Ghosts of the Past

"Hey Dusk, what's that?" Dash said pointing towards a tower of black smoke.

"I don't know, but it doesn't look good," was his reply.  "We should check it out."

They made their descent towards the ground.  After landing, they made their way towards the source of the smoke.  The hysterical animals of the forest ran past them in a fear driven frenzy.  When the two ponies found the source of the thick blackness, they were awestruck.  They stared at the marvelous site of a burning oak tree.  The flames coiled around the trunk as if it was a live viper.  The leaves on the claw like limbs shriveled and burned from the intense heat of the fire.  Rainbow Dash and Crimson Dusk just stared in awe at the buring oak tree.

As Rainbow Dash watched the show, her eyes caught something moving inside the tree.  She began to focus intently on the group of shadows that took refuge within the inferno.  She made out three figures huddling together inside the tree.  Her eyes widened with terror at the realization of what she saw.

"Dusk! There are ponies inside that tree!" she yelled.

Dusk squinted back at the tree to confirm Rainbow Dash's fears.  He turned back at her and nodded his head.  "We have to save them," he told the cyan pony.  "I can create a shield around them to protect them from the flames.  I'll see if I can levitate them outta there too, but I need to concentrate."  He threw off his hat to reveal a long crimson horn.  He closed his eyes and focused his energy.  The horn on his head began to glow  a fierce crimson as he used his magic.

A red bubble formed around the ponies that were caught in the fiery death trap.  Crimson's breathing grew heavier as he concentrated on lifting the bubble.  It rose a few inches off the ground, and he began to move it towards the entrance.

"Unacceptable dear," someone said seconds before Dusk was thrown off his feet.  The bubble fell to the ground, but the shield still held for the moment.

"Dusk!" Dash said in alarm.  She ran over to where he laid.  She placed her hoof on his head.  She took notice to the burn on his side.  "Are you okay?" she asked concerned.

He turned and looked at her.  "I'm fi... LOOK OUT!" he exclaimed as he pushed Dash onto her side.  A green blur sailed just inches away from where she was standing just moments before.  It landed somewhere in the foliage that surrounded the burning tree.  Crimson began to stand, flinching at the pain from his side.

"What was that?" Dash asked as she got up.

"I don't know, but we have to help those ponies," said Crimson Dusk.  "I don't know how long the shield will last against the fire."

Rainbow nodded and started looking around for the assailants.  Dusk resumed trying to lift the shielded ponies out of the blaze.  His horn began to glow crimson again as he focused on trying to levitate the bubble once more.

Dash saw a red blur rocket out of the bush behind Dusk.  As fast as lightening, she jumped in between it and her friend.  She turned and let loose a heavy kick that grazed Distrust on the side of her body.

"Ahh,' she cried at the burning pain that emanated from her back hooves.

The assailant rolled over in the grass; stopping a few feet short of the tree line.  The small fox slowly got back on her paws and angrily stared at Dash.  "You'll pay for that," threatened Distrust as she lit up in a blaze of fire.

Dash's eyes widened at the frightening foe.  I've never seen anything like this she thought questioning her own eyes.  Her thoughts were quickly disrupted by the blazing fox as she sprinted towards Rainbow Dash.  Dash's body tensed to prepare for the blow.  Distrust ran towards Dash, but turned suddenly and started towards Dusk (who was still trying to save the three ponies.)  Dash turned, and was met by a green blur whizzing past her ear.

It stopped directly behind her.  The long snake's fangs glinted evilly in the soft moonlight.  Doubt stared maliciously into her eyes.  "Ssssay good night my little pony," he said lunging at her again.  Dash quickly rolled to the side barely avoiding his attack.

"Hey Dusk," she said.  "Can ya give me a hand with this creep?"

"Kinda busy here," he replied.  Distrust had quickly thrown off his concentration with her barrage of strikes.  The ponies were still inside the burning tree, and time was running out.  Limbs started to crack and fall off the tree, and the ever hungry flames ate away at the blackening trunk.

Distrust leapt towards the crimson alicorn.  Dusk was ducking and dodging the best he could.  He couldn't risk using his magic for fear that the shield would falter and doom the ponies within.  His gaze fell upon Dash as she desperatly tried to keep the evil serpent at bay.

This is getting us nowhere, Dusk thought as he avoided another blow from the blazing fox.

"You are so clever," she said cynically.  "Did you just figure that out."

"How did you..." started Dusk before having to avoid another blow.

"I can read your mind dear, and your heart.  I'm glad you have feelings for that pegusus over there.  It's such a shame she is just using you to save her friends."

"You have feelings for...AH!  Get away you dumb snake," said Dash trying to hit the slippery serpent.

"He doesssss have feelingsss for you.  SSSooo do you from what I can sssssee," added Doubt.  Do you really think it can work out between a pegussusss and an alicorn? You're wassting your time."

Dash paused and blushed at what Doubt was saying.  He took advantage of her moment of embarrassment and attacked once more.  Dash was caught off-guard by his surprise attack.  They both rolled in the grass as Doubt collided with Rainbow Dash.  Dash caught Doubt in between her two front hooves, but that didn't stop Doubt.  He lunged at her with his venom dripping fangs.  She moved her head out of the way, barely able to out maneuver the snake.  He recovered quickly and resumed his barrage as he coiled his body around Dash's legs.

Dash knew she was finished.  The snake had immobilized her, and she was starting to feel fatigued.  "Dusk...HELP!" she pleaded with the last of her waning strength.  Dusk juked out Distrust, and sprinted over to her position.  Distrust quickly caught up to the alicorn and blocked his path.

"Come now," she said slyly.  "She is just using you.  Just walk away and let them die.  It's that easy."

Dusk looked back at the tree, then at Dash.  She caught his gaze as she avoided another attempted blow.  Her eyes glistened with terror.  "Please Dusk," she said.  "I know you'll do the right thing."  Her hooves went limp, releasing Doubt in the process.  He sneered as he prepared to give the final blow.  At that moment, Dusk knew what he had to do.

Dusk let out a fierce yell as he charged at Distrust.  She tensed her body, but got caught off guard by his maneuver.  He lept over the burning fox and sprinted hard to Dash.  Doubt began his final descent towards his defenseless prey.  He felt his fangs sink deeply into her flesh, and he smiled.  He opened his eyes, and his expression changed to horror.  He hadn't bitten Dash; he had bitten Dusk's hoof.

Doubt looked dumbfounded at the alicorn.  "Alicorns are immune to toxins," he said brashly

"Not possssible," he said before Dusk picked him up with his mouth.  Crimson Dusk threw Doubt on the ground, and stomped on him repeatedly and fiercely.

"Get away from my brother!," exclaimed Distrust as she ran towards her helpless sibling.

Dash recovered from her ordeal, and blocked Distrust's path.  Dusk picked Doubt up one last time.  Dusk used all his strength to throw him into the burning tree.  The scream the snake gave out was unnatural as his body was eaten away almost instantly at by the magical flames.

"Brother!" exclaimed Distrust.  Her moment of horror was all Rainbow Dash needed.  She ran at the fox, who's fire dimmed due to her lack of focus, and kicked her in the side of the head.  Distrust went flying across the clearing and landed motionless some feet away from where she was standing.

"Dusk!  Save the ponies!" Dash ordered

"On it," he said as his horn began to glow again.  He felt the bubble begin to rise once more.  His breathing became heavy as he hurriedly propelled the shielded ponies out of the tree, just moments before it caved in on itself.  He placed it far away from the still burning remains.  He let the shield spell break.  The three ponies it protected fell to the ground, all three unconscious.

"Applejack? Rarity?  Fluttershy?" said Dash as she walked over to their immobile bodies.  Her heart pounded as she stood over Applejack.  Dash began to slap Applejack in the face.  "Wake up!" she exclaimed.

Applejack jolted upright.  "Huh?  What happened," she said groggily.  "Dash what's goin...." She regained her senses and quickly began to look around.  "Where's Rarity and Fluttershy?"

"Uh...right there," said Dash pointing at the shifting ponies.

"Friends of yours Dash?" asked Crimson Dusk, while taking notice to the jewelry that hung around their necks.  "You have elements too?"

"Yes, we do," replied Rarity as she help the still dazed Fluttershy stand up.

"Why didn't you just use them to save yourselves?" he asked quizzically.

"We can do that?" replied Applejack.

"You...have no idea how to use them do you?" Dusk said disappointedly.

"Give us a break," said Dash.  "We only used them like three times."

Dusk looked down at the ground and chortled.  He caught a movement out of the corner of his eye.  "Dash, I want you to  go on ahead and bring them up to speed on Twilight's condition."

Dash nodded and led her friends away from Dusk.  She turned towards him with a confused look in her magenta eyes.  "Were what those creeps said the truth?  Do you have feelings for me?" she asked.

Dusk looked down in embarrassment.  "We'll talk about it when this is over," was his only reply.  "Now go."

She ran to catch up with her friends.  Dusk turned to look at the recovering fox.  He trotted over to where she was trying to get up.  He kicked her back down to the soft ground. Her hate filled eyes met his.

"Do you know who I am," Dusk asked his injured foe.

"Yes," she coughed weakly.  "You're the idiot that killed my brother."

Dusk lowered his voice to a more threatening tone.  "Think back about two hundred years ago.  You know, when you helped kill my friend.

She thought for a moment, and her eyes widened at the realization of who she was talking too.  "It can't be.  Your supposed to be gone forever," she said unable to hide the fear in her voice.

"Time for some payback," he said as he rose onto his hind legs.

"No! Stop!" she begged.  "We were only following...."  She never got to finish that sentence.  Dusk stomped down hard onto her head.  Her skull cracked open with a wet crunch.  Her body jolted for a brief second before it laid still forever.  Dusk rubbed the blood off his hooves as he stared into the smoldering remains of the oak tree.

"That was for you Apple Orchard," he said solemnly as he picked up his hat.  He stared affectionately at the worn, brown Stetson.  Tears fell from his crimson eyes.  He placed it carefully back on his head, slanting it slightly to the right like his friend used to do.  He examined his wounds.  They'll be fine, thought Dusk as he turned and briskly trotted after his comrades.