//------------------------------// // the Storm Begins // Story: You're Wanted: I'll Always Protect You // by SciWriter //------------------------------// “Spread out!” Twilight shouted, all of us obeying. “Dispel!” Another purple haze shot out, the flying figure of Gray disappearing and his form appearing running next to Rarity. He slammed into my white unicorn friend, tripping her and sending her summersaulting into the dirt. As Rarity moved away from him I shot to the form of Gray, passing through it again. Rarity screamed as something struck her ribs causing an unnatural indent in her chest. Rage screamed into my head and I shot over her, slamming into… something, I was sure it was Gray. I fell over the figure, landing on my back. I quickly rolled to my hooves, Twilight shouting again, “Dispel!” Gray appeared looking at me, shaking his head. The freak growled at me, rearing back to- and two hooves connected with his head causing him to fly sideways and crash back into the dirt. He recovered his hooves, shaking his head, laughing like a mad-stallion. A purple beam shot from Twilight at his struggling form, passing through it like air. “How are you doing that!?” Twilight practically screamed. I quickly examined Rarity. She was breathing alright, but… well about a week before the concert when this all started, Rarity had been in an accident where the sign on the front of her store fell on her and- “APPLE JACK!” Twilight screamed. I looked up and was gripped not by anger this time, but sheer terror. Apple Jack started stumbling, a knife sticking out of her neck. She fell to her side, holding the implement in her hooves. “No! Don’t take it out,” Fluttershy yelled. She grabbed AJ and flew away with her saying “No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no…” “Dispel!” Twilight shouted again, but instead of seeing Gray where Apple Jack was, I now saw him just a few feet from where he fell when AJ struck him. I flew at him, watching him open that huge mouth. ‘Another trick!’ I thought. ‘Even if he did try to bite me that’s mutilation, his jaws won’t actually-‘ a seering pain cut off my train of thought as he really did bite into my wing and chest, his jaws opening wide and now seizing down like a crocodile. I was trapped. I screamed and flailed, trying hard to strike him. I knew where he was now, but the pain was so great and my thoughts just weren’t able to make any sense of what was happening. He was almost walking through us. Apple Jack and Rarity were already seriously hurt and I couldn’t get this guy off of me. I looked at Twilight as the pain in my chest and right wing kept up, feeling like his razor sharp teeth were digging deeper and deeper. I saw flashes of color move from me to Gray rapidly. As I watched Twilight, her look of determination changed to panicked confusion. What was she seeing? “Dispel!” Twilight shouted, the color flashes stopping and a white beam slamming into Gray from across from the two of us. Gray crashed into the grass several meters away. I turned to look at Rarity, who was barely holding onto consciousness, but the shot had definitely come from her. I spread my wings to launch myself at him and- hit the dirt screaming… the pain, it was horrible, like I had pulled every muscle in my right wing. I looked at my wing finally realizing just how badly Gray had hurt me. My wing had been cut so badly it looked like it might have been falling off. I cried, sobbing openly, it hurt so much! Two pink hooves appeared in front of my face. Gray was hurting too, now staggering and having to steady himself. I looked up at Pinkie as she ran forward to him. She took a swipe at his head, hitting nothing but air. I looked back at Rarity, who was now unconscious. How was this even happening? He was just a stallion, just one pony! I looked back to Pinkie, her head snapping left like she had been struck on her cheek. Her head then shot up like she had been struck on the chin. “Dispel!” Twilight shouted again, the image of Gray now appearing, both of his hooves poised over Pinkie’s head. Pinkie had no chance to react however, the blow hitting the top of her head and slamming her face first into the ground. Pinkie stopped moving Gray looked at Twilight laughing. “Liabilities aren’t they?” he asked. “You can’t just fire at me while I’m near one of them, can you?” he asked. “Dispel!” she shouted again. While he had been talking, his image stayed in one place, but while that image stayed, apparently his real self had moved closer to Twilight. Twilight didn’t have time to jump back before his jaws opened and slammed shut on either side of her neck. She screamed. I tried to get to my hooves, but the pain in my wing kept me from really doing much of anything. All I could do was watch in horror as his teeth sank in. I cried waiting for- Two yellow hooves slammed into Gray’s face. He staggered back looking up to see a small yellow and blue pegasus flying in front of Twilight, who had now fallen to her knees, gasping for air. Lightning Strike glared at Doctor Gray. “DIE!” Lightning shouted, several huge bolts flying at the monster’s form, again passing through like nothing was even there. Something invisible slammed into Lightning’s head, the little filly falling out of the air and slamming into the ground. My heart sank. Again that horrible laugh came. “Amazing,” Gray said, not choosing to even project an image this time. “Out of everypony here, she had the most reason to hate me and in the end, she didn’t even last half as long as anyone else. How pathetic.” His form appeared finally. He staggered again. “You know, before following a few of you around, I knew mostly of your legends. I thought you were supposed to be formidable. But a little stalking let me know, that’s all mostly just image. I’ll give you ponies this, you have some coordination. I’ve seen better from first year cadets, but I suppose throw enough shit at me and something’s bound to hit right? My ears are ringing and my head is spinning…” he paused, hissing and holding his head. “Especially that farm pony. The seamstress really just pushed me away, but Apple Jack… oh well, the bucker is probably dead by now anyway.” What? Apple Jack… dead? He looked over at Lightning’s unconscious form. “That’s how it goes isn’t it Lightning?” he asked. “You don’t cooperate, you get hurt, right?” He looked over at the three unmoving Cutie Mark Crusaders. “DON’T YOU DARE!” I screamed. “What happens when we fight back Lightning?” asked Gray. He walked towards Apple Bloom, Sweetie and Scootaloo. "We loose things." “STOP!” I yelled at him, finally finding the strength to stand, my wing screaming at me, but I had to ignore it. “You think you can fight me in your condition?” asked the stallion, now standing over my daughter and her friends. “No,” I said, crying. “Just please… don’t.” He smiled, lifting his hoof over Scootaloo’s paralyzed form. He slammed it down onto one of her legs, a crunch coming out. Tears came out of her eyes, but the drug in her system kept her from even screaming. I spread my wings, but the pain rushed through me like a flood, my right wing dropping lifelessly. “Stop… please…” “I can do what I want. Why should I even-“ “Dispel magic!” came a deep female voice. Gray’s form didn’t move this time, apparently that really was where he was. Four white hooves slammed into the ground, a white alicorn glaring at him. “You-“ “DIE!” came another shout as a black beam shot over head, this one passing through air. How was he doing that?! If his magic was being dispelled at all, how was he recasting it and moving at the same time like that? Luna landed a few feet from the monster. “Dispel!” Celestia shouted again, Gray appearing in the air. Luna charged up her horn again, her beam firing, but again she was apparently too late to not hit another illusion. Luna started to run after Gray, but Celestia shouted at her with… panic? Celestia panicking? “Luna… please… we can’t leave them… Twilight…” She looked around in fear. “They could all die like this. Guard me, I have to get them all to the hospital now.” I felt myself floating in the air. “Scootaloo!” I yelled for my daughter. Celestia looked down at my daughter as me and my remaining friends floated into the air. “What’s wrong with them?” Celestia asked, her normal calm voice gone. “He said it’s just a paralysis drug. But he broke Scootaloo’s leg…” Celestia seemed to swallow her fear. She breathed deep. “Fear not, I won’t leave the children,” Celestia replied, the crusaders starting to float as well, including little Lightning Strike. “Scootaloo…” I whined. “Rest Rainbow Dash, I have no doubt you fought bravely.” “How did he do this?” I asked. Luna answered this time. “Dost thou believe he was just a scientist or something?” she asked. “Gray was well trained in the night guard, why dost thou think we… I take this so personally? He's over forty five years old, specializes in psychological warfare and excels at tactics and anatomy. Stay away from him, I and the soldiers of the night will deal with him.” “But-“ “STAY AWAY!” Luna shouted at me, her eyes glowing. I swallowed, watching her eyes. The glow faded and I saw the fear behind it. I looked back to Celestia, Twilight floating closest to her. “She’ll live… she’ll live… please tell me she’ll live…” Celestia started repeating to herself quietly. Scootaloo was slowly levitated to me. I wrapped my left wing around her. “You’ll be okay,” I said, as gently as I could to her unmoving body. “Listen to me, you’ll be okay. Just rest, the drug will wear off… just rest,” I petted her mane slowly. “You’ll be okay…” thank everything she wasn’t looking at me, the tears in my eyes would have betrayed how scared I still was. I held her close, my other wing screaming in pain again, but again I did my best to ignore it as I held my daughter. Scootaloo was terrified, even if she couldn’t scream, I could sense it. I gave her body a slight squeeze, noticing somehow that she started to feel slightly better. It was the best I could hope for. “Sleep Rainbow, rest mother, thy daughter is safe,” the princess of the moon said. I looked at her, sleep quickly taking over. (***) My eyes slowly flickered open, the searing pain in my wing stopping me from thinking what had happened was a dream. I looked around. My wing was bandaged and I was laying on my back on a bed with clean sheets. I heard the steady beeping of heart monitoring equipment and saw off white walls all around me. I sighed, realizing I was in a hospital. I looked left, finally seeing Fluttershy’s face smiling calmly at me. “Scoots?” I asked meekly. “She’ll be okay,” Fluttershy said. “They were all pretty scared, but the crusaders were all able to move freely in a few hours… well all except for Lightning.” I cared about Lightning, I really did, but I also had priorities. “Scootaloo’s leg, what about her leg?” “Her left foreleg is broken. She can walk, but she requires a crutch. Of everyone, her injuries are probably the least concerning.” Fluttershy said. “Lightning?” Fluttershy’s eyes started to tear up. “She’s alive, but a hit like that straight to the head- Rainbow she’s just a little girl. She can hardly walk and she keeps saying this is all her fault.” “She shouldn’t feel that way. She tried to defend us,” I corrected. Short lived as her bravery was, I didn't feel at all right discounting it. “I know,” Fluttershy said. “Twilight told me.” “Twilight is okay?” I asked. “Okay isn’t the word I would use to describe any of you five right now if I’m honest,” Fluttershy looked away from me. “Rarity is staggering around here doing her best to calm down her little sister, Twilight can’t leave her bed, they tell me you’re lucky to even have your wing anymore, Pinkie has a serious concussion… they say she should recover but she’s still asleep,” she clenched her teeth. “Do you know what it’s like to be here waiting… hoping… praying that everyone wakes up at least one more time?” I place a hoof on her head. I had to choke out the question. I was very afraid of the answer. “Apple Jack?” “I haven’t been allowed to see her. Apple Bloom is protecting that hat like it’s a part of her sister. There’s been nothing concrete on her condition. They can’t even tell me if she’ll live at all.” My heart started beating faster and faster. “No…” “She took a knife to the neck Rainbow!” Fluttershy shouted. “What do you think that does?” “I have to see her,” I said. “No one is being allowed to, even Apple Bloom, the doctors gave her the hat. We’re all just waiting for news.” “Can I get up?” A stallion walked into my vision as I asked this. “I can clear you to leave your bed, but only if you promise NO strain on that wing,” he said. “It’s strapped to my side,” I commented. “You have no idea how lucky you are that that thing is healing at all,” he said back. “Sorry if my bed side manner is lacking. Give me your word.” I nodded. He rolled a small IV unit to me. “Take this with you.” It took a small while, but the nurse stallion returned from clearing me to walk around and slowly helped me out of bed. Fluttershy had to help as well and I couldn’t help but complain as my wing ached so badly. I walked slowly into the waiting room. The first face I saw was Rarity’s, a glare fixed on it. “I owe you a black eye,” she said sternly. I gulped. “Not now, but just so we’re clear, if you EVER hurt Sweetie again…” she sighed. “Oh who am I kidding darling? I’m just glad we’re all alive. I know it was an accident. You would never harm a foal.” She shook her head. “Come, your daughter is in the waiting room, she’s been asking about you for hours now.” As we came into the small hospital waiting room, Scootaloo yelled as I saw her. “RAINBOW DASH!” The sight of her stumbling over a crutch almost made me cry again right there. Still it felt good when she hugged me. Holding her, I still looked around the room. Vinyl sat with Lightning and her brother on the opposite side of the room from Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. Sweetie looked to be doing her best to console Apple Bloom, who just sat there quietly holding AJ’s hat. Strangely enough Apple Bloom was also sporting a bit of a black eye… that was new. “I warned her,” came the voice of young Dusk. “My sister is hurt. 'Don’t be mean to my sister' I said. But Apple Bloom kept yelling this was Lightning’s fault, making Lightning feel bad. So I hit her. If she says it again I’ll hit her again.” Vinyl gave him a stern look writing for him to settle down. “Dusk she was just projecting, her sister is-“ I started, but Rarity put up a hoof to stop me. “You really think he’s going to understand Rainbow? He’s only six,” she pointed out. “He’s protecting his friend, which is probably all he understands right now.” I looked at Lightning. Her eyes were blood shot from crying and her head was heavily bandaged. She was sitting very still and acting sick to her stomach. Scootaloo started to cry herself. “I’ve been doing my best Rainbow Dash, but Apple Bloom is so angry and so sad… this isn’t Lightning’s fault but she kept saying it was. I had to hold her back from hurting Dusk when he hit her. I don’t want my friends to fight but…” “If she hurts Dusk, I’ll take care of her,” Lightning threatened. “Don’t worry,” Apple Bloom finally said. “Ah understand. Ah’m just… just… just…” “It’s alright dear, we understand, you don’t have to explain,” Rarity said. I blinked and froze. Two glowing blue eyes met mine. I blinked again and they were gone. “You saw the eyes didn’t you?” asked Scootaloo. I nodded. “I’ve seen them too, but never at the same time as anypony else. Luna says that means it’s just in my head.” Rarity spoke up. “Luna has her night guard patrolling this entire hospital and searching Ponyville. No one not injured is being allowed in and everyone is being scrutinized. Best I can tell, we’re safe for the moment.” I sat down, still holding Scootaloo, who sat next to me. Those must have been the longest minutes of my life, waiting for word on Apple Jack. Pinkie eventually woke up and came into the waiting room with us. She came with news that the doctors had confided in her that Twilight was improving, but they hadn’t told her anything on Apple Jack. Finally a doctor came into the room with a stern look on his face and walked straight to Apple Bloom. “I need to talk to you,” he said. “To all of you.” I listened, holding Scootaloo tightly. “I won’t lie to you, Apple Jack is not doing well. That knife could have killed her, and if not for Fluttershy bringing her here quickly, it would have,” he said, regarding Fluttershy. “It took us this long just to remove it, but the damage is severe. She’s alive for the moment and expected to regain consciousness. When she does, I require that everyone be gentle in both word and action around her. Do not get her excited, I repeat, do not.” “What are her chances?” Rarity asked. “I give her good odds on living,” Apple Bloom sighed in relief. “Her mind should be intact, but she won’t be back to full health for another year at least. Apple Bloom squeezed her eyes shut. She suddenly jumped back, screaming. "The eyes... I just saw them..." She grabbed her sister's hat, holding it again, but this time shaking in fear.