“RARITY! NAIL IT IN THE HEAD!” I was practically screaming as I struggled to hold down the demented cave bear, combining both magic and physical strength. “I CAN’T HOLD IT!” I watched as Rarity calmly notched an arrow, take aim, and let it fly.
THUNK. The arrow slammed into the beast’s brain, slashing clean through its skull and exiting from the back of its head. However, it also meant that the arrow very nearly impaled my head as well, fortunately missing by an inch or so and clattering to the cave floor. “Too close! Too close, Rarity!” I yelped, dropping the heavy corpse.
“Sorry, darling. Maybe my kills are too clean...” She smiled apologetically. “But we should tend to the others now.” I nodded in agreement. “Fluttershy, dear, you may come out now.”
The butter colored pegasus crept out of her hiding place. “Oh. My.” She squeaked when she saw the corpse. “I should have been able to calm it... It’s all my fault...”
“No, of course not!” I rushed up to comfort her. “It was feral - wild, and completely mad. You couldn’t charm it if you tried. Now, our friends here need your help, alright? So chin up, lass.” She nodded bravely. And adorably. With Fluttershy present, adorable will eventually be overused.
Somehow, the girl managed to mix up a batch of healing poultices using only glowing mushrooms and bits hanging moss she gathered along the way. Now THAT, is talent. “Um, this is going to hurt a bit...” She dabbed some poultice and smeared it over the wounds of her fallen comrades. Rainbow Dash yelped in pain, and Fluttershy squeaked. “Sorry...” But their wounds healed, and that was all that mattered.
“So, Iron. Perfectly safe, eh?” I sat down in front of the recovering soldier. He glared balefully at me. “Tell that to the stormcloaks, bandits, GIANT SPIDERS, AND FREAKIN DEMENTED BEARS. But yes, perfectly safe, eh?” I elbowed him, making him hiss in agony. So his ribs haven’t healed yet. “Oops, sorry.”
“Y’know, I’m in half a mind of stabbing you right now.” He shakily drew his sword, which I playfully parried away. “...Never mind. You rascal.” He laughed, finally feeling his bones mend. He staggered to his feet, retrieving his sword. “Right...”
“Everypony alright?” I asked. “AJ? Twi? Pinkie? Wait, where’s Pinkie?”
“Heeeey! Hey girls... and guys!” The pink pony in question bounced over from a branch cavern. “It’s safe in there! And I think I saw the exit!”
Everypony stared incredulously at her.
“Did you say... exit?” Rainbow asked, tentatively. Pinkie nodded, and skipped back into the side cavern she came from, beckoning for us to follow.
“C’mon, let’s go.” We followed suit, trotting after the energetic pink pony. “She might get hurt.”
The cavern, enclosed at first, began to widen as we progressed further. We also started to feel wind in our manes, which was a sure sign of an opening in the cave. Which probably meant... the exit! “You feel that?” I asked, gesturing at his rippling mane. “Wind... which means a way out!” I gave an excited whoop and dashed forwards, breaking into a full speed gallop as I headed for the tiny pinprick of light which progressively grew larger. I was close. I could sense it. I could smell the clean, surface air. My hooves pounded at the rocky ground, until...
I tumbled, out of control, straight into a faceful of snow. The snow of freedom. I breathed in deeply, to drink in the taste of finally being out of danger. All I got was a noseful of ice cold snow, but it was totally worth it. I pushed down to pull myself out. “Um... I’m stuck. Help?” I asked, meekly.
After being tugged out by AJ our group settled down to discuss the future. “So, uh, what next?” I asked, scratching the back of my head. “Do we just... split up?” I bit back saying “After all we’ve been though?”, figuring that even though it seemed like a long time, it was only a day or so. It would be silly to assume that we were friends after such a short time.
“Well... I guess so.” Twilight sighed. “That would be the logical thing to do. I mean, there’s nothing else we can do together, right?” Her voice quavered.
“Well, I must say that I’ll miss you girls.” Rarity smiled sadly. “It’s been a fantastic adventure, but even the best of experiences end at some point.”
“Could we at least share where we plan to go? So that we may find each other again later?” I asked, hopeful. “I mean, if you don’t mind.”
“Well... I’m planning to go to the College of Winterhold.” Twilight said. “It’s the only place I can learn magic in peace.” Applejack muttered something about creepy going ons there.
“I’m heading back to Riften. I have family there.” Rarity smiled at the mention of her family. “I do hope you visit. Sweetie Belle would love to meet you girls.”
“Sweetie Belle... she your sister or something?” I guessed. “Of course, I don’t mean to pry...”
“How did you know?” Rarity gasped. “You’re not a spy, are you?”
“Of course not!” I said, indignant. “It’s just the way you referred to her... there’s a fondness there that I can’t explain...” Rarity decided that it was a suitable answer and apologized for calling me a spy. “Hey, Rainbow? How about you? Where’re you headed?”
“Oh, I dunno. I was thinking of joining the Wonderbolts, but... I don’t know.” She sighed. I’ve read about the Wonderbolts. Best fliers in Skyrim or something. And judging by the moves Dash pulled off in the caves back there, she did sport a fighting chance.
“You’ll make it. Trust me.” I patted her shoulder. “After all, you’re the most awesome pegasus to ever grace Nirn. Nopony can catch up with you.” She smiled at that.
“Well I’m heading home.” AJ said. “I have roots in Riverwood, y’know, the little town down by the river.”
“Wait... you’re from Riverwood?” Iron Pauldron practically shouted. “My uncle Iron Anvil works the forge there!” He grinned excitedly at AJ.
“Old Anvil?” Applejack chuckled. “I’m a regular customer! He’s always fixing our tools and things. My family is apple farmers, see.”
“...How did you learn to fight then? I’ve seen your moves back in the cave...” I asked, afraid of the answer.
“My father is a retired dueling grandmaster.” Applejack stated, matter-of-factly.
“...Ah. I see.” I muttered. “And you, Fluttershy? And Pinkie?”
“Pinkie... is homeless. Exiled, for her crimes.” Pinkie deflated yet again. Evidently, she didn’t like being reminded of her past.
“It’s okay Pinkie, I am too...” Fluttershy said, hugging Pinkie. The pink pony promptly re-inflated and hugged Fluttershy back, making her squeak in a very unnatural fashion. The rest of the group smiled at the sight, and turned to me.
“What about you, Bladesong? Where will you head?” Twilight asked, tilting her head. “We don’t really know much about you, besides the fact that you’re great with the sword.”
“I...” I stopped, thinking things over. Did I have plans? Not really, especially not with my things confiscated. I had a bit of money, but now I’m plain broke. “I honestly don’t know. As for my story, well... there’s not much to it. I was in... a more well off family, let’s say. I had the chance to study and learn more about the world. I wanted to see more of Equestria, so I came to Skyrim... and the rest, you know.” AJ narrowed her eyes, and I could tell she sensed my hesitation. She knew that I was hiding something.
“Well... the farm could use more help...” Applejack started, before hurriedly stepping backwards, taken aback by three pairs of puppy dog eyes shining at her. “Uh... no promises, you all.” That was all she managed to say before she was tackled by three ecstatic ponies. Namely, me Fluttershy and Pinkie.
“OMYGOSH THANK YOU!” Pinkie licked. Actually licked. Applejack. Pony-piling AJ was one thing. Licking her, that was another deal entirely. But perhaps it’s some sort of Skyrim tradition...
“Pinkie, did you just lick me?!” AJ asked, shocked. “That’s just weird!” Or maybe not... I wisely pulled Pinkie and Fluttershy away from AJ, although I must admit that being that close to three beautiful fillies was... pleasant. “Thanks, Bladesong. And, as I said, I can’t guarantee anything, but you bet I’ll try my hardest to help you.”
I nodded. “You gave me a fighting chance. That’s all I ever need. I mean, I could always go and be a bandit or something...” The looks I got from the girls quickly made me chuckle. “Just joking, just joking...”
AJ turned to Iron Pauldron. “I assume you’ll be coming with us? To crash at your uncle’s or something?” He grinned and nodded.
“Well then... I guess it’s time we actually split up...” Twilight mumbled. There was a lengthy silence following that sentence, when nopony spoke, nor moved a muscle. Then, as one, the girls broke into tears, and huddled together in one big pile of crying ponies. Iron and I just stood next to them, rather awkwardly.
“I’ll... I’ll miss you girls!” Fluttershy sniffed as she hugged Twilight.
“I’ll miss you too!” Twilight bawled while clinging on to Rainbow Dash, who was trying hard not to cry and failing badly.
“I’m... I’m not c-crying!” She said, angrily, before being brought under by Pinkie. “GURL, WHO AM I KIDDIN’?! IMMA MISS YAH FLANK PINKS!” Oh dear. Vulgar much?
“So, uh...” I mumbled, really quite awkward in this situation.
“Nice weather.” I face hoofed. Really, Iron?
It took quite a while for the weeping mares to untangle themselves, but it was done, sooner or later. Mostly later. But, finally, we bade each other goodbye, and went our separate ways. Well aside for Pinkie, Fluttershy, Iron and I. We were like a party of adventurers, in those tales of wonder my mother used to read me when I was small. I smiled, wrapped up in my foalhood memories. Too wrapped up.
So wrapped up, in fact, that I walked straight off the path, off the hill, and was sent tumbling downhill, where I was stopped abruptly by a tree stump which caught on my... gonads. I groaned in pain as I flopped like a fish out of water, clutching my bits which was pounding with agony from the impact.
I happened to catch sight of some sort of hole while I was flopping. Focusing and desperately trying to push down the pain, I forced myself to observe my surroundings. There was a smallish cave like hole dug into the hillside, surrounded by some sort of paw-print. I stared at the prints for a while, before looking up at the sound of a growl.
Then I saw what did the marks belong to. They were wolf paw marks. I wheezed and yelled “Help!” Well, since I was pretty winded by the impact, it came out as more like “Help!”. I tried again, this time after a barely managed deep breath. “Help!” It was louder, but still raspy, and not quite loud enough. I would have to defend myself from one, and possibly more than one, wolf. I hissed in pain as I struggled to my hooves, drawing my sword as I did. “HELP!” That was more like it - good and loud, should be enough to reach the others.
Then I cursed my brilliant luck as five more wolves emerged from the shadows, each one fully grown and combat ready. Then at least a dozen smaller ones appeared behind the big ones, not quite as large but not pups either. Adolescents, by their looks. Finally, I heard multiple whimpers from behind the swarm of wolves. Great. This was a den. They were protecting their young. And what did say about animals protecting their young? Oh right - THEY FOUGHT TO THE DEATH.
I gulped as they advanced, as one. “Um... nice little doggies.” I said, pathetically.
They pounced. I leapt backwards, slashing one in the neck as I did, and watching its head roll off and blood spray everywhere. Then I swung my sword and caught another neatly by the shoulder, severing its right foreleg. It was in incredible pain - and still alive, as it hit the ground. There it lay, slowly bleeding out. In one smooth motion, I brought my sword downwards, slicing straight into the skull of a wolf. Unfortunately, the sword was lodged there, and now I had to fight the wolves barehoofed. It was over before it began. The wolves tore into me, tearing off chunks of my flesh before my very eyes. I watched as part of my forelegs went. I saw what I thought was a part my flank be devoured by the blood crazed beasts. I think I saw bone once or twice, and I swore I saw an organ in the mix. All the while pain ravaged my mind.
Then - the feasting ceased. I dropped to the ground, like a rag doll, as the wolves lost interest in me. It was Fluttershy. “Run...” I mustered up what I could with my broken body, but it was evidently too weak. “Don’t... reason... with...” The sentence ended in gurgling as blood filled my lungs. I was going to die.
“HOW DARE YOU.” Holy shit is that Fluttershy? “HOW DARE YOU DO THAT TO MY FRIEND.” Even in the final moments of my life, my heart warmed at the sentiment. “JUST CAUSE YOU’RE BIGGER, AND STRONGER, DOESN’T MEAN YOU CAN HURT PONIES LIKE THAT.” It was pure rage, the anger of the earth incarnate. Even in my ruined state, I could sense the power emanating from her voice. The wolves shuddered collectively, and seemed to be actively backing away from the small yellow pegasus. She took a step towards them, and they ran for their sorry lives. I smiled at her amazing feat, before succumbing to the numbing cold. It was welcome really, wiping away the pain in my mind. I was falling... falling...
“DON’T LEAVE ME!”
Reality came crashing down again, as the temporarily numbed pain returned, tenfold. I felt every inch of my brain scream in the pain it was forced to bear. But I kept of taking it, taking it for the pegasus knelt before me, the pegasus who was no longer the pony who scared the entire pack of wolves away. I saw a filly, frail and on the verge of breaking. Her world was about to collapse around her. I won’t allow it.
“Flu...tter...shy...” My voice was barely a whisper, the overwhelming sound of blood churned by air in my lungs overpowering it. The numbness was coming back, and I no longer had the strength to fight it. Darkness claimed my vision once again, and... I heard a rumble. My eyes shot open as I cast my eyes skywards. Black clouds were converging on our location, fast. And there was a bulge in the clouds directly overhead. “Light...ning...!” I gurgled.
A bolt of rending plasma struck the pair of us.