Twenty Years after The End - Prologue
The pale pony sighed as he trotted among the trees, listening absently to the sound of the animals living in this forest. Birds chirping, so unconcerned with the plight that filled their world that they almost sounded happy for it. As if they had expected no less. He found himself glowering up at the tree he heard the happiest of chirping coming from, or more likely just the loudest nest of birds in the area. Either way it earned his ire.
The Pony was about to take a moment to rest when he cast red eyes on the trees behind him as he birds went silent. “Oh goody…” He muttered as he turned and started trotting again, then galloping when the sound of hooves behind him gave chase.
Before long however the others were upon him, he was never particularly fast on his hooves. A trio of ponies burst from the woods, one in front and two from behind him. Cutting off his escape. Grey eyes took in the three with frustration, they had found him even after his best efforts to hide.
“You are coming back with us, Doc.” One of the ponies, an earth pony with a red coat and brown mane. Gesturing with a hoof at the pale pony’s long white jacket. “Besides we can’t just let a Doctor escape without helping us, right?” He announced certainly, and the pale pony blinked a bit glancing down at the white lab coat.
“Doctor?” He laughed and the three ponies cornering him gave a confused start, quizzically glancing at one another. One of them, a female earth pony with a green coat and light blue hair, spoke up. Her tone edgy, angry but fear in her voice as well.
“Come on Calcifer, let’s just take him back to the camp. It’s not safe out here!”
“Shut up!” Shouted the red pony before squaring up, glowering at the pale pony in the white coat. “You’re coming with us right now, Doc.”
The Pale pony simply smirked, red eyes gleaming a bit as clouds made the forest even darker than the dense shade of trees did. “Oh am I?” He asked, sounding amused, the red pony snarled and took a hoofstep forward.
“You knock me out and kidnap me then attempt to force me to treat you… even though I have no medical experience and i’m far more likely to cause harm than help...” He snorted at his attackers, one of the three spoke up. A colt with a grey coat and black mane.
“Don’t lie, we saw you helping those fillies. We’ve seen your cutiemark.”
The Pale pony snarled at them and dropped his head and glowered at the gang arrayed against him.
“That wasn’t healing, that was and ending of suffering.”
“We could always knock you out and take you back.” The red pony snarled right back.
“If we’re gonna do it let’s do it now before anything finds us.” The green mare announced, eyeing the trees with worry, there were more then a few things to fear in the Everfree Forest.
“Everfree isn’t safe…”
“You’re coming with us, Doc.” Declared the Red pony with finality, teeth gritted as he stepped toward the pale colt, preparing to charge.
Before the attackers could charge the lone pale pony, who was looking more and more worried about the situation by the heartbeat, a sound came rattling through the trees. Followed shortly by a howl.
The green pony let out a shriek, everyone who ever came near the Everfree knew that sound. A Timberwolf was coming.
Before either of the others could even think to respond, the mare was already galloping away as fast as her hooves could carry her. Before long the other two were following right behind. Their quarry forgotten as they made a mad dash to escape the Timberwolf. Leaving the lone pale colt in the lab coat to fend for himself.
“Oh… horsefeathers.” The colt muttered as the clatter of a Timberwolf running at speed, and another howl, made the fur on his neck stand up. Looking about wildly he tried to find some way to evade the Timberwolf. Glancing up at the tree he was cornered against and pawing at the trunk with his hooves. Desperately trying to find a way to climb it to escape.
Maybe fleeing into Everfree wasn’t the best idea. Maybe he should have found a better way to escape them. At least if I die this way I can say I tried. He thought briefly as he found his desperate attempt to climb hopeless. By this point the clattering was nearly upon him, and the howl was deafening.
I won’t go quietly though. Thought the colt as he turned and dropped, prepared to lunge at whatever burst from the foliage at him. He would not be some easy meal for a predator, he would make them work for their meal. He did not have much hope but maybe, just maybe…
Something shot out of the trees towards the colt and he did not hesitate. With a defiant yell he attempted to throw himself at the Timberwolf. To do what well… what he wasn’t certain. Hit it yes, maybe he could get a few hoof hits in before it got him. He never really had the change.
The colt’s lunge was broken mid stride, sending him stumbling over a tree root and onto the ground with a thump. He curled up his hooves protectively, instinctively. Even on his back he could attempt to fight back, but any hope at surviving the encounter failed with his own incapable movement.
A deafening howl then… silence.
The colt waited for it to end, eyes closed tight. When a few seconds passed and he had not yet found himself to be disemboweled by some slavering wooden beast... he peeked at the woods with one eye.
Before him stood a unicorn with a silver coat, and black mane. A mare, her horn aglow with magic as surrounding her floated several dozen tree limbs. Likely the source of the terror inducing racket. She was looking about at the tree line, low and ready. When he realized she had expected there to be a fight, but that she was not obviously intending to fight him. The Colt felt flustered and attempted to clamber to his feet.
Upon noting the clearing was empty of the gang of attackers, the Mare briefly looked at the pale pony in the dirty and tattered, once white, lab coat. “You should be fine now.” She remarked looking about. “Can you run? The edge of the forest isn’t too far from here.” Bright blue eyes examined the dark trees, searching for a threat.
“Ah well… yes I can. Thank you for your help, I doubt they will be coming back.” The Colt responded with his own cautious glances towards the trees. Attempting to brush away some of the dirt and dust from his coat, with little success. He made no attempts to flee the area however. Instead studying the Unicorn with a curious red eyed gaze. Head tilted to the side as he looked the mare up and down.
“That was a clever trick.” The Colt said, taking a hoofstep forward to examine one of the branches the mare was brandishing with her magic. “Using magic to replicate the howl and using these to replicate the sound of a Timberwolf moving. Creative.”
“What…” The Unicorn stared at the Colt, dumbfounded. “Why aren’t you running? You should be getting out of the forest.”
“Why?” The pale Colt responded with an quizzical tilt of his head then amused grin. “Because a few madponies might take me unawares?”
“There are far more dangerous things out here then bandits.”
“Oh yes I know. Cockatrices, various villainous vegetation,” The Colt began rattling off with a pleased smile, much to the Mare’s chagrin as she turned to start walking away from the obviously crazy pony.
“Also hydras, thorn bushes-”, The Pale pony in the white lab coat continued as he trotted alongside the unicorn.
“Unicorns carrying tree branches.” The Mare chimed in.
The Colt nodded emphatically. “Yes, yes. Violent unicorns carrying… Oh.” It dawned on the older pony that she might mean him and he gave her a smile. “I see what you mean, I can be quiet if you like.”
The Unicorn did not respond to that and instead focused on making her way through the forest. She had hoped he might leave her be with that, and just wander off and either get eaten or escape the forest, she had at least tried to save his life after all. However when she looked back the Pony was still following her. Albeit looking at every little leaf of every plant they passed.
Suddenly she spun, digging her hooves in the dirt and glowered at the Colt. “Why are you following me?” She demanded angrily, and the other was taken aback by the suspicion in her tone.
“Well you did just save me. I imagined it might be safest near you.”
“I don’t want you following me.” The Unicorn announced, nonplussed at the idea of having a tag along. “You will be more safe in Ponyville.” She added with an aggravated snort. The pale pony in the labcoat seemed unphased by the blatant attempt to get rid of him.
“The fact is, I don’t particularly know where Ponyville is from here.” He admittedly, an embarrassed smile lighting the pale ponies face. The Unicorn stared at him, stunned. She had stopped walking and now just regarded the earth pony with a dumbfounded expression.
“Your joking right? Why in Celestia’s name would you even be in the Everfree forest if not to get to Ponyville?” She demanded, but her thoughts turned dark. What if this was some kind of ploy? What if those thugs had actually been with this lab coated pony and he was just playing dumb to keep her from paying attention? What if this was just all some ruse to find home.
Suspicious now, the Unicorn glanced about at the trees, her sudden apprehension was not lost on the pale pony. “Honest truth, I have never been to Ponyville, and I don’t happen to have a map to find my way… well not anymore.” He admitted, opening his saddlebag with a hoof and pulling out a tattered scrap of fabric, which may or may not have once been a map… but was now little more than a mess of torn fabric and smeared or faint lines marking the borders of Equestria.
The Unicorn glowered at the scrap that the Colt claimed was once a map. Faded and tattered, it was useless to anypony. She gave an angry snort and trotted off into the woods, keeping her pace slow for the Pale pony to follow, albeit at an uncomfortable rate. If he wanted to come with so much, he may as well attempt to keep pace.
The Unicorn explained she could not lead the Pale Pony to Ponyville, it was getting far too late and too dark to safely travel quite that far through the Everfree Forest. However, she was certain her teacher would allow the wayward pony to at least stay for the night. After all, she couldn’t just leave him alone out in the forest… no matter how much she wanted to.
So the pair traveled through the ever gathering darkness of the forest. The Unicorn occasionally stopping her new tag along, and selecting a new route. Likely, as far as he could tell, out of sighting some possible threat or evidence of trouble that he couldn’t perceive. It took some time for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. Several times he found himself tripping over sticks or stones and earning himself a furious glare from the Unicorn before she started on again.
By the time they reached their destination, the moon had already been raised into the sky. Calm and peaceful rays of moonlight drifting through the dense trees of the Everfree to settle on their apparent destination. A home built into the trunk of a large tree. It’s branches, twisted and climbing ever higher, gave the place a forbidding appearance, even in the moonlight.
The Unicorn expected her pale colt friend to be worried at the sight of the home her mentor had made out of the trees, even to her it still certainly looked at least a little scary. Likely a deterrent or some other magical spell the owner had wrapped around her abode to ward off intruders.
However when she attempted to speak up to calm the pale pony, he let out an excited laugh and when she looked he had stars in his eyes, which were the size of saucers.
“Wow!” He exclaimed. “A real live zebra abode! I’ve only ever seen pictures from old books of how the zebras craft their homes! Look at the mastery! The incantations inscribed into the wood, the nurturing of the tree to grow in just the right way to allow for space inside!” He was practically skipping as he approached the structure, studying the various amenities Zecora had added to the exterior. Terrifying masks carved of wood and potions hanging from vines.
“Look how the surrounding trees have been influenced by its presence! The Magic seeping through the roots to dozens of trees around! Oh, it must feel so homey for one so far from their home.” He sighed a smile, studying a number of the potions hanging from the vines, attempting to reach for one with a hoof.
As the Unicorn exclaimed to stop him, the door to the abode snapped open and a voice called out withered and shaky, but filled with the melodic grace her voice had always carried.
“I would not touch that, little pony of white. Or one might find their life filled with terrible plight.”
This drew the pale pony’s attention away from the potion, as well as his hoof, and caused him to regard the one standing in the doorway with his red eyes. A small smile and an apologetic bob of his head as he spoke.
“Forgive me, curiosity killed the cat as they always say.” The zebra nodded slowly, regarding her new guest with curiosity herself before turning to the Unicorn who had brought him.
“Dear Sunset Shine, you bring a pony who shows no fear, I would never imagine you would ever think to bring anypony here.” The zebra said, her aged voice lifted by the amusement of her own words. Maybe there was still hope in this young Unicorn.
Sunset Shine herself immediately went on the defensive. “I didn’t want to bring him here… but I didn’t have much choice. He was lost, and I couldn’t just let him wander the forest in the dark of the night!” She protested, as if she had done some wrong. The zebra simply laughed.
“It is good you brought him here, the night is full of creatures that anypony should fear.” The aged zebra declared then turned her blue eyes on their guest. “But where are our manners, I shan’t be rude. Come, share our hospitality, I can make more food.”
The Pale pony smiled and bowed his head politely. “You are most kind, Ma’am.” He said, starting towards the door with the aged zebra. Those eyes… had seen much. He could tell by the way dark bags hung below them. Adding a weary look to those vibrant blue eyes. That made him all the more interested in this zebra. How much had she seen? She had likely lived here since well before The End. Maybe she knew something useful.
Before the Pale Pony could enter the zebra’s home he realized something. “Oh, i’m being terribly rude forgive me.” He bowed his head once again. “I have yet to introduce myself.” He looked towards Sunset Shine, and then back to the zebra. “I’m Storm Flicker, it’s a pleasure.” He said with another slight bow of his head, this caused the zebra to laugh once more.
“So polite, this pony wishes to be. Not something you see in times such as these.” She smiled and bobbed a head in return, but before she could speak again Sunset Shine broke in, stepping hoof between the pale pony and the hut.
“If you even lay one hoof on my teacher Zecora, you will see how a real storm flickers.” She snarled and Storm Flicker blinked slightly in surprise at the open hostility.
Zecora spoke up while Sunset Shine gave Storm Flicker a death glare, showing she may still try… whatever it was exactly she was trying to threaten him with anyway. “Sunset Shine, you are being rude to a guest, go prepare our meal and let this rest. He is tired and hungry, and not the least bit curious, about why such a helpful pony yourself might be so furious.”
The Unicorn wished to protest, even turning to her teacher to say something, but a sharp look of those blue eyes caused the silver Unicorn to cast her own eyes downward, and head inside. Grumbling all the while.
Zecora smiled knowingly as she turned that blue gaze back to the pony before her. “Forgive my dear student, though it is quite prudent. Strangers are a threat to all beings in this time, for very few might find a reason to be kind.”
Storm Flicker bowed his head once again in understanding. “It’s perfectly fine I assure you, and you are certainly right about that.” He said with a smile, and Zecora gestured with a hoof for him to head inside her abode. Closing the door behind them both once he was through the threshold.
As he had expected, the inside of the home was even more fascinating than the outside. The room was simple, a cylinder with shelves upon shelves of potions and remedies, more magical masks to ward away evil from within, as well as those without. A cauldron boiled and bubbled in the center of the room, which piqued his interest until he saw Sunset Shine doling out bowl fulls of soup from it. He had hoped it had contained some mystical zebra remedy for… goodness knows what.
Zecora seemed to have noted his interest in the cauldron, and his disappointment, as she announced. “Even someone who makes remedies must eat, or else one might not last long on their feet.”
Flicker blinked at that line, surprised at how she had guessed his thoughts. As well trying to make sense what she meant by feet. “Luckily I have hooves, more sturdy than feet.” He attempted to joke, but earned no response from the elderly zebra as she moved to a collection of cushions near the wall and settled down. She had a book, a normal book. No scroll or scrap of parchment but a journal from the look, as she settled in scratching at the paper with a quill pen.
Left alone for a moment, the sense of awkwardness returned as he caught Sunset Shine glowering at him. It took a moment to realize why, she did not give him the moment. “You can either receive food or go hungry making jokes all night.” She declared, a ladle held with her magic full of soup and a bowl half full.
“Sorry.” He responded as he moved closer to take the bowl in his teeth. He hadn’t meant to sound flippant, he needed to watch that. After all that mouth of his seemed to get him in trouble quite frequently.
Sunset Shine merely snorted as she poured a bowl for Zecora, leaving the stallion to very carefully draw his own soup from the cauldron. Once everyone had their dish and had found a place to seat themselves, Zecora spoke up once more.
“So, what brings a pony such as you to the Everfree Forest? Even in the past nopony would dare brave the dangers except if the need was sorest.”
Storm Flicker briefly looked up from his bowl, already quite busily scarfing down the contents. It was quite good, bits of potato mixed in a broth with various vegetables. He wasn’t much of a cook so he couldn’t take note of half the ingredients, but he was certain it tasted good.
“I’m looking for something.” He responded, after finally swallowing and taking a breath. Zecora watched him, those blue eyes curious as she casually blew on her own soup, it was quite hot.
Sunset Shine was doing the same, not even having tried to eat any yet. Storm Flicker took no mind as he got right back to effectively inhaling the soup. Zecora finally asked for a bit more elaboration.
“What might a pony such as you be seeking, in a place so full of shrieking.”
“A cure.” The Pale pony intoned, once more after swallowing a mouth full of soup. That actually drew Sunset Shine’s gaze, who studied the pale pony with suspicion. He seemed oblivious to the glare as he continued before Zecora could ask anymore.
“Specifically I am looking for something that could help me in my creation of a certain cure. I’m looking for something with the correct properties.” He explained, setting down the now empty bowl and opening a saddlebag that still sat strapped above his rump. Pulling out a worn journal of his own, and setting it on the floor. Sifting through the pages with his hooves until he found what he needed.
The pages he passed were cramped and full of notes and illustrations to the point of a nearly illegible scrunch of information. The page he turned to was no different. It contained an illustration of a large flower in the center, with four long pedals and a stamen that largely hid the interior of the flower. Notes were cramped on all sides, some with lines towards sections of the flower some without.
It was certainly no flower Sunset Shine had seen.
“It’s called an Amaranth.” The Pale pony continued. “It has purple petals with a white stamen and carpel. I heard it may grow in the Everfree Forest.” He explained as he turned the journal towards Zecora so the aged zebra might get a better look at the sketching, but there was no need.
“I have seen the flower that you seek, a plant filled with an aura of mystique.”
The Pale pony jumped to his hooves at this.
“You have!” He exclaimed excitedly. “Where? Where did you see it?”
Zecora lifted a hoof to calm the younger pony.
“Long ago, and far away. However I must say something that you might find will allay.” Zecora said, the aged zebra’s eyes weary and sad. Storm Flicker took a seat once more, worried he would not like what came next.
“The plant you seek, was not in the best of health. For a pony who wanted it, only cared for their great wealth. They stole the flower, and stole it for their own use. A potion you see he intended, a potion to allow him to evade time and age’s own noose.”
Storm Flicker wilted at this. “Someone took it and made a potion to try and make himself immortal?” He hazarded his guess, and Zecora nodded her head somberly.
“A greedy mistake he did not live to retake. The flower did not take kindly to his abuse of it’s power, it chose instead it would be his final hour. Into the potion it went, aflame with rage over this mistreatment. And out came a potion that gleamed like the sun, a drought that should be drank by none.”
Zecora continued her story while the pale pony nodded, he knew this story very well. He had heard the rumors that a pony had once tried to use Amaranth, the ever living plant, to create a potion of immortality for himself. It obviously had ended poorly.
“When the greedy pony drank of the potion of life, he did not realize realize it gave only strife. It burned him from the inside, it’s power like a flood tide. Before long the greedy pony was gone, immortality far beyond his reach. His home and family gone, with nary a screech.”
Storm Flicker sighed a bit, he knew that part. Effectively he understood the concoction the greedy pony had made to make himself immortal, had instead acted like a chemical agent. When he attempted to drink it instead it poisoned him, turning him into a living gas bomb. Spreading a lethal toxin through his body, and throughout his home. Suffocating anyone within several miles of the place, and killing them. Before finally burning him from the inside out, quite literally.
Sunset Shine made a huffing sound and turned her nose up at the story. “Serves that pony right, deciding to try and make himself immortal. The nerve.” She declared in a self righteous tone. “The nerve.” She added and Zecora had obviously intended to scold her student for such a thoughtless outburst, when their visitor did so before.
“Maybe the story was wrong.” Storm Flicker said, red eyes leveled on Sunset Shine. “Maybe he had not intended the potion for himself, but somepony else. Somepony he cared for. Somepony who was dying or dead, and he simply wanted to see them again.” He leveled an accusing glare on the unicorn, who was slightly taken aback but did not hesitate to meet hostility with hostility.
“Or maybe he was just some greed blinded fool who wanted to live forever and the Amaranth found unworthy.” She spat back and for a moment the two glowered at one another before Zecora broke in.
“Children do not fight, I fear more may come of this then plight. Tell me, Storm Flicker, why might you desire a flower that might just make one sicker?”
The Pale pony had intended to tell her, he truly did. It was just… he couldn’t, and she saw that in his eyes the second he tried to think of a convincing lie. But before Zecora could say anything Sunset Shine was suddenly on her hooves, eyes wide.
“Intruders.” She declared quietly, looking beyond the walls of the hut as if seeing something far away. Zecora looked to her student nodding slightly.
‘It seems we have more guests, however these guests will not act their best.” She quipped and nodded as Sunset added in a low voice.
“I can see them now… maybe a dozen ponies. I think… I think it might be that tribe of Everfree raiders. What made them brave our parts of the forest… they usually don’t try this unless…” Sunsets gaze returned to the room, and settled squarely on Storm Flicker.
“You.”
“Me?” Storm Flicker asked in confusion, but before he had time to protest anymore she was upon him, shoving him to the ground and planting a hoof on his chest, snarling down at him.
“It’s your fault! They followed you here! It was all a trick!” She declared in a fury, acting as if she wanted to crush the pale earth pony’s chest.
“Wha-?!” Storm Flicker demanded before gasping for breath, she was choking him, or trying to. Her horn was fiercely aglow and with each pulse of magic it felt like his throat was growing tighter.
“Sunset Shine, how dare you!” Zecora bellowed. She had already crossed the room and knocked her student aside. Breaking the silver unicorn’s concentration and freeing Storm Flicker.
“I-” He began coughing and hacking, his throat raw.”I have nothing to do with them.” He coughed between each word, his windpipe struggling to return to normal. Sunset Shine only glowered.
“How could they have possibly found us then?!” She demanded, and Zecora fixed her with a glare.
“A lack of caution is all it takes, to cause danger to everyone’s fates.” She pointed out, but before she could elaborate, or her student make sense of it, there was a loud thud and the sound of clattering books. The three looked to find a spear, an iron head and a body of heavy oak sticking a good half meter into the wall. It had knocked several potions from the shelf that was built into the wall, as well as books. Which lay in a pool of the concoctions on the floor, rapidly becoming ruined.
It was now they heard a voice from outside, impossibly projected from their attackers. “That was a warning! Next one I send will set your tree house afire.” The voice declared, even as the spear began to quiver and shake before finally tearing itself from the wall and back into the darkness beyond, which was notably less dark. Fires burned and flickered somewhere outside. Likely torches belonging to the attackers.
“Now, come out in an orderly and respectful manner, and we won’t have to burn your home down.” The voice continued and the three inside looked at one another.
“We know you are in here, miss ‘I-want-to-be-a-timber-wolf.” Another voice shouted from outside.
“Yeah! Show yourself!”
Sunset Shine’s face went white. Well as white as a silver pony’s face could at the horrified realization they were here for her. Someone must have seen her earlier when she was scaring those ponies off. Instantly she wanted to turn the blame on Storm Flicker, but now was not the time.
“You have until the count of three!” The loud pony outside began.
Zecora was already on her way to the door by the time he had even counted one, gesturing for the ponies to stay back. She swung the door to her home open and bellowed out.
“What is the meaning of this intrusion? Can an old zebra not enjoy her seclusion?” She half roared in that sing song tone. The aged zebra’s eyes scrunched into a withering glare.
There was a brief sound of discussion outside, impossible to hear from the confines of the hut, but it made Zecora’s frown deepen.
“I’m sorry,” The loud pony bellowed out, “but we have no idea who you are and we don’t care. Have the silver unicorn walk out with our doctor, and we’ll leave you here to rhyme at yourself.”
Zecora continued to scowl and bellowed out. “I know not of who you speak, but search somewhere else for those in which you seek.” That didn’t seem to go over particularly well as incoherent shouts came from what sounded like a mob outside.
“We know you are sheltering them old mare, now give them over and we will leave you alone.”
“For the last time, I do not hide the ones you seek! Now move along and-” Zecora was cut off by a whistling sound and a heavy wet thunk. Both Shine and Flicker could not believe their eyes as a length of spear appeared in the aged zebra’s chest, sending her staggering into the hut and collapsing. To the sound of cheers outside.
Sunset Shine screamed in horror and crossed the room at a gallop, dropping to her mentor’s side.
“Zecora!” She screamed in shock, tears falling from her eyes. “Please sweet Celestia, no!” She cried in horror as the zebra weakly rattled a breath, attempting to speak but failing.
As Storm Flicker approached he could see more clearly what had happened. Blood ran in a rush from the wound to the aged zebra’s chest. The spear had driven it’s way deep, likely piercing a lung, if not the old zebra’s heart. A bitter taste filled his mouth, this was his fault. It was his presence that…
Sunset Shine let out a shriek of horror as the spear dislodged itself, coating in Zecora’s Life blood and shot out the door, followed shortly by the loud pony’s voice once more.
“I was getting tired of that, I can only take so much rhyme. Come out now you two!” He called, his tone indifferent and amused.
Sunset Shine sobbed openly as blood flowed from her mentor, she attempted to stop it with her hooves, but it was useless. Soon her hooves were simply coated in her mentor’s life blood, and those aged blue eyes had gone glassy and unfocused.
Sunset Shine sobbed, nearly collapsing onto her mentor in her grief. Storm Flicker was left stunned, staring. Another death, another death because of him. Was this really how everything had to go? Did everyone he meet really just have to die?
The voice came from outside again, he couldn’t understand what it said. Even if he had, it was drowned out by Sunset’s sobs. However something he said must have gotten to her, as those sobs caught in Sunset’s throat and she turned towards the door. Tears were trailing down her silver cheeks, but those eyes held something besides grief.
Rage.
Those sobs became a shriek. A cry of pure fury as the Unicorn was on her hooves and galloping out the door. Storm Flicker wasn’t fast enough, he tried to reach a hoof out to stop her but in a sound like an electrical crackle the unicorn disappeared, reappearing outside.
The tribe was a disorganized mob outside the hut, just a clump of different color ponies clothed in swatches of fabric toting spears and bows. All of them were earth ponies, save for the one at the front. A violet colored unicorn who was currently hefting the iron pointed spear with the oak haft with a blue stream of magic. When Sunset Shine teleported in front of him, it startled the stallion. Enough that his magically enhanced shouting was cut off, and he did not have time to block what came next.
A beam of silvery light lept from Shine’s leveled horn. A blast of pure magic that the violet stallion had no time to intercept. The sound was like a sledgehammer meeting a tree, sending the unicorn hurtling through the air up and over the rest of the mob to land in a heap near the back.
Shine did not just stop there, she let out another scream of pain and rage and lashed out with another bolt of magic towards the nearest pony, a green earth pony toting a bow. The zap of power struck her square, and sent the pony into part of the mob behind her, sending several other ponies scattering.
She raged and fired magical blasts at everything she could, striking one pony after another even as she screamed.
“You killed Zecora! YOU KILLED HER!”
She blasted and blasted sending ponies scattering, at least those that could, from the clearing around the house and into the woods.
It wasn’t until the majority who could were gone, that she collapsed, sobbing to the grass. The moans of the injured ponies not even drawing her interest as tears rushed from her eyes anew. That was just what Zecora had always told her never to do. Never to use her magic to harm, never to use it to kill another pony. And that’s what she had just done… or at least tried to do. It dawned on her that even now she was insulting her dear teacher by assaulting them so but… what else could she do.
She heard Storm Flicker coming, heard him shouting something at her but she didn’t care. It didn’t register until he was nearly upon her he was telling her to move. Why? They were all running. She had scared them off and hurt them… why would she..?
Her thought was cut off when Storm Flicker wound up in front of her, on his hind legs with his front hooves outstretched as if to stop something from hitting her. She meant to ask what the fool thought he was doing, when a length of iron sprouted from his back, neatly through the dirty white lab coat. Coated in red it glistened in the moonlight a scant inch from her face.
Horror swept across Sunset Shine anew as she realized what had just happened.
Across the clearing the violet unicorn was standing, wobbling as he got to his hooves. Coat singed and smoking, but very much still alive as he glowered at the two ponies.
“How fucking magnanimous.” He spat as he saw the pale one had stopped his spear throw from killing the bitch who struck him. Coughing, he took a number of steps forward. Taking hold of the spear with his magic and lifting as hard as he could. Bodily lifting the pale pony, who had gone limp by now, and shaking them about before hurling them off the spear at the tree house. Sending them crashing into the wood with a sickening thump.
“Well this was a total wash. Thanks to you, bitch, now i’ve lost a perfectly good doctor. Guess you can make up for it though.” He snarled, hefting the iron tipped spear with his magic as he glowered at the tearful unicorn with the silver coat. She was splattered with blood on her hooves and now all over her face, mixing with the tears.
“I don’t know whether to skewer you right now or maybe put you to better use. What do you say huh? Need to work out the frustration you’ve cause me tonight.” The violet unicorn hissed as the shell shocked pony as he drew up close. “How ‘bout both? I think I have a much better spear I can skewer you with.” He chuckled at what he felt was a clever joke, however before he could draw closer he heard something. Looking up he saw the pale pony was still alive where he lay against the hut.
“Oh.” He observed. “You’re a hardy one aren’t you.” He announced, leaving the silver unicorn where she was, frozen in horror. “Guess I’ll have to be a bit more thorough with you huh?” The violet unicorn announced as he moved to stand over the pale earth pony who lay bleeding against the trunk of the tree house. He could see shards of wood punctured the white lab coat, adding to the growing red stain in the white fabric.
“Just lie back and die loudly.” The Unicorn announced with a wicked grin. “You’ll save me a lot of trouble.” As he spoke he drew the heavy spear towards his hooves, intending to finish this by hoof now. He aimed the point down on the pony, who groaned and struggled feebly. Intending to bring the point down right on their throat this time.
He reared back and stabbed with the spear, driving it deep into the pale pony’s throat. However, the pony didn’t react. He blinked as the earth pony continued to groan and struggle as if nothing had happened.
“What? That didn’t hurt?” The Unicorn snarled even as more blood gushed from the maimed pony now. “Fine what about this!” He shouted, rearing back with the spear and slamming it as hard as he could into the pony’s midsection. He felt it deflect off bone but it made it clear through.
That seemed to wake up the pale pony, red eyes snapped wide and gleamed in the light, wet with tears of what he imagined must be pain.
“Ah very good. Couldn’t let you die without at least seeing this.” The Unicorn announced as he attempted to haul the spear from where it lay lodged in the earth pony’s torso. He tugged once, twice, thrice. But to no avail, it was stuck fast in the dirt.
“Aw shit…” He grumbled.
“That belongs to me now.” The Pale Pony said in a low tone. The Unicorn let out a surprised sound.
“Wait… what? How did you…?” He began and found the Pale Pony’s red eyes were watching him now. However there were no tears anymore and they looked… different. His eyes were gleaming but no longer from the moonlight. It was as if the eyes were glowing from the inside. A stark red light that cast a look on the Unicorn that made him take a step back.
“What in the name of Celestia?” The violet unicorn muttered in confusion. “How are you alive?” He demanded of the maimed pony, horror growing on his face as the pony in question started to move to get up. Squaring itself up against the spear skewering it to the ground and pushing… pushing… pushing… pop. The spear tore itself from the dirt, a thick clump of black dirt coming with it as the pale pony got to it’s hooves.
“You really made a mistake here, didn’t you?” The pale pony grumbled, though it didn’t seem meant for the unicorn. “Ah well, means I get to eat so no biggy.” The pony declared with a laugh as it turned and attempted to take a step towards the frightened unicorn, however it felt a hitch as it moved and found the spear still lodged clean through its midsection.
“Oh come on.” The red eyed pony grumbled as it gripped the spear with it’s mouth and pulled, snapping the oak while it was still inside the body and spitting the haft into the dirt before grabbing near the metal end on the other side and drawing the last quarter of a meter or so of haft and metal.
The Unicorn was cowering now, having fallen and was attempting to stumble back on unbalanced hooves. It made the pale pony laugh. “Oh you’re probably wondering what you just did. Well you were sloppy but to be fair it didn’t really matter where you hit. You can’t kill this guy, want to know why?” He declared, stepping closer to the Unicorn who was too terrified to even give a polite nod. How rude.
Suddenly the pale pony was beside the unicorn, one hoof gently touching the violet stallion on the shoulder, the other hefting the iron tip of the spear. “See, you goofed up real good this time. Didn’t really matter whether you killed him or not, cause you only woke me up. And as much as I like a good butchering, I kind of share this body with him so…” Unicorn was shaking his head, eyes locked on the spear point. Green eyes, the pale pony noted. Very pretty, juicy eyes.
“I can’t exactly allow you to mess up my house you see, no hard feelings.” He announced with a grin, bringing the spear point down, hard, with his hoof into the pony’s side. The stallion let out a grunt of pain, to scared to even scream. “Oh come on, scream. It’s so much more fun when you die loudly.” The pale pony hissed in their ear, lifting the spear point, and going again. This time, he did scream.
Sunset Shine watched all of this from where she sat, curled up and sobbing. Her tears had dried by now leaving only choking heaves as she watched what happened. She couldn’t find an ounce of sympathy for the unicorn, well maybe a little. The things she watched Storm Flicker do made her stomach twist, but she didn’t allow herself to turn away. He had killed Zecora, he deserved every single thing he got.
She did not know how long she sat there watching as the pale pony went from the unicorn, to every one of the surviving tribals in the clearing, most of them unconscious or in too much pain to notice the world around them. She imagined it couldn’t have taken that long, as soon enough he was standing over her. Iron spear point glistening red, and a drop of deep red dripping from his mouth, even as he licked his lips.
“You watched everything?” He asked, an absent smile on the monstrous pony’s face. What in the world was he?
Sunset Shine only nodded and the pony smiled.
“Good, make sure he knows exactly what he did. It will make him squirm so much. I would do you in too but…” The monstrous being trailed off, a moment, as if he wasn’t sure of his answer then announced. “I’m quite full and my wings ache.” He said with a nod as he settled down, tossing the spear point aside.
Shine stared at him briefly. “Wings?” She asked curiously, she thought he was an Earth Pony… or… his host was an Earth Pony?
The being laughed. “Oh right, he hides them. Look.” He began and grabbed at the lab coat on his back, tearing at it until it revealed a section of the ponys back, which was wrapped up in bandages. Coated in red but a much drier… older stain. And a pair of lumps marked the presence of folded up wings beneath those bandages, and the monstrous pale pony grinned.
“He did this so I can’t fly around you see. Keeps the damage I cause localized, gotta admit didn’t think he had the guts…. well… he doesn’t anymore. By the way you should probably wrap him up a bit with some fresh stuff from his bags. Don’t want him bleeding out, I could use a nice long nap and don’t want to wake up again so quick.”
When Sunset Shine didn’t move he rolled his eyes and laid down on his side. “Or not, fuck if I care. If I wake up again though i’m eating you too, even if you’ll taste gross.” He announced and with that, the pale being closed it’s eyes. Amidst the carnage that now filled the clearing Sunset Shine sat for a time. She looked about at the trees where the gruesome displays had been made by the pale pony, she looked to the home where her mentor had lived, she looked up at the moon which stood high above and watched, just a peaceful and calm as ever.
And she screamed.
Author's Note
Thank you for reading, this has been a work in progress for some time. Months of writers block or lack of time to write in the making, mostly due to slow writing, all crammed into one night. Please Enjoy, I hope to continue the story.