The Oncoming Storm

‘I first met them on a very dark and stormy night. Now because of my eh... heritage, my family chose to live in this manor here, on the outskirts of Canterlot, away from other ponies who might not be um… comfortable with us. Because of that, I was never really that social to the point of my parents opting to have me home schooled after being bullied by other children.’

Trinity’s Family Manor, Spring 1006 ALB

It was late at night and Trinity was out of bed and walking down the hall of her family’s manor. She couldn’t sleep due to the raging storm outside that was frightening her. She was easily scared, and was hoping to have her parents comfort her like they always do when she gets scared.

As she reached the door to their bedroom she heard them talking.

“You can’t possibly think that, Code? That our daughter is... invalid?” She heard her mother gasp.

“What other logical explanation is there? She’s ten years old, and doesn’t have her cutie mark yet. She can barely even cast any spells beyond basic levitation.” Her father Code Cypher said heavily.

“Maybe…..Maybe she just hasn’t found her special talent yet. That must be it.” Her mother said, trying to fight back tears.

“Dearie,” Her father started trying to comfort his wife. “We should’ve known this was going to happen when she was born. We should’ve known this was going to happen when we married. All those groups who tried to stop it, perhaps….. Perhaps they had a point.”

Her mother started sobbing and Code Cypher walked over to comfort her.

As her father was comforting her mother Trinity was well on the verge of bursting into tears. She ran back to her bedroom in shock that her parents would actually think she was an invalid.

“They rea….ly …..think….some….thing is...wrong ….with ..me?” She asked herself in tears. She sat on her bed crying for a good long time before looking out the window before getting a very irrational idea, but at this point she really didn’t care. “I’ll…..show them…...I’ll….go …..find… a...great...sorcerer…..I’ll ...learn ….all….kinds of ….magic...and ...I’ll...come back and show them.”

After packing up some food, books, and a flashlight, along with grabbing her father’s old navy blue military greatcoat Trinity stood in front of the front door of the manor. The storm was still raging outside, and she was still scared. But inside, she knew she must overcome it if she hoped to prove her parents wrong. After standing for what seemed like hours, Trinity used her magic to open the door, and stepped outside.

The rain battered her heavily as she adjusted the oversized coat to give her more coverage. She began to walk down the trail that lead to the city of Canterlot, where she knew she’d be able to find somepony capable of teaching her the kind of magic that’d impress her parents, and prove she wasn’t invalid.

The further down the trail she got, the more she began rethinking her idea. But, she felt like she couldn’t turn back, or it’d prove her parents right. She continued down the trail, and looked around at the woods on the mountain side that she lived on. She noticed how the beyond the rain, there was absolute silence out there. When she got further though, she started hearing sounds. Listening closer, she thought she could hear voices; one male, and the other female. They were coming from the woods. Curiosity got the best of her, and she walked toward the voices. As she got closer the voices got clearer.

“Damnit I think my arm’s broken.” She heard the male voice say.

“Great. Can you walk at least.” the Female voice said.

“I don’t think so.”

“Wonderful. Ok hold still I’ll carry you.”

“Thanks. I think I saw city lights to the east.”

“Ok. Do you still have the flashlight.”

“Yeah.”

Trinity then saw the light of the flashlight’s shine guiding its users. She knew they needed help, but that’d mean going back to her manor, and that’d mean her parents would find out she tried to run away. She thought about it for a bit before coming to the conclusion that their well being was more important than avoiding her parents wrath.

“Hello!” She called out to the strangers. “Are you two in the need of assistance!?”

“What was that?” the female voice called out.

“I think someone might be nearby.” the male voice responded.

“There is?” the female voice asked. “Hello? Is anyone there?” She called out to Trinity.
Trinity looked over to the light coming from the flashlight and raised her voice to guide them to her. “Yes! I am over here. Are the two of you lost?”

The light shined toward her. “Hello. Yes! Yes! We need help please! We’re hurt, and in need of medical help! I’ll gladly compensate you!” The male voice called out.

Trinity was confused at the last part. She didn’t understand why she’d need to be compensated for something that seemed like a basic right for any living creature. “Um… Okay stay there and I will lead you to my home.”

She then ran up to the source of the light through the woods. When she finally got close to the source of the light she got a good look at the two strangers with the female carrying the male, and she gasped at what she saw.

They were not ponies nor griffins nor even dragons, in fact she didn’t know what they were. These creatures stood on two legs, and lacked hooves. Instead they had appendages similar to a dragon or griffin. They also appeared to lack fur on their bodies, exposing the pale skin on the female, and the sun kissed skin on the male. The only place fur showed up was in the form of the short, trimmed, black hair on top of the head of the female, and the longer, light brown hair on the male’s, along with a neatly trimmed beard. They even lacked muzzles or beaks, instead, they had their noses sitting directly above their mouths. Even the clothing they wore was strange, with the female wearing torn jeans and matching jacket, over a light blue button up shirt, and the male wearing a torn up, navy blue tracksuit with a red t-shirt under it and a metal brace over his right leg.

The female seemed as shocked as Trinity when she came into view but the male didn’t seem too surprised, most likely paying attention to his injuries. “What the hell?” the female whispered to herself.

After staring for a while Trinity finally spoke up but scared at the unusual creatures in front of her. “Wha….What are you?” She asked.

The male groaned in pain. “We’re Homo-Sapiens, or humans. My name is Henry and this here,” He pointed to the female with his good arm. “ Is my wife Lauren. Now, I know you’re scared, and I understand but please, I’m in serious pain here and need help.”

Trinity stood there thinking. For all she knew these were monsters trying to trick her and eat her. However at the same time they might be telling the truth, looking at Henry it was clear he was in pain and on closer inspection, was even bleeding. Thinking it over, she decided it was better to risk taking them to her home and treating them there. After all, if things were to go bad her, parents were there.

“Alright I’ll take you to my home. We should have medicine there.”

They were all able to make it back to the manor relatively quickly. Trinity looked at the clock, and saw it was just past midnight, meaning her parents were more than likely asleep.

“We can go into the dining hall.” Trinity told the pair leading them to the room.

“Thank you.” Lauren said carrying Henry into the dining hall. Once in the lavishly decorated hall, Trinity offered a chair to sit Henry onto. “Ok dear, hold on...” She told him as she carefully set him on the chair, as to not make his injuries worse.

“Ok, thanks, I can sit myself up.” He told them, setting himself up in the chair. In the better lighting, his injuries were a lot more visible. His right arm was pretty badly broken and bleeding, and his right leg, while not broken still looked bad, with blood coming out at the knee. “Ok now, honey? Can you get this jacket off of me? And miss….”

Trinity looked up at him as Lauren took his track jacket off of him “Trinity, sir.”

“Ok.” Henry groaned as Lauren carefully took the jacket off his right arm. “ I need you to get me some whiskey, a couple of sticks and a rag soaked in hot water please.”

“Yes sir.” She said before leaving for the kitchen. Once there, she was able to levitate a rag into the sink and turn on the hot water to let it soak. As it soaked, she went to the pantry and grabbed a bottle of her parent’s whiskey. With the whiskey, she levitated the rag out of the sink and turned it off as she grabbed a couple of sticks that were next to the wood burning stove and headed back into the dining hall. Back in the dining hall Lauren took off her belt and have it to Henry to use it as a makeshift sling. “Here you go.” She said, offering the items.

“Thank you.” Henry said taking the rag and sticks with his good arm and wrapped the rag around his bad one. He then took the bottle of whiskey, opened, and smelled it. “Hmm… This is good stuff. It’s a shame to waste it on this.” He said, before downing half the bottle in one swig.

“Ready?” Lauren asked.

Henry nodded before looking at Trinity. “You’re going to want to cover your ears. I’m going to say things that someone as young as you should not hear.” He then took the sleeve of his jacket and put it in his mouth.

Lauren took hold of his broken arm. “Ok. One. Two. Three.” On the third number she quickly set his arm into place clearly causing Henry quite a bit of pain with him groaning and tears of pain showing up in his blue eyes.

“Mphh…. MOTHER FU…..Mmmm.” Henry groaned through the sleeve in great pain.

“Ok I think it’s in place.” Lauren said as she let go, putting the sticks into the rag. She adjusted the belt to support his arm.

As Lauren let go, Henry spit the sleeve out. “God fucking damnit all to hell that hurt!”

“Did you really expect less?” Lauren asked annoyed.

“No, but Jesus Christ that hurt!”

“Must you say the lord’s name in vain?” Lauren replied, slightly offended, but in a tone that sounded used to it.

“I’ll say his name in vain all I damn well please.” Henry responded, with some slight anger from the pain.

“Ok whatever we’re getting off track.” Lauren told him. “This is only temporarily. We need to get you to a hospital, and then find the van.”

“You're right.” Henry said before looking to Trinity. “Thank you, Miss Trinity. Now, if you can point us to the nearest settlement, we’ll be on our way. I’ll be sure to come back and compensate you later.”

Trinity just stood there looking scared at something behind the two at the entrance they all entered from.

“What’s wrong?” Lauren asked before turning about to what Trinity was looking at. “Oh shit.”

At the entrance of the room was an Earth Pony stallion and a Unicorn mare staring with their mouths agape.

After some staring the stallion spoke up. “Trinity. What’s going on here?” Code Cypher asked.