/Welcome back, kind readers! How's life been for you all? Good? That's good. Thanks to HarmonyDash9, SkyRider5, and SM1 for the reviews! I've got some regulars, aye? That's nice, I happen to like regulars.
And, although I regret to say it and I really do appreciate the suggestion, I'm not sure how I'd be able to fit the sirens into this story without deterring it of it's original point. Not to say that I don't love the sirens, I just don't know how I'd fit them in. I will see what I can do, however, and I appreciate the suggestion. Don't hesitate to leave others!/
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In my sleep I feel a nudge at my side. I ignore it and re-adjust my position, only to be nudged again. I hear a sharp "Psst!" right in my ear.
"Sunset!" Sweetie Belle hisses.
"Ugh, what?" I mumble.
"We're packin' up and movin' out. You're comin' with us, aren'tya?" Applebloom asks, much softer.
That gets my attention. I roll over and blink sleep crust from my eyes. Those three are leaving already? I mean, I knew they'd be leaving sooner or later, being reconnaissance agents, but I didn't expect they'd be leaving now. Cadence can't have possibly given them a directive already; I made a point to fall asleep last to ensure those don't have any other hidden secrets.
But sure enough, Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Scootaloo all have saddlebags on and look ready to leave. Quickly I check all around me to make sure none of my things are missing. Those three have a tendency to raid camps for supplies. Thankfully, though, all my stuff is exactly where I left it.
"You aren't leaving now, are you? Cadence hasn't given you any orders yet." I say.
"We keep moving, Sunset, you know that. Besides... Too many painful memories here." Sweetie Belle speaks wistfully.
I can't believe what I'm hearing. Rarity and Applejack just got their baby sisters back after over a year, and now they're leaving. Just like that. I refuse to stand for that.
"Girls, we need you here. Cadence needs your information. Rarity and Applejack need to know that you're safe. And Scootaloo..." She jumps upon hearing her name, "Scootaloo, if anypony needs anypony right now, Rainbow Dash needs you."
Her shock is undeniable, even without eyes. She just stands there, rigid, mouth hanging slightly open. A flash of guilty alights in Applebloom's eyes. Sweetie Belle seems to consider barely a moment before shaking her head.
"No." She speaks firmly.
"But Sweetie Belle-" I try.
"No! We're reconnaissance agents and we can't get attached. Even if it is our sisters."
"Cadence never told you to leave." I remind her.
"She never told us to stay, either."
Without a second glance, Sweetie Belle stalks away. Applebloom follows in a heartbeat. Scootaloo, however, seems more reluctant to go. She shuffles her hooves in the bloodstained dirt and bites her lip. She turns to where her friends are going, then back to me. Who knew a pony could be so expressive without eyes?
At last it seems she's made her decision. She turns and slinks towards the remaining Crusaders. I sigh and place my head back on the warm, blood-streaked rock-pillow I was using. Before I can sleep, however, I hear loud hoofsteps. My head shoots up and I see Scootaloo running back to us. I quietly direct her to where Rainbow Dash sleeps. She expertly slips under Rainbow's good wing without waking her and snuggles up to her. I smile. The girl may be blind, but at least her heart isn't.
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I wake again, hours later, to screaming and the clapping of hooves against the dirt. Instantly, I'm on mine, and notice the others are, too. Applebloom and Sweetie are still gone, but not for much longer. As the screaming draws closer I recognize their voices. They round a corner, Gilda's soldiers in close pursuit.
Earth ponies run, teeth bared, ready to tear us limb from limb. Pegasi glide in from above, holding unicorns who fire attack spells. Immediately, Twilight, Rarity and I take up the front and fire up our horns. Behind us, Cadence and Fluttershy take to the skies. I watch Applejack lead Rainbow to safety, then return to us.
Before any of us can attack, however, Scootaloo jumps in front of us.
"WAIT!" She screams.
Rarity lets her horn fizzle out and turns to the blind filly.
"What is it, darling?"
"Somepony's missing..."
We all glance around to see who we've lost.
"Pinkie Pie!" Fluttershy pipes up suddenly.
She's right. All of us are here except Pinkie. I squint at the army coming rapidly towards us, and guess who I see, restrained in Lightning Dust's grasp? That's right, Pinkamena Responsibility Diane Pie.
"If we shoot, we might hit her!" Twilight cries. "Power down, ladies. We'll wait until they're close enough our shots will be more accurate."
Reluctantly, I allow my horn to fizzle out. My eyes fix upon Sweetie Belle and Applebloom, running for their lives from the ambush. A unicorn named Pumpkin Spice fires at them and times seems to slow down. The beam travels through the air at lightning speed.
Suddenly a bloodcurdling scream rings out and Sweetie Belle collapses.
"Applebloom!" She cries in panic.
The country filly looks back, but keeps running. Tears fill her eyes. It's almost as if she's physically unable to stop moving. Sweetie Belle continues to shout as Flash Sentry swoops down and picks her up in his mouth. He carries her back upwards, only making her screams louder. She writhes around in his grip, trying to free herself.
"Rarity!" She cries. "Rarity, help me!"
I glance to the side. Fear strikes Rarity eyes, almost instantly replaced by determination. She makes eye contact with Applejack and the two exchange a nod. Before we can stop them, Applejack skids to a halt and lowers her backside. When Rarity jumps up, she bucks her higher, sending the unicorn flying through the sky. She barrels into Flash Sentry, knocking him from the sky and Sweetie Belle from his grasp. Applejack leaps to catch her and leads both fillies back to us.
In the meantime, Rarity is on top of Flash, tearing him to pieces both literally and figuratively. She fires beam after beam at him, sinks her teeth into his flesh and rips at it... It's frightening. She's transformed into a total barbarian. His blood makes a backsplash onto her face.
"Keep... Your... Hooves... Off... My... SISTER!" She screams
"Rarity, stop!" Twilight runs at Rarity and yanks her away from Flash.
She drags her back to us, still firing spells left and right.
"Let me at him, Twilight! Don't hold me back!" She cries.
"Rarity, it's over."
Sudden worry washes over me. I turn and see Sweetie Belle lying dead on the ground. Blood pools all around her, striping her hide like a gory zebra. Applebloom has an ear pressed to the unicorn filly's heart, tears dripping down her face. Scootaloo sits by her side, intently listening to the empty air filled only by the wind. Rarity frees herself from Twilight's hold and runs to her sister. Twilight reaches to stop her and I shake my head solemnly.
"Let her grieve." I murmur.
Applebloom and Scootaloo move aside as Rarity takes hold of her sister's lifeless body. She holds her close, burying her face into the bloody mess we used to call Sweetie Belle. Tears run down her face and her anguished scream disrupts the silence.
I look around at the scene. Applejack holds her own sobbing sister close, knowing it could have been she who lost somepony dear. Scootaloo continues to sit in silence while Rainbow Dash peeks quietly from behind a boulder. Fluttershy is the only one we allow to make a move to console Rarity. Twilight and I watch in sorrow and Cadence keeps her eyes fixed on the army. From behind us, a cry rings out.
"An eye for an eye!" Lightning Dust shouts as Lightspeed tosses Flash's dead body at us. "Surrender or more will die! Tick-tock, Princess. Tick. Tock."
And with that, Gilda's soldiers are gone. As all the girls mourn over Sweetie Belle's loss and Twilight and I linger on Flash Sentry's body, I see in my peripherals Cadence watching the escaping army intently. Suddenly I realize what they meant by "More will die". If we don't surrender as quickly as possible...
They're going to kill Pinkie Pie.
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/YEAH CLIFFHANGERS. I'm sorry for the constant looooooooong space between updates, but I have the first part of the next chapter written already so that'll be coming soon. Prepare for some more backstory./