//------------------------------// // 4-Scorched Earth // Story: Ghost of a Chance // by Boneguard //------------------------------// While Applejack was moving some tents she heard what sounded like woodpeckers from the forest, she thought that there was no harm until the sound almost never stopped, at that moment she started galloping to Twilight. She saw that other ponies noticed the same thing and began to looked worried, Twilight was with the rest of her friends and the Princesses except Fluttershy when Applejack stormed in. "Twilight, there are what sounds like woodpeckers in the forest but somethin' ain't right! They don't sound natural!" "It must be nothing, but due to those evil ponies we must make sure it's not some of their tricks. Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Cadance and Shining Armor would you you join me and my friends?" Twilight asked. "Well of course my faithful student, anything that threatens my little ponies is our number one priority." Celestia replied. "What about Fluttershy dear?" wondered Rarity. "She needs some rest, she's been through enough already." Twilight answered. "Well then, what are we waiting for? Let's get over there and kick some flank!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash before she started flying followed by the rest on hoof. When they arrived near the forest they witnessed a most terrifying sight, they found the edge of the Everfree Forest transformed into a battlefield. "Sweet Celestia, what is going on here?" asked Rarity dumbfounded before fainting. "What are those monsters doing!" shouted Rainbow Dash before trying to fly in there only to be held back by Applejack. "Watch out sugarcube, they are very dangerous, look at 'em. They are pure evil." "And it looks like they were the ones responsible for those animals' deaths because I think they want revenge." said Twilight. "What chance do they have?" replied Rainbow Dash angrily. "Ohhh look it looks like they are winning!" said Pinkie Pie catching the attention of everypony. "Looks like they will have to pay for their actions." said Twilight sadly before the entire sky seemed to explode "Princess Celestia, what is going on?!" she shouted. "I don't know, but be careful!" answered Celestia in shock. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ "Uhh... my head..." moaned Frost when he woke up and he saw the aftermath of the battle. "Looks like we won, but also lost." he said while trying to get up and felt the pain from the spines impaled in him. He took his gun and pistol from the ground and started collecting the dog tags of his fallen comrades until he saw that Wabowski was still alive and started limping towards him. "Feels like... old times huh...?" said Wabowski barely breathing when he saw Frost. "Look at you, all messed up." replied Frost while laying beside him. "I'm always hot...'n bothered heh." the Firebat chuckled before coughing then he lifted one of his gauntlets: "Need a light?" "Don't mind if I do." Frost responded while he lifted his mouth piece and grabbed a cigarette which he lit it with the flamethrower. "You know, while I was collecting tags I found some stimpacks." "I won't need them... you look almost worse than me... how about... you just end it..." "You sure about that?" Frost after he finished the cigarette and put his mouth piece back on and got his pistol. "I'm sure as always..." Wabowski answered while looking at Frost standing over him with his gun pointed at his head. "Come on... Fire me..." he said before a loud bang was heard and his flame snuffed out. Frost took his old teammate's dog tags and noticed the pile of Zerg corpses moving, the first thought that came to mind was that some of them survived, but once he got closer he saw the outline of Amar's walker. He tried to lift some of the bodies, but he couldn't because of his wounds and that he heard voices coming, he hid behind the bodies and saw some talking ponies walking among the dead. "This is monstrous!" said pink pony with both wings and horn "I couldn't believe that somepony could do something like this." she continued before she started crying. "Let's get out of here Cadance." said the white one comforting the pink pony. "This sight makes me sick!" yelled a blue pony with wings. Frost examined the creatures with his visor and saw that they are parted in four castes with a rare one reserved for the ruling one that seem to be a mixture from the other three. He knew that they will make their way to where he was hiding so he scanned his surroundings for an escape route until he spotted a cottage near the forest. He tried to whisper to Amar: "Hey, area is too hot, got to bail out." then he engaged his cloak and limped his way to the building. Fluttershy was hiding under her bed along her animal friends because of the loud noises outside and once they finished she started to calm down. she looked out the window, but due to the density of the forest she couldn't see a lot except, but the little she saw almost made her run back in her sanctuary when she was stopped by her animals. She tried to muster the bravery to join her friends out there: "They must be going through a lot now and I'm just sitting here scared like a bunny, oh, no offense Angel." she said as she was about to open the door when it burst wide open in front of her and revealed a strange creature. At that point she was petrified with fear and every move seemed to take all of her energy and she could only see the intruder, but eventually he collapsed on the ground and Fluttershy breathed slowly despite her confusion. She could move again and she slowly closed the distance between her and her unannounced visitor. Frost had to rest for a bit because he had lost a lot of blood trying to reach the cottage and saw that the yellow pony was now approaching him, as soon as he felt some of his strength returning to him he jumped the little equine while closing the door and locking it, but her animals seemed to disapprove of his actions and started to attack him. He fought back the little ones, but he soon found himself in front of a bear and it tried to hit him with his paw. The Ghost had fought worse and even with his injuries he quickly dodged the attack and gave a few strikes of his own although he could feel the pain amplifying. He managed to scare off the bear and lifted the pony to his level. "I will stay here for a few days and then I'll be gone, if you say anything about me I'll kill you and your pets. Got it?" Frost asked to which Fluttershy just nodded in agreement because she was now paralyzed in fear. Suddenly, she heard the voice of Rainbow Dash screaming her name outside, Frost pulled out his knife and held if near Fluttershy's throat and then whispered:"Tell her that you don't want to see nobody." standing against the door. "Fluttershy! Come out, we are having an important meeting!" "No, I don't feel so good." "I know you feel sorry for the animals that had been killed, but please come with me." "Animals... killed? I said that I can't. I'll talk with you girls tomorrow". "Okay, fine." After Rainbow Dash flew off, Fluttershy was now released from Frost's grasp due to his loss of blood. She saw the two spines pointing out of him and immediately forgot about the threaten and that he fought her pets. "Oh my gosh! Are you alright? You're bleeding!" she said. "I can take care of it myself" Frost said before pulling out the spine in his arm grunting a little. "Doesn't it hurt?" Fluttershy asked perplexed. "It does, but I can withstand it." He said while pulling the other spine in his chest and he quickly stopped the bleeding with any bandages he had on him and reached for one of his stimpacks. "What are those?" she asked. "These are stimpacks, they are like a drug, they will help my heart pump more blood." Frost said before injecting the syringe in his left arm. "Ummm, may I ask what's with the mask? It scares me." "It's not a mask, it's my Visor and I wear it all the time. Now, keep quiet, I must rest". Frost said while limping to a couch to lie down. Fluttershy did not respond, but she was thinking what she is going to do next and how to keep her intruder a secret to everypony and even her best friends.