Princess Dinky's Letters: Struggling

Darkness. Ponies in cloaks trotting in the shadows, unseen despite the full moon in the sky. Dinky, Luna and Celestia had organised the event. If they were lucky, Cosy Glow would be gone by the end of this. If they were really badly unlucky, Cosy would increase the cruel anti-magic measures on ponies across Equestria. They knew that she had a Staff of Sameness in her arsenal and was still in possession of the Bewitching Bell, but she could easily have other weapons.

Dinky hid in the shadows, with the other ponies. She had waited for weeks to do this. It had been a year since Luna and Celestia had been freed. This would be their first large-scale battle. She hoped that it would work. If it didn't, the whole of Equestria would have to pay for their actions. Thankfully, there were dragons causing some trouble in Manehattan, so hopefully Cosy would be alone on her nightly patrol.

There was a yell as Cosy Glow was hit with a spell. She stood still for a moment and her horn lit up. She could see all of the ponies. They shouted their war cry - "For Equestria!" - and charged from all angles. Cosy was kicked, bitten, blasted into the air and pushed back down. She fought valiantly, but she was one pony against a hundred. Her back legs and wings were tied with chains that contained her magical power. She struggled, but could not escape. It was done. Finished within minutes. Almost too easy...

The real Cosy Glow flew just a metre above the ground and held the Bewitching Bell in her mouth. She stole the magic of every pony who came near her. With her magic she held and threw knives and the powerless ponies. Still, the rebels fought.

A shadow fell across them. The Shadow Pony had arrived to join in the fun.

Dinky bolted away from the battle. The Shadow Pony could melt a pony like wax or make their heart burst just by staring at them. She pulled a pegasus' mane to warn them of the new threat, and threw a young colt on her back. He held her neck as they rose into the sky. At least she had tried to save somepony.

She hissed as a knife clipped her right wing and she tumbled into the Everfree Forest. Thankfully, the colt was uninjured. She motioned for him to run one way and her to run in a different direction. He disappeared amongst the trees. She travelled due north.

The Shadow Pony materialised in front of her. Dinky tripped and fell. She tried to shuffle away, but she hit a tree. It was pointless. The Shadow Pony threw another knife into her head, then stared at her. She felt the power of those blood red eyes and screamed...

Dinky bolted up in bed. She had just had a nightmare about the night that she died, was carried to a warehouse in the middle of the Everfree Forest and was brought back to life again while conscious. The heart that now beated so fast in her chest had burst when the Shadow Pony had used her dark magic, and some amazing but terrifying doctor had sewn it back together. An enchantment in the warehouse meant that he was the only living pony able to enter, and that all dead ponies remained conscious. It had been an ugly night.

That was why Princess Dinky was terrified of the upcoming Rememberance Day, and of the inquisitive foals who were going to end up in the same state as her: crying every night over the things that had been done. Her own friend and mentor had murdered her. That was part of the reason that she resented Twilight. She had been murdered and had to watch some maniac give her an autopsy and sew the tissues of her heart together. She shivered and tried not to throw up. The memories disgusted her. She had to stay strong, to help other ponies get through Rememberance Day, even though she was one of the ones who remembered the atrocities the best.

Something had to be done.