Two Wings

Savage POV

With shock I read the last words of this note. The overmare had, with full knowledge of the effects, filled the stable with a gas that reduced all adults, including herself, to children mentally.

And then this whole place was only held together by foals in hope that it somehow worked. And now only their skeletons remained…

“We have to get out of here!”, I said in panic.

“Hm? What?”

Zitrus was busy stuffing a bag of bottlecaps, that he had somehow found in a locker, into his saddlebag. When he heard my words, he looked up at me.

I did not wait for him. I grabbed him with my magic and lifted him to his hooves.

“This stable, it is filled with a gas that slowly turns us in to foals mentally. We have to get out of here before it affects us", I explained to him in a hurry.

I just hoped it was not too late already. I could already feel the gas starting to affect me. My concentration started to break.

I lit up my horn, closed my eyes and tried to concentrate as best as possible. I took Zitrus in my magic too and with a flash I teleported us away with my unicorn… I mean alicorn magic. When I opened my eyes, I found myself no longer in the overmares office. But still in the stable…

“Where are we?”, asked Zitrus.

Shit!

“You're asking me? You are normally the one who knows where to go”, I said.

“Well yes but you teleported us somewhere, I don’t know where, in the stable. I can only say that we have not been here before”, Zitrus clarified.

Sister! Do you hear us? I tried to contact Crystal with my mind.

Silence. We were too deep in the stable. Crystal could no longer read our thoughts. But that was not the only concern I had. We had told Blueberry and Crystal, that if we did not return before sunset, they should search for us. And then they would walk up straight into this gas as well. And who knows how long we would act as foals in this stable…?

“Bear with me! I will try to teleport us again”, I told him.

I took some deep breaths. Again, closing my eyes.

“Run! I will hold them off!”

DAAAAAH! This stupid voice in my head!

I shook my head in anger and tried to focus again. I reached out to Zitrus with my magic, not daring to leave him behind. Only to realise that he was no longer next to me.

I opened my eyes and scanned for Zitrus. There he was. Sneaking away from me.

“Zitrus?”

When he realized that I had seen him, he started to gallop away from me, fast.

“Zitrus, wait!”, I yelled, opened my wings and took to the air.

But in this stable with its narrow rooms and halls, Zitrus had the advantage. He quickly went around all corners he could find while my had to be careful not to crash into a wall or the ceiling. And with him being an earth pony, and in good shape from all his travels, catching up to him was even harder. He was able to slowly increase the distance between us.

We don’t have time for this! I thought in frustration, and fired a magic blast at him.

It was a non-lethal low powered shock wave spell, I've known since I was young. I hit Zitrus' legs and made him lose his balance. He fell to the stable floor and slid until he forcefully got stopped by hitting a bookshelf. the impact knocked all the books off of it, and they buried zitrus. I landed in front of this pile of books.

“Zitrus, stop! It’s me! Savage!”

Zitrus stuck his head out of the books and gave me a scared look. But then his memories came back, and he calmed down.

“Savage?”

I used my magic to lift away some books, making it easier for him to get out.

“Savage, I am sorry. For a moment I forgot who you are. I only saw a dangerous alicorn standing beside me and I had to sneak away before she might attack me”, Zitrus explained and fully got out of the pile.

“I know, Zitrus. This gas makes you lose your memories, except of the ones you made while you were a colt. From a time alicorns were still controlled by the Goddess. Now, let’s focus again on getting out of here”, I told him.

Again, I tried to light up my horn to cast a teleportation spell. But I was not able to anymore. I just… didn’t remember how the spell worked.

“Zitrus, please, tell me you can find the way out”, I begged him.

“I wish I could. But I don’t know where the fuck we are. This stable is, I don't know how huge. We'll just have to rely on good luck”, Zitrus explained.

I bit my lip in fear and disappointment l. But what else could I have done? It was the last shot we had. And if that fails…

Zitrus and I started to run. Hallway after hallway and around corners. But no exit in sight. Not even an exit sign in sight. But why should there be one? The inhabitants once lived in this stable. They used to know exactly where everything was.

I gave Zitrus a side look. He tried hard to recall anything we walked by. In the hope that it looked familiar. But I guess that was not the case. There were only skeletons and the damn smell of vanilla, which was not motivating at all.

In one last hope I tried to remember the teleportation spell. But I was not able to do more than make my horn shine.

Come on Savage, we have to get out of here! Where is here by the way? Where am I? AAAAAAAARG! No stop! Focus! You have to… What was that?

“Edelweiss, Run!”

…

“Savage, where are you going?”, I heard Zitrus yell after me.

But I was already to busy running away desperately. As fast as my small hooves could take me. I had to get away before they got me!

“Saaaavaaaage!”

Where am I? Where is mommy and daddy?

“You come with us!”
“NO! DON’T! SOME PONY, HELP ME!”

I was laying on the ground and shaking in fear. Not knowing what would come next. Why did they need me? What will they do to me?

I felt a hoof gently press my shoulder. I turned my head and spotted an earth pony. His fur was black, and he had a fire-coloured mane.

“It’s alright, Savage. It will soon wear off, he told me”, he told to me.

I didn’t know why but his voice sounded… did I knew him? Why did he call me Savage? Wait…

“Zitrus?”, I asked half unsure.

He gave me a smile.

“There you are.”

Slowly, very slowly, my memories came back to me. I was Savage. I was an alicorn. I was in the stable filled with this gas.
I looked around. I was in a tent. Or better, in Zitrus’ tent.

“Where are we? How are we not in the stable anymore?”, I asked him and slowly sat up.

My mane was a mess, and my emotions weren't exactly much better.

“Well, when you run off, I tried to follow you”, Zitrus started to recall. “But you were faster, and I soon fell victim to the stable's gas. I remember that I felt like a colt again… Like when I was young.

Luckily, I had always been a little adventurer, even in my younger years. I travelled around the stable, until I found the exit door. Curiosity took me and I went outside where I found Blueberry and Crystal.

Outside, in the fresh air, the gas effect slowly faded away and I was able to remember everything again. I told Blueberry and Crystal about the danger and that you were still in the stable. The two went inside to get you. Good for us, Crystals shield was also able to block the gas and together with Blueberry she was able to find you and drag you out.”

“Drag me out?”, I asked confused.

“Blueberry said that you resisted like your life depended on it. You called them monsters, screamed for help, kicked out…”

I was silence for a long moment. Yes, I remembered...

“Where are they right now?”, I asked Zitrus.

“Outside of the tent waiting. You were pretty scared around them. We had to separate you from them”, Zitrus explained and softly stroked my mane.

I felt bad. Really bad. I stood up, nearly throwing Zitrus from his hooves with my sudden movement.

“I have to see them.”

I stepped out of the tent into the light of the sunset. Two pairs of eyes immediately felt on me.

“Savage!”, Crystal said and only my broken state stopped her from jumping at me like an alicorn missile. Blueberry was close behind.

We three hugged each other close. Our muzzles touched softly.

“Sisters…”, I whispered.

“It’s alright. We understand. We are just happy that you all are safe”, Crystal said. Blueberry nuzzled my cheek in agreement.

But they did not understand. At least not fully…

“Are you sure you are alright with it?”

“Zitrus, for the last time. Just way to much happened today. I feel way to stressed to do anything more than sleep and feel you beside me.”

I and Zitrus were in his tent again. It was nighttime now and we all decided to go to sleep. Well, Zitrus needed some encouragement for it.

“Yes, I know, it is just… I had sex with Crystal and Blueberry. But not with you. I don't want you to feel left out”, he said and laid down next to me.

I gave him a kiss on the forehead.

“I do not. We do not have to force our needs just to stay equal with each other”, I explained.

“Yes but-“

“No buts!”, I demanded and placed a hoof on Zitrus' muzzle to shut him up. “Believe me, I would sleep with you but after today I don’t feel up to it. That does not have anything to do with you, it is just the way it is now. I would also say no to Blueberry or Crystal now.”

I gave a sight and removed my hoof from Zitrus lips before I continued: “Look Zitrus, I know you would like to treat each of us equally, to, show that you love us equally. But you don’t have to do that. Or at least not this way. We know that you love us. The same way we love each other too. Just because there are moments like this, does not mean we like each other less. A good relationship is not just about spending time together, but also knowing when the other needs space.”

“I know”, Zitrus said. “I am just still struggling with being in a herd.”

“I know. Just try to calm down a bit. Don’t try too hard to make this work. Just be yourself and act for yourself. And not for our sake or reason”, I told him and kissed him. And he kissed back.

It was the first (not drunk one) kiss we shared. It was not an unfamiliar feeling, since we technically already have done it. But this time it was different. This time it actually meant something and was not just a sloppy, drunk makeout. And even though I was right now tired and emotionally a bit stressed, I would not treat it.

“I love you, Savage”, Zitrus said, closed his eyes and wrapped his front legs around me.

“I know you do”, I said and held him close while drifting off to a much needed sleep.