“Hey, guys? Random thought here.” Starlight announced to the group as they made their way down the sidewalk of a side street. It had been about an hour since they departed as a group for the mall, and while Sweet Leaf was able to eventually get a rough idea of where they were using the map, they still had no idea of knowing for sure they were moving in the right direction. It didn’t help that some street signs were rendered unreadable by the corruption, the dark, glitchy substance covering what they said. It seemed almost purposeful.

“What’s up?” Aria said in reply to Starlight.

“Do you think it might be worth it to try splitting up? I feel like we’re too exposed moving as one big group, and it might help with figuring out where exactly we are.”

“Nuh uh, nope, no way.” Wallflower said.

“We tried that once, it did not go well.” Sweet leaf followed. Flash looked down at the ground with a sorrowful look on his face.

“Why? What happened?” Starlight asked.

Flash sighed. “Well, it wasn’t always just me, Sweet Leaf and Wallflower.” He said to the group. “In the beginning, Trixie and Bon Bon were with us too. Most of what happened before it is a blur, but eventually we got trapped inside an office building and decided to split up. To make a long story short, we don’t know if they ever made it back out, and it was my idea to split up. If they died, it’s my fault.”

“. . .Damn.” Starlight said, followed by the rest of the group casting sympathetic looks in his direction.

“You couldn’t have known that those things followed us up there Flash.” Sweet Leaf said. “Try and focus on the bright side, if we hadn’t split up, then we might not have found the axe, and well, we all would have been goners. Besides, they managed to find a gun, so they could still be out there somewhere.”

“Well, do you think we made the right call?” Flash asked. “Getting out of there without going back for them?”

“. . .I don’t think there’s a good answer to that.” Wallflower said. “Yeah we might have had time to go back for them, but at the same time, those corrupted are stupidly fast, so if we did go back but couldn’t make it to the ground floor in time, we all would have died. It’s impossible to know for sure, is what I’m saying.”

Flash sighed heavily.

“-I didn’t mean for my question to hurt you, Flash.” Starlight said. “I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s fine, you didn’t know.” Flash replied. “Just- no splitting up, okay? We’re gonna face this apocalypse together.” He said with a weak smile.

“Hey! Look!” Sunset exclaimed from the back of the group. “A diner!” She pointed towards a building coming up in the top right of a four way intersection.

“That’s Sugarcube Corner.” Sweet Leaf chimed in. “I know we already have food and drinks, but there’s bound to be much better stuff in there. I say we stop for a little snack break.”

“Me too.” Flash said. “Anyone else?”

“Yes please!” Sonata and Diamond yelled in unison.

“Shh!” Aria snapped back. “We have to be quiet, remember?”

“Oop!” Sonata said. “Sorry!”

Flash carefully opened the door to Sugarcube corner, making sure the door didn’t squeak on its hinges while he opened it. There didn’t seem to be anyone in the building, but he wasn’t taking any chances. Like the office building he’d been in not too long ago, the place seemed oddly free of the corruption, and besides the lack of any electricity and the tables/chairs thrown about, everything seemed normal.

“Does anyone have a flashlight of some sort?” Flash said, bringing a hand up to his forehead and leaning inwards in an attempt to see further into the building. He failed to do so, the moonlight coming in from the windows facing outside quickly fading into total darkness.

“Yeah, I got you.” Sweet Leaf said, turning on her phone flashlight and handing it to Flash.

“Okay, everyone stay behind me.” Flash said, holding his axe in one hand and flashlight in the other. “I don’t think there’s anyone in here, but just in case-”

A loud CRASH could suddenly be heard from somewhere in the darkness, followed by what sounded like a muttered swear.

“Speak of the devil.” Aria said from behind Flash.

Flash thought for a moment on how to proceed before turning back to the group. “I need one of you to hold the flashlight for me so I can hold my axe properly. Aria, Wallflower, you two come with because you both have your own weapons.”

“I’ll hold the flashlight.” Diamond said. Flash handed it to her, waiting a moment for Aria and Wallflower to come up besides him, and together they started moving carefully into the abandoned diner, Diamond standing behind Wallflower and holding the Flashlight above her shoulder to light the way. They made their way through the main dining area without a hitch, the only sound they made the occasional creaking of wood under their feet as they moved. As they moved further inside, a faint rustling noise could be heard from the back, where the kitchen and food they had come here for laid. Flash stopped at the doorway leading there, holding a hand up to signal to the others to stop before whispering.

“Diamond, come over here.” He whispered, motioning for her. She did as she was asked, and moved up beside him. “On my mark, Diamond and I will turn the corner and see whoever’s in there, Wallflower, Aria, you’ll come in right behind. Ready?”

The other three nodded.

Flash started a countdown.

“One. . .

Two. . .

Three!”

Flash and Diamond quickly rounded the corner, the light from the flashlight illuminating a figure rummaging through the pantry at the far end of the kitchen area.

A very familiar figure.

“Trixie?” Flash said in confusion. Wallflower and Aria appeared right behind him, their faces also ones of confusion at the sight before them.

“Flash?” Trixie said, standing up from her kneeled down position going through the pantry but not turning around.

“Trixie!” Flash exclaimed. “You’re alive! I can’t believe it! How? Where’s Bon Bon?” He asked, starting to walk towards his friend.

“Stop!” Trixie exclaimed, still refusing to turn around. “Don’t come any closer!”

“W-what? Why?”

“T-this food is all Trixie’s!” She said, still facing away from them. “Go away!”

“What?” Flash said. “Come on Trixie, there’s plenty here for all of us.”

“NO!” Trixie yelled.

“Ugh, I don’t have time for this.” Aria said, moving past Flash and towards Trixie. “I’m not playing these games, magician. Come out here or-”

“I SAID LĒ͈Å̢̼͚̃̓VẺ̼̗̄.͉̞̬̏̏͛͛͜” Trixie yelled, whirling around to face Aria. Aria stopped in horror, as did Flash, Wallflower and Diamond at the sight before them. Half of Trixie’s face and right arm were coated in corruption, the pixelating mass standing out brightly in the dim light of the kitchen. Remnants of dried blood were visible too in the same areas, resulting in Trixies face being a disturbing conglomeration at corruption, dried blood, and her light blue skin. The one eye visible on her face glared daggers at Aria, the other one completely covered by the corruption.

“Ah! She’s one of them!” Diamond cried, fumbling with the flashlight as she nearly dropped it in her frightened stupor.

“W-what?” Trixie said, her voice sounding normal again. Her expression changed from one of anger and malice to fear and confusion in an instant, her one eye blinking rapidly as she seemed to come back to reality from her blind rage. “Flash?” She asked. “Is that really you?” She asked in a scared tone.

“Yes Trixie, it’s me!” Flash replied. “What’s wrong with you?!”

“I- I don’t know!” She stammered. “I- I can’t remember anything! C-can’t control. . .” She trailed off, her face suddenly undergoing a particularly aggressive glitch, causing her eye to temporarily disappear and her mouth to distort off of her face. She screamed in pain.

“W-what’s wrong with her?!” Wallflower shouted.

“I- I don’t know! But, she’s still in there somewhere! We have to help her!” Flash said. “Trixie, you have to fight it!” He shouted towards her.

“No! I-I c-c-c-can’tt. . .” Trixie stammered, her head hanging low as it continued to glitch and distort on itself. “S-stay away from me! I don’t want to hurt you!” She cried, before tunring and bolting out of the pantry and the rear entrance to the restaurant.

“Trixie! Wait!!!” Flash yelled, taking off after her.

To Flash’s surprise, Trixie moved frightening fast, easily outpacing him the first few seconds of their chase and turning randoming onto different side streets and alleyways. Flash struggled to keep up with her, his legs utterly spent from the amount of running he’d already done that night. Because Trixie was in a panic, and there was no rhyme or reason to where she ran, it didn’t take long for her to run into a dead end in an alleyway, her pressing her back to the wall as Flash turned the corner.

“Trixie! Let me help you!” He said.

“No! I don’t want to hurt you! I-I can’t control it!”

“Yes you can! I know you can! You just have to want it enough!”

Trixies face and arm continued to glitch and distort for a few seconds as she brought both of her hands to the sides of her head and screamed in a mix of pain and frustration as she tried to fight back, resist the urge to go to sleep or enter a blind rage. Flash watched her struggle helplessly for what seemed like forever, desperately wanting to help but not knowing how. Eventually, Trixie collapsed, finally coming to rest in a pitiful heap in front of the brick wall behind her. The corruption that covered her face and right arm seemed to lose some of its control though, beginning to drip off of her like water and form a small puddle surrounding her. She came to again after a few seconds, blinking as she watched Flash walk up to her, axe in hand.

“Ẅ̲ha̭̅t̺̎ ̬̀ar̰̂e͇̚ y͙̏ou ̖̈́goin̈́͟g tō̳ do? ̫͊Ki͓̕ll̤͊ me͔͠?” She finally said with a small chuckle. “I see I wouldn’t be the first, hehe.” She said, her one eye looking at the dried blood on the blade.

Flash let go of the axe, allowing it to fall away and to the side and kneeling down in front of her. “No, I’m not.” He said bluntly.

“Why?” She said angrily. “Aren’t you afraid that I’ll lose control?! That I’ll suddenly jump up and kill you?” She said in a more fearful tone.

“No, and you know why? Because I trust you.”

“You trust me?”

“Of course I do!” Flash said. “Where’s that girl who constantly says that she’s the greatest and most powerful of all?” He said in an encouraging tone. Trixie grimaced in what seemed like determination again, fighting back against the corruptions control as Flash continued to speak.

“Where’s the most talented magician in Canterlot city? Surely the greatest and most powerful of all won’t let a little corruption take her down!” He said with a warm smile. Trixie continued to struggle.

After a few more seconds, she let out a small, distorted chuckle. “You know that was all just an act, right?” She replied, looking back up to Flash to reveal that more of it had fallen off of her face, revealing the beginnings of her left eye underneath. “All that stuff about being so much better than everyone else, having such a massive ego. . . It doesn’t take a detective to figure out that was just a way of hiding my insecurities.”

“What I said still applies.” Flash said. “And even if it doesn’t, I’m still not leaving you here.” He paused. “I’m sorry, Trixie, I never should have made us split up, if I had just-”

“I-it’s okay, I know you meant well.” She said. “Are Wallflower and Sweet Leaf still alive?”

“Yes, and they want you to come back to us just as much as I do.” He said in a warm tone.

“T-they do?”

“They do.” He said, standing up and lowering a hand. “So come on, take my hand.”

Trixie blinked again, before slowly reaching her hand out and grabbing his. As he tried to help her up though, the small puddle of corruption that had gathered at her feet retaliated, a small tendril lashing out and wrapping around her midsection.

“Ah! Flash!” Trixie cried upon feeling it wrap around her.

“Don’t worry! I’ve got you!” He yelled, leaning back and using all of his might to pull her away. After a few more moments of struggle, their efforts paid off, the tendril snapping in two and falling apart, causing Trixie and Flash to fall backwards into one another. Flash pulled what was left of his strength to finish pulling the two of them to their feet, Trixie in a daze from their struggle.

“You okay?” Flash asked.

One by one, both of Trixie’s eyes opened, blinking hopefully. It didn’t take long for her to notice this, followed by a joyful sob as she embraced Flash with her now freed arms. The rest of the group arrived shortly thereafter, weapons ready expecting a fight, but instead finding Trixie and Flash still embracing each other.

“Thank you, Flash.” Trixie said finally.

“Anytime.” He replied.

“. . .Woah.” Wallflower said.

“Trixie!” Sweet Leaf shouted. “You’re free!”

“Not quite.” Aria chimed in. “it’s still on her face.”

“H-huh?” Trixie said, stepping away from Flash and rubbing a hand against her face. She paused upon bringing it away only for her hand to now be coated in a thin layer of it. She flicked her hand to the side, spraying the drops of corruption onto a nearby wall.

“I-is it bad?” Trixie asked hesitantly.

“Well, it’s a lot better than it was.” Aria said. “How do you feel?”

“I, uh, I feel pretty normal. I don’t feel like I’m constantly struggling to keep control, or, not fall asleep. . .”

“Flash, that was amazing!” Diamond shouted. “How did you do that?”

“Just uh, helping a friend in need, is all, hehe.”

“So the secret to freeing people is the power of friendship. Who would’ve thought.” Adagio stated with a slight eye roll.

“I think there’s more to it than that.” Sweet Leaf said. “Perhaps the secret to it is appealing to their humanity, reminding them of who they are and the people they care about. And maybe just sheer willpower. Right, Trixie?”

“I-I think so, yeah.” Trixie answered. “I was so scared that I would lose control and hurt you guys, then Flash cornered me with the axe and I thought he’d kill me but, instead be dropped it.” She let out a small laugh. “I was so confused I forgot why I was scared for a moment. Then he reminded me of who I was and how you guys were still alive and. . .” She trailed off. “I guess that was it. It felt like finally being able to breathe again after holding your breath your whole life.”

“Is there anything we can do about her face?” Wallflower asked.

“If I had to guess, it doesn’t seem like this corruption lets go of its hosts easily, if even after that there’s still some on her. But as long as she’s feeling well I don’t see the problem.” Sweet Leaf answered.

Trixie wrapped her left around around Flash’s shoulders, the two of them slowly limping along towards the others. “A little help here?” Flash said, struggling to hold up both of their weights.

“I gotcha.” Wallflower said, rushing up beside Trixie to let her wrap her other arm around her shoulders.

“So, Trixie.” Sweet Leaf said. “Escaping from the clutches of darkness seems pretty exhausting. What do you say we go back to Sugarcube corner, hm? And this time share the food?”

“Yeah, yeah I’d like that.” Trixie said weakly.

Author's Note

As of writing this, I don’t think I’ll be continuing this fic for much longer. Not because I’m running out of ideas or lack of motivation mind you, it’s instead because I don’t want to write myself into a corner by going too deep with this story and risk it becoming inconsistent with what I write for the companion fic to this When Darkness Falls. I think I’ve explored what will be going on after the corruption’s invasion of the EQG world enough for right now, and it’s about time I start focusing on that one again.

It shouldn’t be too long after my last update for this side story that I start uploading regularly again. Fun fact though, even before I took that several-month hiatus, I already had around 40k words worth of content ready to go, I just thought it would be better to let it accumulate for a while and do another week long daily update wave. The only thing that’s kept me from doing that already though is that said 40k words are still just worldbuilding, because as it turns out, I have too many ideas for where to take that fic for my own good, lol. That’s why I decided to write this side story in the first place, as something to hold reader interest by offering a peek into what my stories will eventually become while I worldbuild.

There’s still going to be at least one more chapter added to this fic here though. 8. The Void.

After that one’s uploaded, I’ll be doing one of two things:

1. Writing another side story, Simulation, where we explore what happened to Bon Bon, or-

2. Finish up my work on unfinished content for When Darkness Falls, and do another update wave.

Or, maybe if my schedule allows it, I’ll do both! I have had a lot of free time lately. Another fun fact: everything I’ve published within the past week was written and edited the same day it was posted. Pretty nice work pace if I do say so myself.