//------------------------------// // There is No Pot of Gold // Story: The Ballad of Jack and Sylvia: an Equestrian Odyssey // by Venter //------------------------------// Canterlot; 9:00 PM A team of nurses gathered around Twilight Sparkle's bed, holding the unicorn down as she kicked and struggled. Her hospital room was quite spacious; she was in the VIP suite of Canterlot General, a room with only one other patient – Princess Celestia. “Let me go! I have to help them! THEY NEED ME!” Twilight pleaded with the nurses, still fighting with all her strength. The door to the suite slid open with a pale blue magical glow and an elderly unicorn with a chestnut brown coat walked in, his cutie-mark in the shape of a small prescription bottle. “Keep her steady; I need to examine her.” The older Stallion said, stepping forward to look over Twilight. He walked with a distinct limp in his right hind leg. “My name is House Call; you may call me Dr. House. I am your primary caregiver. I'm also not in the least bit interested in you, but your celebrity status has apparently convinced my boss that I need to be. So I'm going to figure out what is wrong with you, so that they” He jerked his head toward the nurses “can fix you.” The doctor's horn began to glow, and all of the recently healed scars on Twilight's body were highlighted in yellow. The effect was rather striking; the plant's thorns had torn into her in several places, each of which glowed brighter or dimmer based on how deep the wound had been. After studying the patterns for a few moments, he released the spell and took a step back. “Based on the intensity of your wounds and the period between infliction and treatment, you lost between 34 and 38% of your total blood volume. A class III hemorrhage. You've been on constant fluids ever since, but you'll still need another day here at least.” House said. “You don't understand. I need to leave NOW! A changeling is about to feed on my friend, and I don't think my other friends can stop her, and there's some kind of secret dark power pulling monsters into Equestria from who-knows-where! I need to assemble the elements of harmony!!” Twilight’s rant left her panting and wide eyed. House gave her a dismissive look and added an extra line to her chart. “And it's not uncommon for victims of a class III hemorrhage to suffer delusions or false visions. The changelings were savagely put down less than a year ago; I'd be quite surprised if any of them get within a hundred miles of Canterlot for several years to come. Nurse; lock the door before you leave.” The stallion said on his way out. The nurses lingered for about fifteen minutes, taking vitals and filling in data on Twilight's chart before leaving. The distinctive click of the lock followed the shutting door. As the soft clop of the nurses' hooves faded into the distance, Twilight sat up in bed. “So now I have to break out of a hospital?” Twilight said to herself. “Of all the ridiculous concepts... its almost as bad as breaking into a hospital!” Forest Clearing; 10:00 PM Jack and the changeling had reached a small lakeside clearing in the forest between Canterlot and Ponyville. “Lets rest here for a bit.”the false Dash said, going down to her knees to allow Jack an easy dismount. The boy slid off her back and onto the grass, stretching out as he gazed up at the night sky. The burn in his shoulder twinged with constant pain, though it seemed to dull whenever Dash drew near to him. “This doesn't look like we're near the hospital...” Jack mumbled, feeling a bit woozy. “You'll be okay... the burn's starting to go away already.” Dash purred. “It doesn't feel like it's gone...” Jack replied weakly. “That's how burns are... they always sting worse with time.” Dash stepped forward and nuzzled his unburned shoulder affectionately. The attention made a good distraction from the pain, it was hardly noticeable. In fact, everything was becoming less noticeable. Jack felt like the world was fading away; he could see Dash, but the night sky behind her was blurry. He felt weak. He tried to sit up, but he found himself physically unable to; and yet, it didn't even matter. As long as Dash was there, he was content. He didn't need to see anything but her. He didn't need to sit up if he could lie back with her. Nothing else seemed to matter. The actual Rainbow Dash flew in overhead, shooting along at the speed of sound but pulling to an impressive stop in mid-air when she saw Jack and the changeling. Jack was dimly aware of the second Rainbow Dash, but his senses all still seemed to be quite dull. Rainbow Dash  tucked her wings to the side and dove straight toward the ground, aimed directly at the changeling. The two connected and the changeling was torn off Jack's body, both of them tumbling across the ground and colliding with a tree on the outskirts of the clearing. “Get. Away. From. Him.” Rainbow Dash said with steel in her voice and narrowing her eyes. “Or what?” The changeling shot back, a wicked smile spreading. “I think you're missing something important here – he's already mine. I'd be surprised if he could even open his eyes before dawn...” She took a few steps toward Dash, reverting to her natural form as she walked. Her turquoise coat shimmered and warped into sleek black chitin, her rainbow mane re-forming into untidy spikes on the back of her head. A pitted horn protruded from her forehead, and her powerful feathery wings shriveled away and reappeared as the gossamer wings of a changeling. “...and by then, you'll be out of the picture.” Canterlot; 10:30 PM Twilight lay collapsed and heaving in the basket of a hot air balloon. Escaping the hospital hadn't been particularly tricky; a rapid series of short ranged teleportation spells was more than enough to escape from the limited security staff the hospital maintained at night. Getting to the hot air balloon storage had been significantly more difficult; once hospital security figured out what she’d done they alerted the Canterlot guard. They all thought she was crazy; that she was going to hurt herself if she wasn't restrained. Even so, hauling flank and a few more well placed blink spells were enough to get her into the balloon undetected. Pulling herself to her feet, she used the last of her magical energies to untie the balloon. She kept the flame low and whispered - “No one ever thinks to look up.” Forest Clearing; 11:00 PM Rainbow Dash and the changeling darted about in the sky, only visible by the shadows they cast on the star-scape above. Dash shot toward her foe, foreleg drawn back for a punch only to have the changeling pull up sharply at the last minute. Dash was counting on her speed, agility and raw muscle to deal with the creature; unfortunately, the recent feast on Jack’s emotions gave the changeling nimbleness to match. Every few passes the monster would fire a beam of neon green energy, each time missing Dash by inches at most. She could smell the ozone where it burned through the atmosphere. “Very scary” Dash smirked. “All you have to do is hit me now... how hard could that be?” She darted up after the changeling, zig zagging at insane speeds. She pulled a fast tight loop de loop to avoid an unusually accurate bolt. On the ground, Jack's eyes drifted open. He found the world slowly drifting back into clarity. Not everything was immediately apparent. The surrounding forest was still exceptionally blurry, and not all of the constellations were readily identifiable. He could, however, instantly make out Dash sparring with the changeling. “Dash! Be careful!” Jack lifted himself onto his elbows, too weak to sit up completely. His voice seemed to give Dash renewed vigor. Unfortunately, Jack's voice also carried to the changeling. “My my, look who's awake...” She sneered. “Enjoy the show; you'll be back with 'Dashie' before you know it.” Dash took advantage of the changeling's momentary distraction, streaking across the sky and landed a solid kick on the creature's shoulder. The changeling went tumbling out of the sky, barely righting herself in time. “That's right. He will.” Dash shot back, following her down and bringing her right hoof down on the side of the changeling's head. A thin crack appeared in her jet black cheek, a small trickle of ichor dripping down her chin. Still, Dash was relentless. Blow after blow hammered down on the changeling; wherever she ran, Dash pursued. The creature tried to use a tree to change her direction, barely kicking off the trunk in time to avoid a kick that left a large hoofprint in the tree in a spray of bark. Dash, in turn, barely kicked off the tree in time to avoid a fresh bolt of eldritch energy. The magical attack struck the tree and cleaved it in twain. The fight bounced around the entire clearing, at every imaginable altitude. A stray bolt grazed the top of Dash's head, leaving a singed streak of hair where the green in her mane used to be; she responded by dashing forward in a barrel roll and bringing her forehoof down on top of the changeling's head in with a crunch. The creature tumbled, landing hard on the ground before climbing back to her feet. “STOP!” The changeling screamed, breathing heavily. “Had enough!?” Dash demanded “No... but he has.” The changeling grinned wickedly, and Dash saw where she was standing – directly over Jack, with a hoof pressed to his throat. “One move toward me and I break his neck.” Dash cursed under her breath, unable to move lest the beast make good on her threat. Now that she was standing still the edge adrenaline had given her was slipping away; her flanks were drenched in sweat, and almost every muscle in her body ached. Jack's breathing was worrisome, each tiny increase in pressure on his neck making each breath harder than the last. He reached up and tried to grab the offending foreleg, but the changeling simply pressed harder until he blacked out. Dash started to jump forward again when she saw Jack's eyes close, but stopped at the changeling's next words. “He's still breathing; I just cut him off for a little bit. Wouldn't want him interrupting. Though it's a pity he can't witness. Now, hold nice and still for me Dashie...” The changeling bowed her head, green light gathering around her horn as she prepared for a finishing attack. Dash bowed her head; she had no choice. "My friends will send you running back to your Queen eventually." Dash said, her voice soft but strong. "Our queen?" The changeling cackled, the energy now focused at the tip of her horn. "You really know nothing, Pony. The hive does not permit failure. Chrysalis is no longer a queen. The hive now answers to a new master - and he will deliver us this world and those beyond." Dash shut her eyes and awaited the inevitable. There was a loud crack, one Dash had only heard before when Twilight cast a violent beam spell. She wondered if it would hurt, or if she’d feel anything at all. She promised herself that she would not give this monster the satisfaction of her screaming. It never came. After a second Dash dared open her eyes. The changeling was sprawled out on the grass, smoke curling up from her horn and several of the jagged spikes torn from her head. Thirty feet away, Sylvia stood panting and pale. Her cloak was torn to shreds; a few scraps clung to her body, just enough to preserve her modesty, while the other tatters flapped taut behind her in the wind. The moon cast a silvery halo about her. “Dash, take care of Jack. I'll take it from here!” Sylvia said. Rainbow Dash galloped to Jack's side as another familiar voice rang out. “I'm here! Is everyone okay?” The dull blue glow of the hot air balloon's flame came drifting forward overhead, Twilight leaning over the edge of the basket. Two new opponents – spellcasters to boot- changed the calculus for the changeling. She reflexively drew her head from left to right, lancing a beam across the top of the balloon. It immediately deflated, falling hard on top of Sylvia, both Sylvia and Twilight momentarily lost in a cloud of dust. The changeling turned and leaped into the sky. Rainbow Dash checked that Jack was still breathing, and then about faced to pursue. “You really think you can get away from -me-?” Dash gave a haughty chuckle. “I'm the fastest flier in all of Eque-” Dash's quip was cut off by a bolt of green light, cutting through the night and striking Dash in the chest. Her entire body felt hot, and then immediately cold; her legs went weak, and she collapsed on top of Jack. The impact of Dash falling onto his body forced Jack back to consciousness. The first thing he saw was her mane – bright rainbow hues shimmering in the moonlight. The second was a charred smoking hole in her back. “Dash!!” Jack forced himself to sit up, ignoring screaming pain in his muscles and taking her into his arms. The wound had a mirror on her chest – there was no blood; the magic cauterized it, but it had literally gone through her torso. “We need to get you help!” “Jack... it's okay.” Her voice was weak, but she didn't sound hurt. Shock was beginning to take hold. “You're here.” Jack nodded slowly. His arms were trembling. “I'm here.” He said, blinking back tears. “Jack... I l... I lo...” Dash's voice faded away. Her eyelids lowered slightly, and her eyes glassed over. Jack felt a terrible stillness as her breathing stopped. In a meadow far away, a distance beyond measure, a butterfly alighted on a flower; her wings shining in every color of the rainbow.