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// Ch.12 A Thief's Revenge, and Loss. 
// Story: Honor Among Thieves 
// by BluePhoenyx 
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	Seb pulled Fluttershy’s body into his arms. His hands were already stained with her blood as he gently pushed back the lock of her mane that usually hung over the front of her face. Soldiers moved in to immobilize Nathan while Twilight and the other rushed over to Seb and Fluttershy. Seb could hardly move, despite all his rage and bloodlust, he couldn’t move an inch. The image before him was too familiar for his mind to decipher. His memories began to take over his vision and the sight of Fluttershy continuously changed from her, to Trisha, as they both bled out in his embrace. It was the same agony, the same sense of loss, and the same inability to protect them. He rested his hand on Fluttershy’s belly, sliding his blood stained fingers through her soft yellow coat as he did. He could see the bullet wound near her chest, nearly the same exact place Trisha had been shot. He half expected to hear sirens in the distance but all he heard was a weak groan, nearly too quiet to hear. Fluttershy’s eyes opened slowly, even though the pain made her want to close them. Seb pulled her close to him. 
“You idiot...” he whispered. Tears began streaming down his cheek and dripping onto hers, where a single tear met his and joined together then slide down her cheek. 
“S...Seb...?” Fluttershy asked weakly. Applejack slipped her hat off.
“Ya silly filly, why’d you go n’ do that fer?” Applejack asked. Tears began welling up in her eyes. 
“He...was going...to k...k...kill....Seb...I....h..ha...had to.” Fluttershy squeaked out. Seb placed two unbloodied fingers over her lips. 
“Don’t talk.” Seb whispered gently. “You need your strength.” He looked up at Twilight and the others. “Take her away from here.” 
The ponies converged on Fluttershy and eased her into a comfortable position while they trying to tend to her. Seb stood up and walked towards Nathan. The soldiers had managed to remove the gun and the unicorn horn protection he’d been hiding so now he was vulnerable to their magic and easily subdued. 
“Let him go.” Seb said calmly. Shining Armor stepped between them.
“It’s done now, Seb, just focus on Fluttershy.” Shining Armor said, but with a single harsh glance from Seb he turned and nodded to his soldiers. 
They released Nathan and before he could move, Seb had brought a hard punch down on his face that knocked him to the ground. Seb bent over, grabbed Nathan by the throat and with all his strength, picked the squirming man up keeping his feet from touching the ground. Seb had to look up to stare Nathan in the eyes, but his ice cold stare was enough to make Nathan tremble. 
“You’re going to tell me how I get back home..” Seb grabbed Nathan’s gut and his nails began digging in through the cloth of his clothes and into his flesh. “Or I will make sure you stay alive long enough to watch me spill your guts all over the ground.” Seb said sharply, making sure every word was said with as much intensity and clarity as the last. 
“A...sc...scientist b..back...we...we co..communicate..th..through an old..r..radio.” Nathan choked. Seb threw him against the ground and took the gun from one of the soldiers, aiming it at Nathan’s head.
“You’re going to send me and Fluttershy back home now.” Seb said.
“Only things from our world can go back.” Nathan said, rubbing his throat. He didn’t dare move while Seb still had the gun. He knew Seb could easily kill him and get the information from any of his men, so it wouldn’t be worth the risk. “Unless you decide to cut her open and hop inside, your little pony friend is dead.” 
Seb gripped the gun, nearly breaking it. Once again, he would lose someone and there was no way he could save them. He looked away from Nathan and the ponies waited for him to say something. It was Nathan’s chance.
“You should never turn your back on someone.” Nathan said. 
Seb turned just in time to see Nathan running a pegasus through with a spear. Nathan yanked the weapon out of the dead pony and charged Seb, avoiding soldiers trying to capture him at the same time.
“I’ll kill you my dear little nephew, just like I killed your precious little slut.” Nathan said with a wicked laugh.
Nathan began wildly swinging his spear, forcing Seb to duck and dodge as quickly as he could, although he still got a few nicks and slices from it. Seb was actually surprised at how quick the man was, but more surprised at how slow he himself had become. He managed to dodge his way back to the blade. He picked it up, slicing his skin again and dodged another thrust. Soldiers attempted to catch Nathan, but only caught the tip of his spear each time. A few unicorns tried to use their magic to restrain him. At first it seemed like they had him, until they were cut down as well. Seb panted, his body shook in pain and he could feel his heart thumping wildly against his chest as if it were trying to run away since Seb wouldn’t. A brilliant flash of white leaped in front of Seb. He looked up to see Celestia rearing up  and aiming her horn at Nathan. Nathan’s spear met with Celestia’s body though the thrust was messy and weak so it merely hit her side and a bit of her front hoof. The spell that was attempting to form on her horn dissipated and she fell backwards, missing Seb by mere inches.  
“Celestia!” Twilight called out. Seb turned his gaze from the fallen princess back to Nathan.
Nathan walked up to Celestia and aimed his spear at her, ready to deliver a final blow to her throat. 
“I guess I can kill the princess first.” He said, trembling as he laughed. Seb let out a soft breath and clenched his blade. The scar on his palm where he’d been nailed to the chair sliced open easier than the rest of his skin and the blade imbedded itself in Seb’s flesh. 
“I’m sorry Trisha...forgive me.” Seb whispered and rushed forward. 
The sound of the spear slicing through skin made Twilight shudder in disgust. Seb shook  as he grasped the blood soaked spear handle in front of him. His blood had made it slippery as it dribbled down the wooden staff from his gut. The spear head had gone straight through him with the combined force of his lunge and Nathan’s thrust, but he had accomplished what he wanted. Nathan tried pulling the spear out but he didn’t have the strength. He had lost all of it in that one thrust and now Seb was just inches away from him.
“Hah...Can’t move it...can you?” Seb asked weakly, blood spilled out of his mouth as he spoke. He lifted the blade up slowly, every inch he moved sent agonizing pain up and down his body like shocks of electricity. Nathan scrambled, trying to remove his spear but it only brought Seb close to him. Seb thrust his blade forward, slicing through Nathan’s neck until his fist touched the man’s skin. Nathan’s eyes grew dull and his skin paled as Seb twisted the blade then yanked it back out. Blood leaking out in generous amounts with his every movement. Nathan loosened his grip on the spear and fell backwards as death took him into its’ cold and unforgiving clutches. Seb began to fall but was caught. At first he thought perhaps Rainbow Dash or even Celestia had caught him but when he looked up, he was surprised to see one of Hank’s brothers holding him up. He had managed to free himself from the soldiers as the fight begun in a desperate motion to stop Nathan. Now that he was too late, all he could do was being working on breaking off the spear that was lodged inside Seb. 
“Get a saw or something! Hurry up!” He barked as Seb rolled his head back. At first, the ponies were reluctant but as pools of blood formed under Seb they moved.
 A saw was brought to the pair as Twilight and the others watched on. None of them dared leave Fluttershy’s side, though they wanted to go to Seb’s. The brother held Sebastian steady while a unicorn used his magic to move the saw back and forth across the staff of wood. He managed to get it close to the actual wound, though it made Seb scream behind a bit of leather that had been forced between his teeth. Another pony worked on loosening the head of the spear, which was fastened on a tapered end of the staff. after working at it, the metal head came apart and the wood was easily pulled from Seb’s flesh. They laid him down next to Fluttershy as he trembled. The brother forced as many rags as he was giving onto the wounds and wiped some sweat off his brow. 
“I wouldn’t have pulled that out of you if he hit some vital organs but you got lucky. Nothing too major was hit, save a rib or two.” He said. Seb replied with a weak whine
Rainbow Dash flew over to him and crossed her hooves as she floated over his body. 
“You idiot! what were you thinking!?” Rainbow Dash asked. Seb cowered back from her. 
“He wouldn’t...stop moving....I had to...” He whimpered quietly.He was called an idiot again but by a much softer voice. He turned his head and saw Fluttershy smiling weakly at him. 
“You idiot...” she repeated. Seb could only smile.The brother stood up and turned to Celestia, who did not look very pleased. 
“He needs to go back to our world, both of them do if you expect them to live.” The brother said calmly. 
“N’ why should we trust you?” Applejack asked sternly. 
“You’re just going to have to.” The as-of-yet unnamed brother replied. He took a radio out of his belt case and started working with it. 
“Why the change of heart?” Celestia asked with intrigue. 
“That’s not your concern.”  The brother replied curtly and static poured out of the radio before a voice appeared. 
“This is home base.” The voice said.
“This is David, we’ve lost the battle. Tell the old man his grandson is alive but he needs help. Get Sebastian’s pod ready.” The brother ordered, turning the radio off before a reply could be given.
Seb could feel his heartbeat in every part of his dying body as he grasped Fluttershy’s shaky hoof. Twilight walked over to David and the bleeding pair. 
“Nathan said Fluttershy couldn’t go back.” She said cautiously.
“The bullet inside her, that’s what’ll bring her back to our world.” David replied. Twilight looked back at her friends as if asking for one of them to translate.
“Remember when Nathan asked if Seb would crawl inside her? Well, that’s just it. Since something from our world is inside her and it’s impossible for the machines back home to separate the two, the bullet will just take her along for the ride.” David explained quickly. “Stop asking me questions though, you don’t have much time. Say your goodbyes.” 
Twilight nodded and walked over to Seb and Fluttershy, the others followed immediately.
“You better bring Fluttershy back to us or I’ll come get her myself.” Rainbow dash said. Seb nodded weakly. 
The others spent more time telling Fluttershy she’d be okay, and they’d see her soon, but that was just fine for Seb. He wanted the quiet so he could just focus on not feeling the pain that had so easily become inseparable from his being. He stared up at the pale blue sky above him and wondered how, amongst all the death and pain around him, the sky could look so calm and peaceful. His vision blurred a bit and he saw a human face appear above him. At first he suspected the man that had caught him, but the smell of Iris flowers and the bright yellow light that came from the sun shining through the woman’s golden hair made his heart thud.
“Trisha...” He whispered as the woman smiled down at him. Her lake-blue eyes shimmered with the light around her. 
“Come home Sebastian.” She whispered back.
 Seb tried lifted his arm, to touch her face, but it was so heavy. He continued to struggle until his arm was a few inches above the ground. He could feel his blood dripping down his arm as his fingers brushed Trisha’s face. Had he touched her? He thought so, and held the ideal close to his heart. 
“Come home Sebastian,” Trisha repeated “We’re waiting for you.”
“We?” Seb asked, his voice cracked apart from the pain of his wounds. It wasn’t so much a word as a hard breath that escaped his lips and made a lock of hair move in the wind. 
“Your son and I. We’re waiting for you; please come home Sebastian.” Trisha insisted further. Her image began fading and Seb tried to reach for her again ,but she seemed to be moving backwards.
“No, don’t leave me. Trisha!” Seb called out weakly.
“Come home Sebastian...”
Trisha’s image was gone. Seb suddenly realized that everything seemed so quiet and he was feeling drowsy. Everything was spinning and he closed his eyes tightly. He gripped Fluttershy’s hoof to make sure it was still there, and when he felt satisfied he tried opening his eyes. He couldn’t tell if he had opened his eyes but if he did all around him was pitch black and a distant beeping noise. It grew louder and louder then suddenly stopped. Everything was still and quiet again for a long time. At first he thought he’d just been hearing things but after a long time the beeping returned but it sounded different this time. It was a steady, quiet beep that went in time with his heartbeat. He tried to feel for Fluttershy’s hoof again but he couldn’t move at all. His body suddenly felt so heavy and a soft red glow was starting to take over his darkened vision. He tried to call out, but his lips felt like they weighed a thousand tons each. He suddenly heard other noises as well. At first they sounded like static, then slowly they turned into voice speaking an odd language. Finally he began understanding the words and could hear everything. 
“He’s waking up, I’ll go get his guardian.” A feminine voice announced.
 Seb realised he had never actually opened his eyes because now they were opening and a bright white light flooded his eyes. He clenched them shut at first, but when he felt he was getting use to it he opened them again. He was greeted by white walls and a white ceiling. He could see a curtain to the side and a few pieces of machinery but not much else until a face came into view. At first Seb couldn’t make it out but then his eyes focused and he saw a woman’s face leaning over him and removing a long feeding tube from his mouth, making him gag a bit. 
“Well, well.” She said softly. “Look who finally decided to join the living.” She looked at her watch as she held a long tube with a bulb at the end. She pumped the bulb and Seb began feeling the pressure on his left arm. Slowly, feeling began to return to his body as he began trying to speak.
“Where am I?” He asked. His voice was weak and stressed as he spoke.
“The hospital dear.” The woman replied, removing the scratchy wrap of the blood pressure sensor from his arm. 
“In Ponyville?” He asked. Wait, what was Ponyville? The woman looked at him with a questioning look. 
“Ponyville?” She asked, chuckling. “What kind of drugs do they have you on?”
She didn’t answer his question as a new face appeared. Seb squinted a little, trying hard to recognize the old man staring down at him. The scent of baby powder and scotch reminded him instantly though.
“You... You’re that old man....” Seb began. “From the park...I...”
“Good to see you’re still alive Sebastian.” The old man said, patting Seb’s left shoulder. “You remember me right? Cornelius?” 
“Yeah...” Seb replied weakly. He couldn’t figure out why it was bothering him everyone was only paying attention to his left side. 


A month? what was a month? Oh yeah, a time period. He’d be out that long? Did he mean asleep? Yeah that’s what that means. What about Fluttershy?
“Flutter...shy...Wh...” Seb was cut off by Cornelius
“She’s fine.” He said suddenly. He looked back to see if the Nurse was even bothering to listen. She wasn’t. “Don’t you worry about your pony friend, she’s fine. Just rest now.”
Cornelius moved to get up from the chair he’d been evidently sitting on, but his old body was weak and it stopped it from standing. He was forced to use the side of the bed. Something felt off. Why couldn’t he feel Cornelius touching him on that side? His hand was obviously far enough in, to touch Seb’s arm by now. Was it just because maybe it was still numb? he tried moving it but nothing happened. He turned his head and looked at where his right arm should be but there was nothing there. His eyes moved towards the bit of shoulder  that was there. His arm was completely gone from where it had been broken and down.Seb began shaking. Cornelius turned when he heard Seb whimper and frowned. 
“You had a terrible infection. It completely destroyed your nerves from the shoulder down. They decided it was best to take the whole thing off to keep it from spreading further.” Cornelius explained with medical chill in his voice.
Seb wasn’t sure what to think or say. He began tearing up, but he couldn’t figure out why he wanted to cry. Was it because of his arm? The pain the rest of his body was slowly starting to feel? He couldn’t tell. Before he could cry out, a loud beeping noise distracted him as it rapidly beeped to a nurse that the patient was under too much stress and pain and a nurse rushed over to force an I.V. into his remaining arm. Seb’s body couldn’t take it and he passed out once again. The all too forgiving darkness accepting him openly.