Baagh Raaja stood over the corpse of Amber Eye. He was taking deep breaths. He looked up and saw Rainbow Dash in her tiger form walking past him. She stopped for a moment and stumbled a little. Her blue aura began forming around her, and her human parts started to come back.
He trotted over to her as she fully reverted back into human form and nearly fell over. She landed on Baagh Raaja’s head. She sat down on her legs and placed a hand on her forehead. Baagh Raaja looked at her. “You did it Rainbow Dash.”
Rainbow Dash looked back up at him. “I did, didn’t I?”
Pinkie Pie bounced to Rainbow Dash and hugged her tightly. Twilight, Spike, and Fluttershy sprinted towards her and joined in Pinkie’s hug. “Yippee!!” Pinkie said.
Konda twitched his ear and saw the girls hugging each other. He walked over to them and got next to Baagh Raaja. “So, these are the humans we came all this way to save. You’re Welcome by the way,” he said
Twilight and Fluttershy’s eyes widened. They looked at Konda with their jaws dropped “...Did that tiger just...talk?” Twilight asked, pointing a finger at him. Konda smiled and showed his teeth, making Spike whimper.
Rainbow Dash smirked. “Yeah, it’s a bit of a long story,” she said, getting herself out of Pinkie's grip.
Fluttershy froze and stared off as if she was gazing into outer space. “Suddenly I don’t feel as special,” she said before whimpering with watery eyes.
Pinkie Pie placed a hand on her shoulder. “Ah don’t worry Fluttershy, only the predators can speak human.” Fluttershy smiled with her big eyes, looking as if she were about to explode with joy.
Konda shook his head slightly. “So...now that this is over, how are you gonna get home?” he asked, sitting down and curling his tail next to him.
All of the girls froze for a second. Rainbow Dash took a few steps towards him. “I...haven’t thought of that,” she said, scratching her head.
Spike jumped up and down. Twilight looked down at him as he was wagging his tail. “Well, maybe we can get to the coast and find a ship?” he suggested. Konda only blinked repeatedly, then looked to the west of him, then looked back at them.
Twilight pointed at the sky. “Or we can find the closest airport?” she asked, looking at her friends.
Sulu turned his head and looked at the girls. He limped towards them. Rainbow Dash saw him coming, making Twilight and Spike turn around to see him. “There’s no need. Come,” he ordered. Baagh Raaja and Konda followed behind the girls. Talamba and Partak saw them and followed.
They entered the cave and as they got deeper they were faced with the bright white light again. Twilight and Fluttershy had to use their hands to block out the light. When they entered the chamber, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie saw River Sand next to Applejack, wrapping huge leaves around her arm with her hands. Night Sky’s wounds were covered in the healing tree sap and she was sleeping.
Twilight and Fluttershy’s jaws dropped while Spike’s eyes got bigger. “Am I the only one who thought this stone would be smaller?” Twilight asked.
Talamba looked at her. “That’s what I said!” he replied, making Twilight giggle.
Sulu limped to the stone, making his way to one side of it. He sat down and looked at Rainbow Dash. “Make your wish,” he ordered
Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow “Uh, okay.” She walked up to the stone and placed a hand on it “I wish my friends and I could go home and stay in contact with the guys who helped us,” she said. The light began to flicker on the stone. Rainbow Dash backed away from it, but Sulu stayed put. A large white aura began surrounding the stone, and a beam of light hit a cave wall. A circle of white light began to form, the circle itself giving way to what looked like a hole. Beyond that hole were houses, a street, and a pair of people walking their dogs. The light dimmed down and the aura disappeared. The hole showing the neighborhood disappeared as well. Rainbow Dash walked up to the cave wall, and placing a hand on it, it went through the cave wall. She gasped, then smiled.
Twilight and Fluttershy smiled as well. “Well, that’s convenient,” Twilight said.
Applejack stared at the cave wall, then at the stone, then she turned her attention to Sulu. “I thought its powers could only be activated by a magic person’s blood!” she said.
Sulu began to limp towards her. “To make one a better killer it needs that blood, but before Karu died he also blessed the stone with the ability to grant the wishes of those who have risked their lives to protect it,” he replied before River Sand walked up to him with a wooden bowl full of sap and she began putting it on his wounds.
Spike wagged his tail. “Cool! Let’s go!” he said before running through the portal. Twilight and Fluttershy both sprinted through the portal as well.
Rainbow Dash turned around and looked at Baagh Raaja who hung his head down slightly. She walked up to him and hugged him around the neck. “Goodbye Baagh Raaja. I’ll keep in touch,” she told him.
Baagh Raaja smiled. “I’d like that,” he said before she released her grip. She walked up to the portal, then looked back at Baagh Raaja. She turned away and walked through the portal. River Sand helped Applejack up before she started walking, and Pinkie Pie started heading towards the portal too. “Applejack, Pinkie Pie,” Baagh Raaja said, getting their attention.
“Yeah?” Pinkie Pie asked.
“Rainbow Dash’s feline instincts have fully awakened, and at this stage, a person can have a hard time trying to control them. Promise me you’ll help her control them?” he said.
Applejackc and Pinkie Pie looked at each other and nodded. “You betcha!” Pinkie Pie said.
Applejack tipped her hat. “Ah’ll do what ah can,” she said before they both walked through the portal. The group stood in place for a short moment before Sulu got up. “Come. We must bury the dead.” he said.
Talamba’s eyes got bigger. “Wait, can’t we wish for them to come back?” he asked.
Sulu shook his head. “The stone doesn’t have the power of resurrection.”
Talamba frowned. “Of course it doesn’t.”
Months have passed. The streets were busy. The sun shined bright across the city. The pigeons roosted on top of Sugarcube Corner. Inside the restaurant, the girls sat at the couch around the table. Applejack took a sip from her hot chocolate and put it on the table. “Ya know, it’s kinda been weird readjusting to normal life,” she said.
Pinkie Pie put down her cupcake. “Tell me about it, I sometimes still feel like I’m in the savanna,” she said, hugging herself.
Sunset Shimmer sat next to Twilight eating a donut. “I bet. I could only imagine what it must’ve been like to be with living saber-toothed tigers,” she said before taking another bite.
Twilight touched her shoulder, getting her attention. “Sunset, they’re not tigers, they’re a different species. So the right name is saber-toothed cats,” she told her.
Sunset Shimmer simply rolled her eyes. “Whatever Twilight.”
Applejack put her feet on the table, making Rarity give her a dirty look. “I remember when we first met Baagh Raaja. He wasn’t too happy with someone trying to eat his kill.” She giggled.
Twilight’s eyes widened. “Wait, that’s how you met the guy?” she asked.
Applejack nodded. “Yeah, and boy were we surprised he could talk, and shapeshift.”
Sunset looked at Rainbow Dash who was sitting on the couch arm, or rather laying her back on it. “Speaking of which, Rainbow Dash, we need to talk,” she said.
“About what?” Rainbow Dash asked with a raised eyebrow.
Sunset put her hands together and pointed them to her. “About your new ability.”
“Don’t worry, I’ve got it under control.” Rainbow Dash scoffed.
Rarity put her cup of tea down on the table. “Then can you explain to me why there was a dead deer in your room!?” she asked. Rainbow Dash slightly blushed and scratched the back of her head.
“When I pet sitted Tank last time he told me you were out pretty late,” Fluttershy said
Sunset crossed her arms. “Yeah, you’ve looked tired the past few weeks.”
Rainbow Dash looked away from her for a moment. “It’s fine...I’ll get better control of it,” she replied.
Applejack looked at her and got her boots off the table. “Rainbow Dash, I promised Baagh Raaja I’d help you get control of your instincts. So if you need help, just come to me, okay?” she said.
Rainbow Dash sighed. “Alright.”
They began to get up and walk out of the building. Rainbow Dash opened the door and held it for everyone. Twilight looked up into the sky. “Wait, is that a martial eagle?” she asked.
“Huh?” Sunset said with a raised brow.
Looking up, Rainbow Dash saw a martial eagle soaring through the sky. Her eyes got bigger and she smiled. The eagle dove towards the gang and dropped a small scroll on the ground before flying off. Rainbow Dash sprinted in front of her friends and grabbed the scroll. “It’s from Baaghy!”
Applejack smirked and crossed her arms. “Baaghy?” she said as the others began to giggle.
Rainbow Dash raised a brow. “What?” she asked.
Rarity walked up to her. “You call him Baaghy, you both turn into tigers, and you write to each other?” she asked, giggling, making Rainbow Dash blush a little.
“Wait, how does he write back anyway?” Sunset asked.
Fluttershy looked at her. “I gave him a pen, and found that eagle to deliver letters,.” she answered.
Rainbow Dash’s face was as red as a cherry at this point. “Oh shut up.” she said before opening the scroll.
“Dear Rainbow Dash,
Yesterday I had to rescue the knucklehead Talamba from a hippopotamus after he tried getting at the calf. Why he didn’t just try finding an antelope or, better yet, actually help his lionesses hunt for once is beyond me. Honestly it’s a miracle I didn’t get bit. Speaking of which, that same dimwit is going to have a litter of cubs. On one hand that gives us a greater feeling of belonging in our new home, but on the other hand it probably means we’ll have a little Talamba.”
Rainbow Dash’s eyes began to gleam. “Talamba’s gonna have cubs!” she said.
Applejack gasped. “Really?”
“Whoopee!” Pinkie Pie cried while bouncing up and down.
Sunset raised a brow. “Talamba’s the lion, right?” she asked.
“Right,” Applejack answered before Rainbow Dash turned her attention back to the letter.
“As for the others, Konda’s paw fully healed from the porcupine quills. Sulu just got back from his journey to the other jungle which is full of tiny horses and giant birds. He wanted to make sure the land crocodiles didn’t forget their history. Partak has been practice fighting with me since he wants to pass on his skills to me, and trust me, I’m getting stronger by the day. As for Night Sky, I’m pretty sure she’s starting to see me as her little brother because she’s been playing a bunch of tricks on me, and has started talking to me like she’s my older sister. River Sand has been super busy, a few hunters got injured in a buffalo hunt.”
Anyway, those are your updates.
Sincerely,
Baagh Raaja
Rainbow Dash rolled the letter back up. “Well, I better respond, bye!” she said before touching her geode and flying off.
In a few moments she returned to her apartment. The building was small with a green outside with a tile roof. She quickly opened the door and went inside. She immediately ran upstairs to her bedroom. At her bedroom window, the martial eagle was perched. She sat at her desk and got out a piece of paper and started writing.
“Dear Baagh Raaja,
I really want to see Talamba’s cubs, they’ll be so cute!
It’s been kinda weird adjusting to my new power. I’m still trying to get control of my instincts, but I’ll get full control of them. You’ve grown so much since the last time I saw you. Protecting a dumb family member from a hippo? Man you’re brave! I’m glad Night Sky is getting better after Wildfire’s death.
“And you know, you’re really lucky to have a new family who cares about you. You really are.
Sincerely,
Rainbow Dash
She rolled the paper up and handed it to the eagle which took off into the sky again. Rainbow Dash felt a sudden pang in her stomach. She looked down for a bit before closing the window and going downstairs into the living room. She sat on the green couch and grabbed a small picture frame with her and her parents. In the picture she was ten years old. Her dad held bunny ears over her head and her mom had her hand on her shoulder. A pair of tears began to roll down her cheeks “Baagh Raaja really is lucky.” she thought
The moon shone against the grassy plains, and the stars covered the sky as far as the eye could see. Baagh Raaja, Konda, and some of the other tigers walked back towards the cave. Baagh Raaja groaned. “You know, it kinda sucks we fail more than we succeed,” he said.
Konda nodded. “Yeah but you can’t change it,” he replied.
As they approached the cave, River Sand ran out of it with her arms and human legs. “Hey Baagh Raaja, you’re just in time!” she said, holding the piece of paper in her hand.
“Sweet!” Baagh Raaja said before running towards her. His blue aura formed and his human features started to appear. He grabbed the paper and opened it up.
Talamba walked up to him and grinned. “Ah, another letter from your woman,” he said.
Baagh Raaja snarled. “Talamba, shut up.” He looked at the letter and chuckled.
Talamba twitched his tail. “Well, what does it say?” he asked.
Baagh Raaja looked at him. “She called you dumb.”
Talamba growled. “Hey!”
River Sand giggled. “So are you gonna respond tonight?” she asked, swishing her tail.
Baagh Raaja froze for a second, then looked at the cave entrance. “Actually, it’s been so long since I last saw her. I think I should visit her,” he said, looking at the letter again.
River Sand shrugged. “Well, no one's stopping you,” she said before walking back into the cave.
Baagh Raaja started walking to the cave but stopped. “I should probably wait a little bit. Because of the time zones. It’s probably daylight there now,” he said, sitting down.
Konda grinned. “Well hey, you do what you feel is right,” he said, placing a paw on his shoulder.
Deep in the woods, night had fallen. A shining light appeared on the side of a large rock. Baagh Raaja was in tiger form while walking through the portal. “Just as I thought. Now to find Rainbow Dash.” he thought as he looked around.
He began to walk around, listening for any sounds. He saw houses up ahead and a road. He started walking towards it when a coyote began howling. Baagh Raaja gave a deep growl. “Okay, that thing better shut up.” he thought. The coyote however, didn’t stop howling. Baagh Raaja began walking towards it.“That’s it!-” he thought before stopping, closing his eyes and growling. “Crap, if I roar at it, it could cause a ruckus with the humans, but I don’t want to kill the coyote for telling others to stay off it’s hunting grounds.” He turned back around and walked towards the road. “Guess I’ll just have to tolerate it.” he thought as the coyote continued howling.
Baagh Raaja walked on the side of the road behind the trees. He lowered his head to the ground and began sniffing. He sniffed once again and jerked his head up “That’s her scent!” he thought before running on the trail. Before he knew it he found himself at a wooden fence along a striong of houses. He sniffed the ground to his left and smelled nothing. He sniifed the ground to his right and smelled nothing. He got right up to the fence and smelled Rainbow Dash’s scent junst behind the fence. “This must be her place!” he thought before jumping over the fence and landing in the yard. He sniffed the ground again “Yep, this is hers.” He looked up at the house.
“There aren’t any lights on, so she’s probably asleep. I don’t want to wake her up. But how do I stay out of sight until she wakes up?”
He looked behind himself and in the corner of the yard saw a small shed. “That’ll work,” he thought before walking towards the shed. He opened the doors and closed them. He turned back into his human form and sat on the wooden table inside the shed.