//------------------------------// // 104 - Push Back // Story: Lateral Movement // by Alzrius //------------------------------// Cozy felt her heart leap into her throat as she heard Cloudbank’s scream. Drafty had broken formation only a few seconds previous, running towards the pier at top speed, but Cozy hadn’t had a chance to look back and see what had caused her to do so. Her full attention was already required to look after the ponies that fish-monster had warped and watch for when any of the remaining defenders got hurt. Not that she could do very much for them now; she’d used the last of her healing-bursts a minute ago. The only magic she had left – besides her light spell, a spell to purify spoiled food, and a spell to detect poisonous substances – was a spell designed to create a fog cloud, which she knew wouldn’t be helpful here. That didn’t mean that she was completely useless, however. One of her abilities as a priestess of Lashtada allowed her to convert any spell that she’d prepared into healing energy…mostly. The light, purify food, and detect poison spells were all such minor magical manifestations that they couldn’t be converted into something else. They were just too fragile. Only her fog cloud spell could be changed into a healing spell…the same healing spell that Lex had turned his nose up at not too long ago. It was ironic that his stubbornness was the reason she could at least save one more pony now. But once I do, I won’t be able to save anypony else. The thought was a horrible one, and cast her right back to when she hadn’t been able to do anything as Drafty had gotten sicker and sicker. Please, Lashtada, she prayed silently, touching a hoof to the symbol on her necklace. Please let me save the ponies I care about this time! That had been when she’d heard Cloudbank’s anguished cry. Now, as she ran towards where Cloudbank was wailing and cradling Drafty’s unmoving form, Cozy could only hope that her prayer had been heard… Sonata wasn’t sure how much longer they could go on. Although she was still singing – and she was quite proud of herself for managing to do so even when giant pieces of wreckage came crashing down around them! – she could tell that everypony was getting tired. She briefly considered changing her song back to something upbeat and energizing, but knew that wouldn’t help very much. While feeling pumped could make someone fight off being tired, that could only go so far. Then Drafty had rushed towards the pier, and Sonata had followed her with her eyes, which widened at what she saw: Lex had collapsed and the pier looked like it was about to. Luckily Cloudbank was walking back towards Lex, and Sonata felt sure that between her and Drafty, everything was going to be alright. Then Cloudbank tried to kill Lex, with Drafty diving in to take the blow that had been meant for him. The unexpected turn of events stopped Sonata cold, her song immediately coming to an end as she gaped at what had just happened. She barely noticed as Cloudbank suddenly screamed, yanking Severance out of her friend and tossing it away. Instead, Sonata’s eyes were focused on where Lex was lying a few feet away, completely still. He has to be alright! she thought as she started towards him, breaking into a run. She didn’t hit him, so he must be okay! She didn’t know what had possessed Cloudbank to do that, but as Sonata ran towards her boyfriend she silently vowed that if he wasn’t alright she’d totes rip the other mare’s head off. Sprawled on the pier, Lex struggled to remain conscious, desperately trying to process what had happened. That Cloudbank had fallen under some sort of spell that took control of her had been obvious. Even if it hadn’t been the only rational explanation, her rigid movements and wide-eyed expression had made it clearly evident that she wasn’t able to stop herself. But as he watched her cradle Drafty and sob hysterically, it seemed that she’d shaken off whatever magic had been used on her. That was fortunate, because – as much as he appreciated what Drafty had just done – it wasn’t going to make a difference unless Cloudbank got up and finished off that kraken while it was still immobilized. Otherwi- A soft gasp was the only sound Lex could make as he felt the Night Mare’s power begin to unravel. Lex would have screamed in panic and frustration if he’d been able. Why was that monster so impossible to subdue?! Why?! For a moment the fear threatened to swallow him, and the sensation was so horrible that he fought it off the only way he’d ever known how: by burying it under an outpouring of rage. As he felt the Night Mare’s power unwind from around the kraken, Lex mentally lashed out, trying to push back against the erosion of the victory that he’d put everything on the line to achieve. After living such a miserably unhappy existence, after being continually denied everything he’d ever wanted, after having his hopes and dreams dashed over and over and over HE WOULD NOT BE MADE TO FAIL AGAIN! For a moment, the anger overwhelmed him, blotting everything else out. Then it subsided enough for him to regain his wits, and he slowly realized that the deterioration of the Night Mare’s power had stopped. No, not stopped; reversed. It had completely re-woven itself around the kraken, keeping it immobile. Lex had kept it intact through pure will alone. Triumph and spiteful vindication coursed through him as he realized what he’d done, and Lex very nearly laughed. He’d done it! He’d managed to stop the worst-case scenario all on his own! The corners of his mouth turned up as he gave a few ragged gasps – the closest he could come to laughing in his current state – and he felt himself relax…only for the Night Mare’s power to immediately begin to unwind again. NO! Cursing, Lex concentrated with everything he had, and the invisible bands of power slowly regenerated. But now he could feel them threatening to melt again as soon as he ceased focusing on them, whatever magic that kraken had used still trying to break them down even as he put all of his thoughts towards sustaining them. He was keeping them intact, but as soon as something interrupted him… “Lex!” At that moment he heard Sonata call his name, feeling her jostle him as she gathered him up in her hooves. “Lex! Like, speak to me!” It was almost enough to break his concentration, and he let out a strangled groan at the rough treatment. “Close enough!” announced Sonata, her voice filled with relief. “Are you okay?! No, wait, dumb question. What happ-” “Nngh!” Lex’s tension-filled grunt cut her off. He wasn’t going to be able to keep this up forever! She had to tell Cloudbank to attack NOW! “Clhnk…tck…!” “Huh?” Sonata blinked at the gibberish. He was clearly trying to tell her something, but she had no idea what. “Clhnk…tck…!” Sonata looked around desperately, hoping that there was someone else who could figure out what he was trying to tell her. But all around her everypony was busy. Cozy was leaning over an unmoving Drafty while saying something to a crying Cloudbank, Severance floating beside her, while Aria was fighting off the monsters trying to climb onto the pier along with the other ponies. There was no one else who could help. “Lex, I, like, totes don’t understand what you’re saying.” She bit her lip for a moment as she tried to think of an answer, but nothing came to mind. “Don’t you have some sort of magic doodad or something that can talk for you?” Lex would have snarled if he could. He didn’t have anything that was supposed to talk for him because she was supposed to talk for him! That was why he…wait…she was supposed to speak for him. Of course! The spell that he used to transfer his whispers to her! It was still active from when he’d last used it! Taking a breath, he didn’t try to vocalize this time, simply moving air past his lips as he breathed out. “Cloudbank…attack…!” Sonata’s blinked, before she gave a determined nod. “Right! I’ll totes kick her butt for what she tried to do to you!” “No! Have…Cloudbank…attack…it! Now!” “Ohhh! That makes a lot more sense!” A twitching eye was Lex’s only response as he turned all of his thoughts back towards keeping the kraken bound. “Is she going to be alright?” hiccupped Cloudbank, looking at Cozy as the other mare withdrew her hooves from Drafty’s body. “I used a healing spell, but it can only do so much,” replied Cozy, a grim look on her face. That Drafty hadn’t died instantly was nothing short of a miracle, having been skewered on the end of that magic scythe’s blade. It had punctured the black crystal armor she was wearing as though it were made out of paper, piercing directly between her wings and pinning her to the pier like a bug. Although Cozy knew that Drafty wasn’t in imminent danger of death thanks to her healing spell, the fact that she hadn’t regained consciousness was a bad sign. “Then use another one!” Cloudbank sounded on the verge of hysteria. “I can’t.” Cozy shook her head. “That was my last one.” “No. No no no,” sobbed Cloudbank, looking back at the unconscious mare in her arms. “Drafty…I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I couldn’t stop myself! Something happened and that…that thing got in my head and I couldn’t make it stop and I’m sorry so please wake up!” Her voice dissolved into sobbing. Biting her lip, Cozy wasn’t sure what to do, and started to look around before she caught movement nearby. It was Severance. Floating closer, the scythe pressed its grip against Cloudbank’s side, only for her to violently push it away a moment later. “I don’t care!” she screamed, her sorrow suddenly turning into white-hot anger. “I don’t care how impressive it was that I broke free! I didn’t do it soon enough!” She bared her teeth as she looked at the scythe, eyes filled with hate. “This is your fault! You could have floated away or…or turned aside or something! You didn’t have to let me do this!” The weapon floated forward again, but Cloudbank waved her wing at it in a warding gesture. “Don’t touch me! Don’t ever come near me again! I don’t want anything to do with you!” “Hey!” yelled Sonata, rushing over to them, her eyes focused on Cloudbank. “Lex says that you have to attack that thing right now!” “Forget it!” Cloudbank shook her head wildly. “I’m not using that thing anymore!” She punctuated her statement with a glare at Severance, before turning back to Drafty. “But-” “You do it!” snarled Cloudbank. “If somepony has to use that awful weapon, then you do it!” “Me?” Sonata blinked, the notion not having occurred to her. “You know what? Fine! If you aren’t going to do your job, then I will!” She turned towards Severance and tried to take its handle in her mouth, only for it to float away from her, refusing to let her grasp it and causing her to yell in exasperation. “Oh come on!” Stamping the ground in agitation, she turned back towards Cloudbank. “It apparently has to be you!” “Whoever it has to be needs to act fast!” yelled Cozy. “I think the storm’s getting worse!” Even as she spoke the wind picked up, howling as it began to blow hard enough to make the rain fall horizontally. “Cloudbank!” Sonata yelled, but the other mare ignored her, burying her face in Drafty’s chest. The heck with this, decided Sonata, and sang a quick spell. Feeling it work, she went over to Cloudbank and put a hoof on her shoulder. Before she’d have expected Cloudbank to push her away violently, but now that she was under Sonata’s enchantment, she looked up at her miserably. “Cloudbank, listen to me!” Sonata had to raise her voice to be heard, the storm was getting so bad. “What happened to Drafty wasn’t your fault, and it wasn’t Severance’s fault! It was that thing’s fault!” She pointed towards the end of the pier, where the kraken’s shadowy form could still be seen. “Right now you’re the only one who can make it pay!” “But I can’t!” wailed Cloudbank. “What if it makes me do that again?! What if I end up hurting her worse this time?!” “If you don’t do it, she’s going to be hurt worse anyway! We all will! Lex is holding that thing, but I don’t know for how much longer, and Severance will only work with you! You have to try again! It’s the only way to save Drafty now!” “I…” Cloudbank trailed off, and seemed to struggle with something for a moment. Sonata knew she was fighting the effects of her spell, but just like the waiter back in Tall Tale, she succumbed a moment later. Swallowing, she gave a nod, and then gently put Drafty down. “Look after her for me!” she yelled, and waited until Sonata nodded before she turned towards Severance. Despite how bad the wind had gotten she paused for just a second before reaching out to grab it with her mouth. Closing her eyes, Cloudbank took a moment to center herself…and then charged down the pier once again.