Bounty Hunters 3: Genesis

by Jasper77W

Chapter 15: Double Rainbow

A certain light green earth pony sat alone in her cabin, away from the general population of the OASIS. At this time most of the crew were heading to the local food courts to collect food- usually for a midnight snack, considering the crew have to work all day and night- but she chose to stay back. She sat on her bed, the sheets folded neatly and the room untouched from its original state. It was cleaned every week, therefore no dust settled on the furniture. It was almost as if it were brand new, for it not the empty suitcases.

"When are you going to tell her?" a voice asked the pony, and only she could hear it in her mind.

"She's smart. She'll figure it out." the light green earth pony said, sighing heavily and lying back onto the sheets.

"You know it'll only be worse if she finds out instead of you telling her." the voice noted.

"She doesn't need me anymore- she already has somepony looking after her." the pony said, looking at her hooves for no particular reason.

"But I'm sure she'd be happy to see you again- all things considered." the voice said.

"It'll just mess things up if I show up now." the pony said. "Right now they've got a big task to complete, and they can't be distracted."

"You can't just stay in the shadows and watch over her like this forever." the voice said.

"I'm not- but you are." the pony pointed out.

"Because I'm just following what I was created for. To accomplish one goal- to revive and look after 'my' little sister." the voice said, emotionless like it always was.

"And you accomplished that well." the pony said, and would've given her a pat on the back should she physically exist. "But those are no longer my goals anymore. She doesn't need me, so I won't be there. Rainbow can look after her perfectly well. I saw- when I was dead in that other reality. Did you see how happy she was? Rainbow sure did a good job- and I do envy her."

"You know, you shouldn't-"

"I meant my little sis. I envy her because she got to have that perfect big sister that I never was. I wanted a sibling, you know- somepony older to look after me if I did skim my knee or something. Back in Manehatten, when we were on the streets; I always had to look after Dainty. I wished somepony could look after me- so I gave her all I had. I wanted her to have what I never did- and now she does." the pony smiled gently down at the carpeted floor.

"You know- I'm here." the voice said, with a surprising dose of wariness.

The pony chuckled. "You're just my powerful non-evil clone."

"But haven't I protected you?" the voice asked, and the pony thought about it for a while.

"I suppose you have." she nodded slowly.

"Go get some lunch, mare. You starve and I starve too. It gets annoying when our stomach gets tingly." the voice said cheerily.

The pony chuckled again, knowing that the owner of the voice did share the same body with her- but didn't require anything to live. Hell, she was invincible. It was completely impossible for them to die of hunger, or to feel hunger at all for that matter.

She stood up to leave, smoothed out the sheets, and started slowly walking towards the door. "Thanks, Neon." she said.

"Yeah. No probs Mel. Now go get some food."

*

The rainbow-maned pegasus had finally stopped walking, and like a laggy game the figure seemed to freeze completely.

"Got you now, you son of a parasprite." Rainbow growled, storming towards the frozen figure; keeping a hoof centimeters away from the pocket in which her cleaver handle sat. Her grey mane flowed freely as a soft breeze stirred the white space. She was ready to strike immediately- should the figure prove hostile. "Oi!" she called out, placing a hoof on the figure's shoulder.

Then everything shattered with a loud boom- reality blew apart into fragments, and Rainbow felt herself being sucked into another- and she had a strong feeling that she's going back to where she came from. Everything suddenly warped back, and she was thrown into a narrow hallway. Her shoulder hit the ground, and she skid across the floor; out of the hall way, and into a train station. No, a subway station- it didn't have any skylights, so it's probably underground. She heard a loud clatter and looked up to see her cleaver handle slide across the floor and stop about five meters away.

There were loud hoofsteps coming from the hallway she was thrown out of, and she scrambled for her cleaver.

*

Rainbow suddenly jerked back into reality, and with a bright flash a grey figure appeared out of nowhere and slid out into the subway station. She stumbled back, staring out the exit- but from her angle she couldn't see the figure. But from what she caught in that split second, it looked like a black-and-white version of herself. She did not presume it friendly- it's probably a changeling, or some other random high-tech crap that the science faction whipped up.

"Careful." Octavia said, tapping Rainbow on the shoulder.

"I know. You girls wait for my all clear." Rainbow said, drawing her cleaver and slowly walking into the tram station. At first she saw nothing, but then saw the figure scrambling for something on the floor. She stared at the familiar item for several minutes, and her eyes widened when she realized what it was. "No you don't..." she muttered, running towards the figure.

She was a split second late as the figure picked up the cleaver, the huge broad blade already unfolding. She swung her own over her head and down at the figure, who brought the cleaver up to meet hers.

Sparks flew out after a solid thunk as the two cleavers collided- there were no advantages anymore, they both had the same speed and immense power.

The figure pushed her away, getting up to her hooves. Rainbow brought the blade around and back in an uppercut, which the figure dodged using a familiar 'step to the side' technique.

The figure swung the blade sideways, the heavy hunk of metal gliding through the air and splitting it in half. Rainbow leaped up and rolled over the broad side, landing on her hooves and seeing a pocket to attack.

She sprang up, slashing diagonally at the figure. The figure jumped up, and stomped a hoof on the broad side of the blade, forcing it onto the ground. It then swung its own down at Rainbow, who placed a hoof on the side of it and diverted the blade elsewhere. She kicked the figure in the stomach, forcing it to stumble back. Then she dug a back hoof under her blade, then flicked it up. She caught it, and steadied it for another round.

The figure charged forth again, spinning the huge cleaver and sending sparks flying as the tip grazed the floor with each rotation. There was an eery and constant whoosh as the heavy cleaver cut through the air, the sound pounding against Rainbow's chest. She did the same, spinning the cleaver by her sides.

The blades collided once again, a myriad of sparks showering the two. It was just a mess of blurs as they twisted their cleavers against each other's.

Then Rainbow felt her cleaver get ripped from her hooves, and heard it tumbled across the marble floor. The cleaver was fine, but the floor got cracked in several places. She looked up again, just in time to see the figure bring the cleaver around at her side. She rolled sideways, the blade passing with a terrifying whoosh just above her head. She scrambled to her hooves, and leaped back as a downward swing only just grazed the tip of her nose. She stumbled back, the figure already charging again.

Another downward swing. Rainbow stepped to the side, and the blade cracked deep into the ground; bits of marble flying into the air and sparkling in the dim light. She charged forth, taking the chance that the figure was disarmed.

Rainbow swung from the right, which the figure blocked with an arm as expected. She reached around the figure's shoulders, got a firm hold on it and drove her knee into its guts. She heard her gasp, and launched a final kick across the figure's head. She frowned as the figure tumbled across the floor- that voice- it sounded like her own.

No time to think about that though.

She quickly ran back to her own cleaver and picked it up, just in time to see the figure get to hers. The figure slid the handle forward, and thumped on the trigger. A shockwave was sent traveling through the tiled floor, lifting the marble up and cracking it into pieces. The cleaver flew into the figure's hooves as the recoil hammered it out of the ground.

Rainbow quickly leveled the blade against her body, shielding herself from the bullets with the broad side. She felt every impact hit the cleaver and hammer against her shoulder, and was too afraid to peer to check what was going on. She felt her hooves slide on the ground with each heavy thunk, forcing her back.

Finally there was a break, and she swung her cleaver so the tip pointed at the figure and slid the handle forward. The figure charged forward, and she opened fire.

The figure spun the cleaver, deflecting the bullets off the angled surface of the broad cleaver blade strategically so most of the force was diverted away and wouldn't slow her down.

"What the hay..." Rainbow muttered, realizing she was just wasting her ammo. She stabbed the cleaver at an angle down into the ground, and waited for the figure to strike.

The figure brought the blade over her head in a devastating downward slash. Rainbow slammed the trigger on her own cleaver, sending it flying up. Its hilt hit the other cleaver's blade, knocking it back up.

Rainbow used this chance, dive rolling forward and under the cleaver blade. She leaped up, slamming a hoof deep into the figure's stomach. The figure gasped and stumbled back, but held onto the cleaver. Rainbow ran after her, jumping up and driving her knee into the figure's chest. Her momentum carried her on, and she slammed down onto the figure as they both fell over. The cleaver went skidding away and out of reach.

She kept a firm hoof on the figure's shoulder, keeping her down and using her other hoof to strike at her head. The figure tried to get her hooves up to protect herself- but Rainbow was preventing that from happening.

The last thing Rainbow saw was the figure suddenly leap forward, then her vision was instantly blurred as the figure's skull cracked against hers. She was sent falling back, dazed and disoriented and with an annoying headache that dulled her thoughts. Now the figure was on top, raining down punches.

Suddenly there was a black and grey blur as Octavia tackled the figure off Rainbow. They rolled onto the floor, both already starting to get up. Rainbow crawled to her hooves, and quickly ran for her cleaver.

"Dash! What the hell is going on?" Spitfire yelled.

"An unexpected guest. I have no idea- she just came out of nowhere." Rainbow said, picking up her cleaver and leveling it at the figure.

"Listen- you've got Science Faction troops closing in on you from almost all sides. The girls and boys on the barricade are holding them back the best they can, but they'll have to bail soon. Get on the train now!"

"Negative- we need to take care of this little arsehole first!" Rainbow said.

Octavia was much more specialized in close quarters combat- and knew all the pressure points. She was lightning fast, and the figure struggled to hold off her relentless attacks. Octavia swung a hoof over the figure's head, and she swiped the hooves out from underneath her.

Rainbow saw Octavia fall onto the floor, and pulled the trigger at the figure. The figure leaped to the side, the bullet ripping past the air millimeters away from her face. Octavia grabbed her ankle, forcing her to fall over. She launched a hoof at Octavia, kicking her away.

There was a loud whoosh as Rainbow used her wings to boost her through the air, the cleaver already raised high above her head. The figure slid forward and under her, safely avoiding the blade. She used her wings too, boosting towards her cleaver.

Rainbow flew after her, the cleaver by her side. The figure got her blade back, kept going to the far wall, kicked off the concrete, and shot straight back at Rainbow.

Rainbow brought her cleaver to her left side, and timed her swing. They grazed past each other, and at this near sonic-speed moment they both struck. The impact was so great that both of their weapons were ripped from their hooves, and they both tumbled out of balance. The two cleavers fell from the ceiling, both tips crunching deep into the ground right next to each other.

Rainbow looked up to see the figure get to her hooves, running for the weapons. She quickly got up too, her wings beating against the air and sending her flying towards the cleavers. In the end, she got there first.

She picked up both, and threw the figure's cleaver at her like a javelin. The figure allowed it to glide past her for a split second, then grabbed the handle as it neared. She used its momentum and swung it around to meet Rainbow's blade, both clashing with a loud clang that rang in their ears.

The figure pushed Rainbow away, leaped into the air, and swung the cleaver back down again. Rainbow raised hers horizontally and blocked the strike- but soon learnt that the strike wasn't the figure's intention at all. She actually knew before it happened- in fact, they seemed to know what each other would do before they even made the move.

She jerked her head to one side, but still flinched at the loud bang that almost shattered her eardrums. She felt the air pressure around her change as the high-calibre bullet burst past and graze her cheek, drawing a single droplet of blood.

Suddenly she remembered the spikes in the cleaver, and slammed the button. The spikes deployed, hooking onto the edge of the figure's blade. Rainbow yanked the cleaver to one side, forcing the other to follow as well and giving her clean hit at the figure. She swung a hoof around the side, cracking it against the side of the figure's face. She fell to the side, stunned.

Rainbow pressed the button again, retracting the spikes.

"Dash! You need to get the hay outta there- science faction troops are swarming the surface! You don't have any time at all- get on the train! They're breaching the surface- the whole place will come down on you!" Spitfire yelled.

"Shuck..." Rainbow muttered as she heard shouts above their heads, and some loud beeps that didn't sound too comforting.

"GET TO COVER!!" Nightshade yelled, dragging the two fillies under a metal desk.

Daring and Octavia scrambled to their hooves and found something to hide under, waiting for everything to come down. "Rainbow!"

But Rainbow was trapped in the open, with nothing for cover. The entire ceiling suddenly exploded, chunks of concrete with steel bars mixed in them crumbling down onto the station floor. There was a bright white flash, and Rainbow felt something hit her in the gut. She flew back, skid on the floor as several larger pieces slammed onto the ground where she was earlier. The columns that were holding the ceiling up still stood, supporting bits and pieces that were still left.

"Damnit- here they come!" Rainbow muttered. "Girls! Move up!" she yelled, and Daring and Octavia quickly moved behind cover and started firing at the assault units above.

"Rainbow!" Dainty screamed.

"Just stay in cover! We'll give you the all clear once we clear the area!" Rainbow yelled, firing her cleaver.

"But-"

"Just stay there!" Rainbow yelled. "Nightshade! Move up!"

"Rainbow- she can't!" Dainty screamed angrily.

Rainbow turned around, irritated. "Nightshade! Come on- we need you up here!"

Nightshade was just standing there, still and unmoving. Dainty and Lily were beside her, and Dainty looked like she was crying.

"Damnit Nightshade! What is it!?" Rainbow backed away from the frontline, retreating back near the Warden of Teleportation.

Nightshade opened her mouth to reply, but all that came out was blood- and that's when Rainbow saw the steel bar that went into her back and through her chest for the first time.

"No..." she shook her head. How could this be happening? Nightshade could've easily escaped something like that. But then she remembered- just before she got crushed, that distinctive bright white flash...

She had saved her.

"Shuck shuck shuck shuck shuck... SHUCK! DAMNIT!!" she screamed, running to her side. "Daring! Octavia! Hold them off- we've got one wounded!" she turned back to Nightshade, tapping her lightly on the face. "Come on, buddy- stay with me."

"Is she going to be alright?" Dainty asked, quivering with fright.

"She damn well better be!" Rainbow growled. She ripped some fabric off her coat and pressed it against Nightshade's wound, but the fabric was almost immediately soaked with crimson red liquid. She frantically twisted the fabric, making a deep red splatter as the blood fell to the floor. She pressed the fabric back onto Nightshade's wound, but it was barely doing anything.

"Just teleport out of there!" she growled.

"I.... Can't...." Nightshade's voice was all but less than a dry whispery rasp.

"Come on- yes you can! Just get out of there! Oh god.... Please don't die.... Please.... You've come too goddamn far to die now!" Rainbow yelled, still desperately trying to stop the bleeding- but it was just seeping right through the fabric.

Nightshade used her last bit of strength and grabbed onto Rainbow's collar. But soon her arm drifted back down to her side, as she could no longer hold it up.

"Listen- make sure we win this war!" she said, then tried to suck in another gasp. She did succeed, however extremely painfully. "If we don't, there won't be any future for any of us. You hear me?"

Rainbow nodded, making sure she heard every word Nightshade said.

"Take.... My supplies..." Nightshade said through gritted teeth, eyes already closed.

"No! You can still carry them!" Rainbow yelled.

"Face it, Rainbow..." Nightshade said weakly, looking down at the large crimson puddle on the floor. "I... Won't be making it..."

Rainbow shook her head vigorously, some droplets of tears being flung away. She slammed a hoof into the ground, yelling with frustration. "How come everypony's dying and I can NEVER do ANYTHING about it!!???"

"Stop... Putting everything... On your own shoulders..." Nightshade said, eyes already closed.

"But..." Rainbow said, then roared again out of frustration. "How come I'm always the one who lives!? I could've been in your position if you didn't shove me out of the way!"
"Maybe you're worth saving..." Nightshade smiled.

Rainbow didn't know what to say, so just stared down at the ground. Time passed, and then when she looked up again- Nightshade looked like she was asleep. She knew that the sleep would be eternal, and everything seemed to fall still as one of the greater warriors finally fell- and this time, she won't be getting back up.

Rainbow stood up, taking the small belt of throwing knives from her dead comrade as she had been told to. She strung it across her back, blinking the water out of her eyes.

There was a loud crack as the ground behind her exploded outwards, dust and chunks of concrete flying everywhere. The figure climbed out of the debris, coughing- but still had her cleaver.

Rainbow didn't turn around, instead she just activated her cleaver as a response. The area around her was tinted red as the Element of Loyalty burned away at her rage, blazing in the death of yet another friend.

Comments

[VampDash]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO NOT NIGHTSHADE WHY YOU DO THIS cdn.memegenerator.net/images/166088.jpg