//------------------------------// // Bug In The Herd // Story: Little Choices // by Skijarama //------------------------------// “How’s it looking?” Rainbow Dash asked about an hour later, glancing back at her wing with a strained expression. It was out of its cast and Doctor Horse, a light brown unicorn stallion with a dark brown mane and tail, had his horn gently pressed to the feathered appendage. Golden magic streamed from his horn and into the wing, the feeling of this energy pouring through her muscles and bones making her entire body rigid. They had been at this off-and-on for the last hour, with the doctor periodically stopping the flow of magic to allow Rainbow to calm back down. The doctor pulled his horn away from Rainbow’s wing with a small frown, allowing Rainbow’s tensed muscles to visibly relax and a relieved sigh to slip out of her lungs. “It’s better than it was. Theoretically, you should actually be capable of flight now, although I would still strongly advise against doing so unless you absolutely have to.” Rainbow gave a slow nod before sliding off of the empty wooden crate she had been sitting on and giving a slight stretch. “Well, that’s good to know. Thanks, doc.” Doctor Horse’s frown deepened. “I know you likely won't budge on this, but I must still insist that you let me stay with you. You still need treatment, but I can’t provide any if I’m being stuffed into a train for the big city.” Rainbow shook her head sharply. “No, not a chance. I told you already, I’m not risking anypony in this town if I can help it, and that includes you.” “But I-” “Doc,” Rainbow cut him off sharply, and he shut his mouth instantly from the firm look in her eyes. “No means no. That’s…” Rainbow paused and gave a small sigh. “That’s an order.” Doctor Horse hesitated, but relented and bowed his head. “Of course…” he said quietly before turning to go. “My train is going to be leaving soon, isn’t it? I should probably get going.” “If it makes you feel better,” Rainbow called after him. He turned and raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Rainbow put on a reassuring smile. “You can always give Fluttershy some notes on how to keep my treatment going. She mainly deals with animals, yeah, but I’m sure she can pull something off.” Doctor Horse pondered this for a moment, then gave a small nod. “Alright, I guess that’s my only option. I’ll talk to her before I go,” he said before bowing his head again. With that done, he turned and left for the train at a brisk canter. Rainbow’s smile fell away and she ran a hoof over her face with a frustrated groan. She spent a little bit just calming her already frayed nerves before opening her eyes and setting off for the station herself. The last group of civilians was about to leave and Squall was apparently still inside with Twilight. Whatever they were talking about, Rainbow had decided she was done being out of the loop. Twilight bit her lip heavily, looking over the extensive notes she had taken while talking with Thorax. They were still inside of the ticket office, with Thorax still pinned to the floor by his own doing. He had explained that he had done this in an effort to restrain himself. Maybe ten minutes into their little interrogation he had shifted back into the form of Squall Dreamer, in case Wind Whisper woke up. Slowly lowering the clipboard, Twilight looked into Thorax’s eyes naturally. “I have to admit, I believe you.” Thorax visibly relaxed at that statement, with a flicker of hope in his eyes. “But I can’t just let you walk.” Thorax’s hopeful look vanished, replaced by one of fear. “W-what? B-but I told you everything!” “Yes, you did. You told me how you’re species needs love to survive, how your queen is strict and powerful. You told me all about your magic- thank you for that, by the way,” Twilight’s face briefly shone with a smile before hardening once again. “And you told me all about how you feel over your part in the fall of Canterlot, and that you want to make up for it by keeping Wind Whisper safe.” “And you believe me, don’t you?” Thorax tried hopefully. “Yes, I do,” Twilight’s eyes narrowed. “But that doesn’t excuse the role you played. You’re the one who abducted Wind Whisper’s big brother, you’re the one who took his place and lied to her, and you’re the one who took down Princess Luna!” Twilight’s voice rose a little with that last point, and she rose from her hooves. “I appreciate that you’re trying to atone for what you’ve done, and I do believe in redemption stories, I really do, but…” she paused and sighed heavily, letting her eyes slide closed. “But I can’t trust you to keep doing the right thing if I let you go.” Thorax looked down at the floor and sighed. “I… I understand,” he managed to mumble out, burying his face in his forehooves. “...I guess I’m your prisoner now, huh?” “Not quite,” Twilight replied, a soft edge of sympathy in her words. Thorax looked back up at her quizzically. She smiled back at him encouragingly. “I believe that you want to do the right thing, and the best way to start is by helping us get to the Elements of Harmony so we can stop Chrysalis.” “Help?” Thorax wilted. “I… I can’t go back there! They’ll have the Elements on total lockdown with an entire swarm of changelings ready to fight off anything that gets too close!” Twilight’s face twisted as she considered that information. “Well… whatever the case, you’re going to have to stick with us. And… Rainbow will have to know about you at the very least,” she finally said, slightly nervous at the prospect. Thorax opened his mouth to protest, but nothing came out. He grunted in defeat and flopped back to the floor. “Okay, okay… I’ll try to help you, but… just promise me one thing, okay?” Twilight raised an eyebrow. “What?” “Please don’t let Wind Whisper know about me,” Thorax solemnly begged, closing his eyes. “She’s had it bad enough… I don’t want to deal with the guilt of seeing her face if she realized that her brother was gone…” Twilight slowly stepped towards Thorax. “...I can promise not to tell her, but she’s going to have to find out sooner or later. You know that, don’t you?” she asked while her horn lit up to peel the green slime away from his hooves. “Yeah… yeah, I know. I just want to wait for her to be back in her brother’s hooves, first. Maybe she’ll understand, then…” Thorax muttered before opening his eyes again and looking up at Twilight. “...Okay. I promise,” Twilight smiled before reaching down and helping Thorax back to his hooves. “Now, we need to talk to Rainbow and the others so we can come up with a plan.” As if on cue, the sound of the entrance to the lobby being opened reached their ears. “Yo, Twilight! You in here?” Rainbow’s voice called out. “Back here,” Twilight answered before using her magic to open the door to the ticket room and stepping out, Thorax following closely behind her, looking nervous. On the chair she had been sleeping on, Wind Whisper gave a cute little yawn and sat up, having been roused from her slumber by Rainbow’s not at all subtle entrance. She rubbed her eyes with her hooves before blinking a few times. “Huh? Why’s it so noisy in here?” she complained drowsily. Rainbow chuckled sheepishly while trotting by. “Sorry, squirt. Didn’t know you were sleeping,” she stated before returning her attention Twilight and Thorax. “What were you two doing back there?” Twilight, thinking fast, pointed at Wind. “We didn’t want to wake her up, so we went to the other room.” Rainbow gave a small shrug and nod. “‘Kay. So, Squall, whaddya got for us?” Thorax looked away, shifting uncomfortably on his hooves. “Uh… about that…” Twilight was quick to step in. “W-well, uh,” she glanced over at Wind Whisper and winced. “C-can we step outside for a second?” Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “Uh… what for?” “What I have to report is k-kinda, uh, disturbing,” Thorax lied with a fake grin. “I don’t want to upset my little sis by talking about it around her. She’s had it rough enough.” Rainbow didn’t look convinced, and her expression flattened. Finally, though, she puffed out a breath through her nostrils and turned slightly. “Okay, over here.” Wind gave a languid stretch before hopping off of the chair and scampering to catch up with the group. Thorax turned to her and knelt down as she approached. “Hey, you need to wait in here, okay?” he said softly, earning a pout from Whisper. “Why? I wanna come with you!” she whined, thumping a hoof against Thorax’s shoulder. He chortled lightly and scooted her back with a hoof. “Royal guard business. Top secret stuff. Shhhhh,” he put a hoof to his lips and then poked Wind Whisper on the tip of the nose with it. “I’m not going far. I’ll come get you when we’re done, alright?” Wind snorted at the unexpected boop and stuck her tongue out. “Okay, Dreamy. Come back soon!” she then lunged forward and hugged him tightly around the neck, drawing another small laugh out of him. “Ack! Sure thing, but I’m gonna need you to stop choking me first.” “Oops!” Whisper let him go and backed up, putting on an apologetic smile. “Sorry!” Thorax smiled back at her and ruffled her mane with a hoof before standing back to his full height and heading for the door, following Twilight and Rainbow Dash outside. Rainbow eyed Thorax like a vengeful hawk, her left eye twitching occasionally as he and Twilight recounted everything they had already talked about. In truth, it was mostly Twilight who did the talking while Thorax only spoke if he had to to correct her on something or to answer a question. At one point,, Thorax had dropped his disguise to affirm what Twilight was saying. That had been about the time that Rainbow’s demeanor went from curious and confused to quiet and threatening. They were currently standing inside of one of the tents in the marketplace, which they had cleared out and closed for this discussion. Light poured in through the tan fabric, painting everything in a gentle yellow glow. Once Twilight wrapped up her explanation, the unicorn and changeling watched Rainbow Dash nervously. Thorax shrunk back when her eye twitched again and Twilight’s attempt at a reassuring grin was nothing short of colossal and hideously fake. “Twilight,” Rainbow began coldly before lifting a hoof. “I am going to punch him in the face. After that, he can start helping us.” Twilight blinked in confusion before the entire tent sounded with a very loud smack. Thorax yelped in pain and discomfort and stumbled back, holding a hoof up to his cheek. “AAAH! OW!” Rainbow gave her hoof a little jerk as if she were flicking off something that had stuck to it, then set it back down on the grass. “That was for aunt Luna,” she said simply. “Rainbow, was that really necessary?” Twilight demanded in a thoroughly displeased voice, giving Rainbow a rotten look. “No,” Rainbow replied before putting on a small smile. “But it felt good and now it’s over. You said your name is Thorax, right?” Thorax, still hissing in discomfort from what would undoubtedly become a nasty bruise, looked up at Rainbow Dash and nodded. Rainbow smiled and held out a hoof. “Well, welcome to the team.” Thorax eyed the hoof warily, then, with a reluctant shake, reached out his own hoof to shake. Instead of a shake, Rainbow bumped her hoof against his, resulting in a loud clop sound inside the small tent. Thorax looked at his hoof, bemused, then put on a small smile of his own. “Uh… thanks?” Rainbow’s smile faded to a more serious expression. “Don’t make me regret this, Thorax. Now, then…” she glanced to Twilight. “Twi, do you mind taking this dude to the library real quick? I’m gonna go roundup our friends and bring them over just as soon as the last train’s gone.” ‘What about Wind Whisper?” Thorax asked abruptly, taking a step forward. “She’s still at the train station, and I don’t want to leave her alone for too long.” “We can pick her up on the way,” Twilight replied simply, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder before ushering him out of the tent. She paused and glanced back at Rainbow with a small frown. “For the record, Dash, punching things isn’t exactly a productive solution.” “Neither is standing around to snark at me about it,” Rainbow countered with a small smirk while trotting by. She stopped by Twilight’s side and hesitated. She shifted slightly and looked into her eyes. “...Uh… Before we go, Twilight… about what I said in Hollow Shades… in the clinic-” “It can wait,” Twilight interrupted her gently, putting a hoof on Rainbow’s back. “We’ve still got work to do.” “I know, I know, but… I just…” Rainbow sighed and rubbed a hoof into her temple to quell a rising headache. “...It’s been bugging me all day. I feel like I shouldn’t have said that. Any of that…” “Rainbow,” Twilight said just a little more firmly. “We can talk about it later.” Rainbow looked away and nodded. “Okay… okay, fair enough. Does tonight sound good?” “We’ll see,” Twilight replied before lightly smacking Rainbow on the back to get her moving. “Now let’s go,” she said before trotting after Thorax, who was waiting on the other side of the street. Rainbow looked down into the dirt and grass for a moment before setting her jaw, straightening her should and setting off down the street to find the others.