//------------------------------// // On The Hunt // Story: The Rise And Fall Of A Hero: Amnesia // by Baxter Dash //------------------------------// Baxter Dash flew off towards Cloudsdale. Tears dropping from the sky like a light shower, casting rainbows at Raslan's feet as they fell. As Baxter arrived at Cloudsdale, he noticed through his tired eyes, that the place was a wreck. As he landed Baxter also noticed another thing which took him a little of guard. The guards were nowhere to be seen. Baxter began walking slowly through the cloud streets, looking for somepony to talk to about living arrangements for Rainbow Dash. What was that? Baxter Dash heard a noise from inside the house to his left. There it goes again! It sounded like a fight was breaking out! Baxter Dash made sure RD was snugly between his shoulders and that his sword was in position to be drawn fluidly if needed, then, ran through to the door and pushed it open, standing in the doorway sword half drawn, expecting to see a family dispute or something of that matter. But what he was not expecting to see was Malak, fighting off Subject 57 and Dante Girdlefirth. Baxter took in the situation and immediately ran to help his friend, leaping onto Dante's back. (Keep in mind that Dante isn't a small unicorn, he was fairly large for a unicorn in fact) Dante's knees buckled under the sudden weight and he blundered about, trying to keep his balance. Upon seeing this sudden change, Malak leapt at Subject 57 (Subject 57 is an Earth Pony Mare who has had fang modifications, her hooves had been hardened to the point of steel like stature, she was going to be a guard, but Renin had requested her elsewhere, the little bastard)causing her back legs to snap from the force of the leap as she reared up and back into the table, breaking her neck and spine in multiple places. Suddenly the tide of battle was now in their favor. Baxter was beating Dante's face repeatedly with his hooves. One of Dante's eyeballs had burst from the cheek bone being pushed up repeatedly, his teeth all broken save for a few near the back, his ears bleeding profusely. Malak called out to Baxter to stop. But it was too late. This was the bastard who had done those things to RD, and he was going to suffer for it. Baxter aimed his punches at Dante's chest now. Dante's eye socket was gushing blood at a rapid pace, Baxter couldn't have that, or he might die of blood lose. Baxter grabbed one of the decorative glass orbs from the table next to him, and shoved it into Dante's eye socket none too gently. "DON'T YOU EVER HURT MY FUCKING FAMILY, YOU DISGRACE OF A UNICORN!" Baxter Dash yelled violently in his face, giving one last jab at Dante's knee, snapping it clean from the femur. Upon hearing the satisfying pop, Baxter stopped beating the stallion. Getting up and walking over to Malak, as if nothing had ever happened. Malak just stared at Baxter Dash, a mix of emotions clear on his face, they appeared to be utter horror and... was that respect? Anyway none of that right now. "Where the hell is everyone Malak?" Baxter asked mildly, still breathing heavily from the last ordeal. "They are in the town hall. The other changelings and I had almost got them, these were the last two here. They got the jump on Autumn Breeze and I, and I told Autumn to go back and help the others. They should have the city hall secure as we speak. Renin sent hundreds of his "perfect creations" at us... ha! They died too easily." Malak rambled, trying to change the subject. Baxter nodded thoughtfully, glanced back over at Dante's now still figure. Making sure it wasn't breathing. He walked over and bucked it in the chest for good measure. Hearing a crunch of ribs, he knew that Dante was definitely dead, as those ribs would have easily torn into the lungs. He turned to Malak, "Right then, we better get rid of these bodies for the lovely owners of this house." Baxter stated calmly, almost a perfect imitation of Raslan. Baxter and Malak took the two still figures out behind the house and threw them into the abandoned dumpster which belonged to the unit next to them. "So what are you planning on doing with this little one?" Malak said a dip of his head indicating towards Rainbow Dash. "I was planning on buying her a cloud-mansion in Ponyville above my old house." replied Baxter with dip of his own head indicating a large saddlebag of bits on his side. "You know that Renin had it taken down bit by bit right?" Malak said with an air of worry in his voice. Baxter slowly nodded, "Yes I flew over it on my way here, thankfully they weren't looking up at the time." Malak nodded sagely. "For the best i suppose." He added with a sad tone. Baxter looked away, tears threaten to flood his eyes once more as he remembered that Rainbow Dash, his little sister that he had taken care of for the past 7 years, wouldn't even know who he was. Baxter Dash blinked away the tears that had started to surface and started walking at a fast pace towards the town hall to see if any of the ponies there could help him. Malak, noticing where his friend was heading, followed along behind. They arrived at the town hall without incident. Because apparently incident had beaten them to the town hall. There were the bodies of changelings and pegasi strewn about in pools of blood that had settled into the clouds below the bodies making them a heavy red. Baxter made sure not to step on these, in order to prevent blood raining below Cloudsdale. As he approached the open doors, Baxter noticed now where the Pegasus Guards had been, here defending the towns people. As well as a contingent of armed forces from what appeared to be Las Pegasus. All of these ponies bodies where laying right next to each other, looking like the towns people, guards and soldiers had fought side by side until the last pony. Only now did Baxter recognize some of the bodies on the opposing side. That was subject 54, and that was 73! Oh god... Baxter stopped dead in his tracks as he noticed one of the bodies. Subject 98. The Wailer. Only deaf guards were allowed into her cell at anytime. Deaf scientists had to go in to check on her and do the testings, she had been created this way for war. As a weapon of sorts. Much like Baxter or Malak. Baxter remembered back to when he got hs testings, physically cringing as the needles entered his wings and neck. Unicorns casting their magic into the bones of his legs, allowing to move faster and be much more agile, that was really the only thing had kept him alive when he was fighting Malak. For Malak had been made a brute. He could hit harder than anypony in history, if Malak had managed to get a hit in on Baxter, he wouldn't be here today. Baxter Dash continued into the town hall, mentally brushing his thoughts aside. As Baxter entered the town hall, he was greeted with a sight of lots of wounded changelings and pegasi, with both types of ponies helping the wounded. "I need to go talk to Autumn, meet me back at the fountain in ten Bax." Malak said before galloping off towards a group of changelings. Baxter Dash proceeded to head towards the bodies of a group of pegasi. Oh god, not them, why did it have to be them... It was Baxter's old foalsitters Mr and Mrs Ditzberry. The had even offered to look after Rainbow Dash for him a few years back, he had declined, explaining how he had to do this himself, for their parents. They had only recently been planning to go to Manehattan for their 26th anniversary. Baxter Dash couldn't have hoped for better foalsitters. He cried to himself as he walked past many more bodies of friends and family, finally arriving at a familiar face, Sir Hucklefoot, the pegasus knight, head of the Las Pegasus Aerial Division, some of the finest pegasus fighters in all of Equestria. "Ah, Mister Baxter Dash, top of Class C, shame you decided to drop out, you would have made a fine knight!" said Hucklefoot as Baxter approached. "Although I wouldn't have done any differently giving the circumstances my boy. We will miss your father... He was one of our best you know?" Hucklefoot continued, watching Baxter's face with battle weary eyes. "I remember Sir, I miss him too." said Baxter, allowing another tear to fall from his cheek as he spoke to his old teacher. "How is your sister my boy?" Hucklefoot asked, attempting to make pleasant conversion in the current situation. Baxter Dash gently lowered Rainbow to the ground at Hucklefoot's hooves. "Renin got to her as well... I couldn't protect them Sir, I , I..." Baxter trailed off, tears now gliding down his cheek almost at will. "I understand my boy, don't worry. What did the sick bastard do to the poor girl? If you don't mind telling me of course my boy." said Hucklefoot, his tone thick with sincerity for the young stallion. "Same as they did to me..." Baxter said slowly, causing more tears to come spiraling down his cheeks. Hucklefoot looked down at Rainbow Dash, inspecting her wings carefully. "Good thing you had Raslan with you my boy!" he said cheerfully. "Only unicorn I know of that can dissipate necromancy." "He is one of the few true friends that I have left Sir." said Baxter, thinking again about the fact that his little sister wouldn't even know him. "What are the side effects to it this time? Does he know?" Hucklefoot pondered. Baxter closed his eyes and muttered something unrecognizable. He cleared his throat, before repeating his statement out loud. "Amnesia," he said with a shaky voice, his eyes resting their gaze on the ground of clouds they were standing on. Hucklefoot's face was set with a wise look. "I figured as much," he stated quietly. "Any idea of the main things she won't remember?" Baxter looked back up at the gruff looking pegasus, tears now streaming freely down his face. "She won't remember anything past the testings..." he trailed off. "Ok, and what else?" pressed Hucklefoot curiously. "Me..." Baxter continued in a whisper. Hucklefoot nodded and patted the younger stallion on the shoulder a few times, stating that it would all be ok, before he was called over by a few other older looking pegasi. Baxter went back to the fountain to meet with Malak, his eyes only looking up to see where he was going occasionally. Baxter noticed Malak as he approached, a drained look on his face. "Any news where Terra might be?" Malak asked his friend. "None. You?" Baxter replied. "I might have an idea of where, but I'm not sure." Malak said slowly, peering around for any sign of trouble. "Ok then, take Autumn Breeze and the other changelings, I will stay here and help Cloudsdale." Baxter said reassuringly. "You're not coming?" Malak questioned the pegasus. "Terra is your sister Malak, I would help you, but that would leave Cloudsdale undefended. I will send Sir Hucklefoot to get more reinforcements from Las Pegasus, and I will contact Raslan about getting some of Canterlot's pegasus up here to. But this is your fight Malak. I have faith that you can do it, and with Autumn at your side, I'm sure you will be fine." Baxter told the changeling simply and wholeheartedly. "You're right," said Malak, a look of determination on his face. "Now get going, you have to hurry," Baxter said encouragingly. "I will find her, and I will take her somewhere safe," Malak responded as he flew off. Baxter loved Terra as much as Malak did, but he also had to take care of Rainbow and the others. Besides, he knew that the name, Terra Chrysalis, would go down in history.