I crouched among the branches of the tree I was hiding in, watching the three small equines below with interest. They kind of looked like horses, but at the same time, I knew they were too small for that. The one in the lead had an orange coat with a purple mane and tail and bore a pair of wings on its back, though they looked underdeveloped. A pegasus? I looked to the other two, the one in the middle had a white coat with a two-tone pink and light purple mane and tail with a horn growing out of it's head. Unicorn? The final one of the trio didn't have wings or a horn, but had a yellow coat and a red mane and tail with a pink ribbon tied up in it's mane, a pair of tattered saddlebags was on it's back. Each of the three bore a mark of a shield on their flanks, most likely marking them as someone's property.

Maybe they belong to a farm that kid might have been from? I wondered as I reached back to grip the hilt of my sword, Well, whatever. Sorry little horsies, but unfortunately for you, you're made of meat.

I prepared to drop down on the one with the bow on it's head, it would be an easy kill, when the unexpected happened.

"Where did you say it was, Applebloom?" The orange one said.

"It's a little further ahead, Scoots." Said the yellow one.

"We're almost there guys, just a little further." Said the white one.

"Let's go find us a phantom!" cheered 'Scoots', followed by two cheers from the other two, the yellow one was noticeably quieter than her friends.

I nearly fell off my perch.

What!? What the fuck!? My mind screamed as it tried to make sense of what it had just picked up. Those little horses had just talked? sheathed my blade, the yellow one's voice sounded familiar, but I couldn't place where...

I considered my options, on the one hand, it was quite possible that I was going insane and had only imagined these horses talking, but if I was insane, why would I recognize it? If I was insane, wouldn't my insanity seem like normal behavior to me and therefore not raise any alarms in my head?

I'll follow them for a bit. Either way, these three could possibly lead me back to civilization where I can get help... whatever kind I need, anyway.

With a game plan in mind, I began to slink silently along the tree branches, doing my best to avoid attracting the attention of my three marks down below.

"There's nothing here except for a few piles of wood." Scootaloo said, searching through the bushes around the small clearing, "You sure this is the place Bloom?" Applebloom only nodded once, her knees still shaking from her memory of what had happened here.

It had been three weeks since Applebloom had run back home in tears after the timberwolf attack, but she still hadn't told anyone any details of what had transpired that day, all she had said was: "The Phantom saved me." Since then, Applebloom had finally worked up enough courage to enter the Everfree Forest again, along with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, both to look for her lost saddlebags and to find out what had become of her mysterious savior.

"These aren't just wood piles Scootaloo," Sweetie Belle said, turning over a particularly large piece of wood in her lime-green magic aura, revealing the upper half of a timberwolf head, the lower jaw was missing, "these are dead timberwolves" She said matter-of-factly, releasing her weak levitation spell, causing the dismembered head to fall back over to it's original position next to one of the three piles of wood that dotted the area around the log.

"B-but there were four of them..." Applebloom said quietly, the sight of the broken timberwolf head acting as a fresh reminder of that day three weeks ago when that particular timberwolf had almost managed to drag her out of her wooden shelter. "Where's the fourth?"

"I don't know," Scootaloo said, poking her head into the log Appleboom had hidden in during the incident, "but if something bad did happen to the Phantom, then wouldn't we have found his body here?" Applebloom started to turn a little green at the thought of discovering the corpse of her savior lying in the forest somewhere after the wolves had done their part.

"Scootaloo!" Sweetie Belle snapped at the orange pegasus.

"What!? It -"

*snap*

The three fillies turned rapidly towards the sudden noise, ears instinctively perking up to focus on the source.

In the bushes at the far side of the clearing two glaring, yellow eyes were fixed on the three fillies, a look of pure malice and hunger radiating off of them.

The creature growled and stepped out of it's cover, eliciting a scream from the three terrified fillies.

Shit shit shit shit shit! My mind screamed as I pressed myself tighter against the trunk of the tree overlooking the area the three small equines had ended up in. Below me, was a creature that looked like it had hopped straight out of the perverse mind of a mad scientist, and I hadn't even heard it coming.

It's general body shape was that of a lion, with an orange coat of fur and a reddish mane. That's where the similarities stopped though, instead of the typical tail you would expect on it's normal counterpart, this... thing had a scorpion's tail with an angry red carapace, the wickedly curved barb on the end glistening with a substance that I would most likely not want to touch, ever. Folded across the creature's back were a pair of leathery, bat-like wings, and two large fangs curved up from it's lower jaw. It's yellow eyes were focused like lasers on the trio of small, vulnerable prey in front of it.

Looks like it hasn't noticed me just yet, if I can just stay quiet... I thought, inching towards the next branch in order to make a break for the castle.

*snap* A small section of the branch I was standing on gave way under my boot.

Well fuck you too, Murphy.

Luckily, the branch had attracted more than just the attention of the monster below, ahead of both of us, the three equines' ears had perked up, causing them to turn towards the noise.

The creature below me growled in annoyance, it's ambush ruined, as it slunk out into the open area growling at the trio as they quivered in fear.

Not my problem, I thought, turning away to leave, I'll just follow whatever search party shows up, if any do at all.

The scream of three frightened children echoed through the trees, easily reaching my ears.

No. Don't you dare, me!

My body turned away from my escape route.

No, don't!

My sword pulsed as I drew it.

Et tu, suspiciously convenient sword? I thought darkly as I hopped down from my hiding spot, my body moving on autopilot.

"Ah, fuck it all!" I groaned angrily, I just couldn't leave this alone, could I? Damn conscience.

The manticore was drawing closer, moving in a wavering pattern so as to corner the three fillies against the log. Applebloom almost shrieked when her flanks bumped the rough wood of one of the timberwolf corpses.

This is how we die... Applebloom's eyes widened, as for the second time that month, she was facing her imminent demise, and this time she had bought her best friends with her.

The manticore raised it's tail, venom glistening around the barb at the end, no doubt ready to deliver its toxic payload into the three quivering fillies before it.

Applebloom closed her eyes...

"LEEEEEEEEROOOOOOY JENKIIIIIINS!!!!"

The pained and angered roars of the manticore echoed throughout the clearing.

Applebloom opened her eyes, before her stood the hooded figure that had appeared three weeks ago and saved her from the timberwolves.

"Why the hell are you still standing there!?" It growled, "move!"

The three fillies didn't need any more prompting as they turned tail and ran for the cover of the nearby bushes. Once they were through, Scootaloo turned her head to see Applebloom lagging behind them. "Applebloom! We gotta go!" She shouted, snapping her friend out of her stunned stupor. "We can't go, Scoots."

"What?! You saw the size of that Manticore! And you want to stay?" Scootaloo asked, turning to her friend in shock.

"I'm with Scootaloo on this one, Applebloom," Sweetie Belle said, joining up with her two friends, "We're in way over our heads here!"

"Don't you see guys? That's him! That's the Phantom we've been looking for!" Applebloom said, frantically pointing back towards where the strange bipedal creature had saved her for a second time.

"That's the Phantom!?" Scootaloo said excitedly, almost all her fear forgotten as she peered through the vegetation at the scene unfolding before them, her friends joining her.

My blade pulsed again as I raised the blood-slicked edge toward the monster in front of me.

"I bet you're so proud of yourself, aren't you?"

The blade pulsed again. Yep, definitely proud of itself. I thought to myself as the monster snarled in fury, blood dripping from it's ruined eye.

"I don't suppose we can kiss and make up, right big guy?" I said, chuckling nervously at the huge ball of pissed-off lion-bat-scorpion-thing.

The creature roared, rearing up on it's hind legs swiping at me with it's forepaw. Shit! I rolled, the forepaw tearing into the cloth of my ragged hoodie, leaving a large scratch on my back. I sucked in a breath as white hot pain lanced across my shoulder blades, Its not that deep, survive now, bitch about it later.

I swung my blade wildly at the creature's face, just barely missing it's other eye as it leaped backward, giving me some room to breathe as I took up my stance again.

The creature began to wind up another swipe with it's forepaw, rearing up on it's hind legs. As if I'd give you another shot at me, you big bastard! Dashing forward into it's newly-created blind spot, I bought my blade around and slashed it along it's midsection, tracing a red line which erupted into a spray of blood along the creature's side, drawing a pained roar from it. "Not done yet!" I shouted, spinning my sword around into a backhand grip before plunging it into the creature's hind leg.

The monster roared as I ripped my blade free before retreating out of striking distance of it's massive forepaws. "Come on then! Is that all you've got, you oversized pussy!?" I taunted raising my blade in a challenge, despite the pain between my shoulders and the fact I was almost out of breath.

My false bravado didn't seem to have any effect in psyching out the severely injured creature before me. It turned to face me, hobbled by it's injured leg, it's remaining eye bloodshot with sheer rage.

That can't be good.

I only had a half second to react before the beast roared in uncontrolled fury, shaking the air around it from the sheer force. I yelped as I narrowly dodged it's scorpion-like tail, the deadly barb making a whistling noise as it raced past. Shit.

I slowly retreated, parrying or dodging the stinger as the creature slowly advanced on me, shaking with uncontrollable rage as it unleashed another flurry of strikes with it's stinger.

I frantically parried, retreating until my back bumped into the log, Shit! my mind raced as the beast closed in, raising it's paw for a blow that would definitely put me out of commission if it landed, all while continuing it's poison-laced assault.

Not today, cat. I'm not dying today! I turned and hopped up onto the log, the monster's barbed tail impaling the wood with a loud *thunk*. Using the log as a springboard, I vaulted over the monster, slashing at it blindly as it passed under me. The tip pf my sword found purchase in one of it's bat-like wings, tearing the delicate membrane as I sailed overhead.

It wasn't long before I realized I should have just run.

The beast roared in annoyance, spinning around faster than it should have been able to with it's wounded leg, the motion ripping it's barbed tail from the old log. I turned out of the crouch I had landed in only to receive the barbed tail to my abdominals. I let out a strangled gasp, clutching blindly at the offending barb with my free hand as it pulsed. I could feel the monster's venom flowing, pumping into my body.

It burned.

It felt like someone was injecting burning gasoline into my stomach in some insane attempt to turn me into a human conflagration for their sick amusement. This is how I die, huh? Doing something stupid because of some horse creatures that sound like kids and my thrice-damned conscience. I thought to myself ruefully as the pain began to fade away into nothingness.

Huh... didn't expect death to be so... peaceful. My vision began to blur and dim as I began to lose focus.

The burning feeling returned, but this time it felt... different. It wasn't painful, more like a focused, cold fury that refused to let this situation stand. Just what the HELL do you think you're doing!? a somewhat familiar voice screamed in my head, do you really wanna die that badly?

no...

DO YOU!?

No.

Well? What will you do now!?

I won't die here, I REFUSE!!!

With that, the cold burn ignited into a raging inferno, my free hand clamped down on the poisonous barb, refusing to release it. My eyes snapped open, my vision filling with absolute clarity, fixing the monster with a look of pure rage. I lifted my sword high up and bought it down on the tail with a roar that made even the creature wince in either pain or surprise, as the blade bit into the hard, red carapace of it's tail.

I continued to chop at it's tail, oblivious to the creature's frantic attempts to pull it's barb out of me and get it's sensitive tail to safety before the inevitable happened. Still I continued, screaming in blind fury the whole time, oblivious to the various bits of chitin, blood, or other body fluids that began to cover me as I continued my bloody work.

With a wet ripping noise, the tail severed, leaving the barb and about half a foot of tail left dangling from my abdominals. The creature roared in pained fury as it stared at the dripping stub of it's tail. Gritting my teeth, I tore the barb out of my abdominals, holding it up in front of me with a grim smile, "what? Were you looking for this?" I tossed it aside, clamping my now free hand against the dripping wound. At the very least, it doesn't look like it hit anything major, just gotta drain some blood to get the poison out.

"Well? You gonna do something or are you gonna just stand there?" I said, pointing my blade at it's still uninjured eye, "I could still go two-for-two with your other eye."

The creature only growled, now wary because I had taken it's most dangerous weapon from it. It began to pace back and forth, as if waiting to see if I would keel over from either exhaustion or the toxic effects of it's venom.

Guess bravado only gets me so far with this thing, I'll have to force it to leave.

I bellowed out a war cry, charging blade-first towards the monster, thrusting it towards the creature's undamaged eye. My show of force had the desired effect, the monster cowed, seeing it's supposed prey remain unaffected by it's venom, and limped as fast as it could away from me, not even glancing back to see the result of my ruse.

As soon as I was sure it was gone, I collapsed to my knees, my adrenaline rush spent. I propped myself up on my sword, scanning the surrounding foliage for any other hostile creatures that wanted a go at me. I stopped when I saw three pairs of large, wide eyes watching from behind a bush, damn kids didn't leave at all, don't they know this place is dangerous?

I coughed into my hand, my chest suddenly seizing. I pulled my hand away, only to find it slick with blood. Guess this is it for me. I thought, flicking the gore off my blade before shakily sliding it back into it's scabbard, whoever pulled it from my corpse probably wouldn't appreciate a rusty blade anyway.

I clamped my hands over the bleeding hole in my side as my vision began to fade again.

It wasn't much longer before I blacked out.

Applebloom galloped out of their cover, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle following closely behind, eyes and ears scanning the surrounding forest for any sign of the manticore. Reaching the slumped-over body of the Phantom, Applebloom lifted a hoof up to it's mouth. It was faint, but a soft puff of warm air blew against her frog.

"What are you doing, Bloom?" asked a curious Scootaloo, her nose wrinkling at the heavy scent of blood. "We have to go before that manticore comes back!"

"Don't tell me you're scared, Scootaloo" chided Sweetie Belle, nervously watching the surrounding brush for any sign of a disturbance.

"Am not!"

"Would you two hush!? I need 'ta concentrate." Applebloom said, turning her ear towards what she hoped was the Phantom's chest, she slowed her own breathing to hear better.

There.

It was faint, but Applebloom could hear the faint lub dub of a heartbeat echoing inside the Phantom's chest cavity.

"Girls, help me lay it down." Applebloom said, slipping off her saddlebags.

"What?!" Both fillies exclaimed in unison, fixing Applebloom with wide-eyed stares.

"You heard me," Applebloom said calmly, rooting through her bags for the potions she had been brewing with Zecora on that day three weeks ago, "lay it down."

"Applebloom, we're in over our heads here, we need to go while we have the chance -" Sweetie Belle began, before being silenced by Applebloom's raised hoof.

Applebloom took a shaky breath to steady herself before fixing her friends with a determined look, "Look, I left the Phantom behind once, and I ain't doing it again, its saved my life twice now and an Apple always repays kindness."

Her friends shuffled nervously for a moment before Scootaloo broke out into a grin, "well, when you put it that way, I guess we owe him too. Come on Belle, give me a hoof with this."

Sweetie bell nodded, bracing herself against the Phantom's back and easing it down gently, careful not to aggravate the large scratch from the manticore's claws.

"Found it!" Applebloom said excitedly, pulling several small vials filled with a glowing green liquid.

"What's that?" asked Scootaloo, eyeing the concoction curiously.

"Minor restorative potion," Applebloom explained, "Big Mac split his hoof the day before I got attacked, so I wanted 'ta get Zecora's help in makin' something for it."

"That's nice and all," Sweetie Belle said, her face even paler than usual, "but I don't think it will be enough for this." She said, gesturing towards the large hole in the Phantom's side.

"Maybe not, but at least it'll stop the bleedin'" Applebloom pulled the cork out of the first vial with her teeth and spat it out over her shoulder, "C'mon big guy," she said softly, lifting the Phantom's head up with her free hoof and pouring the three-week-old concoction slowly down it's throat, "drink up."

Applebloom looked up to her friends, still supporting the Phantom's head, "Scootaloo, you're the fastest, I need you 'ta get to Zecora's an' get help. Sweetie Belle, I need you to put pressure on the hole until the bleedin' stops." Applebloom yanked the second cork out of another vial and tossed the empty saddlebags to Sweetie Belle. "Got it!" Scootaloo saluted before dashing off in the direction of Zecora's cottage.

"I guess all that first aid Applejack drilled into me is gettin' some use after all." Applebloom muttered, slowly pouring the contents of the second vial down the Phantom's throat, "don't worry, you ain't dying today, not until I can properly thank ya'."

Pain.

Such a simple word for such a terrible sensation, had I been able to form a coherent thought, that probably would have been something I would contemplate.

However, every time I regained some semblance of consciousness, the pain would put me under again.

...Not before I caught snatches of various voices.

"What is that... thing!?"

"Quarantine for now... put it in my lab..."

"...a log: log one, subject... unconscious... magic of... work... unknown intelligence"

"...subject seems... initial magic probes... irresponsive..."

"vitals... active... body temperature... higher than..."

"unknown motives... connected to irregular... activity?"

I slowly regained consciousness, mentally bracing myself for another bout of pain, only to feel a dull, throbbing ache throughout my body, mostly concentrated on the stab wound on my abdomen. Come on eyes, it's not like you're responsible for my most important sense or anything. I chided myself, slowly cracking them open gradually to avoid blinding myself.

Well... this looks normal, metal floor, metal ceiling, metal bars... wait, BARS!?

My eyes shot wide as I flipped over onto all fours, that's when I noticed my second inconvenience.

I was naked.

I was naked and in a god damn cage.

...fuck

Arc One: Arrival

~FIN~

Author's Note

Well... this is awkward... MC is naked and afraid.

... god damn it...

As always, post your comments/opinions/suggestions/insane ramblings below!