One Way

by jroddie

8: of Fighting and Rainbows

Chapter 8

“But what do you mean he was attacked?” Said a deep voice

“We know nothing until regains consciousness.” said a smaller voice, filled with concern.

“Were there any witnesses?” the deep voice demanded.

silence.

“One...” said the voice,trembling with emotion. I rolled onto my side.

“Ah. He is waking up, you should attend to him.” the deep voice spoke. I heard heavy hoofbeats walking away.

“Where are you going?” asked the concerned voice.

“I must speak with Celestia, if things are really this bad.” answered the deep voice.
A door closed.

“Hello? Are... are you okay?” said a small voice. I opened my eyes to see a small yellow pony with pink hair

“Fluh... Fluttershy?” I asked, my mouth dry. I seemed to be lying on a bed.

“Y-Yes, but... I have never met you before. How do you know my name?” asked the small pony, her eyes alight. This left me with cause for thought, because I was sure that I met her before.

“Ah, Edwin! let me explain this conundrum to you.” said an enthusiastic voice

“Doctor?” I mumbled, squinting my eyes at a pale brown blob.

“Yes. You see, Fluttershy knew your name back in the Library because she has met you before, in literal terms, right now. In your own personal timeline, you met her two days ago, while she hasn’t met you in the unaltered timeline. So, Edwin, it would be best to introduce yourself.”

I stared at the doctor, trying to comprehend what he just said.

“I’m the Doctor, Edwin. Nopony ever gets me their first go.” The doctor replied to my look of disbelief. I turned to look at Fluttershy.

“Hello Fluttershy, I’m Edwin. You can call me Ed.” I said to the yellow pony.

“H-Hello Ed... I’m Fluttershy...” replied the pony meekly. I hoped she wouldn’t squeal again, because I might hurt myself laughing.

“You guys done?” said another voice from behind me. I rolled over on my back and saw Antony in the corner, curled up on a table. He looked at us, picking his teeth with a summoned pocket knife. He looked at me, then back to Fluttershy.

“You done with him, Doc? Celestia needs him, and frankly, I have a promise to keep.” said Antony, dissolving the pocket knife. I grinned at him, remembering.

“Well, um... I don’t know if he is okay to be moved... Is it alright with you, Ed?” Fluttershy said quietly, turning away from Antony to look at me. I moved around, and nothing seemed to hurt.

“I feel great. I’ll be sure to ring you up next time I need a doctor... a MEDICAL doctor, that is.” I added, seeing the Doctor smile.

“Well, we are to be expected in the throne room at about eleven... So that leaves you and Antony some time for... What are you two up to, anyways?” the Doctor asked.

“He is teaching me magic.” I said stiffly, stretching out of bed. Antony shuddered on his table and fell off. I rolled out of bed, making a good thump. Fluttershy jumped, surprised. The Doctor just laughed.

“Oi! You lot done yet? We’ve got places to be!” the Doctor said, galloping out of the door. Antony looked after him and groaned, still stretching on the ground. I lied there on the ground, looking over at Fluttershy’s hooves.

“Why are you yellow, Fluttershy?” I asked, my face smooshed to the floor

“I... I think that you had too much of the poultice...” Fluttershy stammered as i crawled over to her forehooves.

“They are so soft...” I mumbled dreamily to a pastel yellow hoof, rubbing it with my forehooves. I started laughing, which surprised Fluttershy.

“Hey... Antony...” I said groggily, giggling.

“You’re stoned, Ed.” Antony replied, getting up off of the floor.

“D’you... D’you think that I’ll get th- three wishes if I rub it?” I said, laughing into the floor.

“I’m sorry, Fluttershy, I’ll fix this.” He stumbled over to me, magicking me away from Fluttershy.

“Oh, it’s okay... It really doesn't-” Fluttershy was cut off as I laughed harder than ever, realizing that I was floating.

“LOOK AT ME, ANTON-EEE!” I shouted, having fun in the air.

“Ed! Shut up!” Antony shouted, staring at me. This remark made me stop laughing, long enough for Antony to fling me out of the room. I crashed into an old suit of pony armor. The noise was deafening. Antony cringed, screwing up his face. He clomped over to me, staring at me with a mad look in his eyes.

“Edwin! No matter what is wrong with you right now, that is no excuse for how you have acted around a mare! When we are done training for today, you are going to apologize to Fluttershy for the way you have acted!” He spat at me in a hushed tone. I realized the import of my actions and how atrocious my first impression was on Fluttershy. I sobered.

“Of course, Antony... I will.” I said, ashamed of myself.

“Then let us be off to Celestia’s chambers, for we have an important meeting to attend.” Antony spoke as he galloped off into the maze of hallways. We were silent for a long while, when I asked him

“Antony, what is the meeting about?” Antony seemed to contemplate this for a moment.

“As the heads of the guard companies, you and I are to be in attendance to a gathering on why and how the creature tried to abduct Princess Luna last night.” Antony spoke without inflection, focusing on galloping. I thought about this for a minute.

“I am the captain of a guard company?” I asked, surprised. Antony looked at me, then grunted.

“Yes, you are the captain of the forward guard. The last captain died, and we were looking for someone to replace him when you showed up with that Doctor and his blue box. You arent really about to die anytime soon, so we chose you.” Antony said, the breeze of running flowing through his grey mane.
“How did he die?” I asked. Antony coughed.
“He was impaled, if you must know.” He replied. We flew down a windowed walkway, and I was amazed by the beauty of the countryside. Rolling hills dotted with trees. I only had a moment to savor the hillside as we swept into the halls again.

“Right here, Edwin.” Antony murmured, pointing to the right of the throne room. I saw nothing there, except for an ornate statue. Antony walked up to it, knocked on the wall once. there was three knocks in response, to which Antony knocked four times. A portion of the wall swung in as an armor clad pony waved us in.

“Quickly!” he grumbled in a rough voice, and ushered us in.

The room was well lit, and i could see about 20 ponies assembled around a short square table. There most of them were browns and greys, but there was one pony that had a bright blue coat and rainbow mane. I looked at her again to see if my eyes could have possibly deceived me, but they were right. Antony led me around to the far side of the table.

“I call this meeting of the Royal guard to order” He boomed, his voice carrying across the table. All of the ponies turned to stare at him.

“As some of you may be aware, there was an unwelcome creature that appeared in the courtyard evening of last with intent to capture Princess Luna.” Antony spoke. The ponies murmured, but became still when he spoke again.

“The Numbered here wounded the creature, where upon it made leave of the Royal estate. It left no bodies, no alarms set off. This must mean that it entered the courtyard by magic.” The ponies murmured, but again fell silent when Antony spoke.

“We have nothing to go on. We do not even know why the beast wished to kidnap the princess, but we do know that-” Antony was cut off by a sharp rap at the door. The gruff pony that escorted us in walked over to the door, and knocked three times. The response was four knocks. The gruff pony pulled the door in, and let what seemed to be a young colt, almost a foal, into the room.

“Captain Antony! Permission to speak sir!” squeaked the young colt, his voice cracking.

“As you will, Mordecai.” spoke Antony.

“The lower outpost has detected enemy troops on the cliff face, Sir! They are climbing quickly!” The assembled ponies burst into cacophony at this statement, arguing amongst themselves.

“Edwin, I will handle this. Go over to the blue mare and tell her to mobilize the third forward airborne. Go with her.” Antony spoke with calm intent, looking up at me. I walked over to the mare and said what Antony told me to. She began to walk out of the door before I finished.

“Can you fly?” The rainbow mare asked, her eyes looking at my lack of wings. She was dressed in a black bodysuit, covering everything except for her face, mane and wings.

“You would be surprised at the things I can do. What’s with the clothes?” I asked, gesturing.
“Windburn hurts.” She replied as she walked up to a window, and opened it. She whistled an odd tune, and waited. Black shapes flew past the window, screaming.

“That’s our cue.” She said as she jumped from the window. I rushed up to the window to watch her fall. I remembered what Antony said about following her, and flung myself from the castle. I fell freely for a few seconds because the feeling was exhilarating. The wind flung my mane back, as gravity was so keen on killing me. I oriented myself with magic in position to the cliff, and fell down. I saw the flying black shapes swing down to touch the cliff, and fly back out again. I tried this, and found myself face to face with an Angelic. I grabbed his pale grey mane, pulling him off of the cliff. He shouted at me as he made the pain course through my body, but I was used to it now. I called upon the lightning, making It flow through my appendages. The lightning flowed through my forehooves, making the Angelic convulse. I released the lightning through my hind legs, expediting our arrival to the ground. I felt the speed push my face back against my skull, and watched the ground rush up as I held the Angelic. I shot lightning from my hooves, pushing him away from me so I could pull out of my dive. The Angelic screamed as its’ body drove itself into the ground, literally digging his own grave. I pulled out of my fall, hovering a good hundred feet away from the cliff. Looking up, I could see the problem.

There were literally thousands of Angelics scaling the cliff, trying to enter the Palace. I stared at them in amazement, wondering how they could amass such a force. I saw the rainbow mare fly by, and shouted.

“OI! YOU!” I boomed, trying my best to get her attention. She arced around to fly back to me, and hovered. She said nothing

“What is your name?” I asked, impatient

“First Lieutenant Dash of the forward third.” she spoke hurriedly, glancing back to the battle.

“Lieutenant Dash, tell your ponies to get away from the cliff. I don’t want anypony to get hurt.” I replied quickly, noticing her anxiety. She flew away, rustling my mane as she flew past.

I closed my eyes as the flash of color named Lieutenant Dash streaked towards the cliff, focusing inward. The part of myself that was Ghost was different than the Numbered part, and I’d only used my Ghost powers to summon blankets and limbs. What I was about to do was something completely different from what anything that anypony had ever tried to do. I thought back to the first night, in Twilight’s study. The book she showed me.

Ghosts are creatures of great power, able to connect to the very force of nature...

I concentrated on the cliff, just on it. I seemed to feel it was there, the castle, the trees on the top, and the Angelics crawling up the side. I envisioned the cliff face falling off, taking the Angelics with it. Nothing happened. I envisioned rocks crushing ashen manes and boodred eyes.

Nothing happened, but i grew fatigued. The air froze in my throat, and I opened my eyes.

I was in a forest. A humid one. The air made my lungs work harder. I could hear a fire, crackling. I looked behind me, and saw a snow white pony with bandages wrapped around his face. He was poking at a fire, on which was a small reptile of some kind. I gulped.

“H-Hello?” I asked tentatively, and the bandaged pony looked at me.

“Ah, you must be the neophyte. Come, sit by my fire.” The white pony spoke in a wizened, sharp voice. Heeding his command, I walked over to the fire and sat.

“Let us cut to the chase, boy. You tried to cause a disaster. That isn’t necessarily frowned upon, but we try not to do it that often. Pray tell, son, why would you do that when you are untrained?” The pony looked at me with his good eye, quizzical.

“To save Equestria.” I said, my voice grave. The old Ghost looked at me, and laughed.

“HA! You are an interesting one, foal! I guess I could...” The pale pony trailed off.

“Could what?!” I asked, grasping onto his leading statement, eager to return to the battle.

“Allow you to cause a disaster... It is a power given to experienced ghosts, but... I guess that isn’t your cutie mark for nothing, now is it?” The Ghost said, gesturing to my flank. I stared into the fire, wondering about what happened to Lieutenant Dash. She seemed too... Fragile, to be a guard. The withered Ghost looked at me, and I noticed that his unharmed eye had no iris. Unsettled, i fidgeted and looked at the reptile. It had three sets of legs when it was alive, and was a bright red at the tip of the nose, and a brilliant glossy black at the tail. the underside of it was burnt to a crisp. The White pony coughed, and I looked up at him.

“I have decided to allow you to create disasters in Equestria. Only you will know when to use it, and only you can decide how. I cannot advise another Ghost on how he uses his gift.” The white colt spoke, his voice carrying a tone that can only be attained by age. It was a tone I often heard the Doctor use.

“I will send you back to where you were when I took you.” the porcelain colt continued. He closed his eyes.

“Wait! What is your name?” I asked, truly curious. The alabaster colt opened his large black eye, and looked at me like I was something that he lost, forgot about, and then found.

“I have no name... Goodbye, Edwin.” he replied, closing his eye with a heavy lid.

I found myself seconds later exactly where i was before the Ghost took me. The dust was sharp in my throat, the air hot. I could see Lieutenant Dash racing toward the cliff, where the other ponies in the Airborne third were flinging Angelics off of the rocks. I closed my eyes, opening my powers to the world.

I could feel... Everything. I could feel the bugs, the trees, the Angelics, everything. I could feel the cliff, and knew exactly what to do to make it break. I unleashed my power upon the cliff, and opened my eyes. It was amazing. The entire south face of the cliff sheared off from the rest, rocks clattering and smashing and twisting in a terrible cacophony of noise. I could hear the Angelics screaming. The guards were flying out of the way of the falling monolith. I could see one guard who was grappling with an Angelic, unable to get away. I flew at him, accelerating quickly. I could feel something pulling me back, but it only drove me to fly faster. I could feel the flesh in my face being pulled back. I was so close to the shelf of rock, to the trapped guard, when the world seemed to tear at the seams. I felt a huge detonation as the thing that was pulling me back seemed to let go. I flew so much faster, grabbing the trapped pony as I curved down away from the monolith. I saw everything rush by so quickly, it took all of my concentration and strength not to fly into a rock. I weaved between falling boulders and Angelics, loosening the occasional bolt. The pony I saved was screaming on my back, which made me want to laugh. I twisted and turned, flying over and in between rocks. We finally got to the other side of the falling cliff, reaching the back of it. I curved around it, flying straight for the castle. I let go of the pony on a balcony, where he fell on his back, still shouting from surprise. I kept going up, managing to slow down as I tried to find the window I jumped from. After searching for a few minutes, I realized that it would be impossible to find it without help. I looked to the ground and saw the huge boulder, which broke into multiple pieces. I could still see the ponies trying to fight the remaining Angelics, but ponies just aren’t that good at fighting. I rocketed down to the battle as I saw it.

Comments

[RazorRaptor9]

This is becoming quite an interesting story!

[dafiltafish]

damn you jroddie! dont you know i am trying to sleep!!!!!!!

[Witchery]

This needs the random tag.