Chapter 13: Unexpected Moments

Hope: Day 3
Nightfall: Day Unknown

Hope’s POV

As I awoke, I got up and took a look around at my surroundings. While I was looking around, I noticed that I was still in the Everfree Forest, at night, but the rain had stopped.

After a moment, I noticed that there wasn’t anypony around. I was… alone.

I then noticed that my paws were not hurting from the burns, that I had gotten earlier. When I examined them, what I saw terrified me. I was-… I was human again. Even my clothes are back on. I started to think, ‘This-… this can’t be happening.’

Taking another look at my surroundings again, this time I noticed Fluttershy standing and staring at me from about ten meters away in front of me.

Not sure what was going on, I called to her, worriedly, “Fluttershy…?”

Replying with a natural smile, she turned around and started walking off, in the opposite direction. Not wanting to lose her, I then took haste and ran after her.

As soon as I reached her, she just vanished in front of me, like seeing through her like a ghost and then nothing. The sudden shock of her vanishing like that made me gasp.

Not having a clue what just happened, I shouted, “What the fuck!?”

Recovering from the sudden shock, I stared in the direction where Fluttershy was walking and starting thinking, ‘Something’s wrong here…’

Still looking in the direction where Shy was heading. That area of the woods was dark and there wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. Deciding to see what is up ahead, I took a step forward.

Just then, the entire background unexpectedly turned into a void of white.

Then after a second, I looked around again and the void had dispersed, as I then found myself in the Canterlot Castle Library.

Starting to get a little scared, I said to myself, “Okay, this has got to be a dream…? Or am I dead…?”

I then looked around the room and noticed that Shy wasn’t here.

Getting a sudden interest, I decided to browse some of the books in some of the surrounding bookcases.

What I found made my gasp with excitement. All the books here must be full of Japanese manga comics.

Just when I was about to pick a random book of the shelf, I heard Fluttershy’s voice call me from behind, “Hope…?”

I turned to the source of the voice and found that she was sat down at the table, where Twilight used to study on. I know that Shy wasn’t there a moment ago. So I then thought, getting nervous, ‘This is getting too creepy for me. Also there really can’t be manga here.’

Wanting to find out what was going on, I walked up to Fluttershy as I called to her, naturally, “Fluttershy…?”

She then turned around and replied, “Is this, what you read on Earth?” I examined the book cover that she was holding with her hoofs and noticed that it was a romance-manga comic.

I gently took a sigh and explained, “No. The ones I read are normally action.”

She looked at me, a bit disappointed and replied, “I see…”

Then suddenly out of the unexpected, she slowly became engulfed by a pink magical aura that was about the same colour as her mane. Not having a clue what was going on, I could only stand and watch what was happening.

Once the aura had dispersed, I examined her and noticed that she-… she was a yellow wolf, with pink hair. Speechless on her… arousing appearance, I thought, ‘So cute.’

Quickly, she turned around and ran out the library. As I came back to my senses, I hastily took pursuit of her.

I was just barely able to keep up with her, as we ran through the castle corridors. I’m sure that she was just playing with me.

After chasing her for a minute or two, we ultimately arrived in the castle’s throne room. Trying to catch my breath, Fluttershy
stood in the centre of the room, presumably waiting for me to approach her.

Approaching her once again, she started be engulfed by a pink aura. As it dispersed, she appeared as her pegasus self, like nothing had happened.

Looking around the throne room, I noticed that there are no guards posted here. Not even Luna or Celestia are here, sitting on the throne.

I soon realised the answer to my question earlier, so I asked, “This is a dream, isn’t it?”

She replied, with a cheeky smile, while walking closer to me, “Maybe… But it is real as you want it to be.”

Realizing that she’s starting to flirt with me, I thought, ‘Okay, now I’m a little scared.’

Just before I was about to speak, Shy was standing in front of me, but then she suddenly pounced and brought me into a hug. Then, she started to passionately kiss me.

In that second, my eyes opened wide in surprise. I was just suddenly speechless when she started to explore my mouth with her tongue.

At that point, I was just lost for words. The only thing I could do at that moment, was show my love back to her by exploring her mouth…

Nightfall’s POV (Dragon Form)

It was still pouring with rain and dark outside in the Everfree Forest. My best friend had saved Fluttershy, from a possible seriously injury, by enduring the ancient beast’s attack.

The Hydra had recovered and ran off in pain. I was quite surprised though that it didn’t stay out cold longer, after withstanding such punishment.

Hope, who Fluttershy was examining with Twilight, was on the ground still alive. I asked the mares in concern, “Is he alright?”

The pink mane pegasus replied, still in tears, “*sniff* I hope so. *sniff* His body is covered in a lot burns. He needs medical attention.”

As I examined him, I found that he had a scar all across his chest. It was bleeding, but not to the point were it would kill him. Any stronger impact would had cut his chest wide open though. He’s just lucky that he didn’t get a fatal wound.

Fluttershy, getting close to the verge of breaking down into tears completely, said, “This is my fault. I shouldn’t have walked up to him, while he was still near the Hydra.”

I ensured her, “It wasn’t your fault. Even I thought that we knocked it out.” My words have calmed her a little, but she was still upset.

As I examined all our injured friends, Pinkie and Rarity were checking on Trixie. The exhausted unicorn was still on the floor, groaning from exhaustion, while partly being awake and falling back to sleep. She must have put all her energy into channelling that one spell with me.

Rarity explained, with concern, “Trixie’s fine darling. She’s just exhausted and needs a nice warm bed. If we don’t get her someplace to rest soon, her condition is going to worsen.”

I then turned my attention to the unconscious Rainbow Dash, who Applejack was checking. The earth-pony spoke, very worriedly, “This isn’t good… She needs medical attention. Now!”

Quickly getting closer to examine her wounds, I found that it didn’t look good for her. Fluttershy had done a great job though with stopping the bleeding, with Rainbow’s right hoof and back. But the rainbow mane pegasus took quite a bit of damage to her wings. I was getting very worried that she may never be able to fly again.

I then asked Applejack, “It may probably be best if I carry her.”

Before the orange earth-pony could protest, I spread my left wing to cover the injured pegasus from the rain. I then said, “I may not be as fast as you, but at least her condition isn’t going to get worse with a cold.”

Carefully, I crouched down and picked her up. Then carefully put her on my left shoulder. The pegasus was a little heavy, but I could just manage barely.

She groaned in pain a bit. So I tried to make sure that she was as comfortable as possible, while she’s still being covered by my wing from the rain and that I don’t drop her by accident.

The orange earth-pony, who was getting close to breaking down into heart felt tears, asked, “Please, be careful with her.”

I replied, nodding my head and ensuring her, “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure nothing happens to her.” As I hold Rainbow securely, me and AJ went to check up on the others.

Hope, who was still unconscious, was being carried on the combined backs of Twilight and Fluttershy. The lavender unicorn ensured us, “Don’t worry, we can manage.”

We were just about to check on Trixie, as we found her being carried by Rarity. I then thought, ‘If she can just manage to carry a bolder on her back, I’m pretty sure that she can pick up another unicorn easily.

Just before we were about to journey back to Ponyville, I noticed that there is some green liquid on a tree, which even Pinkie had noticed before I did. So I asked, knowing very well that we should be getting back quickly, “Is that green blood?”

Everypony looked towards us, as Twilight protested, “Nightfall! We don’t have time for-”

As I moved a bush out of the way, near the tree with the green substance on it, most of us gasped on what I found. Behind that very bush was a changeling. It looked like it was just barely alive, unconscious, with several wounds on it.

Applejack, not looking sure what we should do, asked, “Should we…?”

I never liked bugs, but they are quite different from the ones back on Earth. I really think changelings are cool and they are one of my favourite race in this world. What they did in Canterlot with Shining Armor and Cadance was wrong, but it’s their nature to hunt for food.

Quickly coming to a decision, I picked up the poor injured creature with my magic and put it on my right shoulder, also shielding it with my right wing from the rain. It wasn’t as heavy as Rainbow, which made it less difficult. I guess they don’t have as much organs as ponies do…

Once we arrived back in Ponyville, we made haste to the hospital. But because I didn’t know where it was, I followed the girls lead. It was difficult not to get blown back a bit with the wind, because of having both of my wings being spread open.

As we got closer and closer, it increasingly got difficult to hold both Rainbow and the changeling. I was getting quite exhausted from running, so I stopped for a moment to catch my breath.

The orange earth-pony had noticed, so she offered, “I carry the changeling, ya keep hold of Dash.” I picked up the changeling with my magic and then laid it on Applejack’s back.

While we were nearing the hospital, in the still pouring rain, I thought I heard Hope say, “Oh, Fluttershy…”

She replied, worriedly, “We are nearly there Hope…” I don’t think the girls had noticed it, but it sort of sounded a bit… lovingly.