“Hey! Over here! Look at me!” A mare screamed as loud as she could as she hovered in the air and waved her hooves frantically. She was doing everything in her power to draw attention to herself and it wasn’t working, so she decided she had to do more. She dove towards the ground in a pale blue streak and leveled off a few feet above the ground as she made a beeline for her target.
What she was aiming for was a creature, a hydra if she remembered her studies. It was a muted purple multiheaded serpent that stood on four legs and was as tall as the building it was attacking. Terrified cries of ponies came from inside as several of the heads slammed into the walls and shook the structure to its foundation.
The body of the pegasus mare slammed into the scaly hide of the Hydra, which of course didn’t move it at all. That wasn’t the point of the ram at all, though. Half a dozen heads twisted and craned as they rounded on her, one dozen hungry eyes with narrowing slits zeroing in on her small frame.
Strong hooves pushed off of the beast’s sturdy purple hide as she sped away from the quickly approaching maws. She could feel hot breath on her flanks as teeth snapped and gnashed near her tail.
Wings beat heavily under the late day summer sun as she blazed a trail across the open stretch of ground that made up Baltimare University’s campus. When she passed over asphalt and concrete updrafts of hot air caught her wings and threatened to send her into the ground, but she stabilized herself every time.
Massive thundering footsteps stayed close behind her no matter how hard she pushed herself, no matter how fast she willed herself to go she could always feel that massive monstrosity right behind her, dangerously close to snapping her up.
The danger became a reality as she felt teeth snap down on her tail and grip it tight. She lost all forward momentum as the head pulled her backwards. Her light blue wings beat helplessly as she was flung in the opposite direction. At some point in the wide arc as she was being brought back into the mass of mouths the one holding her lost its grip and she sailed through the air.
There was no righting herself as she careened through the air, only stopped by the solid brick edifice of the campus’ clocktower. The brickwork cracked and crumpled behind her briefly as she was forced into the side of the building. Gravity won and she fell to the concrete below after a few moments in the embrace of solid brick.
Red chunks and dust sprinkled her sky-colored coat after she hit the ground with a dull thud. She let out a low groan and rubbed her now sore head as she slowly got to her hooves. It was only a few seconds before the sun above was once again obscured by the towering visage of the Hydra.
“Not good…” Was the only thing she could even think to say at that moment. It was a succinct assessment of the situation and definitely the least vulgar one running through her head.
“Gotcha!” Her world disappeared in a blur as a solid mass slammed into her and carried her up into the sky. “You did good, kid, but leave this to the professionals.” She shook her head and looked up at the pony who had saved her from becoming part of the Hydra’s diet. The mare was older, gray streaks ran through her windswept rainbow mane and heavy bags pulled down her energetic and proud magenta eyes.
“Rainbow Dash…?” The stunned mare finally managed to spit out as she was put on the ground some distance away from the beast.
“The one and only!” Rainbow Dash said as she spread her wings and puffed out her chest. “What’s your name, kid?”
“Uh…” She briefly forgot her own name and scrambled to find it again. “...R-Robin.”
“You’re a decent flier. You should think about attending a Wonderbolt camp sometime, tell them Rainbow Dash sent you.” The famous speedster pulled a pair of sunglasses from the bomber jacket she wore and put them on as she took off once more. Her friends, the Elements of Harmony, the saviors of Equestria time and time again. Now here they were tag-teaming a rogue Hydra in the streets of Baltimare.
Robin stood there in silence and watched as the group of lifelong friends handled the beast with ease. Rainbow Dash and Applejack managed to tie the necks up with a lasso and bring it down, Fluttershy calmed it down, and then Princess Twilight teleported the beast away with only a thought.
Ponies came out of the surrounding buildings and swarmed the old heroes, offering praise and wanting only pictures or autographs in return. Of course the mares gladly gave the group of fans what they wanted, they always did. Robin took a deep breath and let out a long sigh.
She had done her best, it just wasn’t good enough.
Last verse is the same as the first.
“Are you okay, my little pony?” She was once again snapped out of her own misery by one of the heroes that had saved the day. This time it was none other than the regent of Equestria herself, Princess Twilight Sparkle. She stood twice as tall as Robin, who herself was pretty tall for a mare, with her ethereal mane blowing in the nonexistent wind.
“Yeah, I’m fine…” She mumbled out as her eyes fell to the ground. “...Your Majesty.” She tacked on at the end.
“I’m surprised. You took quite the hit. Not many ponies would be ‘fine’ after being thrown into a building.” She could feel the Princess’ warm smile radiate warmth down on her and it made her shiver.
“Guess I’m just made of tougher stuff.” Robin said with a little nod. “Sorry to get in your way.”
“No no no.” Twilight shook her head then reached out and placed her hoof on Robin’s shoulder. “Don’t be sorry for trying to help. Never apologize for doing the right thing. Robin, right? That’s what Rainbow Dash said your name was.” The mare nodded in the affirmative. “Robin. Equestria needs heroes, and not ones like my friends and I. It needs little heroes, like you, who will do something extraordinary in extraordinary circumstances. It needs ponies just like you just as much as it needs ponies like us.”
“Right…” Robin nodded and had to push down all of the feelings that were welling up deep down inside of her. “Thank you, Princess.”
There was a moment when Robin briefly looked up to meet Twilight’s eyes that the alicorn’s motherly concern morphed into confusion. Twilight’s hoof came to Robin’s chin and tilted the pegasus’ head up to get a better look at her.
“Do I know you, Robin?”
“No.” Her blood ran cold, but she kept an even tone despite the tumultuous cauldron of emotions roiling over inside of her. “Maybe you’ve seen me at a Celebration or something, but no we’ve never met.”
“Right…”
Robin just gave a small curt nod and walked off. She didn’t want that interaction to drag on for any longer than it already had. If it did it would only bring difficulties for herself and nopony else.
The trot across the campus to the dorms wasn’t as quick as Robin would have wanted. Her ribs ached, as did her head and wings. She was a tough pony. She knew very well what it would take to put a dent in her, but she ached about as easily as a normal pony. Walking away from being flung into a building by a massive monster with nothing but aches and pains is something to be grateful for, even if the overall results of the bout were in the favor of the innocent ponies on campus.
“Robin? Robin!” A familiar voice cried out from behind, causing the sore pegasus to turn around. A stout pudgy unicorn mare with a chestnut coat and a jet black mane that spilled over her shoulders in loose curls came galloping up to her. “Robin what happened back there? Are you okay?!”
“I’m alright, Sous.” Robin waved off her friend as the shorter mare put hooves on her side. “Just a bit banged up.”
“You were thrown into a building, Robin!” Sous’ crimson magic lifted one of Robin’s wings as she looked it over. “Ponies aren’t okay after being slammed into solid brick, especially pegasi!”
“I’m a bit tougher than a normal pegasus.”
“Yeah yeah, your father was an earth pony and your mom was a unicorn royal guard blah blah blah.” Sous huffed and puffed as she finally got ahead of Robin, causing the taller mare to stop. “What’s gotten into you? It’s not like you to do…that!”
“Ponies were in trouble.” Robin answered flatly. “If I didn’t do something, that thing would’ve gotten inside of that building and do who knows what to all of those innocent ponies. I couldn’t stand by and let that happen.”
“Okay but what about you?”
“What about me?”
“For Twilight’s sake.” Sous huffed again. “What if you died?”
“But I didn’t.” Robin rebutted. “I wouldn’t.” She added mentally.
“It’s just so unlike you! And now you’re acting all weird! Where’s my fun bubbly friend?”
“I’m sorry.” Robin sighed and hung her head. “It’s probably just the adrenaline still. I need to come down, and I’ll be sore as I possibly can be when it does.” All of that was probably true, but it wasn’t the full truth. She could only hope that Sous didn’t know that. “I just want to try to sleep it off. We’ll talk more about it tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay…” Sous relented and furrowed her brow. “I’m coming by to check on you later, though. Got it?”
“Yes mom.” Robin rolled her eyes and gave her friend a half-hearted grin.
Sous gave Robin a very tender hug and the two mares went their own separate ways. The pegasus went about climbing the three flights of stairs that led to her dorm room, which was a tall task as the adrenaline finally wore off and she could feel just how much she ached. Her legs thanked her as she finally reached her room and opened the door. The poor hooves attached to those aching legs barely got her to her bed before finally giving out. Robin groaned out loud and looked at her door to make sure it was fully closed before doing what she did next.
Around her neck was a small crystal on the end of a sterling chain. It glowed with a soft blue light, the same color as her coat. When ponies asked, she insisted it was a family heirloom, which it was…kind of. She grabbed it with one of her wings and lifted it off of her neck. As it departed, she could feel it taking the spell it contained inside with it, and with that she could feel her body changing.
Her pale blue coat turned to a soft pink, her bobbed mane from white and silver to curls of violet with turquoise highlights. The biggest change, however, was the horn that seemingly sprouted from her head in an instant.
“You’re an idiot, Flurry.” She mumbled to herself. “You’re supposed to be keeping a low profile, not becoming the center of attention!” There was no doubt in her mind that Aunt Twily had recognized her. That mare was the most magically adept pony on the planet, so of course she could sense the disguise charm and most likely Flurry’s own magical ‘scent’ beneath it. “I swear if Mom and Dad show up here tomorrow looking for me, I’m going to scream.”
Flurry’s horn lit up and the lock on her door firmly latched shut. With that sorted, her magical grasp went to the radio on her bedside and she turned it on. As always it was on the news radio station that broadcast throughout Equestria twenty-four seven. Even away from home, the habit of staying up to date on events across the country and beyond was ingrained deep in her being.
“-the attacks were spread across multiple cities including Canterlot, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Manehatten, and Whinnyapolis. Some monsters are still unaccounted for and the Princess and her friends are still working on containing the threat. We do have confirmed casualties in multiple cities, however.” The stallion’s voice on the radio was flat and lifeless, reading from a script like it was another day. “The government urges all ponies to stay in their homes or places of employment until the threats are contained. There is no update on what caused this mass breakout from Tartarus, but we will let you know when we have anything to report. Remember, stay tuned to NEN for all of the news from Equestria and beyond.”
“A breakout from Tartarus?” Flurry questioned as she turned the radio off. Who could’ve done that? All of the threats she knew about who could do something like that were either contained, reformed, or turned to stone. “Discord pulling another prank, maybe?” No, Fluttershy had him comfortably under control now.
That thought fell to the wayside as the mention of ‘casualties’ stuck in her head. How many more would there have been if she hadn’t distracted the Hydra? How many ponies from Baltimare would be included on the final tally?
Aunt Twily and her friends could never be everywhere all the time, so maybe that’s why she was so supportive of Flurry’s disguised antics. Maybe she was just grateful it wasn’t all on her shoulders for once.
Flurry could appreciate that point of view.
That same point of view bounced around her head like a pinball shot from a cannon as she laid in bed and tried to sleep. Aunt Twily and her friends, the heroes of Equestria that saved it from threats so massive and existential that Flurry still couldn’t believe it, couldn’t be everywhere.
“Equestria needs heroes, and not ones like my friends and I. It needs little heroes, like you, who will do something extraordinary in extraordinary circumstances.”
Flurry wasn’t just any pony, either. She was born extraordinary. She was gifted with all of the strengths of the three pony tribes plus more. She could help. She could be there for ponies when the real heroes couldn’t.
“Don’t be stupid. You’re just a Princess. Just keep your head down, finish your time here at University and get out without being found out.” That was the plan, that was always the plan. She gathered everything she needed to and left the Empire for this exact reason, to experience being a normal pony. To get away from being extraordinary.
“What if you just can’t escape it?”
The alicorn growled and picked up her pillow in her magic and chucked it across her room at the wall. The thought wasn’t comforting, in fact it was infuriating, and it wasn’t something she wanted to confront.
So she wouldn’t.
Instead she got the crystal from her nightstand and draped it around her neck to change back into Robin. Being in here, cooped up with her thoughts, would do her no good. Even with the soreness beginning to set in, she couldn’t just wait here and let both the thoughts and pain set in at the same time.
Off she went, back out onto campus. The halls of the dorm were filled with the twittering masses all going on about the goings on outside. A few ponies stopped her to ask if she was okay, to which she gave the same canned answer she had given to Sous. Most ponies were too immersed in their own little circles to pay her any mind. It wasn’t until she got to the door to leave that she encountered any real resistance.
“I’m sorry but nopony can leave the building at the moment.” A teacher, who was now here past her usual time probably, stood in front of the door. Her light brown mane, which had most likely been in a tight professional bun to start the day, was now coming undone. A pair of tired violet eyes regarded Robin with disinterest.
“I…” She was always good about thinking on her hooves when it came to lying to authority figures. Years in the castle around guards who thought they could stop her from going places had solidified that talent over the years. “...left my medication in my last class with my bag before the attack happened. I really need it before I eat…” There was just enough information there that the once bored mare now looked just a tad panicked.
“Okay…but make it quick.” A hurried empathy layered the words as she stepped aside and opened the door. “And don’t get into any trouble…” An implicit but unsaid ‘or else I’ll get in trouble’ followed in a brief look shared by the mares as Robin trotted out into the world once more.
The sun was now dipping below the horizon, painting the campus in orange and letting long shadows fall across the open area between buildings. There were some important looking ponies gathered around the belltower where the Hydra had fallen and still was, its necks and every mouth tied up with one very long piece of rope. Applejack’s work if Flurry had ever seen it.
Where was she going now that she was out? Nowhere in particular really. She stayed far away from anyone she thought looked like they were in charge of something, opting to go between buildings and hiding around corners to avoid them. Every step was protested by her aching body, especially her very sore back that just didn’t want to pop no matter how she moved or twisted despite how good she knew it would feel.
Her aimless wandering came to an end when she came across a door that wasn’t just open, but was nearly torn apart. Deep claw marks marred nearly unhinged the wooden door that she believed was the back entrance to the science building. Around it were scattered leaves and strips of bark were littered around the entrance and from somewhere within she could hear growling.
There was not even a thought in her head to go look for help.
She was the help.
‘Robin’s’ hooves clacked against the tiled floor of the science building as she raced through it, drawing ever close to the source of the growls and snarls. The lights were out, so she was navigating the halls by the light of the softly growing charm dangling around her neck. Classrooms and labs all flashed by in an instant as she searched for the source.
After what felt like forever running on sore and tired legs, she found it. A lanky green earth pony stallion was running down the hall with a pair of timberwolves hot on his trail and nipping at his hooves. She didn’t even have time to shout at him before he dove into what looked to be an office of some sort with frosted glass windows and shut the door behind him. The two coniferous canines slammed their wooden bodies against the door, splintering both in turn.
Flurry planted her hooves wide and whistled as loud as she could. She wasn’t here to beat the timberwolves, she was here to draw them away so that other pony could get away. Her noise did enough to help in that regard. The two beasts turned, their yellow eyes glowing brightly in the darkened hall. That was her one good indicator of where they actually were as they sprinted at her, their sharp wooden claws scraping across the tiles as they barrelled towards the mare.
Robin spread her wings and beat them once, giving her just enough height to leap over the first wolf. The second was far enough behind its partner to react accordingly and lept right at the airborne ‘pegasus’.
Blood flowed from flesh as wooden hooks dug into her sides and reeled her back down to the ground. A hoof connected with one of the wolf’s joints and severed the offending limb at the knee with the sharp crack that only fresh bark could produce. There was no time to capitalize on that small opening as the first creature came from behind her and jumped onto her back to bite at her wings and neck.
A stray tooth caught the necklace around her neck and snapped it. The gem attached to it clattered to the floor as the pegasus sprouted a horn and became just a little taller and bulkier. The gem did more than just change her body, it suppressed it. She was still durable with it on, she was still (probably) functionally immortal, but she wasn’t as strong and she couldn’t use her magic. That changed as soon as it hit the ground.
Flurry slowly stood, both timberwolves still on top of her. Her horn glowed and plucked the one that had been nipping at her wings from her back while she pushed the other one off with a hoof.
“I am sick of getting beat up today!” She yelled as she threw the monster in her magical grasp at the one she had already broken one limb from. They collided and clattered further down the hall towards the office where the pony she had come in here to save still cowered.
All of the aches and soreness evaporated as anger boiled up from deep down and burned all of that away. Trickles of deep red blood stained her pale pink coat as she advanced on the two wooden creatures with ill intent. She shot a single beam of concentrated magic at the one with a broken leg, shattering it’s other front leg and leaving the wood smoldering.
The one healthy one sprinted at her and leapt once more, it’s maw open and teeth primed to go right for her throat. It never got the chance as Flurry’s magic gripped it in a vice and slammed it against the ground, shattering it into so many splinters.
“Timberwolves regenerate naturally, so they’ll be fine. I think.” The thought was fleeting as she looked down at herself then at the office where she could clearly see the pony silhouette behind the glass. “Uh oh.”
Flurry grabbed the gem from the floor with her magic and teleported away in a flash of light.
Author's Note
Just wanted to try to write something idk lol
