Chapter 7: The Eye of the Storm.

Chapter 7: The Eye of the Storm.

"Ahh!"

~-*BANG!* Everyone jolts out of bed in a cold sweat as a flash appears above them. A flurry of water began to patter on their heads and on top of the cave, growing heavier and heavier over time. Thunder began to boom and lightning was flashing behind the clouds. Lightning Star was the first to be awoken by the weather and was looking at the storm with trauma in her eyes.~

"Looks like another storm is brewin' in." Applejack stated.

"You don't say…" Lightning blinked angrily.

Sunset looked back at the others. "We should get going…"

"Where though?! It is starting to drizzle badly and we have nowhere to go! Nowhere!" Rarity yelled dramatically.

"Then we better find somewhere." Sunset replied.

~Everyone looked at Sunset and hoped she was joking about going out in the storm again, but her face was serious, but also confident.~

~Later, everyone was toughing it out in the storm. The wind was picking up gravel and sand and it started to become a sandstorm, forcing everyone to close their eyes so the sand wouldn't get in them. Stitch was at the front, guiding everyone through the natural disaster, however, the wind got stronger and more violent. Everyone was struggling to walk and couldn't see where they were going. Finally, Lightning yelled.~

"M-Maybe we should stop!"

"Now? We can't! There are no structures to stop by!" Stitch said.

"I'm with Lightning here!" Twilight exclaimed. "This storm is too powerful for us to handle."

"Yeah! It may blow us away any second!" Rainbow shouted.

"We will just have to turn back!" Twilight pointed back.

"Turn back?" Sunset rotated around to face Twilight. "We left the cave 30 minutes ago!"

"And me still can't see anything big to stay by!" Stitch repeated.

Suddenly, Rarity screamed. "My hair is a state, girls! And my eyes are stinging!"

"Mine too! This was NOT a good idea!" Lightning agreed.

"We can't turn back! How can we turn back?" Stitch asked himself.

"We just need to-STOP!-"

~Lightning gets a glimpse of another flash from above and slowly glares up at it. Grey clouds storm in and more lightning flashes and booms. It flashes in her eyes and she has a blurry flashback, Lightning and Karly were at the construction site and Lightning witnesses Karly and the bricks crashing onto her, Lightning then fades to black and sees herself back with the Rainbooms, Stitch and Spike in the sand and storm. Lightning doesn't ponder and ends up running into the nearby trees without warning.~

"Huh?" Stitch turns to see her running.

Sunset does too. "Lightning?"

"Lightning, wait!" Spike barked.

Lightning begins panting hard. "Gotta break out of here! But how?! HOW?!" She just groaned. "Now I know how Karly felt!-Whoa-"

~Lightning doesn't look where she is going and trips over a kinked root of a tree and tumbles down a slope and into another tree at the bottom of the hill.~

~Sometime later, The sun shows itself from behind the fading clouds and shines below Lightning lying on the wet ground. Something was licking her face again and she chuckles, keeping her eyes closed.~

"Ok, Ok, Spike! You have woken me up, you can stop."

"Um, Me know you're a little dazed, but me sure we confirmed my name's not Spike."

After realising it was Stitch that was licking her, Lightning's eyes widen and she jolts up, gagging and groaning. "Yuck! Oh, god!"

"Lightning, are you ok?" Fluttershy rushes up to Lightning with Spike in her hands.

"That...has to be the fourth time she has hurt herself now, I'm not even sure if she's ok anymore." Spike said, looking up at Fluttershy.

"Yeah-I'm fine! I'm tough! I have been through worse. Way...worse." She sighed. "Sorry for running off like that. I just lost my mind and got a little PTSD from what happened to Karly…"

"Because a storm also happened when Karly went missing!" Twilight exclaimed, piecing things together.

"Do you think these storms link to something?" Sunset asked.

"No...these are just natural disasters that are conveniently happening. Everyone has thunderstorms, although, I didn't know your world had a lot of them." Lightning said doubtfully.

"We don't get a lot of them though. Hm…" Twilight began to think.

Fluttershy started looking at the landscape. "Um, so sorry to interrupt, girls, but, where are we?"

~Everyone looks around to see most of the trees destroyed and knocked down, branches were littering the floor and rocks were in every direction. Lightning panics and gets up and runs a few steps away from the girls.~

"No, we lost the forest!" Lightning panicked.

"Something tells me we were going in the wrong direction…!" Twilight also panicked.

"Oh...How are we going to find Karly and make it home now?" Fluttershy softly groaned.

"I-I don't know!" Lightning began to stutter. "We need help! We need to find somebody!" She started to look at her surroundings.

"Who? I don't think there is a person within 100 miles from here!" Rainbow yelled.

Lightning turned back to her. "Well, we ran into some pet collector guy, so I say we have a bet!"

"Do you want me to run off and find something?" Rainbow then asked.

"No, you may get lost yourself…" Sunset answered, putting her hand on Rainbow's shoulder.

~Lightning stopped listening to Rainbow and Sunset because something in between the rocks and through the broken trees was catching her off guard. The things looked like the shapes of humans and that made Lightning grateful. Hoping its people that can help, she called out to them.~

"Hey! HEY! Over here!"

"Lightning? What are you doing-" Sunset gasped when she saw the figures.

"There are people over there!" Rainbow pointed.

Twilight couldn't believe it. "Wait...Really?"

~When everyone turned to see what Lightning was seeing, they begin to yell too. The things turned and started to head towards them, so they were alive beings. Once they got close enough, they were easier to see. There were three humans and a pack of snarling wolves, and they didn't look friendly. Stitch immediately stopped and ran the other way to hide. Also, he knocked Spike out of Fluttershy's arms and dragged him away to hide too.~

"Hey!" Spike yelped as he was dragged off.

"Spike…?!" Twilight stopped and turned.

Lightning did too. "What-Stitch! Where are you going?"

Spike struggled a little. "Hey, what are you…"

"Trust me." Stitch interrupted softly.

Spike looked concerned but remained silent as they went into a bush and a pile of branches.

~Lightning was about to retrieve Stitch and Spike but the people they signalled had reached them. One guy, who seemed like he was the head of the group, spoke to them first. His clothes were dirty and filthy, suggesting he has been out in the forest for a while, however, his brown cardigan wasn't as dirty as his other clothes. His slant yellow eyes were staring at the Rainbooms which made them feel a little awkward, but they tend to ignore it. Finally, this guy slicked his white pointy hair back and petted his nearby wolf pet before he spoke to the girls.~

"Hey, are you girls wounded?"

Sunset gave him a small answer. "Um...no. We're fine."

"Ok, thank goodness for that. Men, keep looking for wounded folk." The guy then ordered as he turned his head over to his mates.

~The other two men that were accompanying this guy spread out and examined the broken forest for more injured people/animals. Their wolves also began sniffing and scavenging the area. Stitch was panicking and tried to bury himself and Spike further in the bush and branches they were hiding in.~

"Wa-Wait! We are looking for a friend." Lightning stuttered.

Applejack stepped forwards. "Have y'all seen a girl?"

"Is she a little critter?" He asked.

"No, she's a teenager. Like us." Lightning answered awkwardly.

"Is she wounded?"

"I...I don't know! I hope not!" Lightning started to rub her eyes.

Sunset comforted Lightning and continued for her. "Just...have you seen her? She has blue eyes."

"Her hair is dark brown with a few strands of it magenta." Twilight described.

"And she is wearing a light, impractical dark magenta coloured sweater." Rarity added.

"Afraid I have not seen anyone like that. But, we'll keep a lookout for her." The man said with a smile.

"Once we find her, we also need help getting back home. Do you know CHS?" Twilight inquired.

"CHS...CHS…" His teeth chattered. "Oh! You mean the large school building on the outskirts of Canterlot City!?"

"Yeah, that's it!" Lightning smiled.

"Yeah. Oh, yeah. I know it. But you know, kids." He shudders at them. "Hm...You are not even close. But, still, I know a way."

"Yay! Thanks, mister. By the way, I'm Pinkie!" Pinkie introduced herself to him happily.

The guy started laughing hysterically. "I'm-I'm sorry. It's just that...I used to have a name like that once. But, that was before I started following the storm!"

"The storm?" Fluttershy said in confusion.

"The storm swept me up. I was afraid for my life! But, the storm gave me a relavation, and I wasn't scared anymore!" He explained proudly.

"Don't you mean a revelation?" Twilight prompted.

"No. A relavation! Ok! I was at a real low point. And the storm swept me up to a real high point and left me at a pile relavation!"

"Wow." Lightning softly gasped.

However, Rainbow squints her eyes suspiciously. "Hmm…"

"So, have you been out here in this forest since then?" Twilight asked doubtfully.

"Yeah! I quit my job as a doctor and helped the animals in the forest for 5 years! You can call me White Spark. And my mates...are called the Flunkies."

Lightning softly raised a brow. "White Spark? Flunkies? Hm."

"So, can you help us get home?" Rarity asked, smiling.

"Um, yeah-well, um...maybe. But first, we just need to check the area. There are sure to be folk in a very bad way after a storm like this, don't you know?" White Spark laughed.

"Hey-hey! Whitespark! I found something! Over here!"

~One of White Spark's cronies directs everyone to a landslide of rocks and points at a snout sticking out from in between the rocks at the bottom of the pile, meaning an animal was trapped in the landslide. The wolves were trying to find a way to move the rocks by sniffing for an opening without causing more of the hassle for getting the animal out.~

"Hey...Maybe you girls can help." White Spark suggested.

"Hm?" Lightning hummed.

~White Spark gathers everyone and together they move most of the rocks out of harm's way to retrieve the animal trapped inside. Thanks to Applejack's strength and Twilight's thinking through the situation, it moved a lot faster. The guys cheered when they were able to lift the animal out of the landslide.~

"Ye-yeah!"

~White Spark gently took the animal and held it under his shoulder as his wolves whimpered in joy. The animal looked to be a squirrel, judging from its bushy tail. Everyone looked at in with delight.~

"It-It's a squirrel." Fluttershy smiled.

"A free squirrel." White Spark smartly prompted. "Thanks to you. Here Xerneas."

~White Spark then handed the squirrel over to his wolf and it took it by pinching its fur with its teeth. It then ambles away behind a rock with the other wolves. The next thing everyone heard was a squeak of pain and wolves snarling and chomping. Lightning and the Rainbooms instantly knew what was happening behind that rock and all looked with horror. Lightning even looked back to where Stitch and Spike were hiding and saw both their faces go pale. The wolves suddenly come out from the rock licking their bloody lips. One wolf even had the bushy tail of the squirrel in its mouth. The other two wolves see it and begin fighting over it. Their owners had to break them up. Suddenly White Spark pushes over his two mates and their wolves quite violently. His yellow eyes suddenly change and he begins yelling.~

"You think you can mess with me and my wolf?! I've seen the eye of the storm! And I forgot what Fear is! I'm not afraid of anything-"

His friend stammered. "I-I know-but-"

~While White Spark was ranting on, Lightning and the girls attempted to back away, now seeing who these people really are and what they are doing. But, White Spark got the best of them and stomps in front of them when they turned, becoming so nice and charming again.~

"Hey...Where ya going, girls…?" He asked creepily.

"We...uhhh...need to find our friend." Lightning quickly answered.

"And I said...we will find your friend." White Spark replied.

~Lightning began to sweat and she was making sure the Rainbooms were safely behind her at all times. Suddenly the wolves began to sniff around again. They got near Lightning, Twilight and Fluttershy and began sniffing hard. Rainbow Dash began to square up and tried to get the wolves away from Twilight and Fluttershy.~

"Girls, you have an animal of your own, don't you?" White Spark got close to the three girls.

"Echo smells it. One of the juicy ones. No-wait! Two? They have two animals? Extra credit!" His mate panted like a dog.

"No, we don't!" Rainbow glared.

"Rainbow's right. We don't. So, stay away!" Sunset rebuked.

"Where are they?!" The man demanded.

"They're hiding. Behind that rock!" Lightning lied.

~Lightning points to the rock directly opposite to where Stitch and Spike were. The Flunkies fall for the trick and headed over to the rock to investigate, but White Spark himself wasn't convinced. He stared at the girls in maximum creepy mode. Lightning and the girls tried hard not to move their eyes to where Stitch and Spike really were and just smiled at White Spark nervously and lopsidedly. However, Pinkie Pie couldn't hold it in and quickly darted her eyes over to where they were. White Spark turned to see two pairs of eyes glow in the bush and gasp.~

He smiled deeply. "The eye of the storm."

"NO!" Lightning and Twilight screamed.

~White Spark and his wolf charge at the bush, but Stitch and Spike rush out in time. Lightning scoops Stitch up her arms and Spike jumps in Fluttershy's and they start to run for their life.~

"Run away! They're coming!" Spike cried.

~Everyone runs into what's left of the forest to escape. They could already hear the wolves chasing them because they were barking and snapping close. Lightning and Rainbow kept looking back at them to see how close the wolves were and tried to think of something to slow them down or hold them off.~

"They're gaining on us!" Rainbow cried.

"Have you ever tried the branch trick?" Lightning asked.

"What's the branch trick?!"

~Lightning grabs onto a branch still attached to a nearby tree and swings it back while still running then she lets go and it flies back into one of the wolves, it is knocked back and it whimpers a bit before growling and running again.~

"Whoa, Nice hit." Rainbow smiled.

"Thanks." Lightning smiled back.

~White Spark and his men also began chasing after the girls. Firstly, they comforted their wolves, but it didn't last for long, otherwise, they'll lose their prey. They continued to chase the girls, revealing small pistols and the wolves reveal a thirst for hunger on their faces.~

"Nowhere to run, Stars n' Stripes!" White Spark's crony yelled.

"He's right! Where do we go from here?!" Rainbow groaned.

"Don't worry, Rainbow! I know what to do. I've got your back!" Lightning determined.

Rainbow was shocked. "What…?"

"I said I've got your back!"

~Rainbow Dash stared at Lightning for a moment, then smiled bravely at her, Trusting her. Lightning activates her power and obtains her penguin hoodie and flippers and waddles ahead of the others. She slides back and lets the Rainbooms, Stitch, and Spike past her before thrusting her flippers down and creating an icy path on the ground. White Spark and the Flunkies make it to the ice and they slip n' slide past Lightning and into the large trees that were still standing. Lightning grins at them and slides away to catch up with the girls, but the ice didn't stop White Spark from getting up and continuing to chase them. But Lightning saw it coming. Rainbow Dash suddenly appears and zooms past White Spark, which makes him stop and look at Lightning confusingly. She shrugs her shoulders at the guy, distracting him enough for Rainbow to knock him out from behind.~

"Nice, Rainbow." Lightning said.

"Nice distraction." Rainbow smiled.

"Are...are we safe?" Fluttershy shyly peeked out from behind a tree along with the rest.

"Ye-Yeah!" Rainbow answered.

"For now." Lightning added. "They could wake up any second. Let's get out of their sight and out of this place and get back on track."

~Everyone rushed and ran far away from the unconscious bodies of White Spark and his mates without looking back. Hoping, they won't run into them again.~