"Face it, girls." Said Rainbow Dash. "We're lost."

The six ponies continued trudging through the harsh wasteland, the sun beating down on them relentlessly.

Twilight sighed.

"Let's take a break, girls." she said, opening her saddlebag and taking out a bottle of water.

A lone tree offered shade from the sunlight as the group dropped to the ground groaning. Rarity began massaging her hooves as Applejack used her hat to fan herself.

"If I was able to fly," muttered Rainbow Dash, "we'd have found a town or SOMETHING by now."

Twilight nodded.

"It is strange how you are unable to fly." she said, looking Rainbow Dash over.

"Yeah," Dash replied, "considering the fact those two who attacked Ponyville could fly. Hay, one of them turned himself into a DRAGON, for Pete's sake!"

Fluttershy squealed and hid behind her hooves.

"Sorry, Fluttershy!" Dash facehoofed, realising what she'd said.

"We just need to look around for any signs of civilisation." Rarity said. "Rainbow Dash, could you be a dear and climb that tree?"

"Why me?!" Dash groaned. "Why can't you do it?"

"Me?" Rarity gasped. "Climb a tree? No, no. I would get in such a mess. And besides, you're better at it than I am."

Dash grinned and Rarity knew she had said the right thing. It was always a good idea to appeal to Dash's ego.

"All right, Rarity." she said, puffing out her chest. "I'll have a look around for you."

Dash leapt into the tree, grabbing the lower branches. Grunting, she managed to get herself balanced precariously on it. Looking around, she sighed.

"I can't see anything!" she said glumly.

The others sighed.

"Wait!" Dash called. "There's someone coming!"

Twilight smiled.

"We'll ask them for directions. Rainbow, get their attention!"

Dash nodded and stuck her hooves in her mouth, letting forth a fantastically loud whistle. The figure in the distance looked around startled for a moment, before their eyes caught Dash in tree. Grinning, she waved her forelegs in the air. The figure immediately began sprinting towards her.

"OK, they've seen me!" Dash called to the others. "They're on their way ov- what the heck?!"

"What?" asked Applejack. "What's wrong?"

"They're gone!" Dash replied. "Vanished into thin air!"

She climbed out the tree and joined the others, a frown firmly etched on her face.

"I must have been hallucinating because of the heat." she said. "Sorry I got your hopes up gi-"

A dull thud interrupted her, and she fell to the ground.

"RAINBOW!" Applejack shouted. "Are y' OK?" she gently shook the unconscious Rainbow Dash. There was no response.

"What the hay is going on he-"

Now it was Applejack's turn to fall unconscious. As she did so, Rainbow Dash stirred and got to her hooves.

"W-w-what happened?" she groaned, before spotting Applejack.

"Applejack?!" she screamed. "What happened?! What's going on?!"

Twilight shrugged, unsure of how to respond.

A minute later, Applejack came around. Her eyes flickered open and she saw that Rainbow Dash had her in a tight hug.

"Uh, Rainbow?" she said. "Y' can put me down now."

Dash smiled upon hearing her friend's voice and let go of her vice-like grip. Dusting herself off, Applejack stood up.

"What in tarnation happened?" she asked. "All ah cin remember is goin' ta help Rainbow."

"Whatever happened to Rainbow happened to you as well." Twilight replied. "It was strange."

Applejack looked at her friends. "Has it happened to any of y'all?"

Twilight shook her head.

"No." she replied. "Whatever it was, it only seems to have af-"

Another dull thud and Twilight hit the ground.

Panic gripped the group as they crowded around their friend, hooves raised in all manner of martial arts techniques, ready to strike their mystery assailant.

"I don't know what in the Nether you things are," said a male voice, "but I like screwing with you."

"Show yourself, coward!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

On the ground, Twilight stirred to see her friends around her. She groaned and stood up, adopting her own defensive stance.

"Oh, I see my Sap has wore off." said the stranger. "But I'm not done with you yet."

There was a jingling sound, rather like coins.

"Thanks for the gold pieces." he laughed. "I've never pickpocketed so much money before."

Gasping, the ponies dug around in their respective saddlebags to find them all empty.

"Give us back our stuff you meanie!" yelled Pinkie Pie, her mane straightening out.

"Meanie?" the stranger said. "I'm a rogue! Being mean is what I do best!" he laughed again.

Without warning, Twilight fired a ball of light from her horn. It sailed through the air and burst into several beam. Each beam then fell to the sky with the force of a thousand suns.

"Ow! Hey, what the fel?!"

The stranger leapt around as his clothes caught fire, and he suddenly became aware of the six pairs of eyes staring at him.

"Damn." he groaned. "So you've found me, big deal."

"Let's get him, girls!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

"Yes, lets." Rarity grinned wickedly.

The six prepared to charge as the stranger took up a defensive position. Suddenly, he vanished from sight.

"Oh, ponyfeathers!" Applejack said. "Not again!"

A noise from behind them got them to turn around. Standing in front of them was the stranger.

"I don't think we've been formally introduced." he said. "My name is Sativan, and I shall be KILLING YOU TODAY."

Cackling wildly, he unleashed a flurry of daggers at the six ponies. They screamed as each of the weapons found a target.

Sativan grinned and began stepping through the shadows, reappearing behind a random pony, then driving both of his daggers into her back. Within seconds, the six of them lay in a pool of blood.

Sativan beamed as he surveyed his handiwork. He knelt down beside Applejack and took out a small knife. As he tried to bring the object into her still corpse, he snarled.

Putting the knife away with a look of anger on his face, he stood up and spat in the dust.

"All of that effort," he shouted, "AND I CAN'T EVEN SKIN THEM!"

He sighed and went to turn away, before stopping.

A huge grin spread across his face as he looked at the bodies.

"I wonder if the Forsaken would be interested in these?"

AUTHOR'S NOTE: There you go, Riordian. I hope this is what you wanted.