To Err is Equine

by RLYoshi

16: Have An Ice Day

[Perspective: Arrell]

Well, suffice to say my dynamic entry into Smooth Grove wasn't met with cheers and applause, but rather with screams and pain.

I can deal with that.

The idiots trying to tear down the town turned on me, ready for a battle. I had already knocked away a few of them, but most of them were back. I estimated that I had about twenty ponies left to take care of.

Me versus twenty trained fighters...normally I'd say the odds are clearly in their favour, but... I cracked my neck, grinning wickedly. I'm feeling pretty good right now...and I think I know why.

Deciding to take the Leeroy Jenkins approach, three of the guys charged me at once. I inhaled for another voice attack, but apparently they learned, and dove to the side. What they didn't expect was my Plan B: pulling small ice pillars out of the ground for them to smash their heads against.

Still holding my breath, I turned and unleashed a mighty shout on the frozen lake behind me, causing the top half to break off and slowly slide onto the ground below. This resulted in a tremor that knocked several other of the group members off their hooves.

I jumped into the air and let my back legs fade away, flying up and over the town. Seeing me take to the sky, about five of the gang's unicorn members pulled out bows and arrows, aiming for me. I quickly called up my drop shield, deflecting all of their arrows...for the moment.

Okay, maybe I should've thought this over before just flying into the air where I can't really attack them...

Looking around with the last few precious seconds I had before my shield dissipated, I spotted Risk down below, charging into the fight. On the other side of the town-turned-battlefield, False was sneaking into the forest with another mare by her side. Where's Nimble?

Suddenly, my shield vanished, and one arrow flew right by me. Seeing more coming at me, I continued to dodge, but I knew I couldn't keep it up for long. Sure enough, it was only a matter of time before I flew to the left instead of right, and an arrow hit me in the-

Don't make the reference. Don't make the reference. Don't make the reference.

Wincing as I shook my leg, I pried the arrow out with my mouth and let it drop to the ground below. Glaring, I summoned a cold aura around myself, acting as a fog to hide me for a little while.

Okay, new strategy. They have weapons for combat both close and far, are lethal with both, and can take more of a beating than expected. I'm gonna need some help and some time...but I don't have either! Gah!

The fog began to disappear, and I knew I wouldn't last long without it. I braced myself for the incoming onslaught of arrows and hoped for the best.

---

[Perspective: False Front]

The mare and I galloped through the forest, hoping we hadn't been followed. We eventually stopped by a large tree, sitting down to rest. The mare suddenly passed out, likely tired from everything that had happened. I watched over her while I waited for everything to finish up over in town.

At least, it should've been that simple.

Only a couple minutes had passed before a knife suddenly flew by my head, striking the tree behind me. Drawing my stolen sword, I faced the direction the weapon had come from, seeing two earth ponies from the gang running towards us.

Dammit! They must have snuck after us!

I held my sword and prepared to fight, but I knew it would be pointless. There were two of them, one of me, and I was tired. Plus, I was using a weapon I was unfamiliar with, in a place where vision was extremely obscured by darkness and trees, and guarding an unconscious mare.

This would not end well.

I slashed once at the duo, completely missing as they jumped to separate sides. One of them pounced on me from behind, but I ducked and let them sail over me. I turned to the second one to find him holding a knife to the still sleeping mare's throat...

...until he got kicked in the head and knocked out.

Nimble Night, the Fine Rock clutched in one front hoof, flashed me a small grin before looking worried. "Behind you!"

I turned quickly, but not quickly enough – the pony I hadn't been paying attention to flung a knife at me, which I failed to dodge. The blade sunk into my front right leg, causing me to collapse and let out a grunt of pain as my sword dropped.

Taking the opportunity, the pony charged with another knife held in his mouth, but Nimble jumped in front of me protectively. Taking this as a challenge, the pony grinned and went for the colt rather than me. I protested, but my voice came out quiet and weak as my vision swam...

That...that knife...

I looked down at the weapon still stuck in my leg. It felt like it took hours, but I pulled it out with my other front hoof, revealing a few remaining drops of a strange liquid on it. Poison.

---

Living up to his name, Nimble proved difficult to catch. The pony he faced tried every one of his strategies, but all his foe had to do was dodge or hide in the shadows to stay unstoppable. Feeling great anger, the pony finally gave up and just threw the knife.

Nimble dropped the Fine Rock, stuck out his hoof, and caught the knife out of the air.

"Leave."

That word was enough to send the pony running off, anger turned to fear of his young enemy. Dropping the knife in exchange for the Fine Rock, Nimble trotted up to False, who was now unconscious.

Worrying greatly, Nimble leaned the pink mare up against the tree that the other mare was up against – but not before moving aside the limp form of the first pony attacker. Looking around for anypony else, the young colt saw nopony to help, stressing him further.

I need to find help...quickly!

Nimble concentrated on the Fine Rock, managing to use a bit of its magic to levitate it a few inches over his back and hold it there, allowing him to move without needing to manually hold it. He galloped out of the forest after memorizing where False was, looking for Risk or Arrell to help.

---

[Perspective: Risk Reward]

I charged through Smooth Grove, swinging my new weapon at everypony who tried to stop me. I had seen Arrell get shot and put up the fog, and I knew he was in trouble. I had to cut down on their numbers as much as I could.

I made sure not to deal any lethal blows and aimed to get the gang members down, but not entirely out. Killing wasn't on my agenda, and I didn't want to put it on unless it came down to it.

Glancing up at Arrell's fog cloud, I saw it slowly disappear, opening him to more attacks. As the first round of arrows flew up at him, I looked around for their source, hoping to take down the archers before they took Arrell down instead.

"Mr. Risk!"

The familiar voice drew my attention, and I saw Nimble hiding in the shadows of one building that had taken little to no damage. Somehow, he camoflauged perfectly, and I galloped over to him.

"What is it, Nimble?" I asked, panting for breath as my adrenaline rush began to wear off.

"Miss Front is hurt!" he half-yelled, keeping his voice low to avoid being overheard. "She got poisoned back in the forest!"

I gritted my teeth. As if I didn't have enough problems already... That's when I noticed the Fine Rock hovering over him.

"Why did you bring that?!" I asked, panicking. "That's why these ponies are here!"

"It wants to get to Arrell," he replied simply. "I need to get it to him, but I can't fly up to him!"

A scream interrupted my response, and I turned to see Arrell fall from the sky, no less than four arrows sticking out of him now. My eyes widened as he hit the ground, vulnerable.

"Well, that solves one problem," I grunted. "Except now it opens about fifty more."

Comments

[AliCentaur Br0ny]

Ouch.

[Dusk Apollo]

Five arrows before falling to the ground...
One poisoned knife...

I shudder to think what might happen to Risk.

[Runcible Spoon]

Comment.

[Serefin]

2891833 Snarky reply

[GordonFreebrony]

3064863
Sarcastic response.

[Pluma the Fluffy Dragon]

Those ponies have done goofed

[someone else]

3071908 Random interruption.

[Leviatah-13]

3187967 i am here to say Hi... and now i gonna fly to the castle!

[Alex Prior]

3426217 Flat 'What.'