Angel and Devilby Shaq-of-All-TradesChaptersPrologueDevil Among UsA Past Hidden (aka The Plot Thickens)A Fallen AngelSurprise Epilogue (Devil's POV)PrologueOur tale begins with a pony, but she is not the star. No, she is but a player in this game, a necessity to bring in the real stars. Though she will be the beginning and the end, she could just as easily be another. No, the two who truly matter are one whom has been under her care for quite some time, and one who has just begun their life with her. These two are the focus of this story, for the mystery surrounding them is the conflict. Fur of snow, with eyes of blue; Angel be thy name, though it is far from the truth. Fur of ash, with eyes so red; Devil by thy name, though there is far more to be said. Though they may only be bunnies, their conflict may prove more important than any may realize. These two, opposites both physically, mentally, and emotionally, may very well control the fate of Equestria. As they say, big things come in small packages. Oh, do you not believe that such importance is on these two creatures? Then you are truly foolish. Never doubt the power of something because it is small. Take a seed for instance: such a tiny object may one day sprout into a mighty oak, who's roots crush stone and soil, and who's branches reach towards the heavens. Now, take heed of my warning. This story is a tool for teaching. If you can not find the lesson, then you have yet to truly read this work. Fictional though they may be, important the value is for life. Look now into a white world, cleansed of all pain and sadness, where everything may die and everything may be forgotten... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fluttershy carefully wrapped her scarf around her neck, then checked in a mirror. The weather patrol had scheduled a simple week of snow, but due to an error, the town was experiencing a snowstorm that would likely last the rest of the month. Her animal friends who lived outside needed her to feed them regularly, and to check the fires keeping their homes warm. Angel Bunny hopped onto the desk beside her. "Oh, Angel," she said, "Did you need anything?" Angel pointed to his tummy, and rubbed it. Fluttershy understood the message; Angel was hungry. She looked around, and found a carrot. She gave it to the little white bunny, then proceeded out the door. A wall of snow fell onto her, covering her from head to hoof. She popped her head out, only to see Angel's disapproving glare. She smiled embarrassedly, then got out of the snow. She'd have to clean up when she got back. She looked around at the landscape. The sky was dark with clouds, and snow poured down with the fierceness of an angered mare. She shivered and pulled her scarf tighter around her throat. She didn't want to stay out long. She made her way to her shed, and got out the food for her different animal friends. Though there was a huge variety to deal with, none of the animals ate much, meaning she didn't have much to carry. She huffed and grabbed all the food, placing it on her back. The cold wind was harsh; Fluttershy wanted to get back in soon and sit by her warm fireplace. The thought made her smile and quickened her pace. Quickly feeding her animal friends, Fluttershy managed to finish checking all she had to in under fifteen minutes. She just finished in the chicken coop, when she heard a whimper come from the direction of the Everfree Forest. She hesitated; usually sounds from the Everfree Forest weren't good. But the whimpering was so pitiable that she felt she had to go. She walked over past her fence, and saw a dark smudge against all the whiteness. She hurried to it, and nudged it with her hoof. It shivered, and she picked it up. "Oh my!" she gasped. It was an adorable little bunny with soft black fur and an adorable little nose. It shivered in her arms, and felt as if it was near freezing. Fluttershy tucked it into her scarf, and hurried back to her cottage. "Don't worry friend; I'll nurse you back to health." She opened the door carefully, then swept out the snow. She moved quickly to the fireplace and took the bunny from her scarf. She set it down, and it extended outwards towards the heat. Fluttershy tilted her head. "That's strange... you look just like Angel Bunny." At that moment, Angel hopped into the room and onto Fluttershy's head. He looked down to see what she was playing with, then froze in place. Fluttershy gently lifted him off her head and set him on the ground beside the other bunny. "Angel, isn't this cute? There's a little bunny who looks just like you!" Fluttershy said giddily. She put them closer together, though Angel struggled as much as he could against her. She tilted her head confused. "Angel Bunny, don't you want to play with a bunny like you? I know there aren't often many near Ponyville, so having a bunny friend could make you less lonely." Angel Bunny looked at Fluttershy with pleading in his eyes. He pointed to the black bunny, then at the door. The message was quite clear. "Angel Bunny! I could never abandon a cute little critter in a snowstorm. That would be rude!" The bunny began to stir, rubbing its eyes as if waking from a nap. The bunny looked up at Fluttershy, and its eyes became saucers. It immediately sprang up and hugged her neck tightly. She patted the bunny's head, and looked at Angel. He was shaking something fierce. He got up to move when the bunny turned and saw him. Once more it pounced, this time holding Angel Bunny. Angel struggles with all his might to break free, but the bunny held him in a death grip. Fluttershy carefully separated the two. "Now Miss Bunny, we need to give you a name. It won't do just calling you 'Miss Bunny' all the time, oh no it won't!" Flutershy stuck her hoof to her mouth and pondered. The bunny started to hop in place, as though she couldn't wait. She was an energetic little devil, wasn't she? That gave Fluttershy an idea. "Why don't I call you Devil Bunny? You've got so much energy, and it feels right somehow." Devil Bunny hopped high to the ceiling. It seemed she liked her new name. She bounced all around the cottage making happy sounds. Fluttershy smiled, and went to the kitchenette. She had fed her outdoor friends, and now she, Angel, and their guest, Devil, had to eat. She decided the best meal would be a light stew. She set the water to boil, and moved away to her pantry to get the ingredients. She came out and spread the ingredients on the table. She placed a few pieces of bread into the pot, and proceeded to chop up vegetables. When she was done, she moved her attention to mixing some water and flour with butter. Her entire attention was dedicated to what she was doing, so she didn't notice that Devil Bunny had moved behind her and was holding her knife... Angel quickly leaped and knocked over the black bunny, the knife clattering to the floor. The noise shocked Fluttershy from what she was doing, and she turned to see Angel on top of Devil, pinning her down. "Angel Bunny! What are you doing? You know not to play around near knives!" Angel looked at Fluttershy in disbelief. He pointed to Devil, then to the knife, then to her, but the message wouldn't get through. Fluttershy turned back to her cooking, and Angel looked down at Devil. The black bunny smiled at him, and pushed him off. They eyed each other, and in the silent language of the bunnies, they declared war. This would be a battle not only for supremacy, but for survival. Devil Among UsFluttershy had left early in the morning to visit an area with better weather conditions. They needed more food she said. Angel Bunny knew it was true, but he had still tried to stop her. He didn't want to be left alone with her. When she wouldn't stay, he tried to get her to take him with her. He got in her mane, he sat on her head, he held his arms around her neck. She just wouldn't take him. So here he was, staring at his dark doppelganger whom he had hoped to never see again. How did you find me? he asked in the silent tongue of bunnies. He watched her tilt her head, then she snickered. The sound was not unlike a squirrel screaming in pain. You can never get away, she replied. No matter how far you go, no matter how you hide, we shall always be connected. That connection brought me here, and now we're together again. Is that a problem? Angel crossed his arms. It is a very big problem! Even if I didn't hate the very sight of you, I would never let you near Fluttershy. Devil frowned at that. She glanced at the door, then back at Angel. The pony? Angel nodded. So, you're her caretaker. No wonder you were so intent on protecting her. There is no need to worry for her safety, so long as you simply come with me. Angel shook his head vigorously. There was no way he'd ever go anywhere with her. He was uncomfortable with her just being in his general vicinity. This bunny was evil, evil to the core. If he left with her, he doubted he'd ever be safe again. Still, she had managed to track him down, despite all the trouble he went through to escape. There was a reason there were so few bunnies near Ponyville; this wasn't their natural land. They lived far away, closer to the lands of that one zebra he could recall seeing. Angel carefully hopped backwards, watching as Devil mirrored his moves. If you won't accept my generous offer, then I'll be forced to remove the problem. Devil pointed to the picture of Angel and Fluttershy on the mantel. The pegasi needs to go. Angel froze. Fluttershy was much too innocent to suspect that the bunny she had helped would be out for blood. Angel wasn't about to let that happen, not because of him. She did stupid things sometimes, and she wasn't always useful, but he loved her and she him. He looked Devil in the eye. I won't let you lay a paw on her, he vowed. I'm not asking for permission, she retorted. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fluttershy returned later that day, with her hooves full of groceries. She had to visit Manehattan, but at least they had more food. She carefully made her way to the kitchen, barely able to see past the large brown bags. "Oh my... I hope I didn't get too much." She dropped the bags onto the counter, and turned to look for Angel and Devil. "Hello? I'm back. I brought food so you can fill your little bunny tummies..." A crash from the next room made her leap to the ceiling ~~in a similar manner to the time that one pony watched you through the window~~. Devil ran out from the room, with Angel on her tail. The white bunny leaped high and landed on the dark twin, the pair rolling until the collided against the wall. Fluttershy fell down and looked towards them, her little heart beating rapidly in her breast. She walked over, and pulled the two bunnies apart. "Now, now you two! You musn't play so rough; you;ll hurt yourselves. That would be just awful." Devil Bunny looked at her apologetically, and gave her a hug. She hugged her back, and looked to Angel Bunny. "Angel? Do you want a hug as well?" Angel shook his head, but kept a close eye on Devil. Fluttershy wondered at it. Devil turned and looked him in the eye. She smiled, and her grip on Fluttershy's neck tightened slightly. Look, Angel. It could be that simple... Fluttershy kept hugging Devil, but she was getting a bit uncomfortable. It seemed like it was getting harder and harder to breathe. "Um, Devil Bunny? You're holding me a bit tight... Could you please let go?" So simple... Devil taunted until Angel smacked her. She released Fluttershy, and fell to the floor rubbing her cheek. Fluttershy, having regained her breath, turned to Angel Bunny. "Angel! That was rude! You know that we don't hit others!" She scooped up Devil and swung her in her arms like a babe. "Apologize, mister." She held Devil in front of Angel, the latter of which having an annoyed expression. He turned his head, pouting. "Apologize." Fluttershy said more assertively. Don't think you've won, Angel said, as he squeaked an apology for Fluttershy to hear. Satisfied, she put down Devil with a pat, and went to make dinner. She set out a large plate of carrots for the bunnies to split, and turned to make herself a salad. Even when you do good, you're in the wrong, Devil grabbed a carrot and started nibbling at it. Tough break. Of course, it's your own fault. You shouldn't have left the tribe. We're not discussing that. I left that all behind a long time ago. If you hadn't come, I would have liked to keep it that way. Angel grabbed a carrot and started eating it. Devil took another carrot, and gobbled it down in four bites. She was about to start on another when Angel grabbed the plate and devoured them all in a single gulp. That's for earlier. "Angel Bunny!" Fluttershy said shocked. Angel cringed and turned to face her, a cheesy grin on her face. "What has gotten into you? You were supposed to share that with Devil. I want you to go to timeout mister, and think about how selfish you were!" Angel looked from her, to Devil, then back again. Dropping his head, he hopped over to the corner and sat. This was getting him nowhere. Simply bickering back and forth would only get him in more trouble. He almost wondered if it was worth it when he remembered all that Fluttershy had done for him. He had to keep her safe, even if she didn't realize it. He peeked over his shoulder to see Devil sneaking to Fluttershy's salad while she got more carrots. She sprinkled something in it, something white and powdery. Whatever it was, it most likely wasn't good. Angel moved quickly, leaping onto the table and kicking over the salad. Devil gritted, and Fluttershy investigated. "Angel Bunny, that is enough! You are not allowed any dessert!" While this wasn't much of a punishment, Angel knew Fluttershy was quite mad. Devil managed to get away scotch-free once more. "Now clean up this mess." She handed him a broom and dustpan, and he started cleaning. As he did, he sniffed at the ruined salad. It smelled normal. Angel tried to figure out what Devil could have done to it when a thought struck him. 'Snow,' he thought. 'She tricked me with snow. She's trying to get me on Fluttershy's bad side!' He looked at Devil slowly, and was hit in the face with a snowball. Naturally, Fluttershy was too busy to notice, and the snow blended in with his fur perfectly. You have to keep a cooler head, Devil joked. Did you really think it'd be that easy to stop me? I will bring you back, have no doubt. It's just a matter of time. Angel gulped deeply. It seemed more and more likely that Devil was telling the truth every second. He hoped he could deal with her quickly, otherwise he, and even worse, Fluttershy, would never see their friends again. A Past Hidden (aka The Plot Thickens)Angel stared at the ceiling, his mind drifting frequently between conscious and unconscious. Fluttershy's gentle breaths were all that helped him stay awake. He didn't want to risk falling asleep and leaving her open to Devil's plans. But lo and behold, call the Devil and she shall arrive. She rested a paw on his shoulder, and he froze up. He had let his own guard down. I haven't come to harm you, she assured. His body remained rigid, and he waited for something to happen. Her words meant nothing to him. There was nothing she could possibly say to convince him otherwise- I swear on Father's grave. Angel's body relaxed, and he turned to her with sleep in his eyes. What do you want? It has to be important for you to use that vow. Even you aren't heartless enough to take his name in vain. I want to know why you left. The tribe was in an uproar. Do you know how things have become since you left? Devil looked him in the eye, and he saw genuine sadness. He had to avert his own. I had my reasons... I know it was wrong, but I couldn't stay. You shouldn't have come after me. Angel tried to turn back to Fluttershy, but Devil held his head and forced him to look at her. She held up her paw and placed it against his. Their paws began to glow, as a symbol formed. It intertwined, only making sense if viewed together. Angel snatched it away, but not before feeling Devil's emotions. Don't do that! I still can't believe I haven't found a way to get rid of it... Are you sure you tried? Devil tried to argue. I know you; you're too tenacious to give up so easily. You wanted me to find you. No, I didn't, because I knew how you would act. I just... I was close to finding out how to get rid of it, but I couldn't. This is the only thing I have left of the tribe. I know I abandoned you all physically, but I couldn't make myself do it emotionally. This helps me remember what I gave up... but it also reminds me of the reason I had to leave. Devil looked at Fluttershy, her expression hardening. I could get rid of her so easily... She's so weak, so stupid. It can't be easy for you here. Angel took a moment before saying anything. It's not easy for me... but it's not easy for her either. But we make it work. He smiled. We make it work because she loves me and I love her. That's why we've been together so long. We fit each other. She takes care of me, feeds me, gives me a home. I keep her out of trouble, I protect her, I'm there to comfort her when she's hurting. I will never allow anyone to hurt her. Devil lowered her head. I remember when you told me that.... Angel turned quickly, but Devil had turned her back on him. Get some sleep. I won't do anything to her tonight. But be warned, I will not lose to some pony weakling. It's going to be either me or her, and I refuse to lose without a fight. And I don't play nice-nice. She hopped off, leaving Angel once again alone in the dark, with Fluttershy snoring softly, oblivious to the situation she had become entangled in. Angel hopped over to her and patted her mane. I am so, so sorry I got you into this... he said, more to himself than to her. He hopped to his usual sleeping spot, and curled up into a ball. He fell asleep as soon as his eyelids closed, and he began to dream about the past the days when he had been part of a tribe. The days before he had left forever. The days when he still had a sister... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Angel woke up in a small tunnel. Sunlight peeks through the hole, nudging his mind into wakefulness. He yawned, and looked to his right. A familiar black bundle greeted him. 'Wake up, sleepy head,' he said. The black bundle twitched, then extended into a little bunny, the same as him. It was his sister, Devil. Wait... that wasn't right. Her name was Black Briar. Why had he thought her name was Devil? He shook his head and looked out the hole. His sister would get out and about on her own soon. He started to make his way out of their cubby when Briar tugged at his tail. 'Brother....' she let out a yawn. 'Don't forget about the ceremony later. Father said to not be late.' He rubbed noses with his sleepy sister. He scrambled out of the cubby, and looked at the little village. The bunny village was a series of cubby holes situated on a small plateau. Angel breathed in deeply. ... Why was he calling himself Angel? His name was Snow Heart. He shook his head again. It was weird, as if his memory was being slightly confused. Snow hopped down the slope where he and his sister were staying. Since they were twins, their parents had insisted they share a space. Their father was especially adamant, and as the Tribal Chief, he had final say. 'You need to be ready for when it's your turn, son' he had said. 'Taking care of your sister is a great place to start. Watch over her, and never let danger befall her. She looks up to you, you know.' Snow had been so proud. He still was. That had been a month ago, and in that time he and Black Briar had decided to go through with the bonding ceremony. It was an ancient rite that bunnies could perform only twice in their lives, so the decision for them to bond with each other was a big one. But their love for one another was so great, they never wanted to be separated forever. Snow examined the village with a trained eye. He was destined to be the next Tribal Chief, and he was determined to be just as great, if not greater than his father. He was greeted by many of the other bunnies whom he had known all his life. He waved, not a care in the world. Eventually, he met with some of his friends. Something about them was off though... and why couldn't he remember their names? He tried to look at them closer, when suddenly things began to shift. What was going on? Snow was at the bonding ceremony. He rubbed at his head. Wasn't he just doing something else? His head was throbbing so badly... Then he turned to his sister and all the confusion faded away. It didn't matter. All that matters was that he and his sister would be connected. The village Spiritual Chief held their paws in his own. He began to chant softly, the air filling with the sound of the ancient words. Magic as old as the planet itself fizzled and cracked all around them. The Spiritual Chief's eyes glowed brightly, and he turned on them. 'Speak now thy vows of the heart.' Black Briar went first. 'No matter what happens, even if you grow to hate me, even if we're separated by nature itself, I will find you and bring you home, brother.' Tears were forming in her eyes. Snow could feel them in his as well. 'No matter what happens to me, no matter how difficult it is, I will never allow anyone to hurt you, sister.' The Spiritual Chief closed his eyes, and a burning traveled across the young bunnies' paws. They held in their cries of pain, and just as quickly as it arrived, the pain was gone. They looked at their paws, both of which had fur singed in a haphazardly manner. They removed their paws from the Spiritual Leaders, and placed them together. Suddenly the lines formed a beautiful pattern, and began to glow softly. They were bonded, forever linked. Suddenly, the scene shifted again. It was as if his mind had suddenly blinked out, and he was in the forest near the village. The sky had faded from the bright springy afternoon to a cool night. Why was he out here? As if to reply to his question, a mysterious form appeared. It hopped to him slowly, as if it was injured. He crossed to it. 'Father!' he cried. His father was bleeding from his side, his white fur pink. His paw was to the wound, but blood still poured out profusely. Snow put his paw alongside it, and pushed. 'Father, what happened?!' 'You... must run... my son,' the words come from the Tribal Chief in fits. 'Run... and don't look back. There are things I wish I could tell you... so much you need to know... but I have not the time.' 'Don't say that! We can make it back to the village, we can get you healed!' Snow refused to believe his father, the strong bunny whom he had seen wrestle with a timberwolf and win, would die like this. He was destined to live a long, happy life. He was going to die at a crisp old age. He was going to die with his family by his side. 'Foolish Snow... you always were too kind...' Snow's Father's ears perked up, and he turned back towards where he came. 'You must go, now! This wound... can't be healed. They saw to it... that the poison spread quickly and kept.... the blood flowing.' 'Who, who did this?' Snow asked desperately trying to get his father to follow him to the village. There was so much blood everywhere, it was all over him now. 'Snow... I beg of you... run. If you die... all hope is lost for us. The bunny tribes shall fall... and in their place shall rise something terrifying. An ancient evil... sealed away by our forefathers. Only our blood can open the seal... but they have tainted mine. Your sister... should be spared. They cannot use the blood of a female. You are the key they seek. Now... run child. Run!' As the final 'run' left his mouth, Snow's father died in his arms. Snow held him for a moment, then unleashed a fierce cry of pain. His tears mingled with the blood on his fur, making it even pinker. From deeper in the forest, he heard a strange sound which cut through his heartbroken sobs. Clearly whatever had done this to his father was coming after him next. He had to lead it away from the village. Then, he remembered what his father said. It was only looking for him. The others were safe; only he was in any danger. Taking a final look, Snow laid down his father's corpse. He prepared to hop away, when a voice called to him. 'Brother?' Black Briar looked at her blood-stained twin, and saw the corpse lying on the ground. Her heart skipped a beat, and she collapsed. Snow wanted to run to her, to comfort her, to explain what had happened, but the sound was getting closer. He could hear something clawing at trees at an alarming rate. He hopped away, leaving his sister, his dead father, and all he had ever known behind him. And at the same time, he could feel that he had left his innocence behind; the sweet bunny who would rather sit in a field than get in a fight was dead. He had died alongside his father. There was no more Snow Heart. There was only a sad, broken little bunny. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Angel woke up sweating. He held his head, and looked over at Fluttershy. He hadn't dreamt about that day in a long time. He stretched, and hopped over to the window. Looking outside, he saw that the blizzard was beginning to let up some. Hopefully, the sunshine would appear in a day or two, and he could get help getting rid of Devil. "Angel Bunny... please help me." He turned on the spot, and saw Devil holding Fluttershy by her mane. The pony had been bound, and was lying with a needle pressed to the side of her head. A bead of blood was dripping down her fur. Devil looked at Angel, and gave him a chilling smile. I told you, I'd do nothing to her during the night, Devil said, licking the blood. But I never said anything about the morning.... A Fallen AngelSo, it's finally come to this... Angel stared hard at the bunny he once called sister. You do know her safety is the only thing keeping me at bay, right? I also know that she's the only reason you stay here, Devil kept the needle pressed against Fluttershy's shivering head. So, if I get rid of her now, you'll have nowhere left to go but with me. Back to the tribe where you belong. I'm never going back to the tribe! Angel remembered his dream. If I go back, then the village will be doomed. I'm sorry that you're unhappy Black Briar, but I can't- SHUT. UP. The needle plunged in a bit deeper, and Fluttershy yelped. Devil tugged at her mane, making her to silently whimper. Never call me that name again. I left behind everything until the day when I brought you home. You have no right to call me that, not now, not in front of her. Angel had to play it careful. His sister always had a record of going beyond the necessary boundaries to get what she wanted. It was on of the reasons he had looked out for her when they were younger; if a bunny messed with her, they spelled out their own doom. Now, this psychopath was holding Fluttershy hostage, and he had nothing he could do to stop her. It would take an incredible amount of luck for something to give him the advantage... Knock Knock Knock Angel sent out a small thanks. Somepony was at the door. Since Fluttershy rarely went anywhere, they were hardly likely to leave, and would probably check in on her when she didn't answer. He smiled, then quickly wiped it off of his face when he saw that Devil had come to the same conclusion. She pushed Fluttershy off the bed, then resumed her grip on her hair. She started dragging her to the main room. She motioned for Angel to follow. Answer the door, she said. He raised an eyebrow and folded his arms. What if I don't? Then I shove this needle through her eye and switch to the cleaver. Angel calmly assessed the situation, then hopped to the door as if his life depended on it. Interestingly enough, Fluttershy's life was the one most on the line at the moment. He opened the door and was met face to face with the cyan pegasi, Rainbow Dash. "Hey, Angel, what's up? I need to talk to Fluttershy. Is she in?" Angel wanted with all his heart to nod. He wanted Rainbow Dash to rush in and help him save Fluttershy. But there was no way he could get the message through to her. Instead, he shook his head. Rainbow Dash wasn't convinced though. "Is she trying to chicken out again?" she asked. "We need as many pegasi as we can get to help us clear away these clouds! They're all tapped out on snow, so it'll be easy, even for her!" Angel shook his head again, then began to close the door when a hoof blocked his path. He glared. "Listen, Angel, I think I'll just take a look for myself..." Rainbow Dash tried to force her way in, but Angel grabbed her head and pulled her down. He looked her dead in the eye, and conveyed the message through as best as he could. GO. AWAY. NOW. At last, she seemed to get it. Rainbow Dash backed away slowly, and turned and flew off. A rainbow streak followed her. Angel sighed and wiped at his brow. That had been much too close for his liking. Good job getting rid of her, Devil commented from where she had been watching. Now, it's time to decide, once and for all, how you want to leave here. Are we doing this this the easy way, or the painful way? Angel turned to face her, and saw that she was no longer holding on to Fluttershy. No, she was halfway between him and Fluttershy, most likely to stop him in case he had tried to rat her out. But she didn't seem to realize she had given up her only hold over him. He pretended to think, then looked at Fluttershy. The yellow pegasus looked at him with wide eyes, and he nodded slightly. She caught it, and nodded as well. He let out a huff, then opened his arms wide. Looks like I'll be going back then, sis, he said with as much positivity as he could muster. Though his emotions were fake, his sister's were certainly real. Tears fell from her eyes, as she hopped to him with her own arms outstretched. He hopped to her with considerably less enthusiasm. The two met, a sharp contrast of colors. Devil cried into her brother's shoulder, and he patted her back lightly. It is because she cried so deeply, that she didn't notice her brother slip the needle from her hand. Neither did she notice him raise it up. Angel looked at Fluttershy one last time. Fluttershy averted her gaze. With his heart in his throat, Angel brought down the rounded end of the needle into his sister's head, a small crack resounding. Her eyes glazed over, and she fell to the ground. Angel quickly put his paw to the black bunny's throat, but he couldn't feel a pulse. Why wasn't there a pulse? Oh no, what had he done?! He hadn't struck her that hard, had he? A small pool of blood began to collect. Suddenly, Angel flashed back to the clearing with his father. Once again, he was losing a member of his family. But this time, it had been by his own paw. He had struck down his sister, not some mysterious threat. Tears flowed from him, and a darkness threatened to consume him. A whimper pulled him back ever so slightly from the darkness. It was Fluttershy. He hopped over to her and untied her. Once she was freed, she hugged him tightly. "Oh, Angel, I'm so, so, so sorry!" she cried. "I never ever would have thought that something so awful would happen. I'll go and give Devil a proper ceremony, even though she was so nasty. You just sit here and rest. I'm sorry." Fluttershy set Angel down, and went to pick up Devil. She carried her outside, and went towards the Everfree Forest. Angel simply sat where he had been placed, trying to fight at the darkness clawing its way through his heart. 'I killed my sister,' the only thing going through his mind. Surprise Epilogue (Devil's POV)When I woke up, my head was throbbing. I slowly placed my paw to my heart. It beat faintly. It seemed my weak constitution and anemia had gotten the better of me. Where was I, anyways? And why was my back cold but my tummy warm? I looked around. Everything was white and black, white and black. The world was so blurry, my head began to spin. I closed my eyes and waited for the nausea to fade, when my head began pounding. I place my paw on the spot, and it came away sticky. I looked at it. I was bleeding, or at least, I had bled earlier. I looked around, suddenly more alert. I noticed I was bobbing up and down. I was moving. Turning my head, I saw a mass of pink hair. Suddenly,everything came back. My brother had tricked me, tricked me as he had held me in his arms. He lied with a smile on his face. And I had fallen for it, because I wanted to believe that my brother, the one who had bonded with me and told me he'd always protect me, was still there. I believed that we could go back to the way things were, before father mysteriously died, and I was found in the forest without memory of what happened. I tried to move off of Fluttershy, but I was too weak. If only I could move forward just an inch, I'd roll off of her, and I'd be able to hide myself in the snow. We suddenly came to a stop, and I had to take a moment to figure out why. We had arrived in a clearing, and Fluttershy was taking me off of her back. I kept my eyes mostly closed so she'd think I was still unconscious. "Oh, I'm so sorry about what happened to you, Devil Bunny... Why did you behave like that? Oh, I wish I knew." I was disgusted. This was the creature my brother, my twin brother, had chosen over me. Hatred boiled through me, giving me renewed vigor. I tore out of Fluttershy's grip (???) and grabbed her head. I then looked her dead in the eyes. I know you can't understand me, I said, But know that I will never, ever forgive you. If it's the last thing I do, I will have my revenge. The bonding mark on my paw began to glow faintly, and Fluttershy's eyes widened. "I know that mark!" she gasped. I let go of her, and the mark began to fade. I wondered why it had glowed to begin with. Turning my attention back, I glared at Fluttershy, but the pony was already beginning to act giddy. "That's it! If we can perform the bonding ceremony, then I'll be able to understand why you're so angry!" I looked at the pony with a mixture of confusion, annoyance, and disgust. Bond to a pony? A pony I hated at that? It was ridiculous... but it wasn't too far-fetched. Maybe I had taken things the wrong way. If I bonded with her, then in theory, we'd be able to communicate our feelings to one another. Clearly my brother hadn't simply decided to live with this pony. He had decided to stay because of her though. She was the key to me getting him to return. That meant that if I could reason with her, she might actually help me, despite what had happened. I nodded, showing that I consented to her idea. She let out a 'squee', and picked me up. She quickly ran back the way we came. "I wonder if I should tell Angel Bunny that you're alright..." she wondered aloud, and when she looked at me, I shook my head. If my plan were to work, he couldn't be allowed to know of my plan beforehand. Besides, I hadn't worked out all the details yet. Something had rekindled in my mind, a memory. I remembered that I had seen my brother fleeing, but I couldn't remember what for. It felt important... When we arrived back in the town, Fluttershy ran to a large tree. She knocked on it, and another pony opened the door. The pony looked at me and Fluttershy confused, most likely because of the blood. "Uh, Fluttershy? What's been going on?" Fluttershy quickly explained, and the pony looked at me with suspicion. "Are you sure Fluttershy? I think performing some strange magical ritual with a bunny that threatened your life is a bad idea." "Oh, I'm very sure, Twilight," Fluttershy said. So the pony's name was Twilight, eh? I stored that information, in case it became useful later. "Clearly, there was a misunderstanding between us. When I saw the symbol on her, it reminded me that bunnies are able to perform a special ritual, and it doesn't just apply to them. Unfortunately, they can only do it twice, but she agreed that she'd perform it with me." She quickly switched to a more pleading look. "Please Twilight, I want to know why Devil is so angry. It seems it has something to do with Angel, but I can't tell, and the only one who can perform the ritual is a special bunny or somepony who can use magic." The purple pony let out a sigh, then nodded. She let us in, and closed the door. While the two looked for whatever it was that contained the ceremony, I sat recovering my energy. An owl brought me a carrot, and I nodded my thanks. As soon as I finished it, the pony's were on me. "Ok, I found the ritual," Twilight said, reading something. "This is some complicated magic Fluttershy, and it says that it's permanent. Are you sure that you want to go through with this?" She looked at me again, and I had to restrain myself from glowering. Fluttershy nodded, and Twilight began to read the ancient words. I felt the familiar tingle of energy. Twilight's eyes glowed brightly, and she turned to us. "Speak the words of your vows." "I promise, that I will help you to stop being so angry and alone," Fluttershy told me. I felt my stomach begin to twist. I forced myself to not vomit, and looked her in the eye. I promise to not hurt you, so long as you don't get in my way, I said. The room grew dimmer, and Twilight grew brighter. I felt the familiar burning as a new symbol of bondage formed on my other arm. I saw that the same symbol formed on Fluttershy's leg, albeit much larger. As soon as they finished forming, the room returned to normal, and Twilight collapsed from exhaustion. "I... have no idea... how bunnies manage that," she wheezed out. Easily, considering it is out ritual, I said sarcastically. Fluttershy squeeked. "I... I can understand you!" Fluttershy said. I raised an eyebrow. Clearly, she hadn't completely believed that this would work. Yes, it worked, I said, smiling. Now, let's have a little chat...
PrologueOur tale begins with a pony, but she is not the star. No, she is but a player in this game, a necessity to bring in the real stars. Though she will be the beginning and the end, she could just as easily be another. No, the two who truly matter are one whom has been under her care for quite some time, and one who has just begun their life with her. These two are the focus of this story, for the mystery surrounding them is the conflict. Fur of snow, with eyes of blue; Angel be thy name, though it is far from the truth. Fur of ash, with eyes so red; Devil by thy name, though there is far more to be said. Though they may only be bunnies, their conflict may prove more important than any may realize. These two, opposites both physically, mentally, and emotionally, may very well control the fate of Equestria. As they say, big things come in small packages. Oh, do you not believe that such importance is on these two creatures? Then you are truly foolish. Never doubt the power of something because it is small. Take a seed for instance: such a tiny object may one day sprout into a mighty oak, who's roots crush stone and soil, and who's branches reach towards the heavens. Now, take heed of my warning. This story is a tool for teaching. If you can not find the lesson, then you have yet to truly read this work. Fictional though they may be, important the value is for life. Look now into a white world, cleansed of all pain and sadness, where everything may die and everything may be forgotten... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fluttershy carefully wrapped her scarf around her neck, then checked in a mirror. The weather patrol had scheduled a simple week of snow, but due to an error, the town was experiencing a snowstorm that would likely last the rest of the month. Her animal friends who lived outside needed her to feed them regularly, and to check the fires keeping their homes warm. Angel Bunny hopped onto the desk beside her. "Oh, Angel," she said, "Did you need anything?" Angel pointed to his tummy, and rubbed it. Fluttershy understood the message; Angel was hungry. She looked around, and found a carrot. She gave it to the little white bunny, then proceeded out the door. A wall of snow fell onto her, covering her from head to hoof. She popped her head out, only to see Angel's disapproving glare. She smiled embarrassedly, then got out of the snow. She'd have to clean up when she got back. She looked around at the landscape. The sky was dark with clouds, and snow poured down with the fierceness of an angered mare. She shivered and pulled her scarf tighter around her throat. She didn't want to stay out long. She made her way to her shed, and got out the food for her different animal friends. Though there was a huge variety to deal with, none of the animals ate much, meaning she didn't have much to carry. She huffed and grabbed all the food, placing it on her back. The cold wind was harsh; Fluttershy wanted to get back in soon and sit by her warm fireplace. The thought made her smile and quickened her pace. Quickly feeding her animal friends, Fluttershy managed to finish checking all she had to in under fifteen minutes. She just finished in the chicken coop, when she heard a whimper come from the direction of the Everfree Forest. She hesitated; usually sounds from the Everfree Forest weren't good. But the whimpering was so pitiable that she felt she had to go. She walked over past her fence, and saw a dark smudge against all the whiteness. She hurried to it, and nudged it with her hoof. It shivered, and she picked it up. "Oh my!" she gasped. It was an adorable little bunny with soft black fur and an adorable little nose. It shivered in her arms, and felt as if it was near freezing. Fluttershy tucked it into her scarf, and hurried back to her cottage. "Don't worry friend; I'll nurse you back to health." She opened the door carefully, then swept out the snow. She moved quickly to the fireplace and took the bunny from her scarf. She set it down, and it extended outwards towards the heat. Fluttershy tilted her head. "That's strange... you look just like Angel Bunny." At that moment, Angel hopped into the room and onto Fluttershy's head. He looked down to see what she was playing with, then froze in place. Fluttershy gently lifted him off her head and set him on the ground beside the other bunny. "Angel, isn't this cute? There's a little bunny who looks just like you!" Fluttershy said giddily. She put them closer together, though Angel struggled as much as he could against her. She tilted her head confused. "Angel Bunny, don't you want to play with a bunny like you? I know there aren't often many near Ponyville, so having a bunny friend could make you less lonely." Angel Bunny looked at Fluttershy with pleading in his eyes. He pointed to the black bunny, then at the door. The message was quite clear. "Angel Bunny! I could never abandon a cute little critter in a snowstorm. That would be rude!" The bunny began to stir, rubbing its eyes as if waking from a nap. The bunny looked up at Fluttershy, and its eyes became saucers. It immediately sprang up and hugged her neck tightly. She patted the bunny's head, and looked at Angel. He was shaking something fierce. He got up to move when the bunny turned and saw him. Once more it pounced, this time holding Angel Bunny. Angel struggles with all his might to break free, but the bunny held him in a death grip. Fluttershy carefully separated the two. "Now Miss Bunny, we need to give you a name. It won't do just calling you 'Miss Bunny' all the time, oh no it won't!" Flutershy stuck her hoof to her mouth and pondered. The bunny started to hop in place, as though she couldn't wait. She was an energetic little devil, wasn't she? That gave Fluttershy an idea. "Why don't I call you Devil Bunny? You've got so much energy, and it feels right somehow." Devil Bunny hopped high to the ceiling. It seemed she liked her new name. She bounced all around the cottage making happy sounds. Fluttershy smiled, and went to the kitchenette. She had fed her outdoor friends, and now she, Angel, and their guest, Devil, had to eat. She decided the best meal would be a light stew. She set the water to boil, and moved away to her pantry to get the ingredients. She came out and spread the ingredients on the table. She placed a few pieces of bread into the pot, and proceeded to chop up vegetables. When she was done, she moved her attention to mixing some water and flour with butter. Her entire attention was dedicated to what she was doing, so she didn't notice that Devil Bunny had moved behind her and was holding her knife... Angel quickly leaped and knocked over the black bunny, the knife clattering to the floor. The noise shocked Fluttershy from what she was doing, and she turned to see Angel on top of Devil, pinning her down. "Angel Bunny! What are you doing? You know not to play around near knives!" Angel looked at Fluttershy in disbelief. He pointed to Devil, then to the knife, then to her, but the message wouldn't get through. Fluttershy turned back to her cooking, and Angel looked down at Devil. The black bunny smiled at him, and pushed him off. They eyed each other, and in the silent language of the bunnies, they declared war. This would be a battle not only for supremacy, but for survival.
Devil Among UsFluttershy had left early in the morning to visit an area with better weather conditions. They needed more food she said. Angel Bunny knew it was true, but he had still tried to stop her. He didn't want to be left alone with her. When she wouldn't stay, he tried to get her to take him with her. He got in her mane, he sat on her head, he held his arms around her neck. She just wouldn't take him. So here he was, staring at his dark doppelganger whom he had hoped to never see again. How did you find me? he asked in the silent tongue of bunnies. He watched her tilt her head, then she snickered. The sound was not unlike a squirrel screaming in pain. You can never get away, she replied. No matter how far you go, no matter how you hide, we shall always be connected. That connection brought me here, and now we're together again. Is that a problem? Angel crossed his arms. It is a very big problem! Even if I didn't hate the very sight of you, I would never let you near Fluttershy. Devil frowned at that. She glanced at the door, then back at Angel. The pony? Angel nodded. So, you're her caretaker. No wonder you were so intent on protecting her. There is no need to worry for her safety, so long as you simply come with me. Angel shook his head vigorously. There was no way he'd ever go anywhere with her. He was uncomfortable with her just being in his general vicinity. This bunny was evil, evil to the core. If he left with her, he doubted he'd ever be safe again. Still, she had managed to track him down, despite all the trouble he went through to escape. There was a reason there were so few bunnies near Ponyville; this wasn't their natural land. They lived far away, closer to the lands of that one zebra he could recall seeing. Angel carefully hopped backwards, watching as Devil mirrored his moves. If you won't accept my generous offer, then I'll be forced to remove the problem. Devil pointed to the picture of Angel and Fluttershy on the mantel. The pegasi needs to go. Angel froze. Fluttershy was much too innocent to suspect that the bunny she had helped would be out for blood. Angel wasn't about to let that happen, not because of him. She did stupid things sometimes, and she wasn't always useful, but he loved her and she him. He looked Devil in the eye. I won't let you lay a paw on her, he vowed. I'm not asking for permission, she retorted. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fluttershy returned later that day, with her hooves full of groceries. She had to visit Manehattan, but at least they had more food. She carefully made her way to the kitchen, barely able to see past the large brown bags. "Oh my... I hope I didn't get too much." She dropped the bags onto the counter, and turned to look for Angel and Devil. "Hello? I'm back. I brought food so you can fill your little bunny tummies..." A crash from the next room made her leap to the ceiling ~~in a similar manner to the time that one pony watched you through the window~~. Devil ran out from the room, with Angel on her tail. The white bunny leaped high and landed on the dark twin, the pair rolling until the collided against the wall. Fluttershy fell down and looked towards them, her little heart beating rapidly in her breast. She walked over, and pulled the two bunnies apart. "Now, now you two! You musn't play so rough; you;ll hurt yourselves. That would be just awful." Devil Bunny looked at her apologetically, and gave her a hug. She hugged her back, and looked to Angel Bunny. "Angel? Do you want a hug as well?" Angel shook his head, but kept a close eye on Devil. Fluttershy wondered at it. Devil turned and looked him in the eye. She smiled, and her grip on Fluttershy's neck tightened slightly. Look, Angel. It could be that simple... Fluttershy kept hugging Devil, but she was getting a bit uncomfortable. It seemed like it was getting harder and harder to breathe. "Um, Devil Bunny? You're holding me a bit tight... Could you please let go?" So simple... Devil taunted until Angel smacked her. She released Fluttershy, and fell to the floor rubbing her cheek. Fluttershy, having regained her breath, turned to Angel Bunny. "Angel! That was rude! You know that we don't hit others!" She scooped up Devil and swung her in her arms like a babe. "Apologize, mister." She held Devil in front of Angel, the latter of which having an annoyed expression. He turned his head, pouting. "Apologize." Fluttershy said more assertively. Don't think you've won, Angel said, as he squeaked an apology for Fluttershy to hear. Satisfied, she put down Devil with a pat, and went to make dinner. She set out a large plate of carrots for the bunnies to split, and turned to make herself a salad. Even when you do good, you're in the wrong, Devil grabbed a carrot and started nibbling at it. Tough break. Of course, it's your own fault. You shouldn't have left the tribe. We're not discussing that. I left that all behind a long time ago. If you hadn't come, I would have liked to keep it that way. Angel grabbed a carrot and started eating it. Devil took another carrot, and gobbled it down in four bites. She was about to start on another when Angel grabbed the plate and devoured them all in a single gulp. That's for earlier. "Angel Bunny!" Fluttershy said shocked. Angel cringed and turned to face her, a cheesy grin on her face. "What has gotten into you? You were supposed to share that with Devil. I want you to go to timeout mister, and think about how selfish you were!" Angel looked from her, to Devil, then back again. Dropping his head, he hopped over to the corner and sat. This was getting him nowhere. Simply bickering back and forth would only get him in more trouble. He almost wondered if it was worth it when he remembered all that Fluttershy had done for him. He had to keep her safe, even if she didn't realize it. He peeked over his shoulder to see Devil sneaking to Fluttershy's salad while she got more carrots. She sprinkled something in it, something white and powdery. Whatever it was, it most likely wasn't good. Angel moved quickly, leaping onto the table and kicking over the salad. Devil gritted, and Fluttershy investigated. "Angel Bunny, that is enough! You are not allowed any dessert!" While this wasn't much of a punishment, Angel knew Fluttershy was quite mad. Devil managed to get away scotch-free once more. "Now clean up this mess." She handed him a broom and dustpan, and he started cleaning. As he did, he sniffed at the ruined salad. It smelled normal. Angel tried to figure out what Devil could have done to it when a thought struck him. 'Snow,' he thought. 'She tricked me with snow. She's trying to get me on Fluttershy's bad side!' He looked at Devil slowly, and was hit in the face with a snowball. Naturally, Fluttershy was too busy to notice, and the snow blended in with his fur perfectly. You have to keep a cooler head, Devil joked. Did you really think it'd be that easy to stop me? I will bring you back, have no doubt. It's just a matter of time. Angel gulped deeply. It seemed more and more likely that Devil was telling the truth every second. He hoped he could deal with her quickly, otherwise he, and even worse, Fluttershy, would never see their friends again.
A Past Hidden (aka The Plot Thickens)Angel stared at the ceiling, his mind drifting frequently between conscious and unconscious. Fluttershy's gentle breaths were all that helped him stay awake. He didn't want to risk falling asleep and leaving her open to Devil's plans. But lo and behold, call the Devil and she shall arrive. She rested a paw on his shoulder, and he froze up. He had let his own guard down. I haven't come to harm you, she assured. His body remained rigid, and he waited for something to happen. Her words meant nothing to him. There was nothing she could possibly say to convince him otherwise- I swear on Father's grave. Angel's body relaxed, and he turned to her with sleep in his eyes. What do you want? It has to be important for you to use that vow. Even you aren't heartless enough to take his name in vain. I want to know why you left. The tribe was in an uproar. Do you know how things have become since you left? Devil looked him in the eye, and he saw genuine sadness. He had to avert his own. I had my reasons... I know it was wrong, but I couldn't stay. You shouldn't have come after me. Angel tried to turn back to Fluttershy, but Devil held his head and forced him to look at her. She held up her paw and placed it against his. Their paws began to glow, as a symbol formed. It intertwined, only making sense if viewed together. Angel snatched it away, but not before feeling Devil's emotions. Don't do that! I still can't believe I haven't found a way to get rid of it... Are you sure you tried? Devil tried to argue. I know you; you're too tenacious to give up so easily. You wanted me to find you. No, I didn't, because I knew how you would act. I just... I was close to finding out how to get rid of it, but I couldn't. This is the only thing I have left of the tribe. I know I abandoned you all physically, but I couldn't make myself do it emotionally. This helps me remember what I gave up... but it also reminds me of the reason I had to leave. Devil looked at Fluttershy, her expression hardening. I could get rid of her so easily... She's so weak, so stupid. It can't be easy for you here. Angel took a moment before saying anything. It's not easy for me... but it's not easy for her either. But we make it work. He smiled. We make it work because she loves me and I love her. That's why we've been together so long. We fit each other. She takes care of me, feeds me, gives me a home. I keep her out of trouble, I protect her, I'm there to comfort her when she's hurting. I will never allow anyone to hurt her. Devil lowered her head. I remember when you told me that.... Angel turned quickly, but Devil had turned her back on him. Get some sleep. I won't do anything to her tonight. But be warned, I will not lose to some pony weakling. It's going to be either me or her, and I refuse to lose without a fight. And I don't play nice-nice. She hopped off, leaving Angel once again alone in the dark, with Fluttershy snoring softly, oblivious to the situation she had become entangled in. Angel hopped over to her and patted her mane. I am so, so sorry I got you into this... he said, more to himself than to her. He hopped to his usual sleeping spot, and curled up into a ball. He fell asleep as soon as his eyelids closed, and he began to dream about the past the days when he had been part of a tribe. The days before he had left forever. The days when he still had a sister... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Angel woke up in a small tunnel. Sunlight peeks through the hole, nudging his mind into wakefulness. He yawned, and looked to his right. A familiar black bundle greeted him. 'Wake up, sleepy head,' he said. The black bundle twitched, then extended into a little bunny, the same as him. It was his sister, Devil. Wait... that wasn't right. Her name was Black Briar. Why had he thought her name was Devil? He shook his head and looked out the hole. His sister would get out and about on her own soon. He started to make his way out of their cubby when Briar tugged at his tail. 'Brother....' she let out a yawn. 'Don't forget about the ceremony later. Father said to not be late.' He rubbed noses with his sleepy sister. He scrambled out of the cubby, and looked at the little village. The bunny village was a series of cubby holes situated on a small plateau. Angel breathed in deeply. ... Why was he calling himself Angel? His name was Snow Heart. He shook his head again. It was weird, as if his memory was being slightly confused. Snow hopped down the slope where he and his sister were staying. Since they were twins, their parents had insisted they share a space. Their father was especially adamant, and as the Tribal Chief, he had final say. 'You need to be ready for when it's your turn, son' he had said. 'Taking care of your sister is a great place to start. Watch over her, and never let danger befall her. She looks up to you, you know.' Snow had been so proud. He still was. That had been a month ago, and in that time he and Black Briar had decided to go through with the bonding ceremony. It was an ancient rite that bunnies could perform only twice in their lives, so the decision for them to bond with each other was a big one. But their love for one another was so great, they never wanted to be separated forever. Snow examined the village with a trained eye. He was destined to be the next Tribal Chief, and he was determined to be just as great, if not greater than his father. He was greeted by many of the other bunnies whom he had known all his life. He waved, not a care in the world. Eventually, he met with some of his friends. Something about them was off though... and why couldn't he remember their names? He tried to look at them closer, when suddenly things began to shift. What was going on? Snow was at the bonding ceremony. He rubbed at his head. Wasn't he just doing something else? His head was throbbing so badly... Then he turned to his sister and all the confusion faded away. It didn't matter. All that matters was that he and his sister would be connected. The village Spiritual Chief held their paws in his own. He began to chant softly, the air filling with the sound of the ancient words. Magic as old as the planet itself fizzled and cracked all around them. The Spiritual Chief's eyes glowed brightly, and he turned on them. 'Speak now thy vows of the heart.' Black Briar went first. 'No matter what happens, even if you grow to hate me, even if we're separated by nature itself, I will find you and bring you home, brother.' Tears were forming in her eyes. Snow could feel them in his as well. 'No matter what happens to me, no matter how difficult it is, I will never allow anyone to hurt you, sister.' The Spiritual Chief closed his eyes, and a burning traveled across the young bunnies' paws. They held in their cries of pain, and just as quickly as it arrived, the pain was gone. They looked at their paws, both of which had fur singed in a haphazardly manner. They removed their paws from the Spiritual Leaders, and placed them together. Suddenly the lines formed a beautiful pattern, and began to glow softly. They were bonded, forever linked. Suddenly, the scene shifted again. It was as if his mind had suddenly blinked out, and he was in the forest near the village. The sky had faded from the bright springy afternoon to a cool night. Why was he out here? As if to reply to his question, a mysterious form appeared. It hopped to him slowly, as if it was injured. He crossed to it. 'Father!' he cried. His father was bleeding from his side, his white fur pink. His paw was to the wound, but blood still poured out profusely. Snow put his paw alongside it, and pushed. 'Father, what happened?!' 'You... must run... my son,' the words come from the Tribal Chief in fits. 'Run... and don't look back. There are things I wish I could tell you... so much you need to know... but I have not the time.' 'Don't say that! We can make it back to the village, we can get you healed!' Snow refused to believe his father, the strong bunny whom he had seen wrestle with a timberwolf and win, would die like this. He was destined to live a long, happy life. He was going to die at a crisp old age. He was going to die with his family by his side. 'Foolish Snow... you always were too kind...' Snow's Father's ears perked up, and he turned back towards where he came. 'You must go, now! This wound... can't be healed. They saw to it... that the poison spread quickly and kept.... the blood flowing.' 'Who, who did this?' Snow asked desperately trying to get his father to follow him to the village. There was so much blood everywhere, it was all over him now. 'Snow... I beg of you... run. If you die... all hope is lost for us. The bunny tribes shall fall... and in their place shall rise something terrifying. An ancient evil... sealed away by our forefathers. Only our blood can open the seal... but they have tainted mine. Your sister... should be spared. They cannot use the blood of a female. You are the key they seek. Now... run child. Run!' As the final 'run' left his mouth, Snow's father died in his arms. Snow held him for a moment, then unleashed a fierce cry of pain. His tears mingled with the blood on his fur, making it even pinker. From deeper in the forest, he heard a strange sound which cut through his heartbroken sobs. Clearly whatever had done this to his father was coming after him next. He had to lead it away from the village. Then, he remembered what his father said. It was only looking for him. The others were safe; only he was in any danger. Taking a final look, Snow laid down his father's corpse. He prepared to hop away, when a voice called to him. 'Brother?' Black Briar looked at her blood-stained twin, and saw the corpse lying on the ground. Her heart skipped a beat, and she collapsed. Snow wanted to run to her, to comfort her, to explain what had happened, but the sound was getting closer. He could hear something clawing at trees at an alarming rate. He hopped away, leaving his sister, his dead father, and all he had ever known behind him. And at the same time, he could feel that he had left his innocence behind; the sweet bunny who would rather sit in a field than get in a fight was dead. He had died alongside his father. There was no more Snow Heart. There was only a sad, broken little bunny. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Angel woke up sweating. He held his head, and looked over at Fluttershy. He hadn't dreamt about that day in a long time. He stretched, and hopped over to the window. Looking outside, he saw that the blizzard was beginning to let up some. Hopefully, the sunshine would appear in a day or two, and he could get help getting rid of Devil. "Angel Bunny... please help me." He turned on the spot, and saw Devil holding Fluttershy by her mane. The pony had been bound, and was lying with a needle pressed to the side of her head. A bead of blood was dripping down her fur. Devil looked at Angel, and gave him a chilling smile. I told you, I'd do nothing to her during the night, Devil said, licking the blood. But I never said anything about the morning....
A Fallen AngelSo, it's finally come to this... Angel stared hard at the bunny he once called sister. You do know her safety is the only thing keeping me at bay, right? I also know that she's the only reason you stay here, Devil kept the needle pressed against Fluttershy's shivering head. So, if I get rid of her now, you'll have nowhere left to go but with me. Back to the tribe where you belong. I'm never going back to the tribe! Angel remembered his dream. If I go back, then the village will be doomed. I'm sorry that you're unhappy Black Briar, but I can't- SHUT. UP. The needle plunged in a bit deeper, and Fluttershy yelped. Devil tugged at her mane, making her to silently whimper. Never call me that name again. I left behind everything until the day when I brought you home. You have no right to call me that, not now, not in front of her. Angel had to play it careful. His sister always had a record of going beyond the necessary boundaries to get what she wanted. It was on of the reasons he had looked out for her when they were younger; if a bunny messed with her, they spelled out their own doom. Now, this psychopath was holding Fluttershy hostage, and he had nothing he could do to stop her. It would take an incredible amount of luck for something to give him the advantage... Knock Knock Knock Angel sent out a small thanks. Somepony was at the door. Since Fluttershy rarely went anywhere, they were hardly likely to leave, and would probably check in on her when she didn't answer. He smiled, then quickly wiped it off of his face when he saw that Devil had come to the same conclusion. She pushed Fluttershy off the bed, then resumed her grip on her hair. She started dragging her to the main room. She motioned for Angel to follow. Answer the door, she said. He raised an eyebrow and folded his arms. What if I don't? Then I shove this needle through her eye and switch to the cleaver. Angel calmly assessed the situation, then hopped to the door as if his life depended on it. Interestingly enough, Fluttershy's life was the one most on the line at the moment. He opened the door and was met face to face with the cyan pegasi, Rainbow Dash. "Hey, Angel, what's up? I need to talk to Fluttershy. Is she in?" Angel wanted with all his heart to nod. He wanted Rainbow Dash to rush in and help him save Fluttershy. But there was no way he could get the message through to her. Instead, he shook his head. Rainbow Dash wasn't convinced though. "Is she trying to chicken out again?" she asked. "We need as many pegasi as we can get to help us clear away these clouds! They're all tapped out on snow, so it'll be easy, even for her!" Angel shook his head again, then began to close the door when a hoof blocked his path. He glared. "Listen, Angel, I think I'll just take a look for myself..." Rainbow Dash tried to force her way in, but Angel grabbed her head and pulled her down. He looked her dead in the eye, and conveyed the message through as best as he could. GO. AWAY. NOW. At last, she seemed to get it. Rainbow Dash backed away slowly, and turned and flew off. A rainbow streak followed her. Angel sighed and wiped at his brow. That had been much too close for his liking. Good job getting rid of her, Devil commented from where she had been watching. Now, it's time to decide, once and for all, how you want to leave here. Are we doing this this the easy way, or the painful way? Angel turned to face her, and saw that she was no longer holding on to Fluttershy. No, she was halfway between him and Fluttershy, most likely to stop him in case he had tried to rat her out. But she didn't seem to realize she had given up her only hold over him. He pretended to think, then looked at Fluttershy. The yellow pegasus looked at him with wide eyes, and he nodded slightly. She caught it, and nodded as well. He let out a huff, then opened his arms wide. Looks like I'll be going back then, sis, he said with as much positivity as he could muster. Though his emotions were fake, his sister's were certainly real. Tears fell from her eyes, as she hopped to him with her own arms outstretched. He hopped to her with considerably less enthusiasm. The two met, a sharp contrast of colors. Devil cried into her brother's shoulder, and he patted her back lightly. It is because she cried so deeply, that she didn't notice her brother slip the needle from her hand. Neither did she notice him raise it up. Angel looked at Fluttershy one last time. Fluttershy averted her gaze. With his heart in his throat, Angel brought down the rounded end of the needle into his sister's head, a small crack resounding. Her eyes glazed over, and she fell to the ground. Angel quickly put his paw to the black bunny's throat, but he couldn't feel a pulse. Why wasn't there a pulse? Oh no, what had he done?! He hadn't struck her that hard, had he? A small pool of blood began to collect. Suddenly, Angel flashed back to the clearing with his father. Once again, he was losing a member of his family. But this time, it had been by his own paw. He had struck down his sister, not some mysterious threat. Tears flowed from him, and a darkness threatened to consume him. A whimper pulled him back ever so slightly from the darkness. It was Fluttershy. He hopped over to her and untied her. Once she was freed, she hugged him tightly. "Oh, Angel, I'm so, so, so sorry!" she cried. "I never ever would have thought that something so awful would happen. I'll go and give Devil a proper ceremony, even though she was so nasty. You just sit here and rest. I'm sorry." Fluttershy set Angel down, and went to pick up Devil. She carried her outside, and went towards the Everfree Forest. Angel simply sat where he had been placed, trying to fight at the darkness clawing its way through his heart. 'I killed my sister,' the only thing going through his mind.
Surprise Epilogue (Devil's POV)When I woke up, my head was throbbing. I slowly placed my paw to my heart. It beat faintly. It seemed my weak constitution and anemia had gotten the better of me. Where was I, anyways? And why was my back cold but my tummy warm? I looked around. Everything was white and black, white and black. The world was so blurry, my head began to spin. I closed my eyes and waited for the nausea to fade, when my head began pounding. I place my paw on the spot, and it came away sticky. I looked at it. I was bleeding, or at least, I had bled earlier. I looked around, suddenly more alert. I noticed I was bobbing up and down. I was moving. Turning my head, I saw a mass of pink hair. Suddenly,everything came back. My brother had tricked me, tricked me as he had held me in his arms. He lied with a smile on his face. And I had fallen for it, because I wanted to believe that my brother, the one who had bonded with me and told me he'd always protect me, was still there. I believed that we could go back to the way things were, before father mysteriously died, and I was found in the forest without memory of what happened. I tried to move off of Fluttershy, but I was too weak. If only I could move forward just an inch, I'd roll off of her, and I'd be able to hide myself in the snow. We suddenly came to a stop, and I had to take a moment to figure out why. We had arrived in a clearing, and Fluttershy was taking me off of her back. I kept my eyes mostly closed so she'd think I was still unconscious. "Oh, I'm so sorry about what happened to you, Devil Bunny... Why did you behave like that? Oh, I wish I knew." I was disgusted. This was the creature my brother, my twin brother, had chosen over me. Hatred boiled through me, giving me renewed vigor. I tore out of Fluttershy's grip (???) and grabbed her head. I then looked her dead in the eyes. I know you can't understand me, I said, But know that I will never, ever forgive you. If it's the last thing I do, I will have my revenge. The bonding mark on my paw began to glow faintly, and Fluttershy's eyes widened. "I know that mark!" she gasped. I let go of her, and the mark began to fade. I wondered why it had glowed to begin with. Turning my attention back, I glared at Fluttershy, but the pony was already beginning to act giddy. "That's it! If we can perform the bonding ceremony, then I'll be able to understand why you're so angry!" I looked at the pony with a mixture of confusion, annoyance, and disgust. Bond to a pony? A pony I hated at that? It was ridiculous... but it wasn't too far-fetched. Maybe I had taken things the wrong way. If I bonded with her, then in theory, we'd be able to communicate our feelings to one another. Clearly my brother hadn't simply decided to live with this pony. He had decided to stay because of her though. She was the key to me getting him to return. That meant that if I could reason with her, she might actually help me, despite what had happened. I nodded, showing that I consented to her idea. She let out a 'squee', and picked me up. She quickly ran back the way we came. "I wonder if I should tell Angel Bunny that you're alright..." she wondered aloud, and when she looked at me, I shook my head. If my plan were to work, he couldn't be allowed to know of my plan beforehand. Besides, I hadn't worked out all the details yet. Something had rekindled in my mind, a memory. I remembered that I had seen my brother fleeing, but I couldn't remember what for. It felt important... When we arrived back in the town, Fluttershy ran to a large tree. She knocked on it, and another pony opened the door. The pony looked at me and Fluttershy confused, most likely because of the blood. "Uh, Fluttershy? What's been going on?" Fluttershy quickly explained, and the pony looked at me with suspicion. "Are you sure Fluttershy? I think performing some strange magical ritual with a bunny that threatened your life is a bad idea." "Oh, I'm very sure, Twilight," Fluttershy said. So the pony's name was Twilight, eh? I stored that information, in case it became useful later. "Clearly, there was a misunderstanding between us. When I saw the symbol on her, it reminded me that bunnies are able to perform a special ritual, and it doesn't just apply to them. Unfortunately, they can only do it twice, but she agreed that she'd perform it with me." She quickly switched to a more pleading look. "Please Twilight, I want to know why Devil is so angry. It seems it has something to do with Angel, but I can't tell, and the only one who can perform the ritual is a special bunny or somepony who can use magic." The purple pony let out a sigh, then nodded. She let us in, and closed the door. While the two looked for whatever it was that contained the ceremony, I sat recovering my energy. An owl brought me a carrot, and I nodded my thanks. As soon as I finished it, the pony's were on me. "Ok, I found the ritual," Twilight said, reading something. "This is some complicated magic Fluttershy, and it says that it's permanent. Are you sure that you want to go through with this?" She looked at me again, and I had to restrain myself from glowering. Fluttershy nodded, and Twilight began to read the ancient words. I felt the familiar tingle of energy. Twilight's eyes glowed brightly, and she turned to us. "Speak the words of your vows." "I promise, that I will help you to stop being so angry and alone," Fluttershy told me. I felt my stomach begin to twist. I forced myself to not vomit, and looked her in the eye. I promise to not hurt you, so long as you don't get in my way, I said. The room grew dimmer, and Twilight grew brighter. I felt the familiar burning as a new symbol of bondage formed on my other arm. I saw that the same symbol formed on Fluttershy's leg, albeit much larger. As soon as they finished forming, the room returned to normal, and Twilight collapsed from exhaustion. "I... have no idea... how bunnies manage that," she wheezed out. Easily, considering it is out ritual, I said sarcastically. Fluttershy squeeked. "I... I can understand you!" Fluttershy said. I raised an eyebrow. Clearly, she hadn't completely believed that this would work. Yes, it worked, I said, smiling. Now, let's have a little chat...
