Author's Note
Gave the swords an SotN effect. Glowing swords are cool.
Fallen be the Vengeful
In the midst of an open field, a blue Pegasus wandered. Her expression was somber for reasons yet unknown. The only shred of clarity was an obvious omen something significant weighed on her mind. The farther she drifted from civilization, the stronger her despondence grew. It was as though she stood face-to-face with a tidal wave - a wave that threatened to consume her in an eternal sea of melancholy. This was more true than she realized, for unbeknownst to the mare, not far behind, something was stalking her, waiting to claim her as its first and final victim...
There was no telling how far Rainbow walked before she discovered the direness of her situation. Not only was she far from home, but the silhouette following her was ready to strike at any moment, right when she was at her lowest...
"Look out!" A feminine voiced shouted. Rainbow snapped back to reality just in time to see two beings descend behind her. The first was a purple Alicorn draped in black. She held a brightly polished sword with a gold handle in her right hoof. The other appeared to be some sort of reptilian creature Rainbow had never seen before. He too possessed a blade, though it proved the polar opposite of his other. The sword itself was darker than the depths of space, with the handle seemingly crafted from a deep blue ore.
"Who are you guys!?"
"We'll explain later," the Alicorn replied, "Stay behind us, and don't let it touch you."
"What are you tal-"
Rainbow paused, spotting the shadow between them. Reality itself seemed to warp around the sentient void, rippling its edges designed solely to extinguish creation.
"What the hell is that!?"
Ignoring the distraught Pegasus, the Alicorn and her companion lunged forward. She made a quick stabbing motion, activating her blade's magical effect. It shined as bright as the sun, stunning the shadow long enough for her to plunge through it. Now locked in place, the cosmic being stood helpless as the Alicorn's assistant impaled its head. His own enchantment took root, absorbing their foe in a veil of smoke. Rainbow stared in shock at the disciplined display of power.
"Who are these guys...!?"
"Either of you mind telling me what just happened?" Rainbow demanded.
The partners locked gazes for a moment, then nodded.
"I doubt you'll believe us," the Alicorn replied, "but we'll explain to the best of our ability."
"I'm listening."
"My name is Twilight Sparkle. This is my brother, Spike."
"Other than the color scheme, I don't see the resemblance."
"He's not my blood brother, but we've been together so long he may as well be."
Spike waved. His eyes were tired: vacant even.
"Rainbow Dash. Now that the introductions are out of the way, what was that thing?"
"You."
"Come again?"
"The creature you just saw is a manifestation of negative emotion - one of many. They spawn by feeding off the despair of their hosts. Once they've become strong enough to exist in the physical plane, they destroy their creators."
"You mean it was trying to..."
"Kill you. Yes."
"But...Why!?"
"They've existed since the evolution of sentient life. No one knows how or why. All we know is, they're a threat to our continued existence on this planet. That's why we're here. Our job is to hunt them down and contain them."
"You're right: I don't believe you. You expect me to believe two people can save the world on their own? Get real."
"I don't blame you for being skeptical. It's not an easy thing to come to terms with. I didn't believe it at first, either."
"How is fighting monsters supposed to solve our problems? Doesn't sound realistic to me if I'm tellin' the truth."
"We've had to contend with the same entities more than once. The only way to seal them for good is by loosening the grip of our inner demons. That's the only path to victory in the long run."
"Yeah? Well I ain't tellin' a stranger what's on my mind, that's for sure."
"You'll have to, eventually. We can do a lot in one day, but it always catches up with us, sooner or later..."
Twilight and Spike turned away, clearly more distraught than they were letting on.
"Think about why we're doing this, and how we would feel if we let you down..."
The pair spread their wings and flew into the distance.
"She's a real bundle of laughs..." Spike uttered.
Twilight and Spike returned to the castle in Neo-Canterlot City. Upon entering the grand hall, Celestia warmly greeted them.
"Welcome home, my children. Was your mission successful?"
"We rescued the target from the immediate threat, but she's hesitant to open up."
"I expected as much. Rainbow's profile suggests a hardened exterior. I suspect her public image may be a factor subjecting her to mental strain."
"Can you get through to her?"
"Did you tell her I sent you?"
Twilight shook her head.
"Excellent. That should increase my odds, if only marginally."
"Anything helps."
"Before you return to your quarters, it would be wise to test your will. Tell me, what is your purpose in life?"
Twilight saluted as a sign of loyalty and respect to her secondary maternal figure.
"What keeps me content, fulfilled, and offers me the feeling that my life is valued!"
Celestia smiled.
"You've passed with flying colors."
"Thank you...For everything..."
"Of course. It is my duty as Princess of the sun to ensure the safety of our people. Luna will join you in the dream realm tonight. Until then, rest well."
"We will."
"I'll be joining you for supper. For now, I bid you adieu. Never forget that you are loved, and your contributions mean the world to those in their darkest hours."
Twilight nodded.
In the second story of the castle, Spike and Twilight approached the eastern wall. A magically-concealed scanner examined Twilight's retinal data.
"Personnel confirmed. Access, granted."
The shape of a door gradually replaced the wall near the panel. The pair stepped inside. A large elevator detected the change in pressure, powering a dim grid of light. It was like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. They descended to their hidden base, away from prying eyes...
Author's Note
"I COULD SEE REFLECTIONS IN THE TEARS THAT MADE THEIR WAY DOWN YOUR FACE ONTO THE GROUND I KNEEL UPON! THEY FORM A RIVER THAT OVERTAKES ME! COMPASSION, IT DOES ENVELOPE ME! I FORGIVE, AND RELEASE! FORGIVE! RELEASE! FORGIVEN! RELEASED!"
-Zao, Lies of Serpents (A River of Tears)
Reprieve (Interlude)
Twilight opened the mini fridge. Dinner was still a few hours away. She thought it wise to tide their hunger while they waited.
"You want anything," she asked her brother, "I won't tell if you won't."
"Kit-Kat and a Pepsi."
"Comin' up."
Twilight levitated their snacks, joining her brother on the rug.
"Whatcha playin'?"
"Final Fantasy."
"Always a classic."
"I'm almost at the northern crater."
"You gonna grind to 99?"
"Yeah."
"Nice."
"Any luck with the database?"
"I cracked it yesterday, but I couldn't find anything."
"Guess that puts us back at square one."
"The way these things operate makes them impossible to study. If there was any info, it's long gone by now."
"We should start with what we know. They feed off the suffering of the innocent, right? Obviously the hosts want to die on some level already. That begs the question, how can separate them from their food source?"
"They behave like a more parasitic variation of changeling. Instead off getting their food from an external source, it's internal. The only way is to change what's inside. The problem is, there's a lot in life that can lead to suicidal despair. We can protect people from immediate danger, but when it comes to long-term solutions, I'm stumped..."
"Maybe...We can start by changing ourselves."
"How?"
"Pushing ourselves beyond our limits. External and internal strength often feed into one another."
"It's not a hard and fast rule, but it's a start. We should increase the length of our meditation sessions: keep our own dark thoughts under control."
"Burnout, here I come."
Twilight wrapped her foreleg around the young dragon.
"I know it's been hard. Just remember what we're fighting for. The whole world's counting on us, but on the flipside, we have a whole army ready to join us in arms, because of what we've done. As long as we keeping going, we'll emerge victorious. If not, we'll die trying."
Spike closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them once more.
"Yeah...You're right."