A tale that will pull at your heartstrings in the worst of ways.
Dark days come to Equestria. A sickness of old given new life. A crimson death slowly spreads over Equestria. Can a cure be found? Or is this the end of the equin as we know it? ___________________________________________________________ My first story published on this site. I hope you all enjoy. Currently going through re-write.
Story inspired by a pic by 8-Xenon-8 credit for the cover art goes to her.
Changed the Title, cuz of a suggestion and just general 'thought it was stupid'.
On a blistering hot day in the desert, a bald, portly, brown unicorn stallion sat inside of his tent reading the latest Daring Do book. The portly pony huffed loudly, wiping his brow, sweat staining his tan shirt. A small chisel and brush decorating his flank. The stallion wore a look of anger and disgust as he flipped through the pages of the 'archeologist' pegasus' most current adventurers. The current adventure had to do with an ancient Viking statue from the lands of Denmarek , and a particularly angry group of Seaponies on the pegasus. His angry golden yellow eyes scanned the words with a haste unfit for a casual reader.
The more and more he read, the angrier he became at the book and its heroine. The way she went through these ancient caverns and destroyed half of the artifacts that lay within save the shiny statue was insult to true archaeology. It made his blood boil. A growl escaped his lips as he bore his teeth at the piece of trashy literature.
“It’s no wonder she gets chased and hunted as much as she does!”
He exclaimed angrily talking to nopony other than himself.
“So what if she ‘saves the world.’ All those artifacts! Destroyed! Every! Single! TIME!! Its maddening, an insult on the work of archeologists everywhere! A BLIGT! I don’t even know why I read this trash! Stupid, showboat of a filly taking away from real archaeologist like me! It makes me soo mad I could-! I COULD-!”
He screamed angrily as he bit into the pages of the novel. Tearing the offending pages to shreds. Another stallion, an earth pony with a light green coat, darker mane and a magnifying glass hovering over a hieroglyph decorating his flank, stood at the entrance of the tent. Just having walked into the display, it was safe to say that the stallion was...confused. He cocked his head slightly at his professor’s actions. He stood there for a good minuet before he had enough. Hindsight cleared his throat rather loudly to get the other stallion's attention.
The stallion, Professor Burienad Hidden, ears perked up as he heard the new comer. He stopped his onslaught on the now ruined novel and turned his attention to the entrance of the tent where his student stood. He quickly chewed through the pages to where he could at least speak through them.
“Whaff aff yu Looffing gwaff?? Canff you fee Imf eafing??”
The older stallion said giving his student an irate look as he continued to chew on the though pages. Hindsight, seemingly unphased, moved further into the tent to get out of the sun.
“Yes, I can see that Professor Hidden, but I thought you might want to know. The camels found something.”
Hindsight let the words sink in as he pointed a forehoof towards the excavation site.
It took a minuet, but Hidden’s eyes grew wide, swallowing what was left of the pages whole before grabbing his boonie hat and rushing past his student.
“Well don’t just stand there colt! WE HAVE HISTORY TO DISCOVER!”
He shouted exuberantly as he galloped over to the dig site and into the dugout cavern. All the while Hindsight simply rolled his eyes and followed at a more relaxed trot. Camels passing him by with anxious expressions as he made his way into the cooler underground.
_
The cavern was dimly lit by torches, hung flimsily off of makeshift scaffolding that littered the once buried tunnel. This was the sight of what Hidden thought to be an ancient pyramid for a ruler long since gone, and thought to be mostly fictional. Mostly due to how little information there was on the ruler in question. A long lost princess that was said to predated even Celestia's mother Galaxia. But Hidden was determined to find this fabled princess and prove her existence to the world. Not to mention, earn him quite a bit of fame and fortune in the process. Although his mail goal was the ‘existence proving' part. The fame, fortune, mares and hair were just a bonus. A long golden flowing mane that he could have magically attached to his bald scalp which would attract all the lovely mares he wanted. Yes that was his…second goal, totally the second goal. Also to show the world what real archaeology looked like, not that manure practiced by that Daring Do.
“Turn left here professor”
Hindsight deapanned, having caught up with him at some point and taking him from his thoughts. Looking to his left, he found at a previously buried tunnel that narrowed the further you went in, two camels exited the tunnel with fear stricken eye. They spoke something in their native tongue, that seemed to trouble Hindsight, as they shuffled single file out of the tunnel and towards the exit. Of course, Hidden couldn't understand a word of it, nor did he pay in his student any mind. So Happily turning down the way, oblivious to the warning sings on the walls. More preoccupied by the walls of the corridor that seemed to be a bit snug on his sides. The sounds of his shirt dragging against the sandstone walls echoed along with the clop of their combined hooves.
“How in blazes did the horses of old even fit through here?”
The professor complained having more and more trouble as they went on. While Hindsight just stared indignantly at his professor’s wide flank, traversing the corridor with ease.
“None of them were shaped like balloons for one”
“What was that?”
“I said that we’re here”
The professor turned his attention away from his student to find that then end of the corridor had come up on them without his noticing. Happy to walk into the open chamber. He walked past the resting camel workers, heading for their boss. A fairly tall camel, even by their standards, who was standing by what looked like a stone door muttering more of the gutteral Saddle Arabian language.
“Magnificent! Well done fellows! You have done a great service to historical discovery!”
The professor proclaimed haughtily, the camels, unable to understand the stallion, simply continued what they were doing without much care for what he had said. The leader, wearing a distraught look, simply eyed past the fat stallion to his student, who actually took the time to talk to him and his men and to learn their language. Leaving Burienad to stand there alone with forehooves wide open and in the air. Gut hanging low past his shirt. He looked around before shrugging off the lackluster response as he turned his attention to the door. A huge smile plastered on his face as he looked at the stone construct. Staring at it for a good minuet before he realized that they weren't opening it.
“Well? What are you waiting for? Open it!”
The unicorn exclaimed excitedly, the camel still looking past him. This of course made the unicorn's mood sour as his student and the idiot camel continued to converse in increasingly worried tones. Not that Burienad care to listen to them really.
“WELL?”
The Stallion was starting to grow angry again. Hindsight finally remembering the fact his professor couldn't speak a lick of Saddle Arabian spoke up once more to his 'amazing' professor.
“Oh yeah, I forgot to mention Professor Hidden. The camels don’t want to open the tomb”
Burienad looked flabbergasted and began to sputter out random words before finally forming a proper sentence
“Why in Celestia’s name not?!”
Hindsight sighed and pointed to some hieroglyphics on the wall that admittedly looked like a foal's drawings on the wall.
“I haven’t been able to translate it all, but it’s a warning, something about the princess and her tomb. The camels keep mentioning the ‘crimson death’ or something, but they don’t really elaborate and simply reinforce their opinion against opening the tomb”
Burienad just gave his student a indignant expression, one that you'd give an idiot who you're trying to explain simple math.
“Well of course it has warnings colt! It’s how the ancient Eclyptians kept grave robbers out! They put up warnings of bobby traps and curses that weren’t really there to stop would be robbers! You mustn't read into those daring do books boy, now tell the camel to open the door so I-we can make the discovery of the century!”
The stallion just about ordered his student, who, with a heavy sigh did as he was told. Instructing the camel to open the stone door. After some convincing the camel did as he was told as well. He waved most of his workers off, having them leave the chamber. The camel struggled at first with the door. Eventually, he opened the door for the unicorn. But as soon as his deed was done, the camel head back outside.
Paying little mind to the camels, professor looked into the dark chamber with glee and was about to step in until he noticed that his student was following the camels instead of him. The stallion turned to his student and called out to him
“What are you doing Hindsight? This is a major archaeological discovery!? Are you really scared of a few little stories?”
“No, not really. I just respect signs that say ‘do not enter’, there’s usually a reason for it.“
Hindsight said as he began to leave. The professor on the other hand rolled his eyes and dismissed his student with a scoff and a wave of his hoof.
“Suit yourself, go and hide with the camels if you’d like, one less person I need to credit for MY discovery!”
Hindsight did just that, heading back out through the corridor. Leaving the pudgy stallion by himself, which was fine by him. A brown aura emanating from his horn, further illuminating the dusty crypt with a beige light that blended with the sandstone around him.
Gleefully he cantered through the tiny stone pathway which descended deeper into the desserts sandstone. The sound of his scraping shirt filling the empty air once again. Looking to his left and right, identifying the tell-tale signs of majesty up ahead. As well as more warnings, ones he paid little mind to.
The corridor finally ended and opened to a grand hall. The stallion willed his light to float up to the roof, shinning brighter as it did illuminating the majesty before him. Inside the two story hall stood two rows of majestic Horse statues, the predecessors of the pony race. The statues were carved out of some kind of pristine red crystal, all of them decorated in tarnished, golden armor. They were in order of Pegisi, unicorn and earth horse. The Pegisi had their wings stretched out proudly, the unicorn craned their bodies to elevate their powerful horns towards the heavens. While the earth ponies struck strong poses, as if to flex their steely muscles beneath their fur. The odd thing about them were that they were asymmetrical, none two statues alike. A thought that was a flash in the pan for the aging stallion, more focused on the task at hand. A task that took little time to complete. Because the jewel among the statues was the one resting at the end of the two rows. Flanked by two hoofmaidens, one earth horse, the other a unicorn (strangely carved out of the same red crystal of the others), was the queen.
“Cleotrota…”
The unicorn stallion breathed out her name as he looked upon the statue in awe. Standing proudly, was an alicorn, standing as tall, or even taller, than Celestia herself with her majestic wings unfurled much like the Pegisi statues, her horn pointed towards the stars, a golden cobra placed at the base of the long pointed appendage. Her mane decorated with golden rings, a ruby encrusted circlet served as her crown. Long, painted eyelashes decorating her large olive shaped eyes. Around her neck was a large golden necklace, with a sapphire and emerald scarab sitting in the middle.
The portly stallion could not believe his eyes, the thing he had been looking for so long, right in front of his eyes. He shook and shivered, before finally exploding in laughter and glee. Mimicking a certain pink party pony, the stallion seemed to defy gravity as he literally jumped off the walls with glee.
“I FOUND HER! I FOUND HER! HAHAHAHA! I FOUND CLEOTROTA HEEEHAHAHA!!”
Calming down enough to stand still he readied his recorder and brush. Preparing to examine the tomb of the long lost queen. He took a few calming breaths, putting his serious face on for added support before clicking on the recording device.
“Day 147 of the search for the lost queen of saddle arrabia; I have found her! The tomb of Cloetrota! Decorated with ruby-like statues of her royal guard and hoofmaidens, as well as herself in all her royal splendor stand before me! Guarding the queens final resting place!”
He stopped the recording to let out another batch of gleeful, and mostly girly squeals.
“I’ll finally be able to afford that hair regrowth spell!”
He hollered happily before trying to reign in his excitement once more. Clearing his throat before he re-started the recording. “I am now approaching the queen’s sarcophagus-“ The stallion said as he began to walk between the two rows of guards “-the royal guard statues flank me on either side, I must admire the craftsmanship of these statues. They are so life-like, down to the eyes to the-uhhh- mare and colt parts…why they would take such care in these statues is beyond me.
“It’s also important to recognize the skill in the jewel crafting, something of this intricacy has not been seen to be achievable by other Eclyptians of the same era. It seems to be on par with modern techniques. The question of where they found the materials for such large statues is also baffling.”
After about a dozen guards, Burienad finally found his way to his prize, the queen.
“At last, the queen, joined by two of her hoofmaidens…who are also carved out of the ruby…maybe they are prized consorts of the queen? Right anyway, the queen…the queen…what in…”
Burienad quickly turned off the recording as her circled the pedestal where the queen’s statue stood looking for an edge, a crevice, anything that would be indicative of a lid or an entrance to what would contain the queen’s body. But there was nothing but dust and empty jugs.
“WHAT THE BUCK!! WHERE IN TARTURUS IS THIS BITCH?!”
He cried as he searched the entire hall, but found nothing but more empty jugs and some stashes of gold and artifacts that would have belonged to the queen.
“Where is she! Where is she?! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!!!”
Burienad shouted angrily at the statue of the queen, his rage filling his veins, and clouding his thoughts. Going as far as to climb the queen’s statue. His eyes glaring into the Queen’s as he held onto the alicorns extended neck.
“WHERE ARE YOU!! I’VE WASTE HALF MY BUCKING LIFE LOOKING FOR YOU!! ALL THE SIGNS POINT TO HERE! ALL YOUR SHIT IS HERE! SO WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!”
Burrienad head butted the statue in his anger, an audible crack resonating throughout the hall.
“uh-oh…”
The head of the statue snapped off, leaving Burienad without a hold. He and the head both fell to the ground. Burienad squealed like a filly, falling to the ground with a thud, the queens head bouncing off his face and crashing on the floor behind him. Burienad’s concentration faltered, and his light flickered off. Groaning, the stallion slowly got himself to his feet, having to double his focus to call up another light spell.
“oh my head…”
He said, taking a moment to recollect his thoughts, his memory slowly coming back to him. Turning around, and gasping in horror as the now headless statue stared back at the portly archaeologist.
“no no no no NO! this isint happening!!..Where’s the head?! Maybe I can fix this!!”
The stallion turned on his hoofs, searching the ground for the decapitated head. A red dust now filling the stale air, making him cough slightly as he continued his search. He quickly found the golden circlet, but to his horror, with it, he found shards or the red gem, with a small trail going behind one of the guard’s pedestals. He slowly rounded the corner, expecting, to his dismay, a now shattered head. But what he found, was something much worse, something that stole the breath from his lips, made his eyes go wide, and made the muscles around his mouth to fail. In a pile of Red gems, sat a bleached white alicorn skull, it’s hollow eyes now staring back at the fat researcher.
The stallion stood for what seemed like hours staring at the skull, his mind failing to processing the information before him. When his mind finally caught up, air returned to his lungs in the form of a sharp gasp, only to be let out in a horrified scream. The stallion back up from the scene, only to crash into a Pegasus statute, turning to face. Another gasp escaping his lips as he watched the statue topple over, crashing into the next, causing that one to push into the next. The chain reaction causing all twelve horse guards on the left side to topple over and hit the ground. Breaking apart in a horrible sounding crash when they hit the ground.
Through the red dust cloud that now filled the hall, Burienad saw the remains of the guard’s statues. His eyes going to the size of pin pricks when he noticed that among the golden armor, and red gems, were bones of four earth horses, four Pegisi, and four unicorn, now in lying in mixed piles of death and destruction. Burienad’s mind broke, unable to comprehend what he was seeing, being faced with his first experience with anything dead. He cried like a filly, running out of the cavern like the madpony he had become. Running straight out and into the dessert, he ignored both his assistant and his hired camels and continued to run into the dessert. His eyes slowly turning from a golden yellow, to a dark crimson red.
Today was like any other summer day in Ponyville. Sunny blue skies with just enough clouds. The sun giving plenty of warmth. With a cool breeze that kept everyone comfortable. Rainbow Dash was overlooking the perfectly crafted day her and the rest of the weather team had made with a sort of pride that came with a job well done.
“I think I’ve earned myself a nap”
The cyan Pegasus stated with a yawn, waving goodbye to the rest of weather team. She looped and glided to her favorite napping spot. A fluffy cloud she kept near the edge of Ponyville, next to what was her friends home and place of work. She took today to take a lazy flight to her destination, a pre-approved cool down to her usual intense workday. It was on her way there when she spotted three of her friends walking down the dirt path leading to their friend's farm. Well... one was hoping, but that was beside the point. Twilight Sparkle, Rarity and bubbly Pinkie Pie spotted the rainbow-maned mare and waved at her. A very audible and enthusiastic, ‘HI RAINBOWDASH!' could be heard coming from the pink party pony. Which was rather impressive. Considering she was a good four to five stories up in the air at that point and time.
Dash waved down before flanking left. Spiraling down to her three friends in a display of aerial grace. Landing softly just ahead of them with a cocky smile printed on her face. Pinkie resumed her enthusiastic wave all the while the other two mares rubbed their ears, trying to get the ringing to stop and regain their hearing.
“Hey guys, what’s up?” the cyan pegasus questioned the group.
“HI Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie said in a much more controlled tone. "We’re going to go visit Fluttershy! Wanna come?!” She got right up to Rainbow as she asked her, making the prismatic pony take a step back. A familiar purple aura of magic wrapping around the pink pony's tail as she was dragged backwards.
“Sure, what’s the occasion? She ask for you guises help with something??” she guessed with a wave of her hoof
Rarity, being the first to recover from the deafening ‘Hi’ from before, and was the first to respond of the two other ponies.
“Not quite Darling, it would seem that our friend, Fluttershy, has been under the weather for the past few days. No pony around town has seen her for some time. Not to mention that she’s missed two of our spa days, TWO. Fluttershy is not one to miss such an important event, not at least without good reason or warning. Naturally I grew worried, so I decided to check up on her, and ensure she’s alright. Pinkie and Twilight found me on my way there and decided to join me. Would you care to do the same? That is, unless you know what's happened to her.”
Rarity said with her usual amount of flare and dramatics. While she didn’t quite understand why missing two spa days was such a big deal. Dash did notice the diminished presence of her yellow friend in recent days.
"Now that you mention it, 'Shy has been significantly less in the past few days, you guys don't think she got hurt or nothin' do you?" Rainbow asked with honest concern in her raspy voice.
“She is probably alright Rainbow Dash. She probably just has a very sick animal on her hooves, you know how she gets when she has a sick animal. Heck I remember when she found that deer that got attacked by timberwolves, she didn’t leave her cottage for a whole month that time.” Twilight pointed out to her friends. Acting none too concerned about their friend’s absence, making a logical explanation to reassure her friends and probably herself about the whole situation. Rarity, seemed non-to convinced about the explanation
“Well at least she had the decency to send her rude little bunny to inform me of her absence that time. I haven’t even a word of warning for her now, there must be something wrong! And as her friends, we must investigate!” Rairty said fiercely. Pinkie adding an enthusiastic 'YEAH!', behind the fashionista.
Twilight held up her forehooves in a defensive motion.
“Alright! Alright! We’re already heading over there, so there’s no need to get so wound up. I was just saying there’s nothing to worry about.” Twilight assured the unicorn, while the prissy white mare simply harrumphed, and started down the path again. The pink party pony giggling at their display while she hoped right along with Rarity. Dash smirked and cackled as the sighing purple alicorn walked past.
“Shut it,” Twilight groaned
“What?” Dash laughed a little more openly as she floated next to the unamused Twilight. Following the path around Sweet Apple Acres that lead to their destination. On their way to the cabin, they picked up Applejack after she confirmed that she hadn't seen their other friend. The five mares walked up to the cottage that served as their friend’s home, chatting about this or that on their way there. However, as they began to approach the small cottage, they all started to notice something, off.
The usually lively home was eerily quiet. The usual plethora of tiny woodlands creatures that played or stayed in the home were missing. The chirping of birds absent as they approached. No chickens in the hen house, no birds in their nests. Blinds shut tight, and even more concerning, the door was locked, going against the mare's open door way of life. Something was very wrong.
“You know twilight…I’m thinkin’ Rarity might be right about there being something wrong”
Dash as the two earth ponies that flanked them nodded in agreement. Twilight didn’t really respond to that, she simply stared at the eerily quiet cottage for a moment before lighting up her horn as she trotted up to the front door.
“Well then, let’s go look for her” An audible click from the door lock could be heard as it was undone, followed closely by the creaking of the cottage door as it slowly swung open
The five mares entered, the first thing they all noticed was a ghastly smell that made them collectively gag and cough. Worry started to spread quickly as they peered into the dark cottage. All the shutters had been closed, and windows locked from the inside. No lamps had been lit to accommodate for the lack of light, the smell of old food hung in the air mixed with something the mare's couldn't put their hooves on. The tension and worry in room grew by the second, as the mares called out for their friend.
As they searched, they started to hear the faint buzzing of flies, the smell growing worse the deeper they made it into the cottage. They were all wondering where the smell was coming from, their answer soon came as a faint, wet snap could be heard underneath Rairty's hoof. The mare's eyes went wide as she felt something wet and slimy touch her hoof. She just barely dared to illuminate her horn to see what it was. A collective gasp was heard as they all saw what once had been Fluttershy's prize bunny friend, long since dead, a hoof sized den't in it's body as it oozed out it's remains. Rairty lost her lunch on the spot, Pinkie and Twilight following suit soon after. Only Dash and AJ managed to hold it. Though mostly because the two hadn't eaten lunch yet.
Applejack and Pinkie took Rairty out the door to help her calm down and get washed up. Rainbow Dash and Twilight were silently chosen to head upstairs to do their search. The smell of old food and what they now knew was rot, had stayed downstairs, the smell of stale air now replacing it as the continued further into the second floor. Again, the upstairs had little to no light, Twilight’s horn being the only thing providing them with illumination. The search for their friend continued room by room, slowly they searched up until they heard something.
A faint cry echoed in the still air, the two mares had to train their ears to hear it. It took them a moment but eventually they figured out the source.
“Fluttershy!”
The two mares breathed the name as they hurried to the source, which was hiding behind another locked door, but unlike the one downstairs, undoing the door lock didn’t do much to help them get the door open.
“What the hay?! Is it nailed shut or something?! Fluttershy open up!” Dash beat on the door calling out to the fellow Pegisi while Twilight worked her magic to get the door open.
“Go away…” The faint sound of their friend’s voice could be heard through the door, but was too low for either of them to understand.
“Don’t worry Fluttershy, Twilight’s almost got the door open! We’re coming! Hurry twilight!”
“Almost got it!” Twilight strained as she continued to remove the things blocking the door. All the while dash continued to bang at the door to try to force it open, meanwhile their other three friends had run up to join them in the hallway after hearing the commotion. Watching from behind the alicorn as the two struggled to get inside.
“No…Please-cough cough-..go away!”
The tiny voice spoke again, but could not be heard over the work of the two mares. Soon enough their work paid off, and the door flung open. Dash was the first one inside the room, jumping over bent nails to get to her friend. Though the sight she found was nothing like she was expecting.
“Fluttershy?..”
There was a collective gasp from the four mares behind her as they caught sight of their dear friend. Fluttershy lay in her bed, unmoving, her head and chest were still, blood spilled from her mouth, nose, ears and eyes. Her usually blue colored eyes had been replaced with those of a dark, crimson, red. The blood coming from her eyes looked almost like tears. Her skin bulged in odd ways and her yellow fur was now in patches over her body, the exposed skin seemed to shine in a soft reddish hue. Her Mane and tail were in no better shape, the pink hair lay on the bed, now disconnected from its owner, leaving the mare nearly bald on both ends.
“No…You all need to stay away…get out…get away”
The girls stood there speechless as they looked upon the scene, their brains working to try to come to grips with just what was going on.
The halls smelled of antiseptic, a common feature in any hospital, along with white walls and uncomfortable chairs. In the ER's they were especially abundant, along with sick ponies of all kinds. Somewhere a foal was crying. It was here that four of the six elements of harmony sat mostly patiently, albeit nervously, the fifth paced in front of the door that lead to the patient rooms. They were all waiting for news on their friend. All of them hoping beyond hope that she was alright.
It was then when a certain blue pegasus lost what little patience she had.
“UGH! What's taking them so long?! Is anyone even there?! HELLOOOO”
The rainbow-maned mare bellowed, having stopped her pacing only to knock on the door. Much to the other girls - and just about anyone in the waiting room's- displeasure.
“That's enough Rainbow Dash!” The lavender mare said aloud as she stood to meet her friend, “You need to sit down an-”
“Sit down?!” she interrupted, “You expect me to sit down when one of our best friends is..is..LIKE THAT?!” she shouted pointing her hoof to the double doors. Showing her agitation by unfurling her full wingspan. Her breath came in panting breaths through gritted teeth.
The alicorn simply stood her ground, puffing her chest slightly, her, newly taught, regal self coming out. “No Dash,I expect you to stop being selfish and considered ALL your friends,” she said her eyes leading to a particularly solemn looking pink pony. Her flat mane covering half of her face, eyes puffy and red from crying. The white and orange mares shouldering the pink party pony sharing her solemn look as they patted her back and tried to comfort her as they could. Though their eyes shot disapproving glances at the sky-blue pegasus in between comforting their friend.
Rainbow Dash's earlier fervor seemed to die down to almost nothing. Her wings dropping to the ground, guilt now added to the list of emotions she was feeling at that moment. “Sorry guys... I didn't....” She said weakly toward the trio, turning back to the princess, her anger turned to despair as she looked to Twilight.
Twilight's expression softened considerably as she walked over to her friend, putting a wing over her comfortingly. “I know you're worried Dash, but banging on the door like a madmare isn’t going to help anyone, do you want to get kicked out?” she said in a chastising manor her expression that of a disappointment, which only served to make the pegasus deflate more. Twilight sighed as she patted Dash's shoulder. “We're all worried about her, just try and be patient with us?“ She pleaded.
Rainbow Dash again turned to twilight, who offered her a smile, and nodded. “Alright,” she said conceding to the mare as she started back to her seat with Twilight. No sooner that she started to walk back, the double doors opened up. A unicorn stallion in a white lab-coat and face mask entered the room. The three remaining mares quickly got to their hooves, joining Dash and Twilight in surrounding the stallion. “How is she? Will she be alright?” The pink mare was the first to speak up.
The doctor, lowering the face mask with his hoof, simply sighed and shook his head, “we don’t know.” The doctor said with his own degree of guilt showing on his face. The mares having mixed reactions to the doctor's answer. The princess of the group took the statement as a challenge of the stallions intellect. “What do you mean, 'you don’t know'?” the lavender mare was the one to speak this time, her Canterlot voice looming threateningly on the edges of her voice.
Despite this the doctor kept his cool as he confronted the five mares, clearly experienced in dealing with angry family members. Or friends as the case may be. “I mean, that we have never seen this kind of illness before, what's happened to your friend is a medical enigma. She's obviously sick, but we don’t know anything past her symptoms, whatever's happening is far out of our scope. The only thing we can say for sure is that whatever it is, it's getting worse. If we don’t find out what's wrong and fix it soon, we fear that she..wont not make it another week. I'm sorry, I wish there was more I could do,” he said solemnly, the sigh he let out was that of a stallion who grew tired of giving bad news.
The girls stood there, all of them in varying levels of shock. The dreadful news regarding their friend was a harsh blow. They all knew that she was in a bad way, but the idea of her dying was a worst case scenario, one that they all pushed back to the back of their minds. They didn’t even think of the possibility of their friend dying as a real possibility. Now it was all they could think of. Pinkie whimpered loudly, her lip quivering. Letting out a fresh wave of tears before simply breaking down into sobbing loudly as it all sunk in. Rarity joined her pink friend in the open display of sorrow, dark lines of running make-up marring the alabaster coat of the mare's face. Applejack and Twilight didn't take the news any better, with Applejack giving the doctor an empty look as her mind processed. Twilight was as dumb struck as AJ, unable to formulate any kind of response to the dreadful news just yet. Her eyes wide as she thought of something, anything to do. “It can't be, she can't be..” the orange farm pony stuttered as she tried to comes to grips with the reality of the situation.
Though, out of the five, the news hit Rainbow Dash the hardest. Dash looking at the floor eyes wide as saucers, her hoof going to her chest as she felt it tighten up, her breath coming in short quick bouts. Tears began falling freely as she took the doctors coat in her fore hooves. Her previous anger reigniting with restored vigor. Twilight and Applejack quickly shouldered the pegasus, trying to stop her as she picked the Stallion up as she herself climbed to her hind legs. “YOU NEED TO SAVE HER!-” she screamed into the bewildered stallions face. “YOU'RE A DOCTOR! YOU'RE SUPPOSE TO HELP HER! SO START DOING YOUR JOB AND BUCKING HELP HER!” The cyan pegasus bellowed with a cracking voice.
The doctor was shocked at first, but upon noticing the look on the mare's face, he could only feel pity for her and her pain, feeling pity and empathy for the mare who was about to lose one of her closest. Rainbow Dash looked at the stallion and shook him, “TELL ME SHE'LL BE ALRIGHT!” her voice cracked as she dropped down to three legs, her grip on the coat still tight. “Tell me she'll be alright!” she said, her whole body shaking as she lost her grip on the coat. “I don’t want her to die...” she sobbed, her legs giving out on her fully. Releasing the doctor before collapsing to the floor. She buried her muzzle into her front hooves as she wept. Applejack put a hoof around the pegasus shoulders as she wept, her hat tipped slightly to hide her own tears. The doctor said nothing at first, letting the girls cry it out before finally speaking up. “If you'd all like, you could go see her, she could use a visit from her friends right now.” The stallion said, most of the girls looking up to the stallion, agreeing silently with him. Rainbow Dash took to her feet, Applejack having to help Rainbow Dash stand up. Twilight, having regained some of her senses helped Pinkie and Rarity down the halls.
The trip to Fluttershy's room seemed longer than it should have been for the five mares. The ICU wing of the ponyville hospital was abuzz with talk of this strange new disease that afflicted, not only the five mare's friend, but a handfull more. Including some of the staff who were caring for the sick ponies. Though the five paid no mind to what they were hearing, their mind elsewhere, specifically on the back of the doctor that was leading them, and the fate of the sixth mare of the group. It wasn’t long before they reached the end off the hall, The third to last door read had '103' painted on the door, a paper name tag was taped to the door, it read 'Fluttershy, pegasus'. A peculiar glow to the door that bore their friends name. The girls visibly shook as they stared at the door, knowing full well what it held behind. The five wondered if they were ready to see her again.
Before the girls were allowed entry however, the doctor levitated a white face mask to each of the five girls. All of which looked at the device with equal measure of confusion. “Whatever your friend has is extremely contagious, it has already infected half of my staff. For your own safety and for anyone you come into contact with, you need to wear these.” The doctor stated simply, the five mares looked at each-other before taking the offered masks and putting them on, not before Twilight added a little something to the five masks. Thinking that a little enchantment on the protective devices couldn’t hurt. Once they were all done getting their masks on. The doctor nodded and opened the door to let the girls inside.
The view inside was heartbreaking, memories of how they first found their friend getting refreshed and made worse. Their yellow friend laid down in the same position as when they found her in her home to begin with. Her chest barely rose and fell, it looked painful for her to draw breath. Her eyes hazy and staring to be enveloped by the red gem stone. Her fur had all but fallen off, to include her once flowing pink mane. Bandages covered sections of her skin that tore from the expansion of the red stone.
Fluttershy slowly tuned her eyes towards her friends, crimson tears fell free as the yellow pegasus tried to turn to face the, but found it too pailful. Whimpering in both pain, and inability to look towards her friends with more than just her eyes. “Girls..you came....why..did you come?” she said softly, softer tha normal, almost to the point of inaudible. Her voice raspy ad broken up with tiny fits of coughing up blood. Her jaw barely moving with every word.
The five mares again found their words leaving them as the approached Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash, the first one to regain her voice. Much like before, she came up to Fluttershy with her usual brand of quickness, hooves trying and failing to find a spot that was free of bandages or sores for her to hug. Instead, she decided to nuzzle her friend's neck with her own. “That's a stupid question, you think that we would abandon our friend?” She asked, sounding much like she was boasting like she normally would. But those that knew her well saw through her charade, spotting the tired and sad wings as they dropped, as well as the subtle cracking of her voice as she spoke. “We arent about to leave you alone in your time of need,” she affirmed as the four girls came around Fluttershy, and confirmed Dash's statement. Trying their collective best to smile for their friend, all of them trying to be strong for her.
Fluttershy looked upon her friends, a fresh wave of crimson tears welling up in her eyes as she shut them tightly. “I'm going to die...” She said in a tiny voice, sobbing just as softly. “It happened to angel and now it's going to happen to me...” She sobbed a little more audibly, her friends feeling more tears come to their eyes as well. “You guys cant stay here, you'll just get sick like that nurse pony” she said rather loudly for Fluttershy at least. “Get out...” she whispered, the girls looked at eachother, “get out!...” She said louder now, blood coming to the edges of her lips dripping on to the bed, her voice cracking. The girls looked in disbelief at their friend. “GET THE BUCK OUT OF THIS ROOM! I WILL NOT HAVE YOUR BLOOD ON MY HOOOooo-HackKfffKff-” Blood started to sputter out of her mouth. All the girls looked at Fluttershy unsure of what to do as her friend continued to cough and hack up blood. The doctor and nurse burst through the door at that moment, pushing the girls back and demanding they get out while they attempted to stabilize Fluttershy. The girls did as they were told, exiting the room, just as another nurse rushed through the open door, slamming it with her magic behind her. The five girls stood in the hallway for a moment listening to her dying friend continue to cough, hack and wheeze.
It all became to much for Pinkie Pie as she ran down the halls sobbing loudly. The girls noticing their friend rushed after her. All but one, the blue pegasus could do little more than sit on her haunches and stare at the door. The sounds of her dying friend began to be burned into her memory. It would be the things of nightmares for the rest of her existence. She could have left, she could have seeked escape much like Pinkie did, but she couldn’t. She felt it wrong to simply run away from this, to abandon her friend while she faced her mortality. Even if she didnt want her there, she still felt the need to be here, to watch over her/ Even if it was from another room. So there she sat silently, listening as the coughing subsided. There she sat as the doctor and nurses, covered in her friends blood exited the room. There she sat until Celestia's sun set, and Luna's moon occupied the sky. There she sat even after the nurses told her to leave. There she sat, waiting for the end of her friend.
I wasnt until she was all alone in the dark hallway for the hospital that she got off her haunches. Quietly she trotted inside of Shy's room, leaving her white face mask behind. Once inside the sight before her seemed to serve as another painful sting at her heart. Fluttershy's condition had worsened, the skin she had left was starting to peel off of her body despite the medical's staff attempt to keep it on her. The cyan pegasus simply stared at the crimson gem that had invaded and was now taking over her oldest friend's body. She was unsure of what to think, what to say, she only knew what to do. Slowly she made her way to Fluttershy once more.
When she got closer she could hear, Fluttershy's labored breathing, the soft cries and whimpers of the dying mare as pain surged through her body. Dash wanted so bad to run away, to leave the painful sight of her dying friend, but she was the element of loyalty. There was no way that she would be able to leave the dying mare, even if it killed her. She found herself staring at Shy's face for a moment, the placid face only served to hide the inner turmoil that hid beneath. Her eyes were shut, probably permanently, her eye lids completely covered by the gemstone. Her face neutral, not happy, not sad, not in pain, just...there... The only skin left to her face was a little bit of her nose, and the inside of her mouth which hung open slightly, just enough to let out raspy air through and tiny trails of blood out.
The pegasus sat next to her friend for several minuets before she spoke, “hey flutters..” She said in a hushed tone. Shy's breahing shifting slightly as she was brought out of her pain induced stupport from the sudden realizations of another being in the room here. “Whaa ahh hou hoing he'e” she pegasues said as best she could with her lips set in gemstone. The cyan pegasus chuckled half heartedly as she looked at her dying friend. “Isn’t it obvious? I'm here to be with you Shy...I'm your..friend, after all, and no one should go through this alone.” she said smiling slightly. Though the new crimson pegasus could only grunt and growl at this, “buh I hon' wah hou he'e! Hou'll he' hick!” She retorted angrily, the effort she had to put in to keep enough oxygen in her body was a strain in itself, made worse in her angered state.
Dash chuckled again, it only served to anger the other pagasus even more. “Hua' ho hunny!” Shy cried out, her breath to the getting to the point of hyperventilating.
“It's funny that you think I care about getting sick,” Dash said, confusing Fluttershy as the cyan pegasus moved closer to her friend. Brining her hooves up to either side of Shy's gemstone face, her hooves clinking as they made contact with the glass like surface. “To be honest Shy, I'm not entirely sure how I'm going to be able to keep going once you're gone... You're my oldest friend, my best friend, none of the other girls can compare to you in my mind.” She spoke softly, stroking Shy's muzzle while she did, her breathing calming down, but her confusion was still there. “You've always been so nice to me, to everyone really. You've always been there for me, cared for me when I tried some stupid trick and got myself hurt. Always been there supporting me when I try those stupid tricks,” she giggled at that one.
Dash took a long pause, her hoof still stroking Fluttershy's muzzle. Shy was about to say something, but Dash tapped her hoof to her solidified lips, shushing her as she did. “Let me finish,” she said simply, letting out a long sigh before she started again. “It hurts you know...seeing you like this..knowing you wont be here much longer...” Fresh tears started to form in Dash's eyes, “I'm so stupid! Always trying to act so cool in front of you and the girls! Always trying to stay away from the mushy junk just to 'be cool'! Never really expressing my true feelings because I was afraid of-...!” She let her head drop slightly, letting out tiny sniffles before bringing her head back with vigor. “Well no more! I wont hide anything anymore! It's time I came clean!” She said happily, even through the sniffling and the tears.
Fluttershy, while happy that Dash was coming out like she was, was still very much confused. That was until she felt something against her hardened lips, something that made her gasp. A warmth that could only come from another living pony pressing against her lips. Dash was kissing her! Her mind stalling as she tried to process what was happening. “I love you Fluttershy..I love you! I have loved you since the day we met! I've always wanted to tell you but was always so afraid of being called a fillyfoller, a sissy and everything else! I wanted you by my side for so long and now your going to leave me!” she said, tears flowing down her cheeks. If she could have, Fluttershy would be crying right along with her. “I had to go and wait until you were dying to tell you how much I cared for you!” she said sobbing loudly.
Fluttershy's breath was shaky as it escaped her lips, tiny whimpers coming out with her breaths. Dash had to take another moment to compose herself, to calm herself down enough to be able to speak again. Wiping the tears with her foreleg before smiling at Fluttershy. “But at least I got a chance to tell you! I at least have that much!” she said, giggling a bit on the hysterical side, as she held Fluttershy's face between her hooves. “You may only have a short time left on this earth, but at the very least I can say that I confessed my love! You can go to knowing you were at least loved!” She giggled again, though this time it sounded more like crying.
Fluttershy will was broken, to think the pain that she would cause her oldest friend..no her lover.. Angel's death hit her hard, but this devastated her. Why fate was being so cruel to her she didn’t know. All she knew was pain now, pain in her heart and body. She wanted to cry, but her illness wouldn’t give her the pleasure. Words failed her, not knowing what she could tell Dash, if anything. Nothing she could say would even come close to comforting her. All she could do was sit there and listen, not even see, just listen to her dear Dash tell her all. She wished for death to come for here then and there while hoping against hope that she could be cured of this disease.
Her hope would not fulfilled, but her wish would. A strong pain hit her chest as she felt the chrystals start to coat her lungs, painfully shredding the tissue, making it harder and harder to breath. She panicked for the longest time, not wanting to go, but soon enough she found peace. An escape to the torment. Her breathing slowed, becoming more shallow with each breath. Her world was going black, blacker than the world of her blindness. Her pain was beginning to ebb away, her mind loosing contact with the rest of her body. She was ready now, it would all be over, she would be free, but not before she did her lover one last justice. “Hash...” she wheezed in a breath to speak her last words, “I hove...hou...” she sighed out the last word. Her body not taking another breath, while her soul escaped her the confines of her crimson prison.
Dash sat there the rest of the night, knowing full well that her lover was no longer with her. Her last words, etched into her mind, never to be forgotten. Celestia's sun was retaking it's place in the sky by the time Dash moved, pressing her lips one last time to the now cold gemstone that was her lover's body. “I love you too Shy...I'll see you soon” she whispered as she hopped off the bed and exited the room. Grabbing one of the facemasks that sat outside the room, putting it on before she continued down the hall. there was something about her that had changed in that short amount of time. It was subtle, but it was there, her dark magenta eyes had changed. Turning to a deep crimson red.
Dark days fell over the country of Equestria, Ponyville was not the only city in the land that had an outbreak of the mysterious plague. It like many had sever outbreaks of the disease. Ponies infected by the thousands without even knowing until it was too late. Friends, Families, even whole towns like Applelooza died off in the coming months. Chaos filled the land to the scale that would make Discord jealous. Looting became common place. Bodies began to pile up. The Royal guard did it's best to quell the hysteria, but they could only do so much. Celestia and Luna both agreed to declare a state of emergency, issuing a desperate call to arms for any able bodied pony to join the Royal Guard in the hopes to bolster the ranks of the taxed national security force.
Luna was asked to be an envoy for the nation, taking to the neighboring countries to both issue a warning of the plague, as well as to seek any aid that could be offered to the suffering Equestria. Alas there was none to be had, no other country, or species seemed to be afflicted by the disease. Even as the ponies that called these other countries home died within their borders, most of the countries, did little to nothing. More interested in making sure that the plague didn't befall them than to help her ponies of Equestria.
Quickly realizing that they were alone in their efforts to fine a cure. The royal sisters turned their focus inward and called to the greatest minds of country to try to devise a way to cure the horrid plague before it wiped out pony kind. The leading scientist being sent to Ponyville and Friendship castle to join efforts with Twilight Sparkle in her own search for the cure.
My name is Lieutenant Grand Stand, I have been assigned as the CO of the RG detachment sent to Ponyville. Fitting that I be sent back home in these dark days, for better or worse I am somewhat glad to be back here. The five days I have been here have been pretty quiet. I'm hoping it stays like this for a while long, even though I know it wont. I have no doubt that this disease is going to cause us a lot of problems in the weeks to come. It has spread like crazy, mostly 'cuz most ponies don't realize they have it till the damage is already done. Which is surprising considering all the outwards signs, like the red eyes, the bleeding out of every orifice, and the whole 'being-turned-into-a-living-statue' part is a big red flag in my book. And with half the damn town is infected and either in the hospital or quarantined to their homes, it's only a matter of time. The worst part is that Ponyville isn’t the only place that's like this. I've heard reports coming from as far as the crystal empire saying that the disease has hit them hard!
That's why I'm here though, me and the rest of the RG have been mobilized throughout the country after the princess declared a state of emergency. Every able bodied Guardsmen, infected or not, was activated and told to ensure the peace is kept and to ensure the disease spreads as little as possible. To include everything from making sure everypony wears an enchanted face masks to..well...'dealing' with ponies who refuse the quarantine order. Thankfully no one in this town has shown any signs of defiance, but this iss a hick town by many standards, including my own. So it's no surprise nothing has happened. Towns like Manehattan and Las Pegasus are the ones that are really going flip shit when things get real bad. And considering the fact that Sweet Apple Acres has already shut down 'cuz of a sick family member, shit's gonna get real bad soon.
But this is all neither here nor now. Now, everything is still alright...well besides the whole deadly infection part. There's still plenty of good food to eat, there are still plenty of ponies working on a cure, and most importantly all the princess' are in good health and the RG still has enough ponies to keep things running as smoothly as possible. But like I said, shit is going to get bad soon, I just know it, everyone knows it I'm sure. You'd be dumb to think something like this wont cause issues, and it wont be the ponies dying that will get us, it's the food.
When it comes right down to it, nothing else matters more than having you belly full. Ponies can bounce back from death, it's something that is part of our daily lives. An unpleasant thing to have a pony close to you die, but it's something we already expect out of life. What we don’t expect is going hungry. It's one of the worse feelings in the world to have that nagging pain in your belly. I would know, I spent most of my early life in poverty. I know full well what a pony is capable of if they get hungry enough.
Well, that's enough for today, I've spent enough time in front of this desk. It's time for me to go out and do my rounds. I think I might stop by and pay my condolences to the apple family for their..hum...future loss? After all, Big Mac was always a good friend when I lived here way back when. It would be wrong of me not to come say hi to the big guy, regardless of what his condition is... I hope we find a cure soon...
Lt. Stand.
_____
Today has been a crazy day... There's been a death in the town, but this one wasnt caused by the disease... There seems to be a-...a cannibal on the loose. I knew food would become an issue, but I never expected this, and not nearly this soon. Her name was Diamond Tiara, she was found early this morning by her father, Filthy Rich. The victim was eigthteen years old...just barely old enough to be considered an adult... She was found torn to bits in her bed...bite marks on her bones led us to the conclusion of a cannibal. Whether or not she was targeted because of her age is still unknown. The thing that really gets me is that the whole family was under quarantine, The filly was bucking infected! Sure there was a chance that the culprit was already infected at the time, but that doesn’t really explain why they chose to do it!
Maybe it's just the infection... You know you're gonna die so you decide 'buck it all' and go ahead and try some of the forbidden fruit. Still doesn’t make it any less sick, but it does make some sense... As much as much sense as killing and eating a filly makes. Either way, I have instructed some of my Canterlot natives on the case, much to the dismay of my Ponyville Guardsmen. They should, and do, know that I cant assign them to the case. I cant have personal friendships and biases get in the way of such a high profile case. That doesn’t mean they have to like me for it. Regardless, I want a quick and clean end to this case. I don’t need civilians worrying about a murderer when they have this plague to worry about.
On top of this, I got news from Manehattan today, it appears that there is some rising unrest in the big city. Something to do with the weather team going MIA. This wouldn't be an issue if it wasn't for the fact that they left a huge thunderstorm floating above the city. It's been raining for the past four days from what I've read from the report. The pegisi guardsmen have attempted to quell the storm. But with how long it's been left there to just brew and grow, it's developed into a hurricane. It's all the pegisi can do to keep it contained to the area of the city it originated in. They're not weather ponies after all, it's no big surprise to me. My guess is that they're gonna send in some wonderbolts to handle it. I hope to Faust and Celestia that they can manage it.
Either way, it's been a long day, and I doubt tomorrow is going to get any better... Maybe I'll visit Big Mac again. Might take him up on his offer on some hard cider. Faust knows we could both use a drink... I'll probably write some more tomorrow, helps me vent a little. I think it will help me keep sane during this shit. If nothing else it makes the hours go by a bit faster...
Lt. Stand
______
It happened again...another attack by the cannibal, this time it was a colt. Snips was his name, he was found just outside his hospital room. He was in a similar condition to the Filly we found yesterday. Looks like he had put up a bit more of a struggle, considering the colt had been thrown through the window before being torn up.
Needless to say the town is in an uproar, the Diamond Tiara filly was a more isolated even. This colt was killed in a much more public place, and there was no way of hiding what was there. We have a serial killer on our hooves, and whoever it is, they're going for fillies and colts. Celestia save us....
This easy assignment just keep getting harder... I thought about her again... I haven't thought about her in years. It's all this filly and colt business I bet... Our little filly would have been about their age by now. I shouldn't think about it, I should just forget about it and focus on my work, but it's so hard....
Oh yeah..more good news, the manehattan hurricane got out of control... Nothing left of the city but memories, and a few survivors here and there, but only hooffulls, none of them RG as of yet.... 300 RG all MIA, presumed KIA. 24,967 civilians MIA, presumed dead. Only 33 survivors, 17 are infected. This is the beginning of the end... I don't feel like writing anymore, so this will probably be my last entry for a while. Maybe my last one period.... I don't honestly know yet. When...IF this is found, just know that we tried our best... We really did....
Lieutenant Grand Stand 955th Earth Pony Corps Canterlot detachment Equestrian Royal Guard
I can't believe that he got sick.. Ma'h big brother, strongest stallion a'h know is layin' in his deathbed, just hooves in front a'h me. These things ain't suppose ta'h happen ta folk like us. Not Big Mac, not Caramel, sure as shit not Fluttershy! But a'm guessin' life don't rightly give a'h care what kinda' people this is suppose ta happen too. It just does it to who it wants ta'h do it ta. A'h just hope there's some kinda light at the end of this. Me and 'Bloom, we'll probably find someway of making it. It's granny that worries me.
She's a strong mare, there ain't not doutin' that, but she's been through so much already. Buryin' her own daughter, rasin' us three on her own after ma'h daddy disappeared, all the ill that come with getting' old. And now she has to bury one of her gran'kids? One that she had been with and raised since he was born. A'h really don't know how she will take it. A'h can only hope she can keep it together just for a'h bit longer. Not just for ma'hself, but for Applebloom too. A'h know it's a selfish thang to ask of someone like her. A'h just don't know if a'h could do it all by ma'hself....
Even now, we had ta close down the farm, what with Big Mac sick, and me takin' care of him, we couldn't rightly keep the farm goin'. A'hm a strong mare as any, and Applebloom mas a lot more goin' for her than many give her credit fer. But there's no way that me as a'h was, and her alone could run the farm. A'h hated to see our hard work rot in the trees, beautiful apples just bein' left out there to become food fer the ground or the birds. She had stopped lookin' outside because of it.
It was a terrible time indeed, but it's not like there was anythin' that we could do about it. Nothin' but wait for either the inevitable or for a miracle. And if Fulttershy's condition was anythin' ta go off of, there werent no miracle that would come soon enough for Big Mac...
Faust... If'n you are up there listenin'... Give this little farmin' family just a little hope ta hold on ta...Celestia knows we need it...
____
This all is just leavin' me with a'h rotten taste in my mouth. A'h haven't been able ta work the fields or let loose cuz of how bad Big Mac is getting'. A'h cant do anythan' other than keep him comfortable as a'h slowly watch my older brother die, and yet a'h can't leave'm. A'h can't ask Applebloom or granny ta watch him neither, A'h can't even ask help from ma'h friends now, they all have their own shit ta worry about.
Rarity has it a tartarus harder than a'h will ever have it, broke little Appleblooms heart when she found out about Sweetie Bell. Not just getting sick but being eaten... a'h dont even wa'ta' think about it. The thoughts of what a'hd do ta that pony doin' it in the first place make me feel a who lot better than thinkin' about her. Twilight has her princess-e stuff ta worry about, includin' findin' a cure for this hell. And Rainbow dash and Pinkie have all but gone missin'!
A'h can kinda see now why daddy had such a hankerin' for the hard stuff now... The thought of takin' one of the kegs from downstairs ta drown ma'hself in seemed mighty appealin' ta me right about now. But a'h couldn't do that either, not when a'h had Big mac ta care for. Besides, that would give Applebloom the wrong idea of how ta be dealin' with these kinda thangs. Didn't mean a'h didn't want it any less. Just mean't a'h had ta control ma'hself, and drank when she's asleep, let the bottle be ma'h pillow and bed durin' till thangs got better for us.
Grand Stand was back tanight, it's nice ta have someone else to talk ta. Seein' as Big mac has gotten ta the point that he can't even open his mouth. Not that a'h mind really, listenin' to your big strong brother blubber on about not wantin' to die, or beggin' her to watch over Applebloom and his unborn foal, which a'h might add, he didn't tell us about till he got sick. A'h need to be havin' a chat with Cheerilee soon too.
He had brought his own bottle tanight. Said that a'h should drink more than just hard cider. Expand ma'h pallet or some horseshit like that. But a'h played along, let him serve me up some of the fancy wine he had brought with him. We talked about a lot of stuff that night, just about everthang but what was going on. We talked about ma'h farm, his job, his past loves, my lack there of love. Ma'h sister, his brother, ma'h granny, his parents. Ma'h hat, his armor. Anythang but the sickness. A'h honestly lost track of time. Maybe it was the wine, maybe it was the stallion in front'a me. It didn't matter, all that matter was the fact that for the moment a'h didn't haf to thank about what was goin' on around us.
Those few hours were gold ta'h me, but like everythin' else that was good in life, it had to come to an end. And it ended when we both realized that there was only two breathin' ponies in a room that held three. Ma'h brother had slipped away in the night while me and Stand gabbed away. It hurt, it hurt a'lot, but in a way. A'h was happy, Stand helped with that. He helped me see that he wasn't in pain no more. He could finally be free of his torment. It helped me swallow the pill just a little bit easier.
We took out time, markin' down the time we thought he had passed. We covered'm with his blanket. We took one last drank in his name, and then we left. We both walked one door down the hall into ma'h room. A'h didn't feel like bein' lonely tanight, not ever again, neither did he a'h reckon.
A'h locked ma'h door and turned to the first, and probably the only stallion a'h will ever let inside of ma'h room. A'h watched him as he took my stenson off and placed it on ma'h bed post. A'h felt him free ma'h hair from the bindin's that usually held it neat, strands of ma'h blond hair entered ma'h vision. No words were said between us as we both walked over to ma'h bed. A'h was done weepin', a'h wanted ta be happy for a change. A'h blew out the candle as we got under the covers. Tanight A'h was a mare. _____
Me, Stand, Bloom, and granny stood over the freshly filled in grave in the East orchard, the new addition ta the growing plot. A couple turning into a trio of headstones. All three had a different apples etched inta their gray bodies. A'h stood close ta Stand, closer than granny would approve, but she either did't care or was to busy consoling the weepin' Applebloom to notice. We all stood there for the longest time, we all did our share of mournin' for ma'h brother. Ma'h tears had already fallen, Stand's too, it was grannies and bloom's that still needed to be shed.
Once all the tears that needed to be let out joined the freshly turned earth, we headed back to the farm house. Stand couldn't spare ta stay any longer, his duties called him to be in town. A'h understood of course, and gave him a quick peck on the lips as ma'h parting gift to him. Turning to the farmhouse, a'h dreaded the idea of going inside. The once warm and happy home seemed just a touch colder, and a heapin' more dreary than before. This was ma'h home though, a'h couldn't rightly stand there and oggle it all day.
I stepped through the door and could almost feel a chill. Ma'h usually warm and inviting home felt so cold and empty to me. 'Probablt cuz' it's missin' an inportant part' a'h thought to ma'hself with a tiny sigh. This would take time to get used ta. A'h stood there for a moment, watchin' as Applebloom lifelessly troted up the stairs. No doubt headed ta her room. A'h probably need to sit down with her. But it would have to wait, seein' as granny was callin' me over from her rockin' chair. From the look on her face, a'h guessed that she had noticed me earlier, and that she didn't like what she saw. A'h prepared ma'hself for what was to come, sttin' down quietly in the couch closest to granny's rockin' chair.
She took a moment as we sat there, a'h could only guess what she was thinking. The waiting was the worst. Bein' yelled at I could handle, bein' beat was nothing I wasn't used to, bein' a disappointment came with being under the best matriarch the apples had been blessed with. It was the waiting that killed me. The wonderin', the stewin', the bein' made ta sit quitely, simply not knowin' what was really made ma'h hooves jitter and ma'h mind ta screech. And confoundit if granny didn't know that fact all to well.
After an agonizing amount of time of watchin' granny rock back and forth, she finally spoke up to me.
“Ah think ya know why a'h called you over here don't cha Jackeline?”
Shit...granny used ma'h first name...why'd she hafta use ma'h first name?
“Ah reckon ah do granny.. ah reckon it's cuz'a Stand isin't it?”
A'h questioned her, though a'h got nothing from the old mare, just another stretch of silence which served as a confirmation of ma'h suspicions. It pissed me off, but a'h didnt show it, instead a'h kept a poker face look as a'h waited for her to want to talk again.
“Ya can't be with that colt, A'h will not have it.”
“Why in Celestia's name not? The heck did he do wrong?”
“Besides defile ma'h grandaughter without ma'h blessin' in the same home where ma'h grandson just died in?! Do a'h really need more reason than that?!”
Granny was on her hooves now, her face flushed with anger, her cheeks still wet with tears from earlier. A'h could hardly go against her logic, but my logic had left me, instead it was replaced with a tired and worn soul that only wanted to feel something besides pain and misery.
“Yes ya do Granny! Cuz' it ain't like he forced me inta doin' a darn thing! That was my doin' as much as it was his! And Dang nabbit A'h enjoyed it! I'm tired a'h cryin' granny! I'm sick and tired of it! A'h want to be happy and he makes me happy! A tartarus more than y-”
A'h didn't get to finish as a frail, but still very strong and firm hove smacked me in the mouth. A'h reeled some and stumbled as a'h held my mouth, the taste of copper hitting my tongue as my mind regained some sense.
“Ya' selfish! Stupid! Horse of a mare! HOW DARE YOU SPEAK YOU SPEAK TO YOUR GRANDMOTHER LIKE THAT?! Me! The one that raised ya' when yer daddy left and your momma got sick! The one that kept ya' fed and warm for all those years! Ya' dont think that A'h want to be happy too?! That yer sister don't want to be happy?! Life is not always sunshine and rainbows Jackeline! Sometimes life is a hot steamin' cow pie that ya' haft to clean up with yer own bare hooves! And it sure as shit not solved by opening yer legs to anycolt who's around neither!”
“Buck you granny! Stand ain't just anycolt! He's my coltfriend! The only colt I've ever loved side's Big Mac! And ya ain't gonna keep him from me, or me from him! So you can buck off if ya' thank about doin' such a thang!”
Granny showed a fury A'hve never seen, her hoof raised to strike me again, her mouth flung open to speak her mind again. But instead she took in a sharp breath, the offending hoof coming down to clutch her chest. She was gasping for air, eyes bulging as she looked to me in despair and agony. Ma'h mind had screeched to halt once more, the scene before me to hard to comprehend as a'h saw granny smith hit the floor with a thud.
“GRANNY!” A'h heard Applebloom screech from halfway down the stairs. How long had she been there? She couldn't have just heard her collapse like that from her room. No she must have been standing there. Oh faust she was watching us fight. A'h became stiff as a board as the implications of what a'h had just done. A'h stared as Applebloom scrambled over granny, trying to stir her from the cold ground as a river of tears fell from her eyes. A'h watched the scene as a loud ringing entered ma'h ears. A'h knew Applebloom was saying something, somethin' to me no doubt considering she was looking straight at me. But the ringin' blocked it out. A'h know a'h should be doin' somethin', after all a'h was pretty sure a'h had just watched granny have a heart attack. But a'h just stood there, Only one thought crossed ma'h mind that a'h could fully process. It wasn’t even a thought, just a'h sentence that replayed in ma'h head time and time again.
I could say that the world seemed a bit grayer since Sweetie was..Died, ever since she died, that the world seemed grayer to me. But I had to be honest, my world is shaded red, like if I was near death in Call of Duty: G.O.A.T.S. I might actually get somewhat of a kick of it, if it wasn’t for the fact that it was a recurring reminder that I was going to die, not that the pain wasn't a constant enough reminder. But I could at least manage that with the painkillers Princess Twilight gave me... Now if she could only give me a 1UP mushroom... Or better yet, a pheonix down for Sweetie bell. It had been three weeks since she passed, and I had -for the most part- come to terms with the death of my fillyfriend. But it still hurt to know that she was gone. That is one good thing about this disease, it meant I would get to see her again soon enough.
I was walking with Scootaloo today, we were on our way to the hospital to visit Apple Bloom, She was fine mind you, it was her granny that had been admitted. Sweetie Bell's death hit the three of us hard, but she had the misfortune to lose her brother and have her granny admitted as well. Even me, who was watching my game clock run out and lost my fillyfriend, couldn't help but to feel sorry for her.
“You think she's alright?” I asked Scootaloo, my now raspy voice muffled my face mask. Though she didnt respond, her eyes were a mile ahead of us. Her mind so deep in thought that she almost walked into a trash can had it not been for me pulling her out of the way. “Watch it Scootaloo!”
“Huh?!” was her only response as she was forced back to planet earth,looking at the trashcan then at me she sighed. “Sorry, Button..guess I forgot where I was,” She said with a listless chuckle.
I sighed at this as I continued to walk towards our destination. “It's alright, you're worried about your filly friend I've been there,” I said simply, which got me a punch in the shoulder. “Hey! What was that for?” I hollered at the pegasus, which earned me a fit of bloody coughs from my cut up throat.
“We told you not to say that stuff out loud for a reason Button!” the filly's tiny wings buzzed in agitation, but it quickly died as she noticed the blood that now specked my face mask. The magic sealed in the mask quickly and harmlessly evaporated the blood, but the effect still remained.
“Sorry about that...”
I sighed, and simply patted her shoulder with a smile...that she couldn’t see- But! I digress. “It's alright Scoots' can't really expect you to stop being you just cuz I'm sick”
I said with another bright smile, again she couldn't see it, but my red eyes seemed to convey enough for her to grasp my feelings. Mind you her being able to read my eyes is leaps and bounds for a dense pony such as scoots -or myself- but hey, we've known each other long enough.
“Besides, I'm the one with the big mouth who can't keep quiet about a certain pair of fillies who just happen to like each other”
She only responded with a little more earnest giggle, and another, much more controlled, punch to my shoulder. I welcome the hit with a short laugh. We continue on our way towards the hospital with just a bit higher spirits.
_____
Our trip to the hospital had been short, and light hearted for the most part. That was until we actually made it to the hospital. We had only just gone into the crowded reception area, and the air already stunk like you wouldn't believe, and not in the usual sterile way that hospitals smell like. I couldn't say what it was, all I could say was a new smell to me. It was also intertwined with the slight smell of cooper, a smell that I've come to know as blood since I got sick. The smell was hard to describe past a definite staleness, and a pungency that made the air taste of it.
It made, me and scoots' faces scrunch up tight as the smell buffeted us. It actually took us a good minuet before we were able to get well enough adjusted to the smell to continue to the reception desk. The frazzled looking mare behind the desk gave us a look of irritation. The bags under he eyes could tell us why that was.
“Wha'cha want? I already told the other brats we're out of coloring shit, so what the hell could you possibly want sickie?” she asked, her voice hoarse, possibly from screaming too much. Though the tone of contempt the woman had made the two ponies wonder what she was doing working at the hospital.
“We're here too see Smith Apple.” Scootaloo answered before I could, maybe she sensed the not so appropriate wording that I would have used against the foul mouthed mare.
“Why?” The mare asked indignantly.
Me and scootaloo looked at eachother before turning back to the mare.
“Umm, to see her?” Scootaloo answered again. The mare kept a stoic expression.
“No shit cripple, WHY are you going to see her?” The mare looked down at us, now it was my turn to say something in place of Scootaloo's possibly colorful retort.
“Because we are friends of the family, and we'd like to make sure she's alright.” I said levelly while Scootaloo fumed besides me.
“Oh is that all? To bad, buck off ya' little shits, no one is allowed in besides family.” She said looking for something to busy herself on her empty desk. Leaving me and Scootaloo with our jaws on the floor . “What?! Since when?!” I yelled at the woman, my forehooves slamming on her desk.
“Since I say so!” She said climbing up on her own desk as well, looming high over me, a fury to her eyes as she glared down at me. “Now either buck off! Or I'll call security on your asses!” she said as she pushed my hooves off her desk. The mare pulling out a 'be back in 5' sign before simply walking away from the scene. Me and scoots were visibly pissed, and were about to follow, when our ears caught something through the racket and noise of the busy reception.
“Button Mash, Scootaloo?” A tiny, but still very audible southern accent called to us from the other side of the room. We both turned to find Apple bloom carrying some vending machine snacks. We stared at each other for the longest time until Apple Bloom rushed towards us, the items in her hooves forgotten as she embraced Scootaloo “ya'll came! It's so good ta see you two,” her voice cracking as if on the verge of tears. I couldn't help but to stare as the blushing, orange, pegasus took a minuet to asses what was happening. Soon enough though, she returned the embrace, just as Apple Bloom started to let loose some tears from her eyes. The sight made me smile despite the ache in my heart. I sighed, letting the two hug it out while I busied myself picking up the forgotten snacks. My thoughts going to times past, my smile turning from content to a much more melancholy one.
'I miss you Sweetie...'
_____
After their hug, Scoots and Bloom took some time to catch up, me just hanging around as the third wheel for the moment. Though when we offered to go back to see her grandma. Bloom's mood turned, going from happy and content to sad and almost angry, informing us it was for the best we stay away from the room. Advise we followed in respect to Bloom's wishes.
We asked what had happened, but Bloom seemed evasive in her answers, being extremely vague on things. All I've caught in the hour or so we've been talking is that her grandma had a heart attack, and that Big Mac finally met with the maker two days ago. A hint of envy struck me when I learned this. It was the weirdest feeling in the world to feel envious of the dead, almost wrong, but all things considered, I could understand some reasons why. Getting rid of the pain sure seemed like a plus to me.
'To see Sweetie Bell again'
I thought that was as a definite plus, my lips curled into a smile as I thought of days when Celestia's warm sun shone through the window in her room. How we'd lay in it's warmth till they either we fell asleep or the sun set. Memories of when I introduced her to Manecraft for the first time. The countless times she beat me in Street Fighter. The day she told me she had gotten sick, and soon after, the promise we shared to pass on together, the night we shared with eachother in secret. The day that I found her in her room..murdered...the blood... all the blood... I couldn't stop thinking of that scene now, it played over and over in my head, I began to hyper ventilate slightly, my aching heart raced, blood pounding against my eardrums. "Button Mash?" My already overworked lungs cried out for me to slow my breathing, but my mind had other ideas. "Button Mash."The memory continued to plague me, giving him a cold sweat, whimpers escaping my mouth. More and more the thoughts became more gruesome. I started to imagine just how it happened...
“BUTTON MASH!”
A fierce duet of screaming broke his painful thought process, making his head snap up. Looking around, he noticed a crowd had gathered. I turned to look at Scootaloo and Apple Bloom who looked at me with concern and worry. I soon found it uncomfortable to be sitting in the spot that I had been in.
“I need some air..”
With that I quickly got on to shaky hooves and headed for the door. The two fillies close on my heels.
______
I walked quickly, being unable to run in my condition. I didn't heed the two calling my name behind me. I simply trotted as quickly as my aching limbs would carry me. I had no destination. I simply walked and walked as the sun set around me. I kept going and going until I felt the need to stop. I looked to see where my body had taken me, only to find myself in front of the carousel boutique.
My eyes began to well up with crimson tears that easily stained my brow coat. Though they never left my face, my mask not allowing the contagion to leave my face. I sat on my haunches, weeping openly as I stared at the empty home/business that Sweetie Bell called home. I called out her name as I sat there. Tears streaming freely, evaporating slowly after they left my eyes, creating a fine mist of magical particles before my reddened vision.
I felt two different hooves land on my shoulders, though I didn't pay any mind to who they belonged to. I simply sat there and wept, indifferent to the words they spoke. I could tell they were trying to comfort me, but I was far gone from that. Misery plagued my young mind far too much for me to let be consoled. After a few minuets into the night had passed, the two sets of hooves retreated in defeat, I could hear one talk to the other of spending the night in their home. I didn't bother to pay mind to the response, or when exactly it was they walked away. Instead I reached up into my propeller hat and pulled out a pill bottle. I easily unscrewed the cap, tossing it without a care as I poured some of the pills into my hoof. I remember Twilight saying that the medicine was a powerful sedative, and to never take more than 3 at one time. I took the hoofful and tossed them into my mouth, quickly readying a second hoofful.
The once full pill bottle dropped to the ground, it's usefulness now outlived. My mind was foggy, vision blurry, my senses dulled from razors to mud balls. I swayed from side to side as my muscles began to disregard my commands. I could feel my lungs take in less and less air, my hear pump slower and slower. A slight amount of fear I felt being quelled with thoughts of Sweetie Bell. My eyes dilated making all the lights around me seem like stars. It was amazing.
What I saw next though confused me, something came out of the boutique. My face barely being able to comply enough to make my confused face. I saw the figure approach in choppy scenes. My my mind apparently unable to form a solid reel for me to watch. As the figure got closer I could make out the colors of purple and green. Whatever it what, it stood no more than a head taller than me in my seated position and just a few hooves away. I watched confused as I sway back and fro. My ears rung as muffled speech assaulted them. My eyes fought tooth and nail to focus, I became aware of a pair of emerald eyes staring down at me. I couldn't place who it was in my addled state, but my mouth still formed what I could only guess to be it's name.
Though as I sat there, I saw something quickly fly under my vision, sending more of the sparkly mist into the air. Then the strangest feeling hit my drunken nerves. A distinct warmth, but wetness started to seep down my body, and emptiness from my neck down, while my body became colder and colder. I fee l I should be panicking but it's no use. My vision became dark, but only for a short minuet. Then it was replaced by the brightest light I've ever seen. It burn my eyes to see. I brought my hooves up to shield my eyes.
That's when I heard it, that heavenly laugh I had come to know so well. Looking towards the light once more, I spotted her silhouette and gasped.
“Common Button, it's about time you fulfilled your promise,” her sing song voice called to me before she let out another tiny giggle. I gallop into the light without hesitation.
My name is Staff Sergeant True Sight of the 48th MP's based out of Trottingham. I've been tasked to the 955th Earth Corps to assist in the investigation of the recent string of murders that have occurred while they've been deployed here in Ponyville. I am the lead investigator on the case, assisting me is Corporal Pounder from the 955th, and Senior Airpony Clear Skies of the 3rd Wing out of Las Pegasus. We've been chosen because of our disambiguation with Ponyville. None of us have been to Ponyville before this deployment and thus can remain unbiased with the investigation unlike most of the 955th. I'm also been graced with the presence of Princess Twilight Sparkle, she insisted on helping out with the investigation. Stating that she both needed a break from the search for a cure of the disease plaguing our country, as well as wanting to finally stop the mass murderer before anymore foals have to die. Naturally I relish in the fact of having one of the princess' assist me in the investigation. Though I worry about the princess' closeness to the ponies involved.
Today we stand outside of the Carousel Boutique, home business pace of Rarity (mare/age 28/unicorn/ Element of Harmony: Generosity), and her late sister Sweetie Belle (mare/age 17/unicorn). We're at the scene of the most recent murder, another colt, this one was ButtonMash (stallion/age 18/earth pony). I've been informed by the princess that the victim was romantically involved with the other filly that had died here, and had taken her loss and his affliction pretty hard. The body having been found by a Rainbow Dash (Mare/age 26/Pegasus/Element of Harmony: Loyalty) While on a routine weather monitoring flight over the town.
The murder follows M.O. of the other murders to an extent. The victim's throat was slashed, the victim died from blood loss. Most of the soft tissue from the neck down consumed by the perpetrator post mortem, but that's when the similarities end. For starters, this is the first murder that has occurred out in the open, where the rest have been inside, in the victims bedrooms. Save for the murder of Snips (Stallion/age 16/Unicorn), which occurred in his room at P.G.H. And while the body ended up outside, probably due to a struggle. This is the only murder that we believe has been outside from the get go.
Another significant difference is the state of the body, where all the other bodies were picked clean from the neck right down to the hooves. This one holds the distinction of only having the abdomen being fully consumed. Most of the barrel and all fours legs remaining intact. Evidence at the scene suggest that something made the perp sick. Pools of regurgitated innards lead from the body towards the outskirts of town. The theory is supported by an empty medicine bottle found a few hooves away from the body. The princess stated that the bottle belonged to the victim, and was recently filled with three month's worth of pills by the princess herself.
We have sent samples of both the vomit and the foals blood to be analyzed for it's components and DNA. While the stomach bile would have undoubtedly destroyed identifying markers, we hope that we can at the very least ascertain the breed of pony we're dealing with. We have also set up a search party to follow the trail left by the perp in hopes to finding their hiding spot. Unfortunately, the trail leads into the Everfree forest, and due to the lateness of the day. We were unable to follow it today, and have postponed the search till tomorrow. I fear it will be in vain considering the nature of the forest. Not to mention the fact that if the pony really is hoped up on so much pain medication, I doubt he would make it a mile into the forest before collapsing from intoxication and being eaten themselves. Karma at it's best if it does happen.
_
Wensday, August 6th, 08 A.N.M. Today we have sent a squad of ponies into the Everfree to try to pick up the trail left behind from yesterday. We brought back the body into local morgue to be autopsied. Brought in some witnesses to be questioned. And have received the results of the blood and vomit analysis from what was left at the scene. We also preformed interrogations of the ponies involved, namely Rarity, who had been a suspect ever since her sister died, as well as Rainbow Dash who was the one who actually found the body. Lastly, we had to inform the foals parents of his passing and bring them in for a positive identification of the body.
As expected the trail leading into the Everfree was a dead end, a local timberwolf having eaten up the trail. It was found overdosed near the edge of the forest. We have recovered the body of the wolf in hopes of obtaining evidence of another pony in it's stomach, but chances are once again slim. It's not exactly easy to tell lung apart from intestine once it's been chewed up, twice. But any evidence, any leads are helpful at this point.
Thankfully, in a manner of speaking, the blood analysis came back with just that, evidence. The only thing is that the evidence is confusing to say the very least. The victim's blood was indeed saturated in a mortal dose of the pain medicine. The amount picked up by the analysis suggests that the victim did in fact ingest a whole bottle of medication, all 300 mg's of the stuff. A mortal amount for any normal pony, meaning we probably have another corpse to find in the everfree, or at leas a set of bones. But again, we are talking about the everfree here. The chances of finding even a hair of this colt is about as easy as finding a cure for the red plague. Which according to the princess is extremely hard. I only asked about once it, and regretted it almost immediately. Considering the heatedand passionate hour long explanation that followed it.
What's more interesting about the blood samples though is the make up of the blood. There was of course no usable DNA markets in the vomit, as we suspected the bile destroyed all of the individual markers. We couldn't even match it to the victim it came from. Here's where it gets weird though. After the failed attempt to obtain DNA, we then attempted to identify pony race from the available DNA. The thing is that we found markers belonging to ALL the races. Earth pony, unicorn and pegisi, so either an alicorn has been coming around and eating up all the foals in town. A suggestion that made Princess Twilight scowl I might add. Or the perp had ingested pony of every race the day of the attack. But with a lack of bodies, that theory doesn’t add up either.
The Corporal had a morbid suggestion that there'd been a chance the perp keep body parts to make a stew with all three races, and had just happened to have eaten some earlier in the day before the attack. We all shivered at the thought that this pony, whoever they were, was actually collecting meat from their victims, but it's an idea we have to keep an open mind to. We have since decided to check the bodies for evidence, but considering what's left of the bodies, there's little we actually managed to gather.
It sucks when you run out of possible suspects. It grinds the investigation to a halt in more ways than one. What's even worse is when you find that one of your suspects, namely one that you've been drilling into the past week. Has been found innocent by the fact that she was locked up at the time of the attack. Rarity was the prime suspect after the death of her sister, and to say that she was ill treated by the local populace and guard was an understatement. It had been brought to my attention that some local guard had let some of the victims families into see Rarity, it only took them 10 minuets to do what they did. it's all that was needed.
I remember Rarity as many other ponies know her, such was the thing with a national hero. The mare before me looked nothing like the one in the news papers. Her once flowing mane and tail had been jaggedly and carelessly cropped short, not unlike a new stallion recruit going through basic training in the RG, but poorly done. She was missing a hanfull of teeth, another couple chipped. Her left eye bloodshot and swollen to the point where it was only half open. The tip of her horn had also been chipped, bandages hid a fissure that had been made, the look she wore told me she still had the headaches to go with her broken horn. Her once pristine coat was matted with scabs and newly forming scars.
Blotches of bruises underneath her fur were everywhere, specifically around her stomach, and between her hind legs. She had been beat hard enough that her left hind leg had been dislocated from the hip, as well as rupturing one of her ovaries. Whether or not she would ever be able to have foals now has yet to be determined. What really drew my attention was the large bandage over her right cutie mark. One of the perpetrators of the attack saw it fit to make Rarity feel the way their foals had, and had brought a bear trap into the station and used it to take a chunk out of Rarity's flank. Namely her cuite mark.
It goes without saying that all the people involved have been charged with assault and torture, the guards being court martial as we speak. All of them already having a cell waiting for them in the Canterlot dungeons for their crimes on an innocent mare with talk of possible exile from Equestria as a whole. This was no way to treat anypony, murderer or not. I've informed her that she should be released from the station before the night is through. Though this does little to console a mare beaten and tortured after loosing her one and only sister.
I kept my questions with her quick, doing my best to pry without overstepping my boundaries with the hurting mare. She was quick to answer the questions I had for her. For the most part she seemed to be truthful, just extremely hurt and scared. Nothing I could blame her for. Unfortunately though the information she provided was next to none. She was profusely sure that the doors to her boutique were locked the night of the murder. Evidence taken at the time supported the claim. It's part of the reason why she was the main suspect up to now. That and the fact that her muzzle and hooves was covered in blood at the time she was found. At the time as now, she claimed the blood on her hooves came from when she found her sister's corpse, while the blood on her muzzle was a mystery to her, and now us.
Next came Rainbow Dash, the mare looked like she hadn't gotten a decent nights rest in a long time. From what the princess tells me, this is due to the fact that she harbored feelings one of their late friends. It's clear she's been infected for some time now, at least three months. The tell-tale signs of bulging joints and swelling over her body clear to even me. At most she'd had two or three more months to live. It was a surprise to know she was still able to fly, seeing as most pegisi find that the pain and the added weight was to much to be able to fly at these late stages. Pretty soon she wouldn't be able to fly even if she wanted to, but that's not something for me to worry about.
My questioning with Dash was a bit more through, and hell of a lot more direct. After all, it was clear the mare had contracted the disease some time ago, unlike Rarity who was much more recent. Not enough to disqualify her from having been the murderer in the first place, but not the point. Much like Rarity, Dash held little back, and what little she held revolved around she got infected in the first place.
Needless to say we were at a dead end once more. We were once again without a viable suspect with the only solace we can give to anypony is that the killer MAY have been eaten or overdosed. Either way, we have nothing to show for the work we've put into this damned case. Now I have to show another couple that their colt is laying dead on the corners table. I can see now why it is that Lieutenant has taken to the cider recently. That or a certain inkling to some, ahem, 'apple pie'. Either way, it's about time for Buttonmash's parents to arrive down at the morgue. So I'll end this here, no point in writing about mourning ponies anymore.
Hunger is a terrible thing..... The things I've done are unforgivable, I know that.... The foals I've killed, the families destroyed. I've even hurt my beloved Rarity beyond measure. If I ever get my claws on the ponies that hurt her... How I wish I knew how to kill a dragon right now, to think even a baby dragon is so hardy. Knives and swords dull and break against my scales. Blood desperately sticks to my veins, not allowing me to bleed out before my body can make more. No places is high enough to break my bones or kill my brain. Even drowning doesn't work on me! My lungs apparently able to process the water like a fish! Probably something to do with being able to swim in lava... Would be an interesting thing to share with Twilight if I had the stomach to face her again...
Their blood...tastier than any gem, nothing else compares to it. I can't eat anything else... normal food even other gems come back up like I've swallowed a poison. I have recent experience of what's that's like now too. It's not greed, or gluttony that drives me, no it's hunger. I try to hold off, I try to stay my tongue, to eat anything else, but my body wants nothing else but the red venom that runs through ponies veins. Have you ever gone hungry? Have you ever gone more than a day without bringing a single morsel to your lips? The pain is excruciating, and it's only made worse when I wretch out another failed attempt to return to normal food. I managed to keep my feeding down to once a week, my mind threatening to go crazy and release the beast inside if I try any longer. The longest I've gone was a week and a half... Snips faced only a taste of what the beast could do, and I nearly tore him to ribbons before I ate his flesh.
I've killed ten foals with my claws, including my beloved's own sister. I can't get the taste of their blood of my tongue. I'm afraid that I'm starting to like the taste. I hide myself, at first in my room, more recently in Rarity's. The smell of her perfume gives me comfort, but at the same time I feel sick to be here. The place I killed her... I never intended to hurt her. Standards I had set myself to only eat ponies that I at the very least didn't care about. But all the other foals were all locked away! I'm not strong enough to kill a fully grown pony, not until they're really sick, and by that time, they're under the watch of their families or friends! I never thought I would ever be so mad at the friendship that flows through this town!
It wasn't hard, Rarity gave me a key after all. So darn easy... I was sure to be quick, not like I had been with Snips or Diamond. I made sure there was no pain, taking her head carefully as to not wake her, before moving my hands with a quickness in opposite directions. It was almost like snapping a twig, it was soo bucking easy... I made sure she died with dignity. I changed her sheets after her body lost it's hold on her bladder and bowels. I tried not to make a mess, but after a week of not eating it was hard not to. I kept her liver with me, at the time I was planning on experimenting with eating old meat to help with the hunger. It didn't work, but it was worth a try either way.
With my stomach full, I looked keep my eyes on her face, tears rolling down mine. I made sure to burn the image in my head, I would not forget how she looked like, not then, not ever. I was going to leave then, make a clean get away, probably pop a window to make It seem like someone broke in, but something stopped me. The smell of the plague wasn't gone from the house. Even after draining Sweetie, the smell was still thick, then it hit me. I had to be sure, a sense of denial urging me to check and be sure it wasn't true. That was my biggest mistake. There she was, my beloved, her chest rising and falling in peaceful slumber, still very much unaware of the horrors he had committed just down the hall. It was then and there, as she lay sleeping, that I condemned her as a murderer.
Without even thinking, I moved closer to her, blood on my claws, my muzzle dripping with the red plague. Crying silent tears, I stroked her muzzle, knowing that full well that she was infected now too, and that unless Twilight found a cure, she'd be dead before long too. I was a mess then, a stupid, dumb, idiot of a mess. Holding her sleeping muzzle as I wished this plague to be gone, for it to have never come here in the first place, just before I met my lips to hers. I could tell she enjoyed it at the time, her tiny moans and shivers telling me that much. It wasn't until I had broken the kiss that I saw the error of my ways. I looked down at her in sheer horror, her blood stained coat starring back at me.
I thought about cleaning her up, to try my best to get the most of it. Or at the very least to wake her! To warn her of my mistake, but I was scared! Too afraid of loosing her, and revealing myself as a murderer. So what do I do instead? I leave, I run, I go as far away as my legs would carry me. Hiding myself in the Everfree until my stomach bothered me enough to return. By that time, the damage was done. The knowledge of her guilt was the talk of the town. The vigilante justice praised as a blessing from Celestia herself by one and all. 'The bitch deserved every little bit she got' they said. That was the first time I ever hit another pony in anger. He didn't say much after that, neither did his friend. Coincidentally I also found out that drinking infected blood worked to help my aching belly, but only for so long.
I needed a way to clear Rarity's name, I was still too scared to come clean. Button Mash was just in the right place at the wrong time. He had even drugged himself which made it so much easier, or at least I thought it would. I didn't quite think through what would happen when I ate his guts full of pain pills. Another near death avoided thanks to my dragon physiology. It felt good to puke it all up in a way, to have the plague come up instead of daisies or rubies.
After I was done running around the Everfree for a while. Mostly to get the shit out of my system, less to get the RG off my back. I turned back around and hid myself in her room. Second, but definitely not any less big mistake I had made that week. I didn't think she'd be released so soon. Let alone to come home, not after what I'd done there. But there was, I almost didn't recognize her at the time. Maybe that's why I did what I did. Who knows. I sure as buck don't.... It just sort of happened...If you really want to know what I did I'll tell you... But please, try not to judge me too much....Hunger is a terrible thing....
_
I finally understand that saying some ponies have, how life has a strange sense of humor? Though in my opinion, I think it has a very sadistic sense of humor. If you could even call it humor. I sure as buck don't. But that's no way for a lady to talk, not even one in my condition. We are suppose to stay poise and proper, aren't we darling?...Who am I kidding though... I bucking hate my life right now... I wish I was bucking dead. To tartarus all the primp and propper manure! My only living family is dead! I'm going to be dead before too long! AND THE ONLY BUCKING PONIES THAT CAN WOULD EVEN THINK ABOUT HELPING ME! HAVE THEIR HEADS SO BUCKING FAR UP THEIR OWN BUCKING FLANKS TO EVEN CARE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO ME!
…..I'm sorry about that..darling.... That was very...un-lady like... I guess you want to hear what he... What 'Spikey Wikey' did to me... Besides cannibalize my sister and frame me for it of course... Well if you must know darling. I was on my way home, from this very station as a matter of fact. I'm not entirely sure I care to keep meeting you like this mind you. I'd much rather meet a strapping stallion like yourself over a nice dinner. No no, you don't have to tell me, I know your hearts taken by my, ahem, 'friend' Applejack... Oh that's the Earth Pony? Oh... Well it's alright Darling, not like I'm much a of a looker anymore anyways. I'd be lucky if I'd get a stallion like Blueblood now... I keep getting of track don't I darling?
I guess I just don't want to talk about it really. Why else why I avoid it so? But I am a mare of my word, and I will tell you want happened as I said I would. Right, well as I said, I was on my way back to the boutique. I didn't really have anyone I could stay with, and I hadn't the bits to stay any place else seeing as no one wants to buy dresses when there's a deadly plague going around. Horrible for business I'll tell you. I wasn't too hungry for grass, and no money to get myself a proper meal, so I thought maybe just going to bed would be for the best.
I hobbled my way up the stairs. I found out it's fairly hard to use your hind leg when you have half your bucking flank missing. But I made do, I found no point in showering, so I went straight to my room. That's when I saw him, he was still covered in blood you know? All dried by the time mind you, but it was still there. He stared at me for the longest time. Called my name a few times I'm sure as he moved closer. I didn't know what he was covered in blood at the time. Too stupid, too naive, take your pick, to be able to connect the dots.
He smiled at me at first, hugged me tight. I won't lie, it felt good at the time, to have someone who cared about me actually show me they gave a shit, you know? Heck I even hugged him back at first. He was my Spikey Wikey after all.. Or at the very least I thought he was. I didn't even notice something was wrong until his claws started to dig into my coat. By then his hug had gotten so tight I could barely break free. I had to use my magic to push him away. I could feel his teeth scrape against my fur... I knew I was bleeding then. It's something I kind of used to now'a'days... Funny how things work?
Anyways, I had pushed him away against the far wall. At first I wasn't sure what to think. I mean, I had just hurt someone who was giving me a hug not two second ago. I was going to check up on him, up until I saw that... crazy look in his eyes. He licked up my blood from his fangs as he looked at me... I must admit darling... the sight made me... Humh...Ahem... Wet..myself... Which if I could get that shower after we're done here, that'd be divine darling.
Anyways, I did the only thing a sensible, dainty mare like myself can do. I ran for my motherbucking life. Down the stairs, out the door and into the street. Screaming like a mare possessed. I didn't have to look behind me to know he was chasing me. I could hear all four sets of claws scrape the ground as he gave chase. A beast like any other... To think he used to be so nice to me...
I couldn't outrun him of course, I can barely walk right, let alone run properly. He tackled me to the ground, and was trying to bite me again. It was only thanks to the Cake Stallion that I wasn't hurt any worse... Too bad for him he was infected too...
He... He was truly an animal then... Tore that Stallion to bits…right in front of his wife and foals... I think I even saw Pinkie watching the whole thing too... He… He wasn't himself… I know that… but at that moment… he was nothing but a monster…
Spike didn't stop till there was barely anything left of that Stallion.... Then you and your ponies arrived...And here we are.... Anything else you want to know, Darling?
_
“No Ms. Rarity, I think I've heard all I need,” I stood myself up, watching the shivering shell of a mare smile a hollow smile as me as I stepped out of the room. It wasn't two seconds before I could heard her sobbing loudly through the door. I walked to the door adjacent to the one I came out of, not having to wait long for Lt. Stand to exit the room. "Do we need anything else, Lt." I asked looking up at the earth stallion.
"No, Sight, I think we've got all we need...Let's contact the princess' I think they'll want to hear about this..." He said with a sigh as he walked past the door that held the dragon in question. Shaking his head as he continued down the hall, wondering just how Princess Twilight was going to take this. "I need a drink Sight..."
Princess Twilight Sparkle, personal research Journal; The Red Plague.
Disclaimer All information in the journal is restricted to the knowledge base of Ponyville. Correspondence between cities are not being delivered or received, so sharing research by conventional means is nay impossible. I have only been able to maintain correspondence with Princess Celestia through magical means, but she has demanded that I keep letters to a minimum of dire, national, importance, and no more than a page long.
Scientific name; Crystilitis equine
Common name; Red Plague
Slang terms; Red death, Crystal death, The plague, Crimson blood.
Infection type; Viral
Strain; Varies on the infected pony
Origins; Unknown, possibly magical
Death toll: Unclear, expected to be in the millions
Cure; Unknown, Unclear if it is curable
First Recorded Case: Vera
First Recorded Death: Fluttershy
Crystilitis equine, better known as the Red Plague, is an extremely contagious and deadly viral infection that directly affects the blood cells of the body. It affects all three equine races, bu no other species. It has yet to be seen if it affects alicorns, but it is assumed it does due to the magical properties. It is carbon based, crystalline in consistency and is carried in the blood stream exclusively. However, due to the sharp crystalline shape that infected blood cells take. It is common for 'fragments' to cut through the soft tissue of the mucousa of the nose, throat, and lungs, making it partially airborne.
It has a half-life of two minuets outside of a living body. However it is believed that crystallized bodies can contain live viruses inside of their hard shell. There is no incubation period, the virus immediately begins to affect blood cells it comes in contact with. The virus crystallizing the surface area of the cell by magical means. The magic gives off a red hue while working, this is believed to be the cause of the signature reddening of the irises.
The actual crystallization process takes a minimum of a week. Meaning that one virus takes one week to fully crystallize one blood cell. The blood cell, once crystallized continues to function as before, albeit at a loss of efficiency of about 80%. White blood cells recognize the crystallized blood as foreign and attempt to attack it,but once its crystal, the body can no longer destroy it on it's own, The virus feeds off of the beings natural magic to replicate itself. This also means that it feeds off of different magic depending on their race, which adds to its complexity immensely.
As stated before, the Virus takes on a different form depending on the race it's infected due to it's magic diet. We believe this is to more easily consume their brand of magic, and much like every pony has something special, a skill or bran of magic that they hold all their own. The Virus conforms to that ponies unique magical signature. The virus, or rather the magic inbued into the virus, creates a strain specific to the host it's attacking. Who, or whatever created this virus was truly a genius. A sadistic, cold hearted genius.
Spread and effect of the virus depends on the pony it's infecting. The ponies physical attributes determining the virility of the virus. Things like what they eat, how fit they are, how strong their immune system is, how attune to their magic they are, how much magic they have, all affect how quickly, or slowly the virus kills, and it will kill. This virus can work on the faintest hints of magic, and if needed will siphon magic from the air around the pony in question if it has to. Death usually comes between four and six months, possibly seven if the pony is healthy enough.
There are three stages to the disease;
1) The initial infection; Which is just that, the first contact with the virus, it lasts until the virus has had a chance to create a virus that can properly feed off of the hosts magic. It's end is marked by the changing of the eye color in the pony.
2) Crystallification; The majority of the infection is spent in this stage, it is where the virus begins it's crystallization of the blood cells. It's also here where pockets of crystals being to form around the body, starting with the bones, and by extension, the joints. Attacking the bodies blood factories themselves, the bones, eventually they develop a thick layer of crystals. This is also usually when ponies beginning to go down hill, with out being able to produce any more blood cells, it's only a matter of time then. Its end is marked when there are either no more blood cells to crystallize, or the body is no longer able to pump blood effectively.
3) Death; By this point, the crystals dominate the ponies body, making it impossible for them to move, breath or circulate blood. Death usually comes from lack of oxygen to the brain, from either ineffective lung capacity, or a failing heart. It's usually preceded by at least a week of starvation.
Considering the method of procreation of the virus, magic use can accelerate the symptoms immensely. What's more, outside sources of magic also help the virus procreate. Meaning spells performed on the pony leads that pony to a quicker death. We learned that the hard way when we tried curing Filthy Rich with magic. He was the shortest lived pony that has contracted the disease to date. Reaching the final stage in under three months. Celestia save me if I am susceptible to the virus....
It's also important to note that the race of the pony also affects the speed of procreation. Unicorns, especially those with deep mana reserves, tend to reach stage three within the four month window. Pegisi are the next race in line, reaching full Crystallification around the five month mark. Earth ponies, especially those separated from the earth, by say, putting them on the second floor of a building, and last just over 6 months before they pass. Though, not that many ponies willingly choose to suffer that long...
Based on everything we know, and everything we've seen. Curing it with magic is not a viable option at this point. I could, in time, possibly develop a sort of magical defense against the disease. Say a incantation to lay over the virus already in the body that stops the virus from being able to siphon magic. But without being able to keep a virus viable long after it's been extracted from the body, and the affect random spells have on the virus. It's best to stick to more wholesome methods of curing it.
One of my friends, a zebra named Zecora has been working on a vaccine for some time, but her lack of knowledge of proper medicine and scientific process is slowing us down quite a bit. Not that I can blame her. Everyone else's knowledge base on medical treatments are magic based, so we're all stumbling around with a homeopathic solution for this disease.
On the subject of zebras, if my friend Zecora is anything to go by, they seem to be totally unaffected by the disease. A queer thought being that they don't have any inherit magic in their bodies and thus cannot sustain the virus. Another idea is that the disease is, again, made for equines specifically. That the spell that is undoubtedly imbued into the virus has a a specific rune or enchantment that makes the target exclusively equine.
Another species that we have here in Ponyville that has come in direct contact with the disease is dragons. Our resident dragon, my pseudo-little brother Spike, has ingested plagued meat on multiple occasions. He has no truly adverse, physical, effects. However, there is a major psychological affect. He has become addicted to, the, infected blood of ponies. Something which has turned him into a
Meat eater.
I don't think the label of cannibal fits him. Mostly because he's not a pony, not in body at least, he's not eating his own kind. He's simply become a predator, as many dragons are. I personally am unsure of what to think of this on a personal level. On a scientific level however, it's only natural progression. He thinks that the reason he can no longer stomach our food is because of the virus, but I suspect it's because his body refuses to eat anything but meat now that's had a proper meal of it. Spike has always shown signs of malnutrition; lithe, bony limbs. Big, bulging belly, lack of proper growth. Under average strength, tiredness, and a hunger that does not go away with any amount of our food. He's designed as a omnivore at least, a carnivore at best. He needs a higher amount of protein than our herbivorous diet can give him. He needs meat, and I have little doubt he will ever stop eating meat now. Maybe he now he'll start growing? It be an interesting prospect for sure. I'm sure He'll do fine a in the badlands. I'm sure I can manage to visit him in exile.
I have attended many funerals for my little ponies in the millenniums I've been alive. Ponies, die, it's a fact of life, as sure as cycle of day and night. The reaper takes all ponies, mares, stallions, foals, rich, poor, it doesn't matter. Some years are worse than others, especially those darker times, long ago when medicinal magic was in it's infancy. But this year, has taken the cake, my precious delicious cake, turned sour and rancid in my mouth. Never in my life time have I seen so many of my ponies die. A millions of my little ponies lives snuffed out, a whole city wiped from existence. My subjects reduced by almost two thirds, and still they continue to die. A cure is been searched for, but I fear how many more perish before it is found and perfected.
Reports come in constantly, my day court reduced to a tally of death and destruction. My ponies are either sick, mentally broken or both. The Royal guard stands at half strength, with it's forces stretched thin across the kingdom in attempts to keep law and order. But it's an uphill battle, desertion thinning the ranks as quickly as the plague. Most a family ponies, I cannot blame them, but I cannot condone it either. The dungeons are painfully full with deserters and anarchist alike, the number of cells having to be magically multiplied to house them all.
I am truly afraid for my little ponies, if this plague does not clean our collective races from this earth, I fear of what else might. My generals fear an attack from our neighbors, they speculate the only thing stopping them is the fear of infection from the doomed ponies. They urge a draft, a to call to arms of any country stallion or mare able to bare arms to be pulled into service against the possible threat of invasion. I'm hesitant, but relations with the griffon empire were stressed even before the plague hit us. I'm inclined to agree that the threat is ever present and true. With us weakened, I doubt the griffons would hesitate to strike us. My hooves are tied, I petition a draft on the morrow.
There's only so much one mare can handle, both me and my sister are being taxed to out limits. Ponies across the land urging us for aid we cannot give. While I am thankful that Candence and her kingdom managed to close their borders before the plague could reach them. I half-wish that I could have her assistance in this matter as well. But I will not risk her infection with this mother damned disease. It is bad enough that I have been afflicted by it as well.
Yes, I, Princess Celestia, have been infected by the Red plague, and have been for a total of 8 months, indeed since we found out of the disease when that madpony ran into Las Pegasus. I feel it is somewhat poetic that I face my new found mortality with my dear ponies. Not that they are aware of it. Only my sister and my physician are aware, I have yet to inform even Twilight of my blight. But I feel it is for the better, things are bad enough without my ponies knowing that I am to be taken by the disease. The hearts and minds of my ponies are already weary from the death and ruin. If my dearest sister's and my dear Doctor Hooves' reaction to the news are of any gauge, our kingdom would be in ruins before the week is done.
It's of no small miracle that I am still alive. You see I have found a medicine of sorts to this horrible disease that has kept me alive this long. Though it is one only I can take, and in small doses. One that singes my fur, and threatens to blind me even through tightly shut eyelids. I bathe in the glorious, cleansing light of our sun, but not from equus. No I need to be much closer to the glowing orb I move through the sky, Right up there with the moon and our burning star. I can always feel my blood boil, the pain is indescribable as the virus, and myself to some extent, are cooked in the radiance of the astral body. But I cannot manage to stay within the cleansing light long enough to cure me entirely. Even my immortal body can only take so much. But even with my skin burning and bubbling, my mane and tail burnt out of existence, my hooves cracked and singed, eyes red and nearly blind with blind spots growing larger by the day. The Plague remains, feeding off my immortal magic to keep itself going it would seem.
It is of no consequence right now however, I hide the signs of my sickness with glamours. I continue my duties even though I know it will shorten my life span. It is my duty to keep this kingdom running as best I can. I cannot afford to take it easy. Till my last breath I will strive on, and work my hardest. I keep my distance from my sister, much to her disdain and heart ache, but I cannot risk her life either. I would demand Twilight join us in the castle if not for the fact that she's the only pony who could save us, possibly lead in my stead in the time to come.
Luna wishes me, to keep these thoughts far from my mind. To allow her to take over my duties as well cover her own, but I cannot allow it. The ponies need their princesses, both of them, to lead them through all this strife and death. What leader would I be if not to lead by example, that even in trying times I remain vigil and strong, continuing my duties even with the death that surrounds me on the daily. So here I stand, smiling through cracked and bleeding lips, always surrounded by the magic of glamour and viral shield. Proclaiming that the dark days are soon behind us. I wasn't much for lying, but sometimes, especially in trying times like these, sweet lies are better than bitter truths.
_
A'h was nervous ta say the least. Pone'hs we're all up in a fuss cuz' over tha new royal decree, All able bodi'd mares and Stallien's, without any youngin's, are ta report ta thar local RG armore'h ta be drafted. Naow, A'h ain't technically A'h mare yet, not in tha eyes of tha law, me bein' 17 an' all, but Scootaloo, she was... She had just turned 18 not a week ago, but a mare was still a mare. Normally A'hm a good little filly, what with followin' tha rules and stuff. But now, A'hm Also a'h fillyfriend. An' A'h couldn't just let ma'h Scootaloo go ta tartarus knows where by herself! So here A'h am with ma'h special sompone'h, getting' ready to face tartarus. So what if'n A'h was a year short ta'h be draft'd. A fighter is a fighter, an' if'n the rumors of an attack on Equestria were true. We're gonna need all the fighters we could get! So A'hm ready, as is ma'h Scoots!
Two Pone'hs Were goin' inta'h tartarus ta'hday! Hoof an' hoof till tha sun stoped shinnin'!
Now, Applejack wah'snt too keen on the idea. Sayin' stuff like A'h needed ta stay here with granny, with her. But A'h couldn't do that, not when Scootaloo was goin'. We fought, we said thing's we didn't mean, things that hurta's both. Soon enough tho', she saw ma'h side of things. Not tha' she could talk much, what with havin' a foaldadde'h in the Guard herself. About darn time she got herself a special someponne'h, probably could'a waited to get a foal, but at least she's got somepone'h. A reckon it's tha only reason wha'h she let me go.
They called Me'h back first, A'h gave scoots a quick peck before A'h marched up to tha nurs's staion. I wah'snt too keep on the mare's hands all over me'h, but A'h knew it was just her job. Before A'h knew it, A'h was giv'n a clean bill a'health, told A'hd be wit' tha 955th, givin' orders fer basic trainin' in Canterlot, an' a train ticket fer ta'hmarro'h mornin', one way ta Canterlot. It was a long drawn out process, ma'h thoughts often drift'd to Scootaloo, wonderin' how she was handlin' havin' ta'h sit still fer the long borin' process. It made me'h smile despite what A'h was doin'.
A'h came out a few hours later wit' ma'h papers in hoof, ma'h thoughts still on Scootaloo, wonderin' what unit she was attached too, if'n it was gonna be close to mine, maybe even combined wit' mine! Oh how great that would be! A'h came out ta the waitin' room, surprised ta find Scoots already out, but that's not all, somethin' was wrong. A'h could already tell she had been cryin', been wit' her long enough to be able ta'h know that. Which'n was weird cuz' Scoots never cried in public, she always held it in till we could find somewhere private. She was 'too cool' ta'h cry in public. A'h rushed over ta'h her, forgettin' ma'h papers as A'h reached her. Her eyes let go fresh tears as she saw me'h. She met me'h half way, an' almost crazy look'n her eyes as she held ma'h shoulders.
“TELL ME THEY DIDN'T TAKE YOU!”
Her crackin' voice spat out as she held me'h.
“Scoots! What's going on-”
“PLEASE, APPLEBLOOM! TELL ME THAT THEY DIDN'T TAKE YOU! PLEASEHEHEZZ!”
Tears were pourin' ba'h now, her breath comin' in short, sharp, sobs, her body shakin' like a leaf in a storm. A'h did tha only thang A'h knew ta do when she got like this. A'h held her in ma'h hooves tight. Let her cry fer as long as she needed. Letting out soft shooshin' sounds as a passed ma'h hooves through her purple mane. “Calm down sugarcube, A'hm here, no need ta be fussin' like that. Everytha-”
“They Didn't take me...” A shaky, sore voice interrupted me'h. Her sobs havin' calmed down, but not left. It took me'h a moment ta catch what she'd said, and ba'h then she said it again, words that shook me'h to ma'h core. “They didn't take me.” Ma'h eyes grew wide as A'h pulled away enough ta be face ta face with her. Her red puffy eyes looked inta'h mine. She sniffled a few times as she studied ma'h shocked expressi'n, “T-t-they said, mu'h-mu'h, my wings aren't strong enough. -sniff- They said I can't fly in the air force with such weak wings, and that I'm not strong enough to be in the Earth Corps...They-They deeNUYEHD MEEEeeeeheheheheeee!” she cried as she began ta'h sob into ma'h mane again. A'h stood there lost fer words, holdin' my fillyfriend as she cried, ma'h eyes lookin' for somethin' in the distance. A'h didn't know what it was. Maybe'h it was'n answer, maybe'h it was a sign. Celestia knew what the buck it was. A'h sure as tartarus didn't.
“They didn't take you right?” A'h heard her speak in her crakin' voice again, but didn't really understand.
“Did they take you?” she asked, havin' calmed down enough ta speak normal again. Her shakin' hoof tryin' ta'h comb ma'h wet, mated mane. “Bloom, please answer me! Did they take you?!” she asked again, a desperation to her tone. Her hooves holdin' my muzzle tight, A'h think it hurt, A'h wasn't sure. But A'h couldn't answer her, ma'h voice had left me'h, words confused me'h, all A'h could do was look behind me'h, at the discard'd folder behind me'h. Ma'h clean bill and orders havin' spilled out for all to see.
Scoots tried ta spur an answer out'a me'h, but eventually noticed the direction of ma'h gaze. There was only a few seconds of silence, followed ba'h hickups, mixed with bitter cries. She wailed this time, she kept repeatin' the word 'no' over an' over inta'h ma'h mane. Her hooves despereatly trying to hold me, to keep me'h where A'h was. More tears, more cries an' wails, A'h felt us hit tha cold ground, A'h reckon both our hooves failed us. It wasn't long before somepone'h else joined Scootaloo in her frantic cries. It took me'h a minuet to figure out that that somepone'h was me'h. We laid there in tha middle of tha RG armore'h, cryin' our hearts out.
The deed was done, Ther' were no reversin' it naow. Not wi'tout riskin' ma'h neck fer lyin' to the Royal Guard, the Guard A'h was now part of. A'h no longer applied to reguler pone'h laws.
Onle'h pone'h was goin' ta'h inta'h tartarus ta'hday. Alone inta'h tha darkness, till tha sun came
The train whistle screeched slightly as it let out it's call for the passengers to board the train. The station, full of RG, started to thin as guardsponies filled into the trains, some excited, some fearful, others uncaring, a few reluctant. Deserters being put back into service with a promise of a full pardon come the end of the conflict. To me though it meant that my time with Applebloom was at an end once more. This would mark the second time I'd had to say goodbye to her in these short three months. She was such a beautiful mare, one I'd been happy to call my filly friend for these past 5 years, the day right after we got our cutie marks, her's of hammer with a pink Apple Blossom in full bloom sitting on top of it. Mine of a pair of smoky wings that sprouted of a screeching tire. I held my wings tight to my body as I looked at her, she looked back at me and smiled.
She hasn't changed much in the time I've known her. Sure she's grown up some, physically and mentally, but she's always been a bright, although extremely stubborn filly, she's always been someone you can depend on. Even her look had'nt chaned a whole lot in these past few years. She still wore pink ribbons on her head and tail, curling both mane and tail slightly. It wasn't till she had gone through basic training for the guard that she chaned her look, and more because she had to rather than wanted to.
Now this filly, who had seemed to be standing taller than before, almost looming over me despite her warm caring smile, had a shortly cropped mane as to better accommodate her shiny new helmet that she held in her off hoof. He tail left flat and straight, there was no need for curls in the guard, a luxury one couldn't afford in the field. Her Pink ribbon no where to be found, even on her leisure. I use to ask her why she didn't get rid of it, why she didn't change her mane style, now I miss it.
I try my best to smile, to put on a brave face for this even braver pony before me. She tells me not to worry, that she was just manning an outpost, far from the griffons and their raids on the borders. But a pony going to war was still a pony going to war, no matter how you put it. “A'h got somethin' fer ya,” I heard her say as she reached into her breast plate, pulling it out for me to see. Smiling warmly she held in her hoof her pink ribbon. “You don't think I got rid of it did you?” she said with a tiny chuckle. I honestly didn't what to think of it, she always avoided talking about her ribbon, almost like she was ashamed of it somehow. “Yeah I did,” I said honestly, that bothered her, I could tell, but her smile didn't waver as she stepped closer. She took my hoof and put the ribbon in it. “Keep it safe fer me'h, would'ya? Don't want it getting' lost on'a patrol or somthin'”
She always wore the sweetest smile when she was around me, didn't matter what she was going through, she always made sure she was smiling around me. Some manure about having to smile when I was with her, because I always made her happy. It was annoying cuz it made it hard to tell how she felt about stuff when she was always bucking smiling about everything. But it just meant I had to learn to read her eyes, not her face, and right now, they were shinnier than normal, tell tale of her holding back the tears, the sorrow of having to leave her again, her eyes probably looked a lot like hers then. There was also something else, something hidden deeper in her beautiful eyes, It was a thing I didn't see often, it was fear.
The whistle blew again, the conductor called out to the few ponies left on the platform for final boarding. She turned her head slightly, and her smile widened, it looked painful, “A'h guess this is goodbye fer a while huh?” I stood there, silent, my wings were trembling from how hard I held them to my body. My thoughts and eyes drifted, thoughts mulling over the possibility fo this being the very last time I saw her. I shook visibly, but only for a moment. Applebloom tried to find my eyes, but my body refused her the pleasure. Her smile waned slightly, “A'h know this is hard for sugarcube, but ya'h got ta'h know this ain't easy fer me either, right?...Can ya at least look at me'h before A'h go?” her smile held on her face only by the fringes. I still couldn't face her, my mind focusing on my cramping wings. Was this the right time? I thought.
Applebloom let out a shaky sigh, moving closer and giving me a peck on my head, it made me flinch. This is it, I should do it now, “A-A'hl write ya'h Scoots... take care.” she said her face was shifting between a frown and a smile, she turned to walk away from me, I saw her raise a hoof to her eyes to wipe something away. I need to do it now. I took her hoof before she reached the train. She looked back at me, her smile was well and gone, her face showed her pain and sadness now, as well as hints of confusion. “A'h need ta go now Scootaloo, ya'h had yer chance ta say goodbye and ya'h blew it,” her voice was shaky and spiteful now. I hurt her bad didn't I? “This isin't goodbye,” I started out simply, her look scruching up more as I kneeled before her. I lifted my wing to reveal a box, one that had left it's mark on my coat, “It's a promise.” Her face was priceless now, jaw practically on the floor, attempting to form words in vain.
I smile at her as I crack the box open, and reveal a simple hoof band made of gold. “A promise that I'll be waiting here for you, but not as your fillyfriend,” I smile softly as I slide the hoof band on to her left leg. “But as your fiance, so you need to come back, so we can have our wedding, and live happily till were both old and gray” she looked at me for the longest time. She did the last thing I expected her to do, she slapped me. Now Applebloom was strong before, what with her apple bucking and chores around the farm, but her RG training seemed to have doubled that strength, cuz damn did that slap hurt, the taste of copper filled my mouth, “YA' BUCKIN' IDIOT! YA'H STUPID, RETARDED FILLY! YA'H GIVE ME THA COLD SHOULD'R JUST TO PROPOSE TO ME'H?!” I was reeling cuz of the slap, stars in my vision that were quickly joined by the visage of Appleblooms angry face, apparently she had picked me up at some point.
This is really not what I was expecting, I flinch as she brought her hoof up, shovig the hoof band in my face damn near. Had I really done so wrong? “I SHOULD BUCKIN' KILL YA'H FOR THIS! DO YA'H HAVE ANE'H IDEA HOW MUCH HEARTACHE YA'H JUST PUT ME THROUGH?!” Had I hurt her that badly? I could vaguely tell that more guardspones had gathered behind the screaming Applebloom. I also noticed that my hooves were dragging on the platform, the train was beginning to move.“AN' YA'H HAVE THE GAL TA'H DO IT WHEN I ONLE'H HAVE SECONDS TA'H ENJOY IT, YA'H MORONIC MANURE HEAD!!” My turn to look confused now, AN' SURE AS SUGAR GONNA GET IT WHEN A'H GET BACK!” She kissed me, long, hard, and freaking rough. It made me shiver and moan, as well as the ponies behind her to hoot and holler.
She broke the kiss with a gasp, her hoof stroking my quickly brusing cheek softly. “Ya'h better keep yer promise Scoots. Cuz A'h ain't gonna be one of those fille'hs that get left at tha alter.” She said smiling sweetly, her eyes still full of tears, but these were of happyness, not rage or sorrow, as well as a red tinge to her lips, probably from my bleeding lip. She made my heart flutter, right before she dropped me. I rolled a few times in the dirt and grass as my speed was drastically slowed from that of a moving train to a sprawled out filly. “TAKE GOOD CARE OF YERSELF SCOOTS! A'H LOVE YAAA'H!” I heard her call out from the train. I smiled softly, right before passing out where I sat.
This is it, six months have passed and it's finally time for me to join her. I'm coming to join you fluttershy. I would smile if I could, To many crystals in my body for me to do that anymore. I can barely see the world anymore, my eyes too cloudy. Just enough to distinguish Colors, through a red filter, and shapes. Sounds ring when I hear them, but I can still kinda understand what ponies tell me. Right now, Twilight is giving me another long explanation about what she's going to do with me, another attempt to rid me of something that I want to keep.
She had only found out about my infection after Spike's trial a few weeks ago. Hard to hide large amounts of swelling when you're testifying in court. But it's alright, I hate to say it, but Twilight isint going to win this fight, not this time. I'm stuck in a resting position on my side, the disease having decided to take my movement away in my sleep. I might be in much cooler looking position if the stupid plague had just waited a few hours. Not like it matters anymore.
I hear Twilight talk about some kind of virus that she made on her own that she's planning on putting into me, an anti-plague virus or something. Telling me how it would work, that would eat up viruses that made the crystals, or something. A lot of it is lost on me, half because I didn't understand, the other half because I didn't care. Nurse Redheart is shuffling around me, checking this and that, trying hard to find something on my body, probably somewhere were she could stick her needle it. Easier said than done when you were this far gone. She tried regardless, and wouldn't you know, she found one on one of my wing tips?
Anyways, back to the egghead, which mind you, she has still been talking all this time. If I could do so roll my eyes if I could. But the most I could do was groan in boredom. Which of course she takes it as an excuse to keep going. Eventually though she has said everything that there is to know about the plague and the current attempt at curing my body of the plague, all with extremely annoying detail.
There's a good chance that all of us know that this will not work, that I am a lost cause. Good as a statue. That didn't stop Twilight from trying though. Why should it? Maybe because the friend she was trying to save didn't want it? Not that she could, or wanted, to say that. Let her believe that she wanted to be saved, give her a reason to work to save others. No one deserved the pain her and her Special somepony had endured. Her research equipment came to life. Computers she called them,it was the size of a carriage, the magically fulled battery humed while the box of listed of information in equestrian.
“Nurse, start up your scan of the patient's-” Just call me 'Dash' egghead, “blood.”
Redheart nodded as her pinkish magic came to life, the familiar tingling accompanied by the literal stir of her blood felt all to familiar to her now. “Blood composition sits a 73% crystal and rising, 11% Plague, 16% viable blood, now 74% Crystal, 15% viable blood. Patient heart rate labored-” got that right, “showing early signs of arrhythmia, 75% Crystal, 14% viable blood.”
I kept hearing my crystal content go up, and her blood go down. It always happened when they experimented on me, the longer the scanning magic would go, the more aggressive the virus became. I welcomed these times, I'd smile if I could, Just a little bit longer.
“It's now or never! Administering the virus!” she called out with the tapping of a few keys on the computer's huge keyboard. A syringe with clear liquid, surrounded by a purple veil of magic hovered over to me, quickly getting out of my line of sight as it went for the injection site on my wing. The only indication on my part that I had been injected with anything was an announcement from Redheart.
“Experimental virus 0.5%, plague 10.5%, crystal 78%, viable blood 11%, heartrate dropping, patient is going into arrhythmia!” my head was becoming hazy and light, like when I pulled to sharp of a turn at high speeds, which meant that air wasn't reaching my brain well enough. I'm coming home Shy.
A ringing settled in my ears now as the blackness started to close around my vision. Twiligght had appeared in my sight picture, she was all I could see really. That desperate look in her eyes, those tears. It hurt me to think that I was the reason she was in such a bad way, but I couldn't help it. I had been loyal to my friends long enough, given all I had, now it was time to give myself something, to follow my heart. I let the darkness fill me and waited for the sweet release.
It's still dark...why is it still dark?....
I see a light, but I can't move, I can feel again, it hurts... Should it still hurt?
The ringing was back,muffled sounds filling my ears, the light becomes brighter, blinding me for a second. It's not long before I can see twilight again. No.... She smiles, laughing I can see, but can only half-hear, her hooves on either side of my face. No.... I should be dead.... “Plague 2%! Experimental virus 15%! Viable blood 53! Crystals down to 30%! Heart rate stabalizing!” She called out happily as Twilight began to bounce in front of me in happy cheers. She'd done it.... She had cured me.... Fluttershy....?
I can feel my body beomcing my own again, pain rocking it as crystal mangled mucle and skin slowly return to normal. My guess is that the virus had some kinda of...something that also got rid of the crystals... I won't get to see her now.... I lost her for good.... went through all this pain for nothing...
I sat there dumbstruck, as twilight returned to me, tears of just streaming down her face, a painfully happy smile plastered on her face, “welcome back to the land of the living Dash.” She said, her voice was chicked up as she hugged me close. I could do nothing but sit there and stare at nothing. My mind reeling, would I never see Fluttershy again? Would I be forced to stay here when the pony I loved has moved on to elysium? No I can still follow her. “I'm coming Fluttershy” I heard myself say.
I worked myself free of the now baffled Twilight, I heard her ask me things, but her questions fell on deaf ears. My mind was focused, “I'm coming Fluttershy!” I cry out louder, I test my wings, they were lethargic, and fairly unresponsive from having been sitting lazy for the past month and a half, but I quickly reminded them of work, soon they fell back into step with each other. Not perfectly, but enough to give me lift. I was out the window within moments. My ears were filled with the sound of the rushing wind, and two sets of flapping wings. Twilight had given chase, she called out to me, but I ignored her as I began to climb.
I beat my worn wings hard, harder than I should have to, they shrieked in pain, but I ignored them. Higher and higher I climbed, can a pegasus reach heaven by flying up there? Probably not, but I was willing to try anyways. I could see gray skies above me, the weather ponies had called for rain it seemed. The thought quickly went away as I pushed myself harder.
I could hear the voice behind me growing quieter by the second. Twilight couldn't keep up, I wasn't surprised. The fastest flyer in Equestria wouldn't be shown up by a novice flyer like her, even if she was a princess. Soon enough I broke through the chilly gray clouds. Soon enough I couldn't hear the second set of wings behind me.
The higher I climed the harder it was to fly, by now I was beating my wings twice as much as when I started, and I was slowing down, not speeding up like before. My lung were burning, there wasn't enough air up here to keep my lungs happy. I didn't care, I was going to reach her, alive or dead.
Suddenly I felt a snap in my left wing, I cried out in pain as it stopped flapping, it hang lamely off my shoulder. I could feel an indescribable pain in my wing. I figured I had sprained or straight up torn a muscle as I started to tumble in the air, my right wing alone couldn't keep me in the air. I was falling, and I was falling quick. There was no way I was reaching her alive, not anymore, death was my only option now.
I used my still good wing to straighten myself out, aiming my body downwards. I could see a purple body a few hundred hooves below me. I ignored her once again, as I shot downwards now. My left wing smacked against my body as the wind threw it about. It was a constant struggle to keep myself headed down straight, but I managed to do with my one good wing, even managing to get one or two wing flaps in there to increase my speed. I could see a cone of air in front of my muzzle just as I passed a purple blur, I think I heard her call me again.
I felt her magic cling to my fur, an attempt to catch me no doubt, but I was going to fast I'd bet. I was probably out of her range before she could get a good lock. I just hope she wasn't stupid enough to follow me into the dive.
I broke the cloud cover next, I saw the drops of rain besides me, I passed them by on my way to the ground, the cone was really close to my muzzle now. It was only a matter of seconds before my muzzle passed the cone. A boom filled my ears as I reached sonic rainboom speeds. I felt the magical strings of the rainbow pull on my mane and tail.
What a wonderful way to die.
The ground was closing in fast, I stared at it for as long as my eyes held. Trying not to blink before it was over, but it was a loosing battle. I shut my eyes for the last time. I didn't see myself hit the ground. I never heard the awful 'splat' I surely made. Never heard Twilight's shrieking voice as she spotted my remains. All I remember everything suddenly stopped. The fastest flyer in Equestria had just punched out her own ticket in the most awesome way ever.
The blackness was back, but only for the moment. A pure light flashed in front of me, I smiled, knowing full well what it was. I could even see her standing there, waiting for me. Her beautiful yellow coat back to it's lovely splendor. “Fluttershy! I'm here!” I called out happily. Giddy to finally be back with her, I ran, I ran faster than ever before. She smiled sadly at me, the thought of why ticket in my mind for only a second before I continued my push towards her, she was almost withing my reach.
She was literally a hoof away when I hit something. I didn't know what, but it felt like a wall. I bounced off the unseen surface with an 'oomph!' I landed on my haunches, staring confused at her, again I tried to go towards her, but again an invisible wall stopped me. “HEY! WHAT GIVES!! LET ME IN!! LET ME SEE HER!! SHE'S RIGHT THERE! STOP THIS HORSE MANURE!” I screamed out in a cracking voice, banging on the wall with all my might. I saw her cry, tears fell from her muzzle onto the unseen ground, this straight up broke my heart, shattered it like it was glass. I banged harder, screamed even harder, wanting and willing to tear the invisible wall in front of me to shreds with my bear hooves to get to her.
“I'm sorry my little pony, but you can not go where she is right now.” A voice said behind me. My eyes growing wide as I spun around in a moment, she sat there before me, a regal and majestic as ever. “Princess Celestia? What in tartarus are you doing here?” I asked confused beyond measure as she looked at me with sad eyes. “The same thing you are my dear pony, I'm meeting with fate” she said, a bit cryptic for my taste, but I could figure out what she meant soon enough. I didn't think she could die.
“But this is not about me, Rainbow Dash, this is about you, what you've done. The second worst crime a pony can commit, one that I have committed to a similar extent as you,” she said slowly as she walked beside me. “Suicide is not something mother approves of, ponies who do it, are barred entry from Elysium, at least for a time. Regardless if the cause was to save one's ponies, or to be reunited with a lost love” she said as she put a hoof to the invisible wall. “We are to walk in purgatory for 1000 years for our crime. Time enough to pay and repent for our crime. Only then can we walk Elysium freely.”
My mind broke for a second, unable to process what I was hearing for a moment. I turned to Fluttershy once more, I went mad for a moment as I banged on the wall again, desperate to reach her. But it was all in vain, the wall held, and all I managed to do was make Fluttershy cry even more. “Fluttershy...” I said in a cracked voice, putting my hoof and muzzle to the wall. I cried, like no cool pony should ever do, but it wasn't like I cared anymore. I could see Fluttershy return the actions, but I couldn't feel her. I could swear my hoof was touching hers, my muzzle practically kissing hers, but all I could feel was the Tartarus forsaken wall. I broke down in a heap soon after.
Torn away from the pony I love because I was trying to get closer to her. I can't imagine anything more ironically painful. Soon enough, Celestia turned me away from the wall, guiding me to the desolate landscape we were to travel for 1000 years. I turned back and watched Fluttershy walk into the light before it disappeared from sight. Turning back in front of me, I looked in front of me, not really focusing on any one thing. My mind focused on her, and a simple thought.
Dark days have fallen over equestria, and were living in the thick of it. My mentor...my princess... my friend... Has died. Another victim added to the plagues tally. Naturally, the kingdom is in disarray. The plague, the griffons, both hit us hard, but The princess' death was the drop that spilled the glass. Maybe it was just the suddenness of it, no one knew she was sick until she collapsed in her court. I haven't seen her, I don't want to see her, but I've been told it that she looked nothing like our majestic leader. Her hide was like bubbled leather, eyes white and blind, no fur, no hair, her body heavy with the crystallized blood. The amount of magic she used kept to no only set and raise the sun, but keep her glamour up, speed the disease up to exponential rates. Her self exposure to the sun may have kept the disease as bay, but it was double edged sword, as it also lowered her bodies own defenses against the disease. It happened the same day I had discovered my cure for this damned plague. The same day I lost another of my dearest friends.... Cruel joke by the powers at be no doubt.
This happened two weeks ago, in that time, we've had war declared war on is. The griffon empire has attacked various border towns and cities, to include Trottingham and Stalliongrad. We lost contact with all of the cities attacked, assumed lost to the griffonian attackers as they march further into the kingdom's borders. The Crystal Empire is under siege, thought to be standing only because the griffons missinformation that it too would be a softer target thanks to the disease, when in reality it's one of the only places in Equestria that has their RG detachment at full force. Canterlot being a close second, but only because of its ranks being swelled with newly trained gaurdsponies.
I've recalled all my friends back into my own kingdom, where the remains of the 955th have set up their defenses. I find it unnerving that my home has been turned into a bunker of sorts. But I guess it comes with the territory of being a princess, to be held in in a castle and to be protected in times like these. Might also have something to do with the fact that I am the only person currently tasked with distributing the cure as well. I just wish I could have brought more of Ponyville in here with me instead of leaving them to seek refuge in Canterlot or brave the storm that may befall the town itself. As it stands, I only managed to convince the RG to allow my close friends into the castle, to include Pinkie, Rarity, Applejack, Zecora and Scootaloo.
I also have the, now orphaned, cake twins, as well as Nurse Redheart and Doctor Lifeline, both because of Applejack's special condition, which is getting close to term now, and to assist me with replicating the cure.
I find myself spacing out much more than I used to, my friend, no my family, are in pieces, half of them dead because of the plague, the rest with spirits broken, one in particular having a body to match her broken soul. I hear she has found some solace in a particular Sergeant that stayed behind with the 955, his home unit having gone missing with the loss of Trottingham. Not that I mind, anything to help keep our minds at ease. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't jealous, the only one of my friends, save maybe pinky, who has no one to give her comfort in these dark times.
That's alright though, my work has kept me plenty busy. There are still many ponies who have yet to receive the cure. Ponies that were still dying, now unnecessarily, I couldn't have that. So I toiled, making vial after vial of my magically infused cure. Aiming to save as many as I could, hoping that his would eradicate this horrible plague. It wasn't until that certain sergeant, the one currently keeping Rarity well and occupied, came around that I took a break. He was quick to learn, much like spike did, that I could be absorbed by my work, and needed to be reminded that I needed breaks.
“Is it that time again Sight? I didn't know it had become that late, though I never do” I chuckled at my own tiny joke, I was proud I could keep my emotions in check, enough to be able to joke again. Though the look on the sergeants face gave me grounds to think now was not one of those times were joking was appropriate. My face turned from a smile to a concerned frown, one he matched in kind, with the added tinge of confusion and surpprise.
“Princess Luna is here”
_
The times have been tiring, we-I have only just calmed myself enough to face my subjects once more, and already am I in the thick of another war upon my land. When I came back all those years ago, I would have thought the peace my late sister had brought upon our lands would stay for millenia to come, but this is not the case. Griffons once more seek our destruction, they think us weak with the plague, and they are right. We are only but steps out of the clutches of this plague, with many still firmly in it's grasp, others facing it's ugly maw as we speak.
All of this is of no consequence, however. My dear sister may have fallen, many of our countyrponies, may have fallen with her. But I, along with my sisters apprentice, and plenty of other ponies, still stand, and we stand strong. If it's destruction they seek, let them face it first had at the end of my guardsponies blades. In the meantime however, I have tasked myself with keeping our remaining national treasures safe. Those being the surviving Elements of Harmony.
I waited patiently in the reception hall of my fellow princess' kingdom, clad from hoof to horn in my moonstone armor. The lite-violet colored metal shone softly even when in direct light, akin to the gentle glow of the moon, it was also extraordinarily light. Something which offered me plenty of dexterity both in combat and in flight.
When Twilight arrived, she gave me an incredolous look, “princess? What are you doing here? And what're you wearing?” I heard her ask as she trotted down the stairs to meet me, she was followed by most of the ponies who occupied the castle, to include the other elements.
“This, Twilight, is my moonstone armor, a set I bring out only in times of war. Something that you should also be, and will be, wearing, once the metal workers have finished making it for you. What's more I am taking you and your friends back to the Castle in Canterlot, we cannot risk your safety or that of the remaining Elements. Given the poor defensive position of your kingdom, we have decided it's best that we relocate you to the Canterlot,” I stated simply. The look she gave me was admittedly priceless, jaw nearly on the floor, eyes about the size of saucers. It was truly a sight, one that I could only allow myself to enjoy for a short moment. “You are all to pack your things as quickly as possible, we leave before the day is done.”
Twilight took a moment to regain herself, shaking her head slightly, clearing her throat softly, before taking a stance before me, her 'princess side' as I like to call it, coming out as she stood before me. “If we are to come with you, I'd request that the 955th be tasked to myself and my friends as our personal guard, and that another, fully strengthed, unit come replace it here in ponyville. What's more I also request that Zecora, Nurse Redheart, and Doctor Lifeline accompany us to help with the syntheses of the cure.” She looked back at me expectantly. It was a fairly tall order, to say that retasking the remainder of the 955 as well as moving, the now apparent, entourage that Twilight and her friends had, would be cumbersome was an understatement, but I could see that Twilight would not budge from her stance.
With little other choice I agreed with a nod. “Done, but the 955 comes later, we need to move you and your friends first, and we need to move you now,” I stated with emphasis. To which twilight nodded. “Fine, but we will take a small squad of five ponies to accompany us, Sergeant True Sight!” She turned to one of the guardsponies, one of the only unicorns I had spotted among the hashtag company. “Yes princess!” he called out loudly. “Hoofpick four of your best soldiers to come accompany us to Canterlot as an advanced party, after that, pack your things, you're to come with us.” She stated, much to the sergeants apparent approval. “Right away princess!” he said as he took off to do just that. “We will meet you in ponyville station princess” she said before taking her own leave, followed in toe by her friends.
I sighed softly, admiring my fellow princess' bravado “I see now why it was that my sister picked you."
The 955th stood vigil in the valley of the Foal mountains just outside of Baltimare, they were staged in the valley to set up a pony-ran blockade of the train tracks that stood between Baltimare and Canterlot. They were a fail safe should the city of Baltimare fall to the griffons, a last stand between the griffons and Canterlot. If nothing else, they were to sabotage the train tracks so that the griffons couldn't use them. Which meant using the blasting gel their allies the goats were kind enough to give them. It was suppose to work to a greater effect than their, apparently archaic, dynamite. It had four times the force with almost a quarter of the mass. The only catch is that it only worked with what the goats like to call 'electricity' contained in small 'batteries'. All of which they supplies to the ponies, but it was still experimental to them.
It took some trial and error on the part of the 955th engineer platoon to get the new technology to work right. A few new craters in the side of the foal mountains were testimony to the trails of the 955th's engineers. One of which , now corporal, Apple Bloom, showed herself to have a very good grasp on how to effectively use the explosives. To the extent that she was placed in charge of setting up the charges along the train tracks. She had even earned herself the nickname of Apple 'Boom' thanks to her mastery of the explosives, a title she took graciously. A mile and a half worth of blasting gel was carefully arranged by the yellow earth pony and other guardsponies that were working under her scrutiny.
“Corporal Boom! Front and center” A tall earth stallion called out, flanked by a pegasus mare, and a unicorn stallion. The yellow earth pony didn't respond immediately, too focused on putting a blasting cap into another blob of carefully sculpted gel on the tracks, her tongue sticking out as she did this. Once she was done she dusted off her hooves and trotted over to the stallion who called her name. Bringing up her hoof for a salute once she noticed who it was. “Here Sir!” she said smartly, holding the salute. “At ease corporal,” he said waving his hoof dismissively, “it's bad enough when every other pony salutes me, let alone family.” The now Captain, Grand Stand said playing annoyance. Apple 'Boom' smirked softly as he looked at the older stallion, “ya ain't famile'h yet sir, ya got ta give her on'a these first,” she said flashing her still new hoof band to the older stallion. Something that made him laugh, “I suppose so corporal, how're things going here?” The Stallion asked as he began to walk down the tracks, the other two ponies that had been flanking him following behind him.
Apple 'Boom' followed besides the Stallion looking back at the other two ponies behind Stand, “Thangs are goin' good, we just got tha last of tha blastin' gel on tha tracks. Trigger should be ready ta use now, an' we're getting' tha last hundred hooves hooked up as we speak.” She said confidently, to which the Stallion nodded he inspected the gel personally. 'Boom' had turned towards the two other ponies again, “tag'a'longs?” She asked curiously to the captain. “More like force commanders, and it's Sir and Ma'am to you, corpral” the captain chastised lamely. “They're leading the two support companies that have been assigned to ours, the highers want this route secured, at any cost.” He said motioning towards the explosive gel with a nod of his head.
Apple bloom gave a nod back as she pursed her lips, hoof playing with the band around her left foreleg as she gave their situation some serious thought. “Is this ah suicide mission Stand? Do they honestle'h think we can hold tha valle'h?” she asked the stallion, the look she gave him begged for honesty. The stallion for his part wouldn't lie to the younger mare, but didn't answer her either. “Carry on Corpral,” Stand spoke softly before turning to rejoin the other two officers. Apple bloom, for the second time in her short military career thought of running away for her obligations. Her need to go back home the only thing keeping her there. “Priv't Filler, make sure these charges are all wir'd up good! I got a letter to write....” Applebloom didn't wait to hear the response from her subordinate as she walked off towards the tents that were their living quarters. _
A week later and still no signs of enemy forces, the assembled hashtag of military units sat and waited. No trains or ponies for that matter, an unsettling fact that gave hints and whispers to what was happening in Baltimare. Most of the guardsponies were sure that the city had fallen, it was just a matter of time that the ponies at the hastily constructed gate found themselves face to face with the enemy.
All the ponies that stood at the gate at Foal valley were nervous to say the very least. It was no longer a question of if, but when they would receive contact. Applebloom, was at the very least thankful she wasn't up on the wall, being tasked with making and distributing grenades made from the new blasting gel for the troops to lob at the offending griffons and their siege machines if they had any. Though being off the wall didn't save her from the feeling of dread of the upcoming battle.
In the midday sun a pegisi sentry hollered out to the troops bellow, “Contact! Griffons three hundred yard down the valley!” This brought the wall to action as ponies aimed their pikes, swords, and hoof blades towards the offending griffons. Capt. Stand stood at the ledge of the walls, eyes now glued to a pair of binoculars as he confirmed that there were infact griffons marching on their possition. Why they were grounded was beyond him, but he didn't question it right now. “I want squadron two on reconasis! I want to know just how many of the bird brains were up against! Shield caster get ready but do not deploy until they get closer! Bolt casters to your blinds! Grenadiers prep your charges!” the stallion continued to call out his orders, as the griffon's continued their slow approach.
Applebloom could only steal glances at the opposing force through one of the bolt caster blinds at the base of the wall. The force wasn't much more than a company's worth of griffons, at least that's what the pegasus scout said, but the fact that they were really there made Applebloom's color drain from her features. Sure she was well trained, a proven fighter in the practice ring, a good enough leader when she needed to be, and could sure as hell buck the head of anything that got too close, but the fact remained she had never seen combat. Her fight or flght kicked in, dumping adrenaline into her blood stream to ready her body from the upcoming danger heart raced, the grenade in her hand shook eyes turning into pin pricks as they focused on the approaching force, her stomach lurched as it threatened to rid her of her breakfast. Her mind in turmoil whether to hightail it back home. Her hoof clutching the hood hand around her foreleg tight.
She was so preoccupied with the scene before her she didn't even notice the Unicorn commander that had been following Stand earlier come up to her. The hoof he placed on her shoulder made her jump, which almost sent the grenade in her hoof to go flying. She probably would have kicked the stallion if she didn't have the grenade in her hooves.
“Enough of that now corpral, won't do us any good to have our demolition mare shaking our ordnance before a battle.” The stallion said with a tiny smile.
Applebloom looked up at him for a moment then back at her shaking hooves, using one to hold the other against her body with a sigh as she calmed herself down. “Sorry sir, I-”
“Do you think a falling tree makes a sound if there's nopony there to hear it?” The unicorn with a Trottingham accent asked non-nonchalantly as he hoofed through the already prepared grenades, picking up one or two for himself.
Applebloom stared at the stallion for a moment confused, “what?”
“I'm asking you a question. Do you think a falling tree makes a sound if there's nopony there to hear it?” the stallion asked again, leaving Applebloom a bit lost for words.
“Why are ya' askin' me this? Buck Ah don't know, sure?” she asked unsure of the answer as she looked at the unicorn commander. To which he simply nodded and began to trot away, “What's tha point of asking a silly question like that?” she called after the stallion who simply smiled as he turned to her.
“You stopped shaking” he said, his smile turned into a grin as the flash of realization hit Applebloom. “When you're mind is frayed by battle, it's sometimes best to think of something abstract to get your mind off. I feel thought problems do that very nicely, wouldn't you agree Corporal 'Boom'?”
A tiny smile graced her lips as he looked at the unicorn commander “Yes sir Ah do, thanks!” She statted honestly as she looked upon the unicorn setting up at the blind.
“Thanks? For what exactly Corporal? I have done nothing but my duty this day.” He statted simply as he readied his horn and his magic.
Applebloom smirked softly as now steady hooves went back to working on the grenades. Her nerves steeling against the upcoming battle.
_
A silence would fill the valley for some time, as the griffons simply stood there. The ponies which were on the defensive, had little option but to wait to see what their enemy had in store for them. Their strength lay in their defenses after all, trying to reach out as far as the enemy was might spell disaster for the ponies involved, the chance of getting surrounded being very possible with they flight capable griffons.
The sounds of caws from the griffon's native tongue replaced the silence in the valley, the griffons organizing themselves into three long lines, each one twenty-five griffon deep, stacked three high creating a wall of griffons. All wielding long, oddly shaped, metal and wood pikes with narrow blades.
“What kind of formation is that?” One of the soldiers commented, something Stand had no answer for.
Another set of caws, and the griffons put their pikes to their shoulders, pointing the ends towards the pony defenders. Their actions were baffeling, Stand kept wracking his mind as for the reasons for the strange formation. Then a spark of insight.
Another Caw
He had seen this formation before, but only once, it was when he was still a cadet. He was visiting the Goat Republic, they were showing off their new weapons at the time. A sort of dog and pony show that the allied nation like to hold from time to time. Those weapons, nasty thing that anypony, or goat rather, could wield and use. His eyes grew wide in realization. He let out a desperate cry to raise shields and take cover, but it was for naught.
One final, loud caw was bellowed out by the griffon commander, the booming sounds of rifle fire filled the air as seventy-five griffon rounds pelted the pony defenses. Pegisi fell from the sky, earth pony and unicorn alike simply fell limp as their bodies were struck. Cries of those unlucky enough to get struck with blows that weren't immediately lethal. Pegisi littered the ground, in broken piles, the fall finishing the job the bullet couldn't. A pair of stallions pulled another stallion down the ramparts calling for a medic, the one being dragged begging anypony to find his now missing leg. A unicorn stumbled about dumbly as her now missing horn leaked a glowing purple ooze. Shield casters desperately tried to link up with each-other as the other seventy-five griffons readied another wall. A call for orders rang out, but there would be no answer. The captain of the 955th lay prone on the battlements, his blood draining down his muzzle, his helmet now sporting an entry and exit hole, glassy eyes watching as another volley struck the pony defenders.
_
Just over one-hundred-fifty griffons stood in front of the gate erected in foal valley. They stood silent and confident in their abilities. Even if they were only a third of the size of the defending force, and unlike the ponies, wore no armor, opting for gray Griffonian fatigues instead. Their rifles would be the only weapons they needed.
Among the ranks stood a female griffon, a minority in the ground who was not standing proud like the rest. A pink sash around her right arm identifying her clearly as one of the few 'pony lovers' left among the griffonian ranks. The rest having met their end by the emperor's shooting squads. Gilda, being more afraid to die than to hurt the ones she used to call her friends was spared, but she still marked and forced into service for the empire.
“ALL PONY LOVERS TO THE FRONT!” the commander called with spite.
Gilda was reluctant, but a nudge from the now loath-fully familiar griffoness behind her, one that wore a black sash on the same arm, urged her into action. Taking flight she stood on the grounded rank of three, the two other pony lovers of the company, a male and another female, were placed in the same rank as her, they wore the same look of resentment as her.
“There will be no lead wasted today! Remember to Aim high! And aim center! Watchers! Feel free to put one in right in-between the plot-bucker's eyes if their rifle does not fire!” The commander again spoke with ire when mentioning her and her sister and brother in arms. “Ready weapons!” Gilda brought her rifle up to her shoulder, but kept it pointed to the ground, a butt to the ribs quickly corrected her aim as she pointed towards the wall. “You heard the commander, no wasted lead, if I so much as see a shot in the ground, I won't hesitate to put one in you!” the griffoness almost spat at Gilda as she readied her own rifle.
“Aim!” the call bellowed more fiercely. Gilda's eyes grew cloudy with threatening tears, reluctantly she aimed for the only thing she could, the shinny golden speck at the top of the wall. “I'm so sorry..” she whispered in pony talk, which earned her another, sharper butt to the ribs. Tears fell freely now as she was forced to a knee. She shut her eyes as she put her claw in the trigger well.
“FIRE!” her world was reducing to ringing as the shots filled her ears. Her vision was thankfully obscured by the tears she shed. Her eyes blind to the carnage that they just let loose on the ponies. Her head swiveled as she heard a pop to her left. The griffon, the pony lover who's wife and children were still beyond the gates they now seiged, now lay with his brain in the dirt, the smoking gun of the griffon aimed to where the griffon's head used to be. She quickly turned to the other griffoness, thankful to see that she was still alive, even more so when she saw tears in her eyes as well. It eased her mind that she was not alone. She resolved to get back on her feet. Loading another shot with little care, hoping that her rifle would misfire or something of the like.
The sounds of the second volley hit her ears not to far after she was done loading her rifle. Again she was urged to the front. They could only be maybe fifty yards from the gate now. The damage they caused quite visible now, brightly colored corpses and shinning armor littered the wall uselessly along with forgotten weapons of the fallen or maybe just the cowards. There was still some resistance, sheilds protected small pockets of ponies, bolts of magic spewed forth erratically, but were poorly aimed, mostly injuring, but not killing any griffons. She wondered if maybe she should jump in front of one of the magical vollies.
“Ready arms! Concentrate fire on the shields!”
Many griffons, including Gilda aimed at the brightly colored orbs, hoping against hope they would survive the barrage. “Aim!” claw against the trigger, stomach lurching, eyes still blurry. The ringing returned as she pulled her trigger.
_
Applebloom heard yet another round of thunder cracks come from the griffon lines, more sounds of splintering wood, more cries of agony. More sickening thuds as what remained of their air force was brought down. Tried not to dwell on those as she readied the grenades as instructed by the unicorn lieutenant that had calmed her down earlier as medic's dressed his chest. “I want those all-eeEEUGHOUGHOUGH!-” blood spilled from his lips, the medic urging him to stay silent, to which he stubbornly ignored. “I want all those grenades ready for their next advance! Then I want a full retreat! The gate is lost Mare's and Stallions! We need to get back to Canterlot to infrom them of what we're up against!” The unicorn stated before going into another fit of bloody coughs.
Applebloom worked as quickly as she could, prepping all the grenades she could find, her hooves having quickly gotten slick with blood of the fallen. Her mind trying to push the fact away as the griffons got closer, redying another firing line just as she finished her last grenade. “Alright everypone'h! Grab a'h grenade! Pull tha cord! And throw it at them bird brains!” she grabbed two for herself, cords finding their way into her mouth. A quick yank and the grenade began to hiss. With a heave she tossed the heavy ball towards the enemy, grinning slightly at the sight of the metal orbs landing at the feet of the confused griffons. She was about to turn and run when she spotted one of the ponies under her still holding their grenade, rope well and gone, the hiss clearly heard.
“FILLER YA IDIOT! THROW THAT BUCKIN' THIN'!” she called out, which only made the private turn to her, right before the device ignited. The last thing Applebloom saw was her former private, as well as two other unlucky ponies being turned to a red mist before a burning hot sting his her shoulder, throwing her to the ground, she landed facing the unicorn lieutenant, the world going mute to her, save for her breathing and her thundering heart. The medic that was treating the lieutenant was now slumped over the stallion, not moving, the lieutenant trying desperately to rid himself of the now dead weight on top of him. It was then that another flurry of splinters erupted from the walls. This time the lieutenant received a shot to the neck, hooves desperately tried to plug the now bleeding wound as blood sprayed out, but it was a loosing battle as his head and hooves quickly grew limp. She turned her body and saw ponies fleeing the gates as griffons now flew over the walls, taking aim with their rifle, the running ponies didn't stand a chance, they quickly fell to the griffon lead.
More griffons swarmed the area, probably looking for survivors. Applebloom remembering something that she was to do. Her hazy eyes turned to the plunger that sat only hooves away. The world was still muted for her, but the flashes she saw told her everything she needed to know. They were exterminating her kin, there was no prisoners. Her heart drummed loudly in her ears as she crawled towards the plunger, her leg lamely dragging behind her as she went. She saw the pegasus commander swoop down from the skies, taking a griffons head off with her hoof blade in her peripherals. More flashes of light filled her vision. The thundering in her heart grew faster as she saw the same pegasus crash just next to the plunger, dead eyes staring right at her. A griffoness, one with a pink sash noticed her, she thought her familiar, but didn't think of it, she had her priority, her goal. She reached the plunger but it was quickly snatched up by the griffoness. She couldn't hear it, but she knew she let out a whimper as the griffoness snatched up her goal. She looked down at Applebloom, recognition slowly settling in as her eyes slowly switching before the device and Applebloom. Silently she watched the scene, the griffoness' claw loomed over the plunger.
A bright flash filled her vision as the griffoness pushed the plunger down, the explosion seemed to bring Applebloom's hearing back, cries of the now injured griffons echoed through the valley, the smell of burnt feathers and blood thick now. She heard the thud as the plunged was dropped in front her. A confused look graced Applebloom's face as she stared up at the griffoness. Though it quickly devolved into fear as she saw the griffoness draw her weapon and point it at her. “Play dead” she heard the griffoness say, which only added confusion to her face of fear. Her eyes growing wide as the sharp blade at the end of the rifle was pointed at her chest plate, she could feel the pressure as the thin blade started to pierce her chest plate. Applebloom cried and whimpered desperately as she tried to push the weapon away with her hooves. But she was weak and down an foreleg, and the griffoness was uninjured and had leverage on her. She grew more desperate, urging her that she had a filly to go home to, a fiance at that. Her pleads appeared to fall on deaf ears as she finally felt the sting hit her chest. Tears flowed freely, her mouth open wide in a gasp as the blade pierced her chest and lung. Her thrashing soon stopped, eyes rolling into the back of her head as her eyes fell shut. Applebloom's world went dark.
_
Gilda held her bloody rifle loosely in her claws, red, puffy eyes staring down at the mare before her. Her watcher walked up to her, giving her a few strong pats on the back, congratulating her for the murder of the defenseless mare, right before she took the rifle away from her. Pony lovers were allowed rifles outside of battle. She stared at the body for a long while, eyes glue on the hoofband she wore. She hoped against hope that the would she inflected wasn't truly fatal, that she could return to the fiance she spoke off, but she could see no rise of the mare's chest, no movement from her lips or nose save the slow stream of blood. Fresh tears welled up in Gilda's eyes, as she offered the only solace she could to the mare, and that was to bury her hoofband bearing arm in the dirt to prevent looters from taking the precious artifact from the mare. She turned to face the rest of her own kind, the grenades and explosion taking a good two thirds of the company to tartarus. She could at least find solace in that she helped avenge the slaughtered ponies. She took flight back towards the base camp in Baltimare
Darkness surrounded the teen age mare, eyes scanning but finding nothing.
“Hello?” her voice called into the emptiness, not even her echo replied.
Her hoofsteps were silent as she trotted through the empty world. She walked through the darkness for what seemed like hours, and still she found nothing. Fear and despair started to fill her mind, until finally a light in the distance, a faint voice replacing the silence. Happily the mare galloped towards the light and voice. A pain becoming apparent as she went, it was a small pain in her shoulder and chest, one that was easy to ignore at first. Though, as she approached the light, the pain grew stronger, but the filly eager to escape the darkness continued to gallop towards the light.
The pain grew and grew, the pain in her leg was unbearable, as if her bones had been shattered, it made It hard to put her weight on the leg, but the pain in her leg was nothing compared to the one in her chest. It was excruciating, sharp and deep, every breath in an excruciating chore, each one out urged to come out in a tortured cry.
Despite the pain, the mare continued to run, even as she drew but half a breath, she still forced her legs to carry her towards the growing light in the distance. Even more so when the faint call she heard was identified as that of her lover. She pushed her body as hard as she could, the taste of metal now coated her tongue, her body cried and begged for her to stop, that stopping would ease her pain, to simply lay there and let herself bask in the darkness. The mare was too stubborn, the more her body cried, the more she urged it to give her more.
Finally the portal of light was within reach, her tears flowed free, both from the pain and because it was her lover's voice that called to her from the other side. A figure appeared in the white portal standing in contrast to the bright white light behind it. She tired to call out to her lover, but only a pained cry escaped her lips. “The pain will be over soon,” the voice said softly accompanied by some ringing, smiling wildly as she finally got close enough to take the leap to embrace the figure.
_
Her eyes shot open wit ha slight gasp a, eyes searched her surroundings, pain stone walls, fancy furnishings, an an older alabaster mare with a cracked horn, and a butch haircut stared back at her with concern clear in her blue eyes.
“Are you alright Scootaloo? You've been tossing about in your bed for the past five minutes!”
Scootaloo looked at the mare for a moment, she felt her heart drop into her stomach, her eyes burned with the pain of something lost. Tears quickly formed, her head falling into her hooves as she began to sob through haggard breaths. Rarity wasted not time to wrap hooves around the crying girl, whispering words of comfort.
“I miss Applebloom...” she whispered softly, it had been seven months since the 955th had departed to the foal mountain valley, and one month since they had been shuttled off to Canterlot. The last letter Scootaloo received from Applebloom was two weeks old, they had lost contact with Baltimare, and Foal Valley since then. Naturally, Scootaloo feared the worst, a fear they all shared but put to the back of their minds. “I know you do Darling, but you must be strong for her, she will return to you, I'm sure of it. Now come, let's dry those tears and take a stroll, sound alright to you?” The alabaster Unicorn asked with a tiny smile.
Scootaloo, after some considerable time calming herself down, eyed her for a moment before nodding, which made Rarity smile and make for the door. She would be strong for her fiance, getting up from the bed, taking a moment to eye the old ribbon on her night stand, it wasn't hard for her mind to imagine the pony it belonged to, with a tiny wistful smile she wrapped the ribbon around her neck, making a bow on the back of her neck before rejoining Rarity with a tired, but content smile, ready to face the day.
_
True Sight and Applejack sat at the luxurious dinner table in the Castle's dinning hall, both already well into their breakfast. Both early risers despite their different backgrounds. One happy to keep her mind off with a plate full of apple strudels, her belly ready to burst with a foal. It's not to say that she wasn't worried about the situation, or the foal that kept her up constantly, it was more a matter of finding something that she could do that would help her not dwell on the negative thoughts, and since bucking trees was a definite no-no for a 10 month pregnant mare. Eating till she burst, was not something that could be regulated by anyone... Save her foal, who currently disliked the idea of sharing her stomach with the tasty -but nothin' like granny's,bless her soul- apple treats. Applejack groaned and held her stomach, as she struggled to her feet and headed for the nearest bathroom, cursing a certain captain to tartarus for leaving her to deal with this by her lonesome.
The other was busying himself with the latest military report concerning his old unit, which admittedly was a few days old, and been read, at least twice so far. Only casually did he much on a piece of buttered toast held aloft in his magical hold, Being very careful to not get any crumbs on his brand new armor. One that was made of magenta colored -something stressed by his newly found marefriend, even though to him it's just pinkish-purple- mithril, emblazoned with a shinning, violet -which is another word for dark purple apparently- Six pointed star on his chest, denoting him as a member of the Twilight guard. The name having to do as much with the princess to whom it guards' name as it does with the time of day. Appereantly the obsession with the time of the day was not exclusive to the Ruling sisters.
It wasn't until a certain, sneaky, mare came up to him and gave him a peck on the forehead that his attention was drawn from the old report. A smile gracing his features as he returned a proper kiss to the mare's lips. A hoof coming to caress her face, the stallion easily looking past her broken features to see the beauty beneath. Their moment was interrupted, by heavy hoof steps of a pregnant earth pony. Which were accompanied by more than a tiny bit of swearing as she sat back down in front of her treats, determined to have the treats in her belly, irregardless of what her foal had to say. Something which made The lonely pegasus laugh.
They all shared a small laugh up until the sound of thunder reverberated through the dinning hall. The ponies turning at looking at eachother, trying to confirm what they heard, all but one, who left his report and breakfast forgotten, recognizing the sound, knowing full well it wasn't thunder. He galloped from the room, leaving the confused mares in his wake, one of them particularly peeved to be left in the dark by someone she held so dear.
_
The two princesses loomed over the table that held the map of their shared kingdom with tiny pony, pegasus, unicorn and griffon heads, all denoting certain units and their most recent location of the map. It was then a lithe, gray pegasus pony, crashed into a bed of pillows prepared for her behind the two ruling princesses. Twilight was the first to turn around and looked at the armored mail mare who was currently flashing a sharp salute from her supine form, a scroll in her free hoof dirrected towards the princess. “Thank you Derpy, you're dismissed,” she said softly, the strain of leadership evident in her tired voice. With another salute, the mare righted herself with her wings and zoomed out of a nearby window, said window was not open however, an echoing 'sorry!' could be heard between the crinkling glass.
With a shake of her head and a smile the princess turned to the new letter. A quick once over wiped the smile from, her face. A deflated sigh escaping her lips as she walked over to the map, her magical aura enveloping a earth pony, and a pegasus figurine from it's spot atop Appleloosa, replacing them instead with yet another griffon figurine. “The 12th heavy cavalry, and the 20th dragoon wing have both fallen to the griffons, no survivors. A griffon lancer company is now in occupation of Appleloosa.” The princess of magic and friendship tossed the offending scroll aside as fell back on her haunches and slumped her head over their planning table.
“It would seem we are loosing this war before we even have a chance to fight it...” the princess of the night said grimly as she paid some attention to the head that represented the fallen cavalry unit.
“How though!? Candence and shinning are holding the Crystal emprire with less than HALF the ponypower we have LOST to the griffons!” Twilight emphasized her frustration by flailing her hooves in front of her, right before rubbing both her temples, the makings of a migrain seeping into her skull, making her groan.
“Perhaps the enemy to the south and east have weapons not being employed in the north?” she thought out-loud as she scratched her chin softly. Twilight's ears perked up as she looked at Luna, “what could reek such destruction against our magic?” the younger princess looked towards her senior for an answer, but they were interrupted by the sounds of thunder cracks in the distance.
“I didn't know we had storms in the schedule” Twilight said confused.
“We don't.” Was the only thing Luna said before the door to the war room was burst into by True Sight.
"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!"
_
The first and only standing griffon rifle Battalion stood just outside the westward walls of Canterlot. 398 Griffons watched as two of their own lit signal fires to indicate the success of their infiltration and their safe passage above the walls, at least over the Western wall. A smile crept on to the commanding officer as he turned towards his first rank of soldiers, a total of seven pony lovers were handed their muzzle loaders and their shot bags by their assigned watchers. “If any of you bring me, either a wing or a unicorn horn from the pony you've killed I will take that pink sash off your arm for good! To the rest of you! NO PRISONERS! NO SLAVES! DEATH TO BITCH PRINCESSES!”
“DEATH TO THE BITCH PRINCESSES!” A war cry resounded loudly among the ranks just as they charged the wall. Not stupid enough to try to go through it, but above the wall. The 400 attackers storm the city, the sound of rifle fire quickly filling the early morning streets. It took a moment for the slumbering city to stir from the sudden intrusion from the griffons, but once the city was up and aware of what was happening. The city ponies all broke out in panic, dead ponies quickly began to litter the streets, screams of the doomed ponies filled the air along with the , making it thick and difficult to breath for those unused to war.
The streets would run red with the blood of ponies. The day would be marked in the history books as the bloodiest day in Canterlot history. The day that began Equestria's struggle for survival. The day it all began. The Crimson War had begun.
Equestria is in a crisis, after the Crimson Plague decimated most of Equestria, Griffonian empire invaded the once peaceful lands of Equestria. With new technology they painted the country red with the blood of the ponies that lived there. Now a year into the war, the surviving ponies and princess fight to stay free.
Their allies, the goats having given them the tools they need to have a fighting chance. The ponies and goats fight a guerrilla war against the occupying Griffons. To drive them from their lands, and to take back what is rightfully theirs.
Join me as we go through the stories of the brave ponies and goats fighting to make Equestria free once more.
