From Dusk Til... Ponies?

From Dusk Til... Ponies?

Chapter 5

On The Heels Of Clouds

You know how sometimes you get the feeling that Oh I'm fine but you're not. Well, hehe, screw that. I had feeling, and a bad one, that today was screwed and boy, oh boy, was I right. I had an absolutely awful feeling. First of all, we made it too the middle of Tennessee around mid-day. Stopping at McDonald's I motioned for Jacob to switch me seats.

"MacDonald's, what can I get for you today?"

"Sure. Got anything pony friendly?"

"Of course. Have to cater to all our customers don't we?"

"Sweet. We'll take that. Whatever it is."

"Alright. Go ahead to the window."

I had Jacob pull us forward and I lay my hoof on the wheel. The guy who took our order opened the window and gaped at me.

"Yo."

"A pony. Driving a car. This is almost as weird as the gryphon on a unicycle."

I raised my eyebrow.

"Anyway. Here's your food. That'll be $18.95."

I hoofed over the money, doing my best to pull out. Switching with Jacob again I hoofed out everyone's food and we stopped at the outside seats. Hopping out I turned to Jacob.

"I'm gonna check how traffic is."

Flapping my wings I flew up to the lower hanging clouds and looked down. None of the traffic looked too bad. Gliding back down, I heard the sound of a gun shot and felt something punch through my wing causing me fly down, crash onto a roof, and had to dodge a few more shots. Diving onto the stair well I raced down and heard the shots stop. Looking out I could see some people wearing shirts that said PAPA. Yup. My feeling was right. Hiding in the nearby cupboard and doing my best to make it seem locked I waited for them to finish checking the area. Within moments they left and I pulled myself out.

"Psst. Over here," came a voice from a crack in a door. I looked over to see a guy motioning to his room.

Don't trust strangers.

Where the hell have you been?

Does it matter?

To Tartarus with it. I'll yell at you later.

I quickly scrambled over and into the guys room. Sitting on his couch I looked up at him.

"They were on their way back. I figured you'd luck out better here."

"Oh," I said, "Anyway PAPA?"

"People Against Ponies Association."

"Oh right. That lot."

"Yup," he said. Suddenly I felt extremely light headed. trying to gain my balance I ended up falling onto the couch.

"Oh hell, your wing," he said, his voice seemed to quiet.

"Oh huh, forgot about that," I said as it all faded to black.

Opening my eyes I found myself in the room where I had conversed with Dusk the first time. It still looked like a infinite void of swirling purples and black. Looking around I found the pony I was looking for. She was lying on the "floor" seemingly asleep. I walked over to her and she looked up. It was then that I noticed she had started to look different. She stood and said, "You look different."

"So do you."

I whipped out a mirror, thank you imagination, and looked at myself. I had started to look more like Dusk. Unconcerned I looked back to Dusk.

"You see everything?"

"Yup."

Thith, the weird orb thing with all my textbook knowledge, flew up to me. "Master, do you wish me to search for any memories of how to free someone?"

"No," I said and suddenly Dusk joined in, "I know what I need to do."

This time when I opened my eyes I found myself looking at the guy who had rescued me. His scraggly face was filled with worry and, was it, concern? I had no idea. He had donned a medical mask and was looking at me.

"Oh good, you're awake. I bandaged up your wing," he said.

Looking back at my wing I was stunned to find it expertly bandaged and splinted. I looked back at the guy.

"Wow. How did you know to do that?"

"I'm a vet in a nearby clinic. They brought me to the hospital to help with ponies."

"Oh. I need to go. My friends were grabbed," I made for the door.

"Wait, I never got your name," he called out.

Stopping I pondered for a moment. I now had the memories of Josh and Dusk Showers. I had to decide on my name then and there.

"Dusk. I'm Dusk," I said as I raced off. Running past the other doors I sprinted outside. Using my speed to lauch me into the air I zoomed back towards the McDonald's. Flying up I tucked my wings inward and dove downward at the van that was speeding off. It turned left and I landed on the top as quietly as possible. The van raced towards a storehouse and I jumped off. Flying up I landed on top of the building and watched silently as the dragged the bound and gagged Jacob with the caged Justin/Apple Stars and Envy/Aura inside. Looking for the air vent opening on the top I climbed inside and made my way downward. Finally I found the room I was looking for.

"What do you think the boss is going to do with them?"

"They told me they had someone who was going to dissect them, to see if they really are like the ponies from this world."

"Wow. What about the rest?"

"Once they catch them other one they're going to sell them to one of the farms in South America or something. Either that or use them to study them further. Hopefully they'll find their little weaknesses."

I glared through the vent. Great. Now I'd have to blow the freaking store house up or something. I'd probably go with or something. I didn't have the skills to blow it up. Climbing out of the vent I dropped down out of the vent silently and snuck towards the two thugs. Kicking one in the head I aimed a blow at the other's tender spot. He dropped and I heard him say,

"Mr. Silence will stop you freaks," and he dropped unconscious from pain.

I turned back to the others.

"Am I late or something?"