//------------------------------// // Lost // Story: The Other Button // by One of the Crowd //------------------------------// Chapter 39: Lost ***Arrow*** "I want you girls to head home. I'll bring your friend back," I said while taking my first few steps into the everfree forest. It's been a long time since I was a curious colt, and entered this forest. It still gives me chills, but it's my solemn duty to protect equestria's citizens. "She's our friend though," The one in the red bow protested while trying to follow me in. "I promise you'll see her again just go home for now," All three fillies looked at each other before lowering their heads and heading back into town. I can understand their desire to protect their friend, but it is simply too dangerous in here for foals. I still don't understand how Chance was able to go through here twice without getting hurt by anything. Looking to the found I saw a set of hoof tracks that lead further into the forest so I deduced that they must be Dinky's. What is with this forest and foals anyway? Seriously over the years more foals have disappeared in this forest than full grown ponies. Getting a little further into the forest the trees started to bend in unnatural ways, and a feeling of dread washed over me. There was definitely black magic at work here considering how sudden all of these changes were. A moment later I could smell something slowly burning and something else was in the air. "CHANCE!" I heard a voice cry out in the distance. That must have been Dinky, but why would she be calling for Chance unless...he came in here anyway! I started sprinting towards the yelling, but before I could get far two timber wolves emerged from some bushes in front of me. "I do not have time for mutant shrubs!" ***Cold Breeze*** I groaned a bit as I got back to my hooves. When I opened my eyes I saw that one of my teeth were lying on the ground in front of me. "Oh, you've done bucked up freak," I said to myself as I looked towards the direction Chance was heading in. It was just a stupid forest which would serve perfectly for his beating. I picked up my tooth and put it in...I have no idea actually. One minute there is a pocket on my flank and then it's just gone. Screw the logic behind it I have bigger freaky things to worry about. I wasn't in a rush so I calmly walked towards the forest that he seemed to be in such a rush to get to. He's going to get the beating of a life time so I need as much energy as possible to pummel him into the ground. ***Chance*** "I'M COMING" I yelled out as I began to approach a very familiar cave. "Oh, shit!" "CHANCE? WHAT'S GOING ON?" Dinky asked rather panicked from within the cave. What was she talking about? I Ran through the entrance without a moments hesitation to see that fire demon thing and Lucky holding Dinky down. "GET OFF OF HER!" I yelled as I tried to tackle Lucky to the ground. He stood firm however when I hit him. He turned his head towards me and had the most evil smile you could imagine plastered onto his face. "Nice of you to join us, Chance. Now we can get our book back too," He said with his grin growing even brighter as his horn grew even brighter. I couldn't move because I was now trapped in his magic, and god was it burning badly. "Chance? Why are there two of you?" Dinky asked while looking towards me with big eyes. No point in lying to her right now so, "That's not me. He's...well I don't know, but he sure as hell doesn't have good intentions for us," I said while struggling against Lucky's magic. He just laughed at my attempts as he forced me to the ground beside Dinky. "This is priceless! You think you can get away again. I'm sorry to say, but your brother isn't going to help you this time," Lucky said as that fire demon walked up behind him. It started to speak, but I couldn't understand anything that it was saying. "Yes sir. Looks like we're going to be working together Chance," Lucky smiled after saying that. "Yeah, fuck that shit!" I said while flailing my limbs around in an attempt to get out of the magic. It of course didn't work too well, but I was able to hit Lucky in the face once so it was kind of worth it. "You've got a lot of fight in you. You'll do nicely," He said while patting my head. He didn't even react to the fact that I just hit him in the fucking face. "Now, would you kindly tell me where that book is so I can retrieve it?" I just spat in his face which he wiped away with a hoof. "Chance, I'm scared," Dinky said beside me. "I know, Dinky. Stay calm and I'll get us out of here," I said while looking around the cave in hopes of finding something that would help us. There was nothing at all, and I could barely move so we were kind of stuck. "You should just give up it's easier. I did and look at me," Lucky said while flaunting himself around. "I'm my masters favorite, and I wont be used for the ritual!" "What ritual?" I asked rather worried for my brother, and Combo. "That's a surprise! Now let's begin the-" Before Lucky could finish the fire demon cried out in rage for some reason. It pointed towards the cave entrance and I saw Arrow standing there with a determined look on his face. "I've seen some crazy shit, but this is at the top of the list," He said before dropping into a a low stance ready to attack whatever came near him. Lucky summoned up gigantic balls of fire with a amused expression on his face. "I've got you beat. Please try fighting though it's a lot more fun," Luck said while getting ready to blast Arrow to smithereens. "Let them go and I'll help you," Arrow said looking toward Lucky with pity. Why should he care about that fucker when he's holding me and Dinky hostage? "HAHAHAHA! You think I need your help? Let me just show you how much help I need," Lucky threw one of the fire balls at Arrow who quickly ducked under it before rushing towards us. When he got close to Lucky he stopped and tapped his horn causing the fire to disappear and me and Dinky to be freed. "Get out of here, Chance!" Arrow said while lowering himself into that fighting stance again. I was going to protest, but I heard Dinky whimper which made me realize that I had to get her out of here first. I begrudgingly grabbed her hoof and started running towards the caves entrance so that we could escape. ***Arrow*** As long as they're able to get out of this alright then everything will be fine. "I see the guard is still piss poor at there job," The colt that looked like Chance said with a smile on his face as he summoned up more fireballs to chuck at me. Too bad touching a unicorns horn only stops magic that is currently being used or this would be a lot easier. "I just don't want to hurt a kid," I said when I realized that the ground beneath me was getting a lot hotter. Looking down I noticed that a red ring had formed around me which I quickly jumped out of just as a column of fire shot out of the ground. That sure as Tartarus isn't a normal colt. This was going to be a very interesting fight, but where was that pony that was on fire? This was when I felt something extremely hot behind me, and when I turned around I saw that thing ready to grab me. "Buck me with a cactus," ***Chance*** "Where's the path?" Dinky asked in a panicked voice as we continued running in the opposite direction of the cave. "I don't know, but I'm not stopping till we're out of here," I said as we kept running through the extremely dark forest. Why do we seem to be going in circles when we've only been going straight this entire time? No matter how far we go I swear I've seen that tree at least three times now. "I think we're going in circles," "That's impossible! We've only gone straight this entire time," How is this possible unless...FUCKING MAGIC! "There you are!" A very familiar and unwelcome voice cried out in front of us. The bushes started rustling and out came Cold Breeze with a grin across his face. Looks like I knocked out a tooth when I kicked his face. "Let's finish what we started." "We have to go, Cold! There's a monster, and-" "You really are insane. I can't wait to-" "Will both of you shut up! We have to go," Dinky interrupted us before we could get into an argument. "You can't possibly believe him," Cold said which got him a glare from Dinky. "Considering that monster almost ate us, I do." After saying that A roar resounded throughout the forest and birds chirped in the distance. Cold held an expression of fear after hearing that and just pointed in a direction. "I came from the path over there." Cold got really close to my face before speaking some more, "I'm not done with you." We started running back towards where Cold had pointed as it might just be our only hope of getting out of here alive. ***Arrow*** "What the Buck are you?" I asked the strange creature running beside me. "I'm Chance's brother. That's all you need to know," it replied before hitting the fire pony in the face with a stick. If this creature didn't come in at the time he did I would of been used in some weird ritual. Chance is a pony though. This thing can't possibly be his brother unless...Celestia, Chance wasn't trying to cope with what Jungle did to him. We were trying to make him forget himself because we thought that he was just broken, but he was-. A fireball whizzed by my head as I rushed towards the colt. Normally I don't approve of hitting children, but this colt was possessed by something to be able to do half the shit he was. Seriously what kind of colt can summon a bird of fire at will? "I think we should run," the creature said. "Why?" I asked when it pointed towards the fire pony which was speaking in some weird language. Yeah, I don't think that it has good intentions so me and the creature started sprinting towards the cave's entrance. If Chance was out there with anything like this he's going to need us.