Endgame

Endgame

Look To The Sky

Moonshine The Brony

Ponyville was in chaos. There were ponies screaming, ponies coughing, ponies shouting, trying to find their loved ones. The Emergency Alarm cut through the cacophony of the crowd and only worsened the situation. The ponies frantically rushed around like ants trying to find food. There was no order, no rules, no working together. It was every pony for themself, and there were fights. Twilight Sparkle failed to notice this. She was busy in her library, still running around frantically.

"Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no! Nononononono!" she rambled, staring at a sheet of paper. She double checked it, triple checked it, checked it until her quillpoint snapped. She barely noticed as it went flying and embedded itself in her skin. "No, that can't be right!" she shouted as she got a new quill. She turned to her telescope and looked at the sky. "This is bad. Very very bad." she said in a dangerously even tone. "SPIKE!" she shouted. Spike bounded down the stairs and skid to a stop.

"Yes, Twilight?" he asked, almost afraid of his friend. Twilight turned to him, an manic smile etched on her face. Her eyes were wide and bloodshot, her mane ruffled and knotted, her ears twitchy. She truly looked insane.

"Spike, be a dear," she put an unnecessary emphasis on he word 'dear', "and go fetch that copy of Advanced Arcane Arts volume 23 for me." Spike nodded, honestly terrified by his friend and longtime caregiver's crazy look. He fetched the book from the bottom shelf and gave it to Twilight. "Thank you," she said in a dangerously sweet tone. Spike smiled. "A-anytime," he stammered as he backed up slowly. Twilight didn't even acknowledge him; she was to indulged in her work. "Where is it... where is it... Aha!" she jumped up triumphantly. "Yes, there is a way!" The excitement in her eyes died as she realized something. "Wait, nonononono! That's if it's Spell 6662! This is more than that! I'm not trying to undo the alternate reality constructed by another Unicorn! Oh no, nonononononono!"

Her ears perked up, a noise finally reaching her. The Emergency Alarm. Her breathing quickened. "It has begun."

~ ~ ~

The town square was a scene from a nightmare. Bloody ponies lay left and right, their moans of pain falling upon deaf ears. Those able to walk still helped tended to the wounded to little avail. The children were huddled together in the town hall, their eyes sheltered from the carnage outside. Rainbow Dash was in charge of keeping them safe. She stood at the door, silently listening to the murmuring, crying, and wails of the children. She would do whatever she could to comfort them, but she wasn't really the gentle, loving kind of girl. Her ears perked up when she heard two voices in the midst of the crowd of children. "Where's Sweetie Belle?" The name sparked something in Rainbow Dash's memory. Maybe she would ask Rarity who that w- Rainbow Dash balanced herself against the door frame. "Oh no." She rushed over to the ponies who asked the question and almost had a heart attack when she saw that it was the Cutie Mark Crusaders. "Scootaloo! Apple Bloom!" she shouted, trying to get their attention. The two looked up and noticed her. They ran over to Rainbow Dash, tears in their eyes. Apple Bloom spoke first.

"Miss Rainbow Dash! We can't find Sweetie Bell!"

"Please, please help us find her!"

Rainbow Dash hesitated, then thought about the possiblility of Rarity or Applejack going missing after a disaster. Rainbow nodded dumbly. Apple Bloom wiped tears from her eyes. "Thank you, Miss Rainbow Dash. Please bring her back." Rainbow Dash grimaced. "I will." I hope, she added silently.

Rainbow Dash took off at high speed, rushing to the beach to find Sweetie Bell. Though it pained her to ignore the few ponies still floating and crying for help, she had to ignore them. She saw her classmate from the Academy, Flitter, floating in the water. She stopped to see if she was okay, but immediately wished she hadn't. Flitter's eyes were opened, but they were glassy and bloodshot. Here face was... terrifyingly disfigured, to say the least. Rainbow Dash choked up for a second as she looked at her friend's body and closed her eyes. "Good bye," she whispered as she flew off, in search of Sweetie Bell.

After a while, Rainbow Dash's hopes were at an all time low. It had been at least an hour with no sign of Sweetie Bell. Rainbow Dash thought about how she would tell the Crusaders, how she would tell Rarity. "Oh Celestia, she'll be crushed!" she exclaimed, deciding to search a while longer. Just as she started to give up all hope, she spotted a glimpse of white. "Is that..."

~ ~ ~

Rarity and Applejack skid to a halt inside the town hall. The children were mostly asleep, some of them squirming and muttering in their sleep. Applejack scanned the crowd and saw a familiar pink bow. She motioned for Rarity to follow her. They weaved through the crowd and saw something they were afraid to know the reason behind. Rainbow Dash was cradling Apple Bloom and Scootaloo in her wings, and they were crying. Rarity reached forward tentatively. "Rainbow, dear?" she asked gently. Rainbow Dash looked up, tears in her eyes. Rarity gasped. "Who?" she asked gently. Rainbow looked at the ground, unwilling or unable to meet Rarity's eyes. "Flitter... and..." she stopped and started to sob. Rarity comforted Rainbow Dash, oblivious to the world around them. Rainbow Dash looked up at Rarity. "I... I'm so sorry! I didn't make it in time!" she cried into Rarity's shoulder, her body shaking. "It's not your fault... Flitter and Cloudchaser are in a better place now..." Rainbow Dash shook her head. She looked at her friend, her crimson eyes dull and full of tears. "S... Sweetie Belle... s-s-she's..." she broke off, sobbing again. "She's gone!"