//------------------------------// // Episode 4 // Story: Return of Disaster (Season 1) // by Tomo-Domo //------------------------------// Slowly, I opened my eyes. Looking around, I noticed I was in Fluttershy's cottage. I noticed that Fluttershy wasn't here. Getting off the bed, I walked downstairs to find the mare I love sitting on the couch, eating breakfast. "Good morning, Emerald. How'd you sleep?" She asked, her sweet voice smooth as silk. "I slept well, thank you." I answered before leaning forward and stretching my muscles. First my legs, then my neck, and finally my wings. "Would you like some breakfast? I can make you some if you'd like." She suggested. "It's okay, Fluttershy. I can do it myself. Thank you for the offer, though." I said, walking into the kitchen. After I got situated, I heard banging on the door. Before I could do anything else, I heard Fluttershy scream, followed by low growling. I dashed into the living room and saw some crazy pony on top of Fluttershy, trying to bite her. Fluttershy was struggling to push the pony off of herself, but it wasn't working. Instinctively, I grabbed the pony and threw him across the room, and Fluttershy got up and sprinted behind me. The pony got back up and limped toward us slowly. I then picked up a piece of wood lying on the ground and swung at the pony, knocking him away, which snapped the stick in half, leaving a sharp end. The pony continued to walk forward. In a last attempt of desperation, I thrust forward with the sharp end of the stick and stabbed him in his eye socket, and he went limp and stopped moving. Turning around, I grabbed Fluttershy and brought her into a deep hug. "Oh, Emerald! It was horrible! I... I heard the banging... I thought they needed help... But they attacked me!" She then began to cry uncontrollably into my shoulder, and I held her closer, only letting go to close the door and lock it before going right back into the hug. "Shh, I know, Fluttershy. I won't leave you alone again. I love you, but we have to leave. We could look for Twilight. Surely she knows what's going on. Come on now, we need to grab whatever we can and go." Wiping a tear from her eyes, she sniffed and answered. "O-okay." I then went back to the kitchen and grabbed a bunch of water bottles and put them in my saddlebags. I then grabbed some apples and put them in my bags as well. I then opened the kitchen drawer and grabbed a knife. I held it hesitantly before putting it in my bags as well. "Fluttershy, are you ready?" I called out to her. "Yes, I am. I'm ready." She said, shaking. I walked toward her and hugged her. "It's okay, Fluttershy, once we find Twilight and Violet, we'll be safe. " "I trust you, Emerald. We can go now, but we need to hurry." Without another word, we left and began running. We ran for what seemed like hours before we reached Ponyville. We ran around a corner and saw an entire hoard of these ponies standing in front of us. One of them saw us and growled, which alerted the others and they all started to walk toward us. I turned around and yelled at Fluttershy to run. "Fluttershy, run!" But she was petrified. "Fluttershy! Come on!" Still no movement. One of the ponies were faster and grabbed Fluttershy and pinned her to the ground, and she screamed. Quickly grabbing my knife, I ran towards them. But before I reached them, I was sent to the ground when the ground began to rumble. Before I could react, a black and white flaming figure jumped towards Fluttershy, and tackled the pony on top of her. He then pinned the pony to the ground and ripped its head off with his bare hooves. He then jumped away and let out a low roar, which sent flames out of his mouth. But they kept moving towards him. He then jumped onto the nearest one and punched it in the face, smashing its skull and killing it instantly. He then smashed more of their skulls before the ponies he set on fire fell to the ground. All that was left was a single pony, which he walked up to and took a huge bite from its skull, setting it on fire, and it fell to the ground, it's head still ablaze. Seeming satisfied with himself, he walked over to the first pony who's head had been ripped off, and looked at it. The head was still looking around and its jaws were still working in an effort to bite somepony. Without any hesitation, the new pony stomped on it, and brains spilled from the broken skull. He then looked directly at me and I finally got a good look at him. He was definitely a pony, but his head was simply a skull, which was on fire. He wore a leather jacket and had a deep voice when he spok to us. "Greetings, Element of Kindness. I knew I'd be seeing you someday, but I hoped under different circumstances." He then turned to me. "And who are you?" "I'm Emerald. I am protecting Fluttershy here. It's a good thing you came around when you did. Any longer and-" "And somepony would be hurt!" He then turned back to Fluttershy, "Or worse." He then calmed himself down before speaking again. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout. I was worried for Fluttershy, that's all. I'm Ghost, Ghost Rider." He said, nodding his head. Before anything more happened, a small filly walked into the open from the brush. She had the most adorable blue eyes I've ever seen. "Are... Are they gone, Ghost?" She asked shyly. "Yes, Sun Flower, I got rid of them. They're gone." "Look, Ghost Rider." I began. "We're looking for a friend of ours, can you help us find her?" He seemed to ponder this for a moment before nodding. "Yes, I'll help. But for now we need to find a place to hide out until later. It looks like you both need the rest. Follow me, I know an abandoned house down the road we can stop in, we can stay there for a while." He said before walking off. I then whispered to Fluttershy while we walked. "Do you think we can trust this guy? I mean look at him." "I have to trust him, he wouldn't have saved me otherwise." She said as we continued to walk. Soon, we arrived at the house Ghost was talking about. The house was poorly kept, but it was still holding together surprisingly well. After going inside, Ghost layed down a blanket on the floor and layed down on it. His sister then followed him and jumped onto the couch. He then motioned to the stairs. "There's a bed upstairs if you want it. You can both use a little rest if you ask me." "Thank you, Ghost, for your hospitality. Without you, well... You know." I said, looking over to Fluttershy. "Sure, I wouldn't want a friend to be hurt. Sun Flower, why not help Fluttershy get situated upstairs while I talk to Emerald?" Ghost said, giving me a strange look. "Sure, Ghost." She said, hopping off of the couch and walking over to Fluttershy. "Follow me." She said, running up the stairs. "Will you be okay?" I asked Fluttershy. With a giggle, she nodded before following the small filly. Ghost then stood up and walked over to me and stared at me. His look worried me. "So, how long have you been with Fluttershy?" He asked, never looking away from me. "Well, about a year. That's a bit personal, right?" I said. "Will you protect her with all of your strength?" "Of course, I love her with all of my heart." I answered. "You better," he said, getting even closer, "because if ANYTHING happens to Fluttershy, Or my sister, huh, you watch your back, because I will kill you." "I understand. I will never let anything happen to anyone." Without any warning, he touched my shoulder, as if half expecting something to happen. He then put his hoof down. "Um, what was that about?" I asked, curious as to why he touched me. "If you had a cold heart, you'd be dead." It was all he said before he walked back to the blanket and layed down, turning away from me. Just then, Ghost's sister came back down the stairs before shouting to me. "Fluttershy's upstairs waiting for you." She said, cheerfully. "Thank you." I said, walking upstairs and finding Fluttershy laying down on the bed, already asleep. I layed down next to her, trying not to disturb her, but she woke up, and hugged me tightly. "Emerald, I'm scared!" She said, pulling me in closer. "I know, Fluttershy. I know. Don't worry, we'll find our friends, and we'll be okay. Try and get some rest, I'll be here." With that, she layed her head on my chest and layed there before sitting back up and looking at me, frightened. "Emerald? Where's your heartbeat? I can't hear it!" "Fluttershy, I've told you before, I'm practically dead, my consciousness just uses my body. I have no reason for a heart." "But can't you feel emotions?" "Of course! I love you. Come on, let's get some sleep." "Okay." Little did I know, Ghost was standing outside, listening to our conversation. "So that's why I couldn't kill him, earlier. Hm, well, nopony is immortal. If he ever hurts Fluttershy or my sister." He said before walking away.