Lost and Fallen
Chapter 25: Lost
Rarity had four legs, and yet it wasn’t hard to keep up with her. Over that time, however, she prattled on and on about intruders. My head was in a fit of rage, ranting and raving over how she was going to ruin everything because some fucker with magic replaced her memories. Not only that, but I was running in a suit! That thing was never meant for such assertion, and it was the only thing I could blame for not nabbing her right away.
“Anypony!” she screamed, throwing her head back, eyes shut tight as she ran blindly forward, “Are there really no guards in this part of the mansion!?”
“Shut up!” I yelled after her, racing down the hallway. The endless doors I had kicked in earlier were meshing together, making a sort of repeating pattern of wall and door. The pattern was coming to a close as a corner came up. Pushing my legs harder, I sprinted closer to Rarity, who was too busy screaming her head off to notice.
“Darn you, ruffians!” she hollered, “Darn you all to Tartarus, or wherever bad people go! Agh! If you weren’t chasing me, I could come up with better insults!”
Where the hell was she getting all this air!? It was already bad enough I had to chase her down, but she had to continuously shout at me like she wasn’t tired in the least. She wore a bathrobe for crying out loud! By the time Rarity had reached the corner, having to slow down to get around it, I was furious as I dove at her. With my hands outstretched, I grabbed her flank and brought her to the ground with me. She let out a surprised yelp before we slid into the wall.
“Unhand me, you-!” she said before I grabbed her bathrobe and yanked her closer to me, sitting up in the process.
“Shut the fuck up, bitch!” I yelled, causing her to flinch as her ears splayed back. She was afraid, and she damn well deserved it. “We’re trying to help you, and you’re not making things easier!” I shook her with each word, seeing her hooves tuck in as she stared fearfully into my eyes. “I swear to god if one of my friends die, I’m going to beat you into a fucking pulp! You hear me!?”
“When the g-guards get a-a hold of you...” Rarity tried to speak, but her breaths were interrupting her, either from our run or from my yelling. Whichever the reason was, I grabbed her muzzle, shutting her up quickly as I pulled her even closer, her fur nearly touching my skin.
“One more word,” I muttered dangerously, shaking her again as she whinned, “One more word.”
Tears were flowing down her face, along with the mascara she was wearing. Her breaths came erratically through her nose. She didn’t resist as I held her there, waiting - no, daring - her to make another peep. But my hand still kept a firm lock on her muzzle, denying any word from escaping her lips. Even still, she didn’t whine or groan or moan. She just sat there, scared shitless.
“Nolan!” Twilight called from the hallway we had ran down. She was as exhausted as me, and I was sure her dress impaired her own movement as much as my suit did. She galloped through the hallway, but stopped when a Human, from an adjoining hallway, popped out. He was one of the guards at the party, with a black top and gray pants. He had a revolver pointed at Twilight.
“Halt!” he demanded, but Twilight flared her magic, and the gun was forced out of the guard’s grip. She threw it down the hallway he had appeared from, and then levitated him up and smacked him against the wall. She followed up by slamming him against the other wall. Afterwords, he floated limply in her magic, and Twilight dropped him as he crumpled to the floor.
I thought Shining Armor was strong with his magic, able to throw me through a brick wall. But Twilight had taken down the man without any trouble. She had to be holding herself back though. She was an Alicorn, and I didn’t want to be around when she unleashed her power on someone.
“What are you doing?!” she barked, cantering over to us like the Human had never lept out in the first place. “Let her go!”
Turning back to Rarity, she had her eyes shut, her tears coming full force. I didn’t know she was in that much anguish, and I had to remind myself I had done that to her. Releasing her, she took a deep breath as she fell to the ground, sobbing. Her legs pulled even closer together, turning herself into a ball.
My heart dropped when I saw her in that state. And true to her compliance, she didn’t make a sound louder than a whine. Considering she was the dramatic type, that had to be saying something.
A hoof struck me on the cheek before Twilight tossed me away from Rarity, allowing her to quickly sidle up next to her. My landing didn’t hurt, but it still made my back ache. Letting out a grunt of pain didn’t make it feel better either.
“What is wrong with you?” Twilight questioned as I pushed myself up. My back was numb, but that didn’t stop me from looking to her. Tears brimmed in her eyes as she gave me a hard glare, her lip quivering. Rarity faced away from both of us, and all Twilight did was wrap a hoof around her in comfort.
“She was going to get us killed,” I started, putting a hand on the wall to steady myself.
“You don’t know that,” Twilight spat, her animosity growing. As for me, I didn’t have the energy to balk at her statement. Instead, I growled.
“A guard is right there, Twilight!” I yelled, pointing to the man. “If he had gotten the drop on you…”
“I’m not dead, Nolan,” she said, turning back to Rarity. She was sniffling uncontrollably at that point, so shaken up she couldn’t even stay still. Twilight nuzzled the back of her neck, a wing extending out to act as a blanket. “The Rarity I know wouldn’t get me killed. Her memories might be replaced, but she still has her personality, what makes her special. She’s still in there… somewhere.”
I grunted, standing to my feet, “You know the spell better than I do, Twilight. You know whether Rarity is still in there or not.” Twilight hunched her shoulders, keeping her head close to Rarity. “You know, and you don’t want to believe it.”
“She’s gone…” Twilight whispered, “She’s gone for good. You can’t use the Supplant spell twice on the same Pony. It… It destroys their consciousness. They become a husk. A living thing with no awareness. The Rarity I knew, all of us knew… She’s never coming back.”
Another sniffle, but it came from Twilight this time. Her head was hung to the side, tears cascading onto the floor. A lump was forming in my throat as I put a hand over my forehead. My heart went out to her, but I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know the Rarity everyone else knew. I didn’t know what she was like before the invasion, and I would never truly experience what she represented. Her generosity. The element she represented might be still intact, somewhere inside her, but it was a slim chance.
“All those memories we shared,” Twilight cried, “All those times together. She’ll never remember, not even the feelings that came with them.”
I gripped my forehead tighter. It grew harder and harder to steady my breathing. What Twilight said got to me, and the feeling grew worse the longer I thought about it. Gone was the time Rarity met her friends, gone was the sister she loved, gone were the memories that made her unique. They were all gone. And she would never even realize it.
A tearing noise was heard, snapping my attention back to the Ponies, blinking away my stray tears. Rarity had a piece of fabric between her teeth, the sleeve of her bathrobe, and with a jerk of her head, it tore completely off. With the strip of fabric, Rarity tapped Twilight’s shoulder, who sat up before wiping her eyes.
Rarity spat out the cloth onto her hoof, presenting it to Twilight with a smile. It wasn’t a big one, but given the circumstances, it was probably the biggest one she could muster. Shuddering, Twilight levitated the cloth and blew her nose, taking a long breath afterwards.
With another sniffle, Twilight folded up the fabric and set it down, “Th-thank you.”
“Think nothing of it,” Rarity said, her voice quiet, glancing down to the ripped sleeve. “I have plenty of bathrobes. Enough for the whole party, though I doubt Humans would fit into them.” She lifted up a hoof to her mouth, “They’re all Pony-sized.”
Twilight giggled. It was nearly hollow, but still had mirth, and hope. It shared the sentiment I went through. Seeing Rarity cheer up Twilight, even after what I said to her, was heartwarming. The scene still made my heart heavy; Rarity’s actions for helping Twilight couldn’t be because she remembered her.
The two of them stood back up, both fairly shaky.
“Um,” Rarity said, pawing the ground as she shifted her weight back and forth. Her eyes didn’t meet Twilight’s, but did flicker over to me before hastily casting downward. “I’m afraid to ask this, but… do you know me?”
The small smile Twilight had died as she nodded. Rarity swallowed, nodding back. “I see,” she remarked, “I understand that you and I were once friends, and that Human there.” She shivered, “I’m friends with him too?”
“No,” I answered, “We’ve never met until now.”
“Oh, thank goodness,” Rarity breathed, holding the back of her hoof against her forehead, “Now I don’t have to worry about friendship with him.”
Given my antagonistic attitude, I couldn’t fault her for that. If someone chased after me, knocked me down, and said I wasn’t their friend, I would damn well agree with that lunatic. A glance back at the unconscious Human, however, reminded me that we couldn’t waste too much time.
Stepping over to him, I grabbed a hold of each arm and headed to the nearest doorway, nudging it open as I passed through. A lone therapy coach was all there was. I recognized the room, and since it was just across from a hallway, I easily recalled where to go to leave the maze of rooms. Dragging the man inside, I tossed him to the floor, his arms flailing to the side as he remained still. The thought of putting him on the couch crossed my mind, but there wasn’t much of a point. When he woke up, he wasn’t going to care where he lay.
Hurrying back to the hallway, Rarity and Twilight greeted me at the doorway, both looking to me with curiosity. “What?” I asked. The way they looked at me made me feel stupid in a way.
“You do know that we’re not going to stay long enough for the other Humans to find that guard, right?” Twilight questioned, lifting a hoof to point to behind me.
Rarity gave a dainty nod, how I imagine a lady would, “The party will end long after you’re both gone.”
They were probably right, but it set my mind at ease at the very least. Plus, they weren’t accounting for the random guard patrol that could come by. Shrugging, I glanced down the hallways, recounting our footsteps through the doorways as I shuffled past Twilight and Rarity to jog my memory.
“So you’re coming, right?” Twilight asked. It froze me in my movements, even my heart skipped a beat at the question. Glancing back, I could see the confliction in Rarity, her eyes troubled. If she refused to come back with us, then what would have been the purpose of heading to Manehattan?
“I’m not sure, darling,” Rarity replied, causing my heart to sink. “I mean, I’m sure you’re a nice mare and all, but this is so sudden! I’m just supposed to believe that my whole life is a lie? I remember meeting Blueblood right here in Manehattan, in the park. How romantic he was, and how I found my special somepony, after all these years. And you tell me it’s fake? It’s far too much to take in.”
“But it’s the truth,” I stated, turning around. Rarity jumped as her gaze whipped to me. Her frame shook ever so slightly, and my arguement died in my throat as I took a few steps back, facing away. Nice one, idiot. Like she was going to accept what I said after that chase. The hallway felt a lot longer suddenly, and the silence didn’t make it easier.
“I know you don’t have a lot of reasons to trust us,” Twilight said, her voice quivering. It must have been a hard thing to say to a friend. “But… Oh.” It was the sound of surprise, like an idea had come to her. I focused on the hallway, walking down it a bit to concentrate on how to get back to the ball, if that was an option. Smuggling Rarity out, if she decided to come back with us, was going to be a lot harder. “Do you mind if I use a spell on you? It’s just going to be a memory spell, I swear it won’t hurt.”
“Will it change me back to the way I was?” Rarity asked as I reached the end of the hallway. The way her voice echoed almost made it seem like it was coming from my head. It made me uncomfortable, like the answer was something so terrible, I couldn’t tell it. I couldn’t concentrate on finding the exit at that point.
“No, at least, I don’t think so,” Twilight answered, her confidence waning.
“Then, I grant you permission,” Rarity said. I tilted my head over to them, their horns touching and eyes closed. Twilight’s horn glowed, but it was different. It shined far brighter than I had ever seen it. I had no idea exactly what Twilight had in mind with that ‘memory spell’, and I bet Rarity was the same. After what I did, Rarity should have shoved us away, but instead, she listened to Twilight, and gave her a torn sleeve to ease her pain.
Maybe there really was a part of the old Rarity still in her.
{~+~}
A lit cigarette in hand, I leaned against the wall, watching Twilight and Rarity still lost inside the spell. After finding the door leading back into the main hall - thankfully within eyesight of the two Unicorns - my next plan was to find an alternative exit, but the place was already hard to navigate. There was no way I would be able to get around without losing Twilight and Rarity. And if they left their spell while I was away, then we would have been separated. That was something we didn’t need to add to our list. It was already long enough without Rarity’s memory loss.
Applause broke out from the main hall, catching my attention as it died away. Something big was going on in there. My first instinct was to push open the door and see for myself, but there were too many risks. I wasn’t really against looking, but if something happened because of it, I couldn’t leave Twilight and Rarity. I could lift a Pony, but two at the same time was going to be heavy and awkward. And I didn’t want to know what would happen if I interrupted a spell.
Even with my caution, my curiosity was still piqued. Sliding closer, I rested an ear against the door, faintly making out a voice resonating from the other side.
“...pleased to have you all here,” Blueblood bellowed, “As you all know, today’s auction is honored to welcome the one and only Baron here to participate.” Another round of applause, it was hard to tell if it was weaker or stronger than before. I didn’t expect to get a feeling of the crowd toward the Baron, but it was wishful thinking. “I would also like to take the time to remind everypony about the reason for this party. The funds will go to the dwindling economy of Humania, and support those that are less fortunate than ourselves.”
More applause, still no difference. The funds going to Humania - why, of all things, did it need to be called that? - was interesting. Alex had told me before that his country wasn’t in the greatest condition, but even after this war, they were still having problems? An invasion would take a lot of resources, sure, but it had been months. Free labor, a wealth of food, and a land of opportunity, and yet it still wasn’t enough.
“One last thing before we begin the auction,” Blueblood said, his voice in anticipation, “I would like to extend-”
“What are you listening to?” Twilight asked. I jerked away from the door, Blueblood’s voice quieting to mumbles. Twilight stared up at me while Rarity stood behind her. She was conflicted and distant, gazing upon the carpet.
“Just a speech,” I answered before gesturing to Rarity, “Is she alright?”
Twilight glanced back, heaving a sigh. Rarity didn’t show that she had heard my question. “I ran several memories through her head,” Twilight explained, “Most of them are the times I knew of her, so I can’t really show more personal times with her family.”
“Maybe Sweetie Belle can fill in the blanks,” I said somberly. That time, Rarity perked up in recognition, staring at me. There was a feeling of loss in her eyes, but something else too. It had to be in regards to siblings, which I couldn’t share on her level.
“Does Sweetie Belle… miss me?” Rarity asked, blinking. “Twilight showed me all those times together with her, but there wasn’t a lot.”
“Well, of course,” I replied like it was obvious, resting a hand against the wall, “She’s your sister.”
“It doesn’t feel like it,” Rarity muttered, drooping her head. “It just felt like a movie. All these pictures and moments I was in, but they looked like someone else's. And knowing I have a family, a sister, it just… my whole life has become a lie.”
“Not your whole life, Rarity,” Twilight corrected, resting a hoof on her shoulder. “Just the life someone fabricated in your mind. Those events really did happen. That was your real life.”
“But that’s the thing, darling,” Rarity sighed, gently pushing the hoof away, “The life that I know has been here in Manehattan. Opening up a boutique, finding love with Blueblood, living in this mansion; it’s all I know. Now, I’m not even sure what’s real and what’s fake.”
“We’re real,” I stated, jabbing a thumb to my chest.
Rarity furrowed her brows ever so slightly, “Yes, you made that pretty clear.”
“Look, I’m sorry about that,” I apologized. Rarity turned away, lifting a hoof as if she was going to walk away. “But I didn’t want my friends getting hurt.”
“Friends?” Rarity asked, her hostility gone as she turned to me, “Who else is here?”
“No one you would know,” Twilight answered, “At least, not from what I showed you. Just another Human and Pony.”
“Fifteen hundred bits!” a voice boomed from the door, drawing my attention back to it.
“The auction! I’m late!” Rarity exclaimed. She jumped from hoof to hoof as she paced around the hallway. She was panic stricken too, but I was more baffled that she was flustered over not attending a goddamn slave auction. “I was supposed to meet Blueblood before it started.”
“You can’t really support slavery of your own kind,” I said, holding up my cigarette and finding the stub had burnt out. I tossed it away as Rarity slammed a hoof down.
“No! I am a lady, and such barbarous customs are outrageous!” she said before frowning, “We actually have our own slaves too. It was something I never liked, but the Humans hold the power. Blueblood and I can only do so much.”
“Then come with us,” Twilight offered with an hoof extended towards Rarity, “We’re working to free Equestria from the Humans, and we’re getting my friends back too. Including you.”
“The Elements of Harmony,” Rarity muttered with a thoughtful expression. She must have known the adventures she had gone on with the others. Although I was never given a run down of their times together, I did know that their work was significant. If the princess of a country thought it was important, who was I to judge.
As we waited for Rarity’s answer, I listened into the main hall, seeing if there was any details worth noting.
“...to Grayson from Ponyville!” said someone, followed by applause. I had to laugh at my little idea; what details would I get from a slave auction? How much people are willing to pay for a Pony?
“I’ll do it. I’ll go along with you under one condition,” Rarity announced, holding herself up. Twilight and I exchanged a glance as Rarity waited for our undivided attention. “As long as you don’t hurt Blueblood. That’s all I ask.”
I opened my mouth to question it, but Twilight beat me to it, “Done.”
As much as I was behind getting Rarity on board with our cause, I could only balk at how fast Twilight agreed. Even though Blueblood wasn’t the one who used the Supplanter Spell on Rarity, I didn’t think he was clear of charges just yet. He still sold out Luna and her company. That at the very least deserved a kick to the gonads, even with his excuse.
For the moment, I would have to go along with it. Even if I didn’t want to follow through, it was a simple condition, and I could put my feelings behind me. Provided Blueblood didn’t start some shit up.
“Fine, let’s just concentrate on getting out of here,” I said with a wave of my hands. “Right now, we need a different way to get out of this mansion. As soon as we step outside with Rarity, there’s going to be a lot of questions.”
“We can take the hidden chamber in my room,” Rarity said, pointing a hoof behind her. “Blueblood and I kept it in case of emergencies. I’m not quite sure it qualifies as an emergency, but it’ll get us out of the mansion quickly enough.”
“Except we still have our friends in the main hall,” Twilight reminded. Her voice was heavy, along with her face. She was right too, we couldn’t go anywhere without retrieving Vincent and Carrot Top. But that emergency exit would be a truly wonderful escape route. It would be far easier for Rarity to leave through that than the way we came.
“We’ll walk in and grab ‘em then,” I stated with a cross of my arms, smiling. I couldn’t help it, things were actually falling into place. Twilight grunted in acknowledgement and gave her own smile. I had a feeling she knew the sentiment.
“Can you wait here, Rarity?” Twilight asked, “We’ll be right back to take that hidden chamber.”
Rarity nodded, “Yes, of course, darling. I shall remain her in the meantime. Do be hasty though, I’m afraid that guard you took out earlier may awaken.”
“Gotcha,” I said before pushing open the door, Twilight falling beside me, face determined.
“Let’s finish this chapter,” she muttered to herself. I could only grin in agreement.
All the occupants of the main room were too set on the auction to see us come in, even the guards. Instead of a stage, where auctions were usually held on, there was just a table with a Pony standing atop it. The Pony being sold at the moment was depressed, a violet mare Unicorn with greenish gray mane and tail.
“The betting is set on three hundred bits!” A Unicorn stallion boasted, holding out his hooves to the mare standing on the table. The mare in question shrunk down slightly with ears splayed back. The stallion presenting her was peculiar. He was far more lanky than what I had seen from most Ponies. It wasn’t his pale yellow coat or red-white mane that stood out, but his getup. A striped shirt and straw hat; he looked like he was part of a barbershop quartet.
The Pony eagerly scanned the crowd, leaping back and forth. “Going once!” he announced dramatically, “Going twice!”
“Sold, to Billy from Trottingham!” another Pony popped out from… I want to say no where, but I wasn’t sure. He looked exactly like the other announcer, but he had a red mustache. How could a Pony get facial hair? “I see you have exquisite taste! No one is judging, of course!”
A quiet, amused chuckle swept through the room.
“Well, Flam,” the first Pony said, “It seems we’re on a roll this auction.”
“Yes, indeed, Flim,” Flam replied, “And we’ve only just begun! Save some of your bits, folks!”
“Cause there’s more to come!” Flim finished, holding up a hoof to the air. A soft growl emanated from Twilight, who turned her head away in disgust. I would have done the same, but I needed to spot our friends, and quickly. I knew they wouldn’t blow our cover, but the longer we lingered here, the more uneasy I became. Especially since we had got a hold of Rarity.
However, despite our vantage point from the second story balcony, there were so many Humans and Ponies clustered, I couldn’t pinpoint where they were. They could have gone under one of the balconies stretching across the main room, or even underneath the one we stood upon.
“Any sign of them?” Twilight questioned gravely. She wanted to get out as soon as possible, same as me. A thought struck me as I eyed the buffet table, but with no luck.
“Nothing,” I answered, giving another pass over of the room, “Let’s head downstairs.”
Twilight and I walked along the balcony for the nearby stairs, acting as casual as possible. The top area of the main hall probably wasn’t restricted, but the lack of other guests made my heart beat faster. The four guards stationed there as well made my stomach flip, not to mention the firearms they still had on their hips.
Two faint bumps formed around the back of Twilight. Her wings were pushing against her dress. Patting her back, feeling the soft silk, I cleared my throat as I whispered, “Keep it together.”
“It’s hard,” she replied, taking a deep breath. She didn’t look to me, but I could tell she was too busy searching the room to do so. “What if the guards found our friends out, and we don’t even know?”
“They’re fine, trust me,” I responded. “But it’s not going to help anybody if someone spots your wings.”
The doors burst open as three strangers quickly filed inside. They were barely noticed by the crowd, either from the auction or from the lackluster attire of the three strangers. They all had brown cloaks, clashing with the the formal wear everyone else wore. Hoods were pulled over their heads, which were bowed to keep their identities completely hidden. The way they strode in, without a hint of pause, was odd. They had a purpose in here, and they weren’t going to be distracted in the least.
“The Lost?” one of the guards said to himself. He was more confused than frightened, but considering I had never heard of any group called the Lost before worried me. The three strangers moved amongst the crowd, somehow making their way without any interruption in the auction. They simply merged within the other people and flowed through them like water. They had a Pony with them, but the strangers were so clumped together I couldn’t make out who it was. A yellow coat for sure, but a bag was over the Pony's head, his identity as secret as the strangers’.
“How could they treat that Pony that way?” Twilight asked, a hoof over her mouth. Squinting my eyes, I could see the stranger in front clutching a rope stretching over to the Pony. It was a way to guide the Pony, but it would have been unnecessary without the bag. It just felt like they had the bag on just to have a blind pack mule around. It was sick.
And yet, we couldn’t do anything. That must have been the worst part for me. Our friends were still missing and Rarity waited for us; we couldn’t spare to break our cover to save a mistreated Pony. Even so, I kept my gaze on them, ignoring my original plan as I watched them. Maybe I wanted to see where they were going, or who they wanted to speak with. The way the three strangers presented themselves was already getting me worked up.
They halted simultaneously, facing a man with graying brown hair. His suit wasn’t significant, so I couldn’t determine if he was important or not. He was relatively in the front of the crowd, however, and if the three strangers stopped for him, than he was vital to whatever they had planned.
The suited man faced them, but there was no indication they spoke. The strangers were motionless, unwavering. From what I had seen so far, they might as well have been ghosts.
“Nolan, let’s go,” Twilight whispered to me, tugging my arm as she eyed the nearby guard. He still hadn’t recognized our presence, but it was only a matter of time. “I don’t like it, but we can’t save every Pony that’s being abused.”
“I know, I know,” I said back, still watching the strangers converse with the suited man. “But something about those three…”
The lead stranger finally moved, presenting the Pony they had brought with them. Wings, a Pegasus; my heart was pounding. Butterflies for a Cutie Mark; my throat was dry as my eyes widened. And then he tore off the bag. Fluttershy.
My breath hitched. She clamped her eyes shut from the sudden light, sinking lower as she regained her bearings. The rope was tied around her neck, red marks could clearly be seen, even from our distance. The stranger still spoke, a hand gesturing to Fluttershy. The suited man raised a hand to his chin, interested in her, or maybe of how she was obtained.
Shit, if she told them about our mission...
“No, no, no,” Twilight whined, “Not again. She’s already gone through enough. What are we supposed to do now?”
My mind was blank, staring at the number of guards around. Four on the balcony, several more on the ground floor. Too many to keep track of. If we did anything, without any way of fighting back, we could die. But there was no way we could leave Fluttershy. Seeing her scared again awoke a deep hatred for those three strangers. A hatred I hadn’t felt since Fillydelphia.
“We can take out a guard and grab his gun,” I suggested, seeing the guard stand idly around, just a couple feet away from us. Easy pickings. “Then we might be able to stand a chance. You’d have to use your magic.”
“Magic, r-right,” Twilight repeated, her voice failing. In truth, I was surprised I was able to keep calm. With all the questions stewing in my gut, not to mention the risk of pulling off my plan, someone was going to get hurt, or worse. Bullets were going to have to fly, and it might be for nothing if they drag Fluttershy out before we could get to her. Even after firing a shot, and alerting our friends just outside, they didn’t know Fluttershy was here, they wouldn’t be looking for her.
“Okay, you get outside and tell-” I started, right before the doors burst open again.
“Ya’ll varmints are gonna pay!” Applejack shouted in rage, streaking through the room in full sprint. My jaw fell open, staring at her as she zig zagged past the guests. They were just as bewildered by her appearance, looking around for the source of the voice as a commotion stirred amongst themselves. Given the size of Applejack, for a Pony, she was lucky to be spotted by anyone else.
“Stop that mare!” A guard shouted from the entrance, no doubt the one stationed there to prevent situations like the one Applejack caused. One guard was able to push through the crowd to get in front of Applejack, only for her to slip by his grasp. Not only did she avoid getting caught, but Applejack lifted up her hind legs and kicked him right in the ass, sending him to the floor.
Another guard came barreling after her, only for Applejack to turn her back to him and kick him in the knee. A gruesome crunch was heard as his knee was forcefully bent the wrong way. He howled in pain, falling to the floor, clutching his knee. Twilight and I winced at the action, still too startled to do anything.
The guard’s injury was enough for the crowd to move away from the scene, a few screaming in horror. Murmurings and general panic spread through the room as they backed away hastily from Applejack, which didn’t deter her as she shoved her way through the guests.
“Shoot her!” Blueblood demanded, pointing a hoof to her. “Stop her this instant!”
The guards on the ground floor drew their guns, but with the crowd, they couldn’t even see Applejack, let alone get a lock on her. However, on the balcony, the guards had no trouble tracking her, already aiming their own revolvers at her. Knocking myself out of my shock, I hurried over to the nearest guard.
I grabbed his gun and pulled it up, socking him in the stomach. He dropped his gun into my hands as he bent over from the attack. I finished up with a knee to his jaw, sending him to the floor. With revolver in hand, I surveyed the scene quickly. Applejack was still muddled in the crowd, but guards were coming from all angles. She would eventually be overwhelmed, that crazy mare. That wasn’t even mentioning the three guards still on the balcony. The closest one jumped from my actions.
“Hey!” he shouted, but he didn’t do another thing, as Twilight levitated him and smashed his head into the wooden wall. The rest of the body slumped down. My eyes checked to see if someone had heard our scuffle, but they were too preoccupied with Applejack. We still had an edge.
Adjusting the gun in my hand, I took aim and fired on another guard. The bullet hit him in the head and sent him to the floor with a shower of blood. With the gunshot, everyone crouched to the ground, covering their heads. Before anyone else could react, I shifted my aim to the other guard, getting a shot to his chest. He shouted as he tumbled back, falling off the balcony and landing headfirst onto the ground, splattering blood along the floor.
“Twilight!” I shouted. “Grab Fluttershy and Applejack!”
She didn’t respond, teleporting in a flash of purple before reappearing at the edge of the crowd. With most of the people crouching down, the guards had a clear shot on Applejack, who still rushed through the room, determination radiating from her. I could tell where she was heading. Her sights were dead set on Fluttershy.
I didn’t know how Applejack found out about her before Twilight and I, but I could grab the details later. Lining up my sights, I fired on one who was ahead of Applejack, nicking his shoulder. Another shot, and I got the torso of another guard. There wasn’t many standing in her way, which left-
Someone else fired a shot, and the bullet hit me in the chest. Pain coursed through my system, and I found difficulty in drawing air. My eyes landed on the person responsible, one of the strangers, with a revolver drawn and pointed in my direction. He fired another round, but I fell back before he had the chance to hit me again, slumping against the wall. My breaths were short and extremely painful, my lungs on fire. Whenever I tried to breathe, it felt like scalding spikes were going haywire inside me.
More gunshots were heard, far more than what the guards could muster. Our friends from outside, they were fighting with us. Or, more accurately, without me. The revolver I once wielded rested beside my hand. I had to cough, hunching over and doing so, but with each exertion was like a dagger was stabbing me. Blood dripped from my lips, the taste of metal emerging in my mouth. My consciousness was waning, the edges of my vision growing dark. The pain was unbearable.
“There he is!” a voice said. Forcing myself to look, Alex, Carrot Top, and Emma ran up the stairs, the latter holding up her dress slightly to hasten her movements. I reached a hand to them. I wasn’t sure why; a way of asking for help? To grab the attention they already had for me? To warn them of the shooter aiming up here? Whatever it was, I blacked out before my brain could process it.
“Shit, he’s been shot!” Alex announced, his voice ringing in my ears. My eyes open for a moment, seeing them crouch around me, Alex and Emma pressing their hands against me. “In the chest too. It’s not good.”
“When is a bullet wound ever good!?” Emma snapped, her head whipping every which way. “We need a place to check on him.”
“Darlings!” the voice of Rarity yelled over the gunfire. Everything was too blurry. I was going to fade out again. “Bring him this way!”
My body was moved. Picked up or dragged. Everything went black again, but the world was too loud to truly fall unconscious. All I knew was that we were leaving the main hall, where Twilight and the others were. Where Applejack was. That thought stuck with me as I opened my eyes again, releasing a noise. It was between a grunt and a call, and just ended up being neither.
“Pleased to meet you,” Emma said, catching my attention as I was shouldered by Alex. I walked with him, but he supported most of my weight. My feet were moving, but they stumbled into each other. Rarity lead the way.
“I wish it was on better terms,” Alex said. Darkness was coming, my head dipped down. “Hey, stay with us now!”
He jerked me awake, but my lungs still burned. I could barely breathe. In fact, every time I tried, it just got harder and harder.
“The chamber is this way,” Rarity exclaimed, hurrying down the hallway. The others picked up the pace as well, but my eyes closed before I could see where our destination was.
Suddenly, there were more gunshots, shouts, calls, names; all mixed together and far away. My body jerked around, but I had no feeling of where or when. I couldn’t breathe, damn it, I had to breathe! My lungs wouldn’t budge, no matter how much I forced them. Just one more ounce of air. Anything…
Something sharp pierced my chest, and I gasped, air filling my lungs. The agony followed, but I could breathe! My eyes fluttered open, my head on the side. Carrot Top stood there. Her face was a mess of tears, kneeling beside me. With what little strength I had, I pushed my hand to her. I didn’t want to see her that way.
Darkness again, and I had a feeling it was there to stay. The only thing I registered before going unconscious was Emma’s voice, distorted and loud.
“Damnit, Nolan, if you die on me, I’ll going to the afterlife myself just to beat you for breaking her heart!”
{~+~}
A loud chime woke me. I didn’t open my eyes, but I was aware that I was underneath the covers of a bed. My chest ached, each breath causing a jolt of pain in my lungs. It came to the point where I wanted to stop breathing just to avoid the pain. However, just thinking about that made my head hurt. The memory was still fresh, how I was in so much agony over the lack of air. A shiver ran up my spine, and with another chime resounding in my ears, recollection flooded my mind.
Springing up, my chest burned, and I wrapped an arm around it, stifling a groan. My shirt and jacket were gone, displaying a band of gauze wrapped around it. But I still had my formal pants on. I gazed around the room, feeling a sense of quaintness, and also knowing that it belonged to somebody. A dresser stood beside a closet, and a handful of pictures hung on the walls, along with a letter. It stood out from the rest, but I didn’t have the energy to investigate.
There wasn’t a sign of any of my friends, but I knew I wasn’t a captive. I had been in enough beds after various injuries to know I was well taken care off. Throwing my feet to the side, my chest aching, I pushed off from the bed. I wavered but kept my balance as I shuffled over to the window, nudging open a curtain.
Manehattan at night. I was still there. The streets had several Humans running around, rifles in hands. They rushed to and fro, their heads shifting every which way. If the whole city was like that, then the ruckus we caused at the mansion must have made a big impact.
The mansion.
A pang of uncertainty erupted in my stomach, overcoming the pain. It was heavy, and I couldn’t ease it away by myself. Setting my sights for the door, I stumbled over to it. Even though my anxiety dulled the aching, my whole body felt out of place. Throwing myself to the door, I leaned against it, resting a moment as I caught my breath.
So many unknowns plagued my mind. The bullet had done more than incapacitate me, but prevented me from assisting my friends. They fought for the sake of Rarity, and Applejack, and Fluttershy… It was a slew of people really. I couldn’t even keep the events from playing straight in my head. What worried me the most was those new characters, the Lost. They came out of nowhere, and had even got a clean shot on me. They couldn’t have been pushovers, and the thought of Applejack or Alex taking them on dashed any thought of hope.
I couldn’t take the questions any longer. My hand reached for the doorknob while another chime echoed through the door. It was loud enough to sound like it was ringing in my ears.
“My goodness, darling!” Rarity’s voice said with annoyance, “Does that thing have an off switch?”
“Shhh,” Fluttershy whispered, barely audible, “Nolan’s still asleep.”
I pushed open the door, still clutching my chest as I more or less stepped into the room. Silence was my greeting. Emma, Fluttershy, and Rarity sat along a couch, reading, from the books scattered on the coffee table in front of them. Instead of a dress, Emma had a shirt and sweatpants, and Rarity no longer had her bathrobe. Seeing them, alive and well, made me sigh, relaxing my body. A bit too much, however, as my wound flared again. I fell to a knee, clutching it tightly as I ground my teeth.
“Damn it, Nolan,” Emma cursed, rushing over to me. “You opened up your wound.”
My lips curled into a smile as she knelt beside me, pushing me back to sit. Her hands fiddled with the gauze. “It’s fine,” I stated, hissing as she put pressure on my injury. I didn’t know her qualifications as a doctor, but she could at least tell me what she was doing.
“Just a spurt,” Emma commented, eyes fixated at my chest. A joke almost escaped my throat, but I couldn’t bring myself to say it. “We need to change your bandages eventually.”
“Why can’t we do it now?” Fluttershy questioned, standing beside Emma. I didn’t even hear her approach. She was undetectable when she wanted to be. Her sympathy looked to Emma’s purse expression. Her kneeling position made her just as tall as a Pony.
“Honestly, I want a little explanation how this wound is ‘fine’,” Emma said, crossing her arms, “If this is what you call fine, than I’d hate to see when it isn’t.”
Taking a few deep breaths, a way to siphon the pain a little, I raised a brow, “What do you mean?”
“One of your lungs nearly collapsed,” Fluttershy whispered, covering her muzzle. “That bullet punctured it and air leaked into your chest cavity. If we didn’t treat it when we did-”
“But you did treat it,” I emphasised, feeling along the bandage. A spot a few inches away from the bullet wound was very sensitive, a sharp ache acting up every time I brushed by it. “And I’m guessing it wasn’t pretty.”
“Does stabbing you with a pen count as pretty?” Emma remarked with a shake of her head. Fluttershy and Rarity shuddered, both hunching their shoulders as they curled up. “By the time we were able to release the pressure, you were going into shock. And that isn’t even mentioning digging the bullet out. And you call all of that ‘fine’?”
“What can I say?” I said back with a shrug, wincing when my chest ached as a result, “I've been stabbed through the shoulder by a tendril. Kind of changed my viewpoint on what’s bad or not.”
Emma balked at me, as did Fluttershy. Rarity just looked at me like I was crazy, and I couldn’t blame her. I surprised myself by bringing up that incident. Compared to everything else I had gone through, it was pretty tame. At least in the situation, I was the only one who got hurt.
Emma eased her tension as she chuckled dryly, sitting with her legs crossed. “That would explain the scar. You are one interesting man, Nolan,” she noted. Grunting in agreement, I spotted my shoulder, along with the circular scar tissue imprinted there. Despite the topic, my thoughts drifted back to the mansion, sombering my expression. Maybe everyone knew what I was thinking, the quiet atmosphere making the Ponies glance to everyone awkwardly.
“What happened?” I asked, closing my eyes. The pause that followed was far too long.
“The Lost happened,” Emma replied gravely. She knew I didn’t need to clarify my question.
I whipped my eyes over to her, narrowing them intently. It wasn’t that I was angry at her - she had so little to do with our plan that it would be pointless to blame her in any way - but that the memory of those three Humans coming in surfaced. They were professional, even if their clothing didn’t show it. What I hated the most was that no one had ever spoken about them, or even mentioned their very existence, and that this group suddenly showed up, and ruined everything.
“And exactly who are they?” I asked, my hands tightening into fists. Fluttershy bowed her head and backed away. As much as I scared her, I couldn’t bring myself to comfort her at the moment. I was too furious to have a swear-free thought. The curiosity from her and Rarity, however, couldn’t be denied, tilting their heads over to Emma.
“I would ask how you don’t know them,” Emma started, “But I don’t think you want to be asked that.” She sighed, “The Lost is a group that lives in the Backbone Mountains, the eastern part of Humania. Lots of horror stories originate from them, but the solid fact is that people know of them. And for the rare times they do show up, people know not to interfere in any way.”
Fluttershy whined, sliding closer to myself. After meeting them first hand, there was no way I could berate Fluttershy for being captured, or how they treated her. My anger simmered as I raised a hand, gently petting her mane. She froze for a moment, but softened up. Her mane was soft, my fingers sliding through it easily.
“There are rumors that they take contracts from high-paying people,” Emma continued, “All secretive endeavours; no one knows who hires them or for what reason. But from what some folks say, they’re not entirely heartless. They helped many of the refugees of Wales back before the war official started.”
“Wales?” I repeated, stopping my petting of Fluttershy to look to Emma. Fluttershy inched closer, either from her fear of the tale or the lack of comfort I had provided her.
Emma blinked, “The southernmost town in Humania, where the Ponies primarily burned the buildings.” She said it like it was obvious. I didn’t want to explain my whole predicament of being stuck in a different world, so I stared at her, silently waiting for her to continue as I resumed petting Fluttershy. “Well, you just need to know that the Lost gave them a town at the base of their mountain monastery. And don’t ask me why they consider it a monastery, I have no idea. They’re not religious, as far as the rumors have said.” She rubbed her head, “I’m getting off track. Essentially, the only time the Lost ever come down from their home is to fulfil a contract. And at that mansion, it was pretty clear they were given work by the Baron himself.”
The gray haired man the Lost had spoken with was the Baron. Figures. The one time I finally spot him, and I didn’t even know.
“Their mission had something to do with Fluttershy though,” Emma explained, gesturing to her as she whined again, hiding her frame behind me, quivering. “She told me everything about your Resistance, and don’t worry, I won’t sell you out.”
I considered asking her why that was, what motivation she had for helping us out. But it would have been rude to do so. She was respective to the Ponies, and I had met a handful of other Humans willing to help them too.
“Okay, but what happened to the others?” I said impatiently, the lack of other friends in the room was doing nothing for my anxiety.
“It was a real… clusterfuck,” Emma explained with only a second of hesitation. “Plain as that. Those friends of yours really made a mess of things there. I can’t tell you what happened exactly. Too much going on.”
I wanted to argue, but I didn’t have evidence to say they didn’t make a mess of things. I just wish she would cut to the point.
“Twilight got me away from those meanies,” Fluttershy muttered in my ear, resting her hooves against my back like I was a shield. “But she and Applejack… I…”
She sniffled, resting her forehead against my shoulder. Tears drenched it, trickling down my back as she sobbed. Her breaths tickled my back. I could only process what Fluttershy meant, my breath shortening. I pushed myself to my feet, making Fluttershy squeak as she fell off my back.
“Nolan,” Emma said cautiously, standing up as well. I ignored her, my mind reeling as I limped away from them, towards the counter of a kitchen. My hand rested on it, the other nursing my chest. My body leaned against the counter as I processed what Fluttershy meant.
“Twilight informed us to get Fluttershy and Rarity out,” Emma said behind me, “She went back for the mare that charged into the mansion.”
“We had to leave,” Rarity spoke up, her voice cracking. “The guards were coming, and the other Human, that gentlecolt, he couldn’t hold them off.”
My arm shook.
“We’re sorry,” Fluttershy cried, “I-I wish I wasn’t so… so useless.”
I balled up my fists.
“I’m sure they’re alive, Nolan,” Emma said.
My teeth clenched together.
“I wish I really knew,” Rarity muttered, her voice downtrodden, “Maybe I would feel more about this.”
“They… they can’t be dead, right?” Fluttershy questioned within a sob, “I was n-never-”
“Shut up!” I shouted, knocking my arm against a glass cup, shattering it against the wall. The yell took a lot out of me, as I breathed heavily, my wound flaring up again. I didn’t care. Twilight was gone. Applejack was gone. They couldn’t be dead, no, if they wanted me alive for what I did, they would keep those two alive as well. As ruthless as most Humans were in Equestria, they gave some mercy to the Ponies.
“Just…” I whispered, holding a hand over my eyes. “shut up.”
The answers I had gotten were not what I wanted to hear. Applejack and Twilight, taken prisoner. AJ had her sister to worry about, and was already a slave back before I arrived. As much as it was her fault for blindly charging into the party, I just couldn’t blame her. My heart ached just as much as my wound. She had already gone through too much, damn it! Give her a break!
And of course, my guilt doubled when I realized I hadn’t even considered the fate of Twilight Sparkle, or my other friends for that matter. “Did…” I said hoarsely, glancing back to them. They were rooted to their spots. “did anybody else make it out?”
“Lyra is gone,” Emma stated before swallowing, facing the floor, “I saw them take her. They took a lot of Ponies prisoner. I guess they thought there might have been other Pony spies.”
I looked to her empathetically. She had lost a friend too, one that was so squeamish around other Humans she could barely even look at one. And they just took her prisoner because of what Applejack did. Not everyone in Manehattan was sympathetic to the Ponies. My eyes wandered to Fluttershy, silently repeating my question, but she hid herself behind her mane; she didn’t know. She didn’t know most of the friends I had ran into in Manehattan, but Carrot Top…
“There was Carrot Top and… Alex, was it?” Rarity said, tapping her chin as she hopped off the couch. She made her way to the broken glass, levitating the shards as she spoke. She was casual about it; trying to alleviate the tension in the air. I could only wait while my heart beat heavily. “And another Pony too, but I can’t remember her name. she was a… guard of some kind. She helped us get past some Humans.”
That certainly was something, but it wasn’t exactly what I asked for. All the shards were in Rarity’s grip as she set course for the wastebasket just across the room. “She and Carrot Top are leading Alex out of town. Something about his sister.” Rarity stopped for a second, sighing before continuing, her voice lower than before. “But they should be back.”
“Yeah,” Fluttershy whispered, “That guard Pony, um, was really… forceful.”
A guard Pony helping us? In Manehattan? They might have been a branch from the Old Guard back in Fillydelphia, or even another secret group living in the sewers. Regardless, hearing that Alex and Carrot Top were alright made butterflies appear in my stomach. They were fine, separated from us for the moment, but fine. I just wish I could say the same for Vincent, Anthony, and Spitfire. They were prepared for a gunfight, but that didn’t mean they weren’t outnumbered. Not knowing their fate still left a faint hole in my gut.
If Carrot Top was around though, I wasn’t sure how I would feel. She was my best friend, pure and simple. We had been through thick and thin together, and having her out there, with the Humans searching everywhere for me made my heart heavy.
But the sound of a door opening and closing lifted it immediately.
“We’re back,” Carrot Top said, mellow and a tinge annoyed. I would have charged right over to her, but just twisting to the side made the pain return. Painkillers would have been really useful. Regardless, I held my breath as Carrot Top rounded the corner, entering the room before halting as our eyes met.
My stomach tightened again; seeing her after that ordeal was too much for me. I smiled like an idiot, tearing my eyes away as I walked over to her. The pain didn’t even exist any more. The others in the room were gone. There was just Carrot Top and I.
My pace quickened until I fell to my knees sliding slightly as I threw my arms around her, holding her tight. Her fur was still soft, like back at the inn before we left for the mansion. Feeling the smooth fur lace through my fingers was overwhelming. I just wanted to hold her, remain by her side and keep her safe.
I had already lost Applejack and Twilight, losing her would have been too much.
“Nolan…” she mumbled, her forelegs hugging me as her head rested on the crook of my neck. There were no words exchanged between us. All we needed, for that moment alone, was each other.
“Jeez, you guys are emotional,” a female voice spoke behind Carrot Top. The tone and snideness broke me away from my revery, a flicker of anger building inside me as I pulled away from Carrot Top. She turned around as my gaze landed on the bitch who interrupted us.
Her fur was white, clashing with her fiery mane and tail. Her mane was swept to one side, easily displaying her coy smile. I didn’t know what right she had to have a smile like that, but I knew a handful of ways to turn it around.
However, something struck me; the voice, her looks. I had met her before, and it only took a little imagination to put some gold armor on her.
“Nova,” I said, who blinked at me, her expression shifting to confusion. Her name would have escaped me, but in my mind, she was linked to Fluttershy, and it was hard to forget what befell her.
Nova gave a sideways glance, clearing her throat as her arrogance deflated into a mixture of nervousness and uncertainty. I didn’t know the distance between Fillydelphia and Manehattan, but it had to be pretty far. But even ignoring that issue, she had a duty with the Old Guard. Something was iffy, and I didn’t like it.
“She came all the way here to help us,” Carrot Top explained, her eyes also locked on to Nova. She wasn’t pleased at all from the interruption. I was glad we had something in common with her. “Said Lucky sent her.”
“Right,” Nova nodded. She acted like she was accepting a suggestion than agreeing with a fact. “My superior, you remember him, right?”
I hummed to myself, standing to my feet with effort. Carrot Top held a hoof to my side, supporting my ascent. A glance around showed everyone was either on edge or indecisive, whether it be from my actions or Nova’s behavior.
“Yeah, I remember,” I muttered, my head tilted down. I had to sort my thoughts out, a small pause stagnating the conversation. No one made a sound. I spoke again, much louder and accusatory, “I remember your superior being Solar Flare.” Her eyes widened, I was willing to bet her heart stopped too, “Who the hell are you?”
She looked around the room, taking a step back like she was cornered. In truth, the door exiting the apartment was right behind her, and I doubted any of us would be in prime condition to catch her. Despite having caught… whoever she was, her alarm dampened into acceptance as she released as sigh.
“And here I thought you’d have forgotten,” Nova said with a shake of her head. And then, right before my goddamn eyes, she burst into green flames. My heart jumped into my throat, everyone giving off some form of shock. They didn’t see it coming either. The flames, however, didn’t burn or sear Nova’s surroundings. They just engulfed her, starting at the hooves and swiftly making its way up.
In seconds, some… thing stood in Nova’s place. Black and grotesque were the first words that popped into my head. However, it wasn’t entirely the truth. A curved horn replaced her spiral one, and several holes filled her forelegs, like someone had dug tunnels through them. Frankly, it made my skin crawl.
That wasn’t even the half of it though. Two, curved teeth jutted from her mouth, much like a vampires, but longer. Her ears were pointed while her bug-like wings were splayed at her side. With the addition of her entirely blue eyes, I would have said she was a bug herself.
“A Changeling!?” Carrot Top blurted. That put my stupefied expression into thoughtfulness. I had heard the word ‘Changeling’ before, from Twilight. But to see what she was referring to, standing in the same room, I wasn’t sure what to think. Twilight had been so casual in their mentioning, yet there wasn’t anything casual about them.
“Is it really that shocking?” the Changeling asked, raising a brow. Her body had changed dramatically, as did her voice, but it wasn’t one I was expecting. It was very fluid and feminine.
“Yes,” Emma shot, venom dripping from her tone, “What did you do with the real Nova, huh?”
A shapeshifter did have to deal with the other real person, but I wasn’t certain if Emma knew what a Changeling was. The Ponies were similar; they knew what they were, but were more startled from this particular Changeling’s appearance. The Changeling, in question, leaned against the nearby wall, propping her hooves to the side. She was taking her exposure pretty well.
“Haven’t touched her,” the Changeling replied, “Really no need when she’s not in the same city.”
That answered that. But I was too curious why a Changeling would come around here. It wasn’t exactly a great time to be Pony. Surely she had her own kind to be with. “Okay,” I said slowly, holding out my hands incase someone did anything; Carrot Top looked like she was going to leap at the Changeling at any moment. “So, why are you here?”
“You,” she said simply, relaxing her face like all of this was boring. “My Queen took quite an interest in you back when I reported you in Fillydelphia. She assigned me to watch you since then.” Her face tensed up as her head dipped, “I guess she’s going to hate how my cover was blown. I’m going to be taking care of nymphs for a month.”
“Queen?” I asked, but shoved the question aside. I had more pressing things to bring up. “Why is she interested in me?”
The Changeling brought her head up, staring at the ceiling. Any hint of boredom before was washed away with sadness. Her somberness hit me more than it should have. “Because you’re helping the Ponies,” she stated, swallowing, “And our hive is dying.”