My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: Friendship from afar.

Chapter 1: Storm of the Century - part 5

“Are yall a’rite,” Applejack called out, hoping her voice penetrated the canopy of the fallen Live Oak. “C’mon Pinkie. Flutters. Give me a sign ‘er somethin’.” Peering through the dim, overcast conditions and constant downpour, A.J. made out a faint rustling amongst the canopy leaves; followed quickly by a pair of pink, twig mangled manes popping up out of the leaves. Applejack sighed in relief.

“We’re okey dokey lokie,” came Pinkie’s chipper voice through the downpour’s onslaught. “Thanks to my ‘Pinkie sense”, I was able to dodge the big parts of Mr. Tree.” Pinkie’s tail began twitching again. “Twilight, you may want to move...”

“Look, just stay there,” Twilight interjected, vainly trying to shake the burdensome precipitation from her mane. “Applejack and I will clamber our way around and-“

Without warning, the ground beneath the two ponies liquified, unable to absorb any more of the storms fury. Applejack took Twilight’s tail in her mouth and yanked hard; pulling them both tumbling to the ground. A.J. knew the hefty tug had hurt her friend, but at least she was safe. For the time being anyway. “You alright, Twi?”

The unicorn nodded, wincing as she rubbed her flank. “I’m okay, A.J. Let’s just meet up with Pinkie and Fluttershy.”

“Uh, that may be a problem, Sugarcube.”

Twilight didn’t respond; nor did she move from her current position. She just stared, slack-jawed, at the sodden earth, or lack there of, that the pair had just been standing on. In it’s place was a cavernous maw; raging torrents of flood water ravishing softer sides of the crevice with pony-sized boulders and tree trunks large enough to give a Manticore second thoughts. There was a groan, followed by the snapping of branches as the fallen Live Oak that Pinkie and Fluttershy had emerged from gave way to the weak earth, tumbling down in a shiver of leaves before quickly vanishing into the torrents. The unicorn could only groan in disgust, not believing what was happening.

“First the tree and now this,” she grumbled, wracking her brain for a possible solution. Even given the low visibility, it was painfully obvious that the gouge in the earth ran farther that she could see. Jumping was out of the question, given the instability of the ground, not to mention, she wasn’t the most athletic pony of the bunch. She wouldn’t even make it half way across before gravity took over, plunging her into the roaring death trap below. This thought alone was enough to give her pause.

“Twi’, any ideas?”

“I – that is...um – grrrr... We could double back...,” Twilight paused momentarily, still upset at the current turn of events. “Maybe this impasse is local to the lower areas. There has to be a more stable area somewhere behind us .” By the look A.J. was imposing upon her, it wasn’t her best suggestion, but it would suffice for the time being. She looked quickly opposite to the two mares waiting for a signal from the unicorn and shouted over the roar of the flood and rain: “Pinkie! Fluttershy! I want you two to head to the train depot and wait for us there! If we don’t make it back in time...just go on without us!”

Fluttershy immediately took the offensive before Pinkie, rapidly shaking her head. “No-no-no-no-no!” she exclaimed, her voice managing to find the volume is so frequently lacked. “We can’t just leave you two behind!”

“This is not a negotiable you two,” Twilight countered. “The last train to Canterlot will leave; with or without all of us on it! I promise I’ll do my best to get A.J. and myself there safely with the rest of the ponies!”

“Only if you ‘Pinkie promise’!” Twilight just groaned. “Pinkie, now’s really not the time for-“ Pinkie just crossed her forelegs and snorted,

“‘Pinkie promise...’”

Twilight face-hooved, then proceeded with the awkward gestures that signified the pact. “Cross my heart and hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye. Now get moving you two!”

The pair disappeared in a blur of pink and yellow as Pinkie galloped away with Fluttershy whipping behind her like a cape. Applejack gave a soft chuckle as the two mares vanished from eye sight. “Pinkie sure ain’t short on energy, aye Twi?” Twilight just nodded absently, her gaze never leaving the exact spot Pinkie and Fluttershy had just been standing moments earlier.

“Uh, you alright, Twi,” Applejack asked, trotting quickly over to her, “ya’ seem kinda, out of it. You’re not worried, are ya’ sugarcube?”

Twilight simply shook her head, sloshing her wet main around. “No, A.J.. I’m not.” She turned right and faced the orange mare. “In fact, I’m everything but alright.” A blast of lightning rolled overhead, illuminating the unicorn’s face. In that brief flash Applejack caught glimpse of pain distorted upon Twi’s features as her eyelids clamped down tightly from the unseen attacker; a pulse of energy ran up the spiral flute of her horn before escaping its’ tip with several soft ‘pops’.

“What in tarnation was that, Twi?”

“It’s my archokenesis ability is faultering. It won’t be much longer until it’s rendered useless in these conditions.” The concerned yet blank gaze Applejack returned to Twilight gave her all the information she needed. ‘Not everypony is a bookworm like you are, Twilight’ “It’s this storm A.J. The magic the Everfree forest is adding to it is canceling out my own spell-casting abilities.” She groaned painfully, her head pounding as if Pinkie was using her cerebral matter as muffin mix being beaten over and over again.

“How long has this storm been affectin’ ya’?”

“Right around the time it started raining, I guess,” Twilight spoke softly, trying to keep the throbbing down to a dull ache. “Really hard to pinpoint it exactly.”

“Are ya’ tellin’ me you knew about this, “Applejack began sternly, “and didn’t bother to tell nopony about it?”

“I thought the sudden barometric pressure difference from the storms’ rapid development was causing my sinuses to flare up,” Twilight responded in kind, desperately trying to keep the ‘discussion’ from becoming an ‘argument’. She honestly didn’t think her eardrums could take anymore abuse. “It wasn’t until I was re-enforcing the barriers at Fluttershy’s cottage that I really noticed something much worse was going on.”

Applejack’s expression softened. “Why didn’t you tell us then, Sugarcube?”

“I. . .didn’t think it was necessary, giving the fact we were all head to the train depot anyway.” Twilight visually deflated, slumping lower towards the ground. “This recent turn of events has. . .complicated things dramatically.”

Even though she was an earth pony, Applejack knew enough about the different classes understand that any unicorn without the use of their magic, know matter how short the duration, was devastating to their psyche. To her, this would be the equivalent of no longer apple-bucking and being forced to sit and watch all day long. Applejack shivered violently at the thought, letting out a rough ‘ugh’ at the very inclination. A soft glow from her immediate vicinity brought her out from her revere, her eyes shifting towards the intruder. A.J. was taken aback by the sight she was beholding. Twilight was still slumped close to the ground, but her stance had taken on a more serious and determined tone. Even though she must have been in tremendous amounts of pain, her brow was furrowed and her teeth were bared, clenched tightly in concentration. Beneath her soaked forelock, Applejack could make out the fresh tears escaping from her purple eyes.

“Twi, what in Celestia’s name are you doing?” A bewildered Applejack finally managed to choke out. “Why are you trying to use your magic when it hurts ya’ so much?”

“I *ngh* don’t have much time left before *rrgh* this storm completely renders my magic useless. I have just enough power to cast a quick teleportation spell.” Twilight lowered her horn towards Applejack and charged it with even more magic. “Tell our friends. . . tell the princesses’ I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for wh-” Applejack’s eyes went wide as the realization hit her harder that a swig from her brother’s hard cider. “Oh now ya’ don’t,” she uttered, whipping off her Stetson and placing it quickly on the unicorn’s head, effectively canceling both the light show and Twilight’s concentration. The unicorn let out a soft whimper of defeat beneath the rain-soaked hat. “Twi, why would you even consider trying that?”

“I could only summon enough magic to teleport one of us,” Twilight managed to choke out as she raised her forehoof and pushed the Stetson above her eyes to look at Applejack. The orange mare saw fresh tears rimming the bottom of her purple eyes, causing her disappointment to disappear completely. Twilight continued. “I had to save you, don’t you understand? Applebloom. Big Mac. Granny Smith. They’re your family. They’d be devastated if anything happened to you.”

“What about Princess Cadence and Shining? Your mother and father?” Applejack responded in kind, trying to reason with her friend. “Are telling me that your life would mean less to them if something happened to you?”

Twilight looked down again in defeat, knowing that A.J. was right. ‘You silly foal!’ a subconscious voice shouted at her. ‘What were you thinking? What had she been thinking? This wasn’t the reasoning and logic that somepony of her magnitude. It was flawed. Corrupt. Desperate. She simply collapsed to the ground and placed her hooves over her eyes and sobbed uncontrollably. She couldn’t believe this was happening to her: one of the best and, quite possibly, most powerful unicorns in Equestria reduced to a emotional wreck due to a freak storm and the subsequent loss of her spell casting abilities. For quite possibly the first time in her life, she had no answers. No solutions.

“Uh, Ah’m sorry if Ah was too assertive with ya’ Twi, but I couldn’t just up ‘n letcha’-“

Twilight simply shook her head and looked up drearily. “It’s not you Applejack. I - I just don’t know what to do.”

Instinctively, Applejack reached down and pulled the nearly broken mare to her hooves and placed the Stetson back upon her soaked mane. “Call me crazy, Twi, but I don’t recon Ah’ve ever know ya’ to give up.” This statement caused the unicorn to sober up out of her daze. “In fact, Ah recall a certain somepony suggestin’ we double back. Ring’n any bells, Sugarcube?”

Twilight smiled warmly in response. “Thanks. A.J.”

“Heh. What’r friends for, Twi. We’re in this together for the long haul.”

With a ‘yip’ and a holler, the two mares charged in the opposite direction, knowing that no matter the situation, they’d face it together.

*

“Fluttershy! Pinkie Pie!” Rarity exclaimed, wrapping her hooves around both of her friends. “I’m so glad to see you, darlings!” To say she was overjoyed to see them was a gross understatement. Even the rambunctious party pony was a sight to calm her worried conscious. The two mares were covered from head to hoof in mud, leaves, and twigs, but she didn’t care in the least. Her friends were safe; two of them at least. Before the fashionata could conjure up the words to utter, Spike spoke up.

“Where’s Twilight and A.J.,” he questioned in a mixed tone of confusion and worry. “Did something happen? Are they ok?” With every question Spike’s voice carried up an octave, the earlier confusion and worry was quickly changing to panic and desperation. Of course Pinkie, being the ever energetic, fun-loving party pony that she was, decided to explain the situation to Spike and Rarity in all its wondrous details. Unfortunately for the rest of them, this meant lots of “oohs” and “ah’s” sprinkled in with some wondrous “Pinkie Pie sing-a-longs”, added details that may or may not have occurred, and exaggeration. Lots and lots of exaggeration.

Somewhere in between Pinkie’s frivolous ranting’s and Rarity’s dramatic fainting spells, Fluttershy managed to put a hoof to Pinkie’s muzzle and inform the group of what had transpired in their journey from her cottage to just recently. That knowledge caused Spike’s heart to sink into his stomach and his draconian blood to run frigid. This was Twilight after all and, though she could be a bit hard-headed at times, she would never tell anypony to leave her or her friends behind, no matter how difficult the situation. Something was definitely wrong. Spike could feel it in his soul; it’s devilish claws ripping and tearing at his very emotions. There was so much information rattling around in his skull that he could only force his mouth to utter a single question. “How could she leave me?”

“Spike...”

“Don’t ‘Spike’ me Rarity”, the young drake snapped angrily in response, “Twilight is my sister! The only family I have! I won’t just abandon her to her fate!” Rarity just cringed at the anger directed at her.

Pinkie’s mane and tail deflated to straight at Spike’s outburst towards the fashionata. “Don’t be a ‘meanie-pants’ to Rarity. She just doesn’t want you to worry.” Pinkie turned her gaze to Rarity, “Right?”

“Of course not,” Rarity responded, the sting of Spike’s anger still lingering within her heart, “I just don’t want you over reacting about Twilight. She’s the smartest and most talented unicorn in Ponyville.” Seeing Spike’s anger and dread boiling just beneath his scales, she quickly added, “And we still have plenty of time to go find her. After all we still have a large portion of the 30 minutes Steam piston allotted us.”

Maybe it was coincidence. Or perhaps those in the depths of Tartarus felt it justified in placing their damned hooves into the just lives of the living. Whatever the reason, fate picked this convenient opportunity to introduce itself as the door behind the group slid open quickly, accompanied by the sounds of howling winds and driving rain. Another quick slide of the door and the sounds faded almost instantaneously. All head quickly turned towards that general direction to find the source of the intrusion. Another stallion, much younger this time, stood before them, his blue and gold clad uniform soaked straight through. He approached the group slowly, the gait of his walk and the regretful look upon his muzzle was all the sign Spike needed. He knew, deep down he knew, it was over. Their time had expired. The stallion stopped just short of them and cleared his throat gingerly.

“I am looking for a ‘Miss Rarity’, ”he spoke eloquently, though Spike could hear the tinge of regret within his vocal chords. The alabaster fashionata approached him quickly.

“I am Rarity,” she responded in kind. “What is it I can do for you?”

“Isn’t it obvious, Rarity,” Spike shot coldly while his gaze remained fixated upon the stallion, “he’s here to say our time is up. Isn’t that right?”

“WHAT!” Rarity exclaimed, nearly pinning the conductor against the wall. It took the combined effort of Pinkie and Fluttershy to pry the fashionata loose from her prey. “There is no way is Celestia’s great name that the allotted time has expired!”

“Please,” Fluttershy begged feverishly, “don’t do this.” The timid pegasus knew this outburst would solve nothing, despite her disagreement with leaving her friends behind. “Neither Applejack or Twilight would want us bickering like this.” Pinkie simply nodded rapidly in agreement. “Besides, it’s not his fault we have to leave. . .”

“I’m staying,” came the simple yet direct phrase from the young dragon. “If Twilight has to stay behind. . . so will I.”

The sounds of feminine yelps and squeaks emanated briefly in the rail car as both Pinkie and Fluttershy were flung to the floor as Rarity turned her attention away from the stallion and focused on Spike, her mouth hanging agape. For a few seconds, that was all she could manage to do. This decision by Spike, why, it was preposterous. Neigh, it was down right suicide. The fact the group was so close to losing Twilight and Applejack was heart-wrenching enough, but to lose Spike. . . She could only shudder momentarily at the inkling before forcefully placing her hooves upon Spikes’ shoulders.

“Spike, please listen to reason,” Rarity’s voice quivered, her emotions not relinquishing their desire to burst forth. “I-you can’t-“

Rarity squealed in surprise as Spike reached up and, forcefully, removed her hooves from his person. He didn’t meet her gaze, instead looking at the designs intricately woven into the carpeting. “This is not up for debate, Rarity,” was the only phrase he allowed past his lips.

Spinning 180 on his heels, Spike made his way to the car’s rear exit, quickly glancing at Pinkie and Fluttershy; both still woozy from the earlier tussle with Rarity. He simply nodded curtly at the pair and reached a clawed hand out to pull the door open.

“No!” Rarity screamed, tackling the drake sending them both to the floor in a tangle of limbs. “I won’t lose you, too! I-I can’t.”

Somewhere amongst the bickering and tussling, there was a sound the drowned out the patter of rain, the cries of pleading and hopelessness, even the shocked gasps of the three other ponies that remained speechless.

Rarity held a hoof to her cheek, her indigo eyes shimmering in disbelief at what had just transpired. He’d struck her. Spike actually struck her. Everything she’d been holding back streamed down her cheeks in fresh tears, yet her expression remained one of shock.

“. . .Spike. . .” her voice quivered.

The horror of his actions struck the drake like a sucker punch from a prize fighting stallion. It was an accident, but no amount of apology or reprieve would undo the damage he’d bestowed, not only upon her and his fleeting chance with her, but his remaining friends as well.

He couldn’t stand it. The way she looked at him, like he’d called her the ugliest creature in Celestia’s land. It was both heart and gut wrenching. If there was an inkling of second thoughts about staying aboard, they vanished just as one of Twilight’s friendship reports on it’s way to Canterlot and the Princess’ throne room. He bit his lip and shamefully reached for the pull handle. This time he was stopped by a the conductor himself as he placed his forehoof upon the door frame, prohibiting exit. Spike didn’t move ans simply awaited the blow that was coming in return.

“Son,” the stallion began, “are you sure you want to go through with this? Once you pass out this door, all rail cars go on lock down. Nopony goes in or out until we reach Canterlot; not even myself.”

Surprised at the lack on blunt force that had yet to be applied to his person, Spike simply nodded in reassurance, and pulled the handle; greeted with an intense blast of frigid wind and rain. Stepping out into the fray, he gave on more long look at his dream that he’d ruined unintentionally as she remained in a state of shock.

“Rarity. . .I’m. . .you deserve somepony better. I-I’m sorry.”

The sound of the door slamming and locks clicking into place snapped Rarity out of her daze.

“To Tartarus with everything!” She declared, and charged the door with all her might only to negated exit by the solid oak re-enforced portal. A brief attempt to unlock the exit with her magic was met with blue sparks of weak arcane energy spitting and popping from her horn’s tip. Raring up she began pounding her forehooves against the re-enforced glass to no avail. The soft pads of her hooves squealed as she slid down to the floor in defeat, a mournful sob ringing free from her very soul.

The sound of the steam escaping as the brakes released, nor the gentle lurch of the engine beginning its accent towards the capital, not even the reassuring words that the remaining ponies bestowed upon her changed the one thing she knew was certain. A fact that made her body spasm as the intensity of her sorrow grew to new heights.

Her Spikey-wikey was gone forever.