Chapter 2 - Trails & Blood
The girls walk through the forest, hoping not to bump into any of the forest's many undesirable inhabitants. They can tell they are getting closer. They can see that the smoke rising from the crater is much closer.
“What do you think it can be, Twilight,” asks Rainbow Dash, who is flying slightly over their heads.
Twilight thought about this “Well it could be…”
“Oh, I bet it’s an alien spacecraft with aliens on board!” interrupts Pinkie Pie, bouncing around them.
“I doubt that, Pinkie,” Twilight says in a matter-of-fact voice. “I mean an alien crashing into Equestria and also being dropped off by a huge Phoenix, that sounds really unlikely.”
“But the Phoenix could be a nice Phoenix and tried to save the alien craft and Ponyville, so she caught it and put into forest.” says Pinkie deflating slightly.
“Pinkie didn't you listen to what the Phoenix said,” Applejack asks, “It sounded like it is playing a joke on us”
“Yeah, but it also said here is a present from space and to have fun, so it must be a new alien to meet because meeting aliens are fun.” Pinkie says, giving a huge smile.
“Oh, have you met one before?” asks Fluttershy curiously.
“Nope, it will be the first one I ever meet,” Pinkie says happily.
“THERE IS NO ALIEN!” yells Twilight, getting annoyed, she turns to Pinkie who now has a sad look on her face. Twilight, feeling guilty says “Sorry Pinkie, just can you please stop talking about aliens, it’s most likely to be a large space rock or something”
“It’s OK, Twilight, I'm sorry too.” Pinkie says, now smiling and bouncing on the spot, “I mean it would be so cool if it is an alien”
Twilight has to admit it would pretty interesting to meet an alien, she shakes her head trying to remove the silly thought.
“Look out, dear!” Rarity warns.
But too late, Twilight, not noticing the ground has suddenly dropped away, falls forward down a slope. When she finally stops rolling, she struggles to her hooves. She hears somepony laughing from up the slope.
“That is hilarious, Twilight, you look blacker than Thunderlane.” guffawed Rainbow Dash.
Twilight looks down on herself, she is covered in ash and soot. ‘Ugh, now I need a bath,’ she thinks. She then turns back to her friends, “Just get down here,” she says angrily.
Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy fly down followed by Applejack and Pinkie Pie who slide down the slope. Last one left up there is Rarity.
“Come on, Rarity,” Applejack calls up.
“No way, I would get filthy sliding down that slope.” She says, looking over the edge.
Twilight, rolling her eyes, picks up Rarity with her magic and brings her down, placing her gently on the ground.
“Thank you, though standing on this ground is not much of an improvement” Rarity says, turning to smile at Twilight. Her face changes to shock when she see her. “Your face is absolutely filthy, hold still!” She attacks Twilight face with a white handkerchief, trying to clean the soot away.
“Stop it!” Twilight says, pushing away the handkerchief, “We have got more important things to do!” She points toward the smoking object in the middle of the huge crater that she has fallen into.
They all nod, except Rarity, who still looks like she wants to clean Twilight's face. She sighs and nods as well. They all move towards the object.
“Wuss!” says Applejack, directing it at Rarity.
“Not everyone likes to get dirty, dear,” Rarity says, trying not to get her legs covered in soot, which is hard because the ground is covered in a thick layer of it, and every step sends it up in clouds.
As they get nearer they hear the sound of flapping wings, they look up and see a squad of Guard Ponies flying overhead.
One of the Guard speaks, “Oi! Which one of you is Princess Twilight Sparkle?”
“That would be me,” Twilight says, stepping forward.
The guard that spoke flies down, sending clouds of soot and ash up into the air making Twilight cough. He then looks Twilight up and down, smiles and says “Been climbing up chimneys have we, your highness?”
This confuses Twilight but then she remembers her state, causing her to blush in embarrassment, and she can hear her friends trying very hard not to laugh... or not in some cases.
“That’s a good one” laughs Rainbow Dash again.
Twilight chose to ignore her friends, turning back to the guard who is smiling.
“Sorry Princess, but that was a once in a lifetime opportunity right there,” he says, still smiling. Suddenly his face turns serious and he stands to attention, “I am Sergeant Thunderclap and my squad and I are here to secure the area.” He speaks in a very military tone which surprise Twilight, because it was not the way he had acted before. He turns his head toward the other guard ponies who are still smiling and jerks his head at them. They fly to the edges of the crater and start to patrol. He turns back to the girls and to their surprise is smiling again.
“What do you think it is?” asks Rainbow Dash, who has stopped laughing at Twilight.
“Don’t know, I just got here and I am told just to guard the area, not to investigate,” he says shrugging.
“Aren't you curious?” Pinkie asks.
“Of course I am,” he says smiling “But I've got to wait for the expert to get here.”
“What about us?” asks Rarity nervously.
“I was told to stop everyone except the Elements of Harmony from looking at the space object,” he says still smiling.
“Thank you,” says Twilight now continuing toward the object.
“Good Luck!” he says, and is about to take off, when a pink hoof stops him.
“What?” he says, looking at the pink pony.
Pinkie pulls his head down and whispers, “Between you and me, what do you really think it is?”
The Sergeant looks around making sure no other guards are in earshot, “Well between you and me, I think it’s an alien spacecraft” he says in a low voice, but not low enough for Twilight not to overhear it.
Twilight, in frustration, starts stomping toward the object sending up clouds of soot and ash, making her even dirtier. But she doesn't care, she is going to prove once and for that it is not an alien or an alien spacecraft, because that is stupid!! As they get closer the smoke that covers it dissipates, revealing the object. It seems to be mostly metal and oddly shaped, but it's no spacecraft. It is the wrong shaped for one and it seems not to have any sort of propulsion systems, which it would need if it was a spaceship.
“See I was right, it’s just a big meteorite” Twilight says, turning back toward her friends, with the smug face of somepony who knows she is right all along.
“Umm, Twilight, you better take a closer look” says Rainbow Dash pointing back toward the object, she looks shocked. So do the others.
Twilight turns back to look closely and her face registers shock as well. Now that she looks more closely at it, the smoke clearing some more, she can starts to see plates of metal across it surface and signs of welding, bits of torn metal stick out of it, like it has been broken off from something bigger. It is no meteorite. But it still is not a spaceship. Twilight’s mind comes to a huge decision, it has been made by something, either by a pony or something else, hopefully a pony. As they get closer, they can clearly see it has signs of huge damage to its surface, like maybe an explosion. Pinkie runs up to it and places her hoof on its surface.
“Pinkie, be careful! It might still be hot!” Twilight warns, running up to Pinkie.
“It’s only slightly warm,” Pinkie says, dragging her hoof across its surface.
Twilight and her friends start to circle it. It was probably once masterfully built, but it is in a sad state now, its surface is covered in what looks to be signs of destruction.
“Maybe it’s an alien escape pod and just escaped from a huge space battle” Pinkie says, in a quiet awe.
Before Twilight can say anything a yell from Applejack catches their attention “Hey, I found a hole over here!”
Everypony runs towards Applejack, who is standing under a square hole in the side of the object. It is nearly a metre off the ground. Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy fly up and start to help up the rest of their friends. From the edge they look down the hole, which turns out to be what looks like a corridor. It is big enough so eight ponies could easily walk side by side. They walk slowly down the corridor Twilight’s horn lighting the way. At the end they see something that chills them right down to their bones. It is a big thick metal door. It has been forced open from the inside. Fluttershy now clings to Rainbow Dash in fear, who also looks scared. Pinkie Pie, eyes wide, is now clutching Applejack, whose own eyes are also wide in horror. Rarity is frozen to the spot eyes fixed on the huge door. They have all seen movies like this before, an out-of-space object with doors forced open. This means two very important things. One, there was something inside it that is now outside it, and two, it has the strength to open doors made from what looks like solid steel. Twilight puts on a brave face walks through the doors and into freezing cold.
“Celestia! It’s cold in here!” Twilight says, shivering slightly.
“You’re right,” says Rainbow Dash who is following her, her breath coming out as white vapour.
“Ugh, it’s so dark I can barely see anything,” complains Applejack, who follows behind them.
“I can fix that,” Twilight says, as the orb of light from her horn grows and starts floating above them, illuminating the room.
“That’s much better,” says Rarity, walking in. Suddenly, they hear a small splash, “Eww! I stepped in something!” Rarity lifts her hoof to her face and sees crimson liquid dripping off it. She screams “AHHHHH!! BLOOD!!”, and backs away from the puddle.
Twilight scans the ground seeing blood on the floor, and lots of it. There is also a trail of blood leading out the door. Twilight runs to the door and there is blood, both dried and fresh on it. She looks down the corridor and sees a trail of dry blood leading down it. There is also blood on one of the walls, showing that whatever has been bleeding has leaned against the wall for support. This means two more other important things. Three, it is badly injured, and four, even when injured it still had the strength to open those doors.
“Why is the blood in here wet and the blood out there dry?” asks Rainbow Dash who is rubbing herself to keep warm, her eyes fixed on the blood. Like it would attack her.
“It’s hot out there so the blood will dry up quickly, it’s cold in here so the blood has yet to dry” Twilight says, on autopilot, because her eyes are transfixed on the place where the bloody trail starts.
It is a pile of rubble covered in blood and something black. Twilight and her friends approach it, Pinkie Pie picks up some of the thin black stuff, she gasps as it crumbles into dust in her hoof. As Twilight got closer she sees the largest piece of it. It's in the shape of a huge tube, which looks like something had broken out of it. Twilight shivers at the thought. But before she has a chance to examine it, a voice grabs her attention.
“Hay, there's a box over here,” calls out Rainbow Dash.
Twilight looks over and see an opened box in front of some wreckage. She runs over, careful not to step on anything and looks inside it. She thought it was empty, until Rarity pulls out something that she didn't see. It is a baggy black hoodie for a pony.
“What lovely fabric,” Rarity says, as she runs her non bloody hoof across, “Shame it’s on something as uncouth as a hoodie.” She adds, looking disgusted.
“I think it’s pretty cool” Pinkie Pie says, coming out of underneath and sliding up into the hoodie.
“Pinkie take that off, it does not suit you at all. Black is not your colour.” Rarity scolds.
“Aww, but it’s so cool looking and warm.” Pinkie pouts while bouncing on the spot. Suddenly, there is a tinkle of something small hitting metal as an object falls from the hoodie's pocket and hits the floor. Twilight picks up it up with her magic and examines it. There are two flat pieces of metal hanging on a metal necklace.
“It’s a dog-tag?” says Rainbow Dash, surprised.
“A what?” asks Twilight, who had never heard of such a thing.
“It's what soldiers use to identify bodies on the battlefield” Rainbow Dash states.
Just another mystery to add to the pile, a hoodie for a pony and a dog-tag that soldiers use.
"Now how did you know that, Rainbow Dash?" asks Applejack.
Rainbow just shrugs, "Read about it in some magazine somewhere," she says dismissively, she then turns to Twilight, “What does it say?”
“Huh?” Twilight replies, who was not paying attention.
Rainbow Dash just groans and facehooves. “Look on it, Twilight, it should have the owner’s name, blood group, religious preference, service number and place of origin on each piece of metal.”
“Oh,” Twilight replies, looking sheepish.
She looks at it carefully and finds that she can’t read the strange language on either piece. She flips one of them around and can see that on the other side is an odd V like symbol holding three stars in it.
“I can’t read it, I mean I don’t even recognise the language” Twilight says, with a hint of frustration in her voice as she grabs the hoodie and stuffs it with the dog-tag in her saddle bags.
Before anypony can add anything.
“By Luna! It's cold in here!” It's Thunderclap, “Princess, where are you?” he says, looking around in annoyance.
“I’m here” says Twilight, wondering why he can’t see her.
His face is momentarily shocked and then he gives a wide grin, “Sorry Princess didn't see you, with you know, you being all blacked up and all”
Twilight frowns and then remember that she is covered in black soot. She hears Rainbow Dash trying very hard not to laugh at her again.
“So there is blood in here too,” Thunderclap says, being serious again, “We found some blood at the edge of the forest too.”
“Really” Twilight ears perking up at this, “Can you show us it to us?”
He seems to frown at this but then nod his head “Sure” he says slowly, as he walks back toward the door. Twilight follows, with her friends following closely behind her.
They reach the edge of the crater. Two Guards are standing to attention at a point near the forest. As the girls get closer, they see blood on some of the leaves and grass.
“Gave me quite a shock when Corporal Fisher showed me that” Thunderclap says all serious, nodding to one of the guard, who nods back. Thunderclap continuing says, “I took a guess and guessed were it might have come from, and I was right. So tell me, how much is in there, Princess?”
“A lot, Sergeant” Twilight says sadly. “How can it still get this far when it’s bleeding this bad?” She looks back at the smoking object which is at least a five minute walk away.
“It has either got a lot of stamina or it’s pretty big," Thunderclap says, shaking his head, "I don’t think I know any pony that can still stand let alone walk after losing that much blood. It will most likely be dead soon!”
Pinkie looks shocked and turns to Twilight, “Twilight! We must help the alien!”
Twilight nods her head, “If it’s in trouble we should help it” she says, walking forward, only to be blocked by the two guard’s wings that have spread out to block the path. Twilight turns to see Thunderclap shaking his head again.
“Princess, I can’t let the newest Princess of Equestria go into possible danger without warning you first.” Thunderclap face is even more serious. “If you go, we can’t follow or help you. We have to stay on guard. So can you please stay here until the experts arrive?” He stares hard at the Princess.
Twilight returns the stare, “No we can’t, there something in trouble and hurt. I can’t just stay here and do nothing. It could be dying and in need of aid and you can’t stop me from helping it!” she says confidently.
“I know I can’t,” Thunderclap says, nodding toward the two guards, who retract their wings out of the way. “Just be careful and don’t die! I don’t want to be fired,” he adds, smiling a little.
“Thank you, and don’t worry, we will be careful,” Twilight says running into the forest with her friends.
As the girls disappear in the woods, Thunderclap flies back down to the object and goes inside. He he looks back to see if he was followed. His eyes start to glow a brilliant white. He looks around scanning every detail and sniffing the air, before spotting the broken black cocoon. With a stomp of his hoof, he destroys it. He looks around and, satisfied he has not missed anything, sheds his disguise, revealing a misty white-grey stallion with glowing white eyes, a glowing white tail and mane. Every step he takes puffs out wisps of white mist which makes a trail behind him as he walks[1]. He stops and starts to chant something. A column of black smoke appears and a motherly voice speaks out of it.
“Ahh Mendax, what news do you bring about the… problem?” it says, sweet and calm.
“It’s safe, Mother” Mendax says in a cold but respectful voice kneeling down. “This Plane of Existence has welcomed this change, and is adapting as we speak at a quicker rate than I thought it would.”
“Who did it?” she asks.
“I don’t know, Mother,” he says kneeling down lower as if to apologise, “I looked and all I can find is a small amount of fading True Magic and a cocoon made from Real Darkness, and I have removed both of them, just in case.” His head now touching the ground he continues, “I'm sorry Mother. I have failed to find anything of use.”
“Get your head off the ground my child, and stand tall” the voice scolds and continues, “The lack of clues is a clue in itself, it means only He can have done this, because only He and his race can do something this well, without leaving any clues.”
“But Mother, without evidence we can’t confront Him” says Mendax.
“I know. He has won this little game, again” the voice says bitterly. “But no harm us been done here and The Plane has accepted this, so we won’t do anything” The voice says now a lot calmer.
“Yes Mother.” Mendax says standing to attention, “What are my orders.”
“Just continue your job as warden with the disguise of Thunderclap and keep pretending to be a Guard of this Celestia.” says the voice more cheerfully. “Also watch out for our new guest, just in case He shows up.”
Mendax smiles at this, “Thank you Mother, I'm enjoying myself as Thunderclap, it’s a lot of fun.”
A long and slender pony head comes out of the column of black and kisses Mendax on the forehead. “I know my child, enjoy yourself.” She says as the face and the column disappear, leaving Mendax alone.
“Bye, Mother,” he says as white mist engulfs him. When the mist dissipates he is Thunderclap again, the simple Sergeant in her Majesty’s Guard.
Outside, he meets another guard, it is Corporal Fisher.
“Sir! We hear noises coming from the forest, sir,” he says saluting.
“What kind of noise, solider?” Thunderclap says, crossing his front hooves.
“It was like multiple explosions, sir,” Fisher says.
“What did you do, solider,” Thunderclap says looking out toward the forest.
“Nothing, sir. I came to get you,” he says, now flying to attention.
Thunderclap wonders if the girls are OK. If not, they will be joining the many other dead Mane Sixes in the Soul Library. He then address Fisher, “Listen we have our orders, we are to stay here and guard the space object until the experts arrive, and I did warn the girls to wait.” He looks at Fisher face which is still worried, and sighs, “And if something has happen to them I will take the blame, OK. Now get back to your post.”
Fisher, still worried, salutes again and flies off. Thunderclap looks out to the forest and sighs again, then flies back to his post.
Over Five Minutes Ago in the Everfree Forest
Twilight runs through the forest following the trail of blood, she is closely followed by her friends. Suddenly the blood thins and then stops.
“Curses! The blood’s stopped. Let’s look if we can pick up a new trail,” Twilight orders, as she starts to look around.
“Roger, Twilight!” says Pinkie Pie as she jumps into the brush with a magnifying glass. Suddenly her head pops out, “So what do you think the alien will be like?” she asks, looking at every leaf for clues.
“I told you to stop talking about aliens!” Twilight says in annoyance, while she looks about.
“Umm, no offence Twilight, but what else could it be,” says Applejack, who is scanning the ground.
“Maybe it’s has sharp teeth, eight legs, a tail, a slimy body and one eye that shoots lasers,” says Rainbow Dash from above them.
“That sounds horrible, Rainbow Dash!” says Rarity, with a disgusted look on her face. She than turns to Fluttershy who is walking around checking bushes, “What do think Fluttershy dear?”
Fluttershy just smiles and says, “Oh I don’t care what it looks like, I just hope it’s nice-EEEP!”
Fluttershy falls over and disappears into the bushes.
“Fluttershy, are you alright?” asks Applejack.
Nothing is heard for a few seconds then she replies, “Yes I’m all right, I just fel… I just…” Then Fluttershy screams.
They all dash into the bushes and see her hooves, her legs and her chest are covered in blood. She is staring in horror at something else though. The girls follow her gaze and what they see nearly makes them throw up. It's a Manticore, and it is missing its head. Well when I say missing I mean it still there, just all over the forest floor and up a nearby tree.
“What could have done this?” asks Rarity, who is trying to clean Fluttershy’s bloody hooves, which is hard because she is shaking in terror.
“I don’t know!” says Twilight, fear in her voice.
“I mean, it is wounded and it can still kill a full grown Manticore. All six of us had trouble dealing with one when we weren't injured!” Rainbow Dash says in wonder.
“Maybe its weird alien power can make thing’s heads go boom,” Pinkie says, looking slightly green.
Before Twilight speak, Applejack calls out, “Hey I found a new path, girls! Do you still want to follow it though?”
Twilight can see that whatever killed the Manticore has left a trail of Manticore blood behind it, and it is heading right to Ponyville.
“We’ve got to get moving. I think it’s heading straight for Ponyville,” orders a worried Twilight.
Now they realise they are no longer just chasing a wounded creature, they are chasing a wounded and very dangerous creature. Rarity helps up Fluttershy who though still covered in blood has more important things to worry about. They look at each other and nod in silent agreement and rush towards Ponyville.
Whatever is ahead of them is leaving a clear trail. A trail of death! They come across a lot of dead creatures, some they recognizes and some unrecognizable. They are cautious now, just walking. A rustling from a bush cause the girls to freeze up, but it is only a bunny.
“Geez, I'm jumpier than a Timber Wolf at a bonfire,” says Applejack rubbing the sweat off her forehead.
Twilight wishes Applejack hadn't said that, it reminds her of what they had seen a minute ago, a pack of Timber Wolves that were all burnt alive as if by a large fire.
“I still can’t believe it killed a cockatrice” says Rainbow Dash, grimacing remembering the sight, “Its head was just crushed against a tree!”
“I still can’t get the snake out of my head,” whines Rarity, “It was sliced right down the middle and with its wounds all cauterized.”
“The poor bear,” says Fluttershy, close to tears, “It had so many holes in it.”
“Girls calm down,” Twilight says trying to calm them even though she herself is terrified, “Remember if we stay calm and work together and then nothing can stop us.”
She starts to walk again, unaware that she is in something’s scope. A black sniper is tracking her head.
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A black sniper?!?! Hope its shepy also good chapter though how would shepy survive all thoughs in counters does she have medi-gel?
4779727 Maybe because they are just dumb animals and she has guns
4779764 but still the blood loss like your talking about after few minuts delusion after ten loss of balence and cordination then passes out then death
4779831 I know that. I did research. But then I remember the end of mass effect 3. Shepard was covered in blood. Also she has excess blood from the transformation. Remember a pony is smaller than a human.
4779852 oh yea true wait if she's a pony...who is she using guns. Did I miss that part?
playing mass effect Iron man play through as I'm talking about this4779857 Didn't you read the Prologue
Ring a bell
4779880 That's her body not gear?
4779894 OK just wait until Chapter 3. It will make more sense then.
4779909 ok it was more jest trying to understand for myself then anything