//------------------------------// // Chapter 15: Faith in the Young Generation Restored! // Story: Lost with Friends: A New World // by TheBronyMatrixFilms //------------------------------// Chapter 15: Faith in the Young Generation Restored! You know… I feel like if maybe, just maybe, that life hates me just a bit… Scratch that. Life wants Death to drag me down the nine levels of hell itself… Ok, I might be exaggerating a bit but, that is how it feels with Twilight coming upstairs to check on the ruckus my damn armor made. “Oh, my head”, Spike moaned in pain as he held his head. “Sorry about that Spike but I need to get out of here, I promise I’ll make it up to you later”, I whispered a bit too loudly as I scrambled to my feet and sprinting towards the balcony after my friends. What I didn’t see was that at the moment I jumped off the balcony was the exact moment that Twilight reached the room, just managing to see me jump. ‘Aren’t you the picture of stealth’, a voice seemed to whisper. I instinctively flinched at the the sound of the voice almost causing me to tip over the balcony head-first. Thankfully, Life decided to stop fucking with me for a moment and I managed to land on the ground without injuring myself. Without hesitation I dived into a bush next to giant tree and waited. As I expected, Twilight flew out and looked around trying to see where I ran off to. I gave a silent prayer for her to not see me and at the same time wondered where the whisper came from. Apparently after a minute or so she gave up and flew back into the tree to what I assumed was to check up on Spike. With the short opportunity that was shown to me, I quickly ran to a nearby alleyway. I snuck a peek to see if I was seen or heard but saw no activity. I sighed in relief  then started to wonder where my friends ran to. I tried to discreetly scan the area around the tree but didn’t seem to find them. “Where the fuck did they go?”, I wondered. Suddenly a cyan blur flew out of the balcony, and raced overhead. Three guesses on who it is and the first two don’t count. “Yo! Rainbow!”, I tried to call her without being too loud. ‘Oh for fuck’s sake, that makes you sound like Fluttershy’, the voice whispered again. ‘Wait… what?’ I looked around to see if anyone was around but found no one. ‘Ok, this is officially freaking me out now’ I shook my head and concentrated on what I was doing and saw her looking around for… something. ‘Is Rainbow looking for something?... Oh wait’ “Rainbow! Down here!” After finding me, Rainbow swooped down into the alleyway, “Leo, what happened back there and where are the others?” “Whoa there Rainbow, well first… I tripped” “You… tripped…”, she deadpanned, “... ON WHAT?” “Apparently on Spike’s head”, I said sheepishly as I rubbed the back of my head. At that Rainbow facehoofed, “Ugh… And where are the others?” “Dunno, I didn’t see where they went after I jumped off the balcony”, I tried to explain, “Twilight flew out trying to find me… Or at least us… Not including you I guess…” “Yeah, she told me to find a way to get you guys out of Ponyville” “Well I guess she will get her wish by tomorrow”, I said bitterly. “Hey don’t say it like that, besides you should know Twilight enough to know that she sometimes overreacts over some things” “Hard to do that when she was looking at me in disgust and tells me to fuck off”, I grumbled, “I mean she’s a princess for God sake! It would of been expected for her to yell at us for telling her, but if what you told me that there are griffins you can bet on your life that there is a griffin kingdom out there” At that Rainbow’s ears flattened against her head, “And if Twilight reacts towards the griffins like how did with us… Well, I know you’re smart enough to know that, it wouldn’t end well” At this moment I realize that I might say something I will regret if I didn’t calm down. So I shut my mouth and took a deep breath before I said anything, “Sorry about that. There is a lot on my mind, if that wasn’t obvious already” Rainbow looked less nervous now that I didn’t look like I would lash out on accident, “It’s alright big guy, I know that you’re pretty stressed but… Will anything I say change your mind?” “I’m not sure but getting kicked out and suddenly becoming homeless is a new experience”, I sighed. “Don’t worry Leo. Twilight will come around and apologize and we’ll forget that all of this happened. Heck! You might look back at this and laugh about it one day!”, she reasoned. “You’re right, I guess… I mean, for now we have something else to worry about: finding the others”, I said with renewed determination I looked down the alley where we came from and then looked back to each other. “Sooo… Any ideas where the others are?”, she asked. I wracked my brain as I tried to recall any mention of a rendezvous point. I then thought back to our plan that we had a couple minutes earlier. With Twilight almost catching us it made me almost forget it, “I remember now”, I exclaimed while I hit my forehead, “I told them to run to the Crusader’s Clubhouse if we get chased by Twilight.” “Well what are we waiting for? If we hurry we should catch up to them!”, she exclaimed. “Alright, alright just give me a minute to make sure everything is secure”, I said while i did a quick look over at the bag. After being satisfied that none of the contents will fall, I slung the bag and nodded to Rainbow and began running towards the orchard. “Hurry up slowpoke!~”, Rainbow called out to me as we… Er… Well at least I ran to the orchard while she flew ahead of me. “Shut up! I’m obviously not an angel, cut me some slack”, I huffed as I kept running after her. “Well of course you’re not an angel, You don’t even look like a bunny rabbit to me”, Rainbow asked as she flew backwards facing me while giving me a weird, “Besides Angel can never catch up to me even if you strap him to a firework!” “What are you talking abou- Oh! No, no, no, no. That’s not the type of angel I’m talking about”, I said while I slowed to a steady walking pace as we entered the orchard, “An angel is... well, many things actually but in the way I’m referring to is a winged human” “A human with wings!? That is so awesome!”, she then proceeded to grab my shoulders and I found myself nose-to-snout with her, “Are there any angels where you come from?” “Ack!”, I stumbled back to give myself some space but instead I tripped over a root and fell on my back, “Rainbow! Don’t grab me like that! Ow, and no. There are no angels where I come from. They are just a mythical creature but according to some religions back in my world, they exist in heaven as God’s servants and soldiers… At least that is the more simplified version of it”, I then proceed to pick myself up and dust the armor off. ‘Maybe I should've found a place to hide this stuff before we came to the orchard’ “Aww! It would’ve been cool to meet an angel and it would’ve been awesome to race one”, she pouted. “Well maybe they are real, maybe they aren't but it doesn’t matter right now. We’re here”, I pointed to the treehouse. I tipped-toed up the ramp and tapped at the door. I then heard a flurry of steps approached the door and swing it open. I was then swiftly yanked into the darkness of the clubhouse along with Rainbow. I then felt myself getting forced onto a seat and was promptly tied up. “H-hey! What’s going on!? Felipe? Rosa? Ishmael? The hell are you guys doing?”, I asked into the void. “What’s the big idea?! Let me outta here!”, Exclaimed Rainbow as I assumed she was forced into the same situation as I have. And if the sound of frantic wing flaps were an indication, she was trying to force her way out of her bind. “Guys be serious! We’re kind of on a deadlin- AH!”, I yelped as a bright light suddenly turned on and was shone on my face. “Before you came here did you make sure that you weren’t being followed?”, asked a familiar voice that didn’t sound like any of my friends, but instead sounded… more higher pitched and raspy. “First off, get that light outta my face! I can’t see anything! Secondly I’m pretty sure I would’ve noticed someone following me and thirdly, who’s asking!?”, I answered. “Um, Scootaloo, Ah think that yer hurtin’ him”, spoke a high-pitched southern accented voice off to my side. Okay, now I’m sure who ambushed us, “Sweetie Belle, are you there too?”, I called out with a sigh. “I’m here”, called out the timid filly. “Not that I’m complaining, but shouldn’t you three be in bed?”, asked Rainbow. “We couldn’t sleep and we found Felipe sneaking into our window with his other two friends”, Scootaloo added while still on top of me. ‘Great now we have to deal with these three and their insatiable curiosity’ Although the stray thought did seem rather whiny, having these three knowing that we were sneaking into the home of those that just kicked us out is not a very good thing to have… ‘Well… Twilight already caught us so it’s not too bad right now anyways’ “Well regardless, can you please untie us? I feel like you three tied this a tad bit too tight”, I then waved my hand as much as I could while showing them how it started to turn into a mixture of purple and red. “Hehe… sorry ‘bout that”, Apple Bloom said sheepishly. She then proceeded to untie the binds. After having my mobility and a bit of my night-vision regained, I looked around expecting to see Felipe and the others but only saw Fluttershy sleeping soundly on one side of the treehouse. ‘Dawwww! That is just adorable! … Well not as adorable as Twi-...’ ‘Really? Even after she shunned you and cast you aside you still like HER?’ I’m pretty sure I heard someone that time. But at the same time it sound like someone was whispering behind me… I shook my head remembering that it’s not an urgent matter at that moment that I might be going insane. “Where’s Felipe and Ishmael?”, I asked the Crusaders. “I’m right here” I turned towards where a ladder lead to what I assumed was… the attic?... I think… Well there was a ladder leading to an upper level with Felipe and Ishmael climbing down said ladder. “What were you guys doing up there? And why did you guys not come down when these three practically hogtied us?” “Hiding and waiting for you two” “And I’m going to take a wild guess that you grabbed your stuff but managed to get caught by these three”, Rainbow said dryly. I quickly stifled a small laugh before clearing my throat, “Ahem, well, now we have to figure out what to do with them. We obviously can’t have them come with us”, I pointed out. “Why not?!”, exclaimed Scootaloo, “We helped!” I looked to Felipe for confirmation and he nodded, “Well I’m glad you three did but, we are already in a bit of trouble with Applejack and Twilight. We don’t want to give them any more reason to dislike us” ‘Understatement of the century’ “We can always leave them a note. Ah’ reckon Applejack and Big Mac would understand” “Umm, Apple Bloom, I’m pretty sure Applejack wouldn’t like it if you disappeared with just a note saying you’re with the three humans she doesn’t want to see right now”, Rainbow stated. “Oh… but why doesn't she like you guys? Ah mean, Felipe has been living with us for a couple of months and he ain’t done nothing wrong”, she inquired. I looked to the others to see if it was a good idea to tell the young Crusaders. Ishmael shrugged while Felipe was unsure. “Ah… Well… You see…” “They eat meat”, Rainbow said impatiently. We looked at her with disbelief… Er well, Felipe, Ishmael and I looked at her with the disbelief of her sheer bluntness, while the Crusaders looked at us with a mixture of emotions splayed across their faces. “What?! You guys were gonna tell them anyways! I just sped up the process”, she said defensively. I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed, “Look girls, before you three freak out…”. “Are you guys carnivores?!”, Scootaloo exclaimed. “Not exactly, we’re omnivores”, Ishmael briefly explained. “What’s an ‘omnivore’?”, Sweetie Belle asked in confusion. “It mean that we can eat a lot of things, like meat, fruits and vegetables”, I explained a bit more in depth. “Oh… that’s pretty…”, Sweetie Belle started to say until she was interrupted by an orange pegasus filly. “Awesome! I mean not Rainbow Dash awesome, but that you guys are like a manticore and a pony at the same time is pretty wicked!”, gushed Scootaloo. This threw me into a loop of emotions. From relief that these three fillies are really accepting, to confusion on why are they not afraid… not that I want them afraid, that would be really counter-productive. “So you girls aren’t worried?”, I asked skeptically. “Well if you guys did wanted to gobble us up I’m pretty sure you would have done it already… Well, try to gobble us up. There is no way Rainbow Dash will let you guys eat us”, Scootaloo reasoned, “Right girls?”, the other two fillies replied in echoed agreement. This really moved me. The fact that children are so accepting and without prejudice towards us, that I knelt down and hugged the three fillies and whispered a silent thanks to them. After breaking the hug, they asked us if they could come with us. We replied with an unanimous no. Luckily they left it at that and bid us goodbye and good luck. “Man that was a close one!”, I exclaimed, “The Crusaders are adorable but are annoyingly persistent, aren’t they?” “You said it, dude”, replied Ishmael. “Alright Leo, where are we going now?”, asked Rainbow. “Well Ishmael, Felipe and I are going to wait for the chariot that the Princess will send for us. You’ve helped us as much as you could, but I believe we should part ways for now” “Why can’t I come with you guys?!”, she exclaimed in disbelief. “Because we need to do this ourselves!” “Says who!?”, she challenged. “Says…”, … I didn’t have an answer. “See! You don’t need to do whatever the Princesses need you guys to do alone”, she reasoned. “Alright…”, I sighed in defeat, “You can come to Canterlot with us but it’s up to the Princesses whether they allow you to come with us wherever she’ll send us”, I conceded. “Alright! Let’s get going!”, and with that she flew off to a random direction. “She doesn’t know where she’s headed, does she?”, asked Felipe. “Nope”, I sighed heavily.