The Few That Lived

Swift slowly walked up to the pair’s side,“Sorry about that, I didn’t think he’d get so pissed about it.” She said,

“You should have seen him when he realized Twilight wasn’t where he left her.” Pyro said, “You are still going to die by my hands though.”

“Eh, anyways, sorry for interrupting you two, I know I wouldn’t want that to happen to me,” She said, “but, I’m just really nosy.”

“Hmm... I’ve never met a strong-and-silent nosy pony before.” Pyro said, grinning an evil grin “But instead of killing you, I’ve decided to interrupt every time you try to do ‘that’.”

“None of the mares here are that good-looking anyway.” She said, gesturing towards the other mares.

“I never said anything about ma- wait, what?” Pyro said, astonished at what just left Swift’s lips,

“Oh, jail me.” Swift growled, “So what if I like mares instead of stallions?” She said, getting face to face with Pyro.

“I’ve got nothing against that. It’s just that I wouldn’t have guessed.”  Pyro said, putting his forelegs in an X pattern on his chest, then letting them go to their original positions,

“Yeah, well most ponies do.” She said, “I’m not gonna have some nasty stallion treat me like a rag doll.”

“That’s perfectly fine with me.” Pyro said, “And not all stallions are nasty.”

“I know that, it’s just...” Swift stopped, “Nevermind, I don’t want to talk about it.”

Swift turned and walked away, not looking back.

Butterscotch noticed Swift’s cutie mark, which she hadn’t seen until now, it was a sniper rifle’s crosshairs.

“What do you think that means?” Butterscotch asked, turning to her coltfriend.

“Her attitude or her cutie mark?” Pyro said as he saw what his marefriend was looking at, “If it’s the attitude, I think you should know more that any of us.”

“No, her cutie mark.” Butterscotch said, “I’ve never seen one like that.”

“It either means she has great accuracy, or she’s a mercenary.” Pyro said, “I think it’s the former.”

Swift turned around quickly with a scowling look in her eyes, “I’m an assassin! Big difference!” she shouted, alerting everypony in the camp, who all just stared, except for Shining Armor, who kept doing what he was doing.

“Well, not really. They both kill people, sometimes for money, sometimes for personal reasons.” Pyro said, “I did just compliment you, you know.”

The mare stomped up to him,

“No, mercenaries will do anything to kill their target, bombs, shootings, robberies.” She explained, “An Assassin-”

“Is a silent, unnoticed, clean killer, yes I know, but I meant it’s the same principal. Pyro clarified, “I still think the Cutie Mark was for your accuracy.”

“Right, thank you.” She said,

“You are most welcome.” Pyro said, “Now, what should we do at the moment. I don’t think I should talk to Shining and he’s the one who’s leading us.”

“Yeah, he’s pretty fumed.” Swift said, “He shouldn’t be so angry.”

“Well, he did say that we couldn’t do ‘that’ and I was playing with him the whole time.” Pyro said as he rubbed the back of his neck, “But he’s funny when he’s angry.”

“Oh, you should have seen him when I screwed up on my second job.” Swift said, “Now that’s a pony you wouldn’t want to mess with.”

“Ah, so you two have history together.” Pyro said, smiling, “That’s helpful.”

“Yeah, ‘Captain of the royal guard’ over there treated us like dirt, worse than some of their elites.” She said, “There used to be more of us, we had made a group and we were trying to go to manehattan, but it was completely overrun. We lost three of us there, me and the four others fell apart after that, we ended up parting ways.” She explained.

“Yes, sort of like my story.” Pyro said, “But seriously, what are we going to do?”

“About Shining?” She asked,

“No, I mean what can we do right now to be productive?” Pyro said,

“Oh, I was helping Shining a few minutes ago, you guys can probably just-”

“TROTTERS!!!” Cinnamon’s voice rang through the camp,

Cinnamon ran back to the others, out of breath and sweating, “Big group of ‘em, more than thirty or forty, about a hundred yards away and their gaining fast.”

“Crap, we need to pack the camp up.” Pyro said, silently cursing “I had to ask to be productive.”

“Start packing. Fast.” Shining ordered, “Butterscotch, take down the tents, Rainbow Dash and Applejack, grab some of the bags, you too Pyro. Pinkie Pie, Cinnamon and I will gather as much water as possible.” he turned to Swift, who was calmly cleaning the muzzle of a small pistol, “Do that if any get too close.”

The group nodded and began to pack as fast as they could, each one of them doing their jobs.

“Seventy yards.” Swift said, looking through a sniper rifle’s scope, which was detached from the actual rifle. She now had her hoodie and backpack on, covering her up again.

HA, you have to eat,

“This isn’t helping, let me make a trench loaded with explosives.” Pyro said as he turned to Shining, “It’ll down at least twenty of them.”

“Oh sure,” Shining said, “Let’s fill a hole full of explosives that we DON’T HAVE.”

“Who said we didn’t have any explosives? all you need is pressure and a container.” Pyro said,

“Yeah, let’s take ten minutes doing that.” Swift said, “Just do what he says!”

“We can use magic to heat the particles inside-

Butterscotch put her hoof over his mouth, “Let’s just go, it’ll be easier, we’re faster than them anyways, we can hit them on the run.”

Pyro rubbed his temples in frustration, “FINE, but don’t say I didn’t do anything to help.” He said as he used his magic to put things away quickly and orderly,

“They’re getting awfully close.” Swift said, “You guys got twenty seconds max.”

“C’mon guys!” Rainbow Dash said, speeding around camp to help everypony. “Let’s step up our game!”

“You know I’ve said that before.” Pyro said, getting antsy,

“Alright!” Shining said, packing up the last bag. “Let’s go!”

“Right behind ‘ya.” Pyro said, literally right behind Shining,

Everypony else followed, sprinting downhill further towards their destination.

“Don’t stop!” Swift yelled, “They’re right behind us!”

“Well then, shoot them down!” Pyro said as he lifted her onto his back

Swift fired four times, taking down four of them in the process.

“Huh, maybe you’re right about my Cutie Mark, maybe it is my aim.” She said, covering her eyes with a hoof and firing blindly, hitting two in the shoulder and stomach then firing into the ground right next to Pyro’s hooves.

“Don’t fool around right now, we’re ia life-and-death situation REMEMBER!” Pyro yelled, “Use your eyes.”

“Fine, Just trying to have a little fun.” She said, flipping her hood down, pulling a larger weapon out of her backpack and firing into the crowd, it was fully automatic now.

“You can have fun when you’re dead.” Pyro said, “Unless you are having fun right now. If so, be my guest.

“Just keep running!” Shining said,

“Butterscotch! Rainbow Dash!” Cinnamon said, “Can you distract them from the air?”

The two pegasi nodded and flew backwards, over the horde of trotters, getting a few of their attention and getting them away from the group.

“What are we going to do after we outrun them?” Pyro asked,

“Good question!” Shining said, “We’ll find out when we do!”

“Forget this!” Rainbow Dash yelled, “Why can’t we just stop and fight ‘em?”

“Because we’ll get mauled if we do!” Shining yelled, “Just keep going!”

Pinkie Pie huffed and puffed as she fell behind from the group, she was out of shape and completely pooped, she couldn’t keep going much longer.

“Wait up you guys!” She said,

“Oh for the love of-” Cinnamon said, dropping back and grabbing Pinkie with his magic,

Say it was bad luck, say it was fate, but a rock had to come right then.

Cinnamon’s hoof collided with a small rock on the path, launching Pinkie Pie forwards and sending him crashing to the ground.

“Dammit.” Swift muttered, jumping off of Pyro’s back and executing a perfect backwards roll and jumping up with the submachine gun in her hooves.

“Shit, Cinnamon!” Pyro yelled, but he didn’t stop running,

“We gotta stop!” Butterscotch yelled, stopping herself and Rainbow Dash,

“If you do, you’ll end up like him.” Pyro said as he picked Butterscotch up with his magic,

“Stop it!” Butterscotch yelled, “We have to at least try!”

Rainbow Dash swooped down and grabbed Swift, who kept shooting into the crowd, “He’s getting up!” She yelled, “We can still help him!”

“Not if you value your life! They’re too close to let us help and not be harmed.” Pyro said, not even glancing back,

“Let me down, or else!” Butterscotch threatened,

“Not going to happen!” Pyro said, “I’m not letting you kill yourself!”

“Damn pegasus...” Swift muttered, “Get down lower!”

“I’m trying!” Rainbow Dash yelled, “You’re not the lightest of ponies!”

Swift fumbled through her bag with one hoof, pulling out a small, cylindrical object.

“Now fly!” Swift yelled, pulling a pin off of the cylinder and throwing it towards the crowd of Trotters.

“What’d you just throw?” Pyro said, finally looking back,

“Nothing!” Swift said, jumping back down and running by Pyro’s side, “Just a little present.”

BOOOOOMMM!!!!!!

The sound erupted behind them, for such a small object, it packed quite the punch.

“You see, explosives work perfectly fine, and take about five seconds to make.” Pyro said, “We wouldn’t have this problem if I’d made them before.”

“I had that one for awhile, I only had one, so we might as well try to help him now, or it will just be a waste.” Swift said, stopping and turning back

“Well then, let’s get to it.” Pyro said as he turned around, he also let Butterscotch down, “You can help now.”

“Buck you.” Butterscotch said.

“Fine, be that way.” Pyro said as he reached Cinnamon, “You’d better not be dead.”

“Oh I’m just freaking brilliant,” Cinnamon said, “My body feels like I was just thrown into the side of a cliff.” He turned to Swift,

“Hey, I saved you!” Swift said, “The least you could say was thank you”

“I would, but...” He turned over, revealing a large blood spot with two black and yellow teeth sticking out of the wound, “I think I’m gonna die.”

“BACK OFF!” Pyro yelled at oncoming trotters, “Unless you want to be ash.”

The trotters, to everypony’s surprise, ran off.

“So, anypony got an antidote?” Cinnamon asked,

“Sorry, not me.” Swift said,

“Not in our group.” Shining said, pulling back the hammer on his revolver.

“There’s an antidote?” Pyro asked, seriously confused,

“No, not that anypony knows of.” Swift said, “Even in the science lab where I got the Dragon... stuff.”

“Bucking awesome.” Cinnamon said, laying on his back.

“You guys better hurry, they’re not going to leave quietly.” Pyro said, as he burned a trotter to cinders, with two more behind it,

“Just let ‘em get-”

Cinnamon’s head exploded, spraying chunks of brain and a shower of blood all over the group.

“Great, let’s go, NOW.” Pyro said, he officially turned his forelegs into makeshift flamethrowers at this point, spewing flames onto any trotter in range,

“Who the hell did that?” Swift asked, turning to the group, none of them had a gun out.

“‘Allo Swift.” A voice said,

The other trotters fell to the ground with only one shot.

Swift turned to see a large brown stallion, with a black mane and an eye patch covering his left eye.

“Hello, Riot.” Swift said, “Come to kill me?”

“Oh, I was, but I guess I can make room in my schedule for your friends.” Riot said, “The mares I might keep for a bit, though.”

“Who’s this motherbucker?” Pyro asked,

Swift looked over at Pyro and pointed a hoof at Riot, “That is a mercenary.” She said, “Don’t assume that he’s who he seems to be either.” She pointed at his flank, which held no Cutie mark

“Whoever it is,” Pyro said as he turned one foreleg towards Riot, “It can be killed with fire.”

“No, it can’t actually.” She said,

Just after Swift said that, Riot changed his appearance into an exact copy of Pyro, lighting his own hooves on fire.

“He’s a Changeling!” Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Shining Armor all shouted in unison.

“There’s two things a changeling can’t copy.” Pyro said, closing his eyes and turning towards Riot, “One thing is true emotions.”

“Oh, I’m Pyro and I loooooooooooooovvvee Butterscotch.” Riot said, “I have your memory though.”

“Oh yeah, then what do you think is the thing a changeling can’t copy?” Pyro asked, a smile creeping to his lips,

“What’s that?” Riot asked, changing his appearance to Shining Armor.

Pyro opened his very deep blue eyes, which were ablaze with the fire of rage.

“Knowledge.” Blue Flare said, “The knowledge that was only passed down through blood.”

Blue Flare lit Riot up showing no signs of backing down, the fire was white due to the temperature it was.

Riot dodged a few punches, but quickly found himself on his back, pinned to the ground.

Blue Flare raised his hoof for one last punch when Riot changed himself into an injured and crying Butterscotch, which stopped Blue cold.

“How long do you think that will stop me?” Blue Flare said, his eyes like iron, “Can’t you see it in my eyes? The blinding bloodlust of vengeance.”

“Vengeance to who?”

“The pony you just killed not one minute before.” Blue Flare said,

“Oh, I’m soooo sorry, Was that your coltfriend?” He asked, kicking Pyro off of him,

“Sure, he was a colt, and a friend.” Blue Flare said, “And he was better than you in every way.”

Swift came up behind Riot and tackled him, slamming him into the ground and putting a pistol barrel under his chin.

“This isn’t your fight!” Swift yelled at Blue Flare with tears in her eyes. “Back off and stop trying to help!”

Riot smacked the gun away and smashed Swift across the face with his hoof, jumping on top of her and trying to reach for her gun.

“What do you mean it’s not my fight?” Pyro asked, extinguishing all flames“I knew Cinnamon longer than you did.”

Shining Armor walked up behind Pyro and put a hoof on his shoulder, “She has a score to settle, you wouldn’t believe what things he’s done to her.”

“I could take a wild guess.” Pyro said, his eyes growing wide,

Swift kicked the gun further away from the two, so it was far out of Riot’s reach,

She grabbed him by the shoulders and smashed her head into his, knocking him off and dazing him.

“That hurt more than anticipated...” Swift said, wobbling back and forth as she held her head.

“Come over here, you bitch.” Riot said, changing his appearance into his normal changeling form and drawing a large knife from a satchel on his back,

“Why don’t you put that down, and fight like a real stallion.” Swift said, shaking her head to regain her composure.

“If you haven’t noticed, I’m not a pony.” He said, jabbing at her with the knife.

Swift dodged the sudden attack and smacked him over the head, making him stop and growl at her in frustration,

“You’ve gotten better at this, Swifty.” Riot said, “Only if you would have been like this when I came to your house the first time.”

Swift stopped and picked up a knife of her own, “Don’t talk about that.” She growled,

“Talk about what?” Riot asked like he didn’t know, “You mean the night when I slaughtered-”

Swift dove at him and swung her knife wildly, trying desperately to hit him.

The two moved quickly at each other at the same time, smashing into each other with their knives raised.

The sound of metal piercing flesh echoed throughout the war ground.

The two ponies stood there for a second, staring into each others eyes. Blood dripped down from between them, soaking both of their bellies. They both looked down at the same time, trying to find out which one was hit. Swift looked up first, followed by Riot, both of them smiled.

Then Swift collapsed.

The knife had been driven deep into her belly, blood surged from it like some kind of demented fountain. Swift’s eyes were glazed over with tears, and her chest rose and fell very quickly. Riot stood there for a few seconds, looking down at Swift like she was a kind of prize, or a trophy.

“Go on, attack, see if you don’t join her.” He said, slowly backing away and picking up Swift’s backpack,

Swift looked up at the group and opened her mouth slowly, letting some blood drip out, then mouthing the word: “Run.”

Blue Flare wasn’t a pony to disobey another dying pony’s wishes. He bolted after the understanding was reached.

Swift began to laugh after the others took off, she didn’t want them to share her fate.

“What’s so funny?” Riot asked, approaching her,

“Oh, I always knew you were ignorant Riot, but wow.” She said, coughing on her own blood.

The changeling punched her across the face with tremendous force, almost enough to break her jaw.

“What do you mean?” He asked,

Swift took her hoof and put it on the earth under her back, feeling around for her prize and savior.

“This is what I mean” At that exact moment, she pulled her hoof out from under her, raising her gun and pulling the trigger.

The bullet made a new home, right in Riot’s skull.

Swift watched him fall, she felt like she needed to shoot him again, but she knew that would be wasting ammo, the others would be back soon enough.

The mare began to laugh maniacally as she ripped the knife out of her and wrapped gauze around her new wound, she would have something else to show off now, if things ever returned to normal.

She popped the tip off of a syringe and poked it into her stomach, near the stab wound. It instantly made her feel woozy.

Rainbow Dash came into her vision first, she blurred out every time she made a movement, and her voice seemed to echo and slur.

“Good going, girl.” Rainbow Dash said,