//------------------------------// // Episode 8 // Story: Return of Disaster (Season 1) // by Tomo-Domo //------------------------------// "Fluttershy, wake up. I'm going to go on a run for any supplies. Are you going to come?" I asked Fluttershy, hoping she would choose to stay and be safe. "Well, who's all going?" She asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Just me. I figured it'd be the best option if we want to be quick and quiet about it." "I'll go with you, then. You can't be outside, alone, with those things." She said before shuddering. "Okay, Fluttershy. I would prefer you to be safe, but if you insist. We leave in a few minutes, get something to defend yourself with and a bag to carry anything you find." I said before grabbing her head and pulling her closer for a kiss, which she returned gratefully. We then went downstairs and told Ghost of our plan. "Wait, you're taking Fluttershy with you?" He asked, surprised, and a hint of anger in his voice. "Yes, she'll be safe with me. I swear. We're just going to go look for anything we can use to survive." I answered, raising a hoof in defense. He seemed to stare at me for several minutes before answering. "Very well, just take care of her." "I will." We walked for about an hour before Fluttershy spotted a small building which I'd say was a grocery store with all of the advertisements plastered on the windows. "Good idea, Fluttershy, I'm sure there's some food there, unless it was already raided." I then said in a more serious tone. "But stay quiet and use your knife if you have to, Fluttershy. Once you fill up your bag or find as much as possible, then come find me, I won't be far." "Okay, let's go." She answered, and walked inside. The atmosphere was eerie, to say the least. The lights, or what was left of them, were flickering, and items were thrown from the shelves, scattered across the floor. And the floor was covered in blood. "Stay close to me, come on." I whispered to Fluttershy, slowly walking forward. I then saw a can laying on the ground, and picked it up. "Carrots. Here, put them in my bag." Fluttershy whispered, setting her bags down. I then quietly put the can in the bag and gave it back to her. We continued to walk, scanning the ground and shelves for anything else, but the cans or bottles we found were either empty, or broken. But just when I thought we were done in the store, Fluttershy whispered. "Emerald, I found a much bigger can. I think it's still full." She whispered. I then looked back at her and smiled. "Good job, Fluttershy, that'll work for at least a few days." She then placed the can of apple slices into my bag, and we began making our way out when Fluttershy was grabbed. "FLUTTERSHY!" I shouted, and saw a group of hooded ponies gathered around a single red-hooded pony who was holding Fluttershy. "Let her go, or you'll regret it." "Oh, yeah? Very well, get him while I have my fun with this cutie." He said, pinning Fluttershy to the ground. A group of five ponies ran towards me, and I immediately kicked the first out of the way before punching the second out cold. The last three came at me at once, and I ducked, making two crash into each other. The last one looked at me, and ran out the door. "Fight me like a real stallion, and not an ignorant foal!" I shouted to the colt, who immediately got off of Fluttershy and dove toward me, tackling me. He then rolled me over and layed on top of me, punching me several times in the face, before I threw my head forward and head-butt him, dazing him, before I saw a blade appear through his chest, blood covering the blade. The colt then looked down, and fell off of me, and said through coughs. "Not bad, not bad at all." He said, before his eyes closed for good. I then turned to Fluttershy to see her eyes full of tears and her face and forelegs covered in bruises. I then walked up to her and grabbed her in a hug and pulled her closer. "Did he hurt you badly?" I asked. "Not more than this... Oh, Emerald! I didn't want to! But you were in danger! I just couldn't let you get hurt!" "Shh, I know. You did what you had to. Come on, let's get back. You can get some rest." "Mother of Celestia! What happened to Fluttershy! I'll kill whoever did this." Ghost screamed, causing the walls of the house to rattle and the rest of us to cover our ears. "The deed has already been done. The one who did this is dead. Look, Ghost, I know you're upset, but I assure you, Fluttershy is safe with me!" I said as calmly as I could, but the words still came out as a shout. "If she was safe with you, well then why was she hurt today?!" He said, walking closer to where our faces were mere inches from each other. But I held my ground. "It was not my intention for Fluttershy to get hurt. I am taking care of her the best I ca-" I was cut off by Ghost swinging his hoof at me, which, when it made contact, threw me out of a window. I stood up and spit out blood, and my wings were cut deeply with shards of glass. "Fine, bring it on." I said, as I flicked the glass out of my wings and the cuts mended within the second. I then saw Ghost walk out of the house, the flames around his skull glowing brighter. "You will pay for hurting Fluttershy, Emerald. Innocent or not, you were with her, and a pony who cannot protect the one he loves is unfit to live." He said, shooting fire toward me with his hoof. I ducked under the attack and jumped toward him, kicking him in his head as hard as I could manage, which turned his head backwards, snapping his neck. I was then taken back by him simply grabbing his head in his hooves and turning it forward, cracking his neck before he returned a kick, which sent me into a tree, causing it to snap in half and come crashing down on top of Ghost. "No way he could of survived that neck snap. If he survived that, then-" I was interrupted by the entire tree catching fire and disintegrating into ash. "Then a measly tree cannot kill me either. I am immortal. I cannot be harmed in any way." "Heh, well, I can tell that there won't be a winner, because I am as well. If you break my wings, they'll simply heal. You can't defeat me." If he could make facial expressions, I'd think he was smirking when he said, "We shall see." I then jumped towards him, and landed on his back, smashing my hooves into his head, which only left burn marks on my hooves, which healed the second I lifted them away, only to come down to another strike. He then reached behind him and caught my hoof, and slammed me into the ground. He then stomped on my wings and legs, breaking each one with ease, only for them to heal instantly. "It's not working, just give in to the fact you've already lost." I said, kicking him off of me. "BOYS!" A feminine voice screamed from the house, and we both slowly turned our heads toward the angered Fluttershy standing in the doorway. "GET INSIDE, NOW!" She shouted, and Ghost and I gave each other glances like we were colts who just got caught stealing candy from a candy store. Slowly, we trudged back inside and closed the door. "I'm very disappointed in you boys. Fighting when there are more important things to worry about. Ghost, you know very well that Emerald can and will protect me until the end. And Emerald, you know better than to fight a friend. Now we have to fix the window that you boys broke." She scolded, while Ghost and I sat in shame. "But Fluttershy, I wasn't the one who broke it, Ghost punched me." I tried, but to no success. "It doesn't matter. You both are going to fix the window. So get started now before it gets too dark." She said walking upstairs. "Phew, finally done!" I said, spitting out the hammer I was holding in my mouth and admired our work. "Hey, Emerald. Listen, sorry about attacking you earlier. I just don't want Fluttershy to be hurt. She's a really great friend, and you are very lucky to be with her. Protect her, like she's the only pony in this world." He said, walking over to the couch and layed on the floor, Sun Flower was already asleep on the couch with a small blanket wrapped around her. I then walked upstairs and saw Fluttershy sleeping on the bed. I slowly walked over and layed down next to her. She then began to shiver. With a short chuckle, I wrapped my wings around her and brought her closer, kissing her forehead, and closed my eyes. Screams. Fire. Destruction. Loss. Sorrow. Despair. Desperation. These are the feelings and sights I've experienced through my 1273 years of my life. Fluttershy changed that. I will never lose her, even if I have to give up my life.