Peanut Butter runs through the halls to reach the hallway that was mentioned to him in Rarity's text message. He grits his teeth as his eyebrows narrow . He turns the corner and looks down the dim hallway seeing six figures with one standing in front of the other struggling to break free.
"I'm here Blueballs, let her go." Peanut Butter says in a stern voice.
"I think not just yet street rat, Trick Shot keep her company while the rest of us deal with him."
He nods as Applejack is transferred to him. Applejack stomps on his foot and runs off.
"Damn it Trick Shot get her!" Blueblood shouts as Trick Shot chases after her.
Blueblood's gang surrounds Peanut Butter as he stares directly into Blueblood's eyes. A small click is heard causing Peanut Butter to move his eyes around. He sees Blueblood's right hand is holding a silver pocket knife about four inches long with teeth along the cutting edge. Peanut Butter gives a small smirk.
"What's the matter Blueballs?, can't fight your own battles without a toy or your goons?" Peanut Butter asks.
A smug look is seen on Blueblood's face as Peanut Butter takes a fighting stance.
"We'll see how much you'll be talking after I get through with you, boys gag him and hold him down, I want him to suffer, since that bitch escaped I have to use this as a means to his end." Blueblood snarks.
"What did you call her?"
"A bitch, though you two would be something, a street rat and a hick."
"That's it, I had enough of your shit for far too long you fucking asshole."
Peanut Butter takes off his shirt and reveals a tattoo on the back of his shoulder. It shows an insect head with insect wings on each side with a scar across it. One of the goons sees this and jumps back in fear.
"Uh boss, he has the Changeling gang tattoo." One of the boys points out with a worried tone in his voice.
"What?, it doesn't matter, pin him down."
Peanut Butter throws a punch to the boy closest to him and lands a punch to his gut as he swings at the goon behind him with his other fist and one at the other one next to him. It lands on his arm as a small breeze starts to blow and gain speed. Peanut Butter sees this and looks puzzled as the goon to his right grabs Peanut Butter's arm and twists it causing him to shout in pain as he tries to escape it by elbowing him in the gut before breaking free and upper cutting him in the gut. He stands staring at Blueblood in the eyes.
"Do you think I'm supposed to be afraid of you?, are you serious?, I find it hilarious that you think that, I had enough of your bullshit, I've been busting my ass to get my life back and having both new friends and gaining back the ones I lost, you threatened someone I care about, something I thought I'd never do or be able to do, I will not submit to you, I am not afraid of you!" Peanut Butter exclaims before charging towards Blueblood with his fist clenched and giving off a glow of green fire as an aura forms around his fist.
Blueblood smirks as he punches Peanut Butter in the gut causing him to clench up and the aura around his fist to disappear. He is falls to the ground on his knees giving the others a chance to pin him down with his face staring up at the ceiling. Two of them held down his legs and one is holding his arms above his head holding them by his wrists. Peanut Butter struggles as Blueblood walks over and shoves a balled up sock in Peanut Butter's mouth and gets on top of him.
"Not so talky now are we street rat?, I'm going to make you suffer." Blue Blood sneers.
Blueblood slides the knife across Peanut Butter's chest causing him to scream through the sock. He sees the scars on Peanut Butter's chest. He smiles as he glides the knife along his chest. Peanut Butter screams through the sock as the slicing and ripping of his body becomes unbearable. He squirms trying to break free. Blueblood smirks seeing this. He glides it along Peanut Butter's chest again before taking the knife to his right eye. Peanut Butter closes his eyes tight moving his head. Blueblood slides the knife across his right eye causing his brow and cheek to bleed. Peanut Butter screams louder into the sock and tries to break free with no luck. Blueblood glides the knife across his arms next. Tears form around the bottom of Peanut Butter's eyes and they mix with his blood.
"You think you're hot shit now?!?" Blueblood shouts as he drives the knife into Peanut Butter's left arm.
Peanut Butter screams in agony as the knife is pulled out of his arm. Blueblood looks over at the goon holding Peanut Butter's arms and nods at him. In an instant he presses Peanut Butter's arm in the opposite direction. Peanut Butter struggles as the pulling of his arm quickly becomes unbearable and suddenly he feels a pop as the bone in his right arm breaks. Peanut Butter screams again as he slowly looses conscious. BlueBlood nods to the one holding his legs and proceeds to break Peanut Butter's legs. Before he could though they hear yelling in the hallway. BlueBlood sneers as he looks at Peanut Butter.
"Time to join your family street rat." BlueBlood says before stabbing Peanut Butter in the chest leaving the knife in him.
Peanut Butter screams again as the sharp stabbing pain flows through his body. Blueblood motions his goons to leave as they leave through the door at the end of the hallway. Peanut Butter doesn't move as the shouts get louder. As the sources of the shouting get closer his eyelids start to get heavy. Luna, Applejack, and Rarity arrive to see Peanut Butter lying on the floor.
"Oh my god!" Luna shouts as she runs towards Peanut Butter.
"Holy shit!" Applejack shouts as she is taken back by the scene.
"Applejack go to the nurse and tell her to call an ambulance and the police."
"Ah'm on it."
Applejack runs off to get the nurse. The echos through the halls grabbed the attention of the other students. Looks of terror, fear and worry on their faces as they try to see what is going on. The teachers in the same shock remain vigilant in crowd control. Luna gets on her knees kneeling in the pool of blood around Peanut Butter as she looks over him with all the cuts and stabs. She cries as she holds his head on her lap. His eyelids continue to struggle to stay open as the gag is removed he screams out before switching from screaming to trying to breathe. Luna starts to cry as she rub the top of his head trying to comfort him.
"You're going to be okay, please just stay awake for a little while longer, help is coming, it's going to be okay." Luna cries fighting back her tears.
Applejack returns with Nurse Redheart followed by the rest of her friends who look in horror at the state of their friend. Fluttershy turns away with her face in her hands as she starts crying. Pinkie's hair deflates as she comforts Fluttershy. Sunset's eyes widen and well up before she clenches her fists and looks towards her friends.
"Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, go wait outside for the medics and bring them here, Rarity, go with them and wait for the cops, Blueblood texted him through your phone they can trace the number and hopefully find him. Pinkie Pie help with crowd control, Applejack, come with me." Sunset Shimmer orders.
They all nod and do what they are assigned. Sunset Shimmer and Applejack go towards Peanut Butter as they kneel next to Nurse Redheart around Peanut Butter as they feel his blood around their knees.
"What do you need help with?" Sunset Shimmer asks.
"We need to slow down the bleeding without hitting that knife and we need to get his arm back in place." Nurse Redheart says.
Sunset takes off her jacket and tries to fix his arm after hearing a loud pop and hearing him scream weakly. Luna cries while resting his head on her lap telling him and herself everything is going to be okay as she continues to rub the top of his head. A minute later they hear more shouting as paramedics arrive with a stretcher.
"Alright get back." One of them says as everyone gets back except for Luna.
"Ma'am are you his mother?" Another paramedic questions.
"I'm his legal guardian, yes."
"We'll need you to get back while we put him on the stretcher."
Luna nods and reluctantly gets up and backs away. The paramedics put him on the stretcher carefully as they check him over. They rush through the school and out the door with Luna, Sunset Shimmer, Fluttershy and Applejack right behind them. The paramedics and Luna get into the ambulance as they speed out with lights and sirens on. Applejack runs after the ambulance right after they leave. Sunset and Rarity were about to follow before Celestia stops them.
"Hop in my car, it will be faster to get there." Celestia says before heading to her car.
Sunset and Rarity follow Celestia to her car and get in before driving off. Everyone is dismissed for the rest of the day as Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie head to the hospital as well. They all hope for the best as they run in the same direction as Applejack did.
As Applejack runs, tears start to fall down her face as she rushes past intersections as fast as she can to the hospital.
"I don't wanna lose ya Peanut Butter, please for my sake don't go dyin' on me before I have a chance to talk to ya." Applejack says to herself as she sprints towards the hospital.
Meanwhile in the ambulance, the paramedics manage to slow the bleeding of Peanut Butter's cuts. They place medical wrap over half of his head has a patch covers his right eye. Against Luna's wishes Peanut Butter completely losses consciousness. Luna is still crying as she looks over Peanut Butter. She looks at him as he lays on the stretcher motionless covered in scars and blood before she looks away as another round of tears hits. The ambulance stops as the paramedics get out with the stretcher. Luna follows them to the doors outside of the operation room before being stopped by a nurse.
"I'm sorry ma'am you cannot go in there." The nurse says.
"I don't care, he needs me!"
"You'll have to wait outside the waiting room like everyone else."
"That's my son in there!"
Luna freezes as her breathing goes heavy before breaking down again falling to her knees and covering her face with her hands as she cries again. The nurse places her hand on Luna's shoulder.
"He's in good hands, I'll take you to the waiting room, I'll need you to fill out some forms when you're ready."
She helps Luna up and takes her to one of the chairs in the waiting room. Just as she was seated Celestia, Sunset Shimmer and Rarity come in. They rush to her side with Celestia hugging Luna tightly. Luna cries as she hugs her back. They stay silent as Sunset Shimmer joins in the hug. Rarity's expression is distant as she sits down on one of the chairs in the room. She takes out her design book and a pencil and starts sketching without thinking of design nor colors. After a few minutes Celestia and Sunset sit next to Luna with Celestia on the left and Sunset on her right as Luna fills out forms. They hear fast paced footsteps as Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie show up.
"Did we really beat Applejack here?" Rainbow Dash asks.
"Well we did take the bus, Rainbow." Fluttershy acknowledges.
"Yeah Dashie don't you remember?" Pinkie exclaims.
"I know we took the bus, still though."
Just then Applejack and Applebloom enter. They both breath heavily catching their breathe from running. Applejack still has tears in her eyes as she looks at Sunset.
"Where is he?" Applejack demands.
"He's in the operating room right now, it will be a while before hearing anything about his condition."
"Bloom, go with Big Mac back home, tell 'im I won't be back till late or until mornin if I'm allowed to, you're not staying here."
"But sis I-"
"No buts, now git."
"Fine."
With a huff and a pout Applebloom heads back to Big Mack's truck. Applejack sits next to Rarity, slouching in a relaxed position. She looks at Rarity's sketch with a puzzled look on her face.
"Hey Rare, what cha workin' on?" AppleJack asks.
"Something for P.B., I think he can use something to cheer him up, I'm not used to making these though."
"A pony with bat wings and ears? Why somethin' like that?"
"I'm not sure, It just feels right, it's an adorable little thing isn't it?"
"Sure is," AppleJack pauses for a bit. "Hey Rarity?"
"Yes?"
"Do ya think Peanut Butter and I would make a.....a good...um.."
"Yes, you two would make quite the item in my opinion, but can you put up with his attitude?"
"Not like I haven't already?"
"Good point."
"I just hope ah can tell 'im."
"All we can do is pray and hope for the best darling."
Three hours pass as there is only silence with the occasional person walking through or a patient getting prepped for surgery. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy are the first to leave as they head home. Pinkie Pie soon follows for her own reasons. Celestia and Sunset Shimmer go on a food run while Luna, Rarity and Applejack stay behind. Fifteen minutes later a doctor comes out with a clipboard with papers on it.
"Miss, Solstice?" The doctor asks.
Luna stands up and looks at the doctor.
"How, how is he?" Luna asks.
"He's in very rough shape, but he's alive, the knife just missed his heart, but the teeth on the knife didn't make it any easier to get it out, he must have a really good guardian angel looking out for him."
"Can I see him?"
"I'm afraid not for a couple days at least, he's in a medically induced coma so he will probably be asleep when you are able to see him, I'll call you when you can visit him, go home and get some rest."
"I want to stay here with him, he needs me."
"He's in good hands, now go home and get some rest."
Celestia and Sunset Shimmer come in and see Luna with the doctor.
"How is he?" Celestia asks.
"He's alive, but in a coma, we can visit him in a couple days."
"I see, I'll give you a ride home if you would like."
"Can I stay with you until I'm able to see him?, I just don't want to be alone."
"I understand, I'll take you over to your apartment so you can get a bag of clothes together."
"Okay."
Luna looks over at Applejack and Rarity with a tired look on her face.
"You two should be getting home yourselves."
Applejack looks at Rarity.
"Mind if ah stay at your place Rare?" AppleJack asks.
"I don't see why not."
They leave as Luna follows Celestia and Sunset Shimmer follow behind going to Celestia's car. The car ride is silent as they make their way to Luna's apartment. The feeling in the car is thick with sadness and hurt. After twenty minutes they reach Luna's apartment and go inside. Luna goes to her room and gets a duffel bag with a few days worth of clothes in it and leaves the apartment. She puts the bag in Celestia's car and they head to her home.
They pull into the drive way and enter the garage. All three of them get out of the car and enter the house.
"Sunset go to bed, you need sleep and your Aunt Luna and I need to talk."
"Okay, good night mom, good night Aunt Luna, love you both."
"Good night Sunset, love you too."
Celestia gets a couple of wine glasses from her cabinet and places them on the counter.
"Red or white?" Celestia asks.
"Red please."
Celestia grabs a bottle of red wine and pours it into the glasses.
"I'm so sorry about what happened, Luna."
"It's not your fault, if anything it's mine."
"Don't blame yourself for it Luna, he did what he felt was right to save his friend."
"Why didn't he come to you or I then?"
"You have to remember, he was on his own for five years, he's only been here for five months, he isn't going to change his entire mindset in that short of a time span."
"True, but I failed Home Run."
"Like I said Luna, it was out of your control."
"When he was rushed to the operating room and I tried to enter I, I called him my son, I don't know why I said it, it felt right at the time."
Celestia stays silent before a small smile shows on her face.
"Luna, did you plan on adopting him from the start?”
Luna blushes and looks away.
"Yes, I've been thinking lately that while I might not want to tread into the waters of a relationship just yet, I feel that maybe I'm ready to be a parent of an older child, he needs someone in his life to be a parent to him, I know I can't replace Home Run or his wife, but damn it I want to be someone he can trust."
"I think now is a pivot point that could lead him to that road Lulu, remember when you broke your arm after climbing that tree?"
"Yes."
"She stood by your side the whole time making sure you were okay and if you needed any help, well that's what P.B needs now and after he wakes up is someone that will help him and make sure he's okay, just don't be as overbearing as mom was."
"Oh not by a long shot, we weren't allowed to go outside by ourselves until we were twelve remember?"
"Yes I remember, she nearly had a heart attack when we started driving."
"Or the time when we played that April fools joke when we told her that we both got pregnant."
"Oh my god, how can I forget?, she grounded us for a month and made us babysit the local kids during that."
"Wasn't much of a punishment, we got secretly paid for it by some of the parents, we did it as a summer job too."
"Funny how we become adoptive mothers years later."
"Yes it is pretty funny the more I think about it, you've done well with Sunset Shimmer, she's turned around since the, incident."
"Between myself and her friends I think so too, I'm proud of her."
"You should be."
"You've made progress with P.B as well."
"How so?"
"Well according to Sunset he's a lot more open than he was a while back, he also has taken his actions into consideration and how you would react, especially after his last temper tantrum."
Luna's eyes go wide hearing this. She smiles and finishes her wine. Celestia finishes hers and places the glass in the sink. Luna does the same before hugging Celestia.
"Come on Luna, I'll take you to the spare bedroom." Celestia says before taking Luna's bag and heading upstairs.
They reach the spare bedroom as Luna hugs Celestia before going inside and falling onto the bed and falling asleep soon after.
Meanwhile at Rarity's house Applejack gets off the phone with Big Mac. She sighs as she hangs up. She looks at Rarity who is hard at work.
"Your brother gave you a hard time again dear?" Rarity asks.
"Eeyup, but he knows P.B and how much he means ta me so he let me off the hook fer now at least."
"That's good at least, I was serious when I said that you two would make a wonderful item, I can recall when you two were partners in crime back in elementary."
"I guess yer right on that part, I can remember when he landed a spitball on the back of Mr. Doodle's shirt and slid down the back of it and when he was found out about it I pointed to that kid with the crazy glasses and that weird haircut."
"Oh yes I remember that, All three of you got detention for it."
"It was worth it."
"I bet it was, I can recall that time during that spring break party when you two switched people's drinks around when they weren't looking."
"Oh the looks on their faces was priceless."
Applejack laughs at the memory while Rarity continues her work. A minute later she blushes a bit as Rarity looks at Applejack and notices the look on her face.
"I see someone is a smitten kitten."
Applejack blushes a deeper red and sighs.
"Yeah yer right, Cupid got me good, I just hope ta tell 'im when he wakes up, if he wakes up."
Rarity goes to Applejack and places her hand on her shoulder.
"He will wake up, we just don't know when."
"If ya say so Rare, but I'm still worried."
"It's okay to be worried Applejack, try to get some sleep darling, you look like a wreck."
Applejack looks at Rarity's mirror and notices her hair frizzled and looking tired with worry. She sighs and giggles a little bit.
"Yer right Rare, hopefully ya get some sleep too."
"I will. I just want to get the templates and patterns cut out first."
"Okay."
Applejack lays down on Rarity's couch and falls asleep after a few minutes. Rarity looks over to her with a small smile.
"If you only knew Applejack." Rarity whispers as she continues her work.
As she works she recalls her memories and lets her mind wonder while she works. Memories of parties, sleepovers and adventures they had as kids. She stops working and looks at the picture from when they were kids. She smiles as the warm feeling of nostalgia and happiness overflow. She finishes the patterns and places them together before she goes to bed after a long day.
The next day school is canceled due to what happened. Though grief is felt through out the city of Canterlot among the high school students as they hear the news from either friends or the news. At Rarity's house, Rarity and Applejack are fast asleep though it is almost noon as Rarity's phone starts to ring. She stirs from her sleep as she wakes up and reaches for her phone with her eye mask still in place on her head. She grabs her phone after a few seconds of patting around it and takes off the eye mask to see Fluttershy calling. She swiftly answers the phone.
"Good morning Flutershy."
"I'm fine, you?"
"No dear it's ok I was just getting up anyways."
"Fluttershy please, it is quite alright."
"She's still asleep, hopefully she'll feel better, but who knows."
"I'll see if we can visit him once I get in touch with Sunset."
"I'll let you know when I know."
"Talk to you later Fluttershy."
Rarity hangs up with Fluttershy and sends a message to Sunset asking about visiting Peanut Butter. A few seconds later she gets a response saying that no one can visit for a couple days. She relays it to Fluttershy before looking at the patterns on her work bench before placing her head on the pillow again. She sighs as tears well up at the bottom of her eyes. She breaks down as her emotions get the best of her as she turns her head facing her pillow and starts crying.
Peanut Butter lays in bed at the hospital as his mind floats in darkness.
He opens his eyes to see a run down house. After his vision clears his eye go wide as he looks at his childhood home. He gets up and walks inside with a curious look on his face as the inside of the house is well kept and lights on. He hears footsteps and moves his head around to find what is causing it. He sees a small shadow disappear around a corner and follows it, only to wind up in the same hall. He sees the shadow again and chases it, ending up at the same hallway again. He stands and he pinches the bridge of his nose.
"What the hell is going on here?" Peanut Butter mumbles to himself.
"Play, play, play!"
"Who was that?"
Peanut Butter looks upstairs and walks up it to lead to the second floor. He walks around and opens a couple doors. He sees a nursery in one of the doors and the other was a bathroom. He finds another door and opens it to see his old room. Blue walls with stars and moon on the ceiling with toys scattered on the floor. His eyes go wide as his breathing goes heavy. He stands back holding the sides of his heads with his hands as he closes his eyes.
"What the fuck?!" Peanut Butter screams.
"Why am I seeing all this?"
"I left this all behind me!"
He slips on the rug and falls over the rail, but lands on something soft. He opens his eyes to see himself in his room again. He looks over to see a cloaked female figure standing next to him.
"Who are you?" Peanut Butter asks.
"I am Emerald Tempest, the guardian of wind."
"What is going on?"
"You're in your mindscape."
"My what?"
"Think of it like a dream, you're currently in a coma in a hospital bed."
"Ah, so care to elaborate on who you are?"
"You know that wind that you felt earlier?"
"Yeah, what about it?"
"Well, let's just say that was me."
"I'm not following."
"Do you remember when Sunset told you about magic?"
"Yeah."
"You kind of have the same powers, minus the ears and wings thing."
"Huh?"
"What did you notice when you fought against Blueblood and the others?"
"I stood up to them and was saving A.J.."
"Could you say that it was, courageous of you?"
"I guess."
"It's your courage and emotions that brings it out."
"Okay, but where do you come in?"
"Consider me as a manifestation of that power."
"Ah."
"Yeah, you're going to be asleep for a while."
"What about my eye?"
"It's safe, you'll have a scar though."
"Not my first one."
"No it isn't."
Peanut Butter sits up to look at the figure in the eyes.
"So what now?"
"We talk, get to know each other, that's how these things go."
"So where did you come from and how did you find me?"
"I came from another world and I found you out of chance."
"Ah, so you're your own being?"
"In a way, yes."
"What do you mean?"
"No physical body, but sentient spirit."
"So why does courage trigger that power?"
"Don't know."
"This will be interesting to try out when I wake up."
"It would, oh I'm supposed to give you this."
Peanut Butter puts his hand over his right eye and cries out in pain for two minutes before he takes his hand off his eye before gasping.
"What did you do to me you asshole?!" Peanut Butter shouts.
"Look in the mirror."
Peanut Butter stumbles to the bathroom down the hall and looks at the mirror to notice his right eye is an emerald green, his breathing grows heavy as he glares at the figure.
"What did you do?" Peanut Butter asks in a deep voice.
"That eye will allow you to see me in the waking world as well as see others with magical abilities."
"Okay, still you should have asked."
"Sorry about that, now don’t go thinking this power is free."
“What do you mean?”
“In due time, I will come to you and will ask for the price.”
Peanut Butter sighs.
"So why my childhood home?"
"About that, there are some people I'd like you to meet."
A man, woman and small child step out of the shadows. Peanut Butter's jaw drops as his eyes widen.
"Mom, dad, and Strike Out?, is that really you?" Peanut Butter asks in disbelief.