My Little Pony 1. Those Bastards!

Introduction.

"Those Bastards!"

A groan of entreating despair etched in the azure coated pony's ear at an astounding volume. The unicorn pony focused her fore hoofs to stimulate the rotting pegasus corpse from sneaking a sample of her insides, holding back in embracing stamina. The ground steadied the desperate pony in her fight for her life, as a wail barked near her left.

"Spinet!"

Spinet recognized the vocalized call in an instant.

"See Saw! Grab my gun, quick!"

The filly, paralyzed from her skull to hoofs, gathered her surroundings quickly but was unable to impel her strength from her struck gaze to Spinet, who of which was helplessly fumbling to escape the walking virus atop her.

"Snap out of it!" The yellow painted filly blinked into reality and raced toward the satchel fallen to her left, speeding her way through the bag to reveal the flintlock. See Saw equipped the lethal object with her magic, aiming it toward the enemy hovered over the struggling pony. The gun shook frantically in the filly's enchantment, causing a bottle of urine to sprint down her back hooves from the fear involved.

A crackle suddenly rocketed at the undead pony, a bullet plunged fairly in the depths of its head. Spinet, easing the flesh dripping pegasus off, faltered at her ability to stand.

"See Saw! What the hell is wrong with you? Learn to fucking shoot already!" The unicorn beside her stomped at the horrid filly.

"Aim Fire, I..."

"Ah, save it!" The scarlet pony dashed up to analyze her ally, crimson slithering down Spinet from the smudged remains of the rancid headless pony beside her. The stench wretched her stomach, while she spewed lumpy fluids out her sandy throat. Her nostrils flared as the smell grew even more putrid than before she threw up her wastes.

"Yah alright? Luckily I was here to end the fuckers life before he got yah. Unlike See Saw, who I need to pick an apple with," a glare was handed to the sulking filly.

"Leave her be," Spinet, striving to regain her breath. "She's only a filly."

"Oh, right. Flint Lock has the best accuracy in the group and he's much younger than her!" Aim Fire huffed, "She needs to grow a pair if yah ask me."

"I'm right here, you know," the dandelion pony hollered over her tears, awhile to overcome her paralysis from the recent occurrence.

"Good. Perhaps you'll get the hint to pull the damn trigger sometime!

"I'm sorry!"

"Nah, yah ain't!"

"Guys!" Spinet intercepted the ongoing dispute. "Let's meet up with the others now. The moon should be rising soon. We need to get going." Spinet, her flat piano striped mane now highlighted with sinking blood and brains, trotted her way to achieve her satchel. She gifted the filly a nudge of sympathy, assisting her to her scared hooves.

Aim Fire handed See Saw a vulgar expression, a glower of scorn. The adolescent pony dropped her head in panging regret.

. . . . . . . . . . .

The area darkened like an unraveled chasm, charcoal drenched the sky above the 3 ponies.

The trees swayed endlessly, shedding leaves in its movement awhile the breeze blew a winters breath through their manes. Shivers arose rapidly among the three.

The crunching sprouted beneath each step caused, tree shavings getting trampled yelped at each stride. Far out, a twig whimpered out of place, Aim Fire paused, ordering the others to follow her lead. Another shell had busted another head a second later.

Engrams young flashed abruptly to Spinet's mind.

"Hold on tight, my love." the stallion of a pink and blue mixed mane appeared.

"On my say so, run. As fast as your legs can hold up. Don't come looking for me, at any circumstance, got it?"

Spinet, hidden inconspicuously behind a jagged stone, her iris's coughing up soggy tears replied, "No...Please Pyros...I don't want you to go.."

The horned stallion, his eyes soaring deep within hers, nuzzled his cheek against Spinet, rubbing the dampness sprung from her face away.

"I love you, Spinet," His head pivoted, and then he faced Spinet for a final moment. "Run! Run, Spinet!"

"The group... They left us." Aim Fire's statement reversed Spinet's mind back into the real world. The unlit fire spoke to Spinet. The group had deserted the area entirely, leaving only faded hoof prints behind. "The traitors took everything! The supplies, the food, everything fucking thing!" Aim Fire spoke in fury; rage seeping through her veins, her muscles throbbed in anger.

"Celestia, fuck me sideways."

Spinet gawked at what her perception brought on. The rest of the herd had left See Saw, Aim Fire, and Spinet on their own. Songbirds sang hideously in the distance along with the outcries of the overpopulated plague.

"Ah shit," Aim Fire bellowed, fastening her haste. "We need tah get outta here."

Amid the zomponies stumbled to attain the boiling warmth of life, the sluggish of their paces donating the time to scurry away from view.

"Well, well, well, we've got alicorns," A green and muddy yellowed Earth pony snarled in disgusted amusement. "Scum!" The stallion sliced at the night baring alicorn, a wound hounding out bits of her blood, the decreased viscosity flowing down from her hind leg.

"Leave her be!" Atlas, blue and green striping his mane, pleaded in horror at the sight of his soul-mate being injured viciously. Cetus started intently at the blood, riding up to pound the Earth pony in the jaw, a bullet flashed at that instant, dug its way into his hind leg.

"I shall not allow resistance from you hideous fiends," trotting from across the cricketing flames, formed a shadow of a unicorn with a weapon hung over it, bewitched.

A cloak curtained the mysterious entity pacing intimidatingly, mocking her identity 'till she flung the hood from her head, revealing dark evergreen eyes of a disturbing power, the fire adjusted a deep spark in both irises. Casting a look at the bleeding weakling, she grinned comically.

"You must all pay for the chaos you've all caused."

Cetus let out a defensive cry, "We haven't done a thing. We had nothing to do with the Royalty!"

Ignoring Cetus's statement, she glared at the agonized female kneeled down to cease pressure on her searing leg. A hoof fell in the eyes of Brimstone, wet gray covering her face as the blood merged along her coat, the ground knocked heavily into her head, her breath beating out of her. The ferocious pony, feeling righteous, heighted her stance above Brimstone.

"You all have brought this on yourselves. As alicorns, you all have the blame for this misfortune caused upon all of Equestria." The anonymous pony signified. "Your faults lie amongst the fate's of all ponykind. See here, her pain represents the catastrophe you've chosen for the land. Everypony across Equestria is suffering from the insolent thoughts, not giving a mighty damn of the living surrounding you. The torture is never ending, as you're witnessing."

The noose written along the flank of the ominous pony illuminated from the nearby beaming flames, ashes carrying with the wind. The young filly being curtained from her sibling Cetus shivered her way past his blockage.

"Hey! Leave my mom alone and stop being a big slobbering weenie!" Sweet Tooth yelped, when a whip clashed against her hooves from an whi handling pony beside her, a look handed from the frustrated leader to the whipping pony. Sweet Tooth scurried behind Cetus. Brimstone, in a tone of a tortured infant, commanded, "Don't you touch her." The wet gray puddled beneath her, her hooves slide across the ground from the muddy crimson river she lays in.

Her legs wobble under her in her attempts to balance her body to stand. "Leave I and my family be.." her throat gurgled from the pint of blood in her mouth, 'We've done nothing wrong."

"Oh, Really?" A trick grew in the vicious mares eye as she pivoted around to Brimstone caught on all fours. A smile spilt from her face, swiftly turning her green iris's in the near left corner of her eye, flames ongoing in the far middle of the two facing each other, Brimstone continued to struggle against her body weight.

"Haven't done anything wrong?" The mysterious pony walked to the rear end of the blood rending black orb of pain. "My family? Not a damn thing in Celestia's book. Yours?"

Her eyes swiftly slide to a pure glare at the family of alicorns, then straight back in the eyes of Brimstone.

"Yours on the other hand, exhibit A." At the instant, the vengeance wielding unicorn raised her double front hooves to a blast in the sides of the injured pony, causing intense hurt to swelled up inside Brimstone, landing from her fall, a sizzling burn ran all around her, concealing her body to a an even darker tar.

Her vocal chords rose horrifically octaves high, her hooves flailed to escape the blazing heat for she couldn't bare. Brimstone scrambled out of the fire, rolling frantically on the ground.

The gray pony with the whip in her magic hollered in terror. "Plague! What should we d-"

"Let her burn."

"But-"

"I mean now, Quartet. Don't sympathize these ruthless bastards. This is what they deserve."

The iron frosted pony escorted her gun toward the cooking body and prayful calls for help. Hesitantly, a bullet drilled its way into the cooking Brimstone, her body then remained motionless.

Plague, the now titled mare, clenched her lightning teeth and scowled at Quartet, who had snuck the gun from her holster. Quartet's ears drooped at Plague's outburst.

"You have the audacity to go against me and go against my orders." Plague reared up in her face. "The monsters who have riddled this world into complete chaos and you stick up for them?"

"They had nothing to do with it."

"How would you know?"

"I knew them before the Reanimation. They had not a thing to do with The Royalty." Quartet answered honestly.

"Atlas had been a traveler who sold antiques. Brimstone was a wielder. Sweet tooth wasn't even born yet and Cetus was studying for a zoologist, working with another pony aiding creatures. They refused to merge their power among the rest of the alicorns."

An eerie silence was a wind around the two conversing ponies. Plague disconnected her believe of Quartet's explanations. After moments of eyes locked, Plague's glare lighten and she twisted her head, trotting off. "Cage them. We'll deal with them at dawn."


	2. Engrams, above and below

Chapter 1 ` "Engrams, above and below."

Spinet.

I saw this coming, the herd ditching us in a drop of a bass. Aim Fire had been wrathful at the sight of their disappearance, awhile See Saw just trotted behind I, sulking quietly. Her self-loathe had been an opposites attraction, being too soft to handle a weapon properly sided with being left behind with the loss of the only pony who had been kind to her and a mother figure since the passing of her sister.

Aim Fire, her sun burnt coat ravished in dry blood and a smell of not having a bath for days, curled her crudeness for being left behind. Their decision was half of her fault. If she hadn't have mocked the alpha ponies fashion on staying in the same location instead of moving forward to Canterlot, where the royals lie, then maybe we wouldn't have been deserted.

Soon before The Reanimation occurred, Equestria had been going downhill. A strange virus was invented, more common in young fillies but still going 'round, assembling the deaths of many. The first symptom had been vivid coughing, where the trachea would swell making it difficult to swallow, residing with loss of eating. The second was coughing up vast amounts of your hearts pumps of life. The third, steady beating of your heart decreasing. Then finally, your heart stops. Straight up, just like that. No plain magic could satisfy the sickness moving all around Equestria. Not even Celestia nor Luna could cease the virus on their own.

A month or so after the realization of the spreading ailment, a group of princesses and princes marched right into Canterlots' borders and sashayed into Celestia's castle, convincing her to allow them to test their entirety of their magic to brawl for a cure. The group referred themselves as The Royalty. Stupid title, yeah. But it was what they went with. Bunch of stuck up, greed groveling cannibals if you ask me. So they developed a cure, granting them all the good reason to keep on keeping on with their scientific whims on saving Equestria, which soon enough would have caused our lands to be infested more on slobbering brain dead ponies as such to the equivalent to them. They were working for a few full moons and were doing tests on fillies and newborns. Could you guess what happened next? A certain test subject had gone wrong, escaped I should say, so cliché and had accentuated my perception beforehand anyhow. So now, all of us had been vagabond. The world had been augmented in ruin, markets of debris and colours misplaced, and the constant alert that everywhere you go, you had to be attentive to your surroundings.

Now, I'm stuck with the most rue-bidding unicorn on the head of Equestria. Not an idea where to go, where to find food, nothing. We just ventured along a path of millions of dust beneath us, Aim Fire muttered curses beyond my own vocabulary, with See Saw dragging her hooves along the ground.

"Douche nuggets of a million fuck rats." Aim Fire continues to rant.

I'm so sick of this.

"Aim Fire, get over it," my eyes circling like a carousal, "You're not helping the situation with your irrational cursing."

"Ah, shove a hoof." She snarled.

"Where are we even going?" the banana coated, tear emptied filly inquired.

I couldn't honestly answer to that. Neither of us could. We were walking into nowhere, an abyss of nothingness. Night finally dropped into view, assuring us that we should keep our eyes open and remain active.

_Oh, Pyros_, I contemplate to myself. _How I wish you were here. _ Pyros Aquarious. My lost love.

The story of us dated way back when we were even fillies. He had been the smart one and I had a problem keeping contact with my work. I adored music, and that was where my priorities succumbed my attention. I had attained my cutie mark playing a keyboard. Oh, how I would love to get my hands on one right about now. So, Pyros, his thick mane like pink lemonade and baby blue skies, was where my affections lied. The day he saved me was the worst of my life, actually. It was just him and I, the day after The Reanimation commenced, and we were on our way to Fillydelphia, where my family had lived. He wanted to take me there because well, every pony said it was safe but I doubt it was, or even is.

That day, a bat pony had hovered over us, flapping above us. Without notice, my head was slammed into a rock. The coal winged pony had pushed me with all its might. I felt the wet warm liquid that trickled down my nose. I had no idea what was going on. My vision faded into a void. I had awakened to a worrying Pyros. Then, the memory of when he told me to run incorporated in my thoughts. I often wondered 6 months later from now, where he is. Guess I'll truly never know.

CETUS.

Sadness washed over me like a cold dripping shower flowing over my head. I mean, I just saw the death of my mother for crying out loud. I've only ever lost one pony that was family. My mentor. . . my friend. . . The greatest scientist in all of Equestria, my grandfather. Sitting in this cage, all I could really do was cradled my shaken sister and witness the bravest pony I knew in existence tremble from incoherent heartache.

My fathers eyes were bloodshot and filled to the brim with tears of saddened anger. My father lost his father in this raging apocalypse and now the mare that had his heart. She was murdered, riding along with line of death, was also his heart. I wish I could inform him of the truth about his fathers demise or I was the reason for the starting of the tragedy in the first place. The dolefulness of my surroundings sent me spiraling back to that wretched memory. The day Equestria transformed into a world of an undead plague. I had the behavior of an adolescent pony trying not to grow up too fast but then again, I compelled myself to being a hard worker and pushing myself to reach my goal, to become a zoologist for I had a intense love for the creatures.

~The Lab~

"Hey, Fluttershy!" I schemed into a non-distinct whisper in attempts to frighten her, I thought she was adorable when scared so I gave in to my chances.

The rawness of her silk hopped along with her lemon body. She had coughed out a cute yelp, as per usual.

"Oh! Cetus. You scared me," stuttered the fur raised pegasus, her hoof scraping the ground nervously.

"So I just talked Grampy into taking us to the labs today," I grinned mischievously, "Such a vulnerable elder pony. "

"Really? He agreed to let us go over to the lab?"

"Well, of course. He's cool for an old stallion. The only problemo is. . . you getting there."

"Huh?" Fluttershy tilted her head in confusion.

"Well. . . regular ponies are not really supposed to let in for exploration of the area BUT if we make it towards his office with being noticed then perhaps. . ."

Fluttershy had not been to thrilled about the sneaking around but she was yearning to get in that lab, her curiosity of how the animals were being treated, with the side of her companion Angel Bunny being one of the test subjects. I was in dripping fortitude to bring her there so they could reunite.

"C'mon. Lets go." I dragged her along with me, clopping our way to his office.

Two guards stood like knight armor suits in a castle hallway, waiting for any trespassers to trot their way in unaccounted for.

I think to myself, _how are we gonna top this off?_

"Tag! You're it!" I slap her flank with my hoof and wing myself down past the guards, the velocity of my speed overflowing.

Fluttershy takes a moment then flies after me.

_Good. They know me well and think that I would be completely loyal. I am but this is for a perfectly good reason._

When I was sure we were out of the guards view, I slugged my wings pace, slowing my hooves to the ground to signal Fluttershy that we could disperse the diversion. My ears perked to the clamp of her hooves settling on the porcelain tiles holding us afloat.

"Do you think they noticed us?" She interrogated the situation.

"Fat chance, now let's get a move on."

We made our path to my Grampy's office, the paintings of numerous past and present ponies colored the moon plastered walls in definite shape. The hoofsteps that made impact to the floor beneath us echoed throughout, with not a guard around to question.

_How odd._ We came across the entrance, I was on the cusp of pushing the door open until my friend and companion stopped me dead in my place. She gave me a gaze of a confounded pony in their first realization in lucid dreaming.

"Uhm... Cetus?" She uttered softy, her voice was like being wrapped in a blanket on Hearths Warming Eve, so overly serene and dreamy.

"Yes?" "You. . .Why did you touch my bare flank?"

I experienced my pupils dilated in marvel.

"Uhm. Uh."

In that second, the door went ajar and a dash of breath winded from me. I purposely leaned against the slightly crack door that I had already spilt open a bit from when I pushed it from before.

"Hello?" Scruffy and elderly as his voice was, I was relieved to hear from him.

_Phew. _

I praised to Celestia forcing the door to gape to where I could follow through into his office, beckoning the sweet, creamy Fluttershy along beside me. The stallion stood colossal, his powder green mane to the peanut buttered coat. His tag that had balanced on his desk, written in crystal gray, freshly identified him as Plum Pudding. The room was a boiled silver with a hint of pure, unsanitary vanilla above the surface. The hedges were fashioned with medallions that flashed a wink into your eye, a picture dangled stationary with the body of a lightened chestnut, referred as my Grampy alongside former Princess Twilight Sparkle. The gold medal indicated that he had won some sort of reward for being scientist of the year or some sort of thing.

A beacon of sunlight wavered itself in through the balcony doors, he was up on the seventeenth floor so hey, he was luxurious of getting to fresh air when desired. Beside his peach endeavored desk a file cabinet lounged comfortably with the wall with a typewriter by it's side, sitting atop a brazen box of god knows what. His deepened orange eyes blinked at my appearance.

"Hey, Grampy." I say confidently.

His resonant voice shimmied into my ears. "Ay, my boy. I almost figured you were Luna already returning to counter me when her chess skills," he chuckled. "Impressive but uptight when she's beaten. She can't take a fair beating." "So, you ready to head down to the labs?"

I poked a glance a Fluttershy, checking up on her.

Grampy, his lengthy lab coat scurrying down his flank like a night gown, converted his sitting position to standing on all fours.

"Indeed, I am. Now, what are your reports over again?"

"Over the adversed effect and health issues associated with receiving the incoming medical treatment," I lie smoothly, "You know, stuff in that field. Basic." _Damn, I'm good._

Me, Fluttershy, and Grampy venture our way, I observe through the glass panes noticing ponies and creatures of all sizes being administered a variety of examinations. My eyes intrigued on an actual color other then the cotton that completed the room to a stain of red. I saw the cause of the blood from an almond coated squirrel with bulging eyes, still hacking up its insides. The faculty reared up to rip the curtain around the cot in an instant. My thoughts were in a storming daze.

_What the hell did I just witness?_ I kept silent because I was so mezmorized at what I had just caught a glimpse of. Oh man, I was traumatized and still am. Fluttershy, luckily on her behalf(And mine) didn't catch notice. Her and Grampy were tied up in talking about his work and giving thanks to allowing her to visit the labs. He was just being chubby with his words and actions as usual. In a matter of minutes, we were halted by security.

Grampy revealed his ID, Fluttershy hiding behind him, and we just followed along. Another hall we had to go through, lights more dim and shadows positioning themselves all around, echoing each of our movements. The see through windows spoke in darkened rooms within. It was pretty late so I assumed that the scientists just abandoned their studies for the days outcome.

Finally, Grampy cut off his trotting to turn to a door of vault-like gray and pushed his hoof into a scanner that swiveled celery lines awhile analyzing. A few seconds fly by and a click lighted up my senses as the door opened then. I peeked a eye at the lemon caked pegasus, her butterfly embedded cutie mark shining against the newly founded light emerging from the room from which the door slid exposed with light. I had lone been in this room about once since when I snuck in out of forbidden curiousity, 'course I was apprehended and was brought out of the place, but I still vaguely knew the area well. Memory of a genius, or so I think. Fluttershy had to sqink at the sudden burst of bright lights that exploded from the lab.

Giant glass cages filled majority of the room, creatures of all sorts lie inconsious in the brittle prisons that they slept in. The tiles below me were in frozen white, the light reflecting on it, I could see a blurry vision of my form, looking down.

Fluttershy broke the silence that spiraled around the room.

"Oh, no. We should go," letting her hoof dangle as she held it up, "We wouldn't wanna wake anypony or critters up from their resting."

"Oh, not a worry. That glass is soundproof and vision proof," Grampy explained, "They aren't able to see nor hear any of our movements. Neat, eh?"

"Oh, uhm, sure," she lowered her hoof.

He ambled up to a prickly green table, scattered along it were jumbles of paper scribbled in scientific arts not even I couldn't distinguish. He broke out his magic to stack the papers, grasping them in annoyance.

"Hmmph. Atom's Apple never allows his swelling head to express himself with finite knowledge, " He grumbled, barely audible, "Rotten apple cider he is, as a scientist."

I review Fluttershy, her thoughts set forth on her besieging environment. I obtain the fact she's pretty fascinated at a bat pony, who had just awoken from its slumber.

Grampy cornered to us. "So, you kiddies ready from some learnin'?"

I rounded my eyes at the way he went on with his question, doing it anyways to irritate me.

"Grampy. No."

"Ah c'mere, Fluttershy. I hear you wish to see a certain some bunny."

Her flamingo mane danced as she curved her body at him, excitement thrilling her lashes.

"Angel Bunny?"

He fluttered his head, beckoning her to scoot along with him. They vanish, and I just stuck around. Angel Bunny didn't really like me anyhow, I don't know why, he's just a judgemental rat for all I know. Come to think of it, I may have have called him a rat before. I dont know. Still perplexed on Fluttershy's odd focus on the contained bat pony. I walked cautiously up to it, in attempts to acquire more descriptions from this anonymous charactor.

Its figure detailed in a raven coat, mane a sullen vulture, his eyes beaming out like a fierce cherry. I gave a curious tap of the glass, it isn't laminated, I take note. It pointed out the vibration I had put into the stainless, containment box.

My chest gave a backhanded artic chill. Those blood coating eyes sunk deep in mine. Its mouth proceeded into speaking to me but I hadn't a clue of what it was saying. I release the latches that kept my mouth shut and let myself observed the room for a lever of some sort. Chance doved out of the bed and I caught a button to the rear of the cage. I stomped my hoof to push it in and a voice intercepted the silence that was once available.

"-For you must let me be free." it said in a deep, metallic voice.

"I'm sorry?"

"Release me. Please, I beg of you. I must leave this treachrous prison I have been placed in."

I backed up hesistantly. "What are they doing to you?"

"Release me, then I'll explain."

"Just let me in on it now," I commanded.

He looked tooken aback from my tone, sighing in fortitude.

"I solemnly make an oath to inform you if you get me out if this cramped area, I'll tell you." He was correct, the area had been tiny. I found a lever, stamped below it read **DO NOT OPEN UNLESS AUTHORIZED!. **In my repertoire, I had the veto to either open or leave him contained. The memory of the squirrel have clicked back in the mist of my thoughts. My stomach throbbed sickeningly. _Could this be happening to everypony and creature around here? _I couldn't believe how callous the expressions built on the scientist faces had been figured. They treated the situation like it was a natural occurrence. . .

Before I cognized my actions, the glass fleered up, allowing the escape for the bat-winged pony. The room screeched in flashing scarlet and storming alarms. Moments passed and I caught sight of Grampy, his face contorted in disbelief. Fluttershy had only stood behind him, as terrified and confused as he was. The last thing from that time pass were the cries of Fluttershy and flesh tearing from Grampy's neck, for I was bashed in the head from the flying bat pony.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Spinet.

"Aim Fire, could you slow down?" I huffed, working to catch up to the fastened paced shape speeding way ahead of See Saw and I.

My hooves had grown tiresome so I lacked the force of my speed to an minimum. I had to keep my head down as I ran because well, damn my mane. Flat as it was, it always found a way possible to intercept my eyesight, no matter what I tried.

A second ago, we were all walking oh so very casually down a path of gunky mud and the scent of condensation throughout. Till then now, Aim Fire sunk her teeth into something that clearly enticed her. At last, we were halted by the rushful, intrigued pony that had brought us running in the first place. A questionable object dangled loose in grasp of Aim Fire's teeth. A shine cast from the silver chain that bounced off the suns beam.

It seemed distinct. Deja vu poked the back of my head but I couldn't reflect off my past memories, I had banged my head a few times and well, I couldn't exactly reminiscence the little things.

A treble clef swirled beside a jingling silver bell that softly rang. The dirt rusting over it abducted the fact that it had been left there for days, forgotten. Its essence caused a drastic chill to overpower me indefinitely.

_How in Equestria does that necklace seems so...well-known? _See Saw gawked at it, mystified at it's charming appearance. Aim whipped her jaw into the border of her heavily, unorganized satchel and set the necklace atop a bullet case, black with glazing white reflecting from the suns gaze. "Another item in the bag. If we come across traders, they'd be sure tah accept this stupid necklace," Aim Fire said, beginning to trail back on route, "It's gotta have some great price on it, yah think?" "I bet," I reply, not honestly caring.

We've been walking for two days straight and not even a fresh print to be seen. The moon was in motion to hog the spotlight, indicating that we should most likely set camp for the night. A nice fire to sweat our colds would bout give me a ray of hope to on go my continuance.

"Aim fire, I believe-" I pursued but then interrupted.

"Yeah, yeah." Aim Fire slid her sight all around, then voilà, she spoke up. "'Ver here seems good!"

An apple tree built itself next to the dawn lit glen positioned behind it. The shade looked comfortably well place. We settled our supplies then, ready for some rest. Since beyond the door of yesterdays watch, I had to put off a few hours of sleep and felt like fainting every few moments throughout. One of us over a certain period in the night, would be in charge of patrolling our camp, making absolute sure nothing or anything comes our way and.. You get the idea. In a four leaf clover in a patch of regular clovers, it was See Saw's chance to stay up for a while then was to awake Aim Fire, majority.

I arranged my blanket above the soaking grass that leveled my stance, making myself positive that the edges weren't curled. I despised it and my nerves screeched if my comforter wasn't aligned properly. I had OCD to a minor extent. Okay, to a major extent but it really bugged me to a grieving stage. I took charge of my surroundings, Aim Fire was already bulbing her candle with her incandescent fire maker, settling her body and fixating into a book titled _A Feathers Life, _awhile See Saw had been on her rear, on watch.

Note to take, before this all occurred when Celestia and Luna, especially hadn't been hated by all of Equestria for being too weak because "The Royalty was all of that" in effect they left the kingdom to reside alone, but still offering the control of the moons and suns diversity, I had barely known my two comrades, See Saw wasn't even born yet.

From my travels with them, I'd concluded Aim Fire enjoyed reading as much as See Saw embraced her innocence. See Saw had only to hope this would all in a clamp of a hoof disperse, so she could officially experience playing with actual friends and perhaps have a stable family, that wouldn't get devoured into bits from lethargic, flesh ridding baffles the Royalty has to blame for.

I wasn't able to keep up with my contemplation any longer so before I knew it my vision wavered into darkness. I could only recall a few images from my head amid inconciousness. They seemed so much like memories then dreams to me. My past had been a tad hazy so how could I possible terminate anything was a past thought or dream?

I jumped out of my coat at the hoof quivering on me, mid shake. My eyes exposed Aim Fire in an expression of "Let's get the hell outta here."

"Aim Fire, it isn't my turn yet, leave me a-"

"Get the fuck up,' Aim Fire said, voice raspy and like she had just woke up as well as I.

I brought my head up from dug into my powered blue pillow then my eyes brought me unknown terror. Two stallions hovered guns in our direction with faces of a snake of venom searing out of its teeth. It was still precisely night as told by the distant quarter moon, lighting a bit of our moods.

Like the dolt I was, I started to move my self upwards.

The colt to the right spat his words intimidatingly, "Don't dare to make a move, you hear miss?"

Well, he had some manners I presumed. From the looks of it and me adding their movements up, they were harmless unless insulted highly. So I declared that I shouldn't be a smart flank to them in attempts to start some calamity for my own enjoyment.

They wore bandanna's caked in dry blood and dirt. I pampered my own bandanna of rainbow silk, I won it at a fair. I loved wearing it, I treasured it at my hearts content. I was just drawn to it for some odd reasoning at the time and well, I've wore it since, cleaning it to a certain extent of course. I noticed that See Saw wasn't available in my sights.

_Damn it, See Saw. _I blunder to myself. _No wonder Aim Fire treats you as a liability. _

I'm fully aware that See Saw's young and still a filly, but she's an overly abstracted coward. I'm not meaningfully judgmental whatsoever but it's the element of honesty.

"Give us all your possessions," The one with the nastiest teeth, clenched so his words were devoured by his teeth.

Aim Fire snarled at the two in blithe anger.

"Never! Back your flanks up unless you want them to remain intact!"

The stallion that hadn't open his mouth to speak, clamped a hoof and his voice rose like jolting eyelids, his voice squeaked on his first word during this intervene.

"Shut up and obey us now!" He held his SMG closer to Aim Fire. "We want no trouble."

I painted my voice across our location, taking caution not to attract zomponies.

"Quite frankly, neither do we," He had squeaked again amidst yapping at us, "So hoof everything over."

Aim Fire showered herself in flames and bolted toward them in a sniper shot. She carried her limbs to the stallion who had spoken first, gratifying her aim at him, nailing him critically in the throat. His combat rifle fluttered out of his grasp and struck the ground. His partner was in a stance of loath, too suprized to even move at first.

I sprited at the second stallion, catching him off guard. I didn't dare myself to give him a chance to attack. I drove him roughly down in overpowering might. Aim Fire had been struggling aside me, the unicorn pony had pitched her over, now being above her. He started slamming his hoof in her face, as the blood flooded out , staining his hoof.

Like the smart mare I was, I retreated off the stallion I had been holding down and rushed to her aid, smashing my horn straight into his side, but not enough to puncture his body. Fallen, he whimpered at the pain that swelled his liquid inducing sides. I glanced at Aim Fire, huffing for air, coughing on some blood in the process.

Completely forgetting the pony behind me, my expression had made agonizing impact with the land below me. My head began to spin as I fell to my side. He had winded me, My vision acted like static, I couldn't achieve a observation even if I tried. Darkness was my only companion even after IT happened.


	3. A Constellation Still Unfinished

Chapter 2.

A Constellation Still Unfinished.

**SPINET.**

My eyes connected into reality, but sadly my reality was more of a nightmare. Silver metal bars kept me in a perimeter of a short stick. I noticed Aim Fire crouched beside me, shaking furiously from the frozen atmosphere we were condemned in. I motioned my body standing, starting to observe my surroundings. The moon had been overboard so some light had been a nice engagement in my observations. Aim Fire, I figured, was fast asleep. In the corner of the containment, three alicorns lied. A filly, mane frizzled and puffy of candy corn gazed at me worriedly. I stood where I was awkwardly. I hadn't a clue of this little ponies identification. She had clearly been born in the havoc we now had live in.

Her eyes were like baby green emeralds on a shore of a beach, blasted by Luna's casting night-light.

"Are you one of them?" She questioned, bravely.

I was remarked on how calm she had asked me, considering the experiences I had with See Saw. "One of who?" I knew what she meant, obviously but my ears were ringing in curiosity.

"The meanies."

Well, it was worth a try.

"No. No, I'm not."

I could sense some of her strained muscles began to decrease. I took awareness of the others behind her shifting. One awoke and his eyes bulged out of his sockets. He dashed up to the young filly that I had been conversing with.

"Stay back!"

He commanded roughly. He held the filly as if he was her father, so with magical assumptions I figured that he was in fact the father. The other pony behind him began toward me as well.

_In the name of Equestria.. Cetus? _I didn't want to believe Cetus was in front of me, I shook my head and faced the stallion again. Nope. This really was nightmare. Me and Cetus had a very historical time-line that dated back even when I had befriended Pyros. He was my special somepony for quite a while 'till I left him eventually. A realization transported to me. Atlas had been the one coddling the young filly, I recall Cetus's mother carrying a filly inside her stomach near the time of the Reanimation.

"Stay back, or else," Cetus threatened "heroically".

He had apparently not remembered me. I jumped into a rabbits fur at her lack of noisy movement upon rising from Aim Fire's sleep.

"Who do you think yah are? Where the hell are we?" She inquired.

Cetus heightened his level as he seemed to retain Aim Fire's existence.

"Aim Fire?"

Yeah, a sad piano melody ruptured me into a little pain. It wasn't delightful that he could remember Aim Fire instead of me, considering he never really had knowledge on who she was but I guess I had been trivial with my thoughts.

"Huh? How do yah know my name?"

Taking a step back in void of thought. "It's me, Cetus."

Aim Fire left herself in a state of mind-boggling agitation. I felt a sensation in my skull, it was my own brain sighing.

"Aim Fire, Cetus lived in Ponyville with us, remember?"

The moments went by in sickening silence, then with transit of thought, "Oh, right," she exclaimed in neglect, "Weren't yah the one who hung out with Fluttershy?"

"Yeah," He nodded his head, "Yeah, that was me."

Aim Fire slandered into her less sinister mood, most likely because she took caution of the young filly. She casted her eyes at the cages bottom, trotting to the dull back corner. Atlas had ceased Sweet Tooth, but not removing his eye off of me and especially my red and gray color coded ally. I estimated that he had found himself in her chaos, she was rather the trouble maker, at least from what I had witnessed.

A chill breeze tumbled into my coat, causing me to shiver lightly. The metallic surface didnt give a slight friendship, since it was a conductor it would seem much more like it was possible that absolute zero had been existent. To the best of all of our luck, my back had felt bits of drizzle pounding against it, so rain, like that could possible accommodate our suffering. Cetus reversed himself from his view, aiding his father to cover his young sister from the incoming rain.

I cleared my throat for my question to be brought out clearly.

"May I ask who has captured us?"

"A pack of wild ponies, that's for certain," answered Atlas, voice shaken.

Then, it hit me like a baseball bat clunked the ball into a home run. The team of stallions had brought us here, after I was knocked out by the one I let out of my grasp, so in all logical sense that one mistake converted our mindless walking to this containment that could lead us to death. Well, great. How fantastic is this situation we're stuck in now. I was highly tempted to challenge Cetus where his mother was, but I had the decency of knowledge that she could be long gone and bringing up memories that could shatter glass tears would make matter much worse.

See Saw hadn't been acknowledged in the cage, she had retreated in the beginning. So much for her support, but I was more in worry if she was safe. I'm at least a tad satisfied at her escape. Cetus had been eying me ever since I positioned my body next to Aim Fire, who had been day dreaming. My hoof found it's essence on top of her shoulder.

She began to speak balefully. "See Saw isn't even here, instead she's probably cowarding behind the tree still."

So, she had been at the back of the tree stationed behind us. Aim Fire gave a detail on how she had known of her whereabouts around the time.

"I told her to wait there, not to come out. I saw the two making their way toward us while it was mah turn to guard." She sighed, hinting a bit of pity.

"I wanted tah reassure that I had the situation under control, then when I saw the guns, yah know."

She had tore my sleep open like a giant birthday present, revealing my consciousness to an unaware situation. She let out a dash of gas-like dry ice and settled herself into a sleeping place. I went along beside her, allowing my warmth to satisfy with hers. Outside the bars that held us into this, not a star beamed in the sky, only the moon casted at the out lands. Only in the fraction of one out of four sides had a dull metal blockage, I took in my analysis to assume that fraction that was blocked off, had been the campsite in which the stallions that had been residing there. Throughout this forever-lasting shiver blasting night, I heard a few sneezes and coughing so I had been precise on my accusations.

**Cetus.**

I had my reasons for pretending to only recognizing Aim Fire instead Spinet. We had a history and I wanted to reduce any type of conflict that could've been brought on. I mean, she broke up with me so I figured she not wanted to have even a thought of my existence. I soon told myself that I may have hurt her feelings, but it's not like I meant to, or even wanted too. I spent the night hovering my adolescent sister and keeping watch of my father. Gladly on my behalf, his panic attack from earlier gave him lack of energy and instead allowed him persistence to sleep. After forcing myself to make absolute sure he and Sweet Tooth was asleep, I fell into a dream.

I have a mental ability, it's lucid dreaming. I am able to take action in my dreams and have full awareness that it is a dream, it's a great advantage for no reoccurring nightmares like the partial of my filly-hood. Usually, the dream would always be jam packed with objects I love of, of course this world being safe again. If only, this all would be a dream, but it isn't. I did hope that one day, just one day the lands of Equestria would began anew, with harmony.

By the next dawn, I morphed into a frosted window pane, breaking the ice by a mini jump scare from a nearby banging sound. I was as ear-screeching as a knife scraping across a schoolroom chalkboard. I sprinted up to investigate throughly where the shrilling noise had been coming from. I appeared to be the other side of the closed wall that defending their camp aside from us. When I had been fully cautious and awake, I captivated insight it was the guillotine. I recollected my findings in short exploration from being shoved in this cage of scrutiny, having to be in the scents of droppings because they didn't provide us that luxury, and they had cleaned the guillotine every morning so they were offered by it's infamous glory and its speed of killing.

We've been stuck here for three days now. Day after day, my family and I were in vigor to overhear the sufferings and fleshy cracks of heads being chopped from the neck or limbs if the murderers were feeling frolic to make the ponies die slowly with the pain still attached. My stomach would swerve into wanting to vomit but I held back to be brave for my sister and father. Every pony was all eyes like a filly in fear of lightning from the immense sound of the gruesome murder machine. Spinet and Aim Fire had been more terrified at where the arcane music of hideous howls created by cleaning the guillotine was, I brought them the explanation they deserved. "It's a guillotine," strengthening my lungs to overpower the noise.

"What the hell?" Aim Fire, in a fretful gaze at the forbidden wall, spoke.

In time of what seemed to be a million decades, the noise was footprints on a winter moon. I felt the feeble shaken breaths seize out of her mouth, telling me I should coddle her closer to me to make positive she was absolutely warm. For a few hours of ringing silence and the distant voices and actions from the camp hidden behind the furtive wall, a voice spoke taking me aback.

"Pst. Hey." The voice called to our focus.

I steamed my eyes to shape the figure and then I understood it was her. Quartet, the one who defended us the night of my mothers end and our capture, speak to us every round of Celestia's sun to confirm progression on how getting us out of here was looking. She'd been trying to obtain a key but I could see how it's a harsh statement. I rose myself off my sister who was still aching from a frozen state, promising that I wouldn't take a while planning with Quartet. Her mane was swooped in charming silver with a bobby pin and her coat was chanting wounds that burrowed into her beautiful blue fur. Her oral soundings eased my ears as she the whiff of food coiled my nostrils.

A sack of carrots, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, apples, and more choices that I was dying to consume was there in the reflection of my eyes.

"I brought plenty more for the other residents, I didn't want to let them feel left out," she whispered serenely.

She hoofed me to bag and I gathered all of its contents, of course leaving the occasional apple and few other foods she very much enjoyed. As much as I desired food, I never let greed succeed to me, I was a selfless stallion then.

"Thank you so much, Quartet," I said in mouthwatering gratitude.

She stretched her face in a faint smile, acting skittish as that was one of her personality traits. She induced a reminder of Fluttershy and our days before this world that we once knew as a peaceful, crazy yet fun-loving place where the cupcakes in everyponys heart was pure and innocent. But, now all those happy memories are just sentimental value that calms my nerves and ties me in knots of hope. Sweet Tooth trotted her way up to me and I gave her the food so she and my father could fill themselves with the control that feeds the grumbling that lurks when unfed.

Aim Fire set fire to our distance, interrogating Quartet as if she was a suspect in a crime of a murderous rampage that went about, hunting fillies or so.

"Free us now, whore!" Spinet reared up behind, granting her lack of strength to stinking her hoof out of the box that binded us in on room and damaging her.

"Aim Fire!" She spat out like blood gushing wound, "Stop!" Quartet's beautiful lime eyes shimmered in such awe, her mouth had been gaping out a bit aside of that.

Her eyes became watery in disbelief. The way she stared at Spinet was odd, I asked myself did they know each other?

"Spi-Spinny?" Quartet coughed up in a stutter.

Spinet's mouth drooped within a moments period as she was riddled in recognition at the drop of that name.

"Quarrel?"

Everypony asked that same question from their positions, my father barely awake in the back with my little sister slightly ahead of him. Aim Fire had the most expressioned look of "What in the living hell are these idiots talking about?" where I stood there confused as an apple on a banana tree. The sky had been an icicle of insane penguin weather, even the metal beneath us began to feel as slick as a thief. My breath soared out into clouds eager to figure out what the situation is bringing us. I then had an epiphany. Their coats had been closely identical. . .

"Oh my god, I thought you were dead," Spinet had gentle flowing tears, recycling in her muzzle. "Me too," Quartet replied in gleeful shock. I just had to have a crush on her sister, didn't I?

**Spinet.**

Right before my eyes, I found her. Quartet, my sister. You know that sensation when you borrow an item from a friend and then you shatter its way of existing, drilling a hole of disbelief in your sprinkling chest. That's what I experienced, intense disbelief that my sister had been surviving this whole time in this rebuilt Equestria. She was a touch older than I, therefore she was already living in her own home in Canterlot, owning a part time job that involved musical talents. I lived in Ponyville, attending my last year in school, so we didn't get to see each other much. We visited each other time to time but we had been so caught up in our studies, we hadn't spoke about 3 months prior of the Reanimation. So, seeing her there in front of me, safe and sound.

The necklace, the necklace had belonged to her. A distant memory persuaded me, taking me aback a time where her special somepony had given her the necklace, Fathom. It came clear to me that that was her necklace, and that was why it stalked me into figuring why its pressure was so seemingly informal.

"This is unbelievable," Quartet laughed intently, "I mean all this time, I'd thought you-"

"Right back at you," I said, my mind still in a frantic knot.

I noticed Aim Fire let loose of her eagerness to go into a temper fit, Cetus had been fairly surprised as well. Cetus had not an idea she even existed, as far as I've said. All he really did was talk about himself, so I never had a chance as close as to mention her. A question swerved in my thoughts as opposed to where we were.

"What are you doing here? I mean, why aren't you in a cage or anything?"

"I'm one of the soldiers here, "She hesitated, "I come to visit Cetus and his family to give them proper food and..keep them.. Spinet?"

"Huh?" I said, my teeth clenched and my head was in a was able to tell I was a bit enraged.

I felt as if though it was a convulsion of jealousy but I meant it to be concern for where her relationship with Cetus was heading, I had experienced her in a tremendous state of depression from stallion heartbreak and there was no way, even in this living hell I was gonna let an ass like Cetus take a single tear from her.

"Wait, you guys are blood related?" Cetus, probably with a million thoughts spreading inside his shriveled toddler brain of his, questioned.

"Yes," answered Quartet, "How ironic she gets placed in this cage."

Come to have a thought of it, it was queer that we ended up here. What are the odds? I held up a conversation on how she had ended up in the pair of my eyes. She had been existing in her home with her special somepony, Phantom.

He had been cool, a director but he was uncool when she brought amongst the fact he left her for some hotshot actress. Cetus repetitively paced eagerly, most like in regret for thinking he can cross horns with my sister. Aim Fire kept her mouth to a glimpse a while, then open sesame.

"Oy, hoof over the bobby pin," she ordered, walking over to her expecting her to magically give it up without thought from her mane.

Well what do you know, in Aim Fire's possession it went. not even a sliver of hesitation came to her. After an interval, Aim Fire put all her focus into hacking into the door's lock. A cramp could be detected with a great amount of excessive cursing. The bobby pin then reappeared out of its primitive form, broken in half. Sweet Tooth galloped up to my ferocious ally, shaking her puffy mane. Out arrived a few candy wrappers, a cupcake tray, cookie crumbs, a three bobby pins. Aim festered in excitement, but made certain it was kept to herself.

After her second attempt, the cage squealed ajar in conclusion, leaving Aim with one bobby pin. In Apple Jack's element of honesty, I was astounded beyond belief. With over easy sagacity, Aim Fire had the handy dexterity of picking a lock and the door to our cell had been set free. I laughed contently at this marvelous sight, a gap of hope indented itself in my chest.

Aim Fire, her crimson mane frizzled from the cold and the skies shivering tears, heightened her hoof to serve her statement.

"Now, clearly our items and collectibles arent with us, but with yur help," glaring at Quartet, her wrench portrait like mane dangled along her lashes, having to tuck her mane behind her ears, "we can retrieve them."

"Then be on our way, right? "I asked, well knowing Aim Fire wouldn't agree to leave without a fight.

"No. There are many other cages that need an empty'n will be our final step, but first we need to raise some hell, pony style."

"But, that'll attract the cannibals!" Atlas, impartial able the plan Aim fire was conducting, "They'll be tracking our way."

"No, it'll be tracking their way." Aim fire protested, "I've got an alarm grenade in my bag."

The alarm grenade had been invented from in the herd by a mare named Retro Nostalgia, she was very crafty in mechanics if you were to gossip to me about her but she had been gamare by flank. The AG(alarm grenade) had been activated if only ripping off the cap, and letting it blaze loudly, only to be petrified when contacted with water, but it also contained a hint of caesium so a short distance was to be known at its biggest caution when settling down. It's very useful but they were to be at watch from since they were sensitive to the max.

After about a rabbits thump, Aim Fire flooded us with her escape plan she thought so vigoriously about. She had been in a below transit in hopes her plan would be attained without a sudden extra bunk of this bed we were trying to make.

Those stallions were in for a real treat tonight.


	4. The Rebellion

Chapter 3

_Amnesia._

Equestria, a wasteland full of atomic viruses ready to catapult your life into a vacant hell, where your body is still there but your essence is existent elsewhere. You aren't able to to compel yourself to anything. IT does it for you. When I say It, I refer to the virus. It is a pool of ruin, It is it's own chaos. It is on the cusp of its own absolute monarchy. I am Amnesia, one of the fateful few that has gone so far into not being scribbled in a bloodthirsty, flesh eating rampage. Most ponies haven't made it as far as I did, in fault of not being quick on their hooves.

I, unfortunately, was fond in rapid thought, due to a past that entired the reason. I was a filly of sorrow, agony, and was a home of a hideous pedantry. I spent numerous nights and days in a tent alone of just myself, adjusting to the Reanimations facade. When the Royalty broadcast the first night over our radios, they announced "One of many subjects has abandoned our studies and been at harm with multiple others, but fear not that our land will overcome these battles for the Royalty will and shall fix this with our mighty power."

It's been quite a while now, all I see is that things have gotten fairly non-sequitur, faintly lucid. They've only just been keeping Canterlot as a sanctuary for alicorns, pegasi, and unicorns, not another regular earth pony. I've already made my way up there at one point and let me tell you this, they truly don't give the slightest damn about some earth pony like I. They take earth ponies as a liability and rid them out when scoped out, so there aren't many of us left. I could in all truth be the last pony of my kind.

SPINET.

Aim Fire had forecast that we let on our carry of escape in Luna's garden of night. I respected that as did everyone else. I was in extravagant determination to convince my sister to join us, nohow she agreed the moment I brought it up. I honestly would've dragged her by her mane if she rejected my offer anyway. Though she's older, I was always the protective sibling, especially after our biological father had ceased. I don't want to initiate a pity party, but she went through a real tough time, it was as if she had been in the direction of a flamethrower, constant mood swings, in the aftermath of the burning, scorched in dead roses, symbolic to anger when she had moved to higher grounds instead of over sea levels(At least that's how she forwarded it), she found enough satisfaction with Phantom, a stallion in the movie enterprise, which surprised us to a limelight.

Our birthgiver wasn't exactly thrilled by all of this, Quartet ditching us to live with her special some-pony, but I convinced her that she was of age and had her rights. She had not been satisfied since coins had been tight, but I guaranteed I would participate in working hard for our little home.

"Spinet."

I swirled my thoughts on the path that directed me. It had been Aim Fire. Her hazel eyes sparkled blazed, staring absentmindedly out the cages bindings. On the outside had there been barely a stretch of grass, dust had bubbled superior amongst the ground, and in the distance had there been lengths of a few trees, but nothing much other than that.

My nostrils boiled noisome, like whiffing an unattended litter box. I estimated it was from the remains of the guillotine's massacre fest. It sickened me, but I knew the stench of rotting corpses all to well so it wasn't as bad.

"Are we about to set off?"

"Once your sister activates the AG."

Y'know, I didn't ever agree to the AG, considering it attracts predators so I never savoured it's existence. It's pretty much only effective when water collaborates it, but that makes a powerful noise as well. We were never ants, translation silent. I lay my belly on the washed ground, it lended me chills in my flesh.

"Well, what do you need?"

The lack of reply and her countenance of morose thought gave me slight discomfort. I'm not the best at consoling anyone, until I know of them entirely at most, so honestly I suck in that field all in all. For the most, I try. It's all I have.

"Prepare yourself and the others. Anytime now."

"Ay," I acquired her an answer, leading myself away from her oddness.

Another grain of my memory conjured up my distinctive past, pervading each sequence briefly throughout the cusp of my eyes.

~Forever and Always~

The sun had been pompous, the wind carried out an algid breeze, and shone high in vigilance. Pyros clasped a single hoof around I as together we sat and observed the entire park to it's thriving activity. Butterflies dashed with ears of flight, fillies capered blithely from their games, families and significant couples strolled casually, peacefully as the day seemed rare.

I reered my punturing purple gazers over Pyros, his own so tender and saphiric, in a compound of enduring love for me and such passion. Oh, those eye's I very much crave, forever-lasting. A smirk ignited like clocks in sync, the tenseness of my muscles springing away almost immediately, the sensation he always adopted me in was serene.

"You know, beauty doesn't fit you," he pulled back, "You need more of a stronger title."

"Pretty?" I chuckled, knowing all to well he was going to say something that gurgled my scale of he's just too damn sweet.

"I think your own title should be your only title."

"Eh?" I questioned thoroughly what lane he was driving me down.

"Spinet. You're Spinet," he deattached his comprise on me, and sat his hind stationary in front of me, gorging the back of my head with his gentle, carassing touch. "Your name says it all. It defines who you are and who I love," he gifted me a poke of his horn on mine.

I giggled like a little school mare at his eyes did so with ease. His smile was was a lingering inflictment on my part, we were the reciprical of Shining Armour and Cadence, their love tightening every brillant second they're together. He had been my love, my sunshine... My everything.

"Spinet?" His voice froze. His tone converted to seriousness.

This startled me a little. He was usually... devoloped and complacent, but now he seemed... over-situated.

"Hmm?" I dared to reply.

"Do you believe we'll make it out there?"

"Make it out there? You mean into the world of mature ponies?"

"I mean, us. Together. You and I. As our relationship."

I was a skeptical pony, a huge thought processor. I had a ton of time on my hooves to just remained in constant comtemplation. I gave it some thought prior to that moment and only I could hope for us to be a collaboration for eternity. Guess I didn't give it enough thought. My silence gifted him with the caliber to speak up.

"Of course we will, don't sweat it," he crossed his horn with my own, "Always and forever."

I gave him a star-eyed grin.

"Forever and always."

CETUS.

"Agh!" I squealed as the intense pain was signaled to my brain, "C'mon."

My father, Atlas had been tending my wound the last couple of days, even though it only scraped my leg, the bullet. But he was being very overly protective, ever since... mother. She had a health degree, but her cutie mark had gotten in the way.

"See here son, it's swelling."

"Oh, don't even."

I rejected to being where he was and waddled over to Sweet Tooth and Aim Fire.

"-from the blanket, he stirred." Aim Fire seemed to be telling a story," 'Ay! Stup movin' the sheets, Art Tee!' I said in a grumpy tone."

Sweet Tooth had been highly immersed by each word Aim Fire's developed with vowels, so articulate. I decided to leave them to their stories and noticed Spinet, staring aimlessly out into the distance from our side of this imprisonment. Before I knew it, beside her I was. She had been blinked out by thought.

"Spinet," I spoke up, sweating myself.

I've been on edge with every conversation with her, since me and her were an item. I wondered where Pyros was...

"Yes," she replied, actually moving her limbs but only her head to stare down the ground, with twinkling eyes that rhymed with the bright sunset.

She clearly had been out of it... but the dolt I was, I sparked his existence up.

"Why isn't Pyros w-"

"Shut up!" She intercepted me immediately, her hoof stomped soundly, resonating loudly against the cage was startled beyond my own repertoire, jumping back from her.

I watched her face, tears barely escaping their habitat.

"I'm sorry, I.."

"Please, just go," she pleaded, her vocals an autumn leaf.

"Oh...okay.." I stumbled away, back to my lone father, 'till a shrill erupted my hearing.

I clipped my hooves around my ears. It was like nails on a chalk board. I reversed my head toward the others. Aim Fire rose the fastest.

"That's the signal! Move out!" Her lips read.

_Shit._

My body had been shaken from the surprise, but I had caught on to what my duties were. Quartet informed the guns were stationed about five tents from the head remover. I and Spinet were to await Quartet's arrival, so she could lead us there to grab the guns. Aim Fire and Atlas swiftly worked their muscle endurance to it's extremity, but it budged with their strength combined. Sweet Tooth was to stay with the others.

_Oh, please let this go on safely._

SPINET.

"C'mon, Cetus," I balanced his focus on me for Quartet was a earshot around the corner.

His eyes lingered into mine with a sore bit of terror, but he layered his courage among his expression. Quartet, face piled in black, grimy skidmarks blocking her blue cheeks, signaling her front hoof to move along with the course. Making absolute that the alicorn of nature colours continued in line, I raced with a breathing that robbed the air swiftly. My legs drummed against the desert-like support beneath me, galloping with a quick rhythm behind Quartet, burying my mane to my face to block out the dust being rammed against my face.

After a few twist and turns, a gun storage was abroad. SMG's, rifles, and about a trio of shotguns were placed, alongside a copious amount of ammunition. Aside all of this were our bags. I motioned to Cetus to handle these awhile my sister began gathering the bullets and needed potions, putting me to trace the weapons into each of our bags. Cetus tossed a bag to me, falling over just passed I. I possessed the zip and open sesame.

Aim Fire was jubilant and rich in satisfaction with rifles, so that was my first area to raid. I, myself, was intrigued by the shotguns abilities, so that was my next loot. After intense gathering and hurrying to filling up our bags to their limit, Quartet brought up into the open field. The dusk shone with only few stars blanketing above. Quartet marched up where Aim Fire had been keeping cover, awhile Cetus went on his own. Aim Fire had already achieved a gun and was sharp shooting at our foes. Atlas was held up in a struggle with Sweet Tooth in cover behind a rock.

I equipped an SMG and loaded it with its max, all it could handle and clopped my way over to the nearest crouch point and find a safe aim. Bullets were already flowing eagerly throughout the air, shots bursting and deteriorating over our rebellion. I over-eyed to Aim Fire, then Atlas to practice Aim Fires orders of defense.

I measured a gallon of disturbance over on Atlas' side of the field. Near his flank, in undeniable stealth, crept a winged pony with a rope tied in it's teeth, but they seemed more sighted on Sweet Tooth, being behind him. Quartet's yelps could be heard distinctly beyond the fray that we've rebelled ourselves into. Looking over my perked shoulders, a unicorn was seen with a hoof stuck against her throat. Gasping and alternating between Sweet Tooth and my dear sister, I sat undecisive.

It was accurately my fault; her death.


	5. Memories Lost and Found

Chapter 4.

Memories Lost and Found

SPINET.

Aim Fire had been the first to examine the situation that lurked like an ominous, floating knife that was riveting toward you with bad intentions with complete focus, and blew a bullet Quartet's way and set off over to Atlas and the dangered, but unaware filly, Sweet Tooth's eyes clenched and hooves held over her ears.

As the Pegasus tiptoed to his or her (Whatever) destination to kill furtively, Aim Fire directed Atlas.

"Kneel!" She bellowed to Atlas, still pushing and exerting herself their way, gun following her closely.

Hesitation sneered him until he was bright in realization, sharing space for the gallant, courageous unicorn out to protect Sweet Tooth to jump over to the determined murderer. I buried my attention to my sibling, who had just a second ago been edged in the throat with a horn and what relieved to see she was back on our course, carrying out her duties to our escape. Shots decreased unevenly, in due time. It was odd though.

Everything just simply shut down close to an instant. Was this our victory?

"Quartet!" an anonymous voice called, "Venture out at once or your so-called ally will be eliminated along with the rest of them!"

Now that I think about it... Where was Cetus throughout the rebellion?

I gasped, clamping my mouth shut. I peaked my sight from the lateral of an huge rock I hid behind for cover living certain I was not to get spotted. I transported the thought out of the storage that was my knowledge. After the weapons and necessities he was to unleash the other bounded prisoners. Had he been captured?

Quartet refused to lend the mysterious, seemly ruthless pony that kept what I assumed was Cetus captive. My chest became a blizzard of terror when I heard the ecstasy of the gun yodeling in escape into flesh, sided with a groan of a not so pleasant pain thickening through the shot prisoner.

Continued silence worked so slyly, you could hear precisely the wind beating against the dust and my own heart beating, fastening its flow.

"Alright! That's it! Then so be the eradication of your fellow-" The slaughter of her statement had lowered in pitch to a grunt of exile.

I augmented my courage to direct my weapon to the presumed overruled captivator. I peered overhead of the blockade that aided me as an essential shield to behold of Aim Fire in a hover over the pony that had tried strangling Sweet Tooth and a unicorn I'd never met.

Aim Fire's hues, that were once hazel, were now an entry of a fiery realm of impeccable flames, screaming in disapproval. I took me a moment to process the disturbance that overtook my sight.

Aim's Fire's neck dripped of scarlet waters that gave me a taste of bitter denial.

_Amnesia._

Another day of solitude for myself. That was a never-ending factor for my social status, but I am the one at fault for this resistance. I'd forgotten just about everything when this matter began to reap. My original title is not Amnesia, since I had the slightest on my actual, that's how I referred to myself, some memories seemed to hither out of order, usually in my slumber.

How I've survived like this on my own for an earth pony? I guess it's between a lucky long-shot and the rule of reliance on just my own being. There were a few times I produced an extended life for an individual, but left them as they were since they belonged in groups anyhow. Indeed, there had been requests for me to roam alongside them through this time of trouble, nevertheless I refused their offers, stuck to the rule. Some were benevolent and empathetic enough to leave me off with some of their supplies. Even rejecting still, they insisted for being an inspiration for the troubles I succeeded to break apart from and lend me a prayer in my survival.

That night, from days of thriving through the absolute reality that this Equestria was sick to the tip, I invested in a nearby shelter in what the sign read Sweet Apple Acres.

The sign was rusted of a sunken logo that wilted alongside of it's vacant surroundings. The apples were lurid all around, kept ripe in gruesome, deteriorating states from the apocalyptic environment, so food was going to be scarce for me here too. The ground beneath me was littered in orphaned leaves that crumbled with each step I carried about.

The air bared against my mane like a snowy downfall; my nostrils seemed as though they birthed a frigid, dry colony, also frying my senses with the plugging of unpleasant, stale mucus. A barn house, which was sketched of a scraped red and artillery gray spoke at ease to me. Finally, I had found shelter.

Too tired to loot the house, I made sure no one resided there 'till I made it up the stair case. From the stairs, I managed to push the closest rotting door with my fragile state due to my drowsiness and fatigue and I saw a grand amount of blankets on top of an unused bed that were in position for me to bundle into and wind up the day. My sight was too weary to detect the visuals of the room all I recall is black and white, but no presence had been felt. I gathered every noticeable cover and toppled them over me, curling into a bottle cap. I drifted into what seemed would end up an everlasting coma, and what startled me was the flinging of what I forged in my thoughts to be an arrow.

"Keep stationary or I'll blind yah."

I detected an accent. Somewhat... urban? I thought.

My strategy swung open to a instant, which wasn't really a strategy. It was more of hurried movement, a defense mechanism for my tired self. I back-hoofed the warmth bringers above me and flew right of her position to an flank attempt.

The mare that possessed a mane like an ocean of renegade pollution allied with a tint of the moon inclement of a boiling fog, had been admiringly swift, though I could tell she was highly off-guard, which was unexpected on the behalf of I. I bumped her out in the hallway, knocking her off her hooves. She knelt from her fore-hoofs, wheeled herself around, and penetrated my side next to the stair case.

Near to soaring down the rise and falling steps, I fell sideways at the cusp. The chain that held her slicers barely missed my nose, colliding into the floorboards. In that instant I gripped what had given the knives length and swung her down over me to try to get her to fly down the stairs, but she had an even greater advantage with her wings and layed herself steadily to the core of the downstairs room, making the situation an ironic cluster. ('Cause I wanted her to fly and... yeah. You know.)

The wall for heading downstairs was my trampoline as I bounced to rotate my body to fall atop her, but she tumbled herself aside as I landed onto the ground roughly on the somewhat decaying auburn wood in harsh conditions beneath me as she chuckled her sharp edges at me from under her wings in a frenzy. I bent my body for she accentuated her offense to be throwing knifes in rusted chains that neighed like teeth on a chalkboard and watched her movements eagerly to depict her style.

Royal guard , I could tell but in higher ranks. She had extreme advantage, but never did I halt there.

She zoomed in toward me, leaving me in risks of banging me into the wall and a chance of losing the life I'd accomplished to acquire so far. My hooves scoped out a flexible end in a plank under me that I had the caliber to perhaps render her from victory in this duel of ours. I convinced her with my stepping routine to draw her near the plank. I equipped the mass of my strength to bombard the see saw, but she shifted over me and hinded me into the hedge of the stair-case.

My sight winced on impact and my presence that was once there wavered out of reach. To what I told myself was my fatality, I convinced myself incorrect. She proceeded up the stairs after she analyzed my condition for a filly second, which was a severe amount of head pain and paralysis. I was a bee sting to shift even an inch of muscle. I gave in at that moment, expecting death and accepting it's essence as I lay in a bed of defeat.

Suddenly, a memory of neon colours confessed itself my mid-escape from my inconsciencness. My chest swirled unknowingly of parading glaciers as new evidence was discovered.

~Take Me Back~

The day was brisk, sun-lit, and relaxing. A day of exquisite activity.

When I released the latch of the window nearest me, the way the beam showering my body brought me the warmth of a nurturing filly against his mothers melodic heartbeat, the way the wind brushed alongside my fur like walking near a campfire on a winters night, and even the way the sun buried it's mask of distant burning unto me was exhilarating.

I, with my flank covering a rug of colourful zig-zag opponents that boast of primary art, was immersed in a video game of candy-filled characteristics instead of going out to enjoy the dead end of what was the Winter Wrap-up. To me, this day was treated as if summer.

My parents were out on a picnic to endure the day, so alone I was to an extent. I told them I'd tend to my two filly brothers to the kindness of them not having a lick of worry of trouble on their hooves. I remained in my wonderfully temperatured abode, abundantly cozy to all costs.

I was advancing pretty efficiently in my game so I skipped out on all of that. My tongue derailed from lack of thirst, my saliva began to develop an after-taste like stale cheesecake, considering that was my meal while the early birds were in harmony. A beverage seemed to meander yearningly for my taste buds.

Eventually, lividity became evident for me when the couch was slammed with a controller and I favoured myself to quench my thirst. I was parched like an anger-ridden debater with a speech impediment. I hounded the contents of the fridge, yanking out an apple juice contained carton to satisfy my sentimentality.

Slapping the door closed, beyond the distance between the ladder to the top section of the house was a disorderly choir of filly cries that scorned my ears in annoyance.

The whelps were my responsibility, but I didn't think much of them since I was distracted. I barreled my hues of callous demonic blue and embarked back to the playing of my game. With appealing ignorance, I stayed absorbed in the story line given to me from a disc, other than my reality. Dusk was on it's verge as the front door swerved ajar as traveled in a unison of laughter.

The setting broke into static, dissolving like mold to a timely film. I was in the moment of the catastrophe of resisting breath. I was in an ocean. Pored into my throat were heaps of liquid, that I coughed into a fountain, my eyes were hazy like they were alive under water, and my lungs tried sucking in air but was replaced with algae.

The slit of my throat spoke in gags for I was sprawled across the floor as the splashing of my trachea created stains beneath me from my seas.

That was the first time I was upon the brink of death.

AMNESIA.

A bit of sweat trickled down past my eye awhile I lifted myself, teeth clenched and a severe headache was abroad. My surroundings rounded up and nearest me was a fire young that indicated I was outside and the sky was floating in black. A swarm of aches echoed throughout my body; my back in particular. Every edge of my mouth was dosed with a teaspoon of cinnamon. I'd been out of order for a while with a water supply.

Where was I? I ended up in the Ever-free forest. Distant yowls from timber wolves dissolved throughout the air and the crumbling of flames from the campfire were thieves to oxygen.

"You're pretty nifty with your technique, for an earth pony." The unexpected vox of resonantion above me poisoned my nerves to blush of a cold door closing in my chest.

I was stunned, and I'm still not aware of quite why. Maybe it was I had then awoke because I hadn't been stunned since... Anyhow, my strained neck trembled as I attempted to voice over to her in statement, but my words refused, my voice disabled.

"Now, refresh my mind,' the beating of her wings promoted her body to fall atop the ground, "How the bloody hell you've managed to survive this far?"

The taste of what seemed like rancid lemonade foiled over my mouth, still unable to speak. She continued to circle me, spectating my every move like I was a laser light to a cat. Her forehead rose confoundingly.

"Do you not have a working voice?"

Continued silence. Her expression overheated, speaking more from her slight hush. Smart, I'll say. Since there were flesh-eating animals all around. I was glad she had a degree of some sort that acknowledged her perimeter.

"I flew you in to safety since you were a damned cactus and this is my reward? I know you've the function to speak out so I'd advise you to do so 'less you wan' me to get all laired up 'cause I'm not 'chur fuckin' cob'r!"

"Speak more clearly then!"

"Actually speak!"

The bushes behind me brushed and with a quick slash with the aussie's weapon, out came a eye bulging squirrel, her blade slide tight in its neck. Dragging the blood gushing corpse toward her, she ripped the knife out with her teeth letting it swing back home in what makes a pegasus; her wings.

The campfire continued to babble sparks and tossed smoke into the sky, giving light to her flaring eyes. They were... not the same. One iris was a filly blue and the other was a siren red.

"This will be my dinner, unless you decide to join me."

She made her way to the fire, piling more wood to heighten the flames. I watched her carefully. She didn't act as a threat and I was about dehyadrated passed the bone.

"Look, I'm Amnesia. Thanks for helping me... I guess."

She attacked me so I felt obligated to thank her with an added

"I guess."

"Nightsong," she replied, supporting the fire by rolling in more logs to start cooking the squirrel.

We as ponies took an unexpected turn to cannibalism, feeding on whatever was alive. There was a point in which I had to munch on the remains of a dead pony for the sake of my life. The taste was unbearable as the thought of eating a known pony. Still, it was what we had to do in order to survive.

"I didn't wish to attack yah, mate," she blurted in our unnerving silence, "I have... a somewhat Strange P."

"Strange P?"

Half the words that came out of her mouth was a foreign language.

"Strange Power. I can see ghosts through one eye," she said, sighing with a somewhat ominous tone.

"What?" This pegasus is insane. What's next? She's an alien?

"I have heterochromia iridium, but my red eye has the ability to see the dead and the ghost at SAA was evil. I didn't even notice yah, mate."

"Then, why did you attack me?"

Rolling a final log into the fire, she emptied a knife from her wing and hopped onto a nearby rock. After a blink of my eye, I flinched by the wood shavings that spread across me that instant. The knife dug it's way into the tree, with the squirrel dangling sideways held over the fire. I could already hear the sensation of cooking the poor creature , the festering of it's body lightly kicked my belly in hunger and sympathy. It's fur that what once a pelted fog was forever becoming a stink of baked flesh.

"You," landing from the bulky rock to get closer to the fire, "made the first move. I had to defend myself."

"You told me to stay put or you'd blind me."

Her breath dropped clouds of annoyance. She regulated watch over the blazing squirrel, numbing the fire with dirt to cation overcooking it.

The chain began to spin mechanically, permitting the blood rushing cadaver ruin it's entire physical appearance. I considered that add on for her weapon deemed useful, real hoofy. Impressed, I was.

"I was referring to the ghost I encountered. I've known too many times where they've tried achieving my body and jackin' my identity."

I was completely immobilized; speechless. It was like her mental state desired a helmet.

"It's been done before, so there isn't a path I'm lettin' that happen again, mate," her vocals adopted v from struggling to rip the knife from the tree that possessed our food.

She was weak, her muscles seemed brittle like a tree-house made of soggy paper. After a show of her trying to use her strength to it's maximum, she sat defeated for an interval, then returned from round two.

I felt obligated to step in and contribute in thanks for her helping me out. She could have left me to end up like our dinner, I had to give her something. I wrapped my fore-hoofs around the the chain that set off a stench of burnt pencil shavings that buried into my eyes like an open onion and yanked it from the tree.

Suddenly, the circumference of my belly filled a part of the ground, powered dirt splashing into my already dry nostrils. She shoved me aside so her weapon could retract easier. Otherwise, It could have slashed me. Shaking off the dust that burrowed into my white coat, I resealed my sight to a hoof asking for a stand.

The way she smiled.

It wasn't a happy smile, more of a sliver to laughter, but her eyes matched perfectly with her slight chuckle.

"Sorry, mate. I was try'na make sure you didn't get blasted by my chain."

That feeling was... present. When I first awoke from what I was told a coma, I was shown a photo of a mare that I supposedly knew prior. I couldn't recall who she was but... a strange boom of what was sugary acid stirred in my chest.

I allowed myself a moment to straighten un with her help. The way her hoofs latched around mine...

"I apologize for laughin' at 'chu fall, I mean c'mon you are not able to see some-pony get slapped by the dead any-day. I mean, it's amusing. You dandy?"

"Uhm... Eh?" She's be even cuter if she spoke English.

"Are you okay?"

"Oh... yeah, I'm good, " I replied in a preppy tone.

What in the name of Celestia is happening to me?! This isn't me, why did my reply that way?

I was always a very... desolate being before she had come in my radius. Silence and diligence were the traits that illustrated me as some-pony. She carried a card that I couldn't detect, it's like a new pony was born in me. I bet she's cast a ghostly, spiritual spell upon me! My hypothesis wobbled with barely the will to figure an actual conclusion.

At the time, I was dazed and struck like a stone to spark. We ate awkwardly, with a small distance between us, with not a speck of a spoken vowel. The meat was tough but delicious beyond the saliva that cocooned with every chew.

I imagined it like consuming a frosting-loaded cupcake with an unattended sweet tooth that throbbed for a mouth-watering dessert.

"So, where's your group?"

Son of a...

Her one eye soothed out from her eyelids, toward me. My body impelled into a cold sweat and a bomb of icicles were right on time with her notice. She swallowed promptly, but gave herself some thought.

"I... they.. I fell behind, " she spoke. I sensed she acted seemingly distant.

"Oh. Do you know where we can catch up with them?"

The routine was a precise order. Capture an orphan that's fallen from their group, defend them, and make sure they unite with their cared ones once again. It's the best I could.

"H-have... you heard about what's going on in Canterlot," she asked, the somewhat oddness of her expression worried me... but she was odd anyways.

"Hmm. It's the capital of Equestria, The Royalty rule there now and forbid the existence of Earth Ponies."

"No! They...uh.. They've been takin' in everypony lately. For the sake of the population."

I stared eager to know the reason for her stuttering and sudden nervousness. She couldn't even keep a simple gaze at me. I brushed it off in haste though, stupidly.

"So they were headed up that way?"

"Mmmhmm," she hummed because of all the food that was stuffed in her entire mouth.

"I will be my duty to return you to your group then," and then nodding my head down, "if you wish to."

"Yes! Yeah, thanks... Now I'm gonna hit the frog- Sleep! And.. wake me if any trouble occurs.. heh. Night," She scurried behind the rock, out of my view.

...I totally watched her sleep.


	6. Free yet Confined

Free yet Confined

Not for long though. The smoke and shivering light must've brought attention to the infected. The senses of the Changed(That's how I refered to the undead animals that haunted the lands of Equestria, anyhow) were erect impeccably to the extremity of their abilities. I dashed toward her to wake her when I had glimpsed even the slightest sign of movement beyond my patrol.

I crept silently over to the beautiful star-lifting mare that owned a coat of stern silver that was slapped with moss stains and scraped wounds that harvested patches of dry blood over them, her tail drooped swiping side by side to a light tune off the boulder that her body lay stretched upon, her mane cupping a portion of her face.

"Nightbong," Dammit, "I mean, NightSong!"

I muffled my call with my teeth so I would not draw anymore of those snarling monsters closer to her slumbering body.

"C'mon ge-"

Right then, I collapsed with my bare back striking the floor of the forest. All I could recall at that point was my gore rushing upward to my nostrils at impact from the athletic hoof.

"Wake up!" . . . "Snap out of it, mate!"

A sudden splash knocked me back into reality. My blurred vision was hectic with blinks and the rubbing of my hooves to wipe away the wetness that covered me until my sight was enlarged completely to NightSong, hovering near me but positioned frontward at the door that concealed moans and growls from the outside.

She crooked her perception, diminishing her shoulders in relief I awoke.

"Post-haste, Amnesia! We are flanked!"

I rose in immediate action, my legs not forgetting the lack of sleep and harbouring aches. Hollow bottles were still on the shelves nearby and a giant raven cauldron decorated itself as a restriction from unraveling the door from the other side.

"Where are we?"

"Not entirely positive I know. . ." she looked so worked up and frightened to the extent where her heart beat filled my ears as she spoke, "but I know we are far in the deep end."

"What happened?"

"Look, I have a strange thing with getting woken up, considering my former duties and the state Equestria's in, so I knocked yah out."

"I'm very sorry," she writhed her head at me.

That means I didn't have a memory. It bummed me out, but now was not the time to grieve over my lost memories.

"How are we gonna get out of this?"

"Who, what, when, where, why, how," she accepted the raising of her voice at this point, "I have not a clue, but I'm damn sure I'll get us out of here!"

Carrying her inflicted body, a miniscle limp could be noticed but it didn't seem too superficial. Twigs and remains of cracked leaves were entwined in her mane, a few new cuts viewed out of place from the last I seen her. She finally veered up to the giant pot that held the door from escape, clamping her hooves on it's side.

"C'mon," she rasped, "Bolt for it."

I delayed from the instant "move out" signal. My front hoof dangled from the floor in awe. Was she crazy!? I flipped, barely landing on my feet(Not literally).

"Oh, mercy us Celestia," I gasped in a pound of air and sprinted, my weight flashing toward the now kind of opened door, it swung shut after she went though it, that I assumed was crowded by a mob of weeping, tainted bodies that were once souls but. . . there was nothing, except the natural flow of a shadowed green scenary of short tempered light that casted through the mane of the trees which deemed the forest floor lightly.

Even my breath was stale to my hearing. My eyes searched for a non-stationary object, but all that was caught were the soft, gentle swayings of the grass beneath me. The serenity was limitless, I enjoyed especially the wind darting it's breath against my body, warmth joyriding on it's back. Too bad my sentimental feelings didn't last long.

NightSong's existence returned to me along with noise, my heart festering to escape my chest. Worry prickled throughout my mane that something awful had happened to her on account of being hired for her protection. My hooves began to meander forward with caution, passing further out into the open to maybe fish her out with a more broad sight.

Not really a smart notion. I tumbled to the mid right from a bird that started barreling straight at me. Dodging it's attack, the winged creature's head caused a dent in the path, dust ruining its pompous blue tint that was gifted on its feathers. It picked itself up again and waddled at me with it's flight tools wide. My flank bumped into a tree as I backed away in surprise.

With fast thought processing and a will to survive, I snapped a bone off the tree with the force from my hoof and captivated it with my teeth. It continued to fumble toward me and I aimed the stick right at it's head. Before I could even attack on turn, another winged character laced the creature in its wings tight and tumbling across the clearing with it. It was NightSong! Or. . . Was it?

It was like she secreted fangs in her eyes, her knives chopped off each limb without a wink of mercy not including the head so it could watch itself die off from the world. Her crusted mane was ragged with the forests' remains and she looked as though she swam in a pool of explicit blood. From my point of view, her eyes glittered pure evil, her blue eye that once had the beauty of a stream was now a sinister red, as her other iris that was starved from sight with her half-sided mane concealing that portion of her face. I only managed to catch the colour of it from the sighs of the winds that flew through those moments I observed her.

The bird's body proceeded to violently become uncontrollable, shaking and twitching in the strength of the pain that was eating him alive, blood gushing like biting into something and making it squeeze out the other side. The sight was sickening, but keeping up with my duties to securing NightSong was my main priority.

NightSong whipped her knives carelessly under the flap of her wings.

It took me a moment to actually speak up because no words had been present, really.

"NightSong. . .?"

"Huh? Oh, hah, right," She replied sarcastically, "You."

Oh hell no. "Uhm. . . yeah. Me."

"You should learn how to protect yourself so no one has to save your sorry flank" she went on, "not like that was the reason I jacked your opponent."

Speechless was my middle name, even my breathing softened at the wondering shock of her voice becoming so unpleasant and ungrateful.

"NightSong, are you-"

"Y'know? I only stole your kill for the thrill of being murderous. It's like getting revenge on your lives events. I've always said, 'If you are not satisfied with your outcome, kill the income'."

"What in the name of Celestia are you-"

"Ugh. Celestia, I should've ended her life when I got the chance and-'

"NightSong!"

"This isn't NightSong, you twat!"

When I was a filly, I was picked on with every name carved on my being. The rage bubbled like sudden rainfall. The edge of my hooves dug into the ground in extreme anger.

"I . . am not . . a twat!" My hoof stomped another hole in the ground, a powder of dirt sprung up into my face, but I didn't give a damn.

Her. . . Its expression was smug, but as well as careful. Her eyes cackled judgement at me and it pissed me off. What was happening? I mean, is she insane? Multiple personalities maybe? I was not sure, but there wasn't a chance I was going to let her sass talk me that way.

"You should leave, unless you prefer to bleed out endlessly and suffer 'til your life shatters with a last agonizing breath."

Damn. My fur tangled itself with the company of fear. Well, it wasn't fear, but an uncertainty.

I decided it was time to turn the volume up with my aggression.

"Where the fuck is NightSong? Are you one of her ghosts or something," I spat, "Tell me before your head is ridden from your neck!"

Laughter was it's response, and it had tried throwing me to the wolves with it's amusement. 'Course, it hadn't been effective.

"I swear . . . Your next words better satisfy my question," I threatened, though the stench of my trembling could somewhat be visible.

"Oh, really?" Her flank pummeled to the grassy floorboards.

A deep growl strayed in the back of my throat, my legs clamping angrily to the imposter. It crouched, teeth clenching back at me in an uncouth grin that insisted to daunt me.

"You dare try to attack? Prepare to die!"

Gathering further toward it, I slid by her side swiftly and latched my teeth onto her back leg. She yowled, using the other back hoof to send me flying. My head ached as did everything else really, my back now facing the ground . Choking in air, her hoof caged my throat. I waddled and kicked, but it didn't help.

"Your desires now lie with. . ."

"END THIS NOW, SI!"

My neck loosened up a bit, the pressure still trapping my state. Was she . . . speaking to herself?

It's front legs pulled back from me and fought over it's body's control, grasping on to her temples. I didn't take for granted my time and used this moment to pin her down as she did me, but more cautiously

"Amnesia, lemme go. Now!" NightSongs' original voice returned and I trusted myself enough to release her from my emitted force.

"What just happened, NightSong," I ordered, backing away with my breath riding out of my mouth in a hurry, "Explain!"

Lifting her feeble body, jelly was stored in her legs but she still managed to bring herself to my height. Her stare was apologetic and a dampness was shown at the cusp of her eyeballs, no sadness dripped though. She limped over to the house that we were once trapped in and welcomed herself into its shelter, containing the door shut behind her.

The clouds watching the top of my mane spoke to me with it's fountain of sympathy. I stuck my tongue out to ease my thirst, then made my way through the door to see NightSongs' body sprawled out on the bed, face dug into a pillow.

~Moonlight Howls~

Yelling echoed through the house, vibrating within the walls into every room. I should be use to it by now, it's all I've ever heard in the short 3 years of my existence but being only a young filly, it still traumatized me, the anger that growled out in Fathers vocals had always chilled me to the core and even though he was in a separate room in our house, I could feel his piercing leaf gaze upon my back along with the seething hatred that burned like wildfire beneath his stare. Mothers voice was barely more than a whisper at this point but I knew the extent of the argument that was flickering between them, and it was all because of me. Even at this age I knew I was the cause for this, among various other voice-raising conversations that transferred between them all while my own cries were left silent and unheard. Hot tears burned from my filly blues rolled down my cheeks to the floor as I pushed myself away from the plastered wall, parts of my moon-kissed mane that had become stuck on the wet liquids decent, swept aside as my hoof feverishly scuffed at my face, trying to hide any evidence of my pain before either of my parents decide to check on me.

Sure enough, I heard the doorknob being turned and the tingling sound of magic being cast off, the hinges creaking with the motion of the door as it swung itself shut. I didn't bother turning around, my eyes were still red from crying and my breath refused to return to normal. The shadow that loomed over me caused me to cringe, almost waiting for bitter words to fill my space or even the hard whip of a hoof clipping my ear, but almost instantly relaxed as I felt a warmth embrace me from behind, pale grey fore hooves encased themselves around my petite frame and pulling me back into them. Squirming myself, I managed to spin around to return the hug, burying my entire face into Mothers chest as she rested her head upon my own allowing her cyan and grey mane to fall over her shoulders and her silver eyes close as she pulled us together, pressing my wings tighter to my body but I didn't care, right now this is all I wanted and Mother knew that as she spoke no words and just held me close.

"Silver Whisper!"

I felt her body go rigid as her head snapped up and turned, her eyes wide resting at the doorway of my confinement. Only daring a peak, I looked to see the figure I had always feared, the one I would avoid at any cost.

Father.

His dark orange form stood tall but the stench that wafted through stung my eyes and throat, he had been in his "special" cider although it was more of a clear liquid than the normal coloring that cider would have. Leaf green magic could be seen as he brought the glass to his lips before stumbling into the room, this frightened me and I stole a glance up at Mother scared to speak a word incase it brought up another of their "adult discussions". His ebony mixed orange mane was a sweaty mess that almost covered most of his face down to his darkened muzzle as he stood huffing for a few moments before recollecting himself to stand tall to assert dominance yet only managing to look more sprawled out with his legs spread to keep balance. Mother slowly got to her feet and ushered me to stay behind her while she cleared her throat to speak.

"Sonic Flare, don't you think it's a little too early to be drinking that?"

Her voice went unheard as Father made a few more steps towards us, his eyes trying to focus on Mother once he had come to a stop, faces levelled off as his breath filled her nostrils and how it must of burnt when Mother tried not to gag on the onslaught of alcohol that had infiltrated her lungs. As scared as I was, I had managed to back away without drawing attention from the drunken brute, squeezing myself beneath my bed to hide the existence of their abomination of a child, it's sad that at my age I was acknowledging that that's what I was...At least in Fathers eyes.

His proud lineage of unicorn ancestors had brought him to be extremely picky about any potential partners that may of taken a glance at him by doing extensive research on their family background to ensure that only pure unicorn blood was passed to any of his children, and Mother passed all through all of that like a breeze through the trees...But why had I been born like this? How did two pure blooded unicorns produce a pegasus? There was no fault in any family tree, it was sheer luck that the pegasus gene had passed through somehow, though Father didn't believe that. I have heard him call Mother names and accusing her of "fooling around" behind his back, one of the many arguments that arised on a daily basis and it seemed to be making a comeback and nasty words once more flowed through his voice, mixing in with the heavy scent of alcohol that still reached me under the bed. I closed my own eyes even after I had long heard the door slam shut and earth shattering stomps faded into another room, my body had begun shaking again as I curled into a tight ball with my deep sky blue tail sweeping itself over as a make-shift blanket, lids slowing closing as a heard a faint melody whisper...

"I'll be back for you NightSong...I promise..."

Moonlight shone through the pitiful excuse of a window, landing its calm glow on my face. Somehow I had half moved myself from under the bed as was partially exposed to the outside of the protection space. A small sigh escaped as auds listened closely for any hints of movement from the house and slowly snuck out of the comfort of the enclosed space, my back ached a fraction from sleeping on the floor and a rumbled echoed itself from my stomach making me wonder if I should take a risk to get something small to eat, time was unknown to me but it seemed late enough for Father to have passed out by now, the only thing would be is would he be in his armchair which was located close to the cupboard.

Even the tiniest noise made would wake him and being woken hung-over was worse than his drunken state, it wouldn't be worth the risk..right?

The sharp pain in my stomach answered my question for my and before I knew what I was doing I had left my room and was etching down the stairs, due to the amount of times I had done this, I could almost pick out the exact steps to avoid to keep my presence unknown, although it would of helped more if I was ever taught how to fly

...OK, first. Second. Third. Skip. Land left on the fifth. Sixth. Seventh. Did they replace eight yet?

I kept to my sequence until my hooves touched the wooden floor of the living room, faint light flickered around as the TV was set on mute while the picture flashed on the screen, a quick glance was a wrong choice as I turned back in embarrassment from what the ponies were doing on there, I had only seen this once accidentally but it seemed that it was hurting Mother more than what those ponies were showing or perhaps they weren't doing what Mother and Father were, maybe they were wrestling...yea that's it, that's what they were doing, not what these ponies are displaying.

A loud snore broke me from my thoughts and I made a leap for the closest item that was large enough to conceal me. His shadow loomed large over the ground, flickering along with the colors of the TV as his chest made a steady rise and fall motion with one hoof draped over his liquor bloated belly, several discarded bottles and glasses laid sprawled around his back hooves which were lazily spread just enough to keep his figure from sliding off the chair in his intoxicated slumber. The danger had projected itself to life-threatening as I tip-hoofed my way towards the pantry and carefully opened it a fraction, just large enough to let the limited light through to see what I was grabbing. An apple, that would be perfect for now but where are the small juices that Mother usually places low for me?

My thought was cut off again as another snore filled the air as well as shifting then a grunt, faint clopping of hooves on timber could be heard as I pushed myself into the cupboard letting the door softly shut and the darkness to consume me, my breathing turned short and ragged as I heard him stumble past and the fridge door swing hastily open, a few chugs and a satisfied gasp before slamming the fridge shut and returning to his armchair, hearing it give way from years of use. Trying to keep my breath steady, I stayed in the darkness for a while allowing my eyes and ears to tune themselves to the surroundings then hearing the volume on the television being raised and unidentifiable sounds were being emitted from the speakers, I wanted to take this chance to get back to the confinement of my room so carefully I tucked the apple under my wing which was only just big enough to conceal majority of it, the juice would have to be sacrificed for now as I gently prodded the pantry door with my snout, taking a peek to ensure that my path was clear before sliding out and hiding among my dancing allies, the shadows.

Creeping along the wall was easy enough being so small, but getting up the stairs in the same sequence as before will be troublesome, I could never remember the pattern from the bottom as well as I could from the top but it was either risk it and hope that Father was still in a drunken haze would not notice my small steps or stay down here until he fell back asleep and that seemed like it wasn't going to happen any time soon as a slight chuckle sounded from his cords. Shaking, I gently placed my hoof on the first step, then another, making my gradual ascent. Blue tinged lips pulled back in a smile that almost made me giddy, I had gotten away from it scot-free, Father never even noticed that I had been there that whole time and it made me feel like I wanted to prance about. But that slight happiness soon faded as I misjudged the distance to the next step and felt my hoof slip downwards, and right on instinct, my tiny wings unfurled to steady myself until I heard a sound that made my heart stop. The thumping of the apple as it tumbled down the stairs.

"What in the HAY do you think you're doing?!"

I felt my body freeze as my head made a slow turn only to be met with cold, green eyes that were filled with rage, the moonshine he had been drinking still clung like a deadly cloud on his rancid breath as he made his way to the stairs. For a moment my mind just shut down as by back legs left the ground to meet Fathers chest, making him stumble slightly and curse beneath his breath.

Adrenaline coursed through my blood as I scrambled up the last few steps and just ran to the closest door, slamming it shut and locking it behind me as I heard him fumble up onto the second floor with heavy breath and forceful hoof beats making their way towards my hiding place. I couldn't stop the tears from flowing once I saw the organic colored magic envelop the chrome handle, harshly jolting it to make the lock give way under the pressure.

Never had I so badly wanted to yell out to Mother to come and stop him but if I did she would be hurt also for my stupid mistake, this was the only though that made me bite my tongue from screaming out as the dark orange stallion burst his way into the room, his irises diluted to almost a pin prick in rage that I had left my confinement.

"You…You are the cause of all this. But don't worry, oh no, I'll soon fix you. I'll fix you up real good."

A gambled glimpse up was a terrible fault as I saw his head lower and his horn glow brighter as a full force magic came blasting out, the speed it travelled at left no time for reaction as I felt it hit the left side of my face with enough force to knock me into the back wall, I could feel my conscience slipping as in a blur I saw Father taking steps near me then it turned black. It was only briefly that I believed that I was dead, I was almost ready to accept that fate being the mistake that I was, but something pulled me back, a pair of crimson hued orbs stared back at me from amongst the black abyss that were begging me to return to the living. Then a scream found itself in my mind and again I was brought back.

My vision was still fuzzy from the impact and I could only make out the outline of the one I alleged to be my father, but what I couldn't figure out was who those other ponies surrounding him were. Their bodies were a near ghostly white, so close that they seemed transparent and their legs or should I say lack of, the appendages that would normally be there were not to be seen but all connected in a single tendril wisp, sullen eyes briefly made a pass over me as they passed but had more focus on the stallion that now lay covering in the corner, muttering inaudible words. I was stunned but the next image I saw was the one that made me run for my life.

A foal, couldn't of been younger than myself stepped out, its horn had been snapped clean and strips of flesh were rotting off the body that made the original color of its fur indistinguishable, its innards could be seen from the already decayed parts as well as various bones and tendons that revealed themselves with every movement made but its eyes were the most memorable feature. One metallic green orb was where it was meant to be but the other was left dangling from the socket, holding on with nothing but a mere thread. Its near corroded lips started moving but I had already burst myself through the door and found myself outside among the forest of trees that surrounded our home, I didn't dare to look back as I kept running through the shrubs, stumbling over fallen branches that hid themselves in the dark under growth, I didn't stop until Fathers screams were nothing more than a silent whisper on the breeze and I could no longer feel the intense stare of the foal on my back.

Now scared and alone in the woods, I pushed myself to continue, trying to remember the times Mother had brought me out here to teach me about the nature that surrounded our home but at night everything seemed different, the trees had changed and it felt like they were whispering to me with every step I took to keep going, even when my legs gave way I could still hear it in the rustle of the leaves to continue, the wind stirring up the debris on the ground to swirl around me, like it was trying to give me strength. Taking a moment to rest, I gazed up into the stars and at the vast open space of sky that was their home, the world around me changed in that minute, it was no longer dark and frightening but welcoming. The soft silver hints of moonlight that seeped in through the leaves that played their song when they danced among the breeze to the scurry of animals darting back to their nests after a long day of foraging. Each little sound was its own cord that played a part in the melody that was the night and I wanted to add my own, though I couldn't remember the words, the tune of the lullaby Mother use to sing was written in my mind as I took a breath and joined in the night's harmony.

For what it seemed like hours, I just sat and hummed along, eyes shut to enjoy the peaceful serenity that this place had to offer, then a resonance interrupted, almost like that all sound ceased as my voice caught in my throat, my legs still tired from my sprint into the woods before and with it getting closer I was running out of time to hide. I was on my hooves when the figure came through the trees, a lanky pony the shade of caramel emerged, cinnamon dusted mane shook to clear the fallen foliage as a gun was held by his side in an amethyst hue as he made his way toward me, those purple orbs fixated on me like a cat on a mouse. Finally after a short stare down, he relaxed his gun and returned it to the holster that was strapped to his flank.

"Now what is a filly like yaself doing this far in these parts? Come on, I'll take ya back to the shack and ring ya folk, bet they would be worried sick about cha"

Folk? I think he might mean parents, no they wouldn't worry about me, well Father wouldn't but Mother…maybe she might use it as an excuse to finally leave him, she deserves better than him anyway. With my mind swimming in circles, my legs went into auto and started to follow the caramel pony, only really paying attention whenever the violet hue of magic begun to quiver in my sight becoming weary when it got too close to me. It had only been a little while since we started walking before we had come to a stop in front of a shack, the walls were peeling and the roof seemed like it had one last storm in it before giving way, the hinges of the door screamed as his fore-hoof pushed it open, ushering me inside the dank place. Allowing my eyes to wander, the inside had a lot more cosy feel than the outside had been, a brilliant glow of a fire sparked itself into existence while the cracking of burning twigs were heard to keep it alive, I found myself staring into the flickering flames as they licked the walls surrounding it, smoke rising like silver tendrils dancing with the heat that rose upwards. Feeling a presence come up behind I spun myself away from the warmth of the blaze, the motion causing my mane to fall over my left eye that was throbbing with severe pain, my stance became defensive but I was only met with an empty space. Accepting my fore hoof to leave the earth to ascend towards my eye, I felt it graze over the eyelid causing a worse reaction with an increase of agony that brought a cry of torture to escape my maw and a fresh stream of tears snaked themselves along, falling to the will of gravity. Heavy hoof steps were heard and the stallion came bursting into the scene, a slight worried expression had etched across his face as he made his way over in front of me, evening off his eyes with my own.

"Y'all alright? What's wrong with ya eye there?"

A caramelized hoof was placed on mine with a gentle touch, slowly coaxing my own to drop away and return to the dusted floorboards before lifting his again higher to tilt my head upwards into the light, sweeping my mane away from the orb that, due to a high amount of discomfort, had welded itself shut in order to protect it. A sigh escaped his velvets and stood up, his hoof pointed down a hall where a white room could be seen.

"There's a bathroom down there. Go wash yaself up and I might be able to help ye with that eye."

A mumble of thanks rose into my mouth but my lips refused to move as my legs went auto and carried me once again to the destination that had been shown. Entering from the darkness, I had to shield my good eye from the blinding light, giving it a second to adjust before scoping out the place. It was the same bathroom as any other, toilet, sink, bath, only really big enough to be used by two ponies but that wasn't of my concern right now more of the fact on how a small filly like myself was going to reach up to the sink and the mirror? The answer came easy enough, with a considerate amount of snooping around, when a dusted old stool appeared in my line of view. Having only one working eye at the moment was kind of annoying.

Placing the stool under the sink and scrambling upon it I was greeted with a reflection that I could only presume was my own and twisted the tap to permit water to escape the faucet, feeling the cool fluid rush over my aching fore hooves for a moment before turning my attention to my stinging face, the sensation had turned itself back to a dull numb like half of it had fallen asleep as I prodded around the base of my injury, gently attempting to open the eyelid to access the damage taken to the sight. As it opened, my vision was completely blurred red in one side and begun blinking in hopes to clear it away, even rubbing it carefully to help it. It wasn't til I open my eye completely that I realized that it wasn't the reason I saw red.

Through my blue eye the room appeared as bright as the dawning sun, but now viewing it through my now crimson left eye it had been hastily coated in a bloody manner, the walls seeped with the life liquid as trails from the splattered mess coursed their way down to form a pool beneath. With a quick turn I bolted, but the blood followed me along the walls, at every corner more came leaking from the ceiling, it was like hell and I couldn't escape it. Running blindly around every turn, I soon found myself back in front of the fire, however it no longer emitted the warmth that I seek, in fact I couldn't feel any heat from the flames despite that it still flickered lively. My breath ran short as the stallion re-entered the space, a tray with medical supplies suspended in the air by his magic, the purple hues watching me carefully as he got closer trying to get my attention, but my focus was elsewhere for in the doorway that he just entered stood a mare soaked from ear to hoof in blood, yellow eyes sullen as they watched the stallion make his way around me and my words spilled themselves out before I could stop them.

"Who's that pony in the doorway. She's scaring me."

"What pony? There isn't anyone here but me."

"The pink one with the yellow eyes….The one covered in blood."

The crash of the tray on the ground didn't break my stare from the mare, only did it waver when I felt two hooves grab me and spun me to face him, large eyes shone with fear as he shook me, words that flowed from hips mouth hardly reaching my ears only hearing short sentences in and out of "how do you know what she looked like" and "no your lying, you can't know" all while his movements became more rash as he shook me, pushing away from me with a terrified expression plastered on his maw. My own voice failed again as the earth pony made her way towards us, blood trailed behind her as her hooves dragged along the ground, small droplets descending in her wake, paying almost no heed to me as she made her way to the stallion that was had backed himself away, her expression turned pained as tear mixed within the crimson liquid while voiceless words were left hanging in the air but one word was distinguishable from the rest.

"Why?"

Hooves scrambled on the ground as the stallion stood, eyes bright with a terrifying look towards me and a maniacal laugh erupted from within his throat along with the words "freak" and "monster" spoken amongst the bellowing, amethyst magic grew around his horn and his gun was released from its holster, taking a moment to adjust the aim in my direction. I don't know what came over me, but staring down that barrel into the inner workings of the .45 colt made me realize that this was not the first time I was met with death, nor would I allow it to be my last.

Mentally I snapped, the anxious and scared feelings had suddenly vanished and returned in a more frightful manner, a feeling I had only seen in others and on occasion was subject to its pain. Wrath enveloped my being, almost like it changed me into a completely new pony as I charged forward, fear was no longer known as I heard the gun fire and the bullet ricochet off to my right as I continued my assault, jumping towards the wall to help propel me squarely into his side, the collected force knocking back a fair bit as I took this chance to run towards what I believed to be the exit only to find myself in the kitchen. I could hear him scrabbling back to his hooves and I grabbed the closest object within my vicinity, a knife. The wooden handle felt weird in my jaws, the rough surface made my tongue itch and holding it at the wrong angle projected a blinding light into my eyes, another shot sounded and the bullet grazed itself against my flank, searing pain coursed its way through me almost causing me to drop the only weapon I had in agony, tears flowed as I hobbled into a hiding place to access the damage done. A flesh wound, nothing worse that the beating that I had already encountered.

Those memories flooded my mind, all those times and all the pain I had endured as well as Mothers screams that could be heard when Father had believed that I had gone to sleep to let me recover for another day. Another spark ignited itself in my chest and my breath steadied, the liquid running down my face still flowed but had reduced to just a seep as I recollected myself, auds adjusting themselves to the silence that was around my being, listening to his hoof beats as they got closer and closer to the spot that concealed me. With knife still in mouth, my hoof push the door of my hold open slightly to bear witness to his shadow cast over top, clicks of the gun were heard and could only mean that he was reloading, he must of use the other bullets previously in the forest before finding me.

Taking the chance I kicked the door open and burst out, finding myself beneath him and without thinking just thrust the knife upwards into his skin, I wasn't sure where I had gotten him but I felt the blood spurt out on my face and that seemed to only fuel me more as a retracted the knife and bailed out from underneath, pressing against another set of cupboards to push me towards the caramel hide. His hoof caught me in the side and swept me away with a good amount of power, my wings extended on instinct and was able to tumble myself around and land on my hooves but the force of the impact had made me drop my crimson stained knife and the click of the gun cocking was not a good sound, I had no weapon and his was primed and ready not to mention a long range weapon, even if I was able to get his gun, I couldn't use it and he would just take it back with his magic.

A thought ran itself through my mind and I dashed forwards, keeping sight on the gun and the stallion as he lined up and took a shot which I was only just able to dodge as I skidded through his legs and grabbed the knife from the ground, using the last ounce of strength I had I made a lead that seemed impossible but none the less made it on his back. The knife positioned itself in my hoof as I stabbed down between the stallions shoulders, forcing him down to the ground toppling, taking me with him, met with the ground again I took the scarlet blade and drove it into the thing that made a unicorn. His horn.

A bright burst filled the area and I was knocked back again, unable to land on my hooves I let myself roll until a wall decided to stop my motion, the blade falling from my grip as I staggered to get up, the stallion was having the same difficulty as blood ran in two streams down his face. The wooden handle found itself in my mouth again as I limped towards him, grabbing his horn to inflict that much pain that he couldn't stand. How much I wanted to drive this sharpened steel between his eyes, how much I wanted to watch his life leave his body that I felt an unwilling smile stretch itself across my lips, white pearls baring behind stained velvets as I could see his soul swirling behind those purpled hued eyes. I had barely raised the knife when the crash of a door being broken echoed and half a dozen ponies flooded into the shack all dressed in glimmering grey armour as one stepped towards me.

"Hush little one, it's alright now."

*13 years later*

The sound of thousands of hooves clopping in applause filled the area as the newest of the Royal Guard were knighted by the princesses, each swearing the oath that had been passed down through countless knighting ceremonies as I watched from the shadows of the arena's exit waiting to congratulate the graduates that I had known for so long. Ever since the incident that happened the Guards had taken me in, since they couldn't find any of my known relations to house me, I sorta became their mascot, knowing the grounds like the back of my hoof I always showed the new recruits that had hopes on becoming one of the forces that help protect Equestria, I would be the one to drown out those who had less than pure intentions towards protecting the princesses. They all knew me, as I did them but this year I had my own dreams, not to just be the one to give them a tour of what would be their home for the next 3 years but to be included among them, to be a trainee in the greatest force that was spread throughout the land. My hoof had left the ground and was absently playing with the patch that I had been given to wear over my left eye, the pain I had once felt from it long since gone as I grew accustomed to the powers that it possessed. Feeling a presence slide up beside me, my hoof dropped back to the soil and a smile pulled my lips into a curve, without looking I knew who had invaded my space as I could feel the coolness that radiated from his armour.

"Do you always have to try and scare me Strider? You know it's never going to work."

A greying unicorn stood in well-polished metal, vibrant gold eyes peering out from beneath the helm as his lemon and dark grey mane poked the slit given. He had been the one that found me that day in the forest, bloodied and holding a kitchen knife between my teeth in defence with the caramel stallion huddled in the corner almost as covered in the life liquid as I was and still to this day I don't remember how I had managed to cut off his magic, my wings were barely strong enough to last a hover let alone to propel myself at a force to drive the knife in to crack his horn, that how they found me they said, but I had a feeling I wasn't being as defensive as they said. It was lucky that they had found me, he had been on the run for a while with a string of missing ponies following behind and the mare that I told them I had witness had been the most recent, promising her a safe life away from the heartache of whatever had happened, it seemed that he pried on those with a harsh life before dragging them into a false sense of comfort, in his own mind he was saving them was what Strider had told me when I was finally old enough to be told what had happened to the mare I had seen, he also mentioned that when they found me that both my eyes had been a deep scarlet coloration with a horrid burning behind them and that I had actually managed to strike him once before they were able to subdue me. It all sounded like he pulled it from a crime show until he showed the scar that marked beneath his ear, I remember apologising repeatedly for days after he showed me that and didn't stop until he had ordered me like he would a recruit that had stepped out of line, man I sat down so quickly I thought I had broken the floorboards of his office. As much as I despised unicorn, or stallions in general, Strider had been nothing but kind since then taking over as a brother of sorts despite the vast age difference that was between us and had made me at least be able to talk to males considering I was always surrounded by them.

The Guard had become rather strict as of late and only allowed unicorn young stallions to enter training, mares were forbidden of sorts, only able to join as hoof maids or kitchen staff. Not to be sexist or anything, they just believed that mares had a better hope in surviving and were left to produce the next generation. Only rarely would a few be taken into the training, but they never seemed to last, possibly due to the fact that so many hot blooded males teased and bullied them enough to force them out. Ha, I'd like to see them try with me.

"New recruits should be arriving soon. You prepared to give them the grand tour?"

His deep vocals penetrated my auds as my stance shifted slightly, my one blue rolled over to his, the words that I had practiced for years ready in my throat but yet I couldn't bring them forward, wings rustled at my side the feathers gently brushing over the howling wolf head cutie mark I had been blessed with. I couldn't wait for another 3 years for this chance to arise, that and they probably wouldn't take me then this was my best chance to become one of them.

"Actually, I was thinking that someone else could do the tour."

I felt those eyes fall on me with a perplexed look as I struggled to keep my eye sight low. I might have a close relation to Strider but he was still a General here and was to be treated as such, if I was to be accepted into the program I would have to do this regardless of rank as everyone would be above me.

"But you know this place better than anypony. Are you not well?"

"No, no. It's just that, I would rather participate in the tour rather than lead it. Sir."

Not the exact words I had in mind but hopefully the message was received all the same. Strider had sat himself down with a hoof rubbing the bottom of his chin in thought as if he was processing the request that I had just given him. The knot in my chest grew tighter with each second that crept past and after what it felt like ages, the grey stallion rose back to his feet, a blank expression proved difficult to read what he was thinking as he turned away to exit the arena, the balloon that had been pushing against my ribcage burst and my head hung low. Then his words filled the air once again.

"What are you doing standing around? The paperwork ain't gonna fill itself out is it?"

My head raised and the sensation swelled back in my heart as I saw Strider smiling from the end of the passage and my legs carried me towards him.

It had been a few months since sign up, we had been given our basic drills and standard rules and regulations to being a recruit here. I had heard them all before as an onlooker, but now I paid full attention to every word being said as we were now allowed to use the arena for practice battles and various other training, the catch was no weapons were allowed without a superior to supervise, fair enough as that was where most training related injuries took place as each pony tried to boast that they were better than another and it always resulted in some sort of brawl, I guess that's what happens when you place a whole lot of testosterone in one place. A sigh emitted itself as I heard one stallion being the streak of boasts.

"Ha finally I can really show off what these guns were made for."

Meet the jock that everyone loves to hate, SteelBit. His father was once a High Commander for the exclusive Elite Guard that specializes in the more assassination side of thing, well no pony really knows what they do but that was the favouring rumour that broke out through all recruits, even the Sergeants found fun in it telling stories of if you ever went rogue that the Elites would be sent after you and no-pony would know what happened. I was sceptical about the whole thing, a group of secretively trained ponies to bring back rogues was a bit extreme to me, and frankly Strider would have mentioned them at least once to me if they really did exist.

Taunts were thrown back and forth from every pony, laughter erupting when one couldn't produce a decent comeback or actually fell for the taunt, this was all fools play as I lifted myself from the bunk designated to me, grabbing my mask on my way past and hung it around my neck as I exited the room and made my way towards the grounds. Might as well not let this opportunity to have the grounds to myself slip away as the other still jaunted at each other. But firstly I had to make a stop past the armoury, I know I'm at a great disadvantage being surrounded by ponies that possessed the power of magic so I decided that I would make my own weapon to better suit my style, as I couldn't hold anything I was made to forge my own specialized weapon that would differ from everypony elses.

_Amnesia_

Her condition besieged caustically and all I was able to do was suppress the heat that buried her alive with a pain that silenced her. She only managed to make sense with herself with short gasps and rigid groans.

Scavenging the deserted residence for anything that could be of use for us at the time being, I managed to seek a thick, torn cloth that conquered assistance with easing her aching. I soaked it into a nearby bucket I completed with water, to which I found within a pile of hidden bottle I found where NightSong was in a shaken slumber.

I perched along the bedside, stealing the half soggy purple cloth from her forehead to gently feed it with the buckets contents that was stationed just below the left edge of the bed. Her eyelids twitched, her breath ruling in out of her mouth. Her expression was despondent and I automatically assumed she was glued into a nightmare.

Placing her into a resting state had been difficult more or less than blocking out the odious agony that hammered through her blatantly. Patrolling her safety, a cleaver roughly started to munch at in my inner gut, its teeth like the icy ends of a jagged blade sliding against me. My balance shivered, along with my hope effete and drained. It wasn't then had I realized that she may be infected with the disease that extolled it's disturbing effects onto acres of Equestria.

If that were the case, her life was sentenced to be ephemeral.

No. . . I refused this to be true. But I didn't forget it had been put aside as a maybe.

Movement shuffled the bed post as NightSong writhed herself onto her backside so that it faced me.

A.N.(Authors Note)

I want to thank SOOOO much for the real NightSong, who of which wrote NightSong's perspective flashback and who has assisted me with awesome fan-art and has given me a booster to continue this!

Without you, this story would not have been finished. You lend me courage and will to write, Thank you.

I also want to give thank to the wonderful support I have gotten and I adore the constructive criticism, keep at it. Thank you guys for sticking along this far and enjoy the rest of the ride. Shanks .3.


	7. Point of no Return

Chapter 6

Point of No Return

**Spinet**

I hadn't been so damn frustrated and devasted in my whole life. Aim Fire had the gift of life, but now she was a pile of limp flesh that lacked of shadow.

Dawns rose and ceased since our rebellion. Conjuring an absent path, we settled east from the sandy habitat that gulped anything that even tried being moist, where cacti ruled and quivered my saliva away, frightening it from keeping my tongue moist. Because of natures insolence, dehydration was nonexistent.

We were dust, shuffling away in the lands breath with our steps grazing the sand, so melancholy. Death. . . I'm so damn tired of it's inevitable powers! It takes harsh sips of your life every day, chugging 'till the blood count dries and you become a child in the womb of the after life, kept hostage from existence.

Isn't there a way out? Can't anypony escape their destiny of torturous suffering and the mourning from loved ones that could lose themselves to the point they run out in the middle of nowhere in attempts to track their cold friends whose flesh leaks a morbid odour, that reeks from the residence of Death? Is this how life will be always end up like? Just like this until the kingdoms fall in devastation and lose function?

"Look out!" cried Quartet, but too late had it very much been.

My thoughts short-circuited as realization swept in. Splat! I faceplanted the grains that coughed in my mouth mid gasp of sudden notice. Perfect, I said. Thank you Life for that teensie add on to this giant sack of animousity that's already hovering my every move. I applaud thee for your watchful eye, 'least I'm not completely neglected by your unnotice.

While waking myself up, I spat an entire pound of tiny rocks from each full orifice of my burning face. I felt gazes of sympathy from Sweet Tooth and Quartet. "Take a picture, it'll last longer," I howled in my internal thoughts, aimed toward their arrogance.

"A-Are you okay?" Quartet bended her legs, nudging me upward.

"Yeah," I chomped at her assistance as she helped me rise, "Yeah, whatever."

Quartet, after generously getting me back on my hooves from my "freefall", became mute once again. She had always been the pithy, brainbodied sibling which flushed my irratation everytime I was corrected by her. Once I tried pushing her onto the train tracks as one was scooting closer because I was ill with having to live under her shadow. Luckily for her Father was a natural guard-dog to her. Oh, how he favoured her.

After a moment or so, we continued our path with zero sense of where we meandored aimlessly upon. Distant trees prowled out of each mile we passed, the scent of what was like a smoke cloud gurgling rusted iron burnt my throat to an almost cooked crisp.

The wind whistled whitely, scraping the inches of my striped mane, eyes barely ajar due to the absurd amount of debris from the desert we caved ourselves in. Atlas clicked his tongue and spilt his knowledge he could have possibly mentioned early-on. But no, lets wait last minute on this remark.

"Seems to me we are in the San Palomino Desert."

My tongue sleeked out of its cavern and spat out another bucket of sand. When my teeth collided, an uncomfortable munch could be evident. I glanced teresly toward the beaten up, pale alicorn, passing through to see Cetus sympathetically, idiotically staring at my sibling. Back the fuck up, I ordered him telepathically in hopes he'd know the meaning behind my gross expression.

Sweet Tooth, inertly pushing though the sand with her sliding hooves, lifted her blameless gaze as well to me then it fainted when she noticed I beat her to it. In the short amount of time her and Aim Fire endured amoungest one another, they were pages in a closed book. I've never been close to seeing the blood coated pony give a lick of sincerity to any filly, not even See Saw.

Great, See Saw's most likely dead as well. That's probably my fault too. Equestria was heightened to cruelty's fallacy, and we were the recipients of its tragic plans that would kill us undividedly, slowly, quickly.

I was heavy with the desire to wake up to a cool, zestful breezy home with the windows shouting "Good morning!" while stretching my relaxed body to began the day comsuming the luxury of glass sunlight. As if, I said, I'm doomed in this barren wasteland of scent blowing metal, seeping of pulvurized tan.

My breath tasted of tangy, sucked dry oranges and hung in my nose like a clinging paper clip, my head bulging painfully for attention. To my utmost dismay, shadows creacked underneath the clustered ground from a distance off. Quartet halted deftly, swaying her tail against Sweet Tooth that was by her side to shove her out of harms view.

Wings forcefully kissed the crepuscular sky, a pegagus falling from angle to angle, it's body keeping on lightning built path. Beyond it, a family of many ponies followed as if obeying orders. It was a damn near obvious they weren't alive. Their stupid, immoral movements said so. Equipping my gun, I pushed myself further to the zomponies.

My shotgun, maximum loaded, swiped above me as I readied the bullets end zone. Their breathless eyes were turmoil but their hooves knew exactly where they were headed, at us. I heaved a short sigh, embracing the last few moments I remembered with Aim Fire, See Saw, my old allies, and especially Pyros.

Pyros. So precious these memories are.

"Spinet! Get back-" Cetus began to say, but cut him off I did.

"Fuck this."

My mouth got more hungry for air as my legs started toward them with bullets striking out.

**Cetus**

With such the ruckus she was making, I was well knew the bullets screaming through the walking cadavers would surely attract more danger to the group. I had to think fast, make sure Quartet and Sweet tooth were away to safety, and wake up the real Spinet.

"Quartet," I nudged her at the direction behind her, "take Sweet tooth and hide out! Behind a cactus or something. I've got to stop Spinet or she'll cause more trouble for us!"

"Are you-"

Her voice muffle under my own breath. My hooves kicked the sand beneath me as I motioned myself by Spinet, weapon equipped.

Her expression of anger took over her face as did the blood that was painted across her. Screams escaped her mouth, her battle cries were shy yet could be heard by my ears. I fired at the nearby bodies wobbling at us, tongue caught between my teeth.

"Spinet!"

There was not a hint of her notice. Anypony around her was either trite or food in her trigger-happy frenzy. She was putting us all at risk. I had to put an end to her outrage against the world. There weren't many left in the horde anyways, so together we finished them off.

After the last body fell, I watched Spinet breath push the groun in front of her.

"Spinet... We've got to get out of here."

Still I hadn't received an answer, but in the moment I pitied her. Even when I traveled back to when she turned my heart into a broken mirrors I continued to sympathize her. Everyone was dying around us, and I felt what she felt.

I fixed myself to the evening sun. It burned into my blood-mangled coat and mane, causing patches of it to crust. I seeked movement ahead of us, for more of those things to show up, but none was grated. I thanked Celestia. We were lucky.

My body erupted as an unknown bullet passed through the air. My eyes landed on Spinets who was staring at her sister, distraught. Quartets eyes sunk dead into the desert land. A quarter of silence passed over with us only watching one another. I was observing Quartets body for any physical harm.

"Spinny, gimme the gun, "her magic gestured its grip on the front end of the gun, "C'mon..."

Spinet stood frozen in time, in shock, in denial of the almost death of her sister.

"Now!" Her sweet tone switched over to bitter.

Spinet gave in and the gun now belonged to Quartet.

"Sweet Tooths with your father," she diminished my worries, "it's almost nightfall. Lets move out."

Spinets mane shadowed the guilt in the mist of her purple irises as she followed behind

I woke up to the moons embrace, sweat pouring out of another nightmare that had again occupied my mind even though I shivered. This entire thing was my fault; the families that were torn apart, the death that had come to pass, the outbreak plaguing everyponies homes. All me.

That particular day, when Fluttershy and I returned to the labs in a feeble attempt to help the critters, shaped Equestria into what it was now and I couldn't even try to escape the memory of what I caused. When I am alive, I'm forced to see the aftermath that reflects off my eyes and even when am dead, the beginning started to engulf me, my actions, in my dreams. Actually, I mean nightmares.

Each night that came to pass, I saw Fluttershy and I releasing a whole new life to come, for every pony. I mean . . . Ever since I realized what I had done, knew immediately I was at the most, the responsible one. I just . . . I wanted Fluttershy happy along with the creatures. Every death, my mothers, Grampy's, Fluttershy's... All my fault. And there is no possible way I could go back and fix anything. I destroyed Equestria. I did so. It was me... My breath inched away and I could feel a slight panic attack slithering in.

I managed to calm down a bit with breathing exersises (I once read a book on meditation.) decided to, for safetly measures, check the area, to make sure it was secure for everyone even though Quartet was on duty. It was hard enough getting passed her guard.

"Cetus."

I dropped my tracks.

"I'm gonna patrol the area a bit," I said, "Just in case a horde happens to come by. Keep an eye out for Spinet and... rest up."

A moment of quiet wind unnerved me. I began once more to move away from every pony. A sigh made it's way from her throat.

"Very well."

Walking away, the memory took a blow to my head.

~Another Wilted Rose~

Through the labs, we stalked toward the lab that reeked of the old bloodshed and murder of Grampy. After releasing the mysterious, begging bat pony . . . Grampy got in his way. Fluttershy followed closely, pacing with barely a speck of sound, her mane shuffled the colour of baby roses and blew me scents of cherry blossom. Recalling each detector and the guard stations, we managed to pass through vents and small passage ways to end up at the door on the opposite side of the lab since the last time.

It was a beautifully carved wooden door that spoke of great history etched into it, the fall of Luna's moon among it. The window that gave the door light coughed as a tree rubbed against it. I was never sure why it was a wooden door. It had the sweet scent of nature. I guessed it was cause the scientists were nostalgic because they were always cooped up inside, but I am probably wrong.

A few units up from the center of the door was a circular slot, meant for an alicorn and a specific spell.

As if I'd be aware of the the spell, I had an idea to overwhelm the circuits to the starting of a flame attack. Electricity swam into the hole and voila! The doors swung open with a slight whirr, signaling a power outage.

Creeping down the hallway, swallowed in deep fog plaster and midnight windows, the cages and soft wines indicated we had arrived. Fluttershy zoomed over to the cages, trying to console them, calm them as I eyed the exits carefully. She flew up toward me with a quivering voice.

"C-Cetus. This isn't a safe environment for them. Look, that one's very very ill, he. . . He needs to be cared for properly!"

I followed her pointed hoof to see a shaken rabbit with a high dosage of froth masking it's face.

"I know and agree completly," My words were on fire, enough to cause a FOURTH degree burn, "This is cruelty and they need to get out of this... this treacherous lab."

While talking, without a thought, I removed the top of the bunnies cage.

The next thing I heard was the tearing of her flesh, and her screams.

Those horrible, gurgling screams...


	8. Unwinding Recollections

Unwinding Recollections

Aisenma

Dim sunlight emerged from the dancing trees, partnered with slick icy winds that dumped buckets of shivers all through my nerves. I vapidly sought for a bite, a taste, of some sort of nutrition. Finally, at last, desperate times began to award me.

My ears flooded with sudden gunfire that twitched me by surprise and three birds tumbled to their graves afore me, directly in front of me! Just a few yards away or so. The moment implied that this was Fate at it's best. Baffled, yet captivated in hunger, I considered immediately taking them in as my own, as evil as that scenario sounds.

I crept with ease over to them and the scent burrowed on my tongue. I swifty snached all three and ran quietly toward sheltered safety. Rearing up to the place that shielded me from the harsh weathers of nature my gut pulsed sickly at the realization of what I just did. I stole and... it was so simple. Somepony had trusted their ready and fire to bring them comfort in the stomach but... I made it a waste of ammunition on their behalf.

I admitted guilt to the hunter subconsciously and explained how I needed to take them. Night  
>Song captured a minor flu, nothing other but I told her I'd be in charge of hunting. Her health was a bit wobbly so I didn't want to risk any chances of injury. I... also wanted to be heroic and assumed she'd end up falling for my act of bravery.<p>

I saw my breath pass in front of me. "Thank Celestia she's alright."

I knocked at the door twice, paused, then added a triad of more blows. To play it safe, I thought up a secret knock. At least, I figured it was clever.

"It's open, Am."

"Hey," I closed the door in the wake of me, "how are you holding up?" The satchel dragged sluggishly behind me. Did it just get heavier? I asked myself.

"Not too bad, mate," she mumbled, with not ample attention directed towards me. She was polishing her weapons with the rag I found during her hungry fever.

The last few days, I noticed she'd been a professional at small talk, in awe she didn't have an degree in it. I was barely worth a glance when she actually spoke. Though... my heart froze every time she referred me as her "mate." It worked at my imagination and at the possibility of...

"Better than before?"

"I guess."

Right. She guessed. What an adequate estimate. I denied myself any actual questioning of her silence or her reasoning of straying away from explaining the events involving my almost death.

Though that scene was a herald of what would happen to come after... Something I would have never been mentally prepared for.

"Hey...uh. I'm gonna need you outside, if-"

"Why should you?"

Well, if you'd let me finish!

"Breakfast is waiting to be prepared," I replied, slipping the contents of my bag to the floorboards with thumps.

She fliched at the unforeseen sight. Using her peripheral vision, she observed my display up and down as if she was determining an opinion in an art gallery for a single painting. She switched back to her vigorous polishing.

"Well? Are you going to help me or out or not?

"They've got bullets in 'em." Her response was speculative.

My heart took a stab at launching itself to death, but missed and landed in my throat. I had to think fast.

"I found them like this." Take the bait, take the bait!

She exhaled sharply, "Sure."

"I did!" I mean I picked them up like this, yeah? I may as well be prevaricating, but I'm not technically lying.

"What piffle!"

Her knives ate through the table and her eyes seethed.

A gentle tremor nibbled itself in me, and I was yet distant to say anymore. Is this SI? What is the origin of this monster that subsists in NightSong? Would it relentlessly dispose me? And if It tried to, would Night fight her way back in control before it all happened?

"What truly happened or will you consistently insist this horseshit on me," her teeth that were like thistles clutched together with an awakening growl, "I'm sick and tired of the deceit!"

The truth found its way from my mouth and I prepped myself for a gurgle of degrading words from her about how indecent of a living being I was.

The room left itself with nothing but brushes of cold air wiggled through the crevices and cracks of the wooden walls that was our sanctuary. Even the door struggled to keep shut. Thanks to the winds who seem to have ran several miles straight, dinner would be rescheduled anyways.

A wave of audio cracked from her like a second of static from a radio with no signal. It recognised it ... it was a sob.

**NightSong**

_**~Precious Minds~**_

My hoof pushed the door open slightly, the hinges creaking with the motion which echoed through the darkened area, the only light sources found was the burning flames that fed the forge and the open doorway that I was residing, smoke swirled around the ceiling.

Ears pricked at the sounds of rummaging and carefully made my way around the various scattered pieces of armor that littered the ground, soft mumbling could be heard on approach which belonged to an old bearded work pony, his coat long lost its shine and was covered horribly in dirt and soot. Loudly I cleared my vocals and instantly his head sprung up, clouded pink eyes wide as he looked towards my direction, clearly confused and slightly disoriented.

"Hmm..What? Who's there?"

"Smith it's only me, NightSong."

I could only just hold back a slight giggle as he grinned in a goofy way. Other than Strider, Smith was the only stallion I could feel relaxed around, knowing he wouldn't intentionally bring harm to me as I use to always play around in the back of the forge back when I had first arrived, he had that grandfather feel to him that I just couldn't describe and felt instantly calm in his presence.

His hoof rose to meet my head and scruffed my mane slightly before restarting his search for…..whatever it was he was looking for as I kept walking towards the far back. Cobwebs sat in the corners indicating little to no use of the area, which was what I was going for, I didn't want anypony knowing of my little secret until it had been perfected and…..

"BOO!"

A cry came out and a figure pounced before me, just managing to sidestep out of the way in time to watch the silhouette tumble into a pile of scrap, a stifled groan echoed from within as I approached. A green and orange braided mane stuck out from the rubble and a flash of a golden flank could be seen, this time I couldn't stop myself as a burst of laughter escaped and escalated even more once I caught their eyes casting daggers in my direction and the figure rose with loud clanging of the scraps falling towards the floor.

A golden unicorn stepped out from the metal, her emerald mane entwined with the vibrant orange and deep magenta irises cast their attention towards me, a frustrated frown showed itself as she stood with her face in mine and I couldn't help but stare into those eyes feeling lost within them. Eye contact remained as she walked calmly past me, her maple leaf cutie mark was so close to brushing against my own I could feel the warmth from her as she approached the desk behind us, her magic pulling a draw open to reveal what was inside.

Two metal casings that easily slid beneath my wings, held together by a series of buckles around my torso and over my back, perfectly crafted to be lightweight as to not hold down the flier but sturdy. Each casing held 3 chained knives, poised and ready to be released as well as smaller pockets that concealed extra free range throwing knives with a different designed blade on each for multiple purposes. A smile found its way on my muzzle as one of my wings pressed down on a pressure point and a knife was ejected into the joint.

"Aki these are perfect! I cannot thank you enough."

A wave of glee washed over me as I grabbed the unicorn and pulled her into an embrace, hovering slightly before placing both of our hooves on the dirt covered floor. A proud smirk was placed on her face.

"Yea well, there is one last thing I want to add."

Her horn glowed a beautiful pink and lowered it to the chains then brought it up to my face. At first I wanted to pull back, but I saw her eyes, almost whispering to trust her. I closed my own blue tightly waiting for something painful to course through, but I felt nothing, just a slight twinge as her horn touched my forehead where mine would reside if I had been born unicorn, a warm sensation filled my core as my eye opened to see her magentas staring into mine. I don't know what it was but a weird sense of numbness came over me and for a moment I couldn't breathe, I couldn't even think. Her scent filled my nostrils reminding me of the sweet crisp of autumn months, it was intoxicating to say the least. Somehow I managed to take a step away, trying to figure out what had come over me, I look back at Aki and she just smiled.

"I put a spell on the chains. As long as the casings are attached to you, you should be able to control them within your own mind. Like change direction if needed. Granted it may not work at first but you have the ability to do so."

Thanking her, I left the forge and headed toward the arena hoping that not many ponies would already be in there trying out various other weapons.

The large stone archway stood tall before me as I entered the arena, its shadow casting over my frame until the sun had reached the peak of the gates and I found myself standing in the center, wind whipping around as I prepared for a general warm-up routine consisting of 30 wing-ups and 10 laps around the marathon like track, 5 flying and 5 running, then target practice, that was the part I was more focusing towards, a chance to finally tryout the modified weapon that I had been gifted with.

Warm-up was completed relatively quickly, including beating my best track time for flying, I was never taught how to fly properly, my teachers were birds that soared above, particularly the raptors and owls, learning how to combine both the speed and silence into my own form. Yes we have pegasi come to the Guard often but they could never stay long enough to train me properly, though most would give helpful tips on how to improve takeoff and landing. It took nearly a year for me to lift off the ground, and another three to build the muscles in my wings strong enough to carry me a full lap, and throughout the time I spent trying, I learnt how to control each individual muscle separately in both wings. This is what allows me to wield my blades and hold them within my feathered appendages.

As I made my way towards the training dummies, I found my thoughts drifting further back throughout the last 13 years I had been here.

They had brought me here after finding me in that shack, I guess in hopes to find my family, but they couldn't find any records of Mother and at the word "Father" I went into a fit, crying and begging at them "no" with pure fear flowing down my cheeks in liquid form as Strider tried desperately to console and comfort me, it was perhaps that point he decided that he would raise me himself despite the rest of his team arguing against it and how it would interrupt his duties. He would tell me how quickly they changed their mind once I grew more confident being near them, which had lead them to claim me as their little mascot and had always told me that I was like a daughter to him and how his own was stolen away from him in a tragedy that had also claimed his wife. Despite my hatred for males, Strider always had my respect and trust, I never talked back or disobeyed. The way I saw it we were both each other's second chances.

Shaking aside those sad thoughts, I focused on the targets that I had approached, wings half folded in an almost pre-takeoff stance just high enough to allow the blades to freely eject from their case minus the risk of severing skin. Left hoof raised up to take off the goggles that were still hanging from my neck then rose to the patch that concealed my cursed eye, considering for a moment whether to take it off for target practice or to leave it. As the thought ran through my mind, I could of sworn I heard a hiss wrap itself around my brain like coils of a snake poising to strike.

A slight swaying motion of my head all but cleared it as my hoof created a cloud of dust as it landed, moving the rest of my form into position to take any kickback that the discharged knives might have once they were free from their metal home. Concentrating, I tried to visually feel the weapon that was attached to me, each strap that rubbed against skin, the coolness of the casings on each side and how they all shifted with the slightest stir, each time my muscles acted they would reposition. This would allow me to awaken the magic that Aki had enchanted it with.

Right wing lowered over the steel, brushing past the pressure point that allowed one blade to slide into the joint for me to hold and chucked it forward towards one of the dummies, mind focused on the chains as they chimed with movement, trying to get the blade to scrape past the first target and into the one on the right. Fixed on the links, I saw a slight quiver and a pale pink glow before it impaled itself deep into the first target I had directed it to.

An annoyed sigh escaped as I retracted the blades with a push of a button and heard the chains rattle then a click as the blade slid back in snugly before I recalled it again. This lasted a good 45 minutes before I became satisfied, accomplishing making the links turn in at least in one direction and becoming mentally drained. Looking around, I discovered that the arena was starting to fill up with other ponies that were eager to start their own gun training using blanks as I started to pack my own gear up.

It was happening again, the searing pain coursed itself through my frontal lobe and snaked down behind my cursed eye, throbbing behind the patch that hid it away from the judgmental world.

I held my composure as I made my way to the arenas exit, blades tucked neatly beneath my wings to shield them from sight, even though this was a training area specifically for weapon mastery, loaded (or in my case sharpened) weapons were strictly prohibited and anypony caught breaking this rule would be instantly discharged from the Guard and never allowed to return, this didn't sound like a sinister or severe punishment until you learn that those who have been un-honorably dismissed were never heard from afterwards.

I turned to leave, pain pounding against my skull like there was something caged inside trying to escape. Gently shaking it away I could of sworn I heard a voice mumbling almost a muffled scream that was seemingly getting louder with each passing moment. Slowly I dragged my hooves across the ground still holding my head high like there was nothing wrong, only allowing it to droop once I felt the cool of the shadows knowing that the large stone exit was not far. Then something solid stopped me. Solid and furry that smelled like sweat and testosterone. I almost let out a snarl until a voice filled my space.

"Ha look who we have here fellas, little miss perfect."

Slow rumbling of laughter erupted as I felt a hoof slip around my neck pulling me closer, my eye caught the dark teal coat and instantly recognized the stallion as SteelBit, his own muddy green eyes met mine as I tried to break his grip only stopping when a bright glow came close to my face. He had lowered his horn so that it was near poking my iris causing me to quickly shut my lid to protect it and managed to get out of his hold only to find myself staring down the barrel of a gun held steady by the aura that surrounded it, SteelBit stared at me with an foul grin that soon turned to confusion as he realized that the weapon had not fazed me and without saying a word I shouldered past them, my cranium still threatening to break apart, screams of hate bounced around inside but I continued to walk hardly even noticing the click of the firearm as it was primed beneath the voice that cried a shot rang out.

I felt the deadly air pass me just under my left ear and the sting of flesh ripping…but that wasn't nearly as bad as what had happened internally. It felt like somepony had literally set off a thousand firecrackers within my mind as I froze mid stride, teeth bared at the agony that enveloped me and felt myself being dragged away mentally even though I could still feel the blood rushing down from the wound that was inflicted moments ago, darkness aggressively assaulted my throat to the point of near suffocation. My hoof landed in the dirt and before I knew what was happening, my body had spun itself around to face SteelBit and his goons, all had terrified expressions on their face and the gun was still smoking from the recent discharge, their eyes unsure of whether to look upon the eye patch that lay in a heap on the ground, or the demon iris that hid behind it.

Lips etched into a smile that was not of my conscious doing and an unknown maniacal laugh escaped from my cords before the voice that had been residing in my head for the majority of my life was finally heard.

"My, the kids want to play rough do they? Well then… Let's play."

Wings tightened against my body before unfurling with a knife held in both sides and my legs carried me forward to the trio, the two stallions that had flanked SteelBit had run for it, leaving him alone to face the lethal soul they had unleashed. He was fumbling with his own weapon as the entity that had taken my body ran each feather over the exposed blades, feeling each one bristle as it split it apart. The brute across from us succeeded to reload but by then it was too late as my form moved swiftly towards him.

*STOP*

The knife stopped mere centimeters from his throat and even though I was still swimming in the abyss of my own mind I could feel my conscious slowly returning, the darkness that enveloped me felt like heavy sludge trying to weigh me down almost near halting the process. It was then I felt another presence close by, floating just out of my field of vision each time I twisted my head, it's laughter heard both inside and out until the form made itself seen.

I found myself staring at an almost identical twin of my own, the only difference being the coloration of her eyes both in which being a dark crimson. She moved freely regardless of the fact that I was stuck in a pit full of tar, eyes trained on me as she made circles around, almost being wary of my futile actions to escape.

*_Why hello NightSong, we finally meet face to face.*_

Her words filled me and straight away I felt the hatred behind them, but yet a subtle hint of curiosity hidden away beneath. I felt the tar like substance melt away and my hooves touched an imaginary ground.

"Who the hell are you? And why are you taking over my body?"

*_Why so hostile? I am apart of you, the section of your soul that our stupid father broke away. I am your hatred and your pain, the agony behind your pretty little left eye. In short I am your insanity. Sweet Insanity. Hmm that sounds like a fitting name for me, don't you think?_*

The sadistic laugh surrounded us, she had been with me since that day? Why did she pick now to appear? I looked towards my counterpart, crimson eyes narrowed while the smirk was still placed almost as if she could hear everything.

*_That's because I can. We are both one in the same. As for never showing, do you not remember that stallion in that shack so many years ago? When you wanted to end his miserable life? That was me, I wasn't strong enough back then but I could still whisper things to you, tell you what you wanted to hear. Then you covered me up with that stupid patch and cast me into the darkness. Maybe I should thank this brute for releasing me before I kill him_*

I don't know what happened but a sudden rush filled me and for a moment I blacked out briefly before quickly coming to to find SteelBit on the ground shaking, a thin line of blood seeped from an open wound that was just shy of his horn, the gun that was previously held was smashed into bits a few meters away, worst of all, Strider and the head of the Guards were standing not far away along with another unknown stallion. I tried to explain but I found no words would escape, my throat suddenly coated in dust as I choked with every breath, tears streamed down as I felt my own form collapse into the dust.

**Amnesia**

The omnipotence of the writhing flames twitched angrily, the heat piercing my mane. I caught a glimpse of NightSongs left eye that reflected in the fire's light, the red iris singed in such suffering, such burning.

Knots in my stomach hugged themselves tightly and I felt my blood seeping in despair. I threw my eyes at her, those identical spheres concealed with a frozen blink with no motion cast in return.

How she seemed calm and collected, yet fervent and feeble bemused by apprehendment. The stars were lost, hiding from the night sky and only, by it's lonesome, the moon dangled halfway noticeable, paying us a bit of light.

We finished our meal by the time of our fallen silence. She pleaded for me to wait outside 'til she found herself again and I agreed to do so. For each of our sakes present. Who is SI? What almost obliterated me? Should I be extra cautious near her from now on? So many desired questions unanswered... I couldn't just up and interrogate her for a definite response, or a reasoning at the tip of my tongue. She was worrisome when it came down to it. I feared she'd beat any-pony into a bleeding pulp for even just an expression towards her that was a nasty on. Perhaps... I could cheer her up. Somehow, some way?

"Hey... Uh. Nightsong?"

A cricket of quietness. This joke better be worth a pity laugh.

"What did the ponies call the heroic cliff that saved the lives of many for falling over it's ledge?"

I didn't expect any indication she planned on listening in, but I still crept forward.

"A LEDGE-end."

Nothing. Until IT arrived. A slice of a grin, bestowing me in pride and exceeding confidence. Point one for me! And oh... that smile of hers. That was the real point I received.

"That's horrible," she commented amusingly.

Soon after, the dullness kept reeling. Then we rested. But not for long.

_~The Mare and The Memory~_

"Can you develop palpable recollection of the pony in this picture?"

The moon swallowed me for the room I awoke in was a open notebook, blank and white with no word, no thought written in it. A picture hanged itself with yellow magic from the medical official in taking my full frontal view. My mind meandered into a headache and I couldn't connect myself with the mare in the picture. I was there, living in the shot from a camera I had no memory of. I gave up in a fickle.

"No," I mumbled.

"M'am, we can not assist you medical attention until your identity is known of. That is protocol. Seems harsh, yes, but lately we've been booming with patients and we haven't the time nor the bits to operate on just any-pony. Bits, of course, are required for this specific procedure. You're lucky somepony called for you in time. What were you doing out there anyways? Your brain suffered an exceeding amount of trauma and to further analyze the wounds we need your name, and bits. You need to at the latest try again or we'll have to send you on your way."

He shifts nervously, sliding his eyes across the blinding room to avoid my own.

"This is the only object we could find during the search we proceeded with through your belongings. You must some sort of indication of yourself within the contents of this photograph or... as I've said before."

Through the photo, an aching wonder swelled me. There I was, beside another with a smile of the sun. My memory was flat like a lake of no definite volume, like waters without the song of a breeze to dance to. Focus, I said, focus. A rock skipped into the waters, splashing me, and my eyes hid behind the incoming thought that was transferred.

"At last, " the pony from the picture shook, granite of the memory unraveling better resolution, "there's that prize-winning smile of yours!"

She combusted into a short laughter, sending a spiral of sensations to my chest. Affection? Yes. Guilt? Yeah . . . but what for? Did I do something to the mare that was likely my friend, or perhaps more?

"Hah, yeah... Your's is better." I involuntary murmured.

Her mane was a delicate purple, fighting the wind like violet bird in determined flight, and her eyes... those eyes... were rich if gold like... Like a patch of sunflowers that bloomed so apropos, so perfectly.

"How about we call ours both equally delightful?

I felt a whisper to myself that fell deep for her smile. The curve of it, the half sliver from her mouth ajar, it was so enchanting.

We sat on a level of wood, bars sustaining its elevation. A bench. We were at a park. Beyond me, the pond mocked the sky and the trees sketched along it's edges.

"Yours will forever take the cake," I gave a feign chuckle.

The moment slipped from me. I went forth in question but it dragged me into a new scenery. There was only static. Phosphenes glittered in a frenzy, racing toward the ends of me and a voice breaks out near. The voice was caramel, soft and words that stuck. They stretched to reach apart, reach away from her lips.

"My love is a fireplace, but I have not enough oxygen to keep it burning, just as a place I recall, a morgue where only ashes remain." The voices breath leveled unsteady through me, all over me, all around me.

"I'm suffocating on this constant strife. The trees, the deny me any support if this life I've mapped out for myself. And the clouds, they cry out to me to end you and I, that I allow myself to be beguiled by a sacred, yet undying passion. It is all deceit, they tell me. I support a gore so sickly, therefore I am ill. Physically naught, yet, my head reeks of unpleasant insanity and contortion as I continue to rebel against their pleas."

I tune in with incredulous hearing. Who is this voice home to?

A creaking door ruptured aloof, causing my thoughts to cave in and sing reality.

"Now, who might you be? A visitor? Are you aware of this patient if so?

The mare... From the vision! From the park! I almost jerked a gasp like driving at full velocity then braking out of the blue, becoming a subject to inertia. The shock cornered me in a silence that hushed my body with a cold breath traveling through the stations of my veins.

"I was a witness," she muttered, "I called to her rescue."

"Ah. I see, I see."

"May I..." Pause. "May I speak to her for a young minute or so?"

"Sure," He responded hastily, "I'll return in a jiffy. I have other patients to attend to."

Behind here, ahead of me, the door closed into oblivion, unbeknownst to me.

Silence. The sun was heard giving the birds something to chirp about, and the light harmonized across my mane. Quail, she existed right before me. I was aghast by the instant pummeling of my offals. It was like my body wanted to escape itself and latch onto hers.

There was nothing. No words, only the balance of the room, even though the situation was crooked.

"Do I remain in your head?" She whispered shakingly. "Am I remembered?"

She edged. "You really... What's the condition of your head?'

I swallowed a gulp that took the words right along with it. Everything kept still once more. Tears melted from her face almost as quiet as the air itself.

"Why are you upset?" I asked slowly, uneasily.

"I'm so sorry!"

Taken aback by the phrase, I held my breath.

"Do.. you..." she quivered, "do you still... love me.."

Everything was still.

She died inside, right there. I just know it.

**Amnesia**

Knock.

What?

Knock, knock, knock, knock.

Is that th-

KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK.

I looked at NightSong and her expression was loaded, ready to obliterate what was a possible threat. Her weapon sheathed and I moved with caution across the cold floorboards that made me shiver for a moment. She held a few hoofsteps from the door. I made my way surreptitiously to the hinges of the door.

Vigilance, I assured myself, Vigilance was a trait I was conceived with.

Before another knock made reunion with the entrance, I yanked the handle. It's roared in surprise and flew immediately on que.

"Reveal your identity and your motives for knockin'! Stat!"

NightSong's eyes stained the anonymous shadow(Only that I could see) keenly. Waiting for instructions, I did not dare break her focus by an inch of movement. When the coalesce of word responded to her command, my heart plummeted a thousand leagues under the sea of... uh... NO.

"Woah, woah, woah! Chill, chill," his deep, masculine voice escaped from the throat I wanted to gash, "Hey there... NightSong? Yeah, I know that mane everywhere!"

Her aim didn't decrease in direction and her defense kept balanced. She studied him like an essay was due within the next few seconds. This stallion... knew NightSong? He's already go the advantage on me was my first and foremost dreadful thought.

"Uhm... Yeah. So, may I come in? I can be your cuddle buddy for this determined, savage winter," that smug laugh would be the death of him. His hoof traced to her. Swinging from the rear of the door, I took him down in a jealous fury.

"I got him!" His wings fumbled until impact and his noises of pain were pealing music to my ears.

"Am! Leave him be," her weapons retracted back into their winged home, "He isn't of any threat he dare even wish to be."

"Woah there!" His nasty breath sprung across my face. Revolting! "Let's lower the heat now, okay? And also NightSong. I'm, at least, a bit intimidating, yeah?"

"Whatever you want," she sighed, pulling the locks of her mane to obscure her maroon-tainted eyes.

He looked at my leisurely. And I was forced to spare him.

"Phew. You sure have some weight to you."

He preheated the oven like he purposely wanted to boil my blood. My teeth were fangs, gritted onto my tongue. A silence crept in me. Just... calm down, Amnesia. Or... whatever your actual name is.

I sidetracked. Why me? What did I do to deserve my memory wiped? What did I wrong? The scar, not so visible, bitten into my neck, heckles me because my perception was weak; I could not determine when or why or how it happened. That mare in my memory... Who was she? The only conclusion was my... special somepony.

"So, you've taken up thievery?"

"What are you on about?" NightSong replied.

I have seriously lost my mind.

**Author's note**: Hey, guys! Just want to apologize for the wait for this chapter! I've got a bit of the lazy bones in me. Also, I have an announcement. Soon I will be revising the story(Editing previous chapters, correcting grammar, making it sound cooler) so it sounds more professional and comprehensible! Anyway, thank you NightSong14 for NightSong's perspective, you are golden! And thank you for being my biggest and keeping me on track. Couldn't do it without your support! I also want to welcome my viewers as well, though you may not be many, quality overrules the quantity! I would also love to send my appreciations out to my editors, Google Docs and NightSong14! Farewell, and have a suitable day!

_(Psst, Night here, I write NightSong's memories. I just want to thank you all as well and hope you enjoy reading this story. I would also like to thank Agony for using my OC and inspiring me to do some amazing fan-art based on these characters. Imma run away now before Agony realizes I crashed her Author Note. Bye!)_


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