Between Life and Death

“Come on Clockwork we don’t have all damn day!”

“Keep your pants on I’m almost done!” Monochrome sighed with irritation as he placed his hand over his forehead.

“You know, I don’t even know why we even stop for you.”

“Because I’m the strongest out of all of you-“

“Physically, yes. Mentally…not even close.” Jetstream interrupted. Monochrome laughed. Seconds later Clockwork walked out of the bushed buckling his belt.

“You know, I’m startin to find it repulsive that yer the one who loves me.”

“Yah, well I’m the only one you got so if you want a family, you got me-“

“Stop scaring her, Clockwork.” Monochrome interrupted before the others broke out into laughter.

“Screw you fancy mane.”

“Ok, boys, boys enough, we need to keep moving. We need to get over the hills before sundown or ells it’s going to be harder to see.” Jetstream interrupted them. They agreed with her then continued moving.

“You know what lady, I just realized something.” Clockwork froze where he stood and refused to continue moving. “I just realized you’re the one leading us, and you know what, I think it should be me who leads-“

“Clockwork is now really the best time-“Monochrome started

“No, no let him speak.” Jeatstreaam interrupted.

“I’m just saying. A girl like you should be in the middle of the group where it’s safe-“

“Excuse me? I can take care of myself, you’re the one who needed help when your hoof got caught in that vine-“

“It looked like a hand-“

“It looked nothing like a hand, hell, without me, you might not have even got past that sink hole-“

“I could have helped myself”

“Ahhh, help me, help me, please I don’t want to die, mommy help” Jestream imitated Clockwork. The others started laughing while he stood there and blushed.

“Buck off you whore-“

“Excuse me!?”

“Easy! Clockwork you had no right to say something like that-“Monochrome got between the two.

“She keeps insulting me-“

“Your and idiot, you deserve it.” Clockwork scowled at him.  “And Jet, calm down alright? The last thing we need is you turning his head inside out.” Jetstream took a deep breath and exhaled.

“I can take care of myself Clockwork. I don’t need anyone protecting me.”

“Ok then, you lead, but when a zombie blocks your path, don’t come crying to me.” Jetstream held her head up high and kept walking. The others followed her for a while until they got to a split in the path. They stood there attempting to decide which path to take, and when Jetstream suggested to go right, Clockwork started moving past everyone and went left.

“Oy, dumbass, where are you going?” Monochrome called out as he ran up to Clockwork.

“Going on my own, I’ll meet up with the rest of you.” Clockwork replied as he kept walking.

“That’s not a good idea.” Jetstream added as she joined up with Monochrome.

“And why not?” Clockwork stopped and turned around to face her.

“That path leads nowhere, you go that way it’s going to be a hour wasted.”

“When I get to the end I’ll turn around come back here and take the other path-“

“The other path has multiple splits in it, you’ll get lost and we’ll wind up having to come get you.”

“I can take care of myself.” Clockwork turned back around and continued walking. Jetstream sighed and Monochrome shook his head in disappointment. When they started walking back Screwball ran past them and over to Clockwork.

“Screwball, come back here.”

“Listen to your mother kid, that guy’s brain is a lost cause.” Monochrome added. Screwball stopped and looked back at them then continued running. Once she got close enough to Clockwork she started slowing down until she was at the same speed as him. She caught up with him and started walking along side him.

“Why are you traveling on your own?”

“Because your mother is a bitch that’s why.”

“Yeah, well I think you should listen to her, she’s usually right most of the time-“

“Piss off you little brat.” Clockwork interrupted. He placed his hand on her chest and shoved her onto the ground. Jetstream saw him do that and started growling. She ran over to her and helped her back on to her hooves.

“Are you ok sweety?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Once she was standing up again Jetstream walked over to Clockwork and tapped his shoulder. When he turned around she punched him right in his jaw and he spun around and landed face first into the dirt path. She kneeled down and grabbed the hair on the back of his head and lifted him up by it.

“If you ever touch my daughter again, I will kill you.” She let go of him and his head fell back into the dirt. She then took Screwball and went to rejoin the others. Monochrome smiled then followed her. Moments later Clockwork got back up, daze and disoriented he turned around and started heading towards the others. When he got over to them he fell on Monochrome who caught him and held him up.

“You ok there?” Monochrome asked as he held him up. When he tried talking it was just weird noises. “Say again?” Clockwork repeated himself but it was the same thing. He lifted his head and revealed that his jaw was dislocated. He lifted his hand and pointed at Jetstream. He attempted talking again but same as the last two times, it wasn’t understandable. Monochrome grew irritated with his random noises so he grabbed his jaw and shoved it back into place. The pain caused Clockwork to start screaming. After a few seconds he stopped and started ranting again about Jetstream breaking his jaw.

“List, buddy, are you going to keep complaining about it or are you going to get over it?”

“Screw you!” Clockwork yelled. He got Monochrome to let go of him then started walking down the other path that he should have go down. The others slowly followed behind him, thinking he’d pass out, he didn’t, but he fell down several times, and the tenth time he did, he decided not to get up.

“Clockwork, are you going to keep moving or are you going to give up?” Monochrome asked as he approached him, Clockwork didn’t say anything, he just lied there. “I’ll take that as a no.” Monochrome picked him up and started carrying him over his shoulder. After a few feet Jetstream stopped them. She ran in front of everyone and told them to stop. They stood there for a second waiting for something to happen, and something did, the air in front of them started rippling and moving, they were able to see it. Jetstream got into a stance and stayed in it, the suddenly out of nowhere, a unicorn dashed out of thin air coated with a strange aura. She dashed at Jetstream and she grabbed the infected woman and threw her right over the others. She teleported before she could hit the ground and reappeared above Jetstream. This time she lifted her leg and kicked her right before she could land on her. It sent her flying away but she got back up and started running towards her. Jetstream reached for the holster on her left side and pulled out a combat dagger which she threw into the air, she kicked the unicorn and caused her to stumble backwards, she caught the dagger mid-air and slashed at her and cut her eye. The cut was less than an inch deep, but it didn’t matter, when the unicorn tried focusing again it turned into dust. Jetstream put the knife away. She faced the others waiting for them to say something. They remained speechless. Jetstream smiled and continued walking. After a while they arrived at another split in the road. Monochrome placed Clockwork against a tree and attempted to wake him up. While they decided which road to take the clouds started gathering together and a storm started growing.

“…Damn.” Jetstream mumbled with irritation as the rain started to fall. They all started panicking due to the heavy rain. While the others scrambled to take cover under the trees, the heavy rain fall caused Clockwork to wake up. He looked around him and saw the others hiding under trees. He slowly stood up holding himself steady by leaning against the tree.

“How long have I been unconscious?”

“At least half an hour.” Monochrome replied. Clockwork looked around and noticed a cave. He stood up and started walking over to it, completely ignoring the rain. Once he was inside he called to the others and told them to hurry up. They all rushed over and made it in before they got completely soaked. “So, does this place have and alternate exit?”

“Yeah, but it’s at least 3 miles.” Jetstream answered. Monochrome sighed with annoyance.

“Might as well get moving then.” Monochrome started leading the others threw the dark tunnel, lilting up the way with a spell. Half way through, they started hearing strange noises and started seeing strange markings on the wall. Red markings and words that almost looked like they were written in blood. They continued moving and once they were father in, the noises turned into laughter. “Hold up.” Monochrome stopped them  as he peaked around the corner. He saw a strange man, white hair, light blue skin, his eyes were a light blue color like Nyx’s, and he was wearing black robes. He was curled up in a corner smiling and laughing, rocking back and forth. “Who the hell-“

“It can’t be, I thought he was dead.” Nyx whispered.

“You know him?”

“His name is Spell Nexus, he’s the reason I’m alive, if he didn’t mess up the ritual I’d be Nightmare Moon.” Monochrome looked away from and towards her then back at him. He went out from behind the corner and started moving towards him.

“Uh, hey-“

“Don’t stand in the circle!” Nexus yelled at him. Monochrome paused for a second. The others joined him and moved out from their hiding place. “You! What are you freaks doing here?! How are none of you dead!?”

“What are you talking about?” Twilight asked. She started moving forwards but Nexus at random again yelled at her and told her not to step in the circle.

“This is just ridiculous, why the hell are you-“Monochrome took a step forward and placed his hoof right on the edge of the red circle. There was a jolt of lightning and was sent flying all the way to the wall of the back of the cave. The others panicked and rushed towards him, but Spell Nexus told them to stay as far away from him as possible. They backed away from him and stood completely still.

“You have to stay away from him, he’s a monster now…no…no, No, not again! I can’t deal with it again!” Nexus covered his ears. The others became consumed as to what he was doing or talking about. Jetstream walked over to the circle, she used her magic to destroy some of the ground the circle is on to prevent it from affecting anyone ells.

“Ok Spell Nexus, what did you do to Monochrome.” Twilight demanded. But before he could say anything, Monochrome jolted to life and started screaming. Everyone in the room covered their ears hoping to block out the sound, but somehow, it did nothing, the noise stayed the same, it wasn’t muffled, it wasn’t any quieter, nothing. He just screaming in agonizing pain. Twilight closed her eyes for a moment, and when she did, she saw something that she’d never forget, when she closed her eyes she saw thousands of souls that have died over time, screaming and begging for death thinking that they were still alive. She quickly opened her eyes again to see the others starting to tremble in fear and sorrow. They couldn’t take it, his screaming was unbearable and fiscally painful. Their skin started to feel like it was burning and they started crying. Hours later he finally stopped, his screams died down and the echoes had stopped. They looked towards him and his flesh looked like it was rotting away, it was turning moldy and looked like it was damp.

“What…what was that?” Twilight asked in complete shock.

“He became infected…he stepped in the circle…just like her.” Nexus pointed to a dead corpse lying against the wall.

“Who is-“

“That’s me…my alternate side at least.” Agony interrupted. The corpse was completely mangled.

“I had to kill her…I had to kill her when she stopped screaming…if I tried killing her while she was screaming…it wouldn’t work…it wouldn’t work…” Nexus started laughing again. They looked over to Monochrome, thinking he was dead, but he wasn’t, his dead corpse started standing up.

“The hell…” Clockwork shouted out in shock. What was once Monochrome started pulling out his scythe. He lifted it up and pointed the tip at Nexus.

“Pro peccatis, et percutiam te, quia induxisti super me.” He said in a gurgling voice. He took a single step forward and somehow wound up in front of him. He slashed his scythe upwards and cut him in half; he then turned to the others and started speaking again. They weren’t able to understand what he said, but they knew it wasn’t good. He dashed forward again and slashed at Twilight, but Red shoved her out of the way in time. He turned towards Clockwork.

“Ego vitam finire, nigrum bestia” he rushed towards Clockwork and right as he was about to swing, Clockwork jabbed him in his stomach causing him to flinch. He pulled out his gun and pointed it at his head.

“Got any last words you rotten flesh bitch?” Clockwork smugly asked him. Monochrome looked up at him. He opened his eyes and they were shinning blue. “I’ll take that as a no.” He was getting ready to pull the trigger and before he could, Monochrome took the gun from him and knocked him to the ground. He raised the gun and smashed it on the ground right at Clockworks hooves. He was stunned. The gun he spent the last year making destroyed right in front of him. Clockwork grew angry, when Monochrome was about to swing the scythe at him, he grabbed it right by the blade. His hand began to bleed, but he didn’t care. He slowly stood up still holding on to the blade. Once he was up he took it away from Monochrome and threw it away somewhere. “You just made the biggest mistake of your entire afterlife you good for nothing, maggot ridden, blue eyed, son of a bitch.” Clockwork lifted his hoof and kicked him in his chest, the strength caused Monochrome to fly back to the back wall. Clockwork pulled a black rod out of his pocket. He applied pressure to it and it extended. He then slammed the end of it on the ground and two massive metal circles appeared out of the sides of the top of it, both were connected by scythe blades, there was a metal spike at the top, and a small black sphere under it. “Prepare to have that fat ass of yours kicked!”

“Multo labore sudatum est et tu, ut me ridere mortales" Monochrome stood up again and turned his hands into blades. The two stood there, refusing to let the other leave their line of sight.

“…Your move, jack ass.” Monochrome dashed towards him and slashed upwards, Clockwork took a step back and completely dodged it. He took his war hamed with both hands and slammed the head of it on the ground right at Monochromes hooves, the strength caused a slab of stone to fly up on one end sending Monochrome face first into the celling of the cave. He fell back down and struggled to get back up. When he did he saw Clockwork holding his hammer ready to swing, when he did, Monochrome caught it right when it was an inch from his head. Clockwork struggled to get it away from him, when he did Monochrome slashed at him and cut his chest. Clockwork took a step back and covered his wound.

“Dic mortale tibi vota in hoste furit” Monochrome told him as he held one of his blades to his face. Clockwork looked up at him and smiled. He stood up with his arm still across his chest.

“It’s weird how you think you’ve won.” Clockwork said smugly. Monochrome turned around and saw all the others there with their weapons drawn and ready.

“Vis crescit numero in omnibus, et in me. Videbitis iterum cum copiis movet.” Monochrome spoke with his gurgled voice. There was a flash of light and he disappeared. Everyone started cheering except for Clockwork who was dangerously injured. The cheering died down when they noticed Clockwork struggling to stand up. They started approaching him.

“You alright?” Jetstream asked.

“You know…know what…I’m sorry. I could use some help…help getting back up at least.” Jetstream smiled and walked over to him and held him up. Twilight walked over in front of him and placed her hands over his chest. She took a deep breath. When she exhaled there was a bright light coming from his chest. The light faded away a second later. She moved her hands away and the cut was gone.

“You’ll be weak for a while so take it easy.” Twilight told him. He smiled. He pulled a piece of string out of his pocket and tied it around his right arm, he then pulled one of the needles and inserted the tip of it in his arm and pushed down on the needle.

“Are you…are you doing drugs-?!“ Jetstream yelled at him.

“I can’t help it it’s a massive addiction, if I don’t use this stuff every now and then I can’t focus.” Clockwork pulled the needle out of his arm and removed the string.

“Feeling any better?” Twilight asked with annoyance.

“Yes…Jetstream, to the exit” He looked at her and she was looking back at him angrily. “…Please?” she rolled her eyes and guided them out of the cave and back onto the trail.