Vol. 2 of TMS. The adventure takes a darker turn as Octavia tries to find the cure to Vinyl's illness, finding the Elements of Harmony, and try to keep the Elements, she already found, together.
The crew of the Fancy Flute is back and in peril already. Captain Scratch, thought to be alright, is slowly dying. Of what? That is what Octavia wants to find out. Octavia has to find a way to save Vinyl and she has to find the Elements of Harmony. But how can she find them when the other three elements were out of sight and the three she already found are bickering and not trusting each other?
Meanwhile, Vinyl is traveling between life and death. She finds a place where everypony lives in harmony, rich and poor, riff raff with the nobles. Vinyl faces her past head on and meets the one pony she lost. Even if she was reunited with the ones that were dear to her in the past, Vinyl thought of something that made her heart flip. Can she ever face Octavia, again and tell her about her true feelings for her?
The story takes a darker turn as more mysteries are revealed and the past reveals itself. Is it possible that Octavia might find the answers to who is really the true leader of Canterlot’s corrupted government? Can she save the Elements from themselves? What truth is Rainbow Dash trying to hide from Octavia? So many new questions and yet so little time for answers; can Octavia find the answers she seeks? Discover the answers for yourself in Volume 2 of the Treasured Moon & Stars trilogy.
Edited by: Xhoral1865 April 9th, 2014: Added the cover art. I drew it myself with PS. Hope you guys like it.
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (c) Hasbro & Lauren Faust
Prologue
27 Years Ago: Two Years into Second Discordian War
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
A young pegasus soldier stood at attention biting her lip waiting for her princess to enter the giant throne room. She turned to her left to glare at the orange earth pony standing equally at attention with a bored expression on her freckled face. The orange pony quirked her brow staring at the pegasus in return. The blue pegasus turned away grumbling.
"Why do I have to be in the same room with an earth pony? I’m a Wonderbolt! A flyer, not some stupid ground soldier!" She thought harshly. Pegasi were meant to fight in the sky and stay there. Earth ponies... were the meat, they were the ones that fight first then the pegasi will take over. They’re nothing but worthless ponies to the young flyer.
“Oooh! I like your mane, is it natural?” The pegasus stiffened and turned to glare at the second earth pony soldier. A pink pony with an outrageous mane style. "Is she even allowed with that hair style?" The blue pony thought with bewilderment. She blinked out of her shocked state then snarled at the earth pony.
“Don’t touch me.” The pegasus threatened with a snarl.
The pink pony frowned thinking then she broke her face into a huge grin. “I’m Pinkie Pie, what’s your name?” she asked with a high annoying voice.
The pegasus glared at her and turned away staring at the tapestries hanging behind the throne.
“Step away from the pegasus, Pinkie. She don’t want to talk to the likes of us.” The orange pony said with a strange accent, that the pegasus never heard before. The pink pony, Pinkie Pie, turned to her with a look of sadness.
“But Applejack,”
The orange pony gave her a glare. “That’s Sargent Applejack. Remember while we’re in uniform.”
Pinkie sighed, sadly. “Aw fine, no fun-for-fun-pants.” the pegasus stared at the pair as Pinkie stood to Applejack’s right side at attention, straight faced.
"How did she do that?" The pegasus thought to herself stunned.
Applejack snorted, pulling out a cigar from her back pocket and pulled out a lighter from another pocket to light it. The pegasus stared with disgust.
“Smoking’s bad for you, right?” The pegasus mentioned out loud. Applejack gave her a glare as she blew out the smoke through her nostrils. Pinkie made a face at the smell, as she shook her head in disapproval, but kept her mouth shut.
“What’s it to you?” Applejack asked with a growl. The pegasus turned away grumbling to herself again. Applejack shrugged turning back to the throne.
The giant throne room doors behind them opened up revealing two more ponies walking in. One was a white unicorn with an over stylized purple mane. Again the pegasus wondered if she was allowed to even get away with that type of mane-style in the army. Behind the unicorn, as she strutted into the throne room, was a shy looking pegasus mare. She was a cream yellow with a beautiful pink mane in a bun. The standard hair style in the military. On her shoulder was a patch with a red cross, the symbol of a medic
The blue pegasus stared at her feeling her heart flutter seeing the pretty pegasus. "Wow", she thought to herself, "she’s pretty cute." She started to smile, until she saw the rank sewn on her sleeve. She’s a cadet?
The white unicorn walked over and stood in line, looking at the ponies as the yellow pegasus stood next to the blue one. The blue pegasus blushed, turning away. She blinked seeing Applejack staring with wide eyes at the white unicorn. The unicorn cleared her throat as Pinkie Pie admires her mane.
“Oooh pretty!” She said smiling.
The white unicorn jumped, turning to the overexcited pony. She made a kind smile looking at her. “Oh, why thank you... Corporal?" The unicorn said with a hoity accent that the pegasus remembered hearing at training.
“Pie, ma’am. Pinkamina Diane Pie!” Pinkie said smartly. She giggled then snorted saluting. The white unicorn blinked at that then nodded slowly.
“Uhh,” She paused seeing every eye was on her now. “I guess I shall introduce myself. My name is Rarity Belle, I am a Corporal in the unicorn army. I was in the 57th Cavalry.”
The blue pegasus rolled her eyes. "There is no way that pony with that getup was in the Cavalry." She thought harshly. The Calvary are known to be tough soldiers, they rode on horseback then leap off. They’re well known for their fighting on the ground against the enemy.
“And who might you lovely ponies be?” The unicorn asked smiling.
Pinkie turned to see Applejack’s mouth drop open her cigar fell to the ground. Pinkie giggled and used her fingers to close Applejack’s mouth. “Oh, this is Sergeant Applejack,” Pinkie said pointing at Applejack.
Applejack gulped seeing Rarity looking at her curiously. “Uh-oh-uh... Howdy.” Applejack said reaching for her head as if reaching for a hat but there was nothing on top of her head. She chuckled nervously with her hands behind her back turning away, her blush still on her face. Pinkie jumped to the pegasus and patted her head.
“This is... uh,” Pinkie turned to the blue pegasus and grabbed her arm to look at her patch.
“Ah Corporal,” She stated turning to Applejack and Rarity. She turned back to the pegasus and spun her around to look at her name tag. “Dash! Corporal Dash from the-”
“Pinkie Pie!” The pegasus yelled out pulling her arms back. “I can introduce myself, thank you.” She turned to Applejack and Rarity. She cleared her throat as she stood at attention.
“Corporal Rainbow Dash of the Pegasi Air Force,” She paused to make a smirk. “A Corporal in Wonderbolt Company.”
“Wonderbolt Company?” Rarity asked intrigued. “The Wonderbolts? You’re a Wonderbolt?”
Rainbow chuckled. “I don’t like to brag or nothing, but yeah, I am. One day I’ll be Captain of the Wonderbolt Company when this war is over and done.” She bragged with pride. Applejack gave her a stern glare. Pinkie turned to the other pegasus behind Rainbow.
“Hi, I’m Pinkie Pie,” The yellow pegasus gulped scuffing her boot into the red carpet with her hands up to her face, twiddling her fingers. She seem to stiffen when she noticed the other ponies were staring at her.
“What’s your name?” Pinkie asked smiling. The pegasus gulped looking at the other pairs of eyes. She turned away whimpering.
“Oh the poor dear is Cadet Fluttershy. She’s from Cloudsdale Training Center. Just released for action three days ago.” Rarity said placing her hand on her hip.
“How’d you know that?” Applejack asked curiously.
“The poor dear has it on her form.” Rarity said as she reached into her bag and handed the paper to Applejack, letting her read it since she was the highest ranking soldier in their tiny group.
Applejack rubbed her chin reading the release form then looked at Fluttershy. “Hmmph, a risk.” She said with worry. Rainbow took the paper to read it herself as she blushed. Fluttershy had a great record as a medic but had very low scores for action ready. Rainbow groaned turning to her.
“You won’t last a minute out there.” Rainbow explained harshly handing the paper back to Applejack getting a grumble from the sergeant.
Rarity cleared her throat. “Do you all perhaps have any idea what the Princess wanted with us? All I got was a message to meet here in Canterlot to stay and come at this time.”
Rainbow puffed out her chest. “Probably thought of handing me a medal for my valor at the Battle of Lauren’s Green!”
“Lauren’s Green? You were there?!” Pinkie yelled out floating above Rainbow’s head. Rainbow stared at the strange pony for a moment pointing at her.
“Uh . . . yeah. How the hay are you doing that?”
“Doing what?” Pinkie asked curiously tilting her head. Applejack was chucking as Fluttershy and Rarity stared at Pinkie strangely.
“Don’t ask Corporal, you won’t hurt yourself if thinking hard on it.” Applejack said chuckling. “Trust me. It’s best not to think about it.”
Rainbow blinked and gasped turning to find Pinkie gone. She heard a giggle and turned to see Pinkie popping up behind Applejack giving her a hug. “You’re the best, AJ!” Rarity was rubbing her eyes blinking with shock at what she just saw.
Applejack blushed. “For the final time, Pinkie, no friend stuff while in uniform.”
“Aye-aye!” Pinkie giggled standing at attention again.
Suddenly two guards dressed in golden armor came from a door behind the throne and walked over to stand at both sides of the throne. The five soldiers stood at attention. Rainbow turned to Fluttershy to see her biting her lip standing at attention with her childlike hands at her sides and staring straight ahead. Rainbow looked down her curves blushing to herself.
Rainbow heard the sounds of footsteps and turn straight ahead but blinked seeing the gorgeous regal goddess walk into the room dressed in her flowing white dress with golden sparkles and threads. Her colorful mane seem so flat with her tail behind her but yet it’s flowing out like water as she walked forward. She smiled that gentle smile at everyone one them. The five soldiers saluted. The pegasi salute with their fists to their hearts. Earth ponies salute with their fingers to their brows. Rarity, as a unicorn, salutes by bowing with her hands clasped in front of her chest. Princess Celestia bowed her head in return.
“At ease my faithful soldiers. Thank you for coming.” All five of them stood straight and relaxed with their hands behind their backs or clasped before them. “Please step forward and introduce yourselves.” Celestia said with a smile as she turned to Rarity and nodded for her to go first. Rarity bowed and stepped forward to the steps. She stopped, hit a brace and saluted with her fingers to her brow.
“Corporal Rarity from Fillydelphia Station, Princess. I was recent with the Unicorn 57th Cavalry.”
Celestia nodded. Rarity bowed again and stepped back then stood in a relaxed position in line. Pinkie skipped forward then saluted. Applejack applied hand to face with a groan.
“Corporal Pinkamina Diane Pie, Princess! I’m from Fillydelphia, too!” Pinkie gasped turning behind her to look at Rarity. “Have you been to some of their parties, Rarity, huhhuhhuh?”
As the soldiers were staring with shock and fear at the pink pony Celestia was laughing hiding her lips behind her hand. “Oh my, you are a pony filled with spirit and happiness aren’t you?”
“Huh, oh yeah, I do love to make ponies happy, Highness! Maybe sometime I can throw a party for you!”
Celestia nodded. “That would be nice. But not for a long while.” She said a little sadly.
“Oh,” Pinkie’s ears folded back on her head. Then she smiled and jumped in the air. “That’s okay! You just let Pinkie Pie know when you want one and I’ll make it the best party this whole city has ever seen!”
Celestia bowed to her. “I’ll look forward to that day.” Pinkie saluted again and backed to a relaxed position smiling at Rarity. She blinked noticing that Rarity was staring at her shocked, her mouth agape.
“You know if you keep your mouth open like that, a birdy might make a nest inside.”
Rarity gasped at her in shock closing her mouth. Rainbow and Applejack started snickering at Rarity’s face as Pinkie just stared innocently at the unicorn. Applejack walked up next with a salute.
“Sergeant Applejack, reporting for duty, ma’am.”
Celestia smiled hearing the accent. “You must be from the Green Belt correct?”
Applejack nodded. “Yes, Princess that’s true.”
Celestia nodded. “Tell me, was the drought ever lifted?” She asked with worry.
Rainbow blinked staring at the sergeant. "The Green Belt? As in the Agricultural Planet belt, Green Belt?" She thought with surprise. The Green Belt is one of the most important planets in the galaxy where all ten green and blue planets are used for farming food, fishing, and growing and making medicines.
Applejack sighed sadly. “It’s still going strong, Princess, many ponies like me are going to the war to get more money to pay for our lost produce.”
The princess had a serious scowl on her face, she nodded. “Hmm, I’ll try and send word to my council to send aid to the Green Belt as soon as possible.”
Applejack bowed. “Thank you, Princess.” Celestia nodded with a gentle smile.
“Thank you for coming and fighting for Equestria.”
Applejack nodded and saluted standing back to relax. Rainbow walked forward placing her fist over her chest then bowed.
“Corporal Rainbow Dash from Wonderbolt Company.”
Celestia smiled. “Yes, I have heard of the great Wonderbolts. They do show true loyalty to Equestria and for that I am thankful.”
Rainbow smiled. “We will always fly in your honor Princess, you can count on that.”
Celestia nodded. “Very good. Welcome to Canterlot.”
“Thank you.” Rainbow stepped back smiling.
Then Fluttershy slowly stepped forward, shaking and placed her fist to her chest and bowed.
Celestia smiled kindly at the pegasus. “It’s alright young one, you do not have to speak.”
Fluttershy gulped closing her eyes breathing deeply. “I-I-I’m Cadet F-F-Fluttershy from C-C-Cloudsdale Training Center.” She said shaking hard. Celestia nodded to her.
“You are very brave Fluttershy to speak with me. It must have been a long journey to reach where you are.” Fluttershy nodded biting her lip.
Celestia bowed to her head Fluttershy bowed back and quickly stepped back in line shaking. Celestia sighed and took a seat on her throne fixing her skirt and smiled at the five of them. Applejack cleared her throat.
“Forgive me for being so bold, your Highness,” she started with worry.
“Yes, Sergeant?”
Applejack looked at Pinkie then back at the princess.
“You see Princess, we all are probably thinking the same way here,”
“Yes?” Celestia asked with a gentle smile.
“Why are we here?”
Celestia looked at the other four ponies to see them with confused scowls.
Celestia sighed and turned to the guard and nodded. He nodded in return then walked behind the throne opening a secret door.
“Come in.” The guard said with a gentle voice. The five young mares seem to stare in shock when a young twelve year old unicorn filly walked out for behind the throne. The little filly was dressed in the school uniform style for Celestia’s school. A magenta sweater vest with a plaid blue dress with stockings and dress shoes. The young filly gulped with a blush walking in with her hands behind her back with her head bowed low.
The filly looked up to see the faces staring at her. Rarity’s was of confusion and concern. Pinkie was beaming and waving. Applejack had her eyebrow raised with her cigar between her fingers towards her mouth. Rainbow gave her a hard glare making the filly turn towards Fluttershy to see her worry on her face.
Celestia cleared her throat to get everyponies attention. The filly turned to Celestia as she motioned her to approach.The filly ran over to hug the Princess, hiding in her dress. Celestia stroked the filly’s midnight mane as she peeked out to look at the soldiers again.
“Introduce yourself,” Celestia said softly stroking the filly’s face. The filly gulped and nodded. She stood back up then stepped forward before the five ponies. She stood ramrod straight as if she was a cadet in the army.
“I-I-I’m Twilight Sparkle.” She said quivering. Twilight let out a yelp of shock when Pinkie Pie appeared in front of her smothering her cheeks.
“Oooh you’re so cute!!!”
Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash let out yells of shock seeing Pinkie practically pulling the poor filly’s cheeks.
“Corporal!” Applejack boomed. Pinkie turned with a grin only to see Applejack’s glare. Pinkie gulped and chuckled nervously patting Twilight’s head. Then with a skip to her step Pinkie returned to the line smiling at Applejack as her sergeant shook her head with exasperation.
Celestia chuckled. “This is my personal student, Twilight Sparkle.” Celestia stated as Twilight blinked out of her stupor and started rubbing her cheeks after being touched by the pink pony. “Why I picked you five is an importance to this war. Twilight, stand in the line please.” Twilight nodded and walked over to stand by Rarity. Rarity stared at Twilight with shock.
“Princess, excuse me, but you can’t possibly be saying what I think you are saying.” Rarity exclaimed pointing at Twilight.
Celestia nodded with a grim look on her face. “Yes, you six have been chosen to fulfill a task. Not just any task that I can give to just any pony.”
The six mares nodded. Celestia turned and nodded to her left guard. The guard bowed and left the room by taking the secret door behind the throne. Celestia turned to the six mares again.
“I have been watching you six since I felt your energies, your virtues.”
“Virtues?” Rainbow asked.
Celestia nodded. The guard returned carrying a large ornate box in his hands. He kneeled before Celestia holding up the box to her. Celestia nodded with a smile taking the box into her hands and stood up. The guard got back up on his feet and stood by the throne. Celestia stepped forward as she opened the box and reached inside.
“Applejack, step forward.” Applejack gulped walking forward taking her cigar out of her mouth. She gulped looking up at the regal Princess. “Kneel,” she ordered softly.
Applejack nodded going down on one knee bowing her head.
“Sergeant Applejack, your virtue is one of true strength and you have that strength and the guidance.”
Applejack blinked at that amazed. “Well, I don’t think I’m that wise.”
Celestia smiled. “Every pony has their own kind of wisdom Applejack. But to show wisdom you must show true honesty to your soldiers.” Applejack looked up with a blush. Celestia smiled and pulled out a bronze chain with a bronze medallion with a large orange crystal in the center of the bronze medallion. Celestia used her magic to float the box to the side as she leaned forward to place the chain around Applejack’s neck.
“Rise, Sergeant Applejack.” Applejack slowly rose to her feet staring at the medallion on her chest. She gulped feeling something strange go through her body. “Please, step back in line.” Applejack nodded stepping back. Pinkie looked over to see the medallion as it glowed softly.
“Oooh pretty.” Pinkie said smiling.
Celestia smiled as she levitates the box back to her hands as she reached inside again. She turned to Fluttershy. She let out a soft, “Eeep!” seeing the princess looking at her.
“Cadet Fluttershy, please step forward and kneel before me.” Fluttershy gulped and walked forward shaking. She kneeled down, bowing her head.
“Fluttershy, your virtue is very rare to many pegasi in the military today. Most have cruel hearts and have no mercy for the weak. But you show the rarest virtue of all. A true heart to give help and kindness to others even to the enemy.”
Rainbow stiffened at that, looking to Applejack to see her staring into her medallion with wide eyes. Rainbow groaned shaking her head. "How can we have a weak-hearted idiot in this line? What makes this pegasus so special?" Rainbow’s eyes turned back to the yellow pegasus and looked from the pink bun then trailed down to Fluttershy’s wings and tail, her glare lessened to fascination. Rainbow shook her head hard from the thoughts floating suddenly in her head.
Celestia pulled out a second medallion that was silver with a silver chain and the crystal was a baby pink color instead of orange. Celestia placed the medallion around Fluttershy’s neck and ordered her to rise and go back in line. Fluttershy lifted the medallion in her hands and stare at the pink gem seeing her reflection in its glowing surface. Celestia smiled and turned to Pinkie.
“Corporal Pie, please step forward.”
Pinkie smiled and leapt forward slating.
“Okie-Dokie-Lokie, Princess!” Pinkie said saluting smartly then kneeled down on one knee. Celestia smiled.
“Even before I can say it I can feel your energy Pinkie Pie, you are defiantly a credit to your virtue.” Celestia reached into the box and pulled out the third medallion that was bronze like Applejack’s with a blue crystal in the center. Celestia was ready to lean down but Pinkie jumped up causing the chain to wrap around her neck and the medallion fell to her chest. Celestia was surprised then giggled as Pinkie smiled brightly looking at her medallion with awe. She quickly saluted and leaped back to Applejack to giggle in anticipation.
Celestia turned to Rarity and motioned her forward. Rarity gulped and stepped forward with perfect poise and grace as she kneeled to her knees.
“Rarity, you were a tricky one to find. You have lived a life where everything was given to you and many would assume that your ego might lead you astray.” Rarity blushed with a nervous chuckle.
“Guilty, Princess.” She whispered with worry. Celestia smiled.
“But of course, your heart is filled with kindness as well and you will generously give to those that are less fortunate than yourself.” Rarity looked up with awe to see Celestia raise up a golden chain connected to a golden medallion with a deep purple crystal in the center. Celestia set the chain around Rarity’s neck and had her stand up. Rarity bowed and stepped back to stare at her medallion with awe, her eyes seem to sparkle like diamonds.
“Rainbow Dash, step forward.”
Rainbow sighed and stepped forward saluting then kneeling down on one knee.
“I have heard many tales about you from the Battle of Lauren’s Green. I heard of your valor and your loyalty to your squad when a traitor was found.”
Rainbow nodded grimly. “Corporal Dust would have been a great asset if her mind wasn’t clouded by her glory and ego.”
Celestia nodded with a grim frown. “Many soldiers in battle forget their true loyalties to their country and they would rather fight for their own desires with their minds and glories, not their hearts.” Celestia reached into the box and pulled out a second silver medallion with a blood red crystal in the center. Rainbow felt the medallions’ weight around her neck as she looked down to see the red crystal glow faintly. Rainbow rose up, bowed to the princess, and then returned in line turning to Fluttershy to see her looking at her with a blush. Rainbow made a small grin then turned away feeling heat in her cheeks.
“Twilight, “Celestia beckoned. Twilight nodded walking forward to stand before her. Celestia smiled and placed the second gold medallion around her neck and stroked her face and smile down at her as Twilight looked like she was about to cry as she stared at the bright pink crystal in the center of the medallion.
Celestia sighed patting Twilight on her shoulder and pointed back in line. Twilight nodded and stepped back to stand with Rarity. Rainbow blinked to realize that the two unicorns stood together with gold medallions. The earth ponies stood together with bronze medallions. Then Rainbow and Fluttershy stood together with silver medallions.
“I have chosen you six to become keepers of the crystals around your necks.” Celestia said regaining their attention. The six mares looked down at their medallions as one to see the gems glow.
“Each and every one of you have these virtues. The virtues that symbolize around your necks have been in their states for many centuries waiting for somepony new to wield them and bring about everlasting harmony.”
“Harmony?” Fluttershy asked.
Celestia nodded with a small smile. “The Elements of Harmony. Powerful artifacts that are used to bring harmony to a disharmonized galaxy. And you six carry these virtues and it’s your destiny to work together and bring back harmony.”
The six mares looked at one another with shock.
“Wait a second,” Rainbow said shaking her head pointing at Applejack. “You want me to work with those two? Sorry Princess I fly, I don’t work well with the ground.”
Applejack gave Rainbow a warning glare. “Well, I see there is something we can agree on. I don’t want to work with the likes of you.” Applejack said glaring at the pegasus. Fluttershy was getting worried as she whimpered. Pinkie gulped patting Applejack’s shoulder. Rarity rolled her eyes shaking her head. Twilight was in shock.
Celestia sighed. “I understand your differences.” The two mares looked up at Celestia as she looked at every single mare in turn. “You all have been raised in different places, trained in different situations, and always trained to protect your fellow pony but you are destined to work together as friends. Friendship is Magic after all.”
Rainbow and Applejack gave her a look at the cheesiest line they had ever heard. Rarity was equally pained by the line rolling her eyes. Fluttershy blushed while Pinkie started giggling and snorting. Twilight nodded with firm understanding in her eyes.
“One question, Princess,” Rarity piped up.
“Yes?”
“Why are these glowing?” Celestia smiled.
“The crystals are powerful and I beg you all to never take them off. No matter what.”
“Why?” Applejack asked curiously stoking the crystal with her finger.
“The crystals will-” Just then all six crystals shoot out six ribbons of light causing everypony to shield their eyes from the intense light with startled yells and cries. Once the brightness dimmed Rainbow rubbed her eyes and gasped to see that the crystal changed shape.
“Whoa!” She exclaimed without thinking lifting up the medallion to see the crystal changed into a red lightning bolt. Her hand went to her hip, her cutie mark is a lightning bolt shot from a cloud.
“Whoa nelly,” Applejack whispered covering her mouth seeing the same change except her crystal was shaped as an orange apple.
“Look at mine, look at mine!” Pinkie shouted jumping up and down pointing to the blue balloon shaped crystal on her medallion.
“Wow,” Twilight exclaimed the first word out of her silent mouth. Rarity turned to see that the pink crystal turned into a spark of some sorts. Her own crystal changed into a purple diamond.
“Mine looks like my cutie mark,” She said turning to Fluttershy and pointed at crystal. “Our cutie marks!” She said out loud laughing. Fluttershy smiled looking at her gemstone to find her crystal shaped like a butterfly.
“That is the reason why you must never take them off.” Celestia said grimly. “The crystals are now combined to your spirits, your hearts, and these crystals will give you magical abilities.”
“Magic?” Fluttershy asked with awe.
Celestia nodded. “With the elements around your necks you have a form of magic that only the Elements can give you.”
“So we can do magic like a unicorn?” Pinkie asked with a large grin.
“Aw yeah! This is way better than a medal of honor!” Rainbow cheered smiling. Celestia cleared her throat. The mares stopped their giggles and stood at attention again as soldiers.
“The Elements of Harmony are more than just tools of harmony, together they are a weapon. A weapon that can change a situation for the better.”
“A weapon?” Rarity asked intrigued.
“Sounds dangerous.” Fluttershy said blushing twiddling her fingers. Celestia nodded.
“It is. Only the Spark can use that power.” Celestia turned and the other mares turned to Twilight as she gulped blushing hotly under everyone’s eyes.
“Wait, you mean that kid, can control these things?” Rainbow asked in shock holding up her medallion.
Celestia nodded. “Yes, but I trust Twilight’s judgment and her abilities. She will perform the spell that will bind you six together and produce the Beam of Harmony. But only if all six of you are together and accept each other as friends.”
Rainbow groaned rolling her eyes.
“What are these virtues called?” Rarity asked looking at her medallion again.
Celestia smiled seeing Twilight clearing her throat to get everyone’s attention. “The Elements of Harmony are comprised of six elements. Honesty,” Twilight walked to Applejack grabbing her arm and pulled her out of the line to stand before the princess. Twilight reached for Fluttershy.
“Kindness,” Fluttershy was placed next to Applejack.
“Laughter,” Twilight took Pinkie by her sleeve and pulled her to stand next to Fluttershy. Pinkie smiled at Fluttershy and got a smile in return.
“Generosity,” Twilight took Rarity’s hand and placed her next to Pinkie now forming a circle of mares.
“And Loyalty.” Twilight finished taking Rainbow’s sleeve and pulled her to stand with Rarity on her left and Applejack on her right creating a full circle. Twilight squeezed past the circle and stood in the center.
“Combined along with the Element of Magic,” Twilight paused to hold up her medallion for the mares to see. “The Elements of Harmony will use the power of friendship and harmony to defeat chaos, darkness, war, all signs that point to disharmony in the galaxy.”
The mares looked at one another thinking what the young filly just told them.
“Together you are now classified as Squad Harmony.” Celestia ordered proudly. “You six shall stay in Canterlot for a few more days and rest up. Then by the end of the week you six shall take the next ship out to start training.” Everypony looked at one another with curious or grim faces. “I trust you all will complete the task. And remember, never take the Elements off our necks, not for anyone or for anything.”
“What happens if we do take them off?” Pinkie asked with a little tremor in her voice.
“The chain to the other Elements will be broken.” The mares turned to Twilight as she traced the design on her crystal as she spoke. “If one Element broke the chain, the other Elements will seize their power and the crystal will turn dark, the magic fades and dies and harmony is broken.”
Rainbow gulped hearing the deadly serious voice coming from the small child. She turned to see the others showing fear as well staring at their elements.
“No,” Celestia said walking over to place her hands on Rainbow and Rarity’s shoulders giving them a squeeze. “But you will feel the effects of sickness at first. Remember this, the Elements will give you magical powers or abilities. Use them wisely and not all at once. Just like with unicorn magic, you can’t use it all or fear blow out and never regenerate in time for safety. Practice skills together and learn each other’s weaknesses and strengths. You all must work together and I know you all will be the strongest squad in all of the armies.”
The mares looked at one another again and each one of them looked to the other to see loyalty. Rainbow turned to Applejack to see her giving her the same calculating look. Rainbow gave her a nod and Applejack returned it.
“We’ll work something out.” Rainbow said carefully crossing her arms across her chest as Applejack nodded in agreement.
“Yeah, there are some uses to a pegasus and a unicorn.” Applejack said with a shrug.
“Same with an earth pony.” Rainbow said just as coolly turning away hearing Applejack make a silent snarl. Pinkie, Rarity, and Fluttershy looked at one another with hopeful smiles hearing this.
“Very well,” Celestia said turning to Twilight. “You are now a Cadet in my special forces.” She said softly as she kneeled down to Twilight’s eye level. She took Twilight’s hands into hers squeezing them. “Be strong, you are already strong, but you have to be stronger.”
Twilight nodded trying hard not to cry. Celestia blinked hard trying to keep the sting out of her eyes as she stared into Twilight’s purple eyes. “I’m sorry that you have to go, but you must for Equestria. Understand?” Celestia whispered with a gentle smile but her eyes were glassy.
Twilight nodded again. She sniffed then wrapped her arms around Celestia’s neck crying. Celestia held her tight with tears streaming slowly down her face. Rainbow gulped, looking over to the others to see Rarity looking at the two with worry. Celestia sighed and stood up moving away from Twilight. She turned to Applejack and Rainbow Dash. The look in her eyes said it all. Applejack nodded. Rainbow gave her a curt nod.
“Don’t you worry, Princess,” Applejack said saluting. “You won’t be disappointed.”
“I know I won’t, Applejack. You are the commanding officer of this group and I trust your wisdom to lead them.” Applejack saluted again and bowed. Rainbow gave Applejack a look. "Why does the earth pony have to be in charge?" She thought.
“You are all dismissed. Good luck, have a wonderful time in Canterlot before you leave. And thank you for what you are doing.”
“We won't fail you, Princess.” Rarity stated firmly. Rainbow nodded. Pinkie giggled saluting. Fluttershy smiled and bowed. Applejack reached up for a hat but blushed and settled with a salute. The five mares turned on their heels and started walking in two lines towards the door with Rainbow and Applejack at the head. Pinkie and Rarity in the middle. Fluttershy stopped and turned to see Twilight still standing by the Princess.
“Ahem,” Twilight jumped and turned, her eyes were red from the tears. Fluttershy reached with her hand to Twilight with a gentle smile. “It’s alright, we must go now.”
Twilight looked at Fluttershy’s pale hand then turned to Celestia to see her smiling at her and nodding. Twilight sniffed and turned back to Fluttershy, taking her hand.
“I’m Fluttershy, what’s your name again?” Fluttershy asked softly as she led Twilight to the throne room doors. Twilight sniffed again looking at the medallion around her neck.
“Twilight, Twilight Sparkle.” She answered shyly.
“What a pretty name for a pretty unicorn. How old are you, Twilight?”
Twilight blushed at the complement. “I’m twelve right now. But I’m going to be thirteen next month.”
“Oh, really?” Fluttershy asked with a growing smile. “I just turned sixteen a few days ago. That’s why I was told to leave the academy and start being a medic.” The two reached the door to see the other four waiting for them.
“Hurry it up, slow pokes! We have a short vacation time before we go back into space.” Rainbow said with a scowl.
“She’s right y’all,” Applejack said with a commanding voice. “We have at least a week of free time before we leave for action.”
The rest turned to see a guard waiting for them. “The Princess has offered you six a lodge outside the city where you shall stay and mingle until the time comes.”
“Sounds good I guess. As long as there are any taverns nearby.” Rainbow said with shrug walking past the guard.
“Taverns? How uncouth!” Rarity shook her head disapprovingly. “You drink, Corporal?” Rarity asked with disdain following Rainbow Dash. Pinkie gasped.
“Ooh I like taverns, that’s where the parties are at! Maybe I can play my fiddle! Wee-hee!” Pinkie ran after them. Fluttershy and Twilight and Applejack followed at the end.
“The name’s Applejack,” Applejack said smiling at Twilight. “I’ll take good care of ya Twilight, if you need anythin' you just let me know. I might be your commanding officer and maybe a little short tempered but don’t be afraid to ask for anything.”
Twilight nodded with a small smile. “Thank you, Sergeant-”
“Nah just Applejack or AJ if you like.”
Twilight smiled nodding. “Alright, AJ.”
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
27 Years Later: Fillydelphia
An older unicorn dressed in a pressed white shirt, black slacks, black dress shoes, and a light pink scarf around her neck, looked around the streets. She searched in every alley way and checking each sleeping orphan for another. She sighed and trotted out of the dirty alley. With her head bowed low she walked away toward the business district far away from the dirty alley playground her sister would always play at.
“Oh Sweetie Belle,” She whispered looking up at the starry filled sky with glistening eyes. “Where are you? I have been searching high and low, high and low, low and high, again! Oh woe is me!” The pony exclaimed leaning against the brick wall, sniffling, ignoring the tugs and dirt from the wall messing with her white shirt. She covered her face with her hands crying, sliding to the ground not even worrying about the grimy ground as tears fell off her face to the dirt.
Rarity lived in Fillydelphia for a decade at most taking care of her little sister after her parents died in an accident. Rarity never really allowed her sister to play outside the gates of the business district where the sophisticated ponies lived, but her sister must have done so.
Rarity remembered working on a new ensemble for the Gala season when she remembered Sweetie Belle mentioned meeting with Apple Bloom, a young pony Rarity didn't know about, and left. Sweetie Belle promised to be back before the sun start setting. That was a month ago and now Rarity feared that her sister was either kidnapped . . . or worse, dead. And Rarity blamed herself for not paying attention to Sweetie Belle or even went off after her at the first sign of her worries.
That afternoon when Sweetie Belle left, Rarity had this nagging feeling in her stomach. A nagging feeling that she thought she would never feel again. But she ignored it as nerves and continued working until midnight that night then realized her gut was correct, Sweetie Belle was gone.
After a few minutes of crying, Rarity finally sniffed and stood back up on her feet and walked past the gate and headed for her business and home. A small building with all other old buildings with a brightly colored sigh with a white carousel with golden ponies. She looked up at the faded sign reading the pink lettered name, Carousel Boutique. She sighed finding the mail in the polished bronze mail box and pulled the envelopes and newspaper out, hearing the lid clang back down. She reached into her pocket to pull out the shop key, she unlocked her door but blinked. The door was already unlocked.
“Odd,” She sniffed wiping her eyes. “I could have sworn I locked up before I left earlier.” She pushed open the door to find the interior very dark. Rarity sighed and held out her white hand and used her magic to make a small light blue orb from her hand to make light. She gasped wishing she hadn't. Standing before her were unicorn royal guards dressed in red or black uniforms smiling or staring at her.
Rarity backed away dropping the mail to the floor in shock. She backed away hearing the door slam shut behind her and standing there turning on a light was a blue unicorn with a smug smile.
“Lieutenant Rarity Belle,” Rarity gulped backing away from the unicorn. The unicorn took steps forward as Rarity stepped back. “The Element of Generosity.” Rarity’s eyes went wide hearing the words.
“Trixie, I’m quite surprised to say that gold looks well on every pony, it simply looks horrid on you!”
Trixie blinked but smiled even wider. “Oh? I find this shop horrid myself.” She pulled out her sword and sliced the standing manikins behind her causing the fabrics they wore and their upper halves to falls and clatter to the floor. Rarity glared at her.
“Out this instant! I never want to see your face again!”
Trixie started laughing shaking her head and quickly swung her sword. Rarity yelped feeling a bite of steel and jumped back with her hand to her cheek. She looked over to the large mirror beside her to see a line of red on her cheek. She growled and turned back to Trixie balling her fists.
“You have no authority to order me around anymore.” Trixie said chuckling. “In fact I’m here to arrest you.”
Rarity scoffed. “I didn’t do anything wrong. I paid my taxes, paid the silly taxes for soldiers, even stayed out of trouble.”
Trixie sighed placing the tip of her sword to Rarity’s neck pushing slightly. Rarity gulped backing away until she felt solid bodies behind her keeping her from moving.
“By order of Queen Celestia herself, I, Captain Trixie Lulamoon, Leader of the Unicorn Royal guards of the empire, place you under arrest.” Rarity’s mouth dropped open at the name.
“The Q-q-queen ordered this? Ow! Let me go you ruffians!” Rarity screeched out as two unicorns grabbed Rarity. Another unicorn ran up grabbing Rarity’s horn and placed a silver-blue band over Rarity’s horn causing her to scream and thrash.
“Let me go! You don’t know who you’re messing with!” Rarity screamed out feeling the effects of the ring on her horn work. It was a magic inhibitor ring, it keeps Rarity from not only using magic, but it can suck up and drain all her magic reserves and make her weak.
Trixie chuckled and whistled. A mare ran over with a salute. “Torch the place.” Trixie ordered laughing.
“Yes, ma’am.” The mare turned. “Torch the building.”
“What?” Rarity screeched out fighting. “No, please, this is all I have left!” She begged crying.
Trixie smiled as she slammed her sword back into its scabbard. “Now you’ll understand the feeling of loss, Rarity.” She turned to a stallion. He pulled out his laser pistol. She nodded with a smile. The stallion smiled back and pulled the trigger. Somewhere in another room there was a sound of a whooshing flame and the fire started. Rarity gasped seeing her workroom in the background glowing red and orange from the flames. She turned to glare at Trixie.
“You might have torn us apart but I can still kill you in your sleep!” Rarity threatened darkly.
Trixie chuckled. “Good luck with that,” She said smiling. She turned to her soldiers. “Put on the shackles and let’s get out of here before ponies notice.”
The unicorns started tearing up the shop to make more fuel for the growing fire as they retreat out the boutique taking alleys and side streets to the docks. Trixie turned to Rarity and nodded to one of the unicorns. Rarity was confused until something hard smashed against her head and shattered. She dropped like rock to the floor covered in blood and whiskey.
Trixie nodded again. “Tie her up and let’s get going, we have a time limit on this mission.”
The two unicorns tied up Rarity and carried her out of the shop. Trixie looked around as the fire start consuming the main floor. Trixie turned to see picture frames and smiled as she took one frame and broke the glass and pulled out the picture that was inside to smirk. Rarity still has a picture of her squad. The legendary Squad Harmony.
The squad has six mares, each wearing red uniforms, and around their necks were the Elements of Harmony Medallions. Trixie chuckled stuffing the picture inside her uniform.
“One down, three to go.” Trixie left through the front door as the second floor was consumed with flames. Trixie walked down the street with a growing smile on her lips. She won yet again.
Twilight Sparkle opened her eyes and sat up in her cot, looking around her small cabin finding herself back on the Fancy Flute. Twilight sighed rubbing her arms, feeling like crying. She sniffed, wiping her eyes to keep the tears from falling. She pulled on her Luna University sweater and her boots and headed out the door. She peeked out the door, looking both ways to hear the sounds of ponies sleeping and snoring from each room. She closed her door behind her and tiptoed out the door to the open air.
She walked out to see Derpy Hooves at the giant wheel. She turned and nodded with a small smile. Twilight nodded in return.
"Can't sleep?" Derpy asked in that childlike voice she has. Twilight shook her head, staying silent. Derpy nodded with a frown.
"Uh, Captain and the Earth pony are on watch."
Twilight smiled at her. "Rainbow Dash and Applejack."
"Oh right, my bad."
Twilight chuckled and walked down to the two elder ponies as they were sitting by the ratlines. The cowpony with a Stetson hat on her head looked up to see Twilight walk over. The Earth pony smiled.
"Hey, what are you doing up?" Applejack asked.
Twilight sighed. "Can't sleep. Had this horrible dream."
"Heh, you too?" Rainbow asked with surprise.
Twilight nodded. "So I guess we still share dreams to this day?"
"I don't know." Applejack answered with worry rubbing her forehead. "It's just like back in Griffin Field all over again."
Rainbow and Twilight shuddered from the memory. "That was way worse than this, I guarantee you." Rainbow said turning away looking out to the stars. Twilight walked over and placed her hand on Rainbow's shoulder.
"I learned about you and the Prince. I'm so sorry Rainbow."
Rainbow bowed her head. "He was always headstrong. He reminded me of myself."
Applejack sighed. "Well, you taught him right Rainbow."
Rainbow chuckled. "Yeah I just wished I could call him my flesh and blood. He's a good pony. He will be missed."
"He will be." Twilight said sadly nodding. "He's the only royal I know of that actually fought back." The three paused in a moment of silence until Applejack turned to Twilight.
"Have you uh... Heard from Rarity?" She asked warily blushing slightly.
Twilight gulped shaking her head. "No, I've never seen her or heard from her since we all last saw each other."
"In other words AJ, she's gone." Rainbow said sourly. "Just like Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie."
Applejack sighed pulling the brim of her hat lower over her eyes. Twilight squeezed her eyes shut, hearing from them what happened to her two friends. It was still hard to imagine such kind souls were now dead.
"But," She thought. "How come we could feel their spirits in us back at the Crystal Planet?"
The two mares turned to Twilight with surprise. Twilight made a conclusion as to why they felt Sombra's presence with Octavia. It was possible that the gems that were made for the elements were possibly created by the Crystal ponies. And with Octavia being in the mix with her Luna’s Tear or the Crystal Guardian Jewel and being in connection with Twilight, it's possible that all the Crystal Guardians, and the Elements of Harmony, were made from the same type of crystal. In a way, the Elements of Harmony are Crystal Guardians of harmony and peace.
Rainbow nodded slowly. "Well... from your experience I guess... Okay, I don't know how or why."
Applejack sighed. "But really, while I was going through that blasted headache, I thought I felt Rarity suffering, too." The two friends looked at her with shock. Applejack swallowed, taking off hat then scratched her head.
"I felt her and... Pinkie. I felt her, too."
Rainbow gulped, thinking. "Fluttershy... I thought I felt her, but it was too faint."
Twilight nodded. "Same with me. Perhaps we had contact with them."
"But how? Pinkie's dead." Applejack said with wonder. "I watched her die!"
Twilight and Rainbow stared at her with shock. Applejack cleared her throat turning away. "She died in my arms. How could she be alive?"
"How did she die?" Twilight asked quickly. Applejack sighed.
"She was lashed then bled to death. They threw her into the crematorium at the prison and that is all I know."
Rainbow bit her lip, squeezing her eyes shut as she slowly sat down. Twilight shook her head feeling anger and sadness all at once.
"Then how can we get a replacement Element of Laughter?"
"We can't!" Rainbow said harshly. "We just can't." Rainbow stood up and left the two mares to mourn alone yet again, for another lost friend. Applejack sighed wiping her stinging eyes.
"I'm sorry I had to-"
"No," Twilight interrupted, shaking her head. "Don't apologize for telling the truth. Never turn your back on your element Applejack." Twilight said sternly as tears flowed out of her eyes. "We will get revenge for our suffering."
Applejack stared at Twilight worriedly. "Sugarcube," Twilight looked into Applejack's green eyes then turned away and decided to leave the cowpony alone. Applejack sighed shaking her head. She has never seen Twilight like this since her first coltfriend was killed and mutilated by the enemy during the war. It took two hours to find Twilight before getting herself killed for revenge. It took her a couple of months just to bring her back to her old bookworm self.
She sighed again and decided to turn in.
The next morning, everypony sat in the mess deck eating breakfast of oatmeal. Rainbow sighed staring at the gray goop then used the bowl away leaning back against the wall thinking. She turned to see Octavia getting her helping and a second bowl for the Captain. Rainbow watched her smile at Spike and turned to leave. She turned to look at Rainbow. Rainbow raised her brow. Octavia flinched a touch and turned away, quickening her pace up the steps to get outside. Rainbow sighed rubbing her sightless eye, remembering Octavia as a filly.
"Dear Luna," She whispered to herself. "Tick Tock, you're daughter sure is a piece of work." She jumped hearing Applejack taking a seat at her table.
"Everythin' alright?" She asked.
Rainbow sighed shaking her head. "It's nothing."
Applejack nodded slowly getting a scoop full of breakfast. "You can always talk to me, Rainbow."
"I know."
Applejack nodded noticing how Rainbow turned away, staring at the wall. Applejack might not be able to call it even with Rainbow Dash but the poor pegasus was putting this on herself.
"It wasn't your fault, Dash." Applejack whispered noticing how Rainbow stiffened in her seat.
"What wasn't my fault?"
"You know where I'm going with this." Applejack said calmly.
Rainbow went silent glaring at the floor now. Applejack gulped down the stuff and stuck out her tongue at the taste. She turned back to Rainbow crossing her arms on the table.
"You weren't the one that caused this, alright?"
Rainbow nodded. "Sure, but I know I was a part of the cause." Rainbow stood up and left the mess deck. Applejack sighed rubbing her eyes. She felt so alone right, now.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Princess Octavia entered the cabin where she slept with Vinyl and Princess Luna. She smiled sadly to see Vinyl sleeping again in her cot, looking more pale than ever. Octavia turned to see Princess Luna's sleeping form. She sighed seeing that Luna was still her small size.
Octavia and Vinyl saved Princess Luna from the evil daemon Sombra. In order to protect herself those many centuries ago, Luna was able to be disconnected with her magic, causing her to stay in eternal sleep and stay in her sleeping young form. She looked more like a young alicorn than a full adult one like Queen Celestia. Octavia was able to clean and give Princess Luna new clothing to replace her torn garb that was in no way fixable.
Octavia set down the two porridge bowls on a counter and turned to kneel down by Vinyl's cot. She placed her hand over Vinyl's forehead to feel the heat of a fever. Just a week prior, Sombra had stabbed Vinyl with his sword. The sword had pierced her stomach and come out of her back. Somehow Vinyl survived long enough for Octavia to preform a healing spell on accident. The spell healed Vinyl's devastating wound, but something else happened.
Vinyl is now very, very ill, even worse than what she was when Octavia met her. With help from Twilight using a special scanning spell, they figured out that Vinyl was suffering from infection, clearly the sword Nightmare Moon/Sombra used wasn't well maintained and now Vinyl was suffering. What made it even worse was that Vinyl's coughing fits were getting longer and harder to watch and more blood came out of her lungs every time she had a coughing fit. Octavia was at a loss of what was affecting Vinyl or even how long she was like this before the infection sapped her energy and made her sick.
Vinyl opened her eyes and smiled seeing her. "Hey,"
Octavia smiled, stroking her face. "How are you feeling?"
"Just cheeky," Vinyl said sarcastically clearing her throat.
Octavia nodded and reached for one of the bowls of watery oatmeal and a spoon. Vinyl gave her a look. "I can feed myself,"
"Vinyl, you can hardly sit up, let me." Vinyl groaned and allowed Octavia to spoon feed her. Vinyl turned to see Luna.
"So anything yet on how to wake the Princess?" Vinyl asked.
Octavia turned to Luna then up at the counter to see the crystal heart still glowing. Octavia was able to snatch the Crystal Heart and five other smaller jewels called the Guardian crystals out of Sombra's temple in the Crystal Moon. So far because of her Guardian crystal called Luna’s Tear she could hear the Guardians from the crystals and some other voice in the Crystal Heart. From what they told her, Luna should wake up soon. But Octavia was starting to get worried. Without the temple's resources that kept Luna alive all these centuries she might die. It has been a week and the only way to feed Luna was to make a watery mix of the oatmeal and spoon it down her throat. So far her body was slowly coming to and reacting normally. Professor Daring Do, a professor from Luna University in Canterlot, fears for Luna's psyche. Because of all those years in the Princesses self-imposed stasis, her mind might be unstable.
There are just too many things to worry about and worse of all Octavia had to find a way to get to Canterlot somehow and tell Queen Celestia of her royals and their corrupted government. She could probably help. She turned back to Vinyl and sighed.
"I don't think it'll be simple." She answered feeding Vinyl again. "Everypony has a point."
"Whaf doff yove fhik?" Vinyl said around the spoon getting a look from Octavia. Vinyl smirked wrapping her arms behind her head.
"I fear that the Princess won't..." She paused thinking. "There is this story I heard from a slave in the palace. She said that the Princesses must always be together. The Sun must be there for the Moon. The Sun will fall, and the Moon shall rise, over and over again in a cycle of harmony. The Moon can't rise without the Sun, and the Sun cannot rise without the Moon.”
Vinyl nodded. "Yeah, my mom used to tell me that story, too."
Octavia thought for a moment then smiled. "You've never told me about your mother."
Vinyl blushed looking at her seeing her purple eyes. Vinyl gulped looking back at the ceiling. "I don't want to talk about her."
Octavia nodded a little disappointed in this one clue in understanding Captain Vinyl Scratch. Since she was put on this boat she kept trying to understand who Vinyl was, what her past was, what made her who she was today. The few things she knew of Vinyl is, she hated royals, she was somehow connected or involved in or out of the slave industry, her parents were both gone, no other family, and she was a hybrid. Not to mention seems to have an interest in Octavia. Octavia can't say that she wasn't interested in Vinyl. Well she was just she's not sure about Vinyl.
Sure she was strong, brave, kind, and had gorgeous eyes.
That's where Octavia coughed suddenly trying to hide her yelp of shock, as she blushed thinking of those ruby eyes. Just thinking about them made her look over to see Vinyl staring at her.
"Everything alright?" She asked.
"Yes, I just," She coughed a couple of times. "Just had a tickle in my throat that's all."
Vinyl nodded, blushing herself. "Well, thanks for the chow." Vinyl said smiling. Octavia smiled back.
"You're welcome." She stood up and reached for her own bowl to eat.
"How are our new crew mates?" Vinyl asked getting comfortable in her cot again.
"Blossomforth and Raindrops were helping Scootaloo and Apple Bloom fix the engines. By the looks of it, they were down there practically all day."
Vinyl shrugged. "That's good to know. Luna knows we need it." Vinyl cleared her throat realizing the subject of her prayer was sleeping next to her. Octavia chuckled noticing Vinyl's blush.
"How about that AJ and that other pegasus, what was her name again?"
"Captain Rainbow Dash, you mean." Octavia said coldly, stirring her bowl. Vinyl blinked, she never heard Octavia's voice like this since the first time they met. She looked at her to see her glaring into her bowl.
"Sure... Uh, how about the Professor?"
Octavia shrugged. "She's trying to find information on some jewels called the Elements of Harmony. I think I remember hearing something about them."
Vinyl nodded. "I think I heard a thing or two about them. It was said that they were the first rebels before the rebellion happened." She shrugged again. "It was very vague since nopony was allowed to talk about them anyways."
Octavia nodded thinking. "Twilight was sure getting serious with the Elements stuff. Especially the strange things about me and Twilight and those other two sharing the same possessions back on the moon or, uh, planet."
Octavia remembered the horrible pain in her body trying to fight back the evil daemon, Sombra's, control. Somehow, some way, Twilight, Captain Rainbow Dash, and Applejack felt the same pain in their own skulls and bodies as if they were being possessed. Daring mentioned something about being together or linked to the Elements of Harmony, which was still very strange. How could Octavia have such a magical connection to two other mares, who she didn't want to associate other than Twilight Sparkle who she does have a connection with? Her brain started to pound just thinking about it.
"Anyway, you need some rest. I'll be back with Daring to check you out, and Luna as well." Octavia stood up and took the bowls away as Vinyl got herself comfortable in the cot with a yawn. Octavia turned to look at Vinyl as Vinyl closed her eyes with a sigh. Octavia smiled looking at Vinyl's cheeks, then her snout and her lips. Octavia shook her head and left the room blushing hard.
Octavia stepped out the door of the cabins and passed Derpy at the helm waving hello. Derpy smiled.
"Mornin' Princess."
"Good morning Derpy." She said going down the stairs then headed for the mess deck below the hatch. She handed her dishes to Spike as he was washing them with Sweetie Belle's help.
"Hi, Octavia!" Sweetie Belle called out her now dressed in Scootaloo's extra shirts and pants since her dress was ruined from the fight at the moon. Octavia smiled.
"Hello Sweetie, how are you?"
"Great, how's the Captain?"
Spike looked up from washing to listen. Octavia sighed. "She seems to be doing better in spirit. But her fever is still high. Do you know where the professor is?"
"Right here, actually," Daring Do said as she came down the steps, fixing her suspenders. "Something you need, your Highness?" Octavia smiled at the elder pegasus.
"Daring, I was wondering if you can check on Vinyl and Princess Luna?" Daring nodded.
"I'll have Twilight come along too, she wants to try a new spell with the Crystal Heart and Guardians."
Octavia nodded. "Sure, I can arrange them for the spell."
Daring smiled. "Good, I'll go get her and meet you in the captain's room."
Octavia nodded and started out the mess deck as Daring frowned with concern.
"Something wrong?" Spike asked noticing the professor's face.
Daring sighed. "This infection is horrible, but I'm more concerned with her horrible cough. It's no secret that she has some sort of disease in her lungs. And I've heard that cough before."
"Wait you mean," Sweetie Belle asked with sadness. "Vinyl will die?"
Daring nodded slowly. "We'll try and help her through her pain. But she's dying."
"Wait, you mean you knew about that?” Spike asked worriedly.
Daring nodded. "Yes," She said sadly. "She's the oldest pony I have ever seen with the disease." She paused thinking. "When was the first time you noticed her coughing blood."
"Blood?” Sweetie asked with shock. Spike sighed setting down his rag.
"Well... We all noticed her coughing real bad one time. She claimed she had it since she was a kid. She never coughed in front of us again. But sometimes she does and she knows we're worried. But she told us not to worry." Spike sighed shaking his head. "She's in pain, you can see it after she coughs. It's hard to listen to, or even watch."
Daring nodded. "Right, well it's-"
"Daring!" The three ponies turned as Twilight ran down the steps.
"What is it?" Daring asked as Twilight panted.
"It's Vinyl! She's not breathing!"
Daring immediately started running. "Stay there!" She ordered pointing behind her to Spike as she and Twilight ran up the deck.
Sweetie Belle looked at Spike to see him worried too.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Octavia was holding Vinyl in a sitting position as she tried to draw breath, holding her chest.
"Vinyl! Come on, you can breathe can't you!"
The door opened as Daring ran in.
"When did it start, quickly now Twilight!"
"Coming!" Twilight yelled out her hand glowing in a dark pink aura.
"Just a moment ago, what's happening to her?"
Twilight quickly placed her glowing hand on Vinyl's chest and her other hand on Vinyl's back.
"Hold her!" Octavia held her on her shoulders as Vinyl started turning purple trying to breathe. Octavia pat Vinyl on the face as her eyes started to roll back.
"Vinyl, stay with me!" She yelled out. Twilight sighed as Vinyl started to be covered in Twilight's magic.
"Breathe now!" She called pushing Vinyl's body with magic causing Vinyl to sputter out blood then let out a gasping breath.
"Got it!" Twilight called out as Vinyl took in another big breath then let it out panting, her head lolled forward unconscious. Twilight spat to the side getting Vinyl's blood out of her mouth. Octavia was shaking holding Vinyl's shoulders so tight. Twilight removed her hands as she canceled her magic.
"Alright, lay her down." Twilight whispered panting from adrenaline. Octavia slowly lowered Vinyl onto her back on the cot. Octavia looked up to see Daring with her eyes closed.
"It's already started."
"What's started?" Octavia asked with worry turning to see Twilight using her white sleeve to wipe off her face and neck of the blood splatters. Twilight sighed.
"Her body can't take another one of those, Daring." She said with worry. "It took power just to get her muscles to start again."
"Muscles, what's going on? What's happening to Vinyl!" Octavia cried out. Daring looked at Octavia.
"Did Vinyl ever tell you where she was from?"
Octavia nodded confused. "Manehattan."
Daring nodded with a wince. "Of course." She sighed shaking her head looking down at Vinyl.
"Can one of you tell me what is wrong?"
Twilight sighed. "Have you heard of the plague in Manehattan?"
"Yes, it killed hundreds of hybrids in the station. I even had a case of it." She said worriedly. She turned to Vinyl with a gasp. "Vinyl had it?"
"Yes she did." Twilight said as a matter of fact. "While we were at our time in Manehattan we were around during the plague. Daring was lucky to have us get some off world shots that would protect us from diseases. We weren't sick but we tried our best to help the homeless." Twilight shook her head sitting on the counter by the crystals.
"When you had the disease, Prince Tick Tock called out for all doctors, even private royal physicians, to go and help the homeless hybrids and the sick Earth ponies." Twilight continued with a glare.
"Oh they helped alright. They helped make the diseased even worse. They let the Earth ponies die while hybrid pegasi and unicorns like Vinyl were healed."
"Practically." Daring interrupted with a stern glare. "There was a doctor, who worked for a royal family in Manehattan, upper Manhattan I believe. He was sent out and instead of helping eliminate the disease he made it worse. Sure the symptoms were gone but he left something else." Daring paused to point at Vinyl as blood roll down out the side of her mouth. Octavia covered her mouth staring at Vinyl with shock.
"You mean a trusted doctor and the royals did this to innocent ponies, even to a child?" She asked, insulted by such an act. Twilight nodded.
"Yes, we've seen at least two hundred ponies, mostly children in the streets suffering from this."
Daring sighed sadly. "We gave them food and clothing but it was never enough. They died from suffocation. Their diaphragm muscles would be shot out by the disease. They suffer painfully and there was nothing we could have done to ease it."
"Then the royal guards came around and told us to leave." Twilight said darkly, glaring at the floor, her hands clenched into fists. "Telling us it was none of our business in helping the weak and helpless. It was the job of the royals." Twilight spat.
Daring walked over to wrap her arm around Twilight. "We never made land fall at Manehattan again. Knowing well that we would be put into prison for aiding the homeless, especially homeless hybrids."
Octavia gulped kneeling down beside Vinyl taking her hand, holding it tight.
"What can we do? Is there anything we can do to get rid of this?"
Daring and Twilight looked at one another then back at Octavia. Twilight leaped off the counter and left the room in a hurry shutting the door behind her. Daring sighed painfully, rubbing her neck.
"No, nothing has been proven to help. The bastard that did this wanted the hybrids to suffer. And Captain Scratch is another victim. She'll die soon and there is nothing we can do to ease her pain."
"But you just,"
"We need Vinyl since she is the Captain of this vessel. Also she's a very, dear friend and we'll try everything we can to keep her alive. But it's futile Octavia."
Octavia squeezed her eyes shut squeezing Vinyl's hand with both of hers.
"Why does this have to happen to us?"
Daring patted Octavia shoulder. "We live in a world where ponies like us are nothing but trouble. Octavia, get some air. "
Daring stood up and left the room closing the door behind her. Octavia felt tears rain down her face pressing Vinyl's hand against her face.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Applejack walked out on deck and stopped, hearing sniffling. She turned to see Sweetie Belle crying in her crossed arms.
"Hey sugarcube, what are you cryin' about?" Sweetie Belle looked up with red eyes at the Earth pony. She wiped her nose with her sleeve.
"Captain Vinyl is very sick. She's dying!"
Applejack blinked and turned away. "Dying of what?"
"I don't know, Twilight came running into the mess deck screaming that Vinyl wasn't breathing. She came back past me and told me that Vinyl was going to die now matter what."
Applejack was surprised. Twilight never acted like this. "Can't she help her?"
Sweetie Belle shrugged. "I don't know. She helped Vinyl before I saw her but she was acting like she couldn't do anything or there was nothing she could do."
Applejack nodded patting Sweetie on the head leaving her alone. Applejack walked down the steps and saw Twilight standing by the starboard rail. Applejack walked over and blinked with surprise to see Twilight with a cigarette.
"I thought you don't smoke?" Twilight gasped and turned to see Applejack giving her a funny look. Applejack noticed that Twilight's eyes were puffy and red and her face was wet from the tears. Twilight turned away taking a short draw from the cigarette.
"I have been for ten years." She whispered. "Only when I'm miserable and..." She rubbed her forehead, her chin quivering. Applejack stood with her leaning forward on the rail looking at Twilight as she started to cry silently.
"The filly told me about the unicorn. The Captain. What's going on?" Applejack asked carefully as Twilight sniffed and wiped her eyes.
"I can't heal her." She whispered with a sob. "She's been poisoned by some jerk ass royal." Twilight threw the cigarette away, she looked down to see a bucket. She growled and kicked the bucket away. Rainbow was walking up from the second hatch dodging the bucket as it clanked past her. She turned to see Twilight squat down with her hands clenching her mane, crying.
"I hate them all!" She screamed out crying. "All they do is cause more pain and death, even to innocents and now we're losing another pony and I have to watch her die!" Applejack kneeled down, hugging Twilight to her chest. She turned to see Rainbow staring with worry.
"What's wrong?" Rainbow mouthed.
Applejack shook her head to Rainbow. "Not now!" She mouthed in return as Twilight continued to sob into Applejack's shirt.
Rainbow nodded and went back below to grab some things. Applejack looked back at Twilight and rub her back. "Alright Sugarcube, I'm sure you can use that brain of yours to help her out."
Twilight shook her head as she pulled away from Applejack to look in the eye. "I can't Applejack. I just can't. My magic can get her to breathe again but I can't get the disease out. She needed real help. Some other healer with powerful magic or powerful medicines."
Applejack turned away thinking hard. She bit her lip, remembering what she promised, but the life of that unicorn Captain, that everypony even Twilight seem to care about was dying painfully too. Applejack has seen everypony, even Pinkie Pie, die and she always blamed herself for not helping them. She sighed and patted Twilight on the back.
"I think I know who can help us."
Twilight looked up at her with surprise. "Help? Who?"
Applejack paused and turned seeing Rainbow coming up, pulling on her red coat and pulling the lapels together looking at Applejack.
"I can’t say. Go get the professor." Twilight nodded getting up watching Applejack standing up as well with a conflicted look in her eyes. Twilight turned and ran to the cabins. Applejack rubbed her face as Rainbow walked over.
"What's wrong with Twi?" She asked watching the unicorn disappear into the cabin block.
Applejack sighed. "The unicorn hybrid is dying."
"Really? I thought she was doing well?" Rainbow said with worry.
"So did I, but I guess she got something else."
The two turn to see Daring and Twilight running over.
"Twilight told me that you know of somepony that can help Vinyl?"
Applejack nodded with a sigh. "Eeyep."
"Who?" Daring asked with curiosity. Applejack gulped.
"I can't tell you."
"Why?" Rainbow asked.
"Because I promised never to talk about her or where she lives. Unless it was important."
The three ponies stared at Applejack as she tried hard not to lie. She knew her friends could tell when she lied. She had done it before and was embarrassed for weeks from the stupid lie that almost killed her friends.
Daring sighed. "Can she be trusted?"
Applejack nodded. "Yes ma'am. She saved my life a few years ago before I joined Nightmare Moon's pirates."
Twilight nodded with a sniff. "Can she help Vinyl?"
"I know she can. She's the greatest healer in the Outer Rim. And she's the only one that can help the Captain."
The four mares were silent thinking. Rainbow turned to her.
"Where does she live?" Rainbow asked.
Applejack was silent for a moment then sighed. "She lives on Everfree."
"Everfree?" Daring asked bewildered. "The rouge planet Everfree?"
Applejack nodded. "That's the one. She lives in the deepest jungles of Everfree with the Zebra Tribe. The last one of its kind in the galaxy."
Twilight blinked and wiped her nose with her sleeve. "Can she help us? For real help us?"
Applejack nodded. "Yes, she can be trusted and yes, she will heal up the Captain."
"You seem to really believe this pony can make miracles." Rainbow said suspiciously.
"She will. It might take a while but she will do the job."
Daring thinks for a moment then sighed looking at Twilight. "Can we trust her? I know she is your friend, Twilight and she's an Element of Harmony, but she was a pirate after all."
Applejack held her tongue as Twilight looked at her then to Daring.
"I know Applejack, she could never tell a lie, no matter how hard she tried to.” Rainbow snorted, covering her mouth, hiding her smirk. Applejack blushed at the snort. "But yes, we can trust her." Twilight said with finality.
Daring nodded. "Alright, go tell the Princess. Applejack please come with me and we'll have Derpy set a new course."
"Aye-aye." Daring and Applejack headed for the stairs with Twilight already running to the cabins. Rainbow stood there, biting her lip. She turned to look out to the stars.
Scratch opened his sore eyes as the cell door opened, showing the bright light from outside. Two unicorns walked in holding a third unicorn between them. They pushed the unicorn into the wall causing her to yell out. Scratch growled at this.
"Hey! Didn't your mothers teach you how to handle a mare?” Scratch yelled. One of the guards chuckled.
"Oh really?" The guard smirked and grabbed the unicorn's purple mane and pulled back hard, causing her to scream out again. He leaned into her face smiling as she tried to pull away. "I love to hear a mare scream."
"Tank!" Every unicorn in the cell turned to see the sixth unicorn walk up. Scratch snarled, recognizing the unicorn.
"Well, well, well, Trixie. Good day, aye?"
Trixie walked in chuckling, patting him on the head. "You are so sweet." She turned to glare at the unicorns. "You can mess with her when I say so. Get those manacles on her wrists and let’s go. Blueblood needs us to report to him. He has a new job for us."
The two unicorns shackled the third unicorn and left her. Trixie chuckled looking to Scratch. "Oh don't look so glum, Scratch. I'm sure Blueblood would have left you for a reason."
"You shut that stupid mouth of yours!" He snapped.
Trixie sniffed and raised her nose in the air. "You're lucky Blueblood ordered you to live. Or I would have cut out your tongue and had you eat it a long time ago!"
Trixie chuckled evilly. "Oh you'll get scared Vinyl Scratch, you will get scared and I'll tie you down and watch you beg for mercy." Trixie sighed and turned to the white unicorn. "Speaking of which, Captain Vinyl Scratch I'll like you to meet your cell mate, Rarity Belle. A traitor to her kingdom."
Rarity moved her tongue then spat, causing the unicorn to laugh back with an amused smirk.
"Go rot in hell!" Rarity threatened darkly, pulling away from the wall until the chain snapped taunt as she glared coldly at her. Trixie sighed.
"Well I'm not the one rotting in a cell right now." She laughed and turned away to leave the room and slammed the cell door shut behind her "Enjoy your stay in Hotel Rock traitors."
When the unicorn's footsteps receded Scratch turned to see Rarity now in tears as she stepped back into the corner and slid to the floor covering her face with her bruised hands. Scratch sighed looking at her.
"I'm sorry for everything that has happened to you, Miss." Scratch said formally. Rarity looked up with red eyes.
"It's not your fault sir, I wasn't on my guard and now I'm suffering the consequences for my past actions." She sniffed and wiped the rims of her eyes. "I'm sorry, my name is Rarity, well of course you know that. That horrible ruffian..." She growled. Scratch nodded.
"Yeah, I know." He turned to her. "Well if you didn’t catch her words, the name's Vinyl Scratch, just call me Scratch. No sir or mister to me, miss."
"Then you shall just call me Rarity, Scratch."
Scratch smiled at her. "So if you don’t mind me snooping,"
Rarity smiled and chuckled. "No, snoop all you want."
Scratch chuckled. "Alright, why are you here? Did she call you a traitor?"
Rarity snorted unladylike at the question. "Darling, I was called a traitor after the war just because I didn't want to fight in the army because I didn’t want to go back into service after being discharged. I was done with war." She said with distaste. Scratch smiled.
"Hmm, I was born before the war. My father fought and died in it."
Rarity sniffed. "Oh dear, I’m sorry for that. It was the most horrible war in known history." She paused and sighed sadly. "Thanks to my decision I won't find my sister."
Scratch watched as Rarity’s eyes start to water again and her lip trembling.
"Might I ask? You lost somepony in your family?"
Rarity sniffed and nodded. "My baby sister. She's the only pony in my family that I have left. She's so young and ..." She sniffed again. "She went to go play and she never came home."
Scratch nodded. "I would feel the same way if my daughter left and never came back."
Rarity sniffed wiping her eyes. "You have a daughter?"
Scratch chuckled. "Yep, she was a cannon when I last saw her."
Rarity frowned. "Where is she now?"
Scratch shrugged. "I was told she was alive. But I think Blueblood was just doing that to get me to talk. I keep on thinking about it and the more I think about it the more insane it was. I was fooled and now Trixie and Blueblood know my weakness."
Rarity gulped. "How old was your daughter the last time you saw her?"
Scratch sighed closing his eyes. "Eight years old, she still had time to go before she would get her cutie mark." He chuckled sadly shaking his head. "I promised her that I would take her sailing when she got older." Rarity smiled.
"She sounds like a nice filly."
"She was." He whispered. "She was."
Rarity and Scratch were silent for a long moment until Rarity sighed.
"Scratch?"
"Yes?"
"Why are you here?"
Scratch shrugged. "I was used to find some type of treasure I was involved in as a colt. And now with word that Blueblood left that treasure trove, he's after something else now."
"Like what? I've heard of Prince Blueblood, the royal pain that hardly did anything in the rebellion. All he did was frame every Earth pony in his unit of treason and some all of them were tired and executed for crimes they didn’t commit." Scratch nodded with a glare.
"I know. I know." He paused and turned to her. "But don’t you worry Rarity," He whispered. "I'll get you out of here."
"What?" She whispered back with surprise.
Scratch smiled. "When I was free for a few moments I sent a distressed signal to an old friend of mine. If any pony can save us it's her."
"Who?"
"Let’s just say she has a reputation of being a loose cannon herself."
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Octavia stared at Applejack and Daring after they told her of the plan.
"Can this pony really help her?" She begged. Applejack sighed with a shrug.
"If any pony can help the Captain, it'll be her. It might take some time but Captain Scratch will be back in no time."
Octavia smiled and hugged Applejack surprising the ex-pirate.
"You don’t know how great this news mean to me." Applejack blushed and turned to see Rainbow walking up with a scowl on her face. A scowl that Applejack never saw except with their friends against their enemies. A scowl that says, "You mess with the bull, you get the horns." Applejack gulped, seeing how scary Rainbow looked with that glazed eye and the scar and her graying, rainbow colored mane. She looked scary.
Octavia turned and stiffened seeing Rainbow glaring at them.
Rainbow walked up as Twilight exited from the room and started feeling the intense energy suddenly. Rainbow cleared her throat even though everypony could see her.
"I hate to intrude on some good exciting news." She said with a fake smile on her face. She frowned looking to Octavia. "I would like to speak with Applejack alone please." She said with a glare at her old friend. Applejack pushed Octavia back gently as she turned to Rainbow.
"Sure RD, we can talk."
"Alone," Rainbow said tightly with a glare.
Twilight gulped and stood between them. "Now, Rainbow, I know Applejack might have done some things,"
"Stay out of this Twilight." Rainbow said now growling like a manticore.
"Now, now," Daring now intervened. "Let's not get upset here,"
"I want to talk to Applejack about her stupid, dangerous plan!" Rainbow yelled out causing everypony to jump in surprise. Sure Rainbow had a temper but this was worse than before. Rainbow pointed her finger at her. "I'm not going to allow you to continue this trip into Pirate Territory! Not with the princess on board!" She yelled pointed at Octavia now. Rainbow glared coldly like a manticore ready to attack.
The door opened silently. Rainbow growled, stepping forwards to yell when water was suddenly poured on top of her. She yelped and turned, knife at the ready. Then there was a dull thump and she fell forward, unconscious. All three ponies stared with shock then looked up to see Vinyl leaning tiredly on the door frame and glared at the unconscious pegasus. She quivered a bit, her legs looked like they would collapse any second.
"Vinyl?" Octavia asked with surprise. Vinyl let the bucket drop on the ground and spits to the side.
"Cool off would ya? I'm trying to get some sleep…" She fell forward in faint. Twilight caught her with her magic to keep her from falling face first to the deck. Twilight and the others let out a sigh of relief.
"What do we do with the Captain?" Daring asked pointing to Rainbow.
"I think I got an idea." Applejack said lifting Rainbow over her shoulder. "Captain Dash will be on sick bay for the day." The three nodded allowing Applejack to leave the hall and headed outside with Rainbow Dash over her shoulder. Daring sighed rubbing her forehead.
"I knew she would do something eventually." Twilight nodded as Octavia opened Vinyl's door allowing the unicorn to enter carrying Vinyl back to her cot.
"I'll call Apple Bloom to get this cleaned up." Daring said turning away and started down the hall. Octavia watched as everypony went about their business but what Rainbow dash said surprised her. Does she really care that much for her safety? She shook her head with a glare towards the hall.
Rainbow never shown caring or a heart. She was always cold and angry and hates everything and everypony.
“Except for your father,” Octavia jumped and turned to see the crystal heart pulsing. Octavia's sign that the guardians were talking to her again. Twilight noticed the crystal pulsing.
"What did they say?" Twilight asked intrigued.
"It's nothing." Octavia said quickly turning away.
“You seem to allow the two elements on the same boat but you can't stand Loyalty.”
Octavia bit her lip. "Who?" She asked in a whisper.
“Why that pegasus. She's Loyalty, one of the powerful Elements of Harmony. Our sisters.”
Octavia blinked several times. “You're sisters? Sisters how?”
“The Elements of Harmony were made from the same crystal that sits around your neck.”
Octavia blinked looking down at her purple crystal with her cutie mark. The Luna’s Tear is one of the Crystal Guardians from the Crystal Planet. From what she had learned from the crystals, they harbor souls of the original guardians and protectors of the crystal heart and the jailers of the demon called Sombra. If it weren’t for the crystal guardians, Princess Luna would have been dead centuries ago. Now she was alive thanks to the crystals’ guidance.
Now the crystals are talking to her the second time since she brought them to the ship. She gulped. “Do you know of the Elements?” She asked mentally.
Twilight could see Octavia was deep in thought talking to the crystals as they pulsed with light. Twilight left her alone and went to check on Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Octavia turned realizing she was now alone and let out a sigh of relief. She’d rather be alone while communicating with the crystals.
“We do, they’re our sister crystals.
"Can you tell me about them?" She asked out loud quietly as she took a seat on the counter next to the guardians and the crystal heart.
“The Elements were created before us.”
"Really? How old are you?"
“Very old, but the Elements are much more older and more powerful in the right hands.”
"Meaning?"
"Whoever the crystals pick as their owners, so to speak, they will protect. But these crystals are a little pickier than us.”
Octavia blinked looking at her crystal again in her fingers. "So why?"
“The Elements were designed to pick the pony with a powerful virtue that is similar to the crystal's design.”
"Huh?" Octavia asked with confusion.
“Stay with us here, the Elemental Crystals were designed with six different virtues. Each crystal was forged by six different ponies with six powerful virtues. These virtues are: Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Loyalty, and Magic.”
"So these six virtues ... what’s so important about them."
“Togetherness in a group of comrades can create powerful magic that can destroy any disharmony.”
"Wait, you mean friendship is magic?" She was in bewilderment. "There's no such power. Not today." She said sadly.
“Oh but you’re giving up too easily. You've already met the Element of Magic, Honesty and Loyalty.”
"Hmm? Who?"
“You know them as Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash.”
"Rainbow Dash is an Element of Harmony? I don’t believe that!" Octavia whispered angrily.
“It's true, Close your eyes.”
"Why?"
“Like we said before. The Elements of Harmony were created before us with the same crystals. We can connect with them. Their past and their powers. Thanks to you, we can now reconnect with our crystal sisters. Close your eyes, Princess.”
Octavia sighed and closed her eyes.
"Okay now-" She stopped when her vision turned colorful and she was separated from her body and floating in space. She gaped holding her throat.
“No need to fear! You are safe.”
Octavia blinked several times then took a cautious breath, she can breathe in space? Outside the ship she can breathe! If she was in her body she would have died if she was far enough away from the boat. She gulped looking around and gasped to see colorful ponies floating nearby. She looked down at her hand to find herself in a purple aura. The ponies around her were in colorful auras connecting to the crystal guardians.
"Where's the Crystal Heart guardian?"
The five other ponies looked grim.
"She is not connected with us. Only by spirit." The green guardian said. He was a stallion by his long green-white beard. Octavia blinked, hearing only him speak. She turned to all of them to see different stages of age of all the stallions. The red one was a young colt, he looked like he was ten years old. The orange was a middle aged stallion. The yellow was a teenager by his stature. The green was an elder stallion. The blue was a young teenager too. And they were all earth ponies, but the shimmers in their manes and tails prove them to be Crystal ponies.
"Wow, forgive me but I never imagined you to be like this." Octavia said with blush.
All of the stallions smiled at that. "We get that sometimes." The red colt said with a smile.
"Aye we do," The orange stallion said strongly with a wink at Octavia, causing her to blush.
The blue stallion cleared his throat causing everypony to look at him. "We are here for one thing and one thing only. Show her the Elements."
The other guardians nodded quickly then returned to serious guardian mode again. The yellow stallion stepped forward then waved his yellow hand over and pointed to the side. Octavia turned and gasped to see what looked to be a battle field below.
"Is this ..." Octavia whispered.
"The Second Discordian War." The colt answered grimly. For such a sound to be heard from a child was unnerving.
"Not the rebellion?"
"The ponies," The green stallion started. "Made sure to confuse history for ponies like yourself to get confused. The Discordian War was the deadliest and bloodiest war in the history of this galaxy."
Octavia gulped and watched as ponies were dying by the diamond dogs, griffins, manticores, even other ponies dressed in black armor as the Celestial Army dressed in gold armor attack was just as deadly. Octavia gulped back bile watching the fight.
"The Elements of Harmony were brought together by Princess Celestia, the last holder of the Elements." The orange stallion said.
Octavia turned to see the scene change to reveal Queen Celestia. By the look of her face she was younger and happier than the portraits and hologram videos she had watched during her childhood. She also saw something that surprised her. Six young mares bowing or saluting to her before her throne. They wore medallions around their necks with colorful crystals that were shining in a magical aura that nopony but Octavia and the Guardians saw.
"Those are ...”
"The Elements of Harmony." The blue stallion said with a smile on his face. "Those six were by far the best of the Guardians of Harmony."
Octavia gasped to see their faces for the first time. She recognized Twilight as a sad filly. Applejack who was reaching for something on her head, only to salute with a blush on her face. Rainbow Dash was standing with her hands behind her back with a determined scowl on her face. Octavia blinked staring at the rainbow pegasus the most. She had never imagined Rainbow to look like this. She was young, scar free, her ear was still intact, both her eyes sparkled and her rainbow mane was long compared to what it was now and well maintained. She looked pretty for a soldier. Octavia shook her head suddenly.
"What's your point?" She asked.
The guardians looked to one another with worry. They could feel Octavia's resentment towards Loyalty. The green stallion walked up to hold onto Octavia's shoulder. He point to the six mares.
"We felt their presence, their power all the way to the Crystal Planet. We knew by that power that Celestia had chosen the perfect team of ponies to take the Elements and use them for good."
The scene changed suddenly to a battle. Octavia was shocked to find Twilight hiding in a foxhole crying, holding her helmet over her head. It was hard to hear the talking since all around them they could hear explosions and screams. Octavia gasped to find Rainbow jumping into the hole and glaring at Twilight as she cried. But Octavia could see that same Rainbow Dash in those young eyes. She watched with shock to see Rainbow slap Twilight in the face.
"Get your ass up there and get moving!" She screamed into the filly’s face. Twilight obeyed, grabbing her musket and climbing out of the hole. Lasers hit the ground before her as Twilight jumped back into the foxhole shaking her head, crying.
"Damn it all!" Rainbow screamed out, grabbing Twilight by the arm and pushing her out of the hole, following behind her. As the left the foxhole, it exploded in a ball of light and heat. A ship had shot an artillery grade laser at their position. Twilight stumbled from the force of the explosion then started to run.
"Good, good, get running!" Rainbow screamed out as the scenes faded away.
Octavia blinked trying hard to think. The guardian as remained silent. The colt looked to the green and he nodded. The red colt walked over then waved his hand and the scene changed. The six mares were standing together, their medallions glowing in their hands or on their chests. Octavia blinked watching the power around them intensify. Their eyes squeezed shut from the bright light as a rainbow aura spun around them. The enemy then started to run for their lives as the aura grew brighter and brighter, causing all six mares to float in the air. Octavia was in awe. Each of them held hands connecting their powers, then a beam of rainbow like a giant laser cannon hit what looked to be a large castle destroying it instantly.
The scene faded away revealing another time. It looked like it was a couple of years after the war.
"What am I looking at?" Octavia asked.
"Just watch." The colt said cryptically.
The scene was from a city scape that resembled Canterlot. The six mares were together and they looked battle worn and scarred, and a little older. Ponies were watching them warily, especially Applejack and the pink Earth pony.
"I don’t like this.” Applejack said fixing her Stetson hat on her head.
"Me neither.” The pink pony said with worry.
"Aw come on guys," Rainbow Dash said smiling with her hands behind her head. "We're heroes, they must have heard about our power of friendship. They don’t want to mess with us."
Twilight, the smallest of the group walked over. She looked older than the last time Octavia saw her in the flashbacks. "Rainbow, Applejack is right to be worried."
"What's wrong?" A white unicorn asked.
Twilight sighed. "I have been hearing things from the new Celestia University. There are rumors of rebellion and everypony, even the commoners, are getting worried."
"Rebellion?" A yellow pegasus asked standing close to Rainbow Dash.
"Rebellion of what type?" Applejack asked curious.
Twilight shrugged. "I don’t know. It started while we were in the war."
"How far back?" Rainbow asked now worried feeling Fluttershy take her hand, squeezing it.
"It started two years ago. And it’s getting worse."
The five other mares looked at one another with worry.
"Not to worry," Rainbow said proudly wrapping her arm around the yellow pegasus then around the white unicorn. "As long as we stick together, nothing will happen to us. United we rock, separated we fall."
The yellow pegasus was blushing with a loving smile on her face. The white unicorn was nodding along.
"Precisely, I agree with Rainbow Dash. Just like when that horrible Discord tried to turn us all into monsters, together we can overcome anything!"
The pink pony jumped up and down nodding. "Oh yeah, yeah, yeah! Let’s celebrate! Friends Forever!"
Applejack smiled and wrapped her arm around the pink pony. "You said it Pinkie. Let’s go and get to a tavern and let’s make it official."
"Agreed." The white unicorn said.
"Rarity," the yellow pegasus gasped with a grin. "You, of all ponies, want to go to a bar?"
Rarity sniffed fixing her beautiful purple mane. "I'll let it slide. As long as they have wine instead of that disgusting cider you drink." She said pointing to Pinkie and Applejack.
"Hey I like the cider." Rainbow complained as the group laughed.
Octavia blinked again at the shock of seeing such a friendship between the three different races. It was strange. Two pegasi, two unicorns and two Earth ponies together laughing, not yelling or wanting to kill each other.
"But what happened?" Octavia asked now curious. The orange stallion sighed with a snap of his fingers. Octavia gasped watching the scene before her. It started with the Pink pony, Pinkie Pie was pushed into a wall. Applejack gasped and pulled off her hat.
"Alright buck I don’t care if you are royalty, you don’t push around my friend like that!"
The royal pony looked horribly drunk. "Oh yeah? You Earth pony shit need to learn your place. That pink one there will come with me to my chambers,"
"No pony's going anywhere!" Applejack snarled.
Suddenly friends of the royal pony came up and they looked sober. "Hey, this is the Duke of Canterlot Cross and you will show him respect! And follow his wishes."
Applejack stood in front of Pinkie as she slowly sat up holding her head.
"Nopony touches my Lieutenant!"
"Why, you love her?"
Applejack growled. "Watch yourself, I'm superior in rank than you boys."
"Rank to an Earth pony?" The three unicorns laughed.
Soon there was a crowd. One half royal soldiers and the other half was Earth ponies or others from the bar backing up Applejack.
Then out of nowhere an attack was caused and everypony went into a brawl. The scenes flashed to Applejack being pinned to the ground being choked by the same drunk lout that attacked before. Octavia was in shock to see Applejack loosing. There was a pop from a pistol and a laser went through the royal’s head. Applejack pushed the dead royal away breathing hard as Pinkie dropped the pistol and grabbed hold of Applejack pulling her up.
"Come on, we have to get out of here!"
Applejack nodded feebly being lifted up to her feet as they limped away from the fight only to be caught by pegasi guards.
"Halt!" The two ponies looked up at the pegasi royal guards, glaring at her.
"Finally some sane ponies.” Applejack breathed out smiling. "Great to see ya'll."
"Arrest them!" The mare ordered.
"Huh?” Pinkie yelped out as two pegasi guards grabbed Applejack, then Pinkie. "But, you don't understand!" Pinkie yelled out, fighting back.
"On what charges!" Applejack yelled out now wide awake.
A pegasus drop down and smiled.
"That's them ma'am!" A pegasus that was covered in bandages and dressed as one of the royals from the fight. He pointed his finger at Pinkie "She killed the Duke of Canterlot Cross. I saw her do it!"
"But, I did it to save Applejack! He was killing her!"
"Still," The leader said smirking. Applejack struggled.
"Arrest me, not Pinkie!" Applejack said getting the attention. Pinkie looked scared.
"Applejack but-"
"No, you stay quiet Lieutenant. I'm taking the fall. You just go get the others."
"No, you’re both under arrest for the murder of several royal guards tonight."
"What’s your proof?" Applejack spat.
The pegasus leaned forward to smile sweetly in Applejack’s face. "Proof is all over you Earth pony."
Applejack gasped. "What?"
"You’re an Earth pony, that's why. Take them to HQ."
"What? You have no authority in doing this!" Applejack screamed out as she was held tighter by the pegasi.
"Oh I believe I do." She pulled out her knife. "Cut off their stripes, they’re now dishonorably discharged." Applejack was pushed into the wall, so was Pinkie and held firm as a pegasus smiled, greedily cutting off the stripes and medals off of their red coats.
"Take the medallions too." The pegasus ordered.
"No," Pinkie whimpered. "You can't!"
The pegasi took the medallions snapping them off their necks. The two earth ponies at the same time slowly drop to the ground looking sick and slow. The same feeling Octavia felt when her crystal was taken off of her. Octavia gasped seeing the two glowing orange and blue crystals slowly flicker then turn dark and cold. The magic was severed without Applejack or Pinkie's consent.
"Take them to HQ."
The scene flashed, showing a huge stone hallway with lights fixtures on the walls. The pegasi were pushing Applejack and Pinkie into a cell where they were shackled by electric cuffs to the wall.
"Ma'am!" Somepony called. The leader turned to see a pegasus running up and saluting.
"What?"
"It's Rainbow Dash ma'am, she heard the news and is coming to HQ."
The leader cursed. "Try and keep her at bay. Colonel Dust wants to make sure Rainbow doesn't know of this. Keep her occupied. Tell her she must have an appointment to come in."
"Yes ma'am." The soldier nodded with a salute as he leaped in the air and flew straight to the ceiling with other pegasi.
Octavia blinked with shock.
"Sadly, this would be the beginning." The yellow stallion said sadly.
"The beginning of the rebellion?" Octavia asked.
"More than that." The green elder said with sadness. "The end of a friendship."
Octavia turned when the scene changed. Showing Twilight sitting in a small room. It was tiny, like a dorm room, with a desk, a book shelf, and a closet. There was a knock from her door. She used her magic to open the door. Rarity, the white unicorn, came in and gasped closing the door behind her then ran to Twilight hugging her.
"Are you alright?" Rarity asked worriedly. Twilight sniffed looking at Rarity.
"Can't you feel it?" She whispered. "The pain, suffering," She started to cry, burying her face into Rarity’s chest. Rarity hugged her tighter.
"I can feel it, too Twilight. Applejack, Pinkie and now Rainbow Dash. They're all in pain."
"Did you know" Twilight whispered. Rarity nodded.
"Fluttershy told me. She's distraught Twilight, I need your help before she does something." Twilight sniffed sitting down on her bed wiping her eyes.
"Where's Rainbow Dash? She’s the one that can calm her down the most."
"She's been at that Pegasus HQ for weeks since the fight. Nopony will let it go. It’s as if they can't." Rarity sat on the bed next to Twilight.
"We're to be seeing Celestia soon." Rarity said with worry. Twilight jumped turning to Rarity with shock.
"Why? I thought she didn’t want to be disturbed."
Rarity nodded. "She came out from her chambers and ordered for the rest of us to come in."
"For what?"
"A briefing she said."
Twilight blinked bewildered. "What? She never said that word just for a talk."
Rarity gulped. "I know. I think something happened."
Twilight nodded then stood up wiping her eyes. She grabbed her uniform jacket from the war with her rank of Sergeant on the sleeve.
"Let’s get Fluttershy and go to the castle." Rarity smiled and nodded.
"There's the Twilight I know and love." She said hugging the unicorn then turned for the door. They opened it and gasped to see unicorn guards at the door. One was ready to knock the door.
"Ahem, are you Rarity Belle?" The soldier asked.
"Why yes," Rarity said a little surprised. Twilight stepped up with Rarity.
"Officer what's wrong?"
"The Queen has requested your presence."
"Queen?" Twilight and Rarity asked as one confused.
"Yes, hurry now." The soldier pointed to the two soldier next to him. Rarity and Twilight looked at one another with fear then nodded following along for now. There were two soldier in the front with them in the middle and the other two guards behind them.
"What’s going on?" Rarity whispered.
"I don’t know."
The scene shifted to one revealing the inside of the Canterlot throne room. Octavia was amazed by the look of it. Sure she has seen a picture of the throne room from her father's books but it was grander in person or in a vision.
She turned back to the scene to see Twilight and Rarity stepping up with a yellow pegasus. This must be Fluttershy, Octavia thought seeing the pegasus’ with puffy red eyes. Rarity and Twilight immediately ran to her holding her.
"Rise for Queen Celestia!" A guard ordered shoving Rarity to the side.
"Don’t you dare touch me! I am a lady!"
"Stand at attention unicorn, as ordered!"
Rarity gasped by the shout but did as ordered, military training kicking in. Twilight stayed with Fluttershy, but she was grabbed by her elbow and forced up to her feet.
"What are you-"
"That order goes to everypony Sergeant Sparkle, and that includes you." The mare shoved her to the side. Twilight looked violated, rubbing her elbow as Fluttershy was forced to stand up again. Twilight looked to Rarity with fear. The queen entered the room and looked at the three ponies with a heavy scowl on her face.
Celestia gave them a look. The three friends looked at one another then slowly saluted. Rarity bowed since she was the only one not in uniform. Celestia nodded and sat down in the throne.
"As you all have known, I give horrible news. Your companions Applejack and Pinkie Pie have been arrested and were guilty of murdering royals."
Twilight and Rarity looked at one another as Fluttershy gasped with fear and new tears.
"Please," Twilight begged. "Princess-"
"She's the Queen now!" A unicorn guard yelled out, scaring Twilight. "Call her as such."
Twilight was in shock, staring at the guard then at the Queen with mixed feelings.
"Hmm, I see being with such rebellious ponies has changed your view, Twilight Sparkle." She paused to turn to Rarity and Fluttershy. "Even you two it seemed."
"Please your high… Majesty," Fluttershy whispered with a sniff. "Please release our friends. Whatever they did they did it to protect each other. They don’t kill in cold blood as ponies are claiming."
"Oh I'm afraid they did Fluttershy." The Queen said with anger in her voice. "They both murdered, along with rebels, against me and my royals they attacked and killed them. As such I will keep them locked up or executed as I wish."
Octavia gasped with the three mares in shock.
"It gets worse." The bleu stallion said with sadness. Octavia watched as a guard walked up, a unicorn holding a blue box. The three mares gasped seeing it.
"Guards, please secure them."
"What?" Rarity yelped out as two guards grab Rarity's arms holding her still. More guards came out, pegasi and unicorns grabbing the three ponies to keep them from running away.
"What's going on?" Twilight begged fighting back.
"Stop resisting. This is for your own good." Celestia said seriously nodding. One guard nodded and walked up to Twilight first and reached for the golden chain of the medallion and pull it out of her shirt, seeing it pulse brightly in a heartbeat. The mare smirked as she pulled the medallion off her neck. Twilight let out a cry of pain as the magic was severed. She fell on the ground, the guard releasing her as she fell forward, out cold.
"Twilight!" Rarity screamed out trying to fight back. "What are you doing?"
Fluttershy's medallion was pulled off and she too let out a cry, shaking her head from the horrible pain. She fell on her knees, holding her head.
"What's happening?" Fluttershy whispered sleepily, falling onto her side. Rarity watched helplessly as the guard snapped off her medallion. Rarity groaned falling onto her knees, she braced her hands on the ground trying to stay awake. She looked up at the queen with tears of fear, pain, and worst of all, betrayal.
"You don’t know what you just did! If you do this-"
"I'm well aware." Celestia said darkly as Rarity’s medallion was dropped into the box, Rarity watched her crystal fade to dark purple. Rarity looked to her friends to see them unconscious and pale. She tried to sit up but felt lightheaded. She fell to her side staring at the guards seeing them chuckle and smile at her as her vision faded to darkness.
Octavia stumbled back holding her chest now feeling the pain. She turned to see the other five guardians each holding their own chests as if they were feeling chest pains.
"It was always painful for us to remember that day." The orange stallion said rubbing his eyes.
"Why do I feel this way?" Octavia asked feeling sadness now as she slowly goes down on her knees feeling tears in flowing from her eyes.
"We are from the same crystal and we all share the same feelings as our holders. And we can feel the Elements and their feelings." The green stallion said pointing. Octavia sniffed and turned to see six different scenes. Each one depicting one of the Elements of Harmony.
She looked at the top to see Applejack sitting in a tiny dark jail cell. It was tiny, maybe a solitary confinement cell. She was at the tiny slit in the wall as the guards laugh at her. She was filled with hatred.
The second window revealed Pinkie Pie in another jail cell, this one looked bigger and brighter than Applejack’s cell, with a cot and a bucket. Sitting in the corner of her dark cell was Pinkie Pie in tears. All over her face was a porridge, slowly rolling down her flat pink mane to her face with her tears. She’s filled with sadness as she cried silently staring at the ground. But Octavia could feel another emotion, rage. Cold relentless rage as she clenched and unclenched her fists.
The third window was of Rarity packing her things into a suitcase. The room she was in looked like a simple cabin room, but clothes and items were strewn around while she packed. She stopped her movement to see a picture showing all six of the ponies together, it looked like a party of some sorts and their smiles were of merriment.
She placed the picture inside her suitcase and closed it. She grabbed a pair of shears and stared at her hair with sadness. “It’ll grow back, I just can’t been seen.” She whispered to herself as she stared to cut her purple mane shorter. After she was done she quickly dusted herself off, seeing the remains of her purple mane on the floor. She swept it up fast then dumped the pile into a waste basket. She placed her war helmet on top of her now short purple mane then headed out the door. She ran down the stairs of the cabin then ran to the door where she stopped. She turned to look behind her into the cabin to all her happy memories were made. She let out a soft sob shaking her head. She closed the door then ran away. She was filled with guilt.
The fourth window was of Fluttershy running in the streets of Canterlot as a riot was breaking out in the city. She stopped her running to hide in an alley, breathing hard between sobs as she fell onto her knees as she kept whispering, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!” Over and over again. In her hand was a military knife. She was shaking badly with tears pouring from her eyes as she placed the knife to her neck crying. Octavia gasped seeing despair on Fluttershy's face as she tried to cut her neck but couldn't do it. She dropped the knife after making a shallow cut on the side of her neck. She heard yells down the alley then made a dash effort to fly away. She was truly desperate.
The fifth window was of Rainbow Dash, she looked shocked and about to cry. Octavia gasped seeing several dead pegasi dressed in mutilated blue and gold uniforms. Rainbow went down on her knees and carefully lifted up a yellow pegasus with a dirty wild fiery mane in her arms, seeing the dried dark blood on the yellow mare's neck, her neck was slit in a deep cut, she would have died in seconds. Rainbow started to cry, holding the pony close to her chest, actually sobbing. Another pegasus walked in with a grin on her face. Octavia stared at her for a long moment, the pegasus looked about Rainbow’s age with her golden mane cut short and her teal face looked evil as she smiled. She masked her smiling face into one of anger and sadness as she placed her hand on Rainbow's shoulder as Rainbow continues her crying.
"They were murdered by Earth ponies Rainbow Dash. They will be revenged." She said severely
Rainbow looked up, straight at Octavia. Octavia gasped to see Rainbow’s eyes burn with anger and vengeance. Rainbow was covered in foolish vengeance for the death of these ponies.
"I need you Rainbow Dash." The pegasus said sweetly. Octavia gasped to see a unicorn standing behind the pegasus with a glowing pink aura hand. Octavia could see Rainbow faintly covered in a magical pink aura as she blinked then snarled, her eyes glowed pink.
"They will all pay for this. All of them."
Octavia turned to see the final window. Twilight was sitting in the dorm like room looking through a journal that matched the one she had now. Octavia looked over the unicorn’s shoulder to see drawings of the other five mares. Twilight glared as she snapped the book shut and tossed it to her suitcase next to her on the bed. She looked at the scroll next to her on her pillow. She reached for it then unrolled it to read it. Octavia peeked over her shoulder to read it quickly to find out that the letter was a force invitation for Twilight to return to active duty in the Royal Guard.
Twilight gritted her teeth then ripped the scroll into tiny pieces and threw the pieces to the door, leaving a mess on the floor. "I won’t let you ruin my life again." She growled as she pulled off her school uniform and pulled on a shirt, pants, and jacket then her hat. She grabbed her suitcase and backpack and locked her door, so nopony will come in while she escape her room through the window. She used her magic to make a branch from a tree grow towards her. She leapt on the branch then hand over hand, she swung herself the trunk of the tree and slide down to the ground. She turned and started to run out of the school grounds.
"I'll find them all, one day." She whispered. "And there is nothing she can do about it. Friends forever; not even the army can keep us apart forever."
All of the windows faded away leaving Octavia feeling cold and depressed. She sat down on the ground. "Where are the others?"
The guardians all shook their heads.
"We can't say for sure." The blue stallion said sadly. "We can’t feel their presence any longer since they parted so far away and their Elements were taken away."
Octavia stood up glaring at them. "Where are the Elements?"
The guardians looked at one another thinking. Then the green guardian stepped up.
"We recently felt their presence in a horrible dark place."
"Where?"
"Before we could think of where they were, they were put somewhere where we cannot feel them."
Octavia stared at him for along moment. The orange guardian stood up.
"That box Celestia placed the Elements in. That box was remade with canceler crystals to keep unicorns from finding them with their magic."
Octavia blinked. "But why? If the Elements were needed again they must be found."
"Maybe she doesn’t want them to be found." The red guardian said with worry. "She wanted to make sure nopony will use them again. Or against her, maybe?"
Octavia blinked then remembered what eveypony said about the government.
"The corrupted Government..." Then she saw the unicorn in the background of Rainbow's window watching her use her magic. "They were brainwashing the Elements?”
"Maybe, but you can tell Loyalty was fooled. If you make sure the Elements are against each other and their virtues, they can be what we called Discorded."
"Discorded?"
"Yes it happen before, the Elements were Discorded into their opposite virtues and it was horrible!" The orange guardian exclaimed shivering.
"So in a way Rainbow Dash was Discorded? To hate Earth ponies?"
The guardians nodded. "Discorded can be loosely fixed with brainwashing or some such." The blue guardian said like it was simple.
Octavia sighed and nodded rubbing her head. "Alright so what should I be doing then?"
The five guardians stared at her confused.
"Well since I helped free Luna, and now I have half of the Elements on this boat, what are you suggesting I should do? Help find the Elements of Harmony?"
The five were silent as they thought, then they nodded.
"Yes," The red guardian said walking up to her. "We suggest that you help Twilight Sparkle continue her mission in finding the other three Elements of Harmony then find the crystals themselves. For if you must succeed in your goals as a Princess, Octavia. You must have the Elements of Harmony by your side."
The blue guardian nodded. "Yes, there are dark forces in work in Canterlot that will do anything to prevent you from succeeding. They will kill you if possible to keep you from winning."
Octavia nodded feeling her spirit start to get sucked back to her body.
"It's time we part for now, Octavia." The yellow guardian said with a smile. "We will lead you if it is important."
"Thank you for telling me this." She frowned as her feet sank into her sleeping body. "But I'm still not convinced that Rainbow Dash is loyal."
The five looked pained by that. "We tried."
Octavia shook her head as her spirit sank into her body. Octavia gasped sitting up almost falling forward off her seat. She glared at the crystals as they shimmered.
"Warn me to sit on the floor or lay in my bed before you bring me to the heavens."
“Sure.” The voices answered causing Octavia to shake her head. She groaned moving her sore muscles from siting for so long.
Twilight was busy staring at her old journal when she heard a knock on her door. "Come in," She called. Octavia entered the room with a small smile.
"Oh, Octavia, how are you?"
Octavia shrugged. "Doing fine." She said thinking. "Mind if I can ask you some questions?"
Twilight nodded, closing her book and setting it by her pillow. "Sure," Twilight patted the bed for Octavia to sit with her. Octavia sighed.
"There are things that the Guardians have shown me. And I'm connecting things between the Crystal Guardians and the Elements of Harmony." Twilight nodded with a curious scowl on her face.
"They, um, showed me you and your friends."
Twilight blinked once then turned away. Octavia bit her lip. "I didn’t mean anything horrible if I did,"
"No, no." Twilight said quickly shaking her head. "Octavia, that happened a long time ago." She stood up and walked to the corner to lean against it thinking. Octavia gulped watching the unicorn think for a long moment. She finally let out a sigh and turned to Octavia.
"Tell me what the Guardians told you."
"Huh?"
"Just enlighten me, I have this theory about our magical connection and I want to know what the guardians told you."
Octavia blinked then retold what the Guardians told her. Twilight nodded during the story then what Octavia saw from Twilight’s past. Twilight nodded and sighed again, rubbing her forehead.
"Then my theory was correct. Somehow the Crystal Guardians and the Elements were connected, but to a crystal they were made from?"
Octavia shrugged. "Something like that. They were made from the same crystal or they came from the same place where the crystals were found. The Crystal Guardians called the Elements their older sisters. The Elements were made long before the Guardians were."
Twilight nodded intrigued. "Well there goes that mystery to being solved, but what do you want to know about the Elements if the Guardians told you about them?"
Octavia was silent for a moment she looked at Twilight again with a frown. "Can you feel other Elements presence? Like I did when I felt like I was in one of your friends' bodies?"
Twilight nodded. "Since meeting you, I think I have been regrowing and feeling my friends again. Since the connection with Applejack and Rainbow Dash I'm starting to have these feelings."
"Feelings of what?" Octavia asked. Twilight walked over to the bed and grabbed the journal the same journal Octavia saw a younger Twilight look through. Twilight handed the journal to her and smiled.
"Look inside."
Octavia gulped and opened the small book to find sketches and colored drawings, they were pretty good for a young unicorn. Octavia could see small scribbly sketches of some soldiers at parade rest, sailors lounging on the ratlines, and even a battlefield at the bottom with red marks for blood. Octavia flipped through the pages to see the sketches getting neater and nicer and better. The later drawings even had pockets of shading on certain ponies.
"These are great." Octavia whispered seeing now very colorful pictures of Twilight’s friends, all of them younger with smiles or scowls on their faces. One picture showed the yellow pegasus, Fluttershy, applying pressure to a very nasty wound on Rarity's chest.
"When you have nothing to do on the battlefield, you have to think of something to pass the time or go through some type of madness." Twilight said sadly. "If magic wasn't my talent I bet drawing would have been."
Octavia flipped through another page to see a picture of Applejack with a damaged guitar and Rainbow Dash with a whisky bottle in the air as the ponies were singing. Next to the drawn Rainbow, was a half-finished sketch of Rarity, with her hands over her ears.
"Many years after the war, I looked back in this journal and tried to reconnect spiritually to my friends." Twilight whispered sadly as Octavia flipped another page to see Rainbow Dash sleeping in her fox hole with Fluttershy sleeping in her lap with the blanket over her. Fluttershy looked injured with drawn bandages over her head. Rainbow's hand was on her back as if protectively. Octavia had never seen Rainbow look so scared, even in sleep.
"For a time, I thought I had a connection with Rainbow Dash, but then one day the connection was severed as if she left or was dead. Then two weeks later, I heard that Rainbow Dash deserted the army and disappeared." Twilight shook her head. "Many others say she was executed for her crimes."
"Crimes of what?" Octavia asked surprised. Sure, Octavia heard the horrible stories of Rainbow Dash being a traitor but she had shown loyalty to the royals in Manehattan.
Twilight shrugged. "Like I said, desertion of the pegasi royal guard, traitor to Celestia." Twilight chuckled sadly, shaking her head. "Soon ponies started to say I was a traitor and claimed I killed myself." Octavia blinked.
"Why would they say such things?"
Twilight shrugged. "There are horrible ponies in this galaxy Octavia. They'll say horrible things to either hurt another pony or make a pony cheer with praise. For a long time, I thought Rainbow Dash was dead."
Octavia blinked again, returning to the journal to find the next picture, the deeper Octavia was in the journal the more elaborate and bigger the pictures became. This one was of Pinkie Pie playing a fiddle on top of a table. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were in shock seeing the pony in a half jig and singing at the top of her lungs. Octavia smiled.
"Pinkie Pie was a true character." Twilight said with a smile. "Here," She took the journal and quickly flipped to the middle and handed the journal back to Octavia. Octavia gasped in awe at the beautiful detail of a portrait of the pink pony beaming a smile.
"I drew these next few pictures after the rebellion." Twilight said sadly. "I'm pretty sure I got the likeness right on them all. I was trying to draw them from memory."
Octavia stared at the pink pony in graphite pencil, no color what so ever. Her eyes were filled with humor as if nothing could make her cry or bored. Her hair was very curly and wild looking. On her shoulder she had the rank of a lieutenant.
Octavia turned to the next page to find Rarity with a prim smile on her face, her eyes half lidded giving what looked to be a flirtatious look. Just like how fun Pinkie looked, Rarity looked the part of a beautiful unicorn. Her eyes looked like they were searching Octavia's eyes for something, something to talk about. She was wearing some sort of scarf around her neck under her uniform jacket. Her rank showed her as a Captain.
"Wow, and this is?" Octavia asked in awe.
"Rarity Belle. I swear she was the most beautiful unicorn ever to grace Canterlot." Twilight said with awe. "She was very generous and would take a bullet to save any one of us. She’d rather take her own life than have us sacrifice ourselves." Twilight sighed. "She was shot ten times throughout the whole war."
Octavia was amazed. Twilight smiled and nodded. "She was very brave, I miss her dearly. She's the one that taught me how to be a mare." Twilight chuckled shaking her head. "She always had this eye for detail. Just for a trip to the bar, she would check us over making sure our buttons were polished, our hats on straight, even our lapels straightened and nice on our uniforms. Until finally Applejack had to yell for her to get dressed before we leave her behind."
Octavia smiled as Twilight laughed. "Oh dear, imagine the look on her face, it was scandalous!" She said in a mock Canterlotian accent, laughing. Octavia chuckled flipping to another page showing Applejack in her prime. Octavia was amazed by how serious Applejack looked.
"Wow, she kind of scares me." Octavia said with shock. Twilight chuckled.
"Applejack is a tough mare. She was our leader. Our commanding officer. She promised to take care of us and she did. She almost lost her leg during the battle of Asteroid Falls." Twilight shuddered. "I was alone with her on patrol and she wanted to talk to me alone. We were just about to talk when I was hit in the shoulder by a laser. She grabbed me, holding me down as they surrounded us.
"We fought back for a time, when suddenly one of the rock outcroppings above us was destroyed from a bomb and rocks fell on top of us. Applejack was pinned down, her leg caught." Twilight shook her head again with a swallow of bile. "I remembered how broken it sounded under that rock and she was screaming in agony. She ordered me to retreat but I stayed there telling her I would be a fool in leaving her behind. I was able to finally scare them off."
Octavia looked back at the picture to see Applejack's shaded eyes. She could tell that her eyes were filled with this sort of respect, somepony you could trust with your own life. She had a Stetson hat on her head shaded very dark, like it was black. On her shoulders she had the patches of a Colonel, a very high place in the military, even for an Earth pony.
"What happened?" Octavia asked.
"I was able to push off the rock and try to splint her leg. I remember the blood, there was so much blood and her leg looked morbidly like a pancake. I had never seen Applejack like that before. She was crying and looked like she was going to pass out. She kept ordering me to go and get help but I just couldn’t leave her side. So I stayed with her all night until the next day when Rainbow Dash found us and went back to camp to get help.
"Fluttershy was the first to see us and tried to help Applejack's leg. But Applejack had to be taken back to Canterlot for half a year." Twilight sighed. "It was the most horrible wait we had ever been through. Rainbow, being second in command, took over but she admitted herself she wasn't a great replacement but we were happy when Applejack finally came back with a limp in her step, saying she's back and ready to lead us to victory."
Twilight sighed shaking her head. "I remember we saw Rainbow cry after seeing her again."
Octavia was again shocked by the thought of Rainbow crying. Octavia shook her head turning a page to see Fluttershy. The picture had this cute appeal to it. The pegasus looked very pretty, her hair was tied back in a bun under her hat as she smiled with a light blush on her cheeks. Her eyes sparkled with of course cuteness and kindness. Her ears were folded on her head as her shoulders were slumped up as if she was very shy in seeing Octavia looking at her. On her shoulders were the rank stich for sergeant and a red cross under the rank.
"Fluttershy," Twilight said sadly shaking her head. "My first friend in the military and a sweetheart."
Octavia gulped looking at Twilight. "What happened to her?"
Twilight shrugged. "I don’t know. When I heard rumors about Fluttershy, though there were very little, I kind of believed in them."
"Why?" Octavia asked shocked.
Twilight rubbed her eyes. "Fluttershy was a sweetheart and a gentle sensitive soul. For the longest time she was scared of everything like I was. She was always there to comfort me and rock me to sleep when I had nightmares. She was like my older sister." Twilight looked pained at what she's about to say. "For the longest time in the beginning, she was suicidal."
Octavia gasped audibly staring at the picture. "She was suicidal? This pony?"
Twilight nodded." Yeah, hard to believe, huh? She was bullied at a young age and her parents tossed her to the military academy and was never seen or heard from again. She was bullied because of her skittish nature and wanting to help ponies. I remember Rainbow would always be there to stop her from pulling the trigger or slit her throat, she even tied her wings to her back and was ready to jump off a cliff."
Twilight thought hard for a moment before speaking again. "She was alone. That's all I ever knew. Rainbow would sign her on with her during watch rotations. I think it was Applejack's idea. I never knew. But in the end I think it worked. After two months of her going on patrol with Rainbow, Fluttershy finally started to talk and laugh with us. Not once after that had she tried to kill herself. In fact, I believe she would protect us then and there if it came to it. She never picked up a weapon, only in the heat of battle. She and Rainbow were very close."
Twilight smiled at the memory. Octavia flipped to the last portrait to see Rainbow Dash with a determined smirk on her face. Octavia sighed staring at the picture. She flipped to the next page fast getting a reaction from Twilight. Twilight sighed.
"Rainbow Dash was always a head strong pony. She always thought too much with her actions instead of her head. But she is a very sweet pony if you watch her carefully enough."
Octavia snorted closing the book. "I bet that sweet heart is nothing but a cold heart." She said sourly.
Twilight blinked remembering before how Octavia reacted with Rainbow Dash. The two mares heard the strike of a bell. Octavia sighed and stood up.
"I have my quarter of the watch right now."
Twilight nodded taking back her journal. "Right, uh, see you at dinner?"
Octavia nodded and left the room with new thoughts in her mind about the elements of Harmony. Twilight watched the young princess leave the room and bit her lip thinking. She felt tears in her eyes as she hugged the journal to her chest.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Rainbow Dash woke up with a groan from the headache she now has. She tried to move her hand but jerked and opened her eyes wide and looked down to find her hands tied behind her back and her arms tied together with her wings.
"What's going on?" She asked in panic, fighting.
"Just a precaution." Rainbow turned and gasped to see Applejack leaning against the wall. Rainbow looked around to find herself in a dusty supply closet.
"Precaution to what?"
Applejack was flipping Rainbow's knife in the air and catching it with perfect ease.
"So you don’t go nuts with me when I'll ask this question."
Rainbow grunted trying to move in her bindings. "What question is that?" Rainbow spat. Applejack caught the blade and held it up to look at the polished surface.
"What's the worry? The Princess could take care of herself can't she?" Applejack asked watching for a reaction. Rainbow snarled and tried to get out of her bindings.
"What's the worry? She's a princess! A target and the only one that can get your ass out of the gutter and save the galaxy!" Applejack blinked at the answer.
"Sure she's a Princess, Rainbow but I thought I overheard you saying to the prince that she's no princess anymore, but just another worthless hybrid."
Rainbow closed her mouth turning away. "That was before I knew she was alive. Listen to me AJ, I can't allow her to go further in pirate territory."
"And we can’t go back into Canterlot territory either. She's more likely to get killed at first sight by the royal guards than pirates. Pirates will see her as a prize, a gold prize that can be ransomed off."
Rainbow snorted. "Oh right, I'm talking to a pirate. How do I not know that you are planning for the princess to get kidnapped in Everfree, huh?!"
Applejack glared at her. "I know that me being a pirate was hard for you to see Rainbow, but it was the only way to give money to my family. Sure as hell that those royal bastards won’t pay me anymore like they did in the war."
Applejack paused to see Rainbow's glare.
"I'm not sending this ship and all of us into danger. I promise. But I won’t say that trouble won't be waiting or following us. The Outer Rim is a dangerous place ruled by different pirate lords and ladies always in war. So I can’t make promises that we'll be scot free."
Rainbow blinked seeing the truth in her old friend's eyes. Her ears folded back on her head thinking. Applejack noticed how quiet Rainbow was then flipped the knife again.
"What do you see in the filly?" Applejack asked silently. "I know you care for her if you tried to fight me for making the plan to get her friend better."
Rainbow blushed shaking her head. "I can't."
"Why not?"
"I just can’t alright!" Rainbow snapped glaring at Applejack.
Applejack can see the difficulty in Rainbow's eyes then sighed. She walked over and started untying the rope around Rainbow's body.
"Alright, now that we got that sort of out of the way," Applejack stood back as Rainbow pulled off the line of rope and tossed it in the corner. She looked up seeing Applejack's orange hand reaching for her. Rainbow blinked staring at Applejack's scarred hand. She took her hand and Applejack pulled her up to her feet. The two held each other's hands, clasped tightly. Applejack and Rainbow looked into each other's eyes remembering their bond and their friendship.
Rainbow sighed pulling her hand away. "Thanks,"
Applejack was disappointed but nodded. "Sure," Rainbow nodded and went around Applejack then to the door.
"Rainbow," The pegasus Captain turned to her friends back to see her turn slightly to her. "Talk to me when you need it. I won’t judge you by what happened in the past nor who you are. Yer my friend, Rainbow Dash. We have to trust each other again. Not just for us but for Twilight and... the others."
Rainbow nodded slowly. "I'll think about it." She paused then turned away. "Things were hard Applejack. I never tell anypony my problems anymore."
Applejack nodded. "I understand. I just want you to know that you have a shoulder to cry on. I know his death was very fast and hard on you and the Princess."
Rainbow left the room and headed above decks. Applejack sighed pulling off her hat to scratch her graying blonde mane.
"I just hope Rainbow won't kill me." She whispered as she pulled her hat back on. She flipped the knife once more then stuck it in her pocket and left the storage room heading up the stairs to the deck above ready to show Daring and Derpy the course to Everfree.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Octavia stood outside rubbing her arms from the chill of the night. She looked down at her bare gray arms remembering sparing her sleeves for the fillies back on the Crystal Planet. Soon memories flashed from that adventure. Falling from the sky on a busted life craft, the horrible sickening feeling in her gut when she had to keep Twilight's horn to her head while wrapping her head, twisting Sweetie Belle's arm to the right place before making a cast, then seeing Vinyl tied to that chair in the middle of the room unconscious and beaten half to death.
Octavia closed her eyes tightly seeing Vinyl now in her memories from the first moment she saw her dressed as a servant, saving her life from Nightmare Moon. That care free grin and the aloof attitude. Then her bravery in fighting the giant slaves in Fillydelphia and killing the pegasi guards that chased them. Whenever Octavia thought of Vinyl, she could see her smile, the feeling of her energy of always protecting you, no matter who you were, and then the feeling of her touching her face and... Octavia shuddered remembering those two times Vinyl was reaching for her with... what? Love?
Octavia sighed through her nose, hugging herself tighter remembering how close they were to actually kissing that one moment, before all the mess started, that moment of nothing. A moment that was so hard to describe that words wouldn't come close to describing it.
Octavia gulped wishing to feel Vinyl's body pressed against hers. Not for protection, but maybe in actual peace time, just standing somewhere in a dark place holding each other in private with nopony interrupting. Octavia blushed seeing those thoughts, she even smiled at the thought. But then the bad memories popped up.
Vinyl being electrocuted by magic, being shot in the back of the leg, then that horrible moment, Vinyl getting stabbed through by a sword. Octavia remembered the shock on Vinyl’s face as being the most horrifying thing Octavia had ever witnessed. She kept seeing that moment over and over again, seeing it slower and slower. And now Vinyl was fighting for her life. Octavia now felt tears in her eyes. Vinyl didn't deserve the death that was her own. She took the blow to protect her. It was ironic that Vinyl took hits and spills to protect Octavia since that first night they met and neither of those times Vinyl got hurt maybe a scratch but never close to death.
Now after a couple of weeks of memories, thinking, and worrying, Octavia wondered if it was true. Does Vinyl see something in Octavia, that she would protect her? It wasn't the fame nor the money since Vinyl said she didn’t need a reward from the royals. It wasn't for slavery, Octavia witnessed Vinyl save her life in the same place she trapped her in. And even that small moment with her in the masts, Princess and Pauper actually talking to each other like good friends and becoming friends. Did Vinyl really like her?
Octavia sniffed and shivered feeling the light cool wind blowing from the outer rim as she realized something. Why was she so interested in Vinyl's past? Her attitude, her self-sacrifice, her tattoo; what happened to her that gave her all these emotional and physical scars? And another thing she noticed, why does she long to feel the unicorn's arms around her, bearing her ruby eyes into hers, and feel her lips on hers?
She shook her head hard from the day dream.
She didn't know how long she stood there. Probably an hour at most and possibly longer. She felt something warm on her shoulders and turned with a gasp to see Rainbow biting her lip looking at her worriedly.
"You - ahem, were just standing here and you looked cold in that... costume you're wearing."
Octavia gulped staring at Rainbow Dash with fear and a little bit of resentment. Rainbow Dash never did anything for her nor did anything to her. Well except for taking lasers and fighting off assassins but Octavia never knew the Rainbow Dash her father looked up to.
"I'm fine," Octavia said pulling off the red coat and threw it back into Rainbow's face. Rainbow pulled off the red garment with a glare and snarl on her lips. She closed her eyes trying to calm down her anger. She placed her fist and her coat behind her back squeezing the garment as she clenched her jaw trying hard to control her temper.
"It's cold out here Princess, I suggest you head below if you won't accept the coat."
Octavia turned away putting her back to Rainbow staring out into the stars crossing her arms across her chest.
"I'm fine Captain. I don’t need to go below."
"Actually you do," Octavia and Rainbow Dash turned to see Blossomforth walk up still dressed in her armor of dull gold, giving Octavia a stern look.
"But I-"
"You're watch was over an hour ago." Blossomforth said primly with a raised brow at her. "I suggest you do as the Captain says and get to your hammock and get some sleep. You haven’t slept since we changed course to who knows where." She paused and turned to Rainbow. "Where are we going again?"
Rainbow snorted glaring. "Deeper into the outer rim."
Blossom nodded expressionless as she placed her hands behind her back. "Where to exactly, Captain?"
Rainbow huffed. "Applejack said something about some healer that can help the Captain of this boat-"
"Her name is Vinyl Scratch." Octavia said with a growl. "Not 'that Captain of this ship'. Get it right." Octavia snapped as she turned and walked away, trotting down the stairs to the hammock deck to get away from the infuriating pegasi.
Blossom was blinking at the force in the filly's voice while Rainbow was clenching her jaws and clenching her coat. Blossom turned to see what Rainbow was doing with her coat.
"Uh, you alright there Captain?"
Rainbow closed her eyes. "That little brat doesn't even know what I've done for her. Nothing!" Blossom blinked, not hearing anger but pained sadness from the older pegasus. Blossom opened her mouth then turned away thinking of what to say.
"You want to talk about it?"
Rainbow opened her eyes to stare at the sergeant then down at her coat with a heartfelt sigh. She shook her coat a few times then pulled it on her shoulders, seeing the wrinkles where she put her heart aching rage onto the cloth. She remained silent closing her eyes. Blossom looked down to see Rainbow's fists were clenched tight and shaking slightly.
"I'll be at the bow." Blossom whispered turning away with sadness in her eyes as she marched to the bow to take watch. Rainbow took the time to march to the aft behind the cabin block. When she knew she was alone, she leaned back against the wall and slowly slide down to the deck. She hiked up her legs crossing her arms over her knees as the tears fell. She pressed her face into her arms and cried quietly at the mistakes she made. From what happened to her friends, to her relationship with the Earth pony princess.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
15 Years Ago, Manehattan
A younger and not so scratched up Rainbow was walking in quick strides down the empty dark hall towards the royal suite where Prince Tick Tock and his duchess slept. She reached into her pocket as she neared the large double doors and looked to her left and right. She glared, feeling the killer instinct pop up. There were no guards guarding here though Rainbow made the roster telling the ten idiots to guard this hall with their lives. She unlocked the door and opened it stepping into the large foyer. The large shade that blocked the outside is pulled to the side revealing a clear Hearths Warming Eve with a perfectly full moon.
Rainbow closed the door behind her and locked it from the inside just for a precaution. She walked to the servant’s passage and checked the door, locked as well. She checked the door a second time but held no evidence that anypony had unlocked it. She turned but quickly as a precaution, she grabbed a small chair and pushed the heavy thing into place to keep the door from opening. Once that was done Rainbow continued her search around the room for small bombs, spy bugs, even a toy or two. Once she was done with the foyer search she walked into the Prince and Duchess’ room to find the bed empty and clean since the couple left a few hours ago for the Heaths Warming Eve Ball.
Suddenly her sharp ears heard sounds. She turned and smiled, seeing the baby crib at the corner. Rainbow pulled off her hat and walked over placing her that on the set of dressers and looked into the crib to see a one year old Princess Octavia, chewing on the corner of her baby blanket. Her eyes fell on Rainbow and opened her mouth into a toothless smile and let out an excited cry, reaching up.
"Hey sweetie," Rainbow whispered with a large smile of her own. She reached down to tickle the filly under her chin and little stomach. Octavia let out high laughter grabbing her hand. Rainbow smiled as she reached with her other hand to stroke Octavia's small head already growing a full head of black hair. Octavia closed her eyes, enjoying the pet on her head. She even rolled to her side with a yawn as Rainbow moved her hand to her back and started to massage the filly’s back.
Rainbow learned that secret spot when Octavia was five months old. It was an accident that Rainbow rubbed her back and Octavia would act like a little kitten purring by the way she smiled with her eyes dreamily closed.
Rainbow smiled too, feeling at peace being near her. She removed her hand to see the cutest reaction of all. Octavia made a pouty frown turning to Rainbow with a raised brow causing Rainbow to cover her mouth laughing trying to keep from being heard.
"What's wrong, Tavi?" Rainbow asked using the nickname the parents called her, "Did you like that?" Rainbow chuckled as she stroked Octavia's face then started to tickle her again. Octavia's pout soon left her face as she started giggling, trying to grab Rainbow's fingers. She grabbed Rainbow's middle finger and pulled.
"Sweet Luna you are a strong filly!" Rainbow exclaimed quietly laughing. "I guess it's true what they say about Earth fillies, they are strong at such a young age." Octavia let out another cry as she pulled back laughing.
Rainbow didn't hear it but somepony was climbing up onto the small balcony outside the double glass doors of the master bedroom. The black cloaked intruder pushed open the door that was left unlocked for him. He stopped, seeing Rainbow Dash's back as she continued to giggle as Octavia cried and laughed along.
The intruder grinned, quietly pulling out a knife from a silk sheath. He walked carefully on padded feet against the carpet. Rainbow frowned, suddenly feeling something come over her. Her ear flicked then turned and gasped feeling the blunt of the handle of the blade into her head knocking her out cold. She fell hard on the floor, groaning. Octavia laughed clapping her hands unaware that this wasn't another one of Rainbow's silly games. The intruder turned and smiled.
"Oh you like that little hybrid?" The intruder said reaching down as Octavia sat up on her haunches clapping her hands together laughing. Rainbow slowly pushed herself up on her hands and knees feeling dizzy and sick for the trauma to her head. She turned as the intruder grabbed Octavia's mane. Now the baby began to cry from the pain in her scalp. Rainbow groaned, even through her dazed mind she grabbed the intruder by his waist and grabbed the place no stallion wanted to be grabbed. The intruder let out a strained yelp, trying hard to stay quiet as Octavia started sobbing from the pain in her head.
"Let her go!" Rainbow whispered dangerously. The intruder turned to Rainbow still on the ground with her arms around his waist and her hard hand over his precious partners. He stayed silent releasing Octavia then turned to grab Rainbow by her mane pushing her off of him. Rainbow bit her tongue then she pulled the stallion on the floor with her and the two started wrestling on the ground. The stallion was on top of her with the knife slashing her in the cheek and ready for the stab.
Rainbow grabbed his hand over the hilt of the blade and the two wrestled again. Rainbow used her free hand to grab the back of his suit and with a buck of her hips and body, she flipped him over and was on top of him. The two wrestled until Rainbow grabbed a door stop and whacked the stallion in the face. The stallions let out a grunt as he loosened his grip on the knife and tossed it aside. The knife skid close to the crib as Octavia watched the fighting, sucking on her finger with a look of bewilderment or just interest.
Rainbow whacked the stallion again only to feel his free hand punch her in the ribs causing her to wince. With the momentum he rolled over to where Rainbow was on the ground. The intruder grabbed her neck and started squeezing hard with no mercy. Rainbow started to gag, pulling on his locked hands.
"The traitor will die by suicide after killing the precious filly. The General's revenge will finally be over." The stallion whispered sweetly shaking her. Rainbow was turning purple as she continued to fight back. She rolled her head up to see Octavia staring at her. Those innocent purple eyes looked glassy as if she knew what will happen when Rainbow Dash loses this fight.
Rainbow gritted her teeth looking up at the intruder again. She released his hands and quickly punched his left inner elbow causing it to buckle from the burst of power and loosening Rainbow's neck. Rainbow pushed the right arm then with her other hand punched the intruder in the nose. The stallion yelped, reflexively holding his nose. Rainbow punched again and again until the stallion fell on his back with fear in his eyes as Rainbow descended on him grabbing his head in a lock holding him.
Just like in military training in hand to hand combat, Rainbow quickly wrapped her legs around the stallion's waist, both of her arms went under his armpits, one hand on his head pulling off his head mask while the other arm wrapped around his neck pulling back applying pressure.
"Who sent you?" Rainbow whispered dangerously.
"Never tell!" The stallion wheezed as Rainbow applied more pressure.
"Surely the one who sent you is from the military. Who is it? Who sent you?"
The stallion chuckled. "You think I'm the last, Traitor?" He asked chuckling even as Rainbow applied more pressure grabbing a handful of his mane. He winced but started to smile madly.
"There will be more and more like me trained to kill all who goes against The Order!" Rainbow gave him a look of worry as he smiled turning to Octavia as she sucked on her thumb.
"The Order wants her dead and you are a traitor for deserting The Order and protecting the little bastard!" Rainbow tightened her grip out of anger, holding him as he laughed hoarsely in her grip.
"I made you angry, Traitor? Did I? Because I assure you when another takes my place he or she will know who to kill first."
"Not in anger you bastard." Rainbow whispered into the stallion’s ear. "Loyalty,"
Before the stallion could react, Rainbow removed her arm from around his neck grabbing his jaw and with her other hand on his temple and used her strength to snap the ponies neck with a loud snap. The stallion fell over with a surprised look on his face.
Rainbow released the stallion from her legs and slowly stood up grabbing the wall, feeling terribly sick. She ran to the small waste basket and vomited inside. She had never killed a pony like that since her first battle in the war. Doing it after a decade from that moment as a teenager was hard on her stomach. Once she was done and spitting into the basket she used her sleeve to wipe her mouth and chin, panting hard.
Octavia made a small cry that sounded worried. Rainbow sniffed turning to see Octavia standing in her crib holding the bars reaching through them with her arm. She let out a small grunt blinking her innocent purple eyes. When she knew Rainbow was looking she smiled.
Rainbow sighed, looking down at the body then at Octavia. She walked over a little unsteady at first but reached the crib panting. She looked down at Octavia and reached down to pick her up under her arms. She held Octavia into her arms as she walked to the Duchess' small rocking chair she used for situations like these. She sat down with a sigh holding Octavia close to her chest, slowly rocking back and forth. Octavia smiled up at her sleepily and looked up at Rainbow's long mane and reached up. Remembering the lesson from last time, Rainbow quickly grabbed her tiny hand and shook her head.
"Oh no you don't, you little monster." Rainbow smiled with a playful glare, kissing Octavia on the head as she giggled. Rainbow tickled her on her stomach. Once Octavia got tired from that she opened her mouth and let out a long yawn. She closed her mouth then her eyelids looked heavy as she looked up smiling sleepily at Rainbow.
"Oh right, you can’t sleep without that little tune huh?"
Octavia blinked slowly staring at Rainbow. Rainbow held Octavia closer to her chest and started to sing silently to Octavia, singing an old song she learned from her old friend. As she hummed the tune, Octavia blinked sleepily again, but she would twitch trying hard to stay awake as Rainbow sang. Octavia yawned again as she nuzzled into Rainbow's chest. Rainbow smiled stroking her back like before and Octavia wriggled then curled up tighter against Rainbow's body.
When Rainbow ended the song, Octavia was fast asleep against her chest. Rainbow smiled stroking the filly’s head. She leaned down to kiss Octavia on her head with a motherly smile, holding her as she too soon fell asleep against the chair with that same smile on her face.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Rainbow Dash opened her eyes from the memory, feeling the tears dry from her eyes. She looked down at her scarred hand then clenched it into a fist. She took in a breath and let it out slowly. She stood up and left from her hiding place and headed for the hammock deck to go to sleep. She reached the deck and looked around to see Derpy sleeping with some sort of cloth with her thumb in her mouth. Rainbow blinked at the strange childlike behavior and turned seeing Spike and Scootaloo sleeping in a hammock together, in the one above them Sweetie Belle was sleeping alone curled up in a ball.
Rainbow turned to see Octavia sleeping curled up shivering. Rainbow looked at her sleeve then back at Octavia. She blinked once as she saw a flashes of memories of Octavia growing up. From the time she first held her as a foal. To the first smile she gave her while pulling her rainbow mane. Her first steps. Everything came through Rainbow like a wave. Once Octavia learned to really walk on her two feet and actually spoke Rainbow had to separate herself from the filly.
Rainbow shook her head hard, rubbing her forehead. She couldn't get into that guilt trip now. She must kept her mind clear, no distractions on what has to be done. She pulled off her red coat and looked over at Octavia. Rainbow cannot show heart to the Princess in fear of being called weak... No, what was it that she used to make her guilt less painful? Protection. Yes, she did it to protect Octavia. And now Rainbow was all Octavia had left to trust. And she had to get Octavia to trust her again. But how?
Rainbow sighed, silently closing her eyes seeing Octavia’s face filled with fear seeing her. The older she got the more scared Octavia was in seeing her. It hurt, really hurt.
She shook her head again and walked over and carefully draped the coat over Octavia's body. She twitched feeling the contact then groaned and turned over. Rainbow turned away and went into the hammock at the back of the room. She sat down in one and turned to see Raindrops snoring silently. The young mare smiled hugging her blanket rubbing her face against it.
"Ducky," She whispered with a sigh. Rainbow blinked several times then broke into a small smile. She went into the hammock pulling off her boots. She turned over.
Octavia opened her eyes and stared at the coat on her curled body. She sat up to see Rainbow's back to her sleeping. Octavia blinked looking at the coat then at the old guard. She turned around and went back to sleep. Rainbow turned slightly seeing Octavia getting comfortable in the coat. Rainbow sighed with a small grin.
"Sleep tight, Tavi. You need it." Rainbow whispered and soon fell asleep, only to smile hearing Raindrops quack in her sleep.
Daring stared at the screen showing the radar, seeing several small white dots showing planets. She sighed seeing a larger dot and pointed at the dot.
"This must be Everfree."
Twilight leaned in to see the large dot appear again. She turned to Applejack.
"Are the coordinates correct? Everfree is well known as a rogue planet, it doesn't have it's own orbit."
Applejack nodded looking out into the stars squinting her eyes looking around.
"I'm sure. Even without the radar I know where it will be."
Daring gave Applejack a look then turned to Twilight. "And how exactly can you know where this rock is?"
Applejack smiled turning to the bow and pointed at the large strange planet approaches. "True Earth ponies have magic, professor. Our magic is finding suitable rich planets." Applejack turned with a wink at Twilight seeing her smile. Daring blinked at the claim.
"So it's true?" Daring asked intrigued.
Twilight smiled and nodded to her friend. "Of course, I forgot where Applejack came from." Twilight walked over to stand by her comrade, seeing the giant planet loom closer.
"Where, exactly, are you from Applejack?” Daring asked intrigued.
Applejack tipped her hat and turned to Daring. "Eden. The Garden Planet."
"The Garden of Eden?" Daring asked excited. "You're from the greenest planet in the Green Belt?" Applejack nodded.
"True Earth ponies are born there." Applejack smiled leaning forward on the rail. "Where an Earth pony’s magic is strongest that was used to create the infamous Green Belt. The true harvest and breeding planets of the Equestrian Galaxy."
Applejack frowned and stared darkly at Everfree. "And now my people are now looked to as savages and hundreds of my people are killed even in the planets we call our home." Twilight blinked and stood by Applejack and placed her hand on Applejack's shoulder and squeezed.
"Is that why you went to the pirates?" She asked.
Applejack sighed deeply. "I tried to get on Eden but it was taken over by the unicorns. My family, my race, are being treated like slaves." She sighed shaking her head. "I got home, luckily the unicorns didn't take over every farm and plantation on Eden. I got to see my family for the first time in years." Twilight turned away feeling horrible.
"They came that night, taking over the farm and orchard I grew up in. Mac... my brother tried to keep the unicorns from barging in as I tried to run. I remember hearing cries and screams of murder and pain and I knew I made the most grievous mistake in my life. I lead them there. I lead them to my home and they were after me. I was able to get away before more of my friends and my family were killed. They followed me, luckily, but I feared that what was left of my family was now under their slave order." Applejack turned to Daring and Twilight with a glare.
"Nightmare Moon found me running at the docks and saved my life. In a way I became a slave just like the rest of my people. I was forced to stay with Nightmare Moon as payment for being saved. I did as she said and did what I wanted. Kill unicorns and pegasi scum that did this to me."
Daring stroked her chin giving Applejack a searching glare. "Did you kill innocents?"
Applejack stiffened, turning back to the professor with a glare. Daring quirked her brow with a glare of her own. Twilight looked down to see Applejack's hands clenched tightly into fists. She was eerily silent and Twilight could see the conflict and guilt in Applejack's eyes.
"I killed hundreds of ponies in my life. That's all I can say." Applejack walked off turning towards Everfree. "I suggest we prepare supplies and the life boats. Bring plenty of guns. There are monsters in in the forest and some are even pony shaped."
Applejack took the nearest stairwell and headed down the hatch towards the engine room. Twilight turned away, feeling horrible sadness and guilt. Daring sighed rubbing her face.
"I have a bad feeling about that pony, Twilight."
"Applejack is the most trustful ponies I know..." Twilight paused turning away. "And she is a master in killing ponies."
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
"Planet ho!" Raindrops voice echoed through the tubes waking everypony who was asleep. Rainbow sat up hearing the call reaching for her knife but finding her sheath was empty. She turned rubbing her eyes of sleepiness. She opened her eyes to see all the hammocks were empty of bodies. She turned to Octavia's hammock to see it empty. She looked down by chance then felt her heart jerk seeing the red coat on the floor by her feet. It was folded neatly by her boots.
She reached down to the coat and picked it up and sighed, rubbing her thumb over the red stained cloth. She sighed again setting the coat down to pull on her boots. She unfolded her coat and pulled it on as she rushed up to the deck in time to stare in awe at the giant planet before her.
"So that's the legendary Everfree?" A voice said. Rainbow turned to see Blossomforth standing by her with Raindrops standing behind her with her arms crossed across her chest.
"It's a little ominous ain't it?" Raindrops asked with a shiver in her wings as she swiped her shaggy aqua bangs out of her eyes. Blossomforth sighed with a nod.
"We were told to get prepared for the drop off."
Rainbow nodded with worry turning to see Applejack, Twilight and Daring talking to each other as if planning. Twilight had a journal and was marking in it. Knowing Twilight, it was either drawing or note taking. Rainbow sighed, possibly the latter since it was so many years ago since Twilight drew pictures.
Twilight turned and smiled with a wave for the three pegasi to walk over. The three walked over to Twilight and Daring and Applejack.
"Alright now, here's the plan. We can't have too many ponies on the ground. There is a dock by a large gorge and we'll tie the ship to the dock." Applejack turned to see Apple Bloom walking over with a grin on her face.
"The ship is ready, ma'am!"
Applejack smiled and ruffled the younger Apple's mane. "Atta' girl, go help Sweetie Belle with the food supplies." Apple Bloom nodded and ran off. Rainbow turned to see the young unicorn looking at Apple Bloom as the two ran together to the mess deck.
"Wait a sec, I thought you said that this ship will be docked while preparing the lifeboat?" Blossom asked. Applejack sighed.
"’Cause the dock is the only safe place to keep our ship at and to avoid being noticed by some unwanted company." Applejack said looking around expecting a pirate ship to come by. "Besides we can't bring every pony on this trip, so the rest of the group will have to stay in the ship."
"So who's going?" Raindrops asked rubbing her arms as if chilled, staring at the large dark green planet.
"Well me of course.” Applejack answered. “I have to lead y’all to the place. Then I believe Professor you are fluent in most Zebra languages right?"
Daring nodded. "Well I did take three years of Zebra in high school." Twilight chuckled seeing Daring's smile of pride.
"Of course, I was thinking of asking Raindrops to join us to help the professor carry the captain on her stretcher." Raindrops nodded.
"Sure... can I?" She asked turning to Blossom for permission. Blossom bit her lip thinking, the look on her face didn't look encouraging.
"As much as I would love for Raindrops to learn about different planet terrains I don’t think that's wise."
Raindrops sighed with a pout getting a slap in the back of the head for making an unsoldierly act. She whined rubbing her head, glaring at her commander as Blossom gave her a look.
Applejack sighed. "Well I can take the uh... helmspony." She whispered pointing to Derpy to see her staring into her musket barrel peeking in. Her finger pulled the hair trigger and let out a zap of laser. Luckily Derpy was centimeters away from being zapped. She yelped dropping the musket brushing her singed banes. The group let out a common wince of worry.
"I'll go," Twilight said with a determined look.
"Absolutely not." Daring yelped out before Applejack did.
"But Professor!"
"No," Daring said firmly. "You’re the Element of Magic and allowing you into an unpredictable place like Everfree is just pushing it. Besides I need you here to protect the Princess."
"She's not coming?" Rainbow asked.
"I don’t think it wise." Daring said just as Applejack clear her throat.
"Why not let her come along?" She asked innocently.
"No!" Rainbow snarled glaring at Applejack. "Octavia is not to leave this vessel."
"I am too going to leave!" Everypony turned to see a glaring Octavia with a new puffy sleeved white shirt, her salmon vest still on her. She was dressed like a spacer alright, to Rainbow's surprise.
"Absolutely not!" Rainbow shouted out with a glare. "You are not leaving this ship. It's way too dangerous to be out in this place."
"I can take care of myself thank you, Captain Dash," Octavia said primly with a glare of her own though her eyes shown fear.
Rainbow snorted. "Oh yeah? What about back in the temple? You weren't in control then and you were almost killed."
Octavia bit her lip thinking. "But Applejack wants another pony to carry Vinyl's stretcher. Since Corporal Raindrops cannot because of her uh commander's orders, and Derpy being incapacitated for the job, and Twilight unable to come either to protect the ship and the children, I belief it's best I should go. You need my help." Octavia turned to Applejack mostly. Rainbow turned to see Daring with a pained look. Even Twilight was thinking too.
"You, you can't be serious." Rainbow sputtered staring at Applejack. "She can't go."
Applejack shrugged. "Well I don't see why I can't let a fellow Earth pony help out."
"What?!" Rainbow yelled out as Applejack smiled at Octavia.
"Besides, Royal or not, she had guts running from the Nightmare Moon and Blueblood and all. And I say she can come with us."
Rainbow blinked several times opening and closing her mouth at the shock, pointing at Octavia to see her jumping with excitement.
"Thank you! I won’t let you all down." Octavia said with a salute to Applejack. Applejack smiled and saluted back.
"Now head on down and get the captain ready." Octavia nodded and headed to the cabins.
"What about Luna?" Twilight asked suddenly.
"We'll worry about her once we get situated." Applejack said worriedly. "I have to talk to my friend about her before we do anything with her. Right now the main problem is getting Captain Scratch better. Once we get situated we can get the others here with the Princess."
Twilight nodded at the idea realizing why Daring wanted her to stay.
"You can count on me in protecting the ship." Daring smiled and patted her on the shoulder.
Rainbow stood there thinking hard and fast, trying to figure out what to do. She could order for Octavia to stay on the ship but... she sighed and turned away to think more ignoring the planning of the landing and the travel. The only thing that worried Rainbow was Octavia's safety. She can’t allow Octavia to just go where ever she wanted with this type of company. Not that Rainbow didn't trust Applejack... Okay, she doesn't trust her old friend with the princess.
She turned, watching Spike and Octavia as they carried a stretcher with a sleeping Vinyl strapped in. Rainbow blinked to see how sickly the unicorn looked. For the first time since the dungeon she got to see Vinyl, and now she felt sick herself seeing how bad she looked. Octavia and Spike set Vinyl down as everypony got to look at her. Applejack turned away as they started to enter the planet's atmosphere.
"Don’t y'all worry none," She declared. "I'm sure my friend will help her. Captain Scratch will be back and kickin' soon." Octavia smiled at the Earth pony and turned back to Vinyl, stroking her face with her finger.
"I hope so."
Rainbow turned to see the large gorge Applejack told everypony about.
"Keep a look out everypony, the dock is a tiny thing, easily missed." Applejack called out looking over the rail searching for the dock. Rainbow continued to watch Octavia as she sat by Vinyl. Rainbow blinked seeing how Octavia was stoking the unicorn's face and how she sat there looking at her worriedly. Rainbow shook her head at the thought that plagued her mind. What if the Princess was falling in love at the worst possible time?
"Found it!" Spike called out pointing. Applejack ran to the dragon and smiled patting him on his head.
"Good eye, dragon."
"Uh, it's Spike."
"Right Spike, good job." She turned and waved to Derpy at the wheel. "Hey, take her down."
Derpy nodded as she steered the ship in the direction Applejack pointed. Everypony looked over the rail to see the dock. It was a single dock made out of very old rotting wood timbers and looked less than maintained. Raindrops, with a large line of rope, leapt over the rail and used her wings to keep herself floated as she tiptoed on the weak dock and to the largest tree on land. She started tying the large rope around the tree. Once she put a tight knot around the large tree she waved them over.
Derpy saluted and let out a sigh as the ship bobbed up and down on the thrusters like an actual boat in the water. Applejack sighed seeing Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom come up to her with two large packs of food supplies and canteens of water.
"We got it all ready, Sis!" Apple Bloom said with a smile. Applejack took the bags.
"Great, now go on and help Twilight get the lifeboat out here."
"Aye-aye!" The fillies both exclaimed turning to see Twilight already running down the first hatch to the mess deck. They followed her down to help.
Applejack sighed pulling up her long sleeves as she tossed the first sack up to Raindrops in the air. Raindrops caught the sack in her arms then she flew back to solid land and placed the sack down and returned to help grab the second one. Rainbow stiffened feeling the ship shake slightly and the sound of the life boat flying from under the ship and flew over them, then hovered over the ground as Raindrops tossed the bag up to Twilight's hands. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle leapt out of the life boat and carefully walked back to the ship.
Rainbow watched as Scootaloo walked over with laser muskets and a bag filled with pistols and chargers. Rainbow watched as Scootaloo reached Daring and Applejack as they grabbed the muskets and the pistols. Daring took the bag and placed the strap on her shoulder. Rainbow walked over as Applejack was reaching for the musket in Scootaloo's hand. Rainbow grabbed the musket and took it away.
"I'm going." She stated flatly checking the sights on the musket.
"What?" Daring asked.
"I'm going with you."
Twilight walked over seeing the looks on their faces.
"Rainbow, I believe it's best for you-" Daring began but Rainbow gave her a glare that shut her up.
"I'm going with the Princess." She said firmly pulling off the bright blue charger to check the ammo charges to find it had twenty shots left. She stuck the charger into the port and thumped it, hearing the click. She pulled back the small lever on the bottom to hear the high whine of the musket and charger charging together.
"Where she goes I must be there to protect her."
"I don’t need a body guard." Octavia said in defense.
"Like it or not," Rainbow snapped. "I'm going with you and keeping an eye on you. AJ was already pushing it far enough bringing you here in the Outer Rim but it's a step too far if I end up hearing that you got eaten by a monster."
Octavia stiffened turning away. "Besides, your father will haunt me forever if I don’t go with you." Octavia turned to Applejack to see her with a pained and worried expression as her eyes made a double take to the forest with a gulp.
"Uh sure, why not? I can use a second shooter while the soldiers are protecting the ship." Applejack grabbed the last of the muskets and headed down the gangplank and carefully stepped on the dock and walked quickly to the life craft tossing her things up to Raindrops to get in the boat.
"Come on, let's get the Captain in here. We have a long ride to get to the village before nightfall."
Octavia turned to Daring to see her walking over. Twilight came up suddenly holding on to Daring's satchel.
"Here are your things, journals, books on the Zebra culture and-" Daring chuckled patting Twilight on the shoulder.
"Thank you, Twilight. Remember, stay here. When we make good ties with the natives we'll be back and bring the rest of you there."
Twilight nodded biting her lip with worry as she stepped back letting Octavia and Daring leave the ship. Rainbow followed the two down the gangplank to the lifeboat. Applejack and Raindrops helped Daring and Octavia get Vinyl's stretcher into the boat. Rainbow watched as Daring used her large wings to leap up into the boat then reached down for Octavia's hand. Octavia reached up to grab her hand. She let out a yelp of surprise when Rainbow's hands went under her arms and lifted her up to the boat with Daring's help. Rainbow then leaped up and climbed in, then sat down in the boat as Applejack started pushing buttons to start the engine. She reached up getting the solar sail up.
Everypony turned to see Twilight waving at them. Raindrops stood by the unicorn saluting to them. Applejack made a two finger salute as pushed the craft forward leaving the ship behind as they rode into the forest.
Rainbow turned to see Octavia sitting by Vinyl keeping her hand on top of Vinyl's chest to hold her in place as they flew fast over the forest.
"How long will it take us?" Rainbow asked looking around keeping her eyes peeled for trouble. Applejack gulped looking around.
"Probably a two hour ride in the weather we are in. But Everfree weather is unpredictable. Just as the monsters within."
Rainbow tightened her grip on the musket as she kept a close eye on the trees.
"So, how many times have you been to this village?" Rainbow asked with suspicion. Applejack gulped scratching her neck as she turned a bend causing everypony to hold on.
"For the last five - six years? Once a year type of thing. I stopped seeing her when Nightmare Moon was staying in the galaxy closer to the Outer Space Stations. So I had no reason to take a life boat to visit her.
"Sounds like you two are close." Daring inquired adding her voice. Applejack smiled.
"We go way back..." Applejack's voice fell as see turned away, keeping an eye on the tree line.
Daring raised her eyebrow at that. She turned to Rainbow and thought up another conversation.
"Captain Dash?"
"What?" Rainbow asked keeping her vigil of the trees.
"If you don’t mind me asking... but you seemed really close to the Prince. Are those rumors about you two true?"
"What rumors exactly Professor?" Rainbow asked a little defensively.
Daring shrugged. "I don’t know being as through you two were in the rebellion war together and you saving him many times."
Octavia turned slightly to see Rainbow glared at the trees.
"The rebellion wasn't a happy time Professor. You know that considering you were a soldier before."
Daring blinked then blushed. "I was but I got out because of an injury I took in the Discordian war. So I was able to sort of get away from the rebellion as it were."
Rainbow smirked. "Good thing you did doc. I don't doubt you would have been killed for disloyalty back then."
Daring blinked then turned away, closing her eyes for just a second to see the pegasi and unicorns before her yelling and screaming. Then she felt the bite of the whip on her back. Daring shook her head hard blinking open her eyes.
“So would you, the way I heard it."
Octavia blinked wondering what Daring was doing. Was she interrogating Rainbow Dash? She looked up to see the talk between the two pegasi. Rainbow remained silent bowing her head.
"Let’s just say there were some things I ignored for a couple of years before I was reminded who I was turning into. I left as soon as I could."
"What changed that mind of yours?" Daring asked carefully.
Rainbow sighed heavily swallowing hard. Her eye looked glassy. "I lost so many ponies I cared about that I doubt nopony would care if another left their ranks." She said harshly turning away. "Can we stop talking about my past and keep looking, I can't be distracted."
Octavia turned away holding the Luna's Tear in her hand and gulped remembering that image of a younger Rainbow Dash crying in a dark corner of her room. Crying like a poor filly after witnessing somepony's death before her eyes. Of course she did lose that one pegasus and a whole squad she considered her family during the rebellion.
After an hour of silence Octavia turned to see smoke. She turned to the adults to see them too busy watching over the sides into the forest.
"Uh, excuse me but where would the village be?"
"Why'd you ask that?" Applejack asked. Octavia gulped and pointed forward. All three mares turned to see the smoke. Applejack cursed quickly pressing several buttons, speeding up the craft. She sued the levers to lower the ship as she pressed more buttons to slow it down. Rainbow and Daring watched the incoming smoke strings in the sky.
"The village?" Daring asked worriedly. Applejack nodded maneuvering the life craft to the ground in a clearing. Applejack pressed a few buttons then the solar sail folded in and slid into the box behind the controls. Applejack found a rope and tied it around a bench then leapt out of the craft. She squatted in landing from the ten foot drop. She found a strong tree and wrapped the rope around the trunk twice then tied a touch knot to keep the boat from being taken. She walked over to the craft as Rainbow and Daring took a musket and looked over at the source of the smoke. Octavia sniffed the air and coughed.
"What is that smell?" She exclaimed covering her nose from the stench. Rainbow's feathers shivered feeling the shiver down her spine.
"Bodies," She whispered. "By the smell, I say there is a lot of them."
Daring nodded with a worried frown. "Applejack?" She asked. Applejack gulped looking toward the source of the smoke and smell.
"Get the Captain down, we walk the rest of the way."
Octavia watched as Daring and Rainbow took the ends of the stretcher lifting Vinyl up and over with their wings and laid her down on the forest floor. Rainbow looked up and motioned Octavia to come down with their weapons. Octavia grabbed the muskets and tossed them down one by one as Rainbow caught them and passed them to Applejack and Daring then wrapped the leather strap around her body. Octavia grabbed the last musket and then pack of pistols and chargers. She leapt over and landed in a squat on the ground, groaning from the pain in the muscles around her ankles. Rainbow grabbed her under her arm and pulled her up as she winces.
Daring gulped. "What are we getting into, Applejack?" She asked sternly checking her weapons as she reached inside the bag to pull out a pistol with a fresh charger. Applejack gulped looking into the trees sniffing the air.
Applejack pushed off the safety as all ears heard the whining of the charger charging. "Hopefully nothing but the remains of a battle.” She said seriously taking charge. She turned to Rainbow pointing at her. “RD, I want you on our back. Keep an eye and ear for anything behind us. Doc and Princess, you two carry the Captain. I'll be on point leading you guys to the village."
Rainbow nodded as she pressed the safety of the musket off. Daring gulped stuffing the pistols in the waist band of her pants as she turned to Octavia as she pulled the bag over her head and arm like a sling.
"Octavia, you take the head I got the feet." Daring ordered as she knelt down to reach the grips. Octavia nodded as she kneel down and took the grips from behind her.
"Alright, one, two, three, lift." Daring and Octavia both stood up lifting Vinyl up.
"You got her?" Daring asked.
"Yes, you?"
"Yes." Daring turned to Applejack. "We’re ready."
Applejack nodded as she slung her musket over her head and shoulder then pulled out her pistol from her pants and started forward.
"Keep silent, alright, no talking unless you hear or see something understand?" She ordered. The two civilians nodded while Rainbow kept an eye on the forest around her with the musket in her hands.
"Just like White Wood, AJ?" Rainbow asked smiling.
Applejack snorted, shaking her head. "This is way different than White Wood, RD. This place has worse monsters than snowmen."
Rainbow shuddered. "You just had to remind me about them." She muttered to herself as she continued forward in silence.
As the four continued their trek through the thick forest, the stench of rotting, burning corpses were getting stronger causing Octavia to gag and cough.
"How much longer?" She whispered loudly coughing.
"Not far now." Applejack answered silently over her shoulder. Applejack stopped by a large tree with strange carvings on the trunk. Applejack rubbed her fingers over the carvings then started looking around. She flicked back the hammer of her pistol and pulled back the slider, hearing the charger charging.
"What's wrong?" Rainbow asked trotting over to Applejack seeing her getting ready for a fight.
"There should be guards here." Applejack answered with a glare, looking around. "There are always guards around here or standing here." Daring walked over to look the carvings.
"Incredible, this is the western tribes, right?"
Applejack ignored her looking around. "Later Professor." Rainbow answered looking around. Octavia gulped looking around, it felt like hundreds of eyes were watching her.
"Follow me and stay close. RD, I want you right by the stretcher got it?"
Rainbow nodded as she charged her musket, walking close by Octavia as Applejack lead them through the thick brush. Octavia yelped being wacked by a small branch. Applejack peeked through and turned back to the others coming over.
"We're at the entrance. Stay close." The group nodded as Applejack pushed through the bushes and walked into a large clear dirt path. Octavia gasped to see what laid before her. Daring and Rainbow Dash both gasped in shock seeing the giant village before them. The huge village was comprised of large wooden structures with rounded roofs made of wood or branches with large thick leaves. But what marred the beauty of the village were the dead bodies of striped ponies. Stallions, mares, and foals laying in heaps either burnt or rotting with flies flying over their bloated bodies.
Rainbow covered her mouth her pupils shrank to pinpricks. Daring was staring at the carnage with shock. Octavia gasped turning away biting her lip. Applejack on the other hoof, dropped her pistol shaking. Applejack's mouth was agape as her eyes stung from the tears forming. Rainbow Dash gulped and shook her head from the shock as she walked over to Applejack.
"AJ?" She whispered.
Applejack continued to stare at the burnt husks of several homes. She turned to the left and cursed running to a dead zebra mare. The three watched as Applejack pulled the body to where the dead mare was on her back. Applejack placed her fingers under the mare’s jaw and searched for a pulse, but felt nothing and groaned, covering her eyes with her hand.
Daring cleared her throat and Octavia saw what she wanted. The two carefully placed Vinyl on the ground. Octavia sat down by Vinyl's side as Daring looked around at the dead tribe ponies. Rainbow walked over to Applejack and placed her hand on her shoulder again.
"Was that the healer?"
Applejack shook her head. "No, she was a trainee the last time I saw her. She was training to be a healer from..." Applejack gasped turning toward the village standing up.
"Ladies!" Everypony but Applejack turned to Daring to see her pointing at a dead body. "I believe I know who done this."
Octavia and Rainbow ran over to the body Daring was pointing at. The body was a unicorn mare dressed in raggedy clothes. Daring knelt down to pull a bit of cloth away from the unicorn's chest to reveal a tattoo over the unicorn's collar bone. Rainbow snarled seeing the all too familiar mark.
"Unicorn Royal Guard." She spat. Daring nodded.
"There are a few of them. There could be more nearby." Daring stated worriedly looking at the other dead guards nearby. Rainbow turned to see Applejack still staring at the burnt buildings
"AJ! What's up?" Rainbow called out. Applejack gulped and for the first time in a while Rainbow could see tears running down Applejack’s face. She trotted over as Applejack was breathing hard clenching her jaw.
"Where's our healer?" Rainbow asked carefully. "Is she among the dead?"
"I hope not." She whispered. "She's too important to be dead now." Rainbow suddenly blinked, stiffening, backing away from her. Applejack blinked turning to Rainbow Dash with dread. She turned and trotted into the village. Rainbow gasped, closing her eyes, as a memory flashed behind her eye lids.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
25 Years Ago: The fourth year in Second Discordian War
The explosion shook the foxhole, Rarity felt the impact of the explosion falling onto the ground. She laid still knocked out from the impact of the hard ground.
"Where the hell is Fluttershy!" Rainbow screamed out grabbing Rarity’s uniform, pulling her body into the hole. Once safely in the foxhole, Rainbow started firing lasers with her pistol. She ducked as several lasers hit the dirt mound around the fox hole. She turned to see Pinkie Pie sitting Rarity up against the dirt wall. Rarity groaned as Pinkie probed her, checking for broken bones. She did find a nasty bruise on Rarity’s forehead.
"Her horn's loose!" Pinkie yelled out when another explosion rattled the ground again.
Rainbow shook hard looking around. "Where are AJ and Twi?"
"I don’t know, they went out on patrol and haven’t come back yet.
"Shit!" Rainbow snarled ducking again. Suddenly something hard and metal hit her head and bounced into her lap. Rainbow and Pinkie stared at the grenade.
"Throw it!" Pinkie screamed holding on to Rarity. Rainbow jumped grabbing the grenade and threw it in the air just when it exploded, sending shrapnel everywhere.
"Get moving!" A voice called out. Rainbow looked up and smiled to see Applejack looking down at them. "Get moving! Get moving!" She ordered pointing away.
"Roger!" Pinkie yelled out pulling Rarity over her shoulder and started to climb out of the foxhole. "AJ, Rarity's hit hard and her horn's loose." Pinkie yelled out again as she felt a laser buzz past her ear causing her to yelp and duck.
Applejack paled at that. "Great! Twi's missing and Rarity's incapable of doing magic!"
"Where's Fluttershy?" Rainbow yelled over the whine of a laser ball flying past them. The group gasped seeing one soldier running toward them screaming a battle cry. Applejack didn't answer the question as she turned then stabbed the enemy soldier with her bayonet. She ran forward grabbing Pinkie’s sleeve to get her to follow her. Rainbow was right behind them.
"AJ where is Fluttershy?!"
Applejack leaped into a foxhole filled with dead soldiers. Rainbow and Pinkie jumped in as another explosion shook the earth along with screams from the soldiers caught in the explosion. The three mares panted hard from the run, Pinkie carefully flipped Rarity off her back to the ground sitting her up as she started ripping her uniform for a quick fix.
"Is Fluttershy gone?" Pinkie asked with fear.
Applejack gulped. "I hope not." She said with worry turning away looking over the lip of the foxhole. "She's too important to be dead now."
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
The vision faded away, Rainbow gasped as she turned and started running after the Earth pony.
"Wait a second!" She yells out running. Octavia and Daring noticed and quickly grabbed Vinyl and started after them.
Applejack stopped panting at an intersection of the roads looking around seeing more dead Zebras everywhere, worrying. Rainbow stopped by her grabbing her sleeve pulling her close glaring into her eyes.
"You better be fooling me." She snarled. Applejack stared into Rainbow's burning eye. Applejack was scared and shaking. "Who is the healer? Who is she really?"
Applejack gulped turning away, her ears flat on her head. Rainbow's glare lessened as she backed away, fear etched all over her face. Applejack looked back at her biting her lip. Rainbow didn't need the verbal answer, she shook her head looking around.
"Please Luna no!" She whispered looking around. "She was here? She was here and you didn't tell me!" Rainbow snarled. Daring and Octavia just reached the two to see what was happening. Applejack bowed her head.
"She promised me never to tell anypony RD, she made me Pinkie Promise,"
"You could have told me or even Twilight that she was still alive!" Rainbow screamed out, tears pouring from her eyes. "We all thought that she was dead! Suicide!"
Octavia looked between the two mares trying to figure out who they were talking about.
"You didn't think that I knew that? I told her that everypony will know, but she made me promise Rainbow Dash. I can't turn my back to the only friend I had left in the galaxy!" Rainbow turned away then growled pulling out her pistol, grabbing Applejack’s shirt, and held her pressing the pistol under Applejack's chin.
"You knew how important she was to me! Tell me everything you son of a bitch!" She whispered harshly. Octavia and Daring immediately lowered Vinyl to the ground.
"Captain stop it!" Octavia screamed out grabbing Rainbow's arm, trying to pull her away.
Applejack smiled sadly. "It was hard keeping it a secret from you though. She made me make sure not to let you know about her." Rainbow snarled pushing the barrel harder against Applejack's neck, applying pressure to the trigger.
"Stop it!"
Everypony turned and gasped to see a yellow pegasus dressed in tribal clothing, her pink mane was cut short with a black and blue headband around her head. She had several different necklaces made of string and twine with strange beads and stones. Her turquoise eyes were filled with sadness and fear. In one hand she was holding a wicked knife that caused Octavia to shiver. Behind the yellow pegasus were tall, lean, strong zebras with spears and knives and dressed like warriors. Stallions with tribal pants or shorts made of hide while the mares dressed like the pegasus, hide shirts and pants with their bare feet.
Rainbow gasped as Applejack blinked an waved.
"Fluttershy?" Rainbow whispered releasing Applejack. Octavia gasped staring at the tall pegasus with shock and wonder.
"The Element of Kindness, Fluttershy?" Octavia said out loud without thinking.
Fluttershy gulped stepping back. Rainbow stepped forward only to yelp seeing one of the mares stepping forward thrusting her spear forward. Rainbow jumped back to stand by Octavia. Fluttershy sighed showing anger as she stepped up to the zebra.
"Why are you here?" She asked angrily which shocked both Octavia and Rainbow. Applejack cleared her throat.
"It's the matter of emergency." She said pulling off her Stetson hat, rubbing her head. "Recently I had a falling out with the pirates and a unicorn was hurt badly. We gave her magic and it helped heal her but she got an infection, not only that but a deadly disease."
Fluttershy looked to the mare and started to speak softly to her. The zebra blinked then turned to Applejack and her party. She walked forward to stop at Rainbow and Octavia. She pointed at them. Rainbow blinked looking at Octavia and pulled her behind her to block her from any possible attacks. Octavia pulled away from her.
Fluttershy leaned in as the zebra whispered to her. Fluttershy blinked and turned to stare at Octavia then nodded.
"My friend here has told me that you have power, earth pony?"
Octavia blinked. "Y-yes, in a way." Fluttershy blinked then turned to Rainbow Dash to see her staring at her in shock. Fluttershy gulped biting her lip then turned to Applejack.
Octavia quickly stepped up. "Please are you the healer Applejack told us about?"
"Maybe," Fluttershy answered bluntly.
"Well whomever it is please, my friend, she's dying from dark foul magic that was used against her when she was a filly. She's suffering from it now and we can't do anything to help her not even Twilight Sparkle can heal her."
Fluttershy blinked surprise dawned on her face. "Twilight? Twilight Sparkle? How did you know of-"
"I am Princess Octavia, I hold the Luna's Tear... uh, I mean the Crystal Guardian." Fluttershy's ears perked at that. Octavia smiled. "You know of the Crystal Guardians?"
Fluttershy nodded. "Yes I had dreams about them. You have one of them?"
Octavia smiled. "Yes. The Crystal Guardians told me about the Elements of Harmony. I knew Twilight since I boarded my friend's ship." Octavia said indicating Vinyl. Fluttershy turned to the zebra and spoke to her silently. The zebra nodded and lowered her spear and struck it on the ground and pointed away. The warriors nodded and left the area to start tending to the dead.
Fluttershy called out in the zebra language for two young warriors. She pointed at Vinyl then at some other direction. The two stallions nodded and ran over to lift up Vinyl and carry her away.
"Where are you taking her?" Octavia asked quickly watching Vinyl disappear behind several structures.
"Not to worry." Fluttershy said. "They're taking her to our infirmary." Octavia sighed. Fluttershy walked over to place her hand on Octavia's shoulder. "Don’t worry young one. I'll do what I can for her." She turned to Applejack, Daring and Rainbow Dash. She sighed turning away.
"Are there more of you?" She asked coldly with a cold glare. Applejack jumped.
"Well yes, but they are guarding the ship with another sick friend. She's important but right now I know you need to focus on Captain Vinyl."
Fluttershy thought for a moment then turned away. "What if I don’t want to treat her? I have so many others that need my utmost care."
Rainbow’s mouth dropped open. Applejack cleared her throat.
"What happened here, Fluttershy?"
Fluttershy glared at a dead pegasus dressed in burnt uniform and walk away.
"The royal guard are expanding their borders. It's hard to keep peace when they recognize me." Applejack motioned the others to follow as she walks with Fluttershy.
"The royal guard is out of control Fluttershy-"
"And what am I supposed to do?" She asked stopping to glare at her old friend. "You want me to leave?"
"Well uh-"
"No, I cannot leave here, Applejack. These zebras need me. Zecora is getting old and the whole tribe believes me to be the next healer and shaman here. If you want me to kill ponies again I have to decline."
Applejack turned away. Octavia ran up. "Please, Fluttershy." She begged. Fluttershy stopped to stare at the princess. "I know you might have some feelings against royalty and to other ponies that chased you like a dog, but please can you at least help our friend and maybe...we can help you in return."
Fluttershy blinked staring at her for a moment. "What makes you think I want something in return? I never ask for anything for what I do."
Octavia gulped. "I am a Princess, the sixth in line to the throne. If I make it to Canterlot unscathed I can help ponies like you and Applejack. It's my destiny to bring back my people and help ponies that need it."
Fluttershy gave her a quizzical look. "A Princess, hmm?" Something about her tone didn’t encourage the young princess.
"Yes she is." Rainbow said with a light threat in her voice as she stood by Octavia with a warning glare at Fluttershy. "And when she gets to Canterlot she will change the laws for good."
Fluttershy looked at Rainbow the hardest as Rainbow’s glare lessened as she turned away with a blush. Fluttershy turned to Daring to see her standing silent.
"And you?"
Daring jumped and turned to her and bowed slightly. "Forgive me, my name is Daring Do, a professor of archaeology and lost civilizations from Luna University in Canterlot."
Fluttershy gave her a long hard look. Daring cleared her throat.
"Twilight has told me much about you, Sergeant Fluttershy."
Fluttershy stiffened at that and turned away thinking. She sighed heavily and groaned. She turned to Daring and pointed a finger at her.
"Don’t you ever call me by that title again!" She turned to Octavia and Rainbow Dash with a glare. "I'll check on your friend. But if I learn that you lied," She snapped pointing at Octavia with a glare. Rainbow held out her arm to block an attack on the princess.
"I won’t hesitate to lace her food or drink with something nasty."
Rainbow blinked at the true defined threat. Fluttershy never used threats, only twice she did but that was an act to some interrogations back in the war. But in the shy pegasus' eyes, she was really serious.
Fluttershy turned as the elder zebra walked up with her spear leveled with a glare.
"Zecora here will take you all to separate hollows and each of you will be guarded by a warrior." Zecora let out a whistle and four zebra warriors came out of nowhere with knives and staffs. Rainbow shook her head.
"I have to disagree."
"Oh?" Fluttershy asked interested and yet angered at the same time.
"I have my oath to my prince to protect his daughter. And I will be her sole protector."
Fluttershy made a grin shaking her head. "Of course you would protect the slime bags that tried to kill us."
Rainbow bit her lip turning to the zebra shaman with a glare.
"I don’t need you." Octavia said backing away. "I can protect myself."
"Not when there was a threat against your life." Rainbow snapped quickly glaring at Fluttershy. Fluttershy snorted turning away.
"Too bad, if I keep you royals and guardians together, who knows what you all will do to me, a traitor to the Canterlot galaxy."
Applejack stiffened feeling the staff to her back. "Fluttershy this isn't what you think,"
"Really?" Fluttershy asked glaring daggers at the earth pony. "Then what should I think. That I'm safe from the likes of them!" She spat pointing to Rainbow and Octavia. "I guess that fight we had a few days ago proves that I'm never going to escape the death and suffering of you ponies!"
She turned to Zecora and nodded saying a few words harshly then turned away. Zecora nodded and separated Rainbow and Octavia into the arms of two warriors. Daring held up her hands as a knife was pointed to her face. Applejack raised up her hands as well as the warrior behind her took her pistols. Octavia was held fast by Zecora and the young warrior.
"Wait a minute, will you help Vinyl?!" She begged. Fluttershy smiled turning away.
"I help all that needs it. And seeing your friend… I will help her." Octavia gulped seeing the smile on her face. "Maybe a touch. As long as you don’t do anything you will regret."
"What?" Octavia asked with shock. This healer was threatening Vinyl's life.
"Take them away." Fluttershy ordered and nodded to Zecora. Zecora nodded with a smirk on her face as she called out an order in the zebra tongue. Octavia was pushed into her warrior guard and was forced to walk forward. Rainbow snarled and tried to fight back, but it was too little to go against her guard. She marched forward with a snarl at the zebras. Daring walked forward with her hands behind her head mumbling quick lessons on how to speak their language. Applejack was pushed forward with her hands behind her head with worry plaguing her mind.
The four prisoners lead by the zebras went into a large, burnt shack. Octavia looked around the inside to find the large place to have been half burnt. She could see melted glass bottles on the blackened shelves, ash from baskets with herbs, old tribal motifs that were either blackened or turned to piles of ash from the fire. She took a step and gasped hearing a crack and looked down to see what was under her boot. As the zebras were watching Fluttershy and Zecora moving large crates to the side, she knelt down to pick up what looked to be an old picture frame.
She pulled her sleeve over her hand and started rubbing the warped glass of soot and gasped to see a pink face smiling with her arms around a younger Rainbow Dash's neck. Octavia started rubbing more soot off the picture to see that the heat warped the colors off the photo to reveal Rarity with a tea cup in her hand. Twilight was smiling up at Pinkie, Fluttershy was grabbing Rainbow’s arm holding her up from falling over. Applejack had a cigarette between her lips smirking at Pinkie.
Octavia blinked realizing that this was the same photo Rarity took from her cabin in Canterlot from the vision. Her mouth dropped open staring at the picture. She jumped hearing a noise and hid the frame in her vest, crossing her arms across her chest to keep the frame from falling out of her vest as she was pushed forward.
Fluttershy grunted, pulling up what looked to be a heavy wooden door. She turned and grabbed Octavia's arm and pulled her to the door then pushed her down to the stone steps. Octavia turned and was given a dark look from the pony. Octavia glared back but did as ordered. Her zebra escort leaped down behind her from the ground floor pushing her forward down the steps. Octavia turned hearing some swearing as her company followed behind her.
When she reached the end of the stairs, she felt hard packed dirt under her boots as she was pushed forward by her guard to step to the side by the dirt wall. Octavia stood with her back against the wall as the others came down standing by her. There was a loud boom from above and the sound of a lock being thrown. The four watched as Fluttershy came down with Zecora by her side.
"Tie them, and take all weapons." Fluttershy ordered in Equestrian. The zebra by her side nodded and repeated the order in Zebrican. The guard by Daring nodded and slapped her staff on Daring's arm then motioned her to raise her hands. Daring gulped holding up her hands.
"Incredible! The zebras understand you?" Daring asked intrigued. She winced seeing her knife and pistols taken away. Fluttershy smiled and turned to Zecora. Zecora returned the smile and chuckled.
"I do understand your words. To me most ponies sound like squawking birds."
Daring smiled then yelped feeling her hands being pulled down behind her back as her guard tied thick twine around her wrists and tied it in a tough knot. Rainbow was given the same treatment until Fluttershy ordered more to be done with her.
"Tie her arms to her sides, and make sure her wings are bound to her back, too." Fluttershy barked. "She's good at escaping."
Rainbow blinked in shock as the zebra wrapped a thick rope around Rainbow’s body keeping her arms to her side and her wings pressed to her back. She gritted her teeth with sadness in her eyes as she stared at Fluttershy. Fluttershy turned to see Applejack being checked of weapons too, then was tied as well. Fluttershy thought for a moment.
"I can trust that you won’t do anything rash?" Applejack nodded. "Good," Fluttershy turned to Octavia as the zebra guard tried to uncross her arms from her chest.
"I don’t have anything." Octavia said quickly, turning to Fluttershy.
"I suggest we check." Octavia gulped then sighed as she uncrossed her arms and raised her hands to the back of her head. The picture frame fell out of her vest and clattered to the floor. Octavia bit her lip looking down then back up at Fluttershy. Fluttershy stared at the frame picking it up to stare at it. She raised her brow looking at Octavia then snorted.
"I don’t need this." She pressed the frame to Octavia's chest. Octavia lowered her hands to grab it before it fell again. Fluttershy thought for a moment. "Don’t tie her." Fluttershy ordered. "Just make sure all her weapons are taken."
The zebra guard let out a click of his tongue and holding up a small pen that he took from Octavia’s pocket. Octavia blinked with shock. It was Vinyl's laser pointer. Octavia gulped forgetting that she had put the little device in her pants pocket earlier on the ship. She could have used it.
Fluttershy took the pen and smirked. "Well, you have an interesting knife here." She handed it to Zecora, the elder zebra took it, intrigued by it.
"A knife you say? What lives were at bay?" She asked intrigued by the slender device.
"It's a tiny laser,” Fluttershy answered. “Depending on what button you press the laser can be fatal or harmless." She raised her brows seeing Octavia look down. "But keep her in check." Zecora repeated the order to the zebra warrior, he nodded with a grim face. Octavia gulped. Fluttershy sighed, rubbing her forehead.
"You four will be put in different cells for a time. If you behave I might let you off the hook. But it'll take time before I can fully trust you." She said dangerously looking at Rainbow Dash the most. Rainbow gulped feeling her ears fold back on her head.
Zecora nodded and gave out the order. The stallion guarding Octavia, grabbed her elbow and pulled her with him down the earth tunnel. Octavia was steered to the left to see another tunnel. She turned and pulled back to see Daring going to the right, Applejack was behind her while Rainbow continued straight down the tunnel. Octavia was pulled away seeing Rainbow looking at her.
"Wait a second!" Rainbow snarled pulling but was pulled away from the tunnel. Octavia gulped as she was pulled with her guard down the hall.
Octavia turned to see Applejack with her head bowed low as if in shame. Octavia gulped looking down at the photo again to see Applejack smirking. What had happened to these ponies?
The guard went down another hall with zebra warriors standing at attention with their backs against the walls. Octavia blinked at the oddity of seeing tribal zebras standing like soldiers in an army. The guard led her to a room past a hanging blanket. Octavia stopped to see two beds on the floor. She turned hearing Applejack being led inside the room. Applejack was released and the two guards left the two in the room. Octavia turned to Applejack to see her rubbing her face.
"Well they will be outside guarding. No running off." Applejack said walking to one of the beds and sat down with a grunt and sigh, rubbing her leg. Octavia blinked remembering Twilight’s story about Applejack’s leg. She gulped then sat down on the small bed across from Applejack, crossing her legs looking at the photo again. Applejack noticed the frame in Octavia’s hand.
"Where did you get that?" Applejack asked.
"Huh?"
"That picture?" Applejack asked pointing at the frame. Octavia handed the frame to Applejack to let her look at it. Applejack sighed with a small smile on her face seeing the old photo.
"I remember this. It was RD's birthday and we were on leave for a week to celebrate. A photographer took our picture and handed us six copies for each of us to remember that day." Octavia started to think.
"What happened?" She asked.
"The government happened." Applejack answered, stroking the still form of Rarity. She closed her eyes as she handed the picture back to Octavia. "It was as if something happened while we were together in the war. All the ponies in Canterlot have forgotten all of us that fought. There were only unicorns and pegasi and they must be in the military and fight for the queen at all costs while the rest of us, like you and me, left rotting in prisons or working forced labor with no pay. No happiness, no more of anything that made us ponies."
Octavia blinked and nodded. "Hybrids suffer a lot worse."
Applejack nodded. "I know. It's horrible." Octavia nodded.
"Applejack?" Applejack looked up pulling off her Stetson. "How come you all are so different?"
"What do you mean by that?"
Octavia blushed with a shrug. "I don’t know, it seemed that you all were so close and so happy. Like uh Fluttershy, I thought she was always so sweet and sensitive not this mean and nasty."
Applejack nodded. "She did turn hateful, and there is nothing I could do that would change her back.”
"What caused it?"
Applejack shrugged. "I don’t know what Fluttershy went through. All I know is that she ran away from the pegasi army, deserted in front of hundreds of them. Then somehow she came to Everfree. I don’t know how, but she did." Applejack sighed shaking her head. "It took me weeks just to get her to trust me and now I'm afraid she won’t trust me again."
Octavia gulped. "But she left you untied like me."
Applejack shrugged. "We're still friends. She knows I won’t hurt her. But you…" Applejack sighed. "Fluttershy is smart and she can tell the way Rainbow protected you that she'll use you to get her revenge."
"Revenge?" Octavia asked with worry. "What revenge?"
"Rainbow’s a pegasus. The pegasi did horrible things to her from what I can get from Fluttershy. But I think Rainbow made her running away even worse. Since Rainbow was one of the top officers of the Order, Fluttershy might look to her as the perfect target of her revenge but she'll have to use you to get it."
"But I'm not-"
"I understand." Applejack said quickly. "But to Fluttershy she sees you as a link to get what she wants. She will threaten your friend, and in turn make you do what she wants. And if something happens to you Rainbow will get hurt."
Octavia blinked at the confusion of it all. "Rainbow doesn't care about me only her lousy loyalty to my father and the royals." Applejack opened her mouth to talk back but stopped, closing her mouth. She turned away thinking.
"Well," She opened her mouth to yawn. "It's getting late, we'll talk in the morning."
"What about Vinyl?" She asked. Applejack sighed laying back on her pallet with her hat over her face.
"She'll be fine." Applejack answered. She turned to see Octavia biting her lip with worry. "Don’t worry, Fluttershy might threaten to harm her, but she won’t harm an innocent, weak mare like Vinyl. Fluttershy will do everything she can to help Vinyl get better. Now get some sleep, let’s just hope that Fluttershy won’t do anything stupid."
Octavia gulped not really confidant in what Applejack said. She pulled off her boots then wrapped herself in her blanket on the pallet. She stared at the photo again, seeing the smiling faces of the Elements together. But her eyes kept staring at Rainbow and Fluttershy.
"What did you do that made everypony hate you?" Octavia whispered hearing Applejack get comfortable on the pallet. She sighed placing the picture frame on the floor by her boots. She laid back down in her pallet then closed her eyes, trying to fall asleep in such a strange, hostile place.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Fifty zebra warriors were slinking through the forest towards the small ship moored at the tiny dock. One zebra with dirt over his white stripes turned to his second and nodded, pulling out an arrow and set it on his string.
"Go," He whispered. Slowly the ground shifted as the fifty zebra warriors snuck to the dock then to the ship.
Inside the ship, Twilight sat up from her cot rubbing her head and feeling the sudden fear and worry in her heart as she looked around her room. She blinked several times until she heard something outside her door. She leaped off her bed, grabbing her boots and her sweater. She pulled them on then stopped before her door to reach for her knife and the pistol on the table by the door. She kept the weapons since her experience on the crystal moon. She checked the charger then set it inside the pistol and pulled the lever for it to charge.
She reached her doorknob and stopped hearing hoof steps from the other side. She sighed taking control of her mind and heart then she pushed the door open and held out her pistol. Military training took over a she kept the pistol pointed out in front of her checking her surroundings until she pointed it at somepony and gasped to see that it was Scootaloo, staring at her with fear on the floor.
"Oh Luna, Scootaloo, that was you?" Twilight asked lowering the pistol to see Scootaloo sigh in relief. Scootaloo nodded with a sheepish smile. Twilight groaned pushing her pistol into her pants then grabbed Scootaloo's hand and lift her up on her feet.
"What were you doing running around?"
Scootaloo blushed rubbing the back of her head. "I was getting things for Derpy and Blossomforth. I didn't mean to wake you. I thought you were down in the hammock room."
Twilight chuckled. "Nope, I've been sleeping up here."
Suddenly there was a sound that caused Twilight to grab Scootaloo pulling her behind her. She pulled out her pistol, pulling back the hammer for it to fire.
"Were you alone?" She asked.
Scootaloo gulped. "Uh mostly."
"Mostly?"
"I only saw Blossomforth last on deck. Derpy's up in the crow’s nest keeping an eye from the air."
"Raindrops?" Twilight asked walking forward as her heart continued to pound hard. She never felt like this since the war when the Elements would give them warnings to trouble and now she could feel that power through her veins. There was something wrong.
"She's asleep."
"Crusaders?" Twilight asked using the nickname the crew gave to the fillies.
"Asleep, too."
"Spike?" Suddenly the door was kicked open and on the other side were zebra warriors.
Scootaloo screamed out jumping back behind Twilight. Twilight held up her pistol at the three heavy stallions glaring at her. One of them yelled out pointing his arrow at her. Twilight gulped backing up with one arm around Scootaloo to keep her protected.
The three stallions walked in. Outside Twilight could hear the cries of the zebras fighting somepony outside. While Twilight was distracted she felt an arrow pierce her shoulder causing her to scream out staggering to the wall. Scootaloo gasped, holding up Twilight. Scootaloo noticed the pistol in Twilight’s hand, she grabbed the pistol out of Twilight’s hand.
"No Scootaloo!" Twilight screamed out with fear as Scootaloo pointed the pistol at the stallion in front of her. He looked down on her with a large raised brow. He sighed.
"I'll do it!" Scootaloo squeaked out shaking. "I will shoot!"
"Scootaloo, stand down now!" Twilight said quickly, but calmly. "They will attack if you don't put down the gun!" Scootaloo turned to Twilight then back at the stallion. She gulped.
"What about Vinyl? She won’t stand down to these monsters!"
"Vinyl's not here, Scootaloo." Twilight said softly sitting up with her hand over her wound, the arrow between her fingers. "Being a fighter, you must know when you cannot fight. Especially around tribe men like them that don’t understand our language. Stand down and kneel to show them you won’t fight them."
Scootaloo looked at the other two stallions holding up spears and swords. She sighed closing her eyes. Usually in a three to one odds in the arena where she grew up in, that pony would be dead even if he or she killed two of the fighters. Scootaloo thought through everything she was taught by Vinyl to fight until the death but Twilight had a point.
She sighed and dropped the pistol then knelt down and placed her hands behind her head, staring at the floor, feeling anger. The zebras lowered their weapons. The leader pointed to Twilight. One of the zebras ran over and grabbed Twilight under her arms and got her on her feet pressing his large hand over her wound as she winced. The second zebra grabbed Scootaloo by the arm hoisting her up as they pushed the two mares out of the cabin block.
Scootaloo gasped to see at least thirty zebras standing on deck. Five of them are holding spears to everypony on the ship that were tied together.
"Scoots!" Sweetie Belle called out as she was pushed to a mare to be tied up. Twilight walked over feeling strong arms grab her. She stayed completely calm as possible as a mare used her large knife to cut off the tail end of the arrow. She gulped as they braced her then they pulled out the arrow from her shoulder. Twilight bit her tongue hard with a groan as a pad of cloth was pressed to her shoulder.
Twilight blinked open her burning eyes to see the mare actually tending to her wounds. She looked at the mare to see her wearing a headband of blue and black around her head. She bowed to Twilight and turned away snapping her fingers at the warriors. Twilight kneeled down watching the warriors spreading out like soldiers guarding the ship.
"What's going on?" She whispered. She turned to see Derpy being forced on her feet with hers arms and wings tied to her body and her wrists tied behind her back. She was pushed forward down the gangplank. The zebra stopped her and started tying a thick line around her bound wrists. A second zebra grabbed Raindrops, her face bloodied up from when she fought against the warriors. She was tied the same way as Derpy and was forced down the gangplank. The lead line was tied around her waist to connect the two pegasi.
This continued on until Twilight and Scootaloo were at the end, arms tied to their sides with their wrists tied behind their backs.
"Where are they taking us?" Apple Bloom whimpered with fear.
"Possibly to their camp." Twilight said calmly as they started to march down the trail.
"And what are we supposed to do?" Raindrops snarled.
"We must be calm and do what they say for now." Blossomforth said just as calm.
"But Sergeant-?" Raindrops started.
"No buts Raindrops, we'll be fine."
"How can you be so sure?" Spike asked as he waddled with them.
"They weren't trying to kill us." Twilight said loud enough for everypony to hear. "I would be dead right now if they did."
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Fluttershy walked down the dirt halls calmly thinking. She turned the corner and entered the large cavern where hundreds of zebras were laying in cots. Many were wounded, others were crying over their dead loved ones. On the other side of the room, a foal was born to the cheering of the zebras. Fluttershy smiled at that direction, but frowned with sadness seeing a mare cover the face of a foal who was beaten by the royal soldiers.
Fluttershy reached a pair of stairs and climbed up to a separate part of the cavern where the zebras made rooms out of mud and stone. She checked each of the rooms to see the critically injured or important figures of the tribe within them. Once she was done she entered the last room and pulled back the blanket door to see Vinyl panting hard and sweating in her sleep. Fluttershy turned to see two young mares that were trainees. One of them was folding Vinyl's clothes while the other was finishing wrapping Vinyl in her blanket. The two mares looked up with surprise. Fluttershy smiled holding out her hand to tell them to continue what they were doing. Fluttershy stood over Vinyl to get a look at her from above.
"What has been done?" She asked in Zebrican.
"We undressed her just as you ordered." One of them said. She had a cloth wrapped over her left eye from a past injury. "We then blessed her for fast healing and to ward off angry spirits that might have followed her here."
Fluttershy nodded. "Good, Zen?" She turned to the second mare. She was younger than the first mare. She gulped blushing slightly as her green eyes sparkled.
"I did the same with her clothes as well. And Shaman?"
"Yes?"
"They smell terrible!"
Fluttershy chuckled. "That is the way of the inner planets. They are so dirty that their clothes carry every scent from Canterlot to Hoofington."
Zen covered her nose with a silent, "Yuck!" As the second mare was making a face at Vinyl. Fluttershy sighed.
"Well, it's time to get this over with. Zing?"
"Yes, Shaman,"
"Please find Shaman Zecora."
Zing bowed and left the room. Fluttershy sighed turning to Zen.
"Come closer Zen, you must learn as much as you can to be a shaman."
"Of course, Shaman." Zen sat on Vinyl's left while Fluttershy sat on her right. Fluttershy pointed to stone ledge on the wall as Zen reached over to produce a small wooden bowl with a rag inside.
"Are the oils in place?"
"Yes, Shaman,"
Fluttershy nodded pulling off the shawl she wore to reveal her tank top and the burn scars on her shoulders. Zen gulped seeing the marks and the reddish splotches on her shoulders and arms, even up her neck. Young ones always told stories of how the outsider got her marks. Some say she crashed a pony’s ship into the forest and would have burned to death if it weren't for Shaman Zecora who was gathering plants for her healing poultices. Of course the tribe wanted the outsider dead but the outsider knew so much about healing that she saved the chieftains daughter from death. Since then Shaman Fluttershy became one of them and trained by Shaman Zecora to be the next shaman. Many zebras still look to Fluttershy as an outsider, a bringer of death to their people but Fluttershy proved again and again that she was there to stay and to help.
The two turned seeing Zecora enter the room. She turned to Zing and ordered her to continue healing other zebras in need. Zing nodded and left the room. Zecora walked in and sat by Fluttershy close to Vinyl's head.
"You are about to begin I presume?" She asked in Zebrican.
Fluttershy nodded. "Yes, but I still need you to see her wounds."
Zecora nodded. "Watch closely my student, we shall see if we find what has built this dent?"
Fluttershy smiled at her use of words. Fluttershy pulled off the blanket to reveal the damage that was hidden earlier by Vinyl’s clothing. Zecora pursed her lips with her eyes scanning everything about the naked patient. Zecora rubbed her chin thinking, studying Vinyl’s body.
"Hmm, it would seem she is a strong warrior by her muscle tone."
Fluttershy nodded with a little worry. "Yes it seem she must be a fighter or a warrior." Zen looked up seeing Fluttershy's glare. Zen gulped remembering how long it took for Shaman Fluttershy to get over the anger of the outsiders invading their home.
"Pay attention Zen." Zecora snapped causing the mare to jump with a blush.
"I'm sorry Shaman Zecora. It's just so strange,"
Fluttershy nodded with a little discomfort herself. "It is uncomfortable, but for you to continue your studies and training, you have to take this next step."
Zen nodded blushing. Fluttershy sighed looking down at Vinyl's stomach to see many small scars and a large one over her navel.
"Hello," She whispered pressing her hand over the large scar. Zecora reached her hand over and placed it over Fluttershy's.
"Concentrate with me. Use the magic you possess and look at the cause."
Fluttershy closed her eyes and breathed with Zecora until the vision came clear. The vision of how the scar was obtained but the cause was clouded by other memories over time. Punched, kicked, a hammer slam into the gut, and then the sword. Fluttershy gasped opening her eyes removing her hand fast, she felt it! She shuddered holding her stomach. Zecora took in a breath and let it out slowly, then opened her eyes.
"You have much to learn before you take my place. You must have a moment in your own space."
Fluttershy nodded sliding back to give room for her teacher as she controlled her emotions. Zecora hummed a small tune as she pressed her fingers over certain points of the unicorn's body closing her eyes as she felt the magic flow.
"Hmmph, interesting life this pony has. Makes me wonder what else would come to pass."
"Meaning?" Fluttershy asked calming down. Zecora waved her over.
"Help me," Zecora took a hold of Vinyl's shoulder as Fluttershy and Zen helped the shaman flip Vinyl on to her front. Fluttershy gasped while Zen merely groaned. Zecora blinked expressionless as she stared at the scars lining Vinyl's back and shoulders.
"Fluttershy, do you know of this affliction. I do not know it's definition.” Zecora asked pointing at the black mark on Vinyl’s shoulder blade area.
Fluttershy gulped peering closer to the mark, trying to figure out what it was. She rubbed her finger over the mark.
"This was burnt on. I never seen such a mark nor this type of procedure of tattooing."
"Perhaps the winged one with gray mane might know." Zen said quickly. "She identified one of the outsiders with a mark on its body."
Fluttershy thought a moment, thinking, she turned to Zecora. "Perhaps she knows. Though I knew by the armor it was a soldier but they knew it by a mark. Maybe I should ask that pegasus the question."
"Perhaps you should," Zecora said softly carefully flipping Vinyl back on her back. They heard her wheeze and started to cough silently. Zecora sighed rubbing her hands together.
"For right now, I must prepare the medicine that could."
Fluttershy thought a moment of what her teacher was saying then it clicked. "Which brew?" She asked.
Zecora sighed. "Find Poison joke, we need it's nectar for the healing pace to poke."
"How long?" Zen asked as she pulled out a vial with blue green grains, nectar from the poison joke plant. Zecora sighed as she took the vial and crawled to the rock bench and start making a potion in a small stone bowl.
"Depends on how strong the magic is. If nectar can be strong enough to change a pony perhaps if we add more ingredients," Zen and Fluttershy watched their teacher work until the blue nectar started to turn orange by the liquids and plants she added in the bowl.
"There," Zecora exclaimed being careful she tipped the bowl into a ceramic jar. She reached in with a spoon and poured some of the orange soupy mixture into a clean ceramic bowl.
"Let this go down her throat." Zen nodded crawling to Vinyl and held her up. Fluttershy stood behind Vinyl to hold up her head. Zecora nodded and let the soupy mixture down the unicorn's throat causing her to choke some. Once the bowl was empty Vinyl started coughing.
"Close her mouth!" Zecora ordered quickly. Fluttershy wrapped her fingers around Vinyl's muzzle to keep her from coughing and started rubbing her finger up and down Vinyl's throat causing her muscles to swallow. Zecora nodded.
"Good, good," Fluttershy released Vinyl's muzzle. Vinyl’s head lolled forward.
"What now?" Zen asked. Zecora sighed placing a lid over the jar and set it on the bench. "Give her a small bowl full before her breakfast every day. Hopefully it will heal her. It'll be a long time before she wakes." Zecora stood up grabbing her staff.
"What now?" Zecora stopped at the doorway.
"Zen, you must stay here until evening, I'll take over for the night, and then Fluttershy shall take the next morning shift. Understood?" The two trainees nodded.
"What about food?" Fluttershy asked worriedly.
"Do not fret my student, we give her our soup and that will fill her up enough."
There were pounds of footsteps and a warrior ran up bowing to them.
"Apologies Shamans. We have returned from the Outsider Boat."
"And?" Fluttershy asked standing by him. Zecora closed her eyes with a silent sigh watching Fluttershy with worry, sensing her growing anger.
"We have found more outsiders."
"Where are they?" Fluttershy asked with a snarl. Zecora blinked standing up. She placed her hand on Fluttershy's shoulder to calm her. Fluttershy sighed and smiled at her teacher. Zecora smiled in return.
"Where are they now?" Fluttershy asked calmly but her eyes convened her anger.
"We took them to the chamber, Shaman."
Fluttershy nodded leaving the room. Zecora sighed shaking her head.
"Shaman?" Zecora turned to Zen.
"Yes?"
"What's going to happen to Shaman Fluttershy?"
Zecora went silent for a moment then sighed again with sadness. "For right now, it's the Gods decision on what will take place. Fluttershy must set her pace before cutting to the chase."
Zen blinked at the strange words, she nodded sitting down. Zecora smiled and left the zebra alone with the sleeping unicorn.
Vinyl blinked open her eyes to see the bright sun above her. She groaned and slowly sat up on her rump as she rubbed her head feeling a strange headache. She looked around to find herself laying in a familiar place. She stood up just as a strong breeze blew by. She covered her face as the breeze blew loose sand and trash around her. Once the wind subsided Vinyl blinked several times to find piles of metal and trash everywhere.
"I know this place." She whispered looking around in a circle. Then she stopped to see the skyline of the Manehattan Space Port. And true enough the blast of wind came from a ship that blasted off. She gulped looking at the garbage heaps hearing the echoing laughter from children. She walked forward following the sound of laughter. She walked past a junk heap and gasped to see actual children playing together in the trash finding old treasures. She could see a pegasus colt using a screw driver putting together some plates of metal to make a box. She turned hearing a scream to see a filly chasing two other colts with a pipe and an old pirate hat on her head.
"Arrgh! I'm the pirate queen of the galaxy!" She screamed out as the colts ran away dressed in armor like royal guards.
Vinyl walked into the clearing with shock as the children continue to play without even noticing her. One filly noticed her and waved at her. Vinyl jumped then slowly waved back. The filly was shoved by another foal.
"Tag you’re it!" The earth pony screamed out running away. "Glory's it!"
"Oh yeah!" The pegasus called Glory asked running after the earth pony.
Vinyl reached back then slowly sat down in a pile of old rotting wooden wheels watching all the children play. No pony was hurting each other but playing. What made it astounding was seeing well-dressed foals while the rest of them, who were street orphans.
"But how? No pony played here since I was..." She blinked seeing more kids playing. Together. It was like watching the Crusaders playing together but this was larger in scale.
"Scratchie?" Vinyl gasped hearing a male voice and looked up and gasped to see a familiar earth pony stallion staring down at her from the top of the garbage heap she was sitting at. He slid down the heap and landed on the ground next to her staring at her. Vinyl blinked for a moment as she slowly stood up staring at the blue stallion with a dark blue mane and his golden eyes looked just as pure as she remembered.
"Noteworthy?"
Noteworthy blinked several times staring at her with shock. He grabbed her arms, pulling her closer to him to get a better look at her. He looked at Vinyl’s blue mane, he grabbed a hand full of her blue locks and tugged.
"Ow! Hey, what gives?" Vinyl yelped out pulling away from him.
"Oh wow..." He whispered smiling. "It is you! I thought...Wow."
"Wow, what?" Vinyl asked confused.
Noteworthy was an old childhood friend of Vinyl's. They grew up together and they would always play in the junk yard with the other kids. The last times she saw him...
"Wait a second," Vinyl whispered pulling back, pointing at him. "You're... you’re dead as a colt! How did you-" Noteworthy grabbed her by her arms to stop her.
"I am dead, Scratchie." Noteworthy said sadly though he was smiling.
"But you're a stallion!" Vinyl whispered seeing that he was an adult, not a colt anymore.
Noteworthy chuckled looking down at himself, he was dressed in a nice shirt with a vest, and his trousers looked clean and patch less.
"Yeah, I've been here for ten years." He said with a sad smile. Vinyl was in shock.
"Ten years? That was when you died." She whispered.
Noteworthy closed his eyes nodding.
"But how... I'm... Dead?" Vinyl whispered looking at her hands then around her starting to panic.
"No," He said silently smiling at her.
"No? I'm not dead?" She asked confused.
"Correct, but not." Noteworthy said, wrapping his arm over her shoulders like he used to do when they were younger. "Right now you are walking between life and death.
"I am?" Vinyl whispered with fear.
Noteworthy nodded with a frown. "Yeah, you are."
Vinyl collapsed hard on her knees, then on her tail breathing hard, trying to understand what happened to her. Noteworthy sat down next to her placing his large blue hand on her scrawny shoulder.
"I'm glad to see you again, Scratchie. It's been so long since I last saw you."
Vinyl sniffed feeling tears, she looked up at him smiling. "I've missed you so much. There were many times I dreamt of killing myself to see you and my... mom."
Noteworthy smiled and stood up. "You can see her."
"What?" She asked staring up at him again. He nodded taking her by her arm and pulling her up on her feet.
"Yeah, come on." Noteworthy lead the way down the familiar trail that Vinyl used for going home back in their childhood.
"Really?"
Noteworthy could see the desperation in her eyes. He nodded with a smile.
"Really, but we must hurry.”
Vinyl nodded running after Noteworthy through the junkyard, then they took the old dirt road up the hill reaching the old rickety gate that was the entrance to the old junk yard. Vinyl stopped to see a unicorn playing a guitar, she gasped, recognizing the pony. His old rotting clothes were now fresh and new and colorful, his old squished hat was now crisp and new with a fresh black band around the white hat.
"Guitar Pick?" Vinyl asked with shock as a vision of the past popped up. An old withered stallion sitting on a paint can playing with his old well used guitar. The strings all stretched out as he played the difficult tune. She shook her head to see him now, smiling. The old stallion tipped his hat.
"Nice to see you too, squirt."
Vinyl gasped pointing at him as Noteworthy was chuckling. "You... you can't talk!"
"I can, now." The stallion said chuckling as he started playing the strings between his fingers. Noteworthy took her by her hand and pulled her with him up the incline toward the small village. Vinyl blinked hearing children laughing as they ran past her and Noteworthy. Vinyl stopped to watch them run and screaming with true smiles on their faces. Vinyl followed Noteworthy up the incline until they reached the tiny neighborhood filled with nice handmade homes. Vinyl was in shock, the last time she saw these homes, they were rotting away or too damaged to be livable.
"Noteworthy, hello!" An elder voice called. Noteworthy waved at the elderly mare as she waved back. "Is that Grace?" The woman asked.
Vinyl stopped and blushed at the mention of her real name. And even worse she didn't remember the old mare. She bit her lip trying to remember her name.
The old mare walked over without her cane. Vinyl blinked remembering back in her memories that the old mare would always sit in her rocker with a hard scowl on her face. She would always get up with her cane and shuffle to her house, but now she was walking straight up on her two back hooves without her cane. She walked up to her fence to Noteworthy and Vinyl.
"Look at you," the mare said chuckling, pinching Vinyl's cheek. "You look like old Vinyl Scratch. Where is that ruffian?"
Vinyl rubbed her cheek with a blush seeing the old woman actually smiling at her.
"I don’t really know where he is, Mrs. Dew."
Suddenly the old woman gasped with a sparkle in her old brown eyes.
"Why Grace you actually called me Mrs. Dew?! What has this world come to?"
Vinyl blushed. "Well I have matured since then, Mrs. Dew."
Mrs. Dew chuckled patting Vinyl on the shoulder. "Welcome home, dear. We all missed you. Oh, and tell your mother good day for me?"
"We will!" Noteworthy answered back pulling Vinyl with him up the street.
"Holy... I almost forgot the old mare." Vinyl whispered feeling emotional seeing familiar faces at their yards or porches waving at them. Actually this place looked like it was the first time it was built. All nice and clean. Not broken down like it was when Vinyl was a child growing up.
"Where are we Noteworthy?" Vinyl asked feeling tears in her eyes.
Noteworthy smiled. "Can you believe this place? It’s the heavens, Scratchie. Can you imagine a place like this filled with so much peace?"
"Peace? Here? Never!" Vinyl said with shock.
"It's true. Everypony that died back there was taken here to grow up." Noteworthy said seeing Vinyl shake her head amazed by all this.
The two turned the corner and Vinyl stopped seeing the picket fence that marked her old house. Noteworthy smiled and stepped back. Vinyl blinked wishing for him to come with her. He read her eyes and shook his head.
"Sorry, Scratchie. I have to go and take care of the little ones at the junk yard. That's my place here. Like it was before."
Vinyl bit her lip again watching him stick his hands into his pockets and walked back down the road to his junk yard home. Vinyl turned rubbing her arm to see the house that her own father had built for them. She sighed pushing open the gate and let it shut behind her. She turned to see the white fence set up as if it was fresh and new. She gulped at the weirdness of it all as she walked forward to the porch. The small, two-story home looked brand new, just like in the photographs of when the house had been finished.
She looked down to see the grass so lush and green. There were small bushes that were there in the beginning, the old chair swing was there too! Vinyl gulped stepping up the three steps onto the porch looking at the swing. She turned to the white doorframe and placed her hand on the painted wood. She gulped hard looking at the sky blue door. She sighed and knocked on the door.
She gulped hearing footsteps. She reached up to find that she was wearing her sailor cap and pulled it off. That was when she noticed that her hat looked brand new and clean. She looked down to see her spacer gear that had been ruined by Blueblood's guards and pirates, only to see that they looked brand new. Her shirt wasn't stain, her vest had no patches, and even her trousers looked well and maintained. Even her boots were polished.
"Damn," She whispered as the door opened. She turned and gasped just as the earth pony mare on the other side gasped as well. Vinyl blinked her eyes burning seeing the short beautiful mare before her. A light magenta mare with light blue mane and her beautiful purple eyes. She's dressed in her brown dress with her white apron over her dress.
"Grace?" The older mare asked in that sweet voice that Vinyl yearned to hear for so long.
"Mama?" Vinyl whispered the dam that held back her tears broke at seeing her. Her mother lunged forward and hugged Vinyl holding her tight. Vinyl hugged her back crying into her shoulder. She felt her mother's lips on her face. Vinyl could hear her mother's soft sobs and felt the tightening of her arms.
"Welcome back, my little Gracie."
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Twilight paced to the left as her friends were sitting on the wooden bench stuck on the dirt wall, or laying on the dirt floor. Raindrops was fiddling with her fingers glaring at the wall and would glance to the floor next to her, watching Princess Luna sleep. Blossomforth was standing at the corner thinking as well. Derpy was sleeping next to Scootaloo, who was sleeping on the floor. Sweetie Belle was dozing off against Apple Bloom’s shoulder as Apple Bloom watched the unicorn pace. Spike was watching with worry.
It had been two hours since the crew of the Fancy Flute had been captured by the zebras and taken to the cavern. As they traveled through the forests, Twilight noticed that the zebras were whispering to one another in their language. Some were angry while others were nervous. Not to mention the fact that four zebras were carrying the comatose princess spacer. By the looks of fear on their faces, it was no doubt that they must have known of Luna. Twilight remembered hearing one of the young warriors pointing at Luna when they brought her out of the cabin block. He looked spooked. The leader ordered for something since the younger warrior bowed and called for them to carry Luna. But the looks of it, they were very gentle with her.
Once they reached the caverns and were taken to their cells everypony's wounds were tended to. Twilight thanked the healer as she ordered a sleeping pallet for the sleeping Princess. The zebras had left them alone ever since.
There were voices past the blanket door where zebras were guarding the doorway. Twilight stopped pacing, staring. Apple Bloom shook Sweetie Belle awake as Spike woke up Derpy and Scootaloo. Blossomforth and Raindrops turned, watching the shadows from behind the curtain. Three ponies came through. Two zebra warriors moved to the two corners of the room with their knives and spears out in the open for all to see. Twilight stared at the pegasus mare that walked in. She blinked as the pegasus stared at her with shock.
"When the royal said that you were here Twilight, I thought it was a lie." Twilight gasped, really seeing her for the first time.
"F-Fluttershy?" Twilight whispered stepping forward only to get shout from the zebra as he held up his spear. Twilight backed up feeling tears in her eyes. "You were alive all this time?" Twilight whimpered.
Fluttershy blinked turning away toward the zebra and said a word in Zebrican language. The zebra blinked with surprise and nodded with a bow. He ordered the second zebra to follow him out of the cell leaving Fluttershy alone with the outsiders. Fluttershy sighed rubbing her arm.
"I thought you turned to them Twilight."
Twilight shook her head knowing who Fluttershy meant. "No, when I was given my orders I deserted as soon as I could. I tried to find you. I've been looking for all of you for years!"
Fluttershy blinked at the surprise at that. "You were looking for me? Why?"
Twilight blinked at the surprise harshness in her friend's voice. "Friends forever right? Just like before all this came to pass. We were unstoppable together in the war! You me, Rarity, Pinkie, we were nothing without you."
"You mean you know where the others are?" Fluttershy asked intrigued.
"Well two of them went... Wait, you've seen Octavia?"
Fluttershy snorted with a glare. "The Royal?"
Twilight started to get worried. "Fluttershy, where is Princess Octavia?"
Fluttershy shrugged. "Around."
"Alive?" Raindrops snarled. Fluttershy gave the pegasus a look.
"Alive, yes, but where she is I won’t tell you." Fluttershy said harshly, turning away.
Twilight gulped thinking. "Fluttershy, I don't what had happened to you but I can already tell you too have been through the blunt of the government and the military. I know how that feels, Fluttershy. They had put me in house arrest after what happened to us at the throne room. I was stuck in the Celestial University for months before finally escaping."
Fluttershy looked at Twilight to see her in tears. "You don’t think we all went through all that stuff too? Applejack was tortured!"
"I already knew that."
"Rainbow Dash was tricked into joining the-"
"I know about her, too!" Fluttershy screamed out, glaring at Twilight. "You don't think I knew what she had become? She was a traitor to us! Loyalty my ass!" Everypony went silent, staring at the pegasus as she bit her lip to keep from crying out. Twilight blinked then walked carefully toward her angry friend.
"What happened?"
"Rainbow Dash hurt me, Twilight. It was so painful."
Twilight blinked, thinking for a moment. She turned to Blossomforth for help. Blossomforth cleared her throat.
"I think those rumors about Rainbow Dash were true."
"What happened?" Raindrops asked silently with curiosity.
"It was said that there were several pegasi in Canterlot that didn't join the royal guard. And they were arrested and were all beaten by the guards. I think Rainbow Dash was the one that gave the order."
"When was this?" Twilight asked.
Blossomforth thought for a moment. "It was before the laws were passed that all children, pegasi and unicorn, forcing them to go into military academies all over the planet."
Twilight gasped. "Daring was in that flogging, I remember seeing her scars one night. She never changed clothes in front of me again after that. She always left me alone to do so."
"Huh?" Apple Bloom asked. Twilight blushed.
"We had to share a room in Manehattan one week and I walked in on her pulling on her shirt and saw her scars."
Fluttershy gulped rubbing her shoulder. "They used more than whips. They used fire, water, even magic from unicorns to torture us and punish us."
Twilight gulped. "I... I don’t know what to say Fluttershy. But please believe me, Rainbow has changed." Twilight pleaded holding on to Fluttershy’s arms. "She's a fugitive just like us and we all have the same goal."
"Oh? And what goal would that be, Twilight Sparkle?"
Twilight glared at her friend. "We know that the government is corrupted into this mad mess and we have Princess Octavia, the first and only Hybrid Princess in the royal family."
"What?" Fluttershy shown her confusion then. "What is a Hybrid?"
"Is she serious?" Spike asked looking to Scootaloo pointing at Fluttershy. Scootaloo shrugged.
Twilight sighed. "How long have you been here, Fluttershy?"
Fluttershy pulled away from her. "What's so special about that?"
"Fluttershy, how long have you been on this planet? Tell me."
Fluttershy stared at her old friend then sighed. "Since I left Canterlot."
"That was more than twenty years ago."
Fluttershy shrugged. "I don't pay attention to the years out here. What's your point?"
Twilight sighed rubbing her eyes. "Fluttershy, the government went south after you left. The royals and royal guards took control of the galaxy, creating new laws and forbidding Earth ponies life."
Fluttershy blinked, thinking. "Applejack mentioned something about the royals taking over the Green Belt."
Twilight nodded. "Her family and possibly hundreds more are now slaves to the royal guards. Not to mention hybrids, ponies that were born with Earth pony blood. They are now treated like trash. They are but fighting slaves, sex slaves. These ponies are classified as criminals even as foals. And the princess you have here is the first ever living Hybrid princess in the royal family born under Prince Tick Tock and his Hybrid wife, Duchess Sapphire Melody. They were killed about a month ago by Octavia's uncle, Prince Blueblood. And only she can change the laws."
Fluttershy blinked several times, leaning against the dirt wall, thinking.
"And now, it's time to reunite our friends and find the Elements of Harmony.” Twilight stated. “With the princess's aid along with her connection to the Crystal Guardians we can find the Elements and use them against Canterlot and the queen."
Fluttershy's ears perked at the word and turned to look Twilight in the eye. "You really want to use the Elements against Celestia?" Twilight turned away clenching her fists.
"Twilight, Celestia is like your second mother." She said with sadness. Twilight turned hearing the old Fluttershy come out. She sighed with shrug.
"I'll think about it when the time comes. But right now Rainbow, Applejack, and I need you Fluttershy. We need you to help us find Rarity and Pinkie Pie and then we'll fight back and get our revenge for the pain they gave us and for all ponies that are like us."
Fluttershy thinks for a long moment after the revelation of what has happened. She sighed.
"You all will remain here until I believe you are safe enough for the tribe."
"Huh?" Apple Bloom asked standing up. "But what about my big sis'?"
"Sis'?" Fluttershy asked.
"Applejack is my big sister," Apple Bloom said standing up. Fluttershy thought for a moment then she nodded waving for her.
"Come with me then." Apple Bloom looked at Twilight to see her nod once. Apple Bloom walked over to Fluttershy. Fluttershy placed her hands on her tiny shoulders looking to Twilight to see her worried frown.
"I'll take her to Applejack, but depending on the situation, she'll stay or come back in here with the rest of you."
"Where's Vinyl?" Scootaloo asked standing with Derpy. "Where's our captain?"
Fluttershy sighed bowing her head. "She is resting now, being given care by my teacher and I. It will take time for whatever is inside her body to be purged."
"But when can we leave and see our friends?" Derpy asked.
Fluttershy sighed with annoyance. "When I can be sure you all can be trusted then you shall be blessed by Shaman Zecora and our chieftain. Until then don't cause any trouble and stay here."
Everypony in that room weren't happy with these turn of events but Twilight sighed and nodded. "Alright,"
"What?" Spike exclaimed. "But what if she's hurting our friends?"
"Please Spike, I know Fluttershy, she won't hurt them." Twilight turned back to Fluttershy. "But please tell us about them. Are they okay?"
Fluttershy nodded. "They are. They are just like you right now, in separate rooms until we believe them to be trustworthy." She looked down at Apple Bloom. "Come along, the sooner you see your sister the sooner I can leave and heal more of my people."
Twilight watched Fluttershy take Apple Bloom through the door and the zebra guards stomped at attention leaving them guarded. Twilight sighed shaking her head as she sat down on a bench by Sweetie Belle hugging her close.
"So much for kindness." Raindrops snorted standing against the wall. "So now what?"
Blossom sighed as she sat down by her protégé. "We wait."
"But Commander we should be protecting, Octavia."
Blossom gave her a look that caused Raindrops to blush, her ears folded back on her head. "I mean we have to protect the Princess."
Blossom sighed through her nose, leaning back on the bench. "We must wait, and if there is a threat we will attack. Let’s wait until Apple Bloom returns to us and tell us everything."
Twilight nodded. "Good idea." She sighed watching Derpy going back on the ground, Scootaloo curled up under Derpy's wing. Spike sat down by Twilight's left curling up on the bench. Twilight smiled and placed her hand over Spike's head, stroking his scales. She sighed with worry.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Vinyl was led away from the door to the family couch. Her mother, Raspberry Tart's purple eyes shined bright as Vinyl tried hard to regain control of her emotions.
"Mama... I'm so, so sorry for everything-" Her mother shushed her silently stroking her face, pulling her into a hug.
"Shh, my baby. Nothing could have prevented what would have happened to me." Vinyl sniffed hugging her mother again, crying on her shoulder.
"But I would have been there for you. You were all alone."
Raspberry smiled closing her eyes. "I was sorry for leaving you like I did, Grace. It was so hard knowing that I left my child alone in such a horrible world."
Vinyl sniffed pulling back to see her mother smiling at her. "But at least I know that you came back and as such a strong, beautiful young lady." Vinyl blushed.
"Mama, please. I'm no beauty like you."
Raspberry chuckled stroking Vinyl’s cheek. Vinyl smiled feeling that familiar stroke that her mother would always do when she was a child. It felt so good to feel that touch again. Raspberry sighed sitting back to admire her daughter again. "My, my, my, I never got a good look at you, dear. I was so emotional in seeing you I never got to look at you." She took Vinyl's hands pulling her up to her feet. "Let me get a good look at you, Gracie May."
Vinyl stood up blushing. "Mama, I don't use that name any more." Raspberry circled Vinyl to look her over. She stopped and sighed with her hand over her mouth with amazement.
"Look at you, you are the spitting image of your father. You have his height definitely."
Vinyl chuckled shaking her head as her mother shook her head as well. "You even dress like him, I swear that is where you get your fashion sense from. I would love to see you in a dress sometime."
"Mama! Please, dresses get in the way. And it’s too..."
"Too what?"
"Girly for me."
Raspberry started to laugh, hugging her daughter, and kissing her on the cheek. "You are definitely your father's daughter." Vinyl rolled her eyes but smiled anyway. She never felt so much happiness in a long time being with her mother and inside her house. It feels like Vinyl never lost her mother as they talked. She sniffed the air smelling something familiar.
"Mama is that..."
Raspberry chuckled walking to the kitchen door. "Why yes, I was making dinner when you came by. As I recall it's your favorite."
Vinyl blinked salivating. "Your best sour cream carrot noodle soup?"
Raspberry chuckled with a nod. "Oh yes it is." Raspberry chuckled wrapping her arm around Vinyl and led her though the door into the warm kitchen. She could smell the smells of the carrots and the noodles and the sour cream broth. Even the beginnings of Raspberry's famous berry tarts. Vinyl gasped seeing the tarts.
"No way! You still make these?" Raspberry chuckled rubbing Vinyl's back.
"Well of course, it's family tradition." Raspberry smiled. "Speaking of tradition, I never got to teach you how to make them."
Vinyl stared at her in shock. "Mama, I'm not a baker, I'm a spacer.”
She feel her mother slap her playfully in the stomach. "Oh come on now, Gracie, every mare in my family was taught the secret recipe of every berry tart. And I know you and your father love the raspberry ones."
Vinyl blushed imagining the baked tarts. "Oh yeah,"
Raspberry chuckled as she rolled up her sleeves. "Now... oh, where is that girl?"
"Huh?" Vinyl asked intrigued. "You have a new little helper?" She joked pulling up her sleeves too.
"Actually I do. But where did she ... Oh that's right I went her off to get more eggs from the coop out back." Vinyl shrugged.
"Well I guess I'll meet the one that replaced me in the kitchen." Vinyl chuckled as she turned to see the pots and pans sitting by the sink. "How about I clean these for you."
Raspberry smiled seeing Vinyl move to the sink. "Wow, that would be helpful, I would have my replacement do it but she's still young and small. Thank you, dear."
Vinyl blushed. It was strange being called “Dear” or by her real name “Grace” again. All her life since her mother's death, she was always being called Bitch, Runt, Brat, even Vinyl. So hearing these names made her feel good and happy. It was as if the gods of old were giving her a long awaited reward for surviving this long.
"So, you call yourself a spacer?" Raspberry asked as she took a lump of dough and started kneading it hard with her palms. Vinyl nodded wetting a rag and start to wash a pot.
"Yeah, I have been sailing in space for the last five years."
"Five years? How old are you?"
Vinyl smiled. "Eighteen, Mama."
"Eighteen... blessed Luna my daughter is a full grown mare now."
Vinyl chuckled rinsing off the pan and setting it on the counter to dry. "Well, I don't call myself a mare, Mama."
"Alright I'll stop teasing you." She paused thinking until she sighed. "So what do you do as a spacer? Navigator? Helmspony, bosun mate which I doubt."
Vinyl laughed. "No, I'm a captain of my won ship."
"Captain?! My, just like your father. He was a captain for some time until you were born."
"He was?"
"Oh yes, Captain Vinyl Scratch, Captain of his ship the uh... Drat, I forgot the name of that old ship."
"What happened to it?" Vinyl asked interested.
"Hmm, I think he took that ship apart to build this house. Most of the wood for the foundation was made from his ship. He sold everything else to get money for the furniture and built all the baby furniture for you."
Vinyl smiled finishing off a pot. "Speaking of Dad, is he here with you?" Vinyl asked turning to see her mother with a sad frown.
"I haven't seen him Grace. He's either alive or he is..."
Vinyl blinked and turned away, thinking with shock remembering several things that were given to her.
"Say hello to your Daddy."
"Never thought I would see the same Vinyl Scratch standing right in front of me. Except I was sure that he was older and she was a stallion."
Vinyl dropped the pot back in the sink covering her eyes with her hands. "He was alive." She whispered.
"Grace? What's wrong?"
"Dad's alive, this whole time."
Raspberry took a hold of Vinyl and spun her around to face her. "Vinyl's alive? How?"
Vinyl sniffed. "I thought they were just lies to get me to talk but . . . First the pegasus then Blueblood."
"Blueblood?" Raspberry asked intrigued and worried. "The Prince Blueblood of the Manehattan royals?"
"Yeah, he knew dad. He..." Vinyl paused thinking, trying to connect the pieces she missed all this time. "Mama, what did dad do most of the time when he left for space?"
"Well he worked with merchants that's all I know, Sweetie."
Vinyl sighed rubbing her eyes, trying to put together the puzzle. "Wait, Blueblood said something about Dad to Captain Dash. She's the one that told me that Dad was with Blueblood."
"Captain Dash?"
"When that prince told Rainbow to tell me who the stallion was she answered dad's name. He’s alive somewhere in space and possibly with the royals as a prisoner. At least I hope so."
Raspberry smiled with a sniff. "At least I can be a peace knowing my husband is still alive and not in Tartarus." Vinyl turned her in surprise.
"Why would Dad be in Tartarus?"
Before Raspberry could answer there was a sound of the back door opening and closing.
"I got them!" A young voice called out. Raspberry turned and smiled.
"Oh thank you, dear. Please bring them here."
Vinyl watched as her mother grinned up at her as she walked over to the table. Vinyl blinked hearing the footsteps of somepony walking in. Vinyl gasped seeing a young purple earth pony carrying a basket of eggs. She stopped to stare with shock at Vinyl. Vinyl's mouth dropped open seeing the filly's eyes. They were pure purple like Raspberry’s eyes and her mane was a dark blue like her father's. Suddenly Vinyl remembered.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
The stallion stood at the doorway kissing Raspberry on the lips hugging her. Vinyl was a young filly at the time. She rushed over with her favorite wooden sword. The stallion, dressed in a coat and thick pants and black boots smiled kneeling down to grab Vinyl and swing her around before kissing her on the cheek.
"Aw my little Gracie!"
"Papa, take me too!" Vinyl begged. Her father turned to Raspberry to see her sad smile. He sighed holding Vinyl against his hip.
"I can't Gracie, you’re too young and too scrawny to be on a ship."
"But Papa, I want to go out to space too! Like you!"
Her father chuckled kissing her on the nose. "Gracie May, if you come with me who will be here to protect your mother and the baby?" As he said that he placed his hand over Raspberry’s swollen belly, smiling at her. Vinyl had her tongue stuck out thinking.
"Who can I trust with this task?" He asked looking around the area as Raspberry covered her mouth hiding her smirk and giggle.
"Me!" Vinyl said smiling.
"Oh well it is the most dangerous of tasks, it more dangerous than facing a super nova!"
"Me, Papa, me!" Vinyl yelled out as her father stoked his blue goatee, thinking.
"Ah how about you? My second mate, Gracie May!" He said lightly flicking her nose.
Vinyl nodded as she was tried to get down. Her father knelt down placing her back on the ground looking her in the eye.
"Alright second mate Grace May Scratch, you will take the post of protecting and watching your mother and your baby sister or brother while I'm away. Is that clear?"
Vinyl saluted. "You can count on me Papa, I'll protect Momma and my baby brother or baby sister!"
Her father nodded with a salute. "Good on ya, Scratchie." He said ruffling her messy mane getting a giggle. He stood up, kissing Raspberry one last time, then pulled away with a sad smile. Raspberry covered her mouth trying to hide her frown from Vinyl as she watched him. Vinyl gasped and ran after him.
"Wait Papa!" He stopped turning around.
"I can't stay longer, Gracie."
"But Papa, promise me that when you come back, I'll be on a ship with you?"
He thought for a moment then sighed smiling at her. "When I come back Grace we'll sail together to the stars and beyond. Finding treasure and become legends."
Grace smiled up at him. "Promise?" Her father pointed up to the sky, Vinyl looked up to see the stars.
"To Luna's Moon and beyond, my little spacer." He hugged her tightly kissing her on the head. Vinyl only hugged back smiling. Her father gasped. "Oh, here's something I forgot to give you." Vinyl stepped back as her father reached into his satchel and pulled out a silver whistle.
"Your whistle?" Vinyl asked with surprise.
"I want you to have it, Gracie. Learn to play it like I did and maybe you can teach your new baby brother or sister how to play. Promise me you'll never lose this?"
Vinyl nodded taking the silver whistle into her hands. "Promise, Papa! And don’t you worry, I'll protect Mama!"
"That’s my girl." He whispered. He kissed her on the head then turned to walk down the trail. "Go stay with Mama. I'll be back as soon as I can." He called.
Vinyl ran back to Raspberry to stand by her watching her father, Vinyl Scratch disappear into the sunset. Raspberry sniffed wiping her eyes looking down at Vinyl feeling her tug her skirt.
"Papa gave me his whistle, Mama!" Raspberry smiled.
"He must believe you will take care of us. Now come along, dinner is getting cold."
Vinyl nodded hugging her mother. Raspberry leaned over a touch to hug her daughter. Vinyl smiled feeling the baby move as she rubbed Raspberry’s belly like her father did.
"And don’t you worry,” She said feeling the baby move. “I'll be a great big sister to you. We'll play and I'll teach you how to play tag and fort in the junk yard and maybe I can play you tunes on Papa's penny whistle like he did to me."
Raspberry chuckled. "Come along now, you'll play the whistle when you’re done eating."
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Vinyl blinked out of her memory and stared at the young filly in a light blue dress. "Is that..." Vinyl whispered pointing at the filly. Raspberry smiled walking over to take the basket, kissing the earth pony filly on her head. She whispered in the filly’s ear then turned to Vinyl with a smile as tears leaked out of her eyes again.
"Grace, this is your sister, Blueberry Twinkle. Twinkle this is your older sister Grace May. Remember I told you about her?" The earth pony nodded smiling up at Raspberry as she walked over to Vinyl.
"How?" Vinyl whispered with shock. "You were-"
"I know." Raspberry answered sadly. "If I had lived longer, Blueberry would have been born. But she died with me and was born here. She’s now ten years old."
"Ten?" Vinyl gasped staring at the ten year old. She gulped and slowly knelt down to get a good look at her little sister, an Earth pony hybrid. Vinyl sniffed rubbing her eyes shaking her head.
"Even if you were born before Mama left, you wouldn't have lasted a day." She whispered wiping her eyes. She shook her head sitting down on the floor crying now. Blueberry went down on the floor then wrapped her arms around Vinyl, hugging her.
"I remember you." Vinyl opened her eyes hearing her sister's voice. "I remember you always talking to me when I was inside Mama." Vinyl looked up at Raspberry to see her crying seeing her daughters together for the first time. Vinyl gulped and wrapped her arms around the filly hugging her back.
"You’re beautiful, and you're my sister. My baby sister."
Blueberry smiled crying as well. "One question, Grace."
Vinyl sniffed pulling away. "Yeah?” She asked wiping her eyes.
Applejack stirred from her sleep to hear noises outside. She sat up pulling her hat off. Even Octavia sat up.
"What was that?"
They saw the curtain pulled away as Fluttershy entered with a smaller filly.
"Tavi! Sis’!" Octavia gasped even Applejack as Apple Bloom ran over and tackled Applejack to the pallet, hugging her.
"Apple Bloom, what are you doin' here?" Apple Bloom smiled up at her.
"I'm so glad you're okay." Applejack looked up to see Fluttershy watching them. Apple Bloom left Applejack to hug Octavia.
"What’s my little sister doing here?" Applejack asked sitting up.
"The chieftain ordered his warriors to check your ship." Fluttershy answered.
"What?" Octavia asked sitting up.
"Not to worry, nopony was hurt. Everypony is being held in a large cell farther in the caverns. They are to stay there until they are found to be trusted."
Apple Bloom looked up at Octavia. "Where's Vinyl and the others?"
Octavia stood up to face Fluttershy. "Can I see Vinyl? Nopony told us anything about her or her condition."
Fluttershy crossed her arms across her chest. "She is in the best of care right now. I took a look at her earlier." She sighed. "I've never seen so much on a pony except on Applejack. But that mare . . . what do you know about her past?"
Octavia blinked thinking. "Well . . . Not much. She’s a Hybrid so that narrows down certain ideas of her past. She was either a slave or an orphan on the streets. But with those horrid scars I'd say she was a slave from the slave pits."
'Slave pits?" Fluttershy asked with shock. "That sounds terrible and horrid. What are the slave pits?"
"Those are where Hybrid ponies and earth ponies are taken," Applejack said hugging her sister. "I had a few cousins taken there never to be seen again."
Fluttershy covered her mouth from the shock. She turned to Octavia.
"I was in one of the pits. Only for a night." She said turning away. "It's a horrible place where ponies like me and Applejack are forced to fight for the entertainment of the royals and others."
Fluttershy sighed turning away with his new found revelation. "Tell me this, do you know of that mark on your friend's shoulder?"
Octavia gulped. "I really don’t know. I know what mark you mean but I don’t know what it might be. It could be that she was a slave but I'm not sure." Applejack nodded.
"I can have a look, I have seen almost every mark the royals put on ponies for the guard to the Hybrid slaves."
Fluttershy thought for a moment. She nodded once. "Alright, I'll take you to her to see her mark. Only for that reason."
"May I-" Octavia began but was stopped by Fluttershy glaring at her.
"No, you are to stay here."
Octavia was about to argue when Applejack stopped her. "Stay here with Apple Bloom alright, I'll check on your firmed for you."
Octavia bit her lip and clenched her fists. Applejack pulled on her Stetson and nodded to Fluttershy. "Alright let’s go."
Fluttershy nodded and turned away leading Applejack out of the room leaving Octavia and Apple Bloom alone.
Applejack followed Fluttershy through the caverns and passed by several zebras that bowed to Fluttershy but gave strange looks at Applejack.
"So, how are ya farin' since we last saw each other?"
Fluttershy nodded. "Well, doing very well. Soon I'll be made head shaman of this village when Shaman Zecora's time comes. And then I’ll be teaching the trainees on healing."
Applejack nodded. "It was always a dream of yers to become a high class medical pony for everything. First for animals then ponies and now being a full medical pony."
Fluttershy blushed smiling. "You always seem to know just what to say Applejack."
Applejack smiled ducking under a low ceiling. "Well, what are friends for, I tell the whole truth to make everypony happy."
Fluttershy sighed. "Same old AJ."
Applejack smiled as the two continues to walk through the long corridors.
"So uh 'Shy?"
"Yes?"
Applejack sighed. "A few days ago, did you feel any headaches or see any visions?"
"Why do you ask?" Fluttershy asked warily.
"You see a few days ago we were all locked up in some dungeon by the royals and well, me, Rainbow, and Twilight even the Princess we felt this magic flow through our heads hurting us and during that pain us three felt you and Rarity in pain too."
Fluttershy blinks rubbing her temple. "Well now that you mentioned it, I did feel a strange long lasting headache all afternoon. Zecora mentioned that it was magical based. And we have no unicorns on Everfree. But I think I did feel and hear Pinkie Pie for some reason."
"Pinkie? But she's-"
"I know you told me that before, but Applejack, I felt her. I can’t make this up."
Applejack gulped thinking. "I felt Rarity."
Fluttershy paused turning to Applejack with sadness. "She was in pain. Earlier ... while I was sleeping,"
"Yes?"
Applejack opened her mouth to speak but couldn’t, hugging herself. "I had a dream that Rarity was in trouble. But I can’t figure out where. I can feel her and she was scared and crying... she's hurting and I can’t be there for her like before. It's so hard." Fluttershy reached over to hug her friend.
"It's alright Applejack. You’ll find her."
"How? I don’t have any clues as to where to find her."
Fluttershy smiled. "You’ll find a way. Like you did in finding me."
"You think I can find her?" Applejack whispered.
"I know you will. I'm sure she's missing you just as much as you miss her."
Applejack sighed pulling away from Fluttershy to wipe her eyes with her sleeve. "Thank you Fluttershy, I needed that." Fluttershy smiled.
"What are friends for?"
She turned and led Applejack into the large chamber which surprised the cowpony.
"Whoa nelly." She whispered pulling off her hat to show respect as she follows Fluttershy down the skinny alley towards the sandy wall. Fluttershy squeezed through the hall with Applejack close behind her. They entered a room and Applejack stopped to see Vinyl with compress on her forehead as she breathes quickly and short. Applejack turned to hear Fluttershy speaking the zebra tongue to the older zebra from earlier.
Fluttershy turned to Applejack. "Here, you’ll have to sit by Zecora to see."
Applejack nodded knelt down beside the elder zebra who smiled at her. Zecora bowed her head smiling in return. Fluttershy lifted Vinyl up so Applejack can see the mark and the scars.
"Yeesh, The princess wasn't kidding. Oh here it is," Applejack pointed at the mark squinting at it. She sighed. "Eeyep that’s a slave marker alright. She’s property of Flim and Flam. The slavery kings of the Canterlot Galaxy. They owned hundreds of slave holdings all over the galaxy until Manehattan was trashed by Prince Tick Tock, the princess’s father."
Fluttershy carefully set Vinyl back on her back placing a fresh compress on her forehead tucking the blanket back around Vinyl’s body.
"Flim and Flam, weren’t they the bounty hunters?" Fluttershy asked curious.
Applejack snorted. "Yeah they were. They kept failing at everything until slavery came along. They created it and now they are rich scoundrels." She looked down at Vinyl to see her sweating and shaking a touch.
"Will the kid be alright? I would hate for such a spirit to die so young." Applejack said with worry. She had grown to like the young captain.
Fluttershy sighed. "We just started giving her the best medicine this planet will offer for her. It’ll take time. She needs rest, medicine, and plenty of fluids."
Applejack nodded, patting Vinyl on the shoulder. "The princess is worried for you, Captain. She blames herself for all the pain you’re going through. Get better and come back ya hear?" Applejack whispered hoping she heard her. After a moment sighed standing up bowing to Zecora. Zecora bowed her head in return as Fluttershy lead Applejack back outside.
Octavia paced back and forth into her cell, Apple Bloom was sitting on Applejack’s pallet watching Octavia pace. The two heard the sound of feet coming towards them, they turned seeing Applejack returning into the room fanning herself with her hat.
"Thanks Fluttershy. Just tell Twilight that Apple Bloom is with me." Fluttershy nodded.
"I will, and Applejack,"
"Yeah?"
"I’m happy to see you back in one piece." Applejack smiled.
"I'm glad to see you in one piece too. If you need an extra hand, you let me know, ‘kay?"
Fluttershy nodded. "I know who to call. Good night."
"Night." Applejack turned to see Octavia staring at her waiting.
"Well? How's Vinyl?"
Applejack sighed siting in her pallet. "They're watching her close Princess. They’re giving her the best care possible. But Fluttershy is right for one thing, it'll take time. And during that time we need to gain trust to the zebras and then you might visit her alright." Octavia sighed turning away. Applejack could see her worry, she recognized Octavia’s anger/worry stance.
"I know what you’re going through Princess." Octavia turned to see Applejack getting comfortable as she laid down on the pallet and placing her hat over her face. Apple Bloom crawled over to Applejack's side to sleep next to her.
"I have been in your shoes before. It'll be a while until Captain Scratch is well then it'll be longer still until she can walk again. That sickness is taking everything from her. Give it time and stay patient I promise you, you'll get everything back soon."
Octavia nodded rubbing her arms. Applejack smiled. "Get some sleep you need it. Night."
"Good night." Octavia whispered as she sits down on her pallet pulling off her boots and get under the scratchy blanket and closed her eyes. She grabbed her pendant holding it tight in her fist as she soon fell asleep.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Vinyl played a flourish on the whistle to end her song as Blueberry clapped her hands.
"Wow that was great!" Vinyl blushed. She was never complemented on her playing since she only played by herself. She was lucky to remember where her father placed his whistles in his room. After picking the right one, she started to play a few tunes she heard of before and tunes that she made up. Raspberry smiled watching them from her chair. Blueberry reached for her whistle staring at her fingers, placing them over the holes.
"So how did you do that?" Blueberry asked with a scrunched up face.
Vinyl smiled scooting over to Blueberry on the floor and placed her hands on the flute motioning Blueberry's fingers to the right places.
"Alright, when you play here's a fun little trick," Vinyl began only to be interrupted by a knocking on the door. Raspberry stood up from her chair.
"Oh we have some company."
Vinyl watched her mother leave the room toward the front door. Blueberry blew through the whistle causing a very high-pitched sound.
"Yeoch!" Vinyl yelped at the horrible sound so close to her ears, rubbing them.
"Oops, sorry Grace."
Vinyl groaned opening her eyes as the door opened.
"Welcome please come in!" Raspberry’s cheerful voice called out. Vinyl and Blueberry turned to see two adults walk into the house. Blueberry stood up running over to say hello while Vinyl slowly stood up to stare at the strongly familiar adults at the doorway. They were both unicorns of course, but her mind was telling her that she has seen them before. Then she saw the unicorn mare turn and smile. Vinyl's mouth dropped open pointing at her.
"You’re that... You're the royal that helped me on the Cadenza!" Vinyl yelped out.
The four ponies went silent hearing Vinyl’s exclamation. The mare in question smiled bowing.
"Why yes, and you're the servant pony lost in the halls. I'm quite surprised to see you here really." The mare said with surprise. The mare is a silver gray coated mare with a black mane and purple eyes just like Octavia's eyes! And the stallion who turned to her with a kind smile was the same brown tan brown unicorn with blue eyes. Prince Tick Tock and his wife Duchess Sapphire Melody!
"Your highness... You're... Mama! They’re royalty!" Vinyl exclaimed pointing at them. Raspberry turned to the two royals then at Vinyl.
"Really? Well welcome to my home highnesses." Vinyl stared with true shock. Her mother didn't even bow to them!
"B-b-but,"
"Now, now," The princes, Octavia's father said smiling. "There is no status in the afterlife my friend."
"No status but- I'm a hybrid you're a royal!"
Tick Tock chuckled shaking his head. "I suppose I'm the first royal you've met here, hmm?”
Vinyl nodded numbly trying to wrap her head around this change of events. Tick Tock turned to Raspberry and took her hands.
"I say you have such a brave daughter mistress." He smiled turning to Vinyl. "She helped save my daughter in her time of peril." Raspberry turned to see Vinyl blushing rubbing her neck.
"Uh yeah, Sweet Cheeks? Uh well … she saved my life a couple of times."
The mare chuckled walking over. "When my husband told me what you have done for Octavia I was so happy and very grateful for you... I'm sorry I never got your name, even my husband has slip of mind."
Tick Tock chuckled scratching his head with embarrassment. "Sorry sweetie."
"Uh well uh... I'm Vinyl, Captain Vinyl Scratch of the Fancy Flute." Vinyl felt Blueberry tug her vest.
"Why are you using Papa's name?" She asked innocently. Vinyl blushed.
"Uh well . . . I um,"
"Hold on, I remember that name." Tick Tock said quickly.
Raspberry sighed. "Well why don’t we all have a seat in the sitting room and I'll pass around the tarts we just baked."
"Allow me to help you mistress." The duchess said following Raspberry to the kitchen as Vinyl led the prince to the sitting room. She took a seat on a chair while the Prince sat in the couch. Blueberry grabbed her whistle and sat down by Vinyl on the floor. Vinyl smiled stroking her sister's blue mane.
The three remained silent as Blueberry was playing with the whistle over her fingers. The prince cleared his throat.
"How long have you been here?" He asked with worry. Vinyl shrugged.
"Most of the day."
"Really? Were you killed a while ago?"
"Killed?" Blueberry asked looking at Vinyl. "You were killed?"
"Uh, I was told that I'm on the edge."
Tick Tock nodded with understanding on his face. "So your spirit is still hanging on in the living world?"
Vinyl shrugged. "I guess so. I remember waking up and hearing that pegasus yelling." She said rubbing her head. "I hit her on the head then nothing."
Tick Tock nodded with a smile. "Would this pegasus be Rainbow Dash?"
"Uh, I think so." Vinyl said rubbing her temple thinking. "I don’t remember much." The prince nodded.
"Mister?" Blueberry asked openly.
"Yes, little one?" He said smiling. Vinyl gave her sister a warning look.
"Why did you call Grace, Vinyl? That's Papa's name."
Vinyl blushed. "Grace?" The prince asked smiling. "What a beautiful name for a unicorn. Very unorthodox."
Vinyl blushed at the complement. "Thank you I guess. Well I-"
"Tarts anypony?" Raspberry asked walking in with a tray filled with berry tarts and setting them on the coffee table in the center of the circle of chairs and couch. Blueberry giggled taking one and handing it to Vinyl then taking one for herself.
The duchess sat next to her husband handing him a tart. Raspberry took a seat in the other empty chair. Vinyl took a bite and hummed with goodness tasting the old tarts.
"Wow, just as I remembered." She whispered with a lick of her lips. Raspberry smiled patting Vinyl on the shoulder smiling at her.
"Did we interrupt something?" She asked worriedly.
The prince hummed with a mouth full of dessert and quickly swallowed it wiping his mouth with a handkerchief in his jacket pocket.
"Not really, I was just about to answer... what was your name child?"
"Blueberry Twinkle, sir."
"Highness," Vinyl quickly corrected.
"That’s fine Captain," The prince said smiling. "Like I said we are all the same here."
Vinyl blushed. "Still..." She whispered. He chuckled at the worried look on her face.
"Anyway I was answering Mistress Twinkle's question." He turned to Vinyl only to show a serious frown. "You knew that I was a captive on Nightmare Moon’s ship correct?"
"Yeah I remember."
He nodded with a small smile. "While Rainbow Dash and I were kept below decks, my brother, Prince Blueblood brought his pet project I called him. He was the only source of Luna's Treasured Moon."
Raspberry chocked on her tart after hearing the name. She coughed a couple of times clearing her throat. "Did you just say-"
"Yes mistress," the prince said sadly as his wife patted his arm. "You heard right, the Moon exists,"
"Did exist." Vinyl interrupted getting looks. "Because of the Luna's Tear , or uh, the Crystal Guardian taken off the wall the place was destroyed. The planet is nothing but a lava stone now." The prince nodded with a pained face.
"Well I guess the secrets went down in the fire eh?"
"Yeah I guess. But please continue."
The prince nodded. "While we were down there my brother brought in this stallion and locked him with us. I think it was my brother trying to gloat that he had a key. And in doing so it seemed the stallion he brought in was unfazed by being called a traitor." He shrugged. "Then he introduced himself as Vinyl Scratch. He told us to call him Scratch." Vinyl turned to see her mother looking hopeful but worried at once.
"Are you saying you have seen my husband alive?"
Tick Tock nodded with a smile. "Poor man, he talked about you a lot mistress, even his daughter." The prince turned to Vinyl with a worried smile. "He told us a little about you. His little Gracie or Scratchie."
Vinyl blushed harshly. "That was an old nickname he gave me as a kid. Because I would call myself Captain Scratch all the time."
Everypony chuckled at that. Vinyl even smiled at the memory, but then frowned.
"But… How? I thought all these years he was dead... I met a pony from his crew and he said that everypony was dead on their ship, even my father."
The prince shrugged his shoulders. "He only mentioned that everypony was killed but him when the royal guard got a warrant for his arrest. Since he was a full unicorn he was given prison time for whatever it was they caught him for. He was the last link to finding the Moon. He was Blueblood’s prisoner for that long. For the longest time, what Scratch told me was, that he wasn’t sure if you or his wife lived. But of course we know what happened here."
Vinyl leaned back into her chair, she couldn’t believe what she heard. Blueberry looked at Vinyl then to her mother to see them with awe or sadness etched in their faces.
"Where is he now?" Vinyl whispered.
"Pardon?" The duchess asked.
"They took him right?" Vinyl asked glaring now. "The royal bastards took him away!"
"Grace, language!" Raspberry quickly scolded but Vinyl growled standing up.
"Where did that asshole take my father!" She yelled glaring at the prince.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Rainbow Dash woke up hearing a noise behind her. She rolled herself onto her back and saw a shadow blocking the torch lights from out in the hall. Rainbow blinked several times trying to get her vision back in the darkness as the figure walked up to her. Rainbow tensed up as the figure grabbed the collar of her shirt and pull her up into a sitting position. Now Rainbow can see her clearly.
"Hey, Shy." She whispered with worry as her ears went flat on her head. Rainbow heard the swish of a blade and sighed bowing her head.
"I get it alright, you want to kill me, you go ahead." She whispered. "I know what I did and I can't deny it any longer." She shook her head. "Twenty years... twenty fucking years and it took me that long to completely understand what I had done and what I had lost."
Instead of the knife going into her gut or neck she heard a snap of rope and her arms were freed. She looked up at Fluttershy with shock. The yellow pegasus stood up and turned to leave.
"But... Fluttershy," Rainbow called standing up. Suddenly she felt a rush of air buzz past her ear and a thunk in the wall behind her. Rainbow went stock still turning slightly to see the wicked knife stuck into the wall. She turned back to see Fluttershy glaring at her with tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Don’t think this changes anything." She spat. "I still won’t forgive you for what you've done to me and all those other ponies Rainbow Dash." She turned and ran out of the room leaving Rainbow standing there staring at the knife in the wall. She sighed and reached for it to cut off the rope around her wrists and start stretching her sore wings. She sat down hard on her pallet looking at the blade.
"Won’t it be easier to just kill myself and end the suffering?" She asked herself out loud. She gulped thinking about possibly taking the cowards’ way out. She gulped rolling up her shirt up to her chest and pressing the tip of the blade to her navel thinking again. She closed her eyes remembering all over again as tears burned her eyes.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
There was a thunk of a sword being set up on the ground. Rainbow looked around to see pegasi troops of the Order standing by. In the background Rainbow could hear crying of a mare no doubt. Rainbow turned to see a white pegasus being pulled over she was beaten up badly, her blue mane was pulled and hacked. She was held up by the new pegasi guard. The mare turned and caught Rainbow's glare.
"Rainbow? What are you doing here?" Rainbow continued to stare straight ahead. The mare shook her head. "But you're a Wonderbolt! Not one of these traitors!" Rainbow remained glaring at the wall.
"Under the laws bestowed upon you," Another mare's voice called out walking forward dressed in a dark a newly made black and red coat with a three cornered hat on her head. She stood by Rainbow Dash patting her on the shoulder. "How do you plead, traitor?"
The white mare gasped seeing her. "Lightning Dust? How you were kicked out of the army for insubordination!"
Lightning Dust smirked walking over to the pegasi. "I was granted a pardon by the royal council. Lieutenant, you have been a great asset to the war. How do you plead to the assumptions against you?"
The lieutenant spat into Lightning Dust’s face causing her to jump back with a snarl.
"Rot in hell you traitor! All of you rot in hell for your crimes against pony kind!" She screamed out.
Lighting Dust sighed shaking her head. "So you would choose to remain a traitor. But of course because of your actions in the war you will be given the honorable death."
The mare looked down at the sharp sword stuck into the ground. She shook her head.
"You murderer!"
"It's the pegasi way," Lighting Dust said snidely with a smile. "We pegasi must keep to tradition right, Dash?"
Lightning Dust turned to see Rainbow Dash just staring at the wall. "Answer me, Commander!" She boomed glaring at her. Rainbow Dash blinked, her eyes flashed for a second.
"We must keep to tradition.” Rainbow answered numbly. “And we'll return to the traditional ways of the pegasi to bring back order to a despicable world." Rainbow's voice came out cold and hollow but the glare remained in her eyes.
The lieutenant stared at her with shock. "No, Rainbow please we stopped this torture for a reason!" She scream out now crying. “We were friends!”
Lightning Dust grinned and walked over to Rainbow and patted her on the back. "I think it's time to do this differently. Rainbow take the blade."
Rainbow feebly followed as she knelt down and took up the sword as the two guards held the mare in place. Rainbow's cold eyes stared into the mares’.
"Rainbow," She begged.
"Commander Dash, execute her for her crimes against the crown."
The mare gasped as they pegasi cheered for blood. She looked up as she watched Rainbow ready for a thrust.
"Please, Rainbow, you’re a Wonderbolt! Not a cultist!"
Rainbow glared coldly and lets out a yell sticking the blade beep into the mare’s stomach causing her to gasp out. Lighting Dust was grinning as Rainbow made a twist, the mare let out a yell as she started to shake. Rainbow pulled back the blade with a second twist causing more damage. The two guards let the mare drop to her knees. She look up at Rainbow to see her eyes glow pink.
"Murdering... Bitch!" She spat. Rainbow growled and lets out a battle cry swinging the blade to cut off her head. Some pegasi gasp at that while others remained silent. Lightning Dust only smiled wider at this. Rainbow panted a moment growling. Lighting Dust smiled patting Rainbow on the shoulder.
"Well done, you have passed your test." Rainbow closed her eyes, shaking as she grits her teeth as if in pain.
"Ma'am!" Everypony turned hearing the guard stallion calling. He was pointing up. Lighting Dust gasped seeing a bruised and battered yellow pegasus staring down at them with fear from the upper floor.
"It's the traitor, Fluttershy!" She screamed out pointing. The yellow pegasus ran away into a room all the pegasi flew up in chase. But Lighting Dust had a plan.
"Wait!" She screamed out. The soldier stopped, turning to Lighting Dust. She grinned patting Rainbow on the shoulder. "Another mission for you to prove your loyalty to the order."
Rainbow started to shake and twitch holding her face. Lightning Dust growled turning to her partner, Trixie. Trixie grunted with effort as her hands and horn glowed in stronger pink aura. Lighting Dust leaned into Rainbow's ear.
"Kill the traitor Fluttershy."
Rainbow suddenly stiffened as the magic aura around her body intensified. Rainbow’s eyes squeezed shut from the fight her spirit was losing to.
"Kill... The...Traitor." Rainbow spat shaking hard, her grip on the katana was stronger now.
Lighting Dust smiled. "Kill her for aiding in the death of the Wonderbolts." She whispered.
That settled it as Rainbow's eyes opened wide, flashed pink then returned to normal as she growled putting the new katana into the empty scabbard that was handed to her.
"Go," Lightning ordered silently. Rainbow spread her wings and leapt after the pegasus. Lightning Dust chuckled turning to Trixie.
"Well?" She asked.
"Magic," Trixie panted. "The Element of Loyalty is still strong against my influence."
Lightning Dust chuckled. "Not for long."
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Rainbow gasped opening her eyes her arms shaking badly as the memory thrusts into her mind reminding her of what she was supposed to forget. She groaned, dropping the knife to hold her head. She fell to her side, curling up into a ball on her pallet, whimpering from the pain and from the scenes flashing through her eyes.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Rainbow leapt off the balcony of the Pegasi training building looking around. She could see the burning haze from the Canterlot riot fires. She could smell the smoke from the fires, the blood from the mare's execution. Then she heard something. She look to the side to see Fluttershy’s frightened eyes staring at her. Rainbow Dash growled and leaped after her. Fluttershy gasped and climbed up faster on the roof with aid of her wings. She reached the top and slid down the other side. Rainbow leapt on the tiled roof and climbed up after her determined to kill the traitor!
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Rainbow gasped biting her tongue trying to end the horrible memory. She rolled in her pallet whimpering trying to get it to stop.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Fluttershy’s landed hard and wrong on her ankle casing it to buckle. She let out a cry and fell hard on the concrete lot. She blinked and looked up to see Rainbow Dash roar and with the katana out of its scabbard. Fluttershy gasped and rolled away as military training took control of her reflexes. The sword hit the ground sharp enough to make a hole in the cement. She growled turning to see Fluttershy trying to get up but her body was shaking so bad from fear and the shock.
"Rainbow, it’s me Fluttershy." She begged with tears pouring out. Rainbow snorted and stood up pulling the sword out of its hole and started for Fluttershy. The poor pegasus continued to back away scooting to the crates behind her.
"Rainbow... Rainbow Dash!" She cried as Rainbow swung the blade. Fluttershy dodged as the blade sliced through the crate and began running. Rainbow gave chase. Fluttershy crawled to an opened crate and found some random items to throw and stall her friend but Rainbow continued forward slicing and dicing the times being thrown at her.
"You will die for your crimes against the Order!" Rainbow screamed out ready for another attack. Fluttershy was able to move her arm up and away as katana stuck into the crate.
"I'm so sorry Rainbow Dash!" She cried as she kicked Rainbow hard in the knees. She rolled up to her feet and start running. Rainbow Dash growled again and ran after her with wings pumping on her back. Fluttershy reached a dead end and turned too late and screamed out as Rainbow tackled her to the ground.
"Rainbow Dash please!" Fluttershy screamed out trying to fight off her friend’s hands as she grabbed her neck squeezing. Rainbow grinned manically down at her prey as Fluttershy was staring with horror.
"Rainbow Dash!" She squeaked coughing still fighting. "Don’t make me do it!" She plead, fighting. Rainbow didn’t said anything only squeezing harder around her friend’s neck.
"You left me no choice!" Fluttershy whispered faintly releasing her captor's wrists and reached into her sleeve and stuck a needle into Rainbow's arm. Rainbow gasped, seeing the blue liquid being pumped into her bloodstream. Rainbow let out a cry of alarm then Fluttershy did the unthinkable. She punched Rainbow hard in the face knocking her away then using her body she unbalanced Rainbow forward. Fluttershy had tears in her eyes as she knuckle jabbed Rainbow in the ribs and lungs, causing Rainbow to cough and gasp as she rolled away from her, shaking as the drug turned her immobile. She struggled trying to move but couldn’t.
Fluttershy was crying as she sat up staring at Rainbow. "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! Please forgive me Rainbow Dash please!" She begged stroking Rainbow’s face. Rainbow snarled looking up at her.
"I'll find you traitor and I'll kill you!"
Fluttershy gasped backing away from Rainbow as she struggled to move again.
"You will all die! And when I find you I'll kill you the most horrible way possible!"
Fluttershy was now sobbing as she stood up baking away from her. "But Rainbow Dash... We're-"
"I'll kill you, you hear me! We will be avenged by scum like you!"
Fluttershy started to cry again leaning against the wall hearing those cold worlds from her. "I... I'm sorry Rainbow dash... I," There was a sound and Fluttershy gasped seeing pegasi flying toward them. She had to get away. She turned to Rainbow and pulled out her pistol and knife. She sniffed turning away.
"Run-away you coward I'll find you and kill you!"
Fluttershy sniffed and leaped into the air flying away crying. She turned to see the pegasi gathering around Rainbow Dash. "I love you." She whispered flapping harder and faster towards Canterlot, she’ll lose the Pegasi in the riot fires.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Fluttershy leaned hard against the wall crying. She slid down to the floor of her room crying into her arms. She continued to sob as the memories flashed through her mind even the pain she gave Rainbow Dash on that last moment she saw her.
I'll kill you!
Fluttershy sobbed again grabbing her pillow and stuffed her face in it to continue to sob. After all these years she thought Rainbow would surly kill her but now, the way she looked into those eyes, they were filled with guilt, not anger or savagery that she had shown toward her back then. She sniffed and looked at the bag she brought with her from Canterlot. She opened the ancient thing and looked inside to find the remains of her last life. Her old uniform, her hat, her clothing, then at the very bottom she can see everything that reminded her of her friends. Several photos and a pile of letters.
She reached down to look at the picture as she sniffed to see old memories of happy times. Then she found a picture of her and Rainbow Dash sitting together in a foxhole. Rainbow was napping while Fluttershy was smiling at her as Pinkie was holding out her tail to tickle the pegasus’ nose. Fluttershy sniffed dropping the photo.
"I loved her," She whispered. She turned towards her doorway. For years she longed for that love again but can she ever find that love again? That special love that brought her out of those dark places from her childhood? She sighed feeling tears again. She chuckled wiping her eyes.
"Geez, I haven’t cried like this since I was a filly." She chucked with a sniff. She sighed shakily thinking. "Well if she is going to kill me... now is her chance."
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
"Where did that asshole take my father!" Vinyl yelled out a second time glaring at Tick Tock. Tick Tock quirked brow as Raspberry was trying hard to control her daughter.
"Grace, what did I say about language!"
The prince sighed. "Please mistress, I understand her anger. Your father shared the same anger when Blueblood threatened your life."
"My life?" Vinyl asked with curiosity overpowering her anger. "Your mean that b- I mean coward threatened him with my life?"
The prince nodded. "Your want to know where he took your father?"
Vinyl nodded. The prince sighed. "Rainbow and I were told by Applejack that your father was taken to the prison station called The Rock."
"The Rock?" Vinyl asked with shock. "You mean the ultra-secure prison in the Equestrian galaxy? That Rock?"
The prince nodded. "It was first built as a prison where we could keep war criminals and traitors. It was supposed to be destroyed until Queen Celestia ordered the prison to stay in business but in secret and used it for special prisoners."
Vinyl sat down hard in her chair. Her father is in The Rock Prison? She closed her eyes thinking.
"I'm sorry I had to tell you-"
"No, you had every right to tell me." She stood up again and started to pace thinking. "I have to find a way to get better and find him."
"What?" the prince asked silently standing up. "You don’t understand Captain. That prison is now a suicide mission, only special ponies in the royal guard or royals that know of the place goes there. No doubt my brother has the rights to work there and place..." He paused for a moment then turned pale. "Oh Luna..."
"What?" Vinyl asked. The prince sat down hard.
"Back at Luna’s Moon, Blueblood was telling me about his plans. He gloats a lot I should add. And one of the ideas of his if we survive this he would have taken us all to the Rock to be executed or sent to slavery."
Vinyl went pale pacing again but then another thought came in.
"Who would have been executed?"
The prince glared. "Those that will be a threat to him alive."
Vinyl blinked. "The Elements of Harmony?"
The prince nodded. "They would have been."
"You?"
"Possibly."
Vinyl gasped. "Octavia! He would have executed her!"
The prince nodded sadly. "Yes, even you.”
Vinyl stared at him spooked. “Me? What did I do to deserve his bad side?”
Tick Tock pointed at her. “You have proven to be a threat to Blueblood. You saved Octavia on the Cadenza, from the slave pits of Fillydelphia, and then from your ship." Vinyl gulped looking down, clenching her fists.
"You are a Hybrid and therefore Hybrids are not supposed to do things you can do Captain Scratch. And when my brother learned of your true bloodline..." Tick Tock chuckled shaking his head. "Of course his pride was in shambles being bested by a Hybrid unicorn. But Blueblood won't quit. Soon he'll learn about Octavia escaping from Luna’s Moon alive."
Vinyl looked at him with fear. "He'll go after her."
"With more guards at his back. Once he finds her, he'll make sure she's dead so he can continue on his killing spree of Hybrids and earth ponies alike."
Raspberry gasped grabbing Blueberry into her arms. Vinyl looked up at him.
"It's not just him right? The Canterlot Government is corrupted." She said firmly seeing the prince’s worry and guilt.
"I hate to admit it but it is true. Somehow some way Canterlot went into corruption during the Discordian war. There was this group of unicorns and pegasi that called themselves the Order. The Order was an old ruling class in early Canterlot history. It was said that these ponies were once the government knights and royal guards that protected Celestia and Luna. But then one day Luna discovered the treachery and the barbarism of the Order and ordered for her loyal guards to hunt every single one of them and kill them.
"Of course not everypony was killed."
"Meaning?" Vinyl asked sternly.
"Luna and Celestia were told that everypony was dead from the cult but there were still those that were born into the cult and lived the slaughter and some of them were royal born. They had a plan to be in the cult and create a larger group."
"But how did you know about this?" Raspberry asked worriedly.
Tick Tock sighed. "Because my family are huge members of the cult."
The room went deathly quiet as Tick Tock sighed sitting down in the couch rubbing his face. Sapphire wrapped her arms around him hugging him and kissing him on the cheek.
"But... You're..." Vinyl was speechless. "But you're the only royal that accepted our kind. Hell you have a hybrid daughter!"
Tick Tock looked up at Vinyl. "I owe my life to Rainbow Dash. She was a part of the Order as well so I trusted her in an instant, but of course she was a different pony and started getting through my thick skull about the true honor ponies have and she taught me so much." He smiled.
"She was the mother I never had. While I was growing up, my mother was never around. She was into the cult and had me and Blueblood a part of it. I never had the stomach for their sacrifices or brutal torturing of the slaves they bought. After the rebellion I came home a new stallion I didn’t want to be known for killing ponies as a cult practice and after seeing what I would have become, I turned my back to the cult for good."
Tick Tock smiled up at Vinyl. "A good thing I did or I would have never met my wife." He said smiling at his wife kissing her. "The Canterlot government is controlled by the cult, The Order. They have control of Canterlot and the government. Unicorns are mainly used for their magic and brainwashing and mind control. Pegasi are the brute force of the Order, they are the ones that made the rules. Using traditional Pegasi ancient laws that were banned by the aid of the Wonderbolts, to make the Order as savage as possible."
Vinyl nodded. "So when the Order discovered you were married to the duchess and had a hybrid child what did they do?"
Tick Tock sighed sadly. "I knew they would send assassins my way. I even had a hunch that my brother was a part of the assassinations. But I had no proof and after I married Melody I was thrown out and called a traitor from the Order." He shrugged. "Good riddance, but I knew the risk, so did Rainbow Dash. She protected us and Octavia well. But of course she was sort of a spy against the Order, but since she's with me she was cast out too but not like me."
Vinyl nodded thinking again. She sighed rubbing her face. "Great this is just great. Not only will Octy be a threat to Blueblood but a threat to a whole cult of ponies? How can we beat that?"
The prince smiled. "You’ll find a way. Octavia is a smart girl."
Vinyl blushed with a small smile crossing her arms across her chest. "She sure is." Sapphire smiled with a chuckle.
"What? No I do not!" Vinyl blubbered with shock her face turning a new shade of red.
"Anyway," Vinyl said interrupting the laughter and jokes. "Since you knew of this cult, perhaps you can tell me more about where they are?"
The prince frowned and shook his head. "I wasn't initiated straight into the Order. I was still being considered as a new member when the rebellion happened. I left for the war and then I changed. I can't tell you where they are because I haven’t been accepted as a member."
Vinyl sighed with defeat going back to her chair. "But there is a way." Sapphire said.
"Yeah?" Vinyl asked sitting up. She nodded.
"Yes but it's an old legend. Have you heard of the Shining Mirror?"
Vinyl thought for a moment. "No, I don’t think so."
Sapphire smiled. "The Shining Mirror is said to be a powerful magical mirror that can tell your true heart’s desires. Some legends say that if you are powerful enough you can control the mirror and tell it what you want to know. These two different legends had been passed around for years."
"Wait so this mirror can show my heart’s desires or what I want?"
"Yes, if you press your palm to the Shining Mirror you will see what you desire to see through the glass. Explorers have been looking for the mirror for years, but couldn't find it. Some say it was a treasure belonging to Discord but others say it's a legend. But seeing as Luna’s Treasured Moon was real perhaps the Mirror could be real too."
Vinyl nodded her head with a smile. "Where can I find this Shining Mirror?"
Octavia walked around with an escort of two guards as she reached an area underground where the air was stifling hot. She gulped rolling up her puffy sleeves as she looked around. It had been a week since she and her friends had been imprisoned by the shaman called Fluttershy. She seemed to be high enough to be in charge which worried Octavia greatly, especially since she did threaten her with Vinyl’s life.
During the week of laying around in their room, Octavia was taught a lot form Applejack, especially things about Fluttershy. It was surprising to hear all these stories, even Apple Bloom was interested too. She never knew her sister was in the war. Octavia paid close attention to these stories, wanting to understand what had happened and maybe help her understand what Fluttershy had been through. Applejack never talked about the rebellion until Apple Bloom was asleep and then she'll tell Octavia in a hushed whisper about the rebellion and what the unicorns and pegasi did to her and Pinkie Pie. Not to mention the ponies that were branded as traitors.
So it might be possible that Fluttershy was a traitor and was tortured. But why was she so hostile toward Captain Dash? Applejack knew but she didn't want to talk about it. Saying it was the past and she knew Rainbow’s head is on back straight.
"Back straight?" Octavia had asked with confusion.
"Look, I'm not going to talk about what I heard. If you want the true story ask Rainbow yourself."
Octavia turned away and went to bed not wanting to have that option. The guardians in her head were telling her to find the truth, but how could she when she was scared to death, and not to mention resentful towards, the pegasus? Then another thought came through her mind. How can she bring back the Elements of Harmony together if they are either dead or they want to kill each other?
Now after a week in the room Fluttershy seem to let the guard allow Octavia and Applejack and even Apple Bloom to see their companions. Fluttershy was there to say that they will be given a longer leash. But of course unicorns and pegasi will be truly under guard. Of course Blossomforth and Raindrops didn't object to having their wings tied to their bodies. Twilight made some silly little movement to what she said was a promise. That seemed to give Fluttershy ease but pain replaced that worry.
Octavia blinked hearing a call as she watched a young stallion run past them and up the stone steps to the caverns above. Octavia gulped and continued following her escorts through the tunnel until they reached a hall where there were sounds. Sounds of talking, laughter, even crying. There was a smell of blood and bodies further up. She swallowed hard having horrible thoughts of where she was being taken.
They turned the corner and those horrid ideas soon popped out of being. What she saw was a large cavern chamber filled with sick and dying zebras. Octavia covered her mouth to hide her shock as she looked around to see the horribly wounded zebras. She turned one way hearing a mare screaming. She could see the zebra mare actually in labor. She blinked several times watching a zebra mare wearing the same headband as Fluttershy quickly run to her aid.
Octavia turned another direction hearing another cry and see a mare crying over a stallion, he looked horribly wounded and burned. He must have died. She can see a stallion walking over with a blanket to cover him and saying a prayer. Octavia continued to follow her escort up some steps to an area where there were stone rooms. The front escort stopped and pointed to the blanket covering the entrance. Octavia nodded with a bow then entered the room.
She stepped in and gasped to see Vinyl sleeping covered in sweat on a pallet and covered in a thick blanket. Octavia was in shock seeing how horrible Vinyl looked.
"Princess," Octavia turned and gasped to see Daring for the first time in a week.
"Professor!" Daring stood up and hugged Octavia.
"Thank goodness you're unharmed."
Octavia sighed feeling happy to see the professor again. "Twilight was worried sick about you."
"Ah, she shouldn't have." Daring said chuckling pulling away. "Please sit down with me, I was just finishing up my study here."
"Study?" Octavia asked sitting by Daring looking down at Vinyl with sad eyes.
"Why yes, I was learning from Shaman Zecora here about the zebra culture. Very interesting stuff here." Octavia turned to see the elder zebra making some sort of powder with plants.
"How's Vinyl doing?" She asked reaching her hand to place it over Vinyl's chest. Daring quirked her eyebrow to watch Octavia close her eyes as if using magic. Daring sighed.
"What do you think?"
Octavia didn't hear her as she soon felt Vinyl's weak magic tendrils toward her. She could feel the weakness in her body, her lungs are in bad shape, and she could sense darkness, a deep darkness.
"She’s..." She whispered opening her eyes feeling tears as she curled her hand into a fist.
"She is fighting. Soon she will be up as quick as lightning." Zecora spoke as she continued to beat the ingredients into a fine powder then dump the small wooden bowl into some sort of liquid as she stirred it.
"But..." Octavia whirled sniffing, wiping her eyes. "She’s dying!"
Zecora shook her head. "Unicorn body is strong. Nothing can do her wrong."
"But how can you... She's-"
"Octavia," Daring whispered grabbing her shoulder and squeezed tightly. "Zecora is a true healer, she and Fluttershy are using the most powerful and potent herbs and plants that can to heal Vinyl. She might look dead right now, but the herbs are fighting with her."
Octavia blinked confused. "You mean she'll be fine?"
Daring smiled sadly. "Applejack said that it'll take time, but Captain Scratch will come back to us."
"How much longer?" Octavia asked turning to Zecora.
"Possibly a couple of weeks." Everypony turned to see Fluttershy entering the room carrying a satchel with multicolored leaves sticking out. "It'll take a while for the Poison Joke pollen to work."
"Poison joke?" Octavia asked.
Zecora chuckled. "Its works like poison oak. But instead it turns you into a joke."
"What?" Octavia asked with shocked disbelief. Did she heard that right?
Fluttershy chuckled. "Poison Joke is a plant that has magical properties. If you enter a grove of them then the plant would turn you into something. Like me for instant, when I first came here I went into a full grove of them and then the next morning," Fluttershy chuckled. "I started talking like a stallion."
Daring was chuckling while Octavia just stared at her with confusion.
"How did you get rid of it?"
Fluttershy turned to Zecora. "Zecora gave me this potion that I used in my bath and my voice turned back to normal. But even though Poison Joke can be a pain in the tail, the nectar is very important for our medicines."
Octavia gulped looking at the pegasus. "So... this nectar will help heal Vinyl?"
"The nectar in Poison Joke can be used as a repellant if mixed with the right amounts correctly, it can even be used to reference the effects of a disease we don’t know about. But missing the nectar in the right ingredients we can make a cure to help your friend fight off what the magic did to her. But she also has an infection, no?"
Octavia nodded. Fluttershy sighed. "She’s like this because of the infection. We are giving her medication for the infection and for the magic that has clouded her lungs as you spoke of."
Octavia sighed. "Will she make it? The infection I mean?"
Fluttershy sighed. "Just as Zecora says, she's strong and very healthy. She’ll make it. It is the lung problem I'm not so sure about. Right now she's on the edge of death. It's up to the old gods to bring her back."
Octavia gulped reaching her hand to Vinyl's head to swipe her wet mane aside. Fluttershy watched her closely to see how tender Octavia touched her and stroked her ear and head. Fluttershy blinked several times feeling anger yet sadness.
"Shaman, I'll be back." Fluttershy said standing up to leave the room.
"Don’t be too long, you take over after the gong."
Octavia watched the pegasus walk away, she turned back to Vinyl stroking her face. Zecora got her attention by snapping her fingers.
"You, help me lift her head. That way no medicine gets in her bed." Octavia nodded as she placed her arm around the back of Vinyl's neck and lifting her up quite surprised by her light weight. While lifting her up the blanket fell off a touch to reveal her ribs.
"What's happening to her?" She whispered with shock.
"The infection is strong, and with medicine she is losing muscle and fat." Daring answered sadly. "This sickness will take everything out of her if she lives."
"If she lives, flying one?" Zecora said with a raised brow. "I believe she yet won."
"I hope so." Daring answered seeing Octavia with tears now pouring down her cheeks. "I sure do hope so." Octavia hugged Vinyl to her nuzzling her cheek feeling helpless to help her friend in need.
Later Octavia never left Vinyl's side for the rest of the day. She stayed in the room holding Vinyl to her or holding her hand, determined to stay by her side until the very end. When night came Fluttershy left her room then returned with a small pallet and set it next to Vinyl for Octavia to sleep by her. Octavia didn't ask why the pegasus did it, but the look in her eyes seem to answer her question.
"Thank you," She whispered. Fluttershy nodded and silently left the room shaking slightly. Octavia laid in her pallet holing Vinyl's hand feeling her muscles twitch every so often giving Octavia hope that her friend is still alive. But sleep didn’t came easy to the fugitive princess as her hero continued to hang between life and death.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Rainbow was leaning against the wall in her room staring at the dagger laying in the center of the room. It had been a few days since she was given the dagger and since then Rainbow started to think. She closed her eyes remembering that moment of truth hours ago.
She was kneeling in the center of the room with tears pouring out of her eyes from the memory backlash she felt. She grabbed the dagger from the wall and preparing to end it all. Placing the tip of the dagger above her naval wanting to end the suffering she caused to all ponies and herself. But something stopped her. A voice. A voice of a child.
"Mimi!"
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
12 years ago: Manehattan Palace
"Mimi!"
Rainbow Dash turned to see Little Octavia in her winter dress running from the corridor to hug Rainbow around her thighs. Rainbow just stared at her with shock. She looked up to see Prince Tick Tock and Duchess Sapphire Melody walk over smiling, their faces showing signs of the cold.
"What's wrong Captain?" The Duchess asked scooping up Octavia into her arms and balancing her on her hip. Rainbow turned to Octavia with confusion.
"What did you just call me?" She asked with a raised brow. Octavia giggled grabbing Rainbow's sleeve and tugged it.
"Mimi!" she giggled again as Duchess Melody kissed her on the cheek. Rainbow blinked looking at the prince to see him smiling.
"Highness, can we talk alone?" Rainbow asked dangerously getting surprised looks from the couple.
"Of course, Captain." The prince said just as seriously, kissing Melody on the cheek and then tickled Octavia's chin causing her to giggle. As the two walked away Octavia was waving.
"Bye-bye Daddy, bye Mimi!"
Rainbow made a smile waving to the little princess as Melody quickly walked away already getting a look from her husband.
"What the hell Highness!" Rainbow snapped.
"What's wrong?" Tick Tock asked innocently.
"What’s wrong?! I told you I can't be that close to her. Even now more than ever since everypony is watching her carefully!" Rainbow whispered angrily, poking him in the chest with her finger. The prince pushed the blue finger away with a sigh and shake of his head.
"Rainbow Dash she sees you as her grandmother, you can't tell a child to not call you her grandmother when you love her as-"
"Shut your mouth!" Rainbow hissed looking around. "I can't afford to do this sort of thing anymore."
"What do you mean? You love her,"
"No, I..." Rainbow closed her eyes turning away. "I can't." Tick Tock blinked seeing the despair in his old friend’s eyes.
"Why, Rainbow? Tell me,"
"No, I can’t tell you." Rainbow turned to see Octavia twirling in her dress showing it to the ladies at the fountain. They were all giving her horrible looks. Rainbow sniffed wiping her eyes.
"Was it before you and I met?" Tick Tock asked softly placing his hand on her shoulder.
"It was." She paused and sighed. "I was in love with a pony. I have this very horrible feeling in my gut when I think about this pony. I think I did something wrong and I can't remember what I did. But every time I think about her... I just know that everypony that I loved were hurt. I'm afraid to love again even if it was as harmless as that."
Rainbow clenched her fists tightly. She leaned against the pillar covering her face to hide her tears. Tick Tock patted Rainbow on the back.
"I understand. Those bastards took your loved ones away." He said harshly as he turned to watch Melody hug Octavia kissing her on the cheek. "I can’t say that I feel the same way Rainbow Dash. But love is all I can give to my family to protect them. But I do understand, you don’t want them to take away the source of your new found happiness."
Rainbow sniffed with a sigh. "I'm sorry highness, I’m a disgrace."
"No, never say that, Captain. Your have the largest heart of any pegasus pony I have ever met. And believe me when I say this Rainbow Dash, I love you as if you are my own mother." Rainbow blinked and turned to him to see him smile.
"My mother disowned me after I told her of my plans to marry Sapphire Melody. Nothing is worse than having your own mother banish you and to never see her again. But you took her place and took me in your arms and held me like I was your own boy." Rainbow blushed as she wiped her drying eyes.
"In a way I look at you as my own. I trained you hard, highness and I won’t let you die quick." The two chuckled at that as they stood still for a moment feeling the cool air from the corridor.
"It will be hard for Octavia to understand." Tick Tock said sadly. "She loves you very much."
Rainbow nodded biting her lip. "My loyalty still stands. I will be her shield and her protector. Just not like before. I can’t tuck her in bed anymore. I can't sing her any lullabies either. But I will take the stabs, the shots, even the kicks to protect her, highness."
Tick Tock sighed seeing that she was getting better and returning to normal Captain Dash. He nodded his head once then turned. He stopped for a moment then turned to Rainbow.
"I know you love her too, Rainbow Dash. You just don’t want to admit it." He walked away leaving Rainbow Dash to bite her lip, trying to keep from crying again.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Mimi!
Rainbow dropped the blade, breathing hard, crawling back to the corner and stayed there hugging her knees to her chest, crying all over again. Octavia's voice continued to haunt her throughout the night her tiny voice giggling, crying, and even talking.
I love you! Rainbow closed her eyes as she heard the voices yet again.
"Stop it please!" She begged as visions sprout in her mind both bad and good. "Please!" She screamed out now holding her ears trying to get the voices out of her head. "Leave. Me. Alone!”
One of the zebra guards looked inside to notice Rainbow acting strangely. He sprinted off down the tunnel to get help.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Octavia was watching Fluttershy doing a potion as the zebra guard ran into the room panting. He started speaking in rushed Zebrican pointing behind him. Fluttershy turned to him with shock.
"What?" She asked in Equestria as the zebra spoke again. Fluttershy nodded turning to Octavia. "Stay here!" Fluttershy ordered running after the guard leaving the dazed earth pony alone running with the guard.
"Go follow her, dear." Zecora said cryptically. Octavia looked up at the elder to see her nodding. "There is a truth you must hear." Octavia blinked once then stood up running after Fluttershy. Zecora sighed sadly sitting down by Vinyl as she finishes the potion.
Applejack was whistling an old tune as she went off walking in the tunnels. She looked up seeing a zebra and Fluttershy nearing her. She moved to the wall watching the two run past Applejack, "Whoa. Hey ‘Shy, what's the matter?"
"It's Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy called out before turning the corner. Applejack stood there confused trying to process what Fluttershy said as Octavia ran past her.
"Wait for me!" Applejack called out running after them.
Fluttershy entered the room and gasped to see Rainbow curled up in a ball screaming out holding her head as if something was squeezing her. "Rainbow!" She yelled out running to her. Octavia stepped in and gasped. Applejack pushed past her to see the knife in Rainbow's hand.
"Rainbow, don't!" Applejack called out running over. Fluttershy saw the knife and grabbed Rainbow's arm.
"Rainbow, please!" Fluttershy begged now getting worried. What if Rainbow is going to kill her now? She looked into Rainbow's eyes to see guilt.
"I'm sorry," She whispered. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Rainbow cried out fighting. Octavia went to the corner to watch what was going on. What did Zecora mean by hearing the truth?
"Rainbow, stop!" Applejack yelled out now grabbing Rainbow and holding her down. "Are you mad?" Applejack yelled right before she felt a fist jab into her gut. With that moment of freedom Rainbow kicked Fluttershy away to release her arm. She placed the knife blade to her neck.
"Rainbow, stop!" Fluttershy yelled out watching.
"I will," Rainbow whispered crying. "I'm better off dead!"
Applejack roared out tackling the pegasus to the ground wrestling her for the knife. Applejack grabbed Rainbow’s hand keeping the blade to the floor as the two struggled.
"Rainbow Dash, you mean more to us alive! What’s gotten into you?" She yelled over Rainbow's Dash's cursing.
"I'm a murderer, you earth bucking bitch! I'm a killer!"
Applejack looked down at her with shock as they continue to struggle. Rainbow closed her eyes and began to go limp under her friend’s brawn. She shook violently as she cried.
"I tried to kill Fluttershy." She cried. "I killed stallions, mares, and foals. Dammit, I killed hundreds of ponies that were innocent."
Octavia gulped hard watching what was happening. Applejack closed her eyes at hearing this. "Rainbow," she started.
"No!" Rainbow screamed. "I was supposed to protect them and now I'm just as evil as the ones that did this to me!"
Octavia blinked watching how the captain of the guard, who was so strong and never revealed true emotion, was laying on her back crying like a filly. Applejack sighed loosening her grip on the pegasus.
"Rainbow, we've all have been through woe and unforgivable things. Believe me, I know."
"No, you don't know." Rainbow whispered harshly as she swings her hand to hit Applejack in the temple with the hilt of the knife. Applejack cried out hitting the wall next to them on the head and was knocked out. Fluttershy gasped leaping forward only to be kicked in the gut. Fluttershy hit hard on the hard ground, holding her stomach from the kick. Octavia gasped seeing Rainbow Dash panting hard with tears streaming down her face. She stared at the blade and sighed placing the blade to her belly again.
"Forgive me my friends. I'm better off dead."
STOP HER! The Guardians screamed through Octavia’s head. With no thought of delay she followed the command. She ran forward and tackled the pegasus to the ground. As Rainbow got the air knocked out of her, Octavia grabbed the knife and threw it to a corner. She felt hands grab her and flipped her to her back. Octavia gasped looking up into the fierce eyes of the guard.
Octavia's brain suddenly started to work again and she gasped with surprise. Even Rainbow was surprised. She blinked several times panting looking down at the princess under her.
"Princess," She whispered with shock.
Octavia reached up to her chest where the Luna's Tear sat and held onto it tight. She blinked again and discovered something was wrong. As she held the jewel she could see something strange. Rainbow was radiating some sort of soft glow of pink magic. The magic was heavy and dark. A heaviness that seemed to have more weight than the captain straddling her. Rainbow blinked and suddenly the magic seem to fade away.
"Princess, forgive me." She whispered blinking hard, shaking her head. Rainbow slowly moved away from the princess breathing hard, holding her head. Fluttershy sat up after witnessing what had happened. She quickly crawled to the knife grabbing it. Rainbow sighed sitting on her pallet against the corner breathing hard. Octavia slowly sat up breathing just as hard.
What did you make me do? She asked mentally to the guardians.
She must not die. If one Element dies then the magic will sever and the Elements of Harmony will never be used. You need them to fulfill your mission. Octavia swallowed, staring at Rainbow as she covered her face with her hands.
Octavia sighed. So what? What if this harmony thing doesn't work? She asked resentfully clenching the Luna's Tear tighter in her fist.
Then you won't stop the corrupting government for killing you. The Elements of Harmony are a powerful weapon that can destroy all that is against the magic of harmony.
Octavia sighed sensing the guardians leaving her mind. She let out an annoyed sigh as she turned to realize Rainbow Dash was staring at her. Octavia blushed turning away she crawled to Applejack and patted her cheek and shake her shoulder to get her to wake up. Fluttershy crawled over to check Applejack's wounds.
"Hmm, nothing serious, she'll have a big bump on her head for a while though." Fluttershy turned to Rainbow to see her still staring at Octavia.
"Rainbow," Fluttershy whispered gently sitting by her being careful. Rainbow blinked and looked up at Fluttershy then turned away.
"I mean what I said," Rainbow whispered with a sniff. "I'm sorry... I wasn't myself." She sniffed again rubbing her eyes. "I never knew what happened until you... Fluttershy," Fluttershy placed her finger over Rainbow's lips to keep her quiet as she used her other hand to stroke Rainbow's messy mane.
"You need rest." She pulled Rainbow forward then untangled Rainbow's arms and legs. She lightly pushed Rainbow down to her back. "Sleep," She whispered. Rainbow turns away. Fluttershy sighed shaking her head reaching into her robes and pull out some kind of small vial with a tiny strand of a plant inside. She popped the cork of the top and waved the tube under Rainbow's nose. Rainbow sniffed the scent and blinked. Her eyelids grew heavy and then her eyes went shut. Fluttershy sighed as she corked the vile and patted Rainbow's shoulder. She turned to see Applejack coming to.
"What happened?" Applejack asked.
"Captain Dash hit you hard in the head." Octavia whispered. Applejack nodded as Octavia helped her stand up. Fluttershy sighed standing up. She walked to the outside and spoke to the two guards. The two zebras walked into the room and lifted up Rainbow then carried her away.
"Where are you taking her?" Applejack asked rubbing her temple wincing feeling the slight pain that gave her.
"She must be watched for a while." Fluttershy said sadly. "I'll be checking on her later." She turned to Octavia. "You saw something didn't you?"
Octavia gulped clenching her stone. "I might have seen something." Fluttershy and Applejack looked at her for a moment. Applejack cleared her throat.
"That stone she has in her hand, she could see things like we did with our medallions." Fluttershy looked at Octavia's clenched fist thinking for a moment.
"We shall talk later, I must tend to Rainbow Dash and make sure she's not suffering from any delusions. She might have brain damage without even knowing." She left the room leaving the two Earth ponies alone.
Applejack sighed picking up her hat, pulling it on her head. She turned to see Octavia staring at the floor. "Look, Princess, Thanks for stopping her."
Octavia looked up and turned to the Earth pony. "What do you mean?"
Applejack sighed. "Back then I was so strong I could lift Rainbow off the ground by the collar of her jacket. Now I lost all my strength and I can't fight anymore. I was reduced to no more than a simple slave." Octavia turned to see Applejack reach to her back gently rubbing her back closest to her side.
Octavia turned away. "I've got to go."
Applejack nodded. "Same here. I have to go see Apple Bloom."
The two Earth ponies walked together for a time and then took their separate paths. Octavia headed to the infirmary cavern while Applejack took another tunnel leading her to the other shipmates.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Rainbow slowly opened her eyes groaning from the pain in her head. "Where am I?" She asked.
"Safe for the moment." Fluttershy said sourly as she stamp hard into her bowl pounding some powder.
Rainbow blinked and felt something. She looked down and gasped to find herself tied to the ground. "What is this?!"
"Stay your fears." Fluttershy said softly. "It's for your protection."
Rainbow snorted. "My protection, or everypony else's?"
Fluttershy sighed, turning to the tied down Rainbow Dash. The ropes were uncomfortable, but they made sure that she wouldn't try to killing herself again. Rainbow looked up at Fluttershy, from the top of her head to the end of her braided pink tail.
"You have changed." She murmured. Fluttershy heard that and turned to see Rainbow stiffen and blush.
"What was that?"
Rainbow cleared her throat. "I said you have changed... since the last memory I had of you."
Fluttershy closed her eyes returning back to her powders. "What was that last memory? Of me crying under you when you tried to murder me with your sword?"
Rainbow's ears went flat on her head as she closed her eyes. "For the longest time, my last memory of you was... that last night we had together."
Fluttershy's hand went still. Rainbow sighed. "Before everything went to hell… it was after Rarity's birthday and we both had too much to drink, remember?"
Fluttershy swallowed hard, not answering but Rainbow kept going. "That was my only memory I always seem to see when I think about you. Not only that but, your gentleness, your bravery. Mostly I just missed you, but every time I thought about you I guess my conscience would keep telling that something had happened that made me believe that you were dead. That same hollow feeling stayed with me long after Spitfire was... murdered.
Fluttershy placed her hands on the rock, biting her lip as she remembered the first time she heard about Spitfire. "I heard about that," She whispered, "You were always gone and I wasn't there to help you when you needed it."
Rainbow turned to see Fluttershy's shoulders shaking. "I searched for you, even when Rarity told me not to and to just stay away from you. I searched for you even after what happened to us."
Rainbow bit her lip and closed her eyes. Fluttershy continued to talk anyway as tears ran down her cheeks. "I kept getting word that you were with the other pegasi so I snuck to the compound and I heard you voice... and I saw what was happening and you..."
Rainbow sniffed. "I know what I did now. She was a good friend and I killed her."
"You were fighting it, I saw it."
"Fighting what?" She asked confused.
"There was a unicorn there and she was standing by that horrible pegasus and she was waving her hands around and performing this spell that sent shivers down my spine. You were being controlled."
Rainbow groaned. "Man... Man, oh man, oh man." She whispered sniffling. "I'm such a mess!"
Fluttershy turned and kneeled by Rainbow Dash to stroke her face. "It'll take time but with this herb I'm mixing with your food, this should stop all magical influence on you."
Rainbow blinked staring up at her. "You mean... you will help me? Even after what I had done to you?"
Fluttershy sighed trying hard not to cry. "I won't forgive you for what you had done, but I can’t turn my back on ponies that need me, not to mention friends. My true friends."
Rainbow closed her eyes letting the tears fall as she smiled. "I could care less about that, but hearing that you will help me as my friend... that means a lot to me." She paused for a moment to try and regain herself but couldn’t help it.
"I thought you were dead a long times ago, ‘Shy. Just like Pinkie Pie." Fluttershy nodded slowly.
"I know." She whispered stroking Rainbow's face. Rainbow leaned into her hand crying silently. "I know," she whispered again.
"The princess?" Rainbow asked silently.
"She’s fine. A little shaken but fine."
Rainbow sighed closing her eyes. Fluttershy smiled stroking her mane with her other hand.
25 Years Ago: 3 Months Before Earth Pony Rebellion
After the ordeal at the palace, Rarity was sitting in the couch wiping her eyes trying hard to protect her mascara. She looked horrible after the ordeal with the Princess, no the Queen. Twilight was taken away and was sentenced to house arrest in her own dorm room in the Celestial University. Then Rarity and Fluttershy were sent back to the cabin that they shared with their friends. Fluttershy was passing back and forth in the room wringing her hands, her wings fidgeting.
"Where is Rainbow?" She begged trying hard to keep from crying again. Rarity blinked for several second then sighed.
"Fluttershy darling, please, you must calm down."
"But where? They took Pinkie and Applejack and now Twilight, where's Rainbow?" Rarity looked pained staring at her feet.
"Fluttershy darling, please listen to me." She begged with caution warning in her voice. "Rainbow is in a place right now and I don't think she'll come back."
"Where is she?" Fluttershy asked staring deep into her friend's eyes. Rarity turned away. "You've seen her?"
"Regretfully so, but please dear don’t go after her. It'll be devastating, what you might find."
"What are you hiding from me?" Fluttershy asked with shock backing away from her friend. Rarity bit her lip lowering her hands to her hips clenching her fists.
"The horrible truth."
At that time, Fluttershy thought Rainbow as dead. Rarity quickly shook her head. "No, not like that darling, it is just best you stay here with me. We’ll wait until this blows over then we'll be back together again. Just sit down and rest."
Rarity reached and grabbed Fluttershy’s shoulder and carefully pushed her to the chair behind her. "Rest I'm begging you."
Fluttershy glared at her and pushed her away. "I'm going to my room to rest." Fluttershy walked up the stairs with anger floating around her like a stench. Rarity waited until she heard the door slam shut before she broke down again. She went down on her knees crying.
"What has happened to us?"
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Present Day: The Rock
"What has happened to us?" Rarity whimpered in her sleep. Scratch turned and quickly placed his hand on her shoulder to shake her awake. Rarity gasped sitting up grabbing his arm.
"Hey, Rarity it's me!" Scratch quickly spoke out as the mare was breathing hard from the scare. She sighed then started to cry covering her eyes with her dirty hands. Scratch felt a pang of guilt as he wrapped his arms around her letting her cry on his shoulder. Once she was silent to sniffling, Scratch dared himself to ask a question.
"What were you dreaming about?"
Rarity sniffed pulling back to sit down on the ground. "It was a nightmare I will ever forget. I was dreaming about the last time I saw my friend, Fluttershy. It was just me and her together. She was so distraught and upset, I just knew she would run away and find Rainbow." She covered her mouth to hide her sobs. Scratch blinked once thinking.
"Rainbow? What an interesting name."
Rarity sniffed. "She and Fluttershy were together." She sniffed again wiping her eyes with her torn sleeve. "And Rainbow Dash left to go find some way to release Applejack and Pinkie Pie from prison."
"Rainbow Dash? I met a Rainbow Dash recently." Scratch said with surprise. Rarity blinked looking at him with a look of shock.
"You better not be joking with me, sir. I don’t take jokes well."
Scratch quickly lifted up his hands. "No, I mean I know Rainbow Dash."
"Describe her." Rarity quickly snapped.
"Pegasus, rainbow mane and tail, Captain of the royal guards. Well, was."
Rarity stared at him for a long time leaning back against the wall hearing her chains clink and clank together as he moved. Scratch could tell by her disbelief that he just met the same mare she knew.
"She's alive?"
"Well alive and kicking the last time I saw her."
Rarity looked up at him with tears of joy as she smiled. "How was she, please tell me everything you know about her!" Rarity begged crawling to him. Scratch smiled feeling her excitement.
"Well she was subdued the whole time I was with her. She was a prisoner too."
"Prisoner?" Rarity asked surprised. "For what? Or, let me rephrase that, how did you meet her?"
Scratch sighed thinking. "I was taken form Manehattan estate to a pirate ship nearby and I was put into a cell with two other ponies. Royals. One was a prince the other was his guard. Rainbow Dash was the prince's guard."
Rarity gulped. "So who was this prince?" She asked disdainfully.
"His name is Tick Tock,"
"The Tick Tock?" Rarity asked with shock. "The father of the rumored dead Hybrid princess?"
Scratch nodded. "Aye that same prince. And Rainbow was his protector. From the talks I heard those two seem pretty close. He cares for her and she cares for him. That sort of deal. Until talk about that one mare popping up."
"What mare?" Rarity asked interested.
"Uh some mare with a strange accent I never heard before. But Rainbow knew her well. She had this cowpony hat on her head and this evil look in her eyes."
"Wait, a cowpony hat? A strange accent? Would it sound like this?" Rarity cleared her throat and did a horrible reenactment of that accent, "Howdy ya'll what have all ya’ll been doin'?"
Scratch blinked a couple of times then smiled. "Aye, that's the accent."
Rarity turned to the wall biting her lip. "Would her name be Applejack?"
That's impossible! Applejack's dead! She was fearful as she shut her eyes waiting for the answer.
"Uh, I remember Rainbow Dash saying that same name. You knew that mare?"
Rarity gasped opening her eyes looking at Scratch to see he was telling the truth. "Applejack's alive too? Sweet Celestia!" She cried covering her face again shaking her head. "I thought Rainbow would have been dead when she deserted the army and Applejack was killed in prison! How... What was she doing on a pirate ship?!" She asked crying again. Scratch shook his head shrugging his shoulders.
"I'm sorry I don't know that much." He paused to watch Rarity biting her nails and the tears flowing down her face. "But it seemed that you knew those two, very well,"
Rarity sniffed. "We were friends a lifetime ago. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were my dearest friends and we fought together in the war." She hiked up her legs to wrap her arms around them crying into her knees. "Bless the gods for delivering them to life and not death!" Scratch sighed softly as he wrapped his arm around Rarity again holding her as she cried with joy.
"I wish I could tell you more Rarity. Ease the pain you felt all these years."
"What will help is if I can see her face one more time." Rarity sniffed. Scratch didn't want her to elaborate, he just remained silent glaring at the wall.
"Soon, you will see her soon." He whispered kissed her on the head hoping to give her comfort in her dark moment.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Daring sat in her room as she read through some books that Twilight packed for her a while ago. She sighed closing the book with a bored sniff. She turned hearing a sound and smiled seeing Twilight.
"Hello Twilight," Twilight smiled and hugged her friend.
"It's good to see you."
Daring chuckled. "Nice to see they are allowing you free reins."
Twilight rolled her eyes. "Fluttershy's method has been a little surprising."
Daring chuckled as Twilight take a seat on the rock bench. "Well Blossomforth and Raindrops are still being watched. It is rather silly seeing their wings tied to their backs."
Daring nodded with a small smile remembering seeing Blossomforth earlier with the thick rope tied around her body keeping her wings pinned. Blossom also had a zebra escort watching her every move. "Since they bore the same uniforms of the ponies that killed so many of their tribe they will take precaution until Fluttershy or the chieftain says for them to be offered free reins. It'll take them time before being accepted like you, me and the princess."
Twilight nodded with a sigh. Daring looked to her with worry. "Are you doing alright, Twilight?"
"Hmm? Why you ask that?" Twilight asked surprised. Daring shrugged.
"Well considering you just found one of your friends and learning that she has changed?"
Twilight blinked once then turned away her ears fell back on her head. "I don't know who she is. Sure I should have known that this whole rebellion changed us all. I mean Applejack is still Applejack and even Rainbow only a touch."
“A touch?"
Twilight blushed. "I mean she's... She's always keeping her guard up even in front of Applejack. She never does that. Other than Fluttershy, Applejack was the go to pony when she was going through emotional times during the war. She didn't even open up to her." Twilight sighed sadly shaking her head rubbing her forehead below her horn.
"Fluttershy is a complete stranger to me. She's not the sweet, innocent pegasus I grew to know and care for. She's like my sister. She and Rarity both were like my sisters and..." Daring nodded clearing her throat.
"No need to continue Twilight. I understand." Twilight sniffed and nodded.
"Thank you." Daring smiled sadly and turned away fiddling her fingers together. "How's Vinyl? I learned you got to see her the other day."
Daring nodded with a hard frown. "She's not doing well. Twilight, this infection is killing her. Fluttershy and Zecora are doing all they can for her right now."
"Octavia? Does she know?"
Daring nodded. "She's with Vinyl right now. She never left her side."
Twilight smiled. "That's good at least when Vinyl wakes up she'll see a familiar face."
Daring nodded with her worried frown still in place. "Something wrong professor?" Twilight asked seeing the frown.
"I'm just worried about those two right now."
Twilight was confused. "Why?"
Daring sighed slowly out of her mouth turning to Twilight. "Don’t you see it? The way they talked to each other, the way Vinyl left to save her?" Twilight blinked thinking with a blush.
"Well I was too busy trying to get the girls out of there. What's wrong with Vinyl running to save the princess?"
"Think of it this way. Have you ever been smitten over a stallion before?"
Twilight didn't respond.
Daring blinked and turned to see Twilight clenching her fist in her lap. Daring gulped realizing her mistake. "Ahem, Twilight?"
Twilight sighed looking up to her mentor to surprise her with a glare. "There are things I don't fantasize over Professor." Daring was shocked to hear such a dark tone from the young unicorn. Never in all the years Twilight worked with Daring that she heard that tone from her. Twilight stood up turning away.
"If there is nothing for me to do Professor..."
"No, nothing at all." Daring whispered silently feeling guilt. Twilight nodded and ran out of the room as fast a she could. Daring let out the breath she held rubbing her eyes with her fingers.
"Wow, Daring, what a fuck up that was." She groaned out loud. She blinked several times then sighed. "Perhaps Applejack might have some history to give me." Daring found her hat and placed it on her head and left to go find Applejack.
Daring found the cowpony in a large cavern teaching Apple Bloom how to hold a pistol. "Alright, an' aim for that bulls eye there." Daring turned to see three large archery targets hanging on the wall of the cavern. Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Spike, and Raindrops were watching. Raindrops was showing Sweetie Belle how to hold a pistol and how to clean it as she used a dirty cloth to wipe the top of the pistol into a shine.
"Got your aim?" Applejack asked. Apple Bloom squinted with one eye down the sights nodding with grunt. "Good, take in a breath and pull the trigger," Applejack whispered into her ear. Apple Bloom took in a breath and pulled the trigger. There was a pop and the laser hit the outside ring of the target.
"Aw!" Apple Bloom yelled out as Scootaloo was laughing pointing at the target. Sweetie Belle, Spike and Raindrops looked up seeing Apple Bloom bowing her head with shame.
"I'll never be as great as you Applejack!" Applejack knelt down to poke her sister in the stomach.
"Hey, that ain't no way to talk now." She scolded softly. "It's alright if you missed the point you aimed for. But look at the target, where did you hit at?"
Apple Bloom sniffed folding Applejack's pointed finger to the target to see a burned hole at the edge ring. She sniffed again wiping her nose with her arm.
"The outer ring." Applejack pulled down Apple Bloom’s arm, pulling up her own sleeve to her fingertips, Applejack wiped off Apple Bloom's face and nose.
"See? You hit the target just not the bull’s eye. That's a good point. At least you hit the target. When I was your age, I missed the target completely."
Apple Bloom gasped. "Really? Where did the shots land."
Applejack chuckled warily scratching the back of her head tilting her hat forward. "Everywhere, even Old Bessy was hit by accident." Applejack chuckled as her sister gasped.
"You hit Bessy?!"
"It was an accident!" Applejack said defensively as Apple Bloom started to glare at her elder.
"Applejack," Applejack turned to see Daring smiling at them.
"Oh howdy there Professor." Applejack said standing up and pointed at Raindrops. "Hey partner, you mind helping Apple Bloom?”
"Sure," Raindrops answered standing up dusting the dirt off her pants. She walked over to Apple Bloom taking AJ's place in teaching Apple Bloom as the cowpony walked over to Daring.
"Howdy,"
"Howdy." Daring answered tipping her hat leaning against the wall watching Raindrops show Apple Bloom the correct stance. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo ran over to stand by Raindrops and Apple Bloom standing the same stance. Spike was busy cleaning the pistols. Applejack tipped back her hat looking at Daring.
"What's on yer mind?" Daring sighed.
"I want to ask you something personal."
Applejack cocked an eyebrow looking warily at the pegasus.
"Depends on the asking part."
"I understand, but it's not about you... It’s about Twilight." Daring said with a worried frown. Applejack seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Uh sure, but I don’t know what happened to Twilight after I went in prison."
Daring nodded. "Alright, this might be a longshot but... did Twilight had a love interest that you know of?"
Applejack gave her a look. Daring immediately blushed and shook her head. "Oh no, no, no, not like that!"
"Then why not you ask her yerself?" Applejack asked as she spat to the side. Daring sighed.
"I mentioned something about if she ever fell in love with a stallion before and she completely shut herself off from me. She spoke in a dark tone I never heard from her before so I knew I must have done something."
Applejack winced and nodded. "I see. After all these years she's still aching from him?"
"I guess but she never told me anything about this pony. Would you mind filling me in on this?"
Applejack sighed as Raindrops held up a pistol and fired a shot. Applejack gulped scratching her head.
"It was around perhaps three years into the war. And our first one as a group." Applejack mention sadly. "We were teamed up with some company for a while on a non-habitable planet we called the Trash Heap.” Applejack paused reaching into her pants pocket to find a cigarette box and pulled out a cigarette and held one up for Daring. Daring shook her head. Applejack shrugged and lit a match and set it before the cigarette and let out a sigh.
"Sorry, it helps me cope you know."
Daring shook her head. "That's completely fine."
"Thanks. Helps me think too."
After several seconds of hearing the pops from the pistols Applejack started the story.
"Well, let’s see there was this group we bunked with. They were mostly stallions so we made our boundaries. No stallion comes to our side and no mare goes to their side. During this time, Twilight was a new corporal then and I told her that she had guard duty alone since Fluttershy was shot in the leg and couldn’t stand without aid. Then one of the colts offered to stand watch with her, since he would be on watch anyways.
"Me and the Sarge on their side made an agreement." Applejack smiled. "Who would have thought though? Twilight was young and never knew what love was until she met with that stallion on watch."
"She fell in love?" Daring asked.
Applejack smirked. "Yeah, it took us a while to notice that when he goes off to watch and Twilight takes the pace of one of us on that same watch until I finally said fine, she'll take that watch rotation." Applejack took a draw of her cigarette with a sad frown.
"It was two months after their first time out that we all figured out that they were in love. I was busy planning an attack with the other commanders in the command tent when a stallion from squadron seventy-five came into the tent with Twilight hanging from her uniform from one of his hands while his other hand had that same colt. The scout said that these two weren't watching they were... You don't need me to tell you the details."
Daring blushed. "In war time?"
Applejack nodded with a grim frown. "Eeyep, I was more or less looked at as a fool for allowing my corporal to be off playing in a fox hole with a stallion while on watch. I gave her a good scolding like she was my own. In a way I looked at everypony in our group as a sister or in Twilight's case a daughter since she was so young, you know?"
Daring nodded. "I understand. I would have done the same thing in your position. I was in that war too."
Applejack nodded. "Good, somepony agrees with me. For the longest time, Fluttershy, Pinkie and Rarity were telling me I was too harsh on her. But Rainbow seemed to be the only one who understood the danger those two lovebirds put us through. But it was after that when things went to Tartarus.
"The enemy made a surprise attack, sneaking in hundreds of soldiers after us. Of course we fought, I remember Pinkie got hit in the head by one of the enemy’s clubbed soldiers. She was lucky to not have anything worse than a concussion. We were able to get out of it alive. I remember Twilight was in distress the whole time since the stallions we bunked with were on the front lines while we were with a flank attack, trying to keep the goons from coming in on our left flank." Applejack shook her head.
"Many ponies died that first day. Even from the large company that took the flank. But then it ended with the enemy retreating. We cheered for victory that night but after that we had to bury our dead. I ordered Twilight to stay with Pinkie and Fluttershy as the rest of us went off to help with the cleanup. By the time we returned Twilight was gone and Fluttershy was sleeping against Pinkie Pie. I woke her up and asked where Twilight was." Applejack sighed.
"She answered that Twilight should be in her cot. But when she saw Twilight’s cot was empty she apologized countless times for it. I ran off to go search for her when I saw where she must have been."
"What do you mean?" Daring asked interrupting.
Applejack turned to her then looked down at the ground. "During the cleanup we found some surviving ponies and one of them was from the stallions' squad we were with. He was the only one left alive. Anyway he saw me running past him. He called to me and told me to go and stop Twilight before she got herself killed. I went back to grab Rainbow Dash and Rarity and we all left with several other ponies to go get her back. She might be looked at as a corporal but she was Celestia's student after all. And also she was my responsibility."
Applejack paused for a moment flicking her cigarette letting the ash fall to the ground, staring at the ground. "We searched forever until we found her being attacked by the enemy. Rainbow tried her best to distract them, Rarity used her magic to try and use the rocks around them to scare off the enemy soldiers. As our army chased them off I took the chance and ran for her." Applejack sighed deeply as if with difficulty as she leaned against the wall pulling off her hat looking at the ceiling.
"I never thought I would see her so… I don’t know what to say. Not mad or sad... perhaps it's both. But when I reached for her she gave me this dark look as if saying not to stop her. That was when I noticed the knife in her hand and the blood flowing from her arm. I grabbed the knife from her and she started to wrestle me to the ground. She tried to use her magic to stop me and back me off, but I was able to stop her before she hurt herself."
Daring blinked staring at the pony with shock. "She tried to commit suicide?"
Applejack nodded slowly biting her lip. "I remember when I finally got her under control she was crying and screaming for him. And I saw his body right there. The soldiers that killed him… mutilated him. Tore him apart as he still drew breath."
Daring shivered. "I heard about those soldiers. They were cannibals."
Applejack nodded. "Yeah, they were true monsters. I held her tightly to me letting her cry as I continued to stare at his body." Applejack shuddered. "I will never forget that image." Applejack dropped her cigarette and set her bot against it squishing out the flame and the bud as a whole.
"Twilight wasn't the same after that. I had to have Rarity try to do something to get Twilight from hurting herself again. It was a tough rest of the campaign for us. There were hardly any smiles. Even Pinkie was down and that was a new thing from her. I was happy I didn’t have to tell her that trying to get Twilight to smile will just make things worse. The survivor was able to be set back home to get better care and an honorable discharge for his bravery. I don't think he took his survival well. But that's just me."
Daring nodded feeling horrible now. She just reopened a scar that was meant to not be looked back upon. "What was his name?"
Applejack shrugged. "You know I don't really remember, all I remember was that he was a corporal too. A young pegasus I believe."
"Really?" Daring asked quite surprised.
Applejack grinned. "Eeyep, a pegasus buck. But I don't quite remember him well."
The two went silent even the room went silent. Daring turned to realize that the young ones eve Raindrops heard the story and were showing their sorrow through their stances and eyes. Apple Bloom ran over to hug Applejack around her waist burying her face into Applejacks' shirt. Applejack smiled and wrapped her around her sister.
"What should I do?" Daring asked.
"Leave her alone for a bit. She's not that distraught to try anything rash like she did when she was younger. Give her space. She'll probably come to you later."
Daring nodded. "I really do appreciate for that story Applejack. I never knew of it and I'm afraid I hurt her bad."
Applejack nodded. "If she doesn't come back in the morning, look for me. I'll search for her. I was there seeing him with her. I might be the only one that can help her."
Daring nodded. "Thank you," She sighed looking at the children, Spike and Raindrops. "I best be off, I have another chat with Zecora later. And I better check on Octavia as well."
"Tell Tavi we said hi." Sweetie Belle said smiling.
"I will." Daring said ruffling sweetie belle’s mane then patted Applejack on the shoulder. "Rest easy."
Applejack nodded thanking her for the kind words. Daring walked away, heading for the tunnel to the infirmary cavern. Applejack sighed placing her hat over Apple Bloom’s head hearing her giggle pushing it up.
"I'm happy you won't spare your life for war." Applejack whispered kissing Apple Bloom on the head. "I'm starving, let’s get some grub."
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Twilight gripped to her arms tightly as tears streamed down her face. She panted, biting into her hand to keep from making any sobs. She bit down so hard that she broke the skin. She started tasting her own blood as she continued to cry.
"I'm so sorry...I should have been there." She whispered shaking hard seeing flashes of memory of her colt friend's body. She remembered hearing his screams before approaching his last resting place. She remembered the laughter, the taunts of puling his limbs apart, even his blood curling screams. She grabbed her ears pulling down hard thinking that would stop the screams.
"Twilight?" Twilight gasped turning to see Blossomforth staring at her sadly. "What's wrong? What are you doing here by yourself?" Blossom kneeled down as Twilight turned away.
"It's nothing." She whispered not trusting her own voice as she continued to sniff. Blossom sat down next to the unicorn with her back against the wall. She turned to see Twilight biting her lip, blood and saliva slowly rolling down the side of her mouth to her chin. Blossom looked down to see Twilight's hand to see the bite marks all over her arm and hand. Blossom placed her hang gingerly on Twilight’s shoulder feeling her shake.
"Come here," She whispered. Twilight turned to see Blossom with concern on her face. Twilight thought for a moment hesitating. "I'll be the shoulder you can cry on." Blossom whispered soothingly, scooting closer to the unicorn. Twilight closed her eyes feeling Blossom's arm around her.
"Let it out, it's alright."
Twilight wrapped her arms around her and started to cry. Blossom smiled sadly rubbing her back as Twilight continued to cry into her embrace. Blossom didn't speak and didn't need to. Twilight just continued to cry grateful to finally let out the pain she held for years. Everything from his death to the loss of her friends and now the confusion of their predicament came out in tears.
Blossom held her until Twilight stopped to sniffling. Blossom pulled back to stroke Twilight's face to tell her she was fine. Twilight sniffed again looking up at her.
"Thank you, I never had a shoulder to cry on in a very long time." She whispered.
Blossom smiled. "You looked like you needed somepony to be with. I can't ignore that cry for help."
Twilight sniffed leaning against the wall. Blossom did likewise as the two continue to sit in silence. Twilight reached into her pocket to pull out handkerchief to wipe her eyes and nose.
"Why were you crying?" Blossom asked softly.
"Just horrible memories. From the war." Twilight whispered in response with a sigh. Blossom nodded.
"Alright," She whispered watching Twilight for a moment longer. She got ready to stand up. Twilight grabbed her sleeve to stop her. Blossom looked down at her with a cocked brow.
"Please... I don't want to be alone."
Blossom smiled and nodded. "Sure, I'll stay with you. I have nowhere else to be until I'm free of the ground."
Twilight smiled at the pout Blossom made.
"Thank you, for what you did for me." Twilight said blushing a touch.
Blossom smiled with a light blush of her own. "Just rest easy, it's pretty late."
Scootaloo sighed with annoyance. She had been stuck in the bland room ever since the crew was captured by the zebras. She still shook from when the zebra's had ambushed them, not from fear of the zebras but from the memories it had dredged up. She could see her time in the arena; ponies banging on the fences for her to end the life of her opponent, a former friend that now had to kill her. She could hear her other friends screaming for her to fight back, to survive.
Scootaloo shook her head getting rid of the memory. Because of that night, the times of the arena came back. It was harder trying to figure out where her friends were. Was Derpy alright? What of Spike? Or even worse ... Where was Vinyl?
"Vinyl," Scootaloo whispered sadly rolling to her side to stare at the dirt wall. For the first time in a long time Scootaloo felt lost. Without Vinyl around things have been hard on her. Vinyl was sick and hurt before but she hadn't woken up this time. Even stranger, Scootaloo wondered how Vinyl lived this long.
Scootaloo heard coughing and turned over back to her back to look over at the other side of the room to see Sweetie Belle sniffling, rubbing her nose with a slight whimper.
"Sweetie Belle?" Scootaloo whispered. When Sweetie Belle didn't answer Scootaloo called out to her again.
"Huh?" Sweetie Belle asked looking over to see Scootaloo sitting up on her haunches propping her hands behind her.
"Are you alright?" Scootaloo asked curiously.
Sweetie Belle nodded sniffling, rubbing her running nose. Her eyes were red from crying.
"Are you sure?" Scootaloo asked softly.
"I'm fine." Sweetie Belle whimpered sniffling.
The two heard footsteps and looked up to see Apple Bloom walk into the room fixing her trousers with a tired look on her face. She stopped seeing her two friends looking at her.
"Um, howdy?" Apple Bloom asked nervously. "Why are you two looking at me like that?"
"Where have you been?" Scootaloo scolded.
Apple Bloom glared at her. "I had to use the filly’s room." She said blushing a touch with a glare at the pegasus. "I got lost finding the right tunnel. This place is confusing." Apple Bloom complained walking over to her sleeping pad and sat down with her back against the wall.
Scootaloo remained silent shaking her head. Apple Bloom looked to Scootaloo with a glare.
"What's wrong with you?" Apple Bloom asked irritated.
Scootaloo looked to her with a glare. "What are you talking about?"
"You've been a rotting hayseed ever since we came here. And now that we were given this room to sleep in and given free reign, you're still acting like a sour apple."
Scootaloo glared at the earth pony. "It's none of your damn business."
Sweetie Belle sniffled seeing her friends starting another argument. Ever since they've been on Everfree, Scootaloo had been acting mean and angry and Apple Bloom was starting to get tired of it. These two had been butting heads and it was starting to hurt Sweetie Belle more.
"Why can't you two stop fighting?" Sweetie Belle screamed out silencing the arguing pair. The two turned to Sweetie Belle seeing her cry. "You two are friends! Why are you two acting so mean to each other?” She blubbered hiding her face in her hands. Apple Bloom's ears went flat on her head with shame. Scootaloo turned away and glared at the floor.
"Sorry, Sweetie Belle." Apple Bloom said shamefully. Apple Bloom looked to Scootaloo to see her silent. She poked Scootaloo on the shoulder causing her to turn to her. Apple Bloom pointed to Sweetie Belle. Scootaloo snorted and stood up leaving the fillies in the room.
Apple Bloom glared at the pegasus shaking her head. "What's up with her anyway? She's been acting like a ... Whatever." Apple Bloom snarled laying down on the pad then pulling her blanket over her shoulder.
Sweetie Belle sniffed as she stood up and left the room to look for Scootaloo.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Scootaloo was sitting on the stairs leading to the surface, she turned to see the zebra guards guarding the top of the stairs, preventing anypony from getting out. Sweetie Belle peeked out from the corner to see Scootaloo. Sweetie Belle sighed then walked over. Scootaloo looked up seeing her walk over.
“What?” Scootaloo grouched. Sweetie Belle shrugged as she sat down beside her with a sigh. For a long moment they sat there in silence.
“Scoots?”
“What?”
“Why are you so angry all the time?” Sweetie belle asked with sadness.
Scootaloo shrugged, not saying a word. Sweetie Belle was silent too, thinking.
“I’m worried about you two.” Sweetie Belle whispered. Scootaloo turned to her to see her with her head bowed low. “We were so close …”
Scootaloo sighed thinking. “Just things are going on right now alright?”
“Like what? Vinyl being sick, Octavia always with her, Rainbow Dash being locked up or something.”
Scootaloo nodded. “Things are just unsettling. Nothing makes sense anymore.”
Sweetie Belle nodded trying to think of something to say. She knew Apple Bloom and Scootaloo experienced so much more than her in their lives. So trying to think of the bright side of a situation she probably didn’t understand was hard. Sweetie Belle wrapped her arm around Scootaloo hugging her. Scootaloo blushed with a look of shock on her face feeling Sweetie Belle rub her back. Scootaloo slowly wrapped her arms around Sweetie Belle hugging her back. After a long moment Scootaloo pulled away with a small smile and a blush.
“Feel better?” Sweetie Belle asked. Scootaloo nodded.
“Yeah, sort of.” Scootaloo whispered turning away looking at the tunnel ahead of them. Sweetie Belle nodded.
“Anything I can do to make you feel better?”
Scootaloo looked at her for a long moment then sighed. “No, nothing.” After another short moment Scootaloo cleared her throat. “Thanks.” Sweetie Belle smiled.
“You’re welcome.”
Scootaloo stood up then headed back to the tunnel. “You coming?”
Sweetie Belle stood up and ran to catch up to her. “Will you and Apple Bloom talk? Apologize?”
Scootaloo sighed. “Fine, I’ll talk to her.”
Sweetie Belle squeed skipping ahead of the Pegasus. Scootaloo watched the naïve girl skip along and couldn’t help but smile. Sweetie Belle was some filly. She lived a peaceful and protective life compared to her own. While Scootaloo had lived in a slavery cell, Sweetie Belle had lived in some house with a family. Scootaloo’s family was the slaves that took care of her, like Vinyl.
Scootaloo stopped in her step seeing images of Vinyl hiding her from the guards to keep her from being thrown in the arena, trying to take care of her hurts, and even in some rare occasions Vinyl would sometimes hum a tune that only she knew to get her to fall asleep. Just thinking about Vinyl in the past made her worry for her now.
Sweetie Belle stopped her skipping realizing Scootaloo wasn’t behind her. She turned and walked back over to see Scootaloo standing in the hall looking down at her feet.
“Scootaloo?” Sweetie Belle called walking over. When Scootaloo didn’t move the unicorn bent over and stretched her neck over to look up at Scootaloo’s eyes. “Are you alright?” she asked worriedly.
Scootaloo sniffed once using her sleeve to wipe her nose. “Yeah, I’m fine.” She grouched turning away. She couldn't let Apple Bloom see her like this! She turned around and walked away. Sweetie Belle gasped and ran after her.
“Wait, aren’t you going to talk to Apple Bloom?”
“Later.” Scootaloo snapped marching away leaving Sweetie Belle alone.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
When dinner was served for everyone, Scootaloo sat on the floor with her back against the wall watching Octavia gather two bowls of the soupy barley stuff that Zebras eat for food and went to the medical caverns where Vinyl was. Scootaloo gulped hard turning away feeling fear and regret. She should be there with Vinyl, too! But she was scared of going in there. She had seen Vinyl at her worst before in the slave arena and it just made her sick in her stomach seeing somepony she cared about being in that much pain or close to dying.
“Hey there little one.” Scootaloo gasped then looked up seeing Applejack looking down at her. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be with Apple Bloom or Sweetie Belle?”
Scootaloo blushed turning away. Applejack blinked seeing the response and sat down with a wince holding her knee as she sat down next to her. Scootaloo turned to her with surprise.
“What’s the matter?” Applejack said exhaling with relief after straightening her leg.
“Nothing’s the matter.” Scootaloo lied with a shameful blush.
“No fibbing now.” Applejack said with a smile. Scootaloo turned to her. “I wasn’t granted the Element of Honesty for nothin’. So go on and tell me, what’s eating you?”
Scootaloo thought for a moment then sighed rubbing her head. “Things are hard.” She said with sadness. “With Vinyl and everything and everypony is doing their own thing and not worried like I am.”
Applejack nodded. “Ah, you feel like you’re the only one worried sick?”
Scootaloo nodded hiking her legs up and wrapping her arms around her legs. “Vinyl was always there when I was hurt or sick. She never got sick, she was a brick wall and I always wanted to be strong like her.” Scootaloo paused turning away.
“Sugarcube, everyone is worried about Vinyl and I do admit I wish I had strength like hers again. Being old might have its pros but it also has way more cons.” She said rubbing her knee with a wince. “Like now my leg won’t stop aching and giving me pain now that I’m older.”
“What happened?” Scootaloo asked curious.
Applejack shrugged. “Meh, got caught under some rocks in the war and it busted my leg.” Scootaloo looked pale as Applejack smirked. “But it still works fine.”
Scootaloo shook her head feeling sick. “I get it.”
Applejack frowned watching her. “So, why aren’t you with the others?”
Scootaloo shook her head. “Apple Bloom and I got into a fight. Sweetie Belle wants me to apologize but …”
Applejack smirked seeing the blush on Scootaloo’s face. “Let me guess, you’re too tough to apologize?”
Scootaloo buried her face into her knees.
“Scootaloo, being truthful here, I know how it feels to apologize to someone but being too prideful not to.” Scootaloo looked up at her. Applejack winked at her. “I was very prideful when I was younger and I didn’t want Rainbow Dash to be the hero when it was my plan all along. One day we got into a huge argument and well, I wasn’t going to apologize, even though I knew it was the right thing to do. It took Rarity slapping me a few times and telling me I was selfish to think of such things. So I finally swallowed my pride and apologized to her. Then the next day things were back to normal.”
Scootaloo blinked. “Rarity? Who’s Rarity?” She asked curiously.
Applejack blushed then sighed sadly, looking at her knee rubbing it tenderly. “My regret.” She whispered faintly before answering. “A friend.” She said louder. “An Element of Harmony.” Scootaloo blinked to realize Applejack looked sad remembering this one pony. After a while Scootaloo began to think.
The reason why she put off the apologies for so long was the fact she didn’t want Apple Bloom to think of her as weak. Back as a slave you had to show that you were tough; no tears, no regret, and no shame, nothing that proved you were weak.
Then she began to understand why things have turned bad. She didn’t want to show her friends her true feelings. Vinyl was hurt which was the source of her shame and anger. But being bitter was hurting not only Apple Bloom but Sweetie Belle too. Scootaloo gulped rubbing her arms remembering that chill she felt feeling Sweetie Belle’s arms around her
Sweetie Belle, perhaps she’ll be happy if she apologized.
“Thanks Applejack!” Scootaloo called and began her sprint to her room. Applejack blinked hearing the call and waved.
“Uh sure …” She whispered with a frown. She turned away and couldn’t stop thinking about the Element of Generosity.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Scootaloo ran to all the places she and her friends would go. She stopped to find Sweetie Belle sitting on the floor in the target practice room drawing designs in the dirt with her finger as Apple Bloom was firing a pistol trying to get better aim. Sweetie Belle looked up and gasped and stood up. Apple Bloom paused and turned to see Scootaloo walk into the room.
“Apple Bloom.” Scootaloo said worriedly "There is something I have to say to you.” She said quietly. Apple Bloom nodded sticking the pistol into the back of her pants like Applejack does and waited.
“Yeah?” She asked.
Scootaloo walked forward rubbing the back of her neck. I’m sorry if I was … snappy and being a bitch. It wasn’t fair.”
“Yeah, it wasn’t.” Apple Bloom said turning away thinking.
“Can we get back to the way it was. I don’t want our,” At this point Scootaloo turned to Sweetie Belle to see her stand up smiling excitedly. “Friendship to die off over something as little as me being upset.” Apple Bloom’s facade of being angry faltered as she began to smile turning back to her.
"I don't want it to die off either. You guys are the best friends I've ever had."
Scootaloo began to smile, "Can we start over? I mean, like before we got here?"
Apple Bloom smiled, "Yeah, we can start over."
Sweetie Belle rushed over to her two best friends, "Yay! Group hug!"
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
That night the crusaders were sleeping peacefully and happily, well on the exception of Scootaloo. She was still worried and sad over Vinyl and almost ruining their friendship over her pride. She stood up and tip-toed out of the room. Sweetie Belle stirred and turned to see Scootaloo leaving. Sweetie Belle turned to notice Apple Bloom snoring lightly in a deep sleep. Sweetie Belle got out of her blanket and followed Scootaloo out. She found her in the hall sitting down with a sigh.
“Are you okay?” Scootaloo jumped and turned to see it was Sweetie Belle.
“Damnit!” Scootaloo cursed in a whisper holding her chest feeling her heart pound a mile a minute. “Don’t sneak up on me like that!” She panted.
“Sorry.” Sweetie Belle said softly then walked over. “Why are you here?”
“Can’t sleep.” Scootaloo whispered rubbing her eyes.
“Why?” Sweetie Belle asked curiously.
Scootaloo was ready to say 'none of her business' then stopped remembering what Applejack had told her and what she realized. She gulped and turned to Sweetie Belle to see her looking at her with worry.
“I’m afraid.” She whispered. “I’m afraid of losing Vinyl.”
Sweetie belle wrapped her arms around Scootaloo her hugging her. “I’m worried about her too. But I’m sure Zecora and Fluttershy will take care of her.”
“I sure hope so.” Scootaloo whispered patting her hand feeling a blush. “Sweetie Belle.”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.” Scootaloo whispered smiling.
“For what?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“For making me realize what a friendship I have with you and Apple Bloom. I had to swallow my pride and turn off all that I was taught to apologize. Thanks for reminding me of that.” She said, even though Applejack helped her see it, it was Sweetie Belle that opened that door for her.
Sweetie Belle blushed and smiled bashfully. “Well it was nothing … I don’t like seeing my friends fight.” She paused scratching her cheek thinking. “And I don’t like seeing you so sad all the time.” Scootaloo noticed her deep blush saying that.
"I don't like seeing you sad either, Sweetie Belle."
"Then don't make me sad." Sweetie Belle said.
Scootaloo looked at Sweetie Belle with a blush, "I think I can do that, for you."
"Is that a deal?"
"Yeah, it's a deal."
"Come on then, let's go to bed."
Sweetie Belle grabbed Scootaloo's hand and they both stood up. They both made their way back to the room, hands intertwined the whole way.
Rainbow Dash slowly sat up after another restful night in her room. She groaned rubbing her head then gasped to notice that the ropes that had kept her strapped to the floor were gone. She was free?
"What the-?" She uttered in confusion.
"How are you feeling?" Rainbow gasped turning to see Zecora walking into the room with a bowl of soup in one hand and her staff in the other.
"Uh... I feel surprisingly well rested." Rainbow said with a little surprised. "I haven’t slept this well in years."
Zecora smiled. "Good. Fluttershy has made you food."
"Really?" Another surprise. "I thought Fluttershy..."
Zecora nodded. "She is deep in thought. It will take more of that before she's bought."
"Bought? Into what?" Rainbow asked with confusion.
Zecora set down the bowl by Rainbow's knee. "Fluttershy has been through hell." Rainbow blinked feeling horrible. Zecora turned to Rainbow to see her shameful face. "But now she is having second thoughts like a chime from a bell." Rainbow looked up at her again with worry. Zecora smiled again as she turned to leave.
"Where is she?" Rainbow asked slowly standing up with a wince holding her hip. Zecora thought for a second then nodded.
"She is busy healing the unicorn captain." Rainbow nodded as Zecora left her room with a smirk on her face. Rainbow gulped thinking about what to do until her stomach growled. She looked down at the bowl thinking on what Zecora had told her. Fluttershy made this for her? Rainbow smiled sadly at the act of affection.
"Maybe there's hope for me after all." She whispered softly.
After eating the soup, which was fine compared to what it was made with, Rainbow got up and stepped out of the room to see a small hall with seven other doorways. Rainbow walked down the hall peeking into the empty rooms until she found the one she was looking for. She could see Fluttershy’s back towards her working on some herbs in a stone bowl. As Rainbow stepped into the room she stiffened seeing Octavia napping in a pallet. Next to her was the ailing unicorn captain. Rainbow blinked with shock, sure she had seen Vinyl before but not as often since she saved the princess.
Was she that skinny and sickly looking before? Rainbow thought baffled. She turned to the left to see Fluttershy’s back again as she was smashing something inside her stone bowl, she looked exhausted. Rainbow walked in clearing her throat to announce her presence. Fluttershy turned and looked surprised to see Rainbow standing there.
"R-Rainbow? How did you..."
Rainbow gulped rubbing the back of her head feeling nervous. "I uh ... the zebra, Zecora, she uh ... I looked around."
Fluttershy could feel heat on her cheeks. Rainbow felt the same way pulling her collar out.
"Shy ..." Rainbow whispered with worry. "C-can I talk to you sometime?"
Fluttershy blinked looking up into Rainbow's worried eyes, one glazed, the other glistening. Fluttershy turned away thinking. She tapped her finger on the stone bowl thinking. Finally she sighed.
"I'll think about it." She said softly turning to see Rainbow's face of surprise with a mixture of worry.
"Uh yeah, sure take your time." Rainbow said smiling. Then she turned to hear Octavia groan from her sleep. Octavia opened her eyes and smiled sadly stroking Vinyl’s wet cheek.
"Ahem," A cold voice spoke. Octavia blinked then looked up to see Rainbow staring at her.
"Captain ..." Octavia sat up on her knees a little surprised to see the old guard standing there. "You're ... um,"
Rainbow grunted returning to the cold guard she used to be, crossing her arms across her chest. "Thought you lost me?"
Octavia blushed and her ears went flat on her head. Rainbow thought for a moment then an idea came to mind. She membered the way Octavia tried to use a blade against the black shadow monster back on the crystal moon. Sure Octavia had fencing lessons as a young filly, but Blueblood made it stop. No doubt that was what Octavia had in mind when taking on a beast with a sword. But she sure did a horrible job at it. So it was time to rekindle those lessons not only to help safe guard the Princess’s fate but also it was a dream Rainbow always had. To teach the princess everything she knew just as Rainbow taught Octavia’s father.
"Get up," Rainbow ordered.
"What?" Octavia asked confused.
"I said get up, get moving, you're not laying around all day like I was." This was half true since Rainbow was tied up most of that time.
Octavia glared at her. "No, I want to stay here with Vinyl."
Rainbow bristled as Octavia crossed her arms across her chest her nose in the air. Rainbow gritted her teeth feeling her blood pressure go up. Rainbow expected most royal ponies to do this act but not Octavia, never her.
"And that is my final word on this matter, Captain." Octavia said primly with a glare.
Rainbow felt a wire snap in her mind as she grabbed Octavia's arms and pushed her against the wall glaring at her. Octavia gasped now shaking with fear trying to get out of Rainbow's hold. Fluttershy gasped standing up and immediately pulling out her dagger from her robes.
"Don’t!" Rainbow snarled causing both Fluttershy and Octavia to stiffen to still statues. Octavia gulped now shaking hard as Rainbow's hands tighten around her arms.
"You listen to me!" Rainbow whispered harshly glaring into the princess’s eyes. "You do not, I repeat, you will not act like the dumb ass royal like your uncle!"
Octavia couldn't stop staring into those two toned eyes, scared half to death. There were often ideas of what Rainbow might do to her but she never thought she would see it now.
"L-let me go now!" Octavia ordered shakily.
"Not until you understand you were taught better than this!" Rainbow yelled out shaking Octavia twice before pushing her against the wall again. "You are a better royal than all of the dumbass murderers that believe ponies like you should be hanged and gutted!"
Octavia gulped as Rainbow sighed. "I've seen too many honest ponies like your father and mother murdered for something as stupid as the type of breed they were. And so help me if you think being like the ones that murder your kind will get you anywhere with me, well fat chance filly ‘cause now that I'm around and your daddy isn't, you are my responsibility. You are still under the age of eighteen and as such you're still a child in an adults clothes!"
Octavia blinked turning away. Rainbow released Octavia’s arm to grab her face to steer her eyes toward her again. "You understand me," Rainbow whispered harshly. "Do you understand me?!" She yelled out causing Octavia to jump from the volume.
"Yes," Octavia whispered.
Rainbow sighed releasing Octavia, letting her slide down the wall to her knees on the ground rubbing her arms. Rainbow turned to see Fluttershy staring with shock and amazement. Rainbow shrugged.
"She might be a royal," Rainbow turned to see Octavia staring up at her hurt pride was etched across her face. "But she's still a foal in a dangerous world." Rainbow paused rubbing the bridge of her snout. "Get up," She ordered.
"Why?" Octavia asked.
"Get up!" Rainbow ordered a second time. Octavia slowly stood up with a sniff wiping her nose glaring at the pegasus.
"Rainbow?" Fluttershy asked carefully.
"Do the zebras have anything sharp?"
"Why?" Fluttershy asked with suspicion.
Rainbow turned back to Octavia to see her rubbing her arm. "It’s time to teach the royal how to hold a sword." Octavia blinked with a gasp looking up at Rainbow with shock. "And how to use it properly." Octavia blinked and looked down at Vinyl.
"But-" Octavia started with worry. She couldn't leave Vinyl all alone. What if she wakes up and wonders where Octavia was? Or what if she couldn’t wake up and decides to leave? Rainbow looked down at Vinyl biting her lip.
"It's better than sitting around and doing nothing but worry your ass off." Rainbow said flatly getting a look of surprise from Fluttershy. Octavia was equally shocked, the captain never spoke like this not even in front of her.
"I'll ... see if we have some machetes, would those be enough?" Fluttershy asked. Rainbow blinked and turned to see Fluttershy looking down at her feet.
"Yeah, those will be fine." Rainbow turned back to Octavia to see her still staring at her in shock. Rainbow groaned. She grabbed Octavia's sleeve and started to drag her out. Octavia glared at the pegasus. Fluttershy followed behind them.
"Let me go, I can walk myself!"
"Nope, you have to earn that." Rainbow said steely.
Octavia gasped and decided to show the captain who's really in charge. They reached the end of the hall into the open chamber where the ailing zebras rested. Even several of the crew were in the chamber helping the zebra healers. Octavia readied herself and pulled back hard getting out of Rainbow's grip.
"No!" Octavia yelled out causing a scene. Rainbow sighed trying hard to not blow up again. A few of the shipmates were in the room watching what was going on. "I am the princess of Canterlot and you were my father's guard! I should be the one ordering you not the other way around! So I order you-" Octavia never got to finish when Rainbow spun around and slapped her hard in the face. Octavia caught herself against a wall holding her cheek seeing Rainbow’s snarl.
“Rainbow Dash!" Twilight screamed out running over. Fluttershy remained silent looking between Octavia and Rainbow. Octavia sniffed holding her bruised cheek staring with shock at Rainbow.
"You dare slap-" Octavia snarled with shock
.
"I so dare!" Rainbow snarled as Twilight and Applejack ran up.
"What the hay is wrong with you?" Applejack asked Rainbow with shock. Twilight reached Octavia to help her but Rainbow grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back.
"No, she has to learn that such actions is unacceptable!"
"Rainbow Dash she is a princess!" Twilight snapped glaring at her older friend. Fluttershy helped Octavia up to her feet. Rainbow pointed at her.
"She thinks because her father isn’t around I don’t have the right to do as I wish. Well guess what princess, you don’t know what I had done for you and you will respect me like one of your parents!"
"Rainbow that's enough!" Twilight yelled out.
"You don’t get it do you?" Rainbow whispered glaring at the unicorn. "She’s going to use the royal card on me! Me!"
"You are a royal guard." Applejack said crossing her arms. But she stood by Rainbow. "But hey, you must have some way if you think you’re so close to her."
Rainbow gave her friend a warning look before pointing a finger at Octavia.
"When this little ..." Rainbow began but stopped with a sigh. "You know what forget it!" She yelled out glaring at Octavia. "After lunch today, you and I are going up top and we're going to do some fighting lessons. The lessons that were taken from you by the Royals."
Octavia blinked at that, even her friends were surprised. Rainbow waved her hand at Octavia.
"Go ahead and get that little bruise tended, I'll see you after lunch. If you don’t come up I'll drag you out! You understand me?" She asked glaring. Octavia bowed her head.
"Is that understood?" Rainbow said this time louder.
Octavia nodded glaring at her. Rainbow snorted and turned on her heel and left the large room headed to the surface. Applejack sighed rubbing her eyes. Twilight walked over to Octavia but was stopped by Fluttershy.
"Rainbow's right," Fluttershy whispered.
"What?" Twilight asked aghast. "But Fluttershy, you saw-"
"I saw it all even before you did Twilight." She said turning to Octavia to examine her cheek. "Hmm, nothing bad, it'll be red for a while but you'll be fine." She thought for a moment then sighed. "Go on now, go take a nap with Vinyl," Fluttershy pushed Octavia towards Vinyl’s room. "I'll wake you when lunch is served."
Octavia didn’t do anything. She turned to Twilight for help but Twilight was equally confused.
"But I don’t understand." Twilight said bewildered. Applejack just turned and followed Rainbow outside to have a chat.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Rainbow looked at the machetes three zebra warriors brought up for her. She touched the edge with her thumb and felt no sharpness and nodded. "Thanks for getting the blunt ones, if you can understand me." Rainbow said giving the three a warning look. The three were tense, unsure of what to do.
Rainbow turned around hearing a voice speaking Zebrican. She saw Daring and Applejack walking up to them, it was Daring who spoke to the zebras. One zebra bowed and spoke in return. Daring nodded and smiled waving them off. The three warriors nodded and walked away to go scavenging, leaving the three mares alone in the large clearing.
Rainbow snorted. "What do you two want?"
Applejack walked up picking up a machete swinging it around rolling her shoulders to loosen her tight muscles.
"Just to talk." Applejack said with innocence testing the blades sharpness.
Rainbow glared at her then turned to Daring. "Why bring the professor?"
Applejack frowned. "She wanted to come. But that’s not the point."
"What point is there?" Rainbow asked with a warning glare to her old friend.
"You’re hiding something Rainbow Dash, and it has something to do with the princess." Rainbow bowed her head tightening her grip on the pommel of the machete.
"I don’t want to talk about it right now, AJ."
Applejack blinked hearing the clear line of threat in her old friend’s voice. Rainbow swung the machete taking steps forward warming up. But Applejack wanted to know more.
"Yer treating her like a child," Applejack said with a quirked brow.
"That’s because she still is." Rainbow said curtly swinging the machete down then she did a front kick in the air with a wince holding her hip.
"True,” Applejack conceded. “But the way you spoke to her it was like you were scolding her for being high and mighty." Daring stayed silent listening to the conversation with interest. Rainbow sighed looking up at the sky.
"Can’t you just leave that feather alone?" Rainbow asked with a groan.
"Nope, because I know you Rainbow. From what you told me, you care about Octavia. More than just a princess that needs protection. From every guard I met you're the only one that never turned a blind eye from her. You kept a griffin eye on her and the way you talked to her," Applejack paused watching Rainbow for a reaction. She got nothing. Rainbow stayed silent. Applejack continued.
"I think she means more to you than some royal you were stuck to guard. You’re treating her like she was your own flesh and blood, just like that prince."
Daring blinked as the pieces fell into place. Rainbow glared coldly at Applejack pointing her machete to her friend. Applejack raised up her hands glaring at the pegasus. Rainbow and Applejack glared at one another for several long tense minutes until Rainbow sighed closing her eyes turning away, lowering the machete to her side then letting it drop to the ground. Applejack sighed with relief then walked forward to place her hand on her shoulder.
"It's hard," Rainbow whispered.
"What is?"
"Everything," Rainbow sniffed. "You don’t know what crap I've been through since that accident,"
Applejack nodded. "I know, I was there."
"Losing my fertility to life after that accident … You don’t know anything!"
Applejack nodded. "I might not know everything Rainbow, but you want to know what it's like to think of my brother, an elder now in his age, have no children to continue our family? Hell, look at me, I'm old enough to be a Granny myself and I don’t have children. I know it's tough. For a long time in that damn prison even on that pirate ship I was hoping to find the right stallion to have a family with ... but look at me." Rainbow sniffed turning to see Applejack placing her finger into Rainbow’s chest.
"Most of us might never have any children to continue our legacies. You won't, ‘Shy won't, Twilight ... she still has some time left... But I can tell by the way you looked at that royal and you looked at the princess. You have this glint in your eye that reminds me of many mothers watching their children grow up." Applejack wrapped her arm tightly around her friend holding her.
"There is no reason to feel embarrassed or ashamed for loving a young’un like her, Sugarcube. You’re doing right."
Rainbow shook her head. "No ... I'm nothing to her anymore." Rainbow whispered sadly. Applejack patted Rainbow’s back.
"But she is to you. I can see why you punished her like that, you are the last pony she has that's like family and she doesn't realize it yet."
Rainbow pulled away, wiping her eyes. "It hurt to do that to her. It hurt even worse the way she spoke to me. Do you want to know what it feels like to be from a perfect parent then the next you have to be a monster just to protect the one you love?"
Applejack shook her head. "No, I suppose I don't."
Rainbow sniffed with a smirk shaking her head as the tears slide down her cheeks.
"It's hard to see her grow up, and every day she grows more afraid of me by the day... just then," Rainbow went down on the ground crying now. "I'm a monster and only Octavia can show me what I really am and forever will be, a monster."
Applejack bit her lip. "Now it's back to Fluttershy. Octavia is the reminder of what you did to Fluttershy, huh?" Rainbow nodded numbly.
"Now I see it in my dreams and memories... Octavia’s fear reminds me of the horror I gave Fluttershy. And to everypony I killed."
Applejack sighed. "Sugarcube you have to let this go, it's not helping you. I let everything that happened go, really." She whispered holding Rainbow tight. "Please, forget about it and let it go."
"But how?" Rainbow whispered. "Every time I close my eyes I see Fluttershy screaming for me to stop, begging me to stop. And I couldn’t control myself, I was so angry! I wanted to choke her to death! I'm afraid I'll end up doing that again and I won't be able to stop it."
Applejack shook her head placing her forehead over Rainbow's head. She remained quiet knowing her presence was helping Rainbow a touch. Daring eventually left them alone to go underground again. After a while Rainbow sniffed patting Applejack on her arm.
"Thanks." She whispered with another sniff.
"Not a problem, Sugarcube."
Rainbow sniffed with a smile. "You know ... the one thing I missed about you was your gentleness. Isn’t that weird?"
Applejack smiled with a small chuckle. "Nah, it means you're back to the old Dash I knew." Applejack ruffled Rainbow's mane getting a laugh from the pegasus. "I missed you too, Sugarcube."
Rainbow smiled then sighed looking back at Applejack with a frown. "Tell the others if you want but ... I'd rather tell them myself though."
Applejack nodded. "About you and Octavia?"
Rainbow nodded with a sniff hiking up her legs crossing her arms on top of her knees. "She’s ... more than just a princess to me ... she's like family. Family I wished to have."
Applejack nodded. "I understand. But can I ask you this question?"
"It depends," Rainbow said with a tone of warning.
Applejack pulled off her hat. "Who is the princess to you for real? What did she look at you as before she called you a monster?"
Rainbow looked up at the tree line watching a flock of birds fly into the air. "She never called me a monster. It looked like she had seen one every time I see her."
"Yeah?"
Rainbow closed her eyes then reopened them feeling her eyes sting with new tear. "Mimi,"
"Huh?" Applejack asked confused.
"She called me, Mimi ... her Grandmother." Rainbow closed her eyes again trying hard not to cry again.
Applejack nodded, biting her lip, and rubbing her head. "Gosh, Rainbow,"
"I knew I was too close to her," Rainbow interrupted clenching her fists. "If they knew how close I was to Octavia they would have used her to hurt me ... I couldn’t let that happen."
"So you became the cold hearted monster you never wanted to portray?"
Rainbow shrugged shaking her head. "I guess ... She never called me Mimi again. But I sure did miss that little mane pulling monster." Rainbow chuckled sadly with a sniff.
Applejack smiled. "So what now? Will you tell her?"
Rainbow gave Applejack a warning look. She then softened the look and sighed. "I'm the only one she has left. I might have to ... tell her the whole truth."
Octavia stepped outside for the first time in a couple of weeks. She blinked, shielding her eyes from the bright light outside. She rubbed her eyes feeling tears coming out from the pain. She stumbled forward hearing a sound of wood hitting wood. Fluttershy followed behind her with her satchel saying she would be out looking for herbs for Vinyl and Princess Luna's treatments.
Octavia never visited her supposed Ancestor, only Twilight was put in charge of her recovery. Using extensive magic therapy to try and get Luna out of her magical coma. But Octavia also wondered why Fluttershy was serious about joining Octavia in the first place.
Fluttershy lead Octavia towards the thwacking sounds which lead to a large clearing in the forest. Octavia stopped, seeing Rainbow and Applejack doing some sort of exercise with two thick sticks hitting against each other in some sort of rhythmic dance. Until Applejack yelped dropping her stick waving her hand up and down.
"Ha!" Rainbow cheered grinning. Octavia was bewildered by the sudden emotions she saw in the cold captain. But seeing her smile that was truly strange. Applejack noticed the two mares and smiled holding out her sore hand in a wave.
"Oh howdy!" Applejack called out smiling. Rainbow stiffened and turned with a little bit of worry and shock seeing the two mares staring at her.
"Oh uh," Rainbow dropped her sticks clearing her throat looking professional. "So," She returned to Captain Dash. "Are you ready?" She asked walking up to Octavia. Octavia shied away a bit but knew nothing will stop this.
"As ready as I'll ever be, Captain Dash." Octavia said with a growl.
Rainbow blinked with a scowl but turned away with a sigh. She reached for one of the discarded sticks tossed one to Octavia. Octavia caught it with a fumbled attempt. She gasped seeing the second stick being thrown towards her, she yelped and moved to the side dodging the second stick. Fluttershy, who was still standing next to Octavia, caught the second stick with ease with a small smile on her face. Rainbow blushed seeing the small smile pointed towards her. Rainbow smiled in return as she turned around to see Applejack walking over with a pair of extra sticks. Rainbow took the sticks as Applejack walked over to a tree and leaned against it crossing her ankles, getting comfortable. Rainbow waved her stick for Octavia to come forward.
"Alright, princess, your training begins now." Rainbow said smirking.
Octavia gulped looking to Fluttershy for help. Fluttershy quirked a brow shaking her head as she handed the stick to her. Octavia took the stick and sighed in defeat walking forward. Fluttershy smiled and walked off into the jungle leaving the three alone. Rainbow started walking around Octavia twirling one of the sticks in her hand. Octavia watched her walk around her talking.
"Alright, here's the deal, Applejack and I are going to train you on how to fight."
Octavia glared at her. "And why should I? I can fight and protect myself perfectly."
Rainbow cocked an eye brow. "Really?" She stopped behind Octavia lifting up her stick.
"Of cour- OW!" Octavia leapt high into the air jumping forward staring with true horrified shock as Rainbow was smirking. "Did you just swat me?!" Octavia shirked still in shock of what just happened.
"I did," Rainbow chortled a she spun the stick again like a baton. "So you said you can protect yourself huh?" Octavia stood still watching as Rainbow circled her again.
"Of course I can!" Octavia growled blushing.
"Really?" Rainbow asked again. Just then Applejack grinned. She leaned over to grab a large rock then with an aimed throw, threw the rock into a nearby tree hearing a deep whack sound causing Octavia to flinch and turn allowing Rainbow to make a sneak attack. Octavia turned too late and screamed out as Rainbow wrapped her arm around Octavia’s neck and used her stick to poke her hard in the gut and her second stick tapping Octavia’s temple. Octavia squirmed in her hold. She flinched when Rainbow breathed into her ear.
"If these were knives, you would have been dead," Octavia growled trying to get out of her hold. Rainbow chuckled as Octavia continued to squirm. "Just because you're royalty doesn't mean I'm giving you any easy shots. You were a target the moment you were born." Rainbow whispered harshly.
Octavia screamed out finally pulling away from Rainbow. Rainbow smirked letting her go easy. Octavia turned to her panting hard and glaring coldly at her.
"If my father knew-" She called out.
"If your father was here, he would agree with me." Rainbow said easily sticking her sticks into the waistband of her trousers as she pulled off her jacket. Rainbow bundled her jacket then threw the red cloth over to Applejack.
Octavia snorted turning away. "As if you know what my father thinks!"
Rainbow sighed rolling her eyes. "You know you act like him."
Octavia turned to her with a curious scowl. "What do you mean?"
Another whack from a nearby tree caused Octavia to jump and turn to look. Rainbow ran forward for another attack. Octavia turned and screamed out seeing the guard running towards her at a fast pace. Octavia used her sticks to feebly glance off Rainbow's attack. But her defenses were too weak as Rainbow pushed her hard to the ground. Octavia fell hard on the ground as Rainbow leaped over her. Rainbow dropped her sticks to use her hands to soften her landing into a roll. She rolled to her feet hearing a loud pop and winced loudly.
"Gah, dammit!" Rainbow cursed silently holding her hip towards her back as she slowly stood back up, kicking her leg out trying to get the numbness out. Octavia slowly sat up glaring at the captain as she scooped up the sticks again.
"I doubt my father would allow his perfect captain to mishandle his daughter!" She snapped. Rainbow just chuckled smiling at Octavia. Octavia stiffened seeing that her threat didn’t do anything.
"Your daddy's not here, princess." Rainbow whispered. Octavia watched as Rainbow flared her large blue wings and leap at her. Octavia stared with awe and fear as Rainbow landed on top of her straddling her waist. Octavia felt the poke of one stick into her side and her second stick poked her hard in the neck causing the princess to cough from the blow. She glared at the pegasus on top of her.
Rainbow smirked. "While we wait for your hybrid friend, you and I will be training until we leave and from what I learned from Fluttershy, your friend will be out for a long time and not to mention she'll have to regain what she lost right?"
Octavia blinked then turned away staring at the stumps and rocks on the ground. She felt the stick on her cheek pushing her face to the left so her eyes will be back on Rainbow again. Octavia gulped with fear seeing Rainbow's maniacal grin and half lidded eyes.
"I'm going to enjoy this."
Octavia gulped again as her ears fell back on her head scared for what this monster might do to her.
Fluttershy left the jungle into the training clearing with her satchel filled with many herbs and flowers for the medicines she has to make. She stopped in mid-step seeing Octavia panting doing pushups on the ground going quite slow at it as she struggled to even lift up her body off the ground.
"Come on!" A loud voice called out.
Fluttershy turned to see Applejack doing some stretches as Rainbow walked around Octavia yelling at her like a drill sergeant. Fluttershy walked over to Applejack. The earth pony looked up and smiled seeing Fluttershy walking over.
"Oh hey, ‘Shy." Applejack greeted smiling. "Looks like you got a full haul, huh?" Fluttershy looked down at her satchel and smiled.
"Yes I found a patch of Green Root plants, and purple ivies. Um, how goes the training?" She asked carefully, watching Octavia collapse on her stomach panting, her energy all gone.
"Get up!" Rainbow barked kicking dust into Octavia’s face. "Come on, you’re an earth pony. I saw Apple Bloom do fifty pushups easy!"
Applejack sighed shaking her head. "Does going back to Drill Sergeant Dash answer your question?" She asked with a smirk.
Fluttershy chuckled but frowned watching Octavia struggle. "But why is Rainbow wanting to train her like a soldier?" She asked curiously.
Applejack smirked. "Rainbow was trained as a soldier first before learning sword fighting." Fluttershy nodded.
"Well yes, everypony was trained as a soldier before dealing with weapons."
"That’s the plan." Applejack said shaking her head.
Fluttershy looked up at the sky to see the sun diving to the west from the noon position. Octavia was training since lunch time so ... three hours. The air was sticky with humidity and the temperature not as kind. Fluttershy sighed handing her satchel to Applejack walking over to the duo.
Rainbow kneeled down grabbing Octavia's vest and pulling her up to sit on her knees. She opened her mouth to yell but Fluttershy intervened.
"Rainbow, that's enough!" She scolded harshly. Rainbow blinked from her reverie to stare at the yellow pegasus.
"Oh, uh hey, ‘Shy," She blushed letting go of Octavia letting her fall forward on her face in the dirt. Octavia groaned pushing herself up so she could cough and spit out the dirt from the inside of her mouth.
Fluttershy crossed her arms across her chest glaring at Rainbow, as Rainbow rubbed her sweaty neck with a harsh blush.
"Rainbow, she’s not like the soldiers you've trained before." Rainbow's blush intensified as she glared down at Octavia's back. Fluttershy continued her scolding. "She’s a princess and never done things like this before. Not to mention in this environment." Rainbow looked back down to see Octavia slowly crawling away from them.
"How else can I train her?" Rainbow asked stomping her boot on top of Octavia’s back. Not hard but hard enough to cause Octavia to yelp with shock falling on her stomach again with a groan, blowing her bangs away from her face. Fluttershy grabbed Rainbow’s arm pulling her away from Octavia.
"She might be an Earth Pony, Rainbow, but even Applejack can tell she's had enough."
Applejack jumped hearing her name turning to see Rainbow giving her a quizzical look. Applejack shrugged her shoulders. Rainbow groaned rubbing the bridge of her snout.
"I'm not letting her sit around losing muscles worrying over that hybrid." Rainbow growled. Octavia growled knowing who Rainbow was referring to. Vinyl Scratch was no Hybrid, she was a unicorn.
"That Hybrid has a name!" Octavia snapped getting a look from Rainbow. Rainbow lifted up her boot then shoved Octavia back on the ground causing her to yell out.
"She’ll be a Hybrid until she can prove to me otherwise." Rainbow said with a glare. Octavia growled staring straight ahead blowing her banes away from her face again. Rainbow blinked with an idea and had a hard sick feeling in her stomach as she opened her mouth. "Same goes with you, Hybrid," Rainbow said harshly turning away.
Fluttershy and Applejack turned to Rainbow hearing the hardness in her voice. Applejack gave her a searching look seeing Rainbow closing her eyes as if ashamed but continued on.
"I won’t call you a princess until you prove to me that you are not a sniveling earth pony hybrid that got everything hand and hoof for her."
Octavia glared up at Rainbow with true hatred. She rolled away from Rainbow's boot and stood up facing her.
"You will regret calling me by that name," She growled threateningly.
Rainbow continued her act by quirking an eyebrow. "Well you better get used to it, Hybrid, you have a long way to go before impressing me. And believe me I don’t get impressed easily."
Octavia felt tears of anger and hurt roll down her face. She looked down seeing a large rock sitting by her foot. She looked back up watching Rainbow walk off to pick up the training sticks with a sigh.
"Alright, I'll give you a break," Rainbow said with a snort. Octavia bent over to grab the rock, it was about the size of her fist. She turned and with a yell threw the rock at the pegasus’ head. Fluttershy and Applejack saw this and gasped.
"Rainbow!" Fluttershy cried out with fear. Rainbow smirked and jumped to the left dodging the rock as it slammed into a nearby trunk leaving a large dent in the tree and causing several green fruits to fall to the ground. Rainbow grinned turning to see Octavia with fear and horror on her face, backing away. Rainbow points her stick at her.
"There’s that strength I was looking for!" She chuckled shaking her head. Fluttershy ran up to Rainbow as Applejack ran to Octavia's side to make sure she didn’t do another stunt like that again.
"I'm fine," Rainbow murmured smiling at Fluttershy to see her with true fear on her face. Rainbow turned back to Octavia. "Alright change of plans." She snapped causing Octavia to stiffen again and try to get away, if Applejack didn’t have a good hold of the back collar of her shirt.
"Fluttershy, do your zebras have anything we can use for camping equipment?"
Fluttershy blinked. "No, zebras usually sleep on the ground out in the open, unless there are dangerous creatures or any weather then they sleep in the trees or in the villages."
Rainbow nodded thinking as she stroked her chin near a scar. "Hmm, well do you have blankets?"
"Yes, why?" Fluttershy asked still trying to figure out what Rainbow was planning.
Rainbow smiled at Applejack and Octavia. "AJ, you want to do a special exercise for old times’ sake?"
Applejack blinked for a moment then smiled. "Why sure, I can use an exercise."
"What are you planning?" Fluttershy asked. Rainbow placed her hands on her hips looking to Fluttershy with a grin.
"I think it's time to teach Octavia while on foot. Time to teach everything a soldier must learn at once."
"What?" Octavia blurted out. "You mean we are going out there?" She asked pointing behind her to the forest. Suddenly Applejack slapped her upside the head causing the princess to whimper, rubbing the back of her head.
Applejack gave her a stern look. "From now on you will not speak unless spoken too or if you are given permission."
"What?! How- Ow! Stop it!" Octavia screamed out getting a slap from Applejack again.
"You must ask first, Cadet!" Applejack roared out causing Octavia to stagger back from the volume. Rainbow chuckled.
"Right, I have my lieutenant then?" Rainbow asked grinning. Applejack frowned.
"Hey! I'm still a colonel."
Rainbow chuckled. "True," She turned to Fluttershy. "We can use some supplies."
"Why?" Fluttershy asked with worry. "Will you be coming back?" Rainbow smiled at her gently placing her hand on Fluttershy’s shoulder. Fluttershy stiffened feeling the contact but stayed where she was.
"Yeah no problem just not back down in the tunnels. We'll be camping out here for a while." Rainbow answered. Octavia gulped at that. Fluttershy nodded her head hesitantly.
"Alright, I'll get some supplies ready and..." Fluttershy paused for a moment then sighed turning away, walking for her burnt cottage. Rainbow blinked thinking then turned back to Octavia.
"Alright, Hybrid get on the ground and do some pushups!"
Octavia groaned doing as she was told. She went down on her knees preparing herself for the task at hand.
"Where can I find this Magical Shining Mirror?" Vinyl asked with a smirk on her face.
The duchess smiled in return. "Well according to the stories I was told as a child, the Shining Mirror was one of Princess Luna's national treasures."
Vinyl nodded, taking a seat on the chair again and paying close attention to the duchess' purple eyes. Something in those eyes seemed to hold Vinyl's attention. She remembered watching Octavia on her ship talking to the young ones about the comet. Something about those eyes kept those she was talking to held in place to listen to every detail of her lecture. Those eyes of the duchess matched Octavia's so well that Vinyl could vividly remember Octavia enough to imagine the taste of her on her lips.
Vinyl stood up and immediately walked away.
"I need some air," She called over her shoulder opening the door and shut it behind her. She stopped, sweating hard thinking about where to go. It's too hot, just too hot! She walked off the porch and went around the house. Vinyl heard movement by the window beside her and looked up to see her mother watching Vinyl trot away to the back. Vinyl sighed with relief to see the old stumps and rotting log benches facing towards the old ship yards where all the ships were built or repaired or even upgraded.
Vinyl blinked to see herself as a foal sitting with her father as he pointed with a stick to the ships. Teaching her about what a ship is called or which ship is a merchant or a military vessel. Vinyl would stare with awe standing up, grabbing a stick, and swinging it in the air claiming to be a tough privateer of the stars.
The vision faded showing the empty lot and the empty old seats. Vinyl sighed walking over to the stump that was her seat as a child. She wiped off the dirt and bugs that had made the stump their home and sat down. She groaned as she realized that the stump was shorter than she remembered. She chuckled and crossed her ankles together and got comfortable feeling the breeze blow over her warm face causing her to calm down a touch. But the feeling she felt for Octavia continue to bubble up.
Every time she closed her eyes she could see her face glaring at her or even showing concern. Those eyes always sparkled whether she was angry at her guts or showing that rare smile she pointed at Vinyl. And even that one moment when Octavia placed her hand over Vinyl's chest that about made it difficult to not want her. Vinyl shook her head hard at the thoughts in her mind. She sighed shaking her head again.
"Well I fucked up my chance... I'm dying and I won't tell her I love her." She whispered to herself opening her eyes to see the empty yards.
"So it wasn't a joke?" Vinyl turned with a gasp to see the duchess standing behind her. She looked sad through her eyes as she made a kind smile to the unicorn.
Vinyl blushed deeply clearing her throat. "What's a joke?" She asked curious.
The duchess walked slowly over not even bothered that her skirts touched the dirt and grass. "May I?" She asked indicated the log bench. Vinyl nodded letting her know it was fine. The duchess nodded in return and sits down fixing her skirts so she wouldn't ruin them as she sat.
"My, what a nice breeze. I was used to having no breeze in my mane while growing up in those streets." She shrugged staring at the city in the distance. "I always lived out in the alleys where no wind could be felt, only in a rainy day when nopony was out selling wares." Vinyl felt her ears droop as she turned back towards the city.
The two hybrids sat there for a long moment until the duchess sighed breaking the silence. "I can feel it in your magic, Vinyl," Vinyl blinked turning to her with a blush. Vinyl had forgotten that unicorns can sense another ponies magic. Depending on the feeling radiated by the unicorn other unicorns can tell what their feelings are.
"You are in love."
Vinyl blushed deeper turning away starting to sweat again.
The duchess smiled with a playful smirk. "The way you looked into my eyes, I could feel that you have feelings for my daughter, hmm?"
Vinyl turned away ducking her head with a worried frown. "Uh... well I um..."
The duchess started laughing shaking her head. "Vinyl, there is no need to be embarrassed."
"Pardon me your grace, uh-"
"Please dear, just Melody will do."
"M-melody, um I..." She paused to see the duchess giving her a look that says no more hiding. Vinyl sighed in defeat. "Okay yes... I have feelings for your daughter ... but,"
"But?"
"But I can't... I'm not allowed to. I mean just look at me, I'm a peasant, well more like public enemy number one now, I have no titles or lands, and on top of it all, I'm a hybrid the dirtiest scum in this galaxy. Why would she like somepony like me?" Vinyl said with a sigh.
Melody smiled. "You don’t give yourself much credit do you?” Vinyl blushed turning to her hearing déjà vu from Octavia. The older mare sighed. “Maybe because Octavia does have feelings for you?" Vinyl cleared her throat scratching her head.
"Well... I might have uh... Look the point of the matter is I can't be with her not forever.” Vinyl whispered sadly crossing her arms across her chest looking up at the sky. “I mean I do... have feelings for her. I've never had these feelings with another pony before, mare or stallion," Vinyl shivered after saying the word stallion rubbing her arms. "I never wanted to be in love if it involved being beaten to death or raped all the time."
Melody smiled sadly. "Yes, you grew up in the same hell as I was. Except I hate to say that I was one of the lucky few that got away." Vinyl shivered turning away. "But for what it's worth I was fortunate to help stop those that hurt ponies like you. If it weren't for me meeting with Tick Tock, you would have been killed in that place."
Vinyl looked up slightly and turned to the duchess. "You knew about the arena?"
Melody nodded with a sigh. "I've seen it from the sidelines. Horrible, horrible torture. What made it sick was the fact that actual guards would jump in and fight along. Those screams never left me even as a duchess where I was safe, I still had nightmares of being in that arena myself."
Vinyl nodded with a sniff. "It was torture. Never again will I stoop to that level." Vinyl looked down at her calloused hands then clenched them hard into fists. "I turned into a monster. Killing all just to survive. When I hear them cheer that means I will live again. If I hear them boo or jeer that means I might die a moment later. Even as punishment for killing a pony that was supposed to win I would get fucked by other slaves or even those bastards that were supposed to protect us!" Melody reached over and placed her arm around Vinyl hugging her close as Vinyl started to cry.
"I wanted to kill them all," She sobbed. "All of them. Every single fucked up royal ass I could get my hands on for putting me in that hell!"
Melody just held Vinyl in her embrace stroking her head.
When the sun was setting Vinyl removed herself from the duchess’ arms and sighed staring at the darkening sky. "I'm sorry you had to-"
"No," Melody whispered rubbing Vinyl's back. "Let it all out dear while you can." She paused turning towards the small house. "Let out all the hurt and suffering you’ve been through and be happy."
Vinyl smirked with a chuckle. "Sorry, but that hatred will remain in my heart for a long time." Melody nodded with a pained expression turning away. The two sat silently staring into the darkened yard.
"At least I know the reason for why my father never came back. He was arrested and probably went through hell like me." Vinyl chuckled again. "Like father, like daughter he would always say." She sniffed wiping her nose. Melody thought for a moment.
"Perhaps you might find the answers you seek with the mirror."
"Answers? What kind of answers?"
Melody shrugged with a smile. "You just have this look about you that you are searching for the answer of a long planned question."
"I don't know about that."
"Just hear me out for a second. Many times I heard of the mirror are these, one popular belief is that only unicorns can use the mirror and another one was that the mirror will show you your heart's desires."
"Yeah?" Vinyl said sitting up a touch.
"And the third belief was that you can ask the mirror what you desire. Of course it takes a very controlled unicorn to use his or her magic to get an answer." The duchess cut her eyes to Vinyl to see her thinking. Melody could see Vinyl clenching and unclenching her fists again.
"Perhaps there is a question you had for ages and suddenly it's gone but that imprint in your mind still controls your thoughts and soul." Melody added.
"And you think this mirror can help me find the answer I need to my question?"
Melody nodded.
"Tell me about the mirror, again." Vinyl said thinking.
Melody scooted closer. "In history it was said that the Shining Mirror was one of Princess Luna's greatest treasures she kept in her secret chamber in Canterlot Castle. It was said to have been made by powerful unicorns that were living on a warring planet. Luna went to this planet and had it destroyed. Of course those details are sort of iffy if you know what I mean?"
Vinyl nodded a little shocked at the idea that the princess she helped rescue could destroy a planet. Melody continued her story.
"But after this, let’s say domination, Luna was given gifts of surrender and one of these gifts were a magical mirror, not even marked with age or war. Luna was told that the mirror will show what she desires or answer her age old questions. The princess tried out the mirror and was impressed. But not even the books told of what she desired. After testing the mirror she ordered the mirror to be sent back to Canterlot.
"But that was when war erupted and Luna had to hide her special treasures in the castle believing the mirror was too powerful in the hands of others that didn’t understand the power behind the mirror. I'm afraid that after Luna disappeared and never returned, Celestia opened the secret chamber and found all of the treasures she and her sister had gathered in times of war and decided to hand the treasures to those that she claimed worthy or rewarded for fighting alongside her."
"And one of them was the mirror." Vinyl said completing the story. "But who took the mirror?"
Melody sighed and made a pained expression. "Well Tick Tock’s family took rights to the mirror hundreds of years ago." Vinyl gasped turning to her in shock.
"Wait, you mean you had it?!"
Melody shook her head. "No not me, but my husband’s family was well known for their bravery in the wars. But one generation there were seven princes and they were each given one of the treasures and one of them took the mirror and his family took it for themselves. And that prince was Tick Tock's great grandfather. And since Tick Tock was cast out of the family..."
Vinyl sat there slack jawed. "Blueblood has the mirror!" Melody nodded.
"Precisely. Since Tick Tock was cast out of the family everything that was his, is now Blueblood's. Even the right to make laws for Manehattan and kill all who he wishes."
Vinyl scratched her head in shock. "So you're telling me the slimy bastard that made me a criminal, has my father as a slave, and promises death to your daughter has the fucking mirror?!"
Melody nodded not even phased by Vinyl's language. "I'm afraid so."
Vinyl groaned rubbing her head. "Great, that's just great." She sighed again looking at the mare. "Where does Blueblood keep his treasures?" Vinyl asked seriously.
Melody bit her lip. "Not in Manehattan if you were wondering. He kept his treasures in a secret place where no pony, slave or royal, can ever find his trove. I've heard rumors that he sends his treasure off world."
Vinyl groaned staring at the sky. "What else can go wrong?"
"Hello ladies," The two turn to see Tick Tock walking over with a small smile on his face. "You two were out here for a couple hours so I thought I should check on you."
Melody sighed and stood up fixing her skirts. "How civil, I'm so happy to have a husband that cares so much."
Tick Tock smirked and bowed as his wife giggled walking up next to him and leaned in. "You have some talking to do," Melody said patting him on the shoulder before leaving to the cottage. Tick Tock sighed closing his eyes then started to chuckle.
"What's so funny?" Vinyl asked as the prince let out another sigh looking up at the stars.
"That was our code from years ago." Tick Tock paused again giving Vinyl a side long glance. "Of course it's no secret to me," Vinyl blushed seeing his cheeky grin. He walked over to take a seat on the log bench.
The two sat in silence for a long time until finally the prince clapped his hands together surprising Vinyl. "Alright let’s get this over with.” Vinyl sat there confused as the prince turned to her with a small smile. “I remember seeing the fire in your eyes when it came to rescuing my daughter." Vinyl blushed again looking down at her lap. He smiled. "From what I have learned from your shipmates in that despicable dungeon, you two seem quite close."
Vinyl chuckled remembering the first few weeks with Octavia. From her yelling, glaring, sharp remarks, and her balled up fists ready to pounce. "Well not as close as we do now." Vinyl said shaking her head.
"How so?" Tick Tock asked smirking.
Vinyl sighed. "Well I treated her like I would treat a cabin filly, not a princess." She chuckled thinking. "I’m quite surprised that she even did as I said. I swear she would have beaten me up." Vinyl laughed out loud shaking her head. "Those eyes," She said with a sniff wiping her nose. "Damn those eyes."
Tick Tock chuckled nodding. "Ah yes. She took her mother’s eyes. And for some odd reason, those eyes show every single emotion she processes. And they are a sight aren't they?"
Vinyl smiled as he chuckled. "Forgive me your grace, but I don't think it's wise for me to talk about your daughter."
Tick Tock laughed hard at that nodding his head. "Smart girl!" He said wiping his eyes. He sighed pointing his finger at her. "Even though I knew Scratch for a short time, I can see that you and Scratch are very similar." Vinyl blinked with a frown, turning to him.
"How so?" Vinyl asked curiously.
He shrugged. "Well you have this air about you like you have seen it all like him. Maybe a sort of wisdom?"
Vinyl snorted. "Wisdom? I don't have a wise bone in my body."
Tick Tock shrugged. "Well let’s look at it this way then. You've had an interesting, challenging life. You fought many enemies, you're a spacer, and not to mention you saved the most dangerous and most important pawn in a set of chess pieces in this giant board we call the galaxy."
Vinyl blinked watching him. Tick Tock continued unfazed as he waved his hands around using his magic to create a magical chess board in front of Vinyl and himself. He placed his hand on Vinyl's shoulder and borrowing her magical aura he start making chess pieces.
Vinyl gasped seeing small figures of all the ponies she knew, friends, family, and allies standing on one side of the board all in the color blue. While the other side is filled with dark cloaked figures all black. Six of the dark pieces were uncovered revealing figures like Blueblood, or the Queen herself.
Vinyl blinked watching in awe seeing the magic creating a close version to a hologram that magic can get. She watched as suddenly the figures on both sides started to move, attacking each other in a battlefield.
"You see,” Tick Tock said as Vinyl nodded slowly. “I like to call this conflict a giant chess board. Ever since my eyes were opened by Rainbow Dash during the rebellion I started to see things that I never seen before."
Vinyl watched as the battle continued. She watched as kings and queens and royals on the blue side being murdered. Vinyl even saw a pawn that looked like Twilight Sparkle. It looked like she using her magic to fight against a second unicorn dressed in black like the other ponies on the black side of the board. This unicorn was a sunny color with a fiery red and yellow mane. The yellow war unicorn threw her green magic in discs as Twilight dodged left and right, running out of breath. Twilight looked exhausted and hurt as the yellow unicorn used this advantage to try and take her out.
Vinyl turned to notice Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie were separated from Twilight and fighting the black pawns that looked like insects. Vinyl shuddered getting a good look at one of them. They were extremely creepy. Vinyl didn’t ask what they were as she watched Rainbow Dash kick an insect away from an injured Fluttershy. Applejack looked hurt as Rarity stood over her with a staff in her hand. Pinkie Pie … she was doing some strange thing with five of them running around them in high speeds making them dizzy.
Vinyl blinked watching the insects running away from the five mares. The five other mares ran straight for Twilight standing around her holding their hands producing this magical light. The yellow unicorn and the insects were backing away from the brightness. Vinyl was amazed seeing such powerful magic turn into a beam of rainbow and blinded her. Vinyl covered her eyes from the bright glare then opened them to see the chess board was clean. The six young mares were the only ones left on the board. They looked at one another then started cheering and hugging each other.
Tick Tock sighed with a hard frown on his face seeing the scene change before them. Vinyl blinked noticing that on the black side there were soldiers dressed in black and red uniforms of the new royal guard. Vinyl gulped watching them running for the six mares. The six friends were in shock and dismay as the soldiers ran towards them.
Applejack blinked and glared turning to Rarity standing beside her. Applejack shoved Rarity away as the guards grabbed her. Applejack was fighting as Rarity looked shocked. Vinyl could tell the Applejack pawn was screaming for the others to run as the soldiers ran for them. Applejack was able to punch one guard away before Pinkie Pie flew out of nowhere to kick another guard in the stomach to get him away from Applejack. Now the rest of them were being mobbed by the royal guards.
Pinkie Pie grabbed Applejack’s arm and tried to get her to run, but they were overcome by royal guards and were tackled onto the board. Pinkie Pie sat up and looked down to notice that she was sinking into the board reaching for Applejack for help. Applejack was fighting off the guards and gasped seeing Pinkie Pie disappear into the board. Applejack was knocked to the ground with the soldiers all around her to keep the earth pony from escaping as she too sank into the board, captured with Pinkie.
Vinyl bit her lip turning to look at Tick Tock to see him looking angered.
"I guess it started with the Elements of Harmony." He said pointing back at the scene. Vinyl noticed he was pointing at Rainbow Dash's pawn.
Rainbow was able to escape the royal guards and ran to the spot where Applejack disappeared to find her gone. Rainbow was frightened seeing nothing left of Applejack. She even looked guilty as she looked like she was about to cry. Suddenly a group of pegasi swarmed her. Rainbow Dash noticed them too late and fell with one guard on top of her trying to pin her to the ground. Rainbow kicked him away and tried to fly away. Three pegasi rushed after her and caught her and began to pull her back to the board. Rainbow looked down and gasped seeing that the guards were sinking into the board trying to pull her with them. Rainbow struggled, screaming for help as she reached up to the stars as she was finally pulled through.
Vinyl shuddered feeling horrible turning back to Tick Tock.
"When part of their group is lost, then the others crumbled after them." Tick Tock softly whispered.
Vinyl turned back to the board to the left to see a battle between magic and staff. Rarity was fighting against a group of unicorns. Rarity looked livid, scarily so that it made her magic even stronger as she fought back. She swung her staff left and right slapping one unicorn in the face and another had a hard poke in the gut. One unicorn pulled himself out of the board as Rarity panted from exhaustion from her fighting. The guard stood up, running towards her. Rarity turned and gasped as the guard swung out his leg and kicked Rarity hard in the stomach causing her to double over dropping her staff. She looked up again with fear as the guard kicked her again in the chest to knock her into the air. Rarity let out a silent scream as she flew over the edge of the chess board and fell to the grass, disappearing completely.
Vinyl turned to another part of the board to see Fluttershy surrounded by royal guards. She was terrified as they closed in on her as she shrank to the ground covering her head with her arms as they swarmed her. Vinyl blinked watching the guards go on top of her. Suddenly she noticed movement in the pile and three of the guards were shoved away and Fluttershy was flapping her wings trying to get away, trying to fly away. Vinyl was in awe seeing this meek pegasus using strength she probably never used before. Finally Fluttershy kicked and punched the pegasi off of her and was able to fly away into the air and disappeared into the stars. Fluttershy got away.
Vinyl saw flashes of purple light and turned to see Twilight trying to fight off the unicorns, trying to keep them away from her. Until she noticed that she was the last one. Her friends were gone and she was the only one left. Twilight looked broken and defeated as she held up her hands and went down on her knees in surrender. The guards grabbed hold of her and forced her up on her feet as they escorted to the black side of the board. Vinyl noticed Twilight turning back toward her as she slowly disappeared. The chess board is now empty.
"So... then what happened?" Vinyl asked trying to sound interested yet she was sad at what just happened.
Tick Tock sighed. "After the ideal threat was finished off, the black side here, The Order started attacking all those that stood in their way." As he said this the board was filled again but with different pieces. The black side held more of this new royal guards in black and red uniforms. The blue side had soldiers of the old army. Both sides are in the middle of a war, stabbing, kicking, and punching some with bare fists or with clubs. This must be the rebellion.
On the blue side standing was a group of pegasi dressed in a uniform that Vinyl didn’t recognize but it was definitely pegasi military. The pegasi ran to the battle with war cries for freedom. But one by one they were shot down, falling to the board. All that were left were three, a yellow mare with a fiery orange mane, a light blue stallion with a dark blue mane, and a light blue mare with a crystal white mane.
The blue mare leapt into the air and made a dive at a unicorn. The unicorn smirked and held out her hand grabbing the pegasus mare and with a powerful jolt of magic, electrocuted her. Once finished, the unicorn let her drop to the board, dead. The yellow pegasus noticed this with a horrifying look of rage on her face. She ran to attack the unicorn. The blue pegasus looked shocked as the yellow pegasus ran on the attack. The blue stallion and Vinyl noticed the pegasus with a sword running to intercept her.
Vinyl looked back down to see the yellow pegasus pull away from the sword holding her bleeding side falling to her knees. She was swarmed by guards. The blue stallion looked frightened as he too was surrounded by guards with swords. The blue stallion flapped his large wings and went into the air. He looked down to see the yellow mare dead on the board. He flew away into the stars. The pegasus stallion escaped.
Before her eyes Vinyl watched as the rebels of the old army were being captured or killed. Vinyl watched as one by one as new ponies appeared on the spaces and ran for battle. More and more of them appeared and fought but over time the spawning began to lessen and slow down. Vinyl gasped seeing on a rook space appeared a unicorn mare that looked similar to Vinyl.
Vinyl watched as her little pawn ran to the side instead of forward to battle as the black pawns ran towards the blue. Vinyl watched herself run to the Queen and King spaces. Vinyl blinked noticing that standing on the queen space was Octavia dressed as she was the last time Vinyl saw her, dressed in old trousers, a puffy shirt, vest, and boots. Sitting on the king space and leaning against Octavia’s legs was the comatose Princess Luna. Octavia was struggling to try and keep Luna from slipping off the edge. Vinyl watched her pawn run in front of the princesses to defend them from the attacking forces.
As Vinyl was attacking one guard she realized she was surrounded. Vinyl turned to see them running for Octavia and Luna. Vinyl tried to get away but didn’t see the knife behind her. Vinyl gasped seeing her pawn stabbed in the back and fell to the ground dead as the guards ran to Octavia and Luna to finish them off.
"I don't like where the game is going Vinyl." Tick Tock said interrupting Vinyl’s train of thought. Vinyl turned back to see the guards grabbing Octavia as she tried to fight back but couldn’t. Vinyl stood up shaking her head and walking away as the chess board vanishes. Tick Tock turned to see Vinyl standing with her arms across her chest.
"So you're saying we’ll lose?" Vinyl said sourly.
"I didn't say that." Tick Tock said quietly. He stood up to stand next to her, looking out into the night. He looked over at her to see Vinyl looking hopeless as she shook her head. Tick Tock placed his hand on her shoulder. Vinyl turned to him.
“But what that shows … There’s nothing we can do to stop them! Octavia … Luna, is that our future? Are we going to be hunted like dogs and die?”
Tick Tock shook his head as he wrapped his arm around Vinyl and turned her back to the chess board. “This is just a worst case scenario. I’m just saying that if you don't play with the right strategy, Vinyl Scratch, they will win." Vinyl blinked confused looking at the chess board with the scene frozen. Vinyl blinked feeling her heart break seeing Octavia frozen in motion of hugging Luna to protect her from the upcoming blow.
"But how can I... How can I help win this game?" Vinyl asked. Tick Tock patted her on the back. Vinyl watched his hand glow in a blue light to cause the frozen scene to return to motion. With the flutter of his fingers the board shook wildly causing the guards to fall over. Octavia held on tight to Luna as the board continued to shake. Tick Tock snapped his fingers and the board began to flip over. Vinyl was in shock seeing Octavia slide off the other side. Without thinking Vinyl quickly held out her hands and caught the mini princesses into her hand. Tick Tock smiled warmly seeing Octavia look up at Vinyl smiling. Vinyl smiled in return then looked back at the prince.
"If you feel at a loss,” He started as he flipped the chess board back in place. He knelt down into the grass. Vinyl watched curiously as Tick Tock picked something up out of the grass. Vinyl gasped seeing the miniature Rarity unconscious and weak. Tick Tock carefully set Rarity on her knees on the chess board. Vinyl watched as Rarity opened her eyes and shook her head as she slowly stood up. She stumbled a few times trying to keep from falling over as she rubbed her head.
Tick Tock smiled. “Sure you might lose a couple of tries." He said reaching into the air. Vinyl watched him pluck Fluttershy out of thin air, she looked tired and frightened. Tick Tock placed Fluttershy on the board beside Rarity. Fluttershy sat up immediately then turned to see Rarity. Rarity and Fluttershy smiled with joy and hugged each other crying. Vinyl turned to see Tick Tock holding out his hand as he snapped his fingers. With that pop of magic the board made a water ripple as three shapes were pulled out of the board as the rippling effect disappear. Applejack and Pinkie Pie rubbed their heads trying to wake up. Rarity noticed them and ran over to Applejack and hugged her tight. Applejack just blinked as she tried to figure out what was going on. Fluttershy helped Pinkie Pie to her feet and hugged her, Pinkie Pie looking as confused as Applejack. The four friends turned to see Rainbow Dash laying still on the board.
Rainbow Dash slowly sat up from her dizziness. She looked up and blinked in surprise in seeing a pink hand reach down to her. Rainbow looked at the hand then up at Pinkie Pie to see her smile. Rainbow smiled taking her hand and was pulled back up onto her feet. Rainbow smiled even wider seeing Fluttershy hug her first as Rarity and Applejack then Pinkie hugged her in a group hug.
Vinyl grinned seeing the last member of their team, Twilight Sparkle rematerialize on the enemy side. The unicorn stumbled as she began sprinting to the others. The friends turn and smile with happiness as Pinkie was cheering. Twilight ran to her friends getting into the hug. They were back together again.
Tick Tock patted Vinyl’s shoulder pointing at the black side of the board as the enemy rematerialized. "But in the end you have to start over," He whispered. Suddenly the six mares turn to the enemy side seeing the enemy ready for another attack.
"With a new strategy," Tick Tock continued in a whisper as he flittered his fingers. Six small sparkles flew from his fingertips to the board in front of the six mares. The mares looked shocked seeing the six lights floating before them until they changed color. The mares grabbed their weapons, the Elements of Harmony and placed the chains around their necks and suddenly all six of them began to glow in six different colors.
Twilight's clothes turned to magenta color like the Element of Magic. Her hands were covered in an overflow of magic. Twilight was dressed in a uniform that was meant for magical users, a war unicorn. Twilight looked powerful with her magic causing her clothing to flap from the vortex of power.
Rarity clothes turned into a deep purple color like her Element of Generosity. In her hands thin rapiers appeared. Her clothing changed to that of a uniform from the unicorn Calvary. She looked ready to attack as she held her swords out.
Pinkie Pie’s clothes turned sky blue color clothes like her Element, Laughter. Pinkie was dressed strangely as a buccaneer, an odd choice of style to Vinyl watching her transform. Pinkie reached into her large coat to pull out a strange giant pistol that looked like a mini-cannon. Pinkie reached into her pocket and stuffed something into the barrel of the mini cannon shaped pistol with a smirk on her face.
Applejack’s attire turned into a deep orange color. Her clothes changed into that of a soldier of the old army. Her Stetson was replaced with a dark helmet. Applejack popped her knuckles as she reached into side bag and pulled out a pair of brass knuckle busters and placed them over her knuckles. She snarled audibly clenching and unclenching her fists ready for the fight.
Fluttershy's clothing were brightened in a blush pink color like her own element. But instead of a soldier like the others she was dressed as a tribal with a walking staff with a small blade at the top. Across her shoulder is a satchel filled with medical supplies and herbs. Fluttershy stood firm with the staff between her hands. She noticed the blade and quickly pulled it off and stuff it into the satchel with a light blush on her face.
Last was Rainbow Dash. Her old uniform changed color and shape like the others. Her clothes were blood red in color, like her element. She was now dressed in a costume that Vinyl didn't recognize. It's military of course, almost looked like the same design as the pegasi that battled the Order. On Rainbow’s head is a beret with a pin that was designed with wings and a lightning bolt. Rainbow’s clothes were that of an aviators coat, tight trousers, boots, and a strange belt with a strange sword scabbard. Rainbow popped her own knuckles then reached for this scabbard grabbing the pommel of a sword and pulled it out. Vinyl vaguely remembered seeing this kind of sword from some old books she had read. It looked very much like one of the katana that pegasi used to use a very long time ago.
Tick Tock smiled as Vinyl turned to him. Tick Tock indicated Octavia and Luna still in Vinyl’s hand. Vinyl blinked seeing Octavia waving up at her.
Vinyl nodded and set her hands near the board to allow the miniature Octavia drag Luna over to the board. Once on the board Vinyl stood back up standing with Tick Tock. Vinyl blinked noticing the lights forming on the blue side where Octavia and Luna now stood.
"You just need a new set of pieces," Tick Tock whispered.
The six mares turned around behind them seeing the blue side fill with new pieces. Vinyl gasped to see herself ready for a fight alongside her shipmates Derpy, Spike, and Scootaloo. They were dressed in protective thick clothes of cadets. Daring stood with them in a uniform like a corporal. Behind them stood Blossomforth and Raindrops dressed like the old royal guards. Behind Blossom and Raindrops were a bunch of soldiers. They were unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies that are all dressed for battle. Vinyl turned to see Octavia and Luna glow in light.
As the light dissipated Luna appeared. She wore dark blue armor with the moon emblazoned on the chest plate. The helmet held sapphires on the sides and plume of midnight blue feathers. In her hand was a metallic blue khopesh with a sapphire in the hilt. Next to her stood Octavia in a similar suit of armor and a short sword in her hand, ready to fight alongside Luna and the army. To Vinyl, Octavia looked amazingly beautiful.
Tick Tock snapped his fingers and the black side began materializing their army. "And most importantly, when you have all of these as your score, don't forget to win." Vinyl looked down to see Luna raise her sword in the air.
"CHARGE!" Luna screamed out in her royal Canterlot voice. The Elements of Harmony held out their weapons and lead the charge to the enemy. Vinyl watched as the whole blue side ran after the six mares as they met the black side in the center. The chess board vanished before Vinyl's eyes causing her to blink and rub her eyes with her hands. In her ears she can still hear the cries of war and the clashing of metal of swords. Vinyl sat down on the stump dumbfounded at what she saw.
Tick Tock chuckled. "You might have lost one game Vinyl, but I know for sure that you all will win this war. With the right amount of training, patience, and of course with the Elements of Harmony on your side, you will win."
Vinyl sighed then nodded slowly. "Yeah..." She whispered. With a thought she stood up suddenly looking around in the sky. "How can I get back? To the living I mean?" She asked turning to the prince. Tick Tock smiled.
"Do you believe you can make it?"
Vinyl opened her mouth to speak but then paused looking at her old house then back at him. She nodded firmly. "Yes, I know I can make it."
Tick Tock smiled patting her on the shoulder. "I'm happy for you. Perhaps you should tell your family that you are leaving?"
Vinyl stayed still for a moment staring at him. "Wait you mean I could have left whenever I wanted?" She asked with shock.
Tick Tock sighed with a smile. "You are still alive on the other side right?"
"Well yeah," Vinyl answered.
"Then you can."
Vinyl smiled at him then looked up at the stars. "I better say my good byes then," Vinyl whispered sadly.
"Is it time for you to leave?" Raspberry's voice spoke, surprising Vinyl causing her to jump and turn to see her mother and sister standing with Melody. Raspberry walked over to hug Vinyl tightly. Vinyl hugged back equally tight.
"I can't ask you to stay when you have loved ones to watch out for and protect." Raspberry whispered as she kissed Vinyl on the cheek. Vinyl blushed but was sad all the same.
"I wish I could stay," Vinyl whispered feeling tears in her eyes. "I missed you so much Mama, you don't know how much."
Raspberry sniffed as she started to cry. "I know I missed you too." She stood back to stroke Vinyl's cheek. "And I will always miss you until you come back again and I hope... not too soon." Vinyl smiled nodding.
"Yeah," She sniffed as her mother stepped back to smile down at Blueberry Twinkle to see her with tears in her eyes. Vinyl smiled kneeling down. Blueberry ran into Vinyl's arms hugging her tight crying into her shoulder.
"Do you really have to go?" Blueberry asked.
Vinyl kissed her on the head hugging her tight. "I have to, I have a sister back in the living that needs me." Blueberry sniffed looking at her.
"A sister?"
Vinyl smiled stroking her sister's hair away from her face behind her ear. "I never looked to her as a sister until now, but she's young and full of spirit and she always hung around me like my shadow." Vinyl sniffed with a small chuckle. She frowned again remembering that last moment feeling Scootaloo hugging her from behind her back in the dungeon on the crystal moon.
"Who is she?" Blueberry asked wiping her eyes.
"Her name is Scootaloo," Vinyl whispered. "And she's a couple of years older than you and she's a pegasus." Vinyl poked Blueberry on her nose causing the filly to giggle. "Maybe someday you'll meet her." Vinyl whispered. Blueberry sniffed, hugging Vinyl again.
"I love you, Grace."
Vinyl smiled looking up at her mother to take her hand squeezing both her mother's hand and her little sister. "I love you too, both of you. I promise that we will see each other again, hopefully as a family... in the afterlife." Vinyl whispered closing her eyes again.
Tick Tock stood back wrapping his arm around Melody watching the family say their good-byes. Vinyl sniffed releasing her sister from her hold and stood up walking to her mother for one last hug. She pulled away and turned to Tick Tock feeling lighter than before. Raspberry wrapped her arm around Blueberry to keep her from interfering as Vinyl started to glow in her magical aura.
Vinyl stood in front of the couple and sighed holding out her hand. Tick Tock smiled and took her hand and the two shook hands.
"Thank you for the advice." Vinyl said smiling. Tick Tock smiled in return.
"I should be thanking you, Captain Scratch, for protecting my daughter."
Vinyl turned to Melody to shake her hand but instead was wrapped in her arms in a hug. Vinyl blushed turning to the prince to see him smiling. Vinyl lightly returned the hug. Melody stepped back smiling at her.
"Be careful, I doubt your body can take another attack like that.” Melody said with warning. “We would hate to see you so soon." She said with a quirked brow. Vinyl blushed and chuckled uneasily.
"I'll do my best.” She said bowing to the royals. “And thanks for everything you told me. I bet that mirror is the thing we need to win this war.” Melody sighed with a smile.
"I hope so... please take care of my baby, will you?"
Vinyl nodded saluting. "You can count on me, your grace." Vinyl looked down to see herself glowing even brighter. Her magic was ready to take her spirit back home.
"Oh and Vinyl," Tick Tock called out. She turned to look at him just as the magic started covering her. "You have my permission." He called out just as Vinyl's world went white and all Vinyl could do was smile.
Twilight placed her hands over Luna's chest and concentrated on her healing magic as she tried to awaken Luna again. Sweetie Belle and Blossomforth were sitting nearby watching her. Blossom and Twilight had become close friends after Twilight's meltdown three weeks prior. Blossom made a promise to herself that she would help this poor soul by protecting and aiding her in anything she needed. While Sweetie Belle just wanted to learn more magic from Twilight and being her apprentice since Scootaloo had made it clear that she had to strengthen her magic somehow while Scoots and Apple Bloom were training with Raindrops on the surface.
Twilight groaned opening her eyes and canceling her spell. Blossom crawled over reaching for a rag and handed it to the unicorn. Twilight smiled at her and rubbed the cool rag over her face.
"Anything?" Blossom asked as Sweetie Belle walked over with a canteen of water. Twilight took a sip then sighed shaking her head.
"Every time I get within reaching distance of her psyche, I just run out of power and have to get out before I get hit with feedback from the spell.” She took another heavy swig of water shaking her head. She turned to look at the comatose princess's face filled with peace. "It's like she's half dead. I mean she's alive and her brain matter is working fine but it’s... Gah!" Twilight kicked at the wall wrapping her hands over her head and shaking her head hard. "Why can't this be easier?" Blossom wrapped her arm around Twilight holding her close.
"It's alright, you just need a break." She whispered soothingly.
"A break?!" Twilight yelled out causing Blossom to back away. "A break! I can't afford to have a break! I'm the only one that can wake up Princess Luna!"
Blossom shushed her softly holding her and rocking her. Twilight slowly calmed down as she leaned into Blossom. Blossom smiled stroking the unicorn’s head then turned to see Sweetie Belle standing there looking concerned. Blossom sighed. "Why don't you go and play with your friends for a bit. We'll get you if we need your help."
Sweetie Belle nodded then left the room, leaving the two alone. Blossom continued to stroke Twilight's head for a while longer smiling down at her.
"I'm sorry for blowing up." Twilight whispered enjoying the petting she was getting.
"Nah, no need to apologize. You were just tired and stressed. Everypony is stressed out. So it's no secret you're really freaking out right now."
Twilight sighed still feeling ashamed for blowing up. "Still I should have not gotten so angry."
Blossom smiled seeing Twilight melt under her fingers. She stopped for a second to hear Twilight groan with annoyance that the stoking ended. Blossom looked down and realized how close she was to Twilight's face. Twilight's cute pout turned into a look of surprise and embarrassment as her face glowed into a blush just as Blossom's face went deep pink. Twilight swallowed then looked down.
"Don't stop," She whispered. Blossom lightly raise up her hand and start to stroke Twilight's head again, twirling her fingers into her dark mane getting deeper into Twilight's scalp eliciting an unexpected moan from Twilight. Blossom smiled remembering a unicorn she used to know.
"You know what? I used to have a good friend who was a unicorn back in the war. And she enjoyed it when I do this to her mane too."
"Hmm?" Twilight answered not really listening as she leaned into Blossom again about to fall asleep.
"Yeah... we were close until the rebellion changed everything."
Twilight opened her eyes and looked up into Blossom's blue eyes to see sadness.
"What happened to her?" Twilight asked.
Blossom thought for a moment then sighed. "She was ordered to report at Canterlot Castle for some sort of meeting. I waited for her for weeks until I was ordered to report to the pegasi army base outside of Canterlot. Then I saw her and..." Blossom paused shaking her head. "She was beating up a defenseless earth pony mare and her children. I remember the look on her face, it was as if she was enjoying it." Blossom shook her head squeezing her eyes shut.
"I pushed her away and yelled at her. The look on her face when she saw it was me... it was anger. Until I slapped some sense into her telling her what a bitch she was. Then she seemed to have been snapped out of it. But I was arrested for assaulting her."
Twilight sat up looking at her with worry. "You were arrested? For how long?"
"I was put into prison for three years. Then I met Commander Cloud Kicker and she got me out. In prison I learned about everyponies treachery against the earth ponies, our friends, family, our allies in the war were being turned into shit heaps. So I made it clear to Cloud Kicker that I wouldn't hurt an innocent.
"She told me to keep my mouth shut if I wanted to live. Then when we were in private she told me who she was and where she worked at. True, she might be under the pegasi army, but she’s the leader of a rebel group fighting against the new government to protect all ponies. We don't even call a pony a hybrid because all we see are ponies. And we protect ponies."
Twilight looked at her with a growing smile. "Wow,"
Blossom shrugged shaking her head. "It's not that great. I lost many friends to this change. Even... her." Blossom blushed harshly turning away. She wrapped her arms around her hiked up legs. Twilight frowned with worry she sat closer to Blossom hugging her.
"It sounds like you cared about her."
Blossom turned to Twilight again with glistening eyes. She shrugged scratching her head and biting her lip. She nodded a touch with a sniff. Twilight blinked realization dawned on her face.
"You two were together?"
Blossom bowed her head and nodded. Twilight turned away.
"I'm so sorry," Twilight whispered with sadness. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out, she didn’t know what else to say to her. Blossom smiled with a sigh.
"Well... If I ever do see her again I might have to kill her for her crimes."
"You wouldn't do something like that would you?" Twilight asked with shock.
Blossom shrugged. "She's one of them now... Her fate was sealed the moment I saw her beat up those foals."
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Sweetie Belle ran up to the surface and headed for the training clearing where she could hear the sounds of grunts and clashing metal. As she approached she could see Rainbow Dash backing away with her machete in her hand as Octavia swung her own machete, trying to get past Rainbow's iron defense. Sweetie Belle noticed Applejack sitting on a rock nearby fanning herself with her hat. The air was hot and the humidity made everything worse.
“Oh hey there, Sweetie Belle.” Applejack greeted smiling. “What are you doing up here?” She asked standing up.
“Twilight was getting stressed out and Blossom told me to come up here to see Bloom and Scoots. Are they still here?” She asked. Applejack nodded looking behind her to see Raindrops standing in a combat position having Apple Bloom and Scootaloo copy her stance.
“They’re over there.” Applejack said smiling. Sweetie Belle nodded.
“Thanks Applejack. See you later.” Applejack tipped her hat watching the girl running over to hug onto Scootaloo from her back surprising the pegasus. Applejack smirked as she went to the outskirts of the camp to sit under some desperately needed shade.
Octavia grunted as she swung too hard as Rainbow dodged past her. As Octavia stumbled she felt a boot shoved into her side. She fell hard on her back and her machete slid away from her grip. She groaned rolling into a ball holding her side where she was kicked. She turned squinting through the harsh sunlight as Rainbow’s shadow appeared above her.
"Get up!" Rainbow ordered gruffly. Octavia glared up at her. Rainbow pressed her machete into Octavia's bare leg above her cut trouser leg. "I said get up!" Rainbow warned harshly glaring down at her. Octavia's hand reached into the sand.
"I have been fighting with you for three weeks now and all you do is beat me up and yell at me!" Octavia screamed out.
The Crusaders turned hearing the yell. Raindrops turned as well, seeing that things weren’t improving between the princess and the old guard.
“I think we've had enough training for today.” Raindrops said as she waved for the kids to follow her out of the clearing.
“Can we do anything to help?” Sweetie Belle asked seeing how upset Octavia looked. Raindrops shook her head.
“Sorry Sweetie Belle, this situation is only between Octavia and Rainbow Dash. Now let’s go on and get something to eat.” The crusaders followed the guard and left the clearing.
Rainbow remained unfazed by Octavia’s yelling and just stared at her.
"Well I've had it!" Octavia screamed out throwing the hand full of sand right into Rainbow's eyes causing her to yell out in pain trying to get the sand out of her eyes. Octavia pushed past Rainbow and started running for it. Rainbow spat out the sand that got in her mouth.
Applejack at up from her seat on a rock hearing the scream. She readied her staff and listened carefully. She smiled hearing Octavia’s huffing as she got closer to her hiding spot. Applejack looked up at the sky as she set the tip of her staff out from her hiding spot. Octavia looked behind her with a grin.
"Finally!" She yelled out turning too late to realize Applejack's trap. Her boot caught the staff and flew forward landing hard on the ground. She groaned lifting up her face holding her snout. She coughed a couple of times as a pair of boots walk up to her. She turned and looked up to see Applejack smirking at her shaking her head.
"No way girl. You have to finish your training."
Octavia snarled up at her then turned seeing Rainbow running over then stopped short seeing them. Octavia sighed with defeat rolling her eyes.
"You know the drill by know, Hybrid." Rainbow said harshly standing by her. "Get up and give me fifty pushups. Then Applejack and I will think of a punishment for you."
Octavia glared at the two mares then slowly stood up. Rainbow moved to the side as Octavia walked past them back to the clearing.
"Like any of this will help me!" Octavia shouted.
"Keep walking!" Applejack snapped with a cold glare. Octavia growled and started trotting back to the clearing to get her pushups done. Once she disappeared Rainbow and Applejack both let out a sigh of annoyance.
"How much longer can we keep this up?" Applejack asked pulling up her sleeves. "I want to go back in the cool underground and help train Apple Bloom. Raindrops is a great teacher but there are things I want to teach my sister personally." Applejack said a touch fearful. She never wanted Apple Bloom to be a soldier but maybe with Applejack’s teachings and experience, maybe she could teach her baby sister the more valued lessons of defense.
Rainbow sighed. "Not until she understands what's at stake. She has to learn to suck it up like you and I did in training. So far running away and yelling back won't give her any favors."
Applejack nodded pulling off her hat and fanning herself. "Damn it's hot out here."
"I know... the sooner she learns by our rules, the sooner we can get her ready for action. We’ve been here for how long?"
"On the planet? Almost two months. Out here? About three weeks."
Rainbow sighed. "I guess I should have known it'll take at least a month before setting her in line." Applejack sighed looking up at the sky. Suddenly there was a sound of rustling bushes. The two mares turn holding out their weapons towards the source of the brush movement.
"Hold on," A familiar voice called out. The two mares sighed in relief hearing Fluttershy’s voice as the healer walked out of the bushes with a smile on her face. "It's only me."
"Gosh ‘Shy you about gave us a heart attack. We thought you were some monster or something." Applejack said in relief. Fluttershy smiled at Applejack reaching into her satchel and pulled out a canteen of water and handed it to Applejack. The earth pony gasped with relief taking the canteen, taking a drink. She then dumped some water into her hat, and placed her hat on her head before the water seeped through the cloth with a sigh of relief and a shiver.
Fluttershy smiled and turned to Rainbow handing her a second canteen. Rainbow blushed with a small smile taking the canteen unscrewing the lid. That was when Fluttershy discovered her scabby arm. She gasped surprising Rainbow.
"Rainbow, what happened to your arm?!" She exclaimed with shock. Rainbow looked at her banged up arm and shrugged.
"Nothing ‘Shy just some scratches from training, nothing serious." Fluttershy took Rainbow’s arm and examine it. After a moment she shook her head.
"No, no, this won't do at all, do you know how old those machetes are or even if they were cleaned? They are used more than fighting weapons should I remind you!"
Rainbow blushed looking to Applejack to see her staring at the blade hanging on Rainbow's belt with uneasiness. Fluttershy sighed. "Alright I need to check all of you. And put medicine on your wounds before they fester into something worse." Fluttershy started walking to their camp in the clearing as the two mares followed her back to camp.
Octavia was in the middle of pushups when Fluttershy came over surprising her with Rainbow and Applejack behind the healer.
"Get up," Rainbow ordered not as harsh this time. That confused Octavia.
"Why?"
"Doctor's orders." Rainbow stated flatly walking to the fire pit and sat down hard on a log that she found for a seat. Fluttershy sat down by her reaching into her satchel and pulled out vials and plants even a stone bowl and wooden stick to crush fruits or plants.
"Octavia I need to check you as well." Fluttershy ordered softly looking at what she got. Octavia sat up on her knees.
"Why?" She asked.
Applejack sighed sitting down. "Fluttershy made a point of checking our training wounds for infection. She'll have to check you too. I remember you got a couple cuts last week."
Octavia pulled up her sleeve to see her cuts and she can tell they looked to be red hot scabs and not healed properly yet. She gulped turning to see Fluttershy checking Rainbow’s arm.
Applejack stood up. "Well I didn't really get hit or anything so,"
"Oh no you don't, I'm checking all three of you." Fluttershy interrupted shaking her head pulling out her knife and poke Rainbow's wounds causing the pegasus to yell out a curse.
"Geez, you don't need to poke that hard!"
"I didn't poke you hard, only a touch."
"Yeah, but it still fucking hurt!" Fluttershy gave Rainbow a hard look that made Rainbow blush. "I mean that really hurt." Rainbow corrected. Fluttershy made a ghost of a smile.
"Looks like this cut is infected, it's a deep one by the size of it." She handed her knife Rainbow. "Try and cut off the scab." She ordered.
"What? Why?"
"So that I can put healing salves into your cuts. You don't want to get sick do you?"
Rainbow shook her head. "No, not really."
"Then do it." Fluttershy stood up and checked Applejack to see only bruises and red marks, no cuts. Then Fluttershy moved to Octavia as Rainbow finished cutting off her scabs with some tears in her eyes from the pain. Fluttershy was shocked by the red marks.
"Oh my, many of your cuts are infected." She lightly pressed on the largest cut. Octavia winced, pulling her arm away from her. "Oh dear, alright," Fluttershy stood up pointing to Rainbow.
"Training will have to be put to a stop for the moment."
"Why?" Rainbow asked surprised.
"Octavia needs medical attention, so do you. You both have infections in your cuts. Octavia has infections on both arms and needs to be attended before she gets sick. So pack up your things and let’s go back underground where it's safe and cool." Fluttershy helped Octavia up on her feet as she grabbed for her satchel.
"Let’s go," She ordered walking away with Octavia close behind her. Applejack turned to Rainbow to see her with a look of worry.
"You alright?" Applejack asked.
Rainbow sighed rubbing her face. "So much for being her guardian. I didn't think about-"
"We both weren't thinking. Now come on, we got to follow the doc's orders after all. We'll continue training when she's better."
Rainbow nodded. "Yeah," Man, I messed up big time. She thought to herself as Rainbow found her satchel and followed Applejack back to the village.
Once back underground in the medical hall, Rainbow sat with Fluttershy as she cleaned up Octavia's wounds and placed clean bandages around her arms. Rainbow continued to stare at her feet thinking. Octavia sighed rubbing her new bandages lightly. Fluttershy smiled kindly at her.
“I suggest you take a couple days of rest then we'll change your bandages again. I'll get you when that time comes." Octavia nodded then turned to Rainbow Dash with a slight angry look. Rainbow didn't seem fazed by the look and just glared back.
"Alright, now let’s get you fixed up, too." Fluttershy said turning to Rainbow. The pegasus rolled her eyes as Fluttershy took her arm feeling around for any injuries. Rainbow blushed remembering back in the day when Fluttershy would check her wounds like this in the war. Octavia noticed the blush.
"Why so flustered?" Octavia asked coyly grinning. Rainbow glared back at her.
"I'm not-"
"Hush," Fluttershy snapped causing Rainbow to shut her mouth surprising Octavia greatly. Fluttershy smiled seeing Rainbow's red face. "Well I don't see anything of worry other than those other scratches, I think you'll do fine after a few days yourself."
Rainbow pulled her arm back smiling. "Yeah, thanks 'Shy."
Suddenly there was a commotion outside the room and one of the zebras, Zen came running into Fluttershy’s room panting hard. "Shaman... Flutter... shy… there is… trouble." Fluttershy stood up with alarm.
"What's wrong, Zen?" She ordered.
"She moved!"
Fluttershy blinked with confusion for a moment.
"She never moved shaman! She did and I heard her moan!" Zen exclaimed pointing behind her. Fluttershy turned to Rainbow and Octavia with a frightened look on her face. Octavia got confused while Rainbow looked spooked.
"Stay in here!" Fluttershy ordered running after Zen. A few seconds later Octavia turned to Rainbow.
"Wasn't Zen assigned to watch Vinyl?" She asked stiffening. Rainbow gulped biting her lip unsure what to tell her. Octavia didn't wait for a response. She stood up and left the room.
"Hey, wait a sec!" Rainbow called out as Octavia rush through the hall past Luna's room where Twilight and Blossomforth were poking out of.
"Octavia?" Twilight called out. The two mares looked at one another then ran after her leaving Luna alone, unaware that Luna's hand slowly clenched into a fist.
Octavia found Vinyl's room and gasped to see Fluttershy checking Vinyl’s vitals and her breathing. Zen was rushing around the room grabbing herbs and mixtures to make medicine. Octavia stared at Vinyl to see her uncovered again, Fluttershy was listening to Vinyl’s heart with a look of bewilderment. That was when she turned seeing Octavia staring at her. Octavia stiffened staring back at her. Fluttershy sighed waving her hand for Octavia to come into the room. Octavia walked in and sat down by the wall by Vinyl's side.
"What's going on?" Octavia asked worriedly. Fluttershy didn't speak as she turned and snapped her fingers at Zen who handed her a rag.
"Here," She said handing Octavia the wet cool rag. "Place the cool rag on the back of her neck. She's overheating at a fast rate. We need to keep the blood to her brain cool." Octavia nodded slowly holding up Vinyl to place the cool compress at the back of Vinyl's neck and immediately felt the heat against her palm as she held Vinyl up in a sitting position.
"Is this good or bad?" Octavia asked out loud as Fluttershy got another wet rag and placed it over Vinyl's chest to cool down her skin and into her heart, hopefully. Octavia gulped.
"Fluttershy, please!" She begged. Fluttershy turned to look at her. "Will she be alright?" Fluttershy bit her bottom lip.
"I don't know Octavia." She said honestly as Blossom and Twilight stood outside the room watching. "There are mixed signals going through her body and I can't tell you what's happening. Her heart is pumping oddly and she's gaining temperature spikes and..." Fluttershy sighed. "I don't know if she can keep living by how much the infection has taken out of her."
Daring was walking around in the medical hall when she noticed Twilight with Blossom looking into Vinyl's room. Daring sighed through her nose with worry, she hadn't seen Twilight in a long while wanting to give her space. Applejack told her that she was busy helping Luna so she didn't want to disturb her. But now seeing her worried made her worried.
"Hello Twilight, Blossomforth," She said casually. Blossom nodded in return turning back into the room.
"What is going on?" The professor asked.
"Something's wrong," Twilight answered with fear in her voice. "Fluttershy isn't sure what's going on but I don’t think this is good for Vinyl."
Daring blinked peeking into the room seeing Octavia wiping Vinyl's brow.
"Yeesh, poor girl." She whispered with sadness.
Twilight sighed turning away, walking back down the hall to Luna's room. Blossom turned to Daring. Daring looked at her with worry.
"How is she?" Daring asked looking to where Twilight disappeared to.
Blossom shrugged. "A little better. I tried to be there for her."
Daring blushed with shame and nodded. "I thank you for doing what you are doing. I'm just not in the situation to where I can aid her in hers."
Blossom nodded. "I know."
Daring sighed again clearly at ease. "Good, perhaps I should go talk to her now."
Blossom nodded. "Yeah, you should before something else happens." She said turning back into the room to see Octavia hugging Vinyl close. Daring nodded and left Blossom behind as she walked into Luna's room to see her friend. Blossom sighed with a small smile as she turned into the room to watch what happens next.
Octavia looked up at Fluttershy as she was busy making medicine. Octavia turned to the left to see Zen looking into a small box of roots. Octavia sighed looking down at Vinyl's sunken face biting her lip feeling tears in her eyes. She pressed her forehead against hers feeling tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Please, Vinyl," She whispered grabbing Vinyl's hand and squeezed. "Don't die please, I should be the one dying, not you." She sniffed squeezing a little tighter. Through her frazzled mind she thought she could feel a squeeze in return, but it was too faint for her to click out of. She blinked feeling a tighter squeeze still weak but tight. Octavia gasped looking down to see Vinyl's hand wrapped around hers.
"Hey Sweet Cheeks." Vinyl whispered faintly causing Octavia to gasp and turn to look down into Vinyl's feverish eyes. Octavia's mouth was open in shock staring at her. Blossom smiled seeing Vinyl conscious.
"Fluttershy!" Blossom yelled out causing the two shamans to jump from their work and turn then gasped to see Octavia staring. Fluttershy ran over in front of Vinyl to see the unicorn's eyes half lidded looking weak and tired.
"I don't believe this." Fluttershy said out loud with shock grabbing her satchel and pull out a tiny scroll of leather and let it roll out revealing old medical instruments used in the war. She found a small flashlight in the roll of instruments. She crawled forward to Vinyl turning her face towards her. With her thumb, Fluttershy opened one of Vinyl’s eyes and shown the light into her eyes. Vinyl squeezed both her eyes shut trying to move away but Fluttershy did her second eye seeing everything was fine.
Octavia was still in shock as she held Vinyl for Fluttershy to examine. Once her examination was complete Fluttershy shook her head with shock of her own.
"This... impossible but..." Fluttershy stuttered in shock.
"It's a miracle!" Octavia whispered hugging Vinyl to her. Vinyl rested her chin on Octavia’s shoulder and closed her eyes smiling. Blossom was heard down the hall screaming for anypony they knew about Vinyl. Octavia sniffed rubbing Vinyl's back.
"I was afraid of losing you," She whispered. Vinyl smiled.
"I thought I was lost too." She whispered back. Suddenly Vinyl felt something coming up and pulled away from Octavia. Fluttershy, who recognized the look, was quick and found a bucket for Vinyl to vomit in.
"Of course," Fluttershy said with a kind smile. "The infection will take everything out of you." Vinyl held on to the bucket until she was done, closing her eyes moaning and rubbing one of her skinny arms up to her face feeling the intense heat.
"What happened to me?" She asked groggily falling back. Octavia caught her before she crashed and then gently with Fluttershy's help lay Vinyl back on her back. Octavia was crying while Fluttershy was smiling.
"It seems that the gods want to keep you around. Get some rest Vinyl Scratch, you'll need it." Vinyl's vision slowly blackened into restful sleep.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Twilight looked up in time to see Daring walk into the room. Twilight turned away. Daring sighed and took a seat on the floor next to Twilight.
"Twilight... I wanted to apologize for my screw up weeks ago. It was wrong of me to bring up something like that for you."
Twilight shrugged. "It's alright... you never knew."
"I know but I'm still sorry all the same. Applejack told me what occurred and I just wanted to say I'm sorry for your loss though it was years past."
Twilight closed her eyes. "Thank you." Daring smiled.
"So," Daring started to be interrupted when Twilight rushed over to hug her tightly. Daring smiled and hugged her back. "I'm glad I still have you as a friend Twilight."
"Friend?" Twilight asked with a smile.
"Well of course, not only are you my assistant but I think we're good friends."
Twilight nodded with a smile. "Yeah,"
The two sat there together staring at the sleeping form of Princess Luna. Daring sighed with awe.
"To think we are sitting by a living breathing piece of history." Twilight smiled.
"Well she's harder to wake mind you." The two chuckled then the two sat in silence until they heard a sound that caused both of them to turn towards each other.
"Did you hear that?" They both asked at once.
"Hey Everypony!" The two turn hearing Blossom running past the room. "Captain Scratch is alive! She's awake!"
"Awake?" The two mares yelped out getting up to run over until Daring turned by chance to look at Twilight but gasped stopping in her tracks. Twilight slammed into the professor causing them to fall over in a heap in the hall.
"Daring? Why did you-?" Twilight sat up rubbing her face looking towards the room and gasped with both fear and awe. Daring shook her head turning and she too gasped.
Princess Luna slowly sat up and with one hand started rubbing her head groaning. Her large eyes open to reveal her blue eyes staring straight at them.
Fluttershy was in Luna’s room faster than a manticore as she carefully checked Princess Luna's eyes, vitals, even asking her questions about nausea, dizziness, hunger, all that stuff. Everypony was either sitting in the room or standing outside listening to the legendary princess speak for the first time in centuries.
The Crusaders and Spike sat against the wall staring with shock. Raindrops and Blossomforth sat in the corner watching with diligence like trained soldiers as they waited. Derpy sat in another corner tilting her head to the side, watching. Daring and Twilight sat by the princess as Fluttershy continued her examination. Rainbow was outside the room leaning with her shoulder to the door frame, Applejack stood outside with Rainbow with her arm against the door frame leaning in to watch. Even Zecora took glances into the room to make sure everything was going alright.
Rainbow and Applejack turned and allowed Octavia to enter, bowing to her. Octavia gulped then walked into the room. Daring patted Twilight’s arm then the two bowed their heads. Raindrops tapped Spike on his shoulder telling him to bow. Spike sent the message to the fillies, who also bowed their heads upon Octavia’s arrival. The guards with Derpy followed suit. Fluttershy turned to Octavia then stood up to bow to her. Octavia nodded in return then turned to the princess sitting on the pallet in front of her.
Luna still looked like her young self with her magic still closed off from her body; a shaggy, light blue mane that remained uncut, her fur looked lighter, and everything about her looked innocent and frail compared to the pictures Octavia had seen in books when she was little. Octavia gulped and knelt down on her knees before the elder princess bowing her head to her. Princess Luna blinked looking around to see others with their heads bowed to her.
Octavia sat on her knees before her, the princess looked to her until she saw the glowing crystal guardian around Octavia’s neck. She quirked an eyebrow.
"Where did thou get that trinket?" The princess spoke weakly since she just woken up. Octavia looked at the guardian and held it in her hand.
"This is a crystal guardian highness," Octavia said carefully deciding to treat Luna as if she was a true royal and not a normal pony. After all she was ancient royalty. The princess stared at her.
"A crystal guardian?" She said a touch louder.
"Yes highness, but in my family, in your blood line, we called this guardian Luna's Tear."
Luna blinked at the confusion of it all. "Luna's Tear? We have never heard of such a thing."
"We?" Sweetie Belle asked getting looks from both princesses. She blushed. "We already know about Luna's Tear, mmph!" Apple Bloom thankfully grabbed Sweetie Belle's mouth to keep her from talking. Octavia smiled turning back to Luna.
"Your highness, I understand this is a shock to you but please listen to me. I am your decedent, Octavia, Princess of Canterlot and the ... was sixth in line for the throne." Luna stared at her bewildered. Octavia continued quickly. "This might also come as a shock to you but since you disappeared, things have transpired in the galaxy and I'm afraid we can't tell you everything yet until you have been rested." Octavia hesitated but then took Luna's frail hands holding them.
"But this is clear princess," Octavia said clearly and coldly. "Equestria is in trouble, royalty has turned against all ponies. And we need your help to set things right."
Luna blinked a couple of times looking at each face in the room as they look to her with hopeful or determined gazes. She turned to see Twilight looking at her with hope, then Luna turned to see Applejack and Rainbow with Fluttershy staring at her. Luna turned hearing Blossom and Raindrops stand up.
Blossom picked up her sword and drew it from it's scabbard in one fluid motion. She went down on one knee holding her sword in her hands towards Luna.
"Princess Luna, I, Blossomforth of the rebels for freedom and unity, will protect you and stand by you in battle." Luna blinked then noticed Raindrops kneeling on one knee bowing her head.
"Same here Princess, allow us to be your ambassadors into this war."
Luna blinked again then turned to the other ponies in the room. She turned to Twilight and pointed her finger at her.
"What is thou name, unicorn?"
Twilight gulped. "T-Twilight Sparkle, Princess, I was the late student to your sister, Queen Celestia."
"Queen?!" Luna stiffened. "Queen? Thou must be joking. We promise no sole power come to us even if one or the other is gone. We remain by the rank of princess to prove to our followers of no ill treatment to power!"
Everypony was silent hearing this revelation.
"Well that sucks dick." Scootaloo said dryly getting a slap in the back of the head by Derpy. "Ow! What?!" She exclaimed getting a glaring blush from Derpy. Octavia gulped staring at Luna to see her tilt her head in confusion.
"Sucks what?"
"Nothing!" Octavia quickly said shaking her head. After a second of blushing, Octavia cleared her throat. "Please Princess, more will be explained once you get your rest, I assure you are safe now. We saved you from ... Sombra."
Luna's eyes were wide, her pupils shrank to pinpricks hearing the daemon’s name. Octavia nodded placing her hand over Luna's chest and slowly pushed her back down on her pallet.
"Don’t worry," Octavia said softly like the way her mother did for her when she was scared at night. "Sombra is gone, we made sure of that. He and everything he owned is now destroyed in a pool of lava on the crystal moon."
Luna slowly relaxed under Octavia's hand then sighed relaxing on the pillow. She nodded slowly closing her eyes. Octavia let out the breath she was holding then turned to everypony in the room.
"Everypony except for Twilight get out. Give her space." She ordered. Blossom and Raindrops nodded as they stood up. Blossom sheathed her sword and left the room with Raindrops close behind her. The crusaders and Spike ran out of the room, the fillies wanting to train again with Spike right behind them. Derpy left the room followed by Fluttershy. Daring patted Twilight on her shoulder and left her alone.
Octavia turned to Twilight. "Make sure she gets her rest and recuperates."
Twilight nodded flittering her fingers showing her magic. "I'll see what I can do." She paused seeing Octavia’s worry. "Go see Vinyl." Octavia nodded turning and left the room, leaving Twilight to do her magic. When she reached Vinyl’s room Zen was just finishing setting the second pallet by Vinyl's sleeping form. Zen bowed her head and left. Octavia looked down to find a water bucket with a rag already inside. She kneeled down on her pallet next to Vinyl. She reached for the rag, squeezing out the water then gently wiped off Vinyl's face.
Vinyl let out a groan opening her eyes turning to see Octavia smiling down at her. "Hey," Vinyl grunted turning over.
"Hello," Octavia whispered smiling softly at her wiping over her brow again.
"That feels good." Vinyl whispered closing her eyes.
"Good," Octavia said placing her hand over Vinyl's forehead checking the temperature on her cheeks then her forehead again. "Hmm, you still have a fever though, not as serious as before." She said softly as Vinyl smirked a touch.
"I've had worse. Much worse than this." Octavia frowned remaining silent. Vinyl opened one eye seeing Octavia worried. "Hey, nothing to worry about right?" Vinyl whispered frowning slightly. Octavia gave her a glare.
"No! Did you know how worried I was? It was my fault that you got hurt. I should have been in your place!" Vinyl blinked a few times seeing Octavia in tears. "You’re... my friend and because of me being in trouble you got hurt and ill-"
"Don't say that." Vinyl said a little louder grabbing Octavia’s hand squeezing it. "I took that blow because... you were important. Not only for the galaxy but ... you're important to me too." Vinyl blinked realizing what she just said, is she actually saying this to her now of all times?
Octavia looked down at Vinyl's hand then up at the unicorn’s eyes to actually see truth in those feverish eyes. Is Vinyl actually saying what Octavia thinks she is saying, or is this the fever talking?
Vinyl swallowed stroking her hand. "I believe you are more to me than well ... I like you ... a lot and I would do anything for you, princess."
Octavia was confused yet felt like crying even more. She just smiled in return. "I ... care about you too. A lot more than I should have with somepony like you." Octavia whispered. Vinyl smiled lightly squeezing her hand. Octavia smiled shaking her head.
"I guess ... destiny can be a funny thing." Octavia whispered chuckling. "For the longest time Vinyl, I-" Vinyl smiled nodding.
"Me, too." She whispered sleepily. Octavia laid down on her side next to Vinyl's cot holding her hand, not wanting to let go.
"Night, sweet cheeks." Vinyl whispered. Octavia smiled, it felt so long since she heard that ridiculous nickname. She closed her eyes feeling Vinyl tighten her grip on her hand.
"Good night, Captain Scratch."
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Rainbow Dash stood by the entrance to the medical hall breathing in and out. She looked down at her messy shirt and trousers making sure her suspenders were on straight, then she fixed her messy mane. She groaned feeling how long her hair had grown since Octavia’s birthday, she has to cut her hair sometime soon. After her thought about her hair she made sure she was at least presentable. She looked down seeing part of her shirt hanging out of her pants and sighed. She tucked in her shirt then raised her hands in the air then lowered them back to her sides, making a nice tucked in appearance to her shirt.
Finally after putting it off longer than she should Rainbow turned the corner and head for the medical hall. Everyone is deep in sleep inside the cavern. Rainbow paid close attention to her steps wishing to use her wings to fly over the sleeping zebras but feared of waking everyone made her keep to the ground. She tip-toed past the sleeping zebras then reached the private hall. She snuck through and peaked into room one to see Octavia and Vinyl sleeping close to each other. Rainbow smiled sadly seeing this, she tip-toed away checking the other room.
Empty.
Room three. Also empty.
Then Rainbow checked room four and stopped before reaching the room, Princess Luna’s room.
"It's that simple?" Rainbow peeked in again to see that the first voice was Blossomforth. What is Blossom doing in Luna’s room?
"Yes, it is." The second voice replied, it was Twilight. "I'm serious."
"Wow and I thought that would ruin a good pistol."
Twilight chuckled silently. "I learned that from Applejack. She was better with weapons than any other pony I knew."
"Hmph, I guess I should join her and Raindrops in target practice." Rainbow blinked then peeked further in and noticed how close the two were sitting close to each other. Strange. Rainbow shrugged and tip-toed away hearing the too mares snickering.
Room five was the last room to check. And Bingo! Rainbow can see Fluttershy sitting by a rock table on the floor with a lantern. Inside the lantern was a florescent plant of some kind glowing in a bright whitish blue light.
"Ahem." Rainbow said silently causing the other mare to turn to her.
"Rainbow," Fluttershy blushed and stood up. "Is there something you need? Are your bandages bothering you?"
Rainbow shook her head. "No, no, nothing's wrong."
Fluttershy blinked giving her old friend a scolding look. "Then why are you here?"
Rainbow blinked at the harsh bark she got from her. "I ... uh ... you see Fluttershy-"
"What? If it isn't dire I want you to leave."
Rainbow gulped with worry. This was her only chance and she's losing it to being afraid. She took in a breath closing her eyes.
"Can I talk to you please?" Rainbow asked softly. She opened one eye to see Fluttershy standing there glaring at her.
"We’re talking now." Fluttershy snapped.
Wow, when she did she start acting like this? Rainbow thought in surprise and hurt.
"No not like that ... please. I really, really want to speak with you and..."
"Spit it out, Rainbow, what do you want?"
Rainbow backed away and swallowed again. "I-I-I... I just..." She sighed bowing her head. "Forget it. It was a waste of time anyway." Rainbow said in defeat leaving the room. Fluttershy blinked a few times feeling guilt in her heart. She sighed and quickly followed her out into the hall. She grabbed Rainbow's elbow pulling her back.
"Wait," Fluttershy whispered. "Follow me," Rainbow blinked and turned to her. She smiled and followed her friend through a tunnel away from the medical hall. After a while of walking Fluttershy pushed open a large covering then the two ended up on the surface. Fluttershy climbed out looking around first, sniffing the air and swiveling her ears around and nodded.
"Alright come out. It’s safe." Rainbow crawled out of the hole and looked around her to notice that they ended up in a cave above the tunnels.
"Where are we?" She asked in awe. Fluttershy helped Rainbow out of the hole then placed the covering on top which was a carved wooden rock painted like a stone.
"Just in some caverns. The village is a mile walk from here."
Rainbow blinked. "Whoa," She whispered.
"For the moment it's empty. The Ursas and the timber wolves don't come here except in the wet months. We’re safe for a while." Fluttershy said leaning back against the rock wall looking at Rainbow with her arms crossed over her chest. "So, what do you want to talk to me about?"
Rainbow looked at her then felt a blush rising on her face. "I ... um." After a long pause Rainbow sighed. "I just don't know how to say this Fluttershy. So many things have happened to both of us and ... well before and after everything."
Fluttershy quirked her brow at her. Rainbow gulped scratching her head.
"When I learned what I did to you ..." Rainbow bowed her head turning away. "I... my words won't reverse anything but I am really, really sorry ... If I had any control of myself I could’ve stopped myself and kill ..."
"Enough," Fluttershy interrupted. Rainbow turned to see Fluttershy glaring at her. Her expression was brutal but her voice still remained soft. "Just stop talking Rainbow. Talking never did you any favors, not even back then."
Rainbow looked at her with hope. Fluttershy shook her head. Rainbow's expression fell seeing this.
"I can't forget Rainbow. And I can't forgive. You murdered so many even if you were in control you still did hellish things." Fluttershy blinked a few times. Rainbow looked at her to realize Fluttershy was crying. "I know why you want to talk Rainbow. But ... I don’t think we’ll put everything back together."
Rainbow's ears went flat on her head. Now she's getting scared. "Wait what… What are you saying?"
Fluttershy sniffed. "I can’t love you Rainbow. Not like before. I've changed ... so did you."
"B-b-but I can still be the same ‘Shy please," She whispered placing her hand on Fluttershy's shoulder. Fluttershy flinched stepping away from her.
"No ... no Rainbow. You're not the same. And you will never be." Rainbow shook her head.
"I can try!" She yelled. Her voice echoing off the walls. Fluttershy stared at her. "I can try! I can ‘Shy! I... For this long I thought you were dead. Applejack and Pinkie and every single one of you! I thought you were killed years ago and I was all alone. Alone, you hear me! I tried to kill myself five times in the rebellion knowing when I die I would be with you and the girls." She sniffed falling on her knees.
Fluttershy stood there staring at her with shock. "You mean ... that stunt in your cell?" Rainbow sniffed nodding.
"Damnit! I ... Graceful Luna! I can't take it anymore!" Rainbow pressed her hands over of her ears. "I'm a mess! They did this to me and I can't stop thinking about the dead!" She sniffed. "They haunt me in my dreams now. All of them." Fluttershy knelt down. "I even see Spitfire staring at me with disappointment ... I just don’t want to see that face any more!" She screamed crying now. Fluttershy grabbed Rainbow and shook her hard.
"Stop it! Stop it right now!" Fluttershy screamed into her face. Rainbow stared with shock and fear. "Stop screaming and listen to me. You must learn to let it go!"
"How?" Rainbow whimpered. "They won't let me go."
"Yes they can Rainbow Dash." Fluttershy said calmly stroking Rainbow's face, stroking her rainbow strands away from her face. "You just need to forget about it and learn to move on."
Rainbow sniffed bowing her head. "Ever since I remembered what happen to you… Luna what have I done!" Fluttershy wrapped her arms around Rainbow holding her tight. Rainbow went limb into her embrace crying into Fluttershy's chest. The two continued to sit like this for a while until Rainbow sniffed looking towards the cave entrance. Fluttershy stroked Rainbow's mane seeing how long it grew. She smiled slightly.
"You know Rainbow, this is the longest I have seen your mane."
Rainbow sniffed. "I didn’t like my hair in the way while training. So I just cut it short. Always had." She answered glumly. Fluttershy smiled leaning against the wall. She patted the dirt beside her. Rainbow at first was hesitant then she crawled on her hands and knees to Fluttershy's side.
"Come here," Fluttershy said softly wrapping her wing and her arm around Rainbow and pulled her close. Rainbow leaned into Fluttershy laying her head on her shoulder feeling suddenly at peace again. Fluttershy smiled.
"You like it?"
"Hmm? Like what?"
Fluttershy smiled. "I was working on a powder for the princess when you came to me. And I spilt some on me when I jumped."
"So?" Rainbow asked.
"It's a special plant that can make you calm. The scent of the flower would make you calm down and be at peace. I thought about holding you and I guess it worked."
Rainbow blinked a few times actually realizing she was calming down. "Wow ... didn't even notice." Fluttershy smiled sadly. Rainbow blinked remembering a memory. "You know I did this exact same thing to you."
Fluttershy smiled and nodded. "Yes, it seems our roles have reversed since we last saw each other."
Rainbow gulped. "Fluttershy, can you reconsider what you said before?" Fluttershy gave her a look. "Can you ever forgive me please ... and can we start over?" Fluttershy blinked turning away. "I mean you don’t have to answer right away ... it's just,"
"I don’t know."
"What?"
Fluttershy gave her a sad look. "Rainbow, I'm not sure. I don't think I can."
Rainbow sighed turning away hiding her tears.
"But there is one thing,"
Rainbow gasped turning to her. "Yeah?"
Fluttershy sighed. "I want to be your friend again and I want you to be mine. Twilight is right for one thing. We need to reunite the Elements of Harmony. Our friendship is the only thing that can stop this evil war that changed our galaxy ... and changed you." She whispered stroking Rainbow's cheek. Rainbow leaned into her soft hand. "I promise you this, I'll find the one that did this to you, Rainbow."
"Fat chance." Rainbow snapped grabbing Fluttershy's hand. "They'll murder you if they see you." Rainbow said with worry. She gulped thinking about what she was saying. "Fluttershy ... I can't risk you going out there. The galaxy, it's nothing like it used to be. It's not the safe haven we used to see while on the ships back in the war." Rainbow reached for Fluttershy’s second hand holding he hands tight.
"I ... I don't know what I would do if you get hurt." Rainbow hesitated at first but slowly reached up to touch Fluttershy face with her hand caressing her cheek softly. Without thinking Fluttershy leaned into Rainbow's hand feeling her familiar touch.
Rainbow felt tears coursing down her cheeks. "I love you Fluttershy. I can't lose you again. You're safer here. Hell, you were always safe here. When the Royal Guard or the Order learn about you... They'll do horrible things to you."
Fluttershy stared into Rainbow's eyes. "How do you know they'll do things to me?"
Rainbow blinked and turned away. "I've seen what they can do. When I tried to leave them they killed ponies I grew to love ... My parents." Fluttershy gasped covering her mouth. "They killed everypony I loved to make me crack. And they did ‘Shy, they did for a time until I finally left and joined the fight against the rebels. It was the only true peace and freedom I had from them." She sighed shaking her head. "It was like seeing Spitfire and the Wonderbolts dead all over again."
Fluttershy gasped again. "You ... seen them?"
Rainbow sniffled looking at her. Suddenly the cold words seeped into her mind. "Kill her for aiding the death of the Wonderbolts." Rainbow gasped shoving Fluttershy away from her.
"Rainbow?" Fluttershy asked in shock seeing Rainbow shaking her head hard. "Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy called out running to her with fear.
"Stay away from me!" Rainbow begged sliding away from her now crying.
"Talk to me Rainbow," Fluttershy said walking closer to her. "Please."
Rainbow sniffed shaking her head. "What did you mean that I saw them? What did you mean?"
Fluttershy blinked a few time then sighed. "I was searching for you when you didn't return from the royal guard post. I assumed you might be with the Wonderbolts since you always talked about them during the war."
Fluttershy wiped her eyes. "I found the barracks where you used to live with them and they were empty. I heard sounds of fighting at the far end of the building. I walked down the hall and I saw an opened door and smelled smoke. Somepony was trying to burn the room. So I ran inside and quickly distinguished the flame." Fluttershy closed her eyes with a sniff. The past came back replacing the cave with what Fluttershy had seen in her memories.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
"Help," A voice rasped. A younger Fluttershy gasped and stared at the carnage around her. They were dead, all dressed in uniforms or jackets that resembled the famed Wonderbolts. Blood was everywhere, on the floor and against the walls where the Wonderbolts laid. The voice came from a dying yellow pegasus mare. She had one hand around her throat and the other hand reaching for Fluttershy. Fluttershy gulped seeing the blood and wanted to run away, but if the Wonderbolts were dead then Rainbow might be there, too.
"Where’s Rainbow?" Fluttershy squeaked stepping closer to the mare. The mare shook her head and coughed, blood spilling out of her mouth. Fluttershy quickly knelt down to aid the mare, helping her sit up.
"I got you," Fluttershy paused to see the rank on the mare’s shoulder. "Captain, I got you ma'am."
"Rain... bow," She rasped choking.
"I got you, talk to me," Fluttershy begged trying to tear off her sleeve to use to help stop the rapid bleeding. She felt the captain's hand grab her wrist.
"Too late," She whispered swallowing hard, Fluttershy went pale seeing her dying before her eyes. "Dash," The mare whispered silently staring deep into Fluttershy's eyes. "Stop..." Fluttershy thought fast trying to think of ways to keep her alive until the words clicked into her mind.
"Rainbow? Stop what? Stop what?!" Fluttershy panicked, begging for more information. Rainbow must be in trouble and she had to know where to find her and what had attacked the Wonderbolts. The mare's head slowly lolled to the side. Fluttershy stared at her for a long moment shaking. She was gone.
Fluttershy sniffed and started to cry. Her only lead to where Rainbow was had just died in her arms. The only one who might have seen Rainbow last. Fluttershy continued to cry softly as she placed the dead captain on the floor. She placed the captain's hands crossed on her chest and said a prayer over her. She sniffed and looked down to see a beaded chain. Fluttershy sniffed again reaching her bloody hand into the captain's soaked shirt and snapped off the beaded chain to take the captain's dog tags. Fluttershy wiped the blood off the silver plates and found the mare’s name.
"Spitfire." Fluttershy gasped covering her mouth and started to cry, looking at the dead mare. "Oh Luna! You're Spitfire! Rainbow . . . Oh Graceful Luna why?!" Fluttershy cried. She sniffed with a hard swallow staring at Spitfire's opened eyes. She sighed and used her fingers to close Spitfire’s amber eyes. Fluttershy sniffed wiping her nose with her bloody finger and went over to place the bodies on the floor now in their moment of forever rest. At each body she found the silver dog tags and pulled them off. Rainbow would want them for a pegasi warrior funereal. She read each tag as she picked them up.
After Fluttershy picked the last tag from a younger mare that just graduated from military academy, she looked at the dead Wonderbolts she placed on the floor with their arms crossed over their chests. At least some of them. She left the Wonderbolt barracks with hollow eyes and tears of regret. She had to find Rainbow Dash before something terrible happened to her too. But before she did that, she’ll have to wash off the blood from her hands, she just can’t seem to wipe them clean of Spitfire’s blood.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Rainbow stared at Fluttershy with shock. Fluttershy sniffed and reached into one of her pouches lining her belt. She pulled off a sack. Rainbow heard the sound of metal plates and stood up slowly shaking slightly. Fluttershy opened the bag and reached into it.
"I kept these ever since." Fluttershy whispered pulling out a blood stained tag. "I... I never cleaned them. Unsanitary of me to do so I know, but it just felt wrong to clean them after where they were." She held one in the air for Rainbow to see. Rainbow blinked a few times letting tears roll down her cheeks. She took the tag and wiped the old blood residue off of it.
"Soarin'." She whispered sniffling. Fluttershy nodded.
"I believe you know the older names. There were four younger ones with the dead. Just graduated into the team."
Rainbow sniffed holding out her hand. Fluttershy nodded and let the tags fall out of the old sack into Rainbow's hand. Rainbow bit her lip as she looked at the names, she read them all then she found Spitfire’s tag and couldn't help but break down crying falling to her knees again. The tags in her hands fell to the floor clinking one by one. Each clink she saw a face.
Soarin' grinning at her before getting whipped pie in the face.
Rapidfire reading a book, looking up and glaring at her for interrupting his peace.
Fleetfoot doing thirty lift ups with one hand with her wings for help, she got caught and was forced to have her wings tied to her back.
Misty Fly, cooking up some cookies, letting Rainbow have the bowl while Soarin’ was crying for the missed opportunity.
Spitfire ... Spitfire.
Rainbow couldn’t help it but cried harder. Fluttershy hugged Rainbow tight holding her crying with her. Rainbow sniffed. "She was like my big sister. She always took care of me during our training."
"I know," Fluttershy whispered. "I know."
"Please," Rainbow whispered squeezing Fluttershy's arms. "Did she say anything?"
Fluttershy blinked and shook her head. "I think... she wanted you." Rainbow covered her face with her hands. Fluttershy held her even tighter. "She said your name and to stop... I didn't know what she meant. I don't know if she wanted me to stop you or stop something."
"Stop what killed them?" Rainbow whispered harshly.
"I'm not sure, Rainbow."
Rainbow sniffed. "It must have been a while after you found them when... Lighting Dust showed me them." Rainbow blinked looking up at Fluttershy. "I did remember seeing them, laid there as if ready for burial... That was you." Rainbow said in surprise. Fluttershy shrugged.
"It just felt like the right thing to do." She said.
"Thank you," Rainbow whispered.
"For what?"
"For giving them dignity. You... I can't believe it."
Fluttershy now got concerned as Rainbow glared coldly at the wall. "What is it?" She asked.
"Lightning Dust," Rainbow whispered harshly. "She... told me that Earth ponies did it." Fluttershy shook her head.
"I'm afraid I don't know who would have don’t it, Rainbow. I came in too late. Spitfire was about dead and the one that did it, left out the windows. They were opened when I arrived. They were hoping the fire might destroy any evidence of their deaths."
Rainbow nodded. "But earth ponies couldn't set a building to blaze. Only somepony with the resources to make flame would be able to do it."
Fluttershy blinked and glared. "A unicorn perhaps?"
Rainbow blinked looking at her. "What do you mean?"
"There was unicorn doing dark magic on you."
Rainbow blinked and nodded. "Yeah... I thought I felt something moving in my head."
Fluttershy nodded. "But... the princess saw something."
"Octavia? What about her?" Rainbow asked. Fluttershy placed her hands on Rainbow's shoulders.
"When you were trying to kill yourself Octavia stopped you. She grabbed her pendent and... Her eyes actually widened like she saw something."
Rainbow nodded thinking. "But this unicorn? What can you tell me about her?"
Fluttershy thought for a second before speaking. "She did look awfully familiar though. I can't put my finger on it. Oh Luna, it was so long ago Rainbow."
Rainbow nodded. "It's alright. We can talk to Twilight about this tomorrow." She paused then turned to Fluttershy. "Lighting Dust... told me that you were with the ones that killed Spitfire and the others." Fluttershy stared at her with shock. Rainbow gulped. "And for some reason I felt this gut wrenching rage then I wasn't myself anymore. The only thing I can remember thinking was, Kill the murdering traitor. You." Fluttershy sighed and hugged Rainbow tightly.
"All this time... Let's go." Fluttershy said determined, standing up.
"What?" Rainbow asked.
"We have to talk to Twilight now and get this resolved." Fluttershy said grabbing Rainbow by her arm and pulled her up. "I'm not wasting another minute." Rainbow blinked and feebly followed. She gasped and stopped.
"Wait!" Rainbow pulled away and quickly grabbed the tags and the sack. She placed the tags into the sack then looked at Fluttershy. Fluttershy was smiling at her. Rainbow smiled in return.
"Come on, let’s get this mystery solved." Rainbow said with a determined smile on her face. Fluttershy smiled in return and moved the cover away and jumped into the hole to the tunnels, her friend jumped in behind her.
After Rainbow and Fluttershy told their story everypony stared at them with shock and sadness. Rainbow and Fluttershy decided to tell everypony everything. From Fluttershy’s discovery in the Wonderbolt Barracks to Rainbow’s attack on Fluttershy. Everypony went into Vinyl's room since Octavia didn’t want to leave Vinyl’s side while she’s still sick.
"Oh Luna ... That’s just terrible." Octavia whispered with shock. Rainbow shrugged not really making amends with Octavia yet. Twilight, Applejack, Daring, Blossomforth and Raindrops all looked troubled and sad.
"Wow," Raindrops said shaking her head. "Man that’s brutal."
“Shy, you actually kept those things?" Applejack asked in shock. Fluttershy nodded holding up the sack.
"At the time I was going to give them to Rainbow Dash but then things happened." Rainbow blushed at that.
"Rainbow, how could you?" Twilight asked with fear, still shaken by what Rainbow did to Fluttershy. Rainbow bowed her head with shame.
"It wasn't her fault." Fluttershy said quickly wrapping her arms around Rainbow. "All this time... I never really linked the two things until now. Rainbow was controlled by a unicorn."
The mares gasped in shock. "A unicorn?" Blossomforth asked bewildered. “How is that possible?”
Vinyl, still laying in her pallet, had a thought. She tugged on Octavia’s sleeve to get her attention.
“What is it Vinyl?” She asked causing the others to look to her.
"It could be possible." She said quietly, still tired and weak. "There are crazy unicorns that can control animals in the streets making them attack nobles or vendors so they can get food or money. But I've never heard of a unicorn using that power on another pony. It's unheard of." Twilight shuddered, Blossom looked to her with sorry.
"That is dark magic." Twilight said with another shiver.
"Dark magic?" Raindrops asked. Twilight nodded.
"Yes. Dark magic is easy to use but devastating to who it's cast on to. Dark magic can be used in many ways. Just like what Sombra did to Luna. He used dark negative magic to make a copy of Luna and changed her appearance into Nightmare Moon."
Rainbow blinked turning away. "All I remember is feeling so much anger and hate ... then Lightning Dust told me to kill Fluttershy." She turned to Fluttershy to see her on the verge of tears. "She ordered me a few times and I was fighting it. But then..."
"She placed the Wonderbolts death on me." Fluttershy finished as Rainbow turned away again covering her face with her hand. The group went silent. Vinyl sat up with difficulty, Octavia helped her sit up.
"I remember the stories that were told about the Wonderbolts. You were one of them?" Vinyl asked pointing a shaky finger at her. Rainbow nodded.
"Was. I was transferred by the queen to be the Element of Loyalty." Rainbow smiled at her friends to see them smile in return. "I hated it for a time but Spitfire ... Spitfire told me to suck it up and go. I'll always have a place in the Wonderbolts when I get back."
"I'm sorry, Rainbow." Applejack whispered. "Damn, if I would’ve heard about a plan I would have told you straight away or even better, stop it myself." Applejack said pointing her thumb to her chest. Rainbow smiled.
"I know but you were in jail remember?"
Applejack shrugged. "Still I would have." Applejack blinked then turned to Rainbow. "Wait were those two pegasi that were with you…"
Rainbow nodded. "Spitfire and Soarin'. They were with me to try and set you free." Rainbow sighed. "Spitfire told me to play along. The Wonderbolts were one hundred percent on our side."
Applejack nodded. "Yeah, I remember now."
Rainbow smiled. "Then I left to go 'Join' the Order. Then they were dead."
Daring sighed sadly. "I remember them well. Good ponies all of them."
Fluttershy turned to Octavia. "And you, you saw something when Rainbow was not herself." Octavia jumped looking at her.
"I might have-"
"You saw something," Fluttershy snapped interrupting her. "Tell us what you saw when Rainbow was on top of you." Rainbow blushed at that feeling horrible for jumping Octavia like that. Octavia was hesitant, she looked down at Vinyl. Vinyl smiled taking her hand and squeezing it. Octavia sighed squeezing back she turned to her friends and nodded.
"I felt a power radiating from Captain Dash and decide to check it. I held on to the crystal guardian and I saw Rainbow glowing in a unicorn’s magic aura."
"What color?" Twilight and Blossomforth said at the same time. The two looked at one another with blushes and sheepish smiles.
"Well," Octavia said without really seeing the exchange. "It was a very pinkish color. That's all I know." Fluttershy nodded.
"Yes, you were covered in a pink magical aura when you were um ... executing that pegasus."
Rainbow blinked hard for a moment holding her head. Twilight stiffened feeling a new change in the room, it felt dark and it made her skin crawl. She turned noticing that the dark feeling was coming from Rainbow.
"Rainbow?" Twilight called out noticing Rainbow Dash blinking fast turning her head left and right, her hands clenching to fists.
"I'm fine," Rainbow snarled suddenly, shaking her head hard and rubbing her temples.
"Octavia, now!" Daring ordered crawling over in case she was needed to hold Rainbow down. Octavia quickly grabbed the crystal and held it in her hands and gasped at what she saw. Rainbow was glowing in a pink, fiery aura. The fire seemed unstable, growing and shrinking as Rainbow snarled and shook her head.
"What?" Vinyl asked staring grabbing Octavia’s hand. Suddenly she saw the pink fire and gasped in awe. Twilight saw Vinyl staring in shock.
"What's wrong?" Twilight asked.
"She's on fire," Vinyl whispered watching in stunned silence. Twilight blinked staring at Vinyl then back at Rainbow.
"Fire?" Twilight asked with shock and began thinking fast. After a moment she gasped with an idea. "I got it!" She exclaimed standing up and rushed to Rainbow. "Step aside," She ordered Fluttershy, kneeling down in front of Rainbow. "Octavia, Vinyl I want one of you to tell me if this works, understand?" Twilight ordered readying her fingers with a spell.
"Sure," Vinyl answered. She turned seeing Octavia in paralysis. "Tavi, you alright?" Vinyl asked worriedly. Twilight turned to Fluttershy to see worry on her face.
"What are you going to do, Twilight?"
"If this is what I think is happening now then this spell should work." Twilight said quickly as she grabbed both of Rainbow’s shoulders and held her tightly, Rainbow jerked trying to push Twilight away from her.
"No, let me go!" Rainbow screamed out shoving Twilight but the unicorn held on tight. "I'll hurt you too!"
"No, Rainbow. Relax."
"Relax?! How can I relax!?"
"You're angry!"
"No shit, Sherlock!" Rainbow snapped harshly shaking her head, feeling dark thoughts trying to bubble up, making her see red with rage.
"It's getting stronger." Vinyl said with fear. “Whatever that magic is, it’s trying to control her.
Twilight gulped. "Rainbow Dash, listen to my voice." Twilight said calmly and slowly as she began to glow in a deep magenta color of her magical aura. Daring pulled Fluttershy and Applejack. Octavia slowly blinked and shook her head now out of her sudden blackout and watched what was going on.
"Can you hear me?" Twilight asked, her voice sounded amplified somehow. Blossomforth looked outside the room to see nopony woken up by the magic. She turned back into the room seeing Raindrops watching with awe.
Rainbow was struggling against the magic, shaking her head. The pink fire was soon visible for everypony in the room to see a frightened Twilight. Something was very wrong if the magic was showing. "Rainbow Dash, can you hear me?" She asked as calmly as she could.
"No," Rainbow snarled in a dark voice that caused the hairs on the back of Twilight’s neck to rise. She concentrated hard on the spell trying to keep the dark magic contained and figure out a way to free Rainbow Dash from this dark spell.
“Whatever you are, your time in Rainbow Dash has come to an end.” She started firmly. "Your dark magic must leave now!"
"I have to kill," Rainbow snarled. "Finish the job... Kill the traitors and the earth ponies." The group went deathly quiet from the horrifying sound coming from Rainbow’s voice. Rainbow was struggling trying hard to keep herself from falling away again.
"Twi?" Applejack asked with fear seeing that the pink fire was getting larger and fiercer. "What's goin’ on?" Applejack asked looking at Fluttershy to see her look of fear. Twilight concentrated harder trying to connect to Rainbow’s mind to try and find a weakness to the darkness clouding her mind. She gasped feeling something grab hold of her and transferred a magical pulse through Twilight’s mind.
What Twilight saw was a memory from Rainbow’s past. The memory shown a younger Octavia running to Rainbow hugging her legs with a beaming smile. "Mimi!" Octavia cried out giggling. The memory flashed away.
Twilight gasped opening her eyes blinking, what was Rainbow trying to show her? Or was this Rainbow at all? The magic that caught Twilight’s attention was an older and stronger magic, a familiar force Twilight hadn’t felt in so long. Was this the Element of Loyalty trying to tell her something? She gasped again holding on to Rainbow’s shoulders trying to regain control of the magic. Rainbow was now struggling against whoever is controlling her rage and trying to push Twilight away.
"Octavia! I need you now!" Twilight cried out, her magic was being pushed away by the dark magic.
"What?" Octavia blinked staring at her. "Why me?"
"Right now!" Twilight screamed out struggling. "I can't keep this contained much longer. I need you." Octavia looked at Vinyl with worry. Vinyl gulped and pointed at Twilight, telling her to go to her. Octavia sighed and crawled over to Twilight.
"What do you want me to do?" Octavia asked.
"I want you to hold on to Rainbow." Twilight said grabbing Octavia and placing Octavia's hand on Rainbow's shoulders. "Hold her steady."
"What? Why?!" Octavia exclaimed with shock. Before she got the answer Octavia felt the strong dark power crawling up her arms into her mind. She gasped noticing she was being consumed by the pink fire.
"Tavi!" Vinyl gasped. Daring rushed over to push Vinyl back down on her pallet to prevent her from running to Octavia. Vinyl glared coldly at Daring. “Let me-"
"Watch," Daring said quickly. Vinyl blinked and turned to see Octavia had her eyes squeezed shut, showing that she was in pain. Vinyl turned to see Twilight biting her nails watching worriedly.
"What going on?" Vinyl called.
Twilight gulped. "I think Rainbow Dash gave me a clue to save her."
"Huh? How?" Vinyl asked curiously.
Fluttershy thought for a moment then gasped in realization. "Of course, Octavia snapped Rainbow Dash out of her last episode. But do you think sending Octavia into a magical situation like this, might work?" Fluttershy asked. Twilight gulped seeing Octavia slowly began to relax, being connected with Rainbow’s mind. Twilight smiled slightly seeing this good sign. Octavia’s magic is connecting with Rainbow’s mind now.
Octavia gasped waking up, finding herself lying face down in the dirt. She slowly sat up rubbing her head and then her eyes. She felt sore all over. "Where am I?" She asked out loud standing up slowly. She groaned as she leaned against a tree trunk to keep from falling over feeling dizzy as blood pumped hard in her head. She heard booms through her roaring ears and looked up opening her eyes as her vision returned to normal from her dizzy spell. She looked up seeing a flash and gaped in awe to see dark pink clouds with pink and blue lighting dancing in the sky. Octavia had never seen such a thing before and never knew that clouds could be that color. She gulped feeling a horrible dark presence in the air. She looked around to find herself in some sort of place, a patch of woods and in front of her was a ghost town with black buildings.
Octavia pushed off from the black colored tree and walked on the dirt road towards the ghost town. Octavia gulped looking around as she carefully walked through. Her ears swiveled trying to hear for any dangers in this eerie place. Strangely she couldn’t hear any birds, bugs, not even ponies. The only sound she could hear were her slow, cautious footsteps in the loose dirt and the continuous rumbling of the thunder.
She looked at the buildings in the town to notice that all of the buildings were black as if they were burned and remained standing. She looked at one of the buildings, what looked to be a small shed. She walked over to the black building and touched the black wood. Suddenly the shed fell in on itself, becoming an ashen heap. She coughed, trying to expel the small amount of ash she had breathed in. She turned back to the street and continued to walk through the burnt town.
As Octavia walked she could see different types of signs hanging on pegs, hanging off overhangs, and even a giant sign held up by a blackened Pegasus statue. Octavia stood before the blackened statue. She nervously touched the black statue to only feel cold stone on her palm. She removed her hand then looked down at her hand and gasped seeing blood. She immediately wiped the blood off on her vest looking up at the statue and slowly backed away from it.
“What is this place?” Octavia whispered out loud looking around her. “I’m in some sort of village … that’s obvious.” She whispered to herself looking at the statue still rubbing her hand on her vest to clean off the blood from the statue. “Pegasi, are we in Cloudsdale? No,” She whispered looking around her. “If this was Cloudsdale, the buildings wouldn’t look wooden or new. Is this a new town on a new planet?” It could be possible that she is in a new town on a new planet. Octavia noticed the plaque on the stand of the statue, she gulped as she knelt down seeing the writing. She reached her hand and wiped off the soot covering the statue to see the old bronze plaque. She looked at her hand to see more blood mixed with the soot. She wiped off her hand again as she read the plaque.
“Blue Typhoon, may he rest in peace and protect this village.” Octavia said out loud looking up at the stallion in frozen pose. She skimmed through the rest of the plaque to actually find a date of death. “This was from sixty years ago.” She said standing up. So this village might still be new but the time this statue was erected was twenty years before the war. Octavia looked around wondering how she got here and why is she in a burnt village.
Suddenly Octavia heard a sound. The sound sounded like sniffling, like somepony was crying. Octavia walked cautiously around the statue to listen for the sound until she turned to an alley between two buildings. The sniffling was louder through there. As she walked closer to the alley she could hear taunting laughter from what sounded like children. Octavia gulped and walked forward slowly until she could see a young Pegasus filly being held by two black shadows that were shaped like pegasi. Octavia watched stunned seeing a third shadow walk up to the filly and shoved her to the ground and another black shadow of a pony sat on top of her to keep her on the ground.
"Get off of me! Leave my friend alone!" The filly screamed. Octavia gasped to see the filly for the first time with realization. Her messy mane, her fierce magenta eyes, her blue feathers, and rainbow colored mane.
"Captain Rainbow Dash?" She breathed in shock. She was seeing Rainbow Dash as a filly, she looked she was five years old. Octavia turned and stiffened seeing more shadow ponies killing what looked to be a small turtle.
"No!" Rainbow cried, struggling to get the shadow off of her to save the turtle.
"Aww, poor Rainbow Crash lost her lame pet." The evil shadows laughed. The shadow above Rainbow lift off with his wings allowing her to crawl to the dead turtle. The turtle was no bigger than a lunch box. Octavia watched Rainbow Dash hugging the dead turtle to her chest and cried. Octavia blinked turning to the shadows as they pointed and laughed at her, calling her weak, and teasing her. Octavia covered her mouth on shock seeing such horrible things.
There was a deep rumble in the air and the ground under Octavia's feet began to shake causing her to look down watching the pebbles move with the rumble. She looked up seeing Rainbow with her head bowed low, suddenly the rumbling stopped as Rainbow dropped her dead pet and run to the shadows and beating them up screaming. Octavia was in shock, she had never seen such anger from a filly before.
"Rainbow Dash!" An older voice called out. Octavia turned to see a pegasus mare running into the alley. Octavia moved aside as the tall pink and blue mane pegasus ran towards Rainbow grabbing her, pulling her off the shadow she was beating up. Rainbow continued to scream and fight as the shadows were snickering and running away.
"That's enough young lady!" The pegasus mare cried over Rainbow’s screaming.
"They killed Tank! They killed him!" Rainbow screamed. The mare hugged her tightly as Rainbow began to stop fighting and hugged the mare and cried into her blue mane. Octavia blinked to realize that the harsh dark feeling left the air as Rainbow was being hugged by this mare. The mare hugged Rainbow tight kissing her on the head trying to sooth the distraught filly by rubbing her back and wings. Octavia then put together that this mare must be Rainbow’s mother.
"Rainbow Dash, you can't do things like this."
"But what about Tank?!" Rainbow cried as her mother shushed her softly.
"I understand what they did was wrong. But you could have told me or your father and we would have taken care of it. You can't solve everything with your anger or your fists." The pink mare scolded gently. Rainbow sniffed staring at the dead turtle on the ground and began to cry again feeling her mother’s grip on her tighten.
"I know my little Rainbow, life isn't fair." She paused to look up straight at Octavia causing the princess to stiffen to see the sadness in her eyes. “Violence isn’t the answer my child. I hope one day you will see that and live a happier life than me.” Octavia suddenly felt sad hearing that as the mare closed her eyes. Suddenly the pair turned black and fell into a dust pile. Octavia gasped running to the ash pile and placed her hand into the pile trying to find anything whole. But the wind blew the ash away before she could find any evidence of the pegasi.
This isn’t a real place. Octavia thought with a gulp looking around her wondering where she really was. If she’s in a burnt new village and just witnessed Rainbow Dash as a filly losing her pet then she must be seeing something. She gasped in realization of where she was. She stood back up looking at the dark pink clouds.
“I’m in Rainbow’s mind!” She gasped leaning against the black wall. “But how … Wait a second, Twilight told me to grab onto Rainbow. And then I felt electricity grabbing hold of me and then I woke up on the ground outside this village.” She looked down to see Rainbow’s pet turtle, as if an old reminder of Rainbow’s rage. She had another thought.
“Did I get here through magic?” She squeaked looking down at her hands.
"You are correct," Octavia gasped and turned seeing a bright blue light flying above the statue of Blue Typhoon. Octavia ran out of the alley approaching the statue to watch the blue light shimmer on top of the statue. The blue light flew from the statue towards her. Octavia watched this blue light start to spin around her actually causing her to giggle and smile feeling such positive energy from the light. She smiled looking at the light to realize that the voice was familiar. It hit her, remembering the Guardians that spoke to her on the Crystal Moon were all male and one female. This was a female voice! The same female voice from the moon!
"I recognize your voice, you're the guardian of the crystal heart." Octavia said smiling. The little light flew around her again causing the princess to giggle, feeling the positive feeling again from the light’s magic.
"Yes, and I remember you princess." The female voice said. Octavia blushed.
"I'm not a princess anymore."
"Of course you are, still. As long as you're with the Elements of Harmony you'll still be a princess." The light said in a comforting tone. Octavia smiled until a thought came up.
"But wait, why are you here, Guardian?" Octavia asked curiously.
The little light floated to her shoulder then started to transform. Octavia watched in awe as the light turned into a beautiful pink and purple bird with little tuffs of cream yellow feathers on her head.
"As a part of the crystal guardians Octavia, it is our duty to watch you. And sensing you were in a horrible place where I can reach you, I followed you here." Octavia gulped.
"Wait, how horrible is this place?"
Guardian preened herself then fluffed her wing feathers. "There is a powerful dark source where my spirit is Princess, and that force lead me here. Where are we?" Guardian bird asked. Octavia sighed.
"I'm trying to understand that myself.”
"Tell me what you know then." Guardian said looking around.
“Well first I was told to hold on to Rainbow Dash and then I ended up here. I’m wondering if we are inside Rainbow’s mind.”
Guardian squawked with surprise. "Wait did you say, Rainbow Dash? As in the Element of Loyalty, Rainbow Dash?"
Octavia nodded. “Yes, that Rainbow Dash.” Guardian looked like she smiled as her eyes widen with excitement.
"Incredible... I thought I felt her presence. And you say you're with the other Elements?" The bird sounded quite shocked. Octavia nodded.
"Well most of them. I'm with Applejack, Twilight, Rainbow, and Fluttershy."
"Oh wow... you've found Magic, Kindness, Loyalty, and Honesty? You are incredible Princess." The bird said very well pleased. Octavia blushed by that.
"Please, just call me Octavia."
Guardian chortled. "Oh yes of course." After a while of a pause the bird chirped. "So how did you get here? It must have taken a lot of magic to do this.” Octavia nodded rubbing her hands.
“It did feel like magic that sucked me in here. If this is Rainbow's mind then why does it feel so dark?” Octavia asked rubbing her arms feeling a chill up her spine. Guardian shook her head as she perched on Octavia’s shoulder.
“Hmm the presence of dark magic is strong here but … you can feel that can't you?” Guardian said with a worry. Octavia could feel it, some sort of magical pull trying to pull her to some sort of direction back into the black woods. She looked up in the sky to continue seeing the dark pink clouds and lightning. It was a bit unnerving seeing such clouds in the sky.
"I feel like I should keep moving. Captain Dash should be here somewhere. Well, at least her mind." Octavia said fearfully watching lightning slice through the clouds.
Guardian looked around thinking. "Hmm ... this is a strange place for a mind. It's funny but I feel a very strong and a wrong presence that should not be here. If we are in Rainbow's mind then something else is here too."
"Like what?" Octavia asked. Guardian sighed.
"It's very hard to describe but this feeling... Octavia you said Rainbow was glowing in a unicorn's glow?" Guardian asked.
"That's what I remember seeing before coming here. Fluttershy said something that a unicorn was controlling her and..." Octavia blinked remembering Rainbow's mother's words.
"You can't save everything with your anger or your fists."
"Anger... Rainbow Dash was angry, very angry. Something is using Rainbow's anger to control her."
The pink-purple bird thought for a moment blinking her large purple eyes. "Hmm, how did this anger come about then? Do you know?" She asked interested. Octavia nodded.
"From the story, this leader told Rainbow to hurt her friends, because they had a hand in the death of the Wonderbolts." Octavia said sadly, shaking her head. “It is terrible what happened to the Wonderbolts, but I can’t believe that she would be controlled with her anger in all of it.”
Guardian quickly flapped her wings. "Wait it might not just be to get to a pony. I have known about the Wonderbolts’ death and it always intrigued me of how somepony could kill them without leaving clues." Guardian flew in front of Octavia. "What if the ones that did it were threatened by them?"
Octavia opened her mouth to answer when she suddenly heard laughter. Octavia and Guardian turned to notice a bright colorful light at the end of the woods. Octavia looked to the bird to see her nod her head as she perched on Octavia’s shoulder.
“Go on then!” She ordered. Octavia nodded and ran through the woods towards the light. As soon as she broke through the dark bushes, she gasped covering her eyes from the blinding sunlight. The laughter was louder and more excited yet taunting sounding. Octavia blinked open her eyes to find herself in a grassy field. Compared to the dark forest and village, this place was colorful and the air was cool.
Guardian looked up and squawked loudly. “Duck!” She cried. Octavia turned and gasped. She fell to the ground as a pegasus filly flew over her and into the air, laughing. Octavia rolled to her back to look up in shock to see that the filly was Rainbow Dash, she was possibly ten or twelve by her size. Octavia is still shocked by how youthful and happy Rainbow Dash looked compared to her older future self. She stood back up to watch Rainbow fly in the air. She watched how she flew past other young fillies and colts flying around them as they flew away in a game of tag.
"Look at me!” She cried looking at the tired kids from the game. “I can race circles around you and you can’t catch me!” Rainbow taunted and did exactly that, grabbing a pink cloud, she drops down and made a mini rainbow tornado around a pair of colts and flew away leaving the two colts tangled in the pink cloud ribbon.
"Hahaha! I am Rainbow Dash, the next Wonderbolt!"
Octavia sat down on the grass watching Rainbow Dash, still surprised on how much different the guard was as a child. She is full of spirit, confidence, and life. Different than her older self. Guardian perched on Octavia’s shoulder to watch Rainbow with what looked to be a beaming smile.
“Look at that. I remember stories that Rainbow Dash was very inspired by the Wonderbolts as a child, and it shows.” Guardian giggled. Octavia smirked a touch seeing what the bird meant. Rainbow was dressed in a thin jacket in the color blue with yellow lightning bolts on her sleeves, she even has a pair of old goggles on her head.
"That’s no fair Rainbow Crash!" A colt yelled out pointing at her. Octavia stiffened seeing that the colt was black colored, another shadow! Rainbow turned and just like before Octavia could see four more shadows surrounding the young filly.
"What's fair? Me being better than you?" Rainbow jabbed with a smirk.
"No, for messing with my brother!" The shadow jabbed back with a glare
"Oh yeah? A brother of yours is a meanie head like you."
Right after that comment, the shadow and Rainbow got into a fight. Octavia stood up feeling the dark feeling again, noticing the once light sky turned darker as the dark pink clouds rolled in with the dark lighting skirting the sky.
“Rainbow Dash!” An older male voice called out. Octavia and Guardian turned to notice a stallion with a rainbow mane running over to the fighting duo on the ground. Without a doubt in Octavia’s mind, this was Rainbow’s father. Rainbow Dash was on top of the shadow before the stallion surprised her. Rainbow turned to see him with a look of dread, the shadow seeing Rainbow’s distraction punched her in the face and went on top of her. Octavia covered her eyes after watching the filly being beaten that quickly.
The stallion ran over grabbing the shadow and pulled him off of the filly. He then pushed the shadow roughly away into the other shadows.
"That's enough all of you!” He roared out causing the five shadows to shiver with fear. “Go home! Or I'll tell your parents about your behavior." The five shadow ponies ran away. Rainbow wiped off the blood on her chin sitting up, growling.
"Come back here you shits! Come back and fight like the stallions you should be!" Rainbow cried out standing up by her father. Her father though looked shocked staring at his daughter.
"Rainbow Prism Dash!" He exclaimed causing Rainbow to blush looking up at him. He crossed his arms across his chest. "I know for a fact your mother and I haven't taught that word to you."
Rainbow's ears went flat on her head as she turned away. Her father placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Rainbow, listen to me, I know you want to do more things. But..."
Rainbow turned to him with tears in her eyes. She knew that look on his face and the tone on his voice. "You mean... I can't go?"
Octavia watched as Rainbow's father made a frown and shook his head. "I'm sorry sweetie, but I can't get the money to send you to Cloudsdale for schooling. It's too much and your mother and I can't pay that much."
"But... everypony goes to Cloudsdale Station to be the best fliers." Octavia could see the hurt in the father's eyes. He was in guilt and sad that he won't take his daughter to the places she wanted to go.
"Listen to me, sweetie, I'll see if I can try and get an overtime position in the weather team but I'm afraid-" Rainbow’s anger spiked, so did the lighting dancing in the sky.
"No! I won't be a weather pony like you or mom! I want to be a flyer, a fighter, a Wonderbolt!" She yelled out, throwing a temper tantrum.
"Rainbow Dash we can't... listen to me. What's better? Being alive and having a family with a nice paying job or going out there in the outer reaches of the galaxy and end up dead or killing ponies."
Rainbow snorted turning away from him, glaring angrily towards Octavia as her father turned away rubbing his forehead. Octavia stood up watching the duo fade away. The sky turned dark again and the green grass faded away into dirt.
Guardian looked to Octavia to notice her thinking. “What are you thinking about?” She asked. Octavia sighed loudly scratching her head.
"What is she trying to tell me? There had to be a reason why Twilight thought I should be here." Octavia said annoyed looking around her.
"I’m sure you’ll find out the answers you need.” Guardian chirped. Octavia smiled softly at the bird then looked up at the sky. The dark pink clouds were still moving in the sky with dark lightning bolts moving from cloud to cloud. Octavia blinked noticing how the lightning bolts were moving in one direction.
“Hmm that’s odd.” She said out loud.
"What?" Guardian asked curiously. Octavia pointed up to the sky.
“Isn’t it odd that the lightning is moving towards that one direction?” She asked. Guardian looked up and blinked watching the lightning move from cloud to cloud.
“Hmm that is odd … and a touch unnerving.” She said honestly shivering.
Octavia thought for a moment with a new idea. “What if we follow the lightning? What if that’s where we need to go?” Guardian looked fearful watching the snakes of light move.
“If you’re certain. Let’s go then.”
Octavia smiled as she made her walk through the dark woods, following the lightning as she walked.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Far away from Everfree, the space station of Manehattan was prosperous even though it had lost its royal family. In the center of the city was the castle where they used to live, which was the very place Captain Trixie Lulamoon was not having the best meditation session.
Trixie blinked hard rubbing her temples in her room. She had been having headaches for the last three weeks and they kept getting worse as she went through her daily meditation. Giving up her meditation, she stood up and walked over to her large wardrobe and opened it. She knelt down to the large drawers and opened one to reveal a large sphere covered in dark silk. With her magic she lifted the object and removed the silk and smiled taking the crystal ball to the center of her room.
She closed her eyes and concentrated, making the crystal ball levitate off her hand and into the air above her head. She opened her eyes as her ball turned bright pink. What she saw in the ball caused her to gasp. She grabbed the ball out of the air and ran out of her room into the elegant hallway seeing that the wallpaper was still being changed from an elegant red into a princely blue. She rushed past the servants and slaves as they were being watched by guards while working. Some were busy scrubbing the tile floors while others were struggling to pull off the red wallpaper.
Trixie ran up a set of stairs then turned a corner heading into the first door she saw in the hall, the door leading into Prince Blueblood’s study. She burst through the door. Blueblood let out a shrill shriek causing Trixie to turn and stare at him with a growing blush. She caught the prince in a very personal and explicit situation with a slave girl. She groaned applying hand to her face.
"Close the door!" Blueblood screamed. Trixie moved her hand to the back of her neck glaring down at the chained slave unicorn mare who was staring at her with an embarrassed blush too. Trixie snarled audibly with a hard stomp pointing out the opened door.
"Out you filthy slave!" She screamed at the slave. The unicorn hybrid nodded and scrambled out of the room as Trixie covered her face growling angrily, she walked over to the door and slammed it shut.
"I thought I ordered you-" Blueblood began standing up, forgetting to cover himself. Trixie snarled again using her magic to grab the blanket and tossed it over Blueblood’s head.
"Forget about that and cover yourself, you are in the presence of a woman in high military court.” She sniffed watching Blueblood pulling the blanket off his head and wrapping the cloth around his waist with a growl of annoyance. "I have news." Trixie said walking past him
"So do I," A new female voice said causing the two to turn and see the hologram that popped up during their exchange. The hologram reveal the pegasus general with an eye patch over her right eye and dressed in a dark uniform jacket.
“General Dust, what a surprise." Blueblood said with a glare at Trixie. Trixie glared back at him. Lightning Dust looked between the two unicorns.
"Was I interrupting a lovers’ quarrel?" Lightning Dust jabbed with a smirk seeing the angry blushes on their faces.
"I'll have you court-martialed if you ever say anything like that in my presence again, General Dust!" Blueblood threatened.
"We have bigger problems than lover spats, your highness." Lighting Dust said coolly ending her fun. "We have trouble, I lost five stations this month to pirates. I thought you told me they would be taken care of, Blueblood."
Blueblood gasped. "But I did. The Pirate Queen, Nightmare Moon worked with me!" Blueblood cried releasing his blanket and it fell to the floor. Trixie groaned turning towards Lighting Dust as she snarled angrily.
"Put on some clothes you oaf!" Lightning Dust roared. Blueblood snorted as Trixie used her magic to lift up the blanket again. Blueblood grabbed the blanket wrapping it around him again. "Well whatever you did, Blueblood, it was a failure. There's a new pirate in town and these pirates are killing many of our supporters."
"Oh my," Blueblood said with fear now. "I could have sworn the pirates were dealt with."
Trixie sighed. "Anyway I came to tell you that we have trouble. And I'm happy you're here too Lighting Dust since this will have to be your problem too."
"And what's that Trixie?" The general asked glaring at her.
"It's Rainbow Dash, she has returned." Lightning’s eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open with shock.
"Impossible, I thought you had her killed off in that ship, Blueblood. I was sure that she was dead."
"But I thought she was dead at the crystal moon." Blueblood said equally horrified. Trixie groaned suddenly, leaning forward on her knees holding her head.
“What’s the matter?” Blueblood asked seeing her bent over.
"Dust, you remember the spell we casted on our mutual friend Captain Dash?" Trixie asked.
Dust smiled. "Yes a great spell you did there my friend. What of it?"
"Well I never did cancel it. The spell is still in place and I can feel her fighting it and my power is being drained. Something must have triggered the spell to rework." Trixie grunted holding up her crystal ball, the ball shimmered in her magic. "And there's something else, and you should see this too Blueblood." Blueblood turned to look into the crystal ball, he gasped to see Octavia walking around in some dark forest looking up at the sky with a pink and purple bird on her shoulder.
"I-I-impossible! She’s supposed to be dead!" He roared.
"She's alive and somehow she was able to enter Rainbow's mind through my magic." Trixie said with a glare to Lighting Dust.
"Meaning?" Lighting asked getting worried and angry at the same time.
"I will be sitting here for a time, concentrating. I’ll be sending all my magic into Rainbow Dash and try to regain control. And maybe through Rainbow's eyes I can see where the traitors are and we can attack them."
Blueblood smiled. "Yes, we can capture them and bring them here."
"For what?" Lighting asked. "Wait... Yes, I like this idea. Bring them to the nearest Canterlot Port, I’ll love to see the look on Dash’s face seeing me again. I have some unfinished business with her."
"That might be a problem." Trixie warned. "If the little hybrid bitch continues on her course she'll find Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash’s consciousness that I have jailed for a reason. Once the spell was tripped the spell will keep Rainbow's consciousness in a cage and keep it from escaping. If her consciousness continues to remain weak I can order Rainbow Dash to lead them here. Or I can have her kill the princess for good."
Blueblood smiled at that plan. “Finally that brat won’t be a nuisance anymore.”
Lightning Dust glared at the prince before turning back to Trixie. "But what's the bad news?" Lightning Dust asked confused.
"If the princess somehow manages to try and stop me or when I win the fight, Rainbow Dash will be nothing but a puppet. Probably the same if she wins. Magic is a fickle thing."
"Wins? She's an earth pony." Blueblood argued primly. Trixie glared at him at his boastful pride. Trixie rolled her eyes looking at the crystal ball thinking.
"True, but she has magic. Some sort of powerful magic that no Earth pony could possess.” She paused and noticed the small purple jewel glowing on Octavia’s chest. She gasped. “Wait, the Luna's Tear! She still has it?!"
"Well don't just stand there!" Lightning Dust yelled. "Get going and stop her! We still need Rainbow Dash for this plan to work. Get the information you need and kill off the hybrid."
Trixie smiled sitting down, cross legged on the floor. She placed the crystal ball on the floor in front of her, placing her hands in her lap, and closed her eyes concentrating. Her horn began to glow in a pink aura. The crystal ball slowly rose in the air, glowing with her horn.
"Send me to my ward." Trixie ordered in a warped voice opening her eyes. Her eyes went bright as she connected to the crystal ball. Blueblood and Lightning Dust watched as a bright pink light rose from Trixie’s form, creating a ghostly spirit. The spirit flew into the crystal ball in a bright flash. When the two ponies got their sight back, the spirit was gone but Trixie's body remained in her position and the ball continues to float in midair in front of Trixie. The two ponies waited for their comrade to finish the job.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Octavia sighed rubbing her forehead feeling the sweat that had gathered there in the last few minutes. So far this experience in Rainbow's mind was both interesting and yet frightening. It was hard seeing snippets of Rainbow’s memory from her childhood play before her. From what she learned, Rainbow grew up in a new town made for pegasi. Possibly a new habited planet from Cloudsdale. Rainbow grew up in a poor family, both her parents worked for the weather patrol that had hard time working to control the weather of the planet.
As Rainbow grew up she began to gain confidence which she gained from her mother who was a racer in Cloudsdale. She dreamed to join the Wonderbolts, a group of talented flyers but also Equestria’s top flyers in the Equestrian Air Force. Since her parents couldn't even afford a single ticket to Cloudsdale, Rainbow became angry.
Anger, that seemed to be Rainbow’s top emotion in her life. And as she grew the angrier she became. It was sad to say the least. But other snippets like from the war were very short but they have popped up more as she traveled up the road. She saw a bunch of nightmarish things that caused her to flinch and turn away. Strange monsters, giants, deformed ponies, and explosions.
Octavia stopped in her walking to wipe her forehead again fanning herself. "Is it just me or is this place getting warm." Guardian shook her feathers.
"You are right, it had suddenly gotten warmer." Guardian looked up by chance and gasped, pointing her wing up in the air. "Look up!" Octavia stopped and looked up. She yelped covering her eyes from the sudden intense pink light that flew by over them with a loud whooshing sound, hurting their ears.
"What is that?!" Octavia cried out, squinting seeing the light zoom over them towards the direction they were following the lightning. Suddenly Octavia gasped feeling the crystal guardian thrum and vibrate against her chest. Octavia lift up her guardian and gasped to find it glowing and flashing.
"Something is wrong." She whispered. Guardian nodded.
"Yes, something horrible. We have to hurry."
Octavia nodded and continued to run down the road with Guardian flying next to her. As she ran the scenery changed to reveal new memories. She continued to run through them seeing flashes of memories.
Rainbow somehow made it to Cloudsdale for school, Rainbow created a rainbow light show of some sort, then was invited to join the Wonderbolts. Suddenly the landscape changed again causing Octavia to stop in her tracks. In front of her was a tan colored wall of a room.
"What are you waiting for? We have to go now!" Guardian said with worry looking around.
"Wait... where are we?" Octavia turned to see herself in a room she recognized. "I know this place." She whispered turning around.
"You do? Great, let’s go!" Guardian urged wanting to go follow the light again.
"Wait a second." Octavia said walking over past a corner to see bunk beds, all the beds had nicely done bed sheets. She walked past the beds to see Rainbow Dash sitting at a round table with her arms crossed on the table top glaring at the wall. Octavia could see the rest of a kitchen being built from the memory. A stallion with a dark blue mane and green eyes was sitting on the kitchen counter tapping his knee. He looked at Rainbow with sadness and worry. A mare a few years older than Rainbow walked over. She was a yellow Pegasus with a fiery orange mane. She was dressed in a shirt with suspenders that were holding up her dark blue trousers, and she wore polished black combat boots. On her shoulders she was wearing an opened blue and yellow aviators jacket.
"Rainbow Dash, I'm telling you, we can't do anything right now." This mare said seriously but her eyes convened sadness.
Rainbow looked to her, her glare still in place. "They're my friends Spitfire, they need me and I just... I just told them to buck off and..." Rainbow’s glare faded into guilt. She turned away covering her face with her hands. “What will Lightning Dust do to them?” She whispered like she was going to cry. The mare, Spitfire sighed turning to see the stallion looking at her with a shrug. She turned back to Rainbow and walked over to her, placing her hand on her shoulder.
"I understand you are upset Dash. And I promise you we'll get your friends out of jail and get you all out of here. Canterlot is not what it used to be, Dash. It's been going downhill since this stupid idea of rebellion took over." Rainbow sniffed and nodded.
“She’s right, Dash.” The stallion said with a small smile. “We’ll bust them out if we have to. You got us still, you’re still a Wonderbolt, our sister. And sisters and brothers always work together.” He said smiling. Rainbow turned to him and smiled.
“Thanks, Soarin.”
Suddenly the door opened and a young yellow pegasus with a sky blue mane looked at them. She wasn’t dressed like the three ponies in the room, she had on civilian clothes; trousers, shoes, shirt and a jacket.
"Captain, I have urgent news!" She called running in to the room panting.
"What is Misty Fly?" Spitfire asked worriedly. Rainbow sat up. Misty Fly sighed looking at Rainbow first before turning to Spitfire and Soarin.
"I just got back from the Luna Plaza. I overheard some guards saying that the Elements of Harmony were taken to the palace and they came out looking sick."
"What?" Rainbow exclaimed standing up, knocking her chair to the floor. "Where are they now?!"
"Rainbow, sit down now and settle down!" Spitfire ordered, Soarin and Misty looked to their leader with shock. Rainbow glared at her then slowly picked up her chair and sat down, clenching her fists.
"The three Elements of Harmony were found at the Celestial Academy next to the palace. They were ordered to see the Queen."
"Queen? What Queen?" Rainbow asked. Spitfire turned to Rainbow noticing the confusion on her face.
"Celestia is now Queen of the galaxy." She answered.
"You're joking right?" Rainbow asked shaking her head seeing the three Wonderbolts giving her sad looks. "But that's insane! Celestia never used the term Queen, it’s against her code of conduct. That's what Twilight told me."
"Something must have happened that could have changed her mind. She has been Queen for the last two months." Soarin said, fiddling his thumbs.
"Blessed Luna," Rainbow sighed shaking her head in disbelief. First two of her friends were arrested because of their race and now this? What happened while she and her friends were in the war? Her friends? "My Friends!” Rainbow gasped standing up again. She walked closer to Misty. “What happened to them? Misty what happened?" Rainbow pleaded.
Misty Fly turned to Spitfire to see her nod her head for her to continue. Misty sighed nodding in return, she turned to Rainbow. "I heard that they were taken to different places after the meeting with her highness. Two went to the Harmony Cottage you girls stayed at and the Pr- I mean Queen's protégé,"
"Twilight!" Rainbow said quickly.
"Yeah her, she's under house arrest at the Academy."
Rainbow was in shock. "Fluttershy and Rarity..."
"House arrest at that cottage. Both places are being guarded by the Queen's new guards, scary bastards.” She paused to look to Rainbow with worry. “Dash they're after you too. If they arrested Honesty and Laughter, then sent your other friends to the Queen, you're the last one with your Element of Harmony." Spitfire and Soarin turned to Rainbow with fear at this new information.
Rainbow blinked a few times reaching into her shirt to pull out the silver medallion with the red lightning bolt glowing brightly and flashing, sending alarm bells into her mind.
"They're in trouble. I have to go get them!" Rainbow bolted for the door.
"No, Rainbow, wait!" Spitfire called out grabbing Rainbow’s jacket and pulling her back. "Wait a second, you might be playing into something we don’t know about yet." Spitfire said quickly and seriously. Rainbow looked to her angrily.
"What do you mean I have to wait? My friends are in trouble! Little Twilight, Rarity and ... ‘Shy. They need me right now I have to go and see them and make sure they’re okay."
Spitfire bit her lip watching Rainbow trying to leave again, she grabbed Rainbow again holding her back. "Stay here," She growled.
Rainbow looked back at her trying to pull her arm back. "Are you crazy?"
"No...That's an order." Spitfire said with authority. Soarin and Misty watched in shock, Spitfire never used her authority like this before, not even around Rainbow.
Rainbow stared at her with shock feeling betrayed. "Why?"
"This place is the safest place for you right now. You cannot leave."
"No!" Rainbow said harshly looking at her. "No, I won't leave them alone when they're scared. I’ve already abandoned Applejack and Pinkie by obeying your orders, I will not betray the others!" Rainbow shoved Spitfire off of her into Misty and sprinted out the door.
"Rainbow no!" Spitfire cried out as Rainbow ran away from them. "Rainbow Dash!"
The scene vanished leaving Octavia stunned. She stood there feeling sad yet prideful for Rainbow Dash being so loyal to her friends. The scene around her reopened in the same room but all around her everypony was dead. Octavia gulped hard seeing them all on the ground all bloody as if attacked by a sword, the weapons left from the fight were on the floor ranging from pistols, bayonets, knives, and swords. She turned hearing a door opening.
"See for yourself." A new voice said pointing. Octavia gasped Guardian did too seeing Rainbow running into the room. She looked different. Dressed in civilian clothes looking around with pure shock and sadness.
"Spits?" Rainbow whispered walking over to Spitfire's body. Octavia blinked realizing the story she heard from Fluttershy and Rainbow was accurate, Fluttershy was there moments ago making sure the bodies looked presentable for burial. Octavia turned to see the new Pegasus for the first time from the darkness, she was an aqua colored Pegasus with blonde hair and tail, and she was dressed in a black and red uniform with black trousers and boots. She looked shocked and angered seeing the dead pegasi as they were. Rainbow knelt down holding Spitfire's body against her crying. Forgetting her anger, the second pegasus grinned smugly seeing Rainbow a her lowest point. Octavia glared remembering this scene.
"I remember seeing this." She said angrily.
Guardian nodded. "Me too. In dreams."
The second pegasus placed her hand on Rainbow's shoulder smiling. "They were murdered by Earth ponies, Rainbow Dash. These heroes will be avenged."
Octavia turned away seeing the pink aura behind her as she leaves the vision. She returned to the outside seeing the pink clouds and the red and pink lightning gathering at a ball of light over the hill. The light was getting brighter and bigger. Octavia sighed rubbing her hands as her guardian began to vibrate and sparkle.
"Come on, we have to go over there. And I have a funny feeling that somepony is wanting to see me." Guardian nodded.
"I can feel it too." She chirped with worry.
Octavia started to trot then go into a full run towards the light as Guardian flew beside her. To reach the light she had to run up the hill. Once at the top she stopped and gasped to see that she’s staring at a bowl surrounded by the hills around them. The dead grass and bushes in the bowl were surrounding what appeared to be a giant cage in the center of the bowl. Locked inside the cage was a silhouette of a pony, laying on the ground in a fetal position.
"Be careful." Guardian warned. "I sense something is watching us." She said looking around then up at the sky to see the giant light source collecting the pink and red lightning bolts.
Octavia squinted to get a better look at the pony in the cage. She held her guardian crystal to use the magic to make her vision better. She gasped seeing that the pony in the cage had rainbow hair.
"It's Captain Dash." Octavia said happily seeing that guard she was told to find. She started down the hill as Guardian flew next to her towards the strange cage. Octavia kept on running using the momentum from the downhill run to go faster. However once she reached the bottom of the hill she slammed into a force field making a huge dong sound before falling back to the hard ground, groaning. Even poor Guardian slammed into the force field too falling to the ground beside Octavia. The pony in the cage gasped sitting up and turning to see Octavia sitting up rubbing her snout seeing blood on her fingers.
"Ouch, that hurt." She groaned wiping her snout with her sleeve.
Guardian was seeing stars as she shook her little head. "Oh dear... now I know what those poor birds feel like after hitting my window." She slurred rubbing her head with her wing.
"Princess?" Rainbow's voice called from the cage. Rainbow slowly stood up using the bars to help her stand up. She looked like she was locked up in the cage for many decades by how malnourished she looked. The total opposite to what she actually looked like outside her mind. "What are you doing here?"
Octavia smiled standing up pressing her hands on the force field looking around her. "Twilight told me you needed me."
"What?" Rainbow asked. "No... I, grr you can't be here!"
"I came this far, I won't turn back now." Octavia called back.
"So this is the princess I have heard so much about." A new voice piped up.
Octavia gasped and looked up seeing a unicorn mare dressed in black and red standing at the top of the force field smiling. Octavia noticed her clothes and gasped. She remembered seeing this pony back at Hoofington.
"You're the pony I saw in Hoofington. You're the one that told everypony that Vinyl kidnapped me!"
Trixie blinked. "Ah yes that white unicorn Hybrid. What was her name again?"
"Vinyl Scratch is her name!" Octavia growled glaring at her.
"Really? I know of a Vinyl Scratch but he was a stallion not a mare." Trixie said grinning.
Octavia blinked confused. "Wait a second... a stallion?"
Trixie chuckled sliding down the force field wall. Octavia grabbed Guardian and backed away as Trixie landed on the ground leaning back against her shield.
"You mean you don't know? Aww ain't that sad."
Octavia glared at the unicorn. "Who are you?"
"Me? Why, I am the most powerful unicorn in the Royal Army. But of course I left my show stopping abilities back with my old life. I am Captain Trixie Lulamoon. Personal guard to Prince Blueblood and magical adviser for The Order." Trixie snapped her fingers and black shadow ponies pulled themselves out of the dirt growling and moaning. Octavia gasped backing away from them.
"The shadows... You're doing this. You're the unicorn that cursed Rainbow Dash!" Octavia accused finally putting the pieces together. The magic was more than controlling Rainbow, it fueled her anger by sending shadows to her worst memories and made her angry. With more angry memories the more anger Rainbow used.
Trixie chuckled snapping her fingers again. Rainbow disappeared from her prison then reappeared standing by Trixie.
"Oh goody you are a smart one." Trixie said grabbing Rainbow's neck holding her. Rainbow struggled but a shock of magical energy caused her to scream and fall to her knees.
"Leave her alone! She already been through enough hell as it is!" Octavia yelled out as Guardian flew to her shoulder glaring at the unicorn.
Trixie sighed shaking her head. "She did this to herself, Princess goody-two shoes. She was just waiting to use that raw ability of hers. Just a little magic then voila we have a weapon. The Element of Loyalty can be used in many different ways. Depending on how loyal she is to others we can use that to our advantage. Her Loyalty to the Wonderbolts was so much stronger than her loyalty to her dear pathetic friends."
Octavia glared as Trixie snapped her fingers again. One shadow giggled and threw a blob of dark magic at the force field. The blob showed the previous memory Octavia had seen. The one of Rainbow holding Spitfire to her chest crying.
"It was the prefect trigger to make Rainbow ours. And then saying the right words changed that." Trixie said chuckling.
Octavia glared coldly at the unicorn. Using ones emotions against them like that for control and with the darkness in Rainbow’s mind fueling her anger, it lead to the perfect brainwashed, killing machine. It was brilliant but savage. Trixie leaned over to Rainbow grinning evilly at Octavia.
"Kill the Hybrid princess." Rainbow gritted her teeth slowly opening her eyes. Octavia gasped seeing Rainbow's eyes glow in a pink-red light. "She knows who killed your precious Wonderbolts."
Rainbow snarled and slowly stood back up. She walked forward reaching into her belt to produce a small knife. Octavia gasped stepping back. Guardian gulped shaking.
"Captain! It's me Octavia, you have to remember me!" Rainbow snarled, flaring her wings, ignoring her pleas. "I didn't do it! I wasn't even born then!" She exclaimed. Trixie laughed seeing Rainbow getting closer to the princess.
"It's futile Princess hybrid. Rainbow Dash is under my complete, dominate control. She can't hear you. The only words she can hear are lies and everything that makes her the way she is." Trixie snapped her fingers. Octavia was stopped by another shield blocking her path backwards. She turned to Rainbow as she got closer.
"Rainbow Dash! Please!" Octavia yelled out, begging. "You're not a monster, you're not like them!"
Trixie snorted. "Like that little stunt would work."
Octavia gulped sliding down to her haunches staring up at Rainbow with now true fear. "Think, Octy think!" She whimpered. She had to think of something to snap Rainbow out of her trance or she wasn't going to make it out of this venture. She gasped suddenly feeling Guardian grabbing the chain of her crystal, the bird began to glow in a bright blue light. As Guardian glowed so did her crystal, making a bright blue and purple light. Rainbow winced covering her eyes from the light, the shadows all went underground to hide from the lights, and Trixie used her arm to cover her eyes to block the light.
“What are you doing?” Octavia asked as Guardian got a good grab on the chain around Octavia’s neck and flew up with the crystal pointed to the black blob on the force field. Octavia gasped as a string of purple light hit the blob creating another window of a memory. Octavia blinked rubbing her eyes, seeing a scene she hadn’t seen before. Rainbow blinked and turned to the memory watching it. Trixie removed her arm and gasped seeing the memory being sent from the crystal. Guardian was beaming looking between Octavia and Rainbow.
Octavia stared in awe at what she saw. It looked like her as a baby sitting in her baby crib. The baby gasped seeing Rainbow walking into the room reaching through the wooden bars of the crib reaching for Rainbow.
"Hey Tavi," She greeted. Baby Octavia let out a cry reaching for her. Rainbow pulled off her hat and lifted Octavia up in her arms. "Ooh gosh, you're getting big. Getting too big to be carried, huh?"
Octavia was speechless watching Rainbow care for her as a baby. Playing with her and even reading to her. Trixie's mouth dropped to the ground seeing this. Rainbow on the other hand blinked a few times watching the memories before her eyes. Even the part of the memory where Rainbow protected Octavia from the assassin that attacked her. After the assassin was dealt with, Rainbow sang to her like how Octavia’s mother would do.
Octavia felt extreme guilt watching the memory. Guilt for how she thought of Rainbow Dash. The past few months she was horrible to the Pegasus she thought Rainbow as a horrible pony but in reality she cared for her, she protected her, and wanted to teach her and she treated her horribly. Octavia turned to Rainbow and gasped to see that Rainbow's eyes returned to normal. The older pegasus dropped her knife to hold her head, groaning with pain. Rainbow opened her eyes and turned seeing Octavia looking at her.
"Tavi?" Rainbow whispered. Octavia smiled running over to help Rainbow stand. “What happened?” Rainbow whispered.
"No! Impossible!" Trixie screamed out with fear and shock. The black shadows appeared at her beck and call again. "Rainbow Dash you are under my command! I order you to kill the hybrid bitch!" She screamed pointing at Octavia. Rainbow pulled Octavia behind her to protect her.
"Fat chance Trixie." Rainbow snarled. “You messed with the lion long enough.” Trixie gasped backing away by Rainbow sudden growth, she was returning back to her old self. Trixie pointed at the two.
"Kill them!" She screamed in panic. The shadows roared and attacked as Trixie makes a mad dash away from the fight.
"She's getting away!" Guardian squawked.
"Not on my watch." Rainbow said smiling. She looked down at Octavia. "You're the one with the crystal, stop her. If you can sever her link to me, maybe AAH!" Rainbow suddenly screamed out holding her head and falling to her knees then to her side. Octavia gasped seeing the shadows running towards Rainbow. She looked down to see the knife blade Rainbow was using. She grabbed the knife blade from the ground slashed a shadow into pieces. Even Guardian pecked at a few causing them to get distracted until Octavia took care of them.
Once all of the shadows were dealt with Rainbow gasped waking up panting.
"What happened?" Octavia asked helping her stand up.
"She gained control of me somehow. But I didn't know why..." Rainbow began trying to think through her fuzzy memory.
"Not now!" Guardian chirped. "We have to find Trixie and cut her magical ties with Rainbow. Quickly!" She urged.
Octavia helped Rainbow up on her feet then the two followed the last known line where Trixie ran to. Trixie snarled turning to see Octavia and Rainbow were running up behind her. She slid to a stop turning to them holding out her hands to reveal pink balls of energy ready to fight back.
"Give it up Trixie!" Rainbow growled slowing to a stop, Octavia stopped next to the pegasus glaring at the unicorn.
"You won’t use Rainbow’s mind or body anymore!"
Trixie snorted. "You're right. I actually never thought my spell would last this long. Oh well. I need all my magic anyway." She smiled and laughed. "The next time we meet you'll be behind bars and one of you will die." Octavia and Rainbow both growled ready to attack. Trixie snapped her fingers with a flash of magic. Rainbow groaned holding her head leaning to the right, Octavia grabbed Rainbow’s arm to keep her from falling over.
"There it is done." Trixie said simply as Rainbow shook her head, regaining her balance. "You’re free Rainbow Dash. See if your special hybrid princess can cleanse you of my wards."
Octavia looked to Rainbow with worry as the pegasus glared coldly at Trixie.
"The next I see you and your Order cronies I'll kill you all for causing the pain in my friends!” The pegasus threatened.
Trixie shrugged. "Be careful what you wish for Captain Crash, you might get what you want after all and much more. And Hybrid," Octavia turned to her. "I'll say hi to your uncle. He will be so happy to know you're still alive. Ta-Ta!" Octavia growled sprinting to catch the unicorn. Trixie laughed seeing Octavia charging for her. Just as Octavia closed in on her, Trixie snapped her fingers and she transformed into a flame. Octavia leapt for her just as Trixie flew away into the sky, Octavia landed hard on the ground missing her completely. She turned looking up to hear Trixie's mocking laughter as she left Rainbow's mind for good. Octavia cursed slamming her fist on the ground.
"Damn her! Damn her and my uncle to hell!" she growled getting up. Rainbow was silent for a moment looking brighter than before. "Captain are you alright?" She asked walking up to her. Rainbow was looking at her hand then turned to look down her back.
"I feel... different." Rainbow answered.
"Like how?"
Rainbow spread her wings flapping them and started to smile. "I think Trixie left my head for good... I feel so happy right now."
Octavia smiled. "I'm glad," She said smiling seeing Rainbow smile in return. Guardian chirped flying over them then landed on Octavia’s shoulder. "Oh Captain this is uh... Actually I never got your name, Guardian."
Guardian smiled flying over to land on Rainbow's shoulder. "Just call me Cadence, Octavia. And don't worry I know we will see each other face to face soon. In the future." She paused and turned to Rainbow. "And I wish you luck in your recovery Rainbow Dash, we need every Element at their sharpest and strongest. And since you’re free from the dark magic you can concentrate on getting well."
Rainbow smiled and stroking Cadence's breast feathers with one finger. "Thank you for protecting the Princess. And don't you worry I'll get my life back together. But... What are you exactly?" Rainbow asked curiously.
"A Guardian. The Guardian of the Crystal Heart. I wish you both luck." With a final chirp Cadence the Crystal Heart Guardian transform into a bright blue light and zipped away into the distance.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Trixie yelled out as her magical spirit slammed into her mortal body. The crystal ball lands on the floor rolling away as Trixie fell to the floor wrapping her arms around her body crying out as her spirit tried to reconnect to her mind and body. Lightning Dust and Blueblood watched with worry as Trixie began to pant hard as she slowly sat up on her knees wiping her eyes.
"Captain?" Lightning Dust called out.
Trixie growled angrily. "That little pest!" She roared out.
"What is it?"
Trixie sighed. "I knew I was beat. There were two powerful magics with the Hybrid bastard. I knew the moment the Luna’s Tear showed Rainbow's memories that my magic was weak. I had to erase my influence to save myself."
Blueblood sighed. "Now what?"
"We go and get them." Trixie answered.
"Huh?" The two ponies asked staring at Trixie. Trixie smiled. "Big thanks to Rainbow Dash, I now know where the traitors are located and hiding."
Lightning Dust grinned. "Really? And where?"
Trixie chuckled. "The rogue planet Everfree."
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Octavia and Rainbow opened their eyes finding themselves back in the real world.
"Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy and Twilight both exclaimed. Octavia groaned siting on her tail rubbing her head trying to keep her lunch down. Rainbow leaned back against the wall feeling Twilight’s hands on her face sending magic waves through her. Twilight opened her eyes with a gasp.
"I can't believe it. There is no trace of dark magic!"
"Yippe," Rainbow groaned passing out. Fluttershy grabbed Rainbow before she fell over.
"Come on, we need to get her to my room. I'll give her a full checkup soon." Fluttershy turned to Octavia as Twilight and Applejack carried Rainbow to Fluttershy's room.
"Octavia," Rainbow whispered weakly opening her eyes.
"She's fine," Applejack said quickly. "‘Shy’s taking care of her now." Rainbow sighed closing eyes falling asleep.
Fluttershy finished checking Octavia with a kind smile on her face seeing Octavia look at her sleepily. "Thank you, thank you so much." Fluttershy whispered gratefully. Octavia smiled as the pegasus helped her down on her cot next to Vinyl. Vinyl rolled to her side taking Octavia's hand.
"Will she be alright?" She asked worriedly.
"She used a lot of magic," Daring answered as Raindrops and Blossomforth left the room. "She needs rest." Vinyl sighed holding onto Octavia's hand tightly. Daring got up and headed for the doorway. But lingered a little longer watching Vinyl kiss Octavia’s hand and holding it close.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Rainbow opened her eyes finding herself in a new room laying on a pallet. She groaned rubbing her face before pressing her fingers into her forehead feeling pressure.
"You're alright," Rainbow turned to see Fluttershy looking at her with relief and sadness.
"What happened?" Rainbow asked trying to sit up. Fluttershy grabbed her shoulders and pushed her down back on her cot.
"You and Octavia used a lot of magic yesterday. Whatever you were fighting against finally left you."
"Left me... the Princess? Where is she?" Rainbow asked gaining back strength in her voice trying to get up. Fluttershy pushed her down again. "I remember... but I thought it was a dream."
"She's fine, she's with uh, Vinyl... Yes, Vinyl. She's with Vinyl, resting. Professor Do is watching her right now." Rainbow groaned shaking her head.
"I can’t believe it... She saved me."
Fluttershy smiled patting Rainbow's arm. "I'm so glad you're alright. It might take a while but I know you'll be back to your old self soon."
Rainbow swallowed looking at her. "Did I do anything?"
"No, but whatever had control over you tried to make you attack us again. Octavia intervened and broke the spell."
Rainbow nodded slowly raising herself up leaning against the wall. "Trixie... Lulamoon."
"Lulamoon?" Fluttershy asked thinking. "Strange that name does ring a bell for me..."
"I only remember her name but... Dammit, my head hurts." Fluttershy leaned over wrapping her arms around Rainbow surprising her. She also heard Fluttershy sniffling. "‘Shy?"
"I was worried about you. You were snarling and growling like an animal while Octavia was in your mind. We were afraid that something happened to you and you changed again." Fluttershy whispered not hiding the fear in her voice. Rainbow wrapped her arms around her holding her tight.
"I think I'm fine now ‘Shy... Everything's fine again."
Fluttershy turned behind her by chance and jumped with a blush. Rainbow looked over Fluttershy's shoulder to see Octavia leaning against the doorframe to keep herself upright, starring at them.
"I don't mean to interrupt anything... Daring said you were here." She said weakly. Fluttershy immediately stood up.
"I thought I told the Professor to keep you in bed,"
"No, I need to talk to her, please," Octavia begged pushing Fluttershy’s hands away. Fluttershy looked at the exhausted princess then to Rainbow Dash.
"It's fine ‘Shy, we need to talk."
After a long moment of thinking Fluttershy nodded.
"Fine, I'll be here later to check on the both of you." Fluttershy said leaving the room. She paused in her step to see Daring standing in the hall waiting. The healer glared at the professor as she walks off. Octavia walked into the room and sat down hard next to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow smiled leaning against the wall.
"What do you want to know?" She asked. Octavia sighed looking at her.
"You... Why?"
Rainbow smiled at her. "Why what? Why I treated you like a daughter or..."
Rainbow closed her eyes with a guilty frown on her face. "I never hated you." Rainbow whispered turning to the princess with glassy eyes. "I... I just couldn't risk it."
Rainbow sighed rubbing her eyes. "Listen to me, if The Order knew I looked to you like one of my own then they would have used you to get to me!" Octavia blinked seeing Rainbow's anger again.
“The Order?” Octavia asked confused. “I heard you use that term while we were chasing Trixie. What are they?”
Rainbow sighed rubbing her face. “The Order is a cult of extremists that believe that magical beings like unicorns and pegasi are the true rulers of the galaxy and anyone who has no magic should be extinct. The Order used to be a huge cult back in early Equestrian history. But Celestia and Luna worked together to wipe them out and somehow their ideas survived and now they are stronger than ever. And somehow they got Celestia on their side.”
“So why would this Order effect you?" Octavia asked. Rainbow sighed bowing her head into her knees.
“Because I was one of them, brainwashed into joining them.” Octavia blinked finally understanding the story Fluttershy told them earlier the day before. It all made sense to the princess now. "They used me to hurt Fluttershy. And I did hurt her... then they practically killed everypony I loved to keep me in line. They took away my friends, the Wonderbolts, they used me to kill my remaining allies, and..." Rainbow closed her eyes shaking her head. "When I was able to get control of myself I tried to escape them. But they used one last piece of the chain I used to hang on by hurting my parents."
Octavia blinked in shock seeing the images of the pink mare and the rainbow manes stallion from Rainbow’s memories. "What happened to them?”
"To keep me in line for another two years, they took me to the interrogation room and I saw them. They told me that they will do harm to them if I dare leave the Order. I begged them to let them go. I didn't want my parents to see me like this. A monster and murderer to all ponies. To keep me in line they said they will let them live but a lesson must be learnt." Octavia gulped afraid to ask.
"W-w-what happened?" She squeaked. Rainbow closed her eyes.
"Like many other pegasus in the old days... traitors or family to traitors were... clipped."
Octavia blinked feeling a burst of coldness in her body hearing that word. She read in books about the old pegasi monarchy and their laws before the Royal Sisters came into power and brought the three races together. Pegasi were known for their brutish and honorable ways. Especially the law that everypony in a traitorous family must be subjected to clippings, removal of wings. Octavia covered her mouth to keep the nausea from coming up as she imagined the poor ponies being subjected to torture like that.
"They made me watch," Rainbow snarled, crying silently. “It was torture for me to watch.”
"Are they... dead?" Octavia asked silently.
"I don't know." Rainbow answered with a shrug. "All I know is... they were taken to the mines in Asteroid Point. Digging for Uranium and other materials for fuel in the outer sectors. They might be dead. If so I pray it was quick so it can end their suffering."
Octavia leaned over wrapping her arms around Rainbow, hugging her. "We orphans have to stick together." She whispered. Rainbow smiled sadly at her. Octavia blushed looking at her. "Vinyl told me that." Rainbow chuckled wrapping her arm around Octavia hugging her back.
"No, you're not an orphan Octavia." Rainbow whispered nuzzling her. "You have me and I have you. I might be not related by blood but I see you as a daughter. Your father told me that I'm considered family and you proved that by yanking my hair you little monster." Rainbow joked. Octavia giggled at that.
"You really consider us family? Even if I am a-"
"Just shut up about that race stuff Octavia. I played that part to protect you. I had to play the horrible guard that hated earth ponies because it's the only way I could disguise myself in this world."
Octavia nodded then sighed. "So what can I call you now?"
Rainbow smirked at her. "Just Rainbow Dash is fine. No Captain anymore." She paused then sighed. "You know, I need to catch some Z's. And you need some rest too. Go back to your bed and get some sleep." Octavia smiled and gave Rainbow a final squeeze before getting up. Rainbow smiled watching her go to the doorway. She stopped and turned to her.
"Rainbow?"
"Yeah?"
"I guess I understand why my father liked you. You really are sweet." Rainbow blushed at that.
"Don’t spread that about, or ponies won’t take me serious."
Octavia laughed at that seeing Rainbow smile. "I know I just learned about this just yesterday but," Octavia wrapped her hand around her Crystal Guardian. "But it feels like I knew all along."
Rainbow smiled. "Go to sleep that’s an order.”
"Aright I’m going. Sleep tight." Octavia left Rainbow alone in her room. Rainbow couldn’t stop smiling as she laid back down on her pallet.
“Things are finally going to get better.” Rainbow whispered before falling asleep.
Octavia woke up with a groan, slowly sitting up. "Morning," Octavia blinked and turned to see Vinyl smiling at her. "Sleep well?" Octavia blinked and realized Vinyl looked well rested and her voice sounded stronger than the last time she heard it. Octavia sighed rubbing her eyes with her fingers then yawned, stretching.
"Yes, hmm, the best sleep I've had in a while."
Vinyl smiled crossing her arms behind her head. "Good, you've been asleep for three weeks."
"WHAT?!" Octavia gasped staring at her as Vinyl was laughing silently covering her mouth. Octavia glared at her.
"Joking, I was joking!" Vinyl said laughing harder then started to cough. Octavia helped Vinyl sit up, making sure she could breathe. "I'm fine," Vinyl croaked clearing her throat. "I'm fine, really. I have to remember how much the sickness took out of me." Vinyl sighed smiling at Octavia. "You didn't sleep through three weeks, just three days. And you needed it. Twilight said you used enough magic for a magic blow out. She said you'll be fine."
Octavia smirked back with a light slap on Vinyl’s shoulder getting a smirk in return. Octavia sighed and laid back down covering her eyes with her arm. "What's happened while I was asleep?" She asked.
"Well Rainbow Dash came here earlier this morning to check on you. Fluttershy was so upset that she left her bed when she's not even recovered yet. So she ordered her to go back to sleep."
"Wow," Octavia whispered removing her arm from her eyes. "Anyone else?"
Vinyl shrugged. "I'm trying to get myself to stand up more. Raindrops, Spike, and Derpy were helping me yesterday."
"Really?" Octavia asked smiling.
Vinyl shrugged. "I made five steps before falling over. But I'm not giving up yet."
Octavia smiled sitting up and wrap her arm around Vinyl’s shoulders hugging her. "I'm so happy for you." Vinyl blushed with a grin.
"Thanks, I'm happy too. Once I start walking and eating solid foods again, I'll be going with you to train."
"What?" Octavia asked.
"Well you were training right?" Vinyl asked.
"Well yes, I was, but I don't know if Rainbow will be up for it."
Vinyl blinked thinking. "Don't count your chicks before they hatch sugarcube." The two young mares turn to see Applejack with Raindrops and Spike at the doorway. "Just because Rainbow can't help you doesn't me I won't. Besides, I'm still Rainbow's second in command."
Octavia blinked staring at the cowpony then smiled. "Yay, for me."
Applejack chuckled. "You let me know when you're ready. I'll have to teach a few young ones some tricks before we make plans for leaving. I think we've been here long enough, don’t you?"
Octavia nodded. "Yes, we do need to think of our next step." Octavia turned to Vinyl and smiled. "Now that you’re feeling better and regaining your strength we can leave this planet and go where ever we have to go." Vinyl blinked.
"You mean you haven't made your next step?" She asked. Raindrops shook her head.
"Our main objective was to get you and Princess Luna somewhere safe to heal and to get away from the royal guard that might have noticed our escape." Raindrops said crossing her arms across her chest. "But seeing as though both of you are doing better we will have to train ourselves for a possible battle."
Applejack smiled rubbing Spike’s head. "That’s right. So when you feel up to it Octavia, you come find us up top, ya hear?" Applejack said turning away leaving the room. Spike saluted then ran off behind her. Raindrops smiled at the two mares in the room.
“You two play nice now.” Raindrops winked before walking off. Octavia blinked confused by Raindrops statement while Vinyl blushed brightly watching Octavia scratch her head.
"Hmm, odd." Octavia muttered. Vinyl gulped and chuckled.
"Uh yeah, weird."
After having breakfast, Octavia left Vinyl to nap in her room. Vinyl might be getting a tad bit stronger but she was still very weak. Zecora mentioned that Vinyl would have to eat at least solids before she started training and exerting her strength. Octavia sighed as she walked through the tunnels to the stone steps. She stopped, hearing what sounded to be kissing. She felt the fur on the back of her neck stick up as she peaked around the corner and covered her mouth to hide her gasp of shock.
Standing in an alcove by the intersection to the stairs she could see Blossomforth and Twilight kissing and holding each other close. Octavia blushed bright red catching them. She quickly leaped back hiding by the corner.
"Did you hear that?" Twilight asked nervously. Octavia stiffened using both hands to cover her snout to mask her breathing to be kept from being heard.
"No," Blossom answered in a calm whisper.
Twilight sighed. Octavia took a peek around the corner to see Twilight looking around swiveling her ears trying to see if she can hear the sound again. Blossom smiled stroking Twilight's cheek tenderly. Twilight smiled with a light blush turning back to her.
"You worry too much." Blossom said sweetly. Octavia blinked in wonder watching this new couple. Twilight blushed again smiling nodding.
"It's true sometimes."
"Sometimes?" Blossom repeated with a chuckle. Twilight chuckled silently.
"Okay, a lot. But I have a reason." Twilight challenged leaning into the pegasus smiling. Octavia blinked then turned away feeling like a snoop. She backed away farther then sighed calmly to herself. She hopped on one foot and the other as she walked making humming sounds. Once she rounded the corner she quickly put her hands behind her back and noticed Twilight and Blossomforth were standing farther away from each other. Blossom was trying to hide her blush as she cleared her throat and smiled.
"Ah Princess, it's nice to see you back in top form." Blossom said bowing. Octavia smiled.
"Nice to see you too sergeant." She turned to Twilight to see her messing with her mane. "Hey Twilight, how are you?"
Twilight blinked looking up with a forced smile. "Oh! I'm doing fine, Octavia." Octavia nodded, thinking fast for another question.
"So um, how's Princess Luna?"
Twilight nodded. "Well she's been eating solid foods since yesterday and keeping it down, so that's a good sign. She's drinking more water and soon she'll be walking around." Octavia smiled seeing a true smile on Twilight's face at that news.
"That's great. Well I'll be up top with Applejack training. Vinyl is napping, if she asks around tell her I'm with AJ." Twilight and Blossom nodded.
"Sure," Blossom said smiling. "We'll let her know."
"Thank you and I guess I’ll see you two later?"
The two mares nodded as Octavia waved farewell as she quickly trot up the stairs blushing like mad. Twilight with Blossomforth? That was a twist she didn't expect.
Twilight watched as Octavia closed the door and sighed. "That was too close." Blossom chuckled blushing hard.
"Yeah, that was." She paused giving Twilight a look. "And why are we keeping this a secret?"
Twilight blushed. "I don't know how my friends will react with me and you. No offence to you or anything,"
"No, I know what you mean." Blossom blushed. "I guess I'm in the same pickle, I wasn't thinking about that."
Twilight blinked looking at her. "You have friends that might not agree to this? Two soldiers and all?"
Blossom opened her mouth to object but closed it thinking. "Well... I'm very close to General Cloud Kicker you see... Well we haven't been together since I was transferred to Blueblood’s group so we couldn't talk in fear of blowing our cover."
Twilight stood next to her with her hands behind her back looking at Blossom as she bowed her head. "Do you still have feelings for her?" Twilight asked carefully. Blossom sighed.
"Not like what we used to." She said truthfully with a shrug. "But I can't contact her or anything. She's the leader of the resistance and making my way to be one of her top officials in the group. But..." Blossom sighed shaking her head. "I guess I started to think maybe I need to find another pony but that's hard when everypony around you is either on your side or against it and the wrong move would kill me, Raindrops, or the whole resistance."
Twilight nodded. "I'm just not sure how Applejack or Rainbow Dash will think of this. I mean I lost another before. It was... tragic and I made a promise to myself to never be that deeply in love with somepony from the military again in fear of losing him or her too." Twilight said sadly looking up at Blossom. She nodded wrapping her arm and wing around Twilight holding her close kissing her on the cheek.
"We'll take it slow. If things start going our way... do you want to say something? About us?" She asked gently stroking Twilight’s hair. Twilight smiled nuzzling Blossom's cheek.
"Maybe... Yeah let's do that." Twilight agreed smiling. Blossom smiled in return.
"Great." She looked around for a moment. "Well I better go and keep an eye on our mutual friend Captain Scratch."
"Yeah, I better go and check on Princess Luna. She’ll probably want to start walking today." Blossom nodded grabbing Twilight before she left. Twilight gave her a look.
"One more?" Blossom asked. Twilight smiled blushing then nodded.
"Sure," Then the two locked lips into a passionate kiss. After a few minutes Twilight pushed Blossomforth back and sighed smiling at her.
"Let’s go before we get caught again." Twilight whispered breathlessly.
"Right," Blossom whispered nodding. The two mares took their different paths each one blushing with a plan in mind.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Rainbow woke up groaning a touch from the growing headache. She moved her arm only to feel it stuck. She looked down for the source of trouble and blinked in shock to find Fluttershy laying next her curled up holding Rainbow's hand in her hands. Rainbow blinked again feeling her heart quicken. How long was she out and how long had Fluttershy been sleeping here? With Me? Rainbow thought with shock and yet happiness. Rainbow raised up her other hand and lightly stroked Fluttershy's long banes away from her eyes.
Fluttershy’s ear flicked as she let out a sigh with a light smile on her lips. By Luna, she's so adorable! Rainbow thought in her head and couldn't help but feel tears. For some odd reason she felt like crying. Crying in happiness and even in sadness. Happy for seeing Fluttershy so close to her again. Yet upset to know that she missed her so much and at the fact of how much she had hurt Fluttershy.
Rainbow sighed the tears were already falling as she continued to stroke Fluttershy's soft cheek then to her mane, she even started to lightly trace her ear. Fluttershy always liked that. During the war, when ‘Shy was sacred at night in a foxhole, Rainbow would pull Fluttershy against her and slowly stroke her mane then mess with her ears. In a few minutes, she would purr like a kitten and would fall asleep in Rainbow's embrace all night with no fear of danger or death.
Fluttershy opened her eyes feeling tears drop on her face. She looked up blinking and gasped. "Rainbow," She whispered sitting up with a smile but then frown seeing Rainbow crying. Rainbow looked at her blushing her ears folded back with embarrassment.
"Sorry I was just..." Rainbow sniffed turning away. Fluttershy looked down seeing that she was still holding Rainbow’s hand from earlier. Fluttershy felt Rainbow pull her hand away as she hugged herself crying silently. Fluttershy smiled wrapping her arms around her and pressing her cheek against her back.
"Shh, it's alright. It's alright to cry Rainbow." Fluttershy whispered softly squeezing her. Rainbow swallowed hard looking down at Fluttershy’s arms with shock. She smiled closing her eyes touching Fluttershy’s arms. "I'm here now, you don’t have to be afraid anymore." Rainbow blinked as a memory surged through her mind.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
25 Years Ago. "No Mares Land" Campaign. Discordian War.
It was dark, too dark to be normal. Everypony was hunkered down in their foxholes as the first signs of a sand storm on the battlefield. Fluttershy was shaking hard with fear and couldn’t control it. Rarity was sleeping against the dirt wall of the hole with her musket close to her chest. Fluttershy was awake alone as she looked around her. She gulped looking at the giant pink gray cloud of sand coming towards them.
Just as she was trained for situations like this from the Captain earlier that week she found the tarp that was folded and started untying the rope with shaking fingers. Then she started to cry in panic, she couldn’t untie the knot.
"Oh no!" She whimpered watching the clouds getting closer. Suddenly she heard a thud behind her and screamed waking Rarity.
"Wha-ha-huh?!" Rarity exclaimed pointing her musket at the darker figure in the foxhole. Suddenly a light from a light source was shown scaring the mares revealing the new figure. Rarity recognized the figure and growled.
"Rainbow Dash?!" Rarity yelled out. "You about gave me a heart attack!"
Rainbow Dash didn’t give Rarity’s complaint any mind as she pointed her thumb behind her. "Applejack says we should switch." Rainbow yelled over the wind.
"Why?" Rarity asked. Rainbow gave her a look. "Fine!" Rarity yelled back as she climbed out of the foxhole and started crawling on her belly to Applejack's foxhole twenty yards away. Rainbow watched her disappear into the hole. Rainbow smiled looking down at Fluttershy to see her crying.
"Hey what's wrong?" She called. Fluttershy was shaking hard pointing at the tarp. Rainbow gasped then looked up to notice the sand cloud getting closer.
"Damn it!" She cursed as she reached for her pocket knife to cut the string. "Help me before we get covered in poison!" Fluttershy feebly followed through a little too slow considering she was shaking like a leaf. Rainbow found the stakes with the tarp and started hammering them with the butt of her knife into the ground. Testing the strength before hammering the next one. Fluttershy held down one peg as Rainbow ran to her hammering it down then the last one, just as the sand pelted her from a distance.
"Get down and stay holed up!" Rainbow ordered sliding down into the foxhole laying on her back. She gulped watching the tarp wave around making flapping sounds like a flag. Rainbow tensed, so did Fluttershy as they waited for the worst. When the sand storm blew over the camp it'll either take the tarp with it or it will stay in place.
After five minutes of agonizing silence the winds picked up and the sound of sand hitting the tarp came. Rainbow bit her lip watching the tarp closely and sure enough the tarp held. Rainbow let out a sigh of relief. Fluttershy was still shaking on the opposite side of the tiny space. Rainbow turned to her with worry.
"Fluttershy, you alright?"
Fluttershy didn't answer.
"Shy?"
Rainbow grabbed Fluttershy's arm to see her staring wide eye at her. Rainbow gulped. "Great just great." The only time when Rarity should be here and Rainbow kicked her out because Applejack needed her. Rainbow was now stuck in this hole for who knows how long with a Pegasus having a panic attack.
Rainbow groaned laying down next to her. "Relax Shy, we’re fine now." Fluttershy shook her head crying. "Come on, it's alright. I promise you nothing's going to happen while I'm around." Rainbow said with confidence.
Fluttershy swallowed with a sniff, turning to Rainbow blushing. "Really?" She squeaked. Rainbow nodded with a grin.
"Yeah seriously." Fluttershy thought for a moment before sitting up a touch feeling the bulge of the tarp with sand touch the top of her head.
"Can I hug you?" Fluttershy squeaked again. Rainbow stared at her with a frown.
"What?" Rainbow asked bewildered.
Fluttershy eeped and covered her face with her hands. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I was just scared and-"
Rainbow rolled her eyes shaking her head. Of all the things Fluttershy has done the last year Rainbow knew her for hugging ponies was one of those things she does. Rainbow tolerated it only because it made Fluttershy smile. But the idea of actually holding her... Rainbow blushed suddenly at the strange thoughts popping in her mind. She sighed thinking. If this will help Fluttershy calm down and make this whole thing a little more bearable then what’s the harm?
"Alright,"
"What?" Fluttershy asked looking up from her apologizing rant.
"Alright, come here." Rainbow said with an annoyed tone. Fluttershy immediately crawled over and wrap her arms around Rainbow Dash shaking. Rainbow blinked feeling her shake then slowly and awkwardly wrapped her arms around the shaking mare.
As Fluttershy continued to shake Rainbow had to think of some way to calm her down. She remembered seeing Rarity stroking Twilight's head when she was scared or sad. She wondered if this would work on Fluttershy. Rainbow slowly lifted up her hand and started to stoke Fluttershy’s mane and back. Fluttershy slowly started to calm down a touch.
Thunder rolled in the air causing the two mares to jump. Fluttershy went back to shaking and Rainbow groaned annoyingly. Starting to ache she slowly began to slide to the floor, Fluttershy moved with her and practically laying on top of her. It felt awkward for Rainbow at first but after a while Fluttershy started to calm down again and slowly she started to get sleepy. Rainbow didn't stop stroking her head and back. It felt right and comforting for both Fluttershy and herself.
"Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy whispered. Rainbow opened her eyes looking at her. She noticed how Fluttershy was staring at her a little fearful as she bit her bottom lip.
"Yeah?" Rainbow asked. Fluttershy gulped pulling her hands from under Rainbow's back and placed then crossed in front of her on top of Rainbow's chest.
"Um... Do you like me?" Fluttershy whimpered. Rainbow blinked at such an odd question.
"Uhh..." Rainbow was at a blank. What should she say? "Well... yeah I guess... you're one of my fellow soldiers and uh," Rainbow blushed not knowing what else to say.
"Oh... Not even as a friend?" Fluttershy squeaked turning away.
Rainbow gulped starting to get scared. "Well I uh... I mean sure you’re my friend I just...I guess I do like you." Fluttershy gasped looking down at her in shock. Rainbow blinked closing her mouth with fear in her eyes.
Did she really say that?
“Rainbow?”
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
“Rainbow?” Fluttershy’s voice broke Rainbow's memory train as she turned to her. "You're shaking," She said with worry. Rainbow gulped turning fully around. Fluttershy didn't even remove her arms from around her. Fluttershy blinked seeing how close they were to each other.
Rainbow swallowed hard with a sniff as she stroked Fluttershy's face. "I love you ‘Shy,” She whispered. Fluttershy nodded slowly watching her.
"I know," She whispered back. Rainbow sniffed nodding in return. The two sat like that for a while. Rainbow gulped clenching her hands into fists wanting to make a move right now while the timing was good. Fluttershy was trying to figure out what to do or what to say without crying. Her mental dam was cracking and she couldn’t hold it back.
Suddenly out of nowhere she felt Rainbow grab her face then felt her lips on hers. Fluttershy was in shock but slowly she relented hugging Rainbow close kissing her back. The two were deep in their lip lock when Rainbow was surprised to feel Fluttershy's tongue enter her mouth and she too joined in. Fluttershy fell on her back with Rainbow on top of her as the two continue to kiss.
After a few seconds the two patted panting hard. Rainbow and Fluttershy looked at each other through their eyes. Fluttershy’s eyes were glassy from the tears forming.
"I love you Fluttershy. And nothing will change that fact." Rainbow said earnestly. Fluttershy smiled, tears leaking from her eyes as she stroked Rainbow's face. To Rainbow seeing her smile like that, was the best sign she got since she seen her.
"I know you do but..." Fluttershy paused for a second, she started to frown, turning away. Rainbow blinked feeling her stomach sink seeing that look.
"But?" She whispered fearfully. Fluttershy sighed shaking her head.
"I'm still... I still don't know." Fluttershy's voice cracked as she shook her head crying silently. "So much has happened. I told myself to never love anypony again if it would lead to being hurt like that.” Rainbow turned away her ear went flat on her head. “I gave you my heart and my soul, Rainbow Dash. Do you know what that feels like when it's taken away from you like that?" Fluttershy sobbed.
Rainbow watched her cry under her. "Not like how you describe it but... Losing my parents I think was very far from what you felt." She said stroking her cheeks wiping away the tears.
Fluttershy sniffled looking up at her. "Can we wait..." She begged.
"Wait?" Rainbow asked. Fluttershy pushed Rainbow back farther as she slowly sat up.
Fluttershy sighed wiping her eyes. "I'm just confused around you, Rainbow. I need to collect myself and think before I give you my answer." Rainbow nodded slowly.
"I hate waiting but... for you I will." Rainbow said taking Fluttershy's hand and kissed the back of it. Fluttershy smiled sadly at her taking her hand back as she stood up recollecting herself by wiping her sleeves over her face. Rainbow stayed sitting on her haunches feeing crushed yet hopeful at once as Fluttershy walked past her to the doorway.
"Rainbow?" Rainbow turned to her. Fluttershy sighed softly with a sniff. "I think you should go and get ready."
"Ready?" Rainbow asked dumbly.
Fluttershy nodded. "Applejack said you need to get ready to leave or make your next step with the princess."
Rainbow nodded feeling her ears droop again. "Yeah... I need to get to work." Rainbow slowly stood up ruffling her wings. Fluttershy nodded turning away.
"Take Vinyl with you, the sooner she gets her strength the sooner the princess wants to leave. Good bye, Rainbow." Fluttershy turned and walked away. Rainbow squeezed her eyes shut turning away from the doorway, clenching her fists tight, trying hard not to break down.
Fluttershy on the other hoof was in her little alcove away from everypony and started to cry. She covered her mouth to hide her sobs as she slowly slid to the ground. She can’t get over the fact the kiss they shared was so much more than what she hoped to have again. She yearned for more but she knew she couldn’t. She’s too scared of getting hurt again, too scared of losing Rainbow Dash again, too scared of everything she built so far to come crumbling down. She didn’t know what to do.
Fluttershy heard movement and looked up to see Zecora watching her with sadness in her eyes. "Master, I don’t know what to do anymore." Fluttershy whispered crying. Zecora didn’t say a word. She kneelt down and hugged her student and adopted daughter tight as she cried on her shoulder.
Love can be a messy affair. Even worse when two ponies love each other so much that it is hard for them to repair.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Two weeks had passed since Octavia saved Rainbow from the dark magic created by Trixie. Since then Octavia had been working hard gaining her strength and stamina like a real soldier. Applejack was a great teacher and not afraid to show her mistakes no matter how little they were.
Over time Octavia would turn and see Rainbow giving private lessons to Vinyl to regain her lost stamina and strength from being sick. By doing pushups and lifting heavy rocks, even stacks of bamboo. Octavia would often times watch Vinyl and start to smile. Rainbow too was getting stronger by teaching Vinyl using her old training techniques from the Wonderbolts. So far it seemed to be working but Vinyl passed out once or twice from heat exhaustion and had to stop.
The heat was getting to everypony as they trained. Even the Crusaders were training too. By throwing bags at one another passing the bags like tribal medicine balls. Sweetie Bell would sometimes fall on her back from the weight after catching the bag. Apple Bloom would grunt when she caught hers, stumbling back but catching herself before falling like Sweetie Belle. Scootaloo would catch the bag and sometimes it would cause her to fall forward in the dirt.
Everypony was training to prepare themselves for a possible future fight. Derpy would sometimes be taught by Raindrops how to fight in the air since Derpy wasn't a soldier or went to flight camp as a filly like most pegasi. Raindrops would show her how to hold a knife, a sword, a musket, even a pistol and how to fire the guns in the air. Derpy might have an eye problem but her flying was superb to the excitement of Raindrops.
Spike even joined tossing the medicine sacks with the fillies, catching them with a grunt then throwing it back. He even did some sit ups and pushups, running some laps with Scootaloo.
Twilight was up training too and helping Luna get some strength exercises and helping to regain some of her magic. Somehow spurts of magic return to Luna though she claims she hardly feels her magical flow. Something about it being blocked for so long that she can’t really call forth her magic. Twilight made it her mission to try and help Luna reconnect to her magic to regain control. During training, Twilight would help Luna regain her abilities, though nothing would come up or sometimes a huge power spurt would come out of nowhere. Which was a shock when Luna accidentally shot a boulder into the air and every pony ran for their lives into the forest to hide from the falling boulder.
"Oops." The elder princess would say in embarrassment with a nervous chuckle. Rainbow made a comment that she would be killed by Tom sooner than she thought. Octavia didn't get the joke, while Applejack and Twilight were giggling.
During one of their lunch breaks the Crusaders with Spike and Derpy started to play chase claiming they could still train but have more fun at it. Rainbow and Applejack sat with Twilight talking to her about future plans of action. Luna was sitting with Raindrops watching their friends play tag. Derpy flew in the air as Apple Bloom fell on the ground missing her.
"Hey! That's cheatin'!" Apple Bloom called out pointing at Derpy as she laughed sticking her tongue out until Spike leapt up grabbing Derpy’s tail and tagged her side.
"Ha! You're it! Derpy's it!" He called out as they scattered and Derpy picked a target and pursued. Raindrops started cheering as Derpy dove for Sweetie Belle to miss her.
"That's right! Use the thrusts Derps! Use the thrusts to get faster!"
Luna cheered as Derpy caught Sweetie Belle in a dive knocking her over. Sweetie Belle grumbled as Derpy taped her head.
"Tag you're it!"
Octavia walked over to where Vinyl was sitting in the shade of a tree with Fluttershy patting her face with a cool rag. She looked up seeing Octavia walk up. Fluttershy smiled patting Vinyl's shoulder and stood up leaving them alone to check on Luna.
Vinyl opened her eyes seeing Octavia sit down beside her.
"Hello," Octavia greeted sitting beside her. Vinyl scooted over to give Octavia room to lean against the trunk beside her.
"Hey," Vinyl said yawning a touch from relaxing too long. Octavia smiled getting comfortable crossing her legs.
"How are you feeling?" Octavia asked. Hesitantly she reached her hand and placed it on Vinyl's hiked up knee. Vinyl looked at her hand then at her.
"Exhausted." Vinyl said exaggeratingly causing Octavia to giggle. "No, really, I'm doing fine." She said smiling. Octavia nodded.
"That's good. I was worried about you for a bit while Rainbow was training you. She can be a little head strong sometimes." Vinyl chuckled.
"Nah, I'm glad I know a pony that is helping me. Back then..." Vinyl paused frowning leaning against the tree watching Scootaloo tackling Apple Bloom to the ground poking her on the head.
"You're it!"
"Hey!" Apple Bloom called out chasing a laughing Scootaloo.
"No tag backs!" Scootaloo called out pushing Derpy aside causing the wall eyed pegasus to fall on the ground before being poked in the back by Apple Bloom. Octavia blinked noticing Vinyl watching the game. She moved her hand down to take Vinyl's hand interlocking her fingers with hers. Vinyl blinked blushing, looking at her hand then up at Octavia's face. Her frown and eyes were filled with concern.
"Did this have something to do with... you're past and that mark on your back?" Octavia asked gently. Vinyl thought for a moment then turned away. Octavia sighed leaning against her smiling up at her. "You don't have to tell me everything... but your life is a mystery Vinyl. I want to help you but you don’t tell me anything. What happened with your lungs and the disease you had that affected you..." Octavia paused and sighed.
Vinyl sighed too rubbing her face with her other hand. "It happened... It happened and..." Vinyl closed her eyes feeling tears. "My... mother died from the same thing that got me. They healed me but left my mom to die." Vinyl said harshly. Octavia nodded slowly.
"Daring and Twilight told me about what happened." Vinyl blinked staring at her.
"What do you mean?"
Octavia blinked. "Oh uh not what happened to you or your mother but... Twilight and Daring were in Manehattan when the plague hit. They tried to help the ponies, especially the children." Vinyl looked at her with surprise.
"And?"
Octavia shook her head. "They tried... the same thing you had with your blood and your lungs... they gave them medicine, food, anything to help them, even Twilight gave them sleeping spells so their passing would be easier and not as painful."
Vinyl nodded paying close attention to Octavia's face and her words. Octavia sighed. "The royal guard," She spat shaking her head. "Noticed what they were doing and ordered for them to leave or be arrested."
"Why?" Vinyl asked in shock and anger. Octavia shown anger herself.
"They said that they had no reason in helping the helpless. That was the royal's job."
Vinyl growled. "Royal business my ass." Octavia nodded.
"I agree... I just couldn't believe my father never knew of this. I mean I'm sure he did know of the disease because I had it." Vinyl blinked staring at her in shock.
"You had that disease? How did-"
"My father ordered for the best doctor he knew and she helped me get better." Octavia shuddered. "It was not a pleasant experience. But I lived and my father was then determined to give others help. He ordered for every physician to go and help the helpless. But I doubt he even knew of the one that helped you." Octavia whispered stroking Vinyl's cheek. Vinyl stiffened at the touch turning to her.
"Do you remember the one that helped you?" Octavia asked in a cold tone. Vinyl blinked thinking.
"Why?"
"Because when I get to Canterlot I'm going to find that doctor and have him arrested for crimes against ponykind." Vinyl blinked seeing how truly serious she was.
"You will do that?" She asked surprised.
"I will, this doctor killed hundreds of our future generation, even if they were hybrids they were our future to change this galaxy." Vinyl smiled a touch squeezing Octavia’s hand.
"You don’t have to do it just because some bastard did this-" Octavia placed her finger over Vinyl's lips to silence her. She had a stormy glare.
"No, nopony royal or otherwise will get away with this brutal crime against pony kind. I will find him and end his reputation or..." Octavia paused catching herself before saying the other word she wanted to use. Vinyl smiled pushing down her finger smiling.
"Thanks, Tavi. Really," Vinyl paused thinking about what to do. She turned and noticed for the first time at that moment Octavia was pressed against her side. Vinyl gulped looking quickly around to notice that nopony was watching them. The Elements were in deep discussion. Raindrops was talking to Luna about Derpy's flying. Luna looked interested as she tried to teach her some tricks by drawing in the dirt. The kids were still playing tag but now made it into tackle tag. Vinyl turned to Octavia again making a hesitant smile biting her lip. Octavia noticed Vinyl’s look.
"Vinyl? Is something wrong?" She asked curiously.
Vinyl cleared her throat turning herself to face her. She swallowed, using her other hand to stoke Octavia’s hair behind her ear. Octavia blinked then made a bashful smile looking down. Vinyl stroked her temple then down her cheek to her jaw. Vinyl gulped tracing Octavia’s jaw to her chin before caressing her cheek.
"Princess," She whispered uncertainly. Octavia opened her eyes watching Vinyl looking scared and worried.
"Yes?" She answered gently.
"I... I want to tell you something I've been wanting to tell you for a while. And since I was almost dead and all and..." Vinyl swallowed the lump that’s created in her throat, her face turning pink from fear and worry. Octavia placed her hand over Vinyl's cheek with a small smile with a little worry in her own eyes.
"And?"
Vinyl then remember the Prince's words before waking up. She took in a deep breath then lunged forward pressing her lips against Octavia's lips. Octavia made a sound of surprise from the back of her throat leaning back. Vinyl pulled back with a heavy blush on her face and now in complete panic mode.
"What did I just do?" Vinyl squeaked covering her mouth with both her hands. Octavia was more so shock looking at Vinyl in surprise. Vinyl gulped and only knew one thing to do to control these feelings of fear.
"I've got to go," Vinyl said getting up and started running. Octavia blinked out of her stupor and gasped watching Vinyl running off.
"Vinyl? Wait a second!" She called out surprising everypony that heard her as Vinyl ran off. Rainbow and Applejack looked at one another in surprise.
"Huh?" Scootaloo uttered, stopping in her running, seeing Vinyl running to the village. "Vinyl? GAH!" Scootaloo was tackled hard in the dirt by Sweetie Belle.
"Ha! You're... Hey, where is Vinyl going?" Sweetie asked sitting up on top of Scootaloo’s back much to the embarrassment of the pegasus. Apple Bloom stopped to turn even Derpy and Spike both watched with surprise. Raindrops and Luna looked to Octavia as she stood up trotting out into the light.
Twilight stood up but Rainbow beat her to it, running over to the princess. Fluttershy grabbed Twilight's shirt tail and pulled her down shaking her head turning to watch Rainbow work her magic.
Rainbow stepped up to her. "Hey, you alright?" Rainbow asked with concern of a true parent. Octavia blinked a few times licking her lips then up at Rainbow.
"Vinyl... Kissed me." She whispered in shock yet she was uplifted. Rainbow blinked and turned to where Vinyl ran off to.
"Really?" Rainbow asked curious. She looked back at Octavia to see her still in shock. Rainbow smirked knowing the true answer, she also had that feeling when she kissed Fluttershy for the first time when she was younger. She turned to Fluttershy to see her looking at her with worry standing up. Rainbow quickly shook her head to tell her that things were fine. Fluttershy blinked and slowly sat back down shrugging at her friends.
Rainbow smiled wrapping her arm around Octavia. "It's weird getting your first kiss... unless you were kissing the servant boys." Rainbow jabbed getting Octavia to blush. She pushed Rainbow hard glaring at her.
"I did no such thing!"
Rainbow laughed. "I know, I watched you and made sure no pony got near you."
Octavia glared at her playfully this time. She sighed crossing her arms across her chest in thought. Rainbow noticed her expression. "Do you want to talk about it?" Rainbow asked carefully. Octavia blinked then turned to Rainbow thinking. After a while of thinking she smiled up at her.
"Can we?" She asked. Rainbow smiled, wrapping her arm around her. Octavia wrapped her arms around Rainbow hugging her back. Rainbow placed her chin on Octavia’s head seeing the others watching them. Rainbow blushed being seen like this, but she winked telling them everything was fine.
"Sure kiddo, we can talk."
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Vinyl kept running trying to get rid of this feeling of flight. How will Octavia think of her now? She’s probably freaking out on the fact that a mare just kissed her! Too busy with her frantic thoughts, Vinyl crashed into somepony.
"Oww," Vinyl whined rubbing her face. She gasped looking at who she crashed into. "Blossomforth! I am so sorry about that." Vinyl said earnestly grabbing Blossomforth's hand to help her sit up. Blossom groaned rubbing her head.
"Captain Scratch," She started with a groan. "What brings you running here?"
Vinyl blushed helping her stand up. "Uh just stuff..." Vinyl answered turning to see Daring walking over, chuckling. "Oh uh, hey Professor."
"Hello Vinyl. Well, well, well look at you, two weeks out of bed and now you're running as if a manticore is after you." Daring frowned suddenly looking at the young captain with fear. "You're being chased aren't you?"
"No," Vinyl quickly blurted out shaking her head. "No, no, nothing like that."
The pegasi both let out sighs of relief. Even though zebra wards kept the wild animals at bay from the village, the crew still saw signs of wild animals in the forest. Sometimes they even were able to run through the wards. The zebras were able to fight them off or kill them before the creatures did any damage. Applejack did warn that the wildlife can be unpredictable, even with zebra wards up keeping them from entering.
"What a relief I thought something was wrong." Daring said smiling with relief. Vinyl blushed scratching her head. Daring looked at her for a moment. "Something is wrong isn't there?" She asked with a frown. Vinyl blushed even more messing with her hands. Daring could tell something was up with Vinyl and wanted to help her with it. She turned to Blossom to see her give her a look that matched her own.
"Um Daring I think I'll see you later. Thanks for the history lesson. That answered many questions." Daring smiled patting Blossom on the back.
"I hope everything works out between you two. If you want to talk let me know." Blossom nodded smiling then started for the clearing smiling at Vinyl as she passed. Vinyl gulped looking at Daring. Daring crossed her arms across her chest quirking her eyebrow. Strangely Vinyl can see her own mother in Daring's posture.
"I..." Vinyl began lamely. Daring could see the blush and sighed, shaking her head.
"You did it didn't you." She said quirking her brow. Vinyl bowed her head blushing. Daring sighed again rubbing her forehead with her fingers. She knew Vinyl wanted to make a move on Octavia but seeing Vinyl act like this made her start to worry.
"What did you do?" Daring asked. Vinyl looked around her to see how close from clearing they were, which made her nervous.
"Can we not talk so close to others?" She asked her ears folded flat on her head as she twiddled her fingers. Daring thought for a moment then nodded.
"Alright, come on. We'll go to the village to talk." Vinyl nodded feebly, following the elder professor to the small village. Once they reached the village, Vinyl could see the zebras already getting to work on demolishing the destroyed huts and started looking for anything salvageable. Some zebras as now starting to rebuild newer and stronger huts. Daring found a log to sit at and patted it to have her sit by her. Vinyl nodded sitting down with a sigh and a deep blush.
"Alright, what happened?" Daring asked. Vinyl swallowed hard thinking.
"I... Since we last talked about this Professor, I tried and see if I can, you know, get a little closer to her and maybe I went too fast or something but that time failed."
Daring nodded thinking.
"Then earlier... She was so close to me and I got excited and..." Vinyl groaned covering her face with her hands. Daring placed her hand on Vinyl's shoulder giving it a squeeze. Vinyl removed her hands to stare at a trail of ants walking past her boots. "When I was teetering between life and death I went somewhere. While I was there it made me realize that I could be dead at that moment and I would never tell her how much I cared about her or how she stole my heart." Vinyl turned to Daring. "Like you said before. She grabbed my heart when I was closed off against having a relationship with somepony mare or stallion. She was the only one that gave me that feeling and I didn’t want lose it."
Daring smiled slightly nodding. "So?"
"So... She held my hand and I thought maybe that it was my only chance and so I took it. First I told her I wanted to tell her something important then... I kissed her." Vinyl groaned covering her face again. Daring blink for a moment thinking.
"How did it feel?" Daring asked. Vinyl sighed.
"Strange... It felt weird to just flat out kiss her on her lips. Later, I guess I felt fear."
"Fear?" Daring asked in surprise. "No love or excitement?"
Vinyl shook her head now getting scared. "No, I was afraid."
Daring could tell Vinyl was changing before her. She was starting to sound smaller like a filly afraid of being in trouble. Daring wondered back on Vinyl's past as a slave.
"Why afraid?"
"I don't know. I'm scared of how she would react and I just don't know."
Daring nodded patting Vinyl on the shoulder. "It's alright to be scared at first Vinyl. This is the first time you ever felt this way and being in love is a scary thing." Vinyl sniffed, scratching her nose thinking as Daring continued. "It can be the most beautiful experience in your life or it can get messy and dramatic. Love is weird sometimes, Vinyl and only us ponies can make it worse than it already is."
Vinyl nodded thinking. "I guess... I just didn't want-"
"And I completely understand that Vinyl, truly I do." Daring said interrupting her, wrapping her arm around her pulling her in a side hug. "You went through horrible things, everypony can feel that and they've seen it." Vinyl stiffened at that. Daring nodded. "I saw it, Octavia did, even Apple Bloom, Fluttershy, and Zecora. We all saw the mark on your back. You were a sex slave weren't you?" Daring asked softly. Vinyl leaned into Daring's embrace and nodded slowly.
"Not the way you think." She whispered. "I was a piece of a game. Running for my life and get fucked by the drugged stallions. Sometimes I'm a special reward for a motherfucking soldier. Very rare though." She added softly closing her eyes. Daring nodded rubbing her back, doing what she can for the young captain.
"I can see why you are afraid."
"Is love all about the pain? When I see love, I see screaming for mercy and getting sliced in the throat for not doing what they wanted you to do. I just feebly did what I was told and I survived because of it."
Daring nodded again. "I've seen what barbarism our pony brethren call entertainment and how the Queen and her royal circle can see this as the best way to treat our selves. Everypony gets hurt."
Vinyl thought for a moment then sighed. "I just don't know what to do Professor." She whispered feeling tears in her eyes. "I want to love her but I just don't know how. I'm afraid to show her what I once was." Daring smiled.
"You are a strong mare understand me?" Daring said using her finger to lift up Vinyl's chin so she can look her in the eye. "You are a spacer, one of the bravest and trustworthy spacers in the galaxy. You protect and nurture all that is around you. You care and love us too. I don't think the old Vinyl is here." Daring said smiling. "I believe the new Vinyl had taken over that side when she first went in space." Vinyl blushed looking away. Daring smiled at that. "See? You can love her Vinyl just… Tell Octavia the truth."
Vinyl blinked looking at her with fear. "No way!" She said standing up crossing her arms across her chest. "Like you said, the old Vinyl is gone. I'm here and I want to keep that behind me."
Daring watched her for a moment before asking, "What is it you're afraid Octavia will see?"
Vinyl sniffed looking down. "That I'm used garbage for one. Who would want a pony who was raped and beaten for most of their lives? Nopony!" Vinyl sighed rubbing her face. "And two... I don't want her to think that I'm… weak."
"Weak?" Daring sputtered chuckling. "Vinyl Scratch you are anything but weak." She said standing up walking over to the captain to look at her. "Vinyl, she won't judge you like that. The only thing she thinks about is how to help you and try to figure you out." Daring chuckled. "And believe me, it took me so long to read you. Twilight is still trying to fit pieces together that I solved long ago on your ship. I believe that Octavia finds your past fascinating."
"Fascinating?" Vinyl asked glaring at her.
"Not like that." Daring quickly said before continuing. "I mean you're one of the reasons why the princess wants to fight against all who oppose her and want her dead Vinyl. You are living proof of that. I doubt there are many ponies like you that escape captivity like you did. You are living proof that ponies are being treated like you were every single day of their lives with no concern for themselves or for their children. And Octavia wants to understand your story so she can further use her abilities as a royal to bring back peace and harmony to the galaxy."
Vinyl looked at her to see Daring smiling at her. Vinyl sniffed wiping her nose and eyes. "You mean... she won't see me as a monster or used garbage?" Daring smiled shaking her head.
"I doubt that. But even if she does then just take it slow. I'm sure you two..." Daring sighed thinking before turning back to Vinyl. "I think you two might make something out of this." Vinyl blinked looking at her.
"You mean... But you said that I shouldn't even make the point to even fall in love with her."
Daring smiled. "Let’s just say many things have transpired since you were ill and it made me think that maybe I was too selfish and thinking like a Canterlot pony. What I learned on this journey is that don't take nothing for granted but take the chances to reach your goal."
Vinyl smiled up at her with new hope. Daring frowned suddenly, causing Vinyl to frown. "But one thing hasn't change about what I said though. When this is all over Vinyl, Octavia still has to marry a duke or a prince and you'll have to leave her behind in the end."
Vinyl nodded slowly. "Right, stupid politics."
Daring nodded smiling a touch. "I'm sorry Vinyl. If things were possibly different then perhaps you two would be sailing in space together forever." Vinyl smiled at the idea.
"Yeah... get a newer and better ship, not a merchantman and take her out and trade and make a perfect living..." Vinyl paused frowning a touch, deflated. Daring smiled.
"I'm sure the queen would, if things don't go downhill first, she might reward you with just that."
Vinyl nodded. "Thank you, Daring. I really needed somepony to talk to."
Daring smiled. "Every mare and stallion needs help. I'm happy I could lend you support."
Vinyl smiled feeling better about telling Daring her worries. But the fear still remained. Suddenly a huge shadow went over them, blocking the sun. Vinyl gasped looking up even Daring. Many zebras stopped what they were doing to look up. Many were screaming with terror seeing the three giant ships hovering nearby. Zebra adults grabbed the children running for cover while others were running for their weapons for an upcoming fight.
Vinyl and Daring ran out of the bushes to get a better look at the ships. Vinyl recognized the ships right away. The largest ship was a ship of the line with two brigantines flanking the giant ship’s sides. Vinyl saw the art decal on the sail on the ship of the line, revealing the sigil of the royal guards.
"It’s the royal guards!" She screamed out pointing up as pegasi fliers were flying out of the ships to the village. Daring swore colorfully, surprising the young captain seeing giant birds and reptiles flying up towards the ships attacking the pegasi. Several zebras were cheering and yelling as the creatures of the wild forest of Everfree began to fight the advancing troops. Giant magical shields covered the ships as Pegasi were trying to return to the ships only to be blocked off.
“I don’t wish for that death on anypony.” Daring whispered watching with horror as the flying creatures of Everfree took care of the lingering pegasi as lifeboats were being deployed with magical shields as they flew to the forest outside the village. Daring grabbed Vinyl’s sleeve seeing the captain turn to her.
"Hurry, get the princess and the others. We have to move now before the guards get here!" Vinyl nodded as she started running to the clearing as Daring makes the mad dash to the village. She has to get everything packed up so they all can make a clean getaway.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Rainbow and Octavia found a quiet little area away from the others so they could talk in private. Octavia and Rainbow Dash sat down on the soft ground, Rainbow leaning against the tree as Octavia sat in front of her with legs crossed under her. She looked at the ground, plucking some grass and started breaking the pieces apart. Rainbow sighed thinking.
"What's up?" She asked getting comfortable by crossing her arms across her chest. Octavia sighed, shivering suddenly.
"It's so strange." Octavia said rubbing her arm. Rainbow smirked a touch. "Is this what love really feels like?"
Rainbow chuckled. "Oh it gets worse, trust me." Octavia had a look of fear on her face as Rainbow softened her smirk and sighed. "No, it gets better. If it's with someone that cares equally to you."
Octavia blinked thinking. "Did you ever..."
"Love somepony?"
"Yes?"
Rainbow sighed smiling a touch but it was a bitter smile. "Well... when I was about maybe your age or maybe older, I was transferred to be with my friends creating Squad Harmony. It was just us six and maybe a few other soldiers here or there. But over time I noticed to have strange feelings with one of my friends." Rainbow said truthfully seeing Octavia’s surprise.
"Really?"
Rainbow nodded smiling, closing her eyes. "Yeah, I remember when I first saw her. She was fresh out of the academy because she was too old to be staying in training any longer. She was a failure at everything except for healing. She was always right there when you get hurt and... my feelings got better around her. Then one horrible campaign in the space which we dubbed as No Mares Land, I switched places with Rarity to be with her and only found out I was stuck with her during the sandstorms. She was scared so bad that I had to hold her to calm her down.
"Man, it was stressful. Then she asked me a question and well things went downhill." Rainbow chuckled shaking her head.
"What do you mean?" Octavia asked. Rainbow shrugged.
"Well I had a crush on her for a while and then she asked me if I liked her. I answered that I did and well... I stumbled and practically told her that I really liked her a lot." Rainbow said smiling sadly at the memory. “Then for my hard core-self fell apart and we, well..." Rainbow blushed smiling a touch. Octavia gasped getting the full picture.
"You two… kissed and,"
Rainbow snickered. "Yep only a touch." Rainbow sighed. "She wasn't ready for the um big stuff, so we stopped and promised not to go that far until we get out of the war zone. We didn't want to end up like Twilight." Octavia blinked.
"What happened to Twilight?"
Rainbow gasped covering her mouth turning to her thinking. Then she lowered her hand and sighed. She went ahead and told Octavia about what happened to Twilight and her boyfriend in the war. Octavia was in shock. Rainbow nodded seeing her reaction.
"Yeah, so that was the reason we didn't want to get so close that if something did happen in war then one of us would have been a mess." Rainbow paused thinking. "And I guess it did end up like that. We might have went from one hell into another and I was the demon and Fluttershy was the hurt angel."
Octavia blinked staring at Rainbow. "Fluttershy? She's the one you loved?" Octavia asked. Rainbow smiled and nodded sadly.
"Yeah, she was."
Octavia nodded thinking. "So... aren't you two talking now?"
Rainbow nodded. "Yeah sometimes. It's just hard not to love her like I used to. She's hurt and she's scared that I will hurt her again. She promised herself to never love again if it would end up like a second us." Rainbow said sadly. She looked at Octavia for a moment. Octavia was in deep through thinking. "Something wrong?"
Octavia blinked looking up at her. "No. Just thinking.” She sighed. Rainbow nodded.
"Enough about my past, let’s get back to talking. So the rogue captain kissed you."
"She's no rogue." Octavia said primly getting a laugh from Rainbow. Octavia blushed at that. "Alright she might have been rude and annoying sometimes, but she did it for a reason."
Rainbow nodded looking at her. "Alright, I'm going to say it now than beating around the bush." Octavia blushed looking at her. Rainbow leaned forward. "Do you like this mare?" Octavia thought for a moment then sighed.
"I... I don't know." She whispered truthfully. "I mean I admire her and she's brave, she's always there to watch my back... and her eyes." She whispered smiling. "I guess that was when I started thinking..." She blushed remembering Vinyl's words as she pressed Octavia to the wall on that last moment before hell broke loose.
"Well you're eyes are rare where I'm from."
Octavia blinked. "My eyes."
"What?" Rainbow asked. Octavia blinked turning to Rainbow.
"She said something about how my eyes are rare in Manehattan."
Rainbow bit her lip thinking. "And you like her eyes?" Rainbow asked. Octavia blushed and nodded smiling a touch.
"They're pretty and... her eyes show me that she's not a horrible mare. She's sweet, intelligent, fun... beautiful." Rainbow smiled watching Octavia groan and falling on her back in the dirt. “I just don't know! I want to say yes I like her but..." Rainbow nodded patting her leg.
"I see, she's a poor spacer and you're a rich princess."
"Exactly!" Octavia exclaimed, sitting up, and pointing at her. "That's why I just can't seem to get the right answer. My heart says yes but my mind tells me no, it can't be. Even if … Alright what if we were in a relationship and when I return to Canterlot, Vinyl will get hurt or killed because she's a hybrid like me. She will have to leave and we will never see each other again. I can't give her that pain. She's already been through enough and I don't want to hurt her."
Rainbow nodded. "I understand Octavia. That is the hard thing about love in these situations. You want each other but you both know it’s just not possible unless you want to get hurt really bad."
Octavia nodded bowing her head. "What can I do, Rainbow?"
Rainbow sighed with shrug. "I don't really know Octavia. If I was your mother I would tell you to never talk about this again because you have to marry a stallion not another mare. I mean think of the scandal!" Rainbow yelled with an accent falling over. Octavia covered her mouth giggling. Rainbow smiled sitting back up.
"If I was your father, I might let you see her since she makes you happy. More happy than you were in Manehattan." Rainbow said flicking Octavia’s nose. Octavia pushed her finger away, smiling. "But as your friend and your guardian... If this old cranky grizzled mare can find love, I think you can too." Octavia looked her with hope in her eyes.
"But," Rainbow said holding up her finger. "It's only if this is what you want. Not Princess Octavia but you." Rainbow said poking her in the chest giving her a level stare. "It's your choice not mine, not Twilight’s, not Scootaloo's, it’s yours and yours alone." Octavia nodded understanding her words. "And another thing." Rainbow said a little softer. "You will get hurt if you pursue this, Octavia. I can shield you from bullets, knives, poison, and magic bolts. But I cannot protect you from heartbreak and the heartache. When you join Queen Celestia's ladies-in-waiting you'll have to drop Vinyl and never see her again in order to get high standings in court." Octavia frowned turning away. Rainbow placed her hand on her shoulder squeezing it.
"I can only protect you for so long Octavia. It's your choice. You might have your happiness with possibly your very special somepony standing somewhere nearby then get hurt. Or don't love her, get hurt, then have to love somepony else. Would you like to have that happiness while you still can or never have it?"
Octavia nodded. "I'll think about it."
Rainbow smiled. "I'm sorry, I can't be much help."
Octavia smiled hugging her surprising Rainbow. "No, you've helped more than you know."
Rainbow smiled hugging her back then kissed her on the head. "I care about you, Octavia and I only want what's best for you."
Octavia nodded. "I know."
Rainbow stiffened suddenly hearing something in the air, looking around. Octavia looked up feeling Rainbow’s arm tighten around her. "What is it?" She asked looking around. Rainbow glared up at the sky seeing giant shadows of animals flying fast over them towards the village.
"Something’s wrong." She said standing up helping Octavia on her feet.
Suddenly Vinyl jumped to them out of the bushes scaring the two mares. She was panting hard from the run looking panicked.
"Vinyl? What are-" Octavia started. Vinyl grabbed Rainbow and Octavia holding their arms.
"The royal guards! They're here!" She panted looking towards the village.
"Guards? Here?!" Rainbow exclaimed with shock. To answer her question there was a deep boom and an explosion behind them with the screeches and roars of animals being awakened by the boom. "Shit," Rainbow hissed turning towards the woods hearing the howling of Timber wolves. "We have to go now!" She urged, making a dash to the clearing. Vinyl nodded turning to Octavia and blushed as Octavia blushed as well. Vinyl shook her head grabbing Octavia's other arm.
"Get as much as you can carry and get ready to run. Twilight’s already using a teleportation spell to get the kids to the ship."
Octavia nodded. "Aye, Cap." She said saluting. Vinyl watched her for a moment then smiled before running off with Octavia on her heels.
Trixie Lulamoon leaped off one of the lifeboats looking around her to see seeing the giant ships above her. She watched as the creatures of the Everfree continued to try and claw their way through the shield as the soldiers shot their lasers at the creatures. Trixie looked ahead and smiled as her royal guards ran towards the village for the attack.
"Find the traitors! They’re here somewhere. And I want the targets dead!" Trixie ordered walking forward. One zebra hiding in the brush charged out of his cover holding a spear, making aim for Trixie. Trixie turned with a bored expression as the zebra screamed a battle cry. She smirked snapping her fingers. Suddenly a root sprouted out of the ground and grabbed the zebra's leg causing him to fall into the dirt. He reached for his spear. Trixie kicked the old object away. The zebra growled looking up at her. He snarled a few words in Zebrican. Trixie was unimpressed.
"Really? Is this all you can do?" She asked. She pulled out her pistol and pointed it at his face. The zebra screamed out as Trixie pulled the trigger, killing him. She sighed sticking her pistol in her belt. "Was there ever any doubt?" She purred as she walked forward into the village.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Vinyl ran through the forest foliage in a sprint hearing Rainbow and Octavia behind her following her. Vinyl dodged a tree and then yelped loudly before being tackled to the floor. She gasped looking up to see the wooden grin of a timber wolf on top of her.
“Vinyl!” Octavia cried seeing this. Rainbow turned looking around her until she found a tick branch laying on the floor. Rainbow grabbed the branch and ran over before the timber wolf made an attack and swung the branch upside the wolf's head knocking it several feet away. Vinyl panted rolling away watching the wolf stand back up, shaking his head, growling at the three mares. Octavia pulled Vinyl back up to her feet as Rainbow stood in front of them holding the branch like a club. The wolf crouched and prowled forward growling, his yellow eyes glowed brightly causing the three to back away. Suddenly there was a red laser beam that hit the wolf in the head disintegrated the head causing the enchantment wood to crumble to the ground.
“Who-?” Rainbow questioned before a familiar gray mare landed by them.
“Great shot Derps!” Vinyl called running ahead. Rainbow blinked staring at the cross-eyed Pegasus then to the dead wolf as Octavia smiled and ran after Vinyl. Derpy blushed scratching the back of her head. Rainbow smiled tossing the branch away.
“You've improved.” Rainbow said before running off. Derpy giggled with excitement before flying after the others.
Vinyl stopped seeing a large mound made of rock. Vinyl looked around her hearing the roars and cries of creatures with sounds of cannon fire. Seeing that nothing was going to jump her again she reached for a boulder and pushed it aside with difficulty.
“Here,” Octavia called out running over to help as the two mares pushed the boulder to the side to reveal a small opening into a cave. Vinyl turned out Octavia with a blush.
“Thanks.”
Octavia smiled in return turning to see Rainbow and Derpy running over. “Let’s move it before we get caught.” Rainbow urged looking around her. Vinyl nodded squeezing through the small opening then entered a large chamber with ledges leading down into the zebra underground. Vinyl leaped down on one ledge then another until she leaped one last time landing in a squat in the tunnels. She turned seeing Octavia land in a squat next to her while Rainbow and Derpy used their wings to float to the tunnel level. Rainbow landed on the ground and turned to the younger mares.
“I’m going to the medical caverns to see if any zebras need my help. I’ll meet you at the far east entrance.” Rainbow said quickly before running ahead to the medical caverns. Vinyl helped Octavia up as Derpy landed on the ground and started running ahead. Vinyl pushed Octavia forward then began running behind her.
Octavia and Vinyl reached the medical caverns as the zebras were helping the wounded deeper into the tunnels to hide from the invaders, and the healers were busy packing their supplies as fast as possible. Vinyl leaped over some zebras heading for her room to find it empty already. Then she groaned remembering that her things were still on the ship. She turned noticing Applejack carrying weapons.
“Need help?” Vinyl asked. Applejack stopped and nodded handing her a pistol.
“We need all the fire power we need. The animals are going nuts because of the ships.”
“Why do you think the animals are acting wild?” Vinyl asked as Applejack handed her several chargers to stuff in her pockets.
“Maybe it’s because of the power cores in the ships. Those giant ones hold a ton of energy and magical energy. From what I learned from Fluttershy, these animals are very sensitive to magical power, too much of it in one place and the animals want to attack it and get rid of it.”
Vinyl blinked bewildered by that. “So these animals don’t like too much magic?”
Applejack shrugged. “Perhaps Everfree has a calming power to it while those ships carry bad magic. You know like that bad energy versus good energy that sort of stuff.” Vinyl nodded. Suddenly there was a deep boom as the ground shook, pebbles fell from the ceiling from the explosion. Applejack swallowed hard.
“Come on. We've got to move before them Royals cause a cave in.” Vinyl nodded and followed Applejack through a tunnel passing Octavia as she ran to the tunnel with rooms. She ran for Luna's room and stopped to see Raindrops helping the elder princess up to her feet. Raindrops gasped seeing Octavia then sighed in relief realizing it was Octavia and not an enemy.
"We came in here not long ago when Scoots started screaming that the royal guards are here?" Raindrops said with worry seeing Octavia’s look.
"They’re here." Octavia said seeing Raindrops’ spooked expression. Luna was confused.
"And why should we be afraid?" She asked. Raindrops chuckled weakly.
"Uh about that," She started. Octavia ran a corner of the room to find Twilight's bags and opened one and sighed in relief to find the Crystal Heart still in the bag. Luna gasped in awe seeing the heart.
Octavia hugged the crystal heart before placing it back into the bag. She turned to Luna with worry. "I'm sorry we haven't talked in a while, but right now the royal guard wants me dead."
"For what?" Luna asked curiously. Octavia grabbed the satchel and putting it over her head letting it hang against her shoulder making sure everything was secured inside. She grabbed the second satchel and groaned with the weight as she heaved it over on the other shoulder.
"Here," A voice said causing Octavia to jump seeing Derpy running into the room taking the second satchel.
"Are you sure Derpy?" Octavia asked with concern. Derpy nodded.
"We got to go now, captain’s orders." she said hurriedly and started outside. Octavia sighed turning to Luna.
"Since I was born, Princess, the royalty wanted me dead."
"Why?" Luna asked.
"Because she's half Earth pony, half Unicorn." Raindrops answered with a groan holding up Luna.
"What’s wrong with that?" Luna asked. "Ponies interbreed all the time."
Octavia sighed trying to think fast. "I am a princess, yes, but in the last ten, twenty years it's against the law to be a hybrid, a mixed pony. And everypony in Canterlot, all the nobility of the galaxy, wants me dead because I was born a hybrid and I could change the laws against my kind." She said. Luna blinked looking away.
"My sister would never agree to such horrible acts against our fellow ponies and fellow subjects."
Octavia gave her a sad look and bowed her head. "I afraid things have changed while you were gone Luna. So much so that Queen Celestia is now looked at as a tyrant for her ruling of this galaxy now."
Luna was silent as she stared at the wall in shock or anger, it was hard for Octavia to tell. She sighed patting her arm. "But right now Luna, we have to run away from those that want to stop us."
'Stop us of what?" She asked in whisper.
"From changing the galaxy." Raindrops stated firmly with a smile. "We have four of the Elements of Harmony now, reunited."
Octavia winced at that. Raindrops blinked hearing the wince. "What? We do have four of them, right?" Octavia sighed shaking her head with a shrug.
"I don’t know, Raindrops. Let’s go." Octavia lead the two out of the room running for the secret passage that will take them to the surface.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Rainbow ran into her room where she was staying and went to the old wooden trunk by the wall. She opened it to find her guard coat and her weapons. She growled realizing that she didn’t have any more charges. She stuffed the pistol into its holster then took the machete she kept from training. She stood up and wrapped her belt around her waist and clipping it on. She pulled on her dusty red coat and stopped to stare at her sleeves. She rubbed her fingers over the red stained cloth feeling nauseating just by looking at it. The red cloth reminded her of the blood she had shed. She shook her head hard then glared at her jacket.
“Once we get comfortable somewhere, I’m getting a new makeover.” She growled as she noticed her long locks of rainbow hair twirling the green and blue hairs between her fingers. “Starting with this hair.” She said with a smirk. She reached to her belt to pull out a knife from its sheath and began hacking her long rainbow hair short again. Once she was happy with that she turned to her tail and cut it short as well. If she’s going to be fighting the Order and the guards she better not give them an easy point to grab and pull. She stowed the knife away and grabbed her machete then ran out of the room.
As soon as she stepped out she noticed Octavia and Raindrops helping Princess Luna down the hall. Rainbow ran over to catch up with them.
"Hey, got everything?" Rainbow asked. Octavia nodded patting her bag. "Good, let's go everypony!"
The four ponies started running as fast as they could through the tunnels. Fluttershy stood from the entry way of her room watching Rainbow Dash running for the passage. She bit her lip thinking hard. She can go with them, she can! But she can’t. Fluttershy growled clenching her hands into fists turning away ready to go help her tribe escape. She belongs there with the zebras, she was never loved back in the Equestrian Galaxy, why should she go back there? She turned a corner and gasped seeing Zecora looking at her with a quirked brow. Fluttershy felt flustered seeing her master giving her the look.
"Master I was," Fluttershy started.
"Leaving." Zecora interrupted.
"What?" Fluttershy asked in shock. Zecora sighed handing Fluttershy a large hide satchel and a pack. Fluttershy took the items staring at her master with tears.
"Master Zecora, I can’t! I'm not meant to be out there."
Zecora smiled taking Fluttershy’s chin to steer her face towards hers.
"I have meditated for a long while and the answers I was given gave me a moment of bile." Zecroa stuck out her tongue shaking her head. She turned back to Fluttershy with a serious scowl. "You must return to where you have been before, or the galaxy will be nothing but death and gore!"
Fluttershy bowed her head feeling tears. "But I can't... I don’t' want to, I mean,"
"Shh, my little pupil," Zecora whispered with a smile and hugged Fluttershy tightly. The pegasus hugged her in return sniffling. "Duty and destiny is what you shall fulfill." She said pointing out to the caverns. Fluttershy nodded and soon pulled on her satchel and her backpack.
"All the remedies and plants you will require. In case pain needs attention of most dire." Fluttershy nodded bowing.
"I promise to use you lessons with a good heart, Master Zecora." Zecora smiled stepping back.
"We shall miss you Fluttershy, we shall see you when we die."
Fluttershy nodded then backed away slowly. "I'll never forget you, all of you." Zecora smiled and bowed her head. Fluttershy sniffed then turned and started running for the secret passage, crying. Zecora sighed as tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Fulfill your destiny, Protector of Kindness. Protect us from this darkness."
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
On the surface, Applejack, Derpy, and Vinyl were waiting by the secret tunnel entrance leading to the caverns. Vinyl kept an eye on the tree line across the clearing, Derpy was up in the tree watching for animals or pegasi guards, and Applejack stood by the entrance with her musket ready for any guards that might run up the entrance. Applejack turned looking back down the secret entrance hearing sounds of shuffling feet. She pointed her rifle into the hole hearing a curse from a familiar friend. Applejack turned slightly to get a better look and noticed Rainbow staring at the barrel of the musket.
"Rainbow?" Applejack asked. Rainbow looked up seeing Applejack’s face.
"Shit AJ, don’t do that!" Rainbow scolded. Applejack lowered the musket and reached down to Rainbow. Rainbow took her hand and was pulled out of the hole.
"Sorry, y'all were taking so long I thought you were the guards." Applejack said with worry. Rainbow knelt back to the hole and helped Octavia out of the passage. Octavia turned around to help Rainbow pull out Luna with Raindrops at the end. While Raindrops was being pulled out, she turned looking back behind her into the passage hearing something coming towards her.
“What’s wrong?” Vinyl asked. Derpy left her tree perch landing on the ground and turning to the passage.
"I hear someone." Raindrops whispered pulling out her bowie knife ready. Rainbow pushed Octavia aside reaching for her machete. Octavia grabbed Luna’s arm and helped her stand up to move away from the hole and from the possible fight. Raindrops stood with the two royals to be their shield.
Applejack, Vinyl, Derpy, and Rainbow stood at the edge of the hole holding out their weapons ready to fire. Rainbow blinked feeling a familiar presence.
"Stand down!" She yelled out suspiring everypony even the intruder in the tunnel.
"Why?" Vinyl asked. Rainbow leaped down into the hole and heard a yelp of shock. Rainbow blinked a few times to get used to the darkness again and gasped to see that the intruder was Fluttershy.
"Fluttershy? What are you doing here? Are you being chased?" Rainbow growled pulling out her machete again ready to attack.
"No," Fluttershy said, grabbing Rainbow's arms. "No, everything’s fine. Master Zecora made sure no one will follow us."
"Us?" Rainbow asked with confusion. Fluttershy sighed looking up in her eyes.
"I'm coming, too."
"What?" Rainbow hissed in shock. "No, no, no, no, I told you already you’re better off here." She said carefully placing her hands on Fluttershy’s shoulders squeezing them tenderly. "It’s dangerous out there."
"It's dangerous here too, you know." Fluttershy snapped turning away tears pouring again. Rainbow watched her for a moment with worry wondering what must be going on.
"Hey? What's going on down...Oh boy," Rainbow and Fluttershy jumped and turned to see that it was Raindrops peeking into the hole.
Rainbow snarled at her. Raindrops yelped leaping back.
"No, you cannot come with us Fluttershy, I'm serious." Rainbow hissed feeling hopeless. She can’t risk getting Fluttershy into danger, not again. Fluttershy shook her head.
"Zecroa told me that I must. If I can't go with you then the galaxy will suffer more than it once did. As I was following you, I finally understood what she meant." She whispered sadly.
Rainbow blinked a few times watching her. "Yeah?" She whispered.
Fluttershy sighed. "It was just like what Twilight said... We have to reunite the Elements again so we can finally bring back harmony in the galaxy. And I was selfish thinking that I could stay here. You need the Element of Kindness and I'm the only pony that can be that element." She paused looking back at Rainbow biting her lip. "You need me more than ever." She whispered.
Rainbow sighed rubbing her face. "Go," She whispered stepping to the side holding out her hand towards the exit. "You go first." She said smiling sadly at her. Fluttershy nodded and started climbing up the rocks. She reached up then felt someone garb her hand and help her out of the hole. Raindrops was smiling pulling her out of the hole and helped her up her feet.
"Shy? What are you doing here?" Applejack asked in shock seeing her friend. Fluttershy sighed fixing the satchel strap on her shoulder as Raindrops helped Rainbow out of the hole.
"You still need Kindness correct?" Fluttershy asked. Applejack smiled at her as Fluttershy starts to smile. "You also need a medic and I’m the best one you have."
Applejack laughed hugging Fluttershy. "It's good to see you back to yer old self, ‘Shy."
Fluttershy smiled hugging her old friend back. "It’s good to be back with friends."
"Hate to be the dick here." Vinyl hissed breaking up the moment. "But we have to get to the rendezvous point before we're caught by the guards or some hungry beast. Hurry up!"
Everypony nodded and grab their belongings as fast as they could. Vinyl lead the way running through the clearing to the thick trees toward the ravine. Octavia with help from Raindrops helped Luna trot through the brush and grass. Rainbow pushed Fluttershy, Derpy and Applejack in front of her, taking the tail end to keep a watch from behind the line.
They continued to sneak through the forest when Vinyl hissed, stopping and backing up bumping into Fluttershy. Fluttershy covered her mouth peeking through the foliage and gasped. Applejack peeked over just in time to see the royal guards killing a line of zebras in an execution line. Applejack grabbed Fluttershy covering her mouth. The poor pegasus started to fight against her tears coursing down her cheeks after witnessing that.
Rainbow walked over looking at Octavia. "What's wrong?" She hissed. Octavia gulped hearing more gunshots. Rainbow turned to see Applejack trying to keep Fluttershy from fighting back whispering into her ear trying to calm her down. Rainbow gulped trotting in a crouch, she reached Applejack and patted her shoulder standing in front of Fluttershy. Rainbow ordered Applejack with her hand to lower on her knees. Applejack nodded getting on the ground Fluttershy limply fell on her knees breathing hard through her nose whimpering behind Applejack’s hand.
"Hey, hey," Rainbow whispered stroking Fluttershy’s face. "Don’t think about it. We're in war ‘Shy, we are in war right now. You have to be strong." Fluttershy closed her eyes shaking her head whimpering some more. Rainbow took Fluttershy’s face and steered her towards her eyes. "Open your eyes ‘Shy. This is the real deal. We need you, we need you more now than ever before. And I need you to focus." Fluttershy sniffed opening her eyes.
"We'll give them hell for this ‘Shy, I promise you." Rainbow whispered stroking her hair. Fluttershy nodded swallowing. She grabbed Applejack's hand and slowly lowered it down so she can breathe in through her mouth then let it out slowly calming down. She smiled and nodded. Rainbow smiled kissing her on her forehead holding her close.
"Let's go," She whispered. Fluttershy nodded patting Rainbow's arm before lowering on her hands and knees, peeking over the bushes to see the royals laughing and spitting on the corpses.
"Yes, let’s go." Fluttershy whispered strangely calm as she slowly stood up into a crouched position and moved forward past Vinyl. Vinyl turn to see the AJ and Rainbow looking at one another. Applejack was smiling while Rainbow blushed. Shaking her head Rainbow pushed Applejack forward. Octavia looked to Rainbow with worry. Rainbow smirked at her patting her on the shoulder waving her to go forward. Octavia nodded then she and Raindrops quickly crawled forward with Luna between them. Rainbow turned to Vinyl and nodded for her to first. Vinyl sighed blowing her banes aside with a quick nod and started crawling forward as pops were heard again.
Fluttershy looked over the bushes seeing no guards or creatures in sight. She stood up and started to sneak through the trees. The others followed closely behind her. Fluttershy turned past a large tree and yelped rather loudly seeing Blossomforth sliding to a stop in front of her. Fluttershy covered her mouth after her yell blushing hard recognizing the pegasus.
"Where have you guys been?" Blossomforth hissed. Applejack caught up and gave Fluttershy a look as she blushes. Applejack sighed pushing the brim of her hat higher over her head.
"The royals are killing all the zebras they can find. Easy prey."
Blossomforth cursed rubbing her forehead. Octavia, Raindrops, and Luna arrived with Rainbow and Vinyl behind them. Raindrops sighed with relief seeing Blossom again.
"Thank Luna, you're alright." She whispered. Blossom smirked at her student.
"You thought they found me?"
Raindrops blushed. "Well I uh...All those guards. They’re everywhere sergeant."
Blossom nodded. "I know. Luckily the wildlife have been taking up their time than looking for us." She turned to the others. "Twilight and the doc along with the kids are busy getting the ship to the rendezvous. We just need to keep running. Sweetie Belle volunteered to be at the spot waiting for us. Also she’s easy to spot in the air when Twilight brings in the lifeboat. Follow me and keep low and quiet.” The group all nodded and followed Blossomforth through the jungle.
"Not so fast!" A voice called out causing everypony to turn to look behind them to see a familiar blue unicorn in a frazzled and dirty uniform. Standing with her are ten royal guards in the same state of disarray. Trixie smirked seeing everypony staring at her in shock. Trixie blinked recognizing Blossom and Raindrops still dressed in their golden armor of the royal guard.
"Well, well, well. I never expected to see you here, Sergeant Blossomforth and Corporal Raindrops. What a scandal?"
Blossom grabbed Raindrops' sleeve pulling her with her. Luna and Octavia followed her. Octavia looked to Raindrops then to Luna. Raindrops nodded getting a better grip on Luna letting Octavia go to stand by Rainbow Dash for a fight.
"We’ll catch up." Applejack said acidly pointing the musket at the guards. Blossom nodded helping Raindrops with Luna.
"Who is that?" Luna asked.
"The bad guys." Raindrops answered starting to trot with Blossom deeper into the jungle. "Sergeant." She whispered.
"What is it?" Blossom said pushing away a branch.
"They saw us."
"I know."
"What will happen to-"
"Just shut up and keep running!"
Raindrops blinked at the bark. She nodded. "Yes ma'am."
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Trixie chuckled shaking her head seeing the fugitives but her eyes widened with shock to see Fluttershy standing with them.
"You? I remember you. You're the pegasus that... I could've sworn you killed yourself!"
Fluttershy turned away clenching her fists. Rainbow stood in front of her taking her hand. Fluttershy looked down at Rainbow’s hand holding hers tightly. Fluttershy could see the true hatred in Rainbow’s eyes as she snarled at the unicorn captain. Trixie chuckled.
"Oh don’t think I've forgotten about you, Rainbow Dash. You were a great piece of work. One of the best of us."
Rainbow pointed at her. "I'm nothing like you Trixie! Nor your other Order-lings!" She spat.
"That’s right!" Applejack said with a snarl pulling back the hammer of her musket hearing the light whine. "She’s back now without your fancy magics messing with her noggin."
Octavia blinked looking down at her hand feeling her palm tingling. She blinked again and felt something though her arm causing her hand to glow. She gasped holding up her hand, fuelled by her power she can feel magic pooling in her hand. A small orb of purple light appeared as her other hand clasped her guardian feeling the magic course through her body. This revelation caused her to smile as she turned to the guards to see them stare at her with shock and some with horror.
"Don’t try anything else Captain, I'll counter it." Octavia threatened with a confidant smile. Vinyl and Derpy both gasped in shock seeing this. Even the royal guard gasped turning to Trixie to see her equally shocked.
"How? You can't use magic! You’re an earth pony!" Trixie yelled out. The elements turned to Octavia with surprise. Not shock but surprise. Rainbow even began to smile seeing Octavia beaming with confidence with her new ability.
Octavia smirked. "I'm more unicorn, remember?"
Vinyl laughed. "And guess what, Royal snobs. You have two unicorns to deal with." Vinyl stood by Octavia smiling at her and Octavia smiled back. "I might not be a great magician like most unicorns my age, but I can use some forms to fight with." Vinyl stated and held out both of her hands and her magical aura came forth. She strained a touch and sighed leaning on her knees in exhaustion. Octavia grabbed her to keep her standing. Trixie and the guards laughed.
"You think you can defeat me?" Trixie taunted. "You three rejects, a retarded Pegasus, a sick unicorn, and a hybrid princess? This will be fun."
Vinyl snarled. "You watch your tongue bitch!" She screamed out pointing at her. Octavia held her as Vinyl tried to run for her.
"No Vinyl! You're still weak, your magic proves that!"
"You really think I'm going to stand back and let that bitch talk about Derpy like that?!" Octavia held her still looking into her eyes.
"Listen to me. We'll get them." Octavia said quickly and sternly trying to do what Rainbow did with Fluttershy. "They’ll get theirs, I promise. She’ll be demoted and executed for her crimes." Vinyl glared at her. Octavia glared back. Vinyl blinked a few times then sighed.
"Come on Derpy." Vinyl snarled and started running with Derpy behind her. Octavia stood with Rainbow, Applejack and Fluttershy. Trixie sighed.
"You know, I get bored easily. Men, kill them all!" She ordered. All ten soldiers run into a charge. Pegasi in the air while the unicorns run on the ground. Rainbow pushed Octavia to the side.
"Fluttershy, get Octavia out of here!" She ordered.
"What?" Octavia asked. "No way, I can fight! Let me help!"
"No, you stay out of this!" Rainbow ordered reaching into her belt to grab her machete. Applejack started firing off lasers at the pegasi and cursed when they were protected by a unicorn’s shield.
Fluttershy thought to argue as well but understood Rainbow's plea. She grabbed Octavia’s shoulder pulling her back.
"Let’s go." Fluttershy ordered.
"But Rainbow!" Octavia called out as she was pulled away.
"We’re right behind you!" Applejack called out firing again catching a unicorn in the throat killing her. Octavia sighed then started running with Fluttershy behind her. Rainbow nodded to Applejack as she pulled out a machete too, hanging her musket sling around her ready to fight.
"Like old times?" Rainbow asked.
"Like old times." Applejack answered. "Charge!"
The two friends charge forward screaming into the battle.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
At the ravine near the rendezvous, Sweetie Belle paced back and forth and gasped hearing the bushes rustle. She ran to hide behind a tree then peeked out.
“Who’s there?” She whimpered shaking.
"Sweetie Belle!" Came the reply that made her sigh in relief hearing Blossom's voice. Blossom came over panting with a glare on her face. Sweetie’s smile faded.
"What's wrong?" She asked worriedly.
"Guards saw us!" Raindrops panted. "They saw us man." She groaned.
"Shut up Raindrops!" Blossomforth snapped. She turned back to Sweetie Belle. "Where’s the ship?"
"Coming." Sweetie Belle answered.
"Blossom!" The four ponies looked up to see Twilight guiding the life boat towards them. The boat stopped ten feet above them. Spike threw a rope ladder over the side. Blossom sighed and smiled a touch seeing the unicorn.
"Come on, hurry!" Twilight called out pointing behind her. Spike nodded switching places with her to keep the boat steady. Blossom and Raindrops helped Luna up the ladder then the two mares started climbing up.
"Where's Octavia?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"We had trouble." Blossom answered climbing up and into the boat.
"What trouble?" Twilight asked worriedly. Blossom gave her a look. Twilight gasped looking around to make sure there were no guards or animals coming their way.
"Hey!" The group looked down see Derpy jump out of the bushes waving her hands in the air. Vinyl came running behind her. "Wait up!" Derpy called as she started climbing up. Vinyl stayed on the ground with Sweetie Belle looking back into the forest.
"I have to go back to the ship!" Twilight called out. "We can't carry anymore ponies!" She called as Derpy sat in beside Raindrops with Luna. Vinyl nodded wrapping her arm around Sweetie Belle. "We'll wait here, just hurry up!" Twilight saluted and switched places with Spike again and started the engine.
"We'll be back as soon as possible. Sweetie Belle, remember where to go when trouble comes?" Sweetie Belle nodded and saluted.
"You got it, Twilight!" Twilight nodded then pulled the rudder and the boat veered hard to the right and blasted away. Vinyl sighed looking into the bushes.
"Vinyl?" Vinyl looked down at Sweetie Belle.
"Yeah?" She asked.
"Where's Octavia?"
Vinyl blinked a couple of times and sighed. "Hopefully kicking some ass." She answered smiling before the two were suddenly shoved to the floor in a pony pile. Vinyl groaned pushing off a body then gasped seeing her face. "Octavia!"
Octavia groaned rubbing her face. "What are you doing here, Vinyl? I thought I told you to get away." Octavia said standing up helping Vinyl stand up. Fluttershy groaned spitting blood out of her mouth from a busted lip from the crash. She gasped and helped Sweetie Belle up.
"The answer to your question is this, "Vinyl said coughing and spitting out dirt from her mouth. “Twilight had to take the boat back to the ship to unload the others. She’ll be back to pick us up.” Vinyl answered. She then remembered something. "Aren't you supposed to be kicking some royal ass?" Vinyl asked smirking. Octavia glared at her. Vinyl's smile faded seeing her glare.
"Rainbow Dash told me to leave." Fluttershy stood up placing her hand on Octavia’s shoulder.
"She’ll be fine. Rainbow and Applejack work well together in these situations." She said with calm resolve but her eyes conveyed her worry.
"But I can fight now!" Octavia argued. "She doesn’t need to fight alone."
Fluttershy sighed thinking before pulling Octavia into a hug. "She knows you can fight but right now what's more important is getting you to safety." She soothed patting Octavia's back.
"What’s important is getting all of you to safety." Octavia countered pulling away from the hug and pointing behind her to the trees. "We have four of you together and we have to keep it that way."
Fluttershy was ready to make a retort when she stiffened feeling something wrong. She grabbed Octavia pulling her behind her glaring at the forest. Vinyl reached into her belt to pull out the pistol pointing it towards the trees.
"Sweetie Belle go hide." Vinyl ordered, Sweetie Belle whimpered and hid behind a dead tree, peeking out to watch.
The sound grew louder and louder. Vinyl gasped hearing a loud snap pulling the trigger. Octavia yelped out ducking hearing the pop. There was another scream from the forest. Applejack leaped out ready to swing her machete and gasped.
"It's you!" Applejack and the girls all yelled out at once.
"What’s going on?" Vinyl asked.
"Where's Rainbow?" Octavia and Fluttershy both exclaimed.
To answer their questions, Rainbow leaped over a log with some scratches and blood around her arms and neck as she bolted past them.
"Run for it!" She yelled out.
Vinyl nodded staring to run. "Kid, let's go!" She screamed out. Sweetie Belle ran out of her hiding spot following the others.
"Wait I have to lead!" Sweetie Belle screamed out running after Vinyl. The others followed behind them.
Trixie leaped thorough the bush breathing hard looking round the tiny clearing. Her mane in a frazzled mess from the forest chase and her patience wearing dangerously thin. She growled seeing Rainbow's tail disappear into the forest.
"Get them!" Trixie cried out as three unicorns, the last of her group from the fight, chase after them with Trixie behind them.
Sweetie Belle pushed through the foliage towards another clearing to the cliff edge to the ravine. Sweetie Belle stopped and sighed, looking down into the ravine then up at the sky. Vinyl was looking around before she turns forward and screamed out, sliding about to go over the edge. Sweetie Belle grabbed Vinyl's shirt tail pulling back hard until Vinyl regained her balance.
"Whoa!" Vinyl yelped out hearing her voice echoing down the ravine. "Stop!" She screamed out turning around in time to see Octavia and Fluttershy leaping out of the forest. They stopped when Vinyl held out her arms to tell them to stop. Then Rainbow and Applejack stopped with gasps.
"We got to move!" Applejack yelled out turning around pointing her musket at the forest. Rainbow panted holding her side groaning.
"Rainbow?" Fluttershy called out worriedly running over to her helping her stand upright.
"I'm fine, just a punch, nothing bad!" Rainbow winced. Fluttershy placed her hand over Rainbow’s side over her ribs. Rainbow hissed a curse squeezing her eyes shut.
"Rainbow, you're injured very badly." Rainbow coughed. The cough caused her to yell out almost falling back over knees.
"We got no time left!" Applejack called out. Vinyl ran up to stand with Applejack. Octavia blinked then looked down at Rainbow's machete. She ran over to grab the jungle sword and stood by Applejack's side ready for whomever comes through those bushes.
"We'll hold them off as long as we can." Octavia said turning to see Vinyl looking at her with worry. Vinyl sighed and nodded turning back to the forest.
Sweetie Belle was watching the sky and gasped pointing up. "I see them!" She cried pointing up. Everypony looked up to see the Fancy Flute floating up into the reaches of the sky and the life boat gliding towards them. Fluttershy pulled Rainbow Dash closer to the ledge waving her hand in the air.
"Hurry please." She begged in a whisper. She felt dead weight then gasped looking down to see that Rainbow was unconscious. "Rainbow? Rainbow you have to wake up." She felt wetness when she tried to get a better grip on Rainbow’s clothes. She looked down at her hand and started to panic, Rainbow was bleeding.
"Applejack! Rainbow’s down!" She cried out putting Rainbow on the ground to check her wounds. Octavia and Vinyl turned.
"Keep your eyes forward!" Applejack ordered still watching the forest for any movement. Octavia bit her lip seeing Rainbow being checked by Fluttershy as she reached into her satchel and pulled out a tube of some type of liquid. She lifted up her blood stained shirt. Octavia gasped to see the laser wound in Rainbow's side. Vinyl cursed seeing this too.
"Fuck me." She hissed lowering her firearm staring at it then back at their wounded friend. "Shit!" She cursed turning away pressing her fingers into her forehead.
"Keep your eyes forward!" Applejack yelled again. Vinyl pointed her pistol at the forest, blaming herself for Rainbow’s pain. Octavia figured it out too and groaned. She didn’t blame Vinyl for what had happened, it was an accident. A misfire and Rainbow got hit.
Twilight along with Daring this time settled the craft by the ledge.
"What happened?" Twilight asked as Fluttershy took Rainbow from under her arms to lift her towards Daring.
"Rainbow got hit. She needs aid now!" Fluttershy answered urgently. Daring carefully pulled Rainbow into the boat. Fluttershy jumped in with Sweetie Belle.
"Octavia, you’re next!" Applejack ordered. Octavia backed away then turned and started running. She leaped into the boat immediately sitting by Rainbow's side.
"Captain, you're next."
Vinyl blinked then looked at Applejack for a moment. "No, you go first." Vinyl said. Applejack blinked then turned to her with a quirked brow.
"Go, Scratch." She ordered before a bolt of blue energy zipped past them hitting the side of the boat scaring Sweetie Belle feeling the burns from the plasma hitting her arm.
"Vinyl Now!" Applejack screamed out pushing her back then fired her musket. Vinyl didn't object this time. She hightailed it to the boat leaping in as plasma flew past her. She looked up watching the bright blue globs fly past them, what kind of weapons makes that type of shot? She wondered. Daring grabbed Sweetie Belle to cover her from any more burns. Applejack fired a few more shots.
"Applejack, come on!" Fluttershy cried out. Applejack messed with her musket then dropped it to the ground and started running towards the boat.
"What did you-?" Octavia asked just as the royal guards leapt through the bushes screaming battle cries.
"Get down!" Applejack screamed out, grabbing Octavia to pull her down as the globs that were fired by Applejack exploded in a burst of plasma and electricity, severely wounding and killing the guards.
"Go Twi!" Vinyl screamed out. Twilight nodded pressing a few buttons then the engine started.
Trixie leaped out of the bushes coughing from the ozone and smoke in the air. She saw the small boat move towards the ship in the distance. She pulled out her laser pistol and started firing wild shots at the boat.
“Lasers!” Sweetie Belle cried as everyone ducked as the shots flew over them. Twilight yelled out holding her side before falling forward. Sweetie Belle screamed in shock. Vinyl reached over to the controls and steered the boat towards the Fancy Flute. Trixie yelled out when the boat was out of her range.
"I'll find you traitors and you will all pay!" She screamed out growling. She threw the used charger into the ravine then sighed. "I'll make sure of it." She turned away and went back through the forest.
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo waited with frayed nerves looking down the Bombay door waiting for the life boat to return.
"Where are they?" Scootaloo asked with worry. Apple Bloom gulped.
"I don’t know, Scoots." She answered honestly worrying for her sister.
"Hey, over there!" Scootaloo called out pointing out. Apple Bloom let out a sigh of relief seeing the boat coming closer.
"Come on, let’s get the pulleys ready." Apple Bloom ordered and the two young shipmates ran to their stations lowering the clamps as the boat rose steadily into the Fancy Flute's belly. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo lowered the clasps and they attached to the tiny boat.
"Close it off!" Scootaloo called out. Apple Bloom saluted running to the panel and pressed a few buttons then pressed the side of her fist to the button for the Bombay doors to close. Scootaloo leaped up and gasped to see Vinyl at the controls instead of Twilight. She looked down to see that Twilight was hurt.
"What’s happened?" She asked.
"We have to get Rainbow and Twilight somewhere." Fluttershy ordered, immediately leaping out of the small boat. "They have to be checked immediately. Rainbow was hit and so was Twilight,"
"I'm fine." Twilight called out being helped by Applejack to sit up. "Just a scratch." She said as Applejack helps her out of the boat.
"Still," Fluttershy said sternly grabbing Twilight pulling her up to her feet. "You have to be checked."
Twilight was sweating from the pain but shook her head. "Her gun was horrible. Mainly plasma, I’ll be fine Fluttershy."
"Twilight, I agree with Fluttershy." Daring said as Vinyl helped carry Rainbow out of the boat. Octavia and Sweetie Belle leapt out of the boat soon after. Sweetie looked up and smiled seeing Scootaloo rushing over to her and then hugging her tight. Apple Bloom gave them a quizzical look as Spike ran over from the stairs.
"Everypony alright?" Spike called out panting from running. "Can we go?"
"Punch it Spike!" Vinyl ordered.
“Aye, aye." He exclaimed before running back up the stairs to the engine room. Vinyl and Daring started carrying Rainbow Dash up the stairs.
"Follow us, Fluttershy!" Vinyl called out as she started to strain from carrying Rainbow.
"Are you alight?" Daring asked with concern seeing Vinyl struggling. Vinyl was sweating hard now.
"Vinyl?" Octavia called from the bottom of the stairs.
"I'm fine!" Vinyl yelled out before her boot slipped on the edge of the step and fell hard on her tail with a yelp, feeling Rainbow’s slide into her face hurting her snout.
"Oh dear!" Dearing yelped. "Are you alight, Captain?"
"Just dandy! Help me up!" She snapped, causing Rainbow to open her eyes and yell. Fluttershy flew over the ponies hovering over Rainbow.
"It's alright Rainbow, you're safe. You passed out." Rainbow blinked a few times seeing Daring and Fluttershy staring at her.
"I did what now?" She asked weakly and groaning.
"You passed out during the fight. You’re alright we're on a ship…" Fluttershy passed wondering what the name of the ship was.
"Fancy Flute. We're on the ship Dash." Vinyl said. Rainbow stiffened and turned to see Vinyl's face close to hers.
"Uh what are you doing?" Rainbow asked.
"I was carrying you." Vinyl spat getting irritated by being so weak. She could carry Rainbow no problem before she got sick.
"Here," Fluttershy said standing above Rainbow and grabbed her under her arms lifting her up as Vinyl rolled away to the wall letting Fluttershy and Daring climb past her. There was a boom and the ship lurched to the side. Fluttershy yelps slamming into the wall to keep her balance.
"You alright?" Vinyl asked with a smirk.
"Yes," Fluttershy whispered nodding. "I haven't been on a ship in a long time."
Rainbow smiled up at her. "You'll get your space legs soon. It never leaves you." She said with a smile before closing her eyes to rest. Fluttershy sighed nodding.
"Let’s hurry, she's loosing blood on the way here." Daring nodded as she quickened her pace following Fluttershy. Scootaloo followed them with Sweetie Belle right behind her.
"Scoots!" Vinyl called out stopping the two fillies.
"Lead them to the mess deck, clear a table and help them get ready."
Scootaloo nodded then ran up with stairs with the young unicorn behind her. Vinyl sighed as Applejack and Twilight quickly climbed up the stairs. Octavia hugged Apple Bloom then patted her on the back for her to follow her sister. Once they were alone Octavia smiled and walked over to Vinyl reaching out to her. Vinyl blushed then smiled taking Octavia's hand and was pulled up on her feet.
"Thanks." Vinyl whispered smiling at her.
Octavia blushed. "You need to exercise more before you start doing things like that again. You also need to rest."
Vinyl sighed pulling her hands away, rubbing the back of her hand. "I'm fine. I just need to sit down and I'll be right as rain." Octavia nodded, rubbing her arm turning away. Vinyl cleared her throat. "I got to go and make sure everything is fine before I settle down. You know... captain stuff."
Octavia nodded with a disappointed frown on her face turning away. "Of course, Captain."
Vinyl nodded then started up the stairs. She stopped then turned to Octavia to see her turn away from her. Vinyl opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. She sighed before turning and continue up the stairs. The fact was that she must go back to being Captain Vinyl Scratch and not the day dreaming Gracie May Scratch.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Blossomforth paced back and forth as Raindrops sat on the ground staring at the wall. They turned hearing their door open. Twilight entered the room smiling. Blossom smiled then looked down at Raindrops to see her still staring at the wall.
"Raindrops," Blossom said carefully. The young pegasus ignored her. "Raindrops!"
"Huh, what?" Raindrops blinked out of her state and turned to Blossomforth and stood up. "Yes, Sergeant?"
"Why don’t you go and find Luna and you both get some fresh air. We're in space now and there’s no need to be afraid now."
Raindrops thought for a moment then nodded leaving the room. Twilight closed the door behind her wincing a touch. "Is she alright?" Twilight asked. Blossom looked worried.
"Are you alright?" She asked.
"I'm fine," Twilight winced sitting on a stool, rubbing her side. Blossom kneeled down to be closer to her.
"Are you sure?" She asked placing her hands on Twilight’s knees to keep her balanced on her balls of her feet.
Twilight blinked then looked down unbuttoning her shirt to reveal the new bandages that Fluttershy had put on her. Blossom flinched seeing the light stain of blood and a green-blue tint around the edge of the stain.
"Plasma? Are you sure you're alright? "Blossom asked taking her hands. She has witnessed many ponies young and old get shot at or burned by plasma slop shots from laser pistols, especially the new firearms she was trained with before transferring to Blueblood’s group of idiotic killers.
Twilight nodded smiling her. "I'm fine, just a scratch. She had a sloppy pistol. It's only a burn." Blossom sighed looking down at Twilight’s side at the bandage and shook her head. Twilight smiled placing her hand over Blossom's hand.
"I'm fine really, I had worse during the war." She chuckled. "Almost lost my left hand to poison. If it weren't for Pinkie’s strange ways I would have lost this hand." Twilight said moving her left hand clenching and unclenching her fist. Blossom took that hand holding it tightly.
"Damnit, I wish I was there." She hissed with shame.
"Blossomforth I'm fine, really." Blossom sighed lightly stroking Twilight's hand then up her arm. Twilight smiled at her placing her hand on Blossom’s cheek.
"I should be asking what's wrong with you. Are you alright?"
Blossom sighed shaking her head. "Trixie saw me and Raindrops and recognized us." She stood up walking away staring at the wall crossing her arms across her chest in thought. "That screw up will endanger everypony we've fought with." Twilight blinked and slowly stood up with a wince holding her side. She walked up slowly to her then wrap her arms around her hugging her from behind. Blossom placed her hands over Twilight's arms enjoying the close contact.
"I don’t know what to do." Blossom whispered. "For the first time in a long time, Twilight. I'm stuck." Blossom turned around in Twilight arms to look at her. "Tell me what to do. You’re smarter and you've been through these things before. What can I do?" She whispered stroking Twilight’s cheek.
Blossom nodded shaking slightly. "Kind of hard to do when you’re doing that." Twilight gave her a sly look.
"Second, just hold me close."
Blossom chucked still shaking, but this time with excitement. "Now that’s you saying that stuff."
Twilight placed her finger over Blossom's lips to silence her. "Just do as I say." She said smiling. Blossom smiled in return biting her finger causing Twilight to chuckle taking her finger back, wrapping her arms around Blossom’s neck leaning forward.
"Yes, ma'am." Blossom answered in a whisper meeting her half way in a kiss.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Octavia sighed as she sat in a chair and watched as Fluttershy, Sweetie Belle, and Vinyl performed surgery on Rainbow via a spell that let the caster perform surgery without having to cut the skin. Since Sweetie Belle and Vinyl had little medical experience Fluttershy had to tell them what to do and when to do it. Thankfully Spike had found some old whiskey that Fluttershy had used to help sedate Rainbow.
"Alright tug a little more." Fluttershy ordered.
Vinyl nodded struggling trying to keep her magic in control. "Hold it kid, I'll pull, little more."
Sweetie nodded without answering her face beaded with sweat as she held her power.
"Just a little more." Fluttershy egged on as Vinyl raises her finger up showing her strain pulling Rainbow's rib bone higher up. Vinyl kept her eyes closed, even Sweetie Belle, neither one wanted to see moving bones under skin. Octavia though was fascinated watching the procedure clenching and unclenching her fist, feeling the tingling sensation in her palm where she created magic before.
She was in shock realizing she could use magic, but the excitement turned to anger against the unicorn that had hurt her family so much. But now that she was sitting down she began to reflect on her new ability.
I can use magic! All this time I could have used magic. She thought in her mind squeezing the guardian jewel in her fist.
All guardians have the ability of magic. The voices of the jewels said and Octavia stiffened but then relaxed remembering them.
I haven't heard from you in a long while. Octavia said mentally smiling a touch. What do you mean that all guardians can have this ability? She asked squeezing her guardian again.
Our creators created us to be used for protection and power. Power to let our chosen ones use if needed and protection from those that do us harm.
Octavia nodded hearing a popping sound. Sweetie Belle whimpered with fear.
Fluttershy sighed in relief. "Good job, now release gently." She ordered. Vinyl and Sweetie Belle both exhaled the breath they each held in their lungs as their magic slowly dissolved into nothing, letting them rest. "We have one more bone to pull out then we'll wrap her up and hope that no ribs ripped into her lungs." Fluttershy said seeing Vinyl and Sweetie Belle nod.
So you have found Kindness? The voices asked. Octavia smiled.
Yes we did. She answered with her mind, watching the surgery.
And you seem to have more feelings for Loyalty. Did you find what you were searching for from her?
Octavia nodded but stopped herself smiling. I did... I finally found the truth. And by learning that truth I brought her back from her dark place. So, I have found four of the Elements and they are wanting to fight. But how can I find Generosity and Laughter? She asked.
The voices were silent for a long moment before they started to answer. We do feel Generosity and Laughter's presence, but Generosity we can feel the strongest.
Is she near? Octavia asked with excitement.
We are not sure.
Octavia sighed leaning forward on her knees rubbing her face feeling defeat.
But we believe your friend might know something.
Octavia blinked sitting up. Who? Octavia asked in confusion.
The one who faced death and lived.
“Vinyl?” Octavia asked out loud looking towards Vinyl. What do you mean by that? How can Vinyl know where Generosity is?
Not Generosity, Laughter. She is connected to the Element of Laughter.
Octavia blinked staring at Vinyl as she starts to strain by her magic casting. How is she connected? Octavia asked.
Perhaps her past might give you an answer.
Octavia stiffened at that with a glare to the floor. I can't go snooping into her personal life. Vinyl doesn’t want to talk about her life. I won’t force her.
There was silence in her mind as she thought about what she said.
That’s not true though isn't it? The voices asked. Octavia blushed. You want to know her just like you did with Loyalty. You want to know her and nurture what she has left.
“What do you know?" She hissed out loud, glaring at the floor.
We know you want to know her better. We can feel it in your heart and in your magic.
"Shut up." She whispered.
You want to protect her, we can tell. But what is more important? The galaxy or hurting one pony?
Octavia snarled. “Are you blackmailing me?” She whispered with anger.
We're concerned with the galaxy, princess, you should understand that the only way you can change it is by finding all the Elements of Harmony. One is close but the other is elusive even for our abilities.
“Why her?” Octavia whispered.
We believe that somepony connected to her knows where Laughter is. With her cooperation the Elements of Harmony will be reunited then you must find the Elements themselves.
Octavia nodded with a defeated sigh. “Alright, what can I do to find them?” She asked.
Use your guardian, we will help you, but you need all of us.
“Okay so I can hold you all then-”
No, it doesn't work that way! The guardians interrupted. You already hold one of us and it will be disastrous if you have us all around your neck. The power will kill you.
“But you said-”
Yes, we said we can locate them but if we are with more ponies, we might be able to sense their presence.
Octavia blinked thinking what they were proposing. She reached up to her guardian feeling its warmth in her hand as she remembered her father's words to her when this whole mess started.
"This pendant is now enchanted for you. And its sole purpose is to guide you and protect you from harm."
The gem protected her and her father from harm. What if the other gems could protect others like Vinyl and her friends?
It can. The voices said hearing her thoughts.
“Can that be possible?” She asked.
The more of us spread out we can feel more and not only that but we can protect your friends.
“Wait you said more, there are more of us?” Octavia countered thinking. She heard a loud pop and a moan. Sweetie belle gagged turning away as Vinyl kept her eyes closed and breathing calmly. Rainbow was twitching, regaining consciousness.
Don’t worry, we'll show ourselves to those we can protect. Promise. Just tell them what our plans are. We will help you succeed, Princess Octavia. You are one of us now and it’s about time we are replaced with new souls to carry our protection and to take our places as protectors to the Elements of Harmony.
That last statement made Octavia gasp. "What?" She asked a little too loud turning immediately to see that no pony heard her. “What?” She asked again.
Later, we will explain when we are all together.
“But, wait a second!” Octavia snapped back then heard nothing. The guardians left her mind with more questions than answers. She sighed rubbing her forehead feeling a migraine coming on from her mental argument. She stood up and stormed off. Sweetie Belle turned to see Octavia running up the steps to the upper deck.
"Octavia?" She called but the young princess was already gone. Fluttershy looked up form rubbing oils on Rainbow’s chest and stomach seeing the princess gone. She turned to see Sweetie Belle with a worried frown.
"Uh, you can leave now dear, I think everything’s fine now."
Sweetie Belle nodded. "Okay." She trotted up the stairs back on deck to go find her friends. Fluttershy turned to see Vinyl drinking water panting hard from her exertion.
"Captain, I thank you for your help." Fluttershy said wrapping some bandages around Rainbow’s body to support her upper body. Vinyl sniffed wiping her nose.
"She's important, it's not a problem." She said seeing Fluttershy working. "It's Vinyl by the way." She said with a light smile. Fluttershy turned to her to see her smile and smiled in return.
"I apologize for using your illness to blackmail your friends, it was wrong of me. I can see why they will fight for you." Fluttershy said with shame.
Vinyl sighed already knowing about what had occurred in the beginning of this mess. "Nothing against you for it. I would have done it too in your place."
"Hmm," Fluttershy hummed thinking as she tightened the wrapping. Rainbow coughed groaning. Fluttershy sighed finishing the wrapping then stroked Rainbow’s face then stroked back her rainbow hair from her face. Vinyl noticed and smiled.
"You seem to really like her." Fluttershy blushed pulling her hand away.
"Of course, I like her. She's my friend." She said softly but warningly.
Vinyl nodded she leaned back against the counter watching Fluttershy. "I’m sorry it just looked like you two were... together."
Fluttershy smirked at that. "Maybe once in another lifetime but that was a long time ago."
Vinyl nodded slowly thinking. "How did it fall apart?" She asked.
"Excuse me?" Fluttershy asked turning to her.
"I just remembered the story you told us. About Captain Dash and all... and I just had to ask."
Fluttershy sighed. "Because I was weak and couldn’t help her like I should have." Fluttershy snapped before turning away from Vinyl, rubbing her forehead. Vinyl blinked then nodded staying silent.
"I know that you might have a chance." Fluttershy said suddenly.
"What?" Vinyl asked turning to her. Fluttershy turned back to her.
"Go to her, Captain. I think she needs you." She said cryptically before turning away buttoning up Rainbow’s shirt.
"Who?" Vinyl asked then suddenly she turned to where Octavia was to find her gone. Suddenly everything became clear. "Uh right... uh I'll go check on the Princess." She walked toward the stairs then stopped to turn to Fluttershy. She could see the pegasus finishing up buttoning up Rainbow’s shirt then placed her hand on Rainbow’s forehead. Vinyl sighed then started up the stairs up on deck leaving the pegasi alone.
Vinyl reached the top and sure enough she could see Derpy already at the helm with Applejack and Daring as they planned the next course of action. Vinyl turned to see Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle were rolling small barrels of gunpowder from the bow to the second hatch. Vinyl looked around then noticed Octavia climbing up the ratlines. Vinyl sighed and followed her up the ratlines.
Once at the top she could tell Octavia was steamed about something as she messed with a line of skinny rope and made useless knots or twirling the line over her fingers.
"Hey," Vinyl spoke up scaring Octavia. She turned to her with surprise.
"Oh, uh, was there something you need me to do?" Octavia asked turning away. Vinyl blushed. Octavia has now turned back to shipmate Octavia. Vinyl shook her head pulling herself up.
"No, there’s nothing for you to do right now." Vinyl sat down by her but not too close. "I just thought of seeing you. You know, you just walked off."
Octavia sighed and nodded. "Yeah I walked off... I just wanted to be alone and think about the next step."
Vinyl nodded. "Yeah..." Vinyl blinked remembering the Shining Mirror she had to find. Maybe Octavia knows about it. The two turn to each other at the same time.
"There's something I need to tell you." They both said at the same time. Vinyl blushed as Octavia covers her mouth blushing.
Vinyl smirked. "Wow, two great minds think alike?" Octavia smiled turning away with a bashful smile.
"Yes," She whispered.
The two remained silent.
"What was it you wanted to say?" Vinyl asked.
"No you should ask first."
Vinyl quirked her brow seeing Octavia staring at the floor as she messes with the rope again.
"Uh sure...” Vinyl said rubbing her hands together. “While I was, you know, out of it for a while," Octavia blinked then turned to her in surprise.
"Yes?"
Vinyl sighed. "You might think this is crazy but... I was told about some kind of mirror. A Shining Mirror."
"A mirror?" Octavia asked now curious.
"Yeah, a mirror that can show you whatever you want to know."
Octavia got excited. "Really? Like we can find the Elements with it?"
Vinyl nodded smiling. "Yeah like that. The story goes that when you approach the mirror and you place your hand on it, it'll answer everything your heart desires. Where the Order is, where the other two Elements are,"
"Or where Blueblood is." Octavia said glaring at the stars.
Vinyl nodded. "Yeah," She paused thinking. "Um Octavia,"
"What is it?" Octavia asked looking to her friend.
"I know where Blueblood is."
Octavia blinked in shock then she shook her head. "Say that again?" She asked.
"I know where Blueblood is." Vinyl repeated placing her hand on Octavia's squeezing it. Octavia looked down at Vinyl’s hand then back up at her. After a long moment Octavia sighed.
"How?"
Vinyl thought for a moment then shook her head. "We have to tell the others first. I think I know where our next stop is." Octavia nodded then stood up pulling Vinyl up with her. After a moment the two mares stared into each other's eyes. Vinyl blushed then pulled her hand away crossing her arms across her chest thinking. Octavia nodded once then started down the ratlines. Vinyl sighed then followed after her.
After the call for the important meeting after dinner, everypony sat in the mess deck cleaning up their mess from dinner. Vinyl turned to Octavia who was sitting next to her. Octavia nodded and stood up getting everyponies attention. Everypony sat down at the benches and watched Octavia with utmost attention
"Since our escape from Everfree, we have been planning our next step." She stated firmly seeing everypony nod in agreement. Octavia turned to Applejack and Daring. "Have you found any place where we can stay for a while?"
The two mares shook their heads.
"No place is safe." Daring said curtly.
Applejack tipped back her hat. "There are secret hideaways in the asteroid belt but they’re littered with warring nations of pirates. And many of them would like to sell all your hides to slavery, no problem and kill me because I deserted the pirate order." Applejack looked at Apple Bloom sitting next to her hugging her close. "There aren't any safe places that I can think of." Octavia nodded.
"That’s alright. Are there any other places we might have to go to perhaps orchestrate a battle plan?"
Applejack shrugged. "I'm not sure on that one, sugarcube."
Blossomforth stood up. "Well if there is a place we can stage a meeting with our only allies then Raindrops and I might try and find someone in our ranks. Cloud Kicker might have an idea of some allies or hideouts for us."
Octavia nodded to the guard ponies. "Thank you, we could use as many ponies as possible."
Everyone was silent for a moment then Octavia turned to Vinyl to see her wink with a smile. Octavia smiled in return.
"Vinyl and I had a small chat earlier today. We might have thought up our next move."
The gang looked at one another in surprise.
"What is it?" Twilight asked taking a seat by Blossomforth. Under the table the two held hands.
Octavia turned to Vinyl and nodded to her. Vinyl took in a breath and stood up. "I know where Blueblood is hiding."
Everypony went silent staring at her with fear.
"Not only that but I also know of a magical artifact that can probably give us clues on where the other two Elements are. It’s a long shot but my source let me know for sure that the location of this thing is where Blueblood is."
"And what artifact is that?" Daring asked curiously.
Vinyl turned to Octavia then back at her crew. "Prince Blueblood and this magical artifact are in the Ultra security prison station, The Rock."
Silence followed Vinyl's statement.
Vinyl looked around seeing the older mares except Luna stare at Vinyl as if she said she was Queen Celestia.
"Wait what?!" Rainbow exclaimed then winced holding her side. Fluttershy grabbed her shoulder keeping her sitting up. "Are you crazy?" She rasped.
"Who was your source?" Raindrops asked with fear.
"Um excuse me," Luna asked carefully. Everypony turned to her. "What is this place ... The Rock?"
Spike gulped. "It's Equestria's most highly secured Prison station."
Applejack nodded. "Eeyup, it was used during the Discordian War when it was built. But it was supposed to be shut down after the rebellion."
Luna blinked. "Supposed to be shut down? Closed away?"
"Yeah," Vinyl said loudly getting everyponies attention. "It was used by the nobles for their special prisoners." Vinyl bowed her head turning away. Octavia placed her hand on Vinyl’s shoulder.
"Vinyl,"
Vinyl smiled at her patting her hand. "My informant... you'll think I'm crazy when I say this. But the truth is... while I was gone," Vinyl started with difficulty. "I met some important ponies and one of them… told me about my dad." She said sadly looking at Rainbow Dash the most. "You met my dad didn't you? On the pirate ship you were imprisoned in."
Rainbow blinked then turned to Applejack. Applejack nodded slowly before speaking. "I was wondering when you'll start asking about him. You were there when Blueblood talked about him. I thought you forgot since you hit the deck too hard."
Vinyl nodded. "I did forget for a time. But that important pony told me about him. My dad was alive this whole time." Vinyl said sitting down in a chair with her hands on the tabletop thinking.
"Who were these important ponies?" Rainbow asked curiously.
Vinyl thought about it then shrugged. "Ponies you know." She said softly turning to Octavia to see her watching her closely. "Prince Tick Tock and Duchess Melody."
Octavia gasped so did the others at the mention of the dead royals.
"What?" Rainbow asked in complete shock.
Vinyl nodded. "I'm not joking." She said smiling a touch. "I truly met them. The duchess told me about the artifact and its location. And the prince told me where Blueblood took my dad and where he would be hiding." Vinyl turned to see Octavia staring at her. "And they both said the same place, The Rock."
"Alright, but what is this artifact?" Twilight asked looking over to see Rainbow closing her eyes rubbing her face.
"The duchess called it, The Shining Mirror." Vinyl turned to see Luna look stiff at the mention of the artifact. "She told me that Princess Luna obtained the artifact centuries ago."
Everypony turned to her. The elder princess sighed and nodded. "Yes I did receive a powerful mirror."
"Does it work?" Vinyl asked.
Luna nodded with a sad look on her face. "Too well, Captain Scratch. It works way too well. I used that mirror for many of my expeditions in the stars. That mirror led me to many planets and treasures and it also lead me to my capture." Vinyl nodded.
"So the duchess's stories were true." Vinyl said with a smile. "Then that’s where we're going. We’ll go to The Rock, find the Mirror and get the information we need. Get my dad and kill off Jerkblood once and for all. With him out of the picture it'll be easier to find the other Elements and easier to get to Canterlot."
Everypony was silent at the idea.
"Vinyl," Derpy said cautiously. Vinyl looked at her to see her worry. "You know The Rock is a torture house. What if something happens to us?"
Vinyl shook her head ready to assure her cross-eyed fried when Octavia slammed her hand on the table. "Nothing will happen to us." She stated firmly. "Nothing will because there is something else you must know now."
"What's that?" Rainbow asked.
Octavia messed with the crystal guardian around her neck feeling its pulsing light. "Earlier this morning I was visited by the guardians. They all spoke to me and told me to do this next step and I wanted all of you here."
Vinyl sat down in her chair watching Octavia as she reached into her pocket to pull out the other crystal guardians setting them on the table, then she reached under the table where she kept the sachet and pulled out the crystal heart. The Crusaders all went up to the table and stare in awe. Luna was happy.
"You saved them." She said smiling. Octavia smiled in return.
"I did. They told me to." Octavia placed the crystal heart on the table behind the smaller guardians. Octavia sighed wrapping her hand around her own guardian and held out her hand.
"Alright tell them what you want from them." Octavia stated firmly. The six crystals began to pulse with light. The group sat closer to the table with intrigue watching the crystals glow. Suddenly, the orange crystal sparked and a line of light shot out and hit Scootaloo in the chest pushing her into one of the support beams behind her. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom cried out in shock, only able to stare at their friend.
The yellow crystal sparked ad shot a beam of light at Derpy causing her to leap back in shock. She placed her hand on her chest and felt warmth from the light. She looked up with shock seeing the others looking at her.
The red crystal lit up sending another beam to Blossom’s forehead. Twilight gasps leaping back. Raindrops yelped seeing Blossom looked up with her eyes suddenly unable to move. It was like someone or something has control of her by forcing her to remain seated in her seat and still.
The green crystal sparked then sent a beam to Daring's chest. Luna and Spike both yelped in shock seeing Daring looking to them for help. Then the blue crystal pulsed then shot a beam into Vinyl's chest causing her to grit her teeth standing up trying to fight back this strange new power entering her but failing miserably.
"What's going on?" Raindrops exclaimed watching Blossomforth squeezing her eyes shut standing up as if forced to. Octavia kept her eyes closed concentrating with her magic. Even the crystal heart was pulsing with light.
"No need to fear." Scootaloo said causing Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom to turn to her in shock. Scootaloo gasped covering her mouth with her hands.
"We are just connecting to our new hosts." Derpy said blinking in surprise feeling her mouth moving on its own, she rubbed her fingers over her mouth looking to Rainbow and Fluttershy for help.
"Connecting? Why?" Twilight asked. She gasped as Blossomforth started glowing in a bright red aura. Daring was turning green, Scootaloo orange, Derpy yellow, and Vinyl turning blue. Octavia herself was also glowing in a purple light. After a few tense seconds Octavia lowered her hand stopping the spell. The five glowing ponies let out sighs of relief.
Derpy groaned, falling forward as Applejack gasped and caught her before she fell face first onto the deck. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle caught Scootaloo as she started to fall in a faint. Daring leaned against the support pillar and slid to the floor rubbing her face. Twilight and Raindrops grabbed Blossomforth before she fell forward onto the table. Vinyl felt her legs gave out and fell back into her seat groaning.
"What the hay happened?" Scootaloo moaned as her friends carefully sat her down on the floor with her back against the support beam. Octavia sighed shaking her head feeling a headache forming from the magic she used. She reached for the yellow guardian then walked over to Derpy as Applejack set her on the floor. Derpy opened her eyes and shook her head with a whimper.
"My head hurts." She whined. Octavia placed the crystal guardian around Derpy's neck with string. Derpy blinked then looked down with a gasps. "Wow, its warm!" She exclaimed then the yellow guardian glowed bright causing her to yelp covering her eye. Once the glow was gone Derpy gasped to see the cutie mark that appeared on the crystal surface. "Wow look at that!" Derpy exclaimed showing Applejack the crystal.
"Bubbles?" Applejack asked. Derpy nodded.
"Yeah, it's my cutie mark!" She exclaimed again smiling.
Octavia handed Scootaloo her pendant then walked with the green guardian and handed it to Daring just as Scootaloo gasped seeing no mark on her guardian. Daring’s crystal glowed and revealed her compass rose cutie mark.
"Incredible." Daring whispered in awe.
"Aw man, no cutie mark?" Scootaloo griped getting giggles from her friends. Octavia handed Blossomforth her crystal and walked off as Twilight, Raindrops, and Blossomforth discovered Blossom's cutie mark on her stone. Octavia saved Vinyl for last and paced the blue crystal over her head to hang around her neck. The crystal glowed then revealed Vinyl's cutie mark.
"Whoa," Vinyl whispered. Octavia smiled showing Vinyl her cutie mark on her stone.
"Why do we need these?" Scootaloo asked curiously.
Octavia stood up standing by the table. "The guardians want to help us in our goal. They believe it's time for change. They also believe their powers might regain strength with new hosts to take their place. And now we six are the new guardians of the Elements of Harmony."
Everypony was in shock. "Aw man!" Raindrops pouted. "Why wasn’t I picked?"
Octavia smiled. "The guardians only choose their next masters. They must see great potential in you all. But just like my father told me." Octavia said seriously. "You must never take your guardians off. Not for anyone or for anything." Octavia said as she looked down at her own guardian. "I made that mistake a while back and it was horrible. I was lucky that my guardian returned back to normal."
"Wait a second, "Scootaloo interrupted. “You're saying that me, you, Daring, Vinyl, Derpy, and Blossomforth were chosen to be guardians of the Elements of Harmony?"
Octavia nodded. "Yes." She said seriously. “It was the guardians' duty to protect the Elements of Harmony, but you saw where they were kept for centuries. They were created by the same ponies that created the Elements. The crystal ponies. With their magic they created the guardians for protection and safety. They created the Elements as a weapon and the guardians were then converted into being used to protect the Elements. So it's now our job to find the Elements of Harmony and return them to their proper and current owners. Hopefully, they can be reverted back to being used."
Applejack blinked. "What do you mean by that?"
Apple Bloom gasped. "Wait, like when your guardian turned gray and cold and dead after you pulled it off right?"
Octavia nodded. "Right, I was not ready to release my guardian to the task it was used for. If the guardian or element is pulled away without true preparedness of removal will turn dark, the magic will be severed and die or go into hibernation."
Suddenly Twilight gasped casing Applejack to jump turning to her with a glare.
"Of course!" Twilight exclaimed.
"What?" Blossom asked.
"Just like Octavia said. I remember feeling this horrible pain and sickness after the guard’s took the Element of Magic from my neck." Twilight turned to Fluttershy. "Remember? We all fainted from the sudden loss of magic."
Fluttershy nodded covering her mouth in shock. "Yes... Rarity and I fainted and couldn't wake up. The guards had to drag all three of us out of the palace." Rainbow turned away thinking.
"Rainbow? What happened to you?" Applejack asked.
Rainbow sighed. "I gave up my Element and yeah, I felt that pain too when I did."
"You gave it up?" Scootaloo asked. "Why?"
Rainbow shrugged keeping her eyes on the table as she tapped her finger absently. "I guess I was brainwashed or controlled at that time. All I remember was the pain, nothing else."
"So why give us these?” Vinyl asked. Octavia smiled at her.
"The crystal guardians are more than magic devices, they can also protect you all. The guardians want to transfer to new hosts so their magic can be stronger and so they can locate the two elements."
"Wait you mean they know where the elements are?" Twilight asked hopefully.
Octavia nodded. "They told me that they can feel Generosity’s presence and that she's near."
"Rarity?" Applejack asked in shock with a growing smile. "She's near?"
"Rarity?" Sweetie Belle asked silently with surprise as she looked at the adults around her.
Octavia nodded. "Yes, but they’re not sure how close."
"What about Laughter?" Rainbow asked with sadness.
Octavia swallowed then turned to Vinyl. Vinyl blinked looking at her. "The guardians told me that... Vinyl might know where she is."
Vinyl blinked again seeing everypony looking at her. "What? Look, I have seen many ponies in my time even in my past, but I don’t think I know any pony with that much happiness in Manehattan or beyond."
"They said you are connected to Laughter somehow." Octavia pressed.
Vinyl shrugged as her answer.
"Think Vinyl." Rainbow said quickly. "Have you seen, heard, or even met a crazy pink earth pony mare in your travels? Crazy pink mane, always throws parties at the drop of a hat and also has a way to beat the laws of physics?"
Vinyl blinked a few times then shook her head. "Uh no, I think I would have remembered a pony like that.”
Rainbow sighed leaning forward on her arms on the table. Fluttershy wrapped her arm around her hugging her tight.
Applejack sighed rubbing her forehead. "Is that even possible? Pinkie being alive this whole time?"
Everypony was silent. Everypony knew that Applejack witnessed the Element of Laughter's death. But if somehow the guardians could sense her presence, what if she did live somehow?
Vinyl shrugged. "I'm sorry guys. I don’t know what these crystals think but I don’t know any pink party pony. Sorry."
Octavia nodded. "It's alright."
Daring sighed. "So I guess we have a new course."
"You can’t be serious." Twilight said scared to death. "We can't go there. They'll kill us."
"Not precisely." Blossomforth said carefully. Everypony turned to her. "Being part of the royal guard, many times we get rotated through month long shifts to different posts." Blossom said smiling.
Raindrops nodded. "Yeah, we were both stationed at The Rock for what … three months?" She asked turning to see Blossom nodding.
"You’ve been there?" Apple Bloom asked smiling. Blossom nodded.
"We were."
"That’s great." Derpy said smiling. "You can tell us how to get in."
Blossom smiled. "Even better, we can tell you how to get in and out without being noticed."
Everypony grinned and started smiling with excitement.
"But wait a minute." Daring interrupted. "How can this be accomplished? The Rock is one of the highest security prisons in the galaxy."
Blossom and Raindrops looked at one another then smirked at each other.
"Actually it's not as secured as you might think it should be." Raindrops said smiling.
Octavia stood up. "You mean there are no soldiers there?"
"Oh yeah there are soldiers there." Blossom said nodding. "About one hundred and fifty soldiers and very little prisoners. Many of them are usually executed within the year of their imprisonment there." Blossom said frowning. “It's mainly Blueblood’s stallion cave really. His trusted soldiers are there like Trixie Lulamoon and even his most prized treasures are there too."
Vinyl nodded. "Yeah, that’s what the duchess told me. After Luna's disappearance all of her treasures were passed to every member of the court. And the Shining Mirror was given to Blueblood's family. Since Prince Tick Tock was kicked out of the Order, all of the things bestowed to him were given to Blueblood."
Raindrops nodded. "And that mirror is where you'll get it from. Blueblood has this giant room that was supposed to be meant for an auditorium filled with all of his gold and jewels and treasures. Books, busts of himself, even giant diamonds. I've never been in there but I heard the rumors." Blossom gave Raindrops a look that made the younger pegasus blush. "I do!"
"Alright, so there are no guards or turrets watching our every move?" Vinyl asked.
Blossom shook her head. "Nope, they have them up there for show. Blueblood had them disconnected so they could power his special hologram rooms. And the guards only watch hologram programs or mess with the slaves."
"Slaves?" Vinyl asked surprised.
Blossom nodded sadly. "It was no secret that Blueblood had his own slave arena in the prison. So sometimes you'll hear the slave tournaments in the prison. The prisoners can have a chance to earn their freedom in joining the games."
Raindrops spits to the side. "Fat chance winning since the games are rigged eighty percent of the time. Most of the prisoners die suffering the worst imaginable deaths in the galaxy. If you're a slave and transfer to The Rock you'll get the special treatment." Vinyl rubbed her face with a groan.
"Sorry kid." Blossom said sadly. "We knew about your connection to it all." Vinyl pulled down her hands to see everypony staring at her with sadness. Vinyl groaned again rubbing her forehead.
"Look things happen, alright. I'm not letting this bite me in the ass. Now here's the plan." She stated firmly.
"We can't have everypony on the ground at all times. We’ll separate into three groups." Vinyl looked around to make sure she had everyponies undivided attention, "Team one will consist of me and only me. No pony else."
"Whoa wait a second, "Rainbow gasped standing up. “You can't go in there alone."
"It’ll be better that way. I'm going in to find the mirror and my father. I can pick locks and handle on my own with a pistol and knife. Team two, Applejack, Rainbow, and Daring, I want you three to look for some computers. If we still plan on making an attack on Canterlot and the Order with the Elements then we need every dirty secret we can get.”
Daring nodded. "That won’t be a problem."
"Applejack and Rainbow will be your guards. We need as much information as possible."
The three mares nodded to one another then turn back to Vinyl.
"Team three is everypony else and all of team three will stay on this ship protecting it at all costs."
"What?" Scootaloo exclaimed. "But Vinyl we can fight!"
"Look Scoots, this is an important and fast job. I need you with the Crusaders in the engine room keeping it locked and loaded for a fast getaway."
"You can’t just simply leave us like this." Octavia said angrily. "I'm going and getting the bastard Blueblood for what he has done to my family."
Vinyl shook her head turning to her. "No way, thanks to Blossomforth and Raindrops we know that the guards will be around Blueblood at all times. He’ll be guarded more than the prison itself."
"I can take care of myself." Octavia argued.
"I know you can!" Vinyl snapped staring at her. "Damnit, I know you can take care of yourself. But right now what's more important is getting information from the mirror."
"And your father?" Octavia snapped back. Vinyl blinked a few times turning away. "You can't go alone, Vinyl. If you can't allow me to go at least take somepony else with you." Octavia begged with worry.
Vinyl shook her head. "I made up my mind on this. Finding my dad is my mission and my mission only. I'm heading for bed." Vinyl stood up and left the mess deck rubbing her face wanting to get away from everypony. Fluttershy stood up.
"Let me go talk to her." She said before running up the steps.
After a moment of silence Sweetie Belle gulped. "So how long will it take to get to the prison?" she asked curiously.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Fluttershy found Vinyl taking a seat on the rail staring out at the stars. The pegasus walked over clearing her throat announcing her presence. Vinyl blinked turning to her.
"I've made up my mind." Vinyl said with a growl turning away.
"I know." Fluttershy softly replied.
Vinyl blinked turning to her again. "Then why are you here?" She asked. Fluttershy shrugged sitting down on the rail next to her.
"You just look like you wanted somepony to talk to."
Vinyl shook her head. "I don’t want to talk to anypony."
Fluttershy nodded. "You want to take a mission you know will fail. You don’t want anypony else to get hurt over your endeavors." Fluttershy said with a soft smile.
Vinyl bowed her head turning away from her. Fluttershy made a light chuckle. "You remind me so much of Rainbow Dash at your age." She said smiling a touch. "She always felt like it was her job to receive the blunt end of the stick. I learned about your sacrifice for the princess."
Vinyl blushed not saying anything.
Fluttershy sighed. "I understand what you are trying to do Vinyl Scratch. But remember this,” Vinyl looked up feeling Fluttershy’s hand on her shoulder to see her worried filled gaze. “To the ponies that love you, be careful." Vinyl nodded. Fluttershy nodded in return seeing some of the ponies coming out of the mess deck heading for bed or for their posts. "Good night, Vinyl."
"Night." Vinyl grumbled watching Fluttershy walk over to Rainbow and helped her down the steps to the hammock room. Vinyl sighed rubbing her face shaking her head.
Deeper in the Outer Rim galaxy, a gigantic ship loomed over the horizon. It reached half a mile from bow to stern and stood fifty-five stories high. Surrounding this monstrosity of a ship was a small fleet of ships. Upon the sails of every ship was the sigil of the Pirate Lord of the Outer Rim. The sigil bore a skull with red eyes over a toothy grin and tri-pointed hat sat atop the head. Under that toothy grin were cross-bones. To all those that saw this sigil they would run in fright for fear of being destroyed by the giant ship and it’s fleet.
Inside the giant ship were pirates of all ages, races, and sizes, working in the giant belly of the ship. In the belly there were multiple ships from frigates to sloops attached to mechanical arms that were connected to the walls. Hanging from ropes were unicorns and earth ponies wearing harnesses and propelling from ship to ship. With heavy tool belts they sealed the holes on the hulls of the vessels, stitching patches on the sails, or even painting another layer of wood stain on the wood work. Those that didn't work in the belly of the ship, were either in the mess deck eating or patrolling the halls.
In one of the navigation rooms, a young pegasus hybrid was busy scrutinizing the radar as his twin unicorn sister walked into the room with two mugs of steaming coffee.
"Hey Pound, I brought the coffee." She said sleepily as she set her mug on the counter by her chair. She looked down seeing her brother watching the green radar screen closely. "Pound Cake, seriously you’ve been staring at that screen for what? Eight bells?"
"Shush!" He hissed. His sister blinked once then glared at him with her hand on her hip.
"Hey! I'm talking to you mister! I'm the eldest!"
Suddenly the pegasus gasped, leaping up in the air, flapping his wings, and pointing his finger at the screen. "Ah-ha!" He exclaimed.
"What?" His sister asked looking at the green screen to see nothing except for the dots that marked their ships circling them. "What?" She asked again.
"I saw a distress beacon right there!" He exclaimed pointing at the far upper left corner of the radar screen.
"Huh? I don't see anything."
"Of course, you can’t because we didn't turn that way."
His twin sister groaned rubbing her horn. "Pound Cake, you know we’ve only been inching east for the last three hours, right?"
"Yeah. An hour ago I saw the blip then thirty minutes later I saw it again. The closer we inch towards the east, to the Inner Galaxy, the blip pops up."
His sister stared at him for a long moment setting the second cub by Pound Cake’s station. "Meaning?" She asked crossing her arms across her chest.
"Pumpkin, don’t you understand? The distress beacon is pink!"
His sister, Pumpkin Cake went stiff turning to him in shock. "Pink?"
"Pink balloon, sis."
Pumpkin sighed softly before slapping her brother upside the head causing him to whimper in pain, rubbing his head.
“Owwie!” Pound whimpered glaring at her. “Why did you do that for?”
"Why didn’t you say so in the first place?!” She scolded causing her brother to shrink into his chair, “We have to tell the Captain, ASAP!"
"Right," Pound said nodding as his twin rushed out of the room. Pound blinked once then gasped. "Oh wait, right, right! Hey wait up!" Pound screamed out chasing after her.
Pound slammed the door behind him and rushing after Pumpkin down the spiraling stair case to the floor. He ran after his sister down the hall to the two large double doors. Pumpkin burst through the double doors hearing the sounds of construction as she entered The Hanger in the belly of the fortress. She yelped and went down on the ground in a slide, sliding between the legs of a giant earth pony. The earth pony yelped jumping away, slamming into two other ponies carrying heavy canvas for the patching of sails, and knocking them to the ground.
"Watch it!" The pony cried out before turning to see thee glares on his shipmates. He yelped again ducking as Pound Cake flew over him before landing on a table scaring a mare before leaping to the floor and began his sprint.
"Damn kids." The mare snarled as she began stitching canvas patches.
Pumpkin stopped looking around her to notice her original path was blocked by workers, she had to find an easier way to make it to her destination. Then her eyes looked up seeing a pulley being released from an upper floor as it slides down a line of rope leading to a lower deck. Pumpkin smirked as she leaped on to a stack of barrels waiting for the pulley to get closer.
One mare who was busy staining a patched spot on the hull of a frigate, turned to notice Pumpkin and Pound. "Careful you two!" She called out as Pumpkin grabs the hook on the pulley and held it looking down the line and smiled. She leaped off the barrels with the hook between her hands and began a fast decent with an excited scream of delight. Pound Cake leaped over the rail and began gliding down as his sister made the zip line down. Pumpkin released the hook and fell to the ground surprising three workers who were taking a break. One of them splashed his drink into his friend’s face causing her to scream.
"Sorry emergency!" Pumpkin called behind her running. Pound skirted a mare’s hat, flying over the three workers as he followed his sister to a set of doors leading out of the hanger.
The twins ran down the hall until they reached a large room with a spiraling staircase leading upward. Pumpkin began her ascend up. Pound though opened his wings and flew up through the center of the spiral. He reached for his twin, seeing him she grabbed his hands and was hoisted up off the stairs then up through the center to the top. Pound released his sister at the top in front of two large doors being guarded by two pirates. Pound landed next to her panting.
"Emergency! Need to speak to the Captain." Pound Cake panted saluting. The two guards nodded and allowed the two teenagers to pass, opening the doors into the Helm Station. They entered the giant room with huge glass windows overlooking the large upper deck of the ship towards the bow. The interior is a giant control room with the giant helm sitting by the windows. Several pirates sat at chairs in front of navigation monitors, radar screens, radios, even security terminals showing security footage of all parts of the ship. The ponies turned to see the two teenagers enter the room as the guards closed the doors. As the ponies returned to their work the twins could see their captain standing at the helm whistling a cheery tune and tapping her black polished boot on the deck in a beat.
Pumpkin walked forward with her brother behind her. "Captain, ma'am." Pumpkin called stopping a few feet behind her. Their captain tilted her head stopping her tune and turned slightly, looking at the twins behind her from the reflection on the glass. Pumpkin turned to her brother pointing her thumb at him. "My brother, Pound Cake found a distress beacon."
The captain hummed turning back ahead to view the stars. Pound cleared his throat. "One of our own, Captain." Pound said with amazement. "There is only one pony that we know of that has our beacon." He said smiling a touch.
The captain blinked then made a maniacal grin. "Where?" She asked in a whisper turning to the glass. The twins smiled in return seeing her smile reflecting towards them.
"Far East, Captain. Into the Equestrian Galaxy." Pound answered.
"Hmm," The captain hummed rubbing her chin with her scarred fingers. "Perhaps it's time to pay old Equestria a visit and see what my blue moon did that he needed my help with."
"Orders, Captain?" Pumpkin Cake asked, saluting. The pirates in the room turned and stood up with a salute as their captain turned to them, grinning. She pointed to one of the pirates in the room.
"Tell the engineers to prepare my ship, tell Quarter Master River to gather a blood thirsty crew.” The pirate nodded as he pulled on his headset to send the order as the other pirates listened to their leader. “We're going to Equestria." The captain said as she laughed, soon followed by a loud snort.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
"There she is." Applejack said pulling down the spyglass after spotting their destination. She passed the spyglass to Octavia who was standing next to her on the quarterdeck. Octavia looked through the glass to see the prison. The prison was built into a giant asteroid being steadied by satellites surrounding it to keep it from moving from its set position. Very high tech, she thought.
"The Rock." Applejack stated firmly, shaking her head rubbing her face with her hands feeling old.
"It looks very, protected." Octavia said with worry handing the spyglass to Vinyl standing behind her. Vinyl took a look at the prison then shook her head.
"Yeah, it sure does." Vinyl added with worry as she lowered the spyglass looking at Blossomforth next to her. "Are you sure we can slip inside with nothing to alert them of our presence?"
Blossom nodded. "Blueblood is more concerned for his wellbeing. If he gets money for the prison, he uses the money for himself and his Stallion Cave in the prison. But I do suggest once we get there, you go do your thing and get what you want fast before they start patrolling the hanger."
"Hanger?" Sweetie Belle asked listening to them.
"The Rock is one of the very few places where instead of a dock you just go under the prison then go up into the hanger. Just like your life boat entering the ship." Blossom answered. Sweetie Belle nodded biting her knuckles thinking about what she wanted to do.
Vinyl sighed. "Alright everypony get some food in your guts and get your weapons primed and ready." Vinyl ordered walking off. Derpy nodded taking the helm again as everypony else rested up or ate. Once dinner was finished many ponies headed off to their rooms readying themselves for an upcoming fight.
Blossom and Raindrops spoke with Luna about a procedure if the unthinkable happened on the ship. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were in the engine room doing small fixes and tinkering with the launch system. Sweetie Belle was nowhere to be seen, much to Scootaloo’s worry. Fluttershy stood in Rainbow’s room watching Rainbow Dash prepare a musket trying to get the old thing to work properly. Fluttershy just stood there worriedly trying to plead Rainbow into not going. Applejack was sitting outside staring at the prison as it slowly approached, clenching and unclenching her fists with anxiety. Spike, with aid from Twilight, was busy cleaning up the mess and the kitchen before the fight. Spike made sure to sharpen the knives for an easy weapon. Twilight was busy washing down the tables looking up watching the young dragon work. Derpy stood with Daring at the helm and the controls planning how to maneuver the Fancy Flute into a hanger.
Octavia climbed down the ratlines after taking an extra look at the sails and the lines to make sure nothing was loose or about to snap. After her inspection she decided to go to the hammock deck to talk to Vinyl. Worried about the idea in her mind. She knew the guardians were right, she wants to know more about Vinyl and understand what had happened to her. Or possibly to figure out how Vinyl knew the Element of Laughter or what her connection to her was. Octavia took in a deep breath then walked straight for the hatch that would lead her down to the hammock room.
In the hammock room Vinyl was staring at herself in the mirror set up on the wall. After a moment of examining her face she sighed softly looking down at her arms to see them getting a bit fatter since her time sick. She was happy to see that she was regaining what she lost, but she knew it would take a long time to regain her lost strength. She heard knocking on the wall and turned to see Octavia stepping off the stairs into the room.
"Hey," Octavia said with a small smile.
Vinyl blinked then made a small smile in return as she quickly pulled down her sleeves to hide her small arms. "Um hey." She said back smiling.
Octavia walked over to her looking between Vinyl and at the mirror smiling. "I can imagine you in a real Captain’s suit and hat." Octavia said reaching her hands over to fix Vinyl’s vest. Vinyl blushed at that looking at herself in the mirror.
"Nah, can't see it." Vinyl said with a grin then paused giving Octavia a searching glare. "You’re not coming with me." She said severely.
"I know that." Octavia said softly looking up into her eyes. "And I know it’s not my place to ask but... Can you tell me more about you?" She asked silently.
"Me?"
"Yes about you, your life... your family?"
Vinyl bit her lip thinking, turning away. "I don’t think-"
"Vinyl please, tell me a little bit, it doesn’t have to be sad or horrible just... I just want to know you better."
"Why?" Vinyl asked a touch defensively. Octavia gulped then leaned forward surprising Vinyl with a swift kiss on her lips. Vinyl blinked blushing hard seeing Octavia smile at her sadly.
"I just want to understand who you are so it'll be easier to love you more." She said smiling a touch. Vinyl gulped then cleared her throat.
"Wow..." She said rubbing the back of her neck, blushing even more. "Geez, you made it harder you know."
Octavia turned away with a blush. 'I just wish you could trust me."
"No, I do!" Vinyl quickly said taking her hands. "I do it's just... I'm not ready to talk about it." Vinyl whispered shamefully. "There's just so much of it that's horrible and... It's just old, hard memories." She felt Octavia's fingers on her cheeks stroking her face.
"Vinyl, I don’t want you to be ashamed or scared or sad. I know you've been through Tartarus and back ten times over, but I want you to be happy. You don’t have to tell me the horrible things. How about the happy things?"
Vinyl smiled a touch. "Well," She blushed smiling at her. "I used to play in the junkyard by my house. That was fun. And my mom made the best pastries any chef could make. She was a baker pony after all." Vinyl said smiling then she frowned sadly turning away. Octavia leaned forward wrapping her arms around her holding her.
"I wish you could have met her." Vinyl whispered. "She would have liked you. Royal or not." She whispered hugging her back. Octavia smiled.
"Is it true though, you’ve met my parents?" Octavia whispered. Vinyl nodded into her neck. "Are they... happy?" Octavia asked her voice cracking. Vinyl smiled.
"As long as they have each other, they are happy." Vinyl said softly pulling back seeing Octavia in tears. "And they told me to keep an eye on you and protect you." Vinyl said earnestly smiling at her.
Octavia smiled gave her another firm squeeze. "Thank you for telling me, Vinyl."
Vinyl smiled then hesitatingly gave her a peck on her cheek. "You’re welcome."
The two stood there in each other’s arms, enjoying each other’s company. It felt nice for Vinyl, she never had such close contact with anyone in a long while, not like this. It made her feel good.
"Hey Vinyl, we're about-" Spike called out running down the steps and stopped seeing Vinyl and Octavia, still hugging, staring at him blushing. "Oh, uh sorry about that." He said worried catching his captain in a personal moment then he smiled cheekily at them. Putting two and two together. "I'll leave you two lovebirds alone for a while." He said chuckling. Vinyl blushed angrily glaring at him as she pulled away from Octavia waving her fist at him.
"Get out of here you dragon spawn!" Vinyl roared as Spike made a hasty retreat up the stairs.
"We dock in six minutes!" He called back laughing. Vinyl growled, the blush still on her face from being caught.
"I don’t care if he's a little brother to me, I'll wring his neck!" Vinyl spat. Octavia chuckled as her blush faded away.
"Just promise me you'll be careful." Octavia said suddenly. Vinyl turned to her with a nod.
"I will."
"No heroics?"
"No heroics." Vinyl said firmly with a smile. Octavia smiled in return and gave her another quick kiss on the lips then went up the stairs back on the main deck. Vinyl blinked with a goofy smile on her face.
"Wow… She kissed me." She said giggling like a school filly. She was kissed by Octavia! This moment made her the happiest mare in the galaxy. She frowned suddenly then looked up through the hatch to see the infamous prison now above them. She let out a sigh as her excitement turned to worry. "It's now or never." She walked over to the old barrel and reached inside to pull out a pistol and some charges. Then she found her trusty knife and stuck it in her belt ready for action. Lastly she pulled out an old box and opened it to pull out a bit of folded leather, which contained her lock picks that she made when she was younger. Once she was prepared she ran up the steps to the main deck as the ship slowly rose up into one of the large openings to the hanger of the prison.
"Gently, gently!" Daring ordered as Derpy struggled in controlling the ship into the gravity fields of the prison hanger. Everypony watched in awe as the ship entered through the bottom of the prison then inside.
Everypony gasped and yelped in shock covering their eyes and faces from the brightly lit interior. The hanger was a giant room, white walls and floors made of a tile flooring, giant light fixtures on the ceiling shining down bright florescence lights. Floating next to them is a frigate with the royal guard colors.
"Oh, forgot about that." Raindrops exclaimed rubbing her eyes, squinting into the giant room. "This place was built with the best technology possible. Blueblood made this place the newest of space stations in the galaxy."
"Oh... my." Fluttershy whispered with shock at how advanced the hanger looked. Rainbow walked over to her wrapping her arms around her from behind her feeling her quiver with fear.
"It’s not so scary.” Rainbow reassured her feeling Fluttershy start to ease. She turned to her to see Rainbow wink at her. “It is very incredible." Rainbow whispered in awe.
Twilight nodded. "Truly." She turned to Blossomforth.
"We better hurry,” Blossom stated severely looking up at the balconies above them. “Who knows how much this place was renovated since Raindrops and I were here. And how many troops are here."
Vinyl nodded turning to Applejack, Rainbow, and Daring. "Alright let’s get this over with and fast." Everypony looked at one another with worry. "Remember, no sudden noises or racket from this ship. If they spot you try to distract them as long as you can. If they start shooting, you all shoot back. Keep them off the ship and keep them from locking us up."
The crew all nodded. Blossomforth and Raindrops lead Princess Luna below decks with them to hide. Twilight and Fluttershy said their goodbyes to their friends. Twilight hugged Daring for good luck as she handed her a musket to hold. Daring nodded smiling kindly at her assistant before heading to Spike who held the rope ladder.
Rainbow hugged Fluttershy tightly kissing her on her temple.
"Be extremely careful," Fluttershy whimpered holding her tight. "You're still recovering." She said worriedly.
Rainbow smiled with a wink. "I'll be careful. I promise."
For a second the two mares just stared at one another, arms apart, wondering what to do next. Until Rainbow pulled away blushing hard as she walked over to Daring as Spike tossed the rope ladder over board and helping Daring over the rail.
Applejack knelt down to hug her sister, she felt her sister hug her back. "Remember, stay hidden and stay out of the line of fire.” Applejack pushed Apple Bloom back at arm’s length to look her in the eye to notice her sister looked frightened. Applejack reached behind her back to pull out a pistol she had holstered there and handed it to Apple Bloom. “And if you have to, shoot any pony that comes to grab you, got it?"
Apple Bloom nodded taking the pistol into her hands. “I will, Applejack.” Applejack smiled sadly and nodded.
"Good, be safe." She whispered kissing her sister on her head hugging her tight.
Vinyl turned to see Derpy and Scootaloo looking at her. Vinyl smirked at them and nodded. “Just like the Arena.” She whispered seeing Derpy frown then nod her head once. Scootaloo looked heartbroken hearing that old saying and nodded before turning and leaving for the engine room. Apple Bloom followed her down there as Applejack headed for the rail.
“Vinyl,” Vinyl turned to see Octavia walk up to her.
“I’ll be careful.” Vinyl said soothingly taking her hand feeling Octavia squeeze her hand.
“Don’t do anything stupid.” Octavia whispered turning away. Vinyl swallowed thinking about what to do now. Should she kiss her? On the cheek? On the lips? Vinyl blushed noticing she was taking too long!
“Vinyl,” Vinyl jumped and turned to see Spike waving for her. “The others are waiting for you.”
Vinyl nodded and turned back to Octavia to see her look into her eyes. She reached up to her new crystal guardian and held it in her hand with a small smile. “I’ll be back soon.” Vinyl whispered. “And when we do get back … I think I’ll probably talk to you a bit more.”
Octavia blinked confused until she noticed the sad meaning in her captain’s eyes. “You mean you want to talk about …. Vinyl, you don’t have to do that.”
“I do.” Vinyl said blushing. “I trust you and well, I want to help you. And telling you about my trials in the arena will help then I’ll do it.”
Octavia smiled and nodded turning away. “I’ll look forward to it.”
“Great.” Vinyl whispered before walking over to the rail and began climbing down the rope ladder regretting not giving Octavia a kiss before leaving her again.
Octavia sighed watching Vinyl leave the ship. She turned and began to walk to the mess deck to get something to drink. As she walked past the stairs to the quarterdeck she failed to notice one little filly hiding. It was Sweetie Belle, she was hiding under the steps waiting for everyone to go about their business. She watched Spike hold up a thumbs up to the four mares before walking away heading for the first hatch to the hammocks.
Sweetie Belle crouched and snuck over to some barrels to hide as she peeked over the rail to watch Vinyl, Applejack, Rainbow, and Daring make the silent dash to one of the large opened doors that lead to a large hallway. Once she saw them disappear she tiptoed to the rope ladder and began her decent down to the floor. Her shoes clank on the metal floor of the hanger doors then made a dash across the hanger floor to the hallway, following the four mares with her own mission.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Ten minutes into their travel in the prison, Vinyl looked past a corner to see no guard ponies nor prisoners around. This was starting to get her agitated. "We've been walking for how long?" She asked with an annoyed glance to Applejack standing behind her.
"About ten minutes." The ex-pirate answered.
"Right and there are still no sign of any guards or soldiers. No cells either."
"Perhaps they are farther into the prison?" Daring asked curiously looking around.
"Maybe." Rainbow said worriedly, getting antsy.
"There’s some kind of railing right here." Vinyl said pointing down on the floor to a large rail with blue lights running down the rail line that turns a corner to another hallway. Applejack walked over kneeling down to the floor to look at the glowing rail line.
"Hmm, they used this technology back in the Canterlot prison.” Applejack said surprised looking down the hall then turned back to the others. “These are for the electrical cars that drive through the prison. The prison cells should be along this rail line. They use the cars to transport prisoners to their cells." Vinyl nodded as Applejack stood back up with a wince holding her knee. “The left and right tunnels where the rail line is set, each of those halls can hold the prisoner cells. And where your dad might be." Vinyl nodded looking both ways.
"So what now?” Rainbow asked.
After thinking for a while, Vinyl sighed coming to a decision. "This is where we must split up. I'll look around the cells. Surely this auditorium Raindrops mentioned is probably with the prison cells. I'll look for signs of my father and the mirror. You guys keep going straight. You might find the big computer center there."
The three mares nodded.
"Are you sure you don’t want me or Rainbow Dash with you?" Applejack said with concern.
Vinyl nodded. "I'm sure. I’ll be quicker by myself. I work better alone."
Applejack nodded then sighed. "Let’s go ladies." She ordered and started forward. Rainbow and Daring nodded running after her. Vinyl sighed and started running down left hall hoping she didn’t just made a big mistake. Hanging behind the four mares, Sweetie Belle peeked out from her hiding spot. She took in a deep breath then started running after Vinyl down the left hall.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Applejack stopped her followers holding her hand up. Rainbow stopped feeling Daring bump into her. Rainbow glared at the professor to see her blush with a silent, “Sorry.” Applejack turned to them placing her finger to her lips. The pegasi went silent as Applejack peeked around the corner a touch to see five guards talking and laughing. She looked ahead past the guards to look into the giant room to see a large pillar in the center. At the top closer to the ceiling was a large circular room with large windows. Through the windows Applejack could see what look to be terminals and hologram screens. The computer station.
Applejack turned to the two mares. Holding up her hand to show five fingers then she pointed to her eyes then points into the room. Applejack backed up then leaned back into the wall looking out. Rainbow leaned forward to see the room to see the five guards and pulled back, nodding to her. She turned to Daring and nodded. Daring peeked over then smiled seeing the computer station. She pulled back rubbing her hands together in anticipation.
Applejack went down in a crouch to the floor as Rainbow crouched down next to her. Applejack waved her finger for Rainbow and Daring to move closer to her to whisper. "I'll get these guards distracted, long enough for you and Daring to get up there and get whatever info we need." Rainbow blinked with a look of total terror at the idea.
"No way AJ, let me do this one."
Applejack shook her head. "Not in your current state, Dash. I'm fit and healthy and you’re still healing. You're better off sniping with that musket than running like me. Here," She said handing her musket to Daring. "I'll make a mess of things. They won't question where I came from only that I'm an Earth pony."
"They'll kill you if given the chance." Rainbow hissed.
Applejack made a confidant smirk. "Then I won't give them the chance. I'll meet you at the ship when I lose them."
"AJ!" Rainbow hissed reaching out as Applejack started running into the room. Daring grabbed Rainbow pulling her back covering her snout to keep her from shouting.
"Hey you yella bellies!" Applejack screamed out. The guards turn to her with shock. "Your mothers are half bred cows that got knocked up by an earth pony pirate!" Applejack made a mad sprint to another hall.
"Get her!" A mare ordered and all of the guards in the room went running after Applejack.
"Damnit!" Rainbow hissed, feeling useless watching her friend run off risking her life like that. But she knew Applejack was right and she couldn't sit around and let this chance slip by. The sooner she gets this mission done, the quicker she’ll go help Applejack.
"Come on Doc, let’s get this over with." Rainbow ordered harshly. Daring nodded as the pegasi flew to the stairwell closest to the top and quickly ran up the steps to the door, leading into the computer hub. Rainbow opened the door silently then looked inside pulling out her pistol as a precaution if there was a guard sleeping inside or not. Seeing nor hearing anything she nodded to Daring.
"It's clear, make it quick!" She ordered. Daring nodded and ran to the nearest computer and started hacking. "How long will this take?" Rainbow asked looking out the windows realizing she could see the four main halls from the high position.
"As long as it will takes, Captain Dash. I'll go as fast as I can. These are newer versions of the original terminals I used in the University."
Rainbow cursed silently watching the halls. Hoping and praying Applejack will be able to lose her pursuers long enough or Rainbow to come to watch her back.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
At the top floor of the prison, sits Blueblood’s suite where the prince himself was fixing his dark blue bowtie in the mirror. "I appreciate you two boys coming in today." He said smiling looking from the mirror to see two unicorn stallions, twin brothers with red and white hair.
"Quite," Flam said smiling. "We always bring our best slave fighters here."
"Sure do, brother.” Flim replied smiling before turning back to Blueblood. “So your highness, you said you have a special fight planned?"
Blueblood chuckled. "Yes, I do. Recently I learned that my wayward hybrid niece was the one that escaped your games in Filly, right?" The brothers looked at one another then back at Blueblood.
"Yes," Flam said twirling his mustache turning to his brother.
"We’ve been wondering when we might meet the little flower again." Flim said smiling evilly.
Blueblood chuckled. "In due time, gentle colts. When my captain returns from her trip, we'll have a great show. I'm planning on having my niece and the Element of Generosity in the ring."
"Element of Generosity, you say?" Flim and Flam asked at once smiling at one another.
Blueblood nodded fixing his hair. "Yes, a perfect way to get rid of them. We must kill one or all of them to get rid of the threats. And Miss Rarity will perish soon and when she does, Elements of Harmony are no more." He said chuckling.
"Well, your highness, we have our slaves prepped and ready for the fight." Flam said with confidence.
Blueblood chuckled. "Good, why don’t you go on ahead and send the call. I'll get-" The door slammed open surprising the stallions as Trixie walked into the room, glaring at them. While the brothers frowned seeing her look disheveled from her supposed trip, Blueblood looked happy. "Ah Captain, giving me some good news, I hope."
Trixie growled turning to him. "I'm afraid they escaped me. Somehow they were able to get to their ship without being caught by the wildlife and able to escape the planet before any of my scouts could catch them."
"What?" Blueblood hissed glaring at her. Trixie glared back crossing her arms across her chest.
"They're gone. But,"
"But what?" Blueblood snapped.
"I think I might have found something of interest."
"Oh and what is that? Is it more important than having the hybrid bastard’s head on a platter?"
The brothers looked between the prince and the captain then to one another with worry.
Trixie sighed rolling her eyes. "I discovered two guard ponies in their gang of traitors."
Blueblood and the brothers stared at her in surprise. "Traitors?" Blueblood asked. "Who?"
Trixie smiled. "A sergeant and a corporal in the royal guard. Sergeant Blossomforth and Corporal Raindrops."
Blueblood blinked at the thought. "Hmm, I don't know them."
Trixie made a deadpanned look. She shook her head clearing her throat. "Anyway, I sent word to Lieutenant Heartstrings at Hoofington to make an investigation to the station where they were trained. I’m still waiting for a reply from her."
Blueblood nodded. "Good work, don’t forget to send word to General Lightning Dust as soon as possible."
Trixie rolled her eyes then bowed to him. "Of course, your highness."
Blueblood turned to the brothers with a nod. "A shame the hybrid bastard won’t be here. Get the arena ready anyway, we’ll get rid of the Element of Generosity tonight. Send word to my guards to let them know it’s time.”
The brothers laughed as they left the room already making plans for the fight. Blueblood turned to Trixie. "Captain, I believe it's time to send our special guests to the arena." Trixie nodded smiling.
"Your highness!" A mare called, running into the room, panting hard from her run. "Your highness, Captain Lulamoon! We have trouble!"
"What trouble Corporal? Trixie asked glaring at the guard pony.
The corporal stood up straight and saluted. "Down in Sector six, there was a disturbance. Somepony not authorized or otherwise is in that sector, ma’am."
Blueblood turned to Trixie to see her angered. "I thought I ordered all of the new guards never to go down to sector six. I made it perfectly clear."
The mare gulped. "It said so in the security systems, ma'am. And there are reports of an Earth pony running wild in the prison."
"An Earth pony? Running free?" Blueblood asked.
"Yes, sir."
"Describe this pony?" Trixie ordered.
"Uh they say she's an orange mare, ma'am. With an accent from the Green Belt."
"Green Belt?" Trixie asked confused then she gasped with an idea. "Applejack!" She growled turning to Blueblood. "It's that earth pony Applejack, the Element of Honesty." Blueblood froze.
"Element of Honesty? How can she be here?"
Trixie blinked then ran to the large hologram table sitting in the middle of the room and pushed all the books off the table giving a glare to the prince seeing him turning back to the mirror. With her magic she called through the hologram and a keyboard appeared, then began typing on it. She pressed a few more keys into a password then opened a large hologram screen showing security footage from every camera in the prison.
She noticed movement in one screen and gasped seeing Applejack running down one hall in a sprint with at least ten guards chasing after her. Trixie pressed her finger on another of these floating screens watching the footage from an earlier time showing Applejack with Rainbow and Daring in a hall crouched down. Applejack hands her weapon to Rainbow Dash then runs out. Trixie watched as Rainbow and Daring flew to the computer station.
"Damnit!" Trixie snarled watching more security footage then saw the footage of the ship Fancy Flute entering the prison hanger. "Somehow that ship got here." She turned to Blueblood seeing him looking at her spooked. "That brat is on that boat."
Blueblood smirked. "Excellent. I was expecting her. Now the fight will begin." He turned to Trixie. "Plan a capture of that tiny boat and the crew. I want everypony to be in the arena. But make it quiet Captain. I want them surprised." Blueblood said smiling. "I'll meet you at the arena when you are finished."
Trixie watched flabbergasted as Blueblood chuckles with mirth as he left the room. Trixie groaned then pointed at the guard mare.
"You gather your best pegasi and go after that Earth pony Applejack, we want her alive for the arena." The guard nodded then ran out of the room. Trixie returned to the hologram table and quickly opened a communication radio. She linked to several radios in the prison and started calling for ponies for a team capture and a silent mission. Trixie turned to one of the screens then blinked to see a familiar unicorn mare sneaking in a hallway looking around. It was the Hybrid unicorn, Vinyl Scratch.
Trixie smirked with an idea. "I'm coming after you, hybrid."
Vinyl was walking down the hall looking around making sure there were no guards around. So far, there had been no guards, which surprised her. As she passed a set of doors, she felt a pulsing on her chest and stopped. She looked down to see her crystal guardian pulsing with magic and heat. Vinyl blinked then held her stone like she had seen Octavia do then suddenly her senses went high. She gasped looking around her, her sight cleared and she could see farther than ever before. Her hearing heightened, hearing the creaking of the prison station, hearing the foot falls of people walking or running, and hearing prisoners laughing or crying. She felt a magical force pulling her forward. She gulped and followed the force down the hall, she could feel the magic pulling her forward even harder making her start running.
She turned a corner running past a set of large doors. Just as she passed them the magic pulled her hard causing her to yelp in shock sliding to a stop. She turned and began backing up, feeling the pull lessen as she got closer to the set of metal doors. She stopped by the doors feeling the magic pulling her to them, she glared at her jewel seeing it pulse faster in a bright blue light.
"Alright, alright, I'm going." She grouched as she reached into her pocket pulling out her lock picking kit and began the process of picking the lock on the doors.
Sweetie Belle peeked out of her hiding place to see Vinyl picking the door. The door clicked and Vinyl sighed spitting out the leftover picks she had in her mouth into her hand, sticking them back in her pocket, and sticking her knife back in its sheath, opening the door.
What she saw inside made Vinyl’s mouth drop open in shock and wonder. "Damn, now I wish I was a pirate." She whispered to herself looking around the large auditorium turned treasure room. Inside the room were ancient paintings, preserved granite busts of Celestia and Luna, and large ornate vases covered in gems. She could see treasure chests closed or opened. The open chests revealed fancy clothing, jewels, gold bits, and even gold bars! Vinyl pinched herself a few times to make sure this wasn’t a dream or a hallucination, this was the most incredible place she had ever been into.
Vinyl turned to her left and gasped seeing a magnificent mirror set up near the wall. It was set up with an easel to keep it off the floor. The mirror was an elegant piece, the surface had no blemishes or scratches, gold circled the mirror while rubies and sapphires shone in the gold. Each gem seemed to emit a power that her guardian seemed to connect with.
This was it, the Shining Mirror! The mirror that would show what her heart desired and give her the answers to the questions she begged answer to for years!
Vinyl stepped up closer to the mirror feeling some sort of magical pull from the mirror, beckoning her to come closer. Her eyes sparkled as she began to slowly pull up her sleeve and wipe her hand on her trousers, feeling the need to clean off her hand of oils or dirt before touching the beautiful clean surface. She lifted her clean palm up to the mirror. Just before her skin would touch the cold glass she suddenly she felt a jerk of magic pull her away from the mirror. She blinked and gasped out loud from the shock and turned towards the direction the magic pull was pulling her towards. She felt anger being pulled away from the mirror and for some odd reason, she could feel the anger from the mirror as well. Her glare lessened seeing some sort of fancy blue box with gems decorating it.
Vinyl looked at the mirror feeling it’s magical tentacles try to grab her mind trying to get her to come closer to it. Vinyl blinked again and turned to the box feeling her Guardian’s magic trying to get her to go to the box. After a moment of fighting Vinyl made up her mind.
“It can wait,” Vinyl said out loud as she walked away from the mirror unaware that the mirror was angry for Vinyl leaving its presence. She approached the box noticing that it was sitting in a clean space by the corner. Sweetie Belle snuck into the room watching Vinyl walk to the box. Suddenly the door slammed shut causing the young unicorn to squeak loudly turning behind her. Vinyl gasped pulling out her pistol pointing at the door then gasped seeing Sweetie Belle smiling sheepishly at her.
“Uh Hi Vinyl.” She said with worry seeing Vinyl’s frown.
"Sweetie Belle!? What the hell are you doing here? I thought I told you to stay on the ship." Sweetie Belle gulped with worry.
"But you can’t go alone."
"I made it very clear that I can't have any pony with me." Vinyl said sternly sticking her pistol back in her pants, she turned noticing the younger unicorn was on the verge of tears. Vinyl sighed remembering that Sweetie Belle was the most sensitive of the three fillies and knew she couldn’t bear to see the young filly cry. She walked over to her then knelt down to Sweetie Belle’s eye level. "Why did you follow me?" She asked gently.
Sweetie Belle blushed. "It's my sister Rarity."
"Rarity?" Vinyl asked confused, remembering a little bit about the name.
"Yeah... Everypony's been talking about her a lot and well… Rarity and I, we might not have gotten along with Apple Bloom and Applejack but," Sweetie Belle sniffed as tears formed in her eyes. "You came and we were blasted off with you from Fillydelphia and I actually thought I could get away from her.” Sweetie Belle said shamefully. “I haven’t seen Rarity in so long and," Vinyl quickly wrapped her arms around her holding her close feeling Sweetie Belle hugging her back crying on her shoulder.
"For a while I've been having dreams that Rarity’s in trouble and I just have this feeling that she's here, Vinyl."
Vinyl sighed patting her back. "Look, maybe there is a clue about her but-"
"Please, let me help you, Vinyl, please?" Sweetie Belle begged.
"No,"
"Pwease!" Sweetie Belle did the puppy pout with the tears. Vinyl groaned rolling her eyes but made a small smile.
"Fine you're her already and we can't turn back now. Just don’t touch anything, got it?" Vinyl ordered.
Sweetie Belle cheered clapping her hands. "Yay! Thank you, Vinyl."
Vinyl shook her head as she stood back up and turned back to the box. Sweetie Belle walked over to the pedestal and looked at the bejeweled box.
"What's that?" She asked her voice squeaked a touch.
Vinyl smiled with a shrug touching her guardian feeling it pulse. "Not sure, but for some reason my guardian is telling me to get to this box." Vinyl gulped, pulling out her knife and she stuck the blade through the seam between the lid and the box and started jiggling the latch from the inside. She popped the lid open with a grin, success! Sweetie Belle stood on her tip toes to get a peek inside the box. What she saw made her blink with bewilderment.
"Old Necklaces?" She asked with confusion looking to Vinyl to see her in shock. What Vinyl saw in the box were six metal and jeweled medallions. Two of them were gold, the other two were silver, and the last two were bronze medallions. Each of these six medallions have six large, different colored and shaped crystals. Vinyl gulped feeling the power radiating off the large crystal medallions. Vinyl reached inside and grabbed a silver chain and pulled it up to reveal the silver medallion with a dull red thunderbolt shaped crystal.
Vinyl blinked feeling a familiar power itching her fingers as she took ahold of the medallion and rubbed her thumb over the shiny surface of the crystal. She blinked seeing a small red light trying to form inside the crystal. She squinted then she suddenly gasped feeling her mind being dragged into the medallion. Sweetie Belle blinked looking up at Vinyl to realize she had this look of shock on her face just staring blankly at the crystal. She reached up to Vinyl’s vest and tugged on it a couple of times.
“Vinyl? What’s wrong?” She asked worriedly.
Vinyl kept staring into the crystal actually seeing something, some sort of vision through the eyes of another pony. Vinyl can feel herself running, flying, fighting, and almost every emotion imaginable. What made her even more astounded was that, when she saw the pony look at herself in a mirror, Vinyl got the connection. These were the memories of Rainbow Dash! Vinyl gasped again when the magic released her letting her breathe for a few seconds. After calming down she stared at the medallion in her hands.
"No way," She said out loud dropping the medallion back in the box and grabbed a second medallion at random. She grabbed a bronze medallion with a blue shaped crystal of a balloon. Once Vinyl touched the crystal on the medallion the magic took her through the memories of the pink pony called Pinkie Pie. Vinyl blinked hard, shaking her head at the weird magic from the blue balloon medallion.
"What is it?" Sweetie Belle asked as Vinyl grabbed a gold medallion with a faded purple diamond shaped crystal. Just like with the other two medallions, Vinyl watched the memories of white unicorn called Rarity.
When the magic released her, Vinyl groaned dropping the medallion into the box, to grab hold of the stone pedestal to keep from falling over trying hard to keep from losing her dinner. The magic was intense, the most magic she felt through her body ever. Not to mention the dead magic feeling was harsh on her stomach.
"What's wrong?" Sweetie Belle asked tugging on Vinyl's vest. Vinyl took in deep breathes to try and clear her head as she waited for her dizzy spell to pass. Once the spell left her, she blinked looking into the box then turned to Sweetie Belle with a shocked expression.
"Sweetie Belle, I think we just found the Elements of Harmony!" She whispered smiling. "We found them!" She cheered as Sweetie Belle gasped jumping up and down cheering, too.
"Good for you." A voice said scaring the two unicorns. Vinyl and Sweetie Belle gasped, turning to the doorway to see Trixie standing there smiling at them. Guard ponies ran into the room pointing their swords, pistols, or magical hands at them. Vinyl looked around them to realize the odds were against her. She only had one pistol, a knife, and very limited magic. And not to mention Sweetie Belle was here too. She knew she was beat. Vinyl sighed loudly then raised her hands up in surrender. Sweetie Belle gulped raising her hands too.
Trixie chuckled. "Grab them, check for weapons." She ordered. Two unicorns ran over pushing Vinyl into the wall, hard.
"Hey, watch it!" Vinyl yelled out. One of the guards gave her a hard punch into her ribs to shut her up.
"Leave her alone!" Sweetie Belle screamed out kicking one of the unicorn guards. A Pegasus guard grabbed Sweetie Belle by her shirt holding her up in the air. "Let us go!" The younger unicorn cried out swinging around trying to hit the Pegasus behind her causing several guards to laugh at her.
Trixie chucked walking past Vinyl and Sweetie Belle to the box and shut the lid on the box. She turned to Vinyl as the two guards pull out her out knife, pistol, and lock pick kit. When Vinyl struggled in their grasp, a unicorn grabbed Vinyl’s arm and twisted it behind her back causing her to growl in pain.
Trixie smiled walking over to Vinyl and took her chin. "Never thought I would meet you in person, Vinyl Scratch. What an honor indeed." She joked laughing.
Vinyl glared at her. "Horn my ass, bitch!" She snarled. Trixie’s smile faded to a horrible snarl. As if on silent command Vinyl felt boots kick her under her legs causing her to fall onto her knees before the unicorn captain. Vinyl felt Trixie grab her hair and pull back, Vinyl squeezed her eyes shut biting into her cheek to keep from giving them the satisfaction of hearing her cry. She opened her eyes to glare coldly at Trixie as the unicorn captain glared back.
“You’re lucky that his highness wants you and your precious crew alive.” Vinyl blinked once and stared at her with shock. They knew! Trixie grinned with a chuckle seeing Vinyl’s shocked expression. She turned to the guards behind Vinyl and then turned to Sweetie Belle seeing the young filly glare at her. "Take these two to the arena, let his highness choose a fitting end for them."
"Yes, ma'am." The guards said before grabbing Vinyl’s arms or vest and pull her up to her feet then push her out of the room. The pegasus guard followed them holding Sweetie Belle by her shirt. Trixie smiled turning to the magical box and patted the lid lightly. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure things go smoothly.” She said chuckling evilly as she left the auditorium, shutting the door behind her.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Applejack slammed her back against a pillar, panting hard from her sprint. She pulled off her hat and began fanning herself getting scared. "Damn girl,” She whispered to herself shaking her head. “You haven’t ran for this long in years."
"Where’d that bitch go?" Applejack stiffened taking a peek past the corner to see the guards looking for her. She pulled her head back then looked around her to find a place to escape. Then she noticed a set of doors across the hall from her position. Who knew where those doors lead? But right now, those doors might lead to her freedom or to her capture.
"Great Luna above." She whispered looking past the corner, again to see nopony looking to her direction, yet. She pulled her hat firmly on her head then pushed off the wall and began her sprint to the doors.
"Hey there she is!" One of the guards scream out, causing all the guards to sprint after her. Applejack slammed her shoulder into the doors banging them open with the guards closing in on her. Her chest began burning from the lack of oxygen in her lungs as she kept pushing herself to the highest possible limit her old body could take.
"Come on AJ! Come on AJ!" She huffed running to another set of doors and slam her shoulder into the doors only to let out a cry of pain. The doors didn’t budge! She shoved the doors again to finally realize the doors were locked. She turned behind her and yelped as the guards swarmed her grabbing her. She was pulled away from the doors and was shoved into a pegasus guard who held her arms. He turned her around to face another pegasus guard as he slammed his fist into her stomach then made another punch into her face. The guard the shoved Applejack into the wall.
Applejack landed on her knees spitting out the blood from her mouth before being whacked with a baton. She groaned looking up with terror.
"Calling our mothers earth buckers, huh?! How’d you like this!" One of the guards scream out kicking her in the gut and ribs. Applejack fell on the ground coughing before feeling the heavy baton hit her head and everything went black.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Back on the Fancy Flute, Octavia was laying in her hammock watching Spike and Derpy play a card game on the floor. Octavia sighed softly through her nose looking up towards the hatch, anxiously. She held on to her Guardian feeling it pulse. After a while of waiting, she got out of her hammock and began her march to the stairs.
Derpy looked up from her cards to see the princess leaving the safety of the room. "Octavia, where are you going?" Derpy asked worriedly.
Octavia stopped by the foot of the stairs turning to Derpy to notice Spike was looking at her with scrutiny. "Oh, I'm just a little hungry. I'm going to go get some apples. Do you guys want any?"
Spike thought for a moment then shrug with a nod. "Sure, thanks." He said with a small smile.
Derpy nodded beaming. "Yeah!"
Octavia nodded. "Alright, be back in a jiffy." Octavia quickly ran up the stairs to the upper deck and looked around the hanger to see no pony watching. She treaded to the rail to look at the frigate docked beside them and rubbed her chin trying to remember any of her Uncle’s ships. The name on the side didn't ring a bell to her. Perhaps it was a guard ship and nothing more.
Octavia began her quick jog to the third hatch instead of going to the mess. She looked around her to make sure no pony was around before making the silent descend down the stairs. She walked silently in the red lit walkways that lead to the engine and storage rooms. She stopped near the engine room door hearing noises inside and talking. She recognized the voices of Scootaloo and Apple Bloom inside the room.
"Where’s Sweetie Belle anyway?" Scootaloo asked. “I’m getting very worried.”
"Don’t know.” Apple Bloom said, her voice muffled from somewhere in the room. “But she sure was acting strange." Apple Bloom mentioned worriedly.
"Yeah, I noticed that too." Scootaloo replied.
"Scootaloo, is there something between the two of you I should know about?" Apple Bloom asked suddenly with an annoyed one in her voice. Octavia blinked pressing her back against the wall and inched closer to the doorway to see if she could listen for more. What did Apple Bloom mean by that?
Scootaloo stopped her tinkering. “What do you mean?”
“What do you mean, what do I mean? Apple Bloom snapped angrily. “The two of you have been off together more than usual.”
“What’s wrong with that?” Scootaloo asked in confusion.
“I feel like I’m the third wheel.” Apple Bloom complained. “I mean what’s going on?”
Octavia blinked thinking for a few seconds. Are the Crusaders in another argument? By the sound of it, it seems that Sweetie Belle might have ran off to be alone while the other two were butting heads. She sighed and started to sneak past door as the two friends continued their argument.
She reached the staircase that would lead her to the lifeboat room. Once at the bottom she smiled and closed the door behind her. She went straight to the gun cabinet and opened it. Octavia moved the box that covered Vinyl’s hidey hole in the back of the cabinet. She grinned reaching her hand inside and pulled out some knives and extra laser pointers, and some laser charges.
Somehow Vinyl used the hidey hole as some sort of secret stash for laser pointers, some diamonds, and other jewels. She placed the box back in place and close the cabinet doors. She then walked to a barrel by the cabinet and reached inside to pull out a potato sack filled with items. She reached inside to pull out a pistol; she stuck the pistol into the back of her pants like how Vinyl did it then stuck three chargers into her pants pockets.
Once she was prepared she reached into the barrel and pull out one of the old machetes that was taken onto the ship from Everfree. She sighed knowing that the old blades wouldn't be an effective clean-kill weapon, but it was better than nothing. She found a leather belt and a thin line of rope and tied a loop for her machete to hang from the belt on her waist. She placed her hand on the pistol, chargers, and then the machete in a mental check list before she left.
"Alright," She whispered walking to the controls and pressed a few buttons then pulled the lever. She heard the loud whine of the Bombay doors opening. She smiled seeing the white metal door under the ship.
Octavia knew she wouldn’t be able to go with others on their missions, so what better way to sneak off the ship to go do her own missions? She wouldn't let this opportunity slip by. Blueblood will pay in his involvement in her parents’ deaths and for many others he murdered for the bits in his pocket. Once he is gone, she'll feel better knowing her parents’ deaths have been avenged. And also, the Guardians have been talking to her since they entered the prison. They keep saying that the Element of Generosity was here in the prison and she could feel something else. A dead power inside the prison, a deadness that she had already felt when her Guardian went dead on the Crystal Planet. Right now, she had to find out where Blueblood was hiding and kill him, but first she has to get away from the Fancy Flute before any pony discovers her disappearance.
With the Bombay doors opened revealing the twenty foot drop to the metal hanger doors. Octavia swallowed with worry as she sat down on the edge. She turned onto her knees, grabbed the edge, and slowly lowered out of the ship. She gulped looking up at her hands dripping to the ledge then down at the floor. She closed her eyes then released the ledge. She squeaked as she fell then landed hard on her feet feeling the impact on the balls of her feet. She groaned harshly keeping her mouth shut as she fell to her knees then on her tail, pulling off her boots to rub her feet. That hurt!
Once the pain faded away, Octavia pulled back on her boots, then stood up in a crouch looking around from under the Fancy Flute to make sure no guards were around. Once she knew the coast was clear, she ran to the nearest hall and made a break for it.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Just as Octavia left the hanger, a group of Pegasi guards in the upper level snuck out of the halls with upgraded laser rifles and pistols looking over the rails to see the frigate and the tiny sloop. Their leader was a Pegasus mare, she reached up to her ear piece pressing a button.
"Captain," She said in a whisper.
"Go ahead," the stallion on the other end answered.
"We have an unauthorized ship in the hanger, sir. It looks like a sloop of war, an old one from the old Discordian wars. It looks like crap. It's a wonder it can still fly at all." She said smirking. Several other pegasi smirked or chuckled silently from the observation.
"Any visual of the crew on the vessel?" Their captain asked.
The mare hummed a moment. "Maybe, in the vessel we don’t have... Wait a second, we have a visual. A unicorn."
"What does this unicorn look like?" The captain asked.
The mare pulled out a skinny spyglass from her satchel and looked through it to see Twilight Sparkle as she looked around the hanger for hostiles.
"It's a mare, sir. She looks like one of ponies we’ve been after."
There was a pause on the other line then the captain sighed. "Take the ship and arrest all you see on that boat. From the fuzzy camera feed, I can identify the mare you can see. That there is Twilight Sparkle. Twilight Sparkle is charged with Desertion of the Equestrian army and traitor to her majesty the Queen. Capture her alive."
"Copy." The Pegasus mare said, clicking off the ear piece and pointed to her group then her finger at the ship. "Arrest them all. Put magic inhibitor bands on the unicorn. She’s a deserter and traitor." She said smirking.
Many of her pegasi nod their heads smiling.
"Whose turn is it to torture traitors?" A stallion asked giggling madly.
"It's Captain Lulamoon's call." The mare said then nodded waving her hand.
"Go! Go!" She hollered out as she and the pegasi swoop down. “Attack, attack!” She ordered.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Twilight gasped hearing the commanding calls and looked up seeing the pegasi diving to the ship. She ran to the helm to the speaker tube just as the pegasi shot past the main mast.
"Beat to quarters! Beat to Quarters!” Twilight cried through the tube as one of the pegasi land on the roof of the guest house. Twilight gasped looking up at her.
"Surrender!" The Pegasus ordered.
"Fat chance!" Twilight taunted back leaping over the rail to the deck and began to run but was stopped by many more pegasi flanking her from the air and on the deck. Twilight looked around, her holding out her hands and calling forth her magic, ready to fight back. That is until unicorns started popping up out of nowhere from teleportation spells. Some looked winded from the spell while other smirk holding their pistols and rifles at her.
Twilight growled preparing a spell as her eyes began to glow and her arms began to be encased with purplish pink glass armor. A stallion ran over and smashed his rifle butt into the back of Twilight’s head causing her to lose her concentration and making her fall to her hands and knees. She blinked looking at her arms to see her magical armor began to crumble away at the loss of concentration. She tried to get back up to run but the stallion stomped his boot hard into her back to force her to lay flat on the deck. She gasped feeling him press his knee to her back as he grabbed her wrists and pulled them back behind her back.
Twilight struggled against his grip as a mare walked over chuckling. "Twilight Sparkle you are under arrest for desertion of the Equestrian army and treachery to the kingdom of Equestria." The mare said smiling.
Twilight growled struggling under the stallion’s weight. "Let me go now, or I swear it by the gods of old, I’ll burn you all alive!" She screamed. The stallion grabbed a hand full of her hair pulling back causing her to scream out.
"You don’t scare us!" The pegasus mare spat then turned with a growing grin. A unicorn walked up with special cuffs with runes glowing in a blue light. The stallion lift up Twilight onto her knees as the unicorn stepped closer to her.
"You should be scared of us, deserter." The unicorn spat as he slapped the bands on Twilight's wrists and one smaller one around her horn. Twilight gasped in pain feeling her magic compress and drain. The runes glowed a fierce blue. Twilight’s eyes glowed as she starts screaming and thrashing trying to get the arm bands off her wrists, but they wouldn’t slip free, they seem to tighten and clasp tightly around wrists as the bands and ring continue to suck her magic away.
The stallion took a few steps back, laughing at the sight. "The galaxy’s most powerful unicorn is now reduced to a sniveling filly." He laughed pointing at her. Twilight continued to thrash and scream, until finally her eyes stopped glowing and she went still then into unconsciousness.
"Everypony, search the ship!" The pegasus mare ordered. “Arrest everypony and subdue any that resist." She turned to see a pegasus mare giggle with glee holding on to her heavy leaded baton. "Go." She ordered watching the ponies all ran into the hatches, into the guest house, and below decks.
Spike and Derpy both gasped in surprise seeing three unicorn guards run down the steps and started grabbing them.
"Hey let us, go!" Derpy screamed out fighting back only to get punched in the face. Spike was grabbed by a unicorn and the two captives were forced up on deck. When the two reached the deck, Spike gasped to see Scootaloo and Apple Bloom being tied up. Scootaloo was being beaten for something since Apple Bloom was unconscious on the ground bleeding from fighting wounds.
"Is that all of them?" The mare commander asked.
A pegasus walked over and shrugged. "The others haven’t returned from below decks."
"Commander!" A voice cried. Everypony turned to see a beaten unicorn returning from below decks holding her arm. "There's a crazy pegasus down there and she's killing every pony we got!"
"Commander!" Another voice called and pointed down out form the railing. The commander ran over and looked to where the unicorn was point and gasped to see four mares running into a hall into the prison. They were more on the boat and they escaped?! How is that even possible?
She growled slamming her fists on the railing turning to her soldiers. "Seven of you, go get them and arrest them!" She ordered.
Seven pegasi saluted and took to the air following the runaways. The commander sighed then turned to see Scootaloo dropping to the ground, groaning holding her stomach.
"Take them to sector fifty. They’ll be locked up until Captain Lulamoon or his highness says otherwise.”
"And the unicorn traitor?" One of the unicorns asked.
The commander smirked. "Take her to the sector sixteen. Send a message to Captain Lulamoon so she can take this traitor in for... questioning." She said smirking. Two unicorns grabbed Twilight under her arms holding her up. With their combined magic they all transported away in a flash of yellow and blue light.
The commander chuckled, grabbing Scootaloo's shirt lifting her up to her knees and started dragging her away. The others in the crew were grabbed and dragged or carried off the ship to the prison itself.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Fluttershy panted looking out from her hiding spot with her bloodied knife, watching her friends being carried away off the Fancy Flute. She sighed turning to her other escapees Blossomforth, Raindrops, and Princess Luna. Luna was in awe looking at the ceiling like a filly in an amusement part. Blossomforth was dressed in her comfortable clothes of shirt and pants and boots. Raindrops had her dirty uniform unbuttoned still shocked and keeping her hand on Luna’s shoulder.
Fluttershy looked to them with worry. "What can we do?" She asked in a whisper. "Our friends, they're hurt."
Blossom nodded biting the inside of her cheek, feeling sick to her stomach of leaving Twilight on the ship like that. "No doubt they’ve arrested everypony on the ship, us included if you hadn't got us out of there."
Fluttershy nodded shuddering, placing her knife on the ground.
"Are you alright?" Raindrops asked with worry. Fluttery nodded wincing holding her side under her arm.
"Shit," Blossom cursed crawling over to her. She lifted up Fluttershy’s arm too fast causing her to yelp out silently.
"Blossom?" Raindrops asked. Luna looked back at her friends with worry.
"Fluttershy’s been scrapped by a laser. Damn it."
Fluttershy nodded slowly. "Yes, I know." She whispered pressing her hand over the wound. "I don’t feel anything horrible. I don’t think it’s that bad."
Luna gulped. "What now?"
"Wait a second," Fluttershy asked stiffening.
"What?" They asked.
"Where's Octavia?"
Blossom shook her head. Raindrops shrugged. Luna copied Raindrops’ action confused and worried. Fluttershy gulped remembering how the Bombay doors were open when they were trying to hide.
"She left." Fluttershy whispered with fear.
"Left?" Luna asked. "Left when?"
"The Bombay doors were open." Fluttershy said.
"Right," Raindrops said nodding. "They can't possibly have been open when we came in."
"Octavia did it? Why?" Blossom asked.
Fluttershy thought for a moment then smiled sadly. "She is very determined.” She contemplated. “And she won't let her family take this fight without her." She said turning to them.
"Wait what?" Raindrops asked.
"Raindrops," Blossom said smiling a touch. "Remember when Twilight told us that Octavia had disobeyed orders just to save Vinyl? She did it again."
Fluttershy nodded. "Yes, I remember when Daring told me about Vinyl's injuries. Stabbed in the abdomen to protect the princess she loved. No doubt, Octavia went off to help Vinyl or..." Fluttershy paused turning to Blossomforth seeing the pegasus guard’s eyebrows shot up. "She’s after Blueblood."
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Vinyl and Sweetie Belle were sent through the tall hallways lined with empty prison cells. Some were filled with a single pony or a dead one. The further they got into the center of the prison Vinyl started to see the cells now starting to be filled with sickly ponies. Ponies she knew all too well, slaves. Earth ponies or hybrids. Young and old. Stick thin or medium built. All for the love of the games.
Sweetie Belle whimpered seeing the ponies watch her. Some of the caged stallions licked their lips ready for a run for the filly. Vinyl recognized that look and spat at them causing some of them to jump back with fear.
"Keep your eyes off her, dumbasses!" She screamed out.
"Shut up!" The guard screamed back smashing his fist into her head. Vinyl stumbled falling on her knees hearing the slaves holler or cry like wild animals seeing her fall.
"Vinyl!" Sweetie Belle called out trying to run over to help her captain, but the guard instead grabbed her and pulled her back as they continued walking down the hall.
"Get up, hybrid." The guard yelled out gabbing Vinyl’s hair and her vest pulling her up to her feet again.
They continue walking towards a large doorway to a giant aerodrome like room. Vinyl went stiff staring at the large walls of a large coliseum like structure.
"Oh no," Vinyl whispered, her blood ran cold seeing the structure. She flinched feeling the guard grab her face leaning into her ear.
"Oh yes, we know who you are. Welcome back," He smirked pushing her forward. "Get moving!" They continue walking to the large wire mesh door.
"Open the gate!" Trixie boomed walking forward from behind them. Vinyl and Sweetie Belle watched as the gates open up and big beefy Pegasi guards stand by with shock pistols that were used to control slaves.
They smiled and growled at the mare and filly as they were pushed into the sand filled coliseum. Not as big as the one in Fillydelphia or Manehattan but still a good size. Standing the middle of the field was Blueblood and the Flim flam brothers. Vinyl gasped, stopping. She was shoved forward falling to her knees again. Sweetie Belle was pushed hard to where she fell on her face in the sand spitting out the sand from her mouth.
"Well, well, well," Flim chuckled walking forward. "Brother of mine, look at this." He called out chuckling again.
Flam was equally surprised. "Why if it isn’t our favorite slave fighter."
"Sure enough, brother. Miss Vinyl Scratch, the wondrous Champion on the Pits! It's been quite the while hasn't it, brother?"
"Yes it has, brother."
Vinyl shook her head glaring at the brothers. "Flim, Flam, surprised you’re not in Tartarus yet."
Flim chuckled fixing his cuffs. "Oh don't you worry Vinyl."
"Tartarus is just finishing up it's suite for us." Flam continued.
"But I wouldn't say the same for you, Vinyl."
Vinyl snarled at the two brothers.
Flim laughed seeing Vinyl snarl at him and his brother. "Look at that brother!”
"Oh yes, the old Snarl of the Scratch. What good times that was, wasn't it brother?"
"Yes, and what good times it was. Perhaps we can get that monstrous side of her to come out again.
The two brothers were nodding to each other enjoying the idea.
"Wait," Everypony turned to Trixie as she walked up. "Why allow her to fight and kill all of your stock. The last I heard about this slave is that she was a blood thirsty killer and a crowd pleaser in your Manhattan coliseum." She said smirking seeing Vinyl turn away glaring. Sweetie Belle watched Vinyl with worry.
"So what do you suggest, Captain?" Flim asked with a flinch.
Trixie smirked. "Well this pony has a soft spot with the Princess. Maybe we should treat that heart of hers."
“And how do you suggest we do that? Without doing it now with our slaves and bruisers?" Flam asked glaring. Trixie smirked holding up her hand indicating the prison around her.
"We're in a prison, boys. And one of the top prisons where execution is life." Trixie said turning to Vinyl to see her glaring at her. "Guards!" She called out. Three unicorns walked up smiling. “Take them to sector twenty-five." Vinyl spits into her face causing Trixie to scream out, backing away.
"Bitch!" Vinyl snarled before begin pushed face first into the sand by Trixie’s magic. She tried to lift herself up but Trixie knelt down grabbing Vinyl’s head and pushed her into the sand.
"You’ll regret calling me that, hybrid. You’ll wish you would have been dead long ago." After a few more seconds, Trixie lifted Vinyl’s head up out of the sand. Vinyl coughed and sputtered out the sand from her mouth. Two of the guards grab Vinyl, pulling her up on her feet and drag her out of the ring. Sweetie Bell was pushed forward by the last guard heading out of the ring.
As the guards with Trixie behind them transported them out another group of guards were walking past with two chained unicorns. Vinyl kept her head down as they started walking past. But Sweetie Belle looked up and gasped recognizing that one of the unicorns was a mare. A mare with graying purple hair.
"Rarity?!" She cried out trying to get away from the guard holding her shirt. Vinyl looked up hearing the cry. So did the other unicorn. The mare looked terrible, she was definitely Rainbow’s age, her mane looked messy and grayish purple or that could be the dirt and muck. The mare gasped seeing the filly.
"Sweetie? Sweetie Belle!" She screamed out frantically, trying to pull away from the guards feeling them grabbing her arms to keep her from running away. "You’re alright! You're alive!"
Sweetie Belle tried to run to her sister but the guard scooped her up and threw her onto his shoulder walking ahead as the filly screamed and thrashed around.
"Rarity!" She cried, fighting the stallion. Vinyl then started fighting back trying to get free. But the guards kept a solid hold on her as she struggled.
"Let them go now!" Vinyl and the older stallion screamed out at the same time. Vinyl blinked stopping her struggle and turned seeing the older unicorn next to her. Looking him up and down, she could see that he has dark blue hair, white fur, and bright red eyes. The two unicorns stared at each other with shocked realization.
"You" Vinyl whispered.
"Gracie?" The elder unicorn whispered equally shocked.
Trixie laughed walking over. "Well, well, well, looks like we have a family reunion." Flim and Flam were laughing walking up behind her.
"Look at this Flim! Do you see what I see?"
"Yes, I can brother and I'm seeing double."
The brothers laughed as Flim walked over, nodding to the guards. The two unicorns nodded and held Vinyl fast causing her to scream out in pain from the pressure in her arms.
"Look at this, Flam. That must be little Vinyl's daddy we have heard so much about." Flim said laughing.
Flam nodded walking over to Scratch. "You should be so proud of her, sir. She’s one of the best fighters in our slave arena." Scratch blinked in shock then turned to see Vinyl struggling in the guards’ grasp.
"Let them go now!" Scratch said seriously glaring with a snarl that matched very closely to Vinyl's. Flim and Flam looked at one another then started laughing.
Flam looked to Trixie with a grin. "Trixie, if you don’t mind, let’s see if the daughter got her moves from her father."
Trixie thought for a moment then smiled cruelly at the older stallion. Vinyl went stiff, her glare fell to a look of shock. This stallion does look like her father all the way down to his red eyes. His voice was the same, his dark blue hair was turning gray at the roots. But the idea that this stallion, even if he truly was, her dad she didn’t want him to go through the hell she went through for many years of her young teenage life.
"No, let them go! Don’t'-" She was punched hard in the stomach and left to drop to her hand and knees, coughing.
"Take them away." Trixie ordered smiling. "Flim, Flam go ahead and kill these two unicorns." The brothers laughed and started back to the coliseum with Scratch and Rarity being pushed towards it.
"Sweetie Belle!" Rarity screamed out trying to fight back. Sweetie Belle was screaming loudly her feet smacking the guards’ chest as she thrashed trying to escape.
Trixie smirked following the other guards, grinning as her fingers tingled with dark magic.
Rarity continued to scream out, fighting the guards as they entered the sand filled ring. Scratch remained silent and in shock. That was his Little Gracie? His little girl? That grown mare with the same eyes, mane, and face... it was her, all her. So what Blueblood said was true... his daughter was alive.
Rarity was now sobbing as she was pushed to her knees in the center of the ring. Scratch feebly followed kneeling next to her still in shell shock. Blueblood stood at the dais above them smiling down at them.
"Welcome traitors to your doom. Flim and Flam here, has been giving me many good ideas and this one just takes the cake, as the hybrids say it." He chuckled taking a draw from his cigar. Rarity sniffled glaring at him.
"You evil monsters! If anything happens to my sister, I'll kill you all!" The three stallions all laughed at her cry. Scratch growled a touch clenching his hands form behind his back. He pulled at the chains that kept his wrists bound and powerless.
"Not to worry," Flim announced giggling. "This will be over soon. But in spirit of our games, you will be given better bracelets."
Flam snapped his fingers as the slave guards leaped out of the bleachers that were already filling with guards and soldiers from the prison cheering for blood. They ran up grabbing Rarity and Scratch pulling off their cuffs and replacing them with cuffs with longer, lighter chains for extra movement. A unicorn placed new magic suppressor cuffs on them both. The two unicorns wince at the pain in their wrists and heads. The guard ran off leaving behind crude ineffective weapons on the ground climbing back to the bleachers behind the chain link fences.
The coliseum doors opened suddenly. Blueblood looked up and smiled seeing some guards with a prisoner between them.
"Forgive us, your highness, but we caught this scum running in the prison. We brought her here for execution."
Blueblood nodded eagerly. "Yes, bring that creature in. Who is this scum?"
One of the pegasi pushed the earth pony to the ground. Rarity let out a gasped yell as Scratch stared in shock recognizing the earth pony they pushed into the coliseum.
"Applejack?!" Rarity cried out running to her. The guards laughed spitting at the hurt earth pony mare as she groaned curling her hands into fists. One of the guards threw her hat to the ground, stepped down on her hat, and then kicked the old fabric away. They left the ring closing the doors behind them. Rarity slid to a stop on her knees in the sand, feeling tears threating to cascade down her cheeks again. She gingerly placed her hand on Applejack’s cheek then patted it lightly.
"Applejack? Is that really you? It has to be you." She whispered shaking with emotion of actually seeing one of her old friends alive and in the flesh before her.
Scratch walked over and nodded clearing his throat. "That’s her, that’s the mare from the pirate ship working under Nightmare Moon." He said sadly. Rarity grabbed Applejack’s arm and sleeve and pulled her closer to her having her lay in her lap. Rarity stared at her old friend’s face seeing it bloodied and bruised. She could see the sighs of age on her face even the telltale freckles on her cheeks. Applejack had scares on her face even a fresh dark bruise over her right eye. Rarity gulped back bile a she stroked the mare’s brow then her dirty hair.
Applejack groaned then opened her left eye seeing Rarity's fuzzy face.
"I'm dead aren’t I?" She croaked weakly, coughing. Rarity shook her head stroking Applejack’s face tenderly over her bruised cheek.
"No dear, you're not." Rarity whispered smiling softly at her as Applejack closed her eye falling back into unconsciousness.
"Not yet." Scratch hollered out standing by Rarity and Applejack holding up his fists ready to fight. Rarity turned hugging Applejack to her protectively as the gates under the dais opened to show drugged stallions all drooling and naked. Rarity gasped hugging Applejack tighter. Scratch stood in front of the mares to protect them.
"What the hell is this?!" He cried out with fear. Blueblood turned to the brothers. Flam walked up to the rail and laughed.
"We promised you to show what Miss Vinyl Scratch had been through. It's her favorite fight, really. Get them boys!" He ordered as his brother laughed. The stallions start running toward the three ponies in animal cries and roars. Scratch turned to find a blunt sword nearby. He made the dash for the sword, grabbing it, then ran back in time to swipe at a stallion causing him to scream falling to the ground. Rarity gasped as Scratch took a swing at another.
Applejack suddenly opened her eye grabbing Rarity’s arms thrashing trying to get away, thinking she was grabbed by another guard.
"Applejack, darling it’s me!" Rarity screamed out as Applejack pushed her away staring at her now, fully awake for her daze.
Applejack rubbed her eyes shaking her head to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. "Rare... I thought you were dead." Applejack whispered in shock before the downed stallion grabbed Applejack from behind and bites down in her shoulder. She let out a shocked cry trying to get the stallion off of her. Scratch turned but was swarmed by another stallion before he could help. Rarity stood up watching in horror and fear seeing the stallion now has a choke hold on Applejack’s neck shocking her with her blood running down his chin. Rarity turned and noticed one of the weapons was a spear, she made a dash for the weapon picking it up and ran to aid her firmed. She stuck the blunt spear into the stallion’s back causing it to scream in agony.
Applejack looked down at the stallion’s bare arm and decided to play a trick in the fighting slave’s book. She grabbed his forearm and sink her teeth into it causing the stallion to scream again before a hard whack with the spear knocked the stallion off of Applejack. Applejack spat out the disgusting blood from her mouth as Rarity stabbed he slave with the spear until it was dead.
Rarity stood up, turning around, growling. "I will kill all of you for ruining my life!" She screamed out before swinging at another drugged stallion. Applejack stood up slowly wincing holding her side. She happened to look up and gasped seeing a slave running for Rarity’s back.
"Look alive, Rare!" She screamed out as Rarity swung the staff around smacking the stallion in the face with the blade. The fight continued as more slaves came running out from their cage under the dais with weapons and some wearing armor.
Vinyl continued to struggle in the guard's grip as they walked into a strange, empty cement room with grates on the floor. Sweetie Belle stopped fighting a while ago, sobbing into the guards back. Vinyl felt horrible for her, Sweetie Belle just found her sister and from what Vinyl could tell that the other mare was equally upset and screaming her name as they were leaving. But now they were taken to some place that Vinyl knew had to do with execution, but what type?
One of the guards released Vinyl to walk to one of the large, circular grates on the floor. He pulled out a key to unlock the grate and pulled it open. Vinyl and Sweetie Belle watched with fear seeing that the grate had an empty cuff clasped on the grate. The guard unlocked the cuff and raised it up smiling and walking over to Vinyl as the second guard got a good hold of her to keep her from running away. Vinyl gulped watching the guard clasp the cold clammy cuff to her ankle.
"What’s this?" Vinyl asked glaring at the guard in front of her. Sweetie Belle was lowered to the ground, when she tried to run the guard grabbed her shirt pulling her back as the filly tried desperately to get away from him.
"Your chain." The guard behind her answered pushing Vinyl over the edge into the hole. Vinyl let out a scream before crashing to the hard floor on top of some sort of debris, groaning in pain. Her head was swimming in pain and her back was in worse shape feeling the sharp objects poking into her back and neck. Vinyl opened her eyes seeing the guard laughing down at her from the long drop.
"Oh and here, take the runt!" The stallion laughed, throwing Sweetie Belle into deep hole next. Vinyl sat up to catch her but Sweetie Belle lands on top of her pushing her back down hard onto the floor. Vinyl started coughing from the impact to her chest. Sweetie Belle groaned opening her eyes using her hands to push her up. She gasped seeing Vinyl groaning then closing her eyes.
"Vinyl? Vinyl, wake up!" She begged grabbing Vinyl’s vest and shook her, trying to get her to wake up. "Vinyl!" She cried out tears flowing from her eyes. She gasped hearing the grate close above her, looking up.
"Enjoy your last bubbles of life, girls." The mare hollered out, laughing along with the other guards, walking away. Sweetie Belle gasped crawling off of Vinyl standing up, looking up at the grate.
"You can't leave us here! Somepony please!" She begged sniffling. "Help!" She cried. She looked down at Vinyl, unconscious on the floor. She sniffed and lowered on top of Vinyl then laid on top of her, sniffling and crying into her chest.
"I just want to go home." She whispered closing her eyes to sleep off her pain.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Twilight groaned as she started to regain consciousness. She woke up staring at the bright lights above her head. She moved her hand trying to block the light but she felt her hand not rising to block her view.
"What?" She said looking to her left to find her hand above her head, cuffed to a table. She turned moving her other hand to feel it stuck on the table too. She looked down to find her ankles strapped to the table as well. She struggled in her restraints, trying to get out of this predicament.
"Easy, Sergeant Sparkle." Trixie said coolly as she walked into the light. Twilight glared at her. "You’re safe here."
"Safe? Safe!?" Twilight snarled at her trying to get out of her restraints with her magic, but her magic wouldn't come forth. Instead there was a sharp pain in her head.
Trixie smiled. "Oh yes, you're safe, Twilight. You will be once we’re done talking and you agree to what I propose." Trixie said walking to another table looking at the old torture tools, tapping her chin thinking of her plan.
"A proposal?" Twilight spat, pulling on her restraints. "For what?"
Trixie shrugged, reaching for a knife flipping it in her hand. "A proposal for all charges against you to be dropped and you'll be set free."
Twilight stopped her struggle to stare at Trixie’s back. The idea of freedom and to stop her running and hiding did sound very tempting. She could return to Canterlot with a clean slate, no guard would arrest her, she could see her family again.
She closed her eyes, shaking her head. "You can't do that."
Trixie smiled hearing the sadness in Twilight’s voice.
"True, normally it wouldn’t happen." Trixie turned showing the blade. Twilight stiffened as Trixie walked slowly forward. "However, I work with a large group of very important ponies. True, the rest of the galaxy will never let you go, but my superiors will erase your past and you will be free. And will order all guards to avoid arresting you for your previous crimes.” Trixie said leaning against Twilight’s table using her magic to float the knife and lightly trace Twilight’s leg with the tip. Twilight stiffened watching the knife worriedly.
"And why do this only for me? Who wants me on your side so badly to drop all the charges against me?" Twilight asked through her teeth.
Trixie smiled with a sigh. "Very powerful ponies, the same ones that placed you under house arrest." Twilight blinked surprised. Trixie nodded. "Yes, you remember that don't you?"
"That was... Twenty years ago."
"Right,” Trixie said poking the knife into Twilight’s thigh causing her to wince staying absolutely still.
"Why?" Twilight whispered.
"Because you are the most powerful unicorn in recent history, Sparkle. And you are very important to us."
“Us?" Twilight asked.
Trixie leaned forward into Twilight’s face smiling. "The Order."
Twilight’s eyes went wide hearing the infamous name that she heard from Rainbow Dash and Octavia.
Trixie noticed the shocked look in Twilight’s face. "Ah that’s right, surely Rainbow Dash talked, hmm?"
Twilight snarled sensing the magical energy that felt like the same magic she fought against on Rainbow Dash.
"You... So it was you! I didn’t believe it when Rainbow told us. You corrupted Rainbow Dash!" She screamed out. Trixie stabbed the knife into Twilight leg. Twilight gasped out, quickly biting into her cheek to keep from screaming. Trixie leaned close to Twilight’s ear.
"Yes, I did. The most powerful spell I have ever used and it took many weeks to perfect with other ponies." She said chuckling.
Twilight growled at her. "Like I would even think of joining you!"
Trixie smiled. "I don’t think you have a choice this time. Unlike Sunset Shimmer's proposal years past, she gave you a choice. But not I." Twilight stared at her with surprise as the knife twisted into her leg causing her to scream. "The longer I twist the more severe the wound will be and I might cut an artery."
Twilight growled at her. "I will never join you!" She spat. "All you ponies do is make others suffer!"
Trixie sighed with a shrug. "Ponies must suffer for us to claim true purity."
"Purity of what?"
Trixie smiled. "Now if you were one of us I'll tell you. But you'll be joining us anyway."
"What?" Twilight asked before Trixie answered with a shrug and an innocent smile. Trixie pulled out the knife form Twilight’s leg, Twilight screamed out again. Trixie charged her hands in her magic. She wrapped her one hand around Twilight’s horn and her hand was pressed hard into Twilight's chest. Trixie's eyes glowed pink as she glared into Twilight’s eyes. Twilight started to feel hot searing pain in her body and started screaming, thrashing about trying to shake Trixie’s hands off of her.
"Get out of my head!" She screamed out.
"I'm afraid you have no control over me anymore, Sparkle. Let's see what your anger runs from, hmm?"
"No!" Twilight cried out. Trixie smiled seeing through every memory through Twilight’s mind. Her fears, her imagination, her nightmares, and her anger. She smile and licked her lips feeling Twilight’s source of intense anger.
"Oh yes, your anger is so large... and delicious."
Twilight struggled against her influence but without her own magic as a shield she couldn’t fight back. The magical bands around her wrists and horn drained her magic and now she was defenseless against Trixie's dark magic.
Trixie shook her head. "Don’t fight it, Twilight Sparkle. Take it in and let all that anger go away. I'll give you vengeance for the loss you feel." She smiled again seeing the vision of Twilight's true original source of anger and grinned.
"Flash Sentry was his name?"
Twilight stiffened, her eyes went wide. The pain began again, causing her to scream as she relived her horrors. Trixie continue to send spurts of dark magic into her captive, to try and finally take over her mind.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Rainbow Dash was peeking out the window but quickly ducked as a laser hit the window cracking it. Thirty minutes after Rainbow and Daring hacked into the computers the place had erupted into chaos of laser fire and blood. Rainbow peeked over and shot another guard. She ducked back, panting.
"Daring!" Rainbow yelled out over the shattering glass.
"I almost got it." Daring said going through files fast, looking for key words. "Damnit..."
"Damnit, Daring?" Rainbow snarled ducking.
Daring gasped suddenly seeing something on a file. "Got something!"
"Print it or copy it or something!" Rainbow cried out as a laser hit a computer monitor causing it to explode. Daring nodded placing a small flash drive to the computer.
"What was that?" Daring asked, thinking she heard Rainbow say something behind her. She turned to see Rainbow staring at nothing in particular and looked very pale.
"Rainbow? Captain Dash!" Suddenly Rainbow closed her eyes and began screaming holding her head with her hands.
"Rainbow!" Daring gasped running to her holding her shoulders. "What is it? What is it?" She cried out as Rainbow fell to her side curling up into a ball holding her stomach. Daring moved away in time as Rainbow lost her dinner.
"Rainbow what's wrong?!" Daring begged looking around hearing the lasers from the guards had stopped.
"It’s happening again!" Rainbow cried out holding her head.
"What's happening again?" Daring called out seeing that the drive was finished copying the files. She reached for the drive and stuck it into her boot to hide it from the guards. She turned to Rainbow but a loud bang was heard. Daring looked up seeing the guards pointing their guns at her. Daring tried to grab her rifle but a warning shot was fired causing Daring to freeze.
"Hands on your head, traitor scum!" Daring raised her hands to her head. She looked down seeing Rainbow go still, unconscious from her episode.
"What’s wrong with her?" One of the guards asked avoiding Rainbow.
"She's Rainbow Dash of course!" A mare called out smiling. "Chain them and we’ll take them to the arena." Daring was grabbed and forced up and pushed out of the computer room. Rainbow was lifted up and dragged away unconscious. Daring gulped worried as she stared at Rainbow’s still form.
What was happening again to her? Something looked vaguely familiar to what happened moments ago.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Fluttershy peeked past the corner to see a lot of guards in the giant room filled with crates and barrels. They had been searching for Fluttershy and her group ever since they fled. Raindrops peaked over and sighed pulling back, leaning against the wall next to Luna. Blossom was silent as she clenched and unclenched her fist over her new guardian crystal. Raindrops could tell Blossom was worried, she knew something was wrong but kept her mouth shut to protect their hiding place.
Suddenly Fluttershy was rubbing her temples and squeezing her eyes shut. Luna blinked feeling magic in the air. Fluttershy took a breath. Luna raced over past Raindrop to grab Fluttershy, wrapping her hand over Fluttershy’s mouth as she started screaming in pain fighting against Luna's grip around her. Luna pulled her back into the alcove as Raindrops and Blossom watched with worry. Raindrops sat on top Fluttershy’s legs to keep her from kicking as she cried and writhed in pain. Blossom peeked past the corner and gasped pulling back. Seeing Luna and Raindrops looking at her Blossom placed her finger to her lips, her eyes wide with terror seeing that Fluttershy was still going crazy in some sort of episode.
One guard turned to the corner thinking he saw something by the corner leading to an alcove. He walked slowly over pointing his pistol at the corner. Blossom could hear his boots walk over slowly and carefully. Blossom placed her hand on Raindrops's back gripping her shirt. Luna was struggling as Fluttershy continued to cry and struggle in Luna’s grip.
Suddenly the guards all started running. "There’s a disturbance in the arena, come on! All units there now!" A stallion’s voice cried out. The guard who was approaching the corner stopped and turned. He started running with the other guards out of the large room.
Once there was silence Blossom, Raindrops, and Luna both sighed in relief. Luna blinked and removed her hand then gasped feeling Fluttershy going limp in her arms.
"Fluttershy?" Luna asked in worry. The two pegasi ran to her. Raindrops placed her finger over Fluttershy’s neck to find her pulse. She sighed in relief, nodding to Blossomforth.
"She’s fine; blacked out." Raindrops said.
Blossom nodded. "Good.” She said relieved. Blossom turned to Luna. “Great job, princess. If you haven't thought of that we would have been caught."
Luna nodded rubbing her forehead. "I felt horrible magic from Fluttershy and I felt her pain before she screamed."
"What can we do?" Raindrops asked looking to Blossom for guidance.
Blossom sighed. "Raindrops, you and Luna stay here with Fluttershy." Blossom stood in a crouch and walked to the corner peeking out.
"What?" Raindrops asked in shock.
"Where will you go?" Luna asked with worry.
Blossom turned to them. "My gut's been telling me something is horribly wrong. And right when I couldn't take it anymore, Fluttershy goes through an episode."
"That doesn't mean anything!" Raindrops protested standing up.
"Think about it, Raindrops!" Blossom yelled out scaring the younger soldier to stop her advance. "Remember back on the Crystal Moon? When Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Twilight were all feeling the pain Octavia was in?" Raindrops stared at her for a long moment turning away. "You see. Daring said that because the Elements of Harmony and the Crystal Guardians are linked and they can feel each other’s pain. And suddenly Luna felt magic and grabbed Fluttershy." Raindrops bowed her head turning to Fluttershy and Luna.
"Precisely, something is wrong and I have to find Twilight." Blossom said before running off.
"Blossomforth, wait! Wait!" Raindrops screamed out running after her.
Blossom stopped and turned stopping her friend. "You do not move from your spot, Corporal. That's an order!" Blossom yelled back pointing to the alcove. Raindrops stopped hearing the direct order. Her hands clenched her fists watching her commander run off into the prison. She growled with a yell of rage.
"Blossomforth!" She screamed out. "Damnit!" She cried kicking the wall before walking back to Luna and sat down, covering her face. Luna sighed feeling horrible for her friend.
"She's right."
Raindrops looked up through her aqua blue bangs. "What?"
Luna looked up at the ceiling looking around with a hard look. "There is a dark magical presence in the station. And it's hurting all the Elements of Harmony." Luna said in a trance like state.
"Luna? Are you alright?" Raindrops asked looking to her with concern.
"I can feel their pain and suffering. Blossomforth was right to go find Twilight. She's the source of the pain and the power." Raindrops went silent rubbing her forehead looking down at Fluttershy.
"I can't let her run off by herself, we’re partners, and we’ve been friends since we were assigned together."
Luna smiled patting on Raindrops’s shoulder. "She'll be fine." Luna whispered reassuringly. "She'll be fine."
Raindrops turned away looking towards the hall where Blossomforth ran to, clenching her fists, thinking.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Octavia climbed up into the air conditioning system to hide when she noticed the number of guards had gone up during her sneaking through the station. As she hid in the air duct she saw her friends being dragged down the hall by the guards. Octavia knew she had to find a way to help her friends before it was too late. She followed the guards as far as she could until she discovered where her friends were being kept.
She crawled through the system starting to smell a horrible stench. She retched covering her nose for a moment. "Good Luna above! What is that stench?!" She whispered. Suddenly she stopped, realizing that she smelled this smell before. The only times she smelled this as in Fillydelphia underground into the slave holding pen.
"Slaves!" She whispered in shock looking down knowing that under the metal keeping her inside the air duct were probably saves, poor souls ready to fight for the death for their freedom, sadly they wouldn't live long enough to get it.
She continued through the metal tunnel carefully but as quickly as she could. She reached an area where there are slated vents lining through the tunnel. Octavia gulped approaching the vent hearing the sounds of fighting and screaming. Familiar sounds she had never wanted to hear again.
She stopped at the vent and gasped to see a small coliseum with three ponies fighting inside against stallions with weapons. She turned and glared, seeing Blueblood standing with the brothers, Flim and Flam!
"Those bastards?" She whispered in a growl. "So they were working for Blueblood this whole time." She whispered watching them smiling. Flim and Flam were laughing and pointing at the fighters in the ring. Octavia turned to the vent up on the wall next to her to see a stallion swinging a sword around, defending himself against the fighting slaves. The stallion looked vaguely familiar. But the other two fighters were mares. One closer inspection, one of them looked familiar. Octavia gasped recognizing Applejack.
"Applejack,” She whispered with fear seeing her fighting for her life. That was when Octavia noticed the second mare standing back to back with Applejack. “And that’s …"
Generosity! The voices in her head screamed out. Octavia gaped staring at the dirty unicorn squinting her eyes trying to get a better look. She felt her Guardian pulse and vibrate, causing her to get excited. She found her!
"You’re right! It is her!" Octavia whispered with excitement. But a sudden event occurred that made Octavia worry. "Wait, what’s happening?" She whispered with shock seeing Applejack drop her weapon to grab her head over her ears screaming. Rarity collapsed on her knees screaming and holding her stomach. Something was terribly wrong and Octavia could feel it from her magic. Something dark was effecting the Elements, and effecting them badly. Rarity was the first to collapse and unconscious. Applejack was fighting the force that was hurting her, until she went still and fell face first into the sand. The stallion turned and gasped seeing the mares unconscious in the sand not moving.
"Girls, get up!" He ordered turning back to block another attack by a crazed slave. "Rarity!" He screamed out before being tackled to the ground.
Octavia gasped seeing her friends in trouble. She had to find a way to help them before the slaves killed them off and Blueblood would win! She growled glaring down at the grate.
“Not again,” She growled. “I won’t give him the chance to do it again.” She started crawling as fast as she could knowing the cheering will block the noises she was making. Octavia reached a crossroad in the tunnel, one way lead to another area of the prison while the other continued straight deeper into the stinking slave cages.
Octavia sighed continuing her crawling towards the coliseum to see more vents. She looked out to see that she is at least above the box where the three horrid stallions stood. She sighed looking down to see a smaller vent and through the blades she could see Blueblood's head. Octavia pulled out her pistol from the back of her pants. She checked the charger to see it fully charged then looked back down.
"It's now or never!" She screamed out kicking the vent open then jump out. Blueblood and the brothers backed away as Octavia landed hard on her feet, groaning in pain feeling the impact on the balls of her feet. She stood up pointing her pistol at Blueblood. The three stallions looked frightened seeing her. Blueblood looked spooked seeing the pistol pointed directly at him.
"You?!" Blueblood squeaked dropping his cigar to the ground.
"Yes," Octavia snarled glaring at him. "It is time to face your judgment, Blueblood!"
The brothers laughed causing her to turn them. "Look at this brother, it's the doll from Filly." Flim chortled.
"And I know just the thing to put her down." Flam added pulling out the cigar from his mouth then blew out a high pitched whistle. Octavia stiffened hearing the fighting seize in the arena. She could see every stallion and mare fighting, turn towards her and their masters.
"Kill her and you shall have your freedom!" Flam declared pointing at Octavia as Flim grinned at the idea. Octavia gasped watching as the salves all roared and started running to the chain link fence bordering the bleachers and start climbing. The guards ran away as the group of slaves ran past them, making a beeline for Octavia in the box. Octavia turned back to see Blueblood gone. She turned to see him running away. She growled taking chase only to be tugged back by her tail. She turned with a glare seeing that is was Flam who got her.
"Not so fast precious." Flam said grinning. Octavia growled then reached for the laser pointer in her pocket.
“Get your filthy slaver hands off of me!” She ordered, pressing the button on her pointer and zapped Flam with whichever laser was used. A red beam sprout out of the pointer and hit Flam in between the eyes causing the brother to scream, releasing her tail before falling dead on the floor. Octavia could smell the burnt flesh and meat from the slaver.
"Flam? Uh oh." Flim gulped backing away. Octavia glared coldly at him pointing the pistol at him. Flim chuckled nervously holding up his hands "Now look, let's make a deal? You let me go and I won’t hunt you again. Deal?"
Octavia glared at him. "No deal, you'll be joining your brother in Tartarus."
Flim chuckled weakly. "Well look at the time." He said looking at his pocket watch grinning. Octavia blinked confused until suddenly one of the slaves screamed out, throwing a blade at the princess. Octavia yelped turning and dodged the spear and slamming her back into the behind her. She gasped hearing the screams of the slaves running to her from the bleachers.
Flim smiled. "I'm afraid my boat's calling, see you in the next pit, Princess!" Flim sped off jumping to the bleachers below, making a run for it as the guards fought against the slaves that had turned against them. Octavia growled watching the slimy bastard escape. She gasped when a slave grabbed her from behind into a bear hug squeezing her to death. The slave laughed as she struggled in his grip. Octavia tried everything she could think of to try and wiggle herself lose or fight back, but couldn’t while coughing for air.
The giant screamed out then releases Octavia before falling to the side. Octavia gasped for air coughing, she looked up seeing an earth pony mare looking down at her. Instead of wanting to kill her, the slave reached her hand to her.
"You’re the princess?" she asked weakly. Octavia nodded seeing her red two toned mane long and covered in muck. Her bright green eyes look feverish and sickly. If this mare didn’t have her spear with her as a crutch she might have fallen over. The mare smiled friendly like pulling Octavia up to her feet.
"Allow us to aid in your escape." The mare said softly.
"What?" Octavia asked confused. The Earth pony mare pointed down at the bleachers to show Octavia a lot of slaves that escaped their pens were fighting the guards and some were helping Applejack and Rarity get up from the ground after regaining consciousness. Octavia blinked staring at the red headed mare.
"Who are you?" She asked intrigued.
"Back then, before I was taken here, I was called Roseluck." She said shakily drop into an imaginary curtsy. "Your highness." Octavia was worried that the mare would tip over. She got back up from the curtsy and grabbed Octavia’s hand. "Hurry, we can get you out of here." Roseluck and two other slave ponies stood by her. Octavia pulled her hand back.
"No, I can’t leave, not now." The three slaves stared at her bewildered.
"What do you mean?" An earth pony stallion with blue fur and mane with a single yellow eye, asked. Octavia noticed the horrible jagged scar where his other should be.
"I have to get Blueblood and make him pay for everything he did."
"That’s crazy!" A gray Pegasus mare with a purple mane said. One of her wings looked permanently bent from an earlier fight. "Princess Octavia, believe us, you can't stay here any longer than you have, too. Trust us."
Octavia turned to the doorway then to the slaves.
"Besides," The blue stallion said carefully. "Aren’t those friends of yours?"
Octavia blinked then turned to the Applejack, Rarity and Scratch fighting against the guards and fighting slaves. After a long fight in her mind, she sighed making a decision. Allies are more important than getting a bastard like Blueblood.
"Alright fine," Octavia conceded following the slaves down to the pit by going down the bleachers. As they fought through Octavia tried her best to kill or lame as many guards on her way down. She saved a few slaves from death, but was too late for most. Octavia leaped down into the sand and gasped watching Applejack struggled in a slave’s choke hold. She made the sprint to the older mare.
Octavia pulled out the pistol and pulled the trigger hitting the salve's arm causing him to scream in horrible pain. Applejack slammed her head into the stallion’s nose and rolled forward to her feet and grabbing a club. She swung the club and knocked the stallion out cold. Applejack coughed a few times, leaning forward on her knees thankful to be breathing. She looked up and gasped seeing Octavia running over to her.
"Princess?! What the fuck are you doing here?!" She yelled causing Octavia to stop her hears flatten on her head with a blush. This was just as worse as being scolded by her mother.
"Applejack! Language!" Rarity screamed out. The two mares turned to see Rarity being squeezed by another slave in a bear hug. Applejack snatched Octavia's pistol then fired at the slave bear-hugging Rarity. Rarity fell to the ground coughing for air grabbing her spear.
"I could care less about my language right now, Rare!" Applejack yelled out before firing another shot at a second slave attacker who was running for Rarity. Rarity gasped pushing away from the dead slave as Scratch killed another with the help from their slave allies.
"You alright Rarity?" Scratch asked helping her back on her feet.
Applejack placed a fresh charge into the pistol then pointed it at Scratch’s head. Scratch froze raising his hands.
"And you are?" Applejack snarled.
Rarity gasped. "Applejack, put that down this instant!" Rarity cried out standing in front of Applejack and the loaded pistol.
"Damnit Rarity, move right now!"
"No, you listen to me! You know this stallion, remember?"
Applejack quirked her eyebrow staring at the dark blue headed stallion. "I don’t recall seeing you."
Scratch smiled. "It was probably dark in the cell but the last time I saw you, you were working for Nightmare Moon." Applejack blinked then lowered the pistol.
"Scratch?" Applejack asked not sure she was believing it herself.
Scratch smiled and nodded lowering his hands. "Nice to see that you are on our side. Rarity told me a bunch about you."
Rarity blushed. "Oh it was nothing."
Applejack placed her hand on her hip turning to Octavia. "Alright then, answer me this question." Octavia stiffened seeing the anger on her mentors face. "What in Luna's name are you doing here? I thought Vinyl told you to stay on board the ship."
Octavia glared back at her. "I wasn’t going to sit in that ship knowing my uncle was here. He has to know that he won’t get away with the murder of my parents!"
Applejack sighed rubbing her face. Roseluck found Applejack’s hat on the ground. She picked it up, walked over to the group, and held it out. Rarity took the hat thanking the earth pony and turned to Applejack watching her scold Octavia. At least she thought she was a normal pony, but Rarity recognized her from the hologram shows she saw in Fillydelphia.
Rarity let out a loud gasp scaring Applejack out of her skin. "Applejack, she's a princess!" Applejack growled at her then saw her hat in Rarity’s hands. She swiped the hat and pulled it on her head glaring at her.
"No, she ain't, not in her current position." She groaned rubbing her face. "Damnit, how do you think Rainbow would react finding you here?" Octavia blushed turning away thinking while Rarity gasped again looking to Applejack with shock.
"Rainbow Dash?" Rarity asked. "Rainbow’s here?"
Applejack turned her and nodded. "Yeah, no time to explain. We need to get out of here."
"Fat chance." Octavia said getting everyponies attention. "The royal guard found out that we were there. I was able to sneak off, but the others were arrested."
"What!?" Applejack cried, grabbing Octavia's vest pulling her close. "Are you sure?"
"Yes! I followed them to the slave cages outside the coliseum."
"Apple Bloom, is she alright?" Applejack asked frantically.
"I don’t know." Octavia said truthfully. Applejack snarled a curse, pushing Octavia away as she began to think frantically which worried Rarity.
"Applejack, darling, settle down." Rarity said quickly grabbing Applejack’s arms. "Don’t worry we'll find your friends."
Applejack turned to her with a snarl that made the unicorn jump back with fright. She never seen such a look before from her friend.
"You don’t get it,” Applejack whispered. “She's my little sister. She’s in trouble! I never wanted this life for her!" Applejack turned away covering her face with her hands.
Octavia reached her hand to Applejack’s shoulder feeling her shake under her hand. "Applejack, she's right. We’ll get them back. They only caught Derpy, Spike, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom."
Applejack looked up at her. "Twilight? Was she with them?"
"Twilight?!" Rarity gasped with her hands to her face with shock. "How many of our friends are here?"
Applejack groaned not wanting to answer her questions right now.
Octavia shook her head. "No, I didn't see her." Suddenly Octavia gasped with a thought. "In fact, I haven't seen Blossomforth, Raindrops, Luna, Fluttershy or Sweetie Belle!"
"Fluttershy?" Applejack and Rarity exclaimed at the same time. Applejack with worry while Rarity was in shock again.
"She’s alive?" Rarity whispered as tears filled her eyes as her legs went weak. Scratch caught Rarity before she fell as she started crying with happiness.
Applejack groaned again slapping her hand to her face. “Oh for the love of Pete!” She growled before taking a deep breath to calm down. “Rarity, it's alright." She whispered as calmly as she could. "Fluttershy’s fine. Maybe she got the others out of there."
"Wait," Scratch asked looking to them then at Rarity. "Wasn't there a little unicorn that you said was your sister?"
"What sister?" Octavia asked. Applejack looked confused, she didn’t know Rarity had a sister.
Rarity suddenly gasped, grabbing Scratch’s shirt. "Sweetie Belle! She's in trouble. That horrid Trixie Lulamoon took my sister away!" Octavia and Applejack looked to one another with surprise. How did Trixie get Sweetie Belle?
Scratch nodded standing up and pulling Rarity back on her feet. "They even had another mare with them." Scratch added with concern.
Rarity sniffed nodding her head. "Yes, her name was Vinyl Scratch?”
Octavia gasped hearing this. “What?” She exclaimed.
Rarity blinked once turning to Scratch. “Strange that's your name, too." Rarity added. Scratch nodded. Octavia blinked remembering that Vinyl told her that she took the name from her father who she thought was dead.
“Wait, you're the real Vinyl Scratch?" Octavia asked in shock.
Scratch shrugged and nodded. "That was the name I was given by my Mother before she passed. And that... kid. She looked an awful lot like my little filly." He said sadly shaking his head. "It's got to be her.”
Octavia turned to Applejack. "Where did they go?" Octavia asked.
"Possibly the execution halls." Roseluck answered.
"How-?" Octavia started to ask but Roseluck answered by pointing at a blind earth pony mare.
"I heard them from my cell.” She answered. “They were laughing saying that the two prisoners, one mare and one filly, will be in the drowning chambers."
"Drowning chamber?" Octavia gasped. Rarity gasped too covering her mouth. "Where are they?" Octavia asked with a glare ready to run to Vinyl’s aid. Vinyl saved her life, now it’s time to return the favor and save hers.
Applejack nodded. "Right, I think I might know where they are. I ran through the execution wings when I was chased. If I remember correctly... Did these drowning chambers have grates on the floor?"
"Yes!” Roseluck exclaimed nodding.
Applejack nodded to the others. "Alright then we got out plan let’s get out of here and go find them."
The gates opened and everypony went still as more guards pushed through the door, two guards were carrying an unconscious Rainbow Dash and two others were holding up Daring. The guards gasped seeing the escaped slaves and the dead guards.
"Rainbow!" Octavia cried out in shock seeing her look horrible.
"Professor!" Applejack called out seeing the professor looking up at them with a blush.
"Sorry, the job went south!" she hollered out. The guard holding Daring shoved her to the side, she tripped over her shoes and fell into the sand, trying to get her wrists unbound by the rope behind her back. The guards pulled out their swords.
"Kill them all!" One guard screamed out. The other two guards drop Rainbow to the floor then joined the charge for the attack to avenge their comrades.
Applejack growled grabbing a sword holding it up. "Octavia, you and Rare get the pegasi! Scratch and I will keep the guards occupied, go!" She ordered as she and Scratch ran with the slaves to meet the guards in a clash of metal and bodies.
The mares ran for their fallen friends dodging the guards as they ran. Rarity reached the pegasi first and ran straight to Rainbow first sliding to a stop in the sand. She grabbed Rainbow’s uniform and pulled her over to her back. She stopped and stared in shock of actually seeing Rainbow Dash for the first time in many years. And she could tell Rainbow didn’t have the simplest of time in those years by her scars.
"Oh Rainbow, what happened to you?" She whispered feeling tears sprouting out of her eyes as she stroked Rainbow’s cheek. Rainbow opened her eyes and gasped waking up, and just about kicked Rarity away. Rarity was able to dodge the kick.
"Rainbow Dash, it's me Rarity!" Rarity cried out. Rainbow went stiff, her foot in midair ready for another strike. She stared at the mare for the first time with disbelief in her eyes.
"No... You... Rare?" Rainbow whispered. Rarity smiled pulling Rainbow into a fierce hug and crying onto her friend’s shoulder. Rainbow smiled wrapping her arms around her and hugged her back.
Octavia ran to Daring and quickly began untying Daring’s bound hands.
"Got anything?" Octavia asked pulling the rope a part and helping Daring sit up.
Daring winked. "Even better, who's that?" Daring asked standing up and pointing at Rarity who was still hugging Rainbow.
"No time," Octavia said. She gasped seeing a sword flying towards them and shoved Daring to the ground and jumped back. The sword hit the ground between them. Octavia shook her head turning to see the fight was intensifying and Applejack needed their help. She grabbed the sword holding it in her hand. It was heavier than most swords she held in the past, but having one is better than not having one at all.
"Grab a weapon and fight!" She ordered. Daring nodded running to grab a weapon. Rarity untied Rainbow's hands and wings the helping her up to her feet. She turned smiling as Octavia ran over to hug her, Rarity stood there confused.
"Captain Dash," Daring called out tossing Rainbow a war axe. Rainbow pushed Octavia back before catching the weapon. She swung the ax around testing its weight.
"Hmm, it’s been a very long time since I held this type of weapon. Give me a katana any day." Rainbow said annoyingly.
Rarity sniffed wiping her nose smiling. "You’ve fought with worst as I recall?" Rarity said wiping her eyes with her sleeve. Rainbow chuckled rubbing the back of her neck blushing.
"That might be true.” She said hearing Rarity chuckle. Daring stood by them handing a staff to Rarity to hold, as Octavia stood by Rainbow with the laser pointer in her hand.
“Let’s go ladies! Charge!" Rainbow cried as the four mares run for the fight.
Vinyl groaned opening her eyes feeling the horrible numbness in her back. She opened her eyes seeing Sweetie Belle crying silently on top of her.
“Sweetie Belle?” Vinyl strained. Sweetie Belle gasped sitting up seeing Vinyl smiling at her. “Hey, squirt.”
Sweetie Belle smiled with joy. “Oh thank, Luna, you’re alright! I thought you were really hurt, Vinyl!”
Vinyl sighed patting her on the head. “I’m fine, oooh man.” Vinyl groaned slowly sitting up with Sweetie Belle sitting in her lap, hugging her. Sweetie Belle opened her eyes feeling something against Vinyl’s back as Vinyl stretched her arms in the air, groaning from the pain in her back.
“V-vinyl.”
“What?” Vinyl groaned out.
“What’s this?” Sweetie Belle pulled off something from Vinyl’s back to find a tannish brown colored fragment. Vinyl thought for a moment then felt something weird. She placed her hand on the ground and heard a small splash.
“Huh?” Vinyl looked down but saw one thing before another. First was a skull sitting next to her and second was water!
“Shit!” Vinyl screamed out grabbing Sweetie Belle in her arms, standing up seeing that there were broken bones impacted from Vinyl’s fall and the water was already rushing in from grated holes at the bottom of the circular wall around her. Sweetie Belle saw the skull and screamed hugged Vinyl tighter with her arms around her neck.
“Where are we? Why are there bones?” She squeaked staring at the skull. Vinyl gulped and felt the water entering her boots.
“An execution chamber, no doubt... So this was what that bitch meant.” Vinyl scowled looking around to see her surroundings and try to make a plan. Of course the cell was about the shape of a cylinder. About a thirty feet deep from the grate above and the ground under her feet. There were bones here so they didn’t clean up after the last use. And now the water was rising up to the below her knees.
“What was that?” Sweetie Belle asked crying looking around. Vinyl looked around too hearing the sounds of water through an empty pipe. She looked up seeing a strange changeling gargoyle head, five feet above Vinyl’s head. Vinyl stared at the gargoyle’s agonized eyes then gasped. Suddenly water spat into her face causing Vinyl to back into the wall screaming out from the pain in her back. Sweetie Belle gasped seeing blood on the wall where Vinyl slammed against.
“Vinyl, you’re bleeding!” Sweetie Belle screamed out when another stream of water splashed her. Vinyl gasped feeling the water now reaching her knees. She moved her leg and heard the sound of chains. She looked down through the hazy water to see dark chains. Vinyl reached down with difficulty and pulled the chain. She felt the tug on her leg and her eyes went wide.
“Fuck my life!” She snapped looking around then up. She looked down at the chain again. Sure enough she had twenty feet of chain but the grate was thirty feet up.
“Vinyl?” Sweetie Belle asked sniffling. “Are we going to die?” Vinyl opened her mouth to answer but closed it instead staring at the chain then at the water then up at the grate. She gulped feeling herself start to float to her toes.
“It’s going to be fine.” Vinyl said reassuringly hugging Sweetie Belle to her praying for help but it was possible that help might not come this time. She could feel Sweetie Belle crying into her neck. Vinyl couldn’t blame the poor kid. Vinyl might not make it out but she was sure as hell that Sweetie Belle will get out of this alive and get back to her sister Rarity.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Blossomforth continued her run down the hall lined with prison cells ignoring all the cries for help from prisoners as she ran. But one voice made her stop.
"Blossomforth!" A familiar voice cried. Blossom slid to a stop in the hall and turned to see a purple scaly hand waving for her.
"Spike?" Blossom panted running back to the cage to see the other shipmates from the Fancy Flute. "It is you!"
Derpy gasped seeing Blossom. She stood up and limped to the bars grabbing them to keep herself from falling over. "You’re alright!"
Blossom smiled seeing their relieved faces. "Of course I'm fine, how are you?" Derpy turned to Apple Bloom and Scootaloo laying on the floor sleeping.
"The little ones were hurt the worst.” Derpy said sadly clenching the bars with anger. “They just wouldn't stop beating them. I'm afraid Apple Bloom might have a concussion and needs help now."
Blossom nodded looking at the four ponies but couldn’t find one pony in particular. "Where's Twilight?" She asked starting to panic. If Twilight wasn't here then where is she?
Spike shook his head. "Two unicorns grabbed her and poof, they left. They said to take her to sector sixteen where ever that is. They also placed some kind of magical bracelets on her causing her to scream and, and..." Spike was in tears. Blossom nodded glaring coldly at the floor. She growled and ran off.
"I'll be back." Blossom called out over her shoulder, sprinting away.
"Wait!” Derpy screamed out watching Blossom disappear. "What about the fillies!?" She screamed out. She turned to Spike as he shrugged, so did she. Derpy sighed and nodded once. "Let’s think Spike; we can get out."
"How?"
"Start thinking."
Spike nodded watching Derpy sit on the floor placing her fingers to her temples, trying to think. Spike sighed pressing his forehead to the bars as he too closed his eyes and tries to think of an idea of escape.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Octavia kicked the last stallion in the crotch causing him to fall over in pain and slammed her boot into his neck hearing a snap. She panted hard, backing away as Scratch and Rainbow killed the last of the guards. Everypony was sore, beaten, cut, and bloody from the fight.
Octavia gasped seeing Roseluck on the ground bleeding from a stab wound in the stomach. Octavia ran to her immediately pressing her hands into the wound trying to stop the bleeding.
"Daring, someone! Help!" She cried out frantically.
Roseluck smiled up at her grabbing her wrist. "Never thought I would die fighting alongside you, princess." She whispered before coughing up blood. Octavia watched with horror and sadness. "But I'm finally free." Roseluck whispered. Octavia shook her head.
"We can help you, we have a doctor and she can help you." Octavia said trying hard not to cry as she continues applying pressure over Roseluck’s wound. Daring walked over seeing what’s going to happen. She sighed placing her hand on Octavia's shoulder. Octavia looked up seeing Daring shake her head. Octavia looked back down to see Roseluck smiling up at her.
"Thank you, highness." Roseluck whispered before she went still. She was gone. Octavia blinked removing her hands from the wound smelling the blood and death all around her. Octavia placed one bloodied hand over her eyes to hide her tears. She failed. She could have saved her, could have given her freedom. Daring turned to see Rainbow and wave her over. Rainbow dropped the ax and ran over. She stopped to see Roseluck dead and Octavia shaking, looking down at her.
Octavia sniffed looking up at her, Rainbow smiled sadly as she knelt down wrapping her arm around her looking down at Roseluck.
"She’s free now Octavia. That's all every slave wants." Rainbow whispered softly.
Octavia shook her head sniffling. "But she died a slave! I could have saved her, freed her!" Rainbow rubbed Octavia’s arm kissing her on the head.
"But you gave her that moment of freedom, Octavia. Never forget the lives you did help." Octavia turned to look around her to see the dead slaves and guards around them. Rainbow looked around as well and shook her head. "It's sick, I know, but for them, the only real freedom is to die but die when they want to. Look at the guard this slave killed and had died with her."
"Her name was Roseluck." Octavia snapped suddenly, standing up and walking away. Rainbow sighed feeling a touch of regret for saying what she said. She turn to see Daring look at her sadly. Rainbow turned back to Roseluck and reached over to the earth pony’s eyes and closed them.
"Rest in peace, young warrior." Rainbow whispered placing her fist over her heart bowing her head. She stood back up and walked over to Rarity and Scratch. Rainbow looked over to see Applejack wrap her arms around Octavia hugging and her offering her a shoulder to cry on.
"Alright we've got to get out of here. Let’s get back to the ship-"
"Heavens no!" Rarity shouted. "My baby sister was taken to the execution chambers! We have to get her out of there.”
Rainbow blinked in shock hearing that
"Vinyl's there too." Octavia said turning to Rainbow.
Daring gasped. "What?"
“Wait a minute!” Rainbow exclaimed looking to Rarity pointing at her. “You have a sister?" She asked seeing Rarity nod her head.
"Yes, her name is Sweetie Belle."
Rainbow and Daring both gasp looking at one another in shock.
"Who would have thought?" Daring said before running to the doors. "We better hurry and get Vinyl and Sweetie Belle and get back to the ship before the guards find it."
"Too late,” Octavia called out stopping the professor. “Blueblood and the guards found the ship and took our friends."
Daring looked shocked as her eyes went wide with fear. Rainbow looked at Octavia with fear as well.
"Where's Fluttershy?" Rainbow asked frantically turning to Applejack to see her shrug.
"We don’t know Dash. Octavia hasn’t seen her nor the pegasi or Luna. They might have escaped."
"And somehow Sweetie Belle was with Vinyl this whole time." Octavia said curious, now wondering how Sweetie Belle got to Vinyl without being caught.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Scratch prompted. Applejack nodded grabbing a sword.
"Let’s move then. I think I might know where they are! Follow me!” She called pushing through the doors with Daring’s help. While the slaves were busy or confused on what to do, Applejack led the group through the giant hall of cages. When they reached a cross roads in the hall, everyone stopped. Rainbow stopped and turned to the left hall, the way to the hanger.
"Rainbow?" Octavia called out seeing rainbow looking to that direction while the others were moving to another.
Rainbow turned to her. "You, me and Daring, we need to find the others." Applejack stopped turning to her, so did Scratch and Rarity. Octavia blinked looking at the Pegasus shaking her head.
"But I have to find Vinyl." She argued.
"I understand,” Rainbow said quickly. "But right now we don’t have much time. Once AJ gets the captain and the kid we'll be getting our friends out then we'll get out of here!" Rainbow ran off with no objection. Octavia stayed put confused and resentful. She has to find Vinyl and then she wants to find Blueblood and finish him. She can’t run off now!
"She’s right." Applejack said pushing Octavia to Daring. "We’ll meet all ya'll at the Fancy Flute, get going!" Applejack, Rarity, and Scratch ran one way while Dash, Daring and an annoyed and resentful Octavia ran an opposite direction.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Vinyl gasped in air, pushing Sweetie Belle higher onto her shoulders as they were reaching the fifteen foot mark of the cell. Another gargoyle spits out water into Vinyl’s face.
"Vinyl!" Sweetie Belle screamed out holding on to the wall behind her as Vinyl tries to swim to the surface away from the sprout of water. She gasped out reaching the surface. She looked up seeing the grate was at least another fifteen feet away. She spit water out of her mouth looking down seeing the skull at the bottom of the cylinder dungeon.
Vinyl’s eyes followed the chain to see it attached to the bottom most brick of the wall and the chain was starting to look like it will snap taunt soon.
Now with another set of gargoyle spouts turning on the water was now going higher. With nowhere else to go but up. Vinyl panted struggling to stay afloat with Sweetie Belle sitting on her shoulders. Vinyl grabbed one of the gargoyle spouts next to her to keep her head above the water coughing.
"Vinyl!" Sweetie Belle called panicking.
"I'm fine! Not to worry, we'll get out of this." She said smiling up at Sweetie Belle. Poor filly was terrified, she even said so herself she couldn’t swim. Neither can Vinyl but somehow she's learning little by little facing her death soon. Vinyl knew the purpose of the chain and her heart stopped at the thought of breaking her promise to her mother. The water was rising to the twenty foot marker now. Vinyl looked down knowing she'll have to pull herself up. She started pulling up higher with the gargoyles' help then she felt a snag and looked down.
"Shit." She whispered pulling her foot up but only felt the resistance of the chain. It has reached its length.
"Sweetie Belle,"
"Yeah?"
Vinyl sighed taking a risk. "I need you to be brave for me, okay?"
"Why?"
"Okay?" Sweetie Belle looked down to see Vinyl's stern gaze. She nodded sniffling. "Good, now I want you to maneuver your feet to my hands got it?"
"Why?"
"Because I'm going to push you to the grate. It's not that high up, yet."
Sweetie Belle looked up to see that the grate was indeed close. "Okay." She whispered untangling her legs from around Vinyl's neck then set her feet on Vinyl’s hands as Vinyl struggled to stay afloat.
"Alright, now when I go under water you'll come with me. Then just like those dolphins on the planets, I'm going to jump up from the bottom then with that force push you up. You try and grab the bars got it?"
Sweetie Belle gulped and nodded. "Then when you do, you can call for help. You can wave your arms, everything. Got it?" Sweetie Belle nodded shaking. "Hey," Vinyl said with care. Sweetie Belle opened her eyes looking down at her. "You're very brave Sweetie Belle, I bet your sister will be happy to know that you're a brave girl."
Sweetie Belle sniffed again then nodded at her smiling.
"Good, alright when I count to three you take a deep breath with me, then I’ll drop to the bottom. Then I'll jump up. When you feel air you reach for those bars got it?"
Sweetie Belle nodded glaring at the grate.
"Ready?"
"Yeah!"
"Alright, one... two... three!" Vinyl and Sweetie Belle both took in a deep breath then Vinyl sank to the bottom curling up to be heavy then felt the cement floor. Like a spring she pushes herself hard off the bottom flying to the surface. Lifting Sweetie Belle with her. Sweetie Belle breeched the water flying to the grate. There was a smack and bang. Sweetie Belle screamed out in pain falling into the water. Vinyl grabbed her pulling her out of the water hearing her cry and cough.
"Almost!" Sweetie Belle screamed out holding her knuckles, rubbing them.
Vinyl nodded. "Yeah," She could feel the snag from the chain, she didn't have much time left.
"Let’s try it again." One more shot is all I have left. Vinyl thought grimly as Sweetie Belle climbed back on her shoulders to do it again. Vinyl panted then counted down again.
"One... two... three!" Vinyl and Sweetie Belle took in another breath again. Vinyl did the same thing again as she sprung herself from the ground then pushed Sweetie Belle just when the snag cut her accent. Sweetie Belle leaps up with extra force one hand went around one of any bars. Sweetie Belle wrapped her arms around the bars and held on. She gasped and started cheering.
“Vinyl, I did it!" She cried happily and turned hearing coughing and sputtering. "Vinyl!" She cried looking down to see Vinyl struggling to keep her face above water.
"I'm alright!" She coughed as the water continues up past Vinyl's chin. Vinyl tried to stretch her neck out fighting against the chain pulling her back. Sweetie Belle knew what was happening and knew Vinyl didn’t have any time left. She looked up to the ceiling.
"Help! Somepony help us!"
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Blossomforth snuck her way to sector sixteen, feeling the horrible magic in the air. It seemed the deeper she went into the prison the stronger this magic became. She wondered if it was because of the crystal guardian around her neck that she could feel this magic. She never felt magic before and feeling it now just deepened her resolve to find Twilight. From her time here in the prison with Blueblood she knew what sector sixteen was. A torture chamber meant for traitors. No doubt the guards took Twilight there, but why torture her and not the other shipmates made Blossom worry. What does Trixie or Blueblood want with Twilight that they need torture to get what they want? Information? Secrets? Blossom wasn’t sure.
Blossom saw a guard standing at the door to the torture room and stopped, jumping back to hide. She peeked back out looking at the guard to see him tapping his foot with anger. She smiled at an idea, she fixed her uniform and walked up to the guard with a stoic expression.
"Hello sir." Blossom said saluting. The guard jumped and turned seeing Blossom walk up to him.
"Where's you’re armor soldier?" The guard asked holding out spear.
Blossom held up her hands smirking. She points her finger at him.
"You’re wearing it."
"Huh?" He asked confused as Blossom rushed him. Blossom was fast as she spun him around and grabbed his throat into a tight choke hold. She grabbed a fist full of his hair and twisted his neck with a loud cracking pop, killing him instantly. She panted from the rush looking around her to make sure no pony heard or seen them. Once she knew there was no trouble she sighed and quickly dragged the dead guard into a hidden alcove behind some barrels of gunpowder. Moments later, Blossom came out of the alcove now dressed in the guard's uniform. Pulling the helmet on her head she ran to the door and grabbed the spear. She stood at attention by the door. Just as she figured a second guard came towards her to switch posts with her.
The new guard stopped and glared at Blossom seeing her instead of the guard he came to replace. "Hey, where's Monty?" He asked curiously.
Blossom already had a perfect excuse to give. "He had a bad case of the runs, sir. He asked me to take his place."
The stallion blinked and looked like he paled a bit. "Yuck, I told him that the two day old soup was bad. Does he ever listen to me, no sir!" Blossom nodded with a knowing smile.
"I know the feeling, sir."
"Any way, go on ahead and patrol the halls. I bet the meat head will be back soon."
Blossom saluted with her fist to her heart. "Thank you, sir."
The stallion nodded before walking off. Blossom watched until he turned the corner and continue his march. Once she was sure he wouldn’t turn back she entered the torture chamber. As soon as she entered the room she stiffened hearing Twilight's screams down the hall and can see the powerful pink light shining from the room. Blossom took in a deep breath, remembering to continue her act as she walked forward in a quickened pace. She entered trend into the room to see all the torture contraptions hanging on walls, sitting on the floor, or on top of tables.
Blossom looked straight ahead to the back wall to see Trixie with her magical aura surrounding herself and Twilight. Blossom bit her lip keeping herself calm watching Twilight fighting back and suffering through the magic. She walked over to the table where the torture instruments sat. Blossom stood with her back to the instruments keeping a close eyes on Trixie’s back then reached her hand behind her grabbing anything she can use to attack the evil unicorn.
"Ah yes," Trixie laughed. "I'm almost to your subconscious mind and once I get in there you will be ours, Twilight Sparkle.” She laughed as another burst of light came from Twilight and she starts screaming again trying to fight her off. Blossom eyes caught the band around Twilight’s horn to see the runes glowing brightly in blue. Twilight might be brain smart and have a strong mind against all those that tried to trick her, but even without her magic she won’t suppress Trixie for long.
Blossom felt something metal and long behind her back and grabbed it. She walked forward to Trixie and raised up what the object to see that it was a metal rod. She raised it up past her head ready to slam it into Trixie’s head. Trixie’s senses heightened feeling a presence behind her. She opened her eyes then roared out using a powerful force of magic, she pushed Blossomforth into the wall. Blossom groaned falling to the floor, her helmet bouncing away. Trixie turned glaring at the intruder then she smiled seeing that the intruder was Blossomforth.
"Well, if it isn’t Sergeant Blossomforth." Blossom groaned opening her eyes glaring at the unicorn as she grabbed the metal rod and slowly stood up using the wall behind her as a support.
"Yes and I'm here to get Twilight back."
Trixie started laughing. "How cheesy is this? All this time in her mind she keeps screaming your name, how fitting. Too bad that you will die before you ever leave this place, traitor." Blossom stiffened staring at her. Blossom shook her head glaring at her again.
"No matter what you call me," Blossom panted glaring at her ready to fight. "I will release Twilight and get her back to the Elements of Harmony."
Trixie chuckled. "Well I'm afraid that once I'm done with you, sergeant, I'll return to my work and Twilight will finally be one of us." Blossom side stepped against the wall as Trixie followed her, getting closer. Blossom knew Twilight could get herself out, she's that smart. If Blossom can get Trixie away from Twilight, she can take care of Trixie once and for all.
"Why do you want her? Why is she so important to you?" Blossom snapped. Trixie laughed.
"You're that stupid? Twilight Sparkle is by far one of the most powerful unicorns since Star Swirl the Bearded. And as such she was meant to join us and help us with our most powerful goal."
"And what's that?" Blossom challenged.
Trixie smiled placed her hands behind her back. Her finger started glowing garbing a heavy barrel nearby. "You really want to know?" Blossom glared at her. Trixie sighed. "Sadly you're not one of us and I can’t tell you, but,"
"But what?" Blossom asked seeing Trixie’s smirk. Blossom turned too late as the barrel came from the side knocking her hard into the wall. Trixie smiled slamming the barrel on top of Blossom to keep her pinned to the floor and the wall. Blossom reached for the metal rod but Trixie’s magic takes a hold of it with her magic throwing it away. Blossom growled glaring at her as Trixie continues her victorious smirk.
"But," Trixie added. "I can let you join us."
Blossom growled trying to shove the barrel off of her but Trixie’s magical hold kept it in place. "I'll never join you!" She snarled.
"Really?” Trixie asked feigning ignorance. “Not even for your precious friend there? When Twilight joins us you can be with her as well." Trixie mentioned smiling.
"I won’t let you to make Twilight one of you monsters!" Blossom snarled. “And I will kill you before I join you.”
Trixie sighed shaking her head. “I tried." She turned to Twilight then to Blossomforth. "But you can be of use to me alive." Trixie lifted up her hand already glowing with magic. Blossom tried to back away as far as she could being stuck under the barrel. Trixie placed her hand on Blossom's head sending magical pulses through Blossom. The poor Pegasus started to feel numbness then a horrible excruciating pain in her head and started screaming.
"Why don't we look through... oh my, don't you have anger and so much sadness. Lost your parents as a filly,"
"Get out of my head!" Blossom screamed out trying to fight her influence.
"And why, look at this you had another lover didn't you."
Twilight slowly opened her eyes, regaining consciousness. Once her vision cleared, she stiffened seeing Trixie leaning over a screaming pony. She gasped recognizing Blossomforth pinned to the floor with a barrel and Trixie's hand was on Blossom's head. Twilight looked around her as her slowly remembers that she was stuck to the table. Immediately her mind began to think, and think fast until she spotted the discarded knife Trixie used earlier, laying right by her hand. Twilight reached her finger to the knife blade cutting her finger trying to get a grip on the blade to pull it with her fingers until she grabbed the handle. She panted hearing Blossom’s scream of pain as she maneuvered the blade to where she could hold it between her middle and fore fingers and began jiggling the tip of the knife to the keyhole.
"Come on, come on," She whispered looking up to see Trixie’s back to make sure she doesn’t turn to see her.
"Aww poor dear, you have went through a tough life. Huh, I guess you won't be much use- oh what is this? Our training barracks? Now this is interesting." Trixie taunted chuckling.
Twilight struggled until she felt the lock unclasp and the cuff came off of her wrist. Twilight growled sitting up as far as she could, taking the knife by the handle. With the little energy she had left she threw the knife at Trixie, but the blade stuck into the barrel, inches from Trixie. Trixie yelped hearing the thunk of the knife, releasing Blossom. She turned with shock to see Twilight sitting up glaring at her.
"Your fight’s with me Trixie!" She yelled out holding out her hand trying to conjure a spell, but failed with a scream as the magical cuffs shocked her. Twilight fell back on the table. Blossom opened her eyes regaining her senses, she watched Trixie runs over to Twilight.
Blossom growled seeing the knife then looked up at Trixie’s back. She grabbed the knife then pushed the barrel off of her, no more magic to keep the barrel in place. Trixie turned hearing the barrel bounce away, she could see Blossom running for her. Trixie turned to her holding out her hand.
"I'm not finished with you yet, sergeant!" Trixie yelled out using her magic to lift up the Pegasus and slammed her into the wall. Blossom dropped the knife grabbing her neck feeling herself being chocked by invisible hands. Trixie glared coldly at her as she walked up closer to her. "You know what? Who cares how important you are to me, I'm fond enough to squeeze you to death!" Blossom choked for air as she swung her legs trying to get down, her eyes squeezed shut. She’s losing, losing too much.
Suddenly the door burst open as a mare flew into the room and tackled Trixie to the ground. Blossom gasped falling hard on the floor coughing for clean air. She rubbed her neck hearing the sounds of someone having a beating. She slowly lifted herself up and looked over to see a familiar mare beating Trixie to unconsciousness. Raindrops slowly stood up wiping the blood off her fists, panting hard. She turned and looked down to see Blossomforth.
"Raindrops? What are you doing here? "Blossom whispered before collapsing on the ground. Raindrops ran up to her friend and helped her stand up.
"I couldn’t let you take on that monster alone, Blossom." Raindrops said sternly glaring at her. "We’re partners, best friends, and you’re my teacher. I couldn’t let you go off by yourself and get killed."
Blossom chuckled then started coughing.
"Are you alright?" Raindrops asked worriedly. Blossom nodded, pushing away from her then started hobbling to Twilight leaning against the table.
“Help me, Raindrops." Blossom panted. Raindrops watched Blossom trying to find a way to released Twilight from her bonds. Raindrops turned to Trixie’s unconscious body getting an idea. She knelt down and began probing Trixie’s body trying to find something in Trixie’s pockets. She reached into her pants pocket to produce a key.
“Here, this might work.” Raindrops called out running up to her.
Blossomforth nodded as she stuck the key into the keyhole of the cuffs and the cuffs unlocked, freeing Twilight. Raindrops reached over to Twilight’s horn as Blossom forced the magical cuffs off of Twilight’s wrists. Blossom pulled off the cuffs giving them to Raindrops.
“Now what?” Blossom asked with worry.
Raindrops smirked. “This!” Raindrops dropped the magical cuffs and ring then stomped her boot onto the ceramic cuffs. The pegasi watched in awe as the magical aura that was captured in the rings floated up from the ground and float to Twilight’s horn, encompassing Twilight’s horn. Twilight’s eyes went wide open gasping as her magic returned into her body. She blinked a few times regaining her sight. The first pony she saw was Blossom looking down at her.
"Blossomforth!" She whispered sitting up wrapping her arms around Blossom’s neck crying. Blossom hugged her back tightly kissing her on the head.
"I'm here Twi, Trixie won't hurt you again." She whispered rubbing her back.
Raindrops tapped Blossom on the shoulder. "I hate to break up this wonderful moment, but we have to get to the ship."
Blossom stiffened suddenly turning to her with a quirked brow. "Wait a sec, I told you to be watching Fluttershy and Luna. Where are they?"
Raindrops sighed holding up her hands. “I told Luna to take Fluttershy back to the ship while I went to find you. The halls leading to the hanger were deserted anyway. Luna told me to get you and we'll get out of here." Blossom was ready to scold her but knew that Luna was right. They had to get away. She nodded lifting Twilight in her arms carrying her bridal style and headed for the door.
Raindrops stopped at the doorway looking into the room to see Trixie move and hearing her groan in pain. Raindrops glared coldly at her then ran after Blossom. The sooner they can get out of the prison the better they will be. And leaving Trixie bloody and broken body on the floor was the best victory Raindrops ever had.
"We have to get the crew out first.” Blossom called over her shoulder. “I saw them as I was heading here." Raindrops caught up to her grinning.
"Not to worry, I already took care of it. Derpy and Spike are helping Scootaloo and Apple Bloom back on the Fancy Flute. We’ll meet them there."
Blossom nodded letting Raindrops take the lead to the dash to the hanger. Twilight passed out in Blossom’s arms. Blossom looked down at her with worry knowing that what she went through was pure torture. She might have some mental trauma from the magic she fought against. Blossom wished she could have given Trixie a beating like Raindrops did, but she knew there were more important things to do than attack in revenge.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Applejack, Rarity, and Scratch stopped at a hall fork in the hallway. Applejack is trying desperately to remember which way was the large room with grates. Scratch was hugging Rarity close as she was starting to freak out. Applejack had never seen her friend like this before and seeing Rarity so frazzled made her start to worry too.
"Damnit I don’t know which way." Applejack snarled looking around trying to remember which way she went before.
"Maybe we should split up," Scratch suggested.
"And risk getting caught again, no thanks. We stick together partner." Applejack ordered looking around. She sighed rubbing her face.
Suddenly Rarity heard a soft "Help!" Rarity stiffened looking around.
"Rarity?" Scratch asked noticing how she looked around, she shoved Scratch away from her walking to the one hall listening then turned to the second hall.
"Did you hear that?" Rarity asked softly. The three ponies went silent listening.
“Hear what?” Applejack asked in a whispered looking around her.
Rarity hushed her sharply listing. Suddenly all three of them heard another cry for help. Rarity gasped seeing Scratch and Applejack turn to her.
"It’s Sweetie Belle! I recognize that voice anywhere!" Rarity exclaimed and started sprinting down the left hall.
"Wait a second, Rare!" Applejack cried as she and Scratch chased after her.
Rarity reached a giant room hearing Sweetie Belle's scream. Then she saw a white arm waving in the air from one of the grates on the floor. "Sweetie Belle!" Rarity screamed out running to the grate. Applejack and Scratch noticed the arm and ran in a sprint after Rarity. Rarity slid to her knees grabbing Sweetie Belle’s hand looking through the bars to see her baby sister soaked.
"Rarity!" Sweetie Belle cried out.
"Don't you worry, your sister's here, I'm here Sweetie. I’m here!" Rarity turned glaring at Applejack. "Hurry it up Applejack!" She screamed out like a drill sergeant being so distraught. Applejack ran to the grate and gasped seeing Sweetie Belle shivering and wet hanging on to the bars for dear life.
"Applejack," Sweetie Belle gasped smiling.
"I'm here kiddo, not to worry." Applejack said calmly grabbing the bars trying figure out how to get Sweetie belle out of chamber. Scratch stopped behind applejack seeing the lock on the grate. He turned with a smirk and ran off.
"Scratch?" Rarity called after him.
He turned back to the mares. "I'll be back." He called back.
Applejack looked around. "Where’s Vinyl?" She asked confused. Sweetie Belle turned and pointed her finger behind her. Applejack and Rarity gasped seeing air bubbles coming up from the water behind Sweetie Belle.
"She's down there! She’s chained!" Sweetie Belle said whimpering.
"How log was she down there?" Rarity asked in shock. Applejack turned seeing Scratch running back to her with blood on his hands. He tossed a key to Applejack who caught it in her hand. She look up at him ready to ask a question but he beat her to it.
"Guard." He answered.
Without a second delay Applejack stuck the key into the lock and twisted hearing the click of the lock releasing.
"Got it!" Applejack called out tossing the key away and pulled open the grate. Rarity grabs ahold of Sweetie Belle pulling her out of the water, holding her sister tightly in her arms.
"I got you, I got you." Rarity whispered kissing Sweetie Belle on the head, happy to have her baby sister back.
Sweetie Belle pulled away from Rarity’s kisses to point into the chamber.
"Help Vinyl!" Sweetie Belle cried out.
Applejack stood up pulling off her hat. "I'll get her." Applejack declared but Scratch leaped into the water before she could.
Rarity and Applejack watched with shock and waited in silence.
Once the bubbles from his dive cleared, Scratch could see Vinyl unconscious in the water. He grabbed her vest ready to pull her then noticed the chain. He blinked and rolled his eyes forgetting that Vinyl was chained, keeping her underwater. He swam down to Vinyl’s ankles to see the cuff. He grabbed the chain and began pulling on the chain to pull himself deeper into the chamber. Feeling the pressure in her ears he starts pulling on the chain hoping it might be weak enough to pull out of the floor. It didn't budge. He growled underwater in defeat, he pushed off the bottom and breached the surface coughing.
"Key!" He cried out.
“Key?" Rarity asked confused.
"Key!" Applejack exclaimed, understanding what Scratch wanted. She ran to the key that she tossed away, relieved to not find it in a cage. She ran back and tossed the key to him. Scratch took in a deep breath and submerged back into the water. He reached down to Vinyl’s vest and began pulling himself deeper into the chamber to the cuff. He stuck the key into the lock and heard the click. He pulled the cuff off, grabbing Vinyl, and he started swimming. He gasped pulling Vinyl with him.
"Take her!" He called. Applejack reached down under Vinyl's arms and pulled her out as Scratch pulls himself out of the water. Rarity, thinking ahead, closed the grate to prevent anyone from falling in. She grabbed Sweetie Belle to keep her back as Applejack placed Vinyl on the ground and started checking for her vitals. She wasn’t breathing.
"She's not breathing! Rarity, CPR, now!" Applejack ordered pressing her ear to Vinyl’s chest shaking her head. "Hurry up now!" Rarity pushed Sweetie Belle back away as she crawled over to Vinyl to help Applejack. Scratch sat on the ground watching with worry seeing Vinyl up close for the second time but it truly felt like the first time.
Applejack pumped Vinyl's chest then ordered Rarity to breathe for her. After doing this process three more times Vinyl started coughing. Sweetie Belle cheered as Applejack pull Vinyl up in a sitting position for her to cough up the water from her lungs. Rarity patted her back hard helping out. Vinyl threw up the water from her lungs coughing and breathing hard. Sweetie Belle ran up to Vinyl hugging her tight.
"You’re alright!" She cheered. Vinyl panted hugging Sweetie Belle back.
"I was more concerned about you, kiddo." She whispered smiling. Then she looked over to see Applejack fanning herself with her hat.
"You had us worried there, Captain."
"I thought I was a goner, too." Vinyl whispered happily.
Rarity smiled. "I’m happy that you were able to be brought back.” Vinyl turned to her smiling trying to figure out who this new mare was. Rarity held out her hand to Vinyl, Vinyl took her hand and was helped up to her feet. “Thank you for helping my little sister." Rarity said as Vinyl looked down to see Sweetie Belle walking over to Rarity and hugged her around her middle.
"I'm Rarity." Rarity said answering the question on Vinyl’s face.
Vinyl smiled shaking her hand. "Captain Scratch. I rather go by Vinyl." Vinyl turned and noticed the stallion and stared at him her smile turned to a frown. He was soaked and wet. The two closely similar unicorns stared at one another in shock.
"Grace?" Scratch asked worriedly looking at her. "Is that really you"?" He asked placing his hand over her face. Vinyl stared at his face then up into his red eyes. "My little Gracie?" He whispered choking up with emotion. Vinyl felt a tug at her heart feeling his hand stroke her face. She couldn’t believe her eyes as memories resurfaced about this same stallion in her life, telling her stories, playing pirates, and playing his penny whistle.
"Dad?" She whispered before running to him hugging him tight. Scratch wrapped his arms around her holding her tight.
"It was you. This whole time." He whispered kissing her on the head and rocking her with him in the hug.
Applejack smiled looking to Rarity to see her smile as well.
Vinyl sniffed burying her face into Scratch’s chest so happy to actually find her father alive. "Dad so much has happened and... Mama,"
Scratch shushed softly, taking her chin to look her in the face. "Perhaps we should talk later Gracie, we have to get out of here before Blueblood sends his soldiers after us. He won't stop until we're all dead."
Vinyl nodded pulling away from him then turned to the others. "Right, we do have to get out of here." She looked down at herself and sighed. "Sweetie Belle and I need to dry off and get dry clothes on."
Applejack nodded. "Come on, as my granny used to say, 'Move your caboose ponies!' We got a ship to catch!" Sweetie Belle laughed at that as everypony followed Applejack out of the room. Suddenly Sweetie Belle stopped with a sharp gasp. Rarity stopped running feeling Sweetie Belle tugging on her hand.
"What is it, Sweetie Belle?" Rarity asked with worry. The others stopped turning to the sisters with worry.
Sweetie Belle turned to Vinyl. "Vinyl, what about the Elements? We can’t leave without them!"
"Elements?" Applejack asked turning to Vinyl. Vinyl stared at Sweetie for a moment then gasped remembering what Sweetie Belle was talking about. She gasped when the memory resurfaced.
"Damnit! We can’t leave without the Elements of Harmony!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa; wait a second!" Applejack ordered staring at the two unicorns. "Are you saying that you two found the Elements of Harmony?"
"Here?" Rarity asked in shock.
Vinyl nodded. "Yes, we found them." Vinyl said. She turned away thinking for a moment then looked back at the other ponies in turn with a plan in mind. "Go back to the ship." She ordered before running off.
"What?!" Scratch exclaimed grabbing her arm before she went too far. "Where do you think you’re going?" He asked.
Vinyl turned back to him. "I'm going to go get the Elements of Harmony while you two head back to the ship and get it ready for a fast getaway."
"That’s crazy talk!" Applejack exclaimed glaring at her. "We don't have time to go get them."
"Precisely.” Vinyl said seeing Applejack’s confused look. “I'll catch up, I'm better off one my own. I'll go in, grab the Elements, and then make a dash for the ship. I promise I'll make it in time." Vinyl turned to her father to see him glaring at her. "I'll be fine Dad." She said firmly pushing her hand off of her. "I'll be back soon. Then we'll catch up" She said with a small smirk then made a bolt for the hall heading for the auditorium. Applejack thought for a short moment then sighed in defeat.
"Let’s get out of here and get to the ship, now." She ordered.
"You can't possibly let her go off alone!" Rarity called out following Applejack into a brisk jog with Sweetie Belle and Scratch behind her.
Applejack turned to her with a nod. "Usually I wouldn’t, but right now we have to get you guys to the ship and have Fluttershy check on ya'll. We have to get out of here."
Octavia continued to run with Rainbow Dash and Daring until they stumbled upon Raindrops who was running towards them from another hall. Octavia couldn't get the nagging feeling out of her head. She couldn't let Blueblood escape again. She turned her head to look down a hall and gasped seeing Blueblood riding one of the electric cars down the adjacent hall. She stopped, watching him disappear. There he was! And he’s so close! Rainbow turned to look behind her and stopped, seeing Octavia staring at something.
"Octavia, we have to go! Now!" Rainbow ordered. They have to get out of the prison. There was no way they had enough time before Blueblood sent in a hit squad. Daring stopped too, turning to see what was going on.
"Octavia!" Rainbow yelled out.
Octavia blinked turning to Rainbow and Daring then back down the hall. She trotted to Rainbow pointing at the hall where she saw her uncle.
"I saw Blueblood." She said.
Rainbow looked frightened and then sighed with a nod. She placed her hand on Octavia’s shoulder.
"Octavia, I know what you’re thinking but we can’t risk it. We have to retreat. Don't worry, I promise you, we will get Blueblood for what he did. Alright?"
Octavia nodded slowly as Rainbow sighed in relief turning to Daring smiling. Daring nodded turning to walk away. Octavia kept her head bowed with anger. He was right there! Right there! She couldn't lose this opportunity. She then noticed the machete hanging on Rainbow’s belt. She was able to retrieve it from the dead soldiers earlier. Octavia’s fingers tingled as she stared at the old blade. After a long moment, she made her decision. Octavia snatched the machetes and ran to the hall and after Blueblood. Rainbow gasped turning.
"Octavia!" She cried watching with stunned shock as Octavia disappeared past the corner. “Get back here! Octavia!" Rainbow screamed out ready to run after her. Daring stopped her by grabbing her arm and pulled her back.
"Let her go!" Daring called out surprising the old guard.
"What?" Rainbow gasped turning to her. "She'll get killed!"
Daring gave her a look. "She'll be fine for a while. Right now we need you Rainbow, we need to know if everyone is safe before you go off and find her. Beside I know you'll catch her."
Rainbow stared at her for a long moment. Daring proved a valid point. She wants to know if Fluttershy was okay, or if Applejack was able to get Vinyl and Sweetie Belle in time. Once she find out that everyone was safe she could use her wings to get to Octavia. She might be nearing old age, but she could still fly fast.
"Fine, let me see everypony. Once I see every face no matter how brief I'm flying."
Daring nodded. "Of course." Daring whispered allowing Rainbow to take the lead to the hanger. She sighed turning towards the hall.
"I hope you get the bastard, Octavia." She whispered to herself then started running after Rainbow Dash to the hanger.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Octavia continued her sprint after Blueblood. She followed his trail down the hall panting hard as she reached an empty chamber. She stopped to take a breather for a long moment then heard something above her. She heard a shot then felt a tearing in her shoulder and screamed out in pain. She went down on her knees on instinct to duck. She winced grabbing her shoulder then looked at her hand to find blood. She looked up by chance and gasped to see Blueblood standing there holding a very fancy pistol.
"How come I had this feeling that you would still follow me?" Blueblood asked with a curl of a smile on his face
Octavia bit her lip slowly standing back up glaring at him. "Come down here and fight like me a stallion Blueblood! You murdering bastard!" She yelled out.
Blueblood placed a new charger on his pistol, shaking his head chuckling. "What language and such hostility. I gave your parents the favor they deserved." Octavia glared at him for along moment as he started laughing. "Actually it was the best thing that has ever happened."
Octavia stood back up pointing up at him. "You’re sick Blueblood, so is the rest of your organization! You will never win, not with five of the Elements together."
Blueblood started laughing hysterically at what Octavia just said. "You are dumb aren’t you? Everypony with a teaching of magic all know that the Elements won't work with any of the holders gone. And news flash brat, your last Element, the Element of Laughter, is dead!" Octavia glared at him baring her teeth. "You cannot replace the Elements when they are all dead. Wait another thousand years and then you'll have a new group of friends that will become the Elements of Harmony. But of course we made sure that the old way won't work."
Octavia’s glare left her face to a look of shock. "Wait, what old way?" She asked confused.
Blueblood chuckled leaning against the rail "Listen to the key points in the story, hybrid. Two unicorns, two pegasi, and two earth ponies. There will always be two Earth ponies that must be two of the Elements of Harmony. And without earth ponies or hybrids . . ."
Octavia’s glare lessened as she realized what he meant. "No earth ponies or earth pony blood, no Elements of Harmony!" She said glaring at him again. "You monster! You just destroyed the future keepers of harmony!"
Blueblood laughed. "Yes, no Elements of Harmony, no reason to fear a revolt. All earth ponies will be extinct in the next decade or two and then once we kill every last earth pony then we'll start killing off all the hybrids. That way no future earth ponies will be born."
Octavia stared at him horrified, past that fear she felt the rage burn inside of her. Now more than ever she wanted to kill this stallion, not only for her parents but for all of Earth pony kind!
"So that’s what the Order is about? Killing ponies that have no say in their race?!" She asked.
Blueblood chuckled. "That is one of our plans. Destroy the Elements of Harmony, true, but the rest it's a little hush-hush, even from me of all ponies!" He said with a snort. Octavia snarled then looked around the room looking for some way to get to Blueblood or to get him down. She gaped seeing a metal ladder leading to the ramparts. She started running as Blueblood complained about the Order not telling him anything, though he is a trustful member in the organization.
"Wait a second, where did you go?" He asked flabbergasted looking around at the ground floor for Octavia until he heard the clank of somepony on the metal landing behind him. He turned seeing Octavia climbing up onto the catwalk. He yelped backing away seeing her snarl.
"You sick jerk!" She whispered dangerously standing up. "I will kill you and stop your evil plans and get revenge for my parents’ deaths!"
Blueblood reached to his belt and pulled out a blade, a fancy rapier that was more for show than actual fighting. "Perhaps it's about time to for me to get this job finished myself. You have been a thorn in my side since that blasted hybrid whore shit you out!"
Octavia growled. "You’ll pay for that!" She runs forward with a battle cry. Blueblood stayed stoic and composed, waiting. When Octavia realized what he was doing, it was too late to change gears. Blueblood sidestepped and sliced into Octavia's back. Octavia stumbled but caught herself, wincing in pain. She looked down to find her vest and shirt was cut and she could see her blood from the wound.
She growled turning to back to him to see him smirk at her. "There was a reason why I put up those laws against earth ponies having weapons. I knew someday when our plan was in full swing, you would use your skills to kill me and my comrades. Good thing I got you before you became an amateur." He purred chuckling.
Octavia let out a battle cry again, swinging the machete around but Blueblood would either block her swings or side step away. He would poke her or slash at her, trying to cut her down little by little as she wasted her energy trying to catch him. After what seemed like forever of dodging and weaving, Octavia felt her legs give out from exhaustion. She crashed on her knees panting and wincing in pain from all the numerous cuts she received from Blueblood. She never knew Blueblood would be that fast of a swordsman.
Blueblood tsked shaking his head. "Earth ponies, they never learn." Blueblood chucked walking forward towards her. "Always brash enough to jump in a fight with their fists and brute strength." He said chuckling swinging his blade up for the final blow. Octavia growled, clenched her machete pommel. With a final ditch effort, she let out a roar, swinging up her blade in time to catch Blueblood's blade from his down stroke. Blueblood blinked in surprise as she put in more strength into his, pushing as she tried to stand back up. Octavia groaned struggling, her whole body was shot with exhaustion and from the wounds. She used her other hand to make a final sudden push against the machete. Blueblood smirked then pulled back his blade causing Octavia to suddenly hold up her hands. From the loss of pressure from Blueblood’s blade this left her vulnerable and Blueblood took that opportunity. He kicked her hard in the chest knocking her to the metal walkway.
Octavia slid to a stop hearing her machete clank to a stop next to her, teetering on the edge of the walkway. She reached for the pommel touching the tip with her fingertips, until suddenly Blueblood’s boot stomped hard on her hand. Octavia yelped and looked up seeing the tip of his rapier pointed in-between her eyes. Octavia panted glaring at him.
Blueblood shook his head. "You are a dumb one thinking you could take me on and win, hybrid." Blueblood lowered to a knee pressing his knee on her stomach to keep her from running away. He used his sword to push the machete over the edge. Octavia gulped hearing her weapon clatter to the stone floor below them.
"I would love to hear you beg for mercy, but things on timing is a bit tight at the moment." Octavia glared at him. "After I kill you I’ll have Captain Lulamoon, once she's done turning Twilight Sparkle to us, to turn your special captain to our side as well." Octavia reached for his face to poke his eye or something to cause him any pain, but she was thwarted when he grabbed her other hand and forced it down above her head. With his other hand he grabbed her throat and squeezed, causing her to choke. She tried to get her other hand up from its locked position under his boot.
"I'll make sure Trixie records this memory of your death and sends it to that mare.” He whispered smiling. "Of course I would love to see you suffer, but sadly your daddy's not here to watch. I'll make this quick since I do have a meeting with General Lighting Dust in a few hours." He released her neck and hand to grab his rapier and held it up ready for a final stab, to finish her off.
"Any last words, my dear niece?" He asked smirking.
Octavia glared coldly at first and then she smirked. "Yeah, duck."
Blueblood blinked catching himself before he began his thrust. "What did you-" He looked up too late, seeing the rainbow haired captain bulldoze him to the floor and off of Octavia. Blueblood slid to a stop, groaning. When he opened his eyes all he could see were ducks with rainbow hair on their heads flying around his head, quaking.
Rainbow landed on the walkway watching Blueblood to make sure he didn’t get back up. Once she was sure he wouldn’t get back up she turned to Octavia seeing her sitting up on her haunches, rubbing her neck from where Blueblood had grabbed her. Rainbow immediately went to her aid and knelt down on the floor looking her over.
"Are you alright?" Rainbow asked with worry seeing all the cuts from the fabric of her clothes and seeing blood stains from the cuts on her sleeves.
"I'm fine." Octavia whispered smiling up at her. She gasped. "Rainbow!"
Rainbow jumped in surprise until she felt an arm wrap around her neck into a choke hold. Octavia jumped back in shock seeing that Blueblood had a crazy look in his eye and had a pistol pointed in the Rainbow's lower back.
"I guess I should have expected that." He growled spitting the blood out of his mouth from the collision. "With the brat is her traitor guardian, always waiting for the time to pounce." Rainbow gasped out feeling the pressure to her windpipe increase to where she began to choke.
Octavia slowly stood up grabbing the rail. "Let her go, Blueblood." Octavia threatened.
"You know what? Screw everything they say! I'm going to kill you both if it's the last thing I-"
There was a sound of a pop somewhere in the air and suddenly there was a spurt of blood from Blueblood’s head and Rainbow let out a scream of pain falling forward with him to the floor. There was a sound of a high pitched metal sound that caused Octavia to duck, covering her head with her arms. Octavia looked up from her crouch to see Rainbow shoving Blueblood off of her and holding her shoulder. She crawled over to the old captain to see the blood on Rainbow’s shoulder and applied pressure to the wound.
"What was that?" Octavia asked with shock as Rainbow grits her teeth shaking her head.
"I don’t know." She answered.
Octavia looked over to Blueblood lying face down next to them. She could see the entry wound of some kind of weapon, it wasn’t a laser or it would have been a cleaner entry. Whatever was used, it was a messy way to kill. An old fashioned pistol perhaps?
Octavia heard a sound behind her that caused the hairs at the back of her neck to stick up. Rainbow looked up and gasped grabbing Octavia’s hand looking at something behind her. There was a click and barrel of an old flintlock pistol was pointed at Octavia's head.
"Don't move." A mare's voice said from behind her. Octavia gulped and beyond her better judgment, she turned to look at the mare. What she saw was somepony dressed in dark green and blue clothes.
The mare lifted up the pistol. "I said no moving!" She cried out slapping the hard metal pistol into Octavia face knocking her to the ground.
"Octavia!" Rainbow cried out as she hit the metal catwalk.
Octavia struggled to stay awake from the dizzying hit. Through her vision she could see Rainbow Dash backing away from this stranger, holding up her hand as if begging her not to shoot. Octavia blinked once and twice, her vision clouding as she saw the mysterious mare’s bushy and bouncy pink tail. There was a soft bang and Rainbow fell to her side.
Octavia groaned out before she fell into unconsciousness.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Vinyl panted stopping for a moment to catch her breath. She started hacking and coughing and then spitting up gunk and junk from her lungs that were left over in her lung. Once she caught her breath she continued trotting down the hall knowing the auditorium was nearby. She turned the corner and gasped finding the door.
"Thank you, Luna!" She breathed running to the auditorium door then kicked the door down, not even thinking that if the door was locked or not. She panted seeing the mirror and the box. She rant straight to the box but stopped turning to the mirror.
The magical tendrils reached out to her again, beckoning her to come over. She gulped staring at the mirror then to the Elements. Her heart’s desires will be answered through the mirror. Already the questions were luring her to the mirror.
Will she ever be a successful merchant? Will she ever have a wonderful future? Can she find a way to free every slave in the galaxy? Can she and Octavia ever have a future together?
That last question made her inch closer and closer to the mirror. But then a thought occurred to her. Through her haze Princess Luna’s voice spoke clear in her mind.
It works too well. It lead me to many planets on my expeditions to the stars. It lead me to treasure but it also lead me to my capture.
Vinyl gasped blinking out of the mirror’s influence. Luna used this mirror for so long that her power to find new worlds led her astray and took her to the crystal moon where she was locked away for many centuries. Blueblood was then given the mirror by his family. How much could Vinyl bet that Blueblood used this mirror to get what he wanted?
Vinyl turned away rubbing her head, feeling drained of energy. She blinked turning to the mirror and for the first time she could see the magical tentacles reach for her head trying to regain control.
Vinyl shook her head. "No," She whispered backing away from the mirror. She bumped into something behind her and turned to see the pedestal and the Element’s box. She took the box gently into her hands feeling the dead power within. She turned to the mirror feeling it's magic grab her and pull her closer, begging for her touch and to answer her questions.
Vinyl growled shaking her head hard pulling away from the magic. "There are no answers you can give me." She whispered setting the box back on the pedestal, looking around her. She spotted a golden scepter and grabbed it, turning to the mirror. She lifted the scepter up in the air, and through her mind she can hear the screams from the mirror and she swing the scepter and smashed the glass of the mirror. The instant she hit the glass could hear high pitched screams and felt a sudden wave of magical energy push through her, she closed her eyes and covered her ears waiting for the horrible sound to stop.
Vinyl opened her eyes watching the glowing rubies and sapphires start to turn dull and began to crack and the mirror’s shining golden frame went old and dull as it turned to rust. Vinyl watched as the Shining Mirror transformed into an ordinary old mirror.
Vinyl stood back up with a sigh. "Never again shall you lead ponies astray and lead the evil ones to victory." She whispered dropping the scepter and grabbed the Elements. She opened the box to make sure all six medallions were in the box. Sure enough she can count two bronze: Honesty and Laughter, two silver: Kindness and Loyalty, and the two gold: Generosity and Magic. Vinyl sighed in relief closing the lid and patting the box. She turned and headed for the door. She stopped to look at the room around her with a pang of regret. If she had more time she would have snagged something of value from the room. She shook her head.
“Enough wasting time” Vinyl growled to herself and stepped out of the room with a sigh. "Finally, things are going my way." She said happily shutting the door behind her. She heard a snicker that caused her to stop and turn. Before she found the source of the snicker she was hit in the head with a bully club. Vinyl fell hard on the ground, the Element’s box opened at impact, scattering the medallions on the floor. Vinyl opened her eyes feeling horrible pain in the back of her head. She gasped seeing the Elements on the floor. She grunted trying to reach for the closest one to her.
"Look at her crawling!" A filly laughed out as Vinyl grabbed the Element of Honesty.
"I'm bored, sis." A colt said before stomping his foot into Vinyl's head knocking her out completely.
Daring looked around frantically waiting for anypony else to return from the prison. It’s been ten minutes since Rainbow Dash made the dash after Octavia after Fluttershy gave her the go ahead. Now Daring stands watch with Raindrops in case any guards try a sneak attack. Daring watched with worry wondering what was taking Rainbow and the rest of their party so long. She heard running feet and held up one of the stolen rifles, Raindrops turned to her and joined her with her knife ready to fight. They gasped seeing that it was Applejack running over with Rarity, Sweetie Belle and Scratch.
"Oh blessed Luna! You're all alright!" Daring called out lowering the musket. Sweetie Belle ran up to her hugging her. Daring blinked pushing her back looking her over. "Sweetie Belle, you’re all wet!" Sweetie Belle nodded blushing. Daring looked around and noticed Vinyl wasn’t with them "Wait, where's Vinyl?" She asked with fear.
Applejack scratched the back of her head. "She and Sweetie Belle found something."
"Like what?" Raindrops asked confused.
"We found the Elements of Harmony!" Sweetie Belle proclaimed beaming.
"What?" The pegasi asked in shock.
Applejack nodded. "Vinyl ran off to get grab them. She said she'll be here soon."
“You mean she went alone?” Daring asked with shock.
Applejack shrugged. “I didn’t like it either, but she made a good point. She’s faster and she’ll be here soon.”
"Girls!" Fluttershy called out suddenly. Everypony turned to the Fancy Flute and gasped with shock to see a large stallion holding Fluttershy at gunpoint from the ramp. The stallion chuckled seeing the mares’ shocked faces.
"It’s a pirate!" Applejack cried standing in front of Rarity and Sweetie Belle to block them from any attacks. Scratch stood beside her with his fists out ready to fight. Daring held up her rifle as Raindrops pulled out her pistol pointing it at the stallion.
"I suggest you drop your weapons, ponies." A mare's voice ordered from behind them. Daring and Raindrops turn slightly behind them. "I said drop them!" The mare screamed out firing a shot in the air causing everyone to scream and duck. Fluttershy watched terrified at the pirate mare. The mare waved her pistol in a forward motion looking behind her. Four pirates came out from the prison dragging Rainbow Dash and Octavia into the hanger.
"Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy cried.
Applejack turned and gasped seeing Rainbow dropped to the ground with Octavia lying unconscious next to her. Applejack growled feeling rage. She already lost her friends once, she won’t allow pirates to take them again. She stood up charging to the pirate leader.
"Applejack, wait!" Rarity cried out keeping Sweetie Belle down.
Applejack swung for a punch. The mare ducked then made an uppercut into Applejack’s stomach causing her to cough for air then fall to her knees. Applejack felt another punch, hitting her in the face. She fell onto her back groaning. Rarity gasped crawling to her friend.
"Applejack, wake up! Please!" She begged patting her cheek trying to get her to wake up. She felt the barrel of a pistol on her head as Rarity looked up seeing the shadowed face of their assailant. "Who are you?" She whispered with fear. The mare grinned and opened her mouth to answer.
"Captain, great to see you again!" Scratch exclaimed suddenly, walking away from Sweetie Belle and the pegasi towards the mare.
Suddenly the mare turned then smiled. "Vinyl? Is that you?" She gasped. Rarity blinked turning to Scratch watching the two interact. Also the thought of the mare’s voice was very familiar.
“It’s me, my captain.” Scratch said smiling. The mare reached her hand up to his face and stroked his cheek and smiled happily.
“It is you.” She whispered hugging him tight. Rarity blinked turning to notice Daring and Raindrops were just as shocked seeing this.
"Hey captain!" A young voice called. Everypony turned to see two young teenagers, one unicorn and the other a pegasus drag Vinyl between them into the hanger room.
"Look what we found," The yellow unicorn called as she and her brother drop Vinyl on the ground.
"And look at this! She was carrying this thing leaving the treasure room. It must be important." The pegasus colt said holding up the blue box. Sweetie Belle gasped pointing at the box, the pegasus was holding in the air.
"That's the box where the Elements are held in!" She said with worry.
More pirates came out of the halls holding bloody knives, swords or holding up smoking muskets and pistols. The pirate at the Fancy Flute shoved Fluttershy down the ramp and waved for more pirates to come aboard to take out their prisoners. Fluttershy was grabbed by another pirate and forced on her knees.
“Hands behind your head Equestrians!” A mare ordered poking Daring with her dagger. Daring nodded dropping her weapon then went down on her knees with her hands behind her head. Raindrops growled as she too did the same, glaring at their new captors. Fluttershy stretched her neck out to try and get a better view of Rainbow from her position, hoping Rainbow wasn’t suffering any worse injuries.
The pirate captain walked away from Scratch to the pegasus colt to take the jeweled box and opened the lid. Her eyes widened with shock seeing the Elements inside. She picked up a bronze medallion, the Element of Laughter rubbing her thumb over the dark blue balloon shaped jewel. She bit her lip then let the medallion fall back into the box and shut the lid with a soft sigh. She turned to Pound Cake and patted his head.
"Well done." She whispered strangely calm which made the twins look to her with worry as she turn away. After a moment the mare began to giggle which ended in a snort. Rarity blinked feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.
"Who are you?" She asked fearfully.
The pirate captain looked back at the crew of prisoners as she lift the brim of her giant hat and pulled it off. Fluttershy and Rarity both gasp in shock. Scratch smiled walking up to her, bowing.
"Captain, permission to come back aboard?" He asked smiling taking the pirate mare's pink hand kissing it. The pink mare smirked at him.
"You’re always welcome on my ship Vinyl, I missed my gallant." She said smiling. Applejack slowly opened her eyes staring at the pink pirate in shock.
"It can't be," She whispered trying to sit up. Rarity placed her hand on Applejack’s chest trying to keep her down, fighting tears of joy and fear at the same time.
Scratch turned smiling as a huge shadow covered the large glass windows. Everypony turned to stare in awe and fear seeing a gigantic wooden and metal ship loomed towards the station blocking the sun. There was a giant sigil on the main sail and Applejack noticed it and groaned recognizing it and couldn’t believe what this mare and that sigil have in common.
Rarity finally swallowed seeing all the evidence was too hard to ignore. "Pinkie Pie is a pirate?" She whispered.
Pinkie Pie, the Element of Laughter, and thought to be dead stood before everypony alive as she began to laugh. Scratch smiled turning to see Rarity stare at him with shock. He shrugged his shoulders smirking.
"Don’t take it so personally Rarity." He said wrapping his arm around Pinkie’s waist pulling her close. Pinkie smiled at him hugging him back. "Pinkie always said I was a great liar and a great actor."
"You... that message you sent was to her?! A pirate!" Rarity asked flabbergasted.
Scratch shrugged again, kissing Pinkie on the cheek as she smiled flirtatiously at him in return.
"What about Vinyl?!" Sweetie Belle cried out. She yelped when she felt a hand grab her shirt collar to prevent her from running off. Scratch turned to see Sweetie Belle glaring at him. He turned to see Vinyl lying unconscious by the twins.
"Oh Grace May? She's still my daughter. That I won’t lie about." He jumped with a thought. "Oh and in speaking of her, Captain Pie I would love to introduce to you to our newest member." He said walking over to Vinyl. The twins moved aside allowing him to approach her. Scratch reached down grabbing Vinyl's vest pulling her up to her knees. He used his other hand to gently grab her hair and pull her head up to reveal her bruised face.
"My daughter, Grace May Scratch."
Pinkie fingered her chin looking at him then at Vinyl to see the true resemblance. "Ah, so this is the little baby you told me so much about. She will be a valuable member of our family." She cooed smiling at him.
Scratch beamed excitedly getting Pinkie’s approval. "Any time my lovely pink star." Scratch lowered Vinyl then let her drop to the concrete.
Pinkie Pie turned to her crew. "Bosun is that ship preferific?" Pinkie called.
A stallion climbed up on the rail grabbing the ratlines to keep balance. "Needs to be upgraded and modified but this here is a sound vessel, Cap."
"Good." Pinkie turned to her prisoners. "Vinyl!"
"Aye, Captain." Scratch said saluting.
"Get some proper clothes on and get these ponies to my ship." Pinkie ordered.
"Of course, Captain." Scratch said turning to the pirate crew, smiling. Some pirates were smiling at him, recognizing the older stallion. "You heard her men! Take all the booty you find and store it in the hold. Take these freed slaves and give them food and clothes. And lastly, take these scurvy dogs to the brig. Let’s go home!" He hollered.
All the pirates cheered as they went on a spree running into the prison to find treasure and the salves. And few of the pirates left in the hanger grabbed a pony and took them into the Fancy Flute for transport to the Pinkie’s frigate. When Applejack was grabbed she struggled against her captors’ looking to Pinkie.
"Pinkie Pie!" She cried trying to get her attention.
Pinkie turned to her with a smirk. Applejack stared at her a while longer as if trying to find the old Pinkie in that face. But instead of the old happy-go-lucky Pinkie Applejack knew, she only saw a very angry Pinkie look back at her.
"Pinkie!" She cried out again as she was dragged away. Scratch stood by Pinkie watching Applejack being pulled up into the Fancy Flute with their other prisoners.
Scratch turned to her to see her look up at him. "It's been far too long, Pinkie." He whispered smiling.
"It really has Scratchy," Pinkie said stroking under his chin. "Fifteen years was way too long. I missed having you around." She said pouting.
Scratch smiled. "I got what we wanted Pinkie. Though it did take time to get back to you."
Pinkie nodded smirking and turning towards the halls watching her pirates returning with their haul of treasure and helping the recently freed slaves to the ship. "I killed off that Jerk, Blueblood."
He nodded seeing her satisfied smile. "I can tell." He paused then turned to the ship. "I do mean what I said Pinkie, I promised you a child and I brought her. She might not be the son I promised, but from what I gathered, she is better than any son."
Pinkie nodded thinking a un-Pinkie thing to do her friends might say. "Well let’s get out of this stinky galaxy and return to the Outer Rim. I don’t like it here." She handed the Element’s box to Scratch. "Hold this for me, my blue moon, this box is very special to me and I want to make sure no pony else takes this. Are we clear?" She asked sweetly. Scratch nodded.
“Of course … unless you give me a kiss.” He joked as Pinkie giggled.
“Come here you!” She ordered, grabbing his collar and pulled him into a deep passionate kiss. After the kiss Pinkie smiled up at him and sauntered away to the Fancy Flute to prepare the smaller vessel for takeoff to the frigate. Scratch smiled licking his lips with a sigh. He smiled lovingly at Pinkie’s back and followed her to the ship.
Finally, his life was going to go his way again
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
An older pegasus mare stares out the window of her office to see Canterlot city and the castle. She focused her gaze on her reflection in the window seeing her graying blonde mane, her fierce golden eye and her black eye patch. She curled her lip into a snarl.
"Are you sure you can't remember anything else? Repeat it to me, again!" She growled. Her eye shifted to the reflection of Trixie who is covered in magical bandages and sitting in a comfy chair across from the pegasus. Trixie sighed rubbing her forehead with two fingers.
"Like I told you, all I remember is reading Twilight’s' memories and then I was hit for behind." She groaned reaching for the icepack sitting on the side table and placed it back on her head. "Then nothing."
General Lightning Dust sighed heavily placing her arm on the window and then leaned in to rest her forehead on her arm. "What do you remember, again?"
Trixie sighed rolling her eyes. It seems that Lightning Dust hadn’t done any interrogation in the last few days and now she’s putting all that energy on her. Trixie took in a deep breath to calm her rising annoyance and repeated her story again.
"All I remember was Twilight Sparkle screaming for mercy then nothing else. I'm sorry Lightning Dust. But I assure you when I get my magic back and when I catch Sparkle again I will gain control over her. I was so close! I was at her breaking point but then- Gah!" Trixie cried slamming her fist on the arm of her chair shaking her head with fury.
Lightning Dust sighed pushing off from the window then waved her hand. The motion caused the giant curtains to cover her window as she leaned forward on her desk looking at Trixie.
"It was a good thing some of the guards that were left found you."
Trixie sighed nodding. "Yes, good thing."
Lightning Dust walked around her desk towards Trixie with her hands behind her back. "From their testimonies they said that a pirate lord from the Outer Rim took out nearly all our guard, took every slave and everypony in the prison, and then disappeared." Trixie nodded watching Lightning Dust walk to her cabinet and pulled out a bottle of whiskey and two glasses to drink from.
"I would have been dead if it weren't for them." Trixie said softly, reflecting on how lucky she was. She looked up as Lightning Dust filled one glass with whiskey and handed it to her.
Trixie took a sip of her drink then smirked at an idea. "We should pay our respects for Blueblood, I heard he was murdered." She said with a chuckle.
Lightning Dust smirked raising her glass in the air. "Damn that bastard and good riddance." Lightning Dust said taking a swig. Trixie chuckled lifting the glass in the air taking a long drink, wincing from the burn.
Lightning sighed topping her glass. "I'm serious,” She said pointing her finger at her. “He was a thorn in my side since that Order leader mama of his dropped him into our laps." Lightning sat down in her chair behind her desk, propping her boots up on the desktop and taking another swig. She suddenly laughed. "I mean seriously lady, he's no fighter, he's just a noble that cares for the money he gets and the whores that suck his cock."
Trixie raised her glass. "Hear, Hear." She laughed shaking her head.
After a moment of silence Trixie looked up at her. "Have you sent our ponies to check on the Baltimare Military Station?"
Lightning Dust nodded. “I did."
"And?"
Lightning sighed shaking her head. "If there was rebel activity it's not there now. I had my guards check and double check every guard there and everypony checks out."
Trixie glared at her. "Even that General Cloud Kicker?" Trixie growled dunking back the rest of her drink. She flittered her fingers with a wince to magically levitate the whiskey bottle to her. She grabbed the bottle to pour a second serving. Lightning Dust glared at her for stealing her bottle and for the question.
"She’s clean." She said flatly. "As much as I despise Cloud Kicker she's been a true soldier and follows command." Lightning Dust turned to the wall glaring at it. "She’s good and we have nothing to prove that she was or is involved with the rebels."
"Assassins?" Trixie asked hopefully.
Lightning Dust snorted. "I sent fifty of them after her over the last twenty years and they were all found dead in space. I stopped, realizing I should use them for better means than being killed by a Kicker."
Trixie snorted. "What about the Hybrid Princess?" She asked curiously.
Lightning Dust looked up with a quirked brow. "Isn’t she dead?"
"I don’t know, is she?" Trixie asked glaring at her. Lightning Dust sighed placing her glass down on the desk.
"We have no evidence of her body. She might have been captured by the pirates." She said smirking. She grabbed her glass raising it in the air. "Let’s make a toast for the hybrid bitch. And hope she enjoys every torture those pirates give her." The two mares cackled in laughter.
Trixie sighed as Lightning Dust's smile faded in a glower. "I also heard from the guards that the Harmony medallions are missing." Trixie was in the middle of drinking when she spit the whiskey out of her mouth couching.
"What?!" She croaked out, coughing hard.
Lightning nodded. "The pirates took them or the princess found them. Those are the only explanations I can think of for their disappearance."
Trixie sighed after her coughing fit to look at Lightning. "Not to worry, they’ll just sell them and then hurray, they're gone forever." Trixie said quickly. "That was our plan wasn’t it?" Trixie asked smiling a touch. "Get rid of the future threats, the earth ponies and their hybrid cousins, then no pony will be the earth pony duo for the elements. They’re powerless. And sure go ahead and sell them. The Queen couldn’t use them anyway, remember?"
Lightning Dust nodded slowly still upset. She sighed and shook her head. "Medusa will be furious knowing we lost the Elements. Hand me the bottle."
Trixie nodded topping her glass first then magically sent it back to Lightning Dust's hand. "Let her gripe, she just doesn't understand how great it is that the Elements will be out of our hair and gone forever."
Lightning smiled before pouring a refill. She stood up lifting her glass. "A final toast then?" Trixie nodded standing up with difficulty from her broken bones. She grabbed her drink raising it up, smiling.
Lightning smirked. "To our Order's triumphed victory and a new dynasty of control."
Trixie nodded. "To our great and immortal queen! May her rein continue forever more."
"Hear, hear!" Lightning cheered as the two took a long swig of their drinks sealing the deal with a smack on the table.
The Order is strong and nothing will stop these two mares for claiming absolute victory from their enemies.
Hey guys, I'm happy to say that TMS 2 is done and fully uploaded here on FIMfiction. And compare to the last time, I'm just making this very brief.
First off I want to thank you all for reading this story, even when it has some errors that still needs to be addressed. Not to worry I'll get this story fixed up along with TMS 1 before TMS 3 comes around. That's the plan anyway. Things might change.
So I'll cut this short by saying thank you for all the feedback, all the positive comments, and all the thumbs up I can get. I know I still have some ways to go writing wise, but that doesn't stop me from presenting you all with stories. Also big thanks to you Xhoral1865 for helping me out all the time. I appreciate the help. We'll have extra eyes on TMS 3 when it comes around, promise.
Now on to a short little sneak peek from TMS 3. Now I know I have been advertising the story a little too much and I feel like kicking myself in the head for it. Though it might be possible that the story might reach the rated mature range but so far I have been writing it PG-13-ish. There will be gore and maybe a lead on to a sex scene type of deal. If you have read JAWWS then you might understand what I mean. So basically this story will be rated teen with the sub tags gore and sex. If it goes too far I'll be changing it to mature.
The story will be dark in the start, there will be a bunch more shipping, more action, and an happyepic ending. How that ending will go, I'll let you speculate.
Anyway here is a small sneak peek into TMS 3. It took forever to find the best piece to use since most of the stuff I wrote already is far too spoilery for you guys for my taste. So here is a tiny flash back from the story that some of you shippers might really like. Like last time, this is a rough version and this piece might go through changes after editing it for the story. So I do hope you enjoy and thanks again for reading.
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Sneak Peek into Treasured Moon & Stars Vol. 3
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24 years ago Discordian War. Battle of Asteroid Frost.
Deep inside one snowy mountain on the frozen planet of Asteroid Frost is a large network of tunnels. These tunnels were created by a local group of savages that were paid by Discord's mercenaries to cause discord at the Equestrian Fort at the base of the mountain. One of this large caverns inside the mountain was made into a giant torture prison where the savages can do their tortures and Discord's mercenaries can do their interrogations for information.
Chained in one of these cells were two mares, a unicorn and an earth pony from the Equestrian Fort. Rarity sighed looking down at the chain attached to her ankle then looked up at the tall ceiling to see snowflakes blowing in from the window high above her. She shivered rubbing her arms. She turned to glare at the figure sleeping next to her in their prison cell.
"I can feel your glare." Applejack grouched. Rarity blinked then turned away with a huff. "Get some sleep Rare, you need it."
“Oh!" Rarity gasped with a glare at her superior officer's back. "I am not sleeping on those dirty, disgusting rags!" She snapped.
Applejack sighed rolling onto her back on the dirty, digesting rags glaring back at her seeing Rarity wrapping her arms around her knees.
"Dirty rags are better than the cold stone floor." Applejack reminded her softly with a small smile.
Rarity sighed. "I'm not sleeping."
"You’ve been up for twenty-four hours with me guarding the wall before we were snatched." Applejack soothed sitting up with a grunt holding her sore arm. "You need the rest. Also you're a unicorn."
"So?" Rarity snorted. "You have magic, too." She jabbed back.
Applejack jumped with a blush after Rarity’s statement. She turned away bowing her head shamefully. "I’m not that great." Applejack whispered holding out her hand to reveal the pooling of orange magic as she tried to conjure any form of magic. She grunted with difficulty then suddenly the pooling magic disappeared causing her to pant. She sighed rubbing her palm.
"Unlike you girls, I'm not that magical." She whispered shamefully.
Rarity blinked staring at her bewildered. Just seeing her acting so ashamed was a bit concerning for the unicorn. Applejack was always proud and never shown any sort of weakness to any pony.
"But Applejack that is quite a feat of magic you conjured."
Applejack gave her a look. "What do you mean? This is nothing compared to what you all can do. Hell even Pinkie can use magic better than me."
Rarity blinked in shock. "Applejack!" She said taking her hands. "The magic you shown me is a huge feat even for a unicorn that has just started out. Believe me when I say this. When I was sent to a magical school as a filly, I didn't understand magic until I was three years behind other unicorns."
Applejack blinked turning to her in shock.
"I was a late bloomer." Rarity said with a blush. "I believe I was eleven when I finally shown my magical talents."
"So you think I can get better?" Applejack asked surprised.
"Well of course, dear!" Rarity said smiling. "You just need more practice."
Applejack snorted rolling her eyes as she lie back onto the rags. "Yeah sure, I hardly have any time for myself anymore."
Rarity thought for a moment then gasped scaring her cellmate.
"Idea!" She cried.
"Not so loud." Applejack hissed sitting up, watching the bars to their cell making sure their captors don’t walk in.
Rarity cleared her throat blushing as she too looked to the bars waiting. When no guard came she turned back to Applejack taking her hands. "When we are together on watch, I can teach you."
"During watch?" Applejack asked taking her hands back. "You really think we'll get out of this place?"
"Of course! I'm sure the girls are planning a rescue as we speak. And besides," Rarity said smiling seeing Applejack’s blush. "You can still use magic." Applejack blinked then looked down at her hands. "They injected some sort of drug to keep me from using my magic. So I’m useless. But you, being an earth pony, our captors never thought you could use magic."
Applejack nodded looking at her hands feeling the cold sweat of fear.
"You're not saying what I think your saying." She whispered.
"I am. Applejack I need you to use the magic you have to get us out of here."
"Are you-!" Applejack yelled before Rarity slapped her hand over Applejack’s mouth shushing her softly. The two went stock still when they heard the metal boots of their captor walking through the stone halls, they can hearing screaming and yelling of their fellow captives. They both paled seeing the wildly dressed tribesmen of the planet dragging the poor prisoners past their cell towards their doom.
Applejack pushed Rarity's hand away looking at her. "Are you crazy!" she whispered. "Just look at 'em! I need a laser, a knife, or something! I'm no magical being like you or Twilight. I can't fight with magic!"
"But you can try!" Rarity urged then they heard the sounds of metal blades and a scream causing the two mares to freeze. "You can try or we'll be beheaded by these savages." Rarity whispered fearfully. Applejack gulped before wrapping her arm around the unicorn holding her close.
"We can't do anything now with the whole lot of them down here." Applejack said silently. "We both need our rest."
"I don’t think I'll be able to sleep now." Rarity whispered fearfully.
Applejack turned to Rarity and lightly pushed her to her back on the ground then she laid close beside her, wrapping her arm around her pulling her close.
"I don’t think I can either." She whispered. "But we're still alive and together right?"
Rarity blushed a touch seeing how close Applejack’s face was to hers and nodded.
"Hmm, yes um, it is still better than being separated." She looked down at the stained cloth she was laying on. "But why on the trashy cloth?" She whined.
Applejack smirked. "As if sleeping in a foxhole wasn't dirty enough?"
Rarity sniffed glaring at her seeing Applejack’s grin. Rarity gave her a playful slap on her arm then rolled over with her back to her. Applejack chuckled as Rarity smiled giggling. Applejack sighed then shivered feeling a chill down her spine. Rarity shivered as well, they looked up to hear a sound of a metal door opening and they could hear the wind blowing through the tunnels.
"Damn, it'll be freezing." Applejack whispered glaring at the bars. She looked down seeing Rarity shivering and curling up into a ball. Applejack scooted over laying against Rarity's back wrapping her arm around her, causing Rarity to stiffen.
"What are you doing?" Rarity whispered with surprise.
Applejack got comfortable and sighed softly. "It'll be freezing and I doubt these savages will give us any blankets. Get some rest." She whispered before she made a silent yawn. Rarity covered her mouth to hide her own yawn. After a few seconds Rarity could feel Applejack’s warmth on her back and soon after she took Applejack's hand and held it tight as a smile of content spread across her face.
This would be the first of many nights in the war that the pair will be sleeping close together. It was some sort of bond that was formed between the two because of that night in captivity.
