Backgrounds of Fate: Sisters (incomplete)


                                            This is a side green to Manos: Hands of Fate by Human Superiority.

                                            The first part was found here: http://pastebin.com/QBMRbrPv

                                            Since Pastebin nuked it I'll also link the earliest thread I could find in five minutes looking in the archive: https://desuarchive.org/mlp/thread/24621019/


                                            For the Manos threads. HEIL MANOS!


                                            >You keep pressure on the worst of the wounds with your hooves staining your coat with blood.

                                            >But little things like stains were hardly a problem on the battlefield.

                                            >There were more wounds on Swift Wing than you had hooves though.

                                            >Everything was...

                                            >It was just crazy really.

                                            >One moment you were helping resolve a dispute between two merchants in the markets and then suddenly one of them was cut down in front of you.

                                            >Then the screams...

                                            >There were so many...

                                            >If you hadn't have run you would have been killed too.

                                            >You've been holed up in this building since save for retrieving your friend.

                                            >It all happened so fast.

                                            >Swift Wing looked up at you through all of his shaking.

                                            >He smiled despite everything, his face pale.

                                            >"I-I'm gonna b-b-be ok, r-right?"

                                            >You didn't even need to look him over.

                                            >You knew the answer and so did he.

                                            >There was no way in hell you could stop the bleeding.

                                            >You smiled reassuringly and lied through your little pony teeth.

                                            "Yeah, Swifty. You'll be just fine. Its just a flesh wound."

                                            >Maybe if you lied and he believed it... then maybe you'd believe it too.

                                            >His smile went away with the light in his eyes before he echoed you quietly.

                                            >"Oh. It's not so bad then. Just a flesh woun..."

                                            >He stopped shaking but you kept the pressure up.

                                            >The only sounds in the room now was your ragged breathing.

                                            >He was just unconscious.

                                            >Yeah, that was it.

                                            >He had to be.

                                            >The door on the opposite end of the room suddenly burst open revealing a griffon in armor.

                                            >Your eyes were wide and you were frozen in place.

                                            >The griffon walks forward and falls over revealing dagger in the back of his neck.

                                            >A mare in a black uniform moves in quickly and shuts the door before pulling the weapon out of the dead griffon.

                                            >Was that...

                                            >"You probably don't want to hear this but I was probably follo- Oh my gosh, Flitter? Thank fate you're alive!"

                                            >Your sister rushes to you and tries to hug you but you stop her.

                                            "If I move my hooves he'll die. Is there anypony else besides you? A medic maybe?"

                                            >"No, everypony else is either dead or captured. We'll end up like them if we don't get a move on. Now lets go."

                                            >Your sister took one of your legs away from Swift's wounds.

                                            >You looked towards Cloud Chaser like she was crazy and jerked your leg away.

                                            "I can't leave him here, Cloud!"

                                            >Your sisters expression softened and she took one of your forelegs in her hooves again.

                                            >"Flitter, look at me."

                                            >You did no such thing.

                                            >"Look at me!"

                                            >You chest got heavy but you did not.

                                            >You couldn't leave him.

                                            >"Dammit, Flitter! Look at me!"

                                            >Cloud put her hooves on your cheeks and forced you to look to her purple eyes.

                                            >"He's dead! It sucks. I understand. My entire squad was just wiped out and now its just me."

                                            "H-he's just-"

                                            >"Dead."

                                            >You shook your head and bit back tears.

                                            >He can't b-

                                            >WHAM!

                                            >Your vision flashed white when you were slapped across the face.

                                            >"Flitter, listen! He's gone and we need to go! There are enough dead ponies! I don't know what your deal is with him but I'll be damned if I'm gonna lose you too! You okay now? Can we go?"

                                            >You put a hoof to your cheek and nodded.

                                            >Cloud Chaser started moving towards the back o the house.

                                            >"Now lets go through the back. We should avoid flying because its a death trap with the griffons in the clouds."

                                            >You heard her but instead of moving with her you went over to where Swift Wing lied and stared for a moment longer before planting a kiss on his forehead.

                                            >It was then that you noticed a blood stain on your brown shirt and you unconsciously noted that you'd be chewed out by Harshwhinny for a stain like that.

                                            >You brushed off as much grime as you could before turning around and walking past your sister whose expression was that of sympathy.

                                            >"I'm sorry. I didn't know he meant something to you."

                                            >You didn't say anything in response.

                                            >Of course she didn't know.

                                            >How could she have known when she was so busy with the Black Hands?

                                            >If she would have waited it would have been the both of you in the hand instead of just her.

                                            >You were supposed to join together...

                                            >You opened the back door and motioned for her to go first.

                                            >She wrapped you in a hug.

                                            >"We'll make it through this. I promise."

                                            >It surprised you how little you cared about making it through at this point.

                                            >The sentiment didn't help Swift.

                                            >Cloud Chaser let you go and stuck her head out the door.

                                            >"Alright, the coast is clear for now. I'm pretty sure they haven't taken the castle yet but then again pretty much all of Ponyville went down in an hour so its still not that much of a stretch to say they have it too. I figure we should sneak our way into the forest and get out of town through the trees."

                                            >She comes back inside.

                                            >You decided to speak up.

                                            "Are you suggesting that we abandon Ponyville?" you ask quietly.

                                            >"Flitter lets face it: we're just two ponies. There may quiet literally be thousands of griffons in the city right now. Our best bet is to leave and wait for reinforcements."

                                            >She had a point.

                                            >"I don't like the idea any more than you do but we need to put some distance between ourselves and the city right now."

                                            >You nod after a bit and sigh.

                                            "Let's go then."

                                            >You didn't really know how you were going to make it through the city and into the forest but it would be better than sitting here doing nothing.

                                            >If you made it through you resolved to come back here when this was all over.

                                            >Swift didn't deserve to just lie in a puddle in the middle of some strangers house.

                                            >"Hey not so fast. Before we go you probably need a weapon."

                                            >You made a move to where you had set you baton down but were stopped by a hoof.

                                            >"No no. That thing won't do you any good right now."

                                            >Cloud opened a door which led to a kitchen.

                                            >You quickly went and grabbed the baton anyways, putting it in its place on your belt before following your sister in.

                                            >The kitchen was small and simple.

                                            >On the counter lied various ingredients for spaghetti.

                                            >The stove was left on leaving a pot to boil soggy noddles.

                                            >Whoever lived here left in a hurry if the stove was still running.

                                            >It had been nearly lunch time when the attack started.

                                            >You watched your twin sister open up drawer and she pulled out a rather large kitchen knife before passing it to you.

                                            >"I know its not ideal but anything is better than nothing. Now lets get moving."

                                            >You followed Cloud Chaser outside and into the ally.

                                            >Upon reaching the end the both of you stopped so she could peek out and make sure you wouldn't be spotted crossing the street.

                                            >From where you were though, Ponyville seemed wholly unfamiliar to you.

                                            >The acrid smell of smoke hung heavy in the air.

                                            >A few buildings were on fire and left burning.

                                            >Occasionally there was a body or two lying in the street.

                                            >It was surreal really.

                                            >It was as if you went to sleep and woke up in a nightmare.

                                            >Except this was anything but.

                                            >Cloud motioned for you to follow and the two of you slinked across to the the next alley as quietly as possible.

                                            >The both of you walked past a large streak of red along the white wall of another building.

                                            >Then you walked straight past its source.

                                            >A unicorn mare in a brown shirt lied dead.

                                            >She was curled up in a pool of her own blood.

                                            >You couldn't put a name to her face but you remembered the mare's smile at the weekly meetings at town hall.

                                            >She was somepony with hopes and dreams and now that she was lying dead in front of you... you couldn't even remember her name.

                                            >You wondered if you would die alone like that.

                                            >"Flitter stop staring an-"

                                            >Your sister motions for the both of you to get down and you do so, hugging the wall.

                                            >A few flights of griffons passed overhead, blocking out the sun and casting you in their shadows.

                                            >She lets out a breath.

                                            >"Shit that was close. We really need to get moving. I don't want to have to tangle with them anyomre if I can help it."

                                            >The both of you flinched when you heard thumps on the roof above you.

                                            >You could see the shadows of two griffons perched on the building you were taking cover behind.

                                            >Cloud puts a hoof over her mouth and you roll your eyes.

                                            >You weren't stupid enough to make a sound.

                                            >"Nice view isn't it?" you hear one say to the other.

                                            >Cloud Chaser moved to get closer to the wall.

                                            >"Yeah. You know I've been here before all this," the other replied.

                                            >"Really now?"

                                            >The only thing you could really do was stand there and wait for them to go.

                                            >"Yeah, it was a long time ago though. The town was different then. I like what they've done with the place."

                                            >You just closed your eyes and prayed they would leave.

                                            >"Doesn't matter anym- wait a minute."

                                            >You blood ran cold.

                                            >Your sister readied herself and quietly unsheathed her dagger,

                                            >"Do you see that?"

                                            >Please go away please go away please go away please go awa-

                                            >A scream on the street makes your wish come true.

                                            >A mare gallops down the street with a two griffons already in pursuit.

                                            >The two on the roof take off to join.

                                            >You make a move to run that direction.

                                            >There was no way in tartarus you were going to let her d-

                                            >You nearly made it out of the alley when one hoof went over you mouth and the other draped itself around your chest pulling you back.

                                            >Cloud can't do this!

                                            >You struggled and yelled into her hoof as she held you tight.

                                            >She had to let you go!

                                            >You couldn't hear that pony's pleas for help anymore.

                                            >Cloud made you look at her and she solemnly shook her head.

                                            >You understood that nothing could have been done but that wasn't the point.

                                            >The both of you used the distraction to cross the street and moved another couple of blocks before your anger boiled over.

                                            >You suddenly let out a scream of frustration and bucked the nearest thing to you which happened to be an over turned cabbage cart.

                                            "Dammit dammit dammit! I'm tired of watching ponies die!"

                                            >Each word was punctuated by another solid buck.

                                            >You didn't care if the fucking griffons heard you or not.

                                            "Why are they doing thi-"

                                            >You nearly fell when you hooves smashed through the wood.

                                            "Stupid cart! Stupid griffo- g-get off of me!"

                                            >Cloud Chaser tried to pull you away but you shook her off.

                                            "I'm fine. Let's just go,you," you huff and start walking, not giving her a chance to say anything.

                                            >You both duck into the next alley and so on and so forth until you stumble across another brown shirt all alone.

                                            >The mare was just sitting out in the open staring off into space!

                                            >Quickly you pull her into a building despite your sister's protests.

                                            >Cloud kept watch while you looked her over.

                                            >The good news was physically she was fine.

                                            >The bad news was that she was not all there at the moment.

                                            >If the blood spatter on her face was any indicator, she saw some things.

                                            >The fact that she was unresponsive left the both of you with a difficult choice.

                                            >"I say we make her comfy and leave her as much as I hate to say it. We can't really sneak out of the city lugging around dead weight."

                                            "I'm not just going to leave her here for the griffons to find her!"

                                            >"Then what do you suppose we do with her then, huh? Take a look around you, Flitter! Ponyville is burning. Our neighbors are dead in the street. We dont have a lot of options if we don't want to end up like them."

                                            "I'll figure something out but I'm not just going to leave her here! It wouldn't be right!"

                                            >"You don't think I know that? It wouldn't be right but I just can't see us getting out of this alive with her to worry about."

                                            >Instead of responding you start rooting through the house for something annd you here and exasperated sigh.

                                            >"Flitter, please don't make me do it. I don't want to have to it an order."

                                            >You stopped rooting through the cabinet you were going through and looked to your sister in shock.

                                            "You can't actually mean that," you stated.

                                            >Of all the things you expected from Cloud Chaser, this wasn't it.

                                            >However she made no effort to deny it and held her desperate look.

                                            >S-she was serious.

                                            >Completely serious.

                                            "You're unbelievable," you said quietly in disbelief. "Absolutely unbelievable."

                                            >"Flitter, your being unrealistic about this."

                                            >Unrel-

                                            >You?

                                            >Being unrealistic?

                                            "It doesn't matter if it's unrealistic or not, Cloud Chaser! It's not right and if you order me to do it I won't comply!"

                                            >"Flit-"

                                            "No, don't 'Flitter' me. I didn't join the brown shirts for something like this! I joined to help ponies and by Fate itself I will do just that."

                                            >You crossed the distance between your sister and yourself, putting you muzzle against hers.

                                            "And. I. Will not. Have more dead ponies on my conciseness."

                                            >With that you turned and finished what you were doing.

                                            >Cloud didn't bother after that and just silently kept watch as you fashioned a leash of sorts.

                                            >It was for the best.

                                            >If she argued any more, you might have said something you'd regret.

                                            >The silence let you calm down a bit while you finished your craft.

                                            >The way you saw it, the white mare at least trotted with you when you pulled her inside.

                                            >Albeit with some difficulty.

                                            >You figured you could lead her on with a leash.

                                            >It wasn't the best thing but t would have to work.

                                            >And besides, your little group didn't have that far to go.

                                            >To make sure it worked you tugged on the leash and the mare followed you to the back door.

                                            "Cloud we can get moving now."

                                            >The mare hopped off the windowsill and joined you in the back.

                                            >"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

                                            >You grimaced.

                                            "It doesn't matter," you reply testily. "She won't be here for some griffon to find her."

                                            >You knew it was a terrible idea to be walking around with the mare on a leash.

                                            >Never did you say Cloud Chaser was wrong.

                                            >Your sister chose to go ahead and lead on instead f offering more of her opinions which would undoubtedly lead to more arguing.

                                            >Your little group went out the back door and move forward a couple of blocks.

                                            >Eventually you get to a point where you could see the school house.

                                            >It took you another hour just to get to this point but you were close.

                                            >You weren't too far from the forest now.

                                            >Ideally you would cut across the school yard and into the treeline beyond it but there was lot of open ground between the school and the forest.

                                            >Not so much between you and the school but just enough to make you and your sister think twice.

                                            >The less open ground you had to cover the better but this was the quickest way out.

                                            >You voiced you opinion.

                                            "I don't think crossing here is a great idea."

                                            >"We've only been lucky this far not to be spotte- wait... Flitter look! We're saved!"

                                            >You couldn't make out what Cloud Chaser meant until the the sun reflected off of their golden armor.

                                            >Three flights of armored ponies flew overhead.

                                            >You were going to be okay now.

                                            >The Royal Guard was here.


                                            >You are still Flitter.

                                            >The initial three wings of guard pegasi you saw were followed by more.

                                            >Thank Manos.

                                            >You slump against the wall you were leaning against as relief washes over you in waves.

                                            >You were going to be okay!

                                            >You look to your sister who is looking to the sky.

                                            >She has a calculating expression changes a few times.

                                            >However, finally it turns grim.

                                            >“I don't think we're out of the woods yet, Flitter.”

                                            >You cock you head to the side.

                                            “What are you talking about Cloud Chas-”

                                            >Your words stop for a moment when a group of pegasi descends towards you.

                                            >You smile a bit and motion towards them.

                                            “See, Cloud? They're coming to help us now. I know they don't really agree with us but we're all ponies.”

                                            >Surely she could see at least that much.

                                            >There was a difference between being cautious and being paranoid.

                                            >When your sister follows your gaze, her eyes widen and she curses.

                                            >Cloud Chaser doesn't get a chance to respond as several pegasi in golden armor land around you.

                                            >You trot up to what looks be the officer in charge of this group and glance at your sister.

                                            “See cloud everything is going to be fine n-...” you begin but trail off to silence with your jaw hanging open.

                                            >You hear the sound of a sword being drawn.

                                            >Slowly, you turn your head back to the officer in disbelief.

                                            >One of the pegasi on his side drew their weapon which is followed shortly by the others.

                                            >This...

                                            >You open and close your mouth a few times trying to say something but no words come.

                                            >None of this made any kind sense.

                                            >You struggle for a while but finally you get something coherent out.

                                            “But... why?” you manage.

                                            >”Don’t act so surprised, Brownshirt.”

                                            >You feel yourself get pulled backwards but your gaze never leaves him.

                                            “Why do this? Why now? Shouldn’t we be working together?”

                                            >There was a desperate tone in your voice you didn’t like but that hardly mattered.

                                            >Cloud Chaser lets go of you when you are backed against the wall of a building next to the mare you came across.

                                            >She gives you a look and then steps in front of you.

                                            >”Have we ever truly worked together? The changeling invasion? Ardennes?”

                                            >He looks to your sister and smirks.

                                            >”It matters not. Looks like you have something to say before we take you away, Hand. Out with it.”

                                            >The lavender mare in black takes a breath.

                                            >”I propose a trade.”

                                            >That makes the guards around you laugh before the officer speaks again.

                                            >”Oh? And what do you have that we can’t take?” he says with a mocking tone.

                                            >Cloud Chaser turns her head and gives you a long look and you both lock eyes.

                                            >You see what she’s about to do in her eyes.

                                            >She can see you begging her not to with yours.

                                            >However, a barely detectable smile comes to her face.

                                            >”Information. Numbers, positions, whatever you want to know."

                                            >She motions at you with a hoof.

                                            >"Just let her go.”

                                            “Cloud, no! Don’t do this!”

                                            >At first you were worried that she would actually give away something like that to them but you can still see her eyes.

                                            >She was lying.

                                            >She wasn’t going to actually tell them anything.

                                            >”That’s all I ask.”

                                            >The officer mulls it over for a bit before he motions for his ponies to stand down.

                                            >”Fine. We’ll play this game for now. Frost, Gale? The both of you escort this pony to the edge of town.

                                            >He looks at the zoned out mare.

                                            >”Her too, we have no use for dead weight.”

                                            >The two guards give an affirmative and move to either side of you but you don’t stay where you are.

                                            >You rush to Cloud Chaser with the intent to hug her but she just holds up a hoof and pushes against your chest before you can.

                                            >”No, Flitter. Let's not do this, alright?”

                                            >You look at her like she’s crazy.

                                            >That’s because she was crazy.

                                            >Absolutely insane.

                                            >”Com’ on, sis. Make this easy for me. Just go.”

                                            >She was a funny mare if she thought you were leaving.

                                            >You open your mouth to speak but she moves her hoof from your chest to your mouth.

                                            >”No words. Just go you big baby. Let me do this for you.”

                                            >Tears well up in your eyes at the finality in her voice.

                                            >“I’ll be fine as long as you are. I promise. I still have to put in a good word for you with the Black Hands, remember.”

                                            >You aren’t leaving!

                                            >You aren’t!

                                            >Cloud Chaser just stares at you with a hard look.

                                            >In it are all the things she didn’t say.

                                            >You...

                                            >All the things that didn’t need to be said.

                                            >Manos save you...

                                            >You push her hoof away and pull her into a hug before she can protest.

                                            >She surprises you when she leans into it and whispers in your ear.

                                            >”Don’t be fooled. Keep your eyes on the both of them. They’ll likely try something when your out of my line of sight but they’re heavy in the armor. You’ll be faster than them. When other Hands arrive they’ll need to know the guard can’t be trusted.”

                                            >She then shoves you away roughly.

                                            >”Now go.”

                                            >You give her a look before you turn to see another guard trying to coax the white coated brownshirt into moving

                                            >”Sir, this mare isn't moving. I don’t think she’s all there.”

                                            >He takes a look at her before pointing to a house at random.

                                            >”Bind her and put her in there then. We don’t have time to deal with this.”

                                            >You make a move towards her but are stopped by the guard to your left.

                                            >”She’ll be fine. We’re the good ponies, anyways.”

                                            >The good ponies...

                                            >Right.

                                            >You get pushed forwards.

                                            >Time to go then.

                                            >You look back and a breath hitches in your throat as you realize this could be the last time you see each other.

                                            “I love you, Cloud!” you say.

                                            >It absolutely didn’t need to be said aloud.

                                            >But if it’s to be the last time...

                                            >She looks stoic but you can see fear starting to creep through the mask

                                            >You sister mumbles but you still hear it.

                                            >”Love you too, sis.”

                                            >And then you round a corner around the one of the school buildings and like that, you can’t see her anymore.

                                            >Just...

                                            >Where did everything go so wrong?

                                            >Not too long ago you were worrying about when you’d find the time to get your mane done before you went on a date that would have been tonight.

                                            >What did you do for your fate to change having you try and keep your date’s blood inside his body and watch him die?

                                            >And now fate threatens to take your sister.

                                            >You see the guards on either side of you share a look after you clear the school yard completely.

                                            >And fate is threatening to take you too.