Green Eyes in the Night
A\N Okay a few announcements! First and for most the cover art for the fic was drawn by AgentKirin on DeviantArt. I did get her permision befrore using it (Thou not before actually starting it, that was my bad.) Secondly I want to thank everyone that sent in a review. I do read them and it alwasy makes me feel good to see one in my mail box. Finally, once this is finished I plan on branching out into another fandom I'm just not sure which one yet. I'm leaning the most towards 'Kim Possible' but if anyone has any suggestions I'm open to hearing them. And now, FORWARD!
Chapter 8; Epilogue
The town of Ponyville was known for many things. The turn of both Nightmare moon and Discord, a parasprite infestation, and of course being situated next to the Everfree Forest just to name a few. What it wasn't known for however, aside from six mares, was courage. That being said it really wasn't all that much of a suprise that when a scream was heard along with the sounds of the timber wolves moving in no pony ran in to do anything. Mob mentality simply wasn't enough to drive them into the forest.
Twilight walked up to the mob in absolute fury, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash following close behind. "where is he?" she asked in a tone so dark that the crowd parted solely on instinct.
Night Wing was a very wel trained soldier, in fact considered one of the best trained in the acadamy. One of the first things taught wasn't when to fight, it was when to make a tactical retreat. Backing up slowly Night was just about to take flight when he flt himself get wrapped in a tight vice.
"Going somewhere?" asked Star Watcher, glaring at the pegasis even as a bit of blood still dripped down his head. Night gulped as he struggled agains the magical hold Star had on him.
A howl and flash of light drew everyone's attention to the forest. For a few moments nothing all was quiet but when it happened again a relization finally hit. "Spike's in trouble!" Twilight said in a panic as she turned to Tight Bind, "You have to release my magic, he needs me!"
"Don't do it!" Night roared even as Star tightened his grip on him, "If we let the beast back into the town who knows what he'll do!" After grunting more, feeling his ribs crack under the magical grip, "Hng... think about it... the way the twon treated him... even if he was innocent there's no way he wouldn't burn us down."
Tight Bind could hear the murmuring of the crowd but paid it little mind. He never was one to care much for the opinions of others, heck the only reason he was even in the military in the first place was because he was able to use powerful binding magic.
"If you do this I will forgive your act of treason..." Twilight said as tears streaked down her face. Tight's steeliy gaze locked with hers for a moment before he walked over to her and blew on her horn, deactivating the spell.
"You damn fool, he'll kill us all!" night bellowed.
Twilight's face light up as she turned to the forest. "I doubt that highly," Tight said as he turned to the struggling pegasis, "You can tell a lot from the look in somepony's eyes. While yours speak of fear and guilt her speak of... a mother's love..."
Before Twilight could rush in the sound of shattering trees could be heard getting closer and closer. Spike, in all his raging glory, burst threw the tree line with a heavily injured Applejack holding on to his back for dear life. Fully ignoring the crowd of on lookers Spike shot out two quick fire balls towards the tree line.
Growling and snarling could be heard as a smell permiated the area as multiple timberwolves made themselves known. Spike snarled back as he backed up further, doing everything in his power to keep the injured Applejack out of their line of sight.
One saw an opening and lunged at one of the closer ponies, a pink earth mare with a blonde mane, only to be blasted by another fire ball. The timberwolf managed to jump back just before it could be burned and growled again, several more trying as well with the same results.
While this was happening one timberwolf managed to flank the group, and while he had a clear shot at them he had his target. Using the back of his paw to knock away Star Watcher the timberwolf looked down at his terrified, before clamping down on his head and running off, the pegasis still struggling as he did.
Seeing their target taken the beta let out a howl and ran off back into the forest witht he rest of the pack quickly following. Spike was about to give chase to try and save the one taken when a moan drew his attention to the pony still on his back. "You okay AJ?" he asked in slight fear.
Applejack managed to let out a slight chuckle as she said, "I'm fine Spike... I just need some fixing up..." She saw that a good portion of the town was here and was quick to snap out, "I wasn't just talking to Spike, I need a doctor!"
Ponyville General Hospital was a buzz with activity of all kinds as everyone seemed to be unable to stay still for more than a few moments. With in the sea of ponies only five figures weren't moving.
The first being Spike as he watched the doors of the back room and waited for any news on Applejack. The second and thrid were Twilight and Fluttershy who were sitting for the same reason, as well as wanting to talk to Spike. The last two were Rainbow Dash and a now flat maned Pinkie.
Rainbow had come to her senses about Spike when as she was curled up on her thinking cloud she spotted an angry mob, only come to find they had just attacked Twilight and were looking to kill Spike. It wasn't a plesant felling knowing that you just might have sent an inoccent, let alone a friend, to their death.
Pinkie Pie, who had run to the hospital after getting a 'Pinkie doozy', froze in terror at seeing her friend in such a torn up state. When she tried to talk to Spike he would only give short answers, activly going out of his way not to talk to her. It confused Pinkie at first before she realised that he was trying to avoid her... much like she had been doing to him, and when she tried to apologize he just ignored her and continued to watch the door.
A single unanswered question hung in the air, it was a question everyone wanted to know but no one wanted to ask. Where was Rarity? The hard look in his eyes told anyone who could look that he had just seen something horrible, something that no doubt got to him in some way.
Before anyone could brake and finally ask the doors opened and Nurse Redheart wheeled in Applejack. Spike was the first one there, quickly circling the mare to check her over before giving a sigh of relief and coiling his body around her. He was exhausted and just wanted to sleep but he wasn't about to leave her side for a second.
Twilight took a single step towards Applejack but hesitated when she hear Spike give a soft growl while still asleep. Taking a deep breath Twilight said, "Applejack... You may not believe this but I... I didn't want this. I never wanted Spike to get hurt and I really didn't want him to leave."
"I know Twi," Applejack said as she stroked Spike's spines, calming the sleeping drake, "After what Mac told me and what I saw from you in the castle I kinda pieced it all together. You did what you had to while also protecting him in the dungen, there's no way you didn't know he could dig his way out if he wanted to."
Twilight blushed a little, "Yeah... I knew he would leave unless I let him out so there wasn't any worry he'd try to escape. but that does leave one unanswered question... how did he know to make a run for it right then?" Applejack could only shrug as she contenued to stroke Spike's scales. Twilight couln't help but smile at this before turning serious again, "The only clue I could find was a note but I have no idea who could have given it to him."
Taking a gulp of air Rainbow prepared to adress the elephant in the room. "Aj?" she asked and flinched slighly as the other mare glared in her direction, "I know now might not be the time, and I know you and her may not have been on the best of terms, but I have to ask... where's Rarity?"
Tears actually collected in Applejack's eyes as she said, "Dead Dash, she's dead." after the collective gasps she contenued her story, "When I followed her into the forest we began talking, talking turned to arguing, and arguing turned to shouting at one another. Pretty soon the two of us were swinging at each other, we were fighting so badly that we didn't even notice the smell of rot.
"We finally figured it out when one of them tackled her, and when she tried to blast it away it... bit... her horn off. I fought them off as best as I could but when I tried to run off they wouldblock me in. My last words to her were that she was a manipulative bitch and I was forced to watch as they ripped her to shreds and ate her alive..." Applejack had a hollow look in her tear filled eyes as she finished.
Spike's tail rose up and wiped away her tears as he sat up and said, "You had no idea what was going to happen, and besides there wasn't really anything you could have done." PInkie and Dash both saw their chance and lunged at Spike, wrapping their forelegs around the drake and crying into his chest.
Spike blinked slightly in suprise as he began patting them on the back, completely unable to understand a single word of what they were saying. From the corner i=of his eye he could see the scowl on Applejack's face while Twilight was trying to hold back her laughter and Fluttershy gave a sad smile.
While the two cried on the uncomfortable dragon Applejack turned back to Twilight and finished her story, "They had got her to fast for her to call out for help but I was able to just before they managed to get a good blow on my back leg. I thought I was done for and I almost was but Spike jumped threw the trees, a dangerous snarl on his maw and a roar so strong I could feel it."
As she spoke a blush made it's way over her face with a starry gaze in her eyes. Twilight blinked in suprise as she found the look on her friend's face a little creepy. She had come to a relisationg earlier in the day that she tought of Spike as her child so to see her friend thinking about him in such a way, espeshally with how she had just described his actions, had set off several warning bells.
Spike finally managed to pry off the bawling mares off of his chest and held them at arms length. "Easy girls," he said with an uneasy laugh, "my scales a magma proof but snot stains." After getting a ragged laugh from the both of them Spike said, "Alright, out with it, what's wrong?"
"Spike... We're so sorry!" Dash said as she threw herself at him again, "I don't know why I ever could have believed that bull shit Rarity was spitting out!"
Pinkie curled up next to Spike, "I'm sorry Spike. I knew you were innocent, deep in my heart I knew it, but... the twins... Mr and Mrs Cake told me I had to keep them safe, that as their god mother it was my responibility to protect them. I just wanted to deep them safe, but I promise that I'll never let myself be that stupid again."
Spike felt a pair of soft wings and fore legs wrap around him as Fluttershy said in a soft whisper, "It's good to have you home."
After a few hours the sun outside set and the group had to leave Applejack for the night, but not before Spike gave her another kiss on the cheek and a promise to take her home tomorrow. Applejack layed in her bed for a few hours as she watched the moon pass over head. She got up quickly and carefully left the room and slipped out of her room, avoided any nurse he happened across, and slipped into someone elses.
Walking up to the bed Applejack watched the earth Stallion as he slept, she smiled as her teeth turned to fangs. Leaning down Applejack blew softly onto his face, her breath that of her wolf self, and watched as his nose curled.
Stone Runner groaned as his eyes fluttered open, before going wide eyed at the sight of her glowing green eyes. He tried to scream, he really tried, but she was too fast. When Stone opened his mouth to scream found a pillow shoved into his mouth. Stone struggled as much as he could but with Applejack pinning him down all he could do was moan out a muffled call for help.
Applejack watched with a malevolent grin as the light in his eyes faded. pulling the pillow out she closed his mouth and eyelids. "There we go, all the loose ends taken care off." she said as she left the room. She had no doubt that the nurses would find the body in the morning and think he passed in his sleep. Part of her wanted to just have him eaten like he did with Rarity but that would just lead a trail to her sense the hospital was no where near the Everfree.
Laying back in her bed Applejack let out a contented sigh, happy that her work was over... for now. There will alwasy be ponies who will hate for no good reason. Besides, she was planning to have a litter soon, just as soon as she could get Spike alone.