The Story of Aperture

Aperture swung his head from side to side in desperation, they were surrounded from all angles except above, but in their current state it didn’t look as if either of the wounded pegasi could fly their way out. Aperture felt a brief pang of regret that his story had been so short. It felt like he had only just started to experience the world, and now it was going to be snuffed out. Looking across the plateau, he saw Bowdler in the mouth of the cave, but there was no way he could get across to help the trio. As the Sanctum closed in, muttering obscenities and cackling, the clouds above them thickened, and began to darken. There came the deep rumble of thunder, louder than Aperture had ever heard from the confines of the castle. He would have thought nothing of it, except for the way in which Kestrel looked up with such hope. A smile slowly spread across his bruised face, and from seemingly nowhere he produced two pairs of sunglasses, sliding a pair onto his nose and extending the other towards Aperture.

“You might ‘wanna wear these” he offered. “I’ve seen this move before, and it can be a little…well…bright.”

Upon the sounding of a louder crack of thunder, Aperture took the proffered glasses. If he was to die, he’d do it with dignity. The cloud was spinning faster and faster, and the Seventh Sanctum were looking up, a few with a slight air of concern. The odd bolt of electricity arced about the black shape; Aperture without thinking diagnosed the static electricity, and calculated the threat it posed them. The volume had increased to a roar that could have been a freight train running past his ear.

Suddenly there was burst of bright yellow light, then again, and again, faster and faster until it strobed the ground with beams of light. With a piercing shriek a burning ball of Lightning dropped from the sky, and crashed to the ground. The blast of Lightning was so bright Aperture blacked out for a second.

When he awoke he saw that he was laid on the edge of a huge crater, smouldering from a recent impact. He staggered upright, and saw, to his relief, the sanctum hordes incapacitated in some form or another. The purple pony they’d rescued was in a deep embrace with Bowdler as he led the civilians to the tunnel. Kestrel was attempting to rouse dasher, but didn’t succeed. He called Aperture over.

“You need to carry him out of here. You take the lieutenant and I’ll get Lightning.”

Lightning! Aperture remembered for the briefest of moments the pony in the blaze, but saw nopony like that running from the scene. He turned and saw Kestrel at the bottom of the hole, lifting something big and black onto his back. It was a pony. Barely conscious, but obviously strong to have survived the crash he did. Aperture realised he was pretty lucky too. This was the second time he had evaded death in one day. He didn’t want to have to make that three times. He stretched out to Dasher, groaning on the floor. Aperture lifted him onto his back and made a run for the beckoning cave mouth. He heard the sound of Hooves behind him, turned and saw Kestrel carrying Lightning in similar fashion. They reached the mouth of the tunnel, but a shriek of rage made Aperture freeze in place. Behind him the hordes of sanctum members not killed by the explosion were staggering to their feet and swarming forward.  Aperture bolted into the cave mouth and Bowdler hit a button set into the wall. Instantly, a bulkhead dropped, across the tunnel entrance, cutting off the way in.

“Phew, that was a close one” sighed Kestrel. Suddenly with a crash, a huge dent appeared in the bulkhead, and another in quick succession.

“Time to bail on the sanctum” called Bowdler as they began to pelt down the tunnel. Bowdler put a hoof to his ear to activate his Mic to Matrix. “This tunnel is rigged with mining explosives, we can blow it once we’re back at the hub” he yelled. “Matrix, is dropping the caves on the Sanctum going to be your number one priority, or am I gonna have to kick your ass when I get back!?” In response, the music was muted and there was a scrabbling sound as Matrix adjusted his microphone. “Sure thing Bowdler. Just say when.”

The team rounded a corner to find a chasm in the path ahead. “You know,” Bowdler commented, “I don’t remember seeing this on the way in.”

“You didn’t see ANYTHING on the way in!” grumbled Dasher “You were blinded by your desperate need to see Miss Sparkle here,” He gestured to the mud covered mare they were escorting. “Shut up” Bowdler responded, and ran ahead so she couldn’t see him blush.

Bowdler lifted the mare onto his back and leapt over the chasm, unfurling his wings, and gliding down, Aperture closed his eyes and jumped. It felt as if he was in the air for an eternity, before he landed on the other side. “Actually…” Said Dasher, clambering off and getting to his hooves “If you’re gonna be attempting crazy stunts like that, I’d rather run myself. I don’t care if YOU hurt yourself, but I’m not getting hurt for you. We have enough crazy stunts from Captain Crazy over here” He gestured to Lightning. ”That’s Commander Crazy to you” Lightning shouted back.

“You dumb ponies rot my intelligence. You’re like a tumour!” yelled Bowdler in frustration. “Now hurry the hell up before I call a brain surgeon!”

Suddenly, there came a crashing roar from the last corner they had turned, Aperture saw shadows flicker on the walls in the torch light, warped and distorted and terrifying, then it went out altogether. All of a sudden, Kestrel gave a shout, “There they are, the base doors!”

Bowdler slammed his hoof to his ear “DETONATE! DO IT NOW!” In response, there was an explosion at the end of the tunnel; the shockwave shook the ground and caused them to stumble. The door at the end of the corridor was closing from roof to floor. Dasher was first through, then closely followed by Aperture. Kestrel slid under unnecessarily as the bulkhead was still at head height. The boom of the explosions was deafening, and shook Apertures teeth inside his head. Suddenly, Twilight slipped on the loose rocks and fell with a cry. Bowdler ran on to the door, but stood beneath it, splayed his wings and forced his back against the bottom of the huge piece of heavy reinforced metal. He gave a cry and straightened his muscles, each to breaking point. He gave another bellow of exertion as he body began to glow with a lilac haze. The sweat was rolling of his face as he strained to keep the door open; the others willed Twilight forward, hoping she would make it. The bulk of the Sanctum, not killed by the explosions were on the final straight, and heading straight for the base and Twilight’s receding flank. Bowdler screamed and they all heard a sharp crack of breaking bones. Twilight slid under the door, Kestrel reached under and grabbed his dropped sunglasses. Aperture grabbed Bowdler and pulled him forward from under the door, which dropped to the ground, catching the hooves of one unlucky Sanctum stallion in it as it fell. The remaining explosives dropped the rest of the tunnel in onto the suvivors.

Twilight slumped down onto some sacks of supplies by the tunnel mouth, Bowdler staggered over and lay on her side, Exhausted beyond belief, and with his back crushed in two places, and a wing crumpled weakly by his side.

“Let them sleep” Said Dasher, remarkably softly “I think we’ve all deserved a rest after today’s events”

“Bowdler does have a thing for passing out after a hard day, because he passes out often, doesn’t he?” Chipped in Lightning, trying to find his hooves after his crash”

“You’re not much better!” Snorted Kestrel “You passed out after a race, not a battle…And as Aperture caught some shut eye after falling from the castle yesterday, I deem myself the strongest, most reliable, most stupendous pony eve-“ He was cut off as Dasher cracked a bent metal pipe around the back of his head, he dropped like a rock, unconscious almost instantly.

“Good night Aperture” said Lightning, in a sleepy slurred voice.

“And it’s goodnight Vienna” Murmured Aperture as he curled up behind some storage sacking and closed his eyes.