V. Had Mares Not Been Fated to be Blind
V. Had Not Mares Been Fated to be Blind
Rarity
Rarity was fascinated.
Rainbow hadn’t left the sky since they parted ways with Twilight’s party. She flew in lazy circles, hovering above them. She didn’t say much, but Rarity sensed she was bored. Or perhaps moody? Oh, who knows with Rainbow. That mare barely acts rationally as it is. Honestly.
But she was fascinated. She loved flying. Love to watch it happen, loved to think and dream about it, loved to read about it, everything. When they had visited Cloudsdale to cheer on Rainbow, Rarity had been imagining her friend flying. Her heart had leapt in her chest at a chance to witness the best in the world fly.
That ended well, she thought sourly. But still, it had been delightful for a time. To be up in the air, amongst the clouds, seeing what lay beyond! The open sky!
So she watched Rainbow’s lazy hovering. Her eyes followed the slow loops Dash wrote in the sky in her boredom. She thought about Rainbow taking off, her toned, powerful legs tensing as she broke free of the surly bonds of earth. It was as good a diversion as any, she supposed. Surly bonds... I must have stolen that. Oh bother.
Fluttershy had stayed grounded by her side, walking along the road with her. She’d been delightful company, to be sure, if perhaps a bit taciturn at times. But that was to be expected: the poor dear was no conversationalist. Oh, but I will have to simply teach them to hold decent, long conversations. Especially Rainbow. Rarity supposed she would have a long time in which to work her arts. Where to begin? She supposed that flying might be a good ingress point. As a angle of attack, it did present some problems. Mainly, Rarity herself couldn’t fly, though she had read quite a bit about the subject. Fiction, of course, but...
She stopped thinking about Rainbow when movement caught her eyes. She glanced over at Fluttershy.
Fluttershy, too, watched Rainbow’s winged meanderings. Her mouth twitched, and her ears lay flat. Curious, Rarity thought.
“A bit for your thoughts, Fluttershy,” Rarity said, and Fluttershy jumped.
“Oh! Oh dear, I’m sorry! I was just... distracted.”
“Oh? Oh, I understand,” Rarity said, smiling like a wolf. A bit of teasing never hurt. “I suppose Rainbow is a rather lovely mare...”
“Oh, not... not like that!” Fluttershy cried, a bit too loudly. Rainbow pulled out of a dive and hovered in the road before them, one eyebrow raised.
“Hm?” she hummed in question.
“N-nothing,” Fluttershy insisted, flushed. She had stopped in her tracks.
Rainbow shrugged and returned to her restless flying. Fluttershy, face still crimson, caught up with Rarity who waited for her. “No, not like that,” she repeated. “I... I mean, I’m not... you know...”
Rarity sighed, but she still smiled. “Maybe I’m wrong about teasing.” At Fluttershy’s confusion, she continued on quickly. “It’s nothing. Now, I know you don’t... oh, how would Applejack put it? ‘Your barn door doesn’t swing that way?’ That’s the kind of rusticism she would use. I was simply jesting.”
“Oh. Oh, okay.” Fluttershy replied softly. “I can see that. Sorry.”
Rarity walked closer to her and nudged her. “Come now, Fluttershy, darling. What is on your mind, if it’s not our mutual friend’s rather fine le—ahem, yes. Your thoughts?”
“Oh, well... I was just thinking...”
“Yes, yes I’d gathered that much.”
“I mean... about flying.”
Rarity smiled. A subject she could talk about! “Ah. What about flying? Rainbow’s flying? It’s quite impressive, if I do say so myself. Well, at the moment she’s more hovering while she waits for us, but earlier—”
“No,” Fluttershy cut in. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cut you off like that. It’s not how she flies. I was just thinking about flying. Like, me flying.”
“Oh.” Rarity blinked. “Well, go on then, dear. What’s keeping you? You seem, oh what’s the word? Anxious? No, that’s not it...”
“You wouldn’t mind?”
“Of course not,” Rarity said with an easy smile. “Go on. You must be bored to tears here on the ground.”
Fluttershy shook her head, extending her wings. “No, it’s not that. It’s just... I don’t fly as much as I used to. I never flew as much as Rainbow, but...”
“But you’re a pegasus, and pegasi fly.” Fluttershy nodded, so she continued. “Now! Off with you. Go on! I’ll watch.”
Timidly, Fluttershy nodded, and then she was off into the sky. Rainbow Dash saw her and grinned wide. Rarity watched the two of them fly ahead of her. She smiled and remembered having wings of her own.
Rainbow Dash
Rainbow felt like a coiled spring, a snake in the grass waiting for something tall and stupid to wander by so she could release. Flying had helped, but still she felt the urge to be going, to keep flying straight and not stop. How far had they gone since the crossroads? Ten miles? Five? She had no idea, no way of knowing. Stewing in her own impatience, Rainbow hadn’t given the mile markers a second glance.
She groaned. She just wanted to be there already. Or at least be farther along than... however far along this was. As the sun sank at last below the horizon, she waited for the inevitable complaints.
She had landed only twice since the parting. Her wings ached. Her hooves felt odd, like they lacked something substantial. She felt exhausted.
Rainbow doubled back to land. She didn’t want to, of course, but there was no way she could keep this up. For now, she’d condescend to some ground-pounding. Just for a moment.
As she touched down, Rainbow folded her wings. Rarity and Fluttershy, who had landed earlier, were a few steps back, and she waited for them.
“Rainbow, Fluttershy and I were talking earlier, and perhaps it is time to stop. For the night, that is.”
Rainbow had known it was coming, and still, she gritted her teeth. “We really should try to make as much progress as we can,” she said slowly.
“Yes,” Rarity rejoined, her words measured. “I do understand that, Rainbow Dash. It is, of course, vital to make as much progress right out of the starting gate as possible, as it were. However, we lose daylight quickly. The world has moved on past the days when we could walk more than six hours with light.”
“Eh.” She let out a breath and tried looking anywhere but at Rarity but failed. The unicorn’s face was cast in shadow by her hair, and Rainbow could see only one azure eye in the dying light. “But we haven’t gone that far. We should make as good time as we can, light or no light. Can’t you just like light things up? Like with your magic?”
“Well, yes, but... Honestly, Rainbow. Night is falling.”
“So?” Dash challenged, bristling. “It’s not nighttime yet. We still have some daylight.”
“Is it worth the danger of being in the open and not being able to see?”
“And what,” Rainbow shouted, stomping a hoof, “are you afraid of? What the hell could possibly be out here?” Her wings unfurled and flared out of their own accord. The coiled snake leapt out into the light. “If Twilight were here, she would understand.”
Rarity drew back, and looked down for a second. Rainbow’s chest heaved in the silence.
. “Twilight isn’t here,” she said, and her voice was resolute. “The world is a dangerous place, Rainbow, and you’re just going to have to accept that everyone can’t... keep up with you.”
“Well, it isn’t my fault that you’re too cautious!”
Rarity met her gaze, and it was like a bucket of ice water to the face. “No, Rainbow, you’re right. It’s not your fault that I’m looking out for Fluttershy and am knowledgeable of my own limitations, as well as the relative safety of the area. It is however, your fault that you can’t control yourself and your own emotions.”
And... there I go. Damn. Rainbow sighed, watching how Fluttershy hid behind her own long mane. “Look, I’m sorry. I’m just... antsy, I guess.” The words hurt, but she needed to say them. “Can we just go a little farther? Please?”
Rarity cleared her throat. “Nothing to forgive. It has already passed out of my mind. How much longer, Rainbow? I understand your impatience. I want to be of use as well, but we must be reasonable. Cautious.”
Rainbow folded her wings and fidgeted. “Ugh. I don’t know. I’m not good with time and stuff. Just... a little longer. I don’t wanna stop.”
“I know you don’t, but I am not sure how much farther I can go, and Fluttershy will not be able to walk in the dark.” Behind her Fluttershy nodded, not meeting Rainbow’s eyes. A flash of irritation flashed across her mind, but she beat it down. It was true: Fluttershy was not a huge fan of the dark. Rainbow knew that. She simply hadn’t thought about it. Or how long Rarity had been on her hooves.
“Fine, I guess,” she said lamely, feeling uncomfortable. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s quite all right,” Rarity said, but there was something in how she speared Rainbow with her gaze that made Dash’s insides squirm. She wasn’t looking forward to making camp at all.
Fluttershy
Fluttershy was excellent at two things: being quiet, and listening. They went hoof in hoof, really. It reminded her of that snake that ate its own tail, the strange design she had seen one of the refugees from the North wearing on a necklace.
She lay quietly beside the fire, wrapped up in her blankets. The flames popped and crackled, and had it not been for the scene she could tell was being set, it would comfort her to hear it. The night air was cold. The cold sank into her hindlegs, far from the fire’s comfort, and she tried to warm them. Even through the warm blankets, a bit of the dark got through.
It almost distracted her from her companions. Almost.
Rainbow stared into the fire from her sleeping bag. She scowled. Fluttershy watched how the light played over her face, casting this part in shadow and then that part as it danced. It was strange, she noted, how Rainbow’s namesake mane looked with so little illumination. The fire brought out the yellow and orange, and it all seemed lighter where the fire could reach.
Rarity was staring at Rainbow, her expression blank. Aside from her right ear, which twitched, Rarity was as still as a stone. Fluttershy marked it, considering.
They, of course, probably thought she was asleep. Neither of them glanced at her, and with how still she was, it was to be expected that she fade from their immediate concerns. Fluttershy didn’t mind. Sometimes, like now, it was useful to vanish into the shadows for a little while to let others talk.
She hadn’t meant there to be any sort of confrontation when she’d told Rarity she thought they should make camp for the night. Fluttershy had assumed that Rarity’s smooth and careful reasoning would win her impetuous friend over. In hindsight, her hope had perhaps been a bit unfounded.
She didn’t sigh, though she would have liked to. I just want them to be all right, she thought. I shouldn’t have said anything at all.
She hadn’t seen Rarity’s face, when Dash had finally capitulated, but the look in Rainbow’s eyes had spoken volumes. She was waiting for a storm.
Rarity cleared her throat, and Fluttershy wilted, glad that the fire was between them and her. Rarity spoke softly. “Dash?”
Rainbow’s jaw clenched, and she looked over at Rarity.
The unicorn continued. “Rainbow, I don’t like to bring up past grievances, but I am concerned.”
Rainbow snorted.
“I am. I am your friend, and you know that. I’m worried that you’re going to bottle up whatever it is that’s wrong, and it’s going to end poorly.”
Rainbow’s ears drooped. “Look, I’m fine, okay? Just... impatient.”
“I know you probably don’t want to discuss it, Rainbow—”
“I don’t,” Rainbow cut in.
“—but I think that we should. We can’t afford to be angry at each other. It is a luxury none of us can indulge in.”
Rainbow groaned quietly. “Look, I’m sorry. I was just really tired, and that made me pissed off, and I didn’t mean it. Okay? I’m just antsy. You know, wanna get as far as we can. I didn’t mean to yell. Can we drop it now?”
“For the moment. Though what I’ve told you is still accurate. If you would like to move on, I would like your help for a moment with something,” Rarity offered, her voice a little softer.
Rainbow shrugged, and wiggled out of her sleeping back. She wandered over to Rarity. Fluttershy, on the other side of the fire, let go of a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
“What is it?” Rainbow whispered.
“Just a map, dear. I made sure to study it on the way here.” Fluttershy saw Rainbow’s eyebrows rise. Rarity smiled. “Yes, you’d be surprised, dear. Unfortunately, I am a bit shaky on where exactly along this road we are. You see, I didn’t notice...”
They continued. Fluttershy closed her eyes and smiled. Perhaps now I can sleep.
In the background, Rarity’s gentle voice contrasted with the rough edges of Rainbow’s. They traded places, going back and forth, almost rhythmically. She tried to listen, but the words slipped away from her. It was hard to follow without the map in front of her own eyes. Something about the road. Stalliongrad was farther than Rainbow would like. Rarity was more worried about food. It went on and on.
Rarity yawned and offered to set the first watch. Rainbow waved her off with a hoof, shaking her head. “I’ve got it, Rares,” she said. “Go on and sleep. I’ll wake you up soon for your shift. Fluttershy’ll take the last one.”
“Are you sure? I could take the first watch.”
“Nah, go sleep. I’ve got it. You seem sleepy. If it helps, think of it as me making up for earlier. Or something.”
Rarity nodded wearily and smiled. “Thank you, Dash. That’s kind. Good night.”
With that, she settled down, and Rainbow took the first watch, her gaze sweeping out over the quiet treeline beside the road. Fluttershy watched her as long as she could bear to stay awake and then succumbed to weighty sleep. Her eyes closed on Rainbow staring into the dark.
Rainbow Dash
Rainbow Dash saw them first.
While she was no Twilight, and Rarity would no doubt not expect such from her, Dash could think quickly. She could assess a situation better than sometimes her friends believed she could. This situation, in particular, was not hard to see play out. It could only go one way. Okay, two ways, but she doubted one of them would happen.
The stallion on the side of the road waving at her just sat there, waving. He was either the stupidest civilian ever, or he was a bad sort of pony who wanted her to think he was the stupidest civilian ever. Either way, she didn’t like it at all. It was exactly what they didn’t need right now.
She glanced back at her companions. The path twisted ahead of them, and so she had some time before they came around the bend and saw the trap. It was a trap, she was sure of it.
Couldn’t have designed it any better, either. Damn.
Fluttershy would want to help. Rarity would do the generous thing, and back her up. I, of course, am not going to let them be stupid without a fight.
But it wouldn’t work. Maybe a long time ago, she would have stopped. Maybe, in another world, she wouldn’t have thought it was a trap, but there was no way it could be anything else. Not this far out, not in the middle of nowhere.
She had a few minutes to figure out what to do. Four, maybe, if Rarity didn’t notice something was wrong or Fluttershy decided to stretch her wings.
Rainbow would have to run damage control. She could handle it, it was kind of like working weather in the old days, keeping storms reined in. But there was no pretending it wasn’t going to be both futile and frustrating.
She swooped down and landed, making a choice.
Rainbow landed in front of Rarity, who stopped up short in surprise. Dust rose from the worn road through the hills, and Rarity breathed it in. Rainbow made a noise of impatience as the unicorn coughed, waving it away.
“Honestly, Rainbow! Can you not learn a bit of decency?” she managed, a hoof over her mouth. “You simply must learn to be more considerate o—”
“Something’s up the road, Rarity.”
Rarity’s words died. She tensed, and her look was sharp. Rainbow almost smiled—it was an encouraging look. She was glad that at least sometimes Rarity could manage some steel in her spine. But it didn’t change the fact that all of her caution was about to go down the tubes. Rainbow sighed.
“He’s waving. Looks like a civilian.”
Rarity was quiet.
Rainbow continued. “Think there might be somepony in the trees, but it’s hard to see. It’s around the bend, where the road goes downhill.”
Rarity put a hoof to her forehead and massaged around the base of her horn. Rainbow grimaced, and waited for the inevitable to happen. She could play the whole conversation out herself. It was awful, but she had no faith in either of them to make the smart decision.
And yes, normally, she would love to help. Be a hero. But she wasn’t a hero. She was just Rainbow Dash, and Rainbow Dash knew a trap when she saw one, and stepping into it was stupid.
“Rainbow?”
“What?” she answered a bit too gruffly, wings folding against her side.
“You think it’s a trap.”
It wasn’t a question. Rainbow wasn’t sure what it was, honestly. It was almost an accusation. The sound of it angered her. It was like a fly she couldn’t swat away, lingering and bothering her. It was there every time she tried to hurry her companions up. Here it was again.
So she seethed. “No, Rarity. I don’t think it’s a trap at all. I know it’s a trap. It’s so obvious. So, so, so obvious. Can’t you see it?”
“Well, no, not yet. If you’ll just calm down—“ Rarity began, raising a hoof to calm the pegasus.
But Rainbow’s wings flared out as she continued. “You know what I mean. Look, Rarity, we can’t stop. We can talk to him, but we can’t let him bog us down. We have to get going. Hell, Rares, we can’t afford to get caught in a trap.”
Rarity huffed. Both of them glanced back at Fluttershy, who sat quietly behind Rarity a few feet away. Her eyes bored holes in them, or so it felt to Rainbow, who quickly looked back and lowered her voice.
“Look, can’t you just trust me?”
“Rainbow,” Rarity hissed, also quieter. She bit her lip, thinking. “Rainbow, you have shown yourself to be far, far too concerned with simply blazing a path ahead regardless of your companions and common sense. Do you know what this looks like? It looks like impatience, and frankly, I will not stand for it.”
Rainbow groaned. “Rares, c’mon.”
“No. No, that is quite enough Rainbow. We are going to offer them help. The very least we can do is not assume that they are anything more than simple stranded ponies. Celestia knows there are plenty of those.”
Rainbow huffed. She thought about pointing out that Rarity hadn’t been made a leader of any sort officially, but thought better of it. Nothing would be settled. Rarity would whine and in the end it would be two against one. Like always.
“If Twilight was here—“
“She is not. And Twilight has been different as of late. It’s over, Rainbow Dash.”
So Rainbow fell silent, fuming. Fluttershy approached slowly, her eyes flashing between them. Those eyes settled on Rainbow, and Dash turned away. She didn’t want to meet that gaze. It would ask far too much and there would be no answering. Instead, she focused on what this meant.
They came around the bend, and into the line of sight of the “stranded pony” that Rarity was so concerned about. He was tall, and had probably been muscular and fit, once. As they came closer, Rainbow studied him. She tensed, noting his worn appearance, his dirty coat, his scars. Some of them looked old, but some looked newer. These bothered her. She imagined that perhaps some of them looked like they had been made by bladed weapons, but of course, she had no idea.
Rarity was composing herself before they even got close, and it made Rainbow feel hot and twitchy. Furious. She wanted to fly, just throw herself into the sky in frustration. Better yet, she wanted to push a certain prissy unicorn out of the way, tell that raggedy stallion to get the hell out of dodge, and save a life or two. But of course, she wouldn’t. Rarity was going to be generous.
Can’t even be cautious. It’s a bad day when Rainbow Dash is the cautious smart one! Dammit.
Rarity called out a greeting to the pony that Rainbow wasn’t even listening to as she stared him down. He caught her gaze and flinched.
“No fear! Why, we mean you absolutely no harm, my friend,” Rarity was saying beside her, and bumped into Dash.
“R-right,” the stallion said, trotting forward. They met, he standing a few feet away. Rainbow snorted, not buying his skittishness for a moment. His body said he wanted to flee, but his eyes were not looking for exits. They were studying. Sizing up.
This guy is bad news, she thought, and resisted the urge to cut this off. It would just give him an opening if she distracted Rarity.
“W-who are you?” the stallion asked, his voice rough.
“I am Rarity, good gentlecolt. These are my friends, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. Say hello, girls.”
Rainbow Dash did not say hello.
“Right. Well,” Rarity continued. “As I was saying—we mean you no harm. If you’ll tell us where you are headed and who you are, let us examine your wounds, I’m sure we could help you before we head out on our way. For a few moments. Are you lost?”
He blinked, as if suddenly confused. Noticed me noticing him, Rainbow thought sharply.
“Oh, yes. I got all turned around…”
Fluttershy spoke. Rainbow turned, surprised, and saw Rarity doing the same.
“Oh, you poor dear… you can tell your family to come out now!”
The stallion sputtered, and now some of that flightiness reached his eyes. He stepped back, mouth falling open as if about to explain, but nothing came out. Seeming to think better of it, the stallion simply turned back towards the trees that he had come from and waved.
A thin unicorn mare with dirty hair and wide eyes shuffled out of the brush with a foal in tow. Rainbow suppressed a groan with great difficulty. Of course he would plan that far ahead!
She looked at over at Fluttershy, pausing in her vigil for a moment. Damn, she’s gotten scary good at that whole… seeing ponies thing. Wish we’d had her back in Ponyville.
Rainbow quickly turned her attention back to the new interlopers. The mare’s eyes darted from the stallion—her husband, Rainbow assumed—to Rainbow herself, then to Rarity, and then to Fluttershy, then back. Those eyes were trying to say something to her husband, Dash thought, but she was clueless as to what it was. She had no context, no frame of reference. This was the tail end of some conversation that eluded her and she felt an itch in her hooves. She needed information, needed intel.
“Alright, spill the story,” she blurted, ignoring the harsh glare Rarity shot her.
“Of course,” murmured the stallion, turning towards her. His eyes were still wide, caught in that moment of fight or flight. It set her one edge, made her want to jump away or pounce on him. She shivered. “My wife and I took our son with us, heading for Canterlot after a raiding band of griffons destroyed our village.”
“Which?” Rainbow asked, voice flat.
“Tussock,” he answered smoothly, cocking his head as if puzzled. Yet it did not reach his eyes. They remained wide and alert as ever. It was unnatural, she thought, and didn’t understand why it would seem so.
“Never heard of it.”
“Rainbow,” Rarity cut in, voice like ice. “Leave the poor dear alone. He has obviously been through quite the ordeal. Your caution is admirable, but you need to learn restraint.”
“Rarity, I’m just asking some obvious questions.”
“Rainbow…” Fluttershy cut in softly.
For her part, Dash growled and her wings flared out. “Look, fine. You wanna die out here? Twilight would ask these questions. Twilight would find out.” She stomped her hoof down with each word. “Twilight would ask! Twilight would—“
“Twilight is not here.” The words were iron whips that beat against Rainbow’s back and her hoof paused in midair. She gaped as Rarity continued. “Furthermore, Twilight is not exactly the best example of leadership right now, if you’ll consider her record as of late.”
Rainbow looked over at the new comers, who huddled together. The wife pulled at her husband, and all three stared at Rainbow. The stallion’s strange wide-eyed panic was mirrored in his companions.
Her blood boiled and her heart hammered in her throat. Part of her wanted to stop and take this elsewhere. Part of Rainbow wanted to let it drop and pick the thread of the argument up later. But the greater part of her seethed and roiled and rebelled.
“Don’t you dare talk about her behind her back, bitch!” Rainbow bellowed, advancing. “Don’t you even dare! If you’re not gonna listen to me, that’s fine. You never do! But there is no way in hell you’re going to talk about my friend right in front of me.”
“She’s my friend too, Rainbow!” Rarity stood her ground. “I meant no offense, and my words were too harsh. Can we put this aside, please?”
“Then listen!”
“I have listened and I do not agree! Not everything in this awful, awful world is trying to kill you, Rainbow.”
“You’re wrong!”
Fluttershy was saying something, but Rainbow Dash flat out ignored it. Whatever her shy friend was saying, it could wait. Rarity was going to get all three of them killed because she wouldn’t trust Rainbow, and Dash was not going to let that go. She wasn’t going to back down from it.
“Look at him!” she pointed with a hoof.
Both ponies turned their gazes away from each other and towards the refugees. The foal was cowering behind his mother, who had separated from her husband. She looked ready to bolt.
The husband stared at Rarity with his wide-eyed stare.
“Look, please,” Rainbow begged, her voice cracking. “Just look, think for a second. I know you’re trying to help and be generous and do the right thing… I get that, Rarity, I get it, just listen to me for a second. Please! That’s all I’m asking.”
Rarity sighed and returned her attention to Rainbow. “Rainbow, I’m sorry I spoke harshly. I just cannot see how these poor refugees can be of any meaningful threat to us.”
It was a blur that overtook Rarity, movement beyond the ken of Rainbow’s eyes. Rarity tried to scream, and Rainbow thought she tried to reach out a hoof, but it was no use. She went down, and as Rainbow lunged, Rarity and her assailant rolled on the ground. Fluttershy was right behind her, Rainbow could hear her high-pitched voice as it mixed with that of the refugee mother and her sobbing foal and Rarity’s cries for help. The stallion straddled Rarity, foaming at the mouth, eyes wide with rage. He reared up, and Rainbow hit him in the side with her head and shoulder, bellowing as the momentum sent them both to the ground.
She pushed away, her backhooves using the stallion’s side as a springboard. She felt them connect and inflict pain as she achieved separation and tried to stand. He was on her, mouth foaming even still, eyes black as midnight and wide. She screamed and and tried to kick him away, but he opened his mouth and she swore that something changed, that somehow he was changing right in front of her eyes. Her legs were pinned between his, but she kicked and flailed and one broke free. He stumbled, roaring like thunder in her ear, and Rainbow hit him with all of her strength.
The monstrous refugee reeled, whining in an unholy fashion. Black liquid seeped from his mouth, splattering on the dirt road and boiling away before her eyes. Rainbow Dash wanted to vomit. She wanted to flee.
Rarity’s purple aura appeared around the Stallion’s head as Rainbow retreated before him. He let out a horrible, furious cry—but it was cut short; Rarity made sure of it as she slammed his head straight into the ground with blinding speed. Dash heard the snap of sinew and bone and then she did throw up, as his body flailed and began to dissolve into thick, black ooze. The mare and her son fled, screaming mindlessly back into the forest as Fluttershy pulled Rainbow away and tried to calm her.
As she was dragged back, and as Fluttershy tended to her, Rainbow stared at Rarity. The unicorn looked down at the half-dissolved monstrosity, her face unreadable. Her legs shook, and her horn glowed with arcane power. Her eyes caught Rainbow’s, and Dash was silent.
If Twilight had been there, it wouldn’t have happened.
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Wow. That was fucking intense. Excellent chapter.
Damn. That was... WOW.
And with that... I hit the end.
Now to wait for the next one.
~Skeeter The Lurker
The nature of this calamity is puzzling. Raiders, monsters, possessed ponies?
2922363 They are puzzled as well.
That escalated quickly.
2951418 it really did, didn't it?
I swear, the more I read the better it gets. Nice work!
+10 for in-the-know flight reference.
Hopefully, Rarity will be more willing to listen to Dash from now on. I mean, I know Rar's got the whole Generosity thing, but clearly Dash has the right instincts for wandering this brave new world.
Coming to this after watching Hellsing Abridged i wondered if i was hallucinating, but no, you just made Ponies para-apocalyptically metal,
rarity for fuck sake remember the rules for when society destabilizes
#1 DONT TRUST ANYBODY
yes be friendly but be cautious
yes that man limping toward you may need your help (he may also pull out a revolver and put a round between your eyes when you get close)
This should be "as an angle of attack..."
Don't pick up hitchhikers. It's that simple. Say no to hitchikers. Goddamnit Rarity.