//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: Absolution // by ed2481 //------------------------------// Edited by Element6147 I licked blood off of my lips, enjoying the metallic taste as I looked down at my breakfast. It had been what appeared to be an Unfezant-like bird and while I had never enjoyed the process of removing enough feathers to make a meal out of most Flying-Types, I had made an exception this once. I was in luck and the bird had been plump and delicious, particularly the liver. As I set about cleaning my front claws of blood, I began to think once more of my main problem. That of finding absolution. If my last ‘encounter’ with Fluttershy and Applejack was anything to go by, then I would no longer be welcome in the town they called home. That meant that my only hope was that the necklace I was wearing somehow granting me the ability to communicate with the Ponytas. I held the necklace up to my eyes and looked at it for a moment before shaking my head. It was no use, I didn’t know how it worked. Maybe Belle would, but I strangely doubted it. She’d never really been one for jewelry. In any case, it was time that I did a bit more exploring of this forest, at the very least I could investigate where the Blitzle lived. She was at the moment my only real ‘friend’ here and I suspected that she would not mind me dropping by every once and a while. I rose to my paws and set off, nose elevated. The forest still sang around me, the ‘birds’ in the trees and the ‘bugs’ in the air going about their lives as if I wasn’t there. It made me smile slightly at the ridiculous things that Fluttershy had told me to keep me from hunting. The ‘natural order’ of nature seemed to be fairly intact to me. The trees and low hanging branches threaded around me and I took great care with my paw steps, I had no wish to leave obvious tracks, nor spend a great deal of time cleaning them afterwards. Dappled light fell across my back as I continued through the forest for a time and while I walked my mind fell back to a forest that was similar to this one in a way. I followed along behind him, a smile on my face as we walked through the tree groves, one after another. The sounds of Fletchlings echoed through the air as I traced his steps with my paws, one after another. I glanced up at his brown clad torso and a sensation of happiness spread through me. This was where I was meant to be, where I belonged. My body froze in mid step, another memory, another thing I could not afford to think of. If I thought of it, then I would think of other things... and once I’d started I might never stop. I... had to be absolved soon... I just had to be. Before I could fall too deeply into self loathing, I scented something else in the air. Something familiar. It was the Blitzle! A small smile crossed my face as I set off in the direction of the scent. The forest melted by as I broke into a sprint, suddenly desperately craving the company of another. I ran until I entered a clearing and came to a sudden stop at what I saw. The Blitzle had her back to me and was slowly backing away from a rather large creature which greatly resembled a cross between a Pyroar and a Gligar of all things. A bag of herbs lay in front of the strange creature, obviously spilled when it had attacked the Blitzle. My eyebrows came together and I let out a low growl as I stepped into the clearing. The Blitzle turned quickly to look at who was behind her growling and her eyes widened in surprise before she turned back to watch the creature. “I was not expecting you here, my new friend,” she said quietly. “Though I will not complain as your arrival may prevent me from meeting a grizzly end.” The words were meaningless to me yet I got the intent;, she was glad to see me. The creature on the other hand let out a roar and charged. I leapt. The creature’s tail intercepted me, bolting out like an Arbok lashing out with its jaws and rammed into my right shoulder. I landed hard on my back with the monster leering down at me. Blood leaked from my shoulder around the barbed head and I felt a burning sensation as the poison traveled into me. I let out a yowl of pain and swiftly swung my head downwards, allowing my crescent blade to cut through the body of the tail. It parted easily, much like the segments of a Weedle’s body and a noxious smelling green liquid poured down on me. The creature reared back, roaring in pain and I leaned over to grip the base of the barb, twisting my head to the side and forcing it out of me. Adrenaline flowed through my veins as blood poured from the injury but I ignored it as I righted myself, snarling definitely at the creature. The creature growled fiercely at me, baring its fangs and claws before leaping towards me and attempted a furious swipe. I ducked beneath it and let out a snarl before I leapt at its throat, head at the perfect angle to slice through its jugular. However its wings snapped open and pumped heavily, sending up a lot of dust and dirt into my eyes while flying beyond my grasp. I hated when other Pokemon did that. My head jerked from right to left as I tried to dislodge the dirt and a frustrated growl rang out from my throat. The creature had taken flight a few feet in the air, but not much since the trees of the forest were severely blocking him. It then pitched down and attempted to land on top of me. As the body rushed down at me, I jumped out of the way and it slammed into the ground with a tremendous thud. My blade lit up with a dark energy and I launched a shadow ball at it. The ball hit the creature square in the side, sending it skidding several feet across the ground. I grinned as I saw the creature stagger for a moment, but it regained its footing and I knew it was far from dead. The beast charged towards me and unleashed another series of angry swipes and despite myself, I was unable to dodge more than two. A heavy, clawed paw slammed into my side and sent me flying into a tree, blood now pouring down from both my chest and my shoulder. I slid down the trunk of the tree and struggled to get to my paws as the beast approached me and bared its fangs as it opened its jaw wide to finish me off with a single bite. Despite my uneven breathing I still had time to take a large intake of breath and to exhale pure fire. My flames seared through the air between us, heading right into its open mouth. The creature reared back, its face contorted in agony as my fire traveled down its gullet. Its body twisted and turned as it fell to the ground and started to jerk uncontrollably before its life was slowly drained away. My vision began to dim and I let out a pathetic moan as I lay there against the ground. At least my final act had been one of self sacrifice; perhaps it was the absolution I needed. “Alright; let’s go over what we know,” Twilight said as she paced before Fluttershy, Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Rarity was still out gem hunting (apparently she’d needed a certain type of gem and it was proving very difficult to find) and Pinkie Pie had been invited to help plan a massive party in Appleoosa by Cheese Sandwich. “He says his name is Cres,” Fluttershy said softly. “He’s a very big, very confused kitty who thinks that it’s alright to eat other critters even when they're in the safe zone.” “He won’t cooperate, is very fast, has that blade on his head, and can somehow breathe fire,” Applejack added. She looked much better than she had the day before, though there was a stretch of bandages going down her back. “Right,” Twilight said with a nod “Oh come on, he can’t be that fast,” Rainbow Dash said with a shake of her head. “Well, he managed to get from here to the outside of town in under a minute,” Twilight said with a small shrug. “So I qualify him as ‘very fast’.” Dash blinked a bit blankly before waving a hoof in dismissal. “Pffft, please, I could do that in ten seconds flat... if I wanted to.” “Why did you think we asked in your help in chasing him?” AJ said a bit flatly. “Because I’m-” “Girls, now really isn’t the time,” Twilight said, cutting off the argument. “From what he has shown us so far Cres won’t attack us unless we directly threaten him... for example when Applejack trapped him-” she nodded to Applejack. “-however we don’t know how long that will last. So I would like to capture him before he stops bothering with the distinction.” “I... I don’t think he would,” Fluttershy said quietly. “He doesn’t want to hurt us... he’s just confused.” “Then why doesn’t he just cooperate with us if he’s so ‘confused’?” Applejack asked Fluttershy with a low glare. “If he was, you’d think he’d listen to what we have to say instead of dismissing it and fighting back.” “I... I don’t know,” the yellow mare said quietly. “But he seemed very nice until we started talking about not eating the beavers.” “Which just proves who he is, some predator who will become a major threat if we let him be,” the orange earth pony said with a firm nod of her head. “Which is why we’re going to be leaving for the forest immediately,” Twilight said, cutting their growing argument off at the head. “I feel that between the four of us we should be able to deal with him, whether or not he’s friendly.” “Then why are we still sitting here, huh?” Dash asked. “I’ll go scout ahead,” Her wings snapped open and she bolted out a nearby open window, leaving a faint rainbow trail. “Rainbow, wa-” Twilight cut herself off with a shake of her head. “Or just go hurdling after the dangerous fire breathing predator with a blade on its head. That works great too,” she deadpanned. “Come on, let’s start heading to the edge of the Everfree Forest,” Applejack said as she got onto her hooves and headed for the door. “Right,” Twilight agreed with a nod, following. She looked back to see Fluttershy standing with an uncertain expression on her face. “Don’t worry Fluttershy. Everything will be alright,” the mare assured her friend. “I know,” Fluttershy said quietly, looking down at the floor. “I just hope that Cres will listen to reason.” Twilight smiled and waved a wing at her. “I’m sure he will. Now let’s get going, alright?” Fluttershy nodded and followed the other mare out of the library. Fire... a raging inferno. That was the only thing between me and him... yet I couldn’t simply jump over it. The dancing flames began to lick the walls he was huddled against... his voice crying out my name. But my legs wouldn’t move... not an inch. Then... *Crack* It happen in a single instant. The beam of wood dropped from the ceiling and plowed on top of him. A spray of red hit me in the face and I was blinded for a moment. *Crack* I felt something smooth and metal slash across the right side of my face and I let out a shriek of pain as I instinctively pawed at it. Blood seeped down my face, a throbbing pulse emitting from my right eye, and half of my vision darkened. I had to get out! I turned and ran, my legs pounding into the darkened burnt earth, and I dashed out of the burning house as it continued to be consumed by the fire. But I didn’t stop... I kept on running. I ran into the woods, over a creek, and just... ran until I collapsed. My breath came in great shuddering gasps and tears rolled down my cheeks. He... he was gone. I... I had killed him! I-I-I- I woke up with a roar of anguish, or that’s what it was supposed to be. Instead what came out sounded to my ears like the mewling of a Skitty whose milk had been spilled. My eyes opened wide and I was met by a baffling assortment of strange... masks and like paraphernalia. The light that filled the room, while gentle, was still blinding to me and my eyelids snapped shut once more. Memories... horrible... horrible memories filled my mind, demanding my attention in the darkness. I was forced to open my eyes to drown them out with new ones. I... was inside of a hut of some kind, off to the side I saw a large cast iron pot sitting on top of a fire and beneath me I felt a comfortingly soft bed of pine boughs. It suddenly occurred to me that I was lying on my side and I attempted to roll onto my stomach. All this resulted in was a large jolt of pain running down the length of my spine and a numb sensation from my right shoulder. Another weak mewl of pain forced its way out from between my lips and I turned my head to see that my right shoulder had been obscured beneath a well put together bind of bandages. I also made a note of the dozen or so smaller bandages that ran down my chest. “Pray, do not move so much,” a... strangely familiar lyrical voice said. I turned my head to see the Blitzle walking for me. “It would be a shame to have wasted all that time on your wounds only for them to be reopened by an errant touch.” I did as she commanded and lay still. “How... are you talking to me?” I asked her, my voice scratchy and dry. “I am a herbalist,” the Blitzle replied with a small smile. “To create a translating potion is no great twist.” “I... see...” I said before shaking my head. “I suppose I have you to thank for my continued breathing?” She walked up to me and placed a hood upon my head. “And I owe you the same, without your assistance I would be so much red sand.” “It was no trouble,” I told her. “It was what was right. You were in danger,” “Well all the same I have you to thank,” she said. “Even in Equestria it is not common to find someone willing to stand between a manticore and his food unless they have brought a tank.” I frowned but noded shallowly. “I see... so the foul thing is called a manticore?” “Indeed,” she said with a nod. I glanced down at my injuries. “They are strong opponents,” I said before shuddering as a wave of pain washed through me. “Ow... I haven’t felt this much pain since.... well it has been quite some time.” "Then you should rest,” the Blitzle told me with a gentle smile. “There is no reason for you to be awake if you are not at your best.” My lips twisted into a frown but I nodded slightly. “Your name first, perhaps?” “Zecora,” she answered before she walked out of my sight. I let out a deep sigh and closed my eyes.