Rainbow Dash journeys to find a way to bring back Applejack from the dead...but at what price?
How far would you go for love? Would you travel across the world? Face peril whatever the danger? Even sacrifice your own being? Rainbow Dash will have to answer these questions as she tries to find a forbidden mirror to bring back the one she both loved and lost. But at what price will it be?
Originally publish in 01-15-12. This story has been rewritten.
Miles away from Ponyville, two best friends raced through the moonlit path of Whitetail Wood. Dust kicked up from behind them as fallen leaves on the road crumbled into pieces. Their galloping got the attention of various night creatures, but as soon as they looked to the source of the sound they saw only blurs. Despite their burning muscles the racers pushed forward, their focus on the finish line. Rainbow Dash shouted, “You’re not gonna win this time, Applejack! By the end of the night, it’s going to be thirty-eight against thirty-seven!”
“Yeah? Well, Ah’ll make sure that thirty-seven of yers stays that way!” Applejack licked her lips and, to Dash’s disbelief, took the lead.
Eyes narrowed, Rainbow Dash summoned whatever energy she could muster to catch up with Applejack. Just a mile away was the finish line: two old oak trees separated by only a few feet. Despite every inch of her body bursting with pain, Dash gritted her teeth and stretched her neck out as far as it could go. Just a bit more...
With one last burst of energy, Rainbow Dash found herself in first place. Her hooves dug into the dirt, kicking up dust and rocks as she slid to a stop. Lifting her forearms into the air, Dash let out a triumphant cry. It came out as a parched croak. She was about to try again, but instead Dash's legs wobbled like jelly. She tried to keep still, but lost her balance and fell on her rear. “Ugh, am I beat.”
Applejack collapsed as well, her body dripping with sweat. “Same here. Land sakes! Ah feel like Ah just went through three applebuckin’ seasons in one go!”
“Still, it was so worth it to just see you eat my dust,” said Dash, dragging a hoof through her sweat-soaked mane.
Applejack chuckled and smacked Dash’s shoulder. “Ah’ll admit it. Ah lost this one, but next time Ah’m gonna make ya eat mah dust, sugarcube.”
“Please! You can’t keep up with the Iron Pony,” jeered Dash, showing off her muscles. “Besides, we’ve been doing this for how long? And who’s got the most wins? This pony! Oh, yeah!”
Applejack smiled and shook her head. “Ah’m too tired to argue with ya. Ah just want to get home, have a nice warm bath, a soft pillow to lie on, and a good night’s rest.”
“Yeah, but you should take two baths. You really stink,” joked Dash, waving her hoof in front of her snout.
Applejack snorted and waved her hoof over her nostrils. “Oh yeah? Well, the smell yer givin’ off is worse than a rotten dragon’s egg all covered in swamp mucus.”
“I don’t smell that bad!” Dash sniffed her armpit, much to Applejack’s disgust. Rainbow gagged, feeling her eyes burning. “Alright... maybe I do...”
The two shared a chuckle and stared into the stars above, letting the cool spring breeze flow through their manes. Eventually, they got up and stretched. They could still feel pain in their muscles, but at least it didn’t hurt to walk.
They were halfway back to Ponyville when Applejack came to a halt, staring off to the right. Curious, Dash followed her friend's gaze and saw a nearby lake, which was reflecting the full moon off its surface. She turned back towards Applejack, who nodded towards the water. “Why don’t we bathe a bit before we head into town? ‘Less we want to make everypony run away from the smell of us.”
“I’m down for that!” Wasting no time, Dash quickly flapped her wings and sailed into the air. She gave Applejack an impish grin, folded her wings, and dropped like a rock. “Geronimo!”
The lake erupted, a wave of foaming spray spreading in all directions and drenching everything in its path—including Applejack. When the wave had passed, the soaked pony sneezed the water out of her nostrils. She quickly felt for her hat, making sure it was still firmly on her head.
Dash’s rose to the surface, her mane glistening as she waved towards her friend. “Come on, AJ! The water’s fine!”
Applejack nodded, taking off her hat and laying it carefully aside. With a cocky grin, she stretched her neck and shouted, “Alrighty then! Yee-haw!”
Applejack rushed forward, jumped, and performed a cannonball dive, crashing into the surface of the lake right next to Rainbow Dash. Her dive managed to create an eruption nearly as large as Rainbow’s, spreading waves all over. A wet Dash mumbled in frustration while blinking water out of her eyes. Her drooping mane looked like it had been on the receiving end of a tsunami.
When she resurfaced, Applejack caught sight of her friend’s new mane-do and laughed. “Sorry about that, partner. But now we’re even.”
A splash to the face put an end to Applejack’s laughter. Rainbow Dash snorted in amusement, but a wave of retaliatory spray silenced her. The two rivals glared at each other, mischievous grins spreading across their muzzles. A second later they were splashing each other, their laughter echoing around them.
Eventually, the pace of the hard-fought battle slowed. When exhaustion finally overwhelmed them, the two friends flopped gratefully on their backs, floating in the water. They turned to each other and burst out laughing.
“Heh, that was fun,” said Dash, glancing over at Applejack. She froze. Instead of its usual ponytail, Applejack’s hair cascaded down her neck like golden silk, shining in the moonlight. Rainbow Dash gasped silently.
“What’s wrong? Somethin’ on mah face?” asked Applejack, tilting her head.
A blushing Dash quickly snapped out of her thoughts. “I just realized… this is the first time I’ve ever seen your mane completely down.”
“Really? Never noticed. What do ya think?” Applejack gave her mane an experimental toss as she shot her friend a self-conscious smile.
“You’re beautiful...” blurted Dash. She nearly launched out of the water when she realized what she had said. “I mean cool! Yeah! You look...cool... Well, not as cool as me, of course, but still…”
“Why thanks, Rainbow. Mighty kind of ya.” Applejack made her way back to shore. “Well, best we both be goin’ now. It’s gonna get dark soon.”
Rainbow Dash nodded, following her back to the shoreline. Once Applejack was out of the lake, she reached out her hoof to assist her friend. Dash grabbed it and started to help herself up. Suddenly, she took a misstep and fell forward, crashing into Applejack. The two mares tumbled to the ground with Rainbow Dash on top. Dash tried to get up, but she stopped as her wide magenta eyes met Applejack’s emerald gaze.
Dash’s heart thumped like a drum, her face turning crimson upon realizing just how suggestive their position was. Their wet, smooth bodies pressed against each other. Dash’s reasoning told her to move away, but instead she moved closer.
“Rainbow...” whispered Applejack, her face turning just as red.
Their snouts were now inches apart, so close they could feel each other’s hot breath. With a daring push, Rainbow pressed her lips to Applejack’s. Applejack welcomed the kiss and wrapped her forelegs around Dash’s waist. The two moaned as their tongues fought for dominance, the sensations sending shivers down their spines. Dash dragged her hooves towards her best friend’s flank, slowly rubbing her cutie mark.
Applejack broke the kiss and flipped Dash onto her back before nipping at her neck. Rainbow cooed with each bite. Oh, Celestia and Luna... I need her now...
“Rainbow,” whispered Applejack as she turned to face the enraptured pegasus, eyes filled with lust. “Ah need you to...”
“Yes?” Dash smiled, closing her eyes.
“Ah need you to—wake up already, partner!”
Dash’s eyes snapped open. “Huh?”
***
Rainbow Dash’s awakened to the familiar sound of hooves bucking against her tree. The sharp burst of the impact rocked the tree crazily, shaking the trunk and Rainbow with it. Apples fell onto Dash’s head as she clung to the branch, her eyes swirling in their sockets. Another kick against the wood forced her to hold on even tighter. When the third kick came, Rainbow Dash finally lost her grip and fell off her perch. She dropped onto the ground with a thud, small rocks jabbing into her back.
When Rainbow opened her eyes, the disapproving face of Applejack glared down at her. “Rainbow, how many times have Ah told ya to stop sleepin’ in mah trees?”
“About the same amount of times you’ve tried to give me a concussion,” answered Dash, rolling to her hooves.
“Can’t ya find someplace else to sleep? Ain’t them clouds softer?” asked Applejack.
“Sometimes, but your trees are a lot more comfortable.” Rainbow grinned as she rapped the trunk affectionately with a hoof. “Not too hard and not too soft. Not to mention…” A light kick from Rainbow Dash dropped a loose apple into her hooves. She took a big bite, savoring the famous sweetness of Sweet Apple Acres’ prized produce. “…You get a nice snack whenever you want.”
“Ah guess Ah should be flattered, but we run a farm around here, not an inn,” said Applejack, poking at Dash’s chest. “Now do ya mind answering why yer here?”
Dash calmly finished off the apple and wiped its remains off her snout. “I was wondering if you wanted to hang out. I’ve got no weather duties, and I came up with some cool new tricks for my arsenal. Wanna take a look?”
“No can do, Sugarcube,” said Applejack, turning away from the disappointed Rainbow Dash. “Ah’ve got too much work to do.”
Not one to take no for an answer, Rainbow Dash flapped her wings and hovered over Applejack, following her towards the orchards. “Oh, come on! I’m bored and you’re the only pony cool enough to hang out with!”
Applejack shook her head in silence. Rainbow Dash groaned and darted ahead, dropping into Applejack’s path, much to the latter’s annoyance. “Come on, Rainbow. Quit being a foal. Can’t ya hang out with one of our other friends?”
“I’ve tried! Pinkie Pie is still at work, Twilight’s doing some egghead experiment, and Rarity and Fluttershy are at the spa. And I’m not going there no matter how bored I am!” Rainbow Dash shivered at the thought. As much as she hated to, Rainbow Dash got on her knees. “Please, AJ! You’re my only hope! If I don’t do something soon, I’ll die of boredom!”
“Then Ah’ll be sure to send flowers,” joked Applejack, struggling to resist giving a smirk. “Look, Rainbow, Ah wouldn’t mind hangin’ out with ya. But Ah got all these apple trees to harvest for a big order tomorrow. Ah ain’t got the time.”
Rainbow Dash tried to protest again, but Applejack just trotted around her. She glared at one of the rocks on the dusty ground and gave it a frustrated kick. It sailed through the air, bounced off a tree, and managed to hit Dash’s forehead. After muttering a few curses, she asked, “Can I at least go back to sleep?”
“Only if ya don’t do it in one of mah trees,” answered Applejack as she sized up the nearest tree.
Head hung low, Rainbow Dash slunk toward a shady spot to lie down. Out of the corner of her eye, Rainbow saw Applejack lean back and let loose with her powerful hind legs. With one perfect kick, every apple from the branches fell into straw baskets at the base of the trunk.
Rainbow Dash tried to turn away, but she couldn’t pull her gaze away from the sweaty applebucker. Every kick Applejack performed was flawless. Graceful. Effortless. It reminded Dash of herself when she flew. Never stopping for a minute, Applejack proceeded to kick every tree in her path. Rainbow licked her lips at the sight of the salty sweat dripping down Applejack’s muscled physique. It even got to the point where Rainbow Dash had to struggle to keep her wings demurely at her sides.
Applejack stopped and glanced in askance back at the lounging pegasus. “Is there a reason yer staring?”
Rainbow Dash tried to hide her blush by turning away. “N-nothing! I wasn’t looking at you, just the trees! I mean it’s not like I was staring at you…”
Or your nice flank… thought Rainbow, feeling the heat rising to her head.
Applejack raised an eyebrow, but shrugged and turned back to work. Just as she was about to kick the next tree, she paused. Rainbow tilted her head as Applejack looked at the remaining trees and then glanced back at her. Applejack’s mouth curved into a smile that Dash knew very well, and it got her excited. “Ya still bored, Rainbow? Then how about we go and turn mah little chore into a game between the two of us?” suggested Applejack.
“Now you’re talking!” shouted Dash. She jumped to her hooves, stretching her wings and legs. “So what are we doing? What are the rules?”
“Simple. See those two lines of trees?” Applejack pointed to two rows nearby, baskets right underneath each tree. “We’ll each take a line and buck all the apples off the trees. First one to finish wins. Only rule is—”
“No wings, right?” interrupted Dash with a knowing smirk. “Not that it matters. Wings or no wings, I’ll cream you.”
“We’ll see about that. We Apples are the best buckers in Equestria, sugarcube,” warned Applejack.
After drawing a starting line, the two of them started to stretch in preparation for the race. Rainbow Dash focused on the array of trees lined up ahead. While she was naturally faster in the air and not as experienced in applebucking as her opponent, Rainbow Dash was just as fast and strong as any earth pony. A grin spread across her muzzle as an idea came to her. She turned to Applejack and said, “Hey! How about we make things more interesting?”
“How so?” asked Applejack, still keeping her eyes forward.
“If I win, then tomorrow you’ll watch me perform my tricks and hang out with me all day until the sun goes down,” said Rainbow Dash.
Applejack rubbed her chin. A few moments later she nodded. “Alright, Ah agree. But if ya lose, then yer gonna have to help me with mah shipment tomorrow.”
Although the idea of doing work made Dash reluctant to accept, she would still be hanging out with Applejack win or lose. Doesn’t mean I’m gonna let her win though!
“Deal,” said Rainbow Dash. Both ponies spit onto their hooves and slapped them together, their eyes beaming with determination.
The two leaned back, hindquarters raised in the air and tails swaying in eager anticipation. Rainbow Dash’s nostrils flared as she drew in a deep breath. Applejack lowered the brim of her hat and gritted her teeth. The entire farm was silent; not even a bird chirped. The sun warmed the backs of the two eager ponies as they held their breaths, waiting for the race to begin. A single leaf gently dropped down a nearby branch. They both quickly glanced at each other and then stared back at the leaf. The moment it touched the grass, the racers ruptured into motion, kicking up clouds of dust in their wake.
Rainbow Dash made it to her first tree and raised her hind legs, unleashing a powerful kick. Every apple dropped, landing perfectly in the baskets. With one tree down, Rainbow Dash zipped to the next one, keeping up a blistering pace.
Kick after kick, Dash filled her baskets to the brim. Although the sounds of Applejack’s own bucking rang in her ears, Dash continued to be confident. Halfway through her tree line, Rainbow shot a quick glance at her opponent. What she saw brought her to a screeching halt, narrowly avoiding collision with the next apple tree. She gaped disbelievingly at Applejack, who was three trees ahead.
Applejack laughed as she bucked the next set of apples down. “Come on, slowpoke! Ya throwin’ the towel in already?”
Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth. Oh, she did not just say that!
Back on her hooves, Dash doubled her efforts to catch up. She put more power into her kicks and pushed herself to run even faster, slowly gaining ground. Sweat dripped continuously down Rainbow’s brow and her muscles started to ache, but she ignored them.
Despite her renewed vigor, Rainbow Dash found herself occasionally missing the trunk or not giving enough strength to her kicks. Even worse, just as it would seem Rainbow had caught up, Applejack would suddenly be one tree ahead of her. She tried to ignore this, but every time she glanced at her opponent, Dash lost her concentration and messed up.
Soon, Rainbow Dash reached her final tree. She was about to finish it when a cry of victory was let out from the other side. Dash turned around and saw Applejack jumping with joy, the last of the filled baskets by her side. “Yee-haw! That’s how we do it here on the farm!”
Rainbow Dash slumped to the ground, ears folded back. Applejack walked over with a big smile and asked, “So who’s the Iron Pony now?”
Applejack frowned. “Hey, come on. Ah know ya don’t like losin’, but ya came close. And it was fun, wasn’t it?”
Dash didn’t say anything. Then a small smile spread on her face. The two of them started laughing and shook hooves. Getting back on all fours, Rainbow Dash said, “Yeah, I lost. But don’t think I’ll let you win next time.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it, sugarcube,” said Applejack. She took her hat off and winced at the dark sweat stain that had discolored most of the felt. “Ugh, gonna have to wash that later. Anyway, ya want a drink? Ah’m parched.”
Rainbow Dash was about to accept when the breath caught in her throat. Applejack had proceeded to take off her braid, releasing her blond mane. Dash found herself mesmerized as Applejack tossed her mane in the gentle breeze. It was even more beautiful in real life than any dream she could have imagined.
Her staring caught Applejack's attention as she raised an eyebrow and stunned pegasus. “Everything alright, sugarcube?”
Dash snapped out of it. “Uh… your mane is… it’s really… uh…”
Come on, Dash! Say it! Just say it!
“…It’s… really… yellow!”
Although she smiled, Rainbow Dash wanted to hide her head under the ground. Yellow?! You moron! What kind of lame compliment is that?!
“Uh, thanks?” Applejack shifted her eyes around before asking, “Ya sure yer okay?”
“Positive! Never better! In fact, I think I’m going to get going now and show everypony how positive I am! Greatokayseeyoulaterbye!” shouted Dash, flying into the air. Desperate to get away from Applejack, Rainbow Dash flew so fast that she nearly gained enough speed to do a sonic rainboom.
Applejack called her name a few times, but Dash ignored her. She had to get away and find someplace to think.
***
Rainbow Dash kept flying until she was miles away from Sweet Apple Acres. She located one of her usual hangout clouds and settled down for a landing. With nopony else around, Dash took a deep breath before letting out an unintelligible scream of rage. She pounded her hooves into the surface of the cloud, nearly driving them through the fluffy little cumulus. The helpless cloud lurched and shrank with every blow.
“Stupid! You had this one chance to compliment her and you say her hair is yellow?!” shouted Dash. She gave the much-abused cumulus one last kick, nearly splitting it in half. Exhausted, she flopped onto her back and sighed. “When did falling in love mean becoming an idiot at the same time?”
Dash closed her eyes, blushing as images of a wild and playful Applejack danced in her mind like a never-ending recording. A dreamy smile slowly appeared on her face, but after a peaceful moment Rainbow Dash shifted to her side and cursed again. She was supposed to be Rainbow Dash, the brave and bold pegasus who never backed down from a challenge. So why was it that she could face an evil princess, a spirit of chaos, and hundreds of twisted shape-shifting monsters, but couldn’t tell a single friend how much she loved her?
Before meeting Applejack, she had never wanted anything other than being a Wonderbolt. Suddenly, she found herself desiring two things in the world and the more she hung out with Applejack, the more she began to desire her more. She denied it at first, but eventually thing started to get weird. Every time they touched, Rainbow Dash could feel every hair on pelt stand up straight like an electric shock pulsed through her. That beautiful golden mare haunted her day and night; even in her dreams Dash couldn’t escape it. And those emerald eyes that hypnotized her every time she looked at them. After many restless nights of trying to deny it, she came to the conclusion that she had fallen in love with one of her best friends.
Naturally, Rainbow Dash had tried to confess, many times, but she always chickened out at the last second. What if she doesn’t feel the same way? What if she won’t accept me for liking mares? Would this ruin our friendship? Maybe I should talk to somepony about this, thought Dash. She sat up straight and began to rub her chin. Question is, who?
“Hi, Dashie!” A perky shout from out of nowhere jolted Dash out of her musings, nearly sending her off the cloud. Turning around, Dash saw a giggling Pinkie Pie held by a series of colorful balloons around her waist.
“Pinkie! How many times have I told you to stop scaring me like that?!” gasped Rainbow Dash, placing a hoof of her chest.
Pinkie Pie shrugged, swaying gently in the sky. “I don’t know. I lost count at three thousand nine hundred and thirty-seven. Or was it three thousand nine hundred and thirty-eight?”
Dash could feel a headache coming on, a common occurrence whenever the spontaneous pony was annoying her. “How did you even find me, Pinkie?”
“Well... I was just about to take my break when my tail started shaking, my right hoof started to itch, and my eyes went all loopy! That means that Rainbow Dash is feeling down and I should go talk to her to try to cheer her up! So I looked on my ‘What Cloud is Dashie on’ schedule, and then I came over to do just as my sense told me!” explained Pinkie in one breath.
“Wait a minute! You have a schedule for which cloud I hang out on every day?” asked Rainbow Dash, her eyes filled with dread.
“Oh, of course!” said Pinkie, waving a forehoof dismissively.
“...Why!?”
Pinkie shrugged again. “I don’t know. I just figured it might come in handy whenever I needed to find you.”
“And you don’t find this creepy in any way?” prompted Dash, raising her voice. She was beginning to question her friend’s sanity. Make that continuing to question it...
“Nope,” responded Pinkie with a huge grin.
Rainbow Dash rubbed her temples. She was about to tell Pinkie to leave her alone when she remembered to whom she was speaking. If anypony could keep a secret, it was Pinkie Pie. “Pinkie, listen to me. I need to tell you something important.”
“Is it a secret?! I love learning new secrets and you can always trust me with them!” shouted Pinkie Pie, clapping her hooves.
“Yeah, it’s a secret. A big one…” muttered Rainbow Dash. “I need you to promise me that you will tell nopony—not even the princesses if they ask—what I am going to tell you." She gulped. "And you gotta promise to not hate me either.”
“Why would I ever hate you?” asked Pinkie Pie, tilting her head.
“Just promise me!” begged Dash.
“Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!” promised Pinkie with the most serious look on her face Dash had ever seen.
With the promise sealed, Rainbow Dash took a deep breath. “I… I have feelings for somepony…”
In an instant, a squealing Pinkie was practically hugging the life out of Dash. Her face started to turn purple as an excited and oblivious Pinkie shouted, “Oh my gosh! This is so exciting! Our little Dashie has found a special somepony! This is the best news I’ve heard all day! We so have to throw you and your stallion a party tonight! Are you serious?! How long have you been going out?! When’s the wedding?!”
Eventually, a blushing Dash managed to escape Pinkie’s grasp and silenced her with a hoof to her mouth. Even then, the muffled mare still managed to mumble.
“Hold on, Pinkie Pie,” said Rainbow Dash, taking in a few deep breaths. “The pony I love… isn’t a stallion.”
Pinkie instantly stopped her rambling. Finally having silence, Rainbow Dash reluctantly removed her saliva-covered hoof, grimacing at the sight. Pinkie Pie, emotionless, kept still as Rainbow Dash took a deep breath. “It’s… It’s Applejack… I… like mares.”
Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and waited for the shouts of disgust and horror. Any moment now, Pinkie Pie was going to end their friendship and tell everypony how the cool and awesome Rainbow Dash was a lame and disgusting fillyfooler.
“Applejack!? That so cute!” squealed Pinkie Pie. “That match is so perfect for you two!”
Wide-eyed, Rainbow Dash stared back at the smiling balloon pony and stammered incredulously. “Y-you mean you… don’t care?”
“About what?” asked Pinkie Pie.
“That I’m a fillyfooler?” Rainbow Dash nearly gagged on the insult.
“Rainbow Dash, you don’t need to call yourself such a horrible name,” scolded Pinkie Pie. “There’s nothing wrong with liking mares. I know a lot of ponies who do that. Granted I know a lot of ponies in general, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to hang out with those who are different. I like everypony!”
As if a million weights had been lifted from her shoulders, Rainbow Dash sighed in relief. With the biggest smile she could muster, Dash leaped into Pinkie’s hooves and nuzzled her. “Thanks, Pinkie… you don’t know how much that means to me… I should have known better than to doubt you.”
“Silly Dashie. What made you think such a thing?” said Pinkie, rubbing Dash’s mane.
Ears drooping, her thoughts turned to days of old and whispers of bullies in school halls. Rainbow Dash muttered, “Because… I’ve known ponies who aren’t as understanding as you, Pinkie.”
“Dashie, nopony in Ponyville would ever hate you for being who you are. And anypony who does do that is just being a meany pants!” said Pinkie Pie, her pouty expression making Rainbow Dash chuckle. “You must have had some ponies accept you before you came to Ponyville, right?”
“Well, my parents kind of freaked out at first, but they still loved me,” said Rainbow Dash. Not that it mattered much, since they were mostly busy with their jobs to care. She lowered her head as a third name came to mind. “The other one… was the first girl I ever fell in love with…”
“Gilda?” guessed Pinkie Pie.
Rainbow Dash sighed. “That obvious?”
“Kind of. I take it didn’t go well?” asked Pinkie.
A sad smile tugged up the corners of Rainbow’s mouth. “When she and I got… together… it was the happiest moment of my life. For a long time we were close… then something happened. We still remained friends," her smile soon disappeared, "at least until she came to Ponyville, but... I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”
“I understand. Anyway, back to Applejack. When are you going to tell her?” asked Pinkie, shaking eagerly.
Pinkie sighed as she floated over to Dash and put her foreleg around her friend’s neck. “Come on, Dashie! What’s there to be afraid of?”
“Gee, Pinkie, let’s think? Maybe the fact that she may not feel the same way? Or she thinks that I’m disgusting for liking her in the first place? She’s one of my best friends. I’d rather never be with her than lose her,” muttered Dash.
“Even if she doesn’t love you, Applejack will still be your friend, no matter what,” said Pinkie Pie reassuringly. “Come on, Dashie, you never know if you don’t try. You just gotta find a good moment!”
“Well… Applejack and I are going to Trottingham tomorrow…” mentioned Rainbow.
“Perfect! You and Applejack can be resting under a tree, looking deep into each other’s eyes as the sun fades in the background. You can whisper your feelings to her as she kisses you lower and lower and—”
“Okay, Pinkie! I get it!” interrupted Rainbow Dash, blushing redder then the fading sun. “I’ll tell her tomorrow. I promise.”
“Okie dokie lokie! This just gives me time to prepare a huge party to celebrate you two becoming a couple!” shouted Pinkie.
“And if we just decide to be friends?” asked Rainbow.
“Then we have a party to celebrate you two still being friends!” declared Pinkie. Spinning on her belt of balloon strings, Pinkie looked up at the colorful, helium-filled swarm in annoyance. Without a moment’s hesitation, she began kicking her legs in an effort to get back to the ground. Dash tried to suppress a snicker at her friend’s predicament, but that amusement turned to shock as Pinkie started to descend as if she were swimming in water. “See you later, Rainbow Dash! Good luck!”
Watching her hyperactive friend “swim” away, Dash shook her head and smiled. “That Pinkie Pie. She’s so random, but always there for you.”
Excitement stirred inside Rainbow Dash, sending a pleasant shiver up her spine. It was finally going to happen. She was going to confess her love to Applejack and maybe, just maybe, it would all work out in the end.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I can’t wait to get up early in the morning!” shouted Rainbow Dash.
***
“Darn it, darn it, darn it!” shouted Dash as she high-tailed it through the skies. Of all the days she could have accidentally slept in, it had to be the day she’d wanted to get up early. Wasting no time, Dash had bolted out of her bed and took off for the farm, ignoring breakfast and a shower.
Rainbow Dash arrived at the farm minutes later and spotted Applejack. Her brother, Big Macintosh, was helping her get hooked up to a harness that connected to a large wooden cart filled with apples. Rainbow Dash landed, ready to apologize, but Applejack spotted her and laughed. “Shucks, Big Mac. Told ya she’d be twenty minutes late instead of twenty-five. Looks like ya own me ten bits when Ah get back.”
“Eeyup,” said Big Macintosh.
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Ha ha, very funny. Are we going to get this over with or not?”
“Settle down there, partner. We got all the time in the world.” Applejack hugged her brother and made her way towards the farm’s entrance, pulling the cart behind her. She turned to Rainbow Dash and nodded. “Well, come on. We gotta get around Mount Wildbuck before noon if we’re gonna get to Trottingham in time.”
Rainbow Dash flew back into the air and followed her down the road, Big Mac waving them goodbye. As she kept up with Applejack’s pace, Dash asked, “So what do you need me to do?”
“Just keep an eye out for any sign of danger. Like bears, mountain lions, thieves, and whatnot,” said Applejack.
“No problem! Bring them all on at once. I can take care of them easily.” Dash followed her boast with a few jabs and kicks.
Applejack smiled and shook her head. “Even if we don’t run into trouble, it’ll still be nice to have a friend on this journey for company.”
“Well, duh. After all, the best company is the coolest company,” said Dash as she did a few loop-de-loops. “And I happen to be the coolest.”
The two shared a laugh as they continued down the path towards the mountains ahead.
***
Rainbow Dash was starting to regret not eating anything before the trip. Gurgling painfully, her stomach felt like it was about to implode. Even worse, everything was starting to look like food to her eyes. The trees looked like steamed broccoli and the falling leaves resembled lettuce. Dash held her stomach as another hunger pang erupted. She had to get something to eat and fast.
Glimpsing down, Dash saw the cart of apples, and her mouth started to water. Applejack’s focus was on the road, leaving the sweet, delicious fruit open for the taking. As quietly as she could, Rainbow glided down near the cart until she was inches away from the apples. The pegasus looked up and saw Applejack’s flank close enough to touch, golden tail swaying back and forth alluringly.
Snap out of it, Dash! Eyes on the prize, thought Dash. Well, the other prize, at least.
Closing her eyes, Rainbow Dash took a deep whiff of the fragrant apples and reached for a bite. A hairy whip smacked across her face and she yelped in surprise. Rubbing her cheek, Dash opened her eyes to find Applejack glaring at her. “And what do ya think yer doing?”
Rainbow Dash gulped and rubbed the back of her head. “Um, well… I was just… inspecting the apples?”
Sweat beaded on Dash’s brow as Applejack stared at her with disbelief. “Oh really?”
“Um… yeah?”
Applejack kept her glare until she started to chuckle. “Don’t ya worry about none of it, Rainbow. Ya can have one.”
“Really?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“Sure, best to keep that stomach of yers from growling like a timberwolf.”
Blushing, Dash took an apple and munched on it. A few bites later, she threw the core away. Her satisfied burp earned another round of mirth from the two ponies. Flying closer to Applejack’s side, Rainbow Dash pointed to the cart. “So what are all these apples for, anyway? Some sort of celebration in Trottingham?”
“Nope, it’s a surprise,” said Applejack.
“Aw, come on. Please?” begged Rainbow Dash.
“Sorry, Sugarcube. Yer gonna have to wait until we get there.”
Rainbow Dash huffed and crossed her arms. “Well, fine. Maybe then I won’t tell you my surprise.”
Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Ya got a surprise too? What kind?”
“Why should I tell you?” asked Rainbow. “After all, you won’t tell me yours.”
With a shrug, Applejack continued down the road. “Fine, don’t tell me.”
Rainbow’s eyes widened. “W-well, if you’re so interested—”
“Ah’m not.”
“—then I guess I can tell you when we stop for a break.”
“Fine by me. The bridge is up ahead. Once we cross we can—Oh dagnabbit!” Applejack rushed forward, worry on her face. Rainbow Dash was surprised by the sudden sprint, but she soon followed Applejack towards the river.
When they arrived, Dash could see that the bridge was in ruins. Something had broken it apart, leaving a huge gap between both ends. Even the support columns were gone. The river rushed silently along under the ruins of the bridge, its mud-brown depths revealing no trace of the missing span. Dash peered down into the water and asked, “Think you can cross the river?”
“It’s too deep, and Ah don’t want to risk losing any of these apples,” said Applejack, shaking her head. “Ah don’t get it; that bridge was one of the sturdiest bridges Ah’ve ever crossed. Think the river washed it away?”
“I doubt it. It hasn’t rained in days,” answered Dash. She peered closer to one of the ruined edges and noticed something. It was black, and she could feel heat emanating from wherever she touched it. It also held a distinctive smell that made her nose twitch. “Hey I think the bridge was burned down. Look at these black marks and smell them.”
Applejack leaned down and took a whiff. “Yep, it’s been burned alright. Must have been a fire.”
“If that’s true then how did it happen? There hasn’t been a storm, so it can’t be from lightning. Not hot enough for the heat to start it either. Meaning… somepony had to have done this on purpose.” Rainbow Dash looked around, an uneasy feeling starting to stir inside her. “Well, what should we do?”
“Fly around the river and see if there’s some other way we can cross. Ah’ll stay here with the cart,” said Applejack.
Although Rainbow Dash’s gut was telling her otherwise, she nodded and took off. “I’ll be back soon. Be careful.”
With one last wave, Rainbow Dash flew down the river in search of another crossing. She just hoped her worries were nothing more than just her imagination and the idea that somepony did this wasn’t true. Nevertheless, she flew faster.
***
Once Rainbow was gone, Applejack parked the cart near a tree, tugged off her harness, and lay down gratefully on the grass. Closing her eyes, she relaxed as the smell of the spring-scented air caressed her nostrils. The quiet, fragrant embrace of the wild made it feel like she was back at home. All that was missing was the hoof-grown apple trees she and her family took care of back on their farm.
Applejack glanced at the sun and frowned slightly. Could she still make it in time? The farmer didn’t want to think about what would happen if the shipment was late… Shaking her head, she banished her worries. Of course she would make it, bad luck or no. After all, she had the fastest pegasus in Equestria searching for a useable ford.
Thinking of Rainbow Dash made Applejack frown again. Her friend had been acting strangely ever since they’d left Sweet Apple Acres. She hasn’t complained once since we started travelin’. Ah’d half expect some sort of arugment about her being bored or us goin’ to slow, but she’s barely said a peep. Not to mention, Rainbow kept staring at her. Applejack had pretended not to notice, but it made her uneasy.
Ah wonder what’s gotten her actin’ like this? thought Applejack. Could it be she…
The sound of a stick being crunched against the ground caught Applejack’s attention. Something lumbered through the underbrush, sounding as large as a bear. Applejack listened carefully to the odd noises as it got closer.
Applejack tensed, keeping her eyes open for any sign of the oncoming creature. Chances were it wasn’t dangerous, but it was better to be prepared for the unexpected. A nearby bush rustled, and she turned around, ready for anything… except for what came out.
A female griffin wearing a green bandana and a wide belt that carried two sharp daggers stumbled out of the bushes and onto the road, coughing and desperately gripping her waist. Twigs and smeared dirt fouled her tawny fur and white feathers as she stumbled closer to Applejack. With a cry, the wounded griffin fell to ground, tears in her eyes.
Applejack quickly rushed to the griffin’s side. “Whoa there, partner! What’s wrong?”
Hissing in pain, the griffin groaned, “Snake… bit me… poison… help…”
As the griffin moaned, an alarm went off in Applejack’s head. She turned towards the broken bridge and remembered what Dash had said about somepony possibly burning the bridge down. Her gaze then turned to moaning armed griffin in front of her.
“There’s plenty of snakes in these here parts… was it one of them snakes with red stripes touchin’ black stripes?” asked Applejack, her voice wary and uncertain.
The griffin quickly nodded as she squirmed around in pain. “Yeah!”
“Are ya sure?” asked Applejack, her expression hardening. “It’s important.”
“Red stripes touching black! Yes! Please… you gotta help me,” moaned the griffin. “I don’t want to die!”
Applejack took a step back, shaking her head. “Ah have a friend who knows all about snakes. Red stripes and black stripes, well, that’s a Milk Snake. And ain’t nopony Ah ever heard of gotten poisoned by a non-poisonous snake. So why don’t ya quit actin’ and tell me what ya really want ya faker?”
There was a moment of silence as the two stared at each other. Suddenly, the faking griffin smirked and started chuckling. “Well, what do you know? Who would have thought a low-brained farmer like you had some intelligence.”
The female griffin screeched. A second later, a sudden blow from above knocked Applejack back towards the edge of the river. Grunting, she lifted herself back to her hooves and saw two male griffins land next to the standing female griffin.
The first new arrival was a bit bigger than Apple Bloom’s size, with the green feathers on his head styled like a mohawk. His fur was a darker shade of brown, and he wore a red vest with black stylized lightning bolts decorating the sides. Gauntlets covered his forelegs, leaving each talon glittering threateningly with razor sharp edges. When the griffin flexed his claws intimidatingly, they seemed to slice the very air.
The second arrival towered above his companions, thin and built for speed. His huge blue wings looked long enough to cover a full-grown pony. He had a red bandana concealing most of his beak and a sheathed scimitar held by an iron belt around his waist. As Applejack stared into his eyes, the hints of madness and bloodlust in the beady orbs made the breath catch in her throat.
“I said you should have taken those acting lessons, Kuffie,” mocked the taller one.
Kuffie glared at him. “Oh shut it, Falk. At least we got a good haul this time.” She pointed to the apple cart. The smallest one licked his chops greedily at the sight.
Applejack growled and stomped her hoof. “What’s the big idea, attackin’ me like that?!”
Falk smirked. “What does it look like? We’re hungry. You got food, so we’re stealing from you. I suggest you just let us take this sweet load of apples, and you make your way back to your farm, or else.”
“Yeah, ‘cause we’re not afraid to play rough with a little pony like you,” said the smaller one. He slowly slid his long, narrow tongue across the mirrored surface of his metal-tipped claws, but Applejack didn’t even flinch.
“Ah ain’t lettin’ no stealin’ varmints such as ya’ll take mah cart! Ah’m gonna buck the feathers clean off yer sorry hides!” Applejack charged at the bandits head on, but they leaped into the air, avoiding her attack easily. The griffins lazily circled above her. Applejack calmed herself and watched the circling griffins. They had the advantage due to their wings, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have a few tricks of her own.
Falk dived downward with his sword in hand, raising his blade over his head as he got closer to his target. Applejack turned around and sent her back hooves straight into his face, snapping his head back. He crashed into a nearby tree with the impact echoing loud enough for the other griffins to hear. The unfortunate tree creaked, its bark torn from one side by the force of the collision. The remaining griffins stared first at their fallen comrade in shock, then at Applejack who spat at the ground and grinned.
The other two griffins glared and soared higher. Applejack did her best to keep an eye on both, wishing for once she had eyes like that mailpony back home. The griffins converged on Applejack from separate directions in a synchronized attack. She waited until they were nearly upon her and leaped out of the way. The two thieves flared their wings in a vain attempt to stop, but it was too late. Simultaneous cries of pain filled the air as they collided and fell to the ground.
Kuffie struggled to her paws and dealt the shorter griffin an irritated slap. “Watch where you’re flying, Kludd!”
“Why don’t you watch it next time?!” retorted Kludd, rubbing his bruised beak. Kuffie was about to yell again when something hit her on the side of the head and splattered across her feathers. Kludd snickered at her shocked expression—and gasped as something slammed into his head as well. The two of them turned towards the apple cart, only to get hit with more apples courtesy, of Applejack.
“You little twerp! I’ll kill you!” screamed Kuffie. She drew one of her daggers and threw it. Applejack barely managed to duck in time, but the dagger sliced into her hat. It lodged into the wood of the cart behind her, pinning the hat to the weathered plank.
For a moment Applejack stared at her transfixed hat in horror. She turned to the griffins, rage in her eyes as she lowered her body and flared her nostrils. “Now it’s on!”
Galloping forward, Applejack tackled Kuffie and pinned her to the ground. Applejack’s hooves smashed into Kuffie’s face over and over again, coloring the beak with smears of blood.
Applejack was winding up for a beak-crushing haymaker when she was pulled up short by the searing pain as something sharp lodged in her back. Turning her head, Applejack saw Kludd latched onto her, his metal talons digging deep into her already bleeding back. Applejack quickly got off her stunned victim. She jumped and kicked furiously in an effort to buck off Kludd, but he maintained his needle-tipped grip. Applejack had to dislodge her attacker soon. Seeing her apple cart, she grinned maliciously and took off at a gallop.
The sudden change of tactics took Kludd by surprise, but he kept his hold strong. As they got closer to the cart, Applejack lowered her body until Kludd could see the cart right in front of him. He tried to leap free—but it was too late. With a resounding thud, he slammed into the cart and collapsed to the ground. Kludd screamed in agony, cursing and pressing a clawed hand desperately against his new wound as blood streamed from the cut in his forehead.
Leaning against her much-abused cart, Applejack examined her back. It was still bleeding, but not profusely. Now all she had to do was—
Applejack’s moment of relief was cut short as s a claw grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into the apple cart, knocking it on its side and throwing her to the ground. Applejack groaned and looked up to see an pissed off Falk standing over her. His claws wrapped around her throat again, pinning her against the ground. She tried to push him off, but she was still winded from the surprise attack.
“You idiot! Watch the merchandise!” shouted Kuffie, holding her bloody beak.
“Forget the merchandise! I’m going to kill this pony!” shouted Falk.
Falk drew his sword in one clawed hand and held it right over Applejack’s head, grinning psychotically. “I’m going to enjoy cutting your head off and letting your blood paint this place red.”
Applejack’s skin prickled as she looked up at the griffin. The insane rage in her captor’s gaze made her freeze up in terror. The sword slid almost gently over her left cheek, making a small cut in her sweat-soaked flesh. When blood began to drip from the newly made wound, Falk leaned down. As delicately as a lover, he took off his bandana, opened his beak, and lapped delicately along the rivulet of blood. Applejack shivered, her face contorting in disgust as her assailant chuckled darkly.
“Falk! The boss said no killing! We’re already wanted back home; I don’t think angering the authorities here will help! Let’s just get the apples and go!” argued Kludd.
“Shut up!” hissed Falk. “What Cyrus doesn’t know won’t hurt him! So let me just take care of this annoyance!”
Applejack closed her eyes as Falk raised his blade. Just as his sword started its lethal arc downward, a hoof slammed into his face at lightning speed. Falk went tumbling as Applejack’s rescuer landed, snarling in rage. “Get your filthy claws off her!”
Opening her eyes, Applejack saw somepony she’d never been happier to see in her entire life. She joyously shouted the name of her savior. “Rainbow Dash!”
Dash looked at Applejack and saw the smears of blood marring her orange pelt. She was starting to regret ignoring her instincts, but regret was quickly replaced with anger. Rainbow shot the three griffins a murderous look before focusing back on Applejack and helping her up. “You okay?!”
“Yeah, just dandy,” answered Applejack, ignoring her bleeding back.
“Two of them? Great, how many more are there?!” shouted Falk as struggled to his paws. “What are you waiting for? Get them!”
“Dash! Hold’m off while Ah get mah rope!” ordered Applejack, making her way back to the cart.
“Gotcha!” shouted Dash, racing towards the trio.
Kludd and Kuffie flew straight ahead, weapons ready. The three were about to collide when Rainbow Dash suddenly rocketed up like a missile with blazing haste. This surprised the griffins, but they quickly followed.
As she flew higher into the air, Dash blew a raspberry at them, following it up with a mocking laugh. Eyes gleaming with murder, the two griffins screeched and flew faster. They soon caught up and swung their blades, but Rainbow Dash quickly did a 180, dodging their strikes before diving for the ground. The griffins stumbled in the air following their missed swings, but recovered and continued their chase.
Just as Kludd and Kuffie were about to catch up again, Rainbow Dash did another spontaneous turn and ascended once more. Irritated, the griffins tried to keep up, but it was no use. Over and over again, Rainbow Dash would let them get close enough before she flew in a different direction.
Hope Applejack’s doing alright, thought Rainbow Dash as she continued her tactical retreat.
***
Back on the ground, Applejack searched desperately through her cart to find her saddlebag. Apples were tossed around, along with some camping equipment, as sweat dripped from her brow. Just as she turned her head to check the other side of the cart, the saddlebag was seen from the corner of her eye, lying nearby on the ground. She was about to grab it when she felt somepony grab her tail, lift into the air, and slam her into the ground. Applejack shook her head, ignoring her painful back, and looked up in horror to see Falk standing over her on both hind legs. He raised his sword with both front claws, ready to cleave her in two.
Applejack delivered a quick kick right between Falk’s hind legs. He screamed in agony and fell to the ground, curled into a tight ball of incandescent pain. A large grin spread across Applejack’s face as she got up and gave Falk a kick in the face for good measure.
With a clear run, Applejack got her saddlebags, pulled out her trusty rope, and tugged her hat free from the dagger that had impaled it. Flipping it back on her head, Applejack looked up and saw Rainbow Dash handling the other two thieves. She rushed underneath them, and shouted, “Rainbow! Brin’ em down here!”
***
Rainbow Dash’s ears perked up. She glanced down and spotted Applejack preparing her lasso. Grinning, Dash dived downward with the griffins right on her tail. Applejack spun her lariat as Dash zoomed past, her pursuers close behind. With careful aim, the lasso was let loose. It sailed through the air before its coils ensnared the thieves.
Applejack pulled as hard as she could, jerking the trapped griffins’ wings tight against their waists until they crashed into the earth. They struggled to escape, but Applejack was already ahead of them. With her honed rodeo skills, she swiftly wrapped them in coil after coil of her rope. Standing triumphantly over the struggling griffins, she nodded in satisfaction. “Just like bull wrestlin’, only with the wings and talons.”
“Son of a hen!” cursed Kludd as he and Kuffie struggled against their confining bonds. They tried to reach for their weapons with their back legs, but Rainbow Dash swooped in and knocked the blades out of their reach, provoking few more curses from the tied-up duo. The victorious mares grinned and slapped hooves.
“Mighty fine work their, partner,” said Applejack, wincing in pain as her back twitched.
“You okay?” asked Dash. Looking closer at the wounds, she could see her friend’s back was worse than she had thought. Already the entire backside of her pelt was replacing the orange with red. A twitch of guilt stuck Rainbow Dash. If only I arrived sooner…
“It ain’t bad. Not as bad as that one time when one of them bulls at that rodeo gored me. That was painful. This is nothin'.” Applejack patted Dash on the back. “Thanks again for the help, Dash. Ya saved mah life.”
Rainbow Dash blushed. “Well, yeah. Nopony hurts my friends! And who else other than me is awesome enough to deal with three griffins at once?”
A familiar groan alerted the two to a squirming Falk, only now recovering from the low blow he’d taken several minutes before. Dash smirked as she lifted herself a few inches from the ground. “Looks like only one left! I’ve got him!”
Dash dived for the helpless Falk at full speed, ready to knock him out. This is for hurting AJ!
“Rainbow! Look out!”
Rainbow Dash didn’t realize she had been knocked to the ground until she felt her head nearly split from the impact. She looked up, thinking Falk had got in a lucky shot. Instead, she found herself held in the grasp of a new and unfamiliar griffin. The newcomer was huge, at least as big as Princess Celestia. He had clack, scar-covered fur and dark red feathers for one of the hugest set of wings Dash had ever seen; they were wider then her entire body. He loomed over the downed pegasus like a dark and angry storm cloud as his large talons wrapped easily around Dash’s entire neck. The strength behind them made Rainbow feel like she had been pinned down by a boulder.
The dark griffin's eyes glittered with cold malice. The right one could do no other—light glinted in the dark red facets of the ruby skull that adorned the creature's eye patch. The left, however, was just as cold and lifeless as the gem—and the look in the griffin's one good eye sent a chilling shiver of fear down Dash’s spine. Her eyes turned to a sheathed bastard sword around his waist, and his tail end that was tipped with a sharp and glittering barb dagger tied around it.
Applejack only managed to start sprinting towards them when the new griffin growled, “Move and I take out her eyeballs. I doubt you want to see your friend fly around blind for the rest of her life.”
He poised his talons inches away from Rainbow’s eyes causing her threatened pegasus to gulp. Applejack gritted her teeth in frustration, but held back. Falk looked at the large griffin with fear, stuttering, “C-C-Cyrus! W-we were… uh… we were just…”
Cyrus’ tail lashed out, grabbing the helpless Falk by the throat. He lifted up the smaller griffin—previously the largest Rainbow Dash had ever seen—until Falk's terrified eyes were leveled with the cold ruby glare of his leader. “I told you to get food and come back. Not get your hides handed to you by a bunch of ponies!”
Falk tried to say something, but words wouldn’t come out. Whether by fear or the constrictive grip of his leader’s tail, Rainbow Dash couldn’t tell. Cyrus hissed in irritation and released his wheezing subordinate. “Free the others. Now!” Falk went to work immediately. After the other two griffins were free, they picked up their discarded weapons and approached Applejack, bloodlust in their eyes.
“Tie her up,” Cyrus ordered. His gang looked at him, surprised by the sudden request.
“But boss! She humiliated us! They both did! Can’t we at least beat them up first?!” asked Kludd, but quickly shut up when his boss glared at him. “Never mind! We’ll do it!”
Taking the rope that had been used on them, the griffins tied up Applejack. She struggled a bit, but she quickly conceded when Cyrus’s talons hoovered over Rainbow’s eyes again. Applejack winced when they wrapped the ropes around her damaged back. but held her tongue. Dash glared at Cyrus. “If you harm one hair on her, I’ll make you regret it!”
Cyrus smirked. “You got guts. I like that.”
He turned to his posse. “Tie her up next.” Rainbow Dash cursed as the thieves tied her up and tossed her next to Applejack. Cyrus turned to his team. “Get the apples into the cart and pick it up. We’re heading back to the hideout for some rest. Then we’re heading back to Grydon.”
The thieves nodded and went to work, wincing in pain from the earlier fight much to Dash's satisfaction. She struggled against her bonds, but they were too tight. Letting out a frustrated sigh, Dash banged her head against the ground. “Well, this sucks.”
She turned to Applejack, who was looking away, her eyes filled regret as she mumbled, “Ah’m sorry Ah brought ya into trouble, Rainbow Dash.”
“Hey, forget it. It’s not your fault,” whispered Rainbow Dash, giving her friend a smile. "They just got lucky. If that big oaf hadn't come around and surprised me, I would have kicked his hide real good."
Applejack snorted a bit, a small smile stretched across her muzzle. It was quickly replaced by a frown as she glared at the thieves, a growl escaping her lips as they ransacked her cart. “What do you think they’re gonna do to us?”
Rainbow Dash didn’t answer. She wrapped her tail around Applejack’s and sighed. “Whatever happens, we face it together.”
Applejack nodded before turning back to the thieves who were finishing reloading up cart with the spilled items. She gritted her teeth. “Darn thieves. If Ah get out of here Ah’m gonna pluck each of them feathers off their wings and shove them down their throats.”
The two trapped ponies just watched in silence and before long, the thieves were done packing. Kuffie wiped the sweat from her brow before pointing to their prisoners. “Hey, what about them? Are we gonna kill them?”
“I wouldn’t mind doing that,” said Falk, licking his beak. He took out his sword and made his way towards a glaring Applejack. “Oh, I would love to split this one in two.”
“Hey! Leave her alone, you pellet-puking coward! You want to kill somepony, kill me first!” shouted Rainbow Dash, inching closer to Applejack.
“Enough!” shouted Cyrus, getting their attention. “This is pointless. Assuming they don’t die from hunger or thirst, chances are that by the time any help arrives, we’ll be long gone from Equestria. Now let’s fly.”
The four griffins took the cart and started making their way towards the mountain in the distance. When they were finally out of sight, Dash attempted to escape again, but it efforts were in vain again. “Ponyfeathers! They really made these ropes tight!”
“Hold on, Dash,” said Applejack, gritting her teeth. “Almost… got... it… there!”
Dash’s jaw dropped as Applejack’s ropes loosened. Rising to her hooves, she started working on Dash’s own bonds, licking her lips as she concentrated.
Rainbow Dash continued to stare at her for awhile until she finally asked, “How did you do that?”
“Ah know every rope trick in the book, sugarcube. Workin’ with knots like that is easier than buckin’ apples,” answered Applejack with a hint of pride in her tone. Soon, she managed to free Rainbow Dash who got up and stretched her wings, grateful they weren’t damaged.
“Thanks. How’s that back of yours?” asked Dash, checking on the wound once more. It was getting redder with rivulets of Applejack’s blood dripping down her side.
“Like Ah said, Ah’ve had worse,” said Applejack, but she winced nonetheless. “Ah got some first aid stuff in mah bags, assumin’ them featherbrains didn’t take it.”
Rainbow Dash spotted the saddlebag lying on the ground, along with ointment and bandage wrappings inside. The two sat down, Dash rubbing the ointment on Applejack’s back who twitched a few times as the medicine went to work. Continuing her treatment, Rainbow Dash whispered, “Sorry I got captured back there. I should have seen him coming.”
“Ain’t yer fault, Rainbow Dash. That one-eyed griffin came out of nowhere; Ah don’t blame ya. In fact, Ah’m more than thankful that you helped me out,” said Applejack.
Dash put the ointment away and started wrapping bandages around Applejack's back and waist. “Well, I wasn’t gonna let you get killed. You’re my best friend.”
“Thanks, Sugarcube. Ah feel the same way,” said Applejack, giving her a wide smile.
Rainbow’s cheeks started to blush. I just wish we were more.
A few minutes later, Applejack was all patched up and good to go. She inspected her bandaged back, giving Dash a satisfied nod. “Nice work. Now if ya excuse me, Ah’m gonna teach a couple of griffins a lesson in pain.”
Rainbow’s mouth dropped.“Wait! What?!” Rainbow Dash jumped in front of Applejack and glared at her. “Look I'm angry at them just like you, but I'm not suicidal. Those four are armed to the teeth and that leader of theirs is nopony to laugh at! Plus, you’re hurt! You can’t go out and fight them in your condition! Besides, it’s just a bunch of apples. Can’t you just go to the farm and bring them tomorrow?”
Applejack stomped her hoof and flared her nostrils. “Hay no! Ah ain’t lettin’ no thieves get away with mah apples, especially those!”
“Well, can we at least get help first? Maybe get the other girls? That Cyrus guy looked like he could take on every guard in the palace and come out unscathed,” pointed out Rainbow Dash.
Applejack shook her head. “There’s no time! Ya heard them, right? By the time we manage to saddle up any help, them griffins could be long gone from here. And Ah ain’t lettin’ them get away with those apples! Those are for a special delivery!”
“Yeah, you mentioned that. What’s so special about these apples? They didn’t look any different from any other apples I’ve seen,” asked Rainbow Dash, scratching her head.
Applejack looked at Dash straight in the eye. “Those apples are going to the orphanage down in Trottingham.” Rainbow Dash eyes widen as Applejack continued, “My grandpappy was adopted into the Apple family from Trottingham. When he was old enough he made a trip every year to the orphanage where he grew up and gave them a huge cart of apples for free. He kept doin’ it even when his bones were old. My pa followed the same tradition, and so do Ah.”
“Why?” asked Rainbow Dash. "You're not adopted, and I'm guessing your granddad is long gone. Why do something like this every year?"
Applejack smiled. “It’s a good experience, really. Why, Ah remember the first time Ah did it with my pa. All them foals smilin’ and lookin’ at me with their widen curious eyes. Each of them enjoying the sweet taste of a good homegrown apple. They would decorate them, play with them, make pies with them, and Ah got to be part of that experience. It was one of the most fun days Ah ever had growin’ up. The best part is that, every year, they always make a giant card with their names on it saying thanks. Ah’ve never let those kids down before, Dash, and Ah ain’t going to do it now.”
“Applejack…” Dash stared admiringly at her friend, a grin slowly growing across her face. “You really are cool. You know that?”
“Thanks, Dash," said Applejack. She then lightly smacked her and gave a confident smirk. "So what do ya say we go get them apples back? So Ah can introduce those kids to the coolest pegasus in all of Ponyville?”
Dash’s face lit up. Flaring her wings out, she puffed up her chest and nodded “Yeah! We can then tell them how we heroically stole back the apples from those griffins!”
“That sounds fine and all, but we don’t know where the hay they are,” mumbled Applejack, lowering her head.
“Hey. You’re forgetting who once had a griffin as a best friend," reassured Rainbow Dash. She turned towards the mountains behind them. "I know griffins, and the one place they like to live is up on mountains. After all, most of the cities in their homeland, Grydon, are settled up in mountains. Since Mount Wildbuck is just nearby, I’m willing to guess they’re hiding out there.” said Dash, pointing at the location.
Applejack's frown disappeared as she gave a satisfied nod. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s saddle up and kick some tail!” shouted Applejack rearing back and giving out a loud whoop. Dash kneeled down and let Applejack jump on before kicking off the ground. They then headed towards Mount Wildbuck, determination on the faces as they prepared themselves for a rematch.
***
Rainbow Dash’s wings strained with the effort of keeping both Applejack and herself in the air. Judging by the position of the sun, the pair had been flying around the mountain for at least an hour, but so far their search had been fruitless. They had managed to find a few caves, but each was empty except for the occasional bat swarm. With each failure they rose higher up the mountain occasionally taking breaks so Dash could regain her strength.
Applejack had offered a few times to climb on her own, but Dash wouldn't have any of it. She wanted to make up for getting captured and she wasn't going to take no for an answer. Despite her disagreement with the stubborn pegasus, Applejack conceded and continued to ride her best friend.
About a quarter of the way up, Applejack poked Dash on the side and pointed left. “Look over there!”
Rainbow Dash turned and saw a pillar of smoke coming from the edge of a cliff. The two looked at each other and nodded before heading towards the cliff. They landed just a few feet from the entrance of a small cavern, the thick, black fumes emanating from inside. Hiding behind some rocks, the two poked their heads out and searched the outside. “No guards outside. Ya think it’s them?” asked Applejack.
“I’ll get a closer look. Stay here,” answered Dash, taking off as quietly as she could. When she landed on the top of the cave’s entrance, she stood still, praying that whatever was inside didn't hear her. After waiting awhile, she tiptoed towards the edge of the cavern. Using her her front hooves, she held herself up while slowly peered inside from above.
Jackpot.
Inside were the three thieves, relaxing next to a crackling fire. Kuffie was making some stew while the other two were eating apples and lounging around next to the half-filled applecart. Dash looked around for the leader, but she couldn't spot him. Doesn’t make it any less safe though.
“Ugh, I’m still pissed we didn’t gut those two ponies when we had the chance. They made us look like fools!” whined Falk, splattering an apple against the cave wall. “I hope that redneck one gets eaten by a bear. If I had my way, I would chop off all her legs and drag her body back to her family so they could watch me slit her throat!”
It took all of Rainbow Dash’s willpower not to rush in and beat the griffin to death for his obscene comments. Just hold back, Rainbow; you’ll get him soon enough.
“Quit complaining. The boss needs his sleep. So keep your voice down,” mumbled Kuffie. Unlike the other two, who seemed more sadistic then anything, she seemed to be the most level headed, which meant Dash would have to be careful around her.
“You should listen to Kuffie more often, Falk,” Cyrus commented as he came into view from behind one of the cave’s walls. The shadows of the cavern nearly covered the outline of his huge figure, but his jeweled eye patch glittered in the darkness like a dragon’s hidden horde. “At least she knows when to behave properly.”
Falk’s beak opened, but any snappy retort he might have loosed quickly died under his leader’s glare. He looked away and seemed to deflate.
“So did you have a nice sleep, boss?” asked Kludd as he handed Cyrus an apple.
Cyrus ignored him and walked away. “I’m going to get some air for a bit. Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone. I won’t hold my breath, though.” Cyrus spread his wings and made his way to the exit. Dash quickly retreated and lay low as he flew out of the cave. She watched him fly towards the right of the mountain, and waited a bit longer until he was gone.
Rainbow Dash exhaled and glided back to a waiting Applejack who sighed in relief when she returned. Rainbow Dash gave her a cocky smirk, "Aw, miss me?"
Applejack chucked before slapping her upside the head. "Just tell me what ya found."
“Well, good news is that your cart’s mostly filled and you just saw Cyrus leave so that helps a lot," Rainbow Dash nearly shivered, but remembered who was in front of her and blushed. "I mean, I could have taken him down myself, but you get what you get... right?" Applejack rolled her eyes and encouraged Dash to continue. "Right, sad news is that the other three are still in there and from the looks of it they still want to go find us and put us in our graves."
“Well, better than Ah hoped. Guess we’re gonna have to wing it then. So do we storm the cave and take it back?” suggested Applejack. "We took care of all three of them before with just the two of us. If we're quick enough we can knock them out and take the cart before the big fella gets back."
Dash thought about it. Normally, charging headfirst would be her style, but Applejack was wounded and, although her stubborn friend would never admit it, those wounds would slow her down in a fight. Dash’s eyes then lit up. “I’ve got a better plan! First, how bad is your back? Can you still run and maybe carry the cart?”
Applejack stretched her back a bit and jumped up and down. “It’s a bit painful, but Ah think Ah can manage.”
“Great, I’ll distract them by getting them to chase after me. While we’re out flying, you go in, take your cart back, and hide in a nearby cave. After I ditch those losers, I’ll meet you at the cave and we can take off when the coast is clear,” said Rainbow Dash.
Applejack shook her head. “Oh no, Ah ain’t lettin’ ya be bait.”
“Oh come on, AJ! What’s the worst that can happen? This idea is foalproof! All my ideas are!” stated Dash.
Applejack raised an eyebrow. “What about the time ya thought the best way to get rid of that dragon was to take it head on?”
“Uhhh…” Rainbow Dash tried to think of a good explanation, but words failed her.
“Or the time ya decided to have a race to find ya pet, and the whole thing almost led ya to being buried alive by a pile of rubble?”
Rainbow Dash started rubbing the back of her neck nervously. “Well, I…”
“Let’s also not forget…”
“Okay I get it! Not all my ideas work out!” shouted a defensive Dash. “Look, we need to get your cart, and this is the best way to do it. Are you in or not?”
Applejack didn’t answer for a few minutes. Finally she sighed. “Alright, but promise me yer gonna be careful.”
“Careful? AJ, these guys aren’t going to even touch me. I’m the fastest in Equestria and a future Wonderbolt! I’ll be fine,” said Dash with a confident grin.
“Ah just don’t know if Ah can forgive myself if somethin’ happened to you, Rainbow,” said Applejack. She placed a hoof on her friend’s shoulder and looked her dead in the eyes. “Yer important to me.”
Dash's heart skipped a beat as she wondered if those words had any deeper meaning. Gazing away from Applejack, she replied, "Y-yeah... You're important to me too..."
The two of them avoided each other’s sight as the awkward silence continued. For some strange reason, Rainbow Dash wished it could last forever. A thought then entered her mind: this was her chance. She coughed and tried to meet Applejack’s curious, and beautiful, face. Okay, Dash. You can do this. Clearing her throat, Dash said, “Look, Applejack. There’s something I want to tell you… something important. It’s something I’ve wanted to say for the longest time…’
Dash opened her mouth and tried to say the words, but they wouldn’t come. Pinkie’s speech from the previous day rang in her head and she forced all doubt away. “I… I… I…”
Before Dash could finish, Applejack raised a hoof and smiled. “Ya can tell me when we’re finished here, sugarcube. We need to stay focused for now.”
Rainbow Dash nodded, and sighed. She’s right. I’ll tell her after all this. Keep your head in the game, Dash.
Ready to put their plan into action, Dash gave her crush one last glance before taking off. Entering the cave, she hovered over the oblivious griffins and took a deep breath. Here we go!
“Hey, chicken heads!” shouted Dash, catching their attention. Their stupefied expression nearly made Dash laugh as she turned around and shook her rear mockingly, giving it a slap. “Kiss my flank, you overgrown pigeons! Ha ha!” Just as she predicted, the angry griffins drew their weapons and charged after her, but Rainbow Dash had already bolted out of the cave and begun to lure them away from their base.
***
Once she saw Rainbow Dash fly off with the griffins close on her tail, Applejack immediately galloped into the cave. Inside, she quickly found her applecart, harness still attached. Thanking her lucky stars, Applejack started to slip on the harness only to be alert when she heard somepony clearing their throat from behind her.
“And where do you think you’re going, my dear?”
Applejack felt every hair on her pelt straighten. Silently cursing to herself, she turned around and saw Cyrus stalking towards her. “I thought I’d find you here when I saw that friend of yours fly away with my three minions. Figures they would fall so easily for a simple diversion…”
Applejack readied herself for a fight, but winced as her wounded back twinged painfully. Cyrus's single eye glanced at her bandages and smirked. “I commend you for coming back for another round even in your wounded state, but such courage is going to have unfortunate consequences.”
“Nopony steals from the Apple Family. Ah’m goin’ out with this applecart, and there’s nothin’ that ya can do that will stop me!” declared Applejack, striking the ground with her hoof.
Cyrus gave a sinister smirk. “I think I like you. It’s a shame I’m going to have to kill you.”
***
Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash was continuing to lead her pursuers away from their cave. Using the treacherous surface of the mountain to her advantage, she flew dangerously close to the mountainside. She forced the griffins to dodge and weave their way through tall rocky pillars and giant boulders, nearly causing them to slam into them a few times. After a few minutes of constant pursuit, Rainbow glanced back and cursed. Although the griffins weren’t as nimble as the lightning-fast pegasus, they had somehow avoided serious injury... so far. She was going to have to kick things up a notch.
Increasing her speed, Dash soared upwards. “Come on, slowpokes! A filly can fly faster than you three!”
“Stay still, you little annoyance!” cried Falk, eyes burning with rage
The chase stopped abruptly as Kuffie stopped in mid-air. Her allies banked hard, narrowly avoiding a messy collision. Rainbow circled the hovering griffins as she saw the calculating look on Kuffie's face and realized she was suspecting something. This wasn’t good; she had to get them to keep chasing her. Surely Applejack needed more time than this.
“Why did you stop, Kuffie?! Let’s get her!” roared Kludd, his talons twitching eagerly.
Kuffie glared back at her smaller companion. “Idiots! She’s only distracting us! Her other friend must already be back at the cave stealing the cart right now!”
Ponyfeathers! thought Dash, gritting her teeth.
“What?! Oh peck! Cyrus will kill us if those apples are gone! Let’s go!” cried a horrified Kludd. The three of them raced back to the cave, leaving Rainbow Dash in the dust.
“Oh no, you don’t!” Dash went after the trio, flapping her wings as hard as she could. Slowly she managed to catch up and grabbed the nearest griffin, Kludd, by the tail with her teeth, separating him from the others. Kludd growled and kicked Rainbow in the face. Her head jerked as the blow knocked her loose, but she managed to take some of the griffin’s fur with her. Enraged, Kludd went back on the assault, forcing Dash to weave and dodge the angry swipes of his sharp talons.
Falk glanced back and cursed. “Kuffie! Go get the other one! We’ll take care of this whelp!” Falk drew his sword and charged into the fray while Kuffie continued onward.
Dash tried to follow, but Kludd stopped her with another swing of his sharpened steel talons. She dodged, but the edges managed to take a hit on her shoulder, drawing several thin crimson lines of pain across Rainbow’s cyan pelt. Rainbow Dash retaliated quickly with a vicious kick to Kludd’s chest as she tried to ignore her bleeding shoulder. Her recovery time was cut short once Falk joined in on the assault.
The two males circled around Rainbow Dash from all angels, occasionally diving for a quick death blow that Dash barely avoided. If I don’t do something quick, I’m dead. She searched the sky for a quick exit, but then noticed a large, thick cloud drifting in the sky. A smirk appeared on her upper lip. That’ll do nicely.
Spotting an opening, Rainbow Dash flew towards the cloud, the griffins hot on her trail. Putting all she had into her wings, she managed to enter the cloud with the thieves rushing in shortly after. immediately, she wrapped herself with thick white puff and stayed hidden as the griffins searched for her. They hissed angrily, trying to spot her, but no luck. Dash grinned. Now for phase two.
“You see her anywhere?” called out Falk, squinting his eyes.
“No! She could be anywhere!” shouted Kludd.
Rainbow Dash wasted no time and jetted across the cloud. When she reached Falk, she gave him a quick kick to the back of the head. He cried out in pain, alerting his partner, but Dash soon smacked him in the face before retreating to another hiding spot. She soon repeated her stealthy attack over and over again, with each blow harder then the next. The other two tried escaping, but Dash cut them off each time with another attack. Soon they resorted to swinging their weapons around randomly, but Dash easily dodged their desperate swings.
However, Dash grew overconfident and went for a second dive instead of hiding after her last attack. Just as she was about to strike another kick, Falk reversed his swing much to her surprise. She tried to avoid the blade, but it sliced at her ribs. Yelping in pain, she quickly headed towards the cloud’s surface for safety. When she landed, she checked the cut and swayed in horrified shock at the sight of the ugly gash.
Suddenly, Falk’s sword stabbed up from underneath the cloud, inches away from her face. Dash jumped back and was about to take off when Kludd erupted out of the cloud right behind her. He jumped onto Rainbow’s back with his sharp steel talons, piercing her and digging in as hard as he could.
Rainbow Dash thrashed in agony, trying to get the laughing Kludd off her bleeding back. Desperate, Dash did the only thing she could think of: she dove straight down as fast as she could towards the mountain.
“H-hey! What are you doing!?” shouted Kludd as they got closer. “Stop!”
Ignoring her rider’s pleas, Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth and continued her suicide dive. Kludd released his grip in an attempt to escape, but she grabbed his leg with her tail, dragging him down as well. He attacked her frantically with his claws, scratching whatever he could in a desperate attempt to get free. Dash held on tight and retaliated with heavy blows from her lightning-quick hooves. Both refused to back down, exchanging attacks as feathers and fur were ripped from the two.
They continued to plummet, the ground growing ever closer. Both flapped their wings in an attempt to slow down, but their efforts resulted in them spinning out of control. Rainbow Dash saw their upcoming collision with the rocky mountain and let go in an attempt to escape, but it was too late. The two of them crashed.
Rainbow Dash felt pain unlike anything she felt before. Her previous crashes paled in comparison to this. Her head was pounding, and she was covered in scratches oozing with blood. Dash’s wings were a mess of dangling feathers and sharp rocks which poked painfully through her skin. She was only grateful that they weren’t broken.
Opening her eyes, but Dash was forced to quickly closed them again. The crash had caused a big dust cloud to form around her; she could even taste gravel and blood in her mouth. After a few blinks, she looked to her right and saw Kludd nearby, trying to get on all fours without falling. He looked just as bad off as her. Worse. Dash was pretty sure his wings weren’t supposed to bend like that.
Dash tried to get up as well, but she still felt too weak. Sweat beaded on her brow as Kludd was nearly up. Any minute now he was going to turn around and finished her off. Dash’s eyes lit up. Unless…
Closing her eyes, Rainbow Dash laid back and went limp, letting her arms flop to the ground. She tried to slow her breathing and even let her tongue loll out for good measure. Soon, she heard him walking towards her until she peaked a bit out of her eye to see him looking right at her. Holding her breath, she watched him shake her before lifting one of her arms. When he let go, she let it drop without any resistance. There was only silence for a long time until she heard the griffin’s croaking laughter. “Finally… I killed her…”
Kludd’s mirth ended when Dash saw his guard down and opened her bloodshot eyes. She jumped up and wrapped her hind legs around his neck, his face turning blue. She flipped her body backwards and, using her momentum, managed to lift Kludd into the air before slamming his head onto the ground, knocking him out. Rainbow Dash gasped for breath as she tried to get to her hooves. When she stood tall, Dash turned around and grinned at the result of her inverted hurricanrana. And Twilight says wrestling moves are fake. Ha!
Her moment of glory came to a halt when she sensed something about to collide with her, and jumped out of the way. The steel blade of Falk’s sword hissed through the air, nearly slicing Dash’s head open like a melon. Falk glared at Rainbow Dash as she struggled to stay on her hooves. “You should have continued playing dead, pegasus.”
Dash snarled and spat out blood. “Like hay I was… I’m not done yet.”
“You’re going to regret dealing with us. Once I take care of you, we’re going to get your little marefriend, and make sure she begs for her death!” said Falk with a laugh.
Enraged, Rainbow Dash tackled the griffin at full force, ignoring the agonizing pain in her wings. She slammed him into the side of the mountain, striking his face again and again. “You! Will! Never! Touch! Her!”
With all her remaining energy, Dash jumped up, grabbed Falk’s head in a front headlock and fell backwards. His head slammed on a nearby rock, knocking him out instantly. With both of her opponents down, Rainbow dropped onto her back, her entire body pulsing with pain. Nearly every part of her was either bleeding or bruised and her wings felt like they had been shocked by a lightning storm. But it wasn’t over.
“Applejack… got to save… Applejack,” whispered Dash as she struggled back to all fours and flew towards the cave.
***
Applejack felt her eyes roll about her head as her body slammed down on her applecart. The battered cart shattered with the impact, sending the remaining apples tumbling across the cold floor of the cave along with its owner. The iron taste of blood filled her mouth, and most of her body was either scratched or black and blue. All thanks to an untouched Cyrus.
Cyrus picked Applejack up by the throat and lifted her to his face, her backlegs flailing in the air. “Your attempts to fight back are pitiful. I know hatchlings that fight better than you.”
“Hatch… this…” mumbled Applejack. She lifted her right hind leg high enough to smack Cyrus in the jaw, forcing him to drop her. Back on her hooves, Applejack tried one last attempt to buck him in the face. Unamused, he grabbed her limb and threw her across the cave again.
“Boss!” shouted Kuffie as she arrived at the cave, daggers drawn.
“Kuffie. Where are the other two?” asked Cyrus, still focused on the semi-conscious Applejack.
“Working on that pegasus. How’s she been?” asked Kuffie, grinning at the sight of Applejack's condition.
Cyrus drew his blade from his sheath and pointed it at Applejack. “She’s tough, I’ll give her that. However, I’m going to end this now.”
Kuffie eagerly nodded. “Good. I can’t wait to see her cry like a ba—”
“Heads up!”
Applejack’s heart leaped as she saw Rainbow Dash fly into the cave and smack Kuffie into a wall, dropping her daggers. Dash fumbled her landing a bit, but managed to stand tall as she stood between a stunned Applejack and an intrigued Cyrus.
“Rainbow!” shouted Applejack. Despite her own wounds, Applejack cringed at her friend’s pitiable condition. Swaying on her hooves with indescribable fatigue, Rainbow Dash could barely stand—and yet stand she did. All for the sake of protecting her friend.
“Hey AJ… don’t worry. This is nothing,” Dash smirked before wincing in pain.
Cyrus nodded in approval, he gave a respectful smile and said, “It’s not every day I see somebody take out two of my gang and come back alive. Granted, you look like you’ve been wrestling with a dragon, but the fact that you are still standing shows you have talent.”
“So what?! You going somewhere with this?!” cried Dash, readying herself.
Cyrus smirked. “Too bad you’re not a griffin. I would have asked you to join us.”
Dash laughed harshly, but she winced with each derisive snort. “And I would have told you to take your offer and shove it up your nostril!”
“’Tis a shame,” said Cyrus nonchalantly before lunging forward with his sword. Applejack held her breath as Dash ducked in the nick of time and head-butted Cyrus in the gut, knocking him back. She flew straight at him, but Cyrus spun around and whipped his barbed tail into her face. The sudden strike knocked Dash on her back, her left cheek gashed by the blow.
Dash tried to get up, but she was barely moving an inch; her wings weren’t even responding. Rainbow Dash eventually fell on her stomach and groaned. “What?! What’s going on?! I can’t move!”
Cyrus smirked as he stroked his tail. “I guess I forgot to mention that this blade on my tail is covered in poison. It paralyzes the victim’s nerves.”
“That’s… dirty…” grumbled Dash, glaring at him.
“I’m a thief. What do you expect?” said Cyrus, lifting up his blade.
“Oh no, ya don’t!” shouted Applejack, leaping into the air. She landed on Cyrus’s back and held on, her teeth sinking deeply into the back of his neck. He swung around, cursing as he tried to throw her off. Applejack continued to hold on, the wall smeared with her blood. Cyrus charged at the wall again, but Applejack braced herself. With each slam, she felt her wounds get worse and worse, but she refused to let go.
Cyrus soon stopped and grabbed Applejack by the mane, throwing her to the floor. Applejack struggled to rise, but the griffin slammed her back to the floor with a brutal stomp of his paw. Her vision swam as founded it harder to breathe. He grabbed her by the throat, lifted her off the ground. Swiftly, he slammed her against the cave floor. The twig-like crack of Applejack’s breaking rib was quickly followed by an agonizing scream.
“Applejack!” cried Rainbow Dash. She was still struggling to move forward, dragging herself inch by painful inch across the rough cave floor.
Cyrus looked at the two before calmly sheathing his sword. He went to the semi-conscious Kuffie and smacked her lightly on the face, waking her up. Before she could question him, Cyrus ordered, “Go find Kludd and Falk. Leave these two to me.”
Kuffie looked at the two ponies and then back at Cyrus. She nodded and made her way towards the cave’s entrance, taking flight. Cyrus stood still for a few minutes as Applejack and Rainbow Dash held their breaths, staring at the griffin who held their fate in his claws.
He walked over to the fallen applecart and picked up one of the apples. After a quick inspection, he took a bite and gave a satisfied moan of approval. Chewing silently, he continued his meal, ignoring the wounded ponies who were staring at him with fear in their eyes. When he finished his apple he tossed the core away and smiled, “I can see why you would want these apples back so much. These are, quite frankly, the best I’ve ever tasted."
Applejack tried to say something, but she winced as the simple attempt to open her jaw sent pain coursing through her. Cyrus shook his head. Walking over towards Applejack, he kneeled before her and poked her ribs. Applejack screamed while Rainbow Dash cursed at him.
“You shouldn’t talk so much. That broken rib of yours is only going to get worse,” said Cyrus. He stood up, but then sat back down on a nearby rock, facing them.
Scratching his chin, he asked, “So what should I do with you two? You lie here before me broken and beaten with your lives in my hands. You’ve attacked my gang, ruined our stolen goods, and given me a headache. Why don’t you give me a good reason not to kill you both and leave your bodies for the buzzards?”
***
Rainbow Dash couldn’t believe this was actually happening. Everything had gone wrong. Her plan had failed. She was nearly paralyzed and Applejack had a broken rib and countless other injuries. Now they had to beg for their lives with a griffin who had beaten them without any apparent effort. It’s official. We’re bucked.
She glanced over at Applejack, who was struggling not to scream from the pain in her chest. If only I gotten here sooner... if only I hadn’t been so careless. Applejack, I’m so sorry.
“Well?” asked Cyrus, getting her attention. “Are you going to say anything or shall we just cut to the chase?”
Rainbow Dash tried to think of anything that could help them, anything at all. At first she thought about letting him know they were wielders of the Elements of Harmony, but she quickly ditched this idea. Being a ransom would only lead to more trouble, and she didn't want her friends to be subjected to the possibility of obeying whatever demands these criminals would want. Not to mention, he only needed one of them and even if Dash said she was the only Element of the two, Applejack would still be killed. There was only thing left she could do: beg. As much as it pained her, she raised her head as much as she could and stared right into Cyrus’ merciless gaze. “Let her go and kill me...”
“Dash! No! Ah’m—” screamed Applejack, her protests quickly cut off by another moan of pain. Rainbow Dash shook her head, urging Applejack to be silent.
“And why should I?” asked Cyrus, raising an eyebrow.
“Because... she doesn’t deserve this,” said Rainbow Dash. A small smile spread on her muzzle. “She’s honest, caring, and will go to the ends of Tartarus to help somepony in need. She’s got a family that cares so much for her that I’m even jealous sometimes. And everypony depends on her. The entire town even put on a celebration for her a few times. They trust her with their lives, wellbeing, and homes. Only the Princesses can do better in earing that much respect.” Looking up she saw Applejack staring into her eyes. The beauty of those emeralds were still amazing, even through the blood and pain. Dash took a breath, feeling herself relax despite the poison coursing through her veins. “When you see her, you think a pony like this can’t be real. She’s too perfect. She’s sure a bit stubborn sometimes, but who isn’t? That’s why she deserves to live out her life. This shouldn’t be her end.” Rainbow Dash turned to face Cyrus and glared at him. “If it means dying so she can live, then go ahead. Chop my head off. Slit my throat. Stab me a million times, I don’t care! I’ll do anything to save her.”
Rainbow Dash continued to stare at the griffin. He watched her emotionlessly with no sign of movement, no glimmer or glare in his eye. Dash held her breath as he continued to rub his chin thoughtfully. Finally, he got up and looked down at the worried earth pony. “You really care about her that much, pegasus?”
“I... I... I love her...” confessed Rainbow Dash. She was sure she heard Applejack gasp, but she didn’t want to look. Instead, Dash kept her focus on Cyrus. The griffin continued staring at Applejack with his cold eye.
The cave was silent for a long time as Rainbow Dash held her breath and waited for Cyrus to come to his decision. Finally, the griffin sighed. “Alright, I won’t kill you both...” Rainbow Dash sighed in relief as he drew his blade. “...but I will be killing one of you.”
Dread seeped into Rainbow Dash’s chest, its cold fingers cradling her in its oppressive embrace. This was it. She was going to die. A tear dripped from her eyes as she gathered all her courage. Guess only the good do die young. Too bad I didn't become a Wonderbolt. She glanced towards a crying Applejack, who was looking at her with the most heart crushing plea to not do this. Rainbow Dash replied with a sad smile. "Sorry, AJ. Looks like I won't be telling that story with the orphans after all..."
Cyrus flipped his sword in his hands as he stared at the blade, asking, "Are you ready?"
Rainbow Dash felt her heart pounding as she lay back, exposing her bare chest. Gulping, she took a deep breath and said, “Alright... I’m ready.” She went still, waiting for the final blow to come and end her life.
“Who said it was going to you?”
Rainbow’s eyes snapped open and she tried to shout—the wet, sicking sound of Cyrus’s sword stabbed into Applejack’s gut as the latter shouted in shock.
“Noooo!” screamed Rainbow Dash. Her shaking hoof reached out for Applejack, but it was too late. Applejack started coughing up blood as the sword withdrew, now crimson and dripping. Cyrus took his blade and wiped it clean before sheathing it again.
Rainbow Dash felt time suddenly stop. Her eyes never left the sight of her best friend, her love, dying in front of her in a growing pool of her own blood. Cyrus, still smiling, knelt down before her. “Do you know why I chose to spare you?” He leaned forward and whispered, “It just seems more interesting to let you slowly watch your lover die before your eyes.”
He looked for a response, but Rainbow was stoic, her horrified expression still present. With a snort, he got up and made his way to the entrance. “I’d say she’s got about two hours before she bleeds to death, and my poison for you won’t stop working for another four... do what you will with the time you have left.”
He lifted himself up with his powerful wings and flew out of the cave, leaving them alone. Dash didn’t even notice. The only thing she cared about was Applejack, dying by inches across the cave floor. Using what strength she could muster, Rainbow Dash crawled her way towards Applejack.
After what seemed like forever, she finally made it to Applejack and surveyed the battered mare’s injuries. Dash nearly puked. The wound was larger than anything she had seen. Rivulets of blood flowed out past Rainbow’s hooves as she tried desperately to stop the bleeding. The extra pressure did nothing but squeeze another agonized groan from Applejack’s throat.
Rainbow Dash struggled to her knees, trying desperately to think of some way to help. “Don’t worry, AJ! I’m going to get you out of here! I just need to... I just need...”
“Don’t say that!” screamed Rainbow Dash. “You're not giving up now, are you?!”
Applejack chuckled. “Kind of hard to... a-admit it... b-but that’s... th-the truth...”
Rainbow Dash shook her head. “No! You’re going to be okay! You're not going to die! I won’t let you...”
“Then... why are ya... c-cryin’?” asked Applejack. She raised her hoof and wiped away tears that Dash didn’t even know were flowing down her cheek.
“If I’m crying, it’s because of you, stupid!” shouted Rainbow Dash, rubbing her eyes. “AJ... you can’t die you j-just... can’t...” Applejack reached out and brought Rainbow Dash down for a hug. The weeping pegasus rested her face against Applejack’s red-stained chest and held nothing back as her tears mixed with the blood. “I... I don’t want… t-to l-lose you... I-I-I l-love you...”
“Ah know, Dash,” mumbled Applejack, a smile growing on her face. “Ah-Ah’ve known... f-for a long time...”
Staring into the face of her dying friend, Rainbow Dash’s jaw dropped. “Y-you knew? H-how?”
“Shucks, Dash. Ah may not be the most romantic... of ponies... but even Ah can tell wh-when some-e-epony is all lovey dovey,” said Applejack, giving her a toothy smile. “Besides, ya weren’t exactly as subtle as ya might think.”
“But if you knew? Why didn’t you say anything?” asked Dash, pressing her forehead against Applejack, staring into her dying emerald eyes.
“Ah wanted ya t-t-to say it first. Ah wanted ya to s-say t-those words… those worrds that Ah’ve dr-dreamed of he-e-earin’ for a long time. Please D-Dash... just say them,” pleaded Applejack.
The two mares looked at each other’s teary eyes as Dash whispered, barely loud enough for Applejack to hear, “I love you.”
Applejack smiled, blinking tears from her eyes. “Ah love ya too, Dash. Ah always have.”
Rainbow Dash felt her heart cry out with joy. Applejack loved her. She really loved her! All this time she’d had the love of the most important mare in Dash’s world. The two of them looked into each other’s joyful eyes as Rainbow leaned in towards Applejack’s lips.
Their lips connected. Dash could taste the saliva and blood, but it didn’t matter. This one moment—this last moment—couldn’t be ruined by anything. Her first day of flying, getting her cutie mark, the sonic rainboom, even using the Elements of Harmony paled in comparison to this one kiss. Dash separated from her love and laid her head upon Applejack’s chest. She closed her eyes and heard Applejack’s heartbeat slowly thudding in her ear.
As Applejack stroked Dash’s rainbow-colored mane, she whispered, “Dash... it... it hurts so much...”
Rainbow Dash lifted her head and wrapped her hoof around Applejack’s. She never felt so helpless in all her life. Struggling to keep a smile, Dash whispered, “Just stay with me. I’ll get you out of here...”
“No,” moaned Applejack. She turned her head to the right. “Look over... there...”
Dash saw Kuffie’s dagger only inches away. Applejack tried to open her mouth, but started coughing up more blood. “Applejack!” cried out Rainbow Dash as she tried to comfort her love, but Applejack pushed her away.
“Stop! Just... just get that dagger” begged Applejack.
Confused, Rainbow Dash tried to reach for it, but the glittering blade was too far away. She tried to move, but her exhausted limbs shook as the poison in her veins sapped her strength. Struggling to think, Rainbow noticed her tail was flicking. She flicked it back and forth faster and found that she could control it without any effort. Reaching out with her tail, she knocked the dagger towards her. Rainbow turned to Applejack and asked, “What do I need the dagger for?”
No answer came from Applejack. She stared into the top of the cave, silent while tightening her grip around Rainbow’s hoof. Then she spoke, “Dash... Ah-h want ya to end this... p-pain...”
Rainbow’s eyes immediately turned to the dagger and then to the pleading eyes of Applejack. Dash could feel her mouth dry up. “No... no, you... you can’t be serious...”
“Ah am...” muttered Applejack.
“No!” shouted Rainbow Dash. “You can’t ask me to do this! I won’t! You can’t just give up like this!”
“Rainbow!” shouted Applejack, flinching as her wound squirted more blood. “Ah’m dying, Rainbow! Ah know ya don’t want to believe it, but it’s true! Ah... Ah...” Applejack laid her head down as she sobbed. “Ah don’t want to die like this... bleedin’ out like some animal... feeling drop by drop of mah blood drippin’ away... Ah want it to end. Please...”
Rainbow Dash put her hooves over her ears and closed her eyes. “No... no... no... please... you can’t... I can’t...”
Applejack raised her free hoof and turned Dash’s head towards her own. “Please... Dash... end mah sufferin’...”
The two of them stared at each other. No words. No tears. It was if time had stopped and the world was holding its breath. She had finally told Applejack her feelings and now she was saying goodbye only minutes after confessing. In the deepest part of her heart she knew there was no way out. A long and painful death. Or a quick and simple one. A lose-or-lose situation.
Rainbow Dash lowered her head and took the dagger into her mouth. It felt even heavier than her paralyzed body. She positioned it just inches away from the center of Applejack’s chest. The two held each other’s hooves tighter than ever.
“Dash… tell m-mah family A-Ah love them…” whispered Applejack, her voice growing weaker with each word. “Tell our-r friends… Ah love them too.”
“I promise,” whispered Rainbow Dash, gritting her teeth.
“A-and Dash? Never…blame yerself… and... remember…” Rainbow Dash looked up and stared at Applejack who gave her a loving smile. “...Ah’ll always love you.”
Rainbow Dash cold feel her entire body shaking. Her mind was torn between two duties as she struggled to push it forward, but couldn't. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I-I can't... Applejack... I can't..."
"Rainbow..." whispered Applejack as she brought her hoof behind Rainbow Dash's head, "Ah'm mighty sorry... goodbye..."
Rainbow Dash felt Applejack push her head forward, sending the dagger in her former's mouth straight into her heart. It took only a second for Dash to realize what happened as she pulled the dagger out, spat it away, and yell Applejack's name. Applejack squeezed her hoof. The grip tensing up, then slowly lessened until Applejack’s hoof lay motionless on the floor.
***
Big Macintosh took another swig from his cider jug as the sun dipped towards the horizon. He leaned on the fence and turned around, spotting Apple Bloom playing catch with Winona. “Apple Bloom, time for ya to give Winona her bath.”
“What? But it was Applejack’s turn!” Apple Bloom complained.
“Ah’ll make sure she does it next time. Now get goin’,” Big Macintosh ordered. Rolling her eyes, Apple Bloom whistled for Winona and made her way back to the house.
Macintosh took another sip as he started to wonder where his sister and her friend were. It was getting late, and they weren’t back yet. Maybe they decided to stay in Trottingham for the night or maybe they were out campin’?
Big Macintosh was about to head inside himself when he spotted a figure making its way towards the farm. Curious, he narrowed his eyes for a better look. The figure was actually limping towards him until it got close enough for the sun’s sinking rays to identify it as Rainbow Dash. Big Macintosh was about to shout a greeting, but it died in his throat.
Dash looked terrible. Her rainbow mane looked wild and torn. Dark, crusted clots and flecks of fresh red blood streaked her fur. Macintosh had to fight down his rising bile at the sight. On Rainbow’s back was a large, limp shape that she carried with the greatest of care, but the glare from the sun made it near impossible to tell what it was.
Then he saw it.
Between Rainbow’s teeth she clenched a small object. It was nearly destroyed, tattered nearly into peices, but Big Macintosh had seen it so much in the past he recognized it immediately. It was a light brown Stetson hat, dyed a dark crimson with drying blood. He looked again at the object on Rainbow’s back. Several of its straps swung listlessly with every step the pegasus took. No. Not straps. Legs. The limp shape was a pony.
Big Macintosh’s cider jug slipped from his hoof and cracked against the ground.
There was nothing as far as Rainbow Dash could see. Only darkness. Below her, she could feel the cold, rocky ground against her chest. The air felt damp and had an odor not unlike mildew. She recognized that smell and sure enough her hunch was right as a thick field of fog passed over her, covering the area. Getting up, she struggled to stand still as a wave of nausea overwhelmed her. When she regained her composure, she strained to see any landmark, any sign of where she was, but the seemingly endless blanket of mist made it impossible.
Maybe I can fly my way out... thought Rainbow Dash. Spreading her wings, she jumped into the air and flew up, praying for an exit. She soared higher and higher, but nothing changed. The fog seemed to stretch as far as she could see or even fly. A sigh escaped her lips, before she began her descent. She was halted suddenly, yipping in pain, as her body crashed against something hard. Upon closer inspection she saw that she was back on the ground. How’s that possible?! I flew up like a thousand feet into the air!
Now she was lost, confused, and worried. Rainbow Dash got up and walked aimlessly, while making sure to keep her hooves on the ground. She called out for help, but there was no reply. Trying to keep herself from panicking, she sat down and took deep breaths. Where am I? How did I get here? Where is everypony or anypony for that matter. The fog also caused some concern. It had an unnatural feel to it. Something’s wrong with this fog. No pegasus-made fog is this thick or this big. This is starting to get downright freaky...
Her thoughts came to a halt when she spotted something in the distance. She could make out the shape of the figure as that of a pony, but that was all. Dash narrowed her eyes and leaned forward for a better look. “Hey! You there!” The mysterious pony turned around and fled deeper into the mist.
“Wait! Come back!” Rainbow Dash galloped after the figure, but it had too much of a head start. She flapped out her wings and took off, keeping herself floated just above the ground in case. The mysterious pony was fast on its hooves, but Dash wasn’t the fastest flyer in Equestria for nothing. It took little effort to catch up with the runner, and she landed right in the pony’s path. The runaway stopped as Dash tried to get a good look at him or her, but the fog conspired to hinder her vision.
“Hey! Listen bub I need some answers! Where am I? Who are you? What’s goin—”
A sudden buck to the face ended Dash’s inquiry. She tumbled to the ground, dazed and confused. Groaning, Dash got up with a stinging pain in her lower jaw and turned to the crazed pony. “What the hay?! Why did you kick me!” She got no response as the pony turned tail and ran away again. Rainbow Dash growled, “Oh no you don’t!”
Rainbow charged at the retreating figure and tackled it to the ground, struggling to hold her captor still. To her surprise, the pony flipped her over and held her down. With a little effort, Dash pushed her off with her back hooves before putting it in a headlock. The two continued to struggle in the fog, tossing and turning in an attempt to gain dominance. Each time one managed to gain the upper hand, the other would quickly escape and reverse the hold.
The fight came to an end when the mysterious pony used it’s tail to flip Rainbow Dash onto her back. It then pinned her, holding her forelegs down as Dash’s wings vainly flapped against the ground, kicking up dust and little rocks. Dash struggled to move her back legs to flip it off again, but a blow to the gut knocked the wind out of her. She gritted her teeth, struggling to push her confined limps off the ground, but her opponent’s grip was too strong. As she squirmed, her left hoof brushed over something right next to her; it was heavy and felt strong enough to do damage.
Without a second thought, Rainbow Dash used all her strength to push away her opponent’s hoof, knocking the strange pony off balance. Using the chance, Dash grabbed the object with her free hoof and stabbed it into the chest of her assailant. The sound of torn flesh echoed in Rainbow Dash’s ears as the mysterious pony gurgled. Droplets of blood fell onto Dash’s pelt. Her opponent got up and stumbled backwards.
“Rainbow...”
Dash’s insides shuddered. With growing horror, she looked up and silently gasped. The fog was starting to dissipate, making it clear who it was. “A–applejack?”
Applejack, pierced with the dagger in her heart, stared at Dash in disbelief. She gurgled out blood and fell to the ground.
“AJ!” Rainbow Dash rushed to her side and held her up by the head. She pulled the dagger out and threw it away. She tried to stop the bleeding with her hoof, but so much blood had already been lost. “I’m so sorry! Applejack, I’m so sorry!”
Applejack tilted her head and stared into Dash’s soul. The life in her eyes slowly dying out as she got paler. Rainbow could see sorrow, fear, and betrayal in Applejack’s fading emerald windows. She whispered, “Why... Dash? Why...” Her chest rose one last time as her last breath faded into the air.
“No...” whispered Rainbow Dash, her eyes starting to mist. “No! No! Applejack, I’m sorry! Come back!”
She shook Applejack’s body and tried to find some sign of life in her cold, empty eyes, but there was nothing. Pressing her ear against Applejack’s bleeding chest, she tried to hear even the faintest sound of a heartbeat. Nothing. Rainbow Dash slowly rose her head, tears dripping down her face, as she stroked her lover’s cheek. Shaking her head, Dash shut her eyes and yelled, “Don’t leave me! Please don’t die, Applejack!” Her wails went unanswered as she continued to hold the limp body close to her. “Oh, Goddess, what have I done!”
Rainbow Dash ceased her crying as a scream echoed in the air. Turning around, she saw a horrified Twilight, who looked as if she seen a ghost. Raising her hoof, she pointing at Dash. “M–murderer! Rainbow Dash just murdered Applejack!”
“N–no! It was an accident! I... I didn’t … I mean I...” stuttered Rainbow Dash. “Please, Twilight! Let me explain, I didn’t mean for this to happen!”
The mist soon began to clear as more horrified gasps were heard. Looking around, Dash’s saw her friends and Applejack’s family staring at her like she was a monster. She tried to speak, but they all screamed and ran away.
“Murderer!”
“Run! Before she kills you too!”
“Celestia save us!”
“No! Come back! Please!” cried out Dash, but they disappeared into the fog. She was alone. Just her and a corpse. All alone in the fog. Rainbow Dash continued to weep as she muttered, “I’m sorry... I’m so sorry...”
***
Rainbow Dash bolted from her bed, heart pounding against her ribcage. Taking deep breaths, she wiped the sweat from her brow. Another nightmare, even worse than the last one. She looked at her hooves, trying to make sure there was no blood on them. To her relief, they were perfectly blue.
Groaning, she pulled herself out of bed, wincing as she felt her bandaged wounds start acting up. Flashbacks of the dream appeared in her mind. The fog. The dagger. Applejack. Bile rising from her esophagus, she rushed towards the bathroom and lifted the toilet seat up. The foul vomit shot out of her mouth like water from a hose, causing her eyes to tear up. When it was finally over she weakly flushed before staggering against the wall, cursing.
“...I feel like manure,” muttered Rainbow Dash, rubbing her eyes. Three days since the nightmares. Three days, since she had a good night’s rest. Rising to her hooves, she turned on the faucet and washed her face. When she looked into the mirror, she winced. “I look like manure too...”
Bloodshot eyes, bags under her eyelids... she hadn’t even washed her mane in goddess knows how long. The rest of her body wasn’t looking good either. She lost weight, and she hadn’t cleaned her coat or wings. Scars from her tussle with the four griffins were easy visible, particularly the nasty cut on her side Falk gave her up in the clouds. If anypony were to pass Rainbow Dash on the street, they would have thought her to have been in a war recently. The only part of here that looked remotely clean was her bandage wrappings which the hospital ordered her to change everyday in return for leaving early. Hay, by the way I look Fluttershy will faint the moment she sees me coming to... the... funeral...
A dark wave of dread washed over Rainbow. That’s right... it’s today.
It made her feel nauseous all over again. Applejack was going to be buried in a wooden prison only to rot away from the worms and bugs. She shook her head, trying to hold back the thought. As she changed her bandages, Rainbow Dash began to ponder if she should go. Could she handle seeing Applejack, the love of her life, one last time before she was gone forever? Am I even worried? After all I... I killed... Rainbow Dash slapped herself. No! Don’t think about it! You’re going to that funeral and you're going to say goodbye to her... it’s the right thing to do.
It was the loyal thing to do.
***
After a quick shower, Rainbow Dash finally left her cloud home. She didn’t have anything special to wear for the occasion and it was too late to go get something. There was bound to be some ponies staring at her for going without clothes, but they could bite her tail for all she cared.
Spreading her wings, she calmly made her way towards town. The doctors had told her to take it easy on the flying, especially on speed. For once in her life, Rainbow Dash wasn’t in any hurry. Not for this occasion.
Even without flying at her normal agility, Rainbow was just glad to spread her wings. Flying was the only thing that ever made her feel normal again, despite all that had happened. It had really helped her this past few days, getting out and being in her natural element. Yet, even this wasn’t enough to erase the dread in her heart.
In a few minutes, she made it to Ponyville. When she landed, she felt her heart sink at what her town looked like. The streets that usually bustled with energetic ponies, were now barren and unadorned, save for black ribbons wrapped around every lamp post. No stores were open, and there was barely any activity in the town. Her once happy home had turned into a graveyard.
Rainbow Dash trotted past the familiar stores and houses. Each stoop had a basket of apples as a commemoration to Applejack. Never had Ponyville suffered such a tragic loss.
And I caused all it...
“Rainbow Dash!”
Rainbow Dash recoiled and hesitantly turned around. To her relief she only saw Twilight Sparkle and Spike heading towards her, neither looking angry. Both of their expressions mirrored the town, sorrowful and broken. She pushed her flashbacks of her nightmare behind her and greeted her friends with a small wave.
“Hey, Rainbow,” greeted Spike, who wore a green tie around his neck. The young dragon’s face held such broken innocence that it made Dash almost want to hug him and tell him everything was going to be alright.
Twilight was even worse though. Dressed in a black dress, her eyes were drooping, obviously from lack of sleep, and she looked ready to cry at any moment. It looked like Twilight had been struggling to deal with this tragedy, and Dash wasn’t surprised. Applejack had been one of Twilight’s first friends, and now she was saying goodbye just a few years after they met. Guilt rose inside Dash’s chest, slowly devouring her despite her efforts to repress it.
“I’m glad you came,” said Twilight. “I was worried you might not be well enough to attend.”.
“I couldn’t abandon you girls... even on a day like today,” said Rainbow Dash with a small smile. The three of them made an effort to hug, but Twilight and Spike stepped back, causing Rainbow Dash to gulp. “W-what?”
“Um, Rainbow?” Twilight nervously looked at her with concern. “Are you okay? You look... well...”
“... terrible,” finished Spike. “Jeez, Rainbow, you look like you just went through Tartarus and back.”
Rainbow Dash released her breath. For a second I thought they...
Twilight glared at Spike. “Spike has a point, Dash. Although I would have used a more polite term.”
The little dragon blushed and muttered an apology.
“You look like you haven’t been taking care of yourself.” Horn glowing, Twilight scanned Rainbow with a ray of green light. “Are you still hurt? Have you eaten? When was the last time you got sleep? Maybe we should call a doctor...”
Rainbow Dash held her hoof out and huffed, “Twilight, will you relax? I’m fine... really...”
Stopping her spell, Twilight sighed and lowered her head. “I’m sorry, Dash. It’s just been a troubling time for me. Next to worrying about you, I’m still trying to comprehend that Applejack really is... well...”
“Dead?” finished Spike, somberly.
The girls winced upon hearing the word. Rainbow could feel her heart break in two. She had been trying to avoid hearing—or even thinking—that word, but it was time to face the truth. Applejack was dead. Her best friend, her rival, the pony she respected the most and loved so much, was dead. She would never have another competition with her. They would never sit down on the grass of Sweet Apple Acres sipping apple juice together. Their chance to become something more then friends, something amazing and awesome, would never come to pass.
As soon as everything had started, it came to an abrupt end.
Twilight gulped before continuing, “Yes, since Applejack d–di... passed away. I’ve never been to a funeral before, and I’ve been asked to say an eulogy. I spent all night researching funeral customs for earth ponies, pegasi, unicorns, and even non-ponies such as dragons and griffins. I’ve managed to find a translated copy of the zebra’s Book of the Dead.”
For the first time in a long time, Rainbow Dash chuckled. It was small, but a laugh was a laugh. “Twilight, you never stop being an egghead, huh?”
Blushing, Twilight replied, “I–I’m just nervous. I want to make sure I say something meaningful this is... this is the last time we’ll ever see her.”
The last time... one last farewell before her eternal rest in the Elysian Fields. Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and cursed even the goddess herself for this horrible tragedy. She didn’t deserve this! You hear me! She wasn’t suppose to die! Not when I finally told her my feelings! Why take her away from me, goddess! Why!
She felt Twilight hug her and led a shoulder to cry on. Dash wiped her eyes and shook her head. “I’m sorry... if only I...”
“Rainbow, don’t,” ordered Twilight. The stern look on her face reminded Dash of the one her mother used to give her. “Don’t blame yourself. You were paralyzed and those griffins are the ones that killed her. It’s not your fault.”
Rainbow Dash cringed. That’s right. They don’t know. I never told them what Applejack asked me to do. They don’t know it was me who... ended her misery. Would they hate me? Should they hate me?
Dash was snapped out of her mixed thoughts by Spike, as he nostalgically murmured, “Hard to believe it was only last week we were all eating out together. Applejack and Pinkie Pie were having a race to see who could eat the most pies that night.”
Twilight giggled. “I remember! Applejack got so sick she lost her lunch all over the floor. Then that waiter came by and slipped on it, causing the soup he was carrying to fly straight into somepony’s mane.”
The three of them snickered; that had been quite a night. They were banned from ever eating there again, but it had been worth it. Their mirth soon faded as Twilight gave a sad smile and said, “Let’s get going... we don’t want to be late.” They turned back towards the direction of Sweet Apple Acres and pressed on.
***
Rainbow Dash expected a lot of ponies to be at the funeral, but the actual number was far beyond what she could have imagined. It seemed that all of Ponyville had come, plus an equal number of those from outside. Each was dressed for the occasion and held faces of utter grief. For Dash, every mourner only made it harder to repress the blame.
As Dash had anticipated, the funeral was to take place just outside where Applejack dedicated her entire life to. Two sections of seats were laid out. On the right, practically every seat was filled. Those who could not find a seat simply stood in a great mass behind the chairs. Tears were shared as the town grieved for the loss of one of its most respected and prominent citizens.
On the left, the somber relatives of the Apple family attended in their droves, each member trying to be strong for his or her peers; it was far more Apple family members than Rainbow even knew existed, let alone had seen. It looked like every relative across Equestria, from Fillydelphia to Appleloosa, had come.
In front of the chairs were a dozen funeral wreaths on stands with baskets of white lilies below them. Each wreath encircled a picture of Applejack, smiling happily, looking as alive as could be. Dash let her gaze drift beyond the wreaths to the final part of the setup, a wooden podium where she saw the—she immediately turned away. She didn’t want to look at it. Not yet.
“Rainbow?” asked Twilight, nuzzling her neck. “It’s okay... I’m here.”
Dash nodded and kept her head down as she followed Twilight and Spike past the rows of ponies in attendance. As they moved to their seats in the first right row on the right, she spotted Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy already waiting for them. Noticing them, Pinkie and Rarity jumped to their hooves and rushed toward them. Fluttershy slowly followed, hooves dragging against the grass.
“Girls! Oh, girls!” cried out Rarity, hugging each of them with tears in her eyes. “I can’t believe this is happening. Applejack is gone. I just... I-I can’t..”
Rainbow Dash wasn’t surprised to see Rarity dressed in her own custom-made outfit. Even at a funeral, she was still Rarity. Instead of a simple black dress like the rest of the girls, Rarity’s featured a soft top that was inlaid with layer upon layer of sparkling dark blue jewels, with small black ribbons of fine silk decorating the sleeves. A long black shawl draped across the alabaster unicorn’s head and her withers, making her pale pelt seem whiter than ever before.
Pinkie embraced them next, hugging them even tighter than Rarity. The once pouffy and bright pink mane that made Pinkie stand out had drooped into long straight locks, like seaweed draped from the dripping hulk of a wrecked ship. Her coat looked more gray than pink, and her bloodshot eyes—eyes that once held such life—looked like dark clouds. Yet still she held a smile. It was a sad smile, but a Pinkie Pie smile nonetheless. “Hi, girls. Sorry, if I look a little... messy.”
“I’ll say, darling,” muttered Rarity, using her magic to help poof up the mane a bit more. “You look almost as bad as Rainbow Dash and Twilight here.”
“Hey,” muttered the two in unison, earning a few giggles.
With the rest of her friends focused on Pinkie’s mane, Dash turned to Fluttershy, who was hanging back, away from the crowd, her thick pink bangs shielding her face. Rainbow, keeping her voice low and friendly, addressed her old friend. “Hello, Fluttershy.”
“… Hello,” whispered Fluttershy, lowering her head.
Dash reached out to hug her, but Fluttershy shied away. Biting her lip, Dash asked, “Fluttershy, are you alright?”
“… No.”
Rainbow thought about pressing further, but stepped back and nodded. She turned back to the rest of her friends, who were helping Twilight get her mane straightened out. When they were finished, Twilight suggested, “Why don’t we take our seats, girls? It’s… about to start.” She led them forward, one by one as Dash did her best to avoid looking at... it.
Pinkie Pie walked beside her and whispered, “Dashie... did you manage to... tell her?”
“Does it matter?” asked Dash, bitterly.
Pinkie bit her lip. “I’m sorry. I just...”
Sighing, Dash answered, “Yes, Pinkie, I did... and... she felt the same.”
A set of hooves wrapped around her neck, nearly choking her. Pinkie noticed this and loosened her grip. “Sorry about that. I can’t even begin to imagine how you’re feeling... but at least she loved you to the very end. That’s what’s important,” said Pinkie, giving her a sad smile. “Remember, it’s not your fault, Dash.”
Dash’s mind turned back to Applejack’s final moments. How they told how much they loved one another before sealing it with a kiss. And then when she took the dagger and—NO! DON’T THINK ABOUT IT!
“... are you okay?” asked Rainbow Dash, trying to focus her mind elsewhere.
Pinkie gave a slight nod. “I’ve lost ponies I’ve cared about before. Don’t worry, I plan to help fix all this saddy waddyness with a party for Applejack so we can remember the good times. That will help cheer ponies up. You’ll come too, right?”
“I... I’ll think about it...” said Dash as she made her way to her seat. The two of them sat down in the front aisle of seats and waited. Dash continued to keep her head down, occasionally hearing a gentle sob or prayer from one of the attendants.
“She looks so... peaceful...” whispered Spike. “I’d swear she was sleeping.”
“That dress she has looks beautiful. I don’t think I could have created something so... fitting for her,” said Rarity, taking out a tissue and wiping her eyes.
Rainbow Dash nearly lifted her head for a glance, but she quickly turned away. Cursing her curiosity, she tried to find something else to occupy her mind. She turned to the left, where she saw Applejack’s family. Granny Smith was dressed in a worn, patched black dress, undoubtedly almost as old as the matron herself. As with Rarity, a shawl was draped over the Apple matriarch’s head. Surprisingly, her face was stoic and firm, and she stood still like a stone instead of shaking. Big Macintosh was slumped beside his grandmother, dressed in a black suit clearly recently purchased. He looked calm, but Dash could see the pain in his eyes. Apple Bloom was the hardest to look at. The filly was sobbing quietly, her tears soaking the black fabric of her dress.
With her own tears threatening to overwhelm her, Rainbow Dash turned away. She couldn’t face Apple Bloom.... not after what had happened...
***
“Applejack!” Big Macintosh galloped towards Rainbow Dash and heaved his sister off the exhausted pegasus. He cradled his fallen sibling, eyes filled with terror and disbelief.
Rainbow Dash collapsed by the entrance to the farm, gasping for air while wincing at the pain she could feel in every part of her body. She didn’t know where else to go. The hospital would have been of no use, and bringing the body back to town would have caused an uproar.
Big Macintosh shouted his sister’s name again, shaking her shoulders in a desperate attempt to wake her. He soon stopped and looked at his sister’s deprecated form, realizing that it was futile. Big Macintosh hugged his bloodied sister as tightly as he could. “AJ… Oh, Celestia and Luna… AJ.”
Cradling his sibling, he looked into Dash’s eyes and pleaded, “How? What happened?”
Rainbow Dash lay still, trying to string up an explanation. She opened her mouth but was silent when she saw Apple Bloom coming outside. Curious, the little filly looked at them and asked, “Big Mac? What’s going on?”
Big Macintosh’s eyes widened. He turned around and yelled louder than Dash had ever heard him. “Apple Bloom! Stay inside!”
It was too late. Apple Bloom had managed to get a glimpse of Applejack and froze. Her horror-struck eyes focused on her sister’s corpse. She then scampered forward, screaming her Applejack’s name as her hooves kicked up dust behind them. When she reached Applejack, she dived into her sister’s torn up chest and shook her. ”AJ! Are ya okay! Speak to me!” She looked to her horrified brother. “Big Mac, we gotta get her to a hospital!”
Big Macintosh was silent, unsure of what to say. What could he say to explain this to his youngest—now only—sister? Apple Bloom looked at him, eyes filled with confusion as her lip trembled. “Wha…what the hay are ya’ll standin’ around here for! Applejack needs help!”
Big Macintosh took a deep breath and shook his head. Apple Bloom blinked a few times, then turned to her sister’s body. Her frightened eyes widened, finally realizing what had happened. She shook her head and stuttered, “N–n–no…No, s–s–she’s not… S–s–she can’t be… She’s Applejack! My s–sister wouldn’t… she wouldn’t leave me…”
“Apple Bloom...” He reached out to hug his sister, but Apple Bloom pushed him away.
“No! She’s not dead! She’s not dead!” Apple Bloom embraced her sister once more. She shook with even more vigor as Applejack’s head flopped back and forth. The blood from Applejack’s coat spread, dirtying Apple Bloom’s own as she continued. “Applejack! Stop lyin’ around and get up! Get up!” Each wail grew softer than the last, until Apple Bloom stared silently into Applejack’s pale face.
“No… Ya can’t leave us. Yer the strongest pony Ah know. Mah big sister would never leave me like this. Ah don’t…” whispered Apple Bloom as she pounded on Applejack’s chest. “Ah don’t want to lose ya like Ah lost Ma and Pa.”
Finally, Big Macintosh took Apple Bloom into his hooves, in spite of her struggling, and lifted her off their fallen sister. Tears fell from their eyes, pattering against Applejack's unmoving pelt. Apple Bloom slowly looked at Dash and muttered, “W–what happened?”
Dash tried to answer, but exhaustion overcame her and she blacked out.
***
A series of gasps awoke Rainbow Dash from her daydream. She turned to her friends, only to find them staring towards the sky, along with everypony else. Dash raised her head. High in the clouds she spotted a golden carriage drawn by six armored pegasi. Swiftly and majestically, it swooped down behind the crowds. Riding calmly in the carriage, manes waving in breezes, were the rulers of Equestria, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Behind them were Equestria’s most famous couple, Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor.
The carriage landed softly on the grass. Everypony bowed to the royal family as they dismounted from the carriage. The entire royal family dressed both regal and stunning.
For Celestia and Luna, the bodice of each black dress was emblazoned with the symbols of the sun and moon. Celestia’s held a shining white shield design behind the dual symbols, while Luna’s held a dark blue one. Both still wore their usual regalia of tiaras and jewelry, but not their usual smiling faces.
Cadence's dress wore a similar design, only instead of the sun and the moon, it held her cutie mark. On her head she wore a black shawl with a blue rose stitched the side. Close beside her was her husband, the newly crowned Prince Shining Armor. He was dressed in his uniform, but black instead of purple. A sword was sheathed by his side, decorated with his family’s crest on the handle.
Twilight was the first to rise to her hooves. She immediately rush into the warming forelegs of her brother and sister-in-law. Bursting into tears, Shining and Candace proceed to whisper in her ears, telling her everything would be alright. Rainbow Dash and the others soon got up and prepared to bow to the royal family, but Celestia raised her hoof and shook her head. Instead, she walked over to each of them and nuzzled their cheeks. “I am so sorry, everypony. I know that this is difficult for all of you. Losing a friend before her time is something I have experienced far too often. We are never prepared for it, no matter what.”
“Thank you for coming, all of you,” said Twilight, with a grateful smile.
“Please. ’Tis the least we can do. Applejack was a noble pony to whom we owe much. I cannot express my gratitude for her part in freeing me from my accursed state,” replied Luna, bowing to Twilight.
“Your friends are my friends, Twilight,” said Cadance, smiling. “Shining and I feel obligated to be here, after all you six have done for us it was the least we could do.”
“Cadance is right, Twily,” agreed Shining. “Besides, what kind of a big brother would I be if I weren’t here to support you?”
Wiping the tears from her eyes, Twilight gave her brother a hug as Celestia stepped forward. “They are correct, Twilight. Applejack has done more than most would for Equestria. It is we who are honored to be here. All of Equestria mourns the loss of the Element of Honesty, but we will work together to recover. As always.”
The princess’s comment continued to hammer the guilt into Dash. She could feel the sweat dripping down her brow as she began to realize that, without Applejack, the Elements of Harmony were powerless. What if Discord or the changeling army came back? What if some new disaster struck? Had Applejack’s death sealed Equestria’s potential doom?
Preoccupied with her thoughts, she barely noticed Big Macintosh walk towards them. As he stood in front of the princesses, he bowed and asked, “Princess Celestia? We would be honored if you and your sister were to lead the service.”
Princess Celestia nodded, and Macintosh gave his sincere thanks before returning to his seat Everyone else followed suit as Princess Celestia, along with her sister, stood in front of the entire crowd. Rainbow Dash made sure to keep her eyes towards them and dared not tilt her head to the left, where... it was.
Clearing her throat, Celestia began. “My subjects, today is a day of grieving for us all. We have lost a brave pony, who all of us knew and loved, a pony that touched us all in many ways. Some of us remember her as family, to others a friend. To all of Equestria, she was a hero. But most importantly, we remember her as somepony we loved for her selflessness and determination to help all ponies no matter the problem. Now she gallops in the Elysian Fields, with the rest of the fallen and the goddess herself. As such, we…”
Ignoring the speech, Rainbow glanced at her friends and their reactions: Spike was rubbing his eyes in an attempt to hide his tears. Rarity was comforting a weeping Fluttershy. Pinkie Pie was weeping silently while blowing her nose with a pink hankie. And Twilight was held in her brother’s embrace.
Rainbow Dash turned away, fighting back her own tears. I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry, everypony! I caused this. This sorrow. This pain. I was too weak, too slow... I couldn’t save her... why couldn’t I save her?! WHY?!
“... it is thanks to her efforts that Equestria was saved from those that threatened our way of life,” continued Princess Celestia. “Because of this, my sister and I will honor Applejack for all that she has done for us by making a statue of her in the royal garden. There she will stand as a symbol of honesty for all of eternity.”
Many ponies began to whisper about the news. To have a statue placed in the Royal Palace Gardens was one of the greatest honors anypony could receive. Only ponies that held the highest of prestige in the history of Equestria were immortalized there.
Celestia soon stepped aside to let her sister take the stand. Princess Luna waited a bit to gather her thoughts before speaking, “ ’Tis true that I had not the pleasure of knowing Applejack as close as some did. But I did not need to know her personally to see how special she was… I felt it.”
Princess Luna’s eyes were filled with regret as she spoke, “When I was… Nightmare Moon… I felt the power of the Elements transformed me from that accused, evil state into my true form. I felt all the powerful emotions that entered my soul and purified me of my darkness. ’Tis to the work of these six mares,” Luna turned to the five sitting up front, “that I owe everything. I owe Applejack my freedom, my life, and my redemption. Thus, I, Princess Luna of the Night, have decided that, for the first time in a thousand years, a new constellation shall be made. It shall be in the design of Applejack’s cutie mark so that the heavens, and future generations, will know of her deeds and my eternal gratitude to her.”
If anypony was shocked before, they were now stupefied. Rather than sadness, the Apple family looked to be rejuvenated with a sense of pride.
“Wow! That’s awesome!” shouted Pinkie Pie.
“I agree,” echoed Twilight in shock. “There hasn’t been a new constellation since Princess Luna was banished! Only she is able to perform such magic; not even Celestia can achieve the amount of wonder Luna can when making stars. This is… it’s just incredible. There are no words to describe it.”
When the response began to die down, Celestia took control again.”Now is the time for those who knew Applejack best to come forward and speak about her life.”
To nopony’s surprise, Big Macintosh stood up first. He walked toward the front and faced the crowd. Clearing his throat, he spoke with a firm, clear voice. “Ah know Ah’m not much of a speaker… but Ah guess this once Ah can say what needs to be said.”
Macintosh lowered his head. “When Ma and Pa died, Ah promised mahself Ah would raise AJ right. She was stubborn as a mule and fierce as they come. But Applejack worked hard and always did the right thing. Ah couldn’t be any prouder of her for who she was and what she did. Ah always hoped she would find some nice colt, settle down, and live her life happy.”
Dash squirmed a bit.
“Now… now s–she’s gone,” said Big Macintosh as he started choking up, “an–d–d… it f-feels like Ah f-failed them all…” Few ponies had seen Big Macintosh cry before. Tears streamed down his face, until he wiped them away. “Applejack wouldn’t want me to continue weepin’… She’d tell me to get mah act together and get ready for harvestin’ time in two weeks.”
Rainbow and her friends couldn’t help but chuckle. Applejack would definitely say that.
“And A–ah will,” Big Macintosh continued. “Ah can’t just stand around weepin’ for her. Ah think the best thing Ah… Ah can do for Applejack is make sure this farm continues to run like it always has. If Ah can do that… Ah think Ah can sleep easier.” Finished, Big Macintosh made his way back to his seat. Apple Bloom leaped into his arms, and the stallion returned her tearful embrace.
Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but feel that she contributed to tearing that family apart. One thing she never admitted to anypony was that she envied Applejack’s family and the bond they shared. Her parents, although loving, were almost never around due to their work. She had to learn things all on her own while her parents were busy with their jobs instead of caring for their daughter. So she felt there could be no repentance for doing this to such a loving family.
Ponies from both sides stepped forward, giving their own speeches one by one. She listened to them all, each grieving speech, tearing her up inside more and more. Yet each speech also brought them one step closer to the moment she dreaded most. The final goodbye.
At last it came to Twilight, who stood up and slowly made her way towards the front of the crowd. She stared at them, her eyes darting left and right for a good while before taking a deep breath. “What more can I say about Applejack that wasn’t already said? We all knew her and we all loved her. She was one of the most selfless and noble ponies I’ve ever met. Everything she did was for other ponies’ benefit. Even when she farmed, she never once did it for herself, but for her family and those who needed food. Losing Applejack isn't just a loss for us here today, but a loss for all of Equestria. There will never be another pony like Applejack… and I know, deep in my heart, her memories and deeds will live on inside of us all. Driving us to be the best ponies we can be, just like her.”
Allowing a brief silence for her words to sink in, Twilight gave a sad smile. “Although we stand as five Elements instead of six today, the spirit of honesty still thrives in us. Applejack’s selflessness… her unparalleled determination… her unbreakable will… All of these qualities will never die. While we grieve that Applejack is gone, we cannot let ourselves be overcome by it. Applejack was a paragon of virtue who has changed not only me, but all of us for the better. And we must continue to remember her by living our lives the same way. It’s what she would want for all us..”
A few ponies smiled at Twilight as she made her way back to her seat, her friends and the princesses giving small nods of approval. Only Rainbow Dash, still staring dully, failed to acknowledge the heartfelt eulogy.
Princess Celestia stepped forward. “Now that we have all said our peace, it is time for...”
The princess stopped as her eyes glanced towards the tiny filly that walked up to her. Not a single word was uttered upon everypony seeing Apple Bloom rise from her chair and stand in front of Celestia. Even Dash held her breath.
As if reading the young filly’s mind, Princess Celestia nodded and stepped back. Slowly turning towards the rest of those in attendance, Apple Bloom closed her eyes and lifted her face toward the sky.
“This is a song… AJ used to sing to me to get me to sleep. It was a song she said Ma used to sing to us when we were each foals. Ah ain’t the best singer, but… Ah want to sing it just once to her…” Apple Bloom took a deep breath:
“Tonight, hear the angels singin’. Tonight, let your dreams come true. Tonight, don’t fear the comin’ darkness. Tonight, know that ah’m here for ya. So sleep, sleep with the stars above. Sleep for the dawn that is to rise. Dream both of fantasy and of love. And the new day that will come by.”
It might have been the atmosphere or the lyrics, but Apple Bloom’s song brought tears to the eyes of nearly everypony. Her somber melody was so touching it could melt the heart of even Discord himself. Tears carved blue channels through Dash’s face as each lyric tugged at her heart and the hearts of everypony else. Even Celestia and Luna could be seen wiping their eyes.
“And when sweet child, ya wake up in the mornin’ sun. Know that together… our new adventure has begun.”
When Apple Bloom finished, she hurried back to her family, who hugged her as she cried in their forelegs. When there was silence once more, Celestia said, “Before we bury Applejack, everypony will receive a flower. By earth pony tradition, you will line up one by one, say any last words you have to Applejack, and lay the flower inside. The first row on each side will go first.”
Rainbow’s heart raced faster than ever. She wanted to just fly off, to leave and go as far away as possible. She didn’t care if it was rude or disgraceful; she just couldn’t do it. Despite her brain trying to dissuade her, Dash still got up with her friends as she received a lily from the basket carriers. She struggled to keep her eyes from looking straight, but her efforts were futile. She could only see a vagueness of the wood out of the corner of her eyes, as her friends stood ahead of her blocking the rest of her sight. She stood in line as Apple Bloom went first and put the flower in. “Goodbye, sis… Ah love ya.”
Apple Bloom kissed her sister’s cheek before walking back towards her seat. Granny Smith approached the casket, trying her best not to shake from the weakness of her old bones. “No mother should have to bury her child,” muttered Granny Smith as she placed the flower inside, “but it’s unthinkable for a grandmother to bury her grandchild.”
As Granny Smith trotted slowly back to her seat, Big Macintosh was already moving forward. He dragged his hooves, saying nothing until he was inches away from the coffin. He put the flower in slowly and walked away, shedding his tears silently.
Fluttershy was next. “I used to wish I was as brave as you… I just hope you can look down at me and still give me courage… goodbye.”
After placing her flower inside, Fluttershy flew back to her seat, sobbing. Rarity looked at her with pity before she stepped forward with her own flower. Setting it down, she said, “I would give up every dress I had for just one more argument with you, Applejack. You were a great friend.”
Rarity sniffled a bit before she made her way to Fluttershy, and hugged her, letting her friend cry on her shoulder. Pinkie Pie gave a small smile as she trotted forward and placed her flower inside too. “I’ll make sure to celebrate your birthday every year. And when we meet again, I’ll give you the biggest party ever.”
Following her friends, Pinkie Pie simply joined the other two in their hug. Rainbow Dash was now just a few feet away. She tried to calm her breathing, but it felt like she was suffocating. Sweat dripped down her mane as her hooves shook with terror. Spike, next in line, marched forward stiffly, jaw set and lips pursed to keep them from quivering. His resolve held until the flower left his shaking hand. He then ran back to his seat, tears welling up in his huge emerald eyes. Twilight, the last one before Dash, looked ready to rush over and comfort him, but she was next. She walked over to the coffin. Dropping her flower, she lowered her head and whispered, “Goodbye Applejack. I’ll never forget you.”
Rainbow Dash turned away, just in time to see Twilight leave and rush towards her assistant to comfort him. Spike dove into her chest and held onto her as tightly as he could. Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and stood still. She knew she was suppose to move forward, but she couldn’t. Please... please... I can’t... I just can’t.... I don’t want to see it...
She felt a hoof touch her shoulder, but continued to keep her eyes closed. The soothing sound of Princess Celestia’s voice whispered in her ear, “Rainbow Dash... it’s okay... you can do it.”
It was as if the simplest of words were magic themselves. Slowly, but surely, Dash opened her eyes and saw the coffin. There was no other word to describe it but one: beautiful. It was made from the shiniest and smoothest of well-polished wood, and held the still figure of her love, Applejack. Her hair was cascaded past the shoulders, just how Dash used to dream about. The peaceful, passive smile she held on her face was angelic and melted Dash’s heart. She longed to see Applejack’s shining emerald eyes, but they were shut tight.
She wore a beautiful white silk gown that had small white ribbons. Underneath her crossed hooves, was a bouquet of fresh flowers and her favorite hat, which she would never depart with, even in death. The coffin was finished with blue and red flowers that blanketed Applejack. She looked so pretty, and yet... she was dead. How could anything dead be so lovely?
The flower dropped from Rainbow Dash’s mouth as she forced herself forward with each step, her hooves feeling like iron. As she stood over the face of her lost love, Dash cupped her hoof against Applejack’s cold cheek and whispered, “I’m so sorry, Applejack... I failed you... I love you, but that wasn’t enough to save you... I’m sorry...”
She lowered her head and gently kissed Applejack’s lips, not caring if she was seen or not. As she stepped back, Princess Celestia nuzzled the back of her head from behind. “Rainbow Dash. It’s okay... It’s not your fault”
“Yes it is...” muttered Rainbow Dash, lowering her face.
“No, Rainbow. Do not blame yourself, this is not your fau—”
“YES IT IS!”
Everypony jumped back as Rainbow Dash turned around, her eyes enraged and puffy. “Shut up! Just shut up! You don’t know anything! Not my fault?! IT IS MY FAULT!”
She didn’t care if she was back talking to her princess, she just had to scream it out. “It was my idea that failed! My weakness that lead me to get taken down! My fault they stabbed her! And I... I...” Falling to her haunches, through hiccups and sniffs, she screamed, “I was the one who had to end her misery!” She could hear everypony gasp. “The killing blow wasn’t from the griffins! It was from me!” Dash rose her head to see all eyes staring at her in disbelief. “She... she was suffering... s–she told... t–told me to e–end it! I... I took the d–dagger an–nd... It...”
Her eyes glanced over the shocked audience. Many were still trying to comprehend what they had just heard. But one pony was staring at her, confused. One pony slowly walked up to her and stared her down in disbelief. Whispering, Apple Bloom uttered one word. “Why?”
The two of them stared at each other, neither making a sound. Apple Bloom’s eyes began to water, her whole body trembling in anger. After a moment of sharing this silent glare, her stance broke, and she screamed, charging into Dash and nearly knocking her backwards. Apple Bloom lifted her little forelegs and proceeded to wail on Dash, screaming, “Why?! Why did ya do it?! Why did you kill mah sister?!” Apple Bloom continued to scream, her tears dampening Dash’s chest. Rainbow Dash just stood there, quiet and hollow, as the painless blows became weaker and weaker.
With one last cry, Apple Bloom used all her strength to smack Rainbow Dash, leaving a bruise on her cheek. “Ah hate ya! Ah hate ya! Ah hate ya!”
Apple Bloom fell to grass and hid her face in her forehooves. Nopony said a word as she hid herself from the world, her sobs so soft they could barely be heard. Rainbow Dash tried to say something, but no words came out of her mouth. Hesitantly, she reached out to touch Apple Bloom’s mane, only for the filly to snap at her. “Don’t touch me!” she snarled, before glaring at the ground, wiping her eyes. “Just leave me alone... please... just leave me alone...”
Rainbow Dash just stared at Apple Bloom, then raised her head towards the coffin. She saw the smile on Applejack’s cold face, and turned back to Apple Bloom.
“I’m sorry...” she whispered and then took off into the skies.
Her friends cried out for her to come back, but their voices didn’t reach her. Tearing through clouds, knocking away birds, nothing stood in her path as she flew as fast as she could. Away from Applejack. Away from Apple Bloom. Away from everypony and everything. She just wanted to fly away and never stop.
Animals from below looked up to see a rainbow-colored streak racing across the sky, its aftershock blowing them back. A mach cone began to form in front of Dash, signaling the start of her most famous air move. She pressed further, not caring what she was doing; all she wanted was to escape. The funnel tried to resist more, but the desperate pegasus was able to fight back more easily than she ever had before.
A second later, a loud explosion was heard for miles followed by a series of rainbow circles spreading in the sky. Ponies miles away from Ponyville looked up and felt their hearts captivated upon witnessing the majestic wonder. Smiles stretched across their faces, they didn’t know who or what caused this, but it didn’t matter. To them it was a beautiful spectacle.
But not to the one who caused it. The one who kept flying.
***
At long last, Rainbow Dash made it back home. She clumsily landed on her front porch and opened the door. She entered her house, closed the door, and then she let out the scream she had been holding in for so long.
She charged into her living room and smashed her forehoof onto her coffee table, then kicked it against the wall. Flying to her Wonderbolt posters, Dash ripped them off the wall and tore them up with her teeth, like a wolf upon its downed prey.
Her emotions continued to rage as she stormed into the kitchen, taking her chinaware and throwing them in random directions. Against the wall, windows, furniture, it didn’t matter. Everything was a target and her soft, cloudy floor was the carrier of their remains. She walked across the broken glass, ignoring the multiple cuts she received on her hooves. Her rampage continued as she picked up furniture and tossed it around. She took her trophies and ribbons and threw them into the trash. Even Tank wasn’t safe from her wrath as she kicked him into her bathroom, much to his confusion. Taking another glass, Dash let it loose as it sailed across the room and smashed into a photograph.
The sight of the broken picture made her stop the rampage in horror.
Holding her breath, Dash slowly walked towards the picture, her rage replaced with shock. With a shaking hoof, she took the photo and looked at it. The picture was the one she and her friends had taken after the Nightmare Moon incident. Each of them had one to remember the day they all became best friends. A winking Applejack looked back at her as she curled into a ball, holding the photo close to her heart.
The blade of the ax bit into Rainbow Dash’s skull with a wet crunch. Her eyes snapped open and immediately narrowed in pain as the invisible lumberjack jerked the ax out and brought the tool down for another sickening blow. Moaning, she fought both her desire to keep sleeping and the urge to vomit. Cursing the creation of hangovers, Rainbow Dash swung her legs across her bed and prepared to step on her cold floor. Instead of the soft yet freezing touch she was greeted to every morning, she felt a sharp pain in her hoof. Biting her tongue, she lifted it up and started to take out the pieces of broken glass. Figures, as soon as all my old wounds heal up, I get a new one. She touched the horrible scar on her side. It may have faded away, but the memory still fresh.
With the last of the blood-slicked shards deposited in her wastebasket, Rainbow flew gingerly to her living room, floating carefully over the sea of broken bottles scattered around her bed. She searched the debris for her couch, noticing it overturned and among a few broken trophies from flight school. Rainbow scooped up one of the discarded trophies—first place for the Ghastly Gorge Circuit—and stared at her reflection from its marred yet still shiny surface. Her eyes were completely bloodshot and her mane was worse than ever. Food stains and tear marks covered her coat, and each of her feathers looked out of place. I look half dead.
Dash scoffed and dropped the trophy like the useless relic that it was. She flipped the couch right side up, sat down, and picked up a nearby bottle, one of the few not in pieces across the floor. She hissed as the potent drink poured over her new cuts, but the pain soon faded. After finishing the bottle with a quick gulp, she tossed it away and started scanning her torn up living room. “Where’s that darn emergency kit?”
Her search was interrupted by a knock on the door. Silently cursing, she went towards her doorway and opened it, revealing a nervous Fluttershy. She spotted Rainbow Dash and gasped, “Oh my gosh! Rainbow Dash, you look awful!”
“Nice to see you too, Fluttershy,” grumbled Rainbow Dash as the other pegasus began inspecting her as if she was a patient.
“Your eyes are red! You smell horrible and...” Fluttershy sniffed near Dash’s mouth and gagged. “... you’ve been drinking! You know you're still recovering from your fight and—oh my gosh, you're bleeding!”
“It’s just a cut,” said Rainbow Dash, eying her hoof.
Unconvinced, Fluttershy pushed RD back into the house. Fluttershy’s mouth dropped as she saw the state of the house. “It’s like... there was a battle in here.”
“Just a little redecorating,” mumbled Rainbow Dash.
The two landed on the sofa as Fluttershy took Dash’s hoof and looked it over. Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to argue, but soon shut it after a single stern look from her friend. Fluttershy looked at the wounded hoof a while longer before flying up the stairs. Finally having a moment of peace, Rainbow lay down and closed her eyes, trying to ignore the pounding in her head.
“Rainbow Dash! I asked where do you keep your first aid kit!” shouted Fluttershy from above.
“I don’t know! Look in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom! And be quiet! My head hurts.”
Fluttershy came back down with the kit in hand. Opening it, she chided, “Honestly, Rainbow Dash. Getting drunk and hurting yourself. Everypony’s been worried about you, including me.”
“Whatever” muttered Dash, wincing as Fluttershy used the disinfectant spray. “I used alcohol! Just wrap me up already!”
Fluttershy nodded and went back to work. “What about your other wounds? Are they recovering nicely?”
“I took the bandages off those yesterday. They’re fine,” answered Dash, emotionless.
When her hoof was completely bandaged, Dash turned to her side and closed her eyes. Despite having Rainbow Dash’s back to her face, Fluttershy said, “Well, that’s a good thing, right? Besides, you once told me that you always wanted to have scars. You said it would make you look cooler.”
“Does that mean it’s also cool to lose a friend to just get these scars?” responded Rainbow Dash, coldly. Fluttershy stuttered a bit, a small blush coloring her cheeks before she covered her mouth with her hoof.
Finally given silence, Rainbow Dash put her best efforts towards falling asleep, but found it hard with somepony watching. She turned her head back and stared. “Why are you here, anyway?”
“I... I was worried about you,” answered Fluttershy, poking her front hooves together. “Nopony’s seen you since the... f–funeral, and I just wanted to see if you were alright.”
“Do I look alright?”, snarled Rainbow Dash.
Fluttershy looked around the house and sighed. “Well... it could be worse?”
“Worse?! Worse?!” shouted Rainbow Dash. She sat up and glared at the shivering Fluttershy. “Oh, tell me how it can be worse?! Applejack’s dead because of me and everpony blames me! Well, they should! It’s my fault anyway that all this happened!”
“Th–that’s not true! I... I don’t blame you, and I’m sure there was nothing you could have done, Rainbow Dash,” stammered Fluttershy, stepping back as Dash’s intense glare became more fierce with each passing second. An unbroken bottle went spinning away across the floor as Fluttershy tripped, falling to her haunches. “It’s not your fa—”
Before she could finish, Rainbow Dash screamed and smashed her hoof into the wall, tearing a hole that allowed sunlight to seep in. She grabbed one of her Daring Do books and started tearing it apart. Fluttershy gave out a frightful cry and hid behind a table as Dash continued her ongoing destruction. Parts of the wall, ceiling and floor were ripped apart in her rage, sometimes letting out rain or lightning.
Rainbow Dash picked up one of her chairs, ready to throw it straight out of her house. Just as she lifted it above her head, Fluttershy finally gathered her courage and grabbed her friend’s front legs. “Rainbow Dash! Stop! You’re going to hur—”
SMACK!
Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened as her sanity finally return. She took a look at her outstretched right hoof and then at a shivering, shell-shocked Fluttershy. Her hoof covering the fresh bruise on her cheek. The two stared at each other, both in stunned terror at what had happened. Fluttershy’s eyes started to mist as whimpers, barely audible, surfaced.
“Fluttershy... I...” Rainbow Dash tried to finish, but Fluttershy was already gone.
Running to her door, Dash screamed Fluttershy’s name over and over again, even when the retreating pegasus was but a dot in the sky. Exhaustion soon forced Dash to fall to her stomach. She buried her face into her hooves. Sobbing all alone.
***
Dash didn’t think her day was going to get any worse, but it did. When she looked into her kitchen she found no more food or alcohol in her storage. Having no desire to starve to death, there was little she could do but head outside; something she hadn’t done in three days.
Better at least look more presentable, just in case they start to worry about me like… Fluttershy.
Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth. She would have to fix that later, but for now she needed to get her food. She preened her wings and showered twice. Reluctantly, she even made a vague effort to comb her mane. Normally, she would just let her hair be, but considering how freaked out Fluttershy had been over her appearance, every bit counted if she was going to avoid ponies talking to her. If they even wanted to talk to her to begin with.
Grabbing her saddlebags, she jumped out one of her windows and spread her wings, feeling the cracking of her joints. After a few loops to get her blood moving, she turned towards town. Her stomach turned at the thought of seeing everypony for the first time since the funeral. Their shocked stares still haunted her, day and night. How were her friends going to react? How would the town? What if Fluttershy...?
Another pang of regret struck Rainbow Dash as she added another mistake to her growing list of failures. She would have to fix what had happened as soon as possible, but for now it went on her ever-growing ‘to do later’ list.
The town seemed to be returning to normal. Ponies walked or flew around Ponyville, focused on their everyday routine. Lyra was playing at the town square. Colgate was waving goodbye to a filly and her mother as they exited her dentist’s office. Even Derpy was flying around and bumping into things. Yet despite the superficial normalcy, something felt subtly wrong. It felt as if something was missing from Ponyville, a void that couldn’t be filled.
Putting aside her thoughts, Rainbow Dash quickly saw something purple heading towards her face, forcing her to jerk her head down. She turned around and recognized it as a wing from Cloud Kicker, one of her weather patrol teammates. “Hey, watch it!”
Cloud Kicker turned around, giving Rainbow Dash a blank look before leaving. Rainbow grumbled to herself, making a mental note to double Cloud Kicker’s hours first chance she got.
Touching down in an alley just behind the markets, Rainbow Dash peaked out of the corner. Even with the sparse population of the market today, the chill tendrils of fear curled around Rainbow’s throat. She glanced around furtively, trying to find the best way to do her shopping while avoiding as many ponies as possible. Taking a nervous step forward, Rainbow paused and shook her head. Was she really trying to hide from everyony while grocery shopping? Dang it, Dash. Stop acting like a baby and go out there already!
Taking a deep breath, she walked into the market. Almost instantly, Rainbow found herself the center of attention. Conversations stopped or dropped to whispers about a single pegasus who had become the talk of the town for the last three days.
“It’s Rainbow Dash.”
“What is she doing here?”
“She’s got some nerve for walking in here after what she did.”
“Poor girl... having to do that to her best friend.”
“Murderer.”
“It’s not her fault. She was just ending her suffering…”
“She doesn’t look too good...”
“Applejack didn’t deserve what happened to her. It’s all her fault.”
Sweat dripped down Dash’s brow as she continued on, trying to ignore both the scowls of disgust and glances of sympathy. She suddenly felt something hit her in the back of her head and turned around. Shifting her head back and forth, Dash demanded, “Who threw that?!”
Nopony said anything, they just turned away and went back to their business. Right beside Dash’s hoof was a carrot, giving her an immediate clue who the culprit was. Sure enough, she turned to her left and saw Golden Harvest glaring at her. Dash briefly wondered if all the other farmers in Ponyville were also blaming her for Applejack’s death. Making a note to stay away from them, she picked up the carrot and put it in her saddlebag. Free food was free food. Even if it was being thrown at you.
Golden Harvest looked ready to yell something, but a customer approached her, forcing her attention elsewhere. Grateful for the distraction, Dash was about to head back towards her first stand when she heard ponies shouting. Turning around, she noticed a growing cloud of dirt making its way through the crowd, forcing them to jump out of the way. The familiar buzzing of tiny feathered wings grew until a scooter screeched to a halt, kicking up enough dust to make ponies halfway across the market cough and wave away the swirling cloud. Throwing her helmet away, Scootaloo rushed into Dash’s chest and shouted, “Rainbow Dash! You’re okay!”
Rainbow Dash, despite the sudden surprise arrival, returned the hug to her number one fan. “Hey, squirt. Missed me?”
“Are you kidding?! I’ve been so worried! Last time I saw you was three days ago and I had no idea if you were okay!” said Scootaloo, rapidly. “I’m just so happy to see you're alright. You are alright, right?”
Forcing a smile, Rainbow Dash puffed out her chest and raised her head. “Y–yeah, I’m a little shaken up, but I’m still Rainbow Dash. Nothing keeps me down for long.”
A small glow of pride pulsed inside her. It felt good to let her old self out again, the proud and daring Rainbow Dash that all adored. Even if she wasn’t feeling ‘alright’, it was worth it to see the smile of admiration on Scootaloo's face
“So how are you doing, squirt? You still crusading?” asked Rainbow Dash.
Scootaloo’s smile was soon replaced with a bitter frown. Her eyes narrowed in anger and her wings buzzed like an enraged hornet. “I... I don’t want to talk about it.”
Rainbow Dash’s eyes widen before she placed her hoof on Scootaloo's shoulder, and said, “Scoots? Is everything alright?”
“It’s... it’s nothing, just Apple Bloom being stupid,” said Scootaloo, turning away.
“Apple... Bloom?” inquired Rainbow Dash, hesitantly uttering her name. She could still feel every blow the little filly laid on her. The hateful glare, the heartbroken tone. Rainbow Dash quickly snapped out of it, reminding herself who needed help here. “Did you two fight?”
“We... we argued about... well... you,” muttered Scootaloo, glancing back at her idol.
“M–me?”
Scootaloo shot her head straight up and began to ramble. “She kept saying you were a murderer, but that’s not true! You and Applejack were best friends and you would never do what some of the big ponies are accusing you of. She kept saying she wished you were dead instead of her sister! I... I tackled her, and l...” Scootaloo sniffed and sighed. “When we finally stopped, she told me to find a new best friend and just left the treehouse. Me and Sweetie Belle tried to talk to her, but she just tells us to leave her alone. Ever since then... the three of us just haven’t been...”
“Scootaloo...” whispered Rainbow Dash, nuzzling the filly. “I... I did kill Applejack, Scootaloo... I did end her life.” Just saying that sentence alone made her want to throw up and cry in a fetal position. She could hear growling from other nearby ponies who were giving her looks that could kill.
“But not on purpose! It was accident right?! You only were trying to help her! You would never kill anypony! Anypony who thinks like that is just being stupid!” shouted Scootaloo, glaring at a few staring passers by. She looked ready to ram her scooter up their flanks.
“Scootaloo,” said Rainbow Dash firmly, grabbing her fan’s attention. The ponies that were staring had begun to turn away, but some occasionally they glanced back. Only now, some were glaring at Scootaloo as well. She lifted the filly’s chin, forcing her eyes upwards. “You’re right... I didn’t want to do it… but it’s still my fault. I failed to protect her... I’m still guilty of that.”
“Rainbow Dash, you...” whispered Scootaloo as Dash patted her on the head.
Giving her a sad, but wide, smile, Dash said, “Head on home, squirt. I’m sure Apple Bloom just needs some time. You’ll be back to being friends in no time.”
Scootaloo’s eyes shone with hope as she grabbed her helmet and nodded. “Okay... just be alright yourself, Rainbow Dash.”
She jumped back on the scooter and flapped her tiny wings, sending herself towards the market’s exit. With that out of the way, Rainbow Dash sighed in relief and started her market run.
***
“Here’s your milk. Take it and go,” growled the owner who pushed the bottles away. Taking the bits, he turned his back and muttered, “Lucky I need the bits… murderer…”
Rainbow Dash didn’t say anything. She grabbed the milk and went on her way, trying to ignore the stallions words that rang in her ears. Even aside from the occasional dirty look or hurtful whisper, her shopping experience had been far from pleasant. Most of the shop owners had glared or muttered angry remarks under their breath like this one. This wasn’t a surprise, since Applejack had sold apples at the market regularly and had a reputation.
A few times she had to haggle in order to get prices lowered. Prices she suspected had been raised far above the usual, but only for rainbow-maned mares named Rainbow Dash. Friendly vendors were few and far between, but some still greeted her with a smile and treated her as a friend. One of them, Roma the tomato seller, actually told her to not worry. “Some of the folks here are still dealing with the loss. They’ll come around, Rainbow Dash. Trust me.”
Rainbow thanked her, but didn’t put any faith in the words. I could have saved her. I could have spared them all this pain and misery. If only I did something, anything to change it.
With only one more item left to go, Rainbow Dash headed to the liquor stand. Ringing the service bell, she watched Berry Punch come out from the tent, frowning the moment she saw Dash. “What the hay are you doing here, Rainbow Dash?!”
“I’m here to make a purchase,” Dash calmly replied, swallowing her desire to tell Berry to watch her tone or else.
“Well go somewhere else! This booth isn’t for the likes of you!” responded Berry with a scowl.
Rainbow Dash slammed her hoof against the booth, glaring back. “Look, Berry, I’m already getting this manure from everypony else, I don’t need more right now. Just give me a bottle, I’ll pay for it, and we can just go home and forget this happened!”
“How about no! I’m not about to sell my wares to a murderer!” shouted Berry Punch.
“I told you! I was paralyzed! She asked me to do it! Do you think I wanted to stab her?! Do you think I wanted to kill her?! Do you think I wanted to see my best friend die?!” yelled Rainbow Dash, leaning closer and flaring her nostrils.
“You still could have done something else! She could have possibly made it if you didn’t quit! Applejack would have fought against anything to save your life if you were in her position!” shouted Berry Punch.
Rainbow Dash began to shake with fury. Her teeth grounded against each other as her wings flared. Leaning over her counter, Berry Punch whispered, “You could have done something, even without those useless wings of yours. I guess in the end the great Rainbow Dash is nothing more than a murdering coward.”
In a split second, Dash had Berry Punch on the ground, pummeling the snarling earth pony with blow after vicious blow. Berry fought back, biting and kicking to give as good as she got. They wrestled on the ground, hitting and biting one another through blood and tears. Ponies either started rooting for the fight, with most in favor of Berry Punch, or tried to separate the two without getting hurt.
A voice carried over the din of the crowd, clear as a trumpet. “What in heaven’s name?! Stop this madness at once!”
A blue glow separated the two fighters, depositing them on opposite ends of the street. Rarity walked over to Rainbow Dash and helped her up. “Are you okay, dear?”
Rainbow Dash wiped a stain of blood off her lip and nodded. “I was doing fine on my own, Rarity.”
They turned towards Berry Punch. She was black and blue all over her face and had patches torn from her mane. Rarity sighed, “Yes, I can see that. Now what caused this?”
“Yeah, well you call me a coward!” retorted Dash, pointing back.
“Rainbow Dash started the fight!” shouted a mare.
“But Berry Punch egged her on! She started it!” cried out a stallion.
Soon everypony nearby was yelling out their opinions on who started the fight. A few went farther, screaming at and shoving one another. Eventually, the conversation started going from the fight to Rainbow Dash in general. Looking at the chaos, Dash couldn’t help but wonder, Is all of Ponyville like this? Arguing about me?
Rarity lit her horn up again. Her magic wrapped around her neck and she screamed, “QUIET!”
The spell echoed her voice out like a bullhorn, spreading across the market. Everypony quickly shut up. Rarity dispelled her magic and gave a scolding glare at the crowd. “Are you a bunch of barbarians, or civilized ponies?! I highly suggest we all just go back to what we were doing and forget this ever happened! Agreed?!”
A few muttered in approval and the crowd soon dispersed. Berry Punch gave one last dirty look before putting up her closed sign and disappearing into her tent. Rising to her hooves, Rainbow Dash dusted herself off and was ready to walk away. She didn’t get far before Rarity used her telekinesis to grab Dash’s tail and pull her back. “And just where do you think you’re going?”
“Uh, home?” replied Rainbow Dash.
“Not yet you aren’t. You’re coming with me and getting cleaned up. Maybe a spot of tea too.” Rarity smiled and continued to drag Rainbow Dash, despite her pleas.
***
After the third shower of the day—a record for Rainbow Dash—she joined Rarity by her dining table. Although she wasn’t a big fan of tea, the pegasus had to admit it was relaxing. After their second cup, Rarity cleared her throat. “So Rainbow Dash, I take it that’s not the first rude response you’ve gotten today?”
“Well...” began Rainbow Dash, hesitantly, “...not as violent as that last one.”
“I see.” Rarity’s lips curled into a scowl. “Honestly, I can understand some ponies still trying to get over our loss, but to blame you entirely? That’s just being foolish. I’ve tried to encourage ponies to see the truth, but they’re so... stubborn!”
“So... you don’t blame me?” asked Rainbow Dash.
Rarity shook her head. “Of course not, Rainbow Dash. I believe you. Celestia knows I would ask the same thing if I was in Applejack’s position.” She shivered. “I wish to die with dignity and grace, not slowly and… messily.” She took noticed of the uncomfortable look on Dash’s face and coughed. “W–well, let’s get off the grim subject. Anything else you would like to talk about?”
Rainbow Dash shifted in her cushion. Lowering her eyes to avoid Rarity’s gaze, she asked, “How are you and the girls dealing with... Applejack?”
“I... I admit that I sometimes can’t believe she’s gone, but I’m moving forward,” answered Rarity, finishing her cup in one gulp. “As for the others, Twilight’s been inside her library, but that’s not a big surprise when it comes to her, is it? Fluttershy’s been moving on as well. She mentioned she was going to see you today, actually.”
A bead of sweat slid down Rainbow’s neck. “Uh, n–no. She didn’t come.”
“I guess she had other business,” said Rarity.
“And Pinkie?” asked Rainbow Dash.
The glimmer in Rarity’s eyes began to fade. “Pinkie hasn’t been doing well, from what I’m told. She’s hasn’t come out of her room in days, and the Cakes have mentioned they heard her talking to herself. What’s even more distressing is the fact that she hasn't thrown anypony a party in the last three days.”
Rainbow Dash almost dropped her tea cup. Pinkie? Not throwing a party? She never goes a day or two without one!
“Maybe... maybe she’s just planning a big party, you know?” suggested Rainbow Dash, desperation in her tone.
“I can only hope so,” said Rarity. She glanced at the clock and gasped. “Oh, dear. It’s that late already? I’m sorry to cut this short, Rainbow Dash. I promised my parents and Sweetie Belle that I would have dinner at their place tonight. Let me show you out.”
They got up and made their way towards the door. Taking her saddlebags, Rainbow Dash noticed that most of the mannequins Rarity used to design her work orders were naked. “Has business been slow or something?”
Nervously looking at the mannequins, Rarity answered, “Well... yes. Some of my normal customers in town have decided to... take a break from my services for a while.”
Rainbow Dash nodded and was about to put the subject at rest when she remembered something Rarity had said earlier. “Rarity... Have you been defending me to ponies who hate me?”
“Yes, of course.”
Turning back to the plastic dolls, Dash hesitantly asked, “Were some of them your customers?”
Rarity’s silence was all that was needed. Anger began to grow inside Dash as she furiously kicked one of the mannequins and screamed, “I can’t believe it! They refuse to do business with you just because you're defending me! Why did you even do it in the first place?! I can handle it!”
“Well, sorry if I was trying to be a good friend, Rainbow Dash,” chided Rarity, puffing her cheeks. “It’s just a few customers; rude ones, may I add. You’re more important than that, and besides, I still have clients outside of Ponyville.”
“Who cares?! You shouldn’t have to suffer because of me!” shouted Rainbow Dash, stomping her hoof.
“I am not suffering, Rainbow Dash. I am just dealing with some customer problems. It’s not a big deal, so don’t blame yourself,” said Rarity as she opened the door. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and slowly exited the building. “Honestly, darling. I understand that—”
“No! You don’t understand! Nopony does!” shouted Rainbow Dash as she galloped away. She heard Rarity call her name, but she ignored it. She shouldn’t have to pay for my mistake! And Pinkie shouldn’t be suffering either! Why does everything I do always ruin everypony’s life?!
***
After galloping for a few minutes, Rainbow Dash found herself reduced to a slow trot, her mind plagued all that had happened to her. Fluttershy. The market. Scootaloo and her friends. Rarity and Pinkie. And it all came back to Applejack. She really held so much together, didn’t she?
Rainbow Dash was ready to kick off the ground when a large purple flash of light erupted from the other side of the street. A pulse wave of magic flew right past her, shaking nearby trees and houses on their foundations. Ponies nearby held onto one another or looked out the windows. As quickly as it had come, it was gone, and everypony was left standing, wondering what the hay happened.
Dash, however, could already guess.
She flew across the street and into one of the library's open window. “Twilight! Are you okay?!”
The library was almost as messy as Rainbow Dash’s house, with nearly every book on the floor and furniture tossed around or broken into pieces. She heard a groan from underneath the sea of literature as Twilight poked her head out and slowly got up. A second moan was heard, followed by Spike rising up from his pile, eyes spinning around like a certain mailpony.
Landing next to her friend, Rainbow Dash helped Twilight stand still as the last of the nausea washed away. “Ugh, what happened.”
“I don’t know, you tell me,” said Rainbow Dash, raising an eyebrow.
“That was Twilight losing it,” replied a dizzy Spike, who was starting to look as green as his stomach. “Next time you’re going to lose control, Twilight? Give me a five second head start.”
Twilight rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment as Rainbow Dash tilted her head. “Uh, somepony mind telling me what’s going on?”
“Well, I got a letter from Princess Celestia, and... well, read it yourself,” muttered Twilight as she levitated a scroll towards Rainbow Dash.
It read:
“My faithful student, Twilight. I bring you news regarding our efforts finding the griffins who were responsible for Applejack’s death. For several days, both Luna and I have sent our top regiments throughout Equestria to hunt these griffins down. We even placed a bounty on them, something I have not done for over seven hundred years.
However, I fear that the griffins have already fled Equestria, and have taken refuge in Grydon. Equestrian forces do not have permission to enter, in accordance with the treaty we have with the Grydon Republic.
My ambassadors and I are currently in talks with Grydon’s Prime Minister to negotiate a suspension of this restriction, but he is defiant and is dealing with problems of his own. Ever since word got out about Applejack’s death, riots have been occurring involving ponies who live in the Grydon Republic. Many Equestrian expatriates there are outraged that the Element of Honesty has been killed. Similar riots have occurred within Equestria as well, mostly in areas where griffins reside. I have been forced to deploy extra forces to quell them, delaying further efforts to find the thieves. However, the damage is done, and now both our countries are flooding with refugees trying to return to their respective homelands.
Yet further complicating matters is the fact that the Grydon military is focused on dealing with the anarchist group, “Blood and Liberty.” If you do not know, they are an organization that is determined to bring down the Grydon government by any means necessary. It’s unfortunate, but I understand why the Prime Minister is more worried about a rebel organization instead of four thieves.
This doesn’t mean that I will yield. I promised I would bring justice to the griffins who caused Applejack’s death, and I will continue to work on keeping that promise.
I hope you are well. If there is anything you need, even just to talk, know that I am only a letter away.
Signed, Princess Celestia
P.S. Luna sends her regards as well.”
However hot Twilight’s rage, it was nothing to the fury boiling up inside Rainbow Dash. If she had had claws, she would have torn the accursed letter into two. “They... they refuse to help find those... murderers?!”
“Unfortunately, yes,” answered Twilight, her tone just as angry, but more subdued than Dash’s.
Rainbow Dash was prepared to scream and rip out Twilight’s wall, but reminded herself of what happened with Fluttershy and Berry Punch. Taking deep breaths, she forced her anger to wane—at least for the moment—and turned back to the letter. “What is this group? Blood and Liberty?”
“According to the news I’ve read, they’re some sort of anti-government militia that’s been wanted for acts of treason and terrorism in the Grydon Republic,” answered Twilight as she put the letter away. “They’re not just griffins though. Some are ponies, zebras, even minotaurs.”
“Bunch of nutjobs if you ask me,” commented Spike as he started picking up the books.
The books were suddenly lifted away via magic as Twilight settled them on the shelves. She gave her assistant an apologetic smile and said, “No, Spike. I made the mess, so I’ll clean it up. Why don’t you make dinner?”
Spike shrugged his shoulders and made for the kitchen without a complaint. Turning back to Rainbow Dash, Twilight asked, “You want to join us?”
“No thanks, Twi. I’ll just head to my own kitchen and cook up a meal,” said Dash as she leaned back to lift off. She stopped and looked at the books. “I don’t suppose you have a new Daring Do book I can read for the night?”
“Sorry, no, but you're free to look around for another book if you want,” said Twilight as she started placing the books back on their shelves.
Rainbow Dash turned to the huge pile and shifted the books around, trying to find something that caught her eye. She then spotted a large yellow book with a silver spine, lying nearby. Picking up, she flipped through a few pages. There were stories and details of swords, cursed vases, rings of power and more. Turning back to the cover, she read it out loud. “Mystical Artifacts and Legends Volume XII.”
Twilight’s head snapped towards the book and she quickly summoned it to her side, much to Dash’s frustration. “Sorry, Rainbow. I can’t let you have that one. It’s from the princess’ personal library and I have it on loan for a research assignment.”
Rainbow’s eyebrow raised as she kept her focus on the book. “What’s it about?”
“It tells about legends behind ancient mystical artifacts such as the Elements of Harmony,” answered Twilight. “It contains valuable knowledge that the princess doesn’t want common ponies to know, so only I can read it.”
This only raised Rainbow Dash’s eyebrow more. “Oh, come on. It looks really interesting. I saw some of those stories and they looked really action packed,” begged Rainbow Dash, giving the puppy dog eyes. “Just for one night. That’s all I’m asking.”
Twilight looked at the book and then at Rainbow Dash, trying to ignore the innocent filly look. With a reluctant sigh, she levitated the book into Dash’s saddlebags. “One night, Rainbow. Then I want it back.”
“No sweat, Twi. See you later and thanks!” Waving goodbye, Rainbow Dash exited through the window she came through and headed for her home in the skies.
***
Dash yawned, her eyes growing heavy. Turning to the candle next to the bed, she saw that it was halfway finished. Shaking her head, she flopped back onto the pillow, making sure to keep her eyes focused on the book. Granted, she skipped some of the more wordy parts, but the rest of it held cool pictures about some pretty awesome items. I’ll have to thank Twilight again for it.
Thinking about the librarian reminded Dash of the letter. It made Dash furious to know the griffins were still free and not dangling from the gallows for what they did. It almost made her want to rip the book in two. If she had had her way, she would have told the Prime Minister to shove it and marched on through. Nothing would stand in the way of her search for justice. All four of them would suffer for their crimes and maybe she would finally know peace.
Sighing, Rainbow Dash leaned her head back against her bed and stared into her plain ceiling. Am I really going to live the rest of my life like this? Thinking about Applejack and what could have happened? I would give anything... anything to bring her back. To fix everything so that nopony would suffer anymore. My friends. Apple Bloom. Ponyville. If I could just do something...
It still wasn’t fair. The mare she loved was dead. Everypony was sad. And her hometown hated her. Maybe I should go back to Cloudsdale? At least until things cool down a bit...
She looked at her wounded hoof and wondered how long it would take for both hooves to bleed out. To slowly fade away until she fell asleep, never to wake up again. To be at peace. To see Applejack again.
Rainbow Dash quickly banished such thoughts and turned back to her reading, trying to avoid the tiny suggestion in her head. Her eyes passed across pages of a sword that could sing, a flute that could summon demons, a mirror that could grant any wish…
Rainbow Dash froze, her once half-opened eyes were now completely open. No, it couldn’t be. There was no way that this, right now, was happening. If this is a cruel sick joke…
With her mind fully awake again, Rainbow Dash’s eyes were focused on the page in front of her as she read each word slowly and carefully:
The Eye of Exchange
Also known as the Mirror of Desire and the Alchemist’s Dream, the Eye of Exchange is one of the oldest and most mysterious artifacts known. It is so ancient that its designer is still, to this day, a mystery. Some say it was created by a now extinct race, while others claim it was created by a powerful dragon lord during the First Dragon Empire. The power of this mirror transcends even the bounds of reality. It is said that the mirror has the ability to grant one wish to the one who looks at their reflection. No matter the wish, it will come true. However, the mirror demands that something of equal value must be given up in exchange for the wisher’s desire.
Over the millennia, many races have fought against one another for this mirror. Those victorious have used the mirror’s powers for their own gain. Sometimes these wishes have caused great calamity with the rise of tyrants with near unstoppable armies and even the destruction of nations all resulting of the mirror's power. Other times, it has birthed ages of enlightenment, heroes of great valor, and discoveries of wonders.
In 320 A.D. (After Discord) the leaders of Equestria, Draconia, Grydon, and other kingdoms agreed that the mirror was too dangerous to exist despite its possibilities to be used for good and so they sought to destroy it. But the mirror’s magic was too powerful for them to destroy. Desperate to keep it from being misused, the council of rulers locked the Eye of Exchange away in a magical temple. They vowed to keep secret of the temple’s location, but some of the information has leaked out over the years.
Based on what little facts and rumors that can be discovered, inside the temple is something called ‘The Gauntlet:’ An esoteric test that can only be passed by those desperate and determined enough to see their desires come to life. The nature of The Gauntlet, or how it works, is unknown. As for the temple’s location, it is rumored to be past the western Grydon borders and in the snowy mountains of Tintangila’s Passage.
Further proof that this may be the location of the temple is the fact that it is forbidden to even approach Tintangila’s Passage without permission from the Grydon Republic. Those caught trying to enter are given the harshest of punishments. Rumor has it that some have managed to brave the journey and use the mirror since the temple’s foundation, but no proof of such claims exists.
The mirror was well known for delivering the following wishes: Ultimate Power, Immortality, Reviving the Dead, Seeing the Future, Curing Diseases, and Unlimited Wisdom.
Reviving the dead.
The three words repeated in Dash’s head over and over again. Three words that held so much weight it made her tremble. If what she was reading was true, if the Eye of Exchange did exist… then that meant…
Shaking her head, Rainbow Dash quickly calmed herself and began to think. First off, did this mirror even exist? The pegasus was willing to believe in many things: aliens, ghosts, Pinkie Sense and more. Yet a mirror that was pretty much a lamp with a genie? Turning the pages, Dash saw many rumored accounts of the mirror being used.
Like how a griffin warlord used it to make his army one of the most powerful in the world, but at the cost of all his soldiers’ souls, turning them into undead abominations. In the end, his mindless army devoured him. There was also a unicorn who had wished to save her dying daughter, at the price of never using magic again. Years later, she fell off a bridge and couldn’t teleport to safety. It seemed that anybody who dealt with the mirror would have to deal the consequences of their actions for the rest of their lives… however long or short those might be.
Was it worth it? Was everything, even Rainbow Dash’s own life, worth risking to bring back Applejack? The pegasus thought of the funeral, how everypony had cried and had mourned the loss of their dear friend. The somber looks of the entire Apple Family. Little Apple Bloom, weeping over the cold body of her departed sister.
If Applejack could be brought back, it would solve all the problems in the world. No more sorrow, no more guilt, and no more nightmares.
“Grydon, huh?” Rainbow Dash muttered to herself. She had been there once, back when she was still friends with Gilda. During her high school’s break, Gilda invited her to stay for a week at her home in Pecksylvania. She had a good time, but other than that, her knowledge of the griffin lands extended no further.
Even if she avoided trouble, she would still have to go through a dangerous piece of land and avoid getting caught. If anypony, or any other race for that matter, knew she was going to head to Tintangila Passage, then she would be in huge trouble. The book clearly stated that it was a high crime even to approach the province without authorization, much less to try to find the mirror. If Dash got caught, who knew what would happen to her?
Rainbow Dash wondered what her friends would think of this. Twilight Sparkle would rather burn books then go against Princess Celestia. She would tell Rainbow Dash to stop thinking about it at once and never speak of it again. Rarity would almost certainly think the same. Plus, she would never last though such a long and dangerous journey. Fluttershy had a hard enough time dealing with Gilda. Going through a country full of griffins might give her a heart attack. And Pinkie? Who knows how the party pony might react?
If Rainbow Dash decided to do this, then she would have to do it alone. It would be her redemption. A chance to fix her mistake and to make everything right. A chance to change fate and make everypony happy again. To bring back Applejack. To bring back her love. But again, was this all worth it?
The journey to even find this mirror seemed to be more life threatening than the entire Everfree Forest. If Rainbow Dash wasn’t killed or captured by the time she reached the province, she would still have to find the temple and go through The Gauntlet, whatever that was.
Was it really worth risking her life just to see Applejack one last time?
The answer was simple.
***
As the sun rose in the sky once more, Fluttershy nervously began to wonder if she should have brought the others with her. Despite what had happened the day before, she knew Rainbow Dash didn’t mean to hurt her. I’ve probably made her worry all day. I hope she can forgive me.
When she arrived at the house, she lifted her shaking hoof to knock on the door. She stopped when she noticed a note taped to the front.
“To anypony who reads this,
I’ve decided to take a small vacation and head back home to Cloudsdale to be with my folks for a while. I’ve already mailed my notice to my Weather Team so things should be fine without me. If any of my friends are reading this, I’m sorry I left so suddenly, but I think it might be best if I stayed away from Ponyville for a while. Also, Twilight’s book that I borrowed is on my couch, so please return it to her.
Be back soon, Rainbow Dash
P.S. Can somepony ask Fluttershy to watch Tank for me while I’m gone?”
***
Rainbow Dash had only place to go before heading to Baltimare and finding passage on a ship. Flying over the fields of Sweet Apple Acres, she suddenly remembered that she didn’t know where Applejack was buried. Before she could ponder any further, she noticed Big Macintosh readying his plow near the entrance of the farm. She slowly flew as quietly as possible, debating whether or not to ask him. He looked as calm as ever, as if nothing had changed; nevertheless Rainbow Dash was still nervous. Maybe if she just flew quietly…
“Ya gonna float up in them clouds all day or ya gonna come down?” called out Big Macintosh, much to the pegasus’ surprise.
Dropping close to the ground, Rainbow Dash gulped as the big stallion turned around and faced her with his usual stoic look. “Hey…” Big Macintosh just nodded as the two of them looked at each other, one nervous and the other unreadable.
“Somethin’ ah can do for ya?” asked Big Macintosh with a raised eyebrow.
“Um, yeah. Just came by to… speak to Applejack… I wasn’t there when they buried her and…” Rainbow Dash trailed off into silence, trying to avoid the farmer’s gaze.
“She’s over at that hill over there, with Ma and Pa...” Mac nodded to a nearby hill. “Ah’m sure she’ll appreciate ya comin’ around for her.”
“Yeah, thanks…” Rainbow Dash nodded as she stared nervously at the hill.
“Eeyup,” said Big Macintosh turned his focus back to the plow.
Rainbow Dash was ready to fly, but stopped herself and closed her eyes. “Do you hate me?”
Big Macintosh didn’t answer.
“I… I won’t blame you if you do. You can even say you wish it was me instead of your sister, I understand. I… I just want to know…” Rainbow Dash trailed up, unwilling to finish the thought. She kept her ears ready to hear the words…
“Nnope.”
Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened. Turning around, she saw Big Mac looking at her with gentle eyes and a small, sad smile. “Ah don’t hate ya, Rainbow Dash. Never have. Ya’ll were my sister’s friend… and Ah know how much she cared about ya. There is no hate, Dash. None at all.”
Rainbow sighed in relief and felt her heart slow back down to a normal beating. “Thanks, Mac. I... wasn’t really sure with everything that happened... and Apple Bloom.”
Macintosh sighed. “Don’t worry about mah sister, Dash. She just needs time. Applejack always considered ya family, and that still stands, even now. Just don’t blame yourself for all that’s happened. If Ah can forgive ya, then Ah’m sure ya can do the same.".
“I... I’ll try...” muttered Rainbow Dash. “Goodbye, Macintosh” She nodded and flew towards the direction of the hill.
Minutes later, she landed a few feet away from the set of graves that stood under the large oak tree. A part of her really didn’t want to be here. She didn’t want to face the stone cold tomb of her love. But she had to. She had to remind herself what this journey was all about.
Slowly, she made her way to the set of graves that never once left her sight. Images of a hearty, smiling Applejack were vivid in her mind. Just a week ago they were arguing on which sport was better, Hoofball or Rugby. Now Rainbow Dash was walking towards the final resting place of her best friend.
She arrived at the grave, and stared down at the tombstone.
Here lies Applejack, the Element of Honesty A Daughter, Sister, and Friend R.I.P.
Rainbow Dash wanted to cry, but she shed no tears. She had to remain strong. If everything went according to plan, this grave would be gone in a few days.
“Hey, AJ,” said Rainbow Dash, continuing to stare at the grave. “I guess you’re pretty mad at me, huh? Blaming myself and nearly drinking to death just because I couldn’t accept this... Chances are you’d buck my flank like crazy until I promised to never do it again.”
Rainbow chuckled at her statement, but then her face turned somber. “I… I miss you… you don’t know how much I do. Every day I think about you. Hay, every moment I’m thinking about you. I guess that’s what love does to a pony. It never lets you forget. To think, I was ready to confess to you that day, and when I did you also admitted that you loved me too… You don’t know how… happy I was to hear that… when I heard you say ‘I love you’… I felt like I had just beaten all the Wonderbolts in a race with one wing tied behind my back. It felt better than when I first learned to fly, or even when I got my cutie mark. I… I wanted to just have that moment forever between us. I wanted time to just end, and let our love be the only thing left standing for eternity.”
Rubbing her eyes, she continued, “But then… you died… you died and I was left to watch it all, helpless. You, slowly bleeding to death. Then me, having to end it. I felt as if my world had died along with you.”
Shaking with rage, Rainbow screamed, “I hate you for making me do that! You should have held on! You had a family to take care of! Look at everypony! They’re all in tears because of you! You stupid… stupid… selfish jerk…”
Rainbow Dash glared at the grave and shouted, “Don’t you know how much pain you put me through?! How many times I keep hearing your voice in my sleep! How many times…I wished I was just with you for one last second…”
Shaking her head, Rainbow Dash forced herself to calm down. She wasn’t sure if Big Macintosh could hear her from this distance, but she didn’t want to cause a scene.
“I know if you were alive you’d tell me that this is the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. You’d tell me that it’s not worth risking my life over. But you know what? I don’t care. I need you. We need you. If it means losing everything, then so be it. I don’t care. I love you and I’ll always love you. If I have to fight Celestia herself to bring you back, then I’ll kick her in the face so hard that crown of hers flies right into the sun. I’m going to do this. I’m getting that mirror. Nothing will stop me. Nothing…”
Dash whispered, “And should the worst come to happen? Well, I guess I’ll get an earful from you when I join you, huh?”
Rainbow Dash turned around and forced herself to not look at the grave again. She was ready, or as ready as she could be. Taking a deep breath, she flared out her wings and flew into the sky.
She still couldn’t get used to it. Even after two days traveling on a ship, the smell of the ocean was unnerving. For the hundredth time, Rainbow Dash wished she could have flown from Equestria to Grydon, but they weren’t allowing entry by flight like they always had. Some of the passengers she overheard thought it had to do with the anarchist group running wild, others say it was to keep check all the ones leaving and coming. Whatever the reason, Rainbow Dash hated it; she could have been in Grydon much faster at her top speed.
Forcing her eyelids to open, Rainbow Dash smacked her lips before rising from her bunk bed. She glanced around the room, noticing that her bunkmate and the other two passengers sharing her room were already gone, their luggage with them. Before she could ponder why, a voice cried out from above. “Land ho! The Port of Dov’alona is just ten minutes away!”
Rainbow Dash’s ears perked up and she quickly went to work. She turned to the most priceless item she had on a small box next to her bed, a picture of Applejack. Taking it into her hooves, she slowly caressed the framed cheek of her lost love as a sad smile spread across her muzzle. “I’m here, AJ. It took me three days, but I’m here.”
She held it for a moment more, then put it away carefully, making sure that the glass wouldn’t break as she filled the bags with her remaining items. With her task done, she saddled up and made her way through the ship’s halls.
***
It seemed almost everyone on board wanted to get a look at the infamous port the sailors had been scuttlebutting about since leaving Baltimare. Rainbow Dash stuck out like a sore thumb as she made her way towards the deck. Being the only pony on the entire ship had been both a blessing and a curse. Nobody knew that she was the Element of Loyalty, and Dash wanted to keep it that way. It would be pretty suspicious if one of the Elements was suddenly seen leaving Equestria. However, she still had trouble with the griffins, who seemed to enjoy making her trip as uncomfortable as possible.
They mocked her or gave her a glare every time she went for a walk on the ship. She always got less food in her meals, and often heard them whispering terrible things behind her back. Normally, Rainbow Dash would have confronted her bullies and given them a piece of her mind, but she knew that it would only cause trouble. Especially since she had nopony to back her up.
She knew why they were doing this. The letter Princess Celestia sent Twilight had explained how ponies were blaming all griffins for Applejack’s death and it was naturally they take their own anger out on her. When she arrived in Baltimare, griffin families were leaving by the hundreds for their homeland; ponies shouting at them to hurry up and get out. An entire regiment of the Royal Guards was there to keep order and stop the protesters from rioting, arresting those who crossed the line.
Rainbow Dash felt bad for the griffins, knowing that Applejack's death wasn't their fault. That didn't gain her any sympathy from them, though. Since they had been harassed they seemed to think it was only fair to harass back, and Rainbow Dash was the only punching bag they had. The only ones who didn’t seem intent on bothering her were the ship's crew members, but they did nothing to help her either.
One pony dies and two races, allies for a long time, are now at each other’s throats, thought Rainbow Dash, staring at the ground. At least this sea trip was over, but then again, she was heading into a country full of griffins meaning it was only going to get harder from here.
“Look, Mommy! We’re coming to the cliffs!” cried out a young griffin, pointing to the upcoming rocks.
Rainbow Dash, having heard something special about these cliffs, looked up to see what the fuss was about. When they got close enough, what she saw disturbed her greatly. There were huge, bronze statues near the edge of the cliffs wrapped in chains and faces distorted in wails of despair representing each race: ponies, dragons, zebras, deers, minotaurs, and even griffins. It was hard to believe any statute could rival Discord’s horrible appearance, but these came close.
“Why have something so... horrible?” asked Rainbow Dash, voicing her thoughts out loud in disgust.
“You really want to know?”
Dash turned around and saw a male griffin, dressed in a blue vest and black belt, step forward with a smirk on his face. “Easy, lass. I’m only answering your question. No need to look so tense.” She recognized him as one of the ship’s crew and relaxed.
“Sorry, I just haven’t gotten the friendliest reception on this trip,” explained Rainbow Dash, glaring back at a pair of griffins who were whispering and pointing at her.
“Don’t let them bother you. They’re just sore from all the crud they’ve gone through in Baltimare,” eased the sailor. He cleared his throat and looked up at the passing chained statues. “Anyway! Hundreds of years ago, when Grydon was an empire instead of the oh so glorious republic, Dov’alona used to be a prison facility. One of the largest, in fact. The enemies of the empire were sent here and they built those statutes to intimidate the newcomers. Executions were daily, and even more killed themselves to avoid the horrors they faced. They say that there was so much bloodshed, that it’s the reason why all the cobbles in the streets are red. After the republic was formed, the prison was turned into a port city, but the statues were left standing as a reminder of our history.”
Dash didn’t know what disturbed her more. The fact that she was heading into port with a bloody history, or the fact that a the sailor recited it with a cheerful smile as if he was doing a school report. This is what I get for going for the cheapest route.
“Hey! Look! That looks like a military ship off starboard!”
Everyone on board soon focused their attention towards the right where they saw a larger ship made out of black iron sailing towards them, under the Grydon flag. Murmurs of worry spread among the crowd as the iron behemoth came closer, the cannons aimed straight at them. The crewbirds began to get back to work as the captain, a male dressed in a red trench coat, gave orders to drop anchor. Rainbow Dash almost lost her balance as the ship jerked to a stop. By now the whispers had grown into full-blown shouts of panic.
Rainbow Dash gulped as the iron ship soon stopped right beside them, towering over their tiny vessel. Moving towards the edge of bow, she noticed other ships nearby were also being held back by warships. Rainbow Dash’s attention was soon taken by the captain of the ship, who was flying above them, shouting for all passengers to listen.
“Alright, everyone listen up! We’re going to be boarded by a squad of soldiers! They are going to inspect the ship and may ask some of you questions! Just stay calm and obey their orders! We’ll be fine! Just line up in one of two lines and we’ll be in dock before you know it!”
It was not fine. Not for Dash, at least. Being the only pony on a ship full of griffins, she was bound to cause suspicion. But she wouldn’t show fear. She would stare them straight in the eye and if they had an issue with her they could kiss the bluest part of her flank. Taking a deep breath, she took her place in the nearest line with the rest of the worried passengers.
It wasn’t long before the boarding party arrived, giving Dash her first look at the Grydon armed forces. Five heavily armored griffins swooped in, their armored paws thudding heavily against the wooden deck of the ship. Rough, steel-gauntleted claws scratched against the floor as they made for the captain, who looked ready to piss himself. Dash couldn’t blame him; one look into their cold eyes was enough to make even her shudder. Equestrian soldiers back home didn’t look this frightening, but then again, Equestria rarely saw conflict. Grydon had been in some sort of civil war recently, and that had to have made quite the difference. Her eyes focused on one of their black metal chest plates. A stylized silver shield emblazoned with a blood-red griffin decorated the center with wings spread out menacingly. On their sides they had curved swords with red handles and black sheaths. The blood red winged helmets on each of the warrior’s head made them look like demons from the lowest levels of Tartarus. Although confident in her own strength, Rainbow Dash knew it wasn’t going to be an easy fight if she ever had to tango with one of them.
The soldier leading the squad marched up to the captain and they softly exchanged words. Soon, he turned to his comrades and nodded. Two of armored griffins made for the lower deck, while another two started inspecting the lines. Rainbow Dash stood still as the guard checking her line got closer, his glare making the other griffins cower before him. When it was Rainbow Dash's turn, she stood up straight and stared back without any hint of fear. The griffin looked down at her, longer than any of the others. Rainbow Dash held her breath as the guard tilted his head, examining her closely. After a moment, he turned away and didn't look back.
Minutes seemed like hours as the four returned to their leader, nodding their heads. He, in turn, said a single sentence to the captain, who gave a look of relief and bowed. The squad took to the air and flew back to their retreating ship. A great wave of sighs went out, including Rainbow’s, and the captain quickly ordered his crew to resume course.
Everyone relaxed, talking as if the worst was over. Rainbow Dash thought differently. Something told her that this was only beginning.
***
As soon as the ship docked, Rainbow Dash jumped off without any hesitation. Walking through the crowded docks, filled with both griffin and pony refugees, she saw the port city of Dov’alona for the first time. It might as well have been called a fortress instead of a city by the way it was structured. The city was surrounded by mountain-sized cliffs and the port itself was half the size of Canterlot. In the distance, she could see barred windows on all the red stone buildings, each looking old and creepy. The only buildings that looked decent looking were far in the back, each holding the banners of Grydon, and Dash could already tell that they were for the military. What stood out most was the long, twisted white tower that went up to the top of the cliffs, shadowing everything else.
Deciding to take a better look, Rainbow Dash started to fly upwards, but a firm voice cried out for her to stop. Snapping her head back, she halted in mid air as two armed griffins flew towards her and hovered in her path. “You’re flying too high. All fliers are only allowed fifteen feet in the air at maximum.”
“Oh come on, I wasn’t doing anything,” argued Rainbow Dash. The guards ignored her and gestured downward. She thought about arguing further, but it was clear that the topic was not open for discussion.
Wanting to avoid further conflict, the pegasus glided downward until she was back on the docks. As she traveled with the griffins, Rainbow shifted uncomfortably under the suspicious and confused glances from travelers on both sides. Anytime she stared back, the curious bystander would just turn back to his or her own business as if nothing had happened. Wanting to avoid more attention, she focused on following the crowd, which was heading towards a small courtyard entrance. Arriving at the front, she nearly went pale at the display above the entrance: Check In and Gallows.
She thought it was just a joke at first, but found gallow structures in the courtyard, each with fresh nooses ready to be used. There were wooden towers, manned by archers who kept a close eye from above, peering down on them like gargoyles. As if that wasn’t enough, there were griffin soldiers on the ground, patrolling the area with their weapons at the ready, occasionally encouraging those in line to hurry up or settle down.
One of the soldiers stood on one of the gallows, holding a megaphone, and commanded newcomers to head towards one of the stands for identification papers and a number. Thus Rainbow Dash was forced into one of the worst experiences she knew of in this world: waiting. Standing in a line for what seemed like an hour, she began tapping her hooves impatiently while the noise of the crowd slowly made her want to rip her ears off. The complaining, screaming of children, cries for lost luggage, questions thrown around and more were enough to drive her near insanity.
Can’t these guys just shut up?!
To her surprise, her wish was granted. Everyone, pony and griffin, became deathly quiet simultaneously. A cold chill went down her spine as she looked around, noticing everyone looking in the same direction. Some wore faces of horror, others amusement and even glee. Curious, she followed their gaze to one of the gallows. Immediately, she nearly lost control of her stomach contents.
A platoon of soldiers were escorting two earth ponies and three griffins, one of them a young teenager, up the stairs, with chains around their necks and legs. Each of the prisoners was crying or pleading for mercy before they stood up front, a noose for each of them hanging above. Rainbow Dash looked around, trying to see if this was some joke, but it soon became clear that this was no prank.
Rainbow Dash felt her stomach turn. Executions had been forbidden in Equestria for nearly three hundred years, the last being an assassin who killed a lover of Princess Celestia’s at the time. She knew that executions were still done in other places around the world, but to be witnessing one herself? Just as soon as she arrived? Why are they even being executed in the first place?!
The one with the megaphone lifted it and demanded their attention. He told the silent audience that all five had been caught stealing military supplies, a capital offense, to Rainbow Dash’s horror, in Grydon. One of the pony prisoners began yelling, saying it was for his starving family, but a muzzle was placed on him just as soon as he lashed out. The soldier continued, reading their names and promising them a decent burial, but Rainbow Dash was too focused on the teenage girl.
She had to be fifteen, maybe sixteen. The way her coat and wings looked, it was like she had been through a mud storm and lost a fight with some wild animal. Her bloodshot eyes showed hollow sadness as the loose was wrapped around her neck, along with the others. Everyone but her was screaming for mercy. She just stood there, awaiting her doomed fate without a care.
Anger began to rise inside Dash. She turned her head towards the stone faced soldiers and the silent crowd. Why isn’t anyone stopping this?! They may be thieves, but this is too much!
She was about to raise her voice when she felt someone grab her shoulder. She looked up and saw an old griffin with a beard shake his head. “Don’t. Nothing can change this. Nothing. You’ll only get in trouble if you interfere.”
“But... this... this is just...” Dash bit her lip and flared her wings, but again the elder griffin pressed firmly on her shoulder.
“I know you may think this is wrong. Trust me, I do too. But neither of us are in Equestria anymore. This is Grydon. Everything is different.” He looked at the prisoners with sympathy. “It never was like this before... but things have changed here. You just have to accept it and move on.”
Dash stood silent as the yard seemed to become even quieter. She stared at the five doomed thieves before focusing her eyes on the youngest. For a brief second, Dash swore their eyes met. Then, in another second, a trap door opened, and five snaps echoed across the courtyard. Closing her eyes, Dash fought back the tears and stomped on the ground, holding back an enraged shout for the injustice that had taken place. The griffin with the megaphone began shouting again, warning those who steal from the military that a similar fate awaits them. It took all Dash’s willpower not to take that megaphone and shove down his throat.
She looked up once more, watching the bodies get taken down one by one. The young girl came down last, her expression serene. They were dragged away, like trash, until Dash could no longer see them. Just as soon as it was over, the noise came once more, and the crowd returned to its original state, but Rainbow Dash didn’t care anymore.
“Hey! You there!” shouted a gruff voice. Rainbow Dash jerked with surprise and turned around to see a guard waving her over. Despite her voice muffled by the helmet, Rainbow Dash could tell she was a female because of the smaller beak and less bulky chest. “You’re next in line, so get your sorry flank over here.”
Rainbow Dash quickly trotted towards the booth. The attendant took up a piece of parchment and quill and eyed her approach. Although Rainbow Dash couldn’t see much past the armored face, she got a sense the guard was feeling bored of her job. The blasé voice was a dead giveaway—the way the griffin mouthed words that she’d obviously said hundreds of times in the exact same tone. “What’s your name?”
“Rainbow D...ugh..” she paused, wondering if she should use her real name or not. While she doubted that anyone in Grydon might recognize her as the Element of Loyalty, there was still the off chance that her name could trigger a reaction. After all, one didn’t just defeat a raging alicorn of the night, a spirit of chaos, and fend off a changeling invasion without one’s name getting spread around. “... D–Daring! Rainbow Daring!”
The griffin stared at Rainbow “Daring” for a moment before she shrugged and mumbled, “Ponies and their strange names... Alright, where are you from and what’s your occupation?”
“Cloudsdale, and I was a free style racer,” answered Dash, hoping her luck would continue.
The griffin nodded as she continued to write the information. “Purpose for arriving? How long?”
“I’m just here to see a friend. Her name’s Gilda. Gilda Lockgrip from Pecksylvania.” The guard paused for a moment before she looked up at Rainbow Dash. Her predatory eyes made the pegasus nervous as she continued, “Um... and I’m just staying for a few weeks... is something wrong?”
“No... nothing,” grunted the guard. Silence stood between the two with only the scratching of the griffin’s quill making any sound. Finally, she finished her writing, and said, “Your information will be looked at by our offices and once your turn comes, if we see nothing wrong, you’ll be notified by having your name placed on a large board in the center district. You can’t miss it. Until you're called, you're free to stay in the city as long as you don’t cause trouble. If you don’t arrive at the final checkpoint within twenty-four hours of being called, you missed your chance and will have to go through the system again. Or you could leave, I don’t care. For now, here is your ID. Don’t lose it or you’ll be kicked out.”
Rainbow Dash nodded and took the card. She wondered if that young griffin had a name, and where she was from. Was she trying to leave Grydon or get inside like the others?
“How soon do you think I can get out of here?”
“Oh, I’d say about... three weeks.”
“Three weeks?!” shouted Rainbow Dash. “But that will take forever! What’s the holdup?!”
“The holdup is all you refugees coming and going out of this country like a swarm of cockroaches! Every port in the republic is nearly filled up with you guys and, quite frankly, I’m sick of all the twenty-four hour shifts I’ve been taking since that stupid pony got herself killed!”
“Her name was Applejack,” growled Rainbow. The griffin looking unfazed.
“I don’t care. You can wait inside like everyone else or go find another port. Either way, move that multi-colored freak tail of yours,” growled the griffin, pointing to the exit sign.
Giving her one last glare, Rainbow Dash turned away and made for the exit.
***
The port city was even more intimidating on the inside. It’s cracking marble structure, and the red streets made Dash shiver at the remembrance of that sailor’s tale. She didn’t know what was worse. The idea that she was in a former prison or the fact that the entire city seemed ready for war: spiked walls, cannons, patrols of guards at every corner. The districts were structured like prison blocks, and the houses mostly abandoned and barred. Rainbow wondered if it had always been like this, or if recent events had changed everything. She walked through the streets, taking sight of the many houses that had signs telling passer-by’s to stay out, while others were filled with ponies or griffins trying to find shelter or a place to rest.
Asking a friendly pegasus, Rainbow Dash quickly learned the basics of how the city worked. There were six districts: two for markets and inns, one for shipping, one for storing criminals, one that was a ‘red light’ district, and the largest one for the military. In the center of the city, a bulletin board would have the names of those who had permission to leave the port. They had twenty-four hours to get to the military district for those entering Grydon or shipping district for those leaving. If they didn’t make it, they had to wait until their names were called out again, which could take days or weeks. If someone was trying to leave via port, they were assigned to a ship heading to the destination. If they wanted to enter Grydon, like Rainbow Dash, they would be escorted to the white tower at the end of the port that extended all the way to the top of the cliffs, and allowed safe passage. Otherwise, it was back to waiting with the other refugees.
After thanking the pegasus, Rainbow Dash went back to traveling the streets, which felt like being lost in a sea full of strangers. The widest of streets barely had space to maneuver, and even the air was packed with griffins and pegasi coming and going like it was rush hour. She noticed that many of the immigrants were camped out in groups on the side of the road. The few inns around were full, or demanded a large number of bits, something most of the travelers didn’t seem to have.
With no choice, they had taken to the streets, alleys, and corners, clustered together, looking dirty and hungry beyond measure. They had only their belongings, which ranged from simple bags to carts filled to the brim. But most noticeable was the hatred the two sides seemed to have for each other. Most ignored the glares, but occasionally someone from either side would get riled up from a passing comment and yell back. It was only thanks to the ever-watching guards the short skirmishes didn’t escalate into fights.
Well, most of them anyway.
As Rainbow Dash proceeded through a small market, she noticed a crowd forming near a fruit stand and flew over to check it out. An earth pony and a griffin were wrestling on the ground as others cheered them on. Hooves and paws clashed as they rolled around in the dirt, darkening their coats.
The griffins were cheering for their own while the ponies did the same. A few of the griffins made some derogatory remarks and were replied back with another set of insults. The tension was starting to heat up as equine eyes met predatory avian stares. The two fighters kept hammering away at each other, oblivious to the potential mob war that was escalating. Before any more violence could erupt, the guards intervened. A squad of soldiers swooped in, their armored claws thudding heavily against the pavement. They seized both troublemakers and pulled them apart while pushing back the other civilians.
“Alright! Break it up! I said break it up!” shouted the tallest of the guards. His stone cold gaze drifted across the masses, silencing any who were unfortunate enough to meet his stare. Rainbow Dash judged he was a higher rank than the common soldier due to the white feathers crowned on the top of his helmet, and noticing that his sword was in a gold sheath with rubies.
As the crowd started to calm down, the guard captain turned his attention to the instigators of the fight, who looked like they were about to have heart attacks. “What’s this fight all about?”
“H–he cut in front of me, sir! I was here first!” stammered the stallion, pointing at his foe.
“This pony is lying! He cut in front of me!” accused the griffin as he wiped the blood off his beak.
“Liar! I’ll kick your teeth in!”
The griffin leader growled, then nodded to his subordinates. Two smaller griffins restrained the combatants, lifting them up off the ground and holding them tight, their legs kicking in the air. The leader walked over to the earth pony and punched him in the gut, hard. The unfortunate stallion groaned, proceeding to cough up blood and vomit. The guard captain then turned to the griffin who tried to escape, but met the same blow. As well as the same results. The two guards released their prisoners, and they fell to the floor, gasping for air. The once-boiling crowd was now deathly silent.
The downed griffin, glaring at his punisher, proceeded to reach for a rock with obvious ill intent. He stopped when a long black metal barrel, held by a wooden stock, was pressed against his cheek. Gulping, he looked up towards the guard, who’s talon was on the trigger. Rainbow Dash’s eyes widen as she recognized the weapon, having seen in her last visit.
While Equestria was known for its magic, Grydon was famous for its achievements in technology. Most modern inventions of the world had come from the factories of the griffins, such as steam engines. But what Grydon focused its resources on most was warfare. One of its greatest weapons was something called the fireblaster. Despite its name, it didn’t shoot fire, but a small iron ball that shot out from a barrel like lightning upon pulling a trigger. It was similar to a cannon, except that it could be held with two paws. It could only fire once and took a long time to reload, but it was faster and more accurate than arrows. Not to mention—if she remembered Gilda’s stories about it—it could blow a head clean off at fifty yards.
The captain looked over the crowd and yelled, “Let this be a lesson to all of you! If any of you, ponies or griffins, do something like this again, I will personally crush your skulls, carve up your bodies, and feed whatever remains are left to a dragon! Whatever issues you have you can take up somewhere outside of this port! Am I clear!?”
The crowd nodded in silence.
“What do you want us to with them, sir?” asked one of the guards.
“Take them into the cells. Maybe a day or two in there will get them to calm down,” said the captain. He flared his wings and took flight. The two semi-conscious prisoners were taken away as the crowds turned back to their business, the fight all but forgotten.
Rainbow Dash gulped and proceeded to move on, but the fight remained fresh in her mind. You're really not in Equestria anymore, Dash.
***
Finding an open inn turned out to be a much harder task than Dash had expected. She had visited seventeen inns so far, and none of them had any rooms to spare. No matter how much she begged, offered, and even threatened, she was denied by the owners. The sun was slowly starting to set, and Dash didn’t want to know the feeling of sleeping on blood-colored stone roads.
Noticing another inn, this one less crowded than the others, she decided to give it one more shot. Like the others, it looked just like a prison house, with only a small amount of furniture to make it feel a bit less macabre. There was a small lobby with a living room nearby where both ponies and griffins were busily minding their own business. Up front at the desk, an overweight female griffin was staring down a very nervous-looking unicorn. The pony had a magenta mane that was tied up in a ponytail and a dark green coat. Her cutie mark was three needles and a ball of yarn. For a second, Rainbow Dash thought she was looking at a unicorn version of Fluttershy by the way the unicorn was cowering.
“Sorry, pony. This isn’t enough bits to cover you for the night,” said the inn hostess.
“P–please! I don’t have much money. If you could just make an exception...” begged the unicorn, lip quivering.
The griffin rubbed her forehead. “Look, I’m already getting enough crud from others because I’m taking you ponies in. Doing special favors for anyone is only going to get me in worse trouble.”
“But.. but I...” stammered the unicorn, lowering her head.
Rainbow Dash quickly rushed over and slapped the surprised unicorn with her wing. Faking a smile, she hugged her fellow pony, shouting, “There you are, sis! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”
“W–what? Wh—” Rainbow Dash quickly put her hoof on the unicorn’s mouth and winked.
Turning to the confused inn hostess, Rainbow Dash said, “I’m sorry if my little sis here as been a bit of a hassle with cash. She’s always been a bit proud and wants to do everything herself. Gets it from our mom.”
“You’re her sister?” asked the griffin, raising her eyebrow. “You don’t look anything alike.”
“I’m her step-sister. Her mom married my dad and we’ve been best friends ever since. Right, sis?” asked Rainbow Dash, hoping that the unicorn would follow her lead.
To her relief, the unicorn quickly nodded her head and smiled. “Yes, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. My sister and I are just staying until our boat is called. We need to get home for um... um...”
The inn owner looked back at the smiling ponies and sighed. “Whatever, I still need twenty more bits.”
Taking out her purse, Rainbow Dash quickly put down the right amount. “How long do we have the room for for this much?”
“Three days. It’s another three for the same amount. Here’s the key. Just don’t make any trouble.”
Rainbow Dash happily accepted and motioned for her ‘sister’ to follow her up the stairs. They went up three floors, carrying their luggage ’til they got to their room number. Opening their door, they entered the room, which only had two beds, a single drawer, and a small bathroom. The unicorn lifted her large red suitcase and placed it gently on the left bed, then turned to Rainbow Dash and bowed.
“Thank you. You didn’t have to do that.”
Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Forget about it. We both needed a room and this was the only way. I’m just glad she didn’t care enough to check our story. I’m Rainbow. Rainbow Das–um, I mean Daring.”
“Tender Point, from Avalon,” said the unicorn, bumping hooves with her roommate. “Which city are you from?”
“Ponyville.”
“Ponyville?” asked Tender Point, tilting her head. “That’s not a city in Grydon.”
“Yeah, I’m from Equestria. I’m trying to get into Grydon,” answered Rainbow Dash, nonchalant.
Tender Point stared at her like she’d grown six heads like a hydra. “You’re trying to get into Grydon?! Are you insane?! Don’t you know how much flak our kind is getting?! The griffins are looking for any excuse to hurt ponies!”
“Why? I’ve done nothing to them! What’s with all the tension between everyone?!” demanded Rainbow Dash. She knew some ponies didn’t get along with griffins and vice-versa, but this was ridiculous.
“You mean you don’t know?” asked Tender Point, staring at Rainbow Dash with her eye wide open. Receiving only a blank stare, she sighed and explained, “Apparently, a good friend of Princess Celestia’s was killed by a bunch of traveling griffins. The Princesses have reason to believe that they’re hiding in Grydon, so they want their forces to enter and look for them. The Prime Minister, however, doesn’t like the idea of a foreign army coming into our territory, even if it’s an ally.”
“But...” hesitated Rainbow Dash, shifting her hoof, “but there’s nothing wrong with that! Princess Celestia isn’t trying to invade Grydon or anything! She just wants justice for what happened!”
Tender Point shook her head. “Most folks don’t see it that way. Would you like it if someone, especially a pony as powerful as Princess Celestia, was to come into your front yard and demanded to search it without warning? There’s also the fact that ponies keep blaming griffins in general for what happened. Whoever this pony that got killed was, she must have been a national hero or something.”
You’ve no idea.... thought Rainbow Dash, somberly. Hearing Tender Point’s words made Dash wonder if this was all her fault too. If only I could save her. Or if only it was me.... well that wouldn’t make a difference, but still...
It only made getting that mirror even more important. If she got it and brought back Applejack, everything would go back to normal. At least I hope so.
“You okay?” asked Tender Point, tilting her head.
“Huh? O–oh, yeah,” replied Rainbow Dash. “I–I’m just gonna get some fresh air.”
She rushed out of the room, not even bothering to say goodbye to her roommate, who looked back in concern.
***
So much hatred. So much anger. All because of her.
How much more damage was she going to see? It was bad enough she had ruined the lives of her friends, Applejack’s family, and caused half of her hometown to despise her. Now she had to see two races, once allies, ready to rip each other’s throats out. Haunted by this, Rainbow Dash wandered through the streets, bumping into others without a reaction. Her hooves took her towards an abandoned alley, where she sat down and rested her head against a wall.
She began to wonder what was going on back in Ponyville. Had Pinkie Pie finally come out of her room to host her parties again? Was Rarity’s business going well? How many times had Dash’s name been cursed under the breaths of ponies who once cheered it out in joy when she performed her daring deeds?
Shaking her head, Rainbow Dash tried to remember good things about her home. The fresh grass that was comfortable to lie on while the sun warmed her belly. The fun and games she and her friends shared whenever they got together. She could hear Derpy crashing into another tree during her mailrun. Envision Scootaloo skating on her scooter through town. Watch as Doctor Whooves ran from one end of Ponyville to the other like he was being chased. Concentrating, she could taste the crunchy, sweet taste of an apple from Sweet Apple Acres. The bucking of trees, ricocheting as Applejack gave her all into knocking down the fresh fruit. The gentle smile she had that melted Rainbow Dash’s heart every time. She missed that smile so much and would give anything for one more glance at it.
Wiping a single tear from her face, Rainbow Dash opened her eyes to find herself in the cold reality that she was in. A reality with no Ponyville for hundreds of miles. In a place with no warmth and love, only hate and fear. And in a world where Applejack no longer breathed and smiled.
But if she accomplished what she came to do in this goddess-forsaken land, her old world would be returned, and this cruel one would vanish. She could make everypony happy once more. She could see Applejack once more.
Rainbow Dash got up and began to leave the alley when she heard something crash in another corner, nearby. Curious, she made her way towards the noise, where she saw a female griffin soldier fighting off two bigger griffins with balding heads, who Rainbow Dash named Baldy One and Baldy Two. The two had grey feathers and black fur, except Baldy One had a bigger set of wings than his twin, whose beak was wider. The two each had belts around their upper bodies, each sheathing throwing knives.
As for the guard, she wasn't wearing a helmet, allowing Dash to see her dark yellow feathers and sharp blue eyes. Her hair feathers extended down past her right eye and had a red streak through them. Through the opening parts of her armor, Dash noticed that she had a black coat with several yellow stripes.
Paying attention to the fight, Dash watched as the guard threw Baldy One against the wall, while kicking her back leg to the side, hitting Baldy Two in his gut and knocking the wind out of him. As Baldy One struggled to get up, he was picked up by the guard, who slammed him against the wall. “Alright, bozo! You want to keep pecking with me or are you ready to surrender?!”
Baldy One’s response was a headbutt to the face, dazing her long enough for him to get out of her grip and tackle her straight onto the floor. He proceeded to attack her with his talons while his partner managed to get up and assist him. She tried her best to block the attacks, but it was clear that she was overwhelmed.
At least, until Rainbow Dash flew in and knocked one of them into a couple of trash cans nearby. This allowed the guard to take the talon of the distracted Baldy Two and break it like a twig. The thug yelled, limping back as the guard got up and proceeded to counter attack.
Rainbow Dash, meanwhile, was busy dodging swipes from Baldy One, who was now supporting a bleeding beak. Keeping herself just above the the ground, Rainbow Dash continued to retreat until her back was against the wall. When the griffin aimed his talons at her throat, she dodged to the right and smacked her upper leg against the bottom of his wrist, sending it upward. With an opening now in her sight, Rainbow Dash took her other front leg and proceed to thrust it against her opponent’s throat. She followed up with a spinning kick in the head, ignoring the pain she felt when hoof smacked against the sharp beak.
Baldy One shook his head, trying to refocus himself, but was knocked back by a thrown Baldy Two, courtesy of the pissed off guard. The two sudden allies looked at each other and gave the other a respecting grin before turning their focus on the struggling twins. Baldy Two looked ready to attack again, but was stopped by his comrade.
“Forget it! We gotta meet up with our contact! Let’s ditch!”
He opened a small patch on his chest belt and threw down a small red ball against the ground, sending out a cloud of red smoke. Rainbow Dash and the guard covered their eyes as the sounds of wings flapping away echoed in the alley. Realizing they were escaping, Rainbow Dash began to spin around, forming a mini tornado that swept up all the smoke. However, by the time she finished, they were long gone.
The guard smashed her fist against the wall in frustration. “Peck! They got away!” Shoulders slumping, she turned to Rainbow Dash and nodded. “Guess I owe you for saving my hide.”
“No problem. Wasn’t a fair fight, so I thought I’d even things up,” replied Dash with a smile.
Not to mention I needed something to take my anger on.
The guard smiled at her and held out her claw in greeting. “Corporal Silva. Nice to meetcha. You’ve got some sick fighting moves.”
“Rainbow Daring, and thanks. I was a three time karate champion back in Cloudsdale,” said Dash, reaching out and shaking with the griffin.
Before Silva could say anything further, a whistle went off, along with the sound of a dozen fliers heading straight towards them. Silva sighed and shook her head in frustration. “Here he comes...”
Rainbow Dash titled her head and was about to ask what was wrong, but her answer came with the arrival of more guards from above. In a few seconds, an entire squad of armored griffins entered the alley and took positions on both ends; some kept a watch on the walls, their weapons on standby. Just as soon as the cavalry arrived, another griffin did as well. This one was taller than the rest of them and landed directly in front of Dash and Silva. His armor was red and of gold, different from the others that served under him, and he had a red cape around his neck. His helmet held horns and feathers of different colors, that also were held on his spiked shoulder pads. Rainbow Dash wondered if the feathers were a sign of one’s ranks or achievements. His personal appearance was just as intimidating. Black coat and white feathers with multiple scars on his body. His overall stern stance made it clear that this griffin was not to be messed with.
“Corporal Silva. We heard of a disturbance in the area. May I ask what you are doing?” asked the commander griffin, who turned his head towards Rainbow Dash. “And who is this pony?”
Silva saluted. “Commander Blackwing, I was investigating two griffins who were acting suspicious. I followed them to this alley when they suddenly attacked me. This pony, Rainbow Daring, assisted me when I was in need of help.”
“You let yourself, a trained soldier, be overcome by two thugs, and had to have this civilian help you out?” scolded Commander Blackwing, making Silva flinch. “I expected better from one of my troops, especially you, but it seems that even you can’t handle a simple thing such as patrol duty. Speaking of which, where is your partner?”
“I’m right here!”
The three looked up to see another soldier flying towards them. Like Silva, he was helmetless and had white feathers with a dark blue coat. His tail was also shorter than the others and his eyes were very squinty. “I’m sorry, sir. I was trying to look for Silva when she wandered off.”
“What?!” shrieked Silva, looking at her partner with murder in her eyes. “You wandered off first, saying you had to use a bathroom. I waited half an hour for you, thinking you fell in or something. Don’t pin this one me, Lucion!”
“At least I’m not the one who gets into fights again,” hissed Lucion. “That is what happened, right? You got into another fight?”
“I was attacked. I was defending myself!” hissed Silva, crossing towards his side and butting heads with him. “If you were more of a partner instead of a lazy tailhole you would be there to make sure that it doesn’t happen!”
“Enough!” shouted Commander Blackwing. “The two of you have performed inexcusably! Silva, you should have stuck to your route and defended yourself better. Lucion, you should have been there for your partner. The two of you are dismissed for today. I expect you two to report back to me tomorrow morning so we can discuss this further.” He then turned to Rainbow Dash. “As for you, I suggest you stay out of guard affairs if you know what’s good for you.”
Lucion noticed Rainbow Dash for the first time and growled. “What’s a pony doing here?”
Sensing the distaste in his tone, Rainbow Dash glared back, and said, “You got a problem with ponies, bub?”
“Ease off, Lucion. She helped me out in the fight. Unlike you, she knows how to kick butt,” pointed out Silva.
“I didn’t think you were such a pony lover, Silva,” hissed Lucion. He turned away and lifted himself off the ground. “I have better things to do than waste my time with you.” He saluted to his commander and took off.
Blackwing sighed and turned to his corporal. “If there are no more problems, I’ll be leaving now.”
“Commander!” shouted Silva, getting his attention. She saluted. “I’m sorry that I disappointed you this day, sir. I promise to do better next time.”
“... see to it that you do.” With that said he flew off, along with the rest of the guard.
Silva kept her salute up until they were long gone and she sighed in relief. “Ancestors, I’ll never get used to saluting him...”
Rainbow Dash rubbed the back of her neck. “Hey, sorry I got you in trouble.”
“Forget about it. And don’t listen to Lucion. He’s just a lazy partner who has issues with ponies.”
“Do you?” asked Dash, nervously. To her surprise, Silva gave a loud, hearty laugh and shook her head.
“Me? Nah, I’m not a narrow minded prick. You’re alright in my books,” said Silva, slapping Rainbow Dash in the back and nearly knocking her over from the shear strength. “Well, now that I got the rest of the day free, want to go get a drink? It’s on me as thanks.”
Never one to turn down anything free, Rainbow Dash nodded and followed her new friend out of the alley. Unbeknownst to either of them, a figure in the shadows was watching both of them and grinned at what he saw.
“Hmm, not bad. Maybe she’ll do...” he thought to himself as he watched them from a distance.
Chapter 6: New Friends, New Strangers, New Dangers
An MLP: FIM fic by The Rated PonyStar
Edited by Clavier and Mr. Minimii
Formerly edited by: Fernin and Halcyon
Artwork done by: alfa995
***
To call this a strange day was an understatement in Rainbow Dash’s mind. She had witnessed an execution, racial fighting, tricked an innkeeper into thinking she and another pony were sisters, and rescued a guard who was taking her out for drinks. And I thought Ponyville was crazy.
She was surprised that Silva had been quick to trust her like that, but Rainbow wasn’t about to complain. Neither was she going to turn down a drink either, and she definitely felt the need to get wasted after today. The two exchanged small talk, easing up the awkward tension between them as they traveled through the streets, earning a few glances along the way. Silva told her to relax when she brought it up. “You’re with a guard. Everyone here would think twice before attacking one, even at night.”
It helped eased Dash’s worries a bit, especially when it got darker. Most of the residents were now hiding in the alleys or houses. The few that stood around, mostly griffins, kept giving the pair a dirty look before moving on with their business. Rainbow Dash nudged Silva and asked, “Do these guys have a problem with us?”
“No, just you,” teased Silva, but she quickly got rid of her smile. “I don’t think I need to remind you how much some griffins don’t like you ponies. Bunch of racist jerks if you ask me.”
“Your partner included?” inquired Rainbow Dash, remembering how her new friend and the other guard looked ready to murder each other.
Silva snorted. “Lucion? He’s just an idiot. Ignore the little weasel. He’s only here because he got caught doing some grunt work for a crime boss in Avalon and he was offered two choices: jail time or service in the army. Wish they just put him in the dungeons. All he does is complain about how much his life sucks. Only cares about himself and will sell anybody just to save his own skin.”
“What about your commanding officer?” asked Rainbow Dash. He made Spitfire from the Academy look like a kitty cat. “He was pretty mean on you and me.”
“Commander Blackwing hates everybody. It’s his job,” shrugged Silva, but her tone had a bitter sound to it. “Hell, his job is the only thing he likes. Nothing else and nobody else.” Rainbow Dash tilted her head and looked ready to say something, but Silva gave her a grin. “Ah, forget about them. It’s just a girls night out for us, right? We deserve it after kicking some butt.”
Rainbow Dash nodded and continued to follow Silva until they reached a grim looking bar with the name “Eagle’s Nest” on the front. The two entered the establishment, and were greeted with at least a dozen eyes focused on them the moment they walked in. Dash couldn’t tell if it was because a guard was in their presence, or a pony, or maybe both. Silva, unworried, strolled inside like she owned the place, ignoring the icy stares. Dash hesitated for a moment before following her, doing her best to keep her head up high and her nerves down.
Come on, Dash. You’re not going to let a bunch of griffins scare you! You’re not afraid of anything! Rainbow Dash told herself. She smiled and gave a daring glance at one of the tables where three griffins narrowed their eyes before turning back to their drinks. With her unwavering confidence back up, Rainbow took a moment to check out the bar.
If Rarity had been in here, Dash was sure she would have fainted just at the mere sight of the place. There was dust and dirt everywhere, with the walls torn up and covered in—if the broken glass nearby was any evidence—booze. A few dark red spots made her suspect that some of it was blood, but she quickly put away such thoughts. A jukebox playing a song she didn’t recognize was right next to a set of pool tables where a game was being played by two griffins who had overalls and sailor hats. In fact, most of the patrons seemed to be griffin sailors. Some wore scarves, hats, and one guy even had an eye patch. Rainbow Dash quickly sized them all up, just in case she had to get into a rumble with them.
Making her way to the bar stand, she sat down on one of the stools along with Silva. The barkeep, who happened to be a minotaur in a brown apron, nodded to the guard before eying Dash. “Who’s the pegasus, Silva?”
“Friend of mine who saved my feathers today. Figured I give her a reward and such,” answered Silva, giving Dash a friendly smile.
The minotaur nodded. “Well, what do you want?”
“You got any apple cider?” asked Rainbow Dash. A few coughs were heard and she glanced back, spotting a few griffins at the tables with amused smirks.
The barkeep raised an eyebrow. “That’s it? Kind of weak, but whatever.” He turned to Silva. “And you?”
“Condor Shots and keep them coming,” said Silva, putting the bits on the table.
The minotaur nodded and in a few minutes their drinks were presented right in front of them. The girls exchanged a quick cheers before taking in their beverages. Rainbow Dash immediately felt the soothing, icy taste of apple swirl in her mouth before gushing down her throat. Cider may not have been a hard drink, but it got the job done of washing away your worries. That’s why she loved it so much more than other drinks.
The only disappointment was that it wasn’t a Sweet Apple Acres brand. Maybe Appleloosa or another apple farm that belonged to Applejack’s family. She looked at her drink and slowly swirled it in her hooves. What was going to become of the farm in Ponyville now that Applejack was gone? Big Macintosh couldn’t hold the farm on his own, Apple Bloom was still too young, and Granny Smith was too old. There was always the chance they could hire workers, but it would hurt the family pride for sure.
She remembered asking Applejack about the idea once. Her response was firm: “Ah know most folks would be kind to help us, but it’s our burden and our responsibility. Havin’ help is fine and all, but pride is an important thing to an Apple. And if we can’t do it by ourselves then what are we?”
Stubborn pony, thought Rainbow Dash with a chuckle, but that’s what I love about her.
“You alright? You’ve been zoning out for a while,” interrupted Silva, shaking Dash’s shoulder.
Rainbow pushed her thoughts away before nodding. “Yeah, just thinking of somepony... back home.”
“Well, don’t worry about it.” Silva finished her glass and slammed it down on the table before motioning for a refill. “Once your name gets called, you’ll be back in Equestria in no time. Away from all this mess.”
Rainbow Dash smirked, already predicting the reaction Silva would have. “Actually, I’m trying to enter Grydon.”
She looked over her shoulder and snickered at the sight of a stunned Silva, holding her shot glass just above her beak as the alcohol slowly dripped onto the counter. The minotaur grumbled before getting a washcloth to clean up the mess. Silva slowly put her glass down and stared at Rainbow Dash as if she just flew up into space and landed back with no problem. “Are you pecking kidding me?”
“Nnope!” replied Rainbow Dash, using Big Macintosh’s tone and likeness. A second later she yipped as Silva’s talon suddenly went between her legs, feeling around. Rainbow Dash blushed and smacked the talon away, instinctively covering herself soon after. “W-what the hay was that!”
Silva gave a small laugh before grinning. “Just trying to see where your balls are.”
It took Rainbow Dash a moment to get it and when she did she let loose and howled like crazy, pounding the bar stand over and over again. Silva soon joined in and soon the two were soon holding each other, trying to avoid falling onto the floor. Rainbow Dash, for the first time in days, felt completely relaxed. She sighed and held her hoof out for Silva. “Thanks for this, Silva. I really needed this.”
Silva hoof bumped, and said, “No worries, Daring. But I gotta ask, why are you heading into Grydon anyway?”
“I’m...” Rainbow Dash hesitated. She didn’t want to lie to Silva, but if she told her the truth who knows what would happen. “... going to see an old friend. She lives in Peckslyvania.”
“Cool, I’m from there too. What’s her name, maybe I know her.”
“Gilda. Gilda Lockgrip.”
Silva rubbed her beak and closed her eyes. “I know that name... I think... rings a bell...” She then shrugged. “Ah, well. Doesn’t matter. Is this your first time visiting Grydon?”
“No, it’s my second, but...” Rainbow Dash shivered, “It wasn’t as unpleasant as this experience has been.”
“Well, Grydon has always been a bit ‘unpleasant’ suffice to say,” explained Silva, taking another shot. “Even with the corruption in the government, things weren’t this bad until that pecking anarchist group came a few years ago.”
Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. “Is it really that bad here?”
Silva laughed, a few others did as well. “That bad? Let me give a little lesson on Grydon.” She shifted in her seat and cleared her throat. “Okay, so here’s the lowdown. We’re a republic,” she quoted while twitching her fingers in the air, “meaning all our senators and the prime minister, have the power here in the nation. But you can forget about the prime minister. Just a figurehead who sits on his butt all day while kissing the toes of every senator who hold the real strings. Now the name of the game here is money, and the senators have a whole lot of it. They buy or blackmail various fractions of the military into their own private armies to do their bidding. There’s never outright battles or war, but it’s mostly used to intimidate rivals or have them do covert stuff. Things you don’t see in the papers, but everybody knows when something dirty has happened. A few senators are good folk trying to help out Grydon, but they still use the same dirty methods to keep the nation from falling apart. Even this regiment here in Dov’alona is owned by a senator. I’m just glad he’s not that bad of a guy. I mean if I was under the greed of Senator Pippo, then I would just quit.”
“But... how do you even function as a nation? What about your citizens?” asked Rainbow Dash, horrified at the idea of an entire nation built and centered around corruption.
“Most griffins don’t care as long as they’re left alone. It’s just the way we do things here. Sure it sucks being dragged into a shadow war between two senators when it happens, but for the most part everyone just wants to keep the peace.” Silva then growled, her smirk turning into a scowl as she threw her shot glass against the wall. “Then came those pecking Blood and Liberty murders.”
“I... I’ve heard about them. Some sort of freedom group?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“Terrorists are the better term!” shouted Silva, earning a few ‘yeahs’ from other patrons. “Those guys claim that they’re trying to free the people from the corruption that exists in this nation, to give us a chance to be happy and free. All they’ve done is commit countless acts of murder and destruction. Nobody knows how they are funded or how many of them exist, but it’s got the entire senate trying to work together to wipe them from the face of the earth. Something that’s never happened before. Even the crime bosses of the underworld and the Thieves Guild hate them,” explained Silva, spitting on the floor. “If all three worked together, the B & L wouldn’t stand a chance, but most of the senators refuse to work with each other despite their shared hatred. And they’ll never openly work with the underworld. Ancestors help us all.”
A dark, uneasy feeling lurched in Rainbow Dash’s stomach. “And where do these guys operate most?”
Silva stroked her beak. “They’ve been spotted in nearly every location in Grydon, but I think they're mostly active in the northeast. That’s where they have the most sympathizers.”
Rainbow Dash cursed the goddess in every word she knew. The way to Tintangila’s Passage was in the same direction. Now she had another issue to deal with on her journey. “On second thought, I’ll take something stronger.”
“As much as I like to see you plastered, I’m low on bits so this is all I’m givin’ ya,” said Silva, finishing her last glass before nodding at the bartender while making a cutting motion across her neck. “Besides, as much as I like ya, I’m not dragging your sorry drunk butt back to your bed.”
The two thanked the minotaur for his service and proceeded to make their way towards the door. Halfway there, Rainbow Dash felt something furry jump between her forelegs, causing her to trip and land on her muzzle. The patron laughed at the sight while Silva helped a grumbling Rainbow back onto her hooves. Glancing to her right, she saw a muddy looking griffin with a fisher’s hat and pipe retracting his leg while chuckling.
Growling, Dash stomped towards him. “You got a problem, pal? Or do you like just tripping everypony you see walk by?”
The bar went silent as the accused griffin glared back at Rainbow Dash, slowly rising from his seat. He stared down, Rainbow not giving a hint of fear despite the difference in their size. The griffin slowly pulled his pipe out and settled it next to his drink on the nearby table. “It’s not nice to accuse someone without any evidence.”
“It’s also not nice to have a stick up your butt and smell like an old, drunk geezer,” retorted Dash. She stuck her tongue out mockingly while waving a hoof in front of her snout.
Roaring, he tried to throw a punch, but Rainbow Dash ducked before headbutting the drunk in the gut. Leaning back, he tried to regain his breath, but Dash had already went on the attack with a quick uppercut. The griffin leaned back, allowing her to get low and sweep his legs off the floor with her own. He tripped backwards, head first onto the table and was instantly knocked out.
Rainbow looked at her handiwork with pride only to quickly curse, remembering that she was in a bar full of angry, possibly racist griffins. She turned around and, as expected, saw the other drinkers rise to their paws, charging at her. To her left, she saw two of them coming at her with murder in their eyes. They didn’t manage to reach her thanks to a sudden kick to the face by Silva knocked the first one off his feet, while the other was put down by an armored elbow to the face.
Silva turned to Rainbow Dash with a grin. “It’s not a good week unless you get into at least one bar fight! Let’s have some fun!”
Nodding, Rainbow Dash charged at the oncoming griffins with her wings at full force. She knocked one off his feet and into a table with a well placed kicked, followed by a buck in the face to another. She tried again for a third, but missed and was rewarded with a punch to the jaw, knocking her next to the jukebox. She shook her head and gasped, before quickly jumping out of the way of a diving griffin. Unable to stop himself, he slammed into the glass of the jukebox, cutting off the song as he lay there, limping and groaning.
Silva was dodging and blocking a few blows from the drunks, slowly stepping backwards towards the pool tables. Feeling her rump against the edge of the table, she jumped on top and picked up one of the pool sticks. Flipping it around in her talons, she struck a blow against one of their heads before bashing it straight down on another.
Before she could celebrate her quick victory, one of the other griffins managed to land right behind her. He wrapped his forelegs around her neck, forcing her up to her hind legs as she struggled to avoid blacking out. Raising her armored rear paw, she slammed it on her attacker’s own paw, making him howl. Silva grabbed his front paws and threw him over her head and slammed his back on the table, some of the pool balls giving him and uncomfortable landing.
“Here’s a break shot for ya!” Silva raised her pool stick overhead and slammed it on the griffin’s crotch. A second howl escaped his voice, only this time it was more high pitched.
Rainbow Dash, meanwhile, was using her natural speed to her advantage, dodging and bringing down each attacker with a good slug or two. Just as she was about to kick another griffin in the face, one of them managed to grab her by the wings with his sharp talons. Holding back a yelp, Rainbow Dash elbowed him in the gut, forcing them to let go and keel over.
“Nopony messes with the wings!” shouted Rainbow Dash, rearing back both hind legs and bucking him in the chest. He went sailing across the room and into the bar stand, wings first. A loud crack was heard as he clenched his bent wings in tears.
Wincing, Rainbow could feel herself feeling sorry for the guy. Breaking your wings was never fun, even worse was losing them. It would make any flier feel useless.
“Daring! Heads up!” shouted Silvia.
Hearing her fake name called, Rainbow snapped out of it and turned around, noticing another griffin flying towards her. Flopping to her belly, she managed to avoid the flying griffin who instead fell victim to Silva’s knee to the face. Grabbing her stunned opponent around his waist, she lifted him up for a belly to belly suplex right towards a nearby table. Rainbow Dash, not wanting to be left out, flew towards them and grabbed the griffin in a reverse headlock before forcing herself down. Combining their strength, the two managed to drive the griffin through the table and even into the floor.
Recovering from their tag team attack, the two looked around the destroyed bar and saw that all the other griffins were knocked out or immobilized in pain. Breathing heavily, Dash and Silva slowly looked at each other before slamming their talons/hooves in celebration.
“Holy Celestia! That! Was! Awesome!” shouted Rainbow Dash, adrenaline pumping through her veins.
“Peck yeah it was!” shouted an equally energized Silva. “Best bar fight I’ve had in a long time!”
The two bumped rears and continued to laugh as they made their way outside, leaving the mess they created. The bartender, who hadn’t moved one inch from his spot, looked at scene and shook his head. “Thank goodness the insurance pays for all this every week.”
***
Rainbow Dash and Silva continued to talk about the fight, even when they were at the entrance of the hotel the pegasus was staying at. Rainbow Dash looked at her new friend and held her hoof out. “Thanks for the evening, Silva. I haven’t had a good time like this since... well... a while.”
Silva grinned and shook the hoof. “No problem. It was great meeting you as well. I’ll try to come visit ya while you’re still in town. If you have any problems, be sure to come look for me.”
“I will, thanks again,” said Rainbow Dash, waving her friend goodbye. She continued to stand outside the hotel until she saw Silva turn around the corner. Sighing, she looked up at the night sky with a smile on her face. After a long series of unfortunate events, she finally found a silver lining in this cesspool of a city.
Silva kind of reminds me of Gilda... before she changed, thought Rainbow Dash, frowning at the memory of her former best friend. Sighing, she entered the hotel, avoiding the owner’s gaze from behind her desk and continued upstairs into her room.
Dash was surprised it took her this long to really think about her old friend and once lover in a serious manner. Since she was heading to where Gilda grew up, the possibility of seeing her again was there in front of her.
But would she even be willing to speak to me? After all, we didn’t part on the best of terms...
***
“See you girls later! I’m heading home!” shouted Rainbow Dash to her friends as she left Sugarcube Corner. It was getting late and after today’s events she just wanted to get home and think about.... well... Gilda.
“Dashie, wait!” cried out a voice from the door. Turning around, Dash saw Pinkie Pie rush over with a worried expression. “Are you sure you're alright? I mean, with Gilda and everything... I know she was a meany pants, but she still was your friend.”
Rainbow Dash tried to keep a straight face. “Don’t worry about it, Pinkie Pie. Yeah, I’m bummed out, but... well... now I know who my real friends are. And that’s you and the girls.”
“Okay, but if you ever need a cheering up you know who to call!” Pinkie waved goodbye as she bounced back into the bakery.
With a heavy sigh, Rainbow Dash started her long flight home, the day’s events still fresh in her mind. What the hay had happened? Last night she was about to head to bed when Gilda suddenly appeared on her doorstep. While the pegasus had been shocked by her old friend’s unexpected arrival, any surprise was quickly replaced with joy as she welcomed her with open hooves. They had chatted about their lives after high school and laughed at old memories involving their mischievous ways. They even sometimes talked about the times they were together, before they broke up. All in all, it was a great time.
But the next day, Dash learned that her best friend was no longer the griffin she once knew. The Gilda that Dash knew—or thought she knew—had spent the entire day harassing her friends, stole stuff, and, worst of all, insulted Rainbow’s home and everypony who lived in Ponyville. And when Dash defended her friends, Gilda had the gall to say she was a flip-flop and walked out like she had been the one in the right.
Rainbow didn’t know which felt worse. The fact that she had lost a friend today, or the idea that maybe she never knew Gilda at all. Maybe this was who Gilda really was and Rainbow Dash just never saw it? What did it matter now? Gilda was most likely halfway out of Equestria by now.
But as she got closer to her cloud home, Rainbow Dash saw that it wasn’t the case. Waiting outside her front door was none other than the bully herself. Her predator eyes focused on Rainbow Dash as she landed. Neither of the fliers said anything, the tension as thick as fog. Finally, Rainbow Dash growled, “What are you doing here?”
“Just came to get my stuff. Then I’m leaving this stupid town and your little friends for good,” Gilda sneered.
“Don’t let me stop you,” replied Rainbow Dash as she took out her spare key from underneath her doormat. Opening the door, the pegasus bowed mockingly and extended her hoof inside, much to the griffin’s irritation.
The two of them entered the living room, Gilda’s backpack was laying on the couch. As the griffin started towards it, Rainbow kept a sharp eye on her. “Just take the bag and leave. You better not take anything else, or I will mow you down.”
Gilda snapped her head back at the cyan pegasus, her eyes blazing with anger. “First of all, you couldn’t take me out even if you had brass horseshoes. Second, I would never steal from you. Well, maybe I would now just to piss you off, but I doubt anything in this two-bit hideout is worth something.”
Dash hovered angrily to look her former friend in the eye, front hooves crossed. “At least I’m not a thief who steals a pony’s hard work.”
Gilda rolled her eyes. “When did you become such a saint? Since you and those five little dweebs you call friends became the mighty friendship squad of harmony? Besides, it was just an apple... and maybe a few other items. It’s not like they were going to be missed.”
“Stealing is still stealing! And those ‘dweebs’ have been better friends than you since you got here! You’re telling me I’ve lost being cool? The only one here who’s being lame is you, Gilda!” Rainbow Dash snapped. “What the hay happened?! You were never like this... the Gilda I knew... she would never become a jerk like this!”
For a split second, Dash swore she saw regret in Gilda’s eyes. Just as quickly as it came, it vanished and was replaced with a dark glare. “Things happened, Dash. Events you can’t change because the world just sucks. You think you got it all don’t you, Miss. Loyalty? Where were you when I needed you?! Instead of taking my side, you took those five over me! It’s all your fault, anyway, that I’m like this!”
“My fault?! How is it my fault?! I wanted you to meet my friends and have fun with them! Not harass and insult them!” Dash growled.
Gilda gave a harsh laugh. “Yeah, whatever. Like I would want to hang out with an anti-social nerd, a slow minded farmer, a fuu-fuu princess wanna be, a pegasus who needs to get a spine, and an annoying pink pony who belongs in a mental hos-”
In a flash, Gilda was picking herself up off the floor. Rainbow Dash hovered like an angry storm cloud, hoof still raised from the smack she'd delivered to the griffin's cheek. The shocked griffin looked at her assailant with wide eyes. Dash slowly lowered her foreleg as the two stared at each other in silence. And then the silence was over with Gilda's angry shriek. “You want to just end everything right here and now?! Well, then fine! You can take your new home, and your new friends, and can kiss my fuzzy behind! Goodbye, Rainbow Crash!”
“I never wanna see you again!” cried Dash, her shout chasing Gilda out of the house. The door slammed, but Rainbow Dash's angry shouting continued. The cyan mare didn’t know how long she yelled that night... or how long she cried.
***
Rainbow doubted Gilda forgot that night. A sigh escaping her lips, she continued up the stairs until she opened the door and paused at the scene before her. She had expected Tender Point to be in the room at the very least, not an unexpected griffin sitting on a chair across from her.
He had tan fur and silver feathers; a bowler hat covered the crown of his head while a folded trench coat with wing holes hanged behind the chair. Sipping into a tea cup in his talons he slowly turned towards the confused Rainbow Dash and smirked. “Ah, Miss. Daring. I was wondering when you might arrive. I trust your little fun at the bar was endearing?”
“Wh-what? Who are you?! How do you—”
“Oh my gosh, Rainbow!” cried out Tender Point, dropping her tea cup and rushing to Rainbow’s side. She looked at the scratches and droplets of blood on her fur and bit her lip. “Are you alright?! You’re hurt!”
“I’m fine. Nothing serious,” replied Rainbow Dash. “Are you okay? Who is this guy and has he done anything?”
Tender Point blinked, glancing at both the smirking stranger and Rainbow Dash in confusion. “He said he was a friend of yours. Knew you and everything.”
In an instant, Rainbow had taken a protective stance in front of Tender Point, glaring at the liar. Checking his talons lazily, he said, “There’s no need to be so hostile, Miss. Daring. I’m here to speak to you and you alone. You can trust me when I say I mean no harm.”
The two continued to stare down each other, one as calm as the morning seas while the other fiercely like daggers in the dark. The only sound heard was a little whimpering from Tender Point who shivered at the intensity displayed before her. Rainbow, never losing sight of the stranger, whispered, “Tender, head into the main lobby. There should be enough eyes to make sure this guy doesn’t do anything. If you hear anything suspicious or if I don’t come down in half an hour, go get the guards.”
“But...”
“Do it.”
Tender Point stuttered a bit before nodding. The others continued to stay still until the door was shut, leaving them alone. The griffin broke away first for another sip of his tea. “I’m glad you did that. Saves me from having to make up an excuse to get rid of her.”
Rainbow slowly walked towards her bed and sat down, keeping her wings flared and her muscles on standby should anything happen. “Now who are you and what do you want?”
“Straight to the point, eh? Very well, then. My name is Toma and I have a question to ask you.” The griffin calmly put his tea on a nearby coffee table. Crossing his hind legs, he clasped his talons together, and asked, “Miss. Daring. How would you like to leave this port in less than a few days?”
Eyebrow raised, Rainbow Dash snorted. “That would be great, except I’m waiting on line with a thousand other griffins each trying to get inside Grydon.”
“Well, let’s just say that there is a way for you to cut the line. It’s sort of illegal, might get you in trouble, but you’re a desperate mare.”
“Hey, bub, you don’t know anything about me,” declared Rainbow Dash, pointing at herself. “How do you know I’m even that desperate to get out of here?”
“Because no pony without an extremely good reason would risk heading into Grydon now, of all times,” stated the griffin, shaking his head. “Honestly, Miss. Daring, I’m not interested in why you want to come to this nation, nor do I care, what I do need to know is this.” For the first time since Rainbow saw him, he removed his grin and exchanged it with a serious frown. “Are you willing to risk your health, maybe your life, to get out of here and damn the consequences?”
“... yes.”
The smirk returned. “Then allow me to inform you of a little event that happens around these parts this time of the month. A few special and highly-profited gentlebirds get together and have a little wager. They each bring a fighter of their choosing and have them compete in a series of matches while having a few friendly gambles. Nothing dangerous, although there are times when the fighters do come out worse for wear,” explained Toma with a shrug. “It just so happens that these gentlebirds provide the winners a boon for helping them win. Sometimes it’s money, other times it’s information, and occasionally it’s a quick ticket out of this dump.”
Rainbow Dash did her best to keep a straight poker face, but inside she was fighting back a range of emotions. She knew better than to accept the deal straight away without even thinking about it despite—admittedly—almost shouting out ‘deal’ at first. Something like this didn’t come without a catch or two. Who benefited most from this sort of thing anyway? Then the idea struck her like a rogue lighting bolt against the flank.
“These guys are crime bosses, aren’t they?”
“We prefer to call ourselves ‘birds of specific trades’,” answered Toma with a wry smile.
“I could call the guard on you,” warned Rainbow Dash, eying the window nearby.
“And I can tell you that half of the force in this port is on a payroll from either my employer or someone else.”
Grunting, Rainbow lowered her wings. “I don’t like dealing with criminals.”
“Which I can perfectly understand, Miss. Daring,” said Toma, placing his talons over his heart. “But I’ve seen you in action today, both helping that guard and during the bar fight. I think we can both benefit from this.” He smirked at the surprised, yet equally pissed off look Dash gave him. “And no, I’m not telling you how long I’ve been watching you.”
“Creep...” muttered Rainbow Dash, shaking her head. She crossed her forelegs and sighed in frustration. “Alright, say I do agree to fight in your little underground tournament. What happens next?”
“Well, first you have to prove to my boss that you’re good and then it’s just three to four matches over the next few days,” explained Toma. “If you win, I can guarantee you, on our honor, that we’ll see to it that you leave Dov’alona safe and undetected. If you lose, well...”
Rainbow closed her eyes, her face scrunched up as she concentrated. The last thing she wanted to do was get involved with criminals, but at the same time they were offering here a quick way out of here. The longer she stayed in one the place, the more danger she was in from being found out. She also couldn’t ‘stay at her parent’s’ forever. One of her friends—most likely Twilight or Fluttershy—was going to find out she lied to them. Whether they figured out where she was going and what she was planning was a different story.
Yet am I really lowering myself to work with thugs like him? thought Rainbow Dash, gritting her teeth. She swore to do anything to find the mirror, was she willing to degrade herself this much?
“I... I need to think about it...” answered Rainbow Dash.
Toma sighed and sat up, brushing himself he grabbed his trench coat and made his way towards the door. “I’ll give you three days. If you wish to take my offer, meet me in the same bar you had your little night rumble at. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure no one bothers you once you enter the district.”
He grabbed the door handle and opened it, but paused just before leaving. Looking back, he said, “I highly suggest you take my offer, Miss. Daring. Things are going to get even worse in this port and I may be your only hope.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“You’ll find out in the morning. Try to avoid the main streets. You know what they say about curiosity and cats,” said Toma, mysteriously. The griffin bowed before leaving Rainbow Dash alone.
Just as soon as he left, the door opened again revealing Tender Point with a first-aid kit floating beside her. She walked towards Rainbow bow and began to work on the small cuts and bruises while Dash pondered in silence. Spraying the disinfection, Tender Point said, “I’m sorry, but I overheard you two talking. Are you really considering his offer?”
“I... I don’t know...” answered Rainbow Dash, lowering her head. “I know that it’s wrong to deal with criminals... but at the same time I just can’t stay here for two or so weeks.”
“Daring, I want to leave too, but the crime bosses are not nice griffins,” said Tender Point, placing her hoof on Dash’s shoulder. She bit her lip and muttered, “You’re the first person to actually be nice to me and I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.”
With a smile, Rainbow Dash lightly punched Tender Point in the arm who rubbed it bashfully. “Thanks, Tender. You’re a nice pony too. No matter what I choose, I’ll be safe, I promise.”
“Okay... just please think it over. I know personally how crime bosses work...” muttered Tender Point as she put away the kit.
“Huh? What do you mean?” asked Rainbow Dash, tilting her head.
“It’s... nothing... I’m going to take a shower and then get some sleep,” said Tender Point rushing into the bathroom and closing the door.
Rainbow Dash stared at the door for a moment before she yawned and fell onto her bed. Actually, getting some sleep sounds good. I’ll think about everything else in the morning.
As she lay on the pillow, fatigue starting to creep up on her, she looked outside and wondered what her friends were doing back in Ponyville. Had Fluttershy forgiven her for hitting her in the cheek? Did Rarity’s business still suffer? Was Pinkie Pie still locked up in her room? Was her name still cursed by half the ponies she knew? No answers came to Rainbow Dash as she slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep.
***
“Hey, Twilight? I’m heading to bed early,” said Spike as he walked up the stairs. “Try not to stay up too late alright?”
“Yes, Spike. Sweet dreams,” said Twilight returning to her book, a half melted candle giving her light. She was about to continue reading when a series of rapid knocks alerted her to an outside presence. Curious as to who would be up this late, she walked over and opened the door finding a distressed Mrs. Cake.
“Twilight, please help Pinkie!” cried out Mrs. Cake, on the verge of tears.
“Pinkie?! What’s wrong? Did she finally come out?! Is she alright?” asked Twilight, right away.
Mrs. Cake shook her head. “She still hasn’t come out of her room. At first we thought she was just grieving, so me and my husband gave her space, but a few days ago we started hearing… things…”
“What kind of things? Noise? Horns? Party poppers?” asked Twilight, eyebrow rising in confusion. Hearing noises from Pinkie’s room that could keep you from going to sleep at night was normal. Twilight could vouch for that personally.
“Well, some of the noises were normal ones: balloons popping, confetti shooting and the works,” said Mrs. Cake. “But then we started hearing crashes late at night and sometimes screams of frustration. It woke the babies up constantly. We wanted to go inside and help her, but she refused to let us in, saying she would be out when ‘everything was ready’. We gave her more time, but today… we heard her talking to herself.”
Now Twilight was starting to get worried. While Pinkie was normally silly and a bit outgoing, there were moments when her sanity would slip. It wasn’t a pretty thing to see, and when Pinkie lost it, there was no telling what was going to happen. Luckily, it never involved somepony getting hurt… most of the time. Twilight restrained herself from cursing out loud; she should have been involved in this sooner before things escalated to this point.
“Please Twilight, it’s been a week. She needs to get out, we need to know she’s okay. She’s like a daughter to us, please help us!” begged Mrs. Cake, no longer holding back any tears.
Twilight didn’t need to be told twice, she rushed past Mrs. Cake and made her way towards Sugarcube Corner. Making her way past the door, she saw Mr. Cake by the staircase, holding the sleeping twins in his forelegs. He didn’t say anything, only nodded in thanks as Twilight made her way up the staircase.
Calmly, she arrived at Pinkie Pie’s door. It still held the same balloon stickers and ribbons taped to the door that Twilight had seen many times, but there was something new on the door that caught her interest. A large ‘Keep Out!’ sign was nailed on the front, followed by a smaller sign that said ‘Please’. It was also quiet. A bit too quiet considering this was Pinkie Pie’s room of all places. Placing her ear against the door, Twilight heard nothing from the other side: no sounds of movement, no laughs or giggles, not even breathing. Gulping, she knocked on the door. “Pinkie Pie? It’s Twilight Sparkle.”
She didn’t get a response. Twilight tried again, knocking harder this time. “Pinkie! I need to talk to you!”
Again, no answer. Sighing in frustration, Twilight focused her magic on the doorknob and opened the lock easily. Pushing the door forward, she looked inside and was surprised to find that the lights were off.
“Pinkie?” called out Twilight as she cautiously entered the unlit room. Light from the open doorway streamed in, but barely made it clear enough to see anything upfront. Igniting her horn, Twilight bathed the area around her in a soft lavender glow and tried to find the light switch.
Moving carefully, Twilight felt the crunch of paper beneath her hooves. Puzzled, she lifted some of the scraps for a closer look. Each of them was made with Pinkie’s sloppy hoofwriting, but it looked more rushed than usual. Smudges and crossed-off sentences could be seen frequently, and some of the words were barely readable. As for the notes themselves, each of them was a list. Some of them indexed various types of foods, games, or carnival stands. Some of the scraps weren’t notes at all. A few of them were invitations, each done in a unique design, which had been torn apart. Twilight even found ads for rodeos and various bands. Each of them had been torn apart or crumbled up in frustration.
It looked like Pinkie Pie had been spending her time trying to create a party. That was normal enough, but where was she? As Twilight turned around, she suddenly came face to face with a pair of wide blue eyes. She screamed, leaping backwards and slamming into the wall.
“Oh! Twilight! Sorry! Can’t chat! Need to plan and all!” said Pinkie with, if anything, more than her usual fervor. However, Twilight quickly noticed that Pinkie’s hair was not its usual puffy look, instead it looked more droopy then seaweed on a ship. With a disturbing fixed smile, Pinkie vanished into the darkness. A moment later, the lights clicked on and Twilight found herself blinking away spots in the abruptly well-lit room.
When Twilight’s vision cleared, her jaw nearly dropped. The notes she found were nothing more than part of a large pile that seemed to cover the entire floor. Her own messes at her library paled in comparison to what she was seeing. Looking up, Twilight’s astonishment only grew. Mountains of confetti and apple-shaped balloons were all pushed against the wall across from her. A table to her right looked like it was about to crack in two from the weight of the games, costumes, and party favors that were stacked on top of it. As she continued to observe the room more, Twilight heard Pinkie rambling to herself as she gathered papers and party supplies. “Still needs work. Need clowns. Clowns make ponies laugh! Or maybe I should hire a band? Need to see if I can play the banjo.”
“Pinkie?” called out Twilight, trying to get her busy friend’s attention. Ignoring her, Pinkie Pie continued picking up her supplies. Twilight raised her voice and tried again. “Um… what are you doing?”
As soon as Twilight finished her sentence, Pinkie Pie zoomed up to Twilight’s face, her bloodshot eyes staring into a set of frightened ones. “Oh! Twilight! Do you think you can do me a favor and use a spell that will make all of Ponyville a desert for one day?!”
Twilight stared at her in horror. “A desert?! Pinkie, I can’t do that! Even if I did don’t you think that would be dangerous?! Ponyville isn’t made to survive in deserts and neither are the animals! Fluttershy would be devastated!”
“But I need this Twilight! Pretty please with cherries on top?!” begged Pinkie. Twilight shook her head, causing Pinkie Pie’s smile to disappear. Twilight was about to speak again when the smile returned and Pinkie laughed. The unicorn could have almost sworn it sounded forced.
“That’s okay! I guess an Appleossa-themed party wasn’t going to cut it anyway. I’ll think of something else! After all, I’ve got tons of parties in my head just waiting to get out! Right? Right?!” asked Pinkie, springing up and pressing her face against Twilight’s.
Sweating, Twilight nodded. Pinkie wheeled around and went back to work, giggling with a near incessant twitch in one of her eyes. Twilight continued to observe her friend and began to wonder how she was even going to deal with this. Not wanting to let the Cakes down, Twilight took a deep breath, and asked, “Pinkie, what are you doing?”
“Silly Twilight! I’m planning a party! A big party! A super-duper extra ooper party!” explained Pinkie, bouncing so high into the air she nearly hit the ceiling. “One that will be so big it will make everypony so happy that everypony will go back to smiling again!”
“And how long have you been… planning exactly? Have you been getting any sleep?” asked Twilight nervously.
“About seven days and yes, but only for a few hours,” answered Pinkie with a shrug, “Hey, do you think if I call a favor from Princess Luna she’ll teleport us all to the moon for a Moon Party?”
“Forget about that. Pinkie, I think you’re getting stressed out from all this,” pointed out Twilight, her concerned only growing. “You’re going to drive yourself to exhaustion at this rate.”
“Oh don’t worry! I’m as fit as a fiddle!” shouted Pinkie, bouncing in place. “Yup! I’m as happy as can be! That’s me!”
Twilight raised an eyebrow and shook her head. “Don’t you think you should stop? You’ve been worrying the Cakes, our friends, and you’re starting to worry me too.”
Pinkie froze in place and slowly turned to the unicorn. The pink pony’s smile started to waver and she started to fidget. “Stop? Did you say stop? Oh, no Twilight I can’t stop! I can’t! Not till I make everypony in town happy again…”
“But Pinkie. Look at yourself! You look terrible!”
“Terrible? I’m fine! Now enough about me! I need to continue making plans for our town party!” proclaimed Pinkie, turning her back to Twilight.
Twilight growled, and stomped her hoof on the ground. “Stop this, Pinkie! You can’t just keep doing this anymore and drive everypony who cares about into a worrying mess! This is no time to be selfish!”
“Selfish?! Selfish?! I’m not being selfish, Twilight!” snapped Pinkie, her blue eyes alight with sudden rage. Twilight nearly stepped back upon seeing the abrupt change of attitude. The angry mare stalked slowly towards the unicorn, her voice rising with every step. “This is all for the town! It’s my job to make everypony happy and I need to make a party so big and so fun that everypony will forget about Applejack’s death and stop blaming Rainbow Dash!”
Pinkie slammed one hoof emphatically onto the floor, unleashing a wail of despair. “But I can’t come up with an idea! I keep thinking and thinking and nothing comes out! I need to make this party! I need to make it so everypony can move on! So I can move on! I have to do this!”
Twilight’s eyes widened upon hearing this. She looked around the chaotic room and then at the exhausted, raging pony in the middle of it all. It all became clear to Twilight as her heart nearly broke upon her sudden realization. Her eyes slowly began to turn from fear to sympathy as she whispered, “You say you’re doing this because you want everypony to be happy again, right?”
“Duh! Are you deaf?!” yelled Pinkie.
Shaking her head pityingly, Twilight sighed. “Are you sure? Are you doing this to make them happy? Or yourself?” Pinkie ears perked up upon hearing her friend’s words. She looked around her room nervously as Twilight continued, “Pinkie… I don’t think you’re trying to make a party to make everypony feel better. I think you just want to make a party so you can feel better.”
“Th-th-that’s not true!” protested Pinkie, as she stepped back from Twilight, her body shuddering in fear.
“Pinkie, it’s alright. You’re not happy, you don’t have to pretend,” whispered Twilight as Pinkie shook her head in denial.
“No! I’m… I’m h-happy! If… if I’m sad… th-then how can I… how can I h-help everypony…h-how can I h-help Dashie…” choked Pinkie as her eyes started to betray her cries of denial with tears. She started grabbing her party supplies, holding them tight like a foal would to her stuffed animal when she was scared. “I… I’m supposed to… make ponies feel better.”
“But can you help them become happy if you’re not happy, Pinkie?” asked Twilight. Pinkie remained silent, her lower lip quivering. Embracing her friend, Twilight whispered, “It’s okay, Pinkie. You don’t have to act like this. It’s alright to be sad…”
The party supplies Pinkie held in her hooves fell to the floor as she laid her head on Twilight’s shoulder. She could feel Pinkie’s hot, bitter tears dampen her pelt as she gently rubbed her friend’s head. For a while, they stood there in their embrace. Pinkie slowly freed herself from Twilight’s grasp and rubbed her eyes.
“I’m sorry…” Pinkie replied, “I wanted to make everypony happy. To move on from Applejack’s d-death and help everypony see that Dashie isn’t a murderer. I had to do it. It’s what I do and I thought a party could do that… but if they knew I was still sad… then everypony would still be sad as well. I mean, I’m Pinkie Pie! I make parties and make ponies smile while saying everything is going to be alright… But I can’t...” Pinkie Pie trailed off and simply looked at Twilight, too choked up with emotion to speak. Finally, she whispered, “I miss Applejack so much. I never even got to say goodbye.”
Twilight nuzzled Pinkie’s cheek. “I know Pinkie, I do too. But it’s alright to be sad. You don’t have to put up a false face or drive yourself crazy to cheer up everypony all by yourself. You’re not the only one who misses her. We all do. That’s why we need to be together for each other. Isn’t crying in the comfort of those who love you better than crying alone?”
A small smile grew on Pinkie’s face. “I guess that’s… not so bad.”
Twilight smiled and nodded, “You feeling better?”
Pinkie’s hair started to slowly blow up like a balloon. It wasn’t as poofy as normal, but it no longer draped limply down like a mop. The two ponies looked at Pinkie Pie’s hair and smiled. It was a start, at least. The smile was soon replaced with a frown, “Twilight, what about Dashie? I can’t even imagine what she’s going through.”
Twilight sighed, “She left for her parents a few days ago, Pinkie. The town… they got to her and she just had to leave.”
The little poof in Pinkie’s hair quickly deflated. Lip quivering, Pinkie asked, “B-but she’ll be back right… it’s not goodbye forever, right?”
Hesitation held back Twilight from answering. She wanted to believe that Dash was going to come back, but until those who hated her changed her mind...
Shaking her head, Twilight forced a smile, “Yes, Pinkie. She’ll come back… she would never abandon us. But right now, I think you need to head downstairs. There are a few ponies I know of who want to make sure you’re okay.”
Pinkie gasped and quickly rushed out, crying out the names of her surrogate family. Twilight soon followed and found all five of them hugging each other.. As Twilight relaxed, knowing that one of her friends was going to be fine, she couldn’t help, but wonder for another friend and how she was feeling.
Rainbow Dash… I hope you’re okay…
***
“Rainbow! Rainbow Daring, wake up!”
“Uh, what the what?” Rainbow Dash rose from her pillow and yawned, rubbing her head as she tried to get rid of the pounding noise in her head. “Can you tell whoever’s having a party that it’s too early for this?”
“I-it’s not a party! The guards are rounding up and arresting everyone!”
Brain kicking in, Rainbow Dash snapped her gaze towards a shaking Tender Point who was pointing at the window. Rushing towards the view, she felt her hair stand straight up at the sight of the center of the district. An entire patrol of guards were rounding up ponies and griffins on the street, using violence if they were resistant. Children were separated from their parents and others were crying for help while being dragged off the streets.
Rainbow Dash cursed as she turned to a frightened Tender Point. “We need to get out of here now!”
Suddenly, the door broke and Tender Heart screamed. Rushing in front of her frightened friend, Rainbow Dash stared down the barrel of a guard’s fireblaster, with a number of other guards right behind him.
“By order of the military, you are to come with us for questioning!”
I really can’t get a break, can I? thought Dash, doing her best to resist the urge to tell the guards to stop shoving her. To her left, she saw Tender Point, teary-eyed and shaking from horn to hoof, being yelled at by the guards to hurry it up. If it wasn’t for the fireblaster pointed at her flank, she would have screamed at them to leave her alone.
Forced down the stairs, Rainbow soon spotted other guests, and even the hotel owner, being shoved or dragged out into the streets. At one point, a griffin demanded answers, but received a sword handle across the jaw in retaliation much to the horror of his family. None complained after that.
The hotel residents were soon ordered to gather near a growing group of other civilians and refugees, voicing their opinions of being treated like criminals, while guards surrounded them in a tight circle. Rainbow Dash tried to make her way towards Tender Point, but she found herself shoved into the crowd and lost sight of her. She cried out her roommate's name, but her voice was cancelled out by all the other voices surrounding her. Flying was out of the question, she could see guards posted up on the roofs, and despite all her struggle she could barely make it through two individuals without getting squished.
A loud thunderous boom echoed across the street, silencing all chatter and making everyone freeze up. Rainbow Dash gulped and looked behind her, spotting one of the guards, with feathers on his helmet, lowering what looked like a claw sized version of the fire-blasters. The only noises that could be heard in the silence were those of similar shouts of fear and terror in the distance, making Dash ponder if this was happening all over the city.
“Alright, listen up! As of this moment, the entire city is under martial law. No civilians or refugees are allowed to leave or enter Dov’alona until martial law has been lifted!” shouted the officer, flying around them in a circle. “There will be a strict curfew placed at eight at night to eight in the morning. If you are seen outside the streets between these times you will be thought of as a hostile and will be arrested or killed depending on circumstances!”
Gasps rang out as ponies and griffins started arguing about this, but a second shot in the air from a fireblaster nearby was quick to shut them up. The officer continued, “Now listen up. Every single one of you is going to be taken in for questioning where you will be either set free or arrested pending further investigation should your answers be suspicious. This is non-negotiable for anyone!”
“Hey, what gives you the right to this! We didn’t do anything!” shouted someone in the crowd, a few others voicing their anger soon joining in.
“We have a right to know what’s going on!”
“You can’t do this to us!”
“We demand answers!”
The crowd was soon growing more and more restless, Rainbow Dash could barely keep herself on all four hooves as they continued to mash around. The guards raised their spears and tried to push back anyone that got to close. The griffin officer, looking more pissed than before, shouted, “You will receive no answers! You will obey! Unless you want to face punishment for your insubordination I suggest you all-gah!”
The officer stumbled in the air and soon landed on the pavement, holding his eye. A few other officers surrounded him before he shoved them away. Glaring at the crowd with a murderous look, he spat out, “Who threw that?!”
There was no answer.
“If the pecking pony or griffin who threw that rock doesn’t come forward in the next ten seconds I swear I’ll make every single one of you pay!” shouted the officer, drawing his sword as the crowd stepped back in single, unified thought.
Rainbow Dash looked around, trying to see paw or hoof raised up from the perpetrator. Everypony began to panic as some kept shouting for the guilty one to step up. The officer huffed and pointed his talons at the crowd while looking at a small line of fireblaster wielding soldiers. Each of them raised their weapons and took aim at the crowd who gasped and began to scream in terror. Rainbow looked around again, sweat dripping down her brow. She saw ponies praying to the goddess, hatchlings grabbing their mothers, others quivering in terror, but nopony or griffin was raising their hand.
“If that’s how you all want to play then fine! Aim! Fi--”
“I did it!”
Rainbow felt every set of eyes in the area focused on her. Putting on her bravest face, she slowly flapped her way forward, her forehoof still held high into the air, only putting it down when she was under the shadow of the larger officer. The line of griffins lowered their fireblasters much to the relief of the crowd. Glaring back up at the officer, Rainbow said, “I’m the guilty mare. Don’t hurt anyone else.”
The officer narrowed his one good eye and leaned down, inches away from Dash’s muzzle. “Why did you hit me in the eye?”
Rainbow Dash, seeing as she was already putting herself in deep manure, cracked a smile and shrugged. “Actually, I was aiming for your mouth. You wouldn’t shut up.”
Upon meeting the floor from the sudden backhand to the face, Dash almost regretted her witty response. She tried to get up, but an iron boot to the back quickly put a stop to that. Growling, the griffin officer continued to kick her. “How?! Do?! You?! Like?! That?! Huh?! Is?! This?! Funny?!”
Spitting out blood from her mouth, Dash smirked and asked, “Think you can hit a little lower? I got this kink in my back that needs fixing.”
The officer raised his boot again, but raised his head and shouted, “Hey!”
Rainbow Dash quickly looked in the same direction. To her horror, and irritation, two young pegasi were trying to foolishly use the distraction to escape. Idiots! Get back here!
Raising his talons the griffin officer ordered, “Fire at them! Don’t let them escape!”
Rainbow gasped, “No!”
It was too late. A series of thunderous cracks echoed in her ears as she saw small bursts of fire and smoke emit from the barrels of the fireblasters in the griffins’ hands. The retreating pegasi cried out in pain as small burst of blood splattered out of their back’s and chest. Rainbow watched both bodies fall down into a bloody mess, struggling to fight back the bile rising in her throat.
The gunshots startled the crowd as they began flying or running in various directions. The officer ordered his men to subdue the riot by any means possible, resulting in many of them drawing their weapons. Rainbow Dash, knowing it was too dangerous to fly at this point, got up and ran into the riot, hoping to get lost. All around her she saw various soldiers and civilians struggling against one another, the latter being cut down easily.
Bodies of ponies and griffins, young and adult, slowly began to fill the area, turning the bricks below even redder. Despite the macabre before her very eyes, Rainbow Dash continued to press on, jumping over bodies and ducking under blows from nearby guards. She only prayed that Tender Point wasn’t among the sea of dead corpses as she made it to the end of the street. Turning into an alley, she turned around, relieved to see that none of the guards were chasing after her. Suddenly, she felt a blow against the back of her neck and everything soon blacked out.
***
Upon waking up, Rainbow Dash felt like she had been squashed by a dragon’s foot and left for dead. Shaking her head, Rainbow Dash slowly got up and saw she was back on the streets of Dov’alona, all but abandoned except for the blood red bricks. She looked around, trying to spot some form of life around her, but there wasn’t a single sound except from her own breathing.
“Hello! Anypony here?!” cried out Dash, echoing across the streets. She scratched her head. “Where is everyone?”
“Dash! Help!”
Rainbow Dash quickly turned behind her as she felt feathers shake in shock. That voice... it can’t be...
“Rainbow! Ah need ya partner! Help me!”
“Applejack!” screamed Rainbow Dash as she ran down the street. “Hold on, I’m coming!”
She jumped up and prepared to use her wings, only to find herself painfully back on the ground. Moaning, she looked behind her to see what was wrong with her wings only to find out that she had none. Checking every corner of her back, Dash saw no sign that she even had wings to begin with. It was like she had suddenly become an earth pony.
A cry from Applejack shook Rainbow Dash away from her current worries and quickly got back on her hooves. The wings didn’t matter at the moment, all that mattered was finding Applejack. Galloping down the streets she heard the sound of construction echoing around her. Glancing to her left, she gasped upon seeing the entire city of Dov’alona slowly crumbling into pieces like broken clay figures. She looked to the other side of the city and saw, in the distance, the great towers and walls coming down as well.
With this new fear driving her, she managed to run faster, jumping over the occasional pothole she came across. The sound of the city slowly meeting its demise haunted her ears upon every turn, tempting her to just look and see how much damage there was. A few times she felt the ground shake, but Rainbow Dash wasn’t going to be stopped by anything.
“Dash! Please help me! He’s gettin’ closer!”
“Applejack! Where are you?!” screamed Rainbow Dash as she turned around the corner. Her eyes lit up with hope as she saw, in the middle of the city’s square, Applejack looking at her with a shocked expression. Applejack was about to cry out Dash’s name when she suddenly gasped. Slowly, she looked down at the middle of her chest where the edge of a bastard sword was sticking out from.
Rainbow Dash heart seemed to stop as she saw Applejack look at her with her fading emerald eyes one last time before slumping on her side. “Applejack!”
Running forward, eyes gleaming with tears, she slid to Applejack’s cold body and held it in her hooves. “No... no, not again! Applejack! No!”
Rainbow Dash was ready to scream some more until she noticed a shadow hanging over her. Slowly turning around, her eyes widen at the silhouette of a large griffin, wielding a large sword in his talons, with one cold and menacing eye focused on her while the other shined in the sunlight from its ruby skull form.
The griffin lifted up his sword and quickly brought it down upon Dash’s skull...
***
A splash of water woke Rainbow Dash from her nightmare as she slowly opened her eyes before another sudden blast of water hit her. She spat the bulk out and coughed up what remained. A few more splashes and she was wide awake, ready to beat down whoever was the wiseguy who decided to wake her up in such a way. She quickly lost this desire the moment she saw a muscled griffin with a bandana staring at her, cold and calculating. The sound of rattling chains above her head alerted her to a set that where hoisting her up from the floor. She swayed back and forth to loosen them, but she barely budged, remaining in the middle of the stone prison.
Wake up from one nightmare and appear in another...
Her captor walked up to her and grabbed her cheeks, forcing them face-to-face. “Listen here, pegasus. I'm gonna be asking a few questions about you. Give off even the slightest lie and you’ll regret it.”
Rainbow Dash growled, but nodded. The bandana griffin let go of her face and slowly made his way behind her. She tried to keep an eye on him, but he soon disappeared beyond her vision. Before she could question him, she heard the sound of something cracking in the air and felt her heart sink. Sweat dripped down her back as she felt the touch of wrapped leather press right between her wings.
“Now... first question,” muttered the griffin. “Did you come to Grydon alone?”
“Yes,” answered Rainbow Dash.
“Are you seeking to get into Grydon or out of it?”
“In.”
“Why?”
“I’m... visiting a fri—augh!” screamed Rainbow Dash. She hissed, feeling the blood from her new scar start to seep into her back coat.
“Tell me the truth!”
“I am! I Sweaaaaugh!”
Rainbow Dash cursed in her head, but held back any tears. She wouldn’t give this guy the satisfaction of seeing her cry. He sighed and began to walk back and forth, flailing his whip in the air. Rainbow gritted her teeth, doing her best to ignore the pain from both blows on her bleeding back.
“Alright, pony. Are you involved with the organization Blood and Liberty?” asked the griffin, poking her in the back with his talon. He made sure to dig deep into her lashes, making her squirm.
“N-no! I’m... gah... not!” cried out Rainbow, feeling his sharp claw against her open gash. The whip then wrapped around her neck, her eyes widened as she struggled to breath. She tried kicking in the air and even flapping her wings around, but despite her efforts the guard still held her in a death grip.
“Then... what are you... doing here!” he demanded as Dash’s face began turning purple.
Rainbow felt herself ready to fade back into unconsciousness again when she heard the door slam open, causing the guard to release the whip from her throat. Gasping for air, she spat out some of her saliva and slowly looked up and saw, to her surprise, someone marching towards them, her wings flaring out in rage.
“S-silva?” gasped Rainbow Dash before getting into another coughing fit.
Silva pressed her talon against Dash’s cheek and shook her head solemnly. “I’m so sorry, Daring. I came as fast as I could.”
She raised her head and growled at the guard. “Let her go. She’s not involved in the incident. I already have her signed for release.”
“I’m not done int—”
“Peck yeah you are! Now get her down now before I take that whip and drag you out into the sea by your balls!” screeched Silva, ready to pounce.
Rainbow Dash tried to turn around to see the other griffin’s reaction, but soon found herself on the floor, toppled by the chains that held her. Silva tried to reach out and help her, but Rainbow Dash pushed her way, glaring at the surprised rescuer who nodded and backed away. After the chains were off, she rose to her hooves and began making her way out the door and into the stone hallway.
“Rainbow, wait!” shouted Silva, rushing behind her. “Listen, I know things seem strange, but...”
“Strange?!” cried out Dash, turning around and facing her. “Strange is hardly the word I would use, Silva! I’ve been dragged out of my hotel, beaten up, seen guards kill innocent civilians-one of them possibly being my roommate whom I lost sight of in the riot-and got tortured! This isn’t strange! This is cruelty! What the hay is wrong with you griffins!”
Each accusation made Silva stepped back in fright, her eyes glazed downward with a hint of shame in them. Rainbow Dash shook her head and flared her nostrils. “I’ve had it up to hear with you guards! All you keep doing is treat me and the others trying to get out of this goddess forsaken dump like manure! I thought you were different, am I wrong to judge that?!”
“I’m not like them, Daring! You have to believe me!” begged Silva.
“Then tell me what the hay is going on!” demanded Rainbow, huffing and puffing.
Silva looked at her for a long time, tension building up around them. With a loud sigh, the griffin’s shoulders slumped and she nodded. “Alright, I guess you deserve to know. I can trust you. Don’t know why since I’ve only met you for a single day, but I can trust you.”
This made Rainbow Dash slowly relax, but she still kept up guard up and her distance as Silva guided her down the hall. They passed a few guards who didn’t give them a second glance, but the thing that bothered Rainbow most was the occasional screams of pain or pleads of mercy coming from behind some of the closed doors. It made her stomach flip just thinking about it.
They were just about to turn the corner when Silva growled and flew towards one of the guards. He cried out in pain as he got slammed against the wall. Rainbow quickly made her way towards the two struggling griffins, noticing that the one Silva attacked was none other than Lucion.
“Silva! What the peck is your problem?!” demanded Lucion.
“My problem?! My problem is you!” cried out Sliva, throwing him to the floor. She towered over him as he shivered so much, his armor pieces were clanking against one another. “First, you disappear on me when I needed you during the roundup operation, and then I hear reports of you appearing on the other side of town looking suspicious! What are you up to, Lucion?! You know that if you’re doing criminal acts again you’ll be jailed for this and joining the army won’t be an option this time to avoid bars!”
He snarled and slowly got to his paws, wiping the dirt off his armor. “I have my orders, you have yours. Don’t think you’re special connections make you the big boss on campus, Silva. And stay out of my affairs. What I do is my business only...”
He pushed both out of the way, making sure to give Rainbow a snarl before disappearing around the corner. Silva punched her talon into the wall and cursed. “That... that... augh! I swear he’s up to something and I’m going to find out what!” She shook her head and turned back to Rainbow Dash, motioning to follow her as they went on their way.
They finally made it towards a back door where Silva lead them outside under the stars above, Rainbow noticing that they came out from of a large mansion-sized prison in the middle of one of the districts. Dash looked around in surprise. “I thought we were in the military headquarters?”
“All the jail cells have been filled up. Since almost every building in this port was once used to hold prisoners, we’ve decided to just take the abandoned ones and start integrating with them,” answered Silva, flaring her wings open. Rainbow Dash did the same and followed her into the sky.
As they flew, Rainbow Dash tried to hear the sounds of anyone down below, but it was as dead as a graveyard. Either they were hiding from the guards and obeying the curfew, or a good number of them in the area were being held captive for questioning. She also thought about Tender Heart and prayed that the unicorn she had befriended was safe somewhere and not lying in a box with holes in her body. Rainbow Dash snapped out of her morbid thoughts as Silva guided her to a nearby bell tower where they landed.
After quickly checking the area, Silva took off her helmet and sat down, urging Dash to do the same. “Alright. You remember that bastard asking you if you were from Blood and Liberty? Well, that’s because the entire regiment in the city is out looking for them.”
“Wait. Those terrorist guys are here? Are they planning something?” asked Rainbow Dash, leaning forward.
Silva shook her head. “From what I hear, we found a letter bearing their seal sometime yesterday. Close to where we first met, actually. After making sure it wasn’t a letter bomb, we read the message revealing their claim of killing the head of Dov’alona, Colonel Volken. However, by the time we sent the warning to HQ, they found him dead in his room.”
Rainbow Dash felt a chill through her spine, and it wasn’t from just the wind. She gulped and realized that somewhere in the city was a cold blooded killer from an insane organization running loose. No wonder they’re all acting so strict... That still doesn't’ give them the excuse of what they’re doing though!
“How did he die?” asked Dash.
“Poison made from a jikal plant from Zebswana, where the zebra live. It’s instant death should it enter the bloodstream. It was a perfect injection from the back of the neck,” answered Silva, running a claw through her head feathers. “It’s been a nightmare. All the commanders are after one thing, revenge. The fact that his even happened is dishonorable enough, but Volken was popular with the brass. They’re pulling all the stops to find the assassin from those terrorist bastards and bring him or her to justice.”
“Even if it means killing innocents?” growled Rainbow, earning a glare from Silva.
“What do you want me to do, Daring? I’m so far pecking down the food chain I’m barely a whisper. I don’t like that ponies and griffins are dying from all these riots and gun-ho soldiers, but there’s nothing I can do. We need to catch this assassin and none can leave until we’re sure it’s safe. You’re just gonna have to deal with it.”
Snorting, Dash got up and flared her wings. “Whatever...”
Before she could jump into the air, Silva cried out, “Daring... look if you’re in any trouble, just look for me. I know the guard hasn’t been the easiest to deal with, but there are good griffins in them. Including me.”
Rainbow paused in her attempts to fly and remained silent for a while, until she asked, “It’s going to get a lot worse before it gets better, isn’t it?”
“Unfortunately,” answered Silva, shaking her head.
Rainbow Dash said nothing else before flying away.
***
Having found her way back towards the district she was in before, Rainbow Dash quickly landed on the pavement and did her best to get back to the hotel. Since there was a good chance the curfew was in effect, she had no choice but to stay hidden in the shadows, leaving them only when she was sure the coast was clear. A few times she managed to notice a guard walking by or on the rooftops, but with some skill she managed to avoid them easily.
But the worse part wasn’t the guards or the fact she had to play the hide and go seek game with them. It was the smell of death and fire that still lingered in the area from the earlier riots. The guards had managed to clear the roads of any corpses, but Dash could still see the occasional blood splatter or loose body part in the alleys. It took all her effort not to throw up the first time she saw a severed wing, but she managed to calm down and proceed.
Taking a break behind a dumpster, Rainbow Dash questioned what her next plan was when she heard crying in the middle of the street. Poking her head out, she saw a green earth pony filly in tears, crying “Mama” over and over. Rainbow Dash was about to step-forward to help the poor lost foal, when she spotted another guard rushing towards the filly. Dash ducked her head back and watched with her breath held.
“Hey, are you alright, little filly?” asked the griffin, lowering himself so she didn’t have to look up. He smiled at her and wrapped his wing around her. “It’s okay. I’m with the military, you can trust me.”
“I-I... I don’t know where m-my Mama is!” wailed the little pony. “There was a big c-crowd and we l-lost each other and...”
“It’s gonna be okay, I promise,” comforted the griffin, patting her head and wiping her tears. “Can you remember where you and your mother were staying?”
“It... it was some big scary place with a red door...” muttered the filly, her eyes focused on the blood red pavement. Suddenly, she snapped her head up and gasped. “Oh! I remember! It was across this place with a big silver bell!”
The guard stood up and nodded. “I know that place. It’s just over by the next street. Let’s take you back to your mother.”
The filly cheered and followed her guide with Rainbow Dash behind them. Keeping herself hidden at all times, she made sure to keep a sharp eye on the filly and an even sharper eye on the guard. If he does anything...
She stopped behind a barrel of rotten tomatoes-which made her snout scrunch up in disgust-as she watched the guard knock on the door, wings on stand by. To her surprise a yellow mare opened the door and, upon seeing the filly, rushed out and hugged her. The two kissed each others cheeks as the guard nodded to both of them before flying away. After the two earth ponies had settled back into the house, Rainbow Dash got out of her hiding spot and stared at where the scene took place. He really was helping her... guess Silva was right. Maybe there are some good guards besides her...
Remembering her treatment to her new friend, Rainbow Dash felt like a rain cloud was upon her, drenching her in water. Guess I should apologize in the future.
Shaking her head, Rainbow Dash continued her walk. Silva had said that the entrance into Grydon was closed until they could find the assassin. Even worse, it seemed that the military was willing to ransack every nook and cranny of the city while killing any in their way. Silva had managed to save her blue butt for now, but who was to say she would be there the next time? Or after that? There was also Tender Point, and if she was even alive after all this.
One thing’s clear, I’m a dead pony if I stay in this place too long, thought Rainbow Dash as she dug her hooves into her mane in frustration. There has to be a solution to all this!
Her eyes widened upon remembering what happened last night. That griffin, Toma, he said he could get me out of here... but I would be working with criminals! Fighting for them like I was some pet for their personal amusement.
And yet, was there any other option presented in front of her at the moment? Rainbow Dash knew that it would take weeks until the gates were opened, weeks she didn’t have time to spare. Just focus on getting back to the hotel, it’s not that far from here. Then you’ll find Tender Point, and we’ll go from there.
Laying low, Rainbow Dash continued to crawl her way down the streets until she found herself just outside of the hotel’s entrance. Carefully, she opened the door but found not a single soul inside. The boards creaked as she walked towards the lobby, trying to find head or tail of a griffin or pony, but she found none; not even the owner seemed to be around. Rainbow didn’t know if they were either hiding somewhere else, dead like those outside, or in a cell getting the worst possible treatment.
Then again, what if one of them was the assassin. Or assassins? Who knows how many of these crazy guys are there? thought Rainbow Dash as she made her way to the stairs. As she got closer to her floor, Rainbow thought she heard the sound of others above.
Sneaking as best as she could, Rainbow Dash made it to her room level and was about to head inside when she heard a slap followed by a painful cry. Quickly peaking through the keyhole, she found herself enraged by what she saw. Tender Point, thankfully, was alive, but was tied up in a chair with two big griffins with balding heads right in front of her. It didn’t take long for her to recognize them as the two she fought with Silva against just yesterday. What are they doing here?
Baldy Two stepped forward, leaned forward, and demanded, “We’re not gonna ask a third time. Where is the money?!”
“I-I don’t know! Papa never told me about it! Please, believe me!” cried out Tender Point, only to get a backhand blow to the face.
“Oh? Then why are you trying to leave Grydon and make way for Equestria, huh? Makes you look real guilty!” said Baldy One, shaking his head. “Our boss, wants his money and if you don’t have it... looks like you’ll have to pay it in blood instead.”
Tender Point gasped in horror as he drew a knife from his belt. “No! Please! Somepony save me!”
Rainbow Dash had seen enough and proceeded to buck down the door from it’s hinges. The two griffins were shocked by the sudden intrusion before each getting a hoof to the face. Rainbow Dash prepared herself for a fight, but to her surprise the two goons made for the window and flew out. She watched them fly off into the distance, hoping the guards would notice them and bring the two down. Hard.
Remembering who else was in the room, Dash quickly went to a sniffling Tender Point and undid her bounds. The terrified unicorn quickly latched onto Dash’s neck and started crying, much to the pegasus’s surprise. Although a bit uncomfortable at the sudden embrace, Rainbow held on to her roommate and patted her on the back, letting her tears soak her pelt.
***
Rainbow Dash was reluctant to leave Tender Point alone after what had just happened to her, but she figured a good meal could help calm her down. Making her way back from the kitchens, Dash went up the stairs and back into their room where she saw Tender Point huddled on her bed, wrapped around in blankets. She put down a plate of sandwiches and a pitcher of milk, pouring them each a glass. Not as soothing as tea, but then again beggars can’t be choosers.
Dash started eating her dinner, but Tender Point still remained frozen in place, staring at her hooves in silence. Shaking her head, Dash pushed the plate closer to her roommate. “Eat up, you look like you need it.”
Slowly, Tender Point raised her head and levitated a sandwich to her mouth, taking small bites. The two continued to eat their meal until Tender finished her second sandwich and muttered, “I’m sorry.”
“For what?” asked Rainbow Dash, pouring herself another glass of milk.
“For getting you involved... those griffins... the one who leads them... he’ll be after you too...”
Rainbow shrugged. “Eh, I already fought them before. Kind of a surprise to see them again. And besides, I’m already on a lot of bad lists, what’s one more?”
Tender Point’s stared at her in shock. “A-aren’t you afraid of death?”
“Not really, I’ve been cheating it for a long time,” replied Rainbow Dash, thinking back to her many dangerous stunts and adventures she’s had over the past three years. “It’s kind of a second nature to me.”
“You’re either really brave or very foolish...” muttered Tender Point, shaking her head with a small smile.
A grin stretched across Dash’s muzzle. “I’ve been told I’m both.”
The two giggled and continued eating, this time with a easier atmosphere around them. The sandwiches soon disappeared and the pitcher was dried up, leaving both ponies’ bellies full and satisfied. Content with their meal, the two turned around and gazed upon the stars, which still shined like hopeful wishes despite all the bloodshed and horror that took place earlier. A few minutes in, Tender Point opened her trunk with her magic and pulled out a needle set and half made scarf before quickly closing her trunk.
“Why did you do it?” asked Tender Point, turning her focus on her needling while Rainbow stared at her. “Why did you lie about throwing the stone at the officer? You could have been killed.”
“We were all about to be killed if somepony didn’t do anything. Guess I did rush out without thinking, but I do that all the time. Besides, I couldn’t stand and let that guy murder everyone.” Rainbow Dash’s ears flattened. “Not that it mattered anyway...”
Tender Point turned away from her knitting and placed her hoof on Dash’s shoulder. “It wasn’t your fault.”
“I know... but still...” Dash shook her head and looked at Tender Point straight in the eyes. “Anyway, that doesn’t matter. Who were those griffins? Why were they after you?”
Tender Point leaned away a bit, nervously looking away from Dash’s gaze before shutting her own eyes. “Do you... do you remember when I told you not to trust crime bosses?”
“Yeah?”
Dash’s eyebrows raised when she saw tears slowly seeping down Tender’s cheeks. Tender sighed and said, “Well... I know from experience how cruel they can be.”
Taking a deep breath, she continued, “Those griffins work for a very powerful crime boss in the capital. My father was a good stallion, but he had an addiction to gambling. Every night he would go to the casinos, sometimes winning and sometimes losing more than he meant too. Despite this, he was good to me and my mother and we loved him nonetheless.” A small smile twitched on Point’s lips before disappearing. “Then one day my father caught wind of a huge blackjack tournament at his favorite casino. He didn’t have enough money to pay for it, so he took... he took a loan out from a mob boss. Promising to give him a good percentage of the money back when he won.”
“I’m guessing he didn’t?” asked Rainbow Dash, slowly unfolding her wing and wrapping it around a trembling Tender Point.
“H-he lost everything. Not a single chip was spared. My father couldn’t pay back the debt and when the crime boss learned of this, we knew we had to get out of town before they got to us,” cried Tender Point, sobbing. “They came at night, told my father to pay back in a week or else. He tried, but then on the deadline he didn’t come home... next day we saw his body on the newspaper, laying in the river face down.”
“Tender...”
“A-and then... then t-they told my m-mother to p-pay the debt or el-else she was next and a week passed and...” Tender Point dived into Rainbow Dash’s chest and continued to sob, “They didn’t even bother hiding it! They just came into our house and shot her in the face! I sat there in shock as my mom died in my forelegs, bleeding to death!”
“And let me guess... you need to pay off the debt now or else they’ll kill you?” asked Rainbow Dash.
Tender Point nodded. “I just ran... gathered all the remaining money we saved and fled here to escape to Equestria, so I could have a new life. The deadline is tomorrow and I hoped I would be safe here, but... looks like I’m doomed.”
“No, your not!” shouted Rainbow Dash, taking her by the shoulders and straightening her. “You’re gonna live. Equestria will protect you, the princesses will protect you, I will protect you from them.”
“But...”
“No buts, I never abandon my friends, Tender, and I ain’t starting now,” declared Rainbow with a grin. “We’re gonna get out of this dump. The two of us. I’ll send you to Equestria and I’ll head into Grydon without anypony being the wiser.”
“But how?” asked Tender Point wiping away her tears. “The way out is blocked by orders of the military. There’s no way we can leave...”
Rainbow Dash sighed and shook her head. “Maybe not through legal means...”
Rainbow Dash wondered what all her friends would think if they knew what she going to do. Then again, if it all worked out in the end and it helped bring Applejack in the long run, then maybe they would forgive her. Pushing away such thoughts, Rainbow glanced behind her to make sure Tender Point was right beside her. Although the streets barely had anyone walking through them, it didn’t make it any less dangerous, even at daytime.
The entire city felt like one big powder keg ready to explode at just the smallest spark of chaos. Last night's riots were only a possible insight of what might have been the future, especially with the news of an assassin from Blood & Liberty around. Everyone they passed by eyed the other suspiciously, sometimes even looking ready for a fight. Rainbow Dash couldn't help but pity them for their predicament; all of this was happening because of the action of a hidden griffin or pony or any race for that matter in the port city.
It made it even more urgent to leave Dov’alona in one piece, and there was only one possible way Dash knew how. Grateful that she remembered the path to the Eagle’s Nest Bar, Rainbow entered the establishment she visited only two nights ago with Tender Point nervously following her.
Dash released a held breath when she saw only two individuals in the bar. The bartender, who nodded in greeting, and the suspicious Toma who was dressed in the same clothes she first saw him in. Tipping his bowler hat, Toma raised his mug and said, “I’ve been waiting for you, Miss Daring. After I heard about that nasty incident in front of your hotel, I was beginning to worry I was going to have to say goodbye so soon after I said hello.”
“I’m a hard mare to keep down,” commented Rainbow Dash, sitting across from Toma. Her eyes never left his smirking face which she had to admit was a better cloak of his emotions then most poker players she knew.
Toma then turned to Tender Point as she sat down. “And Miss Point. Lovely to see you again.”
“O-oh, y-yes...” responded Tender Point. Rainbow growled and coughed into her hoof, turning Toma’s eyes back on her.
“I’ve decided to go with your offer,” said Rainbow, narrowing her eyes. “If it’s still going on despite all this?”
“Of course. After all, we all have ways of dealing with stress in dark times,” said Toma. “Some like to read books. Others drink various amounts of tea or harder stuff. I know a few who like to go find a whore for an evening and have sex until the sun rises. And some fellows just like watching others bleed in a good old fashioned rumble.”
“It’s sick...” commented Rainbow Dash in disgust.
“Oh I agree, but my boss wants what he wants. And Mr. Lightfeather is not a griffin you want to cross.” Toma pointed his talon at Rainbow Dash as his expression changed from his normal relaxed form into a form of seriousness that made her doubt her choice to do this. “He’s not only the most powerful individual in Dov’alon, he’s also the one who knows what’s going to happen anywhere at anytime.”
Remembering his words of warning on their first meeting, Dash’s eyes widened. “You... you guys knew about the assassination. You let it happen.”
“We wish we could have prevented it,” snorted Toma. “Colonel Volken and Mr. Lightfeather were... partners in keeping the peace in Dov’alon. With him gone, it’s now fallen under chaos in these parts, and Mr. Lightfeather is very angry. Hopefully this fighting tournament will ease him a little, so be sure to work out a good show.”
Rainbow Dash rose from her chair and stared at Toma with the harshest glare she could give. “Let’s get something straight here. I’m not working for Mr. Lightfeather. I’m doing this for my needs only. I fight his fights, but I won’t kill anypony, got that? He doesn’t tell me what to do, nor does he tell me how to fight. In return, he gets to see me kick butt and does my two requests.”
Toma raised an eyebrow. “Two?”
Rainbow Dash nodded. “My first is that I get into Grydon without the military knowing. The second,” she pointed a hoof towards Tender Point, “is that you do the same for Tender Point, only you’ll be getting her into Equestria, instead.” Clasping her hooves on the table, she leaned forward and snarled. “And if anything happens to her, I will go up to the clouds and gather all the lightning in the sky to strike you down. Deal?”
Toma was expressionless for a few second before a smile stretched across his beak. “I have a feeling you are going to be something else, Miss Daring. I’m sure Mr. Lightfeather will agree to those terms, but before you do anything, you must prove yourself a competent fighter to begin with.”
“How do I do that?” asked Rainbow.
Toma finished drink and wiped his beak with his sleeves before nodding to the minotaur bartender. Sighing, the bartender went to the other end of his counter and pulled a switch. Both ponies jumped upon hearing the sound of machinery at work, slowly turning around to see a part of the wall slowly slide away, revealing an old wooden elevator. Toma got up and made his way towards it while Dash and Tender looked at each other in shock. Toma turned around and asked, “You coming?”
***
The trip down below was dark and seemed to last forever. Rainbow wondered how low they were underground as they went further and further downward into the abyss. Toma, seeing her dazed look, smirked in amusement. “Amazing, isn’t it? Dov’alon has over a hundred different secret tunnels in each district, most of which are hidden from the general populous. And with good reason, too. More fools have died in these passages lost and hungry than you’d think. I suggest you stay close to me, so you don’t end up joining them.”
Both girls huddled towards him a little closer.
The elevator soon reached the bottom where they found themselves in a dome-shaped room with a few other griffins nearby handling some machinery. None of them paid any attention to them as they got off and made their way down one of the many hallways. More pathways were seen as they traveled, turning left or right without stop; it nearly made Rainbow Dash sick to her stomach the way they kept switching directions.
Eventually they reached the end of a tunnel that had a door at the end of it. After knocking twice, Toma shouted, “Snake skin!” and the door opened. Before entering, Toma turned to the mares and said, “Now be very careful. Mr. Lightfeather is a bit... sensitive about his height. Say nothing about it at all, or else...”
“Or else what?” asked Tender Point, tilting her head.
Toma sighed, “What kind of flowers do you like?”
“Daisies, why?”
“It’s just so I know what to lay on your tombstone should you ignore my warning.”
The girls looked at each other and gulped. The three of them entered what looked to be an alcohol cellar the size of a small house. Dozens of barrels were on the walls, in stands, or rolling around as various workers rushed in every direction possible. A loud voice in the center was the one directing them. What the two files found was something completely unexpected.
“I don’t care what it takes! You tell Voric that he’d better get that shipment inside our docks without the guard knowing! I don’t care if we’re in military lockdown or not! I need that stuff brought in, or I’ll twist all your tailfeathers so hard you’ll start bleeding out your pecking back end!” shouted a short griffin who looked to be no taller than Rainbow Dash’s chin. He wore a purple vest and had a cigar in his talon as he kept shouting and directing his employees back and forth. If it wasn’t for the fact of his tone, Rainbow would have suspected this griffin was a kid.
“That’s Mr. Lightfeather?” asked Tender Point in disbelief.
“I know what you're thinking, but don’t let his size fool you, “said Toma with a smirk. “He may be small, but after his father died, E’lon Lightfeather has done nothing but rise to the ranks of the underworld since taking over. Treat him with respect.”
“Idiots! All of you!” shouted Mr. Lightfeather, putting the cigar in his mouth. He motioned a griffioness in a skimpy thong to come over and light it for him. Taking a few puffs, he sighed before noticing Toma and the two mares. “Toma, you got a fighter for me? The tournament is in two days and so far the rest of the lineup I’ve been given is garbage. You better have someone good.”
“I do, sir,” said Toma, putting his claw around Dash’s shoulder, but she shrugged it off. Ignoring this, he continued, “This is Rainbow Daring. She’s quite the fighter, and I think the one we’re looking for.”
“Right, the pegasus you told me about. The one who wants to leave Grydon,” said Lightfeather. He walked over and started eying Rainbow Dash while rubbing his chin. “Hm, not bad. Looks athletic. You’re obviously built for speed, but you do know that none of the fighters can fly or use magic in these fights, right?”
“I learned how to fight with and without my wings,” commented Rainbow Dash, but Lightfeather shrugged. “I’ve won tons of karate tournaments. That’s gotta count for something.”
The surrounding griffins chuckled. Lightfeather shook his head. “You think that matters? These guys in the ring have killed at least one guy. I bet you never handled a real fight before.”
Dash was about to go on about her victories over Nightmare Moon, Discord, and the Changeling Army, but stopped herself. “Look, you need a fighter, and I can fight! I’ll win the whole darn thing just as long as you help me and my friend here.”
“Friend?” Lightfeather turned around and noticed, for the first time, Tender Point who calmly stepped back and tried to hide behind Toma. “Toma, who is this?”
Toma cleared his voice. “There was a bit of... a change to the deal. Miss Daring has requested that, in exchange for her services, we not only help her get into Grydon, but we also help Miss. Point here get into Equestria as well.”
“Hold up,” said Lightfeather, raising his talons. “When did we agree to changing the deal! I’m not in the mood to change the deal. I don’t like changing deals, period!” He turned to Rainbow Dash. “What makes you think that you can just walk up to me and demand something like this, huh? You know how hard it is to get even one of you guys out of this gutter hole, even without this lockdown? Now you want me to do two of you?! Ain’t happening!”
Dash growled. “Listen, buster! You want to win this stupid tournament thing, and look like a hot shot to all your friends, right? Well, I can do that and more. I’m more than just your average pegasus.”
“Blah, blah blah. That’s all I’m hearing, same crap different story,” said Lightfeather, shaking his head. “Look, I don’t have time for this. I’ve got a bunch of other operations to take care off and I’m done wasting my time.”
Dash, worried, stepped forward and shouted, “Please! Just give me a chance! I need to get to Grydon!”
“And why?!” demanded Lightfeather, glaring at her. Everything in the room seem to come to a halt; even breathing seem to stop as the two stared intently at each other. Lightfeather, eyeing Dash with suspicion, walked up to her and stared at her dead in the eyes. “What, may I ask, does a pony from Equestria want to do in Grydon with all the problems going on between our two races?”
Rainbow gulped and wondered if she should tell the truth. She looked at Tender Point who was looking more scared with each passing second, though whether for her own safety or Dash's left to be answered.. Sighing, Rainbow knew that she couldn’t tell, and that her “lie” would only be so weak it would get them laughed out of here. I’m sorry, Tender. I tried.
“I’m going to see an old friend... Gilda Lockgrip.”
She opened her eyes, but didn’t expect to see the surprised expression on Lightfeather’s face. She looked around and saw everyone else, except for Tender, looking at her with either awe or confusion. Lightfeather stepped back and shook his head. “Woah. Hold the line. You know Gilda Lockgrip?”
“Y-yeah... why?” asked Rainbow.
“Describe her,” said Lightfeather, narrowing his eyes. Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow, but shrugged and obliged. Although it had been years since she had last seen her old friend, Dash was sure she didn’t look too different from then. When she finished, Lightfeather took a big puff from his cigar before pointing it at Dash. “Answer me this. If you really know her, what does she call everyone she meets?”
Rainbow Dash snorted. “Easy. Dweeb.”
Immediately, Lightfeather clapped his talons and laughed, taking everyone by surprise. He continued to chuckle for a little while longer before he said, “Ya got that right! Only Gilda would ever use such a line. What are the odds, guys? We got a friend of Gilda’s here!”
Whispers started to spread as Dash’s confusion only increased. She raised her hoof and asked, “I’m sorry, but how do you know Gilda?”
“Easy, she’s done business for me. Pecking good business, might I add,” answered Lightfeather, making Dash step back in surprise. Seeing this, he then said, “I take it you’ve been out of touch with Gilda for some time, huh? Didn’t know your friend was one of the best thieves in Grydon?”
“Wait, what?!” shouted Rainbow Dash, mouth hanging as low as it could go. Gilda’s a professional thief?! How?! When!?
“Yeah, Lockgrip’s one of the best thieves around, but not the most famous. That’s a good marking for a thief since it’s the ones that the guard doesn’t know that are the best,” said Lightfeather.
Rainbow Dash felt her entire world suddenly do a one-eighty in a span of three minutes. Her former best friend was a professional thief, a criminal. Had she been at this since graduation at school, or their friendship ended? Why was she stealing in the first place? Have things really changed that much?
She snapped out of her thoughts as Lightfeather rubbed the bottom of his beak and closed his eyes. Everyone waited with anticipated breath for what he was about to say. Opening his eyes, Lightfeather finished his cigar and tossed it away before nodding his head. “Alright, pegasus. Normally, I don’t do this, but since I own Gilda, I guess I can repay it by helping her friend. But if you really want this deal to go down, then you’re gonna have to prove it to me.” He snapped his talons four times and four of the workers quickly were at his side. “Take down all four of these guys, without flying, and then I’ll accept your offer. Fail and you’re gonna have to find another way out of the city. Deal?”
Rainbow Dash looked at the four thugs who were grinning with their broken, rotten teeth. A smirk stretched across her muzzle. “Deal. Hope you give health insurance to your employees.”
“Are you kidding? At the prices they give these days? Forget it,” muttered Lightfeather as he walked past his thugs and sat down on a chair. The rest of the griffins made room for five to fight in the middle while taking down bets to see how long the fight would last. Rainbow raised her hindquarters in anticipation as her four opponents started circling her. Glancing at Tender Point, who looked at Rainbow with awe, Dash gave her a confident grin before turning her attention back to the fight.
One of the thugs, decided to walk up behind Rainbow Dash casually which only made her raise an eyebrow. “You know, from this point of view. That rainbow tail of yours looks really good. Maybe I’ll take it and make a scarf out of it for the winter.”
Rainbow Dash growled, but then gave a lucid smile while raising her rump a bit more. She shook it a bit provocatively and asked, “Does my flank look that good?”
The thug looked at his friends who were a bit surprised by this, but he quickly shook it off for a slick smirk. Licking his lips, he reached out with his claw. “Yeah. You know, you pony’s don’t have bad flanks.”
Rainbow Dash waited until he was close enough before removing her fake smile for a serious glare. “Do you also want to know something about a pony’s tail?” In a second, Rainbow jumped backward and rear kicked the griffin in the face, knocking him back with a bleeding beak. She continued her assault by grabbing his claw with her tail before twisting it an agonizing position that made him scream. “In some fighting arts, it can be a strong as a regular leg.” The others, seeing their friend in trouble, rushed in to help him, but were knocked on their back when Rainbow swung around and used the griffin as a fail.
Twisting the arm in a different direction, Rainbow kicked her opponent into a barrel of wine that splattered all over his unconscious body. The three other griffins got up and charged while swiping their claws in retaliation. Rainbow Dash easily dodged their sluggish attacks before headbutting one in the stomach when she had an opening. The other two tried to attack from behind, but Dash landed on her forelegs to use both of her rear ones to smack them in the face and knock them back.
Using her momentum, she swung her body in an arc and smacked one of her rear hooves into the first dazed griffin’s face. Roaring, she grabbed him in a headlock and held on as he tried to throw her off with all of his strength, but Dash remained unmoved even when he started elbowing her. In retaliation, Rainbow bit into the feathers at the top of his head, drawing blood. The griffin that she held yelled in fury as he attempted to charge at the wall, forcing nearby workers to fly out of the way. Rainbow was hoping for this as she used the momentum of her opponent to press her rear hooves on the brick wall and push off it, flipping over the enraged griffin. The griffin, whose head she still had a lock on, tried to avoid being dragged backwards, but Dash’s push gave her the extra force needed to bring him down. His head smashed against the pavement, knocking him out cold as Dash got up and grinned at the stunned audience. “Two down!”
She eyed her remaining opponents who were looking at her, both stunned and a little afraid. Knowing this, she calmly walked towards them. “What’s the matter boys? Afraid the little pony is gonna knock your beaks off?”
One of the thugs screeched and charged forth using his wings, taking Rainbow Dash by surprised. She barely managed to jump away, and avoid a flying kick to the face before glaring at Lightfeather. “Hey! You said no wings!”
Lightfeather, smoking a new cigar, rolled his eyes. “Well if he’s cheating, then you cheat back. Sheesh.”
Rainbow Dash mutter a few ungrateful remarks about the criminal boss before using her own wings to avoid another oncoming attack from the other griffin. With all bets off, Rainbow Dash only grinned before using her blazing speed to start circling around the two thugs. A few of the watchers rubbed their eyes upon seeing the blue blur rush around the room as she started mocking her opponents inability to catch her.
Deciding to end this, Rainbow Dash blitzed right into the chest of one of the thugs and knocked him into the wall. She then proceeded to punch him with enough quickness and power that it managed to keep him stuck on the wall with each punishing blow. A final uppercut in the face sent him flying upwards towards the ceiling, where everyone winced upon hear a loud crack before gravity took over and made him land on a few empty barrels. The only indication that he was still alive was from his chest rising and falling.
The last thug tried to attack Rainbow Dash from behind, but a simple back hoof to the face stopped that. Grabbing him by the waste, she pushed him forward and slammed him against the wall, face first, before turning around and doing it again on the other side of the room. This went on for a while until Dash stopped and held the barely conscious griffin, whose face was had more red on it than a pizza. Rainbow Dash leaned her right foreleg back to deliver the final blow before she stopped inches from his forehead and lightly tapped it. The griffin fell to the floor in agony.
In an instant, a great cheering crowd erupted in the room as the workers all clapped their paws together, and whistled for the exciting fight. Rainbow Dash, completely unscathed, bowed and raised her hoof in thanks as she soaked up the praise. She glanced toward Toma and Tender who were also clapping while the latter was even shooting some sparks out of her horn in celebration. Eventually, the celebrations died down as a smiling Lightfeather walked over to Rainbow Dash and nodded.
“Okay, I’ll admit. That was quite the shut out you gave. Ancestors, I can’t seem to find a single scratch on ya.” Lightfeather puffed out some smoke in Dash’s face which she tried shooing away in annoyance. “A deal is a deal. You and your friend are both gonna get out of here. Provided you win the tournament, of course.”
Rainbow Dash laughed. “Trust me. With me as your fighter, you got that tournament in the bag.”
“That’s what I like to hear!” shouted Lightfeather, lighting punching Dash in the arm. “Well, let’s celebrate with a glass of fine Grydon wine! You, me, your friend, and Toma who’s gonna have a pay raise for this.”
“You honor me, sir,” said Toma with a bow.
Lightfeather shook his head. “Ugh, you and your fancy manners. Loosen up a bit more, old man.”
With the action over, the workers went back to work while a few carried the unconscious ones out of the room. Tender rushed over to Rainbow Dash and gave her a teary-eyed hug. “Oh, Darling! I can’t believe it! You actually did it!”
“Of course!” said Dash, puffing out her chest. “I don’t brag unless I can bring the heat. Besides, I didn’t want to let you down.”
“But you shouldn’t be so cocky yet,” said Toma, handing them each a mug that they took with thanks. “You’ll have to deal with three opponents who are five times the fighter those workers were. Let’s just hope the other bosses don’t have a real dangerous fighter on their claws.”
“Relax, I got this in the bag,” said Rainbow Dash. She took a sip of the mug and smacked her lips. “Not bad. Not as good as cider, but still not bad.”
The three continued to drink for some time, asking a few questions about the tournament and what to expect, when suddenly the door slammed open. Rainbow Dash nearly dropped her mug as she saw who it was that entered the room. “Lucion?!”
The said griffin guard turned around, and saw Rainbow Dash which lead to his beak dropping as low as possible. It quickly turned into anger as he marched towards Rainbow Dash and pointed at her. “What in the ancestors' name are you doing here, grass sucker!”
“What did you call me?!” shouted Rainbow Dash, throwing her mug away and getting up in Lucion’s face.
“You heard me! What are you and that other pony,” he pointed to Tender who backed away, “doing in this place?!”
“I should be asking the same thing!” yelled back Rainbow Dash. “What’s a guard doing with criminals! Where is your sense of honor?!”
“Enough!” shouted Toma, pushing the two away. He turned to Lucion and growled. “Stand down, Lucion. You happen to be talking to the boss' fighter for the tournament. Show some respect.”
“This pony is who the boss is gonna bet on?” asked Lucion in disbelief. He shook his head and pinched his beak. “Toma, this pony is friends with one of the guard, my partner, as a matter of fact. Have you ever thought that maybe she’ll rat us all out?! Are you an idiot?!”
The entire room went quiet. All the workers looked at Lucion with disbelief and pity. Before anybody could see it, Toma’s claw was wrapped around Lucion’s throat and lifted him up in the air. The struggling griffin guard tried to break out of his predicament, but an icy glare that made Lucion all but whimper stopped him. Raising him even higher, Toma said, “Listen hear you little weasel. Do you really think I would make such a mistake as hire a rat without my knowing? I know secrets that would make you defecate your own skull in shock. The boss trusts me as one of his top men, and you are not even close to being up to my rank. All you are good for is being a mole in the guard. The moment you stop being useless, or the moment you peck up, you are going to be squashed like a bug. Understood?”
Lucion quickly nodded and was released. Gasping for air, he gave Rainbow Dash and Toma one last glare before picking himself up and leaving them alone. Relaxing her guard, Dash asked, “Why do you keep that guy around?”
“Before he was forced to join the guard, Lucion was very good at gathering information. Unfortunately, he messed up and was forced to join the military, but he was terrible at the job. The boss thought he was of some use, so he was kept around for any information he would get from the guard. In return, we make sure he’s never heavily disciplined or removed from the guard no matter how much he sucks at it,” said Toma, scratching his beak. “I wonder why he’s here. Normally, he doesn’t come unless something big is going on.”
While Toma continued talking, Rainbow Dash looked out of the corner of her eye to see Lucion getting Mr. Lightfeather’s attention. The boss griffin’s expression turned serious when Lucion spoke, and the two walked out of the room in hushed tones. Curious, Rainbow Dash handed her mug to Toma. “I need to use the restroom. Where can I find it?”
“Down the hall, turn left, first door on your right,” instructed Toma, but Dash didn’t bother listening and instead ran out the door.
She spotted Mr. Lightfeather and Lucion walking down the hall, but made a right turn. With as much effort as possible, Rainbow Dash softly tiptoed towards their direction. When she got to the corner, she peeked around and saw a frustrated Lightfeather mumbling to himself while Lucion waited patiently. Listening in, Rainbow Dash heard Lightfeather say, “Are you sure about this?”
“Absolutely,” said Lucion, “the military strongly thinks that the assassin who killed Colonel Volken wasn’t working alone. He or she had help getting into Dov’alona and planning the assassination from the inside. Either one of the guards has turned traitor...”
“... or Blood and Liberty has been operating in her under all our beaks without us knowing. Peck it all!” growled Lightfeather, punching the wall. He took a deep breath before taking out another cigar and lighting it up. After some puffs, he eyed Lucion and asked, “Do they have any suspects?”
“They have at least hundreds, some of which are being held captive right now,” answered Lucion, shaking nervously. “Boss... one of them is my partner, Silva.” Rainbow Dash quickly put her hoof over her mouth to prevent herself from gasping out loud. She continued to listen in as Lucion explained, “The letter was found near the very same ally yesterday where Silva was doing her round. She’s getting a lot of suspicion on her, and not even Commander Blackwing is above it. His loyalty is being questioned, and he’s been taking his abuse back out on us. I’m getting worried they’ll think I’m the assassin, too, boss since I’m tied to both of them with my partnership with Silva. Not to mention, my previous criminal record makes me a big target.”
Lightfeather sighed and put his talons on Lucion’s shoulders, coaxing the scared griffin. “Lucion, listen. You’re a member of my gang. I look out for everyone, even the janitors who clean the toilets. I’ll make sure they’ll stay off your back. Besides, they should know better; anybody who’s working for the underground business would never be working with those terrorists. We check backgrounds more times than the senate's security. If any one of those Blood and Liberty punks even try to sneak a spy into our ranks, any boss’s ranks, they’d have to be really crazy or stupid.”
Sighing, Lucion looked at his boss with grateful eyes and nodded. “What do you need me to do, boss?”
“Get the names of all the suspects the guard are watching over, including the top twenty,” said Lightfeather. He took his cigar and crushed it in his claw, staring at the ashes with fury. “I’ll find that scumbag who though he could enter my city and stir some trouble. And then, just like with this smoke, I’ll break him until nothing remains.”
Rainbow Dash had seen enough. She turned around to head back only to bump into Tender Point who nearly yelped from the sudden collision. Behind Tender Point was Toma who looked at Dash with a raised eyebrow. “I hope we’re not interrupting anything, Daring.”
Shaking her head, Rainbow Dash could feel the sweat on the back of her head. “S-sorry I got a bit lost. Anyway, I did my business, let’s head back and drink some more!”
“Who’s there?!”
Gulping, Rainbow Dash turned around to see Lightfeather and Lucion come around the corner and look at the group in confusion. Lightfeather asked, “What’s going on? Why aren’t you back in the wine room?”
Before Rainbow Dash could come up with a lie, Toma managed to surprise her by saying, “I’m sorry, Mr. Lightfeather. The girls expressed a desire to return to their hotel room and I was just guiding them to the exit.”
Lightfeather seemed to ease up and nod his head in approval, but Lucion was still staring at Dash with suspicion. Lightfeather patted on Dash’s shoulder and smiled. “Well, that’s a good idea. Get a good night’s rest, and prepare yourself for the fight two days from now. Try to avoid trouble, too. Wouldn’t want anything to happen to ya.” With that, Lightfeather bid farewell and made his way back to the wine room, whistling a tune. Lucion, however, stared at Rainbow Dash a bit more before following his boss.
Toma sighed and eyed Rainbow with a threatening tone. “I suggest whatever you listened into you forget about. Focus on the tournament and nothing more. Now let’s head back.”
Rainbow Dash didn’t argue, but followed Toma back to the elevator where she began to think about what she had learned. So there were other members of the group involved in the assassination. I wonder how many? And they think Silva is one of them? No, not possible... Still, there was a lot she didn't know know about Silva. They had only met for a short time, but already the griffin seemed to treating her like they were old friends. She’s helped me out a lot, and I think I can trust her.
When they reached the bar room, the two ponies bid farewell to Toma who traveled back down. Exiting the establishment, Rainbow Dash made for the opposite direction of their hotel, much to Tender Point’s confusion. “Daring, we’re supposed to go this way.”
“Yeah, well,” said Dash, rubbing the back of her neck. “I have a few things on my mind I have to think about. I’ll be back home shortly, just make sure to lock the doors and stay inside until I get back.”
“O-okay...”
Rainbow nodded goodbye and started to make her way down the street, not caring in the direction she was going. A part of her still couldn’t believe she was actually doing this. I’m working with criminals. Me?! The Element of Loyalty! What would my friends and the princesses think if they knew about this?! What would Applejack?! Rainbow Dash shook her head. No, I said I was going to bring her back at any cost and this is just the first step. All I have to do is win three fights and that’s it. I’m not a criminal, not like... Gilda...
Biting her lip, Rainbow Dash felt like spitting on that name. I still can’t believe it. Has she really fallen this low to become a professional thief? She remembered when Pinkie told her how she stole an apple once, but that was just one fruit. From the way Lightfeather was going on about, it seemed like Gilda was a master of stealing and the rouge arts. Rainbow Dash didn’t know what to think of her former best friend anymore.
There’s nothing to think about, she told herself. If Gilda really has fallen this low, then you shouldn’t associate with her. She’s no longer your friend, and definitely not the girl you fell in love with all those years ago. She’s just a criminal, and I’ll be thankful if I never have to see her again.
Feeling more relaxed, Rainbow Dash prepared to turn around and head back to the hotel when she noticed she was being followed out of the corner of her eye. Two guards, staring straight at her, kept their distance from her while looking ready to pounce if need be. Rainbow Dash gulped and quickly turned her eyes forward, but nearly stumbled in shock when she saw three more guards further up the street. To the regular folks walking around, they looked to be doing nothing, but Dash could feel all three sets of eyes focused on her.
Wasting no time, Dash quickly made a right turn into an abandoned alley where she had hoped to lose them. Before she could even begin to run, she found herself staring at another guard who had been waiting for her. Realizing she was trapped, Rainbow Dash growled and prepared herself for a fight. “Okay, you guys have been following me for too long! Tell me what you want right now!”
The guard looked at his comrades who managed to catch up and surrounded Rainbow Dash. The rest of them nodded, and he then said, “Commander Blackwing wants to speak to you. You will come with us, or we will force you.”
***
Although Dash had no intention of seeing Commander Blackwing, she knew better than to get in trouble with the guard, and agreed to follow them. They flew across the city, passing some of the other districts until they arrived at the docks near the abandoned warehouses, arriving at an old one with the number “14” painted on it’s front center. Dash gagged as she smelled the scent of dead fish and seaweed in the air while finding herself nearly vomiting from the sight or maggots and termites that plagued the wooden structure. If Rarity was ever to enter this place, she would surely die of a heart attack.
There were no boxes in the warehouse; the only thing that stood inside was Commander Blackwing in the center of the room. The guards saluted their commander, and after a salute back, motioned towards the side exit where they all left for in single file. Rainbow Dash stared at the tall, muscled griffin commander whose stoic and intimidating glare still made her shiver. Blackwing slowly began to circle Dash, his red cape flowing in the wind while his spiked shoulder pads glistened in the sink sun whose rays peeked through the cracked up wood.
He circled around Dash three more times before she finally got put up and shouted, “Are you going to tell me why I’m here, or can I get out of here?!”
Commander Blackwing stopped his pacing and grumbled, “What is your association with Corporal Silva?”
Dash blinked. She hadn’t been suspecting that. Then again, if what that jerk Lucion said was true, they might suspect her of being part of Blood and Liberty.
“I’m her friend, sir,” answered Dash, hoping that using a respective response might ease him up a bit. “That is all.”
“Have you had any contact with her prior to your meeting in the alley a few days ago?” asked Blackwing.
“No, I have never seen her before, sir.”
The Commander nodded and sighed. “Alright, another question and then you can go.”
Rainbow Dash sighed. Finally...
“Mind telling me why the Element of Loyalty, Rainbow Dash, is trying to get to Grydon and not back in Equestria like she should be?”
It was official. In some past life of hers, Rainbow Dash had done horrible things, and the universe was trying to make her pay for it. She didn’t even bother hiding her shock at the fact that her real name had been revealed, and by a commander in the guard. She thought about escaping, but lowered her wings when she realized the futility of such an act. Even if she did manage to escape, Commander Blackwing would just spill the beans to every guard in Grydon, and she’d be a wanted mare. Not to mention this would bring even more problems to Equestria if they thought she was a spy acting under Princess Celestia’s orders, and that was the last thing she wanted.
“How did you know?” asked Rainbow Dash, seeing no point in beating around the bush.
“You mean besides the fact that I recognized your face in the papers years ago, when you defeated Nightmare Moon, or the other numerous evil forces around the world?” pointed out Blackwing as he pulled out a book from his armor. He threw it towards Rainbow who caught the book, and looked at it. It was the cover to Daring Do and The Stone Army; one of her favorites. “A few of my privates happen to like pony literature, and I remember seeing the name ‘Daring’ somewhere. Wasn’t hard to figure out the rest.”
Commander Blackwing was now circling Dash like a buzzard finding a dying animal in a desert. Gritting her teeth, Rainbow Dash closed her eyes. “If you think I’m spying on Grydon, I—”
“I know you’re not,” interrupted Blackwing. He stopped in front of her and smirked. “Princess Celestia and Luna are smarter than most give them credit for. They wouldn’t sent an Element of Harmony as a spy. No, you guys are just the heavy hitters who deal with the world destroying forces that normal soldiers can’t handle. I’d imagine Princess Luna would have sent one of her Lunar Guards, most likely from the legendary Deathwatch division, to spy on us. Plus, you stick out too much to be a spy.”
Rainbow Dash huffed at the an insult, but calmed down. “Well, why do you think I’m here, then?” asked Rainbow Dash, hoping that he knew nothing of the Eye of Exchange.
Shrugging, Blackwing answered, “Could be any number of reasons. Maybe you really are here to meet your friend, Gilda. Or maybe you're looking for the four thieves who killed your fellow Element, which I express my sympathy towards.” He shook his head. “Either way, I don’t care. Not my problem. Now, as a commander of the Grydon military, I should report you to my superiors and have them decide what to do with you.”
“W-what?! But I’ve done nothing wrong!” shouted Rainbow Dash, stomping her hoof.
“Besides fake your identity, which is grounds for a security risk? There is also the fact that you were seen coming out of a bar with a convicted murder, theft, and weapons dealer, Toma Calo, who is known to associate with mob bosses. It’s enough to get you arrested for an investigation, or deport you.”
Rainbow Dash sat on her haunches, defeated. She couldn’t believe it. Not even one hoof into Grydon, and she failed. Tears threatened to fall at the idea that Applejack would never come back to life, and that all her mistakes would never go away. I failed... I failed everypony...
“However, I’m not going to do that to you,” said Blackwing, instantly making Rainbow Dash raise her head in shock. “If you do something for me.”
Resisting the urge to facehoof, Rainbow Dash thought, First the criminals and now the guards. Am I just a big tool for everypony to use?! I bet he wants me to spy on Lightfeather and his gang...
“What do you want me to do...” groaned Rainbow Dash, rolling her eyes.
Commander Blackwing’s face was as solid as stone as he walked straight up to her and glared at her eye to eye. It was like looking into pair of daggers that promised nothing but pain should she piss him off. “I need you to watch over Corporal Silvia, and make sure nothing happens to her.”
“W-what?” asked Rainbow Dash.
Backing off, Commander Blackwing continued, “Corporal Silvia has been suspected of trying to do her own investigation into the assassination of Colonel Volken, ignoring my orders otherwise. And despite my efforts, she’s continued to do so. She’s always been stubborn...”
“Okay, so what does this have to do with me?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“For some reason she trusts you, and I know that she’ll try to rope you in her investigation,” said Blackwing. “What I want you to do is watch over her. Make sure nothing happens to her. I can’t do anything since she and I don’t have the best relationship, but you can make sure she doesn’t get herself killed.” He sighed. “If you do this, I’ll keep your identity a secret, and see about getting you out of Grydon without any trouble.”
In the blink of an eye, Rainbow Dash suddenly found a sword inches from her neck. She didn’t even gulp as she looked into the burning gaze of the commander. “But if anything happens to her—anything at all—I will send you back to Equestria in a casket. Understand?”
“Y-yeah,” answered Rainbow Dash who sighed in relief when the sword was pulled away. She quickly thought about her options, and realized she didn’t have a choice. ”Geez, what are you, some kind of concerned stalker?”
“No, just a concerned father,” answered Blackwing.
Rainbow Dash’s mouth dropped. “What... the what?”
“You may go now,” said Blackwing before he took to the air and flew out of the warehouse.
Rainbow Dash was left to her own stunned thoughts before she shouted, “Hey! Wait! I don’t how to get back to my apartment!”
***
The trip back to her apartments was not a happy journey for Rainbow Dash. Granted, she yelled out loud to herself, earning a few stares along the way, but she managed to make it back to her street just near mid-afternoon. Touching base with the ground, Rainbow Dash was still disbelieving in her luck. She was trapped in a port with a killer on the loose, was going to be fighting for mob bosses, and now a commander of the guard wanted his daughter protected from harm.
And I’ve only been in this city for three days! thought Rainbow Dash. There was only one good solution to this: a long nap.
Entering the abandoned apartment inn, she spotted Tender Point reading one of the books in the lounge, and greeted her with a smile. Tender got up and, to Dash’s surprise, hugged her. “Thank you. I know I’ve said it before, but this really means so much me. I just wish I could repay you...”
Rainbow Dash smiled. At least some good is coming out of this.
“Relax, Tender,” reassured Rainbow Dash, “I’m doing this ‘cause you're my friend, so don’t worry.”
Tender nodded and walked back to her seat, where she levitated a plate of cookies from the coffee table. “Do you want some? We can chat a bit ‘till we need to go to bed.”
“Thanks, but no thanks. I’m gonna get some sleep; it’s been a long day,” said Rainbow Dash, making her way up the stairs. In fact, when she thought about it, it had been a long time since she really relaxed and just zoned out, letting the world fly by. If it wasn’t for the flying limit the guards had going around, she would have taken a cloud instead, but a bed would have to do.
She entered her room and dove onto her bed, bouncing on it a bit before laying her head on the pillow. Closing her eyes, she tried to imagine the soft, warm grass of Sweet Apple Acres with the sun shining down on her tummy and the cool wind blowing in the breeze. The farm was one of her favorite areas to take a nap. Not just because it was where Applejack lived, but because it felt like a piece of paradise.
Paradise. That was where Applejack was now. Probably with her own set of white wings and maybe even a halo if they had those up there. She was most likely bucking apple trees with all her past relatives, including her parents, no longer suffering the troubles of the mortal world, and was as happy as she could be. A thought soon entered Rainbow Dash’s mind that made her feel uneasy. If she brought Applejack back, wouldn’t it mean she was taking her away from Paradise?
What if Applejack was happy where she was? What if Applejack hated her for tearing her away from her parents and eternal happiness? Would her wish do more harm than good? Was she just being selfish?
No, we need her back. She has to come back. She would understand.... right? thought Rainbow Dash, shifting her weight in the bed. But... she’s at peace... do I have that right to take her from it? To let her come back to life only to one day die again? Rainbow Dash wished Twilight was here, or anypony she knew for that matter. She had never thought about such things before, thinking it wouldn’t matter to her. Then again, I never thought I’d be on a journey to revive somepony from the dead.
“Augh!” screamed Rainbow Dash into her pillow. She couldn’t even find some way to take a nap peacefully. She cursed her restless state and sighed. “Why? Why can’t anything be easy?” She stared at the ceiling, almost begging for an answer from it. When she received none, she sighed again and closed her eyes, trying to fall asleep once again.
This time she began to slowly doze off, and soon enough she found herself in a deep sleep.
***
A loud thunderous roar caused Apple Bloom to almost jump out of her bed, her four hooves shaking from underneath the covers. Closing her eyes, the little filly tried to calm her thumping heart as sweat dripped down her brow towards the soaking sheets. A bright flash from the windows nearly blinded her as a crack of thunder ripped through the air. Apple Bloom quickly rushed out of her room and galloped through the darkened hallway, her hoofsteps silenced by the heavy rain.
Reaching the farthest door, Apple Bloom pushed it open and rushed in. “Applejack! Ah had a... a...”
Suddenly, the storm outside seemed to matter little to Apple Bloom as she stared at the empty bed with her dull, disillusioned eyes. Her little hooves squeaked across the rickety wooden floors, dragging herself towards the bed. Halfway there, Apple Bloom glanced to her left and saw a frame of her family all smiling under the shade of a big apple tree with a picnic blanket right under them. She wiped her eyes with one of her hooves before arriving at the mattress.
Lifting herself up, Apple Bloom rested her head on the pillow as she turned her head towards the damp window beside the bed. Though the watery glass she could see a hill carrying three graves in the distance that made her heart sink deeper into her chest. Closing her eyes, the vague scent of her older sister’s honey and oats flavored shampoo filled her nostrils. It was funny. She used to hate that smell, but Applejack always used it every morning. Curling herself, Apple Bloom did her best to stop her teary eyes from leaking, trying to ignore the memories that she had with this bed.
“Apple Bloom?”
With a silent gasp, Apple Bloom froze up. She soon relaxed upon hearing the familiar loud hoofsteps that entered further into the room. Turning around, she saw a concerned Big Macintosh who looked a little too awake for this late at night. The two siblings kept their focus on one another, the rain blasting against the windows being the only sound echoing around them.
With a small sigh, Big Macintosh asked, “Couldn’t sleep either?”
Apple Bloom merely shook her head before scooting over, letting her brother sit beside her. Once he was comfortable, he wrapped his large foreleg around his little sister and let her rest on his hulking side. His warm fur brought a bit of color back to Apple Bloom’s face as she nuzzled closer. The silence returned as another bolt of lightning crack in the atmosphere, sounding like a cannon going off in a battlefield. Apple Bloom hugged her brother tighter as he gently rubbed his hoof through her mane.
“Did ya have a bad dream?” asked Big Macintosh, nuzzling his sister’s forehead.
Nodding, Apple Bloom muttered, “Ah saw Rainbow Dash...”
She glanced at her brother, who urged her to continue. With a shiver, Apple Bloom continued, “She was flyin’ away and Ah went after her. Ah kept screamin’ for her to stop... but then... she caught on fire...”
Apple Bloom sniffled as Macintosh slowly wiped the tears from her eyes with his large, but tender hoof. “Ah screamed... Ah just... Ah screamed so loud it felt like mah throat was on fire, too. Then Rainbow began to fall. Ah tried to help her, but soon she was nothin’ but ashes in mah hooves!”
Burying her head into her brother’s chest, Apple Bloom cried hysterically as her warm, salty tears damped Macintosh’s red coat. He held onto his sister, letting her sob in his arms as he rubbed her back. Soon, the eyes dried up as Apple Bloom slowly lifted herself away from her brother and turned her gaze towards her back hooves .
“Ah’m sure Dash doesn’t hate ya, Apple Bloom,” insisted Big Macintosh. Apple Bloom scoffed at the idea. “Trust me. If anythin’, Ah think she thinks we hate her.”
“But ah don’t hate her!” snapped Apple Bloom. “At least... not anymore... what Ah said... Ah was just...”
“Ah know,” murmured Big Macintosh, nuzzling his sister. “Ya didn’t mean it. It’s okay.”
Apple Bloom could just envision her sister’s glaring eyes scolding her for her outburst. “Ah hurt her best friend and... Ah hurt Scootaloo as well. Ah was just so angry that she died... she must be disappointed in me...”
“Ah know for a fact that AJ never felt more proud to have ya as a little sister than anypony else could,” said Big Macintosh. “Sure ya made mistakes, but that never stopped Applejack from lovin’ ya any less than before.”
Sniffling, Apple Bloom looked at her brother with a small smile. “Really?”
Big Macintosh nodded before his sister nearly knocked him off the bed with a huge hug. “Thanks, big brother...”
“It’s no problem, little sis,” said Big Macintosh. He then turned Apple Bloom’s face toward his. “What do ya say we sleep here tonight? Like the three of us used to do years ago?”
Apple Bloom nodded as the two of them wrapped the warm covers over their bodies. Apple Bloom turned to her brother to say goodnight, but a thought occurred to her. “Hey, Big Mac? What about mah dream?”
“It’s just a dream, Apple Bloom. They come and go,” assured Big Macintosh. Apple Bloom, however, was still nervous as her worried eyes glanced over towards his confused ones.
“But... how do ya explain that to a dream ya had for three nights in a row?”
***
A series of knocks immediately woke Rainbow Dash who shot up from her bed and quickly checked on Tender Point. The frightened unicorn was already awake, holding the sheets close to her as she turned to Dash, whispering, “Who is it?”
Rainbow didn’t know. It could be those thugs trying to get Tender Point, or it could be the guards again. Thieves were out of the question since what kind of a thief knocked on your door? Unless it’s a really stupid one, but I’m not willing to take that chance.
Slowly making her way towards the door, Rainbow Dash turned the knob and opened the door, ready to attack the intruder. It turned out it was a guard, but not one she was expecting at all. “S-Silvia?” stuttered Dash, who stepped back and let the griffin in. Tender Point saw this and quickly hid behind her bed.
“Sorry to rush into your room at such a late hour, Daring, but I need your help,” said Silvia, who noticed Tender Point’s tail shaking near her hiding spot. “Who’s the scaredy cat?”
“She’s Tender Point, my roommate and friend,” explained Rainbow Dash who walked over to Tender Point and helped her up. Tender slowly rose from her spot and looked at the griffin for a quick second before turning away.
“It’s alright, Tender. She’s a friend. We can trust her,” urged Rainbow Dash.
Tender Point didn’t say anything, nor did she look in the griffin’s direction, which seemed to annoy Silvia a bit. Not wanting her griffin friend to feel insulted, Rainbow Dash quickly said, “She’s just shy. And with that whole experience with the guards and all...”
The intense look on Silvia’s face waned a bit, but she still scoffed. “Whatever. Listen, Daring, I came here because I need your help. I think I found a lead on who the assassins were that killed Colonel Volken!”
This raised both ponies’ ears in alarm as Rainbow Dash smacked herself to be sure she was hearing this right. The proud and daring look on Silvia’s face made it clear that she wasn’t joking, and Rainbow Dash didn’t know if she was glad or worried about this information. “Wait, are you serious?! You actually know where they are?! How?!”
“Well, it turns out there were these two griffins who were getting really drunk. I recognized them and followed them for a bit based on instinct. I was about to give up ‘till one of them started mumbling about how they felt they deserved more credit for helping out with the operation in getting Volken killed. The other said not to talk so loud or else their assassin friend would have both their hides,” told Silvia, earning two dropped mouths from both ponies. Silvia puffed out her chest and continued, “They’re in some big hotel at the moment, probably getting even more drunk as we speak. This is our chance to nail them and get more information on who their third partner is!”
“Wait, what about the other guards? Didn’t you go to them with this info?” asked Rainbow Dash. Even she wouldn’t go after these guys by herself without some type of backup. Unless she was really confident, then, yeah, she would totally kick their flanks.
Silvia growled and smashed her claw into the wall, earning a yipe from Tender Point. “I tried, but the damn idiots told me they needed more proof! Not to mention I’m suspended off duty ‘cause of my jerk of a commander, so my word isn’t worth a tail feather! But I know I’m right about this, Rainbow, and I could really use your help! I’m doing this either way, with or without you, but I could really use a good buddy to back me up.”
Rubbing her temple, Rainbow Dash tried to think of her options. It was true that these two griffins did help them lead to where the assassin was, then it would lead to his or her eventual capture and an end to the lockdown. I wouldn’t have to fight for those gangsters. But if they were wrong, it was only going to lead them into more trouble. But I can’t let Silvia go alone, not just because her father threatened me, but she’s still my friend.
Taking a deep breath, Rainbow Dash smiled and nodded. “Let’s go get these sorry jerks, and make them regret ever being born.”
“Wait!” shouted Tender Point, grabbing Dash by the tail with her telekinesis. “You shouldn’t go! It’s too dangerous, and the guards already are on your back! Don’t do this, Daring! Please!”
Sighing, Rainbow Dash whipped her tail out of the magical grip and turned around, facing Tender Point. “Look, Tender. I know you're worried, but I’m gonna be fine. If this turns out to be real, and we manage to find the assassin this way, we could get out of here without having to do our... other activities,” hinted Rainbow Dash. “And I never let my friends go off into danger without me. It’s just who I am.”
“But...” started Tender Point, but Rainbow Dash interrupted her.
“I’ll be fine. Trust me. I’ll see you later.”
Rainbow Dash walked over to Silvia and nodded. “Let’s do this.”
Grinning, the two exited the room and closed the door, leaving a silent Tender to herself.
***
Although it would take longer, Silvia convinced Dash that they would walk to the hotel to avoid any of the patrols. When asked how she knew how to avoid them, Silvia slyly admitted that she nicked one of the patrol schedules for the area before anyone noticed. The two made tracks, Silvia leading them, as the stars shined above. Looking up at the moon, Rainbow Dash sighed and remembered that there was soon going to be a meteor shower if she remembered correctly. Twilight had made an effort to remind them of each shower that came by, and they would gather at night to see it.
It was one of the few times Rainbow Dash was willing to sit still for a long time, if only to enjoy the wonders of the night sky with her closest friends. Were the girls still going to go to the shower despite being two friends short—one dead and the other gone. Or were they going to skip it this time?
“Bit for your thoughts?” asked Silvia, bumping her on the side.
Rainbow Dash shook her head. “N-nothing... just thinking about home...”
“Miss it?” asked Silvia nonchalantly.
“Yeah,” muttered Dash, ears bending behind her. “I’ve been to Grydon before, a long time ago, but I wasn’t leaving much behind when I did. Now... It’s different: I had friends, a filly who looks up to me... and... somepony I cared about.”
“Is he hot?” asked Silvia, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes, she was,” corrected Rainbow Dash with a smirk, but then frowned, “but she died, and it was my fault.”
“Sorry to hear that,” said Silvia, wincing. “I lost my mom when I was a hatchling. Sucks growing up without one. And my dad?” She scoffed. “He’s always too damn busy with his job. Never was around that much when I was growing up, even during the holidays. Ancestors, my uncles were better fathers than him. So I joined the military to show up the bastard, not that he ever cares.”
Rainbow Dash wanted to say she was wrong, but kept silent. If your father didn't care about you, how come I’m stuck playing bodyguard? She also didn’t buy Silvia’s reasons for joining the military. Probably wanted to find some way to connect with her dad...
“Oh, here we are,” said Silvia, stopping.
Rainbow Dash looked up at the ‘hotel’ to see it was anything but. It looked like most of the other buildings in the area, prison looking and had seen better days, but it was covered in bright neon lights for price deals, advertisements, and such. There were a few ponies and griffins out by the entrance to the lobby, smoking or engaging in small talk, yet all seemed quiet.
“Okay, let’s get in there and bust these guys. This is gonna be a piece of cake,” said Silvia, grinning as she stepped forward.
No sooner upon following her, a bright light followed by a large, booming sound blinded Rainbow Dash while knocking her off her hooves. The explosion echoed in her mind as she shut her eyes and felt rubble smash against her body, thankfully small enough to avoid serious injuries. Falling to the ground, a good gap away from where she once stood, Rainbow Dash felt her head smash against the pavement and groaned. A loud, and annoying, ringing started playing in her ears as she covered them with her hooves. Her body ached as she slowly opened her eyes, staring into the night sky that seemed to now be on fire.
Someone then called out her name; it was distant, but she heard it. Soon enough, Silvia, with blood dripping from her beak, ran up to her and helped her up. The ringing prevented most of it from being heard, but soon it disappeared for her to catch the ending
“... they must have activated a bomb! Come on! Let’s go!”
Upon hearing the world ‘bomb’ Rainbow Dash was up in a split second, shaking her head to null the painful headache the explosion had given her. She rushed after Silvia, taking in the carnage for the first time, and nearly halted in horror. The civilians that were outside of the hotel, as well as those who were unfortunate to be caught in the blast nearby, were now spread across the pavement. Some were still alive, screaming for help while they clutched the stumps of their missing limbs. A few were fortunate to escape undamaged, but held their heads while wincing in pain, suffering from the same side-effect as Rainbow Dash did.
The hotel itself looked like it had been turned inside out while a dragon had just engulfed in flames from the inside. Fires were on all the floors, some windows and chunks of wall completely blow apart, making the residence look like a giant block of swiss cheese. Rainbow Dash felt her heart sink at the sight of burning bodies leaping out of the windows to their doom; she dared not look where they land, for she was sure her stomach wouldn't be able to handle the sight. At no point did Silvia make any effort to slow down, which bothered Rainbow Dash a bit, but she realized that the crooks who caused this were trying to escape this very moment, and she wasn’t going to let them get away.
Not after all this destruction and death.
With a desire to see justice done full hoof, Rainbow Dash galloped even faster, catching up with Silvia. They jumped through the flames of the burning entrance and looked around the lobby, noticing more bodies while others were fleeing in panic. Silvia growled. “Damn those terrorists! How are we gonna find them in all this chaos?!”
Rainbow Dash looked around and tried to think before noticing a stairway leading to the upper floors. An idea came to her as she turned to alerted Silvia. “Listen! I’ll fly up to the top of the building, there are enough clouds around for me to form up and make a big rain cloud to help douse these flames! You start heading up and, once I’m done, I’ll join you by searching from the top and heading downwards! Maybe one of us will catch them along the way!”
Silvia nodded. “It’s the best plan we got at the moment! Good luck and stay safe!”
Silvia made her way to the stairs, pushing the panicking crowd out of her way while Rainbow Dash made tracks back for the entrance. She made sure to kick the door down and fan away some of the flames before turning around and shouting, “Hey! Unless you chumps want to end up like a dragon’s barbecue, get the hay out of here, this way!”
Her words managed to reach some of them who, in turn, alerted others to the exit, and all of them made their way for it. Rainbow Dash was already outside and making her way for the roof. When she reached the top, she carefully analyzed how big the hotel was for the size of the cloud she would need to fight the fire. Looking above, she cursed at what she had to work with. There wasn’t enough to take the fire completely out, but it was better than nothing.
Taking off at her usual mach speed, she started gathering as many clouds as she could, careful not to dissipate them. It took her only a few seconds, at her speed, to form the rain cloud she needed and directed towards the burning hotel. After placing it right where she needed it to be, Rainbow Dash flew high into the air before coming down and kicking the cloud with just enough force to cause it to rain.
Her plan worked for the most part, with the water quickly dampening the flames on the higher floors as well as most of the middle ones. However, the lower ones were still on fire. She was about to go get more clouds when she noticed someone bursting out of roof doorway, looking around in a panic. Rainbow Dash’s mouth nearly dropped when she recognized him, it was Baldy One, one of the guys who tried to hurt Tender Heart. Baldy One noticed her as well and quickly fled away.
“Oh no you don’t!” cried out Rainbow Dash, flying after him.
She tackled him in mid-air and forced him downward, leading to an abandoned alley. Rainbow Dash let go and allowed the dazed thug to crash land on top of a dumpster. Moaning, he tried to get up, but Rainbow Dash was already on top of him and pounded him in the face. “Alright, you jerkplot! I’m gonna make sure you stay away from Tender Point or else!”
“W-wait! Please don’t hurt me! I need to get out of her or else I’m dead!” shouted Baldy One, who looked like he had seen a ghost. “They’re coming for me! You have to let me go, in the name of everyone of my ancestors that ever passed on, please!”
“What are you talking abo—”
Before Dash could talk any further, she felt someone drag her by the tail and throw her against the wall. Looking up she gasped, and barely moved her head in time to avoid a punch from a pissed of Lucion. Rainbow Dash turned her head and noticed that Baldy One was using this opportunity to escape and ran down the alley.
Glaring at the idiot who had hindered her attempts to save her friend, Rainbow Dash kicked Lucion in the face before taking him by the head and smashing him against the roof. “What the buck is your problem?! Why did you attack me like that?!”
“You were attacking an innocent griffin you featherbrained whorse! It’s bad enough you tricked my boss into thinking you were decent, and now you’re beating us up?! I hope that hotel had all the ponies in there burn!” cried out the racist griffin before he was shut up with a kick to the head.
Rainbow Dash cursed and tried to catch up to the griffin with her wings, but when she turned around the corner she was stunned once more. Baldey One was dead, lying there on the ground with foam in his mouth. She flew over to his body and quickly noticed the three needles in his neck. Looking up she quickly noticed a shadowy figure on a roof before it disappeared in a black smoke. Dash flew up, batting the smoke away with her wings, only to see no one there.
Dash looked around for any sign of it being a pony or griffin, but came up shorthoofed. She went back down to the corpse and shook her head. Even if he was a criminal, the horrific and painful expression on the griffin’s face showed that his death had been anything but pleasant. With respect, she closed his eyes, careful not to touch the foam from his mouth.
“Rainbow!” shouted Silvia from above, who landed nearby. “I saw you flying in this direction. One of the two guys is dead and...” She paused and stared at the body in shock. “... and it looks like the other one is, too.”
Rainbow Dash blinked and pointed at the body. “Wait, it’s him?! He was one of the two guys?!”
Silvia nodded, but then growled as she noticed the method that killed him. “And it’s clear that they were killed by the assassin.”
“H-how do you know that?”
Silvia pointed to the needles. “Because this guy died the same way the Colonel did.”
Rainbow Dash looked at the Silva’s grim expression before looking back at the dead griffin that she thought, at first, was just a mafia thug. Only now it looked like he was also a member of Blood and Liberty as well. “Are you sure this is one of the guys?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“Yeah, the letter that I mentioned earlier? The one that said the statement that Colonel Volken’s assassination was done by them? It was found not to far away from where we fought these two. The reason I was fighting them in the first place was because they were acting suspicious and I had questions, they then struck me first and, well you know the rest,” said Silva, looking closely at the needles that were stuck in the dead griffin’s neck. “Not to mention this is the same kill style, and I bet the needles are laced with poison. An autopsy will be able to tell if that’s true or not.”
“Look, there’s something I need to tell you. These guys, I’ve seen them before, after the riots,” said Rainbow Dash, quickly telling Silvia the backstory that Tender Point had told her. It only made Silva’s eyes narrow as Dash could tell she was getting the same suspicions Rainbow was.
Rubbing her beak, Silva closed her eyes and said, “This doesn’t add up. Either I’m wrong or Tender is lying. The fact that both of these guys are dead, with one of them being done in the same way Colonel Volken was, means that it’s the latter. Daring, I think your little friend is lying to you.”
Rainbow didn’t want to admit it, but she couldn’t help but agree. Clenching her teeth, she knew she shouldn’t have jumped the gun on Tender just yet. Perhaps she has a good reason for lying? After all, I’m doing the same thing, aren’t I?
“I guess I should confront her about it, shouldn’t I?” asked Rainbow, wondering if she was going to have to get rough or not with the gentle unicorn.
Silva shook her head. “No, don’t let her know just yet. Let me find time to meet with you both and we’ll confront her together. We don’t know what her relation is to them and, after all this, I don’t want to take any chances.” Silva looked up towards the burning building to see fireworkers already dosing water onto the flames. “Looks like backup’s here. I’ll stay here and let the authorities know what’s going on, without them knowing you were here of course.”
“What about Lucion? He saw me and managed to stop me from taking his guy out alive,” said Rainbow Dash.
“Leave that idiot to me, just get out of here and head home. Don’t let Tender know anything, I’ll come to you when it’s safe to talk,” said Silva.
Rainbow Dash nodded and took off for the sky. Keeping herself in midair she looked at the burning building there dozens of lives had been lost, both from the explosion and from the fires that came from it. She knew that the members of Blood and Liberty were dangerous, but she wasn’t expecting them to go into such an overkill to eliminate two of their own as loose ends. She thought back to the cloaked figure she saw disappear into the smoke, obviously the assassin behind all this, and realized that now they knew who she was, too. I have the guards, a crime lord, and now a terrorist organization all on my flank. All I need left is the princesses to know what I’m doing, and I’m screwed in all directions.
There was also Tender Point to consider in all this madness as well.Why had she lied to Dash, or had she? Maybe she had a good reason, or maybe she wasn’t letting more on than there was. Rainbow Dash was reluctant to distrust Tender, especially after everything the two had went through. It was obvious that the unicorn was in trouble, but what kind of trouble was the question. With no other choice, Rainbow Dash flew in the direction of home, hoping that her roommate was still trustworthy enough for her to sleep in the same room with.
***
Arriving at the almost abandoned inn, Rainbow Dash entered her room only to hear the shower inside the bathroom on. She closed the door, causing Tender Point from inside to suddenly ‘eep’ and shut the water off. Tender Point cautiously opened the door, but soon smiled upon seeing Rainbow Dash alone. “Oh, thank goodness. I’m glad it’s you.”
“H-hey,” whispered Rainbow Dash, forcing herself to look away. She didn’t want to Tender Point to get suspicious of her behavior, so she quickly made for the bed. “I’m tired, so I’ll be hitting the hay. Night.”
“Wait,” said Tender Point, coming out while drying herself with a towel in her telekinesis. “How did that lead with Silva go? Alright?”
“N-no, the guys were dead when we found them: fire accident,” lied Rainbow Dash, getting under the covers.
“That’s too bad,” said Tender Point who finished drying herself off and gasped. “Your back!”
“Huh?” asked Rainbow Dash, getting up and looking behind her. She saw that there were a few minor burns and cuts she had gotten from the explosion that she didn’t notice ‘till now. “Oh, it’s nothing.”
Tender Point shook her head. Rushing to her bag, she took out a few potions and started mixing them in a bowl. Rainbow Dash watched in curiosity as the unicorn then dipped a cloth in it and walked forward. “Sit up and don’t move, I’m going to wash this on your back.”
“O-okay,” said Rainbow Dash, sitting up still, yet she couldn’t help but feel her heart beat increase. She had no idea what was in those potions, and at the same time she didn’t know if she could trust Tender Point. For all I know, she might be the assassin...
With a quick prayer to the goddess above, Rainbow Dash closed her eyes as she felt the damp cloth press against her wounds. It stung at first, but then Dash felt an immediate cooling feeling, like she had just came out of a hot bath. A sigh of relaxation escaped Rainbow Dash as she felt like she was getting pressed with the oil the Spa Twins used back home. “Oh, man. That’s the stuff.”
Tender Point giggled. “My mother used to run an apothecary before we fled. She taught me a bunch of potions and lotions that could be used to help the body.”
“And how! This stuff feels pretty awesome!” said Rainbow Dash as she felt Tender Point wipe a bit more of the medicine before she put it away. “Hey, thanks.”
“What are friends for. Now get some sleep, you’ve had a rough day,” suggested Tender as she tossed the cloth away and went into her own bed.
The two said goodnight to one another before shutting the lights off. Before sleep began to overtake her, Rainbow Dash hoped that Tender Point wasn’t really a danger to anypony. It would just suck if a good friend of hers turned out to be an enemy.
***
The sound of knocking awoke both ponies from their sleep as Rainbow Dash took a look at Tender Point and quickly pointed to the ground. Getting the message, Tender ducked under her bed and laid low as Rainbow Dash got up and slowly made her way to the door, ready for anything. Opening it, she somewhat relaxed when she saw Toma tipping his hat. “Morning, ladies. Had a nice night?”
“It was... exhilarating,” answered Rainbow Dash, who quickly told Tender she could come out.
Toma nodded to the unicorn before turning towards Rainbow Dash with a serious expression. “There has been a change of plans. The tournament has been rushed to an earlier date.”
“What? Why?!” asked Rainbow Dash.
Toma shrugged. “Well, you’ll find out that there are more guards on the streets now as well as less civilians due to the explosion that happened; apparently a terrorist bombed a hotel. Because of this the heads of the tournament agreed to have it as soon as possible.”
“In other words, they’re scared,” said Rainbow Dash. She rolled her eyes and felt her earlier weariness return. It was one fight after another ever since she got into this city. But I’m not gonna let that stop me.
“So when is it? Two days from now? Three?” asked Rainbow Dash as she took a glass of water and started to drink it.
“Five hours from now,” said Toma before using his hat to block the spray of water from Rainbow Dash’s mouth. “Meaning you had better get all your daily hygiene requirements down as quick as possible and meet me down below.”
Rainbow Dash coughed up some of the remaining water before slamming the glass down in fury. “Are you kidding me?! Five hours?! You expect me to go fighting a bunch of trained fighters after the manure I’ve had to go through the past few days?!”
Toma smirked and put his hat back on. “You’ll be fine, trust me. You’ll only need to win two fights, and then you can come back and rest for the next two tomorrow. Just two simple knockouts, and you can return to your bed.” He walked over and lifted Rainbow Dash’s chin so that they saw eye to eye. Dash squirmed as the glare Toma gave seemed to intensify. “Of course, you're free to drop our deal now and get nowhere into Grydon or Equestria, not to mention it would piss off my boss if he faced such an embarrassment.”
Rainbow Dash snarled, knowing that she had no choice but to obey Toma, or else everything she did to get this far would be worth nothing. “Fine, just let me wash up first.”
“Excellent, I’ll be down stairs looking for a quick breakfast for you two to munch on the way,” said Toma, exiting the room and heading down the stairs.
Tender Point and Rainbow Dash stood in the room under a brief silence before the former walked over and put her hoof on the pegasus’ shoulder. Biting her lip, Tender Point opened her mouth, trying to find the right words to say, but couldn’t. Rainbow Dash just looked at her and smiled. “I know what you’re trying to say, but don’t bother. I made up my mind to get us both out of here, and that’s what I’m going to do. Even if it kills me.”
Teary-eyed, Tender embraced Rainbow Dash and held her tight. “Just promise me that no matter what happens you’ll be alright.”
“I will,” said Rainbow Dash, squirming under the hug. “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” The words of the Pinkie Promise made Tender look at her in confusion which made Rainbow Dash laugh. “Don’t ask, it’s a special promise a friend of mine made. Where you have to keep your promise no matter what if you do it.”
Smiling, Tender nodded and made way for Rainbow Dash to enter the bathroom. Turning on the warm water for the shower, Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and relaxed, trying to keep her mind focus on the fights ahead. There was a lot riding on this, and if she failed, it wouldn’t be only herself that paid the price, but Tender as well. The nagging voice in her head tried to remind her that Tender might not have been telling the truth about herself. And yet that was Dash was doing as well. She wasn’t here to see Gilda or sight see. I’m on a quest to revive the one I love.
She rarely ever prayed, but as she held a hoof to her heart she asked not the goddess to watch over her, but Applejack. Be with me, AJ. I’m gonna need you rooting for me in paradise if I’m gonna win this.
When she finished her shower, Rainbow Dash stepped out of the bathroom with her usual cocky grin and her wings flared out. “Let’s do this.”
***
Munching on the remains of her muffin, Rainbow Dash did her best to listen in on what Toma was saying about the tournament itself. Tender was silent as they walked down the near abandoned streets which was only filled with guards or beggars at this point. The terrorist group seemed to have really shaken things up for everypony, and now it seemed like a ghost town; an ironic change of pace considering not to long ago the streets were filled with rioters.
To Dash’s surprise, they weren’t heading for the hideout bar like she expected, nor were they going to the sewers. Apparently, it wasn’t allowed anymore since ambushes had happened in the past that killed fighters on the way to the ring, so now all the fights were held above ground. Soon they found themselves in a more isolated area of the district where the prison houses were larger, but no sound could be heard from them except for the wind and occasional scared mouse.
“Now, Rainbow Daring,” said Toma, eyeing her. “Quickly re-explain the rules to me.”
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and, in a monotone voice, replied, “Two fighters enter, nopony else. They keep fighting until one is knocked out, gives up, or is dead-which I’m not doing by the way.” The last thing Dash wanted was blood on her hooves. “No weapons or cheap shots like below the belt. You’re allowed one five minute time-out per fight. And you must fight the next match or else you’ll be disqualified.”
“That sums it up well,” said Toma, before stopping and holding his wings out, preventing the ponies from walking forward. “Hold up, look.”
Both ponies did so, only to have their eyes widen at what they saw. Rainbow Dash rubbed her eyes to see if she was actually seeing what she thought she was seeing, but it was real. “Is... that a fox?”
“No, a kitsune,” growled Toma.
The person they were staring at was a fox about the size of a griffin, with tattoos all over his body that looked to be eastern in origin. Although he had bright red fur, the top of his head had been shaved and a wheel-shaped burn mark could been seen in the middle. He wore a what appeared to be the lower half of a karate uniform, but held by a chain belt instead of a normal, colored one. Rainbow Dash remembered from her learning days of the art of karate that such a belt was only given to those of true masters of the art, ones who could kill with single blows. But the most frightening thing was the fact that this fox had five tails, each one long and beautiful with its tail ends on fire with blue flames. His stance was solid like a rock, yet he looked ready to attack like a raging tsunami.
“What... is he?” asked Tender Point in awe as he and his small band of griffins, who looked to be gangsters themselves, guided the large fox down the street.
“A kitsune. They’re a mysterious race far beyond in the east, rarely interacting with anyone outside of their island nation of Janari. All the males train as warriors and the females as mages, ruled by a powerful emperor who is said to be a descendant of their god. They rarely ever leave the shore of their home, but if one of the other bosses managed to convince one to fight for him... This will be very difficult,” muttered Toma, eyeing the new foe with calculating eyes.
Rainbow Dash didn’t know why he was so worried, he wasn’t the one who was gonna fight him. “Just how good are these kitsunes in combat?”
“You know karate right?”
“Yeah, I’m a black belt myself,” said Rainbow Dash proudly.
“Have you ever wondered where it originally came from?” asked Toma, eyebrow raised.
“Not really, history wasn’t my thing,” answered Rainbow Dash.
Toma pointed to the kitsune and muttered, “His race created it. And at age eighteen almost everyone there masters it.”
Rainbow Dash wasn’t sure of it, but she felt a few of her colors in her male slowly fade into white. “They’re... really good at fighting I take it?”
Toma snorted. “Good? They live for it. Dying in battle is seen as honorable and they willingly kill themselves sometimes rather than shame themselves by being captured or defeated.” This earned a horrified look from both ponies. “Trust me, not even the Princesses would want to go to war with the kitsune.”
“Oh great, I feel so much better now,” muttered Rainbow Dash as they pressed on, following the other gang while keeping their distance.
The two groups soon reached dome shaped building made out of decaying stone, armed griffins keeping watch over the place. Rainbow Dash could feel their eyes upon them as they entered the premise, a few of the guards already aiming their fireblasters at them. While she was doing her best to remain calm, Tender looked like she was ready to faint at the sight of such dangerous and armed criminals, obviously dealing with her own haunted memories of the gangsters that had killed her parents.
If... that’s true, a voice in Rainbow Dash’s head exposited, but she ignored it.
The two of them followed Toma until they reached the large double gate entrance of the building where they waited for the kitsune’s group to enter before approaching themselves. A bald griffin in a black vest, a mini-fireshooter on his belt, raised his claw for them to hault. With a warning glare, he walked up to Toma and said, “Identification?”
Toma smiled and took of his hat, pulling out a set of papers from underneath it. The guard snatched them away and began to look at them, occasionally eyeing the three as he read. Rainbow Dash took another moment to look at the building, trying to figure out its purpose. Most of the prison buildings in the area were square or connected to each other in packed spaces, but this building was mostly spherical and lacked the red bricks that made up nearly the whole port city. Unlike the red bricks which most of the city seemed to have, these were grey and showing signs of decay over the years, but there was very little else that she could learn from the building. That was when she looked up above and saw a symbol, barely hidden by the vines of the nearby wall.
It was a triangle with an eagle’s eye in the middle while three sword blades came out from the edges of the shape. By its sides were talons that held what looked to be each half of the planet. Some sort of secret society must have lived here. Wonder if it’s anything like the rumored Equinminati back home?
The guard soon returned the papers back to Toma who nodded and pointed towards the doors that were now being opened to them. Feeling a bit more relaxed, Dash and her companions entered the building where it was even more ruined. The entrance hallway was filled with rotten wood with the occasional pile of maggots being seen, much to Dash’s disgust. There was no furniture or other commendations; whatever there once was in the building it didn’t exist any longer.
“What is this place?” asked Tender Point as they continued downward.
“An old building that was around even before the city was built. It was a headquarters for the Scions of Arcane,” said Toma.
“The who of the what?” asked Rainbow Dash, raising an eyebrow.
“Scions of Arcane,” repeated Toma. “According to myth they were an ancient order that has existed since old times, consisting of members of every race whose sworn duty was to hide and protect the locations of ancient artifacts that were deemed too dangerous for anyone to use, lest they could destroy themselves and those around them.”
This made Rainbow Dash stare at the Toma with such a shocked expression that she nearly tripped over a loose piece of floor board. She jumped right in front of him, much to his surprise, and shouted, “Really?! Any ancient artifact?! Like they had research about that stuff around here?!”
“Yes, they were formed after some magical war that’s records were lost, and it was said they formed the organization to make sure that such a thing never happens again. Objects of great magical power that were too dangerous to be held were captured by them and hidden away, at least that’s what the rumors say. They had places like these all over the world, even in your country of Equestria, but all of them are ruins now. The order most likely died out at some point.”
Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but feel like her luck had finally changed for the better. If this order thing really did exist, they had to have had a library or some place where they kept notes. If she found them, she could find more information about the Eye of Exchange.
Tender tilted her head. “Why are you so excited? I never pegged you for an interest in such things.”
“O-oh, well,” Rainbow Dash rubbed the back of her neck and looked downward, “a friend of mine studies magic, so this is something she would be really interested in.” Taking a gamble, she said, “By the way, do you guys know anything about an object called the Eye of Exchange? It’s something she’s really interested in learning more about, but she doesn’t know much about it.”
Tender blinked and rubbed her hoof. “I... heard the name before, but sorry, it doesn’t ring a bell.”
“Isn’t that some wish granting fairy tale?” asked Toma, snorting. “Tell your friend to not bother, that rumor has been around for ages. Even used in some fictional stories, too. Nothing but a myth.”
“R-right,” said Rainbow Dash as they continued on, “But, would there be any books about it here? Or other objects?”
“No, we've cleaned this place out a long time ago. Whatever of value is already long gone,” said Toma, causing Dash to lower her head and sigh in disappointment. The other two eyed each other with suspicion, but didn’t press it any further.
The hallway soon made way to a large room that looked to be some grand atrium. Staircases could be seen leading to various other rooms on the sides while the ceiling above held the symbol again. A large steel dome cage, obviously recently made for the occasion, was in the middle of the building while seats were being placed around it by workers. A lot of griffins and a few other races, though in the minority, could be seen either setting the self-made arena or talking with others. Everyone was armed, and a few were giving looks that made it seem like they were ready to use their weapons. Only the guard flying around or perched on some of the higher balconies made them think twice.
But what really stood out was the huge dome like structure that had been placed in the middle of the room. Toma muttered a curse when he saw it and gave Dash a grim look. “Things have just gotten a lot more unexpected.”
The dome had four fenced walls of steel surrounding the ring apron with spiked chains covering every entrance way. There was barbed wire on top and the outer edge of the square and the fight mat was covered in steel that was at least six hoofs in length. Four glass like pods stood at the corner edges of the ring, big enough to seal Princess Celestia. Its size alone was enormous, unlike any fighting ring that Rainbow Dash had seen in MMA fights or wrestling matches.
“What is it?” asked Tender as she eyed the monstrous object with fear and awe.
“The Elimination Chamber,” muttered Toma. “Sometimes, in the past, there have been special matches such as battle royals, tag team matches, and others. This is one of the most brutal of them all. The elimination chamber is rarely used, and it’s crippled and killed many fighters that have been in it, even those who win are forever changed. The structure itself is sixteen feet high, thirty-six feet in diameter, weighs over ten tons with six of those being made out of chains.”
“And... I have to fight in that?” asked Dash nervously, realizing that everything had just changed into a bad deal. One on one fights she could handle, but cage matches? “You never said I would be fighting in something like this?!”
“I didn’t know it was happening either,” muttered Toma before noticing that Lightfeather and a few of his goons were waiting for them near the cage.
Toma, on the warpath, made his way to his boss and hissed, “What the peck is going on, Boss?! You never mentioned this was an elimination chamber tournament!”
Mr. Lightfeather lit up a cigar and puffed smoke into Toma’s face. “Look, the other bosses and I agreed that with everything being so dangerous these days, with the Blood and Liberty group and the guards spilling blood everywhere, we needed to make this tournament get done faster. And the elimination chamber works great. Six enter and one leaves. We do that twice then have a normal cage match for the two remaining survivors. Everyone wins.”
“Why not a battle royal then?” inquired Toma. “That could have been done in a day and Ms. Daring could have had a better chance.”
“It was thought about, but show down by one vote. What can I say? Boss Piono can be very stubborn,” muttered Lightfeather. “Relax, as long Rainbow gets a pod, she’s got a better chance than the first two in the ring.”
That didn’t make Rainbow Dash feel more comfortable. She was about to voice her own thoughts when they heard somepony shouting for everyone to arrive at the ring. A griffin in a referee uniform stood on the top of the chamber with a microphone in his hands; he had a red burn mark over his eye and his head was bald like a real eagle. His flared wings had seen better days, each scar telling a deathly tale of fights passed. Toma leaned over and whispered, “That’s Hunter Saylo, a once well-known fighter in tournaments like this before. Every referee is a veteran chosen by the twelve.” Dash and everyone else she was associated with made their way closer to the chamber as did eleven other groups that composed of griffins, ponies, minotaurs, and that one kitsune who stood in silence.
“Alright, if everyone is here, we will get this underway. I’m referee Hunter Saylo, and the twelve men in charge have voted me to oversee this tournament. So my word is law, got it?” said the referee, glaring at them. “If none of you pipsqueaks know what the peck I am standing on, this is the elimination chamber. One of the most deadly cages ever constructed on this planet. It’s ten tons of bone crushing, flesh ripping, blood spilling steel that can cause permanent injury or even death if you're too weak or stupid to survive.”
Some of the fighters and non-fighters were shaking, yet Dash couldn’t blame them. However, she buried her fear and looked at the steel cage with determination in her eyes. It could have been a cell from Tartarus, and she would still fight and win.
“Each of you will get a number between one and twelve. Numbers one to four will be put in a pod for the first chamber match,” said Hunter, pointing to one of the locked pods at the upper left end corner of the ring. “If you are in a pod you will be locked up and remain there until five minutes have passed. One of the pods will then be randomly opened and that fighter will join in the ring. This will continue until all the pods have been opened. The only two not in a pod will be the ones who draw five and six.”
Rainbow Dash gulped, her best chances were to get one of those pod numbers and let those free already duke it out so she could attack with a fresh mind and body. Of course, with the way my luck has been these past few days...
“Numbers seven through ten will in the pods for tomorrow’s chamber match while eleven and twelve will start things off. You can only be eliminated from the match if you are knocked out or give up. Now we will draw the numbers for the first fight...”
A hat was passed around as one by one, each of the eleven groups took one before it came to Rainbow Dash, the last one. She looked at Tender and Toma who nodded, and she reached out and pulled out her number.
Rainbow Dash didn’t get number one like she had been expecting. Instead, she got number two. She still cursed in her head knowing that she would have to get in the ring first. She looked around, noticing the other contestants either smirking or shaking their heads in disappointment upon looking at their draws. Toma looked at hers and whispered a curse before he told Rainbow Dash to hand her number back.
After all had been taken in for account, Hunter Saylo, the referee, cleared his throat and announced. “The following individuals for the first match, based on the numbers they drew are: Skylar for Boss Bucklard, Rainbow Daring for Boss Lightfeather, Bloodfire for Boss Dale, Caliber for Boss Reedsong, K.K. for Boss Talonstrong, and Malice Claw for Boss Rainheart. Everyone else can either come tomorrow, or stay and watch the fight. Fighters, head to your respective rooms to prepare yourselves.”
Hunter flew off the cage as the named fighters all split up, guided by guards to their separate locations so they could have last minute preparations. Rainbow Dash didn’t even realize she let out a sigh of relief when she saw the kitsune leave the building with his group. Before she could leave herself, Mr. Lightfeather walked up to Rainbow Dash and glared at her. “You better not lose, Daring. I’ve got a lot of money riding on you, and I don’t want to see you flat on the floor in five seconds after the fight.”
Rainbow Dash gave him a grin and lightly punched him on the shoulder, much to the surprise of some of his guards. “Relax, man. I’ll knock each of these guys out, and you pay for the drinks when we win.”
A smirk appeared on his beak. “I like you, Rainbow. Don’t end up dead.”
She kept up her smile until Lightfeather had his back turned to which she quickly turned to Toma and asked, “Nopony actually dies in this, right?”
“Accidents happen,” said Toma, guiding the rest of them towards the end of the room where they entered a door that lead them to another hall. Rainbow Dash quickly looked again at the cage where she would be fighting against five other guys for the chance to move on to the final round. Although nervous, she had to remember that Applejack had to be watching her, rooting for her to win.
Dash only hoped she wouldn’t be joining her by the end of this.
***
Ten minutes had passed, and she still wasn’t ready. Rainbow Dash paced back and forth in a small armory that had been given to them to use, but it was barely large enough to fit her, Tender Point, and Toma. Speaking of which, the griffin had told them to wait here while he used the time they had to scout around and get as much information of their opponents as possible. Rainbow Dash snorted. What does he mean by ‘their’? I’m the one who’s going into that chamber, and ruffling it up with the a bunch of other fighters.
Tender Point had been quiet since they arrived, calmly staring at Dash in the corner while the latter was pacing. Finally, she said, “You don’t have to do this. You don’t need to go out there. We can just go back to the apartment and wait.”
“Waiting is one of my worst strong suits,” said Rainbow Dash. She got on the floor and began to do wingups, grunting as she tried to focus on something other than the the upcoming fight. “Besides, do you really think those guys will just let us leave? Not a chance. And I never go back on my word. If I’m going to do something, I’ll do it even if it means risking my life. It’s just who I am, and that’s never gonna change.”
Tender bit her lip, but closed her eyes and nodded in understanding. “I wish I was as brave as you.”
“Trust me, there is... was... somepony who was braver than me,” said Rainbow Dash, stopping her exercise as she sat down and thought about her lost love. “She was the kind of pony that never thought twice about helping somepony, even if they weren’t nice to her. I’ve seen her face dragons, timberwolves, manticores, and thieves... and she never showed a hint of fear when facing them.” Rainbow Dash frowned and touched her heart, wishing that Applejack was right there beside her in person. With her there, Rainbow Dash felt like she could take down everypony in that room, and still have energy to face the entire army of Grydon. It would be just like before. Just the two of them facing down impossible odds and looking cool while doing it.
Her emotional nostalgia came to an end when Toma entered with only five minutes left to go before her fight if the clock nearby was accurate. He lifted his hat and caressed his claw in his crest feathers before he proclaimed. “Well, good news is that I found a weakness for one of our opponents. Bad news is that two of the bosses have agreed to team up in this match.”
“Good news first,” demanded Rainbow Dash, narrowing her eyes in attention.
“Bloodfire, that minotaur? He has a weak knee,” revealed Toma, grinning like had won the lottery. “This is good for us because he’s a veteran in these fights, five years running, and while he’s never won, he’s given fighters trips to the E.R. However, all the fighting has finally caught up to him. Aim for his left knee, and he’ll go down like a tower scheduled for demolition.”
“Okay, so what about this team up?” asked Rainbow Dash, “I thought it was everyone for themselves here?”
“It is, but occasionally there are alliances where two bosses agree to have their fighters work together until they are the only two left. Then they go at each other,” explained Toma. He shook his head. “In this case, it’s bosses Rainheart and Reedsong with their respective fighters Malice Claw and Caliber. I tried getting Mr. Lightfeather to agree to alliance with Bucklard to counter attack this, but he still hasn’t forgiven him for what he did during a party they both went to.”
“What happened?” asked Tender Point, tilting her head.
“You know how my boss is sensitive of his height? Mr. Bucklard asked Mr. Lightfeather where his parents were... to which my boss responded by punching him in the gut.” Toma shook his head. “There were some insults, weapons drawn, threats, and the occasional warnings with body parts to those we love. The usual aftermath of a get together.”
“I’m sure birthday parties are an absolute killer,” muttered Rainbow Dash.
“So how is Rainbow going to deal with these two if they team up?” asked Tender Point before her eye lit up. “Could she make an alliance with one of the fighters during the fight?”
“Perhaps, but that’s only if they agree to it. You're better off convincing the ones they’re fighting for because they pay them and everything. With a fighter, you have to remember most of them do this for a living. It’s a testament of pride for them, and they may take it the wrong way,” answered Toma.
“I’ll deal with it if it comes up, but right now I have to get to the match,” said Rainbow Dash, pointing out the clock.
Toma nodded before he placed his claws on Dash’s shoulders, and looked her straight in the eye. “Are you ready?”
Dash gave a cocky grin. She might have been nervous, but it didn't mean she wasn't also excited. “Hay yeah.”
“Good, I also took into consideration your idea for your entrance for this fight. Be sure to give them quite the show,” said Toma.
“Relax, I’ll give them an entrance nopony has ever seen here,” said Rainbow Dash, grinning like mad. “Followed by a fight that you guys will be talking about for years.”
With a nod, Toma led them out of the room, towards the first fight and their only chance of escaping the city.
***
With the final preparations set, everyone had taken up seats around the giant chamber or found a place to hang in the ceiling. The respective bosses of the fighters who were to be involved in this match had a special balcony where refreshments, smokes, or anything else they needed was being served to them by a host of maids.
On the surface, these were respectable business birds who wanted to discuss a few deals, the match itself, or raise the stakes in the betting pools. However, each of these mob bosses was keeping a close eye on the other, making sure to capture any kind of hint of weakness or valuable information that was discussed. While each of them followed the “rules of conduct” their kind had followed for nearly a thousand years of tradition, the most important rule of the entire game was to take advantage of anything you could.
Meanwhile, the grunts of these cutthroat leaders were enjoying their time off with little fear of killing each other as they usually did on the streets. Events like these made them relax, unwind, and have a chance to talk to their rival gangs without any smack talk. Some of them knew each other, having lived on the streets for years. Others were outsiders who weren’t treated with the same respect, but were slowly fitting it.
Overall, it made them forget out the lives they lived, the civil war going on between their government and Blood and Liberty, and this damned lockdown. Hunter Saylo eventually entered the chamber itself, microphone in claw, and cleared his throat for their attention. “Everyone! It’s time for the elimination chamber match!”
A loud cheer erupted from the grunts while the bosses merely clapped their claws. Raising his own claw for silence, Hunter waited until it was quiet once again before he continued, “I will once again inform everyone here the rules of the match. Each fighter who drew numbers six to three will wait in a pod that will be randomly opened after the five minute mark. Meanwhile, the ones who drew number one and two shall start the match. This match continues until all the fighters, except one, have given up, are knocked out, or killed. The last one standing will proceeded to the finals to face off the winner of tomorrow’s match. Now, introducing numbers six to three in the order they were drawn.”
The attention of the crowd was now turned towards one of the entrances that had been decorated into looking more like a stage. In order to make things seem more interesting, and gather support and bet money, the fighters were given specific entrances they thought up on their own in order to wow the crowd.
The lights went off and not a single breath was heard. Suddenly, one of the entrances leading to the other hallways on the right side of the room shot fire, spreading embers across the floor as the thick smell of smoke lingered in the air before finding a way outside from the holes above the ceiling. A few griffins were ready to fly and bolt, but stopped in fear as a huge bipedal figure began walking from the entrance where the flames spat out. Upon seeing him, long time fans of these fights soon cheered for the red furred and ash-colored faced minotaur whose blood red horns made him look like a demon rising out of Tartarus. He turned to the audience, lifted his arms, and unleashed a war cry that made others cry back.
“Introducing number six. This is his sixth year fighting, folks, and while he has never won a single tournament, he currently holds the most number of knockouts out of all the veteran fighters out there. Pray to whatever gods you believe in, for here comes: Bloodfire, the ravager of the damned!”
Bloodfire walked up the staircase and towards his pod. He then paused, turned around, and faced the chains that prevented him from escaping. With a sinister grin, he latched onto the chains and started to shake them, biting his teeth on them as the crowd ate up his performance. Despite the blood seeping from his mouth, he continued on for sometime until he jumped off. The blood drooling from his busted lips and gums made it look like he had just had a bloody slaughter for a feast. He soon entered the pod without any resistance, and let himself get locked up while the crowd cheered him on a bit more.
Their cheering came to an end when drums started to play, their echoes loud enough that they could be heard in the streets. A light brown griffin with white feathers of great size and physique entered the area from the stage entrance, wearing a black gi and a white headband around his cranium. However, the most notable feature of him was his talons. Each one of them was made out of metal. While no weapons were allowed in the fight, artifical limbs were, and this fighter took that advantage to heart. Walking towards the cage, he began flexing his muscles towards the crowd who merely clapped as opposed to cheering like they did for Bloodfire.
“Introducing number five. This is his first year fighting, but he is known throughout many martial arts tournaments in Grydon as a master of the Iron Claw Style. With his metal talons, his deadliness with this form of fighting is not to be underestimated. I give you Malice Claw!”
Upon passing the entrance gate of the chamber, he looked at Bloodfire who was glaring at him. Either upon his own boldness, or foolishness, the griffon snorted and gave the giant minotaur a quick flip of the bird, causing the the audience to “ooooohhh.” To his credit, Bloodfire did nothing but continue his glare at the cocky griffin as he made his way to his own pod, but if one looked closer, they could see that the minotaur already had his first target in mind.
The crowd died down again before they turned back to the entrance stage where the next fighter, a black furred griffin with brown feather on his crown that were bigger than most griffins, was already making his way down. This time there was no pyrotechnics, sound, or any lights for him; he just walked down the lane without a care in the world and an almost bored expression. A small number of the grunts cheered and began saying his name, urging him to go out and win. One of the bosses above even got up and started clapping.
“Introducing number four. He is known only as Boss Reedsong’s bodyguard, and this is first time competing in a tournament, as well. I give you, Caliber,” said Hunter in a dull tone. His opinion was shared by the majority of the watchers who were already placing bets that the bodyguard would be the first one out.
Caliber looked at Malice Claw in his pod, and nodded to him before being sealed in his own. When it was shut and locked, he leaned back on the back of the pod and relaxed.
Thankfully, the dull atmosphere that had accompanied Caliber was soon replaced with a rock tune from the speakers. The crowd lit up as they stood tall and cheered for the next contestant. He strolled in, a griffin with red fur and white feathers, yet bald on top of his crown. He wore a wrestling singlet that held the colors of Grydon, like a true patriot. Flaring his wings, small fireworks from the stage broke out from above, and lit up the place like a new year’s celebration. The griffin walked towards the chamber with a hearty grin and a determined look on his face while the crowd chanted his name.
“K.K! K.K! K.K! K.K! K.K!”
Even Hunter couldn’t help but clap for the griffin before remembering his job. “Introducing number three. He is a former world wrestling champion, and winner of the Dov’alona three years ago! I personally have faced this guy before, and let me tell you, he’s no push over. Cheer for Kris Kadin!”
Entering the ring, K.K. got up into the air and flew around a bit, pumping his fist in the air as everyone cheered even louder. It didn’t even stop when he was locked inside his own pod.
Eventually, the cheering died down as everyone waited for the next contestant. A minute passed and nopony heard anything nor saw anything coming down from the entrance. A few started grunting upon the lack of fifth fighter, and were wondering if they had run away. Slowly, however, they heard something ringing in their ears, distant at first, then got louder and louder until the entire building heard it. Heads searched up and down in confusion as they tried to concentrate to find the source until someone shouted, “It’s coming from above!”
Looking up, the entire room saw only the weak rooftop above, but this all changed when something smashed threw it, scattering debris everywhere. The audience gasped as a rainbow blur headed straight for the stage and landed loudly, just as series of rainbow colored fireworks shot out in perfect timing. Instantly, rock music began to play as Rainbow Dash flare her wings out, and posed like she was parading through Cloudsdale like a champion flyer.
The crowd was won over in an instant by the spectacular and epic entrance; even a few of the bosses were clapping with approval while Lightfeather was point out his fighter. Rainbow Dash grinned as she readied herself and flew into the cage, bouncing off the chained barrier keeping her and the other five fighters in as she flipped off and landed on the ground, posing once again.
Hunter chuckled while nodding his head in admiration before speaking into the mike. “Introducing number two. She is a champion martial artists from Cloudsdale in Equestria, and claims to be one of the fastest pegasi in the world. Welcome to the ring for the first time, Rainbow Daring!”
The crowd cheered for Rainbow as she pumped up her forelegs and showed off her muscles, soaking in the attention. She did a few more poses before she calmed down and waited on one end of the ring, hanging on the ropes, and doing a few stretches as she waited for the first one she would be facing in this match.
Rainbow Dash wouldn’t have to wait long as another rock tune, much lighter in tone with an almost southern melody, played and out came the final fighter. He was a pony, just like Rainbow Dash, with bright red fur and a blond yellow mane that reminded her of Big Macintosh back home, only his hair was longer like a hippy’s. He wore a silver jacket with diamonds on it while he trotted down towards the chamber. The crowd was cheering for him like the others, but the loudest ones were the few females in the audience, who were looking at the red pegasus as if he was the sexiest thing alive. Rainbow Dash had to admit, he was quite handsome, and if she went for stallions instead of mares, she would have taken him, too.
He entered the ring, flipping over the ropes while taking off his jacket, revealing the surprise that lay underneath. Two bright silver wings shined in the spotlight that was placed on him. Rainbow didn’t know if he was born with a different colored wings, or if he did something to them to make them look like that. Either way, it had caught the attention of the crowd in a heartbeat.
“And introducing number one. He is a two year veteran of the tournaments, and one of the most athletic ponies in the city. I give you, the red angel with the silver wings: Skylar!”
Skylar waved his hooves to the crowd before focusing on Rainbow Dash with a smirk on his face. Rainbow Dash gave him one back before holding out her hoof in good sportsmanship. Skylar nodded and bumped it back.
Referee Hunter looked at both starting contestants and nodded. He flew to the entrance of the elimination chamber, and nodded to the grunts surrounding it to seal the cage shut. With a final exception, he shouted, “The elimination chamber match begins now! Fight!”
