Hero
Empty.
The cage was empty.
She was gone. She had promised to take her father's place, and now she was gone.
He felt like a fool. He had actually felt sorry for her! Felt sorry for taking her prisoner, for frightening her, and for the threats he had made. And he had flown to this cage, hoping that somehow he could find some thread of humanity within him by simply looking at her.
And she had abandoned him.
"RAINBOW DASH! SHORTROUND! RARITY!"
Within moments, the others arrived, looking frantic and worried when they saw their master, his whole body rigid with fury.
"The mare is gone…" he growled.
Rarity gasped and looked at the cage, seeing the open door. She should have stayed, she shouldn't have left, the poor filly. She blamed herself completely for this.
"She's out?" Rainbow Dash sputtered, her body beginning to tremble. "She'll tell…she'll…she'll tell the others…they'll…they'll be down here after us!" her voice broke into hysterics. In two strides Discord had Rainbow Dash by the back of the neck and slapped the mare so hard, she would have stumbled backward had not Discord been holding her upright.
"FIND HER!" he hissed. "She will not tell anyone…find her NOW!"
Shortround and Rainbow Dash turned and left the cavern as quickly as they had arrived. Rarity was holding a hoof to her mouth, looking frightened and worried. "She'll get herself killed Master…she does not know these tunnels like us! She'll-"
"Fetch Derpy and look for her…" he growled, turning his back on the little mare.
"But Master-"
"DO AS I SAY!" he roared, turning abruptly, his amber eyes wild with rage. The mare squealed and ran away, calling for Derpy as she went. Discord felt his body sag, like a weight had been lifted. The rage of the moment had passed, but only momentarily. He needed to quench his fury, and there was only one way that he could turn his anger into art; turn his madness into beauty.
He raced to his private cavern, the place where he kept his beloved organ, and once there, threw off his cape, his hat, even his dress coat, and seated himself at the bench, sweat dripping down his forehead, his heart pumping wildly, as he drew the score to the music stand. His leather-gloved claws moved over the familiar keys, and without looking down, he began to play. The song was his own composition, one he wrote during a very bad mood, and it was a song that could either soothe the rage he felt…or kindle it to wildfire.
The only good thing about emotions was the artistic drive they gave for his compositions. He played passionately, his claw and paw large and rough, yet so skilled and quick, moving over the keys like a harsh caress. He pounded on them harder as he felt the fury grow more and more in his blood. He played faster, his whole body shaking with each note, the organ causing the ceiling and walls to tremble. His body was tense, rigid, every muscle rippling in his back, shoulders, and arms, and yet he continued to play, not caring for the pain he could feel, or the blood that dripped from his blistered claw and paw.
In a tiny corner of the dark room, Fluttershy lifted her head from behind a stone pony she had been using as a hiding place. Once she had escaped her prison, her joy was short lived, for she realized all too soon that her true prison was this underground labyrinth of rock and shadow. She moved quietly through the stone caverns so as not to attract attention from the Phantom's servants. There had to be a way out, if she could find the way in which she had come…but then strange things began to happen. She had turned a corner, decided it was the wrong way, and upon turning around, found the way she had come blocked off. When or how this happened she was unsure, but she realized that she was in far greater danger outside of the cage than in it.
She continued on her unknown journey, her hooves the only thing that guided her, for she had no lamp and there was no light in these tunnels. She heard voices overhead, and then she heard the furious scream of the Phantom; he had just learned of her escape. She had to hurry.
She moved as quickly as possible, her hooves stretched out and unsure, but she continued moving. Several times she stumbled and fell, feeling her skirts ripping, but not caring, forcing herself up and moving onward. Then, up ahead, she saw light. It was dim, but it was still light. She moved towards it, faster and faster, gasping as she felt her leg cut against something sharp. She bit her lip and held back the painful cry, especially as she realized her leg was bleeding somewhat. But she continued, and finally, she reached the dimly lit place, and found herself staring in wonder at her new surroundings.
It was a large cavern, bigger than some of the others she had seen. There were lush Persian rugs on the ground, silver candle operas, and vibrate medieval tapestries that hung from the walls. There were mahogany chairs and tables, covered with musical instruments and piles upon piles of parchment. She looked at one pile, and realized that it was a musical score. No…an opera! One that she had never heard of…Don Juan Triumphant.
A breeze rushed through the cavern and made a soft howling sound. She looked up to see what caused the sound and gasped loudly at the sight of the magnificent pipe organ that seemed imbedded with the rock. She began to approach it, but then heard a noise…like footsteps…in the distance.
Somepony was coming. Or worse, he was coming. She had to hide. Somewhere, anywhere! She saw a curtained area off to her left and dashed for it, flinging the curtains open, looking for a place to hide, but finding instead…a bedroom? Yes, a large mahogany bed that looked as if it belonged to a Middle Eastern sheik. It was covered with soft sheer veils, large purple and scarlet gold-trimmed pillows, and a lush blanket that looked like velvet and silk combined. Was this the Phantom's bedchamber? It reminded her of something she had read in a gothic romance, but all thoughts of such things vanished when she heard the footsteps quickly approaching. She could not hide here, what if he came in? Her only other option was behind a large stone pony that filled a tiny corner at the far end of the organ room. And so she hid, and she waited, and she held her breath as the raging Phantom entered the chamber, throwing off some of his garments, and began to play most passionately at the organ.
She bit her lip as she watched him. The way he played…as if he was tortured by something. She had never seen anypony play with such passion, or with such fury. She should be afraid, yet she wasn't…she was intrigued.
The haunting music sounded familiar in some way to her, like she had heard it before in a dream. She found herself being drawn from her hiding place, rising slowly and softly from the shadows and stepping into the soft candlelight. He had his back to her; the emotion in which he played had all his attention, she even wondered if he could hear her. She knew that the others would be looking for her, yet she believed she had a better chance of escaping with them in pursuit than with the Phantom. This was her chance. She could slip out, unnoticed, and seek an exit. She would find something, she was sure of it. She just had to do it before he realized she was behind him.
But a different voice gnawed at her. He had imprisoned her father, threatened to kill him, threatened her own life, and placed her in a cage. He was cruel, a villainous fiend that was more of a monster than any kind of pony. And perhaps because he was a living being and not a ghost, was what made him so monstrous.
And she should seek out her revenge.
That was what the voice was telling her. What was he? Why does he wear a mask? Why does he live beneath the Opera House? What is his secret? She wanted to know, and had a feeling that by removing his mask, she would learn it. It all lay there, the answer to all her questions, beneath that mask, and all she had to do was reach out and grab it. He wouldn't know; he didn't know that she was there right now, and before he realized what had happened, she would have her revenge. Revenge for holding her prisoner, revenge for harming her father, revenge for all those other people who had lost their lives to the Phantom's wrath.
Four steps. She was four steps away from him. Four…three…
No! Just run and leave!
Two steps. She was only two steps away. His body was slumped over the organ, every muscle tense, every fiber of his being locked with the music. And yet he was still unaware that she was behind him.
Leave Fluttershy! Leave now! Don't do this, you'll regret it!
One step. She was only one step away. She could easily reach out and grab the mask…one tiny step was all it took.
You should have run…you'll never escape now.
Discord was lost in the music. The song had changed from the furious sound in which it had begun to a lonely melody filled with both passion and despair. A song of longing, a song of need; a song that was his autobiography. He played with such emotion that it wasn't until he began to feel the breeze against his deformed cheek that he saw the shadow in the candlelight behind him and noticed the curtain to his bedchamber was fully open, with a small trail of blood on the floor.
And then he felt nothing.
His mask was gone. His face exposed. The cold air hit it like a knife, and he stumbled backwards at the shock of it.
Fluttershy stumbled back too, shocked at what had just happened. Without even thinking, she had reached out and grabbed a hold of his mask and now held it in her small hooves. The Phantom sprang to life from his musical enchantment and whirled around to face her, his amber eyes wild and filled with shock, fear, and rage. Rage most especially.
"YOU!" he shouted, his paw flying to his face to cover his exposure.
But it was too late. She had seen it.
Fluttershy stared, her eyes wide in horror. Her mouth fell open, as if wanting to scream, but no sound came out. She stared at the sight of his misshapen deformity and felt her stomach tie up in knots, felt her knees go weak, and felt her head become light. The side of his face that she had unmasked was a mirror opposite to the other. His "normal" side was rough-skinned with a strong jaw line, like any pony who was a workpony. But the other…the skin was pulled over bones that seemed to want to poke through it. A part of his cheek was sunken in, almost looking skeletal, and several large deep red scars stretched out over the sunken flesh, looking like blood spots. His dark hair that fell across his face hid a nasty scar that looked as if someone had hit him with a rock and the wound had never healed, as if a part of his skull was missing, and only had hair growing over it. And his nose; on one side it looked like any nose would, perfectly sloped, but on the other, the slope of the nose stopped altogether, the nostril sunken in somewhat. His lip curled upward, exposing a few teeth in the corner, and a small pile of baggy flesh, that should have been where his cheek was, settled over the eyebrow. She had never seen anyone like this. She had never imagined anyone like this.
"YOU LITTLE WITCH!"
Fluttershy stared up at the Phantom as he advanced upon her, his paw still tightly clamped to his face. "DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!"
Fluttershy backed away, her body trembling as he advanced. She hadn't realized how he towered over her. He could easily crush her in two by just wrapping his slim body around her…and she had a feeling he wanted too. "DON'T JUST STAND THERE! SPEAK YOU LITTLE VIPER!"
Fluttershy trembled and cowered, backing up more and more as he closed in. She couldn't speak, all she could do was stare and damn herself for her foolishness. Her hooves were shaking so that she dropped the mask, but in lightening speed, he reached out and grabbed it before it hit the ground. Just as quickly, he placed it back on his face, which calmed him somewhat, but his rage was still kindling. "Why…didn't you tell me…" he growled, "…that you wanted to see the PHANTOM!" he roared.
Fluttershy squealed as he threw his arms out, grabbing hold of a table and throwing to the ground. "I…I…" she stammered.
"WHAT?" he roared again, grabbing hold of a chair and throwing it against the wall, causing it to splinter and crumble apart.
"I…I'm s-s-s-sorry…" she barely whispered.
"SORRY? YOU'RE SORRY?" he bellowed, causing the ceiling to shake. "YOU'RE ONLY SORRY THAT YOU SAW WHAT YOU SAW!" he accused, to which he threw another chair across the room.
Fluttershy cried out and turned on her heel to flee. As she did so she could hear the Phantom's thunderous voice shout, "GET OUT! GET OUT!"
She ran; ran through the darkness, not caring what she encountered along the way, just having to leave. She gasped when she felt something hard, and almost screamed when she felt it move.
"GYSPY MARE!"
Fluttershy looked up to see Derpy grinning at her. "I f-f-found her!" she shouted down the tunnels. "She's h-h-h-here!"
Rarity was there in a matter of seconds. "My dear!" she panted. "Where h-have you been?" she asked while catching her breath. "We've b-b-been so w-worried!"
Fluttershy looked back and forth between the two figures, and then just over Derpy's shoulder to see Shortround and Rainbow Dash come into view. Behind them she saw…sky? Was it her imagination? No! Shortround and Rainbow Dash had just come from outside! They were shutting a door behind them!
"Derpy!" Shortround cried. "Did you just say you found her?"
"Yes!" she cried out joyfully. "S-s-she's h-here! She's-"
Fluttershy pushed past them and bolted for the door where the other two figures had just emerged. The others were so shocked that they didn't have time to react. "WAIT!" Rarity cried out. "WHERE ARE YOU GOING?" But Fluttershy didn't look back, she just ran as fast as she could, through the door and out into the Maris night.
They may pursue her, she was unsure, so she didn't look back. She was free! But she would not relax, she continued running, down long dark allies and past old crumbling buildings. There was no moon, no stars; Fluttershy could smell rain in the air. Yet she continued running, happy for the dim lit lamps of the Maris streets, happy for the air and wind that was hitting her face. She had no idea where she was, or where exactly she was heading. Maris was still very new to her, and at night, she couldn't tell what street was what, but she ran till her sides throbbed and she was gasping for air. She found herself lost in one of the many back allies of the city, one with a dead end and no indication of where she was.
She knew she should turn around, turn and try to find a way home…or to the police at the very least to try and find her father, but the second she took a step, she cried out as pain shot through her leg. She remembered how she had cut her leg back in the tunnel, and gasped as she saw the trail of blood she had left behind her. She bent down and ripped off a scrap of fabric from her already torn dress and proceeded to dab at the wound and bind it. She winced with pain as tied the knot of her homemade bandage, but all thoughts of pain disappeared when a voice spoke over her.
"Well, well, well…hello pretty thing."
Fluttershy bolted upright at the voice, seeing three large burly looking ponies standing before her, all smelling of alcohol, cigarettes, and vomit. It was enough to make Fluttershy gag. "Been a long time since I've had a mare," one of the stallions remarked. He had a large gut that hung over his trousers and his clothes reeked of sweat and urine. It was understandable why a mare hadn't gone near him for quite some time.
"Come with us pretty," another stallion belched, reaching out for her. Fluttershy stepped back, lifting her eyes skyward and wondering why all these horrible things were occurring in one night. The stallion burped again and took a few more steps towards her. "Come on, we can go somewhere quiet…we'll pay you well."
The other two snickered at the comment, while Fluttershy stared wide eyed at them. They thought her a prostitute? She knew she was dirty and her dress was torn, but she did not think she looked like a lady of the night from that alone!
"I'm not for sale," Fluttershy hissed. Unfortunately they were blocking the only way out of the ally and when the three of them stood side by side, it was like standing in front of a brick wall. She was trapped and she knew it…she just couldn't show that she knew it.
One of the stallions frowned at her statement. "Our money is just as good as any other ponies," he grumbled. "Come on…been a long night, and we want some company."
"No," Fluttershy stated again, her jaw set, her eyes steady, while her mind was screaming for help. She could pretend to be what they thought she was, pretend so that they would let her pass, thinking she was leading them back to her bordello, and then make a run for it. She was sure she could outrun three drunken over-weight louts, but her leg wouldn't carry her far, the very idea of running caused it to throb with pain. Also, from the look of these ponies, Fluttershy had a feeling they could care less of where everything took place. They probably expected her to service them right there in that ally, which would explain the mud on their clothes and the stench of urine that perfumed them. While they may not be able to run fast, she knew they could still be dangerous and she had to play things very carefully.
"No?" one of them growled. "Why not? You saying that Cranky Doodle Donkey ain't good enough for you?"
Cranky Doodle Donkey…why did that name sound so familiar? She looked closer and realized that the pony speaking was no pony at all, but a donkey. Suddenly, he lunged for her and Fluttershy easily twirled out of his reach, and then it all dawned on her. This was the same donkey that had lunged at her back stage at the Opera House on that first day! And apparently Cranky hadn't forgotten the incident either, for his eyes went wide with realization after he recovered himself from his unsuccessful attempt of grabbing the mare.
"You…" he whispered, looking at Fluttershy, the realization dawning more and more. There was a wild look in his eyes and Fluttershy swallowed a growing lump in her throat. No amount of twirling would help her for long. "You…you cost me my job," he accused.
Fluttershy stood with her chin up. "You cost yourself your own job, all I did was step out of the waAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!" She cried out as suddenly a stallion lunged at her and caught her around the middle, holding her wriggling and struggling body against his over-grown beer gut.
"I got her Cranky! I have her! And…" he grunted as she continued struggling against him. "She's quite a hellcat, this one!" he laughed.
"LET ME GO AT ONCE!" she screamed. "RELEASE ME! HELP! HELP!"
"Cover her mouth with something!" Cranky hissed to the stallion holding her. "We don't want all of Maris coming!" Fluttershy continued screaming even after the stallion who had caught her placed a large disgusting hoof over her mouth. She gagged as she could smell and taste the filth from his body.
"You know this mare?" the third pony of the group asked Cranky. "She's not a prostitute?"
Cranky shrugged his shoulders. "All mares are whores, that's my motto in life. Whores to be used whenever you need one," he chuckled. Fluttershy's eyes narrowed with hate at the donkey's words. She kept wriggling and squirming against her captor who was now showing signs of struggle with holding onto her.
"God almighty, she's a hellcat!" the stallion who was holding her grunted. "Careful Cranky, she may lash out."
Cranky Doodle Donkey spit on the ground, a sign that he had no worries whatsoever. "Let's open this pretty package!" the other stallion cried out, reaching for Fluttershy's dress. Fluttershy struggled even harder when she realized the stallion's intentions.
"Ah!" cried out the one holding her. "Stop it!" he ordered, although she continued to struggle. "It felt nice having her delicious rump wriggle against me, but now it's hard to hold onto her!"
"Shut up," Cranky growled, and pushed the stallion out of the way. "I'll unwrap this flower…and I get her first."
"No fair!" protested his third companion. "The last time we had a mare, you had her first! She was too tired when she got to me!" Cranky simply grabbed the stallion by the collar of his shirt and glared at him. The stallion quickly relented. "Fine, you can have her first," he whimpered cowardly.
Fluttershy's eyes went wide when she saw the evil smirk on the former stagehoof as he reached out and much to her horror, grabbed both sides of her dress and ripped it apart, leaving her only in her corset and undergarments. She screamed in protest beneath the hoof that covered her mouth, not believing this was actually happening. She was better off with the Phantom.
"Mmmm…pretty," Cranky grinned, eyeing her body from behind the pale white fabric that covered her. His large grubby hoof reached out to touch her, and Fluttershy summoned up all her strength, before swinging her leg out and kicking him HARD in the groin, and then when he dropped to his knees, in the chin. The stallion holding her cried out Cranky's name, and at that point, Fluttershy bit down HARD on the stallion's hoof, causing him to yowl in pain. His blood dripped from her mouth, and she wriggled herself loose from his grip. Before the other stallion could advance upon her, Fluttershy pushed the now howling stallion towards the other, and the two ran into each other, causing them both to fall down. Without another look, she took off, wincing at the pain in her leg, but fighting through it, she just had to get out of the ally, she just-
"AAAAAH!" she screamed as she felt a something hit her ankle and knock her down to the muddy ground. Cranky Doodle Donkey, who was still gripping his balls in one hoof, had reached out and tripped her, succeeding in twisting it in just a way that would cause her to sprain herself. She would not be running now.
"You little BITCH!" he spat, his large body flopping on top of hers. "I'll teach you! I'll show you!" Fluttershy screamed and cried, her face now wet with tears as she could feel his dirty hooves reaching into her undergarments, seeking out her legs which she kept tightly shut. "You'll like this, I promise you that," he grinned wickedly, his disgusting mouth coming down on hers. Fluttershy was able to move her head away just in time, and she screamed as she felt his tongue and lips on her skin. She wriggled, squirmed, kicked, bit, scratched, whatever she could do to free herself. "Hold her down, damn it!" Cranky yelled to one of his friends. "And shut up!" he shouted, shaking Fluttershy roughly, before raising his arm to backhoof her.
Fluttershy prepared herself to feel the stinging fire spread across her cheek, but it never came. "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?" Her eyes flew open at the sound of one of Cranky's friends whimpering in fear, and standing just over her, she saw the Phantom, gripping Cranky's arm in his large leather clad claw.
"I wouldn't, if I were you," he growled dangerously.
Cranky stared up at the dark being before him, his eyes wide in both horror and shock. He told the Phantom's tales to frighten the dance mares, but…he never truly believed the ghost stories. Yet now, as he gazed up at the . . . thing clad in black, with a cape billowing around its body, and its face covered in the shadows, save for the outline of a pale mask, he knew…he knew this was the infamous Phantom of the Opera. The Angel of Death himself.
The stallion who had his hoof bitten rose and with a shout charged at the Phantom, but he easily side stepped the stallion, who went headfirst into a pile of garbage. The other stallion rose and attacked, but Discord whirled around before lashing out with his leg, kicking the stallion in the gut, causing him to double-over, and then proceeding to elbow him hard in the spine.
With those two on the ground groaning in pain, Discord then turned his attention on Cranky Doodle Donkey, who was still on top of the costume mare. "If you release her now, I'll let you and your friends live…if you do not…well, you know the stories Doodle."
Cranky Doodle Donkey stared up at the Phantom, his mouth open but no sound coming forth. However, a grin slowly spread across his features as he saw one of his friends rise up slowly behind the Phantom, holding a long shard of wood in his hoof, aiming it at Discord's head. "I don't take orders from a masked freak," Cranky spat.
Discord sighed. "You just did a very stupid thing, monsieur."
Discord's senses were keen, like a wolf, and he bent just in time as the stallion swung at him with the wood. He kicked the stallion hard in the balls, then took the wood from his hooves and used it as a club against him, hitting him hard across the face with it. Cranky stared in horror and turned his attentions to his other friend who was still groaning on the ground. "DON'T JUST SIT THERE! FIGHT THE BASTARD!"
Fluttershy took this opportunity to bite down on his hoof, causing him to yowl in pain and remove his filthy body just somewhat off her. With all her strength, she kicked her knee up which made contact with Cranky's groin, before screaming at Discord, "BEHIND YOU!"
Discord whirled around at that second to escape the lunge caused by Cranky's other friend, who was holding a knife. The blade did however make contact with Discord's cape, tearing a large hole in it. He growled and grabbed hold of the stallion's hoof, twisting it till he dropped the blade. "I love this cape," he hissed, before kicking the stallion with his boot, sending him backwards into a wall.
Yet once again, as soon as he was done fighting one stallion, the other recovered and leapt to his hooves, attacking Discord again, this time throwing his whole body on top of the Phantom's. Discord was not prepared for this attack, and therefore taken by surprise by the burly stallion's strength. He winced, but did not cry out in pain as he felt the stallion punch his lower back. He threw his cape off then and wrapped it tightly around the stallion's head, causing him to throw blind punches in the air, to which Discord kicked the stallion hard in his left shin, before punching him even harder in the jaw.
Cranky was now recovered and grabbed Fluttershy by her hair, causing her to cry out painfully as he lifted her off the ground. "YOU!" he shouted at the Phantom. Discord turned around warily, seeing Cranky hold the mare tightly in one arm, while the other revealed a pistol to which he now held to her head.
Fluttershy who had been struggling stopped as she felt the cold metal of the pistol touch her temple. "DON'T TAKE ANOTHER STEP!" Cranky ordered, thrusting the pistol hard against Fluttershy. "OR I'LL BLOW HER BRAINS ALL ACROSS THIS ALLY!"
Discord did not say a word, he simply faced Cranky head on, his back to his other enemies, knowing he was vulnerable to whatever violence they wished to send his way. He stretched his arms out from his sides, revealing a sword that hung from his right hip. "PUT THAT ON THE GROUND!" Cranky ordered, indicating to Discord's sword. Discord did not make a move, but calmly, removed the sword and, with excruciating slowness, placed it on the ground.
What game was he playing? Fluttershy had a feeling he knew what he was doing, or at least she hoped he did. She wasn't sure what was going to happen to her, and she was surprised the Phantom had followed her all this way. Why was he risking his life for hers? She had unmasked and humiliated him, she would have thought that of all ponies, he would take pleasure to see her death. Well, after Fleur. But why was he doing this…did he truly want to save her life? Or did he simply want to kill these monsters now…and then her later?
"Now…" Cranky said, trying to sound calm, but anyone could tell he truly wasn't. "You don't move…you let me go…and I won't hurt the mare," he explained, backing down the ally with Fluttershy still held tightly to him.
"Let the mare go first," Discord ordered.
"SHE COMES WITH ME!" Cranky shouted, before quickly calming himself. "When I know you're not following me…then I'll release her…but right now, she comes with me."
"No," Discord whispered, shaking his head. "That's not how it works." Fluttershy gasped as she watched him take a step towards them.
"STOP RIGHT THERE OR I WILL SHOOT HER!"
Discord paused…and then took another step.
"I MEAN IT!"
Fluttershy squeezed her eyes shut, feeling the hot tears pierce her skin as they ran down her face.
"Why not point that gun at me Doodle?" Discord reasoned. "Killing me will actually solve all your problems."
Fluttershy's eyes flew open. Was he serious?
Cranky Doodle Donkey stared at the Phantom in shock. Discord took another step closer. "After all, it will answer that question of whether the Phantom of the Opera is truly a ghost…or a monster." He took another step. "And think of the fame, Doodle. The fame you'll receive as the donkey who killed the horrific Phantom." He took another step.
Cranky shook his head. "This mare means something to you!" he accused.
"Well she is amusing, after all you lost your job because of her."
"SHUT UP!" Cranky shouted, now aiming the pistol at Discord.
And that was what he wanted. In a flash, Discord's paw stomped down on top of the handle of the sword in which he laid on the ground, causing the blade to leap in the air, and before Doodle could react to what was happening, Discord gripped the sword and lashed out, cutting off Cranky's hoof that held the pistol, the blood spewing out like a fountain and splattering Cranky in the face.
"MY GOD!" he screamed, falling to the mud and gripping his lifeless bleeding arm to his body. "MY GOD!"
Fluttershy stared in shock at what had just happened, her own face and body splattered with Cranky's blood. She gasped when she saw Cranky's friends rise to their feet, each groaning in pain, each clutching the bleeding wounds on their bodies, but nothing they had compared to what Cranky was suffering. Discord turned immediately and lifted his sword at them. "Leave now," he growled. "I'm not normally this forgiving…in fact I never am…so I advise you to take this rare opportunity, and flee for your lives." he growled, before adding, "and don't bother coming back for your friend."
The two stallions didn't need to be told twice. They fled the ally with their tails between their legs, like the cowardly dogs that they were. Cranky was still wailing like a banshee on the ground. He reached out and grabbed his now dismembered hoof, cradling it like a mother would cradle a baby. He removed the pistol from the now lifeless hoof, and gazed up at Discord in rage. Suddenly, his sobs turned to a cry of fury and he lifted the pistol to Discord's head.
"NO!" Fluttershy screamed, grabbing Cranky Doodle Donkey's shirt sleeve with her teeth and tugging hard, causing him to reel back, but it was too late. The pistol had fired its shot.
Discord whirled around at the sound of Fluttershy's scream. When he saw what Doodle was doing, he wasted no time, took the sword and slashed at the former stagehoof's throat, causing his life's blood to spill out over chest. The pistol had been fired, but the bullet did not make the contact it had intended. Fluttershy quickly released the gurgling Cranky, stepping away as she watched him convulse and his life leave his body, till he lay still like a rock in the mud.
It was raining. Fluttershy wasn't sure when it had started, but her hair was sticking to her face and she could feel what was left of her clothes clinging to her body like paper. She lifted her eyes then to the Phantom, not sure what to say or do, but gasped when she saw him fall to his knees before her.
"Good God, w-w-what is it?" she asked, going to his side in an instant. She caught him before he crumbled to the ground, her arm going around him, trying to prop him up as best she could.
His breathing was heavy, ragged almost. He was groaning in pain, and…blood. There was blood on the white linen shirt he wore. She had thought it was Cranky Doodle Donkey's blood, but no…it was coming from somewhere on him!
She pushed back his shirt, gasping in horror at finding the source of the blood. The bullet hadn't missed him like she had thought. Cranky was aiming at the Phantom's head, but instead, the bullet had hit him in the chest, just below the shoulder. Fluttershy's clothes were soaked and caked with mud, they would do no good for a bandage. She then began to rip the sleeve off his shirt and pressed it against his chest. "You need to hold this there," she instructed. "Please…you need to hold this over your wound…you…monsieur? MONSIEUR!" His eyes had rolled back and he lay lifeless in her arms.
She wasted no time but bent her head over his chest. Yes, she could still hear a heartbeat, although it was very faint. She had no idea where she would be able to find a doctor; she wasn't even sure where she was! No, the only option was to take him back to the Opera House. True, she knew she was free and could run away from this place and pretend nothing had happened…but she refused to lower herself to such selfishness. She would not let a pony . . or whatever he was, who had risked his life for hers, die in the mud. She looked all around her and spotted several barrels of garbage lying on top of an old wheelbarrow. She pushed the barrels away and then used what strength she could to lift the Phantom onto the wheelbarrow. After she was sure he was secure, she draped his torn cape across his body, then proceeded to move him out of the ally and back to the Opera House. She only prayed that she would find it before her rescuer perished.