Guitar Strings and Dragon Wings

Metal in Equestria: 17

"GAHH!"

Wallace threw himself awake. He leaned forward in his sleeping bag. Only his legs were covered and he focused solely on breathing. That dream was too real. He pictured Maria falling down again. It replayed in his mind over and over.

He clenched his head, digging his fingers into his skull, and one solemn tear fell from his cheek onto the bag. He could feel the dirt in his chestnut hair from where his head hit the ground earlier.

It was obviously night time, as Twilight's library was nearly pitch black. Wallace looked out a window and could see the stars and bright bluish moon.

He slammed a fist onto his leg. "Damn it Maria!" he inhaled deeply, " It should've been me… damn it…"

"Hey Wally." A light voice called out to him in his time of need. He picked up his head and realized Pinkie Pie lying down next to him.

"Please tell me… who she is." She rested her head on his leg.

They made eye contact as another tear rolled his cheek.

"She was a damn good friend, Cupcake…" he looked down at the floor. "…a damn good friend…" he repeated.

"Well," she whispered, "I know I could never replace a friend like that, but I can promise I'll always be a good one." She reached out and hugged him lightly.

To Wallace she felt almost exactly like Maria. He hugged her back even tighter.

"I'm glad you're like her… she was like… my only real friend, ever." He searched for the words to say. "I'm just glad I found someone like her here. It's like I got back a piece of me that died with her."

"You're a funny guy Wally. It's just been buried by a bunch of toughy tough guy stuff… and you gotta let it out."

"Yeah you're right."

They released each other's embrace and sat in quiet before going back to sleep.

Meanwhile…

Packie had found it difficult to sleep. Every which way he turned his wings seemed to writhe in pain. They creaked and ached, and seemed more like a curse than what at first seemed like a gift. The bandages that Fluttershy had spent time wrapping around them were starting to unravel. Packie just hoped that the bandages would stay put until morning. A lantern was kept by the sofa, offering a dim night light.

He quietly watched the stars out the window, with only his thoughts to keep him company. Why am I even here? I mean this is a nice place and all… but why me and the other guys? We're supposed to be here for a reason, aren't we?

His constant thinking kept him awake for easily over an hour. This place is perfect, isn't it? And what about her? She is just perfect… and it just isn't fair. Why couldn't she be a human? But why would I make her change? That wouldn't be fair. What if I could chan- no that's stupid. Why am I even thinking like that? But she's so nice to me. Not even my mom or dad were that kind. I owe her something. Could I even change? What a stupid idea…

"Hey." a small voice said.

He flipped over to see her there, standing close by his side.

"Um… are you feeling any better?" she asked.

"Yeah, actually I am." He gave her a warm smile. His voice was slightly deeper than earlier, since he hadn't spoken in a while.

"That's just wonderful! Err… I mean… that's good." She was struggling inside not to show any weakness around him. She thought he simply wouldn't approve; but why wouldn't he?

"Don't look so nervous. I'm guessing you can't sleep either?" The question had been building in his mind for a while.

"Well… I was just having some trouble falling asleep, yes. But I mostly wanted to check up on you. How are they?" She delicately unwrapped a few bandages, revealing bruised skin and feathers underneath.

"They feel the same. How does it look from your angle?"

"Actually it looks better. The swelling has gone down dramatically. Do you normally heal this fast?" Further inspection showed her that some of the cracked cartilage was starting to mend.

"I guess so, my dad always told me to 'rub dirt in it' when I hurt anything. I used to be a sprinter on my school's track team and was always getting injured." He twitched as he felt her ruffle some feathers.

"Oh I'm sorry… so what's a sprinter?" She continued to poke and prod at his wings.

"Basically it's a contest of who can run the fastest, over short distances that is."

"Oh yeah... Were you good at it?"

"I wasn't bad, I would've won my first race if I knew where the finish line was, but I stopped before I even got close."

"Oh no! What happened? Did you get second?"

"Third actually… the other five passed me up before I realized the race wasn't over. I could hear them laughing at me as they ran by. I was determined not to finish last because of a stupid mistake. I gained on all of them and passed up three, but I couldn't get past the other two. It was kinda embarrassing."

"I know what you mean. That's still pretty impressive though." Fluttershy wrapped up his bandages tightly as he leaned up to listen.

"No kidding? How?" Eagerness filled his voice.

"Well, believe it or not I used to be on a track team at summer flight camp."

"No shit, are you serious?" He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Oh yes, but I wasn't a very fast flyer at all. I didn't like to perform the short bursts of speed like Rainbow Dash so I was actually on the long-distance team."

"No way! Were you good?" Packie leaned in closer to give her even more attention.

"Sometimes, I won a race once… but I wasn't in that many to begin with. After I learned to enjoy flying I felt as though I could do it all day, just listening to the birds and creatures of the woods." She smiled as the memories came back to her.

"Wow. That's one more race than I ever won, so as far as I'm concerned you're a better athlete than me." He batted away a tuft of blond hair dangling in his face.

"Oh please, really, I'm not all that great. I just enjoy flying that's all. Maybe when you heal in two days we can go for a longer flight."

"Two days? That's it?" Utter excitement took over him.

"Actually with Twilight's help we might be able to fix it by tomorrow. But your wings still need to heal on their own. I remember the last time Rainbow Dash hurt her wings, Twilight was able to speed up the healing process… with some of my help of course." she giggled.

Packie yawned deeply.

"That sounds awesome, Shy." he said. "We have to go there and get me fixed up."

"Alright, but you still need some sleep Patrick." She made her way over to a closet on the other side of the room. She pulled from it a large green blanket. "Maybe this'll help you sleep." Fluttershy returned to his side and handed it to him.

Patrick unfurled it and saw that it would easily cover his whole body, despite it being smaller than most blankets. "Thanks, Shy. You're easily the nicest pon—err… person I've ever met. I think I might have said that already."

"No thank you Patrick. You've been equally kind…" she whipped her hair out of the way, "and you're a really great guy too."

Something in Fluttershy stirred up and she reached out to give him a hug.

At first he was a bit shocked, but returned her gesture. They remained in each other's embrace for a few moments before Fluttershy broke away to return to bed.

"I'll see you in the morning." She warmly smiled at him.

"G'night." He waved to her as she went upstairs and slowly began to fall asleep under the green blanket.

What he couldn't see was the single tear she had shed while she thought to herself.

Why couldn't he be a pony? Maybe I could be like him…no that's silly.

Back at the tree house, in the library…

Jiggs' loud, constant snoring was giving Twilight trouble sleeping. Even worse was his sleep talking.

"snore*…

hey baby how you doin'?...

snore* …

me big American man…

snore*…

oh shit, Jersey… didn't see you there…

snore*…

wait, come back… Jersey

snore*…"

Twilight let out a little giggle. "Oh brother. That is pathetic."

She pulled the pillow over her head, desperately trying to block out the noise.

Meanwhile, miles and miles away…

A gargantuan, red reptile spewed forth a storm of fire. His yellow eyes cut through the night, accenting the burning landscape and twisting flames. The forest before him had been decimated by searing heat and sheer force. The claws of the beast dug into the earth beneath the ashes. It was clear he was looking for something. Five equally large monsters assisted in the destruction, making their way north. The leader, covered in ruby red scales, demanded them to halt.

"Stop brethren. Listen to me." His voice was deep and booming, the voice of a commander. His voice shook the very earth beneath him. "What we are looking for is not here. We must make our way past the mountains."

A blue, smaller, but equally deadly looking dragon spoke. "But master, that is territory strictly belonging to that of ponies. Do you wish to incur the wrath of the princess? She is most cunning…" The indigo lizard's voice hissed and cracked. A large battle scar was etched into the left side of his face.

"The queen will relinquish what is rightfully ours."

A purple beast stuck out his head. "Are you do not fear her, my king?"

"Not in the slightest. We will be prepared, so as long as my plan is followed to the letter. First we must search this mountain range."

With one fell swoop of his massive wing the flames of the forest were extinguished. The leader did not see the point in letting the fire rage in gem-barren lands. It was a waste of life. The ponies are the ones who truly deserved punishment.

The band of six beasts continues their trek up the snowy glaciers. Fumes from burning trees marked their eminent arrival.

"We are coming, queen. You will pay." The red beast bellowed.

At Fluttershy's cottage…

Patrick had begun to settle under the blanket and sink into the sofa. His head felt heavy upon the cloth. It was noticeably more difficult to make out the stars of the night. Something was outshining them. The moon couldn't possibly have been bright enough to do this.

Even though it was late into the night, Patrick could see the faint orange glow rising over the snowcapped mountains to the south.

"Well fuck…" his eyes fixed upon the light, "that does not look good. And it definitely ain't no sunrise." He turned over and fell off the sofa.

CRACK*

"Shit, just gotta ignore the pain… gotta tell Shy."

He slowly stumbled over to the staircase leading up to her room.