//------------------------------// // Lonely Wind // Story: Only a Blind Filly // by Skijarama //------------------------------// Tulip awoke with a start when her bedroom door swung open, creaking long and loud and disturbing the otherwise perfectly still air. Taking a deep breath, she sat up and carefully listened to whoever it was that had entered her room. She could just make out a quiet scraping and shuffling from the door like someone was trying to be quiet. “Hello? Who is that?” she asked carefully while feeling around on the bed for Winona. To her surprise, the dog wasn’t there. Confused, she turned her ears towards her guest. “Spike? Princess?” Silence was her answer. The air continued to shift, and a faint, unpleasant odor wafted into her nose. She could hear her guest shuffling closer to her bed, their hooves dragging along the crystal floor and creating an eerie scraping sound. With her spine tingling and her face contorting with a disgusted cringe, Tulip nervously backed up until she was pressed against the headboard of the bed. “Spike? Luna?! Winona?! Who is that?! Please, say something!” she wailed, her voice starting to shake with fear. Again, there was no answer, just those hooves continuing their steady scraping across the floor. They transitioned from the crystal to the rug, and it made a noise lock cloth being torn into shreds slowly and deliberately. The air around her was beginning to turn cold, chilling her to the bone. She could hear her visitor breathing now, coming in slow, deep breaths. The next breath tickled the tips of her hairs as it reached her, carrying with it the smell of rotting corpses. Gasping and struggling to keep from gagging, Tulip opened her mouth and shrieked as loud as she could. “SPIKE! LUNA! SOMEPONY HELP ME!!” The breaths were washing over her face hard enough to make her mane hairs dance on her head. The thickness of it and the awful stench were enough to make her skin crawl with revulsion and her stomach churn. Her visitor was clambering onto the bed with her, making it creak and groan with stress and making the air around her turn absolutely freezing. Something hard, a hoof, pressed itself tightly against Tulip’s mouth, silencing her desperate screams and cutting off her airflow. Desperately, she tried to fight against her assailant, but they were impossibly strong. The body holding her down felt like it was getting heavier and more oppressive, stifling the air and compressing her down into the mattress. Her lungs were burning from a lack of oxygen, and tears of terror were leaking out of the corners of her tightly shut eyes. She felt another hoof on her right eyelid, forcefully prying it open against her will. Her screams grew in volume and intensity, as her assailant made no effort to be gentle. She couldn’t see, of course, giving her attacker pause. “Please just go away, please just go away, please just go away,” she whimpered in her mind over and over again, her screams devolving into pathetic whimpers. However, any hopes she had of safety were summarily squashed the pressure of the hoof on her muzzle began to increase, sending a white-hot lance of pain through her skull. Both of Tulip’s eyes flew wide open with terror and agony, and something else was starting to dribble out of her nose to flow around the hoof, flowing in warm streams down her muzzle. She could smell copper. The other hoof left her eye to press tightly against her throat. She couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t see. All she could do was weakly thrash as she heard those horrible breaths in her ears, smelled that horrifying stench in her nose, and felt her face and throat compressing under the weight of those hooves. The pressure was too much. Something gave away. She heard a sickening crunch and squelch. Her world was pain. Tulip woke up with a scream of terror, sitting bolt upright in her bed with the sheets held tighter to her throat by her hooves. With her heart hammering in her chest, she sucked in a few deep breaths, trying desperately to calm herself. Something shifted on the blankets next to her, disturbing the air. Remembering her attacker, panic flooded through Tulips’ veins. Immediately, one of her hooves lashed out in self-defense, smacking her would-be attacker right in their… surprisingly moist snout? A high-pitched whine pierced the air, followed by a heavy thump from the side of the bed. Did she just punch a puppy? An uncomfortable whine of annoyance came from below, answering her question quite simply. After taking a second or two to process this, Tulip realized with no small amount of guilt and shame what had just happened. She lowered herself down to her belly and felt her way over to the side of the bed. “Winona?” she asked quietly in a quivering voice. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to hit you.” An indignant growl came from the dog in question, and a slight tug on the blankets along with the rustling of cloth made it clear that she was now hiding under the bed. Tulip sighed and sat upright with a yawn. After a moment, the door suddenly opened with a heavy thunk, and the rush of wind told her it had been opened hard. Spike’s voice, laced with fear, filled the air. “Tulip, what’s wrong!? Are you okay?! Where’s Winona?!” he asked in rapid succession while scampering up to the bedside. Tulip shuddered uncontrollably as the memory of her nightmare came rushing back into her mind. The hoof on her muzzle, that awful stench. Suppressing a gag at the all-too-vivid memory, she shook herself and answered Spike’s question. “I’m okay. I just had a scary nightmare…” she said before pointing down vaguely at the base of the bed. “I think Winona’s hiding… She scared me, and I hit her. I thought she was the pony that attacked me in my nightmare...” Tulip recoiled in surprise when she felt Spike clambering up onto the bed with her. “Yikes, I’m sorry. Are you feeling okay? Do you wanna talk about it?” he asked in a gentle, soothing voice. Tulip found herself even more surprised when the blankets were gently wrapped around her again. She heard Spike sitting down next to her and looked at him in confusion. “Oh, uh, you looked cold,” he explained simply. Tulip blinked, then nodded and turned her head down. “Thank you…” “No problem. Least I can do,” Spike said, giving her a reassuring pat on the back. “I mean, we gotta look out for each other, don’t we? We’re in this together.” Tulip nodded at that and hummed in agreement. “Yeah… you’re right.” Spike fell silent for a minute, just giving her some company and waiting for her shivers to finally die down. Eventually, after a time, she calmed down enough to shrug the blankets off of her shoulders. Satisfied, Spike hopped off of the bed. “Well… you should probably get up now, anyway. It’s morning, and Luna wants us to get ready to go to Zecora’s,” he explained before reaching up and gently helping Tulip down from the bed. “How’s your leg?” Tulip tested it once she was on the ground. A slight twinge of fiery pain danced across the fracture line, but it wasn’t nearly as severe as it had been yesterday. She winced all the same and gave her answer. “It’s still sore…” “That’s okay. We can have Luna carry you when we go so you can give it some more rest,” Spike offered in sympathy before guiding Tulip out of the room and back out into the halls. “Come on. Let’s get you some breakfast, eh?” That was enough to put a smile on Tulip’s face. “Sure. I like the sound of that.” “I do too,” Spike agreed heartily. “That’s why I said it.” After a large and filling breakfast of cereal and a stack of chocolate chip-filled buttermilk pancakes, Tulip, Spike, and Luna departed Twilight’s castle and began their journey into the Everfree forest, taking Owlowiscious and Winona with them. Their destination was deemed too risky for the other pets, leading to them being left behind in the castle, albeit with plenty of food set out for them so they wouldn’t starve. After about half an hour of walking in near total silence, they passed into the forest proper. The wind moved gently through the leaves and branches of the Everfree’s many trees, filling the air with a soft and ominous rustling noise. However, while one may typically expect other sounds to accompany the wind and the leaves, today there was only silence, save for the sounds made by the group as they trudged steadily across the grassy forest floor. Tulip, from her position on Princess Luna’s back, listened intently to their surroundings, taking in every little noise she could. Owlowiscious’ wingbeats as he flew overhead, Winona’s occasional sniffs and pants as she walked by Luna’s side, and of course the alicorn’s hooves and Spike’s feet. Beyond that and the wind, though, there was nothing. Not even an animal call. It was deeply unsettling, to say the least. Where were the birds, or tiny animals? What about the bugs? It was like they were hiding from them... She whimpered and curled up into a ball on Luna’s back. “It’s too quiet…” she whispered fearfully, her voice shaking. She could feel Luna shift slightly, and the faint hint of breath tickling her nose told her that the princess was looking back at her. “Be brave, young one,” Luna answered gently before facing forward again. ‘You are safe with us.” “Hoo!” Owlowiscious added overhead. Tulip felt him gently land on her back and brush his beak along her cheek in a comforting gesture of affection. She managed a tiny smile and gave him a nuzzle in return. The two remained like that for a few moments before Owlowisious took off into the air again, resuming his vigil. “We shouldn’t be too far out, now,” Spike noted thoughtfully while pushing through some extra shrubbery. “Ack! Stupid bushes… Yeah, this looks right. We’re pretty close.” “I should hope so,” Luna added seriously, the tempo of her trot increasing. “I am growing weary of being in the open like this.” They continued onward for several minutes, none of them saying anything. Suddenly, Spike let out a loud sigh of relief, and Tulip could hear his feet picking up the pace through the grass, then the dirt. “We made it!” he called back at them before several sharp knocks rang through the air. Luna, however, maintained her previous pace, seemingly out of a desire to not jostle the still injured filly on her back. Tulip heard Spike knock a few more times, followed soon by a wooden door swinging open with a loud creak. Already, Tulip could feel a rush of warmth, and the smell of a campfire drifted into her nose. She sniffed a few times and turned her ears toward the point of interest, her curiosity growing. She’d never been here, before, after all. Her childish curiosity was starting to kick in. The voice of Zecora rang out, sounding pleasantly surprised if a bit confused by the unexpected guests. “Oh, Spike, and Princess Luna, too! I must admit, I was not expecting either of you,” she exclaimed in her traditional rhyme. “Greetings, Zecora,” Luna acknowledged with a subtle nod of her head while coming to a stop next to Spike. Tulip could tell; she could hear him breathing. “I am glad to see you are unharmed after the last few nights,” Luna continued in relief. “Many were not so fortunate.” There was a pause, followed by a baffled cough from the zebra. “What do you mean, last few nights?” Zecora questioned, her tone even more perplexed than before. “Is everything quite alright?” “Wait, you mean you don’t know?!” Spike asked incredulously, his voice getting louder. Tulip could just make out the sounds of hooves shuffling in place, telling her that Zecora was taken aback by the outburst. There was no audible response for several seconds, filling the air with a tense silence. Spike sighed after a second, his voice becoming disheartened. “Yikes… where to start?” “We should start inside,” Luna cut in firmly, taking another few steps forward and leaning down, probably to be closer to Zecora’s eye level. “I hate to impose upon you, Zecora, but we shouldn’t stay outside for any longer then we have to.” After another tense pause, the sound of hooves retreating back into an enclosed space gave Zecora’s answer away. Almost immediately after, Tulip felt the relative chill of the forest exterior be washed away by the pleasant warmth of the interior of Zecora’s home. Along with that warmth came the sound of a gently crackling fireplace and a cauldron filled with boiling water. The air was saturated with a series of odd and peculiar aromas that got her sniffing, and it almost reminded her of split pea soup, if perhaps a bit more… spicy? It was hard to tell through the other scents that soon drifted into her nostrils. It was like walking into a perfume shop, only a lot more earthy. It was almost overwhelming. Tulip’s body was suddenly encased in the gentle tingle of a magic spell. She went stiff and waited as the aura lifted her off of Luna’s back and down to the compacted dirt floor. As soon as the spell released her, she fell to her haunches and took in a deep breath. She heard Zecora hum thoughtfully. “Whatever harrowing ordeal you have experienced must be harrowing indeed, for you to come seeking me out with such speed.” “That’s putting it mildly,” Spike said in a deadpan while sitting down next to Tulip. “Twilight’s gone, and so is basically everypony else. As far as Ponyville goes, a few animals, Tulip here, and I were the only survivors.” Zecora audibly gasped in alarm upon hearing that. “Oh my… For this disaster, you have my deepest sympathy. You look tired... here, let me get you all some tea,” Zecora was quick to suggest before trotting a little ways away. “And while the brew sits and steeps, maybe you can tell me what sent you to me with the creeps.” Luna immediately launched into the story after clearing her throat. “As of two nights ago, some sort of magical affliction has spread across most of Equestria’s population, taking over the minds of its victims and forcing them to spread it further. It seemingly sprang up everywhere all at once, given what I learned from the ponies I questioned in the dream realm last night. It is transmitted via eye contact and seems to be impossible to stop entirely. Even my sister has succumbed,” Luna paused, then, letting that information sink in before she continued. “Oddly enough, it seems to target ponies specifically. Spike, Winona, and Owlowiscious seem to be completely immune, and Tulip iris, here, being blind, is also immune.” “We came here because you know all about all kinds of weird and unusual stuff, magic or not,” Spike chimed in hopefully. “So… do you have any idea what this could be?” There were several moments of silence, with Zecora moving around the room and interacting with various things. The combinations of sounds gave Tulip the impression that Zecora was preparing their tea. As Zecora pondered the question, a tension began to seep into the air. Tulip bit her lip for several seconds before it finally became too much. She leaned forward, speaking up. “Miss Zecora, please, you have to help us. We don’t know what to do, and...” she sniffled. “And I’m scared. I want my mommy and daddy back… please...” her voice was trembling horribly by the time she finished. Luckily, a comforting claw on the shoulder from Spike was enough to help her keep herself from breaking down entirely. Zecora let out a quiet sigh before a soft thump told Tulip that she had sat down on the other side of the cauldron. “Alas, this threat is well beyond anything I know,” the zebra stated regretfully. “And if what you say is true, then the direness of the situation will only grow.” Spike grumbled under his breath. “Great… we’re still in the dark about what we’re dealing with, then…” he mumbled irritably, his claw fleeing from Tulip’s shoulder. Several seconds passed in silence, and Tulip shrunk in place. After a moment, Zecora stood up and began moving around again. A sound like water being poured into a wooden cup was heard. “So… what do we do now?” Tulip finally asked shakily once the pouring stopped. Before anypony answered her, Zecora trotted up to her and set something down in front of her nose. It was radiating warm steam that carried a sweet smell like cherries and honey. She quickly realized it was the tea that Zecora had mentioned a little while ago. Luna, after taking a sip of her own, let out a disgruntled huff. “We shall just have to find another means of getting information… it may require finding a way to trap and question one of them,” she speculated aloud. Spike let out a small gasp at that and rose to his feet. “Woah, Woah, that’s way too risky! If one of them even gets one look at your eyes, then you’re done for! We can’t lose you now, Luna, you’re the only princess left! We need you!” he exclaimed anxiously while taking a few steps forward. “I know that, Spike,” Luna shot back impatiently, her wings ruffling on her sides with agitation. “But what other options do we have? We need answers and there are none to be found here!” Tulip frowned and tilted her head in Luna’s general direction. “Didn’t the sleeping ponies tell you anything?” The alicorn paused for several seconds, then sighed in defeat. “I am afraid I could only contact so many in the time they were asleep. Of the ones I was able to question, none knew anything of importance. They are scattered and in the wilderness, and for now, it would be better to not group up with them. With how easily the affliction can spread, we’d be fools to travel in large numbers.” “Oh…” Tulip muttered before taking a sip of her tea. It burned on the way down her throat, but not to the point of being uncomfortable. It was very sweet, tasting just like it smelled if a touch more earthy. Still, the warmth it deposited in her belly was enough to start relaxing her aching muscles, drawing a relieved sigh from her. “Hmmm… While I know little of the larger threat, Perhaps I can still be of some help yet,” Zecora noted with a quiet hum. “If to capture one of them is what you must do, then I would be more than willing to help you.” Tulip’s ears swiveled to face the zebra, and she turned her muzzle away from her tea. “Really? How?” she asked inquisitively before taking another greedy sip. Tulip could almost sense that Zecora was smiling. “Nopony knows these woods quite like me,” she began with a hint of confidence. “Making me the ideal candidate to entrap your enemy.” Spike exhaled quietly, reigned. “Well, alright. If you’re sure you’re willing to take the risk…” he said reluctantly before standing and shuffling over to be closer to Tulip. “I think Tulip and I should stay put, though. We’d probably just get in the way…” “I am quite sure of myself, little drake,” Zecora replied before downing the rest of her tea and standing up. “And if you wish, you may stay here and take a break.” “Before we can even think of capturing one, we need a way to lure them out…” Luna mused absently, the sound of her hoof idly prodding at the dirt floor just audible over the bubbling cauldron and fireplace. After another moment of silence, she gave a quiet, nervous chuckle. “I think I have an idea…” There was a moment of silence before Spike spoke up. “Why do I have a bad feeling about this already?"