Twilight listened intently to everything Lloyd said as he described his world, be it only briefly. The place he lived was covered in large buildings three or four times the size of the ones in Ponyville. Not quite the size of the ones in Manehatten or the older buildings in Canterlot but still large. The people were humans, tall with no fur or cutie marks, and didn't control the weather or even have magic! It seemed like a sad world to be honest, the world he described seemed bland and simple and so unhappy. But the way he described it made it sound like all he wanted was to have it back.
Then he mentioned Darkside. The day the monster had appeared it had gotten worse. No one could stop him as he destroyed the world and drove people insane. Death and destruction covered the world the only reason Lloyd was spared was the powers he obtained. He tried to fight the monster time and time again but Darkside was too strong. Finally he confronted Darkside with a final attack. Lloyd, his friends, and all that was left of the armies joined to fight Darkside. They wounded Darkside before Lloyd used the book that had created him to seal him away hoping he could trap the monster where he had come from.
"Once I realized he had just run and not been beaten I knew I had to go after him. I said goodbye to my friends and followed him." He finished.
"How did you know he wasn't beaten?" She asked.
"I don't know." He shrugged, much more solemn now. "I just . . . knew. I read the book and I could just tell. I'm not even sure how I followed him the first time. It was just instinct I guess." He sighed. "So now you know about me and my world, tell me about this place." For the first time in long time, he smiled.
Twilight obliged and ranted for what seemed like forever over Equestria's history. She spoke of the history of Princess Celestia, the banishing of nightmare moon, her return and defeat by the elements of Harmony, the Joining of the three tribes ages ago, the return of Discord and his defeat again by herself and her friends. She spoke so quickly and with so much energy it would have made Pinkie Pie proud. Lloyd was at a loss to do anything more than stare blankly. It was a lot to take in, not that he wasn't catching it, it's just she was talking so fast! He had her pegged as this shy little bookworm but it wasn't the first time he was wrong.
Twilight was happy. For the first time that night she felt happy. It was nice to be able to just remember all that she had learned and share it with some pony else. All her lessons with princess Celestia, all that she had shared with her friends. Recounting it all brought a genuine smile to her face in spite of all that was happening. It didn't take as long as she thought, maybe she was talking too fast? When she finished with all she could think of, ending with how she had been studying the magic of friendship with her friends, she looked happily at Lloyd while he stared back.
"That really is something." He admitted. "Seems you've had an eventful life."
"Yeah, it's been a lot of fun, but also really hard." She mused. "I couldn't have made it this far without my friends."
"I promise you this now." She looked back to Lloyd's face, but he was facing away. "I won't let Darkside do the same to this world he did to mine."
She nodded. "I know, we'll beat him. You seem to forget you have the elements of Harmony backing you up, we can't fail." She said proudly. "Then maybe you can tell me more about your world when this is over." She giggled. "These 'humans' sound interesting."
Lloyd seemed to find this funny. "Sure, I guess you could call us interesting." He chuckled.
Twilight smiled but lowered it with a raised eyebrow. "I've been meaning to ask, you said that this book is what let you beat him before right? The book he came from?"
"Well yes and no." he shrugged. "The book is where he came from and it seems to be the gate we both use to jump dimensions. I thought I could put him back in the book and undo what he had done that way, but I was wrong. Turns out I can only use the book to throw myself or him through dimensions. I used it again in Farela when it was clear we had no chance of fighting him off. I used it to chase him after that and in Gimel we hurt him bad again. He was still too strong though, still was killing people. I used the book again to throw him away and chased him." He looked up sadly. "And that brought him here."
"So you've never beat him?" She asked a little disheartened.
"Well, no. I've hurt him, wounded him, once I even though he was dead but he seems to recover from any damage I do. The only thing I've been able to do is to contain his damage as much as possible and throw him to the next dimension when he does too much damage."
"That doesn't seem like a good plan." She said flatly.
"Yeah, I know. But I can't find any way to beat him. He's been injured before but he's always one step ahead so we can never do as much damage as we need to. Even in Gimel we had an army backing us and he managed to turn half of them against us and after the infighting was done most of them were dead and Darkside was fighting off a much smaller force." He sighed. "I had to use the book to make sure he didn't kill everyone. Gimel was the closest we ever came to killing him, but I couldn't bear the idea of Him taking that whole world with him just so I could kill him."
"How are we supposed to beat him then, do you have any kind of plan?" Twilight said, her temper rising.
"Like I said the only plan I have is to try and contain him. He can be wounded just like anyone else. You cut him he bleeds, you hit him he bruises. He's tougher than normal but I've made him run once or twice." Lloyd seemed much surer of himself. "Trust me, I can fight him on even ground, I'm stronger than I was before."
"What about the book?"
"What about it?"
"Well you said that you've used it to throw him through dimensions before, so we could use that right? Just throw him off to another dimension?" The purple unicorn asked hopefully.
"Well yeah I suppose we could." Lloyd said shrugging his shoulders and looking away. "But there's a few problems with that. First off, Darkside is no pushover, I'm not sure if the spell would work to send him away if he's not hurt. Second, I uhhh. . ." The colt slowly glanced at Twilight through the corner of his eyes. "Lost it." He whispered.
The purple unicorn stared back in disbelief. "What?!" She screamed. "You lost it!"
Lloyd chuckled slightly trying to hide behind his brown mane. "When I came here I started trying to chase down Darkside and when I saw the battle going on between you and him I moved faster. In my rush I dropped the book, but I couldn't go back for it or I wouldn't have been able to come help you and the others when I did."
"Welll-well-well, go get it." Twilight stammered.
"I can't. I don't even know where I dropped it and I can't leave you here alone." Lloyd said firmly. "With any luck we won't need it but in truth I would like it back. As I can I want to go find it, but I can't leave you here unprotected." He tried to calm the irate unicorn as she paced back and forth.
"Uggggg." She sighed collapsing on the pillow by the couch.
"I know it seems like a lot, but trust me I've seen all of this before, we can stop him without the book we just need to work together and keep everyone together." He stood next to Twilight and gently pat her back. "Darkside is afraid of me, he's never said it but that's why he never fights me head on when he could. He always tries to weaken my allies first, I know it. We can win and we will figure out a way to beat him."
The unicorn glanced at I'm through a half closed eye. Her mouth slowly turned to a smile. "It wouldn't be the first time we fought against the odds." The words were, less than comforting, but there was at least a sense of confidence in the Unicorn's tone. She abruptly stood up. "I need some tea, would you like some?"
"I would love some." Lloyd's stomach suddenly growled very loudly in the silence of the library. He smiled as red flushed his cheeks. "Uhh, maybe some food, if you don't mind?" He smiled.
Twilight giggled as she stepped to the kitchen. "Sure thing I'll be right back." She disappeared into the next room and Lloyd settled down on the floor. All the talk of Darkside was getting him bummed out again. He had always tried to think of something that would let him win but never had any idea come. They needed a miracle.
He groaned and raised his head again. A noise to the left made him jerk his head. A new being had entered the room. At the top of the stairs was a small purple and green . . . dragon? It was tiny, maybe a foot or so tall with purple scales and green smooth spikes along his head and back. The little creature was staring at Lloyd. His gaze was less than comforting.
"Hello." He said very quietly to the dragon. If ponies could talk here, maybe dragons could too.
"Hi." Came the quick and curt reply. He sounded like a kid, a boy to be exact. "Who are you?"
"I'm Lloyd." He said back as quickly as he was asked.
"I'm Spike."
"Good to know."
"What are you doing here?"
"Helping Twilight and the princess."
There was a pause in their snapping conversation as Spike glanced from the grey colt to the Princess unconscious on the couch with no Twilight in sight. "Doesn't look like it. Where's Twilight? Did you hurt her?" The little dragon was growling ever so slightly advancing down the stairs.
Who the hell is this kid, their guard dog? Lloyd thought but controlled himself. His last encounter with a dragon was not one he wished repeated, child or not. "Twilight! There is a small angry dragon in here." He called not taking his eyes off the angry little purple scaled being at the base of the stairs.
. . .
"I'm telling ya we need yall help right now!" Applejack slammed a hoof on the counter. Her and Pinkie had been at the hospital for several minutes already and had only just now gotten Nurse Redheart to even look at them. The hospital was nearly abandoned but the nurse seemed firmly against helping him, despite Applejack's pleas that it was a royal emergency.
Nurse Redheart huffed. "Like I told you before, we are short staffed tonight. Besides me there is only one other Nurse and only one Doctor, we can't go trotting off at your beck and call! We have patients to care for." The white pony snapped back at Applejack from across the counter.
"But this is a royal emergency!" Applejack growled. "The Princess herself sent us over here to get help! Ah don't care what you have to do, but we need a doctor right now!" Applejack's patience was all but gone.
"Ugh! Fine, if what you say is true I'll help you." Redheart shoved her snout in Applejack's face. "But you two have to help."
"Sure well help! Do you need us to be doctors? Or nurses? Or doctors and nurses? Or just fetch things? Can I do open heart surgery? I always wanted to but people always said 'Pinkie you'll kill somepony! It's dangerous!' but then I always said . . ." Pinkie's rant was cut short by a large roll of gauze shoved into her snout.
"First, you stop talking." The nurse said angrily. "Second, I'll get the doctor if you two go and get me all the supplies we'll need." Redheart quickly jot down a list on a piece of paper and handed it to Applejack. "And hurry up! If I'm waking the doctor up we shouldn't keep him waiting because you two are being slow and stupid." The nurse snapped.
"Aint no need to be so harsh." Applejack grumbled taking the list and dragging Pinkie pie, who was still rambling through the gauze roll, towards a large set of double doors. "Back here right?" The orange mare nodded her head to the darkened hallway. The nurse violently nodded and gave another annoyed sigh. Applejack swallowed her pride for the moment. She was being so mean, but the farmer knew she could scold the nurse at a later time when they didn't need her help.
As the two ponies disappeared through the hall the nurse scoffed. "Idiots."
"Yes, indeed they are." A dark voice made her turn around. A massive black alicorn towered over the nurse seeming to appear from nowhere. "I see they showed up, just as I said." He whispered.
The nurse sneered in the direction the mares had left. "Just like you said. They came in asking for help, like they all do! Bucking jerks! Always asking for me to help them and never show any gratitude!" The nurse spat her words with angry edge.
"Yes, they always look down on you. No reason why you shouldn't get a little payback." Darkside smiled. "You cut out the lights?" The mare nodded. "And moved all the patients to the other floor?" She nodded again. Darkside had to contain a giggle. Stopping by the hospital on his way in town was a great call. He found this lovely little mare with so much anger pent up, it was sad how easy he turned her. "Well done, you've been so helpful Nurse Redheart."
The nurse smiled happily up at the large and kind alicorn. "Thank you." She giggled. "It's so nice to be appreciated."
Darkside looked down on the mare. No point in loose ends. He put a hoof on her shoulder and she looked over her shoulder at him just as a black arrow erupted from her chest. The nurse's eyes went wide as blood dotted Darkside and herself. Her mouth opened to scream but another black tendril coiled around her mouth sealing in the scream as a muffled noise.
"You have been so helpful dear, now do me a favor and die." The tendril tore from her chest making the nurse scream another muffled cry. Her eyes were streaming tears as he slammed her to the counter with his magic, blood pooled across the tile as she looked up at him. Her eyes started to swim in the haze of pain and blood loss. "I feel like you need to know. Those poor ponies you just helped me trap, they are in for far worse than you, if that makes you feel any better." He almost giggled in delight.
Redheart's eyes widened in shock a realization and sudden guilt dawning in them. "Ohh yes." Darkside cooed. "I love those eyes!" He leaned in pressing his face to hers. "Those eyes with so much fear, and pain and guilt!" He chuckled. "Die with those eyes my dear." Two black Tendrils twirled above her before driving down. One thrust into her chest piercing her heart and lung while the other coiled around her neck, the razor edge slicing her white fur and skin staining it red. She tried to scream but the tendril around her mouth muffled her. Her scream devolved to a sick gurgle as her throat and lungs filled with blood. The sobbing nurse looked on the demon above her as her own blood and pain drowned her.
Darkside never left her sight, watching her eyes as the last of her life faded. When the mare was completely still he stood back and let her body lay across the counter, blood spilling across her defiled white form across the marble counter and tiled floor. Her eyes looked empty towards the sky as her blood continued to flow like a river across the smooth marble counter and pool over the floor. He smiled at the wonderful sight.
. . .
"Why is it so dark?" Pinkie asked huddling closer to Applejack. "It's creepy. Super spooky!"
Applejack didn't speak. The halls were dark, almost every light was off, most of the light coming from the windows and the moonlight outside. "Ah don't like this." Applejack whispered. "Why didn't Redheart tell us it was so dark?"
"I don't know. She seemed to be a real meanie pants tonight." Pinkie was still smiling but her voice was lower and trembling a bit. "I don't like this Applejack."
"Now it's gonna be ok sugarcube." She said patting Pink's back. "We're gonna get these supplies and go help the princess. Then we'll kick that monster Darkside back where he came from." Applejack smiled to her friend and hugged her close. "Now come on. We got to get all this medicine for the princess, come one." Applejack smiled and was happy when Pinkie started bouncing about as usually did.
"This looks like the medicine closest." Pinkie said poking her head in the apriority labeled door. The inside was almost pitch black with no lights on inside and no windows to let light in.
Applejack flicked the switch but got no response. "Ahh what in tarnation is going on?" She groaned stomping on the ground. "I'm gonna go get Nurse Redheart and find us some lights. Pinkie, go ahead and grab what you can." Applejack started walking away but pink hooves grabbed her tail.
"But Mud Head said not to split up. We have to stay together." Pinkie wasn't smiling when Applejack turned around.
"Now pinkie I'll be right back." She gently guided the pink pony into the room. "You stay in here and find what you can, there's a little light from the hall you can use. You stay here and don't let no pony in but me okay?" She hugged her friend. "I'll be back in a jiffy with some light I promise. An you know I won't break a promise."
"Pinkie promise?" the pink pony asked holding up her hoof.
"Pinkie promise." The farmer replied tapping her hoof to Pinkie's. The young mare nodded and allowed her orange friend to leave. Applejack shut the door but left it cracked before she started galloping down the dim hall. The hollow sound her hooves made against the floor did not ease her worries. She turned back down the turns they took and saw the main doors to the lobby. She slowed he gallop and pressed her head on the doors. They didn't budge.
"What the hay?" Apple jack backed up and pushed with her hooves. Still the doors did not relent. Growling she backed up and rammed the door, the doors would not give but the knock had created a rattle from the other side. With a perplexed look the farmer tilted her hat back and stood on her hind legs to look through the window.
Latched around the other side of the door was a set of black and glowing chains. Her eyes wandered the room beyond for help. "Nurse Redheart!" She called, hoping the mare could get her out.
Her eyes stretched wide as she beheld the mare, slumped over the counter, blood pooling across the marble and across the floor, her white coat was stained red. Applejack fell back to the ground heaving her chest as breathes came rapid and uneven. She had never seen such a thing, such a brutal thing. Her stomach twisted and churned and threatened to lose its contents but she closed her eyes to try and force the image away and calm herself. What happened?
"Darkside." She gasped as her breath came back. He must be here, he did this, but then . . . . "Pinkie!" She screamed. Scrambling to her feet she galloped as fast as she could back down the hall to her friend. Her eyes were already wet over nurse Redheart but she wouldn't let it happen to Pinkie!
I'm a little worried, I usually don't write such dark stuff. Darkside is terrible influence Oh well, as always I beg for review to tell me what you think.