A New Equestria

Chapters

Act 1: Chapter Two
Act 1: Chapter Three
Act 1: Chapter Four
Act 1: Chapter Five
Act 1: Chapter Six
Act 1: Chapter Seven
Act 1: Chapter Eight
Act 1: Chapter Nine
Act 1: Chapter Ten
Act 1: Chapter Eleven
Act 1: Chapter Twelve
Act 1: Chapter Thirteen
Act 1: Chapter Fourteen
Act 1: Chapter Fifteen
Act 1: Chapter Sixteen
Act 1: Chapter Eighteen
Act 1: Chapter Nineteen
Act 1: Chapter Twenty
Act 1: Chapter Twenty-One
Act 1: Chapter Twenty-Two
Act 1: Chapter Twenty-Three
Act 1: Chapter Twenty-Four
Act 1: Chapter Twenty-Five
Act 1: Chapter Twenty-Six
Act 1: Chapter Twenty-Seven
Act 2: Chapter Twenty-Eight
Act 2: Chapter Twenty-Nine
Act 2: Chapter Thirty
Act 2: Chapter Thirty-One
Act 2: Chapter Thirty-Two
Act 2: Chapter Thirty-Four
Act 2: Chapter Thirty-Five
Act 2: Chapter Thirty-Six
Act 2: Chapter Thirty-Seven
Act 2: Chapter Thirty-Eight
Act 2: Chapter Thirty-Nine
Act 2: Chapter Forty
Act 3: Chapter Forty-One
Prologue
Act 1: Chapter One
Act 1: Chapter Seventeen
Act 2: Chapter Thirty-Three

Act 1: Chapter Two

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Two (Survival Saga)

I had been moving for several hours. I was hesitant to convert the time into days, as since I never saw the sun rise or set, it was impossible to tell when night ended and day began, and of course a watch was something I neglected to bring. I had never thought knowing what time it was would hold any relevance when I left the city.

One thing was certain, I was starving. I hadn’t eaten since I left the city, and there was definitely a food deficit out in the remains of Equestria. On top of that, even if I located food, there was little way to ensure that it would still be edible. Sitting out here with exposure to the elements probably would make it difficult to stomach any food that survived. Still, I was at the state where I could eat almost anything, so long as it filled my stomach. I don’t think I’d ever known what it was like to be this hungry. Correcting this problem would have to become a high priority, as the lack of food was starting to affect my ability to travel. Resting became a constant detour; I must have stopped at least eight times or so to take a rest, I even almost passed out once.

With some luck I had come across what appeared to be the remains of a landmark on the map, Fort Stallion; an old military bay left behind years ago. It clearly has suffered during the time of its abandonment, as most of it lay in ruins, but the outer wall was mostly intact, with a few tents and housing areas still standing. It was perfect to take some refuge, and possibly even locate some sustenance.

Cautiously, I peeked within the gates, as I didn’t want another encounter with the “friendly” creatures of the wasteland again. During my travel over the past few days, I must have come across a dozen animals, all of which wanted me in their stomach. It was amazing what intense hunger can do to normally docile creatures; survival always came first I suppose.

Fort Stallion appeared to be still abandoned, I was thankful for that, but I wouldn’t let my guard down until I was entirely sure this camp was deserted. A part of me though wished it wasn’t completely empty, it would be nice to meet another pony out here. Possibly form an alliance to brave the wildlife, maybe even have somepony to talk to.

In the center of the encampment there stood a grand marble statue of Celestia with her sister Luna standing valiantly behind her. It was a rather realistic likeness of the Princess; the only flaws had come with age and the elements buffeting the work of art. A lot of money must have been spent on this; it was probably put here as a morale booster.

Deciding that food was more important than marveling at art right now, I made my way to a small structure marked “supplies” by a rotting wooden sign. Inside was a labyrinth of crates stacked upon more crates. I sighed and began cracking open these aged wooden boxes.

With a fierce back kick I popped the first one open. The crates were dried out and worn with age, so they shattered like glass when struck. A pile of syringes, needles, and gauss tape pooled onto the floor. My deductive skills allowed me to determine that was a medical supply crate, not really anything of much use to me. I tried another as my stomach growled.

This one dropped thousands of small metallic cone-shaped objects. They spilled all over the floor with a loud clatter. I wasn’t exactly sure what they were really, but there were thousands of them all modeled to look the same. They were flat on one end, and came to a point on the other; I couldn’t see much use for such a piece of metal. They were probably produced on some assembly line to be so symmetrical, but why?

Hunger calmed my mind’s questions, and forced me to keep checking the boxes. I kicked the lid clean off of one that hugged the wall. Jackpot. This one was filled with many sealed bags of an orange color. I pulled a bag out, and flipped over the package to read the back.

Dog-Gone-Good Jerky

We at Dog-Gone-Good are proud to present our original flavor beef jerky.

Our jerky is processed the moment the beef is acquired. We take it right away to be smoked over a real open fire, unlike our competitors who use artificial smoking methods that take out the flavor. We do everything the real way here at Dog-Gone-Good, that’s why our jerky is the top selling in Equestria! The secret lies in our special blend of spices that give it that tangy irresistible flavor that you know and love so much. We hope you enjoy our products as much as your taste buds do!

I wasn’t exactly too thrilled to be eating meat, but I was so hungry I could eat a rock if it had some salt on it probably. Throwing caution to the wind, I tore the package open and started to devour the strips of cow meat. It was salty, and age had worn away some of the “original” flavor (I was guessing, as I had never tasted it before), but it at least tasted like food, just not very good food; I could still eat half a crate though with my hunger.

Munching down all I could from the bag, I torn open another package and began to shred through the bland meat. I had never known what hunger was until now. At Skyvale there was never a time where we went days without food; almost every day we had three square meals, two if you were me. I didn’t eat much, and I usually skipped lunch in favor of dinner.

I used to have a basic routine every day. Waking up, I would have a small breakfast right before going to work. I was employed as a delivery colt for food supplies. My work consisted of taking the food from the farms to the market. In Skyvale they had a large farming section of the city for food production; the city was designed so ponies could live there indefinitely. It was very simple work, and it wasn’t exactly something I enjoyed doing, or had much pride in, but everypony was required to have a job upon reaching adulthood within the city. If you didn’t qualify for a job with your cutie mark, the city gave you one. Naturally it’s easy to see how I acquired my field of work.

I mused myself with the idea of perhaps survival was my special talent, though I knew it to be untrue, and my flank showed no signs of agreeing with me. The loneliness of this empty land was starting to take its toll on me. I could feel a slight wave of depression falling over me, as I started to regret coming down here in the first place. It was clear that Dipper had exaggerated about the world below the city. He never said how the air felt poisonous, or how there wasn’t another pony for miles, or even about how every animal wanted to make you into its next snack. Then again, all Dipper ever did talk about was the war, and the Knights of Celestia. At this point, that’s all that kept me going was the determination to find them.

My eyes opened, awakening me from my long rest. My stomach was still very full and upset from all the jerky I had eaten. Clearly my body didn’t enjoy the idea of putting meat into it, but was willing to keep it down on the account of it wasn’t going to get much else out here.

The fact that I had yet to see any place that wasn’t abandoned made me safely assume that any nutrition I found out here could very well be up to seven years old, and not quite edible. Jerky was probably one of the few things with enough preservatives in it to last this long.

Yawning, I stood upright and decided to explore more of the encampment before taking my leave.

I spent most of the next few hours looking for anything of use or value, besides food of course. I had already tucked away as many packages of jerky as I could into my bag, along with a canteen that I had located and managed to find a working water source to fill it with. The water here tasted rather stale, but I wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

My eyes were charmed by the discovery of a digital sound recorder that lay on a table in what appeared to be an officer’s station of the base. Curiosity sparked as I hit the play button, to my shock it still worked. A rather tomboyish female voice exited the device.

“This is Vinyl Scratch, first lieutenant of The Rainbow Raiders, under the command of Field Commander Rainbow Dash, serving directly under the Knights of Celestia. I’m making this data log because one: they haven’t given me orders for the past three days, and I’m going nuts sitting here doing nothing; and two: in case we don’t win this war, I think it would be wise to leave behind some kind of record so ponies can know of my exploits, after all I am quite amazing.

Anyway, this camp isn’t exactly the worst place I’ve been stationed, though I am a little concerned as to what exactly the Commander is planning. She hasn’t issued a single order since we got here, and frankly it bothers me. All she’s done is tell us to enjoy ourselves while we can, but really how can I possibly do that when there’s a battlefield calling my name? Well I suppose this isn’t entirely unlike her, as she is always going on about appreciating everything, sometimes she sounds like Fluttershy really.

Me though? I just want to go back out there where the fighting is. My spirit burns for the rush of the battle! I want to get a stab at the bastards who dared challenge Celestia.”

I was a little surprised at the contents. This person knew Rainbow Dash, and served under the Knights. I pressed the button to allow the next recording to play.

“This is day four at this place, and I’m sooooooo bored. My talents are being wasted just sitting around doing nothing. Dashy means well, but really she has to understand that I’m just no good at sitting around and waiting. She spends most of her time taking a nap, but that’s not my style.

She’s been very determined to win this war since we both first enlisted really; she’s totally a true badass! I considered once throwing away my music career and starting an assassin group with her when the war is over the other day, but she didn’t like the sound of It; told me to stop joking around.

She got really serious though the other night when I brought up the last fight we were in. I was trying to tell her that we should have taken out the remaining forces while they were retreating, but she got really stern with me. Went on about how there’s enough bloodshed as it is, and she didn’t attack also because they had foals with them, and she refuses to kill children. This isn’t the first time either; she’s spoken against opening fire on foals before, even if they are armed. The girl needs to snap out of her fantasy sometimes and realize this is war; if there’s anything I learned out here, it’s that the enemy doesn’t like to play by the rules.

I don’t see why Dashy is so stressed; after all she’s got me, Vinyl Scratch, the greatest soldier who ever lived by her side.”

This pony was very egotistical, but in a playful way. The way she spoke insinuated that she had known her commanding officer prior to joining the Knights. I was still fascinated by this information; it actually lifted my hopes of finding the Knights.

There was only one recording left, I was almost sad that they were almost over. It almost felt like there was someone else in the room with me, I sort of felt like I was getting to know Vinyl Scratch just a little bit from listening to these, even if she might be long dead since the time these messages were recorded.

“Day Twelve, we’re finally moving out; took long enough. Some kind of emergency summon by Celestia was issued to our unit, and we have to leave right away. They didn’t give us any details except that they want Rainbow’s Raiders on the front line. Dashy seems a bit excited about this one, we may actually get a stab at Trixie she’s saying. How I would love to sink my horn into that traitor, unfortunately it’s saying things like that which have them all worried I’m going to go postal or something. Thus they put me on chopper duty for the time being, something about needing further mental evaluation before I’m put back on the front lines, all a bunch of medical jargon to me.

Rarity is making a fuss about how we shouldn’t be so sure that we’re going to be able to get Trixie, but she forgets that we have the best unit in the Knights. We’re lead by Rainbow freakin’ Dash for Celestia’s sake. Not to mention we have the best damn equipment money can buy, and of course, yours truly.

I am not exactly looking forward to pretty much babysitting patrol, but I guess I can stick it out until Dashy decides otherwise. Besides, I don’t want to steal the glory of getting that devious Trixie from her. That’s all she’s talked about for a while now was bringing Trixie to justice, and I’m all for justice. I just want one piece, that’s all; something to hang on my mantle.

I’m not exactly sure what kind of grudge Dashy has against Trixie, besides of course her totally fucking us over and killing thousands of course, but everyone hates her for that. Dashy’s hate for her seems deeper, like something personal between the two. Dashy has always been pretty quiet about her personal life, but a lot of us would like to know what’s her deal with Trixie.

Anyway, I am heading out now. I’m going to leave this recording behind for anypony to find it.”

I couldn’t recognize half of the ponies that she mentioned in the recording, however I made a mental note of them, as according to Vinyl, that was Rainbow Dash’s team right there. Perhaps that information would prove useful at some point.

Who was Trixie though? Obviously I could assume she worked for the enemy, but I really wanted to know why Rainbow Dash had such a vendetta against her. She made it sound like there was a personal grudge between the two, and not just that of opposing officers in war.

A part of me was overly excited. The thought of the Knights in battle had my heart racing with joy and anxiety. I was more eager to meet them now than I was before. Everything I heard about the Knights only made me admire them more and more it seemed. They had to still exist; there was no way that they could have been destroyed. They’re probably out there rebuilding now that the war was over.

The Knights really did sound as great as Dipper described them. Vinyl Scratch spoke with the same pride that he did to be a part of them. Come to think of it, since he was a Knight that served under Rainbow Dash, he might have been here in this camp when Vinyl made those recordings. My mind focused on that thought. I then silently remembered that they would have had to be at least four or five years old for him to be here. It was possible that they were that old, but I wasn’t putting money on it. Chances are they were dated long before he even joined, or long after he had left.

I decided to take the recorder with me. I wasn’t sure why, but for some reason instinct was telling me I should take it.

Leaving the encampment I continued towards the destination set to me by the flyer I had discovered moments after leaving the city. I wasn’t even sure why I was going there anymore really, as the odds of anypony still being there were low, but I just wanted to try regardless. I was willing to accept that this could be a fruitless venture. I couldn’t go home, so there was only the option of moving forward.

With that, I took another step out into the vast wastes. It was as bleak and deserted as I had left it, but some reason a spark of hope was about me.

Achievement: Just Delete Them - Flare listened to Vinyl's audio diaries.

Act 1: Chapter Three

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Three (Survival Saga)

I had passed another couple of ruined landmarks not too long ago, meaning I was getting closer to my destination. I was fairly fortunate that my first assumption of every landmark being destroyed beyond recognition was wrong. According to the crude map, I was approaching Everfree forest, which would be the final obstacle I had to cross to get to the village. A forest didn’t sound like an ideal place to be considering how the animals I’ve run into thus far have behaved. It didn’t appear as though there was any way around it though, so I would have to hope I got lucky.

Fortunately I had stocked up on food at the camp, and I had rationed it reasonably up to this point, this would help in getting through the forest as I could keep my energy up and not have to make many stops. I had doubts that there would be any kind of cover from the wildlife in the forest, and thus I was not keen on sleeping there.

I was only a few miles from that forest, when I noticed some figures in the distance. This time I was certain they were ponies. They were a bit smaller framed, but they were definitely of my own kind. My heart jumped with excitement as I approached them.

Up close they were a bit different than I imagined. There were three of them, and all three were smelly and dirty. I don’t even think the animals out here were quite as unsanitary as this trio. The biggest one of the group appeared to be missing several teeth, and the remainder of his teeth were chipped and damaged. He had sort of a lazy eye as well that seemed to follow me no matter where I moved.

The other two appeared to be twins. Both dark mahogany colored colts with blonde mane. They looked equally as dirty, but their dark color hid most of the filth upon them, except their mane of course. They appeared rather dim-witted as they walked rather awkwardly and had an odd chuckle about them.

The big one stepped forward and gave the most unpleasant, clearly forced smile I had ever seen. His disgusting teeth were only made more prominent by this gesture.

“Well, what have we here? Y’all must be from them Knights, I don’t often see colts of your… Condition… Out here in the ruins…” He was putting odd emphasis upon words.

The other two began to circle about me as he conversed with me. Something about this meeting was off; I began to take a few steps back, only to be blocked by the other two.

“I’m actually from Skyvale…” I commented.

He let out a loud hearty laugh, and the other two followed his lead. “City pony then? What could you possibly be doin’ out here then?”

I didn’t like this group already. Something about them was off, and I wanted to get away from them as quickly as possible.

“I actually came here to look for the Knights of Celestia, I don’t really want any trouble…” I lowered my head.

“Trouble ya’ say? Shucks, we jus’ wanted to invite y’all to dinner.” He gave that awkward smile of his again.

“I’m really not that hungry…” I tried to back up some more, but the other two had me trapped.

“It’s a good thing that you’re the meal then!” He yelled and darted towards me.

I was quick enough to get out of the way, but the two brothers grabbed me and pressed me to the ground with extreme force. They were a lot stronger than they looked. I squirmed and struggled to get free, but to no success.

My heart was beating at least five times faster. These ponies wanted to eat me. I panicked and offered an alternative to them.

“I have plenty of food on me! I’d be willing to share; you don’t have to do this!” I pleaded.

The biggest one just laughed at me.

“I love it when they struggle! Thanks for the tip though, now we will have something as a snack after you.” He grinned.

I started squiring as violently as I could. I focused all the energy in my body into getting free. Kicking and violently jerking, I was doing anything I could to at least give the two holding me a hard time keeping me there. I was hoping that they would eventually get tired and give me an opportunity to make a break for it. It might have been my mind putting me into denial about my predicament, but I couldn’t tell really.

“Hold him still…” The brute said as he picked up a strip of metal sharpened into a blade from the ground.

“NO!” I yelled.

“Don’t worry, it’ll only hurt for a lil’ while kid…” He assured.

I bit at the hooves of my captors, but it seemed to have little effect on them. Their legs were scrawny and meatless; I suppose it was easy to see how they were driven to cannibalism.

I held my eyes shut tightly with tears leaking from them. This was it; I was going to die being eaten by fellow ponies. The first ponies I had met out in this hellhole, and they wanted to eat me; Equestria really had changed. I thought for a brief moment at how I failed; I never even got the chance to meet the Knights, or show Torch the outside. I never even got my cutie mark, and now I would die without it.

BANG!

An ear shattering sound pierced the air. I peeked an eye open to see that one of the twins now lay on the ground in a bloody mess. Something had taken his head clean off at the top of the neck. His blood was everywhere, all over me, all over the other twin, and all over the big brute. My eyes couldn’t believe what they were seeing. He was dead; something killed him right in front of me. The other two seemed to be just as shocked as I was at the situation. The brute turned his head in the direction that the sound originated, and then quickly averted his attention back to the other twin.

BANG!

The other twin’s head was taken off just like his brother. He exploded in the same bloody mess as the one before him. The brute hesitated for a moment in shock, but then darted away probably trying to avoid the same fate, but his efforts were futile. With another loud boom he too was taken down. Seconds later he lay still in a pool of his own bodily fluid. All three of them were dead in under a twenty second period.

I peered in the direction of the sounds thinking myself to be next, certain that I escaped being eaten to be blown apart. Atop the hill to the right of me was an older looking mare, probably a couple years older than myself. She had an obnoxiously pink coat, and a wild poof ball of a mane to go with it. Her blue eyes seemed to not match the look of solemnness on her face. There was a scar planted right on her forehead inching closer to the left than the center.

Attached to her right hoof was a very odd mechanical looking device. It was a metal plate with a long canister looking scrap of metal sticking out of the back of it. Near the bottom facing towards the foot of her hoof was a cylinder that appeared to be retracting in after it had finished its task, it was probably responsible for the loud banging that felled my three attackers. Right on top of that cylinder was what appeared to be a retractable blade. My guess was this was some kind of weapon, though I was not sure what kind of magic controlled it.

On her other front hoof she had a black metal band around it. The band was giving off a teal glow, but one that was slowly fading and returning it to a plain black band.

The mare leaped off of the hill top and positioned herself right in front of me. Glaring me up and down, she leaned in extra close and put her eyes only inches from my own. She nodded and retracted her head back and turned around to begin walking away. Then with a sudden jerk she turned back around and extended her blade to my throat.

“So, they finally sent an assassin to lay me to rest have they? It’ll take more than that to slay me!” She yelled rather delusional-like.

“I’m no assassin!” I protested with fear on my breath.

She raised a brow and sat back retracting her blade. “Of course you’re not an assassin, why in Celestia’s name would you think such an odd thing?” She questioned.

I blinked. Was this mare serious?

“You just accused me of being an assassin!” I reminded, lowering my guard. If she wanted to kill me, she’d have done it already.

“Well, have you eaten any onions lately?” She asked with a rather serious tone.

I was confused. “Um, no?” I replied.

She smiled rather heartily and pulled me close for a deep hug; squeezing so hard that I was having trouble obtaining air. She was far stronger than she looked.

“This is great news! That means you’re not a cabbage! I can’t tell you how many cabbages I find out here. Really terrible things they are.” She was nodding while speaking.

Cabbages? I had no clue what she was talking about. It all seemed like incoherent nonsense to me. Either something was wrong with her, or she was speaking in some kind of code or language that I wasn’t too familiar with.

“A cabbage you say?” I responded.

“Indeed, everyone knows that cabbages eat onions, so if you don’t eat them, then you must not be a cabbage. It’s a good thing to, I’d have had to shoot you then plant you in a cornfield then. So where are you heading to stranger?” She seemed a little bit more excited now.

I was hesitant to tell her, but then figured I may as well, no harm in it. “I’m heading towards a place called Ponyville, perhaps you’ve heard of it?” I said.

“Only in fairytales have I heard of such a place; however I do know how to get you there; right through Everfree forest right?” She said.

I couldn’t tell if she was messing with me, or being serious. She acted stupid and clueless, but somehow was still able to keep a conversation going. Perhaps this was her idea of a joke? Who would have guessed that anypony out here would have a sense of humor. Then again it would probably drive one to madness just accepting the depressing state of things out here all the time. Maybe this was her way of coping with the harsh reality she lived in.

“Yeah, that’s the one. Is it safe to go through the forest though?” I questioned.

She shook her head. “It’s far from safe, and the only ones who have ever made it through were the talking rock and me of course!” She seemed rather proud of herself.

“R-right… I don’t suppose you could tell me a way through the forest quickly then could you?” I really was starting to get nervous around this mare, she was clearly mentally unstable. There was no telling what she’d do next.

“I couldn’t allow you to go alone, you’re ill-equip, thus an easy target for space snakes to just snatch you up. If you’re not careful, they’ll grab you when you’re not looking and take you back to Jupiter where they’ll conduct evil alien experiments on you!” She answered.

“I think I’ll take my chances…” I replied.

She stepped closer and put a hoof around me and pulled me in for another awkward hug. She let on a bright smile as she pressed her cheek close to mine.

“Nonsense, I’ll lead you right through the forest with most of your body parts still attached. You’ve nothing to worry about friend, as the great White Falcon will lead you through the forest. No wait… That’s not right… What was my name again…” She tried to find the words.

“It was Pink something…” She added.

Taking a glance at her blade out of curiosity I read the words “Pinkie Pie” engraved on it. It looked like it was scratched in crudely with another blade. Not exactly the mark of good craftsmanship, but the device was still effective enough to kill three cannibals.

“Pink Giraffe? Pink Waffle…? Pink Rock…?” She was in deep thought.

“Pinkie Pie?” I suggested.

“YES! THAT ONE! THAT’S IT!” She waved her hooves around furiously in excitement. “THAT’S ME! PINKIE PIE!” She added.

“Right, well are you sure you are up to going through that forest…” I was cautious about this situation; after all I just met this pony, and she didn’t appear to have all of her marbles.

She stomped a foot on the ground and nodded with determination. Her entire expression changed within a millisecond. This mare was quite sporadic.

“I’ll get you through faster than goats on a roof! Don’t even worry about it for another second, just follow me and I’ll get us safely to the other side where Ponyville is only about a 10 minute walk from there. You’re in good hooves with me!” She assured.

I didn’t quite get her analogy, but nodded anyways. She had a weapon, and I didn’t, so I really didn’t have much of a choice in the matter. If I wanted to cross safely I wanted somepony that could at least fend off anything that could try and sneak up on us. Even if I had a weapon I doubt I’d be much use with it as this mare was. Before the war weapons were only reserved to the Equestrian military, and even then they were very simplistic blades and spears, nothing like this magical armlet of hers that appeared to be able to cause ponies to get decapitated merely by pointing it at them.

I nodded and she gleefully took the lead. I decided to remain silent for a while, as this girl clearly had plenty of entertainment talking to herself.

The forest was more of a swamp it seemed. Most of it was flooded and there was only one real path in getting through it, clearly pony-made as well. Perhaps Pinkie Pie was the one who cleared this path for travelers? The fact that there was even a distinguished path at all means that somepony else had gone through here, which means I wouldn’t be alone when I arrived at Ponyville. Whether or not that was a good thing was left to be decided, after all the only ponies I’ve met so far were either mentally unstable, or wanted me for lunch.

Pinkie Pie was unpleasantly cheerful during this walk through the forest, nothing seemed to bother her. I decided I might as well see if she had any useful information.

“Say Pinkie Pie…” I started.

“That’s Dr. Pinkie Pie.” She corrected.

“You went to medical school?” I asked curiously.

“I did!? Wow, that’s so cool! What kind of doctor am I!?” She was overly excited at the remark.

“I was only kidding…” I took a step back from her.

She frowned and drooped her head a little. “Aww, that sucks… I bet I would have been a really cool doctor…”

I honestly was hoping that she was joking with me at this point, and that she wasn’t just completely out of her mind. Ignoring the previous discussion I moved back into what I originally meant to ask her.

“Were you in the war?” I asked quite straight forward.

She perked her head up and tilted it in confusion. “War? What war? There was a war?” She acted sincerely dumbfounded.

I sighed.

“I guess that means you wouldn’t be able to tell me anything about the Knights of Celestia, or Rainbow Dash then would you…?” I admitted defeat in this conversation.

She jumped and tackled me to the ground with an exuberant smile on her lips. “Well why didn’t you say so!? I know Rainbow Dash!”

I blinked and started to get a little excited myself. “So you mean she’s still alive!?” I was almost yelling.

She giggled like a foal and nodded. “Of course she’s still alive, it takes a lot to take down Rainbow Dash; I’ve known her for a long time. She lives not too far from here-“ She cut herself off.

Lifting her right front hoof, she aimed it in the distance. The band on the opposite hoof glowed again, and the device strapped to her extended appendage seemed to be activated now. The cylinder at the end let out a loud bang with a small fire igniting from the tip for a split second. When the fire subsided, a tiny amount of smoke escaped it. In the distance there was some kind of animal that was felled by the action. I couldn’t get a good look at what it was, but I could safely assume that it wasn’t too friendly. Pinkie Pie just tilted her head back down to me and continued talking as though it didn’t happen.

“I can tell you how to get to her after we get out of this forest if you want?” She smiled innocently.

“That would be great; I would really appreciate that, though I’m curious as to why you’ve been so kind to me…” I said.

She got off of me and I pushed myself back up. Kneeling in, she touched her nose to mine and just gave me a sugary smile and a wink. Then she turned back around and gestured for us to keep trotting. I decided that was the best answer I would be getting out of her, so I shrugged and decided not to make much of it.

It was nearly an hour of Pinkie Pie talking nonsense about how she suspected that gnomes were planning to attack her, and that was the reason she didn’t sleep much. I was only paying half attention, and giving short answers to give the illusion that I was listening to her. After it was finally over, we had reached the other side of the forest, only getting attacked twice by what appeared to be bears.

I could see a village off in the distance, it wasn’t more than a mile from here it looked like, an easy journey on foot.

“This is as far as I go stranger, but if you’re looking for Rainbow Dash, you just need to keep heading towards town. She’s held up in Twilight’s old library, you can’t miss it; it’s the big hollowed out tree with all the book-thingies in it. Just watch out for those pesky cabbages, I lost my left hoof stepping on one…” Pinkie Pie instructed.

I wasn’t sure exactly what to say, so I left it at a simple, “thank you.” She smiled in response and gestured the way to me. Despite being a lunatic, she was at least fairly kind.

Not wasting any more time I darted towards the town at full speed. I didn’t want to stop for anything now that I was this close. My blood was pumping faster than ever, but this feeling was interrupted abruptly. A sharp pain was felt in my back leg. It was unbearable; I had never felt pain like this before. I collapsed onto the ground, unable to run any further. I could hear the grunts and chuckles of other ponies before I passed out.

Achievement: CABBAGES! - Flare made contact with Pinkie for the first time.

Act 1: Chapter Four

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Four (Rainbow Dash Saga)

I awoke from a nightmare of being attacked by more cannibals with a gasp. My dreams had seen so vivid and real for some time now. The real wasteland of Equestria was far more horrifying than any dream could simulate though. Despite being plagued with nightmares, I found I was able to relax more in sleep than in a waking consciousness.

My eyes adjusted to an artificial light around me, florescent of some kind. After a moment of dilating, they permitted me to take a glance at my location. I was quickly able to determine that I wasn’t where I had fallen asleep that was certain. I was in a bed as well, which was odd as my attackers certainly didn’t seem like they had much reason to keep me alive; perhaps they had other purposes for me.

Gazing around I could see that there was several bookshelves all around me, most of which with books scattered about in an untidy manner. A lot of volumes appeared to be missing as well. I noticed that the floor, although still dirty, was a lot cleaner than expected of any building out here in the ruins. It was void of dust, so clearly there was somepony living here besides myself.

Cautiously I pulled myself out of the bed and stepped onto the floor. My left hind leg nearly gave way from putting the pressure on it. It was dreadfully sore. Glancing back at my left flank I noticed it was bandaged and that a spot of red had seeped through the wrap.

I forced myself to make it to the doorway and down the stairs. I was only four steps from the bottom before my leg finally decided it couldn’t take the strain anymore and gave in. I slid down the stairs with my chin hitting every step on the way down. With a crash I landed on my stomach in pain. In agony I attempted to force myself to stand again, however I was only able to drag myself off of the stairs pathetically.

“So you’re finally awake then? Perhaps you should be taking it easy though?” A tomboyish voice echoed from across the room towards me.

A cloaked pony sat at a simple wooden table sipping from a glass. The cloak she wore was aged and tattered, and appeared grey in color. She was wearing the hood up, which concealed her face; only her snout was visible from under that hood. The aura she gave off was one of unfriendliness; the aura of a mare that clearly wanted to be left alone.

Examining her further I could tell she was a bit older than me, probably Pinkie Pie’s age or so. She had a sky blue coat, and her tail was hanging out of her cloak, which was adorned with a vibrant rainbow it appeared. If I peeked at the right angle I could see some strands of the same colors hanging down towards her face.

I noticed that she had a similar device on her front right hoof as Pinkie Pie did. This pony’s however had a blade that appeared red in color with a multi-color trimming along the edges of the blade. The word “Colors”, was carved onto the blade, though unlike Pinkie Pie’s this one looked like it was etched in with precision, more than likely by some kind of expert that crafted these weapons.

“You should give your body a chance to heal before you go back out there. You’ve been out cold for nearly two days, I thought you were dead when I found you.” She continued not waiting for my answer.

Finally I spoke up. “Um, where am I?”

She took another sip from the glass in front of her, not even turning to face me. “You’re in Ponyville.” She answered plainly.

“How did I get here? What about the ponies who attacked me?” I started bombarding her with questions; she didn’t seem to mind though.

“Well, you were attacked by a group of savages after you got out of the forest. I happened to be heading out to get some supplies, and I happened to notice the incident. I took care of the bastards quickly and then Pinkie Pie helped me bring you back here.” She explained calmly.

I glanced back at my backside. “Who put these bandages on me then?” I asked.

“That would be me as well. I removed the bullet out of your backside and patched you up. I’m not much of a doctor, but I learned a thing or two from hanging around some. Most ponies learn how to patch themselves up out here as I’m sure you know.” She seemed a little friendlier than she let on at first.

“What are you doing out here kid? You don’t look like one of those savages, so you must know that it’s dangerous out here.” She changed the subject.

I sat up. “I’m looking for the Knights of Celestia.”

She laughed a little before replying. “You won’t find them out here. They’re held up at the Canterlot castle.” She informed.

“How can I get to the castle?” I inquired.

“Where are you from kid?” She changed the subject yet again.

“Skyvale…” I answered very softly.

She sighed and took another sip. Her kind aura quickly turned to one of seriousness and intensity.

“I left the city to look for the Knights of Celestia, and Rainbow Dash…” I noticed her ears twitched when I mentioned the last part.

“You’re her aren’t you? You’re Rainbow Dash?” I tried not to sound too excited, I didn’t want to come off as an overly enthusiastic fan, but it was difficult to contain myself.

“Go back to Skyvale.” She replied sternly.

I blinked in confusion. “Why?” I asked.

“There’s nothing for you out here. Perhaps if you go back and tell them you made a mistake and beg they’ll let you back in. It’s a better place for you than out here I assure you.” Her voice seemed void of emotion now.

“I can’t go back. That’s the rule of the city; once you leave you are not permitted back in. I left knowing this, and I have no intentions to return; I came out here to find the Knights of Celestia, and Rainbow Dash, now tell me: are you her?” I raised my voice and tried to match her in terms of seriousness.

She sighed and took yet another sip of her drink. A pill bottle levitated directly to her from a nearby shelf. Pouring out the contents, she took two pills and washed them down with a sip of the vile looking liquid in front of her that she had been downing this entire time. I suspected it was some kind of alcohol.

“I was…” She finally answered.

My heart started beating faster than I’ve ever felt before. I was excited to finally meet her, but she certainly was nothing like I expected. I had always pictured a mare in respectable armor with a strong spirit, before me however sat what appeared to be a broken old drunk.

“What do you mean?” I questioned.

“I mean I’m not the Rainbow Dash you may have heard about. That was almost another lifetime ago. I’ve left that life behind me; now I’m just an old mare waiting for the end to finally come.” She sighed taking another gulp.

I was in disbelief. The Rainbow Dash that Dipper described would never give up, she’d have kept trying even when it was impossible. She was “The Miracle”, after all.

“What about the Knights!?” I was almost yelling.

“Twilight still handles their affairs. I don’t have anything to do with the Knights anymore. I left many years ago.” She seemed uninterested in this conversation.

I dragged myself over to the table with her. She could see my struggle and poured me a drink then offered it to me. Not wanting to be rude I took it, despite not having a taste for alcohol. It smelled like fairly strong liquor as well.

“What about Trixie?” I asked innocently.

Dash seemed to be very angered by the question. She tensed up quickly and smacked at her glass, sending it across the room only to shatter against an empty bookcase. She picked up a second glass from the floor in her teeth and hurled it in the same direction, achieving the same result. She looked around for another to throw, but when she found none she simply uttered “worthless bitch.” Clearly her hate towards Trixie was left unchanged.

I decided to change the subject. “What exactly caused this war? A friend had told me much about it, but he never exactly explained why all the fighting began in the first place.”

“Pass me another glass, kid.” She instructed.

I did as told and slid a glass from my side of the table over to her. She smiled half-heartedly and poured another drink.

“The truth is that no one really knows how it all started.” She spoke.

I tilted my head in confusion. “How is that possible? Just one day you were fighting?” I questioned.

“Well, you’ve probably heard of the darkness right?” She answered my question with another question.

“Of course.” I said.

“Well, the story goes like this…” She took a sip before continuing. “For some reason, and nopony is sure why, but for some reason the darkness appeared in Equestria. Nopony knows where it came from, or what created it, but one day it just somehow fell into existence.”

“It just… Appeared? Just like that?” I asked in shock.

She nodded. “At first we didn’t even know it was there. It sat there doing nothing for a long time, so most of the normal citizens weren’t informed that it was even present. They didn’t want to invoke panic among the commoners.” She was rather tense. “By the time the darkness did something it was too late. Several ponies left to go serve the darkness, and just like that it had an army built up, and a sizable one at that.”

“Why didn’t somepony go and destroy the darkness?” I asked curiously.

“We couldn’t. The darkness has no physical form, fighting it is impossible. Not even our strongest magic was able to affect it. Because it has no physical form, it relies on servants to do most of its dirty work for it. It creates agents to command those mindless servants after that.” She explained.

“Agents?” I asked.

She paused for a moment and looked up at me. For the first time I could see her magenta eyes. She had a beautiful face that was ruined by a scar that extended across her right cheek. The mane on the actual pony was a lot longer than the one in the flyer I had. She clearly hadn’t done much to tame it. She still looked very appealing though despite these flaws.

“Agents like Trixie…” She answered.

“So Trixie commands the darkness?” I was putting the pieces together slowly as she talked.

“She partially controls it I suppose. She is still a servant to the darkness itself, but she commands its minions. They say that once you accept the darkness it takes your mind and makes you into its thoughtless slave. Agents however get to keep their free will, this way it ensures its agents are only the most evil of ponies.” Dash clearly was upset just mentioning Trixie’s name.

“So when the darkness formed its army, what did you all do?” I asked.

“At first, nothing. Celestia had never expected anypony to actually try and go to war with her, so she took a strong stance of not making the first assault. Once the armies of darkness attacked, they did as much damage as they could before retaliation was made. They burnt most of this village to the ground, and several around it. After that Celestia formed the Knights of Celestia to fight this darkness, and before we knew it we were entering the first battle with them.” She seemed to be reliving painful memories.

“What happened at that battle?” I asked very nervously.

She seemed to be a bit angered by the question. “We got our asses kicked. We thought we could send them back using our strongest magic, but it proved to have almost no effect. We weren’t prepared for them; they brought something to the fight that we hadn’t expected…”

“Which was?” I was afraid to make her remember anymore almost.

“Guns.” She answered plainly.

I tilted my head in confusion. I wasn’t exactly familiar with military technology.

“They’re weapons that fire metallic objects called bullets at things. They can kill many ponies with only a few shots, and from far away as well. You’ve seen them out in the wasteland sort of.” She explained.

“Is that what Pinkie Pie had on her front hoof?” I asked.

“Sort of, see in order to keep up with our enemies we managed to take one of their weapons and reverse engineer it. The result is the guns that you see now carried by ponies. We went a step further though and attached blades to ours.” She said.

“So how do they work?” I asked.

She giggled a little, which was the first time I heard her laugh. “Well they are controlled by very simple unicorn magic.”

“Then how can you use one? Or Pinkie Pie for that matter? You’re not a unicorn, nor is she.” I quickly pointed out.

She hushed me, and gave a gesture for me to slow down. Clearly she intended on explaining that as well. “We have a little device called a U.M.S.A. You may have seen the one Pinkie Pie had?”

I thought back to the senile old mare, then recalled the black band on her left hoof which would glow a teal color every time she used her weapon. I had never given a thought to what that contraption was until Rainbow Dash mentioned it now. I nodded to acknowledge I understood what device she was speaking of.

“Right, well the proper name for it is the Unicorn Magic Simulation Apparatus, not exactly catchy, but that’s why we call them U.M.S.As. Anyway the device is designed to simulate unicorn magic for basic operations. It was specifically designed for use of weapons, but it’s effective in everyday operations as well.” Rainbow Dash spoke.

“I don’t suppose you have a spare one that I could use then?” I inquired.

She levitated a metal band identical to the one on her left hoof over to me. The moment it touched my left hoof, it appeared as though it just phased itself right through it and when it reappeared it was right on my left hoof, like magic almost. I could feel a great bit of magic coming from the band, so it made sense that it would have such properties that allowed it to do what I just witnessed.

“Thank you very much!” I bowed in gratitude.

She waved her hoof around in a manner that suggested she was not comfortable with my gesture. “No need for that.” She said. I merely nodded in response.

“Guess you’ll be on your way to the Knights then?” She suggested.

“Well, with my injury I don’t think I could make such a long journey on foot…” I sighed.

She was silent for a moment then let out a quiet, “You can stay here if you want, I guess…” She didn’t sound terribly inviting, but it was a genuine offer.

“Well, I don’t want to be a burden, perhaps you can just fly me there and I can get out of your mane?” I suggested.

She turned her head in shame and sighed. “I’m afraid that’s impossible.”

Suddenly she seemed very depressed. Perhaps my request was out of line?

“That’s okay, I understand if it’s too dangerous. I don’t want to be any more of a pest than I already have been up to this point.” I apologized.

She laughed gently, and looked back in my direction with a soft smile on her face. “No, it’s just… My flying days are long over.” With those words she flipped the right side of her cloak up revealing what appeared to be the remains of a right wing. It appeared as though it was hacked off right at the point where it met her body.

Achievement: Faded Rainbow - Flare met Rainbow.

Act 1: Chapter Five

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Five (Rainbow Dash Saga)

Rainbow Dash; I couldn’t help but think about her as I lay in the bed she surrendered to me. She insisted on staying up most of the night; I rarely saw the mare sleep, insomnia had bitten her it would seem. When the restless mare finally did slip into a slumber, it was one clearly troubled by nightmares. I recall once waking up to see her tossing and turning relentlessly. Sweat was coming out of every pore, and she looked pained. Never had I seen a pony so troubled in their sleep, not even Dipper on his death bed. Rainbow Dash probably never got a peaceful sleep.

My thoughts carried to her wing, and the dark secrets behind it. I never asked how she lost it, how could I? Asking her would only make her relive what she has already been through, and surely she wouldn’t reveal her secrets so easily to a stranger. I’m sure only time would tell me the story of her lost wing.

I glanced over at her sitting at her usual spot at the table, just glaring out the window into the rain. It had been raining for several days, it was almost unnatural. She had on that same cloak she always wore, but despite it being old and tattered, she looked very heroic in it. I could only imagine what she must have looked like in her Knight armor. Part of me was curious if she’d look like the flyer, but chances are she’d look far better. Her left ear had a small slice in it, clearly a battle wound; she had the scars of courage about her.

She was always watching diligently outside, despite the fact that Pinkie Pie always guarded this area. Rainbow Dash was the kind of pony that didn’t take many chances on anything, and didn’t like leaving much work to Pinkie Pie on the account of, “all her marbles aren’t there”.

I pulled myself up and went over to her. She didn’t seem to notice my movement in the slightest. Carefully I sat down next to her and observed her. She was a hair shorter than me, and not as stocky, though being female that was ordinary. She looked well nourished for a pony that lived out in the wasteland.

“What’s wrong?” I asked in a nearly inaudible voice.

“Well, not sure if you noticed, but we live in a destroyed wasteland caused by a war with our own kind.” She clearly wasn’t in a good mood.

“Well the war is over at least right?” I tried to lighten the mood.

She sighed and turned to face me. “The war is far from over.”

“What do you mean?” I tilted my head.

“I mean that it’s not over until they kill us all. Trixie and the darkness will never rest, they want this world one way or another, and they won’t rest until we’re all dead.” She said.

“They’re still fighting!?” I was a little shocked by this news.

“Of course they’re still fighting, they’ve already got us pinned down, they’d be stupid to just quit now. They are all just sitting nice and cozy at their fortress in former Manehatten, while the rest of us scrounge up any resources we can find just to set up a defense; Trixie as well…” She nearly growled at the name.

“You really hate Trixie don’t you?” I asked stupidly.

“I can never forgive her. For everything that’s she’s done, not just the war.” Rainbow Dash appeared to be getting far more serious.

“I find it ironic that she probably shares the same insomnia that I do. That she’s probably awake somewhere right now, maybe even thinking about what she’s done as well.” She commented.

“What do you mean?” I was a tad confused.

“You ever heard the saying ‘ain’t no rest for the wicked’, kid?” She asked.

“Can’t say I have, what’s it mean?” I replied.

“It was a song a long time ago, but it basically means that the sinful don’t get to go to sleep. They have to stay awake always on their guard. They have to live waiting for their sins to catch up to them, always looking over their shoulder for that day…” She sounded like she had told this story before.

“What sin have you committed?” I daringly asked.

She sighed. “You wouldn’t understand”

I left it at that, and changed the subject.

“When do I get a gun?” I asked.

Rainbow Dash turned and gave me a strange look. Her face then turned into a smile, as if she was waiting for me to ask that question.

“That is a very good question. Guns aren’t exactly that easy to come by out here, I got mine from the military, which is pretty much the only way to get one. Lots of dead bodies might have them, but most probably aren’t in working condition, and many of dead aren’t soldiers, but civilians who got caught up in this.” She explained.

“Fortunately, I had a stash not too far from here around the time I joined the military. I figured one day I might need it; should be a considerable amount of ammo there too.” She added.

This was the first bit of good news I had heard in a while. I wasn’t exactly looking forward to killing another pony, but if it came to it, I’d rather at least be armed in that situation. I found that out here I was forced to amend my morals and values on a regular basis.

“I can take you to it, but we might need some help from Pinkie Pie to get there. I don’t want us outnumbered by those damn savages, and have only one of us with a weapon.” She said.

Pinkie Pie was leading us, which didn’t exactly set me at ease. Her ability to think rationally was questionable at best, and her constant almost schizophrenic behavior was enough to keep one on the edge, but part of me was glad. I was for some reason a little fond of this mare. She had a good heart, and I suppose that’s all that counted. I found myself even laughing at her from time to time.

I glanced over at Dash next to me. I noticed her blade again. It was almost sparkling from the light bouncing off of it. The word “Colors” really seemed to stand out to me, and I could only guess as to the significance it had to her.

“Tell me about your weapon.” I finally managed to ask.

“Curious about that?” She responded.

“A little I suppose” I replied.

She began telling a story. “Well, during my time in the military I was originally issued a standard gun-sword just like every other pony who joined. When I rose to a commanding officer rank though, I was sent on a mission in the forest area. We were vastly outnumbered; I had a troop of only ten soldiers up against maybe two hundred.”

I was listening rather intently.

“Well, sure enough orders from headquarters told us to retreat. We turned around, and sure enough we were surrounded. We had no way out, and we were outgunned. I glanced over at my troops, and raised my blade to the air and proclaimed that if we were to die, we’d die fighting. After that I bolted into battle and slaughtered them. We were able to fight our way out and press the enemy back enough to get back to the castle. After that they promoted me to field commander, and had this honorary weapon crafted for me out of the crown of Celestia.” She said.

The crown!? Rainbow Dash’s blade was made of the crown of Celestia itself? Celestia was willing to sacrifice her royal jewels in gratitude of Rainbow Dash?

“Is that where you got the nickname ‘The Miracle’, then?” I asked.

She nodded.

“What about Pinkie Pie?” I asked gestured towards her.

Pinkie Pie was far enough ahead to where she couldn’t hear a word we were saying, then again I somehow doubt she would understand what we were talking about anyways.

“Well, like I said, she got shot in the head it looks like, and she’s been here ever since, just now she acts bat shit insane…” She paused, “Come to think of it, perhaps she hasn’t really changed at all…” She joked.

That meant Pinkie Pie was always this strange. I somehow pictured her to be that way though.

We arrived at a rundown old shack a few miles from the Ponyville ruins. It wasn’t too impressive, but it held together through the war it appeared. Rainbow Dash knocked the door down with little care, I suppose she didn’t plan on returning to this place anytime soon after this.

Inside there were several firearms decorating the walls. There were enough there to start a war within itself. They all seemed about the same in appearance, which supported my theory of them being mass produced.

Rainbow Dash levitated one from the wall and loaded it up from a nearby crate. After she finished preparing it, she started fastening it on my front right hoof.

“It works very easily; you just use the U.M.S.A. on it like you would anything else. Concentrate on pulling the blade out and it will follow. Give it a try.” She instructed.

I took a step back and held out the weapon. Focusing on it, I mentally commanded it to extend its blade out. Just as quickly as I had thought it, it obeyed. The blade jumped out with a sharp slicing noise. I then commanded it back in, and sure enough it followed.

“Excellent, shooting is the same way. You point it at something and use the U.S.M.A. to command it to fire. I’d tell you to try it, but we don’t want to attract unwanted guests, so you’ll have to take my word for it.” Dash joked. It was good to see that she still had a sense of humor.

Our lesson was interrupted by a crackling noise within the structure. I glanced around to find it was an old radio that sat on a table. Rainbow Dash took charge and began to speak over it.

“Who is out there?” She asked.

A voice from the other side answered her question. “This is Octavia, I’m a resident of the Canterlot area, and I was kidnapped by some of the savages. I managed to escape, but I’m trapped down in a cave at Horseshoe Rock. I need assistance right away.” She sounded like an older mare.

“It’s your lucky day. You happen to have reached Rainbow Dash.” Dash responded.

“Rainbow Dash!?” Octavia answered.

“Yup. You just hold on tight, and we’ll be down there to get you, just try not to get killed before we get there. We’ll get you out of there, but you’re on your own in getting back to Canterlot.” She replied.

“That will be fine; I should be able to make it back just fine after I get out of this cave.” Octavia said.

“Alright, just hold on tight then, we’re on our way.” With those words Rainbow Dash hung up the radio and gestured for the door.

“We’re leaving right now?” I asked.

“Every second counts, what choice do we have?” She said.

I nodded and accepted the command. I would finally be able to see Rainbow Dash in action, so I had little to complain about.

Achievement: That's Not a Toy - Flare acquired a weapon.

Act 1: Chapter Six

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Six (Rainbow Dash Saga)

“Are you entirely sure that bringing Pinkie Pie with us is a very good idea? I mean this is supposed to be a rescue mission and no offense to her but… She’s kind of…” I was trying to find a polite way to voice my protest for bringing the obnoxiously pink mare.

“Bat shit insane?” Dash was quick to finish my sentence in a manner that I was trying to avoid it appeared.

“Well, I was going to put it lighter than that, but… Yeah, she’s completely out of her mind, are you sure it’s safe even having her around?” I gave up on not being rude.

Dash laughed lightly and shrugged. “Not sure actually; I definitely feel weary around her at times, but she’s the best shot in Equestria, so I’d rather have her gun protecting this place when I’m asleep than none at all. Though I hear you on the whole not feeling safe with her around; there’s a reason she doesn’t sleep in the house…” Dash turned away at that last part, clearly insinuating that she too had some kind of concern about Pinkie’s condition.

Coming up to her side, I tilted my head at an angle to get another look at Rainbow Dash’s face, hoping to get her attention again. She did as predicted and turned to face me again.

“Has she ever tried anything strange…?” I asked.

“Like I said kid, she was always strange, but I assume you mean strange even for her. One night I was sleeping and for some reason I woke up; I can’t remember why, but there she was standing over me.” Dash explained.

Her pause lead me to believe there was more to that story than that. “What’d she do?” I nudged her verbally to continue.

“Nothing happened per say, but she was just there breathing really heavily. We stared at each other for like five whole minutes. Finally she turned around and walked out the door without saying a word. She returned to her patrol for the night and we never spoke about it.” Rainbow Dash finished.

“Where does she sleep?” I questioned.

“No idea. I’ve never seen her go to sleep actually.” Dash shrugged.

“Speak of the devil.” She pointed to the door.

“So, we’re off on an adventure are we?” Pinkie Pie asked rather loudly.

Her voice was loud enough to wake every savage in the Equestrian ruins and bring them to us. She had a way of speaking that got one’s attention, though not in the way that Rainbow Dash spoke. Dash spoke with a voice that commanded, a voice fit to lead an army.

“Pinkie Pie, we’re going to rescue a pony named Octavia from some savages. I need you to not fuck around here, as this is a delicate operation.” Dash scolded the pink pony.

“No problem, delicate is my middle name… Actually it’s Diane, but that’s beside the point.” Pinkie gave a half assed salute to Dash.

Rainbow Dash sighed and shook her head in a manner that suggested she knew that anything she was saying was going in one ear and out the other for Pinkie Pie. I got the impression that this exact scene had played out several times between the two before.

“I suppose we should head out. Stay close, and try not to get killed.” Dash announced.

Rainbow Dash clearly knew how to keep one at ease, that or she was exercising a crude sense of humor, one that I probably couldn’t appreciate not being a part of the world the war created for very long.

“So… Pinkie Pie… Do you remember at all what happened to your head…?” I tried to make conversation with the delusional pony during our walk.

“My head?” She asked curiously. “Did something happen to it?” She added while taking a glance upwards.

“You know… That scar…?” I hinted.

“What scar?” She turned her attention right back to me.

It was useless; this pony clearly wasn’t even living in reality anymore. It was better not to force her either; who knows; maybe she’d snap and go on a killing spree or something. She didn’t look too stable right now as it is. I still firmly believed that she had good intentions in her heart, but part of me wanted to believe that they could be easily forgotten by her apparent brain damage.

“Hey you two shut the fuck up will you? We’re here.” Dash interrupted.

She gestured a hoof at a cave not one hundred yards from where we were standing. It didn’t look too special, though signs of being inhabited were all about it. Graffiti decorated much that was visible from the outside, and there were droppings of random garbage of possible savages. It wasn’t exactly very well hidden, but judging from the savages I had run into up to this point, I could assume they weren’t exactly the smartest bunch.

“Alright, here’s the plan…” Rainbow Dash gestured for us all to duck down lower while she whispered.

“Pinkie Pie, I want you to go in there and clear out any savages that are keeping guard trying to take care of any intruders. We’ll follow behind, that way I can cover the kid in case things get too… Colorful…” She glanced at me for a brief second as she mentioned that last part, as if she was trying her best not to offend me.

“Oki Doki Loki.” Pinkie agreed almost too quickly and eagerly for comfort.

Un-hesitantly she wandered over to the cave in a very nonchalant manner. The way she trotted over to it, it was as if she didn’t even realize that there may be a group of cannibalistic savages waiting for her in that cave.

Sure enough my instinct was correct. Soon a group of filthy colts bolted out of the cave surrounding her as she came only a few feet away from the entrance. Dash and I were using the brush to sneak up carefully while Pinkie Pie stood in a standoff with the group. She was very unmoved by their hostility, and appeared to be as casual as always, I couldn’t tell who I was more afraid of.

“Looks like we got some fresh meat here…” A drooling savage spoke as he gripped an old rusty axe between his teeth.

“Hello, my name is Captain Hamster… No wait… It’s… Pinkie Pie! That’s it! Yes, my name is Pinkie Pie!” She responded gleefully.

Another of the group snarled up a response. “Looks like this one is a few marbles short boss…”

There were six total circling her, all of which armed with some kind of crude melee weapon which they looked plenty experienced with.

“My friends and I would like to pass, as we’re on a mission. So if you’d let us through that would be most excellent!” Pinkie completely ignored their comment.

“Oh good, you brought us more snacks to go with our meal. You’re too kind.” The one with the axe hissed.

Without even a moment’s notice, Pinkie Pie raised her front right hoof and let her gun blast the axe-wielder’s head clean off his shoulders. Not even the slightest hesitation on her part, but looking closer I could see that her expression did a complete 180. The fun loving and lovable idiot Pinkie Pie disappeared within a second. This new face seemed demented and sinister; I was getting the chills just looking at her.

“You shouldn’t talk that way about my friends…” She warned.

With amazing speed she pivoted and shot another right through the neck. He fell choking while the other four lunged at her. She was able to avoid their swings and take out another with a single shot. In the confusion the remaining trio tried to circle around her and attack from all sides, this too was met with failure, as Pinkie was quick enough to squeeze out two shots and fell two more before their attacks could hit her, dodging the final attack proved simple to her.

Pinkie aimed her gun at the last colt, but a clicking sound was all it produced. She tried to fire it several times again, but only received more clicks.

“Looks like you’ve got a jam.” The last colt smiled deviously.

“Y'all ain’t got no more weapons now…” He laughed.

He clearly was mistaken. At those exact words Pinkie lunged her who body at the colt with full force. Tackling him she dug her teeth into his neck bit down and began to tear. The colt screamed and panicked in pain and agony as Pinkie continued shredding the skin right off of his neck and face using only her teeth.

Pinkie kept tearing and shredding at the corpse before her attention was grabbed by Rainbow Dash.

“Pinkie, that’s enough, he’s dead already.” She scolded.

Pinkie ceased and a piece of the colts flesh dropped out of her mouth as she looked up to Dash. She smiled happily as if nothing happened and nodded to the blue mare.

“Sorry Dashie, got a little carried away.” She apologized.

“That’s fine, but tone it down a notch, you’re scaring the kid.” Dash instructed as she scouted on ahead with us close behind.

Scared would be an understatement, more like mortified. I had never seen a pony actually cannibalize another pony before. I had been threatened to be eaten myself, and heard plenty about cannibal ponies up to this point, but I had never actually witnessed it happening. The last thing I expected on top of that was the pony who saved me from cannibals to be one herself.

Out of fear I stuck close to Rainbow Dash, I was practically rubbing up against her. Catching onto my fear she glanced back at Pinkie Pie and gave her a quick order.

“Pinkie Pie, wait outside and keep guard. If we need you, we’ll yell.” She told.

Pinkie Pie nodded and pranced back towards the cave entrance happily, with blood still dripping from her jaw.

“I didn’t think she was capable of that…” I admitted.

“Yeah, she’s pretty wild sometimes. Doesn’t like ponies threatening her friends, I’m just glad she remembered I was one of her friends and didn’t try to rip me a new one the first time I came back here.” She said.

“She ate him…” I was very quiet.

“Well, she was more or less trying to kill him and got carried away, but yeah, I’m pretty sure that bullet to her head really fucked her up.” Dash tried to make light of the situation, which was just like her; after all, she had probably seen far worse out here.

“Let’s just look for this Octavia…” I sighed.

“Keep quiet. Lesson one about the ruins, never assume that you’ve killed all in a group, there could still be more of those assholes in this cave…” Dash hushed me.

Her being the veteran, I decided to just shut my mouth and obey. I followed behind her silently as she lowered her body close to the ground and crept through the cave. Moving the way she was, I noticed she was completely silent with her steps. It must have taken years to master such a method of movement that would eliminate her sound entirely. I did my best to mimic her, though I wasn’t half as good as she was.

Dash extended her blade and angled it around a corner as she glanced at it. She must have been using it to see around the corner. Pulling her blade back, she gave a glance over to me and a gesture that I interpreted as “wait here.” With haste she tip toed around the corner while I inched towards her direction to get a better view.

I was only able to catch a quick glimpse, but just enough to see Rainbow Dash sneak up behind a mare and slit her throat with her blade. She didn’t even wait for the body to stop moving before tossing it aside. Blood spurted out of the new opening on the mare’s body.

Dash ignoring the suffering of her fresh kill gestured for me to follow her. Still moving as stealthily as she was earlier we could see the flicker of some kind of fire up ahead. Once again she instructed me to wait as she cautiously inched ahead.

“Don’t move!” A voice called out from up ahead. I recognized right away that it didn’t belong to Rainbow Dash, which caused me to dart towards her direction.

A brown mare stood holding Dash at gunpoint. Her jet black mane looked like it normally was well kept, but had gone several days without being maintained. She looked tired and haggard, probably been awake for several days.

“Wait… Rainbow Dash?” She said lowering her weapon.

“The one and only.” I replied for Dash.

The mare let out a sigh of relief and approached us both carefully.

“Thank Celestia, this gun isn’t even loaded.” She said.

“I apologize for my rudeness, I’ve been held up here for a while now and I couldn’t take any chances. You can’t imagine how relieved I was when I heard the famous Rainbow Dash was coming to my rescue.” The brown mare complimented.

Dash sighed with annoyance. “We cleared out the cave, getting back to Canterlot manor shouldn’t be too difficult now. We’ll stock you up with some ammunition and food and get you on your way.”

“Miss Dash, I must say I am very thankful for your assistance, Twilight Sparkle and Luna speak very highly of you. After seeing you myself, I must say that their words clearly are the truth; won’t you return to Canterlot with me?” Octavia bowed her head.

Dash seemed to get angry at the request. “Like I said before, we could only help you out of this cave, getting back to Canterlot if your problem. You can tell Twilight that Rainbow Dash has no interest in playing soldier anymore.” She hissed.

After hiking back to the old library where Dash was staying she sacrificed some of her ammunition and rations to Octavia. Before she was sent on her way, she begged Dash to return with her to Canterlot one more time. Dash of course refused and Octavia took her leave with a look of disappointment on her face.

“Thanks again Pinkie, you’re a true friend.” Dash patted her on the back.

“No problem Dashie! Always glad to be of any help to my friends!” Pinkie replied.

“Can you do us a favor and resume patrolling outside? I want to catch some rest; I’m not as agile as I used to be…” Dash yawned.

Pinkie Pie gave another of her awkward salutes and rushed back outside without another word. A part of me still felt awkward about entrusting her with protecting us, but then again I was already aware of what she was willing to do to anypony who tried to cause harm to her friends.

Dash planted her rear onto the floor and let out an exhausted sounding sigh. She pulled a glass off of a shelf and filled it with the flask left on the table. All in the same motion she took a big gulp of the drink.

“You seem pretty worn out…” I said as I approached her.

“I’ve been worn out for years, kid.” She replied.

“I thought you were the fastest in Equestria?” I asked.

“I was, but that’s just the thing, I was the fastest in Equestria, the years have not been good to me that’s for sure.” She took another gulp.

“You could earn your title back with ease. You already have the mark to prove it.” I gestured towards her flank.

She laughed heartily, and lifted part of her cloak revealing her flank followed by the word, “Where?”

It was completely empty. No cutie mark whatsoever. I had seen her mark before on posters; a cloud with a multi-colored lightning bolt coming out of it. Sure enough though, no such mark existed on her body.

“What happened to your cutie mark!?” I exclaimed.

“I told you, I’m not the fastest in Equestria anymore.” She sighed, letting her cloak fall back over her flank.

“So your cutie mark just…?” I started.

“Disappeared. Yup, I found out that can happen. Apparently if a pony loses their talent, then their mark goes with it. Now I’m just a worthless good for nothing waiting for the end.” She sighed.

I said nothing. I couldn’t find any words that I thought would add anything to the situation. Rainbow Dash had sacrificed more than I originally thought for this war.

Achievement: Forgot to Mention, She Bites - Pinkie ripped out a savage's throat using only her teeth.

Act 1: Chapter Seven

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Seven (Rainbow Dash Saga)

For the third night in a row I had been awoken by a disgruntled looking Rainbow Dash. For the past three nights she had gotten up and decided to get me up with her, and ask if I wanted a drink. Ordinarily I would tell somepony that they were being rude waking me up every night, but seeing as how I was the guest, I let it slide. I would decline the drink but stay up with her anyways.

Every time it was the same; she’d pour herself a drink, and down it in one long series of gulps without coming up for air. Then she’d sit there at the table with an appearance that suggested stress was weighing down on her. Sweat was pouring off of her like a garden house, and she looked terribly shaken.

It was no different tonight, but for some reason I felt it necessary to say something this time instead of sitting there quietly during this whole process.

“What’s wrong? You’ve been waking up like this almost every night. You hardly ever get enough sleep.” I asked daringly.

She took another gulp of her drink and let the glass clank on the table. “Nightmares, that’s all…” She was clearly trying not to tell me too much.

A part of me decided that I needed to know more. “What kind of nightmares?” I asked.

Dash glanced over at me and made solid eye contact. Her gaze was powerful, enough to probably kill a pony just by looking at them. I held still while she stared, until she sighed and looked back down at her glass.

“You know why I joined the military?” She asked.

“To help Equestria?” I answered stupidly.

“Before the war, my parents had another daughter. She looked a lot like me, just the most adorable sister I could have ever asked for. They named her Colors, and I just fell in love with the girl to where I just wanted to watch her grow up.” She said.

I could feel a story coming on; I let her continue without interrupting.

“Well, only about a year after she was born, they died in an accident. So I became her legal guardian. Losing my parents was hard, but I got through it with her. I raised her like she was my own child really, even though she was my sister. I had to play the role of big sister and mom; it wasn’t easy, but I loved that little girl so much…” She went on lost in her memories; I could even see a smile start to grow on her face.

“What happened to her?” I asked.

The smile on her face quickly disappeared. “It was about seven years ago, when this whole war began. The darkness had been growing steadily for a long time, but we didn’t even think that anything would become of it. We were wrong on so many levels though. Trixie initiated the first attack that started the war; she sent a large set of troops armed with guns to assault Ponyville.”

“W-what happened then?” I was hesitant to ask.

“Well it sure wasn’t a battle, it was a massacre. They gunned down any and all unarmed citizens. They showed no mercy to anypony, and murdered them all. Colors and I were sleeping at the time, but Trixie happened to notice that I was in the town, so she came knocking at my door. Before I knew it, she pulled me outside and her soldiers held me down at gunpoint. I’ll never forget what she did next though…” Dash paused for a moment and appeared to be choking on her words.

“She had her soldiers pull Colors right outside next to me. I begged her to leave her out of it, but she didn’t listen. She looked me right in the eye and told me to send a message to Celestia; to tell her that her kingdom was about to come to an end. Then to show me she was serious, she ordered one of her colts to ‘Kill the kid’ right there and then.” Dash stopped, tears started forming in her eyes.

I didn’t know what to say, words wouldn’t come out of my mouth.

“She had them kill her right in front of me. I couldn’t stop them…” She was breaking into a full sob now.

I had never imagined I would see her like this. Every time I had heard about Rainbow Dash, I never once thought about a more sensitive side to her.

“It wasn’t your fault Rainbow Dash. There was nothing you could have done…” I attempted to soothe her pain.

She ignored my offer and continued. “I looked her right in the eye. I promised her right there and then, that I would return the favor; that I would be the one to kill her.” Dash’s eyes filled with fire to go with the tears.

“And you have nightmares about it every night don’t you?” I asked curiously.

Dash wiped her tears and turned away fairly embarrassed. “Among other things…” She commented.

I decided that I didn’t want to pry too far; after all it was enough to make her relive one bad memory. I approached her and placed a hoof around her and smiled trying to cheer her up.

“We can’t change the past, but don’t worry. We can still win this war; we can make them pay for all the lives they’ve taken.” I explained.

She thwarted my hoof away and took a step away from me.

“You don’t get it, kid! Our enemy doesn’t give two flying fucks about anything but winning! They don’t give a fuck about casualties, they don’t give a fuck about who they’re up against, they don’t give a fuck about you, and they sure as hell don’t give a fuck about me! Our enemy just wants us all dead, and they’ll stop at nothing to accomplish it. They’ll throw as many bodies at us as they need to until we’re all dead.” She was on the verge of shouting.

“You make it sound as though we’ve already lost…” I lowered my head.

“Have you looked around us lately? We have lost. Everything is fucking destroyed, and we’re all just sitting here hiding. They’ve got some of the greatest hunter-killers that ever existed, and they’re out there right now, searching the land looking for ponies like you and me, to either turn to the darkness or slaughter and toss on the body piles with the others.” Dash was getting tenser still.

I tried to calm her down, but to no avail. “But you are ‘The Miracle’; we stand a chance with you.” I said.

“Fuck you!” She hissed.

“While you were up there in Skyvale just sitting nice and cozy, I was down here fighting. I fought every day, every night, just nonstop fighting. I watched ponies die left and right for days on end without even a second in between. I didn’t win those battles alone, I won them with my comrades, and I lost a good share of my comrades in a lot of those battles. What makes you think that my existence changes anything?” She growled at me.

I was quiet with my answer. “Because you were my hero… I dreamed of coming down here and meeting you. I wanted to help you in any way I could… I still believe in you Rainbow Dash…”

She was speechless. She turned away without a word and I saw myself out. I hoped that a night without me there to pester her would allow her to sleep peacefully for once.

Outside Pinkie Pie was keeping a watchful eye on our surroundings; it was kind of strange to see her just walking back and forth with that serious look on her face where that dumb smile of hers usually was.

“Aren’t you the least bit tired Pinkie Pie?” I asked curiously.

“Not in the slightest friend.” She responded rather enthusiastically.

Maybe Rainbow Dash was right, and Pinkie Pie really didn’t sleep.

“Hey Pinkie… What do you think about Rainbow Dash?” I questioned.

“Rainbow Dash? Well I think she’s pretty amazing really. I’ve never had a friend as great as her, she’s the best!” She replied.

“Why do you think that?” I continued quizzing her.

“Dash has done so much for me. She’s always taking care of me, sharing her food with me, and checking up on me. She’s the only pony who puts up with me. She even keeps the cabbages away, which I’m very grateful for.” She explained.

Ignoring her delusions, I could sort of understand where she was coming from. I couldn’t imagine that many ponies would want to put up with a girl like Pinkie Pie. She wasn’t exactly a pony that I could say that I’d have spent as long with as Rainbow Dash did.

Standing out here with her now, I could see she had a twitching problem. She appeared to be shivering quite often now that I thought about it. It wasn’t that cold out.

“Are you cold…?” I asked quietly.

“Nope, why do you ask?” She replied while shivering some more.

“You’re shivering…” I answered.

“Oh, I hardly notice anymore, it’s a side effect of eating ponies.” She smiled.

Eating ponies. I had forgotten all about that, Pinkie Pie had cannibalized that other pony a few days ago. The body responds to eating the flesh of your own kind by some kind of twitching and shivering. It was your body’s way of telling to that it wasn’t natural to devour your own kind. The fact that Pinkie was used to this meant that wasn’t the first time either.

“How many ponies have you… Eaten…?” I asked hesitantly.

“I’ve eaten ponies?” She asked dumbfounded.

I sighed, remembering that I was trying to carry on conversation with a girl with some severe head problems.

“Say, can I show you something?” She either was changing the subject, or honestly didn’t remember what we were talking about.

“Um… Sure.” I shrugged.

She tilted her head suggesting I follow her. I obeyed and she began to lead me down the remnants of the streets that once paved this town. Not only five minutes down the road she halted in front of a building marked “Sugar Cube Corner”, but a crude old sign decaying with age. Once I had caught up to her, she bolted right inside and I followed cautiously.

The inside of the building was far more impressive than the outside. Much of the interior looked very intact and most of it seemed to be repaired. It was clearly in the process of being restored.

It was a nice little bakery, almost nice enough to fool me into thinking it was still operational and the owners were just waiting in the back ready to take orders.

“What is this place…?” I asked.

“This would be Sugar Cube Corner, I used to work here.” Pinkie responded as she stood behind the counter and leaned over it smiling at me.

“How’s it in such good condition?” I said.

“I’ve been working to restore it for years. I got a lot of it operational, hopefully once ponies return to Ponyville I can open it back up and we can start seeing customers again.” She responded.

“You did this all by yourself…?” I was fairly amazed at the amount of work put into this place.

“Nope. Rainbow Dash helped. She gathered spare parts and building supplies from all over to help me get this place back in working condition.” Pinkie Pie said.

I suddenly felt bad. It looked like Dash still did care about something, despite trying to make it appear as though she didn’t. No matter how much she treated Pinkie Pie like she was just a loon that kept guard for her, she clearly cared about her more than she let on.

“Pinkie, do you think that Dash can change the world?” I asked, this time however I was accepting the fact that Pinkie may not even realize a war was going on.

“Of course I do. Dashie can do anything that I’m sure of.” Pinkie smiled furiously.

“Me too…” I smiled back.

Achievement: Just Ignore the Skeletons - Flare saw Sugarcube Corner.

Act 1: Chapter Eight

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Eight (The Factory Saga)

“Hey Rainbow Dash, I’m sorry about last night… I didn’t mean to be disrespectful or anything and you were right… I don’t understand what war is like…” I apologized for the previous night. Pinkie Pie’s words had really gotten to me.

Dash only sighed and shook her head in disappointment to me, then opened her mouth for the first time in hours. “No, don’t be sorry, it’s not your fault, it’s mine. How could you have known? They sealed you away from the war, it’s not like you were hiding from it, hell the fact that you’re here now shows that you didn’t want to hide from it. It takes a lot of courage just to come down and choose this life over that one…” Dash complimented. Rarely did I catch her speaking in positive regard to anypony.

“I am sorry that happened to you though… I have a sister myself…” I commented with my head hung low.

Nodding, Rainbow Dash wandered back over to her usual spot and levitated a familiar flask to her lips. Taking a large gulp she placed the flask back in place. It was rather astonishing how much alcohol this mare consumed really.

Our silence was broken by the door being thrown open with a loud thud.

Almost instinctually, Dash drew her blade and took aim towards the intruder. Despite being constantly buzzed she had a set of reflexes and aim that served her true to her title. She may have not been the fastest flier anymore, but she was still just as quick as she once was.

The intruder showed nothing towards the gesture. She had a rather emotionless expression which was assisted by her sunglasses covering her eyes. A dark purple in color, it was impossible to see through them on our end. With a wild blue mane combed in a rather rebellious haircut she looked very tomboyish for a unicorn. Most tomboys I had met in my days were pegasus or earth ponies like myself. The unicorns were primarily upper class before the war, so it was odd to see one like this.

Her coat was pure white, but soaked in splats of blood left and right; clearly her trip over here wasn’t a peaceful walk through the ruins. Upon further examination of her body I could see that her cutie mark was a double quaver. A bit of jealousy overcame me as I remember my own empty flank.

“So, you really are still alive out here. I guess I can’t say I’m too surprised, after all if anypony could last out here in this hellhole it would be you. Long time no see though Dashie.” The unwelcomed guest spoke as she waltzed in making herself at home.

“I know you didn’t come here just to check up on me, so what do you want Vinyl?” Dash replied lowering her weapon.

Vinyl? This was the pony from the tapes from before? That meant that she and Rainbow Dash served in the Knights together.

“Why so uptight? I thought you’d be excited to see me Dashie, I mean what’s it been? Five, maybe six years?” Vinyl commented.

Dash held her gaze. Vinyl got the message that Dash wasn’t interested in catching up, and just wanted to get to the point.

“Twilight sent me.” She admitted shamelessly.

“Well you can go back to her, and tell her I said to go fuck herself.” Rainbow hissed.

“I’d do that gladly, but I think you should do that yourself when we go back together.” Vinyl smirked. Clearly she loved the idea of telling authorities what’s what.

“I hope you have something to back those words up…” Dash prepared to draw her blade once more.

Vinyl laughed heartily and threw herself onto the old couch with continued laughter. She turned back to us and grew what appeared to be an honest smile.

“I see you’re just as much of a hard ass as you were before, it’s refreshing to see really; however I can’t exactly force you to come back if you don’t want to. After all, you’re probably the only pony alive who could best me in battle. I may be crazy, but I’m not an idiot, I know when to pick my battles.” Vinyl replied.

Dash lowered her hoof and sat down to relax once again. Pulling the flask to her mouth again she slurped down another vile sip of the liquid inside. Placing the flask back onto the table she sat quietly for a brief few minutes; Vinyl did likewise.

“So you must have some other reason for being here then. You and Twilight would both know that you couldn’t drag me back there even if you tried, so why bother wasting your time coming here?” Dash asked breaking the silence.

“A certain point of interest has come up that we felt would be of relevance to you…” Vinyl came to her hooves and trotted over to the table and rudely poured herself a drink as well. She had little house manners, but it looked like Dash didn’t mind it.

“I’m listening.” She said in between sips.

“Trixie has kidnapped Applejack.” Vinyl said plainly.

Dash dropped her drink mid-sip. Her eyes grew more attentive as she leaned in with interest. “What did you say…?” She asked.

“We were as surprised as you were. We hadn’t heard from her in years, since before the war even, we didn’t even know if she was alive, but by the time we found out Trixie had already claimed her for her own. Sent us some nice little threats about how she wants somepony from the Knights to meet her and discuss her demands for Applejack’s return. We figured since you would have personal interest in this situation that you’d be willing to offer advice on our next course of action.” Vinyl explained.

Dash was hardly listening. She was obviously still stuck on the fact that Trixie had Applejack as her hostage.

Banging her hoof on the table she stood up and stared down Vinyl. “Vinyl, you tell Twilight that I will go and meet Trixie myself. This is my fight, and I won’t have Twilight interfere.” Dash exclaimed.

Vinyl didn’t seem too surprised by Dash’s reaction, and then again she knew her fairly well I could assume. Her and Dash had a lot in common, but Vinyl definitely had a much cockier attitude than Rainbow Dash.

“I’ll deliver the message to her. I assume it’s going to take you a matter of hours to get to Fillydalphia to meet with Trixie? After all, you’re the fastest flier in Equestria.” Vinyl did the bragging for her.

“Only have one wing now. Flying is out of the question, I’ll have to go on the hoof-express.” Dash joked.

“When’d that happen?” Vinyl leaned in.

“It’s not important; the point is I’ll need about a week to get there and back. Do you think you could meet me back here when I return?” Dash answered.

Vinyl just nodded in response. An unusual smile played her lips, perhaps she was just pleased with herself for being able to get Dash to fight for them again.

“I’m setting out right away. Flare, I want you to stay here.” She commanded.

My ears perked up at the mention of my own name.

“Huh? Why can’t I come with you?” I protested.

“You’re tough kid, but you’re nothing in a fight against the armies of darkness, or Trixie for that matter. You’d only end up getting yourself killed and wasting yet another life to Trixie.” Dash explained.

She had a point, in a fight I was barely formidable, and that was with both the help of Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie. I would not even last more than three seconds against a hardened soldier probably. I would get diced up in a matter of seconds, but it didn’t stop me from wanting to go with her.

“Dash, I wasn’t aware that you had a mate, you sly girl…” Vinyl smirked deviously.

“Fuck off Scratch; he’s from Skyvale. He’s just staying here because if he tried to make it on his own, he’d just get slaughtered and made into a quick meal. When we found him he was almost made into a snack by a bunch of savages.” Dash explained to Vinyl.

Thanks for the nod of confidence Dash.

“I need you to stay here though, Flare. I want you to watch out for Pinkie Pie. I don’t like leaving her entirely by herself; she’s not exactly safe that way.” She instructed.

Pinkie Pie’s safety? She was the best shot I had ever seen, and on top of that a ruthless cannibal. I would like to see the pony dumb enough to try and pull something with her. With her mental stability I think it would be reasonable to fear for one’s personal safety more especially when she was around; having her around put me at less ease than being alone sometimes.

“Keep her alive until I get back please.” Dash asked kindly.

I couldn’t refuse. I didn’t want to let Rainbow Dash down.

“Flare? Flare, get up.” A stern voice scolded me in my slumber.

Still half asleep I rolled out of bed and landed onto the hardwood floor with a crash. When I turned my body around to get a glimpse at who had awoken me, I was surprised to see Pinkie Pie standing over me.

Something about her was different though, her mane specifically. Instead of being the normal puffed up ball of cotton it usually looked like, it was completely straight. It fell over her figure a lot more gracefully this way, and to be honest it seemed to look better on her. She looked collected and put together, if she didn’t have such a serious face on right now.

“Pinkie…? What are you doing?” I asked with a yawn.

“There’s no time. Come with me right now, I’m in need of your assistance and we haven’t a second to wait.” She placed a hoof over my mouth.

I nodded and rose to my hooves without further questioning. She gestured towards the door, and ran directly outside without further hesitation. I followed, trying to keep low like she was doing. Stalking through the open land just outside of Ponyville she lead the way cautiously. She was acting very strange, and for Pinkie Pie that was saying something. For some reason she was being cautious and tactical now, rather than as she normally traveled with a free spirit and a carefree demeanor.

“Where are we going?” I finally asked after nearly thirty minutes of wandering around.

Pinkie turned and faced me. She gave a quick response then returned to leading us to our destination.

“The factory.” She said.

Seeing as it was Pinkie Pie I was dealing with, I decided not to bother trying to squeeze more information out of her, as chances are she had no idea what she was even talking about.

“Does this have something to do with the cabbages?” I asked jokingly.

She didn’t answer, she just kept moving silently. It wasn’t until we arrived at a rather large looking run down building that she opened her mouth again.

“Welcome to the factory, Flare.” She invited me inside.

This place smelled more rotten than anything else I had caught a whiff of out here in the ruins. I couldn’t help but gag and cough just getting near the place.

Pinkie extended a hoof to assist me up, and commented, “You get used to the smell after a while.” With a rather serious tone.

Taking her offer, I allowed her to pull me into the lair without caution. Even though Pinkie Pie was almost completely out of her mind, I still trusted her enough to not to lead me into anything that would be too dangerous. I made a slight miscalculation.

Inside the walls of this building was something I had never seen before, something that was worse than everything I had seen up to this point in the Equestrian ruins. Lined up against the walls were dozens of other ponies, chained in place unable to move farther than maybe a foot a piece. Most of them were covered in what was clear to be their own fecal matter as it was all over the floor around them.

It was obvious that many were beyond malnourished judging by how emaciated a majority of them were. Some of them were even dead lying on the floor, and some of those among the dead appeared to be rotting for probably a few days now.

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, it was like a live slaughter house for ponies, and Pinkie Pie had brought us here.

Many cried and moaned upon our entry, Pinkie gave a nasty glare to the general direction of all the commotion then issued a threat.

“I suggest you all shut the fuck up, we have a guest here today.” She spoke in a normal amount of decibels, but her tone was far more commanding that it usually was.

A majority of them turned away and accepted her threat, a few just whimpered and broke down into tears.

The walls were filled with so many different kinds of ponies without prejudice. Unicorns, pegasus, earth ponies alike all lined up down those walls. Fillies, foals, mares, and colts everywhere, it was clear that no mercy was spared on anypony for any specific reason.

My mind quickly returned to the wretched stench that was filling the entire building. The mixture of urine and death was a unique smell that I could never forget.

One of the more rebellious ponies on the wall line up decided to take a stance against Pinkie, no doubt he’d regret it only seconds later.

“You fucking cunt! I’ll slit your fucking throat!” He screeched at her.

Pinkie halted and turned to face the colt. She approached casually while not breaking eye contact with him. You could feel the fear building from him more and more as she inched closer and closer with just a plain expression. The lack of emotion was far more intimidating than if she was expressing anger or rage.

“Say that again.” Pinkie was just as calm as ever.

The colt didn’t even breathe. He was trembling now that she was so close. Only a moment ago he was brave and ready to fight her head on, but now that she was right next to him he was cowering in fear. The only condition that had changed was her location; perhaps though he only lashed out from pure passion.

Pinkie jabbed him in the chest with her left hoof, and the moment he expressed the pain from the impact she clobbered him in the face with the right. Pulling a large stick out of her bag with her mouth she cracked it down on him repeatedly, aiming for the head every time. He would be beaten and scream in agony for several minutes before she would cease. The colt was left on the floor with blood leaking from his skull.

Leaning down Pinkie began to speak to him softly.

“That’s what I thought you worthless piece of shit. You’re here because of your own volition, and don’t think otherwise. Just remember every time that you try to be a fucking hero…” Pinkie kicked him in the throat before continuing.

“That you’re here because of you. It’s your own fault why you’re here, and nopony else’s. I have no sympathy for you, and I have nothing against ripping your fucking entrails out and STRANGLING YOU TO FUCKING DEATH WITH THEM!” She kicked him again, he responded with a grunt of pain.

“DO YOU FUCKING UNDERSTAND ME!?” Pinkie yelled.

He nodded furiously.

“Good, I hope we don’t have to have this conversation again.” Pinkie rose up and gestured for me to keep following her.

I tried to block the scene I just witnessed out of my mind as we approached the back room. It was more homely in there than the rest of the factory. There was a table, a bed, and several appliances in this room. Despite it being old and covered with rust, it was fairly cleaner than the rest of the building. Pinkie Pie clearly had made a second home out of this room, and it looked at the very least, inhabitable.

“Sorry about that, the cattle can be a bit out of control at times, but if you don’t show them discipline then they might try to cause trouble; I try my best to avoid that.” Pinkie explained plainly.

She was very nonchalant about the fact that she nearly beat a colt to his death in the other room two minutes ago; she was laughing it off and calling it controlling her cattle. The fact that she referred to them as cattle was a bit more unsettling. At this point though, I just wanted to remain calm, I didn’t want to give Pinkie any reason to think that either of us should be alarmed about the situation.

“It’s alright…” I managed to get out.

That’s all I could say.

“So Flare, what do you want to drink?” Asked the pink mare as she searched through some bottles in her cabinet.

“We have water, and I think I might have a few sodas lying about, that is if you don’t mind them being a little warm. I know you’re used to that fresh stuff, but down here most of the sodas are about 6 years old, so I hope you’re okay with that.” She rambled as she offered me a drink.

“You’re not Pinkie Pie, are you?” I changed the subject.

She paused in her search, and turned around to face me.

“Yes, and no.” She answered.

“What does that mean?” I questioned further.

Sighing she gestured for me to take a seat at the table with her. I obeyed and sat adjacent to her.

“I’ve been referred to as Pinkamena, and I suppose that’s the name I’ve adapted to myself.” She began.

“Pinkamena?” I tilted my head.

“It’s Pinkie Pie’s proper name, but I suppose it fits me as well. Whatever you want to call me though, I am an entity inside of Pinkie Pie. I’m a creature that gives her the strength to do what she couldn’t do on her own.” She explained.

“So, like a split personality?” I asked curiously.

“Sort of, I suppose. I still have my memories of Pinkie Pie, and my emotions and thoughts come from hers.” She spoke with such a plain expression.

A second Pinkie Pie?

“So… When you got shot…?” I pointed to her forehead.

“Nah. I was like this long before that accident. To be honest I’m not entirely sure why I’m like this. Perhaps my childhood wasn’t all that great? Maybe my parents never loved me enough? Hell, I’d even submit to the idea that I was just born with a twisted mind. Whatever the reason though, I exist as I do now.” Pinkamena said.

It was hard to believe that anything before the war could happen to a pony to drive them this insane. What could have possibly been worse than the war?

“So what’s all this about then…?” I asked cautiously.

“Progress.” She responded simply.

I couldn’t gather any words to respond to that.

“It’ll make sense in time, but you’ll just have to trust me. You do trust me, don’t you Flare?” She gave me a rather innocent looking face.

I did trust her. I couldn’t explain why, but I just trusted her. Maybe it was the fact that she saved me when I first came to the ruins of Ponyville. Maybe it was me trying to see the good inside of anypony, but whatever the reason I trusted her, even as Pinkamena.

“Yeah, I suppose so, though the whole operation out there has put some doubt in me, that’s for sure.” I admitted.

“I can understand that. Like I said, it’ll make more sense in time, but I’m glad to hear that you trust me, not many do.” She gave a weak smile.

“You must be very tired, I woke you up to bring you here, but I suppose we can continue this conversation in the morning.” She added.

I nodded. I was a little dazed from being woken up, but I was wide awake after seeing what I did here. I wasn’t sure I could sleep again, especially in this place. Knowing what was just outside this bedroom was a bit too much to just go to sleep around.

“I’m not sure if I can sleep though…” I replied.

She patted a bed in the corner with her left hoof calling me over to it. I came over to it as she suggested and climbed into it. To my surprise she climbed in right next to me.

Pinkamena pulled me close to her and wrapped herself around me. She was a tad larger than me, which was expected as she was significantly older than me. There was a unique feminine scent to her, one that I had never noticed before; perhaps because I had never been this close.

“Maybe you can sleep better knowing that I’m here.” Pinkamena explained her actions.

She was right. I felt safer lying there with her.

“Yeah…” I managed to get out.

Neither of us said another word. Pinkamena and I would just lay still until we both drifted off to sleep.

This is a secret, but you’ll need two to figure it out. I’m making this one easy for you, but the second will be trickier to find. Look for it in Chapter 9. There’s a link that you need to use to get to the secret, and here’s the first half of it: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kZYm6g6vrCElgp951Zz

Achievement: Don't Get on her Bad Side - Flare witnessed Pinkamena's temper.

Act 1: Chapter Nine

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Nine (The Factory Saga)

Surprisingly my slumber wasn’t plagued with nightmares as I was expecting. The previous day was needless to say a bit overwhelming to me, and more than just “a lot to take in all at once.” My eyes upon opening revealed a set of pink hooves wrapped around me. I was pulled up nice and snug against a soft mare behind me.

Pinkie Pie or rather Pinkamena? I couldn’t truly tell which she was anymore. There was no doubt in my mind that she was both of these characters, but it was hard to tell where one started and the other stopped; the line between the two was very blurred, almost frightening really.

She looked far less harmful while she slept. The long pink mane on her head wrapped around her in many thick strands, which somehow seemed to suit her. Looking at her as I did at that moment I couldn’t see either of the two characters that I knew her to be. I couldn’t see the random spontaneous attitude of Pinkie Pie, or the cynical serious demeanor of Pinkamena; the mare just looked silent and innocent. I was fairly amazed at how different she appeared in her sleep, though I shouldn’t have been surprised, as I had experienced a similar phenomenon with Rainbow Dash. During the day she would look tired, haggard and stressed, but when you did catch her in those brief moments enjoying her dreams that weren’t corrupted by her many nightmares, she looked peaceful, relaxed, and dare I say, beautiful.

Pinkie and Dash however had little in common beyond that and their ability to slay their foes with precision accuracy. It was obvious where Dash picked up her skill, but the scary part was thinking about where Pinkie got hers’.

Pinkie awoke with a delicate yawn, and adjusted her eyes and head position so that she could get a better look at me. She appeared calm and quiet, this was still Pinkamena.

“Good morning, Flare; did you sleep alright?” She asked kindly.

I nodded.

“That’s good to hear, how about some breakfast?” She asked.

“What do we have to eat around a place like this?” I asked sort of fearfully.

Pinkamena pulled herself out of the bed and wandered over to the kitchen area where she pulled out a rather disgusting looking meat from what appeared to be an old refrigerator. The meat must have been at least three days old, but looked edible enough if it was cooked.

“This is all we have; I can cook it for you if you want.” She offered.

I nodded again. I had meat before since I arrived, and I guess I wasn’t above eating it again if it was all that was being offered.

She ignited a flame over an old stove near the fridge and threw the meat into a pan as she began to roast it. It gave off an odd odor, clearly from its age; she would have to cook it fairly long to have it done thoroughly with its condition.

I approached her cautiously and stood next to her as she cooked. We both stood in silence, never making eye contact or speaking, just standing with each other. It carried on that way until she had finished cooking the vile meat to the best of her ability. She threw the chunks onto two makeshift plates and placed them both on the table using her levitation.

We both took a seat on either side and began our meal, perhaps the only meal we would have throughout the entire day.

The first bite I took I gagged. It never occurred to me to ask Pinkamena where she acquired this meat before now, or how long it had been in her possession, or even what it was from. I noticed she had little to no trouble chowing down on the disgusting thing.

“Pinkamena…” I started hesitantly.

I almost didn’t want to ask her.

“What kind of meat is this anyways…?” I was nearly trembling at the thought.

She paused her chewing and swallowed what was in her mouth whole before looking up to me slowly. Her expression looked plain and ordinary.

“It’s pony.” She let out easily.

I couldn’t contain myself any further, I felt my throat push forward, and out came a stream of vomit all over the floor; tears welling up in my eyes as I tried to hold back more vomit, but with little luck. All the contents of my stomach were emptied on that floor.

How can she say that so nonchalantly!?

“Excuse me!?” I exclaimed. I almost wanted her to tell me she was joking.

“You heard me.” She said taking another bite.

This wasn’t happening; I didn’t want to believe it was happening.

“You’re telling me, that you just hacked up some poor soul, threw his meat onto a frying pan, cooked him up and now you’re eating him!?” I was panicking.

“More or less.” She shrugged.

“And you don’t see anything wrong with that?” I asked.

“Do you want me to give the bullshit answer; the answer that’s expected of me because of moral value and social correctness? Or do you want the truth? Because the truth is, there is nothing wrong with it in the slightest, just morally. It may not exactly be good for your health, but it’s not as bad as it’s made out to be.” She explained.

“YOU’RE EATING YOUR OWN KIND!” I accused.

“Yes, however you’re only looking at it from what you’d know from that sky city, and the old kingdom. In the ruins survival becomes the biggest priority, those who are willing to do anything to survive get to live, and that includes eating. I’m alive because I am willing to make that next step to live. I am willing to eat those who aren’t willing to eat me, thus I am alive and they are not. You won’t last long out here if you just stick to the morally correct way of doing things.” She justified.

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Surely though there is more food out there than this!?”

“Of course, but it’s scarce. I refuse to skip several meals just because I want to nitpick on what I’m willing to eat and what I’m not. If we don’t eat them, they’re going to eat us; I thought you would have learned that from when we first met.” She continued with her meal.

She had a point sadly. Those savages had no remorse about making me into their next snack; on top of that Pinkamena had been surviving out here for nearly a decade before I came, clearly she knew what she was doing, and what it took to live out here.

“You’ll get used to it, you won’t even notice after a while.” She assured.

Begrudgingly I took another bite of the slab of cannibalism. It tasted awful on the tongue, but worse on my mind. I wanted to spit it out, but kept chewing, enough for me to swallow it and keep it down. My whole stomach was disagreeing with my choice, but I forced more down slowly and surely.

“There you go.” She smiled, but no emotion seemed to show through that smile.

I managed to devour the entire chunk of meat without upchucking it, but to keep it down I drank my weight in water. Pinkamena just finished it off like it was a bowl of cereal in the morning.

My throat screamed at me; commanding me to hurl the flesh out of my body, but I held back. I couldn’t believe what I was doing.

“Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it after a while.” Pinkamena came to my side and placed a hoof on my neck.

Through coughs and gags I tried to response. “I don’t know… How you can say that…” I managed to get out.

“You have to pull yourself together, we have something to talk about here, it’s rather important.” She changed the subject.

I nodded and tried to catch my breath.

Pinkamena sat back at her spot at the table and looked across towards me plainly. We both sat there with solid eye contact, neither of us saying a word. The silence was finally broken by a question on her end.

“Aren’t you wondering why we’re here? What’s going on perhaps?” She asked.

“I was a little hesitant to ask…” I admitted.

She nodded. “I suppose that’s understandable…”

“Well, I can honestly say that I am doing sort of a service to Equestria here, well at least I will be soon…” She smiled.

“No offense Pinkamena, but what kind of service could you possibly be providing from a place like this…?” I didn’t realize how rude it sounded until the words left my mouth.

Her face became stern and serious; it almost made me regret my statement.

“I know that it may look bad from your end, and I won’t deny that there is evil in what I do, but it is for a greater cause, I assure you this.” Pinkamena replied.

“Explain.” I requested.

“Well, you already saw all the ponies locked up in the other room, they are a key part of this experiment so to speak.” She began.

“And how is that?” I asked curiously.

“I’m getting to that, just have patience.” She winked.

I nodded and sat silent while I waited for her to explain her story.

“See, you may have heard of a plague being spread, well many in the Canterlot region die of the plague. It’s a fast acting disease that will kill a pony within six months of catching it. Nopony is sure how one catches it, or how to treat it. As a result, many die on a regular basis, and little advances are made, due to limited resources in medical science.” She explained.

“So, what does the plague have to do with what’s going on out there?” I asked raising a brow.

“Well, they are going to help cure the plague.” She smiled deviously.

“How can a group of captive savages do anything to cure an incurable disease?” I questioned.

“Well, I discovered some time ago that everypony has a little chemical inside their body that I like to call ‘The Essence of Life’, and that it’s a special chemical used by the body which possesses healing properties. This is more than likely the chemical that helps the body repair itself when damaged, and maybe even the chemical that makes life itself possible.” She explained.

“So you believe this chemical can be used to create medicine that would be effective on the plague?” I put two and two together.

“Bingo, but there’s only one problem.” She said.

There is always something.

“And that would be…?” I was hesitant in asking.

“Extraction; the only way to obtain this chemical is from living ponies, and the only way to get it out of them is to kill them.” She sighed.

“So, killing them to save lives…?” I tried to put together the illogical argument.

“Well, these ponies are already savages, beasts that can never be phased back into society. They chose to resort to barbarianism many years ago, and have no usefulness to Canterlot. They’re going to be wiped out eventually anyways, so why not make use of them. Travelers like you and me are just going to blow their heads off whenever they try and make a meal out of us anyways.” She justified.

She had a point, though I wouldn’t call it a solid one.

“If you want nothing to do with this operation, I’ll understand.” She spoke softly.

“Rainbow Dash knows nothing about this does she…?” I asked.

She shook her head.

I looked down at the ground in thought for a moment. Pinkamena was hacking up ponies… To save lives? Peering back up at her, I could see she had anguish in her expression; she was afraid I would reject her.

“What do you need me to do?” I asked.

A smile lit up her face almost instantly.

“Well, I invented a machine that can extract the chemical from their bodies. The process is rather gruesome though I warn you…” She said.

“I’ll do it.” I assured.

“Alright, well we’re going to need a lot of ponies. Then we have to remove their entrails quickly and put them into the machine while they’re still fresh. We must be quick to get the essence out of them, or it’ll corrode at an incredibly fast rate. The machine will them grind up the organs and separate the chemical from the guts. We’ll need at least one hundred ponies for this next serum I’m making…” She explained.

It sounded absolutely disgusting.

“Alright, where do we begin?” I asked.

“Let’s get to moving the cattle to the operation room, shall we?” She smiled as she trotted out the door.

On her way out she purposely flicked her tail in my face in a flirtatious manner. Perhaps that was her way of making light of the situation.

The “moving” process was interesting to say the least. Pinkamena would first inject her victim of choice with some kind of numbing agent; this apparently was to create no resistance from them, thus making transportation to the operation room quick and painless on our part.

The chosen colt wasn’t exactly compliant with our wishes; naturally he decided to kick up some rebellion.

“DON’T TOUCH ME YOU STUPID BITCH! GET AWAY FROM ME!” He screeched at Pinkamena.

She retaliated with a swift slap to his face. Just as quickly as contact was made, she injected the needle into his neck only a fraction of a second later.

“We’ll have to be quick, this numbing agent only lasts for a few minutes, so that gives us just enough time to take him to the back room and strap him down. Help me get him up onto the moving cart.” She instructed.

Unlocking his chains, we quickly hoisted him up and onto a large metal cart.

“Kid, you have to help me. This girl is crazy; you’re not going to let her cut me up are you?” He was almost in tears as he begged me for help.

“Don’t feel sorry for him Flare, I originally found this one raping a young filly, isn’t that right?” Pinkamena gave a sneer look at the colt.

“If you want to spare him though, you can…” Pinkamena sighed.

I looked the colt up and down, then back at Pinkamena. For some reason, I trusted her judgment, despite how crazy it seemed to be right now. This colt meant nothing to Equestria, and I was willing to convince myself that. He was just a worthless rapist savage with no direction. I couldn’t believe I was willing to justify killing like this; perhaps my time in the Equestrian ruins changed my morals and values, or maybe it was Pinkie.

“No need. He won’t be missed…” I managed to utter out.

Pinkamena smiled happily and continued to roll the cart towards the ominous back room that nopony in this factory besides her has ever come out of.

“YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE! WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE WHO DESERVES TO LIVE OR DIE!?” The colt screamed as we hauled him in.

Upon entering the room, I noticed the floor was stained with dry blood on top of more dry blood. The stench was high, but I somehow was able to overcome it. In the center of the room was a rather large cylinder like machine. Many pipes were attached to it, and it appeared to have some kind of chute on one side.

Pinkamena strapped the colt down with thick, tight leather belts. Then, using her levitation pulled a reel of duct tape from under the table he was strapped to. Pulling a strip off, she placed it over the colt’s eyes.

“The pain will be unbearable as it is, less we horrify him in his final moments as well.” She explained.

“You’re sick ponies… Both of you…” The colt whimpered.

Pinkamena leaned over him and stroked his blue mane gently. A look of regret appeared on her, and she stood there in silence over the broken colt. It almost looked like she was trying to comfort him.

“Be still… Do you want to die only thinking of regret?” She attempted to soothe.

He responded with crying.

“We must work quickly, Flare. Get your knife and help me here.” She instructed as she gestured to a nearby counter top.

I did as told. As the two of stood over the helpless victim, we both lowered our knives to his stomach area. This was it, we were about to disembowel this pony. My heart was racing back and forth, I almost couldn’t breathe. Part of me didn’t think I was going to be able to go through with it; I was already thinking of ways to back down and not do it.

Ultimately though, I didn’t think my way out quick enough; when Pinkamena’s knife touched the flesh, mine followed almost in perfect sync. With a swift cut, we created an opening in the chest cavity for extraction. I remember the screaming of the victim piercing my ears, the plain look on Pinkamena’s face, but mostly, the sight of the guts.

Pinkamena scooped up as many as she could and gave a quick and powerful jerk, ripping them from their host’s body and into her possession. My mind was blank, I was blocking out everything that was happening, every last bit of it. Brain dead, I followed Pinkamena’s example and pulled the parts she missed out, and carried them as she did.

The two of us dropped the organs into the chute for the machine in the middle of the room. It started whirring wildly as I heard gears start up their vicious cycle. Grinding noises came and I could hear the organs being mulched. Pinkamena out of excitement ran to the other side of the machine and beckoned me over to watch. I followed, and found her staring at a small glass canister on the other side of the machine. A few drops of a clear liquid dripped into the canister.

“This is what it’s all about, Flare. This is the essence I was talking about.” She smiled heartily.

I could now see what she was talking about with needing to kill a lot of ponies. There couldn’t have been more than two drops extracted from that colt.

The rest of the day continued on that way, just us bringing more and more ponies into the back room, robbing them of their guts and grinding it up to take out a drop or two of essence. Pinkamena in the spirit of not being wasteful would from time to time slice off a slab of meat or two for food later and throw them into the refrigerator.

It had finally happened; I was complete desensitized to the horrors of Equestria now. I was willing to slice ponies open to get two drops of a liquid with unknown qualities. The strangest part though, was that I didn’t mind it.

There was only one shower in the entire building, and that was back in the living quarters where we slept and ate. Pinkamena insisted on just rinsing off together, which I complied to; I wanted to rinse the blood off of myself as quickly as I could.

Pinkamena levitated a bar of soap over to my backside while I was turned away from her and pressed it against me. I could feel her approach me carefully.

“You missed a spot; don’t worry though I got it.” She spoke very softly.

Pinkie Pie was very predictable in the sense you could always assume she would go from one random thing to the next, and always stay peppy about it. Pinkamena though, she was far more spontaneous than Pinkie Pie in a way. Pinkamena would seem cold and emotionless at one point, but then delicate and loving at the next. It was impossible to predict her.

“Thanks, I appreciate it.” I said plainly.

She seemed troubled by something it seemed. Leaning towards me she whispered into my ear softly.

“Say Flare… I was just thinking about something…” She whispered.

“What would that be?” I asked.

She responded with a quick push, and pressed me against the wall of the large walk in shower. Holding me there with terrible force she brought her face close to mine. She was quick, probably as quick as Dash was.

“You’ve never known the touch of a mare before have you…?” She asked just as quietly as before.

I said nothing.

“You seem to show nothing towards anypony I noticed, even me. You clearly show that you trust me, but somehow you remain detached from me. Perhaps you’re interested in prettier mares?” She interrogated.

“You’re plenty beautiful.” I said plainly.

It was the truth too, Pinkamena was an attractive mare, even with that scar on her forehead, she was still something impressive to gaze upon.

“Yet I can see it in your eyes, that you have no desires…” She smiled deviously.

I said nothing yet again.

“You’re looking for love, not satisfaction.” She concluded.

I honestly had no clue what I was looking for at this point. Romance wasn’t exactly on my agenda at this point.

“You’re very interesting Flare… I don’t think I’ve ever met a pony quite like you before.” She complimented.

Leaning in slowly she pressed her lips against mine. Her lips were soft and tender, which wasn’t what I was expecting. For some reason I would have guessed her for a colder and dry kiss, but that might just be because of her demeanor.

I didn’t know how I should have been reacting, but I ended up just doing the first thing that came to mind. Simply closing my eyes and not resisting, not out of enjoyment, merely out of respect more or less. I followed along with her lead for the brief few moments that she held me there, trying to keep up with her.

When she pulled her lips away, she opened her eyes slowly, as did I. Making solid eye contact she began to speak.

“You’re a pretty good kisser.” She teased.

“Thanks.” Was all I could think to respond with.

“What was all that for…?” I questioned.

She shrugged. “I’m not sure really. I mean it’s pretty obvious you have no feelings for me, and I can already tell I don’t have any for you. I guess I’m just curious is all.” She smiled.

“I’m sorry…” I apologized.

She placed her hoof to my lips and smiled.
yZtNSBUEXZhZSNU3ZfAwSfZw/edit?hl=en_US

“Don’t be. I can see it in your eyes. Right now, your love is your passion to help Equestria, and I respect that.” She said.

“I’m glad you’re here Flare, I’ve been really depressed for a long time…” She admitted.

I leaned in more intently, trying to listen better.

“I’m not sure why, but for some reason I just can’t seem to find anything that eases my depression. I’m just wandering from one thing to the next, without any kind of aim in life…” She admitted.

“You need a hero.” I interrupted.

“What?” She raised a brow.

“I spent a lot of my life in Skyvale just purposeless. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with myself, or what I was good at. I thought that I was the most useless pony in the city for the longest time. It wasn’t until I came down here that I found something.” I said.

“And what might that be…?” She asked curiously.

“Rainbow Dash. When I saw her, I wanted to be just like her, I wanted to help Equestria in any way I could. I looked up to her, and I still do…” I spoke.

“Everypony needs a hero Pinkamena…” I added.

She sighed and nodded.

“I suppose they do.” She smiled.

Achievement: Tastes Like Chicken... Probably - Flare chowed down on fellow equine.

Act 1: Chapter Ten

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Ten (The Factory Saga)

I recall waking up in a room that I was not in when I went to sleep. This room was bright with artificial light, and light colored walls. The amount of dried blood on the floor was significantly lower than the rest of the factory that much was certain. A pane of glass stared at me from the left wall, next to a door that I could safely assume is locked. There didn’t appear to be any kind of exits in this room.

Trying to grasp my surroundings I neglected to notice Pinkamena on the other side of the room at first. She too had a look of confusion on her face, clearly she didn’t understand how we got here, however she obviously was keeping calmer than I was.

“Where are we?” I asked, fidgeting while I did so.

“Looks like one of the old containment rooms in the lower levels… We’re at least ten floors from the surface.” She commented.

“Why the hell are we down here!?” I was shouting.

“Calm down and I don’t know how we got down here. I recall falling asleep in the bed and then waking up down here.” She explained.

She was far too nonchalant about this situation. We were locked in a containment cell in the basement when we were both certain that we’d not been down here the day before. This alone should have been alarming to her; however it didn’t appear to be phasing her in the slightest.

Pinkamena crept over to the window and peered outside. It was mostly pitch black out there, but she must have seen something, as she turned around and nodded.

“Looks like we have a rebellion on our hooves.” She smirked.

“What do you mean by that?” I asked.

“Well, one of the captives escaped, and he must have unhooked the rest of them, and they threw us down here. My guess is they’re preserving us to give us some of the same treatment we gave them; want to watch us suffer I suppose.” She explained.

My spine tingled at her words.

“How do you know that…?” I asked cautiously.

She gestured with a hoof to the window.

“I saw a colt out there that I recognized from the captive room. Somewhere out there I saw some of the medical supplies were brought here. There were no medical supplies on this floor prior, so it’s clear that they brought them down here themselves.” She explained.

She was very calm; she must have had a plan. Knowing this information let me calm down.

“So, how are we getting out of here?” I asked.

Even with Pinkamena’s intelligence, it would be difficult to get out of this locked room; on top of that we had to worry about the dozens of ponies upstairs trying to kill us for at least ten floors.

“Well, the glass is bullet proof, so we can’t just kick our way out… But I have an idea none the less.” She smiled deviously.

I wasn’t a big fan of the type of smile she was giving me right now. It usually meant she was about to do something insane.

Approaching the glass gently, Pinkamena brushed her right front hoof against it carefully and closed her eyes. Leaning her head back she hurled it forward into the glass with great force. The glass responded with a loud thud, but didn’t move in the slightest.

I watched as Pinkamena began to repeat this process six times. Each time the glass started to vibrate more and more than the last. Finally by the fourth time, a crack was starting to appear on the glass. Smashing her skull against the glass a few more times I could see a trickle of blood coming from her forehead, but she kept at it with gusto.

It wasn’t long before the glass shattered to the force of Pinkamena’s head. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing though. Pinkamena had just shattered a pane of bullet proof glass using only her skull.

“Let’s go.” She insisted.

“I can’t do this…” I whimpered.

I had more than I could take. This all was becoming too much for me to handle. I didn’t even know how I justified it to myself up to this point. Part of me should have told me this was a bad idea from the start. I was crazy to even offer to help Pinkamena in this factory in the first place.

“Yes you can Flare, I believe in you.” She reassured.

“How can you be so sure…?” I spoke quietly.

“I wouldn’t lie to you Flare. I know I’ve put you through a lot, but I promise that it wasn’t all for nothing, but it will be if we just sit here and wait for them to kill us. Either kill them, or they kill us; that’s how it’s always been and it’s no different now.” She explained.

“I suppose you’re right…” I shrugged.

“Damn it Flare, what is wrong with you…?” She scolded.

My ears twitched at her sudden outburst. I turned all my attention directly to her. She had on a serious face which looked rather ominous with the blood trickling from her forehead.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“You bend too easily. You agree to just about everything even if you don’t want to do it. What the hell is wrong with you?” She scolded again.

“I don’t know, I just don’t know anything about living out here, so I thought I’d follow the experts…” I suggested.

She shook her head.

“You can’t just assume we always know what’s best. What’s your opinion? How do you feel about all of this? What do you really want to do out here?” She asked.

I hadn’t really thought about it beyond finding Rainbow Dash and helping the Knights. I was just winging it up to this point to be honest. At first I thought that I just wanted to help ponies in general, but being out in the actual ruins made me realize that I felt some ponies were better off dead. I wouldn’t have even let the idea cross my mind back home, but I had never seen these savages up close before then.

After a brief second of soul searching I had an answer I was willing to accept, at least for now.

“I want to help Canterlot and Rainbow Dash. I’m willing to do anything to do that, which I guess is why I decided to do this in the first place. If this serum really has a chance at helping ponies with the plague back in Canterlot, then I’ll kill the entire savage population for that.” I answered.

“And how do you justify that? The savages are ponies too you know. There are even savages with the plague out there.” She commented.

“The savages would just destroy any new Equestria built by the Knights anyways. It’s clear they don’t want to change, so I don’t care about them.” I said.

She was silent for a moment. She then gave off another of her devious smiles.

“I misjudged you Flare…” She smiled.

“How so?” I questioned.

“When you first came out here, I thought you were just another overly righteous colt trying to better Equestria through peaceful means and understanding and all that rubbish… But now I can see that you have other things on your agenda… I suspected as much when I was able to convince you to help me.” She replied.

“My goal has always been to help Equestria, by any means necessary. When I left, I wanted to join the Knights, and I knew there was an off chance they would still be fighting. I was ready to fight, maybe not mentally, but in my heart I knew that if anything tried to harm the Knights I could muster up the courage to stop it.” I said with pride.

“And how about when you ate the flesh of your own kind? It was rather easy to convince you to do that too…” She had a curious tone about her.

“I’m no good to Equestria if I’m dead.” I said plainly.

Pinkamena burst out laughing.

“So, the true colors shine through. Well I’m glad to have you at my side then. Stay close and we may actually get out of here alive. I happen to know where I hid some weapons down here that we can use.” She gave a gesture to follow her out the new exit.

I obeyed and jumped through the shattered window after her. She bolted down the hallway that we could not previously see through the window, and kept silent about it. She reminded me of Dash with her ability to move silently even while running.

Approaching the end of the hall she halted me with her right front hoof. Giving a gesture for me to stay where I was she approached a female guarding an area just up ahead. Without saying a word she slowly crept up behind the mare. With great dexterity she was able to quickly wrap her right hoof around the mare and cover her mouth while holding her in a lock.

“Come quickly Flare.” Pinkamena commanded.

I darted over to the situation as fast as I could. Pinkamena pulled the mare over to me and commanded me to help her hold her.

“This bitch wanted revenge. She wanted to do us in and cut us into pieces I bet. Well, we can’t take that standing down now can we!?” Pinkamena had a crazed tone about her; her pupils seemed to become very small with insanity.

“We have to return the favor now!” She suggested.

“Don’t you think that’s a bit excessive…?” I asked.

“Not in the slightest. First though we need to make sure she doesn’t scream for help, let’s cut her tongue off!” Pinkamena appeared to be having far too much fun.

“We don’t even have a knife.” I reminded as I held the struggling mare.

“Then help me pry her mouth open…” Pinkamena said as she leaned in.

Without much further question I pressed against the mare’s cheeks causing her to spit her tongue out. Pinkamena, wasting no time bit down on the mare’s tongue. Pulling with all her strength, the tongue snapped right off, blood gushing out of the leftover stump. The captive squirmed and made noises that would signify she was in pain.

“Let’s eat her…” Pinkamena suggested as she looked up at me.

The pony struggled even more viciously at her words. I held her tightly though, preventing any escape.

“No. There’s no reason to take this that far. Our focus is on getting out of here, remember?” I reminded.

Pinkamena sighed and nodded.

“I suppose you’re right. Let’s just kill her and be done with it then…” She replied.

Without a second thought, Pinkamena strangled the helpless pony for several minutes. It was only a short two minutes after she had begun that the mare stopped moving and struggling. Pinkamena eased up on her and dropped her to the ground then.

“Come with me, there isn’t much time to waste.” She gestured to me to follow her to a closet.

Inside, she kicked at an old wall repeatedly. It looked eroded and flimsy from years of poor maintenance, but I would soon discover that it gave that appearance to hide something. After about four good bucks from Pinkamena’s hind legs the wall crumbled and gave way, exposing a fairly large metallic box hidden behind it. Pinkamena popped it open with haste and started rummaging through the contents.

She tossed a new U.M.S.A. to me, and I watched as she fastened one to herself as well. I was concerned as to how we were going to escape without them, but it was apparent that Pinkamena had planned ahead. We had a bit of magic on our side now, simulated magic but I would take it.

Pinkamena pulled out a blade and strapped it to her right hoof. This blade was different from her previous one, this one lacked a fire arm, and instead of a sharp piercing sword it was a large hook-like blade. Still it was better than nothing.

“I got a special weapon for you Flare.” She had an excited smile about her.

Reaching into the crate once more she tossed an odd looking gun blade my way. I caught it and began attaching it. It appeared to have a wide barrel on the bottom, some kind of spread shot I assumed. I recall Rainbow Dash referred to them as “shot guns”. The top had a fairly long retractable barrel with a long range scope attached to it; a sharp shooting weapon. It was perfect; I was mediocre at combat, so being able to pick off enemies from a distance was much more in my favor than approaching them directly, however the spread shot weapon would make that possible if the situation arose.

“This is an impressive weapon…” I commented.

“I built it myself. I like to call it ‘The Punishment’, you’ll see why later. It’s quite the improvement over that rusty old pea shooter you had earlier.” She smirked.

“Let’s get moving, we have some cattle to herd.” She added.

I nodded in agreement before chasing after her. She moved rather quickly, it was astounding that she was not in the military.

With a little backtracking we made it back to the end of the hallway we could see from the holding chamber earlier. Pinkamena made short work of the colt guarding the elevator. Pulling him around to face her, she jabbed her hook into his jaw and tore it clean off.

Pressing for the elevator she was silent. We waited for a solid twenty second in silence as nothing happened. The elevator clearly wasn’t coming.

“Guess we’re taking the long way out.” She said.

Before I was given the chance to reply she kicked open an air duct near the elevator and knelt down to the appropriate height to enter it. I followed her lead and began to crawl through the ducts with her.

We must have crawled for a solid twenty minutes in silence, the only sounds we heard were those of the commotion going on in the rest of the factory around us; no doubt the captives making use of the facility.

Pinkamena stopped up ahead and peered through an air vent in the duct to the level down below. I couldn’t get around her to see what was going on, but I could hear it just as well.

“When we find those two I can’t wait to get a taste of them…” A gruff male voice echoed.

It was obvious now that they were well aware of our escape now.

“I’m gonna’ suck the small one’s eyes clean outta’ his skull. Then I’m gonna’ break every one o’ his legs…” A crazed voice replied to it.

“I can’t wait until we catch the pink one… She thought we were bad before, wait until she sees what we’re going to do when we catch her…” The gruff one said, clearly he was in charge.

“What are we gonna’ do boss?” Replied another.

“Well, I think she cut up a lot of our buddies and held us here as hostages, so she should service us to return the favor; I think she owes us that at the very least…” He chuckled back.

“I like that idea. We fuck her in every hole then we eat her!” The Neanderthal sounding one cried back.

Pinkamena apparently was finished listening to them propose her fate to each other. She burst through the vent blade extruded, impaling their leader on her landing. The others gasped and quickly came to her attention drawing their weapons.

“You want me? Come get me. I dare any one of you to try and take me.” Pinkamena challenged.

A large brutish looking colt charged her, only to meet her blade just as quickly as he charged. Pinkamena was too fast for them, that much I had already gathered though from her previous fights.

Taking advantage of my strategic point in the vent I decided to offer a hoof to Pinkamena. Aiming my fire arm I blasted a spread shot that took down two at once that were preparing an attack. Unfortunately the shot was so loud that it alerted the others to my position. Given no other choice I jumped out of the shaft and joined Pinkamena in the fight.

“There’s no way we can take them all out…” I warned.

Pinkamena ignored my warning and quickly darted into the crowd sword drawn. With great finesse she hacked her way through a large group in seconds. With a quick upper jab at one of the bigger colts she slit his stomach open; with haste she pulled his entrails out of his gut and wrapped them around his neck and pulled.

I was almost taken off guard by a bigger mare with a knife in her mouth. With a few quick slashes she tried to make contact with me, but failed. Even with challenged speed, I was still fast enough to be more than a match for her.

Aiming my shotgun again I blasted her at point blank range. Her face melted right off at the shot, causing her to fall like a ragdoll.

Another colt came from behind me and swung a stick at me. I was able to block it with my fire arm with just enough time. I recalled that my weapon had a special “surprise” to it that Pinkamena told me about. I decided that now was as good a time as any to try it out. I extruded the melee weapon attachment to hear a revving noise begin to echo in the room from my hoof.

The stick was shredded to pieces by my weapon. When I looked at my front hoof I noticed that a chainsaw blade was hanging off of my weapon. This was the surprise that Pinkamena had told me about; it was perfect.

Swinging wildly I hacked through several in my way. The Punishment ripped through them with ease, splattering their blood all over.

Pinkamena leapt right over me and landed on a giant colt blocked our way up a flight of stairs. She landed right on his back, causing him to violently try and throw her off, but she held on. Holding on tightly, Pinkamena sunk her teeth down into the top of his skull. He screamed in agony, but kept trying to throw her off. I could see Pinkamena’s teeth clamp down harder on his head, and then suddenly I could hear a crack. His head began leaking; Pinkamena cracked through his skull with her teeth alone!

He frantically began screaming as Pinkamena created an opening in his head, then began to feast on his fleshy pink brains. With each bite she did her best to pull more and more of the organ out of his head in strands. It was only a matter of seconds before he fell.

“This way Flare!” She pointed towards the stairs.

The two of us raced to the top as fast as we could. We must have gone up at least five flights of stairs before we could see a recognizable floor. Pinkamena barged right through the door without hesitation.

“ALRIGHT ALL YOU WORTHLESS FUCKS! YOU WANTED A CHANCE TO GET BACK AT ME!? COME GET ME!” She threatened to the wide room.

After peeking my head into the room I could see that dozens of the captives inhabited this room.

Pinkamena rushed right into the group and began to work her magic on them. She was dropping ponies left and right; the most amazing part was that she was left untouched by any of them.

Words couldn’t fully describe how amazingly she had taken control of the factory again, but sure enough within a matter of minutes Pinkamena had diced up a majority of the ponies opposing her and already began the process of dropping their guts into the grinder; with my assistance of course. The rest fled to escape the mad party pony.

With the newly “acquired” guts were enough to pull together a large serum, larger than anything Pinkamena had been able to make prior.

“This is perfect Flare…” She smiled.

“What do you mean?” I asked curiously.

“This is enough to continue my research further. I have big plans for this…” She said as she placed the vial in her bag gently.

“Pinkamena, there’s one thing I still don’t understand…” I asked.

“What is it Flare?” She turned to face me.

“What was all of this for…?” I questioned.

Pinkamena simply smiled and placed a hoof on my blood stained mane. She gave an expression of gratitude and kindness.

“You’ll understand later.” She replied.

I wish I could tell you how Pinkamena won that fight, but in all honesty, I don’t think your heart could take it; I know mine couldn’t. I had witnessed some of the vilest actions ever committed to ponykind that day. That’s the kind of thing that happens in the ruins though; you see things you can never un-see…

Achievement: Can I keep it? - Flare acquired The Punishment.

Act 1: Chapter Eleven

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Eleven (The Canterlot Saga)

“So, it’s good to see that you’re back Dashie.” Were the first words that Vinyl Scratch let out upon the arrival of both Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie and I.

Vinyl had apparently been here for some few hours now waiting for Dash’s return, while Pinkie and I were off at the factory. I was starting to see a pattern in her character.

Rainbow Dash had apparently just returned moments ago from her trip to meet with Trixie and Applejack.

“So, don’t leave us hanging, what happened with Trixie and Applejack, Dashie?” Vinyl Scratch rudely interjected yet again.

Dash didn’t look up at her during this whole conversation. There was something off about her demeanor this entire time.

“I’ll tell you on the way back to Canterlot… I am requesting an audience with Twilight.” Rainbow Dash uttered.

“I am impressed stranger, Twilight Sparkle was serious in meeting me here, clearly she sent her best. I have never seen anypony able to decimate over twenty of my armed guards by themselves, what might I have the pleasure of calling you?” A sky blue unicorn asked a hooded stranger whom had just destroyed her attempt at an ambush.

The unicorn had been adorned with a black cloak and a hood to hide her head. Upon further inspection one would be able to see the word “Trixie”, carved into an onyx bracelet she wore on her left hoof. She was neat and tidy which was odd for anypony living out in the Equestrian Ruins.

The stranger lifted her hood to reveal her rainbow colored mane along with her fierce magenta eyes. She stood silent making eye contact with Trixie.

“Rainbow Dash… My, my, my… I haven’t seen you in over six years have I? I thought I had seen the last of you, I must say I am a little surprised to see you here of all ponies…” Trixie smiled deviously.

Rainbow Dash answered with silence.

“Mare of a few words still I see; I like that. So I take it Twilight sent you to negotiate with me didn’t she? She probably thought she could scare me if she sent the great Rainbow Dash to thwart my little ambush?” Trixie pried.

Dash held to her strategy and kept her mouth shut, giving Trixie no information. Trixie didn’t seem to mind the lack of direct response however and continued to pester the pegasus.

“Take a look at your friend Applejack, I think you’ll like what I’ve done to her…” Trixie gestured to the mare on her left.

Applejack had a black essence about her. Her entire front side, including her face had a black mist like substance radiating from it. Her eyes unrecognizable, in their place two pure red orbs just staring down Rainbow Dash; they looked emotionless, lifeless even. Her front hooves had spines leading up to her shoulders, which added to her sinister appearance.

Dash took note of her flank, her cutie mark was gone; either removed, or vanished like her own, and it was safe to guess either.

Rainbow Dash remained silent, even at the realization of Applejack’s fate. She didn’t want to give Trixie the satisfaction, Celestia knew that she had already taken enough from her, less she give her one more thing.

“Turned out pretty great if you ask me!” Trixie joked.

Dash didn’t give in to her humor, instead just stood facing the ground trying to avoid eye contact with Trixie.

“Listen Rainbow Dash, I know you’re a pony who understands the value of life, so I’ll cut to the chase. You and I both want the same thing you know?” Trixie attempted to engage Dash in conversation with no luck.

The pegasus didn’t even twitch, Trixie continued regardless.

“If Twilight continues to fight then we too will continue to fight. If you all just surrender then we can assimilate you all. The darkness is going to help us better ourselves as a species. It has power and knowledge that we can’t comprehend in our current state; we can become better than what we are now if we just choose to accept it.” Trixie said.

Dash remained silent.

“What do you say Dash? Will you join us and help change ponykind forever?” Trixie had a hopeful tone about her.

After remaining silent this entire meeting Dash finally opened her mouth to speak to her.

“I won’t ever forget Trixie…” She uttered under her breath.

“Forget what?” Trixie asked curiously.

“I won’t ever forget what I am forced to do because of you…” Dash spoke up.

Trixie took a moment to ponder the meaning of Dash’s words; during that same moment Dash drew her blade and darted in Trixie’s direction.

Trixie flinched as she was not able to react fast enough to Dash’s lightning reflexes. She closed her eyes and expected the pain of Dash’s fierce blade. Squeezing her eyes tightly closed she braced for an impact that didn’t come. The sound of a slice was heard, but no pain came with it.

Opening her eyes, she could see that next to her lay a dead Applejack, bleeding from the neck. Standing above her was Rainbow Dash with a bloodied sword. The front of Dash’s coat was stained in the same blood.

She didn’t know how to react. Her jaw hung open in shock.

“Y-You killed her!” Trixie Exclaimed.

“Yes, I killed her.” Rainbow replied plainly.

“I can’t believe it… You actually killed her…” Trixie stuttered.

“I’d rather she be dead than corrupted by whatever twisted your sick mind. It’s better for her this way; she can die before she becomes like you.” Dash responded.

Trixie couldn’t comprehend all of this at once. Rainbow Dash had pulled the one move she wasn’t expecting.

Snapping herself out of her dazed state she looked up at Dash confidently.

“Rainbow Dash, I must say that even I am surprised by your actions here. Let it be known that I will not underestimate you again…” Trixie bowed her head.

Dash turned away in disgust.

“You tell Twilight that I am impressed, but that her days are numbered.” Trixie smiled arrogantly.

“Don’t forget my promise Trixie…” Dash spoke as Trixie was turning away.

Trixie turned her head back to her direction and nodded.

“Yes I know, my death will be at your sword. I haven’t forgotten.” Trixie replied.

“I must say that I’m as shocked as Trixie is Dashie… I can’t believe you killed Applejack…” Vinyl responded to Rainbow Dash’s story.

“At least she’s free of Trixie’s clutches now…” Dash replied.

A part of me felt sorrow for Dash’s predicament. She was put in a situation where she had to either kill a close friend or watch them suffer. It made me question myself a little, musing the idea if that was me and Torch. Would I have it in me to kill her to end her suffering?

“Didn’t the two of you have a thing for a little while there?” Vinyl asked.

I noticed that Vinyl had a bad habit of asking inappropriate questions at even more inappropriate times. It didn’t seem to dawn on her that perhaps reminding Dash of her close connection to Applejack would probably make the situation hit her even harder.

“Something like that…” Dash admitted turning away from Scratch.

Something like that? She had once harbored feeling for Applejack? It was difficult to think of Rainbow Dash in any kind of romantic situation, despite the fact that she had mentioned before she was in love a few times before the war. It must have been the fact that I only knew her as “The Miracle”, and not a common pony that I could not imagine her as anything but a warrior.

“Don’t worry Dashie, Trixie will get what’s coming. We’ll take turns beating the shit out of her when we get her. I reserved a special place on the bottom of my hoof for her…” Scratch attempted to console Dash.

“I just want to get to Canterlot and leave. I’ve had enough war for one life time.” Rainbow sighed.

“I’m sure ol’ One Eye will love to see you again. Bet she’ll do a god damned backflip.” Vinyl laughed.

“Ol’ One Eye?” I asked.

Scratch laughed heartily.

“That’s the nickname that a lot of gave the general.” Vinyl enlightened.

“Why do they call her that…?” I almost didn’t want to know.

“You’ll see when you meet her.” Scratch smirked.

“Would you all happen to be talking about Twilight Sparkle?” A voice called out to us.

The three of us halted in our tracks and moved our attention over to the origin of the noise. To our surprise a pony-like creature came out of the shadows.

This wasn’t like any pony I had seen before. Its left front hoof had some kind of black coating that appeared scaly with some kind of spines leading up to its shoulder. It was clearly a unicorn, it even had a cutie mark; a yin yang. Her mane moved like it was alive; it was a black untamable animal that moved unnaturally. Her tail was the same. The rest of her body was adorned with a dirty looking white coat.

The oddest feature of this pony was her eyes. Her irises shined a pure red; they looked as though they may even be glowing.

Scratch and Dash both drew their weapons to the mare.

“I come in peace.” She assured.

“Not looking like that you don’t.” Scratch hissed.

“State your business.” Dash commanded.

“I apologize. I overheard you all talking, and when I heard you were going to Canterlot I started following you. It was rude of me, however I figured you might be able to help me and I didn’t want to lose you…” She replied.

“How exactly can we be of help to you?” Dash asked.

“I wish to gain an audience with Twilight Sparkle, and possibly join the Knights of Celestia if possible.” She said.

Vinyl laughed.

“Don’t think that’s going to happen.” Scratch teased.

“I know my appearance can be a bit offsetting. I am a victim of Trixie’s madness just like you are though. I was an experiment to try and imbue ponies with darkness that had not yet been turned. Though my body is corrupted by the darkness, I assure you that I am in complete control of my being.” She replied.

Dash lowered her weapon.

“Why should we help you?” Dash asked.

“Due to my appearance, I am not welcome anywhere I go. I just thought that you would understand my situation after hearing your story.” The mare answered.

“Forget it, we don’t trust anypony with darkness just radiating off of them.” Vinyl Scratch spoke adamantly.

“Very well, you may come with us, and I will gain you an audience with Twilight personally.” Dash gestured for the mare to join us.

“WHAT!? Dash are you fucking insane?” Vinyl protested.

Dash slapped her in the back of the head. I laughed softly, finding this fairly amusing.

“Canterlot is protected by an anti-darkness barrier. If she is really controlled by the darkness then it would have to have tainted her heart. If that is the case, she’ll die the moment she enters Canterlot.” Dash informed.

“Plus, I trust her… Something tells me she is being honest.” Rainbow Dash smiled.

“Do you have a name, friend?” She asked.

“I was given the project name JWL48.” The mare replied.

“Jewel then?” Dash stuck a nickname onto her.

The corrupted unicorn smiled at the name.

“Jewel it is.” She smiled.

Canterlot was nothing like I imagined it to be. Much of the lower civilian quarters appeared to be under repair, possibly constant repair at that. It looked as though the royalty invested a majority of its extra manpower into keeping the civilian area inhabitable; though it was obvious there wasn’t much they could do. A lot of the buildings in the lower area were run down and fixed up with old plywood; many ponies lived in makeshift homes.

I had been to Canterlot once when I was a foal, but it looked nothing like it did back then. The formerly elegant roads were decorated only with cracks and broken streetlights. The grass in many areas appeared to be receding, though still better than the ruins where there was none.

The castle was still as impressive as always, though it too was showing signs of poor maintenance and age. Much of its vibrant colors were starting to fade and chip off. The marble used to build much of the structure was chipped away, and I noticed an entire tower was destroyed entirely.

Even in its lessoned state however, it still stood as the most magnificent structure to stand in the ruins. It still hung over the civilian quarter like a watchful hawk; it definitely still could scare away its enemies, that was certain.

The moment we arrived we were escorted by the royal guards directly to the castle. Twilight clearly wanted to keep Rainbow Dash out of the public eye for a moment; she wanted to be sure to be the first to see her clearly. Dash had made it a priority to keep her hood up and hide her face, it was clear she too wanted the same.

“Rainbow Dash… It has been a long time, who’d have thought you’d be alive after all that time in the ruins…” A mature voice echoed through the royal hall to us.

We all pivoted to meet our eyes with a rather interesting unicorn. Purple in color, with a pink highlight right down the middle of her mane. Her body wasn’t impressive by any means that was for sure, she was clearly the intellectual type, and one could gather that from the first glance. She was slender, but in poor athletic shape. Her figure was complimented by some interesting white robes that she wore. Her hooves all decorated nicely with golden shoes.

My eyes wandered to meet with her eyes; I then realized why they called her “Ol’ One Eye” at that moment. Her right eye was an interesting purple that matched her coat nicely; her left eye however was a completely different story. The left oculus was a bright yellow in color, and appeared bloodshot as well. From her forehead down to her cheek right through that same eye was a terrifying looking scar. The scar looked medical however; must mean that she had some kind of surgery at some point.

“How’s it going Twilight?” Pinkie Pie chimed in.

“Pinkie Pie?” Twilight turned her head to get a better look.

“Yes ma’am!” Pinkie smiled brightly.

“So, it looks like you brought some friends…” Twilight smiled back.

“That girl over there is Jewel; we met her on the way here. She may look terrifying, but she wants to join the Knights. I know you don’t normally accept anything to do with the darkness, but I thought you could make… An exception…” Rainbow Dash spoke.

Twilight nodded.

“Well, if you trust her then I suppose I have no choice don’t I?” Twilight grinned.

Dash bowed.

“I appreciate your understanding.” Dash replied.

“It’s no trouble, however she won’t be able to be a part of the military directly, but I think we can find some work for her to help out with. We’ll discuss it later.” Twilight said.

Jewel lowered her head respectfully before replying with “thank you.”

Twilight trotted over to my direction and looked me up and down carefully. To my surprise both of her eyes moved, meaning that her second eye wasn’t fake.

“And who might this be?” Twilight asked gesturing towards me.

“A visitor from Skyvale.” Dash summarized.

“Skyvale you say? We haven’t seen anypony from Skyvale in years… What’s your name friend?” Twilight asked eyeing me closely.

“Flare.” I replied.

She seemed satisfied with that answer.

“Well Flare, any friend of Dash’s is a friend of mine. Feel free to make yourself at home here. It may not be as flashy as Skyvale, but I think you’ll find Canterlot to your liking.” She smiled.

“He’s been staying with me and Pinkie Pie up until now.” Dash interjected.

“Ah, so he’s your student then?” Twilight turned her head back to face Rainbow.

“Something like that… Anyways, I would like to speak with you privately if that is alright?” Dash changed the subject.

Twilight stood up straight and walked back to Dash’s position and gestured for her to follow her.

“Right this way then.” She instructed.

Rainbow Dash turned back to my direction.

“I wish to speak to Twilight alone for a while, Flare. Go check out the city, I’m going to be a while, so you can meet me back here at the castle later.” She said.

I nodded.

Part of me was excited just being here. This was the home of the Knights of Celestia, the capital of Equestria, and the main stronghold of the resistance. I could hardly even believe I had made it here in one piece.

I knew though that the moment I arrived that this was just the start of something bigger, bigger than me, bigger than Rainbow Dash, even bigger than the Knights themselves.

Achievement: You'll Pay in Blood - Rainbow was forced to kill Applejack.

Act 1: Chapter Twelve

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Twelve (The Canterlot Saga)

“Come on Twi, you have to let me out there to fight with Dash, I want to join her in drinking Trixie’s blood!” Vinyl Scratch drooled.

“It’s talk like that which does not allow me to put you on the battlefield, Lieutenant. You have your orders.” Twilight scolded the overzealous unicorn.

Vinyl wasn’t ready to give in just yet.

“Are you serious!? We have the battle of our lives on our hands right now, a chance to finally make Trixie pay for all she’s done, and you’re going to have me on fucking babysitting duty!? This is absolute bullshit, put me out there so I can do my job, ma’am.” Vinyl made sure to put extra emphasis on that last word.

Twilight shook her head and gestured for the lieutenant to give up and leave her office.

“It’s not babysitting duty, you’re to fly the chopper and rescue any wounded soldiers that you can. Those are your orders, and I’m sticking to them. Now get out of my sight, lieutenant.” Twilight scolded yet again.

Vinyl Scratch sighed but decided it wasn’t worth her time to argue with Twilight. The general was always stern on her decisions and even a pony as stubborn and arrogant as Vinyl Scratch couldn’t sway her once she’d locked in her choice. It was clear that she learned more from Celestia than just magic. Vinyl Scratch, before completely exiting though let out an inaudible “bitch” under her breath; her way of relieving her own stress on the situation.

Twilight was playing it safe as always. She didn’t let her victories over Trixie for the past few months get to her head. They had managed to turn the tables on their foes and turn the war around in a matter of weeks. What seemed to be a lost cause has turned into a sure victory on their part. They owed it to many factors though; their reverse engineering of the enemies firearms, their powerful military leaders, and most importantly, to their determination. Even still though, Twilight couldn’t help but shake the idea that it was too easy. Trixie was arrogant, but she couldn’t have been dumb enough to back herself this far into a corner, that’s the only part that had Twilight worried.

Before she could collect her thoughts are further, she was interrupted by a familiar face. A pony that usually gave her a harder time than Vinyl Scratch, but a pony she trusted more than any other living creature in Equestria.

“Vinyl seemed extra pissy, I suppose you and her had a talk?” Rainbow Dash smirked.

Twilight laughed lightly at Dash’s joke before replying.

“Yes, well although she is a formidable soldier, I cannot ignore her mental evaluations. I don’t think being on the front line or in combat is good for her. She’s already dangerously unstable as it is, the last thing she needs is more reasons to snap.” Twilight explained.

“You mean she hasn’t already?” Dash joked again.

“That’s debatable.” Twilight played along.

“Anyways, I didn’t come here to talk about Vinyl and whatever has her pissy today.” Dash explained.

“You’re asking permission to kill Trixie yourself, right?” Twilight jumped right to the only logical conclusion.

“How’d you know?” Dash raised a brow in surprise.

“Why else would you be in my office right now? All you’ve talk about since this war began was getting her and mounting her as a trophy. I even recall you once mentioning you wanted to mount her rear end as a second trophy and let everypony take turns bucking it?” Twilight sat down at her desk lifting her glasses to her face.

Dash got a big grin across her face.

“That’s one of my personal favorites.” She commented.

“Yes, well I’m afraid the answer is no on that question though. Your orders are to lead us to victory and bring Trixie back alive if possible.” Twilight instructed.

“Come on Twilight, that’s bullshit! After all she’s done!?” Dash growled.

Twilight nonchalantly began writing letters as she listened to Dash. The sudden change from giddy to enraged didn’t seem to affect her in the slightest, she was used to Dash’s rash behavior at this point.

“Believe me, I understand that Trixie is a cold-hearted conceited bitch, but we have a little something called civility here. Everypony has the right to a trial, and judgment before the crown; if we didn’t have laws or rules we’d be no better than Trixie’s army.” Twilight preached.

“Horseshit.” Dash spit.

“It’s not ‘Horseshit’, commander, its proper civility. We cannot allow ourselves to stoop to the level of our enemies, if we allow such things to happen it’s only a matter of time before we become our enemies.” She lectured again.

“Spare me your lectures; I’ll follow your stupid orders.” Dash rolled her eyes.

“Glad we understand each other commander.” Twilight didn’t even take her eyes up from her papers.

Dash understood it was Twilight’s way of saying their conversation was over.

“So, I want all of you to understand our orders, none of us are to kill Trixie unless there is no other alternative; seems as though Twilight is pussy-hoofing around the situation.” Rainbow Dash explained to her team.

“I can understand why Twilight is being so cautious though…” A soft spoken pegasus replied to Dash.

“Although I agree partially with Twilight on the sense that we don’t want to come off as the same ruthless animals our enemies are, I think she fails to understand it from the point of view of those of us actually on the fields fighting.” Replied another of the group.

“Believe me Rarity, I know. Twilight doesn’t realize yet that while we’re stuck to rules and regulations, our enemies are allowed to do whatever they see fit to win. None-the-less she’s in charge, and we’ll have to put up with that unless Celestia says otherwise. These are our orders, and they’ll be carried out as stated. I suggest you all get ready, we’re leaving within the hour.” Dash commanded the group.

Dash’s ability to take command still caught Rarity off guard from time to time. She could be cool and collected one moment, and then turn into a drill instructor on the next.

Rarity approached Rainbow Dash cautiously as the rest of the group dispersed. Oddly she appeared more chipper than she normally did before a battle. Rarity assumed it had to do with the fact that Trixie would at least be apprehended soon.

“Rainbow Dash, may I speak with you?” Rarity spoke at a nearly silent level.

Dash turned to face her with a smile.

“What’s on your mind Rarity?” She said.

“It’s about Sweetie Belle…” Rarity lowered her head.

She knew it was always a touchy subject to bring up one’s sister around Rainbow Dash, especially knowing what happened to her sister.

“Still no sign of her; I know it’s frustrating Rarity, but I’m almost certain she’s okay, her and Scootaloo both.” Dash smiled.

Rarity sighed.

“I’m sorry Rainbow Dash…” Rarity bowed respectfully.

Dash tilted her head in confusion.

“What for? You’ve done nothing wrong.” She asked.

“Your sister died that day, right in front of you, yet you still managed to gather up my sister and her friend Scootaloo and get them to safety regardless. You saved their lives when you didn’t have to…” Rarity had a very soft tone.

Dash shook her head and placed a hoof on Rarity’s shoulder, a gesture of comfort.

“Rarity, I did what was right that day. I would have liked to save my sister, but conditions didn’t allow. I wanted to save those who were alive and had a chance of getting out. My only regret is that I went back in to save more ponies and lost sight of the two. I am almost certain though that they’re alive, and that they’re together; it sets my mind at ease, because if they’re together then I know they’ll be safe no matter what happens.” Dash comforted her.

Rarity allowed a smile to cross her face.

“Thank you Rainbow Dash. You’re a good friend.” She replied.

The air outside of Canterlot felt moist and thick as it blew roughly through the green blades of green that covered the land. That same grass was to be soaked with blood today.

Many of the Knights took an interest in the upcoming challenge between Rainbow Dash and Trixie. The two had made a wager almost a year ago now, and now one of them was to pay up in their own blood. Nopony was certain who would come out with the other’s head, but all were certain that both would not walk away from this battle.

“KNIGHTS OF CELESTIA!” A confident commander screamed to a hall full of the Knight’s finest soldiers.

The crowd cheered loud enough to call thunder from the heavens.

“As many of you know, I am Rainbow Dash.”

They let out another roar of excitement.

“I will keep this brief before turning it over to my lieutenant.” Dash commented.

The crowd grew silent at the sound of Dash’s voice.

“War is no joking matter, we’ve all seen that. Trixie is evil and ruthless, so I ask you all to think of your families while you’re out there. Don’t try and be a hero out there, less we lose more than we have to. That is all…” She spoke.

Dash gestured for Vinyl Scratch to come forth and deliver her speech. As Vinyl approached Dash began to retreat off of the balcony overhanging the hall.

“This darkness has committed crimes against ponykind. It is a menace to our way of life, and it must be punished for its actions!” She began.

The crowd roared once more. Vinyl Scratch clearly had the ability to command a crowd that could even rival Rainbow Dash’s.

“It cannot be reasoned with, there is only one thing that it understands, and that is death. Let us show it that same death then! Let us show it that it has not even begun to understand what we’re capable of! Let us destroy it and all who assist it!” She yelled.

A wildfire had sparked in the crowd below; they were screaming and yelling with delight louder than they had ever before. The room was ablaze with vigor, determination and excitement. Rainbow Dash just wanted quietly from a distance.

“This Trixie, she is a traitor to her own kind; a coward that hides behind her shield of darkness to keep us from getting to her!” Scratch continued.

The cheers had grown so loud that they filled the whole castle at this point.

“BUT NO MORE! LET US SHOW HER WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU BETRAY CELESTIA! LET US DRAG HER BACK BY HER HIND HOOVES!” Vinyl screamed with delight.

The crowd replied in the same manner.

“WE WILL RIP HER APART AND DRINK HER BLOOD! LONG LIVE CELESTIA!” Vinyl finally screamed.

“LONG LIVE CELESTIA!” The crowd rejoiced.

BANG!

Dash’s firearm roared as it felled another from a distance. A clean shot right through the skull; she had learned to grow fairly used to this occurrence. She had been trained to be the best shot she could be after all.

Flapping her wings furiously she brought herself closer to the ground where she would then bring her sword to contact with more of her enemies.

Around her she could see blood flying from every direction. There wasn’t a patch of dirt that wasn’t stained with blood around her. Everything would be soaked without prejudice, including her.

The screams of bullets and battle cries were all that could be heard through the air. One couldn’t even hear themselves speak with the conditions around them. It was exactly as Dash recalled every other battle she had been in up to this point: Hell.

Two heavy built stallions charged Dash from the front hoping to overpower her. Their efforts were wasted, as with great haste she impaled one in the head with her sword and with a quick jerk was able to pull it off of his shoulders with it still attached to her blade. The neck of the stallion began to spurt out red goo like a sprinkler. She then hurled the skull at the other with such great force that it broke his neck on impact.

Dash charged through the crowd with blade drawn, hacking her way through anything that would try and stop her. Her weapon was more than a match for any would-be warriors trying to block her path; it cut through them like paper.

“Trixie, I know you’re out here…” Dash thought out loud.

Dash took lift off mid stride and began scanning the ground from above for anything that even resembled Trixie. She knew that Twilight said not to kill her, but Dash was certain Twilight had no problem with her being dragged back by her jaw, and if she did Dash didn’t care.

In the far distance Dash could see blue figure in what appeared to be a cloak standing at ease a far distance from the actual fighting.

“Found you.” Dash smiled.

At that same moment Dash heard an ear shattering scream behind her. Quickly she turned to locate the familiar cry.

Rarity had been grabbed by one of the enemy pegasus and had managed to shoot her way free, but now was falling from Dash’s altitude. Without a second thought Dash abandoned her plans to pursue Trixie and bolted after Rarity.

“I’m coming Rarity!” Dash screamed.

She was getting closer, only a little bit further now. Flapping her wings as hard as she could she was trying everything she could just to get a little more speed.

A sharp pain struck her from her wing all the way down her spine. At that same moment she stopped flapping and began to fall through the sky like a comet. She had been shot in the wing.

Tumbling to the ground Dash rolled down a steep rocky slope hitting every jagged rock on the way down. She could feel each rock hit her, each like another individual bullet ripping at her skin. When she finally reached the bottom of the slope she opened an eye to see Rarity only a few feet away.

Dash forced her body to allow her to stand upright and stammer her way over to Rarity. When her eyes adjusted she examined Rarity.

Blood was gushing out of her right side like a hose. She whimpered at each spurt but did her best to hold in her cries. She had been shot.

Tearing off a piece of cloth off of her uniform Dash began to wrap the wound as best she could. She was no Fluttershy, but she knew a thing or two about covering wounds. A short double knot later the wound was covered at the very least. It would have to do until she got her to Fluttershy.

“Can you walk?” Dash asked.

“I don’t… Think so…” Rarity coughed between words.

“Then I guess I have to carry you.” Dash responded as she lifted Rarity onto her back.

“Just leave me here Dash; I’m only going to slow you down now…” Rarity requested.

Dash grunted but began making an ascent back up the hill she had fallen down to reach Rarity. Her body was weak from her own injury, and the weight from Rarity wasn’t helping; regardless she pressed onward as quickly as they could.

“Rainbow Dash, just leave me here…” Rarity insisted.

“No soldier gets left behind in the Rainbow Raiders, and that’s not about to change.” Rainbow Dash hissed at Rarity.

“Stubborn as always…” Rarity sighed.

Only a few steps up the hill Dash’s legs gave out. She and Rarity both began to fall back down the hill and roll into the nearby lake.

Dash struggled to swim to Rarity and keep them both afloat. She held on tight to the unicorn.

“Rainbow… What’s that…?” Rarity asked gesturing behind Dash.

Dash turned her head instinctively to witness a black line reaching out to the sky off in the distance. The line began to expand in width before the bottom swelled up in an orb that expelled itself outward. It was some kind of explosion.

“Shit!” Dash cursed.

“All units fall back, I repeat fall back! Retreat to the castle right this instant! Get away from that beam! This is an order!” Dash hollered into her radio.

A gust of wind snapped the grip that Rainbow Dash had around Rarity causing her to be pulled by the current. Frantically she attempted to swim to her direction but her body was still weak from being thrown around so much.

She was only moments from slipping out of consciousness when she felt a hoof grab her and pull her out of the water. Her ears could hear the sound of propellers spinning.

A moment later she realized she had been pulled into a helicopter piloted by none other than Vinyl Scratch. Turning to look for the one who grabbed her she recognized a familiar purple unicorn. Frantically she looked left and right for Rarity, only to realize she wasn’t in this helicopter.

“TURN AROUND! WE HAVE TO GET RARITY!” Dash spit out.

“Negative, we are heading away from what appears to be some kind of new weapon.” Twilight commanded.

Rainbow Dash quickly pivoted and jabbed her front hoof right into Twilight’s face. Twilight being as frail a fighter as she is fell without much effort.

“You fucking bitch! You should have saved her, not me!” She growled.

“We didn’t have time to save the both of you, it was either you or her, and you were more important than her.” Twilight justified.

“More important!? I’LL KILL YOU!” Dash picked up Twilight and held her against a wall by her throat.

“What… Good will… Killing me do…?” Twilight spoke between gasps.

“You should have saved Rarity… Not me…” Dash loosened her grip on Twilight.

“Could of and should of gets us nowhere. The fact remains that we didn’t save Rarity, we saved you.” Twilight reminded.

Dash looked up at the unicorn and noticed her face for the first time during this encounter. Her right eye was held closed tightly with blood seeping from it.

“Did I hit you in the eye…?” Dash asked nervously.

“It wasn’t you. On my way out here I was careless… I got slashed in the eye by an assassination attempt… They were counting on me to go save you. Fortunately Lieutenant Scratch was there to take care of the assailant.” Twilight explained.

“I see…” Was all Rainbow Dash could manage to get out.

It had been days since Rainbow Dash left her quarters. Ever since their return from the last battle they had she had locked herself in her quarters and refused visitors or even meals. Twilight’s concern only grew with each passing hour.

“Dash, open this door or I’m going to have it broken down.” Twilight demanded as she pounded on her door viciously.

To her surprise, Dash complied. The door creaked open only a hair, but Twilight darted inside before Dash could change her mind.

“Rainbow Dash, you can’t just stay locked up in your room all day, we need you out there.” Twilight gestured towards the door.

Dash was hardly listening to her. She sighed and poured herself a drink on the nearby table.

“They don’t need me out there anymore…” Dash sulked.

“Yes we do, you’re the fastest in Equestria, and the best commander any of us have ever seen. You’re vital to our success.” Twilight protested.

Dash scoffed at statement. Setting her drink back down on the table after a few large gulps she approached Twilight. She grabbed the blanket wrapped around her with her teeth and wrenched it off with great force, tearing it as she did so.

The first thing that Twilight noticed was the absence of a cutie mark on her flank.

“I’m not the fastest in Equestria anymore…” Dash replied solemnly.

“Rainbow Dash, your cutie mark didn’t make you who you are, you did. You just need to believe in yourself-“ Twilight was cut off.

“No, not anymore… I wasn’t fast enough to save Rarity, and for that reason… I have decided I never want to fly again…” Dash turned to reveal her other side.

Her wing, it had been hacked clean off; blood still dripped from where it once was.

“Y-you cut your wing off!?” Twilight responded.

“That’s not all. I’ll be leaving the Knights; I want nothing to do with you and your war anymore.” Dash answered.

“Dash we need you!” Twilight argued.

“Look around you Twilight. We’ve already lost…” Dash said.

I didn’t know what say. There weren’t any words that could capture how I felt about this information.

“Anyways, that’s all I know, and I only know from what Twilight has said.” Vinyl explained.

“So, that’s why Twilight and Rainbow Dash don’t get along?” I asked.

“Well, they’ve always had a heated relationship, but that’s how it came to be like it is now.” She replied.

“Thank you Vinyl Scratch… This has really opened my eyes…” I bowed.

“No need to thank me, I figured since you were Dash’s friend you deserved to know. She’s not like the rest of us in the Knights. Dash has seen more hardship than any one pony should...” Vinyl said.

“Even you?” I asked.

She chuckled.

“Well, that’s debatable.” She smirked.

I suppose that I hadn’t fully earned Vinyl’s trust yet, at least not enough to get her to show me her secrets just yet.

Achievement: A True Knight Never Leaves a Mare Behind - Flare listened to Rainbow's story.

Act 1: Chapter Thirteen

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Thirteen (The Cloudsdale Saga)

I was adjusting to life in Canterlot a lot easier than I expected. It certainly wasn’t anything like being in Skyvale, but it was better than being in the ruins down below. The entire Canterlot region was perched on a mountain side with the second half of the city built into a large pony-made cave. The rest of the city was built upon steps that were scaling the mountain side. The lower steps seemed to be reserved almost entirely for agricultural use.

The city had a feudalistic structure to it. Most ponies lived near the upper levels of the city right under the castle; I presumed it was the safest of regions within the city, judging from the abundance of ghettos.

One thing I had discovered within the brief time I had been there was that it certainly was the city of pleasures. Most of the local “businesses” in Canterlot were on the “shady” side. Gambling, drinking and promiscuity seemed to rule much of the ghetto regions, and even a good chunk of the upper class areas.

I had done some snooping around the city trying to find any other interesting information of before war time, mostly about Rainbow Dash, Vinyl Scratch, and perhaps a question or two about Pinkie Pie. Most were very open to talk about Dash, but the only thing anypony really knew about Vinyl was that she was a DJ for the radio before the war and they wanted nothing to do with her. Nopony seemed to want to talk about Pinkie Pie, but that much was expected.

We had been held up in Canterlot for two whole days at this point with Dash still speaking to Twilight. She never left the castle to tell us how things were going, so we could only assume that Twilight was persistent in trying to recruit her back to the military. The two had a lot to catch up on anyways, so I didn’t think much of it; we’d know when it was over.

My free time was mostly spent talking to either Vinyl Scratch or Jewel, mostly the latter though, as Vinyl didn’t ever really have anything to say besides how she couldn’t wait to “get back into the action.” Her name was appropriate, as she was a broken record at times.

Jewel had told me about Trixie’s fortress. It’s bigger than Canterlot that was for sure, and it was protected by more soldiers than the Equestrian military could provide, probably more lives than the civilians and soldiers combined. It was pure luck and chance that Jewel was able to escape according to her story. I felt sorry for her, created simply for the purpose of war; she was probably very lost in the world right now, more so than myself.

After over two days of waiting, Twilight finally requested an audience with both Vinyl Scratch and I.

“Lieutenant Vinyl Scratch and Flare of SkyVale.” Twilight began.

The two of us held still awaiting her next words.

“Princess Luna would like to speak with the two of you. I request that you remain respectful and listen carefully. That means you Lieutenant.” Twilight glared at Vinyl.

Princess Luna? I was curious as to why the second princess of Equestria had any interest in me. I could probably fathom why she would want to speak with Vinyl Scratch, being in the Knights and all, but I was just a visitor from SkyVale.

From the shadows of the hallway in front of us, an elegant dark colored mare stepped out from the bend and approached us. She was decorated from head to hoof in moon shaped emblems.

“Lieutenant Vinyl Scratch, it’s a pleasure to see you again.” Luna began.

Vinyl scoffed and gave a gesture with her head that made me believe she was rolling her eyes. There was no way to be certain of course.

“And you… Flare is it?” Luna ignored Vinyl’s rudeness.

I nodded.

“It’s a pleasure; I’ve heard great things about you from Twilight. She said Commander Dash has taken you under her wing so to speak.” Luna smiled.

“She actually doesn’t go by commander anymore, and not really. I was more or less just living with her and Pinkie Pie until I figured out what to do next really…” I admitted.

Luna seemed to grow a pleased look upon her face as she turned around and gazed out the nearby window. She seemed burdened by something.

“I understand you came to help the war effort?” Luna questioned without turning to face me.

“Yes, although when I left SkyVale I had thought the war was long over,” I said.

“Twilight, would you please brief our guests on the situation at hand?” Luna turned to Twilight.

“Yes One Eye, please brief us.” Vinyl teased.

Twilight ignored Vinyl’s attempt to get under her skin and flicked her head in an upward gesture. Her horn glowed as a projection appeared before the four of us. Five golden necklaces and a crown with odd shaped gemstones appeared in a holographic form before us.

“These are the elements of harmony, though I’m sure you’re familiar with them Lieutenant,” Twilight explained.

“I’ve heard stories about them; they were used to defeat Discord and Nightmare Moon right?” I asked.

Twilight nodded.

“It’s good to see you’ve brushed up on your history, it saves us some time. As you know these six magical artifacts possess power beyond imagination; however they were scattered across Equestria years ago, and due to our limited resources, we’ve only been able to get our hooves on two of them,” Twilight spoke.

“Do you think that these elements can defeat Trixie?” I asked.

Twilight shook her head.

“It’ll take more than the elements to truly destroy the darkness that Trixie has helped spread, however Trixie commands an army that is more than three times our size, and we will need every advantage we can get to defeat her…” Twilight smiled.

It was a little disheartening to see doubt from Twilight. I had thought she would be certain of the Knight’s victory, but then again she had proven far too practical for fantastical thinking at this point. She clearly wasn’t going to let pride do her in.

Twilight seemed to be the type of pony that didn’t bet on determination, but rather statistics. This was something that I’m certain Rainbow Dash and her clashed about on a frequent basis.

“So what do we have to do with all this?” I finally asked.

“I’m eager to know as well,” Vinyl spoke up.

“Well, Flare as much as I trust Rainbow Dash’s word, you are an outsider. We are uncertain if we can trust you just yet…” Twilight admitted.

Her concern was fairly well placed, after all I was not only a stranger to Canterlot, but to Equestria in general. I doubted that Canterlot got visitors from SkyVale on a regular basis.

“So you want to test me?” I finished her thought.

I was dead on.

“You catch on quick. Yes, we need you to do something for us. If you are successful then we will know that you serve the crown, and not Trixie,” Twilight said.

“We want you to go and retrieve an element of harmony and bring it back here. We’ve found some old documents that suggest the location of one of them,” Luna explained.

“I’m not sure I follow…” I replied.

Twilight turned to face me.

“What do you mean?” She responded.

“If I am untrustworthy, and these elements are crucial to your success, then why trust me to obtain one? If I am with Trixie then won’t I steal the element and return it to her?” I questioned.

“That’s where Vinyl comes in,” Twilight smirked.

“Huh?” I raised a brow.

“If you should do anything deemed threatening to Equestria, she’ll kill you,” Twilight said.

I wasn’t exactly very comfortable with how plainly she said that sentence. She was either completely confident that I wouldn’t betray them, or she had little care if I was successful or not.

“Fine, where is this element then?” I replied accepting the challenge.

Luna and Twilight grew silent.

“Well?” I asked.

“Cloudsdale…” Twilight nearly whispered.

“Are you sure this is a retrieval mission, and you’re not just trying to get rid of me?” Vinyl said.

“What’s so bad about Cloudsdale?” I asked.

Vinyl became tense and serious; it was an odd sight to behold.

“Cloudsdale has been abandoned for nearly six years. Ever since the darkness overtook Equestria, no pony has come there. There’s all kind of stories about the place being a haunted ghost town now. The point is no pony goes to Cloudsdale… Ever…” Vinyl explained.

“How do you expect me to be able to retrieve something from one of the most dangerous places in Equestria then!?” I protested.

Vinyl smirked.

“That’s why they are sending me with you…” Her face grew into a big grin.

“I’m not sure I follow…” I said.

Twilight came to my side and placed a hoof upon my shoulder.

“With the Lieutenant with you, it’s going to take Trixie herself to get near you,” Twilight assured.

I had heard war stories about Vinyl Scratch, but had never seen her actually fight. Some stories told tales of her slaying dragons with nothing but a blade. I suppose there had to be at least some truth to them.

“Fine, I’ll do it.” I replied.

“Excellent! We will give you plenty of time to prepare for your departure. We encourage you to relax a bit and get some rest before you go,” Twilight smiled.

She seemed eager to get things moving very quickly.

Vinyl seemed uninterested in Twilight’s words, and was already making for the exit. I suppose to her all this seemed like was a babysitting job.

“One more thing,” Twilight called out to us.

I turned.

“Jewel has been appointed as a weapon smith, and we had her do some fine tuning on your weapons. She said you should go pick them up before you leave,” Twilight said.

Vinyl spit and continued walking.

“Thank you, we’ll be sure to see her,” I thanked.

Jewel was plenty excited to see the two of us, though Vinyl didn’t appear to show the same excitement. I tried my best to ignore her and carry on.

“It’s nice to see you again Jewel, how’s life in Canterlot treating you?” I asked.

She smiled brightly.

“Just fine, though some of the locals give me a nasty look now and then, it’s far better than being out in the ruins. Being that I have darkness inside of my body I wasn’t permitted to join the military, but my crafting abilities lent themselves well to making weaponry, years scavenging in the ruins are paying off I suppose,” she replied.

Vinyl just wandered about lazily and leaned herself against a nearby support beam for the store. Not a word left her mouth.

“Twilight said you had something for us?” I changed the subject.

The grin on her face grew at the question.

“I most certainly do. Remember when you came into town and they had you leave your weapons with the royal guards?” She asked.

“Don’t remind me…” I rolled my eyes.

During our arrival they had to disarm myself and Pinkie Pie. They allowed Rainbow Dash to keep her blade however as they recognized her as the former commander of the Rainbow Raiders. That and she told them that they’d have to pry it off of her dead body first.

We were told we’d get our weapons back, but I never actually guessed they would return them.

“Well, they ended up here and I did a little bit of work on yours. It took me a bit longer than usual, as I’ve never seen a weapon like this before, where in Equestria did you pick this up?” She asked.

I recalled the factory for a brief moment.

“It’s better you don’t ask…” I grinned sheepishly.

“Well, either way I saw your weapon was very effective against flesh, but when it comes to blocking other swords, the chainsaw attachment was only going to get in the way. After some thinking I realized what it needed,” she tossed the weapon back to me as she spoke.

Fastening it to my front right hoof I inspected it closer. Letting the blade come out, I noticed the chain around it had a white glass like substance around the edges of it. It sparkled like precious gemstones.

“I lined the edges with diamonds. I did a few tests with it, and well… Let’s just say you’re going to be a cut above the competition out there. I can promise you that particular blade can literally cut any steel sword in half.” She smiled.

I stared at the blade in awe. I wasn’t exactly used to receiving gifts, nor was I expecting one out here. Thanks to Jewel however Pinkie Pie’s weapon would prove even more useful to me now.

“Thank you Jewel, you have no idea how much this means to me,” I bowed thankfully.

“The bows are unnecessary darling. If you want to thank me, how’s about you follow me to the back room?” She winked flirtatiously.

“Er… What?” I blinked.

She burst out laughing.

“You’re too cute. I was only kidding, unless of course you were interested…” She winked yet again.

I gave her another sheepish smile and declined.

“Are you quite done?” Vinyl yawned.

Jewel directed her attention over to the snow colored unicorn. Jewel’s strange glowing eyes focused on her viciously before replying.

“I did a bit of research on your fighting style. I heard a lot of stories, and I think I have just the thing for you…” Jewel smiled as she approached Vinyl.

Vinyl didn’t seem to even fake interest in the offer. It would appear as though her prejudice would hold out even when offered gifts. Then again, there was always the chance that this was how she always acted, from the stories I had heard, that idea wasn’t too farfetched.

Jewel levitated a long sharp blade with a hook jutting off of the backside. She then presented the blade before Vinyl Scratch. The piece of metal was enough to catch even her attention.

“I made this with you in mind. It’s perfect for grappling enemies from up close,” Jewel explained.

Vinyl turned away from her.

Jewel’s expression turned stern and serious.

“I’ve heard stories about you…” She began.

Vinyl didn’t even turn to face her.

“They say the reason you always wear those glasses is because you have the eyes of a demon…” Jewel added.

Still not turning to face her, Vinyl spoke out of the corner of her mouth.

“Double cross us, and why don’t you find out?” Vinyl spat.

Twilight had advised us to stop by Fluttershy’s medical center to pick up what she deemed “necessary medical supplies.” The fact that she deemed them “necessary,” only worried me more.

The building was close to the castle in the upper distract. Twilight made sure to keep Fluttershy and her operations out of the ghetto areas, then again I imagined the ghettos would need her services more than any pony else in Canterlot.

“Hold still for me, this may hurt just a little…” A voice I recognized resonated from the room ahead of us.

“Pinkie Pie?” I popped in the door.

My hunch was correct. Pinkie Pie was standing over an operating table with a screwdriver levitating over her “patient.” The one on the table however had some kind of contraption sticking out of where its wing should be. The long mechanical device fed into its body through some torn skin. It was as if some pony has just ripped her wing clean off and placed this mechanical device in its place.

“What the hell is that!?” I gasped.

“Just hold on a minute and we’ll attend to you,” Pinkie assured.

Turning away from us she moved back to focusing on her work.

“Alright, I’m going to pull this piece back into place then fasten it, let me know if it works,” Pinkie spoke to the cream colored pony on the table.

One of the many steel rods connected to the device was pulled down into a socket followed by Pinkie screwing in a bolt to keep it in place.

“How’s it working?” She asked.

The whole contraption bent like an appendage and curled inward to take the shape of the pegasus’ missing wing.

“Excellent, thank you Pinkie; you’re as resourceful as ever,” the pegasus complimented.

“Yes, well we have guests.” Pinkie pointed in our direction.

The other looked up in our direction and a smile appeared on her face. She lifted herself off of the table and stepped upon the floor.

“So we do,” she said.

I was still in awe at the mysterious device attached to this creature. I couldn’t help but stare.

“You must be the two that Twilight sent, I’m Fluttershy,” she added.

This pony spoke with such a soft tone, it was doubtful she could even stand the sight of blood, let alone be one of the best doctors in Canterlot.

“You must be Flare?” She smiled at me.

“Uh- Yeah, that’s me.” I stuttered.

She laughed.

“Pinkie told me a little about you, you’re quite the adventurer. You have my gratitude for escorting her here. She’s been a huge help to my work,” Fluttershy replied.

I nodded, uncertain of what else to say.

Up close Fluttershy’s entire body appeared to have all kinds of scars all over it. She looked like a mare that had seen more combat than Rainbow Dash even.

“You two can catch up, I’m going to get Vinyl Scratch all set up with the supplies then you can be on your way,” she gave another sugary smile.

Fluttershy gestured for Vinyl to follow her, and without a word from either of them, they both retreated to the back room, which I assumed was for storage.

Pinkie turned to me gently with a bright smile on her face. Her long rosy mane wrapped around her head interestingly as the grin came across her face. It was easy to tell by now when I was addressing Pinkie Pie, or Pinkamena; this was Pinkamena.

“Amazing isn’t she?” Pinkie finally said.

I turned to her with a confused expression.

“Fluttershy?” I asked.

She nodded.

“What is she…?” I dared question.

“A prototype, a major advancement in both medical science, and technology,” Pinkie stated proudly.

Her fascination with this sort of thing was a bit frightening at times. I never suspected any pony was wrong in questioning Pinkie’s mental stability, and the more time that passed, the more I suspected she might be completely mad.

“Is she… A robot?” I questioned.

“Not quite. She’s a cybernetic enhanced pony, the first of her kind,” Pinkie explained.

“So you’re saying she is still a pony underneath all that?”

“More or less.” Pinkie smiled.

I never was a fan of her cryptic answers.

“How did she get like that…?” I asked.

“War does a lot of damage to the body. Fluttershy has been in her fair share of scrapes since she was in the Rainbow Raiders. After that she continued work as a field medic, and during that time she took quite a few hits. Twilight used some schematics from some pre-war designs that were locked up and had over 70% of her body replaced, pretty cool huh?” Pinkie spoke.

“Cool” wasn’t the word I would have used.

“This isn’t right… She’s not even alive anymore…” I said.

Pinkie sighed and rolled her eyes.

“She’s perfectly alive Flare. This design made sure to not take out the two things that make her a pony. So long as they stay, she controls the machine, and the machine doesn’t control her,” Pinkie assured.

“How can you be so sure of that?” I protested.

“Because I designed it,” Pinkie said plainly.

There was silence between the two of us.

“I designed it before the war. When I made it I realized that consciousness and heart are what keep us who we are. So I made sure never to remove the brain or the heart. Underneath that entire machine is Fluttershy’s brain controlling it all. There’s no processor, no super computer, nothing; just a bunch of parts controlled by her brain…” Pinkie was speaking in such a low volume I needed to lean in to hear her.

She brought her face close to mine, touching her forehead to my forehead.

“Do you think I’m that much of a monster? To turn a pony into nothing more than an abomination of nature, Flare?” She whispered.

“I don’t know what to think anymore,” I replied.

Pinkie nodded and pulled away, seeming satisfied with that answer.

“There’s something I don’t understand though…” I spoke up.

Pinkie looked over at me curiously.

“Hm?”

“I thought you said that you worked as baker before the war…” I said.

Pinkie grew yet another smile upon her face.

“I did, worked for the Cake family at Sugar Cube Corner for probably close to six years. I even saw them right here in Canterlot, they’ve opened up a new shop and everything,” Pinkie answered.

“Then why didn’t you go back to working with them?” I questioned.

Pinkie let out a little laugh at my question.

“Well, I went to see them and the moment they saw me they pulled out their guns and commanded me off their property, told me I wasn’t welcome there and if I returned they’d kill me.” Pinkie said plainly.

The way that she always approached these kinds of situations so nonchalantly was very disturbing to me at times.

“Why would they do that…?” I dared ask.

Pinkie sighed and gestured for me to take a seat with her. Obeying I planted my rear right next to hers and listened.

“Let me tell you a little story Flare…” She smiled.

“This happened about eight years ago…” She added.

Mr. Cake yawned as he wandered down the stairs to see what all the ruckus was about. He had been awoken by the sounds of shuffling, things being moved, and hoof steps all about on the store level. It had been going on for nearly an hour before he finally came downstairs to see what was going on.

Just coming out of the back room was an overworked Pinkie Pie carrying several bags of flour from storage to the front room. She stopped only to look in Mr. Cake’s direction.

“Oh, sorry Mr. Cake, I didn’t mean to wake you,” she apologized.

Pinkie’s wild mane was soaked partially in sweat; flopping over her left eye she looked exhausted. Mr. Cake wasn’t used to seeing her so overworked and tired. The mare was normally so full of energy that a lot of the time he couldn’t keep up with her, but for the past year she had been worn out and overworking herself.

“Pinkie, it’s midnight, what are you doing down here?” He questioned.

“Well, when I do my shifts in the shop I need everything prepared as soon as possible so that I’ll have time to close up and give myself enough time to mind my studies. So every night before my shift I come down here and get all the supplies ready to go so that I can shave off some thirty minutes from my workload when I get up. I don’t want to fall behind on my studies, but I can’t be slacking off at work either…” Pinkie explained.

It had been like this ever since Pinkie had started attending school about a year prior. During the day she’d work the shop, and in the evening she’d go to class. After that she’d stay up some nights until day break studying. It wasn’t uncommon for them to find her passed out in front of a text book.

“Pinkie, maybe it’d be best if you took some time off… You need to get some rest…” Mr. Cake frowned.

“No! Out of the question! I’m not living here and contributing nothing! I earn my keep just like every pony else!” Pinkie protested.

Mr. Cake smiled and placed a hoof on her shoulder. She looked up at him curiously, but he just continued to smile.

Finally the silence was broken.

“Pinkie, you’re just like a daughter to us. We’re very proud of you for going to school; you have nothing to prove to us. If you need some time away from the shop then we’re more than happy to help. You’re family to us Pinkie.” He smiled.

Pinkie nodded and placed the bags on the ground.

“Thank you Mr. Cake,” was all she could manage to say.

He nodded and gestured for her to head upstairs.

“Thank you, we hope to see you again!” Pinkie grinned at the set of customers.

She truly was the main attraction at the Sugar Cube Corner. Seeing her was enough of a reason for any pony to come by.

“Pinkie, would you mind looking after the store front for a few minutes by yourself? The twins need our attention right now, we’ll only be a few minutes,” Mrs. Cake asked as she juggled one of the children and a set of clean diapers.

Pinkie nodded.

“It’s no trouble, I’ve got it under control,” Pinkie assured.

Mrs. Cake replied with a weak smile and took the child to the back room. Pinkie giggled to herself thinking about the children.

Moving to clean the counter top the little bell above the door announced the arrival of some new customers. Pinkie looked up to greet them with her usual attitude; however she paused upon seeing them.

She recognized the lot of them. All students from her class, all well bred from rich families. And there she was, a lowly small town girl struggling to balance a job and going to school. The tension between them had always been very high to say the least.

“What can I get you?” Pinkie faked politeness.

“Pinkie Pie, so you really do work in a bakery then? How sad…” The oldest of the group teased.

“I’m not looking for a hard time guys…” Pinkie spoke quietly.

He seemed to enjoy her frustration.

“It’s a good thing we didn’t ask what you wanted then isn’t it?” He replied slyly.

Let me at him.

“Please guys; I don’t want any trouble…” Pinkie smiled sheepishly.

He placed his front hoof on the counter and leaned in.

“And what are you going to do about it?” He spoke.

Leave him to me… I can get rid of him.

“Hey!” The voice of Mr. Cake came from behind Pinkie.

“Stop giving my employees a hard time. If you’re not going to buy anything then get out,” he scolded.

The oldest took his hoof off the counter and gestured for the others to follow him out the door. He muttered some curse under his breath on his way out, no doubt directed at Pinkie and possibly Mr. Cake.

“Are you alright Pinkie?” Mr. Cake placed a hoof on her shoulder.

“Yeah, I just… Need to use the bathroom that’s all…” She lied.

“Alright,” he replied lowering his hoof from her.

Hastily Pinkie ran to the bathroom upstairs near her room. She didn’t need just any bathroom, she needed that particular one.

Gazing at herself in the mirror, she noticed sweat was drenching her face at this point.

Reaching into the cabinet behind the mirror she searched around for a bottle of pills.

You should have let me handle them…

“Stop talking,” Pinkie retorted.

Slipping a set of pills into her mouth she swallowed them without any water. She returned to looking at herself in the mirror.

“The answer is 4,852,” Pinkie spoke.

“That is correct Pinkie… You’re well on your way to becoming valedictorian material for this class,” the instructor responded.

“Thank you sir,” Pinkie nodded.

Not twenty seconds later the end class bell rang throughout the building. Every student started packing their things and preparing to go home.

Pinkie was putting her things away and preparing to go back to the shop and study, she’d hoped she’d be able to catch up on her sleep this weekend.

“Hey freak show!” Some familiar voices called out to her.

She attempted to ignore them and focus on putting her belongings away. Unfortunately they were a persistent bunch and approached her.

“So, how’s life at the bakery?” He joked.

Pinkie knew all too well he wasn’t truly interested.

“Fine, now please leave me alone…” She spoke quietly.

“No friend to help you now, huh? Not so tough anymore are you?” He tapped her shoulder with his hoof.

Give him to me.

“Please, you’re going to make something happen that you won’t like…” Pinkie pleaded.

The group laughed.

“Please, I’m warning you…” Pinkie repeated.

Just let me have him…

“Or you’ll do what? Throw a cake at us?” The leader of the group teased.

Give me control; I can handle him, Pinkie Pie…

“Just walk away…” Pinkie warned.

He responded by pushing her.

“Or else what…?” He asked.

GIVE HIM TO ME PINKIE! THAT’S AN ORDER!

“Fine, you can have him!” Pinkie yelled out loud.

The group turned to each other confused at her outburst, uncertain who she was talking to.

With a flick of her head her mane fell from its usual fluffy form and gracefully draped her face. Her expression turned to one of malice and seriousness. She seemed much of intimidating than she had only moments ago.

“I am only giving you one more warning… Step away… Or else.” She smirked.

“Or else what?” He dared ask.

Pinkie charged forward and slammed him against the wall, pinning him there with her front hoof. Getting close to him she stared into his eyes with fireballs in the place of her own.

“I bet you think it’s funny picking on those less fortunate than you? I bet you feel so much more superior to them… Knowing that they’ll never fight back, am I right?” Pinkie’s voice became filled with venom.

He only responded by struggling to escape.

“I’m letting you off easy this time… Just remember sometimes you may push a pony too far… And the results could be very… Unfavorable…” She whispered into his ear.

She let him drop to the floor at that moment.

“Mess with me again, see what happens,” she added before her exit.

“SHUT UP! JUST STOP TALKING! I’M SICK OF YOU! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!” Pinkie screamed.

Pinkie knocked over her nearby vanity in frustration. All of the contents fell to the floor, and the mirror shattered into thousands of shards.

“I’m not giving control back to you! I don’t need you anymore, I can handle myself now!” Pinkie protested out loud.

“I’m sick of you Pinkie Pie, everything about you. I’m sick of your annoying, insufferable laughter!” She yelled.

Pinkie clutched her head in between her front hooves. Her headache was only growing the more she resisted.

“No, I’m Pinkamena Diane Pie. That’s who I am now, and that’s how it’s going to stay! I’m in control, I don’t need you anymore! I don’t want you anymore! Get out of my head!” She screeched.

Pinkie banged her head on the wall repeatedly, trying to silence the inner voice. She bludgeoned her own skull until blood trickled from her forehead. Her argument was interrupted however by a knock at the door, followed by the voice of Mr. Cake.

“Pinkie? Are you alright in there?”

Pinkie took a deep inhale and exhale, and then brushed her straight mane with her hooves as she composed herself.

She opened the door casually.

“Yeah, I’m fine Mr. Cake; I just was practicing this play we have to learn for English class, that’s all…” She lied.

Mr. Cake had an expression of confusion on his face.

“How’d you break the vanity?” He raised an eyebrow.

“I fell,” she lied yet again.

Mr. Cake nodded and trotted into the room. Pinkie brought herself down to the bed and sat down as he wandered around the room inspecting it for other damages.

“I’ve just been worried about you that’s all…” He finally came out with.

Pinkie gestured for him to join her on the bed. He nodded and sat down beside her.

“You’ve been working so hard, and I just don’t like seeing you so stressed out. You’ve been acting different the past few days, and I was just wondering if anything was bothering you,” he said.

It was just like him, always looking out for her. She laughed a little inside at his devotion to her well being. He was far more noble and fatherly than he looked.

“I’m perfectly fine, in fact I think I’m about to be better than I’ve ever been. I was struggling to figure out who I am for a while there, but I think I finally know…” She grinned slyly.

“Well, as long as nothing is bothering you…” He smiled weakly.

“It’s you that I’m worried about Mr. Cake…” She spoke at a nearly inaudible level.

Mr. Cake looked dumbfounded at her comment, before asking “why’s that?”

Not even a split second after he had asked she pulled him onto the bed and pinned him down, leaning over him carefully. Her hair fell onto his neck gingerly as she stared into his eyes. She looked far more powerful than the Pinkie Pie he had known, and far more intimidating. She had a stare that could paralyze a colt within a split second; he was proving it right there and then.

“I’m afraid that you’ll fall to temptation Mr. Cake… It’s always right there in front of you… Waiting for you to take just a nibble of the pleasures it offers…” She whispered.

“I wouldn’t-“ He was cut off.

“Don’t lie, Mr. Cake. I can see it in your eyes, you’re just a colt, and how can you deny your own instincts? It would be so easy for you to slip up and take it… After all, we’re all creatures who live for pleasure aren’t we?” She smiled cunningly.

Mr. Cake could feel sweat drip down his neck.

“Cup-“ He was silenced again.

“Doesn’t need to know about this,” Pinkie said.

“There’s no reason to worry her… I’ll protect you Mr. Cake… I’ll make sure that you don’t fall to the pleasures of temptation…” She smiled.

Mr. Cake was silent, his heart beating furiously, almost ready to rip out of his chest.

Pinkie crawled off of him. Carefully he slid out from under her and approached the door quietly. His expression remained unchanged the entire time. He knew that it would be best to not let Mrs. Cake in on this meeting of theirs’.

“Say Mrs. Cake, do you ever worry about Mr. Cake?” Pinkie questioned.

Mrs. Cake looked down from the ladder she was on with a confused look upon her face. She threw down the supplies she was getting for Pinkie to catch. Retreating down the ladder she responded.

“What do you mean dear?” She asked.

“Aren’t you worried? I mean there’s a lot of young mares that come in here every day, it’d be pretty easy for him to give into them don’t you think?” Pinkie replied.

“Well-“ Mrs. Cake didn’t get a chance to even finish.

“Plus with your coming of age it’s hard to compete with these young mares…” Pinkie smirked.

Mrs. Cake bit her lower lip.

“A-am I really that old looking…?” She stuttered.

“Nah, not too old, though a little make up can’t hurt…” Pinkie winked.

“Right… A little make up…” Mrs. Cake replied.

“I told you before Pinkie Pie, I’m just experimenting with them. I’ve always been fascinated with social experiments.” Pinkie spoke out loud.

Pinkie sighed and shook her head in disappointment.

“You would think that Pinkie Pie, you’re so content with being stuck in the same place and never moving forward. Me however, I want to change all of pony kind. I want to find the solutions to our problems; I want to be the one behind evolution.” Pinkie spoke.

A small tap was heard at the door.

She answered it to be greeted by Mr. Cake standing at the doorway.

“Ah, Mr. Cake, please come in.” She gestured.

“That won’t be necessary,” he replied.

Pinkie could detect something was wrong with him.

“Pinkie, I don’t know what’s happened to you over the past few months, but I don’t like it. Mrs. Cake doesn’t either. What’s happened to you? Where’s the Pinkie Pie that we love?” He was nearly in tears.

Pinkie sighed and turned her head away from him.

“She’s gone… And she’s not coming back…” Pinkie said.

“Well, whoever you are now, you’re gone too.” His voice became tense.

Pinkie turned to face him.

“We want you out of here by the end of the week. Whatever has happened to you, we don’t like it and we’ve had enough. You’re not welcome here anymore.” He turned away in disgust.

Pinkie didn’t cry, she didn’t scream, she didn’t even over react. Mr. Cake was prepared for hysterics from her, but instead she calmly approached him and smiled.

“It’s been fun then,” was all she said.

“What happened then?” I asked.

“I never saw them again until I came here,” Pinkie replied.

I was a little confused by her story.

“I don’t get it…” I said.

Pinkie turned to face me.

“What don’t you get?” She asked quietly.

“Why did you want to be Pinkamena so badly? It sounds like being Pinkamena ruined everything you had. No offense but it sounds like you ruined Pinkie Pie’s life…” I lowered my head.

Pinkie laughed at my comment.

“Oh Flare… You have it all backwards…” She giggled.

I tilted my head.

“You’re assuming that Pinkie Pie came first,” she said.

I blinked.

“Are you saying…?” I didn’t know how to finish that question.

“Yes. Pinkamena isn’t some persona I created for myself, Pinkie Pie is. I created her so many years ago, and I couldn’t let go of her… Until recently,” she explained.

If what she was saying was true, that meant that she was Pinkamena before Pinkie Pie.

“Why did you create her?” I asked.

“Fear.”

“Fear of what?” I questioned.

“Myself… I was always afraid of what I’d be willing to do, and how far I’d be willing to go… I created Pinkie Pie to keep me from going over the edge, from stepping too far over the line. I could give the illusion that I was happy, and maybe if I kept smiling then I’d actually feel happy… It wasn’t until recently that some pony taught me it’s better to be who you are than to live a lie…” She rambled.

She was speaking very quietly.

“Who was that?” I asked.

She smiled.

“You.”

I remained silent. I had nothing prepared to respond to that with. She took advantage of the silence and moved closer to me, pressing her body close to mine.

“I heard about you two going to Cloudsdale… It’s very dangerous there, do me a favor and come back alive, alright?” She whispered into my ear.

“I’ll try,” was all I thought to say in response.

Pinkie giggled lightly and whispered again.

“Perhaps you need a good luck charm?”

“And what would that be?” I questioned.

Not saying another word she grabbed my head and turned me towards her. Planting a deep kiss upon my lips I was momentarily stunned. It was the same as before, I couldn’t react, instead I let my muscles relax and enjoy it.

I could smell her breath, she must have had some kind of gum recently because she smelled minty, and tasted very sweet.

It must have been rather awkward for her, the way she kissed it was clear she was a grown mare, and I clearly kissed like I was still a little colt.

“Don’t kiss that Flare you don’t know where it’s been.” Vinyl’s voice spoke from across the room.

Parting lips the two of us looked in her direction.

“I was just-“ I was cut off.

“Yeah, yeah, come on lover boy we’ve got a transport waiting for us. You get to play soldier with me, it’s your lucky day.” She smirked.

Before she made her exit she made sure to throw another few demeaning comments in Pinkie’s direction. Pinkie only responded with smiles.

Turning to Pinkie I attempted to make sense of her actions once again.

“The last time you kissed me, you told me you didn’t feel anything, so why’d you do it again?” I questioned.

“Flare, you’re talking to a girl who doesn’t even understand what love is. It was for good luck, nothing more.” She assured.

It was a typical answer of her.

“What about you?” She asked.

Oddly, I didn’t feel any kind of romance towards her either. The first girl who had ever kissed me, not once but twice, yet the only thing I felt towards her was that she was a trusted friend. Nothing sparked between the two of us.

“You’re just a friend,” I replied.

She laughed.

“You sure are a surprise Flare; I hope you stay that way,” She said.

Achievement: It's Just for Good Luck, I Swear - Flare learned Pinkamena's past.

Act 1: Chapter Fourteen

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Fourteen (Cloudsdale Saga)

I had learned that the entity that Twilight and Vinyl referred to as a “chopper” was actually some kind of armored mechanical bird that carried ponies from one location to another. They were also sometimes used to rain fire down on the enemy, however due to the military’s limited resources they couldn’t afford to build more of them, so they rarely risked them like this.

They would load them up with a flammable liquid and drop ignited globs of it onto the enemy in the midst of battle. The only problem is that it completely destroyed the land around them as well. It was reserved as a last resort.

These devices apparently were built some months after the war began which would explain why I had never seen them before.

Vinyl apparently had been piloting these beasts for several years after she was taken off of active combat duty. She was the one who piloted the chopper that saved Rainbow Dash back in the day.

This particular chopper however was being piloted by Octavia; she was fairly quiet as she focused on getting us from Canterlot to Cloudsdale. Accompanying us for this trip was Twilight, and Rainbow Dash; whom hadn’t divulged even a word of information about her conversations with Twilight and Luna over the past few days. She apparently only wanted to see us off, but wasn’t ready to speak with us yet.

“So you and Pinkie Pie have some kind of thing?” Twilight attempted to break the silence.

I shook my head.

“Really, I heard from Fluttershy that she saw the two of you kissing,” Twilight giggled.

“Pinkie isn’t exactly the kind of mare that makes much sense, so it’s hard to explain her intentions. All I can say is that there’s nothing romantic between the two of us…” I explained.

Twilight nodded.

“Out of all the time I’ve known her, I’d have to say that I agree on her intentions being hard to explain. She’s certainly a character that’s for sure…” Twilight smiled.

Vinyl scoffed.

“What’s your problem?” I asked.

“I just can’t talk about that pink disease without wanting to slit her throat and watch her blood drained,” Vinyl replied plainly.

What a shining example of a model citizen.

“What’s your deal with Pinkie? You don’t seem to like her very much…” I commented.

“What was your first clue?” She remarked.

I should have expected that kind of answer from her.

“She isn’t bad looking though…” Vinyl added.

Twilight rolled her eyes.

“You’re a pervert…” Twilight said.

Vinyl turned to her direction and gave a gentle kissing gesture in Twlight’s direction. Twilight only responded by rolling her eyes a second time.

“You’re not so bad yourself, maybe if you got some sunglasses to cover that thing up…” Vinyl smirked.

“Fuck off,” Twilight scolded.

Vinyl snickered and leaned back into her seat. It was amazing how she not only displayed nothing but disrespect for her commanding officer, but was the only one as bold as to point out her eye again and again. We all obviously noticed it, but no pony wanted to be the one to address the elephant in the middle of the room. I had to admit though I was curious about her eye myself.

“I’m serious though, you should consider getting an eye patch or something, it’d draw less attention in the long run,” Vinyl continued to tease.

“That’s a lot coming from a pony that hides behind sunglasses all the time,” Twilight replied.

“Sticks and stones, One-Eye, sticks and stones,” Vinyl retorted.

“That’s enough Vinyl. If you don’t knock it off then I’m going to personally kick your ass.” Rainbow burst out.

All fell silent. We weren’t expecting for Dash to say anything at this point.

“Eh, not even worth my time anyways…” Vinyl waved a hoof in a carefree manner.

I decided it was best to change the subject to something I was more curious about anyways.

“So what’s the deal with you and Pinkie Pie?” I asked.

Twilight and Rainbow both gave me a look of disapproval. Apparently I had asked a very taboo question to the worst possible pony.

“Why did you let her come back Twilight? You should have let me blow her head off the moment we saw her…” Vinyl said.

“Are you questioning your commanding officer?” Twilight threatened.

Vinyl didn’t seem too intimidated by this threat.

“Who’s going to stop me?” Vinyl smirked.

“I am, now shut up Vinyl before I throw you out of this chopper,” Rainbow Dash scolded.

Vinyl grew a disappointed expression.

“I could almost understand Twilight’s sappy forgiveness approach, but what has me really concerned is how you’re so damn attached to her Dashie… Why are you protecting her?” Vinyl questioned.

Rainbow Dash only gave her a cold stare.

“Can it.” She barked.

Vinyl gave up and stood up. She announced she was going to “go bother Octavia for a while,” and entered the part of the transport called the “flight deck.”

“What am I going to do with her Rainbow? She’s getting worse and worse, and I know that the day she finally does lose it I won’t be able to control her,” Twilight sighed.

Dash didn’t respond. Twilight took her silence as the end of the conversation.

Curiosity guided me to follow Vinyl into the flight deck. I had suspicion that Twilight and Rainbow Dash needed to talk without my presence anyways.

I found Vinyl fiddling with the radio trying to get some of her “tunes” playing, with Octavia trying to stop her while piloting at the same time. Ultimately Vinyl was winning the little spat between them, and Octavia sat in frustration.

“Vinyl Scratch?” I approached her.

She turned around in her seat and shot me a look.

“What were you arguing with Twilight and Rainbow Dash about?” I asked.

Vinyl smiled and gestured for me to sit down, and of course I obeyed.

“Let me tell you a little story Flare…”

All were silent as they watched anxiously for the expected “guest” to arrive. Some had arrived early just to ensure that they would make it in time to see her. Generally the groups did not enjoy being at this particular kind of event, however this time it was widely accepted among the group that this would be the exception. Many were eager to watch what they considered “the right thing.”

Twilight wasn’t exactly too thrilled to be the one overseeing this event, however due to the circumstances she was required to be present, though she and Vinyl Scratch both would rather be out on the battle field as the biggest battle of their lives took place only a few miles away from their location. Looking over at Vinyl, Twilight could tell that she yearned to be out there fighting; it was exactly that reason that Twilight was always concerned about her though.

All heads turned as the sound of chains slithering across the floor followed by a group of hoof steps ringing from the hallway near the entrance. The anticipation in the room heightened at least ten times that of what it was in only a short few seconds. Every pony leaned their heads in to try and get a better look at the entering group.

Four of the royal guard stood around a pink mare that they were escorting inside. On her hooves were two sets of shackles, being held on both ends by the royal guards. A face devoid of any and all emotion rested on her. There wasn’t sympathy, remorse, or even sadness in her; she felt nothing.

The guards fastened her chains down to four hooks in the floor and locked them in place. The crowd began to murmur whispers between each other at the excitement.

Taking their positions around the mare the guards stood in salute to Twilight, who approached the pink mare.

She took a deep breath and let out a sigh before she began.

“I am Twilight Sparkle, the chosen servant of the throne, and primary general of military affairs. I am here to oversee this event because this has been deemed an event of the throne. The princesses could not attend as they are preoccupied with military affairs and thus I am standing in their place,” she explained.

The mare just stared at her blankly without a word.

“Do you have any words before we begin?” Twilight asked.

A smile grew on the shackled pony’s face.

“Nothing. Nothing at all,” she said plainly.

Sighing, Twilight nodded.

“Very well, then we turn this over to Lieutenant Vinyl Scratch.” Twilight walked off to the side.

Adorned in her respectable military uniform, Vinyl Scratch approached the center of the room between the audience and the detained mare. Her voice then boomed throughout the room.

“Pinkamena Diane Pie. You have been tried and found guilty of over twenty seven counts of murder, an unknown amount of illegal medical practices, and crimes against pony kind itself. You have been deemed a threat to society and your punishment…” She paused.

“Is death…” The crowd started murmuring again at those words.

“Do you have anything to say for yourself before this punishment is carried out and you atone for your crimes?” Vinyl asked.

Pinkie grew yet another smile.

“No crimes have I committed, everything I have done, was done for pony kind. You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs, and if I must be the scapegoat for progress, then so be it,” Pinkie stated with pride.

Vinyl hated how she could think herself as a hero, or a scapegoat. Giving a gesture to the guards around her they started to connect wires from the ground all around her body, and lastly placing one in her mouth onto her tongue.

“We will carry out the means of your death sentence through the means of magical current. You are currently hooked up to a battery that will send a lethal amount of magical energy through your body until you are dead.” Vinyl smiled.

“I regret nothing.” Pinkie spit.

Vinyl approached her quietly and leaned into her ear before whispering.

“I’m going to enjoy watching you cook…”

Pinkie responded with silence.

Vinyl stepped away and gestured for the switch to be thrown. That short second between throwing the switch and the effect to start seemed like time froze in that room. Nothing but dead silence filled the air followed by the sound of shocking and magic sparking.

Pinkie’s body started convulsing frantically as sparks and jolts shot off of it. Biting her lower lip she refused to let out any screams or sounds of pain.

Twilight turned away, unable to watch. Vinyl however stared in awe with a sinister grin on her face.

“Burn you bitch… Burn…” Vinyl nearly whispered.

The crowd was speechless; they weren’t sure how to react. They should have been ecstatic that a criminal was getting what she deserved, but they were more or less mortified by the sight of her being killed in front of them. Executions weren’t common in Equestria, and the princesses along with Twilight had always preached against them. With the social reform violent crimes like this one had dropped significantly as well. They had been able to avoid civil war for so long only to jump into war with Trixie.

Pinkie’s suffering would only last a brief moment however. Through the tall windows looking down on the room ponies could see a black pillar of dark energies strike down from the sky, tainting the ground around at an alarming rate.

A thick blackness encompassed everything that stood in its path, as it spread like wildfire.

The shockwave from the blast shattered the windows and caused glass shards to rain down, every pony ducking to keep them from getting in their eyes and every other orifice as best they could. A support beam for the building gave way and came down like thunder.

“Every pony clear the area! Vinyl Scratch come on with me, we need to get in the chopper!” Twilight instructed.

“But Pinkie-“ Vinyl protested.

“Forget her; I have a distress call that was issued directly to me. We have a pony that needs rescuing right now!” Twilight barked.

“Fuck them, besides who issues a distress call to the general?” Vinyl replied.

“Rainbow Dash,” Twilight replied.

Vinyl nodded.

“Well, then what the fuck are we doing here? If Dashie issued a distress call she must be in some serious trouble that shit has never happened before…” Vinyl said.

The two darted out of the collapsing building, leaving the tethered Pinkie Pie to her fate. After fastening themselves into their air lift Vinyl peered over at Twilight.

“What?” Twilight questioned.

“Do you think that building will crush her?” Vinyl asked.

Twilight sighed and turned her attention to the collapsing building out the window as Vinyl started the engine.

“Knowing Pinkie Pie, it’ll take more than that to end her…” Twilight replied.

“That’s an interesting story…” I said to the mare.

Vinyl just nodded and levitated a cigarette to her lips. Taking as puff she let it sit on her lower lip as she spoke. There really was no such thing as manners to her.

“Yeah, and now Twilight is letting her off the hook with this amnesty bullshit. Worse part is that pink cunt has got Rainbow Dash believing her bullshit too,” Vinyl said.

“I don’t think it’s like that,” I responded.

Vinyl gave me a curious face.

“Rainbow Dash has survived out there in the harsh ruins for over six years on her own. I’d imagine it’s pretty lonely out there. She probably just forgets about what Pinkie has done because it’s easier to have a friend out there than to not have one…” I explained.

I had no idea if I was even close to correct to be honest. Rainbow Dash never divulged if she was lonely or not, and she never said a word about Pinkie’s past, but it was the best guess I had. It was entirely possible that the two only co-exist because it’s easier for survival as well.

Vinyl sighed and took another drag of her cancer stick before nodding.

“You’re probably right, I mean as tough as Dashie is, she’s only a pony…” Vinyl smirked.

She’s only a pony. Those words stuck to me. Vinyl was right; Rainbow Dash was another pony like me, or Vinyl. It was always odd to think of her on such a equal level, but if I forgot that she was a war hero, and “the miracle” all that was left was an unfortunate mare caught in the middle of a war she had nothing to do with.

“You know she lost her sister right…?” I questioned.

Vinyl nodded.

“Yeah, I’ve heard that story once or twice. Trixie’s goons killed her right in front of Dashie, made sure she watched as it happened too, disgraceful,” Vinyl answered.

“Where do you stand in all this?” I asked.

Vinyl gave a light chuckle and took another puff. She blew out a ring of smoke and smiled.

“Didn’t they tell you? I’m the voice of Equestria, kid. If you stay close, you may be able to live long enough to see that for yourself,” Vinyl replied.

I had heard stories about the mare being a radio host before the war. Twilight mentioned that Vinyl used to speak against the ruling body and promote revolution to the general public. She had become a real threat to the crown as she had a majority of Equestria listening to her. That’s where she earned the title of “the voice of Equestria.” She was always rebellious, even before the war.

“Try not to distract the pilot too much,” I warned as I took my leave.

Rainbow Dash and Twilight fell silent as I re-entered the passenger section. Clearly my hunch about them wanting to carry on private conversation was correct.

Trying to ignore the awkwardness of the situation I stood near the open passenger door.

“Hey, here’s a question, how exactly are we going to walk on clouds?” I broke the silence.

Vinyl’s voice resonated from behind me.

“I’m curious about that too,” she added.

Turning around I noticed Vinyl coming out of the cockpit. She was at least decent enough to put out her cigarette before entering.

“We discovered a long time ago that a pegasus is able to walk on clouds because of small traces of magic within their feathers. We also discovered that if we put an enchantment on these feathers that they would retain this magic indefinitely even after removal. So as long as a pony carries one of these feathers, they may walk on clouds.” Twilight smiled.

Twilight seemed to enjoy explaining things.

“I did one up on that though…” Twilight added.

She levitated two metallic looking feathers on rope necklaces to us. Vinyl Scratch and I both placed one around our necks. Vinyl shot Twilight a confused look.

“What are these?” She questioned.

“Well, I decided to make them more permanent with an alchemy spell. The feathers are coated in a layer of gold that will keep them from degrading.” Twilight answered.

I stared at the sparkling yellow feather in awe.

“Thank you Twilight,” I bowed.

Twilight shook her hoof in a modest gesture.

“Thank Rainbow Dash, she was the one who graciously donated the feathers,” Twilight said.

My attention turned to the bored looking Rainbow Dash sitting next to her. She remained silent and didn’t even look in our direction with the mention of her name. She stared out the window with an uninterested look on her face. I could only imagine whatever Twilight and her were talking about earlier had put her off.

I looked back out the passenger door and sighed.

A loud crack was heard throughout the entire vehicle and pushed it to the left. Everypony fell either out of their seat or onto the floor, everypony except me. After I had realized what was happening I noticed there was nothing under me to catch my fall.

I was taking a dive to the earth that was thousands of feet down below. Looking up to the chopper I saw Rainbow Dash standing at the doorway, and taking a nose dive after me.

It didn’t take the speedy pegasus long to catch up with me. She flapped the only wing she had to pick up enough speed to pull me close to her. I wrapped my front hooves around her neck as best I could and held on tight.

Dash grabbed a pull chord on some sort of backpack she had grabbed and tugged it viciously with her mouth. She gave it three or four tugs before cursing and giving up on it.

“Shit…” She hissed.

“What are we going to do!?” I screamed over the wind.

Dash closed her eyes and began to take inhale then exhale. She appeared to be trying to calm herself. When her eyes finally opened she turned to me.

“Get on my back and hold on tight!” She instructed.

Dash tore at the straps holding on the bag and ripped it off of her, tossing it into the air. I replaced it upon her back holding on for dear life. With only one wing she couldn’t even get herself to the ground safely, let alone a colt that was probably around the same weight as her.

The moment I was on her back and turned her body and went for a full on nose dive towards the ground, flapping her sole wing furiously.

“Alright kid, we’re going to need a lot of speed to pull this off, so just hold on. You may hear your ears pop, so just try and stay with me alright!?” Dash hollered back to me.

I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me.

Dash had a look of extreme concentration on her face.

Listening carefully I was able to make out her talking to herself.

“Come on Dash, you can do this… You’ve done it before…” She told herself.

I noticed that our velocity was picking up very quickly. I could hear a crackling noise all around me.

Before I knew it I heard an ear shattering crack. Looking down in front of me, I saw a burst of light and colors spray from every direction in front of us. I couldn’t believe what I was witnessing.

Dash used the burst to change directions and hurl us in a 90 degree angle above the ground; instead of hitting nose first we slid and tumbled across the dirt and dust. My body ached at each bump we hit.

After we had stopped rolling I stood up and gazed at the sky. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing; a rainbow.

“I can’t believe it…” I nearly whispered.

“A SONIC RAINBOOM!” I burst out into a cheer.

I had never thought I’d see one in my lifetime. I had heard of Rainbow Dash performing them before, but never thought I’d get to see one, especially as close as I just had.

“Rainbow Dash you’re amazing!” I yelled.

Dash picked herself up from the dirt and gazed at the sky with a shocked expression. She seemed far more surprised by the feat than I was.

“I did it… I actually… Did it…” She stuttered.

“You were incredible!” I complimented.

Dash approached me quietly. I met her eyes with my own and waited for what she had to say. To my surprise she said nothing, instead she pulled my head into her chest and held me there tightly. Dash stroked my mane softly, and I felt a wet spot appear on my head.

“Flare, I thought I had lost you…” She finally spoke.

I said nothing.

“Flare, when you go to Cloudsdale promise me something…” She said.

“What’s that?” I asked.

She turned my head up to face her. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

“Don’t die. Please Flare, don’t die on me… Stay close to Vinyl Scratch, and don’t do anything too risky…” She choked.

“Rainbow Dash, I…” I started.

“I got you involved in this Flare. I’ve had a lot of ponies die for me, and I don’t think I can take one more. Please Flare; promise me that you’ll be careful…” She shook me.

I smiled to her.

“I promise,” I replied.

Dash nodded and pulled me back in for another embrace. I had never seen her this vulnerable before.

“Rainbow Dash! Flare!” The familiar voice of Twilight called out behind us.

“Twilight!” I yelled back, still tightly held by Rainbow Dash.

Twilight, Octavia and Vinyl Scratch came out of a clearing, the three of them awestruck by the rainbow in the sky; they appeared just as shocked as Rainbow Dash and I.

“Something hit the chopper, and we had an engine failure. Fortunately Octavia was able to bring us down with us still intact, though I can’t say the same for the chopper…” Twilight explained.

Something hit us?

“What hit us?” I raised a brow.

“After assessing the damage, it looked like it was an anti-vehicle round. It ripped right through the engine and came out the other side…” Twilight bit her lip.

That meant that some pony was trying to kill us.

“You think it was Trixie?” Rainbow Dash chimed in.

She had released me from her grip finally.

“No, this wasn’t a normal bullet. We found traces of magic left behind where it penetrated, not dark magic either, some kind we’ve never seen before. Our U.M.S.A.’s have nothing on it, we’ll have to check the database back in Canterlot, but we’re certain that if it is Trixie she’s got her hooves on some new toys,” Twilight said.

“Could there be somepony else out there that wants us dead?” I questioned.

“No clue, but I take a look at the sky,” Twilight smirked.

The five of us looked to the heavens. The dark ominous clouds had dispersed from the point where the sonic rainboom took place. We were actually able to see clear sky, something I had not seen in seven years.

“The sonic rainboom is so powerful that it repels the darkness, I bet our friend Trixie would like to see this…” Twilight smirked.

A lowly grunt made a series of hissing noises while he pounded upon the water facility where his master was residing currently.

“Hold on! I’m coming, I’m coming…” Came an annoyed female voice from behind the door.

An agitated Trixie exited with a towel resting on her wet mane. She growled at the peon and marched to her usual spot in the center of the room.

“This had better be worth interrupting me during my bath…” Trixie scolded.

Her minion made another series of hissing noises to which Trixie responded with a smirk. Throwing the towel off of her head she spun in her chair and commanded the others in the room.

“Well what are you waiting for!? You heard him, we have an incoming message from Twilight Sparkle, put her through! It looks like she’s finally giving up,” Trixie demanded.

Three of her peons worked some controls near the center of the room and a screen appeared before Trixie with Twilight’s face.

“Twilight Sparkle, it’s nice to see you again…” Trixie smiled deviously.

“Likewise,” Twilight replied.

“I take it you’ve finally come to your senses and decided to surrender?” Trixie spoke.

Twilight shook her head.

“No, I just thought you’d want to see something,” Twilight answered.

Trixie grunted to show her discontent.

The view was then shifted on Twilight’s end to show the sky. Trixie noticed that there was a multi-colored light spectrum radiating from a central point. The view then shifted down to a familiar Rainbow colored mare, then back to Twilight.

Trixie’s jaw dropped.

“That’s right Trixie, a sonic rainboom. You know what that means? It means that Dash still has it, I’d be worried if I were you.” Twilight tormented.

“Put Rainbow Dash on!” Trixie demanded.

Twilight sighed and handed the call over to Rainbow Dash.

“Ah, Rainbow Dash, nice to see you again…” Trixie smiled.

“Fuck you Trixie, what do you want?” Dash hissed.

“Rainbow Dash, you and I both want the same thing… You want the fighting to end, and I don’t wish to kill you all if I don’t have to. The darkness will make us complete Rainbow Dash, it will destroy our barbaric tendencies, it’ll bring us into the utopia we’ve always dreamed of,” Trixie explained.

Dash rolled her eyes.

“Forget it, I’ll never join you,” She replied.

“Why not Dash? Didn’t you join the resistance to put an end to senseless death? My master offers just that, the end of self destruction.” Trixie lectured.

“There’s no point. We would only end the violence by taking away our free will. If we are going to live in a world without violence, then I want it to be a world that we chose, and not one that was forced upon us. We have nothing left to discuss Trixie, don’t forget my promise.” Dash ended the transmission.

Trixie leaned back in her chair and exhaled.

“They always want to do things the hard way don’t they?” She sighed.

Levitating a photo of Rainbow Dash in front of her, Trixie began to study it. A smile played her lips as she ignited the photo.

“Then die…” She said.

“So how exactly are we getting to Cloudsdale now? The chopper is gone, and none of us can fly…” I pointed out.

Twilight bit her lip and looked up in thought.

“They could go through the mines…” Octavia spoke.

“There was an old teleport beacon down there… It might still work…” Twilight pondered.

Vinyl scratch took a step forward.

“Sounds like a plan, what about you three?” Vinyl asked.

“We’ll get back to Canterlot on foot. Don’t worry; we’re more than a match for any savages out here.” Twilight drew a blade.

Vinyl laughed.

“Do you even know how to use that thing? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a fight One Eye! I mean with Rainbow Dash you’re pretty safe, but I don’t know how much trust I’d put in you in a fire fight,” Vinyl teased.

Twilight rolled her eyes.

“I was trained by Celestia herself in the royal combat style. I think I’ll manage just fine,” Twilight barked.

Rainbow Dash placed her front hooves upon my shoulders and turned my attention towards her. I focused on her intently.

“Listen Flare, the mines have been abandoned since before the war. They used to use the teleport beacon down there to transport diamonds to Cloudsdale. The whole mine was closed down because of a bunch of bandits kept raiding it and a couple of gas explosions. I haven’t been to the mines in years, but I doubt it’s very safe. Stay close to Vinyl Scratch, and don’t try to be a hero Flare.” Dash instructed.

I nodded.

Rainbow Dash pulled me in for another hug, I returned it this time.

“Come on lover boy, we got some fun to have!” Vinyl yelled.

Dash and I released each other. Looking at her, I shot her a smile, which she returned.

“Good luck,” Dash said.

Achievement: Guess She's Magic Proof? - Pinkamena survived her execution.

Act 1: Chapter Fifteen

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Fifteen (Cloudsdale Saga)

I doubt one would find conversation with Lt. Vinyl Scratch to be the most enjoyable experience. After all, her previous few conversations that we shared along with the constant thirst for violence seemed to put me off of wanting to talk to her at all, however it's not like I had much else to do to fill the time.

I decided to keep it casual as we trotted through the mines, but keep it on a subject she was familiar with. "So why'd you join the military?"

She didn't even look at me as she spoke, her rudeness was only matched by her brutishness. "Started because I was drafted, but then I came to find I love killing."

That sure was a pleasant answer. Regardless I inquired further. "Why's that?"

Vinyl stopped and turned to face me, her Nordic accent started to creep out more as she spoke. "Listen kid, if I'm forced you be stuck with you, we need to set up some rules. Rule number one, don't ask too many questions."

I rolled my eyes before replying. "What's got you so grumpy?"

Vinyl's expression turned to one of more annoyance. "You're already on my shit list for bringing that cunt, Pinkamena back here so we're not exactly old chums here. You may have Dash's favor, but that's pretty much the only reason I haven't killed you yet. I don't trust you and as I said before if you make one wrong move I'll bring you back to Canterlot in a body bag."

I coughed and smirked. "Sheesh, what a charmer you are. All the stallions must be crazy about you." I joked as I started moving forward again.

Vinyl chuckled as she started leading the way again, shining her light as she did so. "Well, I have been known to make the stallions quiver in delight, and the mares too for that matter."

There was some information I could have done without, though it was fairly obvious at this point that Vinyl was rather promiscuous.

"So you get around then?" I tried to keep the conversation on a subject that pleased her.

Vinyl let out another hearty laugh. "Gotta relieve the stress somehow, right?"

I was tempted to ask what she would be stressed about, however I was somewhat afraid of any answer she'd give. "I suppose so..."

Going deeper into the mines, she seemed pretty casual still for a pony that said how dangerous the mines were only a few days ago. Perhaps that was just an intimidation act to keep me on high alert, because right now the most dangerous thing here was Vinyl Scratch.

"What about you?" She kept her light straight ahead as she asked.

I shrugged. "Nothing to tell."

Vinyl actually halted in her tracks and turned to face me. It was at that moment I questioned why she insisted on wearing sunglasses in the dark.

"You mean to tell me, you've never had sex before?" Her face almost looked shocked.

I merely shook my head casually, as the subject really didn't concern me as much as it concerned her apparently. "Is that so surprising?" I said.

She laughed a bit before replying. "I guess not. I just assumed you were getting it on with Dash and that's why she got all soft on you."

I shook my head. "The thought never crossed my mind actually."

Vinyl laughed even louder at that. "Yeah, you're probably right... You don't look like you have it in you to court a girl like Dash. I mean you're cute, but far from sexy. Though there is a certain appeal to a young buck like yourself..." She seemed to be trailing off into thought. Was Vinyl fantasizing about me? If she was, I was not exactly sure how I felt about that.

"Thanks... I think..." Was all I could come out with.

Vinyl paused then held her hoof to her lips trying to hush me. Turning her light to one of the many caves she heard a few rocks clatter. "We're not alone..." She nearly whispered. You'd think she would be showing concern but instead a devilish grin spread from ear to ear on her.

"Come on out!" Vinyl shouted. Her voice echoed through the caves. I ducked down onto the floor in case whomever else was hiding in the mines came out shooting. However Vinyl was ready to attack regardless of the circumstances.

Sure enough from three caves in front of us over ten emaciated ponies exited. Every single one of them with a crazed look and a few with manic laughter. Vinyl just stood with her grin as they poured out. Savages, and it was clear what was on their menu: us.

The unicorn not only seemed unthreatened she was acting quite boastful despite the odds.

"Alright you disgusting sacks of shit." She began, cocky as ever. "Here's how this is going down."

The group all fell silent listening to her.

"I'm going to give you all a 5 minute head start before I hunt you all down one by one and rip your fucking heads off." Her grin became a bit more crazed as I noticed she was drooling now.

Her opponents merely grafalled at her claim, clearly not taking her seriously.

"I’ll warn you now. There are three things I'm good at in this world: music, fucking and killing. Take a guess which one is going to happen to you today." Vinyl was bold as ever, me on the other hoof, I stayed low, still not sure if Vinyl was bluffing or not. "So I am telling you again, you've got a 5 minute head start to run as fast as those twigs you call hooves will carry you."

The largest of the group took a step forward. Vinyl just sighed before making an advance of her own. "That's a shame... I like the chase more." She chuckled.

The rest of them started to surround the two of us as they laughed in a very idiotic manner. They clearly weren't the most intelligent creatures despite all the brains they've probably eaten.

One of the smaller ones lunged at her from behind hoping to catch her off guard. Vinyl's hind hoof extended backwards and a third gun blade attached to it hit the stallion directly in the eye socket. With him still attached to the sword she threw her backside in the air and his head came clean off as she hurled it at his friends.

As anger filled their eyes, two of them darted forward to avenge their "friend". Vinyl merely laughed as she sliced at one and dived at the other stabbing him repeatedly with her right hoof blade, manic laughter as she did so.

The rest of the savages began to back up. Vinyl Scratch was scary enough to where even cannibals were afraid of her; that didn't spell out good news for myself. I merely watched in horror as she jabbed her blade into the flesh again and again; long after her attacker was dead she continued to pierce him with her sword.

Standing up from the body she gestured for the others to come for her. Sure enough about five of them started circling her, they had become almost completely disinterested in me at this point. Almost as if they preferred the meal they had to fight for versus the one they could just take with no effort. Vinyl just kept still and taunted them. "Come on, fresh meat right here." She grinned.

The first to make their attack was actually a female. She came slicing with a blade in her maw. It was pointless though as Vinyl moved far too fast and before the girl knew what was happening , Vinyl was behind her. With a mighty strike she cleaved the head off with her left blade. One by one she eliminated all of them with ease. It was child’s play for the lieutenant.

After she had hacked the last of them to pieces her gaze turned to the remaining three who took a step back. Vinyl's mouth hung open with a grin of satisfaction, drool coming from her lip and pooling onto the ground. She was salivating more than I’d ever seen a pony do before.

"You're next..." Vinyl giggled as she wiped her mouth.

The three took another step back before turning to run. Vinyl however instead of counting her blessings gave chase to them, uttering something along the lines of "the thrill of the hunt."

Only about two minutes later (all of which spent in the darkness as Vinyl had taken the only light) I could hear screaming and stabbing. Those noises were quickly drowned out by Vinyl's manic laughter however. I guess it was true; she really did love killing.

Only a few seconds later did I hear a cry for help followed by pleading for mercy. "Get away from me, you crazy cunt!" All I could hear then was more piercing noises followed by a few punches. I then heard a sound that I would later discover was the sound of a skull being smashed against a rock.

“FUCK YOU! WHERE IS YOUR GODDESS NOW!? HUH!? WHERE THE FUCK IS SHE NOW YOU PIECE OF SHIT!?” Vinyl’s yells echoed through the cave as she smashed the skull a few more times excessively. “NOW YOU’RE FUCKED! FUCKED BEYOND WORDS YOU PILE OF HORSE SHIT!” I remained silent as I waited for the yells to stop. It ended with a slap sound and another scream. “WHO’S THE CUNT NOW!?”

As I waited, Vinyl returned to the section of the cave I was in. A cigarette was resting between her lips as she sat down and took a drag from it. With an exhale she levitated it to me with a grin. "Want a hit?" I merely shook my head and declined as I examined her.

Her entire front side was stained red. Having a white coat only made the blood stand out that much more. I wondered if that was how she traditionally looked in battle. It was certainly an appearance that would intimidate her enemies.

Finishing her cigarette she tossed it aside and stood back up. "Come on, we're almost there."

We must have been walking for another solid twenty minutes before coming to a hollowed out chamber that housed a large beacon. Vinyl trotted around it to check the cable connected to it. "Looks like the power supply still works, but it'll need a jolt from my U.M.S.A. before it'll be operational."

"So this thing is supposed to take us to Cloudsdale? Are you even sure it's safe?" My brow rose as I examined what appeared to be the control deck.

"It'll either take us to Cloudsdale or it'll tear us into pieces." Vinyl spoke as she was running back and forth connecting cables.

I should have expected her to be this nonchalant about such a thing.

"Why is that?"

Vinyl pushed me out of the way to the control panel as she began to hit a bunch of combinations on it. "This thing was designed to transport mining supplies and resources back to Cloudsdale. It has never transported living things before. However I can add a little magic that will hopefully make it safe to jump through it."

I didn't like how she added the word "hopefully".

"And what if it doesn't?"

Vinyl stopped what she was doing and rested a hoof on the console as she turned to face me. Her face was sporting a grin. "Listen kid, you shouldn't be so worried about getting there in one piece. That's far from the most dangerous thing we're going to be doing today. Getting back alive is going to be the real challenge."

Even a pony as fearless as Vinyl Scratch apparently had doubts of how possible it was to survive in Cloudsdale. That didn't give me a lot of confidence in myself.

"Alright, looks like we're ready for transport. Back home we had a saying for this kind of thing." Vinyl started flicking some switches and gestured for me to follow her to the beacon.

Approaching slowly I rose a brow a little worried about what that saying was. "And what might that be?"

She chuckled as she stepped onto the large platform with me. "In Equestrian it roughly translates to 'Pray for your ass'."

A few seconds passed and the device below started to glow and whir as we watched sparks and jolts of electricity flow all around us. I couldn't watch, so instead I closed my eyes and hoped that we wouldn't get electrocuted or torn to shreds when I opened them. Vinyl of course was very calm, she was even singing a light Nordic tune as she stood there.

After a huge electric sound and a strange lifting sensation I opened my eyes. We weren't dead. Quickly I checked myself with my hooves; everything was still attached. Looking to my right, Vinyl stood there with a cigarette.

"I can't believe that worked..." I exclaimed.

Vinyl took a step off the beacon and looked at this second one. "Yeah, but we aren't coming back this way... This thing is toast..."

Trying to see what she was talking about I came next to her and took a look. Sure enough the entire thing was smoking, and there was a crack right down the center. There was no way just a quick jolt from her U.M.S.A. would fix this one either.

"Fuck!" Vinyl threw her cancer stick at the ground as she cursed. "Guess we'll have to find another way back... I swear to Luna I am going to kill One-Eye next time I see her."

"Settle down. We made it didn't we?" I grinned.

Vinyl turned around and examined the dark green clouds under her feet. In the distance was thick dark fog for miles. This place almost looked haunted. Picking up the remains of a sign she tossed it to me. I caught it with a grunt and flipped it over.

Cloudsdale.

"Welcome to Cloudsdale, kid."

Achievement: What a Welcome Wagon - Flare arrived at Cloudsdale.

Author's Note

Yes, I know, over a year late, however I have the next 5 chapters already written up. It took a while for me to get a feel for what I wanted to happen, and I realized I had to break this saga up a bit more than I thought I was going to.

Act 1: Chapter Sixteen

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Sixteen (Cloudsdale Saga)

Vinyl seemed to be fairly calm about entering the abandoned city, despite having concerns earlier. Now she was just acting like we'd waltz in and snag the element and skip our way out. That or she was exceptional at hiding her concern. Whatever the case though, I was still worried that we might not be heard from again. If Cloudsdale didn't kill me, no doubt Vinyl would.

The former DJ stuck her nose in the air and inhaled, bringing a grin to her face. "Smells like death..."

I wasn't really sure why the scent of death was something to smile over; however I decided it was wise not to question it.

"How are we going to find this element?" I wanted to get off the previous subject.

The mare shrugged and began rummaging through the debris scattered all over. "Hell if I know. I imagine it would stand out. Supposed to possess extreme magical properties, so I would imagine that we could find a way to track it somehow... That is if it's actually here."

I grunted and took a step towards her. "You mean to tell me, we came all the way here, to probably the most forgotten hellhole in Equestria and not only did we not bring a way to look for what we even came here for, but we're not even certain it's here?"

Vinyl laughed and dropped a piece of plywood she was checking under. "Didn't you pay attention to One-Eye? She said it might be here. Regardless if it is or isn't we still have to reach the archives."

I turned around and sighed. "Great... I'm stuck in the ruins of a dead city with a psychopath and no way out... This is totally how I wanted to die." I sarcastically remarked.

"We're not dead yet, kid." She chimed in, clearly not offended by the psychopath comment, then again that was to be expected.

I sat down on what was left of a bench and sighed again. "I should have guessed..."

Vinyl's ears twitched as she turned around with her right firearm raised. The action was enough to get me out of my seat, or rather the remnants of my seat.

Within the fog the two of us could hear growling and manic laughter. We weren't alone, and perhaps Cloudsdale wasn't as "abandoned" as we had thought. From the unknown trotted what looked like the remains of ponies. Barely skeletons with rotting meat on them they were. Their appearance made the savages look as though they had returned from a feast. Emaciated would have been a generous word to describe them with.

Their skin usually bore only a few small patches of fur and the rest was black and diseased. They looked quite fragile, but mostly hungry.

After we were surrounded, Vinyl kept her weapon drawn as a female with only about a hoof full of blue mane stepped out from the crowd to the front. The lieutenant’s firearm redirected at that single "pony".

The creature was actually capable of speech. Its jaw was quite slacked; however her Equestrian was understandable despite her accent. "Vinyl Jennifer Scratch... It's been a long time hasn't it?"

I was a little amused that Vinyl's middle name was Jennifer, however I'd have to find time to laugh about it later.

Vinyl kept her weapon steady without answering. Her face remained on the same serious expression. The disgusting pony in front of her started to trot around Vinyl as she examined her. "What's wrong? Don't recognize me? Well I suppose that's to be expected... After all, I've undergone quite a... Transformation since we last met..."

She was answered with more silence. Either Vinyl was actually shaken up or she really didn't give a shit. Both seemed equally likely at this point.

"Does Melody ring a bell to you? Melody Scratch?" The monster slithered up to Vinyl's ear as she brought her voice to an almost whisper. You could actually hear her joints creak when she moved.

Still no reaction out of Vinyl, shy of a sniff.

"Where were you Vinyl? I could have sworn you promised you'd take care of your younger sister? Yet when the war came about, you joined Rainbow's Raiders without so much as a second thought." Venom started to build up in this creature's voice.

Vinyl didn't even turn to her direction, which seemed to anger it further. "Answer me!"

Nothing, not even a flinch.

"So you have nothing to say to that? Nothing at all?" It was starting to get closer as it came back to her front side.

"You make me sick you worthless piece of-" She was cut off by a loud bang.

Vinyl must have had enough because she had unleashed a powerful shot from her weapon directly into Melody's skull. The gaping hole through the remnants of her grey matter dripped and oozed as her still body remained standing for a few seconds before tumbling. The other "ponies" all fell silent, Vinyl however finally spoke up. "That's the only thing you deserve."

The warrior mare turned her weapon on the rest of them. "Who's next? I got 3 clips and I'll use them all before I go down. So if you want a piece of this, you better wait in line."

They didn't seem threatened by her claims. As we noticed more and more coming out of the woodworks. I took a step back up against Vinyl's side. "Think 3 clips will be enough?"

"Well I could probably hit a couple through the eye and the bullet will go through two... However that'll still leave us with quite a few to deal with. I guess melee is our best bet. We should try and conserve ammunition." She kept turning her head to keep as many of them in sight as she could.

I nodded as I readied the freshly modified Punishment that Pinkamena had given me. With a grin I got the motor running on the chainsaw blade using my U.M.S.A. Vinyl stood on her back hooves and readied the two blades on her front right and her front left.

"Try not to get killed, kid." She chuckled as she jumped into the crowd.

Sure enough they dashed towards me with teeth bared and ready to rip me apart. Amateurishly I swung my weapon slicing a few of them. They backed off a few steps as they tried to rethink their strategy. One large one charged at me though. He was met with my blade to his shoulder. He grunted and screeched as it sawed through him, splattering the dark green liquid that I presumed was blood, or at least what once was blood.

Turning to see Vinyl, she appeared to be... Dancing... Dancing with her swords, however it appeared to be dicing them up with ease. Pushing the big one off of me, I bolted towards her and the opening she was making.

With a little team work she had made a path large enough to escape through that would lead deeper into the city. The moment she was sure we could break through she began to run, with me not too far behind. She was in better shape than me that was for sure.

Our foes were rather sluggish and thus had a difficult time keeping up, however the sheer numbers that were hiding away in the rest of the city made up for that. Everywhere we turned more were either out in the open or just barely visible in rundown buildings. Vinyl pulled us both into the alleys to keep us hidden. Keeping low we ducked behind debris and old junk as we traveled.

We could hear the ones from the entrance catching up as they came through town. "We know you're here!" Vinyl kept us low until she located an old cloud cellar behind an abandoned home. Quickly she ushered me inside and closed the door behind us, barring it with an old plank. The plank was so rotten there was no way it was going to hold anything back though.

I went to speak, but she covered my muzzle and held her hoof there for a solid minute. Once she was certain that our followers weren't close she sighed and released me. She began to inspect the rest of the room at that point.

With her back turned to me I figured now I actually had the upper hoof. My weapon ready I aimed it at the mare and cocked it; a sniper round ready to go in the barrel. Vinyl's ears twitched at the noise as she turned to face me. Her expression became serious.

"I've seen a lot of ponies die out here. I've seen plenty get murdered too, but you..." I steadied my weapon.

Vinyl spoke up. "Am I supposed to be scared now because you have a gun? Mother fucker, I've had more guns pointed at me than times you've jerked off you little shit stain."

I kept firm in my stance. I didn't want to show even an ounce of doubt, though it was certain that she could see right through me. "You would kill your own sister without even flinching. What is to say you won't kill me the moment my back is turned?"

"First off, kid; if I wanted to kill you I wouldn't have to wait until your back is turned. Second, that wasn't my sister, not anymore anyways. All she was now is a husk resembling what she once was. There's only one cure for that." She didn't move any closer.

No remorse, just as I suspected. I don't think Vinyl Scratch was even capable of seeing the negatives of killing.

"How can I even be certain I can trust you?" I replied.

Vinyl grinned. "Because you have no choice. Without me you're never getting out of here. I'm the only one crazy enough to survive this place, and that's why One-Eye sent me. Even she knew if there was anypony alive that could survive Cloudsdale it was going to be me." She paused as she eyed my weapon. "So unless you want me to leave you here, I suggest you lower your weapon."

I hesitated as I contemplated it. Vinyl took a few steps closer and pressed her forehead to the barrel of the gun.

"Do it then. Just try. I warn you though; you better hit me right in the head, because if there's even an ounce of life left in me, I'll come back and rip your fucking balls off. I'll make you eat your own shit. I'll make you beg for death, so if you are going to do something with that gun, I suggest you do it now..." Her voice was tense and I noticed a light shaking in her hoof, but not a fearful one; a hungry one. She was just itching for a reason.

When I didn't let up right away she screamed. "KILL ME THEN, SHIT FACE! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!?"

Finally I lowered my weapon. She sighed and shook her head. "And you think you have what it takes to join the Knights?"

I grunted. "Excuse me?"

Vinyl took an advance and pinned me to the wall with a blade to my neck. I could feel her hot breath on my neck as she came close, savoring the moment. Her voice came to a whisper. "You hesitate. In the heat of battle, hesitation is death."

I held still as her blade pressed closer and she brought her lips right to my ear. "You're lucky I don't kill you right now..." She nipped my ear with her teeth playfully before giving it a soft lick. With that she released me and allowed my body to fall to the floor.

"I will admit it took balls to stand up to me. Perhaps you've got some guts to you." She grinned as she leaned down to my level.

"You're crazy..." That was an understatement. She went from angry to flirty to relaxed all in a minute. Not to mention she had just murdered her own sister with no remorse. Perhaps Vinyl was bipolar?

"Says you, and several battle fatigue therapists. But in case you didn't notice... We're all a little crazy. You have to be out of your damn mind to survive out here. What about you? You left a paradise to come to the ruins. You're out of your fucking mind, to choose this place over a place where you don't have to sleep with some pony on guard duty. A place where you would survive." She rambled as she got closer to my face, I couldn't see her eyes but I assumed they were pointed at me.

My breathing had gotten heavier as she was crawled over me. "I was tired of surviving... My entire life has been about nothing but surviving. What's the point of surviving if you always feel empty?" I gave her a serious expression.

She nodded slowly as she got closer. I could feel her chest touching my own now. "You want that excitement.. The thrill that only comes when you're inches from death. Sure at first you fear it, but after a while you come to love it. To thirst for it..."

"I don't know if I'd put it that way..." I replied just staring at her.

"Take a chance, little Flare. Because out here you never know when it's all coming to an end." She grinned.

I nodded as she finally calmed down and rested against the wall beside me. Truly, Vinyl was unpredictable.

We had been resting for an hour in our new temporary living quarters. Vinyl had dispatched a special ops bubble force field around us from her utility belt she had brought with her. Apparently it would keep us protected for a short time should our enemies decide to make another appearance. To be honest though I was more concerned about Vinyl killing me in my sleep than that.

Vinyl had huddled close to keep us both warm. Apparently she didn't think to bring her blanket as she joked. It definitely was fairly cold down in the cellar though.

"What are those things anyways?" I yawned as I asked.

Vinyl shrugged while running a sharp rock along her blade, sharpening it. "Beats me. I ain't never seen anything like them before. Not even back home."

"Is that what the darkness does to a pony?" I had never actually come face to face with this "darkness" yet.

"No. They are something new, something I've never seen before. The darkness is far worse... It steals your mind and fills your heart with blackness. Once it takes you, your free will is gone, and you obey it and only it. It makes you its slave..." She had gotten really serious again.

"And Trixie controls those slaves?" I was surprised that even mentioning her name didn't turn Vinyl's face into a scowl.

"Pretty much..." She kept her gaze forward as she answered, but then turned towards me. "So what's the story between you and Dash? You like her or something?" She liked to change the subject it seemed. That or the thought of Trixie annoyed her too much to talk about.

I shrugged. I wasn't really sure what the situation between me and Dash was really. "She pretty much saved my life. Then she brought me to the Knights, but our travels together are supposed to end there. After she's done with her meeting with the General, she is heading back to Ponyville she says. Went on and on about wanting nothing to do with Twilight's war and playing soldier anymore."

Vinyl laughed. "So you two never....?"

It was clear what she was implying. "No. The thought never crossed my mind as I mentioned before. Besides, Dash is a hardened warrior; I doubt she has any interest in that."

Vinyl's laugh grew at my comment. "So am I and I would tear that ass up." That was a mental image I could do without.

"Dash is out of my league anyways. I'm just a simple earth pony with a crazy dream of being a hero. If anything she probably thinks I'm a moron who is throwing his life away over childish notions." I replied.

Vinyl sat quietly for a minute and leaned back with a nod. "Well, you got that right. You are quite a moron."

Thanks for the nod of confidence...

"But you've got guts. I mean any pony that would leave paradise to come here, and then agree to come to Cloudsdale, and even stand up to me... Well that all takes guts." A small smile appeared on her lips as she leaned a bit towards my way.

"What's your point?"

"Maybe that'll be enough to make it out here. Maybe it'll be enough to turn that moronic earth pony into a Knight." She nudged my shoulder playfully.

Maybe she was right, but that was a big "maybe".

Achievement: So You DO Have a Pair - Flare stood up to Vinyl.

Act 1: Chapter Eighteen

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Eighteen(Cloudsdale Saga)

"I can't believe it..." I stared as the mighty monster that resembled the former princess took to the heavens.

"Believe it, kid. It's a good thing we saved all that ammo, we're gonna need it to bring her out of the sky." Vinyl cocked her weapons.

She was serious? This creature was the thing that actually set up the military she so proudly served. It was the pony she served under, and she was ready to slay her in an instant.

"Are you serious? That's Celestia!"

"Not anymore it isn't, she's one of them now. And there's only one cure for this disease... Celestia would rather be dead than live like this anyways." Vinyl explained as she readied her blade.

Eagle started making his way up to the stands again. "I'll cover you blokes from up here. I brought some ammo reserves with me that I left at the top. I'll toss it down to you, just focus fire on her wings. We have to bring her down of we want to have a chance."

"Alright... Let's bag us a monarch." Vinyl grinned. "Kid, you go in the opposite direction and we'll confuse her. Try not to get killed." She bolted away from me and drew one of her fire arms and began unloading rounds onto the flying monster.

Celestial responded with a roar, with a lightning bolt to accompany it. Vinyl just narrowly escaped the bolt of electricity and kept firing. Realizing I was a sitting duck, I let off a few shots on the former ruler of Equestria. Needless to say it only angered her as she threw fireballs in my path.

I jumped back and started following Vinyl's plan of moving away from her in two directions. Eagle laughed as he pointed towards the stadium doorways. "Looks like we've woke up the worker bees. I'll take care of them." He let off a few shots as he laughed. I could still hear his odd chants. "Death will free you."

Vinyl lobbed a grenade into the air after cooking it for a few seconds. Her timing was perfect as it exploded right next to Celestial, causing her to groan in pain. She raised her horn and with a glow it unleashed a powerful beam that chased Vinyl. Fortunately she was quick on her feet so she was able to move faster than it while showering Celestia in bullets. Sure enough though she called out to me. "Cover me, I need to reload!"

At those words, I aimed at her wings and unloaded everything I had to distract it from Vinyl. It didn't seem to care much until I got a few hits on it though. At that point it turned around and swooped down towards me in a very impressive dive. Jumping out of the way, I could feel the gust her wings created; it was enough to send me flying back even farther.

Taking to the sky again she had lifted a large chunk of debris, and hurled it at me. I ducked as I noticed it split in half. A clean shot from Eagle had saved me.

"You two better take her down soon, I don't know how much longer I can hold them off." Eagle yelled to us as he reloaded his weapon.

Vinyl had come up beside me to utter part of her plan. "I got an idea, but I need you to lure her closer to the ground." She started heading up into the stands.

I called out to her in confusion. "What are you gonna do?"

Vinyl stopped and looked directly at me with a smile. "I'm gonna go for it."

I wasn't certain what "it'" was, but I already didn't like this plan. Regardless, I followed along as I started to shoot at Celestia to get her attention. She threw a few more fireballs which I just narrowly dodged.

Finally frustrated with her attacks failing she did another dive, but this time she managed to tackle me. Pinning me to the dirt, her jaw snapped at my face, trying to rip any part of it off that she could. I held her back with my hooves, but I knew I couldn't forever. "Vinyl, where the hell are you!? Get this fucking thing off of me!"

Behind Celestia I could see Vinyl leaping from the grandstands with her blade drawn. Coming closer to the ground she landed next to Celestia with a slicing sound ringing through the air. The "princess" let out a shriek of pain as Vinyl stood back up, blood dripping from her blade. I took the opportunity to punch her in the face and push her off of me.

Crawling out from under her, I noticed a part of her didn't move with her: her wing. Vinyl had sliced it clean off.

"Alright, ugly... Let's dance." Vinyl readied her blade.

The princess stood up and revealed a similar device strapped to her hoof. With a glow of her horn, a blade came out.

Vinyl just laughed heartily. "Now this should make things interesting!"

Celestia merely roared as she bolted forward swinging. Vinyl's blade work however proved more than a challenge for the princess. She was able to move so agilely swinging her two blades at once. Their swords met several times with loud clacks.

Vinyl and her had been slashing at each other a solid 30 seconds before she jumped back and cracked her neck in delight. "Is that all? I'm not even trying yet." She mocked as she jumped right back into battle.

Celestial gave a few power swings which Vinyl was able to easily avoid. She was much faster than her foe, giving her a small advantage over the sluggish mutant.

In anger, Celestia took another mighty swing, just for Vinyl to tuck and roll out of the way. Springing back to her battle stance, she grinned as she mocked her. "I suppose the royal sword isn't that great is it?"

With a grunt Celestia dashed forward with her blade. Springing into the air, Vinyl jumped right on top of her sword. She balanced on a single back hoof and cut at the beast's face. It jumped back with a hiss as it grasped its wound. Vinyl of course landed on her hooves weapons still drawn.

"Celestia, it's Vinyl Scratch, remember?" I called out, hoping that perhaps we could reason with her.

Vinyl waited for her to make another attack before jumping to the side and taking off Celestia's other wing with a clean cut. The growl of pain she made was the loudest I had ever heard. She hissed and spat as her horn began to glow. "Now' we're talking!" Vinyl grinned with excitement.

"Uh.. Eagle, what's she doing?" I asked to the griffon on the stands.

He lit another cigarette and drew his weapon. "I don't care what she's doing, I'm going to stop it." Cocking his gun he gave a shout out to Vinyl. "No more fooling around, love. Use every bullet you have on that thing."

With a sigh, Vinyl started backing up with her weapon drawn. She began to fire rapidly at the monster which only seemed to scream more and more, but soon a powerful aura emitted from her horn and eyes as she bolted forward towards Vinyl. Eagle attempted to get it away from Vinyl let off a few rounds. A big mistake as Celestia, just teleported next to him and knocked him back with her hoof.

Eagle went flying backwards and crash landed into a set of seats. He hit them so hard that he knocked a few off their mounts.

Trying to prevent her from giving chase to him, I began hitting her with every round I had. It definitely got her attention. Which was both good and bad. Good because she had forgotten about Eagle, bad because I had a jam in my weapon.

I fumbled with it, trying to dislodge the jam while she came darting towards me at incredible speeds. The only response I could think of was to turn the other way and run. Jumping into the stands, I ducked below some seats, knowing full well it wouldn't be enough to still her. Seconds later she leapt into the stadium and smashed everything that stood in her path to me. Only a few feet away I heard another gunshot. Celestia flinched as she turned around to see Vinyl. I could then see where she was hit. Blood (or whatever that black liquid that leaked out of her body was) dripped from her backside running down her legs and costing her flank. I couldn't believe it...

"Right in the asshole." Vinyl chuckled as she stood there.

The two had a few seconds as their standoff. Vinyl however made the invitation. "It's me you want, come and get me, ugly."

Celestia let out a battle cry as she started to gallop. Vinyl began to hum and lightly sing a tune as she ejected the magazine from her weapon and pulled out some rather strange shaped magazine and began loading it casually.

The tainted princess was only a few meters away as Vinyl raised her weapon still humming her tune. Just as she cocked the weapon she took aim. "Fuck off." She said plainly.

The bang from that weapon was louder than a box of grenades going off. The kickback was enough to make Vinyl skid back a few feet, though she stubbornly didn't fall over.

The impact was great. Celestia's head not only came off, but it essentially exploded on impact. That bullet made light work of the fight.

Running down to meet her, I noticed Eagle coming out of the stands brushing himself off. I was actually glad he was alright. The two of us came up to the triumphant mare and at first we remained silent. Eagle was the one to finally speak up. "That's one hell of a bullet."

"Custom anti-tank round. I was saving it for someone who really pissed me off, but I figured now was as good a time as any to try it out." She shrugged.

"Someone, like Trixie?" I joked.

"Oh no." She became very serious. "I want that to all be hoof to hoof combat. Then when I subdue her, I want to strap her to a chair and torture her for a while. Then I'll let every stallion in Equestrian have their way with her. Then when she finally started to beg me for death... I'll piss in her face and break her hooves one by one." She was practically drooling. Clearly she had thought about this plan for a long time.

Eagle seemed rather unmoved by her thought, which partially made me question his morality. Then again he probably was trying to have his way with Vinyl.

Vinyl looked at the corpse and lit another cigarette. "I think it's best we keep this little incident to ourselves."

After a short walk outside the coliseum, we were back on the road. Eagle stopped at an intersection. "Alright, the archives should be just down that road there. Big building, you can't miss it. If there is anything valuable in this city it's there."

"Thanks, chief." Vinyl gave his shoulder a nudge, to which he winked at her.

"Why don't you come to Canterlot with us?" I questioned.

He shook his head and readied his weapon. "Sorry, mates. My home is here, after all someone has to contain this infection. This flock tends to get restless if they are not tended to."

"So I guess this is goodbye then?" I frowned a bit. I really was hoping Eagle would come with us.

"We all meet again when we leave this world, friend." He grinned. Still a very religious creature in a place like this, it was almost inspiring.

Before he had the chance to say anything else, he heard another horde coming. "Shit... Listen, when you get what you're looking for, there is an exit to the city in the town hall over there. It's a second teleport beacon. It was meant as an emergency escape for the council. Be careful though, not even I have ventured this part of the city." He ran towards the coliseum doors and tossed another Molotov behind himself, blocking his path with fire. "Farewell friends' and good luck!" After that all we could hear was gunfire.

"We better get moving." Vinyl instructed as she started heading down the road.

I stopped for another few seconds to catch a glance of the spot where Eagle exited. I really did hope I'd see him again, maybe in a better place where we wouldn't be fighting mutants every day. Then after I had cleared my head, I turned to follow Vinyl.

A short walk brought us to the archives. Vinyl rushed inside with weapons drawn. I just decided to enter slowly and carefully. When Vinyl was certain it was safe she unpackaged a small box from her belt and hooked it up to an old terminal. Working quickly she tried to start the machine up. A celebratory "yes" left her mouth as she managed to get it to turn on.

"Alright kid, I'm going to be busy hacking this thing. Once I got it cracked I'm going to download the archives onto this drive and we can get the hell out of here. You should check around for either that element or anything useful. I'll try and shut down all the security so you can get around easier. You should check out the vault, that might be a good place to start." Vinyl instructed as her face was lit by a glow from the screen.

Nodding. I began to head deeper into the building. It was falling apart slowly, and the foundation didn't appear every stable. It was amazing that anything was still working in a place like this.

I took a quick stop to check an old map of the building on the wall. I scanned it until the word "Vault" popped up. Making a mental note, I began heading in that direction.

It actually wasn't too far from the entrance, though I noticed that there were old sentries that have long since gone out of order protecting it. I imagined back in its day, it was closely guarded by many security officers.

Now though, it was free for looting with the vault door hanging wide open, thanks to Vinyl Scratch. With nothing stopping me, I waltzed right in and began to check the contents.

There were many oddities and strange artifacts in the vault, most of which I assumed were top secret so I wouldn't have known about them prior anyways. However one certain object stood out to me; a golden necklace inside of a glass box sitting in the very back of the vault. It bore a butterfly jewel and didn't seem to stop sparkling. It was a perfect match, this was the element of kindness. Part of me wondered how it even got here.

I hesitated, but then realized that there was nothing stopping me from taking it. This part of Cloudsdale had been abandoned for so long that nopony stood between me and that element now. So I reached out and grabbed it without fear.

I could hardly believe I was actually holding it. This item was a part of Equestrian history, and here I held it in my hoof.

Throwing it into my bag I raced back to Vinyl to show her the treasure I had found. She turned to me wondering why I was so excited. Before she even had the chance to ask, I retrieved the emblem from my bag and presented it to her. For once, Vinyl actually appeared legitimately stunned. Taking it in her hooves, she examined it. "This... It's been so long since I've seen it..." She was very quiet. "This could certainly change the tide of this war if we can find the other ones. It is said that the power of harmony comes from the hearts of those who use it. The strength of their desires can take form..." She paused and grinned. "If that's the case, then Dash's desire... Well let's just say Trixie is fucked."

"So can we leave now?" I asked taking a look at the device hooked up to the terminal.

Vinyl nodded. "Yeah, I just finished downloading it. We'll have to see if One-Eye has anypony who can decrypt it. I'm sure she'll be happy to see this element again though." Vinyl clenched the necklace in her hoof. "Let's get out of this hell hole." She added as she packed up the device now containing the archives, and kept the element in hoof. I suppose she wanted her eye on it at all times.

Stepping out of the door, she grinned. "I gotta admit, kid... I'm impressed. You actually got this thing, and on top of that, you survived Cloudsdale. Maybe you have some potential about you after all." She chuckled as she nudged me.

"Thanks... I think..." I replied, rubbing where she hit.

"When we get back, you buy the beer, I'll buy the women." She grinned.

"I think I'll pass..." I rolled my eyes.

"Ahhhh, holding out for-" she stopped herself as she felt a wind pass her. Looking to her hoof she saw the element was no longer there.

Looking up, she saw a strange cloaked pony standing on the balcony above us with the element in hoof. She wore a bandanna over her muzzle and a very nice black silk hood over her head. Her mane was midnight black, with a shining silver coat to match it. Her hooves adorned with a very interesting set of shoes made from silver and what appeared to be some kind of black metal. Her cloak had a very odd emblem on it that resembled a black cloud inside of a white circle.

Vinyl drew her blades without asking any questions. "That was pretty sneaky, it's too bad you won't live long enough to tell anyone about it." She grinned.

The thief jumped to the ground, flapping her wings to break her fall. When her hooves touched the ground she drew two blades and stood on her hind hooves. Vinyl merely laughed. "Good, I like them with a little fight in them."

Before she gave the mare a chance to rebuttal she jumped at her swinging both blades in an arch to try and dice the thief in half. In just a blink the thief was behind her; I didn't even see her move.

"Fast, huh? How about this then?" Vinyl gave a series of vicious slashes all of which appeared to go right through her opponent. Vinyl stopped with a puzzled look.

I pointed to the clouds under her. "Look."

Vinyl took note of the skid marks in the clouds she stood on. Was she moving faster than we could even see? Vinyl grinned at this discovery. "Ah, so speed is your secret?" With another slice, the mare had appeared three feet away and started making a run for the town hall. Vinyl began to dart after her. I didn't realize what was going on until seconds later when I started trailing the two who were locking swords every thirty seconds as the thief made her escape.

We had followed them all the way to the town hall, and of course they had just managed to enter the beacon before Vinyl. With a bright glow of the platform Vinyl dived after her to be teleported at the same time.

I had to wait another thirty seconds for the device to charge again. I impatiently tapped my hoof hoping it would speed up the process. "Come on... Come on..."

Finally it let me through. I jumped right in this time, not concerned with the risks now. I knew if I lost Vinyl, she would not be coming back for me.

Fortunately the two were only a short distance ahead. The pegasus and her were clashing blades with no sign of fatigue. Vinyl jumped back and grinned as her horn began to light up. "Too bad that I have something you don't... Magic!" She sends a fireball from her horn in the thief's direction.

With a twirling hoof gesture, the pegasus took a small leap forward as the ground came up as some kind of barrier that blocked the spell. "What the...?" Vinyl didn't even have a chance to finish that thought as the barrier then got pushed in her direction. She jumped out of the way and took note of a fireball sent from her opponent that she narrowly dodged.

"So... You have a few surprises don't you?" Vinyl picked herself back up and was ready to fight again.

My attention was drawn to a song being sung nearby. It was some language that sounded older than time itself. However the voice conveying it was magnificent. It sounded more elegant than a thousand angels singing.

When I turned to the direction of it, I could see a another cloaked mare. The same emblem on her hood could be seen in the distance. She approached me very gently. No weapons drawn, no signs of hostility. Nonetheless I kept my blade ready. Her song kept ringing in my ears as she came within a few feet of me. With her front hooves extended she offered an embrace into her gentle white coat.

I don't know why, but I felt drawn to her. I openly allowed myself to be held by her. I ignored the situation and just let my head bury into her chest. Her song was so pleasant... Yet it made me so tired... So relaxed...

So peaceful...

Achievement: I'm Not Even Trying Yet - Defeated infected Celestia.

Act 1: Chapter Nineteen

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Nineteen (Knights Saga)

"That one looks like a carrot." A familiar blue pegasus pointed with her front left hoof to the clouds above.

I responded with a chuckle and teased her. "I see one that looks like a cute girl."

Her magenta eyes began to scan the sky in search of what I was referring to. "I don't see one like that..."

I rolled over and pecked her on the cheek. "Right here."

She laughed and nudged my shoulder playfully. "Oh stop it, Romeo. I'm not even in the clouds."

Grinning I gave her wing a gentle touch. "I wouldn't mind seeing you up there though."

Rolling her eyes she stood up and allowed her summer dress to drape her figure. It was simple and white, but I always thought it was nice to see her looking feminine and not her usual tomboyish self. She had a great body when she was willing to show it off.

"We should probably go meet with your mother so we can get ready for this party tonight. After all, she is the one supplying all the culinary supplies." The mare spoke as she took my hoof.

Pulling myself up with her help, I nodded. "I suppose so, though I was kind of enjoying our time together here..." I admitted as I bit my lip a little.

It was obvious she knew what was on my mind. She leaned in and planted a soft kiss on my cheek as she smiles. "Awww, come on Bear, that can wait until tonight can't it?"

Bear, her little pet name for me. Somehow it felt... Fitting. "Well, we promised we'd wait until our one year... And that's today after all..."

The girl just giggled and gave me an eskimo kiss as she pet my cheek. "And it'll be so much more special after we've had the celebration. After all, your mother went through a lot to set this up. I'm surprised really, most couples don't exactly get a party for their anniversary..."

"This is my mother we're talking about, remember." I chuckled.

She nodded and gave a familiar sugary smile. I returned it as I brushed a strand of her prism mane out of her face. It was always so unkempt, yet so elegant at the same time. "You look more beautiful every day, Rainbow." I complimented.

She placed her hoof atop of mine as she locked eyes with me. "You're too sweet, you know that? I can't figure out how a roughneck like me managed to find such a charming stallion."

"A girl like you deserves only the best there is to offer." I smiled as she pet my hoof gently.

"We may never get a chance to always be together, but I want to make the time we do have count. I want my life to have you in it..." She was speaking very quietly as if she was telling me a secret. Her eyes became very solid and serious.

"We'll be together as long as time will permit." I replied with a kiss to her forehead.

My mother had been spending all day making preparations. Seldom did she skimp out when a party was involved. Working as a party confectioner had given her too much pride in her work to just allow a job to be done half assed. She was always one to make sure every event she planned outdid the last one.

With her pink silky mane getting in the way of her vision, she brushed it behind her ear and tucked it under the frame of her glasses as she worked on unraveling some lights. Holding up her completed work she gives me a glance. "What do you think, Flare? Are these the appropriate colors. I figured I'd go with multi colored to match Rainbow."

I rolled my eyes. "Mom, it's not necessary to go this all out."

"See that, Rainbow, he's embarrassed." She giggled, Dash leg out a few of her own to accompany her.

"I like them, Pinkamena. They're pretty cool." Dash lit up and turned around to speak. She had been hanging some streamers from the ceiling. Having wings often meant she would handle the jobs that required elevation.

My mother shook her head. "You know, you can call me mom..."

Rainbow chuckled. "I want to reserve that for when it's actually true." She shot a smile in my direction as she said it. It was obvious she was hinting at when we decided to make that final step.

Rainbow took a while to warm up to ideas. Ordinarily she was quite daring, but in romance she liked to take her time. I recall it took ten dates before she even was willing to kiss me, then another two before she actually did it.

It was always a graduated plan with her. First you had to make step one, then if she liked that, you allowed her to adjust before going to step two. The plan was as followed: first we'd date a bit, see if we like each other. Then when she got comfortable, we'd kiss for the first time. From there on I slowly work my way up to snuggling. After that when we hit our year mark she felt she was comfortable enough to make love for the first time. That was the step we were currently on.

After we had been together a little longer after that, the plan was to move in together, then eventually ask the big question. Like I said, very graduated, and much like clockwork.

"Well, if my little Flare decides he is ready to be a husband anytime soon..." My mother glanced over at me as well.

I rolled my eyes and tried to focus on hanging decorations.

"It was pretty cool that Vinyl let us use her dance hall to throw this thing." Rainbow changed the subject.

I nodded. "Yeah, your sister is kind of strange though, so is it really surprising that she does stuff like that?"

"Oh Vinyl's not that bad. She's just ecstatic." My marefriend defended her rebellious sister to me.

"Ecstatically gay." I winked to my mother who just tried to ignore my rude joke.

My mare just sighed. "One time we caught her making out with another mare..."

"One time and numerous discoveries of playcolt magazines." I teased. So many times had we gone to see her younger sister and stumbled across them in her room.

"She's a little sensitive about the issue, but we can't pressure her to come out. Now I expect you to not tease her about it tonight. She was nice enough to not only give us this location, but perform as well." She floated down next to me and gave me a smile.

How could I say no to that smile? "Alright, I promise. But if she starts coming onto my sister, I'm stepping in." I joked.

Rainbow ruffled my mane playfully. "Oh stop it, you."

"You two are so adorable together. You remind me of me, and Flare's father when we were kids." My mother begins to ramble. "He'd take me to the theater, buy me probably every candy at the concession stand..."

My father walked in at that moment and finished the story. "And we would seldom even watch the movie, if you know what I mean." He gave a wink to us as my mother giggled.

I gagged in mocking disgust. "Gross." I commented.

Rainbow however was trying to contain her giggles as she saw how uncomfortable my parents were making me. The last thing I wanted to think about today was my parents making out though.

"Say, Flare there was a reminder you left for yourself upstairs. Something about a box?" My father said.

My eyes bulged. He almost ruined the surprise. Fortunately Rainbow didn't seem to hear anything. Nodding I made a quick excuse to leave. "I gotta go talk to Fluttershy for a bit. I'll be back in time for the party."

Dash nodded and gave a small frown. "Awww, alright. I'll see you then, bear." She gave a kiss to my nose and returned to her decorating. I lingered for another few seconds watching her. Absolutely stunning, it was hard to believe she was for real.

Fluttershy had managed to keep this whole surprise under wraps, which was amazing considering she was terrible at keeping secrets. You really couldn't trust her with anything too confidential, simply because she'd get so excited she'd eventually blab about it to somepony. This however was different, I had made it very clear that this was a very special event.

"You think Rainbow will like it?" I questioned as I looked at the contents of the box.

Fluttershy giggled and nodded. "Absolutely, diamonds are her favorite, she isn't much for jewelry, but she has a weak spot for them."

I nodded and took another look before I closed the box.

"So, how are you going to give it to her?" Fluttershy leaned in with genuine interest. I got the impression she was all over this lovey dovey stuff.

"Well, I wanted to wait until tonight. Then when we have a moment alone I want to put it around her neck when she closes her eyes." I had pictured it in my head so many times at this point. I wanted this whole thing to go so smoothly, that my expectations were so high there was no way reality would have been as good as the picture in my head.

Fluttershy was a already making annoying noises and squeeing. "Ooooooh that's so cute! I know she'll love it!"

I chuckled. "Dash doesn't like to admit it, but she has a soft spot for that romantic crap, she just doesn't like to show it in public. She's always trying to put on that tough girl act."

"Do you prefer tough girls, Flare?" She inquired as she sat down.

"I guess so... I mean I always found myself attracted to the more... Brutish mares." I blushed as I admitted it.

The truth was that I did enjoy a girl who had a little fire in her. One that could throw down with the stallions if need be, and one that could hold her own. My mother certainly was a big influence on that. The woman never really needed my father's help on anything. She just let him help to be sweet to him, but it was clear those two were very independent.

"You can't always be together forever, but it's important to enjoy today. For all we know, this fleeting dream could come to an end tomorrow." Fluttershy's words became very cold.

Something about what she said really stuck, I wasn't sure why.

I had showed up to the party a few minutes into the festivities. I was usually late to almost every occasion, but this was actually pretty good for me; I had only gotten there 20 minutes in.

Fixing my tie, I could already see my mother along with a familiar Vinyl Scratch approaching. Composing myself, I smiled in their direction as they drew nearer.

"Lookin' sharp there, Flare." Vinyl praised as she admired my suit.

"Heh, thanks, I just hope I am not overdressed is all..." I rubbed my neck as I admitted that. Dash was not one for formal occasions, so she would often show up semi-casual. However judging by the fact that even Vinyl had a tuxedo on told me I might be safe regardless if Dash showed up in a wife beater. However it once again pointed to the idea that Vinyl was very butch.

My mother and Vinyl both snickered. "Oh, I don't think you will have to worry about that."

Clearly they knew something. "What do you mean?" I inquired as my brow rose.

Vinyl gestured behind herself. "Why not see for yourself."

I peeked around her corner and my jaw fell open and just hung there. I couldn't even believe what I was seeing. Dash was in a proper dress, and not just a dress, but an exceptionally formal one. Hell it might have even been the fanciest dress at this entire party.

Black in color it was decorated with a few emblems that resembled her cutie mark, and nice matching earrings. Her mane was done up with an interesting tiara holding it in place. The dress covered her entire form, which I imagined made it difficult for her to walk with. She had to have been very uncomfortable with just the dress, but she even had on some black horseshoes to go with it.

Vinyl only laughed more as she saw my reaction. However she just nudged my shoulder instead of sitting there picking on me over it. "Go get her, lover boy."

I nodded and turned to my mother bowing my head a bit. "Mom, there's something I need to..."

She shook her head and waved for me to leave. "Go see your marefriend, Flare."

With a grin I raced over to her. She turned around the moment she sensed my presence. I paused as I stuttered trying to say something. My mouth hung open but all that came out was more stuttering noises. Rainbow just stood there patiently with that same innocent look on her face, waiting for me to finally get it out.

After a few more seconds of struggling, I got some words to escape my mouth. "You look... Amazing..."

A blush crossed her cheeks as she offered her hoof to me which I took and kissed. She only responded with a giggle.

"You look pretty nice yourself. You clean up great." She complimented.

"Oh so I look bad any other time?" I added a sarcastic tone, and she caught the joke as I saw her laughing.

She leaned in and placed her front hooves around my neck. "You look fantastic any other time."

The night was spent with dinner, dancing and a little bit of wine. There were going to be so many photos tomorrow, no doubt. I'd probably be embarrassed by some and have a story to tell for others, but all and all it didn't go as I had imagined it... It went far better. To be fair though after seeing the love of my life in that dress, the rest of the night could have been a disaster and I would have been alright with that.

The big surprise had come though.

Dash and I were outside on the balcony overlooking the city. The view from there was amazing to be honest. It sat up on the hill, you could see quite an amazing vista from where we stood. The whole city lit up and ready for its night life to begin. It was true what they said: cities never sleep.

"It's pretty cool to see the city at night, huh?" Rainbow spoke as she gazed at the sight.

I nodded and placed a hoof around her backside as we let ourselves sit down. "It's spectacular."

We sat in silence for another brief moment before I looked over to her biting my lip. Noticing me, she turned with a "hm?" Expression.

"Close your eyes." I instructed.

To my surprise she did so without arguing. Her magenta eyes vanished behind her eyelids. I reached into my pocket and retrieved the box that I had kept secret up to this point. Retrieving the necklace from it, I began to place it around her neck and fasten it. I struggled a bit, but was able to get it on without embarrassing myself. I took a moment to observe it before giving her the okay to open her eyes.

Her eyes came open slowly as she looked down. She gasped as she saw all the diamonds sparkle in the moonlight. "Flare..." She couldn't even finish that sentence she was in so much shock.

I pressed my hoof to her lips. "Shhhhh." I hushed. When I had removed my hoof, she nearly leapt at me wrapping her hooves around me as she forcefully pushed her lips against mine.

It was a very powerful kiss, but when she finally released me, she grinned as she took my hoof in hers'. "Let's get out of here." She spoke rather seductively.

"Wha- I thought you wanted to wait until everypony left?" I blinked in surprise.

Tugging at my hoof, she grinned and giggled. "I'm ready now."

She didn't have to tell me twice. "Yes, ma'am." I obediently responded.

She guided us out through the back way where nopony would see us leave, giggling and nearly skipping as she did so. It didn't take her long for us to get back to her apartment where she quickly closed the door behind us and grabbed me for another fierce kiss. I was even less prepared for this one.

"I love you, Flare..." She spoke between lips smacking.

"I love you too." I managed to get out.

"Let's hurry before this moment ends..." She nearly growled as she pushed me onto the couch with her quickly landing on top of me.

"We have plenty of time." I reminded.

"Not as much as you'd think..." She said as she brought her lips to my neck.

Achievement: Mood Killer - Reached the end of Chapter 19.

Act 1: Chapter Twenty

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Twenty (Knights Saga)

I felt exhausted as I started stirring. My head was pounding something fierce, and my hooves were dangling over the ground as I moved. Something was moving me against my will while I was out. Trying to protest I grunted and hoped words would come out. Of course, it just came out as incoherent mumbles.

Once my eyes had started to adjust, I saw the familiar black dirt of the ruins, and a white coat I was laying on top of. It became obvious what was carrying me.

"Ugh..." I let out.

"Morning, sleeping beauty." Vinyl's voice came back to me.

"Wha- What happened?" I groaned.

"Beats me, I found you passed out. You've been out cold for nearly two days. I thought you died on me." She shrugged.

"I think I can walk..." I replied.

Taking that statement a bit too seriously, she dumped me onto the ground without warning then added. "Good, I'm tired of carrying your sorry ass."

With a grunt, I hit the ground. "Thanks... " I rubbed my side as I got onto my hooves.

“I had an odd dream… You all were there… It felt so… Real… Hell you weren’t a total cunt!” I informed.

“That’s how you know it was a dream” She slyly remarked.

I decided to change the subject before it got too awkward.

"What happened to the thief?" I inquired.

Her face contorted to the shape of annoyance as she responded. "Got away... I tried to stop her, but she was fast... Really fast. Hell she was faster than Rainbow Dash and up to this point I didn't think that was even possible."

Faster than Dash? Part of me had a hard time believing it too, had I not seen her for myself, that girl moved fast enough to not even be seen.

"Her abilities... Was she using..." Vinyl cut me off to finish my sentence.

"Magic? Yes. No doubt about it, that was magic. U.M.S.A.s can't do that, they're only meant to simulate magic for everyday life uses such as telekinesis. That pegasus had the full package... And what is more troubling is that was not some weak magic... I could sense it... It was... Tremendous strength." Vinyl actually looked concerned about this ordeal, which was an accomplishment to make her concerned.

"A pegasus that can use magic... Is that even possible?" I trotted faster to get right next to her.

Vinyl grew quiet and hesitated before answering. "Twilight once spoke of this ancient legend... Earth ponies and pegasi that could harness magic... It wasn't the same that you and I know though... No this was real magic. They could rip apart existence if they wanted. Their abilities can touch upon the stream of existence itself... They were close to god-like status with their powers..."

"Sounds dangerous..." I commented, uncertain of what I could add.

"They are only a legend though... Nopony has actually seen one." She halted in her tracks and turned to face me. I stopped and waited for her. "Let's not tell Twilight about this, alright?"

My brow rose. "She's the leader of the Equestrian military. Don't you think this might be important information to her?"

"Probably, but you're not going to tell her. If you care about what's good for Equestria that is." She had a very threatening tone.

Now she was starting to sound like she was speaking in riddles. "I don't follow..."

Vinyl sighed and placed a hoof on my shoulder. My eyes fell onto that hoof before returning to her face. Her sunglasses seemed almost opaque. Even at this close, it was impossible to see her eyes through them. "Flare, Twilight is a knowledge fiend. She will get obsessed with trying to find this ability to use against the darkness. She will ignore everything to pursue it. Twilight only thinks in probability and statistics. She will see every sacrifice as worth it to get to this power."

I suppose Vinyl and Twilight's history was extensive. Still, was Twilight really like that? If so, then it was no wonder that Vinyl didn't like her that much.

Vinyl got closer and placed her other hoof on my shoulder. "Listen to me: we can not allow her to become enthralled in such a mad quest. The casualties from it would be devastating. For now we must keep this a secret between the two of us. Promise me that you won't utter a single word of this to anypony, especially Twilight." She was nearly shaking me as she gripped me.

"I..." She grew serious and cut me off.

"What is it going to take to keep your mouth shut? I can get you a place to stay in Canterlot where you'll live quite handsomely, hell I could get you into the Rainbow Raiders even..." She was throwing offers at me before I could even respond.

"No, I..." She cut me off again.

"What then? Sex? Pick any mare you want, I'll bring them to you. Hell if you want, I'll turn around for you right now." She was machine gunning out more and more offers.

My face turned a bit red at that suggestion. "No, if you'd let me finish..." She paused and loosened her grip. "I was going to say all of that is unnecessary. I won't say anything, promise. If I break that promise you can kill me."

Vinyl released my shoulders and let her hooves fall back onto the ground with an awkward expression. "You are not a very good deal maker, you know that?"

"Bargaining is not within my small list of abilities..." I admitted sheepishly.

She nodded and offered her hoof. "Shake on it then." Of course I took the hoof and gripped it in my own. I had no reason to break that promise. Vinyl was right, we couldn't let Twilight get wrapped up in that if we wanted Equestria to survive.

With a shake she grinned. "Heh, good thing you stopped me there, I was about to drop my belt off and let you take me." She laughed it off so casually.

"I... Err..." I just looked away trying to avoid eye contact (despite her eyes always being hidden.)

She laughed as she released my hoof. "I bet you wouldn't even know what to do with it if you ever got it anyways."

I shrugged ignoring the fact she went from bargaining with me right to insulting me. I guess it meant she took my word for it because she was quite confident that I wouldn't go back on my words. "You may be right there..."

She sighed and placed a hoof around me as we walked. "Flare, when we get back drinks are on me, and maybe we can make a stallion out of you."

I smiled. "Alright, but mom says I have to be home before it gets dark." I joked.

She let out a hearty laugh. "I don't think I've ever seen you try and have a sense of humor. It's much more appealing than that always serious personality of yours."

"You must be rubbing off on me." That was a scary thought.

Our return was met with some shock, except from Twilight who more or less greeted us with a bit of concern. She looked us over and shook her head at Vinyl. "Not even Cloudsdale was enough to kill you, huh?" She sighed. It was hard to tell if she was being serious or not, even with Vinyl laughing at it, considering Vinyl was known for laughing at death itself. Twilight and her may just share an odd sense of humor, or she really was hoping Vinyl would die.

"We got your archives." Vinyl tossed the block with the data on it over to the general. Twilight caught it in a light magenta aura.

"Thank you, lieutenant." She smiled as she brought the object close to herself. "This could prove quite valuable." She seemed a bit too excited over it. Something told me that Twilight knew more than she let on. "It'll take some time to go through it, but I'll have our research team working on it night and day. What of the element though?"

I was about to speak when Vinyl interrupted. "Gone. Wasn't there."

Twilight sighed and nodded. "Very well... As promised though, Flare you may join the Knights of Celestia. You've come at an opportune time, however we won't have time to properly train you. Besides I have a better way of doing that available now." Her face lit up with a grin. It was very creepy to see that eye of hers combined with a smile on her face. I imagine that thing gave some ponies nightmares.

"And what would that be?" I questioned.

"Me." Dash's voice rung from behind me. She trotted to the front and took a seat next to Twilight.

The general nodded quite happily. "Yes, you will be side by side with Rainbow Dash, as by her request. She said she would rather be the one to watch over you."

My eyes scrunched as I tried to think. "But I thought you quit the military, Dash...?"

She nodded. "Yes, however there is business left to take care of. I made a promise to Trixie that I would be the one to get her, and it's seven years late, but I intend to keep that promise. We'll get Trixie, then we're out of here. I want nothing else to do with this war." Rainbow explained.

She really hated Trixie that much, enough to go back to the military.

"And the Rainbow Raiders?" I quizzed.

"You're one of them now. You answer to Vinyl from now on. I’m not actually in the Raiders anymore." Vinyl snickered as Rainbow said that and ruffled my mane a bit.

"Looks like you're stuck with me, kid." She teased.

That wasn't exactly the news I wanted to hear, however being in the Rainbow Raiders wasn't something I was expecting. I only dreamed of getting into the military, never had I imagined that I would be able to fight alongside Rainbow Dash.

"From this moment on, you're Corporal Flare, and you're going to be my project looks like. Shouldn't be too big of a change considering I already have been taking care of you up to this point." Rainbow added.

I gave a salute. "I won't let you down."

"Don't promise things you can't do, Corporal. Let's just focus on getting Trixie and getting me home. After we get her, I already told Twilight that I am done here." She looked over at Twilight who nodded.

"Although we would appreciate your services longer, after Trixie is apprehended the bulk of our work should be taken care of. Trixie is one of their main agents and without her we should see a significant decline in their strategic abilities. Not to mention we can get her to reveal information that would cripple the enemy." Twilight explained as she stood up.

Something told me Trixie wouldn't just tell them for no reason. "After you catch her, how are you going to get her to squeal?" I questioned.

Vinyl placed her hoof around my neck and pulled me closer. "We'll shove a cattle prod up her snatch." She chimed in.

Elegant as always she was.

"You mean... Torture her?"

Twilight looked a bit to the side, obviously not liking the motion stated out loud, but not able to deny it either. "If it comes to that..." She had a very quiet tone. Obviously ashamed, but not turning back.

"You would... Do that...?" I was a little in shock, but I knew I shouldn't be very surprised at this point. Twilight could be quite ruthless, and after all Trixie has done, it was obvious that nopony would show any kind of remorse to her.

Twilight lifted her head proudly as she spoke. "We would do what was ever necessary for Equestria. I do not like the idea myself, but if she refuses to cooperate, then we must force her to. Her punishment thereafter will be determined by how well she cooperates."

"I didn't think you were like that... I thought you wanted to do what was right..." I couldn't believe I was actually debating this with her.

She scoffed and grunted as she turned away. "Spend some time on the battlefield, my friend. You'll soon find what seems right to you will change."

Before I could even reply she was taking her leave and Dash began to escort me out. "Twilight is throwing a ball for you. She was impressed that a little Skyvale colt was able to brave Cloudsdale. It's happening tonight in the lower castle." She informed as we approached the door.

I wanted to ask her more about the conversation I just had with Twilight, but she had already changed the subject; no doubt on purpose. I guessed it would have to wait for another day. "A ball, huh?"

She nodded. "Yeah kind of like in highschool when you go to the prom, but fancier."

I bowed my head. "I never went... I was up in Skyvale that whole time..."

She frowned but pat my shoulder. "Well, then this will be an exciting new experience for you."

I bit my lip afraid to ask what I was going to ask next. Gathering up some courage I let it out as casually as I could, though it still came off awkward. "Would you be my date then?"

She paused and blinked. I guessed I surprised her with that one. It was clear Dash wasn't the romantic type, so date offers probably always struck her as random and bizarre.

"I..." She paused again and looked at me. Her eyes studied mine for a moment before her face grew a smile. "I'd love to, Flare."

"How do I look?" I glanced to Pinkamena from the mirror as I adjusted my suit. I had never worn one before in my entire life, so I was still uncertain if I was even wearing it right.

Adjusting her earrings, the Gothic dressed mare sighed and trotted over to fix my tie. With a grunt as she tightened it, I tried not to look directly at her. "You know it's just a celebration romeo. I've been to many in my life, and you're more nervous than any stallion I've ever seen."

Part of me had forgotten she used to throw parties for a living, probably because I tried to not let my thoughts focus on Dr. Pie too often.

"I am just trying to look decent. I mean Dash is a very important pony, and she is going with a nopony like me. I at least want to look like I am not some kid..." I sighed.

Pinkamena shook her head. "You are a kid though. Need I remind you that Dash is several years your senior?"

"It's not like that... It's just... She's my hero..." I blushed admitting it.

Pinkamena had no response. She instead continued to adjust my suit in silence. I was a bit surprised she had nothing to say to that.

"Pinkamena? Did you hear me?" I asked.

She nodded. "I heard you, I just chose not to comment. I don't really want to be the bearer of bad news today."

Part of me was interested in what she meant, but another part of me just wanted to pretend I didn't hear her in the first place. The latter won that fight. I knew better than to entertain my curiosity when Pinkamena was involved. There were things about her that one would rather not know.

"We have to make a stop on the way there, alright?" She informed as she finished. I merely nodded to answer her. Shooting back a smile she added another comment. "Better be careful, all the girls are going to be after you tonight, Mr. Hero."

I found that hard to believe.

The building we had stopped at looked like some kind of bakery. My thoughts turned right to the old story she had told me some days ago. I prayed these were not the same bakers as before. My prayers were not answered.

Knocking on the door, we were met with an orange stallion. His pupils expanded as he took in the pink mare at his doorstep. He took a step back and reached behind the door, supposedly getting his weapon. Once he had strapped it on, he pointed it directly at her head. Pinkamena just blew a strand of her mane out of her face. Calm as always I guess.

"I thought we said you weren't welcome here." He threatened.

Pinkamena took a step forward and allowed the barrel to touch her forehead. "Then shoot me." She grinned as he twitched. "However you'd be violating royal decree. Twilight has ordered I be preserved for my technical knowledge. So if you are prepared to explain it to her, then go ahead."

Damn was she confident.

"We don't want any trouble. What do you want?" The stallion held his weapon firm, trying to not show any fear. Such a thing was pointless with Pinkamena, she could smell fear from a mile away.

"Just to reminisce in old memories and see the family." Her tone was very sincere, however the moment he started quivering a bit, she laughed and retracted the statement. "Nah, I'm kidding. I didn't come for you, I left something here that I need to pick up. Something you have carried for me without even knowing about it."

He looked puzzled. "We moved though... This isn't Sugar Cube Corner anymore, how are you certain we still have this thing?"

"Oh, I am positive you took it with you. I hid it in a place where you'd never think to look." She smirked as she pushed him out of the way to let herself in.

Entering, we were greeted by what I assumed to be Mrs. Cake whom had her children huddled close to her as she held another firearm. "Oh please, don't try to intimidate me with empty threats, Mrs. Cake. I know you're not going to shoot me, so why not just put that thing down? I will be out of your mane in a bit anyways. I am just going to pick up what I came for, and I'll be out." Pinkamena trotted into the backrooms, with me following. Mr. And Mrs. Cake stayed close by but kept enough distance for safety as they stood at the door frame.

Pinkamena was hunched over a rather large alligator resting in a pet bed that was clearly too small for him. She smiled as she reached down and pet his skull. "Hey old friend. It's been a long time hasn't it?" The creature certainly recognized his master. He rubbed his head against her hoof.

"I knew you'd keep this safe for me." She reached around his neck and detached the collar and checked the dangling emblem with a grin. "Perfect... Its still here."

"What is it?" I questioned, getting not to get too close to the swamp monster.

"A backup of all my research. Now I can continue where I left off." She smiled and looked down at the alligator. "Sorry, Gummy. You belong to Mr. And Mrs. Cake now. They'll take good care of you. Mommy has to go away, and I doubt she'll be coming back." She gave him another pet.

This reminded me of the night in the factory. Pinkamena was capable of being motherly, and it was clear that behind her tough exterior, there was still a pony in there. I looked back at the Cakes who were only looking with disgust and an expression that suggested they wanted her out quickly.

I could not stay silent any longer. "You ponies make me sick..." I growled.

The family gave me a confused expression. "This girl was family to you at one point! And you just abandoned her!" I shouted.

"That girl terrorized us..." Mr. Cake defended.

"Boo hoo! She was mentally unsound, what did you do to help?! Nothing! A girl who spent her whole life being told her way is wrong, and instead of trying to guide her to the right path, you just abandon her..." The group remained silent now, uncertain of how to respond. Taking a short approach, I brought my face to Mr. Cake's. "When she needed you most, you ran away. You're too scared to help, so you just run like the cowards you are."

Mr. Cake tried to take a step back, but I advanced so we were back at the same position as before. "You see a monster? Well then good, because it's a monster you helped create. This girl was abandoned by everypony that saw who she really was. After going through that..." I turned to see Pinkamena just watching quietly. "Well, its no wonder she turned out this way. So take a good look, because that is your creation."

Pinkamena took my hoof and jerked her head to the door. "It's best we go now..." She hinted.

I decided to do exactly that before I ripped them apart more. "Yes... I think that would be best."

Making our leave, I gave them a deathly glare as we exited.

As expected, Pinkamena had nothing to say about what just happened. I'd come to expect that from her at this point.

"How do I look?" I questioned a rather formal Twilight sitting at the bar.

This was the first time I had ever seen her out of her military fittings. The glasses were a nice touch. Rainbow was right; she did look like an egghead.

"Well, someone sure is nervous. I take it you've never been on a date before?" She teased as she stirred her drink, probably non-alcoholic. Twilight didn't strike me as one who turned to the bottle to solve her problems, not like Dash anyways.

'More like I am going to be dancing with the greatest hero Equestria has ever seen, but no I haven't." I replied.

She pointed. "Looks like your dream mare is here." She certainly was enjoying the teasing.

I approached through the crowd to come face to face with an elegant mare. Her multicolored dress matched her mane so well. Atop of her head was a ribbon tied on both sides of her mane. It was brushed and cleaned, and she was even wearing some eyeliner I could see. She attempted to cover up the scar on her face with some blue makeup, though it was still noticeable.

"I... I..." I was stuttering already.

She smiled and offered her hoof. "You cleaned up nice." She complimented as I took her hoof in my own.

We allowed our back hooves to hold us as we slowly moved into a gentle dance. "Your eyes..." I commented as one of my hooves touched under them.

"Years of insomnia." She admitted looking down a bit. "Hard to cover that up with just make up."

My hoof moved to her cheek. My voice grew to a near whisper. "Are you in pain?"

Her gaze came back to me and her hoof rested atop of my own as we stepped together. "Not right now." She cracked a small smile. It was so nice to see her smiling.

A rather well dressed Vinyl trotted over to the bar, not quite at a stagger yet because she didn't have much drink in her just yet. She aimed to correct that problem. Free alcohol was never passed up by a mare like her. Back home they would drink at the young age of sixteen, so she was naturally conditioned to have a high tolerance. When Vinyl was drunk, she was really drunk.

Plopping down into the stool next to her superior she quickly ushered for the bartender to pass her two shots of vodka. He did so without much thought before returning to his other customers. Vinyl downed both with ease and looked over to Twilight sitting next to her.

The purple unicorn was busy going through data on her PDA, and didn't seem to have much interest in this party, despite putting it on herself.

Vinyl frowned and sighed before gesturing for the bartender to come back. He did so curiously and leaned in to hear her better. "Hey, how about a drink for the nice lady next to me? She looks like she could use it."

Twilight realizing what was happening spoke up. "Huh, oh no thank you. I don't drink."

"Well, that's half your problem right there, One-eye. You're too tense, you should relax a little, it's a party after all." Vinyl took the new drink and passed it to her.

Twilight shook her head. "First of all, I have told you many times that I detest that name. Second of all, you have no idea what kind of burden I am under being the leader. It's not as easy as you think it is. It's constant pressure, and it's a twenty-four hour job." She spoke in a very matter-of-a-fact tone.

"Fine, but why not just forget all of that for one night? Stop being the big important general for a few hours and start being Twilight..." She emphasized her name.

Twilight bit her lip but nodded and took the drink. "What do you call this anyways?"

"Well that looks like it's just a shot of whiskey. Here' I'll do one with you." She ushers for another.

"Well... I suppose just one wouldn't hurt..."

Getting hers, Vinyl raised her glass. "That's the spirit. Back where I come from, this is the weak stuff. I used to drink this when I was fifteen."

Twilight tapped her glass to Vinyl's. "Sounds like a very... Interesting place..."

"Bottoms up." Vinyl said as she poured her drink down her throat, Twilight doing so seconds after, followed by coughing and Vinyl laughing.

"Bleck... It tastes like... I don't know... But it's awful!" She wretched.

Vinyl smirked and laughed. "Oh come on you lightweight. I used to take a glass of wine with my dinner when I was seven."

Twilight hacked and coughed again before rubbing her eyes. "No offense, but perhaps you had a screwed up childhood?"

Vinyl shrugged. "Beats me. My mother was a good mare though. She worked two jobs to keep food on the table, never raised a hoof to me either. Hell, I remember her going to the school a lot to fight them about the crap that went on there. The lady was a saint."

Twilight blinked and sat up straight. "She certainly sounds like a wonderful woman."

"She was." Vinyl smiled.

An hour later, the two had put at least three more drinks in them, and had spent the night talking.

"So, being general, what's that like?" Vinyl asked with a look of genuine interest.

Twilight frowned as she took another drink. “Stressful.”

“Well you have to put up with me, so that’s no surprise.” Vinyl chuckled as she downed her entire glass. She could put away enough alcohol to be a keg.

“There are a lot more stressful things that I have to deal with besides you. You’re not so bad anyways.” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“I’m flattered. I mean you’re wrong in me not being so bad, but I’m flattered nonetheless.” She grins as she leaned in.

Twilight felt a small blush across her cheeks. Vinyl scooted her seat closer and let her voice get rather low. “Hey… What’s the royal quarters look like?”

The purple unicorn’s face started to glow brighter with a blush. A bit nervously, she gave an answer. “Why not come see it for yourself?”

Vinyl smirked as she offered her hoof to be guided. Twilight took it and guided the two up and out of the ballroom. Making their way down the halls of the castle, Vinyl observed the scenery; she had only seen the areas that the soldiers and civilians were permitted to enter, that and Twilight’s office. She had never seen the living quarters of the castle, or even the servants’ area.

Just outside of a room marked “Twilight” on the door, the general turned to her lieutenant with a serious expression. Vinyl blinked at the sudden action. “Hm?” She tilted her head in confusion. To this, Twilight pressed her against the wall and planted a kiss upon her lips. Taken by surprise, Vinyl took a second or two to react. Giving in, she allowed a hoof to dig into Twilight’s tidy mane.

Breaking the kiss, Twilight stroked the former DJ’s cheek affectionately. “Vinyl… Can I ask you something?”

“Hm?” Said Vinyl, whom was still a bit dazed from the sudden kiss.

“Can you take off those stupid glasses?” Twilight smiled as she continued to pet her cheek.

Vinyl nodded and levitated her signature sunglasses off of her face and into her pocket on her jacket. “Better?” She smiled revealing her bright red eyes to the mare.

Twilight was a bit stunned as she found herself staring. “Y-your eyes… They’re… They’re…”

“Red, I know.” Vinyl answered.

“Beautiful…” Twilight corrected.

Vinyl certainly had never heard that compliment before, however she was going to roll with it regardless.

“Why do you hide them with those glasses?” Twilight found herself leaning closer to stare into them better.

“Two reasons, the first being I have very sensitive eyes.” Vinyl smiled as she let the mare do whatever she desired.

“And the second?”

Vinyl grew a familiar perverted grin. “If I walked around like this all the time, mares like you would have to walk around with their hind legs pressed together.”

Twilight’s blush only grew as she pulled the mare in for another kiss.

That next morning, Twilight awoke with a large yawn and somewhat of a headache. She didn’t recall much of anything from last night. It all seemed like a big blur to her; however the only thought on her mind right now was getting some aspirin for her headache.

Letting her eyes adjust, she noticed a second lump under the covers of her bed. Curiously, she lifted them up to see a white unicorn curled up under them. Her wild blue mane was a mess, though her coat was not much better.

Twilight’s mind snapped to reality when she saw the double quaver on the mare’s flank. Once that happened she screamed and pushed her out of the bed entirely.

Hitting the floor with a thud, Vinyl groaned and grunted as she got herself up and looked for her glasses. Locating them, she placed them right back on her face as she rubbed where she hit the floor. “Well good morning to you too, princess...”

“You didn’t… WE DIDN’T!?” Twilight was still trying to grasp what was happening.

“You know, most ponies don’t kick me out of the bed after I make them squeal like that…” Vinyl yawned.

“WHAT!? NO! WE DIDN’T… Did we…?” Twilight pulled the covers over her muzzle a bit embarrassed.

“No need to be so embarrassed. You weren’t bad for a virgin. Hell, I didn’t think you could eat ca-“ Vinyl was cut off by Twilight throwing a pillow at her.

“NO NO NO NO! GET OUT NOW!” She screamed.

Vinyl rolled her eyes as she lit a cigarette. “Oh come on, last night you were all over me, now suddenly I’m disgusting again?”

“I was saving myself for marriage…” Twilight admitted as she was almost in tears.

“Yeeaaaah… That’s not happening now.” Vinyl laughed a bit.

“GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY ROOM, VINYL! OR SO HELP ME, I WILL HAVE YOU COURT MARTIALED FASTER THAN YOU CAN BLINK! GET THE FUCK OUT!” Twilight screamed at full volume.

Vinyl rubbed her ear and nodded. “Sheesh, no need to yell.” She shrugged and took her leave, closing the door behind her as she had her clothes from the other night in hoof. She took another puff of her cigarette and turned to Rainbow Dash who was standing next to the door waiting for her.

“I didn’t think you’d be able to pull it off…” Dash admitted.

Vinyl laughed and began to walk with the multi-colored mare. “Get a few drinks in anypony and their standards lower significantly.”

Rainbow nodded. “I think that should keep Twilight freaked out for a while. My little ‘present’ for dragging me back into this war… That and her attitude with me as of late.”

The DJ grinned as she finished her cigarette. “Yup. Like I said, anytime you want to get back at Twilight, I am all for that.”

“Only thing I want to know… Did you actually…?” Dash rose a brow in question.

Vinyl smirked. “What do you think?”

Rolling her eyes, Dash started walking a bit faster, Vinyl picking up the pace to keep up. “You’re sick.” Dash commented.

“How am I sick?” Vinyl questioned.

“You’re a sex addicted pig.” Dash looked away from the mare.

The two continued bickering back and forth as they wandered off back to their quarters.

Achievement: They Call Me Lt. Booty - Vinyl really "wowed" the general.

Act 1: Chapter Twenty-One

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Twenty-One (Knights Saga)

Rainbow had bolted through the entire bar and snagged a rather confused Pinkamena so quickly that her glasses fell right off of the good doctor's face. Unintimidated, but confused, Dr. Pie gave a very odd expression in return to Dash's gesture. Unamused, and quite unphased, she gave a calm response.

"What's the trouble, Rainbow?" She spoke so nonchalantly. Part of me was asking the same question, but I already guessed that was going to be answered momentarily.

"Don't play stupid with me, or are you going to deny what you did at Cloudsdale?" Rainbow hissed right in her face as she pressed her blade to Pinkamena's neck.

She nodded in understanding. "Ah yes, the genetic modifications I did. There's no need to deny that. I did it to keep ponies from being controlled by the darkness. It prevents their minds from being taken by it, you should be thanking me."

Vinyl stepped forward and got next to Dash as she placed a hoof to the wall next to Pinkamena's skull. "Only one problem... It just made it so the darkness ate their bodies instead. It eventually drove them to insanity. They live up there as abominations of nature now." Vinyl spoke in an equally threatening manner.

The doctor merely shrugged. "Not like anypony could have predicted that."

Dash's blade was pressed closer now. "You conducted experiments on them against their will... Even on the princess herself..." Dash was speaking through her teeth at this point, which were being put on full display now.

"I wished to give her an edge over the darkness. Clearly however more testing was needed to be done. If I had not had to conduct my experiments in secret, perhaps I would have achieved better results." Pinkamena explained. Her tone was very snobbish, and no doubt intended to annoy Dash.

"I should kill you just for that, but I want to know Applejack's involvement first." Dash hissed and nearly spit in the pink mare's face.

Pinkamena wiped her glasses off. "She was a delivery girl, nothing more. To move supplies about, I used several lackeys who were unknowing of what they were carrying. However if you're concerned about her state; no, I did not use her as a test subject."

"Watch your tongue." Rainbow threatened.

Pinkamena grew a serious expression for the first time. Something told me, she was no longer amused by this all. "Or else what? You'll kill me?" She gave off a mocking laugh. "You won't kill me. You know deep down that killing me won't change anything."

Dash growled in response.

"What about you, Dash? You look at me like a monster, but how are you innocent? You joined the military for revenge. You wanted to make Trixie pay for the blood of your sister, and in doing so, you killed thousands. Your arrogance cost you Rarity; its your fault she's dead. You abandoned your squad to pursue your own selfish needs. If you had stayed with them and followed orders, Rarity would still be here." Pinkamena was playing a dangerous game in accusing Dash.

To our surprise, Rainbow remained silent. Pinkamena used this silence to continue.

"That's why you cut your wing off, shame. You left the military out of shame too. Now you spend every waking moment in shame of what you've done. You can't escape it and that's why you drink. You have to, or you couldn't take the pain, the pain of knowing that your arrogance and selfishness blinded you, and now its too late to undo what is done." Dash kept still, holding her tightly. "So you can go ahead and kill me, it won't change you. I'm not the one who has to atone for what I've done, and I'm not the one who needs to run away and drink myself stupid just so I can deal with what a piece of shit I am. That's why you can't stand being called a hero, because you're not, or am I wrong?" She gave a smirk as she delivered that last line.

The anticipation of how Dash was going to respond was unbearable. I am certain every creature in that room was sitting on the edge of their seat. Pinkamena had just made the boldest accusation that any of us had ever seen. It was astounding that Rainbow didn't hack her in half mid-sentence.

Hooves loosening their grip, Dash allowed the mare in her grasp to drop to the floor. Composing herself, Pinkamena stood back up and brushed herself off. "That's what I thought." She added.

"Dash..." I approached only to have her swat my hoof away.

"Don't, she's right... I did abandon my squad, and I did only care about what I wanted. If I had listened and did what I was supposed to, then things would have been different... Rarity would still be here..." She paused as she faced the wall. I could hear her sniffling a bit. "All the bodies I had to step over just to get as far as I did..."

Vinyl took this chance to grab the pink pony that was previously held and slam her back up against the wall. Pinkamena grunted and gave an annoyed response. "I wish you ponies would stop being so rough."

"Shut up." Vinyl growled.

"I am going to do what I should have done a loooooong time ago..." The unicorn grinned. I could see the same maniacal grin that she bore when we were back at Cloudsdale. The same crazed look, the same tone of voice. Everything.

"You don't scare me." Pinkamena commented.

Vinyl laughed a bit as she brought her face closer to Pinkamena's. "It wouldn't be as fun if I didn't get to break your confidence first."

Dr. Pie reached her hooves up and placed them on Vinyl's face. With a quick motion she pulled her sunglasses off and tossed them across the room. The whole room fell silent.

From where I stood, I couldn't get a look at her face, but I could feel the intensity of her gaze on Pinkamena., whom just stared with an unchanged expression. She grinned as she commented. "Like I said, I'm not afraid of you. I live with myself, there is nothing you could do that could intimidate me."

Vinyl's blade extended as she readied it. Only seconds before she was about to stab, Rainbow's voice halted everything. "Stop!" She called out. Vinyl froze.

"Put her down, Vinyl." Dash commanded.

Vinyl hesitated.

"That's an order, Vinyl." She repeated, her patience clearly being tested.

Obeying, the mare levitated her glasses back to her face as she dropped Pinkamena. "You're lucky, shitface..." She spat in the doctor's direction.

Vinyl turned and made her exit with Dash who was already waiting at the door. As the two left the old bar, I turned to Pinkamena who just smiled at me as she returned to what she was doing before the two brutish mares had interrupted.

There were a lot of stories that floated around in Equestria, some true, some probably fairy tales. However one thing was certain today: Pinkamena saw Vinyl's eyes, and she lived to talk about it. Her lack of fear only made me fear her more. She might have been the most dangerous mare in Equestria.

It had been a few weeks since my training with the Knights had begun. Unfortunately, given the circumstances though I was forced to get the "quick version" of everything. With Trixie now on red alert, Twilight was certain she would be striking fast and viciously to prevent us from ever getting a chance to use Dash to her full potential. It was obvious that Trixie had a certain fear of the mare that had grown over the years.

Twilight had called for my assistance on a very special mission. Something I had not expected to happen at all, let alone so soon after my arrival. It was hard to believe it was only a few short months since I had abandoned SkyVale.

Her chosen team consisted of myself, Dr. Fluttershy as her medical expert, two of her royal body guards, and another individual whom she had introduced as her brother; Shining Armor.

Shining had not said much about his story other than the war was the reason he lost the one he loved. Other than that he was a loyal guardian of the general, and that's all he wished to share. A stallion of a few words I suppose.

Twilight approached with Luna at her side, faithful as always. Sitting down, she places her front hooves on the war room table. Every pony there must have been eagerly awaiting this "classified" information which was no doubt the reason we were all here.

I was more ecstatic about the fact I was in the war room at all. I had never dreamed to set hoof in this place.

Twilight sighed and pulled out a series of scrolls that she set on the counter.

"I'm sure you all are wondering why I brought you all here." She began.

Instead of a response, we all adjusted in our seats prepared to take in a long story.

"Thirteen hours ago, we observed a very powerful energy spike from the outlands. Our concern is that Trixie is developing some new kind of weapon out there. Something that clearly possesses a great deal of power; too great to ignore." The unicorn continued as she peered around the room to get a good look at all of us, taking note of our reactions.

"I have decided that a large scale attack is too risky. She may try and utilize this weapon, so the plan is very simple; we go in silently and destroy it before she has a chance to unleash it." She nods as she glances over a few scrolls.

Fluttershy was the first to speak. "How are you sure we can walk right in and destroy it? I mean... Won't it be guarded?"

She posed a legitimate question, one that I was even asking, however Twilight was at the ready with an explanation.

"I'm glad you asked that question." The unicorn smiled as she unrolled a map, placing her hoof on a spot. "The establishment is here, far off of Trixie's main stronghold, and difficult for her to gather a lot of troops around. Essentially it's clear she wanted this research to be done somewhere where she knew it wouldn't be suspected. However she underestimated our ability to read energies. Since it's such a secret operation though, no doubt it'll be far less guarded. With a team of specialists we'll be able to swoop in and destroy it." She spoke of her plan very proudly.

"And what does Rainbow Dash think of this plan?" I daringly asked what I was sure was on the minds of many in this room.

Twilight leaned forward and removed her glasses as she locked eyes with me. That yellow eye of hers creeping me out as she did so. "Rainbow does not run this military, I do. Her opinion is of little concern."

Part of me wanted to rebuttal about how she has trusted Dash's opinion before, however the look on her face suggested to me that she wasn't going to bend on this subject, so I decided to let old dogs rest and just nodded in response to her.

"This mission is also top secret. Only the ponies in this room and a few of my trusted advisors are aware of these details I have just told you. The last thing I want is Trixie becoming aware of our actions and setting up a trap. This is being put on a need to know basis." Twilight explained very curtly.

We all merely nodded.

Twilight leaned back in her chair. "Excellent, now if there is a way for us to acquire this weapon and repurpose it for ourselves..."

"You're kidding, right?" Fluttershy chimed in again.

Twilight shook her head. "Absolutely not. If this thing is some kind of weapon that we could use, I want it."

Fluttershy seemed very opposed to this idea. "You just said its power could be astronomical. The destructive force of such a weapon could have severe consequences. Hasn't anypony seen enough death here?" She looked around the room hoping for support.

One of Twilight's guards raised a hoof to be called upon. Twilight gestured for him to speak. He nodded and stood up keeping his eyes on the general as he answered for her. "Ma'am, any advantage we could gain over our enemies is top priority."

Twilight nodded and gestured again for him to sit down. He did just that.

Speaking for herself this time, she sighed and turned in her chair. "The truth of the matter is, we can not afford to ignore this opportunity. We are limited on resources, and if there is a weapon that might give us an edge, then I want that weapon. We are already at a huge disadvantage, and I intend to get us every winning edge possible."

"But ma'am..." Fluttershy tried to impose again only to have Twilight silence her.

"Soldier, you have your orders. If it is possible to capture this weapon, we will do so. Otherwise we'll destroy it and I expect no disturbances from you during this process. If you stand in our way, I'll have you court martialed faster than you can take a piss." Her voice was very cold

Fluttershy just shook her head and sat down. Twilight really was cold, cold as ice even. The merciless mare.

"Alright ponies, stay together, and umm...." Twilight paused as she turned to face the rest of us with her blade drawn. "Try not to get killed." Quite a reassuring message from our supportive leader.

Keeping my weapon at the ready, I studied the familiar diamond edges. Hopefully the little training I did have from the military would prove enough to make me formidable against these "hardened soldiers". This would be my first time actually seeing one myself.

Twilight signaled for us all to be quiet as she placed a hoof on the door, the other hoof planting a charge onto it. Taking a step back from the old abandoned warehouse, she detonated it. "Move in!" She yelled as it went off.

The group made haste to get inside and pushed in with weapons drawn, even little Fluttershy who was so against this operation in the first place had her firearm ready to attack. I suppose her loyalty to Twilight always won out over her own personal morals; that or her fear of what would happen to her should she resist.

Once the smoke settled, we all glanced around to find a very empty warehouse.

"There's nopony here..." Commented one of Twilight's guards.

"No... There's something here..." She insisted.

We all fell silent and waited for her to signal we could do otherwise. We all stood perfectly still in anticipation. The suspense was overwhelming.

Finally she sighed and sat down on an old crate. "Something isn't right here..." She began to check over a scanner on her weapon with a confused expression. "I knew it would be lightly guarded, but not completely unguarded... It has to be somewhere in this place..." She grunted as she stood back up. "Search every crate in here. Wherever she is hiding it, will become known to us soon."

We all obeyed and started cracking open boxes. Most of them contained old food that had rotted eons ago, presumably from when this factory was still operational.

"Heh, maybe Trixie unknowingly handed this thing over to us." The other guard laughed.

"Doing count in it, never underestimate the enemy. Trixie is far craftier than she lets on." Twilight scolded.

At that exact moment, a fireball whizzed past her ear and hit the floor in a blaze. Twilight remained insanely calm as she stood with her back to the direction where it came from. None of us even realized what was happening until we heard a deep voice behind her. "Calculating, calculating, calculating. You haven't changed a bit, Twilight."

Everypony in the room shy of Twilight pivoted and aimed our weapons in that direction. Twilight however gave a simple hoof wave telling us to lower our weapons. Hesitantly, we did so.

"It has been a long time, hasn't it?" She spoke with her back to him still.

A hint of annoyance on his voice was present. "Yes... Almost 9 years now."

Twilight smirked. "And in all that time it looks like you're still a child."

A growl erupted from the creature in the shadow as it grabbed an odd looking firearm from its belt and aimed it directly at her. "Why don't you face me?"

"You don't deserve my full attention." She smirked a second time.

This incited more anger from him. His weapon fired and landed a round only an inch from her left back hoof. Twilight merely looked down casually then finally turned to face him.

"I see you're as impulsive as always. However you should know that I am difficult to threaten when I know the odds are in my favor." She lectured.

The creature stepped forward to reveal itself. He stood a few heads taller than Twilight, and if you counted the spines on the top of his head then he was about ten inches taller. His left claw clutched around a strange weapon small enough to be held in just the one claw. His right claw had a large metal shielding over it, and if you looked close enough you could see a gemstone in his palm. The contraption was gold with a leather glove under it going up his forearm.

On his waist was a belt with many different tools and packs attached to it, I presumed this was where he carried ammunition and other items for combat.

It was clear from observation that this creature was a dragon. I had never actually seen one in real life before, so it was difficult to tell.

"I've been waiting for you..." He grins as he readies his metal claw.

Twilight gives a movement to tell us all to stand back. It was clear she wanted to go solo on this fight.

"Spike... Trixie has blinded you. She has manipulated you..." She begins to walk slowly in a circle with him, keeping her weapon lowered.

"You're wrong. Trixie showed me my potential. She saw me as an equal..." He cuts himself off to take a swing at the mare, whom teleports a few inches away from the blow.

"Really, because you seem as sloppy as ever." She tormented.

The purple dragon grunted and took another slash with his sharp claw, Twilight once again teleporting out of the way. "Why don't you fight me instead of dodging?" He growled.

"Spike, you don't want to fight me, you and I both know you can't win." Twilight shook her head.

Spike aimed his gun directly at her forehead. "Try me." He smirked.

Twilight locked her eye (she had been keeping her yellow eye closed this whole fight) with his. "Don't make me raise my sword to you, Spike. I am asking you to lay down your weapon and come with us, we can help you. Don't force me to hurt you..."

Spike pushed the weapon against her forehead. "I suggest you raise that blade then. I am much stronger than I was ten years ago."

Twilight sighed. "Very well, it looks like I'll have to show you how weak you really are the old fashioned way." She took a step back and raised her left hoof gesturing for him to take his best shot.

He laughed and rose a brow. "No sword?"

"I won't need it to defeat you." She grinned as she quickly thrust her hoof forward sending a rock in his direction that lifted from the ground. Spike laughed and punched right through it with his metal claw.

He continued to chuckle as he replied, "You'll need to do better than that."

Twilight teleported to his side and launched a fireball in his direction which he caught in his claw. The device whirred and sucked the attack right into the gemstone center. The gemstone now had acquired a glow to it. "Ah, yes... Magic. It's your signature fighting technique; overwhelm your foe with magic. Arrogantly you try it on me knowing that my body is very resistant to magical attack."

"Resistant does not mean invincible!" She hissed as she through another fireball which he caught much in the same fashion.

"You're right, that is why I got this new toy. It's called the magic gauntlet; very advanced prototype." He smirked as he opened his claw to show the burning stone in the center.

Twilight laughs. "You expect a glove to turn the tide of this battle?"

"Not just a glove." He grins as the stone begins to glow brighter. Pointing it directly at her with his claw open, he grows a sinister expression. "It takes your magic..." He pauses before launching a fireball at least ten times the amount of the previous ones shot at him in Twilight's direction. Twilight narrowly moves out of the way, dodging any kind of damage. "And sends it back stronger." He finishes, smoke coming from his claw.

"Twilight, let us help you!" I called out.

"Negative, stand down, corporal. This is my fight. Besides..." She gets up from the floor and grins. "He isn't as tough as he thinks." She began talking directly to Spike. "He just has a new toy that Trixie is letting him play with. Say, did Trixie dig that up and rip it off one of her other reject, proteges?"

Spike grunted in annoyance. "No, it was created specifically for me... For the sole purpose of fighting you." He took another slash at her, only to have her block his claw with her sword.

"I'm flattered that Trixie went through such lengths to avoid her henchmen inevitably falling at my hooves." Twilight mocked as their weapons held against each other.

Closing the gauntlet around Twilight's sword, he squeezed. "I'm more than a henchman. I am Trixie's personal knight. I am her defender and protector, a role you would never let me have."

Having no choice, the mare held still as he clenched her blade in his gauntlet. "I could never trust you with such a position, Spike... You fight with so much anger, how can I? You're obsessed with strength and power." She had reduced her tone to be less mocking and more concerned sounding.

"How can I protect if I am weak?" He growls.

"With your attitude, you'll always be weak. In all of our time in Ponyville, you've learned nothing. You have no idea what real power is." Twilight looked down in shame.

Spike's gaze narrowed as he stared down his opponent. "I'll show you what real power is..." Squeezing her blade again, we all could hear a shattering sound as the blade snapped in two. Small shards flew as he tossed the blade onto the ground.

Twilight sighed and jumped back unleashing a volley of bullets in his direction. However Spike merely held out his gauntlet and attracted them towards it, taking no damage.

"Heh... I know you can do better than that. Stop going easy on me, this is exactly how you were when training me. You always went easy and refused to let me advance." Spike spoke.

Twilight's closed eye twitched, as if she was tempted to open it. "You don't want to see my full potential, Spike. Not even you know what I am capable of. True power comes with understanding; the understanding of your own limitations, and the responsibility that comes with that power. You have yet to understand that. You want all the power with none of the responsibility. You're still a child, thus I did not let you advance." She scolded.

"Stop calling me a child!" He hissed as he took another swing at her, only to narrowly miss again.

Twilight appeared behind him and shook her head. "I'll stop calling you one, when you cease acting like a child."

Spike growled as he started lobbing fireball after fireball at her. "Stop mocking me!"

Twilight was far too cunning to be taken by a few simple attacks. She managed to escape the entire onslaught without so much as a scratch. "Spike, surrender." She insisted.

Before he could even answer, he noticed a small light blinking on his weapon. With a sigh, he shakes his head. "Fucking savages always getting in the way..." He mutters. He looked up to Twilight and pointed in her direction. "We'll have to finish this later. See ya later." Before Twilight had a chance to interject, her pulled a tablet from his pocket and threw it on the ground, cracking it in half.

Before we knew what was happening, Spike had vanished.

"What was that?" I spoke, stepping forward.

"A recall tablet. It more or less was a clay tablet with a spell imbued in it. It recalled him to Trixie's location I imagine..." Twilight explained as she examined where he stood. "This was clearly a trap..." She added, changing the subject a bit.

Fluttershy sighed and took Twilight's hoof. "Come on, we should get back." She smiled at the unicorn.

Pausing for a moment, Twilight gave in and nodded. "Yes... Fall back. Let's go home."

There was something more to what happened here, I knew it. Something told me that I was going to get to the bottom of it too, whether I wanted to or not.

Achievement: Nice Kid - The group met Spike.

Act 1: Chapter Twenty-Two

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Twenty-Two (Knights Saga)

"Come on, you can do better than that. I want to see some real push ups, shit-for-brains." Vinyl scolded as she held her hoof on my back. "Kiss the fucking dirt when you go down." She added.

With a grunt I rolled my eyes as I attempted a few more push ups which were only met with the same disapproval. Vinyl pushed me down further. "Did I stutter? I want your face in that dirt when you go down. I want you to roll with the rest of the shit."

"Ma'am, yes ma'am!" I responded as I tried to adjust to what she was instructing.

"Good, good. When I'm done with you, you'll be a war machine. You'll eat, breathe and sleep murder. You'll be the United Nations of ass whooping, and your number one export will be corpses. How does that sound to you corporal?" She grinned as she brought her face down to my level.

"Ma'am, it sounds wonderful ma'am!" I responded, though a bit strained from the exercise.

Vinyl quickly caught wind of this minor weakness. "Are you getting soft on me, boy? Am I being too tough on you?" She asked, obviously rhetorically.

"Ma'am, no ma'am!" I replied quickly.

I struggled to keep doing the push-ups she wanted, my front legs were starting to feel hot and exhausted. Getting up each time started to become harder and harder.

"Enough, maybe you can do more push ups when your balls drop." Vinyl sighed and gave me the signal to stop.

At her signal, I dropped to the ground and panted.

"You've improved quite a bit... Hell, I might even consider letting you cover me out there sometime." She grinned.

"The pleasure is mine..." I grunted.

Before Vinyl had a chance to say anything else, she was approached by a familiar guard. He was the same from the mission we held a few days ago. He and Vinyl spoke for a few seconds before she nodded and gave him a salute. He did the same and trotted off. Vinyl sighed and turned back to me. "Well, you best get your ass up to the castle, General One-Eye has requested an audience with you. I guess you shouldn't keep the old bird waiting."

"You're sure it's me they are looking for?" I rose my brow in disbelief. Surely General Twilight Sparkle had far more important ponies to meet with than myself.

She nodded. "I'm as surprised as you are, but that is what I was just told. I asked again to confirm, and apparently I am not mistaken. Twilight wants to see you in her office ASAP."

I shrugged, unsure of what else to say and decided it was best to just comply.

The castle was as lively as ever, however there was a certain level of strangeness in the air. I had been listening in on conversations as I made my way up to the higher levels so I could reach Twilight.

Apparently there was word going around that the old general had become far more stern and to the point over the past few days. I hadn't seen her since the incident with Spike a few days ago to confirm. Fluttershy had warned me before I was dumb enough to ask, that I shouldn't ask questions about such a touchy subject. Naturally, I obeyed.

I had overheard two guards rambling about how they didn't like how Twilight was working them harder. I supposed that when Twilight was angry, she made everyone reflect her own mood. That didn't exactly set me in a very "thrilled" mind set going in to speak with her.

Nonetheless I bit the bullet and knocked on her office door, expecting the worst.

"Come in." The general's voice called out.

I almost didn't want to for a second. I hesitated, but ultimately slowly pushed the door open and set a hoof inside while peeking my head. "Ma'am? You wanted to see me?"

Twilight looked up from her paperwork and tilted her glasses to get a better look at me. "Ah, yes. Come in, Corporal, and shut the door behind you."

I didn't like how she wanted the door closed, but complied. I was half expecting her to scream at me the moment it was shut.

"Let's have a chat." She smiled.

Rainbow Dash had spent most of the day at the bar. She recalled that before the war bars didn't even open until later in the afternoon. However with the harsher living conditions, it was clear that alcohol in the morning might be a necessary thing to most in Equestria now.

She had only downed about four or five before calling it quits. Her high tolerance meant she only left feeling slightly buzzed. So far it was a usual day.

Her mind kept falling back onto Twilight's request to rejoin the military. It disgusted her that Twilight could even offer such a thing knowing all that she had endured the last time she was in the service. Twilight knew better than anypony that the military life changed Dash forever, and to think she would even suggest going right back into it just infuriated the prism warrior.

She knew in her heart that she couldn't go back for good. Over and over in her head she repeated herself: get Trixie and get out. She owed that much to Colors.

However her mind swam back to Flare for another instance. What would he think? Then again, why should she care?

No, she couldn't just switch off her feelings, despite how much she wanted to. The fact remains that should would bear the guilt if she let Flare down. He had come from such a faraway place in hopes that he'd see the great Rainbow Dash. However she couldn't just go back on her word either.

Another dilemma, though this one easier to solve than others. Flare may have respected her as a warrior, but she would have to make him respect her as a pony too.

It was settled then, the next chance she got, she would sit down with him and explain that she is not going back to the military no matter what Twilight says or does. Then she'd explain how her time fighting was over. Colors wouldn't wanted to have seen her like this, and the moment Trixie was dead, she would hang up her sword for good. Maybe head back to Ponyville and wait for the world to end for real.

As much as she wanted Colors’ world to be made, she knew that the end of the world was more likely than a place of complete peace. At this point though, she'd welcome either or.

Looking in the mirror behind the drinks in the bar cabinet, she took a good long look at herself. She spoke her thoughts out loud, but quiet enough to where nopony else heard her. Almost as if whispering a secret.

"Look at you... Look what this war has done to you..." She sighed.

Taking another swig of her vile drink, she let out another sigh. "You haven't gotten a good night's sleep in years. You look like you've aged thirty years in less than a decade."

She shook her head and downed her drink. "Time has not been friendly to you, old friend."

Noticing a mare talking to herself, another face in that bar approached and tapped the pegasus' cloaked shoulder.

Rainbow turned her head to see who was trying to acquire her attention.

"Rainbow Dash... I didn't think it was really you. I had heard the stories floating around town, but now seeing you in person... I can't believe you've returned." The silver stallion smiled gleefully.

Rainbow Dash couldn't recall where she knew this stallion from. She tried to remember, however all she could recall is that she was certain she had met him once before. Finally she decided to inquire. "Who the fuck are you?"

The pony blinked, a bit surprised at her reaction, but shrugged off her rudeness, figuring she was under a lot of stress. "It's me, Bass. Remember? Applejack's old fiance?" He hoped that would jog her memory.

His plan worked, but he probably regretted that instantly. Rainbow's eyes narrowed. Her ears drowned out everything but his voice. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. She fell into a trance as she spoke very quietly.

"Y-you lived..." She stuttered.

Bass chuckled. "Yeah, I stayed in Canterlot, so when the cataclysm happened, I was already behind the barrier." He explained.

"You lived... And she..." Rainbow couldn't even finish her sentences as she looked to the floor trying to grasp the cruel irony.

His head lowered a bit. "Ah, yeah... I heard about what happened to AJ... A shame really. I'm sorry that you had to see her like that."

Dash's ears perked up. Her shock quickly turned into pure anger. "Sorry? Sorry!? SORRY!?" She found her volume increasing.

He nodded, a bit confused as to why she was getting so worked up.

Dash finally leapt out of her chair and pinned him to the floor with her blade ready to pierce his neck. Of course her actions caught the attention of the entire bar whom had turned to face her. She didn't care at this exact moment however.

"You're sorry? You don't even know the meaning of sorry. I should kill you right now just for having the audacity to come to me with that horseshit." She hissed in his face.

He trembled a bit under her. "W-wha? Why?"

Dash brought her face closer to his. "I know what you did, Bass. I held my tongue for AJ's sake. I know about how you kept her in line though. In public you would be an angel, but once my back was turned..." She paused and got close to his ear. "Well, let's just say I've seen the bruises."

His breathing grew faster as he was uncertain of what she was going to do. He didn't dare respond to her accusations, clearly knowing that denial would only land him in worse trouble.

"However, AJ didn't want me to hurt you... So its your lucky day." Dash smirked as she lifted her blade and stepped off of him.

"You're insane..." He rubbed his neck as he crawls out from under her.

"Maybe you're right. I should have stepped in years ago and pushed you out of the picture, but I was young and naive then. The last thing I ever said to my dear friend was that she needed to grow up and decide when she was ready to be an adult..." She paused and kept her eyes on him. "I've had to live with that for almost ten years now... Maybe I am a little crazy from that. But one thing I know is one hundred percent true and that is that you never deserved her." She pointed her blade at him.

He said nothing. He had no defense, and no chance of denying it, clearly Dash knew.

"Get out of my sight. I don't ever want to see you again. If you cross me a second time then things won't be so pretty. I won't be as merciful next time, because seeing you disgusts me so much that I can hardly contain my anger. So if you know what's good for you, then you'll avoid me until I leave Canterlot." She instructed.

He nodded and finally picked himself up. "Yeah, sure. I'm going." He begins stepping backwards.

Dash turned her back to him and returned to her drink. She gave a scowl to a group staring at her, which abruptly ended their staring.

"You certainly aren't like how ponies described." The bartender spoke as he handed her another drink.

Gulping down a quarter of it, she wiped her lips. "War changes ponies." She said plainly.

"Corporal, you've been a part of our fine military for almost a month now, correct?" Twilight was scanning over some documents as she spoke to me, not even making eye contact.

I nodded as I stood still, trying to remain respectful. "Ma'am, yes ma'am."

She rolled her eyes. "At ease, soldier. I needn't this meeting be too formal. There is much to discuss, and I'd rather we do so like two regular ponies."

I nodded and relaxes my shoulders a bit. "Alright... So what's up?"

Twilight exhaled and leaned back in her chair. "Rainbow refuses to return to the military indefinitely. I was hoping I could convince her. On top of this, she only wishes to be a mercenary on missions where apprehending Trixie is involved. Effectively she refuses to do anything unless it leads to Trixie."

I could understand her frustration, but I figured there was more to it. "Okay, but surely you expected that...?"

Twilight nodded. "I did, however I was hoping some time in Canterlot would make her see all that Trixie has done. I was hoping that would change her mind, however her will is stronger than I imagined. Her time away from us has hardened her and encased her heart in ice. I can see why though... She's afraid of hurting another pony close to her, but right now I need her here in this military more than anything."

I blinked, a bit surprised to see Twilight so concerned. "She's really that important, huh?"

The unicorn leaned in from her chair. "Without Dash, we may not win. She's our greatest asset, and her blade may be the edge we need. Can you convince her to return to us?"

I shook my head, already knowing that was impossible. I knew Dash well enough to know that she detested war so much that convincing her to walk right back into hell was a wasted effort. "Dash would never listen to me on that. Her mind is made up, and nothing I say will change it. You're better off just giving up on that."

Twilight sighed again. "I was hoping you'd say yes... But given the circumstances, I am promoting you to field commander and head of the Rainbow Raiders."

My ears must not have registered what she said correctly. I had to ask for clarity. "W-what? Me? Field commander?"

"And head of the Rainbow Raiders, I didn't stutter, Corporal." She gave an annoyed expression.

"Ma'am, with all due respect, I am not fit to be a leader. I've had little time on the battlefield, and surely one of the more experienced soldiers deserves this honor before myself." I replied.

"Oh no doubt they do." She returned to filling out paperwork as she conversed with me, only really giving me half of her attention.

"Then why not appoint them?" I questioned.

She didn't even lower her quill as she replied. "Maybe if Dash sees you going in as a commander she'll have a change of heart to prevent you from the guilt of being a poor leader. No doubt you'd have your squad dead in the first battle."

Sadly she was probably right. I knew nothing about being a leader, all my life all I did was follow.

"What if it doesn't work? What if she allows me to actually march to battle?" I was hoping Twilight would see the flaws in her plan.

"If she needs to see a couple dead before she decides to wise up, that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. I know Dash very well; her emotions won't let her run away from this." Twilight answered.

It was amazing how nonchalantly she could speak of all this. At the same time though, it disgusted me.

"You would use her emotions against her like that?" I gave a stern expression.

Twilight still didn't look up at me. "If it's the only effective strategy, then it shall be the one I utilize."

"And if it requires deaths to get her to see it your way?"

She shrugged. "I won't be risking anything too important. The payoff exceeds the expense."

This was where I couldn't contain myself anymore.

"Expense? They're your friends! How can you just...?" I cut myself off when I realized I was yelling at my superior. I lowered my head in shame.

Twilight banged her hoof on the table and ripped her glasses off of her face. I could actually see legitimate anger in her expression. She glared me down with that yellow eye of hers'. "Don't you dare question me on this. Every one of my soldiers knows that they are expendable if need be. That's what you signed up for, and it's what they did as well."

I shook my head. "That's not how I see it."

Twilight calmed her anger and stood up. Trotting over to the window she turned her back to me and glanced down at Canterlot. "I know what they say about me, Flare." She grew quiet as if not wanting to admit it out loud.

"Ma'am?" I tried to fake confusion out of politeness.

"That I'm a cold hearted mare who only thinks with statistics. I'm certain that Rainbow Dash has mentioned it a time or two..." She responded.

I lowered my head. "She may have said something like that."

Twilight nodded, still with her back to me. "They all think I just sit up here and send ponies’ loved ones to die for me."

I didn't respond to that. The sentence itself was obviously too volatile to try and give a response to. No doubt it could spark her anger again in a split second if the wrong thing was said.

"You all think it's so easy... Just sitting here and barking orders... To be as heartless as me..." She spoke carefully, clearly trying to choose her words correctly.

"Ma'am..." I tried to speak, but she just continued.

"There's something about being a leader you don't understand. The leader is the scapegoat. The leader must bear the blame for both folly and victory. If you think you feel bad watching them die, imagine how I feel sending them to death? Knowing in my heart that if I don't then I will only be ensuring them more death. If we fight we die, if we don't fight we die..." She kept her gaze out the window and placed a hoof on it.

"I guess I never thought of it like that..." I admitted.

She finally turned to me. "Nopony does. I have to live with that guilt every day. If they all hate me for what I do, then so be it. It's the price I pay to keep them alive a little longer. I have emotions too, Flare. However I need to do what is best for Equestria regardless of how I feel. I have the hardest job here... Turning my emotions off. Ignoring how I feel and doing what is right."

I nodded, not much to add.

"And now..." She paused. "Trixie has finally bested me... She put Spike against me..." She approached me as she spoke.

"M-ma'am?" I grew nervous as she got closer.

She fell to her haunches and buried her face into my chest in a light sob. I could feel her tears soaking my coat. "He's my son, Flare... My own son... And Trixie has turned him against me..."

I gave a gentle pat on the back of her neck, unsure of how to comfort her.

"She's turned him into a weapon..." She sniffed. "I raised him from just an egg. I watched him grow up, and I mentored him... Now... Now I must see him like this..." She was trying everything she could to not just break into hysterics.

Finally, I allowed myself to give her a proper embrace, clearly she needed it. Now I understood what was bothering her.

After a minute or two she sniffed again and composed herself. Releasing me, she adjusted her glasses as she wiped her eye. "Trixie has taken everything from me, however I can not simply give into reckless abandon. I still have Equestria to think about."

"And what if Spike really does return?" I asked.

Twilight gave me a solemn look, but returned to the window with her back to me before answering. "If he stands in my way again, then I will kill him."

"Y-you will...?" I was a bit shocked at her stern answer.

She nodded. "If he stands in my way, then I'll have no choice... Equestria comes first, even before my own desires."

"I now understand the burden of the leader..." I admitted with my ears going down.

"Could you do it, Flare? Could you kill your own son... If duty called for it?" She leaned in to hear me better I presumed.

I wanted to say something to make her feel better, but I knew that there was nothing that could be said to make it any easier on her. That and I knew that anything I said to tell her it wasn't that bad was a blatant lie; a lie that I was certain she would see through.

"Well?" She clearly did not like my hesitation.

"I am thankful that I do not have to make such a choice..." I spoke the words with shame. The truth was that if it were me and Torch, I couldn't do it. My selfishness would tell me to save her first. I guess I wasn't as strong as Twilight.

She nodded and leaned back. "Somepony has to make these choices though. One thing is certain though..."

"What's that?"

The one-eyed mare leaned in and placed her hooves across the desk. In a very intimidating tone she grinned. "Trixie will be paying for what she's done. Even with a dragon she stands no chance. She is hoping to win based own emotions alone. It won't work though... I've long since set my emotions aside. I think she'll be surprised if she tries to pull that stunt a second time... Though I pray we will never have to know...'

Achievement: Not Bad Kid - Flare had a personal chat with Twilight.

Act 1: Chapter Twenty-Three

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Twenty-Three (Knights Saga)

Rainbow Dash had been staring at her sword for hours now. Gazing upon the special blade, she contemplated how she would get out of using it again after her fight with Trixie. Originally she had told Twilight she would assist only to finish Trixie, but it wasn't enough for the general. Twilight kept pushing for more and more, knowing that Rainbow wanted out.

Her hoof ran along the name engraved in the jewel sword. She examined the craftsmanship with a smile as she observed the name of her lost sister. This was not her blade, but Colors' blade.

She understood the irony of her blade bearing her sister's name while her sister's wish was for a world of peace. This was not a scepter of peace, but a tool of war. Another device that caused more death. She couldn't even bear to look at it, knowing how much blood it spilled on her behalf. She could only imagine how Colors would feel seeing her now. That image in her head only made her feel more and more like a failure. She stepped over so many dead bodies with the help of this blade, and now she was paying the price.

No matter how fast she was, she knew that eventually she would be too slow to avoid certain death. Too many wanted her head, and she was getting older. Eventually they would catch up to her.

She had decided when she came back to Canterlot; she would slay Trixie and put this weapon to rest for good. She'd go back to Ponyville and try to live peacefully for the remainder of her days. It actually sounded a bit pleasant.

Rainbow signed as she placed her hoof by her side and turned her attention to the ceiling. Her hotel room was very plain and empty, all that was there was a simple bed that she was laying on.

"Colors... I'm sorry..." She thought out loud as she closed her eyes.

"They made you what!?" Rainbow spit out her liquor upon hearing the news. Across the table from me, I ended up covered in some of it.

I winced a bit and opened a single eye. "C-comander of the Rainbow Raiders..." I gave a sheepish grin.

"No fucking way... Flare, you're not cut out for leadership like this. Is Twilight out of her mind!?" Dash placed a hoof upon my shoulder in concern.

"Negative, Rainbow." The voice of Twilight rang through the bar as she stepped in. Dash's attention turned right to the unicorn with an annoyed expression. "I appointed him myself." She took a bit of pride in her decision, despite the both of us knowing what she was really trying to do.

"Then you must have finally lost it. You can't put Flare in that kind of position, he's not ready." Rainbow protested.

"You aren't stepping up to the position, so I am giving it to your friend here. He's been around you long enough to know how you do things." She gave Dash a glare. "If his team should survive and return to their former glory, it'll be because he lead them to it. If not, it'll be because he failed them..." She kept her eye on Dash as she said that last part.

I certainly didn't like hearing it as much as Dash didn't, that was for sure.

"You'd put that kind of pressure on the kid? He isn't ready to have a team's life in his hooves yet. You can't put him under that kind of pressure!" Dash growled.

"I can, and I just did."

Dash hissed and squeezed her drink.

"Unless you want to take his place?" Twilight grinned.

It was obvious that Dash saw right through this plan. "You'd use Flare to manipulate my emotions to get what you want? How dare you!? How dare you put lives in the balance to force my hoof!?"

Twilight smirked, knowing she had Dash cornered.

"Fuck you, Twilight. If you want to foolishly put him in charge to prove a point, then I can't wait to see your plan backfire. I only regret that you are throwing lives away to do it." She downed half of her drink and dumped the rest right over Twilight's head.

"My answer is still no though." She grunted as she stormed out.

It was silent for a moment followed by my own comment.

"So what now?"

Twilight sighed. "We call her bluff."

"And if she's not bluffing?" I rose a brow.

"That's a risk I'm willing to take." She said staring at where the pegasus exited.

"Rainbow..." I entered Dash's hotel room very cautiously.

The Pegasus had been doing pull ups on the window as I came in. She didn't even say hello, and instead continued as if I wasn't there.

"Okay... You're upset, I understand... I'd be pretty mad too..." I admitted as I rubbed the back of my neck.

The mare did a few more pull ups before dropping to the ground with a grunt. Still no response.

"Rainbow, I had nothing to do with this. Twilight insisted and gave me no choice in the matter. You have to believe me..." I was practically begging.

Finally Dash sighed as she sat down on her bed. "Yeah... I believe you Flare... I know you wouldn't do something like that. You're not the one at fault here... Twilight is. She's so obsessed with winning this war that she is willing to sacrifice anything for it... Even her own friends..."

I shook my head. "Dash... There's something you should know... About Twilight that is..."

She turned to face me, ears ready to hear what I had to say.

I knew that I was supposed to keep that whole mission classified, but even the threat of being removed from the military was not enough to keep me from telling Dash. I would have felt like a traitor not telling her, and that was worse than anything the military could do to me.

I told her the whole story, how Twilight was put against her own son, how she vowed she would kill him if he stood in the way of Equestria. Most importantly though; how Equestria always came first to her.

Dash fell silent for a moment after I had finished. Collecting her thoughts she leaned in and nodded. "Twilight is so stubborn sometimes..." She said with a sigh.

"I think she's serious though... We are being sent on another mission soon to secure an old library that supposedly has another element of harmony located in it. Twilight said if Spike is there when we arrive, she won't show any mercy this time." I frowned.

Rainbow looked down, a bit ashamed. "She's not stubborn enough to kill Spike just to make a point though... I guess that deep down Twilight really does put Equestria before her own desires. All that talk about statistics and probability... A ruse to hide how hurt she is..." Dash looked away from me, "and here I am being selfish."

I wasn't sure what she was implying. Scanning the room I noticed a rope hanging from a rafter. It was barely noticeable as it had been tucked away, but I could see a loop at the end. Once I had realized what it was, a chill ran up my spine.

"R-Rainbow..." I tried to gather some words together to no avail.

She shook her head, still looking away. "I have nothing, Flare... Nothing..."

"This isn't the first time is it?" I placed my hoof on her back.

She nods. "Once before when I got to Ponyville. I had the rope around my neck and everything, but..." She sniffed a moment before continuing. "I couldn't do it. I was too afraid of what awaited me to actually jump... Pathetic..."

"Is that what stopped you this time?" I rubbed her back some more, no doubt getting dirt on my hoof from her dirty old cloak.

She shook her head. "No. I have since made my peace with death. I am ready to die the moment it decides to come for me. What stopped me was you, I couldn't bear to think of what kind of world I'd be leaving you to. I know it sounds stupid, but I feel like I still have a little more to do for you."

I scooted closer and wrapped that hoof on her back around her shoulder. "Its not stupid. I care about what happens to you too, Rainbow. You've changed my life, and I am forever in your debt."

"Do you remember when you first came to Ponyville, and I told you to go back to SkyVale?" She leaned up and wiped her tears.

I nodded. "Yeah, what about it?"

"Why didn't you listen? I mean I could have gotten you back in the same way I got Dipper in." She looked at me this time she spoke.

"Maybe I'm just a little crazy... Then again I think it was because I was actually able to meet you. It gave me enough hope to continue on out here." I smiled at the memories of her and I meeting.

She nodded and I could even detect a hint of a blush on her cheeks.

What distracted me however was her mention of Dipper. I was curious as to what she meant. "What do you mean about getting Dipper in? He got in by trading the city council for his entry."

She laughed. "You actually believe that manure? No, what really happened is I hacked into the elevator console, brought us both up and threatened them to take him. Told them if they didn't I was going to come back and bring the city to the ground if they didn't take care of him, and that I'd be back to check on him."

I was a little shocked by this news. If she was serious on her promise, then me taking Dipper in could have saved the city.

"I came back once about three months later, and I was informed he was living with a young stallion and his sister. I just never thought I'd actually meet that stallion..." She laughed a bit more at the irony.

"He spoke very highly of you." I said.

She nodded. "Yeah, he was a lot like you. He looked up to me, so when he got the plague I fought to get him a place to spend the remainder of his time away from this hell hole. He deserved to die somewhere where he could sleep peacefully." She paused and looked at me. "Did he go peacefully?"

I nodded as I leaned in to speak softer. "I was there by his side in his final hours. He left this world speaking of his amazing memories with you and his team. He even said he had no regrets in his life. He left in a pleasant slumber."

She smiled at this news. "That's good, at least I did something right out here."

"You've done plenty right by me, Dash." I reminded as I watched her stand up.

Approaching the window again she sighed. "Thanks... I guess I can not allow myself to die just yet. There is still some things that need to be done before I can finally sleep for good. Father always said we are not allowed to die until we complete all that is required of us... At this point I am so far behind I'll live forever." She joked.

"The world needs you still, Dash. Don't give up hope just yet. When the war is over, then you can see the peaceful world that you dream of. The anger and hatred of ponies passes, and eventually we will evolve past the need for violence. It just takes time." I explained to the mare.

She nods as she turned to face me. "Wise words, young Flare. Let's hope you're right."

The mission went fairly smoothly. We were able to secure the element we set out for without much of a hitch. Taking a good look at it before Twilight secured it, it bore an interesting purple gemstone in the center in the shape of a diamond. Twilight had mentioned something about it being the element of generosity, along with something about possessing three now. If I recalled correctly, the other two were loyalty, and magic.

My vision turned to Vinyl Scratch, whom I was surprised was permitted to venture with us. Vinyl just shook her head at me, and I already knew what she was trying to say: don't tell Twilight. She of course was referring to the element of kindness that her and I lost. I was curious if Vinyl had some kind of plan for getting it back, before Twilight discovered how it was stolen.

I sighed as Twilight grew a confident look. "Let's get out of here quickly..." She commented as she was already making for the exit.

"Going so soon?" A familiar female voice echoed.

The whole group (which comprised of myself, Vinyl, Shining Armor, Fluttershy, the two body guards and Twilight) glanced up to the balcony. There sat the infamous dark robed mare waiting for us. Something told me she was actually there the whole time. She was arrogant enough to let us get the element first so she could have the joy of stealing it.

"Trixie..." Twilight began. A smirk grew on her face as she finished that sentence. "Why don't you let the grown ups handle this?"

Trixie returned the snobbish grin as she replied. "That's cute coming from the mare who is playing soldier with some rusty old toys, and a few rag tag forces."

Ignoring her insult, Twilight rolled her eyes. "What do you want?"

Trixie tilted her head to signal something. That something was of course, Spike. The dragon leapt off of the balcony and onto the ground level with us. His gauntlet shining as he drew his firearm in his other claw. "I believe you've already met my knight." Trixie added.

Twilight held still as she stared down her own. "What do you want, Spike?"

The dragon kept is eyes locked on hers'. "The element. Trixie thinks she can find some great use for it."

"You'll have to take it if you want it that badly." Twilight was stern and showing little emotion, her voice almost sounded calming.

"Is that a challenge?" He asked.

Twilight kept her attention forward. "You can't beat me, Spike. Back down now and I won't be forced to kill you. I don't want to, but if you push me to, then I'll end you."

"To the death then..." He grinned as he aimed his weapon.

We all became silent as we watched. Finally Twilight closed her golden eye and we knew that was the signal that she was going to fight him. Something that we all hoped we could avoid when coming here.

"Still arrogant, I see. Why not fight me with both eyes open?" Spike hissed.

Readying her blade she kept him in her halved vision. "I don't believe in overkill." She responded.

"Have it your way then..." He growled as he thrust forward with his claw extended. Twilight blocking it with her sword.

Spike merely laughed as he clutched it. "The same old tricks..."

At that exact moment he got pushed down. We all blinked and noticed a second Twilight behind him. The first evaporated only seconds later. Spike turned around and flipped back to his feet. And quickly grabbed at her, however this time she swung at his gauntlet knocking it back.

Spike looked down to her sword to see a magenta aura surrounding it. "Magic... Typical... You rely on magic for all your fighting, despite the fact that I can absorb your magic..." He grins as he sends a shock wave in her direction. "And send it right back!"

Twilight jumped out of the way and landed on her hooves, blade still ready. "You forget, Spike; everything has its limitations, not just my magic."

"What's your point?" He growled as the two locked weapons again.

Twilight's sword glowed brighter at the impact. Her face just as serious as ever. You could feel the tension between the two even from the distance we sat.

"My point is you should surrender before you surpass your limitations." His mother warned.

He hissed and swung again, "I don't need you babying me!"

Twilight was pushed back a bit by the impact, but virtually unharmed. "Don't make me do this, Spike..." She attempted to reason with the dragon again .

"Do your worst..." He started unleashing a volley of bullets at her, which she quickly shielded herself from with a barrier.

"Very well then... Just remember you asked for this..." Twilight rose her head and opened her yellow eye.

"So you're ready to give me your all?" Spike grinned as he held his metal claw out, charging it with more and more magic.

"I'm ready to do what I need to." She replied as her golden eye began to glow.

I was a little surprised, though part of me suspected that eye was meant for something and she didn't have it put in just to have a second eye again. Spike needless to say was taken by surprise, but stared right into the glow.

After only a few seconds he tried to make an advance to find his legs unable to move. Looking down he became aware of the fact that they were now encased in stone. "What the..." He didn't even finish that thought as he looked back to Twilight.

"A cockatrice eye..." Shining Armor said as he leaned towards me. I suppose he already knew the question I was going to ask.

Twilight placed all four hooves onto the ground and closed her eyes. "Its over, Spike. I wish you would have listened..." At the end of that sentence, her horn began to glow brighter than I had ever seen a unicorn's horn glow. Shortly after, her body followed suit and began to radiate with the same energy.

Spike held his gauntlet out, ready to take what was thrown at him.

Twilight began to growl as her body was starting to overflow with magic. Finally she released it in a line directly at Spike.

The dragon caught the beam in his gauntlet and started absorbing it. "Ha, it's no use, I can absorb your magic!" He bragged. "Or have you forgotten?"

Twilight continued unleashing energy. "You should have listened to what I said about limitations, because my ability exceeds your limitations." She replies as the beam grew larger.

Spike held steady, but a few sparks from the gauntlet began to release. Sure enough a few seconds later it shattered from the energy being pumped into it. Spike quickly resorted to screaming in pain as the energy began to run through his body.

The unicorn did not let up on her spell, she increased its power, probably knowing that as a dragon his body could withstand a large amount of magic. Her eyes were leaking with tears as she spoke. "If only you had listened... We could have avoided this..."

After a few more seconds of listening to his scream, she finally stopped. And let him collapse. Twilight approached the young dragon and knelt down to his face. He coughed and smiled at her.

"I... I guess... That is what you m-meant... About true power..." He struggled to speak.

She nodded and sighed.

"Don't be sad... It was... My fault..." He added.

She shook her head. "No... It was mine. I was your mentor... Your caretaker... And your mother... I should have guided you better... I failed you..."

Spike reached up and placed his claw on her hoof. "I forgive you... Mom..." He smiled as he said that last word.

"I know..." She smiled as she planted a kiss on his forehead.

"I... I need to rest now..." Spike struggled to speak as he closed his eyes.

I think even Twilight knew that he would not be waking up from that rest. Her eyes leaking more and more tears as she stood up and let the young dragon be at peace.

Trixie, seeing nothing as sacred quickly jumped off of the balcony with a grin on her face. She flicked her horn and allowed a magical aura to surround her. "Well, I have to admit, not even I predicted you'd actually kill, Spike." She smirked. "That's good, I was thinking of how I could spend him, but it looks like you took care of that."

Twilight turned around with fire in her eyes. "What!? He was with you!"

Trixie laughed. "Please... As if I'd actually trust one so close to you. No... He was just a pawn that played his role quite brilliantly."

Twilight stamped a hoof on the ground in fury. Her anger was never witnessed before, but we were certain we were about to see a side of Twilight that we wouldn't like. "You... You over confident little shit stain..." She cursed.

Trixie winked as she readied her weapon. "I saw what you did, Twilight. You exhausted a lot of magic fighting that dragon. You're spent and tired... Me on the other hand..." She cast a spell with a black aura that created another black aura around her blade. "I'm still fully charged."

The purple unicorn stood perfectly still for a moment before finally breaking out into laughter. Had she lost her mind finally?

"Trixie... You moron... You have no idea what you're up against..." She began as she cracked her neck erily. "I was trained in a method of magic you would have no knowledge of. The ancient form passed down by the royal family. Allow me to give you a biology lesson..." She took a step forward as her horn lit up.

Trixie took a step back.

"Magic manifests in the horn... However your body locks energy to that location because the rest of your energy is used by the rest of your body... But the royal family knows how to remove those locks... I can draw energy from my entire body..." She lectured.

Trixie took another two steps back as she stuttered. "That m-means..."

The general growled as her whole body lit up with a magenta glow. All her hairs stood on end as she charged up. "I still possess ten fold of your power."

Trying to make a subtle retreat, Trixie took another two steps back, then when she was certain she could not run, she drew her blade ready to fight. With a quick thrust forward, Twilight punched her hoof right through the blade, shattering it with her bare hoof. Trixie jumped back, but Twilight's quick back kick got her and sent her crashing into the wall.

Peeling herself off of the wall, Trixie had Twilight on top of her, smashing her hooves repeatedly into her face. Grabbing her by the neck, Twilight dragged her across the floor and threw her weak body onto a counter and slid her across it and smashed her head against everything on that counter. Finally she released her and allowed her to fall flat onto the floor.

With a fierce growl, she jumped onto Trixie's back and grabbed her mane. Using it as a handle, she smashed the bloody equine's face into to hard floor repeatedly.

After a few hits, she flipped the pony over and started punching her in the face again. After three or four hits, she dropped Trixie and drew her blade. "It's over, Trixie..." She hissed.

Trixie could only tremble and spit up blood in response.

Shining Armor had apparently seen enough as he jumped in now to break it up. He placed his hoof onto Twilight's blade. "That's enough, Twilight."

The unicorn turned to him and growled. "Don't you want to make her pay, brother? For all she's done... What about Cadance? Or have you forgotten?"

Shining Armor tugged on the sword, pulling Twilight to her hooves. His face became a bit more agitated. "I have not forgotten, but this is not you. If you kill her, you'll only be like her. You said yourself, everypony gets a fair trial."

Twilight was protesting already. "She deserves punishment..."

"And she will have it, but we must do it the right way. That is the way of Equestria. It's the way that Celestia wanted, and the way you fought for. Don't let everything we've worked for fall apart because of your anger." He explained.

Twilight fell silent as she contemplated it.

"Calm yourself, little sister..." He instructed.

The purple unicorn finally sighed and allowed the magic around her to calm itself. With a nod she touches her forehead to her brother's. "Thank you, big brother... You saved me from a terrible mistake."

Trixie was chuckling softly. Though she was doing so through a bloody lip, it was evident she was chuckling.

"What's so funny?" Shining grunted.

Trixie points as a griffon swoops in and grabs her. Before any of us could react, he brought her to the balcony she started on. "Fortunately... You stalled long enough for me to make my escape..." She bragged.

The griffon turned to us with a scowl. I took note of the large scar going down his face and beak.

Our attention on him however was broken when we heard another mare's voice. "Trixie!"

We all turned, and sure enough, Rainbow Dash jolted into the room. She flipped and landed on her hooves weapon drawn.

Next to Trixie, another cloaked pony stepped out from beside her. She removed her hood to reveal a bright orange mane, and a yellow coat. Her and Dash locked eyes as her attention left Trixie. "Rainbow Dash..." She finally spoke.

Dash remained silent.

"It's good to see you're still alive, however I suggest you stay out of our way." She turned and with Trixie and the griffon, they stepped into some kind of wormhole that they had made. After the last one went through, it closed.

I approached Dash. "Who was that?"

The rainbow maned pony lowered her head. "My mentor... The only pony that I've never been able to defeat... Spitfire..."

Act 1: Chapter Twenty-Four

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Twenty-Four (Knights Saga)

"So explain to me again, who is Spitfire?" I questioned a rather occupied Rainbow Dash who was doing a ridiculous amount of push ups. Ever since the run in a few days ago, she had been training non-stop to get stronger, faster and fiercer. I noticed in her sparring she was far more aggressive than any other time I'd seen her. Her sparring partners were starting to get harder and harder to find, as nopony wished to practice with her.

Dash counted upwards as she continued, she was in the two hundreds as she answered with a bit of strain. "I told you... She was the former captain of the Wonderbolts, and my mentor. She taught me to fight before I was a commander. She is also the only pony that has ever bested me in a spar. I've never beaten her."

A pony that scared Dash? I wondered if this pony really could be such a huge threat. I looked to the strained Dash with concern. "Why would she work for Trixie though? I mean what would drive her to be one of Trixie's allies?"

With a shrug, Dash finished her push ups as she reached three hundred. "Beats the hell out of me, nor do I care. All that's important is she is working for Trixie and for that reason alone she has to die. Problem now is finding a way to kill her..."

"You're Rainbow Leanne Dash, nopony can beat you." I pointed out.

"Cockiness is the first step towards overconfidence, which is the first step to defeat. Never think yourself invincible. That's something I had to learn the hard way, I don't need you repeating my mistakes, Flare." She began doing some sit ups now.

It was strange how she called me Flare instead of "kid", now. Perhaps she recognized my military status.

"Right... Sorry..." I apologized.

Pinkamena had decided to give us a visit at that moment, she gestured for me to come with her as she stood at the door. I looked to Rainbow who nodded in approval. Pinkamena gave Dash a gentle wave which Dash returned with a scowl. It was clear that she wasn't too thrilled about seeing her again and that their previous friendship was no more. I imagined it had something to do with her comments prior.

Once we had exited the room, the doctor smiled as she lead me out into the lobby of the hotel. She spoke when we were far from Dash's ear. "So Twilight has you hunting down elements?"

"How do you know about that? That information is classified." I rose a brow.

She giggled a bit before playfully swatting at my cheek. "Flare, there are few secrets that can be kept from me."

It still concerned me that she could acquire military secrets with little effort.

The doctor reached into her bag and retrieved a golden necklace with a balloon emblem. My eyes widened as I realized what it was. "H-how...?"

She rolled her eyes from behind her glasses. "I am the element of laughter after all. Though I want you to have this."

I squinted in confusion. "Why?"

"Laughter is more than just senseless giggling. It's hope. It's how we get over the bad things happening. And I already found my source of hope." She smiled as she placed the necklace in my bag.

"Really... What's that?" I kept my eyes on my bag as she placed it in.

"You. You're hope."

I gave her a puzzled expression. "How am I hope?"

Dr. Pie grinned and placed a hoof upon my cheek. "You left SkyVale for this place. You honestly believe that this world can be saved, something that many who live here don't believe. You're the embodiment of hope."

I shrugged. "I wasn't doing much else in SkyVale."

"Your reasons are irrelevant. Just keep that element close. It has great power, and it may save your life." She winked as she took her hoof off of my cheek and set it back on the ground.

The two of us had started heading outside at that point. We had only made up a few blocks before we saw a cloaked pony start to follow us. "I think we got company..." I whispered trying not to bring too much attention to him.

Pinkamena turned her head in a very unsubtle manner to view our follower.

"Who are you?" She asked.

I leaned in to whisper again. "I was being quiet to not bring attention to it..."

She dismissed me and repeated herself. "I said, who are you? Show your face."

The creature sniffed a few times before speaking. "Flour... You smell like flour..."

"What's he talking about?" I looked to her to find she had frozen in her tracks. Dr. Pie fell completely silent as she finally took a step forward and placed her hoof on the hood of the creature in front of us. With a gentle movement she slid the hood off of his face.

The hairless creature stared back at her with glowing blue eyes. His skin had not a patch of fur on it. I had only heard of these monsters before, but had never actually seen one. A changeling.

"Dr. Pie..." His face contorted to a grin as he saw her.

"Over seven years since I've seen you..." She reaches forward carefully and places a hoof on his cheek. The changeling held still and let her feel his face. Her hoof contoured his features carefully before he finally placed his own hole filled hoof atop of hers. "I thought..."

"No," he interrupted. "I'm still alive. I've been here... Waiting. I've lived with my head down and in disguise all this time. I knew that you would find a way to escape your fate..."

She nodded, "I got lucky. All the events that transpired happened at a convenient time. If Trixie had not fired that weapon at that exact moment, then the execution may have gone just as planned." She was obviously referring to the story Vinyl had told me on our way to Cloudsdale about her reasons for disliking Pinkamena.

"I don't understand..." I was trying to make sense of what was happening.

The bug-like pony smiled and offered a hoof to Pinkamena who took it in her own. "There's much you should know, stranger."

Dr. Pie had just finished attending to her patients for the day when she trotted into the primary office of the hospital. She took note of the rather inattentive clerk behind the counter in the waiting room. She was as plain and uninterested as ever.

Pinkamena brushed her mane out of her eye and approached the counter. The clerk looked up only half interested at the mare. "Yes, Doctor?"

"I am finished with my duties for the day. I'm going to be in my office unless you have any patients out here who are in a hurry and need examination. I'll take one or two of them to reduce your line a bit." The pink pony spoke as she adjusted her glasses.

The clerk chuckled a bit. "Why not take the bug?" She gestured to the corner of the room.

Pinkamena scanned that corner to see a changeling sitting in the chair. Around him were several abandoned seats. It appeared as though everypony else in that waiting room purposely sat away from him. There were some even trying to stare at the wall just so they wouldn't have to look in his general direction.

Her eyes stayed locked on him as she spoke to the clerk. "What's his story?"

The clerk shrugged. "Came in saying his front hoof was bothering him, has no insurance or money. I told him he can wait here to see of any of the doctor's are feeling charitable today."

"I take it none have?" The doctor questioned.

With a laugh the clerk shook her head. "He's been sitting there for around four hours. Says he won't leave until he gets some kind of help. Too bad he doesn't realize nopony is going to examine a bug."

Dr. Pie was only half listening when she responded. "Send him to my office. I'll examine him." She began stepping away and back towards her office after.

"You can't be serious..." The clerk called out to her.

She raised a hoof as she went through the door calling back. "I am, send him in."

With a sigh, the mare behind the counter gestured for the changeling to get up. He pointed to himself, unsure if she was being serious. She nodded and he approached the desk, avoiding stepping on the pained hoof he had come for.

"Follow this hallway and go to Dr. Pie's office. She's decided to be generous to you, though I'm not sure why. Seldom is Dr. Pinkamena Diane Pie known to express any kind of sympathy." The clerk informed.

The changeling merely nodded and slowly made his way through the double doors to the doctor's office. After a short walk, he poked his head into the room. Pinkamena took notice and ushered him inside. Obeying he sat himself on the examination bed.

The doctor sat in front of him and took his hoof in her own as she began to check it over. He quickly shot out an "I don't have any insurance" response. Pinkamena nodded as she examined.

"So you speak Equestrian then." She replied.

He nodded. "I learned a bit back in my home hive, and more when I came here."

Pinkamena kept her eyes on his hoof as she conversed. "What would possess a changeling to leave his hive and live here?"

The changeling smiled. "I was a nopony there. I was such a low caste, I had no chance of advancing. Here in Equestria though... I shape my own path."

"If the racism here is considered less to deal with than living there then it must have been pretty bad..." She comments.

He nods again and keeps his shining eyes on her. She rolled back and took some notes before grabbing a bottle out of her cabinet. "It looks like just a minor sore. Take these one a day for a week and you should be fine in a few days. Also try to stay off of it."

"That's easy to say, but if I want to eat then that's not possible." He laughed as he took the bottle.

"How so?" The doctor inquired.

"I do a lot of odd jobs to cover my expenses. Nopony will hire a changeling officially, so making ends meet it pretty hard. I spend a lot of nights sleeping in the park." He explained.

He's perfect... Pinkamena thought.

"I'm not supposed to do this..." She paused before closing the door to her office entirely. "But I'll allow you to stay with me if you help me with some research."

"You mean it!?" He seemed to agree almost instantly.

"Yes, but keep it between us. You have to promise you won't utter a word of what goes on to another soul." She got really close as she spoke of this promise.

He nodded eagerly. "Yes, of course!"

She sat back in her chair and relaxed. "So what's your name?"

"In the hive we all had changeling names. Your kind can not pronounce it..."

"No name then... You won't be able to fit it without one..." She sighed.

"We usually identify using scent anyways. For example you smell like flour." He grinned.

She sat in thought for a minute. "Scent then... That'll be your name. From now on you answer to Scent, alright?"

He nodded. "Very well, I'm Scent from now on."

Weeks had passed since the changeling came to stay with the doctor. She had fed him, taken him in and allowed him to use her apartment freely while she was at work. Despite all that though, she didn't seem particularly "caring". She always had an uninterested look in her eye whenever doing anything.

The changeling approached her with worry. "Dr. Pie... I have been here for a while, and not that I'm not grateful, but why exactly are you allowing me to stay here...?"

Pinkamena set down the dish she was washing and turned around. "So, you want to know?"

Scent nodded.

She gestured for him to come with her. "I was just getting a bath ready, come join me in the bathroom and I'll fill you in."

Hesitantly he walked with her. She led him to the bath where she submerged herself carefully and gestured for him to sit at the edge of the tub. Obeying, he plopped his rear on the ground and awaited instruction.

"Wash my mane for me?" She offered a shampoo bottle.

Taking it, Scent began to squirt it in her mane then work it into a lather.

"Scent, you may be the key to an experiment I am conducting. The elimination of genetic defect, disease, illness of any kind and even plastic surgery... You may be the piece of the puzzle I have been lacking." She explained.

"Doesn't sound like me." He shrugged.

"Its your DNA, your genetics. Your ability to transform... It may be key to solving these problems." She informed.

He frowned at that news. "But a change is in appearance only. It wouldn't write out anything like that."

"Yet," Pinkamena smirks.

It was the first time he had ever seen her smile. It was actually far better than he expected. He always knew that her gorgeous face would be made better with a smile.

He'd be lying if he said he didn't find her attractive. Hell, he found himself crushing on her for some time now.

"What do you say, Scent? Will you help me change medical science forever?" She turned around to bring her face inches from his.

He bit his lip, a bit unsure. However once he locked eyes with her, he knew his answer. With a nod, he spoke quietly. "Yes..."

I stood quietly as I waited for Pinkamena to finish her story. She looked back over to the changeling with a smile. "Medicine changed forever after that... You and I changed everything... And nopony even knows about it..."

Scent nodded. "I've kept it to myself all this time. However there is another reason I am here today, Dr. Pie."

Pinkamena tilted her head. "And what reason might that be?"

The stallion took a step forward and took her hoof in his own. Getting closer he glanced into her eyes. "Dr. Pinkamena Diane Pie... I've waited a long time for this... You were the only pony that saw me as more than a bug..." He smiled a bit. "I waited all this time to see you again. I love you and I don't care if it's mutual, I just wanted to be able to say that and to tell you that although I don't have much to offer you, I'd do anything I can to give you the best life I can..."

Pinkamena fell silent as he spoke. She waited for him to finish.

"That's the only reason I'm still here in Canterlot. I hoped you'd return. I've faced constant discrimination but it was all worth it for a chance to see you." His grin grew larger. "So what do you say?"

"I..." She began, but paused.

He lit up more as he leaned in. "I've waited a long time, Pinkamena. Just give it to me straight."

She nodded and sighed. "Scent..." His smile remained. "You should go find your own kind. There's no better life for you here..."

"And what of you?" He replied.

Pinkamena took her hoof back. "I'm sorry, but I just don't feel about it the way you do. We were lab partners and experiments, but that was a long time ago. I can't return your feelings, I'm sorry."

To my surprise the changeling merely nodded before responding. "I understand. One can not force another to love. You are a very mysterious creature, Pinkamena. However I have no regrets in telling you."

"What will you do now?" I joined in the conversation.

He sighed and looked in my direction. "I think I'll take the Doctor's advice. Go see if there are any other changelings out there. Perhaps I can find a home with them." He turned back to Pinkamena with a smile, "you're always welcome to come visit." He added.

She nodded with a blank expression. "Have a good life, Scent. For the both of us."

He nodded and turned his back to us. "So long, Flour scented mare. I'll never forget what you've done for me." He winked as he started to trot away.

After he had made enough distance to where I was certain he couldn't hear us, I turned to Pinkamena. "I don't get it... What was he to you?"

She kept her vision on him in the distance. "Maybe the only pony I ever loved..."

I blinked. "Go after him then!"

She shook her head. "He'll be happier this way. A life with me would only lead to misery. He's better off with his own kind, as he'd only face worse treatment for being with me. This way he can be truly happy." A smile grew on her face.

I sat on the ground and just watched with her as the changeling finally vanished from our sight. I suppose that I would never truly understand love.

"Good bye, Scent." She whispered.

Act 1: Chapter Twenty-Five

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Twenty-Five (Rainbow Dash Saga Part 2)

A young Rainbow Dash took a sip from her drink as a she smiled at the mare across from her at this fine restaurant. She wasn't one for dressing formal, so she had worn her wonderbolts hoodie, despite everypony else wearing far less casual attire, even the farm girl across from her.

Though to be fair that same farm girl had shed her familiar stetson and pony tail. In their place she donned a single gold hoop earring on her upper right ear. If you didn't hear her talk you would even be fooled into thinking she was another city girl. Her accent betrayed her disguise though.

"So, y'all are a wonderbolt Ah' see. Ah've seen ya' on the TV from time to time. Part of me still can't believe that little filly's dream of bein' on the wonderbolts cams true, let alone become the captain." The farmer said, trying to make conversation.

Rainbow nodded. She was a little excited about catching up with her old friend after so long. It had been over three years since they saw each other. "I told you I was going to do it. However I couldn't have done it without your encouragement. I mean you kept telling me to follow my dreams and I just listened."

Applejack just gave a dismissive hoof. "Pony feathers. It was all you. Y'all didn't need ol' me to be great. Y'all were already great before Ah' showed up."

"I was a great show off." Dash admitted.

Applejack rolled her eyes as she sipped her drink. "Y'all sure have overcome that quality though. Ah' noticed y'all haven't bragged once about what you've been doing since we met back up the other day."

Rainbow shrugged as she took a bite of her salad. She chewed and swallowed before answering. Applejack was surprised that she also developed table manners in her time away. "Yes, well... I kind of learned that nopony likes a show off..." She rubbed her neck a bit before giving a sheepish grin. "Plus its not professional."

Applejack giggled at the thought and swallowed. "Y'all sure have a big exciting life, Dash."

Rainbow shook her head. "Enough about me, that's all you've wanted to talk about all night. My life is all over TV, if you want to see it go watch the sports channel. I only get so many chances to hear about you. What's going on in your life, AJ? Why are you here in Canterlot?"

AJ bit her lip, unsure of how to answer. "Just work really... Ah' got a normal job at a convenience store... Savin' up for mah' own place. Nothing to tell really... Just tryin' to get by." She shrugged hoping they'd drop the subject.

Dash leaned in with genuine interest. "Why up here in the city?"

"Little work in Ponyville." AJ lied.

Fortunately, Dash's extensive time away from Ponyville made her knowledge of the job market there very poor, so she had no way of telling if AJ was giving her the truth or not.

"I guess that makes sense... It is a very small town after all." Dash leaned back in her chair nodding.

AJ exhaled in relief that Dash bought her lie and didn't press the matter. It was one of the last things she wished to discuss today.

"So, wanna hang out at your place after we finish eating? I mean I'd love to see where you're staying," Dash changed the subject.

"Ah'd much rather see your apartment. Mine is rather small and uninterestin', Ah'm sure your’s is far more interestin'." AJ replied.

Dash rolled her eyes but nodded. She figured it wasn't out of the ordinary for a pony to be starstruck when seeing her, even if that pony was a long time friend. The excitement of her being famous probably made any in her vicinity very nervous.

"Well, why don't we swing by now?"

AJ bit her lip, but thought it over for a moment. Part of her said no, but the other part was screaming yes. How she wished she could just say yes at the top of her lungs, but she knew that was unwise.

Trying to remain quiet about it, she leaned in. Dash taking note of her actions leaned in as well. "Ah'd love to." She said.

Dash grinned as she placed a hoof on Applejack's hoof. "Then what are we waiting for?"

They had hardly gotten in the door before the two of them could not contain themselves anymore. They had already locked their upper bodies in embrace as they both struggled for control.

Lips forcefully pressing against each other, they rolled across the wall as they kept reversing who had whom pinned against it. Trying to get the other out of their attire as they did so.

AJ tries to speak between lips smacking and unzipping Dash's hoodie. "Ah... Ah've been... Watchin' you... Since we met... Y'all were always so sexy..." She admitted, as her face turned bright red.

Dash yelped a bit as Applejack took a bite at her exposed neck. "I've always been pretty fond of you too..." She replies between gasps.

Applejack managed to guide the both of them into Rainbow's bedroom where she pushed the prism mare onto her own blue sheets. With a quick motion she leapt onto the bed with her and crawled on top of her. Wasting no time, she sunk her teeth back into the mare's neck. Dash of course responded with another yelp, but obviously enjoying it as she craned her neck to allow better access.

"Ah've waited too long for this..." AJ growled between bites.

"W-well there's.. N-no need to rush it though..." Dash gasped.

"Right..." AJ blushed as she slowed down her biting. Dash giggled as she ran a hoof through AJ’s mane affectionately.

Part of AJ knew this was wrong, she knew that Dash would find out the truth eventually, but she didn't care at that moment. She was only seconds away from her fantasies coming true, and she wasn't going to let prior obligation stand in her way.

Temptation was too hard to resist.

Rainbow, rushed to surprise her old friend with a visit. She had figured out her address from the other night by checking in her clothing after that lust filled night. She wanted to show up and perhaps show the mare another good time; provided she was okay with that. She was still tingling a bit from the other night.

She took a deep breath as she approached the door carefully. With a gentle knock, she straightened herself out as she adjusted her suit. Her wonderbolts mask resting off of her head, and her goggles lifted.

To her surprise an older stallion answered the door. She blinked for a moment and peeked around him. "Oh... I uh... I was looking for Applejack... I must have the wrong address..."

He shook his head. "Nope, this is her address... Say... Aren't you... Rainbow Dash!? Captain of the wondeebolts!?" He had switched right into crazed fan mode in a second.

She nodded as she offered her hoof, which he gladly shook. "What's your relation to Applejack?" He asked, not letting her hoof go.

"She's a long time friend." Dash finally took her hoof back.

He turned to talk to another pony inside. "You never told me that you were friends with Rainbow Dash!"

Applejack stepped up to the door with a sheepish smile on her face. "Heh... Ah guess it never came up..."

Dash was certain that since they had been hanging out for the past four days that it would have come up at some point. It was more evident that Applejack purposely did not bring it up.

The stallion smiled as he petted the mare's mane. He turned back to Dash, "The name's Bass. I'm a big fan, and this little thing is my fiance." He winks at AJ as he says that last part.

"Was there something you needed, Ms. Dash?" He added.

Dash just stood frozen for a moment, trying to process what was going on. Trying to decide if she wants to know. However being put on the spot made her have to come up with a quick reply.

"Uhhh... Yeah... I just wanted to take AJ to my show today. I'd invite you too, Mr. Bass, however I only have one guest pass." She lied.

His ears droop a bit, but he nods. "Awwww, lucky. Well I hope you two have a great time! I actually have to get heading to work soon anyways."

"Come on, AJ, I want to show you the stadium..." Dash gestured for her to follow.

Knowing that awkward conversation awaited, she nodded and followed behind, though keeping a small distance and her head down.

Dash actually took her all the way to the stadium without a word exchanged between the two. AJ was already waiting for the scolding that awaited her, and figured Dash brought her here so there would be nopony to interject, and sure enough the stadium was empty at this hour.

"Rainbow... Ah..." She started, but Dash placed a hoof to her lips.

A small smile crept onto her face as she spoke. "We only have about an hour or so before they come to set up the stadium, so we haven't got much time."

AJ blinked, unsure of what was going on. Dash made it more apparent by pushing her onto one of the stands next to them and crawling over her. "D-Dash..." She blushed.

"Hm?" Dash replied.

She wanted to ask what was going on. She wanted to ask why Dash wasn't mad about the fact she hid a fiance from her, hell she wanted to ask a lot of things, but only one statement came to her lips at that moment.

"Y'all look sexy as hell in that uniform..."

Dash smirked. "I bet I'd look sexier with you wrapped around me."

Applejack could feel her cheeks burning. "Y-yes ma'am..." She bit her lip as she allowed herself to become submissive to the strong mare in front of her.

For the next week or so, that was the nature of their relationship. Meeting casually in front of Bass, acting as two old friends catching up, then the moment he was not looking, returning to desires for each other.

It was the most complete that either of them felt. Neither seemed to want to acknowledge the fact that what they had was an affair. Dash never asked about Bass, and Applejack never spoke of him. She had determined it was best for the both of them if the subject of him never came up.

Regardless though, it could not be ignored forever. Eventually he would catch wind of what was happening.

Applejack stood there with her fiance while he checked for cereal. "Which do you like more?"

The farm girl just shrugged. "Get whatever y'all want..."

He sighed as gave her an annoyed expression. "I asked which one you like."

"And Ah said Ah don't give a damn..." AJ rolled her eyes.

He growled and swung his hoof at her. The impact made a loud slapping sound, only causing AJ to turn her head. No flinch, no scream, just acceptance of the pain.

"Now go pick out something you want... I am sick of having this argument and I am sick of the sass. All you ever do is backsass me. I am tired of never getting a straight answer out of you..." He instructed.

"Sure..." She sighed as she trotted off into the next isle muttering curses under her breath.

She froze though the moment she came to that isle. There standing in the middle of the isle was none other than Rainbow Dash, and staring right at Applejack with angry eyes. Applejack stuttered, trying to figure out what to say.

"D-Dash..."

Rainbow raised a hoof and turned around making her exit. Hesitating for a second, AJ gave chase, following her out of the store. "Dash, listen..."

Dash raised another hoof. "There is nothing you can say to me right now that will make me less pissed off."

"Dash, he came into the picture first. Y'all waltzed off to the wonderbolts and expected mah' life not to advance until y'all decided to pop back in?" AJ protested.

Dash pivoted around and met her face to face. "How long will it take before you decide you're tired of being treated like that?"

She lowered her head. "Ah'm not as strong as you, Dash..."

Dash nodded and wadded up her hoodie and tossed it to the mare. "Call me when you're ready to be a grown up. When you're ready to have a life and done being his slave."

"Dash..." She tried to remedy the situation.

"Save it." Dash flapped her mighty wings and took to the sky.

I looked at the solemn Rainbow Dash as we sat there on two rocks out in the ruins waiting for Twilight to give us another order. We had been on a scouting mission to plan the best route of attack on Trixie's stronghold. However when she had given the order to hold tight while she researched a better route, we both sat down for hours waiting for her signal.

During that time, we had shot a few savages, and had a drink or two. Then of course Dash told me the story of her and Applejack.

"So what happened then?" I asked, taking another swig of the canteen.

Taking it from my hooves, she sipped some down herself. "I never saw her again."

"Did you ever move on?" I asked.

She shrugged. "I had some relationships with a few stallions and a mare or two, but they all felt pretty empty. Usually ended the same way; me breaking it off because I felt so detached from it all. By the time my sister came into the picture, she became everything my life was about."

"You really loved Applejack didn't you?" I got really quiet.

She shrugged again. "I couldn't tell you. I don't even know what love is to be honest..."

That statement sounded so familiar.

"That's a cute story." Another voice spoke, followed by the sound of a blade being pulled.

Dash and I both turned around weapons at the ready. Dash's expression dipped as she saw the mare standing there.

The exact same yellow mare who stood next to Trixie a few weeks ago, her black cloak swaying slightly in the gentle wasteland air, and her tidy mane holding its shape quite well.

"Spitfire..." Dash growled.

"Rainbow Dash... Its been so long since we've spared hasn't it?" She smiled a bit as the two began to circle each other. "Tell me, are you just as weak as you were then?"

Dash hissed her answer. "I have a reason to fight now..."

Spitfire laughed a bit. "That's what you said last time. Why not just surrender, Dash... You know you can't beat me..."

"Then what? Join you? Never."

Spitfire readied, her sword, and Dash did the same. I stood back, knowing that I had no place in this fight, and if Spitfire was as good as Dash said she was, then all I'd do is get in the way.

"If you go back to living in some hole in the ruins, then I won't be forced to hurt you..." Spitfire responded.

"I am sick of your condescending talk. That's all you ever did, talk down to me." Dash started waving her sword a bit in intimidation.

"Then perhaps we should do something about that... Let this be the final time our swords meet..." The yellow mare suggested.

Dash lowered her body, ready to attack. "To the death then..."

Spitfire nodded. "Let only one of us leave here today."

Dash smirked. "I warn you now... The Rainbow Edge is invincible."

"It'll take more than a fancy sword to slay me." Spitfire bragged.

Quickly, Dash bolted forward with a lunge attack. Spitfire was just fast enough to block it. Dash then twirled and strikes again against her old mentor's blade. Then again, and again and again, moving so quickly she was trying all she could to keep Spitfire on the defensive, which unfortunately seemed to be something Spitfire was good at.

"You fight with much more vigor than before. You're much faster." Spitfire praised as she continued to block.

Dash jumped back and unleashed a few rounds on Spitfire. Thinking quickly, Spitfire sliced at the air a few time and watched as the bullets fell to the ground in halves.

She looked up to Dash confidently, "You'll have to do better than that..."

"With pleasure!" Dash yelled as she went right back to striking. Spitfire returned to defending, with no signs of even minor struggle in keeping Dash at bay. Dash was giving it her all, yet Spitfire was more or less shrugging it off.

Finally Spitfire thrust he free hoof forward and jabbed Dash in the gut, pushing her back. With a cough and wheeze, the warrior shook her head and returned to her fighting stance within seconds. Spitfire merely grinned.

"Is that all? You seemed to have gotten weaker... Maybe if I killed your friend, I'd actually get some fight out of you..." She looked to me with a grin.

Dash stamped her hoof in the dirt. "Leave him out of this. This is between you and me... Let's do this..."

"Very well..." Spitfire finally went on the offensive and began hacking at Dash with incredible agility. Dash moved quickly, but she was struggling to keep up and block every swing.

"Come on, Dash, show me your full potential." Her attacker teased.

Grunting from trying to hold her off, Dash was clearly getting annoyed. "Shut up."

The confident Spitfire began to speed up her attacks. "Just as I thought. You're nothing more than a figurehead now. The valiant warrior you once were died with the death of your friend, Rarity whom you weren't good enough to save."

Dash growled and hit her enemy’s sword back. "You shut up about that!"

"What's wrong? Did I touch a nerve? The truth sucks doesn't it. You could never have saved her, you aren't strong enough and you have no reason to fight." Spitfire mocked.

Dash stood back as I noticed a small glow in her eyes. "I fight for loyalty. I fight to protect my home, and my friends. You want to see power? You want to see what the power of loyalty can do?" Her entire body started to glow as she spoke. Spitfire merely watched.

"I don't need anything else to defeat you, just the power of LOYALTY!" She yelled as her body emitted a large burst of energy, sending Spitfire back a few feet.

When the dust settled, Dash stood there with a familiar necklace, this one with a lightning bolt on it. Her eyes glowed a fierce red, and her back had a pair of glowing wings made out of some kind of light sticking to it.

Dash raised her glowing sword and beckoned for Spitfire to get closer. "Come get it..."

Spitfire nodded and bolted forward, their swords locking again.

The fight eventually took to the air, as the two allowed their wings to lift them while they clashed. They allowed their blades to tangle with each other repeatedly while they tried to bring the other down.

I could see the determination in both of them, they truly were ready to fight to the death. They were ready to walk home with the other's head in hoof.

"I see you learned a thing or two..." Spitfire complimented as she took another swing.

Rainbow didn't respond, instead she sliced at the air, sending some kind of energy wave of prism colors, followed by another two before jumping forward.

Spitfire hacked right through the waves and dispersed them just as quickly before leaving her with just enough time to block Dash's physical assault.

Another mighty strike sent the both of them back to the ground and holding their blades ready for another attack.

"It looks like we're evenly matched... I'm quite surprised..." The yellow Pegasus replied.

"We will never be even. You're scum for joining that traitor." Dash reminded. "One part I don't get... Why?" Dash's voice sounded rather distorted as she spoke.

Spitfire took a glance at a screen on her weapon and sighed. "It'll have to wait until later." She grinned as she lowered her blade. "Don't go dying before we have a chance to finish this, Dashie."

Dash growled as she charged forward.

Spitfire threw a cracked brick at the ground and vanished in a mist before Dash could strike her.

Dash's glowing eyes settled, and her temporary wings vanished after a few seconds. "Damn it..."

"Are you alright?" I ran to meet her.

Dash nodded as she let her rear land on the ground. "Just really tired is all... To be honest, I thought not even the element of harmony would put me on par with her..."

"Well, at least its over..." I reminded.

Dash shook her head. "She'll be back..."

I had already guessed as much, but didn't want to say it.

Act 1: Chapter Twenty-Six

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Twenty-Six (The Rainbow Dash Saga Part 2)

Twilight unrolled a scroll onto the table in the war room, addressing all of the important military leaders as she placed a map in the center. Unfortunately, Dash had declined to return to the Rainbow Raiders, leaving me in charge of them, so I was attending this meeting as well. Twilight was adamant on her plan of pressuring Dash back into the military for good.

Rainbow Dash however was still present for this meeting, given her battle expertise. Though none of us were quite certain why we had been summoned.

Twilight began making some marks on the large map before Vinyl finally interrupted (as expected). "What's going on? You dragged our asses out of bed without so much as a word of what kind of orders you're giving."

The purple unicorn looked up and slapped Vinyl across the face. "Don't smart mouth with me. I am not in the mood right now. You will get your orders when I give them to you, do you understand soldier?"

Vinyl adjusted her jaw and nodded with a smirk. "Yes, sir," she mocked.

"Wipe that grin off your face, I have some important intel and I want everypony in this room to pay close attention." Twilight glanced around at the rest of us while removing her glasses.

"What's going on, general?" I asked.

Twilight's vision turned to me. Her cockatrice eye making me shake a little. "Recent intel has reported seeing Trixie mobilizing a large attack force..."

"How large?" Her brother Shining Armor chimed in.

Twilight's response was quick, "Over three million."

The room fell silent for a moment. Nopony dared speak but Vinyl. "Sounds like her entire army."

"At least eighty percent of it. They have been heading right this way for the past two days. They will arrive here by this time in three days." Twilight informed.

"Why?" I rose a brow.

Vinyl answered for Twilight, "Trixie is going to try and finish the job. She doesn't care about the anti-darkness barrier anymore. She's going to take her chances and hopes that overwhelming us with numbers will win her this fight..."

Twilight nodded. "It appears that way..."

Rainbow finally decided to add her input. "How many are within the city?"

Twilight bit her lip, not wanting to answer, however knowing she had to, she responded. "100,000 lives, around 40,000 military; the rest civilian..."

"Do we have extra weapon for the civilians in the event the barrier fails? To give these ponies a fighting chance?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight gave a solemn look and set her hooves on the table. "Ms. Rainbow Dash, I have run this military for a long time. I have watched my statistics carefully, and I am here to tell you its not a matter of "if" its a matter of when."

Twilight sighed before sitting in her chair. "The barrier will fall, it can not take the force of three million soldiers attacking it. It will fall, and Canterlot will be no more."

"You say it as if you've already given up..." Her brother spoke.

"I have not given up, I have accepted reality. Canterlot will fall in three days, and all 100,000 ponies within it will perish or fall to the darkness." Twilight scolded.

"Could we evacuate?" Another stallion suggested.

"Where would we go?" Rainbow rolled her eyes. "We have no choice... We have to make a stand. We fight with all we have..."

Vinyl nodded and grinned. "We give them hell. If they take this city, let's not just hand it over to them. We'll defend it until every last one of us is dead!"

"Any other bright ideas?" Twilight sighed.

Luna finally spoke up. "Actually, Vinyl's idea sounds appealing..."

Quickly turning to Luna, Twilight's brow rose. "You can't be serious... Its suicide..."

"Running away is also suicide. Vinyl's plan could at least get us Trixie before its over. Remember the intel showed her marching right with them. We may be able to lure her out. If we go down we can at least get Trixie first." Luna explained.

Twilight, and the rest of us all looked to Dash. She thought for a moment and nodded. "I like it..."

"Then that's what we'll do. Maybe we might even get lucky, and getting Trixie will give us an edge." Twilight nodded.

It was a long shot, but at that point we were desperate.

"Alright, ponies... Go get prepared... Soon... We go to war." Twilight instructed.

Rainbow Dash stood in her quarters preparing her war fittings. Fresh new armor, and enough ammunition to stop a tank, Twilight wanted to make sure she was fitted with the best that the military had to offer.

Dash was performing a few practice strikes at a training dummy she kept in her room. Each strike more aggressive than the last. With a quick glance over to the mirror, she flexed one of her hooves. What was once thin and emaciated was now full and muscular. She had all the cuts and trims of a proper warrior again. It had been a long time since she had seen herself like this.

As she admired herself in the mirror, the voice of Twilight interrupted. "So you're okay with this plan?"

Rainbow just looked at Twilight through the mirror as she continued to check her body out. "I already know why you're here, Twilight."

Twilight rose a brow. "And why do you think that is?"

Dash grunted, "You're here to tell me not to kill Trixie. To tell me that we're better than that and we need to capture her, due process and all that shit."

Twilight shook her head and took a step forward, placing a hoof on Dash's shoulder. Dash turned to see the hoof. "Actually, I was going to tell you to give her a stab for me..."

Rainbow blinked, a bit uncertain of if she was hearing correctly. "You want me to..."

"Kill her, Rainbow. That is the only justice now... Making her atone for her crimes..." Twilight was very quiet, clearly not wanting to admit it.

"Why me?" Dash asked.

"You're the only one who can. You've had your sights sent on her head for so long... If any pony is determined enough to kill her, its you. Hell, if anypony is deserving enough to kill her, its you." Twilight explained.

Dash nodded and tightened the strap on her blade. "Trixie's reckoning comes tomorrow. I ask that you let my team all fight, even Vinyl..."

Twilight smirked.

Dash turned to her with a puzzled expression. "What?"

"They didn't tell you?" She grinned wider. "Vinyl is one of the first ponies coming out of the gate, and I've given her the new chaingun attachments to her blades."

Rainbow laughed. "You've either given the enemy hell... Or just gave powerful toys to a monster."

"I'll take my chances. Right now, the benefits outweigh the risks."

Rainbow nodded as she turned back to the mirror. "Let us hope that we do not run out of time."

I stood on the balcony with the leaders of the Equestrian military. I was in complete disbelief that I was not only here, but I was about to lead into battle in perhaps the most historic fight that would ever take place in Equestria. Twilight was calling it "The Last Stand".

Twilight ushered for the crowd below us to settle down. Once the noise had died down, she had called for Rainbow Dash to come forward and speak. Hesitantly she approached and tapped the microphone.

She paused before finally speaking up. "I'm going to keep this short..." She began. After she looked around the room for a minute she nodded. "Give 'em hell." The crowd roared with excitement at her simple words. That was all she had to say on the matter, as she stepped down and allowed Vinyl to come forward. Right then and there I knew that this would be a speech to be remembered for ages.

"Citizens of Equestria..." She started. The room fell silent.

"Today... We march into battle..." She paused. "Many of you... Will not return. However Trixie thinks she can kill Equestria. She may be able to kill us, but the idea of Equestria will never die..." The crowd started to chatter. "She thinks we are weak... But we are not weak, we are 100,000!"

Every single pony in the room screamed with glee at her words. Vinyl certainly was proving she was in fact the voice of Equestria.

"Let us go down fighting... Let death be our rest!" The crowd roared again. "Let us not stop until every stallion, mare and foal can not fight any longer! Let us paint the ground with blood! Let us retrieve Trixie's head as a trophy for all of Equestria! Let us fight for our fallen brothers and sisters! Let's do this for Equestria!"

The noise in the room was relentless. Vinyl had them eating out of her hoof.

"Today we march into battle, let us bring swift death to the traitors if Equestria!" She paused and rose a hoof in the air. "Long live the empire!"

In unison, every single pony in the room, and perhaps all of Canterlot raised a hoof like Vinyl. Even young foals seen through the windows of the castle could be seen with hooves raised. Ready to pledge their lives to the cause.

Every citizen had been armed with whatever weapons we could spare, war was truly everywhere. Twilight's last stand assumed damage would be high, and knowing Twilight, she wasn't about to ignore that probability.

While Vinyl stood there, Twilight adjusted a monitor and turned it on. A large overhead monitor displayed Trixie's face to the crowd as Twilight conversed with her.

"Ah... Miss Sparkle... Have you decided to surrender then?" Trixie's voice echoed through the room.

Twilight shook her head. "I wanted to show you something." With that she turned the camera to face the crowd.

Trixie's expression dipped as she saw thousands of ponies loyally raising their hooves in a mark of war. She had clearly seen this gesture before. I assumed that this was sort of a signature move by Vinyl.

"B-but... You stand no chance..." She assured.

"Then you have no choice but to kill us." Twilight grinned.

Trixie growled at their confidence, but Twilight interrupted by turning the camera to Rainbow Dash. Trixie's expression grew more horrified as she saw Dash's hoof in the air like Vinyl's. "Trixie... The time has finally come... I will find you..."

Trixie grunted. "You'll have to get through my army first, Rainbow Dash."

"No army can stop me now. I have made my peace with death, so I do not care what happens to me after this fight. I suggest you do the same, because I am coming to kill you." Rainbow spoke confidently.

"It ends today." She added.

Trixie smirked. "We shall see about that, Rainbow Dash."

Dash didn't seem remotely moved by the threat. It was obvious that she meant what she said, and it would take more than an army to stop her.

I stepped onto the balcony overhanging the city as I sat down with Rainbow Dash. She was clearly in deep thought as she sat there watching over the city. I sat down next to her and looked at the ponies below with her.

"Every pony in the whole city... Getting close to their loved ones... Burying old grudges, and confessing secrets they've held onto for their whole lives... All in the same day..." She commented.

I kept my eyes on the ones below. "Why though?"

"Isn't it obvious?" She kept a blank expression. "They know, Flare..."

"Know what?"

She sighed, "That today will be their last chance to do so."

I blinked and looked at her.

"They aren't stupid, Flare. They know that by this time tomorrow, Canterlot will be gone and all of them either dead or mindless drones to the darkness. They know this is the end of ponykind... The true armageddon..." She spoke softly.

I finally spoke what was on my mind. "Can't you stop it from happening?"

Dash didn't even look at me. "It would take more than a tired old mare, to destroy such a threat. These old bones will be lucky just to survive this battle..."

"Don't talk like that... You're far from old, and you have plenty of fight left in you." I smiled.

She turned to me and placed a hoof on my shoulder. "I'm sorry, Flare..."

"What for?"

She sighed, "For luring you out here. For making you come to fix Equestria only to watch it burn in front of you..."

I shook my head. "I wouldn't have changed what happened for anything. I grew stronger, I got smarter, and I got to meet the greatest pony I ever knew..."

She smiled and patted my shoulder. "These past few months have been truly amazing, Flare... You're quite a friend."

I returned the smile and extended my hooves to her. She took the invitation and pulled me close to her in a tight embrace. "You've shown more loyalty than this old mare deserves..." She commented.

"You saved my life more times than I can count, Rainbow... I owe you more than I can even give." I said as I rubbed her back.

She pulled back to get a look at me. "You've grown up so much in these few months... Its hard to imagine we'll be marching into battle together..."

"Let's give 'em hell." I winked.

Rainbow nodded in response. "Yes, let's."

Doomsday had finally arrived. Trixie's army came as expected, in full form. We stood at the gates to Canterlot with weapons drawn as we saw them enter over the horizon. Millions of possessed bodies, controlled by a black mist, tainting their skin. They had a black smoke radiating from their bodies and fierce glowing red eyes.

Vinyl stood in front of the group of us with her hoof raised to tell us when to assault. Behind me, Twilight poked my shoulder. I turned to face her. "Yeah?" I nearly whispered.

"I want you to head near Luna at point three. You're on my team, I'll explain more when the fight begins." She instructed as she began to trot away.

"Wait!" I called back. However it was pointless as she had already made a run for point three.

She had split the battlefield up into four points, but insisted that point three only be monitored by a small task force for some reason. I figured I would know why when I arrived.

Vinyl's hoof finally set onto the ground, followed by her call. "Attack!!"

The roar of thousands of soldiers filled the air as they began firing, picking off as many as they could from a safe distance. Gunfire was the only sound that filled the air, and bodies were the only things about to decorate the dirt today.

Vinyl in the lead began firing her normal firearms, clearly reserving her new toy until absolutely necessary. She screamed in delight as she mowed them down with ease. Soon enough they were close enough to return fire. However they seemed to favor close combat; perhaps an order by Trixie to show her arrogance.

I kept an eye on Vinyl as I fended a few off. Vinyl was simply slicing and dicing them like cubed cheese, laughing as she did so. "Come get me, you dogs!" She mocked.

Keeping my blade alert, I chopped through a few more, hoping to clear a path to point three where I was instructed to go. Still no sign of Rainbow Dash, I prayed she was alright.

Vinyl halted in her tracks as she touched a spot on her face. Red liquid leaked from the grazing of a bullet. Vinyl had actually been injured. The wind of the bullet was even enough to crack her glasses.

Reaching to her face she grabbed the sunglasses and threw them aside, shattering them. Her red eyes were bloodshot and crazed. "So... That's how it's going to be?" She chuckled and allowed her horn to glow. Within a few seconds her entire body had magic emanating from it as she pulled out her new weapon and open fired.

Once she started mowing down the enemies, they started focusing fire on her. Their efforts however we're pointless, as the mare began to laugh while bullets bounced off of her.

"Hahahahaha! I am bulletproof! Suck it, you assholes!" She screamed.

All around me, I could finally see what Twilight meant about about war. Everywhere, lifeless bodies collapsing, screaming, and swords clashing. Blood flying in every direction; it was true: war is hell.

An enemy soldier came forward and attempted to slash at me, however I thrusted my blade forward, ripping his guts with my special weapon before kicking him off my sword and bolting towards the point I was instructed to reach.

It only took me a little longer, but once I had cleared a path, I had arrived at the destination without much resistance. Twilight ushered for me to duck beneath the rocks where she hid. Quickly, I bolted over there and got low. "What's going on?" I whispered.

She silenced me and gestured to peek forward.

Doing so, I noticed Luna standing in the open with her blade drawn. I was a little puzzled. "What's Luna doing there?"

Twilight grinned as she stayed low. "You'll see."

We had only sat still for about five minutes before something started happening. Out of nowhere, a dark cloaked figure jumped towards Luna with her blade drawn. With the flick of her head, the hood flew off revealing Trixie. She was quite clean and well dressed for a mare out in a battlefield. Not a drop of blood on her.

From the other side of Luna, an armored warrior, donning the traditional armor of Trixie's army jumped to Luna's other side. Trixie grinned as Luna looked to both sides. "Gotcha..." She smirked.

"Kill her," she instructed the soldier.

The armored knight drew her weapon and fired a few rounds at Trixie's feet. Luna took advantage of the confusion to flee. Once she had gotten far enough away, Twilight popped her head up, and cast a spell, placing a force field around the two.

Trixie peered around her and then narrowed her eyes at Twilight. "A trap...? You used your own princess as bait!?" She exclaimed.

Twilight snickered as Luna came to her side. "It was a risk I was willing to take. You're not the only one who can use trickery to win."

Trixie growled. "Slave, break this barrier!" She commanded the armored knight.

The creature just stood there silently.

"I said break this barrier, slave!" She spoke louder.

Lifting their helmet, the dark warrior revealed their face. Slowly tearing off the armor, a familiar cloak began to be exposed and sway in the wind. The same tattered old cloak I had come to admire.

Removing the last piece of armor, a determined Rainbow Dash stood in front of the trembling Trixie. This was Twilight's plan; lure Trixie out with Luna as bait, then leave her to Rainbow. Possibly the most clever plan I had ever witnessed.

"R-R-rainbow Dash..." Trixie stuttered.

Dash drew her blade. "I'm done talking... You die... Now."

Trixie took a step back and tried to once again charm her way out of the situation. "Dash... You don't want to kill me... I can help you... The darkness could make you stronger..."

Dash took a step forward. "Save it." She growled.

Shaking off her fear, Trixie grunted. "Fine... No matter. Even if you are Rainbow Dash, you're no match against the darkness..." She grinned as a black fog began to surround her. "I'll show you what you're missing out on..." She started to laugh as she was completely covered by the same fog.

Dash merely stood back, blade still drawn as Trixie began to grow in size and change shape. Her body taking a tall black form of some kind of bipedal giant. Its arms like thick tongues with slimy mucus hanging off of them, similar to its jaw which hung open with thick black slime dripping from it. All adorned with shining red eyes.

It lowered itself to Dash's level and screeched something fierce in her face. The monster's mouth was large enough to chew the pegasus up with a single tooth.

As spit and slime flung from its mouth, Dash wiped some off of her face, blade still drawn. "Alright... But I warned your other agent before..." She took her battle stance. "Rainbow Edge is invincible."

With the swing of its tendrils, it smashed into the ground, sending a shockwave powerful enough to push Twilight and me back. Dash merely jumped over it and landed on top of the tentacle. Once she latched on, the creature swung its other tentacle at her.

Thinking quickly, Dash leapt into the air and grabbed onto that one. This time however she pierced it with her blade. When it felt the pain, it shook her violently, trying to get her off of it, to no avail. Dash clinged onto the monster for dear life. Once it had given up on trying to shake her off, she began to climb the appendage.

The giant roared as it grabbed Dash in its mouth, clamping it shut. Twilight and I gasped for a second as we saw it swallow the warrior whole. Twilight held a hoof out. "Wait for it..."

A second later, Dash's blade jutted out of the roof of the creature's mouth, followed by a hoof smashing right through its mighty fangs, shattering them in an instant. As it roared, it hurled her into the sky.

Coming back down, Dash grabbed onto the skull of the monster and stabbed her blade as deep as it would go.

The damage she administered was too much for the foul beast. With a roar of pure anguish, it started to fall.

With a little more dexterity, Dash jumped off, and landed back on her hooves, blade still drawn.

Hitting the ground, the creature dissolved into nothing but black sludge, leaving only Trixie standing in its place.

"So... You're a lot stronger than I imagined..." Trixie drew her blade. "No matter, I guess we'll do this the old fashioned way..."

"You're dead." Dash replied.

Twilight quickly bolted past Dash, a loud slice was heard as she appeared behind her. Blood dripped from Trixie's blade as she stood with a familiar smirk.

Dash knelt in pain with a scream as she gripped her side.

"Heh... I still know a thing or two about anatomy... A pegasus' wings are the most sensitive spot on their body..." Trixie lectured.

Dash gripped the injured wing and looked back at Trixie, whom was already gloating like she had won. Oh how she was mistaken.

Rainbow took the wing only hanging on by a thread and gripped it in her teeth. Bracing herself, she gave a quick yank, ripping it clean off. Blood leaking from the place where it stood, she threw the severed wing aside as she turned around to face Trixie.

Trixie was needless to say, in shock. "I-impossible..."

"I said it before... You're dead..." Dash charged and locked swords with Trixie. "You can't stop me now, Trixie..."

Trixie grunted as she jumped back away from Dash's attacks. Rainbow was utilizing the speed she was famous for as she began to strike with all the force in her body against Trixie, who was only able to just barely stop the assaults. It was clear that Trixie wasn't a fighter.

Twilight was watching so eagerly that she didn't even notice the call she was getting over her headset. I tapped her shoulder, which made her snap back to reality. Answering she kept it quick. "Yes?"

I could hear Vinyl's voice over my headset as well. "We got a fuck ton over here! Where the hell are you? I am a one mare army over here!"

Twilight growled and nodded. "Flare, I am going to back her up. Stay here and cover Dash if need be. Make sure nopony interferes with their fight."

I didn't even get a chance to answer before she rushed off.

Dash was hacking at Trixie, full throttle. Trixie was doing everything she could to get away. "Fight back, you coward!" Dash commanded.

Trixie ignored her order and just stayed on the defensive.

Dash paused and grinned. "You've never killed any pony before, have you Trixie?" Trixie took a step back. "You always have your goons do your dirty work... Even my sister... You have never killed before..."

"Too bad for you, I have!" She bolted forward and attacked again. Trixie rolled out of the way.

"And if you kill me, what then? You're still a wingless pegasus. A washed up hero. Killing me won't change anything." Trixie taunted.

Dash growled as her body began to glow. "I'll show you what real power is..." Her eyes began to emit the same glow that they did during her fight with Spitfire. Sure enough her "wings" reappeared as the necklace appeared around her neck.

Trixie held her sword in a blocking manner as Dash sliced at her, however, when she opened her eyes the blade was cut right in half. Trixie began to cast a spell, however with a swift cut, Dash took her horn clean off her skull as well.

Back in the heat of battle, Vinyl Scratch hacked away as Twilight made her arrival. It was strange to see her so nonchalant about the entire situation. Vinyl was needless to say, suspicious.

As the white unicorn hacked off another head, she gave Twilight a puzzled expression. "Why so calm?"

Twilight smirked as she pointed. "I brought the big guns."

Vinyl turned to see a pink earth pony trotting onto the battlefield carelessly. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Pinkamena, permitted on the battlefield? She turned to Twilight with a growl. "Why did you let that bitch out here?"

Twilight's grin remained. "You're about to find out."

Pinkamena removed her glasses carefully and placed them in her saddlebag. With her blade extended she leapt into the air at a Pegasus heading her way. She stabbed it repeatedly before using its body to land safely on the ground. When she lifted her head, Vinyl took note of her mane, which just became like a big ball of cotton candy.

Her eyes were bloodshot accompanied by an insane grin as she turned to the rest of the enemies around her. "It's party time..." She giggled.

All at once, they all tag teamed on her. Her skills with a blade however were too much for them. She began to slice them up with ease.

Not a single pony was able to touch her as she decimated them.

One darted at her through the sky, but the pink ball of chaos jumped and grabbed his neck in her teeth. With a tug, she ripped a large chunk of his flesh off and spit it out. Another stallion tried to lunge at her, but she ducked with her blade upright, slicing his stomach open.

Vinyl watched carefully. "She's a monster..."

Twilight shook her head. "She's Pinkie Pie."

Pinkie giggled and laughed while she continued to fight. Before long she had nearly a hundred dead bodies piled around her.

"She's a freak of nature..." Vinyl commented.

Trixie grunted as Dash pinned her right to the ground, her blade against her neck. The energy of the element had worn off, and Trixie was looking the real Rainbow Dash right in the eyes. I approached to get a better view.

"Dash... Please... You have no idea what the darkness is capable of..." Trixie pleaded.

Rainbow growled as she pressed her sword closer. "Even in death, you're a coward."

"Rainbow Dash, please... The darkness can do things worse than death... What would you have done?" Trixie coughed.

Up close I could see the blood trickling from where her horn once was.

"I would have died..." Dash hissed. "I would have killed myself before I got a chance to become like you."

Trixie whimpered as tears began to well up in her eyes. She was even reciting a small prayer as she laid there at Dash's mercy.

Rainbow lifted her sword and stood up. "However... I'm not going to kill you..."

Trixie blinked and looked up at the merciful Dash. "Wha-wha? Why!?"

"Killing you would only make me like you... That's not what Colors wanted... She wanted a world without violence..." She sighed, but grinned. "Besides... I have a better idea..."

Trixie gulped.

"You fear death... You run from it. And now... You're no use to the darkness. Without your magic, you're worthless as an agent, and you won't allow yourself to become a mindless drone. And you sure as hell can't join the Equestrian military..." Dash's grin widened. "You're trapped on the middle of a war with no side. I can think of no better punishment than making you run away. Forced to spend the rest of your life looking over your shoulder." Dash's tone was ominous.

Trixie trembled from under the "former" Pegasus. Once Dash stepped back, Trixie crawled out from under her quickly.

"Now start running... Before I change my mind..." Dash instructed with her blade still ready.

Not waiting to be told twice, Trixie tapped on a screen on her weapon and spoke. "Retreat." A voice began to yell back at her, but she cut them off before they got a chance to get two words in. "I said retreat! That is an order!" She turned quickly and began to make a run for it.

I trotted out of the safety behind the rocks and sat next to Dash, whom was shuffling through the dirt around me. "Aren't you going to go after her?" I asked.

Dash shook her head and picked up an object front the ground. "No. She deserves to live, death would be freeing her of her torment."

I shrugged and decided that she would know better than me.

The mare held her hoof out and offered me the severed horn. Not sure why, I took the bloody stub in my hoof.

"Take that to Twilight, tell her that Trixie will not be bothering her any longer." She sighed as she sat down on a rock, panting a bit.

I nodded and placed the horn into my bag. Looking back at her, I tilted my head. "What about you?"

Dash spat and cracked her neck. "I told you, I'm done with this war now. I got some stuff to take care of out here though." She looked back at me and smiled. "Plus, I'm a little tired... I just defeated the greatest enemy of Equestria." She winked.

I smiled and nodded as I ran off to go deliver her prize to Twilight.

"General Sparkle." I panted as I halted in front of her.

"I... I..." I paused, trying to catch my breath.

The general gave me a confused expression as Vinyl stepped forward. She still was missing her sunglasses, I guessed she didn't have another pair.

I took note of all the bodies around them. Looking around I rose a brow and stood up. "What happened here?"

Vinyl rolled her eyes and pointed off in the distance, to a blood covered Pinkamena who was placing her glasses back on her face. "That happened."

"Pinkie Pie, I assume?" I replied.

Twilight cut the conversation short. "That's not important right now. I am hoping you've brought good news, soldier..."

I nodded as I started digging through my bag. Grasping the horn, I put it on display for Twilight. Her jaw hung open and her eyes lit up. "Is that...?"

I nodded. "A present from Rainbow Dash."

Taking it in her hooves, Twilight smiled as she examined it. "I knew she could do it... Where is she though?"

Sighing, I shrugged. "She said she is done with this war now. Went on about having stuff to take care of before she leaves though."

Twilight placed her hoof to her earpiece. "Looks like the loss of Trixie was too much for them..." She grins.

Vinyl cocked a puzzled expression. "Why's that?"

Twilight grinned. "They're retreating."

Vinyl leapt forward and grabbed me in an embrace, running her hoof violently through my mane. I groaned in discomfort, but it didn't seem to stop her. "You are lucky kid, you got to see a real hero out there. Rainbow just bought us another day to live. Hell I think I owe her a big sloppy kiss." She joked.

I composed myself as she stopped giving me a noogie. However the mare whom was still in the best of excitement grabbed my cheeks and planted a kiss on my forehead.

I blushed as she released me.

She winked, "I'd give you more than that, but I figured you are going to be getting plenty of action when we get back to Canterlot. All the mares are going to be all over a war hero."

I rolled my eyes. "I think this calls for a celebration." Twilight smiled.

She then radioed the thing I was waiting to hear since I arrived. "Fall back, we won."

Act 1: Chapter Twenty-Seven

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Twenty-Seven (The Rainbow Dash Saga Part 2)

Nearly a week had passed since what was now being called Trixie's folly. Canterlot was ablaze with celebration. The city had not stopped roaring for days. Every night, Vinyl took me out drinking, and Twilight praised me for bringing Dash back to them. She then would ramble about how I have a bright future with the military.

There was still fighting left to do, but Trixie's fall was a powerful victory, and ended over seven years of doubt in the military. Every single pony in Canterlot now realized the kind of power that their military held.

And of course at the center of it was Rainbow Dash, the mare who made miracles happen. Hell they must had had twenty toasts to her a night.

However after almost a week of not seeing my friend, I knew that I had to pursue her. That was why I traveled out to Ponyville on foot. I disabled my communication system so that none would follow me. No doubt Dash still preferred to be left alone.

With a little combat experience and training under my belt, I actually found the walk to Ponyville quite easy. None stood in my way.

When I arrived at the library, I noticed it was quite empty. Still signs of being inhabited existed there, so I knew she wouldn't be too far.

After a moment I thought of one other place she'd be. With that, I hastily made my way to the other side of the ruins of the town.

Ponyville was abandoned as ever, and now it didn't even have Pinkamena, just an old Rainbow Dash who lingered to hang onto memories. It was the loneliest place I had seen in Equestria.

Coming to the remains of an old cloud house that now rested on the ground, I saw a familiar prism mare standing in what I assumed what was the remnants of the garden on the ground. There in front of her was an old headstone. I didn't even need to ask whom it belonged to.

Dash didn't even turn to see me. "You shouldn't have come here."

I stepped forward and stood next to her at the mourning site. "I had to see you again... You never came back."

She turned to look away from me. "I didn't want to come back. I wanted you to stay in Canterlot and leave me be. I said I was done with this war, and I meant it."

I approached and placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Can I not change your mind? Equestria needs you..."

She brushed my hoof off and took a step away. "Nopony needs me anymore."

"That's not true! Why are you acting like this?" I was starting to get annoyed by her attitude.

"Just go back to Canterlot... Never come back here. I don't need you here anymore. I delivered my part of the bargain; I got you into the knights, Now you have to leave me alone..." She started hobbling away.

I took notice of the limp in her step. "What's wrong?"

She tried to fake that she wasn't in pain. "N-nothing... I'm fine... Go back to Canterlot..."

Her hooves gave out, and brought her side down into the dirt at that exact moment. I rushed over to her aid quicker than she could ask for my help. "What's wrong with you?" I rose my brow.

The mare sighed and rested her head in my hold. She allowed her muscles to relax as I cradled her. "Flare... Get this cloak off of me, please?" Her voice had grown soft, and it was less commanding than I was used to. Nonetheless I obeyed and slid the hoof off of her head and disrobed her. This was the first time I had actually seen her exposed body.

When I examined her however I took note of the black spots going down her spine. I recognized them right away. "B-but... This is..."

"The plague... Yeah..." She nodded confirming my worry.

"How long have you had this?" I rose my brow.

She groaned in pain as she tried to move. "Since before we met... Over 6 years now..."

I blinked as I leaned in to hear her better. "That's not possible..."

In pain, she moved as I lifted her off the ground and let her rest on my back, trying to carry her back to the library. "Heh... Tell that to Fluttershy. She marked me off for dead six years ago... I'm too stubborn to die, I think..."

I threw my military jacket over her as I walked. "Try not to speak..." I instructed.

Instead of fighting, she nodded and allowed her muscles to relax while she dangled off my side. I walked a bit faster than I normally would so I could get her to her bed as quickly as I could. I didn't want to run though, so I didn't risk dropping her.

We made it back to the library hastily. Getting inside, I quickly set her down on the bed where I crawled in next to her and sat down, letting her rest her head on my hoof. I grabbed the comforter and wrapped it around the both of us.

Dash just smiled as she watched me. "Nopony has ever taken care of me before..." She admitted.

"You need to get better quickly... Maybe we should call Fluttershy down here..." I pointed out.

She shook her head. "No... My body has finally reached its limits... It can't take anymore... Trixie won in the end..."

"That's why you left the military six years ago?" I questioned.

She nodded and coughed. A small amount of blood came up with her cough. I wiped her mouth.

"I figured if they never saw me die, they would think I was still alive and they'd continue to fight with the same determination... If they witnessed 'The Miracle' die, they would be discouraged... They needed a symbol, I became the scapegoat for that..." She explained.

"You're a real hero, Dash..." I pet her cheek.

Her hoof landed atop of my own as she locked eyes with me. "I'm no hero... Just a mare trying to atone for her mistakes. You're the real hero."

I laughed at the prospect before changing the subject. "Why didn't you tell me...?"

She kept her magenta eyes on me. "How could I?"

"What do you mean?" I gave a confused expression.

She coughed again before answering. "You came all the way from SkyVale... You believed in me, even when I didn't believe in myself. You said I was your hero. I had a lot of heroes... They all let me down..." Her face became serious. "You tell me how I was supposed to tell you that you came all this way for nothing. You tell me how I was supposed to crush your spirits?"

I nodded in understanding. It did make sense, however I felt guilty for making her feel obligated to push herself.

Her hoof rose and landed on my cheek. "Even after all that has happened... I wouldn't change it for the world. I got to meet you, and it has made the last few months of my life the best I've had in a long time. I had forgotten what it meant to be alive... You helped me remember..." Tears started rolling down her face as she spoke. "You've saved my life in a way you never would have imagined... You're my hero, Flare."

I allowed her hoof to stroke my cheek as she spoke. I said nothing, unsure of how to answer.

"I am glad I met you... You remind me of somepony I once loved..." She smiled.

I placed my hoof on top of hers. "Get some rest."

She nodded and snuggled up in the blanket. "I... I don't want to have anymore nightmares..." She admitted.

I pulled her closer. "I'm right here for you."

She smiled and nodded again as she buried her head into my chest.

"Thank you..." She muttered.

"I'll take care of you for the rest of your time... I promise I won't leave your side until the very end..." I stroked her mane as I promised.

Her smile remained as she nodded lightly. "Thank you... Flare..." Her voice was weak.

"Now get some rest, I'll get you some medicine here tomorrow." I pet her cheek as I spoke.

Her eyes closed as she breathed lightly. I leaned back against the wall with her in my lap. Allowing my eyes to close, I too fell into a pleasant slumber.

When I came back to the waking world, I right away realized plenty of time had passed. I must have slept for a full eight hours, as I actually felt well rested. Probably the most peaceful rest I had gotten since I came to the ruins of Equestria.

Noticing the sleeping rainbow maned pony in front of me, I shook her lightly. "Rainbow..." I smiled as I tried to get her stirring.

I pushed on her a little harder. "Rainbow...?"

No response.

"Rainbow, its time to wake up," I tapped her face a bit.

Still nothing.

"Oh sweet Luna..." I instantly fell into disbelief. "Rainbow, wake up!"

It was useless, she just laid there lifeless.

"Rainbow Dash! Wake up!" I shook her a bit more violently.

She disobeyed.

"Come on! On your hooves soldier! That's an order!" I screamed, hoping that the encouragement she was used to in the military might have some effect. Obviously, I was wrong.

"No..." I quivered as I stared at her face. "No... You can't die..."

Or maybe she can.

"Please wake up, Rainbow... Please..."

I pulled her body close to mine and held her tightly in an embrace. There frozen on her face, a smile. It was the last expression she had made.

Placing the shovel I was using in the dirt, I erected a simple wooden marker. It wasn't much, but it was all I had to work with at the time. No name, no date of birth, just a message was etched into it. A message from me to her about this gift of a grave marker.

To a hero.

I sat down and examined the blade I had removed from her on my left hoof. I had never attended a funeral before, so I had no idea what the customs were.

Finally I spoke. "I have decided to go back to Canterlot... I want to try and end this war like you wanted... I want to make the world you wanted a reality. I know there will be more fighting, but once that is done... We can build a world without fighting."

I looked to her grave with a sigh. "There were so many things I never got to say.. So much I wanted to know, so much I wanted to share with you... You are my hero, Rainbow... and you still are..." I found myself sniffling. "You taught me the meaning of sacrifice... I only wished I had known so I could have made more of our time together..."

Tears began to run down my face. I couldn't remember the last time I had cried. "I love you, Rainbow Dash. You're family to me."

"You didn't die in vain... Everypony in Canterlot is now talking about you... Rainbow Dash the Great. Guess they have a habit of giving you nicknames." I sniffled as I wiped my nose.

A voice from behind me interrupted my mourning. "Death often leaves one with many unfinished tasks, doesn't it?"

I pivoted around to see a strange light brown pony with long jet black mane. On on side of his mane he had a thin braid that hung down and was longer than the rest of his hair. His mane was long and straight, with a silky texture to it. He had a very majestic look about him.

The stallion's eyes shined in the low light. Their sky blue color really came out in this darkness outside. I couldn't recall what real light looked like anymore though.

On his neck a strange necklace adorned with at least a dozen old keys. I even noticed a set of earrings that had small keys upon them as well. His cutie mark, of course was a key.

I drew my sword. "Who are you?"

He ignored my blade. I took notice of the fact that he had no weapon at all, nor a bag to carrying any.

"You should make haste back to Canterlot. Deliver her blade, for its power may be enough..." He glanced at the Rainbow Edge on my other hoof.

"I... I can't get it to work for me... The blade won't even respond to my U.M.S.A." I admitted.

He nodded. "This is to be expected. That is no ordinary sword. It has not allowed you to use it."

I blinked. "What...? The sword doesn't want me to use it...?"

The stallion nodded a second time. "Rainbow Edge has a connection with the stream of existence. It chooses its master."

He began to trot away slowly before I stopped him. "Wait!"

He paused for a moment.

"You said the blade's power may be enough... Enough for what?" I tilted my head confused.

Turning his head, he nearly whispered. "To save our kind..."

With that he made his exit. I had many more questions, but I knew that they would remain unanswered.

The trek back to Canterlot was quiet and lonely. I was expecting to make this quest with a familiar prism mare at my side. I wanted to tell her that she had a home with me, and that this place was nowhere to waste away in. She deserved better than this.

I couldn't help but feel rotten that I was forced to bury her out in this hell. I wanted to take her back to Canterlot to get the funeral that a hero deserves, but I knew that she would have wanted her death to remain between her, me and Twilight. I had no choice but to tell Twilight what had become of "The Miracle", for she would need Dash's sword if she hoped to end the war. If what that stranger said was true, then her blade may be more powerful than we had anticipated.

I must have been at least an hour's walk from Canterlot when I ran into a familiar pony. Standing at the tallest rock nearby, a cloaked young mare with a bandana over her muzzle jumped down and lowered her bandana and removed her hood.

I got a better look at her face this time. Magenta eyes, and a shining silver coat. A mane as black as midnight. The same mare who had stolen the element of kindness from us back in Cloudsdale.

My blade was at the ready. She wasn't about to take me without a fight. "Back again, I see?" I grinned.

The mare glanced at the blade on my left hoof. "That's an interesting blade you have..." She stood on her back hooves and drew her twin swords. "I wonder how easy it'll be to take it from you..."

I growled as I took a battle stance. "You'll have to kill me to get this sword!"

She smiled and flicked her mane out of her vision. "You've come to the right place."

Quickly she bolted forward. I was able to block a few attacks, but it was clear she fought with extreme experience. Her blows were powerful and tactful. Her speed unmatched. I could hardly see her move.

The battle was short as I felt a blade pierce my chest. Gasping, I looked down at my attacker. She moved within the blink of an eye, too fast for me to stop.

"In death you hold nothing..." She began a strange chant as she twisted her sword in my chest. I groaned in pain as a response. I had never felt anything quite so painful; my whole body had gone cold and numb. I could feel my innards screaming in agony.

"Death is your salvation..." She continued.

I coughed slightly, and watched blood drip from my lips. Words could not escape.

"May you go in peace..." With those words she pushed me off of her blade. I fell to the ground hacking as I gripped the puncture trying to keep as much blood in as I could.

"The void holds nothing worse for you." She finished as she leaned down and began to unfasten the Rainbow Edge from my hoof. I struggled and tried to jerk it away from her.

It was pointless to resist though, she merely punched me in the face and continued to steal it. Once she had it, she grinned as she placed it on her belt attached to her cloak.

"Farewell, Flare of SkyVale. The void awaits you, friend." She smiled as she patted my cheek.

Standing up, she darted off with the blade.

The pain was tremendous. Through it though, I reached my blood covered hoof up to my U.M.S.A. just able to hit the distress signal mechanism. A small light began to blink as I rested my head in the dirt.

"There... Come and find me... Twilight..." I smiled as I clenched my chest.

At that moment though I saw something. It looked like... Rainbow Dash... In the distance, but a young and healthy Dash. She was racing to my direction.

I could feel my body become more able. I pulled myself up and extended my hooves to grab her in an embrace. When we made contact, I twirled her around and squeezed her. She looked up to my eyes and smiled warmly.

Her beauty was not touched by death. Her eyes still shined with the sparkle I would see in her when she was actually happy; during those moments where hell decided to throw her a bone.

I never wanted to wake up.

It was the most blissful dream I had ever had, it seemed so real. I could almost feel it happening. It carried on as I closed my eyes to rest.

End of Act 1

Author's Note

Yup, Dash is dead. Sorry, but it was a long time coming, and I'm sure some of you predicted this from the get-go.

Act 2: Chapter Twenty-Eight

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 2: A Sister's Duty

Act 2: Chapter Twenty-Eight (The Arena Saga)

War certainly changes a lot of things. It changes a lot of ponies too. I had only been exposed to its indirect effects for a few days and I was already feeling changes within myself from that short time. The face of Equestria seems to have shifted entirely to a more sinister one. A face of danger, but excitement as well.

I could already tell that this fair country had many stories to tell, and I was certain to hear many as I transversed it. There was no doubt that the history of this once beautiful place would become known to me.

This entire experience was a bit of a culture shock to me. Almost half of my life was spent in SkyVale with my elder brother. I had little memories of life before the city, as I was still a little girl at the time. It's been over 8 years since we first came to the city, but for the first time in 8 years I was walking on the dirt of Equestria again.

My name is Torch Fires. I left SkyVale on a mission. Many months ago, my brother Flare left the city and went to pursue a dream of helping the Knights of Celestia, along with Rainbow Dash. I was forbidden to leave because of my age. I would have just broken out, but I was holding a secret of my own; I was with child.

It was true, I was pregnant at the time, though in early stages. I was a young 16 at the time, and I couldn't let a child be raised in this hell, but part of me knew my destiny. So the moment that child was born, I gave him a name and left him with my most trusted friend. She will be able to give him a better life than I could, because from the day that Flare left, I knew my destiny was to follow him and become the greatest knight that Equestria has ever known.

I spent every day while I was able training and practicing to become the knight I knew I would become. I wanted to fight along side my brother and that meant I had to get stronger. I focused all my magical talents on combat, and learned the way of the sword. I practiced sparring non-stop, because I knew that I was going to have to be the toughest fighter that the ruins had ever seen if I hoped to survive.

My destination; The Canterlot stronghold where I was sure my brother resided now.

I had gathered information of where the stronghold was located from a would-be couple of cannibals. Unfortunately for them, I can do quite a bit with just a rock and some ordinary spells. I squeezed the information out of them, and they ran off just shortly after.

The wasteland certainly had many surprises for any travelers like myself. One of which was waiting for me only a few days after my venture started.

Trotting over the dead soil, I felt something strange hit my back hoof. Reaching for it, I suddenly felt dizzy and exhausted. It must have been some kind of tranquilizer. It was too late to remove it as well, because by the time I had reached for it, I collapsed.

Stirring about I finally woke up probably some hours later. I could hear other ponies making a ruckus, and metal being rattled. Once my eyes adjusted I could see iron bars in front of me. I also took note of the fact that my saddle bag and cloak were still on me.

Looking through the bars I could see a bunch of other ponies also in cages.

One of them was panicking and shaking the bars, desperately trying to get free. An older mare next to me called out to him. "Calm down, wasting your energy isn't going to do any good. You're not going to just break those bars, so you may as well relax."

He growled and called back. "How can you be so calm, whoever did this is going to kill us!"

I finally spoke up. "Unlikely."

He looked over to me. "And what makes you so sure of that?"

I removed my hood. "They left us with our belongings. I have food and supplies in my bag. If they were trying to kill us, then they wouldn't have left us with anything we could use to prolong our lives. Not to mention, it looks like that guy still has a weapon." I gestured to another stallion across from me who was brandishing a blade. "If somepony was trying to kill us, they wouldn't have left us with weapons. They want us alive for whatever reason."

The mare in the cell next to me reached a hoof through the bar and offered me a flask. Seeing her orange hoof, I took it from her. "Thank you." I said.

She poked her muzzle between the bars, but I still couldn't get a good look at her. "You're pretty smart, kid. The name's Tangerine, what about you?"

I took a sip of the drink and coughed, realizing it was alcohol, and very strong alcohol at that. Offering it back, I tried to stop coughing long enough to answer. "Torch. My name is Torch."

She took the flask back. "Well, listen we should stick together. Arguing and spatting with each other isn't going to get us out of here any faster. So let's try and work together here."

I nodded, despite her not being able to see me. "I agree. We'll live longer if we work together."

A door could be heard opening. The entire room fell silent as a strange mare in an old tattered tuxedo started trotting into the room with two Neanderthals. One of which was missing half if his ear. Needless to say, they clearly weren't the brains of the operation.

The teal mare inspected every cage carefully before arriving at mine. She paused and looked at me quite puzzled. Adjusting her cuffs, she stepped closer to the cage. "You don't look like one of the savages... Too clean. Hell, you look like one of those Canterlot settlers, not a scratch on you." She commented.

"I'm from SkyVale actually." I responded.

She nodded in interest. "Ahhhhh, yes... The locked city... We don't get visitors from SkyVale too often here in the ruins... It seems my henchmen mistook you for a savage. No need to worry though, they shall be fired imediantly." She smiled and rose her hoof to one of the two goons with her. A contraption on her arm let out a bang and blasted a hole in his skull. She then did the same to the other.

The others in the cages began to panic and make noises of fear. The mare shot another round into the air. "Silence, I'm trying to talk to my friend from SkyVale here!" They all obeyed.

She turned back to me with a smile. "So sorry about this mix up, friend."

I shrugged. "Its no problem... So can I go?"

She frowned and shook her head. "Sorry, dear I'm afraid I can't do that now. Rules are rules after all. Don't worry though, you'll get a chance to get out of here. I'm actually very interested in seeing how you perform." She winked and trotted to the center of the room.

"Alright, listen up everypony!" She yelled with enthusiasm. "Welcome to the arena! My name is Lyra Heartstrings, and I will be both your ring master and audience."

"What the hell are you planning with us?" One of the stallions in a cage growled.

She pointed to him with a smile. "I'm glad you asked, good sir. You all are going to put on a little show for me. Right now there are over seventy of you, however... Only one of you will be leaving this place... You will all be facing each other... In the arena!"

The group started chattering.

"You all will be fighting each other. The winner gets freedom and a special gift from me. The loser..." She pauses for dramatic effect. "Gets death."

The chatter in the group grew, but was silenced by another shot from Lyra's weapon. "I am still talking here. I seriously do hate it when you ponies interrupt me." She composed herself and continued. "During your time here, you may roam the building if you survive your first fight. However you all may notice the collar on your necks." She gestured to her neck.

I put a hoof on my own and felt some kind of strange contraption. I hadn't noticed it until now.

"If you should leave the arena... It'll explode. The only pony that knows how to disarm it is me. And unless I punch in a code on this device every two hours, they will all explode anyways." She held out a remote as she spoke. "So if anypony has any bright ideas about escaping, I would strongly reconsider." That certainly brought the chatter in the room back. "Good luck, combatants."

Lyra started trotting away and stopped near my cage. "I am expecting great things from you, SkyVale girl. I have never seen a SkyVale resident make it down here in the ruins, let alone in the arena, I'm interested in how you'll perform."

"And if I win, then I am free?" I rose a brow.

She nodded. "I have confidence in you."

With those words she began to trot away, leaving the two fresh dead bodies on the floor.

Tangerine called me from the cell next door. "Hey, Torch."

I came to the edge of the cage so I could hear her better. "Yeah?"

"Let's work together alright? Help each other in any way we can, it’s our best chance of getting out of here." She instructed.

I nodded despite the fact she couldn't see me. "Alright, sounds good."

Several hours had passed and there we sat in our prison cells, waiting for when we were told to create bloodshed. We passed the time mostly be sitting and thinking, but I was preparing. I didn't know what kind of opponent I was going to be up against, and I wanted to be ready.

I was doing pushups, and sit ups when I got too tired to do those. I was working on a thousand sit ups when I heard the scratching on the wall next to me stop. Tangerine must have been carving something on her wall and decided now was a time to quit.

She spoke up, "Hey Torch, you curious about Heartstrings?"

I stopped my sit ups and shrugged. "Not particularly, but I wouldn't mind knowing."

She laughed. "You mean you don't care the slightest about the mare who is holding you hostage?"

"Not if it doesn't get me out of this cage faster." I replied.

"Well, I'll tell you anyways." She said.

"I'm listening." I replied as I returned to my sit ups.

"Well, I've heard stories about her through the ruins. They say she's insane, Crazy Lyra they call her. Supposedly she has run this arena for over four years now. Tons of ponies come in, few come out." Tangerine explained.

Through strained breaths I replied. "Why doesn't anypony find this place?"

"Can't. Its underground somewhere I guess. Lyra converted some old underground facility into this hell hole we're in now. Thus nopony escapes, plus the collars." She answered.

I imagined the exit to this place was probably well hidden to keep the captives from running far. Lyra clearly planned this out, or she wouldn't have been this confident.

"Guess I'll just have to win then." I said plainly.

Tangerine laughed. "You're quite determined, Torch. I haven't even seen your face yet and I'm willing to bet you look like a hardened badass."

She was far from the truth. I was quite a small girl, with a delicate figure, but the exercise I had gotten over the past few months had given me the figure of an athlete. I could run and I could jump, but combat wise I had only gotten in a few actual fights with some savages on the way here. Other than that all my experience was training.

Despite that though, I felt ready. If Lyra wanted a show, I'd give her one hell of a show.

Tangerine and I had grown somewhat close, or rather as close as two ponies could get speaking through cages and never able to see the other's face. She told me about fighting techniques she knew and how speed is better than brute strength. I had the advantage of magic, which put me a step above her in terms of abilities. She had flight though.

In terms of combat, flight is an extreme advantage. It gives an opponent the ability to move the battlefield to where you can't travel.

"I can't wait to get into that ring..." Tangerine spoke. It was almost as if she was glad we were here.

"I thought you were interested in getting out?" I questioned.

"I have my own reasons for wanting to fight. This is nothing more than a challenge to me. A challenge I intend to overcome..." She replied.

I stood up and stretched as I finished some more sit ups. "So long as you're prepared to kill your opponents."

I could hear her laugh. "I've been ready... I've been killing ponies for years now out in the ruins, this is no different. These guys are twigs compared to the brutes I've faced. I'll crush them like bugs."

One of the others in a cage across from me growled as he overheard her. "You cocky little bitch!" He shouted.

Tangerine giggled happily. "I hope I get to face you first... I want to see the look on your face before I rip it off."

The stallion took a step back in his cell and quieted down. He could see Tangerine's face, so I imagine she looked intimidating if he backed down so quickly.

"I hope you don't have to face Torch either." She commented.

I tilted my head and came to the edge to talk to her better. "Why's that?"

"I've been listening to you. You've been training in there, trying to get in top physical form. I can already tell that you're determined to win this, you're not going to let a few weaklings stand in your way to freedom. You're ready to push your body beyond its limits, I can sense it on you. You have a reason to get out of here, and that is driving you to get stronger." She explained.

I was very quiet for a moment, but then replied. "That's quite a lot to determine in a short few hours..."

She laughed. "I'm a lot more than just muscle. I'm a lot smarter than I let on."

"I'll have to remember that." I said.

"You're the same way." She remarked.

"I beg your pardon?"

She grunted before answering. "You're playing your cards close to your chest. You don't seem to trust even yourself. You don't seem to be the type to let anypony know everything you know. Smart, but not arrogant... You're a double threat, I can already tell. There must be quite a beast inside you.. I'd hate to see what your bad side looks like."

I rolled my eyes. "That's something not many see." I smirked.

"Then I may be in for a treat when I get to see you fight." She laughed.

"We'll see..." I sat down on my simple bed.

Act 2: Chapter Twenty-Nine

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 2: Chapter Twenty-Nine (The Arena Saga)

Over twenty-four hours had passed since we all awoke in the holding cells of the arena. I waited patiently for when we would be put into combat, though Tangerine was far more inpatient. The rest of the group more or less were nervous about the endeavor, with a few pumped up to get into the fight.

After an hour of meditation, I took note of a door opening and all the cells unlocking at the same time. The doors slid open and all of us stepped out of the cells almost instinctually. I took a quick look around the room and noticed only one door that we could go through. Behind me a rather large mare stepped beside me and placed a hoof on my shoulder. She was at least five times my size, and had muscles to match. She was a behemoth of a pegasus.

"So we meet face to face at last, Torch." The voice of Tangerine left this monster.

I nodded and lowered my hood.

She grinned. "You look just like I expected, a bit smaller though..." She commented.

I was very small for my age, but that did not subtract from the fact that she had a girth that would put 90% of the ponies in this room to shame. Her size was massive, and her muscle build impressive.

"How does such a large mare get a name like Tangerine?" I asked with a raised brow.

She laughed and ignored my rude question. "I was a cute little kid once. War changes ponies. Makes us stronger."

"War has changed me as well..." I looked down to the ground.

She smiled and patted my shoulder. "Its changed all of us, come on though, let's not keep Crazy Lyra waiting."

Looking back up I nodded and brought my hood back up. "Yes, let's see this arena."

The group slowly funneled through the only exit to find a long narrow hallway with many locked doors, but one at the very end with a light. A few of the ones in front stopped to try and open some of the locked doors, with no success. Part of me figured that we wouldn't be going anywhere until Lyra said we could.

Finally making it out of the hallway, we all covered our eyes as high powered fluorescent lights lit up the room. Once we adjusted to the light we all looked around to see a huge coliseum here underground, grandstands and all. At the very top was a throne made of junk and old metal scraps which Lyra rested upon with a megaphone.

Her voice filled the air. "Welcome, welcome combatants! Welcome to the arena! As it stands now there are seventy of you, however we will be cutting that number almost in half right away. Now allow me to explain why you're all here." She sat up and looked down at us all. "You're here to amuse me. You're here to prove your worth."

The group chattered but they quickly silenced as Lyra spoke again.

"Allow me to explain the rules. First off, there is no loser's bracket here. You lose, you die. Fights are to the death, and I will not tolerate mercy here. If you forfeit, you will be killed." This got a lot more talking in the group. "Fighting is only permitted in the arena. Anypony caught violating this rule will have their hoof broken for their next fight, effectively starting you at a disadvantage."

Tangerine laughed. "Looks like Lyra is keeping things interesting.”

"Now, obviously only 64 of you will be fighting tournament style, but the other six you shall be reserved for an all out brawl round which may give you the opportunity to take the lead if you're lucky." You could see a twinkle in her eyes as she spoke. "The winner gets to live and a special prize from me."

"Sounds like Lyra just loves surprises." I spoke to Tangerine who nodded.

"Your first fights will start right now, check the board on the back wall to see who you'll be fighting." Lyra gestured to the board behind us near the entrance.

We all turned around and looked to the board. I pushed my way to the front as I checked which fight I was in. Sure enough, I was fight number two against a pony named "Smasher". That name alone already implied to me he wasn't a pushover. Tangerine was in the first fight, so I wouldn't be able to see her fight until next round because Lyra had stated before we wouldn't be allowed to roam about until we won our first fight.

"Alright, looks like I get to break some bones first." Tangerine smirked as she readied her hooves.

There in my cell I was doing pull ups, trying to ready for my fight. If Smasher wanted to defeat me, he would have to overcome my endurance and speed first. My determination was stronger than his, I wasn't fighting just to live, I was fighting for a cause, a cause more just than his.

A stallion in a collar came to my cell and tapped on it to get my attention as he fiddled with some keys as he unlocked it. "Alright, you are up. Your opponent is in the arena, and I was instructed to get you next. Lyra and the winner of the first round will be watching you along with the other six not in the tournament brackets. Please follow me to the arena." He gestured for me to follow as he slid the door open.

With a nod I took a step out of my cell and began to follow behind him. He remained silent and so did I. I was ready to face this pony and show no mercy. I had to win, nothing was going to stop me.

With my guide stepping aside in front of the door to the arena he bowed his head as I trotted past him into the battlefield. I could hear whistling from the grandstands. Looking up, I noticed Tangerine, she had won her round, as expected. Now she was going to witness me winning mine.

"Ladies and Gentlecolts! We have a special treat tonight!" Lyra's voice boomed. "All the way from the locked city of SkyVale; Torch Fires!"

I could see Tangerine clapping as she sat there watching with a grin on her face.

"And her opponent... A stallion who needs little introduction... He has eaten many larger than Torch for breakfast, quite literally... A true killing machine..." Lyra kept building him up for dramatic effect. "Smasher!" She shouted as the stallion burst through an old wooden wall.

Standing upright, he had a good two to three feet on me, one of his hooves were larger than my whole skull. Ugly and fierce, he growled as he bore his chipped teeth. He had the crazed look that I had come to identify with cannibals.

"And his weapon of choice, his own teeth!" Lyra added.

He stepped into the ring only a few feet away from me as he waited for Lyra's signal. I lowered my hood to increase my vision, hoping it would aid me in this fight.

"Any last words before I devour you?" Smasher smirked.

"I'm impressed." I replied.

His stupid grin only grew. "Never seen a stallion so mighty?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm impressed you even know how to speak."

He hissed in anger as he readied himself. "Why you little shit!"

Lyra picked her megaphone back up to speak. "Alright, you know the rules. Two enter, one leaves. First one to die loses. You can not leave the arena until you kill your opponent. Winner gets to sit up here with me." She winked as she said that last part. "Alright, ready?"

I sighed and took a fighting stance to match his, except with a bit more steadiness.

"Its a shame I have to kill you now... Such a pretty little thing... Maybe if I'm lucky, Lyra will let me rape you before I kill you." Smasher chuckled.

"Tell you what... If you can pin me down, I'll let you." I replied.

He laughed. "Confident aren't you? Alright, let's do this then!"

I smiled. "You've already lost. You're overconfident."

Lyra then called out to us both. "To the death! Fight!"

Smasher wasted no time going on the attack. He lunged forward hooves ready to smash. As I expected though, he was slow and sluggish. His body was too heavy for him to move at a reasonable speed. His focus was on pure strength.

"Heh, just as I thought, you're a snail..." I mocked.

He took another swing which I dodged.

"Speed in meaningless in combat. It doesn't matter how fast you run, eventually you tire out if you have no strength and endurance." He took a bite in my direction, only for me to get out of the way.

"There is more to speed than running, its forming tactics and superior plans and techniques. Only weaklings are overcome by a barbarian like you." I lectured.

He growled and swung at me again, only to meet failure. "You should conserve your energy. Consuming so much on tactless attacks will only leave you vulnerable." I spoke.

He ignored my advice and bit at me again, and of course missed.

"Have it your way then." I grinned as I levitated an item from my bag and threw it in his direction. He groaned as it made contact.

He looked to the object to find a large needle sticking out of his shoulder. Grabbing it in his teeth he yanked it out and tossed it aside. His expression more annoyed.

"I have two hundred more of them by the way." I grinned.

"You rely on weapons to win? How pathetic..." Smasher said.

"No, I rely on tact. That was just a warning shot." I answered.

He tilted his head and I used the confusion to quickly bolt past him and throw a few more when I got behind him. A set piercing the backs of his hind legs, bringing him down to a kneel in pain. "Ahhhh!" He roared.

"You're careless. You think power is all that determines a victor. You think there's no way a small mare can beat a big tough stallion. You only think in terms of physical girth." I explained as I trotted to the front of him. "You forget so many other factors..."

He growled as he tried to move again, but the needles had him taken down to where he wasn't getting back up. "Speed, ability, and of course... Determination." I leaned in to bring my face a few inches from his as I said that last part.

"It was a pleasure fighting you, Smasher. I wish my lessons would be able to aid you, but you will not live long enough to utilize them." I sighed as I levitated another needle.

"You fucking bitch... You will die... I swear it..." Smasher hissed, still trying to inch forward to me, despite his hind hooves being taken out.

"Good bye." I replied as I thrust the final needle through his left eye, going all the way into his skull, and vanishing from sight as it entered his brain. He stopped moving and his body fell to the ground, limp. "Sorry, nothing personal..." I replied.

Sitting down to rest, I magicked all my needles back to my bag and listened to the sounds of a few claps and a cheer or two from the small group watching. Lyra spoke up again with much enthusiasm.

"Well it looks like little Torch smashed Smasher. The underdog clearly was underestimated, as promised get that flank up here little lady." She winked as she finished that sentence.

Obeying, I nodded and pulled my hood back up and jumped into the grandstands and began to ascend to the top. When I made it to her small throne, she gestured for me to sit. Shrugging, I did exactly that.

With a smile, she turned back to the stadium and shouted. "Bring in the next two combatants!"

Watching the next fight, I looked up to Lyra whom caught me out of the corner of her eye and smirked. "See something you like?"

I blinked and shook my head. "I was merely trying to figure out your angle..."

She tilted her head. "My angle?"

I nodded. "Yes, I am certain you pitted me against that brute for a reason. I am quite confident that there is something you hope to gain from these fights..."

She smiled and turned to face me. "Truth is, kid... I am placing my bets on you. I am very interested in what a pony like you is capable of. If your first fight is any kind of indicator, then my curiosity is in the right place."

So that was it, Lyra was testing me. I only hoped I could continue to pass her tests so I could get out of the arena and back on track to where I was going.

"Why does it matter to you? What reason do you have to concern yourself over my abilities?" I asked.

Lyra turned back to the fight with a smile. We sat in silence for a moment, however I decided rather than ask again, I give her a minute to think of a proper answer, as it may be the only one I was going to get.

"I guess you could say... I'm bored." She said.

Bored? Was she really doing all of this out of nothing but boredom?

"Bored?"

She nodded. "Boredom does kill you know?"

In her world, it literally did.

"Why do they call you Crazy Lyra?" I decided while I had the chance to talk to her, I'd ask all I could.

She laughed and pet my mane. "You are full of questions little Torch. Don't worry though, in due time everything will become known to you... Provided you live long enough."

"Well when you put a pony here against her will, naturally she will have many questions." I replied.

She giggled and kept her eyes on the fight. "Naturally, however you must be patient if you want answers."

I supposed that was the best I was going to get out of here, and the only justification I was given up to this point was boredom.

Act 2: Chapter Thirty

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 2: Chapter Thirty (The Arena Saga)

I sat in my cell to sleep that night. Now that the first round was over, our doors were unlocked and we were free to do as we wanted. Lyra apparently was a mare of her word, which was relaxing because it meant she would keep her promise of letting us go if we won her tournament; or at least we could hope.

I figured I would reserve my energy for the fights because it would ensure I would be in top form while my opponents were poorly rested. Being that I was smaller than most of the ponies here, and lacked actual combat experience, I needed to get every edge I could on them. Tangerine may have been able to rely on her intimidating size, but I would need to rely on superior speed and strategy.

With my eyes closed I began to think about what I would do once I got out of this place. It certainly was going to set me back a few days.

"Hey, Torch." Tangerine called.

I peaked an eye open. "Hm?"

She walked into the room and sat down on the floor near the wall opposite to me. "That was a hell of a fight today. Not a scratch on you."

I re-closed my eye and shrugged. "He was a moron."

Tangerine laughed. "You're pretty confident for such a young mare. I mean you're up against some hardened killers here, and if I recall you're just a little girl from SkyVale. What makes you so confident?"

I shrugged, unsure of how to answer.

"Alright, fair enough but I have another question..." She leaned in.

I opened my eyes and sat up a bit. "What is it?"

"Why'd you leave?" She grew a serious expression. "I mean it was paradise there. I heard many stories of ponies wasting away to get into the locked city. You were sheltered there and yet you chose to leave."

Adjusting on my bed, I yawned as I brought myself into a proper sitting position. Once I was comfortable I looked to her. "Some things are more important than being safe. Equestria needs heroes right now, I intend to answer that call."

She laughed. "So that's it? Childish notions of being a hero?"

I shook my head. "No... This great land must rebuild."

She sighed. "Another believer of that garbage then, huh?"

I tilted my head. "Do you not wish to fix this world?"

She frowned and shook her head as she grew a more somber expression. "I don't believe in that nonsense. The world is fucked up, and the world we knew is long gone. Yet some things never change..."

"Like what?" I closed my eyes and laid back down.

She leaned forward again. "Like the strong overpowering the weak. Ever after Equestria has fallen, that remains true. The strong will always topple over the weak. If you're not strong enough to defend what you have, then you won't be able to keep it for very long. Strength is necessary to keep an empire going, and Equestria just wasn't strong enough..." She sounded like she had explained this before.

Not even opening an eye, I just yawned. "You're free to think of it that way." I responded.

She seemed a bit annoyed by my attitude. "And what makes you so sure that you can fix this world? What makes you so confident that your way will change anything?" She growled

My response was simple, quiet and plain. "I have help."

"So you think that because a couple of ponies agree with you, that will change anything?" She seemed to hate this subject quite a bit.

"Not just some ponies, probably the best pony for the job..." I could see my brother's face as I said those words. I knew he was still out there, and I was going to find him. This was all just a minor setback to me.

"Sounds like those old war stories I heard about that Rainbow Dash. Valiant warrior, quite a powerhouse... But when Equestria needed her the most, she vanished." Tangerine stood up.

"What's your point?" I yawned, growing tired of this conversation.

She stepped towards the cell door and stopped for a moment with her answer. "It means that even the greatest of heroes have their limits. They can do a lot of great things, but they can't do the impossible."

I grinned as I pulled my sheet over my body. "I'm not convinced it's impossible yet."

"Wait a while then. You'll soon realize it." She remarked before exiting.

The next round of this tournament had arrived, and I was ready to meet the challenge. I had survived the first round, but that only meant that my opponent next round would be harder. Since Lyra randomized the order of the fighters every round, there was no way to even study which pony my opponent could be. They could be any of the thugs I saw win the other day.

I had spent my time prior to my second fight exploring the facility. After much wandering and a bit of lock picking I came across Lyra's quarters. It was fairly well hidden, but I hoped there was something there that could assist me in my fight. Perhaps some plans written down, or maybe a profile of all the combatants that I could study. Cheating wasn't something I normally did, but right now playing by the rules didn't seem important to me. I was more concerned about getting out of this place.

Lyra's room was needless to say very odd. The girl kept a lot of instruments scattered across the walls, along with other random items. A skeleton actually sat in a chair that she had placed a top hat upon. There were also several paintings of cannibals devouring ponies hung around her walls. This must have been what Lyra defined as "cozy".

Checking her desk I shuffled a bunch of papers aside and looked for anything of value. Nothing. Could she have just chosen us all at random without the slightest clue as to what any of us were capable of? Was I ready to submit to the idea that she literally just did all of this to have a game, and not any kind of higher purpose? I mean the evidence certainly pointed to her being insane enough.

Finally I sat down in the chair with a sigh. Looking back to the desk I noticed an old photo album just resting there. Curiously, I levitated it to myself and cracked it open.

I was looking at an old photograph of a younger Lyra giving a noogie to another young mare with a cream colored coat, and interesting purple and pink curly mane.

There were many of the two of them together. Perhaps the whole album was just pictures of these two.

The door closed and I turned quickly to see who was there. I felt the blood leave my face as I saw Lyra Heartstrings herself standing there. Her expression looked quite neutral. I remained silent.

The mare looked down to the album in my hooves and smiled as she stepped closer. "She was beautiful wasn't she?" She commented.

I looked back to the photographs. "Who is she?"

"The most gorgeous girl in the world." Lyra commented as she pulled up a chair next to me. She didn't seem to mind that I intruded in her room in the slightest.

"She is a very nice looking girl." I smiled, trying to comfort her.

Lyra reached over and turned a page and pointed to another picture. "Oh man, I was so nervous then. She probably had the nicest dress I've ever seen, and I felt like my tux was nothing in comparison..."

I glanced over the picture clearly seeing it was a wedding of some kind. Lyra taking a more masculine role with a tuxedo. It was obvious who this pony was to her.

"What was her name?" I asked, keeping my eyes on the photo.

"Bon Bon." She answered as her hoof strokes the photo.

I set the book down and looked over to the somber Lyra. "What happened to her?"

Her expression remained a smile, despite the contents of her story. Perhaps all the pain had just been drained out of her at this point. "Well, we both lived out here in the ruins for a while. We kept to this place right here where nopony would bother us."

I leaned back in my chair. "So what happened?"

She sighed. "Well, the ruins aren't a very peaceful place. Eventually we were out scavenging, and a group of savages surrounded us. Bon Bon suggested we split into two directions to get back home. It'd be harder for them to follow both of us." She closed the photo album. "Sure enough, they all bolted after her and let me go. I was in better shape, so she was the easier catch... I lost her that day..."

I remained silent, just looking at her. She stood up and stretched, still not an ounce of sadness on her breath. "And since there's no getting her back, all I have to do now is toy with would-be wasteland idiots. It brings me amusement."

I grinned. "And that amusement fills the void?"

She shook her head. "Oh no, Miss Fires. Nothing can fill that void, this is merely a form of entertainment."

She trotted behind my chair and placed her hooves upon my shoulders. "While I do enjoy the company, I am going to have to ask you to stay out of my private quarters from now on. Next time if I catch you in here, I'll kill you. I hope we understand each other." She grinned as I saw her face in the mirror in front of us.

I nodded in response.

"I'm looking forward to your next fight. I'd hate to see such a pretty thing like you ripped apart, so try not to die on me?" She grinned.

"That will not be an issue." I stood up and headed for the door.

"What makes you so determined?" She called out.

I paused only a foot from the door. "Let's just say I understand how you feel about Bon Bon, because I too have some pony important that I fight for."

She nodded. "This is by far the most interesting tournament I have held. Better than last week's for sure."

Last week? She was holding these every week?

"How often do you hold these tournaments?" I questioned.

"Hmmm..." She leaned back in thought. "Well this is about the two hundredth one... So around 4 years since I started I'd wager."

Two hundred tournaments? That was a new one almost every week. If she had the same amount of combatants every time that meant she had killed thousands in these competitions.

"You're pretty small for a pony who thinks she's going to win..." Lyra changed the subject.

I grinned as I placed a hoof on the doorframe. "Dynamite can come in any sized box."

"Then I look forward to watching you explode." She winked.

"Don't tempt me." I replied.

Round two was here at long last. I had skipped out of observing other fights in favor of more training. I was going to win today, and while my opponent was sure to rely on brute force, I would use speed and agility to overcome. Superior tactics was sure to grant me the victory.

Entering the arena, I looked around as the crowd was filled with all the other combatants, ready to scope out what I could do. I tried to look for which one was missing, but that would become apparent to me in a moment anyways.

Lyra's voice roared over her megaphone. "Once again, the little flower from SkyVale enters the arena! Originally thought to be the underdog, she returns to this arena after an amazing fight with Smasher, where she didn't even get a scratch on her!" The crowd started chattering as not many had actually seen that fight. "So let's make things interesting..." Lyra smirked.

The gates began to open for my opponent. I readied my stance.

"Introducing... Fang Tooth the invincible!" Lyra yelled.

A fierce looking stallion jumped out of the gate covered in some kind of body armor. His mane was tattered and destroyed, matching his grey lifeless coat. His most prominent feature however were his teeth, which appropriately named were fangs. I took note of his wings; they resembled those of a bat. This creature was a noctril; I had heard of them before. Supposedly ponies from the north whom came to Equestria pledging loyalty to Princess Luna many centuries ago, though they often remained unseen by most. Creatures of isolation.

"Pretty arrogant giving yourself a title like 'The Invincible' don't you think?" I levitated a needle as I spoke.

He grinned as he readied himself.

I supposed he wasn't much of a talker.

"Ready... Fight!" Lyra screamed.

The moment Lyra called out the command, Fang tossed something onto the ground, and all the lights began to flicker. Within the next few seconds, they all went dark, and we were all sitting in pitch black.

Quickly I casted a light spell to emit some light from my horn. Fang was nowhere to be seen.

Clever, he would keep this fight in the dark so all my magic would be focused on seeing what was going on. No doubt that those strange eyes of his allowed him to see in the dark too.

I felt wind whiz by me as I just narrowly escaped an attack of his.

"So, you understand tactics win a fight and not just strength?" I asked.

No response, as expected.

With my magic focused on keeping around me illuminated, that meant combat was going to be close quarters. A disadvantage to me, as it was clear he had a bit of size over me. However his mistake was assuming that I could not defend myself in close combat.

"What a turn of events!" Lyra spoke out. "It looks like Fang is using the old technique of darkness. Will it be enough to take down little Torch though?" She was clearly enjoying this all too much.

I grinned as I already thought of a plan. I turned out my light and closed my eyes. No doubt he could see me standing and thought I was a sitting duck.

My ears kept me on alert. I listened for the direction he was coming from, and once I heard him bolt forward, I opened my eyes and allowed a wall of fire to rise in front of myself which halted him, only burning his hoof. He grunted and held the burned hoof.

"It looks like Torch is getting creative on how she illuminates the battlefield, clever girl." Lyra called out.

I got a good look at his face. He was a murderer, there wasn't a bit of regret in his eyes, I could already tell he could kill and feel nothing at all. To him, this was just another regular challenge. It was a typical day on his part.

With the fire lighting my way and my magic free again, I levitated a few more pins and quickly knotted a few pieces of cloth to them, and added a little bit of alcohol (courtesy of Tangerine) as Fang darted back into the darkness to prepare for another attack. Once I heard him coming, I quickly got on the other side of the wall of fire and hurled the pins through it.

They caught fire, and two of them were direct hits, getting him in the shoulders. However their goal was not to immobilize him, but to put a homing beacon on him. With the flaming needles attached to him, I bolted towards him with another needle in hoof.

The light from the fire on him, made it so when he went into the darkness again, he was still visible to me. He didn't catch onto this fast enough as I had already caught up to him and dived towards him.

Taking him by surprise I drove a needle into his neck with my hoof. He struggled but carefully I levitated another one. I hovered in over his head for a moment and positioned it to his ear.

"Sorry." I said as I drove the needle into his ear. He gasped for a moment but fell still.

The needle pierced his brain, no doubt and ended him quickly.

I stood up over the corpse and tapped it with my hoof to make sure he wasn't going to get back up.

No response. He was dead.

With the flick of my horn, I light up the arena by lighting a bunch of old torches surrounding it.

Lyra grinned and leaned in with excitement. "What a turn of events! The SkyVale mistress conquers again. What a very pleasing performance too."

I turned away and slowly made my way out of the arena, not interested in seeing anymore fights. With Fang Tooth dead, that meant I was in the final eight, along with a one in eight chance of being in the battle royale round. It wouldn't make a slight bit of difference though, because I was going to win.

Act 2: Chapter Thirty-One

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 2: Chapter Thirty-One (The Arena Saga)

Walking with Lyra I explored the facility at her side. She had decided to accompany me while I fed my curiosity about this place between fights. I had won my third round and thus came into the final four in the semi-finals, so I was one of ten who remained alive after almost three days of this place. By the end of today though, there would be only two left.

"How did you and Bon Bon find this place?" I questioned as Lyra kicked an old soda machine, getting a decade old can to fall out.

"Bon Bob's dad used to work for the government. It used to be a center they used before the cataclysm. It was more or less abandoned for a few years by the time we got here, but we figured with its location we wouldn't get many visitors." She gripped the can and used her magic to pop it open.

She offered me a sip, which I declined. Shrugging, she took a swig herself and grimaced a little. "Eh, lost a lot of carbonation over the years..."

I changed the subject. "Hey, would you happen to know about the Knights of Celestia?"

She blinked and lowered her drink. "What do you want to know about that for?"

"I intend on joining them when I get out of here." I explained.

She laughed. "So sure about your victory then? Shouldn't you be focusing on the fight?"

I shook my head. "I can beat any of those idiots, I'm not too worried about it. My brother is waiting for me, and I plan on getting to him as fast as I can. I haven't seen him in almost a year, so if you have anything that can get me to the knights faster, I would appreciate it."

She looked me over and then nodded. "Yeah, okay." She said before sitting down on a nearby bench. I did the same. "They're supposedly west of here. Probably a three day walk, but if you take the old minecart system just in the caves outside of here, you can make it in a day. It should still have power."

I smiled at this news. "Really? That's great!"

She giggled at my reply. "Your brother sounds like quite the guy if you're willing to do all this to get to him."

"My brother is a hero." I grinned.

"Heroes are overrated." Lyra winked.

"I know that Flare is out there doing great things right now. He may be a little nerve-racked half the time, but Flare never backs down when he sets his mind to something. Mostly because it doesn't happen often. A lot of the time, he avoids committing to anything because he has no drive for it." I smiled as I thought of my elder brother. "But when he said he was coming down here to Equestria, he had a look of determination that I had never seen on his face before. He was more adamant about coming to this place than I have ever seen him. That's how I know he's changing the world right now." I bragged.

Lyra grinned a little and nodded. "I'm not really concerned about that kind of crap really. For all I care we could just keep living like we are now and I'll be content. I'm not one for politics, and Equestria can stay fallen for all I care."

She certainly was cynical about the situation.

"You don't ever wish for more?" I asked. "Don't you ever want more out of this life than you're currently getting? Surely there is more to Lyra Heartstrings than this arena."

She stood up and winked. "Or maybe not. Maybe Lyra Heartstrings is a simple girl, with simple pleasures."

"Sounds depressing." I replied.

"No, your way sounds depressing. My expectations will always be met, and thus I'll always be happy. You however ask for the impossible and I am certain you'll be filled with discontent when you don't get it." She flicked her tail and tapped my cheek with it. "You expect too much out of the world."

I shook my head as I brushed my cheek where her tail hit. "I don't expect anything, I make things happen."

"Some may call that arrogance." She responded.

"And I would tell them that I don't care." I replied.

"You really love him don't you?" Lyra paused.

I blinked and shook my head. "To be honest, I don't even know what love is."

"So Torch, you told me before about how you had a son, right?" Tangerine questioned as she watched me do sit ups.

I grunted before I replied. "Yeah, what of it?"

"Where is he?" She was quiet about her question, as if she already knew it was a sensitive subject.

I sat up and stopped my exercise as I turned to her direction. "Back in SkyVale, why?"

"Are you going to get him back ever?" Tangerine kept her eyes locked on me.

I shook my head as I returned back to my sit ups, speaking between strained breaths. "Can't. SkyVale doesn't let any who leave back into the city; besides, he has a mother now. I can't just show up later and expect him to recognize me as his mother after somepony else raises him."

Her brow rose. "You gave him up? Just like that?"

I sat up again and gave her a serious expression. "I gave him up because she could give him a better life than me. I'm still a kid, and I know nothing about parenting. My mother and father were outside the city when the war happened. They were only gone for a few hours, but they probably died in the cataclysm. Flare and me raised ourselves from then on. I've been taking care of myself since I was a little girl. The stallion who is supposed to be his father left the city when he found out I was pregnant. What could I possibly teach my son about love? He is better off not knowing who his real mother is, maybe then he can grow up with love in his life." I sighed as I explained.

"That's still not a very solid reason." Tangerine commented.

I nodded. "There was another reason too."

The mare leaned in. "And that is?"

"Equestria needs me. It needs ponies who want to fix it. There are ponies out here suffering, and begging for somepony to save them. Begging for somepony to bring light to this dark world. I had to answer that call, my son would understand when he gets older. I had to make the choice to use my life to help as many ponies as possible." I said.

Tangerine smiled. "That's pretty noble, foolish, but noble. I'm sure he'd be proud though. Hell if my mom was half the woman you are, then maybe I'd have turned out differently."

"I'm hardly his mom, just an egg donor." I remarked with a smirk.

"Virginity is overrated anyways." Tangerine winked.

"Its not a concern to me. I relinquished everything that didn't matter when I left SkyVale. I only care now about accomplishing my goal. I didn't care what happens to me or what I have to do to reach my goal. If I must step over dead bodies in the arena, then so be it. I'll crush any who stand in my way. Nothing will prevent me from getting to Flare." I gave her a look of determination.

"Heh... You certainly are ruthless." Tangerine laughed.

I trotted to the sink and splashed some water on my face.

"If they stand in my way, yes." I replied.

The next round was starting soon, and I was ready to take down any they threw at me. Trotting into the arena I grinned as I saw Lyra watching my every step. It was obvious she expected an excellent performance out of me.

"Well, we are here at the semi-finals with Torch Fires..." She paused as she lowered her megaphone and grinned. "And it’s time for the battle royale round! Seven ponies, one victor who gets to enter the finals!"

I blinked as I listened. Was she reserving this round for me purposely?

Bursting through the other gates, the other six combatants jumped into the arena, each more fierce than the last. All male, and all giant in comparison to myself. Each had a blood thirsty expression as they all circled me chuckling.

"Hey, Brick." One of them said as he kept his eyes locked on me during their circling.

"What do you want, Tack?" Another brute responded.

"I know this is a battle royale, but what do you say to taking a few turns with the girl?" He grow a devious grin as he licked his lips.

Another chimed in. "Amen to that. If we're going to die, let's get some action in before that. If we all hold her down, we can take turns with her before we kill her."

I rolled my eyes. "Can you ogres think with anything besides your cocks?"

"Feisty, I like that... Pretty little thing too..." A fourth one who had been silent up to this point said.

I could already see the folly of their plan, they were going to focus on catching me to the point where they'd be clumsy. I could already tell I had speed and intelligence over them.

Lyra's voice echoed as she gave the orders. "Ready!" The group all took a battle stance; I however just lowered my hood. "Fight!"

The group lunged forward, to which I rose a wall of fire around myself, making them all back off. Fire was my greatest asset, and I intended to use it to my full advantage.

One of them laughed. "You can't hide in there forever!" He pointed out.

Sure enough I flung a needle in the direction his voice came from. I could hear a grunt as it made contact.

"You little bitch!" He growled as he pulled the needle out.

"So she has some fight in her..." That time it was Tack's voice.

I hurled another in the direction of his voice, and sure enough another hit. He hissed as I heard him remove the needle and toss it to the ground. "Keep quiet, she is using sound to attack us. Just keep still until her energy drops so she has to come out of her barrier." Tack instructed.

Shortly after, all their movement stopped. It indeed was impossible to tell where to attack next, but I was far from out of tricks. I pushed the walls of fire outward sending it in every direction, burning all of them and pushing them back.

Lyra was getting excited from watching. "Just look at little Torch holding her own against all those boys! What talent! Perhaps her cutie mark should have to do with ass kicking?"

I rolled my eyes at the praise. It was good to see that Lyra still thought of this all as a game.

Unfortunately, my attack was far from enough to end any of them, but it certainly angered them. "You little fucker... I'll cut your horn off before I fuck you!" One of them called out.

"Come get me, boys." I winked as I leapt into the air and spun, hurling needles in every direction I could.

They all backed up, but sustained a few hits as they tried to dodge the assault. Coming down gracefully, I flicked my cloak out of the way as I threw another needle with my hoof through the skull of one of the other nameless savages. The others looked in shock as he fell and watched as the blood sprayed out of the new opening on his head.

"One down, five more to go." I grinned as I brandished another needle in my hoof.

The others all took a step back and looked to each other. Clearly it was starting to connect that their plan of going all out on me was not going to be successful. It also became evident that they also realized they would need to slay each other to get out of here, and their short alliance was breaking.

One of them drew a blade on his hoof and growled as he darted towards me. Quickly, I teleported out of the way, and his blade instead met another stallion in the ring who growled in agony.

"Why you-!" The wounded stallion took a punch at his accidental attacker, and the two soon broke out into a brawl.

Before we knew it, two of the other three began to lock hooves in a struggle. The last one I grinned at and gestured for him to approach me. "Looks like its you and me, ugly." I said.

He growled as he readied himself, taking a powerful stance. "I'm sorry that I have to kill you." I added.

With a snarl he bolted to the left, hoping to surprise me, however I tossed a needle that way and got him right in the neck.

"Gah! Son of a-" He gripped his neck in pain as he felt blood trickle down his torso. Not wasting a great opportunity, I tossed another through his ear. No doubt it pierced his brain. I had studied pony anatomy before I left SkyVale. I tried my best to learn the body's weak points so I knew how to exploit them in combat.

Watching the other three fight (one apparently had been killed during the struggle while I was occupied with my own fight) I sighed and shook my head. They foolishly had forgotten I was there while they brawled.

I levitated a few needles and lined up my shots. I would need to hit them perfectly if I hoped to take them down quickly. Their massive size meant that skull penetration would be difficult.

Waiting for the right moment, I saw one of them turn just enough to where I could see his eyes. Taking my chance, I tossed one directly at him.

It was the perfect shot, right through the eye. The penetration was perfect as well, because he collapsed without so much as a scream.

The pony whom had been taking a punch from him turned to look towards me, and sure enough, he received the second needle through the opposite eye. Once again, I watched as the station fell.

The final stallion looked to me with a scowl. He was the last obstacle, but fortunately he looked significantly weaker than the other two.

"Just you and me then?" He grinned as he took a step forward.

Before he had a chance to speak again, I teleported behind him and hurled a needle into the back of his hind leg. The blow brought him down as I bolted in front of him and tossed another through his face. It happened too quickly for him to even wince in pain.

As he fell in front of my hooves, I stepped over his body and stood at the center of the arena on full display as I looked around to make sure none of them got back up.

Not to much surprise, but they all laid there in the dirt.

Lyra rose up from her chair and clapped before raising her megaphone. "Little Torch has conquered once again! Looks like she'll be making it to the finals! I must say, I'm impressed."

My attention however was not on Lyra, instead it was on the orange mare sitting in the grandstands below her.

Tangerine and I stared each other down, now fully accepting something that I knew the both of us had neglected to even think about when we first met a few days ago. That being, we would need to face each other to get out of here, and only one of us would be leaving.

There was no doubt that Tangerine was not going to let her emotions stop her, and I certainly could not let mine stand in my way either.

The truth of it was that only one of us could win this fight, and it had to be me. I had to come out victorious, or I'd never make it to Flare. It wasn't going to be easy either, as no doubt Tangerine had been watching all my fights, and studied how I do battle. She probably thought she knew an opening or flaw in my strategies at this point. There was one thing she didn't know though; I had not exhausted every move in my arsenal yet. I had a feeling she was counting on seeing all I was capable of, thus why I purposely reserved some attacks to use specifically on her.

Lyra interrupted both of our thought as she yelled again. "I suggest you both get some rest; tomorrow you both enter the final round, and decide who will be leaving the arena a champion, and who will be leaving in a body bag."

I was hardly even listening to what the mare was saying as I kept my eyes locked on Tangerine, who returned the glare with her powerful eyes.

There was no doubt; this was going to be probably the hardest fight I had endured since I came to the ruins, and maybe my entire life up to this point. No doubt that Tangerine would not fall for the same tricks and traps that my previous enemies did. She was a lot smarter, and a lot stronger. No doubt that she could take a few hits before she went down.

"Torch..." She spoke loud enough so I could hear her in the grandstand.

I stood still and said nothing.

"Give me your best fight." She nodded as she began to trot away back to her sleeping area, I assumed. My eyes stayed locked on her until she was out of sight.

I nodded in return as I began to gather up my needles. I intended to do exactly that; give her one hell of a fight.

Act 2: Chapter Thirty-Two

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 2: Chapter Thirty-Two (The Arena Saga)

The final day in the arena approached. It was the quietest day this building had seen since I arrived. With only three living ponies left in the entire facility, it was no wonder though. Part of me questioned what was done with the corpses that were collected over the events of the tournament. I never saw any pony come in and dispose of them, nor did I see them anywhere else after the fights; just some old blood stains on the walls. I imagined that their collars were recycled for the next set of unlucky victims.

The fight was placed at the end of the day, so Tangerine and myself were permitted to enjoy our final day in this arena (and alive for one of us) as we pleased. Naturally, we avoided each other, as we had silently agreed not to meet anywhere but in the ring.

Part of me suspected that this was all part of Lyra's game; that she purposely placed Tangerine and myself in the brackets we were in so we'd be forced to fight each other in the end. Considering she saw me as some kind of strange test up to this point, it was not an unfair assessment. Lyra clearly saw amusement in seeing how I react to situations she creates.

I spent the start of my day wandering the building with Lyra herself.

Lyra seemed to be in an exceptionally giddy mood today as well. Her step had a bit more bounce in it, and she seemed to sway happily as she walked.

"Somepony seems excitable..." I commented.

Lyra was almost in a sing song when she answered. "I'm always in a good mood when I know a good show is going to be put on."

I rolled my eyes. "I just can't wait to get out of here."

Lyra grinned. "Still confident that you can beat her?"

I nodded. "Tangerine may be strong, but I know I can bring her down. As much as I don't wish to harm the only pony who has been a friend to me since I got here..."

Lyra blinked and stopped in her tracks. "You would kill her just like that?"

I looked to the teal mare with a look of seriousness. "If she stands in my way of getting to Flare, then I have no choice. Nothing is going to stop me, not her, not you, not Celestia herself. I've come too far to fail now."

She smiled. "Say, why do you wear that cloak?" It was an odd subject change.

"I could ask you the same about that tuxedo." I smirked

She laughed. "The ring master has to look presentable, right?"

It was disturbing to think that she thought of this all like it was the circus.

"I wear this cloak to conceal myself. I want my saddle case hidden so that nopony knows what I'm carrying. The element of surprise is key. It also hides my vibrant colors a bit more." I explained.

Lyra nodded again and grinned. "You're quite the strategist then. How did such a cute young lady become such a survival expert?"

"Necessity is the mother of all invention." I shrugged.

She laughed. "No, seriously, why are you this way?"

I sat down and lowered my hood, letting my mane fall in front of my eye. Brushing it aside, I sighed. "I had decided when Flare left that I'd chase after him. From then on, my life became nothing but training to prepare for this journey. I put everything else aside... Even my own son..."

Lyra leaned in. "You're a bit too young to have a child don't you think?"

I nodded. "Before I realized my destiny, I was a foolish filly thinking she knew what love was. Now I realize that love has no place in my life."

"A mare of destiny then." Lyra teased.

"And what about you? What kind of things do you think await you in your future?" I looked to her as I brought the subject onto her.

She shrugged. "Half the fun is not knowing."

"Uncertainty always makes me uneasy..." I admitted.

Lyra laughed. "Yet you made a trip down into Hell to chase a boy. For all you know he could have been picked off by a savage in his first few hours."

"Flare may be cautious, but he wouldn't be done in that easily. He's out there right now, and he needs my help. He doesn't want me in danger because I'm his little sister, but I'm not a filly anymore. I'm ready to do what it takes to stand by him and fight for Equestria." I spoke.

Lyra levitated an instrument out of her bag and began to practice with it. "Quite the Pipedream." She said as she strummed a few strings on the instrument that shared her name.

"You're the second one to tell me that." I replied.

She strummed a few more times. "Then why not turn back and listen? Spare your own life, and save yourself the disappointment."

I grinned. "Because you're wrong. I will conquer this arena, and I will march to Canterlot, slaying any who stand in my way. Then I shall find my brother and the knights, and together we'll fix this broken world."

Lyra just rolled her eyes. "Wait a while, you'll soon see that the world down here isn't as magical as you think it is. You were locked up in that floating steel ball for so long that there is no way you can comprehend how cruel this ruined world is. There is a reason we call them the ruins, you know?"

I shrugged. "You're free to give up, but I won't."

Lyra chuckled. "I already have a plan to get away from this hell hole. I just need time is all."

My attention turned to her. "What do you mean?"

She grinned and winked. "It's a secret."

I rolled my eyes and turned back to the wall. "Figures... You're always full of mysteries..."

She grew quiet for a moment and brushed her long mane out of her face. "They say there are other worlds out there. Places where the darkness has never touched, places where the creatures are very different from you and I."

She sounded like she had thought about this before.

"Sounds like a pipedream." I mocked.

"I'll find that world one day... I'll leave this place behind and live a better life there... Ever since Bon Bon died..." She paused and looked down. "Well, there's nothing waiting for me here. I have no desire to return Equestria, because even if I did, there would be nothing there waiting for me..."

"Take a girl's love, and you've left her with nothing to lose..." I commented.

"Either way, I'll leave this place someday..." She looked up as she trailed on and strummed at her instrument some more. "Escape to another world... It sounds so simple... So wonderful... I'll climb out of this hell and when I set my hoof upon the surface I'll be born again. Such a beautiful idea..."

I nodded and stood up. "Well, I'll work on the world we already have before I go looking for another one."

She nodded. "You hold sentiment to this old rock. That'll change eventually. Once you see how cruel the world can be, you'll realize it isn't looking out for you, like you are for it."

"We shall see." I replied.

The time of the fight finally came. The last battle that I would see in the arena was here, and I was one of the two final participants. The other, the only mare who had befriended me in this forgotten patch of dirt that ponies once called Equestria. I couldn't say I was looking forward to this event, but I knew I could not avoid it.

"Alright, ponies. You know the rules, first one to kick the bucket is the loser. The winner gets to leave here and take a very special gift from me with them. I want to see your best fight, so be sure to amuse me." Lyra called out.

I stared Tangerine down, our eyes locked in a powerful stand off. I had already decided I was going to keep my cloak and hood up to conceal my weapon handling. Some may see it as disrespectful to my friend, but I could not let anything stop me, not even her. I would need every advantage I could get.

"Torch... I am sorry that I have to kill you now... It's just... My little brother... He's out there without me... He needs me or he won't survive." Tangerine spoke slowly, as if afraid to say too much.

"You never told me about that before..." I rose a brow.

She nodded. "The truth is, that I was brought here when I was on a hunt to bring back food to our shelter... He's probably at home, afraid right now... He's in danger. Any savages could come and kill him while I'm not there to protect him..."

I shrugged as I readied myself to fight. "Everypony has to learn to fend for themselves sooner or later." I replied.

She nodded. "True, but I have a soft spot for him. I'd never forgive myself if I let something happen to him... That's why I'm going to kill you today." The large mare got in her stance.

I sighed and shook my head. "You're overconfident. Let me explain something to you... I have come a long way to reach Flare, and I won't let anypony stop me... Not you, or Celestia, the savages of the wasteland, anypony! I will make it to him, and any who stand in my way will meet death; you're no exception to that. I don't want to fight you, but if you are an obstacle to getting to Flare..." I lowered my head ready to attack. "Then I'll show no mercy."

"Then let's see what you're made of little mare..." Tangerine grinned as she bolted forward.

Dodging her was simple. It was just as I predicted, she was sluggish and her muscles made moving difficult. Sure she could fly, but it wasn't about to do her much good if I could dodge anything she threw at me.

"Hold still and I'll kill you quickly!" She growled as she skidded to a halt.

I raised a hoof and gestured for her to come to me. Obeying, she jumped towards me, only for me to leap into the air and land behind her. Frantically, she peeked around trying to find me. "What the...?"

"Over here." I replied.

My call got her attention as she hissed. "Now just stay there!" She took a swing with her mighty hoof, only for me to take a step back, just narrowly dodging it.

With another advance she took a swing, but was met by a barrier I had placed in front of her made of fire. Trotting backwards she tried to get around it to find another wall go up.

"You can't fight me directly can you? Have to rely on cheap tricks to get me, huh?" She grinned as she jumped right through the wall of fire, and landed on the other side unscathed.

She approached slowly as she kept her eyes locked on me.

"You're just going to stay on the defensive aren't you? You can never win if you don't attack, you know that? You'll be a-" She was cut off by a quick hoof swing by me, hurling a needle directly into her skull. The throw was strong enough to penetrate her thick head, and go right between her eyes.

I watched carefully, but as expected, her large body fell limp and lifeless to the ground as blood trickled from the new opening.

I took myself out of my battle stance and whispered. "Sorry..."

I could hear a slow clap in the stands. I looked up to see Lyra applauding as she watched me. "It's just as I expected... You truly are one hell of a warrior. An example of what determination can truly do."

I didn't respond, instead I just kept my eyes on her.

Lyra had lead me to the exit of the facility only moments after the fight, as it was my first request. I was not interested in staying in this place even a minute longer. There was nothing else here that I cared about, not after being forced to kill Tangerine. Even if I knew it was coming, it still hit me fairly hard. Despite that though, I needed to move forward.

Lyra paused in front of an old metal door. Reaching into her bag she offered a scrap of paper. "Here, this is an old map of the ruins I nabbed off of a savage a while ago. It'll guide you to Canterlot a lot faster." She dangled a small silver object as well. "Also this compass may help, provided you know how to navigate."

I took both of them and placed them in my saddle case with a confused expression. "You're actually letting me go...?"

She nodded. "I'm a mare of my word. You won fair and square. However part of me is sad to see you go, I felt like I actually connected with you. If you're ever nearby, be sure to stop in." She winked.

I rolled my eyes. "No offense, but I doubt I'll be stopping here ever again."

She laughed. "Yeah, that's understandable."

I smiled briefly. "I should thank you though, you allowed me to test my determination. Now I'm certain nothing will stop me."

Lyra stepped forward and placed her hooves on my neck. "Here, I'll take this off of you..."

She fiddled with the collar and seconds later it fell to the floor.

"Thanks, I suppose this is goodbye then?" I bowed a bit.

"Not quite, I have your prize." She grinned.

I had completely forgotten about the prize she promised. More than likely because I wasn't interested in it. However I figured I would hear her out since I was already here and a few seconds wasn't going to stall me anymore. "I'm not one for gifts..."

She laughed. "You'll like this one."

Reaching into her bag, she retrieved an interesting device with two straps on it. It appears to have some kind of barrel and a retracting blade. She gestured for me to hold out my hoof, which I did.

With her magic, she fastened it to my left hoof and grinned. "I noticed you were a lefty when I saw you hold the needles. This should prove far more effective than them."

I held the device up and examined the white blade. It was some kind of shining metal I had never seen before. "What is it?"

"A proper weapon. We call them gunblades down here, but this isn't any ordinary run-of-the-mill gunblade." She grinned.

"What's so special about it?" My eyes continued to examine the fine craftsmanship.

"This blade is enchanted with magic, it can cut fast enough to create sonic booms if used correctly. Be very careful with it." She boasted.

I liked the sound of this. "What's a gun though?" I asked.

"It fires metal projectiles from far away at amazing speeds. Kills enemies fast. You really were cooped up in SkyVale for a long time. Normally the military operates them using U.M.S.A.s, but since you're a unicorn that won't be necessary." She explained.

I wasn't sure what a U.M.S.A. was, but I just nodded in understanding to get out of this place faster.

"So if I keep heading this way, then I'll reach Canterlot?" I changed the subject.

She nodded. "And I'm sure that a bad ass like you will fit right in. I hear stories in the ruins about how mighty their warriors are. Occasionally a few savages will run into them on their recon missions, and well... Let's just say they regretted bumping into the Knights. However after seeing what you can do, they may need to be afraid of you. I've never seen them fight though."

"Why are you helping me so much?" I rose a brow.

She shrugged. "You're trying to find somepony dear to you, I guess I kind of sympathize with that. You better run to him quick, after all, every second counts out here."

I took a step towards the door, but paused, turning my head to see Lyra again.

"Come with me." I smiled.

Lyra blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

"There's nothing out here. Come with me to Canterlot. I can bring you to a better life, anything is better than here, right?" I offered.

The teal mare just laughed and shook her head. "Sorry, my place is here. There's even less waiting for me in Canterlot. Don't worry, I'll find my escape eventually."

"Do you really think there is another world out there?" I gave her a serious look.

She nodded. "There has to be, how else do you explain the fact that we can not explain where we came from? Everything had to start somewhere and since life is continuous, we must have come from somewhere, right?"

I supposed she had a point.

"Good bye, Lyra Heartstrings... It was... interesting..." I gave a weak smile.

"May your travels be safe, Ms. Fires. If we never meet again, I will say that I shall not be forgetting you anytime soon." Lyra responded.

"Very well then. Good bye." I nodded as I placed my hoof on the door.

Listening to it unlock, I pushed it open and stepped through it onto the staircase behind it. Once I had all four hooves on the other side, the door shut and locked behind me. I only caught a brief glimpse of Lyra before that happened. Deciding it was best to keep moving I ascended up the stairs, moving quickly to get out of this place.

It must have taken five straight minutes of running to get to the very top, but once I had made it I burst through the final doors to see dirt on the ground. Coming closer I realized I was outside again. Lyra had kept her word. I had never thought I'd be so happy to see the ruined world again.

I had done it, I had climbed over the bodies and out of the arena unharmed. Looking at the map and compass that Lyra had given me, I realized that now was the time to make haste to Canterlot. I had already wasted enough time. Once I knew which direction I was heading, I rolled up my map and cased my compass before bolting in that direction. Nothing was going to stop me now, and if any savages stood in my way, I had a new toy to test out on them.

"Here comes Torch Fires!" I grinned as I ran towards the last stronghold of Equestria.

Act 2: Chapter Thirty-Four

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 2: Chapter Thirty-Four (The Soldier Saga)

The first day of training started with being told to get right out of bed and run five miles around the city. Vinyl woke us all up with an airhorn in the early hours of the morning, and a good thirty minutes before she said we would be awoken. No doubt because she was trying to get us used to the whole "the enemy doesn't follow the rules" mentality she clearly was trying to promote.

"Come on, my mother runs faster than that you shit stains!" Vinyl screeched at the group whom were struggling to make the whole run.

I however was making great time, and managed to finish a lap before the rest of the group. Vinyl checked her time and gave an annoyed expression. "Cuntface! You run fast, you planning on going AWOL the moment the action happens?"

I shook my head. "Ma'am, no ma'am."

"Then explain to me why you are lapping your fellow maggots? Why are they eating your shit sandwich?" She rose a brow.

"Ma'am, you told me to run fast and take no breaks, ma'am!" I saluted as I started to gain my energy back.

"You think I'm impressed, Cuntface? Well I am not! Any worthless fucker can run with their tail between their legs, now drop and give me one hundred push ups and I want to see you kiss the dirt, Cuntface!" She hissed.

Once again I saluted before dropping to perform the exercise.

Vinyl nodded, annoyed she trotted over to talk to Twilight whom had come by to oversee the training. The two saluted each other before conversing. My sensitive hearing allowed me to overhear what was being discussed.

"I want your analysis by the end of the week. Tell me what we're dealing with here. Maybe we'll actually get lucky." Twilight said.

"Maybe... But it not like we can just craft another Rainbow Dash. Without her... We may not be able to stop the darkness... We defeated Trixie, but all we may have really done is buy ourselves some more time before we are wasted for real." Vinyl replied.

Twilight sighed and patted the mare's shoulder. "Just get me that analysis and don't leave out any details. I want a full report..."

Vinyl nodded. "You got it, One-Eye."

Twilight scoffed before taking her leave.

Vinyl and Twilight watched a very energetic Torch taking a fitness test behind a one way mirror. Twilight had just approached as Vinyl had been watching the whole time diligently. Her red eyes had not left Torch since she entered the room.

Twilight turned to Vinyl. "So, do you have my report?"

Vinyl nodded with a grin, still watching Torch. "Oh, I've got one. You're going to love this too." The mare levitated a folder to Twilight who began checking the contents over.

"She's fast, and agile. She not only surpassed the tests, she got the highest scores I've ever seen. Her fitness results are excellent, her combat abilities are outstanding for a mare of such little experience, and her drive is unrelenting. It seems as though nothing stops her." Vinyl smirked.

Twilight looked at a few of the papers inside the folder. "Incredible... But how?"

Vinyl smiled again. "I've seen that look in her eyes before. I've seen it on myself. She is driven to go all the way. She doesn't care about what happens to herself, and that's what makes her so strong. She welcomes death, and she has determination that can't be shaken. There is a monster inside of her."

"Do you think she'll be enough... I mean enough to change the tide of the battle...?" Twilight bit her lip, a bit in disbelief.

Vinyl rolled her eyes. "You seem to bet your battles on one soldier quite often."

Twilight gave a scowl. "I bet on what has the highest probability of success. Unfortunately when I am only given a choice between five percent and ten percent I am forced to place my bet on one soldier. Its not much, but I'll take every single advantage I can get my hooves on."

Vinyl grew quiet as she looked back through the glass at Torch. Memories of her time in Cloudsdale resurfaced. "Sometimes that's not always wise..." She commented.

Twilight rolled her eyes and turned to take her leave. "I didn't ask for your opinion. Now get that mare finished with training for today and tomorrow bring her to the royal guardian hall."

Vinyl turned in shock. "You mean...?"

The purple unicorn nodded in response. "Yes, now see to it she makes it on time."

Vinyl watched carefully as Twilight left. Her thoughts still fell back on the mysterious cloaked pony she had encountered in Cloudsdale. She knew that the same pony was the one responsible for Flare's death. She recognized the puncture wound. Small and thin, just like that mare's blade. Nopony else would use such a small weapon unless they were an assassin. What were the odds though that another assassin was roaming the ruins? It had to be the same one.

The part that bothered her the most though is why she took nothing. Instead, Flare's body was left completely unlooted and Rainbow's sword was delivered to Canterlot anonymously. Could they have delivered it for Flare? Why though? Did somepony take it from them then deliver it? No, who could possibly have taken it from such a pony? All still a mystery to Vinyl, one she intended to solve.

Taking another look at Torch she placed her hoof on the glass. "You move like she did... Maybe you might be enough... We'll find out soon enough..."

I had been training for some time now and Vinyl had instructed me to meet in her private training area. I suspected this was either good news, or really bad news. None the less, I showed up with weapon at the ready as instructed. I hadn't gotten the chance to properly test Lyra's Song, but I doubted I would be seeing the blade's true power any time soon.

Upon my arrival, Vinyl stepped out of her quarters and stopped only three feet in front of me. "You've shown me what your abilities can do..." She began.

I remained still.

"Now, let's see what you can truly do..." Vinyl took stance and readied two of her blades.

I took a step back and drew my sword. "W-what...?"

"I won't be holding back... If you die, then it'll be because of your own insolence. We won't be shooting with blanks this round, and I aim to win. If you can't beat me, then you don't deserve the honor of serving in the military." She explained.

Was she insane? She was proposing a death match. There was no way that Twilight knew about this arrangement.

"And if I beat you?" I asked.

She cracked her neck. "Don't worry, you won't."

Without warning, she bolted forward and began striking with both blades repeatedly. Trying to keep up, I kept blocking every strike. She was fast, and powerful to boot. Every strike felt like it increased in strength. I couldn't help but get pushed back a little by her blows.

I didn't hesitate to return the hits, as I unleashed a flurry of strikes of my own. Not to much surprise she dodges and blocked with much finesse. Her fighting technique reminded me of dancing in a way. Her body moved with so much elegance when she fought.

I was distracted by her moves to the point where I didn't notice she fired off a few rounds at me. I was able to just barely get out of the way. Touching a hoof to my shoulder, I felt a trickle of blood. One of the bullets had grazed me while I dodged. The injury was not significant, but it was obvious she didn't miss on purpose.

"If you don't start giving your best, you won't live long enough to stand with the Knights." She grinned.

She was confident, that was for sure. However instead of a response, I unleashed a volley of bullets in her direction.

Blinking I noticed they were direct hits. Every single one made contact, but instead of piercing the skin, they fell to the floor in front of her.

She smirked. "Didn't I mention that I'm bulletproof?"

"That's not possible..." I blinked.

She grinned again as she took another slash, which I just barely dodged. "Didn't you hear what they call me?" She sliced again. "Vinyl the invincible!"

I returned the strikes only to be dodged. "I heard ponies call you DJ-Pon3." I remarked.

It was clear she had some kind of spell that protected her from bullets.

Our swords locked and Vinyl grunted. "That part of my life is over. I don't need music anymore, I found something better."

Breaking the lock, I stepped back. "And what's that?"

Vinyl licked her blade as she prepared to attack again. "Killing. I'm the greatest killer that Equestria has ever known. Didn't they tell you that?"

She took a few angry swings, but Lyra's Song proved effective in blocking. "I must not have gotten the memo." I replied.

Vinyl paused and began trotting clockwise around me. "I even brought an infected Celestia to her knees... Your brother was there to witness it. He knew first hoof what my abilities could do..."

"You think that scares me? I came a long way to get to this, and nothing is going to stop me, not even you. If I have to kill you to get what I want, then so be it." I answered.

"Noble... But..." She smiled. "Foolish." With that word she bolted forward and knocked me over. I tried to block her while I was on the ground, but she knocked my sword right out of the way. Before I knew it, she had the barrel of her firearm pointed directly between my eyes.

I sighed and just closed my eyes peacefully. "Oh well, I guess."

She pushed the barrel closer. "You don't fear death..."

I nodded, eyes still closed. "If I fail, then I deserve nothing short of it."

She lowered her weapon and grinned. "Get up."

Opening my eyes, I gave a look of confusion. "But... I lost... I thought..."

"You have guts, kid. Hell you have loyalty even. You're willing to die for your brother's wishes. That may be enough to prove you're worthy... Maybe... It's a long shot, but Twilight thinks you may be the hero Equestria has been waiting for." She explained as she retracted her swords.

"Really?" I brushed myself off.

She nodded. "However you're still young. Your abilities need to be cultivated first. You still require much training, but I can sense that natural drive in you. The desire to be the strongest, to be the best. That's the same drive that she had... It may be enough to take you all the way..."

I wasn't sure who this "she" was, but this was good news nonetheless, at least I hoped.

Vinyl turned around. "Get some rest, Twilight will be meeting with you tomorrow morning. It’s important."

I nodded and made my exit, still wondering what this was all about, however I would probably know tomorrow morning.

Two weeks before the one known as Torch would arrive on their doorstep, Twilight and Vinyl had entered a struggle that they needed to overcome. Without Dash, her blade was left without a wielder, but only one truly strong could utilize her weapon. Vinyl was the obvious next choice.

Day in and day out she trained herself for the month and a half that the blade was in their possession. Vinyl knew she was the only one to keep on par with Rainbow Dash. She knew she was the only one that rivaled her in fighting ability. She had the drive to constantly get stronger. The white unicorn was determined to go all the way. She knew that Equestria needed somepony to wield the blade, and that somepony had to be her. The only one with enough strength to properly utilize the power of the sword was her.

Everyday she would push her body past its limits repeatedly, working herself to exhaustion.

Every time however the results were the same: it wasn't enough. Her hard work would not get the sword to answer to her.

So every time she would return to the training arena and work more, pushing herself again and again, hoping to eventually be accepted as the weapon's master.

Today she would try again, and she was ready. There was not a blademaster alive that could best her, and she was a force to be feared. More lives were ended by Vinyl's cuts than any other warrior in Equestria, she was the thing spoken of in urban legends.

Twilight fastened the blade to Vinyl's front left hoof with a sigh, already guessing this would be a waste of time. Vinyl however had a smile of delight as she prepared to test her new toy.

"Alright, stand back!" Vinyl grinned as took a battle stance.

Twilight simply shrugged and stepped back with a yawn. It was early and she had gotten out of bed much earlier than usual to appease Vinyl's impatient behavior.

Jumping through the air, Vinyl yelled as she tried to use her magic to command the sword to extend. When she hit the ground however, the blade remained in its retracted state.

Twilight sighed and shook her head. "Better luck next time Vinyl..." She patted the mare on the shoulder before making an exit. She knew how frustrated Vinyl got when she did not succeed and she didn't want to be around for that.

The moment Twilight was outside of the room however, Vinyl cursed loud enough for the heavens to hear. "FUCK!" She punched the wall, leaving a noticeable dent. "FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!" She began to smash every object in the room she could find. "What am I doing wrong!?"

She growled as she kicked a support beam. "I am the strongest there is!" She hissed.

"Why won't you obey me!?" She snarled as she smashed the sword against the same support beam.

Panting she stared at the damage she caused in anger.

The mare heard another voice across the room. She quickly turned to that direction knowing that there was no way another pony got into her private training area.

There stood a strange pony with a braid in his mane, and odd keys hanging off of himself. He had a necklace, earrings and hoof bands all decorated with keys. "You want to know why the Rainbow Edge doesn't obey you?" He spoke.

"Who are you?" She sneered.

"It doesn't answer you because it doesn't accept you as its master." He ignored her question.

Vinyl blinked and looked at the sword. "But I am strong enough... Stronger than anypony here. I'm the only one who can
handle its power..."

"That blade did not choose Dash based on strength alone. When you put on the blade, it can see into your soul. Your heart, mind and spirit become known to it. It can see why you fight, it can see what is in your heart. It chose Dash because she was a hero." He explained.

"I'm a hero too, I've defended Equestria plenty of times." She protested.

The stallion shook his head. "You're no hero. You did those things for your own selfish reasons. You can't fool the blade. You only protect the world out of necessity, not good will. You fight for selfish reasons, and that is why the blade does not obey you."

"Dash had selfish reasons too..." She reminded.

"Yes, but the blade knew she would see the light. It knew she would realize her errors." He said.

Vinyl took a step forward. "And why does it not feel that way about me?"

The mysterious stallion narrowed his gaze. "You have evil in your heart. Even I can see it. There is evil inside you that was created out of your anger. Your anger consumes you, and because of that, your heart is filled with evil. One day your evil will come out, and you will see why it does not choose you. If the blade gives itself to you, it may as well give itself to darkness."

"I fight the darkness, not help it!" She growled.

"The evil in you is so great that it wouldn't take much to turn your eyes around. Your anger controls you, and because of that, you are weak. You're a slave to your own anger, and that is why that sword will not obey you, because you think power is only about running faster, jumping higher and fighting harder. All of that is meaningless if you fight for the wrong reasons." He grinned and looked her over.

Vinyl took another fierce step forward and growled again. "What do you know!?"

The stranger approached and gently brushed a lock of mane out of her face. "You're such an angry creature. Nothing like your mother..."

Vinyl froze for a moment at his touch. "You knew my mother?"

He smiled as he brushed her cheek with his hoof. "I know more about you than you can comprehend. Control your anger Vinyl Scratch, if you don't then it will devour your soul."

"My anger is just fine... I have good reason to be angry." Vinyl replied, not stopping his hoof.

His hoof eventually ran down to her chin and tilted her head up. "You're such fascinating specimens. I wish I could study you closer..."

She grinned and placed her hoof onto his. "Well, maybe you can examine me closer... If you know what I mean?" She smirked pervertedly.

He chuckled and let her hoof down. "I have surpassed the need for such pointless pleasures. You seem to not have evolved that far yet though."

She blinked and rolled her eyes as she turned away and then looked at her blade. "Well aren't you perfect?" She sarcastically commented.

Looking back up she noticed the stranger was gone. "Sneaky too... Not bad..."

I woke up on time and made my way to Twilight's office for whatever it was she wanted from me today. I had a feeling this wasn't going to be an ordinary meeting, and when I arrived, I could tell by Vinyl's expression that there was something big going down. She had that look of annoyance and frustration about her, however she remained silent.

The one eyed general swiveled in her chair and took a stand as she came around the desk and threw a file onto it, leaving many sheets to fall out of it.

"Torch Fires, we've been tracking your progress here for a few days now, and well..." She bit her lip. "Your scores are outstanding. We have never seen scores quite as impressive as yours. I mean you have the fitness level that surpasses some of our most hardened soldiers. You scored nearly perfect on the target practice tests, and the combat simulations you aced with no mistakes."

I shrugged. "So you brought me here to inflate my ego?"

She shook her head and placed her hoof on a box on her desk. "Negative... I brought here to test something..."

I nodded. "Go on."

She stroked the case carefully. "Before you came here, we had a hero... Rainbow Dash..."

"I heard her name a few times in the ruins." I replied.

Twilight smiled. "Yes, she was quite well known. A warrior of great skill, but when she died, she left behind a powerful blade. One that is not like any other sword. It's a weapon that chooses its master... A sword that can only be used by the most skilled..."

"What does this have to do with me?" I rose a brow.

"We think that you may be its destined wielder." Twilight was quick to answer.

That certainly wasn't news I was expecting. "Why me?"

"Your abilities seem fitting. You're the only pony we've seen that performs as well as you do with so little training, and your determination is greater than we've seen before." Twilight explained. I looked to Vinyl whom just looked away from me.

"And if I can use this sword...?" I asked.

Twilight looked to Vinyl who rolled her eyes, then back to me. "Then you may be the next leader of the Rainbow Raiders."

"Being able to use a sword qualifies me to lead a special forces team?" I laughed.

"This is no ordinary sword. It is connected to the stream of existence. Meaning it will not allow itself to be used by any who are unworthy. If the sword accepts you, then it knows you're something special." Twilight said.

I nodded. "Fine, let's see it."

Opening the case, the general removed a blade with a golden hilt with a multi-colored trimming around the actual blade. The craftsmanship was astounding. Whomever made this blade was an expert blacksmith.

I rose my hoof and allowed Twilight to fasten the nice leather straps. Once it was secure, I took a battle stance and looked up to the general. Twilight nodded in approval, giving me the okay to try out the sword.

My eyes closed as I focused. Lyra's Song on my right hoof, and this sword on my left. It'd be difficult to get used to using both, but I'd worry about that later.

I flicked my hoof with a magical command from my horn to the sword, telling it to extend.

Sure enough the sound of a blade unsheathing rang through the air. Opening my eyes, I saw there on my hoof, the extended sword.

Twilight's mouth partially hung open as she stared. "Rainbow Edge... Has chosen you as its master."

I blinked and noticed Vinyl taking her leave without saying anything.

"Did I do something wrong?" I asked Twilight.

The general shook her head and placed a hoof on my shoulder. "She is just frustrated because she couldn't get the sword to obey her. She has too much anger in her, and thus she's not fit to lead."

"Well, maybe that's a good thing. Wouldn't want someone like that in a position of power, right?" I replied.

Twilight laughed. "I wouldn't say that, commander."

It was strange to hear my new title. "Why's that?"

A grin sprouted on her face. "That's your new second in command."

Act 2: Chapter Thirty-Five

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 2: Chapter Thirty-Five (The Soldier Saga)

"Alright, listen up. I am not going to be repeating myself again, so I am expecting you all to pay close attention." Twilight ordered as she glanced around the room.

Princess Luna and her had issued this secret meeting with myself and a few other individuals. She made sure to tell us all that we could back out if we wanted in her invitation. That only made me think it was even more important.

At that table sat myself, a couple of strong looking stallions, and a strange unicorn with a black aura where her mane should be, and off of her right front hoof the same mystical aura radiated. Her eyes glowed red as she sat there. Something about her made me uneasy.

"Luna, you have the table." Twilight bowed.

Nodding, the princess of night stepped forward and raised a remote. With a click, a projector came on, and a picture of an azure unicorn came on screen. I took note of her black cloak.

"As many of you know, little is known about the darkness. However we do understand that it creates agents to issue its orders for whatever reason. Trixie being one the most notorious of these agents." Luna explained.

Clicking again another slide came up with what appeared to be some kind building. "However, what we have just recently discovered is how the darkness protects its investments. They possess a facility with entire DNA samples of every one of their agents."

The unicorn with the black aura raised a hoof. "Why is this important?" She asked.

Luna frowned. "It's a cloning facility... Meaning our work defeating Trixie might be completely wasted because the darkness can clone any of their agents and bring them back. Before we know it, they will grow a new Trixie, and we will be back where we were a few months ago."

"So, they could simply make copies of their agents...?" I asked with a brow raised.

Luna nodded.

"That is why we have selected you few. This mission is top secret, and you all were chosen because we believe your abilities will be sufficient to neutralize the facility." Twilight interrupted.

I quickly chimed in. "If this is a top secret cloning facility, how are the four of us going to waltz in and destroy it? I mean, wouldn't they be guarding in closer or something?"

Twilight gave a nod to Luna who clicked on her remote again, putting up another slide with a map. "The facility is located in the ruins about fifteen miles from their Manehatten stronghold. Its kept very lightly guarded so as to not raise suspicion on our part. If they had a large task force protecting it, we would become aware of its operations."

One of the two stallion rose his hoof and unlike the strange looking pony and I, he waited to be called upon before speaking. "Ma'am, why isn't the facility located inside the stronghold?"

Twilight shrugged and shook her head. "I suppose the darkness does not fully trust its own agents. To our knowledge its agents are completely unaware of this structure. However with their stolen blueprints from Dr. Pie's cloning chambers, they can replicate an entire pony within three short months. Meaning that within a few more weeks they could already have another Trixie ready to unleash upon us."

"Bastards... Does their power have no limit?" Growled the other stallion.

"We're going to place a dual set of explosives inside after destroying any clone tanks that have any specimens inside. You will then remote detonate the facility and make sure that it is completely destroyed. You will be given grenade rounds to destroy anything left. I can not stress this enough; you must destroy the entire facility." Twilight detailed the mission for us.

"So stroll in, kill any personal, blow the place up and lob grenades at the remains then?" I grinned.

"Precisely." The unicorn smiled.

"Seems easy enough..." The bigger of the two stallions replied.

"We'll get the job done." I spoke.

"See to it that you do, commander." The general replied. "Now, move out. We expect you to arrive at 0600 tomorrow. You will be leaving this base within the hour and dropped off about five miles from the location." Twilight clapped her hooves together to signal the urgency.

It was a cold day that day. We all had jackets to bear the October weather. There was no sunlight in Equestria, but unfortunately the winter and fall seasons still existed. It was cold in the summer, and freezing in the winter from what I heard. Thus why many savages do not make it past November in the ruins unless they stuck together to get shelter. Food became even scarcer, and supposedly by the middle of December all of the ruins would be a constant blizzard that did not let up until late February.

In SkyVale it was always a constant seventy three degrees. The temperature was regulated by a powerful magic spell cast over the city. Naturally I was poorly adapted to the cold, but I made due.

"Alright, team. Twilight put me in charge of this operation, here's what we're going to do; Link, you and Gold are going to enter through the back side, neutralize any workers and plant the explosives. I then want you to meet Jewel and me at the entrance to the front side." I spoke to the two brutish stallions who just nodded as they took off to make their way to the backside. I had come to discover this white mare with the strange aura went by “Jewel”.

Part of me suspected that Twilight put me in charge to test me, to see if I could handle leadership. Regardless though, I purposely put Jewel on my team so that I could keep an eye on her. I didn't trust her, and something told me she was going to pull something. The darkness on her body could not be ignored.

Jewel smiled warmly at me as she raised her astral hoof, ready to fight our way in. "Ready?" She smirked.

I placed a charge on the door and stood to the side of it. "Try not to get killed." I replied.

"Likewise, commander." She winked.

Setting off the charge, her and I bolted inside quickly after. Jewel didn't fight with weapons, instead she used the darkness on her hoof as her weapon. It seemed as though the energy could form solid objects, such as blades and piercing weapons. She could extend it like a whip and pierce her foe's skull then retract it back to her hoof.

When bullets rained in our direction from the guards, I simply sliced with the Rainbow Edge. Its cut were was fast enough to stop rounds. It looked like Jewel could use her dark aura as a shield as well.

The mare flipped next to one of the guards and touched her hoof gently to his cheek. "Hey, sweetheart. Looking for some fun?" She winked before grabbing his neck and flipping again with it in hoof, effectively snapping it.

A larger group came out of the back hallway towards us. I looked to Lyra's Song on my right hoof. Now was as good a time as any to use it. I took a step back and focused the blade. After a second of concentration, I sliced at the air to hear everything fall silent, followed by a sudden boom and shockwave that went to the direction of our would-be attackers. The shockwave sliced them all in half with ease.

I blinked in astonishment as I stood back up. My attention turned back to the sword.

Jewel stepped forward. "Interesting... That blade can break the sound barrier. It caused some kind of sonic boom. I can detect great magical energy coming from the weapon."

"You can detect energy?" I rose a brow.

She nodded. "Yes, it was why I was trusted with this mission. My ability to read energy levels means I am good at finding powerful being for hunting them down and destroying them. I can actually detect some strong energy readings in the next room."

I blinked. "Then let's waste no time."

I ran ahead with Jewel following at a casual pace. The next room was filled with giant test tubes, some empty, others with what appeared to be organic tissue floating in them. Then right on the far end, exactly what Twilight predicted; a whole new Trixie being formed. She still looked like she was developing, but from the pictures we were given, there was no mistaking it. It was Trixie. Next to her a purple dragon being formed as well.

"This is astounding..." Jewel blinked as she touched the glass.

"What is?" I asked.

"This creature... Its energy readings are far superior to the original Trixie. I am detecting that even in this state it possesses twice her magical prowess. It seems as though they are capable of increasing the power threshold of the clones by sacrificing life." She explained.

"What do you mean?" I tapped the glass.

"They boosted the clones' metabolism to increase their development rate and power. However by doing so they have cut their life spans in half. These were clearly designed to be expendable. It only takes them three months to get these clones where they can get over forty years of use out of them. By the time they die naturally, they will have served their purpose. If they increase the metabolism to ten times the normal rate, they could soon be pumping out clones ten times the strength of the originals." She began unpacking equipment out of her saddle bag.

"Wait, you mean they could produce clones stronger than Luna herself?" I asked in disbelief. There was no way that clones could be that much superior to the originals.

The unicorn nodded. "Correct, though the clone would only survive for about eight or nine years. But in theory they could make a clone at max about one hundred times as powerful as the originall, but the same clone would be dead in about a year."

"Quite an ingenious plan..." I admitted as I pulled out a poison syringe and injected it into the feeding tube. "How do they make them?"

She began injecting her syringe into the tank with the dragon next to Trixie. "I'm not too familiar with how cloning works to be honest. That's a question better suited for Dr. Pie, after all she designed the process, though I'm sure this wasn't in her blueprints."

I nodded. "Either way, I'll be much more comfortable when we blow this place up."

The mare remained silent as she finished planting our bomb in the center of the room. After she stood up, I nodded and started leading to the center of the facility. It looked like the others had made light work of the other workers, so our walk was rather uneventful. We met with the two in a room lined with aluminum cases lining every wall. Each case had a name on it, and I recognized Trixie's on one.

Me and the two stallions peered around the room in awe. "So, these must be the DNA kits..." One of them said.

An impaling sound was heard and before he knew what was going on, Gold had fallen to the floor and clenched his neck where blood was now spurting out. Link pivoted around only to be decapitated by a familiar black aura. I however jumped back before turning around with my weapon readied.

"What are you doing, Jewel!?" I growled.

Levitating one of the cases into her bag she smiled. "I owe a favor to an old friend. It’s no concern of yours."

"You're a traitor..." I snarled.

She shook her head. "No, I still do not serve the darkness, however I needed those two dead so they don't tell Twilight what I am doing here today. Trust me, I want this case for my own reasons, so you have nothing to worry about."

"How can I trust you?"

"You don't have a choice. I am sparing you because killing those two won't raise suspicion, we can mark them off as casualties. You however, are more important, you're a commander and the new leader of the Rainbow Raiders... Killing you would spark an investigation, though I could find a way out, it would make things complicated for me; I’d rather avoid that if I can. With those two, they will just assume they are killed in the line of duty, especially if you confirm it." The unicorn explained.

"And why would I do that?" I rose my brow.

She grinned. "I don't want to kill you, but if try and stop me, I will simply just do so and not return to Canterlot. Why not make this easier on the both of us and let me take this case without you saying anything?"

I rolled my eyes and stepped forward quite confidently and kept my weapons down. "Keep your case, I don't really care to be perfectly honest. If you decide to become a problem though, I'll have Twilight and the others come down on you. So keep your case and let's finish this job, shall we?"

The mare began laughing and nodded. "I think I like you that much more... Not a worry at all about any of this?"

"So long as you don't harm our cause, you're no concern of mine. I don't know why you want that thing, but I don't care so long as its no threat to Equestria." I responded.

"They weren't kidding about you... You only care about your goals and nothing more... I can sense a great power in you... A power that I am sure if awoken could cause destruction never before seen..." She stated.

"Then pray you'll never force me to use it." I responded, still not sure what she was talking about, but going along with it regardless.

She nodded and began fastening a weapon to her hoof. I noticed her weapon didn't look a thing like either of mine. It had a black finish to the metal, and I saw no spot for rounds to be loaded. This weapon clearly used something else as ammunition, my wager was energy.

The two of us made our way outside where I levitated the detonator out of my bag. With it brought to my hoof I looked to the building, my gaze not leaving it. "What are you?"

The mare raised her weapon, ready to fire on my comment. "I'm living proof that this world will burn eventually, that this will all just come to an end."

"How do you figure?" I spoke as I pressed the button.

The entire building blew into nothing more than debris and remains. The two of us wasting no time began to open fire, launching every explosive round at our disposal towards the remains. We lobbed every single grenade at the place, demolishing anything that was left. Twilight's orders were very clear; leave nothing left.

Lowering her weapon, she observed the damage. "I was a weapon created to end pony life. My whole purpose for existing was to eliminate life that refused to give into the darkness. I am a weapon of mass destruction and if ponies ever want to have any peace they should destroy weapons like me before its too late..." She finally answered.

"You would end your own existence to prove a point?" I asked.

She laughed. "I could say the same for you."

I rolled my eyes. "So weapons need to be destroyed then?"

"Peace can not come from violence. All violence does is create more violence. When ponies build weapons, it only drives them to make bigger, more destructive weapons. Before they know it, they will make weapons that end them." She responded.

I looked around us to see the wasteland around us. Nothing, but dirt and dead plants, there was some validity to what she said. "Can we ever know peace again?" I asked.

"It is difficult to say. When the seeds of violence are planted they spread quickly. It is in ponies' nature to destroy, it is how they rose to power. An empire is always built upon something, even the skulls of their enemies. If you do not change soon... No, I can't say that peace is in your future..." She sighed.

I nodded and lowered my weapon. "Then I will find a way to make it so we don't need to fight anymore..."

Act 2: Chapter Thirty-Six

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 2: Chapter Thirty-Six (The Darkness Saga)

Winter was here, and it didn't slow war down in the slightest. Battle would rage in the blizzards, and blood would stain the snow. It was the start of December, and the ice was a second enemy. We would lose many soldiers just from the weather, while the darkness' soldiers just withstood the temperature with ease.

With Trixie gone, the darkness appointed two new agents to carry out her duties; a former wonderbolt named Spitfire, and a griffon named Hawk. Spitfire was very blunt in her tactics, but Hawk was clearly the brains of the operations. Powerful and quiet, he didn't let anything go and took no chances to gloat that were offered. It frustrated the general because he wouldn't give away a part of his plans to her.

Often, Hawk's abilities in tactician surpassed even Twilight's. He knew how to make use of every soldier, and saw nothing as expendable. Every one of his soldiers could kill four of our's and that wasn't good when we had less than a tenth of his military strength.

In a panic, Twilight had dumped all of our resources into military technology. Every little advance was necessary and she saw no price as too high to get it.

With a little luck and time, Jewel was able to invent some kind of vest that could stop bullets. It was made out of Kevlar, and we often just referred to it as a bulletproof vest. We started packing our special operatives with them. Unfortunately, they were too resource heavy and time consuming to make to give to every soldier, so instead we focused on giving them to the most important.

Another interesting add on, was the mounted flashlight, making illuminating the dark far easier, and thus made it easier for our warriors to cut through the dark much more efficiently.

With these new additions we were seeing significant improvements, but not enough to change the tide of the war. It was a start
though.

The world seemed to always throw us curve balls though, as today we would be seeing something we thought we'd never see. I was with Twilight in the war room at the time with Vinyl Scratch and a few others. Bursting through the door, a guard was panting heavily as he tried to compose himself. "Ma'am!" He wheezed.

"Private, you know entry into the war room is forbidden, so I hope this is important." She scolded as she adjusted her glasses.

He stood at attention. "Yes ma'am, sorry ma'am! I knew you'd want to hear this yourself though. I could hardly believe it if I had not seen it with my own eyes..."

Twilight stood up straighter and gave him a gesture to suggest he hurry up with his story. "Spit it out then."

"Ma'am, Trixie is at the city gate, requesting an audience with you." He replied.

We all fell silent, even Twilight. That certainly wasn't news she was expecting to hear. "You're sure it's her?" She said after the shock wore off.

He nodded. "Positive ma'am, I would never forget that face."

Twilight turned around in thought. "But Dash killed her... How...?"

"We already scanned her, she is unarmed and her horn has been removed." The guard added.

"Damn it... Dash spared her... But why...?" Twilight was almost ignoring the stallion's input entirely.

"Ma'am, what should we do about her request for an audience?" He asked.

Twilight looked around the room and smiled. "This room contains the greatest warriors Equestria has to offer. If Trixie is up to something, she wouldn't be wise to pull it here."

I noticed Vinyl grinned at that comment.

"Bring her up, but keep ten guards on her at all times. I also want sharpshooters with a shot on her every second until she gets to this room. Keep her face concealed so the citizens don't panic." Twilight instructed.

He nodded. "Yes ma'am!" He quickly scurried off to deliver her order.

"You're actually going to bring her here so we can execute her then?" Vinyl grinned.

"Negative, Vinyl." Twilight sat back down in her chair. "Let's hear what she has to say..."

Vinyl growled. "Ugh, why bother? Kill her while we have the chance! She is practically delivering herself to us!"

"Exactly. She isn't this confident unless she knows she's safe, so something tells me she has something she knows we want if she is willing to risk her safety so greatly. Do you honestly think she would face all of us and arrogantly think she can win?" Twilight explained.

Vinyl shrugged. "Maybe the wasteland air has fucked her brain up. I mean you're right in that she stands no chance, but I still say humoring her is a waste of time. I could be home rubbing one out right now and that would be a more productive use of my time."

That was a lovely thought. "Thanks for sharing..." I commented.

Vinyl grinned. "Hey, sometimes you get a little tension built up... You should try it Torch, you look like you haven't been laid longer than I haven't." She chuckled.

"That's enough." I silenced her.

She just rolled her eyes in annoyance. It was always difficult controlling her.

Sitting in silence, we all drew our arms and aimed them towards the door as it opened and a cloaked mare trotted in in front of a bunch of guards. Twilight gestured for the security to back off. "We should be fine from here. We're more than a match for her." Twilight said.

The team nodded as they left us with the hooded pony. Trixie stood in silence waiting to be addressed. Twilight merely stared her down for a few moments, none of us lowering our weapons. "Remove your hood." Twilight commanded.

Obeying, Trixie lowered her hood and brushed her mane out of her face. Twilight sighed and shook her head. "How are you still alive?"

"Rainbow Dash took my horn off as I attempted to escape with a dark spell. In the final moments, however she decided not to kill me. She said that killing me would only make her like me, so instead she spared me and forced me to live a life on the run. I wasn't welcome back with the darkness after my horn was lost, as my usefulness as an agent was significantly reduced. Not to mention, I had failed and our masters didn't take failure so lightly..." She explained.

Twilight shook her head again. "Dash had a change of heart after all... I suppose she really was sick of all the violence... Nonetheless, now that you are foolish enough to deliver yourself to us, I think your punishment for your crimes is in order."

"Actually, I came here to make a deal..." Trixie's expression remained stern.

The group laughed. "And what is it you want?" Twilight asked with a smirk.

"Total amnesty for my crimes. Complete forgiveness and citizenship here in Equestria." Trixie replied.

Vinyl was quick to chime in. "No fucking way!" She spit.

"Vinyl!" Twilight barked. The white unicorn kept her teeth bared and her eyes on Trixie as she sat back down. "And why would you think you're in any position to make a deal with us? Why would you think that we would even humor such a ridiculous request?"

Trixie remained serious. "You don't have much of a choice. In eleven days it won't matter what you decide. So if you don't believe me, then you may as well kill me because we'll both be dead by then anyways. If I have choose to die by you or the darkness, I'll choose you every time."

"Let me do it, Twilight!" Vinyl drooled. "One right between the eyes! I'll make it quick!"

"Silence, Vinyl or I'll put you outside." Twilight ordered.

Vinyl grumbled, but kept relatively quiet.

"Very well, granted. Complete amnesty for your crimes. Don't make me regret that decision." Twilight said.

Vinyl couldn't stay silent to that. "No fucking way! I won't let you let her off the hook like that! Have you forgotten how many she's had killed!? She’s laid waste to Equestria with no remorse! You're going to let her off, and live here among the citizens she terrorized!?"

"Vinyl, I said silence. I know Trixie well, she isn't this confident to put her own safety at risk unless she truly knew something. She is not one to gamble on a bluff, as she knows I will see through any bluff she could make." Twilight adjusted her glasses. "Now tell me what you know."

Trixie nodded and approached the table. "For months I was studying who our masters were. See, we received orders and commands from transmissions from an unknown source. None of the agents were permitted to know where our orders came from." She grinned. "Naturally, that answer wasn't good enough for me. I did some digging and I discovered that they come from some kind of beacon near the back of the Manehatten stronghold."

"Skip to the point, Trixie." Twilight rolled her eyes, clearly only interested in the bit that concerned her and not the semantics of it.

"Well, after I discovered that, I finally figured out where the orders came from, and where the darkness came from." She said.

"Where?" I asked for Twilight.

The azure hornless unicorn pointed up.

"The sky?" Twilight rose a brow in confusion.

"More specifically, this." Trixie threw some photographs onto the table from her saddlebag. "I had these taken with a high powered telescope." She added.

We all leaned in to get a good look. There was some kind of metal vessel floating in the vast emptiness of space. I squinted trying to make out what it was. "It's huge..." I commented.

Trixie nodded. "Its bigger than Canterlot even."

"Wait... You mean... They're in space?" Twilight blinked trying to take this all in.

"Correct, they orbited over this planet for millions of years. Their ship’s technology cloaks them from ordinary telescopes, thus why we never noticed them before. However with a spell I was able to see them. They sent down darkness spawns to infect our planet and control it millions of years ago." Trixie explained.

"So they have been watching us for all this time... Why?" I asked.

Trixie smiled. "We're cattle to them. They wanted us to get stronger so when they finally did destroy us, the energy they got would be massive. They intend to keep us around for slave labor as they scrape up this planet for resources and then they will use our husks under their control to conquer other planets. We are being bred into super soldiers for them."

"So they have been gently guiding us all this time...? We're essentially their creations?" Twilight blinked.

"Correct. Their powers are vast. They more or less forced our evolution, and they were going to enjoy the rewards." Trixie answered.

"Why did you say they 'were' going to enjoy the rewards?" I asked.

Trixie sighed. "After how much we have resisted them, they are done wasting time with our kind. The weapon they fired almost seven years ago... That was a prototype. They have been working on the finished version for years now and within eleven days... It will be ready to fire."

"If that was just a prototype... What kind of damage are we looking at?" Twilight kept her eyes locked on Trixie.

Trixie paused and looked to the floor. She mumbled, but no one in the room heard what she said.

"Trixie!" Twilight barked.

Trixie looked up. "Total..." Her voice was very soft. "Nothing will survive... Flora or fauna. It will leave the surface of this planet smoldering rock."

"So they are cutting their losses and trying to get what little they can out of their investment then?" I asked.

She nodded. "Yes, once we are all gone, they will send a mining team to scrape up the resources left from this planet and move onto the next one."

"How can we stop them? If you knew that this would happen in eleven days yet you came here, you must have figured that we could do something about it." Twilight inferred.

Trixie reached into her bag and retrieved more documents. They appeared to be some kind of maps of the Manehatten stronghold. "The beacon we received orders from is located in the heart of the stronghold. I can give you codes to bypass some of the security. You could sneak a small task force in, and I am certain there is a way to reverse the signal from the beacon to send you up to their ship. However that'll take the greatest mind in Equestria." Trixie gave a smile to Twilight as she said that last part.

"How will we overpower an entire ship?" Twilight asked.

Trixie grinned. "Up to this point, they have had their minions do their work for them. I am willing to wager they don't have a very powerful military on board. Probably just engineers and scientists. They won't even anticipate you getting on board."

Twilight grinned. "I like it."

"How do we know this isn't a trap? Trixie could be luring us into the darkness stronghold so we walk into their hooves." Shining Armor pointed out, whom had remained silent this entire time.

"Because Trixie will be the one putting in those security codes." Twilight smirked.

Trixie obviously was not expecting that. "Huh? No way! I came here for protection, not to be put right back into danger!" She protested.

"Then I suggest you stay close to us and cooperate. If you do anything to harm this mission, you will be shot in the head. If you wish for us to trust you, you'll need to prove you can be trusted. You have much to atone for." Twilight lectured.

Vinyl sat up a bit. "So let me get this straight..." She began. "This whole time, they have been using us to destroy ourselves? And they were just chilling on their ship not a care in the world?"

Trixie nodded. "That sounds about right."

"In-genus bastards..." Vinyl commented.

"Alright, I am declaring a task force for the job now. Torch, you're in obviously; I want the Rainbow Edge on this mission. Shining Armor, you're also in and as much as I will regret it later, you are too Vinyl. I don't know what will be waiting for us, so I could use your battle expertise. I will be coming along myself as well, and we will have sargent Applebloom and medical officer Fluttershy." Twilight explained. I got the impression this was not negotiable.

"I am coming too." Luna chimed in.

We all blinked in unison, a bit shocked to hear that news. Twilight was the first to object. "Princess, you're too valuable to risk on this mission. If something should happen to you-"

Luna cut her off. "The same could be said for any pony in this room. You're all equally valuable. I may not understand much, and my experience may inhibit me from being helpful, but I will not stand aside any longer while my people suffer. I refuse to sit up in my chamber while you all risk your lives. It's time I put my life on the line like you all have bravely done for me and Equestria." Luna drew her blade and held it up. "I will offer my sword as well. This darkness has taken more from me than anypony here. It took my kingdom, my people, and my dear sister..." She grew quiet as she reminded us all of that fact.

Apparently, my own brother and Vinyl Scratch slayed a mutant Celestia themselves. I could only imagine what that fight must have looked like.

The room fell silent followed by me speaking up. "I would be honored to have your sword, Princess Luna."

She smiled, but Twilight kept her look of anguish. "Luna..." She began.

"It is not negotiable." Luna halted Twilight. "I will be fighting alongside you all."

Vinyl smirked as her bloodshot eyes seemed to pop out of her head. "Well, as much as I don't like the idea of Trixie coming with us, my blade hungers for the darkness. Imagine how surprised they will be when we show up!"

Twilight sighed and nodded. "Very well, Luna shall accompany us then."

"Also..." She added. "Keep Torch alive at all costs. She takes precedent over everypony here, do you all understand?"

I leaned in. "Huh? Why?"

Twilight turned to me with a serious expression. "That sword is powerful. It may be the weapon that decides Equestria's fate. However the sword is useless without a master. We can not risk losing you now. It will take too much to find a new wielder, and time is not something we have a lot of."

I shrugged. "So I am an important piece in this game of chess?"

She nodded. "A piece too valuable to risk. You will be suited with combat armor, protection spells and our armor piercing rounds. Same with Luna. Everypony else... I will only say this once; don't get yourself killed."

The group all nodded in acknowledgement.

"We will need to leave about three days before the completion of the weapon. That beacon remains off until they send out signals. It will take about three days to get there, and we will need to arrive while the beacon is active, which should be about two or three hours before they plan on firing it." Trixie explained.

Twilight nodded. "Alright, then I want everypony to be in their top physical form by then. Spend the next few days training. This is going to be hell, and the future of Equestria may depend on your abilities."

"No pressure then." Vinyl laughed.

Act 2: Chapter Thirty-Seven

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 2: Chapter Thirty-Seven (The Trixie Saga)

Getting Trixie in physical form was my duty for this mission. As much as none of us were concerned for her safety, Trixie was the only one who knew the access codes to the manehatten stronghold, and she was the most experienced with the enemy. Her intel was too valuable to lose, so if she was going to be useful to us, we would need her alive. Naturally, Twilight knew that Vinyl would not agree to helping the azure mare, so I was the next logical choice. It was odd being on the other end of a training program.

Trixie strained to do some sit ups as I stood next to her. She was having a hard time just doing twenty of them. There was no doubt she was out of shape. "Sweet Luna, what did you do when you worked with the darkness? Sit on your flank all day?"

Trixie groaned as she completed another sit up. "I was an agent, I never had to be in active combat."

I shook my head. "The leader should be ready to throw their blade into the battle too. The enemy should fear the general the most."

Trixie grinned. "Clearly you haven't met Spitfire and Hawk yet..."

I squinted as I listened. "Who?"

Trixie did a few more sit ups as she spoke. "Spitfire is the only mare who ever bested Rainbow Dash in combat. She even managed to hold her off when she had her element of harmony active. Not even the power of loyalty was enough to take her down. Far stronger than me."

I sat on a bench nearby as I watched her continue the instructed exercise.

"And Hawk..." She groaned again and fell back to the floor. "We were never sure of his story, but he is a force to be reckoned with. He does not fear death, and we always wondered how he got the scars on his face..."

"Sounds friendly." I joked.

"Far from it. Hawk never said much, but I've seen him fight. He's a lot stronger than Spitfire, and if Spitfire is stronger than Dash... Well you'll need a lot more than that sword to beat him. He's a griffon, a born fighter. He's an unstoppable force, I would rather fight two Rainbow Dashes than him." Trixie explained.

Could he really be as strong as she said he is? Could there actually exist a griffon that Rainbow Edge even would not be enough to slay?

"How'd he end up working for the darkness? It sounds like he never needed any assistance in being strong." I asked.

She shrugged. "Dunno, but I can say that Hawk isn't truly on the darkness' side, and that is more frightening than if he were. He is the only creature I know who willfully sides against Equestria, and the darkness."

"Why does he help it then?" I rose a brow.

"I couldn't tell you. I've never asked him, and I don't think anypony dared ask either. He isn't really a very approachable guy..." She said.

The thought fascinated me, nonetheless though he would still die if he stood in our way.

"So why are we coming out here?" Trixie groaned as she followed behind me.

The two of us had been trudging out into the ruins for a scheduled meeting. What was planned was too rowdy to do inside the city. I had set up a training exercise for her.

"Well, we need to get you some fighting experience, lucky for you I found a mare who volunteered. Though, she warns me she won't be pulling any punches." I explained.

"Sounds lovely..." Trixie retorted.

"That's the nicest compliment I've received in years." Another voice spoke as we watched a pink earth pony come out from behind an old rock. Her silky pink mane flowed gently in the wind, and her glasses looked rather ineffective with her mane always blowing in the way.

I'll never forget that scar right across her forehead. I had heard stories that she survived being shot in the head. Though her mental state was questionable.

"This is Dr. Pie." I introduced.

Trixie nodded and stepped forward. "Ah yes, the mad scientist. Your reputation is quite known in Equestria. I've already heard horror stories about you."

The good doctor laughed as she adjusted her glasses. "I'm flattered, though I'm far more dangerous than those stories tell. Seeing me in action is an entirely different experience, I assure you."

"Dr. Pie has agreed to be a sparring partner for you. I've been told she's very good in combat. I would suggest not holding back if you wish to survive this training. Over the next few days you'll be sparring with her." I explained.

Trixie sized up the pink pony and gave a look of uncertainty. It was clear she was skeptical of this creature's abilities.

"Shall we begin?" Pinkamena smiled as she drew her blade.

Trixie sighed and took a battle stance with her blade at the ready. "Alright... Let's see what you can do, doctor..."

Pinkamena grinned and bolted forward at amazing speeds. She began striking with fierce vigor. Trixie was just barely halting her attacks. Pinkamena's strength was incredible, certainly more than I had expected.

"Is that all? I'm not even trying yet!" The doctor teased.

Trixie grunted as she tried to strike back, however she was having difficulty finding an opening. Pinkamena moved with too much experience for the former unicorn to hit her.

Showing a little sympathy, Pinkamena lowered her sword. "I'll give you a free one. Hit me as hard as you can, just try not to kill me."

Trixie blinked and shook her head. "That would be dangerous..."

"And you need to get used to that danger. You're a weakling because you fear killing. You have to break that fear and not be afraid to strike." Pinkamena lectured.

"I thought this was just training..." Trixie reminded.

"It is, now strike me!" Pinkamena puffed out her chest. “I am training you to kill!” She reminded.

Letting ambition go, Trixie struck her blade right to Pinkamena's skull. I gasped thinking she may have actually killed the mare, but what amazed me more was what happened when the sword made contact. The metal blade shattered as it hit Pinkamena's skull. I couldn't believe it, she broke Trixie's sword with just her skull.

Trixie was trembling from what just happened in front of her. "H-how...?"

Pinkamena grinned. "Oops... I didn't mean to show my true power..."

True power?

"You can't win a fight only defending, Trixie." Pinkamena winked. "Be thankful you're only fighting me; Pinkie Pie is far worse." She added.

"So I've heard..." Trixie looked at her broken sword, still confused.

We would have to hold this conversation for later, because at that moment we realized that out of the surroundings, several savages made their way to us. There must have been at least twenty of them.

"Shit, this is a fantastic time to have a broken sword..." Trixie groaned as she stepped back towards Pinkamena.

I drew my blade, but even I wasn't arrogant enough to take on twenty by myself. Trixie was useless in a fight and had a broken sword to boot, so I was only hoping that Pinkamena was skilled enough to stand ten at once, that way we could cut the workload in half.

"I have to admit, this doesn't look good..." I replied.

"No ammo either, so all direct combat." Pinkamena reminded.

We didn't think we'd be needing ammunition for this exercise, but we never suspected so many savages would be close to the Canterlot region. They usually roamed much further away than this. They probably saw we were out here and came towards us.

"Can you handle ten of them?" I asked as the three of us backed ourselves against a giant boulder. At least we had our backsides covered.

Pinkamena grinned as she removed her glasses and handed them to Trixie. "Nope, I can handle all of them." She said.

Trixie blinked as she took the eyewear.

All of them?

Pinkamena took a confident stance and smiled to all the cannibals around us. She looked them all over and then returned her gaze to the center of the group. "Can you all understand Equestrian?"

They all chuckled at her question.

"Good, then you will understand my warning." She drew a line in the dirt with her hoof. "Don't dare try to cross that line if you want to live." She warned.

They all started laughing and took a few inches towards her.

"Your advance means you wish to fight me then?" She asked with a cocked eye.

One in the middle of the group chuckled as he responded. "Bring it on, meat..."

She nodded. "Very well then, but you'll regret that choice."

Pinkamena took a strained stance and looked to the ground. Groaning in pain, she began to emit a growl from her throat. Something was happening to her body, it was starting to crackle and slowly change shape. Her hooves sprouted claws, and her tail became solid and scaly. Her size began to grow as her body swelled. Teeth became fangs,and the growl was slowly becoming more fierce.

"What in the name of Celestia...?" Trixie gasped.

When the growl ended, there before us stood a full sized dragon. The savages began to step backwards.

With a swipe of her claw, she tore one of their heads off and roared. Gripping another in her mighty claw, she squeezed the life out of him before tossing his body into the crowd, knocking several to the ground.

One was foolish enough to challenge her and stand his ground. The dragon opened its mouth and roared loud enough for the heavens to hear. Then a split second later, chomped the pony in half and spit him out. The rest began to make their exit, but it was already too late for them. This foul beast wasn't about to let them walk away from this fight.

With another roar. It breathed fire in their direction and toasted half of them. The remainders were all scooped up in a claw and squashed. With their broken bones in her grasp, she hurled their lifeless corpses as far as she could, sending them miles in the opposite direction. One of them fumbled and collided into a rock, splattering as he did.

Once the dragon had finished its rampage, it lowered its head and emitted a low growl as it began to shrink in size, making the same crackling noise we had heard minutes before when the creature appeared before us. Only a few seconds later, Pinkamena stood where the monster stood.

Trixie held out her shattered blade in a threatening manner. "What the hell are you?"

Pinkamena placed her hoof on the remnants of the blade. With a smirk, she pulled and snapped the remains in half. "Put that away before you hurt yourself."

Trixie took another step back. "You didn't answer me... What are you?"

Pinkamena looked at me and smiled. "Something greater than you could possibly imagine... I am evolution... I am the beginning of a new age. Something your tiny brain could never comprehend..."

"Now I see why ponies fear you... You're a never ending source of surprises aren't you?" I replied calmly.

The doctor winked as she retrieved her glasses from Trixie. Placing them back upon her face she looked back to me. "I always felt like glasses made me look smarter. So even after I no longer needed them, I kept them." She said.

Finally answering my question she locked eyes with me. "And yes, I am."

"Don't you get it Scent? We are the answer that the world has been waiting for!" Pinkamena grabbed the young changeling's face with glee. "The only issue is we have not come at a time where they are prepared for such an answer... They are still too naive to comprehend..." She releases him and sat in thought for a moment. "However, we can keep it to ourselves until we perfect the process!" She grinned.

Scent was just trying to keep up with the eccentric mare. Often she confused him, either from his lack of education, or just general social awkwardness she had. Even as a changeling he understood that Dr. Pie was very atypical for a pony. There was so much about her that was "not right."

"I don't quite follow... How is my blood the answer to the world's problems?" Scent asked with a cocked eye.

She pranced over to him and placed a hoof around his neck. "Your ability to change. That could be key to solving medical problems."

"What kind of medical problems?" He asked.

"Every medical problem." She grinned.

"But the transformation is cosmetic only. It doesn't change anything but appearance..." He pointed out.

The young doctor released him and smiled. "Yes, however with some minor modification... This gene that allows for this transformation..." She paused as she locked eyes with him. With his sky blue eyes, he watched her. "We can modify our very DNA at will..."

He blinked. "Huh?"

She trotted over to the precision lasers and started fiddling with a few controls. "Imagine, we could make our bodies immune to any disease, any ailment, medical science would be unnecessary. Everypony would be equal in appearance, strength and vitality. We could achieve true equality..."

"And what about us? We're the test subjects for this crazy new gene?" He responded.

She shook her head and approached slowly. "Oh no... We'll be much more than that. We can not trust this gene with the current world, they're not fit for this power..."

"What then?"

She grinned as she placed a hoof upon his cheek. "You and I will create a new world. You and I will be the Adam and Eve of this new world. In just a few generations we shall ensure that our kind will become the dominate species of this planet."

Scent looked to her hoof, but remained silent.

"And when it is done..." She strokes his cheek lightly. "We shall rule over this new world... As king and queen. What say you to that?"

Scent paused and sat in thought. It didn't take him long however to look up to her with a smile. "Lead away my queen..."

She returned the grin. "Then we'll build a new world."

Trotting alongside Pinkamena, we kept close as we made our way back to Canterlot. "This is absolutely ludicrous, so according to your story, you fused your DNA with some odd changeling, and now you can shape shift into anything you want?"

The good doctor shook her head. "False. I have modified my DNA to be breakable. Changeling transformation is merely aesthetic, while mine is a genetic change."

Trixie placed a hoof on the mare. "What does that mean?"

Pinkamena stopped and looked at her. "It means I can rewrite my biology whenever I like. Meaning when I transform into you, I become you. Scans will indicate that I am you, and I can adopt all of your physical traits, right down to your birthmarks."

"Impossible, if I had marks you've never seen, how could you replicate them?" She asked.

"Right now, I can see your genetic code. All I need to do is look at a pony and I can see their genetic make up, its part of the trait." Pinkamena explained.

I finally chimed in. "Can you die?"

She turned to me and adjusted her glasses. "My cells replicate faster than they die. It is an isolated gene I added, so my offspring won't inherit it. Essentially, I can not die of age, or disease and it would take a significant amount of damage to destroy me. So the short answer is no."

"Then we'll have no choice but to trust you." I grinned.

She returned the grin and nodded. "I suppose you will."

Act 2: Chapter Thirty-Eight

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 2: Chapter Thirty-Eight (The Manehatten Saga)

Twilight had a plan, a way for us to get where we needed to go with a higher chance of success; it didn't come without its risks though.

"Alright, I am going to explain this once, so pay attention." Twilight spoke as her task force sat in the war room with her. Our group had been codenamed "New Dawn" after our goal. Twilight had hoped that after our success we would see the sun again and we'd be looking at a new age. Wishful thinking, but we'd be fortunate if we survived this mission.

Twilight adjusted her glasses and pointed to a diagram on the wall. "We will infiltrate here. With a little luck we can slip past security and use a service area to get to the homing beacon."

"They aren't going to just let us slip in you know. They have an army waiting for us." Trixie pointed out.

"That's why we're going to distract them. A full scale attack, every soldier we have. A battle that large would lure enough of them out to get in." Twilight explained.

"A battle that big would lose many lives, especially without us there to command them..." Luna spoke up.

"If we don't stop this thing, we will lose everything. The risk is necessary at this point. Anypony not willing to throw their life down for Equestria will die anyways." Vinyl whom had been sitting with her powerful eyes closed this entire time spoke up. I got the impression she wanted to skip right to the part that concerned her.

Twilight nodded. "Exactly. If we are unsuccessful, we will all perish. We may as well throw everything we have at this now."

"Boy howdy, sounds like a hell of a fight." Applebloom said.

Twilight nodded again. "Now, we may run into Spitfire and Hawk, they won't be easy to get past, but if possible try and avoid them."

Vinyl grunted. "Run like a couple of cowards..."

Twilight shook her head. "You won't want to face them if anything Trixie says is true."

"Well, I personally don't give a damn what Trixie says, she's a liar for all I care." Vinyl grinned.

Trixie leaned forward and placed her hooves on the table. "Miss Vinyl, I assure you that Hawk and Spitfire are not to be taken lightly. Don't forget, Spitfire bested Rainbow Dash. And Hawk is the only one ever to beat Spitfire in a fight. If they put Hawk on a job, it means they are serious about it."

"What do we know about Hawk?" Twilight chimed in.

Trixie sat up and pressed a button on the table to turn on the projector, displaying several images of Hawk. Getting up, she trotted to Twilight's side. "Hawk was raised in Dragon Scar." She began.

"Impossible! Ain't nopony out there!" Apple Bloom exclaimed.

"There are several out there actually, but few survive. Hawk was born into slavery until he was old enough to escape. When he reached seventeen, he was trained as a mercenary." Trixie replied. "And here's the kicker, his primary job was hunting down runaway slaves."

"Even though he was a slave himself?" I asked.

Trixie nodded. "Hawk feels no sympathy. He grew up with nothing, so he can not be reasoned with. He spent his entire life fighting, getting stronger. He is no ordinary griffon."

Twilight grinned and placed a hoof on Trixie's shoulder. "Not bad, you're quite brilliant."

She winked. "Second to you."

"I thought you said we knew almost nothing about Hawk?" I reminded.

She frowned as she answered. "I didn't want to break your spirits. The truth is that Hawk is a hardened warrior and I'm not sure any of us could best him..." Trixie admitted.

"I fear no agent of the darkness." Vinyl bragged.

Trixie laughed. "You're good, Vinyl, however many have said those words and faced Hawk. They were their last. Don't let your arrogance get the better of you. Hawk is far stronger than he lets on."

"Let us hope we never have to find out then." I spoke.

Twilight nodded. "Agreed."

It was about eight months into the great war. It was being called the War of Existence because pony kind felt its very existence at stake. Cadance had been unsure of when it would end, and if the great war would eventually come to the Crystal Empire.

Her subjects were restless, living in fear that the darkness would one day visit them as well. With Shining Armor gone to Canterlot to assist in the war effort, Cadance was left as the sole protector of this beautiful place. How she feared one day seeing it coated with blood.

Today though, she would be facing something far worse than the darkness. Something she never expected to return.

The princess had been resting from a headache as a messenger came to her. She groaned in anguish as she was awoken. "What is it? This better be good..." She grumbled.

"Your highness... It's..." He bit his lip.

"Yes? Out with it." She commanded.

"Changelings your highness..."

She blinked and stepped out of her room to the balcony. Looking down on the city, she saw many cloaked changelings laying waste to innocent civilians. There was something different though! They were out to kill, not feed. It didn't make sense, where did they get weapons from? And why were they here destroying the city? Something didn't add up.

"Alert the guards, we shall push them out of the Crystal Empire." Cadance spoke as she fastened her sword to her hoof.

"Your majesty... There are thousands of them..." He replied.

"Then we shall fight a thousand times harder." Cadance grunted as she exited the room.

With her blade at the ready, Cadance sliced at two changelings closing in on her proximity. Her cuts were powerful enough to take them down with ease. Approaching one of her royal guards she stopped in front of him to get a report. "Status report, officer?" She asked.

He bowed his head before speaking. "Ma'am, we have changelings entering every side of the city. They're not like the ones in Canterlot years ago though... These ones are fast, combat ready and armed. Its almost as if they were trained to fight..."

Cadance nodded in understanding. "So... She has returned..." Cadance looked to the center of the city. "She'll be heading for the crystal heart... I'll meet her there."

"Ma'am, wait!" Her guard objected.

"Stand down, soldier. I am going to do my duty to my kingdom. It is my job to protect these ponies, and I intend to do just that." Cadance explained.

Before he had another chance to object, she took her leave and headed to the location of the crystal heart, knowing her old nemesis would soon arrive to attempt to steal it.

Upon arrival, Cadance drew her weapon, and sure enough, in a puff of smoke a tall figure appeared before her. When the smoke cleared, Cadance could see glowing lime eyes, leathery skin, and fangs as sharp as daggers. She looked exactly as Cadance recalled, but now with a new cloak to conceal her form.

"Ah yes, princess of the Crystal Empire..." The creature spoke in her broken voice.

Cadance kept her blade ready. "I thought we squashed you and your bugs?" She mocked.

"We changelings don't die that easily. We're very resilient creatures." The figure responded.

"Fitting for pests. What do you hope to accomplish, Chrysalis?" Cadance asked.

Chyrsalis began to gently circle around the mare. "To claim this kingdom for my kind. Revenge is so sweet, I'll kill you and snatch your kingdom from you."

"I'm not surprised that you fell to the darkness. Your heart has always been as black as night so its only appropriate that you be filled with the darkness itself..." Cadance mocked.

The queen of the changelings laughed heartily. "I do not serve such a pathetic body. No, I am for a much greater cause." She smirked.

Another cause? What could she mean? Cadance wondered.

"Whomever your master, this kingdom belongs to the crystal ponies, and to take it, you'll have to pry it from my cold dead hooves." Cadance responded.

Chrysalis let out another laugh. "You read my mind."

With those words, the two locked blades and began their fight. Cadance imediantly noticed Chrysalis' strength was much greater than the last time they had fought. Her swings were mighty, and fierce. She couldn't tell if it was determination that gave her this newfound power, or if the queen had been preparing for this battle.

Being pushed back, Cadance landed on her hooves, blade in front of her. "You've been practicing, I see. Unfortunately for you, I have been trained in the royal sword."

Chrysalis cast a spell and threw a bunch of fireballs in the crystal empire's princess' way. Cadance just narrowly dodged them, only burning a feather.

"Your techniques are useless here. I have been trained in an art that you have never seen before. A mastery exceeding your own." Chrysalis bolted forward and swung her blade, slicing the crystal princess' blade clean in half. "And I brought a present for you."

With those words she pierced her blade into the mare. Digging it deep into her heart. "They call you the princess of hearts, fitting that you should die this way." Chrysalis mocked.

Choking and gasping for breath, Cadance gripped the blade in her chest, as blood began to trickle out. Chrysalis saw her suffering and just twisted her sword. "Revenge feels beautiful..."

Cadance grinned. "You're an idiot..."

"Says the one on the verge of death." The queen said.

"W-where do you think... The power of the Princess of Hearts is kept...?" Cadance grinned through coughs.

"Hm?" Chrysalis rose a brow.

A bright light began to emit from the wound in Cadance's chest. Chrysalis took a step back and allowed the mare to fall to the ground gripping her chest. "You lose, Chrysalis..." Cadance smirked. "If I were you... I'd get far away from this place... Because you're about to see what my full power can do..." She groaned as a small wave of energy pushed Chrysalis back.

"Damn it!" The changeling growled.

From behind her, a gray pegasus appeared and gripped Chrysalis' front right hoof. "It seems you've failed us, Chrysalis..." The pegasus spoke.

"No! She's bluffing!" The changeling defended.

"We can already sense it, an energy burst strong enough to destroy the entire city is about to be unleashed. We must retreat. I was sent to retrieve you, because despite your failure, you are still useful to us." The pony said gripping her hoof tighter.

"But... My children!" Chrysalis protested.

The mare grew impatient with her. "We can always spawn more. Now come before I am forced to bring you back by force."

Chrysalis turned to the young Pegasus with a tear in her eye. "You're just a child... Not even full grown yet... Why must I take orders from you?"

The pegasus gave her a stern look as she locked her magenta eyes on the changeling queen. Her hoof squeezed the queen's fiercely as she held her. "Don't test me unless you wish to return to the void much sooner than you anticipated... I have been given authority over you. You have failed us, and you shall be punished for that. Now let's go."

The mare looked to Cadance and smiled. "Well played, princess. You return to the void with honor."

After those words, her and Chrysalis vanished into thin air. Cadance,unable to hold in her power any longer pushed out her entire life force in one mighty blast.

When the dust settled, all that remained was a crystal statue of the entire empire. Everything, pony and structure alike, turned to crystal. Frozen there in stone, the former glorious crystal empire.

Twilight removed my hoof from the orb and looked me in the eyes. I blinked as I finally came back to reality.

"What was that...?" I asked.

"A memory saved to that orb. Cadance's final memory was preserved on a memory orb she had been carrying with her before death. She must have activated it, knowing she was going to die." Twilight explained.

"How many have seen this?" I asked.

"Only you." She responded as she began to put the orb back into her desk and return to her work.

"Why though?"

Placing her glasses back on her face she began to return to her paperwork. "I wanted you to see what we are up against. I saw you had protest to my strategy of keeping you alive. I wanted to show you that there is more than just the darkness to worry about. We need every advantage we can get."

"Why not show the others this?" I asked.

She shook her head.

"They can barely handle the current situation... Imagine how they would be if they discovered that the darkness wasn't their only foe? Shining Armor can never know the truth about his wife's death... He would become obsessed with hunting Chrysalis... He'd lose focus on the war and want nothing but to avenge his wife." She sighed and bowed her head in defeat. "He's just like me... A stubborn old mule..."

"What was Rainbow Dash like?" I changed the subject. The thought crossed my head many times when I looked at her blade.

Twilight rose her head and tilted it. "Rainbow Dash?"

I nodded. "I keep hearing this talk that I'm the next Rainbow Dash... What does that mean? Why is Rainbow Dash so important to you?"

Twilight sighed and peered out her window, facing away from me. "You know this all can't last much longer. Equestria I mean..." She had a bit of disappointment in her tone. Almost as if she had given up. "It'll all end soon enough. These ponies won't even see it coming... I have seen what the darkness can do and it won't stop. We can give pause to it, but it'll keep coming..." She sighed. "Eventually we will be too old and tired from fighting to stop it..."

"Ma'am?" I stepped forward, a bit concerned about her demeanor.

"Rainbow Dash knew that... When I saw her only six years after she left here... At the young age of 29 when she retuned... She had aged almost thirty years... She was an old woman, tired and aged from fighting... She knew that nothing is forever and eventually you'll fall..." Twilight rambled.

"How is that even possible?" I asked.

"War; war had run her down. War is hell." Twilight replied.

"Then we walk to the gates of the underworld with swords drawn." I said.

My comment must have taken her by surprise, as she turned to me with a confused look. I approached her desk. "This city exists because those ponies refuse to die. They cling to precious life and adapt to even the harsh conditions of this ruined world. You underestimate the will to live."

Twilight sat in her chair intrigued. "Why are you so confident...?"

"I have learned one thing in my time... Life is great. Life is the greatest gift in the universe... Although violence ends life, it is not a crime to fight to protect that life. Thus why as long as I draw breath..." I placed my hoof upon my heart. "I will protect that life. I will fight until my body can not withstand the fighting anymore. I will gladly sacrifice my body to make these ponies' hope not misplaced."

"Even if you fight, we will still eventually lose." Twilight pointed out.

"If we give up, we will certainly lose. I'd rather fight for every second we can get over relinquishing the remainder of our time to those who threaten us." I responded.

Twilight blinked. "You're a lot like Dash before she left the military."

I bowed. "Thank you ma'am."

"Wait a while. Soon you'll become just like she was after she left. Give it time and that fire of yours will burn out. When your faith fails you, you'll start to dream of more practical things." Twilight said as she returned to paperwork on her desk, levitating a pair of glasses to her face.

"Aren't you supposed to stopping these ponies from dying?" I grunted.

"On paper, yes. However paper does not take into account how impossible it's request is. So in reality, all I can do is make them more comfortable in their final hours and tell them that dawn will soon come. I would rather they all lay to rest believing a blissful lie, than the harsh truth." The unicorn spoke through writing. Her quill moved quite quickly, she must have been a skilled writer.

"Sounds like a world of ignorance." I rolled my eyes at the thought.

"It's a world we can realistically accomplish." She barked.

"Life's a bitch, doesn't mean you get to be one." I replied. She looked up a bit confused. I placed my hooves on the desk and leaned in as I spoke softer. "They deserve more confidence because the will to live can accomplish far more than you think it can. Life is such a precious thing, and ponies will do anything to protect it. You just haven't seen what its capable of yet... You will though." I leaned back out with a smile.

"Good luck, general." I winked as I trotted for the door.

Act 2: Chapter Thirty-Nine

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 2: Chapter Thirty-Nine (The Manehatten Saga)

Twilight stood in front of the force we were now referring to as "The Final Knights", mostly out of lack of hope for our own success. I could see why they were so skeptical that a band of mismatched soldiers could stop an entity that has been controlling the entire planet for millions of years; even if those soldiers were Equestria's finest.

With our winter jackets and new emblems plastered all over us, we stood out in the freezing ruins. Twilight had gone out of her way to have metal symbols donning the fallen Princess Celestia on them made. We had them sewed onto our jackets and added to our dog tags. She went on about how if we survived they would be a symbol of our accomplishment, a reminder to those around us that we served in one of the greatest missions this military knew.

"Alright, listen up." Twilight began. Looking about to make sure everypony was paying attention she nodded. "The battle is already starting. The longer this takes, the more casualties we will suffer. So I want to make this as quick and efficient as possible. There is a high chance many of us will not survive this mission, and because of that I want to remind you all that you're doing your duty for the empire."

"For the empire!" We all shouted in unison.

"Now, let's give them a surprise they never expected to see." The general grinned happily as she brandished her sword. "Let's show them how strong we really are." She added.

"This one is for Flare..." I said as I stroked the front of my blade. "I'll make sure his death was not for nothing..." I thought out loud.

Apple Bloom shrugged as she loaded her scattershot. "Eh... I didn't want to die alone anyhoo."

"I don't care if I live or die. I just want a chance to sink my teeth into them. I want them to remember Vinyl Jennifer Scratch." Vinyl spoke up.

"I think we're all having a hard time forgetting about her." Shining Armor whispered into my ear as he rolled his eyes.

"As of this point forward, our top priority is completing the mission; our second priority is the preservation of Torch and Luna. The lowest priority..." She paused. "Try not to get killed..."

She certainly didn't seem hopeful.

"Alright team, let's move out. And for the love of Celestia, keep your heads down, these vests do not stop any and all damage, and they're difficult to make, so try and keep them in tact." Twilight lectured.

"Top priority, preservation of important ponies, second priority, preservation of military equipment, third priority, personal safety." Vinyl grinned as she nudged my shoulder while she mocked Twilight.

"Sounds about right..." I rolled my eyes.

"Equestrian military, nothing expendable, except us." Vinyl laughed.

"I hope we can "expend" you so we won't have to listen to you the entire time..." Shining rolled his eyes, clearly getting fed up with her.

Vinyl winked in his direction, her red eyes appearing quite bloodshot. "I think everypony better hope for that. I tend to get a little... Dicey when excited..."

"Can it, you two. We're moving out." Twilight instructed.

Coming to the back entrance to the stronghold, Twilight's prediction had been accurate, it was lightly guarded, but not completely unguarded. We had met with a few would-be soldiers, which we neutralized before they could call for any kind of back up. Unfortunately for them, we were traveling with the best warriors that Equestria had; they never stood a chance.

Trixie had lead us in through a sewer access that would take us right into the headquarters. It was an old escape route that most of them had forgotten about. So there was a high chance they forgot that Trixie had the code to open the access door to it.

"Alright, Trixie, let's hope that we didn't come all this way just to kill you." Twilight gestured to the door that prevented us from advancing.

Trixie stepped forward and began tapping keys. I could see a bead of sweat rolling down her forehead. Twilight had made it very clear that if she couldn't get us in, she'd kill her there and then.

After a beep, the door unlocked. "Yes! I knew they'd have forgotten about this exit! And the best part is that it leads to the security office, so we can shut down the security system and we'll have a straight shot to the beacon room. We'll have to move quickly though, because no doubt that Eagle and Spitfire will become aware of our presence."

Twilight nodded as she readied her blade. I took notice that Luna did the same. "Let's move in." Luna said.

Pushing the door open, we gestured for Vinyl and Shining to enter. The two kept low and crept in through the storage area. Quickly bursting the door to the security office open, the two dove into action, grappling the two guards who were keeping watch and covering their mouths before slitting their throats. Once they were certain they were dead, they released their bodies and gave us the okay to enter. Despite their bickering, they made a pretty interesting team.

Pinkamena advanced and checked the security consoles. "Alright, it looks like the beacon room is virtually unguarded... Looking at the beacon itself... It looks fairly advanced, but a reverse charge should work still. I can see the energy readings on a monitor in that room, it works much like our own beacons. So if we can get in there, I can turn it into a return beacon."

Twilight blinked and looked around as Vinyl lit a cigarette. "Sweet Celestia... This might actually work..."

"Don't count yer' chickens before they hatch. We still gotta get to that beacon in one piece. We gotta go through the agent command center first to do that according to this monitor." Apple Bloom spoke up as she pointed to another monitor.

Vinyl grinned. "Maybe we'll get a stab at old Spitfire after all..."

"For our own sake, I hope you're wrong." Twilight said, taking the cigarette out of Vinyl's mouth and extinguishing it.

"Where's the fun in that?" Vinyl giggled.

Trixie leaned in and grabbed the fur under Vinyl's neck and brought her face close to her own. "Listen here; I have taken a lot of risks just getting us here. I didn't do all that so you could gamble our chances of living for your own amusement. Stop fuckcing around, this isn't a game."

Vinyl's smile quickly turned to a look of anger and disgust. "How dare you touch me, filth..."

Trixie pushed the mare back. "I'm not afraid of you, you're no Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash had spirit, you're nothing more than a mindless killing machine. So stop acting like you fucking know something when you don't. I sacrificed too much and risked too much for you to fuck that all up. So help me, Celestia, if you continue to get in the way, I'll kill you myself!"

Vinyl responded to the push by stepping forward, blade drawn. "You just made the wrong choice..."

Trixie took another step and shoved the mare harder this time, sending her back a few steps. "Oh, what? You don't like that?"

Vinyl's eye twitched. I could now see what the others saw; a demon inside her, just waiting to tear its way out. She could barely contain her anger, and I could see her veins starting to bulge. "Push me again... I dare you..." Vinyl challenged.

"That's enough!" I growled as I pushed Trixie back away from the fuming Vinyl. Grabbing Vinyl's dog tag, I pulled her face down to meet mine. "Knock it off, Vinyl. Have you forgotten why we're here? You kill her, we all die, do you understand that?"

Vinyl couldn't take her eyes off of Trixie, I could see her pupils bugging out as she stared with that death glare of her's.

"Vinyl! Are you listening to me?" I slapped her across the face.

Her eyes stayed on Trixie as she muttered. "Oh lord who hath delivered me from temptation... Grant me strength in this hour to overcome..."

Releasing her tag, I patted her neck. "Why don't you and Shining go up ahead and clear a path for us, okay?"

The soldier merely turned and walked away muttering the same little prayer. Shining stepped through the door with her as we all stood there waiting for them to vanish. "Never struck me for a religious type, that one..." I smiled.

"When you have sinned as much as her, you have to start thinking about making your peace with the goddess at some point. She knows she'll face her crimes eventually." Twilight explained, eyes fixated on the door.

"Forgive her, Trixie.." I turned to the azure mre with a warm smile. "Her anger is volatile, and she can't control it."

Trixie was very quiet in response. "How can you stand up for her...?"

"Anger is learned, not inherited. She's no exception, something tells me that there's a reason she's like this. Ponies are not born thirsting for blood." My eyes fell on the door she just left through.

"What could have possibly driven her to this...?" Trixie asked.

Twilight shrugged as she took a sip from her canteen. "Nopony knows. She's been like that since before the war, but the war magnified it. Her anger grew, and her hatred grew."

"Now isn't a good time to tell a story." I reminded.

With a nod, Twilight readied her blade. "That is true."

Over the radio, I could hear Vinyl's voice. "Good news, chief. We killed them all. Nothing standing in the way now. Follow the hallway and go through the agent command center. We'll meet you there. No sign of Spitfire or the griffon."

"You heard her, let's move." I commanded.

The team darted ahead with stealth, Twilight however paused to place a hoof upon my shoulder. "You're not like Flare... You're a leader. I can tell by looking at you, by the way you act... You're a lot stronger than your brother was..."

I slapped her hoof away as I trotted behind the group. "My brother didn’t get to live long enough to see how strong he was." I replied.

She left the conversation there.

Just as promised we arrived in the agent command center to find Vinyl and Shining Armor sharing a cigarette. Vinyl had not seen us come in and we caught the end of their conversation. "Smoke up, life's short my friend." She said as she held a lighter out for him. A cigarette in her own mouth already a quarter finished.

Shining took a drag and coughed before the two saw us. We assumed they must have found a common ground.

"Glad you made it. Shall we make the final stretch?" Vinyl grinned.

"I'm afraid that won't be happening." A deeper feminine voice echoed through the room.

We all glanced to see an orange mare with a short manecut, and a scar across her face. I recognized her from the mission briefing, this was Spitfire. The mare whom even Twilight was afraid of running into. Her expression looked emotionless, and her face frozen in what I thought was an indefinite scowl.

She looked around and saw the blade on my hoof. Her eyes locked on it. "Ah, so this is the new Rainbow Dash?" Sizing me up she shook her head. "What happened to the original one? She finally run away and not come back? Smart on her part really..."

With everypony pulling their weapons out to fight her, she just shook her head again. She had an aura of overconfidence. "Do you truly wish to fight me? Even combined you all stand no chance..."

Vinyl leapt forward with her two front hoof swords ready to go. "Leave her to me! I have been waiting to rip her apart for a while now..." With a grin, Vinyl locked her bloodshot eyes onto Spitfire. "I want her all to myself..."

"Vinyl, you're no match for her!" Twilight protested.

"Shut up, Twilight. I don't want any to interfere. This is my fight... I know I can win... If any of you get involved, I can't promise your safety..." Vinyl retorted, not taking her eyes off of Spitfire.

"You should listen to the unicorn... You may live longer if you run." Spitfire had not even readied her sword yet.

"Let me see how strong you actually are... I have pushed to get stronger every single day; to be the strongest. I dream of fighting, and I exist now to kill those who are enemies to freedom. Why do you exist beyond being a puppet?" Vinyl said.

"I have a reason far greater than yours. I'll break you first and show you what it means to be truly strong..." Finally getting her blade out she took a step forward and took the proper stance. "Then I shall kill you."

"Looking forward to it." Vinyl smirked.

Wasting no time, Spitfire bolted in and punched Vinyl's face and jump kicked her in the torso while she was recovering for the blow. After she was knocked back, Spitfire charged forward and started dealing blows right to Vinyl's skull, still not utilizing her blade.

Trying to fight back, Vinyl took a swing of her own, only to have her hoof caught in Spitfire's, who twisted it, causing Vinyl to groan in pain. "Weak, fueled by anger and hatred, just as I suspected..." Spitfire mocked.

"Fuck you!" Vinyl hissed as she took a swing with her good hoof. Spitfire merely caught that one too and jumped in the air cracking her back hoof to Vinyl's chin.

Twilight got her sword ready only for Vinyl to yell to her. "No! I told you... She's mine..." Vinyl growled as she helped herself up.

"Vinyl, that's enough, you're no match for her. Stop being stubborn." Twilight protested.

"Shut up! I am strong enough! I will prove it! I will prove that I am the strongest there is!" Vinyl proudly exclaimed.

Twilight sighed and shook her head as she turned away. "She just doesn't get it... The reason the sword didn't choose her..." Twilight spoke to herself.

"Let her fight." I said.

Twilight blinked and looked to me confused. "What? Why?"

I kept my eyes on the fight where Vinyl helplessly tried to land a blow on Spitfire only to have each attack turned back on her. "She must learn this lesson the hard way. I can tell by looking at her, she won't learn by you telling her... It must be experienced..."

Grabbing Vinyl's mane in her hoof, Spitfire pulled her forward and smashed her face into the wall. Vinyl coughed and grunted as she picked herself up, feeling her forehead she looked to her hoof to see that it was stained with blood. Red liquid leaked down her forehead, bloodying her white coat. "Surrender, Vinyl. I won't have to kill you if you just accept joining the darkness." Spitfire offered.

Vinyl spit some blood out of her mouth and took her fighting pose yet again. "So I can be like you? A puppet and a traitor? Sorry, but I choose death!"

"Even Rainbow Dash knew her limits. She feared fighting me because she knew she could not defeat me. You think you're strong because you are not afraid to die, but you're weak. You're weak because you don't know your limitations. You don't know when to stop, when to give in." Spitfire bolted forward and knocked Vinyl over and proceeded to deliver a few kicks to her chest as she laid helpless on the ground. "Why not surrender so you'll at least live long enough to learn from your mistakes?"

"F-fuck... Y-y-you..." Vinyl winced as she tried to get herself up.

"What makes you so foolish? Where does your pride come from?" Spitfire asked.

"I think you've gotta all you'll get out of her, Spitfire..." We all turned to the griffon that had entered the room casually. Trotting over to Spitfire he placed a claw on her shoulder. "Any secrets she has, she wishes to take to the grave with her. Respect that."

"Lovely..." Twilight growled as she aimed her weapon. "I was hoping to avoid this, now we've got both of them to worry about!"

"Wait!" Trixie interrupted.

We all turned to face her. "Listen to me. We're not enemies here! We all want the same thing!"

"Its the traitor." Spitfire spoke plainly to Hawk.

"Listen to me! If you kill us, you'll only be damning yourselves too. That canon will be fired soon, and if we don't stop it, then you can kiss your asses goodbye. The darkness has no further use for you two after that." Trixie explained.

"Why should we take the words of a traitor?" Spitfire pointed out.

"You're the traitors! You turned on Equestria for your own well being! I am just done being a coward like you two! I finally thought it over, and I would rather choose death." Trixie growled.

Spitfire rolled her eyes. "What do you think, Hawk?" She looked to the griffon, whom had been keeping quite calm and quiet.

"I think we should listen to her..." He revealed.

"What? Why?" Spitfire grew a confused look.

Hawk looked to her and shook his head. "Spitfire, you and I both know that canon will fire. We also know that when it does our lives will be over as well."

"But... Soarin..." She bit her lip.

"Listen, Spitfire... I meant to tell you this before, but I know you joined to keep him safe after the darkness took over him. However, Soarin is already dead. His body still moves, sure, but he's not in there anymore. He's been gone for a long time, and its time to accept that. He isn't coming back." Hawk lectured.

"How can you be so sure that this is the right way?" Spitfire questioned.

"I've seen a lot of hell in my life, Spitfire. You don't even know a fraction of my story. I know what the gateway to hell looks like." He stood up and came face to face with her.

"I don't understand how you can be like this... After all you've been through, how can you even be the slightest bit compassionate? I've never once seen you show an ounce of empathy..." Spitfire looked up into his eyes as she spoke.

"I became what I needed to become. However it might be nice to finally kill for the right reasons for once. What do you say? Let's help them get to where they're going?" He offered his claw to her. "One last mission?"

Looking down at his claw she paused as she thought it over. Finally she placed her hoof in it. "You've been the most loyal companion I've ever had. You stuck by me this whole time, and I know so little bout you... I'll follow you one more time though. If we are heading towards oblivion... I want to arrive right behind you."

"We'll certainly be going there today." He grinned as he turned to Vinyl and offered a claw.

Swatting his claw away, the mare got up on her own, though clearly struggling. "I don't need your help... Nor do I want it... You morons can trust these two to help, but I'm not going to trust them farther than I can throw them." With a slight limp in her step, she struggled to get back over to the group. Fluttershy attempted to begin treatment, only for Vinyl to dismiss her.

"I don't want your help! Just don't touch me!" She hissed as she pushed Fluttershy away.

Ordinarily, Twilight probably would have stepped in, however after that ordeal she clearly just wanted this all to be over faster.

"Looks like somepony tripped the alarm... They'll be coming soon..." Hawk spoke as he looked around the room after noticing a monitor on his weapon. Checking the monitor again he looked to Spitfire. "Looks like hundreds of them..."

"Elites too..." Spitfire pointed out as she glanced at her own.

"Look, if you want to attempt your plan, you best go now. If you wait until they arrive, you'll never make it." Hawk spoke drawing his blade.

"What about you two?" Twilight asked.

Hawk grinned and looked at Spitfire. "We'll hold them off. Should slow them down quite a bit..."

Twilight nodded as she got us all ready to leave. "Good luck, and thank you... "

Hawk gestured for her to go. "Don't thank us yet."

Twilight smirked and bolted out. I followed behind, but slow enough to catch Hawk's last words to Spitfire. "Guess we're not going to get overtime today?"

I caught a glimpse of Spitfire's smile. "We'll be with Soarin soon."

That was the last time we ever saw them. I don't know exactly what happened, but I can imagine that the two of them made that room their resting place. I'd like to think it was one hell of a show before they went down. They redefined the term "give them hell."

Running along, we noticed a beaten Vinyl trip and collapse. Twilight halted and came to her aid. "Come on, Vinyl let me help you..." Twilight offered a hoof.

Vinyl swatted it away. "Leave me!" She growled.

"Vinyl, stop being stubborn, let me help you up." Twilight had a hint of annoyance on her breath.

"I'm weak... I deserve to die... Leave me here!" Vinyl commanded.

A side of Twilight came out that I think we all knew was only there for the sole purpose of dealing with Vinyl. "On your hooves, soldier!"

Vinyl ignored her and placed her face against the ground, letting it become stained in her blood. "Just go..."

Twilight kicked Vinyl's side, causing her to grunt. "Listen to me, shit head! If you continue to lay there, you're going to be in a world of shit, and do you know why?"

Vinyl coughed. "W-why?" She spoke weakly.

Twilight reached down and picked up Vinyl's neck, bringing their faces inches apart. "Because you don't have my permission to die, yet. Now get up." She dropped the mare back onto the hard floor.

With a struggle, Vinyl groaned in agony as she began to lift herself. Her body was in rough shape, but somehow she found the strength to get back up. "Yes... Ma'am... Permission to die... Ma'am?" She got herself to a full stand.

"Denied, now get your ass moving before I kick it the whole way there." Twilight commanded.

Vinyl gave a halfhearted salute before trotting along, limping with every step.

Rolling her eyes, Twilight gestured to me. "Help her. If she dies on me, it'll be your ass." Twilight instructed.

I nodded. "Yes ma'am."

Coming to Vinyl's aid, she gave an annoyed look. "You should have left me..." She complained.

"I'll leave you behind when you're dead. You know the code; no knight left behind. As long as we draw breath, we fight." I reminded.

"I'm weak... I don't deserve to be a knight... I don't even deserve to live..." Vinyl rambled as she struggled to step with me.

I took it slow for her to keep up with me. Her injuries were severe, but not fatal. "You're too hard on yourself." I smiled.

"Dash... She told me about Spitfire... Her power... Her skill..." Vinyl coughed up some blood before she continued speaking. "She said... If she fought Spitfire, she'd die..."

"Perhaps that should have been a warning to you?" I remarked.

Vinyl panted as she was exhausting herself walking. "The sword... It chose you... Despite being a weakling... A pampered SkyVale girl... Yet it chose you..."

"I can't explain that unfortunately. The weapon has a mind of its own, clearly." I replied.

I offered to let her rest for a second, but she resisted. Insisting on pushing herself, she demanded we keep up with the others. Shrugging, I decided to give her what she wanted and just press forward.

"I need to get stronger..." The unicorn rambled.

"Why are you so obsessed with being strong, Vinyl? Your body is at its limit, yet you keep pushing yourself. Why?" I asked.

"I won't go back... I won't going back to being weak... I'd rather die than go back..." Vinyl mumbled.

I wasn't sure what she was rambling about, but I let out a sigh and shook my head. "Strength comes from many places Vinyl, but you shouldn't fear being weak..."

"I'm not afraid... I'm angry..." She corrected.

I should have expected as much. That statement could probably sum up Vinyl's entire life.

"You'll get a chance to blow off some steam." I grinned as I picked up the pace to get us caught up with the group.

"I lost... To Spitfire... I'm weak..." She repeated.

With a grunt, I managed to get her to the end of the hallway. "Yeah, but even Rainbow Dash couldn't beat her from what I hear."

"Rainbow Dash was weak... That's why she's gone. She wasn't strong enough... A great fighter, but she let her emotions weaken her..." Vinyl spoke.

Quite bold of her to accuse Rainbow Dash of being weak.

We arrived at the beacon only minutes after everypony else. Pinkamena was already checking over the console. "Alright, I can do it, but I need complete concentration. Its a delicate procedure, and I can't be interrupted. No doubt they'll be coming this way, but you'll all have to hold them off while I work. If I am interrupted even once, there goes our only chance, so keep me covered." She explained.

Twilight nodded. "Fluttershy, get Vinyl patched up. I don't want any sass from you either, Vinyl. You're no use to me if I have to have somepony carry you the entire way. Get her back into fighting condition and keep Fluttershy guarded while she works. The rest of you; you better not let any of them through that door."

I helped Vinyl off to the other side of the room so Fluttershy could work away from the gunfire. "Can you help her?" I asked.

Checking over Vinyl's wounds she nodded. "I can give her a few steroid injections to get her strength back, and cover her wounds. If I give her a healing potion, she'll recover much faster. It'll take me about five minutes, but I can get her in a condition where she can fight at least."

Vinyl groaned in agony, protesting the idea. "Just kill me... I failed..."

Fluttershy sighed and began cleaning up her wounds. "Nonsense. Everypony fails now and then. That's no reason to give up."

"I broke my promise... I don't deserve to live..." Vinyl rambled.

Fluttershy silenced her. "Shhhh, just relax for a bit."

Getting up, I joined Twilight with my weapon pointed at the door. "I'll be honest with you..." Twilight began.

"Hm?" I replied.

Taking cover with her weapon drawn, she smiled. "I never had 100% faith in this plan from the start... The chances of us actually being able to pull this off I'd say are slim to none..."

"I suppose that's what will make our victory that much more sweet." I grinned.

Twilight never get a chance to answer, as right then the enemy burst through the door. Weapons drawn, they came in shooting. We however were ready for them. We unloaded everything we had upon them, dropping them like flies as they poured in. I can never forget their blank emotionless faces. They simply lined up to die without a care in the world. Twilight was right; they were the perfect enemy.

Luna ducked down next to me trying to jam another clip in her weapon. "Cover me, I'm reloading." She instructed.

Popping my head back up, I fires off a few rounds, dropping another row. They began to return fire. I was able to duck again, but their aim was impecible. "They weren't kidding, those are elites... We can't hold them off, forever, how's that console going, Dr. Pie?" I asked as I popped off a few more shots.

"Just a little longer... Keep them back just a bit longer, I need to secure a way for us to get back too, mind you..." She said as she tapped away at the buttons on the console.

Vinyl raised a hoof and began firing at a few coming through the door. Even in her condition, she could still muster enough energy to ward off our enemies. She growled as she tried to keep her hoof up to fire, while Fluttershy injected her with steroids. "This is our world, assholes..." She muttered.

"What the hell is that...?" Twilight asked as she eyed a feral looking creature behind the invading elites.

It snarled and spit as it moved violently. It twitched and growled as it made sporadic movements. Dripping from its mouth was a black ooze, and its body seemed much bulkier than that of a normal pony.

"Shit! It's a mauler! Don't let it get any closer! Shoot the shit out of it!" Trixie yelled as she directed her fire to it.

We all began to concentrate fire on it. "Shit its fast!" I hollered as it dodged our rounds.

Apple Bloom got tackled by it and held its jaw back while it viciously tried to rip her throat out. It certainly had a lot of energy. "Get this fuckin' thing offa' me!" She yelled.

Twilight and I administered two direct hits to its head. Apple Bloom blasted it in the stomach as she pushed it off and got herself up. "What the hell are those things!?"

"Genetically enhanced soldiers... It looks like they are unleashing everything to stop us. I guess Hawk and Spitfire didn't last too long..." Trixie explained.

"I think we have a new problem..." Shining Armor pointed.

Rushing through the crowd of soldiers, a massive beast knocked a hoofful of them out of the way as it roared. It was at least ten times any of our size, and had a girth that could rival and ox. "What the fuck is that!?" Twilight exclaimed.

"Uhhh, we just started calling that a tank..." Trixie gulped as she backed up a few steps.

"Shoot the tank then! Unload everything onto it!" Twilight commanded.

We all started emptying entire clips onto it, but it didn't seem to stop it in the slightest. "Fuck! It's like a damn meat shield!" Apple Bloom cried as she blasted a few scattershots on it.

"Why do you think we call it a tank!?" Trixie hollered as she kept firing at it.

The beast rushed through us and grabbed Twilight by the throat, smashing her against the ground. She struggled and started stabbing it repeatedly in the claw. Once it loosened its grip, she opened her infamous yellow eye and locked gaze with the monster. It became petrified and solid rock quite rapidly. Breaking free, Twilight jumped back and cast a fireball spell on it, breaking it to pieces.

"Damn it, Pinkamena, speed it up, we can't hold them off forever!" Twilight hissed.

"I'm trying, this isn't exactly a simple process! I am used to working with far less advanced equipment than this!" Pinkamena responded.

"Here come some more maulers!" Trixie exclaimed as she lobbed a grenade in that direction.

Jumping through the door, half a dozen more of those vicious creatures poured out, to be met with the explosion of Trixie's grenade. The beasts were resilient however and the blast did not take them all down. Two of them leapt forward and came inches from me.

Their shrill sounds were irritating up close. They pierced one's eardrums with a noise that could best be described as vicious and maniacal. It opened its mouth and growled directly in my face, spit flying out of it. With a quick thrust of the Rainbow Edge, I jammed the blade into its mouth and pushed through its throat. "How's that taste?" I mocked as I jumped and kicked the monster off my sword.

The sound of a gunshot brought my attention to the second beast that was felled right behind me. Looking to the origins of the shot, I saw a patched up Vinyl holding her weapon shakily as she wiped blood off of her lip. Not even being beaten within an inch of her life was enough to push the fight out of her.

"It's ready! Quickly, everypony onto the beacon now! It will only remain charged for a short time!" Pinkamena shouted as she bolted away from the control panel and to the portal.

Nodding, Twilight gestured for the rest of us to follow. Shining Armor, Luna, Trixie, and Apple Bloom all jumped onto the portal that had opened up on the beacon, Vinyl, myself and Twilight trailing behind, keeping gunfire on the door. Vinyl was limping as Twilight tried to assist her. "Leave me..." Vinyl groaned.

Twilight slapped her face and growled. "I told you before, you don't have permission to die yet. So you better move your ass!"

I gave the two of them a shove through the portal as I kept my front facing the door as I saw a few more tanks start to thrash their way in. With a smile, I turned and hopped through the rift as well. This was it, our big chance to finish this nightmare, we were finally about to meet the darkness face to face. This was going to be our finest hour, our success would determine the shape of the whole world.

Author's Note

Why did this chapter take so long? Well the answer is because I had a lot going on. Also before anyone asks, no this is not the chapter before the final one. When we get to the final saga in the story is will be titled "Final Saga". I get people asking about how long the story is going to be all the time, and there is no definitive answer, but I can honestly say we are getting "closer" to the end, but we're probably around... 2/3 of the way done by now. I also apologize for taking so long. I know a lot of you have been following this story for damn near 3 years, and I have been slow as ass.

When I first started this, I actually intended it to end right where Dash died in Chapter 24ish. That was going to be the end all be all and I was going to leave it open for a sequel, but I decided that too much was left open to leave it there and decided to actually combine a lot of ideas I had for future stories in this universe into one. Fear not though, the story WILL end. I am actually actively thinking about where we are going to end up, and hopefully I can finish this story by the end of this year. (That's a big maybe, probably will take me longer). I'll see if I can squeeze in some more writing for it this summer.

As for older chapters: yes, I intend to go back and edit them to improve the quality a bit. Fix mistakes, use better descriptive language, etc. No elements of the story will be changed though, the plot will remain completely as is and intact.

I hope this chapter was worth the wait for some of you.

Act 2: Chapter Forty

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 2: Chapter Forty (The Manehatten Saga)

A sensation of being pulled quite violently took over me, and possibly the rest of the group. This feeling of something grabbing you in the air and yanking you with full force into the heavens and then quickly dropping you was all I could think about. However instead of a splat, you landed safely and were uncertain of how you did so. It was this feeling of relief mixed with the feeling of falling. However in the end, all I could remember was Twilight’s extended awe. She gazed around the entirely metal craft we stood in and her mouth hung open. The mare had believed Trixie at face value, but to actually witness such a wonder up close was another story for her.

She broke the silence. “I… I can’t believe it… It’s really here… Some kind of… Space craft… Floating above our world… Millions of years without our knowledge… Just sitting there… Why…? How?” She must have been quite out of it, as she wasn’t even really speaking in complete sentences anymore.

Trying to finally get Fluttershy to leave her alone, Vinyl shoved her way through the group to approach Twilight. “Because, we’re their pet project.” She interjected.

Confused, our purple leader turned with a look of complete puzzlement. Vinyl answered with a bandaged hoof gesture to some kind of giant test tubes down the hall. The halls of the ship were narrow and hard to see around, but sure enough with a few steps forward we all could see it, a group of ponies floating in some kind of tubes with all kind of screens and dials around them. Foreign technology far beyond our simplistic comprehension filled that entire room. We drew closer, but even up close it was impossible to decipher what any of the objects in that room did.

Vinyl tapped on the glass of one, and unsurprisingly, there was no response from the inhabitants. She laughed a bit and magicked a cigarette to her swollen lip, making a somewhat quick recovery of the pride she had lost earlier. “It all makes sense…” She added.

“What makes sense?” Luna chimed in; trying to follow what was going on.

“I think I know what Vinyl is getting at…” Twilight answered for her, her eyes locked on the ponies in the tubes.

“Then could someone please explain it to me, because I’m lost…” Luna looked up, trying to figure out what it was that Twilight and Vinyl saw.

Vinyl took a big drag and exhaled the foul smoke before answered, “She’s figured it out too, and no doubt cunt face has got it, yeah?” She gestured to Pinkamena with that remark, though I am certain we all could have guessed who she was referring to.

“Quite.” Was all that the good doctor had to add.

“Will someone please tell those of us who are still clueless what the hell is going on?” Trixie complained.

“They’re experimenting…” Twilight finally solved the riddle to the crowd.

“Guess that rules out our theory of them just wanting to scrap up the planet for resources then, huh?” Vinyl took another long exhale right before she spoke.

Twilight’s brow rose, captivated by the mystery of what Vinyl just said. “What do you mean?”

“Well, if they just wanted the planet for resources why are they experimenting on us? We’re just primitive beasts to them. Clearly there is more to it than we originally thought.” The white unicorn explained.

“Well I’ll be damned; you’re actually capable of making a scientific inference…” Pinkamena snidely remarked.

Vinyl just spit at the comment and tossed her smoke aside. As usual, Pinkamena remained unprovoked.

“What else could they possibly want then?” I asked.

Twilight nodded at me, “That is a good question… Let’s see if we can find out…”

Our thoughts would have to hold though, as we became aware of the fact that we soon would no longer be alone. The sound of what we assumed to be a door opening came from the back of the room which we had inferred to be a scientific lab of some kind. Sluggishly entering was some kind of black and green tinted abomination. It walked on two clawed legs, and its body was mostly covered in some kind of armor made from a thin looking metal. It certainly didn’t sacrifice dexterity for its protection.

Two long arms hung from the hunched creature, so long that they dragged their sharp hands across the floor when they moved. Its arms were almost the length of its entire body. I examined it for as long as I could and took note of the hundreds of small dark green spines going up its arms. It was hideous.

Before any of us got a chance to ask what the creature could possibly be, a gunshot was heard. We all turned our heads first to the left to see Vinyl with a smoking gun, then to the right to see the monster had been decapitated and laid on the floor with a vile black liquid leaking out of what I assumed used to be his head.

“I figured we could ask questions after I killed it…” Vinyl shrugged.

Twilight was so fascinated with the creature she even forgot to scold Vinyl for her recklessness before going to examine the fiend up close. “What is it…?” She pondered aloud as she tapped it with her hoof to ensure it was dead.

“Well, we know it doesn’t survive without a head.” Vinyl smirked as she and the rest of us joined Twilight.

“This must be one of the ships inhabitants… I never really imagined what the darkness would look like in its physical form, so I must admit I’m rather surprised…” Luna spoke, poking the creature with the tip of her sword.

She had a point. All of us didn’t really know what to expect when we got this far. For all we knew, the darkness could have been fluffy bunnies. However appropriately, they were instead these hulking, disgusting monsters. The creature must have stood over six feet tall when it wasn’t hunched over and had piercing green eyes that glowed even after death.

Vinyl grunted and gestured for us to keep moving. “Who gives a shit what they are? We’re here to kill them.”

Twilight sighed and came to a stand nodding. “Unfortunately, she is correct. Come on, we have to make our way to the whoever leads this ship and we can put an end to this once and for all.”

Much to Twilight’s dismay, stopping to study the creatures was not an option for the entire trip. We would kill one or two, but have to quickly retreat somewhere to hide to avoid alerting the entire ship. Despite it being poorly defended, we were still outmatched and had the disadvantage when it came to understanding the layout of the ship. With a bit of knowledge, luck and reverse engineering though, Twilight was able to steal a map of the ship and get the general idea of where everything on the map was located.

With her intellect, she deduced a room where a lot of the electrical equipment ran to had to be the control room, and thus the epicenter of the ship and where we should look. Chances are it would be the same location as the bridge, and where we would find the creature controlling this entire ship.

Coming around a hallway just a few down from the bridge, Twilight gestured for us all to push ourselves up against the wall. Doing as instructed, we all stood with held breath, even the normally loud mouthed Vinyl Scratch whom had remained dead silent. Near the front of the pack was Twilight with Fluttershy. Twilight jerked her head to the direction of the corner, suggesting non-verbally for Fluttershy to peak around it. Doing as instructed, Fluttershy poked her head out for only a brief second before a loud bang was heard.

The rest of us nearly jumped as we looked at what had happened. Before any of the group had a chance to process the events, Twilight leapt out into the open and let off a few shots. We couldn’t get a good look at what she was shooting at, but sure enough after about five or six shots she lowered her weapon and lifted Fluttershy from the floor.

Twilight’s eyes grew and became moist as she stared at the now limp pegasus whom had stopped moving. Touching her forehead, there was a hole going directly through to the other side, blood leaking onto the floor. Twilight hugged the corpse with tears starting to leak from her eyelids. “Those bastards!” She growled.

“Holy fuck…” Vinyl commented in shock.

“They had guards around the corner… She just happened to see them when they were looking her way…” Twilight explained as she held Fluttershy’s body.

Pinkamena seemed relatively unchanged by these events, which was no surprise; however she was starting to grow a grin upon her face that was making me uneasy. In a matter of seconds however it would become clear that my uneasiness was well warranted as Fluttershy’s eyes opened back up and mechanical noises could be heard exiting her mouth before her lips began to move reciting what sounded like rehearsed lines. “Initializing backup mode…”

Twilight threw the body back onto the ground with a yelp. “What the hell!?”

Pinkamena stepped forward with her chest puffed out in pride. Placing a gentle hoof upon the bloody face of Fluttershy, she smiled before speaking. “Isn’t it marvelous? The latest break through! I have really outdone myself.”

Twilight and Vinyl both seemed to have the same reaction as they bolted forward and pinned Pinkamena to the wall, both with blades drawn to her throat. “WHAT DID YOU DO!?” Twilight demanded.

“Want me to end this bitch?” Vinyl questioned, clearly hungering for more bloodshed today.

Twilight ignored her request and instead kept her eyes locked on Pinkamena’s, staring at her harshly. “Talk”, Twilight demanded.

“It’s nothing really… I simply installed a backup system in Fluttershy’s brain stem…” She coughed and spoke through strained breathes caused by Twilight and Vinyl’s grip on her. “That system was designed to kick in if all life signals in her body ceased and it would take her memories, skills and such and replicate them. It’s actually quite an ingenious idea don’t you think?”

“You’ve gone too far, Pinkamena. How do we shut it down?” Twilight demanded.

She smirked and played coy. “Why would you want to do a thing like that?”

Vinyl growled and pressed her grip on Pinkamena harder.

“I thought you of all ponies would appreciate this, Twilight… I’ve found a way to preserve Fluttershy’s useful skills and knowledge in medical science. It’s not like doctors are going to fall from the sky these days, so making the most of the few you have is essential. You should be thanking me! I’ve simply taken recycling to a new level, made resource conservation far more interesting as well. In this form she won’t require food, water, anything.” Pinkamena bragged about her achievement.

Sneering, Twilight pressed her blade closer to Pinkamena’s neck. “Tell me how to shut her down. That’s an order.”

“And who do you think you are, ordering me around?” Pinkamena questioned.

“Continue to piss me off and see what happens. I’ll give you one final chance, tell me how to shut her down.” Twilight threatened.

Looking her in the eye it was clear that threats of death were nothing to Pinkamena. Her life had clearly been threatened enough times to not be affected by such a thing. Then again, most of Equestria in this day and age were used to danger and having their life threatened. With a sigh, Pinkamena nodded and gestured with her head to the now fully standing Fluttershy.

“The chip that controls the body is in the brain stem. Just below the neck. Hit that and the entire thing shuts down…”

Twilight gestured for Vinyl to take care of that, clearly unwilling to take her sword to her old friend, Fluttershy even if it was for the best. Vinyl obeyed and released Pinkamena to trot over to Fluttershy’s back side and began to run a hoof down her neck until she felt a spot that I assumed felt out of place. Once she was certain she had the location of this supposed chip, she readied her blade and gave a strike to the back of Fluttershy’s head.

The blow caused Fluttershy to once again fall to the ground lifeless with closed eyes, blood still draining from her skull. Twilight only looked for a second before looking away, not wanting to see it any longer.

“Happy?” Pinkamena asked, clearly trying to antagonize further.

Furious, Twilight kept her pinned to the wall as she squeezed her neck, causing Pinkamena to slowly lose air. “If I didn’t need you alive, I’d kill you right here. Listen carefully to me, because we won’t have this conversation a second time.” Pinkamena coughed as Twilight strangled her. “That girl is not just some memories and skills to be replicated and replaced like a broken machine. She was a pony like you and I and deserves the respect to be left to die with dignity. You have no fucking right to do that to her! I’d rather her skills and memories die with her than for us to become cold and unfeeling like her. You think you and I are so similar, but we are drastically different Dr. Pie… There is a line I’m never willing to cross…” Pinkamena struggled and tried to get Twilight to release her only for Twilight to hold her tighter. “I suggest you never cross it again while I’m around. Next time… You’ll regret it…” Twilight added finally releasing the mare.

Pinkamena fell to the ground and dropped her glasses. Grabbing them from the floor and coughing she placed them back upon her face with a scoff. “You’re so simple minded… Short sighted, you can’t see the big picture…”

“Save it. Your orders are to serve as a medical expert and scientist when called upon, nothing more, nothing less. I don’t know what happened to you Pinkie, but there is something severely broken in your brain…” Twilight scolded.

Coming to a stand, Pinkamena met her with fiery eyes. “Or maybe it’s all of you with broken brains.”

“One more instance like that and I’ll let Vinyl have her way with you. The only reason I am letting you live right now is because of our past together. If it weren’t for that, you’d be dead already.” Twilight said before turning towards the hallway.

“Come on, we have to go.” She instructed.

“What about…” I finally interjected pointing to Fluttershy’s corpse.

Twilight sighed and shook her head. “There’s nothing else we can do for her. I wish we could take her with us, but she would slow us down. Leave a brave soldier to rest; she’s earned that at the very least.”

Standing outside of the bridge, we had finally made it, the door that blocked what was supposedly the leader of these creatures and the true face of our enemy. We were only one door away from being able to finally end this war once and for all. Only a simple entranceway from ensuring our future was without the darkness, and conveniently it was locked.

Twilight, and Luna began to work magic upon the lock, focusing their efforts on trying to solve the strange advanced locking mechanism with all their talent and ability. It was easy to see that these creatures were far more advanced with technology than our own kind, and perhaps there was much we could learn after this was over by reverse engineering their technology. The thought that some good could even come from all of this was strange, but somehow comforting to know that everything that had transpired would not be completely in vain.

“This is some advanced stuff… Vinyl give us a hoof.” Twilight instructed.

Nodding, Vinyl stepped forward and began casting upon the lock as well. “Shit… This thing is tough… Really resistant to magic…” She commented.

After a few minutes of focusing, the lock finally turned green and opened. “Damn, we actually did it!” Vinyl sounded almost genuinely impressed at their feat.

“Let’s end this!” Twilight insisted as she drew her blade.

With a group nod, we all trotted onto the bridge through the freshly unlocked doorway only to find it mostly empty. A large vista of our planet was visible through a giant window on the ship, and a control deck was easy to see, but there was no crew in this room. Instead a large black blob of what appeared to be some kind of thick smoke that somehow also resembled sludge at the same time stood in the center of the room. It’s form morphed and moved in an unnatural and eerie shape.

“What the hell…?” Luna asked as she lowered her sword.

A long thin tendril reached behind the creature and retrieved a body that it lifted up into the air by the neck. We all instantly recognized it, it was Fluttershy. It tightened its grip upon the corpse and Fluttershy’s mouth opened letting out a strange screeching sound followed by strained speech.

Through squinted eyes it was possible to see that the tendril that held her was a physical appendage of a creature that was inside of that blob of blackness. We could start to see green eyes begin to glow from behind it. “You… Worthless creatures…” It said.

Twilight stepped forward and kept her sword lowered as she addressed the creature. “What are you?” She asked.

The creature held Fluttershy’s body out to speak for it. “We are all that is, all that ever shall be.”

“So you’re gods?” Twilight raised a brow.

“Your species language lacks a word for what we are. Gods are a concept of lesser constitutions. We have surpassed such a state. We are beginning and end.” It replied through its puppet.

“Where did you come from?” I asked for Twilight.

It paused before answering. “We do not understand your inquiry. We have always been.”

“What planet did you originate from?” Twilight decided to try rephrasing the question.

“We have always been. The species you see before you are merely our current slaves, used for carrying out our divine duty…” It said.

That meant that these aliens, or whatever they were were actually slaves to this thing? So they were just as unfortunate as we were?

“What is your divine duty?” Vinyl Scratch decided to get in on the conversation, clearly getting a bit antsy from all this talking.

It fell silent for a few seconds before Fluttershy’s head contorted awkwardly as it spoke through her mouth. “Consume. Eliminate imperfections such as your species.”

“So I’m guessing peace is not an option.” Twilight questioned.

“Peace is a concept only your kind understands. Your kind are unable to understand our divine logic. You must be purged from existence; your imperfections must be wiped from the universe.” It responded.

“I think I’ve heard enough…” Vinyl growled as she made her blade extrude.

With a nod, Twilight and Luna joined her along with me. The Rainbow Edge felt somehow strangely stronger and almost like it was pulling me, like it yearned to slave this creature.

With a screech it tosses Fluttershy’s corpse aside and began hurling black spikes from its body underneath the smog at us. Twilight dodged one and Vinyl deflected another with her blade. The creature quickly followed up the attack by pulling several more tendrils out from the smog and whipping them around trying to hit me. Fortunately I was quick enough to duck under them and avoid damage, however they managed to whip Vinyl and Twilight out of the way and threw them into a nearby wall.

With a jump, I leapt over a second swipe and took the chance to slice one of them off. The creature growled and shot off another spike that I was not as lucky to be able to dodge. The black spine struck me directly in the side of my rib cage causing me to tumble to the ground, gripping the spot.

Luna took advantage of my suffering by leaping into the fight, slashing at the creature’s tendrils. Her distraction proved effective as it drew the monster away from me and also gave Twilight and Vinyl a chance to recover.

Looking to the sword upon my hoof, I could see it glowing. The blade was begging for the slaughtering of this monster and I intended to deliver. While the others distracted it, I pulled myself to a stand, staggering a bit as blood dripped down the fresh opening that the spike had made. Gritting my teeth, I took a few pained steps before finally forcing myself to move through the pain. Adrenaline took over and forced me into a leap slashing at the creature from behind while the others fought it.

A bright light shined from the blade as it sliced right through the darkness surrounding the beast and green blood splashed out of its body. It was a direct hit.

The black smog released the creature and seemed to dissolve into nothing, leaving a disfigured beast to collapse to the floor. Twilight and the others blinked in shock, not expecting that plan to work. Before we knew it however, the entire ship began to let off an ear piercing siren, and all the lights began to flash red. “Shit! What’s happening!?” Vinyl asked, covering her ears.

Pinkamena stepped towards the body of the creature and examined some cables attached to it that lead to a control panel. “My guess is the ship was attached to his vitals. It’s designed to self destruct if his vitals drop to zero, probably to prevent any from stealing their technology.”

“Damn it!” Twilight growled. “We could have learned a lot from all of this…”

Looking over at a terminal, Pinkamena retrieved an orb from her bag. “This doesn’t look too advanced, I can probably grab all the non-protected stuff and transfer it to a magic storage orb to review later.” Pinkamena suggested.

Twilight nodded. “Please do; also if possible locate the nearest exit portal.”

Pinkamena began to work on the terminal while I staggered to stay standing. Blood was dripping from my side at an alarming rate. Twilight took notice of my condition and quickly approached. “Shit, Pinkamena hurry, Torch is bleeding!”

I found myself so dizzy, I couldn’t stay awake. Falling to the floor, I tried to keep my eyes open as long as I could, knowing that if I passed out now it would be the end of me. Twilight’s voice was reverbing in my head as she spoke to me. “Come on, Torch stay with us!”

It was too late though, my eyes closed and her voice was drowned out by a silence that made me smile. I could swear that I saw my brother’s face if I focused hard enough.

End of Act 2

Author's Note

Yes, after over two years of delays, chapter forty is finally here. No this won't be followed by another two year delay, I promise! This effectively marks the end of Act 2 which as you may notice is shorter than Act 1. We more forward into Act 3: The Past in the Shadows with our next saga: "The Nightfoal Saga".

I know many will find this chapter very confusing, but I assure you, there is a LOT of stuff that still needs to be explained that will make this chapter make a LOT more sense in the long run. You'll have to stick with it through Act 3 and 4 and it'll start to make sense! We have a lot of stuff to come and we haven't even really reached the "big" stuff yet.

Act 3: Chapter Forty-One

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 3: The Past in the Shadows

Chapter Forty-One (The Nightfoal Saga)

With twin blades drawn and graceful sword work, a dark grey pegasus made waste of a few would-be attackers. Her off-white partner watched in awe as her form fitting cloak danced with her movements as she skillfully destroyed mobs of monstrous creatures that at one point were probably the citizens of this fair city of Cloudsdale. In a blink, the sword dancer vanished and appeared directly behind the final creature and decapitated it with a single slice. Retracting her blades, she threw her hood back over her black dyed mane and looked to her partner with a nod. The two began to speak a familiar chant as they stood over the fresh corpses.

“In death you hold nothing. Death is your salvation, the void holds nothing worse for you; may you go in peace.” They spoke in unison.

Finishing their chant, the skilled sword-mare smiled to her partner and gave a wink. “I swear, this is a child’s job. Who would have thought retrieving the element would be so simple? They may as well have sent a rookie to do this job… I can’t believe they almost considered sending a Void Watcher.” She spoke in a raspy voice.

Her partner shook her head and her far softer effeminate voice sang to the other. “Don’t get too cocky; remember pride in the family, not in one’s self.”

The sword-mare laughed heartily. “I’m surprised at you, Kin. You’ve actually been doing your homework for a change?” The mare placed her hoof upon Kin’s shoulder. “You are right though, I apologize. It is unfitting of me as a sister to behave in such a manner, forgive me.”

Kin blushed and shook her head, not wanting to make her companion feel remorse. “No, it’s fine. You were just expressing yourself, that’s all, no need to apologize Night Sky…”

Night Sky smirked and disagreed. “Ah, but I do. As my duty as your sister it is my responsibility to make sure you do not fall into the traps of the unworthy. We stand together, we build together and we conquer together, that is the purpose of sisterhood, is it not?”

Looking to the ground hoping that answers would come to her, Kin shrugged before finally meeting Night Sky’s eyes with her own. “Yes… Of course. I’m sorry for being so emotional about it…”

As she surveyed the area, looking down from a building that the two were atop of, Night Sky observed a group of three fighting their way through the city down below. A white unicorn, a griffon and an earth pony that looked of no consequence were slaying up the monsters that they had cleansed many of upon entering Cloudsdale. Night Sky’s memories of this place began to come back to her before she shook them out of her head and turned her attention back to Kin. “Yes… I have noticed you’ve been more emotional lately. Is something troubling you, Kin?”

She bit her lip, but decided to fess up. “It’s just… Our mission… I’m unsure about it…”

Night Sky placed both of her front hooves upon Kin and made her sit down as she held her shoulders, looking deep into her eyes. Kin’s green eyes met with the light purple of Night Sky’s. Night Sky observed her companion’s white coat and curly gray mane before speaking. “Remember that faith needs to be unfaltering. We are children of the greater kind now, blessed to inherit the world. The time of the prophecy is so close; we can’t have our faith shaken now, not when we’re this close. Do not fall off the path, sister.”

Kin grimaced. There was so much she wanted to say, so much she wanted to do, but she knew it would make the situation go from bad to worse. So instead she shrugged it off and nodded to her “sister” and decided to let it all slide into the recesses of her loud mind. “Yes… Of course… We will retrieve the element and then we’ll be one step closer to the prophecy.”

“When all six of the elements are ours’, only then will we be able to restore balance before our rise.” Night Sky reminded.

“Yes, yes I haven’t forgotten…” Kin brushed her off, not wanting to hear this lecture again.

Night Sky released her and began to observe the three down below once more. She smirked as she watched them. “Looks like our friends might lead us right to it. If we follow them, we should find what we’re looking for.”

“Do you think they will make it?” Kin asked.

Her sister shrugged. “Who cares? It’s not a concern to us. What happens to them has nothing to do with us. We’re forbidden from assisting them anyways. Come, we should move, stay up on the roof tops so they don’t see us.”

Kin could only nod as her pegasus friend leapt from the roof top to another rooftop. Being a unicorn, she couldn’t fly like her companion, but Kin’s agility proved more than enough to make the leap and land upon the other side with ease. Night Sky smiled back at her and commented. “Come on, you better be able to keep up!”

Rolling her eyes, Kin groaned at the rehashing of an old joke. “You know that’s not fair on your part!”

Night Sky nodded in agreement as she snickered and made her way forward with her faithful sister behind her, keeping tabs on the travelers from the Canterlot stronghold who were making their way through Cloudsdale. The two groups had eyes on the same prize; however Night Sky knew that they would be no match to keep her and Kin from acquiring it, even if they didn’t get to it first. It was going to be like taking candy from a baby, or rather taking an element of harmony from a group of ragtag misfits.

Her mind slowly crept back onto the words of the prophecy she had been preached for many years now, realizing that it drew closer and would come during her lifetime. She wondered what would happen next, what she would be asked to do for the family. Whatever it was though, she knew she would perform her duties in pure faith, unwavering, unfaltering and fully committed with Kin at her side.

She looked back at Kin for a brief moment whom appeared lost in thought herself. For that brief second, Night Sky was thankful to have even one semblance of her past with her, even if it wasn’t the same as before all of this. With Kin near her, she knew she was strong enough to do whatever would be asked of her. Her faith only emboldened by the loyalty of her sworn sister.

Kin found herself playing catch up with Night Sky for a good ten minutes as her sister has traveled far ahead of her. Finally reaching her as she sat in an on looking window of what appeared to be some kind of coliseum; Night Sky had her head down looking like she was observing something intently. Kin knew that her sister was more familiar with this place than she, but it annoyed her that Kin seldom told her what she was doing or where she was heading before running off ahead.

Catching her breath, Kin spoke up to her friend only to be silenced. “You know, you could slow down for a-“

“Shhh!” Night Sky hushed.

With a hoof extended she pointed into the coliseum. Kin lowered her head and looked in to see the three travelers from before. One of them stood in the center with a firearm smoking, it was the unicorn, now a little bit less white as she was covered with blood and various black tar from a fresh kill. The griffon was coming down from the grand stands and the earth pony with them was now covered in various guts.

The trio gathered around a large corpse of what appeared to be once a rather large and impressive pegasus or possibly even an alicorn. The distance and battle damage made it difficult to tell which. After briefly talking it appeared as though they had decided to part ways with the griffon whom left the stadium through the way they must have entered while the other two proceeded to the other side.

Night smirked as she watched them leave. “Not bad. Though, far from too impressive.”

“Shall we go down and get a closer look at that creature?” Kin asked with a raised brow.

With another smile, Night nodded. “It’s as if you read my mind sometimes, Kin. Let’s see what this beast was.”

Without hesitation, Night Sky leapt out the window to a nearby ledge and eventually scaled down to the bottom of the stadium. Kin followed as quickly as she could, and while her agility and dexterity were not nearly as impressive they were leaps and bounds above even a very well trained unicorn.

Examining the body up close, Kin noticed a black ooze dripping out of it. With a squint she could see a mark of a sun on the creature’s flank. Her eyes widened as she noticed Night Sky noticed exactly what she just noticed. “It’s… Celestia…” She commented.

Night Sky could only nod in response as she stared in awe. The two remained silent for a good minute before they saw creature leak more black ooze, causing the two to step back. The ooze reached out and touched the other parts of its body that had been disconnected and began to pull itself together, trying to form a full creature again. After a few seconds it lifted itself off the ground and groaned violently.

Kin drew her blade and took her stance. Night Sky leaned back onto two back hooves and drew two swords, ready for battle. “Looks like she doesn’t know when to stay dead…” Kin commented.

Bracing herself, Night Sky smirked deviously. “That’s okay. I grew bored of killing the little ones anyways.”

“Just remember not to use too much Ker upon her.” Kin reminded.

“I can take her down and have plenty left over.” Night Sky bragged.

The creature had come to a full stand now and hissed violently at Kin, spewing spit and black sludge at her. Night Sky laughed as she leapt into battle both blades at the ready.

Kin moved quickly to dodge the first strike with its mighty hoof by the former princess and began forming a magic rope with her horn and twirled around the back side of the creature, dancing skillfully around its attempts at attacking her to loop around to its front side again. A few more circles around it and she would have it tied in a magical rope to restrain it.

It growled in anger as it tried to break free of its new confines. With Night Sky jumping head on with both swords it opened its mouth and spewed black sludge in her direction. Thinking quickly though, Night Sky vanished and appeared behind it impaling its spine with her blades.

The monster growled and moved violently trying to shake her off. Night Sky leapt off and landed upon its neck to stab the back of its skull repeatedly. Once she had created an opening she jabbed her hoof into the creature’s rotting brain matter and smiled. “I’ll show you what real power can do…”

With those words she cast a spell from her hoof that cause the entire creature to burst into blood and sludge. Kin quickly casted a barrier around the two to protect them from the guts and entrails covering them. Once the monster was dead and Night Sky landed back onto the ground, Kin released her barrier and took her sister’s hoof as the two recited their familiar chant.

“In death you hold nothing. Death is your salvation, the void holds nothing worse for you; may you go in peace.” They spoke in unison.

“Poor thing…” Kin commented as she looked at the remains of the creature.

“She was corrupted. However in death she is forgiven for her sins, you know this already, Kin…” Night reminded, tapping her friend on the shoulder.

“Still… Couldn’t her death have been avoided?” Kin frowned.

“It was decided by the void, it is not our place to question it…” Night Sky rolled her eyes, already having this conversation with her many times before.

“Yes… You’re right… Sorry. We should catch up to them, right?” Kin asked.

Night nodded. “Yes, let’s hurry.”

Night Sky and Kin had caught up with the no-longer trio and paid close watch as they exited a vault. Keeping their eyes on them, Night Sky instantly noticed the necklace in the unicorn’s hoof. There was no mistaking it, it was an element of harmony. She had seen it once before adorning the neck of a young gentle pegasus. It had been years, and for a brief moment she was lost in memory, only to have Kin snap her back to reality by tapping her.

“What’s the plan?” Kin asked curiously.

Night Sky readied herself and watched the two carefully. Keeping her eyes on her prey, she gave instructions to Kin. “Go wait for me outside the beacon to enter this place. I shall take it and meet you there. If either of them show up, stop them from pursuit by any means necessary.”

Deciding not to question her plan, Kin nodded and bolted off to get into position. Night Sky quickly teleported past the unicorn holding the element and appeared above her upon a balcony with the element in her own hoof. Quickly she tossed it into her bag and prepared for the retaliation by that which she robbed.

The white unicorn looked up to her and drew twin blades, ready for a battle. “That was pretty sneaky, it’s too bad you won’t live long enough to tell anyone about it.” She called out to Night Sky.

Ignoring her empty threat, Night jumped to the ground from the balcony she had landed on and drew her own blades in response to the unicorn’s threat.

Her challenger laughed with overconfidence. “Good, I like them with a little fight in them.”

Without warning, the unicorn sliced at her with tremendous speed, however Night Sky was already prepared. With a quick use of her abilities she appeared behind her which only seemed to annoy her more.

“Fast, huh? How about this then?” She called out before attempting a flurry of slices all of which Night Sky dodged using a little bit of power. To the unicorn it would appear as though the blades simply passed right through her like a phantom.

Eventually Night Sky realized their fight was a waste of time and she made a beeline for the town hall to make her escape. With years of training, Night Sky was in excellent shape; however it would appear as though her pursuer was as well. Keeping up, she managed to slip into the beacon that Night Sky planned to use to escape.

Teleporting outside of the city from the beacon, the unicorn was still following from behind. Night decided to lure her out farther away before finally stopping and turning to face her, removing her hood.

“You’re quick for a mere unicorn…” Night Sky spoke.

“Glad you noticed.” The unicorn smirked. “Name’s Vinyl.” She added.

“I do not make a point in remembering the names of insignificant creatures.” Night Sky responded with blades drawn.

“We’ll see about that…” Vinyl growled.

From the distance, Kin watched as her sister fought the unicorn with ease. While this “Vinyl’s” skills were considerable for an unenlightened one, Kin knew that Night Sky was far more formidable, and this pony posed no true threat to her. Still she kept watch, following her duty as a scout.

She took note of the earth pony whom had just come out of the beacon behind all of them watching the fight. Examining him closer she could see he was a weakling, a pony of no real combat prowess whatsoever. The way he carried himself, his demeanor, and his inaction, it all pointed to a stallion whom had no real idea what he was doing.

Part of her felt sorry for him, knowing that if he attempted to intervene in Night Sky’s fight that he would certainly be killed quickly. Deciding to show some mercy upon him, she sat back upon her haunches and began to fill the air with an enchanting tune with her elegant voice. With the old tune of her kind humming through the air, the stallion was lured towards her.

In a trance, he approached her slowly as she opened her hooves to offer him embrace. When he accepted she sang in his ear, letting him fall into a slumber. When she was certain he was lost in a dream she had weaved with his thoughts and memories she let him rest on the ground gently.

With him dealt with, she signaled for Night Sky as she teleported into the distance.

Night Sky caught her gesture and nodded before ending her fight with Vinyl and teleporting far away from the fight, leaving Vinyl looking around in confusion. The two had made a relatively easy escape.

With the element they had acquired in hoof, Night Sky patted her sister’s shoulder as they began their journey back to their home. “We did it. We were able to retrieve an element of harmony!”

“Yes, but what happens now?” Kin asked.

“That is for the elders to decide.” Night Sky explained.

Kin frowned, not quite enjoying that answer, but she knew it was all she would get from her sister. Night Sky’s faith in the elders was unwavering, and while she knew she should also have stronger faith, she found it hard to trust completely when the elders always kept secrets. Many secrets that even Night Sky knew about were kept from Kin.

That was life as a scout though, they were followers, not leaders. She sighed and nodded as she smiled at Night Sky. “Well, hopefully we pleased them today.”

“I am sure we have.” Night Sky stood with pride.

Achievement: Candy From a Baby – Night Sky managed to steal the element.

Prologue

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Prologue

Skyvale, a city that had earned itself the name “Heaven of Equestria”, originally for its celestial positioning as it watched over the world beneath it. It was to become a kingdom in itself that would rival even Canterlot some many moons ago. Originally constructed for the new found Princess Luna of the moon upon her return to Equestria; thus much of the city was adorned with immortalized versions of her in stone and metal. One could not glance left or right without her eyes always following you.

That was the city’s past though; today it was nothing more than an unfinished fortress shielded from the sinister poisons of the outside world. A safe haven from the hell outside of it.

Upon finishing the steel blanket over the city that was intended to protect it from harm, it couldn’t have begun to serve its purpose at a faster pace. All of us inside the city had no idea what was happening at the time, only that we were forbidden to leave the city, and anyone who left would not be permitted back in. I had showed up at the city mere days before the closing of the gates to the outside world. Originally I had come to visit to see the opening ceremony for Luna with my parents, whom would arrive at a later time. When the gates closed, all I could wrap my mind around was the curiosity of what was happening on the surface below. I never did get to see Luna, the ceremony of my parents arrival.

When the gates closed, they stayed sealed shut for nearly two long years; “No one in, no one out”, that’s what the guards would tell us. It was best not to bother with questions as to what was happening out there, as you’d never be able to squeeze even a meager hint from them. They assured us that it was all for our personal safety, and before long no one bothered questioning it anymore. After all they endured; they eventually began to accept their new life in their permanent home. I was no different, but a part of me always wondered what was happening out there, and why it was being kept from us.

Most of the citizens had come here with their families, thus adjusting wasn’t as difficult for most of them, but the few who were told they must abandon their families down below responded in hysterics. In time though, they too would come to accept their fate and settle down. I had only arrived with my sister, Torch. She was still but a child when we first showed up, and thus remembers little of life outside the city.

The city’s leader, Silver Hoof, was at least a generous creature. After the gates were shut he offered housing for all of the new citizens, and assigned them jobs as to give them a purpose in being here. It wasn’t perfect, but it was endurable for the most part. He was a very lenient leader for a pony that had to ration everything, and could take no chances.

After two years of solitude to the outside, the city’s advisers permitted the entry of one young colt, and no others, even to this day. They only instructed us that he was granted entry upon some kind of “trade”, we never did discover what he could have possibly brought to make the strict lord of the city to bend his otherwise absolute policies.

His name was Dipper; it came from a constellation in the heavens he had mentioned before. It was appropriate for him, as his branding was of a star. He was a skilled navigator, and mentioned that he used to draw maps and do “recon”.

Most in the city avoided Dipper as if he were death himself. They wanted nothing to do with an outsider, nor did they want any of their family to associate with them. Hypocrites, they had all forgotten that we were all outsiders at one point.

I had volunteered to allow Dipper to stay with myself and Torch, for some reason I was fascinated with this young colt.

He had many scars across his body as I recalled, I counted seven just on my first glance at him; I got the impression that he was a bit of a fighter from this. His silver coat seemed to have lacked the shine that it probably had at one point, as did his messy white mane. Everything about him seemed worn, except his personality. Possibly the most excitable pony I had encountered in my lifetime.

I remember he would tell the most enthralling stories with such vivid detail. Many times he would put Torch to sleep and share a bit of his tale with her, only to have the young filly demanding more in exchange for rest. He would laugh, tuck her in, and whisper “Maybe tomorrow”, to her. His sense of humor seemed to have remained intact despite being from the outside.

According to what he had informed us, the world outside was essentially destroyed by a giant war that started around the time that the gates were sealed. The opposition of society as it stood prior was something that he referred to as “the darkness”, and explained that it consumed anyone who allowed it to. It turned many to its power only to control them to fight for it. They would follow mindlessly, even to their own death. No one had seen where the darkness came from, or what its physical form was, but it created agents to perform its bidding. All Dipper claimed to know was that the darkness only wished to take this world from us, and would stop at nothing to do it. It took life away from anything it touched, and left much of the world below us coated in itself.

When it first appeared, opposition came to fight it. The military's best had gathered to fend it off under the Knights of Celestia. Warriors rose from the shadows, and powerful soldiers took up arms to fend off the oncoming darkness. There were many battles from there, and he mentioned specifically that he recalled one particular commanding officer from the fighting, one that he claims to have served under. Rainbow Dash, I recalled the name from many papers as the winner of many flying contests when I was young.

He spent many nights enthralling me in tales of her bravery and valiant efforts in the war. He depicted her as a Goddess on the battlefield; capable of speeds unmatched by any other, skill with a blade that was unimaginable. His stories gave me so much hope for the world outside; he had given me something to look up to; her.

The war would take a turn for the worse however, as only six months after the fighting began, armies of darkness had developed a new kind of weapon. Dipper never found out what it was, but it wiped out most of Equestria in one mighty blast. In only a fraction of a second the beautiful skies were turned black, and destruction swept over the land, leaving only bodies that it held no use for behind. It was as Dipper described, “the end of the world.”

That didn’t stop the fighting however, the Knights of Celestia continued to fend off the darkness, and even Rainbow Dash would continue to fight. Dipper had served as her primary scout, and was present for a majority of the battles that occurred.

After a life as exciting as his, I could not help but ask why he wanted to come to a place like this. His response: “I wanted to see what it was like here.” Nothing more than curiosity fueled him, he lived by the moment and for the moment.

Besides my sister Torch, he was probably the only friend I had in that entire city, probably the entire world. The truth is that I wasn’t much of a social pony, and it derived from my lack of a cutie mark. Despite my age, I had yet to find anything that I was particularly exceptional at; my sister even got her mark before I did. The truth of the matter was that I just couldn’t find anything I excelled at, and really I wasn’t trying too hard. Essentially I had given up on acquiring a cutie mark years ago, I was ready to accept being a full grown colt with a bare flank.

Socially, I was inept in the sense that I honestly didn’t care what other ponies thought about me. I had always been a loner, and it was a character trait that I think would be more favorable in some situations.

Sometime shortly after Dipper’s acceptance into Skyvale, the city council granted permission to all citizens of the keep to leave the city walls to the ground below, but at a price. You would be granted freedom to leave at the cost of re-entry. The moment a single hoof touched the ground below, you were not allowed back in. One way out, no way back in. This system warded away would-be adventurers from leaving the city, but we still had a few every year that would leave; of course we would never hear from them again. I assumed that most of these individuals would run off to join the Knights in the rebellion.

Around the sixth year of life within the city walls, everything changed for me. Dipper, had caught a terrible illness. We had taken him to every medical facility the city had to offer, to no avail.

I recall the last conversation I had with him.

“I don’t regret any of it, Flare.”

Flare, that was my name. My family had named us all after the element of fire, a tradition that had been in my family for generations apparently.

“The war may have changed me, but it did so for the better. I learned the meaning of responsibility, courage, and loyalty. Oh, so much loyalty…” He was lost in his memories it seemed.

I didn’t interrupt him. Waiting silently for him to continue, he tilted his head in my direction with a smile. There he lay on his death bed, still full of happiness, still content, still loving the world.

“I got to serve under the best damn warrior Equestria has ever known, and I loved every second of it. If I could go back and do it all again, I would. She truly is the greatest, and I hope you get to meet her one day. She made me stronger than I ever could have become on my own.” He extended a hoof in my direction; I cradled it while getting closer to the dying colt.

“You truly admired her didn’t you?” I asked.

He nodded. “I can die without regret because of all the joy that filled my life. Meeting her, serving the Knights, and of course meeting you…” He choked a little trying to speak.

“Me?” I replied.

His face lit up with a heartfelt smile, “The people here didn’t take too kindly to outsiders. I was fortunate to even be allowed in at all. I thought I would have to spend the rest of my days alone, but you extended kindness to me. You embraced me and allowed me into your home even though you had no idea who I was, or where I’d been.”

“None of that ever really mattered to me…” I admitted.

“I wish there were more ponies with your kindness…” He laughed.

I blinked. “Why’s that?”

He chuckled before answering, and then gave me an innocent look. “Maybe then we wouldn’t have even had a war to begin with.”

The next morning when I awoke, I had realized that I was alone in that room. The colt there before had been stripped of the last bit of life left in him. He lay still and silent, almost as though in a deep slumber. Even in death, a smile still played his lips, which he would take to his grave.

Nothing really happened in Skyvale from then on. Every day I hoped that another outsider would enter the city limits, but no such thing could, or would happen. Many left, but none entered. Life was stagnant for the time.

Within the seventh year in Skyvale I had grown restless of life within the steel prison. Torch was coming of age, and close to reaching adulthood. As she was entering adulthood, I was doing little more than getting older, but none wiser. I had no directive still, and an empty flank to prove it. I was probably the oldest pony that ever lived that lacked a cutie mark.

By the end of that seventh year, I knew what I wanted at last. I wanted to leave the city, to go down to the ground below. As soon as I proposed the idea to Torch she opposed, as I expected her to.

“Brother, you’ve heard the stories about the ground from Dipper, but how do you even know that they’re true, or rather still true? You forget that was almost seven years ago!” She protested.

“I understand your concern Torch, but this really is my calling. This is why I haven’t obtained my cutie mark yet, I haven’t found my talent. Surely there is something down there that is calling for me, maybe other ponies that need help. We take life in this city for granted, we’re blessed with all the things that make life easy, but not everyone is like that. Plus wouldn’t you like to be able to leave the city someday? To be able to come and go freely in a new Equestria?” I smiled as I stroked her fire red mane delicately.

“What will you do down there?” She questioned with a worried expression.

“I’m going to join the Knights of Celestia. I want to help build a new Equestria…” I explained.

“Let me come with you then!” She blurted out.

“No. You need to stay here where you’ll be safe. There’s no telling what’s out there, and it is best that you stay here. The ponies here need you, after all you’re on your way to becoming a doctor.” I responded.

I stayed firm on this decision, and eventually she had little choice but to accept it.

When the day actually came for me to leave, I recall my last sight of her being one of tears streaking down her cheeks.

The ceremony for leaving was simple. You entered the airlock with Silver Hoof himself, then he informed you of the conditions of this arrangement, then if you chose to accept, he let you leave the airlock alone. No one had ever seen outside that airlock except Dipper.

“Flare the earth pony.” He began. “You are about to leave Skyvale to the Equestrian ruins. As city council leader, and founder of Skyvale, I am required to inform you that the moment you set hoof onto the ruins, you are forever bound to them, and not permitted to return here to Skyvale. You will no longer be a citizen. Do you comply with these terms?” Silver had clearly practiced this speech several times.

I nodded. “I do.”

“Are you absolutely certain? This is a large decision you make, and it cannot be undone. I hope you have given this plenty of thought…” He said.

I bowed my head, “I understand. I have given this much thought, and decided this is the best decision for me. Life in the city has been a pleasant dream, but I can’t stay asleep forever. The time has come to wake up and face reality.”

He sighed and nodded in acknowledgement; a hint of disappointment smeared on his face. Begrudgingly he left the airlock and when the steel portal shut behind him, the elevator to leave the city opened its doors inviting me inside.

Without hesitation I stepped inside. I couldn’t afford to put any doubt into this plan. During those final moments in Skyvale, the thought on my mind surprised me. I wasn’t thinking about Dipper, or life in the city, or thoughts of what life down below would be like, or even Torch. The only thing on my mind was finding the Knights of Celestia. Whatever challenges faced me down there, they surely would be able to assist me in overcoming them.

The door had finally opened, exposing the mysteries of the outside world to me at long last.

Act 1: Chapter One

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Flare's Journey

Act 1: Chapter One (Survival Saga)

The outside world, it was nothing like I had imagined it. Even from all the vivid depictions that were given from Dipper’s stories, I wasn’t able to grasp what I was truly seeing. The skies had sinister black smog covering them, blocking any sunlight from ever exiting their grasp and touching the ground. The heavens had been closed up for some time it seemed, and the earthbound may never see sunlight again. It was doubtful that even those with the gift of flight could fly high enough through the black coat of darkness to see the once proud glowing orb of life we called the Sun.

Floral life had suffered severely from this deprivation of light. Many of the trees were leafless, and rotting. There was nothing but tarnished dirt for miles it seemed. Not a flower in sight, or a blade of grass to be seen. The only things that appeared to survive in the plant category were the fungi, and even they looked unhealthy, more so than usual.

I stared down a lonely wasteland, void of life, presence, and existence; nothing but empty dirt and sand, and a strong odor. This odor, I had never experienced before; the foulest stench I could even get into my nostrils was before me. I was unable to even fully inhale without choking and my body telling me to upchuck. There couldn’t exist a smell as malignant as this one. It wasn’t coming from any particular route around me, more like every route. This stench; the only thing I could say it was off the top of my head, was death. This was what death smelled like.

The smell was appropriate, as gathered around the entrance to the city were the cadavers of several ponies. Many of them looked like they were malnourished during their hour of passing, implying to me that they had died of thirst and starvation waiting here. That was of course for the bodies that still had flesh on them, the rest left behind nothing but their skeletons and maggots.

I had never seen a corpse before, sure I had seen Dipper's dead body, but it was nothing like this. Part of me was expecting it out here though. I knew that the war meant there would be death nearby, but I didn’t think this close.

Glaring into the eyes of the most recent looking corpse, I could see fear in her face. She was a young filly almost at adulthood, probably no older than Torch. The look on her face, the terror in her eyes, she feared death. She came here out of that fear. They all must have come here for that same reason; they wanted salvation from this place, hoping that Skyvale would offer it. The city however wasn’t as generous as they had thought. They were locked out, and left here to die.

Finally the realization of what was happening around me hit. Tears ran furiously from my eyes as I felt my throat begin to contract in the opposite direction. Within only moments of that happening, I keeled over in discomfort and up came my last meal.

Dipper had forgotten to put more detail into the reality of this forsaken land. All he ever went on about was the Knights of Celestia, and the boldness of Rainbow Dash. He neglected to mention much of what this place was really like.

At my feet, a scrap of paper landed upon my yellow coated hoof. Tilting my head to examine it, I could recognize a pony on the poster; a light purplish coat, with a dark mane to match it. Her mane had been clipped to have bangs in front of her, and a pink streak right down the middle of her perfectly tamed mane. Her body safely guarded by some finely crafted white armor with gold trimmings. A set of gold wings decorated the hoof plating on all 4 hooves, but clearly for decoration and nothing more. This must have been the armor of the holy knights. I remembered her name, Twilight Sparkle. Sometime before the war Celestia announced her as her right hoof, there was a big televised event about it. I remember watching it with my father during the time.

At the top of the scrap I noticed another young mare in similar armor. This one however had a hood up, with her face still fully visible. She was a sky blue, rather majestic pegasus, with a vibrant multi-colored mane. Her magenta eyes seemed to compliment her extravagant locks, while maintaining a look of determination. It was her, the famous Rainbow Dash, I was sure of it.

I read the contents of the poster hoping for any further information. It read as followed:

The Knights of Celestia!

The Knights of Celestia are here to protect you, and ensure your future and safety. We will face the oncoming dark menace with courage and determination. We will not allow this black omen to take our world from us, and you shouldn’t either. We are ready to rise to arms without fear.

The Knights are commanded by Celestia herself, and 2nd General Twilight Sparkle.

Field Commander Rainbow Dash, otherwise known as “The Miracle”, has lead our troops to victory even with the odds stacked against her. She is living proof that this is not the end, and we do not have to accept our own extinction; we have the choice to fight against it, to deny it our lives. Do not hesitate to join, you could be the next Rainbow Dash.

I was almost in shock at how fortunate I was. It is her, was the only thing that I could wrap my mind around.

Frantically I peeked around for anything I could use to carry things. In my descent from the city, the idea of bringing anything with me hadn’t crossed my mind. I never imagined that the world down below would look like this. With a stroke of good luck, I was able to locate a small side bag. It was in rather poor condition, but it could definitely hold together for some light traveling. It was better than nothing.

Fastening the bag to my side, I silently thanked the kind traveler who had left it behind and hoped their fate was not an unpleasant one. I tossed the flyer inside; I figured it might be useful, even if its only purpose served as a self-motivator.

Peering around at my surroundings, I silently cursed Dipper; he had never given me a map. An expert on maps and navigation, and not once had I thought to acquire a map from him before making this venture, though I suppose it was my own fault. I was off to a brilliant start, out in a desert without a map, or a clue as to which direction to head. I had come to Skyvale in a chariot, which I slept during most of the flight. Not that it would matter anyways, judging by what I had seen already, any landmarks that were there seven years ago would surely lay in ruins now.

I couldn’t help but continually ask myself what could have possibly done all of this? The war was big sure, but this couldn’t have been some kind of weapon that destroyed the face of the entire country. Who would build such a thing? How would they build such a thing? Was it even possible to create a weapon of such destructive power?

I tried to keep those thoughts in the back of my mind, as I needed to figure out where to begin. If I stayed here any longer I might end up like my “sleeping” companions.

The flyer! My mind jumped. I reached into my bag and brought out the scrap and studied the backside of it. My hunch was correct.

Recruiting

All new recruits should report to the recruiting center in Ponyville near Canterlot castle. You will there be administered an aptitude test which will help determine the best place for you within the Knights.

From August 17th 2014 until September 6th 2014, all new recruits shall be visited by Celestia herself, who shall be sending off all new soldiers personally. Don’t miss out on this special opportunity; be at Ponyville to sign up for the Knights today!

Even more fortunate, there was a small map there. Ponyville appeared to be far east of where I was. There was no scale on the map to determine how long a travel it was, but I could probably just look for landmarks from here, even if they are ruined.

With the first hoof forward, I began my long walk towards a fairly uncertain destination. Anything was better than here though.

I couldn’t tell how long I had been walking, maybe a couple of hours, perhaps even a full day. I didn’t feel as though I was getting any closer to where I was heading as everything out here looked the same to me, perhaps an additional stray corpse here and there. Corpses seemed to be the only inhabitants of this place, as I hadn’t come across signs of life for miles. I was beginning to get doubtful that anypony was alive out here. It was possible; Dipper hadn’t been out here in a good five years, so maybe in that time things had changed, though I was more hoping a change for the better.

It was hard to imagine that this pit of dust and charred dirt was once the beautiful countryside of Equestria. I could see the blooming flowers, and tree branches swaying in the gentle breeze in my mind. The memories of a world before the war were racing through my head as I looked at the results of said war before me. The beauty of Equestria back then was breathtaking, and I regretted not taking it in more than I had.

I snapped out of my daydream to see a figure off in the distance. It appeared to be moving towards my direction. Another pony. My heart nearly leapt out of my throat at the thought. For the first time out in this land of death, I had discovered another living creature. With full heart, I darted towards the individual yelling to them.

“Hello over there!”

The figure appeared to have heard my call, and didn’t change his speed even the slightest. I galloped faster trying to close the distance between us.

“Are you with the Knights of Celestia!?” I asked, knowing the chances were low.

It answered me with silence from the distance.

I was getting fairly close to it, when I realized that this creature wasn’t a pony at all, but some kind of large dog-like monster. Its coat had several patches missing from it, most of which were covered with its own blood.

It was missing one of its eyes. The wound from that injury however looked days old, and appeared to be festering with infection now. It looked exceptionally hostile towards me as it snarled and hissed viciously at my direction. It was missing a majority of its teeth, which only made it more terrifying.

The beast was probably at least five times larger than the average canine, but despite his massive size, he appeared malnourished. It was clear he planned to correct that problem.

“Easy boy…” I pointlessly tried to calm the monster.

As expected he didn’t seem to be very interested in my words. I was foolish to think that a starving monster would be willing to obey commands from what appeared to be dinner to it, but it was worth a shot.

I slowly trotted in a circle around it, attempting to lead it away from me, but he followed not taking his only eye off of me. Up this close, I could see that he had a collar on him as well, but I couldn’t get close enough to see any of the writing on it, not that I wanted to get any closer to this beast.

Without much warning, the massive creature lunged at me. I only had a second to react, but I aimed my back hoof to it, and bucked as hard as I could. Luck was on my side, as I managed to hit the beast in the face, causing it to fall to the ground in pain. I almost felt sorry for the thing.

“Go on, get out of here!” I scolded.

That wasn’t exactly my smartest move, as it rose back to its feet with a ferocious growl. In the face of his hunger it was clear that he had forgotten all about fear, that or perhaps I wasn't that intimidating.

His second lunge was just as unsuccessful as the first, as I repeated the strategy, but this time darted off in the opposite direction of the beast, hoping to outrun it so that I could keep going towards my destination.

Peering back I saw it was still giving chase to me. He wasn’t going to let a meal get away from him that easily. I set my attention to straight ahead and focused everything on galloping faster.

Not too long after I started, the creature gave up and turned the other way, but I didn’t stop running. I wanted to put some space between me and that thing before I was ready to slow down. Last thing I needed was a second encounter with that monster.

Nearly an hour of galloping had exhausted me. I needed to rest somewhere, but there wasn’t a house, or remains of one anywhere to be seen.

I was fortunate however that there was a small cave under a jutting cliff. It wasn’t exactly as inviting as it could have been, especially with thoughts of my own bed in my mind, but it was perfect in comparison to the outside. The shelter of a cave sounded very comforting by that logic, granted nothing else had already claimed said cave.

I approached cautiously trying not to disturb anything that could be resting in the dank hole of limestone. Performing a thorough inspection, this small opening in the rocks appeared to be empty, and uninhabited, and thankfully clear of dead bodies. I didn’t think I could handle resting next to a “permanent sleeper”, right now.

The cave was small, but cozy. Curling up against a wall, I let my eyelids fall. I don’t think I recall ever being quite as frightened as I was out in this place. My whole life I had always gone on about how I wanted to be a fearless hero, somepony that ponies could count on, but the truth is, I had never experienced how real the world can be until I came out here. I never imagined that I’d ever be stranded in a forgotten land fighting for my own survival; a place where you had to find a dark old cave just to get some sleep.

My stomach hissed something fierce at me. I had gone probably a day and a half without eating, on top of that the only meal I had before I left I had vomited up. I would need to find something to eat soon. Right now however I only wanted to drift away into a slumber. Maybe if I went to sleep, I’d wake up and this would all just be a horrible nightmare. I wasn’t counting on such luck however.

Achievement: It Begins - Flare began left Skyvale.

Act 1: Chapter Seventeen

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 1: Chapter Seventeen (Cloudsdale Saga)

Rested up and weapons readied we had left that old cellar within a few hours. Vinyl stated it was important we got some rest so we'd be in top form. She stressed the importance of keeping the upper hoof on our enemies.

They moved very sluggishly most of the time, and very much like zombies. In fact, Vinyl and I had been jokingly calling them "zombies" for a while now and eventually the name stuck.

Moving through the city was no easy task. We could rush through the hordes, but a more defensible strategy was to keep in the shadows as much as possible and to use the back alleys and the service networks where we were less likely to get surrounded. If we kept our heads down, we hoped that we’d actually be able to sneak into the archives undetected; though having a device that turned us invisible would still have been much appreciated.

Vinyl halted us both and pressed her back to a wall as she peered around a corner. I did the same and waited for her word.

"Shit..." She was speaking in a low volume.

Cursing usually was a bad sign.

"What is it?" I tried to peek over her shoulder to no avail.

"There are tons of them... At least 50... There's no way we'll be able to sneak past them..." She growled a bit in annoyance.

I blinked.

"50? Seriously?"

She nodded and drew her blade.

"You can't be serious... We can't fight that many..." I pressed back up against the wall as I tried to talk her out of what she was clearly planning when she got her sword ready.

"No other way around them, so we will have to go through them. Rip them apart and then make a run for the shopping mall there." She jerked her head to signal what direction she was suggesting.

I sighed and got my weapon prepared. I wasn't thrilled about this plan, but it was obvious that Vinyl was already set on it. Not to mention it didn't appear as if we had much time to devise a better plan, the longer we sat there, the greater the chance of one of them noticing us.

With a deep breath I waited for her order.

Vinyl held her hoof out to give me the signal. Then with a forward gesture she bolted from the wall and darted towards the horde. I gave chase only seconds later with the motor of my blade whirring and hissing as it craved the flesh of any who were dumb enough to stand in our way.

When I came out into the open, Vinyl was already hacking them to pieces with ease. Her blades were sharp enough to cleave them apart liked old meat, then again that's all they really were at this point; old meat. I still questioned why their bodies appeared to be in the advanced stages of decomposition, but I suppose it was a question that would have to wait until later.

One of them leaped through the sky to pounce on me only to land his stomach onto my blade which tore him to shreds with ease. The chainsaw blade's new diamond edges really made ripping through flesh a simple task; it even hacked through bone with no issues.

"Remind me to thank Pinkamena." I called out to Vinyl as I fended another two off.

She swung her left hoof blade and a group jumped back to avoid her swing. All of them had the crazed look that rivaled the savages. They weren't about to be discouraged just because we had weapons. "There's too many of them." Vinyl commented.

She was right, we could keep them back for a few minutes, but eventually they'd overwhelm us and even with bullets we wouldn't be able to take many of them down.

Vinyl pushed through the crowd and brought us both to an old brick wall. She sighed and put her back to the wall and drew both of her front blades. "We make our stand here. If I'm going to die, I want to see the fucker's face when he does it."

She certainly knew how to give a pep talk.

"So what now?" I stood with my weapon ready to slice.

"We go down with the best of them, kid." Vinyl didn't seem moved by the situation at all, almost if she was ready to die at the drop of a hat. It was obvious that Vinyl Scratch did not fear death.

Ready to meet our fate we watched as the horde raced towards us. Vinyl was actually reciting some kind of prayer as we stood. I didn't take her for a religious type, but I listened nonetheless. "We on this day give thanks for the pleasures of life. Your will be done, peace is with us, we go gladly to the final resting place. We accept your embrace; we give ourselves to you entirely. You whom have given us all we have, we return to you. We give you our faith, and pray that you give us your blessing..." She was rambling as we stood.

Her prayer seemed to tune out everything to me, so much that we didn't even hear the gunfire that reigned through the skies. Before us, a stray bullet penetrated three skulls in a single shot, followed by another. Laughter roared through the airs followed by a warning in some kind of accent. "Mates, get down. I'm about to open the gate to Hell on them!" Sure enough before we even had a chance to react a bottle of whiskey was tossed in front of us, and ignited instantly. The sound of zombies burning and screaming echoed through all of Cloudsdale.

More precise gunshots rang as a few within the horde tried to brave the fire and come towards us anyways; followed by amused laughter. "I can cure what ails ye'." The voice called out.

Another loud boom or two and he was calling out to our foes again. "Death is your freedom!"

Finally the horde began to retreat. Once the fire died down we could hear the voice of our savior again. "Hold on, mates. I'm comin' down."

With a jump, a young griffon landed in front of us. His crown decorated with messy brown feathers and a simple white marking across his left eye. Interestingly enough he bore a holy symbol on a silver chain around his neck. It was interesting that he could find peace with deities while he was in a place like this, then again it probably was the only way he could keep his sanity.

He gave a smile as he holstered his weapon. It was clearly made specifically for griffons as the design kept claws in mind. "Bloody hell, I ain't seen travelers in these parts for some time. The clouds usually keep everyone out, and if that don't, then the fuckin' mutants sure do."

Vinyl scoffed and retracted her two blades as she let her front hooves rest on the ground. "I've handled worse."

The griffon seemed to admire her vigor as he gave an approving claw gesture. "Aye. Name's Eagle by the way. Who might you two be?"

"Flare." I looked to Vinyl half expecting her not to give a proper answer.

She looked back to me before answering his question. "Lt. Vinyl Scratch."

He nodded and approached. "Ahhhh, military blokes then? What could the Equestrian military want with a dump like Cloudsdale. Ain’t nothin’ here but the dead, and you two don’t look like you’ve come to die."

"Classified." Vinyl's retort was quick. It was clear she was already annoyed with Eagle. Sometimes I questioned if she was capable of liking anypony...

"Fair 'nuff. Though you'll probably need me to get through the city. Lot of the main paths are blocked off, so I have alternate routes I went and made to get around. Nobody knows this city better than me." He puffed out his chest proudly as he boasted his knowledge. Vinyl just sighed and shook her head as she began to walk away.

Deciding to accept the free help I came closer and kept my tone quiet so Vinyl wouldn't hear. "We're looking for the archives... And... An element of harmony..."

Eagle nodded as if he finally got it. "Well I can take you both to the archives."

Vinyl turned around as she heard those words. "Really now...?" Her interest suddenly returned.

"Aye, but only if you're looking to shorten your lives. The archives are protected by a mighty beast with tremendous power." He stretched his legs as he spoke, trying to limber up.

"The good news just keeps rolling in..." I sighed.

Vinyl chuckled. "Bring it on; I'll have quite a story to tell when I get back then. On top of the unbelievable story I already have to share."

Eagle smirked and nudged my shoulder. "Your girlfriend is quite the beast, ain't she?"

Before I had the chance to correct him Vinyl's face lit up from the praise. Her ego was only matched by her blood thirst. "You say it because you know it's true. There isn't another pony put there fiercer or more badass than me."

"Can you help us reach the archives?" I interrupted, not wanting to stay any longer than we needed to, though these two looked like they were flirting with each other already.

Eagle gave us both a look over and then nodded. "Aye, I'll take ya lads there, but you'll have to brave the coliseum. I don't go there anymore... It's protected by that beast I told you about. But it’s the only path to the archives that still works. The rest are blocked off unless you have wings, and even then... Well let's just say you won't be making it back if you choose to go those ways..."

Vinyl made and advance with a boastful step. "You're telling this to the mare who has slain three dragons at once."

Eagle's expression became more serious. "This ain't like no dragon that's for sure, love..."

"Good, I was looking for something to top that story anyways." Vinyl seemed more interested in the challenge than her own safety, or mine for that matter. It's no wonder she isn't allowed in active combat anymore.

We had been trotting through an escape route that Eagle apparently had made some time ago to get to the coliseum faster. He had tunnels and pathways all over the city apparently. Vinyl played tail guard this time. With Eagle's marksmanship up front and Vinyl's... Well Vinylness, in back I'd wager we made a formidable team.

I decided to strike up conversation to break the awkwardness. "When did you make this tunnel?"

Eagle kept his attention in front of him. "Eh, probably 'bout two years ago now. Hard to remember sometimes."

Two years? Had he been here that long?

"Are you the only normal life here?" I asked.

He nodded. "Just me and the mutants."

I preferred the term zombies, but I wasn't about to argue terminology with him, or his bad grammar for that matter. "How do you manage to survive with them?"

He laughed. "They ain't so bright in case you didn't notice. Advanced mutation has caused most of their brains to decompose. They're easy to trick."

"How long have you been here?" Vinyl finally chimed in.

"Six years." He replied very plainly.

"During the-" He cut me off and finished my sentence.

"Apocalypse, yeah."

"Not to be one to criticize your home, as I’m sure it’s lovely in the Summertime, but why have you stayed here all this time?" Vinyl spend up a bit so she could hear him better.

He took a deep breath then reached in his jacket pocket and retrieved a cigarette. Vinyl rushed up to him and offered a light which he accepted with a wink. The thought of a romance between the two of them was mildly disturbing.

Vinyl pulled out a smoke of her own and lit it with his. The two took a long drag before she slowed down to get back to being the rear guard.

"Well..." He started as he took another toke. "I came from Trottingham, I'm a salesman, so I travel Equestria a lot. I was going on vacation so I could come back here to visit my fiance."

I already knew where this story was going. "But, the war took her from me. When that black mist hit, I ducked and covered. I was fortunate enough to survive without infection... They however..." I didn't like how he said "they."

"They?" Vinyl asked the question that I wanted to avoid.

"Her and my daughter." He grew rather quiet. "Turned them into one of these mutants and I had no choice but to cure them of their affliction."

"A bullet to the brain." Vinyl said to the both of us, already figuring it out.

Eagle had a slow nod as he took a deep inhale of his cigarette. "Yup. And since there's no bringing them back, I ain't got much else to live for besides purging this infection."

That part had my interest the most. "What do you mean when you say infection? These things aren't zombies?"

He shook his head and laughed. "You sure have an imagination, mate. Nah, they're mutants from extreme exposure to darkness. Their hearts were too strong to be taken, yet the darkness grows on them anyways. It influences them, but it does not control them. As the saying goes; there is evil among them, not within them. However the long years of decomposing and hunger drive them to be less than sociable as you’ve noticed."

"Wait... That sounds like the plague... But the plague doesn't look anything like this..." Vinyl returned to the conversation with some confusion.

"I ain't got a clue what you're on about, love. Remember, I haven't left this city in years." Eagle replied.

Vinyl simply nodded and returned to covering our backs. I suppose her interest in the subject wasn't that great.

"Fuck." Eagle cursed as he put out his cancer stick. He pushed himself up against the wall and gestured for us to do the same. Sure enough, Vinyl and I were hugging the wall with him as he peeked around the corner. "There's a ton of the buggers... If we try and force through them, they'll overwhelm us for sure..." He grunted with annoyance.

He looked around and smiled as he looked up. "I got a plan. But you two are going to have to be the bait."

I really didn’t like any plan that used me as bait. However I guess Vinyl didn't mind. "Tell us what to do, chief." She said.

"Right, I can fly up there and use the buildings to move around up high. I can pick them off from up there. You two can lure them in so I can get better shots. I'll meet you at the coliseum." He explained as his mighty wings spread. Before I had a chance to share how I actually felt about this plan he had already begun to ascend.

Vinyl just grinned as she drew a single blade. "Hey retards!" She called out to the horde as she jumped into the open. "Fresh meat, right here! Come get it!"

Sure enough, they started coming as promised, Eagle's powerful rifle began blowing them to pieces. A single shot from that thing not only decapitated, but tore the body into pieces. I imagined the kick back on that weapon was very high.

With another shot we could hear him deliver prayers to the fallen as he bolted to the next building. "Your suffering ends, she guides you to a better place!"

He fired another round as Vinyl and I rushed into the crowd with weapons drawn. We could still hear Eagle calling from the balconies around us. "Thy kingdom, come!"

He delivered another few blasts taking down several in a single shot as Vinyl and I began to hack and slash at any that got too close. "Be strong, friends. We've stirred up the hive!" He laughed as we heard a loud call from the distance. Tuning to see it, there was an onslaught of mutants heading towards us at top speed. Vinyl hung her mouth open, causing her cigarette to fall out of it. "Sweet Luna..." She said.

Eagle laughed maniacally as he hurled another Molotov into the distance, blocking the path between us and our foes with a wall of fire. "Let the flames cleanse you!" He called out to them.

The fire was not enough to stop them entirely, as many just rushed right through it. Eagle sniped off any who actually made it to the other side of his fire barrier not completely charred. "Let us go now, friends. To the coliseum while they are at bay. It's just up ahead; I'll take the high path."

Sure enough we galloped as fast as our hooves would go. The sooner we faced this beast, the sooner this nightmare could finally end.

The coliseum was even larger inside than it was outside, or at least that's how it felt anyway. Years of poor maintenance however had not been good to this place. Most of the structure was covered in filth and the same blackish green residue that the rest of Cloudsdale was covered in.

"It fucking stinks in here..." Vinyl lit another cigarette and waved the match about futilely trying to mask the odor. "Smells like something died." That was an accurate assessment.

"Let's just hurry before that thing snows up..." I commented trying to get her to keep moving.

"I wanna see this thing. I came all the way here; I want to spill some blood." She protested.

"Are you serious? You're going to risk our lives just for the joy of fighting this thing?" I should have partially expected this.

"Hey, fuck you. I can take down any mother fucker they throw my way. Got that? I'm still in charge of you, maggot." She growled.

Eagle interrupted the two of us as he came running down the seated area. "Friends, bring your attention forward..."

Vinyl and I turned around and sure enough Vinyl's mouth hung open. That was the second cigarette she lost today.

"Make your peace with the heavens now... She stirs." He pointed to the creature rising in the center of the stadium.

"Dear Celestia..." I uttered.

"Actually... I think that might be your dear Celestia..." Vinyl points to the golden neck piece around the rising creature. Black tendrils hung off of its body as it flapped its mighty decaying wings. Its boney figure vaguely resembled what it once was. Vinyl wads right, it was her; Princess Celestia.

Achievement: I Have Not Yet Begun to Fight! - The group survived long enough to make it to the arena.

Act 2: Chapter Thirty-Three

A New Equestria

By Mist

Act 2: Chapter Thirty-Three (The Soldier Saga)

At full force and top speed I finally managed to get my hooves to take me all the way to Canterlot. It was around a two day run with only four hours of sleep between running. Unfortunately the minecart system that Lyra suggested was out of order, but after all that hard work, I finally had arrived at the gate to the city.

I had never seen Canterlot in person before, but I recall pictures of it from before the war. It was a majestic and colorful city. Now looking at it, it was very bland and run down. I could see in the distance that one of the towers to the castle had fallen long ago, and never got cleaned up.

Encasing the whole city was a barrier that was clearly designed to keep any would be trespassers out. More than likely any hostiles.

Standing at the entrance a guard looked to me and held his firearm in my direction from the top of a tower. Next to him another prepared his weapon. "Please provide your citizen ID." He demanded.

I took a step forward and lowered my hood. "I am not a citizen here." I replied.

He was gruff and to the point with his reply. "Then state your business or leave. Canterlot does not entertain tourism, and by protocol I am required to ask you to leave if you have no business. If you should resist, I am authorized to use deadly force. So what do you want?"

I rolled my eyes. "Sheesh, you're friendly." I commented.

My comment only made him adjust his weapon ready to fire.

"Who runs this place?" I asked.

"The city is controlled by Princess Luna and General Twilight Sparkle." He was very quick with his answers.

I nodded. "Alright, I request an audience with them."

He laughed. "And who do you think you are asking for an audience with the leaders of Canterlot like that?"

"My name is Torch Fires," I answered.

"I don't give a damn what your name is." He growled.

"I came all the way from SkyVale to get here." I added.

He paused and looked to his friend, whispering something. "Are you any relation to Flare of SkyVale?"

I nodded again. "He's my brother."

He paused a second time and then chatted with his friend again. "One moment." He called down as he got on some kind of radio.

I stood patiently for five minutes or so, and before I knew it the gates were opening. A different guard greeted me and lead me inside where the gate closed behind me. "General Sparkle has accepted your invitation for an audience and requests you go directly to the castle. You'll be guided right to her office. From this point forward you will have an armed officer with you at all times, if you engage in any suspicious behavior, we are authorized to neutralize you. Do you understand?"

I nodded. "You boys certainly know how to make a girl feel welcome."

He nudged my side with his weapon, and instead of continually trying to make small talk with him, I decided it was best to adhere to what he said. It looked like they weren't taking any chances on me. The fact that they knew Flare though had me excited. He was here in Canterlot, I knew he made it all the way.

The streets of the city were quite dirty, but substantially better than the ruins outside. It looked like Canterlot had only been partially hit by the effects of this cataclysm I had heard about.

The castle however was kept in relatively good shape on the inside. It must have been cleaned regularly.

The security team didn't ease up for a second, and as expected I was escorted all the way to Twilight's office. Once outside the door, the two guards stood next to it, one opening the door. "The general wishes to speak with you alone. We will wait to escort you when she is finished. Please keep your conversations brief as she is a busy mare."

I shrugged. "I'll see what I can do. I'm not much of a chatterbox though, so I'm sure you'll have little to worry about."

Stepping inside, the door was closed behind me. Sitting at a desk with a mountain of papers in front of her was a purple unicorn with some reading glasses on her nose. Looking up at me, I could see one of her eyes had a scar going through the lids, and that same eye was yellow in color, unlike her other eye which was purple. The yellow one looked terribly unnatural.

"Torch Fires, is it?" She spoke up. For a general she had quite a friendly voice.

I nodded. "Yes ma'am."

She took her glasses off and examined me. "You look a lot like him... Flare's sister, huh?"

"That's right." I responded.

"Well, I had to see it to believe it. Why have you come here to Canterlot though?" She rose a brow.

"Ma'am, I've come looking for my brother. Anywhere he goes, I go. We're family, and if this is where he wants to be, I'll be here with him. Please take me to him, I want to see my brother again." I demanded.

She sighed and nodded. "Very well, please follow me."

She had taken me to the Canterlot garden accompanied by one of her trusted soldiers; a Ms. Vinyl Scratch. She wasn't nearly as friendly as the general and her sense of humor was very childish and rude. I ignored her rudeness as we reached the center of the garden.

"There he is." Twilight gestured to a statue.

I approached and placed my hoof on the marble carving of my brother. The details were phenomenal.

"We found him about a month ago. He had gone out to Ponyville on his own and issued a distress signal on his way back. We tried to get to him with our best doctor, but he was dead for hours before we even made it there." Twilight explained.

"Your brother was a hero, Torch." She added.

A month, that meant that even without the setback of the arena I still would not have made it on time. That meant that I was too late by the time I even left SkyVale.

"Sorry you came all this way for nothing..." Vinyl commented.

I kept my hoof on the statue as my expression turned more serious. Flare was dead, and buried here, but I came anyways. There was only one choice from here. Nodding I turned back around to face Twilight.

"I wish to join the Knights." I spoke.

She blinked. "Errrr, what? Just like that?"

I nodded. "I wish to follow in my brother's hoofsteps. If he was passionate enough to die for the Knights, I am too. I didn't come here for nothing, I came to help Flare, and if this is what he died doing, then its what I want to die doing as well. Where do I sign up?"

Twilight looked as though she was in disbelief. "We normally don't allow many outsiders to join the Knights; Flare was a unique exception... But if you're related to him... I could let you in to honor him."

I grinned. "That would be great."

"Just so you know though, you still have to go through training. Its pretty rough, are you sure you want to do this?" Twilight asked.

I nodded. "I'll start right away."

She sighed. "Very well, we'll issue you to the next training group tomorrow. We'll have a guard assign you a bunk where you can sleep tonight while you wait for your orders. You'll get the chance to join, but you have to survive training first."

"Very well then, I'll hear from you in the morning." I answered.

Standing in the lineup, I readied myself. Twilight had warned me that I was going to be trained as a special operative, and because of that she would be sending her most hardened soldier to teach me. The training program was eight week long, and no doubt was going to put every one of my abilities to the test. I was ready though, there wasn't anything they could throw at me now that could stop me.

Standing there with the rest of the grunts, I inhaled and exhaled. There was no telling what was coming next, but I would have to face it regardless.

As we all stood there in the open, from the building next to us a white unicorn trotted out. Donning a military jacket and hat she walked right to the line up with a cigarette in her maw. I recognized her right away.

"Alright, shitbags. My name is Lieutenant Vinyl Jennifer Scratch. I'll be helping you all get your balls to drop for the next eight weeks." She started as she stared down the first recruit in line.

After she was done sizing him up she took another few slow steps. "I am telling you now, I am not your friend. I have high expectations and I will not tolerate any useless cocksuckers slowing down my lovely little unit here. My job is to weed out the weak and turn the strong into weapons of mass destruction." She paused and stopped to look up and down another stallion. "If you follow my lead, you may actually live."

I kept very still.

"Right now you are all worthless. You're nothing more than meat in a bag of flesh. Only if you survive my training will you be able to be a weapon. For the next eight weeks your pathetic worthless souls belong to me. I am Goddess to you all right now, and you will be faithful." Vinyl continued.

The mare eventually stopped in front of me. A grin grew on her face as her red eyes locked with my eyes. "Well I'll be damned. Twilight stuck you in my unit? How unfortunate..."

"Ma'am, I am honored to be trained by such a master, ma'am!" I responded with a salute.

She laughed. "You'll regret saying that, however I meant unfortunate for you. As for me, I am going to take great pleasure in watching you squirm."

She turned to the others and shouted. "We got ourselves a hero, here ladies. This here is the sister of Flare Fires, come to follow in her brother's hoofsteps." Her statement got a lot of chatter going.

She turned to me and smiled. "What's your name again, maggot?"

"Ma'am, recruit Torch Fires, ma'am!" I quickly answered.

She laughed. "Your new name is Cuntface. I hope you like that name."

I nodded. "Ma'am, yes ma'am!"

She leaned in closer. "Let me make something clear to you Cuntface, your position means nothing to me. I will be riding your ass twice as hard anypony else here because I don't play favorites. I suggest you pray to whatever you worship because it'll take a miracle for you to survive my training."

I saluted again. “Ma'am I look forward to it, ma'am!"

She gave a strange expression. "Cocky little shit, huh? Well, we'll see how well you do with our first exercises, I am going to break you, Cuntface. You're going to love me, I'm sure." She winked with that last part. Her eyes were powerful, she had the stare of a demon about her. I was certain many have trembled looking into her eyes. There was no doubt that if one were to dig through the history of Vinyl Scratch they would find nothing but great horrors.

Vinyl nodded and grinned before stepping away from me. "Okay ladies, I suggest you all get plenty of rest tonight. Come tomorrow, I will be twisting your balls off."

The group stood silent.

"Alright, at ease and go to your barracks. I don't want to see you pukes until four hundred hours tomorrow."

One grunt raised a hoof, to which Vinyl responded by approaching and standing in front of him. "What is it, maggot?"

"Ma'am, the protocol for special ops training is always six hundred hours. With the time allotted, it is impossible for the recruits to get enough sleep to perform adequately, ma'am." He rattled off.

Vinyl slapped him across the face and when he turned from the strike, she thrusted. Hoof under him into the crotch region. He groaned in pain as he fell over gripping the spot.

"What's wrong? Mommy needs to tuck you in? I am calling the shots here, and we will follow my protocol. You will be up and about two hours before the other recruits because I train harder. Out there, the darkness does not wait for you to get your beauty sleep and neither will I. You're going to be worked harder than any other unit, because this is my unit, and if my name is on it I want to have the greatest killing machines produced from it possible. So you do not get nap time under my watch." She had leaned down to speak to him on the ground. "Now anymore insightful input?" She added with a grin.

He shook his head.

"Good, now to the barracks, ladies!" She commanded.

On the way inside, I took notice of the fact that her eyes locked on me at the end of the line. I could already tell that Vinyl was serious about her comment about working me harder than the other recruits. Things just kept getting more and more interesting it seemed.