Rini sat on the living room couch as her mother wiped the blood from her face. A lantern perched on the table across, provided a warm light, which washed across her form.

A bowl of now cold stew sat in the space next to her, but even if Riley lended her the time to consume it, she didn’t feel hungry.

Not after having lost a tooth.

The act of speaking itself pained her, and her cheek and muzzle had swollen since she left the church. A cloth wrapped ice pack pressed against the lump as her fur returned to its usual dark grey. Now damp and speckled with red, as opposed to dyed.

Though the pain was beyond tolerable compared to the worse suffering she was enduring...the anger of a disappointed parent.

“Rini Limestone Burrows.” Riley began as she looked into her eyes. “I have seen you come home from workplace accidents that have made me shudder. I’ve seen you walk in and out of the hospital with broken bones and sitched cuts.”

She turned to put the crimson cloth down and pull up a blanket, placing it around her daughter’s back.

Rini kept her eyes locked downwards, evading her mother’s gaze with a half-guilty look. She knew she was in the right for what she did, but not even the act of saving the world could absolve her of Riley’s judgement.

Even as a twenty-four year old, some young habits persisted.

“So please understand, It’s not the broken nose itself I’m worried about. It’s the fact you arrived three hours late for dinner, with a broken nose that scares me so.”

Riley moved to support Rini’s head and gently arc it upwards, the two now level with each other.

“Be honest with me dear, what the dime happened?”

A soft sigh escaped Rini as she turned her eyes up at her, with the events of the day playing out in her head with painful detail.

Or though that could’ve just been the tooth.

“I uh…lost rack o’ time at worth. Panicked, went ta cheff on Gale.” She spoke, low and slow through her swollen mouth.

“And?”

Rini swallowed a lump, mentally preparing for what came next.

“Goff attacked, muffs hid a number on Gale’s place. Hide to break in, woulda hid the same here.”

A quiet rage began to build within the mother and she took her paws away from Rini’s face, letting out a slow exhale of air.

She stood up and grabbed a small glass bottle of pills, pouring a few out and giving them to her alongside a cup of water. Rini drank as she paced around the living room, occasionally glancing towards the guns above the fireplace.

“So the asshats at work didn’t sound the shift bell?” Riley’s anger barely masked by a restrained, almost deadly calm.

“Didn’t hear it, was workin’ on a maffine, real big one. Couldn’ tell tha time.” She added.

Riley began closing curtains as she continued. An aura of maternal wrath surrounded her as she looked outside.

“How’s Gale now?”

“No good. No money, low food, about ta lose water. Diner’s a mess, bills won’ stap.” Rini sat up and adjusted the ice pack, trying to get comfortable despite the pain. “They're gonna take him away ma, he needs help.”

Riley cursed under her breath, double checking the lock on each window before closing the last curtain.

“I’ll visit his place first thing in the morning and bring some things with me. What happened to the lugs that followed you?”

“Dealt with em but…ah don’ think they were jus a pair of vandals.” Rini wanted to smile, but her swollen jaw wouldn’t allow it.

Riley turned to her, raising an eyebrow.

“Ma? Have you noticed something abou’ tha soldiers? They're twitchy, right?”

She nodded, moving to sit down next to her with a shiver up her back, moving the bowl of cold food away. “A few came to my store the other day. Thought it was strange but I didn’t think much of it.”

Riley knew what Rini was going to say, and for the briefest time there was a clink in her armour as she braced. She didn’t want to hear it, didn’t want for it to be true and hold out some semblance of hope.

But it was vain.

“The phugs, guys who attacked me, boff were twitching...alot.”

Once more Riley cursed under her breath, hanging her head down before sitting up again. “I don’t believe it,” She rubbed her forehead, “I don’t believe it, this is ludicrous.”

“Heh, yeah…hin’ sight it makes sense. They don’ want ponies around here but haff ta keep face. So, use soldiers outta uniform.”

“I get the logic but for the military to use such…mafia-esc tactics? It’s…gah…” She trailed off, struggling to turn her thoughts into words.

“Mhm, then chase me for bein a “Ponylover…” Rini moved the icepack away for a moment, turning to her mother and the two locked eyes, her voice heavy. “I-I’m scared ma, scared fer Gale, scared fer myself, and scared fer you. They’re puttin’ posters up now to. When’s it gonna stop? Where’s the line gonna get drawn?”

“I…I don’t know dear, bunch of them planted posters on my windows without permission earlier and I couldn’t remove them, they wouldn’t let me.” Riley paused, rubbing her face in an act to help calm herself. “This ain’t right, none of this is right.”

The two sat for a while in silence as the gravity of the situation weighed on them.

Quiet dread seeped into their souls and the light from the lanturn seemed to dim. Uncertainty and grim reality giving way to a coldness claiming embrace to their minds. A world’s worth of wonder forgotten in an instant.

It was the fading of hope.

Rini leaned over and against Riley, who outstretched an arm to embrace her daughter. For a time they sat there, sharing in each other’s warmth, with eyes growing ever heavy.

“This isn’t right,” Thought Riley, “You shouldn’t have to risk yourself checking on a friend, and no-creature has the right to hurt you.”

She twisted her head to glance at the fireplace picture frames. Memories both bright and dark flashing through her head. “Especially now.”

Looking back, Riley had only now noticed her Daughter’s eyes had shut, and her chest gently rose and fell atop her. A warm smile came forward as the lantern's light flickered, ready to fade and let the darkness claim them.

“Everything will be alright Rini, you’ll make it through this.”

Riley’s eyes hardened, fearing the many eyes likely aiming towards her now injured daughter.

“I swear by it.”

Rolling hills and lush forests formed the picturesque backdrop for a bright, sunny day. The sky was clear of clouds and the winds were whispering a gentle breeze.

It was another beautiful day within Equestria’s east, and within one of those rural forests sat a lone cottage.

Surrounded by rich oak trees and emerald green grass blades, berry filled bushes and colourful flowers. It stood alone and independent. Able to enjoy the sapphire blue sky without threat of interruption.

At least until a pair of young whealps came zooming by.

The adolescent Greyhounds raced around the cottage on all fours, one trying to catch the other. Ducking and diving around tree branches and fallen logs. Paraded by the singing of birds and the windy rustle of leaves.

“C’mon! Keep up Rover!” Rini called out.

Her larger, old brother lagged behind. A whole half-decade of difference between them. Despite his age affording him larger legs, he failed to keep up with his speedy sister.

“I’m…trying!” He huffed, tongue loose and flapping with the wind.

Rini almost effortlessly twisted and turned to the tune of the forest. Neither branch nor bush could slow her down, and where Rover had to navigate the foliage she simply slipped through.

Try as he might, there was little hope her brother could ever catch her.

She rode that high and sped up, rushing even faster through the thickets. Dirt and dust kicking up under her as the grass tore from its roots. It was a victory, one she embraced as tightly as she could ignoring all else around her...

Until a vine caught her leg.

Rini tumbled through the air bouncing off the earth, rough wooden limbs and thorn lined brambles racking her sides as she came to a hard stop. Crying out in pain before a river welled from her eyes.

Finally able to catch up, River rushed to her aid and helped comfort her. The twelve year young Diamidian supported his tearful sister back up. “Hold on Rini! I’ve got you.”

“It hurts! It hurr-urts!” She barked, trying not to cry .

Cuts and scrapes marked her legs and back, minor specks of blood poured from where she was struck and twigs tangled within her coat.

All things that didn’t so much as phase Rover anymore, not with how many hunting trips he’d been on.

Thankfully, the cottage door was only a short distance away, they hadn’t ventured too far from it. As they got close the door opened and a concerned Riley stepped out, quickly moving to help the two.

“My word what happened?!”

“Rini ran too fast, again.” Rover answered, his sister whining in pain.

Riley let out a sigh and took them inside. Helping lay the injured pup upon the soft, fur blanket covered couch beside the fireplace. An older Greyhound sitting at the table tightening the strings on an ageing guitar.

“Oh Rini, how many times do we need to speak about this?”

Rover fetched her a wetted cloth which she used to help quell the pain, Rini’s whining spiking as the coldness made contact.

“You can’t just run off in a place like this, if you get hurt and your brother’s not around, who knows what’ll happen!”

Rini sniffed, looking toward her half-stricken with guilt. “I-I’m sorry mom.”

“It’s okay dear, just try not to let it happen again.” Riley stated, wiping a tear from her eye. “Do you know how valuable you are to me?”

“Yes.” She replied, staring right back up at her with an uncharacteristically flat tone.

Riley looked down at her semi-confused, off put by the sudden change.

“R-Right…Rover dear could you-”

She turned to look at him, only to cut herself off when she was met by a surreal sight.

A dim, grey smoke was wafting off the young son. His eyes were full of tears as he silently stared at her. Bit by bit, little by little, his form began to evaporate as it was consumed and turned to dust.

“R-Rover?”

Her heart sped up, her blood ran cold and her hairs stood on end. Panicked, she turned to see the same thing happening to her husband.

“Richard?! W-What’s going on?!”

The ageing mutt didn’t reply, merely turned to face her as half of his face was consumed by a growing cloud of smoke. His form vaporised more and more as the seconds ticked by.

Unlike Rover however, who’s form was just vanishing, Richard’s body broke out into flame. The smoke black with the charred scent of iron and brass. So strong that to simply smell such smoke caused Riley to cough and sputter.

Riley stood frozen with fear as she watched half her family dematerialise before her and a flood of memories came crashing back in.

“No,” She thought, “Not again, please!”

The fireplace gushed with increasing volumes of thick, choking smoke. Quickly flooding the room as the sound of rocks and machines began to crash and groan just outside the house. The blue skies outside turned a dull, lifeless grey.

Shaking herself free she lept towards Rover, trying to grab ahold of and cling to her fading son.

But her arms tore through his body, and everything collapsed into a pile of fine, grey powder.

“NO!” She cried, looking down at herself and towards the pile of ash where Rover once stood.

Her breaths grew short, her heart raced and her blood ran cold. So very, very cold.

She couldn’t escape, the smoke rose higher and higher. Horrible coughing assaulted her senses yet it didn’t come from her. It came from the shadowy remnants of her husband, his face distorted and lost to the black haze and amber flame.

Riley’s eyes then turned towards Rini, her last light within the howling darkness and her only anchorage.

No matter what would happen, no matter how high the smoke rose, nor how bitter it tasted…

“Nocreature will ever take you away from me.”

Author's Note

Before Diamidia had followed Equestria into the age of industry today, most Diamidians stayed in small, often nomadic packs that lived independently. The promise of stable lives and high paying employment encouraged many to leave that life, creating a massive influx of workforce for the kingdom.