The Friendship Apocalypseby ShiningStarlightChaptersPrologue: How It All BeganChapter One: Warriors of the WastelandsChapter Two: The Mysterious UnicornPrologue: How It All BeganDoomsday is coming. That was the one single thought that ran through the Mane Five’s mind as they raced through Ponyville. When word that a giant energy ball filled with a deadly magic was going to consume all of Equestria once it hit the town, Princess Twilight took action. She ordered her friends and allies to evacuate everypony and creature in the land immediately and bring them to safety, all while she tried to find a spell that would hopefully stop the energy ball from destroying everything. Out of all the missions the five heroes had been on, this was by far the most dangerous mission they’ve ever been on. But they still did what they could to save the lives of many civilians from the incoming danger. And with the aforementioned danger looming above the sky, slowly coming down to bring destruction to the land of Equestria, the five ponies had to hurry and get every single pony to safety as fast as they could. “How much longer do we have to keep running?!” A female earth pony said as her and her group were being led by the Mane Five. “Ma’am, we already told you that we keep running until you and your group are at the train station.” Applejack told the mare. “And this train will take all of us somewhere safe?” A male Pegasus asked. “Yes! Now stop blabbing and keep running!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. While the Mane Five were stressed and freaked out at the whole situation, Rainbow Dash was by far the most worried and anxious that she has ever been. Never in her entire life would she be so afraid about the fact that the world would possibly be ending. Yet despite that, she still had hope that things would turn out alright and that everything would be okay. ‘Twilight, I really hope this spell of yours works.’ Rainbow thought. The Mane Five eventually made it to the train station, where a train was picking up passengers that were all heading to safety. “Alright, now all of you need to board that train. Once you do, you will all be headed to safety.” Fluttershy told the group. The female earth pony smiled. “Thank you all.” She said softly to the Mane Five. The earth pony and her group all headed towards the train and boarded along with all the ponies who were also boarding the train. The five ponies all watched as the train doors closed and the train started rolling down the tracks and left the station until it slowly but surely became distant from the station itself. The last remaining ponies of Ponyville were safely evacuated. Their mission was accomplished. Rarity groaned. “I don’t know about you fillies, but I am so exhausted after all this back and forth running. I think I need to take a break.” She said, slumping into the ground. “Well we don’t have time to take a break, Rares. We have to meet up with Twilight at the Town Hall’s rooftop.” Applejack told Rarity. “Well, what are we waiting for?! Let’s go!!!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, racing straight to Town Hall. “Pinkie, wait up!” Rainbow yelled as her and the others ran after Pinkie Pie. ~~~ After dashing through the streets of Ponyville, the Mane Five found themselves on the rooftop of Town Hall. The spot where Twilight told her friends to meet her at. But there was no sign of Twilight anywhere. “Where the heck could she be?!” Rainbow yelled. “Rainbow, there’s no need to yell. I’m sure Twilight will be here any second now.” Fluttershy said. And right on cue, Twilight Sparkle appeared on the rooftop with a poof. “Is everypony in Ponyville evacuated?” Twilight asked. “Yup!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Did you find the spell?” Applejack asked. And as soon as she said that, Twilight levitated a scroll from her saddlebags. “Could this be the spell that will stop that energy ball from destroying our home?” Rarity asked. Twilight simply nodded. “Great! Now fire that spell and save the day! And then we’ll celebrate with a party!” Pinkie exclaimed, jumping up and down. But instead of doing that, Twilight did something else. Something unexpected. Something shocking. Twilight took one good look at the scroll that was going to save every living creature in Equestria… And burned it down until it was nothing but ash. The Mane Five were shocked. That spell was their last chance to stop the energy ball and save Equestria, and Twilight just burned it to the ground. “TWILIGHT! WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!” Rainbow Dash yelled, angry and confused on why her dear friend would destroy a spell that would save their land from devastation. “The spell won’t work.” Twilight simply said. The Mane Five were confused on what Twilight said. But before one of them could ask what she meant by that, Twilight spoke again. “It won’t work. Nothing will work. No matter how many spells I would cast on it or how much I believe things will work out well, it’ll not stop what will happen. All we’re doing is delaying the inevitable. So we just have to give up hope. Friendship won’t save the day like it always does. So it’s time to just stop fighting and let it consume everything.” The five ponies all stared at their friend with confusion and worry. All of them were thinking about why their friend would say something like that. “Twilight, you’re starting to scare us.” Fluttershy said, trembling in fear. “Twi, whatever kind of daze you’re having, you need to snap out of it!” Applejack told Twilight. The purple alicorn simply smiled. “I knew you all wouldn’t understand. But it’s okay. Once it’s all over, we will no longer have to worry about stuff like friendship or harmony or magic any more. Because soon, we will all be consumed by it’s power and become nothing but ashes and dust.” Twilight said. The Mane Five took a look at the energy ball. It was getting closer to hitting Town Hall, but for some reason it was glowing. “Stop fighting it my friends. Just let it happen. We’ll have nothing to worry about once it’s over.” Twilight added. The Mane Five all watched as Twilight flew in front of the energy ball, her smile being even wider than ever. “A calamity is coming for us.” Twilight’s body began to glow just like the energy ball. “And we should all embrace it.” Twilight immediately flew straight into the energy ball. The Mane Five would only watch in horror as their friend was consumed by the ball of deadly magic. And the ball got closer and closer to impact. But then, it stopped. The five ponies were confused on why it stopped. They thought that maybe Twilight had something to do with it. But then Pinkie smiled. “Welp, all’s well that ends well!” Pinkie said. Then suddenly, the energy ball started to rumble and shake. It began to glow a really bright purple and it began to grow bigger and bigger. Rainbow Dash knew what was going to happen next. “RUN!!!” Rainbow yelled to her friends. The Mane Five immediately jumped off the rooftop of Town Hall and ran as fast as they could. They all had to leave Ponyville as soon as possible before it was too late. But that was when the energy ball began to blast magical shock waves that blew the five ponies away. Rainbow hit the ground hard after being struck by the shock waves. She slowly looked up and saw that Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were right beside her. But there was no sign of Applejack or Rarity anywhere. She looked back at Town Hall. The energy ball has grown tremendously huge and its purple glow was brighter than ever before. It looked like it was going to destroy the world at any moment. And Rainbow Dash was truly afraid. Then a voice came out from the energy ball. It sounded like Twilight, but it was corrupted by the magic that came from inside it, turning her voice into a voice of evil and despair. “CALAMITY IS MAGIC.” And just like that, the energy ball struck the ground with a powerful boom, destroying Town Hall in the process. And as soon as it hit the ground, it exploded. Rainbow Dash screamed but her screams were unable to be heard. And everything went white. Many Moons Later… Rainbow Dash woke up to the scorching sun. It wasn't easy to adapt to the blazing heat in the wastelands, but Rainbow was able to handle it. She couldn’t say the same for her two friends who apparently are having a hard time getting used to it. Ever since The Friendship Apocalypse began, Rainbow, Pinkie, and Fluttershy decided to stick together so that they could handle whatever the wastelands threw at them. (Rainbow thought that sticking with your friends is why the Friendship Apocalypse is named that way because it relies heavily on friendship.) But even though she has Pinkie and Flutters, the rainbow pegasus still wonders if Applejack and Rarity were okay. Because if the three of them were able to survive in the apocalypse, they would have survived in it as well. As for Twilight? Well… She didn’t even want to think about Twilight. “Are you done lying in the sand?” Fluttershy said, walking up to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow turned and looked at her friend. Her light pink mane and tail were both dishevelled and she had an eyepatch on her right eye. She also wore a brown scarf on her neck and her whole body was covered in scars. “Come on Shy, can’t you let me lie in the sand for at least five more minutes?” Rainbow said, chuckling at her own joke. Fluttershy giggled at Rainbow’s joke. “That’s pretty funny, Rainbow. But it’s really hot out here and I don’t want you to get a really bad sunburn out here.” Fluttershy said, now being worried about her friend. Rainbow sighed and sat up. “Okay, just give me a moment to stretch and I’ll get back in the van.” Rainbow told her friend. “I was getting tired of staring at the sun anyways.” She jokingly added. Fluttershy smiled. “Alright, I’ll tell Pinkie that you’re coming back in soon.” Fluttershy said as she trotted over to the van. Right before she entered the van, she turned to her friend. “I’m glad we have you, Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy said sweetly. “Thanks, Flutters.” Rainbow said. Fluttershy gave Rainbow Dash the softest smile she could give to her. She then entered the van and closed the door behind her. Once Fluttershy entered the vehicle, Rainbow Dash got up from the sand and began to stretch her hooves and wings. With all of the things she's been through in the wastelands, stretching was the best way to get rid of all the stress she’s been feeling since the apocalypse began. Once she finally finished stretching, Rainbow took one last look at the land around her and sighed. This whole apocalypse was really taking a toll on her mental health. Every day she’d get worried about her safety as well as the safety of her friends. The wastelands are filled with danger. That is something Rainbow Dash knows all too well. And yet she’s afraid that she might lose Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy to whatever might be lurking in the dusty sands. But worst of all, with all the pain and stress she dealt with, she’s worried that she might get herself even more hurt than before. But she doesn’t have to worry about all that at the moment. Right now, she’s safe. And her friends are safe. And as long as they stick together, they can be able to survive in the apocalypse. “Hey Dashie! Are you coming or not?!” Pinkie exclaimed from inside the van, snapping Rainbow Dash out of her thoughts. “Yeah, I’m coming. No need to get your tail in a twist.” Rainbow said as she trotted over to the van. And as she stepped into the vehicle, Rainbow took one look at the sky. Even though she and her friends were in a dangerous land, the skies looked very peaceful with only a few clouds in the blue horizon above them. She only wished that the wastelands themselves would be as peaceful as the skies. But she knew that would be impossible. After all, there never would be any peace in the wastelands. Rainbow Dash then looked at her friends. Fluttershy was relaxing on the couch while Pinkie Pie was at the driver seat getting ready to start the van. Seeing her friends being right there beside her made Rainbow know that having her friends with her would make this apocalyptic world a lot better for her to deal with. And that’s all that matters to her. ‘What a day.’ Rainbow Dash thought as she closed the van door. ‘What a lovely day.’ Author's Note Well that was an intense way to begin a story. Wouldn’t you agree? And if you’re confused about why Twilight just decided to let Equestria be destroyed instead of saving it from destruction, no need to worry. In due time, you’ll have your answer. You just need to be patient. Also if you couldn’t tell, this story was heavily inspired by TMNT 2012’s Mutant Apocalypse arc. (It’s also one of my favourite TMNT 2012 story arcs) Chapter One: Warriors of the WastelandsThe wastelands are dangerous. You must stay with your friends if you want to survive them. Get left behind and you will die. Those are the rules of the new world. And Rainbow Dash and her two friends followed those exact rules as they drove through the wastelands and kept an eye out for any sign of trouble. Despite the circumstances they found themselves in, the surviving three members of the Mane Six did whatever they could to survive this harsh new world. Whether it be scavenging for food or fuel in the sands or fortifying the van so that it’ll be protected by whatever’s out there. Pinkie Pie called this team of three “The Warriors of The Wastelands” because they are a group of warriors that are surviving in the harsh wastelands. Rainbow didn’t mind the team name Pinkie gave, and she could tell that Fluttershy didn’t mind either. Rainbow Dash is glad she has her friends with her. “How are you guys holding up there?” Pinkie asked, turning her head so that it’s facing the couch where the two pegasi were sitting. “We’re fine, Pinkie.” Rainbow said. Fluttershy nodded in agreement. “Great! Glad to know that my two warriors are doing fine!” Pinkie exclaimed. Rainbow chuckled. She knew that even in an apocalyptic situation like this, Pinkie would still be her same old self and it shows. And through all of the stress and struggles the three ponies are going through in the wastelands, they really do need a smile to lift their spirits. And Pinkie herself never failed her duty. Much like Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie had a brand new look. Her bright pink poofy mane and tail were put into a ponytail and she wore dark pink steampunk goggles on her head. She also had a bright blue bandanna wrapped around her neck, brown saddlebags on her back that had trinkets and gadgets inside, and grey boots on all four of her hooves. “Are we ever going to find something?” Fluttershy asked. “Have patience, Flutters.” Pinkie told Fluttershy. “I’m sure we’ll find something. The wastelands may be big but they can’t always be empty.” “But they’re always empty.” Fluttershy muttered sadly to herself. Rainbow saw how stressed Fluttershy has been. She didn’t blame her. Her dishevelled mane and tail, all of the scars that were on every spot in Fluttershy’s body, and the eyepatch that adorned her right eye were enough proof to show that the apocalypse really affected her mental health. She looked worse, but at least she didn’t look as bad as Rainbow Dash herself in this hellhole. Rainbow looked at the mirror that hangs on the wall of the van and looked at herself once more. Her long rainbow mane and tail had been shortened and she was blind in her left eye. She also wore a black hoodie and had white worn out bandages on her wings that were severely crippled to the point where she could no longer fly. “Don’t worry about it, Fluttershy. If we don’t find anything, we’re probably gonna find something tomorrow.” Rainbow told Fluttershy, trying to lift her spirits. “Speaking of tomorrow, we should probably stop the van and set up camp. It’s starting to get really dark out there.” Pinkie said, watching as the sun began to set on the horizon. Fluttershy sighed. “This is the fifth time this week that we set up camp in the middle of the wastelands after not finding anything.” She said as Pinkie Pie stopped the van. “Looks like somepony has been keeping count.” Pinkie said jokingly. “Well, we have been driving through the sand for a long time. And we all know that there’s gotta be at least one pony that can keep count on how many times we set up camp in the middle of the wastelands.” Rainbow said, adding on to the joke Pinkie made. Fluttershy giggled at the absurdity of the joke her two friends made. And as the three ponies exited the van to set up camp, Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but smile. ‘At least we managed to lift Fluttershy’s spirits.’ Rainbow thought. And so, the three ponies began to set up camp and prepare themselves for the long night ahead of them. And yet, they did not notice that three other ponies who were two pegasi and a unicorn were watching them from a distance. Waiting for their time to strike. “When are we going to ambush them?” A pegasus asked their unicorn leader. “Yeah, I’m tired of waiting here.” Another pegasus added, groaning. “I just want to take these guys down and bring them to Princess Calamity already!” “Have patience, my comrades.” The unicorn leader told the impatient pegasi. “Good things come to those who wait.” ~~~ Night managed to arrive as quickly as possible. Which was unusual, but in an apocalypse like this, anything could happen. Whenever Rainbow, Pinkie, and Fluttershy set up camp, they usually sleep in the tents they set up. However, Pinkie felt that something dangerous could be approaching them and decided to sleep in the van where it’s safe. Fluttershy was comforted with the idea and decided to sleep in the van as well. Instead of doing what her friends were doing and sleeping in the van, Rainbow Dash decided to stay outside and be on guard for any suspicious activity that might be lurking in the shadows. It was dangerous, but it was the only way to protect herself or her friends from whatever threat that might be coming their way. She stayed on the lookout for anything suspicious for 15 minutes before realising that maybe there wasn’t any threat and Pinkie was probably delusional. And it is normal for Pinkie to be delusional about something like that. Rainbow was about to re-enter the van and tell her friends that there’s nothing there, when all of a sudden… Somepony tackled her to the ground. “Guys! I got her!” The attacker yelled to presumably their friends. Rainbow Dash was able to get a good look at the pony who tackled her to the ground. They were a Pegasus with a dark purple coat, red eyes, a long dark blue mane and tail, and wore a black robe. “Excellent work, Shadow Wing. I bet that Princess Calamity would be so proud of you for capturing the Element of Loyalty herself.” A voice said behind the pegasus. “Really? But I thought the princess would be proud of us by bringing the Element of Loyalty to her, Moon Dusk.” Another voice said. The first voice whose name is Moon Dusk groaned. “Well she can be proud of us for doing both, Eclipse Strike.” She told the second voice. The voices walked over to the pegasus whose name was Shadow Wing and Rainbow Dash was able to see what they looked like. The first pony whose name was Moon Dusk was a unicorn with a grey coat, indigo eyes, a braided red mane and tail, and had a broken horn. The second pony whose name was apparently Eclipse Strike was a pegasus like Shadow Wing with a white coat, dark green eyes, a short strawberry blond mane and tail, and had prosthetic metal wings. And just like Shadow Wing, they were both wearing black robes. “Who the hay are you guys?” Rainbow asked the ponies in the black robes. Moon Dusk chuckled sinsterly. “We are known as the Destroyers of Friendship. And by the order of our Princess Calamity, we are sworn to destroy any surviving pony in the wastelands.” She told Rainbow Dash. “And that includes you and your two friends inside your van.” Eclipse Strike added. “So don’t resist and we promise you that your death and the deaths of your friends will be swift and painless!” Shadow Wing finished, putting a dagger on Rainbow’s neck. Moon Dusk groaned and took the dagger away from Shadow Wing with her magic. “Shadow, our princess said not to kill them. She needs them alive.” “But I never get to use this dagger! Just let me have this, Moony!” Shadow Wing exclaimed. Right before Moon Dusk was about to retort, a beeping sound was heard. Then the beeping sound started to beep faster and faster. Eclipse Strike looked around and saw a small contraption on the ground blinking red and beeping at the same time. And before he tried to warn the others, it was too late. The contraption immediately began to release a thick cloud of smoke all around Rainbow Dash and the Destroyers of Friendship. And in the smoke cloud, Rainbow can see two silhouetted ponies beating up the three robed ponies. Once the smoke cleared, Rainbow saw that the Destroyers of Friendship were all knocked out and Pinkie and Fluttershy were the ones who knocked them out. “Are you okay, Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy asked. Rainbow Dash nodded. “I can’t believe those meanies tried to hurt you! Thank goodness we managed to save you before they did something horrible to you.” Pinkie said. “I just can’t believe you two managed to knock them down very quickly and easily.” Rainbow jokingly said. “Well, it was pretty easy for the Warriors of The Wastelands.” Fluttershy said. “You’re darn right!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Now let’s get out of here before those meanies wake up.” And with that, the three ponies reentered the van and drove away, hoping that they won’t have to run into the Destroyers of Friendship anytime soon. Moon Dusk managed to wake up from her knocked out state to see the van driving away. She sighed, knowing that their mission was a failure. “Princess Calamity is not going to be happy to hear this.” Moon Dusk muttered to herself as she teleported herself and her two knocked out friends back to their base. ~~~ “…” “Those ponies…” “The way they care about each other..” “…” “I think they can help me.” “If I tell them my mission, I know they’ll help me.” “I don’t want to be afraid anymore.” “I will find Sanctuary.” “And the only way to do that is to have friends by my side.” “…” “I just hope they’ll be my friends.” Author's Note “Who is Princess Calamity?” “Who is that person talking?” “What is Sanctuary?” Those questions will be answered in due time. So be patient and you’ll get your answers. After all, good things come to those who wait. Chapter Two: The Mysterious Unicorn“How long until our van gets gas?” Fluttershy asked. “Won’t be long now Flutters.” Rainbow Dash said, pumping the gas into the van’s filler. “I’m actually surprised that we managed to find a gas station in the wastelands.” Pinkie Pie said. “After all, the wastelands have only sand and bits of ruined structures. So the chances of us finding an actual working gas station here are pretty low. But somehow, we actually found one. How crazy is that?!” Rainbow chuckled as Pinkie blabbered on and on. She looked at the fuel gauge on the van. It read 50%. Won’t be long now until it reaches 100%. “I mean, if we managed to find a single working gas station, I wouldn’t be too surprised if we found a functioning restaurant in the wastelands as well.” Pinkie said, continuing her weird ramble. “Or better yet, a village filled with actual ponies living in it! That would be cool to find in the wastelands!” As Pinkie continued talking about what kind of stuff the three of them could find, Fluttershy noticed that a pony in a brown cape was entering their van. Right before she was about to ask the pony what they’re doing, they were already inside and they immediately slammed the van’s door shut. Fluttershy was confused on who that pony is and why they got in the van in the first place. But she just chalked it up to the pony wanting to find somewhere safe to protect them from the dangerous wasteland. “Alright ladies, the van’s all filled up with gas! We are good to keep driving down the sandy road!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “Yippee!!” Pinkie cheered, bouncing up and down. “Wait, really? But what about the pony that’s in our van?” Fluttershy asked. Rainbow and Pinkie just stared at her in confusion. “What pony?” Rainbow asked. “Well, while you guys weren’t looking, I saw a pony in a brown cape just enter our van. I was about to ask them what they were doing, when they just immediately closed the door. I didn’t know why they were going into our van, but maybe it’s because they wanted to find a safe place to protect themselves from the dangers of the wastelands.” Fluttershy explained. Pinkie Pie immediately bursted into laughter. “Oh Fluttershy. There’s no pony else here except the three of us!” She exclaimed. “Pinkie’s right. There’s no way that some pony can just walk into our van when we’re the only ponies here.” Rainbow added. Fluttershy was about to retort, but instead sighed as she knew that her friends wouldn’t believe her. “Hey don’t worry, Flutters. If there was some pony that tried to get into our van and might possibly rob us of our supplies, we'd make this intruder think twice before they mess with the Warriors of The Wastelands!” Pinkie said, punching the air with her two front hooves to prove a point. Fluttershy giggled as she watched Pinkie punch the air over and over. Rainbow Dash eventually put a hoof on her shoulder as a way of telling her to stop. “I think Fluttershy understood what you meant, Pinks. Can you please stop punching the air now?” Rainbow asked. “Okie-dokie-lokie!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Alright, enough messing around. Let’s hit the road!” Rainbow exclaimed as she opened the van’s door and flew inside with Pinkie and Fluttershy following her from behind. Once inside, Fluttershy looked around the van to see if the pony in the brown cape was hiding somewhere. But after looking around, she didn’t find the pony anywhere. Fluttershy was confused. But then she thought that she hallucinated and maybe the scorching heat from the wastelands outside was what made her hallucinate that pony. She hates the wastelands. “Alright girls, let’s drive down the sandy trail!” Pinkie exclaimed as she put the van into drive mode. And with the press of the gas pedal, Pinkie Pie drove the van away from the gas station and into the great unknown of the wastelands. With the van now back on the open road, Fluttershy said Rainbow Dash now finally had a chance to kick back and relax on the couch. Which was something that they haven’t done in a while. “Wanna listen to some tunes, Shy?” Rainbow asked. Fluttershy nodded. Rainbow turned on the radio and music began to play from it. Music that was from before The Friendship Apocalypse began. Despite everything, it was nice to listen to something that came before the apocalypse. Rainbow saw the smile on Fluttershy’s face as she hummed along to the songs playing. It made Rainbow smile too. And so, the two pegasi were able to finally take a breather and listen to some music on the couch while Pinkie drove to unknown parts of the wastelands. But unbeknownst to the three ponies, the pony in the brown cape was watching the three ponies relaxing and taking it easy while she was invisible to them via an invisibility spell. “When the time is right, I will reveal myself and tell them my mission. Until then, I just need to wait.” ~~~ “Okay, I got one! I spy with my little eye something blue!” Pinkie said. Fluttershy sighed tiredly. It has been a while since night had fallen on the wastelands. And since the three ponies hadn’t found anything, they decided to find ways to entertain themselves. (Pinkie put the van on autopilot) Eventually, they were playing their 25th round of Eye Spy. And at this point, the two pegasi were already tired and wanted to call it a night. But despite that, Pinkie still wanted to play. It was natural for her to continue playing with all of her boundless energy. But Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy just wanted to sleep. (Mostly Rainbow Dash) “Bluuuue.” Pinkie said as she pointed her hoof at Rainbow to say that the answer is their friend. “Bluuuuuuuuuue.” It was silent for a moment. “Is it Rainbow Dash again?” Fluttershy said exhaustedly. “Wow!” Pinkie exclaimed. “You are really good at this, Fluttershy!” At this point, Rainbow had released a big yawn that she had been holding in. Even after 25 games of Eye Spy, she really wanted to sleep. “Pinkie, can we please go to sleep now?” Rainbow asked. “Yeah, we’re both tired and we want to get some rest.” Fluttershy added as she tried to keep her eyes open. Pinkie saw how tired her friends were. And even though she had enough energy to go another round, she decided that maybe it was time for them to hit the hay. “Alright, you girls can go get some rest. I don’t want my friends getting all cranky when morning arrives.” Pinkie said with her usual smile on her face. The two pegasi sighed with relief as they both climbed into the couch. They can’t wait to finally get some shut eye. “Thanks, Pinkie.” Rainbow said softly. “Anytime, Dashie. Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite.” Pinkie said as she walked to the driver’s seat, before stopping and adding, “Seriously, I heard they can eat a pony in five minutes.” Rainbow Dash giggled at Pinkie’s joke. She watched as her pink friend sat in the driver’s seat and turned the autopilot off before driving the van manually. She then looked over at Fluttershy who was already fast asleep. Even after everything she’s been through, it was nice knowing that her pegasus friend can get some brief peaceful moments of sleep. Rainbow took a deep breath as her body relaxed on the couch. She knew that when morning came, it’s back to business as usual. But right now it was quiet and peaceful. In the past, she really would’ve hated this. But ever since the apocalypse began, she was starting to like the peacefulness and quietness. With that, Rainbow closed her eyes and drifted into a peaceful slumber. The van was quiet. Until eventually… “INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!!!” Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy immediately woke up to the sound of Pinkie Pie screaming. “What the hay are you screaming about, Pinkie?” Rainbow asked. “FLUTTERSHY WAS RIGHT! THERE IS SOMEPONY IN OUR VAN!” Pinkie yelled, pointing at the supposed intruder. The two pegasi turned to where Pinkie was pointing at and they two were shocked. There indeed was a pony in their van. She was a unicorn who had a blue coat and pink markings on her ears and hooves, a two toned purple and hot pink with orange tips mane and tail in dreadlocks, green eyes, and was wearing a brown cape with a hood. “Woah. I guess you were right after all, Flutters.” Rainbow told Fluttershy. Immediately, Pinkie Pie pulled out a stun baton from her saddlebags and ran up to the unicorn with it. “WHO ARE YOU?! ARE YOU HERE TO KILL US AND/OR ROB US?!” Pinkie yelled. “Hang on. I’m not here to hurt you.” The unicorn said. But Pinkie didn’t believe in what the unicorn said. She began to turn on the stun baton and got ready to smack it on the intruder. “Wait, you have to understand! I need your help!” The unicorn told Pinkie. “Sorry, intruder. But you are full of lies!” Pinkie exclaimed. And right before she swung the stun baton at the unicorn, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy stopped her. “Hang on, Pinkie! Let’s hear her out first!” Rainbow told Pinkie. “Rainbow’s right, Pinkie. She really could need our help.” Fluttershy said. Pinkie looked at her friends and then looked at the intruder. She sighed in defeat and put the stun baton back in her saddlebags. “So, what do you need our help for?” Pinkie asked the unicorn. “Well, I’m on a very important mission and knowing how dangerous it will be, I need you three to help me so that I may complete my mission and hopefully not die in the wastelands.” The unicorn told the three ponies. “Um, but what exactly is your mission?” Fluttershy asked the unicorn. “Also, I don’t think you told us who the hay you even are.” Rainbow added. “Oh, I’m sorry. I almost forgot to do that. Let me introduce myself.” The unicorn said. She took a shaky deep breath and pulled the hood out of her head revealing more of her mane. Afterwards, she spoke in a clear tone. “My name is Misty Brightdawn, and I’m on a mission to find Sanctuary.” Author's Note Yep, the ponies from G5 will be in this story. If you don’t like it, you can read something else. Next chapter will be finally learning about Sanctuary and why Misty wants to find it. Stay tuned for that!
Prologue: How It All BeganDoomsday is coming. That was the one single thought that ran through the Mane Five’s mind as they raced through Ponyville. When word that a giant energy ball filled with a deadly magic was going to consume all of Equestria once it hit the town, Princess Twilight took action. She ordered her friends and allies to evacuate everypony and creature in the land immediately and bring them to safety, all while she tried to find a spell that would hopefully stop the energy ball from destroying everything. Out of all the missions the five heroes had been on, this was by far the most dangerous mission they’ve ever been on. But they still did what they could to save the lives of many civilians from the incoming danger. And with the aforementioned danger looming above the sky, slowly coming down to bring destruction to the land of Equestria, the five ponies had to hurry and get every single pony to safety as fast as they could. “How much longer do we have to keep running?!” A female earth pony said as her and her group were being led by the Mane Five. “Ma’am, we already told you that we keep running until you and your group are at the train station.” Applejack told the mare. “And this train will take all of us somewhere safe?” A male Pegasus asked. “Yes! Now stop blabbing and keep running!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. While the Mane Five were stressed and freaked out at the whole situation, Rainbow Dash was by far the most worried and anxious that she has ever been. Never in her entire life would she be so afraid about the fact that the world would possibly be ending. Yet despite that, she still had hope that things would turn out alright and that everything would be okay. ‘Twilight, I really hope this spell of yours works.’ Rainbow thought. The Mane Five eventually made it to the train station, where a train was picking up passengers that were all heading to safety. “Alright, now all of you need to board that train. Once you do, you will all be headed to safety.” Fluttershy told the group. The female earth pony smiled. “Thank you all.” She said softly to the Mane Five. The earth pony and her group all headed towards the train and boarded along with all the ponies who were also boarding the train. The five ponies all watched as the train doors closed and the train started rolling down the tracks and left the station until it slowly but surely became distant from the station itself. The last remaining ponies of Ponyville were safely evacuated. Their mission was accomplished. Rarity groaned. “I don’t know about you fillies, but I am so exhausted after all this back and forth running. I think I need to take a break.” She said, slumping into the ground. “Well we don’t have time to take a break, Rares. We have to meet up with Twilight at the Town Hall’s rooftop.” Applejack told Rarity. “Well, what are we waiting for?! Let’s go!!!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, racing straight to Town Hall. “Pinkie, wait up!” Rainbow yelled as her and the others ran after Pinkie Pie. ~~~ After dashing through the streets of Ponyville, the Mane Five found themselves on the rooftop of Town Hall. The spot where Twilight told her friends to meet her at. But there was no sign of Twilight anywhere. “Where the heck could she be?!” Rainbow yelled. “Rainbow, there’s no need to yell. I’m sure Twilight will be here any second now.” Fluttershy said. And right on cue, Twilight Sparkle appeared on the rooftop with a poof. “Is everypony in Ponyville evacuated?” Twilight asked. “Yup!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Did you find the spell?” Applejack asked. And as soon as she said that, Twilight levitated a scroll from her saddlebags. “Could this be the spell that will stop that energy ball from destroying our home?” Rarity asked. Twilight simply nodded. “Great! Now fire that spell and save the day! And then we’ll celebrate with a party!” Pinkie exclaimed, jumping up and down. But instead of doing that, Twilight did something else. Something unexpected. Something shocking. Twilight took one good look at the scroll that was going to save every living creature in Equestria… And burned it down until it was nothing but ash. The Mane Five were shocked. That spell was their last chance to stop the energy ball and save Equestria, and Twilight just burned it to the ground. “TWILIGHT! WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!” Rainbow Dash yelled, angry and confused on why her dear friend would destroy a spell that would save their land from devastation. “The spell won’t work.” Twilight simply said. The Mane Five were confused on what Twilight said. But before one of them could ask what she meant by that, Twilight spoke again. “It won’t work. Nothing will work. No matter how many spells I would cast on it or how much I believe things will work out well, it’ll not stop what will happen. All we’re doing is delaying the inevitable. So we just have to give up hope. Friendship won’t save the day like it always does. So it’s time to just stop fighting and let it consume everything.” The five ponies all stared at their friend with confusion and worry. All of them were thinking about why their friend would say something like that. “Twilight, you’re starting to scare us.” Fluttershy said, trembling in fear. “Twi, whatever kind of daze you’re having, you need to snap out of it!” Applejack told Twilight. The purple alicorn simply smiled. “I knew you all wouldn’t understand. But it’s okay. Once it’s all over, we will no longer have to worry about stuff like friendship or harmony or magic any more. Because soon, we will all be consumed by it’s power and become nothing but ashes and dust.” Twilight said. The Mane Five took a look at the energy ball. It was getting closer to hitting Town Hall, but for some reason it was glowing. “Stop fighting it my friends. Just let it happen. We’ll have nothing to worry about once it’s over.” Twilight added. The Mane Five all watched as Twilight flew in front of the energy ball, her smile being even wider than ever. “A calamity is coming for us.” Twilight’s body began to glow just like the energy ball. “And we should all embrace it.” Twilight immediately flew straight into the energy ball. The Mane Five would only watch in horror as their friend was consumed by the ball of deadly magic. And the ball got closer and closer to impact. But then, it stopped. The five ponies were confused on why it stopped. They thought that maybe Twilight had something to do with it. But then Pinkie smiled. “Welp, all’s well that ends well!” Pinkie said. Then suddenly, the energy ball started to rumble and shake. It began to glow a really bright purple and it began to grow bigger and bigger. Rainbow Dash knew what was going to happen next. “RUN!!!” Rainbow yelled to her friends. The Mane Five immediately jumped off the rooftop of Town Hall and ran as fast as they could. They all had to leave Ponyville as soon as possible before it was too late. But that was when the energy ball began to blast magical shock waves that blew the five ponies away. Rainbow hit the ground hard after being struck by the shock waves. She slowly looked up and saw that Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were right beside her. But there was no sign of Applejack or Rarity anywhere. She looked back at Town Hall. The energy ball has grown tremendously huge and its purple glow was brighter than ever before. It looked like it was going to destroy the world at any moment. And Rainbow Dash was truly afraid. Then a voice came out from the energy ball. It sounded like Twilight, but it was corrupted by the magic that came from inside it, turning her voice into a voice of evil and despair. “CALAMITY IS MAGIC.” And just like that, the energy ball struck the ground with a powerful boom, destroying Town Hall in the process. And as soon as it hit the ground, it exploded. Rainbow Dash screamed but her screams were unable to be heard. And everything went white. Many Moons Later… Rainbow Dash woke up to the scorching sun. It wasn't easy to adapt to the blazing heat in the wastelands, but Rainbow was able to handle it. She couldn’t say the same for her two friends who apparently are having a hard time getting used to it. Ever since The Friendship Apocalypse began, Rainbow, Pinkie, and Fluttershy decided to stick together so that they could handle whatever the wastelands threw at them. (Rainbow thought that sticking with your friends is why the Friendship Apocalypse is named that way because it relies heavily on friendship.) But even though she has Pinkie and Flutters, the rainbow pegasus still wonders if Applejack and Rarity were okay. Because if the three of them were able to survive in the apocalypse, they would have survived in it as well. As for Twilight? Well… She didn’t even want to think about Twilight. “Are you done lying in the sand?” Fluttershy said, walking up to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow turned and looked at her friend. Her light pink mane and tail were both dishevelled and she had an eyepatch on her right eye. She also wore a brown scarf on her neck and her whole body was covered in scars. “Come on Shy, can’t you let me lie in the sand for at least five more minutes?” Rainbow said, chuckling at her own joke. Fluttershy giggled at Rainbow’s joke. “That’s pretty funny, Rainbow. But it’s really hot out here and I don’t want you to get a really bad sunburn out here.” Fluttershy said, now being worried about her friend. Rainbow sighed and sat up. “Okay, just give me a moment to stretch and I’ll get back in the van.” Rainbow told her friend. “I was getting tired of staring at the sun anyways.” She jokingly added. Fluttershy smiled. “Alright, I’ll tell Pinkie that you’re coming back in soon.” Fluttershy said as she trotted over to the van. Right before she entered the van, she turned to her friend. “I’m glad we have you, Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy said sweetly. “Thanks, Flutters.” Rainbow said. Fluttershy gave Rainbow Dash the softest smile she could give to her. She then entered the van and closed the door behind her. Once Fluttershy entered the vehicle, Rainbow Dash got up from the sand and began to stretch her hooves and wings. With all of the things she's been through in the wastelands, stretching was the best way to get rid of all the stress she’s been feeling since the apocalypse began. Once she finally finished stretching, Rainbow took one last look at the land around her and sighed. This whole apocalypse was really taking a toll on her mental health. Every day she’d get worried about her safety as well as the safety of her friends. The wastelands are filled with danger. That is something Rainbow Dash knows all too well. And yet she’s afraid that she might lose Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy to whatever might be lurking in the dusty sands. But worst of all, with all the pain and stress she dealt with, she’s worried that she might get herself even more hurt than before. But she doesn’t have to worry about all that at the moment. Right now, she’s safe. And her friends are safe. And as long as they stick together, they can be able to survive in the apocalypse. “Hey Dashie! Are you coming or not?!” Pinkie exclaimed from inside the van, snapping Rainbow Dash out of her thoughts. “Yeah, I’m coming. No need to get your tail in a twist.” Rainbow said as she trotted over to the van. And as she stepped into the vehicle, Rainbow took one look at the sky. Even though she and her friends were in a dangerous land, the skies looked very peaceful with only a few clouds in the blue horizon above them. She only wished that the wastelands themselves would be as peaceful as the skies. But she knew that would be impossible. After all, there never would be any peace in the wastelands. Rainbow Dash then looked at her friends. Fluttershy was relaxing on the couch while Pinkie Pie was at the driver seat getting ready to start the van. Seeing her friends being right there beside her made Rainbow know that having her friends with her would make this apocalyptic world a lot better for her to deal with. And that’s all that matters to her. ‘What a day.’ Rainbow Dash thought as she closed the van door. ‘What a lovely day.’ Author's Note Well that was an intense way to begin a story. Wouldn’t you agree? And if you’re confused about why Twilight just decided to let Equestria be destroyed instead of saving it from destruction, no need to worry. In due time, you’ll have your answer. You just need to be patient. Also if you couldn’t tell, this story was heavily inspired by TMNT 2012’s Mutant Apocalypse arc. (It’s also one of my favourite TMNT 2012 story arcs)
Chapter One: Warriors of the WastelandsThe wastelands are dangerous. You must stay with your friends if you want to survive them. Get left behind and you will die. Those are the rules of the new world. And Rainbow Dash and her two friends followed those exact rules as they drove through the wastelands and kept an eye out for any sign of trouble. Despite the circumstances they found themselves in, the surviving three members of the Mane Six did whatever they could to survive this harsh new world. Whether it be scavenging for food or fuel in the sands or fortifying the van so that it’ll be protected by whatever’s out there. Pinkie Pie called this team of three “The Warriors of The Wastelands” because they are a group of warriors that are surviving in the harsh wastelands. Rainbow didn’t mind the team name Pinkie gave, and she could tell that Fluttershy didn’t mind either. Rainbow Dash is glad she has her friends with her. “How are you guys holding up there?” Pinkie asked, turning her head so that it’s facing the couch where the two pegasi were sitting. “We’re fine, Pinkie.” Rainbow said. Fluttershy nodded in agreement. “Great! Glad to know that my two warriors are doing fine!” Pinkie exclaimed. Rainbow chuckled. She knew that even in an apocalyptic situation like this, Pinkie would still be her same old self and it shows. And through all of the stress and struggles the three ponies are going through in the wastelands, they really do need a smile to lift their spirits. And Pinkie herself never failed her duty. Much like Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie had a brand new look. Her bright pink poofy mane and tail were put into a ponytail and she wore dark pink steampunk goggles on her head. She also had a bright blue bandanna wrapped around her neck, brown saddlebags on her back that had trinkets and gadgets inside, and grey boots on all four of her hooves. “Are we ever going to find something?” Fluttershy asked. “Have patience, Flutters.” Pinkie told Fluttershy. “I’m sure we’ll find something. The wastelands may be big but they can’t always be empty.” “But they’re always empty.” Fluttershy muttered sadly to herself. Rainbow saw how stressed Fluttershy has been. She didn’t blame her. Her dishevelled mane and tail, all of the scars that were on every spot in Fluttershy’s body, and the eyepatch that adorned her right eye were enough proof to show that the apocalypse really affected her mental health. She looked worse, but at least she didn’t look as bad as Rainbow Dash herself in this hellhole. Rainbow looked at the mirror that hangs on the wall of the van and looked at herself once more. Her long rainbow mane and tail had been shortened and she was blind in her left eye. She also wore a black hoodie and had white worn out bandages on her wings that were severely crippled to the point where she could no longer fly. “Don’t worry about it, Fluttershy. If we don’t find anything, we’re probably gonna find something tomorrow.” Rainbow told Fluttershy, trying to lift her spirits. “Speaking of tomorrow, we should probably stop the van and set up camp. It’s starting to get really dark out there.” Pinkie said, watching as the sun began to set on the horizon. Fluttershy sighed. “This is the fifth time this week that we set up camp in the middle of the wastelands after not finding anything.” She said as Pinkie Pie stopped the van. “Looks like somepony has been keeping count.” Pinkie said jokingly. “Well, we have been driving through the sand for a long time. And we all know that there’s gotta be at least one pony that can keep count on how many times we set up camp in the middle of the wastelands.” Rainbow said, adding on to the joke Pinkie made. Fluttershy giggled at the absurdity of the joke her two friends made. And as the three ponies exited the van to set up camp, Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but smile. ‘At least we managed to lift Fluttershy’s spirits.’ Rainbow thought. And so, the three ponies began to set up camp and prepare themselves for the long night ahead of them. And yet, they did not notice that three other ponies who were two pegasi and a unicorn were watching them from a distance. Waiting for their time to strike. “When are we going to ambush them?” A pegasus asked their unicorn leader. “Yeah, I’m tired of waiting here.” Another pegasus added, groaning. “I just want to take these guys down and bring them to Princess Calamity already!” “Have patience, my comrades.” The unicorn leader told the impatient pegasi. “Good things come to those who wait.” ~~~ Night managed to arrive as quickly as possible. Which was unusual, but in an apocalypse like this, anything could happen. Whenever Rainbow, Pinkie, and Fluttershy set up camp, they usually sleep in the tents they set up. However, Pinkie felt that something dangerous could be approaching them and decided to sleep in the van where it’s safe. Fluttershy was comforted with the idea and decided to sleep in the van as well. Instead of doing what her friends were doing and sleeping in the van, Rainbow Dash decided to stay outside and be on guard for any suspicious activity that might be lurking in the shadows. It was dangerous, but it was the only way to protect herself or her friends from whatever threat that might be coming their way. She stayed on the lookout for anything suspicious for 15 minutes before realising that maybe there wasn’t any threat and Pinkie was probably delusional. And it is normal for Pinkie to be delusional about something like that. Rainbow was about to re-enter the van and tell her friends that there’s nothing there, when all of a sudden… Somepony tackled her to the ground. “Guys! I got her!” The attacker yelled to presumably their friends. Rainbow Dash was able to get a good look at the pony who tackled her to the ground. They were a Pegasus with a dark purple coat, red eyes, a long dark blue mane and tail, and wore a black robe. “Excellent work, Shadow Wing. I bet that Princess Calamity would be so proud of you for capturing the Element of Loyalty herself.” A voice said behind the pegasus. “Really? But I thought the princess would be proud of us by bringing the Element of Loyalty to her, Moon Dusk.” Another voice said. The first voice whose name is Moon Dusk groaned. “Well she can be proud of us for doing both, Eclipse Strike.” She told the second voice. The voices walked over to the pegasus whose name was Shadow Wing and Rainbow Dash was able to see what they looked like. The first pony whose name was Moon Dusk was a unicorn with a grey coat, indigo eyes, a braided red mane and tail, and had a broken horn. The second pony whose name was apparently Eclipse Strike was a pegasus like Shadow Wing with a white coat, dark green eyes, a short strawberry blond mane and tail, and had prosthetic metal wings. And just like Shadow Wing, they were both wearing black robes. “Who the hay are you guys?” Rainbow asked the ponies in the black robes. Moon Dusk chuckled sinsterly. “We are known as the Destroyers of Friendship. And by the order of our Princess Calamity, we are sworn to destroy any surviving pony in the wastelands.” She told Rainbow Dash. “And that includes you and your two friends inside your van.” Eclipse Strike added. “So don’t resist and we promise you that your death and the deaths of your friends will be swift and painless!” Shadow Wing finished, putting a dagger on Rainbow’s neck. Moon Dusk groaned and took the dagger away from Shadow Wing with her magic. “Shadow, our princess said not to kill them. She needs them alive.” “But I never get to use this dagger! Just let me have this, Moony!” Shadow Wing exclaimed. Right before Moon Dusk was about to retort, a beeping sound was heard. Then the beeping sound started to beep faster and faster. Eclipse Strike looked around and saw a small contraption on the ground blinking red and beeping at the same time. And before he tried to warn the others, it was too late. The contraption immediately began to release a thick cloud of smoke all around Rainbow Dash and the Destroyers of Friendship. And in the smoke cloud, Rainbow can see two silhouetted ponies beating up the three robed ponies. Once the smoke cleared, Rainbow saw that the Destroyers of Friendship were all knocked out and Pinkie and Fluttershy were the ones who knocked them out. “Are you okay, Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy asked. Rainbow Dash nodded. “I can’t believe those meanies tried to hurt you! Thank goodness we managed to save you before they did something horrible to you.” Pinkie said. “I just can’t believe you two managed to knock them down very quickly and easily.” Rainbow jokingly said. “Well, it was pretty easy for the Warriors of The Wastelands.” Fluttershy said. “You’re darn right!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Now let’s get out of here before those meanies wake up.” And with that, the three ponies reentered the van and drove away, hoping that they won’t have to run into the Destroyers of Friendship anytime soon. Moon Dusk managed to wake up from her knocked out state to see the van driving away. She sighed, knowing that their mission was a failure. “Princess Calamity is not going to be happy to hear this.” Moon Dusk muttered to herself as she teleported herself and her two knocked out friends back to their base. ~~~ “…” “Those ponies…” “The way they care about each other..” “…” “I think they can help me.” “If I tell them my mission, I know they’ll help me.” “I don’t want to be afraid anymore.” “I will find Sanctuary.” “And the only way to do that is to have friends by my side.” “…” “I just hope they’ll be my friends.” Author's Note “Who is Princess Calamity?” “Who is that person talking?” “What is Sanctuary?” Those questions will be answered in due time. So be patient and you’ll get your answers. After all, good things come to those who wait.
Chapter Two: The Mysterious Unicorn“How long until our van gets gas?” Fluttershy asked. “Won’t be long now Flutters.” Rainbow Dash said, pumping the gas into the van’s filler. “I’m actually surprised that we managed to find a gas station in the wastelands.” Pinkie Pie said. “After all, the wastelands have only sand and bits of ruined structures. So the chances of us finding an actual working gas station here are pretty low. But somehow, we actually found one. How crazy is that?!” Rainbow chuckled as Pinkie blabbered on and on. She looked at the fuel gauge on the van. It read 50%. Won’t be long now until it reaches 100%. “I mean, if we managed to find a single working gas station, I wouldn’t be too surprised if we found a functioning restaurant in the wastelands as well.” Pinkie said, continuing her weird ramble. “Or better yet, a village filled with actual ponies living in it! That would be cool to find in the wastelands!” As Pinkie continued talking about what kind of stuff the three of them could find, Fluttershy noticed that a pony in a brown cape was entering their van. Right before she was about to ask the pony what they’re doing, they were already inside and they immediately slammed the van’s door shut. Fluttershy was confused on who that pony is and why they got in the van in the first place. But she just chalked it up to the pony wanting to find somewhere safe to protect them from the dangerous wasteland. “Alright ladies, the van’s all filled up with gas! We are good to keep driving down the sandy road!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “Yippee!!” Pinkie cheered, bouncing up and down. “Wait, really? But what about the pony that’s in our van?” Fluttershy asked. Rainbow and Pinkie just stared at her in confusion. “What pony?” Rainbow asked. “Well, while you guys weren’t looking, I saw a pony in a brown cape just enter our van. I was about to ask them what they were doing, when they just immediately closed the door. I didn’t know why they were going into our van, but maybe it’s because they wanted to find a safe place to protect themselves from the dangers of the wastelands.” Fluttershy explained. Pinkie Pie immediately bursted into laughter. “Oh Fluttershy. There’s no pony else here except the three of us!” She exclaimed. “Pinkie’s right. There’s no way that some pony can just walk into our van when we’re the only ponies here.” Rainbow added. Fluttershy was about to retort, but instead sighed as she knew that her friends wouldn’t believe her. “Hey don’t worry, Flutters. If there was some pony that tried to get into our van and might possibly rob us of our supplies, we'd make this intruder think twice before they mess with the Warriors of The Wastelands!” Pinkie said, punching the air with her two front hooves to prove a point. Fluttershy giggled as she watched Pinkie punch the air over and over. Rainbow Dash eventually put a hoof on her shoulder as a way of telling her to stop. “I think Fluttershy understood what you meant, Pinks. Can you please stop punching the air now?” Rainbow asked. “Okie-dokie-lokie!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Alright, enough messing around. Let’s hit the road!” Rainbow exclaimed as she opened the van’s door and flew inside with Pinkie and Fluttershy following her from behind. Once inside, Fluttershy looked around the van to see if the pony in the brown cape was hiding somewhere. But after looking around, she didn’t find the pony anywhere. Fluttershy was confused. But then she thought that she hallucinated and maybe the scorching heat from the wastelands outside was what made her hallucinate that pony. She hates the wastelands. “Alright girls, let’s drive down the sandy trail!” Pinkie exclaimed as she put the van into drive mode. And with the press of the gas pedal, Pinkie Pie drove the van away from the gas station and into the great unknown of the wastelands. With the van now back on the open road, Fluttershy said Rainbow Dash now finally had a chance to kick back and relax on the couch. Which was something that they haven’t done in a while. “Wanna listen to some tunes, Shy?” Rainbow asked. Fluttershy nodded. Rainbow turned on the radio and music began to play from it. Music that was from before The Friendship Apocalypse began. Despite everything, it was nice to listen to something that came before the apocalypse. Rainbow saw the smile on Fluttershy’s face as she hummed along to the songs playing. It made Rainbow smile too. And so, the two pegasi were able to finally take a breather and listen to some music on the couch while Pinkie drove to unknown parts of the wastelands. But unbeknownst to the three ponies, the pony in the brown cape was watching the three ponies relaxing and taking it easy while she was invisible to them via an invisibility spell. “When the time is right, I will reveal myself and tell them my mission. Until then, I just need to wait.” ~~~ “Okay, I got one! I spy with my little eye something blue!” Pinkie said. Fluttershy sighed tiredly. It has been a while since night had fallen on the wastelands. And since the three ponies hadn’t found anything, they decided to find ways to entertain themselves. (Pinkie put the van on autopilot) Eventually, they were playing their 25th round of Eye Spy. And at this point, the two pegasi were already tired and wanted to call it a night. But despite that, Pinkie still wanted to play. It was natural for her to continue playing with all of her boundless energy. But Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy just wanted to sleep. (Mostly Rainbow Dash) “Bluuuue.” Pinkie said as she pointed her hoof at Rainbow to say that the answer is their friend. “Bluuuuuuuuuue.” It was silent for a moment. “Is it Rainbow Dash again?” Fluttershy said exhaustedly. “Wow!” Pinkie exclaimed. “You are really good at this, Fluttershy!” At this point, Rainbow had released a big yawn that she had been holding in. Even after 25 games of Eye Spy, she really wanted to sleep. “Pinkie, can we please go to sleep now?” Rainbow asked. “Yeah, we’re both tired and we want to get some rest.” Fluttershy added as she tried to keep her eyes open. Pinkie saw how tired her friends were. And even though she had enough energy to go another round, she decided that maybe it was time for them to hit the hay. “Alright, you girls can go get some rest. I don’t want my friends getting all cranky when morning arrives.” Pinkie said with her usual smile on her face. The two pegasi sighed with relief as they both climbed into the couch. They can’t wait to finally get some shut eye. “Thanks, Pinkie.” Rainbow said softly. “Anytime, Dashie. Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite.” Pinkie said as she walked to the driver’s seat, before stopping and adding, “Seriously, I heard they can eat a pony in five minutes.” Rainbow Dash giggled at Pinkie’s joke. She watched as her pink friend sat in the driver’s seat and turned the autopilot off before driving the van manually. She then looked over at Fluttershy who was already fast asleep. Even after everything she’s been through, it was nice knowing that her pegasus friend can get some brief peaceful moments of sleep. Rainbow took a deep breath as her body relaxed on the couch. She knew that when morning came, it’s back to business as usual. But right now it was quiet and peaceful. In the past, she really would’ve hated this. But ever since the apocalypse began, she was starting to like the peacefulness and quietness. With that, Rainbow closed her eyes and drifted into a peaceful slumber. The van was quiet. Until eventually… “INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!!!” Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy immediately woke up to the sound of Pinkie Pie screaming. “What the hay are you screaming about, Pinkie?” Rainbow asked. “FLUTTERSHY WAS RIGHT! THERE IS SOMEPONY IN OUR VAN!” Pinkie yelled, pointing at the supposed intruder. The two pegasi turned to where Pinkie was pointing at and they two were shocked. There indeed was a pony in their van. She was a unicorn who had a blue coat and pink markings on her ears and hooves, a two toned purple and hot pink with orange tips mane and tail in dreadlocks, green eyes, and was wearing a brown cape with a hood. “Woah. I guess you were right after all, Flutters.” Rainbow told Fluttershy. Immediately, Pinkie Pie pulled out a stun baton from her saddlebags and ran up to the unicorn with it. “WHO ARE YOU?! ARE YOU HERE TO KILL US AND/OR ROB US?!” Pinkie yelled. “Hang on. I’m not here to hurt you.” The unicorn said. But Pinkie didn’t believe in what the unicorn said. She began to turn on the stun baton and got ready to smack it on the intruder. “Wait, you have to understand! I need your help!” The unicorn told Pinkie. “Sorry, intruder. But you are full of lies!” Pinkie exclaimed. And right before she swung the stun baton at the unicorn, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy stopped her. “Hang on, Pinkie! Let’s hear her out first!” Rainbow told Pinkie. “Rainbow’s right, Pinkie. She really could need our help.” Fluttershy said. Pinkie looked at her friends and then looked at the intruder. She sighed in defeat and put the stun baton back in her saddlebags. “So, what do you need our help for?” Pinkie asked the unicorn. “Well, I’m on a very important mission and knowing how dangerous it will be, I need you three to help me so that I may complete my mission and hopefully not die in the wastelands.” The unicorn told the three ponies. “Um, but what exactly is your mission?” Fluttershy asked the unicorn. “Also, I don’t think you told us who the hay you even are.” Rainbow added. “Oh, I’m sorry. I almost forgot to do that. Let me introduce myself.” The unicorn said. She took a shaky deep breath and pulled the hood out of her head revealing more of her mane. Afterwards, she spoke in a clear tone. “My name is Misty Brightdawn, and I’m on a mission to find Sanctuary.” Author's Note Yep, the ponies from G5 will be in this story. If you don’t like it, you can read something else. Next chapter will be finally learning about Sanctuary and why Misty wants to find it. Stay tuned for that!
