Don't Enter Hell Alone

“DON’T ENTER HELL ALONE”

By Astral Ace

1.Darkness Whispers

When my life was at it’s darkest moment, and all seemed lost.  I was ready to give up.  Always, no matter how hard things got, I always told myself that suicide, no matter how I felt at the time was never the answer.  This time though things were different.  I was so close at throwing in the towel.  The night was black.  The rain attacked the world below with all the ferociousness of an enemy invader.  The thunder roared and the great lightning tore the sky in two.

It was like heaven was banging a great drum, and the curtains of heaven’s rooms were being torn down by giant pirates descending them.   And that with the same amount of stealth as heaven’s hostility was Hell’s dark and silent reply.

A dark fog almost, that blanketed both sky and land.  As if the very world itself was being suffocated.  In the middle of this great and frightening conflict, a knock at the door makes me jump.

I was worried to answer, it seemed such an evil night in so many different ways, I had visions of some kind of creature jumping through the door and cutting my head off.  I was an Air Force pony for goodness sake!  I shouldn’t be thinking or be afraid of such things!  I really shouldn’t read Zombie stories at night time, especially when it’s raining.

But then it came again.  A bang, a giant tear, and a sudden eerie silence.  My breath went cold, and I shivered.  I shook my head, as if to shake the nonsense off and wandered towards the door.  It opened with a creek.   It was another pony, it was a mare!  Seeking shelter from the storm no doubt.

“Uhm,” She began nervously, “Would you mind if I stayed here for a bit, I’m kinda wet?”

“No, No, come in!”  I said, a little surprised, closing the door behind her as she entered.  “Make yourself comfortable, and I’ll put some more wood on the fire, oh, your coat.”

I took her wet cloak and hung it by the fireplace.  I was glad of the company, to be honest.  Facing this night wasn’t going to be the most pleasant of experiences.

She sat down on the sofa, in front of the fire.  She shivered a little.

I placed a warm, fuzzy blanket over her shoulders.  She thanked me and wrapped it around herself snugly.

“Thanks”

“Would you like some hot cocoa, I was just about to make some?”

“That would be so awesome, it’s just what I need right about now.” She grinned, again slightly nervous, but putting on a brave face.

I broke up some chocolate, and placed the saucepan with it above the fire, carefully melting the contents.

“Did something bad happen?”  I said, politely.

“I was flying over the woods when the storm broke, and took a fall.  I’m not hurt!”  She rushed out the last part, as if to stop me worrying, “But, great a flier as I am, I don’t think I’ll be flying in this weather, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Being a Pegasus myself, I can at least understand that.”  I paused, removing the pot from the stove, and emptying its contents between two mugs.  “But I wonder why the weather department would order such a storm.”

“Well, that’s the thing; the weather department didn’t schedule any storm this week, and reports indicate this weather wasn’t created by any pony.”  She paused, “Wow that smells good!”

I sprinkled some sugar into each mug, and stirred, handing the blue mare her mug.

“Something sinister perhaps?”  I asked, concerned, “Be careful it’s hot.”

“Ah, thanks.  Maybe, I was heading towards Twilight’s house when I spun off.” She replied, a little more comfortable, sipping her cocoa between each reply.

“Ah, I thought I’d seen you before, your Rainbow Dash aren’t you?” I asked.

“Yeah, normally I’d tell you how awesome I am, but tonight’s been a bit of a shock.”  She sipped again cautiously, both hooves on the mug.

“I can only imagine.  Well, you’re welcome to stay here as long as you need, if the weather clears, I can come to Twilight’s with you and make sure you get there okay.” I sipped.

“I should be okay by myself, but thanks for letting me stay.” She smiled

“Not at all, the Everfree Forest is no such place to explore at night, and in such conditions.”

“So, uhm.” She started, “What’s your name, I don’t think I’ve met you before.  I don’t think I’ve seen a white Pegasus with a black mane and tail before either.  That’s quite unique.”

“My name?” I asked, “Oh, I’m Astral Ace; I’m a flier in the Air Force, it’s kinda like being in the Wonderbolts, without the celebrity status.  We do all the knitty gritty stuff and such.”

“Really?!”  Her eyes widened, and her wings flew open.  “You’re in the Air Force, that’s so cool!”

“Heh, that’s the first time I think I’ve heard that, usually people find us boring since we’re not ‘the Wonderbolts’.”

“But you’re just as good at flying as them?   Right?” Dash said, just as excited as before.

“I would say, we’re better.” I said, clenching my hoof proudly.

Dash laughed loudly, “Aren’t you just a little bias?”

“No!” I protested at first, and then I conceded, “Okay… maybe a little.”

“I like you," She giggled, "You completely made me forget about that horrible storm outside.  But I’m rather tired, would you mind if I went to sleep someplace?”

“Sure, the spare room is upstairs and second on the right, bathroom is third should you need it.  You’re in luck, I just changed the linen in that room tonight, don’t ask me why I keep the spare room ready; it’s kind of a weird habit I guess.  Travellers also get lost a lot in the forest and if they don’t end up at Zecora’s house, they usually end up here.

Dash smiled.

“I’m sorry, I’m rambling again, well if you want to head upstairs you can, I’ll be coming to bed shortly.  I mean, uh, in a different room of course, in a different bed.”  I stroked the back of my head nervously.

“Okay, tiger.” She said teasingly as she strolled up the stairs.  I beamed red.

When I finally heard her door closing firmly, I secured the house.  First the front and back doors, then the windows, and then I put out the fire and lamps, keeping one very slightly lit in case of need during the night, and one in my hoof for moving around in the dark.

I headed upstairs slowly, the lamplight shining in the dark and clearing my view ahead.  First on the right, my room.  I sat the lamp by the door on the side table, and opened my room door, bringing the light with me.

I closed the door securely behind me, and wandered over to my bed.  I placed the lamp beside it, and turned it down to a small flicker.  Snuggling into my covers, I soon forgot and ignored the noise outside, and rested comfortably.

Wait a minute.  Something wasn’t quite right.  There was something crawling around in the bed, something big.  I froze solid.  I felt it wrapping its warm self around me, and squeezing me tight.

I screamed loudly, the ‘thing’ screamed back, and before we knew what was happening we were staring and screaming at each other.

“Rainbow Dash!  You almost gave me a heart attack!”  I gasped

“You almost gave me one screaming like that!”  She retorted.

“I thought you were some kinda tentacle monster wrapping around me or something!”

“You really shouldn’t read those magazines.” She joked.

“What are you doing in my bed, you silly mare?” I gasped, trying to regain my breath.

“Well, I hate to admit it, but… I’m scared of the storm okay?  I can’t sleep alone!” She exclaimed.

“You’re a Pegasus; you shouldn’t be a afraid of a little bad weather.”  I replied.

“Says the big, brave Air Force stallion that’s afraid of the tentacle monster in the dark.  I wonder what Spitfire would say if she found out.  Did you rip that off of PlayPony?”

Spitfire was commander of the Air Force, Lightning Dust; the Wonderbolts.  Each has there own specialist division.

I sighed briefly, “Okay, I’ll admit, I’m a little uneasy too.  But just for tonight okay?  If you stay tomorrow we shouldn’t really sleep in the same bed being strangers and all.  And, no, I do not read PlayPony.”

“Bet you do!” Dash teased, “Bet you got lots of them under your mattress.”

“Go to sleep.” I replied, turning on my side.

“Aww, your no fun.” She giggled, and wrapped her hooves around my body.

“R-really?” I asked, “D-do you gotta do that?” I beamed

“This your first time sharing a bed with a mare or something?” She teased

“Whatever.”  I said softly.

“Oh, it is!” Dash paused, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be harsh with you.”

“It’s fine.” I beamed.

“It’s okay if we just hug right?  It makes me feel a little better about the storm.”

“Y-yeah.  Me too.”

Her hug melted away my depression, my fear, and my anxieties.  And for once in a long time, I began to feel safe and at ease.  I drifted off into a deep sleep.  No matter how deep the sleep though, the storm outside showed no signs of subsiding…