Twiastasia

“Yeesh. Dreary morning.”

“Is it even morning? Damn…”

“I think it’d be nice if it wasn’t drizzling.”

The nearby crackle of thunder had woken the trio up, and signaled it was time to leave. That, paired with the ominous dark sky and chilling fog, was more than enough incentive to keep moving. Gile and Twilight opted to stay close to Anon, who held what seemed to be their most water-resistant blanket over his head.

“Don’t let that map get wet Twi. Any towns nearby? Maybe even a forest?”

Twilight scanned the parchment with a sigh. “Unless we find another village not marked on this map, no. No forests either… Closest landmark is seemingly, um… Oh.”
Twilight went pale.

“Far away?”

“N-no, well, kinda, but… It’s your home.”

“Drachen? This land doesn’t exactly remind me of Drachen.”

“Eh. I could see it being around here. Drachen was surrounded by that sort of patchy, dead grass. Kinda seems to be lookin like that more and more.”

Twilight eyed her companions. “Don’t you guys not like that place? I figured it’d bring up… Bad memories.”

Anon scratched at his chin, bringing a torrent of rain down onto Gile, much to his bemusement. “Eh, not really. Can’t say I like the place really, haven’t been back since we first left, but I wouldn’t say I despise the place or anything.”

“Doubt it’s gotten any better. Hey, maybe we could stop by and burn the orphanage down? That’d be cool.”

Horror filled Twilight’s eyes.

“N-not with the kids in there, of course! It was a symbolic- you know what, n-nevermind.”

“Smooth Gile.”

“Shut up… But to ditto Anon. If it’s on our way, it’d be a good place to stop. Lots of stores in Drachen…” The griffon had an odd look in his eye. Twilight assumed he just wanted some fresh food. Anon knew better, clicking his tongue disapprovingly.

“Easy there ‘hero,’ we’ll figure it out. If we do end up there however, you know the story Twi.”

The unicorn perked up gleefully, eager to please. “Mhm! ‘My name is Starbright Glimmering! I’m a unicorn from Cabaluus, traveling the world with my adventurer friends Anon and Gile!”

“Wonderful. I know you got it down, but I can’t overstate how important it is that you stick by that when we’re around others. You never know when creatures are gonna try and jump at an opportunity to try and get the best of you. Bandits are everywhere, and we’re lucky that-”

“Hail travelers! Quite a day hmm?”

Anon and Gile both mouthed the word ‘fuck.’

Fog surrounded the trio as a large silhouette. There was no noise besides the drizzling rain, and the rumbling squeak of what sounded like an old cart approaching.

Twilight was the first to speak out. “O-oh! Um, hello! My name is Starbright Glimmer-”

A small metal-tipped bolt sung through the air, digging itself deep into the mud at Anon’s feet. A female’s exotic sounding curse indicated that the ground was not it’s intended mark.

“Zaraaa~! You didn’t let me finish my bit!”

Anon was quick to jump into an alert stance, the water droplets flicking from the sheet he held as he slung it on his shoulders. “Get behind us, Twi-”

A white blur smashed into Anon’s chest before he could get the words out.

Gile sprang into action in front of Twilight. Another crossbow bolt was let loose from the hazy silhouette, pinning one of his large wings to his side, sinking deep into his body. The large griffon let out a cry, but gritted his beak, still standing. “Augh! Damn-it all… r-run… to Drachen… f-find you t-there…” His breaths were ragged and heavy.

“We meet at last, thieves from the past.” That same voice pushed through the rain and fog. Anon tumbled with what he could make out as a white unicorn, her hooves fast enough keep his fury pinned below her. His nostrils flared, attempting desperately to shake free from his captor as he heard his friend’s cry of pain.

Twilight was frozen, her eyes wide and pupils pinpricks. Everything had happened so fast.

“Eeeasy there, big guy. Just calm down and-” Her hoof connected with the side of Anon’s head. “I SAID EASY! FUCKING MONSTER! Don’t resist and we’ll let you live!”

A zebra jumped down from her spot on the carriage, the battered mare pulling it heaving to the ground and gasping for breath. Gile recognized her, but she was the last thing he was thinking about. “You two spent too long in my town, taking bits and treasures that belonged to my crown. The Black Stripe, however, will accept your payment of debt-” Her emerald eyes found Twilight’s, and she smiled widely. “ -if you play nice, we’ll consider it met.”

Anon’s wild thrashing, along with the slick rain, caused the unicorn’s hoof to slip off his bicep, and he took the chance to knock her lights out and scramble to his feet, pulling a shoddy dagger from his waistline. He rushed the zebra, just in time to be suckerpunched by an unseen griffon.

“Zara isn’t to be threatened, minotaur.”

Gile, stumbling from blood loss, rushed the other griffon. “NOT MY FUCKING BROTHER!”

One should not underestimate a griffon’s talons. Especially not another griffon. With a swipe, Gile felt the warm sensation of blood coat his claws as he tore the attacker’s throat out. He spun on his heels, facing the zebra once more, but was quickly subdued with another bolt, this one finding its mark in his upper chest, near his neck.

Gile fell to the mud.

Anon had barely any time to recover, looking at Gile in horror, before a final bolt pierced his chest, a bullseye on his heart.

He fell beside his friend.

The zebra looked upon the heap of dead in disgust. Her eyes fixated on her fallen comrade, choking on her own blood. “A swift death, my friend. May we meet again one day, after my end.” She sunk a bolt deep into the griffon’s skull, ending her torture.

The pale unicorn slowly trotted to Twilight, her breath ragged and her stance ready. “Listen mare… Those creatures were bad… They were using you…”

Twilight shivered, mouthing ‘no’ over and over again, staring at the dead.

“T-that’s… t-t-that’s not true…”

The pale unicorn’s eyes were wide, speaking slowly while still catching her breath. “It is. Do you know what they’ve done? They never told you, did they?”

“They were bandits. Thieves. They preyed on the weak and helpless. We saw them do it in our home. There’s a big bounty on your safe return to Equestria. They were going to take you there, reap the reward, then forget about you. Look at what that Griffon did. He did it so thoughtlessly. Murder. Who knows how many they killed while they were looking for you? They may have even killed while you were with them. I bet they called themselves heroes, didn’t they? You’ll be safe if you come with us. We can take you to Equestria. We can keep you safe. Just stay calm and-”

The unicorn, who’d been inching closer to Twilight while she spoke, was close enough now to act. With a jump, she toppled Twilight to the ground, and wrestled a magic restrainer onto her horn.

“Got her Zara! Silver! Bring me the rope!”

The earth pony lazily handed it to Parma, still staring at her fallen friend in a trance. Zara walked over Silvertongue, nuzzling her gently. “A sister lost is no good sight to see. Gwen was one who had served me faithfully. Back in the cart please, keep watch over the detainee.”

Silver could only nod, and dragged Twilight into the cart. Parma sighed deeply, looking to the zebra. “Fuck sake… We underestimated those two. Let’s leave the cart puller with them. If she isn’t dead yet, she will be soon. Get that stallion to pull the rest of the way, maybe find some creature in Drachen to pull with us through the rest of this.”

Remembrance flashed on the pale mares face. “Oh right, you want me to search that ape thing? Find your gem?”

Zara shook her head.

“I believe this ‘Twilight’ to be worth more than any gem. My intuition was correct once again.”

“Tch. Suppose so boss. You really think it’s her?”

“She fits the description, does she not? Besides, perhaps Equestria’s lords can be bought? It’s been many months without their precious mare, they must be desperate for any heir. Placate their creatures, and less will focus on this mare’s false features.”

“Hm… I guess that’s also assuming she’s even the wrong unicorn, which… fuck, she may not be. The Twilight Bounty… haha, wow, can’t believe it…”

Zara nodded, and slowly, the dead were left behind and unburied as the cart slowly pulled away, Twilight in their possession.