The Power of the Equinox

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Thunderstruck

~Chapter Twenty-Seven~

Rainbow Dash lazed about on the soft white of a small cloud. The bright sun above kept her warm and she often found herself dozing in and out of sleep as she rested. The occasional winged shadow would pass over her, but only briefly as the pegasus would continue with their work.

The storm had begun to calm down some time ago, its wild lightning strikes and heavy wind were difficult to reign in. Yawning loudly, Rainbow stretched her limbs as she settled in. With the bulk of the work finished, all that was left was to wait for the dark clouds to dissipate and she would be free to head home and relax. She wondered idly if she would have time later to get in some stunt practice, it had been a few days since her last training session. Oh, she could swing by and pick up the squirt after school! The little filly hadn’t really been around much lately, so it would be great to spend some quality time with her number one fan. Grinning widely, Rainbow’s eyes slowly drifted shut, the warm sun and softness of the cloud beneath her leading to a restful nap.

Thunder erupted from beneath her, sudden and startling. With a yelp of surprise, Rainbow leaped into the air and hovered as she stared down in worry. The other pegasi came to a halt alongside her, watching the clouds with trepidation.

“Do you think it’s gonna start up again?” Flitter asked worriedly as she and her twin sister Cloud Chaser floated closer together. The other pegasi murmured amongst themselves, concern and annoyance prevalent among them.

‘That… didn’t sound like any thunder I’ve ever heard…’ Rainbow watched the clouds below intensely, waiting to see even the smallest hint of an electrical current in the looming cumulonimbus, but nothing came. Turning to the nearest team member, she swatted him across the flank with her tail, she ignored his look of irritation.

“Did you see any lightning?” He shook his head before going back to watching the clouds. Looking at the other pegasi, she tried again.

“Did anypony see lightning?” Her voice carried over to them, every team member giving signs of a negative. A cold sweat started to form at her brow as she looked back down. That was definitely not thunder… but it most definitely sounded familiar…

‘No… no, not again…’ Drifting towards the clouds, Rainbow tentatively landed on the wild storm’s surface. Cautiously pushing at key points so as to not set off anything dangerous, Rainbow managed to make a single hole in the clouds, revealing the dark grey landscape beneath. Her eyes widened and her heart leaped into her throat as she spotted what looked like a collapsed home, a cloud of dust and debris slowly floating into the air. She knew that home, it was Scootaloo’s!

With a hard flap of her wings, Rainbow flew through the gap in the clouds as pegasi landed back at the opening, peering down after her in curiosity.

~ ~ ~

Rarity hummed to an imaginary tune as she worked, a serene smile on her face. A mass of cloth, scissors, measuring tapes and more swirled above her as she brought her workspace to life.

“Oh, I simply cannot wait for Dimmed Star to see this! Once she’s in this dress and sees how hard I worked to make it just perfect, she’ll have to forgive me!” Twirling in place, she beamed brightly, bringing together the fabric over a nearby effigy. Her tongue appeared from the corner of her mouth as she leaned in close, her glasses adjusting with the light of her light blue aura. Folding the fabric over, she began placing pins to hold it in place as she measured other portions.

“When I’m done with this, she’ll be so taken in that she’ll bounce right back to her old self! I just know it!” Ignoring the rumble of what sounded like thunder in the background, she continued to hum her musical ingenuity.

The lights in her home flickered weakly as the building trembled momentarily. Blinking in confusion, the objects in the air slowly dropped back onto a nearby desk, the blue aura disappearing as her horn’s magic faded.

“What in Equestria? I swear if Spike has gone on another greed rampage…” Grumbling at having her work interrupted, Rarity stepped up to a nearby window. Her workroom was on the second floor of the home, above her shop. She could easily see over most of the smaller houses as hers had been designed not only to catch the eye with its unique design but also to be seen from a distance. Swiping the bright purple curtains to the side, Rarity froze at the sight that greeted her. A great cloud of dust and debris drifted above a row of nearby houses.

“Oh my goodness!” The concern in her voice was immediate, the alabaster mare turning to hightail it out of the room and down the stairs that lead to the open floor of her shop. Stopping only to done a white raincoat, her cutie mark and shop logo embroidered on the side. It was lucky that Sweetie Belle was at school right now, she’d hate for the little filly to see somepony get hurt in this mess.

~ ~ ~

Applejack watched the stallion across from her carefully, her eyes sharp as she took in everything about him from the bead of sweat on his brow, to the nervous gulp that he tried to hide. Big Macintosh glared back just as sternly, his mouth dry as he found himself backed into a corner. This was his only chance, and he’d be darned if he would lose to her again! The sound of granny’s rocker creaking in the corner of the room seemed to almost mock him.

“Do y’all... have any twos?” His voice cracked with nervousness. The grin that split his sister’s face was all he needed to know and he groaned his defeat.

“Nnnope! Go fishin’ Big Mac. Mah turn, y’all got any eights?” With a sigh, the large stallion tossed over all but one of his cards, the single two of hearts that he’d been holding onto since the round had begun. Granny Smith chuckled as Applejack hollered in victory.

“Whoo-doggy, tha’ settles it! Y’all get to wash the pigs tomorrow an' ah get the day off!” Big Mac slumped over, his chin resting on the coffee table while he grumbled his protest.

“Now don’ y’all go bein’ a sore loser, Macintosh. Y’all knew what ya were in fer before you made tha' there deal.” Granny Smith called out the stallion, causing him to sit up straighter as he looked to her in defeat, before nodding in agreement.

“Yes, ma’am.” Applejack’s grin never left her cheeks as she trotted over to her brother and clapped a hoof on his withers.

“Don’ y’all worry none, Big Mac. I ain’t gonna jus’ let ya do all the chores by yourself. Ah got some caramel candies ah can use to bribe AB and her friends with.” Big Mac only shook his head with a chuckle.

“Nnnope. Ah lost AJ, fair an’ square. Let Bloom an’ her friends be.” Granny Smith smiled proudly at her grandson, Applejack only squeezing his shoulder with a grin.

“Alright then, ya stubborn colt. Heh heh.” Stepping away from him, she began to pack away the playing cards, before a cough caught both of their attention. Granny Smith slowly rose from her chair, limping towards them with a smirk playing on her lips as she approached.

“How’s abou' we make it more interestin’? You an’ me, loser takes all of Big Mac’s chores startin’ the day after tomorrow, up til the end of the week.” Now it was Applejack’s turn to pale as Big Mac snickered across from her. Raising a brow at her granddaughter, Granny Smith waited for her response. Looking to her brother for help, the stallion jumped to his hooves and quickly left the room.

‘Traitor!’ Applejack called after him in her mind, glaring in his direction. A hard knock on the coffee table pulled her back to her Granny, who stared back with a no-nonsense gaze as she took the seat where Big Mac had been.

“Uh…” A grating thunder echoed in the distance, causing Winona to start barking up a storm of her own.

“Y’all keep it down in there!” Granny Smith called out, quieting the hound and returning their home to silence, only for the hurried thuds of Big Mac to come rushing back into the room, a concerned look in his eyes.

“Hey sis, y’all might wanna come take a look at this.” Glancing between one another, Applejack and Granny Smith both rose from the table and made their way into the kitchen, looking out the window as Big Mac directed them. In mere moments the home became a flurry of motion. Applejack rushing to the coat hangers as she tossed a raincoat to Big Mac, who had just grabbed a dark brown leash from under a cupboard in the hall.

“Don’t forget the wagon!” Granny Smith called as she brought a bag filled with supplies. Winona ran around Big Mac dodging his attempts to grab ahold of her as he whistled for her to sit. Her tail was tucked between her legs and she whimpered as she shied away from him, before he finally managed to corner her, tying the leash to her collar. He looked to the small hound worriedly as he pulled her along, the canine struggling against the leash.

“Y’all have been keeping up on her training, right!?” He called out to his sister as she took the bag from their granny and stuffed it into a saddlebag.

“Yea, now come on already!” Granny Smith was waiting in the hall as the two farmers rushed past her, Winona having to be carried out by the scruff of her neck as they pushed through the open screen door.

“Y’all be careful out there!” She hollered after them, eyes squinting at the shadow of dust beyond.

~ ~ ~

Fluttershy rested softly on the sofa in her living room, a large book nestled in her hooves and a bright blue comforter draped itself around her frame. Smiling sweetly as she leaned against a cushion, the various animals that surrounded her listened intently.

“-When the sun rose high over the hill, beautiful flowers bloomed across the entire field, filling it with wonderful colors! The scary clouds had gone away, but the much-needed water that they had provided the night before gave life to the dry land as all the animals, big and small, emerged from their homes to face a new day.” Angel Bunny rolled his eyes at the story, looking bored as he sat curled up next to his owner. The other animals were enthralled by the mare’s storytelling, but he couldn’t have cared less, after all, it wasn’t the story he’d suggested in the first place. Crossing his forepaws, the little rabbit simmered as he looked over longingly at the small red book, a family of picturesque bunnies frolicking on the cover.

A soft thunder rumbled from outside of the small cottage, the reaction was immediate as every animal within began to panic and rush to safety. Many of the smaller creatures were able to find shelter within the many small homes and holes that were designed for them, while the medium to large animals made do with whatever they could find. Although she was shaking herself, Fluttershy quickly sought to placate them. The small rabbit that had been resting within the covers with her was the only one not trying to hide, his stance alert and defensive instead as his ears faced the direction of the sound, listening intently.

“Shhh, shhh, i-it’s okay little ones, it’s j-just the storm outside. Just like in the story, the rain clouds are working to keep the land beautiful and full of life.” Angel looked to the mare incredulously, before shaking his head and hopping from the couch. Turning to see her closest animal friend bouncing away, Fluttershy watched him curiously.

“Is everything okay Angel?” The rabbit ignored her question as he jumped up to the edge of the window by the door, pushing open the wooden frame, the other animals quickly voicing their displeasure at this by whimpering and trying to hide further.

“Oh no! You shouldn’t be doing that Angel, you’ll let the rain and cold in!” Pushing out from beneath the warm embrace of her comforter, Fluttershy quickly flapped her wings and hovered over to the window, reaching to pull it closed. As her hoof gripped the edge, Angel hopped up and swatted at her leg, causing her to pull back in surprise and shock.

“Angel Bunny! That wasn’t a very nice thing to do, I thought we had gotten over you hitting ponies to get their attention? A simple tap will always be the better choice.” Looking her dead in the eyes, Angel slapped a paw to his face in irritation, before pointing back out the window. Her brow creasing in confusion, the animal-caretaker stepped closer to the window and followed his outstretched limb, the animals behind her coming up for a better look as well.

“Oh? Is there something you want me to see- Oh my!” Her ears lay back in worry as she spotted the cloud of dust in the distance over Ponyville, her concern about the storm evaporating. Though she lived on the town’s outskirts, much like the Apple family, she had settled in her small home on the top of a small hill to prevent it from flooding. The cloud looked small from this distance but comparing it to the surrounding structures assured her that it was much larger than it appeared. Biting her lip in concern, she turned to see her animal friends looking at her with worry, several shaking their heads at her.

“I know, I know. It’s very thoughtful for you all to be worried about me, but I have to go, somepony could have gotten hurt and I just know the other girls will be there.” Lifting above them with a flap of her wings, she took to the nearby cabinets and began packing medical supplies. A few squirrels and birds assisted her as they came up with bandages and ointments for her to pack. Angel watched her with concern, fear gripping him as he looked back to the cloud of debris… something didn’t feel right. Determination overtaking him, he pulled the window closed and hopped onto the back of a nearby flamingo, startling it for a moment before he continued on his way, bouncing from one mammal to the next.

Landing on the shoulder of the largest creature in the room, Harry the bear looked to Angel as the small bunny began to make waving motions at the door behind them. Getting the idea, Harry nodded and moved to stand in front of it just as Fluttershy finished her packing, Angel now standing on the bear’s shoulder with his forepaws crossed.

“Okay, I think I’ve got everything we’ll need, so-” Fluttershy had not been watching where she flew as she flitted towards the door, bags across her back and waving to the animals behind her. Her sudden collision with something large and furred was not something she had been expecting, much less the soft yet firm grip of the bear’s arms as they closed around her, hugging her in place.

“H-Harry? What are you doing?” Looking up to the bear’s face, he shook his head with a small rumble of his voice, Angel making sure to tap the bear’s shoulder with his foot and catching her attention, giving his own disapproving look.

“Now now you two, don’t be like that. I have to go, my friends need me, and what if some poor critter is hurt? How would you feel if I couldn’t come to help you when you needed me too?” Harry grumbled at her, refusing to move.

“Harry…” The tone of the mare’s voice changed, now more akin to a mother scolding their foal. Cringing away, Harry’s features turned sorrowful as he released her and reluctantly stepped aside. Angel was not so easily swayed, however, looking to the bear and squeaking at him, gripping the fur on Harry’s shoulder as he tried in a vain attempt to pull the bear back in front of the door. Floating up to the distraught rabbit, Fluttershy smiled softly at him as he looked over to her, worry evident in his eyes.

“It’ll be alright Angel, I’ll be back before you know it and then we can finish the story, how does that sound?” Angel squeaked back to her in protest, hopping up and down as he waved his forelegs at her. Taking no notice of the bunny’s antics, or simply choosing to ignore them, the bright yellow pegasus pushed through the door to her home and began flying towards town. As the door closed behind her, Angel watched her go with silent trepidation.

~ ~ ~

Spike slumbered quietly as his head lay upon his desk, the smallest bit of drool leaking from the side of his mouth. Applebloom snickered softly at him, a light blush dusting her cheeks, while Sweetie Belle glanced to the two of them for a moment before turning to look at the clock again. The small hand on the timepiece ticked by slowly, each second seeming to last a lifetime.

“I’m really starting to get worried, Miss Cheerilee’s been gone for so long…” Applebloom’s ears perked at this, looking to see the time as well.

“Ah’m sure she’s fine Sweetie. She probably jus’ got held up or somethin’.” A sharp shushing noise from behind caused them both to turn and find another young filly, her coat a light cream with a fuzzy red mane and tail. Twist watched them disapprovingly as she used a hoof to straighten her thick purple glasses.

“You guys need to focus! She could be back any minute and we have to get our work done.” Applebloom raised a brow at this, turning to see that most of the class was either taking naps or whispering to each other. Their workbooks were all closed with the exception of a few of the foals that were having trouble and seeking assistance from their neighbors.

“Ah think we’re all jus’ ‘bout done with the work, Twist. There ain’t really anythin’ left to do.” Twist looked back to her friend, ready to fire a retort, only for her voice to fail her as she came up with nothing to counter the farmer.

“I don’t think Miss Cheerilee would mind us talking with all of our work done, it’s not like we’re doing anything wrong, right?” Sweetie Belle chimed in, looking between the two fillies. Crossing her hooves, Twist seemed to contemplate the argument.

“Maybe not, but we aren’t supposed to be talking class, it’s the first rule on the list!” Pointed a hoof to the large sign next to the chalkboard.

“But… yer’ talkin’ right now ain’t ya?” Blinking owlishly, Twist blushed as she turned away from Applebloom’s smirk, hiding her face within the workbook in embarrassment. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom giggled to one another before a roaring thunder overtook the whispers of the class. Fillies and colts alike screamed in fear, friends grabbing and holding onto one another while others dove beneath their desks.

Reptilian eyes snapped open, shimmering like vibrant emeralds in the dim light. Rocketing from his desk, Spike stared out of the window intently, his gaze searching.

“S-Spike! Yo-you need to get back in your s-seat!” Twist called out, despite that she was currently huddled beneath her own, workbook clutched close to her chest. Applebloom trotted over to him, Sweetie Belle nervously attached to her side as they approached.

“What is it, Spike? It’s jus’ the storm, nothin’ we ain’t heard before.” She looked out the window curiously, watching the small bits of rain that splashed against the pane. Shaking his head, Spike stepped away ran towards the door, grabbing his raincoat and bag as he went.

“That wasn’t the storm!” He spoke, his voice certain, but tinged with worry. The two crusaders watched him wrench the door open and sprint out into the rain.

“Hey, wait! Spike, you can’t leave!” Twist tried calling as she ran up to the open door, stopping at the frame and watching him go. She suddenly found herself being spun in place as two more figures sprinted out past her, making her dizzy for a moment before she saw who it had been.

“A-Applebloom!? Sweetie!?” Both fillies continued their chase, hot on the dragon’s heels.

~ ~ ~

Dust filled the air as the collapsed and broken building began to settle, the once silent street echoing the remnants of crashing wood and stone. The soft rain pelting against the debris slowed even more, before finally coming to a stop altogether. Suddenly, the sound of somepony coughing broke through the air, the shifting of wood disturbing the still monument that had once been a home.

Shoving the last of the debris that had collapsed off of himself, Brutus emerged. His upper body was coated in blood and wounds, large gashes that dripped copious amounts of his blood as he crawled through the remnants of his house. Coughing once more, blood poured from his lips as he struggled to move, shaking limbs working in tandem to pull him free, despite the immense pain.

‘I’m alive, I’m ALIVE!’ His wild eyes were focused on the road ahead of him, adrenaline pumping through what little blood remained in his system. The last image he’d seen before the building had come down was the back of that monster’s throat, razor-sharp teeth closing around him. How it hadn’t killed him in that instant, he would never know or would he care. He was alive and that was all that mattered to him. The sound of flapping wings drew his eyes up, spotting the shadow of a pegasus through the cloud of dirt and dust.

“Squirt!” Rainbow Dash flew through the dust, eyes searching as her heart raced. The cloud of debris made it difficult to see beneath her, but she could just make out the different parts of the home. Skipping past the majority of it, she hovered over the section that she knew had been where the filly’s bedroom was, landing on an outstretched plank of wood.

“Squirt, if you can hear me, hang on!” Diving into the mound of wood and stone, she began pushing the largest pieces she could out of the way, checking every feasible spot that she could reach. Her eyes began to well up with tears as she continued to search with no sign of her number one fan.

“Hello! Is anypony hurt!” A voice called out, catching her attention. Turning to look behind her, the dim blue light of a familiar magical aura shined through the dusty air.

“Rarity! Over here, I could use a hoof!” The lighted glowed brighter as it came closer, the frame of its owner finally coming into view.

“Rainbow? What in Equestria happened here!?” Finally making her way through the worst of it, Rarity carefully trotted around the wreckage until she was next to her feathered friend. The weather mare shook her head as she went back to her search.

“I don’t know, but can you use your magic to help me? I can’t find Scootaloo!” Rarity’s attention snapped back to the mare, concern in her features.

“Darling, wouldn’t she be at the schoolhouse right about now?” Rainbow Dash froze suddenly, dropping the piece of the foundation she had been struggling to move. Relief flooded the mare’s system as she slumped down, her racing heart slowly coming down.

“Oh thank Celestia…” It made sense if she thought about it. The filly would have been at school ages ago, which would be why she couldn’t find her anywhere in this mess. Rarity stepped up beside the mare, placing a hoof on her whithers in comfort. The two of them sat in silence as Rainbow wiped the unshed tears from her eyes, thankful that Rarity hadn’t said anything about them.

“There now, feeling a bit better?” Nodding thankfully, Rainbow looked across the destroyed home as a whole, her brows creasing.

“Scootaloo might be at school, but we need to keep searching, her parents could still here somewhere.” Rising back to her hooves, she lifted from the ground and began to hover over the debris, speeding up the pace of her wings as she fought to blow away the mass cloud of dust. Rarity covered her eyes as the rush of wind blew the dirt around her. It took several minutes of flapping her wings to even make a dent in the cloud, the wind left over from the calming storm fighting against her.

“Hey now, stop blowin’ it this way!” A country drawl caught their attention, causing Rainbow to slow her wingbeats, sweat dripping from her brow. As the dust began to clear, the forms of Big Macintosh, Applejack, and a struggling Winona trotted into view. Applejack’s head was bowed with her hat tilted forward with Big Mac sputtering and trying to clear the dirt from his mouth and face. Looking up from the ground, Applejack glared at the prismatic mare.

“Thank y’all kindly for the dirt bath, it’s jus’ what ah always wanted…” Reaching up, she removed her hat and began brushing off the dirt while Rainbow Dash looked to her sheepishly.

“Sorry A.J.” Rolling her eyes at the mare, Applejack looked around at the remains of the home and whistled.

“Whoo doggy, storm sure did a number on this place… Y’all find anypony yet?” The two mares shook their heads, before returning to looking around. Nodding, Applejack turned back to find Big Mac unloading from the wagon he brought, Winona still on her leash as she struggled even harder the closer he brought her. Worry tinged her features as she watched the canine.

“Winona! Here girl!” Her eyes widened in surprise when her faithful companion refused to heed her call. Big Mac, still standing near the wagon, held the leash tightly and watched the dog carefully.

“Y’all sure her trainin’s up to snuff?” Applejack growled at his questioning gaze, before stomping over to them.

“Yes. Ah. Am.” Taking the leash from her brother, she pulled on the hound even as the canine pulled back.

“Come on Winona, y’all gotta get sniffin’ now!” Winona yelped in distress, digging her front paws into the mud and dirt as she fought against her owner. Big Mac rubbed at his chin carefully as he observed the decidedly distraught canine. Something in the distance caught his eye and he felt a bit of sweat dripping down his brow.

“Uh, sis?” Applejack ignored him as she and Winona struggled in their impromptu tug-of-war. One trying desperately to escape the scene, the other trying to get them to start sniffing out the area.

“AJ, y’all might wann-” Applejack glared at him out of the corner of her eyes, strain, and frustration in her face.

“Jus’ let me do this Big Mac, ah can handle this!” Raising a brow at her, he sighed and shook his head. Turning away from the struggle, he stepped up to the wagon and began pulling out a few heavy blankets, stacking them on his back. Looking to the object he had seen before, he began counting down in his head as he turned to the wreckage and headed towards it.

‘Five… four… three… two…” Just as he was about to finish, a cry of displeasure came from behind him, a small smirk gracing his lips.

“Applejack! Just what do you think you’re doing to Winona!” Fluttershy hovered above a now visibly shocked Applejack, the farmer’s eyes widened as the animal caretaker fluttered in front of her, holding a shivering Winona in her hooves as the canine fought to bury its nose in her fur.

“Ah was tryin’ to git ‘er to start sniffin’! Fer some reason she jus’ won’t listen to me!” Desperate to defend herself, Applejack quickly returned fire. The butter-yellow pegasus would not be deterred.

“She’s scared Applejack! If you had paid any attention to the way she was behaving, you would have noticed that!” Applejack’s ears folded down, it wasn’t often that Fluttershy would yell at her friends, but when she did, she was usually right. Floating away from the farmer, Fluttershy lowered herself to the ground, whispering sweet nothings to the trembling ball of fur in her limbs. Applejack watched them with a grimace, guilt settling in her gut as she scratched at the back of her head.

“It’s okay little one, I know Applejack wasn’t being very considerate with your feelings, but she’s just worried. She cares about you a lot, I’m sure of it. We could really use your help in finding anypony that could be hurt, if you want to that is.” Shakily, Winona pried herself from the gentle mare’s fur, looking up to her with fearful eyes, before glancing around to the remains of the home. After a moment more, and glancing to the mare for a bit more encouragement, Winona gave a small yip before jumping from her hooves and making her way to Applejack, her tail wagging slightly.

“Well if tha’ don’ beat all…” Unhooking her from the leash, Applejack patted the hound on her head reassuringly.

“Ah’m sorry you two, guess I was jus’ a little too worked up.” Winona gave an excited yip, before running off to join Big Mac at the ruins of the house and begin sniffing. Fluttershy nodded her approval as she came up to her.

“There now, everything’s fine. You just need to remember that she has feelings too.” Applejack lowered her hat and bowed her head at the mare.

“Y’all would think ah’d already know tha’.” Both mares chuckled and giggled respectively before trotting up to help in the search.

Winona, her nose to the ground as she sniffed, tracked her way through the debris. At first, nothing seemed too out of the ordinary, just dirt, wood, stone, and more dirt. However, as she came around the bend of the home a new smell intertwined with the old ones. A coppery smell that was familiar, that she had been trained to find. Barking as she followed the smell, she came across a crimson trail, the liquid mixing with the mud and dirt as it led away from the home.

“Go on Winona, there’s a good girl!” Her master’s call from behind caused her tail to wag excitedly as she could hear the hoofsteps of the ponies following. A short way past the destroyed home, the mare’s gasped at what the dog found. A stallion lay against the wall of a nearby house, the color of his fur and mane were hidden beneath the thick layer of blood and a dark, black liquid that trailed his form. Strange lacerations covered his middle section and it looked to them as though he’d been stabbed at one point through the gut. Rarity screeched at the condition of the poor stallion as Fluttershy leaped into action, throwing off her bags and retrieving medical supplies.

“Applejack, I need you to apply pressure here!” The farmer didn’t hesitate as she did as instructed, trusting the pegasus to know what to do. Rainbow Dash felt herself turning a peculiar shade of green as she looked away. If this was who she thought it was, how in Equestria was she supposed to break this to Scoots? Fluttershy and Applejack raced against the clock to save the stallion’s life as Big Mac galloped back to the wagon, hooking himself to it to create a makeshift ambulance, only to pause as he felt the ground beneath him began to tremble.

‘Wha’ in Celestia’s name?’

Author's Note

Twilight: "Okay, now that everything's in place we can get this star-"

Pinkie Pie: "Cut! CUT!"

Dimmed Star and Twilight pause standing over a magic circle covered in bones as the scene zooms out to reveal a small room with cameras and lights, Pinkie Pie sitting on a director's chair with a megaphone.

Dimmed Star: "What? What did we do?" Looks around confused

Twilight: "Did I say my line wrong? Oh Celestia I knew I should have gone over it again!"

Pinkie: " No way Twi! You were perfect, buuuut we're getting some bad reviews about the comedy in the Author's Notes. Some ponies aren't liking the running gag of you guys offing Shaded every other chapter."

She points a hoof back to an overflowing bag of angry letters, Big Mac struggling to stand with them resting on his back. Applebloom standing nearby looking at him in concern.

Dimmed Star sighs while kicking away the plastic skull at her hooves.

Dimmed Star: "Darnit, good things never last..."

Twilight: "Well then... what are we supposed to do now then? Has anypony asked Shaded?"

Pinkie: "Shaded's locked himself up in his trailer, something about Rainbow pulling a prank and dyeing his fur green with yellow polka dots."

A cricket chirped in the background.

Dimmed Star: "Well... somepony still has to do a disclaimer, and I'm calling Not It!"

Dimmed Star runs off the set, leaving Pinkie and Twilight to stare at one another.

Pinkie/Twilight: "One, two, three, NOT IT/ No-"

Pinkie cheers as Twilight facehoofs.

Twilight: "Oh come on! Fine whatever... Shaded Blood does not own MLP: FIM or the Equinox ponies. A special thanks to Kuunlehti for proofreading and editing! Also a special thanks to Neonyoshi, Umbra Animo, and Ancientarchdemon (Discord), for Test reading and providing great Feedback! If you are enjoying the story, leave a like and comment, also don't forget to follow for blog updates. The link to the Discord, Twitter and Facebook pages will be below!"

Pinkie leans in and whispers into Twilight's ear

Twilight: "Oh, right, thanks Pinkie. Also, don't forget to check out the all-new TvTropes page for the story! Creates by a fan who does not have an account on FimFiction, but does follow us on Facebook! And on an unrelated note, a New Story has been posted up, it's a one-shot story, but hopefully, you will all enjoy it, either way, the link can be found below!"

Discord: Discord

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Chapter Twenty-Eight: A Father's Remorse

~Chapter Twenty-Eight~

A struggling and mud-covered hoof collided a small grey pebble, sending the stone skittering over the edge of the great chasm before her. Her movements weak, and her body trembling from exhaustion and blood loss, Scootaloo pressed on towards the gorge, her eyes alight with a hypnotic blue glow that mimicked the fiery fae that guided her.

The soft giggling of the creature had become almost hysterical as its excitement grew. This was it, this was what it had worked so hard for throughout the night! Just a little further and its toy would go tumbling down, down, down into the abyss. The spell that held sway over it would be released just as her hooves carried her over the edge, and-

The fae blinked suspiciously as it eyed the creature before it, there was something off, something it hadn’t seen in the shadows cast by the forest, but now stood out in the grey light that poured down above them. Floating a bit closer, the fae released a strange, warbled screech of irritation, this toy had wings! Drifting away from the creature, it seethed in its frustration, the pale blue of its flame now interrupted with the occasional flicker of yellow. What was it supposed to do now? It would be no fun if the toy awoke from the spell and didn’t fall! All of its hard work was for nothing!

Baring its needle-like teeth, a malicious thought played in its head as it debated on tossing the toy aside and letting the forest have it back. It wouldn’t take long for the Timberwolves that had been following them to devour the little thing, it wasn’t like such tiny wings could carry it to… safety…

Dawning realization brought back the fae’s jubilant smile, turning to regard the creature once more just to confirm its suspicions. Indeed, the wings were far too small, its plan would work after all! Giddily bouncing within the air, it swiftly bade the toy to move closer to the cliff’s edge. Scootaloo obeyed as only a lost child could, her eyes did not see the trickster before her, she could not see the drop that led to the bottom of Ghastly Gorge, she could not hear the howling wind that picked up speed the further down you went. She could only take one step at a time, a haunting smile playing upon her lips as she followed her visions of happiness and warmth.

The timberwolves salivated as they watched the scene before them take place. Once the young foal had fallen and the wisp had dissipated, they would be free to descend into the caverns from nearby crevices and find themselves an easy meal at the bottom. Though meager the size of the filly was, it had been some time since they had managed to find something large enough to consider a decent meal since that… creature… had come and claimed the forest for her own. Something snapped from behind them and the wooden effigies turned on their heels, baring their fangs as they growled at the shadows. A single striped hoof stepped into the light as a pair of golden eyes glared at them from within a deep hood. A soft chant and a flash of brilliant gold light and the creatures found themselves blinded and yelping in anguish, fleeing from the cloaked figure and back into the forest, thoughts of their meal vanishing in their fear of this newcomer.

Scootaloo’s hooves graced the edge of the gorge, her steps halting only briefly as she paused in her movements, the fae now giggling near uncontrollably as it held her close. It wanted to prolong this moment of joy, oh the despair that its toy would feel would sate its appetite for play at last! Well, at least until the next toy came along.

With a vicious smile, the fae’s pale blue flame began to burn with a ruby red hue, this was a moment to die for.

“Begone foul creature of flame! This foal is not yours to claim!” Shock overtook ecstasy as the fae found her toy being yanked away from the edge, a hair’s breadth from falling over. Screeching in rage, its flame roared a brilliant yellow as it sought the source of its ire, its fiery gaze landing upon the cloaked form that held its toy close. Screeching once more, the fae lunged for the creature, intent on reclaiming what was taken.

Zecora stared down the dark fairy in contempt as she reached for a small pouch around her neck, snapping its string and casting its contents before her. With no time to change its direction, the fae’s vicious cry turned to one of agony as it flew into the cloud of salt and wrought iron shavings, its flame flickering through a variety of different and conflicting colors upon contact. Angry yellow gave way to a sickly green as it screeched a horrific cry of pain, followed briefly with a shadow of purple as fear consumed it. Making haste, Zecora turned and wrapped both herself and the injured filly within her cloak, a strange Zebrican mantra flowing from her lips as her worn cloak began to glow with the golden etched runes of her homeland. Her chant continued even as the fae behind her gave a final screech of pain, it’s body contorting grotesquely, before exploding in a colorfilled inferno that fell upon the two of them and scorched the surrounding landscape.

As the flames slowly began to die down, the shaman calmed her chanting and the glow of her cloak faded. Peaking from beneath it, she found the area around them blackened with the smallest gouts of colored flame still lingering among the stones. With a sigh of relief, she allowed the cloak to fall from the foal she had saved from a terrible fate, using a hoof to try and wipe at the mud that covered the filly’s frame.

“The danger has passed, little foal. Now is the time for you to let go.” Staring into the glowing eyes of the filly, she whispered a different chant, the words flowing seamlessly into the filly’s ears and drawing out the dark magic that held her captive. The blue light of her eyes flashed golden for a brief moment before fading to purple, and Scootaloo blinked in confusion as she looked to the mare that stood in front of her. Before she could think of anything to say, her vision turned to darkness and her body fell toward the ground. The pain and exhaustion that had been held at bay, returning full force. Zecora reacted quickly, catching the unconscious filly in her hooves with worry stretching across her features.

“Oh, merciful goddesses above and below… is that sweet Scootaloo that I have in tow?” Wiping away more of the mud, her heart raced in fear and horror at the state of the filly. If she did not receive treatment immediately, then it would have been better to let the fae have her rather then this suffering. With careful movement, the shaman placed the foal upon her back and tied her in place with a few spare strings of twine from within her cloak. Careful to avoid being too rough, she galloped through the forest towards her home.

~ ~ ~

Brutus found himself struggling to follow the movements of those around him. His eyes were heavy and there was a constant ringing in his ears that drowned out their words. Any attempt to move was met with a fresh spark of excruciating pain and his whole body felt as if he was still beneath the debris of his home. The yellow mare to his left was yelling at him now… what was she trying to say? Tears poured from her eyes as she seemed to be begging something of him. The orange mare on his right had stopped trying to stem the flow of blood from his many wounds, choosing only to look away in defeat. The other two mares were close by, their eyes avoiding his. Lazily looking to the ground around him, he could scarcely count the number of bloody bandages that had been used up, all in a vain attempt to save him.

‘I… I don’t… deserve to be saved…’ It was cold… though he could no longer feel the wind around them, the cold seemed to emanate from somewhere closer, as if it was spreading from within his own body. His eyes slowly drifted closed as he felt hot tears begin to stream down his face, the only warmth that he was allotted.

For the first time in years, his mind felt clear… like he’d taken his first breath of fresh air after having been underwater for a long, long time… it hurt to breathe…

“H-h-hi!” Eyes snapping open, he looked around to find himself in an old, yet familiar setting. The room was filled with desks and seats that each came up to about his knees and he could swear that he could almost hear the chalk scratching on the board upfront. Looking around in confusion, his eyes widened at what more he found.

“M-m-my na-name is… B-Brutus Mead-dows, um… I’m eleven an-and I l-like gar-gardening…” The young colt at the front of the room stuttered as he struggled to introduce himself, scratching at his right foreleg with his left. A light giggle came from beside him, causing him to turn and finding a bright red filly that smiled at the colt upfront. How could he be here?

“Thank you, Brutus, why don’t you go ahead and have a seat next to Miss Glow?” A stallion’s voice came from somewhere nearby, but there was only himself and the two younglings that he could see. The small colt nodded his head towards the board, before looking around cautiously. The little red filly raised her hoof up high, waving him down as she smiled.

“Over here!” The young Brutus’ smiled shyly as he trotted around the other seemingly empty desks. Once he made it to the empty one at her side, the older Brutus watched with silent awe as Vibrant held out a hoof in greeting.

“Hiya! I’m Vibrant Glow, but you can call me Vi~” She smiled towards the colt, it seemed infectious as the young Brutus smiled back to her, tapping her hoof with his own.

“H-hi, it’s nice to meet you. My na-name is-” Vibrant shook her head, her medium-length golden mane dancing in the light.

“You already said your name silly! Oh! Class is starting, you can look over on my book until Mr. Lift can get yours.” The colt swallowed nervously, before sliding his seat closer so he could see the textbook. Placing his hoof on her desk, he meant to use it as a brace to help slide the chair, only for him to instead grasp ahold of the filly’s rested hoof. The two blinked in surprise, before looking over to one another briefly. Warmth spread through the colt’s cheeks like wildfire, while the filly’s eyes seemed to change from her normally boisterous gaze, to something more subdued as her red face grew a bit darker.

“Mr. Meadows, Miss Glow? Are you following along?” Their teacher’s sudden interruption of their intense staring contest startled the both of them and the older Brutus that had been entranced by the scene, tears threatening to fall from his eyes.

“Y-yes, sir!” Both foals called, removing their hooves from one another and blushing profusely, the reason now easily chocked up to embarrassment. Brutus watched the two as they followed along with their teacher, his mouth opening slightly as his heart ached within his chest. His eyes began to feel heavy as the edges of his vision grew dark. Shaking his head in an attempt to remain awake, Brutus found that the darkness had already consumed his vision. Blinking slowly, he stood in the cold dark, alone.

“Why… why am I seeing this…?” His quiet voice croaked out, its somber timber fading through the cold space.

“What are you doing sleepy head?” A whisper called out to him. Opening his eyes once more, he found himself laying within a comfortable bed, the bright rays of the sun beaming through the nearby window and basking everything in a golden glow. Something moved next to him and he turned to see the virulent crimson fur of his beloved. Vibrant’s beautiful green eyes sparkled in the yellow light as they looked to him through the strands of her golden locks. She smiled as she shuffled closer to him, laying one of her wings across his barrel over the blankets.

“Vi-Vi…?” His voice caught in his throat as he gazed at her. She did not respond, choosing to sigh happily as she nuzzled closer to him. Suddenly it occurred to him, he had been here before… though it wasn’t quite this bright… he’d been in this exact moment…

“Are you excited? I know I am…” Vibrant’s melodic voice rose from her lips as it only brought more tears from his eyes. He looked upon her form now, this was Vibrant before her gambling… before the collectors and before the drinking… this was HIS Vibrant… Brutus’ features struggled to maintain composure as he reached a trembling hoof over, attempting to brush his hoof through her wondrous mane, only for it to pass through as though she were made of air, eyes wide with shock he now reached for her with both forelegs as he sat up in the bed, clamoring to find some purchase on her.

“Pl-please… please… just let m-me…!” He tried again and again, but each attempt was met with failure, the weight of it bearing down on him. Despite all of this, the beautiful mare took no notice, her serene smile never wavering. Cracking open one of her jeweled eyes, she locked gazes with him.

“I’ve hardly been able to sleep… I’m so nervous, but I can’t wait to finally be married...” The stallion cried heavily, his voice wracking his body as he threw himself upon her, trying to hold her in his hooves once more, feel her warmth, her touch. His actions, however, held a different consequence as he tumbled through the scenery, shock, and fear upon his features as he found himself falling through a black void.

Suddenly, the darkness vanished and he found himself now standing in what appeared to be a small room. The walls were decorated with colorful animals and infant’s toys were scattered about. A small crib sat near the center of the room, empty and waiting for an occupant. His heart dropped to his hooves, a choked sob breaking the silence until an even more broken sound came from somewhere behind him…

Turning, he spotted the wilted form of his wife sitting in a corner of the room, tears streaming down her face as she cried in her anguish, holding tightly to a book with two pacifiers on the cover...

“M-my… m-m-my… b-baby…” She wept silently, her frame trembling as she rocked back and forth on the floor, her golden tail wrapped around her flanks. Her eyes clenched shut and her grip upon the book closed tighter the longer he watched. How many times had they tried before? His eyes caught the barest glimpse of the fresh scar that crossed his wife’s abdomen through her crossed limbs and dull red fur, matted from having gone unwashed. How could he have failed her...

Was this when it had all started? Was this why… Tears flooded forth anew from Brutus as he looked away from his wife’s grieving form, her pained cries and wails drowning him in her sorrow…

“Please… no more… I… I can’t…” The sobbing of his wife faded, to be replaced with something else… something that seemed more cheerful. Anxiety gripped him as he slowly opened his eyes again, feeling his blood freeze over at the new location.

“N-no…” Fillies and colts of varying ages, sizes and tribes all ran around him in the large playroom. Their vibrant colors dancing among one another.

“H-how… how do we…” Looking around desperately, he could not see where his wife’s voice was coming from, it only echoed through the small room a little louder than the foals.

“Don’t worry dear, it’ll come to you. Now, go on, you too Mr. Meadows.” A soft push came from behind, causing him to take several steps. Glancing to where he’d felt the push, he stared at the empty space in confusion.

“Look out!” A brash filly’s voice called out, just as the form of a little orange filly came crashing through his legs and into a pile of toys. The fillies and colts that had been playing with them scattered, their complaints and protests of the filly’s abrupt arrival being made very apparent.

“No… no no no…” Brutus’ voice never rose above a whisper as he turned with a heavy heart, finding the small filly as she climbed her way back to her hooves and gave a sheepish grin towards him.

“S-sorry about that! Um, I’ll just… yea.” Without saying anything more, she grasped ahold to the makeshift scooter, it’s plastic and cardboard frame bent out of shape. Giving a sigh of annoyance, she pushed her way out of the pile, allowing the foals to return as she went towards the back of the room.

“Who was that?” His ears flicked behind him, trying to focus on the voice, despite his eyes never leaving the filly’s retreating form.

“Oh… well, she doesn’t have a name. It isn’t like we haven’t tried giving her one, she just won’t take it…” Brutus took a trembling step forward, slowly making his way towards the filly as she sat at the back of the room near a box of materials, digging through it.

“Why won’t she take it?” He halted at the sound of his own voice now, guilt clawing at his chest.

“She… she wants to have her parents name her… like the other foals. She’s been here since she was just an infant. Placed on our doorstep without a note or a letter… We can only assume she was left here because… well…” Though he could not see where the invisible mare was indicating, he could remember the scene well enough, and his heart broke even more. The filly’s tiny wings, far smaller than they should be for a foal her size, stood up from her back as they buzzed like a humming bird’s occasionally.

As he watched the filly work, the other foals slowly began to dissipate, fading from existence as she was left alone. Sometimes she would look up, watching where the foals had been playing, raising a hoof with her mouth slightly open as she tried to call out to them, only for her ears to fall back as she would look away, blinking tears from her eyes.

“It’s unfortunate, but the likelihood is that she will be here until she comes of age. The other foals won’t make friends with her because she’s so much older, and in turn, she doesn’t try to make friends with them since they are more likely to be chosen, her friendships would always be temporary...” The voice started to fade near the end, his hooves carrying him closer to the filly where he collapsed to his knees next to her.

“I… I-I’m… so s-sorry… I wish I c-could have been… st-stronger… I…” Tears dripped from his face as he bowed his head, weeping into his forelegs before the filly as she worked along on her project, his presence doing nothing to disturb the memory.

“I would like to talk to her.” His own voice echoed around him and he felt as though a hammer had been driven into his heart. Turning slowly, his eyes widened as he found the image of his younger self staring him down… no… not him. He followed the gaze past himself and to the filly who was fixated on her work.

“...Are you sure? You haven’t even spoken to any of the oth-” The voice of the mare was cut off by his wife’s, her stern tone overtaking the mare’s business-like approach.

“I want to meet her too.” Glancing back, his lips trembled as the image of his wife, cleaner now but with an air of sorrow still clinging to her, faded into view next to his younger self, leaning against him for strength. He watched as the two nuzzled one another for a moment as if to help encourage the other before they stepped forward to approach the filly. Bowing his head, shame and sorrow warred with one another in his features as the couple passed through him, hot tears dropping to his hooves as they continued on, unabated by his ethereal form. He choked back the sobs that tried to escape him, turning to watch as the memory began to fade.

“D-don’t… don’t take her… She.. s-she deserves better…” His voice whispered as his eyes bored into the back of his younger self’s head. As the vision reached towards the filly, his younger lips moving but no sound coming out, the image of the filly seemed to blink for a moment. In that single instant, Brutus saw not the sweet, carefree and jubilant filly that he had adopted on this same day so long ago… but a downtrodden, bruised and tormented filly, her eyes fearful as she stared back at the younger version of himself. Snapping his gaze from the tortured filly, he found the hoof that had been raised in greeting now held a dark bottle, the downward swing was already in motion. Yelling in outrage, Brutus leaped at the mirage of himself, rearing back his own hoof to bring it against the image’s skull.

“LEAVE HER ALONE!!” His cry of anguish and rage was met with silence as he passed through the memory, once more falling through darkness. Looking about himself as he fell, he yelled in fear and helplessness, grasping about to find something to hold onto, his heart racing in his chest.

“Daddy! Please stop!” His eyes widened in horror, the filly’s words echoing around him as the sound of a bottle shattering could be heard.

“N-No! Pl-please!” He begged the air around him.

“Brutus, you went too far this time! Do you know what will happen if she goes to the guard!? Our lives are over, do you hear me!?” He could faintly hear his own heavy breathing, his heart pounding in his chest.

“Please! Stop!” His pleas were left unheard by the cold void that he fell through, his body twisting in an effort to slow his plummet.

“Wh-what are you doing? Brutus… BRUTUS STOP! PLEASE!” Vibrant’s cries of fear and pleading were mixed with the sounds of a struggle, her pitiful attempts to fight back having been easily thwarted as her screams became a gurgled orchestra before falling silent. Brutus wept as he fell, no longer fighting against the howling wind that rushed past his ears.

“I’M SORRY! I S-SO SOR-” The impact with the hard ground knocked the wind from his lungs, leaving him to wheeze in pain as he lay in the dirt.

“D-daddy? Is that you?” Brutus’ eyes snapped open in shock. Shaking off what he could of the immense pain, the stallion rolled over to see where the voice was coming from.

“Sc-Scoot?” He spotted the vaguely familiar form of the filly standing in the shadows of a few nearby trees. She tilted her head slightly as she watched him. Struggling to his hooves, he faced the filly and began to limp towards her.

“Scoot! I… I’m so sorry sweetie… I… d-daddy’s just been… having a... b-bad time…” His voice trailed off as he watched the filly, covered by the shadows of the forest… wait, why was he in the forest? Looking about, he only barely recognized a few bushes of the foliage, this was the Everfree… this was where Scootaloo had-

“It’s ok-okay Daddy, I u-understand.” Quickly looking back to the filly, her voice seemed different… like it was strained and gurgling… Shaking his head in trepidation, he took a step back as she stepped closer. The shadows that covered her form gave way, revealing a horror more grotesque than any he could have imagined.

“But we’re t-together now… We can be a f-family again.” The filly’s empty eye sockets stared him down, tears of crimson nectar pouring from them and dripping down her face. The grey fur of her body was still orange in some places, at least where there was skin for the fur to be had. Barely a moment of her stepping into the light was needed before the stallion fell back with a yell of terror, Scootaloo’s half-rotted lips curving into a smile. Scrambling to get away, Brutus turned to flee, only to come face to snout with his wife’s dead gaze. Her once brilliantly emerald orbs now a dull grey as they stared him down. Crying out in horror, the stallion tripped in his attempt to get away, collapsing onto his back, only to see the remainder of the mare he’d once swore to share his life with.

Much like Scootaloo, her fur had turned grey and white across most of her body, but that was where the similarities ended. Limping forward, Vibrant’s words were lost in a cacophony of gurgling and choking sounds, her lower jaw completely missing as her tongue hung across her torn open throat, copious amounts of her crimson life-blood pouring from the wound and drizzling down her front. Most of her feathers had fallen from her wings, leaving only the grotesque and bare limbs beneath, their flesh peeling away from the bone in a mockery of what they once were as it draped along her sides, dragging in the mud. A hoof step from behind turned the blood in his veins to ice as he whimpered.

“W-we’ll be… together… f-forever… A happy family…” His screams echoed through the dark canopy of the forest above.

Author's Note

Applejack stands outside a worn down trailer with a blue shirt that reads "Staff" across the front.

AJ: "Shaded! We got an issue on set!"

From somewhere inside.

Shaded: "I'm a little busy at the moment, can't you get Twilight to handle it?"

AJ: "Twi's takin' a lunch, her and Dimmed Star went to Donut Joe's"

Shaded: " ...Did you-"

AJ: "Yea yea, ah asked to get the usual for ya. Now, are y'all gonna get that flank out here and help or what?" An annoyed sigh and the door opens.

Shaded: "Alright, what is it... And please stop snickering..."

AJ: "S-sorry... it's just... pfft..."Shaded rolls his eyes.

Shaded: "Well?"

AJ: "Uh... why are y'all pink now?" Shaded facehoofs.

Shaded: "I don't want to talk about it, what was it you needed?"

AJ: "Oh! right, so we needed y'all to do the disclaimer right quick. Other than you, Dimmed and Twi, none of us are qualified for it unless y'all request it." Aj then holds out a microphone. Shaded's right eye twitches.

Shaded: " ...Yea... sure... ahem I, Shaded Blood, do not own MLP: FIM or the Equinox ponies. A special thanks to Kuunlehti for proofreading and editing! Also a special thanks to Neonyoshi, Umbra Animo, Morior (Discord) and Ancientarchdemon (Discord), for Test reading and providing great Feedback! If you are enjoying the story, leave a like and comment, also don't forget to follow for blog updates. The link to the Discord, Twitter and Facebook pages will be below! That it?"

AJ: "Eeyup... so uh... the pink?" Shaded sighs in dejection.

Shaded: "The dye Rainbow used was magical... every time I try to clean it off, it changes colors and patterns... she won't tell me how to remove it yet so I'm trying everything under the sun..."

AJ: "...pfft..." Begins laughing hysterically.

Discord: Discord

Chapter Twenty-Nine: A Rainbow's Grief

~Chapter Twenty-Nine~

With a screeching roar, tendrils of Ink erupted from the depths of the destroyed home, sending splinters of wood and stone scattering about as the Bearers and Big Mac all turned to face the sudden expulsion of debris. Winona yelped in terror, turning tail and sprinting her way through a back alley nearby, her instincts demanding that she fled. Most of the Bearers looked on in shock as Dimmed Star crawled out from beneath the refuse, portions of her body still phasing through the bulk of it while the tendrils around her would toss aside what was left. Rainbow Dash, however, glared at the mare despite her rising and imposing form.

Growling angrily, Dimmed Star shook off what debris covered her frame as gashes across her body quickly began closing, the Ink within working its way through the edges of her wounds, sealing them closed. Turning to face the other Bearers, their eyes widened as they found that the right half of her skull was in the process of reconstructing itself, as though it had been crushed under a massive weight. Her left eye darted to each of them in turn, studying them carefully as her jaw readjusted itself to align properly with a sickening crunch.

‘I shouldn’t have phased through the house so much…’ She thought idly as shelooked beyond the mares, each who watched her with varying expressions of disbelief and anger. Upon locating her quarry, Dimmed Star’s lips split into a grimace and she growled in disgust, the stallion was already dead. Her heart weighed heavily with her failure to end his life with her own hooves, her fury having once more been denied.

“What did you do!?” Her face having fully reformed, Dimmed Star snapped both eyes from the body of the stallion to the form of Rainbow Dash bearing down on her, ruby eyes furious as she stopped to hover just before the mare. Dimmed Star glared back unflinchingly as she glanced around to the others, taking in her current dilemma. From the outside, this certainly looked bad. Her next words would decide whether or not the situation could be salvaged. This would be a lot easier if Cheerilee were here to explain things. With a sigh of irritation, Dimmed Star turned back to Rainbow, making sure to move slowly as to not appear threatening.

“It’s not what it looks like Rainbow… well… not exactly… though… perhaps… ?” Shoot, the more she thought about it, the more this was exactly how it looked. Rainbow’s glare only grew in intensity as she flapped closer, the veins in her neck visibly bulging as she yelled.

“Not what it looks like!? I heard you, Dimmed Star! I knew that wasn’t thunder! Your crazy goo is all over his body! Why!? Why did you kill Scootaloo’s dad!?” At the mention of the young pegasus, however, Dimmed Star’s eyes grew dark as all pretense at keeping a placating facade was swiftly discarded. Rainbow Dash blinked for the barest of moments as she suddenly found herself staring up into the dark eyes of Dimmed Star, half shifted into her alternate form, the dark mare’s shadow cast over the pegasus that had just seconds ago hovered above her. Dimmed Star’s voice hissed out of her throat in a deep and rumbling growl as the prismatic mare felt her heart skip in fear, her wings taking her several paces away to gain distance between the two of them.

“Never... call that thing a father in my presence again…” Rainbow’s brow furrowed as she glared back at the dark mare. A moment of silence passed between the two of them, Dimmed Star’s cold eyes boring into Rainbow’s crimson irises.

A soft brushing against her foreleg snapped Dimmed Star from her irritation at the weather mare before her as she looked down and found Fluttershy there, stroking her foreleg and shushing the distorted growls that Dimmed Star hadn’t realized she’d been producing. The other Bearers now stood around them, Applejack taking up the space near Rainbow as she rooted her hooves and straightened her hat, emerald eyes carefully watching and calculating each of Dimmed Star’s movements. Rarity stood on the other side of Fluttershy, keeping a respectable distance from their friend in the event of something going wrong.

“Th-there, there, Star. I-It’s gonna be... o-okay…” Fluttershy choked out, her voice trembling as she spoke. The stains of blood on her hooves and forelegs from her attempts to stall the stallion’s bleeding were beginning to dry, crusting and flaking away little by little with her movements. Though she sought to soothe Dimmed Star’s anger, Fluttershy couldn’t help the sickness she felt in her stomach as she watched her crimson coated hoof with a morbid fascination out of the corner of her tear-filled eyes.

“What in tarnation happened here, Star? An’ don’ go leavin’ out any details, Ah’ll know if’n ya do.” Dimmed Star looked away from their shy friend to find Applejack staring her down intently. Rainbow Dash bristled from beside the farmer as she tried to appear taller, her crimson eyes glaring. Taking a deep breath, Dimmed Star’s form slowly shifted back to her default state, shrinking down and causing Fluttershy’s soft strokes to slowly become a full-on hug as the mare trembled in her embrace. At first, Dimmed Star had a mind to push the mare off, until the image of a pink maned baker flashed through her mind. The vision of Pinkie Pie’s crying face as she snuggled closer into Dimmed Star’s fur just after her little… episode… left a clawing feeling of guilt in her stomach.

‘Pinkie…’ Raising a foreleg tentatively, Dimmed Star draped it around the back of the yellow mare carefully, before sighing as the slightest hint of warmth seemed to spread through her system at the contact. Taking a deep breath, she turned to the others as she began her tale. The simplest place to start was with her encounter regarding Cheerilee and the stallion on her porch. She had failed to recollect the pony’s name, as the only thing she cared about was why they were fighting on her porch. The thought that Cherilee would ever be in a brawl with another pony was hard to swallow, and though Rainbow appeared to want to say something, Applejack prevented the mare from speaking out of turn, allowing Dimmed Star to finish her side of the story unhindered. The dark mare recounted to them what she had learned and what she had done; the retelling of her trip through the dilapidated conditions of the home, the horrid mess of both it and that of its occupants therein, and the distinct lack of a certain filly whom Cheerilee had confirmed was absent from school.

By the time she was done, Rainbow Dash and Rarity were looking at her in utter shock and disbelief, while Fluttershy had only begun to tremble more in the embrace she shared with Dimmed Star. Taking a few moments to herself as she left them to their thoughts, she wondered how they would take the news. Would they blame her? Would they abandon her again…? The sound of a hoof stamping in the mud drew her away from her musings, finding Rainbow Dash glaring at her with tearful eyes as she now stood upon the ground, her wings spread wide.

“No! No, no, no, no! I don’t believe that! You’re lying, you have to be! Sh-she’s at school, she’s a-at school where sh-she’s supposed to be!” Dimmed Star spoke nothing in her defense, only watching as the pegasus began to lose her fight to remain calm.

“She ain’t lied once, RD.” Collectively, the group turned to the resident Element of Honesty as the farmer nodded to Dimmed Star with a hint of understanding in her watery eyes. For the briefest of moments, the dark mare wondered where such certainty had been back at the wedding rehearsal but chose to let it go… for the moment…

“Even if she was, ain’t like we couldn’t go ask Cheerilee ourselves…” Tipping her hat down a bit to cover her eyes, the Applejack looked down and to the side as her brother, Big Mac, trotted up slowly beside her, lending his side for the apple farmer to lean against as he kept his eyes on Dimmed Star’s form. Rainbow looked to the honest mare, her jaw trying and failing to form words before she fell to her hindquarters and stared at the ground, rivers of hot tears now pouring down her face as she hiccuped at first, then screamed her frustration to the cloudy sky above, slamming her hooves over and over again in the dirt. Rarity, bowed her head as well, her sapphire mascara beginning to run despite her best efforts at maintaining her composure.

Dimmed Star suddenly found herself feeling a bit colder as Fluttershy had changed targets, quietly stumbling her way over to their cyan friend and pushing past her flailing limbs, no matter how many times Rainbow tried to push her away, even striking out at her, Fluttershy would not be denied. The mare grappled with Rainbow until finally, the weather pegasus had either tired herself out or simply could no longer bring herself to struggle anymore. Collapsing into the animal caretaker’s limbs, Rainbow cried heavily into her chest while Fluttershy wrapped the both of them up in her wings, softly whispering something the others could not catch to the distraught mare, rocking them back and forth in place.

“Da-darling?” Taking her eyes away from the scene, Dimmed Star nodded silently at the alabaster mare, giving Rarity the floor.

“You… you said that you never found her… b-body… right?” Dimmed Star closed her eyes and thought back to before she let loose. Thankful once more for her photographic memory, she went back through her tour of the home. From the entrance to the hallways, the kitchen, and the bedrooms, even through the very walls themselves… nothing…

“No… There was no sign of her. There was a great deal of blood in the home, spilled along the floor and stairs. I only found one body, a mare. If I had to guess, it was Scoot’s mom.” Her eyes locked back on to the body of the stallion once more, her blood boiling from within just staring at him. Rarity raised a hoof to her mouth, shock in her eyes.

“O-oh my… but… doesn’t that mean there is a chance…? Could Scootaloo have… gone off someplace? Could she have es-escaped?” The choking sobs of Rainbow came to a sudden halt at this and the mare’s ruby orbs peered over the lemon-colored wings of her friend. The whites of her eyes were partly bloodshot and bits of snot trailed from her nose and down her muzzle, but the smallest glimmer of hope dared to shine in those desperate orbs.

“S-sh-she c-could be… a-alive?” Pushing herself to a standing position, the mare began to frantically look about at the debris around them.

“Th-then we go-gotta find something! An-anything that co-could tell us!” Her strength renewed, she finally broke free of Fluttershy’s constricting grasp and began to dig through the nearest pile of debris.

“Sq-Squirt! Can you hear me!” Dimmed Star and the others watched on solemnly as the cyan mare desperately dug through the remains of the home, calling out for the filly to show any sign of herself. Turning away from the heart-wrenching sounds of Rainbow’s desperate search, Dimmed Star felt her heart pounding heavily in her chest… it hurt to see one of her friends in so much pain, especially a pony who had always been so strong.

“I searched everywhere… she’s not here, Rainbow…” Whether the mare heard her or not, Rainbow did not respond as she leaped from one section of the home to another, clinging onto the hope that she so desperately needed. Applejack leaned closer to her brother as he laid a foreleg over her withers, burying her muzzle into his neck as she fought to keep her friends from seeing her own distress. How was she supposed to tell Applebloom that one of her best friends was likely gone?

Suddenly, the cyan mare abandoned her search as she took to the air, drawing their eyes to her in surprise as she rocketed away in a blur of cyan and rainbows, slamming bodily into the corpse of the stallion, skidding the two of them across the dirt.

“Where is she!? Tell me dammit! Where’s Scootaloo!?” The Bearers looked after the prismatic mare, mortified at her sudden and violent act. Applejack and Big Mac took off after her, trailed by Fluttershy as they attempted to pull her from the body as she screamed and beat the stallion’s head with her hooves.

“R-Rainbow! It ain’t no good! He’s dead, leave 'im be!” Dimmed Star watched from the rubble as Rarity sobbed nearby, the two of them watching as the three ponies struggled with their friend.

“No! Let me go! Wake up dammit! Tell me where she is! Where is she!?” Her cries continued long after the farmers had pinned her to the ground while Fluttershy dragged the stallion’s body further away, her aqua eyes clenched shut as she cried.

Rarity, no longer fighting the tears that poured freely, slowly moved closer towards Dimmed Star, her eyes pleading.

“Pl-please… tell us you have some way… some spell o-or ability that would help us find her.. to know for certain…?” The dark mare only shook her head.

“I don’t know any spells for tracking and my senses aren’t too much higher than a normal pony’s… They’ve been put to the test enough times in the Everfree for me to know their limits. I could maybe get her scent for a few yards, perhaps a quarter of a mile, but no further. Even then, we don’t know how long she’s been missing… the rain could have washed away her scent by now.” Dimmed Star’s eyes looked up towards the sky, her teal pupils studying the patterns of the rain clouds above. Although the storm had stopped and the wind was beginning to die down, it still felt as though it were raining… Unbeknownst to her, a single dark tear slid its way down the left side of her face, dripping to the rubble beneath. Rainbow’s enraged screams had devolved into a fit of sobs at this point, her voice echoing around the nearby buildings.

“I can track her…” The new voice startled her, drawing her eyes away from the clouds above and down below, finding the source with relative ease as he stood at the edge of the ruined home.

Spike twiddled his claws together quietly, shuffling his feet as his guardian and Rarity stared back at him. The hunched forms of Sweetie Belle and Applebloom could easily be seen trying to hide behind his tiny frame, their nervous gazes peeking around him as they watched the scene with fear and worry.

“Spike? What are you doing here?” The drake swallowed nervously, glancing around as though he’d been caught doing something wrong.

“I-I heard you… I heard your voice from the schoolhouse. I thought… I got worried… so I, uh, we came to help.” He glanced back to indicate the two crusaders who smiled up to her weakly. Sweetie Belle glanced back over to the body of the stallion, her face turning green as her eyes widened shakily. Seeing this, Rarity’s own protective instincts took over and she rushed to the fillies and drake, situating herself between them and the gruesome scene behind her.

“Th-this is no place for fillies and colts! You all need to head back to the school this instant!” She did her best to give them a disapproving glare. The foals and drake had the decency to look sheepish at this, looking anywhere but to the irate mare.

“There’s no point, Rarity. It’s already the middle of the day and Cheerilee has been… well, I don’t know where she is now, but I doubt classes will be taking place. That aside…” Dimmed Star stepped down from the pile of refuse that she had been standing on, slowly approaching the younglings. Glancing over to the body of the stallion, she wished she had dealt with the corpse sooner so as to have spared the foals such a sight. Turning back to the drake, she dipped her head as she approached and nuzzled his brow as he leaned into her.

“Are you sure, Spike? Do you think you can find her?” Spike nodded slowly, grateful for the comforting motion of his guardian. As she pulled away, his eyes took on a determined look, their reptilian pupils sharpening.

“I want to try.” Dimmed Star smiled down at the drake, her pride in the youngling growing every second.

“Pl-please…” The two of them turned to find the prone form of Rainbow Dash, still pinned beneath Big Mac’s hooves. Said mare was now looking at them, her eyes begging as she struggled to speak through her sobs.

“Pl-please fi-find… find he-her… please…” Dimmed Star bit the inside of her cheek hard enough to tear flesh as she watched the mare. Applejack stood close by, nursing a few bruises and scrapes caused by the pegasus’ struggles as Fluttershy sat next to the cyan mare, holding her head in her hooves as she wept into her prismatic mane. Dimmed Star turned back to the drake as he trembled, watching the desperate mare as she tried to reach a pleading hoof out to him, begging him to find the filly all the while. Placing her Ink stained hoof upon his shoulder, Dimmed Star turned him away from the heartbreaking scene, pushing him towards the rubble as she glanced to Rarity who watched on while holding tightly to the two crusaders.

“Keep an eye on them… we’ll find her… I promise…” The alabaster unicorn nodded as she watched them go. Dimmed Star took one last look back at the group before she trotted after Spike, her horn alighting with its dark aura as a familiar saddlebag blinked into existence and hovered next to her. Stepping up beside Spike, the bags lowered themselves to his claws as he reached up for them. Pausing momentarily, Dimmed Star hesitated to give the bags to the young drake. His emerald eyes looked up to her curiously as he waited.

“Star?” The dark mare struggled with the weight of this decision. If Spike could track the filly… what would they find at the end of the trail? Would she be okay? Would she be dead? Her eyes traced the scaled features of her charge, could she risk him seeing such a thing? Her thoughts trailed back to the body of the stallion nearby… A nameless corpse was one thing, but the body of a dear friend?

“Spike… I need you to promise me something.” Nodding slowly, the drake watched as his guardian chewed her lip in thought, before continuing.

“When we get close, I want you to wait for me while I go ahead, understood?” Spike looked to her in confusion.

“But, I want to make sure Scootaloo is okay.” His quiet voice only just reached her ears as he mumbled his desire to see his friend. She understood how he felt. Although the filly and she had not interacted much more than the times she had come over and studied with them, she was one of few ponies that had begun to accept her again. The bright, smiling face of the filly intruded her thoughts, forcing her to shake her head to clear it away and focus on their task. It would do no good to dwell on what was, if there was a chance that she could still be alive somewhere, now was the time.

“I know, Spike, but it’s something I need you to promise me.” Placing a hoof beneath his chin, she raised his head so that their eyes would meet. Sniffling slightly, Spike nodded his acceptance and she smiled softly at him.

“Thank you, Spike. Now, don’t push yourself.” Levitating the bag of school supplies into his claws, Spike lifted the top and began to dig through its contents. The first thing he took a big whiff of was the bag itself, taking care to try and single out any defining scents. Nodding, he reached into the bag and began taking out several items, each ranging from books to pencils and paper, he took long sniffs of each, trying to single out a single scent that wouldn’t lead him astray. The final few things to be pulled from the bag were a few near-empty vials, causing his eyes to widen as he turned them over in his claws.

“I thought so…” Catching this, Dimmed Star stepped closer and peered over his shoulder to get a better look.

“What is it, Spike, makeup?” The drake nodded in affirmation as he took deep sniffs of the vials.

“Yeah, I thought I smelled it whenever Scoot was around, but I just always thought it was something that rubbed off of Sweetie Belle or something.” Taking another deep sniff, the wind began to pick up at that moment, causing him to turn his head suddenly and drop the vials. Looking between him and the contents of the bag, Dimmed Star felt an inkling of hope as she alighted her horn and collected the items, placing the bag upon her back as she followed after the drake as he took off, the two of them rushing away from the ruined home as the rest of the Bearers, Big Mac, and two fillies watched after them.

~ ~ ~

Everything hurt… why did everything hurt?

Scootaloo’s consciousness faded in and out as she blinked away the sleep from her tired eyes. The only thing she could see was a ceiling of ringed wood? Oh, she must be at the library… maybe she had fallen asleep on the floor again and had slept wrong. Her vision grew blurry for a moment as if her eyes were struggling to see. Trying to sit up, the pain in her body screamed at her and she found herself unable to move as she lay there, her mouth opening in a horrified expression, but no sound escaping.

A shadow passed over her and the sound of somepony talking could be heard, but it seemed distant and muffled. Who was that? Why couldn’t she see or hear them? A hoof brushed against her forehead as another pushed her back into the soft blankets below. Scootaloo could feel something cold being placed upon her burning fur and skin above her eyes, trails of a cool liquid dripping down from the sides of her brow. The shadow hovered for a moment longer, before it stepped away and out of view.

‘No… please, come back…’ Scootaloo begged for the shadow to return, for it to tell her why she hurt so much, why her body felt as though it were on fire. The edges of her vision began to darken once more as her eyes slowly closed, her consciousness fading…

~ ~ ~

Spike jumped over the rise of several large roots, his breath escaping in gasps as he pressed onward, following the scent of cheap makeup. The crunch of the roots he’d just cleared told him that Dimmed Star was still very much in pursuit. The dark mare barely seemed winded, although it was hard to tell if such strenuous exertion would tire her out like it used too.

How long had they been following the trail? About an hour now, maybe more? The canopy of the trees above did little to help him tell the time as they blocked out much of the light that would have filtered through. Though he could at least tell that the sky had grown considerably less grey, the occasional ray of golden light beaming down through a gap in the foliage. Slowly coming to a stop at one such ray of sunshine, Spike leaned over and huffed, the pulsing of his heart in his ears.

“I told you not to push yourself.” Looking back, Dimmed Star stepped out of the dark trees and into the patch of light, her eyes watching him worriedly. Waving her off, Spike stood up straighter and gave the mare a forced smile.

“I-It’s no problem, Star. Just n-need a breather is all.” Spike gasped for air repeatedly as he spoke. They had mostly kept a sedate pace through the forest at first, but every now and again he would get what seemed like a stronger hold of the trail, leading them to these small sprint sessions where they would run until he ran out of breath. Sighing at him, Dimmed Star closed the distance between them, leaning her muzzle into his chest as she pushed him back into a seated position.

“H-hey!” Placing an Ink covered hoof in front of him, she prevented the drake from rising as she gave him a stern glare.

“No, you need to rest, Spike. We can keep going after you’ve got your strength back.” Sitting herself down on a nearby fallen tree, Dimmed Star watched the drake for a moment, making sure he remained seated and caught his breath. Spike took deep and controlled breaths, both to help expedite his recovery as well as to keep the scent’s trail as fresh as possible. The rain had diluted it a great deal, sometimes causing him to second guess himself.

After she was certain that he would take his time, Dimmed Star allowed herself to relax a bit, the events of the day were slowly beginning to catch up to her. The sound of water trickling caught her ears and she looked down to see a small trail of it pouring from beneath the log she sat upon. It pooled into a small puddle, its rippling surface reflecting the light that shone down upon it. Watching the water calmly, Dimmed Star raised a hoof and dipped it into the surface of the cool liquid, lazily allowing it to soak.

‘What an exhausting day… First, I nearly kill Pinkie Pie… she may never speak to me again, much less look at me… then Cheerilee brings all of this to my doorstep… and now here I am with Spike, scouring the Everfree for Scootaloo, who could be dead by now…” Looking around to the shadows that encircled them, Dimmed Star thought of the many creatures that made this enchanted forest their home. Timber Wolves and Manticores, Chimeras and Cragodiles… any of those wouldn’t hesitate to snatch up a runaway filly… And she wouldn’t hesitate to separate their heads from their bodies should that be the case. Though a Hydra would be trickier… had she ever eaten Hydra before?

Spike’s heavy breathing had slowed down considerably and he was able to more clearly focus on the scent he’d been following for the last few hours. Giving Dimmed Star a cautious look, he quirked a brow at seeing her mouth begin to water slightly, her dark saliva dripping from the corner of her lips, and began to wonder what she was thinking about. Probably food… hunting did seem to be one of her preferred pastimes these days. Chuckling to himself, Spike leaned back and sighed deeply. Star had been right to force him to relax, the two of them hadn’t eaten since morning as it was and he’d left his school bag back at the library. Frowning, he thought back to how he and the other two crusaders had arrived there first, only to discover that nopony was home.

That hadn’t stopped him though; dropping off their saddlebags at the library, Spike had followed after Dimmed Star’s scent, whereupon they came across the destroyed home. Had they arrived any later, he worried that any chance of a search for the filly would have been cut short without him offering to try and sniff the filly out. Taking another deep breath, Spike breathed much more easily now that his heart wasn’t struggling for oxygen. However, something seemed different about the air this time. Blinking in confusion, Spike took a few more tentative sniffs, before standing up and following the trail around the small area, his brows furrowed in concentration. Noticing the drake’s odd behavior, Dimmed Star rose from the log and trotted over to him.

“Spike?” A raised claw halted any further questions, the drake concentrating on his task. Watching him carefully, Dimmed Star noted that he repeated the same actions a few times, going back and forth between three paths in the trees.

“There’s… something off with the scent. Here, this is the path we were following. Scoot’s scent is strong this way.” Stepping up to one path, he pointed down the trail for a moment before moving back to the second.

“And this is the way we came… but here…” As the drake approached the third path, he sniffed the air again, taking deep breaths as he closed his eyes.

“I can smell her this way too, but… it’s as if it’s masked by something else… like herbs and spices of some kind… maybe incense?” The more the drake thought about it, the clearer the image became in his mind as he and Dimmed Star looked to the path in surprise, their thoughts culminating into one as they looked to one another.

“Zecora!” Without missing a beat, the two of them raced down the trail, the Zebra Shaman’s home now their next destination.

~ ~ ~

Continuing to hum quietly, Zecora stepped over to a nearby table that held a stone bowl and pestle. Several clay pots and jars sat around it, their lids open and contents exposed to the air as they filled the room with the smell of various herbs and medicines. Sitting at the hoof woven cushion, the zebra took hold of the nearest jar in her teeth, tilting it just enough to pour a few of the dried leaves into the bowl. Calculating eyes watched carefully as the leaves fell, measuring out the exact amount before halting in her actions and proceeding to do the same with a few of the other jars around.

From leaves to chopped roots and tiny seeds, the shaman worked to grind the ingredients into a thick paste. Her task took up much of the day, keeping the shaman busy as her patient slept. Every once in awhile, she would rise and return to her charge, carefully replacing the wet cloth that helped to keep the filly’s fever in check as well as to change any bandages that needed it. A trash bin at the filly’s bedside was almost overflowing with the remains of muddied rags and past wrappings; a single sleeve from what had once been the grey hoodie that the filly had been wearing dangled over the lip of the bin from underneath the myriad of used bandages.

A glass vial sat on the nightstand near the bed’s headboard, shards of a dark glass refracted the light of a nearby candle. Occasionally, Scootaloo would wake and her pained cries would fill the small home, drawing Zecora away from her tasks as she helped to soothe the agony that the filly was in. It was just after one such instance that the herbalist decided it was time to change Scootaloo’s bandages again, as the ones around her throat had grown spotty with a bit of fresh blood.

“Shhh… I am sorry for the pain that you feel, little one. But I fear that this agony has only just begun…” Her ears folded back in guilt as Scootaloo cried, her purple eyes seemingly distracted as she fought to keep them open in her bouts of pain, but it needed to be done if the filly was to recover.

Removing the thick covers from the top of the filly’s body, she began unwrapping several of the foal’s limbs, cleaning the wounds beneath them before rubbing more of the deep green salve that she had spent the day making upon their surface. Chanting in her native tongue, the zebra worked calmly but quickly to minimize the filly’s suffering. Once the small pegasus’ limbs had been tended too, she looked above the filly’s head and let out a sigh at the bandage there. The top portion of Scootaloo’s right ear had been removed for the sake of the filly, it had been dead for some time and only served as a catalyst for infection at that point. Cutting it off had been excruciatingly painful for the filly, causing her to scream as best she could with her damaged throat and neck. It hadn’t been any better when the medicine mare had set the broken ribs in her barrel either…

Shaking her head in sorrow, the striped mare continued her work as she began to unwrap the bindings over the filly’s throat and part of her face, wincing as the shredded flesh beneath came into view. Taking solace in the fact that the swelling had diminished considerably, Zecora wiped away the old salve and replaced it with the new batch as she had done for the filly’s limbs, chanting all the while as she prayed for Scootaloo’s rapid recovery.

A loud humming came from a nearby pedestal as a large stone upon its surface began to tremble, the rune carved into its surface glowing with a golden light. Looking away from her work, Zecora eyed the stone critically before sighing.

“I suppose it was only a matter of time, though I wish-” She found herself being cut off as something slammed into her home’s barrier, the humming of the stone now reaching a crescendo as it pulsed outwardly. Turning to her door, the shaman glared as her eyes began to shine with the same golden light for a brief moment as if permitting her to see something beyond the wooden portal. Pursing her lips, Zecora turned back to the filly and quickly placed a few sterile wrappings over the open wounds to prevent further infection before she stood and trotted over to the pedestal and covered the stone with a dark cloth that rested beneath it, muffling its irritating noise for the sake of the sleeping foal. The glow of her eyes began to fade as she took a deep breath and made her way over to the door, her features stern and apprehensive.

~ ~ ~

Dimmed Star and Spike burst through the treeline as they entered the clearing that led to the home of the Everfree’s resident Shaman. The many decorative pieces of Zecora’s homeland that littered the area would have normally sparked Dimmed Star’s intrigue as they had done in the past, every time she had come to visit it would seem like more and more of the objects would appear, but this was not a social call.

Bounding past the many decorations, Spike huffed as he caught his breath at the door to her home, carved out within the body of an ancient willow. Reaching to knock on the door, a flash of golden light from behind him and a screeching roar called his attention away.

“Star!?” Looking behind him, the drake was surprised to find the dark mare rising from the dirt and mud from several paces away, as if she had been thrown back. Dimmed Star’s eyes were livid as she hurried back to her hooves and approached the home once more, confusion and anger in her features. Just like before however, as she trotted up towards the door, a wall of golden light appeared and blocked her path. Although it did not eject her as viciously as before when she had run headfirst into it, the wall did force her back several steps.

“What is this!?” Dimmed Star growled as she stared at the barrier in confusion and frustration. What was this? No magic had had any effect on her since her transformation! At least not since Celestia had blasted her to pieces back at the wedding, but that had been a fluke, right… right!? Spike watched from his place on the doorstep, worry in his eyes.

“What’s wrong?” Looking around him, the drake stepped down from the few steps that led up to the zebra’s door, tentatively reaching out to where the barrier had appeared, only to be yanked back as something took hold of his tail.

“Although you are quite persistent, not all magic are you resistant.” Spike turned to find the shaman just behind him, his tail pressed firmly to the ground with her hoof as she glared out past the invisible barrier of her home, turquoise eyes carving daggers into the growling and enraged form of Dimmed Star as the dark mare stared back. For the first time since her transformation, fear crept its way into Dimmed Star’s heart.

“Alas, I did not prepare any tea, for tonight I had no plans to entertain company.”

Author's Note

Confetti and streamers are blasted into the air

Shaded: "I hope you guys have had an excellent 2019!"

Twilight: "And we hope you have an even better 2020!"

Dimmed Star: "From our twisted little family to yours~"

Shaded/ Twilight/ Dimmed Star: "Have a Happy New Year!!"

Shaded Blood does not own MLP: FIM or the Equinox ponies. A special thanks to Kuunlehti for proofreading and editing! Also a special thanks to Neonyoshi, Umbra Animo, Morior (Discord) and Ancientarchdemon (Discord), for Test reading and providing great Feedback! If you are enjoying the story, leave a like and comment, also don't forget to follow for blog updates. The link to the Discord, Twitter and Facebook pages will be below!

Discord: Discord

Chapter Thirty: A Reluctant Conversation

~Chapter Thirty~

The two mares stared one another down as the light above the canopy slowly grew, the dark clouds above dispersing and permitting the sun’s warm rays to warm the land once more. Spike glanced nervously between the two of them, his claws clasped together as his eyes darted from the Shaman that held him in place and the visibly enraged mare on the other side of the yard.

“Zecora…” Dimmed Star’s growling voice rumbled forth, her teeth clenched tight in an effort to maintain her temperament. Her teal pupils darted between the captive drake and the Zebrican Shaman who watched the dark mare carefully before turning to the drake in her grasp, passing on a reassuring smile in response to his uncertain expression.

“Hello Spike, it is good to see you. A visit, I fear, that has been long overdue.” The youngling looked up to the mare’s strong cyan eyes, a nervous tremble trailing down his frame as his claws gripped one another tighter.

“H-hi Zecora… um, you-... I uh…” Zecora chuckled softly at his nervous attempts to converse, before resting her free hoof upon his head in a comforting motion, the movement causing her multitude of golden jewelry to chime as they came into contact with one another.

“There is no need for you to fret, I will only be keeping you for a moment yet. Why don’t you go on inside, your friend and I have much to decide.” His heart tight in worry and no small amount of fear, Spike looked back towards his irate guardian for some form of assistance. Dimmed Star for her part was struggling against herself. Her anger at the Shaman for having separated the two of them like this was potent, but her worry for the drake’s safety and concerns of the unknown magic superseded her rage on a monumental scale. Breathing carefully, the dark mare gave the young wyrm an uneasy smile, nodding towards the home.

“Go ahead, Spike… Zecora just wants to talk, I’m sure…” Her eyes darted back to the silent zebra who only nodded in affirmation, her cheerful expression having remained unchanged as she softly stroked the scales upon the young drake’s head. A quiet pause took place as Spike watched the two of them worriedly, before finally relenting to the adult’s whims and moving to step within the confines of the small home, Zecora carefully releasing her hold on his tail once she could be sure he was moving in the right direction. However, just as the door was about to close, Zecora caught the edge with a hoof and gave the youngling a discerning stare.

“Oh and one more thing. Beneath the covers that I have sewn, if you would be so kind as to leave my patient alone.” Although her face was still smiling, Spike could read from Zecora’s eyes that she promised a most unpleasant outcome should he disobey. Nodding rapidly, he found himself unable to respond as his mouth suddenly felt dry and his heart pounded in his ears.

“Good, then we shall see you soon. There are some jade gem shavings beneath the cupboard you will see. Should you grow hungry, you may enjoy as much as you like, so please feel free.” With that, the door was closed and Spike found himself left to the silent space of Zecora’s home.

~ ~ ~

Breathing a sigh of relief, Zecora counted the seconds she needed to brace herself for the coming conversation, it had arrived far sooner than she had planned. Even worse, she wasn’t sure if she was up to it. Turning back to face the dark mare that stood beyond her home’s defenses was harder than it seemed, her heart aching as her eyes landed on the form of what had once been a dear friend. Pushing aside the dregs of her worry, the shaman stepped away from the door and down the few steps needed to place herself just before the simmering mare and her veritable lake of black tar that bubbled around her…

‘What?’ Blinking rapidly, Zecora found herself quickly stepping back as she stared at the mass of dark fluid that now encompassed much of her front yard, its boiling surface hissing as the greenery beneath turned to ash and small plumes of smoke seethed from beneath. A nervous tremor made its way through her body as she quickly locked eyes with the rather irate mare beyond the barrier. Her mind flashed back to the first time she had come across the… creature... that her friend had become…

~ ~ ~

“Hmm hm hmm hm, hmm hm hmm~” A soft tune hummed through the early morning air as Zecora strolled through the frequently used path towards her home. Several bags of herbs and roots were strapped to her sides beneath the worn cloak that kept the cool morning dew upon the leaves and grass from brushing against her fur, it had been a bountiful start of harvest. Her normal route had been all but run dry of anything useful, thus leading to the spiritual mare taking a more uncommon trail in search of the ingredients she needed for many of her usual potions and spells that the townsfolk of Ponyville would often purchase.

‘I’ll have to remember where that patch of thistle grows, it is not often that I can find so much in such a small alcove.’ The skip in her step spoke volumes of her excitement as she rounded a small oak and made her way over to a worn stump, one of many resting spots that had been selected over her time living in the Everfree. The sound of a Cockatrice’s cry could be heard through the trees to the south, but it was distant and Cockatrice were normally nocturnal hunters, she would have nothing to fear at this hour of the morning. Unstrapping the many heavy satchels that lay upon her back, Zecora set them alongside the wooden seat and dipped a searching hoof into one, fishing out a single cloth from one and opening it to reveal several colorful berries and flowers, a fruitful snack to restore her energy for the remainder of her trot home.

As she ate, Zecora closed her eyes and breathed deeply, the early crisp air chilled her to her very core, yet its refreshing nature left her feeling at peace and content with the promising start of a new day. The cries of the Cockatrice were oddly soothing, almost like a lullaby despite the early hours. Returning to her melodic tune, Zecora hummed and swayed herself left and right to the rhythm, sometimes pausing to allow the Cockatrice its own place in her impromptu concert.

That was until a vicious screech overtook the peaceful morning, sending the cries of birds into the air as the sound of something heavy slamming into the ground could be heard in the distance. Leaping from her seat, Zecora’s eyes watched the treeline carefully as her ears flicked to and fro, listening for any potential threats that could sneak up on her. Another thud and the sound of something cracking, akin to a tree being bent over, once more echoed through the air along with… was that laughter?

‘What in the name of the Goddess…?’ A throaty, manic cackle was now filling the air, its strange reverberations had at first lead her to believe there was more than one participant. Worry gripping her heart, Zecora galloped full tilt in the direction of the racket, her satchels and meal laying forgotten near the stump.

A trot through the thick underbrush of the forest had most certainly not been on Zecora’s list of things to do this morning when she had first set out on her usual route, but any thought lamenting this was lost in the myriad of concerns that flew through her mind as she sought the source of the conflict that was shaking the forest with each renewed screech and haunting laugh. Just as the shaman made to jump over a small brook, she was forced to jump away as something massive and green crashed through the quiet section of forest. Staring in shock, the stunned mare had to blink several times to make sure that what she was seeing was real.

It was as if the creature had leaped right from the old storybooks! An ethereal green body the size of a small home, moss and other greenery growing from the top of its back and the two great pincers in front. A deadly tail swung through the air, its sharp stinger seeking purchase on an imaginary foe as bright green venom dripped from the tip, an Everfree Scorpio! A near-extinct species from what Zecora could recall, although this particular specimen looked too small to be a full adult, despite its already impressive bulk. From what little was known, the celestial Scorpio’s were all but secluded to the badlands in the Dragon territory. Although this was a grand discovery, there were several things wrong with this particular specimen, like the fact that it’s left claw was missing the lower portion of its pincer, fluorescent green blood pouring from the gaping wound, or the myriad of fresh gashes that littered the celestial beast’s hard carapace, more of the creature’s life essence seeping from several that cut through the weaker parts of its carapace. The poor creature was panicked, trying to claw at something on its back while its great tail lashed out randomly, tearing down trees and decimating the landscape.

‘By the spirits…’ Zecora watched in both wonder and horror at the sight, the Scorpio’s terrified screech filling the air as it turned and she could finally see what ailed it. Her stomach churned with its contents as the source of the maniacal cackling came into view upon the back of the great beast. If the Scorpio looked as though it had been born from a fairy tale, then this… thing... could only have come from some poor soul’s horrid nightmare! Its form was vaguely pony shaped, but that is where any similarity ended as it’s wide jaws were split in a disgusting facsimile of a smile, sharp teeth the length of small daggers jutting out from the blackened lips. A long black tongue arched through the air as if tasting the very scent of the copious amounts of celestial blood that poured from the wound it had rooted itself in. A vile black fluid cacked the area of carapace around the foul thing, tendrils of the fluid rising and slashing at the exposed flesh of the wounded Scorpio, eliciting more pained cries.

Rearing back, the Scorpio’s tail flailed dangerously, attempting to knock the creature from its back. What the dark monstrosity did next not only caught Zecora by surprise but left the Scorpio screeching louder than ever before. As the tail had swiped close to it, the creature had turned and in a blink, snapped its jaws around the length of the tail, leaving the top half to fall away to the ground below in a shower of its blood and venom. Giving a hearty laugh at the Scorpio’s plight as it screeched in pain and rage, the creature suddenly melted into the great carapace. Just as quickly as the battle had begun, it ended with what looked to be dozens of black spikes erupting from within the poor celestial’s body. Frozen in utter shock, Zecora looked on as with a final shudder and weak cry from its mandibles, the once majestic beast finally crumpled to the ground with a heavy thud.

“This is disgusting!!” The vile creature’s voice echoed from within the body of the Scorpio before it came sliding out of the side of the beast, leaving a trail of dripping black fluid and a dark stain upon the carapace that cracked and began to chip away. As the dark creature trotted away from its kill, it spat in disgust as it tried to cleanse its palette of the, apparently horrible, taste of the celestial beast. Slowly, the creature’s body began to shrink from its lanky form, the dark fluid around it seeming to soak into its hooves.

“What an unbelievable waste of time!” The creature, now in a form far more closely resembling a normal unicorn mare, shouted to the sky, her ire at the wasted hunt clearly visible by the expression on her face. Zecora watched the mare cautiously, her eyes slowly beginning to glow with a golden hue. This mare’s aura was foul, as though a sickness made manifest within her very being… Had she escaped from Tartarus? It was possible, as it was the only place she could think of that could birth such a thing.

“How can something that smells so delicious, taste so gross…” Grumbling to herself, the mare trotted away back towards the treeline, her irritation apparent given the expression on her face. As she faded into the shadows of the trees, Zecora slowly stepped out and into the open, approaching the downed carcass of the Scorpio and placing a solemn hoof against its hard shell.

“A sorrowful end to such a rare find, if only there were a remedy that could reverse time.” Giving a silent prayer for the creature’s soul to find peace, Zecora turned her gaze to the direction that the dark mare had wandered, her turquoise eyes shining with determination as she trotted after her.

~ ~ ~

The shaman had followed the dark mare until she reached Ponyville, and though she worried that the mare would become hostile upon entering the township, it seemed more likely that she actually lived there! Many of the ponies that worked the early morning shift in the market would give the mare careful waves and even the occasional smile. Nopony was panicking at the sight of a mare, covered hoof to mane in the fluorescent lifeblood of a celestial beast! The exact details were lost on her but further tracking found that the mare lived in the same library as her friend Twilight Sparkle, even the young Spike seemed happy to see her when he opened the door in greeting. It was the work of several days of observation and interrogating the patrons of the market before she finally discovered who the mare was, and consequently, who she had been.

The same dark fluid used to fell one of the hardiest species of the Everfree boiled and hissed a mere hoofsteps pace away from her. The only security that it would bring her no harm was the barrier that stood between them, although she was uncertain for how much longer it would remain. Glancing cautiously to where the invisible wall separated them, Zecora pondered over whether or not the stone would hold out for much longer, the sands of time were against her in the war of attrition.

“Are you going to say something, or just stare at me all damned day?” Dimmed Star’s growling voice finally roused the shaman from her thoughts, bringing her back to the current situation at hoof. Coughing lightly, a slight blush upon her cheeks, Zecora nodded to the mare with a light chuckle.

“Ah, yes, I supposed we should get started then-” A horrendous screeching, like the sound of a hoof on a chalkboard, sent the zebra’s ears to flatten against her head as she cringed at the horrible sound, eyes catching sight of a clawed tendril scraping against the wall of the barrier, its golden light rippling from the contact.

“What is this magic?!” Her voice and eyes demanding answers, Dimmed Star glared teal daggers into the eyes of the shaman. Bracing herself for any further surprises, Zecora huffed in annoyance.

“Not all magic can you safely endure, it took a great deal of time to make this method pure. Had you not ventured into the Everfree as much, then I would have never found the counter to your dark touch.” Glaring back into Dimmed Star’s eyes, the shaman held her ground, stomping a hoof to try and maintain a tougher facade.

“Now if you don’t mind, a civil discussion I had hoped to find. I do not want this to see a violent end, especially from one so dear as a friend.” The two mares continued to stare each other down for a moment longer, before Dimmed Star finally relented, seeing that her anger would get her nowhere in this conversation. Something within the depths of her heart ached for it to go further, but she pushed the urge down, her concern for Spike keeping her grounded for the time being.

“Fine, we’ll do it your way, for now…” As she spoke, the Ink that had surrounded her slowly began to seep back into her hooves, leaving behind a devastated landscape. Mourning the loss of her yard and no small number of her ornaments that were no longer visible, Zecora sighed in acceptance. At least she hadn’t attacked the barrier again outright, the stone may not have held a full onslaught.

“Thank you, I do appreciate the gesture, though I do not mean to pester.” Dimmed Star’s eyes rolled in annoyance, a low growl in her throat.

“Whatever, will you just take down the shield now?” That shaman’s eyes carefully traced the mare’s body, searching for any signs of hostility.

‘She hasn’t harmed anypony in town that I know of… but I have also drawn her anger by keeping her from the ones she loves…’The tension in the air slowly grew thicker as Dimmed Star’s impatience grew more visible, the fur on her neck bristling if only slightly as the dark mare’s glaring eyes stared venomously into her own. Swallowing thickly, the shaman deemed it would be more beneficial to steer the conversation towards something the mare would care more about, or more specifically, some-filly.

“I shall consider your request, but first, isn’t there something more important you wish to ask? I’m sure there was a reason you would rush to enter my home, and I’m certain it wasn’t to collect an overdue tome.” Raising an eyebrow, Zecora angled her head just enough to nod towards the great tree, her eyes never leaving Dimmed Star’s. The dark mare’s own expression changed rather quickly, surprise evident in her features as her attention now snapped to the treehouse itself.

“Scootaloo! Is she okay!?” The sudden change in her demeanor was a bit startling, to say the least. Especially after having been witness to a fraction of the dark mare’s more volatile temperament.

“She is safe, of that, you can be certain. But her condition is…,” The sharp look that the dark mare shot in her direction regarding the filly’s condition quickly made the shaman rethink the wording of what came next.

“... Improving… It will take some time before she can return to Ponyville, I cannot take a risk in moving her for a few days as she heals.” Despite her attempts to keep the situation calm, Dimmed Star still seemed to be visibly struggling to maintain her form.

“How… bad… is she…?” Sighing dejectedly, Zecora shook her head in slight defiance.

“I am sorry, truly, but even I cannot be sure. For some of the damage, I could find no cure. Her fever has hardly taken a rest, but I can assure you that I am truly doing my best. In this I ask that you take heed, please give me the time and space that I need.” Dimmed Star glared at the tree home beyond the shaman, her eyes straining to see past the wooden surface, to see something that would disperse her worries and anxiety. Gritting her teeth, the slight taste of her Ink in her mouth, she turned back to the striped mare with a small nod, her frame slumping in defeat as her ears fell back.

“How long?” At that moment, Zecora’s eyes flashed with her golden magic, giving her the slightest glimpse past the raging dark aura that had been all but consuming her form. There, in the heart of that terrible storm, a soft glow of a warm light could be seen. Breathing a sigh of relief, a genuine smile grace Zecora’s lips.

‘At last, some proof that all is not lost. Perhaps there is salvation, even if it has a cost…’

“Four days at the least, perhaps even five should the fever choose not to subside. But after that, she will need much support… I fear the wounds run far deeper than my initial report.” Dimmed Star seemed to contemplate the response, her face twisting from one emotion to the next as she seemed uncertain whether to be angry or depressed at this news.

‘I should have torn that bastard apart on my doorstep!’

“Now, that discussion aside, I would love to hear the tale that led poor Scootaloo into the forest to hide.” Glancing up from her thoughts, Dimmed Star scoffed at the striped mare’s rather irritating glare.

“Long story short, her father was a repugnant piece of filth and her mother was a useless bag of flesh and bones, no seriously she was dead when I got there. Both are now laying lifeless in the mud and I’m sorry to say I didn’t get the satisfaction of tearing them apart myself… well, mostly…” A wicked grin split Dimmed Star’s features as she remembered the many tortuous things that Scootaloo’s father was put through before he succumbed to his wounds. His screams would be lulling her to sleep for the next month at least! The sound of Zecora clearing her throat to gain her attention quickly brought her back to the present, now huffing at the disapproving eyes of the shaman.

“They may have wronged her in many ways, but they were still her parents and she no doubt loved them in her own way. Your anger, though just, has left the poor filly alone, how exactly do you intend to tell her that she no longer has a home?” Blinking in surprise, Dimmed Star stared back over at the treehouse in wonder and worry. An orphan…? Was that what Scootaloo would be from now on? Thoughts of the filly going away to Canterlot or Cloudsdale to live in an orphanage or some random foster home invaded her mind…

“NO!” Slamming her hooves against the barrier, Dimmed Star roared her denial as Zecora stepped away, her eyes watching the barrier carefully with a heightened level of concern. Grinding her teeth together, the dark mare allowed herself to be pushed away by the shield's forceful shove, placing her several paces away once more.

“I… I wasn’t sure what I would do when I found her… but I wasn’t going to just leave her to die! And I’ll be thrice-damned to Tartarus before I let her go to some random pony that could hurt her again! ” Dimmed Star growled out, her teal iris’ glaring at the shaman who watched her carefully. After barely a few moments had passed, Zecora’s smile returned and she nodded approvingly.

“Knowing that, I can trust that she would be safe to leave with you, when she is ready, that is what she will do. However-” Holding up a hoof to stall the dark mare’s questioning gaze, she gave a small nod towards the barrier’s edge.

“On that day, I will only release her, once you have passed through the barrier undeterred.” Confusion quickly overtook Dimmed Star’s features as she looked to where she knew the shield to reside.

“What are you-” A muffled cry echoed from within the treehouse behind them, startling both mares as they immediately looked to find Spike rushing from the door, his eyes panicked and tears streaking down his cheeks.

“Z-Zecora! She woke up! I-I didn’t mean to!” Zecora’s eyes widened as she darted towards the home, a curse from her homeland slipping through her clenched teeth. Dodging out of her path, Spike ran straight through the barrier and into Dimmed Star’s arms, his cries buried in her chest.

“Spike, Spike look at me, what happened?! SPIKE!?” The whelp wheezed into her, refusing to speak despite the dark mare’s desperate pleas for information.

~ ~ ~

As the door closed in front of him, Spike found himself alone in the small home, the scents of the many herbs, spices and potions assailed his nostrils.

“I hope Zecora knows what she’s doing…” Sighing quietly, his emerald gaze traced the confines of the living space, curiously staring at the many different and unique decorations that were hung up on the walls and ceiling.

‘I wonder where she gets all this stuff, or does she make it herself? Could she make me one?’ Chuckling, he began to make faces at one of the masks closer to his eye level until its large empty eyes slowly began to eat away at his confidence.

‘On second thought, maybe not…’ As he nervously stepped away from the object, the young wyrm began to wander the home, taking a lap around the cauldron at a sedate pace. As he rounded the large pot near the back of the living space, he found himself frozen in place as his sight landed on the mound of blankets that covered the bed. Anxiety began to fill his stomach as he watched the covers rise and fall with a slow, steady breathing.

‘Beneath the covers that I have sewn, if you would be so kind as to leave my patient alone…’ The shaman’s warning crossed his mind even as he stepped a bit closer towards the bed. The smell of makeup and sweat was heavy here, causing him to breathe a bit shallower to prevent overloading his senses. Looking back over towards the door, he struggled with himself as he fought to decide on the right course of action. On one claw, he respected Zecora and trusted that she had good intentions but on the other, he and Dimmed Star had spent what felt like hours chasing Scootaloo’s trail through the Everfree in desperation. Standing on the tips of his back claws, the young drake attempted to crane his neck to see over the edge of the bed, the smallest bit of orange fur was only just visible, giving him the courage he needed to go for broke.

“Uh… Scootaloo?” As quietly as he could, Spike whispered to try and rouse the sleeping filly from beneath the blankets. Despite Zecora’s words to leave the filly alone, he couldn’t help but worry for his friend. If he could just talk to her, then he could tell Dimmed Star that everything was okay and they could all go home! No response came however which only served to push the drake further.

‘I’m not gonna let Star down!’ Quickly making his way towards the bedside, Spike grasped ahold to the wooden frame. After several trying attempts, he managed to pull himself up to the side of the bed, his tail extended out for balance as he wobbled on the edge of the frame.

“Hey Scoot, we were-” Spike’s voice caught in his throat as his reptilian gaze landed on the visage of his friend, the state of her health now in full view. With a yelp of shock and horror, his grip relaxed too much and he found himself falling from the bedside, collapsing to the ground and knocking over a nearby trash bin. The contents spilled out before him, his eyes locking on to the mass of bloodied bandages and ruined clothe. Desperately crawling away from the mess, the sound of something above drew his attention.

“Ghu-...ik-...ug-...” Scootaloo was nearly sitting up in the bed, her hooves reaching for something unseen above her. The wet cloth that had covered her forehead and eyes had fallen away, revealing the tear-filled orbs beneath as they shook in fear and agony. Her mouth hung open as she fought to speak, to scream, to make any sound that could escape from her heavily bandaged throat, the small red spots on the cloth slowly growing larger the more she tried. Horrified at what he had done, what he had forced his friend to wake up to, Spike turned away and bolted for the door, yanking it open and running as far away from the guilt as he could.

~ ~ ~

Eyes darting towards the open door of the shaman’s home, Dimmed Star made to step forward, before being abruptly reminded of the golden barrier that quickly pushed her further away with Spike still clutching tightly to her barrel. A growl in her throat, she clenched her eyes tight and brought a hoof around the back of the young drake, lifting him off the ground enough for her to carry him as she turned and galloped through the treeline as best she could with three legs, back towards town.

“Damn it all!” There was nothing they could do, the filly was in Zecora’s hooves and the only option left for her was to wait… A single tendril of Ink lashed out from the side of her barrel, cleaving a large tree to its core as she screamed in frustration while she ran. As her form faded in the distance, turquoise eyes watched from one of the windows to the shaman’s home, a small glint of golden light flashing in their center.

Author's Note

Twilight/Dimmed: "Where is/he!?!?"

Applejack: "Woah now! Ah know y'all are upset wit' how long he's been away, but y'all can't go an' tear em' up anymore! The fans're sick of it!"

Twilight: Growling vehemently"Oh, I'm not gonna hurt him, I promise"

Dimmed Star: "Physically anyways..."

Applejack: "Ah heard that Dimmed Star!"

Pinkie Pie: "Besides, he has a really good reason this time you guys! Zecora's rhyming is hard enough! He had to call in the expert and everything! Oh, plus there's the whole 2020 being the start of a bad sitcom based around the apocalypse."

Twilight: " The expert? Who could he have called in to help him with rhyming, it's not that hard! Besides he has a whole crew of test readers and a proofreader to boot, I'm sure he could have gotten it out sooner."

Applejack: "Well, he got somepony called Whispering Shadows or sumthin, don't think ah'v ever met em' before."

Someplace secluded

Shaded: "Oof, thanks so much for the help, it's been such a pain trying to sort this rhyming thing out."

Whispering: "It's fine, you can give me a call anytime you need some help. Now, don't forget to call tomorrow, we need to keep in touch with all this virus nonsense, you're family is worried about you."

Shaded: "Yea I know..."

Whispering: "Good, love you son."

Shaded: groans in embarrasment "Love you too mom."

Shaded Blood does not own MLP: FIM or the Equinox ponies. A special thanks to Kuunlehti for proofreading and editing! Also a special thanks to Neonyoshi, Umbra Animo, Morior (Discord) and Ancientarchdemon (Discord), for Test reading and providing great Feedback! A special Thanks to Whispering Shadow as well for the MUCH needed assistance with Rhymes! If you are enjoying the story, leave a like and comment, also don't forget to follow for blog updates. The link to the Discord, Twitter and Facebook pages will be below!

Discord: Discord

Chapter Thirty-One: Mares on a Mission

~Chapter Thirty-One~

A growl of annoyance only just made its way past Dimmed Star’s snarling lips as she slowly stalked through the dark underbrush of the Everfree, a sorrowful young drake trailing in her wake. The two of them had been walking for nearly an hour, the path from Zecora’s to Ponyville being much shorter now that they could take the direct route instead of following Scootaloo’s faded scent.

“You were told to leave her alone…” Spike winced at the accusing tone in his guardian’s voice, his grip on her tail faltering only slightly. It was the first time she had spoken since she had dragged them away from Zecora’s home, his heart dreaded her disappointment. Nodding slowly, his eyes glanced up towards the back of the dark mare’s head, tears long dried beginning to reemerge.

“I… I know… I j-just… I wanted…” Dimmed Star could only sigh at the drake’s inability to express himself. Slowing her trot to a crawl, Spike accidentally walked into her at her sudden change in pace, stumbling slightly as he kept himself from falling. With a flourish of movement, Dimmed Star turned and pulled the youngling into her hooves, gripping his small frame tight against her barrel. Looking up in slight confusion, he found the darkened eyes of the mare peering down at him with an emotion he couldn’t quite place. Leaning down, she softly nuzzled the top of his head as he closed his eyes, accepting the embrace.

“I know, Spike, I know. But that doesn’t excuse what you did…” Spike’s eyes clenched tighter, his tears tracing down his face once more. Frowning down at the sight, Dimmed Star placed a soft kiss atop his scales, before pushing away and straightening herself before him. Spike sniffed as he wiped at his eyes with a forearm, looking up to the dark mare with a sad nod.

“You’ll be grounded when we get back, that means no toys, no crusading, no comics, and no books other than what you need for school work. You’ll only be allowed to see your friends during class and then you come straight home after. How long will be determined by your behavior after today, understand?” Though she spoke softly, Dimmed Star’s tone was strict and permitted no arguments. Spike’s eyes widened at her declaration before he bowed his head and nodded, not trusting himself to speak as he hiccuped. He’d never been grounded before… Dimmed Star felt her heart lurch at the drake’s reaction but forced herself to commit as she wrapped the young dragon within her dark aura of magic, depositing him on her back as she turned and continued their way through the forest. His claws shakily gripped her mane for support, his quiet whimpers drowning her heart in guilt.

‘I’m sorry, Spike, but this is a lesson you’re going to have to learn the hard way.’

~ ~ ~

The whistle of the Canterlot Express echoed through the Ponyville train station. Doors sliding open from its multiple cars allowed the many occupants within the opening needed to swarm the loading dock and begin to mingle with the crowd waiting to board on the train’s next scheduled route.

A grunt of pain was easily missed among the many conversations as a short pegasus mare stepped out hind hooves first onto the platform from the furthest cart. With another grunt of pain and exertion, Steel Blitz growled through her teeth that gripped the large suitcase she was struggling to pull free of the train, its bottom edge caught on the frame of the door.

“One-second Lieutenant!” A voice from within called before the bag was enveloped in a hazy green aura and lifted out of her grip and past her to the platform. Turning with a scowl, Steel Blitz glared at the jade green unicorn who gulped at her sudden animosity.

“Ah… s-sorry uh, Steel. Gotta get used to that…” Giving the stallion a stern glare for a moment longer, Steel released a sigh of annoyance, before wincing as her side twinged in pain. Using the leading edge of her wing, she gently massaged the bandaged stitches, aching to scratch the healing flesh beneath.

“It’s fine, Emerald, we’ve all got to adjust to being in a covert unit. Where are the others?” Steel glanced around her subordinate curiously, trying to spy out the other member of her squad and the two newbies. Seeing a chance at small talk with his commanding officer, Emerald grinned as he stepped up beside the smaller mare, his own luggage joining her’s in the air beside them.

“Light Shine is scouting ahead, he said he’ll catch up with us once he’s got an understanding of the town’s layout. As for the other two…” Steel nodded in acceptance of Light Shine’s excuse as she and Emerald began to make their way through the crowd, keeping to the sides of the large mass to avoid getting singled out by any who might recognize them from Canterlot.

“Parasol took off almost as soon as she got out of the cart, the filly was a golden blur before I could blink and could barely stay seated the whole way here as it was. Are you sure she’s up for this Lie- Steel?” Emerald only just caught himself, his eyes darting around to see if anypony had noticed his slip of the tongue while Steel glared at him again through the corners of her eyes.

“It’s not about what I think, Emerald. They were assigned to us, we just have to accept that and roll with it. What about the other one, Pack Rat?” Slightly shivering at the name, Steel silently thanked her parents for not cursing her with a name that had any relation to a hoarding tendency. Emerald groaned at the mention of their second new member, before glancing towards the front of the train as they approached it. A single bright lime-green unicorn stallion with a carefully combed black mane was still standing near the doors, speaking with one of the train’s employees. As they got closer, they could make out his cutie mark, a bulging sack that looked to be overflowing with a dark powdery substance. They had barely stepped within earshot before both were beset by the stallion’s childish whining; it reminded them of a certain prince they had to deal with only just over a week ago.

“I don’t want to hear it! I had exactly three luggage carts loaded before I left Canterlot, two with suitcases, one with duffle bags, have you any idea what even one of those cases is worth? You could not hope to obtain one with a year’s worth of salary! If you don’t produce them right now, I’ll-” Teeth gripped his short black tail and yanked, cutting him off mid-sentence as he yelped. Falling back on his haunches, Pack Rat turned to begin yelling at the sudden invasion of his personal space, only to meet the steely dark grey eyes of Steel Blitz as she glared at him dangerously.

“M-Miss Blitz! Oh, thank goodness you’re here! This hooligan has done something with my luggage and is refusing to cooperate!” Huffing loudly, Pack Rat rose back to hooves and made a show of dusting himself off as he glared back at the shaken employee. The poor stallion looked to be barely out of colthood and seemed unsure of what to do. It hardly took one look from Steel to see the corner of an instructions booklet peeking out from beneath the pegasus’ wings.

‘The first day on the job and he gets thrown to the timber-wolves.’ Steel gave the young porter a sympathetic look, before turning back to the current target of her ire as he opened his mouth to continue berating the new employee.

“Shut it, Pack! Your luggage will be here in a minute, all non-carry on baggage is held in the back storage compartment, you don’t need to harass the employees!” Pack Rat started at the aggressive tone, his head snapping to his superior officer in dismay.

“B-but Miss, I-” A stomp of her hoof cut him off as she glared at him.

“That. Is. Enough!” The whining stallion’s ears laid back as he was successfully cowed. With a snort of irritation, Steel looked back to the porter as he watched her with admiration in his eyes. Smiling softly, Steel absently plucked a single bit from a pouch around her hips with a feather tip and held it out for him.

“Here, for the trouble and the hasty retrieval of his belongings. I hope you won’t be discouraged by one bad apple.” The porter stared at her in awe for only a moment longer, before nodding his head with a smile and accepting the tip. With a happy kick in his step, the young employee took off down the platform, making his way to the back storage compartment. Glaring once more at Pack Rat, who watched the porter go with his mouth agape, Steel rolled her eyes and stepped past him.

“That wasn’t so hard, now was it? When you’ve got your stuff, get your flank to the guard shack in the next twenty minutes or so help me I will stuff you in a box and mail you back to Canterlot.” The moment the threat left her lips a large object slammed into the ground next to them. Everypony in the vicinity jumped at the noise and turned to see the source was a large brown package, the words, “Fragile,” and, “Handle with care,” stamped to nearly every crunched up side.

“My bad!” Looking up, a soft grey pegasus mare with a bright yellow mane was smiling sheepishly at them as she quickly flew down to scoop the package back up. Several of the local ponies chuckled at the mare’s antics, while Pack Rat only gaped at the mishandled material.

~ ~ ~

“Where is she now?” A clipped and professional voice demanded as the Bearers looked to one another nervously.

Mayor Mare stood before them, a scowl across her features as she and the Bearers stood just outside the yellow line of restriction tape that cut off the collapsed remains of Scootaloo’s home from the rest of the town. Two of Ponyville’s guards stood behind her, their armor a soft beige coloring. Both had been assigned to stand guard at the Town Hall for the day and were glaring daggers at the mares alongside their superior. The soft brown earth mare could swear that if her mane wasn’t dyed, it’d be naturally grey before the end of the day.

“She’s gone into the Everfree in search of Scootaloo… We’re not sure how long it will take or… even if she will find her.” Glancing nervously to her trembling, rainbow maned compatriot, Rarity leaned further against her side to offer what assurance she could while Fluttershy did the same on Rainbow’s other side. Looking up shakily, Rainbow offered a small, if unsure, smile of thanks, before casting her eyes back to the ground below. Mayor Mare watched the interaction quietly, offering what support she could through a softer gaze at the downtrodden pegasus. Raising a hoof to her temple, the Mayor sighed as she felt the incoming signs of a headache. She had arrived at the scene as quickly as she could when some ponies from the neighborhood had rushed the Town Hall with news of the home’s collapse. What she and the guards had come across was the Bearers and Big Macintosh attempting to clean up what amounted to a crime scene of all things! She had ordered the two young fillies with them to return home and had every intention of speaking with them later to get more details, but for now, it was the Bearers who held her immediate attention.

“And when she returns? You of all ponies know I can’t let this go. She has to be taken in.” Taking a moment to steady herself, straightening her slightly crooked glasses, the Mayor looked back to the Bearers intent on giving them a stern lecture about how they could be counted as accessories to a crime, only to step back as she found all of them glaring dangerously at her.

“Y’all might wanna rethink that. The last time somepony tried that there trick, it didn’ end well fer ‘em.” Applejack’s gaze was locked with the Mayor’s, emerald eyes shining dangerously. Taking a step forward, Applejack tilted her hat as if readying for a fight while the two guards on either side of the Mayor quickly stepped between them.

“Don’t move another step!” The guard to her left threatened, raising a sword in his aura as his partner hefted a spear in his hooves. A heavy thud to their left caught them off guard as Big Mac bore down on them now, his own deep green eyes glaring daggers at the two armored stallions who were beginning to sweat nervously. The Mayor looked shocked at the sudden change in the attitude of the Bearers and Big Mac as they all glared back at her and the guards with vehemence.

“Wh-what has gotten into you mares? I understand being there for your friend but… for something like this!?” She gestured with a hoof to the destruction behind them along with two tarps that covered the remains of a pair of bodies that were not meant to be seen by any who wished to keep their most recent meals down. Stamping a hoof into the mud and stone below, she shook her head in denial.

“This is too much, even for a hero of Equestria, even as the student of the Princess! Murder is murder!” She tried to meet the eyes of each Bearer, but found that only Rarity and Applejack were able to raise their heads high enough as Fluttershy, despite her muzzle scrunched into a scowl of her own, was too occupied trying to comfort her oldest friend who could only glare at the mud-soaked ground beneath her.

“Listen, Mayor Mare, I understand where you are coming from, truly. But you need to believe us when we say that this will not end well for you. This is for your own good!” Rarity, her gaze softening somewhat, pleaded to the head of their small town. Mayor Mare snapped her gaze to the fashion designer, confusion clearly prevalent in her features.

“So you and Applejack have said, but I fail to see where this skewed reasoning is coming from!” Sighing dejectedly, she tried to give the mares one of her kindly smiles that seemed to always help get others on her side, it worked wonders during the elections.

“From what you’ve told me, it paints the deceased as the villains here, but none of you can provide proof for your claims, nor have any other witnesses without a bias. An investigation has to happen and all parties must be present for it! Despite what you each have said, one truth rings out that cannot be ignored. You admit that Twilight Sparkle killed that stallion, and all of you are attempting to cover for her! If you will not back down, I will not have a choice but to detain each of you as well for accessories to murder!” She stamped a hoof once more to punctuate her rant. Her kindly smile slowly morphing back into a scowl near the end.

“I’m a witness…” Blinking owlishly, everypony turned in surprise at the sudden declaration, gasping at the roughed up and trembling frame of a mulberry earth mare. Cheerilee smiled weakly at the group as she trotted forward, her mane still a mess and her coat covered in dirt and dried mud. Several dark bruises were showing through her fur and a few scrapes crusted with dried blood from her previous altercation with Brutus Meadows. Glancing over to the tarps, she shuddered at the idea that he was likely one of the two bodies that lay nearby. With trembling hooves, she carefully approached the Mayor as one of the guards moved to intercept her. Stopping short of the guard, she glared at the stallion as her eyes hardened, before looking past him to the confused expression on the Mayor’s face.

“I was there, Mrs. Mayor. I saw the… p-proof, of what happened…” The memory of the hallway coated in blood, the shadow of the large stallion standing over the mess, nearly caused the mare to heave as she cautiously glanced over to the destroyed home, her stomach turning as she looked over the remains. Mayor Mare looked between the school teacher and the debris, curiosity overtaking her anger at the Bearer’s strange actions.

“Miss Cheerilee, my Celestia, what happened to you?” It took a moment before Cheerilee could bring herself to look away from the wreckage, her breathing slightly erratic as she looked back to the Mayor, before staring at the ground at her hooves, light tears trailing her face.

“I-I’m sorry it took so long fo-for me to get here… A-after I helped Pinkie, I h-had to return to the schoolhouse and check on the foals. I… sent them home early t-today…” The Bearer’s eyes widened at the mention of their pink friend, each questioning what the baker would need help with that had prevented her from coming to their aid as well. Looking back up, the Mayor only nodded slightly in understanding, before motioning with a hoof for the mare to continue. Taking a deep, shaky breath, Cheerilee glared back at the guards who suddenly felt as though they were now the ones on thin ice.

“I guess I’ll start at the beginning…”

~ ~ ~

In an alley nearby, a blue unicorn stallion with a blonde mane and tail sat listening to the conversation as the Mayor and the other’s talked. A soft groan made its way out of his throat as he rubbed at his temples with both hooves.

‘Not even one damned day and we already have a situation…’ Looking to the sky and glaring in the general direction of the Sun, he lamented his place in the world.

‘The Lieutenant is gonna have my cutie mark for this.’ With a sigh of resignation, Light Shine leaned back against the wall of the alley and continued to make mental notes of everything the mare’s discussed.

~ ~ ~

Mayor Mare found herself struggling between the Law and her own morals as she and Cheerilee made their way to the town guard shack. The two guards that had followed the Mayor were given direct orders, one to remain and prevent others from passing the restriction tape and the other to retrieve a medical team from the General Hospital to retrieve the bodies for examination. Glancing silently to the mare beside her, the Mayor shivered slightly at the fire in her normally kind eyes. Cheerilee was a mare on a mission, and that mission was what led them to their current circumstances.

It had taken only a few minutes for Cheerilee to recall her part in the events that lead to the destroyed home and dead ponies, her testimony supplementing that of the Bearers and leading the Mayor to relent, if reluctantly. She still requested that they send Twilight, or the mare that now called herself Dimmed Star, to her office as soon as she arrived back in town. Once that was settled, the mare’s excused themselves to go and search for their baker friend Pinkie Pie, worry etched into their features after Cheerilee had told them of the condition that the mare had been found in. None had noticed the flash of blue fur that had scurried away from the scene as they all took separate paths.

Now, the Mayor found her stomach twisting into knots as she and the teacher made their way across town, her demeanor slowly changing with every step.

“Uh, pardon if I’m being a bit upfront, Miss Cheerilee. But why did you insist that I accompany you to the guard shack?” Cheerilee looked over to the Mayor with a smile that was practically beaming with sadistic glee, it almost made the Mayor wish she was still staring down the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony rather than be the focus of such a smile.

“Oh! I’m sorry Mrs. Mayor, I thought you’d have figured it out after my testimony. We’re going to the Guard Shack because I’m going to demand some severe changes!” The Mayor blinked as she paused in her steps, Cheerilee coming to a stop just ahead of her.

“I-I’m sorry? Miss Cheerilee, I get that you were a bit upset with the guard not being there to escort you, but I’m certain this is something that could be brought up at the next Town Mee-” Cheerilee’s eye narrowed dangerously, causing the Mayor’s voices to choke up as her ears began to lay flat against her skull. A feeling of dread washed over her as Cheerilee’s unblinking eyes stared into her very being. She knew this feeling well, everypony knew this feeling. There wasn’t a student in Equestria that hadn’t been subjected to the look at least once in their lives. The disapproving, reproachful eyes of their teacher that had just found them doing something that they weren’t supposed to, it made her heart pound thunderously in her chest as she suddenly felt as though she were still a filly in class.

“This isn’t just about them not escorting me Mrs. Mayor… I ran through this town, screaming at the top of my lungs for help. I came very close to dying today because the guard is failing horribly at doing their jobs! The most I have seen them do is stand around at the Town Hall and maybe, maybe, patrol the occasional neighborhood once in a while. Ever since the, ‘Heroes of Equestria,’ came about, they’ve been lazy and useless! It's not the Bearer's fault of course, but the truth is that the guards are using them as an excuse to slack off! They haven’t had a single training session in the fields outside the schoolhouse in months!” Breaking her gaze from the Mayor, Cheerilee continued her path through town as she now set her sights on the building ahead of them. Mayor Mare quickly moved to follow, an urging in the back of her mind demanding that she follow and stand straighter as instincts from her school days took hold.

“I absolutely refuse to let this go. Not while my students are at risk because they won’t do their Celestia damned jobs!” Her hooves were now stomping across the cobblestone road as she and the Mayor closed in on the Guard Shack. Gulping nervously, Mayor Mare could only whimper as she and the irate educator made their way through town, several of the nearby ponies watching curiously as the mulberry mare fumed in anger.

“M-Miss Cheerilee, please, le-let’s discuss this at my o-office, I’m sure we could a-arrange something!” The distraught Mayor was now panicking as she stumbled, struggling to keep up with the pace that Cheerilee was setting. In a blink, Cheerilee was on her again, her harlequin green eyes blazing.

“If you won’t do something about this, I will take it to the courts in Canterlot! I will not tolerate it, Mrs. Mayor!” Mayor Mare backpedaled with a yelp, falling over herself to get away from the enraged mare.

“That won’t be necessary.” The new voice caught both mares off guard as they looked to see an approaching mare along with an emerald green unicorn, a stack of luggage floated along behind them. The mare’s steel grey eyes locked onto the two of them for a moment, before she cast her sight over to the Guard Shack that was now only a few yards off from them, the window guard simply watching the scuffle out front with a bored expression as he leaned back in his chair.

“I apologize for interrupting, but I’m glad I ran into you when we did, it’ll save us a trip to Town Hall later on. I’d like to speak with you Mrs. Mayor, you too ma’am, privately.” Returning her gaze to the two mares, she raised an eyebrow as the Mayor quickly rose to her hooves in embarrassment, wiping off the dirt that had collected on her coat and collar.

“I’m sorry, but we’re already busy, and I have a few heads I want to knock some sense into.” Cheerilee would later deny that her voice had carried a growl akin to a wild animal, causing the Mayor to take an extra step away from her. The short grey pegasus only smirked at this, before turning to the Mayor.

“This is urgent business from Canterlot, I’d appreciate it if you would both cooperate.” With a slight nod towards her squadmate, the green stallion quickly opened one of the suitcases and produced a manilla envelope, levitating it over to the Mayor who gasped at the seal emblazoned on it.

“Your discretion is appreciated, of course.” Steel Blitz grinned as the Mayor quickly nodded in affirmative, clutching the envelope close to her chest and taking the lead as she took a brisk trot towards the Guard Shack, Cheerilee following in confusion, but still fuming as Steel and Emerald took up the rear.

Author's Note

Twilight: "Come on Shaded, we aren't gonna do anything."

Shaded: "That's exactly the kind of thing you would say if you were gonna do something!"

Dimmed Star: "Look, we understand that you had... have a lot going on. We can't blame you for having to push back updates due to work, especially with a pandemic flying around."

Twilight: "Besides, it's not like we ever actually hurt you! All there are around here are props and plastic tools. Nothing to be afraid of."

Shaded: "... Okay... I'm coming out..."

Trailer door slowly begins to open

Twilight/Dimmed Star: "GET HIM!"

Shaded: Girlish screaming

Discord: Discord