Children's Games

Metalica was scared. She was never supposed to leave the ruins. Ever. Mother would be so mad but she was curious. She only saw the outside when Mother or Father would return from whatever they did. She often heard them arguing about whether or not she could. But Mother always ended the argument by saying "What if someone saw her? We couldn't do anything to help her if they did.". Father would then go quiet and walk away and tell her she couldn't leave and explain how it was "bad" out there for her.

Metalica never liked that! She was almost six and they still didn't trust her with anything! Well. Unless you counted smithing and her training. But even then Father wouldn't let her touch the metals and Mother wouldn't let her use the blades. She knew she was still small and it could hurt her but it wasn't fair!

She pouted and pulled her jacket up farther hoping nopony could see her wings if they were nearby. It was far to big for her but it did the job and that's all that mattered. She picked up the pace and quickly looked behind her. The ruins loomed dark and ominous as ever but home none the less. Metalica loved hearing her Mother's and Father's stories about what happened. They both had vastly different tales about what happened. Father said that a large explosion rocked the city as ponies of all kinds battled above ground while scared mares and foals hid in the mines and tunnels were most everypony during the time either worked or lived. However as he got into details he began to start laughing and crying and sometimes say things that didn't make the least bit sense, almost like the time she caught him and Mother talking about somepony named "Aurora". She wanted to know more but Mother said it wasn't a good idea and walked away. Father hadn't been right for a week and had refused to speak about it later.

But she liked Mother's version of the story much better anyways and had loved to listen to it over and over again. Mother never seemed to bore of telling it. Then again Metalica could never read Mother's facial expressions under her mask. Now that she thought about it Mother's face never seemed to change much. But Mother told of an epic battle where they fought against an enemy that seemed unbeatable. They were pushing them back toward the entrances of the mine when the once mighty towards were being burned and collapsed. Those who could ran and hid or fled all together hoping to survive. Mother always got fuzzy at this point trying to remember. She said just before she was buried under a fallen tower she saw a bomb silver in hue made of pure magical energy above the city. She never knew what happen but our friend Belandra always picks up the story here. Belandra said when they dropped the bomb it destroyed the entirety of the city killing eveypony above ground. But on top of that giving them a fate worse than death. They were to relive their failures over and over again. Belandra describes it vividly as if she were there. Although when Metalica looks into her burnt visage she doesn't doubt she was.

Shaking her head Metalica focused back onto what was going on. She looked up at the sky and saw it was starting to get dark out. This would mean her Mother and Father had just left. Perfect! They would never know she had been gone in the first place! Giddy with excitement she picked up the pace and began to wander aimlessly through the forest excited for what she might see or find!

After a few minutes she got bored however. Maybe her parents were right. There was nothing good for here after all--

She turned quickly eyes forward straining to hear the slightest sound. She had heard something. It was strange. It wasn't unlike the sound she heard Blaze Heart the baby dragon her Mother was raising made. It was like a whimpering sound. It almost sounded as if someone was...crying?

Carefully she turned around and began to follow the sound. She shouldn't be doing this. Not alone in the dark with no one around. What if this was a trick? Someone wanting to hurt her? Or what if it was just her imagination? She did have a very vivid imagination after all. She could just be WANTING to hear this. It might not actually be there. But, something in her gut told her she should continue to follow the noise. That it could be important! What if somepony was actually hurt?

Taking a deep breath she kept walking.

The noise steadily got louder and louder and Metalica began to feel even more afraid. She wanted nothing more than to run home and hide hoping to never hear this horrible sound again, but something kept pushing her on.

"Come on Mecs.." She said mentally slapping herself "You can do this!" with that she pushed aside a bushes branches.

And she found the source of the noise.

It was small colt. Maybe her size if not a bit smaller. He was a light tanish brown color and his mane was a mass of black hair streaked with red, his warm brown eyes wide with only what she could assume was fear. Metalica was so caught up in staring at him she almost didn't catch why he seemed so afraid.

His hind left leg was almost completely severed from his body and was caught between a rock on the side of the cliff face. He must have fallen. He was crying and it was clear holding back screams that could attract hungry predators. Or. Ponies like her.

It took him awhile to realize she was there and when he did he let out a small yelp and tried to pull himself back forgetting he was stuck. He yelped a bit as he unintentionally yanked it back. He looked more terrified of her than of his wound.

"I-It's okay..." Metalica said keeping her voice low and as calm as possible, "My name is Metalica Gears...who are you?" the question sounded almost stupid! He was trapped and she was sharing pleasantries!

He seemed to calm down a bit. "M-My n-name is...My name is.." he coughed suddenly and doubled over for a moment. For the first time Metalica noticed the bloody bandages wrapped around his chest which caused her to back up a bit. The colt's eyes widened at her reaction and quickly said "Don't go! Please..."

Metalica swallowed and stepped forward again. He calmed down again and coughed one more time before saying "My name is Onyx..Onyx Inkshade..."

"It's..nice to meet you?" Metalica offered, When he didn't answer she said "What happened to you?"

Onyx looked away and bit his lip "Could you help me first? This hurts..." Metalica blushes and nodded. She walked over to the cliff face and examined the injury. Mother would know what to do..

"I have an idea...but you won't like it." Metalica said.

He eyed her warily "What? It can't be worse.." Metalica didn't answer so he said "Just do it alright?" with that he closed his eyes and braced himself.

Without warning she shoved herself into the rock that pinned him and pushed as hard as she could. There was a grinding sound as it moved and Onyx screamed as his leg was freed. Without it being stuck she saw the damage was much worse than she suspected it to be.

Onyx lay on the ground crying in pain when Metalica bodily pushed him up and onto her back.

"W-wha-what are y-you do-doing?" his voice was faint.

"I'm getting you help. Don't stop talking to me alright? Whatever you do. Don't. Stop."

"A-alright...But wha-what about?" he sounded distant. Metalica bit her lip.

"What happened to you Onyx? Tell me that." It was the only thing she could think of. Plus she was curious.

He paused for a long time. "Well...I ha-had a..had a heart transplant." Metalica felt his tears on her back "Mine was bad..it hurt all the time...like someone was squeezing it and w-wouldn't let go..." he paused "Like my Dad's..." he took a deep breath "My dad didn't survive his. I miss him..but my sister insisted I try too. If I didn't I would only feel worse as time went on." he started shaking "But I still hurt.."

The filly looked around. Which way did she come from again? Ah there! Also this would explain the bloody bandages but.."How did you get here?"

Onyx was silent for a long time. "I had just woken up. And my sister, Amber, was sitting there. She was crying. I asked her what was wrong...she told me that...that..." he took a deep breath "My mom had committed suicide.."

"Suicide?"

"She killed herself...She couldn't take it anymore..."

Metalica stopped walking a moment before continuing again. Killed herself?! While her son was having this heart transplant thingy?! She thought how she would feel if her Mother did that if she was sick. She would have probably run away too!

Her thoughts were interrupted as Onyx started talking again "So..when my sister was busy..I ran out of the hospital and ran as far away as I could. My leg got caught on something and I felt something rip as I fell off that cliff. I had one of my attacks just before you found me. I only started to feel the pain now..." he slumps on her back "I'm...I'm so tired..."

"Just...Just a bit longer okay?" Metalica could make out the spires of the ruins in the distance. "Okay? Don't go to sleep? Please."

"I...I won...I wont..Meta...li...ca...." his voice tapered off.

With that Metalica broke into a sprint as fast as she could toward home. She shouted with her mind and her voice "DADDY!!"

Almost sluggishly slow the response came to her "Yeeeeessss?" a pause "Whaaaaat issss it?"

Panic mixed with relief he hadn't left yet rushed through her. "Mother?! If she home? Tell her to come outside!!"

The reply came filled with anger and she could almost see the dark form of her Father in her mind. "What?! We told you NEVER to go outside! This better be good..." a long pause. "She's at the entrance."

Metalica felt energy flow through her as she rushed over to her Mother.

Rider was as intimidating as ever. The alicorn stood tall in her silver armor and her red purple mane flowed freely like rushing water. And her eyes. Her eyes! Those draconic eyes could cow even the most ferocious beast. And now they gazed down at the small filly in anger.

"You disobeyed my orders Metalica Gears." Rider's voice was emotionless and flat.

Metalica looked up at her Mother with her large eyes "We can talk about punishment later! I need you to help him!"

"Him?" she just seemed to notice the colt on her back. "What..no time..I'll take him to the closest hospital right away. I can't do much for him myself..." with that she took him on her own back and spread her wings in preparation for flight.

Metalica grabbed onto Rider's tail "Can I go please?!" she was on the verge of tears "I want to see hes alright."

Rider sighed and nodded "Yes. You can. But you have alot of explaining to do." with that Rider took to the air and sped off.

Metalica felt her Father's burning red eyes follow her as she took off after Rider. She did INDEED have alot of explaining to do and she was NOT getting out of it anytime soon.