//------------------------------// // Ch VII: Hunter and Prey // Story: Legacy: The New Adventure // by nx9100 //------------------------------// ...BOOTING SOFTWARE ...ACCESSING DATATRACKS ...EXISTING FILE FOUND ...DO YOU WISH TO OPEN?    Y_ ...LOADING ...READY...BEGIN RECORDING...                     Sweet Melody is sleeping, so I thought I’d add another entry to our journal myself.                     I know I meant to go on this quest alone, because it is too dangerous.  But she decided to follow me anyway, and even brought Sparky Hooves along for the ride.  Part of me still thinks they should go back, but honestly, I’m glad my sister and friend are here.  At least I can keep an eye on Melody now.                     We found an empty house in the forest to take shelter from the rain, but we lost a lot of travel time.  Not sure why I’m in a hurry to keep moving, just have a strong feeling…. ...END RECORD_ ...SAVE FILE_ ...SAVE COMPLETED ...POWERING OFF...   The morning sunlight was shining through the window, sending bright rays of warmth across the room, and over the bed.   The light over her face finally forced her eyes open, and Sweet Melody slowly looked up, raising a hoof to block the sun from her eyes.  She sighed, slid off the bed, and reached up to adjust her mane.  I hope Star and Sparky aren’t waiting for me, she thought, and moved over to the edge of the balcony. Peering down at the floor below her, Melody smiled.  She didn’t have to worry about Star Gaze and Sparky Hooves waiting for her.  Both of the older ponies were still fast asleep, lying on the floor and leaning against each other.  With her ear-to-ear grin, Melody hopped down the stairs that wrapped around the far wall, and slowly approached the two. “Wake up sleepy-heads!” she called out, jumping back when Star opened an eye to glare at her. “Must you be so loud this early?” he grumbled, earning a laugh from Melody. “Well,” she replied with a smug grin, “I could let you get back to sleep.  You two look so cute together like that!” Now with both eyes open, Star took a moment to glance at his ‘pillow’, and sighed.  Slowly, he started pulling away from Sparky, letting her body slide to the floor, and finally causing her to stir.  As Star got to his feet, she stretched and yawned.  “Aaaahhhhh!  What time is it?” “Time to keep moving,” Star replied, stretching out his front legs.  “We lost time yesterday thanks to that storm.  Gotta make up for it today.” Melody was already half-way through an apple.  “Why?  Are we in a hurry or something?” she asked between bites. “Ah, your bro’s just anxious to get where he’s going,” Sparky answered, he voice a bit dry, yet still silky-smooth.  “Toss me one of them apples, would ya?”  Melody rolled one over to her, and Sparky took a big bite, letting the juice quench her thirst.  “Ah, that’s better…” While the two girls munched on their breakfast, Star decided to take a look outside.  Walking up the stairs, he found the windows where Melody was singing the night before.  I wonder how far I can see from here, he thought as he pulled them open, and stepped out onto the balcony. The view was amazing!  From where he stood, Star could see nearly over the treetops, at the sun rising in the sky, clouds floating past, birds flying overhead.  Off in the distance, was the mountain.  He squinted, and could almost make out something on the side… FLASH!!!!! There was the mountain, closer now, with a ruined castle built along the side, with half a tower, the top broken away… FLASH!!!!! A field, in the shadow of the mountain, littered with broken pieces of the missing tower from the castle… FLASH!!!!! A shadow moving among the ruins, jumping around, hopping, almost as if… FLASH!!!!! The bright white faded, and Star reached up with a hoof to rub his eyes.  “What was that?!” he asked.  But no answers came, no more visions.  He just stood there, looking at the mountain in the distance, and wondered. “Hey Star Gaze!” Melody called from below, “We’re ready to go!” “Coming,” he answered back, turning to head back down.  He paused, to one last glance at the mountain, before entering the windows and headed for the stairs…   ------------------------------           Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!                      Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!                     Stirred from his slumber, Thrakish growled, and rubbed his claws over his snout. Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!             Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!                     Reaching into a pouch on his armor to find the source of the buzzing noise, he pulled out a small, round, and green object, that was covered with lumps.  It was vibrating, and several of the bumps flashed in different colors.  After several moments of studying the color patters, the Hunt Leader smiled.  So, using your strange energy again, my prey?  Excellent!  Now I have your location, and will hunt down!  Reaching up, he dug his claws into the bio-shield and pulled it apart, ripping it open from the inside.  He stood up, and was greeted by the sight of his hunters also rising from their nests.                     “Leader,” one of them greeted him, holding up his spear in salute, before noticing the device Thrakish held, “a signal?”                     “Yes,” Thrakish replied.  “Prepare yourselves!  Spread out, and search for our prey!  You,” he pointed a claw at one of the hunters, “Take point, and lead ahead.  I go to the point of signal.  The Hunt begins now!”   ------------------------------                       The water on the ground was making the dirt stick to her hooves more than usual, which was annoying Sparky.  For the millionth time, she tried shaking it off her hoof, with the same result.  Finally, with a sigh, she gave up, and consigned herself to having dirty hooves for the rest of her life.                     “La lala la, la!  La lala la, la!” sung Melody, as the three ponies trotted along through the forest.  Star smiled, watching Sparky yet again try to fling debris off her hoofs.  They were making good time today, and he guessed they might just make it to the foothills by nightfall.  He continued on, listening to Melody’s song.  She always was a good singer, he thought, while wishing that her voice could be complimented by the birds.  Gramma Tavi would be-                     A sudden realization came to him.  Wait, where ARE the birds?  Looking around, he realized he couldn’t hear any birds singing, chirping, or calling.  For that matter, the forest was strangely quiet.  Pausing in his tracks, he started to get a bad feeling.  Forests only went quiet when a predator was around.                     At least, that’s what his father told him once during a camping trip.                     “Hey Star, something wrong?” asked Sparky, having come up to stand beside him, and recognizing the look on his face.  Melody too stopped singing, looking a bit confused.                     “Listen,” he replied, “tell me what you hear.”                     Sparky’s ears perked up, and she looked out into the trees.  “Notta thing,” she replied, “why?  What do you hear?”                     “I don’t hear anything,” Melody chimed in.                     “Exactly,” Star replied, “and a quiet forest usually means…”                     “Trouble,” finished Sparky, taking a defensive stance.  Star searched around with his eyes, trying to spot what could be spooking the creatures around them-                     There!  A slight rustle among the bushes to his left, behind Melody.  He tensed up, slowly bent his hind legs….  And with a mighty leap, sprung himself past Melody…                     Right into the Vectin hunter’s chest!                     The lizard, who had jumped towards the young filly from his position in the brush, was knocked onto its back, the grey stallion right on top, its staff falling to the ground.  With a growl, it reached out to grab onto Star and force him off, but the pony had other ideas.  He pressed down on the lizard’s arms with his front hoofs, trying to trap them on the ground.  But the solder was strong, and forced Star over his side.  The two rolled over each other multiple times, each trying to get a better grasp of the other.  Hisses and growls came from the Vectin, while Star simply grunted under the stress.                     Suddenly, he found himself pinned to the ground, the hunter poised above.  It opened its mouth, showing rows of razor-sharp teeth, and tilted its head slightly.  Star had just a moment to realize it meant to bite his throat….                     WHHAAACCKKKK!!!!                     The hunter suddenly went rigid.  A moment later, tongue rolling out of its snout, it leaned to one side and collapse on the ground….  Revealing Sparky standing behind, gripping its fallen staff in her teeth, a slight greenish mark at one end.                     “Sparky…” he stammered, still frozen in place.                     She spit out the staff.  “Ewu!  That thing tastes nasty!  Ya need a hoof, sugarcube?”  Reaching out with one leg, she offered him her hoof, which he grabbed out for.                     “Thanks,” he replied, getting back up with a pull from Sparky.  “You might have just saved my life there.”                     “Aww, ain’t nothing to it,” she said with a grin.  “Ya would have done the same for us.”  He looked past her, and saw a nearly terrified Melody staring at the unconscious Vectin hunter.  Moving over to her, he reached out to touch her shoulder, making the younger pony jump nearly into the trees.                                         “Come on, we have to move.  If one of them was here, others could be nearby.”  Approaching the staff, he bent over to try to pick it up.                     “What if he was alone?” asked Sparky, watching Star struggle to get a leg around the staff.  “Why are you taking that?”                     “Well, it is a weapon, and might come in handy if we run into more of them,” he replied.  “And I don’t think the Vectin are stupid enough to send a single hunter out here by himself.  So come on,” turning back to the trail they were following before, he started off, the two scared and confused mares trailing behind…   ------------------------------                       Thrakish stood in front of the hollowed out tree, studying the door and windows carved into it.  The tracking node had indicated the signal he picked up came from this location, where his sense of smell confirmed what he already knew had to be true.  They were here, he thought, looking around the tree.  At least three different scents.  Two female, the other male.  Not long past, so could not go far.  Glancing around, he noticed a trail leading away from the tree, towards the distant mountain.  Good thing I already send hunters that direction.  They may find prey before I can subdue.  Deciding to follow the trail himself, he started off, before pausing when his clawed foot caught on a flat piece of wood lying on the ground, half covered with moss.  Curious, he bent down and pulled the moss off, revealing the words:                     SYCAMORE STUDIOS                     While most Vectin didn’t bother to learn the Questrin’s language, Thrakish had taken the time.  Knowledge of one’s prey was the first rule he had been taught as a fledgling, and it never failed him.  “So, what bring you to this place?” he asked, looking over the broken sign.  “Someplace special to you, perhaps?”  Deciding there was nothing more to find, he stepped past the sign, and headed back into the forest…     ------------------------------ There were two of them, moving slowly through the brush, trying not to make a sound or give away their position.  Holding their staffs close, they crept alone, not disturbing even a leaf.  Eyes looking everywhere, nostrils flaring, trying to find a trace of their prey. From his position atop the small hill, surrounded by berry bushes, Star Gaze watched the two Vectin as they slowly came closer.  Upon reaching the edge of the woods, his companions took refuge on the far side of the hill, while he crawled back here to keep watch.  Sure enough, a pair of the lizards came along, seemingly following an invisible trail that led right to the ponies. They’re better hunters then I thought, he decided, while keeping still within the bushes.  Must be following our scent.  If we could get some distance from them out here in the open, the wind should help mask us.  But how to distract them- His thought was interrupted by a sudden idea, and a grin formed on his face.  That should keep them busy long enough for us to escape!  Very slowly, he backed up out of the bush, and made his way back down the hill. At the bottom was a group of boulders, sitting almost in a circle.  As Star approached, a spiked orange mane poked up to greet him.  “They still following us?” Sparky asked. “Yes,” he replied, “at least two.  Maybe more.”  Walking past the rocks he joined her and Melody in the middle of the pile.  A quick glance around, and he found it. “So, what are we going to do now Star?” asked Melody, as he picked up the Vectin staff that he claimed earlier. “We doing nothing,” he replied, studying the staff. “You and Sparky are going to head towards the mountain,” he pointed at the looming peak in the distance, “as fast as you can.” “Wait a minute now!” Sparky called out, “Me and Mel?  What about you?” Still fiddling with the staff, he finally found what he was looking for.  A small raised bump about half-way down the length.  “I’m going to set up a little distraction,” he explained, “then take off after you two.  It should by us some time to get away and find a route to the mountain.” “Distraction?” Sparky looked puzzled, “How?”  As Star help up the staff, she gave him a questioning look.  “Do you even know how that doo-hickey works?” Standing up on his hind legs, Star cradled the staff with one front leg, and using the other, pressed his hoof against the bump on the staff.  The blade on the end suddenly split open, the inner edges started to glow with orange light. “Yup,” he replied, and dropped back to all fours, holding the staff up with his front-right leg.  “Now get going!  I’ll be right behind you.” Both girls looked at each other, then at Star.  With a sigh, she gave Sweet Melody a tug.  “Come on, Mel,” she said, “let’s take off.  Leave your brother to his heroics.” Melody gave Star a worried look.  “It’s alright,” he reassured her, “go with Sparky. I’ll be right behind you.”  She slowly turned, lowered her head, and began to follow the yellow mare.  Star sighed, gripped the staff tighter, and headed back up the hill.  Upon reaching the bushes at the top, he gently placed the staff on the ground next to him, and getting down onto his belly, pulled himself into the bush. The Vectin had reached the edge of the trees, and seemed to be studying the open ground before them, almost as if they weren’t sure if they should leave the cover of the woods themselves.  Very carefully, Star pulled the staff up to him, aimed it at their position, and propped it up on the bush branches.  Glancing around, he found a weed-vine, and pulled it free, using it to tie the staff in place, with one loop wrapped around the staff just below the trigger-bump.  Tossing a look back at the Vectin, he took a deep breath, and pushed the loop over the bump… KZZZEEEERTTT!!!! KZZZEEEERTTT!!!! KZZZEEEERTTT!!!! The flashes or orange energy flew out from between the blades of the staff, singeing the leaves and branches between the two hunters.  With a shout, they dropped to the ground, their own staffs glowing, as they searched for a target. KZZZEEEERTTT!!!! KZZZEEEERTTT!!!! Hesitating just long enough to make sure the staff was secured in place, Star pushed himself back out of the bushes, turned, and started to run back down the hill, when… CRASH!!!! Catching his hoof on a root, he tripped and rolled down the hill, crashing headfirst into one of the boulders.  Sliding to the ground, his vision went black….     ------------------------------   KZZZEEEERTTT!!!! KZZZEEEERTTT!!!! His soldiers were holding their position at the edge of the trees, firing back at the sniper in the hills just beyond.  Thrakish approached, watching the incoming fire coming from the top of the hill.  The beasts must have taken weapon from hunter.  I will punish him for that!  He watched as their return fire seemed to land on target, but the incoming fire continued. KZZZEEEERTTT!!!! KZZZEEEERTTT!!!! Something not right, Thrakish thought, as he studied the enemy’s pattern of fire.  It was perfect, the same interval between shots, hitting the same place in the trees each time… With a snarl, Thrakish charged out of the trees, leaving his hunters dumbfounded.  Either their leader was suicidal, or the bravest Vectin they ever saw.  He stomped up the hill, staying off to one side of the enemy’s fire, which amazingly, didn’t change direction to target him.  Upon reaching the hilltop, he kicked into the berry bush, knocking the staff to the ground and out of the tangle of vines, which, no longer holding the trigger down, stopped the fire as well. The other hunters peered out from their cover, and found the Hunt Leader glaring at them.  “Incompetents!  Fools!” he shouted, his deep, growling voice full of rage.  “It was a simple trap!  A distraction!  You have allowed the prey to outwit you!”  Reaching down to pick up the staff, he held it out in front of his chest with both hands.  “Hunt them down!  No stop until they found!”  The embarrassed hunters seemed to melt back into the trees, fearful of Thrakish’s wrath. Still standing on the hilltop, Thrakish looked down at the staff he held, at the few vines still hanging off of it.  He glanced at the bush, and the tangle of more vines wrapped around the branches.  “You smarter than I thought,” he growled, “more than my own hunters.  You give me a challenging hunt.”  He turned to look back down the hill, noticing the trail of dirt leading down to a bolder.  “Ah, so you pass this way,” he said, taking a knee to reach down and study the marks.  His eyes moved along the path, to where it ended at a boulder, a slight spray of dirt on the side of the rock.  “Did you make mistake?” he asked into the air.  “Perhaps fall down and hit rock?  If so,” he looked past the pile of boulders, “you not get far, injured maybe?”  Standing back up, he considered calling out to his troops, but decided against it.  They had their chance.  Now I will carry on the hunt….   ------------------------------   His head still a bit dazed, Star managed to keep upright, while quickly trotting in the direction Sparky and Sweet Melody had run off in.  He allowed himself a slight grin.  His plan worked, and none of the Vectin were following, pinned down as they were by the energy shots he could still hear in the distance. Then, silence.  He paused, cocked his head and listened, but couldn’t hear any more fire.  “Guess they finally figured it out,” he muttered, and turned to continue running.  But his throbbing forehead limited his pace.  That was faster then I hoped.  Not sure if I got far enough away yet. A distant roar answered his question for him.  Turning, Star saw a single large Vectin standing far behind him, and starring right at his face.  “Oh Celestia….” he muttered, and turned to run.  Ignoring the pain in his head, he ran as fast as he could.  After a moment, he spared a glance behind… Sure enough, the large Vectin was charging after him, but not as quickly.  But it didn’t matter, for the lizard raised its staff, already glowing with orange energy.  Star knew he had but moments before it would fire- ZZZZZIIIPPPPP!!!  - when something flew right past his head, continuing on, and striking the blade of the Ventin’s staff.                     BANGGG!!!!!                     The bright flash caught the hunter off guard, causing him to drop his staff, which miss-fired into the dirt at his feet.  With a howl, it raised its hands to wipe its eyes, and Star suddenly realized the flash-bang had, at least momentarily, blinded the lizard.  Taking full advantage of this new distraction, he took off, running away from the hunter as fast as his legs could carry him.  The howling in the distance behind his back was disturbing, but he kept going, faster and faster…                     Until a sudden flash of blue and green jumped past him.                     “Come on!” called a voice, “This way!”  Star took a moment to realize the voice was coming from a young light-blue stallion, a light-green curly mane covering his head.  Without questioning, he banked to the side and followed the newcomer, who was running ahead, leading him somewhere.  Who cares where he’s going, Star thought, as long as it’s away from those hunters!  They continued on at a full gallop, across the grassy hills, until they came upon a set of rusting railroad tracks, just like the ones Star and Melody had followed outside of Ponyville.  It was then that his rescuer finally slowed down and came to a stop.  Star did likewise, panting a bit to catch his breath.                     The light-blue pony came up and help out a hoof.  “I’m Davie Pie, and boy, am I glad I found you when I did!  Those nasty lizards would have taken you prisoner to the bio-fields and made you a slave!  But good thing I was able to get him with a flash-shot, yes indeed!”  He finally paused from the fast talking, his high-pitched voice was filled with excitement.                     “Davie Pie,” Star responded between breaths, “Have… you seen… my sister…. and my friend?”                     “Oh yeah!” the blue pony replied, jumping up and down, his curly light-green mane bouncing along with him, “I already found them, and can take you there right away!  They are hiding in my train, just around the bend from here.  I can take all of you away from the lizards that are chasing you, if you want!”                     “Train?” Star asked, having finally caught his breath.  “You have your own train?”                     “Sure do!  Built it myself!  I know you are going to love it!  Come on!”  Beckoning Star to follow, Davie began trotting down the tracks.  With a shrug, Star went after him, hoping this hyper pony was telling the truth about Melody and Sparky.  I wonder if he’s from another herd, he thought, trotting alongside Davie Pie, or maybe, he’s alone out here.  I would explain why he’s so excited to see somepony.                     They continued on following a curve in the tracks around a small hill.  Star was beginning to wonder about the Vectin not giving up their hunt, and almost walked into a metal wall blocking the tracks.                     “Hey, watch out buddy!” Davie called out, and Star looked up to realize it wasn’t a wall, but the back of a train engine.  Moving around it, he heard a familiar voice call out.                     “Star Gaze!” cried out Melody, leaning out from the cab of the train, “you made it!”                     “Yeah,” he replied, “Thanks to Davie, here.” Studying his new friend, Star noticed the small slingshot sitting in a holster on Davie's left-front leg. Well, it matches his bulls-eye cutie mark. And explains how he was able to hit that hunter with perfect aim.                     “It’s no problem at all!  Glad I could help!” Davie replied.                     Suddenly, they all looked up, as a distant howl filled the air.  Melody ducked back into the cab.                     “Time to go!” called out Davie, jumping up into the train.  “Have you been able to figure it all out yet?”                     Star paused, about to climb up himself, wondering what Davie was talking about, when he heard Sparky’s silky voice from inside.  “Heck yeah!  Lets fire this baby up and see how she runs!”  He climbed in, to see Sparky up on her hind legs, fiddling with a wall of knobs and levers.  “She’s already got some steam, so…”  Reaching over to her side, she grasped a long lever, and pulled it back.                     With a lurch, the train engine started moving forward.  Star looked around, and noticed the heat coming from a grate at Sparky’s feet.                     “We’ve got enough steam to make it back home!”  Davie called out, “I can’t wait to show you all!  We can even have a little party when we get there!  It’s been a long time since I’ve had new friends to party with!”  The train lumbered on, leaving Star wondering about their new friend.  A shadow jumping among the ruins…  That’s what he saw in the vision.  Could it have meant Davie Pie?  And who was sending him these visions anyway?   ------------------------------                      He watched the line of smoke fade into the distance, silently fuming to himself.  The other hunters stood lined up, a respectful distance away from the Hunt Leader.  Thrakish was in no mood for further disappointments.  The Questrins had eluded him yet again, and without a Flyer to pursue them with, they would gain great distance on him.  No matter, he thought, gripping his staff even tighter, I don’t care how far they try to run!  They will never escape me!  I will capture and earn my way off this sphere, I swear it!