My Little Pony: Dark Star

by WestRail642fan

Chapter #2: The Creature

Chapter Two.
The Creature.

An ear gently twitched as the pitter-patter of raindrops on the window filled the room. Pipp gently rolled over, her green eyes squinting open as a dull red light illuminated her surroundings.

"Low battery already?" Her tired eyes stared at her phone as the screen flashed its warning. She limply fumbled around on the floor for the charging cable, letting out a relieved sigh when she finally felt the needed object under her hoof.

"There. Happy?" She looked over at the phone as its screen brightened the room. "3 am..." She groaned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she sat in bed. Her ear flicked again as more raindrops tapped on the glass, "Wow, it's really coming down out there." She mused to herself, the streetlights outside barely lighting the room in their warm orange glow. "Might as well get some work done." She yawned, slowly sliding off the bed. Her hooves gently click-clacking on the oak floorboards as she trotted over to the kitchenette to make herself something hot to drink.

Now wrapped in her finest robe, a hot mug of coffee in hoof. Pipp plopped herself down at her desk, placing the mug down as she opened up her laptop. She frowned as she scrolled through her emails.

"Urgh! Invoices are so boring!" She headbutted the desk in frustration. Pipp's ears perked up as a loud crashing sound was heard outside, coming from the back alley. She stood up and trotted over towards the door, grabbing a raincoat on her way out.

"If it's those damn Raccoonicorns again..." She grumbled, unlocking the rear loading bay door, "For the last time you damn Raccoonicorns, this is no longer a bakery! Begone with all of you." She shouted, hitting a nearby trash can with an umbrella, "I mean it! Shoo!" She added, hitting the trash can harder.

"Hello?" A voice called out from the darkness.

Pipp's eyes shrank, "What the-" The umbrella fell to the ground with a dull fud. Fear slowly began to take hold of the mare as the sound of whatever it was getting closer filled her ears.

"Please. You have to help me." It spoke again, slowly getting closer to Pipp as she trembled.

"Don't come any closer!" She screamed, tears beginning to fill her eyes. Grabbing the umbrella off the wet ground, she held it close to her chest for protection. "I mean it!" She added as the silhouette of whoever was speaking began to take form out of the darkness of night.

"Please, I don't mean any harm." It replied, slowly stepping out of the darkness and into the dull light of the streetlamp. The creature held out a limb.

"Ah!" Pipp screamed, taking a swing of the umbrella. She hit the creature square on the side of the head. She watched in fear as the creature fell to the ground. What she presumed was its head hit the ground with a sickening crack.

Pipp panted heavily, she looked down at her now broken umbrella and tossed it aside. Cautiously, she stepped closer to the creature, blood slowly trickling from where she had hit it. Pipp slowly lowered her head, getting a closer look, pausing when she heard it groan. A small wave of relief washed over her as she realised she hadn't killed it, just knocked it out cold.

"What in Mi Amore's name are you?"

---

Hitch awoke with a startle as he heard the office phone ringing. He looked up at the clock on the wall.

"Who's ringing at this time of night?" He wondered, yawning as he trotted over to the phone and picked it up. "Maretime Bay Sheriff's office. We are currently closed until 7 am- Oh, hello Pipp." He nodded as the mare on the other end spoke.

"What? Are you ok?" He replied, his eyes widening, "Sure, I'll be right over. Stay there!" He added, throwing the phone down, and ran over to Sparky, "Sorry little guy, I've got to go out and I can't leave you alone." He gently spoke to the baby Dragon, scooping him out of bed and onto his back. Hitch quickly raced out the door and down the street.

---

"Good, you're here." Pipp ushered Hitch into Mane Melody, quickly locking the door behind the stallion and drawing the shutters, "Sorry to wake you." Pipp said, trotting alongside the stallion.

"Don't be sorry Pipp. I'm glad you called." Hitch gave the pink mare a reassuring smile, "Now, show me this creature. I'll follow you." He added, the pair trotting towards the staff-only door. Pipp pushed the door open, holding it to allow Hitch to enter, before letting it swing shut.

"In here." She replied, gesturing to the staff room. They stopped just within the doorway. "See." Pipp pointed in a hushed tone at the creature as it lay on the floor. She had done her best to tend to the wound on his head, dressing it with perhaps too many bandages. "Hitch, before you go in for a closer look. I have to tell you. The thing can speak. It can speak Ponish, like you and me." She added, looking up at the tall stallion as he slowly trotted over towards the creature. Sparky lent over, trying to get a better look as well.

"How long has it been out like this?" Hitch asked, turning towards the doorway where Pipp was still standing, visibly trembling. Mane wet from the rain.

"Um, no more than 10 minutes maybe?" She replied, guilty thoughts filling her head as Hitch carefully examined the creature's head, "Is it ok?" She added, nervously rubbing her forelegs against each other.

"Other than the cut on the side of its head and that large bump. I'd say they're fine." Hitch lifted the creature's head gently with his hoof, "How did this happen, anyway?" He continued, his eyes looking down the entire length of this thing's body.

"I hit it with my umbrella." She looked down, "In self-defence!" She added, emphasising the defence part, "But it hit its head on the ground when it fell." The guilt-ridden mare choked on her words as Hitch trotted back over towards her, embracing her in a hug.

"It's ok Pipp. I'm not blaming you, and you're not in trouble before you ask." He smiled at her reassuringly, "I would have done the thing in your position if I'm honest." Hitch looked back towards the creature, its chest slowly rising up and down, signalling that it was still alive, "I've never seen anything like this. I don't even read anything about something like this."

The stallion's eyes were still fixed on the creature. "We need to tell Sunny. I'm sure her dad's old research might have something." He turned back toward Pipp who was smiling again, albeit weakly.

Sparky began to tug at Hitch's mane in alarm.

"Ow! Sparky not now." Hitch groaned in pain as he continued to talk to Pipp.

"Um, Hitch..." Pipp spoke, looking behind the stallion, "You might want to turn around, like right now." She added, ducking her head out of the doorway.

"What. Why?" He replied, but turned around regardless, his eyes shrank as he saw the creature slowly standing up.

"Where... Where am i?" It spoke before falling over. "Urgh... My head." It added as it tried to get back up, but struggled to do so.

"Hey hey hey! Easy." Hitch calmly spoke, passing Sparky over to Pipp as he cautiously approached the creature, "Easy there, it's ok. I'm the town's sheriff." He added, gesturing to his badge, "Can you understand me?" He continued as the creature gave up trying to stand and sat down on the floor, wincing with every little movement. It simply nodded.

"Right. That's good. My name is Hitch Trailblazer. That over there is Princess Pipp Petals." Hitch pointed at the pink Pegasus who simply and shyly waved her hoof. "Do you have a name?" The stallion continued, and the creature nodded again, "Would you like to tell me- tell us your name?" The earth pony added, gesturing for Pipp to come over, she did so reluctantly.

"My name is David Wyne."

End of Chapter Two.