Thief of Memories

Chapter 3 - Promise

Catherine Dash had always seen herself as the best of the best. There were people who thought she was cool and morons as far as the Pegasus girl was concerned. She had always tried to impress, to stand out, every second of her life was spent admiring the Wonderbolts or trying to get admired herself. She had gone as far as to dye her hair six colours of the spectrum at age seven in an attempt to be a stand out from the crowd. That had not been enough for the closet ego-freak. She had set her goal nothing short of total perfection. Perfection was being known, getting that next big deal, having your name become known all around the land. Being THE Catherine Dash, THE elite flier, THE Rainbow Dash. She would not halt until everybody in the whole world knew of her. That determination was ironically what was causing her to give up. For ten years since her debut on the flying scene she had tried to be the best. Catherine would always show off. Catherine would always be the one to jump to action instead of thought. If it wanted to work at a different pace to Catherine Dash then it wasn't worth her time. Why would anybody need to bother with something that was trying to slow them down. It was a waste of time to bother with something so trivial. Either you get on the same level as the best, or you get left behind by the best. Catherine Dash was the best as far as Catherine Dash was concerned. Nobody could compare to her pure awesomeness. Nobody was as daring, as brave, as amazingly talented as the spectrum haired Pegasus girl from Cloudsdale. So that is why, in her eyes, nothing could ever go wrong when she was flying.

She was indeed fast. Nothing more than a cyan bolt as she launched herself from rooftop to rooftop with quick flits of her wings. The two blue appendages would drop the occasional feather as Catherine continued her newest daredevil routine. A race from on side of Ponyville to the other, the only rules were that she couldn't touch the ground or stay airborne with the assistance of her wings. Being too 'awesome' to think her route through, Catherine was hardly aware that she had landed on the same rooftop five times so far. Her navigation around town was below standard when at such a low altitude; she still thought her navigation was perfect. It was this foolish idea of her actions so far being perfect, combined with her obsession with performance, that would set the wheels of fate turning. Catherine wanted to push the limit with her next move. She wanted to make the imaginary crowd roar in delight. So she picked up the pace and aimed for the gap in the two rows of buildings that ran parallel down main street. Taking no time for thought, she launched herself over the gap with a single powerful swing of her wings. The dimming light of day had rendered her sight below standard. So the cables hanging overhead were invisible to an eye that was not looking for detail. In other words, the eye of Catherine Dash.

At full speed a single wing caught on the threat. At full speed Catherine continued her journey through the air. At full speed; her wing was ripped from its socket. She screamed and spun out of control, the earth was now a sneering threat below. Waiting for the plummeting Pegasus to shatter against it. The Pegasus girl became a howling, bleeding mess as her rag-doll body continued its journey across the gap. Catherine could do nothing but increase the volume of her pained screeching as her person closed in on its destination. A solid brick wall. She didn't know what to do anymore, her one working wing was jerking spasmodically as she tried to gain flight. Bone jutted from her shoulder from where her wing had detached itself from muscle and tendon, blood leaking from the multiple puncture wounds that had formed. The world was falling apart around her, the sudden stop that would be the wall was approaching faster and faster. Each moment was being carved into her mind as she became ever closer to the moment that would cut her life short and reduce the great Rainbow Dash to nothing more than a spectrum smear on the pavement. The hopelessness began to set in and Catherine Dash, her throat raw from screaming, closed her eyes and put her life in fate's hands.

Fate ruled that she live another day.

A silver flash arced across the skyline. Rainbow hit the wall with a painful crunch; several bones cracked under the force of the impact. But instead of continuing her fatal journey, Rainbow stayed stuck to the wall. Hanging over a killer drop she remained. Rainbow's head was hazy, both from the impact on the wall and the slow blood loss she was now experiencing. Moving her head back ever so sightly Rainbow looked above her for a sign of her sudden stop. It was right there, a visible show of her cheating death. A steel blade wedged in the wall had hooked onto her hood and pinned her in place. The blade was dug impressively far into the brickwork; at least two foot of steel had vanished into the side of the building. Rainbow's head drooped and her vision progressively blurred. A small gathering of people had begun the spill out onto the street. Somebody pointed at Rainbow and shouted something lost in the buzzing that had replaced her basic hearing functions. More and more people came running from their homes to look for the source of the screams. They could all see her. Rainbow wasn't even glad that she had been found. All she could think of was her failure. How she had failed to complete her task. How she had failed to clear the gap. How she had failed herself by screaming like a frightened child. It was pointless to be found by the masses, they would mock her for failing at something so simple. A small trickle of dust sprinkled her hair; Rainbow looked up once again. A boy in a long brown cloak was perched on the edge of the building, a goofy smile across his face.

"Hi there, need anymore help?" He asked. Rainbow looked at him for another second before closing her eyes and drifting into the realm of sleep. With the blade still supporting her life.

*

Bleach. The air stank of bleach and sickness. Riley continued to shuffle the deck of cards he had 'borrowed' from a passing nurse. The spectrum haired Pegasus in the bed was still totally doped out of her mind. A lingering effect of critical condition surgery. Her wing had been shredded beyond recognition when he had brought her into the hospital, now it looked more like a cart had crushed it but it was a definite improvement on the previous state it had been in. Riley checked his watch; five minutes had passed since he had sent the message to Tabitha. He had expected her response to be faster. Maybe he had misjudged her after all. The door the hospital room practically exploded off the frame and five girls, one of whom was carrying a boy, barreled into the room one after the other. They breezed past Riley as he reshuffled the deck for the tenth time. They immediately crowded around the drugged out Pegasus girl that was lying in bed. Most of them clutching small gifts that they had no doubt intended for their sick friend. Riley, not wanting to draw attention to himself, stayed where her was and observed the new targets. Amoungst them were two familiar faces that belonged to Tabitha Sparx and Patrick Sikes. The rest were new, Riley liked new people.

The first had bubblegum pink hair and bounced around like she was being supplied with constant adrenal injections. The second had blonde hair tied in a ponytail and a Stetson hat that was pulled forward on her head, she also had a pistol strapped to her waist. The third had lavender curls - why did all the girls in this town have weird hair colours? - that looked like they had been washed obsessively. Riley made a note of her broach, it was glowing faintly indicating that it was a Unicorn's wand. So the lavender one was a Unicorn. The fourth was a Pegasus with yellow wings, her hair was longer than the other members of the group and a pale pink colour. The final unknown face was the one that Riley had gone through all the effort to save. The cyan winged Pegasus that was still in the process of tripping total balls from the dosage of morphine that had been supplied to her. Riley completed his mental note of the group and filed away the information for use at a later date. It was time for the thief to do what a thief does best. Taking the most valuable thing from his mark.

"Excuse me." He said softly; garnering a good response from the gaggle of girls. "I do believe most of us have yet to meet."

The first to respond was Spike. "Riley!!!" He shouted. "You son of a bitch! Do you realise what you did?!"

"I'm sorry Patrick, I thought I was helping you to tell your best friend of a new stage in your life."

Surprisingly, the blonde spoke. "I always though that Spike here wasn't like that, I was suspecting the opposite from the little guy."

"A-A-Applejack!!" Spike stammered.

"Yeah!" The hyperactive girl squealed. "We were certain that he didn't go THAT way!"

"GUUUUUUUUUUUUUYSSSS!!!!!"

"I fully support Spikey-Wikey on his new found lifestyle." The Unicorn said. "I never though he was inclined in that direction however."

"Even you Rarity....?"

"I'm just proud of Spike on finding who he really is." The Pegasus, who wasn't passed out on a hospital bed, whispered. "I hope he enjoys himself and finds his special somebody in due time."

"GAAAAAAH!" Spike groaned. "Why meeeeeee?!"

Riley felt like it was time for him to intervene. "Can I ask what this is about?"

"Its about you plantin' the wrong idea in Twi's head!" Spike growled. "I've had nothing but trouble all day!"

"What idea do you mean?"

"The idea that I like dudes!!!"

Riley stared at the teenage Draco for a second. "What?"

"Don't you remember what you said?"

"I remember saying that Twilight would support you no matter what, at no point did I say that you like guys." Riley paused. "Do any of you know a girl who might go under the name Bloom?"

The blonde girl raised a hand. "She's my lil' sis. Why?"

Riley could no longer contain his joy. "Oh me oh my! I really have clouded the issue haven't I? Never before has something been so miraculously misconceived!"

"What in the heck are you talkin' about?" The blonde girl asked.

"Spike doesn't like guys." A collective sigh from the group of girls punctured by a 'hey!' from Spike. "However he does have something else."

"What would that be?"

"I think you might want to tell her Patrick, sooner rather than later." Spike looked around desperately; hoping for an escape route. There was nothing available.

"Applejack..." He began; all the while looking for the smallest chance to escape. "I'm kinda.. Dating your sister..."

Quiet. The most awkward and glorious quiet to ever grace Equestria. The lack of sound was so great that you could almost hear Applejack's eye twitching. Riley was having internal giggle fits; as a side effect from the total deviation of the situation from his original goal. Applejack removed her hat and spun it betwixt her fingers. She was in deep thought, or as Riley would put it, the perfect target.

"Excuse me?" Riley said as he moved in for the kill. "Could you tell me your name?"

"Me?" The blonde murmured, still fiddling with her Stetson.

"Yes you, as a formality to you all I think it is fair to introduce myself." Riley wiped some invisible dirt from his cloak. "My name is Riley Alexander. For the time being I will be residing in Miss Sparx's home, until I move on or find a home of my own. But for the duration of my stay I was hoping to make some..." Riley paused, his eyes darkened. "...Friends; that I can..." Another pause. "...Get to know a little better." The cloaked boy coughed hard into his hand, a small smattering of blood was on his palm. Riley slid his hand back under his cloak to hide the red stain. Applejack continued to twist her hat into various shapes; her eyes darting all around the room. Twilight's attention was drawn to her companion's sudden shift in mood. The previously active Earth-Dweller was starting to fall into herself. Riley's ruby eyes were dyed a bloody red; his hand constantly stroking his gun as if he were anticipating something.

"I ask you again what is your name?"

No reply.

"What is your name?"

Applejack's heart pumped faster and faster.

"One last chance; what is your name?"

That's when the screaming started.

*

"C'mon Jackie, we're gonna be late!"

"Ah'm coming Dana, Ah'm coming!"

"Well move it slowpoke!"

I continued my run up the side of the mountain. The wind was a cooling ripple on my face and the birdsong was my own personal choir. Dana ran ahead of me; brandishing her Stetson hat in one hand and a rope in the other. It was time once again for us to watch the sunrise. We did it every Saturday without fail. I would wake up before the cock even had a chance to prepare his beak for calling. It had become somewhat of an obsession on our part to get the best possible views for the rising of the sun.

Me and my friend Dana.

Our search had brought us all over Ponyville. From the top of my family's barn to the bottom of the creek and even to the top of mount Sera. We had to find all of the best places to see the magnificent ball of fire rise above the horizon. It had become less of a game and more of a task. Each week we had to find a new place to look at the rising sun. Today we had decided on Purgatory Rock, a monolithic stone just outside of Ponyville. The legend about the stone was that in the dawn of The Age of the Immortal Sisters several traitors to the law that had been enforced were executed as an example to those who may think of inciting another rebellion. Because that's how the world works, the noble rebels that fought for freewill deny another kind of freewill to the one they enforce. I dragged my way out of the depressing thought pattern I had discovered by keeping my eye in the path ahead. It was so close now. The sunrise waited at the peak of Purgatory Rock.

Dana was several times more athletic than me; already at the peak she inhaled the crisp winter air. Her magnificent frame illuminated by the approaching dawn.

"Hurry Jackie, its starting!" Dana called. I covered the last few steps to reach the top. Just in time. The light of dawn flowed forth onto the land. Each ray of light beckoning the start of the day; purging the shadows that held faith in the night. Birdsong started a crescendo of tweets and twitters, the occasional dart of movement as one took flight. Fawns nosed their way out of the brush with vigilant does flanked by stags with impressive horns. This was the land of Equestria as it should be; peaceful beyond words. This was my world. I was gonna seize it with both hands. Me and Dana, together forever. Dana's face cracked into her wicked smile. Yeah, the world better be ready for us.

"Hey Dana?" I asked.

"Yeah Jackie?"

"Have you ever thought about, love?"

Dana's laugh chimed. "I know we're good buddies Jack but I just don't feel that way."

"That is not what I meant!" I said sharply. "I mean have you ever thought about what you see as love?"

"Darn it Jackie, we don't need to think 'bout that kinda crap yet! We're barely even outta school!"

"I guess your right Dana." Jackie tugged at her short blonde hair. "Its just been buggin' me that's all."

Dana clapped me on the back. "Why? Your only eighteen Jackie; that kinda grief shouldn't bother you. Yet." Dana continued her smiling. "'Sides what's the hurry to find love nowadays? People just need to slow it up and learn to enjoy the time you got to yourself. Before you gotta devote yourself to another." I looked Dana in the eyes; her green bulbs stared back. For all of her aestheticism and obsession with fitness, she knew just what to say to me.

The sun had risen high enough into the sky for us to call our mission a success. We had once again watched the sunset from a new location in Ponyville. Now come the climb back down.

"We better head home Dana, careful now, this place don't look all that stable."

"Now where is the fun in that?" Dana laughed. "Race ya down!" She was off like a rocket; charging her way down the side of the massive stone formation.

"D-Dana! Don't do that!" I shrieked."You're gonna get hurt!" But she was still flying down the cliff-face. It was now that I understood the scale of where we were. All along the path jagged stakes jutted from the surface of the rock. It was a deathtrap if you weren't taking the right care. Dana was clearly not taking that care. "DANA!!" I screamed. "FOR FUCK SAKE STOP IT!"

"Don't fret Jackie! What's the worst..."

That was the last thing she said before she tripped. It was like something out of a nightmare. One second Dana was smiling and happy; streaking down the side of Purgatory Rock. The next Dana was in the air; a hideously out of place smile still across her face. Her body dropped out of view. Oh my god. No. This wasn't right, this wasn't what was supposed to happen! This is a dream. Gonna wake up any second.

A scream. A single, mind-shattering, soul-rending scream. I was off so fast I was imitating a bolt of lightning. All of the cautionary words I had supplied Dana with were now just hypocritical memos in the back of my head. I didn't give a fuck if I followed her in the same way; I was getting to Dana. The crack in the ground that Dana failed to see nearly felled me in a similar manner. It was by chance that I stepped over it. No precision, no planning. Luck had separated me from the same fate as Dana. But as I saw the drop she had suffered my blood ran cold. It was a gigantic fall. We hadn't taken this way up for a good reason; that being that it was a fatal fall and we had no climbing gear.

Dana had fallen down that same drop.

I followed gingerly, finding what little handholds were on the sheer wall of rock.

This was fear. This was how I was going to die.

The minutes crept by like hours. Nothing was in the air now. The birds had stopped their singing and the air was still. Even the regular barbs of the early winter morning air had faded away. The world as in suspense. I was constantly aware that if I lost my grip for a second; it was over. My decent was at no point speeding up from the steady crawl that it was. The ground wasn't far now; but why risk it? Dana had risked it and look at what had had happened to her. Oh god Dana; why didn't you listen to me? The barbarically long climb finally came to an end, my feet planted firmly on the ground. Now I look for Dana. A search that didn't last very long. A slowly expanding sticky puddle was at the bottom of the cliff. I simply followed it with my eyes; Dana was at the origin. I lost it. My thoughts, my stomach, my nerve, my sanity. If it was there I lost it at the sight of Dana. Her body. Her fantastically crafted body. Oh my god.

I felt ashamed for doing it, but I vomited at the sight of her. What had once been beauty had been mangled into a grotesque state of blood and bone. Her legs were totally destroyed, bones jutting out from impossible angles beneath her skin, like demented spears that her body had made. One of her arms was clearly dislocated from every possible joint it could have locked into. The other had escaped the worst of the fall but still looked vile. Dana's face was the worst, with one half having been ripped beyond recognition. This wasn't happening. It was a dream that I was just taking extra long to wake up from. I had missed my alarm and Dana was probably on her way to the farm to scold me for breaking our tradition that we had upheld for so long. Yeah, that was it. Dana wasn't hurt. She was fine. Dana can't die. She can't die!

"Jackie, is that you?"

No way. "D-Dana?" I choked through the growing tears.

"Yeah." She answered weakly. "Its me ya knuckle-head... How you doing?"

"Dana, please don't talk we need to get you some help!"

Dana did what I assume was shaking her head. "Nah girl, its no use. I'm done."

"DON'T SAY THAT!" I screamed, the tears finally breaking through. "DANA DON'T SAY THAT! YOU ARE GOING TO BE FINE OKAY? Okay..?"

"Jackie." Dana whispered. "Shut up and come here." I obeyed her without question. "Now listen to me Jackie and listen good. You and me both know that I don't got anytime left. That little stunt I just did is gonna cost me my life." I was sobbing freely now. "But you listen to me alright? Don't let it consume you. What happened here wasn't your fault girl. You were telling me the honest to god truth and I chose to ignore that."

"D-D-Dana.."

"Jackie!" Dana hacked up a small glob of blood. "Listen to me! What you said to me up there coulda saved me; had I chose to pay attention to you. Now I've known you for so many years, since we were running around in our small clothes at birhday parties. Not once have you ever lied to me about anything. Not when you stole from people, not when you hurt people, not even when you tried to sabotage my science project out of jealousy." Dana laughed, a lagged pained laugh. "We've been bestest buds no matter the odds, all cause I could always rely on you to pull me out of a jam." Dana's closed her eyes. "Jackie." She muttered. "I don't wanna die."

"Nobody does Dana."  I said though my weeping. "Nobody does."

"But I don't wanna leave you. Not now and not ever." Dana's breathing became slower and slower. "Jackie, I know its not your birthday yet but I have a gift for ya."

"What are you talking about Dana?"

Dana's only working hand began to move. She was clearly in pain while doing this. Clutched in that hand though, was her Stetson hat. Dana moved it labourisly over to my chest and pushed it firmly onto my person. Her fading green eyes began to open and shut rhythmically, but they stayed locked to my face.

"Why do you keep your hair short like that Jackie? I think... you would look bea... beautiful with longer hair... Keep that hat darlin', a last gift from me..." Dana started to slacken.

"Don't you ever.. Forget about me.. Jackie..."

With that final statement; Dana's body became still.

My world became a haze, my tears still tumbling down my face. This would be the part in books where the saddened character would bury their head in there hands and bawl like a baby. Dana wouldn't want that from me. So I cried. I cried more than I have or ever will cry. But I never screamed into the heavens; cursing them for stealing Dana away. I did the only thing I could do. I placed her Stetson hat on my head to try and cover the streaming tears. Then I mustered up my courage and scooped up Dana's ruined body. Yeah, she stank of blood and shite. Yeah, she was dead and looked horrific. But she was my Dana. My beautiful friend Dana.

I will never forget you Dana. Not now, not never.

*

Riley stumbled away from Applejack with a satisfied grimace on his face. That was a good one. But not good enough, he needed one that could make even the strongest man quake in their boots. Applejack's sobbing could be heard clearly as she kept her face buried in her hat. The group was trying to console her.

"AJ! I know this is sudden but I didn't think that finding out would make you cry!" Spike yelped.

"Oh oh oh! Unless she's crying out of joy in which case, hooray for Applejack!" The pink haired one whooped

Applejack's sobbing turned to a slow giggle. "Yeah, yeah. I guess I am cryin' cause I'm happy." She removed her hat from her face and looked up at Riley. "Now I don't know who the heck you are mister, but y'all just helped me a great deal. I was about to break a promise I made a long time back." Applejack held out a hand to Riley. He shook it with a grin. "My name is Jackie Apple, Applejack to most. Let me be the first to say thank you for everything you have done for us already."

"I am flattered, really, but I haven't done anything." Riley said.

"Y'all brought in Rainbow to the hospital when she got hurt and now I can remember somebody I swore never to forget. I don't know what kind of help you think you need to give, but this is just fine."

The pink one nearly took in a whole atmosphere; her inhalation was so large. "soyouarenew?That'sgreatcauseIlovenewpeopleintowncausetheystillhavetomeetmeandIstillhavetomeetthemsowhenwemeetinthestreetIcangreetandthenwecaneatsomethingsweetandgettoknoweachotherandPARTY!!!" She burst in one flowing sentence. Riley wasn't too sure how to react to her hyperactive explosion. Did she have ADHD or something? Before Riley could even open his mouth she grabbed him by the wrist. "C'mon! I need to go introduce you to everybody in town!"

"Whu-What!?" Riley gasped as he was dragged out of the room by the surprisingly strong girl.

Applejack laughed. "I better follow them and keep that poor guy safe. Say hi to Rainbow for me when she wakes up."

Riley continued to struggle against his captor's vice like grip. This was not a good time, he was weakened and he didn't want to draw attention to himself. This pink-headed dunce could ruin everything! So against his better will Riley chose to say the first thing that popped into his head.

"Do you like swords?"

When the his pink-haired captor's smile grew even wider; he knew he had just made a massive mistake.