(Heartland, Manehattan)
(Betty Sunflower)
It was a calm late summer night on the outskirts of Manehatten's bustling city scape, with a cool breeze on the wind and the early morning rays just starting to glow in the distant sky, turning the dark night into shades of purple and light orange. Though even on the out skirts of the city, there were still many buildings around, but they were all industrial style and at this hour, there weren't many souls around.
Save for two. A pare of Ponies, one of them towing a large cart, trotted down a dimly lit path toward a lone warehouse on the very edge of an old shipping peer. The one towing the cart, was a Earth Pony Mare with a wiry light brown coat, fuzzy black mane and dull red eyes. She also had many battle scars dotting her lean body, a mixture of claw marks and bites. One of those claw marks ran across the left side of her face, and she dully looked at her companion.
"Are we there yet?" She asked in a bored tone, then added with a slight cringe in her voice. "Miss, Sunflower."
The Pony she spoke to, was a Unicorn Mare named, Betty Sunflower, and she was a little smaller than the Mare pulling the cart. She was thin, almost lanky looking, with a cream yellow body, long black mane and bright blue eyes. Betty looked to the Mare and gave her a winning smile.
"Oh don't be such a whinge, Eve." She said, her voice sounding almost squeaky, with high pitched tones. "It's a lovely time to be outdoors, with the early morning sky just kissing the horizon."
Eve just groaned and showed her teeth, that were oddly pointy. "You know what is also, as you put it, lovely? A bed."
Betty just chuckled and gave Eve a playful elbow in the side. "Aww lighten up, once we're done here, you can have all the bed time you want."
Eve growled and blew a bit of thick mane out of her own eyes. "Why do I have to drag this damn thing? It's pulling on my fur."
"Well, you're bigger and stronger than I am." Betty made a pouting face. "What, you want little old, frail me to pull that big mean cart? Is it too much for a, strapping young Mare like yourself to handle?"
Eve growled again, with a little grunt at the end. "I can pull it just fine!"
Betty smiled cockily at that and tilted her head up. "I'm glad we're in agreement." They finally reached the entrance to the long chain link fence, that stood in their way and Betty tapped a small black device in her ear that was hidden by her mane. "This is Sunflower, we're at the entrance to the meeting place. Is there anything passed this gate we need to be aware of?"
There was some static in the ear mic for a second, before a female voice came through the other end. "I'm looking. Seems all clear from here. Just get in there, make the deal and get out. Don't make me remind you what happened last time you got over confident."
"I'll keep that in mind Ruby. Just keep me posted and make sure no one spots you." Betty stated and opened the gate for Eve with her magic. It opened with a jiggling metal screech and Eve pulled the cart through, making her way to the warehouse.
"Please, no one ever sees me coming." The one called Ruby, said over the mic in a playful tone. "Anyway, if you play your cards right, I might have a little surprise for you when we get back home."
"Ooo, can't wait." Betty cued and chuckled. "Right anyway, got to go. Love ya."
Betty soon caught up to Eve and they stood just outside, by a big sliding door made of metal. Betty knocked on the door three times and added one more after a paused and waited. At first, there was no sound on the other side of the door, but then it made a loud clunk, and began to slide open.
Light flooded out of the opening, bathing Betty and Eve in its glow, while it shadowed the figures inside, making it hard for Betty to make them out. "Ah, just in time." A low, yet eloquent voice with a Manehatten accent stated. "How very professional."
Betty and Eve moved into the warehouse and were finally able to see who was talking to them. Inside the warehouse there were many old shipping containers laying around, with a upper level that had more all piled up. Around these containers were Ponies, all shady looking and the kind you wouldn't want to be seen in a dark alley with.
There were even a few Minotaurs with them, two of them were huge dark brown and dark grey males, nearly two meters tall and packed with muscle, and they were wearing some pirate style clothing. There was also a shorter, slender one stood in between them, who was wearing slightly different clothing.
It was a light brown female with white stripes running down her fit body. She had a wild mane of tied up hair, that flowed down to the back of her lean shoulders and was the colour of a golden sunrise. She wore a dark red leather vest, some fabric wrappings around her arms, legs and chest, that helped press in her small breasts and some dark purple jeans that were ripped short at the knees. She watched Betty with her deep sunset eyes, and Betty would have considered them beautiful, if it wasn't for the coldness she saw behind them.
But one person that stood out from the rest approached Betty, and she knew right away, this was the Pony that had spoke to them.
Betty gave this Pony a curt nod. "Being punctual is one of our mottos, Mr..?"
"Rusty." Rusty was a Pegasus, with a dark grey coat, black mane with red highlights and Purple eyes that almost seemed to glow a little. He also wore a long tartan green trench coat that covered most of his body, and he walked over to Betty and held one of her hooves in his. He kissed her hoof and added with a grin. "Rusty Red Feather, but you my dear, may call me Rusty."
Betty cringed inside but she outwardly gave him a warm smile. "I think we should stick to formalities and get down to business. Wouldn't you agree, Mr Red Feather?"
Rusty looked at her with those bizarre eyes of his, as if he were studying her, or sizing her up. It was actually a little unnerving to say the least, but after a few seconds he blinked and gave her a curious smile. "Why yes, of course." He let go of her hoof and turned away from her, walking back to where he was standing before. "So, what have you brought me? It better be worth setting this all up." He asked, gesturing to the cart.
Betty smiled and nodded to Eve. "Oh, I assure you, it's worth every Bit." Eve for a moment, didn't move, as she gazed over to the Minotaurs and had a strange look on her face. It was like she was in a daydream trance and was she, smiling at the big one? "Eve, Eve the cart." Betty whispered in a sharp tone and Eve shook her head.
"Huh? Oh right."
Eve unstrapped herself from the cart and went around to its side. She then pulled the grey tarp that was covering it off and showed its content. "10 bars of solid and refined Moon Silver. These are but a small sample of the rare metal, but just one of these are worth at least as much as one of the tall building in Manehatten."
Rusty walked over to the cart slowly, and eyed the silver bars with a passive expression. "Such simple little things." He stated, sounding uncaring. "What makes them so special to warrant such value?" He was going to touch one, but Eve growled at him and he stopped.
"Touch it, and I break your arm." She stated, huffing slightly as she got some of her wiry mane out her eyes again.
He smiled with a coy look in his eye and moved a little closer to Eve. "And if I, touch you?" He asked, reaching a hoof out for her cheek.
Eve snatched Rusty's arm up with one hoof and he grimaced when he felt how strong she was. The other Ponies in the warehouse all tensed up and looked ready to pounce, but Rusty waved them off. Eve growled at him. "Try it again, and I'll it off instead, chicken lips." She then let him go and he tested his wrist.
He moved passed Eve and she kept her glare on him. He looked at her flank and she gave him a low snarl. He smirked at that and moved up to Betty again. "So, tell me, Miss Sunflower, why should I be interested in this, Moon Silver?"
Betty smirked back at him and showed him a device that was strapped to her right arm. "See this? It's made out of Moon Silver, and with the tech built into it, I do things like..this." She tapped the device and in a flash of green magic, she had completely transformed and now looked just like Rusty.
Rusty gasped and was taken aback by being confronted by his own twin. He sounded amazed when he said. "What, what did you do?"
"Why, I'm you." The twin said, sounding just like him and gave him a cocky smile. "Clever, isn't it? With this device I can look like anyone I want." They tapped the device again and this time they turned into Eve. "Hey there, big boy. You from around town?" Eve's twin said to Rusty in a lustful way and the real Eve glared at her twin with a scowl.
"My, my, now this is a show." Rusty stated, sounding impressed and clapped his hooves. "Is that all it can do?"
Betty returned to her normal form and chuckled. "Oh, what I just did, only scratches the surface of what this stuff can do. For the right price, it could be yours."
Rusty huffed in amusement and walked past Betty to stand by his men. "And what is exactly, your price, my dear?"
Betty sat down and crossed her arms, then gave Rusty a knowing smile. "You're a rich guy in Manehatten, right?"
Rusty's smile faded slightly and looked a little confused. "Why, yes. I own several businesses and a few estates around Equestria. Why do you ask?"
"We want 20% of all your income from each of your businesses, and the name of the shop you got that trench coat from. I like the colour." Betty smirked, and leaned on the cart. "In exchange you'll get more of the Moon Silver. How's them apples?"
Rusty was quiet for a long time, so long in fact that it was getting awkward. Betty was starting to get a little nervous, she wasn't expecting him to take so long to answer. In fact, she was expecting him to be angry, try to tone the price down or something she was used to. But this, this was unsettling. She glanced around and saw the Minotaurs whispering to each other. The female was facing away now and was making hand gestures to the two males, now and then, looking over her shoulder at Betty. This was some odd behavior and she didn't like it, not one bit.
Then Rusty suddenly chuckled and cleared his throat. "Actually, I'm not interested in the Moon Silver. I'm interested in you"
Betty's eyes went wide and her practiced smile vanished into a confused frown. "Uh, come again?"
"I don't want your Moon Silver." Rusty stated, blunt and with little humor. "Besides, I know Moon Silver doesn't work the way you claim it works. That's all you, my dear."
Betty was standing up now, no longer putting on her show face. She felt worried and a little scared, when she tried to reason with him. "What? No, it dose work, you saw it."
"Oh please stop." Rusty said in a condescending way. "We both know that the only thing Moon Silver is good for is increasing magic output." He straightened his trench coat's collar and sighed softly. "Honestly, how could you try to swindle me like that. I'm hurt, but no matter, you can make it up to me."
Betty gulped, as she glanced around and noticed the other Ponies were starting to move a bit closer, eyeing her and Eve. Betty then looked at Rusty and tried to reason with him again. "Ok, I see I underestimated you. You're clearly no fool, and I'm sure we can work this out without doing something we might regret. My Boss will be more than happy too.."
"Oh drop the act already." Rusty demanded, his tone becoming irritated. "I know who you really are. Summer Haze."
Betty's blood went cold, her pupils shrank and her mouth hung open. "What? But..but how did you.." She backed up slowly toward Eve, while her heart began to race.
Eve slyly managed to put her hoof to one of her fuzzy ears and press her ear mic. She whispered. "Ruby, we're in deep shrahk here. Our cover is off."
"Please, don't make this harder than it needs to be." Rusty stated, nodding to the Minotaurs and he reached for something inside his coat.
Betty huffed and went for something on her side that wasn't there. But suddenly there was a flicker on her body and out of thin air, combat gear appeared on her frame, as she transformed. No longer was she a thin and small yellow Mare, as her form became more lean and defined, with a short sleeved grey hoody and grey shorts all with red trimmings covering her body, with light brown Kevlar armour covering her chest and limbs. Her hooves had holes in them, her mane turned a dark blue, with a turquoise stripe running through it. Bug like wings appeared on her back, her fur had turned black and her eyes were now a bright, vibrant green.
(Summer Haze)
Summer Haze, threw something round and cylinder shaped from her armoured vest and she saw Rusty's eyes go wide with shock. "Flash bang!" The female Minotaur shouted and dove for cover, as Haze and her companion dove behind the cart. Haze didn't see what happened to Rusty, as she closed her eyes and covered her ears, as the flash bang exploded. There were screams of pain, as eyes were blinded and ears burst from the sudden flash and loud bang.
"I can't see!" One goon shouted, smacking into another as they fumbled about.
"WHAT?!" Another shouted, punching the first Pony that got too close in the face.
"You half wits!" Rusty bellowed, seeming to be the only one unaffected. "You got one job, ONE! I'll fucking do this myself!"
Haze peeked her head out from behind the cart and almost had her head blown off, when a bolt of red energy blasted the corner of the cart away. "Damnit! Ruby, we could really use some intervention right about now!" Haze shouted into her ear mic, as another bolt blasted another part of the cart away.
"Hold on! I'm getting into position!" Ruby yelled over the mic. "There aren't many windows in this stupid building!"
"Just hurry, this guy's got a bloody death ray, or something!" Haze yelled back, as a new hole was burned into their cover. "Ah sod this! Teven, time for plan F!"
"The fuck it kind?" Eve asked, grinning with her pointy teeth gleaming in the light,
The top of the cart was blown off and Haze yelled "YES, that one!"
"I thought you'd never ask!" With a flash of green magic from Haze's horn, Eve, now Teven, turned into a 7 foot tall light brown Wolven, with a lean upright muscular build, a long snout with razor sharp teeth, long digitigrade legs with massive clawed paws and hands that ended in dagger like claws. She was also clad in similar Kevlar armour but her's was a dark green and much bulkier.
Her red eyes locked on to the group of Ponies and Minotaurs, and she licked her lips with a grin, as she eyed one of the big Minotaur males. "Ok boys, lets dance!"
"What the FU.." Rusty was cut off, when Teven put a massive four clawed foot on the cart and with her powerful limb she pushed the cart away from her and Haze. It shot forward with deadly speed, and the female Minotaur dove for Rusty as it sped toward him and was able to push him, as well as herself out the way of the speeding cart. Those that didn't have the sense to move out the way, got flattened as it flew to the far end to the room, and then crash into a wall with a hail of splinters and metal.
Then, while all were dazed and confused, Teven pounced for them and backhanded one of the Minotaurs right in his chin, as she continued to the other. In the same instance, Haze pulled out a sling shot and with a tiny ball baring, she aimed for the only source of light in the room and with a thwack of the sling, she fired the metal ball at the light. The ball struck true and the bulb smashed, blanketing everything in darkness.
All hell broke loose, and Haze took the opportunity to slip into the added shadows, while Teven had her way with the other Ponies. There was still some light coming through the windows, cutting bars of light through the darkness and silhouetting what took place in the dim.
Haze could see Teven pummeling through Ponies, their bodies being flung across the room or into one another. They were like toys to her, but the Minotaurs didn't let her completely have her way with them, as Haze saw them fighting back, with one of them being slightly taller than her. But Haze knew Teven liked bigger opponents and she was sure Teven would be alright, as she ducked and jumped around them laughing, even making them hit each other as she would push them into each other.
But where was Rusty? Haze's natural night vision allowed her to see quite well in the low light and it didn't take her long to see him standing on the upper level, aiming some sort of tubular weapon at Teven. He held it in one hoof and it began to glow a deep red, as he got it ready to fire.
(Teven)
"Come on boys, show a girl a good time!" Teven taunted, as they turned and glared at her. She grinned at them, with her eyes like daggers in the pale light. The othe goons had eighter fled, knocked out, or dead, but she didn't really care about that, now it was just her and the Minotaurs.
"We got nothing against you, She wolf." The smaller one said, shaking one of his fists to get the stiffness out and got in a readied stance, fists up high. "We just want the Changeling. No need for this to get any more violent than it has to be."
"Sorry, she is already taken." Teven laughed at them, grinning madly, "But I'm all yours, if you think you can handle me. No holding back now, I want your all."
They both blushed at that, struck dumb for just a moment, long enough for Teven, to pick up a small wooden crate and hurl it at them. The bigger one smashed it with his big meaty arms, but he realized too late that the attack was nothing more than a distraction, when Teven came in low and punched him right in the crotch. He doubled over in shock and pain, while the smaller one looked at her in stunned silence, his face going pale.
Teven eyed him with her predatory eyes, keeping her gaze fixed on his muscles. Since it was just the two of them for the moment, Teven straightened up to her full hieght and peered down on the smaller creature, with a glint on he ever widening grin.
"Such form, and respectable muscles." She licked he lips. "Oh, yes, very nice!"
The minotaur looked looked at he with a blank expression now, and blinked a few time in confusion. Then he spoke and he sounded conflicted. "Uh...thanks?" Then Teven came at him all of a sudden and he was helpless to stop her from jumping on top of him.
They fell to the ground in a heep and she pressed her weight down on him. She looked right into his frightened blue eyes and grinned a full set of jagged teeth, her hot breath bathing his face. "I've never tried Minotaur before." She said, licking her lips, with drool dripping out. "I wonder what you taste like." She then licked his well toned chest, and his eyes shrank to pees.
"What THE?!" The Minotaur gasped, trying to wriggle out from under her. "Bitch you CRAZY!" Teven then realized what she was doing and frowned.
"What am I doing?" She thought, as she lifted herself up off of him and punched him in the nose. "That was strange? What just came over me?"
"Ah, my nose!" The smaller Minotaur yelled, as he looked up at her in shock. He took a hand away from his face and she saw the blood. "Dude..you broke my nose!"
"Ok Wolfy, fun's over."
Just then, she felt a hand on her shoulder and that hand pulled her off the smaller Minotaur with some force. It was the bigger one this time and Teven snarled at him. "Hands off!" She grabbed his hand and squeazed, feeling the bones in his fingers break under her vice like grip. He gasped in agony and fell to his knees and Teven loomed over him, no longer messing around.
"You're right, party is over." She stated and lifted her right hand up in the air, flexing her claws in the dim light.
"Teven, above you, LOOK OUT!"
"Huh?" She looked up and saw a red glowing light and that's when she realised her mistake. She let go off the Minotaur and side stepped just as a red bolt of energy shot toward her and passed her body by mere inches. It burned her lower torso, blackening the fur in seconds, but that wasn't the worst of it.
It hit the bigger Minotaur in the shoulder and the splash effect it made, sent him and her spinning into a wall from the sheer impact and Teven was out cold.
(Summer Haze)
"Teven!" Haze yelled out, shocked and mortified at what she just saw.
Rusty huffed in triumph and turned to look at Haze now. Some how, he was able to see her, even in the darkness and now aimed his weapon for Haze. "Uh oh!" She said, and then sprinted up some stairs, as red bolts smacked into the wall behind her. She felt the heat come off those bolts and felt her heart skip a beat when one splashed the wall in front of her.
She did the only thing she could think of. She jumped up in the air and kicked off the wall as a bolt just grazed her boots. Then with her bug wings, she shot forward and flew right into Rusty before he had a chance to aim. The two collided with some force and they went tumbling end over end till they smashed into some wooden crates.
Dazed and disoriented, Haze tried to catch her barrings, while trying to stand up. Just as she got to her hooves, she was met with a glowing barrel in her face and on reflex, she batted the weapon away. The shot went off in a random direction, smashing through a window on the roof and raining glass down on them. Rusty covered himself with his trench coat, while Haze covered her head with her padded arms, as the glass shards hit them.
Pain cut into the gaps in Haze's armour padding and down her back as glass shards fell into the opening of her hoody, as. She growled in pain and when it stopped, she looked up to suddenly have a trench coat thrown in her face. She pushed the coat aside on reflex, but the act had momentarily blinded her, when in the next second, Haze got a hoof in her gut.
Her padded vest took the most of the impact, but the blow was enough to knock her back on her flank and she cringed when she felt glass bite into her upper legs. She recovered in time to roll out the way, when Rusty came out of the shadows and tried to drive a knife in her chest.
Haze got back to her hooves and stood on her hind legs, when Rusty came in again and tried to stab her in the shoulder. She blocked the blow by back handing the knife out his hoof, and with her left hoof and in her right, she pulled out a spring loaded baton and quickly countered with a strike to Rusty's chin.
He moved his head to the side and tried to repost with a kick to Haze's ribs. She blocked his blow by tucking in her right leg and elbow over her right side. It hurt and rocked her a bit, but she kept her balance and with her still tucked in right leg, she unfolded it and like the spring of a snap trap she countered with a kick to his left shin. The kick connected and Rusty stumbled under the force, leaving his head open for Haze to deliver a swift strike with her baton to the side of his head.
It connected with a sharp thwack, and Rusty fell to the floor. He lay on his side and coughed while he pressed a hoof to his bleeding temple. "Wow, now that one I felt." He stated, sounding impressed and oddly not in pain. He continued as she started to sit back up, "You know some moves. I'll admit, I'm surprised." He began to get up but sluggishly. He used a wooden crate to help himself up and leaned on it while he kept talking.
"No wonder my Sister has had such trouble catching you. You've got the spirit of a survivor, and I respect that."
Haze was confused but also angry, and she got ready to strike him again. "What, who's this Sister you speak of? What dose she want with me?" In that moment, Haze got a good look at what he looked like under that trench coat and was shocked at all the gear he had on. He wore some strange looking armour, that was a dark grey, almost black in colour and it was made up a overlapping plates.
It looked a little too advanced for a simple rich thug, which made Haze conclude he wasn't just some simple thug after all. He chuckled and started to look a lot better. His cut on his temple was..closing, and Haze stared at him in shock and awe. "Oh, my dear, if only you knew the lengths we've gone through just to track you down. The years of planning, the barriers I've had to pass just to be here now. It's been quite the journey. But I've said too much already." He stood up tall and gave her a cocky smile. "I will tell you this. Your talents will be most valued by my Masters. Consider it an honour, to be chosen to be one of their angels of death." His eyes suddenly changed, just for a second and Haze saw blue reptilian eyes.
Haze was about to shut him up, when she felt a sudden sharp pain in her right arm. She gasped and cried out in shock and agony, as a blade was stabbed through her upper arm, making her let got of her baton. Then a strong hand grabbed Haze from under her chin and lifted her up in the air. She felt the soft bumps of breasts as she was pressed hard into a tall upright form and that's when she realized it was the female Minotaur.
"Now that's enough of that, wee Lassy." The Minotaur said, in a cocky rumbly voice and Haze struggled in her grasp, but her fingers were like metal clamps on her windpipe.
"Now, now, Venesa, be gentle with her." Rusty stated, in a coy tone as he got up close to Haze. "After all, we want her alive."
"She better be worth all this trouble." Venesa sneered. "You never said any'hing 'bout no bleeding Wolven. And you shot one of me guys!"
"You will be compensated." Rusty snapped, his tone getting edgy. "Now, bring her."
Venesa hesitated and glared at Rusty. "How can I be sure you willny just stick me in the back? Since you don't seem to give a toss about those you hired."
Rusty just smiled, a cold and uncaring smile that scared Haze more than Venesa's iron grip around her throat. "If you keep stalling, there'll be more than knifes in backs when I'm done here."
Venesa suddenly tucked herself around Haze and pressed her small body to her big one, as if using Haze as some sort of living shield. Venesa then pulled the blade out of Haze's arm and she screamed in pain. But her screams were cut short when Venesa pushed the blood stained knife to Haze's throat.
"I think we're already done." Venesa stated, backing up slowly with Haze.
Rusty gave Venesa an crazy glare, his eye lids twitching slightly. "I beg your pardon?" He asked, his tone low, and oddly shifty, like the pitch of his voice was going from low to high. Then his form seemed to shimmer, like some magic was starting to wear off.
Venesa then pointed the knife at his glitching body and she now sounded scared. "Fuck you, the deal's off. You can't be trusted you freak."
" Tier of this." Just then, something sharp and transparent, stabbed Venesa from behind her right shoulder and stuck out her front near Haze's head. Venesa gasped and dropped Haze, as that same invisible blade, lifted Venesa up off the floor and hurled her into the darkness.
Haze lay on the floor now, with her arm bleeding badly and she was unable to move, when Rusty loomed over her. He pulled out a needle and drew it close to Haze's throat. Haze was about to scream again, but Rusty clamped a hoof over her mouth. "Now, this might sting a little, but what comes next, more so." He said, in a whisper and moved the needle in for her jugular vein.
Just as he was about to inject the needle into Haze's neck, an arrow came shooting down from the roof and embedded itself in his right back. He grunted not in pain, but in annoyance, as he looked up and was only able to yelp in shock, when a Pony with bat wings came down from the roof and landed on him.
He fell flat on his back with a loud thud, with the arrow now sticking out his chest. He must be dead, no one can survive that. Haze wasn't so sure, there had been something wrong with him, but all thoughts were pushed aside when her arm flared up. Blood was starting to pool under Haze's arm and she began to feel lightheaded. "Haze? Oh gods, Haze!" Ruby was now by her side and Haze yelped when Ruby touched her arm.
"AH careful, oh gods it hurts so much!" Haze shouted,as she tried to sit up. "Where'd that Minotaur go?"
Ruby looked into the dark, her bat like eyes able to see ten times better than Haze's and she saw nothing. "I don't know, I can't see anyone. But that doesn't matter right now, not with your arm bleeding like that."
She put her bow down and cradled Haze in her arms and she painfully looked up at her. Ruby, was a Bat Pony, with a silver body, a short maroon mane that was pink on the ends and batty eyes that shown like sapphires in the shadows. Haze made a pained smile, and reached up to touch Ruby's cheek. "Good timing as always, but could you not let them stab me in the arm next time."
Ruby smiled down at her, a warm loving smile Haze always found comfort in. "I'll be quicker next time." She then leaned down and kissed Haze on the forehead.
"Aww, that's so cute." They both gasped and looked up to see Rusty was now standing again, with his energy weapon back in his hold and he was aiming it at them. How was he still alive. He had a arrow in his chest and it was bleeding, but it wasn't red. His blood was now green in colour and it was slowing down as his wound tried to close around the arrow's shaft. With a grunt, he snapped the arrow in half, with the broken half still sticking out, and he grunted at them. "But as much as I like romance, I got to break this up. Starting with you." He pointed the weapon at Ruby and began to charge it up fir a kill shot.
But that shot never came, when wolf like shape appeared suddenly and loomed out of the shadows behind him. He tried to turn and aim at the new threat but was stopped, when a furry hand shot out of the darkness and grabbed his arm. In one quick swipe, Teven brought her claws down and cut Rusty's arm off. He didn't scream, nor make any sound. He just stared at the bleeding green stump that had once been his arm a second ago and then he looked at Haze. "Well..that wasn't supposed to happen." He said, dull and disconnected.
Teven then grabbed him violently up in one paw and hurled him at a window. He smashed through it and fell down to a ground below, not making a single sound as he did, just stared at them one last time, and then vanished out of sight. Teven then howled in victory and then looked to Haze and Ruby. "Odd how he didn't scream when I cut his arm off." Teven said, a little annoyed. "But at least he's out of the picture. How are you holding up, Pack Leader?"
Haze sucked in a sharp breath and sat up with Ruby's support. "I've been better. What the hell just happened here today? How did they know who I was and why?"
"I don't know Haze, I only know I need to stop this bleeding." Rudy stressed and grabbed hold of her arm. Haze screamed, as firy hot pain burned through her shoulder and down to her hoof. "I know, it hurts, but I have to put pressure on it. Teven, give me a hand here." Teven bent down and was next to them now. "Keep pressure on this while I get a bandage."
Teven did as instructed and clamped her big hand all the way around Haze's upper arm and she felt like she was going to faint. While Haze wriggled on the floor under Teven's grasp, Ruby had gotten a medkit from her gear belt and was already Starting to unzip it. "Just hold on Haze, I'll fix you up right quick."
She fumbled with the bag and the medical stuff inside fell out. "Shit, oh come on, no" She fumbled around, trying to find the right thing but she was starting to have a panic attack. She was shaking all over, breathing quick and heart racing. "Oh gods, there's so much blood." She felt like she was going to loose it, when Teven put a hand on her shoulder and gave her a rough shake.
"Hey, steel yourself for fuck sake!" Teven barked at Ruby and she pulled herself together.
"Right, got to stay calm." She said, mostly to herself and looked again at the mess on the floor. She finally found what she was looking for and quickly snatched it up. With Teven's help, she finally wrapped up Haze's wound and stopped the bleeding.
Haze was so weak now, that she couldn't even sit up. But she managed to look up at Ruby and saw a tear in her eye. "I feel like crap." She groaned, then added. "But maybe a kiss will make me feel better."
"Oh hud yer wheesht." Ruby said, nearly balling her eyes out as she kissed Haze on the lips and then hugged her close. After a moment like that, Haze felt some of her energy return from Ruby's love and she breathed deeply, as live came back to her weak form.
She wasn't strong enough to stand yet, but she was able to sit up again with Ruby's help. "Thanks Ruby, I needed that."
"Don't do that to me again." Ruby stated, slapping one of Haze's ears. It hurt and Haze was going to protest when Rudy hugged her again. She then parted from Haze once more but still helped her stay sitting. "What the hell happened? How did it all go so bad so quick?"
Haze, still a little dizzy, found it hard to think of any good theory and in the end, shook her head. "I don't know, but we can't stay here. All this noise will have attracted some sort of attention and when that happens, we need to be far from it."
"Agreed." Teven stated and got to her feet. She winced a bit, putting a hand to her charred belly and it shedding a thin patch of blood.
"You think you can carry me, Teven?" Haze asked and felt her cheeks heat up with embarrassment. She didn't like being carried, but in this case, she was willing to make an exception since she still couldn't walk on her own.
Teven huffed and shook off any discomfort she was feeling. "I would carry you, if I only had one arm. This burn is nothing." Teven scooped up Haze in her arms and was about to move when Haze spoke again.
"Wait, take that weapon with us." She pointed at the dismembered arm and Ruby looked at it and frowned.
"You sure?" She asked, and Haze nodded.
Ruby picked up the strange weapon but the hoof attached to the arm was stuck in some sort of slot in the weapon and it took some yanking to get it frre. It finally came out with pop and fell to the floor witha meaty thud. Then with all said and done, the three left the area and vanished into the hills as the morning sun just began to fill the bluing sky.
(Barrierland, Frozen Tundra)
(Theran Razorblade)
"And that should just be about..there , done."
Theran had finished healing Teal'c's wound and she tested it by flexing her shoulders. There was still a scar, but that was the side effect of healing magic, and it stretched and bent with the movement of her skin with no sign of tearing. "Thank you, Theran." Teal'c said in her usual tone, but she bowed to him as a show of her real gratitude.
"Ah, it's nothing." Theran said, waving a hoof at her. "Just try not to get a habit of it, and we should be golden."
Teal'c didn't say anything to that, just gave a small bow again and then went to sit by their new campfire. They had packed up everything they could carry and now, they had made up camp under a large rock formation that stuck out the ground, located in a wide open tundra. Normally, Theran wouldn't have picked this spot, do to there not being any thick cover you would get in the forest, but at the same time, He didn't want to be in the forest since that was where the Infected lived most of the time.
At least from here, he could spot any would be attackers from sneaking up on them, and with Teal'c's staff, they had the range advantage, so maybe it wasn't so bad. Theran sat down by the fire with a loud metal thud and sighed heavily as his muscles got a chance to finally relax.
While he began taking off his upper armour, he looked to the other side of the campfire and saw Rossy was finally fast asleep. Most of her own armour, still stained with blood after their battle with the Cultists, was laying in a row in front of Rossy as she slept. She had a fur cover over her and her head lay on her own bag.
He listen as she softly snored, watched as her body rose and fell with her breathing and how her nose twitched as bits of her messy mane was being blown over her snout with the soft push of the wind. He felt a familiar ghostly feeling, one he had not felt in some time. Was it affection he was feeling? A parental instinct starting to resurface with a child being around him perhaps? What ever it was, it was making Theran care about this young Mare, and he hated it.
Why did she have to come into his life. Before, he knew nothing of what may have befell his friends and all those he knew 4 years ago, and in a way he was ok with that. If he didn't know, then in a way nothing had happened to them, they could just stay the way he remembered them, alive and happy, and forever stuck in limbo. Rossy's appearance had changed all that.
Now he knew, they weren't happy, they were struggling and they were looking for him. Theran roughly yanked on his neck plate and was only met with it not coming off. "Piece of shit." He muttered and yanked on it some more, only making it tighter.
"Allow me." Teal'c was next to him and before he could say anything, she was already fiddling with the strap and in a few seconds, it came undone. "There, it is off." She stated and stayed kneeling next to him. "Theran, you need to tell her."
"Tell her what?" Theran asked, his tone low and grumbley, his normal tone on most things.
Teal'c just narrowed her eyes at him and flicked her tong a little, a sign she was annoyed. "You know full well of what I speak of. I have spent must time with her, she is no fool and will figure it out in the end."
"Then let her figure it out." Theran complained, tossing his neck plate over to where his own bag lay.
Teal'c breathed in deep and let her breath out slowly. She shook her head. "If you don't, she will only resent you for keeping it so long from her. Why not avoid that by just being honest with her?"
"'Cause people end up getting hurt when they know stuff about me." Theran countered, giving her a sharp look. "So no, I won't. Anyway, she doesn't need to know 'cause she doesn't need me."
"If that is true, then ask yourself. Why is she here? If what you say is true, then why are you in the thoughts of her parents?" Teal'c said, as she sat next to him now and wrapped her arms around her own legs, leaning into her knees.
"They don't know any better." Theran retorted but it was weak and Teal'c knew it.
"We both know that is not true. You mean something to Rossy's family, something that Rossy herself risked to find. If that doesn't say what value you have, I do not know what will."
Theran shut his eyes for a moment and thought about them. He saw their faces in his mind, with each face a name. Blazer Everfree, always hot tempered but always knew how to put a smile on other's faces. Jully Everfree, Wife to Blazer and supportive mother. Lilly Everfree, who was a mother herself by now, and was completely stead fast in the face of danger. And there was Tim Everfree, and the last point |Theran had seen him, was at Splinter Bay, when the Infected first attacked. He wondered if he was still alive after that horrid night. Maybe Rossy knew his fate, but he feared to ask.
There were others, like Merry Weather, who always had something to play at the inn with that Lute of hers. Then there was Marvin and Ricky, who always bickered like a married couple but were also brave fighters. And finally there was the trouble maker teens, Sword Play, his brother Jake, Slick Wing and Snow Star. There were countless others Theran had gotten to know in his time at Rest Pit when he lived there, and he leaned forward, placing his face in his hooves.
He then took a deep breath and sighed slowly. He then felt he needed the comfort and leaned on Teal'c. She didn't protest, as she put one arm around his shoulders and placed her hand on his arm. She was warm and he took comfort in that warmth, as did she from him, as the two of them looked out on the tundra, the late after noon sun bathing the land in shades of yellow and orange.
"I consider you a friend, Theran." Teal'c said, soft and soothing. "One I have come to care for. This world, is a harsh one, but not without its beauty. Ask yourself, does it deserve to be destroyed? Does Rossy Everfree, deserve to suffer? Or does she deserve a second chance, does her family?" She looked at Theran now and he looked her in the eye. "Do you deserve one? Chances come and go, as surely as the wind carries away a storm. Life wants to give us chances, to change our lives and to the lives of others. The question is, will you give life a chance, to take a leap of faith and see where the winds take you?"
Theran was speechless, he just looked into those wise yellow eyes and knew deep down, what she was telling him. "I...I don't know."
"You got time. But does she?" Teal'c nodded at Rossy. Theran didn't say anything, he just looked at Rossy's sleeping form. "Oh, she's so much like Haze. Look, she even twitches her nose in her sleep like Haze did."
Theran nodded, but then frowned when he realized something. "Wait, I never told you about..." When he looked at Teal'c again, he was no longer looking at an Ophlidite, but a white Pony, with a light brown mane, with pink highlights and bright lavender eyes. He was staring at Violet.
"Violet?!" Theran stood up and stared at her, as she got to her hooves in a smooth motion and looked at him affectionately. She was so beautiful and he was awe struck by her grace. "But, how. You're..."
"Dead?" She gave him a look that said she was sorry but at the same time, forgiving. "That depends on your perspective. But that's not the point here." She moved closer to him, so close he could feel her hot breath on his face, could feel her pulse as she touched his arm and rested her forehead on his.
They stayed like that for awhile, just enjoying the moment. Then, Theran spoke and his voice was soft. "This isn't real, you're not real."
"Maybe." Violet said, in the same soft voice, as she lifted her head and looked him right in the eye. "But she is." Violet pointed to Rossy and Theran followed her direction. For the first time, Theran actually saw the young Mare, not as an annoyance, but someone who wanted his help, needed his help.
He felt his heart begin to ache and a tear escaped his eye. "What should I do, Vi? I don't know what to do. What if I'm not strong enough?"
"Follow your heart." She said, warm and full of love, as she began to back away from him. "Like you always have."
She then started to fade and Theran reached out to her. "Wait." But she was gone and Theran was now staring at Teal'c, who looked at him in confusion.
"Theran, are you feeling well?" She asked and Theran blinked.
He was sitting by the fire again and was next to Teal'c, who looked at him in a perplexed way as she had one arm around him. What had just happened? Had he dozed off? Was it a vision, or had he completely lost his mind? Whatever the case, Theran felt like things were starting to become more clear, sharper and he looked out on the tundra in front of him.
"I'm..ok, Teal'c." Theran stated in a soft manner and noticed Rossy was starting to wake. He half smiled and made a hearty chuckle. "We're ok."