The Story of Zeta

by Z-A-C

Chapter 13: Recovery

"Hark the Protector of the Elements!" A squad of guards shout and bowed.

"Aw come on guys. I told you, you don't have to do that!" I saw a guard that wasn't bowing. "Be more like that guy." I said and pointed at him.

"You know why I stand." He practically growled at me.

I sighed. "Yes, I do. I'm sorry okay? I've told you a hundred times, believe me. I've counted."

"That does not make it better! You can-" I cut him off.

"Cannot erase nor make up for it. I know." I looked away. "Do not think that I don't know the gravity of what I've done." I looked at him again, with a somewhat pleading look. "I know giving his family most of my paycheck is not enough, but it has to do. And please understand that-"

"Enough of your talk!" He yelled. "Allow me to take my leave."

I sighed again and nodded. "Very well. I will talk to your C.O. so that no disciplinary action is taken, but no promises."

"Do as you please, I don't care." And he turned and left.

I shook my head. "Anyway," I looked around and they were still bowing. "Ugh, you may rise."

"I don't believe that is your call to make." A voice from behind me said.

It was Celestia's. I turned around and greeted her. "Your Highness."

She raised an eyebrow and frowned. I usually just call her by her name unless business needed to be done. "What happened?"

"It is not has happened, but what will happen. Or so I think." I shook my head. "I need your advice and blessing on a possible mission."

"Oh? And what mission is that?"

"I had a premonition like dream this morning." I waited for her to respond, but she didn't and I continued. "Some is going to happen in Zebra Dominion. Something akin to what I did a few months ago. But I fear if the Elements and I don't get there in time." I paused. "Lives will be lost."

She looked shocked, but regained her composure. "How many?"

I looked away from her and swallowed the lump the was trying to form in my throat. "A whole village." There were gasps from the guards, as well as the princess.

Her turned to an expression of urgency. "Take any resources you seven will need and get there as quick as you can."

"Yes your Highness."

"End of the line!" One of the ponies from the train called. I stood up and stretched.

"I do not like how he put that..."

"M-me neither."

"Oh come on, it'll be fine." I looked at the train pony. "Thank you for taking us out this far."

"It's no trouble, we were asked by the princess herself. We wouldn't dare go against her wishes."

"Well you could, but oh well." I shrugged. "It was still pretty brave of you."

He nodded his head. "Thank you."

I nodded my head as well and turned towards the leader of the group. "Well you have the map. Where are we going?"

She took it out. "Hmm...you it was directly north from here, right."

I shook my head. "No, I said it might be directly north from here." I corrected. "Once we get close, I'll know where to go from there."

She rolled her eyes, but nodded. We exited the train five minutes later.

"It might be awhile guys." I said. "We may be traveling for days maybe even a month or two." There were a few groans. "Yeah it sucks, but we have to investigate." There were no objections and we began to move.

As I stare at the crater, I count the bodies. There are eleven. All except one is severely burned or charred. One even had skin melting off of it. But the one in the center was perfectly fine by comparison. Or at least from what I can see here. Velvet was still....indisposed at the moment and I was frozen to the spot. "I can't believe he would do such a thing..." I thought and shook my head. I wondered if this is what Equestria would be like if the invasion was successful. I shook my head again as another Changeling's face flashed by, and sighed.

After what felt like an hour of being frozen in place, I went to check on Velvet. She was sitting down next to her half digested lunch. I cringed and got closer to her. "Velvet?" She nodded. "Are you going to be okay?" Stupid Question Ganger, sheesh!

"I-I honestly don't know.... I mean, I know this isn't the first time I've dead bodies, but....the smell and everything else. And also the fact that Zeta did it... I just don't know..."

"I know what you mean." I nodded. "It's....overwhelming. I'm just now beginning to process everything. And the more it sinks in..." I shook my head and put a hoof on her shoulder. She flinched at first but relaxed after a moment. I had no idea what to do, so I just hugged her and hoped that would do it.

"My horn....needs a....break." She said between pants.

"Okay, we can walk for a few more miles. But I think it'll get dark soon, so we might have to make camp sooner than that."

"Oh how I wish you would have let me bring my own tent along."

I shrugged. "Sorry, but this isn't a camping trip. This is a mission. It makes more sense to have big tent and share, instead seven small tent. And I don't know why you're complaining, I'm the one carrying the damn thing."

"Language sweetie."

"I don't think the rest of us really mind."

"Ah know we don't, but she does. Besides he promised he wouldn't swear anymore."

I grumbled a bit ."No, what I said was 'I would try to stop' And I'm tryin'. Sometimes it's hard."

We walked a few more miles and made camp. "Rest up everypony. If she can't teleport us, then we have a long way ahead of us."

I don't think I like "Mass-Long Distance Teleportation" spells. But still she out did her self with this one. She was passed out on Applejack's back. We still had most of the day to travel, which is good because I think we're getting close.

"So why are we doing this again?"

"Really RD? We're doing this again?"

"Hey, don't blame me for being curious."

"I don't. But asked the same question five times already." I shook my head and sighed. "We're trying to save a village."

"Where at though? How far from here?"

"About nine hundred eighteen miles. Give or take a couple." Pinkie Pie answered.

I nodded my head sagely "Seems about right." They all looked at me and I just shrugged. To be honest I had no idea.

"Alright everyone stop for a break." I turned around and faced them all. "How's Twilight doing?"

Applejack set her down, and Fluttershy looked her over and smiled. "She seems to be fine."

I let out a sigh of relief. "Good, we'll need her." They looked at me. "What?" It took a moment but it came to me. "No, no. I won't make her teleport us if she isn't up to it." I turned around. "Sheesh, why would you guys even think that?" A few moments of silence passed and I broke it. "So...how long until she's conscious?"

"Maybe another hour?" Said Fluttershy, with uncertainty in her voice.

"Hmm... Okay then. How about we leave in fifteen?" They all nodded their heads. "Good. Well enough planning for a bit, I'm hungry!"

"Thank you. It helped a little." I started crying in the middle of the hug. I wiped away the last remaining tear from my cheek, and stared at the ground.

"Thanks, I'm not really good at this sort of thing." Ganger said, chuckling nervously. " But I'm glad I could help." I looked up at her and smiled, but noticed she was looking in the direction of the crater. "What do you think we should do about the um...zebras?"

I thought for a moment. "Bury them."

"Really?"

"Yes." I nodded. "I know what their intentions were but they didn't deserve it to end like that."

"Ok then." She paused. "What about Zeta?"

I had to really think about that one. But in the end... "He did save us. So I think we should see if he's still alive."

"Seriously? What if this is all a trick? If we fell for it he'd kill us too!"

I shook my head rapidly. "No I don't think he would. Think about it Ganger. He gave into his curse and became that monster to protect us. I don't know where you were but could you not hear him? Numerous times I heard him yell, no, scream my name."

"No..." She chocked out those words. I raised an eyebrow but let her continue. "No I didn't hear him."

"How could you not hear him? All of the zebras in the village-"

"I wasn't in the village, okay!? I ran away!"

I gave her a blank stare. "You? Running away? Ha! The very thought of it." I chuckled.

"B-but I did! I ran back to the jungle. I abandoned you guys!" I slowly walked toward her. She was getting more nervous which each step. When I was close enough I stopped. She closed her eyes and waited for whatever I was going to do to her. Little did she know I was planning on hugging her. She flinched and tensed up. She opened her eyes. "Huh?"

"Shhh... I forgive you."

"But-!"

"Nope. What matters is that you came back. Now, let's gave those zebras a proper burial."

"I think we're getting close."

"How can you tell?"

I pointed at the sky. "Does that look natural to you?"

They all looked up and gasped. The clouds looked like they were being sucked into somewhere. "What in tarnation?!" Applejack shouted.

"Twilight, do you sense any weird magic?" Her horned glowed and after a few minutes it stopped and her jaw dropped. "Twi? You alright?" No response. "Twi? Talk to me! What's going on!?"

She blinked a couple of times and shook her head. "Yes, yes sorry. It's just....it's evil magic, almost like Nightmare Moon's. But is also unique because it isn't coming from an alicorn or a unicorn."

"So it's a pegasus?"

"Or an earth pony?

"It could be a zebra, girls. We are in their country after all."

"Well no sense in talking about it! We need to move, lives are at stake here!"

"Right!" They yelled in unison, and we began to run toward where the clouds were going.

"That's the last one." I said as I turned to Velvet. "It was.... more difficult than I expected it to be..."

"A foal." Velvet said as she was finishing crying again. "I know you told me but....I cant believe it..."

"I can't either, and I saw it." I went over and hugged her again. "I know it wasn't the death they deserved but." I paused in thought. "They're at peace now."

She shook me off of her and looked away. "Their bodies might be, but their souls aren't." She bowed her head. "I just wish there was something we could do to help them further."

"I have a feeling their souls wouldn't be at rest anyway."

She looked at me and raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"They were cannibals, Velvet. I highly doubt we're the first they captured."

She sighed. "I....guess you're right..."

There was a few minutes of silence until we heard someone yell. "DAMMIT!! We're too late!"

Velvet's eyes went wide. "Who was that?" She whispered.

"Why are you asking me?" I whispered back. "Come on, you need to investigate."

"Oh my...just look at this place!" Rarity said.

"No time for that now! Spread out and search for survivors. Go in groups of two, I'll be fine on my own."

"B-but what about the evil creature?" Fluttershy asked with much concern.

"That why I brought this." I said as I took my rifle off of my back. "Only down side is that I don't have much ammo." I shrugged, "But anyway, R.D. and A.J. will be group one, Pinkie and Flutters will be group two, and Twi and Rarity will be group three. We all have our radios?" They nodded. "Good. Alright stay in contact and tell me if you find anything ok? Let's move."

"It's just one thing after another, isn't it?" Ganger sighed.

"It looked familiar." I looked at her. "What do you think it was?"

"I don't know, but it seems to be controlling those ponies. And guess what?"

"We're going to stop it?" I asked nervously.

"Yep." She smiled. "Come on, While we still have the element of surprise on our side."