Shadowbolt: Origin

by Recovery15

On the Run

Chapter 7: On the Run

Starscream shuddered as she awoke. Her last memory was of being executed by Queen Nebular. Starscream had been only eight, but her skills as an assassin and thief were unmatched. As she stood, Camazotz smiled. "Yes, she'll do. Commendable job, Midnight."

Midnight chortled and spoke to the filly. "Now, miss Starscream, I'll bet you want to know why you're here, hmm? We have a job for you."

Starscream turned and phased into one of the watching mages. When she spoke, the voice of the mage rang out. "I am read. Tell me who thou wants dead."
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That night, the escapees slept in a small cave just south of the Bat Pony capital. Starfire watched the stars until fatigue finally overtook her, and she descended into a dream filled sleep. As she drifted, she didn't notice the descending fireball that impacted several miles away.
***************************************

It was another memory,the last thing Starfire wanted to see that night. Captain Stone was wearing a shirt and jeans. He was standing in front of his armor, nodding his head. He looked into the visor, and Starfire finally saw his face.

He appeared to be young, Starfire estimated, about Twilight's age. His eye were a bright green, and his close-shaven hair was a brownish-black. What disturbed Starfire, though, was his right eye. It was a black sphere, with a red light the center. A scar ran across the eye, explaining how it was lost. She would have looked more had a voice not caused her host to turn.

"Hey, Noah? You in here Captain? We're going to start game night, but we have a tie. Ya wanna play Solitaire or Mortal Kom..."

"Mortal Kombat." Said Stone, interrupting the other soldier. "We don't have Solitaire, Caleb."

The other soldier just waved his hand and left. Starfire felt the memory ending, and braced herself for what was sure to be one hell of a morning.
***********************************************

Starfire awoke to the blazing sun pouring into the cave. She was the last to awake for breakfast. Ruby had prepared what looked like soup, and the others were crowded around a small fire. When they noticed Starfire, the six mares fell quiet. Twilight reached for a brush, but Starfire grabbed it in her hoof.

"No, Twilight, I can get it." Starfire began brushing her mane, noticing that her armor had retreated back into the amulet. Soon, she joined Twilight at the fire. After eating, the fire was put out and belongings packed. With a heavy heart, Starfire left her Shadowbolt costume behind. She knew it would only burden them if she overheated in it. About half an hour later, the group set off in the direction relayed by Trinity.
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"We're lost, aren't we?"

It was a simple question, but everyone cringed at it. They'd been trekking for over a month, and not a single settlement had they passed. Poesy had only asked for Ruby, who was unable to ask for herself. Psychological stress, Trinity had called it. Her mind had been so damaged that she could barely speak. Her mind seemed fine, though.

It was Surprise that worried them. Countless times, Surprise had indirectly threatened Starfire, using both word and image. When a bat pony scout had located them, Twilight simply tied him up. He had vanished later that night, and Surprise had been found shivering in a pool of blood. A set of hoof-prints led away, but they vanished at a cliff. As a result, Firefly had begun keeping a close watch on the white pegasus.

Today was the same as always. They were wandering through the badlands, trying to find anywhere to hole up. When Starfire rounded a corner, she felt a spear pressed to her neck. A very deep voice accompanied it. "Now, don't you move a single hair, ya hear?"

Starfire whispered the affirmative,and the stallion continued. "Good. Yer gonna tell yer friends to step out wit' their hooves up, and you won't say any more, got it?"

Starfire nodded and spoke. "Twilight? Could you or Poesy step out here?"

The spear immediately retracted, as though to strike. "Lying BITCH!!" yelled the stallion. "Poesy is still enslaved by you and your species, so DON'T TEST me..."

The voice cut off as Poesy spoke. "Tex?"
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Tex and Poesy had been dating when he had vanished, but she kept it together in order to comfort Ruby. The twenty-six surviving escapees had begun a settlement in the Wastes, determined to help other escapees. However, Tex required Starfire to cover up her wings in beggars rags, so that the other townsfolk didn't kill her. The party spent several days in the town, aptly named Sanctuary. Eventually, though, they began planning to leave. Fortunately, Tex had offered to accompany them, if only to be with Poesy. Several weeks later, the band left Sanctuary, promising to tell whoever currently ruled the Crystal Empire about the town.

Several days later, the band was camping in what appeared to be an old battlefield. Starfire was keeping watch over her sleeping friends, chatting with Trinity about what Mortal Kombat was. She proceeded to show the young mare a video clip of a championship match between a red ninja and a large brute of a man with a mask. Before the match finished, though, Starfire grabbed from behind. Looking behind her, she saw twenty to thirty Bat pony slavers. They proceeded to grab the others, herding them back to a camp. Poesy and Ruby were trembling in utter terror as the bats began whipping Tex into near unconsciousness. Before they could finish, a creature straight out of hell grabbed one of the slavers and stab it with a small blade that appeared disturbingly similar to the blades on Starfire's armor. Trinity began hyperventilating, or what AI do instead of hyperventilate. Starfire realized that it was the same creature from her dreams, the one Captain Stone referred to as "Vaht 'Lataowee". The creature descended on Starfire, screeching in a strange language. However, before it could continue, it was tackled by a young looking green pegasus stallion with a knife attached to his front hoof. The two began sparring as a strange bug-like creature with red eyes directed the mares and the half-conscious Tex to run. Starfire, however, activated her armor and charged the slavers. As she chased them off, she saw the green stallion go down. However, as she watched in horror, the stallion was enveloped in green fire. When the fire dissipated, Starfire got a glimpse at the most amazing thing she'd ever seen.

The being was several heads shorter than the Elite, with black armor instead of blue. The helmet was similar to that of a royal guard's, with a gold visor. Upon its' chest was what looked like a crystal heart, with a red skull in the center. Starfire felt a sting on her side, and began to become woozy. As the green creature pulled out a blue blade of energy, Starfire recognized who it was.

Captain Noah Stone, the soldier Trinity had showed her. Right after making the connection, Starfire blacked out.
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When she awoke, Starfire realized that she was in a hospital bed. Sitting in front of the door, his back turned, was the green pegasus from before. He was talking to somepony nearby, but Starfire couldn't tell who. "Excuse me, sir, who are you? And where am I?"

The stallion turned, revealing a blue pegasus standing next to him. He looked at Starfire and smiled. Trinity suddenly appeared, with a shocked expression. 'Prometheus? Is that you?'

The blue pegasus smiled and nodded. The green stallion began speaking. "So, you're who Trinity was talking about in her broadcast. My name is technically Noah Stone, but that's a human name. Please, call me Northern Stone."

Starfire gasped, and Stone continued. "You are in a medical station just inside Equestrian territory. You were hit with a poison dart, which somehow knocked both you and Trinity unconscious. You've been unconscious for about a week, but I can officially say that you're safe."

"Where in Equestria are we?" Starfire asked. "And where are my friends?"

Stone waited, then spoke. "Well, your friends are okay. Tex is slightly concussed, but he's the only majorly injured member of your party. As to your first question, you are now in the portion of territory commonly called the Crystal Empire."

Author's Note:

This is by far the worst chapter so far. If you have problems with it, please tell me.

Comments

[justsomerandompony]

Meh I've read worse

[Recovery15]

2331826
Actually, I'm referencing Energon, but g1 was pretty great.

Starscream is best decepticon

[Recovery15]

2331851
Also, thank's for the vote of confidence. You inspire me, comrade. Also, this chapter will be heavily edited, along with the previous two. Expect it to be a little better soon.

[SolidFire]

It looks as though that this has been getting some mixed reviews. I will give it a shot anyway. For the Shadowbolts.

[Recovery15]

2395963
Thank you so much. That means a lot to me.
Ps, the last 3 chapters are still being edited. Brace yourself

[Word_Smith]

I got confused at the end. But other than that it was really good.

[Recovery15]

2640639
Thank you