//------------------------------// // Leaders and Rookies // Story: Havoc // by Slick Dash //------------------------------// The mare's hooves were beginning to hurt him, digging deep into his soft tissue. He squirmed uncomfortably, glaring up at the pony refusing to release him. "There!" He shouted angrily. "I don't know who I am, or why the hell I ended up here, but what I do know is that you're hurting me!" He saw the orange face's anger flicker for a second. Was there a chance she believed him? Why should there be? He'd never believe a stupid story like this! An amnesia ridden stallion running blindly through the forest... that's got to be some kind of cliché. "Scoots, let him up." Said another female voice out of sight. This one was deeper, older. The orange pegasus immediately jumped off of the stallion, at which point he gave a grateful gasp of air now his attacker was off of his chest! For a moment he lay there, than slowly got sat up, now taking in the view around him. Trees surrounded him, thick and tall; they blocked any view to the outside of the enormous clearing. He glanced up and saw small rope bridges, spanning the space from tree to tree. Why did they need them? That's when he noticed several opening within the trees' bodies. Small windows built into the bark, showing the trees to be hollow inside. From here the stallion could only glance through one. Inside he saw a few mares, staring back out at him, worry on their faces. "Welcome t' Newponyville stranger." Said that same deeper female voice, he pulled his gaze from the terrified ponies inside their home, and looked to his right. Only a few feet away, and coming ever closer, was another orange pony. This one seemed to be an earth pony, though she could be a unicorn, it was hard to tell due to the large brown Stetson hat she was wearing. Her mane was long and blonde, bunched at the end making one long pony tail. "T-thanks..." The stallion said slowly, still sat on the soft grassy floor, his gaze never left the approaching mare. He wasn't sure why, but the inside of his head span wildly with calculations and assessments. Her legs: They were large and strong, meaning an attack from her could end him in seconds. Her shins: They boar two blades attached to bracelets on her forelegs, sharp, deadly, major threat! He shook his head trying to clear the grim thoughts. Why was he thinking if being attacked? Why was he assessing this mare as though she were an enemy? She'd just gotten the other mare who HAD attacked him, to get off! She reached him, holding out a hoof to help him up. He took it, his back gave a terrible crack as he got up. He winced but carried on regardless. "Applejack, I-" The orange pegasus began angrily to this new mare. "You know the deal Scoots, any survivors go t' Rainbow, then they're your responsibility after." Said the hat wearing pony simply, the stallion noted that she had a thick southern accent, which while he was terrified by the sheer fact of not understanding anything that was happening to him, helped to smile slightly in spite of the situation. The apparent 'Scoots' seemed annoyed, she opened her mouth her eyes glinting with fire, but she obviously thought better of it and closed it once again. "Don' suppose you know if anypony else is out there?" The older mare asked. The stallion grimaced with regret. "Sorry no. All I saw were... those... things!" He shuddered at remembering the deadly fire creatures, it felt as though their gaunt lifeless eyes were still staring at him, it was a cold, haunting sensation. "It's a'right darlin'." The country pony said softly, he sultry tone made the stallion's nerves calm slightly. "Come with me." She said simply, then turned and headed towards one of the largest trees that surrounded them. The stallion glanced backwards, towards the way he had come. There was no way to get back up that slope, so he was trapped here. He turned back, and out of the corner of his eye he glimpsed the orange pegasus staring at him. He looked her in the eye, her eyebrow was raised questioningly, as though she knew what the stallion had been thinking. He gave a shaky smile to her, then quickly rushed after the departing earth pony, leaving 'Scoots' to stare after him, her brow furrowing with suspicion. ... The two of them reached the large tree, and as they did, the stallion craned his neck back in amazement. It was so tall! So beautiful! "Impressive huh?" The mare laughed at his gaping mouth. "We like t' think we're pretty good with ol' mother nature." She looked up as well, holding her hat to ensure it stayed on. "I'm pretty good with growing thin's mahself." She turned her head and looked the stallion up and down. "Maybe I can show you the orchard we got later, if Rainbow says you can stay." "Stay?!" The stallion asked shocked. His head snapped to the orange pony, staring in disbelief. "W-why would I stay? That pony just tried to kill me!" He gestured furiously back the way they had come, but that only made the hat wearing pony laugh. "That's just Scootaloo, she's kind of our guard, she makes sure nopony can get in and hurt any of us." The stallion stared incredulously. "You're talking like you're an army or something." The pony arched an eyebrow at him, she lifted her foreleg, glinting the light off of the metal of the blade and into his eyes. "That's cos we are sugar cube..." She said grimly, turning away, her expression suddenly devoid of the kindness that it had held before. She began to walk towards a small archway in the base of the tree, large enough for a pony to pass through. The stallion gulped, an all new chill running up his spine at her dark words and tone, then followed slowly. "So," The mare began as they came into the surprisingly well lit room within the tree. "I don't recon you will, but do you remember anything? Like your name or anythin'?" The two began to head up a staircase that spiralled around the hollowed out tree, going ever higher into the hollow out spire. "No." The stallion said slowly, watching his step as they ascended ever too conscious that there was no banister, and they were getting very high up quickly. "Last thing I remember is waking up to those..." He wasn't sure what to call them, monsters seemed like far too tame a term. "Leviathans." The pony called back as they passed a door set against the steps. "That's what they're called." The stallion stared into the small window set into the door. Inside sat a group of small fillys and colts listening to yellow pony with a red mane and a pink bow set into it. She pointed to a picture on her board, and all the little ones seemed to shy away in fear. As the angle of perception changed, the stallion saw the image as he passed out of sight. A creature, long and slender, with horns, wings and a lizard like tail. He looked back to the steps, but frowned as he did. What was that thing? A monster from a story? He shook his head and tried to focus on what was happening. "Speaking of what things are called..." He began, addressing the yellow tail just ahead of his face. "What do I call you?" "Applejack." The mare said as she began to slow. The stallion leant to the side and saw that the staircase lead to a single door, blocking the steps. It seemed obvious that was where they were headed. "Applejack..." He murmured quietly, making sure he remembered it. "Yeah, that's right." She said, flashing him a warm smile before pushing open the door. ... "After yesterday, I don't see how we could recover, we lost a lot of ponies, as well as a lot of support from locals after that town was destroyed." "So we have no way of bouncing back? Come on Twilight we've got to be able to somehow I-" The conversation died as the two speakers turned to the door as it opened at Applejack entered with her new guest. "Applejack, what the hay do you think you're doing?" Shouted an infuriated looking cyan pony, her mane -Consisting of every colour of the rainbow- billowing out slightly with the wind coming from the open window. "Who the heck is this?!" She asked savagely. The stallion backed up slightly, unsure if he wanted another angry pegasus crushing his ribs. "He fell through one of the Leviathan hatches, he can't remember anythin'... and he was wearin' this." She reached out and showed a shred of clothing. The stallion stared wildly, when had she picked that up? While they were walking? Or while she'd helped him up? The shred of clothing seemed to have golden embroidery, twisting into the shape of something he couldn't be sure of. Whatever it was, the rainbow maned pony's eyes lit up in excitement. "Really?" She mused, slowly coming into the centre of the room. She stood just in front of a table, which seemed to have a map weighed down across it. On the other side of the table stood another mare, this one a unicorn with a purple coat, and an even darker purple mane. Though for now, he merely focused on the pegasus, who suddenly only had eyes for him. "You don't remember anything?" She asked loudly. The stallion nodded, unable to bring his lips to move, he wasn't sure, but something seemed off about this pony, she seemed a little too excited by the news of his arrival. She walked over to Applejack and took the scrap of clothing, she then continued to him and thrust it under his nose. "Do you remember what this is?" He looked down and saw the golden emblem on the scrap of material. A golden claw, clenched tightly in a fist. He shook his head. The mare retracted her forehoof and walked over to the table. "Do you remember anything before you got here?" He shook his head again. "Pardon Rainbow, but I all ready gave him a grillin' and he don't remember a thing. I say that fact's pretty much figured out." Piped up Applejack, who turned and flashed him another warm smile, trying to encourage his co-operation. This is our leader, Rainbow Dash." She gestured to the pegasus, though there was no need, with an appearance like hers, if he'd heard that name, he'd have obviously put two and two together. He gulped and gave another nervous nod. "This." Rainbow began, spreading her forelegs out to the room. "Is the biggest hiding spot for the resistance against 'King'" She laboured the title dubiously. "Discord, and this." She held up the crest. "Is the seal of his court." She threw it on top of the map and turned and looked out of the window. Her expression was very difficult to read for the stallion, was she happy he was here, or angry? "What seems to have happened to you is something the court calls exile." The purple pony began, stepping out from behind the table. She gave a smile, making him feel a little more comfortable, it seemed there were an equal amount of nice ponies here to the angry ones. Or maybe it was just the pegasi who were all moody. "My name is Twilight Sparkle. I'm kind of the person who comes up with the little details around here." Suddenly something clicked inside the stallion's mind. "You're the strategist, ARRGGHHH!" He cried out as his skull seemed to burn white hot. He flung his hoof to his head just as Rainbow Dash whirled around, her mouth agape. "No, don't fight that!" Twilight gasped, rushing to the pained stallion as he buckled to his knees. "That's a memory of your life, you obviously know about some of us." Soon the pain passed and the stallion got shakily back to his hooves. He still felt a warm hoof on his foreleg, he looked and saw Twilight smiling at him. The stallion gave a rough cough, then a mumbled word of thanks. She beamed, and backed away, closer to the map again. "You're not the first exiled pony we've come across." She explained. At the sound of her words, the stallions heart skipped a beat in excitement! If that was true, than surely somepony who had been in the same situation would know who he was. But at the sight of his beaming smile, the purple unicorn's attitude seemed to melt into sadness. "That's great! Where are they?" He asked, to which a resounding silence rang out in answer. A moment later, Rainbow Dash stepped forward. "They're dead." She said simply. "Killed before we could get them here, by the Leviathans. You're the first pony we've gotten back here in one piece." She smirked, "And we didn't even know you were coming!" The stallion's heart plummeted into darkness, nopony? That was terrible! Yes the loss of life was tragic, for one brief moment he had hoped he could have some answers. Nopony at all could tell him who he was? Who he had been before waking up in this darn forest? "O-oh..." He said glumly, looking to his hooves. After a moment of silent gazes from the mares in the room, the leader spoke. "You're going to stay here." She explained simply, the stallion raised his head. "Excuse me?" "You," She said, pointing to him. "Are going to stay here." She pointed to the floor. "We'll find you a place to crash, and you can recover. Then Twilight can see if we can pry open any of those memories of yours." Twilight nodded obediently to the rainbow leader. "Judging by what you were wearing, and your..." She looked him up and down with an appraising eye. "Decent build... You could very well be the break we're looking for, somepony who once had some pull with the Discord's forces!" "And if I refuse?" The stallion asked stubbornly. He didn't like being referred to like a tool! He was a pony! Not something they could use to their advantage without his permission! "Well we could always let you back out into the forest with the Leviathans." She said casually shrugging as she did so. The stallion bit his lip, he didn't like the sound of that! He remembered their evil eyes once more and it made his fur stand on end! Then he remembered something else, the strength of that orange pegasus, how she had easily subdued him, and by what he had experienced while running, he was a purely capable stallion when it came to high stress situations. He remembered his analysis of Applejack behind him, her strong capable legs. The only memory that he held of this mare called Twilight. All their strengths outweighed his fear of the creatures beyond this seemingly protected clearing. If he wanted to survive against those things, these ponies would be the ones to help him do it! With a sigh, he glared at the ground. "Fine." He said bitterly, bringing a smile to all three mare's faces. "Well aint that plane wonderful!" Applejack whooped, coming up beside the stallion. "With those legs o' yours we can get some real good work done on the barricades, that is if you'd kindly help us?" The stallion grunted in agreement. "And I'm really looking forward to learning about who you are!" Twilight smiled. "I have a few variations of memory spells that could possibly help you recover, but I'm not sure how strong Discord's spell on you is. So it may be best for you to get some rest over the next few days first. It could get tiring for you!" another agreeing grunt. "Awesome!" Rainbow declared, turning away and returning to the map. "Thank you, and thank you Applejack for bringing him here! Have Scoot put him with Pip, he'll get him up to scratch on how we do things." "Sure thin' boss!" Applejack said, saluting, then giving the pegasus a small wink. "Hey!" The stallion shouted angrily, bringing the mare's conversation screeching to a halt. "I still have questions here!" He yelled, his teeth bared in complete frustration, didn't they understand how difficult this all was to take in? He breathed heavily glaring at the back of the pegasus's head. For a moment she stayed still, then the slightest turn of her head gave him a glimpse of her tender pink eyes, the only soft thing about her it seemed. "YOU have questions?" She asked quietly, all of a sudden the air felt cold, as though a sudden switch had been flicked, or maybe it was the deep seated pain in her low voice. "You're a royalist, a banished one, but still a royalist. You're a pony, your one of the creatures who are almost being wiped out by Discord, and you expect me to answer anything you ask?" Twilight looked concerned. "R-Rainbow... maybe..." "You betrayed your own kind." The pegasus continued coldly. The comment cut deep! A cold numbness set into the stallion's stomach, and a shiver ran up his spine. He... he couldn't be! There had to be a reason... if this king Discord was truly as terrible as these mares claimed, than surely he had a reason for wearing these clothes, symbolising his loyalties before his amnesia. "I need to see what's going to happen to you." Rainbow continued coldly, still only just glancing back over her shoulder. "If you remember who you are, or Twilight finds out you're still loyal to him..." She nudged her head gently to the table. The stallion followed the gaze, and saw resting against it were two golden blades, long and deadly, the threat didn't even need finishing. "You're a risk..." The rainbow mare continued finally beginning to move again, she reached the map and rested her forehooves against its top like a pony who was unbelievably tired. "But you're a risk that needs taking, a chance to understand them, to beat them." She turned her head fully, glaring at the stallion. "So, you only get what I give you, until I'm sure I can trust you!" She returned her focus to the map. She began describing the movements of a particular group to the unicorn close by, pointing to a spot on the map. The stallion felt a light hoof on his shoulder, he glanced to his left and saw Applejack giving him a half hearted smile. "Come on sugar cube." She turned and began to lead him out of the strategy room." She opened the door and passed back through it, as he followed suite he heard the leader shout one last thing to them. "If somepony needs to call him or speak to him, they can call him rookie!" The door closed, leaving a ringing silence down the winding staircase. "Nice friend you've got there!" The newly dubbed 'Rookie' seethed angrily. The country pony was already a reasonable distance away, but the sound of Rookie's voice carried far too easily. "That's Rainbow these days I'm 'fraid." She said calmly. "What the hell happened to make her such a pain?" He asked, beginning down the steps himself. The orange pony either didn't hear, or far more likely just ignored him. "C'mon, I'll give yah to Scoot, she'll help yah find where you're going."