Endgame

by Moonshine The Brony

Rating: teen
Tags: Dark, Alternate Universe, Sad
Length: 9663

Equestria is dying. The days grow colder, and the nights grow darker. The stars are fading from the sky, and the plants are dying. It's up to Twilight Sparkle to find out how to stop the apocalypse before it's too late.

When you're used to having it all, what do you do when it's all taken away?

Equestria is dying. The days grow colder, and the nights grow darker. The stars are fading from the sky, and the plants are dying. It's up to Twilight Sparkle to find out how to stop the apocalypse before it's too late. But when ponies start disappearing and memories fade, what could it possibly mean? Strange noises and voices echo in her head and she starts hallucinating. Could it really be the end of the world, or is it something darker? Only time can tell, and her days are numbered.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2013-10-09 11:31:51 UTC

Cold Summers

Endgame

Cold Summers

The sky was clear. The sun shone brightly overhead. The laughter of foals and grown ponies alike could be heard from the center of town. Most ponies were out, enjoying the summer and hanging out with friends. Most were.

Twilight Sparkle wasn't. She was busy in her library, frantically flitting around from place to place like a hummingbird in a field of flowers. Her mane was riled up, eyes wide, and one could tell that she hadn't had sleep in the past few days. She feverishly muttered to herself, quietly reciting numbers and facts. Spike watched from the top of the stairs, almost scared to interrupt. But he did. "Twilight?" he asked tentatively. She looked up, ears twitching when she heard her name.

"What?" she snapped irritably. Spike flinched, not expecting to be yelled at like that. Twilight noticed the hurt look on her Number One Assistant's face and stopped moving around. "Sorry. What is it, Spike?" she asked in a more gentle tone. Spike hesitated.

"I know whatever you're doing is important, but don't you think it would be a good idea to calm down?" he asked. Twilight's eyes opened wide.

"Calm down? CALM DOWN?" she shrieked. Spike retreated a step. "The fate of Equestria is in our hooves, and you want me to calm down?" Spike knew that when Twilight got this way, talking her out of it would be a losing battle. Like a seasoned commander, he made the best decision for this uphill battle, a tactical retreat. He ran upstairs and hid under the bed, covering his ears tightly. Twilight, on the other hand, didn't notice and continued. "Equestria is facing the biggest crisis in recorded history, no, probably since the beginning of time! We're no longer talking about just my personal problems, we're talking the destruction of the world! So no, Spike, I won't calm down!"

She was panting now, having been running from place to place during her rant. Spike had stopped paying attention to her; he was writing a letter to the Princess to tell her about Twilight's latest panic. He finished the letter and breathed out a jet of green fire, burning the scroll and sending it on its way. Little did he know that he would not get a response.

~ ~ ~

The beach was crowded, with it being a nice summer day and all, with families trying to enjoy the last few days before the husbands went to work, the kids went to school, and the wives did whatever they did. The water was warm and clear, the sand soft, and the sky clear. The giggles of the fillies and foals splashing in the water relaxed the parents, who sat on the sand and conversed about pastimes, family news, and gossip. All was well until one filly in the water sneezed. "Bless you!" shouted one of the other colts. The filly started to thank them but sneezed again. "I-i-i-its a l-little c-c-c-cold." she said, sneezing again. The wind kicked up, bringing a cold gust across the water. All the children jumped out, each one shivering. Parents grabbed their towels and dried their children, while the adults without children tried to figure out the reason behind the sudden change. A cyan Pegasus with a rainbow mane was being ganged up on by the parents.

"Hey, don't look at me!" shouted Rainbow Dash, the Pegasus in charge of the weather team. "I told the workers to keep the day clear and warm! They never disobey a direct order!" she defended herself from the angry shouts and cries.

"Bring back the warmth!"

"Do you think this is funny?"

"I'll have you sued!"

The shouting was silenced by a loud scream. "The horror, the horror!" shouted a pink pony known as Daisy. She was pointing at the water. Ponies stopped their arguing and stared at were she was pointing. A large, collective gasp echoed throughout the crowd. All the water on the beach was retreating out to sea, leaving boats stranded out in the sand. The crowd was silent, trying to comprehend what was going on. Then somepony else screamed. It was Roseluck this time, one of Daisy's friends. "The water! Look at the water!"

Everypony looked out at the water. There was silence as they took in the scene out at sea, then screams. The water that had left the beach was coming back in one giant wave. "TIDAL WAVE!" shouted Rainbow Dash, who immediately started urging ponies to safety. Pandemonium broke out, fueled by the impending disaster and frigid gusts of wind. "Everypony get to high ground!" she shouted as she flew over to the disaster alarm. She broke open the cover and pulled the lever, activating a loud wailing siren that echoed over to Ponyville. All of the beach goers were running as fast as they could. The concern for the children's safety was gone, several small fillies and foals squealing and crying as they were trampled by adults who cared more about themselves than the children. Rainbow Dash and a few more Pegasi were moving through the crowd, picking up the unfortunate children and flying them to safety. They had no sooner placed down the first few children than they heard screams. Rainbow Dash and the other Pegasi turned around and watched as the wave crashed down. They flew into action and tried to help the drowning ponies, but it soon proved to be a lost cause. Too many were dragging the others down from under the water. The screams turned into choking gurgles as the ponies stuck in the water were pushed down by the second waves. Rainbow Dash set the fillies she had grabbed from the water and could only watch and listen to the agonizing screams of loss, pain, and despair.

~ ~ ~

Applejack was busy bucking trees again. In her line of work, she was almost always busy. She kicked the apple tree closest to her and was rewarded with a considerable amount of apples. She gathered them up and dumped them into the basket, admiring the fruits of her labor. She estimated that she could get maybe a couple hundred bits for today's work. The Apple Family wasn't poor, as some ponies believed. They were quite wealthy from their quality apples, but chose not to use their money. They were saving up so that Apple Bloom could go to college when she graduated, an opportunity that both Big Mac and Granny Smith missed out on. Applejack was actually waiting for the beginning of the semester now, as a matter of fact. She remembered the excitement of her friends and family as she told them she was going to college. Pinkie Pie threw a huge party and Rarity actually started crying. She smiled at that memory, which had earned a special place in her heart.

She hefted the basket onto her back and set off to the farm. She whistled a dangerously catchy tune as she walked, thinking about how she could spend the rest of the day. She stopped suddenly, perking her ears up. "Is that... screaming?" she muttered quietly. She dropped the basket. That was the direction of the beach! "Apple Bloom!"

~ ~ ~

Rarity was working on her newest project, a dress for the next Grand Galloping Gala. She hummed the song she usually did when she sewed a dress. She held it up to the light, checking the fabric's thickness to make sure it was the same. She sighed in frustration as she noticed that the fabric in the left foreleg was thinner than in the right. "Celestia as my witness, I will get this done!" she huffed. At least Sweetie Belle was out of the house today. She and her friends had gone to the beach. She sighed and thought fondly of her sister. She could be annoying, of course, but there were times where she could be helpful. They had fun, and they had fights. They were fairly close as sisters.

She sighed and took off her glasses. She set them down and froze. "Is that...? The Emergency Alarm!" she jumped to her hooves and ran out the door. She was greeted with the noise of screams and a familiar voice shouting her name. She turned and saw Applejack running to the beach. "Applejack! Where's the girls?" she shouted as she ran after her friend. Applejack glanced at her, panic in her eyes. "They're still at the beach!"

Look to the Sky

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!"

Crimson Smile

Endgame:

Crimson Smile

Moonshine The Brony

Beep. Beep.

Rarity was lost, trapped in an ocean of darkness. She couldn't see, she couldn't feel, she couldn't speak. She was alone, without a clue as how she got there.

Beep. Beep.

She couldn't remember. What had happened before? She remembered the dress order.

Beep. Beep.

She remembered the Emergency Alarm.

Beepbeep. Beepbeep.

She remembered finding the town square, full of wounded ponies.

Beepbeep. Beepbeep.

She remembered going inside and finding Rainbow Dash, crying over...

Beepbeepbeepbeepbeep.

~ ~ ~

Rarity's eyes flew open, her heart hammering in her chest. She flinched, the bright light blinding her temporarily. Several shapes moved blurrily in front of her. She let out a weak groan. "Wha...?"

A familiar voice comforted her. "You're gonna be okay, Sugarcube." Rarity focused her vision in front of her, making out the fuzzy outline of Applejack. Applejack sighed. "Whew! Ah was worried for a second," she said, wiping something from her eyes. "Ah thought we lost you!" Rarity sat up.

"Am I in the hospital?" she asked groggily. A mare she recognized as Nurse Redheart from Sweetie Belle's last sprained hoof stepped in front of Applejack. She nodded, then handed Rarity some juice. "Yes, dear, you are. You fainted back at the town square." Rarity took the juice, finding that her mouth was unbearably dry, like sandpaper. She sipped the juice, then decided to slurp it down. Who cared if she looked unladylike? She was in the hospital! She gestured to a glass next to the hospital room's mirror. "Water," she croaked. Nurse Redheart nodded and walked over to get Rarity some water. She grunted and leaned up to Applejack. "Applejack, how is Rainbow Dash?" she whispered. Applejack swallowed and paled, signs that she didn't want to talk about it.

"It... It's bad," said Applejack gingerly. Rarity's eyes opened wide. "Well I do hope she's okay! Losing her friends Cloudchaser and Flitter must be hard on her!" Applejack swallowed, shaking now. "S-so you don't remember?" she asked, afraid of the answer. Rarity eyed her friend suspiciously. "Remember what?" she asked. "Nothing," said Applejack, though it was obvious to Rarity that she was lying. She chose to ignore it for now.

"Anyway, how are the girls?" she asked, changing the subject. Applejack grimaced.

"Well, Pinkie Pie was the first to visit you, suggesting we should throw a 'Get Well Soon' party. We said no. Rainbow Dash is shaken up very badly. She hasn't come out of the town hall yet. Fluttershy is helping with the wounded; she's the one who brought you here. She was crying pretty badly. She also left you that flower," she gestured at a beautiful rose on the table next to Rarity's bed. "You're here in the hospital, and I haven't left. Twilight..." she trailed off. "We haven't heard from her, but the library's got lights flashing inside, so she probably just hasn't heard the news." Rarity frowned at Applejack. "Applejack, you know very well what I meant when I said 'how are the girls'."

Applejack sighed. "Apple Bloom and Scootaloo are in the square with Rainbow Dash." Rarity gestured for Applejack to keep talking. "And Sweetie Bell? I assume she's already been here as well?" Applejack's eyes were watery, something that didn't happen very often. That in itself caused a knot to form in Rarity's stomach. Drops of ice water trickled down her spine. "Rarity... I'm sorry. Rainbow Dash tried, but she didn't make it..."

Rarity took a second to understand what her friend had said. At first she thought it to be some disgusting, morbid prank. Then she remembered that Applejack was the Element of Honesty, and she wasn't capable of lying. She felt light-headed, like she was going to throw up. Her heart pounded as her breathing quickened and she started to hyperventilate. She saw Applejack's lips move but never heard her calling for the nurse. The world grew black around her and all was still.

~ ~ ~

Beep. Beep.

Rarity opened her eyes. It was dark now, so she adjusted quickly to the lack of light. She layed in her hospital bed silently, thinking about what Applejack had said. If it was true that Sweetie Bell was gone... it was her fault. Guilt crashed down on her like a ton of bricks. If she hadn't kicked Sweetie out of the Boutique for her childish games, she'd... she'd...

Rarity started to sob. She had no right to, she thought, as it was her fault. But she wept anyway, for herself and for her gone sister. Her parents had died a few months earlier, and they were having a hard time adjusting. Now Sweetie had gone too. It was too much for Rarity to bear. She cried, cursing herself and her entire existence. Then she eyed the mirror next to her bed. She struggled to her feet and limped over to the mirror, regarding her reflection with disgust. Her appearance, regarded by many as the image of beauty, mocked her. She didn't deserve great friends such as Applejack and the girls. She only brought suffering. She inhaled deeply, steeling herself for what she was about to do. She prayed to Celestia that she would be forgiven for ruining the lives of so many, and made her peace.

~ ~ ~

CRASH!

"What was that?"

"I don't know!"

"It came from Miss Rarity's room!"

"Goodness! Is she okay?"

"I'm headed there right now!"

"I'll go with you!"

The door to Rarity's dark room creaked open as two ponies peeked inside. They saw nothing, so they turned the lights on. Nurse Redheart's scream echoed throughout the hospital, haunting the orderlies and other nurses for the rest of their lives. The mirror was shattered, most of the shards of glass on the floor. As they looked around, Redheart noticed a glint of light on Rarity's blanket. They pulled the sheets down and gasped. Rarity lay there, a peaceful smile underscored by a crimson grin on her face. Thin trails of blood ran down her face, as if gruesome tears. And clenched in a hoof was a beautiful rose, petals scattered on her chest.

Devastation and Loss

Endgame

Devastation and Loss

Moonshine The Brony

Six hours since 'it' began. The casualty rate is rising just like I predicted. If things don't change, Ponyville, no Equestria is finshed. The apocalypse is upon us. Celestia help us all.

Twilight Sparkle set her quill down and looked out the window. The rain was pouring down now, the wind shaking the branches of her tree house. She looked around at the chaos that was her home. Books lay strewn about, scientific instruments of which only Twilight knew the name of leaned against the walls, and several beakers with some type of fluid lay bubbling over hot plates. Twilight narrowed her eyes, searching for a particular missing detail. "Spike! Come down here!" she shouted, irritation flashing in her eyes. Spike ran down the stairs and stumbled over a book, landing on the ground with a thud. Instead of seeing if Spike was okay, Twilight simply nodded and turned to the window.

"Ouch," grumbled Spike as he caught up to Twilight. "What is it, Twilight?" he asked, somewhat disgruntled at Twilight's ignoring him. Twilight was quiet.

"Spike. Get your things packed up. It's time."

Spike's jaw dropped. "You mean...?" he asked, disbelief evident in his eyes. Twilight nodded solemnly.

"It's time for Plan X."

~ ~ ~

The hospital was in uproar as the nurses and orderlies rushed to Rarity's room. Nurse Redheart was in charge of the operation, and she wasted no time in ordering the others.

"We're losing her!"

"Prep the blood transfusion!"

"There is no more! We've given her all we've got!"

"Then find somepony willing to donate!"

"Ma'am, she's fading!"

"Code Blue! Clear!"

"It's not working!"

"No! We can't lose her!"

"She... she's gone."

Nurse Redheart closed her eyes and sighed. "We were too late." There was a solemn silence as the doctors and nurses took in what was just announced. Some were crying, others comforting those who were. There were others, those who were trying to figure out why, and those who blamed themselves. Nurse Redheart looked out the window at the black night sky, tears in her eyes. "Somepony's gotta tell her friends," she said solemnly. The rest of the medical staff was quiet for a moment. "Well don't everypony jump up at once!" she snapped, storming out the door.

As Nurse Redheart traversed the familiar hallways, she started thinking. Is there any reason for this to be happening? The world is ending, but why? No sooner had she thought this than she ran into a familiar orange pony. "Oops! Sorry, dear," she said, a fake smile on her face. Years of working with the hospital taught her how to lie and fake. But Applejack wasn't one to be fooled easily.

"Nurse Redheart, how is Rarity?" she asked. Redheart froze in place, her fake smiling dying on her lips. Applejack seemed to notice that her cheery facade was gone. "How bad is she?" she asked gently. Redheart bowed her head, tears coming to her eyes again.

"She's... she's gone." Applejack's eyes widened in horror. "What? No, that can't be right! She was fine when Ah left!" Applejack rounded on her suddenly. "This better not be some kind of sick joke!" Redheart flinched as if slapped. Then she snapped.

"Miss Applejack," she began coldly, "I never, and I repeat, NEVER joke about death. Both of my parents died of cancer when I was three! My own sister killed herself a year ago! Why do you think I went into the medical business anyway?" Applejack opened her mouth to answer but was cut off. "The fact that you even implied that I was joking offends me to no ends, and I frankly have no time to wait and mess around with somepony who refuses to believe me. There are several more wounded out there, and you questioning my honesty doesn't help."

Applejack held up a hoof. "May Ah speak now?" she asked. Redheart only grunted. Applejack took that as a sign to continue. "How... how did she die?" she asked quietly. Redheart was taken aback by the question. "Are you... are you sure you want to know?" she asked. Applejack nodded. Redheart sighed. "She... punched the mirror and grabbed a shard of glass. After that..." she trailed off. Applejack listened, trying to fight off tears. "She... killed herself?" she asked quietly. When Redheart nodded, Applejack stopped fighting off her tears. She started sobbing and ran outside into the dark night. Redheart tried to run after her but didn't make it in time. "Wait! Applejack!"

Her pleas fell upon deaf ears, however, and Applejack was gone.

Mommy, are we going to die?

Endgame

Mommy, Are We Going To Die?

Moonshine The Brony

The town square was a dismal scene at best. There was death everywhere. Corpses lay strewn on the road where the wave left them, while survivors combed the morbid scene for other survivors. Looters were already fighting among themselves to claim the deceased ponies' valuables. The cries of pain and despair echoed throughout the city.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were busy moving the wounded to cleaner areas. They had just gotten finished moving a particularly heavyset Pegasus when they heard a familiar voice calling for them. "Fluttershy? Rainbow Dash? Ya'll there?" Rainbow Dash's ears perked up when she heard it. "Hey, that's Applejack!" she exclaimed excitedly. Fluttershy smiled slightly. "Oh good! I'm so glad that she's okay," she said quietly. Rainbow Dash nodded. "Yeah, lets go see how she is." With that, they both flew off to their friend's voice.

Applejack was appalled by the conditions she saw. There was no separation between the dead and the wounded; disease would spread around like cheap, chalky candy for Hearts and Hooves day. She would find Mayor Mare and advise her to separate them. She looked around the scene and took in a breath. "Fluttershy? Rainbow Dash? Ya'll there?" she shouted nervously, afraid that she'd not be answered. Seconds turned to minutes, and minutes felt like an eternity. Then she turned around. "Rainbow Dash? Flutter-OOF!" she grunted as a certain yellow Pegasus flew out of nowhere and gave her a huge hug. "Applejack! I'm so glad you're okay! I thought you were hurt, or worse! I do hope everything's okay!" said Fluttershy in her quiet manner. Applejack was flailing frantically, manically tapping Fluttershy's foreleg with a hoof and gasping, "I... can't.... breathe...!" Fluttershy gasped and immediately let go. "Oh dear! I'm terribly sorry, are you okay? I should have known better but-" Applejack cut her off with a hug of her own. Then she hugged Rainbow Dash, who rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, it's great to see you. Have you seen Twilight or Pinkie?" she asked suddenly. Applejack stopped hugging her and shook her head. "No... I wish Ah had, but Ah haven't seen them yet. They're probably okay though. Twilight's smart, so she'll get through this. Pinkie, on the other hoof..." She smiled, and all three spoke up at the same time. "Pinkie's just Pinkie!" they exclaimed in unison and all started to laugh, but it was a hollow laugh, void of the cheer that Pinkie usually brought. Rainbow Dash stopped abruptly, a frown pushing it's way on her lips. "Seriously, though. How's Rarity?" she asked. Applejack stopped laughing, and the other two noticed that her eyes were red and puffy, as if she had been crying. Applejack shook her head sadly, and Fluttershy gasped. "You mean...?" she whispered, barely audible over the moans and screaming in the background. Applejack nodded, tears trickling from her eyes. "She's gone, 'Shy." she whispered. Fluttershy collapsed in the mud, sobbing and shaking. Rainbow Dash wiped some tears from her eyes herself, but stopped to comfort Fluttershy.

"She's in a better place," she said gently. Fluttershy continued to cry, only managing to squeak out, "Anywhere's better than here now!" Applejack flinched, finding that she agreed with her. Are we the only ones being affected? Or is this a local thing? A new voice startled her from her thoughts. "Not everywhere's better than where we are now," it said. The three looked up to see who was talking and their mouths dropped. Standing in front of them, battered, bruised, and muddy, was the pony none of them expected to see. Applejack spoke up first. "Trixie? Is that you?"

~ ~ ~

Twilight Sparkle was a scary mare when she went into her panic episodes. She would only stop freaking out when ordered to by the Princesses. And Spike knew better than anypony that when she got that way there was no way to calm her down short of waiting a week or so. Twilight was approaching the fine line between worry and insanity now, and Spike had to escape. But the problem was that they were about ten feet under the Library.

Spike looked around the bunker. Essentially, that was what it was. A bunker constructed to survive the end of days, as Twilight called it. Twilight also called this place her "Emergency Living Quarters," or her ELK for short. The ELK was designed to have all of the necessities for modern Equestrian life; food, water, a stove, a fire extinguisher, a sink, some water purification tablets, and shelves of books. It was brightly lit and adorned with pictures of all of Twilight's friends and loved ones. It was, in a sense, a miniature home. There just weren't any windows. I have to get out of here! Rarity might be in trouble! Spike walked over to the door and pulled it open. Twilight was sleeping, thank goodness, so she didn't hear the creak of the hinges. Spike slid out the narrow crack between the door and the doorframe and got ready to close the door. He hesitated; the door wouldn't be able to open from the outside once closed. I'm sorry Twilight, but there's more at stake than just you, he thought. He flinched as he thought it, but he felt it was true. He would miss Twilight, that was for sure, but he would miss everypony else more if the world ended and he wasn't with them. With a rueful sigh, he closed the door with a thud.

~ ~ ~

"Trixie? Is that you?"

The blue pony standing in front of them was indeed Trixie. "Yes, it is I, Trixie," she said without any of the usual flair or confidence. Fluttershy's eyes widened. "Trixie, you look awful! Oh, I'm sorry if you're offended," she added quietly. Applejack walked over to Trixie. "Sugercube, why are ya'll so muddy?" she asked kindly. Trixie smiled sadly. "Thanks for your concern, Applejack, but I don't deserve your kindness," she replied in a despondent tone. All of the ponies were taken aback by this.

"Trixie? Is there something wrong?" asked Rainbow Dash with an unusual gentleness. "Where's your usual confidence? Your air of importantness? Your cape, for Celestia's sake?" Trixie's eyes flashed with something that Applejack and Rainbow Dash couldn't read. Fear? Anger? Betrayal? Fluttershy picked up on the look in Trixie's eyes, though. It was the same kind of look that baby animals had when they lost their parents in a fire. It was loss.

Fluttershy remained silent though, mostly because she didn't want to open fresh metaphorical wounds, but she hated to admit that she was interested in Trixie's story, however tragic it was. Trixie looked at the three with a rueful smile. "I honestly don't deserve friends as great as you," she whispered. She sat down in the mud and a tear fell to the ground. "I'll tell you what happened. It all started in Canterlot. I was visiting Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns and applying to become a student there. My magic isn't at Twilight's level, of course, but I have been improving. I had just barely passed the test and hatched a dragon egg without a problem. The judges were impressed, and Celestia herself congratulated me for making it in, and was asking me if I was getting along alright. Then..." She broke off, tears landing in the mud silently.

"There was an earthquake. It was bad, and it caught us all off guard. Celestia had no time to cast a barrier. The school collapsed, and I remember screams. There were children in there!" she shouted, pain so great it was almost tangible evident in her eyes. "We saved who we could, but there were too many too help, not enough time. The school wasn't the only building to collapse. Most of the castle and the city were destroyed. The only good thing was that we were still being supported by the platform. You know, the platform that holds up Canterlot?" she added when she noticed the confused looks on the listeners' faces.

"The whole city's supported by a platform?" asked Rainbow Dash. "I thought it was carved into the mountain itself!" Trixie shook her head. "Just a bit of illusory magic thought up by the Princesses. It's supposed to make it look more impressive. Anyway, the platform is supported by seven support columns. The earthquake knocked down two of them. If four go down, then the city falls. We were scared. The city was in danger. I heard a foal talking to her mother. She was only seven, but she was asking a question even adults wouldn't dare ask. 'Mommy, are we going to die?' That's what she asked. The mother fell into hysterics after that. The Unicorns that were left of us had to evacuate other ponies. I was levitating a husband and wife down when somepony shouted. They shouted that there was a landslide. I quickly levitated the couple onto a balloon and sent them on their way here, where I thought it would be safe. I guess I was wrong. Anyway, the landslide took out the last five support pillars." There was silence as the listeners took in what Trixie had said.

"Canterlot has fallen," said Trixie, "but it gets worse. I surrounded myself in a barrier, which I've apparently gotten better at casting, and bounced down. I lost consciousness when I hit the ground, but my barrier kept me alive. When I came to, the sun was exactly in the place it was before, though it had to have been a couple of hours. I thought that was odd and went to go search the rubble for the Princess, who I thought was simply to move the sun because she was helping others. Instead..." her voice faltered as tears started to flow. Fluttershy tentatively leaned forward and hugged Trixie.

"There, there. It can't be that bad," she said, not quite believing it herself. Trixie looked up at her with an expression of which had seldom been seen before. It was the face of somepony who had given up the will to live. "Princess Celestia... she was laying under a huge slab of concrete. Her neck... it was broken..." she fell to her knees. "Celestia is dead!"

Fading Away

Endgame

Fading Away

Moonshine The Brony

"Princess Celestia is dead!"

The reactions were varied. Fluttershy's jaw dropped, whereas Rainbow Dash rounded on Trixie and Applejack teared up. "There is no way Princess Celestia is dead! We'd know!" Trixie scowled, then sighed. "No, you wouldn't. With all this cloud cover, you can't even see the sky, let alone the Sun. I suppose I don't deserve your belief. What, with all the things I've said and done in the past? I wouldn't believe me either if I was in your place." Applejack mouthed wordlessly, but it was surprisingly Fluttershy that spoke up first.

"Trixie, I believe you."

Trixie's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "Why do you believe me? I've done nothing but lie and hurt other ponies! You have no reason to believe me!" Fluttershy frowned and stepped forward.

"Trixie, it's true that you've done a lot of bad things, and that you've hurt other ponies. But you know what? That doesn't matter. What matters now is that nopony else has to suffer. Look at Princess Luna; she's widely accepted and she's redeemed herself for what she did as Nightmare Moon," she faltered strangely on the words 'Nightmare Moon'. "Look at Discord! We thought that there was no hope for reforming him, but you know what? I kept trying, and he turned out to be a pretty great guy! I believe that everypony deserves a second chance, and that you've earned yours. So yes, I'm choosing to believe you."

Trixie was tearing up. "I... I don't know what to say," she whispered. "Nopony even likes me anymore, let alone trusts me. I... I just don't know how to describe how I'm feeling right now." She looked up at Fluttershy. "Thank you, Fluttershy. I needed that." She glanced at the wounded ponies around. She looked up at the three ponies with a new determination in her eyes. "It's too late for the wounded now. Disease is already spreading. The most we can do now is prepare the living for whatever lies ahead." She nodded at the others and held her hoof up. "No more running, no more hiding. We make a stand against nature now." Slowly, one by one, the three put their hooves in starting with Fluttershy and ending with Rainbow Dash. An unspoken vow was shared between them, a vow to keep all of ponykind safe. Behind them, a break in the clouds shone light upon their manes.

~ ~ ~

Carousel Boutique looked empty. Spike poked his head out from the bushes and looked through the window. The lights were on, but there was no sign of Rarity. He sighed, then made his way around the building to the front door. He noticed that the window next to the door was shattered and that glass littered the floor inside.  Spike shrugged and opened the door quietly. "Rarity? Are you home?" he called out nervously. There was some shuffling upstairs, which Spike attributed to Opal. "Opal? You there girl?" he asked loudly. A meow came from behind him, where Opal had been laying on her pillow. Spike frowned. "Wait... if you're there, then who's upstairs?" he asked Opal.

A loud thump from upstairs made Spike jump. Okay, there is no way that Sweetie Bell could do that, he thought nervously. Hoofsteps echoed in the hall upstairs, and Spike turned to open the door. He turned the knob, only to find that it was stuck. "Come on, come on, come on!" he muttered frantically. The hoofsteps stopped, and Spike turned around slowly. There was a stallion, clothed completely in black except for his eyes. His eyes scared Spike; they were red and bloodshot, signs of either a desperate or crazy pony. His eyes weren't what scared Spike the most, however. The long, silver knife that hung loosely from his outstretched foreleg glinting in the light scared him the most. Spike turned and started trying to break the door down, hoping, praying that it would open. When he looked over his shoulder, he almost jumped three feet in the air. The pony was closer, his black hood off so that Spike could see his gray hide, and his wide, twisted smile before feeling a sharp pain in his stomach, followed by burning. He looked down and saw the knife embedded in his stomach. He coughed, blood and fire spurting out as he looked at his killer. Spike tried to speak, but could only mouth the word 'why?' before his vision faded to black and he felt no more.

~ ~ ~

Twilight opened her eyes and yawned. She felt around her bedside table and found the button that turned on the lights. As she did so, she called out, "Spike?" She waited for a few seconds before calling out again. When she got no answer she blearily staggered out of bed and into the kitchen. "Spike?" she called out again nervously. She was alert now, completely shaken out of her sleepy state. She opened the door to Spike's room and gasped; his bed was empty. On his nightstand, however, was a note where Spike's familiar yet hastily scribbled handwriting was blurred from what appeared to be tears. Twilight picked it up with a shaky hoof, blinking tears from her eyes. She read:

Dear Twilight,

If you are reading this, then I have left the Emergency Living Quarters to assist in the survival of everypony else. I'm not ditching you or leaving you for dead; it's better this way for you and for me. You will end up having more supplies for yourself and will not be burdened by me when you leave the ELK. Until I find out whether the rest of the girls are alive or not, I won't be coming back. I won't be able to live with myself if they end up dying and I wasn't there to say good bye. It is with a heavy heart that I bid you farewell, especially after all these years that I have served as your assistant. I will always remember our time together with fond memories, and I will see you again, whether in this life or the next. Please, don't let me disappear from your life, as I truly cherished what time we spent together.

Love, Spike.

P.S.

I'll tell the others where you are so that they can visit you.

Twilight let her tears flow freely as there was no longer anyone to see her cry. "Oh, Spike... Why did you leave?" she whispered shakily. She took the note and magically sealed it within a plastic covering. Twilight brought it to her room and attached it to the wall. She then pulled out a piece of paper and took a quill in her hoof. She then wrote a letter to Princess Celestia to ask how things were going on the outside. When she was done, she focused and sent it to Canterlot with a teleportation spell and collapsed on her bed. She stpedd trying to hold back her tears and sobbed into her pillow. She laid there for about 20 minutes before falling asleep again, cuddling up against it and staining it with her tears. Her soft, steady breathing filled the silence of the room.

The Truth Hurts

Endgame

The Truth Hurts

Moonshine The Brony

Twilight's dreams were dark and confusing. She could hear the voices of her friends but just couldn't find them. Plus... there was something off about them. Most of them sounded different, and she could have sworn that Applejack's voice was a colts. She chalked it up to the trauma of losing Spike, because she knew he wouldn't survive, and ignored it. But the voices were still there, all saying the same thing. "Wake up, Twilight. Wake up, please." Twilight pushed her hooves into her ears, trying to drown out the sound. No matter how hard she ground, the voices only seemed to get louder. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore.

"SHUT UP!" she screamed. Her demand went ignored, and the dreamed changed. She could see the outside world, but there was something wrong. It was as if she was looking through a window. The sun shone harshly overhead, heating the world around her to almost scorching points. The plants were shriveled and charred, having died long ago, and there was no water to be found. Twilight squinted into the sunlight and saw a dark figure drawing closer. Before she could make out what it was, a voice thundered in her head. "NO!" it roared, and Twilight's vision turned black.

~ ~ ~

Twilight woke up in a cold sweat. Her breathing was labored and tears were in the corner of her eyes. The image of the devestation on that world was seared into the back of her mind, like a tick attaching itself to a dog. She shook her head and focused, humming the song that she chose for Shiny's wedding. She stopped and recoiled as if hit. Shiny. I haven't seen him since the coronation! she thought with a pang. I have no idea if he's even still alive! Or Cadence, or Luna, or even any of my friends! Twilight was startled from her thoughts and regrets by a flash of blue light in front of her. She looked down at her bed, where a simple scroll lay tantalizingly in front of her. Twilight hesitated, afraid of what would be written, but decided to read it. She picked it up and read.

~ ~ ~

The town was quiet for the most part. Ponyville's citizens were either dead, gone, or too scared to make any noise. The occasional shattering of glass and scream filled the streets, and it pained Applejack to hear ponies get hurt and not be able to do anything about it. Looters were ruling the streets now, and they were cruelly and surprisingly efficient. They moved methodically, Applejack noted, from one street to another. Then they swept back. Helping those left was difficult enough, and the looters made it even more so. Applejack frowned. Maybe it would be better for her and her family if she just...

Applejack almost punched herself. How could you even think like that? her inner voice, the one of honesty argued. Applejack's voice of reason argued back. You know I'm right! At least it'll gurantee the survival of mah family! Applejack grabbed her mane and pulled hard, taking some hair with it. Tears sprung to her eyes as she deliberated her choices. "Applejack? Are you okay?" asked a kind, gentle voice. Applejack looked up and realized that she had started to break down in front of her friends. She nodded. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I'm... this is just a lot to swallow," she said with a dry smile, one so easy to see through that even Twilight would have frowned. I'm a terrible liar, she thought to herself.

Fluttershy slowly drifted over to her and gently hugged her friend. Applejack shrugged her off. "Don't ya'll worry 'bout me. Ah said Ah'll be fine!" she said indignantly. Fluttershy looked down at the ground. "Oh, okay." Applejack winced at her friend's hurt expression. "Look, Ah'm sorry. I... I feel as if we're alone." Trixie approached Applejack and put a hoof on her shoulder. "Applejack..." she whispered. Applejack looked up at Trixie.

"It all feels like a bad dream, Sugarcube. It feels like a bad dream that won't end, because we're trying to resist it. Have you ever had one of those dreams? The kind that no matter how badly you want it to end, it doesn't until it's ready to end itself?" Fluttershy nodded, thinking about her dreams the night before. Trixie's eyes flickered with sympathy. "Yes," she said. "I know how you feel. But now isn't the time to fret about what has happened, but rather the time to do something about our future." Applejack looked up, determination in her eyes. "You're right. Ah shouldn't be sitting here doin nothing, I should be helping out!" She looked at her friends, then in the direction of her home. "Come on girls, it's time we got to the farm."

~ ~ ~

Twilight Sparkle was in tears and trying to manage her emotions. Her heart felt like it had sunk to her hooves and she wanted to throw up. She wanted to run outside and confront nature herself, but at the same time she wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. She was afraid, no, terrified of what she had read on that piece of paper. It can't be true. It can't be! she thought frantically. That's it! I'm imagining things! That's it, I'm dreaming! Her mind raced as she tried to think. "That's it! The Changelings have brainwashed everypony and I'm the only one left!" She was hyperventilating, sweat beading on her brow. "Of course! Discord's back and is just messing with our heads! There's nothing wrong after all!" Her eyes whipped back and forth maniacally as she looked for the sheet of paper. She found it, crumpled up in the waste basket where she had flung it in haste. She picked it up in shaky hooves and read it again, this time trying to think clearly.

Twilight Sparkle,

I regret to inform you of a terrible tragedy that has occurred in Canterlot. An earthquake knocked down the support columns of the city platform and caused the city to fall. Your brother, Shining Armor, and your sister in-law Cadance are alive and well, having left the capital approximately twenty minutes prior to return to the Crystal Empire. Your parents, on the other hoof... It pains me to deliver such news to a pony of which I have such high esteem, but I must inform you that your parents died in their bed as their house collapsed on them.

I would like to say that that is all the bad news that I have, but I could not do you the injustice of withholding the truth from one as studious as yourself. Spike was discovered dead in the residence of your friend Rarity, stabbed to death by a looter who remains uncaught. Sweetie Bell, Rarity's sister died in the wave triggered by the Canterlot earthquake. Rarity herself... She is gone. She took her own life in the hospital the day after finding out about her sister. She is in a better place now, for nowhere in Equestria is safe now.

The biggest blow, however, is yet to come. It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you that Princess Celestia, my dearest sister, is dead. She was killed while evacuating the students at her school when it collapsed. There really is no good news for me to deliver, though I wish it was otherwise.

Please respond to this letter as fast as you can. I can only hope that you're reading this, and that you are still alive. I have nopony else to turn to now.

Princess Luna

She sighed and steeled herself. She looked over at her desk and picked up the quill. She grabbed a sheet of paper and placed it on her desk and started to write.

Fall Famine

Endgame

Fall Famine

Moonshine The Brony

One Week After Ponyville Wave

The town was eerily quiet. The sky was barren, not a cloud to be found in the sky. Most of the Pegasi had already retreated to Cloudsdale, anyway. The stars twinkled dimly overhead, and the moon was an off-putting pinkish color. The town square was abandoned completely, home to only a few desperate survivors. The wind echoed ominously through the mostly abandoned buildings.

Applejack sighed as she gazed upon the ruins of the schoolhouse. 3 days earlier, she had woken up during the middle of the night to screaming. She had run to her window and saw plumes of smoke rising from the schoolhouse. She tried her best to get there in time, but by the time she got there it was too late. She could barely recognize the charred bodies of the ponies she once knew. She just barely held back tears when she saw the mangled body of Cheerilee, who had started to become a close friend. She saw the bodies of two fillies, one of them wearing a somewhat melted tiara. Cheerilee had ran into a burning building to save two of her students. She hadn't told Applebloom yet, but it was only a matter of time until she found out.

Applejack continued down the path with a cart full of apples, albeit small ones, that she had collected only minutes before. "Dog gone it," she muttered to herself. "How are we supposed to feed the refugees if the crops fail?" she whispered. She passed through the familiar clearing that opened up onto the farm. She smiled when she saw a familiar pony flying over to help her. "Thanks, Rainbow," she said as the cyan Pegasus hooked the cart to herself.

"No problem! Gotta help out too, right?" she said with a smirk. Applejack laughed.

"Yeah, I guess that's true. Anyways, how's everypony doing today?" she asked. Rainbow's smile faded.

"We, uh... we lost another one today. Three, actually. Morale's pretty low right now, but everypony'll be glad to have fresh food in their stomachs." Applajack flinched. She opened her mouth to ask who, but Rainbow read her expression and answered for her. "We were going and trying to find more survivors, but there are the looters to worry about. They've teamed up and formed gangs. One of them found us while we were searching Rarity's house. We found Spike, stabbed to death. Then we were ambushed by a gang called the Sky Lights. They stabbed Daisy and threatened to do the same to the rest of us if we didn't give them our food. Naturally, we refused, so they stabbed Snowflake next. He looks super strong, but he's pretty weak really. Anyway, he bled out fairly quickly, so there was no helping him. Then they took Carrot Top and left. They're gone, AJ." Applejack listened to her friend quietly. She sounded like it wasn't a big deal, but Rainbow Dash had been concealing her true emotions for a while. Applejack almost couldn't tell what her friend was thinking anymore.

If I can't trust my friends, then I should... Applejack flinched. No! I won't do that! If my friends can't rely on me, then they can't rely on anypony! I'm the Element of Honesty, after all! she chastised her self angrily. I need to stop thinking this way and just focus on helping my friends. Rainbow Dash stared at her friend in confusion. Applejack noticed and realized that she had been biting her cheek. The coppery taste of blood coated her tounge and she could feel a small trickle from the side of her mouth. "Sorry, Rainbow." she muttered meekly. Rainbow Dash shrugged.

"If you do that, fine by me. I've seen worse. But please, can we get back to the barn? This harness is starting to get uncomfortable." She flared her wings out to shift the harness to a more comfortable position. Applejack chuckled and nodded, a rare, genuine smile on her face. "I just hope the others are okay," she said, smile fading. Rainbow dash scowled. "Hey, you gonna just be a sourpuss or what? Lighten up; they'll be fine!" Applejack sighed and nodded. "Al'righty then. Let's start heading back to-" her ears perked up as she heard a shrill scream in the distance. Rainbow Dash's eyes widened. "That's coming from the barn!" she shouted and shook off the harness. Applejack was already gone, only clouds of dust in her wake.

~ ~ ~

The Everfree Forest had been ravaged by the recent disasters, no doubt. Princess Luna looked around the castle that had once belonged to her with a heavy heart- the forest around her was blackened and charred, the plants dead. Luna sat on her throne, which had somehow survived the forest fire, and looked in the sky. The sun was shining harshly overhead. Luna frowned, deep in thoughts. The sun should not be this bright. Not yet, she thought quietly. Not unless...

Her eyes widened as realization of some forbidden truth dawned on her. She focused her horn to cast some spell, but was cut off by a flash of purple and a scroll falling on her head. She smiled thinly and opened the scroll with great haste and read.

Dear Princess Luna

I'm alive and daresay well. I am currently living in a bunker I had made for this kind of event located under the library. I find it hard to accept the news about my friends and Canterlot, but I know that you would not lie to me. Other than this entire situation, nothing unnatural has happened to me directly. Actually, that isn't true. I've been having these strange dreams lately, and I think you as the ruler of the dream realm as well as the night would be able to help me understand their meaning. Please keep in touch so that we can exchange news.

Your Friend,

Twilight Sparkle

Luna's smile widened when she read the short note scribbled hastily. There were many parts scribbled out and blotted with tears, but the writing was still legible. Luna could barely contain her excitement despite the scene around her. "Yes! It's finally happening!" she announced. A lone cloud covered the sun for a split second, but that was all she needed. In a split second, Luna was gone, all traces of her disappeared.

~ ~ ~

Applejack couldn't suppress her shock when she returned to the barn. There was debris everywhere, and the cause was soon evident. A long, drawn out, somewhat cliched howl echoed around her, and bright green eyes glinted in the shadows. A growl sounded from her left and Applejack could smell the fetid odor of blood to her right. She looked over to the right out of the corner of her eye and almost fainted. The bloody, mangled bodies of Applebloom and Fluttershy lay on the floor, the hungry faces of Timberwolves burying themselves in their meal looking up at Applejack. They stopped eating their prey and started padding toward Applejack slowly. Then one of them lunged.