The Dreamrunner

As carefully as possible, I slipped on a small silver necklace that Applebloom had given to me for my fifteenth birthday. Her family was going through some hardships at the time, so it really meant alot to me that she gave me something at all. I didn’t expect her to get me anything. I found out later that she went hungry for a week so she could get me this necklace. I was so touched, that anonymously, I donated half my personal savings to the Apples, and now their business is booming again.

I don’t know what it was, but I heard somepony say happy birthday to me. I turned, but there was nopony other than me in the room. I must be going insane. The dress I wore was an extremely intricate design made by Rarity for me specially. She poured her heart out for me in a single night to make it as perfect as possible for tonight. It was black with white lace all around the sides to give it an ethereal feel.

My mane is done up in it’s normal way, but has seemed to have lost its poof. Even though it’s curly, it just doesn’t feel right. Rarity walked into the room, and strangely enough, her own mane seemed to have lost its bounce. Her eyes tried to seem happy, but I know Rarity a little too well. When we get back to the Boutique later, we’ll have to restock on ice cream.

“Sweetie Belle, somepony is at the door looking for you.” Just by looking at her face, I knew something was off.

“Okay,” was all I said as I passed her and arrived at the open door. There stood… Rainbow Dash in Wonderbolt dress uniform. Also next to her was another sun-yellow pegasus, also in full dress uniform. They both wore white hats with a black rim on it, almost covering their eyes. The uniforms were blue, and they both wore white collar shirts with a black tie. Silver and golden badges hung on the breast of the blue coats. A gold leather strap went diagonally across their chests.

“Ms. Sweetie Belle?” The yellow pegasus asked.

“Yes, that’d be me,” I replied.

“I’m Captain Spitfire of the Wonderbolts, and this is Corporal Rainbow Dash. I believe you’ve already met. Can we please come inside?” She asked as gently as possible, but with a certain military firmness in it.

“Yes, of course. Come in.” I said as I moved aside. “We can sit in the living room down that hall, second door on your left.” I stated as they moved past me. I followed them down the hall and into the room. “Please, sit.” I said as I sat on a couch opposite from them. They sat, and took off their hats. Rainbow Dash seemed awfully quiet. For the first time since she came in, she finally spoke.

“Sweetie Belle, I have some very bad news to give you.” Her voice seemed shaky, but managed to keep it stable enough to speak somewhat normally. I think I know why they’re here now. I took a deep breath trying to prepare myself for what was coming.

“Your friend, Scootaloo, crashed in a training exercise and was killed. We’re very sorry for your loss.”

I let it sink in for a moment, or a few moments, I’m not even sure. The two officers sat patiently in front of me. I’m not sure how long I was silent, but long enough for a couple tears to roll down the side of my face.

“Why was I informed? Shouldn’t her husband have been informed?” I asked, wiping the tears from my face. Rainbow Dash seemed even more uncomfortable now, but still managed to speak.

“Scootaloo’s husband passed away just two weeks ago. We think that her depression got the best of her, and she- she- she…” Rainbow Dash stopped. She knew she wanted to keep her military stature, but this was just as personal to her as it was to me. I know Rainbow Dash. She probably thinks that Scootaloo’s death was all her fault or something. I’m not taking this as hard because I knew it would happen sooner or later. Her face started to puff up and tears rolled down her cheeks as well. Spitfire was just looking down at the floor.

“You and me, we’re all she has now.” Rainbow Dash sputtered. “I know today is Applebloom’s funeral, so that means whatever I’m feeling is double for you. I can’t possibly imagine what you’re feeling.”

Yeah, you really couldn’t

“She’s going to have a military funeral. You have to come. We’re all she’s got now. No other friends or family. Just us two.” Her sentences cut into small segments because of her heavy breathing. “It’ll be two days from now. Please come. It’ll mean a lot to me, and it’ll mean everything in the world to her.”

It took her a few minutes to calm down enough to continue, and Spitfire seemed to be getting pretty emotional herself listening to what Rainbow had to say. Quiet sobs could be heard from her as Rainbow Dash reached in her coat pocket and retrieved something from them. She presented them to me in a way a nurse would give a newborn to its mother.

“T-these were hers. I’d like you to have them. I don’t think I could stop myself from feeling guilty if I see them every day in my own home. Besides, you knew her better than I did, and they probably mean more to you than to me.”

I took the objects as gently as I could from her, and lay them on the center table. Her dog tags and her cracked goggles. On the side was etched,

‘To the best young flyer in Equestria’- RD

The navy blue paint around the rim of the lens was chipped, scratched and worn. Something stood out though. A color that didn’t match the color scheme of the normal uniform. Red. Blood red.

The two officers stood up and fixed their uniforms to make them look more presentable. Rainbow Dash’s was soaked with tears, but only the shoulder of Spitfire’s uniform was a little wet.

“Sweetie Belle, if you need us, send us a letter and we’ll come over. Okay?” Spitfire said.

“Okay…” I replied pathetically.

“See you at the funeral, and good luck for today.” Rainbow dash said as she followed Spitfire to the door.

“Thank you both.”

They nodded, put on their hats and flew up and out of my sight.

“Scootaloo…”

“We are gathered here today to mourn for the death of a beloved Sister, lover and friend. Applebloom was a hardworking pony who put other’s needs in front of her own. She was a kind pony who loved her coltfriend, and family. I as a sister miss her very much, but I don’t deserve to be the one to talk here right now. Sweetie Belle, come on up.”

Applebloom was to be buried on the farm in the Apple Family Cemetery. Weather ponies had made it rain all across town. Black umbrellas covered the majority of the ponies sitting at the funeral. I had chosen not to. The rain poured over me as I looked up at Applejack, who had just called me upon the wooden pedestal. Next to the pedestal was Applebloom’s closed casket. It was covered in red roses and various other flowers. On the top of the casket was Applebloom’s red bow in all its glory. Pictures of Applebloom were scattered around the casket. I was in more than half of them along with Scootaloo. Applebloom’s coltfriend stood in a clean, but now wet black suit and tie, the water dripped down his face, which was now contorted as if he’s about to burst into tears. I acknowledged him as I slowly stepped up to the wooden podium. I took a deep breath before I began.

“Hello ladies and gentlecolts, I’m here to talk about Applebloom. If you’ve lived around here long enough, you have most likely seen me, Applebloom, and Scootaloo running around the place trying to get our cutie marks. those were the good days. We would go out almost every day to go try to get our cutie marks in some ridiculous task like tunnel digging or something. Applebloom was an amazing mare to me as a friend, as a sister to Applejack and Big Mac, and as a Marefriend to Rumble.”

I continued speaking about all the great adventures we managed to have without getting in too much trouble. I shared with everyone, the great laughs we had and also the times we cried together. As I finished up my speech I said something that caused everypony to stir a bit.

“Friendship… It’s everlasting, and no matter what happened or will happen in the past, present, and future, nothing can break a friendship like ours. Not even Death himself. I will keep her alive in my heart for many years to come, but I’ll need your help to do it. Everypony here knew the sweet mare, so keep her alive in our hearts. Maybe one day… She’ll be back because of our friendship. Long live Applebloom. Thank you.”

It was silent for a second or two, I heard a few sniffles from the crowd, but then I heard applause. Applejack was the first to start applauding, and eventually the whole crowd began to stomp and cheer. I wasn’t happy, I wasn’t sad. I simply walked off the platform, and silently sat next to the coffin.

I sat for hours in the cold rain. Most of the crowd had gone inside after my speech. Only Applejack stood next to me with an umbrella.

“Sweetie Belle, sugarcube, go inside. You’ll catch a cold.” I only replied with a grunt. “That was an incredible speech sugarcube. I felt every single word in my heart. I just wanted to say thank you.” I looked up at her, and we locked eyes for a second. I broke off the stare, and just simply got up and walked through the door of the building where everypony else went.

I walked through the building, but it was empty? Strange. I walked through the long hallway, trying each door hoping it would be the right room. I reached the end of the hall where the last door was. I twisted the knob with my magic, and… It opened!

I walked through, but… huh? I’m in the same hallway? I ran back to the same door that just opened, and it’s locked! I went to every door again, trying to force them open, but none opened.

“Welcome to my hallway of horrors.” A familiar voice interrupted. “Pretty cute name huh? Oh, by the way- “ He took a bite of an apple that was in his hoof, and it turned to dust. “I liked that speech you just gave. Powerful, but sentimental. The best kind.

“What do you want?” I demanded. He just laughed and looked at me with a large grin that even Pinkie Pie couldn’t compete with. It literally went ear to ear. I gasped, and took a step back trying to open the doors behind me.

“Don’t worry Sweetie Belle, I’m not going to hurt you. I’m just here for our conversation that we stalled earlier. Oh and by the way, that dress looks gorgeous on you. You look like such a grown mare! I remember when you were first born… They grow up so fast!”

“Stay away from me!” I screeched, batting my hooves in his direction.

“Oh, I almost forgot, how silly of me! Happy eighteenth birthday! I got you a gift.” One of the doors behind me opened, and a big sky blue box with white ribbon floated eerily out of it. Then the door slammed shut, startling me. The box set itself down in front of me.

“Well, what are you waiting for? Open it. It’s made specially for you.” I didn’t really have a choice here, so I opened the box. Inside it were two small necklaces. One was an orange gemstone, and the other was a circular yellow crystal.

“Do you like them?” He asked me. I stared at the two necklaces and didn’t say anything.

“Why are you giving me these?” I asked, feeling a bit skeptical. He only turned, and opened a door beside him. He motioned me to follow him.

“I’ll just show you. Come on, this way.” He walked through the doorway, and I followed. Suddenly the door slammed behind us and we ended up in a bland grey business room. A long wooden table stood in the center of the room, and pictures of rich ponies were all over the walls. We walked through the room to the end of the table.

“Okay, so now I’ll give you a choice. There are two doors in front of you,” he said as he pointed the newly formed doors in front of us. “If I told you that if you take the left door, you save your friend’s lives, but give me your sister in exchange. If you take the right door, you give me your life in exchange for your friend’s lives. Which door would you take?”

I stood for a moment, staring down the doors.

“It’s alright, take your time.”

I moved towards the right door and twisted the knob. I felt like something was pulling me into the room.

“Aaah!” I yelled as I was sucked into the infinitely black abyss. Suddenly, I felt like I was falling. Look! a light! I looked under me, and surely there was a bright light. As I fell, the light got bigger and bigger until… What?

“Welcome back. I like you. You’re a lot of fun to mess with.”

I was back in the grey room, sitting in one of the business chairs.

“Neat little trick huh?” Death said with a grin, clearly satisfied with himself.

“Yeah sure, but what was the point of all of this?” I asked, shaking my head.

“Oh, my dear, These necklaces are the souls of your friends. I’ll be keeping them with me until you finish your quest.” He pulled the necklace over his head and sat down next to me.

“But I-I don’t even know where to start!” I muttered.

“I’ll tell you where the first piece of the compass is, but after that, you’ll have to figure it out on your own. So, you better run over to a library and read up! Kids these days. Just don’t read anymore!” He vanished from the chair and appeared behind me.

“So are you going to tell me where the first piece is, and how to get it?” I asked, getting a little annoyed by Death’s playful antics.

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll have have a letter written to you after Scootaloo’s funeral. Right now, you look pretty soaked. Let me fix that.” In a split second, I no longer felt drenched. I was completely dry. Dress and all.

“T-thanks. I guess.” I said.

“No problem kid, anytime. Oh wow would you look at that!” he said pointing to a clock on the wall. “It’s getting late! It’d be best if I send you off now. Bye!”

I blinked, but when I opened my eyes again, I wasn’t in the room with Death anymore. I was on the floor with everypony crowding around me asking if I was alright. Applejack ran over to me asking,

“Sugarcube, are you okay? Ya took quite a fall there.”

“Uh, yeah I’m fine. What happened?” I asked.

“You walked in here looking like you were coming out of a pub after a long night of drinking, and then you collapsed in the middle of the floor. Here, lemme help you up.” She held out a hoof, and I took it. I pulled myself up and brushed off my dress.

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.”

The door to my cell opened again, and the grey griffon simply said

“Go to the courtyard.”

He led me out through the facility, and into the grassy courtyard. Thirty foot concrete walls stopped prisoners from escaping. Pegasi had to go to a different courtyard that was covered in magical chains that electrocuted you if you touched them. Other prisoners in uniform walked around talking to each other. Some exercised and some just sat and smoked. In the middle of the grass, there was an excessively large patch of frozen grass. Strange, it’s Summer right now. I then realized that the frostbite was in a full circle. Around Death.

“Hello Sweetie Belle.” He said kindly.

“What do you want?” I spat.

“Oh, I’m just here to help you escape. You do want to do that don’t you?”

“Yes” I replied simply. “What do I have to do?”

“It’s simple. Walk out.”

“It’s not that simple! Guards everywhere, electrical fences and whatnot.”

“Sweetie Belle, do you want to save your friends?” He asked sternly

“Yes. I do.”

“Do you trust me?”

“No”

“Good, now just walk out the front door when you get back to your cell.”

“Fine.”

The grass around Death started thawing, and small flowers began to bloom. He waved towards me and moved the stray hairs of my mane out of my eyes.

“That’s a really cool scar you have there” he said as he scrutinized my wound. “Must’ve hurt.”

“Get away you creep. And yes, it did hurt.” Only then did I realize that I was talking to thin air. He was gone. The loud alarm sounded, which meant the prisoners needed to return to their cells. As I walked back, I saw something in the grass. A jail master keycard!

“Time to test this out.”