private 1 x 1 "The Artifact" with Rising Shine

[Deae Rising Shine~ 59,181]

"I can handle that, you are not so heavy ... see?"

 

Rising start to fly a little bit over the ground, holding her tight. He can hold her good enough and show with that, that he can handle this.

 

"See? I can do that. I fly over the gate and land on the other side. If you fear so much, close your eyes and count to 20. We are on the other side, when you finished."

 

Rising start to fly, higher and higher, until he can fly over over the gate. He slowly land on the other side.

[Dovashy 1,734]

As Rising landed safely on the city walls, Stellar climbed down, her legs felt strange back on the ground. Now that they were on the walls, they could see clearly what was happening in Canterlot. The fire was huge, and seemed to be coming from the Sisters palace, that could not have been a good sign. Despite the fire, the streets were completely empty, there was no pony in sight. 

"Where is everypony?" Stellar asked, the eeriness sent a shiver up her spine. 

[Deae Rising Shine~ 59,181]

"I have no idea, Stellar ..."

 

It was horrible ... nopony here, not even a little foal ...

 

"Nevermind, we have to go to the castle or at least so close as possible, looking if we can find at least one of the princesses. I don't like this, but we have to hurry."

 

Rising start to run, hopefully, that the princesses are alife.

[Dovashy 1,734]

@ 

Stellar followed after Rising, down the castle wall stairs, and down onto the main street. From there they made their way towards the palace, where the flames stretched into the sky. Every house and shop they past was deserted, no lights shining from within, the only light was the massive fire coming from the palace. Suddenly there was a small sound, a whisper. Stellar spun around. 

"Over here!" There was a small filly hiding behind a shop stall, absolute terror broken by the happiness of finding another pony. Stellar ran over, crouching behind the cover of the stall. "What's going on over here?" Said Stellar. 

"Follow me!" Hissed the small filly, and she bounded off into a side street. Stellar glanced back, making sure Rising was watching, and then bounded after the filly. She was surprisingly fast, and Stellar was out of breath by the time they arrived to where the filly had taken them. It was a small cottage, slightly secluded from the main centre of Canterlot. As the filly went up to the porch, she knocked the door. Three rapid raps, then another three slower ones. The door creaked open, and a pair of eyes stared out from behind the door. "Marsh, is that you?" Said the voice from behind the door. 

"Yes," Marsh hissed back, the door was opened, and Marsh hurried in, Stellar followed. 

Inside, there was an assortment of about six fillies, scared out of their minds, but apparently relieved to see Stellar. 

[Deae Rising Shine~ 59,181]

Rising see Stellar and a hiding filly. They start walking somewhere and he following them. Seeing the filly makes him smile, at least there are still ponies here, alive. Rising follow them for a while, before they reach a door. The filly knocks and after a short conversation, they all walk in. More fillies are inside.

 

"What are you all doing here? What is happened?"

[Dovashy 1,734]

As Stellar and Rising were safely inside the house, the door was closed swiftely behind them. The filly who'd taken them here, ran up to a nearby window, peeking out through the curtains to make sure they hadn't been spotted. 

"Did they see you?" Asked one of the fillies anxiously.

"Nope," Said the other shutting the curtains behind her.

Stellar took the time to take a good look at the filly who'd led them here. She a white fur coat, and golden eyes, her mane was a lavish blonde. She noticed that her flank was smooth, and spotless, with no cutie mark.  She began to speak up "My name is Essence, but you can call me Essie if you want." 

[Deae Rising Shine~ 59,181]

"Hello Essie."

 

Rising smile to the fillies, giving them a sign, that they not harm them. He looking around. He is still glad, that few ponies, even when it's only fillies, are still alive ... otherwise, they didn't saw any dead ponies, what is a good sign too.

 

"My name is Rising Shine. I'm glad, you are all okay. What is happened here?"

[Dovashy 1,734]

Essence

"Everypony was in the palace for the Gala celebration, except for us," she gestured to the other fillies in the room."We left because it was boring, then we saw this dark pony fly over the walls of the city. It was scary, and we ran to tell our parents but before we could the dark pony jumped in front of us, and we ran. I came back home, the only place I knew was safe, and we stayed here. They've been to scared to leave, the dark pony is still out there. I was trying to get back to the palace when I saw you two, I think somethings happening over there I saw lights."

 

Stellar

Stellar realized that the lights Essence was referring to were the now massive flames that erupted from within the palace. "We've come to help you get your parents back, and to stop the dark pony," said Stellar reassuringly. 

Edited June 14, 2014 by Dovashy

[Deae Rising Shine~ 59,181]

Rising listening to the filly. It must be really scary, he himself still shivers a bit.

 

"Don't worry, we don't give up. We giving our best to stop the dark pony and bring everypony save back. I and Stellar don't give up and all this here only shows more, that we can't stop. But you all here should stay here, here it is save, I guess."

[Dovashy 1,734]

Essence

A huge grin spread across Essie's face. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," She yapped excitedly hugging Rising tightly around the legs. She turned to Stellar, and gave her a similar squeeze. When she'd finished hugging, Essie jumped back. "So what are you going to do?" She asked "What's the plan?" 

[Deae Rising Shine~ 59,181]

The hug from her just give him more reason to fight.

 

"No problem."

 

Plan ... whst is the plan?

 

"Good question."

 

Rising turn around to Stellar.

 

"Yeah, Stellar, what is the plan actually? I don't think, we just looking around, until we find her and then randomly attacking her. Then we are probably dead, before we can say "My little Pony". Any idea, Stellar?"

[Dovashy 1,734]

Stellar thought long and hard, but she didn't know what they were up against. "I suppose we just sneak up to the palace, and see what's going on up there. We should try putting out the fire at least." 

Stellar turned to Essence and her gang of friends. "Is there a water tank, and a hose anywhere near here?" 

Essence jolted upright, glad to be of help. "Yes," She yapped back. She gestured with her hooves where they could find it.

Stellar turned to Rising now. "Well it seems like we're as ready as we'll ever be." 

[Deae Rising Shine~ 59,181]

"Yeah, we should go then and giving our best."

 

Rising turns to the fillies. He smiles to them.

 

"Thank you for helping us, really. For little fillies, you all have a lot courage. But you all should better hiding here. We giving our best to let Equestria shine again. Okay, let's go, Stellar."

[Dovashy 1,734]

Stellar left through the backdoor of the house, and into the night. It was warm from the heat of the flames which erupted from the palace, Stellar approached the area where Essence had said they could find the local water hydrant, when a black shadow pony seemed to materialise in front of her. Stellar jumped back, causing her to drop the firehose which clattered against the ground. The shadow pony was joined by three others, they were all earth ponies, there eyes glowing with neon light. Stellar tore out her knife from inside her cloak, hoping that Rising was helping back up her flank. 

[Deae Rising Shine~ 59,181]

Rising follows her, until they reach the local water hydrant. He watch Stellar, when few ponies just materiaise in front of them. Rising was surprised, when Stellar pulls out a knife. They going to attack, Rising stays close to her, back to back.

 

"We should try to keep one alive, mayby it can tell, what they are. But of course, if we can't do that, then we fight all down. Ready?"

[Dovashy 1,734]

 

Stellar nodded "Yes." 

The three figures charged at them, Stellar ducked a swinging blade, and tackled one of the oncoming ponies to the ground. It grunted as it hit the ground, and threw Stellar off. She flew through the air, landing some way off on the street. The dark pony was struggling to pull itself up, while another of the dark ponies  made a move towards Stellar. She dodged the edge of the oncoming dagger, and hit it out of the Dark ponys mouth, and with the hard of her hoof smacked the pony of the head, causing it to collapse to the ground. The other dark pony was still pulling itself up, and she risked a quick glance in Risings direction. The last of the three dark ponies was advancing on Rising, her eyes were pulled away as she was kicked in the chest by a hard buck, causing her to flip onto her back. 

[Deae Rising Shine~ 59,181]

One of those dark ponies looking to Rising. He is still a bit scared, but try to stay calm. He hear Stellar fighting, while the dark pony glance to him. Then he attack him. Rising dodge his attack and kick the pony on his side. Rising feel a feeling, he never had before, adrenaline going through his body. The pony stand up and attack again. Rising try to dodge the same way, but the pony expected it and hit him hard on his cheek. He crash against a wall. He slowly stand up, spit out a bit blood, when he already get hit on his side. The pony then start to hit his head, but Rising dodge and throw him on the ground, starting to punch hard on the ponies face.

[Dovashy 1,734]

Stellar Nova

Stellar groaned, her vision was blurred, and her head rung with a high pitched ring. She tried to pull herself up, but was held back from the weight of a hoof on her stomach. Her vision was just clear enough for her to make out the shape of the Shadow Pony. 

"There's no stopping me and my minions," hissed the Shadow Pony as her two minions - who were now back on their hooves - grabbed Stellar by her hooves, and dragged her away following the lead of the Shadow Pony. Stellar tried to resist, but one of the minions hit her over the head with a sharp smack of his hoof, and she was out cold. By the time Rising had the third minion knocked unconscious, Stellar was gone. As were the other two minions and the Shadow Pony. 

[Deae Rising Shine~ 59,181]

Rising contiues punching as hard as he can. Panting, he stands up, trying to calm down a bit. Then he realized, that Stellar was gone.

 

"Stellar?"

 

He looking around, slowly getting panicking.

 

"Stellar?!"

 

But no sign of her, no reply.

 

"STELLAR?!"

 

He looking around, but nothing.

 

"Oh no, where is she ...?!"

[Dovashy 1,734]

Essence

Essence had watched the fighting unfold on the streets of Canterlot. She'd been unable to stay cooped up at the house, and had snuck out soon after Rising and Stellar had left. She'd followed them while taking cover behind the bushes which aligned the streets. Watching Rising and Stellar, she was taken aback as to how fast it all happened, the Shadow Pony and her minions appeared out of thin air, and within a few minutes Stellar had been kidnapped, and Rising stood alone on the street an unconscious shadow minion beneath him. He called out for Stellar, but there was no response. Essence realised that Rising was now all alone, and he couldn't save her parents, or Stellar by himself. Cautiously she broke the cover of the bushes, and tiptoed to where Rising was standing. 

[Deae Rising Shine~ 59,181]

"STEELLLAAARRR!! Where is she?! Come on, don't play hide & seek now, this is not the time ... please ..."

 

Unknown and scared, now completly alone, he sits down, looking down and slowly start to sob.

 

"Why is this all happening ... we all don't deserve something like that ... it's not fair ..."

 

He lie down, curling up and start to cry.

[Dovashy 1,734]

Essence 

Essence advanced on Rising's crying form from behind, tapping his shoulder faintly. 

"Hello?" She said quietly. "Are you alright?" 

It was dark, the street lamps had stopped working when the Shadow Pony had come to Canterlot. So she was barely able to read Rising's expression. 

[Deae Rising Shine~ 59,181]

Rising shivers, when he feeled the touch, before he recognize the voice.

 

"E-Essence?! What are you doing here? Go b-back to your hiding place, before something happening t-to you too."

 

He turns around, but it was pretty dark, he barely recognize her body from the darkness.

[Dovashy 1,734]

Essie had not meant to frighten Rising Shine and she was quick to apologise.

“I’m sorry I was just...” she trailed off, and with a confidence said “I want to help, nothing is going to happen to me.”

She scanned Rising Shine’s expression to see how he would react. 

[Deae Rising Shine~ 59,181]

"What exactly are you meaning with *Nothing is going to happen to me?* A-Are you one of them?!"

 

Rising get more nervous, before he realize, that this here is a filly.

 

"S-Sorry ... it's just ... Stellar ... she is suddenly gone and I don't know, where she is. I can't go on all by my own ..."

 

He sighs, looking away to the ground.