Behind the Bleeding Veil

Flash, Adagio, Pinkie, Sonata, and Applejack sat in the lobby of the Emergency Room. All were solemn and silent. Fear and sadness filled their souls. Flash and Adagio had been the first to arrive with their respective partner. Each was surprised to see the other since neither had contacted anyone else about what had happened. They quickly came to the horrifying realization that Twilight and Sunset were both stricken with the same affliction which seemed both improbable and to denote something major and horrible was going on. Flash called Apple Jack and Adagio called Pinkie and Sonata. All three rushed over as fast as they could.

Initially Flash and Adagio were inundated with questions from the others as to what was going on. The two recounted what had happened, that Twilight and Sunset had just fainted and fell into a coma. They talked, asked doctors and nurses what going on, how they were doing, and then talked among each other again before falling silent and sitting down.

They just sat there for almost an hour. Finally Apple Jack spoke up. "So, I guess we can all assume this a magical attack then? I mean, we've danced around it earlier, but that's what this is right?"

Adagio who had just been looking at the floor, looked up and said flatly, "Yes. I felt it as soon as I saw Flash here. And whoever is behind this, they're dealing with some very powerful magic. They were able to take out the living incarnations of the Goddesses. That's something not even Chrysalis could do. This is next level and the ones who could actually take it on are out of it."

Everyone shivered at the implication of Adagio's words. What force could have enough power to take out the Goddesses and how could they possibly fight back without them?

"Could it be Morgorith?" Sonata asked meekly.

"No, he's dead. We all saw him die. Well I guess we saw the temple collapse when he died," Flash said slowly as he was sorting out his thoughts while he spoke. "And like Adagio said; if he or his cult had this power, they would have used it before." He paused to weigh his next words. "This is war. This is an act of war and they made the first strike the most brutal and strategic. They took out our leaders and heaviest hitters. This isn't 'shock and awe' this is a full on nuclear strike."

"So what do we do?" Pinkie asked scared but somewhat excited.

"We prepare for war," Adagio said without emotion but with total conviction. "We have to. we have no other option. I doubt if we stand a chance but we have to go down fighting. Something this powerful? - we can't let this go."

"So how do we do that?" Apple Jack asked annoyed and depressed. It was easy to say go to war but how do you actually do that given you had no idea who the enemy was?

"For now go home," Adagio replied. "There's nothing we can do now. One thing we have to do is try to see if we can access our former powers. Also someone needs to contact Fluttershy."

"We will," Pinkie offered. "At least we'll try. She's blocked us on all her social media sites."

"Do your best," Adagio answered back.

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Pinkie and Sonata pulled into their parking spot on campus. Neither said a word the whole way back. What could they say? What was there to say? They were at a total loss. Back in high school it would have been easy, simple. They would have gotten the gang together, figured things out, pony up, blast the baddies, and go home for milk and cookies. This was different. Rarity and Rainbow Dash were dead, Fluttershy was not talking to them, and Twilight and Sunset were taken out of commission. The threads that had bound them all had frayed and broken. The power of friendship had failed.

They got out of the car and started to walk to their dorm when they suddenly heard a giant swooshing. Pinkie looked over to where Sonata was and she was gone. Then she heard Sonata screaming in terror. Pinkie looked up and saw Sonata being lifted into the air by some winged creature.

Sonata screamed and hit at the thing that held her in it's talons. She couldn't tell much about it, only that it was a female of some sorts. "LET ME DOWN! LET ME DOWN!" she screamed.

The thing bent itself to look down at her. Even though it's face was mutated; there was no mistaking who it was. It was Fluttershy!

"You want down?" she sneered. "Ok." And with that, she let go and Sonata fell to the hard asphalt bellow. Her body burst like a water balloon upon impact. Blood, guts, and bone splattered everywhere.

Pinkie ran over to the mess that had been Sonata, fell to her knees beside it and began crying and wailing. Fluttershy landed on the other side of the remains, directly in front of Pinkie.

"Hello old friend," she said sweetly.

Pinkie screamed and jumped up. She attacked Fluttershy with all she had but was no match for her in her demonic state. Fluttershy easily beat Pinkie down, held both her wrists behind her back with one hand, and forced Pinkie's mouth to her left nipple. A thick, blood like substance started to ooze from it.

"Drink it, drink it," Fluttershy said calmly but firmly.

Pinkie tried to resist but she couldn't breathe. Her lungs began to burn, she could feel herself begin to black out. She tried to gasp and that's when the fluid got in her mouth. It soundly felt like there were millions of maggots crawling all through her body. At first she was terrified, then a peace came over her and she began to suckle willingly from Fluttershy's breast.

Fluttershy let go of Pinkie's wrists and Pinkie put her hands on Fluttershy's hips. Fluttershy smiled and pulled Pinkie's head back. The irises of Pinkie's eyes were gone. All they were now were white orbs with little black dots in their centers.

"That's enough now," Fluttershy said gently.

Pinkie stood up, wiping her mouth. "So what do you want me to do?" she asked in her normal, happy voice.

"Go back to the hospital, kill Twilight and Sunset. I have them out but not down and I can't risk anyone finding a way to reverse my spell. We've defeated too many villains who got cocky; I have no desire to be one of them. After that, kill Adagio and Flash. Then, kill who ever you want. I've freed you now, so just enjoy yourself after you've accomplished your mission, alright?"

"Okie dookie wookie," Pinkie said cheerfully. She turned around and started back to her car. She stopped halfway there and turned around. "I'm going to kill you next," she said happily.

Fluttershy smiled. "I wouldn't expect anything less," she said and took off in to the sky. She had to make it to Apple Jack's as soon as possible.