(Flash Drive's POV)

"Did you miss me?"

I shivered. Jake was flipping shit. The only one close to keeping her cool was Derpy.

"Princess? What's going on?"

Celestia stared her down. Her usual rainbow of a mane now an unusual solid orange. It fell like normal, yet it behaved like flame near the edges. It looked as if someone had lit her hair on fire.

"Nothing. Nothing but realization." her voice wasn't anywhere near it's pleasantness of the past. It was cold and calculating, yet carried a sense of power and authority.

"Dean Styner. Or 'Flash Drive' as you've deceived everypony into calling you. It's been a while."

Physically, I didn't budge. In my mind I cringed. Deceiving? Really? The best move here would be to play along and see how it goes.

'Do not, I repeat, do not try to counter that.'

"It has. What's with the new look? Is flaming the new fashion or-"

She cut a glare that worked like a trance, shutting my mouth before I did.

"It's nothing new. Just rather than tame it like I used to, I didn't. I'm tired."

I said nothing. I knew it wasn't all she had to say.

"I'm tired of pretending." she began "Being a Princess? Really?"

She scoffed "Celestia? Who the hell in their right mind names their child Celestia? The name is stupid, a tale told to children to help them sleep. Celestia."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Derpy asked. She seemed unusually oblivious.

"It means I've been planning things. One of them happens to be my name." Celestia turned her head towards the sky. "I control the sun at will… a star just on a whim. Solar… Solar Flare. I like that…"

"Luna… Luna Luna Luna…" she clicked her tongue "She began to become friends with you. Now, that wasn't about to happen."

I stared, trying to comprehend all this new information. "Y-you killed her..?"

She scoffed, turning it into a laugh. "No, I love my sister. But you've… her being friends with you, it's just unacceptable."

I wasn't sure how to respond so I kept my silence.

"I would tell you how I plan to remake things here, but I won't take forever to explain. I don't care to bore you, I'm sure you understand." she continued her pacing "You will run. Not because you wish to, but because you want to live."

I shivered, glancing around her. The path was clear, enough for me to grab Derpy and Jake and bolt. But something made me stay, made me hear her out.

"I wish to dispose of this plague you've brought upon us. And that plague is from you." Celestia… or as she was ranting, 'Solar Flare', didn't look at any of us, choosing to eye her surroundings. "I would kill you now if it wouldn't look bad."

I found the courage to speak. "So why the wait? If I'm going to die, I deserve to know why you don't wanna kill me here and now."

She chuckled, an icy tinge to it. "Dean Styner. Persistent, aren't you? I won't kill you now because to murder is never a good thing. If I kill you and your two friends here, I'll look like a psychopath. So I'll wait until all minds are made up; either to kill the ones who brought this disease or to let them live and cause yet greater strife on us all." she paused "If you don't run, I just might take being a psychopath."

I gulped. "So that's it. You kick us out, and expect us to return?"

She smiled, the calm and collectiveness combined with the creepy grin sent shivers down all of our spines. "That's entirely up to you, now isn't it."

I looked to Derpy, the horror that I felt etched upon her face. I took her hoof and turned tail, getting away. Just away, as fast as I could run. The ground pounded beneath us, hurting slightly. Jake followed behind us, and I didn't care which road I took. I was going to live, she was going to live. And there wasn't a damn thing I could do to stop that bitch.

"Run!" she laughed from afar "It's all you do anyway!"

I did, I ran with all I could and didn't look back. Derpy caught up running beside me and pulled us left, making a shortcut down an alley. She led the way and I did my best to keep with her. She slid to a stop at the home she'd stayed in for a while, pushing in hurriedly.

I slid as I turned towards the door, using my wings to change my course of direction as I barreled into the house. I grabbed everything and shoved it into my backpack. Everything. Anything and everything I could find and just shoved it in. We needed to go before this turned more sour… or before Solar Flare thought to use Derpy as leverage.

There was a creak of a door, Derpy looked up from her own bag. "Dinky? Pack your things honey, we need to go. Now."

The unicorn blinked, unseasoned to the very serious tone in her mother's voice. "What? Why?"

"Dinky, don't question me right now. Just do it!" Derpy scream-whispered.

Three filly heads stuck out from Dinky's door. A white unicorn, an orange-ish head and a yellow one. They popped out from behind the door, and I was able to see the orange filly was a pegasus.

"You're going somewhere? We'll come too!" the orange filly zoomed into the room, coming back with a small red backpack. The two others looked at her then to the three of us, us taller ponies drenched in anxious and nervous sweat.

"No. You three need to stay. It's too dangerous." I said firmly.

"Dangerous?" the yellow filly looked left towards the other three, Dinky included "Danger is ah adventure!"

I blinked. I'd met this filly before. I could have sworn I had anyway.

"And adventure means ideas!" the white unicorn chirped. The three looked to each other and grinned wildly.

"Cutie mark crusaders adventurers!" they cheered together.

I twitched. We were close to dying… any one of us could be killed, or cut into like Jake was, for amusement. Solar, if I read her right, would do anything and everything in her power to stop the three of us earth-borns. Jake, Jordan, me. Anyone we knew, anyone that would care in the slightest about us, they were at risk. What I had begun to know, what I had begun to love was being ripped out from underneath me. But these fillies wanted their butt pictures.

"No. You aren't coming. You three need to stay here." I breathed as calmly as I could "It isn't up for discussion."

"But-" the young pegasi's ears flopped back.

"No. You're staying here. Promise me that."

They eyed the ground, the earth filly pawing at the floor. "Alright…"

Derpy looked over her shoulder, nodding. Everything was as packed as we could get it.

"We're loaded, let's go." I flung the weight over my back and pushed out the door.

I walked quickly, not wanting to run. I had no idea just how far we'd have to go, just how many miles we could travel before it was safe to break.

"Derpy? Jake? What're you doing?"

I spun to my left, Trail's voice greeting my ears. Any other time I would have loved a conversation, maybe ask how things are going. But now wasn't the time for that.

"Nothing really. Ju-" I began to make up a lie when the thought crossed my mind that he was in the same boat. As an Earth-born he was as good as dead in the hands of Solar Flare.

"We need to go. Celestia is… insane."

He didn't seem to hear me. "I'm sorry, what? Celestia is fine, I saw her out and about yesterday."

Derpy's voice shivered "No… she's gone off the deep end. She'll kill you, Jake, Flash… because she thinks It'll end the plague…"

Jordan wore a confused look. "She… she knows that won't work right?"

Jake butted in "She has every ounce of faith that it's the only way. You either pack and come with us now or you try to sort this out with her."

I looked from Jake to Jordan, agreeing with the ultimatum. To my surprise he pulled a bag from near the door, a rifle a moment later.

"I always have a bug-out bag ready. Gimmie a break." he sighed "I hope you're right and we're not leaving for a stupid reason."

The house across the street cracked open, someone stepping out. "You guys are going? What happened to Celestia?"

I groaned, 'Is everyone gonna wake up and ask that?' I turned around, finding Hyper Strike by the door. "Celestia is bonkers. We're leaving before she changes her mind about not killing us."

Rogue Shadow stepped behind him. "How do I know this isn't a trick? Something to get us out in the open and-"

"I don't want you dead! Dammit, is it that hard to see? I need a group… but this is getting out of hand…"

The third zebra joined behind them. "If things are bad as he does say, you two must leave to your dismay. I fear if you two stay awhile this new princess will turn hostile. So go now, hurry, pack your things. Do not worry what tomorrow brings."

The two younger zebras ran back inside. Derpy looked to Zecora with a concern and confused glance. "You aren't…"

"I dare not travel with you all, the number of ponies will bring on a brawl. So here I stay, to here I'm tied. Yet you may find you need some eyes inside."

I gulped. I wasn't planning on being gone that long… was I? Were we?

"I heard everything. I'll come too." An earth pony was armed lightly.

"Crystal… that makes eight of us. Okay, we can do this." I looked around, the two zebras coming out of the house. They hugged their cousin, saying their goodbyes as I looked away.

"We'll see you soon, right?" Hyper strike broke his hug goodbye

"I can make no promise as of yet, but the day will come where we'll face this threat."

The seven began to group to the side of the road and I made to join them. Zecora pulled me back briefly, whispering.

"Terrible events will soon unfold, but precisely what happens remains unforetold. Do not think this is something new, but something this time is slightly askew. Learn of the Nightmare, her story is great. Something within it might just spell your fate."

I turned around, wanting to be sure she'd just told me correctly. "This… this has happened before?"

Her gaze switched from me to the other seven. "So now you go, wipe the sweat off your brow. Keep them safe, you will, promise me now."

"I will… I'll try."

"That's all I can ask, I trust you with family. Now I may only hope that you all keep your sanity."

"Thank… thank you." I turned away. It was her blessing I guess, the best wish of 'good luck' I think I'd gotten in years.

Trails led the way, taking alleyways and backroads to the wall. He got us around one by one, it appeared teleportation magic from Twilight had paid off.

The wall from the other side looked as secure as it did from the inside. But knowing what it held within it's walls sent shivers down my spine. I led the way down the road towards the waterfall that flowed from the city. A rocky path, especially dangerous at night with only moonlight, was our path. When we reached the bottom and the river the water fell to we followed it, the banks serving as our guidelines.

I fought the urge to glance over my shoulder, to reconsider leaving as we did.

But I couldn't look back. I wouldn't look back.

Because we were coming back.

And we were gonna take it all back.

I know what you're all thinking.

Either "Oh look he's back" or "Why hasn't he posted in so long?" or both. You're hoping that I at least have an excuse.

I don't.

I do have an apology. I'm sorry for leaving, for putting the story aside for so long.

RFE was a failure. I will attempt to rewrite, but when I have chapters lined up so I'm not breaking from posting.

But am I back? Yes. Yes I'm back and avidly working on chapters, to be honest it feels kinda nice to be writing again. I'm looking forward to it, and I hope all of you are as well. With AP Eng Lang as one of my classes this year I'm planning some higher-quality chapters.

To the survivors that have waited for my return, thank you.

Till next sunrise,

-TDL