Broadcasters

by HoneyQuill

Twilight

Let me just clarify something. Magic has never been my strong point. While broadcasting is one thing, generic unicorn powers can be quite difficult to do. Teleportation is impossible for me. Even levitating things can be hard at times. So I think that I can be forgiven for taking a few minutes to ignite my horn.

The light only spreads out about a metre ahead, but I can instantly tell that I'm in a bad situation. There's only stone, as far as I can see. A particularly ornate section by my hooves alerts me to the fact that the tower has crumbled – leaving me trapped underneath. For a moment I daren't move for fear of making more rocks fall, but upon shifting a little I realise that nothing's lying on me.

I glance down at my side; despite the dim light and my blueish fur, I can already make out the large, nasty bruise developing along my ribcage. Luckily, that seems to be the only injury, so I put a little more power to my horn and search for an opening.

I find nothing. There's no gap large enough to even put a hoof through, let alone crawl out of. My side pulses as I look around, unable to move.

I rest my head on my hooves. Buck it. Nopony's around, what with that thing rampaging outside. What's the point in trying to shout for help? I doubt anypony even heard the tower fall, and those that did probably shrugged it off in their efforts to run away. Despite knowing that I'm the one who told them to run off in the first place, I can't help but feel a pang of sorrow at the fact that they really have all left me. Not just left me in the square with a monster, but left me trapped under a rockfall and unable to stand.

Still. I could do a broadcast for help. I let the place grow dark before trying to magnify my voice. I spread my reach as far as I can – which is about six inches ahead of me.

“Oh...”

I can't tell if the hot tears streaming down my face are from pain or whether they're somehow linked to the twisting in my chest, but I don't bother to wipe them away.

“Princess,” I mutter, “How I wish you could help me.”

A few moments seem to pass before I feel her magic touch me. It's always an elegant, golden magic that comes from Princess Celestia. It's not something you can mistake for anypony else. After a short struggle I manage to open the connection.

“Indigo, can you update me, please?”

My mind is too fuzzy to form words, so I show her what I can see and feel instead. The dark stone walls imprisoning me, the throbbing in my side, even the salt water running down my cheeks.

“The tower?” she asks, her voice low.

I nod, knowing that she'll see it.

“Oh my. Is there anypony else in there?”

“No.”

“Good.”

Somepony might be offended that she asked about others before me, but I really don't care at this point. It's more important the civilians are kept safe than it is the broadcaster survives.

“Indigo, the elements aren't far away now. Did you warn everypony to run away?”

“Yes. I told them everything.”

“Thank you. I must say, I'm very impressed with just how calm you seem at this point, Indigo.”

“Calm?” I laugh breathlessly, “I'm terrified, Princess. But at the end of the day my part of the job is over now. The Elements can stop the... thing, and then hopefully somepony will try and get me out of here.”

The connection abruptly breaks – I wonder what's going on before my chin hits the ground, the exhaustion far too much for my already shattered form. I try and think back. Back to when I was falling.

I hadn't been aware of the tower being hit. I'm sure that I didn't just walk right off the edge of the balcony – I'm clumsy, but not to that extent – and there's every way I would have moved had I seen it try to attack me directly. No, the tower must have crumbled what with the attacks on the nearby buildings, the shaking of the earth and perhaps a poorly aimed hit from the creature.

The fall itself had been thankfully quick, though. It hadn't hurt hitting the ground, although perhaps I had passed out by that point. I do recall, though, during the fall, seeing a flash of something huge and golden. By golden, I mean actually gold. Bright, perhaps even shiny. But it doesn't seem like the flash was the Elements of Harmony coming to my rescue, or I'm sure that right now I wouldn't be hearing the muffled sounds of continued destruction as the thing moves further into town. Which direction, I can't be sure, but the sound is getting fainter and that can only mean that somepony will be in danger again soon. Unfortunately I'm too low and too fuzzy-headed to broadcast anything remotely reassuring. My strained voice would do little to comfort the masses, but rather it would drive them to panic. Still, even if I could stand, I may be able to call for help at least.

Oddly enough, falling from the tower to the ground had been quicker than a flash, but somehow the trip from the ground to my hooves takes forever. Every sudden movement of my legs results in some kind of twitch, and by the time I struggle to my hooves I'm gasping for breath. Is the air thin in here? The mere notion of it sparks fear running through me and I shake my head hard to keep from thinking about how long I might be left here until somepony thinks to look for me.

But it isn't long before the sound of moving rocks reaches my ears. I step back as a few pebbles fall from the outer wall, followed by one huge stone being lifted up – by magic, I presume – and moved away.

Sunlight streams in, making my eyes water with its brilliance. I take a few shaky steps forward, looking up the slope and into the eyes of the first pony that I see. They extend a hoof, smile sweetly, and speak.

“Indigo Wave, right? Skilled broadcaster for Trottingham.”

I reach up and take their hoof, trying to hide my obvious pain.

“I know who you are, too. Princess Celestia's famed student, and one of the Elements of Harmony. Good afternoon, Twilight Sparkle."

Comments

[shadowabsol]

Ah, good ole twilight sparkle.