It is a beautiful afternoon in Equestria, it is almost sunset and everything is peaceful. In an area far from any of the cities and towns the ground began to spark as lightning could be heard. In a huge flash of sparks and lightning followed by a scream of agony a huge beast appeared in a field on the edge of a forest. It appeared from the flash at a tremendous speed and as it tried to slow itself down he screamed as he fell to the ground with a horribly broken left arm. After skidding across the ground for about 30 yards it finally came to a stop. Exhausted and badly injured the beast got to his feet as quickly as he could, thinking to himself "I can't believe that worked...but now I have almost no energy left and they will be here soon...wherever here IS." He looked around quickly trying to make a plan when he noticed the forest to his side. The beast appeared as though he was being chased by something incredibly powerful. It stood at about 15 feet at his tallest and twice as long, he was a pale blue-green color with dirty gold shells on his forearms and in two rows along it's back with white fur strewn about, he had an appearance similar to that of a wolf only covered in scales, his forelegs were much larger than his back legs, and atop his head were two large horns. There were huge claw marks running down its broken left arm, but it needed to begin its escape first before he could tend to its wounds.
"There’s no way they won’t be able to find me with this huge crater I left. I guess I have no choice but to try and trick them and completely discharge and hope that I’m close enough to whatever civilization is near here that they can save me...it's a long shot but it's all I have."
So the beast Ran into the forest as fast as it could and a short while later two flashes of light the same as the previous appeared nearby, where two of the same creature appeared and began running after the other one. The first one knew he couldn't outrun the other two with a broken arm. So he began setting his plan into motion, in a huge flash the beast released a huge burst of electricity from his back. He kept running for a little while longer until he found a large bush to hide in and collapsed in it. The other two came by a minute later and began whispering to each other in a strange language.
"He is completely drained now there is no way he'll survive much longer"
"You're right...but the king will not be happy with just us saying that he was discharged and we left."
"Yeah I guess your right...I guess we'll have to look for him"
He nods in agreement "Hmm...But if we can't find him in 20 minutes we can safely assume he won't survive the remaining half hour. We can't risk staying in these lands any longer than we need to."
With a chuckle the other responds "It's not like any of those pathetic ponies here would WANT to save him anyway."
Being exhausted, in a massive amount of pain, and slowly losing his life he only heard some of what the other two were saying before blacking out for a few minutes. The two pursuers spent a while looking for him before running back through the forest and disappeared in a blinding flash of light. Now alone in an unknown land, the creature lies in the bush he is hiding in listening to the world around him waiting for a slow and painful death. 10 minutes have passed since the other two creatures left and he knew that his time was running short, he had almost give up hope when he heard a faint sound coming from the distance. He couldn't tell just from the sound who or what it was, at first he thought that his pursuers might have returned but he decided that he needed to try. So he called out.
"Hello! Is anyone there! I need help!"
In the distance he heard a female's voice call back
"Yes hello? Who needs help?!"
The creature was glad to hear a someone respond even if it was a total stranger and didn't know if they were friendly or not.
"Yes I'm just off of the path in a large bush, please I’m seriously injured" he said breathing a
sigh of relief.
She was running down the path when she noticed something sticking out of the bushes "OK I think I see you I'll be right there"
As twilight ran towards the voice she noticed that it wasn't a pony calling out for help and started slowing down to be more cautious. She came up behind him where he was laying on his right side and only his head was sticking out of the bush.
She cautiously asked "W-who are you?"
He quickly responded "Please my name is Raiju, I don't know where I am and I'm slowly dying. Please I need to explain but I can't see you."
Twilight slowly walked around towards his face but continued to keep her distance. As she rounded to his face they both gasped at the sight of each other. Raiju was the first to speak.
"You-you're a unicorn."
"Well yeah” She responded. “You are in Equestria after all. What exactly are you?"
Stunned by what Twilight is telling him be begins frantically looking around as if trying to flee. Realizing that he can't move with no energy and a badly broken arm he sighs and says.
"Please, listen...I am not allowed here however I have no choice but to ask your help. I am critically injured and I have no energy left. If you could get me some I will gladly explain everything and leave after my wounds are healed."
Confused Twilight asks. "Get you some energy? How would I do that?"
Realizing he is using the wrong word he says. "Oh, I'm sorry I'm still not very good at speaking your language...let me see, I need...electricity? Is that the word? The stuff that flashes out from clouds?"
Twilight was surprised by what he was asking her to do but before she could respond Raiju said.
"I am sorry, but there is no time to explain, my time is running short, and this is the only thing that will help me, if you can somehow get me some electricity I will explain everything."
Now seemingly in a rush Twilight says. "Ok I know someone who can help but I am going to have to leave you for a little while"
"That’s fine” he responded. “But just know that if I am unconscious when you return you need to strike my back with the energy, I will try to drag myself out of this bush and get closer to the path."
Twilight still very confused by the whole situation, runs off back to Ponyville. When she exits the forest she immediately starts calling out for Rainbow Dash. Rainbow quickly flys over after hearing Twilight calling for her.
"What’s the matter Twilight?"
"Rainbow! There's no time to explain. I need for you to get a thunder cloud and follow me back into the Everfree forest."
"Why do you-"
"I said there's no time to explain please just hurry."
And with that Rainbow Dash nodded and flew off to get a cloud. After a few minutes she returned with a small black cloud and began following Twilight through the forest. As they made their way through the forest Rainbow Dash looked over and asked Twilight
"So, do you wanna tell me why exactly you need this cloud in the middle of the Everfree forest?"
"There's an injured creature out here that says he needs it to survive."
More confused than ever she asks. "He needs a thunder cloud to survive? What kind of creature is this?"
"I'm still not sure I only saw his head. The rest of it was hidden behind a bush; he said he only had a limited time left and that this was the only thing that could help, so I came as quickly as I could."
Just then the creature came into view; he had managed to drag himself half way onto the path but seemed to have passed out in the process. Their eyes widened in surprise by the sheer size of it. He was just lying there across the path, motionless with his Left arm covered in blood and massive claw marks going down the side of it; it didn't even appear to be breathing. Twilight and Rainbow Dash looked at each other in disbelief; Twilight took a deep breath and said.
"OK we need to hurry, he looks seriously hurt."
Visibly nervous Rainbow asks. "Are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean we're electrocuting this giant...thing. What's going to stop him from ripping us apart when he wakes up?"
Twilight starts thinking about what Rainbow Dash said and responds. "Well...I guess you're right, but why would he. We ARE saving his life after all. Besides, we can't just leave him like this."
Reluctantly Rainbow flys over top of him with the cloud in hoof as Twilight walked over in front of him, keeping her distance in preparation for the lightning strike. She looked at Raiju and said
"OK Raiju I brought my friend Rainbow Dash to help. How much electricity do you need? We don't want to hurt you on accident."
Raiju doesn't respond, his breathing is very faint and can't speak
"This is bad” she looks over to Rainbow Dash “Let’s just take it really slow"
Still very nervous she says. "OK but let’s be ready to get out of here fast, just in case"
So Rainbow jumped on the cloud and a lightning bolt struck him directly on his back. He didn't move but his breathing improved as he began continuously whispering in a voice almost impossible to hear.
"More"
"More? Rainbow he needs more!"
"Got it"
So Rainbow Dash jumped again and after the bolt struck him again they notice a few scales on his shoulders and under his eyes, as well as the cracks between the rows of shelling on his back, glow for a short while until fading back to the way they were. A tear began to fall from his eye as Raiju started whispering again, this time slightly easier to make out.
"All"
"All?! You can't be serious that much electricity will kill you."
But he just kept repeating the same thing over and over. Twilight came to the conclusion that they have no other options and had to empty the cloud of everything it had.
"OK Rainbow Dash, give him everything you've got. It's our only choice now."
So rainbow Dash started jumping up and down rapidly causing the cloud to erupt in a massive storm. For the first few seconds nothing was happening but soon Raiju's eyes opened wide as he let in a huge gasp of air raising his head off the ground. Just after that the shelling along his back which was glowing very brightly, began to split up reviling that the shelling is actually recessed spikes that go down the length of his body the backs of which glowed a brilliant blue. After the cloud emptied itself of the remaining electricity the spikes laid themselves back flat against his back as he started to move. The two ponies were scared now, after seeing what the creature really looks like. Raiju slowly started to stand himself up as Twilight and Rainbow Dash started backing away slowly. He noticed them backing away as he finally got to his feet, he called out to them.
"Wait...please, I will not harm you."
With a startled look on her face twilight said
"W-What are you?! We just pumped a massive amount of electricity into your body, and you healed from it?! You should be dead!"
Raiju sits down and takes a deep breath preparing to explain everything to the ponies.
"My name is Raiju, in my language I am what is called a Jinouga, you would probably call us...Thunder Wolves. You are likely also wondering why I am here in Equestiria. To put it bluntly I am a traitor to my kind, they are a war based, and cruel society that knows nothing but death and conquest. Over the years I have realized the terrible deeds I have committed and over 2 weeks ago I escaped my execution."
Trying to figure out what exactly is going on, Rainbow Dash asks. "So you were chased here because you are different from the rest of your kind?"
"Precisely.” He responds. "The king ordered my execution after discovering that I was not doing my duties and sabotaging his plans. I want to thank you both, I know you don't fully understand but you two are the only reason I am alive. This begs the question. What are your names?
"I am Twilight Sparkle."
"And I am Rainbow Dash."
Now with a big smile on his face Raiju says. "I am glad to have met both of you, but...it is getting late, and I need to rest if I am to heal quickly; but before you leave I need you both to promise me one thing." He suddenly had a very serious face as he said "Neither of you can speak of my existence to anyone, and I mean ANYONE."
Confused Twilight asks. "But...why? You said you aren't like the rest of your species, right?"
"How I am is irrelevant, my species as a whole is not allowed here. Why that is, is something I don't wish to talk about, it is a long story that I am not proud to tell and you are probably much better off not knowing. But please, you need to promise not to tell ANYONE about me."
"OK we promise, right Rainbow Dash?"
"Yeah, OK I promise."
Twilight’s curiosity was now in full swing from everything that has happened in just the past few minutes. She asks.
"Can we still visit you? I mean there are so many things I want to ask you."
"I would rather you didn't. “He responds.” Just to avoid others asking questions. But if you really want to I have no problem with someone to keep me company. I saw a cave while I was running that isn't too far from the path I will rest there leaving a small path of pushed down grass so you can find it."
The two ponies then said their goodbyes and began heading back to town. As they were walking they heard Raiju in the distance Thank them one last time.