Gravity of the Odd Situation

Chapter 5

Soldier in the Void

“Keep moving my sexy little Raven~” Crow said as Paula dodge out of the way of the bulky nevi’s fist.

“Do you mind? I’m trying to fight while staying alive in this stupid place,” Paula said as she grabs the nevi’s fist, and tossed it over her shoulder. “And you talking to me is distracting.”

“Fine, I’ll be quiet for you my love.” Crow said as Raven pulled out a shotgun from under her cloak shot the orb delivered the killing blow to the nevi. With the last orb destroyed, the bulky looking nevi disappeared into nothingness. “Impressive for a woman who only got her powers for less than a day.”

“It’s not that hard once you get the hang of it.” Paula said as she clapped the dust from off her hands. “Any idea on where we are?”

“My guess is that we’re in some kind of town.”

“No shit captain state the obvious.” Paula said as she looked around the wrecked town. “Man, and here I thought fighting in the vietnam war was bad. This place looked like it was nuked by something big.”

“Pretty much the result of what happens when the nevis attack for so long.”

“Might as well have a look around then.” Paula said as she begun to make her way down the street of the wrecked town.

“Really? You’re gonna go and check out the creepy ass town filled with nevis?”

“I don’t see you coming up with any ideas. Plus this is the only place that I could see while flying through this endless void of nothingness. For a minute there I thought I was in hell.”

“If you were in hell, then I wouldn’t be here now would I?”

“I’m pretty sure you would be there with me as a demon bird that torments me for all eternity.”

“.....Good point.” Crow said as he took in the scenery of the town. “Of all the places for us to find, it had to be a creepy ass one.”

“Wuss.”

“You don’t find this creepy or scary?”

“When you been in a war for the past 40 years or so, you tend to get used to this…..though I am a bit surprise that I have the body of a eighteen to twenty year old women.”

“A women with a sexy body~”

“Can it bird brain.” Paula said as she heard something moving around through the abandoned buildings. “You hear that?”

“Yeah, unfortunately.”

“Can you tell who it is?”

“Hard to say really. The gravity field around here is messing with my ability to sense things inside buildings. I would advise you to proceed with caution.”

“That’s what I’ve been doing for the past few hours….or days…..how long have we been in here?”

“What am I your calendar?”

“No, I just figure you would know what time it is seeing how-”

“Get down!” Crow yelled as Paula ducked out of the way of whatever is was that was coming at her. As she moved back to get a good look at her assailant, she felt someone bursting out from the building behind her trying to attack her blind spot. Paula jumped out of the way as she came down onto the being with a gravity powered foot. Looking up at the one that charged at her earlier, her eyes widen at to what she saw. Standing there was a cyan colored pegasus with rainbow colored hair. She was also wearing a torn up tank-top, scratched up jeans, and covered in scratch marks and bruises.

“What the hell?”

“Huh, never expect to see a mutant pegasus before.” Crow said as Paula looked down to the other being under her foot. From what she can tell it was a light orange pony with blonde color hair. She was wearing a cowboy hat, a checkered color shirt, and blue jeans.

“You better let Applejack go you freak.” Rainbow Dash said as she was prepare to charge at Paula.

“I would recommend you don’t do that kid.” Paula said, only for the cyan pegasus to charge at the shifter without hesitation. Paula sighed as she moved off of Applejack and dodge the pegasus’s right hook. As she moved a step away from the pegasus, Paula countered with a roundhouse kick the face, sending the mare flying into a support beam of a building. “Told yeah.” Paula then turned her attention at Applejack as she levitated her close to herself. “Start talking pony. Why did you attack me?” She asked as she started to strangle the farm pony. “Talk! Now!’

“WAIT!!!” Yelled a voice as a lavender color wall appeared in between Applejack and Paula. The shifter turned as she turned around to see a lavender colored alicorn with a dark lavender colored mane with a purple and violet streak line in it. She Alicorn was also wearing a white lab coat with a light lavender long sleeve shirt and blue jeans.

“I take it you must be the leader of these two?” Paula asked

“Well I wouldn’t say leader persay. I’m like their best friend.” The Alicorn said as the shifter released Rainbow Dash from her gravitational grip.

“Mind telling who you three are and why’d you attack me?”

“My name is Princess Twilight Sparkle, but you can call me Twilight.” Twilight said as she walked over to Paula. “The ones that you fought are named Rainbow Dash and Applejack.” She said helping her friends up from off the ground. “Mind if I ask who or what you are ms..?”

“Paula Cosmos, veteran.” Paula said as she placed her shotgun on her back.

“Lame cover up name.”

“Shut it birdbrain.”

“I’m terribly sorry for what my friends tried to do to you. I guess due to your….um….appearance that they might have mistooken you as some kind of monster.”

“I guess I can let it slide this time. Far warning though. If anyone attacks me, I will fight back.”

“N-Noted. Um...could you take your foot off my friend please?” Twilight asked as Paula quickly removed her foot off of Applejack’s back. “Thanks.”

“Geez, talk about getting the wind knocked out of yeah.” Rainbow Dash said as she helped Applejack up from the ground. “Where the hay did you learn those moves from?”

“Vietnam War, but I prefer not to talk about it. Mind if we leave and find someplace safe to hit out in?” Paula asked as she point towards the sky. “I don’t feel comfortable being in the lion’s den out in the open.”

“Normally I would agree with you, but we’re trying to find another one of our friends.” Applejack said as she picked her hat up from the ground. “One of those weird blob creatures took her while attacking Ponyville.”

“Oh? A damsel in distress? This might be interesting. We should help them.”

“You’re only saying that because you’re interested to see what this friend of theirs look like.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Idiot.” Paula said as turned her attention at Twilight. “What does your friend look like?” She asked as Twilight gave the shifter a picture of her friend.

“Her name is Fluttershy. She’s Ponyville’s animal caretaker.”

“Any idea on where she was taken to?”

“Near Sweet Apple Acres.” Rainbow Dash said, pointing the the farm that was not floating in the air surrounded by nevis. “We were planning on rescuing her from that place, but for some reason I can’t fly that high and Twilight can’t use her magic in this place.”

“Maybe I can help?”

“You, help? No offense or anything, but what can you do against an entire swarm of those things flying around Sweet Apple Acres?”

“I’ll improvise.” Paula said as she begun to fly up into the air. “I should be back in a few hours or so. For the time being, try to find someplace safe to hide.” She said before flying off.

“You think you can save their friend?” Crow asked.

“Well it’s not like I can just leave an innocent bystander alone, plus it would make me feel guilty not to help.”

“For a woman who said she has a heart of stone, you really have a soft spot.”

“Shut up and just get me to this Sweet Apple Acres place.”

“Do you even have a plan for this.”

“As a matter of fact, I do.”

(Sweet Apple Acres)

“So what’s the plan?”

“How good are you when it comes to distracting someone?”

“......No.”

“Oh come on!”

“I’m not going to be bait to a bunch of monsters that can possibly kill me.”

“Oh you’ll be fine.” Paula said as she hands him a black colored Diamond. “Use this to get their attention.”

“Where the hell did you get this from?”

“Found it when I was trying to find something to cover myself up with. Fighting naked is something I do not want to relive again.”

“Well you can forget about me being your personal bait. And there is no way I’m going to do this.”

“......I’ll let look at my breasts for an hour.”

“Okay deal.” Crow said as he appeared in front of Paula. “But I won’t be able to carry that diamond you have so you gonna have to-.” Before he could finish his sentence, Paula chuck the black diamond at one of the flying nevis. The nevi turned its attention at crow along with the other nevis. “I hate being the good guy.”

“Just fly far enough so where I have enough time to get Fluttershy.” Paula said as she quickly hid behind the corner while watching Crow fly off with a swarm of nevis chasing him. “That should work, I hope-” As she was about leave and head into the barn, the diamond that she threw at the nevi’s head bounced off her head and onto the ground. Upon hitting the ground, the diamond began to glow as a portal appeared a few inches away from her.

From the swirling vortex stepped a young woman, roughly around the same age Raven herself appeared to be. Her long blonde hair was draped over a worn black jacket with golden highlights over a white t-shirt, and clad in dark grey jeans that ran down to scarred black boots. Her red eyes focused on Raven, showing a light hearted nature, but something else lay deeper that she couldn’t tell.

“Well well well,” the woman said, looking Raven over once before smirking. “Now this is something new. Yet so very old, as well.”

“Hey I resent that remark.” Paula said as she looked at herself for a moment. “Though it does feel nice to be in my 20’s again…..I take it you’re not Katie?”

“Can’t say I’ve ever known anyone like that,” the woman said, the portal closing behind her. “Call me ‘Kat’. Everyone does.”

“I’m Paula Cosmos. Nice to meet you Kat.” Paula said before going over to the barn door. “Mind helping me out seeing how you’re here?”

“I figured that’s why you brought me here. Give me the intel,” Kat seemingly ordered as she fell into step behind Paula.

“Long story short, a pony named Fluttershy is being held inside this abandoned farm on Sweet Apple Acres.” Paula answered as she slowly opens the door. “We don’t have that much time though. Crow is keeping the nevis busy, but I don’t know how long it will take for him to keep them distracted.”

“Fluttershy?” Kat asked with a quirked eyebrow. “Say no more. Let’s grab her and go.”

“Only one problem, I have no idea where she’s hiding out in.” Paula said as she readies her shotgun. “They didn’t really give me a map of this place.”

Kat smirked, cracking her knuckles. “I don’t see any issue with that. Just means we tear this place to shreds until we find her. Personally, I prefer that for them taking such a sweet pony.”

“We can’t do that. This is Applejack’s home after all. And I prefer not to have someone yelling at me for screwing up the job.”

Kat simply shrugged. “Alright. You’re the CO here.”

“Don’t call me that. I don’t like being in command of anything that much.” Paula said as she notice something moving underneath a tarp. “I think I found her.” The shifter said as she removed the tarp revealing a shivering cream colored with pink hair, she was also wearing a green long sleeve shirt and a long pink dress. “Yep found her.”

Kat looked down on the mare, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. “Good. Grab her and let’s get out of here. I won’t put her in jeopardy.”

“Right.” As Paula was about to lift the scared pegasus up onto her shoulder, she heard a familiar voice ring into her head.

“We have a problem.” Crow said.

“What problem?”

“You know the swarm of nevis that you have me distract?”

“Yes, what about them?”

“Well let’s just say that you might want to get out of there….like, NOW!”

“That can’t be a good sign.” Paula said as she lifted Fluttershy with her gravity power. “Time to haul ass.”

“Oh great. And the bad luck begins,” Kat commented, beginning to backtrack their way in.

“It could be worse.” Paula said as she ran outside the barn with Kat. “We could be fighting something bigger than us.”

“Now you jinxed it.”

“What do you mean?” Paula asked as she notice Crow flying towards her along with a giant nevi in the shape of a great white shark. “Oh.”

“Don’t worry, I got this!” Kat said, jumping into the air and started flying at the shark.

“Are you crazy!? That thing could take out an entire army in less then a second! How can you possibly take care of that thing!?”

“Easy!” she called out. “By punching it,” Kat pulled back her fist. “In the face!” She let her fist fly, slamming right into the snout of the nevi. The impact caused a crater to form in its snout and rocketing it back with a large amount of force.

Paula and Crow’s eyes widened upon seeing Kat punch the shark and sending it flying backwards. There a moment of silence for a brief moment until Crow said something to break it. “Damn, that’s was pretty badass.”

“I-Indeed, and very impressive.”

“Don’t be impressed yet!” Kat called out. “These things rarely come alone, and that one ain’t done yet!”

“Then we need to leave before more come.” Paula said as Crow flew into the shifter causing her fly as a pair of bird like wings and tail appear on her body. “Follow me, I know where the others are.” She said as she flew off to lead Kat to Ponyville.

“Hmm,” Kat mused, falling in behind Raven. “Haven’t seen that in a long time. I’m not sure it’s a good thing to see it again,” she whispered to herself.

“Well hello there cutie~” Crow said as he appeared next to Kat. “I have to say. If I was a human then I wouldn’t mind dating someone like you.”

“Sorry, bub. I’m taken,” she replied in a deadpan tone, not even bothering to look at him.

“*Sigh* A bird can dream can’t he?” Crow said as he flew back into Paula.

“Sorry about him. Crow can be a bit of a….well lovebird at times.”

“I’ve dealt with far worse. Believe you me. You see a lot of merde in the multiverse.”

“Multiverse? You mean what those scientist said about different worlds was true?”

“You have no idea. There are extensions and explorations beyond human understanding. Nor is it anything any being should try to. I’ve seen what that pursuit can do to someone.”

“You mean lead them into madness, pursuit of power or knowledge that can endanger innocents, or in the most unlikely cases screw around with the world?”

Kat nodded. “And much, much more.”

“Great, it’s the vietnam war all over again. Only this time there’s a bunch of idiots that with weird powers. As if finding Katie was gonna be hard, now I have to deal with power hungry crazy people….again.”

“You were in Vietnam on your Earth?”

“Hard to believe huh.” Paula said as she move her cloak a bit to show her some of the scars she has. “It’s weird really. I have the scars and all, but the transplants and permanent injuries I had during the war are gone. Not to mention I feel like I’m twenty again.”

“Huh, guess we have something in common after all. My father was a Nam vet.”

“Really? What rank was he?”

“Corporal during the war, but was given a low rank general command once he returned stateside. Stayed there until he was killed.”

“Sorry to hear that.” Paula said as she notice they were coming up on Ponyville. “Let’s talk later after we meet the other. I actually want to know more about you, Kat.”

Kat smiled toothily at her. “I look forward to it, Paula.”

(Ponyville, Twilight’s Castle)

“Thank you saving Fluttershy, Paula. If you hadn’t come sooner, we wouldn’t know what could’ve happen to her.” Twilight said as she shook Paula and Kat’s hands.

“It’s nothing really, just doing what I do best.”

“Ditto. Being a hero is just part of the job. Plus, it’s always nice to work alongside a fellow shifter.”

“Now if only we can figure out how to get Ponyville back to Canterlot.”

“You mean this place wasn’t always like this?” Paula asked.

“When the gravity storm came it pretty much sucked up not only the ponies, but Ponyville as well. So far the only two that were able to escape were Pinkie Pie and Rarity.” Twilight said as she looked outside the window. “So far we been stuck in this awful place for the past six to eight years or so.”

“Eight years? Wow. Guess this really must be out of your depth, Twilight.” Kat looked out at the “outside world” as well, taking it all in. “I’ve never really questioned what happened within gravity storms. Maybe I should have, then I could help better with getting you out of here.”

“So far we were able to figure out that sound seems to keep them at bay. But most of the times we have to hide so that those creature don’t find us.”

“And when they do find us, it’s hard to fight them when you can’t even damage them.” Rainbow Dash added.

“That’s because nevi are indestructible. Unless, you know what you’re doing,” Kat said, taking a lecturing tone to her voice. “Those big red eyes of theirs? Those are their only weak points. Shatter those and the nevi dissolves into nothingness. The only other way is an enormous amount of power or will to destroy them, but so far I’ve only seen shifters be able to do such things.”

“Then this is going to be a problem then. If we don’t figure out a way out of here, then I don’t know how long we’ll be able to last.” Applejack said pointing to the refugee ponies. “Most of the ponies can’t fight and those who can are injured from the last time those nevis attacked the castle.”

“Then I guess it’s up to us to keep them safe until a way out has been discovered,” Kat declared.

“Y-You’re willing to help us?”

“Well it’s not like we can just leave you in this situation like this.” Paula said. “Plus it’s not like we have much of a choice in the matter seeing how we’re stuck here together.”

“And it’s not like I have anything better to do at the moment. Just leaving you all here to rot like that would be a pretty salope move.”

“Thank you. You have no idea how much of a relief that is to know that we can rely on you for help.” Twilight said as she began to walk off. “I have to tend to wounded, make yourselves at home for the time being.”

“Can do!” the blonde called after the princess. Kat sighed as she look at the refugees and the sky above. “Merde, it’s like being there all over again.”

“Being where?” Paula asked as she walked over to Kat.

Kat looked at Paula for a moment before looking back at the blood red sky. “It’s been almost ten full years since I was last on war front. This… this might as well be one too. On another world, another Equestria, I got involved in a war that had raged for over a millennium. The changelings had turned on the rest of the world to make it theirs. By the time I joined, ponies were the only other species left. All the others had either been wiped out or only had refugees remaining. The world had become so corrupted, that the planet itself began to change and grow darker. This sky? It’s almost the exact same one I stood under for nearly fifteen years.”

“Guess we’ve both been through a lot huh?” Paula said as she pulled out a locket with her holding a seven year old version of Katie. “Looking at you really reminds me of Katie, if she was older and not a greenhorn at times.”

A soft chuckle escaped through Kat’s lips. “Just do me a favor. When you find your friend, Katie? Don’t let her become like me.”

“From looking into your eyes you done stuff that you’re not proud of.” The shifter asked as she puts the locket back underneath her cloak. “Then again I’m not here to judge seeing how I’ve done things even I’m not proud of that still give me nightmares.” Paula said as she shivers at the thought of a old memory. “All I can do it protect her, her becoming you will be a rare thing seeing how she a bit…..well….naive and trustworthy.”

“Hmm, that’s not much better, but so long as she doesn’t follow in either of our footsteps, I think she’ll end up being a good kid.”

“If by good you mean always pissing off the the local thug gang and beating crap out of bullies, then yeah I’m sure she’ll be okay.” Paula said chuckling a bit. “Hey, you wouldn’t happen to have any spare change of clothes on you do you?” She asked pointing at the worn out makeshift cloak she was wearing. “This is kinda a bit too revealing if you ask me.”

“No, nothing that would fit you anyway. But, I might be able to make a bit alteration to your attire. At least make it properly wearable.”

“It better not be the outfit I came in as. Lord knows I prefer not to wear that again.”

“You get what you get, and you don’t throw a fit.”

“......Dammit, fine. Ugh, why do women outfits have to be so damn revealing in most places.”

“I blame anime. Now hold still.” Kat’s hand began to glow as Paula’s cloak morphed into a new piece of clothing. The cloak conformed to her body, taking on a deep purplish color as it became a one piece suit, leaving skin along the hip and upper thigh, as well as plenty of cleavage.

“Well, it’s better than my old outfit.” Paula said as she looked herself over. “Guess this will have to do….This suit doesn’t make me look fat does it?”

“Huh, guess I’m better at that than I thought. Looks nice, and no, it doesn’t make you look fat. If anything, your bird will want you more.”

“Indeed~” Crow said only for Paula to send him flying into a room.

“Stupid perverted bird. You think I could have a moment to myself without him butting in.”

Kat couldn’t help, but chuckle. “He’s certainly more entertaining than King was.”

“King?”

“My Raven’s bird. He was a connard. Good riddance to him.”

“Whoever this King was, he must have been a real jerk if you didn’t like him.”

“I don’t wanna go into it,” Kat waved off. “It’s been ages since then and Raven’s better off. Trust me, we could be here for hours of me going off on everything that’s happened, but this isn’t time for me. It’s time for the ponies of this world.”

“You’re right. Any ideas on how we can get Ponyville out of this hell hole?”

“At the moment? No clue. Not without putting everypony in danger, anyway.”

“Hm, if we could find a way to contact with someone on the outside, then we might be able to get someone to help us out.”

Kat let out a soft chuckle. “If only my Raven was on the other side. Then we’d have a direct link.”

“Hey Crow.” Paula said as Crow’s head appeared from her chest. “Ugh, is there a way to contact Katie some how.”

“Hm….well she should have cosmic partner with her just like us. If we can find a crack in space and time here, then I might be able to send a message to them to where this place is.” Crow said as he goes back inside the shifter.

“Easier said than done. Where are we gonna find a crack in this place?”

“Aha!” Kat suddenly exclaimed, pulling out a strange looking device with weird prongs surroinding a little green bulb. “Leave that to me.”

“What is that? It looks like something that you would see on Doctor Who back in 1963.”

She smirked. “It should. I got it on my travels with the infamous Doctor after all,” Kat said, juggling the device between her hands. “A sonic screwdriver can always be depended on.”

“Wait, you met Doctor Who? As in “The” Doctor Who!?”

“It’s just ‘The Doctor’. Or Doctor Whooves, since he was a pony. Or Time Turner for his pony name.”

“......Is it too late to ask for you be my wife.”

Kat blinked at that, staring at Paula with an expression of disbelief. “What?” she asked, taking on an actual British accent.

“I said can you be my-” Paula was cut short as her own fist rose up, and punched herself in the face. Causing Crow to fall out for a moment. “Killjoy, you can’t just let me have some fun can’t you?”

“Next time I’m gonna roast you over a roaring fire if you do that again.” Paula said as she rubbed her left face. “Damn that hurts.”

Kat blinked a couple more times before shaking her head. “You two have quite the, um, dynamic.”

“Tell me about. S-So your sonic screwdriver, can it find that crack in space and time?”

“More than likely.” Kat flicked the screwdriver, extending out the prongs. “Just have to tune it right…” She put the device close to ear and listened closely as she scanned the air. “Aaaand, aha! It’s got a signal!”

“Perfect, so where is it?”

Kat started waving the device slightly, the signal getting stronger in one direction. “Looks like it’s that way. Towards the center of town.”

“Then we’ll make our way to town hall tomorrow than.” Paula said as she yawned. “Been fighting those stupid nevi non-stop for past few hours, and it’s start to catch up on me.”

“You get some rest then. I’ll see if I can help our dear princess out in some way,” Kat said, pointing her thumb in the direction Twilight went down earlier.

“Okay, just don’t try to run yourself to the floor.” Paula said as pair of wings wrapped around the shifter as she laid on a bed in the room they were in. “Seeya in the morning, Kat.”

“Sleep well, Paula.” As Kat walked away, she muttered under her breath, “I have a feeling you’ll be needing it.”