‘Faust? Mother of Creation and Heaven, Are you there? I know I probably shouldn’t be praying to you what with...anyway; I know I haven’t been the best soul in this world. I know I don’t deserve any mercy but I’d like to think of myself as being redeemable. I want to be good, and I want to be worthy.
But at this moment, I-I could use a little help. Nothing for me personally but, if you could find it in your divine mercy could please...please...kill Agent Sweetie Drops?’
Somehow, I doubt my prayer will be answered or much less heard, but I have been to what is basically hell, so a shout in the other direction couldn’t hurt.
The thumping of half a dozen legs skittering behind me most certainly will though, not to mention the clicking mandibles that are driving them to chase me.
I’ve been dodging this hulking brute for a least a block and a half now, narrowly escaping being pinced to death. Whatever Agent Drops put on this rag it sure as heck wants it.
‘Just bail, toss the rag and make a break for it.’ I tell myself. ‘She is using you as live bait for this thing.’
Yeah, that is absolutely true. Drops probably wouldn’t bat an eyelash if this thing tore me in half. Still, Ponyville has been kind to me, and I rather not make them suffer.
With a buzz from behind I bank sharply to the right, my hooves kicking up dirt as I find purchase on the dirt street. The Doom Bug passing by me, taking out a lamp post, before rejoining the chase.
With any luck I can just lead it straight out of town and back to the forest.
‘Then what?’ My mind nags at me once more. Let’s just get there alive first.
The streets are mercifully clear; the only real ponies I’ve seen since we began this merry chase have been those who have crammed themselves into buildings and alleyways..
The raised hairs on my neck are cue enough for me to know I need to move. I bank sharply to the left only to get further grazed by a trio of legs, knocking me like a ragdoll into an abandoned cart, the cabbage acting as a mediocre cushion.
Stunned I open my eyes to see the world is turned upside down, with my head wanting nothing more to stay down. The Doom Bug now barreling down on me is enough to motivate me. I attempt to roll to the side but find a leg blocking my escape, another blocking the other direction.
I am officially boxed in.
A hiss from above me lets me know it knows that too.
‘You’re boned.’ It seems to say.
Turning my head slightly I can see it hovering over me. As if waiting, wanting me to turn and look it onto the eyes.
One eye is enough it seems as it lunges in at me. Instinctively I raise my forelegs up to protect my head only to painfully catch the mandibles. The pincers pressing down on me with merciless intensity.
I am pushed down upon with a frenzy of hissing and other beastial noises that drown out everything else.
It’s jaws press tighter, holding me in place as it’s mouth further drips it’s horrible drool that stinks to high heaven. I can feel myself being dragged and pushed against the ground, the remnants of the cart digging into my back.
Despite everything, I cannot escape one singular truth. One simple drive. Namely; I don’t want to die this way. In a mania of sheer desperation, I scream and kick at the thing as hard as I can. I must have hit some tender spot, because the overwhelming crushing pressure lifts considerably.
Emboldened by my minor success I further assault my attacker, smashing both hooves into it. With a pained hiss it lets me go.
Desperate to put some distance between us I attempt to clamber away only for my back leg to be clamped down upon.
To my horror I am summarily flung through the air, before coming down hard on an assortment of wooden crates.
Once again dazed, I can hear the thump of legs skittering toward me once again. Nothing else for it, I grip the nearest unbroken crate and swing wildly. My blind attack rewarded me with a solid hit to the creature, splintering the wood across its massive armored head.
We face off once again, me breathing hard, and it shaking off the blow with a huff. It's then I notice that I’ve lost the lure. I don’t have long to look as I spot it, neatly sitting on the ground between us.
Not wanting this to continue any more I slowly back away, content to just let it have the damn thing. It does indeed step forward, then again, then again. Stepping right on the lure before gruffly casting it aside.
I look up into it’s chitlin face. Expressionless compound eyes and gnashing pincers make its intent clear;
‘this isn’t about that anymore.’
“...Crap.” I bolt once again the bellowing shriek of the bug once again hot on my heels.
———————————
Bon Bon could hear the calamity going on in the streets. It was, in all honesty, nostalgic. It reminded her a great deal of Bullapest.
Only, she never wanted that to happen here. She mentally cursed having to keep her cover intact. A level three Doom Bug was relatively simple to corral given the right inventive, provided you didn’t agitate it.
Clearly the human lacked the finesse to not mess that up.
She was further irritated by the daggers currently pointed at her.
Lyra and the other ponies had settled into their hiding place in the alley with relative ease. However a certain Stetson wearing mare seemed to have words she wished to share. At present she could only manage a few cold stares coupled with a wince or two as her injured leg was being patched up
“That cut is really deep, Miss Apple,” Nurse Red Heart said sternly to the farmer as she put the wrap back into her field bag. “You are going to certainly need stitches when this is over.
“Not the first time, nor the last.” It was here she actually broke her glare to offer the nurse a confident but grateful nod. From the corner of her eye Bon Bon could see that Applejack was indeed hobbling over.
“What the buck was that?” Now was the time to play her part as she looked over confused.
“What do you mean?”
“Throwin’ Green to wolves like that. That varmint will tear him apart.” Peering around the corner she can just see said stallion dodging yet another attack before bolting in another direction, a resounding crash making her cringe before looking back to Bon Bon.
The candy mare met the Apple mare’s gaze and without so much as flinching responded. “He can handle it.”
“Beg your pardon?” She’s says incredulously.
“Green is used to this kinda thing. He’s tougher than you think.” Another crash, this time that of glass almost comically punctuating her statement.
———————-
Everything hurts. I shamble my way down the road on what I assume is a broken back ankle.
With gritted teeth I push through it, sacrificing maneuvering for speed as the nettled beetle continues to chase me.
If I could just change back I could absorb both some earth energy and crush the beast. ‘Then absorb it’s magic.’
It’s tempting, very very tempting. Sweetie Drops couldn’t get mad about it. Right?
‘My cover would be blown, though. And... I like it here.’
With a heavy sigh I stagger back to face the thing.
“Buck it.” I wince as I settle in. Dying looking brave is not the worst way to go, all things considered.
Noticing I’ve stopped trying to get away the Doom Bug squares me up. Not stopping but moving more at a steady pace.
I honestly hope he eats me entirely. Not looking forward to the first few bites but then again, at least I won’t leave anything for the ‘good’ doctor to pick at.
Picking up the pace it builds to a charge, it’s multiple legs rising to a rapid drum beat that only grows in intensity as it barrels down on me.
I raise my hooves up to brace for impact but I don’t bother looking forward. The sun beats down on my back as I feel the air displacing ahead of me.
The rattle of its legs chatter my very teeth now.
One last viceral hiss before it’s on me.
I feel the impact. Then nothing more….
….by that I mean nothing else at all.
No sharp horn impaling me.
No thrashing or gnashing.
Nothing.
I peek my good eye open to find that I’ve seemingly caught the thing. It’s pressing against me pushing me back slightly causing me to form a furrow in the dirt.
It squeals in it’s own confusion apparently, as it stamps it’s legs hoping to find a greater purchase to push me over.
Stunned for but a moment, I take a chance and reassert my stance; a challenging feat as I can only favor one hind leg. The result is we stopped moving back altogether.
It attempts to pull away, but I instantly grip tighter, causing it to try and flail back to break free. It’s head remains trapped in my grasp, as it’s two other segments writhe and squirm to be released.
Despite its great size, it felt like...well I’ve used this word before, but it works; Nothing. Like holding a heavy sack of rocks. Not easy, but for the moment manageable. Had I been able to absorb enough earth magic from my haphazard attempt to flee?
So it would seem.
But now that I’ve stopped moving shouldn’t I be burning through it like sugar?
My dance partner is not a happy buggo as it attempts to snap at me but having a firm grip on its head put me in control of this little soiree.
Pushing down on its head, I begin to feel it. I hadn’t noticed before because of-well, fighting for my life. A familiar pulsing that rose from its form tickling the hairs of my forelegs to my very core.
I was feeding off it’s magic.
Somehow, despite being told my equine form was a containment against my life leaching touch, I was doing just that. It was far more restrained, like sipping through a straw rather than chugging, but apparent nonetheless.
It was invigorating.
Taking a deep breath, I gripped the beastie harder causing it to hiss in confusion before pushing my wither into it fully, slamming it down into the ground.
It further squealed in both alarm and pain, as I pinned it by the head on it’s side. It’s freed up legs batting at me to let go. I had seen those very legs smash through solid wood, and even injure Applejack, but now they just bounced off me like cat scratches.
I was even starting to enjoy myself a little, before the ping of something metallic could be heard landing at my hooves.
Looking down I saw a small cylinder rolling to stop by the both of us.
My eyes went wide just as it burst leaving me in a cloud of noxious smoke.
It was then I released the Beetle and attempted to move away. Stupidly, my shock came with a gasp the moment the bomb blew, rewarding me with a lungful of gas.
Panic set in as my lungs began to seize up. Gasping, I only succeeded in downing more. Coughing only made matters worse.
My world began to turn black, as I frantically tried to fan the smoke away in a desperate attempt to find my way to life giving air.
I fell to my stomach, my eyes starting to roll back into my head. Before I felt myself being grabbed by a pair of hooves. Unable to react with any more than a spasm, I felt them grab my head and shove something on my face.
In an instant my coughing became productive, my lungs finding purchase to push out the gas and find air to breathe. With air came awareness, someone put some sort of gasmask on me.
My breathing still labored, I looked up to see the shape of a pony.
“Try not to throw up in the mask, then you’ll be totally buggered.” The voice was muffled by its own mask but deep and unmistakably male.
I attempted to stand only to be pushed down. “You did good, son. Just breathe.”
My eyes were still raw, and my chest heaved from the trauma. Nothing else to do but comply. Heaving deep breath after deep breath.