//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Staring at Eternity // Story: Flight 19 // by ImChangingmynameforreaso //------------------------------// Chapter 3: Staring at Eternity         Fluttershy glanced around nervously as the group of guards escorted her and her friends into the Everfree Forest. Everything looked the same as the last time she had been here: dark and scary. The guards will protect us from all of the monsters, she told herself firmly.  I know they will. Looking to her right, she saw the last glimpses of Ponyville disappear as her vision was filled with the coniferous trees of the Everfree. She heard somepony let out a nervous “peep” and for two seconds, couldn’t figure out who it was. But when she observed the eyes of her friends showing looks of encouragement, she realized it was she who had spoken, and ducked behind her mane to better hide from their stares. “What’s wrong Fluttershy? Chicken?” Rainbow taunted.  Fluttershy just lowered her head more in response.  “Oh come on Fluttershy, It’s just the forest...” Rainbow’s voice trailed off, her face betraying her dismay at making Fluttershy feel worse. “Lay off her, Rainbow.” Twilights encouraging voice made the meek yellow pegasus’ head lift a few inches as she gained some courage. “It’s okay dear. We’re all scared.” Rarity’s voice filled in the gap when Twilight stopped. “Right, Rainbow?” She said, her voice seething with venom. “Yah... I guess I’m a littl—” Rainbow’s apology was cut off as Captain Sword made his opinion known.  “Will you all shut up? You are going to get us killed.” Golden Sword’s harsh words immediately removed whatever confidence Fluttershy’s friends had given her; she ducked her head again and watched her forehooves intently.  Left, right.  Left, right.  Hooves weren’t scary. Pinkie Pie squealed with delight.  "Hey, everypony! The sky is falling!"  She motioned at the lowering clouds, the billowy grey mass seeming to creep even lower as she watched. About half of the guard ponies looked up along with Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack. Twilight was the first to speak up to debunk Pinkie’s claim. “Pinkie, The clouds are just breaking up. It’s natural over places like this.” “But Twilight, my Pinkie Sense is telling me there’s gonna be a doozy soon. And I think it has to do with the sky. I’m also sensing that something is gonna fall, so—” Pinkie was interrupted by a pinecone falling from one of the nearby pine trees and landing square between the Captain's eyes, causing his body to crouch and adopt a defensive posture. As Golden Sword flailed left and right looking for his aggressor, Pinkie was on her side, huddled up with Rainbow Dash laughing at the absurdity of the captain’s reactions. “I guess... we... can count out... the sky falling.” Rainbow managed to stutter between breaths. Fluttershy watched in concern as the Captain slowly realized that he was not under attack and regained a more neutral position. “Who threw that?” His voice was above a whisper, but barely. “Threw what?”  Twilight’s face contorted in confusion. “Nopony threw anything.” As Pinkie Pie stood up, she offered the only suggestion she could think of. "Maybe it was a swallow?" “Let’s just... keep going.” Captain Sword said through gritted teeth as he fought off a furious blush that had wormed its way onto his face. The large group of ponies continued their trek through the forest without much incident for what, to Fluttershy, felt like hours. This place looks familiar. I wonder if we’ve been here before... No, we’ve been going in a straight line. Maybe we— Applejack seemed to be thinking the same thing as she interrupted Fluttershy’s thoughts. “Now ah know we passed this here tree before.” “What makes you think that, Miss Applejack?” Midnight Arrow inquired smoothly.  "We’ve been going in a straight line." "Ah don't know."  Applejack pawed at the ground nervously with a forehoof.  "Ah just get the feelin' we've been here before." "That's natural. Everybody's nervous, but don't worry.  Captain Sword's been through tougher times than this; he'll lead us out safe." The sub-lieutenant’s silky tone cut across the heavy air in the forest, and all of the ponies in earshot felt a bit calmer, the nervous flickering of their ears settling back into something more normal. “Um actually miss... I think that maybe my friend is right.” Fluttershy responded meekly. “Fluttershy, you need to speak up dear.” Rarity said as she nudged her friend. “Oh... sorry,” was all Fluttershy could wrangle from her vocal cords before she hung her head limply again.  She returned her gaze on the ground as they walked on, keeping her eyes fixed directly ahead.  Rarity's hind hooves floated in and out of her peripheral vision, sometimes meandering off to one side before moving back.  She let her thoughts drift a bit, content that, at least for the moment, no one was yelling at her.  Or asking her something.  Or even talking in her general direction. Content, at least, until Rarity's hooves stutter-stepped in front of her as the white unicorn collapsed to the ground.  "RARITY!" she yelled. “What's wro— whoaah.  Anypony else feel that?” Fluttershy stopped, looking past Rarity to see Twilight start swaying. “I’m feeling a bit woozy...” Looking up, Fluttershy noticed that the falling clouds had reached the tallest trees in the forest and was still rapidly approaching. “Maybe it has to do with th—” Fluttershy’s voice was drowned out by the captain yelling to his men. “Manticores, incoming!  Midnight, take Shining Star, and get the Elements out of here!” Fluttershy could see three manticores charging down the path towards the line of guards as her vision started to go black around the edges. She watched as the captain drew his sword and charged at the first of the manticores, while the nine other soldiers followed him in. She was faintly aware of her field of vision slowly shifting but she wasn’t moving her body. Her vision darkened as she saw a manticore punch one of the guardponies into a tree. The last thing Fluttershy saw before being completely overtaken by fear was Shining Star picking up Rarity. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When Fluttershy awoke, she found herself on Midnight Arrow’s back. “Where are we?” she sputtered groggily.  Sounds and smells flooded back into her senses, and she realized with a dull sense of shame that she had simply passed out from fear. She couldn’t see two hoof spans in front of her due to the lowered clouds; the cloud deck had descended completely to the ground. The only indication that they weren’t alone was Midnight’s silky voice flowing through the fog. “I don’t know.”  The normally smooth tone of her voice seemed ragged around the edges.  “After we fled the battle, the fog lowered and we got lost. We... I can’t find the trail.” “Where’s Rarity?” Fluttershy croaked weakly. “I don’t know. Last I saw was Private Star trotting off with your friends. I think I heard them yelling, but I don’t know.” Her voice wavered and she stamped a hind-hoof in frustration.  “I’m sorry Fluttershy... I failed.” “Oh Midnight. You didn’t fail.” Fluttershy’s maternal instincts started taking over as she felt her fear of the forest around her leave. “But Fluttershy, I did fail. I should have stuck with the group when the fog came down. But the ground started shaking, and there were snarling noises everywhere. So I—” her speech was cut off by a choking sob as Midnight Arrow came to a halt, sinking down until she lay with her belly pressed against the deep forest loam. Fluttershy slid from the prostrate mare's back and crouched next to her, unfolding a wing and letting it drape over Midnight's shoulders.  “It’s okay Midnight. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Fluttershy tried to keep her own voice from wavering as she tried to calm the depressed pegasus. “I probably would have done the same thing!” “I’m a trained soldier, I’m supposed to keep my wits about me when ponies like you fall apart,” Midnight snapped. “The very first time I get in a real live situation and I choke up, and you?  You’ve stared down dragons before. Plus Nightmare Moon, Discord,  Cerber—” “Stop it right now, Midnight.” Fluttershy had adopted her assertive voice and the guardspony stopped her rant. “You are a Royal Guard, Midnight. You are the best of the best and you know it. Now, I need you Midnight. I need you because I am not a strong pony. I need you because I’m scared, Midnight.” Fluttershy’s voice dropped to a near whisper. “I need you, lieutenant.” “Fluttershy...”  Midnight took a deep breath, and then fixed the yellow pegasus with a stare and a wry smile. “It’s Sub-lieutenant.” Fluttershy blinked.  "Oh, I'm sorry..." Midnight Arrow patted the pegasus with a forehoof.  "Relax, Fluttershy, it was just a joke.  Not a very good one, either."  She took a deep, shuddering breath and touched her nose to the other mare's shoulder for a moment.  "Thank you. For helping me." Fluttershy's ears flattened in embarrassment, but she managed a small smile.  "Oh, I didn’t do anything. After all, it was you who inspired me." Midnight’s face adopted a rosy tone as she blushed. “We need to find the others... and I can’t do it alone. What do you say?” Fluttershy stood up and met Midnight's gaze directly.  "I say... let's go!" Twilight’s horn was awash with purple fire as she lit the way for her group of followers. She needed to find Midnight and Fluttershy. The fog was making finding the path impossible so her group had been trailblazing for the better part of fifteen minutes. Every time she would think about calling out, she would either stop herself for fear of attracting monsters, or if she did speak, her voice wouldn’t carry further than ten hoof spans. Aww horseapples. If this fog doesn’t lift soon, we’ll never find Fluttershy. Twilight looked around, eyes squinted in a vain attempt to see the ponies a metre away from her. Shining Star was only a few paces to her left so Twilight decided to check up on Rarity. This energy drain isn’t natural... Why is it only affecting me and Rarity? If only I could think straight!  Twilight was rapidly approaching exhaustion but knew that if she fell, the light she was emitting would die, and the minute that happened, she would stop being a beacon for everypony to rally around. “How’s she looking, Miss Twilight?” Twilight kept staring blankly at Rarity, her mind occupied with keeping the simple light spell in existence, and her own worrying. “Miss Twilight?” “Hmm?” Now aware she was being spoken too, Twilight swiveled her head towards the voice that came from a worried Star. “Oh... Um... She looks...” So peaceful, maybe if I just closed my eyes... “No!” She shouted. Private Star flinched at the sudden outburst. “Are you okay Miss Sparkle?” His concern was starting to irritate Twilight, but she kept her voice calm. “Yes. Just a bit tired, is all. Don’t worr—” A nudge from Applejack cut her off as she leapt away in fear. “Gah, AJ, don’t sneak up on me like that.” “Sugarcube, ah’ve been here for three minutes. Besides, Twi, you shouldn’t be workin’ yerself too hard. Maybe we should just take a break here?” Twilight was glad that nopony could see her blushing at being so unobservant. Pinkie took the time as an opportunity to ruin more of Twilight’s scientific principles by miraculously hopping around everypony in the fog while avoiding a collision with any of them. “It’s okay Twilight. You don’t need to be embarrassed about being tired.” Twilight’s blush intensified as Pinkie outed her. “After all Twi, you hardly leave the library enough for proper exercise.” Twilight’s resolve wavered as she felt more of her energy drain. “Fine. We’ll stop here for five minutes. Then we’ll keep going.” She sat down under one of the many trees and closed her eyes for what seemed to be only seconds, but was nudged awake by an impatient Rainbow Dash. “Twilight, it’s been five minutes. We need to get going.” Twilight blinked in confusion. “C’mon Twi. Get up already! I did a bit of scouting above the fog, and I think it’s almost passed. The forest is just swallowing it.” Twilight got to her hooves as steadily as she could, not feeling any better. “All right. Lets keep going.” The horn on her forehead blazed with light once more, but Twilight felt as if the world had suddenly tilted sideways, her vision dimming further.  She let the illumination spell die out and sat down again in an ungainly sprawl. “What’s wrong, Twi?” The nonchalant expression on the cyan mare's face vanished, replaced by a look of concern. “Just... dizzy is all. Having a hard time seeing...” Twilight shook her head in what she thought would be a good idea for clearing her head, but instead ended up falling on her side, her concentration completely broken. “Oh really?  I hadn’t noticed,” Rainbow said dryly.  She glanced upward again, then back down at her friend.  "Look, the fog is clearing up a bit, why don't you just lay off with the magical torch thingy and just take a break?" Twilight lifted her head and gazed blearily at her friend.  "But we won't be able to see..."  She trailed off, belatedly realizing that she could see, at least dimly.  Rainbow's form stood nearby, the multi-coloured swirl of her mane a simple mass of various grey shades in the darkness, but clearly backlit here and there against a torn curtain of cloud overhead.  Whatever the mysterious fog was that had enveloped them, either the wind, some odd property of the Everfree Forest, or something else was causing it to slowly dissipate. It was the "something else" option that had Twilight worried.  "Okay, just let me rest a minute, and I'll be ready to go." "Sorry, you're just too slow for me."  Rainbow crouched down low to the ground, a crooked grin spreading over her face.  "You're gonna have to learn to keep up." "What?  No, wait, I can get up, I just—wait!"  Twilight emitted a startled screech as Rainbow Dash ducked her head low, and with a twist and a shrug, settled the purple unicorn across her back.  "Rainbow, you can't carry me, I'm too heavy!" "Yeah, right."  The cyan pegasus rolled her shoulders slightly, settling Twilight's form just between her wings.  "I've carried heavier stuff before, don't worry." Twilight shuddered and let out a moan as her head spun.  "Just... don't drop me, okay?" Rainbow turned to give her a dirty look.  "Just as long as you don't get sick back there." Pinkie’s voice brought Twilight back to a semblance of attention. “Does anypony else hear that?” Her ears were swiveled and her right forehoof was pointing to something amongst the trees like a hound dog. “It sounds like somepony is calling for us!” Twilight tried to lift her head to look, but couldn’t summon the energy. She did however hear what sounded faintly like a mare’s voice. “I hear it Pinkie... who do you think it is?” “You don’t think it’s a ghost, do you?” Twilight could feel Rainbow start to shake under her. Shining Star made his presence known by shouting back. “Midnight? Is that you?” Twilight’s head started to pound inside her skull. Unsure of whether it was from Rainbow’s unsteady movements, or from Shining’s shouting, she let out a soft groan. “Shining Star? Where are you?” Twilight definitely heard that. It sounded as if it were only a few metres away. “We’re over here!” Star answered back. Twilight knew she was on the verge of passing out. The pain in her head was unbearable, her face was scrunched up in agony. She felt the cold ground on her side and what sounded like muffled voices. She couldn’t concentrate on any of them however. She let out one last shrill scream and then passed out. Twilight’s eyes burst open in panic. “What happened? Where are we?” Twilight again felt her world shift as she fell from the back of Rainbow Dash. Twilight shook her head and shot Rainbow a glare from where she lay on the ground. "I told you not to drop me!" Rainbows retort was quick, “I didn’t drop you. You flung yourself offa me!” “Twilight, You’re awake! Thank Celestia!” The lilting tone of Rarity's voice washed over Twilight in a soothing wave. “You’ve been asleep for the better part of an hour. Or so I’m told.” Before Twilight could ask how Rarity was, she noticed that the pain in her head was completely gone, as was the fog. “Twilight, get up.” Captain Sword’s booming voice brought her to re-examine her surroundings. “We are nearing the base of the mountain.” “Captain? What happened?”  Twilight stared at the leader of the guards, noting the fresh scratches and dull spots on his armor. “We protected you from the manticores,” he stated proudly. “As you made your escape, we held them back. We almost lost Tea Biscuit when he was thrown into a tree.” “‘Tis but a flesh wound!” Tea Biscuit responded indignantly. Sword rolled his eyes.  “Anyway, after the fog lifted, we regrouped and your pink friend noticed some smoke in the distance.” He turned back towards the direction everypony was still marching and rejoined his soldiers, leaving Twilight with her friends. Twilight stood in stunned silence at the brevity of the captain until Midnight Arrow nudged her, waving her head in the same direction the Captain went. “Let’s go, Miss Sparkle.” Twilight just shook her head and drifted behind the Sub-lieutenant, who had resumed her conversation with Fluttershy. Hey, I don’t feel tired anymore! Twilight felt a smile work its way to her lips.  I wonder what that cloud was? The ponies continued along at a steady pace, their individual conversations a quiet murmur against the background noises of the forest.  They continued on for several moments, the trees and bushes beginning to thin out somewhat.  Just ahead of her, the others pushed through a low line of shrubs and there was a collective intake of breath.  Breaking into a trot, Twilight shouldered past Rarity and came to a stop. Ahead of her, the forest opened out into a clearing, and the sight before her froze her in place, dumbstruck with incomprehension. What, she thought blankly, is that? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Really Taylor?” Gruebel look at his fellow pilot in confusion. “You really never got out much, did you? It’s a brown bear. So long as we don’t act threateningly, it should leave us alone.” The aforementioned bear stood only twelve metres away from the American pilots, standing on its rear legs to make itself more frightening. “I don’t care what it is. Getting this close without making so much as a sound is just unnatural.” Another roar made Taylor flinch. This doesn’t make sense, we shouldn’t be anywhere near brown bear country, Gruebel thought worriedly.  He stared as the bear dropped back onto all fours and started to advance towards them. A muffled curse issued from the tent where the other pilots had been sleeping.  “What’s goin’ on out there, guys?” The bear paused at the new voice. “We’re tryin’ to get some shut-eye, here.” Gruebel saw Gallivan leave the tent, giving the bear another target. With the animal’s attention now otherwise occupied, he also saw the opportunity to take the bear down for good. Drawing his pistol, he took aim for the now exposed side of the bear’s skull. The loud percussion of two .45 bullets rang through the air as the bear collapsed. Stivers fairly exploded out the tent with his gun in one hand, his belt in the other. “What the hell was that?” he yelled.  Catching sight of the bear lying motionless on the ground made him stop. “Is it dead?” “No sir. I think I just stunned it.” Gruebel could see the animal’s side rising and falling slowly as it breathed.  “Should we kill it?”  he added lamely. “Well let me think, Gruebel. It’s a dangerous fucking animal, that happens to be delicious when toasted over a fire. I think we should defin—” “NOOOOOOOOOO!” The sound of a woman’s voice in the forest was surprising, but even more shocking was its source.  Four heads turned to view the newcomer, four jaws dropping simultaneously. Sprinting towards the group was a small yellow horse, screaming at the top of her lungs. Taylor just stood wide eyed.  Beside him, Gallivan, who had sustained a concussion, gotten little real sleep and had dealt with sixteen straight hours of pure, untainted impossibilities, felt as if his brain had just flipped a breaker switch deep inside.  Okay, that’s enough for now. Gallivan sat down rather heavily as his brain attempted to rationalize the fact he was seeing a screaming horse. After blinking several times, he promptly lay down and closed his eyes. Gruebel and Stivers exchanged a glance, both trying to figure out what they’d just witnessed. Gruebel turned his attention back to the oncoming horse. Are those wings? “Nooooo!” it screamed again. The closer the horse got to the group, the further Taylor’s jaw dropped. When it got within forty metres of the assembled pilots, Gruebel noticed something else about this horse; it was only four feet tall. “Guys, what is this?” Stivers voice wavered. Gruebel dropped his gun, eyes still wide. “Umm...” Taylor closed his mouth long enough to make the syllable. “I think it’s a—” “Those are wings!” Stivers shouted, oblivious to the answer Taylor was providing him. As the horse drew near, it pushed Taylor out of its way and continued to the bear. Once at its destination, it began to shudder and make sobbing noises. “Is it crying?” Taylor’s expression contorted in confusion. Gruebel took this moment to look away, deciding that whatever God had thrown at them, was just too much, but what he saw approaching them in the air was much worse. The shine of twelve armoured pegasi glinted off the morning sun as they quickly descended, spears under their wings. Gruebel looked towards the forest edge where the yellow horse came from. Well. I guess I did die. As the pegasi encircled the group of pilots, a bright magenta flash lit up Gruebel’s field of view and deposited five colourful equines not five feet in front of him. What kind of hell is this? “Drop your weapons!”  One of the pegasi sported a plumed helmet and wore deeply burnished golden armour; he began to speak in a voice that would have made his drill sergeant proud. “You are under arrest by decree of The Royal Princesses of Equestria!” Gruebel crouched down into a fighting stance, glancing at the ground near him for a rock, a stick, something to put into his hands so that they could do the work they were trained to do.  Movement flashed in the corner of his eye and he turned, but not quickly enough to dodge the hoof that struck him just behind the ear.  The Marine’s eyes rolled up, his knees unhinging as he collapsed to the ground.