The Jewel Within

Loss

Sapphire pushed herself up from her back. The fire was out, and most of the bodies had been flung. She looked around and now the car was upside down, exits on all sides.

She quickly crawled out of the nearest window and moved a good fifty feet away. She started to assess herself and her condition. She was still okay, just a few more cuts. But damn, did they hurt.

She lit her horn up, wrapping a light around her that mended her wounds, then looked around. It seemed that the explosion had come from the next car over. Luckily, it hadn't caused her car to explode as well. The grass was a yellowish green, there were woods about three hundred feet from the train tracks, and plenty of rock formations.

She looked around, but could not find Blitz. She figured that she best look for her. She continued to look around, which was getting more difficult, considering the sun was starting to sink below the tops of the trees.

"Blitz!" She called out, frantically looking around. She then ran around the corner of the train and stopped cold. There she was, unmoving. Still as a rock against the only tree within seventy-five feet. Laying in a puddle of blood. Her own blood.

Sapphire rushed over, tears streaking down her face. She stumbled halfway, and struggled to get up. "N-no!!" She screamed out as she approached. "Blitz! Why!?" She cried out.

She stopped next to Blitz, sobbing. 'Please, please!!' She thought.

'Sapphire... She...' Ruby started to cry.

"D-don't... Please..." Sapphire cried, reaching a hoof to her friend. She pressed her hoof to her body, then immediately pulled it back. Wailing, Sapphire wrapped her legs around Blitz, holding her tight.

She continued to cry for two minutes, then looked down to her friend. She had heard something. Some words. Frail and pathetic, but words.

"Blitz, I need you to talk louder, please." She said. She felt as if she were hugging a stone. One that shifted slightly.

Then the words came. Still quiet, but audible this time.

"I... knew you... were trouble." Blitz lightly chuckled, as if she had no air. "But... you can't... trust anypony... except for Luna. Take... it... to..." then it fell silent. Her body stopped moving and nothing more came from Blitz.

Sapphire bowed her head and cried again. This time for an hour. The sky had started to fill with stars when Sapphire finally stood. She lifted Blitz's corpse with her magic and brought her with.

She remembered seeing a small cave in some rocks earlier. She took her body there, laying it down. She covered the entrance with a boulder that used her magic to move.

She sniffed, sighed, then searched around for shelter. After ten minutes, she found a place; a gap between a few rocks, just big enough for her to fit in.

She squeezed herself through, finding that there was a nice patch of grass inside. It wasn't disturbed, and looked like nothing had been here at all.

She laid down, and just for precaution, casted a camouflage spell on the entrance. She laid down and closed her eyes, falling asleep nearly instantly.

She hadn't dreamed that night. But she did wake up in the night as she thought she heard something. But she didn't hear it again, so she fell back asleep.

By the time morning came around, the little room was filled with light. She got up, yawned, stretched, then took down the spell. Stepping out, she realized that it was still rather early and the sun had just finished rising.

She smiled, knowing how to get back to Canterlot. She nodded to herself, then continued to the broken train. She stopped next to the back of the train, then started to backtrack from the way she was going.

The walk had taken half the day, and nothing eventful was going on, but she soon found that she was rather thirsty. Not very hungy, as she had grazed along the way. She looked around, listening for any sounds of water, as she had traversed deep into the woods at this point. She had no idea that this part of the railroad even existed.

Then again, she didn't exactly know much about the outside world anymore. She sighed, about to give up when she heard a small splash. Her eyes widened, then she turned towards the direction it came from.

Sapphire slowly approached the creek, peeking around a tree to identify the splashing sounds. She relaxed a little, realizing that the splashing was coming from a cute little creature. It looked like a bear cup that had a slightly longer neck, but it's eyes were big and cute. The mouth was adorably small too.

She slowly approached the water, smiling at the small, cute thing. It seemed to watch her, not moving. She started to drink, upstream from this creature. As she drank, it leaned down to drink, then looked back up to her.

It started to come her way. She continued to drink until it was about five feet from her. She glanced up at the thing, finding it hard to look away from it's eyes. "Umm... can I help you?" She asked. Then she snapped out of it, like something had slapped her. She glanced down at the creature's mouth.

It was no longer cute. It's mouth spanned the majority of it's torso, it's paws had horrid claws at the ends, and saliva was dripping from it's maws. Fear struck her and she started to back up. She wound herself around the tree to break the line of sight. That was her mistake.

As soon as she was around the tree, the thing let out a horrid roar, causing her to turn and run. She could hear the thing slashing at trees behind her, sending chunks of bark past her.

Then it struck her. Her magic could save her. But she didn't want to kill this creature, despite its lust for her death. But it couldn't be helped. She whipped around, chanted a spell, then released a plume of dark magic that assaulted the beast.

She stood, watching in horror, yet slight satisfaction as the magic tore at the flesh of the creature. The pained screams it let out were chilling as it's body began to melt and the magic continued to rip it apart.

She watched the last of the creature disappear, then the magic dissipated.

'What... The... Hell?' Ruby gasped.

"I have no idea... But... It felt good. Despite how horrible it was." Sapphire stated slowly.

'No. No no no. You can't let the dark magic take a hold. Promise me you won't use it again!' Ruby yelled, but only Sapphire could hear.

"Okay. I promise I will only use it if absolutely necessary." Sapphire said.

Ruby remained silent for a moment, then sighed. 'Fine. I guess that works.'

Sapphire turned, then continued south again, feeling renewed. Like the life of the creature had been given to her. Nearly two hours later, she passed the trees, gazing upon the great city on the mountain.

"Time to get this book back to the princess." Sapphire said. She took a step, then whipped her head to the aide as she heard a female voice.

"I don't think so." The mare said.