In that moment, things seemed to… slow down.
I’ve experience it hundreds of times, but I still don’t know what it is. It was like time was crawling through thick mud. To me, it took many long moments for the torch to fall and I saw so much on that brief moment.
Spiders. Each was the size of a large dog. Thin dark fur covered each leg and abdomen. Each blood red eye seemed to be a gift from death itself. They covered every inch of the staircase, including its walls, sprinting to the surface. Only a few stopped to prey on the chimera that had fallen in the hole.
I never heard the torch hit the ground. All I could hear was the spiders screaming at me. The key to surviving any fight was to realize when to fight and when to run.
This was definitely the time to run!
I quickly stepped back from the hole as my sense of time seemed to speed back to normal. Without averting my gaze from the hole, I yelled out, “We have to get out of here, NOW!!”
Fluttershy screamed back, her voice was soaked with worry, “Dash is hurt! She’s not waking up!”
I turned and sprinted towards them, “Damnit!!”
I sprinted towards them. The distance between us was only a few yards; it should have only taken a few seconds. But before I could reach them, my entire body was suddenly forced to the side. For the second time, time slowed down and created a very long second. I watched it slow motion and could see every detail. I watched as hope seemed to drain from Fluttershy face faster then my own balance.
Time resumed normally as training kicked in, causing me curled my shoulders forward and repositioned my arms. I rolled on my back as I landed to the hard ground. One of the large spiders tackled me and now stood on my chest. It screamed at me, inches from my face. As it soaked my face in some sort of saliva, the spider unfolded several mandibles as well as hundreds of tiny, curved daggers.
Just a few feet from me, I could hear Fluttershy’s soul-tearing screams.
I yelled out, “NOO!!”
Without thinking, I smashed its many jaws closed with a quick right hook. It tried to recover, but I used both my hands to grip against what seemed to be two external mandibles. They had a single, large fang at each end rather than rows of razor teeth on the sides.
The spider jerked its head left and right, trying to free itself from my grip. The tips of the mandible-fangs tripped some sort of clear liquid. I tightened my grip on each fang and pulled in opposite directions.
The spider screamed again, this time in pain. I twisted my wrists and bent each mandible backwards until I heard a successful snap! I broke them, and in that instant, the spider dropped its guard.
I took the quick opportunity to push the spider back entirely. It only worked for a second, but I used by left had to push back again to buy me another. Within that brief moment, I used my right hand to pull out my blade.
The spider tried one more time to taste my flesh. Just as it pushed forward again, I thrusted my knife right between the eyes. It oozed out a sticky yellow and green mixture instead of blood. Using the knife still in it, I pushed the spider off to my right. I quickly pulled the knife out, rolled to my left, and recovered to my feet.
Fluttershy lay unconscious next to her blue friend. A spider crawled over her body towards me. The many spiders moved like a team. Each slowly approaching me and spread outwards. I held my knife at the ready, stepping backwards slowly to keep the spiders from surrounding me.
My eyes quickly darted from forward to either side and back. I tried to keep my eye on each one, ready to counter. They’d pounce, I just know it. One might try to surprise me; I can’t let that happen.
I really, really need a gun.
You don’t need a gun. Just run way, you’re outmatched. The odds are against you.
Oh, yeah, I can just- Wait, NO! Fluttershy! I can’t leave her.
Yes you can. She’d dead and we both know it. What good is it if you die with her?
I can’t leave her; we never leave someone behind.
We never leave a Man behind. And that’s if they have a significant chance. We can’t just haul someone’s body through a fight.
I won’t leave her
And I won’t let us die! You were always a logical thinker, why is now any different? Think! If we run, we live and she dies. If you help her, we all die.
Shut up!
I know what you’re thinking, I know she saved us. If we really did have a gun, it’d be different, but we can’t saver her now!
Just shut up!
I’ve saved us a hundred times before, trust me!
Shut the hell up!
Look out!!
Before I could react, before I even realized I spaced out, my arms swung into action. I countered the giant spider as it pounced towards me. I slashed its face, forcing it back to the ground. I dropped to my knees and stabbed the spider right in the center. I was already back on my feet by the time the spider stopped screaming and twitching.
She didn’t leave me, I won’t leave her.
… *sigh* This is going to hurt a lot, you know.
I know.
I charged at the pack of spiders, and jumped into the air. I slammed my boot down into another arachnid skull. I could feel myself breaking through the shell and sinking into soft organs.
The others made no delay trying to avenge their friends. I yanked my boot out as two spiders of either side pounced towards me. I could both from my peripheral vision and ducked. Almost comitial, the spiders slammed into each other in mid air, and fell on my back.
I lifted my arms up shoulder height and threw my self backwards. I purposely fell and landed on my back with a heavy thud. I heard legs crunching under my weight as I thrusted both my elbows downward. The spiders seemed to lack any kind of shell on their soft underbellies. I crushed their organs with ease.
In a single, fluid motion, I spun around to my hands and knee and pushed myself upwards. I barely got back on my feet when another spider tried to jump me from behind. I barely had the footing to stay standing and could not dodge it. The spider made contact and clinged with its legs on my back and right arm. It tried to sink its teeth into my right shoulder. My armor plating cracked under the large fangs, but my skin was not punctured.
Injured or not, the spider had to go. I could’ve switched hands with the knife, but instead I used my left fist to thrash at its face. Despite my armored knuckled and the repeated beating, the spider did not yield. It withstood all my hits and kept its dangerous grip on my shoulder plate. I could feel a cold liquid being poured onto my shoulder underneath.
I changed my tactic. I aimed for the nearest stone column and charged at it. I twisted my body to the left, ready to impact the column with my right side. Just as planned, the spider was crushed against my momentum. This one didn’t even have time to scream. The shoulder plate broke from the impact and fell to the floor on top the spider.
At this point, most of my armor was soaked with a yellow-green mix of puss and plasma. That and all the dried chimera blood left little of my armor the color it originally was.
I looked down at the floor, and almost froze. For the first time in a long time, I was filled with terror by what I saw, or rather by what I didn’t see. This was the same column Fluttershy and her blue friend took cover by.
They weren’t here.
Immediately, my head and body spun around in search of them. I found them quickly, but it didn’t ease me. A few spiders had been dragging their unconscious bodies away. I barely saw them being pulled into the large whole.
“NOO!!”
I sprinted forward towards the imbedded staircase. I didn’t stop to face the hostage-taking spiders. Instead, I leaped as hard as I could forward. I flew through the empty center. The staircase was circular and descended as it went around. On the other side, the staircase was at a lower elevation.
I wished it was a little lower still.
My body smashed into the edge of the railless stairs. The impact almost made me puke, but I swallowed the though and my gut as I held on. I swung my legs to the side and rolled my whole body on the stairs. I returned to my feet with practiced efficiently and ran up the stairs.
I quickly met the spiders haphazardly dragging two pony bodies down the steps. Upon seeing me, they stopped. I could now clearly see it was four giant spiders. My friends were already bruised and beaten all over. It pissed me off even more.
One spider was brave enough to pounce several yards off the Fluttershy’s body towards me. I had plenty of time to knock it out of the air. I stuck it downwards and forced it to my feet. Immediately I kicked it over to the side and off the staircase. I could hear it hiss and scream for just a split second before its body hit the floor with a satisfying crunch.
I turned back to the other three spiders. My head was tilted slightly downwards and filled with hate and rage. I stepped towards them, but it seemed like the spiders were smarter than I thought.
They ran away. Two of the spiders just ran under the staircase. The third made a defiant hiss before following its comrades. I assumed it said something like: ‘You haven’t seen the last of us!’
I looked around for more spiders. Within seconds, the fleeing skittering died out and the entire castle was once again silent. I finally relaxed and sheathed my blade. Against all odds and a part of myself, I won.
My mind snapped back to reality. The spiders were gone, but the fight isn’t over. I got my knees and investigated the bodies. I wasn’t a medic, but I could tell something was very wrong with both of them. They were both breathing heavily and their faces where pink with blush. Their foreheads where soaked with sweat. I could see a pair of punctures on Fluttershy’s shoulders, and another pair on the blue one’s leg. I tried to recall the blue one’s name, but I already forgot.
I had to get them out of here. There was no way I could treat them, but they have a town. They got to have doctors, right? It might’ve been a long shot, but it was the only shot I had. I picked them both up, one on each shoulder, and made my way towards the town.
The ponies in town will probably think I’m attacking them again. Right now, I don’t care. I just want to help my friend.
***
The jog back to the town, or hike it felt more like, was rough and tiring. The sun was setting and a few of the stairs where out, but just barely visible. The path through the forest was strait forward and uneventful. The vegetation was thick and untraveled. I was glad to be out of there.
When I left, I found and jogged along a trail that served as the border to some farmlands. There were old wooden fences on each side. To my left was an orchard of trees. To my right was some other root crop. I couldn’t tell if it was unions, carrots, or something else. As hungry and out of breath as I was, I didn’t stop.
Soon enough I was in town. The lighting had fallen significantly. The sun had just dropped, but much of its rays still flew over the horizon. Soon enough, there won’t be enough light to see.
As expected, the inhabitants didn’t plan a welcome parade for me. Instead, one of them shouted, “It’s the monster!!” All I could do was listen as dozens of hooves galloped away and several doors slam shut.
I slowed my pace to a walk. I was completely exhausted and out of breath. I really hoped the ponies in my hands would convince those combat ponies not to attack me again. No matter the case, I hiked onwards.
I found myself in what seemed like a marketplace of some kind. On either side of the dirt street were long clusters of kiosks, tables, and signs. As hungry as I was, I didn’t stop to take any of the various fruits and vegetables on display. I was partially through when I noticed a small pony, a child it looked like, walk out from behind one of the stands. It was hard to tell with the limited evening light, but I’m sure it’s coat was a light purple. The hair was much darker, and I think it also had a little horn.
The kid looked up at me with a tilted head. Oddly enough, her eyes displayed curiosity instead of fear. It was unusual enough for me to stop and look. That and the kid was in my way.
She, I think, kept her gaze up at my face and said, “You are kinda weird, but you don’t look like a monster. You just look dirty to me.”
I smiled a little. Even if it was just an oblivious child, it was nice to know someone didn’t hate me so much. My smile flattened when I heard some other pony scream, “No! Berry Pinch, get away from it!!”
With out warning, a larger pony with similar colors ran from behind some of the kiosks and nearly tackled the smaller one. She, I’m guessing again, held the kid within her hooves and shielded her with her body.
I could tell the large pony was shivering in fright, “P-please, don’t hurt her. Sh-she’s just a filly. Take me, but please, not my sister! Please!!”
I looked down without emotion, “I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Please, I’ll do whatever you want just-“
I yelled a little, “I said I’m not going to hurt you!”
She stopped begging, but still shivered in terror. Her head slowly turned towards me. I could see she had already sobbed enough to wet her cheeks. She looked up at me, “You-you’re not…?”
“No. But I need your help. Please, my here friends are badly hurt. Are there any doctors in this town?”
“Umm…W-well, the hospital is up North Street.” The pony used a hoof to point down the road, “J-Just, trot until you see the big fountain, a-nd then take a left. Its building with the big r-red cross.”
I nodded my head, “Thank you, it means a lot.”
The short conversation gave me enough time to catch my breath. I ran off around the ponies and in the direction she pointed. I know she had no real reason to give good directions, and I had no reason to believe them. But what else did I have to go on.
I found the fountain with little difficulty. As I was told, I turned left. I assumed this was North Street and that I was now moving north. Within a minute of extended jogging, I found the building she described. It was large and grey, with two stories at least. Several of the windows where lit up in the new night. Just above the entrance was a large glowing, red cross. It was not unlike the ones I’d seen back home.
I knew this wouldn’t be easy, but I had no choice. I jogged up to the glass doors and slowly kicked them, gently opening the door with my boot.
Inside was much like a hospital at home. Directly in front of me was a wooden front desk, and on either side of that desk were two double door leading deeper into the hospital. A few potted placed in the corners.
As expected, every nurse, doctor, or other pony in the room gasped at my sight. However, they did not run or panic, they just stood there, watching me.
I took the moment for what it was, “Please, I need a doctor.” I gently laid Fluttershy and her friend on the floor. I got back up and raised my empty hands, “I don’t want to fight. We were attacked in the forest. I think they were bitten. I don’t know what’s wrong with them. Please, help them.”
Silence filled the air for a few seconds.
“If you all can do the same, I won’t hurt anybody.”
Without warning, one of the ponies, a doctor I think, ran by and lifted the unconscious ponies off the ground. He kept his head low, and tired to keep every inch between him and me. As he did, he stopped only for a second to whisper to me, “Please don’t.”
I followed him as the doctor walked through one of the double doors. He must’ve heard me push to doors for myself. He stopped for a moment and turned towards me. His head was still down like a beaten dog. His voice was soft and pitiful as he spoke to me, “There’s a waiting room to the left here. You can, um, wait if you want. But please…. this is a hospital.”
“Ok, doc. Thanks.”
The doctor ran down the halls, while I took his advice and pushed through the door to the left. Inside was, as he said, a waiting room. Like any other, the walls were lined with soft chairs, or cushions in this case. There was a small bookshelf with a few books and magazines. In the corner were a small padded carpet and a box full of children’s toys. Above the bookshelf was the only window, although a rather large one.
I should’ve expected it, but there where already a few ponies in here. One kid, a baby it seemed, was playing in the corner and whom I’m assuming is its mom was sitting on the nearest cushion. There was a third pony sitting next to the bookshelf.
The baby continued to play obliviously to what was happening, but the other two ponies froze and looked at me with an odd mixture of awe and terror. I was quickly reminded of how my presence affected these ponies. I held my open hands up to my shoulder in surrender. “I’m not here to fight.”
I stepped over, away from the door, but trying to avoid getting closer to any of the ponies. “If you want to leave, I understand. I will not try to hurt you.”
The ponies took the offer, but slowly. The mom scooped up her child on her back. She and the other pony left the room. They held there heads down and kept their heavy gaze on me. They walked next to the walls, as far away from me as they could. I in turn, respected their space and moved accordingly along the opposite wall and away from them.
Soon enough, they left the room without incident. I was left alone in the waiting room. But now, not only was I waiting, I was finally resting. It was something I needed for quite some time. I sat on one of the cushions and rested my head on the wall. One cool thing about these cushions was that they didn’t have arm rests like human chairs. I could lay down on several of them like a bed.
So that’s pretty much what I did. I know it wasn’t the best place, but damnit, it was either here or I might just randomly collapse in the street. I took one of the magazines from the bookshelf. I still can’t read this pony language, but I had another purpose for it.
I picked the wall farthest from the door and laid down on my back. I used the magazine to cover my eyes. I could never be sure, but I think I fell asleep pretty fast.
***
I didn’t have a dream; I almost never do. My mind seemed to just slip from reality for a mere second before being pulled back by the sound of hooves hitting the ground outside the door, and a bit of arguing.
The first voice sounded like a male, “Red, I said no. It’s too dangerous, and this turn of events only makes it more unpredictable. What if it decides to just attack you, huh? You’ve seen what it can do to ponies; we’re still caring for some of those members of the guard.”
The second voice sounded much more female, “He’s not a wild animal, Stitch! He talks and thinks; maybe’s he’s even smarter than us. He dragged two ponies from the Everfree to here. If it weren’t for him, they’d be dead by now. I not forgiving and forgetting everything that happened, but he still deserves at least a ‘Thank You’!”
I sat up and listened even closer. That last sentence helped me pull a small smile on my face.
“Red, please, nopony want to see you hurt. What do you think you’ll accomplish? What makes you think it’ll let you walk out?”
The female sounded noticeably more aggressive, “You know what, since he came back, not one pony has tried to put him back on a noose and there hasn’t been a single altercation. I’m going in, and if you don’t like it, you can stick an IV up your nose, doctor!”
I could here more steps. A few seconds later, the door slowly opened. A pony stepped in. Her fur was completely white. Her hair and tail were both a light pink. I noticed she wore a small cap atop her head with a simple red cross. The tattoo on either side of her was also a red cross.
I simply sat and looked at her, waiting for her to say something. She looked very nervous as she slowly stepped into the waiting room. She was rubbing one of her front legs with the other. Her eyes kept darting, repeatedly trying to make eye contact with me.
After a few awkward seconds, she took in a large breath and finally spoke to me, “Um, hello. My name is-“
“Red?” I interrupted, trying to defuse the tension.
“Oh, I guess you heard us outside.”
“Yeah.”
“Th-that’s just a nickname. I’m really nurse Redheart.” She took a few short, and obviously forced steps forward. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Well, miss, it’s nice to meet you too.” I held out my hand with an open palm. “My name’s Dave.”
She stared at my open hand for a few seconds. I smirked and said, “What’s the matter? I though you ponies did hoofshakes?”
Her eye’s widened in surprise. She slowly stepped even closer. I could tell she was uncertain, but she still gave me the benefit out the doubt. She picked up a hoof and held it towards my hand.
I reached out to grab it. As I wrapped my fingers around her soft hoof, she yelped. I slowly shook her hoof and let it go. I told her, “You know, I’m not that bad of a guy.”
Redheart gazed at her hoof. She kept it off the ground and angled upward, simply staring at it. Without breaking her stare, she said, “I…I guess you might not be.”
She dropped her hoof to the floor and finally managed to looked at me. Her eyes were a cool grey-blue. “Umm…Thank you, for bringing the ponies here. I don’t think they would’ve made it if you didn’t bring them. I know the forest is a long way, and not everypony in town has been very nice to you. B-but thanks.”
I wave a hand towards her, “Don’t worry about it. I just did what was right.”
“Well,” Redheart rubbed the back of her head with a hoof and lost eye contact with me, “If you need anything, just let me know. I guess you deserve something for what you’ve done.”
“It’s fine. I don’t need anything.”
She looked at me with concern, “Are you sure?”
Grumbl-bl-lb-ble
I let out sigh and slowly shook my head, “No.”
Redheart made a small smile, “Hungry?”
I nodded my head, “Very.”
“Well, I guess I can get you something. The mess hall will close soon enough, so I need to leave now.”
She turned and opened the door. Before leaving, she looked at me one more time, “Um, it’s Dave, right?”
“Yeah. What is it?”
“I know I can’t stop you if you don’t want to, but… can you please not leave this room. A lot of ponies are in a panic because you’re simply here. If you wonder around, I don’t think anything good will come of it.”
“I understand.”
“Well then… be right back, hehe.”
She left the room and shut the door in a hurry. I laid back on the wall with little to do other than wait. I looked at the magazine I’d been using as an eye cover, only to be quickly reminded that I couldn’t read a single thing. I still flipped the pages and browsed through all the pictures. I’m pretty sure the pictures of some expensive-looking dresses where about fashion. Other than that, I couldn’t tell the ads from the news. After a few minutes of random page flipping, I began to notice that most of the ponies didn’t wear clothes at all. My mind drifted off, and of all things, I wondered what the pornography here might look like.
Before I could make a hypothesis on the subject, the door opened again. Redheart walked back into the waiting room, pushing a small cart. When she got both herself and the cart inside the small room, she pushed the door shut with a rear leg and turned to me, “I hope you like salad.”
My expression rose, “That’d be great!” Truth be told, I was much hungrier than I let her to believe. I’d take a living fish, or a bag of crickets, or something; I’m hungry!!
The Redheart’s cart was only as tall as she was. She had no difficulty reaching up and grabbing the edge of a metal tray. She place the tray on the floor in front of me. Without a word, she sat on one of the cushions to the side and looked up at me with a faint smile.
I looked down at the food. The main dish was a salad made up of spinach, lettuce, and various other vegetables. The side was a small bowl of oatmeal. The drink was something light orange, a juice I guessed, inside a mug of some sort. The handle seemed a bit oversized.
I wasn’t entirely sure about taking food from her. I looked up at her, “You sure? I don’t have any money.”
Redheart’s smile dropped, “What? No. I’ve already paid for it. You have it, I insist.”
“Well, if you say so.”
I shifted my legs and crossed them over. I reach out, took the tray, and placed it on my knees. I noticed there weren’t utensils of any kind here. I wasn’t going to let that stop me. I used my hand to grab a handful of leafy greens and chow down. As soon as I had my first bite of food, it didn’t last much longer.
I ended up wolfing down much of the salad. I took a drink from the mug and barely gave myself enough time to taste it. It was much sweeter than I expected, but it was definitely some kind of juice. I took the small bowl of oatmeal and tried to pour it into my mouth. The thick viscosity teased what little patience I had.
I finished my meal within minutes. I whipped my face with a convenient napkin and looked back at Red. She seemed a bit confused and surprised by watching me eat. I told her, “Thanks for the food!”
I think I caught her by surprise, “Oh, um, you’re welcome. I…I wasn’t expecting that.”
“Expecting what?”
“For you to have manners… or to know any… or for you to know our language, that’s actually kind of weird.”
I shrugged my shoulders. “It’s the same surprise to me. Comic coincidence I guess, but I’m not complaining. I can’t read anything here if that makes your feel any better.”
She lightened up, “That’s not what I meant.”
“Hey, I got a question, umm, Redheart, right?”
“Yes, what is it?”
“Why are you here?”
Her brows tensed, “What do you mean?”
“I mean, why are you being nice to me? I’ve been expecting some of those armored ponies to show up and try to catch me again.”
Her eyes seemed to lose focus as she though to herself, “Well, first off, to thank you. And second, I wanted to be sure of something.”
“Of what?”
“Everypony is convinced that you’re some dangerous, pony killing monster. In fact, it was Rainbow Dash, one of the ponies you rescued, that told everypony this. I saw you when you first walking in here. I could tell by the look on your face you didn’t want to hurt us. It was a bit confusing. but now that I’m talking to you, you don’t seem like such a monster to me.”
“Well, it’s nice to hear that, Miss. Thanks. By the way, how’re my friends? Are they okay?”
“Oh, you mean Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. First of all, you’ve been attacked by a group of giant spiders, haven’t you?”
“Actually I was.” I lifted my arms up for her to see and looked down at myself, “I have them to thank for this giant stain.
Red pulled her head back, “Eww.” She shook her head a little and continued, “Anyway, they’re are called: ‘Fenrir Spiders’. Technically not spiders, but still a type of arachnid. Unlike their smaller cousins, they don’t use venom. Instead, they create there own type of virus than they can inject into their prey. It’s actually non-lethal, but that’s because it’s meant to target the nerves and paralyze the victim. The spiders actually keep their prey alive and drag them off to do… things. I don’t want to talk about it.”
“So what about Fluttershy?”
“I’m getting to that. We’ve already made multiple cleansing attempts on them to remove the viruses. It’s in the bloodstream, so there’s no way we could get every single one, but we did get most of them. Right now, their bodies will just have to fight off what’s left. When their fevers break, they’ll need another operation to repair any damaged or lost nerves. They’ll be healthy by tomorrow evening.”
I shouldn’t have done it, but I rushed over and picked up the nurse, squeezing her in a hug. “Yes! Yes! They’re ok. Thank you Red. Thank you so much!”
“You’re welcome, but I didn’t even do anything. C-can you put me down, please!”
“Huh? Oh, sorry.” I put Redheart back on the ground as gently as I could.
Knock-knock-knock
A voice called out from the door, “Nurse Redheart, if you’re done in there, we need you in room B104!”
Redheart called back, “Be there in a second!” She looked back at me, “Sorry, but I still have a job to do. It was nice chatting with you. Oh, and I’m going to need that tray back.”
“Oh, sure.” I picked up the tray and placed it on the rather small cart. Red opened the door and pulled the cart behind her.
Before she closed the door, I wave a hand and said, “See ya!”
“Bye.”
The door closed. I was alone again. But at least I knew my friends where safe. I’m sure if I wait until they recover, I could walk out with them without incident. I sat back down on the pillows.
I was ready to sleep the rest of the night away, but the door opened again. It wasn’t Redheart this time, but I recognized this pony anyway. Still haven’t learned his name, but I knew that look nonetheless.
The commander pony walked in. He glared at me with heavy hate in his eyes. I immediately got up, ready for another round. He used his magic to violently break off the door handle behind him.
His voice dripped with determination and passive rage, “You’re not getting away this time.”