Original Link:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VHND6S-T8PETN7U6S9CZVXn1qy7HPw-jRKiQP4R6X7k/edit?usp=sharing

Even with the help of magic, it took hours to clear out the thick poison clouds filling the city. Hours which ended up costing the lives of two-thirds of Manehattan’s population. Even after the clearing was finished, ponies kept on dying. Many who stepped out too soon after the clouds were gone started getting high fever, followed by coughing, vomiting blood and death not much later. It seemed like Toxica did not only spread poison, but also left behind an unknown disease. As this assumption came up, Manehattan became declared a quarantine zone.

The demons did it once again. Even though most of Manehattan was still intact, living in this city had become impossible. Every normal pony spending too much time on the ground without proper protection would end up getting infected and finding death not much later.

As it is to expect, the sheer quantity of victims was not manageable for the sparsely support of reapers available. The streets were filled with undead ponies, moaning in agony. Even though most of them were just confused, desperate and looking for help, they terrified the few survivors of Toxica’s attack, causing them to flee. Only the five reapers kept on roaming through the streets to put an end to the undead ponies’ miseries. Each time they reaped one, they checked for a mark behind the ears of the corpses.

“None... Not a single cultist,” Fluttershy stated.

“It seemed like they pulled off a mind-trick on us. First, they make it look like they are gathering up. Then, they disappear from Manehattan entirely. They knew this demon, Toxica, was a weapon of mass destruction and fled after placing her in position,” Crystal analyzed.

“They aimed to cause as many casualties as possible. I would not be surprised if they actually aimed for Twilight to launch a large attack on the Manehattan church,” a reaper stallion added.

“Hundreds of police officers and royal guards. Killed in one single blow. This was a heavy strike towards Equestria’s defences and a very impressive display of power from the cult,” a fourth reaper continued while slicing his scythe through a panicking undead mare.

“At least we can claim the undead ponies are because of Toxica’s poison,” Crystal started. “But you are right. This was a terrifying blow to Equestria. Manehattan was the most densely populated city in the whole land and only Canterlot would have even more citizens. Something like this must not happen ever again.”

“We need to split up, or we will need days to put all the undead to rest,” a reaper mare suggested.

“I will stay with my mentor,” Fluttershy stated.

The other reapers nodded and went on their ways. As always, Fluttershy was very gentle and somehow could get the undead ponies into agreeing to be put down by her. Especially the foals seem to trust her blindly. Each time, Fluttershy embraced them and quickly ended their suffering in one swift strike.

Crystal Blossom was similar, though she knew they had to hurry to catch every last undead as soon as possible. After a while, though, she stopped and turned to Fluttershy.

“I can tell you want to talk to me,” she started.

“Well... yes. Do you remember this gray thing I told you about?” the yellow mare wondered.

“I do,” Crystal replied.

“It has returned again. I saw it while I was buried beneath the rubble,” Fluttershy explained.

“What did it do this time?” the elder reaper mare wanted to know.

“I’m not sure. I think it reached for me. But then again, it wouldn’t let me touch it,” Fluttershy answered.

“It must have been very close this time,” Crystal figured.

“Yes. Right next to me. It never came this close before. I really don’t think I am imagining all this,” the yellow mare stated.

“Yet it confuses me how only you are capable of seeing this creature,” Crystal spoke.

“Well, maybe I’m the only one who can see it. But I’m not the only one who can sense it. Twilight, too, noticed it before,” Fluttershy explained.

“You mean back then when you last told me about the gray figure? When the cultist was spying on us in the meadows of Trottingham?” Crystal wondered.

“Yes,” Fluttershy confirmed with a nod.

“Do not get me wrong. I do not believe that you are imagining it. What do you suppose are it’s motives?” the light blue mare asked.

“I don’t have the slightest clue. It comes and goes as it wishes,” Fluttershy replied.

“As long as it does not pose a threat to us or interrupts our cause, I do not see a reason why we should be concerned. This creature may be interesting, but we have other priorities right now. With the annihilation of Manehattan, the war against the demons and the BloodClaw Cult has once again reached a whole new level. Everything must be put aside for the sake of bringing down the cult as quickly as possible,” Crystal stated.

“I guess you are right. Well, let’s finish this up and get our friends off from that roof finally,” Fluttershy spoke.

---

The sun was already setting. Yet Twilight, Rarity and Applejack were still stuck on the building. Rarity had a frightened expression frozen on her face and observed in shock as the undead ponies were walking through the streets, moaning, crying and begging for help. Twilight sat in place idly and kept her head hanging the whole time. But Applejack seemed to be the most uneasy. She continuously kept walking back and forth, constantly observing the streets. Then suddenly, the orange mare stopped and sighed in relief.

“Babs! Are ya okay, Sugarcube? We’re up here!” she shouted.

The teenage filly was wearing a surgical mask and some hoof-covers. While at first confused, she instantly seemed relieved as well as she looked up and saw her older cousin.

“Applejack! Oh gosh! Applejack!” Babs shouted back with tears in her eyes.

She quickly ran inside the building and up the stairs to the roof. Applejack was about to hug her, but the teenage filly rose her front leg to stop her.

“Don’t! I may still have something on my coat! Can’t have ya die from this disease now, too!” she shouted.

“Ya’re right. Oh, thank Celestia. I’m just so relieved to see... die, too?” Applejack wondered in a worried tone.

“Mom and Dad... they are dead... I just checked on them,” Babs responded, now crying.

“Oh no... not again... Ah’m so sorry, Sugarcube...” Applejack spoke and started to cry as well.

Silence filled the rooftop for minutes while all of them tried to collect themselves again. Ultimately, it was Rarity who broke the silence again because the sight in front of her just confused her too much.

“Excuse me, Babs... But how did you get your hooves on that mask and these boots? What happened down there? How did you know what to do?” she wondered.

“The riot was pretty bad... A few colleagues got hurt and I had to help them get to the hospital. Then, I heard this really big explosion. At first, I was just as confused as all the other ponies around me. But then, I remembered what this reaper lady told me and sealed myself in an airtight surgery room. Just moments later, this green stuff broke the windows of the hospital and came stormin’ in... Everypony else dropped dead before my eyes... I stood in there for a few hours, then put on this mask and these boots. Looks like you can really trust the words of a reaper clairvoyant. She pretty much saved my life with that warning... I just wished she would’ve saved my parents, too,” Babs explained, slowly starting to cry again.

“Still, Ah think we definitely have to thank Truesight for that...” Applejack spoke, then turned her head to look across Manehattan. “Heavens to betsy... Will ya look at all this. The whole city is dead...” .

“More like zombified...” Babs spoke, still sniffling. “It’s like a horror movie comin’ true...”

“This is dreadful... To think of that this all was done by just one demon...” Rarity commented.

“One demon? Are ya serious?!” Babs asked in shock.

“Yes... Shoot... I can’t believe it. I fell for it. I really fell for it... All those guards and police officers we brought to the church are dead because of me...” Twilight spoke in regret, bordering to break out in tears.

“Darling... it’s not your fault! You couldn’t have possibly known this would happen,” Rarity spoke in attempt to calm her down.

“Actually, I should have seen this coming. It’s Despair who set up this trap. I should have known she would pull off something like that,” the purple mare kept speaking, her voice getting hoarse while the tears started flowing down her face.

“Enough is enough, Twilight! Snap out of it!” Rarity started in a more serious tone. “Honestly, you don’t have to act as if you would be the expert about Despair. She is unpredictable! What she does is not your responsibility! Neither are you to blame if you can not stop her! Ever since she revealed herself, you are taking this all way too personal!”

“Sorry... You’re right, Rarity. I have to keep it together...” Twilight replied and wiped her face dry.

For a while, the group stopped speaking. All that could be heard was the moaning and crying of the undead ponies in the streets. The sound and the sight of the city, as well as the desperation of her friends and the horrible news that, once again, Apple family members had died made Applejack forget her relief over Babs’ return and made her depression resurface.

“What are we goin’ to do now, y’all?” she wondered.

“I guess we just have to wait. Fluttershy and Crystal Blossom will certainly come to pick us up once they are done,” Twilight stated.

Applejack just nodded and hung her head again. She tried not to listen, but to her, the crying of the undead below them was deafening. She just couldn’t take all these horrible impressions anymore. Sometimes, she wished she would have never agreed to come with Twilight.

Over time, the sounds of the undead reduced more and more. As it finally became silent in the city, Fluttershy and Crystal returned.

“I apologize for letting you wait so long. Our task is done here. We can leave now,” Crystal stated.

Mutely, the ponies just nodded in agreement. Then, one by one, they were carried through the air, far away from the now dead city.

---

After a long late-night walk, the group came across some rails. They kept hiding nearby for nearly an hour before they saw a train approaching them. Then, they swiftly jumped aboard. Since they had to do this several times before on their journey to Fillydelphia and back, they were all pretty good at this by now. Still, they had to be quiet to not arouse the attention of any potential cultists. But luckily, the train was on its last ride back to the depot. Aside of the conductor, they were the only ponies aboard.

After the group claimed a carriage, Twilight and Crystal cast a few illusion spells on it, making it appear empty from the outside. Then, they unrolled a map of Equestria and pinned it against a wall by magic.

“Alright... Let us think this through logically,” Twilight started. “We have cultists pretty much all over Equestria by now. In these cities, we found churches of the BloodClaw Cult. How does it all come together? Where should we go?”

“Sheesh. I don’t know, Twilight. I don’t even know where to go anymore. My home is gone... My parents are gone...” Babs spoke in a depressed tone.

“You really do not have to force yourself through all this,” Crystal started. “You are still so young and you have already been through so much that we need to start being concerned about your mental well-being.”

“Yes. I have to agree with Crystal here. You have done a lot for us, Babs. But now, I think it would be best you just go away from all this for a while. I have good connections to the Crystal Empire. I’m sure Applejack would also be relieved to know you are in safety over there,” Twilight suggested.

“Ah sure would love the idea that at least one Apple is out of danger... Ah know ya wanna help, Sugarcube... But please, do this for me and for yaself... Okay?” Applejack begged.

“Well... Okay... I’ll go... I’m sorry I couldn’t help out that much...” Babs apologized.

“You were a great help, darling! We would still be wandering around aimlessly if it weren’t for you!” Rarity objected.

“Thanks... Alright... I’ll just lie down for a while then... Good night,” the teenage filly replied, then walked into a dark corner and curled up on the seat.

Twilight, Rarity and Applejack glanced over to her for a while, their expressions filled with regret and condolence. Babs just lost everything she had. She didn’t deserve this and neither should she have to go through all this at her age.

“Maybe we shouldn’t have set up our base in Manehattan... Perhaps all this would never have happened then,” Twilight whispered in a sad tone.

“The cult would have attacked Manehattan sooner or later anyway. They stop for nothing. This isn’t our fault, Twilight,” Fluttershy replied quietly.

The purple mare took a deep breath and sighed. Then, her focus returned to the map.

“Anyway, let’s go back to our plans. Where do we go next? Where could Black Widow possibly be at?” she wondered.

“I have no idea, darling... Oooh if only I could remember where I heard that voice before...” Rarity responded in frustration.

“Right. I never asked you about it. You heard Black Widow’s voice before?” Twilight wondered.

“Yes. I am absolutely sure I know her voice. I just can’t seem to remember from where,” the fashion diva replied.

“Please, try your best to remember, Rarity. If we can find out Black Widow’s identity, we will have it a lot easier to catch her,” Fluttershy requested.

“I’m seriously trying, darling! I’m on it ever since I heard her at the Fillydelphia church! But I simply can not remember! This is so frustrating!” Rarity spoke while holding her head with both front legs.

“Let us not stress this out too much,” Crystal started. “There is little point in frustrating yourself like this if you just can not remember. Let us go for other clues.”

“I wished we had any, but all our informations are in Manehattan. We have to start all over again and time is running,” Twilight explained.

Minutes passed by while everypony tried to put things together for themselves. Occasionally, they exchanged a few words and suggestions, but none made any real sense.

The more time passed, the more they all found themselves sitting on different windows, staring into the night while sinking deeper and deeper into thoughts. Fluttershy was no different. But then, she saw something in the reflection of the window, causing her to jump up in surprise.

“Huh? What’s wrong, Fluttershy?” Applejack asked.

Before she even replied, Twilight as well suddenly seemed to be torn out of her thoughts and looked around in search.

“There is this feeling again! What is this?” she wondered.

Now, Crystal Blossom started to closely observe both Fluttershy and Twilight. While the purple mare kept on looking around in confusion, Fluttershy’s focus was pinned to the map on the wall.

“Canterlot?” she spoke.

“Huh? What do you mean, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked.

“Something is... Oh... It’s gone again,” the yellow mare replied.

“What is gone again? Huh? Now that you mention it, that strange feeling has disappeared. Could you feel it, too? And what’s with Canterlot?” the purple mare wondered while getting up and walking over to the map.

“I’m being stalked by some strange gray figure that only I seem to be able to see. I talked about it with my mentor before, but we just can’t make sense out of what it wants. Right now, it just stood over there by the map, pointing at Canterlot,” Fluttershy explained.

“So it happened again. You were right, apprentice. Twilight truly seems to be able to sense it, too,” Crystal commented.

The group observed Twilight while she closely studied the map. Slowly, her eyes grew bigger and bigger.

“This... this can’t be possible... I’m sure I’m just mistaking something here. This is absolutely not thinkably possible...” she spoke in stun.

“What is it, darling?” Rarity wondered.

“Look at the patterns. The influence of the BloodClaw Cult is growing out from the center of Equestria. If you look at where we could find churches... The newer ones are all the farthest away while the older ones are closer to the center... Like everything is spreading out from Canterlot...” Twilight explained.

“Are ya sayin’ the cult has its roots in the capital of Equestria?! They had been spreading out from right under Princess Celestia’s nose the whole time?!” Applejack asked in disbelief.

“I can hardly believe it myself, but that’s where everything points to! The command center of the BloodClaw Cult must be in Canterlot!” Twilight replied.

“‘Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer,’” Crystal quoted. “Now that I think of it, this would make a lot of sense. If they are this close to the princesses, it would explain why they are so successful at intercepting our mistress’ plans.”

“But that means that the princesses are in danger,” Fluttershy commented.

“Oh my gosh... Maybe they are just waiting for the right opportunity to assault Canterlot Castle! I need to write to the princesses right now!” Twilight spoke.

“Not just that, but we also have our next goal now. If this assumption is correct, there might be a good chance to find Black Widow in Canterlot. We need to go there, but do not mention it in the letter. We can not take the risk of the cult finding out that we are on the way,” Crystal suggested.

“Yes, good idea. Okay girls. We are heading to Canterlot tomorrow. Maybe, just maybe, we are finally lucky for once and able to end it all before it is too late,” Twilight agreed.

“We should all get some sleep then,” Fluttershy suggested.

“Yes... It has been a pretty bad day. But Fluttershy: We will need to talk about this thing following you soon. Anyway, good night,” Twilight finished.

With these words, the group disbanded and they all climbed on a seat to sleep.

---

Just an hour later, Applejack suddenly shot up from a nightmare. Her eyes were wide open and she was breathing fast. But slowly, as the realization kicked in that she had just been dreaming, she began to calm down.

Yesterday was an especially hard day for her to take. Every new death in her family weighted on her ten times more than the last. In addition to that, she just witnessed the deaths of several ten thousand ponies. It wouldn’t have been half as bad if they would at least have stayed dead. But no. They were forced back on their legs. They were walking down the streets. Crying in agony and desperation. Another thing that traumatized Applejack so much, it kept haunting her in her dreams.

She just didn’t want to fall asleep again. Ever again. Applejack just wished she could clear her brain of all these memories. Of the knowledge that nearly her whole family had been murdered by now. This knowledge made her restless, made her desperate. She just couldn’t take it anymore.

Applejack stood up and quietly opened the carriage door. She just needed a moment to be by herself. Just a moment. So she stepped into another empty carriage and started walking up and down, trying her best to digest her nightmare and the memories.

But at this point, everything just seemed nightmarish to her. The darkness in the carriage, with just few beams of moonlight falling into it, getting cut every now and then as the shadow of a tree rushed by. The noise of the train as it rolled through the land. The vibration of the floor, crawling up into Applejack’s legs. Everything was too hard for her to handle. She just wanted to cry. Cry and wish this all would have never happened.

The orange mare sat down in front of a window and gazed into the distance. Even the rapid motion of the landscape passing by was too intense for her, since her mind was already overloaded with impressions and suffering. So, she finally just closed her eyes, leaned her head against the glass and began to sob heavily.

“This is what you get for fighting us,” an echoing voice spoke from directly behind.

The shock and surprise made Applejack drop to the floor. As she looked up, she glanced right at Despair. Applejack was about to scream, but the demoness placed her left front leg on her mouth.

“Shouting won’t help you. I used a spell to seal this whole carriage and made it soundproof. But don’t worry. I’m not here to hurt you or any of your friends. I just want to have a little talk, that’s all,” Despair replied.

Slowly, the demoness let go of the orange mare, who just kept lying on the floor, shaking all over in fear.

“W... W-what do ya want from me?” Applejack wondered.

“I spent so much time with Twilight in the past that I never really got to know any of her friends. So here I am, just gifting you some of my precious time for a little chit-chat,” Despair replied while walking over to a seat and grinning widely. “By the way: Don’t you think I’m just brilliant for how I made your cousin be the one sending you all into my trap?”

“So that’s why ya got the cult to kill aunt and uncle Orange, but not her. Ya’re such a beast to use mah family like that,” Applejack spoke angrily, slowly getting up again.

“Don’t be mad. At least, she is still alive,” Despair responded, tilting her head and gaining an arrogant smile. “For now.”

“Don’t ya dare! She already lost her parents! How much more do ya want to let her suffer? How many Apples more do ya want to kill before ya are finally satisfied? Ah won’t have it anymore! I’d rather kick ya down right here and now then let ya do anything to mah family anymore!” Applejack stated furiously, throwing a battle pose.

Though Despair just kept sitting on her seat, smirking at the orange mare and chuckling lowly.

“And here I am, thinking I could do you a favor by making Babs similar to you. I thought you would appreciate my gift of finally having somepony who has been through similar things as you did: Parents lost in your youth. Not knowing what the future will hold for you. Clinging to every bit of family you have left, yet it is withering away and there is nothing you can do against it,” she commented casually.

“Shut up, you monster!” Applejack shouted and started charging Despair.

Suddenly, a new arm began to grow out of Despair’s back. Before Applejack could react, the large claw grabbed her and held her into the air.

“What do you think you could do against me? Even Twilight Sparkle is hardly an enemy for me. How much do you think a crippled, useless, broken mare like you could do?” the demoness questioned.

Applejack kept struggling for a moment. But as soon as Despair finished speaking, she hung her head.

“So that’s what ya’re here for, right? To make me see how useless I am. Ya’re wasting yer time then. Ah already know that. All the time, Ah couldn’t help mah friends the least bit. I’m always just in their way. They’re acting as if that’s not true, but they’re just bein’ nice to me... A crippled, useless pony who can’t stop her family from diein’...” she replied.

“So you are finally admitting it! You are just a burden to your friends and a waste of space! Then why do you even try to keep going? What point does your whole existence have?” Despair wondered.

“Honestly...? At this point... Ah don’t even know anymore...” the orange mare answered in a depressed tone.

Despair grinned widely, then dropped Applejack back to the ground. The orange mare looked up to the demoness in anger. She watched as the arm disappeared in Despair’s body again, she got up from her seat and walked over to a window. Nearly twenty seconds of silence passed before the demoness gained her typical sinister smile again.

“Cultists in Baltimare. Cultists in Trottingham. Cultists in Manehattan. Cultists in Fillydelphia. Those were all big cities and they still conquered them with no problem. What makes you think they won’t go for smaller places, too?” Despair asked.

“What... what do you mean?” Applejack asked back, very unsure and started to shake again.

“Oh, nothing,” the demoness replied while eyeing up her front hoof. “I just don’t think that Ponyville is so safe right now.”

“You... You wouldn’t dare!” Applejack shouted in disbelief.

“Maybe I wouldn’t. But what about the cultists? Can the same thing be said about them? You know they are disguising themselves. As dock workers, janitors, police officers, receptionists...” Despair spoke, now slowly turning her head over to Applejack and gazing at her with glowing red eyes. “Maybe even as fruit pickers on an apple orchard.”

Applejack was like paralyzed. She just sat there, shaking heavily. Not a single word would leave her mouth anymore. Despair grinned once again, then canceled the spell which prevented Applejack from running away or alarming the group.

“Well, it has been a nice talk. Have a good night,” Despair spoke.

After that, the demoness teleported away. Applejack kept sitting on the ground for nearly a minute, still shaking all over and hyperventilating. Then, her eyes swiftly jumped between the two doors of the carriage. The right lead back to the group, the left to the next carriage.

Applejack jumped back on her legs and started running towards the right door. But just as she was about to reach it, she stopped. She turned around and ran back to the middle of the carriage. Applejack just wasn’t sure what to do anymore, which caused her to quickly walk back and forth. Then, she stared at the left door. After glancing a few times back to the one leading to the group, she ultimately ran to the left, opened the door and went through.