

The dirty, infested backstreets of Las Pegasus, almost a second home to Rose after becoming Death. She trotted along, gazing up at the glittering, neon signs of the various establishments for a bit before turning down an alley.

It was like someone had thrown a switch. Gone were the well-lit, populated streets, instead replaced by dingy, splotched gray pavement that almost screamed decay. Scrunching her nose in a vain attempt to ward off the oncoming odors, Rose continued into the backend of the city, cloak pulled tight.

It was a path Rose had walked before, though only for work. The next “tier,” so to speak, of buildings were those the city council would like to keep out of the tourist eye. Bars, nightclubs, and rundown motels made up the bulk of the buildings. Rundown exteriors hid a fifty-fifty chance of a ritzy, or equally rundown, interiors. Rose didn’t know, none of her jobs had sent her there. Yet.

Further into the darker side of the city Rose went. The wave of dull buildings broke again, interrupted by another glitter and light-filled street, lined with buildings sporting flashing signs and large advertisements. Ponies in casual suits and tight dresses trotted back and forth, voices combining to a pleasant buzz of unfollowable conversation.

As much as she wished, this was still not her destination, and Rose once again crossed the street and plunged into the dark underbelly of civilization. This was as place that she was familiar with. Down the alley, right before emerging into the next street sat an empty lot. Recent rains had turned the dirt lot into a veritable lake of black mud, polluted by Celestia only knows what. In the middle of it all sat a rundown house. Moving around a chunk of roof that had fallen off, Rose slowly walked over the mud and entered the hovel.

Inside the door, a ring of ponies sat, staring glassy-eyed at each other. A heavy, musty odor hung in the air, along with a faint trace of sulfur. All of them had rather slumped posture and slack jaws, but one in particular stood out. It was a young mare resting against a couch with two others. She was small, lithe, and at one time, likely beautiful, but whatever they had been doing had stripped it from her. She was collapsed against the arm of the couch, barrel barely fluttering, in sync with her crust-rimmed eyelids.

Rose grasped the scythe in a wavering field of magic and drew it from her back. Stepping carefully to avoid the zonked ponies, she made her way over to the dying mare. Rose sighed and shook her head, checking for vital signs that barely registered. Hardly younger than me, but she must’ve been hooked for a long time to overdose like this... Guess it’s too late for this one. The scythe slid through the air, coming to rest against the target a little harder than normal. The mare grunted, a brief look of pain flitting across her face before her husk of a body crumpled to the floor. Job finished, Rose stumbled into a wall, whisking herself from the room.

One of the stallions slowly lolled his head up. “Didja hear somethin’?”

Another cocked open one eye. “Nah, man. Jus’ the wind.”

*****

Something seemed off to Rose as she left the transport of Death. She meant to return directly in her room, her bed, preferably, but she had to have missed. Last time she checked, her room was not wallpapered, and it wasn’t as long, and much wider, and there was one door and one window, not five doors and no windows. Confused, Rose plonked down on her haunches, staring with knitted eyebrows at a single door.

Roused from her sleep by a loud thunk, Roseluck slowly opened her door, poking her muzzle out into the hall. “Rosie? What are you doing?”

“Tryn’a find my bed...” Rose mumbled in reply, resting her head against the wall. “‘S gone...”

“Well, that’s because you’re in the hallway, hon. Come on.” Roseluck walked to her daughter and helped her to her hooves. “Honestly, Rosie, I’m starting to worry about you.” Roseluck grunted at the effort needed to drag a semi-somulant Rose Petal into her room. “You’re always out working. You need a break, hun, or you’re going to run yourself into”--she looked at the form of her daughter lying on the bed, trying as hard as she could to listen to her mother before passing out--”further into the ground.”

“I gotta save them, mom. Nopony else can...” Rose mumbled, burrowing into her pillows. “They shouldn’ have t’ die if I can help them...”

Roseluck sat on the bed next to Rose and stroked her mane. “I know, and I know you feel bad because you couldn’t save Cloud.” The white mare winced. “It’s not your fault, hun, he even said so.”

“But if I can’t protect strangers, how can I hope to protect you and your sisters?” Rose’s eyes shot open, and she covered her muzzle with her forehooves.

“Protect us? From what?” Roseluck’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Are you not telling me something?”

“N-No, don’t worry about it. I’m going to sleep now.” A frown creased Rose’s mother’s face. “Uh, I mean, I’ll take care of it.” Eyebrows knitted together. “It’s nothing, really. I promise.” Forehooves crossed. “Huh, what? Oh, was I... sleeptalking? Yeah, sleeptalking. Sorry.”

“Rose...” Roseluck’s voice carried a hint of warning; a bit of mother magic.

Rose Petal spluttered, tongue tripping over words in a futile attempt to evade the impending interrogation. At long last, and after several sweltering minutes under her mother’s glare, she relented. “Alright, fine. I didn’t want to tell you, because I knew you would worry, but... stop staring at me like that!”

Roseluck blinked and ducked her head, hiding a smile. “Sorry.”

“Last month, in the garden with Mortis, after he...” She swallowed hard. “After he killed Cloud, Mortis threatened me again, but he said that if I don’t cooperate with whatever he wants next time, he would go after you.” Roseluck gasped, eyes flying wide open. “See? I knew if I told you, you would worry.”

“Yeah, I’m going to worry! He is a ghost, right? You’re Death, can’t you do something?”

Rose shook her head. “It doesn’t work like that... I think, anyway. Even if I could do something to him, I have to find him, and I don’t know how.”

“Talk to Princess Luna then.” Rose opened her mouth to argue, but found it stuffed with hoof. “Listen to me. You need help, but more importantly, you need a vacation. You’re wearing yourself to the bone, hun. You’re always gone, always working, always out trying to save lives, and I’m proud of your for that, Rosie, I really am.

“But this...” She waved a hoof at the unkempt room, “isn’t you. You never would have let your room get this dirty, but you’re too busy working. I know you won’t drop dead of exhaustion, because you can’t, but it can’t be healthy in the long run. You need a break, need to let your mind rest and heal. The girls and I are going on vacation to Neighagra Falls. It would mean alot to me if you came.”

“I can’t just drop everything for a weekend, mom. Ponies need me, and it doesn’t feel right to put them off like that, just for my own personal amusement.” Rose Petal pointed a hoof to the scythe, resting on the neatly folded Death cloak on a chair. “You used to get onto me about being responsible, well, now I’m responsible for ponies I’ve never met, and hopefully never will, because anypony, and eventually everypony, will be serviced by Death. If I can put that off for a day, a week, a year, it’s worth it.”

“Please, just talk to Luna for me, Rose. She has been the superior of the office for a long time, maybe she can tell you how to do your job without doing yourself in.” Roseluck looked down to the other mare with pleading eyes.

“Alright,” Rose sighed. “I’ll talk to her.” She made to get up, but Roseluck pushed her back down.

“Sleep, first, hun. Talk to her when you wake up.” Roseluck kissed the top of Rose’s head. “There, you found your bed, now use it. See you in the morning.”

Rose watched her mother leave with half-open eyes. The second the latch clicked shut, she was up on wobbly hooves. The Instinct was pulling in the back of her mind once again, and even though her body cried for rest, her mind was sharp and clear(ish). With the cloak and scythe nestled firmly on her back, Rose set off once again.

As Rose faded away into nothing, the lock on her bedroom door blinked and sighed. “Guess I have to take matters into my own hooves anyway...”

*****

Rose found herself in the slums of Canterlot, a place considered to be middle class by most standards. Suburban hell is more like it, Rose thought to herself, looking down the dual rows of houses, all exactly alike, save for small changes to the plants, or some other miniscule detail. She gazed down the endless blocks carved into the mountain and sighed.

If it wasn't for the incessant tug of the Instinct, Rose wasn’t sure it would be possible to navigate the maze of houses, let alone find a single pony. Thankfully, she had her guide, and happily followed it through the streets towards a denser, more commercial part of the town.

Gradually, the identical houses began to change, becoming more blocky, more expressionless. At long last, they completed their transformation into compact offices and storefronts as Rose took her first few steps into one of Canterlot’s many shopping districts.

The eerie calm of the streets shattered as ponies, dressed in their finest saddlebags, filled the void between buildings. Groups of ponies beget conversation, and Rose soon found herself lost in a blanket of overlapping, garbled conversation. And still the Instinct pulled her on, towards a rather large building further down the street.

At the entrance, a confused doormare saw her charge open itself for a moment, before coming back to rest silently on its’ gilded catch. An equally confused desk attendant saw the elevator doors across the hallway move, before the lift itself took off empty, stopping briefly at every single floor.

Stupid elevators, Rose thought to herself. The Instinct, it would seem, had yet to catch up with modern times; when a client was up in a building, it couldn’t tell which floor. She had to stop at every single one, and wait a moment to ensure that the pony in need was not there before moving up. It was a slow and painstaking process, made even worse when she wasn’t the only pony in the elevator.

Near the top of the building, the Instinct called her forward. Careful not to get the hairs of her tail stuck in the closing door, Rose stepped out into the richly decorated hallway. It was unsettlingly like the streets below in that the doors in the walls always had an opposite in the other, and the decor was perfectly mirrored on both sides, vase for vase, plant for plant. Questioning the area’s need for excessive symmetry, Rose trotted quickly down the hallway, eager to help her client, and get back to sleep.

“My, my, we are in a hurry now, aren’t we?”

The voice froze Rose with an equal amount fear and anger. “Why are you here? Haven’t you caused enough trouble?” she spat. “In fact, why don’t you just show yourself so we can settle this, once and for all.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” the deep voice whispered in Rose’s ear. The mare jumped back, rump hitting one of the uncountable decorative vases. Mortis chuckled at her frantic attempts to keep it from falling over. “Now I understand why Cloud liked you so much. You’re entertaining.”

“W-What’s that supposed to mean?” Rose spluttered, words tripping over the implications before her mind righted itself and flooded with anger. “Don’t talk about Cloud! You lost that right when you killed him!”

“And such fire, too.” Mortis shook his head. “I don’t suppose you’re willing to give me the Office now, are you?”

“Not the Office, but I’ll give you my scythe!” Rose lunged forward, swinging her instrument of office at the still chuckling ghost.

Mortis laughed as the scythe flew through him and embedded into the wall. “That’s cute. Really, it is. But you seem to be forgetting something,” he said, turning towards the window. Rose followed his gaze and watched, first with curiosity, then in horror.

It started with a single strand of rope, almost lazily drifting past. Rose stared on, confused, as one rope became two, then three, then four. Slowly, it dawned upon her, and she rushed to the window at the far end of the hallway, but it was too late. It started with a stream of water, falling from the heavens, and then a bucket. Following, as though trying to save the bucket and ropes, fell a slate-gray earth pony stallion, hooves flailing as though he could gift himself flight in mid-air.

“No!” Rose shouted. She reached out with her borrowed magic, battering it against the window until it exploded in a shower of prismatic shards. The stallion was falling too fast to catch on her own, so Rose did the next best thing. Pooling her energy both around the falling pony, and on the ground where he was likely to land at the same time, she managed to slow him down, just enough, so that he wouldn’t become a red splatter on the impeccable pavement below.

With her head out the shattered window, Rose watched with held breath. Her client had slowed in his descent, and though the instant drain on her focus when he hit the ground was substantial, it seemed to have worked. A crowd formed quickly, just making it easier to spot the royal guard pushing through in their brilliant golden armor. One knelt down next to the stallion while the other attempted to shoo off the bystanders. A few tense moments later, the stallion slowly got to his hooves, accepting the shoulder of a guard to be escorted to a hospital for a proper examination.

“Do you realize how difficult that was to set up?” The voice of Mortis caused Rose to turn around, to see the spirit sitting on his haunches, pouting. “Apparently, they use rather strong ropes with window washers, especially those that aren’t pegasi.”

“You... you did this?!” Rose asked, mouth wide open in shock. “How many have you killed? I know you did Cloud, how many other lives have you ruined? Wha-- How-- Wh... Why?” she finally spluttered, the uncounted questions trying to force their way out finally jamming together in Rose’s mouth.

“Really? You still don’t... Oh, this is just perfect!” The permanent smirk on Mortis’ face morphed into a full-fledged evil grin. “Maybe you’ll find out, in time, but not from me, I have more mayhem to stir up. I hope you don’t miss your bed too much.” Before Rose could reply, he faded from sight, leaving the hallway silent, save the whistling of the wind through the broken glass.

As promised, almost immediately after, the Instinct again pulled at Rose. Client or sleep? Stupid Mortis, I can’t believe he thinks pressure alone will make me give up. If anything, it just makes me want to dig in and fight harder. One of these days, I’ll get him. Rose sighed and flipped her hood up, moving to touch the wall and fade away. Before she could, however, a scroll flopped off of her head and landed on the ground in front her.

Picking up the tightly-rolled paper with her magic, Rose carefully peeled off the seal and let it unravel. It was short, as scrolls go, but very official looking. At top center rested an insignia that she had never seen before. Even more puzzling, it seemed to shift the longer she looked at it, making it nigh impossible to decipher. Pushing aside her many questions, such as how it ended up in her hood, Rose began reading.

Rose Petal, current holder of the Office of Death

Your presence is requested in the chambers of Princess Luna immediately. Ignore all other duties until instructed otherwise. Failure to respond will result in immediate removal from office, and withdrawal of all support of the Royal Sisters and Equestrian Government.

Divine Sight,
Office of Fate.

Author's Note:

Eh, I'm really not super hyped about this chapter, but it kinda had to happen. there was really no other way to get where I want to without this or a massive, confusing jump. Still, hope it entertained. As an aside, Mortis' voice is now exactly like the Cheshire Cat's voice from Alice: Madness Returns. I can't seem to shake this mindset...

Those quotes are pretty funny out of context, actually...

Comments

[Dusty Old Qrow]

Shit's 'bout to go down. And I'm loving it. This'll be my next Sonic Reviews, by the way. It's coming out tonight.

[thehalfelf]

3268526
Kick ass. Thanks.