Chapter Two
Applejack blinked as she awoke. The bright light of magical bulbs stung her eyes. Grumbling, she sank deeper into the bed and waited as coherent thought started to form. She frowned. Licking her chapped lips, she spoke up, “Where am Ah?”
She heard a surprised whinny and a snort followed by a thump as something fell to the floor from nearby. Then Applebloom bounced onto her bed, “Applejack! You’re awake!”
Applejack felt a smile tugging at her lips as she watched her little sister bounce around her bed, “Heya Applebloom. Do ya know where we are sugarcube?”
“Yep! We’re at the hospital! The girls were so worried about you! But uh… Ah wasn’t! Ah knew you’d be right as rain soon as you woke up and…” Applebloom suddenly lunged and threw her hooves around Applejack’s neck, “And Ah knew you’d be okay… Ah just knew it…”
Surprised by the hug, Applejack gently patted Applebloom’s back, “Ah shucks Bloom, Ah’m glad to see you too.”
Applebloom simply tightened her grip. It took Applejack a moment to realize she was shaking, “Applebloom? You okay sugar?”
The filly quickly nodded and released her from the hug. She wiped her face with a hoof before smiling back at Applejack, “Wha? Yeah! Yeah Ah’m fine just… just happy ya finally woke up is all.”
Applejack raised a questioning brow, but let it drop when she processed Applebloom’s words. “How long have Ah been out?”
Applebloom looked at the door before turning back to her sister, “About two days.”
“Two days!?” blanched Applejack.
She sat up with a flash and started working her way out of her covers, “Two whole apple pickin’ days laid up in a bed! Ah gotta get to the orchard! We’re behind schedule!”
Applebloom quickly went about trying to push Applejack back down with little results, “Now wait a second! Applejack you need yer rest! Applejack!”
Applejack finally freed her legs from the covers and hopped off the bed, accidently entangling Applebloom in the covers as she did.
“There ain’t any time for rest Bloom! We got trees to buck!” she yelled as she made her way to the door.
Just then the door to her room opened, and a familiar nurse stepped in. Her eyes widened as she spotted Applejack up and about, “Applejack?”
“Howdy Redheart, sorry to bother ya’ll, we’ll be goin’ right quick!” said Applejack, regarding the nurse.
Applebloom peeked out from beneath the blankets, saying, “Ah tried to stop her Miss Nurse Redheart! Ah tried and she didn’t listen!”
Nurse Redheart gently shook her head at the filly before turning to her patient, “Applejack, Applebloom is right. If you could just return to bed, I’d be happy to notify your friends that you’ve woken up.”
“Sorry, no can do. Ah’m already behind schedule for apple buckin’ and can’t spend any more time laid up then Ah already have been," said Applejack matter of factly, shaking her head.
Applejack tried to make her way past the nurse, but was quickly blocked, “It’s nearly midnight Applejack, I’m sure you can at least spend the night here. I don’t want to put my hoof down, but I’d strongly suggest you stay for the night.”
Applejack frowned at her, and then let out a sigh, “Fine. If ya’ll think we should stay for the night then we will. But first thing in the mornin’ we’re leavin’!”
Nurse Redheart sighed good naturedly at Applejack's stubborness, “Alright, I suppose that’s all I can ask. I’ll go notify everypony that you’re awake now.”
Applejack raised an eyebrow, “Right now? Didn’t ya say it was midnight?”
Nurse Redheart nodded as she headed out the door, “They’ve all been waiting here for you to wake up. You’ve got some very good friends Applejack.” Nurse Redheart smiled at her and disappeared out of the room.
Applejack harrumphed, “All the girls are here?”
Applebloom popped up smiling ear to ear from the mound of covers on the bed, the stark white sheets managing to entangle her completely, “Yep! Big Mac and Granny were here, but they had to go cause it was getting’ late. Sweetie Belle too, Ah don’t know where Scootaloo is though. She probably got grounded or somethin’.”
Applejack crossed her front hooves, “Well Ah’ll be.”
****
Twilight Sparkle paced, and it wasn’t exactly an uncommon sight to the small dragon sitting comfortably in the chair across from her. Spike had always found hospital waiting rooms particularly sleep inducing, and that it was currently midnight did nothing to help his drooping eyelids. Casting a final look at Twilight, Spike finally allowed his eyes to shut. It was a short lived relief.
“That doesn’t make any sense! Ugh!” yelled Twilight, quickly closing the book she had been reading with a sharp snap.
Spike jolted awake at the noise, only to return to slouching in his chair a moment later. He yawned, “Twilight? Isn’t it, you know, kind of late to be yelling at your books?”
Twilight stopped her pacing for a moment to regard Spike and the waiting rooms other occupants, they were all giving her similar looks.
She sighed, slightly embarrassed by her outburst, “Hehe, sorry Spike, girls. It’s just been a long couple days. I’ll be quieter.”
She received a good-natured sigh from Rarity, who was currently sitting on the couch in the center of the waiting room, “Perfectly fine darling, I know you’ve been running yourself absolutely ragged these past two days. I assure you, it isn’t easy just… waiting.”
The pink pony sharing the couch with Rarity nodded from her upside down position, the heavy bags under her eyes only offset by her huge smile, “Yeah Twilight! We don’t blame you! I haven’t been able to sleep at all I’ve been so worried! It’s been thirty-six hours!”
Fluttershy frowned lightly at Pinkie’s proclamation, “Um, Pinkie? I don’t think that’s very healthy…”
She was about to continue when Pinkie Pie promptly bounced to her hooves and landed directly in front of her, “Don’t try and tell me what’s healthy for me! I’ll eat all the candy I want and nopony can stop me!” then she leaned in until she was eye to eye with Fluttershy and whispered, “Nopony...”
Fluttershy squeaked and Twilight quickly retook the reigns of the conversation, “Well… Anyway, I was actually trying to find out more information about that dragon and the uh… wolf…”
Twilight paused, watching as Pinkie slowly retreated back to her position on the couch, somehow managing to slide back into her upside down position without taking her eyes off of the still slightly terrified Fluttershy.
Twilight shook her head to regain her train of thought, “And I seem to have run up against a wall.”
“What wall is that darling?” asked Rarity, seemingly unbothered by Pinkie’s antics.
“That language the dragon was speaking in. I’ve cross-referenced at least a dozen books on different languages and have yet to find even a single one that matches what I heard two days ago,” Twilight let out a tired sigh before continuing, “And it doesn’t help that my bestiary only mentions gigantic white wolves living all the way out in the Crystal Mountains. Or that they’re not exactly prone to leaving said mountains. I’m… well, stumped.”
The girls and dragon all let out similar hums at the information; all except for Rainbow Dash, who was sleeping soundly in the chair next to Spike. Spike groaned as a stray cerulean wing thumped him on the head for what must have been the sixth time.
He frowned, “Well, we could always write to Princess Celestia. I bet she knows just about every language, uh, ever.”
Twilight nodded slightly, but quickly shook her head a moment later. “No, no. Princess Celestia’s a very busy pony and we shouldn’t contact her unless it’s an emergency.”
She received a pointed look from Rarity, “Twilight, Applejack has been out cold for two days straight. If that isn’t an emergency then I wouldn’t know what is.”
Nodding slowly, Twilight reconsidered her options, “You’re right. Of course you’re right. I’ll contact her first thing in the morning. Thanks Rarity.”
“Think nothing of it darling,” replied Rarity.
The conversation lapsed into silence for only a moment before the double doors to the hospital proper opened and Nurse Redheart stepped out. There was a tense silence as they waited for her to speak.“Applejack has just woken up and is ready to see you girls, and I’m happy to say that she seems to have made a full recovery.”
There was a collective sigh of relief from everypony at the news. Twilight quickly woke Rainbow Dash before the group followed Nurse Redheart to Applejack’s room.
***
Twilight frowned at Applejack, “You… don’t remember?”
“Sorry sugar, last thing Ah remember was catchin’ a certain fallin’ filly. After that though Ah’m drawin’ a blank,” Applejack rubbed the side of her head with a hoof, “Might’ve hit my head while Ah was wrestlin’ with the varmint.”
Rainbow Dash groaned as she did loops above Fluttershy and Twilight, “It was hardly a ‘varmint’ AJ. That wolf was like twice the size of Big Mac!”
Rarity nodded firmly, “Indeed! Just look what that beast did to my leg!”
She turned and daintily lifted her hind leg. It was in a full cast, and somepony had drawn pink smiley faces all over it. Though nopony had yet taken credit for them, the prime suspect was currently sleeping on the floor of the hospital room.
Rarity sighed heavily, “and don’t even get me started on these garish designs covering the cast!”
Pinkie Pie giggle snorted from her place on the floor, and then promptly fell back asleep.
Applejack rolled her eyes before turning back to Twilight, “So Twi? What do you know about these varmints anyway? Ah’ve been wondering more and more since you girls told me what happened.”
Twilight sighed, a feeling of seriousness descending on the group as she spoke, “Not much I’m afraid. From what little information I’ve been able to gather, I’ve learned that the wolf that attacked you is a breed from the Crystal Mountains. Although I have no idea how one made it all the way here or why that dragon came and… took it.”
She started pacing back and forth around the room, “Although… it isn’t unheard of for a dragon to add well, living creatures to its hoard. I suppose that could explain how the wolf got here; it could be a… trophy maybe? Something the dragon picked up while on migration? But that doesn’t explain why the wolf was so resistant to my magic…”
Twilight hummed and continued pacing, her friends momentarily forgotten. The girls all shared a knowing look and expertly began to tune out Twilight’s ramblings. Rainbow Dash was, naturally, the first to get bored. Letting out a loud yawn, she flew towards the window and opened it before cutting off Twilight mid-sentence, “Anyway! I think I should probably get going. I got cloud cover duty first thing tomorrow morning. Glad you’re okay Applejack!”
She paused halfway through the window before turning back, “Take you home Shy’?”
Fluttershy nodded, “Yes, thank you.”
Giving Applejack a farewell hug, Fluttershy flew over to Rainbow Dash, “Um, are you sure we’re allowed to leave through the window?”
“Totally! Let’s go!” she said, hiding a slightly mischievous smile as she bolted out the open window.
Fluttershy sighed, "Oh, alright," and quickly followed Rainbow Dash into the night.
“They’re not actually allowed to leave that way are they?” said Rarity good-naturedly.
Twilight shook her head, “Nope.”
Turning back to Applejack, Twilight smiled, “Well, regardless of what happened, I don’t think that dragon or the wolf will be coming back anytime soon. I’ll send a report to Princess Celestia in the morning and see if she can’t send a few Royal Guards to poke around the edge of the forest too. Better to be safe than sorry after all. Other than that, I’m glad that you’re okay Applejack.”
They shared a brief hug before Twilight made her way to the door, “Come on Spike, it’s late and we all need some rest.”
He nodded sleepily and held back a yawn, “Okay Twilight.”
Rarity waved them farewell before turning back to Applejack, “Well, I suppose I should head back to the boutique then,” she paused mid-sentence, realizing there was sleeping pink pony just next to her, “Oh you have got to be kidding! I just knew there was a reason they were all so eager to leave!”
Applejack chuckled, “Pinkie Pie duty?”
“Yes, she’s an absolute rock when she’s asleep. We all knew somepony was going to escort her home but,” Rarity huffed, “I didn’t think it was going to be me!”
Applejack smiled, “Well Rare, don’t let me keep you. Applebloom and Ah should probably head to bed too. There’ll be plenty of work to do on the farm tomorrow.”
Rarity nodded as she levitated Pinkie Pie behind her, “Yes well, it’s good to see you’re alright Applejack. And should you ever need help on the farm you know who to ask.”
“You? You are gonna help on the farm?” asked Applejack skeptically.
“Oh, goodnes no! But I’d be more than happy to tell the other girls you could use some help,” said Rarity with a grin.
“Ha! Ah know you too well Rare.”
“That you do. Goodnight Applejack.”
Applejack watched her go. Shaking her head, she smiled and headed back to her bed where Applebloom was already sound asleep. Snuggling in, she fell asleep to the sound of light rain outside the hospital.
***
There was an ear-splitting roar like thunder, and then she was tumbling from his back onto the course ground.
"What were you thinking?"
She wobbled on her back paw as she pulled herself up, “I wasn’t-”
“You weren’t thinking were you!? No thought at all! Just blindly following a scent, was that it!?”
She snarled before she could think, and immediately regretted it. Another roar split the sky and a clawed fist struck the ground in front of her with enough force to send a wave of dirt in all directions.
“Do not. Growl. At me!” he punctuated each word with another subsequent hit into the ground. The wet grass now pocket marked with large craters.
She concentrated on forming words. It was difficult. “I… I thought… food… easier…”
The words were foreign and tickled the back of her throat unpleasantly, the mighty dragon before her simply let out another roar, “You do not go near Ponyville! You do not hunt ponies! You are not an animal!”
She struggled to stay still as the dragon unleashed another roar and pounded the dirt with enough strength to flatten steel. She wanted to run, to chase; to kill… it was what her instincts told her. But she fought them. More words started to form, an effort of will that defied her very nature, “I… Am… Hungry!”
The dragon’s previous anger stalled, and the wolf capitalized, “Starving! Want to eat! Need to! Let me! LET ME!”
The dragon remained silent, his great wings folded, and he lowered his head sadly, “No.” it was not a request, but a statement of fact. She was not to eat ponies. Never, ever could she hunt them under any circumstances. He had made his point clear.
She saw red. She saw veins and arteries pumping with sweet nectar and soft flesh surrounding them. She was biting, chewing, tearing, and devouring. She wanted nothing more than to claw and slash and maim. Every instinct in her mind told her to do it. The dragon was exposing his neck to her. It would take no more than a minute, no less than that even… and then a shrill squeal of happiness so foreign to the Everfree and its inhabitants filled her ears. And all was clear again.
“Anna! Anna! You’re back! You’re finally back!”
A little pink unicorn filly bounded excitedly towards the imposing wolf and dragon, not a hint of fear in her bright little blue eyes. The wolf, Anna, lowered herself onto the soft dewy grass just in time for the little filly to pounce into the soft fur of her great white chest.
She snuggled her face deeper into Anna’s chest, a huge smile adorning her face. “I missed you so much! Jaime kept saying you were off hunting sea turtles, but I know better! There are not even any oceans in the forest!”
The little filly suddenly retracted her head and peered up at Anna with big, curious eyes, “That’s right isn’t it?”
Anna simply nodded, her wolfish grin not seeming to startle the little filly in the slightest. She smiled and quickly turned her head back towards the cave at the other side of the small grass clearing, “Ha! I told you Jaime!”
A droning, slightly buzzing feminine voice suddenly projected from the cave in response, “Ah well, when you’re right you’re right I suppose…”
Jaime stepped slowly into the clearing, his long hole filled legs taking easy strides as he carried himself towards them. His translucent insect-like wings buzzed lightly on his back, all four of them. And his long jagged horn swayed back and forth with every step. Two cat-like orange eyes rolled over them with indifference as he reached what was presumably a safe but conversable distance, “I take it things are well then? Seeming as how no one’s dead?”
Anna’s keen eyes narrowed imperceptibly, but quickly refocused on the little bundle of joy resting on her chest. Jaime smiled toothily at them, and looked like he was about to comment when he was interrupted.
“Still looking as beautiful as ever there Jaime.”
The Changeling Queen’s mirth was suddenly lost, and he turned his attention to the large dragon that had closed the gap between them, “Oh! Ray! Sorry, didn’t see you there! Which is strange given just how ridiculously huge you are! Say, is that a new frill style? I’m sure it’s all the rage back in dragon country, or should I say Greed? Isn’t that one of the more preferable adjectives back where you come from?”
Ray huffed steam out of his nostrils, “Not funny.”
Jaime’s facsimile grin immediately faded, “It never is, is it?”
Ray didn’t speak further as he lumbered past Jaime towards the cave. Anna had risen by then, the little filly happily lying on her back. Jaime didn’t bother to smile as he came into step next to Anna, the wolf’s size easily dwarfing him.
He spoke with his usual sarcastic demeanor as they walked, “So… how was the hunting? You rustle up any interesting meals while you were out and about?”
A low purr escaped Anna’s throat and Jaime raised a brow, “Was that a ‘yes I maimed something interesting’ or a ‘no I am still starving’?”
Anna let out a low growl before trying to speak, “No… None more… Prey in woods… All run to pony.”
Jaime rolled his eyes at her as they entered the cave, “Oh honestly Anna, you really must learn to convey your sentences more fluently. Oh, and let me guess, this ‘pony’ is a little yellow thing? Dainty? Maybe a tad shy around others?”
Anna nodded, already knowing who the pony was and significance she possessed. Jaime nodded along in mock sympathy, “Well, that is too bad then. It’s not like you can just go and sneak a meal from her after all. What would Ray say?”
Anna already knew where Jaime was leading the conversation and cared very little for games of words. “Talk no more. Go bother… someone else.”
Jaime’s playful mood diminished considerably when he realized he’d been caught, “Ah forget it. You were much more fun when you were human anyway.”
Anna snapped at him and received a pleasant ‘Eeep!’ of surprise as Jaime stalked off to his part of the cave.
A small voice came from above Anna as she walked towards a familiar pile of soft leaves and branches, “Jaime can be kind of mean sometimes. I miss when he told me stories.”
Anna settled into her bed, and her little payload slipped off her back and trotted over to lie on her front paws, “I miss when you used to sing to me too. I guess I miss a lot of things…”
Anna gently laid her head down next to her paws and allowed the little filly to find a comfortable spot in the crux of her neck. She was so small, and warm, and it wasn’t long before she had settled and little snores rocked her tiny frame.
Anna brushed against her mournfully, struggling to speak softly and not wake her, “Oh… my little sunshine… I love you so…”
****
Jaime paced back and forth, his hooves falling into a steady beat and rhythm as he stalked the gigantic entryway into the cavern’s deeper and wider sections. The mental debate he was dealing with was certainly worthy of his time, at least in his opinion anyway. But the real problem lied with just who exactly he was planning on sharing the information with, and whether or not it was something to be brought up at all.
Ultimately, the groaning emptiness in his belly was enough to warrant action, and Jaime purposefully strode into the largest expanse of the cave. Dark and damp rock gave way to shining gems and mounds of gold in an instant, and treasures of immeasurable value were stacked haphazardly around the cave with really no care at all.
He would’ve gasped had he not seen it so many times before. Instead he simply swallowed his annoyance and approached the owner of the great hoard. Not so much lounging in his riches as he was simply sitting, using a single massive claw to scratch at a patch of bare ground was the dragon in question himself, and he was looking a bit lost in his own thoughts.
Jaime cleared his throat to get his attention, “Enjoying yourself there?”
Ray stirred slightly; he was obviously aware of Jaime’s presence but made no move to acknowledge him. Jaime let out a noise perhaps too close to whinny and stomped his hoof indignantly, “Enough of the silent treatment. I’m being serious, we need to talk.”
Ray blew out a jet of steam as he opened his mouth to speak, “No.”
Jaime frowned and narrowed his eyes, “You didn’t even know what I was going to say!”
Ray returned his attention to scratching at the stone, “You want to interfere with ponies. Communicate, manipulate, copulate, it doesn’t matter. It is not going to happen.”
Jaime felt a rare emotion bubble up inside of him then, and a small part of him very dearly wanted to test what that horn of his could do. A larger part of him however, was thinking up a clever way of convincing Ray just how wrong he was.
Jaime stiffened, and spoke slowly, “We’re going to die Ray.”
The great dragon bristled slightly and his claw stopped scraping at the stone, and Jaime knew he had gotten his attention.
“You may not see it yet, but I do. Anna, Gracie and I are starving.”
Ray returned his attention to picking at the rock beneath him. “Anna hunts, and Gracie can eat the grass outside.”
Jaime stomped his hooves against the stone and yelled, “And what about me Ray!?”
Startled by the outburst, Ray paused his digging, if only for a moment. “You will feed off of Anna’s love for Gracie once a month as we discussed.”
Jaime wore a horrible scowl, but inwardly he was grinning, “And when Anna starves to death? Then what? How long do you think Gracie would stick around after that?”
Ray’s claw slowed its pace, and he turned his massive head to regard Jaime, “Did you not hear me? Anna will hunt. She will not starve.”
Jaime took a measured step back, laughing a miserable laugh as he did, “You really don’t see it do you? Ray there is nothing left out there! Anna’s ribs are showing and she hasn’t eaten more than a rabbit in days!”
Ray paused then, and for the briefest of moments, Jaime thought he spied fear in those massive draconic eyes.
“You are wrong.”
Jaime shook his head, taking a step forward, “No, I’m not. They’ve all fled Ray, gone either to White Tail or Flutterbug in Ponyville. Why do you think Anna was so close to them today? Huh?”
Ray didn’t immediately form a response and Jaime pushed his advantage, “What did you think was going to happen Ray? Did you think that we’d all just squat in this cave for the rest our lives?”
He took another step towards the dragon, “I haven’t eaten in a month, Gracie is living off of wet grass, and Anna is only a few bad hunts away from going feral!”
“Enough.”
“No! It's not enough! How long do you think it’ll be before she’s truly a starving wolf!? How long before she’s pushed past that limit!? We’ve both seen it happen before!”
Ray involuntarily gripped his gold as Jaime took another step forward, “Enough Jaime.”
Jaime ignored him, “How long before that starving feral dog decides that a meal has been right in front of her all along!? How much will it take for you to open your eyes!? When I’m a starved husk!? When Anna’s gone feral!? How about when she eats her own sister! Will that be enough for you!? Will it!?”
Ray rose with a thunderous roar, his massive wings extending to span the entire length of the cavern, his great tail thrashing against the gold and creating waves in its wake, “That is enough! Everything I do is to protect you all! And to interfere with the ponies would only lead to conflict! How can you not understand that?”
Jaime simply shook his head, holding his ground against the giant drake with only a bitter smile as his defense.
“Well you’re doing a swell job so far Ray. What with collecting your little hoard and starving all your friends, I think you’ve got this whole ‘protector’ thing down pat.”
The air of the cavern suddenly felt heavy, and the great dragon slowly folded his wings against his sides and sagged. His piercing eyes softened, and he let out a long tired sigh, “What then, would you have me do?”
Jaime let out the breath he’d been holding, “Well, I’ve got a few ideas actually.”
Also LikedSimilarAuthor
- Dawn Flower · 24k words · 174 37 · 3.7k views
- Derek Watterson · 8.3k words · 68 21 · 2k views
- primeoetgrunn · 4.9k words · 44 7 · 2.2k views
- ShortHopLaszer · 31k words · 91 17 · 4k views
- Fate is Manic · 7.2k words · 45 7 · 2.2k views
- Silbern · 87k words · 110 25 · 2.4k views
- RainingDashReborn · 4.5k words · 43 0 · 1.4k views
Stats
Page generated in 0.088 seconds
Total duration
1,087 users online
1,977,534 hits today, 1,996,409 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
And now you have got my full undiluted attention.
From what little I've seen, Ray's a dick.
Interesting. Though one thing I'm wondering is why, exactly Twilight wouldn't have sent a report to Celestia the moment a dragon carted off a foreign species that was attacking one of her best friends... seems like something she'd think to mention.
4005263 Twilight's pretty independent, and didn't want to bother her mentor and Princess with a problem she considered resolved. Also, it wasn't really a 'new species' per se that was carried off. This is addressed in the second chapter. I hope that answers your question! I'm glad you enjoyed the story so far!
4006529 no its not new, but it is, as I said, foreign... erm... not native to theregion. AAnd she's actually fairly dependant on support from her' community '. As is depicted by her need for acceptance shown in "boast busters". She was so terrified of being disliked that she flat out refused to shut down Trixie.
Besides, she communicates with Celestia on a very regular basis.
Just somethingto cconsider for future chapters.
4006529 Why is there not more of this? This seems like a good story to read late at night and just relax with.
He's been offline for 78 weeks.....he's dead.
6680089 make that 128 weeks and 5 days.
Is gone.
Please don't be dead. I like this story. It was unique and interesting.