Sins of The Past

Suddenly, K fell to her knees, gripping her head.

"Run! Run now!" she yelled, gesturing out the door. "Alfie, help them round up the rest and get them the hell out of here!" Her behavior was a strange departure until a large chunk of stone smashed to pieces beside them. The room was caving in, contrary to general physics. It was as though ...

No.

Celestia held her breath, hoping it wasn't what she knew it was. Ebony and Frost had missed their cues. The universe was collapsing. She grabbed Twilight and Pinkie, and ran for her life, following Alfred through the twisting corridors. They broke through to a vast field, where a heavy-set man and a rainbow-haired girl were chatting. The man looked up but Alfred brushed past him and commanded Rainbow to follow. She was reluctant until she saw Twilight and Pinkie's terrified looks.

She got into the group and continued on with them, the man suddenly disappearing in a bright burst of light. Twilight started to ask, but was cut off.

"He'll be fine. Most of the residents here are evacuating," Alfred said, panting heavily. Ahead of them was a forest. Fluttershy stood under a tree, tending to what looked to be a plant-animal mix with a shattered leg. The culpable branch lay several feet away.

Alfred tried to dash over to her, but a large tree smashed down in his way. The forest itself was falling to pieces, branches and trees collapsing under a silent storm. He hollered and the plant thing looked up, realizing for once what was happening. He grabbed Fluttershy, grimacing from the pain, and leapt through the falling trees. Fluttershy was shot forward in one last life-saving throw before another tree smashed her saviour.

His blood splattered on everything, including the now-traumatized pegasus. Still, Alfred carried on running as though it had never happened. They looped back around to the castle, which, by some stroke of luck, was still standing. They made it to the throne room, where K had opened a portal. She nodded silently to them and hugged Celestia for a final time.

The last thing the Sun princess heard was the sound of a ton of marble crushing fragile bone. She held back her tears and continued through the portal. They had made it.

Twilight was the first to land, faceplanting on the soft rug. Her friends and mentor followed shortly after. The portal didn't close, however, and she realized there was still something coming through. They moved out of the way and eventually, the portal spat out a large, white earth pony with an impossibly black mane. It seemed to suck in all of the light around it.

The young princess stared for a while until she noticed the scars on its face. It was Alfred.

Alfred struggled to his feet, aided by Princess Celestia, who had found a cloth somewhere and was holding onto him with that. He nodded his thanks and trotted around, getting used to the feel of having four legs. Twilight looked at her mentor, her eyebrows raised. Celestia cleared her throat and started to explain.

"To any other pony, you will refer to Alfred as Mythic Oath --"

"Mythic Oath?

Am I an oaf?

Oh hell, what's this?

Clearly my speech is quite amiss.

I'm going to stop talking

I'm having a hard enough time walking

On four hooves and speaking in verse,

Could this day get any worse?" Alfred asked, as confused as any.

Celestia looked at Alfred, her mouth agape.

"Are you doing that on purpose?" she asked, stunned.

"I most certainly am not!

I ought slap you for such a thought!

Why would I subject myself to such a curse?

My speech is supposed to be terse!

Not poetic, not flowing

I ought be going

If this is the reception your world

Will give to one hurled

Into her lap like an abandoned child!

And you claim your country is mild!" Alfred said, sitting down in a huff.

It was going to be a very long day.