//------------------------------// // Frantically Continue Escaping // Story: Rescued by a Rainbow // by Indeliblink //------------------------------// An odd, bulky shape sped through the night, closely followed by the much larger silhouette of a pony. Upon closer inspection, the unidentified shape was, in fact, two fillies, one slumped across the back of the other as she ran from their pursuer. Okay, Dash. You got this. Stay calm. Rainbow's heart raced almost as quickly as her hooves as she pounded down the street, repeating the little mantra to herself. You got this. Only a dozen or so blocks to the hospital. You got this. As she zipped around a corner and emerged into a pool of light from a street lamp, she spared a quick glance over her shoulder just in time to see a thick, blocky red muzzle lunge from the darkness and snap its teeth shut mere inches from the tip of her tail. "Yiee!" The blue filly yelped, streaking away in a panic. "I don't got this, I do not got this!" She cursed under her breath as the faint clip-clip-clop's behind her grew louder once more. He was gaining on them. Ordinarily, Rainbow knew she could easily have outrun him; even her parents had a hard time catching her when she ran defiantly astray. However, it was an entirely different story when she was transporting cargo as well. Not to mention, her hind legs had been throbbing and aching like nopony's business since she'd cracked them against the windowsill. Still, she kept running. Ditzy clearly had it much worse off than she right now, and Rainbow couldn't--wouldn't let her down. Squinting into the distance, she tried to push all these ugly thoughts out of her head and concentrate on the task at hoof. The hospital was nowhere in sight as of yet, but she had a general idea of where it was, so she continued down the streets toward the center of town. Her focus shattered as a low growl sounded from just behind her, much closer than she was comfortable with. Not daring to look back, she leaped sideways as she came to the next intersection, tearing down the adjoining road. Taken by surprise by the sudden maneuver, Ditzy's father skidded to a stop before charging after her. A subtle smugness washed over Rainbow's face; she'd bought a few extra seconds, and that jerk was likely sporting some nasty new scrapes on his hooves. Yet the chase wore on, Ditzy's father appearing for the most part unimpeded by the minor injuries. Whenever the stallion seemed to be within range of catching her, she'd round the next corner and pour on the speed, creating a decent gap between them. Soon enough, though, she began to tire, and he still appeared to have quite a bit left in the tank, his eyes glinting as he noticed her fatigue. A grin worked its way across his muzzle before she could look away, and she felt a rush of terror that fueled her onward. To her tremendous luck, as she turned the next bend in the road, a large, bright white sign eased into view: CLOUDSDALE GENERAL HOSPITAL Rainbow let out a shaky sigh of relief, her pace slowing to a trot. Before she could realize her mistake, an immense force plowed into her from behind, bowling her over and sending her and Ditzy sprawling across the pavement. She quickly sprang to her hooves, catching sight of Ditzy's father recovering from his own stumbling fall a few yards away. Their eyes met momentarily before lowering to rest on Ditzy's limp form, lying twisted and unmoving on the ground between them. The silence lasted for a few seconds before Rainbow dove forward, wriggled herself underneath Ditzy and hoisted her up on her back before taking off for the hospital. She'd only made it a single step when Ditzy's father, taking a flying leap, crashed down upon them from above, pinning the two fillies beneath him. No, NO! We're so close! Rainbow screeched as the life was squished out of her, scraping her hooves across the ground in a futile attempt to drag herself out from underneath the stallion's weight. Nothing would budge. After several unsuccessful tries, she let her chin hit the ground, her exhaustion finally catching up with her. "About time you gave up." Ugh, that voice. It was like throwing a wrench into a bunch of machinery! Rainbow flinched as she felt a hot breath hiss into her ear, "You lose, filly. You've failed." As she felt the pressure from above cease, a cold chuckle pierced the night, and she weakly rolled over onto her back. She let out a quiet cough, watching as Ditzy's father carelessly threw the grey filly over his back and began walking back in the opposite direction. That was it. She'd failed. Much as she hated to admit it, the jackass was right. And now, Ditzy... She stared up at the stars and blinked back the tears welling in her eyes, not bothering to wipe away the few that escaped and ran down her cheeks. The filly would surely never be seen again, and it was all because she'd had to go and get her in trouble. A pained whimper escaped her lips, and she rolled slowly to plant her legs under her. As she slowly struggled back onto her hooves, however, she froze. She wiped her blurry eyes clear, then squinted hard, muzzle wrinkling slightly as she peered out at the retreating figure of Ditzy and her dad. A sliver of gold winked back at her. Without warning, a grey hoof blindly swung out from the bundle on the stallion's back and swatted him across the face. Rainbow watched in awe as he staggered and toppled over with a shout, both front hooves grasping at his left eye. Now was her chance. She scurried closer to the heap of limbs and fur and slipped Ditzy out from where she lay partially buried underneath her father. Hurriedly pulling the young mare up onto her back as before, Rainbow sprinted down the road towards the hospital. Only a few seconds later, she heard the telltale sound of hoofbeats from behind, and they were getting louder, fast. She gulped. This was going to be a close one. "D... h-ash...?" Rainbow's ears twitched at the almost incomprehensible groan, but she forced herself not to get distracted. Her gallop remained steady, in sync with the rhythmic clippity-clop of her hooves on the concrete. "Don't worry, we're almost here." "Tha... Thank..." Rainbow felt a little twinge in her chest at the weak expression of gratitude, and she squeezed Ditzy a little tighter with her wings. She pressed onward, her speed matching that of the fuming pony a few yards back, and within a minute she was careening headfirst into the front door of the hospital, nearly taking it off its hinges as she burst into the waiting room. "HELP! HELP US, NOW!" The filly shrieked at the top of her lungs. The receptionist and a doctor circled around from behind the front desk just as Ditzy's father barged through the door, gasping heavily for air. Rainbow scampered over to the doctor and crouched behind her, hiding from his smoldering glare. "What in the name of Celestia is goi--" The doctor's voice broke off as she took in the sight of the battered and broken young pegasus slumped across Rainbow's back and recoiled in shock. "What happened here?! Who is responsible for this?!" "Him!" Rainbow cried, pointing a trembling hoof at Ditzy's father standing in the doorway. "He is, he did it!" When the doctor's accusatory gaze fell on him, he blinked and began to warily back out the door. "Security! Stop that pony!" The receptionist yelled, reaching over the front desk and pressing a small button embedded in the frame. Through the glass door and front windows, Rainbow watched as the pegasus fled the scene, only managing to make it a few dozen feet on his tired legs before a pair of uniformed guards tackled him in the street. He struggled in their grip, but after a few moments of inactivity it was apparent he'd been caught. Rainbow heaved a shivering breath. It was over. No more hurting Ditzy. The knowledge washed over her like a cool breeze, and her legs trembled with relief. She barely even noticed as the doctor, with the aid of another paramedic, gently lifted Ditzy from her back and placed her on a gurney, or as the clerk pulled her tight against her chest and ran a soothing hoof through her ruffled rainbow mane. A single thought permeated the numbing haze of exhaustion in her mind as she slumped tiredly in the embrace. Thank Celestia that wasn't a pull-door.