//------------------------------// // Introduction // Story: LOST Little Ponies: Pilot // by Perceptive Key //------------------------------// LOST Little Ponies Pilot Introduction Twilight Sparkle's dark violet eyes shot open in a flash. Her retinas retracted at the sudden influx of Celestia's dazzling sunlight. The lavender mare blinked the hazy spots out of her eyes and stared into the sky above her, taking in the clouds and their movements across the clear blue sky. The bamboo stalks caught her eyes as well, the tall, green reeds stretching up into the atmosphere. She was simply captivated. Wait... No... Bamboo stalks...? What were those doing here...? Where was the ship...? She turned to her left, slowly twisting her neck to the side. She was soon greeted by a large bed of lush, green foliage. It took the unicorn a moment to realize that she was lying atop the greenery. She was so confused. Where was the ship...? Where was everypony else...? Where were her friends...? Twilight's eyes widened in sudden realization. Her friends! She needed to find them. Twilight moved to stand, but a stab of pain shot through her lower back. She fell back to the ground immediately, breathing quickly. She turned onto her stomach carefully, moving ever so slowly. Twilight caught sight of something on the ground: a small, red pigment staining the otherwise emerald vegetation. Blood. Her own blood. She instinctively reached for where she had felt the quick rush of physical agony that had coursed through her back. Twilight was rewarded with a feeling of a warm spot on her back that also sent a burning pain through her body. She swiftly retracted her hoof and examined its tip. Sure enough, there was a streak of blood intermingling with purple fur on her hoof. Twilight now opted for the observer's route, craning her neck to get a better look at her backside. She was wearing a simple, night blue dress around the middle and foremost parts of her body. There were now some scattered tears throughout the material that must have occurred before she regained consciousness. A long gash sliced through both the clothing and her usually pristine coat, with large drops of half-dried blood clinging to each of them. She deemed it non-life threatening at the moment, but, if it wasn't stitched up soon, it could lead to unwanted infection. Once again, Twilight made an attempt to get to her hooves, pushing herself up with first the front, then back appendages. The wound was stinging mildly, but the previous bout of anguish must have been brought about from contact with the ground. Twilight propped herself up against a cluster of bamboo stalks and surveyed her location. She peered through the reeds, searching for... something. Anything. She had to find her friends... *Crack* Twilight turned at the sound of a twig snapping, searching for the source. Some leaves rustled to her left, and she watched as a small brown-haired dog stepped into the clearing. The small animal was panting with its tongue "W... Winona?" Twilight wondered aloud. The dog responded by darting past her and running back into the dense forest. When the canine disappeared behind some stalks, Twilight shifted her weight back to her hooves again. She groaned in pain, but that did not stop her. She took a moment to test her motor skills, stretching her legs one by one. Satisfied that they were functioning normally, the mare's gaze turned to where Winona had disappeared. "Co-come back," Twilight called weakly. With that, she started after the animal. The unicorn stumbled a bit during the first couple of steps, but quickly regained her senses and corrected herself. She advanced through the dense topography, pushing branches aside and trampling fallen leaves. The crinkling and crackling of the foliage underhoof sounded like thunderclaps to the mare. She was able to tolerate it, though, since the only objective she was focused on was following Applejack's pet through the forest. Twilight quickened her pace. She hurried through the reeds blindly, unsure of where they would lead. Gradually, the thickness of the plant life began to lessen, raising her spirits. She entered another small clearing and saw something on the ground, covered with the leaves of the lower flora. Twilight stopped to examine the object, pushing the plants out of her way. The object was a small, white suitcase. It was beaten and battered beyond repair, but Twilight knew that the baggage in question belonged to her friend Rarity. "Rarity..." Twilight repeated the name aloud, now more focused than ever on finding the others. Suddenly, the mare's ears suddenly perked up. She thought she heard something... Twilight remained silent and listened. After a few seconds, the noise repeated itself. 'What is that...? she thought. 'Was that... screaming?' Again the noise sounded. It was screaming! Twilight turned in the presumed direction of the cries and resumed her chase. She sprinted through the jungle, running for the source. More screams echoed through the wilderness. Twilight saw that the leaves began to give way to sunlight up ahead, and she made for it with newfound strength. She also found that she was beginning to regain her senses, now. The process was slow, but the more she ran, the more her mind cleared. The leaves were finally giving way to the open world, their density decreasing more rapidly as she continued on. Rays of sunlight poked through the tree line and scattered glittering golden light across Twilight's unsure face. The opening was thirty feet... twenty feet... ten... Twilight emerged from the jungle and found herself standing on the sandy floor of a beach. The ocean stretched out endlessly in all directions, the sapphire blue waves lapping up against the near-golden shore. The sun poked through the scattered clouds on the horizon, making the sea shimmer and sparkle like thousands of perfect diamonds. To the left and in the distance, there was a tall mountain that obscured any more land from view. The imposing structure was formidable, and the partial shadows made it look mysterious at the same time. It was practically paradise. Twilight would have taken time to stare at the scene, but the screams that she heard were even louder now. The came from her left, past some bushes higher up on the beach. She turned her attention to the source and ran to see the trouble. She rounded the bend and slowed to a stop. Her legs grew weak as she surveyed the scene. The previously spectacular view was now meaningless at the sight before her. Ponies were scattered about, screaming or lying on the ground in pain. She didn't have time to distinguish them individually as they hurried about. Some of the standing, able-bodied equines were helping lead people away, but that was almost forgotten as she saw what lay at the center of the drama. Lying atop the sand, was the large, fresh wreckage of a large, burning airship.