//------------------------------// // Chapter VIII - Kidnapping attempt! // Story: The Legend Starts // by 654_nosneb //------------------------------// I got stuck as an alicorn for two weeks! Neither Tia or Luna knew how to turn me into a human again. It was worth the price to save Celestia, but I thought that I'll be stuck as a pony for the rest of my life. It wasn't until I discovered, by accident, that I could turn back using my own magic and emotions, that I was able to be human again. Things didn't go well for Researchinc. After committing a kidnapping attempt, the authorities entered on their building to arrest director Osvaldo. The only problem was, he's gone. Nobody knows were he went, but he disappeared alongside tons of Researchinc's equipment, but he doesn't have workers with him anymore. At least they left us with a vaccine for COVID 19! It still needs to go through the tests to see if it is a functional sample, but everything indicates that it will. Pony transformations are not going to stop though. Tia, Luna and I tried our best to try to stop them, but after many fails, we decided that it'll be better if we just leave it like this; it's saving lives after all. The school was discussing a return to classes! Although nothing was decided yet. I really hope that they do soon, because I don't think I could resist another year of virtual education. I don't think any of us could. Melissa is VERY frustrated about her practically lost year, mom is really tired of having to wear facemasks everywhere we go, and Celestia and Luna want to see Lara again. Wait, I almost forgot, we're going to visit Lara today! Since COVID isn't that strong anymore, mom and Esther planned an encounter for us to enjoy before classes. "It's sad that she's not a pegasus anymore," Celestia spoke from her car seat, "I wish that we could fly again." "Yeah but, she needs her hands, Tia," Melissa replied. "Remember that she doesn't have a horn like you or Luna, she won't be able to read, write or anything complex with her hooves." "Oh," Tia exclaimed, and after a few seconds, she replied: "But she could use her mouth!" Melissa stared at the white alicorn with a confused glare, "Her mouth? That's a thing I'll like to see." "We only have like ten loyal workers without including you or me," Gregory told his brother. "And we have just: an helicopter with low fuel, three cars with reasonable amount of fuel, some weapons, some lab equipment and some tents. How do you think that we are going to capture those elusive fillies?" "We'll play our cards in the vest way possible," Osvaldo replied. "If we do it right, humanity will remember us as the ones that brought free limitless resources for everyone, and probably world peace. We just have to be persistent." They were at the forest nearby the city. As Gregory said, they were just twelve people with some vehicles, lab equipment, scattered tents around the place, and some food reserves. They were practically at the edge of misery. "Prepare a vehicle an two men, Gregory, I think that I just came up with an idea." "Ok brother, the helicopter?" "No, we might fail today, and I don't want to use all our remaining fuel in just one attempt. Just a car is fine." "Understood." Wow, I almost forgot how it was a reunion like this! We played some monopoly, ate a soup, and chatted a LOT. "Philomena is fine, maybe you could see her one of these days." Melissa said to Lara. "Really!" she replied. "Do you think she misses me?" "She does!" Luna complemented. "Every time someone says your name, Philomena starts squeaking and flying without control. She clearly misses you." "Really!?" Lara exclaimed. "Oh, that's so sweet of her." "Lara," I spoke. "Yes," she replied. "It's your move." I said while pointing the checkers game in front of us. "Oh, I almost forgot," she replied, and then, she took one of her pieces, and move it across mines, practically destroying my entire board. "Wow! You're really good at this," I said, astonished. Knock! Knock! Knock! The door was slammed with a noise that, due to the last year, I know well. The sound of a hoof. "I'll see who is out there," Esther said. I also went with her, just to see if I could help. "Hello?" a dark green pony saluted as Esther opened the door. "I need help, I don't know how, but I have transformed into this." "Yeah, sure," Lara's mom replied as she finished to open the door. "Come in, I'm sure that we can... AAAAHHH!" She didn't finish her sentence, because the green stallion kicked her with his forelegs. Then, he rushed to me but I was able to avoid his attack. "Now!" he exclaimed to someone in the outside. "The door is open!" Then, an armed girl entered to the house. She fired two darts to the fillies that immediately left them unconscious; then, she fired to mom, then to Melissa, then to Esther, then to... She was gonna fire to me! Fortunately, before she did, I tackled her and fought with her to try to get her weapon. Her pony companion wasn't just going to stay there, so the stallion started running to tackle me. Luckily, I grabbed the woman an pushed her into the stallion's path. They both crashed, and in the meantime, I used the opportunity to grab the dart weapon. "What's your problem!" I shouted to them while pointing them with the weapon. "What are you doing here!?" "Well we..." the pony started to say, but then he exclaimed: "Run!" and he, alongside the woman on his back, rushed to the door. Next thing I heard was the sound of a car engine starting up, which let me know that they left. After several minutes, I managed to wake mom up, and after explaining her what happened, she said: "You don't need to be a genius to know who sent those guys." "Osvaldo," I complemented. "They're going to try this kind of things again. How do they even know that we're here and not in our home?" "They must have their ways," I replied. "Probably they were already monitoring the fillies, so maybe that's how." "What are we gonna do?" she asked. "I don't know," I said. "But I know that I'll defend those fillies with my life if necessary." At night, I had another nightmare like the last one. On it, I saw those red and green eyes staring at me from the darkness. Then, the same creepy voice spoke up. "DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT THIS IS GOING TO END WELL FOR PEOPLE?" he asked. "THEY CAN ALREADY TRANSFORM HUMANS INTO PONIES, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO USE THEM AGAINST HUMANITY?" "Well because..." "WHAT, BECAUSE THEY'RE YOUR FRIENDS? THEY'RE GONNA BETRAY YOU, THEY ARE GONNA..." "Look, if you are just going to say the same things as before, you could just save saliva, I'll protect then with my life." "AND ARE YOU SURE THAT THEY ARE GONNA DO THE SAME FOR YOU?" "Well," I hesitated before replying. "Yes! Of course they would, and of course that they'll never do anything against humanity." "HOW DO YOU KNOW IT, THEY'RE NOT HUMANS." "Shut up!" I shouted before leaving the place once again. I hope that that voice isn't right about Celestia and Luna. I hope that nothing bad happens.