Author's Note

I'm breaking the rules.

Remember how I said "tHe OrIgInAl WiLl nOt bE eDiTeD AnY FaRtHeR"? Well, I'm editing it... (kinda). Not really editing, but just using a handy little

to stitch the two tiny ass original chapters together. I just hate these little ass chapters. This chapter was supposed to be 499 words. Psssht. I could write more words about the shit I took this morning.

Don't worry, all the ~~bad~~ ~~awful~~ ~~horrendous~~ ~~you were learning, give yourself a break!~~ ~~no fuck that little cunt!~~ bad writing is still there, in between the

Do your best

"Can't you try anything else?" Twi asked.

"I've tried everything I know. He's just in a coma. I've covered his wounds, but I'll keep checking his vitals frequently," the nurse replied.

Dash, Spike, and the guards were keeping watch with their automatic submachine guns. If anybody was going to sneak up on them, they'd be gunned down.

After Devan shot Pete, Dash had fired at Jen, but somehow she managed to run away through the trees. It was unknown whether she was hit or not, but Dash was keeping close watch on those trees.

Twi was heartbroken about losing Devan, even if it was temporary. He was breathing and his chest was moving up and down, but there was no response out of him.

"Twi, where should we go?" asked Spike.

"I don't know yet. Do you know how we can move Devan?"

"We could carry him," Blaze suggested.

"We need to keep him still for now," Snow said.

"I guess we wait," Twi accepted.

"Should we try to shoot them?" Dash asked.

"No ... we don't want to waste bullets ... and you saw their sniper rifles. Just keep a look out."

After five to ten minutes, nobody had snuck up on them. Twi used Spike to send a message to Celestia, with no reply.

"Maybe she's out of magic?" Spike asked.

"Could be."

She thought. It took them days to get here. It would take them days to get back to the hospital. Devan was doing just fine despite not responding. If Blaze could watch him, they could go on and take out the boys on the gate.

"Blaze? ..."

"Yes, your highness?"

"Will you be alright watching Devan while we gun down those boys?"

"Yes, your highness. How long will you be gone?"

"I'm guessing we can get through those boys on the gate, come back and get you, then move Devan in. Everypony will keep constant guard, right?"

"Right," everybody echoed.

"If only we had something that could help us get past those boys uninjured ..."

Just like that, a spark of light emitted behind them. It grew fast and shone for a few seconds before revealing a glass pane. It was a shield that was bigger than the average shield used by guards. On the back was a note. It read:

Do your best.

-Princess Celestia

"She must be very weak to send only three words," Spike suggested.

"You're probably right. We better hurry. Dash?"

"Yes?" she asked, but kept her attention on the bush.

"This shield is big enough to cover two ponies, I think. I need somepony strong to help lift it. Are you willing to do this for Celestia?"

"Don't need to ask me twice."

Dash grabbed on to the left side of the strap in the middle, and Twi grabbed the right. They flipped it sideways so it could cover them entirely.

"On the count of three ..."

"Alright."

"One ... two ..."

A slight pause.

"Three!"

Blaze watched as they leaped over the ridge and ran forward. He winced when he heard gunshots from the gate, but looked over again to see them still running. Spike stayed by Drift's side, carrying a light machine gun.

Twi and Dash hit the bridge running as it began lifting shut. There were no sound or gunshots for a few seconds after the drawbridge shut. Everypony drew their guns over the ridge, since they couldn't see the heads of the snipers anymore.

"Should we go?" asked Snow.

Blaze grabbed Devan's arm and threw him over his back, locking his arm around his neck. Drift grabbed his legs and tossed them over his back, locking his left around his own neck.

"Let's go," Drift said.

There were gunshots as they ran for the drawbridge. They heard a boy's scream over the speakers before quickly falling silent after a gunshot. Another boy yelled as gunshots blared.

Now they were waiting at the foot of the river. Twi probably knew how to lower the drawbridge, so they waited anxiously.

It lowered only seconds later. Twi and Dash were surprised to find them already there. "We thought you were gonna wait at the ridge," Dash said.

"That's not important," Twi replied, "Let's just hurry up. Celestia needs us."

Spike checked their backs and Snow rejoined Twi.

"We'll set Devan down in a room we found on the gate. Then we can clear the streets and report to Celestia. Got it?"

"Right," everypony replied simultaneously.

Moving quickly, they climbed steps to get to the room Twi was talking about. They had gone to a small tower connected just behind the right side of the gate. They entered to find a small room with just a window, desk, and chair. They carefully set him down in the chair and shut the door.

"You think he'll be okay?" Dash asked.

"I think so," Twi answered.

They trotted out of the tower and began running. Both guards took position behind them, seeing as their backs weren't covered. They would take bullets to their backs in order for the others to be safe. Keeping their speed up was important right now. There could be more humans and/or zombie ponies in Canterlot. They had to hurry through.

Running at a decent house per three seconds, they sped to the castle, fighting through any of their injuries. All of them expected somebody to show and attack them, because the speakers being set up at the gate spread the message that these boys might've claimed Canterlot a while ago.

And their hunch was correct. With all of them sprinting forwards, nopony was checking their backs. They didn't see the gunshots from behind them coming, and one nicked the leg of Blaze.

He fell forwards and slammed into the ground. The situation turned dire within seconds. Another bullet ripped fur off his hooves. Something exploded right in the middle of them, deafening Blaze, Drift, Dash, and Snow temporarily. Everypony dived on the ground. Their vision was blurred by smoke as bullets shot through it. Another bullet from their front bounced Drift's armor.

"There's nowhere to go!" Dash yelled at Twi. Bullets rang. They fired at where they thought the attackers could be. Another explosion. More smoke. There was too much of it and too many bullets for Snow to help anypony.

"Blaze!" Drift yelled, "We ne-" he started, before a shot penetrated his chest. He fell forwards.

"Drift!" Blaze staggered up. Something else hit him instead of a bullet. He quickly observed a grenade unlike the smoke grenades. It was a real grenade!

Thinking quick, he sacrificed himself by snatching up the grenade as fast as possible and stuffing it in his tough leather saddlebag right before it blew up. The blast got through the tough leather, but only hurt him, throwing him up and burning his chest and legs. He fell unconscious as he slammed into the ground again.

"Blaze!" Dash screamed, "Twi, we have to give up!"

She didn't have time to think about this now, so she made a quick decision.

"Ceasefire, guys!" she yelled, "We give up!"

The gunshots came to an unexpected stop. The smoke hurt their eyes for a few more seconds. Both the guards had taken their toll from shielding everypony's back. Both of them lay unconscious around forming blood pools. Now the smoke was clearing and coughs were the only sound.

The boys, six in total, came through it. Three from the back and three from the front. Not all of them had rifles or SMGs. In fact, four of them had pistols, automatic or not. They all wore bandanas and backpacks.

"Please," Twi begged, "help our two injured friends."

One of them chuckled and kicked Twi square in the face. She fell from the blow. "Yer lucky we're not killing ya' on the spot." He had an Irish/Scottish accent in his voice. All of them huddled together, surrounded by the boys.

"Phil, can you check to see if Zach and Marcus are okay?"

Phil nodded and left.

What if they find out? Twi wondered. When they find their dead bodies, they're going to slaughter us.

The boy who sent him off stood face to face with Twi.

"What have ya' done to our brothers?" he spit. The five boys kicked away their guns. Drift and Blaze were gone. Snow wasn't allowed past the boys to help them. She figured it was no use anyways; the wounds looked deadly and she knew exploding, even if slightly, wasn't good in any circumstance.

"We were defending ourselves," Twi replied. He spat on her again.

"Piss off!" Dash reacted, stepping up for Twi. He slapped her. Fighting her loyalty, she didn't react negatively.

"Where do ya' think yer from? Ya savages! Storming in an claiming ya' were defending yerself?"

The group didn't comment on his remarks. It was true they had every intention to kill them, but losing Drift and Blaze threw them over the breaking point.

"Don't worry." The boy smirked. "We'll have some fun before ya' die."