The things I put up with...

Author's Note...

It's saddens my heart to see a war on a site meant for fun... I have been keeping track of this Flame War since it started... Some of you know it has blow out of proportion... I won't go into to much detail... I f you would like to know a sliver more please PM me and only me... As for our troll... He won't go away... I have had a long hard chat with him... Hes not a bad guy at heart... Yes he may point out flaws here and there, but we all have problems... There is NO such thing as perfection... The only perfection there is in life is what we believe it is... If there was perfection then there would be no world... Flaws are what keep us going... We all know the effects of some flaws... I have many myself... I'm sure you all have some kind of flaw... I don't care... You know why? I know that perfection doesn't exist to those who seek it... I can see perfection in my work because I belive it is...

I want you to take this very seriously... You as the fanbase have a VERY stong influence on the writer... Me and everyone on this site... I want to show me your perfection! I want YOU to show me what you deem perfect! I WANT TO SEE YOU STAND UP TO THE FACE OF DANGER AND SAY "IT'S SO FLUUFY!!!!"

You... You are what keeps this fic alive... I thank you all greatly...

Live, Love, Tolerate,
-Dashie

Chapter 9
Redemtion

Your heart pounds hard and faster. Your house should have been in sight by now. You scan the horizon. 'It should be right...' You trip over something making you faceplant into a pile of dust... 'Here?!?!'

"Oh my! Are you okay darling?" Rarity rushed over to you with her best effort not to get her hooves dirty. The rest ran over without hesitation.

"Here let me help ya up." Applejack lowered a hoof to you. You look at it with disgust. Applejack pulls it back a little worried. You smile once you see who it is. Grabbing it and hauling yourself up you glance around. There was ash and timber everywhere. You looked for a box. No sign of it. You blinked as a huge ball of light appeared above your head.

"Alright girls, start looking!" Twilight said digging into the first pile she found. You found yourself in the middle of the foundation. Looking around you found a burnt picture. You could just make you out with something in your hoof. You knew this picture all to well. 'My first Ice-cream cone... Mom took the picture... Why did dad hate me so? He use to love each and everyone of us...' You felt a tug at your mind. 'Shes close.' Everypony was looking at you. Realizing what just happened. You felt the tear run down your cheek. You had spoken your mind. Fluttershy slowly reached out to you.

"Are... Are you okay? I didn't know you had daddy troubles..." You look Fluttershy in the eye. You wanted to kiss her so bad and make the pain go away. Your heart is cold as stone, but you could be broken. 'Everypony is broken eventually...'

"Look next to a box... I don't know where that is but just please hurry and watch your step... She's not that hard to miss." Giving a brief description of her you close your eyes to think. You see Windy pop up. She is sitting on her haunches just staring. 'You did good.' You heard her speak but didn't see her move. 'I don't know what you mean...' A smile crossed her face. Just a flash but you saw it. 'I know you don't... I don't expect you to either...' She could be a smart-ass sometimes. She tilted her head back. She looked like she was laughing very, very, very hard. Her sides shook and heaved as she laughed. You could hear only silence. 'I know all of your toughts... Do you know this?' Your eyes widen in suprise. 'Impossible!' Her face turned into an evil grin. 'Try me...' You begin to grow an evil smile as well but you remember the real reason your here. 'Good boy. Now find our sister. She doesn't have much longer now...' 'Tell me where she is Celestia damnit!' 'No.'

You began to growl making Fluttershy jump. Your eyes flash open to see her shivering. "Did... D-D-Did I do something wrong?" She squeeked. You shake your head and begin to rummage through the ash. Every so often you would run into something that was very significant in your life at some point. You heard the nag again. 'Just go away!' You felt extreme sadness hit your body with a force. You couldn't move. It was overwhelming.

"Why do you always have to be so difficult?" You see your father standing on his hind hooves leaning over your parents bed. "I always wondered why you favor him so much... I just stopped caring... But why do you care?" You look on the bed to see your mother tied to it. She looked in terrible pain. She squirmed and mumbled something through the gag but you couldn't understand it. "Oh! You want it tighter?" He grabbed a rope and began to pull it further from her body. Your mother screamed through the gag only coming out as loud as hoof steps. "Do you enjoy this at all? Probably not... I don't either... I just thought I would let you know that..." His voice was very quiet as he spoke. This sent shivers down your spine.

He lifted a can out from under the bed and began pouring the liquid out onto your mother. She was very scaredand you could tell. There was something about that can. You mind races back. 'It's the gas can for the tractor!!!!' He continued to pour the gasoline until he was almost out. He moved over to the window and opened it. Being on the ground floor ment easy acces to escape. He hopped the wall with ease and lit a match. He pulled a cigarrette out and lit it before throwing the match onto the bed. You close your eyes as the flames roar to life. You heard the fire screan at you.

Opening your eyes you realized you were drenched in sweat. Your body was hot. You had been in that fire. You lived as the fire. Your eyes dart to the girls they were to busy searching in the darkness to worry about you. With a sigh of relief you jion them. As you all continue to drag on through the night you realize something. 'Wait... These piles aren't high enough to hold a pony on their side. Are they?' You crouch and get a good feel for how high the piles were. 'Nope... Then were?' You walk outside of the rubble and ash to sit on the pourch bench you had built for your parents. Made from pure stone it hadn't been touched by the fire.

'Where?!?' You smack your face with your hoof over and over again. Hoping you get head trauma and forget any of your life ever had happened. 'Why does this shit always happen to me?' You open your eyes slowly. You spot the barn only 40 feet from the house. 'I'M SUCH A FUCKING IDOIT!!!!!' ou eace over to the barn. The girls watch you intently and Applejack races after.

"Keep looking in their just in case!" She yelled back as she followed you to the door. There was a padlock on it, barring it from anypony entering. 'She must be in here!' "Stand aside! I got this!" She turned around and readied her rear hooves. She kicked back with a termedious force. The padlock smashed and the doors slammed open. You took one whiff. 'Gasoline' This place was rigged to be tourched too. 'Why wasn't it?'

"Look next to all of the boxes!" You called over to Applejack as you enter the large barn. "I wish we had one of those light ball thingies!" Just then the darkness flew away as raw light entered the barn.

"Oh? You mean this?" Twilight said with a small giggle. The girls rushed in and began to search. After a few minutes the whole barn had been ripped apart top to bottom. 'Where is she?!?' Windy intruded again. You couldn't see her but knew she was close. 'You are getting colder... And so is she...' Her voice faded. 'Whaa?? Thats impossible! We have searched every inch of this property!'

You walk over to the wall of the barn and begin to mash your head against it. 'WHY? WHY? WHY!?!?!?!' You felt a small stone hit you. You turn around and see the girls were still searching. 'Where did that...?' Another one bounced off of you. It came from the entrance of the barn. You walk over to it and look outside. Still pitch black. You turn toward the house that use to stand over this barn. It was very nice with two stories an attic and... 'The basement!' You rush over and begin to haul timber out of the way. 'Why didn't I think of this before! Her room is the only way to the basement!' You finally determine that you were in 'her' room.

After giving up in the barn the girls return outside to see you shoveling around like a madpony. They walk over to you.

"I think it is time to stop." Twilight said as she placed a hoof on your shoulder. The light ball just above you. You smile 'Light! Perfect!' You knew where you were now and moved to the right spot. Moving all the ash out of the way you break down in tears as you saw the heavy doors to the vasement were still in tact.

"Well I'll be..." Applejack said as she began tugging on one handle. She stopped and sat down panting. "How is a lil filly going to open that hard door?" You smile and move you hoof across the door until you find the right spot. A handle was just hidden in the door. Very hard to see if you didn't know it was there. You twist it with a hoof and it pops up. Pressing it down the cellar doors slide into a secret compartment to house the doors while one uses the stairs. You motion for the others to fallow you down the flight. Twilights ball leading the way.

At the bottom of the stairs you looked around. There was a huge box in the middle of the main room. You smiled as you trotted over to the other side. Your eyes widen as you look at your sister. Her tail had been durnt clean off and her mane was singed good. She had black marks along he body suggestion that she was burnt. You knew better the skin underneath wasn't pink. "She's goin to be fine!" You annouce to the others as you haul her up. The girls cheer and stomp their hooves. They walked out as you hoisted your sister into your arms.

You felt a slight moisture on your shoulder. Looking over you see your sister with a big smile. "Why did you have to make this so difficult?" You ask her. 'Because...' She slowly began to fade. 'I knew she was in good hooves...' She completly faded now. You slowly felt the back of your mind unwind. 'She's gone...' You felt tears well in your eyes. You didn't care. You walked out of the cellar with wet streaks running down your face.

The girls had made a fire and had set up some tents. You set your sister down on a bedroll. You lean down and listen for a breath. Nothing. You flip!

"SHES NOT BREATHING!!" Your felt a huge forve as you fly to the ground. You look up to see Fluttershy pounding hard on Amy's chest. "What are you doing!" You scream getting up.

"CPR..." Her tone was deadly. She leaned down and pumped air into her lungs before pounding away at her again. This went on for several minutes. It felt like hours to you as you gnawed on your fore hooves. 'Please! OH CELESTIA PLEASE! Let her live!' A cough escaped Amy's mouth. Fluttershy stopped at the very second. Backing away from the filly she looked to the others. They all had faces of pure awe. Everyponies attention turned to the young filly. She coughed once more before slowly opening her eyes. You race over to stand abover her.

"H-h-hey, big bro..." She said in a very weak voice. Another cough followed.

"Shhhh Shhh Shhh...." You say lifting a hoof to your mouth. "Your going to be fine now. Just close your eyes and go to sleep. Everything will be fine." Tears were streaming down your face and dripping onto her. You lean down and cry on her chest. Her small hoof came up to pat you on the head twice before falling limp to her side. You open your eyes. 'Still breathing... Good enough for me!' You lay her down and back away. "She needs some water Twilight." Twilight nodded and looked trough her saddlebags. Levitating the water out and to the filly's mouth she slightly tipped it for the liquid to pour down her throat. She coughed a little but soon began getting the idea.

You sat by her side the whole time wathcing her intently through out the night. Whimpering to yourself as everypony else rested themselfs. It was going to be a long night.

Author's note:

Ok guys as most of you know the story is about to end... Although im happy to say!!! SEQUEL! There will be three OC ponies added... I promised a certain pony he got an instant spot for reasons that can be explained if asked... as for the other two... I have stopped recieving entrees and the have all been pushed to voting... You should expect a message soon if you have entered... If you already have a PM from me then you have a score and are based on the leader boards... There is ways to increase your score but you have to suprise me... I have one set in my mind but I definately have a way to squeeze each in...

Now I have some very special news for all of you!!!!

You get to decide on what happens next... The way you choose will change the story drastically!! Choose wisely >:D

Your choices are simple...
Does Amythast

1. Die
   
2. Live

The winner will be a complete chapter but the other will be featured as an alternate ending...

Choose very wisely...

Love and tolerance,
-Dashie