Equestria's Doom

Healing Hoof watched her new friend writhe on the ground after drinking Zecora’s potion of sacrifice.

Her convulsions continued for a few trepid moments and then came to a standstill.

Zecora’s basement was eerily quiet without the sound of Rainbow Dash’s convulsions to fill the chamber. The stairs to the exit of the basement were empty save for a few bugs and the door remained shut, Zecora herself nowhere to be seen. It was only Fluttershy, Healing Hoof and then the now-comatose Rainbow Dash on the floor before their hooves. Healing Hoof allowed herself to release a breath she didn’t know she was holding from the tension of wondering if Dash was simply going to die on the floor.

Rainbow Dash’s marefriend, Fluttershy, looked at her lover on the ground with an expression that struck a perfect balance between pain and her own fear.

Healing Hoof watched her reaction with a sense of jealousy.

Observing Fluttershy’s love for her partner drew her back into her own memories of trying to find love and acceptance…

“Fucking faggot.” said the team captain dryly as she kicked Healing Hoof again.

Healing Hoof coughed from where she lay on the floor of the locker-room. Her legs covered her head and she lay in a ball on the ground as she wept softly. Thin beams of the cloudy afternoon’s light trickled through the window to illuminate the locker-room. The floor smelled like a mixture of sweat and dried shampoo from her low position to it. Dust swirled about from the unswept tiles and there was a faint sensation of moisture from the morning’s showers.

“I...never wanted you to find it…” muttered Healing Hoof to Soaring Javelin.

Soaring Javelin raised a note to her side with a poof of blue magic. Healing Hoof let herself look through pained eyes at the unicorn that she had a crush on only moments prior to this beating. Her fur was a gentle pink and her mane was finely combed and as straight as her sexuality, to Healing Hoof’s dismay and now torment. A javelin flying through the air sat on her flank as her cutie mark, which was quite appropriate seeing as how she was the captain of the mare’s javelin team at their school.

A banner fluttered on the wall with a small rip through its left corner. It bore the coat of arms for the high school; a queen’s crown on the top right, a book on the top left and a shield at the bottom to complete the trio.

‘For Celestia’s Glory, For Our Education’ read a banner underneath the trio of symbols.

Healing Hoof remembered how the team captain had stormed into the locker-room right after her following their after-school practice. Healing Hoof’s heart had started to beat furiously when her crush followed her in, but she had never imagined that things would turn out like this. Her side ached from where she had been shoved to the ground and her ears echoed with the hate that still flowed from Javelin’s mouth.

“Yeah? Well I did find it. And now I’m gonna…” started Javelin.

Healing Hoof noticed that the edge had come off of her words and something in her eyes had softened. Nonetheless, the unicorn had just attacked her for her sexuality, so Healing remained on edge.

“Look, I know it’s shocking. I just wrote it for myself. I never meant…” said Healing.

“Ugh, just LISTEN to what you wrote.” said Javelin with a sneer. “‘Every night I think of her and wonder if she returns my love, if she’s like me too. Every time I see her score a point or just smile in happiness, I want to confess everything to her, even if she rejects me. I just can’t handle these feelings and don’t know what to do.’”

The note was shredded into pieces by Javelin’s magic, causing more tears to drop from Healing’s eyes.

“Do you know what my father would do if he knew little faggot fillies were pining over me?” she muttered with a flip of her mane. “You’re lucky I don’t just kill you where you lay.”

Healing Hoof shuddered as Javelin spat on the mare.

The doors to the locker-room opened and the team coach stood in the doorway with a blank expression on her face.

She gulped out of nervousness before speaking. “Girls, what’s going on here?”

Javelin tried to storm out the door, but the coach stood in her way. The coach narrowed her eyes and stared down Javelin.

“I-it’s not what it looks like, Buttermare-” sputtered Javelin.

“You know that fighting between team members is expressly forbidden under school rules.” said Buttermare.

Javelin kicked a locker so hard it flew open out of frustration. “What? So does that mean we’re both off over this-this-”

Buttermare shook her head. “There is one way for you both to stay on.”

Healing Hoof coughed and wiped spittle from her mouth. “What?”

“A water balloon fight, in front of the whole school.” said Buttermare with a reserved frown on her face.

Javelin groaned and dramatically put a hoof to her head. “Once again, you humiliate me.”

Healing Hoof climbed from the ground and her face twisted up in anger. “What? She jumps me because of something I can’t help and the only punishment she gets is-”

“Yep, that’s right. A water balloon fight, in front of everypony. To be held at 6 in the afternoon sharp tomorrow.” explained Buttermare further.

Javelin gritted her teeth together and her eyes narrowed. “If you think you’re gonna get off that easy for embarrassing me in front of the coach, you’re dead wrong. I’m gonna pound you during that water balloon fight tomorrow.”

Healing Hoof climbed off the ground. “I don’t want to talk to you. Just go.”

Javelin snorted and stormed out, leaving Buttermare and Healing alone in the locker room together.

Buttermare took a pitiful look at Healing Hoof where she lay curled on the floor. “Best of luck tomorrow, champ.”

Healing Hoof clambered to her hooves and nodded her thanks. They both exited the locker room.

The afternoon clouds were puffy and white. Several birds flew below them and long shadows stretched out over the Equestrian landscape. Butterflies and other creatures of the springtime swirled over the grasses in front of the Royal Equestrian Academy. A small crowd had gathered on the quad, along with the entire Javelin Team. They whispered among themselves in quiet voices and Healing Hoof looked to them nervously.

Though she wasn’t sure, she could have sworn a brown stallion with an orange mane was staring at her with something resembling pity.

She turned from the gazes of the crowd back towards her opponent. A stack of purple and pink water balloons had been stacked beside Javelin as well as Healing Hoof herself.

“I will once again recite the rules, just to make sure everypony knows the rules.” said Buttermare, who stood beside the pair with a black and white jersey over her chest. A gleaming chrome whistle hung from her neck and she wore a sun visor that shadowed her face.

She took in a deep breath before speaking. “The pony who gets the most hits on the other wins. The punishment session starts on a blow of my whistle. The pony who loses has to sit out the rest of the season and a member of the junior varsity team will take their place until next season.”

“This isn’t right!” sputtered Healing Hoof. “I’m just a point guard and she’s the principal thrower-”

Javelin laughed. “What, are you gonna start crying again?”

At her mocking words, a few members of the crowd laughed, while others sat still with worried looks on their faces.

“Girls, focus on one another, okay?” said Buttermare as she chastised the pair.

They both nodded and locked eyes with one another. Healing Hoof felt rage surge through her heart as Javelin mouthed the word faggot. A couple of ponies in the audience laughed as they noticed what she was doing.

“Three, two one!” counted down Buttermare.

Then her whistle blew and the battle was on.

Healing Hoof levitated three balloons to her side and they fell to the ground as a water balloon splatted against her face.

“1-0!” announced Buttermare.

She spat out pieces of plastic and unleashed a furious barrage of her own.

Two balloons smacked against Javelin’s flank and she let out a frustrated yell.

“1-2!” announced Buttermare.

Healing Hoof dashed to the side as she noticed a balloon heading her way. It missed her entirely and slammed into the crowd.

“One-point penalty!” cried Buttermare. “1-1!”

Healing Hoof and Buttermare were down to three balloons each.

Healing Hoof trembled to see the look of rage in Javelin’s eyes.

She levitated a balloon to her side and began to swing it in circles as she grinned from ear to ear.

After what felt like an eternity of tension as the balloon twirled, it was slung rapidly through the air by Javelin’s magic and Healing Hoof tried to dodge.

She clumsily fell into her own stack of balloons, popping them and soaking her fur in water. She let out a defeated sigh on the ground as she felt the force of Javelin’s balloon against her ass.

“Healing Hoof is out of balloons! Javelin wins! Healing Hoof is out for the rest of the season!” decreed Buttermare.

A crowd of ponies surged forwards and carried away Javelin on their hooves, while the other ponies dispersed.

Healing Hoof clambered up from the ground and spat some water out before trotting away in defeat. She walked for a while with her head low to the ground and her chest heaved with sobs, though her face was dry. Each step felt heavy and she felt a sense of emptiness radiate through her body. Suddenly, she wished that she would stop breathing and just fall to the ground in a heap of fur and bones.

“You know, that was really messed up.” said a voice from behind her.

Healing Hoof whirled around, sending beads of water flying into the air from the moisture in her mane.

The brown pony from the crowd and several of his friends stood before her.

“Yeah, especially when she mouthed faggot, what was that all about?” said a furious pegasus with blue fur.

“We’re all sick of being bullied by her too, you know.” said the brown pony.

Healing Hoof let herself smile. “It’s okay guys, really. I’m...used to it.”

‘Well, my name is Sparkling Soda, Healing Hoof.” said the brown pony.

He extended his hoof forwards and Healing shook it nervously.

“Thanks guys, it means a lot to have some support.” she said as she allowed a hopeful grin to creep over her lips.

“Now, wanna help us beat the shit out of her?” exclaimed Sparkling.

The other ponies behind him began to whoop and holler. Healing Hoof felt her heart sink as she looked at how happy they were at the prospect of violence.

“You know, I kind of understand why she’s the way that she is.” said Healing Hoof.

The other ponies stopped. Sparkling’s mouth opened in shock. “You mean, you don’t wanna beat her until she starts crying?”

“Well, she’s the richest pony in school and the team captain, as well as the principal thrower. I’m sure she’s under a lot of pressure from her parents, not to mention Buttermare, to keep performing well in games so the Academy keeps its funding.” explained Healing. “That probably explains why she’s such a bully. Plus I’m not on the team anymore, so I don’t have to see her around.” she continued.

“Gotcha. Any classes with her?” asked Sparkling.

Healing shook her head. “We walk home the same way, but she never talks to me anyways.”

The ponies behind Sparkling Soda groaned before walking off. Only he stood in front of Healing Hoof as the sun shone on them both. A yellow monarch butterfly flew between the two and Healing smiled gently at the scent of freshly cut grass wafting between the two. A cicada began to chirp in the gentle heat of the spring and Sparkling sighed.

“Yeah, violence isn’t always the answer to violence.” he muttered with his eyes low to the ground.

“Wanna hang out?” asked Healing Hoof.

“Sure thing.” said Sparkling Soda. “Popsicle houses at your place?”

Healing Hoof nodded.

Various items for arts and crafts were spread over the table. Popsicle sticks with dots of glue on the ends lay scattered and already Healing had built half of a log cabin from popsicle sticks. Sparkling had made one of his own that dwarfed hers in size and had already decorated the beams forming the roof with sparkles and glitter. He had given it a foundation of green construction paper to stand on and a few dolls formed the inhabitants of the house.

Healing Hoof’s own popsicle castle was nothing to sneer at, either. She had already built a sturdy foundation from layers of sticks glued together and was beginning to construct a bedrock for the ramparts she would eventually build. One of them had already been finished and stood aside from the rest of the construct, waiting to be glued on. Paper flags had been cut from green construction paper and lay on the table beside the castle.

“Isn’t this better than hurting somepony?” asked Healing with a smile on her face.

Sparkling stopped gluing a stick to a piece of paper to think. “Well, when you put it like that, yeah.”

Their conversation was interrupted by Healing’s mom coming over to serve them a pile of steaming chocolate chip cookies on a porcelain plate.

Sparkling put his hoof on the plate and then his jaw dropped as he looked out the window.

“Healing, look!” he said as his brow furrowed.

Healing followed his gaze. Javelin was wandering down the sidewalk with her head held low. Her mane covered her face and she walked slowly along the path outside that led past Sparkling’s house.

“Is she going to-” wondered Healing aloud.

Before she could finish her question, Javelin sharply turned and began to head for Healing’s front door. Both of the ponies sat at the table nervously and tensed up when she began to knock at the door.

“Um, are you going to answer that?” asked a nervous Sparkling.

“Only if you come with me?” said a confused Healing.

They both trotted up to the door and Healing opened it.

Healing began to speak, but stopped when she noticed a long, deep gash trailing up Javelin’s leg. Her blood had stained the sidewalk in large pools leading up to the house and tears were visible on her face now that Healing could see it past her mane.

“I...was going to...but I wanted to apologize to…” muttered Javelin in a low, pained voice. Her eyes sat in her skull and were so dead and lifeless that they terrified Healing Hoof where she stood.

“We’ve got to get her to the hospital!” screamed Sparkling.

Healing Hoof sat beside Javelin in the hospital. Several tubes hooked up to her assisted with various tasks and she breathed gently, staring at the ceiling from where she lay on the hospital bed. They were both alone in the room they sat in and Healing held her hoof in her hands with a frown on her face. Already, a half hour of silence had passed and Healing was thinking about going back home.

Finally, Javelin spoke. “I just can’t take it.”

“Take what?” asked Healing curiously.

“My dad beats the shit out of me every single time I mess up in a game.” said Javelin in a slow, monotone voice. “I know he was going to...if I got a point guard kicked off the team...he would have…”

“I had no idea.” said Healing in a concerned tone.

“When I read your note, that was the only time in my life anypony had shown genuine love towards me. Everypony likes me because I’m the one who wins the fucking games, I’m the one who always…” she paused and began to cough furiously.

“It’s okay.” stated Healing.

“And I just didn’t know how to handle it. I mean, something in me snapped and I just…” continued Javelin.

Healing felt a tear leave her eye. “I understand.”

The two both sat in silence as rain battered the window outside.

Suddenly, Sparkling came into the room. “Just checking on you guys. It’s getting dark, so I gotta head home soon.”

He paused before speaking further. “I heard everything by the way.”

Healing and Javelin both nodded.

“Hey,” said Javelin. Healing and Sparkling both turned their attention towards her. “Wanna be friends? I mean, I’m off the team for sure now with this wound, so I’ve got some free time. And none of my old friends would understand about this anyways.”

“Sure, I’d be happy to give you a chance.” said Sparkling.

Healing agreed and they both sat beside her as the rain fell outside.

Healing Hoof, Sparkling Soda and Javelin both sat on the edge of a cliff. Smoke from the campfire drifted into the air behind them and three tents encircled it. Bats flew overhead in the light of the setting sun and the sound of crickets had already set in from the woods behind the trio seated on the ledge.

Healing looked to her left and she could see the side profiles of her new friends. She recalled the months she had spent carefully constructing and nurturing a friendship between herself, Sparkling and Javelin. Even if other ponies didn’t quite understand what they were going through, she thought to herself, at least they had one another.

The camping trip had been her idea and the gang had set out for it after planning the excursion for about a week or so. Javelin had bought the supplies and Sparkling had chosen the trail they were to hike to get to the campsite. All of them deeply appreciated his familiarity with nature as they observed the beauty of the scenic vista before them.

Things hadn’t been easy for her, realized Healing as she observed Javelin with a neutral expression.

Healing felt a familiar twinge in her heart when Javelin leaned back and let the evening’s wind rustle her mane into a beautiful plume that streamed behind her head. She breathed in deeply and then exhaled slowly in the twinkling light of the coming evening. Despite her beauty, Healing realized Javelin had problems of her own.

Javenlin’s old friends had been quick to leave her as the pony had predicted herself. What had once been a friend group that would have died for their Team Captain had transformed into a scheming clique in the span of just a few weeks. Healing recalled how Javelin had to endure a beating of her own, without even a water balloon fight to make things right.

Their friendship had grown even stronger through their shared experience with bullies and they sat on the edge of the cliff overlooking the lake as a united group of not just friends, but allies who supported one another through thick and thin.

Healing smiled as she wondered if it would last forever.

Nothing lasts forever, realized Healing as she sat on the same cliff, this time by herself.

This time, the sun was rising instead of setting. She had hiked out to the scenic overlook herself and now contemplated life and its many changes on its edge, entirely alone.

A year had passed since their graduation. Healing Hoof had continued on to a prestigious medical academy while Sparkling and Javelin had simply…

Healing struggled to find the right word.

“Abandoned.” thought a dark, paranoid part of herself.

She shook her head. “They just went different ways.”

Deep in her heart, she knew her friends had forsaken her for no apparent reason.

After graduation, she hadn’t heard a word from Sparkling or Javelin. The festivities and trips they had planned together after they were to graduate simply didn’t happen and each one of the ponies went their own way in life, despite the strength of the friendship they had shared before. They were the only group of friends she had ever had in her life, realized Healing with a painful twinge of emotion in her chest.

They were the closest thing to love she had ever experienced. She had yet to kiss another mare on the lips and wondered as she looked over the lake if her love was out there in the world for her or if this loneliness was to be her doom.

She asked herself if she would ever again have friends as a lone tear made its way down her cheek.

Dash had grown silent on the floor of Zecora’s basement and Fluttershy had covered her with a small blanket.

Healing took in how nervously Fluttershy was fidgeting while she sat by Rainbow Dash’s side. She felt claws of anxiety gnaw at her own heart as she contemplated the unconscious pony on the ground. Despite the unrelenting sensation of nervousness, she felt a small ember of something else blossoming in her chest.

“Do you think she’s gonna wake up?” she asked Fluttershy.

Fluttershy nodded without looking at Healing. “She just needs a few more days rest.”

“When she wakes up, I’ll do everything I can to support you guys.” said Healing in a stern tone.

Fluttershy smiled. “We appreciate the help, Healing. Feel free to come with us once we set out again.”

A seed of hope finally blossomed in Healing’s chest at her words.

Once again, she had found friends to work hard for and build a genuine relationship with, just as she once did with Sparkling and Javelin.