private Equestria: The World of Hate and Misery(1x1)

[Shadow Dancer 111]

I ate the beans I was served, and enjoyed the warm food in my stomach, and stretched preparing for the walk ahead just relived that we were almost there but what Nightmare said also stuck in my mind, and kinda made me a bit cautious about going. but this will be a interesting journey.

[Mr. Critical 434]

Once they were all full of their food, they set out once more. Their feet and hooves trekking through the snow and the cold air was much better than struggling through a blizzard. But finally, after days of traveling they were before the great Crystal Empire. And what they say was not an easy site to behold. The entire city was in ruins as a clear last stand struggle had taken place here. A few corpses strewn a few defensive pikes at the base of the city. THe site was not an easy thing to witness.

The group made their way closer and found more battle damage, but there was something a more horrid than that. Throughout the streets, they could find numerous stone statues of ponies. More often than not, they were running in place or toppled over. Some seemed to be cowering in corners or holding small children in a defensive manner. Twilight could feel a chill run up her spine as she walked the streets. She looked over to where the castle once stood and now found it toppled over. Twilight knew that was the best place to start to find some answers.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

I pulled my knife my grip tightening against it calming my nerves just a little, the ruins worrying me and the sight of the statues sending my guard soaring, and my eyes darting place to place, like a nervous criminal, I got closer to the group as a reflex. The familiar feeling of adrenaline flowed through me sharpening my senses.

 

(Sorry had to watch movies)

[Mr. Critical 434]

The group had looked around the area, taking in the sights. The whole town was absolutely silent say for some things in the distance. The scorched earth and destroyed buildings were more than enough to break any normal person's will. But what they found next would challenge them far greater than anything else they would encounter. In the town square, the looks of a grand final battle seemed to have taken place.

 

Pikes and decayed corpses lay upon the crystal roads. But that was not what their focus was on. In the center above it all was a cross, and on that cross was a body of a pony. Decayed and dried with white fur and a blue mane. Dried blood seemed to stain the once white coat as it seemed to come from his slit throat where a stray crow searched for more food to take part in. Seeing the sight was too much for Aaron, but it was impossible to bare for Twilight. She fell to her knees utterly speechless. Tears began to form in her eyes as she grasped onto her head, her sobbing slowly escalating to a cry, and then finally... she snapped.

"NOOOOOOOO!!! NO, NO NOOOO-O-O-O-oooo... PLEASE CELESTIA NOOO!!!" Her cries echoed through the abandoned city, the sound of her pain was very clear in them. She began to crawl closer to the cross itself, reaching for the stallion up above her Until that is she fell to the ground and curled up into a ball, sobbing into her knees.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

I looked at the corpse and remembered the stallion with Twilight in her dream so this must be her brother, I looked at the body and somehow could see a faint grin on his decaying face the party decayed mussels stiffened in place by rigamortis, I had a feeling that it meant that his wife Cadence got away, and is safe for now, at least. 

 

I decided to tell Twilight the hope no matter how remote would help a lot in this case. "Twilight I believe your sister in law the one you called Cadence escaped the tragic events that  happened here."

[Mr. Critical 434]

His words went unheard, Twilight was too far into grief. She knew that her brother could be dead, but not like this. Aaron approached the cross and examined it. A silver plaque was placed at the bottom of it. "A reminder to all who oppose our great king -General Sombra." Aaron felt a hole in his chest tighten as he looked on. He could even feel a reaction from Fluttershy, her grip tightening around his neck. He patted the yellow Pegasus to comfort her. He then turned his attention to Twilight. "Guys, we should find shelter, its not sa-" He was cut off by a small explosion, caused by an energy blast of sorts. Aaron ducked down for cover and heard a voice. "Who's there?! Sh-Show yourself?!" The voice was feminine and very commanding.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

I jumped away from the explosion. When the voice spoke I thought I heard a hint of fear in the voice, I turned around anyway and replied, "Sorry but I'm afraid that you the one hidden, we are kinda in the open out here ma'am." I just hoped that her next bolt missed as well, or she stepped into the open.

[Mr. Critical 434]

There was a silence in the air, a rather unsettling one. But soon enough, their attacker revealed herself. Jumping down from the roof tops and next to them, brandishing a purple colored stone and pointing it at them as if it was a gun. She was really tall, taller than Aaron was. Maybe at about seven or eight feet. Her coat was a light pinkish color and her hair seemed to have once been rather curvy. Her clothes were absolutely ragged and filthy. Who knows how long she has been like this. Aaron could not throw up his hands on account of the pregnant pegasus in his hands. "L-Look, miss. We mean you no trouble... our friend Twilight asked us to come here an-" "Twilight!?" She seemed surprised at the mention of her name. Then another thing came into view about the mare. She had both a horn and wings.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

This must be Cadence, I thought to myself. She was ragged but fit the bill quite well I decided against mentioning my knowlege and risking that she thinks that we kidnapped Twilight and used the whole, she wanted to do this as a clever lie to cover up our crime, that would indeed end badly. "Yes he indeed said Twilight, the name ringed a bell I see." I noticed I never put my knife away, so I decided to do so now as to lessen how much of a threat she saw me as.

[Mr. Critical 434]

Cadence saw him put away his weapon and eased up on her weapon a bit but kept it on them in case. Aaron moved out of the way a bit to show the broken mare that once was Twilight Sparkle. Cadence was stunned to see her sister in law alive, but the state she was in was no better. She calmly approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Twilight? I-Is that you?" The familiar voice brought her out of her current state and looked up to see Cadence. A small glimmer of hope flickered in her eyes and brought her in for a hug. Twilight said something but it was too broken up through her sobbing to make out. But it was enough to have Cadence place her arms around her. "Twilight... we need to get out of here. Its not safe out in the open."

[Shadow Dancer 111]

It was hard to see the mare that was so very confident before to seem so broken and fragile, but it seemed the wrongful death of a loved one or death in general could do that to a person, no matter how hardened or confident. "This makes me wonder, what is harder, dying for what you believe in, or living for it?"  I said this under my breath. I looked at the pink pony in front of me, "Whats your name?"

[Mr. Critical 434]

The pink mare looked up at John. "Mia more Cadenza. But you can call me Cadence. Much easier." Cadence put the rock away into a pouch in her bag and picked up Twilight, still in a shattered mess. "Come. We have to get out of here before they show up." Cadence said in an urgent manner. Aaron didn't question it and followed her to where ever it is she was going.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

@@Mr. Critical, I follow, figuring she knows more then us and assuming we may not be able to hold our own against soldiers that are much better equipped then us, which reminded me we should get some armor sometime. It was not a hundred percent necessary but could prove useful.

[Mr. Critical 434]

Cadence lead the group into the wreckage of what was once the Crystal Spire. Some of its protective magics still lingered in the stones, which is how Cadence managed to stay safe for so long. Aaron sat Fluttershy on a few blankets where she let out a slight yelp. She began to rub her swollen belly. She must have felt her baby kick a bit. Cadence soon came in and put Twilight down on what was supposed to be her bed. "Alright. Now, we have to discuss some things. Like, why you two are here? Human's have not been seen in Equestria since Tirek's first reign in pre-Equestrian times."

[Shadow Dancer 111]

"Twilight summoned us, she apparently found out about our nature or part of it and thought that humans could help, she cast a spell and of all seven billion humans and those from alternet universes that I am convinced exsist. We were chosen by the spell. You'll have to ask Twilight for the details."

[Mr. Critical 434]

The group walked along the deserted streets, Cadence looking about the area for dangers while she listened to John talk. "Hm. So it looks like she actually went through with that plan. Shining Armor, Rainbow, Twilight, and I actually discussed such a solution if times got so desperate. But we had no idea human's would be the creature summoned. We all expected something from an unholy land we could summon and remove once our problem was gone." Aaron shrugged. "Well... you got us. Honestly, you'd be better off if with something that could cause collateral damage."

[Shadow Dancer 111]

I looked at Aaron, "Maybe, maybe not, still at the end of the day we're here, Twilight could have gotten a lot worse then us even if say the spell only took people from just our reality. But what could of happened is not exactly the point. We have to if possible, rescue or help the others from whatever problem they are going through."