//------------------------------// // Bringing the Rain...... // Story: Lucky's Seven: The Changeling Hunters // by Lucky424 //------------------------------// His vision slowly returned to him, and so did his senses. The first was pain, and the second was his hearing. “...tenant White Feather, can you hear me?” He looked around and saw Nova Fusion standing above him, horn glowing white with healing magic. “Try not to move around too much, you've got a broken leg and three broken ribs. Help will be arriving soon.” He looked in the opposite direction and saw a teal pegasus, twin swords sheathed in her wings. Closing his eyes, he let the blackness take over again as the pegasus took wing and flew to the north...... The next time he awoke, he could smell the scent of books, and could see a purple foreleg draped across his chest. He didn't know if he was in the library, or if it was the scent of the mare next to him. “Twilight?” The mare in question thrust her head in to the air and looked to his face, and began talking in a soft tone. “Feather, take it easy, you've got some serious injuries. You all......have some. The ponies anyway....” “What of the captain?” Twilight looked away from him then and sat up, placing her hoof over his. “Twilight....where is he?” “We....don't know. They couldn't find any sign of him. He's......gone. I'm sorry.” “Till I see a body, I won't believe it.” Twilight pulled herself closer, and returned to laying next to him. “I know what you mean, but the facts are there. Nova said nothing could survive.......and we've been looking for quite some time now.” “How is the rest of the squad?” She pushed his head over towards the other direction, and he could see the ends of more beds behind some curtains. “Where are we?” “Appleloosa. It was the nearest place with medical facilities, although it's a bit spartan. As for the others, Bolt is still in and out of conciousness, Nova and Strike are currently out with Rarity and Pinkie Pie, they got the least of it. Starfyre is in the next bed over, he hasn't awoken yet. Dash has rarely left his side since they brought you in here. Hammer is taking it easy whilst Applejack helps her cousin Braeburn harvest some of the tress. And Streak.....” “Will you please take this bucking bandage of my wing?” “Now Jet, the doctors said that it has to stay on for at least two weeks, and you know what that means.” They heard a mumble, but couldn't make out what was being said. “What was that?” “I said.......fine. I'm going to be a pain in the flank, not being able to fly for two weeks you know?” “Doesn't matter, it's my flanks, and I know you like them.” Twilight nuzzled Feather's neck as she pressed closer. “Well, that's how Streak is doing.” Feather went to move, but a firm hoof pushed him back down. “Twilight, I've got to get to Canterlot, I need to report what has happened!!!” “I know you do, but you will not be going to Canterlot. Celestia and Luna are all ready here, and they will speak to you when you have sufficiently healed.” “And I suppose you get to decide when that is, right?” “No, your nurses do. And with they amount they argue, you are going to be getting plenty of bed rest.” Feather just looked at her confused before he posed his question. “Just who are our nurses?” Before Twilight could answer, another female voice, but much younger, broke across the room “Twilight, if you don't keep it down, I'll have you removed.” “Sorry, Nurse Scootaloo.” “What is a filly doing here? Did you condone this?” Twilight closed her eyes and shook her head. “No. We received at letter telling us that the Elements may be needed, but not what for. Scootaloo, Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle snuck aboard the train. It was too late to turn back when we discovered them, and the knowledge they picked up in Canterlot has been invaluable towards saving your lives.” Feather looked at the ends of the other beds, and listened hard. He could just make out the filly's quiet voice. “Uncle Starfyre.....please wake up soon. I don't know how to help, and the doctors don't know what's wrong. I know I need to be strong...but.....I.....” Feather saw movement from the other side of the room, and watched as the cyan mare walked in to the partitioned section. “Scootaloo, he'll wake. He just needs time to heal.” “But how do you know Dash?? He may never wake up!!!” “Yes he will squirt, because you are here for him. And so am I.” “You know, he talked about you two to me.” “Really, what did he say?” “Well, it was more his hopes and dreams.” “And what does he want?” “It was something to do with white veils, a white dress.......and possibly even foals afterwards.” 'THUD' “um.....Twilight, could you help me get Rainbow Dash in to a extra bed?” She just looked down at the stallion in her grip and smiled. “Don't you go anywhere now. You still need time to recover. I'll try to get them to let you talk to the princesses. Until then, just rest.” “.....and that's when I tried to go back for him. There was nothing left. Next thing I know I've got Nova stood above me telling me not to move, and then I woke up here.” Feather, Celestia and Luna were sat in the waiting are of what amounted as the Appleloosa Hospital, but it was more of a day surgery building. There were other ponies with them, scribbling away with the information he was providing. “So he is gone.........” Celestia was the one to speak, as Luna was trying to hold back her tears. “For now, you and your squad will return to Ponyville when you are well enough to travel.” “But your majesty.....I want to stay and ensure that there will be no more attacks!!” A teal pegasus mare walked up behind him as he said this, and added her voice to the group. “No need to. I've got plenty of troops to secure the area. Both Solar Guards and Luna Guards, we've got the entire area locked down 24/7.” Feather slowly turned his head towards the mare, and took note of the swords sheathed in her wings. “.....Swift Gale?” Celestia spoke once again. “Captain Gale will be handling the operation from now on. You and your squad are on forced leave until such time as cleared by the ones caring for you.” “You mean the three fillies?” “No I do not. For you, it will be Twilight Sparkle.” “.........buck.” A few months later.... The seven trotted back in to town and saw a crowd gathered near the edge. Making their way over, they watch as Twilight took a weapon form one of the humans stood there, and proceed to take it apart. He listened to her chide the human for walking around with it 'made ready', before it spoke to her. “How do you know how to operate this weapon?” “Oh, so you can talk. I guess the short version of it is I was taught how to before I shot myself in the face with it. He wasn't too happy about that.” “Who wasn't?” Feather took note of the way her head dropped at remembering the event. “I.....don't want to talk about it.” “Look, we are here to find our friend, if you know where he is then please tell us.” Feather started to walk towards the group as he spoke. “The Captain is no longer around. Please, do not talk about it in public, it makes them upset.” He raised a hoof and pointed it around the gathered ponies. “Follow me and we can discuss it.” “Lead the way.” “.....and that was the last time any of us saw him. He sacrificed everything so that we could escape. He is a true hero to our ponies.” “So you think he's dead?” “Nothing could have survived that blast. Even if he did, he wouldn't have made it out in time to escape the falling structures. That was about eight months ago.” “So we came all this way.....for nothing.” “No, Daniel, we came here for a good reason. Just because we didn't find him, doesn't mean it was for nothing.” “Yes sir.” White Feather looked at the gathered humans in the guard station. “I am assuming you are his friends?” They all nodded. “Then there is something you need to see. Lieutenant Streak!” “Yes sir?” “Show these gentlecolts to the train station and purchase them a return ticket to Canterlot, I'll inform Captain Gale of their arrival.” “On it sir.” “What are we going to see?” “What he has done whilst he was here. I would say leave your weapons, but you may need them. We are still getting reports of scattered Changeling activity, but we never find anything.” “I see. Thank you for your time, I'm sure we'll meet again.” “Yes, I'm sure we will.” He watched the humans leave and looked to the picture on his desk, from all those months ago in Manehatten. “Dammit Captain, where are you?” It wasn't going to be an easy mission, and they knew it. Get in to the caverns, rescue the ponynapped villagers, go home. It had gone well, up to the point where the Diamond Dogs had cut off the squads exit, and they were force to take a different route, leading in to the Everfree Forest. And it was after night fall..... There was only one way for them to go, a bridge across Ghastly Gorge, but the Berserker Dogs were catching up. Fuelled by the need to return to their loved ones, the Seven pushed themselves as hard as they could and managed to get a lead. As they approached the bridge, they all came to a halt. The humans stood there, waiting for them, with their weapons raised and pointing towards the woods. A shadow moved out from behind them, and they saw a fifth human dressed the same, but without a helmet. The weapon it was carrying looked devastating, with six barrels, and held to the side of the human. It walked to the front of the group and spoke. Colonel White Feather could not believe it. That voice, it can not be.... “Get down.” The ponies all dropped to the floor as the weapon started to spin. Their was a deafening roar as it started to belch flames out of the barrels, and Feather turned to see the chasing Berserkers dance to the tune of the humans weapon, before dropping to the floor. By this point, there were a hundred of the dogs, but the single human was putting them down like they were no more than a itch waiting to be scratched. As the last of the Dogs fell, along with quite a lot of the tress, Feather turned his attention back to the humans and watched as the multi-barrelled weapon stopped spinning, smoking and glowing red hot at the business end. He looked up at the face of the human and stared on in disbelief as he spoke once again. “Now that is some proper Fire Rain. Colonel Feather, what are you still doing on the floor?” “C-c-c-c-captain Fire Rain.....is it really you?” “You bet your flank it is. Let's get you home. We'll talk about it there.” The other humans walked up and stood between the ponies and the woods, weapons raised as if waiting for more targets. The Seven all slowly stood and made their way over to the captain, all with clear looks of shock present. Feather was the first to speak up. “But......how.....” “A friend in hole-y places.” He turned to the bridge and started across it, the ponies following, and the others humans bringing up the rear. Feather trotted closer to the captain and looked him up and down. “How are you alive?” “I never thought I'd say anything like this, but......Changeling magic. Like I said, I'll tell you about it back at the guard station.” “We....don't live there any more sir.” “Really? Where do you live now.” “Well.....I live in the library with my wife, and we are expecting our first foal.” “Congratulations Feather.” They continued to converse as they made their way to Ponyville......