Chapter 10: Regroup
Deep in the Everfree forest, in the old temple. Apple Jack rested, they had made it. The Cutie Mark crusaders were playing tag in the courtyard, Illidan was helping Aurora and Fluttershy unpack. Pinkie, Berry and Big Mac were all getting the food prepared. Stormrage was sitting next to Apple Jack, tired from his walk.
“Well, this isn’t a good start”
“Right there partner, and it’s going to get a lot worse”
“What do you mean AJ?”
“Well, we’re sending Big Mac with the fillies to Manehatten to our relatives, they’ll take care of em’”
“That’s good, isn’t it?”
“Well, that just leaves us. Ah have no idea if the Princess will make it here, or that fancy-shamcy operative. Afraid it’ll be just on our own legs for the time being”
Storm glanced back at the castle before getting up “Come on AJ, we should probably help the others set up camp. It might be a rough night, assuming all this keeps up”
Apple Jack looked around the eerily quiet forest “Ah don’t hear anything”
“That’s precisely what I mean, this is the Everfree forest right? Where everything is unnatural and stuff? Why can’t I hear that then?”
“Ah…have no idea, you’ll have to ask Fluttershy bout that. I’m no good with animals”
“I thought you had a pet?”
Apple Jack stood up “I’d rather not talk about that…..come on, we’d better help the others”
Apple Jack trotted off, leaving Storm looking out at the forest.
Inside the castle, where everypony had just finished setting up camp, there was a red flash. Out of it appeared Ember, who’s left front leg quickly failed to support him and hits the ground. Fluttershy and Big Mac were instantly by his side.
“A-are you ok Ember?” asked Fluttershy, who was quickly examining him for any obvious injuries.
“I’m fine Fluttershy, just a little winded. That parasite that’s taken over Twilight…man, it was teasing me”
“What do you mean, teasing?”
Big Mac lifted Ember onto his back, and they all start walking towards the ‘sleep’ section of the camp.
“Well, I didn’t think she intended me to escape, but I know Twilight, and I know that that thing was barely using her mana storage. I was quickly to attack, but if that thing is as smart as I think it is, it could have attacked and defended at the same time”
“W-what? You mean bad Twilight wanted to wear you down?”
“Basically, and she nearly did. My spells have a lot of kick, but mana endurance isn’t my specialty”
Big Mac enters the sleeping area, where Illidan and Berry and Pinkie where setting up tents. Well, then I say tents, I mean several tents, a couple of just sleeping bags and a giant mansion
Big Mac lowered himself and let Ember hop of his back, lying him down onto one of the sleeping bags.
“So..Now what Ember?”
“Well, I think our biggest priorty is to rest up. It’ll take them some time, I hope, to find us here. Hopefully by the time they do, we’ll be long gone from here”
Fluttershy nodded, while Big Mac said, traditionally, “Eeeyep”
Scootaloo trotted into the room “Um, where is Rainbow Dash? You said she’d be here!”
Ember glanced at the filly, and felt a sinking feeling in his chest. He didn’t like lying, and this filly held Rainbow Dash in high regard. He knew she’d have to learn, but not yet.
“It’s….” Ember was interrupted by another flash of magic, blue this time. Luna materialised in that room, and she winced her eyes. The wound on her side bleeding, not heavily, but enough to weaken the Princess.
Fluttershy took mere seconds to grab her first-aid kit, quickly leading Luna onto a sleeping bag, where the Pegasus got started on cleaning and fixing Luna’s wounds.
“Well? What’s happened to Rainbow Dash!?” Scootaloo hadn’t even been phased by the sudden arrival of Luna, keeping her eyes trained on Ember.
Ember saw all the ponies eyes on him, and he lowered his eyes and head. There was one thing he didn’t want to deal with, it was a head-broken filly.
“W-well, you see…Luna asked Rainbow to fly to the other cities, rally up some support…It’s hard to explain to one so young. War is…not something a filly your age should know about”
“W-war? We’re at war!?” Scootaloo’s mouth dropped “Against who!?”
Ember closed his eyes, it was about time they all knew what happened in Canterlot, why Twilight had changed and, who their enemy really was. “It’s, not mine right to explain, but my princesses. Tomorrow, we wil talk about it, but…I must…rest” Ember’s eyes slowly closed, and he drifted into sleep.
Aurora walked into the area, a large, bulky bag on his back “I agree with Ember, we could all use some rest. I’ll take first watch, everypony else rest”
A nod was all the reply needed, and everypony but Aurora went to sleep. He sat in the corner, the contents’ of his bag on the ground in front of him.