Author's Note

Something Warns...

(The following includes sexual themes).

(I’m not entirely proud of this chapter, to be honest.)

Intermission X - In The Pit of My Heart

FIVE WEEKS AFTER THE FRIENDSHIP GAMES EVENT

"Yo, shawty knew how to through it back like it was a part of life, my nigga! That fire-haired bitch made me wonder if she was even from here!"

"Noah, for the last goddamn time, we know you lost your fuckin' virginity! You've been shouting it at the top of your lungs all month long! Would you shut the hell up already!?"

"Hoes mad..."

"The fuck did you say?!"

In an attempt to bring the Black Five and the Rainbooms closer together, Noah had invited both groups of friends to a picnic in the park. While the Girls were busy setting up the picnic, the Boys were out in the woods doing God knows what. Noah returning to his past behavior.

Being who they were and knowing each other for so long, they followed one after the other inside despite not knowing why. Guess one could say that they entered the woods for no reason at all, and the Boys would shrug and agree. Despite being in high school, they weren't the brightest.

Fall sat in a tree and stared off into the thick of it while CJ balanced a stick off his fore and middle finger. Manex went back and forth with their leader, and Jain texted someone on his phone. A warm feeling stretched across his face.

CJ sighed and dropped the stick, "Okay, fine, I'll bite. Why the hell are we out here?"

Jain shrugged, "Fuck if I know, negro. I followed Manex."

Manex pointed to Noah, "Well, I followed him."

Noah crossed his arms, "And I followed Fall."

CJ laid a hand flat, "Okay then, Fall, why the fuck are we out here in the middle of the woods when we could be eating Pinkie's unusually delicious cupcakes-"

"You feel it too, don't you?"

Fall interrupted CJ cryptically and narrowed his eyes at the trees. CJ tilted his head as he turned to the others. The Boys shrugged and raised an eyebrow while Noah took a step forward.

"Feel what?"

"It's this... feeling. This sensation. I can't describe it as it's faint, but it's also somehow strong at the same time. I don't understand it, I can't comprehend it, but it means something. Don't you feel it too?"

Noah placed a hand over his chest and took a deep breath, "Fall, I... I-I-I... I-I don't understand. What the hell are you talking about-"

"I feel it."

Noah turned to face who spoke and laid his eyes on Jain. He'd shut off his phone and it laid face flat on the log he sat upon. His face had suddenly changed from carefree to stressed and uptight.

Noah tilted his head, "What feeling? I'm confused as all hell right now."

Jain fiddled with his fingers, "You know how in the movies and TV shows when the main guy-"

"Protagonist."

"Same thing, feels something is odd? L-Like, it's this feeling of something bad is going to happen, but I don't know what. If I'm being honest, I felt it back when I met you."

"Me? Jain, that was nearly half a decade ago. How the hell are you just now bringing this crap up?"

"I-I don't know! At first, I thought it was leading up to the Fall Formal when Princess Twilight arrived at our school. But it didn't go away. Then I thought it was the Battle of the Bands with the Sirens. And nearly a month ago, I thought it was the Friendship Games. Despite all of that shit, the feeling's still here."

"Okay, but why is it being brought up now?"

"I... I don't know. If Fall feels the same, the sensation must be getting stronger. After each event, it seems to grow larger. I mean, I used to feel it in my toes, but now I feel it all in my lower half."

Fall folded his arms, "Noah, something is on the way. We don't know what, but it doesn't seem to be after what we've usually encountered. It's not after Equestria, it's not after Earth itself, and it's not after the galaxy. Or whatever the hell Midnight was after. It feels like-"

"It's after us," Manex interrupted.

Noah whirled around, "You feel it too? What the shit?"

"I-I just thought it was puberty or something!"

"Negro domis, we're friggin' seventeen! We're juniors! Puberty is just about done at this point!"

"W-Well, I didn't know you guys felt it as well!"

"And what do you mean, 'It's after us?'"

"Well... I feel like it's coming from outside. Back in our part of the world. Like it knows we're here and it's coming for us. Like it's some sort of consequence for something stupid we did in the past."

"What, the US Navy is after us for stealing one of their stupid-ass tugboats? Pirates found some stupid treasure and are after us because we connect with it? Jain's parents?"

Jain’s face fell flat, "Go fuck yourself, blacky."

Manex scratched the back of his head, "Either way, I'm talking about Equis. Not us, specifically. Unless the Navy is truly that bitchy, something else is after us. And I feel like we won't be able to stop it."

Noah scoffed, "Manex, I threw a psychopathic, bloodthirsty, magical demon from Hell bent on taking everything from us and wiping everyone we know and love off the face of the universe, at a school bus. Some asswipes from the outside aren't gonna do jack shit to us."

"Well, It's obvious that we can stop them, it just feels like we won't be able to save them."

"Save who?"

"Our friends."

Noah took a step back and stared, disturbed, and slightly frightened. Jain folded his arms, worried, and CJ stood up from the log, also worried. Fall climbed down from the tree he was in and glared at the ground with his hands in his pockets.

It was painstakingly obvious what Manex spoke of, and Noah didn't like it one bit. Whatever his friends were feeling or predicting wasn't just concerning, but quite irritating.

He'd known the Rainbooms for half a year, and now they're gonna die? What's supposedly going to kill them? Another Equestrian villain? An ancient monster? Is the US Military tracking them back to Equis? Is any military tracking them back?

Whatever it was, Noah didn't need it. Especially considering he and Sunset had finally come together. What if whatever is coming will take her from him? All of that time coming together wasted. And the future Noah dreamed of, shot dead.

What if whatever's coming is after more than just his friends and Sunset? What if they're after Canterlot Highschool in general? Noah will probably be able to stop them, but he'll never see them coming.

"You guys! Where are you?"

Noah lost his train of thought and he along with his friends turned their attention to the voice. It sounded like Rainbow Dash calling from the entrance of the woods. Noah sighed, raised a finger, and spoke.

"Listen dipshits, we don't mention any of this to the girls, and we never mention it in public. I don't know what the hell is going on with some of you guys, but it's not ruining this picnic, and it's not ruining anything in general. Do I make my black-ass clear?"

Noah raised an eyebrow at each of his friends and they each shrugged and nodded. CJ, Jain, and Manex all wiped off their clothing and began back to the picnic.

As Fall began to follow, Noah gripped his shoulder, "Oi. If you ever feel anything like this, don't be afraid to talk to me about it privately. I don't feel like going through the same shit we did with you back in freshman years. Got it?"

Fall rolled his eyes but nodded, "Got it."

"Now that we've got time and whatnot, I never heard what went down all those weeks ago with you and Noah, Sunset. I'm aware that was nearly a month ago, but, I was busy dealing with clothing and a certain someone."

Applejack folded her arms, "Rarity, you're just now hearin' what they did together?"

"I just said I was busy with clothing and a certain someone."

"Well, Ah was dealin' with someone as well, and Ah knew weeks earlier."

Rarity waved her off, "Not the actual sex darling, I'm talking details. Ya know what I mean, shimmy?"

Sunset blushed, "Uh, w-we don't need any details, right AJ?"

Applejack shrugged, "Well, until the others come back with our drinks, since Fluttershy decided to spill all of our soda for a deer, Ah guess it wouldn't be too much harm to hear a lil somethin'-somethin'."

Sunset tugged at the collar of her shirt, "Well..."

...

"Is that seriously all you got? I thought the Super Element of Righteousness could do better than this!"

"I go any faster, the neighbors are gonna think there's a raping going on because you'll never stop screaming!"

"Is that so?"

"Yes! That is very much so!"

"Than show me you handsome fuck!"

"Why are you such a damn hypocrite!?"

"Not my fault! I've been hanging around an idiot who can't keep his mouth shut for half a year now!"

"Do I look like CJ to you?!"

"Kinda."

"That's it, give me your throat."

"That's the spirit-hmph!"

...

"...Huh... You uh... you sound quite... uh... aggressive..."

Sunset rubbed the back of her neck, "Well Rarity, Noah was telling me that it was as if the old me returned with a vengeance. He wondered if I was faking being nice and all just for that moment."

"Were you?"

"No, dipshit! I-I mean-uh... No..."

Applejack giggled, "Well now, seems Noah is influencin’ you a bit."

Sunset rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, "Do you want me to continue, or not?"

"Well, actually, Ah've been meanin’ to ask you guys a question. Have you ever, well, Ah don't know how to put it into words but, have you ever felt this strange sensation inside your chest?"

"What, like anxiety?"

"No, no, Ah mean... Like, worse than anxiety."

Rarity tilted her head, "How so?"

"Well, it kinda feels like somethin' bad is goin' to happen. Like, at first, Ah thought it was leadin' up to you at the Fall Formal, but... it wasn't. It stayed, and it hasn't left since. I'm startin' to think whatever's comin' next isn't gonna be easy. Don't you guys feel anythin'?"

"Well, now that you mention it, I have felt a tad bit strange recently. But, I've been feeling it underneath my ribcage more so than my chest. It feels like... Like I was shot by something."

Sunset grew uneasy, "Shot? What, like, by a gun?"

"Well, of course darling. I'm pretty sure I can't be shot by a lead pencil or whatever."

"Eh..."

"Shut up."

Applejack itched her chin, "But, why would firearms come into play? There hasn't been a firearm incident since 1851. Not to mention that was just an accident. So why would you feel that way?"

"I've no clue. But, who do we know that has reintroduced weaponry to us and our school recently? A certain group of black outsiders and their black leader, conceivably?"

Sunset laid a hand flat confused, "You think Noah and his friends have something to do with your feeling? B-But, why would they? They're our friends! You can't accuse them of that!"

"Relax darling, I was just making a few connections. I'm not outright saying that they're up to anything or they'll be to blame if anything does occur, I'm simply saying that it's odd how when they show up, firearms become something to note."

Applejack frowned as Sunset fiddled with her fingers. No doubt was she wondering about Noah. She'd known him for some time now, so it wasn't like she was in the wrong. But something about Noah and his friends slaughtering thousands of students didn't make sense to AJ either.

She sighed, "Look, we'll just keep in mind that somethin' is comin' and that the Black Five are suspects. Not major suspects, just ones that we shouldn't be surprised by. In terms of weaponry, of course."

"And speaking of which, here they come now," Sunset replied as she spotted Rainbow Dash and the Black Five exiting the forest. She smiled, whatever those five were talking about would be much better than what she and her friends were talking about.

Rarity ran both hands through her hair, "Let's keep this little conversation between us, 'kay girls?"

"Got it."