Thunder

The Everfree forest was dark and quiet as always. But tonight something was different. A feeling of a strong ancient magic was pulsing through the forest. As she was going closer to the castle, the feeling got stronger. She froze; something or someone was moving inside it. Slowly, walking like it was hurt, body leaning against the gate, it came out. An alicorn! Dark as the night itself, a mane stricken with the colors of the darkest ash. And the eyes pulsing with dark orange magic. There was something familiar about him but she couldn't put her hooves on it. It started to shake with the hatred it barred. It raised its head and let out a blood freezing scream of anger. “ARGHHHHHH...”

”AHHHHHHHHHHHH....”.

”Princess are you alright?!” A royal guard burst in towards her bedroom. ”Princess Celestia?”

”It's okay, it was just a nightmare.” She tiredly answered.

”But... didn't you hear that?”

”Hear what?”

”That angry blood freezing scream.”

She sat wide awake and stared at him.

”Uh... Princess? Are you okay?”

”I thought that scream was only in my dream. But if you heard it it must be real.”

”I think the whole of Equestria heard it.”

”...”

”Princess... do you know what it was?”

”Maybe...”

”Should we hope that you are wrong?”

”I.. I don't know.”

He looked at her and he saw something wrong, she was scared.

”A storm is coming” thought Twilight ”I'd better hurry back home.”

She was flying her balloon back home from Dodge City after investigating some strange activity there. Celestia had received a report of a shadow sneaking around the city. The princess wouldn't normally take it so seriously, but Celestia hasn't been herself since the night with that scream. A sudden thunderclap made Twilight jump.

”Don't be silly Twilight.” she thought.

”Thunder isn't scary.”

She looked down and saw the Everfree forest. Suddenly, another lightning bolt hit her balloon. She felt her hooves leaving the balloon floor and she tried desperately to flap her wings to get out in the air. But her wings got stuck in a the ropes and she fell headlong towards the ground with the balloon. A frightened scream slipped from her lips.

”Ahhhhhhhhhh......”. She hit the ground with a thud, turning everything  black.

”My leg hurts.” Thought Twilight as she opened her eyes. Everything was blurred but she saw that someone had built a fire and had made a rain shield out of her balloon.

”The storm has come.” She whispered to herself.

Something moved. She turned to see a white creature lying next to the fire. It appeared to be sleeping. An instinct of escaping struck her. She tried to move, but a cutting pain went through her leg and caused her to let out a whimper. The creature opened its eyes at the sound and looked straight at her with its unnatural yellow gaze. It rose up on his legs and started walking towards her, staring at the princess without even so much as blinking. As it come closer Twilight started to panic. She looked everywhere for something that could save her before she saw a branch laying on the side of the fire. She picked it up with her magic and swung it as hard as she could in the side of the creature's head, causing it fall to the ground.

”WHAT THE HAY WAS THAT FOR!?” the creature yelled.

”Wait, you can talk?” said Twilight.

”Of course I can talk! What did you think that I was some kind of monster?”

She started to blush and didn't answer that question. He stood again, rubbing his head and groaning. Now she got a closer look at him and saw he was a white, male unicorn with a black mane and tail. She felt she needed to say something to break the awkward silence.

”My name is Twilight Sparkle, what's yours?” Twilight said then she thought: ”better not tell them I am princess, since I'm to vulnerable”

”Don't forget the Princess part.” he said, whilst was looking in one side of his saddlebag.

”W-wait... What?” Twilight stuttered.

”Are you taking me for an idiot?” He said, taking out some bandages.

”N-no.. but how?” She couldn't believe her ears.

”How do I know you are a princess?” He replied. She nodded.

”Simple, you are a alicorn, you've got a dress in royal standards and you got a crown with the sixth element of harmony in it.” He explained, hovering her crown of the ground and placing it next to her.

”So which leg is hurt?” he continued since she was still speechless.

Twilight then remembered that she was hurt and started felling pain again.

”The left back one...” she said holding back some tears of pain.

”Does this hurt?” he said, gently putting pressure on her leg.

Twilight bit down on her lip and whimpered ”Yes”.

”Okay, just hold still now.” He said as he placed a wooden plank onto her outstretched leg and started to wrap bandage around it. When he had it all covered in bandage, he cut it to size and strapped it down. He then stretched his neck a little looking over her showing a wondering facial expression.

”Can you roll over?” he said.

”Sure.” Twilight said. After she changed side she looked down on her wing and saw that it was turned the wrong way so she started to panic. Kicking with her front hooves.

”BUTTHATISIN'TPOSSIBLEWHYDOSEN'TITHURT?WHY.....” he put a hoof on her mouth.

”Ssshhh.... Just lay still” he said and she calmed down but still breathing heavily. He hovered the wing a bit from the ground and said ”bite your teeth together”. Before she could ask what he meant he pulled her wing straight and the pain was so intense that she fainted

Twilight felt dizzy, trying to focus her eyes. She saw that the sun was rising and felt that her wing was bandaged and a smell of burned cloth filled the air.

”Well, you woke on time.” The white unicorn said.

Twilight sat up and noticed that her dress was gone. She looked around but didn't see it anywhere. Then she glanced at the fire and saw some small burned textile parts.

”YOU BURNED MY DRESS!” She screamed and jumped on her hooves.

”Did you really want to walk through the Everfree forest with that?” He replied.

”N-no but...” she started.

”Didn't think so” he cut off.

”I have packed all your stuff into this bag.” He continued, hovering the bag in front of her.

”Thanks” she said in a low voice. She got up and started to put on the saddlebag. When she had put on her saddlebag she looked at the white unicorns direction, he had turn his back against her and then she saw he was blank flanked. Twilight was speechless. He turned around and she assaulted him with questions.

”Why don't you have a cutie mark? Is it some form of disease? Virus? Maybe some reversed cutie pox????...”

He just sighed and continued to pick up his items.

”Maybe it's some kind of disease? Or it might be... ” She became silent and looked at him for a while.

”Are you listening?” She asked.

”Should I?” He answered.

”Well... yes 'm trying to find a logical explanation.”

He turned around and walk against her while saying

”Don't you think i have thought about all the believable and unbelievable reasons why i don't got one? During my countless hours of exile?”

”Y-yes”.

”Then if it's good for the princess maybe we might get going before something comes and kills us?”

He said with irritation in hes voice and a angry look on hes face. Then he looked down in the ground and sighed deep and said

”I'm sorry... ”

He walked back and picked up the rest of his items.

”Are you ready to go?” he asked with kinder voice.

Twilight took a look around and said

”I think so”

”Where are we heading?”

”To Ponyville but i don't know which direction” she looked around.

The unicorn just smiled and said:

”Let's go” and he started to walk.

Twilight hurried as fast she could with her broken leg to get up by his side. They walked for about a long time. She felt the pain with every step she took. Suddenly she fell to the side and bumped into the white unicorn. While leaning against him she could feel that all his muscles got tense. She could also feel that he was well trained. The she looked up and noticed he was looking at her. Twilight quickly got back on her legs already blushing.

”Sorry” she whispered while looking down in the ground.

”Don't worry about it. You can't walk properly with a broken leg”

Twilight could see in his eyes that he was talking from experience.

”Are you ready to continue? It's not far now” the unicorn said. She nodded and they continued walking. After a few minutes they got out of the forest, Twilight did take a deep breath, she was relieved that they where finally out of it. They kept walking, now with Twilight in the led. She thought that it was best to get her wounds looked over by a real doctor. So they walked to the hospital. When she got there she turned around and saw that the unicorn was starting to walk back.

”Where are you going?” Twilight asked.

”I was just making sure you got here safe. So now i go back where i came from” he answered.

”Don't you want to stay around and she how i it will turn out?”

The unicorn smiled and said ”maybe i will” and continued walking. When she reached for the door  handle she found herself thinking ”why did i say that?” Then she remembered something and shout after him ”Whats your name?”

On which he turned around and said ”The names Jack”. As he disappeared into the night.