The next few months consisted mostly of daily routines of working out in the morning (since the HHAC finally fixed its gas problem), airborne training in the afternoon, and mental conditioning in the evening. Not all training is solely based on physical performance. For this task, mental health is crucial, for I need to react at a moment’s notice if something were to go wrong.
Stargazer usually trains with me as a team, since we are both taking this voyage into the unknown. Sure he’s smart, maybe as smart as Twilight, but he lacks the required physical ability needed to perform up to expectations out in space. We’ll fix that, though.
Once a week, I’ll pop in on Twilight to check up on her latest achievements. She is definitely ahead of schedule. By now, she has already built about one-third of the rocket shuttle (with a lot of help from Spike and AJ). Already, the space vehicle looks massive. So far, it stands at about thirty meters high, and that’s just the thrusters, apparently. I can’t even comprehend what the finished product will look like. She has also gained the assistance of Rarity, who has generously offered to fabricate the space suits and helmets. Everything seems to be going according to plan, if not better.
But of course, EVERYPONY needs a break from work now and again. So, every Saturday, AJ, Twi’, Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and I (and occasionally Spike) will meet up, hang out, and get some well-deserved R&R. Saturday is the day where Stargazer is usually at his astronomy lab where he works, so he, unfortunately, is unable to join us.
Our main (and most anticipated) activity is to watch a show called “My Little Human: Friendship Is Awesome.” It’s about these strange bipedal creatures called “humans” or “people” that live exciting lives and go on great adventures and discover the true meaning of friendship. The show itself was originally meant to be viewed by young stallions, but has mysteriously attracted the attention of adolescent and adult mares.
Well, to be honest, I guess it isn’t too mysterious at all. The storyline is creative and interesting, the animation is colorful and artistic, the backstories of some characters and events are excruciatingly detailed, and the characters’ personalities are perfectly portrayed. All of this detail makes the show extremely exciting to watch, and they even have some comedy thrown in there as well. Not to mention the countless inside jokes that would normally fly over the head of young fillies.
The six main characters of the show are Albert, Arnold, Donald, Elvis, Jimmy, and Steve. We have all come to favorite a certain character, and mine would definitely be Jimmy. As I previously stated, each character has a true personality, and it just so happens that Jimmy’s personality is very similar to my own. He loves speed, and has the need to go fast and furious. He works his hardest to be the fastest. But it’s not at flying. And it’s not at galloping, oops, I mean running. It’s DRIVING.
Jimmy drives something called a “racecar” for an occupation. A racecar is some sort of crazy-fast vehicle with four wheels on the bottom that make it move, but the wheels turn because of power from the “engine.” The engine is a battery that makes the car run, and it has to be tremendously powerful to make the car reach the speeds it should, which is usually between 100 and 200 miles per hour. I’m not sure how the creators of the show came up with the idea of a “racecar,” but I love it, even though it is very complicated and hard to understand.
Jimmy is an expert driver, considered part of the elite. He has won the championship five times (consecutively by the way) in his career in a racing league called NASCAR, and is determined to add to that number.
We all love the show, and think it is entertaining as well as educational. We can’t get it out of our heads! Especially since today is one of those days. That’s right, a new episode airs in ten minutes, and I’m on my way to Sugarcube Corner, since it’s Pinkie Pie’s turn to host this little get together, even though it’s not exactly HER residence. Mr. and Mrs. Cake graciously agreed to let Pinkie room there (since she works there and has no other housing), and also agreed to let us use the upstairs portion as our den to watch the show and talk. As long as we don’t disturb the others downstairs, we are free to do as we please.
As I make my descent from the sky towards Sugarcube Corner, I can see Fluttershy trotting up to the door. I land right behind her, and in my excitement to talk about the new episode, I guess I greet her with a very loud, “Hey, Fluttershy!”
“EEEP!” she squeaks in surprise as she spins around and is almost knocked off her own hooves. “Oh, it’s only you, Rainbow. Please don’t scare me like that. I know you didn’t mean it, but can you please try to be just a tiny bit more quiet when you say ‘hello’?”
“Yeah, hehe, sorry about that,” I respond, “So are you hyped for the new episode?”
“Oh, absolutely! I’ve been waiting all week to watch it. I’ve heard this one is supposed to be the best one yet!”
“This is going to be soooo cool! Well, we aren’t going to see the show standing here! Let’s go inside.”
But before I even have a chance to knock, the door swings open, revealing a smiling and elated-looking Pinkie Pie. And before we can even say hello, she immediately pulls us inside, shuts the door, and drags us upstairs to her room.
“Take a seat girls, the show is about to start!” Pinkie exclaims in her usual giddy fashion.
I do just that, and sit down on the small armchair next to me, and Fluttershy sits next to Rarity, who has also arrived along with Applejack, on the large sofa across from me.
As we lean in towards the television, waiting for the show to start, I notice that something isn’t quite right. The room doesn’t seem as full as it should be…Twilight! Where’s Twilight? “Uh, hey girls…where’s Twilight?” I inquire.
The others looked around for the moment, all of them with a look of confusion on their faces.
Not even a second later, I hear the front door downstairs slam against the wall, as if someone just kicked it in. We hear the shouts of surprise from Mr. and Mrs. Cake, and then fast-paced footsteps barging up the stairs. As I hear the footsteps reach the top of the stairs, who should enter the room but Spike, who looks like he just fought a war. He has multiple cuts on his face, it looks as if a few of his scales were missing, he is covered in bumps and bruises, and is encased in a thick, black, chalky substance. He is clearly worn out from running. He is breathing heavily, eyes watering, and it seems like he might pass out.
“Spike! Are you alright?!” Rarity asks in concern, “You look terrible! What happened?”
Through his constant panting, he manages to say, “Twilight…experiment…rocket fuel…explosion…doctor…hurry…”
And with that, Spike tumbles to the floor, unconscious. Even though his words were few, we know exactly what’s going on.
Fluttershy immediately comes to his aid. She confirms he is in fact unconscious, but needs immediate medical attention.
“Ah’ll take Spahke to the hospital and fetch the doctor,” stated Applejack. You fellers go check on Twahlaht. Hurry!”
We all dart out of Sugarcube Corner and head straight for Twilight’s library. Except for AJ, of course, who has Spike on her back, and is galloping at full speed towards the hospital.
Never in my life have I flown faster. I leave the others in the dust, not caring about anything except getting to my friend, who, as far as I know, could be seriously injured…or worse.
I’m the first to arrive on the scene. I can see the hulking figure of the half-built rocket shuttle in the back yard. It is untouched. Everything looks normal from the outside, but there is a faint burning smell. I buck open the door to the library, and race inside. I instantly regret it.
I am greeted by a huge cloud of smoke all around me. I can see almost the entirety of the inner tree house on fire, and destroying everything in its path. My eyes start to water profusely, and I choke on the thick, grimy, substance entering my throat. I drop to the floor to avoid the smoke cloud, since that is what I was taught to do when in a situation like this.
“Twilight?!” I call out, desperate to find the purple mare. “TWILIGHT!” There is no answer.
I begin to army crawl across the room, checking every inch of the room. I won’t be able to stay here much longer before my lungs start to give out from the smoke.
“TWILI-ACK-CK-CK!” I cough out. At this point, speaking is now impossible. Let alone yelling.
I continue to forge my way down what seemed to be an endless room, until I reach the stairs that lead down to the basement. The basement is where Twilight usually conducts her experiments and small construction projects. I slowly trek down the stairs, and I reach the door to the basement. It is wide open, and I can see a scene of absolute destruction inside.
Everything is on fire, racks of test tubes have tumbled to the floor, a chunk of the ceiling has collapsed from above, and almost all of the metal pipes used for air ventilation are melting into a super-heated liquid that is now oozing onto the floor. This is no average fire.
Without warning, a minor explosion erupts from the other side of the room. Shards of glass can be seen flying through the air. That explosion is succeeded by another, and then another, starting what seems to be a chain reaction. I realize the mini explosions are coming from glass and metal beakers filled with liquid. I guess the liquid is reactive to extremely hot temperatures, for the floor is now littered with the shattered glass and twisted metal that used to be the beakers. As I look before me, I realize the only way to continue my rescue mission, is to crawl OVER the sharp debris. This is NOT the relaxing day I had been hoping for.
As I take my first movement, my front-left hoof comes down on a piece of the metal, piercing into me. I holler out in pain, both from the sharp edge, and the extreme heat, now realizing what I truly must go through to reach Twilight.
I continue. Every clop is met with immediate and tormenting agony. I MUST move forward. Even as I do my best to push the harmful scrap away from me, and even though I try my hardest to avoid it, it somehow finds a way to tear into my hooves and stomach. Any second I could pass out from the pain, but my will is strong, and my mind is centered. I. WILL. NOT. GIVE. UP.
Through the gray shroud, I suddenly see a splotch of purple sticking out from behind a large desk. Can it be? Can it really be?
Moving faster than before, and completely disregarding the debris’ detrimental touch, I reach the desk and look around it.
Sprawled out on her stomach on the floor is Twilight, clearly unconscious. She looks a whole lot like Spike did, only worse. Her mane and tail are singed, she is covered in black dust she has a large and swollen bump on her head, and has a long cut going down her back, along with other minor cuts, scratches, and bruises. It’s a miracle she isn’t any worse.
With the strength I still magically have left, I lift Twilight up and place her on my back. I start back across the basement, taking the full force of the smoke, since I’m standing up now.
I make it to the stairs, and one at a time, start to climb. I become weaker with every ascent, and my lungs are screaming for mercy. I have nothing to offer them but more black smog.
The end of the staircase is so close, but seems so far. Just a few more steps. Five steps…four steps…three steps…two steps…one step… “CRACK!”
The noise was ear-busting and came from directly above. I look up. The last thing I see is a fiery colossus of ceiling hurtling down towards me.
And then blackness.