//------------------------------// // Hold Up, Get Down // Story: Modern Warmare // by Beatleboy62 //------------------------------// Chapter 5 As Nikolai and Rainbow Dash approached a grassy hill that her home overlooked, Nikolai gave her an incredulous look. “Ok, I know you say you’re strong, but do you really think you’ll be able to lift me up there? I weigh over two hundred pounds.” “Pft,” she replied, unfurling her wings, showing them off, “That’s nothing, I totally got this.” As Nikolai questioned all of his life choices up until this point, Dash put a hoof under each arm and flapped her wings hard. After a few moments, they both lifted off of the ground, albeit very, very, slowly. Ten minutes later, they were roughly 25 feet off of the ground, a far cry from the near hundred feet the cloud home floated above them. “Ya know what? Maybe I can just sleep on the ground, I’ve slept in worse places, at least here I’m not being held for ransom.” Dash started flapping her wings even harder, “NO, I will get you up there, it doesn’t matter how long it takes!” “You don’t give up easily, I'll give you that.” “Do you want to be dropped?” Nikolai looked down. While he knew he’d be fine, the now thirty foot drop still looked really unpleasant, even if it was into a snow bank. As Nikolai stared up at Dash and shook his head frantically, saying, “Please, don’t do it,” over and over again, Dash held him by one hoof, “What was that? Can’t hear ya!” Cupping her hooves around her ear, she watched as the Russian hilariously hung in the air for a moment, before belly flopping into a deep snow bank, leaving a Nikolai-shaped hole in the ground. As she listened closely, she could hear him say a few more words before passing out, “Нет, мне явно недоплачивают за эту работу.” With Nikolai now asleep and less likely to complain (Well, Dash thought he was complaining), she lifted him by the belt and began flapping her wings even harder than before. “Now, let’s try this again.” --------------------------------------------------------141------------------------------------------------------ Ghost walked behind Fluttershy, his trained footsteps so quiet that Fluttershy even had to look behind herself a few times to make sure that he was still there. While she knew that her friends would never make her do something like this if he wasn't safe, she just couldn't shake the weird feeling about him. Was it the mask? The silence? All of the above? She let the thoughts mill in her head, but didn't let them linger for too long, she just wanted to get home and sleep. As they approached the cottage, it was eerily silent. Not even Angel Bunny was awake to scorn the new visitor that Fluttershy had brought, because he, like all other animals was asleep for the winter. As Fluttershy opened the door to her cottage, Ghost began to take note of the cottage. It was built into a tree, like the library, but a tad smaller. Just like every other door he'd been through today, he had to duck so he wouldn't hit his head. Inside, it was moderately furnished, and not unlike something he'd see back home. Everything from a comfy looking couch to a cuckoo clock filled the room. As he finished taking a look around the room, he noticed that the little yellow pegasus was looking at him. Well, his boots at least. "You can sleep on the couch if you want. I have a guest room, and I guess if you really want to sleep-" She didn't get anything else out as she could only make high pitched squeaks after that. He couldn't make out a single word she tried to say to him. Instead of asking what she was trying to say, Ghost sat down on the couch, and promptly fells asleep. Fluttershy, relieved that she didn't have to say anymore to him, at least untill the next day, slunk quietly upstairs to her room, and got her well deserved sleep. --------------------------------------------------------141------------------------------------------------------ Roach wanted to be absolutely anywhere but here. The whole time they were walking to what he assumed was a bakery called, 'Sugarcube Corner,' he wanted to gouge his inner ear out. That little pink devil wouldn't stop talking, and Roach was at wits end, ready to break at any moment. "And that's when the cake shot out because I put the cake in the confetti cannon and the confetti in the oven!" Pinkie Pie doubled over and continued laughing like she had for the entire past fifteen minutes or so. Roach had had it, he blinked a few times, before roaring at Pinkie, "ENOUGH! I've been shot, stabbed, tortured, set on fire, beaten, fallen from high places, and absolutely NONE of that was as bad as this! I mean, if the United States got a hold of you, they'd use you as a interrogation aid against foreign criminals! All I want is three minutes of quiet!" Pinkie Pie stared at him, confused for a few seconds, before another smile stretched across her face. "Okay!" And happily walked alongside Roach, now humming a happy tune. Roach was tempted to say something else, but he thought better of it. Shaking his head, he followed Pinkie Pie to a large building which itself looked like a giant pastry. A sign above the door read in large letters, 'Sugarcube Corner.' Leaving Roach outside, Pinkie bounded in through the double doors, ringing the bell above the doorway. Mrs. Cake, upon hear the bell began reciting a rehearsed greeting: "Hello, and welcome to Sugarcube Corner, how may I help you?" She turned around and finally noticed the familiar pink pony in her doorway. "Oh, hello Pinkie, what brings you home so late?" Beaming, Pinkie exclaimed news of her new found friend, "Today, I met a new friend, Roach, he's far away from where-" She didn't get to finish as Mrs. Cake's piercing scream stopped her instantly. "A cockroach? Get it out, get it out, get it out! NOW!" Pinkie began laughing again, pointing to the door behind her. "No, not a cockroach, my friend Roach." Using an impossibly stretchy arm, she grabbed Roach from outside the shop and dragged him in. Roach and Mrs. Cake struggled to make any sort of eye contact, as Mrs. Cake found this creature just as scary to look at as he did in the morning, and Roach just thought the situation was plain awkward. "Um, Pinkie...why did you bring him here?" "Because, he's lost and needs somewhere safe to stay. I knew there was extra space in the storeroom and knew it would be perfect for him to stay." She put up her best sad-eyes. "And I know that you and Mr. Cake are kind enough ponies to help somepony in need. Right?" Mrs. Cake sighed. There was no getting around Pinkie's sad-eyes. "Fine, but make sure he stays down there, while he might be as nice as you say, he might also scare away customers." Pinkie nodded, "Oki-doki-loki!" She grabbed Roach's arm and began leading him down the steps to the basement. Alone once again, Mrs. Cake shook her head again, 'That pony is beyond crazy.' Once down in the basement, Pinkie showed Roach over to a small pile of flower bags in the corner. Shrugging, Pinkie said, "I know this isn't much to offer, but I hope it's ok." Looking at his meager surroundings, Roach returned the shrug, "I'll be fine with it." As she was about to leave, he had a sudden thought and added one more thing, "And Pinkie Pie," She stopped, and turned around, "thank you for everything." Smiling, Pinkie walked up the steps a final time before closing the hatch. "And yet another friend made by Pinkie Pie." A/N Ok,I just got back from vacation and feel like I need to post something, so here's about half of the chapter. A second part should be up soon.