Sinister Equestria

A simple escape the prisoners had hoped. Luckily they were all placed within the same jail cell. Inferno lay motionless though. The others, mostly Twi, where very worried for him. They thought that he was gone, but with a quick flash and a controlled conscious, he somehow found a way through whatever anti-spell barrier there was. This fire wall he made worked like a phone between him and Lye. This magic only allowed them to speak telekinetically, where Inferno sheared the position of himself and the others of the 35th.

It wasn’t long until Lye found the position of the others. With a determined strength and will, Snowflake was able to freeze the iron bars that where big enough for a pony to fit through. After freezing it, she gave it a quick kick and watched as it shattered into tiny frozen pieces. By doing this she earned her own cutie mark, which intern was a snowflake. It wasn’t long until everypony was surrounded again by Sinister, though. With a combined effort that exceeded anypony else, Inferno used the same ability as before used to save T. J. and Nero used a simple water spell to conjure up a beast. They quickly and almost effortlessly killed off the Sinister minions without any loss from the 35th.

Down the hall they found a generator that powered a tower that read Anti-Driver. Driver? That’s it. The only way to stop Sinister is to combine the efforts of Nero, Skull, and Inferno. The only problem is it will require their strongest powers, but Inferno was the only one who couldn’t use it without hurting himself. The spell was named “Inferno’s Blaze”. The ability was to create a fire shield around an area of any battles. When this spell ends, it comes smashing to the ground and shrinks to the center of its area and creates a very vertical explosion. Sadly though, when Inferno uses this, it drains all of his strength and he can simply pass out.

(__________________________Powers are stronger by something, but what?___________________________________)

Nero’s strongest talent is called “Nero’s Strike”, which is a heavily pressured water blast that can take up the size of at least 3 ponies. This blast was strong enough to knock unconscious, permanently harm, or kill any pony that stands in the path of it.

Now Skull Gaze on the other hand, was mentioned to have the abilities to temper with death, but only on ponies. Sinister was made up a species originally called “Dark Pony Brotherhood”. The “D.P.B.” as they were called in short where the opposites of normal pony, not of their actual identity, but just not natural. Aside from that, Skull’s strongest power was “The Shrine of Fate”, or simply Sofate for short.

All of these powers could mix into one that has the power of the Elements of Harmony, but combined could simply destroy Sinister, and only Sinister.

There was only one problem, where is Skull Gaze?

No Longer a Leader of the 35th

Chapter 3: Part 2

It was a warm day, following the disappearance of everyone, then finding the Jail, then escaping; it sure as hell felt good. Inferno sat alone, near a hollowed out oak tree. His short mane couldn’t hide his face that held a frown. Was it a frown of sadness? Pain? Twilight had to find out. She left the two fillies sitting near Nero, who instantly knew what was up. No question needed right?

Twilight slid closely to Inferno, who took a short glimpse of her. With an urge, he started to stare. He looked from her flank to her head, noticing how the setting sun illuminated her purple coat. She was the beauty he always saw her as.

“Inferno?” she began.

“Yea?” he answered, like he breathed the word.

“What’s wrong?” she wanted to know, “The way you sit and frown makes me think of how I look when I feel something is wrong.”

“It’s…just…do you remember when we first met? How every time you looked at me I would try and avoid eye contact?”

“Well of course I do, those where the best nights of my life.” She started to realize what he was getting at.

He continued, “That night, we sat by each other, talking about our lives to those points.” He said this in worry of what was happening. He fell off topic, “The sun set sure looks beautiful on you, doesn’t it?”

Twilight blushed, but had the thought, “what is wrong with him, he is acting strange, time to get to the bottom of this.” Now she spoke out loud, asking “Inferno, what is wrong, your falling off subject, and you never talk about me when the fillies are around?”

“Twilight,” Inferno was finally ready to tell her, “I killed some pony.”

Twilight was very confused, “Inferno, you have before, and I was there to help, you did it to save everypony from him.”

“No, this time I did something I’m going to regret,” he stopped for a second and took a breath. “Before we ever met, back in my home town Grassterdam. You never knew this, but I was one of the strongest, ruthless bandits around. I stole for my boss, and destroyed what needed destroyed. The days would go on the same, a job; I’d follow through, and get paid. The worst part was when he tried to betray me. He used his magic the launch a pipe into my left shoulder, holding me against a wall. After pinning me, and watching my blood run down my coat, he got a knife from his saddle bag and was about to cut my throat, when it happened.”

“What happened?” Twilight said, hopping to hear what he did wasn’t too ruthless.

“I used Inferno’s Rage inside the building. The force of the fire shield smashed him into the wall; you probably don’t want to heat the rest. The point I’m trying to make is that my boss, he was the leader of the Dark Brotherhood. I’m not one, but after finding the boss, Striver, dead, they decided to dedicate to one thing; Killing me.” Inferno felt a tear come to his eye. He was strong, willed, and brave, but as Rainbow would say, “Even the most awesome ponies cry sometime.”

Twilight was starting to shake.

Inferno continued with what the worst part was. “After leaving Grassterdam, I figured that it’s time to leave that life behind, and start new. I didn’t expect them to follow, they never leave city limits, but just in case, some of my close friends decided to follow me, with the same intentions as I had.” Inferno started to cry, but the heat he let off of his body to keep Twilight from freezing in the cold made the tears vaporize as soon as they left his eye. “Twilight, I believe this war is my fault. All of the deaths that have become of any ponies in Ponyville was my fault, and now because of me, your life is in danger.”

Twilight got closer to Inferno, he cooled of his body, so she couldn’t get hurt. She sat as close to him as possible and put her muzzle against his neck, just below his mouth. His tears no longer vaporized and started to run onto her head. She quietly started, “Inferno, there are some things we all regret, and there are the things that we don’t. I can’t say it isn’t your fault, but at the same time it isn’t, he was trying to kill you. You protected yourself, that’s legal enough.”

He interrupted her, “Yea, but now your lives are in danger, they always have been. I can’t stand the fact of losing you t…”

Twilight cut him off with a hoof to his mouth, and said “Inferno, you won’t lose us, no matter what; we will be here for you. That is what love is, no matter the mistakes you or anypony else makes, we will never think less of you.” She had tears in her eyes, her own though, “I love you, you and the young ones, that will NEVER change.” Her confidence took the better of him.

He looked at her, “I love you too, but promise me, if anything gets worst, that you will remain behind me. I promised to protect you, T. J., and Lye, and I will hold that promise, no matter what. I’m just glad you’re not mad at me, or hate me.”

Twilight gave him a kiss, one that felt like their very first. This time they were interrupted by another pony, Rainbow Dash. She had only caught the middle, not the beginning, not the end, just the “I am the reason they are here” part. It was just enough.

“You’re the reason!?” she yelled loudly, for all to hear and gather around. “You are the reason they are here! That is NOT COOL!” After this, the crowd of ponies that gathered watched waiting for Inferno to respond, but he couldn’t even open his mouth.

All of them started to yell, they pulled Twilight and Inferno away from each other. She was yelling to be let go, but all of the other where just too loud. He didn’t speak; he deserved it after all, right? No, he didn’t. They forced his family to look away as he was forced to the ground. They wanted to end his life there and now. “The leader that has betrayed the 35th, let alone Equestria shall fall now!” was one of the chants that had begun. One by one they hit him, trying to kill him. His will was too strong now to protect Twilight, No matter what. He quickly morphed into fire, like when he saved T.J. from the burning tree. Just as quickly as it begins, it ended. He was gone, out of site, and no one could find him.

“Good, out of sight, out of mind.” Rainbow went on.

Twilight quickly jumped over to her and slammed her on the ground. “You didn’t even hear all that he said, did you?”

“No, but what he said was good enough!”

“Rainbow, let me explain everything he told me, then you might understand.” Twilight sneered and cleared her throat, this was followed by the entire conversation she and her husband had just had.

Rainbows mouth dropped. She, of all ponies, to ever lose her cool, just lost it. “I can’t believe it…I banished the only one we know that could stop Sinister?”

Twilight looked down, as tears ran down her snout onto the ground she sniffled, “yes.”

Rainbow felt like she just ruined life as is. “I’m sorry Twi, I thought..”

Twilight interrupted her, “Thought what? That he would lead us all with a good intention to keep us safe then betray us by giving us to Sinister?”

Rainbow’s eyes filled with tears, “Why did I do this, I’m sure you hate me now.”

Twilight looked at her, and with a slight smirk she said, “No, I can’t hate you, it’s not your fault, and he just needed a second to talk before he gave the news. You just happened to hear the bad parts, not the good.”

“I…I...I think we better go find him, he is the only one that can find Skull and get rid of Sinister.” She waited as they all had heard the conversation, and started to set out and find Inferno. She told Twilight to wait, then told her, “Twilight, I’m also doing this to apologize to him, and you. I put my hoof in where it shouldn’t have been.”

After a small giggle, “Dash, your one of my best friends, you only have to apologize once.” They shared a quick hug, then left to catch up with the 35th Line.

Skull...Found?

Chapter 3: Part 3

The 35th traveled all night, there where pegasus pony in the sky, on magic and earth on the ground, and they all had the same intention. The intention: Find Inferno, and then try to find Skull. It wasn’t long until they found a pile of ruins with a flame at the middle. Slowly entering, and looking about, they hoped to find the maroon coated, red and yellow mane, fire stoked cutie mark Inferno waiting. Instead, they found a white coat, black hair, skull cutie marked pony with a daughter at his side.

Twilight slowly urged her way around to his front; he looked up and asked who she was.

“Hi, um, my name is Twilight Sparkle, I’m looking for my husband, he is maroon with a fire stoked cutie mark. Have you seen him?”

The strange figure looked up and chuckled. “Typical Inferno is Typical” he said with another laugh. His daughter was already talking to T. J.

“So you did see him!?” Twilight blurted out.

“Nope,” he simply answered.

“Wait, how do you know his name then?” Twilight was scared at this thought. How did he know him, was he a part of Sinister? No, Sinister look like blank flanks, he wasn’t a blank.

Again he laughed, “I figured you would remember me. It’s me, Skull Gaze!”

She froze, and then snapped back to reality. A sudden urge pushed her to give him a hug, which he replied with a,

“Hey, don’t touch the horn, remember?”

“Oh yea,” She stepped back, “I would ask where you have been, but there is no time for that, Sinister is threatening Equestria, and Inferno was driven off by a confusion.” As she said this Rainbow stood behind her looking around a whistling like she had no clue what was going on.

“Hmm, sounds legit, I agree with the asking thing, and Sinister is a big problem. I guess I’ll help you find him, but under one circumstance, I get to talk to Rainbow in private about what had happened between us.” Skull was in a very serious voice. His daughter, who had introduced herself as Marrow, stood by her mother’s side. As Rainbow held her in a tight hug, she and Twilight answered with a “yes.”

Skull thought for a few minutes and with a quick stomp on the ground, he said, “I know where Inferno might go, and it’s not back to Grassterdam. He is most likely in a place he knows I can find him, the graveyard near Canterlot.”

Twilight was starting to get confused again, “Why do you think he went there other than knowing that, well, you know he would go there?”

“His second brother is there, not dead though, he is one of the guards that watches over the place. He always helps Inferno with what he needed.” Skull felt 100% on this.

Twilight couldn’t wait any longer, she then shouted, “Let’s Go!”

Inferno’s Grave

Chapter 3: Part 4

The 35th, along with Skull Gaze and Marrow headed towards the grave site. It didn’t take long to get there, about half of the day, but not too long. There was no Sinister around, and it seemed safe. They came upon a pony with green hair, a blue coat, and a sword cutie mark.

“Green…” Rarity had spoken this in a sick kind of way.

This is something Twilight noticed, none of her friends have talked much since leaving Ponyville, but that didn’t stop them.

“Hey, Ringer,” Skull gaze yelled out, “Have you seen Inferno?”

“Yes, he didn’t want me to say anything, but since you’re here he may change his mind.” Ringer let out a call whistle, and a shot of fire crashed in front of him. The fire wore off and an Inferno Spark stood there, some tear stains still in his eyes.

“Yea Ringer, what’s up?” he said trying to sound strong.

Ringer simply nodded his head towards the ponies that stood there. Inferno’s face instantly went to anger. As he walked back a few steps, his horn started to glow.

“Inferno,” Twilight began, “we are all sorry for what happened…”

She was cut off by Rainbow, “What she means is, I’m sorry for what I did. I was too caught up with what I heard to listen to the rest of the conversation. I’m very sorry for turning everypony against you.”

Inferno had already stopped using his magic while Twilight spoke. He then sat, looked down, and began to sing a tune that he had heard a long time ago.

“What’s he doing?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Skull looked up with a smile, and said, “Singing the only song he knows.”

“But why?” she added.

“You’ll see,” Skull soon joined in, followed by Nero.

The world is spinning,

The truth is raw,

It’s not about winning,

Or having a draw,

It’s about life,

No need for a knife,

So I call upon the cover,

Send me a lover,

Give me a home,

Don’t leave me alone,

And if you forget me,

It’s alright,

Cause I know your there,

During the night,

Guardian angel,

DRIVERS UNITE!

Something happened after they sing that song. The three began to glow, sparks flying everywhere, until the flash was gone. As soon as it was there, it was gone. There they stood, wearing what Princes Celestia had told Twilight before, “The Defenses of War”.

“We are ready,” Inferno’s voice echoed through the trees, “To end this war!”