//------------------------------// // Between life and death // Story: The Equestrian adventures of Generator Rex // by Kaliann25 //------------------------------// 13 Between life and death Noah carefully placed Trixie over a bed, as Rex used his Smack-Hands to block the door with both desks and beds. It had been quite a task to get to the infirmary. With the security system completely out of control, and, with Trixie that hurt, they had to move slowly. At first, they tried to get away from Providence, but, with all the traps, and attack robots randomly attack everything that moved, Rex had to trust his wife to Noah, and had to fight their way to the infirmary. They barely could make it, but they know they couldn’t get out there that easily. Not with a very injured Trixie. “Whatever your friend did, had quite an effect on the headquarters.” Said Noah, cleaning the sweat from Trixie’s forehead with a handkerchief. “I don’t think that Providence would recover from this one.” Beverly approached to Trixie, who also had lost conscious a few minutes ago, and was breathing difficulty. At first sight, she didn’t seem that bad, only a broken bones, and bruises around her body. But also, she was incredibly cold, and her body temperature was decreasing every minute. “Rex, she’ll die if we don’t do something.” mumbled Circe. “The problem is, I have no idea what happened to her.” “Beside I hit her, you say.” said Rex sadly, as he approached his wife, and kissed her on the forehead. But, when his lips made contact with Trixie’s skin, Rex gasped. “Oh no…” “You know what’s happening with her?” asked Circe. Rex nodded. “I’ve only seen this once. Back when we were bounty hunters, we chased an unicorn for too long, that he got desperate and used all his reserves of magic, but kept casting spells despite it. The problem is, when a unicorn does that, the magic feeds on their life-force.” He couldn’t continue, as he began to cry. Trixie have gone this far only because of him, and there he was, unable to help his wife. “Dude, what do you mean with unicorn?” asked Noah. “And magic? Who, or, what is her?” Rex was about to answer, when someone called at his communicator. “Rex, Rex!” The boy grinded his teeth as he recognized the voice. “César…” he answered, doing his best to hide his anger. “César, is that you?” “Yes. Rex, what’s going on?” Rex looked at Trixie, that Beverly has just covered with a bunch of blankets in a desperate attempt to keep her warm. He took a deep breath. After what he did to him, César was the last person he wanted to see, but he was aware that his brother was a genius, and Trixie’s only hope. Rex had no choice to act up. “I have no idea, all I know, is that we captured an interesting specimen. Next thing I know, the entire security system went crazy. Luckily I was with my friends and I was able to open us a way to the infirmary, but we can’t get outside.” “Okay, what about the specimen?” asked César. “Is still around?” “I told you, I have no idea. Maybe it escaped, maybe it’s still around, right now, protecting my friends it’s my priority.” On the other side of the transmitter, on his mobile lab, César Salazar nodded. “Say no more, I’m on my way.” “César, there’s also a soldier we found, she’s badly injured. Apparently, she was directly attacked by the creature, but she couldn’t say more as she passed out.” “Don’t worry, I have the equipment to establish her, at least until we find and specialist. But, what about Holiday and Six? Are them with you?” “No, I don’t know what happened with them. They’re probably with the others, but, I don’t know. Right now I’m with Noah, Beverly, Circe, and this soldier. Please, hurry. I don’t know how long I can keep them safe. My powers are not enough to protect us all.” “Understood. I’ll be there in a minute.” Rex drove his lab to Providence, right where he tracked down Rex’s signal. It was strange that Rex wasn’t more worried for Six and Holiday, but César thought it was because he was busy taking care of his friends. Besides, he knew all-to-well that the scientist and the agent could take care of themselves, especially the agent. When he entered into Providence’s air space, all the security systems immediately targeted his lab. Normally, César would easily elude the attacks, but, because of Trixie’s destruction of the main computer, the attacks didn’t follow a predetermined pattern. Instead, they shot at random directions, making impossible for César or his equipment to predict the next attack. The scientist frowned, this things were so well designed, that not even an electromagnetic pulse would be able to deactivate them. But, if he didn’t do something soon, his lab would be down in seconds. Luckily for him and his equipment, César was a skilled pilot, and even if he couldn’t deactivate the crazed security system, he was perfectly capable to outmaneuver it. It took a while, and César had to destroy six watch towers, he was able to drive the lab to Rex’s location. With a smile, César sent a missile to the wall. Inside the infirmary, Rex transformed his hands into the Smack-Hands, ready to fight, but he relaxed when he saw it was only his brother. And he came just in time, since the barricade he put on the door was about to fall. “César!” “Hurry, and come in!” urged César. Rex nodded, and carefully took Trixie in arms, as Beverly, Circe and Noah got into the lab. Once they were safe, he got in, with his wife. Once everyone were safe inside the lab, César escaped from Providence as far as possible. Inside the ship, César carefully connected Trixie to vital-support machines, as the lab made a perimeter around Providence, right out of the reach of the security system. “It’s a pandemonium down there.” reasoned César. “I can detect lots of S.O.S. signs, but, I cannot locate them properly if I don’t get any closer. But, giving the current conditions, that’s impossible right now.” Rex nodded, ignoring César, as he focused in Trixie. César looked at his brother, but, he interpreted the expression as he was planning what to do next. And, giving Providence’s current situation that was only logical. By his way, Rex knew that he have fooled César so far, but if he wanted to keep him that way, he had to distract him somehow. “César, tell me, is there any way to know if the thing who did this is still around?” César quickly checked in all his screens, but he just shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t connect with the security system to locate it. Also, I cannot contact with anyone. There’s no way to know. “What about you? There’s something else you can tell me?” Rex nodded. “Yeah, this thing turned herself in. And I was stupid enough to believe she had given up. But, next thing I know, is that the security system went completely out of control, and the prisoner has escaped. I tried to join Six and Holiday, but I just couldn’t. And then, I found my friends, and they needed my help, so here we are. Also, I tried to contact with Six and Holiday, but all the communications are down.” César nodded, thoughtful, as the others looked at Rex, genuinely surprised of how long he could keep on the act. Whoever this girl was, she was making Rex thinking really quick. “So, you have no idea how Holiday and Six are doing.” said César. Rex kicked a wall. “I don’t know if they’re still there, or if they escaped. I don’t know anything. But I must find them, César! Our little visitor could still be there, and considering how dangerous it is, maybe they’re in trouble.” César then, looked at his brother to the eye. “Are you telling me, you plan to get in there?” “What other choice do I have, César?” replied Rex. “If I don’t do something quick, they could die!” César made a quick nod, and placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Think, Rex, think. What if you find that thing, huh? As long as we don’t understand her powers, there’s no chance you can beat her.” Then he turned to Trixie. “But, you said she was attacked by the intruder, right?” Rex nodded. “Yeah, do you think she can tell us more of what we’re facing?” “Claro mijo, if I’m able to stabilize her.” Said that, César focused in check on Trixie’s vitals. And, as Rex feared, they were extremely low. Not to mention, the broken bones and internal hemorrhages that Rex caused were not helping. Rex had to use all of his self-control to not to cry. How could he do this to her? But then, César called him back to reality. “No comprendo, it’s like something had suck all her… vital energy. Rex, seriously, do you really have no idea what are we facing?” “I told you, when I showed up, back when we captured her, this one just turned herself in. I hadn’t have the chance to test her abilities.” Rex let escape a few tears, thinking about Trixie, but he had to make believe César it was for his friends. “César, I was so stupid!” The scientist could only hug his brother. “Easy, Rex. I know you haven’t been yourself lately. It could happen to anyone.” Then, he turned to Trixie, and back to Rex, smiling with a determined look on his eyes. “Now, remember when you saved the world, hemanito?” Rex raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, why?” “During the last two months, Raylander and I have been working with dead Nanites, seeing if we can reactivate them. We succeeded, relatively. We’ve been able to reactivate just a few!” “Reactivate Nanites? Are you out of your mind, César?” protested Rex. “I swear the only registration of our activities exists only in my mind, and Gabriel’s.” said César. “No one knows.” Rex nodded, understanding. “You have some of those reactivated Nanites here, right?” asked the boy. César Salazar nodded. “Nanites were originally created to cure the diseased and the injured. I would use them to cure her, and then, we can focus on saving Providence.” Rex frowned, he didn’t want to face a new Nanite Event, but, if this could save Trixie, he would give it a chance. But there was also a small problem that worried Rex. He closed his eyes, and made a small pray. Please, God, Jesús, y el Espíritu Santo, do not let her transform into an EVO. Please! “Go on, let’s take a chance.” The others looked at Rex in silence, unsure of what to do or what to say. But he smiled to them confidently. César opened a container, revealing a small syringe. And, after exchanging a look with his younger brother, César injected Trixie. Almost immediately, his equipment detected a considerable change on the vitals of the young woman. The Nanites slit in two groups, one of them trying to repair the internal damage that Rex had cause, and the other half, focused on keep functioning the vital organs. Soon enough, Trixie’s difficult breathing turned back to normal, and the color slowly returned to her cheeks. “She’s recovering!” cheered Circe. “Gracias, Señor…” mumbled Rex. Ten minutes have passed. Rex Trixie haven’t recovered consciousness, but César assured she was just sleeping, and she would wake up any second. Rex began to walk around the lab, anxiously. And, as he wandered around, he spotted a small object in one of César’s shelves. It was a bright, round object. Rex felt the anger running through his veins as he recognized it. Without a word, he put the object between his fingers, and walked back where his wife was lying. César smiled to his brother. “She just opened her eyes, but I convinced her to sleep a little longer. In less than an hour, we’ll rescue the rest of your family.” Rex looked at Trixie, and nodded. “I lied.” César raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?” “I do know who got into Providence and created that mess. It was her. And also, I know what happened with Rex and Holiday. They got what they deserved.” “What?” Rex showed César his fist, and slowly raised his middle finger, where he put his wedding ring. “I found this in your stuff.” “That’s…” “I bought it in Equestria, to the famous jeweler Goldand Diamonds. It’s my wedding ring.” César sighed deeply. “So, your wife somehow brought your memories back. What happened to her? Did you two have a fight or something?” Rex had to use all his self-control to not punch César. “That’s not of your business. You have betrayed me before, César, but this time you went too far, stealing the happiest time of my life!” “It was for the greater good, Rex!” said César, as his finger quietly moved to a button behind him. Then, suddenly, a purple beam impacted on César’s back, transforming into heavy chains. Rex looked at Trixie, who had incorporated on her bed. She grinned, but, immediately fell on her back. Beverly and Circe held her, and slowly put her back on her bed. “Trixie!” called Rex, running toward her. “Trixie, what do you think you’re doing? You have barely recovered!” Trixie smiled weakly. “He was about to press a button behind him, dumbass. But you were too busy yelling, that you didn’t realize. Besides, this Nanite-things are incredible. Are those the same that give you your powers, Rex?” “Oh, Trixie!” said Rex, holding her. Trixie smiled weakly, and slowly placed her arms around Rex. “I’m okay. I’m okay.” “Can she turn into an EVO?” questioned Noah. “I don’t know. César?” César was struggling against his chains, but it was useless. His equipment could protect him from everything, except for magic that he didn’t truly understand. Finally, he made a resigned sigh. “Like you, I don’t know. She shouldn’t, but, she’s not human, so I can’t really tell,” Rex frowned, but Trixie smiled at him, confidently. “It’s okay, as long as I’m with you, I’m not afraid. You’re the cure, remember?” “Not always, there are some EVOs I cannot cure.” “I’m confident that I won’t become an EVO.” smiled Trixie. César looked at Trixie with the edge of his eye, and sighed again. “Unbelievable. I’m surprised how far you went only to recover Rex. What are you going to do now? Get him back to your world, or go into hiding?” Trixie smiled, and put her hand into her pocket, to reach a page of an old book. She grinned. “What do you think, moron?” then, she turned to Rex, and kissed him. “Would you want to go back home, with me?” Rex nodded. “Of course!” Trixie then charged her magic. “Okay, Rex, when we’re back in Equestria, please take me to Twilight Sparkle immediately. I don’t have enough magic to do this, so when we’re back in Equestria, I’ll be standing between life and death all over again.” “TRIXIE, DON’T!” shouted Rex. But it was too late, she focused all her power over the page, surrounding it with a purple aura. The aura absorbed Rex, Noah and Circe. Rex screamed in fear, when she almost fainted on his arms. But Trixie closed her eyes, and redirected her vital force to her magic. The spell got stronger, but Trixie got weaker. In the meantime, César’s equipment was going crazy thanks to the excessive amount of alien energy on the air. The scientist looked powerlessly how the group vanished of the ship, as it began to malfunction, and went to an imminent crash. César Salazar closed his eyes, knowing it was over. But, in his last moments, he said: “Rex, hermano, lo siento de verdad.” … A purple flash appeared right in the middle of Ponyville, and materialized into a group of strangers, right on the center of the main plaza. The townsfolks recognized only two of them, Trixie and her husband. The bounty hunter, and the mutant who challenged Celestia herself. There was no time to lose, Rex activated his motorcycle, and his friends carefully put the unconscious Trixie on it. He began to look for the library, but he couldn’t find it anywhere. Groaning in frustration, he began to look for Twilight. He could still detect Trixie’s Nanites, that partially relieved him, since she was still alive. But for how long?! Finally, he spotted a new building on the distance. It was a Palace he had never seen before. Without hesitating, went there. It was his only chance. … “I must say, I can get used to this place!” cheered Spike. “I already know which room would be mine!” The young Princess could only smile. “Of course Spike! Just remember, the ones on the first floor are for the library and my personal study. Oh, and the basements is reserved for my lab and…” “Calm down, Twilight. I want one on the second floor. Okay?” asked the dragon. “Okay Spike. Sorry, is just that I’m really excited to have this much space.” The rest of the girls giggled at this. It have only been a couple of days since Twilight moved to her new home, and she was still deciding how to organize all the new rooms. But then, somepony knocked at the door. “Yes?” asked Spike, as he answered the door. “Oh, Rex Salazar?” Twilight heard that, and ran to the door. “Rex? Is that really you?” The young EVO came back to normal, and took Trixie between his forehooves. “Please, she’s dying. I need your help.” Twilight shivered at Trixie’s condition, and grabbed her with her magic, to run upstairs. She had no time to lose. Rex ran after her, as his friends walked into the Castle looking at the astonished ponies.