Room For One More

Chapter Six: Cremation

"Applejack , what's with the sitting on the fence routine. What's on your mind?"

Rainbow Dash

The guests of the party gathered outside and chatted for a bit before seeing the storm brewing out of Ponyville. A few of the pegasi frowned and pointed at it, noting the fact that there wasn't a storm scheduled for today. Most blamed the Cloudsdalian weather engineers and went home with their children, paying it no more mind then vain curiosity would allow. Having lived in town with the Elements for two years had jaded them when it came to supernatural events so an errant storm bank was nothing unusual.

Derpy, Dinky and Sparkler all thanked everyone for coming and went home. She was nearly crying she was so happy. She kept hugging her youngest and thanking the world. To her, this moment of pure happiness was a long time coming. She had had a difficult life and things had finally gotten to the point where she didn't have to worry about much. She wasn't tight for money. Her daughters were doing well in school and had plenty of friends. She herself was making enough to go on the occasional vacation. She had friends who loved her and she loved them.

She kissed her daughters and slung her legs around them, flying them the rest of the way. The whole family giggled and laughed as they went.

Lyra and Bon Bon politely excused themselves and went home. It had been a long day for them as Lyra had brought her lyre to play for the party and Bon Bon had been chatting up a storm with her friends. Both of them were beat and were looking forward to relaxing the rest of the day.

Twilight and the Elements cooled off outside, walking but with no destination in mind. She had been close to shouting she was so angry but it wasn't all the Major's fault. She kept mulling over the letter she had received from Princess Celestia and the national address the day before and everything that had happened since. She was well read and while she didn't regret being so smart, she had to admit it made her worry a lot more than every other pony she knew. The image of the Royal Seals falling out of the letter she had received flashed through her mind. They were in her saddle bags and jingled occasionally drawing her odd look every once in a while.

"Twilight, you have that stare again."

"Thanks. I'm just... worried is all. Really, I'm fine."

"If you say so."

She waited a few seconds.

"Hey, Vic?"

"Yes, Twilight?"

"Thanks for this morning. I'm sorry I'm such a wreck right now."

"Don't sweat it. Don't worry about it and don't think about it and how scared you are. Just go talk to your friends and do what you have to."

Twilight nodded at her and took a deep breath. She stopped and turned to her friends.

"Girls."

All conversation died immediately. It was the tone she had used. They could hear the anguish in her voice.

"Celestia's called us to Canterlot. She needs our help."

A moment of silence passed between Twilight and her friends. Applejack's look darkened.

"I was waiting for that. Ever since the address and all. I was waiting for her to come to us for help again."

Rainbow Dash gave Applejack a questioning look but didn't raise issue, she hadn't said no but she was tensing up. Rainbow Dash had seen it a hundred times at athletic competitions and knew her friend was terrified.

"Well, you know I'm in. Ponies' homes are at stake. Zebras' too," putting on a brave bravado even though even she had her doubts.

Zecora, who had tagged along to ask one of them to accommodate her, smiled the sinister smile she was known and feared for.

"I will help in any task set before you seeing as I have nothing else to do."

Rarity glanced at Applejack and they nodded at one another. Each had other commitments, namely their families.

"Ah need to think-"

"I'm with you no matter what, darling. Just say the word," said Rarity, who stood up proudly.

Applejack looked at the other girls and saw that they were just as determined as Rarity. Fluttershy had a fierce air about her despite her usual nature and walked over to stand beside Twilight.

Applejack stood alone as everyone else walked over to stand beside Twilight.

"Y'all can't be serious. Have you thought about it for more than five seconds! Rarity, what about Sweetie Bell?"

"If Celestia's called on us to save the world again then helping Twilight is helping her."

Applejack looked disbelievingly at her. That was true, but what if her family needed her here instead of who knows where?

"Fluttershy, what about your animals?"

"As much as I hate to admit it, they can take care of themselves. I just help the sick and the injured and I haven't seen very many of those in a while actually."

Rainbow Dash was confused and annoyed at her friend's lack of commitment. Why wasn't Applejack where she should be, right beside her?

"Applejack , what's with the sitting on the fence routine. What's on your mind?"

"It's just Ah have a lot of work to do at the farm. The whole place is diseased and Ah need to save what I can before I lose the entire orchard. I can't do that if Ah'm miles away. And what if Applebloom needs me when Ah'm gone?"

Rarity stepped towards her with a sympathetic look on her face.

"She has Big Mac to take care of her, and Granny Smith."

"But who does Sweetie Bell have?"

"Oh, I'm taking her to Canterlot with us. She's going to stay with my parents at their new home."

Rainbow Dash's loyalty wavered for a second as she wondered who Scootaloo would have once Gale left. She was all alone at that house at the end of the street. She wondered if she could have Celestia make room for her at the palace until this whole thing blew over. Celestia surely owed her a few favours. In fact, Celestia owed the lot of them a few favours.

"Pinkie Pie?" Applejack's voice cracked.

Applejack was grasping at straws. She didn't want to be taken away from her family yet again to save the world. She wasn't some soldier under orders or state property or anything like that. Just normal mare Applejack.

"I'm with Twilight, through and through. I don't leave my friends hanging when they need me and neither do you, Applejack. You're scared."

"No Ah'm not!"

"Applejack, you're shaking."

Applejack realised that she was shivering in the hot afternoon sun. Her eyes darted left to right, seeing shapes out of the corner of her eye that made her want to turn to look but she couldn't because in all honesty she was scared stiff. She didn't want to go to war.

Twilight walked up to Applejack and hugged her tightly. Her friends followed until they were locked in a tight embrace, as if this was the last embrace they'd ever have together and none of them wanted to let go.

"SShhhh it's okay, Applejack. Everything's going to be alright," said Twilight.

They stayed like that for a while. Just enjoying each other's company. Until Applejack had another thought.

"Where's Applebloom? Wasn't she with Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo?"

Rarity put a hoof to her chin, thinking back to the party.

"Yes, I did see her with the other Crusaders and that never bodes well."

"Find them right now?"

"Let's."

Gale, who had been looking even more white than usual, stepped forward.

"Corporal, permission to find my sister, like, right the hell now?"

"One second."

Vic squinted at something off in the distance and frowned. She clicked her hooves and got her comrades attention. Twilight looked around for Spike at the noise as he often snapped his claws in the same manner.

"Hold up, Gale. You too, Applejack and Rarity. Escorted carriage from Canterlot. Ten minutes away."

Zephyr took to the air and pulled out a spyglass.

"You're right. Heavy escort, three carriages."

Twilight frowned and wondered who was coming to Ponyville from Canterlot. Princess Celestia or Princess Luna?

But why so many carriages? Is she coming to pick us up? Just how serious is it that she can't wait? Does she not trust me?

"Could it be the Princesses?" asked Twilight.

"They're too far out to tell just yet but I'd say no. For one, we'd all have been prepped for having Royalty in our area of operations and two, Princesses don't fly armoured carriages, Celestia and Luna both fly open top luxury liners. You'd think that'd be stupid in a battle until you realize that they are their own security anyways. No sense in putting them in a metal coffin, right?"

Twilight could now see the three carriages now as they were met with a squadron of soldiers who started directing them down.

"Zephyr! Get down here. Let's go find out what's going on. Where did Sergeant Nimbus say he was going to be again?"

"I think he said he was going be at the town hall. Something about the defences around Ponyville, I think he was doing map work for Major Ass-scent," said Maximus.

"Pfff-... Then let's go there first."

Vic briefly wondered if it was just his accent or whether he truly thought that was the name of the Major. Rainbow Dash laughed. Twilight, on the other hoof, found it concerning.

"Can he just talk about the Major that way? What about rules and regulations and-"

Twilight stopped when she saw the wide grin on Vic's face.

"The army isn't as uptight as you think it is. Oh believe me, if Swift ever caught Maximus saying that, he'd chew him out but that would be the end of it. The Major, for all his idiocy, understands that he's hard and understands that sometimes a soldier has to joke about his officer. Sergeant Nimbus, my Sergeant, has been the butt of many a tasteless joke. He takes it in stride and often returns the insults in kind."

Twilight giggled and nodded.

"I can bet you guys are close. The things you must have done together,  I can see how you might forge strong friendships doing what you do."

Vic looked lost in thought for a moment.

"Yeah. Sometimes I wish it wasn't like that."

Twilight looked at her, shocked.

"What?! But why? You don't like them?!"

Vic rolled her eyes and looked at the civilian.

"No, it's not like that. It's just... I've lost a lot of friends doing what I do. I've been with this squad through two sergeants and everyone I knew has either been moved, promoted, or isn't coming back. I love these guys like my family, like I always have, it's just I know what it's like to lose people."

Twilight's eyes watered as she understood. She put a hoof around Vic but she was gently brushed off.

"Don't. Maybe another time when I'm not on duty. I have a pour-my-heart-out session planned for this afternoon if you're interested. It'll be nice to have company for a change."

Twilight held back her own tears and nodded.

"I'll be there."

The group walked through the town to the careful shutting of doors and windows. Those that knew them waved and those that didn't waved still. A storm was coming and ponies everywhere were getting ready to weather it. Dark cloud banks boomed off in the distance. Wisps of cloud stretched out in every direction like the tendrils of some vile sea beast.

As they walked, each Element and her guardian chatted. They chatted about what the other did for a living and favourite foods and whether Soarin or Fleet Foot had the best speed record. Twilight and Vic had already progressed past the idle small talk phase and were now listening to the seeds of friendship being planted and blossoming. Twilight smiled and thought about writing a nice and long letter to Celestia about how even ponies who are on duty protecting a nation are just friends in uniform waiting to happen.

They arrived to find the carriages landed. They were massive affairs, easily able to fit some thirty ponies each. They were pulled by teams of eight and had golden wings jutting out of the sides. However, there seemed to be something wrong as the Major himself as well as a few dozen soldiers under his command were surrounding the golden carriages. A ring of spears, bayonets and rifles enclosed the ponies inside. A Captain of the guard of Canterlot stood opposite the Major of the Army of Equestria, cold stares passing between them.

"I will tell you one last time, Major. Stand down."

"I won't say it again, Captain, you forget yourself and protocol.  I did not receive word of your arrival and am under direct orders of the Princess of the Day herself to keep this town and the Elements of Harmony safe. I will not allow you to search for them and take them away until you can prove to me both your credentials and orders which you say are from the same Princess."

"She told me to get them out of Ponyville post haste. The reason you did not receive word of our arrival is because you and your men are incapable of maintaining the telegraph lines between Canterlot and Ponyville. They went down sometime this morning and so far you have not been able to find the problem."

"I am well aware of the lapse in communication. I am also well aware of several other means with which the Princess could have communicated to me the orders to relinquish the Elements to an armoured carriage."

"As I told you before, she told me to go and get them as fast as possible to Canterlot. She gave me no letter, she gave me no other option. I am returning to Canterlot with them, Major Swift Ascent."

The Captain heard two dozen safeties switch off as he stared into the Major's eyes.

"Wait!"

Twilight walked forward and interposed herself between the two sides causing a few ponies to lift their rifles. They were prepared to do anything for Equestria, shooting potentially traitorous ponies was one thing, shooting a civilian, the civilian they were ordered to protect, was another.

"Please, just stop and think for a second. Major, did you track the carriage from Canterlot?"

The Major's eyes narrowed even further and Twilight thought he'd closed his eyes his glare was so severe.

"Yes. We've had a telescope tracking them since they left from the Canterlot Airdock. That doesn't rule out the fact that they still could be working for the enemy. If they would allow, me and my men could perform a few tests to check them out. It was something I suggested but was shot down by this insubordin-"

"Major, I understand that you are only following the most stringent of security measures. But so is everypony else. They must have been checked at the Airdock before they left, right?"

The Major blinked.

"... Yes, a sweep of the carriages and guards must have been done in order for them to leave."

"So now it comes down to a question. Do you trust the Guards of Canterlot?"

The Major stopped scowling for a moment. The every soldier and pony present pondered what Twilight had asked. What each answer implied.

"Fine. I believe you, Miss Sparkle."

The ring of rifles and spears lifted and it felt as if a great weight was lifted off of everyone's shoulders. Fluttershy had been hiding under Rainbow Dash's wing, not want to see what might have happened. She poked her eyes over the top of her blue wings and relaxed.

"Captain, you are free to carry out your mission under one condition."

The Captain stopped staring at Twilight in amazement. He had been thoroughly impressed with her skills as a negotiator. He now knew what Shining Armour had been talking about.

"Name it, Major."

"That you allow for the soldier's I have assigned to them for their protection to accompany them until such a time that their services are no longer required and can be returned to me."

"Done. Right, Miss Sparkle, follow me to the carriages. Everything you need will be in the Palace so you don't need to pack."

Twilight frowned. She had been defending this pony's right to take her to Canterlot but only now realized how immediately they might be going.

"Wait! I'd like to go get, Spike, my friend and assistant. With everything that's going on, I don't want to leave him here alone."

Applejack stepped forward, a list of things she had to do before she went already streaming through her mind. They might have to leave tonight but Applejack wasn't going without saying goodbye to her family.

"There's no way I'm leaving on some mission without getting a chance to say goodbye to my family, again."

The rest of the Elements started to protest and the Captain couldn't get a word in edge wise. The Major just smiled.

"Girls."

He wasn't heard. His smile faded as he tried again.

"Girls!"

They spun around and stared at him. Every mare present snapped to attention as well as a few stallions who's cheeks went a light pink.

"Captain, you can lend me one carriage right?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"We can put the things they want to take on the one I borrow and I can send it later. As for the goodbyes, tough crab apples, Miss Applejack. I haven't seen my wife in near eight months and the last thing we said to each other was, "I'm going out for groceries." I got called out a minute later. Life isn't what we want it to be and it damn sure doesn't give you many second chances but if you need to go and do something to save lives then that's that. I'll be sure to tell then of your vehement protests and if they love you as much as you love them then they'll understand what you wanted to say to them before you left. Get on the carriage. All of you."

They bowed their heads in defeat and filed onto the large armoured carrier. Rainbow Dash flared her wings and made to fly away but Fluttershy stopped her and whispered, "Scootaloo will be fine. She'll be alright. She can take care of herself just like my animals back at home... I hope."

Zecora stood there awkwardly, not sure of where to go. Rainbow Dash looked around and then turned her head to see her standing on the other side of the wall of guards.

"Hey! Hey, let her come too! She's my, uhnnnn, protection! Under the Major's orders, right?"

She and the Major locked eyes for second before he nodded and waved Zecora through. Zecora looked back at him and he gave her a salute as the doors to the carriage closed.

The Major pondered his decision as the carriage's ponies started to flap their wings.

Better than having her here I suppose.

A loud whine could be heard as the carriages took off from the town square. Twilight looked out the window with Vic and marveled at how much Ponyville had changed. There were towers, walls, cannons, more and more soldiers must have poured in as Ponyville slowly readied itself for the conflict. Twilight hoped that her beloved town wouldn't see the war. That it would be somewhere else far away.

Vic pressed her nose up to the thick glass and her breath caught in her throat. Her whole body tensed.

"What is it?"

"FAST MOVERS PORT SIDE!"

Vic threw herself over Twilight. Twilight's world went blank as something took a sledgehammer to her ears. Her whole body felt an impact and went numb. She felt the carriage lurch and the sensation of falling before another hammer was taken to her body, this time her back.

She lay on her back for what seemed like five minutes, just staring at the red ceiling of the carriage before she became aware of Vic shouting at her. Twilight could see that she was frantic but couldn't hear her. She tried to move but found that she couldn't. She felt someone hit her chest a few times then Vic leaned over and kissed her. Twilight found this very strange, what had happened? Why was Vic kissing her and what had her so worried?

...

What happened to the carriage?

Twilight realized she was actually looking at the sky as it was slowly being blotted out by mahogany red clouds. Celestia's sun shined on her face for another second before it was swallowed by a red cloud with hundreds of small black dots flying out of it. She noticed the large hole in the side of their transport and made to sit up but found that she still couldn't move.

What's going on?

Vic kissed her again and life returned to Twilight's body, she started coughing and wheezing as her lungs struggled for air. Vic sighed in relief then hoisted the still hacking Twilight onto her shoulder and ran from the carriage as something came out of the sky and turned the vehicle into slag and fire.

Twilight finally came to her senses and looked around. The clouds were raining fire onto Ponyville. She had been dragged under a section of a house that had collapsed as the carriage had plowed through it on its way down. She become aware of the air raid siren, its long, oscillating wail piercing her very core and making her tremble.

Twilight grabbed Vic by her shoulders and looked into her eyes.

"What happened? Where's everyone else?"

"The carriage was taken down by a couple of fast moving flyers coming out of the cloud bank. Most everyone else is right beside you. Hey,  look at me. Good, no concussion. Tough little filly aren't ya? Come on, can you stand?"

Twilight was lifted to her hooves and found out the question was more of a courtesy than anything else. She looked back to see Applejack and Cuirass, Pinkie Pie and Sparks, Rainbow Dash, Zephyr and Zecora, Rarity and Maximus and Fluttershy all alone. Rainbow Dash picked Fluttershy up and shouted at her but she didn't respond. A dazed look in her eyes told the story. Blizzard wasn't with her.

Vic peered around the corner of the ruined house and looked up. She pushed Twilight back as a fire ball landed right around the corner. It exploded on impact and sent out a ring of flame that set the street on fire.

Cuirass ran up to the front of the group and slid in next to Vic, rifle drawn and shaking.

"We should find the Sergeant, Vic!"

"No time and no point. Our objective is clear. Get them to Canterlot."

"But how?"

"Shut up and let me think!"

Applejack was pulled closer to Zecora as the zebra took the leather sheathe off her walking stick and revealed it to be a small spear.

"Stay close to me, sticking together will be the key."

Twilight wanted nothing more than to run to the library to get Spike but Vic put a hoof on her shoulder and shook her head. She could read Twilight like a book.

"Sorry."

"I know... The train station!"

"What?!"

"We can get out using the train! Oh, I hope it's not broken or anything."

"As good a plan as any. Listen up! We're moving the Elements to the train station. "

She looked out from her cover and saw the way was open, the fire's had died down and the skies were mostly clear.

"Move fast and stick to the buildings. We do not want to be seen out in the open."

Vic galloped from the corner of the broken house with Twilight in tow across the street into an alley between houses where she crouched and held up a hoof, waving the rest of them to follow. The rest of the soldiers brought their charges across and stacked up behind her. Gale was regretting his decision to let the Cutie Mark Crusaders go on their little camping trip. He sweated and kept looking around for a way out. He felt like vomiting.

I swear if they aren't okay. If... I have to go back for them.

"Corporal-"

"I know what you want to say, Gale, and I'm sorry but no."

"It's my sister! It's their sisters! Permission to leave and find them."

Applejack and Rarity both looked ready to bolt for their houses. Maximus stared at Rarity until she looked back at him.

"What?"

"I know what you are thinking. That going for your sister is best option available to you. But think of this: what is stopping me from going to my sister? What if the same thing is happening in Stalliongrad right now and she needs me to be there? Faith, Miss Rarity. Faith that they are safe. In Stalliongrad, the 82nd Red Dusk stands watch over the city. Here, the 101st Airborne Battalion, some of the finest soldier's in Equestria. Have faith that your sister is safe, Miss Rarity. Did you hear that, Miss Applejack?"

Applejack thought she'd had the massive stallion pegged as a empty water can. He still was in her eyes but now he was a pony of faith too. Applejack  grit her teeth and sighed. He had a point though. There was a garrison here in Ponyville. Right now, she could only hope that Applebloom and Big Mac and Granny Smith were safe.

"Ah heard yah."

Good."

They looked back to the burnt street and Applejack swore. Vic waited on Gale for an answer.

"Roger that, ma'am."

"Thank you. Let's move."

They picked their way between houses as quietly as they could. Vic stopped them as they approached one of the last streets they had to cross before making it to the train station. Rainbow Dash looked up to see that it had stopped raining fire.

"Yes! Couldn't keep it up for long now could they?! Booyah!"

Zephyr shook his head as did the rest of the soldiers.

"If an enemy stops shelling you, it isn't because they've run out of ammo."

Sparks gulped.

"It's because they want to move in."

Vic ran across the street with Twilight and stopped at the other side. She waved them through. Zephyr, Zecora and Rainbow Dash ran across, hearts pounding despite their being in top physical shape. Vic held up her hoof and a winged shadow passed over the road followed by a long banshee scream. She waved again and Cuirass and Applejack ran across. Sparks and Pinkie Pie lined up and Sparks took a deep breath before seeing the all clear from Vic.

Pinkie Pie galloped alongside Sparks as they ran across the impossibly wide road. It was like a game of 'Red light, Green light' only Pinkie Pie wasn't having fun. Vic looked out from under her cover and then shouted something at her but she didn't hear whatever it was. Sparks looked over to her and then tackled her to the ground. Pinkie's right ear drum exploded and her face felt very hot for a moment. Then very cold.

Pinkie Pie stared up at the sky with her left eye and felt a thousand pins and needles being driven into the right side of her face. She sat up and held up a hoof to her right eye and could only see a blurry pink shape. She was dragged to her hooves and pulled out from under Sparks. Pinkie Pie thought she looked smaller then she remembered but couldn't quiet tell with all the smoke she was covered in. Zecora came into her field of vision and started wrapping her face up in white gauze. It clung to her skin and she giggled as it tickled a bit.

She was pulled to her feet and away from Sparks.

"Wait, what about... what about-"

Zecora looked into her good eye.

"I am very sorry Pinkie Pie, but it was her time to die. There is nothing we can do for her. Run, so your death does not occur!"

Pinkie Pie afforded Sparks one last look before being ushered along by Zecora.

Vic looked back at Sparks and bit her lip. It had been her responsibility for sending her out when it wasn't safe. It was her fault Sparks had died. Cuirass shook his head and spat on the ground. He nodded at Spark's body and kept going. Vic mouthed an apology to her and ran to the front of the group.

The group ran through the alleyway, not sure of what they would find on the other side. They heard screams and Vic held up a hoof for them to stop. She edged up and peered around the corner of the house on their right.

A shot ran out and the stone the house's walls were made of exploded a full foot above her head, leaving a basket ball sized hole. She darted back into cover. Gale sidled up next to her, rifle in hoof.

"What is it?"

"Ugly."

The demon reloaded and shouted at his companions to find cover behind him on the other side of the street. He fired again, tearing a hole right through the house but missing the ponies completely. Vic leaned out of cover and fired, hitting the demon square in the chest. The armour shrugged it off and the demon shambled over to a house across the last street before the train station.

Vic made a series of complicated hoof gestures and the soldiers reacted instantly. The Elements and Zecora were put in the centre of the alleyway while Zephyr took the air and flew to the roof tops above them where he waited. Gale and Cuirass doubled back around and went into the house to their right and took up positions on the first and second floors. Maximus guarded the other end of the alleyway, massive sword held firmly in his grasp.

Vic blew out a breath waited another second before popping out of cover and screaming at her foes. She snapped off a shot and jumped back as the space where she was standing was filled with bullets and shrapnel.

"NOW!"

Cuirass and Gale began firing from the house, they picked off a demon who was leaning too far out of cover. The ponies threw over a few metal balls which bounced and rolled across the street before exploding, shattering windows and walls alike. The demons recovered and began firing at the house but were picked off by Zephyr who  flew above the roof tops just long enough to shoot before diving back down. Vic leaned out of cover and quickly counted the remaining foes.

"Four."

She drew her bayonet and fixed it to the end of her rifle. She took another long breath and blew it slowly out of her mouth.

She broke cover and jumped clean across the street, aided by her wings. She ran along the edge of the street until she came up to a corner. She waited for the demon right next to her to fire before she turned the corner and drove the bayonet into its skull before twirling around the corner of the next house over.

Vic saw Zephyr pop above the roof tops and fire at something right above her. Gale and Cuirass both continued shooting at the other two demons while she slowly flew up the second story window where the next demon was hiding. She saw the gun barrel slide out of the window and she grabbed onto it and used the demon's reaction to draw its gun back to launch herself at it, driving her bayonet home.

Two down.

She dropped to the ground and looked for the next shooter. The street was quiet but she could hear fighting off in the distance. It screwed with her ability to pin point sound. Was that a shot? Where was it?

She heard a shot then a horrible scream. A body slumped to the ground causing a dull thump to pass through the dirt and into her hooves.

Heavy bastards.

"Three down. One more to go."

She walked along the houses, breathing quickly. A door beside her splintered as the demon behind it kicked it open. It jumped out of the opening and swung at her with a cruel looking ax. She stopped on her front hooves and felt the ax slide through the blue hair on her helmet and bite into the gold. It slid off her head roughly and stuck to his ax. He had to take a moment to dislodge it.

Vic saw her opportunity and tried to bring her rifle up but the demon recovered from his swing and kicked the weapon out of her hooves. She let it go and instead used the demon's own body against him as she brought her left hoof to his chin, knocking his helmet off. He tried to hit her again but she jumped clean over the ax and punched him in the teeth. He absorbed the blow and grabbed Vic by the throat with his free hand. The demon roared in triumph as he brought the ax to Vic's throat.

The swing never came. A shot rang out and struck the demon's wrist which crumpled under the weight of the weapon. It howled in pain and Vic picked up her fallen rifle and finally shot it, blowing the top clean off of his skull. Cuirass walked out from cover as did the Elements. Vic pushed the demon away and Cuirass offered a hoof to help her up which she took.

"That was one hell of a shot, Cuirass."

"I was aiming for his head."

Vic raised both her eye brows at him then looked back at the demon lying on the ground.

"Oh."

Maximus herded the Elements along, casting wary glances behind him every few seconds.

"See anything, Maximus?"

"Thought I saw winged horrors from darkest nightmare, ended up being right. They flew off but may return anytime. We should leave."

Gale took a momentary look at Maximus and gulped. Not much could give the big guy pause.

Vic nodded and grabbed Twilight, the rest of her squad moving behind her beside their respective charge.

"Train station is a few blocks away. What we just engaged was probably watching the approaches to the station so expect resistance getting to the trains. Keep your charges low and no matter what, get her to the train. No exceptions. Got it?"

They each snorted heavily and wore grim faces. Orders often came with certain implications.

Vic moved up the street and when she came to the end of it, peeked around the corner. The station was right there and it was empty. Every hair on Vic's neck stood up. She combed her short hair back with an armoured hoof and squinted, looking for any sign of the enemy.

Have to move Vic. No time to waste. Oh buck me to oblivion.

"We're running for the trains. Keep low."

Twilight took a breath to say something but she was hurried along and the opportunity for warning passed. She ran alongside Vic, the hundred metres to the trains seeming like kilometres.

Almost there! Almost ther-

A shot exploded into her consciousness and she dropped to the floor, having tripped over her hooves in surprise. Vic skidded to a halt and dove under a bench. A headless statue to Celestia loomed above them as the rest of the squad jumped into the fountain that surrounded it.

"AMBUSH!"

More shots came from every direction. The heavy minié balls that the demons were using tore through the stone and marble with ease.

Fluttershy froze. No one had grabbed her and she had been left out in the open. Bullets fired at her kicked up plumes of dirt and cobblestone. She screamed but no sound came out, fear paralysing her vocal chords.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack cowered together in each other's hooves, playing back every macho thing they'd said about not being scared and now thinking what idiots they'd been. Pinkie Pie curled up into a ball and rocked back and forth, tuning out the world. Rarity looked over the edge of the fountain as if looking for someone until Maximus shoved her head down. Zecora looked around and noticed they were one pony short but couldn't move as her leg had picked now as the time to act up. She started cursing in her native tongue and tried to tell someone.

"We are one pony short! Fluttershy is missing without her escort!"

Zephyr looked around for the mare and saw her lying on the road a few metres away. She was so close yet impossible to reach. He had to duck as a quartet of demons leapt from their cover and ran towards her. He tried to get a shot off but was forced to dive for the ground as they opened fire on him, sending shards of stone into his face. He winced and yelped in pain.

Fluttershy was roughly picked up and thrown over the shoulder of a demon who cackled madly before running off in great, loping strides.

Rainbow Dash saw her go and took to the air to give chase. Zephyr yelped and flew after her, tackling her and wrestling her back to fountain.

"Noooooo! NOOOOO!" Rainbow Dash strained her vocal chords, screaming with her whole body with fright and desperation, "We are going back for her!"

"There is nothing you can do, she's gone!"

Rainbow Dash snarled and punched him in the muzzle and his head went above the lip of the fountain. A minié ball buzzed into him and punched right through his helmet. Zephyr sat there staring at her for a second before collapsing on top of her.

Rainbow Dash stared at him for a cruel moment. Time slowed down as if to make sure she witnessed what she'd done. Rarity saw what happened and had a shocked, vacant expression. There wasn't an emotion she possessed to express what she felt.

Hidden under the park bench, Vic tucked herself into the smallest ball she could. She looked like she was rocking back and forth in the fetal position.

Twilight was still out on the cobblestone and occasionally a bullet passed by her, sounding like a supersonic angry wasp. She would have screamed had she control over her body. Instead she lay there, eyes unfocused and mumbling something under her breath that sounded like, "Home,",  "Celestia," and, "Mommy!"

Vic shouted something at her but she couldn't hear it. She recovered enough to move her legs and she put  her left hoof to her ear.

"I said, are you hit?!"

"N-no! No I don't think so! Would I feel it?"

Vic grimaced and shook her head, then cocked her ears up.

"What is that?"

A crowd of screams was heading their way. The demons stopped firing for a moment to see what seemed like the entire population of Ponyville running for the train station. The demons bounded from cover and formed a wall to stop the masses from escaping, firing into the crowds. The multicoloured masses were hemmed in from all sides as the demons chasing them caught up and started picking them off, one by one. Picking them up and carrying them away.

Lyra and Bon Bon had run with the crowds for the train station. It was the best idea they'd heard. It was the only idea they'd heard that wasn't suicide. But as it had turned out, the rest of Ponyville had had the same idea and drawn a lot of attention to themselves. The invaders had herded them into a trap and the soldiers that were supposed to be protecting them were nowhere in sight.

Lyra and Bon Bon were near the edge of the crowds and were frantically avoiding being the next pony to be dragged off.

Lyra tore off another page of her note book and scribbled out a message to Bon Bon.

"What are we gonna do?

Bon Bon, Im  scacre

I'm scared! I'm really

really really really-"

Bon Bon cut her off with hoof and looked around, her keen eyes seeing exactly what she'd been hoping for.

"Lyra, there are some soldiers over there. See them by the fountain? When I tell you too, run for them. You hear me? Just run and don't look back. I'll be right beside you, like always, Lyra."

Lyra nodded and gulped. Bon Bon pushed her way to the front of the crowds and jumped at the nearest demon, sending it reeling. It hadn't been expecting an attack and as such was knocked off balance and fell to the ground. Bon Bon pulled Lyra past the wall of demons and Lyra ran. She ran for all she was worth, mint green legs becoming a blur she moved so fast. Despite living an easy lifestyle, her body was designed to outrun things and that was apparent now as Lyra Heartstrings moved like a bullet towards the fountain. She leapt over the edge and landed on something white, purple and kind of squishy.

Rarity screamed and her eyes went wide as saucers as she saw Lyra come over the edge of the fountain. Maximus nearly lopped her head off with a swing but managed to redirect it into the masonry above her. Lyra mouthed an apology to Rarity and looked around for Bon Bon.

What? Where is she? She was right beside me. She's always right beside me. Where's Bon Bon?

She scrambled over Rarity and looked around for Bon Bon but she was nowhere to be found. Lyra looked over the edge of the fountain and saw her being dragged away by a demon. They made eye contact and for them, time stopped. An eternity passed and all they could do was look into each other's eyes. Bon Bon opened her mouth to say something but was pulled out of sight behind a house and Lyra was left alone. For the first time in forever, she didn't have Bon Bon right beside her.

Lyra tried to find her notebook  and found it was lying outside the fountain and wholly beyond her reach. She sat there until Cuirass noticed another pony had made it to the fountain and he tucked her under him to shield her from the next volley of bullets that turned their cover into Swiss cheese.

"That does it! We need to get to those trains! Like now! Vic! VICTORY!"

Vic pricked her ears up and put a hoof to her mouth.

"WHAT?"

"We need to leave!"

"I know! I'm working on it!"

"Work faster!"

Vic growled and looked at the mass of ponies still being taken away by the demons surrounding them.

"Listen up! Gale, Cuirass, Zephyr!-"

"Zephyr's gone!"

"Dammit! Gale, Cuirass! Lay down a suppressing fire on the demons in houses to the left of the ponies. Maximus! When we leave, you're rear guard! I'll cover you! Who has any grenades?"

Cuirass and Gale were both short on everything. They'd hadn't exactly been unarmed but certainly hadn't been expecting a prolonged engagement.

"I'm out!"

"I'm out!"

Vic grit her teeth and shut her eyes as the bench above her turned into splinters.

"Maximus?!"

"One!"

Vic thanked the stars for that psychopath.

"Give those ponies a hole to run through! And Maximus, don't miss!"

Maximus rolled his eyes and plucked the last metal ball from his armour. He weighed it and peeked over the edge of the fountain. His arc would have to be perfect. His timing, perfect. He would have to be perfect.

"Gale, Cuirass, SUPPRESSING FIRE!" Vic yelled over the fighting.

They both stood up and began firing as fast as their hooves would allow. The demons hiding in the houses were shredded by the sudden onslaught of fine pony engineering. Those that made it behind something solid stayed there.

"Maximus! Now!"

He grunted and clicked the pin out.

"One... "

He looked at Rarity and Lyra, huddling together and shivering.

"Two... "

He exhaled and stood up, staring at the line of demons, picking the exact spot he wanted to throw it.

"Three... "

He cocked his leg back and threw it. The small metal ball arced through the air.

"Four... "

It reached the top of its arc and started to descend.

"Five."

The grenade exploded at chest height just behind the wall of demons. Their bodies shielded the ponies in front of them and they fell, creating a hole and a way to escape to the trains.

Vic stood up and ran over to Twilight, picking her up and giving her a look over before shouting at her squad.

"We are leaving! Run for the trains! Go!"

Vic didn't look back as she pulled Twilight along. Twilight herself was spent. She had nothing left to keep going. No energy left to take another step, but Vic was right there with her, every step she couldn't take.

Maximus hoisted Zecora over his shoulder and drew his sword. He shouted and urged Rarity and Lyra to move and eventually got them running towards the trains. He huffed and sprinted for the finish.

I am going to make it. I am going to make it...  Чёрт!

"Horrors!"

Maximus ran another two steps before hurling Zecora the last seven into the train. He turned to face the winged demons coming out of the sky. They landed in front of him and cut off the ponies running for the train. They shrieked and back peddled into one another. A few pegasus took off from the crowd but were shot down or grabbed by the new arrivals.

Maximus saw a few demons get shot down but noticed the shots didn't come from behind him. A yell was given out as dozens of soldiers flew over the roof tops of the houses to his right and began shooting everything that wasn't a pony. Major Swift Ascent appeared in the middle of the formation, shouting orders to his ponies. Maximus couldn't hear him and frankly didn't care. He had more pressing matters to attend to.

"Go, Miss Rarity! Just go!"

Maximus drew a long breath and centred his weight on his back legs as he reared up and side stepped a spear thrust aimed at his heart. He swung his massive weapon around and it hit the dirt under the demon. The demon herself fell into bits around it. Maximus wrenched it from the ground and parried another thrust. The demon he was fighting made to strike again but clutched his heart and crumpled to the ground.

"Run, Maximus!"

More shots buzzed over his shoulder and he slowly retreated to the train where everyone was waiting on him. He was now fighting three demons as once, his massive weapon now a hindrance as he tried to parry everything that was coming at him.

Gale made to reload but found he was out of cartridges. He threw his rifle into the air and caught it, holding it like a spear. He yelled as he threw it,  as hard as he could, into the chest of one of the winged satyr-like demons. Maximus shoved the other two off him and grabbed the rifle with his free hoof and half ran half flew the last few steps to the train doors. He hoofed the rifle back to Gale and chuckled.

"I made it. Hahaha... somepony get this thing moving."

Vic frowned.

Trains don't move that fast. Gotta lose some weight. What about anyone else on board? What about anything else on board?

Vic thought a moment before making her decision.

"Twilight, with me. We're going to go cut this train in half so we can get out of here faster. Maximus, take Rarity and start the engines. Gale, take the rest and find them somewhere to sit down and tend to anyone who needs it. Go."

Twilight and Vic ran for the other end of the train. Hooves clacking on expensive wood. Twilight recalled all the times she'd ridden in this train as she ran. In this car here. This car here. She'd slept there once.

Twilight and Vic went to the other end of the train while Maximus and Rarity ran for the front. Applejack and Zecora found a seat and Cuirass and Gale stopped and eyed the windows, looking for signs of pursuit.

The window behind Lyra burst and something grey and blonde tumbled on top of her, dragging the white curtains in with it. Cuirass cursed and leveled his rifle at the tangle of limbs and feathers before two bright yellow eyes peered out from under the curtain. They were joined by two smaller sets and Derpy narrowed one eye at the bayonet at the end of the rifle while the other looked into Cuirass's eyes.

"Please don't."

Cuirass slowly raised the rifle and took his hoof off the trigger. He felt like shouting but refrained. Lyra got out from under the curtains and dragged them off of Dinky, Sparkler and Derpy. Derpy's legs and back were covered in glass but her children were uninjured, and that was all that mattered to her.

"Sparkler, Dinky baby, are you hurt? Did the glass cut you? Let me see."

Derpy started inspecting every inch of them for glass shards or wooden splinters or gaping bullet wounds. Sparkler stopped her and held her mother's face in her hooves.

"Mom, I'm fine! So's Dinky. We're both okay."

Derpy took a moment to relax and that was all it took. She huddled up on the floor with her children and started to weep. She was done, no more fight to be had. Her children were safe.

The train shuddered to life and Zecora winced as the vibrations passed through her  legs. She gasped and blood began pouring out of the bandage that had finally come loose after all the running she'd done.

"'Keep off it,' the doctor said. 'Just stay in bed.' Hah, Basha."

Applejack started ripping up the curtains and tying a fresh bandage around Zecora's leg.

"You going to be alright?"

"Given time, I will be fine. It is not as if I stepped on a mine."

Applejack nodded and finished tying the knot.

"Where's Fluttershy?"

In the engine car, Maximus and Rarity were trying desperately to get the train moving. They'd managed to get the engine started but it wasn't going anywhere.

Maximus shoveled in more coal.

"Try pulling that lever."

"Which lever?"

"That one."

"'That one,' isn't very helpful, Maximus! I am not a train engineer!"

"Neither am I. Pull the red lever all the way down."

Rarity spotted the lever insultingly marked, 'BRAKE' in large white lettering that stood out from everything else in the car.

"Oh."

She pulled it and the train lurched ahead a foot or so before straining against its own weight to pick up speed. Rarity whooped in triumph and Maximus smiled and chuckled.

"We would make good team, you and I."

Rarity, in the moment, was giddy with excitement.

"Yes! With your brawn and my style, we would be the undisputed rulers of the fashion industry. You could carry the dresses and I would make them. Oh, just imagine the fame! I could do shows anywhere! Just me and you and Twilight and Fluttershy and Sweetie Bell and..."

A tear leaked out of Rarity's eye. It slowly fell down her cheek until it dripped off her chin, falling to the dusty coal ground among her soot black hooves. She started weakly sobbing and Maximus, not having anything better in mind, sat down next to her and put a comforting leg around her.

"Just let it out. Let it all out, Miss Rarity."

"Stop calling me 'Miss', makes me feel old."

"As you wish, Madam Rarity."

"Stop it."

She smiled feebly and leaned into his chest. Tears now streaming out of her brilliant blue eyes.

Vic and Twilight at the other end of the train were having similar difficulties. Vic groaned as she tried to lift the spike holding the cars together. After taking a look outside, it was clear that the demons would be winning soon and looking for them. No one else had made it to the train and Vic didn't expect any miracles to happen.

"AAggghhh! Twilight. Twilight, I need your help. Can you pull this out?"

"I-...I can try... Spike!"

Vic tried to centre the poor mare in the present, the here and now.

"Twilight, he was on the other side of the town when the attack came. He probably ran for the hills as soon as the air raid siren went off."

"B-but what if he was sleeping or napping or in the basement or if they came to the library first looking for me or-"

Vic stood up and seized Twilight by the shoulders roughly.

"Twilight, I understand what you're going through. You think you've lost someone near and dear to your heart. But right now I need you to help me so we don't die too. I've lost ponies before and shit, it happened again today because of what I told them to do! But I keep going because I'm still here and so are you. So right now I need you to mare up and help me. Please."

Vic and Twilight stared into each other's eyes. Twilight bit her lip and nodded.

"Okay."

The spike was wrenched out of the locking mechanism and just then the train lurched forward as the rest of the cars were pulled tight. They walked back into the car and watched Ponyville slide by their vision. It burned and all sorts of nightmares flew about it but Twilight still saw the same place she called home. Vic stood beside her and Twilight moved into her, nuzzling her neck.

"Hey, Twilight. I'm sorry for what I said. I was just trying to get the train moving and... yeah. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it."

They stayed like that for another second before Vic heard a bullet buzz right by her ear. It ruffled Twilight's hair as it passed by and blew a hole in the wall behind her.

"GET DOWN!"

She grabbed Twilight and threw her to the floor as the train came under attack. Vic looked out the back door of the car to see a few demons were giving chase and a few of the winged satyr's were flying after them.

"They'll go after the engine!"

Indeed, most of the winged horrors peeled off the main group in the air and flew for the front of the train. The demons on foot stopped running and yelled after the train. The lead demon shot off the flock and barreled into the car Twilight and Vic were in.

The demon crashed through the window and fell on top of Twilight who screamed and tried to throw it off with her magic. A blast hit it in the chest but it held fast and drew its sword as Vic charged it and knocked it off of her. It swung its weapon and she bent her back, limbo-ing under the swing. It stood up and filled the car with its bulk and height. It snarled and barred it's black fangs at her.

Vic brought her rifle up and squeezed the trigger but her rifle was knocked aside at the last moment. It discharged harmlessly out the window. She parried a thrust with her rifle and the two began trading blows at lightning speeds. Twilight backed away from the dueling pair and heard fighting behind her.

In the front of the train, Maximus was fighting for his life. The tight spaces of the train did not lend itself to his style of combat and his heavy weapon was getting heavier every swing, every parry.

He was fighting a line of demons and was cut off from Cuirass and Gale who had their own problems. Maximus swung his sword right through the roof of the train, surprising the demon he was fighting. It didn't have enough time to bring its mace up and was bisected by the razor sharp cleaver. He grunted and wrenched it out of the floor just in time to lacerate another demon.

"Come on!"

He roared and lunged with his sword out in front of him. The demon it was meant for swatted his weapon aside but he simply dropped it and brought his helm in its face, shattering the bones beneath.

"Heh."

He looked up to see the last demon pointing a gun at him. It smiled and he saw a flash.

Rarity peered out around the corner of the engine car to see Maximus slump to the floor. She gasped and looked up at the demon who saw her and began chuckling as it slowly walked towards her. She came out from behind the door and smile sweetly.

"Well, hello there, demon... thing. How do you do? My name is Rarity and you are?"

It smiled revealing black hollow fangs that spewed venom down its chin.

"No talk, Rarity. You come weakly, yes?"

She squeaked.

"...Y-yes."

The demon lowered its rifle and held out a clawed hand to her and she choose that moment to strike. She levitated its comrade's sword into its chest and it howled in pain. She reared up and gave it the meanest right hook she could muster and sent it spinning through the air. Rarity picked up a crude looking pistol and after checking to see if it was loaded, floated it over to the demon and fired. As the smoke cleared she watched it, looking for any signs of movement. It didn't stir. She let out the breath she had been holding and slumped her shoulders, beaten by the day.

Rarity tip toed around the pools of blood and came up to Maximus who had moved either. She reached out to him to turn him over but stopped herself. Not wanting to see.

"I'm sorry, Maximus," she said faintly, "I am so very sorry."

In the other car, Gale and Cuirass were now both out of ammo and dueling five demons at once. Zecora hefted her spear and made the demons think twice about getting near her or Lyra but couldn't join the fight due to her injury. Derpy and her daughters hid behind Applejack and Rainbow Dash as they hid behind Cuirass and Gale.

Cuirass parried a high blow by a ax and kicked the demon in the stomach. He tried to run it through but was stopped by its comrade who parried the blow and punched him in the face. He reeled back and was thrown clear of the fight leaving Gale alone in against five opponents. Cuirass looked at Gale, then at Applejack who was behind him.

"Screw this."

Cuirass smashed the window to his left and tucked his wings as he jumped out of the train. Applejack's jaw dropped.

"What?!"

Gale looked back for Cuirass and saw that he was now alone. He steadied his rifle and began his duel. He moved like lightning, parrying, attacking, countering. In two seconds he downed two of his attackers with fluid thrusts. A demon leapt over her fallen comrades and grabbed onto him, ditching her weapon in favour of her hands. The other two followed suit until they were all on top of him. He dropped his rifle and wrestled with his attackers, still on his four hooves. He roared and tried to throw them off but their claws dug into his armour and wouldn't be budged. One drew a knife and tried to end the fight but he jumped into the ceiling and she dropped it. She barked something at the other two demons and they nodded.

They all grabbed a limb, then jumped for the window. He tried to stop himself but was overpowered. He and the demons crashed through the window and all that was heard was the shaking of the train as it then passed into the mountain. The train faded into the black of the tunnel.

At the very end of the train, Vic grimly fought on with the demon major. It was easily twice her size but she held her own and for every cut she'd taken was a stab she'd given. The demon lashed out with his sword and she directed it into the side of the train where it stuck fast. He dropped it and hit Vic's rifle with a backhand, tearing it out of her hooves and throwing it behind her. She let it go and jabbed him in the snout.

The demon took the blow but kicked out with a hoofed leg and hit her squarely in the chest, sending her flying. He tugged his sword free and made to bring it down on her. Vic bucked out with her legs for all she was worth and hit him in the knees, snapping the bones and popping the joints. He fell but through the pain and shock, he flipped the sword around point first and aimed it at her heart.

Vic's eyes widened and her hooves caught the sword as it wavered over her chest.

"Twilight-hhhggg- my rifle, load it and shoot it. Shoot the demon, Twilight."

Twilight grabbed the rifle but her hooves were shaking so badly she couldn't get a cartridge out of the pouch on the side of the stock.

Vic felt the sword slip an inch and it now grated against her armour.

"Haha! Shoot the- AAAHHHHH- Shooooot!"

The sword slipped and Vic yelped. Twilight finally managed to levitate a cartridge out but her hooves fumbled with the mechanism.

"Twi... Ha- Twi-"

Twilight drew the bolt back and slid the bullet in. She rammed the bolt back into position and raised the rifle. She fired without looking and heard something slump to the ground a second later. She opened her eyes and the demon was dead, lying next to Vic on the floor.

"I did it!"

Her jubilation was cut short as she saw the sword sticking out of Vic's chest. It was pinning her to the train and had likely gone right through the floor.

"Oh no! No no no, Vic. Vic!"

"Ahh, why so loud. I'm right here."

Vic sat up a little and her eyes widened when she saw the sword impaling her stomach. She had pushed it away from her vitals.

"Oh shit. Oh, that's not good."

Blood burbled out of her mouth and her head fell back down to the floor as she moaned in pain. Twilight blinked and tried to think of a solution. A way to fix this.

"What do I do, Vic?"

"Don't move me, don't touch the sword. Do y-you have any bandages or cloth or anything to stop the b-bleeding?"

Twilight frantically got up tore off a set of curtains with her teeth. She bunched them up around the wound, seeing the blood soak right through the white fabric.

Rarity would have a fit if see saw this.

Vic coughed wetly.

"Put as much pressure on the wound as you can..."

Twilight leaned onto her friend as she pressed into the blood soaked bandages.

"Okay, Vic, now what? Now what, Vic? VIC?!"

"Twilight?"

"Yes, Vic?"

"I'm scared."

"... Don't be, Vic. Everything's going to be alright. Everything is going to be okay, we'll get you fixed up in Canterlot. You just have to stay here, got it?"

Vic looked into her eyes and smiled.

"Are you saying that for me or for you?"

Twilight giggled. Vic could read her like a book.

"Both."

"How sweet of you to say that. Hey Twilight, I'm ready for that pour-my-heart-out-session, hehehe."

She coughed violently but smiled warmly.

"That was terrible joke."

"Sorry, I'm not exactly feeling very funny right now. Speaking of which, I don't feel too good."

"That's understandable, you've just run a marathon for two."

"No, like I'm going to go... I don't want to go."

Vic scowled and made to sit up.

"I'm j-just gonna- gonna get up and..."

Vic left the train and her body slumped the floor, her red streaked hair blowing slightly in the breeze. Twilight closed Vic's eyes, then her own, and wept quietly.

Celestia watched as the train rolled into the station, the moonlight glinting off the gold metal inlays. She and her sister waited for the doors to open, as did a hundred of the Canterlot Guard. Shining Armour shifted nervously in his uniform and gave the signal to approach the train. The doors opened and Rainbow Dash and Applejack stood in the door way, looking out at the guards and finally settling on Luna and Celestia, though the sisters couldn't tell what facial expression they had. Applejack calmly helped Zecora down to a waiting stretcher and then helped Lyra down too where she was lost among the chaos of the guards.

Rainbow Dash took Pinkie Pie's hoof and gently helped her off the train to a stretcher where a dozen medics attended to her. Celestia walked over a put a hoof on Rainbow Dash's shoulder.

"I am so glad you're alright, Rainbow Dash. I am so sor-"

"Save it, and she's in the back of the train, your Highness."

Celestia was taken aback by the response but nodded and thanked her. Shining Armour began giving orders to the guards and Luna started directing where the Elements would be going.

"Applejack, where are Twilight and Fluttershy?"

Applejack looked up at the princess and a tear leaked out of her eye but her unreadable expression stayed the same.

"Twilight's in the back of the train and Fluttershy didn't make it."

Luna's jaw dropped as Applejack walked away to join Rainbow Dash and Rarity. Her voice had been devoid of the life and emotion it was usually filled with.

Oh gods of old, what did these poor mares see?"

Celestia picked her way through the train among the living guards and dead soldiers. She walked as if in a trance.

What will I find? Will I find the Twilight I know or another taken her place. A hollow, just like Luna, just as before?

She quickened her pace once she was out of the way of the guards and then broke into a gallop. She burst into the last car to find Twilight sitting next to a dead soldier pinned to the ground by a rusty black sword. It was all too horrifying to see but she bravely cross the thresh hold. Being an immortal doesn't mean you feel any less, it just means you get better at hiding it.

"Oh, Twilight, thank goodness you're safe."

Twilight barely registered her presence at all. Celestia paused before kneeling down next to her student.

"Twilight."

Twilight slowly turned her head to meet the gaze of her mentor. Her tear stained cheeks and blood shot eyes told all the story Celestia needed to know. Twilight reached out and pulled Celestia into a hug and wept into her neck as Celestia stroked her back and whispered to her in soothing tones.

"Somepony close I gather?"

"Yup."

"Okay, let's get you out of here."

"And Vic."

"...and Vic."

They walked out and Celestia floated Vic's body out in front of her, wrapped in a shroud of bloody curtains. They exited the train and Celestia lay Vic down with the other bodies which had been removed from the train in a similar fashion.

Rarity lifted Maximus's body and set it down away from the dead demons. She looked into his big, severe face and saw he looked completely at ease. At peace. She blinked the tears out of her eyes. Rarity whispered a goodbye to him before kissing him on the forehead and walking away.

Twilight levitated Vic away from the rotting demon corpses and set her down next to Maximus. Twilight knelt down next to Vic and began whispering in her ear through her sobbing.

"Vic, I-I don't know if you can hear me b-but I just want to say thank you. For everything. I don't know where you are now or if you are even anywhere but if you are and your listening, thank you for everything that you did. Goodbye, Victory."

Twilight took one last look at Vic's face and saw a faint smile on her lips. A last laugh at Death before taking his hoof.

Celestia took Twilight and put her wing over her, like she always used to, and walked her up to the palace with Shining Armour beside her.