Revenge of Jack

Chapter 5 - Highway To Hell

I was lying in my bed, shocked. Animals bieseging Canterlot? Does it have to do something with wolfes watching train?

"So, what do you suggest to do now?" I asked, still not sure of what to think about that.

"From what i remember, your friend, Fluttershy can talk with animals. I shall ask her if she can communicate with them and ask what they want. If that wont work, i will do what i only can to protect my city."  At the last part, her motherly voice get quite sharp.

"Uh huh, i see... But why you came with it to me?" I have a bad feelings about this.

"Because if my plan with Fluttershy wont work, i want you in to join in protecting Canterlot." Wait, what?

"Why me? I'm not a warrior, i dont know how to fight!" Well, that wasnt exacly true. When i was young, my father taught basic self-defense and tactics of how to attack with a knife. Nothing special if you ask me, but it was still quite usefull in my life.

"We will need everypony to defend. It's been a long time since Canterlot was attacked last time, but at least this time things are way easier." She sighed.

"What happend last time, then?"

"An army of Changelings attacked, they almost took over whole Canterlot, if not Twilight and her friends."

"Changelings? What is that?"

"It's... rather complicated. They are an old race of creatures that looks like a mix of ponies and bugs. Everyone in their race are black and have holes in their legs, have canines and bug-like wings and are missing pupils. They're feeding on emotion, love exacly." Weirdos, avoid them. Noted. "Anyway, i'm going to use my magic to fix your leg faster."

"You can do that?" Then it makes me wonder why nobody else tried, since in this hostpital most doctors are unicorns...

"Of course yes, now give me a second..." She focued magic in her horn, and after a while a wave of light surrounded my knee. I could feel my wound close and slowly dissapear. That's creepy, man. After a while magic slowly dissappeared as i stood up. "Alright, you should be better now. Feel free to leave hospital, i need to meet with Fluttershy now. Farewell." And she left. So animals are besieging Canterlot? And Discord might be related to it?

When i left my room, nurse was at least shocked. There was a small explanation about why i'm already fine, some documents to sign and other stuff like that before i could leave hospital. It was already night, but i could barely see throu darkness a Celestia's chariot flying towards Canterlot. That was quick. I began walking in direction of Twilight house, hoping she's not asleep yet. I was just in time to see Twilight changing a sign at Library's door from 'opened' to 'closed'. When she saw me coming, she was rather confused.

"Jack? Applejack told me you were wounded and had to stay at hospital for at last one week!"

"Well, Celestia came to me and on the occasion she healed my knee. Also, she probably took Fluttershy with her."

"Princess Celestia was in Ponyville? And she took Fluttershy? What is that all about?"

"Apparently animals from the nearest forests and hills are bieseging Canterlot and Celestia had to-"

"WHAT?! Animals bieseging Canterlot?! Why princess didnt told anything to rest of us?"

"It looks like she want to do it on easy way, and make Fluttershy to tell them to fuck off. If that wont work, she's going to get rid off them." What? She didnt said it that way, but i'm sure she thought about it like that.

"Jack, are you sure this is what princess exacly said?"

"Well, not really, but point is the same."

"*Sigh* I dont really know what to think about this"

"Me neither. Let's go inside." So we did. Spike wasnt anywhere near, so i gues he was sleeping already. Like always, i've went to bathroom, cleaned myself up and went straight to bed.

Morning was pretty calm. Twilight knocking at my door woke me up, i went to bathroom to do my stuff, then head to the kitchen and- Oh god, this smell. I could feel my mouth watering. When i came in, i could see a plate filled with all kinds of cooked vegetables, carefully designed and spiced with some kinds of herbs. Ratatouille?

"Ah, good morning Jack! I've decided to prepare something special, since today is a big day!" I've quickly approached table and started eating - God, this is fucking delicious! - as Twiligh continued. "You will see soon anyway!" She giggled. I have a bad feelings about this, but apparently food kinda prevents me from thinking right now.

After that i went to Applejack orchard. My job here is pretty simple - i have to carry baskets with apples to their barn, empty it and bring it back to Applejack or Big Macintosh, which was Applejack brother. Normaly i'm working for at least six hours, but this time Applejack told me to stop after two hours or so, suggesting me to go to sugar cube corner with her. I didnt had anything else to do, so i didnt mind it, but in halfway a realization came to me. Twilight said about something big today, and apparently Applejack is bringing me to sugar cube corner. Surprise party? Well, not 'surprise' party anymore, but i'm not going to be a party pooper. We arrived after a while at sugar cube corner, and, of course as i expected -

"SURPRISE!" Pinkie and other ponies screamed as i entered. Randomly colored ballons around, some kinds of food and drink at tables, everyone in party hats. I feel like at a birthday party for an eight years old kid. But as i said, i'm not going to destroy their efforts.

"Whoa! I totally didnt expected that!" Way too obvious. Thankfully, they bought that.

"Well Jack, this is your late Welcome-To-Ponyville party!" Pinkie happily said, i couldnt help but smile at that. Yeah, she's been talking about it lately. And so party goes on. Everyone were having fun, there was a lot of dancing and laughing. I'm not really a party person, so most of this party i was just staying away or talking with some random ponies. I've meet Lyra at this party, but she seems somehow... strange. All the time she was looking into my eyes, a wide smile at her face. I was actualy thinking that she's high, if not the fact that ponies dont have drugs, which is probably a good thing. Everything was going just fine... for a half an hour.

Then something totally unexpected happend.

A bear rammed the door and went inside, a confused look at his face. Yes, i'm calling everything with a mouth a face. Yes, i'm dumb. Anyway, we were looking at eachother, untill this bear went berserk. He charged at us, but tripped over as one of ponies lay in front of him. He was falling on the ground as he suddenly get in halfway a punch in a jaw from another pony who quickly came with at least five others. They all started to beat a crap out of him, untill he ran away. What was that about? Now that everyone went silent, we could hear screams outside. I've went throu the hole where once was a door and saw whole Ponyville under attack of... animals? Oh god. A group of some kind of wooden wolves were chasing some ponies, most of homes were destroyed, and i could see actualy some wounded ponies lying down. As soon as i left sugar cube corner, rest of ponies did as well, and gasped when they saw how their village is being destroyed. Twilight and her friends immediately went into fighting stances and charged at the closest group of wooden wolves. When they went into fight, all nearest animals came as well, just as ponies from party did. Now it was a huge damn battle. I couldnt really see everything, but i didnt wanted to stay back and watch. I've looked around for some kind of weapons, and saw some kind of a ripped off pipe lying at the ground. I picked it up and went to fight as well. As i approached, one of these wooden wolves noticed me and went straight at me. I made a quick dodge and hit it in it's head, making it only roam in anger. There's no way i'm going to hurt a wooden wolf with a damn pipe! It was about to jump at me again, but he got shot from some kind of a lazor. When i looked behind me, i saw Pinkie Pie holding Twilight by her neck with one hoof, and other hoof spinning her tail, making her shoot a wave of lazers straight at the group of animals. She destroyed almost all wooden wolves, killed some bears and made some smaller reptiles to run away with rest of animals that survived. Twilight looked exhausted after that, and actualy would fall on the ground, if not Pinkie holding her. And then, a weirdo animal came. What is that thing? It looks like a lion with a tail of scorpion and wings of bat. And man, it was damn huge. At least half and meter higher than me. It roared evilly at our exhausted group, and was probably about to attack us, if not suddenly Fluttershy appearing out of nowhere.

"Now now, there's no need to scream! Look what you're doing, you've scared these ponies! You need to apologize!" He looked away, a shame clearly at his face. He looked at us and softly roared. I cant believe this is happening. "That's better. Now you can go back to your home." She said happily. It turned around and walked back from where it came from. Fluttershy was now going in our way, but stopped when she saw a group of dead animals in behind us. I think she was about to vomit now.

"I'm sorry, this was in self defence! We really didnt wanted to do this!" Twilight said, clearly sad. Fluttershy looked around ruined now Ponyville.

"Yes, i do believe it was right thing to do... I just... need a moment to get throu this." Twilight and rest of friends went to her to hug her. Everyone were already gathering around to discuss with mayor what to do now.

"Alright everypony, listen! I need two group of ponies! One group will take care of wounded ponies, and the other one will try to fix any kind of damage animals have caused! Anything usefull to help ponies you can find at the hospital, and tools needed to repair you will find at Garry's workshop! Now move, faster we start it, sooner we will finish it!" Everyone cheered and spread around the town. Girls were comforting Fluttershy, but soon they joined groups as well, and since i didnt had anything else to do, i helped as well. I've been looking for wounded ponies, but when i started, most of wounded ponies were already fine. After about half an hour, i could hear a silent crying from one of dark alleys. I've started to head into direction of sound, untill i saw... Scootaloo. Badly wounded Scootaloo. She was lying at the floor, facing a wall. She had a lot of scratches bites at her body, all of them quite badly bleeding. Thankfully, as a part of group, i had a first aid with me, so i quickly approached her and started to take care of her wounds. When she looked at me, her eyes lit with hope.

"Jack! Thanks Celestia, someone found me! I've been trying to fight timberwolves, but they came at me in group! I had to retreat, and ran accidentialy into this alley. They... they surrounded me. I'm sure they would kill me, if not a sudden roar which scare them away. I was scared that... nobody would found me..." Well, at least she stoped crying.

"Of course someone would find you, i'm sure your parents would start searching for you as soon as they noticed that you're missing." I dont think i'm good in comforting others. I could see her eyes watering again.

"But Jack... I dont have a parents... They... died soon after i've been born." Oh crap, i just officialy became a dick.

"I'm... i'm sorry..."

She sighed deeply, clearing her eyes. "It's... Ok, Jack. I know you didnt knowed..."

"You dont have anyone to watch over you?"

"Well... Rainbow Dash is acting like my sister, though she isnt. She was taking care of me so far, helping me if i needed that."

"I see... i'm really sorry, Scootaloo." I just ended bandaging her at that point. "Alright, can you walk?" She get on her hooves shakily, but she managed to actualy walk. "Okay, good. Can you make it to the rest of ponies?" She made a few more steps, but each of them were more shakily. I sighed and picked her up, holding in my hands like a baby.

"C'mon Jack, i can walk, you can let me go." No she cant. She is barely able to walk, and it's about one hundred meters away. I just kept walking, whistling a happy tune as i carried her to group of ponies. When Rainbow Dash saw me coming with Scootaloo at my hands, she bolted right to us.

"Scootaloo! Are you ok?!" She asked, clearly worried.

"I'm ok, thanks to Jack!" Scootaloo happily said, though i know she's still in pain.

"Really? Awesome, but we need to get you to hospital! Jack, can you carry her?" Someone's lazy? Or does it have to do something with the fact she's not really able to hold her with hooves?

"Sure, i gues." And so we did. It took us about twenty minutes, and as soon as nurse saw us coming, she went straight to us.

"Another wounded pony? Alright, bring her to room with a red plus on it and wait for me here, i'll come soon." We quickly started looking for that room, which took us fucking forever. This hospital is huge, and after half an hour, which felt to us like eternity, we found that room. When we entered it, there was at least thirty ponies, all of them wounded. I put her on a free bed, and Rainbow Dash bringed some blankets to cover her.

"Alright, i think i will be fine now, thanks Big J." Rainbow Dash said. Big J? Big Jack?? Big Jack, Big Jack, You know it's only natural, he gets you up to scratch!

"No problem, Rainbow. In that case i think i'll-"

"No, wait! Can you stay?" Scootaloo suddenly asked.

"Well, ok i gues..."

Next hour i spend by staying with Scootaloo, comforting her and bringing whatever she needed, along with Rainbow Dash.  I have to say, it sure wasnt something interesting to do, but Scootaloo insisted me to stay with her. When doctor came to take Scootaloo for an observation, i left. Rainbow Dash wanted to stay though, so didnt pressed. I've left hospital, and i could see already most of buildings fixed, though some of them had still slight damage visible on them. Damn, these ponies are fast. With nothing else to do, i started walking toward Twilight house. When i was in, Twilight was walking around, a worried look on her face, as well as the rest of girls.

"What is going on?" I asked. Everyone's eyes turned to me.

"You were right Jack, animals are bieseging Canterlot. Fluttershy came here after trying to convince them to leave this city." Twilight said.

"And, sadly, these animals didnt even listened to me! Animals that attacked Ponyville were from Everfree forest, and still i was able to communicate with them. When i talked with this manticore, it came out that he didnt even knowed what he was doing here, like something possessed him! Same is with the animals bieseging Canterlot, they cant control themself! It's like something took control over them and told them to surround Canterlot! I... one of them h-hurt me... If not Celestia next to me, i'm sure he would try to kill me..." So something possessed them? Now i'm sure it could be only Discord.

"And now, animals attacked Ponyville as well! Ah'm sure it's somethin' more than just animals going berserk!" Applejack said. No shit, Sherlock.

"Yes, it is something else. As princess Celestia said, this might mean that... Discord is coming back..." At this point, everyone's eyes went to me.

"What?"

"You know Jack that you've been suspicious for working for Discord. Princess Celestia said you're not working for him, and you explained already what connected you to him, but i'm sure it's not just a coincidence that animals are attacking ponies after Discord left your mind. I'm not trying to say you caused it, but it's obviously linked with you." God damn it Twilight.

"I.... eh, i gues you're right. But as you said, it doesnt mean i have caused it."

"We know you dont, nobody ever considered that possibility. Still though, princess Celestia asked us to come and help her in defending Canterlot... and she said to bring you too... If you dont mind of course."

"Eh, like i have a choice. When do we go?"

"As soon as we can! Princess Celestia will need us before animals will strike, and nobody knows when will that happen, so we're leaving as soon as everyone will be ready!" Twilight said, looking around the room. "Where is Rainbow Dash?"

"She's with Scootaloo, apparently she's been wounded." I anserwed, getting shocked looks from everyone.

"Scootaloo have been wounded? Oh, poor darling! I dont know what i would have done if Sweetie Belle was wounded!" Rarity said, a mix of shock and sadness at her face.

"Rainbow Dash is the only one who could take care of Scootaloo now, we cant make her go." Applejack said. Twilight sighed and looked around room once again.

"And where is Pinke Pie?" And then suddenly Pinkie fell off the ceiling. I dont even want to know how did she get there.

"Pinkie?! But how... Nevermind, do you know everything?"

"Yup!"

"And are you ready?"

"Yup! Let's go!"

"Alright. Jack, do you need to get anything before we can go?" I thought for a second before i shook my head. I dont really have anything to take with me, except from some bits and clothes, which i wont need anyway if i'll come just to fight.

After few more minutes we went off. We had to take a train apparently, since chariots wouldnt get throu a wave of eagles guarding edges of city. As i heard later, the only way Fluttershy was able to get throu was because of Celestia, who - of course by magic - made her inivisble for a half an hour. It still didnt changed the fact that she had to walk - or fly - for at least few hours to the closest train station. Anyway, aside from that, we were slowly approaching Canterlot. Train is the only possible way of transport to get in and out of this city, since animals blocked any other kind of transportation. When we left train, i was able to actualy notice a huge barrier around city. From outside it wasnt visible, but inside i can clearly see it. And, of course, all around this barrier were animals. All kinds, from birds to reptiles. Some of these creatures werent like any i've ever seen. We've made our way to castle, and then to throne room. Princesses were already waiting for us, with another one, third princess i dont actualy recognize...

"Cadance!" Twilight suddenly said as she trotted to this third princess, which seems to be named Cadance. She was pink alicorn with some kind of a crystal heart as her cutie mark, her mane and tail reminds me of Celestia's, but her was in colors of purple, pink and yellow. I can sense in these purple eyes an evilness and a pure chaos, a look that a murderer would give to his begging for life victim, before - No, i'm just fucking with you. Her eyes were just purple. Twilight went to Cadance and did some... kind of a... dance. Yeah... Spike went behind her, holding some kind of a suitcase.

"Where should i put this Twilight?"

"Ah, place it on the ground for a moment, i'll tell you later." He did so. Twilight and Cadance were already done, while Celestia and Luna were walking towards rest of our group.

"Greetings, my little ponies... and Jack. Our plan is simple - We will need you to protect south part of the city when i'll make barrier dissapear. I'm additionaly sending with you Shinning Armor, i do believe you know him already." Celestia said. We all nodded.

"Splendid, i do believe everypony's ready?" Luna asked us, as we once again nodded.

Soon after that, we all left and walked to the south part of city, so we just back at the train station. As we walked, we could see Shinning Armor already there, waiting for us.

"Ah, it seems you're all ready. Hey Jack, it's good to see you again."

"You too, Shinning." That's all i could say before barrier dissapeared.

After a few moments we could hear animals coming in our way. We were standing still, waiting for anything to show up. After a while, we could see an army of animals going straight at us. We all went into fighting position and went at them as well. Do you know what's worst in a fight? When you dont even have a chance to join it.

"Jack! Watch out!" Was all i could hear before suddenly a bear at least twice as huge as me suddenly came from somewhere beside me and hit me into my head. Everything went black immediately.

I woke up at the most unexpected place i would consider myself to wake up. At the morgue. In a body bag. I instantly bolt straight up - Thankfully zipper wasnt fully buttoned - and left it. I was naked, but i didnt really had anything with me i could wear, duh. I left room with bodies and went to another, to meet a very surprised pony.

"...ZOMBIE!" What.

"Not a zombie, dude. Now, can you tell me where are my clothes?" Aaaaand he fainted. Great. Thankfully, i've noticed actualy that he had a basket with my clothes in it. I've get dressed up and left this cursed building. When i looked outside, i was rather surprised. Half of Canterlot was destroyed. What surprised me more though, was what i saw when looking at the direction of Ponyville.

A huge badass dark castle was now coming up from the Everfree forest. Well, i'm sure this wasnt there before...