Salvum me fac ex Inferno

"We are all here on Earth to help others; what on earth the others are here for, I don't know."

                                         - W. H. Auden

     *Briiiiiiiiing*

      "Class dismissed! Dawn, can you stay back?"

      The alicorn shoved her books in her backpack and walked to Cherilee's desk and braced herself.

      "Nyx told you everything, didn't she?"

      Cherilee nodded. "Well, yes. I'm letting you off the hook this time, but that doesn't mean you can do this full time."

      Dawn nodded solemnly. "Crystal clear."

      "Dismissed."

      She opened the door and stepped out into the afternoon sunlight.

      "So, how did it go?" Nyx questioned.

      "I'm off the hook, but I personally think even she doesn't know what to do."

      "Hey, where are you staying?"

      "At Twilight's castle."

      Nyx's eyes went as wide as saucers. "That's where I live! Oh, praise the lord, my prayers have been answered!"

      She threw both her arms around Dawn and gave her a bear hug. "Easy now, Nyx. You're an alicorn too."

      "Oh, sorry." Nyx said sheepishly. "I just always wanted a sister."

      "We're not sisters. I just so happen to be staying with you."

      "Awww...."

      "Get used to the attitude. I think I'm going to be around for awhile."

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       "Okay...shirts here....pants here..."

       *knock knock knock*

        "Dawn, can I come in?"

        "...fine"

        Nyx stepped into the room.

        "I'm going to a crusader meeting. Wanna come?"

        "What?"

        "The Cutie Mark Crusaders. You know the three blank flanks from school?"

        "Sort of...?"

        "They're trying to find their special talent. Maybe you can help?"

        Dawn closed her eyes. "Well, I'm a blank flank too."

        "Oh."

        "I'll be along in a moment."

        Nyx nodded and backpedalled out of the room. "Seeya then."

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        "Hey, what's taking Nyx long?" Scootaloo impatiently tapped her foot.

        "I'm here!"

        "We were going to leave you, looks like you caught the train!"

        "Dawn too."

         She slowly shuffled in, left hand holding her right elbow from behind her back, and she had a profound interest in the wooden boards on the ground.

         "What is she doing here?"

         "Have you lost your mind?"

         "Git her out! Out!"

         "Girls." Nyx sighed. "Can you just try to accept her? She's been through crap you could only dream of."

          Dawn said nothing.

          "Go on. Tell them."

          *sigh* "Fine....

          "Fifteen years before Luna had a thousand year tour of the moon, she met an earth pony stallion from the royal guard. His name was Sombra."

          The three original crusaders gasped.

         "His cutie mark was for stairs, and after several months of dating, the couple made love.

         "Then, he turned on Luna.

        "He accidentally stumbled on an ancient spell that turned him into a unicorn, and corrupted his mind. He quickly overpowered the Crystal Empire, and ruled if with an iron fist, as you already know.

        "Celestia and Luna sent his ass ahead for a thousand years, and, as you know, it was the first time the Elements of Harmony were used.

        "But, alas, the damage was done. Seeds of doubt were planted in Luna's mind.

        "At this point, I was born. I was the anchor that stalled her from becoming the nightmare she was later, but she finally succumbed to the evil forces residing in her when I told her that I wished she wasn't my mother."

        "But why?" Sweetie Belle asked.

        "You won't understand the hell it is to be royalty. Anyway, she became Nightmare Moon, put me in a coma, and was given the boot to the moon.

        "Then I wake up, find my ass in a completely different world, and sent to some random town I never heard of. Tell me, wouldn't you be a bit put off?"

        The three girls nodded.

        "So, where we off this time?"

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        Nyx lay snug under her covers, looking out the window. Introductions with the Elements had gone smoothly enough, but no one had gotten their cutie marks.

        Suddenly, a figure dressed completely in black jumped on her balcony, then jumped off. Nyx quickly got out of bed, and ran to the edge, to see the figure retreating into the Everfree Forest.

         Grabbing some sneakers, she lowered herself onto the ground and went into the forest. Finding the figure at the edge of a clearing, Nyx noticed that the person had a bow and a quiver, and seemed to be waiting for something.

         Five Timberwolves soon entered the clearing, but they were quickly downed but five arrows. The figure rose, and Nyx gasped. It was Dawn.

        She quickly retreated back with the intent of telling Twilight, but she stepped on a twig.

       *snap*

       The sound resounded throughout the clearing, and Dawn quickly reached to the noise. Swiftly walking towards the sound she found nothing, and moved on.

       Nyx let out breath she didn't know she was holding. The footsteps receded, and she quickly sprung up to stalk Dawn again.

       They soon arrived at the castle of the Royal Sisters. Dawn rapidly jogged across the bridge, then disappeared into the main building. Nyx followed her into the hole in the wall, and saw her disappear around a corner. She kept of following her in a winding path, until she saw candlelight come from a room.

       Sneaky as a cat, she crept up to the edge of the door and poked her head in.

       Dawn was holding a small picture frame with both hands, and one leg tucked in. There was a deep melancholy in her eyes, as if she wished she was somewhere else but couldn't be there.

       Suddenly she looked up. "About time you got here, Nyx."

       Nyx's jaw dropped. "You knew?"

       Dawn let out a soft laugh, and said. " You sounded like a train wreck. I knew you were following me since the beginning. Oh, and while we're on that topic, I think you won't have a problem with getting a boyfriend."

      Nyx's face burned. "So you saw me?"

      "More than enough." Dawn giggled.

      "Let's not talk about that, okay? Now you have a lot of explaining to do." Nyx motioned her hand at the bow.

       "Oh, this? I was taught combat arts since I was five."

      Nyx's eyes were wide as saucers. "But who tutored you?"

      "A certain elite Night Guard lieutenant called Swift. He was the best marksman at the time, and, to me, was a second father. A day guard called Switchblade taught me the art of sword fighting, and a recon Pegasus called Misty Mapper taught me the art of stealth."

       "You know what my cutie mark means?"

       "What?"

       "It means I protect the innocent and hunt the guilty. I just don't have the skills, so can you teach me?"

       "I'm sorry, but no. This path, it leads to pain and misery."