Caring Sparkle (Under Revision)

"Ms. Sparkle!" Chairman Briggs gasped in surprise, "I did not expect you to survive up till now."

Twilight took a step back, trying to decode what the chairman was hiding behind his words. The answer hit Twilight, feeling her heart sink in her chest. "They're here because of me..." The room grew quiet as Tyler, Marcus, and Kristan looked to Briggs for confirmation. "Yes, it is true that our enemy is here for you, Twilight Sparkle," Briggs rested his large body against a nearby locker, taking in a deep breath as he set the right word in his head so as to explain the current situation.

"Not too long after you arrived here, a small trade caravan passed by. In the midst of trading supplies, the priest, that had been traveling with the caravan, requested refuge in our small commune. We granted his wish and set him up in the guard quarters. The three of you should remember him," Briggs pointed out, looking directly at Tyler, Kristan, and Marcus.

Marcus smacked his hand against his forehead, "Damn, I forgot that he had shown up just a day after Twilight was admitted into the hospital."

"He's also the one in charge of those deranged corpses that are roaming the halls," Kristan stretched her healing leg along a kevlar helmet, feeling a slight pull from the healing tissue. "He must have been pretty pleased with the pain he caused me," Kristan said, biting into her lip out of frustration.

Tyler pulled a small book from his trench coat. Across the top, in faded, gold letters, were the words, "Holy Bible". "I never trusted him from the start. After Berin's funeral, I stayed to pray for my lost friend. It was around this time I head a voice, behind me, reciting Genesis 19:24: 'Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven'. When I turned to see who was speaking of such death, I saw the preacher sporting a crooked grin."

"Do you think it was a warning? Is it possible that this is the Apocalypse?" Kristan rose to her feet, feeling less pain in her leg than she had only moments before.

"But Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed due to their wickedness and sins, right?" Marcus asked.

"Yes, but they didn't kill everyone. Lot and his daughters were spared and led to safety by the two angels sent by God," Tyler searched through his mind for an explanation. "Wait! Twilight, what is the reason behind your being here?"

The question left everyone in shock, as the puzzle pieces began to fit together. "It's very complicated. I was sent by my Princess on  a task that could, essentially, not only save your world, but also ensure safety in Equestria," Twilight answered. Thinking over what she just said, she finally realized how bad it all sounded.

Briggs approached Twilight, eyes staring directly into hers. "To save our world? Bullshit!" Briggs pulled a pistol from his coat, pointing it directly at Twilight.

"Briggs! Put the weapon away!" Marcus pleaded.

Briggs shook with rage. "Why?! So she can manipulate us to abandon our way of life and work for her evil kind?!" Briggs pressed the cold barrel against Twilight's skull.

Twilight was too shocked by the unexpected threat to react. "No! It's nothing like that! Yes, we are at bad terms with the griffins, but we don't mean to control any of you! We just want to help and work together!" Twilight couldn't stop shaking. She could attempt to use her magic to disarm him. But there's no way she could stop the bullet in time at this range.

Briggs stopped trembling as he felt sharp, cold metal pressing against his throat. "Put the weapon down..." Tyler pressed the scythe's blade against Briggs' jugular.

Twilight looked in terror as Briggs' eyes became as sharp as a snakes eyes. "You know, Tyler, your mother was a great woman. But the best thing she ever did was die and leave you by yourself in the hell. I do enjoy hearing her cry as she is repeatedly tortured in the blaze." Briggs chuckled as his voice fluctuated into a sinister growl. "I wonder what she would say if she were to see your rage became such a mighty weapon..."

Tyler stood unwavering as the scythe began to change color. The dark, black pole became a sky blue color, shining with a peaceful glow. Briggs trembled in fear as the light began to burn his skin. Tyler twisted the scythe to turn Briggs toward him. "Look at me, uncle!"

Briggs stared into Tyler's eyes with a look of horror. In Tyler's eyes, Briggs saw no rage. The only emotion in his eyes were that of strength. "The greatest thing my mother ever did was teach me that rage doesn't make someone strong. It's when you have a strong heart that you realize your greatest strength. My uncle Briggs would know that better than anyone."

Briggs' fear turned to sheer rage as he rose the pistol to Tyler's face. "You know nothing!!! Your uncle was a weak simpleton who could barley lift himself up in the morning. When his pain vanished, he thought your 'God' had blessed him! The only God he has now is me! And I'm not going anywhere!!!!" Briggs roared, laughing maniacally.

His laughter was short met as Tyler appeared inches from his face. "May God find your soul and shelter you in this time of pain, unlce..." Tyler's swung with devastating speed as the scythe cut clean through Briggs' neck. As he collapsed to the floor, a smile could be seen across Briggs' face.

Everyone stared in shock as the scythe vanished into fragments of light across Tyler's hand.

Twilight stared at the body of the deceased Briggs. Looking closely, Twilight could see that the scythe had burned the flesh as it cut through, cauterizing the wound in one swift motion.

"Tyler? Hey man are you going to be okay?" Marcus said as he patted Tyler on the back. Without warning, Tyler fell to his knees and began to cry. Twilight felt the pain radiate off Tyler as he mourned over the fact that he had just killed his uncle.

Feeling sad for his loss, Twilight approached Tyler and rested her head against his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Tyler... I didn't mean for any of this to happen. But I swear to you, we will find the priest and get answers. I promise..." Twilight felt Tyler's hands wrap around her as he pressed his face further into her fur and cried harder. Marcus and Kristan watched as the person, who they felt was the strongest of them all, suddenly collapsed under a wall of emotion.

"The priest will pay, Tyler. For everything he has caused, he will pay..." Marcus said as he clenched his fists, fighting the urge to cry. Kristan nodded in agreement as she wrapped her arms around herself and wiped the tears from her own face.

As Tyler cried into Twilight's fur, Twilight thought back to home. Princess Celestia, what do I do in a situation like this? Twilight answered the question the best she could. I have to be strong. Not just for me, but for my friends. Both the ones at home and the ones I have here. Twilight rested her head against Tyler's shoulder as tears ran down her face. This is going to be the hardest test, of my strength, that I will ever take...

***************************************

Tyler walked towards his locker, wiping the remaining tears from his face, and opened a large bag.

"Um, Tyler? Are you going to be okay, bro?" Marcus grabbed Tyler's shoulder, making Tyler freeze.

"Tyler, you know that you're not alone, right? You have Marcus and me. Hell, you even have Twilight here for you." Kristan said, wrapping Twilight in a playful headlock.

Tyler glanced over his shoulder, a cold pain showing in his eyes. Looking at his friends sparked a fire in his heart. Thinking back on the weapon he had just used to kill his uncle, Tyler looked down at his hand. A symbol, resembling that of a burning torch, had been burned, straight through his glove, into the back of his hand. "Twilight, we appreciate that you're here to help us, but, why us? What is so special, about us, that they would send you?"

Marcus nodded, pondering the question himself. "And why would they send just you? Not saying you suck or anything, it's just weird that they would only send one of you."

Twilight took in a deep breath and sat next to Kristan. "Back home, in Equestria, there used to be stories told about a mighty force called the Elements of Harmony. A great evil descended upon the land and it was thanks to Princess Celestia that the evil was banished from the land. She had used the Elements in a final attempt to save Equestria. It might be hard to understand, but I am one of those elements."

"Wait, so does that mean you're not really a horse?" Marcus asked.

"I am still a pony. But, I am the Element of Magic, the binding force of the other elements. The other Elements, Loyalty, Generosity, Kindness, Laughter, and Honesty, are my friends. The reason why I'm here is that Princess's Celestia and Luna have sensed the same aura, as the Elements of Harmony, here in your world. Only one of us could go, so they sent me to find the elements of your world." Twilight, expecting looks of confusion, was taken by surprise when they all seemed to understand.

"Well, you're here. Where are you supposed to find these 'elements'?" Tyler said rummaging through his bag.

The room seemed to freeze as Twilight answered, "I've already found three..."