Harbinger pt. 3

"Do you think the princesses are alive?"

Dawn was breaking up the blotches of purple and navy in the sky over the mountains and everyone was in various states of being awake. Apple Bloom was snuggled between Big Macintosh's forelegs, her head against his chest. Her question made him shake his head. "I wish I knew."

Twilight and Cheerilee were down at the edge of the water getting a drink and Bubblecup took Raindrops off for a quick search of the area. Snails was still groggy with sleep but Rarity, fully awake, lay still and stared into the dying fire. Big Macintosh watched her for a minute, concerned. He'd seen ponies go into shock before for all kinds of different reasons. Most of the time they acted just the way the unicorn was but it never lasted long. It was usually quickly followed by joyous laughter or the most heartbreaking of weeping. Rarity had woken and silently gone down to the water to drink and wash, then returned to her sleeping spot and stared as she was now.

"Apple Bloom, why don't you go get a drink 'fore we head out. Take Snails with you."

"Aw, do I have to?"

"Go on, now."

The yellow filly grumbled and got to her hooves. She made her way over to Snails and gave him a not-so-gentle nudge. "Come on. My brother said we need to get drinks before we go." Still half asleep, Snails staggered to his hooves like a newborn foal and followed Apple Bloom with a mutter of acquiesce. Once the two children were out of earshot, Big Macintosh turned his attention to Rarity.

"Y'alright over there?"

It took a moment for the words to register apparently. Big Mac was about to ask again but Rarity finally blinked and turned her head. An obviously forced smile did nothing to light her face. "Me? Of course, darling. Why would you ask such a thing?"

"You been starin' off into the fire for about an hour now."

Rarity dropped her act and offered the stallion a real smile, albeit a sad one. "I keep replaying yesterday morning over in my head. Wondering about the last thing I said to my sister before sending her off to play. I was dreadfully busy with an order and you know how sisters can get under hoof."

He glanced at the four still down at the water and lowered his voice. "How did you come to be with Apple Bloom? Far as I know she was with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo."

"By pure accident, really." Rarity turned her eyes to the fire again. "Cheerilee had come in to the shop to pick up a scarf she ordered some time ago. Der...Bubblecup was there delivering the mail and the three of us were just chatting. Apple Bloom came in and told us something had happened just seconds before Twilight was there and teleporting our group away."

"Well I thank you for takin' such good care of her. I know how worried you are about Sweetie Belle. Maybe she an' Applejack are together somewhere."

As the group by the water headed back up the shore, Rarity looked at Twilight. "When you were teleporting groups away did you see Sweetie Belle?"

The lavender unicorn thought and moment as she sat, but eventually shook her head. "I'm sorry, Rarity, but I don't remember seeing her. It's possible she was teleported away by Luna or Princess Celestia."

Snails looked at her. "Princess Celestia was there?"

"Toward the end, yes. There were still a lot of ponies in town when she told me to get out. So I found you, Caramel, and Cloud Kicker and did as she told me."

"Rainbow Dash will be so upset to hear about Cloud Kicker," Rarity said. She looked at Cheerilee as the earth pony passed her and got up. "Cheerilee. Please accept my apologies for the way I acted yesterday." She turned to look at Apple Bloom, too. "Both of you. I am truly embarrassed for the way I behaved. Can you ever forgive me?"

Apple Bloom nodded and smiled but did not leave Big Mac's side. "Of course!"

Cheerilee smiled at the unicorn as well. "It's already forgotten, Rarity."

"Here come the other two," Snails announced, munching on a clump of grass.

Everyone watched as Bubblecup and Raindrops dropped down from the sky. The yellow pegasus landed but the mailmare caught an updraft and flew overhead and followed the river east, disappearing after a minute. "She's just checking our tails," Raindrops explained. "We didn't see much. Blue Bonnet's body is gone."

"What?"

"What do you mean it's gone?"

The nervous pegasus shifted on her hooves. "I mean it's gone. Someone or something must have taken it away. The...her...well you can still see the spot we left her in for disgusting and obvious reasons but she's really not there anymore."

"What do you think that means?" Big Macintosh asked, looking at Twilight.

Her eyes widened. "I honestly have no idea. Are you sure she was..."

"I'm sure."

Twilight shook her head. "Then I really don't know. There's no logical explanation except for, as Raindrops said, someone or something carrying her away."

"Why didn't they come for us then?" Rarity asked. "We kept the fire going all night. Surely that would draw more attention than a dead body."

"Maybe they're scared of the fire."

All attention turned to Snails and he blinked lazily. "What?"

"He may be right," Cheerilee agreed. "We're not far enough away from where we left Blue Bonnet that we wouldn't have gone unnoticed. Maybe the fire acted as a deterrent. Blue Bell certainly wasn't discouraged from attacking Big Mac even when she saw there were more of us."

Twilight looked like she was going to be sick. "I don't know, maybe. I guess we'll get to test that theory out again later. But for now I think we need to start a list."

"A list?" Rarity looked at her askance. "Really, Twilight. Whatever would we need a list for?"

"A list of ponies we've seen. Ponies we will see because I'm sure there will be more. At some point there will be enough of us that we'll need to know who is missing and who we need to look for. If we start a list now it will make things much easier as more ponies are added to our group."

"Good idea," said Big Mac. "Question is, where do we find paper an' all that?"

Twilight frowned thoughtfully. "I suppose I could try and make them." Getting to her hooves, she pulled one of the big leaves down from their shelter and set it on the ground. Her horn glowed a soft pink and the leaf folded itself into a sort of container. This she levitated down to the lake and dipped it in. Once it was full enough she brought it back and set it before the fire. Another leaf was grabbed and set next to the cup. Her eyes then turned to Raindrops. "May I?"

Raindrops grimaced. "You healed my leg. I guess it's the least I can do."

"Sorry about this." The pegasus gritted her teeth and turned away as Twilight grasped one of her feathers in her teeth, and yanked.

"OW!"

"Sorry!"

Raindrops whimpered and said a quiet, "It's all right."

With the three objects by the fire, Twilight stood before them with a look of determination in her eyes. Her horn glowed once more, her eyes squeezing shut. Everyone watched as the leaf dried and smoothed out into a dull green bit of parchment-like paper and the cup of water turned into a cup of ink. Only the feather from Raindrops remained unchanged. Twilight opened one eye and let out a breath. "Almost."

"No," Rarity said, looking over her shoulder. "It's perfect, Twilight Use the feather for a quill just as it is. You needn't wear yourself out before we've even begun the day."

"Good point." The feather lifted by magic and dipped its tip into the ink. Hovering over the parchment now, Twilight looked around. "Now, give me some names."

By the time their short list was completed there were the names of seven different ponies they knew to either be dead or infected as they were choosing to call it. Bubblecup rejoined them and reported all was clear, getting a drink while the others filled her in one what she missed.

"So what now?" Rarity asked. "Are we still heading for the border?"

Big Macintosh glanced at Raindrops. "We were thinkin' more like headin' west."

"West?" asked Cheerilee.

"Toward Appleloosa. I figure it's the only other place AJ would head."

Twilight nodded slowly. "Actually, I don't think that's a bad idea. More Ponyville residents know ponies and have family in Appleloosa than Caneighda. It would make sense for them to head there."

"Or to Manehattan," Rarity offered, "Or even Hoofington and Trottingham."

Apple Bloom looked at Cheerilee with a proud smile. "Well if we go to Appleloosa we'll have to go by Manehattan."

"That's right," said Cheerilee, mirroring her student's smile.

"Then we can check there first, then head to Appleloosa." Big Macintosh stood and shook his coat. "We should head out then. It's gonna be a long day."

The group of eight ponies readied themselves, getting last minutes drinks of water and putting out the fire before moving in one group. As was becoming procedure, the two pegasai took to the air to fly ahead and keep a look out. Apple Bloom rode on Big Macintosh and Snails kept up with the others as they ran. They gave the area where Big Mac killed Blue Bonnet a wide berth but it was obvious even from far away that the bloodstained spot where she had been lying was now missing a body. Still, no one commented on it as they pressed on.

With the two above leading those below it was a fairly fast moving morning. They found small rivers to get water when needed and took quick breaks when it was essential, but they didn't truly stop for any length of time until just a little after noon. With six hours of running behind them they'd passed the mountain path that would take them back to Canterlot and eventually Ponyville, and were well on their way to Manehattan. During one short stop Twilight teleported herself back to the outskirts of Canterlot to rummage around for some saddlebags and any supplies they might need. It was now that they all decided to stop for lunch that she really inspected what she had.

"Four saddlebags, two cloaks, some canteens, real parchment and ink, and a whole bunch of bits that won't do us much good."

"Not yet," said Big Macintosh, strapping one of the saddlebags around his middle. "But they may come in handy later."

Rarity was inspecting the cloaks carefully. "It gives me no small amount of pain to say this, but if we cut the stitching just right these could be made into a very good tent covering. It will keep out wind and bugs, though the rain would be another story."

The other bags were claimed by Cheerilee, Bubblecup, and Twilight while Apple Bloom and Snails worked on filling the canteens with water from the nearby river. "How do you think we're doing, Big Mac?" Cheerilee asked.

"I think we're doin' real good. This is about where Raindrops found me, maybe a little farther west."

She nodded. "Farther. We already passed the spot where I saw the Mayor. She's gone, too."

"We keep up this pace," he continued, "I think we should hit Manehattan by nightfall."

"If we don't run into any trouble," Twilight added sensibly. "Think we can stop long enough to have lunch? You have to be tired, Big Mac. You've been carrying Apple Bloom the whole time."

He shrugged. "I could do for a rest, sure. Apple Bloom's fine. I want to keep her close anyway."

"Well there's enough greens here for a nice salad,'" said Bubblecup.

Apple Bloom dragged her canteens to the middle of the ground and said, "An' there's a bunch of dandelions down by the water!"

"Then I'll make us a salad," her teacher said. "Care to help?"

As it turned out the two ponies made more than enough for the eight of them and they all had their fill, having full bellies for the first time since their worlds ended. Once everything was packed away and they were set to go again, the group started out slowly so their stomachs could settle. Even the two pegasus ponies chose to walk for awhile.

"I've never been to Manehattan before," Snails admitted. "The only time I've even been out of Ponyville was our school trip to the royal gardens."

"And look how well that turned out," muttered Apple Bloom.

"It's a very noisy city," Rarity explained. "Ponies are always on the go, there's always something to do and see. It's not my personal cup of tea but some ponies like that sort of thing. I believe Rainbow Dash and Applejack went once, didn't they?"

"Eeeyup." Big Mac shrugged. "They seemed to like it."

Rarity sighed. "I promised Sweetie Belle I'd take her someday. With her gift for singing I thought she would enjoy seeing a show on Bridleway."

Twilight smiled encouragingly at her friend. "And someday you will."

"I'd be happy to see Cloudsdale again," Raindrops confessed.

"Oh, Raindrops...." Cheerilee looked at her sadly. "I didn't even think of Cloudsdale. There's nothing above Ponyville anymore."

"Which means there's no Cloudsdale anymore. I tried to find it before ponies were teleporting away but there was no way around the blackness. It was like it followed me everywhere."

Twilight looked at Snails. "We saw ponies get sucked into one of those voids. You're lucky you didn't, Raindrops."

"Do you think they died?" Apple Bloom asked. "The ones that got sucked in, I mean. Should we add them to the list?"

"You know, that's not a bad idea." They paused so Twilight could take out her list and add the names. Ace, Daisy, Sour Grapes, and Blossomforth now joined the ranks of those assumed dead. "When you girls passed by Canterlot were there any familiar faces." Twilight looked specifically at Rarity but she merely shook her head.

"No, there were too many to look at. I couldn't bear to search."

"All right. Then I guess that's all we..."

"Quiet!"

Everyone looked at Big Macintosh. He stood tall, ears erect, eyes focused and searching. There were trees here and there along the route they were taking, nothing at all like a dense forest but definitely enough to give an attacker a place to hide. There wasn't anything obvious or out of place, no strange sound. It was just a feeling he had.  Looking ahead, they would be passing through something of a slim ravine soon with high hills on either side of them. This left them vulnerable and it didn't sit well with the stallion but there was little choice otherwise.

"All right, everypony. Keep walkin' but be real quiet. Raindrops, Bubblecup, if you'd mind takin' a peek.."

"On it." The two pegasai were air born and Big Mac urged the rest of them on. He made Apple Bloom get down and walk with Snails, Twilight and Rarity leading and he and Cheerilee bringing up the rear with the two smaller ponies in the middle of them all. They all kept their ears open and looked cautiously around as they went. Big Mac watched the two ponies above, expecting them to split off to circle around in opposite directions. But as soon as they were high enough they both dove back down. "They're coming up the hills!"

"Big Macintosh!" He looked toward Twilight and saw what she did; blocking their path was an orange pegasus, eyes large and black.

"That's Green Gems," Raindrops whimpered. "He tends to the rainbow streams in Cloudsdale."

There was a noise behind and Big Macintosh whipped around. Coming up behind them, slowly as if stalking prey, was Sea Swirl. Her once lovely rose hued eyes were now black and colorless, and the grin on her face was wicked. Above them on both sides of the ravine came more ponies. They were surrounded.

"What do we do?" Cheerilee asked.

Big Macintosh took a deep breath in, his gaze never leaving Sea Swirl. "We're gonna run back the way we came an' fight, that's what we're gonna do."

"Go back?" Rarity questioned.

"We go forward an' we'll never make it. Least this way we only gotta take down one to get into more open space. We'll have more of a chance. Apple Bloom, Snails? Soon as you see a place good enough you run for it an' hide. You understand me?"

They answered in the affirmative and Big Macintosh lowered his head. "Give me a five second head start to get her down, then run an' don't stop until you have to." He didn't wait for an answer this time, just charged. As he tore down the path toward Sea Swirl she ran right for him. As soon as he moved every single pony on the hills above them began coming down, their hooves making a thundering echo all around them.

"Run!" Cheerilee shouted.

Big Mac and Sea Swirl collided with a forceful impact that threw her back a bit. She snarled and immediately scrambled up to paw at him and snap her teeth, looking for purchase in his pelt. The group from Ponyville flew past the two fighting and Big Mac employed a move he used on Blue Bonnet. He waited for Sea Swirl to come at him again and rolled back, kicking her up and over his head. Without turning to see where she landed, he was on his hooves and running after his group. "Keep runnin'!" he ordered, even when they were out into flat and open lands. Not heeding his own words, the big red stallion skidded to a stop and turned, head down, ears flat against his skull, prepared to take on the wave of ponies coming right toward him.

Trying to find a good place to hide, Apple Bloom glanced back to find her brother was no longer with them. When she saw him she nearly tripped over her own hooves. "Big Macintosh!"

The others heard her shriek and looked as well. "What is he doing?" Cheerilee demanded.

"Trying to protect us," answered Raindrops in a terrified voice.

"He won't do us a lot of good when he's dead." Twilight turned and bore down, leading the entire group back toward their protector. "Rarity..."

The gray unicorn nodded, not needing Twilight to say what she already understood needed to happen. But she had doubts. "Will it work?"

"We're about to find out," Twilight panted. "Everyone, get as close as you can to Big Mac!"

There was no room for error and no time to worry about what would happen if Twilight's plan fell through. As soon as they all reached the spot where Big Mac stood, Rarity and Twilight stood before him. Their horns glowed and still the infected ponies charged. The ones in the lead snarled and jumped at the unicorns since they were the closest and easiest targets. Coming down just inches above their heads, the infected ponies hit an invisible barrier and were thrown back. Rarity and Twilight winced at the impact against their shield but it held firm. As soon as he realized what was going on, Snails joined them and added his own magic. Though it was much weaker than those of the adults, it lessened the pressure some.

"What now?" Apple Bloom sobbed. "We're trapped!"

Cheerilee held her close, her head whipping around as she counted.  "Thirteen. There are thirteen of them and eight of us!"

"Six who can fight," Big Mac corrected, watching as the outsiders threw themselves again and again at the invisible barrier between them and their prey. "There's no way this shield can hold forever." He thought quickly. "Here's what we're gonna do. Bubblecup, you take the kids an' fly as fast an' far as you can. Hopefully they'll be too distracted by us to notice you're even missin'."

She shook her head. "No, I can help!"

"We need to get them outta here an' you still have a foal out there. You're gonna do it an' you're gonna find her. Understand. The rest of us...well we ain't goin' down without a fight now, are we?" He squeezed Apple Bloom in a tight embrace before helping her onto Bubblecup's back. "You listen when Bubblecup tells you do to somethin', all right?" The filly nodded, tears spilling from her eyes. Snails let his magic drop and climbed up tiredly behind Apple Bloom. Big Mac looked at Bubblecup. "Can you fly with both of them?"

"I can. Just tell me when."

He looked at the others, Twilight, Rarity, Cheerilee, and Raindrops. "On my count, drop the shield. Bubblecup, you take off. The rest of us, pretty sure you know what to do. Everypony ready?" He looked out and met gazes with Sea Swirl. "Set," he said lowly. "Go!"

The shields dropped and Bubblecup shot up into the air faster than anyone imagined possible. The five left on the ground split in different directions and the real battle began. Raindrops was the first to be attacked. An earth pony she didn't recognize charged at her and ran her head right into the very leg that had been healed by magic. Raindrops cried out, feeling the bones snap anew and crumpled to the ground. The earth pony gave a snarling laugh and reared back, pawing the air with her front hooves. She brought them down but was bucked away just milliseconds before trampling the pegasus by an angry Rarity.

Twilight was fighting off two pegasai above her, rearing up as they dove at her and using her horn as a weapon. While one shrieked away, the other fell on her and sank its teeth into her neck. Twilight's cry alerted the others and Big Macintosh tossed aside his unicorn assailant to thunder over to Twilight and save her. He grabbed the infected pegasus by the tail and jerked his head to the side as hard as he could. She screamed and went sailing into a group of her comrades, Big Mac coming away with half a tail in his mouth. He turned and bucked back and up, breaking the neck of the other pegasus. Panting, he looked at Twilight. "You okay?"

"I'm bitten." There was worry in her wide eyes. "Not deep, but she got me."

"You fight it, Twilight. Anypony can, it'd be you. Hear me?"She nodded warily but suddenly gasped and yelled, "Down!" Big Mac hit the ground, just missing being impaled by a unicorn horn. Twilight leaped over him in a graceful move and clashed with a small brown unicorn stallion.

Seeing Twilight was clearly getting the better of the situation, Big Macintosh got up and ran back into the fray to try and even the odds. There was a pile of them just ahead and he lowered his head, running and meaning to charge right through them like a bowling ball. But something dropped from the sky right down into the middle of them and sent them all flying in different direction. The only pony left over got up, shook her sage green coat and looked around with determined pink eyes. Seeing Big Mac pull himself up short, she jumped into the air and prepared to divebomb again, then stopped when recognition hit. "Big Macintosh!"

He blinked. "You know me?"

"Only by reputation and name. I'm Merry May. The others will be here soon. Come on!"

With no more explanation she took off like a bullet, a war cry on her lips as she went.

Cheerilee could feel the fur pulled from her flank when a yellow earth pony bit into her and pulled. Blood trickled down her leg as others came after her. She stumbled, trying to stay on her hooves and get the earth pony off of her back. But then another came from the other side and clung to her neck. As she fell her only thought was that she was glad the children weren't there to see it.

"HIIIIIIIIIII-YA!"

The newest addition to their party came down from above and kicked as hard as she could, trying to free Cheerilee. "Hang on, Teach!" Merry May spun in the air like she was dancing and threw out a foreleg, effectively punching an infected pony in the throat. Quick like a little hummingbird, she flew around the same pony and grabbed him by the neck and head, and gave a fierce twist. It fell over in a sagging slump. "You okay?"

Cheerilee looked at the pegasus, half bewildered and half in pain.

"Oh, right. No, you don't look like you are. Hang on, help is coming!"

Up on top of the left side of the ravine came more ponies, One of them reared back and yelled a great, "Yee-haw!" before running full speed down the hill. Another levitated something off his back and set it gently on the ground before running down the hill as well, a smaller pony running with him.

Twilight grappled with an infected pony down where she'd been bitten earlier. It managed to roll her onto her back and pin her. And just when Twilight thought it was the end for her a blue horn pierced through the pony, killing it instantly. Twilight looked up in astonishment and caught her breath. "Pokey!"

"Oh hey, Twilight. Looks like you guys could use a hoof!"

It was over in a matter of minutes after that. Pokey and Merry May were quick and deadly and the ground was soon littered with bodies and soaked with blood. Once such body wriggled as if coming back to life but it was the pony trapped beneath trying to free herself. With the body tossed aside, the orange earth pony got to her hooves and shook out her blonde mane. "Y'know, Pokey, I think you may be right. They're startin' to join up like we are."

Big Macintosh, red fur stained in patches even darker and stuck together with blood, looked at the mare incredulously. "AJ?"

She turned with a grin and ran for him. "Heya big brother! I knew if anypony survived this mess it'd be you!" They embraced and Applejack held him tightly. "I'm so glad to see you."

"Same here, little sister. Apple Bloom will be real happy, too."

"She's here? Where?!"

"Somewhere with Bubblecup now. But she's safe."

"Bubble who?"

"We need help over here!"

They both turned at the sound of a little voice, one that once held an air of superiority and arrogance but now was wavering with emotion and fear. "Applejack, it's Miss Cheerilee."

The earth pony was on the ground and bleeding from several wounds, the worst of them being the fur ripped from her flank. By her head was a dirty and disheveled Silver Spoon. Cheerilee's eyes were closed and she was breathing heavily. "Cheerilee?" The others surrounded her now, even a limping Twilight. She bent her head to give her friend a gentle nudge. "Cheerilee, you've got to open your eyes!"

Applejack made her way over and gave a sad smile to her friend. "Hey, Twi. Let me take a look."

Twilight stepped back to watch Applejack nose around the teacher, while Rarity and Big Mac checked the lavender unicorn over. "How are you feeling, darling?" asked Rarity.

Twilight shrugged, confused. "Fine. I mean, it hurts but I don't feel weird or different or anything. And I was bit more than once."

"It ain't the bites that'll get ya," Applejack said. "Pokey, help me out a sec, would ya?" The blue stallion trolled over and used his magic to carefully turn Cheerilee on her side. "It's the floatin' spirits. Thanks, Pokes. Mind keepin' guard for us?"

"No problem."

Skeptical, Twilight looked at her friend. "Spirits. Applejack, I don't meant to be rude but..."

"I didn't believe in 'em at first neither, Twi, but they're there. Hang on an' we'll show ya."

"Raindrops needs help, too," called Merry May. She was standing with her friend, keeping her propped up with support. Twilight worked on Raindrops, telling her that the mending wouldn't be as strong this time since she'd already healed it once before and her magic had already been used so much. Meanwhile, Applejack, Rarity and Big Macintosh worked on making bandages for Cheerilee out of strips torn from one of the cloaks. Once she was resting a bit more comfortably thanks to a sleeping spell from Rarity, the group gathered together.

"It was Pokey who realized it was spirits an' not somethin' else that we're fightin' against."

"Only because I saw Luna kill a few of them. They move around practically invisible unless you're looking for them. Even then they're really hard to find. But if you see them they have to be killed or they'll just reanimate another body. Or invade the living body of a weakened pony. So far it seems only unicorns can kill them. You know, because we have horns."

Twilight winced as Applejack turned her bandaging skills to her wounds. "So you're saying spirits have taken over the bodies of our friends?"

Applejack and Pokey looked at each other and he grimaced. "Not exactly. They, um...they have to already be dead in order for the spirits to have a place to go. Or severely beaten down and close to death's door. "

The weight of that settled on them all quite heavily.. Twilight looked over at Cheerilee with a sense of dread. "Will she be okay?"

"We need to get her to Manehattan," Applejack said grimly. "She needs real medical treatment. In the meantime I think she'll be fine as long as we keep an eye out. Cheerilee's always had a pretty strong will, an' she ain't dyin' on my watch."

"Then we need to get goin'," said Bic Mac. If somepony can get her on my back..."

"No need," said Pokey. We have a cart. Merry May found you guys on a scout and we dropped everything to come back through and help. I'll go get it and bring it back."

Silver Spoon glanced back at the ravine. "What about Sweetie Belle?"

"Sweetie Belle?!" Rarity looked at the filly in alarm. "She's here? Where? Where is she?"

Applejack shook her head and moved to stand in front of Rarity. "Pokey'll bring her back with him. But I gotta tell you, Rarity. She...she ain't well."

"What do you mean?!" She looked after the retreating form of the blue unicorn, then back at Applejack. "What's wrong with her?"

"She's real sick, real roughed up. She's one of them now."

The unicorn swayed a bit but Applejack was quick to brace her. "One of...them? That mean's she's..."

Applejack nodded. "We found her wanderin' around. It already had a strong hold on her. So Pokey put a sleepin' spell on her like you did with Cheerilee." The earth pony's eyes were filled with sorrow. "I'm sorry."

Despite the help from Applejack, Rarity's knees gave out and she sank to the ground. Her baby sister, the one pony she loved most in the world, the one she was supposed to protect was now gone, her spirit replaced by that of an angry, violent being. It was almost too much to bear. To think of a foreign thing in Sweetie Belle's body was sickening and filled her with anger. "Why haven't you killed it then?" she spat, glaring up at Applejack. "Why haven't you freed her from these...THINGS?!"

"I..." Applejack blinked, taking a step back. "I couldn't. Rarity, I love Sweetie Belle just about as much as I love my own little sister. I couldn't do it!"

"Very well." The unicorn wiped the tears from her face and got up, squaring her withers. "I will take care of it. I am her family, after all.  Where is she?"

Applejack sighed heavily and pointed toward the ravine. "She's up there."

Without a word to anyone else, Rarity left the group with her head held high. She kept herself from crying by focusing on her breathing, keeping her ears open for approaching hooves. When she reached the steep incline that would lead to the top of the ravine she turned to counting her steps. She could see a small mound up ahead. Sweetie Belle was wrapped in a blanket and sound asleep. As Rarity drew upon her, her strength dissolved and tears flowed freely. She lay down beside her sister and pulled her close, nuzzling her soft little cheek.

"I never told you, but when Mother told me she was pregnant I was so afraid. Our parents always favored their freedom over me, enjoyed seeing the world more than spending time with me and I knew it would be the same with you. I knew I would end up being more your parent than either of them were. And then they brought you home and I suddenly didn't care. You were this beautiful, precious little foal." She sniffled and smiled at the memory. "You were always getting into things you shouldn't, you've been doing it since you were that small."

Rarity's horn glowed softly, removing the sleeping spell. Sweetie stirred in the blanket and Rarity held her tighter. When the little filly's eyes opened, first to slivers, then completely, they were a solid black.

"The first time our parents left," Rarity continued, tightening her grip on her squirming sister, "and Mother said they'd only be gone a few days I knew it was the beginning. They would be infected with wanderlust once again and they'd conveniently forget they had a family. Of course by then I was trying to start my own business and adding in taking care of you, well it was no picnic."

Sweetie Belle squirmed, trying to get out of Rarity's tight hold on her. She jerked her head back, trying to snap at Rarity's leg. In response, Rarity shifted her body so she could hold Sweetie Belle to her chest with one leg, the other foreleg holding Sweetie Belle's head still and firm against her body.

"The first postcard they sent made me so angry that I tore apart the gown I was working on. I could take them abandoning me. I was strong, I could handle it. But to abandon you? That was just not fair. You deserved to have two loving parents taking care of you, raising you, loving you." She clopped a hoof over Sweetie Belle's nose and mouth, holding it there firmly even as Sweetie Belle struggled. "But we ended up together, you and I. You became so much more than my baby sister, Sweetie. I loved you with everything in me, loved you more than even my shop, and Opal. There were times I thought of you as my own and not just a sibling, and I liked to imagine you felt the same way."

The filly thrashed against Rarity, struggling for air but Rarity was resolute and did not give in. "I thank Celestia every single day for blessing me with a sister like you." She pressed her hoof harder over Sweetie Belle's face as her fighting weakened. Words would no longer come, all she could do was cry. Finally, when Sweetie Belle stopped moving Rarity bent her head and kissed the face of her baby sister, whispering, "I love you."

She let go of Sweetie Belle's body and lifted her head, looking for the thing she knew she had to kill. It was nearly invisible, Pokey had said. Getting up, she stood over Sweetie Belle's body as though guarding it, keeping her eyes open for any movement. And there it was on the edges of her peripheral. Like the ripple across a calm pool of water it moved, distorting her vision as it passed by just enough to be noticed. It was trying to get back to Sweetie Belle and when Rarity realized as much she growled and lowered her head.

"You will not have my sister!" With a feral cry she lunged forward  into what seemed like thin air. But she felt it when her horn made contact. It was like it had been encased in fire. There was an airy scream, a wail that came from the spirit and Rarity threw herself back, taking the body of her little sister with her. Where the spirit had been was a loud sucking noise that pulled in nearby loose grass and pebbles. Then with a sudden pop it was gone.