The Maze Galloper

by Sumiye

New Friends?

Greenie stood afterward, her hooves refusing to move her forward. After a moment, she finally forced herself to stare at the rugged building. A group of mares stared fearfully outside, glancing at the upper windows as if anticipating a hideous beast to burst out in an explosion of glass and burning wood.

A wretched scraping from the branches grabbed her attention, and Greenie looked up: only to find a sliver of green and red light flash by her eyes, before disappearing behind a large trunk in a mere second. Greenie hoofs suddenly came back to life, and shot her forward to the trunk where the being had slithered behind. Greenie strained her neck around, trying to find whatever she saw, but was only welcomed by withering branches, gray and brown, which were reaching out like a Skelepony's hooves.

"That was a Cockatrice...oh! Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt your thoughts..." A soft mare's voice snapped Greenie out of her trance, and she turned to find a small butter-yellow pegasus standing behind her, the pony's hoof slowly scraping against the rough ground. The mare's body was shaking violently, her wings scratched and bruised as if they had been tied there, and her pink mane was hanging loosely over her face and to the ground.

"A Cocka-what-now?"

"....Cockatrice," The mare finally squeaked, and Greenie had to strain to hear the small voice that emanated. "It won't hurt you unless you look in it's eyes," She paused, her voice stopping suddenly as another scream tore through the air, filling Greenie with a cold dread that gripped her heart. She swiftly turned to the mare again, and saw her tumbling more violently than before, her legs stiff as if she was forcing herself not to either flee or go help.

"What's going on over there?" Greenie's hoof sluggishly pointed toward the building, and the pegasus slowly stared up, revealing crystal-blue eyes filled with fear.

"I don't know," She finally replied, her trembles turning into barely noticeable shakes. "But I don't ever want to find out. All I know is that Suri's in there, sick longer than I've been here. They got her."

"They?" Greenie didn't like the way this mare said it: full of dread and terror.

"...Yeah."

"Who's they?" The question was barely out of her mouth before the pegasus broke down in sobs. Greenie quickly grabbed the distressed mare, holding her close with tears dropped onto her cloak.

"I-I h-h-hope you never find o-out!" The words were nearly audible, but Greenie heard the clearly, confused at how this one they could be so terrifying. After a moment, the mare stopped crying and plucked her hooves off Greenie, standing back down on all fours and wiping her eyes to stop the tears.

"I'm Fluttershy," Fluttershy held out a hoof, and Greenie brought up her own and shook it. "I was the Greenie before you got here."

This is my guide for the night? Greenie thought, her eyes wondering around, trying desperately not to look at the pony she just met. It's not like she disliked Fluttershy...but her extreme shyness was starting to annoy her. She groaned as her head pounded even more.

"Why does everyone keep calling me Greenie? And...what happened to your wings?" The second question seemed to upset Fluttershy, because her eyes tarted to gloss over again, but she blinked them quickly, stopping the tears before the tears spilled out.

"For the first question, we call you Greenie because your the newbie," A soft chuckle soon followed, surprising Greenie greatly as she watched Fluttershy cover her mouth and blush slightly. "As the my wings..." Fluttershy stared down at her wings, which still seemed like they had been roped together for a while. "They were clamped shut because I tried to escape."

"What!?!"

"Yeah, when I first got here, I was so freaked and scared that I tried to fly out, to escape the mares that were surrounding me...but I didn't get far. Rainbow Dash chased after me and latched onto me in seconds, pulling me back towards the ground. When I got there, the unicorns used their magic to strap me on the ground...while the E-Earth P-Ponies came forward. That held to large, i-iron clamps in their hooves, and after that.......I don't remember anything until next morning, when I woke up and found myself s-sitting on a b-bed w-w-with c-clamps on m-my w-wings." Fluttershy quickly shut her mouth, silencing the cry that was about to escape, and stared back at her wings, which flapped lightly, hovering her a little.

"When did they take off t-!" Greenie's question went unfinished as another scream came slicing by, causing both her and Fluttershy to drop on the ground and clamp their hooves over their ears. The screamed soon came to a stop, and both mares stood up, relief filling their bodies.

"What's happening in there!?!" Greenie finally snapped, glaring down at Fluttershy with annoyance and anger. Both emotions suddenly diminished as her eyes widened when Fluttershy dropped down again, shrieking in fright.

"I'm sorry! Please don't hurt me!! They're going to be alright if they get the Serum in time! It's all or nothing. Dead or Not Dead. Just hurts a lot!!"

The last statement froze Greenie in her spot, her eyes filling with confusion. "What hurts a lot?" Her question went unanswered for a moment, but the shivering Fluttershy finally answered, her tone full of fear and confusion.

"Getting stung by the Grievers...I'm sorry for answering...just please don't yell again..." Greenie eyes then widened when she realized just how much she had freaked out Fluttershy. Her eyes returned to their calm emotion, but now there was a small hint of guilt. Her hoof slowly came up and stroked Fluttershy's head, causing the pegasus squeak and curl herself smaller.

"I'm sorry, Fluttershy. I'm really stressed and confused." The words hung in the air for a moment before Fluttershy stuck her head back out, staring at Greenie with wide eyes. After a moment, Greenie's mind started to wonder to the words Flutershy had said before. Stung...Grievers? The words had a heavy weight of dread to them, and Greenie wasn't so sure she wanted to hear what they meant anymore. Greenie turned again and was relieved to find Fluttershy standing up again, her hooves shaking but strong.

"Fluttershy...how old do you think I am?" The question was completely sudden, and Fluttershy jumped with a gasp before calming down and turning to Greenie.

The mare scanned her up and down. "I would say about eighteen, maybe. And in case you're wondering: Unicorn...I think, violet mane with a pink stripe coming through. Same with your tail."

Greenie's head pounded again, her mind whirling with questions. She was eighteen!? Eighteen!? She felt a slight bit younger than that.

"Are you serious?" She cried, desperately searching for words. "How-" She was interrupted by Fluttershy, who grabbed her again and hugged her.

"Don't worry. You'll be whacked for a few days, but then you'll get used to this place. We live here, this is it! But it's actually not that bad!" Greenie wanted to believe her, but her mind thought otherwise. She barely noticed when Fluttershy started to lead her forward, and after a moment she wrenched herself out of the mare's grasp and started to walk on her own towards the building: shack was more like it. It looked about three or four stories high and about to crash at any minute. An assortment of logs and thick weeds with windows strung together at random, the massive, ivy-covered stone wall behind it. As she moved along, the oddly familiar sent of firewood and meat cooking made her stomach grumble. Now knowing what made the mares scream made Greenie feel better. Until she thought about was caused it...

Greenie finally reached the door, an ugly slab of Celes-Sun faded wood, and she pushed it open to reveal several grim-faced mares standing in the middle of a room. Dark wallpaper covered the foyer and hallway, half of it peeling off. The only decorations were a dusty vase on a small, three-legged table, only with a photo picturing a mare in a ghostly-white dress. It reminded Greenie of a Spook....House from a play.

The place wreaked of dust and mildew-a huge contrast to the pleasant scents outside. Flickering lights shone down from the ceiling, and Greenie couldn't help but be curious to where...electricity came from in a place like the Glade. She stared at the old photo of the mare before her. Had she lived here? Did she take care of them?

"Hey look, it's the Greenie!" A familiar voice yelled, and with a started Greenie realized it was Rainbow Dash, her cocky smile taunting her to come forward. She looked about seventeen or around that age, tall and skinny. "This mare probably was scared out of her wits when she heard old Granny Smith scream like a filly! Need a new diaper, egghead?" The words were probably an insult, but Greenie's eyes widened when a memory started to spark in her mind.

****

Greenie stared, wondrously, as a figure blurred by, kicking the clouds and busting them with each hit. After a moment, the figure slowed down, coming to a complete stop. Greenie's eyes widened when her vision finally cleared on who was kicking the clouds:

It was Rainbow Dash.

The mare seemed less tense, her mane flowing as her cocky smirk, now less rude and more friendly, flashed on her muzzle.

"What did I tell ya? Ten. Seconds. Flat." Rainbow started, but stopped when she saw Greenie's face of pure shock, mostly because of wonder and confusion. Her face was straight for a moment, but soon her lips curled up into a smile, a genuine smile, and then a hard laugh followed.

"Oh, you should see your face! You're a laugh, Twilight Sparkle! We should hang out some more."

****

The flashback quickly came to an end, and Greenie shook her head, glaring again at the Pegasus before her.

"Nice words. How many times have you used that insult. Every time?" She had to get away from this mare. Without another word, she galloped towards the stairs, only because they were close, and she had no idea what to do or say. But Rainbow sped in front, holding a hoof out.

"Hold on there, Greenie," She jerked a hoof in the direction of the upper floor. "You're not allowed to see someone who's been...taken. Pinks and AJ won't allow it."

"What's your deal!?!" Greenie asked, pushing the fear out of her voice, trying not to think of what Rainbow meant by taken. "I don't even know where I am. All I want is some help."

"Listen to me, unicorn," Rainbow seethed, slapping Greenie with one of her wings before trotting back to the base of the stairs. "I've seen you before. Something about you being here isn't right, and I'm gonna find out what."

A surge of anger flew it's way through Greenie's veins. "I've never seen you before in my life. I have no idea who you are, and I couldn't care less." The sudden memory then popped itself back into Greenie's mind, and guilt started to come up before she shook the thought, her mind turning the other things. How did Rainbow know her?

Rainbow solemnly snickered, a short burst of laughter mixed with a snort. Then her face turned serious, her magenta eyes narrowing to slits. "I've...seen you, buddy. Not to many around these parts can say they've been stung...but I can." She pointed towards the stairs again. "I know what Granny Smith is going through. I've lived it. And I saw you during the Changing."

She then thrusted her hooves forward, which slammed into Greenie's chest, causing her to stumble and gasp for air. "And I bet your first meal from Frypan that Granny'll say she's seen you too"

Greenie refused to break eye-contact, but her chest throbbed from pain and panic that was appearing. Would things ever stop getting worse?

"What?" Rainbow challenged, the mare's behind her starting to snicker. "Grievers got ha freaked? Don't wanna get stung, do ya?"

There was that word again. Stung. Greenie tried not to think about it, and even she had to own a gasp of surprise when her horn lit up in a magenta glow, enveloping her in a brig flash, and soon letting her reappear in front of the brash pegasus, already halfway up the stairs. "If Pinkie Pie is there, then I wanna talk to her."

Rainbow said nothing for a few seconds, her face switching back and forth from shocked and anger. Finally she sighed, hovering over and tapping Greenie on the shoulder.

"You know what-I shouldn't be so mean to Newbies. Go ahead: AJ and Pinks should fill you in. Seriously, no kidding. I'm sorry."

Rainbow lightly tapped Greenie with her wing, then flew back down, gesturing slightly to keep going. But Greenie knew she was up to something: Losing your memories doesn't make you an idiot. She slowly started to trot again, but froze when Rainbow's voice broke the silence again.

"Don't let anyone fool you: obviously I'm the leader here. Not those two loser mares up there...you can call me Captain Rainbow Dash if you want." With that she smiled for the first time, her teeth matching her attitude. Two large gaps stood on both ends of her smile, and none of the attached ones were remotely close to the color white. He breath was foul, and Greenie strained to grab a memory that seemed just out of reach, only to have it slip out of her grasp and float away. It made her stomach do flips.

"...Okay," She answered, desperately wanting to shriek and punch the cyan pegasus in the muzzle. "Captain Rainbow it is." Greenie swiftly exaggerated a salute, dealing a rush of adrenaline as she knew she crossed a line.

A few snickers found their way out of the crowd, and Rainbow turned, her face a burning red. She turned back to Greenie, her eyes stained with hate and nostrils flaring.

"Just trot up those stairs," Rainbow started, and Greenie flinched as she realized this pegasus looked as if they were alone, she would strangle her. "And stay away from me you slinthead." Then she turned away, striking Greenie on the base of her nose with her tail before trotting out. Greenie stood for a moment, then turned to Fluttershy, who had a look of surprise and distress.

"You're not supposed to go," She said, her calm voice wavering. "You're a Newbie-you just can't!" Greenie started to regret coming in here in the first place: but she did want to talk to Pinkemena. She started up from her spot on the stairs, each step creaked under her weight: Greenie wouldn't stopped if it wasn't for leaving an awkward conversation. Up she went, wincing as the wood creaked and groaned under her. The stairs turned left, then came upon a railed pathway leading to several rooms. Only one door had light shining through a crack at the bottom.

With a sudden burst of courage, Greenie shot towards the lit door, ignoring the creaking floorboards and laughing downstairs. She slowly reached down, grasping the handle between her two hooves, and quietly opening the door.

Inside the room, Pinkemena and Applejack were solemnly looking over an old mare laying in a bed.

Greenie leaned forward, trying to get a closer look at what the fuss was all about, but when she saw the condition of the patient, her heart went cold.

The look was fast-only a few seconds-but the ghastly image already burned itself into Greenie's mind, enough to haunt her for years to come. A twisted, pale green mare, writhing in agony. Tight, rigid cords of sickly blue veins webbed across the mare's body and limbs, like ropes tightening around her skin. Purplish bruises covered the pony, red hives, bloody scratches. Her bloodshot eyes bulged, darting back and forth. Greenie just stared, horrified at the sight before her, but stopped as a voice shook her out of her thoughts.

"What are ya doing up here, Greenie!?!" Applejack yelled, her muzzle furrowed with anger, eyes on fire. Greenie yelped at the sudden noise, and her horn once again flashed to life, enveloping her and whisking her away in a flash of light and depositing her back on the bottom floor, causing many ponies to stumble back in surprise. After a moment, voice started to swarm up, questions overwhelming her.

"What happen-"

"Did they see y-"

"What did you se-"

"Is AJ coming for yo-"

"Stop It!" Greenie finally snapped, her mane erupting in flames, resulting in shrieks of terror and some mares trying to whisk the flames off her coat. The fuming mare quickly swung around, grabbing Fluttershy by one of her hooves and pulling her out the door.

Greenie hated these people. She hated all of them. Except for Fluttershy. "Get me away from these wackos," Greenie said, and suddenly came to the realization that Fluttershy might be her only friend in the world at this moment.

"Y-You got i-i-it," Fluttershy replied, her voice slowly regained it's composure. "But first we should get you some food from BonBon."

"I don't know if I can ever eat again."

Flutters nodded. "Yes you will. I'll meet you at the tree in ten minutes." She swiftly turned around to walk away, but stopped when Greenie placed a hoof on her back, causing her to turn again.

"...The name's Twilight Sparkle." Fluttershy's eyes widened for a moment before softening, and the Pegasus just nodded her head before heading off.

Twilight was delighted to get away from the house, and headed back toward the tree. She'd only known what it was like to be alive here for a short while, but she desperately wanted it to end. She wished for all the world she could remember something about her previous life. Anything. Her Mom, Dad, Friends, his School, a hobby...a Stallion.

Twilight blinked several times, trying to erase the image she had just seen out of her mind.

The Changeing. Rainbow had addressed it as the Changeing.

It wasn't chilly, but Twilight shivered once again.

Comments

[Twilight978]

Oh wow well Thai is getting interesting chat wait for more.

[Sumiye]

Thank You you're all so nice! I'll try to keep updating regularly.