//------------------------------// // The Informant and the Scout // Story: partisans of Eqwuestria // by Ferencelvtars //------------------------------// . The Informant and the Scout Ferkó and the others hurried towards the base at a forced pace. Meanwhile, Scoutalu tried to fly, but it didn't give him an advantage as it was still tiring for him. When they finally reached a small clearing, Ferkó stopped, and they all caught their breath. "I think we shook them off," Ferkó said, panting. "Yeah, we've been at it for a while; they must have fallen behind," added Scoald Storm. "Nevertheless, we should head back as soon as possible," said Scoutalu. Ferkó noticed that Scoutalu didn't like being in the city because he couldn't fly over the rooftops due to the magic suppressors. And now, suddenly, he wants to go back? "I have a sneaky suspicion that we're not alone," Ferkó declared, a bit tensely. "Why would you say that? Who's here?" asked a startled Scoutalu. Ferkó charged his eyes with magic to see the inner magic of every pony, and his suspicions were confirmed. Scoutalu was completely filled with dark magic, waiting to erupt. "Everyone, back off!" Ferkó shouted, then immobilized Scoutalu. "Hey, what's going on here?" raged Scoutalu. "Sorry, Scoutalu, this is going to hurt a bit," Ferkó declared and began stabbing the black magic with magical spikes. Scoutalu experienced unimaginable pain as Ferkó pierced his soul. Tears not only fell but almost formed a Niagara Falls. Ferkó almost cried seeing his friend subjected to such torment but had no choice. The stabs gradually broke the black magic, and Ferkó was relieved. Finally, he captured it and forcefully ripped it out of Scoutalu's body with a determined motion. The little pegasus screamed loudly and collapsed to the ground. Ferkó shot the dark magic into the air, then released it into the wind and hurried to Scoutalu. The small pegasus slowly opened his eyes and tried to stand, but he couldn't. Ferkó grabbed Scoutalu and put him on his back. The others, at the end of the 15-minute torture, looked at Ferkó with fear. "Why and what did you do to him that hurt so much?" asked Starlight, frightened and saddened. "Sombra cast a disguise curse on him. If we had taken him to the base, Sombra would have found us in no time," explained Ferkó, exhausted. "That's all well and good, but I think we need to leave now," said Smolder, looking up at the sky where a grey pegasus foal was flying. "Rumble!?" exclaimed Starlight, surprised and worried. "Scoald, catch him!" commanded Ferkó. Scoald Storm quickly rose into the air and caught up with the pegasus. With a swift move, Scoald Storm shot two blasts with his horn, the first missed, but the second grazed Rumble's wing, causing him to start falling towards the other side of the clearing. Ferkó tried to cast a spell on his horn, but suddenly a sharp, whistling sound and a piercing headache overwhelmed him. Starlight quickly reacted and caught the young colt. Thanks to Ferkó and Sunset's cleansing magic, Rumble soon freed himself from the curse and ended up in a similar state to Scoutalu. Ferkó, with the two foals on his back, headed towards the base, in contrast to Starlight and the others who kept their distance for safety. Ferkó slowly approached the stream when something strange crossed his mind. "What if Rumble and Scoutalu were together before the disaster?" he pondered to himself, but quickly dismissed the thought and focused on his book. The road next to the stream was quiet, too quiet. Ferkó kept his horn ready in case something appeared suddenly. A soft scream came from the other side of the stream, but Ferkó thought it might be a wounded deer. Suddenly, he felt movement on his back. "Ah... Where am I?" came the question from Rumble, softly and tiredly. "Rumble!" Ferkó exclaimed, surprised not because he was scared but because he thought Rumble hadn't woken up yet. Rumble reluctantly climbed down from Ferkó's back and tried to stand on his hooves, but they trembled so much that he kept stumbling. "Rumble, you're not heavy, sit back down," Ferkó said while trying not to collapse from exhaustion. "Thanks, but I'd rather not show how tired you are. In fact, if you want, I can take over Scoutalu," Rumble suggested. "Thanks, I see you have an eye for helping. Answered Ferkó and slowly slid Scoutalu onto Rumble's back. At that moment, Ferkó's beauty mark became visible to Rumble, and he was quite surprised. "Tell me, how did you get your beauty mark?" Rumble asked. Ferkó didn't really care about his own beauty mark as he thought he didn't have one, but when he looked back, he spotted his golden beauty mark, a star formation created by a sickle, hammer, scalpel, and flask. Ferkó suddenly didn't know what to say and spoke up. "You know, Rumble, I'm not from Equestria. I ended up here accidentally through a portal," explained Ferkó. "Ah, so you still don't know the meaning of your life, right?" asked Rumble. "I didn't say that, although now it might be true," Ferkó replied uncertainly. "Why, how come? Do you know it now or not?" Rumble inquired. "Well, you see, which would you choose: the dream you've been fighting for or a young filly you love for some reason and only met a week ago?" Ferkó asked Rumble. "Well, originally, I wanted to be a Wonderbolt, but in the end, I promised to make Scoutalu one too, and until he becomes one, I won't be one either," replied Rumble. "See, that's the thing. It's not easy for me to be both with my love and realize my dream. If I give up my dream and stay here, everyone I love will get sick. But if I don't give up, I have to leave him, and then I'll get sick. Ferkó explained. "Why, who is it?" asked Rumble, poking fun. "Well, you know her, but if I remember correctly, you don't like her," Ferkó said, sounding worried. "Do you have something with Apple Bloom?" Rumble asked again, surprised. "No, unfortunately not," replied Ferkó, dejected. "Do you love Diamond Tiara? wondered Rumble. "What? Where did that come from?" Ferkó asked back. "Well, I thought pony. answered Rumble. "No, no, she's a unicorn, and I think you already know who she is," said Ferkó with an uncomfortable tone. "Sweetie Belle, but I don't think she's that into you," Rumble said cheerfully, realizing he shouldn't have said that. "Yeah, you're probably right, but love can't be commanded," Ferkó declared. "So why is this question so difficult for you?" wondered Rumble. "Because... I don't know, Rumble, it's just like, why were you born a pegasus, and why not a unicorn? There's no really good answer to it," explained Ferkó. "Ah, there's something in that," sighed Rumble, reacting to the conversation turning a bit awkward. Rumble, by the way, how did you and Scoutalu figure it out? I mean, how did you, how, how, well, you know what I mean," Ferkó asked, trying to keep his composure. "Well, it's an interesting story," Rumble said, looking down at the ground. To be continued.