//------------------------------// // chapter 8: a fond introduction and a life changing moment // Story: Bamboozle boogaloo 2: Tokyo drift // by Theboxcatgamr //------------------------------// Noah fell from the roof of the train station and landed on his back unceremoniously. He took a moment to collect himself and quickly put back on his glasses. As Noah stood up he saw a large amount of ponys staring at him with somewhat hostile expressions. ”...howdy?” Noah said while trying not to panic They remained cold and unmoving. Noah got the distinct feeling that he wasn’t quite welcome in town. Noah got up and began walking towards a building that looked like a saloon and entered the establishment through the front door. The bar quickly quieted except for a group of ponys that were on there way out. The group seemed to be trying to tell their guide something but he kept cutting them off. Then one of them maneged to talk long enough. Eventually Noah got close enough to actually hear what they were saying “-Did you say... buffalo? *sigh* Them buffalo, they want us settler ponies to take every single tree you see here off this land. They sure as hay don't want any new ones added in.” The Stalin Noah recognized as Braeburn Said Noah was a bit confused when Fluttershy didn’t say her two cents like she did in the show. In fact they had all gone quiet. Noah nearly shat himself as he noticed that they were all staring at him. Fluttershy looked extremely concerned and rarity held an expression of disgust. Noah really didn’t understand this as even though he looked like he just waltzed out of the shadow realm he didn’t really look THAT repulsive. If anything the shadows actually covered up his flaws. “W-what? I’ve never seen a creature with the shadow plague this severe” Rarity said while keeping her distance “I don’t think that using the elements will work on him...in fact I believe this might be the source!” Twilight said in alarm ”woah hold up-“ Twilight gasped as Noah talked and suddenly took a defensive position “Stay back girls! There is no way the plague hasn’t turned it feral yet!” Twilight called out ”WOAH HOLD UP! Calm down. I’m fine. I’m not some crazy basterd. Ok? Now lets all just slow down and talk through this rationally” “Noah!” Loki called out while emerging from the group ”Loki! Oh thank god your fine. Alright. What happened?” Noah asked. Loki explained that after He left the mane six took him with them because apparently he had some type of disease that had been cursing both the town and the group “-And after that they took me out for some ice cream!” Loki finished ”Huh. well I guess I’m with you girls for now. Loki where’s doc and Daring?” “I don’t know. Before Daring left to try and help the train she gave me these” Loki said as he exposed the sun slabs ”huh...?” Now that Noah was close to the group he could clearly see that Fluttershy looked strangely out of it. She seemed twitchy and jumpy as if she were a fragile spring about to bounce and break in the process. A pitch black mark covered her front-right hoof. It was similar to the one Loki had on him before he had healed him. ”...Loki? Remember that plague you had before I healed you? Was that the shadow plague?” Noah asked while moving towards Fluttershy Loki nodded and suddenly everything made sense why the group was so hellbent on avoiding Noah ”...so she’s infected?” Noah said while walking up to her The group seemed to instantly lose the last of the enthusiasm they had when Noah mentioned it ”alright then. How’s about we fix that?” Noah said while going down on one knee in front of the usually timid Pegasus “What are you talking about?” Twilight asked Noah gently grabbed her hoof and slowly the shadow’s climbed on to her while purging the sickness from her body. The group freaked out as from their perspective it was like Noah was rapidly increasing the infliction right before their eyes. They rushed towards the two but were cut off by a wall of shadows blocking their path. They watched in horror and eventually confusion as Fluttershy slowly became more lively as the shadows enveloped her body. Eventually she was completely covered and Noah let go of her hoof as the wall collapsed and disappeared. The shadows quickly left her and left an adorable healthy shy Pegasus in its absence “Wh-whoa” Fluttershy said as she completely stopped limping The group quickly yanked Noah away from her as they prepared to interrogate him “What did you do to her!” Applejack demanded as Noah flinched ”well I purged a plague if you want me to be blunt” Noah said “Calm down! He did the same thing for me and I’m fine!” Loki interjected “...” Applejack looked back at Fluttershy who now was as lively as ever “...I can’t see any of the plague signs on her except the mark” Twilight said ”oh the mark is there to stay I think.” Noah said Applejack got off of Noah and walked over to Fluttershy “You ok sugarcube?” Applejack asked Fluttershy She nodded and they all shared a warm moment of the realization that Fluttershy would survive It was quickly... dashed “HEY I TOLD YOU TO GIVE ME POWERS TOO YOU COWARD!” ”oh god here we go” rainbow stopped in front of Noah on a dime...or at least she tried to. She hit Noah directly in the head and knocked him out instantly Noah awoke on a train sitting beside Daring who was wearing some sort of old lady camouflage ”oh. Was it a Dream?” “I assume you are talking about the buffalo?” Daring said ”oh. Well I guess that’s done and I can go back to looking for Alex” “Well...not exactly” she said with a sheepish grin “LAST STOP: PONIVILL!” The attendant called out as the entered the station “Finally! It took forever to get here!” Rainbow shouted from the other side of the train car. Noah simply deadpanned at Daring ”well? What’s up? Is half the bloody town out of commission and needs my ass to help?” Noah said while continuing to deadpann “Pretty much” Loki said ”than I’m not angry because this was the right move.” Noah said while moving to a more soft and understanding tone They got up and they all exited the train. Noah looked around at the town. It wasn’t nearly as cheerful as the show depicted (likely due to the plague fucking things up) ”alright, do we know who’s infected?” Noah asked Twilight “The cake’s, a few animals in Fluttershy’s house and Ditzy hooves” Twilight said as they approached sugar-cube corner ”Alright. Let’s go boop some snoots” Noah said with his belief in the action increasing tenfold “Oh and by the way they are all feral at this point. Good luck!” Twilight said before ripping the wood boards off with her magic ”ok then. I guess I’m going in. HERE WE GOOOOOOOOO!” Noah cried as he charged into the building and grabbed the two sickly shadowy creatures and holding them in place as the cure worked its magic and purged them. Eventually Noah released the two very confused shop owners from his grasp as he sprinted off to Fluttershy’s house. Noah lept through the open window and was immediately caught and slammed on the ground by a massive bear luckily while Noah was in the grasp of the massive creature the shadows began spreading over to the bear and slowly the creatures grip on noah faded as it began to take on a more dazed look. Noah slipped from its claws and managed to catch the little bunny that seemed to literally be bouncing off the walls. Then Noah had left the building and approached the town once more only to see that a fire had started... Noah got closer to the flames and discovered they were flowing with shadow energy. Noah heard something drop behind him and he turned around to see a very shady derpy “ǐ̸͉̲ ̶͇̓č̴͍͎̍͌̎a̵̚͜n̷̬̖̦̝̜͗̿̓ ̸̞̼̻̺̋s̸͍̣͍̙͇̏̿́̃ę̶̜̖̩̋̂͠è̴̢͓̭̎̔̚ ̴͙̯̳̑̀̅y̵̧̳̯͙͂̀͂̚͠ô̵̰̣͕͂ȕ̷̝͌̂̾̓ ̴̡̨͓̞̾͛̌̅:̴̧͓̒̐̉̕͝)̶͓̔̉” ”but can you really?” Noah instantly reacts to the fact that neither of her eyes is looking at him. Derpy laughed a haunting and maniacal laugh as she burst into blue flames and charged towards Noah. He couldn’t help but think that this was a bit of a mistake. And it probably is