Trust

by Wheller

Rating: teen
Tags: Tragedy, DJ P0N-3, Dark, Main 6, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Spike, Adventure
Length: 10916

When a dying pony learns that she may only a few months left at the most, and that she has one hope left, it will take all her will in order to convince those she cares of the most to accompany her on one last trip along the Long Road. Because this is one journey that cannot be walked alone.

Published 2011-10-28 17:28:19 UTC
Last updated 2011-11-20 05:05:09 UTC

Chapter 1

Chronology notes:
Stop! You are reading the fourth story in the Bonds of Eternity Series.

The first story in the series is Family found here:
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/1307/

The second story in the series is Nihil Novi Sub Sole found here:
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/1444/

The third story in the series is Friends in High Places found here:
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/1716/

Trust
Chapter 1

Vinyl Scratch’s eyes popped open, her stomach was churning, she leapt up from the sofa in the Ponyville Public Library that she had grown so accustomed to sleeping on and threw open the front door. She did not make it three steps outside before vomiting.

Vinyl felt awful, her head pounded, her stomach was doing somersaults, and she could only imagine how she looked to others. She’d felt sick like this for a while now, during most of the trip back from South Island. Vinyl had figured it was sea sickness, as her symptoms had seemed to go away upon returning to dry land, now they were back, and they were worse than ever.

“Vinyl Scratch?” said a voice from behind her.

“Hello Princess Luna...” Vinyl managed before vomiting again.

“You are clearly unwell, come let me help you!” Luna said. Vinyl felt her touch as she tried to help Vinyl to her hooves.

“I’m fine!” Vinyl said, brushing her away, she accidentally bumped her own head in the process, and Vinyl felt as if something had come away, still sticking to her leg, she felt it and discovered something that horrified her greatly.

“Vinyl Scratch... You are lying in the street, in your own vomit... and your mane is falling out. You are not fine. I was afraid of this...” Princess Luna said.

“You know what’s wrong?” Vinyl asked before vomiting again.

“Yes. I suspected since the night that the artefact shattered, I think this confirms it, you’re suffering from radiation sickness... I’m so sorry Vinyl Scratch, but the radiation that the artefact emitted is of the worst kind,” Princess Luna said, her voice was filled with sadness. “I am so sorry...”

“Its nopony’s fault but my own,” Vinyl said, followed by another round of vomiting. “Uh... I was the one who broke the artefact. Now I’m going to die because of it.”

“That is a rather... pessimistic outlook,” Princess Luna said simply.

“What are you saying that there’s hope? You’ve told me everything there is to know about this radiation, don’t give me false hope,” Vinyl said with a scoff. “I hate false hope.”

“Well... all right, I suppose you do have a point. Here though, I want you to have this,” Princess Luna placed a small bottle of pills into Vinyl Scratch’s open hoof. “They will help to alleviate the symptoms.”

“Thanks... I guess,” Vinyl Scratch said, vomiting again. She twisted open the bottle of pills and swallowed one, hopefully, it would stay down. “You know... it’s too bad I don’t have my gun anymore... at least that way it wouldn’t hurt.”

Luna gave a small sigh of pity for the mare lying on the ground at her hooves; Vinyl ignored it and rose to head back inside. “Princess Luna? Thanks.”

“Vinyl Scratch? What if I told you that there was one option?” Luna said as Vinyl re-entered the library.

Vinyl paused and turned to look back at the approximate location of where she thought Princess Luna was standing. “Well... than I’d say you have my undivided attention.”

...

“Twilight!” said a voice in the darkness.

Twilight Sparkle’s eyes popped open, somepony was prodding her while she slept. Twilight sat up and discovered that Vinyl Scratch was at her bedside, poking her. Twilight looked at the clock. It was two in the morning.

“Vinyl Scratch...” Twilight said groggily. “Do you have any idea what time it is?”

“Nope!” Vinyl said, flashing her trademark grin at her. “Kind of stopped mattering to me what time it was when I can’t see what clocks say. I sleep when I’m tiered; I’m awake when I’m not.”

Twilight Sparkle respected her friends disability, but was frankly too tired to care. Twilight was a very grumpy pony when she was tired. “Vinyl... it’s two in the morning, what do you want?”

“Oh... I’m sorry,” Vinyl said as a frown formed on the mares face. “I knew it had to be early... but I didn’t think it was that early.”

“It’s okay, Vinyl. What do you want?” Twilight asked as she set her head back down on her pillow.

“How would you like to go on a trip?” Vinyl asked. “To the Hoofson Bay Area?”

“The Hoofson Bay... what? Vinyl, what in Equestria do you want to go there for?” Twilight asked. “I mean, is there even a point in travelling with your... condition?”

“I know it sounds silly,” Vinyl said. “I sort of... have an obligation to fill, and I can’t go by myself. I’d fall off a cliff or something.”

“Some might argue that would be an improvement,” Twilight said groggily.

“Ha ha. You’re funny!” Vinyl said sarcastically. “Seriously thought! It’ll be fun! Bring your friends! Bring the little dragon dude! It’ll be great!”

Twilight sat up and looked over at Spike, sound asleep in his basket, and then she thought. With their recent victory against Discord, she and her friends could all use a holiday. “All right, Spike and I will go if you can convince everypony else to go.”

“That won’t be a problem! Vinyl Scratch has a way with words!” Vinyl said grinning madly at her. “This’ll be fun! I promise!”

“Yeah... yeah. Let me go back to sleep!” Twilight said, rolling over and pulling the covers over her head.

“Goodnight Twilight,” Vinyl said. “Thank you... you’ve done more than you know,” she added under her breath as she trotted back down the stairs.

...

It was the first day of November, and so far, Vinyl Scratch had gotten most of Twilight’s friends on board. Some had been easier to convince than others. Pinkie Pie, for example, had agreed to go before Vinyl Scratch could get past the word “holiday.” Fluttershy agreed when Vinyl promised that she’d insure that the animals she took care of would be looked after. Rarity had agreed after Vinyl had insinuated that she could get a jump on wearing fashionable winter attire, as it would start snowing in the Hoofson Bay well before it started snowing in Equestria.

Applejack had been slightly more difficult to convince, but Vinyl Scratch had managed to do it by offering her a lucrative contract with Sweet Apple Acres to cater the next event she threw. Of course, Vinyl didn’t exactly have any events she was planning on hosting, but she could certainly throw together something... after they got back, of course.

Rainbow Dash was probably going to be the hardest to get, apart from being the head of the Ponyville weather team; she was also training Whirlwind to be... something.

Vinyl didn’t remember exactly what she was training Whirlwind for, but it wasn’t something that she was going to stop doing to take a holiday unless Vinyl was really... really convincing.

She discovered Rainbow Dash where she usually was at this time of the day, standing in the town square, yelling at Whirlwind to fly laps between town hall and the windmill faster.

“Hi Rainbow Dash,” Vinyl said with a smile.

“Oh! Hey Vinyl! I had heard you got back to town!” Rainbow Dash said. “Hold on a moment. YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT WHIRLWIND! FASTER!”

Rainbow Dash gave Vinyl a shrug. “He’s being lazy.”

“Clearly, He’ll learn though, I mean, come on, he’s got the best flier in all of Equestria training him!” Vinyl said with a grin.

Rainbow Dash proudly agreed with her. “Hey... you’re buttering me up for something aren’t you!?”

“What... Rainbow, that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard... is it working?” Vinyl Scratch asked.

“Totally! Please continue!” Rainbow Dash said with a grin, followed by more shouting at Whirlwind to fly faster.

“Well, Whirlwind also has the foremost expert on winter weather tutoring him, I mean, we were all talking about Ponyville’s weather record for last winter for months in Canterlot, it was most certainly impressive. Clearly, no other Pegasus could have pulled it off.”

“Ha! That was nothing! I could have done it in my sleep!” Rainbow Dash said proudly.

“And I’m putting together a trip to the Hoofson Bay, and we’d love it if you could join us, you’re expertise would be invaluable. Plus, you could get a head start on training Whirlwind for cold weather flying! Not to mention it would be fun! I know you love fun things!” Vinyl said with a grin.

“All right! All right! I’ve heard enough!” Rainbow Dash said. “You’ve sold me! Whirlwind and I will go!”

“Awesome!” Vinyl said. “This is going to be a great trip, I promise! And it’s all the better that I’ve got one of my best friends going with me.”

“Who? Me?” Rainbow Dash said with a chuckle.

“No, Whirlwind. Of course you! Who could ask for a better friend?” Vinyl said.

“You know, stroking my ego isn’t going to get you everything you want,” Rainbow Dash said.

Vinyl Scratch just stared blankly at her.

Rainbow Dash gave in. “Okay... okay, maybe it will.”

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Vinyl Scratch popped another anti-radiation sickness pill into her mouth and swallowed hard. Princess Luna had been right about one thing, they were certainly helping. She had been able to keep food down the entire day.

Now here she was, locked in the washroom in Ponyville’s public library, shaving off the rest of her mane. It was falling out anyway, might as well get rid of it, lest somepony else notice. She’d contacted a wig maker in Canterlot to see if they could fashion a replacement for her, and as it turned out, oddly. They had one in stock that was identical to her now shaven mane.

Vinyl found that a little bit odd, simply because she was only popular within a certain niche of the population, but she shrugged it off and hoped it was convincing, she couldn’t exactly check, and had to take the word of the wig maker on this one. She used her magic to scoop away the old, and then put on the new. Doing her best to make sure it was on straight, she eventually gave up upon realising that there was no way for her to make it perfect without being able to see what she was doing.

Vinyl Scratch unlocked the washroom door and trotted back out into the main room, Twilight was packing her saddlebag, presumably full of winter clothes and gear, Vinyl couldn’t be sure exactly, but then, what else would Twilight be packing.

“Spike? Checklist please!” Twilight called out.

“You got it!” the little dragon called out.

“Scarf!” Twilight called out.

“Yes.”

“Boots!”

“Yes.”

“Tent!”

“Yes.”

“Obnoxious house guest?” Vinyl Scratch called out with a huge grin on her face.

“Huh... I don’t see that one on the list,” Spike said as he looked over the list that Twilight had made. “Better add it!”

“That won’t be necessary Spike,” Twilight said simply. “We couldn’t forget that one if we tried.”

“Nope!” Vinyl said with a grin, she crossed the room and threw her forelegs around Twilight’s neck, pulling her close for a tight embrace. “Thank you... thank you so much.”

“Vinyl... I didn’t realise this trip meant that much too you... Is something wrong?” Twilight asked.

“Wrong!? No! No! What makes you think something’s wrong? I’m... just glad to be around my friends again, that’s all,” Vinyl said with a smile. “Now come on! Let’s not keep the others waiting!”

Spike climbed up on Twilight’s back and the three of them departed from Ponyville’s Public Library, trotting down towards the windmill where they’d be meeting the rest of Twilight’s friends and Whirlwind.

Twilight looked up to see that Rainbow Dash was once again ordering Whirlwind to fly laps between the windmill and town hall.

“Rainbow Dash! Ease off him! We’ve got a long walk ahead of us, and it’s cruel of you to push him like that just as he needs to be rested!” Twilight called out.

Rainbow Dash let out a small sigh and called to Whirlwind that he could stop.

The grey coated Pegasus landed softly on the ground in front of Vinyl Scratch, and despite having flown who knows how many laps at high speed, Vinyl Scratch could hear him breathing normally. Although she figured that might have had something to do with who the Pegasus was, or maybe more importantly, who he had used to be.

Whirlwind was the second chance reincarnation of Overdrive, the Paragon of Order. Despite seemingly not having Overdrive’s memories, it still made Vinyl a little nervous, who knows how he would act were he ever able to get them back? Princess Luna had told her that there were more ways that just exposure to the artefact that could bring back old world memories.

“Vinyl Scratch! Darling!” Vinyl felt as if she’d been tackled by a large marshmallow creature as Rarity had pulled her close. “Have you done something new with your mane?! It looks so wonderful! Unlike the dreary shape it was in when you came to visit me the other day!”

Crap! Vinyl was hoping that nopony would notice. “Uh... not really, I don’t really try to style it or anything. I mean, I don’t really see the point...”

“Oh, that won’t do at all! Not being able to see is no excuse for lacking fabulousness! You simply MUST let me style it for you when we return!” Rarity exclaimed.

“Uh... sure?” Vinyl said, right now she was ready to try anything she could to get Rarity to let go of her, the fashionista was sure to notice that she was wearing a wig before anypony else did. “Anyway! We better get going! We’ve got a long road ahead of us!”

Rarity released her and the group of nine trotted off along the road. Vinyl made sure to take a place up near the front, as far away from the fashionable eye of Rarity who was sure to notice the physical symptoms in her mane and coat before anyone else. She walked beside Twilight, who had Spike sitting on her back; the little dragon was examining a map of the road.

“Twilight?” Spike asked. “This map doesn’t have the Hoofson Bay on it at all!”

“That’s all right Spike! We’ll follow the road all the way to Manehattan, and then follow the Hoofson River up into the Hoofson Bay Area!” Twilight said simply, sure of herself and her plan.

Vinyl could only grin; Twilight had made this same mistake in the Old World when she, Vinyl, and Rainbow Dash had gone to the Hoofson Bay Area to learn the fate of a missing ambassador. The Hoofson Bay and the Hoofson River, despite being named after the same explorer, Hedrick Hoofson, were in no way related to each other in the slightest. They didn’t go anywhere near each other even though considering the name, it would be a logical assumption.

Vinyl Scratch, of course had known that they weren’t related with each other, even the first time around, but she planned to let Twilight make the same mistake again. They would be retracing the same path that they had taken in the old world, and that was the part of the long road that they needed to be on.

“Hey! What’s that over there?!” Spike called out, causing everypony to stop in their tracks. Spike folded up the map and hopped off Twilight’s back dashing over to whatever it was that he had seen.

Vinyl was pretty sure that she knew what it was, judging by how long they had been walking.

“Twilight! Come look at this!” Spike called out. “There’s definitely an opening behind all these rocks!”

Yep. Vinyl Scratch thought, exactly where she thought they were.

“That’s odd, there aren’t any caves marked on this map at all!” Twilight said, “Certainly not any this close to Ponyville!”

Twilight’s voice was filled with excitement and curiosity, Vinyl Scratch knew that they were in front of the caves that lead to the back entrance of the Everfree Plains Ballistic Research and Development Facility. The caves had been sealed up for a reason. This was a world of second chance, there could be no third.

Vinyl placed her hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Twilight, no.”

“What?! Vinyl! Don’t you want to know what’s in there?!” Twilight asked. “There could be anything in there!”

“Or, nutin’ at all!” Applejack called out.

“Besides... we’d get dirty if we tried to dig through!” Rarity said, feeling that was justification enough.

“I didn’t bring any dynamite with me this trip!” Pinkie Pie said as she bounced around the group. “I would have if I’d known! Sorry Twilight!”

“Pinkie Pie? Why do you have dynamite?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Ppsh! I use Nitro-glycerine to make cupcakes! Why would I not have dynamite!?” Pinkie Pie called out.

“I think loud explosions would scare the critters...” Fluttershy said with a squeak.

Vinyl tuned out each of the disembodied voices of Twilight’s friends and leaned in close. “I know what’s in there,” She whispered.

“What is it?” Twilight whispered back.

“Something we’re not meant to have,” Vinyl said. “Sorry Twilight.”

Twilight was clearly not happy with the answer, but she gave in. Spike climbed back onto Twilight and the group set out again. Twilight, Spike, and Vinyl up front, Pinkie Pie and Applejack directly behind them, Fluttershy and Rarity were bringing up the rear. Rainbow Dash and Whirlwind were flying directly overhead.

“Don’t worry Twilight, there’ll be plenty of interesting stuff for you to geek over when we get there,” Vinyl said with a grin.

“Oh it’s fine,” Twilight said. “Besides, we would have had a tough time getting through the rocks anyway without explosives... remind me to take the ones Pinkie Pie has away when we get back, I don’t think she should be trusted with those.”

“Hey!” Pinkie Pie called back. “I only blew up my kitchen once! Never mind the fact that Mister and Missus Cake never let me run Sugarcube corner by myself ever again...”

The group couldn’t help but let out a giggle.

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Night had fallen as the group of nine had settled down into camp. They had a nice dinner of the apple theme, which had been prepared by Applejack. Vinyl Scratch had figured that Applejack had to be lugging at least five kilograms of them, maybe even more. And soon enough, everypony, (and baby dragon) had gone to bed with the exception of two.

The first of course, being Vinyl Scratch, the second was Whirlwind.

“Something on your mind Whirlwind?” Vinyl Scratch asked as she heard the Pegasus pony breathing next to her.

“Yes,” Whirlwind said, sitting down next to her on a fallen log. “I believe that the last time we spoke, you were about to offer me an explanation? I’m still waiting for it.”

“Oh... yeah, that, I’m sorry! I completely forgot!” Vinyl said. She began to recount for him tales of the Old World, of the war between Order and Chaos itself, she told the final battle between the forces gathered by Princess Luna and her siblings, and how they had all been snuffed out. She told him about Surprise, and how she had tried to murder her several times. She told him of the missile, and how upon setting it off, it had given them all a second chance at life.

Whirlwind sat quietly and listened intently, or, at least Vinyl hoped he was, she really had no way to be sure. She finished her tale, and waited for the inevitable reaction. Whirlwind likely thought she was insane.

“So... I’m an all powerful pony, who is actually a long lost brother to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, hell bent on enslaving all of pony kind to live under my iron hoofed rule, and Doctor Nightly is my brother, and he’s actually three ponies who are my mortal enemies?” Whirlwind asked after a few moments of silence.

“I know... it sounds ridiculous...” Vinyl began.

“On the contrary,” Whirlwind interrupted. “I believe every word of it.”

“I... what?” Vinyl asked, she had thought the story sounded insane, and he was that quick to accept it?

“Your story was far too clear and consistent for you to have just made up on the spot, and you clearly believe that you are telling the truth,” Whirlwind said.

“What do you mean that I believe I’m telling the truth?” Vinyl said with a scowl.

Whirlwind chuckled. “You did say it yourself, it sounds ridiculous. So, I’m a despot, what do we do about it?”

“Well... you’re not really him, as far as I can tell, you’re just a reincarnation of him. You’re still your own pony... I think,” Vinyl Scratch said with a shrug.

“Good thing too, I’m far too lazy to enslave all of Equestria,” Whirlwind said with a chuckle. “Goodnight, Vinyl Scratch, try to get some rest soon, hm?”

“Goodnight Whirlwind, try not to get the desire to enslave me!” Vinyl said.

“I’ll try not to,” Whirlwind said as he ducked into his tent to go to sleep.

Vinyl Scratch sat around for a couple of hours, lost in her own thoughts; she heard a twig snap, and hoof steps approaching her. She cracked a small smile in the direction of the newcomer. “Hello Princess Luna, been following us long?”

“I wanted to see how you were doing,” Princess Luna said, taking a seat next to Vinyl Scratch. “I want you to be in peak physical condition for your impending exile to the sun.”

“Oh come on! My driving wasn’t that bad,” Vinyl Scratch said with a grin. “It didn’t help that you were screaming at the top of your lungs the entire way.”

“You nearly drove us off a cliff. Twice... off the same cliff,” Princess Luna said, she placed her hoof on Vinyl’s shoulders. “How are you, Vinyl?”

“Those pills you gave me have been a lifesaver, the last thing I want if for them to find out just how bad I really am,” Vinyl said.

“You haven’t told them? Have you told them about why you’re going where you are?”

“No,” Vinyl said simply, almost unwilling to give a further explanation.

“Don’t you think that you should... trust your friends?” Princess Luna asked. “They care about you.”

“They don’t remember me!” Vinyl said with a small ‘humph’. “I don’t want them to worry about me.”

Princess Luna sighed loudly. “I have to return to Canterlot, we won’t be seeing each other again for a while.”

“I won’t be seeing you period,” Vinyl said with a grin, giving the princess of the night a tight hug. “If... if this doesn’t work... if I don’t run into you again... I... thank you, for everything you’ve done.”

“You are welcome,” Princess Luna said, hugging the mare tightly in return. Their embrace broke, and Princess Luna spread her wings and leapt into the air.

Vinyl Scratch popped another anti-radiation sickness pill and turned in; knowing that tomorrow was going to be a long day.

...

The group of nine packed up camp shortly after dawn, though they were still slow to start. Some of them, like Applejack and Fluttershy were used to waking at dawn to start their days. Others, like Rarity and Rainbow Dash, were more used to sleeping until much later.

“Applejack... darling, the sun is barely up! How can you expect us to rise this early?” Rarity said complaining loudly.

“Hmphburge... what she said,” Rainbow Dash said groggily.

“Ah don’ ‘spect ya ta miss priss,” Applejack said. “But quit your whinin’ we gots lots o’ walkin’ ta do today!”

“Whining?!” Rarity exclaimed. “I am not whining, I am complaining!” Rarity cleared her throat and raised the pitch of her voice. “This is whining!”

Vinyl Scratch couldn’t help but grin. Those two were perfect for each other. “Are they always like that?” she asked of the pony who was sitting next to her, the identity of whom she had yet to determine.

“Um... pretty much, yes,” Fluttershy said.

Fluttershy, Vinyl had not really interacted much with Fluttershy, new world or old. To be perfectly honest, Fluttershy made her uneasy; Vinyl’s memories of the old world were still fresh, Fluttershy had violently murdered six people, mind you; she’d done it after prodding from the Siblings Nightmare... but Vinyl had to figure that for them to have brought it out. It had to have been in there somewhere to begin with.

Vinyl realised at that point that she was being incredibly unfair, Fluttershy deserved better than that. She couldn’t judge her for things that technically never happened... right? Vinyl gave Fluttershy a polite smile. “How are you Fluttershy? Sleep well?”

“Oh! Um... yes, I’m doing fine thank you...” Fluttershy said, squeaking adorably.

Okay, how had that become a violent murderer?

“How are you?” Fluttershy asked.

“I’m fantastic!” Vinyl said with a grin. “Are they still bickering? Or have they started making out yet?” she asked, referring to Applejack and Rarity.

“Oh! I... Um...” Fluttershy said with another squeak for an answer.

Vinyl couldn’t help but grin; she rose to her hooves and broke up the war of words between the simple farm pony and the fashionista. “Come on! We’re all friends here! We should get moving, Applejack’s right about one thing, we’ve got a lot of walking to do.”

...

Whitetail Wood went on for quite a distance if you stayed along the beaten path. Vinyl knew it was far faster to cut across open countryside that it was to stick to the road, but she wasn’t going to blindly lead her friends over a cliff, It was different with Princess Luna, she figured if the some thousand year old princess couldn’t survive a head on collision with a tree at a hundred and thirty kilometres an hour, then she didn’t have any business being princess at all. Vinyl couldn’t help but grin to herself at her joke.

In all seriousness, she really did care about her friends, all of them. She wanted them to be safe. That was why she couldn’t tell them what was wrong with her. They’d push themselves to get to the Hoofson Bay faster, in order to try and help her. It wasn’t something that Vinyl was willing to have happen. She knew what it was like to be marched past your point of exhaustion; she remembered carrying an unconscious Rainbow Dash fifty kilometres at the point of a gun, even if Rainbow herself did not.

Vinyl cared for each and every one of them. She was happy that her friends had come along with her. She couldn’t have made this trip alone, and she knew it, but when it came down to it, their safety was worth more than hers. She had to make sure that they wouldn’t suffer because of her.

Vinyl Scratch had already caused much suffering to others during her life, like Octavia and Benjamin Willoughby, she wouldn’t allow herself to add Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, Spike, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, or Whirlwind to that list.

Not even if it meant the death of her.

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Twilight quietly rose from her bedroll and unzipped her tent, making sure to move as quietly as possible. She eyed the surrounding landscape. It was empty with the exception of the tents around their camp. Taking care not to wake Vinyl Scratch, who was sound asleep on the bedroll beside her, she went over to Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie’s tent, prodding them gently awake.

“muhwasit?” Rainbow Dash said groggily. “Twilight...?”

Twilight put a hoof to her lips, shushing Rainbow Dash quietly. “I need to talk to you and Pinkie Pie outside. Please be quiet, I’m trying not to wake Vinyl Scratch.”

“Nrgle...” Rainbow Dash groaned. “Fine!”

Twilight exited the tent and crossed to the tent occupied by Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack, quietly waking them and bringing them all out to a spot several metres from the camp. She considered for a moment whether or not to wake Spike and Whirlwind, who were sharing another tent, but eventually decided against it. Spike needed his sleep, and she didn’t know if she could trust Whirlwind to keep what she wanted to talk about quiet.

“Wha’s this all ‘bout Twi?” Applejack asked, doing her best to stifle a yawn.

“I was in the middle of the most pleasant dream when you woke me darling!” Rarity said.

Twilight looked around at her friends, and ushered them in close. “I’m worried about Vinyl Scratch. She’s been acting... off.”

“How so?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“She’s been way too quiet this entire trip. While we’re walking I can barely get a word out of her. I’ve never seen her so quiet!” Twilight exclaimed. “If she were anypony else...”

“I don’t know Twilight... she seemed talkative enough earlier...” Fluttershy said. “We talked a little bit yesterday... she seemed like she was fine.”

Twilight shrugged. “I know I’m not really the best pony when it comes to this kind of stuff... Rainbow Dash? Could you talk to her? I think she’d be more likely to open up to you.”

Rainbow Dash gave Twilight an odd look. “Why me!?”

“Vinyl asks about you a lot,” Twilight said with a shrug. “Please just try Rainbow.”

“You do realise I’m probably the worst pony to ask about this, right?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Please try Rainbow Dash! For her sake,” Twilight pleaded. Rainbow Dash sighed and eventually gave in.

“Fine! I’ll do it,” Rainbow Dash said. “I’ll talk to her in the morning.”

“Thank you Rainbow, anything you learn might be useful!” Twilight said. The group dispersed and quietly snuck back to their tents. Twilight slipped back into her bed roll and had to clasp her hooves over her mouth to keep from screaming.

Vinyl Scratch had her goggles off, and hanging around her neck. Her eyes were wide open. She then let out a loud snore and began to shuffle slightly in her sleep. Vinyl Scratch slept with her eyes open, and it was quite frankly, incredibly creepy.

Twilight rolled over and couldn’t help but feel uneasy as Vinyl Scratch continued to stare at her while she slept. Never mind the fact that the mare was blind.

Vinyl Scratch let out a loud snore and began to stir. Twilight rolled back over and watched her, her hooves still clasped over her mouth. Vinyl’s eyes began to blink rapidly and she lifted her head slightly from her pillow.

“Twilight? Are you awake?” Vinyl asked quietly.

Twilight pretended to be asleep, she said nothing, but continued to watch the blind mare lying across from her.

“I guess not,” Vinyl said quietly as she set her head back down on her pillow. She let out a loud sigh and Twilight couldn’t help but notice that she looked incredibly sad. She watched as a tear fell from Vinyl’s eye and landed on the ground with a silent splatter.

Twilight wanted to open her mouth, she wanted to ask Vinyl what was bothering her, but her mouth had other ideas. Try as she might, she couldn’t ask.

“Have I ever told you how much I appreciate the kindness you’ve showed me?” Vinyl asked, clearly not expecting an answer. “Probably not, I haven’t exactly stuck around long enough this time around, but here I was, a complete stranger to you, I waltz into town one day, and you just let me stay at your place? I mean, who does that? Somepony tries that in Manehattan or Canterlot, you’re lucky to get away with only three detectives that start following you, making sure you’re not carrying...”

Vinyl let out a small chuckle. She turned and looked directly at Twilight and smiled at her, a simple smile, just a purse of her lips, and not the madmare’s grin that she usually gave. “You and me? We’re from completely different worlds... heh; I guess there are multiple levels to that statement too. Thanks for listening Twilight, even though you’re not conscious to know it. Goodnight.”

Vinyl Scratch rolled back over and went back to sleep. Twilight found herself wanting to cross the room and give the mare the biggest hug she’d even gotten.

...

Morning came, and Rainbow Dash was incredibly nervous, she was standing not three metres away from Vinyl Scratch, who was sitting on the edge of camp, facing towards the west and lost in thought. Twilight had asked her to talk to the blind mare, but Rainbow Dash had no idea what she was even going to say. She swallowed hard, and took the first trudging step towards her, and then the second, and then the third, until she was standing right next to her.

Vinyl Scratch turned her head and gave the mare a grin. “Hi Rainbow Dash.”

“How do you know who it is when someone comes up to you?” Rainbow Dash asked, taking a seat next to her.

Vinyl twitched her ears at her, doing her best to call attention to them. “I pay attention. What’s up Rainbow Dash? What can I do for you?”

“I... uh...” Rainbow Dash said. She was completely lost for words.

“Twilight put you up to asking me how I’m doing, didn’t she?” Vinyl asked, placing a hoof on Rainbow Dash’s shoulder.

“How...?” Rainbow Dash began to ask, Vinyl cut her off with another grin.

“I pay attention. You can tell Twilight that I’m just fine! I’ve just been doing a lot of thinking, that’s all,” Vinyl said.

“What about?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“We’re going to be going through Manehattan on our way to the Hoofson Bay... I’ve got an old friend that I plan on paying a visit... she and I didn’t split on the best of terms, so I’ve been planning out what I’m going to say to her,” Vinyl said simply.

“This friend... what happened between you and her?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“I hurt her,” Vinyl said simply. “More than one way. I hurt her a lot, and I’ve got a lot to apologise for,” Vinyl gave Rainbow Dash another grin. “Do me a favour? Tell Twilight to stop worrying? More important things to worry about than me on this trip.”

“All right,” Rainbow Dash said, giving Vinyl a small smile and a tight hug.

“Oh! Rainbow Dash! You’re so soft!” Vinyl said mischievously.

“Knock it off!” Rainbow Dash said flatly. Both mares looked at each other and gave a hearty chuckle.

...

The group of nine walked for seven days, they were making excellent timing, they were sixty kilometres out from Manehattan proper, and if they kept up the pace, they’d reach Manehattan at midday. Good thing to, as Applejack’s reserves of apples was beginning to run dangerously low, they decided that they would be spending the entire day in Manehattan to restock on provisions; they’d spend the night at Vinyl Scratch’s lavish and excessive Manehattan flat.

Vinyl Scratch had lied to Rainbow Dash. She had always intended on going to see Octavia, but not until the return trip. Vinyl would be telling Octavia the truth about what happened to her. She had wanted to give good news. Now she had forced herself into visiting Octavia before she was ready to.

Vinyl had seemed to convince Rainbow Dash that she was fine, though she became more careful. Making sure to take the anti-radiation sickness pills when she was sure that nobody could see her do it, she made an attempt to make conversation more with the others of the group of nine to try and drive off Twilight’s suspicions. Lest she discover the truth before Vinyl was ready for them to know it.

She would tell them only when she knew her fate was sealed. Vinyl was putting a lot of trust into the plan that Princess Luna had come up with that late evening in Ponyville.

Unfortunately, she had put trust in little else.

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

They had wandered into Manehattan late in the afternoon, Vinyl Scratch had insisted that she had something that she needed to do and left the group of nine at her flat. Now here she was standing in the lift of the Imperial Tower, the tallest building in Manehattan, which housed the radio station that held Octavia’s day job, alongside the flat that she lived in that she had been given as part of her job.

It was a long ride to the top and it put Vinyl on edge. She hadn’t worked out exactly what she was going to say to Octavia yet. She originally wasn’t going to worry about it until the return trip. Rainbow Dash had forced her hoof though, and now here she was. The elevator dinged and the doors opened.

“Well... Bob’s your uncle, right?” Vinyl said to no one in particular, she stepped out and trotted over to Octavia’s door and knocked on it. The door swung open.

“Vinyl Scratch?” Octavia’s voice said, cutting through the darkness.

“Hi... Oct...” Vinyl Scratch began, but she did not have the chance to finish. For she felt Octavia’s hoof slap across her muzzle. If there was one thing she had learned, it was that Octavia had a strong backhoof.

“I deserve that...” Vinyl said simply as she turned her head back towards Octavia. “Actually? You should probably do it again.”

Octavia obliged her, smacking her across the other side of her muzzle. It stung horribly, but then, Vinyl knew that the pain she was in right now paled in comparison to what she had done to Octavia.

“Okay, now that that’s out of the way...” Vinyl Scratch began again, but was interrupted by another slap from Octavia.

“You should have seen that one coming, and you don’t even bother to defend yourself. Why?” Octavia asked.

“Because I didn’t see it. I don’t see anything anymore,” Vinyl said.

“That... that isn’t funny Vinyl,” Octavia said.

“Who’s laughing?” Vinyl asked. She pulled her goggles down around her neck, exposing her eyes towards Octavia. “Go ahead, see for yourself. Try and make me flinch.”

Octavia responded by bopping Vinyl right in the face, sending the mare to the ground. Octavia let out a shriek in terror. “You were supposed to block it!”

Vinyl felt at her nose, she felt the warm sticky feeling of blood touching her hoof, tears began to flow from Vinyl’s eyes, and they rolled down her face and onto the ground. Vinyl then felt herself getting to her hooves; Octavia was helping her up and began to lead her inside, and gave her a box of tissues to help stop the bleeding.

“You... really can’t see can you?” Octavia asked, Vinyl could tell that she was waving her hoof in front of her face, trying to get her eyes to follow it. “Vinyl? What happened?”

“You kicked the snot out of me, that’s what happened,” Vinyl said with a grin, but she immediately stifled it. “Sorry... I told myself I was going to be serious about this, I mean it. Octavia... I came to say I’m sorry.”

“I’ve heard that before,” Octavia said with a sigh.

“I know. I mean it this time though, I quit drinking. I’m off the drugs. Hell, I even stopped having one night stands with ponies whose names I never bothered to learn. I don’t even remember when the last time I got laid was.” Vinyl said. She was including old world information into that, since that was where most of her memories came from anyway.

“So... what?” Octavia asked. “You want me to forgive you, let everything go back to normal and watch as everything falls apart as they always do?”

“No,” Vinyl said. “You can never forgive me for what I’ve done. I won’t let you. I just... wanted you to know, I’m trying to get better.”

“What happened to you Vinyl?” Octavia asked.

Vinyl Scratch could only smile at her. “I grew up.”

“I wouldn’t believe it if I wasn’t looking at it,” Octavia said. “But... you really have, haven’t you?”

“Well... as grown up as I can possibly be,” Vinyl said with a grin, causing Octavia to giggle. Vinyl gave her a smile, but then she frowned, remembering what else she had to tell her. She didn’t want to, but she couldn’t lie to Octavia, not anymore. “Octavia? There’s something else,” Vinyl said. She grasped at her mane and pulled the wig off.

Octavia let out a gasp. “Vinyl...”

“I’m... dying, Octavia. I’ve been told I’ve got a few months at most. There’s one hope left... but if it doesn’t work...” Vinyl said; she didn’t need to finish the rest.

“Vinyl...” Octavia said with a choke. Vinyl could tell she was crying. She took her hoof and made her best attempt to wipe away the tears from Octavia’s eyes. She missed several times, but it was the thought that counted.

“Don’t cry for me,” Vinyl said. “I’ll be fine! I’ve had worse things happen to me,” Vinyl gave her a small smile and placed the wig back on her head, doing her best to straighten it, clearly failing miserably in the process.

“Oh, here, let me!” Octavia said, she reached over and made sure it was straight. “Now give me that stupid grin of yours.”

Vinyl couldn’t help but oblige her.

“Perfect...” Octavia said quietly.

“I should probably go,” Vinyl said. She rose from the sofa and bid Octavia farewell. Vinyl did not get more than a step before Octavia leapt at her, locking her lips with hers, and pinning her to the ground.

Vinyl’s eyes grew wide in surprise. She struggled and broke the kiss as quickly as she could. “Oct... Octavia! What are you doing!?”

“Something I should have done a long time ago,” Octavia said, pulling Vinyl close to her and continuing their kiss. Vinyl Scratch soon enough found herself helplessly being dragged away.

Clearly, there would be no escape.

...

Vinyl Scratch found herself lying awake in Octavia’s bed, the earth pony was fast asleep, holding her tightly and resting comfortably on her shoulder. Vinyl had no idea what time it was, she figured it had to have been late, though.

Octavia began to stir, and rose her head off her shoulder. “Something on your mind, Vinyl?” she asked.

“Yeah...” Vinyl said. “I have to leave soon.”

“Do you?” Octavia asked.

“Yeah... I do,” Vinyl said simply.

“You’re not coming back, are you?” Octavia asked.

“O, I think if we’ve learned anything, it’s that I can’t make good choices, and this city? It’s got too many bad ones... and not enough good ones,” she said nuzzling her friend. “You could always come with me, you know, Ponyville is a nice place!”

“I’ve been,” Octavia said. “I stopped there for a short time before playing at the Grand Galloping Gala last year, not my kind of place, not your kind of place either.”

“I know... but the way I see it? I’ve got to make it my kind of place,” Vinyl said with a smile.

“I’m... going to miss you,” Octavia said.

“I’m going to come back and visit you, I promise. I’m going to be selling off my flat here, I’ll need to move all my crap out after all,” Vinyl said with a grin.

“You haven’t been very good with promises in the past, Vinyl Scratch,” Octavia said.

“I know, I’m working on it,” Vinyl said, giving Octavia a gentle kiss on her muzzle, and rising from the bed. She slapped her goggles back over her eyes. “I ever thank you for giving me these?”

“If not? I think we can safely consider the last seven hours as thanks enough,” Octavia said mischievously. “Goodbye Vinyl.”

“Goodbye, Octavia,” Vinyl said. She showed herself out, stepped onto the elevator for the long ride towards the ground. Vinyl began to grow anxious about the task that she had before her, and she popped another anti-radiation sickness pill. They needed to hurry, because she was beginning to run low. She had enough for another few days at the most, after that...

After that, they’d be going nowhere fast. Her friends would insist on dragging her to hospital. They’d take her to a doctor who couldn’t help her. If they didn’t make for the St. Germain soon, Vinyl was as good as gone.

Vinyl began her walk back towards her flat, where she and her friends were staying the night, it was a good twenty blocks from here to there, just perfect for a late night stroll where one could stop and think.

She couldn’t help think about Princess Luna, and what she had told her about where they were going. Vinyl could only hope that it was going to work.

Because if it didn’t, that was it, Vinyl Scratch would be as good as gone. She finally reached her building, taking a stroll inside and headed on up towards her home.

No, this flat wasn’t home. Her home just happened to be staying here the night.

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The group of nine set out the following morning, heading north along the Hoofson River. Spike had his face buried deep in the map, studying it intensely.

“I don’t know Twilight, I’m looking at the map and I don’t think following this river is going to take us where we need to be,” Spike said.

“We’ll be fine Spike! Trust me, I know what I’m doing,” Twilight said.

Vinyl Scratch couldn’t help but grin at this statement, she turned her head away so that Twilight couldn’t see. They weren’t going the right direction to get to the Hoofson Bay... but they were on the right path that they needed to be.

The group of nine walked for two days and then, much to Twilight Sparkle’s frustration, and numerous ‘I told you so’ statements from Spike.

Vinyl couldn’t help but snicker loudly at Twilight’s frustration, causing the lavender coated mare to turn on her.

“You! You knew we were going the wrong way, and you didn’t say anything! Why?” Twilight said.

“Because I knew it would bother you and it would be funny!” Vinyl Scratch said. “Relax Twilight, the destination doesn’t matter! Besides, if we walk due west, we’ll be exactly where we need to be to cross the St. Germain River into the Hoofson Bay Area in two days!”

Twilight was sore with Vinyl Scratch for the rest of the day, and as such, Vinyl spent most of the next day being incredibly silly trying to get Twilight to laugh. Pinkie Pie joined in on the silliness, causing most of the group to wish that they had never met.

Rainbow Dash and Whirlwind had taken to spotting for a way to cross the St. Germain River; it wasn’t until near the end of the second day that Rainbow Dash could see a crossing point, a lone hoof bridge. Vinyl Scratch started to become very excited about the bridge for reasons that she would not explain upon. Soon enough, the group came up to within fifty metres of the bridge when Vinyl Scratch couldn’t contain herself any longer.

“Oh sweet Celestia! We’re finally here!” Vinyl Scratch said, and took off running towards the bridge and leapt on it, landing flat on her stomach, but not caring about the mild pain. “Huh?” Vinyl Scratch felt around on the bridge, she was clearly on it... but nothing was happening.

Twilight and her friends caught up to her, they, of course didn’t think that anything should have happened either.

It was a bridge.

“NO!” Vinyl cried out in frustration. “NO! NO! NO! Come on you stupid thing! Work! Work damn you!” Vinyl Scratch’s cries of frustration turned to tears. “No... no no no no!” She sobbed. “You were my only chance, you have to work... please; you have to work! Princess Luna told me that you would work!”

The rest of the group turned to each other, giving each other looks of confusion; they didn’t understand what was going on.

Vinyl ripped the wig off her head in frustration, tossing it into the St. Germain, allowing it to be carried off to who knows were. She buried her head into her hooves as her sobbing intensified.

Rainbow Dash and Twilight looked at each other, they didn’t understand what was going on, but their friend was in pain. They had to do their best to help her. The two mares trotted towards the bridge in their attempt towards consoling their friend.

They didn’t make it past a single step, once they both had at least one hoof on the bridge, something happened. Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Vinyl were levitated into the air above the bridge. Light began to shine brightly and electric current began to arc between the three of them.

“Twilight!” Spike called out to her friend, but she could not hear him.

“Rainbow Dash!” Pinkie Pie called out, Spike and Pinkie Pie took a step towards the bridge, only for Whirlwind and Applejack to grab them.

“Ya can’t it’s too dangerous!” Applejack said, and she was right. All they could do was watch.

Vinyl Scratch’s face contorted with pain, with a sharp snap! Her mane re-grew to its old length and shape, and then it released them. The three mares dropped back onto the bridge with a hard thump!

Twilight and Rainbow Dash began to rub their heads in pain. Rainbow Dash blinked at Twilight. “Twilight?” She asked in confusion.

“R... Rainbow?” Twilight asked back.

“Twilight!” Rainbow Dash called out, throwing her hooves around Twilight’s neck in a tight hug. “Twilight... the last thing I remember is... Fluttershy... and lying in a... Ohmygosh! Twilight! I died!”

“It’s okay Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said quietly, “its okay, you’re safe now!”

Twilight smiled brightly at Rainbow Dash and planted a kiss on the Rainbow maned pegasi’s lips.

The rest of their friends were dumbstruck, they could only stop and stare.

Vinyl Scratch opened her eyes and was blinded by the sunlight as it filtered through; she pulled the goggles off her eyes and allowed them to dangle around her neck. She looked around and found herself lying on the bridge. That was when she realised it. She was looking at things, and she was seeing them. She waved her hoof in front of her face to make sure it wasn’t some kind of trick. She flinched as her hoof came close to her face.

“I... I can see!” Vinyl cried out in surprise. “I can see!” She looked towards the end of the bridge and watched as Twilight and Rainbow Dash kissed. “And clearly not a moment too soon! Talk about hot!”

Twilight and Rainbow Dash broke their embrace and crossed to their fallen friend, helping her to her hooves. “Vinyl... we... we remember!”

“You do?” Vinyl asked in surprise. “Well, it explains the make out session...”

“’Scuse me!” Applejack called out from the end of the bridge. “Somepony care to do some ‘splainin’ on what the hay just happened ‘ere?”

Vinyl Scratch’s eyes widened as Applejack was about to step on the bridge. “Applejack! Stop! Don’t take another step!”

Applejack paused and recoiled slightly; she took a step back away from the bridge and looked back to Vinyl Scratch for an explanation.

“All of you! Stay back!” Vinyl said. “Keep away from the bridge! All of you! Fluttershy! Especially you!”

“Oh! Okay... if you think that’s best...” Fluttershy said, taking a few steps back from the rest of the group.

“Vinyl?” Twilight asked. “What is going on here? What is this thing!?”

Vinyl looked to her and shrugged. “I... have a confession to make everypony. I misled you all to the reasons I wanted to come here. All Princess Luna said the bridge would do would cure my radiation poisoning, not re-grow my mane, give me my eyesight back... or unlock old world memories.”

“Old world memories?” Applejack questioned. “Tha hay ya’ll talkin’ ‘bout?”

“Princess Luna told me that this bridge was a... sort of a... master archive for the world. It takes information from the world, and collects it here for storage, in case it’s needed for later retrieval,” Vinyl said.

Rainbow Dash gave Vinyl a look of disbelief. “It’s a bridge, Vinyl.”

“Exactly!” Vinyl said. “A lone hoof bridge built in the middle of nowhere with no paths going to, or from it. Who is going to think that that’s important? Clearly not any of us the first time that we came here!”

“Okay, so why didn’t it work when you stepped on it?” Rainbow asked.

“Because... because...” Vinyl said, her eyes darting around looking for any explanation as to why it didn’t work until they had all come on it. She wasn’t used to being able to look at things again. Then her eyes darted upwards toward Mount Gwyndolyn, and then she remembered. “Because in the old world, the gryphons destroyed it! Think about it! Master Archive of the world is too important to lose, what happens if it gets damaged or destroyed? The archive must have gone into... stand-by mode or something; we were the last three to go over it in the old world, so it must have needed all three of us to reset itself!”

“This is a bunch of malarkey!” Applejack said. “It’s a guldarn bridge! And what’s this ‘bout... what ya call it, Radiation poisoning? You planin’ on tellin’ us that?”

“I wasn’t going to unless I got better! Otherwise you lot would have just dragged me off to a doctor who wouldn’t have been able to help me! Sorry for not telling you the truth everypony... but this was my only chance,” Vinyl Scratch said.

Everyone was too busy paying attention to Applejack and Vinyl Scratch’s argument that they did not see that one of their number had gone missing. Whirlwind had taken flight and landed on the far side of the bridge and was slowly walking towards it. Fluttershy noticed that Whirlwind was approaching the bridge from the far side and attempted to warn her friends of it.

“Um... excuse me... everypony... there’s something you should know...” Fluttershy began, but Applejack quickly shushed her.

“Not now Fluttershy!” Applejack said.

“But... Whirlwind...” Fluttershy said.

“NOT NOW FLUTTERSHY!” Applejack said again.

Whirlwind cleared his throat loudly, causing everypony to stop and look at him. “Sorry, Vinyl Scratch, but after our talk the other night? I find myself a bit too curious.”

With that, Whirlwind stepped onto the bridge.

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

“Whirlwind! No!” Vinyl Scratch called out as the grey coated Pegasus placed his hoof on the bridge. He levitated into the air as electricity from the bridge began to arc through him. “Whirlwind!” Vinyl called again.

Vinyl couldn’t just let this happen, she couldn’t let him bring Overdrive back into existence, and she had to stop him. The air before her began to shimmer as an object began to materialise right before her. It was... her revolver? No. There had to be another way! She looked back at Whirlwind watching as his face contorted in pain. She realised that there was no other way. Vinyl latched onto the revolver with her magic and brought it to bear.

“Sorry Whirlwind,” Vinyl said as she pulled the trigger.

The bullet exploded from the gun with tremendous force, and the world seemed to slow down as Vinyl watched the bullet cut through the air. It planted itself right through the pegasi’s chest and went out cleanly through the other side. Knocking him out of the sequence and sending him skittering back off the bridge.

Everypony’s mouths dropped open.

“Ya killed him!” Applejack called out shock. “Yer a murderer!”

“I saved him,” Vinyl said, though she didn’t sound convinced. She slipped the revolver back into her saddlebag and turned to the rest of the group. “I’m going to bury him; you all should start back for Ponyville. Stay on a course of 147 degrees south east, you’ll find the road back into town by the end of the week. I’ll catch up.”

Everypony was far too busy paying attention to Vinyl Scratch to notice that Fluttershy had started to shake in fear.

“Um... Everypony!” Fluttershy said. “Look!”

Everypony shifted their attention to what Fluttershy had seen. To their horror it was where Whirlwind should have been laying, but he was no long there. Instead, Whirlwind was standing, staring intensely at them.

“Wh... Whirlwind?” Vinyl asked.

Whrilwind cocked his head to the side slightly. “No,” he said simply. The brightness of his eyes flared as he leapt into the air, tackling Vinyl Scratch to the ground and causing a shockwave strong enough to send Twilight and Rainbow Dash to toppling to the ground. “We remember Whirlwind. We remember Montana Ulan. We remember Order,” the Pegasus said. “We are all, and we are none.”

Whirlwind kicked Vinyl hard, sending her flying into the crowd of ponies, and knocking them all to the ground.

“We are the Alpha and Omega. We were here at the beginning, we shall be here at the end,” the Pegasus said. “We are Legion, for we are many! But we are none.”

Legion spread his wings and leapt into the air, he flew upwards at top speed; the group was too stunned to do anything but watch. Legion did a hundred and eighty degree flip and entered free fall. They watched as a vapour cone began to form around him. Rainbow Dash recognised immediately what he was doing.

“RUN!” She cried out. The rest of the group had no complaints.

They took to their hooves and ran as fast as they could. Vinyl Scratch turned her head back just in time to witness the boom! She remembered the event, the wash of colour from the Sonic Rainboom that she had seen as a filly. This was like that, however this time... it was different, rather than the amazing, inspiring show of light and colour, it was all grey.

The force from the event swept them all off their hooves and tossed them several dozen metres before landing on the ground hard. Vinyl considered herself incredibly lucky that her revolver didn’t go off.

“Everypony all right?” Twilight asked as she picked her head off the ground. All of them were lying on the ground, rubbing various sprains and bruises from the hard landing. She watched as Vinyl was staring towards the direction that they’d been running from. A column of smoke from rose from where the Master Archive had previously sat.

“Vinyl?” Twilight asked.

“I tried to stop one monster... I made another,” Vinyl said, getting to her hooves. “Let’s go.”

“Hey!” Twilight said, placing a hoof on Vinyl’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, we’ve been through worse! We’ve got your back, don’t we Rainbow?”

“Heck yeah we do!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed; leaping into the air and landing right next the off white Unicorn. “So buck up! Let’s see that grin.”

Rarity took a step forward. “I don’t know what’s going on, but what I do know is this, if that charlatan threatens one of my friends then he has to deal with me!”

“Yeah! Mean old Grumps McGirt picked the wrong ponies to mess with!” Pinkie Pie called out, leaping towards Vinyl Scratch.

“Nopony hurts my friends!” Fluttershy said, her voice growing with confidence.

“I don’t know what I can do,” Spike said with a shrug. “I’m usually too little... but I’ll do my best!”

They all turned to Applejack, who just stood there, they had all expected her to step forward, but she did not. “Everypony fergot little miss lair already?” Applejack snapped at them. “Ah git it. Loyalty and friendship and all, but she caused this mess ‘cuz she wouldn’t tell ya’ll the truth!”

“Oh not this again...” Rainbow Dash said, slapping her forehead. “Applejack! Listen to yourself! Do you have any idea how you sound right now?”

“Ya’ll have any idea how ya’ll sound right now?” Applejack said, throwing it back at them. “Far as Ah figure, ya’ll are on yer own!”

Applejack turned and galloped off towards home, Rainbow Dash wanted to take off after her, Rarity however put up a hoof and stopped her.

“Leave it alone, Rainbow Dash, Applejack is just being herself, stubborn and hard headed. She will come around,” Rarity said simply. “We should probably get started; we’ve got a long walk back.”

...

True to her word, a week of following Vinyl’s course and they met up with the road that would take them back to Ponyville. The group didn’t catch up with Applejack and figured if she continued at the place that she’d taken. She was already likely home. Hopefully, she’d have cooled off by the time they all got back.

Another two days on the road and they walked back into town. It was December now; fresh snow covered the ground, turning Ponyville into a winter wonderland. The group began to disperse, each of them had things that needed to be taken care of, but they had agreed to meet again later to come up with a plan about what they would do about the pony they knew only as “Legion.”

“Vinyl Scratch!” called out an angry sounding voice from down the high street.

Vinyl turned to see an incredibly angry looking Derpy Hooves thundering towards her. “Hey Derpy!” Vinyl said, offering her a nervous grin.

Derpy did not take the grin kindly; she stopped right in front of Vinyl and smacked her across her muzzle. “You come back to town for TWO DAYS and then leave again without bothering to even come and say ‘hi?’ You are in it deep!” Derpy bit down on Vinyl’s tail and began to drag her away.

“Somepony help me! I’m being hauled away against my will!” Vinyl called out. “Twilight! Rainbow! I thought you guys said you had my back!” she called out upon noticing that her friends weren’t doing anything to help her.

“You misunderstood Vinyl,” Rainbow Dash said with a grin. “We’ve only got your back on fights that are actually winnable. Legion? We can totally win that, an angry marefriend? Sorry, you’re on your own.”

Vinyl gulped loudly as Derpy dragged her into her flat.

Clearly, there would be no escape.

...

Vinyl was lying on her back under the covers of Derpy’s bed; Derpy was fast asleep on her shoulder. Vinyl Scratch couldn’t help but feel guilty, she had thought back to what happened between her and Octavia, she knew that it was cheating on Derpy, she should have known better. She should have stopped it.

“Derpy?” Vinyl said.

“Yes?” Derpy asked, opening her eyes and smiling sweetly at Vinyl Scratch, planting a kiss on her lips.

“I... I have something that I need to tell you,” Vinyl said.

Vinyl recounted her trip to the St. Germain, she told her of her sickness, which is why she hadn’t come to see her, and she hadn’t wanted her to worry. She told of the return of her eye sight, she told her about Legion, and what she had done to make him what he was.

Lastly, she told her about what had happened between her and Octavia.

Derpy was crushed. Tears streamed down her face as the words came out. Vinyl had cheated on her.

“I’m so sorry Derpy...” Vinyl said. “I’m so sorry...”

“I... I...” Derpy said. “I don’t think I can forgive you for that Vinyl. You knew what you were doing was wrong... and you did it anyway.”

“I know,” Vinyl said. “I’m sorry...”

Derpy shushed her. “I should throw you out for this, but I can tell that you really are sorry, so I’m going to give you another chance, but be warned Vinyl Scratch, you are on a very, very, short leash. You do this again? You’re gone, I believe in second chances... but not third and fourth. Understand?”

“I understand.” Vinyl said. “Thank you, Derpy. I won’t let you down, I promise.”

Derpy didn’t believe her, which is probably what hurt Vinyl the most.

She had asked for it. Trust, it was a simple thing.

Trust, it wasn’t something that Vinyl had.

Epilogue

Epilogue

The Pegasus pony landed on the ground with a hard thump, deep in the Everfree forest. Surprise’s eyes shot open and she leapt to her hooves.

“Who’s there?” She called out, taking up an aggressive stance.

She watched as her visitor trotted into view. She couldn’t help but ease off when she saw who it was. Surprise cried out in joy as she threw herself at the new comer’s hooves.

“Master!” Surprise called out. “I knew you would come to me!”

Legion stared blankly at the pony, but said nothing, instead he reared up and kicked the bowing pegasi squarely in the jaw, sending her flying back into a tree and landing with a hard thump. Surprise hit her head hard, sliding down and collapsing on the ground before her.

“M... master!” Surprise called out. “W... why are you doing this?”

Legion said nothing as he approached her. He stopped before her. “We remember Surprise. We don’t need you.” He reared up again and brought his hooves down upon her.

“Master! No!” Surprise called out.

She knew nothing more.