//------------------------------// // 5-Alpha and New Beginnings // Story: Eternal Shadows // by Chaotic Flier //------------------------------// Eternal Shadows Chapter 5: Alpha and New Beginnings I stared at the dragoness like she spoke in a foreign language, I don't recall ever going by that name. "Please explain why I don't recall going by that name?" I finally asked looking at my friend in her crystal blue eyes which showed confusion. "What do you mean by you can't recall going by Balefire?" She looked at me closer than before and her eyes widened with realization. "Oh my Celestia! You're Luc-" Radiant was cut off by the roof of the cave collapsing on top of her head, I quickly backed up before the debris could have landed on me, though it caused a lot of dust to cover the cave blocking my vision. I started to cough as I inhaled the dust, I covered my mouth with my hoof before I inhaled more dust. As the dust started to clear up I looked upward to see what caused the cave in, what I saw through the dust brought both dread and curiosity to my mind. There in the center of the newly formed entrance was a pony cloaked in crimson robes, and was using two purple wings to hover in place as they looked down at me. I suddenly felt my body stiffening as I lost all control of my body as I felt the familiar fuzzy feeling of magic envelope my entire body. Soon I felt weightless as I was lifted towards the cloaked pony, my body screamed for me to struggle against the magic but my mind told me that resistance is futile against this magic. As I was pulled closer I saw that the pony possessed a unicorn horn in addition to their pegasus wings, so that would mean this pony is an alicorn. The next thing I noticed is the purple and white mask covering their face, only leaving their red eyes visible. "Hello again Seven," a familiar feminine voice said through the mask. "Or are you Lucky Day? I never could tell you two apart." Lucky Day that name sounds familiar, I thought before I heard a roar of anger from below me and the cloaked alicorn. Looking down I spotted Radiant crashing the rubble as she reached towards the alicorn. "ALPHA!!" She roared as she closed in on her target only to be ensnared by the alicorn's magic as well. "It's nice to see you too Radiant Geode," the mare I assume is named Alpha stated in a sarcastic tone before she turned back to me. "You must be Seven since I know for a fact Lucky hates dragons," she sighed before continuing. "A shame too, I would have enjoyed the challenge. Now what to do with you," she paused placing her left hoof on her chin as she thought. "You will regret this when I get free," Radiant threaten as she struggled against the alicorn's magic to no avail. I watched Alpha closely, whose eyes rolled before I heard a loud crack from Radiant's direction. Looking towards the dragoness I let out a shocked gasp when I saw her neck twisted at an odd angle and her eyes showed surprise. "Hmm, only surprise not fear, very interesting," Alpha muttered to oherself noting Radiant's final expression. She released the dragon corpse and pulled me closer till her red eyes looked me directly into mine. "Now back to you my little mystery of a pony what to do with you? Hmm oh how about a little game I like to call find the body," she gave a laugh as dread washed over my face. " here are the rules of the game I throw you high into the sky as far as I can then I find your body after, does that sound like fun?" "No that sounds horrible," I said as I felt dread flooding through my body, this only brought a chuckle from Alpha. "You are just so adorable," she chuckled lightly. "I have half the mind of letting you go, by it nah," she laughed before her horn and eyes shown fiercel, a split second later I felt a powerful jerking motion as Alpha flung me into the sky. The wind screamed passed my head as I tumbled through the air like a rag doll. Equestria zipped by like a runny oil painting. I couldn't breath, the air too thin and moving too fast for my lungs to inhale. While all this was noted by my body I failed to see the incoming mountain, then everything went black. "Private Lucky Day!" A stallion yelled in the distance, ignoring it I turn in my bunk. "Private Lucky Day, get your lazy flank out of bed right now!" The stallion yelled again, which I ignored as well or at least tried to until magic grabbed me and pulled me out of bed. "Ow," I cried when I hit the ground, opening my eyes to see a rather large white pegasus with massive bulging muscles and comically small wings. Standing next to him was a blue unicorn with a blue and white mane. "You are a disappointment soldier," Sergeant Bulk Biceps shouted causing my ears to flatten out of embarrassment. "Sorry sir," I squeaked saluting Sergeant Bulk Biceps. "Won't happen again sir." "Good private," Sgt. Bulk grunted before the mare next to him cleared her throat. "Private Lucky this is Captain Minuette," he gestures to the unicorn. "She will be your commanding officer, as well as your new teammate, I will leave you two alone to get to know each other," with that he left the two of us alone in the barracks. Slowly I turned to Captain Minuette and gulped, I will admit I am scared of the mare. I mean in the few moments I known the captain she barely spoke and she seemed worse than the sergeant. Then I hear a slight giggle from the captain, my eyes widen in surpris, she bursts out laughing. "What's so funny?" I asked the Laughing pony. '"The look on your face," she answered between laughs. "It's priceless, you probably think I am some kind of hard ass and think I am gonna make your life a living hell." I nod my head slowly as she says this. "Well you can't always assume anything about somepony, you never know if you'll make a new friend," she said with a smile. My eyes open slowly as I awake in a strange place, the walls were made of sturdy wood with shelves stocked with alcoholic beverages of every kind. From those two things as well as the light chill to the room I would say I am in a wine locker of some kind of bar, but there is no way that is possible. I landed in the forest, didn't I? I asked myself wondering how I got here, good thing I didn't have to wait long for an answer. "Well I'll be, look who finally woke up," an upbeat voice said on the other side of the cellar. I slowly lifted myself trying to look at the other pony in the room, but I stopped moving when I felt a hoof touch me. "Easy now, don't rush yourself," the pony said trying to comfort me. "Now you are lucky my daughter found you or you would have died," the pony walked into my field of vision. She was snow white, with a light brown mane and ocean blue eyes. "Who are you," I asked quietly looking at the mare. "Well my name is Coconut Rum," she introduced herself stepping back as I sat up from the bed roll. It was then I noticed she was wearing a dirty dress with a few grease stains on the front. "My name is..." my eyes shift down to the wooden floor, what is my name? I have no clue who I really am that new memory only confusing me even more, am I Seven or am I Lucky Day? "Is everything okay?" Coconut Rum asked looking at me concerned. "I am fine just spacing out," I lied before taking a deep breath and said the first thing that came to mind. "My name is Lucky Seven," I said almost unsure of the name my head came up with. "How fitting," Coconut smiled before continuing. "I mean after the shape you were in when Bourbon found you," as she said that a young unicorn filly walked into the room. "Mom!" The filly yelled in surprise. "Why didn't tell me she was awake!" Looking at the filly she was a golden yellow unicorn with a copper mane, she is wearing a black dress, and her eyes were a silvery grey. "Sorry Bourbon sweetie she just woke up," Coconut apologized while walking next to her daughter. "This is Lucky Seven," she gestured to me. "And this little sun drop is Bourbon Shot my youngest daughter," She squeezed the golden filly. Standing up I looked at the filly who turned away in embarrassment. "So you are the one who found me," I said with a smile. "It wasn't that hard to find you," she mumbles under her breath barely audible. "Well thank you for that," I thanked her ignoring the comment she made. "Your welcome," she mumbles backing out of the room. I looked at Coconut Rum who shrugged before leaving as well, leaving me alone in the cellar. Sitting down on the floor I began to reflect on what is happening. I apparently have two separate sets of memories and here's the kicker they belong to two ponies who look exactly alike. I have no idea who I really am or how I can find out. I was about to continue my thoughts when I heard the door open again, turning to see if it was Coconut Rum again but was greeted by a caramel colored unicorn mare. "Well she breathes," the unicorn said brushing her golden blonde mane out of her eyes. "Any way ma told me you awoken, and I decided to see it for myself," she said as she walked towards me. "Names Whiskey Danger and your name is?" "Lucky Seven," I said looking over Whiskey as she got closer. She seemed to be wearing some kind of body armor that may be a custom job, it contains pieces of several types of armor from griffin made to pegasus armor and everything in between. She stopped right in front of me and looked down with a smile. "Time to get up lazy bones," she said using her magic to lift me. "you are going to be living with me till you get better, so let's get you home before ma gets cross with me," she smiled as she carried me out of the bar. END OF CHAPTER FIVE