//------------------------------// // Not Leaving You Alone? // Story: They've Been Among Us // by Echo Derp //------------------------------// "M-Mom...?" Aurora was utterly frightened by the sudden and strange activity around her. The voices went silent, objects from the office stopped moving, the light was no longer flickering. The filly cringed in the seat she sat on on, not wanting to move a muscle. She didn't even want to look at the window behind by the fear of that figure staring at her. But she had to do something, she had to be strong and face her fears. 'I need to get out of here and find mom, dad, or auntie Spitfire,' Aurora thought to herself. She slowly lowered a hind leg toward the floor, then another when it seemed safe. Aurora went on all four, and checked around the large desk for any abnormal activity. The room was oddly quiet, not a single object moved out of place, or for the ones that were misplaced remained still. Aurora took a few steps forward, her heart raced as she felt the fear gradually building in her. The exit made her want to rush when she got a step closer to it but she remained calm. Aurora was just a few meters away from the door. She inwardly grinned, but that instantly faded away when she heard an object move behind her. She cringed and turned her head around to see what had moved; it turned out be the photo of both her parents and aunt. The photo was placed on the floor, staring in her direction. The faces of the ones she loved decieved her in the image, despite how funny it was. "I need to get out of here and find somepony," Aurora said under her breath, thinking if she spoke in loud a voice the thing that was causing this would return. She took another step forward, and was very close to the open doorway. Her instincts telling her to bolt out of the room. "I'm almost ther-" "Where go? Why leave?" Another ghostly voice asked. With the voice talking to her, she immediately dashed out of the room and into the hallway. Aurora frantically searched for either her parents or Spitfire. Windows that were on the left side of the hallway casted the night sky's faint light. The moon was not up for it was a new moon. There wasn't enough light to shine through the night, darkness was its only companion. Aurora stopped at a hallway intersection, the hallway on the left and ahead were dark. No Wonderbolt or crew members were occupying it. The only lit path remained was to the right, but suddenly the hallway she stood in had its lights flicker. Aurora noticed the clocks and other electrical equipment began to strangely malfunction. "Oh come on!" A voice shouted in a irritated tone, from the dark hallway on the left. Aurora winced when she heard the voice, thinking it was the one that followed her. But she sighed in relief when she recognized who it was: the security guard from the main entrance. "I just spilled my drink!" "Ha! Loser!" A second voice said. "Shutup, Wind!" "No, you." Aurora giggled at the two guard's behaviors. But the light above suddenly went out, she was left in darkness again. The filly immediately proceeded down to the right where the light shined brightly. "Ahhh, I can't see a darn thing!" The security guard grunted, his voice echoing down the hall. "I told you should've brought your flashlight, feather brain!" Wind shouted. "No, you didn't! You said 'we should leave it because it'll get annoying to carry'," the guard mocked his companion's voice. "Whatever..." Aurora rolled her eyes with a smile as these two security guards were acting like morons. It managed to calm her down, but she still remained vigil. She was glad to see everything in the direction she headed in was brightened with properly functioning lights. She could see the mess hall all the way far down at the end of the hall, and other offices open along the way. Aurora looked closely at the office door windows to recognize if it was either the ones she was looking for. "Don't know who that is. That belongs to... And that says Captain Razor Wing," Aurora mentioned all the names she saw on each window. "That's Fire Streak's office, and that's my... Dad's!" She spotted her father's work space, the filly galloped toward the room. She saw the stallion filling out some paperwork. "Daddy!" She squealed. Soarin' lifted his head up when he heard the filly's voice. "Aurora is that you? It is!" Soarin's daughter flew up to him, and have him a hug. "I'm so glad to see you hear!" he said, embracing the hug. He was surprised to see his daughter here, since she rarely made an appearance at the HQ. "Who were you with? Your mom or your aunt?" "I stayed with my mom, but she went to go give some papers to Fleetfloot," Aurora said, while her dad released her and placed her to the side. "So, I just decided to find you." "Oh, so you do think I'm fun," Soarin' formed a sly smile, narrowing his eyes on her. "That's why you came over there." "Pffftt... You're just saying that because you're a goofball," Aurora responded. "Great," Soarin' said sarcastically with an eye roll. "Did Rainbow tell you that?" "Yup!" "Man, she likes to torture me." "No, she doesn't," Aurora said bluntly. "Oh, yes she does," Soarin' replied with a smirk, leaning closer to Aurora. "No, she does not," Aurora got closer to Soarin'. "Yes she does." "No, she does not!" Aurora and Soarin' were face to face. The filly had a glare, the stallion still had that smirk. "Your mom likes to be mean to me," Soarin' continued. Aurora only pressed on the stare. "And no she does not." Soarin' was laughing inwardly as he thought it was adorable his daughter was defending her mother. "I guess you also like to be mean to me now, don't you?" "Now, who likes to be mean?" a voice asked. Both Soarin' and Aurora looked at the doorway where the voice originated from. Rainbow Dash was standing at the door. "Hey, Rainbow," Soarin' said, with Aurora hovering next to him. "I get here and I see you guys are arguing about who's mean. So, who is it?" Rainbow asked. "Dad thinks you torture him and being mean!" Aurora shouted, pointing a fore hoof at him accusingly. Soarin' gasped out loud and glared at her. "Why you little... I never said that!" "Yes, you did!" "No, I didn't!" Rainbow rolled her eyes as both her husband and daughter were arguing again. She approached them without being detected by neither of them. "Yes, you-" Aurora's eyes grew wide when she saw her mom standing next to her dad. "Dad... I think you might want to look to your left." "No, I did- who?" Soarin' turned his chair to the left. He felt doomed. "Oh, hehe... Hi... Rainbow," he nervously smiled at her. Rainbow stared at him plainly, she thought it was ridiculous that the stallion was arguing with their daughter over some nonsense. "So, Soarin'... You think I'm a mean pony and also torture you?" She asked, getting closer to him. "Uhmm... Uhhh..." Soarin's was unable to find words. "Yes!" Aurora answered for him with an innocent smile. "Uhhh... No...?" Soarin' cringed in his chair. "Aurora, step outside... Me and your goofball dad need to talk. And get you saddlebags, too, because we're leaving soon." Rainbow grabbed Soarin' by the tie on his uniform, she had the most menacing stare. Soarin' turned his eyes at the filly. "...Help me," he whispered, terror was in his eyes. "Nuh uh, she ain't helping you!" Rainbow tugged Soarin' by the tie, leaning him closer toward her. "See ya, dad! Have fun!" Aurora stepped outside of his office. The door suddenly closer behind, she looked back and saw that both of her parents were far, or too 'busy', to close it. "Weird," she said, turning around, but felt her heart stop when a figure was in front of her. The filly was about to scream, but sighed in relief that it was the security guard from before. "Whoa, did I scare you?" The guard asked. "Oh, man, I thought you were some creature in front of me!" "Sorry, but... Whoa," the guard looked at the door as heard loud commotion from the inside. "What's going on in there?" "My mom and dad are getting pretty.. Uhh..." Aurora did not know how to describe what her parents were doing inside the office. "Yeah... I think I know what you're talking about," the guard made an unpleasant look. "Anyway, what are you doing out here?" He looked back at the filly. "I have to go get my saddlebags from my mom's office." "Well, let me take you there. This place is getting too dark for some reason... Even if it's nighttime." Both pegasi trotted down the direction where Aurora had come from. Aurora took a good look at the guard, he had a coffee fur color, his eyes were blue, and his mane and tail were trimmed like the rest of the security guards but the color was black. His eyes almost camouflaged with the blue shades he wore. "What's your name, sir?" Aurora asked. "Razor Wing, my name is Captain Razor Wing of the security teams." "Oh, okay. I think I saw your office somewhere." Both of them stopped when they reached the hallway intersection that Aurora encounter from before. All the hallways in front of them were dark. "Good think I went back to grab my flashlight," Razor announced as he got the flashlight from his uniform. Aurora was growing frightened as they approached the dark corridors. Her mind played her with the imagining of creatures concealing themselves in the dark. "Stay close," Razor said. Aurora glued herself to the guard, not wanting to separate from him. The hallway was nearly pitch dark, the flashlight didn't cast enough light to brighten their surroundings. Razor constantly aimed the light in different directions to make sure nothing was in the way. "Damn... Why is it so dark?" he asked. "I don't know, but... Huh?" The sound of an object falling came from behind. Razor shined the flashlight in the direction it came from, and it turned out to be a photo had fallen off the wall. "That is just creepy," he said, then turning back around,"but I see Rainbow Dash's workspace." Rainbow's office was open, and it was the only room that had the light shining from the doorway. All the other areas around her office was dark. Aurora gulped as she remembered the indescribable activity in there, and it was probably still lingering. Razor entered the room, but stopped when he noticed Aurora was not next to him. "Hey, you alright?" He noticed the filly was frightened. Aurora shook her head. "Yup! I'm fine, just lost it their for a sec." She hesitated to enter but she did. "Okay, but grab your bag. I have to get back on my patrol soon. But this room looks like a hurricane went through it!" Razor noticed the room had some objects on the floor and out of place. "I wonder what happened in here?" Aurora approached her saddlebags and strapped them on. "Alright, I'm read-" Her tongue went lame considering a tall, shadow figure by the doorway. "I'm ready when you're ready," Razor announced, smiling at her. Aurora looked back and forth between the figure and the guard, who had his back turned against it. Not noticing the thing behind him. "Captain... Look behind you," she said. Razor turned around, but made a confused look at the order. "Uhmm... Is this a test or...?" He asked, glancing back at Aurora. Aurora grunted under her breath, the figure glided away from the door before the security guard turned all the way around. "Uhmm... Nevermind... I thought I saw something," she said with a nervouse smile. "Whatever you say, but let's get a move on." Razor made his way out the office, he also turned off the light inside. The filly rushed toward him, to not be left behind. Razor shined the flashlight again. The hallway was still too dark. The security guard aimed the light in front of them, but a gust of wind flew past him. "Whoa... Did you feel that?" He asked Aurora. "No," Aurora replied. Razor shrugged and continued on. But another gust came in contact with him. "Seriously, are you not feeling that?" "No, what are you feeling?" "I feel that a wind is touching me... Oh dang," Razor heard what he said. 'Great... A 'wind' is touching me. I hope it better not be Wind himself doing this. That lazy feather brain,' he thought himself. "Well, I don't feel anything," Aurora said. The two of them trotted along, and made it back to Soarin's office without any other odd disturbance along the way. The door was open, Aurora was eager to see the result. Both of them entered, but made surprised looks. Soarin' had his head against the desk, looking exhausted and slightly beaten, with Rainbow sitting in his chair, inspecting a fore hoof. "Mom...?" Aurora started, still trying to process the scene. "Hi, Aurorie," Rainbow said. "Glad to see you're back." "Is dad alright? Because he doesn't look like it." "He's fine, just acting like the goofball he is," Rainbow gazed at the stallion. "Come on, Soarin'... You're scaring our daughter." She gave a playful punch to him. Soarin' grunted as he lifted his head up. "Hi, Aurorie," he meekly smiled, then rested his head. "Just hanging around on the desk." "Well, it's time to go, Aurora. Say goodbye to your dad." Rainbow hopped off the chair and approached the doorway. Aurora flew to her father and landed next to him. "Bye, dad. Love you, I hope I see you seen," she planted a kiss on his cheek, but frowned inwardly as she knew she was not probably going to see him in awhile. Soarin' made a quiet laugh. "You are in so much trouble when I get back home," he whispered. "And then you'll have to face mom again," Aurora responded. Soarin' eyes shrunk as the fear of facing Rainbow again rose. He slowly got back up, and sat in his chair. "Aurie, go wait by the mess hall. I still need to say a few more things to your dad," Rainbow said. "Hey, can you close my office for me, will ya?" She asked the security guard next. "Kind of wish I knew that earlier but sure." Razor went back again toward the dark hallways, and disappeared. Dash made her way to Soarin' when she saw the filly trotting towards the mess hall. Soarin' cringed when he saw is wife approaching him. "So... Soarin'," Rainbow said, making a menacing smile. The stallion gulped when he heard his name. Dash got closer to him, coming face to face. Soarin' prepared for the worst. "Love you!" He saw Rainbow Dash smile and kiss him on the lips. Both of them closed their eyes to enjoy the moment. "So..." the mare said after they separated. "So...?" Soarin' asked tentatively. "So, remember... Not a word what happened in here." Soarin' blushed and nervously smiled. "You have my promise." "I'll see you at home." Rainbow mischieviously rubbed her tail against Soarin' face, then left him alone in his office. Soarin' sighed and turned his chair around, gazing at the academy that was illuminated with its display of wonderful lights in the distance. "I seriously need to keep my mouth shut." Aurora stood by the mess hall, she hummed a tune while she waited for her mother. But then a curious thought came to her. 'Hmm... Is the mess hall open?' Aurora thought to herself, seeing the mess hall doors closed. She gave a push to the doors, but they didn't open. "Darn... Kind of wished they were open." She went back to humming. "Huh?" Aurora heard something open. She looked back at the doors, and saw... They were open. The filly backed away from the anamolies, completely scared. "Over here... Over here," a strange voice said to her, from the doors. Auror felt her heart race as the voice told her to enter the mess hall. She backed away more, but felt her backside touch something. The filly screamed, but something wrapped an object wrap around her mouth. She looked down at what kept her quiet, and recognized a cyan-colored fore hoof. "Aurora," Rainbow said in a concerned voice, "are you alright?" The filly hastily nodded her head while she still had a hoof to her mouth. "Mmm hmm," she replied in a muffled voice. Dash let her go, but could see her daughter was frightened by something. "Aurie? Is everything okay with you?" "No!" She shouted. "Those doors just opened by themselves, and they were locked, too!" Aurora pointed a fore hoof at the mess hall's doors. Rainbow approached the mess hall, and flicked a light switch on when she entered. The mess hall was instantly brightened, Dash suspiciously scanned the room for anypony that could have been responsible. "Aurie... There's nothing in here," she looked back at the filly confused. "I swear something had to be in there! The doors were locked!" "Okaay, but I'll just let security lock the doors when they pass by here." Rainbow turned off the lights, knowing the security teams will eventually run a quick patrol in their area. "Come on, Aurie. Let's go home." Aurie was still scared, but followed the mare. They made into the lobby where the lights were dim, few Wonderbolts were trotting around, or conversing with each other. Aurora grinned when she saw Spitfire looking at a photo on the wall. "Aunt Spitfire!" She galloped for the Wonderbolt captain. "Aurora, wait! That's not... Darn." Rainbow grunted when she saw Aurora hug the mare. The filly hugged her tight and nuzzled her. "I'm so glad to see you here!" "Uhhmm... Sorry, kiddo. I think you're mistaking me for your aunt," the mare said. Aurora looked up with a confused look. She blushed with embarrassment when she noticed the mare was wearing a formal uniform, and not a captain suit. It turned out to be the Wondebolt Blaze, who was nearly identical to Spitfire. But she didn't have yellow highlights on her mane or tail, and her tail and fur color were darker than Spitfire's, with her eyes, too. "Oh... Uhh... Sorry." The filly sheepishly smiled at her and slowly backed away, awkwardly. "Hey, that's okay," Blaze reassuringly smiled. "It happens a lot." "I see you've run into my evil twin," a voice said. All of them looked to the left and saw the true Spitfire. She approached Blaze with a stern stare. "How dare you fool my niece into thinking I'm you!" "I would dare to misguide the child!" Blaze made a villainous voice and look. "She's mine! Mine!" Both mares continued to stare at each other with icy glares, but their mouths wiggled into smiles, and both of them ended up laughing. Rainbow rolled her eyes with a grin, but Aurora was still confused. "Auntie Spitfire? Are you and Blaze twins?" She asked. Both lookalike mares stared at each other. "Nope!" They said in unison and smiled ear to ear. "We just look related, but we're not," Spitfire said, placing a fore hoof on Blaze's right shoulder. "Yeah. All though that would be pretty cool if we were." Blaze smirked at the Wonderbolt captain. "Great... Now I would have two bosses if you guys were related," Rainbow Dash added. "That would probably be true." Spitfire put a hoof to her chin in thought. "But anyway, are you guys heading home?" She specifically looked at Rainbow and Aurora. "Yeah, we're heading home. This little one here has to get to bed." Rainbow Dash looked down at Aurora. The filly crossed her fore hooves, and huffed, "I am not little!" "Of course you are," both Spitfire and Blaze said together. Aurora made a bewildered at her aunt and her lookalike. "Uhhmm... How did you guys say... Can we go home?" She looked at her mom with a disturbed expression. Rainbow chuckled and sighed, "Alright, alright. We'll get going now. See ya guys!" The rainbow-maned mare waved a fore hoof as they passed by the two yellow pegasi. "See ya!" Spitfire and Blaze said unison, and also waving. Both of them trotted away in the same direction, toward the meeting room upstairs. "How long do you think we can keep this up?" Blaze asked. "With the whole 'you guys looked related thing'? Hmm... A long time!" Both mares laughed as they went up the stairs. Outside of the HQ, Rainbow and Aurora were already in the air, flying straight for home. Aurora shivered as she felt the cold wind touch her. Rainbow noticed this and placed the filly on her back. "You'll be warmer right here," she said. Aurora hugged her mom's mane and body, feeling the warmth of Rainbow. "Thanks, mom," Aurora cooed. The filly slowly closed her eyes as she felt the softness of her mother's mane, providing her a place of comfort. Rainbow felt the filly's breathing becoming light, knowing she was falling asleep. Aurora quietly yawned and nuzzled Dash's mane. The mare looked back and saw Aurora was asleep. She warmly smiled and slowed down her speed when she saw their cloud home. "Aurora... Aurora..." Rainbow softly nudged the filly to wake her up, when she landed. "Aurora, we're home." Aurora slowly opened her eyes and yawned, she got off her mom's back and landed next to her, half-asleep. Rainbow unlocked the door with the key she contained in one of the pockets in her uniform. Both of them entered together, the mare flicked a switch to brighten the dark living room. "Aurora, time for bed. You have school tomorrow, and its late," Rainbow Dash announced. "Yes, Ma'am," Aurora mumbled and gave a half salute at her. She slowly made her way up the stairs. Aurora's eyes constantly closed on her by how tired she was, but she managed to keep them open for a few seconds straight. She entered the bathroom, and grabbed her toothbrush and paste, and began to brush. Aurora took about three minutes in there, then exited out. But she stopped when she saw something down the hall, next to her room's doorway. She squinted her eyes to get a better look of what it was, but her eyes only displayed a mixed blurry and clear image by how tired they were. The anomaly entered her room, Aurora yawned and proceeded towards her room. Even if she didn't know if it was her mother or something else. She entered and turned on the switch, and... Nothing. Not a single soul in the room. Only the dark blue walls, and the pale blue floor. Her room also had posters of Wonderbolts and Royal Guard pegasi, the bed had blanket sheets marked with the Wonderbolt logo and colors, combined with a rainbow pattern. She had bookshelves occupied with family photos or school books. Aurora shrugged and turned off the light when she acknowledged she saw nothing. She flew to her bed and landed on it, pulling the sheets over her and resting her head on the pillow. Aurora turned to the right and stared out the window, that also had a telescope placed by it. It was a crescent moon out in the majestic starry night sky, its light faintly casting into the bedroom. Five shooting stars streaked by the moon, then disappeared with the rest of the stars. The filly glanced at a photo she had on the night stand, next to the bed. There in the photo displayed the image of her and Spitfire, both of them asleep. Aurora was curled up next to her, and Spitfire had her tail wrapped around the filly. In the bottom right corner of the photo was cursive writing that said, 'Always here for you.' The writing was Spifire's, her signature also below it. Aurora smiled and felt her eyes closing on her at the warmth of her aunt's words. --------------- "Mmmm... Grrmmm..." Aurora mumbled as she stirred in her sleep. She cracked open an eye, and looked at the clock on the wall to check the time. "Two o' clock in the morning," she whispered to herself, even though she wanted to shout it out loud, but remembered there was also another pony sleeping in the other room. "I have to get back to sleep." Aurora twisted and turned to get in a comfortable position, but only to end up still awake. She sighed and stared at the ceiling in discontent. "I have to get some shut eye before school starts in a few hours." The light from the moon was no longer casting bright enough to illuminate her surroundings. Darkness was the only matter surrounding her. But suddenly a noise came from outside the room. Aurora stared at the doorway of her room, determining if it was her imagination or actually real. The noise returned, it came from the hallway outside. Aurora got out of her bed and proceeded towards the anomaly. "Go, child. Go," a voice whispered to her. Aurora froze in place. The voices were retuning to her, she retreated away from the door and went on her bed again. But the sound returned, a tad louder than before. "Go. Quickly!" the voice said. Aurora grew frightened by both anomalies, but she actually decided to listen to the ghostly voice. She made her way out the door, and into the hall. Everything was quiet, darkness concealed almost everything. Aurora gulped and took in a deep breath to continue on. She slowly took steps down the way, she could hear the strange sound coming from downstairs, and a quiet breathing sound, too. The filly reached her parents her room, she looked in and saw her mother lightly snoring on the bed. But Soarin' wasn't there as he was still working at the HQ. Aurora felt a chill up her spine when the noise returned, this time much closer. She looked at her mother, and thought of the idea to wake her up, but decided she could handle this on her own. Come on, Aurora... You're big enough to see what's making these sounds," she thought to herself. Aurora left the room, and quietly glided down the stairs. The living room was dark, not a single trace of what could have created the sounds. Aurora landed like a feather, to not create noise herself. She scanned left and right for any signs of a figure, pony or anything else. She shrugged after five minutes continuously searching the area with no signs of strange activity. "Heh, must be nothing." She turned around to head back to bed. But her eyes went wide, her body froze on her, her heart raced at a high rate as she stared at a large, dark figure on the ceiling. Aurora stayed in place, thinking it wasn't going to see her. But it dropped and remained in a prone position. Aurora backed away from this thing, but it rose up from the floor with the sounds of bones cracking and flesh twisting. It was taller than anything she had ever seen in Equestria. It took a step forward, Aurora screamed, and it pounced at her. Everything went darker than before, Aurora fell quiet. -------- "Mmmm.... Grrmmm...." Aurora stirred in her sleep. She shot open her eyes and picked herself up from the bed, breathing very quickly. The sun was shining through the windows, clear white clouds floated among the Equestrian sky, the sounds of distant birds singing. The morning had settled in. Aurora slowly calmed herself down and looked at the doorway. "What happened last night?" She asked herself, having difficulty remembering the recent events. "What or... What was that dream I had?" She rubbed her head as she felt some pain to the side. "Aurora," a voice said. The filly shrieked when she heard her name, thinking it was those voices, but she stopped when it turned out to be Rainbow at the door. "Hey, are you alright?" Rainbow asked in a concerned voice. "Huh? Oh yeah, I am fine," Aurora replied with a meek smile. "Okay, but hurry up and get ready. We're going to leave soon for school," Rainbow said while she trotted away from Aurora's room, and into her own. Aurora got off of her bed, and stared out the window. She approached it, but noticed a marking on the wall below it. "What is this? It looks like... The marking from Captain Steel Beak's Encounter." She backed away as the print that was nearly identical to the story's; almost like a claw, but different in so many ways. And the telescope next to it appeared to be moved out of place, too. "What did happen to me last night?"