Whole New World

Chapters

Realization
Struggle
Contact
Arrival
Meeting
Homecoming
Questions
Friendship
Immersion
Wildlife
Recovery
Looming
Invasion
Transformation
Violence
Chaos
Showdown
Fallout
Lost
Found
Epilogue (Sorta)
Preparation
Awakening
Escape

Realization

Whole New World
Chapter Two
Realization

Dano paced the floor in the middle of the hospital room while his mind tried to process everything. The world outside looked like a war had taken place, and he had no idea why. He had recently woken up in a metal tank, and he had no clue what happened to put him inside that thing. There were too many questions and not enough answers. Dano was soon knocked out of his concentration by a loud beep, the watch was charged enough to work.

Dano moved back to the window, and lifted the watch off of the sill. What he saw filled him with a mix of confusion and rage, and he promptly threw the watch across the room. The watch smashed into the interior window, and cracked it before falling and coming to rest on the small table below. Dano was breathing heavily as he stared at the watch. Slowly his anger subsided, and he sighed. He walked across the small room and picked up the watch, inspecting it for damage. Luckily it was unscathed.

Dano found himself staring at the date and time on the watch face. Wednesday, June 2nd 2032, 2:29 pm. The time and date re-ran through Dano’s mind, over and over and over. He had been out for twenty years, laying in that pod for two decades. Where was his family, his friends. Were they dead, are they hiding from whatever happened to the world? Dano’s mind was on the verge of collapse, he couldn’t process anything other than the watch he held in front of his face.

Dano pulled the chair away from the table and sat. He held his head in his hands and tried to concentrate. It is 2032, I have been in stasis for twenty years. To Dano it felt like a science-fiction story, and not actually his life. It’s a dream, that’s it, just a dream. Dano dismissed that thought, it wasn’t a dream, this shit was for real. But why me? What happened to put me in there. Dano tried to remember, but all he could recall was a bright white light, a lot of heat and excruciating pain.

Dano pulled his head out of his hands and stared at the tank he had risen from. Okay, I need to concentrate. I’m alone, so I need to survive. No biggy, shouldn’t be that hard. Dano stood and moved to the door, but stopped when he remembered he wasn’t wearing shoes. He turned and stood with his back to the exit. He scanned the room a second time, and found a pair of boots that were hidden behind the dresser the first time he looked. Dano picked them up and looked them over.

They were black, SWAT cut boots. They looked pretty worn and had a little scorching on the tops, but other than that they were good to go. Dano loved SWAT cut boots. The tops of the boot went way above the ankle to the lower calf. This way no matter how bad Dano twisted or rolled his ankle the boot would hold it in place. This was great, since Dano’s right ankle was a bit tender after he rolled it in high school football his junior year.

Dano slipped on the boots and tied them up. They fit well. Maybe these are my old boots, but they weren’t scorched when I last saw them. Dano dismissed the thought with a shrug, and instead began to think about what to do. Out of habit he began a verbal checklist.

“Flahghbah” Fuck me.

Dano tried again and concentrated hard on his tongue to get it to work.

“F-f-f-irst I need food.”

Dano smiled, his speech was coming back faster than he expected.

“Then I will need shelter.”

Feeling proud Dano left the room and found himself in a long white hallway. He looked down both possible routes before choosing to go right. As he took his first step the florescent lights flickered and then shut off. Dano was now in a dark hallway without any means of lighting his way. If something jumps out at me I’m going to kill the director.

After a long couple hours of stumbling through the dark Dano finally found his way to the bottom floor of the hospital. Using his cell phone as a light he had figured out he was on the seventieth floor of the building in the recovery ward. Once on the ground floor Dano followed some signs that lead him to the cafeteria.

The cafeteria was well lit by a wall of windows to the right of the entrance. Dozens of round grey tables with at least four chairs that looked similar to the one in the room Dano had awakened in dotted the area. The floor, walls and ceiling of the large open room remained the same as the rest of the hospital. White. The far wall had a rectangular hole cut in it, a metallic tray platform jutting out in front of plastic glass that covered the front and top. This created a counter above shallow rectangular indents into the metal stand behind the plexiglass wall. To the right of the serving area was a grey metal door that lead into the kitchen.

Dano quickly moved through the large room and pushed the door open. The kitchen looked like any other commercial kitchen. Stainless steel appliances and counters made an island in the center of the room, while a big stainless door with two latches, one a foot from the top, the other a foot from the bottom, sat to the right of the island, and was probably the entrance to a freezer. To the left was a rectangular hole in the white walls that resembled a threshold and possibly lead to a pantry.

Dano walked over to the large metallic door, his rubber soled boots making a slight thud as they hit the ground. He pulled the two latches to the open position and grunted as he tried to pry the door open. The door groaned in protest, but eventually complied. Dano stepped inside and looked around the dim room. It was definitely the freezer, but everything had warmed up. Dano cursed under his breath and exited the room temperature freezer. He crossed the kitchen and moved through the threshold on the opposite side of the room. Inside were racks of different sized cans and bags of flour or sugar, and other non-perishables. Dano cruised around the small pantry trying to find something worth eating when his eyes fell upon a group of cans. The label told him that inside were baked beans with brown sugar and bacon. Dano pulled one of the cans off of the rack and inspected it, making sure there weren’t any holes. Satisfied the can was safe he moved back to the kitchen.

Dano scanned the area quickly, and couldn’t find any bowls or utensils. He began rummaging through drawers until he found a soup spoon and a can opener. Once he had his utensils Dano moved to one of the many burners that took up some of the islands counter space. After inspecting one of the burners he deduced they were gas and not electric. Drawing on his relatively vast knowledge of electrical Dano knew that even a gas burner need an electrical spark to light the fuel. He went back to scrounging through the drawers once again, and found a lighter. Dano moved back to his selected burner and turned on the gas. He heard a hiss as the fuel vented out of the small holes around the burner. Dano lit the gas with the lighter. The fire consumed the gas that floated around the burner in a flash, and then calmed and began to consume the fuel at a constant rate.

Dano opened the can of beans with the opener and smelled the contents. The scent of brown sugar assaulted his nose, but no smell of decay could be detected. He placed the can on the burner then leaned against the serving counter behind him, and began to wait. After a few minutes a bit of flame caught the paper label on fire, and it promptly burned off. Dano didn’t care, there wasn’t anything near the can that could make the small fire spread. Another few minutes went by and the beans began to bubble. Dano decided now was the time to eat. He turned off the burner and used his sweat shirt as protection to pick up the can. Dano quickly grabbed his spoon and half jogged out of the kitchen into the dining room. He took a seat at the first table from the door just as the heat in his hand was starting to get uncomfortable, and placed the can in front of him.

Dano looked at the warm beans for a few minutes. He didn’t really feel that hungry, but he dipped his spoon into the can and pulled out a nice portion. He held it in front of his face, still debating whether to eat or not. Dano shrugged and put the spoon in his mouth. Once the warmed up beans hit his tongue a hunger grew in his gut. He chewed a bit then swallowed, but the spoonful didn’t seem to put a dent in his exponentially growing hunger. Dano shoved another spoonful into his mouth, then another and another and another until the can was empty.

Dano tipped the can so he could see the bottom in the dimming light of the cafeteria, as if he could conjure more by looking at it. His stomached grumbled, and Dano looked down at his gut with a raised eyebrow. Well, I haven’t eaten in twenty years… Dano stood and went back into the kitchen to fetch more food, and maybe a drink.

By the time Dano and his stomach were satisfied the sun was setting, and the cafeteria was getting dark. Dano groaned as he pried himself out of his seat in the dining hall, his stomach feeling like it was about to burst. Strewn around him lay a dozen empty cans and water bottles, the water he also found in the pantry. It was warm, but Dano didn’t really care.

Dano shuffled out of the cafeteria, wishing he hadn’t eaten so much, turned left and moved down some dark hallway. Using his cell phone he illuminated his path until he came to a door on his left. He tried the handle, but it was locked. Dano cursed and moved down the dark hallway to the next door. He tried again, and this time it opened.

Behind the door was a small room with the same color scheme as the room Dano awoke in, but the crappy wallpaper had cartoon kittens on it instead of butterflies. Inside was a large bed with only white sheets on it. It sat underneath an exterior window where the last light of the day shown through half opened blinds. Several different types of medical equipment were scattered around the room, casting ghastly shadows all over the area.

Dano moved slowly into the room, his senses trying to pick up any slight movement. After a slow scan Dano believed he was alone, and a little bit of him was saddened at the realization. All alone. He shook off the thought physically and moved to the bed. He removed his watch, necklace and keys and placed them onto an end table by the foot of the bed. He shut off his cellphone, which only had about half its charge left, and set it down with the rest of his accessories.

After pulling off his boots Dano slipped into the bed and took a deep breath. His first day was complete, and he had accomplished his checklist. Something still nagged at him though as he tried to fall asleep. It was a tug, a pull on his mind. Dano couldn’t dismiss the feeling, or figure out what it was. His mind began to slow as sleep crept its way into Dano’s brain, and after a few minutes of lying he finally fell into a deep sleep.

Dano looked around, the room seemed familiar. There was a slight sheen to everything, as if the whole place had been waxed. Light came from nowhere, and there was no ceiling or walls, only a black abyss. Dano stood on a concrete floor and there were some desks with people sitting at them in front of him. They appeared to be doing some sort of paper work. Dano tried to talk, but when he opened his mouth nothing came out. One of the people looked up, and Dano was shocked to see that he didn’t have a face. His features were in a state of flux, his hair, face and clothes morphing into something else every few seconds.

Suddenly Dano was pulled away from staring at the ‘human’ by a loud explosion. A body flew through the air and landed in the middle of the desks, scattering some of them. Dano saw burned flesh and clothes as the body squirmed in pain. The ‘human’s’ that sat at the desks didn’t move, and continued working.

The burned body opened its mouth, and a blood curdling scream came out. Dano tried to block out the noise by covering his ears, but the scream still came through loud and clear. Dano fell to his knees as the scream began to make his head split. He tried to yell, but nothing came out of his open mouth.

An eternity went by, and the scream never faded. Dano was about to smash his head against the floor when a hand reached out and touched his left shoulder. He turned his head to see a feminine figure in a spotless white cloak stand above and behind him. Emblazoned on her chest was a yellow and orange sun with eight tendrils of matching color pointing outward. Her cloak was elegant, and had a gold trim around the wrists and bottom edges. Her hood covered her face except for her chin and mouth, which was turned upward in a motherly smile. Dano felt another hand touch his right shoulder, and he turned to see another woman. She was a tad shorter and wore a cloak that matched the other woman’s, but only in shape. Instead of blinding white it was a deep blue with cyan trim, and a crescent moon surrounded by an even deeper blue blob adorned her chest. Her mouth was contorted into a look of worry. Dano felt a calming presence from the two women, and the dream around him faded until all that was left was a kneeling Dano in a black abyss.

Dano shot up out of the bed, beads of sweat covered his brow. It was a dream, but it was unlike any he had before. It felt too real to be a dream. Dano rubbed his face roughly and swung his legs off the bed. After a few minutes of sitting he shook off the dream and began getting ready for the day, putting on his boots and accessories. Dano looked at his watch and it read 10:30 am. He sighed and exited the room.

Dano had a quick breakfast of warm beans and water then hit the bathroom. His dinner really worked over his digestive system, and Dano felt a little lighter when he finished.

Dano was happy that the hospital was a lot brighter now that the sun had risen. It was a lot easier to find his way around the long white hallways. As he walked he ran over his plan for the day.

“First I need to figure out my surroundings.” Dano physically nodded to himself in conformation, but failed to come up with another thing to do today. He shrugged and set out trying to find the exit.

It didn’t take long for Dano to find signs pointing his way to the entrance of the hospital. As Dano walked toward the front door his mind raced with the possibilities of what was actually outside. Although he had a glimpse yesterday he still didn’t really know what was outside the walls of the hospital.

After a few solid minutes of walking Dano reached a reception area. He exited a hallway and found himself in a much more open space than the hallways that dominated the floor plan. To his right was a short white wall with desks behind it. It only reached to about Dano’s waist, but from the top of the wall up was a plexiglas barrier. Some of the plastic glass panels looked like the slid to make an opening. Behind the desks was metal bookshelf after metal bookshelf full of manila folders. They stretch along the three back walls that make up, what Dano believed to be, the receptionists booth. To Dano’s left was a large waiting room. A red and black checkered carpet replaces the normal white tile, and the walls are lined with chairs. They had thick black plastic legs and arms, and a cheap cloth filled with foam for a seat cushion and back rest. Several small wooden coffee tables sit in the middle of the room, and were probably covered in magazines back in the day. In front of Dano was a pair of sliding doors that lead to a small hallway of sorts, and then another pair. Dano can see some of the outside through the glass that made up most the doors, but the outer entrances were caked in dirt and grime.

Dano stopped at the end of the hallway and stared at the doors. He was unsure if he wanted to leave the relative safety of the hospital. His mind began to jump to conclusions. What happens if there are zombies? Or rad-scorpions? We aren’t the courier or the vault dweller here. Dano began to laugh at his own imagination. “Rad-scorpions…” His voice lacked confidence, like a child’s trying to make the dark less scary.

Half of Dano wanted to turn around and curl up in bed, nice and safe, but the other half wanted to leave. It was the pull he felt earlier, the tug on his brain to go somewhere. Dano took a deep breath and released it. He walked across the reception area and pushed the inside doors open. They gave way with little resistance, and Dano was soon standing in front of the last pair of doors. His imagination and worries were going all in. Raiders, Ghouls, crazy people, cannibals, secret government programs. Dano sucked in another breath and forced his worries aside. He pushed the last doors open with a grunt and stepped into the light of the outside world.

Thanks for reading guys
and for the positive responses
it means a lot to me, since this is only my second fic
i will keep pumping out chapters when i feel they are up to standards
don't forget to comment :)
that is all
kthanxbai

Struggle

Whole New World
Chapter 3
Struggle

The smell of dirty air filled Dano’s nostrils as he took his first breath outside the hospital. Even after twenty years cities still smell like shit. Dano took in his surroundings slowly, adjusting to the landscape around him. Just like he saw from the room he had awoken in the buildings and streets were in a state of decay. The sound of a slow breeze moving its way through the ruined city was the only noise that entered Dano’s ears, and it made him feel uneasy and alone.

Dano turned around and looked at the hospital behind him, and for some reason the building lacked the decay of the world around him. All of the windows were intact, and except for the scars of combat from long ago the building was okay. Dano’s curiosity peaked, but he threw the thought into the ‘think about it later’ folder in his brain.

Dano turned forward once again and began to scan the world, but nothing struck his interest. Only when his gaze reached a parking garage to his immediate right did Dano have the urge to explore.

The four story parking garage looked like any other, except for the fact that there was a ten foot tall fence topped with concertina wire surrounding it, and the entrance had walls of sand bags around it. The toll booth that sat in between two entrance roads looked like it was transformed into a bunker, with sand bags replacing the plexiglas windows.

Dano was a smart kid. He could put two and two together in almost any subject, but he excelled in two focuses. The first was electrical, because of his father’s guidance. The other was history, but not the history that most people learned in high school. Dano considered that ‘political history’. The history Dano loved was military history. Ever since he was young all he wanted to be was a soldier. His parents dismissed it at first, but when Dano started contacting recruiters at sixteen his father realized Dano was for real. To make sure he got a college degree, Dano’s father had made a deal with his son. Go to college and then enlist. Out of concern and love for his father Dano agreed.

Dano’s love for the military lead to a somewhat freaky knowledge of weapons, tactics and strategies used from the classical era to the present. He read books on generals like Napoleon and Patton, and watched the Military Channel religiously. He also played first person shooters like Call of Duty, Halo and Battlefield, as well as real time strategy games like Age of Empires, Dawn of War and the Total War series. Kids would usually make fun of Dano’s knowledge and video game habits, but he didn’t care. When he played those games he seemed to drift into a deep mental focus, as if the moves he made were actually being carried out on a real battlefield.

With his knowledge spouting facts in the back of his head Dano recognized the defensive position instantly. The garrison must have been tasked with defending the hospital, and the open fourth floor was perfect for suppressing or sniper fire. Plus the small entrance made it impossible for any force to move in without taking massive casualties.

Dano cautiously moved away from the entrance of the hospital and across a small patch of grass to the entrance road of the fortified parking garage. It didn’t take him long to cross the open area that stretched about twenty five yards, but it felt like an eternity to Dano. His senses were heightened, and every bit of movement, from the rustling of stray papers in the breeze to particles of floating dust, was documented in his head.

When he made it to the entrance he took cover in front of the toll booth turned bunker, pressing his back onto the sandbagged window that dominated most of the booth, making sure he wasn’t exposed to the gun port. Dano quieted his breath and listened, but the only thing he heard was the wind.

Dano felt really hot for some reason, his brow was drenched with sweat and he was breathing a little hard. He has only walked over here, so he shouldn’t have been so sweaty. Dano realized with a mental face palm that he was wearing a sweatshirt in June. Dano removed the extra layer, using the sleeves as a belt he secured the sweat shirt around his waist. The cool breeze moved over Dano’s lanky body, and evaporated the thin layer of sweat over his exposed skin.

Feeling about twenty percent cooler Dano began to move into the parking garage. His knees were bent in an athletic stance as he walked, eyes darting around. After a few feet the entrance opened into the parking garage proper. It was wide open, asphalt floored and eerily quiet. Dano didn’t see any cars, but actually olive drab canvas tents. One long tent to his left spanned the entire wall and reached up to the ceiling. A pair of smaller and shorter tents took up the right wall, with a gap in-between that lead to the stair well. The smaller tent farthest from Dano actually blocked the route cars would take to reach the higher levels.

Dano decided to check out the big tent first, and moved slowly through the dim light of the garage to a pair of thin wooden doors. They were attached to a frame that was secured to the ground by cinderblocks. The building was definitely temporary.

Dano walked through the door, and made sure it closed without a sound. He scanned the large interior to see dozens of five foot long wooden tables with matching benches. At first Dano believed that it was a mess hall, but there wasn’t any serving area. Dano thought about it, and realized that it must actually be a briefing room. His suspicions were confirmed by the sight of a small stage that rested against the far left wall of the tent. After quickly scanning the rest of the briefing room Dano decided to leave, noticing that the only thing in the tent was the stage and the tables.

Dano moved with less caution across the emptiness of the garage to the tent to the left of the stair well, the one that blocked the ascending road. This one had a single door that matched the double doors of the mess hall. Dano opened the entrance and peered inside. To the right, against the wall, was a row of three metal beds that protruded outward, all of them had white sheets like the hospital. On the left wall rested metallic racks of what appeared to be medical supplies. Dano moved into, what he believed to be, the infirmary and scanned the shelves. Gauze, disinfectant, plastic gloves, and many more items covered the racks. Dano turned and left the tent without grabbing anything, remembering to come back when he had a pack.

Dano crossed the small hallway between the two smaller tents and entered the last unexplored tent. Inside was a desk, a cheap grey metal one. Behind that on the wall was a board covered in papers and maps. Dano quickly deduced this was the C.O.s room.

Dano entered and looked around. There wasn’t anything on the rest of the walls and the tent seemed pretty bare, except for some short filling cabinets to the immediate right of the door. Dano moved behind the desk and opened the top right drawer and found something that made his heart jump for joy. Lying inside was a revolver in its holster. Dano grabbed the gun and pulled it out while it was still sheathed. The actual holster was attached to leather straps that resembled a back pack. Dano pulled the straps over his shoulders and tightened them. The revolver faced behind him, and rested on the left side of his rib cage. Dano pulled off the securing strap and pulled the gun out.

The revolver had a wooden handle, a stainless finish, and a long barrel. After fiddling with the weapon Dano finally got the cylinder to slide out to the left. The revolver had all six of its rounds. Dano squinted to read the indents on the back of the bullets. He eyes widened when he saw the number forty four stamped on the heel of the cartridge. Dano was now in possession of a .44 Magnum handgun. He flicked his wrist and the cylinder smoothly slid back into its place with a satisfying click. A thought dawned on Dano, and he smiled as he extended his arm, aimed the revolver at the bottom of one of the tents corners, squinted his eyes and spoke with a raspy voice.

“I know what you’re thinking punk. You’re thinking ‘did he fire six shots or only five’. Now to tell you the truth I’ve forgotten myself in all this excitement. But being this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, it can blow you head clean off. You got to ask yourself one question, ‘do I feel lucky?’ Well do you, punk?” Dano burst into a huge fit of laughter. He just recited the most famous Dirty Harry line while holding an actual .44 Magnum.

After a few minutes Dano finally got control of himself. It felt good to laugh, but he still needed to finish exploring the parking garage. Dano searched the other three drawers of the desk, and found around two hundred .44 magnum rounds in a relatively small plastic box. The rest of the desk contained forms and papers, and weren’t of real use to Dano. He slipped the rounds into his pocket and left the command tent.

Dano checked his watch as he walked towards the stair well to the right of the command tents door. It read ’12:05 pm’. Dano was relieved that he still had several hours of light left as he ascended the stairs. He popped his head through an open doorway that lead to the second story, and found sixteen tents the same size as the infirmary and command tent. They were spread out in a cross formation with two walkways that met in the middle. Dano assumed that this floor was the residential area, and decided to keep going up to the other floors.

The third floor was empty, as well as the fourth. Dano returned to the second floor, and stepped out of the stair well. Not knowing where to start he entered the tent to his left. Inside rested six metallic cots with green military bedding. Some of the beds were made, while others were a mess. The six cots jutted out of the walls, three to Dano’s left, three to his right creating a hallway down the center of the tent. Dano noticed that under each of the cots was a green colored chest. Moving to the first cot to his right he kneeled and pulled the chest out, opened it and examined the contents.

He found a pair of matching combat uniforms with grey and brown camouflage, socks, underwear, undershirts, some letters, pens, paper and assorted personal knick-knacks. He moved to another chest, and found the same. He was on the sixth and last chest in the room, underneath the farthest left bunk, when he found something worth taking.

Dano pulled out a knife that he estimated to be around eight inches long. It was heavier than he expected as he looked over the dark leather sheath to try and find any identification. Without finding anything he turned his attention to the handle. Attached to the grip were some brass knuckles. Dano put his hand around the handle, sliding his fingers into the brass knuckles. They fit him perfectly, without any gap between his fingers and the metal. Dano pulled the blade from its sheath and examined it. It was reflective and sharp. The previous owner had taken good care of the weapon. Dano twirled the blade in the air, when a group of indentations caught his eye. Stamped on the base of the blade was a serial number with another number below it. Dano muttered the number out loud, “1917”, he figured that was when the knife was made. It explained the weight. The blade, handle and brass knuckles weren’t some light synthetic metal, but actual steel.

Dano was about to put the blade back in its sheath when he heard a growl to his left. Dano quickly stood, squared his shoulders and bent his knees in an athletic stance. In front of him in the door was a dog with its yellow teeth bared and a deep growl emanating from its throat. Not a god damn sound in the place, and you can’t hear a stupid dog sneak up on you? Dano’s brain reprimanded itself.

The dog had a brown dirty coat, and he looked starved. His ribs were clearly showing, as well as his hip bones. Several furless scars covered his body, and made the feral beast seem even more terrifying.

Dano couldn’t recognize the breed in front of him, probably because it was a mutt. Dano’s mind flashed to his gun as the dog slowly entered the tent. He dismissed the thought, the weapon was too powerful to use without training in close combat. Dano had to rely on his knife.

To Dano’s horror two more dogs entered the tent. The first of the reinforcements was about the same size as the first and sported a very dirty white coat, and the last dog was much larger and black. Dano could recognize that the black dog was the pack leader as if he had neon lights around him. He steeled his nerves as the three dogs fanned out as best they could in the small tent, creating a semicircle around Dano, who had his back to the wall. The brown one moved to Dano’s left, the black one in the center and the white one to his right.

Adrenalin pumped through Dano’s veins, and his senses heightened. He could hear the slight differences of pitch from each of the dog’s growl. He could smell the difference between each beast , and their breaths. Dano could feel the cool brass knuckles on his fingers, and each small indentation of the leather bound handle in his right hand. His eyes began to tunnel vision, and Dano had to shift his eyes to see each of the dogs.

The stand-off went on for an eternity, before the dog on Dano’s left leapt at him. Dano reacted later than he wanted, dropping his left shoulder just before the dog’s jaws could clamp down and managed a week punch to the dog’s ribs with his brass knuckles. The dog was nocked aside onto a bed just as the white dog to Dano’s right pounced. Dano was ready this time and swung the blade in a downward arc, catching the leaping dog between the shoulder and neck. The blade slid through flesh and bone as the power of Dano’s swing and the momentum of the dog pushed the blade deeper. The white dog yelped and crashed into the canvas wall behind Dano, no longer breathing. The pack leader decided to get into the fight at the same time the brown dog righted itself and counterattacked. Dano reacted to the brown dog first, in a fluid motion from his last strike stabbed the lunging dog in the throat. The brown dog slid all the way to the base of the blade, its blood spilling all over Dano’s hand. He tilted the blade and the dog slid off the knife, and Dano tried to square himself to fend off the pack leader, but he was too slow. The black dog had already closed on Dano and sank its teeth into his right thigh. Dano screamed in pain and rage as the pack leaders jaw continued to tighten, blood dripping out of its maw. Dano wound up and punched the top of the black dogs head. The brass knuckled did their job and the dog’s skull split, but its jaws still clamped onto Dano’s leg. The dog began to tug, ripping Dano’s flesh as he punched again, the force of his fist driving grey matter and blood out of the cracks in the dog’s skull. After the second blow the dog’s jaw slackened, and the pack leader slumped.

Dano felt the adrenalin leave his blood, and the pain in his leg increase. He fell to his knees. Dano tried to stand, but the pain from the bite was too overwhelming. His mind was racing, it screamed at him to get treatment. Dano was tired, but he had to agree with his survival instincts. Dano cleaned the blade with the coat of the pack leader, slipped it into its sheath and thrust it into his pocket with his magnum rounds. About three inches of the blade and the handle jutted out of the bulging pocket. Dano tried to stand up again, and this time pushed through the pain.

Once standing Dano shuffled out of the tent and toward the steps. The stairs were difficult, but he managed to push through without collapsing. Once on the ground floor Dano made a b-line for the medical tent. He forced the door open and limped inside. His boot made a squishing sound as it began to fill with blood. Dano grabbed as much gauze, sterile swabs and rubbing alcohol as he could carry then turned and left the infirmary.

Dano limped out of the parking garage and towards the hospital. It was difficult to hold on to his supplies, and he occasionally had to stop and shift them around so they wouldn’t fall. He walked across the open area between the hospital and the parking garage, and through the open doors of the hospital. Dano tried his best to close them behind him, but was only able to get them about a foot apart from each other. As he shuffled through the bright hallways Dano mind barked at him that time was running out, and he started pushing himself to get to safety. After a long few minutes he found the room he had slept in the previous night, and let himself in. Dano closed the door behind him, turned the lock and shuffled to the bed. The room was filled with the afternoon sunlight, making it quite easy to see around the area.

Dano sat down on the bed, and tried to not get blood on the sheets. He pried his boots off, then removed his pants and the sweat-shirt from around his waist. All three pieces of clothing had blood on them from the bite, and a tiny piece of Dano wondered how he was supposed to get it out.

Once his pants were off Dano inspected the wound. The bite wasn’t deep and the blood that came out wasn’t a dark shade of red, but the bite spanned from the inside of his thigh, around the leg, to the outside. Dano gritted his teeth in preparation and poured some rubbing alcohol over the wound. The pain was excruciating, and Dano nearly passed out as the alcohol killed all of the bacteria in the wound. Sure he had disinfected the bite Dano packed sterile swaps around the wound, then wrapped the bite tightly with the gauze.

Dano’s leg throbbed and the pain was intense, but he felt a little pride in his handy work. He inspected the sheets to see if any blood got on it, but thankfully it was clean. Dano pulled himself into bed and sighed. The sun was still up, and would be for several more hours. First day out and I get bit by a feral dog. Dano closed his eyes and laid in bed. He couldn’t do anything for at least a little while so his wound could heal. Dano sighed again and tried to get some sleep.

The sun set and the moon rose, but Dano wasn’t asleep. The pain in his leg kept him awake, and every twitch sent a new spike of pain into his skull. He laid in bed for what felt like eternity, before passing out from the sheer exhaustion of the fight.

Dano was kneeling in a dark abyss. There was no floor or walls or ceiling, just blackness. Dano was slumped, his back curved, staring at his knees. He was the spitting image of a man who had given it his all, but failed in the end. The pain in his leg was barely felt, like it was just a memory, a phantom pain.

Dano stayed slumped for what felt like days until he felt a presence. Dano looked up to see the two women again, both wearing the same regal cloaks and facial expressions. Dano opened his mouth to speak, but the one in white raised a hand to stop him. She spoke with a warm, calm, soothing voice. One that reminded Dano of his mother when he was young and hurt.

“You have passed your first test Daniel.”

The other woman spoke, her voice just as soothing, but cool and formal.

“But it is the first of many.”

Dano stared at the two woman, not really understanding what they were saying. The one in white continued.

“Your journey will be long and difficult, but you must see it through.”

The one in dark blue spoke again.

“Many lives depend on your success, and time cannot be wasted.”

Dano’s expression was one of confusion as the words swirled in his brain. The two woman spoke in unison.

“Only you can stop the coming darkness Daniel Masset. You must not fail.”

The two woman put an hand on Dano’s head and a bright light emanated from their fingers. Dano felt something move through him, a calming force that pushed away his doubt, a healing wave of confidence and love. After a few seconds the light had subsided, and Dano looked up to see that the women were gone. The blackness enveloped him, and Dano slipped even deeper into sleep.

Dano awoke to light pouring onto his face. He blinked a few times before sitting up with a little pain and soreness in his right leg. Dano looked at his watch. It read ‘June 18 2032, 10:43am’. Dano stared at the watch for a few minutes. He had been asleep for two weeks. Why does this keep happening to me?

there you go people
new chapter
hope you like
don't forget to comment
that is all
kthanxbai

Contact

Whole New World
Chapter 4
Contact

Dano swung his legs off of the side of the bed, and was a tad shocked by the lack of pain in his right thigh. Well it did have two weeks to heal. Dano slid a bit off the bed so he could take off the gauze around his leg. Using his knife Dano removed the dressing quickly and looked at his recovering wound.

The bite had scabbed up rather nicely, and there were no signs of infection. Dano stood and put weight on the recovering limb. There was a little pain, but it was bearable. He moved around the small room to see if he could walk, and found out that he had a small limp. Dano sighed and stopped walking. He placed most of his weight on his good leg and looked at the bite. You scar up real nice now, so I can impress all the ladies. Dano chuckled to himself before getting dressed.

His jeans were a little stiff, and his boots a little crunchy, but after walking around a bit the blood caked clothes regained their former elasticity and sound. Dano ate a large breakfast of beans and water, then left the hospital again. He still had fifteen more tents to inspect.

As Dano walked from the hospital to the parking garage he thought about his latest dream. ‘Journey will be long and difficult…’,’many lives depend on your success…’. For the second time in recent memory Dano felt like his life was some novel or story. But isn’t life just a story from your perspective? Dano stopped right in front of the entrance of the parking garage, stunned at his own train of thought. No. his conscious-self countered. Life is … life. His brain didn’t respond. Dano sighed and continued to his objective.

Dano could smell the decaying dogs when he reached the second floor, and was happy to not have to enter that tent again. Dano moved into the tent across from the one he was ambushed in, and saw a similar floor plan. Six bunks, three on each side. Dano went to work on the chests under the bunks, but as he pulled the first one out something tan caught his eye. He bent over and looked under the bunk, and saw a pair of boots and a small plastic container with a handle. Dano pulled the container out and looked inside. There was a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a roll of floss. Dano realized he hadn’t brushed his teeth since he was put into that tank. Gross.

He set the container aside, and pulled the boots out. Dano looked them over, and discovered that they were the same cut as the boots he wore now, and they were his size. What luck. Dano decided that a change of clothes was in order.

He scavenged through the chest he had removed earlier and pulled out some the same camouflage uniforms that were in the other tent. He quickly stripped down completely and put on his new duds. He wore long grey and brown camouflaged pants over light grey briefs. His feet were covered with black socks that reached over his ankle, and the tan boots he found were over them. His upper body was encased in a grey cotton t-shirt, and over that a camouflaged utility jacket. For some reason there wasn’t any markings on the jacket, just the velcro spots where they would be. Dano shrugged and stretched, testing the fabric. The synthetic fiber that made up the clothes was tough, but flexible. He liked the feel of it against his skin, and decided to load up when he finally found a back pack.

Dano scavenged through the other five chests in the room, and only found another tube of toothpaste. He left the tent and moved to the one to the right of the tent he searched yesterday. Instead of entering Dano just looked inside, and found the same set up as the other two explored tents. Dano decided not to waste time looking through each chest, so he closed the door and moved to the last tent in this arm of the cross. Same as the other three. Dano sighed and moved on.

Dano moved through the left arm of the cross, then the right. He found the same thing in each of the tents he inspected, cots and chests. Not until he got to the top arm of the cross did he find any change.

Standing in the intersection with his back to the stair well Dano contemplated going back to the hospital, chances were the last four tents were just like the other twelve. You never know. Dano shrugged and moved into the first tent on his left, and was met with a room lined with olive drab crates. They were about a foot and a half tall by a foot wide and three feet long. They were stacked six crates high, covering the entire wall from floor to ceiling. Dano moved into the tent he recognized as a storage room, and looked at the stack of crates to his immediate left. In yellow writing all six crates read ‘300, MRE’. Dano recognized the acronym as Meal, Ready to Eat. Good, I have food still.

Dano cruised around the room reading what was on the crates, some had more MREs, others had clothing and boots. Dano left the tent after inspecting it and crossed the hall to the opposite tent. Inside he found much of the same as the first storage tent. MREs and clothes. He quickly left the second storage room and moved to the tent to the right of the first storage room. Dano nearly had a heart attack when he saw what was inside.

In the center of the tent were three long metallic gun racks, all of them full. Dano recognized M16A3s, M4 Carbines, M249 SAWs and M9 pistols. He was practically salivating at the sight of all those weapons, but a group caught his eye. They were Mk 14 EBRs.

When Dano imagined himself as a soldier he would always be holding that weapon, in the designated marksman position. He had researched the rifle extensively, and found that he liked what he read. Selective fire, eight hundred yard plus effective range, and chambering the powerful 7.62x51 mm NATO round. Dano moved deeper into the room and picked up the rifle. It was light, made out of aluminum, and ergonomic. He liked the feel of the EBR in his hands, and Dano decided this would be the weapon he would use.

Problem was it didn’t have any bullets. A quick scan of the room showed Dano that surrounding this shrine to the gun gods were stacks of two crates that looked like the ones from the storage tents. Slinging the rifle over his shoulder Dano looked at the crates. The yellow lettering read ‘1000, 5.56x44mm NATO’. Knowing that bullet was too small Dano moved to the next stack. This pair held 7.62 NATO rounds, and Dano practically dove into the top crate.

Opening it he saw that there were smaller green metal containers that fit snuggly together. Pulling one out Dano and read the yellow writing on the side. It contained five twenty round box clips for the EBR. Dano pried the case open and pulled a clip out. He looked it over and gave a devilish smile, for he was now properly armed. Dano’s smile vanished when he remembered, I have no clue how to shoot this thing. He sighed and put the clip back in the box, the box back into the crate and stood. He looked around for a manual of some sort, and found a filing cabinet on the other side of the room.

Dano moved through the room and opened the top cabinet. Inside were stacks of small handbooks with an M16 and M4 on the cover, and some with the M9. Dano closed the top drawer, and opened the deeper bottom one. Inside were two different sized stacks of the same sized handbook. The larger stack had a SAW on the cover, while the smaller stack had a picture of the EBR on its cover. Dano pulled the book out, and thrust it into his back pocket, he would read it later.

Dano spent the next couple hours running around the second floor of the parking garage. In the last tent to be explored he found body armor, packs and tactical vests. Since he had a pack he began to load up for the next step of his plan, which he had yet to think of, but he might as well get ready anyway.

Dano walked away from the parking garage fully equipped for anything. He was wearing the clothes he had put on earlier, and over his jacket was a bullet proof vest that matched the camouflage of his uniform. Over that was a black tactical vest with each compartment filled with ammunition, and his Magnum holster straps went over the vest. Around his waist was a belt that was attached to suspenders that went under his vest and over his jacket. Attached to his belt was a fanny pack that held some medical supplies, a canteen on his left hip and a holster for a M9 pistol on his right. There were pockets on the front of the belt that were designed to hold pistol clips, and they were full. On Dano’s back was a small pack filled with some MREs, another canteen, more medical supplies and ammunition.

Despite the amount of clothing and armor on his body Dano was cool, the synthetic cloth being very breathable. The layers were also designed very well, allowing a full range of movement. The pack was strapped high on his back, over his shoulder blades, allowing Dano to twist and turn without worrying about it. The outfit was practical and, once Dano got used to it, downright effective.

Dano made his way through the hospital to his room, where he shed his pack, weapons, excluding the pistol strapped to his leg, and armor. He sat on his bed and thought about his next move. I need to get out of the city, so I’m going to need wheels. Dano nodded to himself. A truck would be best so you can bring as many supplies as you can. Dano nodded again. “Sounds like a plan.”

The sun was still going to be up for a few more hours, so Dano went to the cafeteria and finished off the beans. He brought the rest of the case of water back to his room, and filled his canteens. Each took about two bottles of water to fill. Dano looked over his equipment one last time before lying in bed an pulling the two manuals he took. One for his EBR and one for his M9, which he grabbed after he decided to carry the pistol.

The read was pretty boring, until Dano came to the part about cleaning the weapon. He had forgotten to look for cleaning equipment while he searched the parking garage. Dano cursed as he read that a weapon should be cleaned once a week, or after every time he fired it. Dano sighed and continued reading, after looking for a vehicle he would have to check the garage for a cleaning kit.

Dano finished the two small manuals right before the sun set. He put the two thin books on his night stand with the usual accessories, and removed his new boots. Dano curled up in bed, a little excitement running through him. I’m going out on the town tomorrow.

Dano awoke to the sun in his face, again. After confirming it was in fact around ten thirty in the morning, like usual, he got ready for the day. It only took him a few minutes to open and eat a full MRE, which tasted bland by the way. Once he had eaten he went to the bathroom and brushed his teeth. The military toothpaste tasted horrible, but it did its job.

Dano returned to his room and strapped everything on. He stretched, bending at his waist and rolling his shoulders, and tested everything. Sure nothing would fall off Dano left his room.

When Dano left the hospital he walked straight on, and not to his right like usual. He found himself standing in the middle of an intersection in front of the hospital. He could go straight, left or right. Dano looked down each route and decided with a shrug to go straight.

Dano walked for a couple hours around the crumbling city. Staying on the same road, and only looking down other ones so he didn’t get lost in the maze of decay. Dano eventually came to an intersection with a wrecked truck sitting parallel with the crosswalk, its front facing to the right. The truck strangely looked familiar to Dano, and he moved in to investigate.

From what was left of the paint Dano could tell it was once red, and the dull, rusted chrome words on the side identified the vehicle as a Dodge Ram 1500. Dano remembered his father drove a truck just like this one. He dismissed the thought, there were millions of trucks like his fathers.

Dano circled the truck and found out why it was perpendicular with the road it rested on. The front left wheel well was smashed, and the wheel trusted into the engine block. Something hit that truck, turned it ninety degrees and totaled it. Dano whistled, wondering how much force or weight was needed to crunch a vehicle like that and still continue, since no other vehicles were seen in the immediate area. Maybe a tank, or a big rig? Dano physically shrugged and continued on.

After another hour of walking Dano happened to stumble upon another truck, this one silver, that rested on the sidewalk on a road turning right off of the street he had been walking on. The bed was facing Dano, and was only a couple dozen feet down the side road.

Dano looked around cautiously, and didn’t pick anything up. He trotted over to the truck and looked inside the bed. Right up against the cab was a bed box that Dano ignored at first, he would search it later. Inside of the bed against the bed box was three large plastic gas cans. Dano shook the one closest to him and it weighed and sounded full. There was a divider between the gas cans and the rest of the bed, which was filled with, to Dano’s eyes, junk. Pieces of engines and motors as well as other crap. Dano was about to check the cab when a voice came from behind him.

“Well lookie what we got here, brother of mine.”

Dano spun around to see a man, his hair slicked back over his head. Dano had to double take on the hair, because it was red with a single white highlight. He wore dirty jeans, and a slightly clean blue and white vertically stripped vest over a long sleeved white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His black boots had grime all over them, and a small revolver hung off his right hip.

“Looks like we got a little thief.” The man’s voice had a bit of a sing-song tone to it.

Dano heard a tap behind him and he turned his head to see a man who liked exactly the same, but had a moustache that matched his hair color.

“I wasn’t trying to steal anything guys.”

Dano tried his best to sound sincere through the rising fear in his voice.

“A likely story from a thief.” The moustache less man said as he took a step toward Dano.

“What do you think Flam?”

“Sounds like a lie Flim.”

Dano was confused. Flim and Flam? What weird names.

Flam walked around the bed of the truck and stood to the immediate right of Dano while Flim stood right in front of him. The two began to approach Dano, a little scowl contorting their faces and anger blazed in their matching green eyes. Dano squirmed to his left, and managed to get his back away from the truck and the two brothers in front of him.

“Let’s just calm down guys. We can work this out.” Dano pleaded as he retreated, his hands held in a nonthreatening pose.

“We don’t make deals with thieves.” Flam spat.

Dano tried to change the subject.

“What are you two doing out here anyway?”

The two brothers stopped advancing and smiled.

“Well, my brother Flam and I go around and sell junk to people.”

Dano’s curiosity peaked. To people?

“We sell the highest quality junk this side of the Mississippi.” Flam finished the sales pitch.

Dano felt like he was in the clear, so he let his hands drop slightly. The two looked at each other then back at Dano.

“You’re not going anywhere buddy.” The two brothers spoke in unison.

Dano swallowed, and prepared himself. The two brothers fanned out a bit, their hands hovering over their pieces. Dano let his hand slowly drop to his pistol, and pulled the securing strap off with a faint pop.

Dano knew he was out numbered, and hoped his armor would catch some of their rounds. He wished he had his rifle out instead of slung over his shoulder when they jumped him, he could use the fire power.

Time slowed as the three combatants stared at each other, Flim to Dano’s left, Flam to his right. Hands hovering over their pistols. Dano’s eyes darted between the two brothers, waiting for movement. Flim made the first move and quick drew his weapon, followed by Dano then Flam. Three shots rang out milliseconds apart, and if you were watching you wouldn’t be able to tell who shot first. Dano knew though, the world moved slowly as he heard Flim’s revolver spew a bullet, then Flam’s. Dano was slow on the draw and paid for it. He felt Flam’s bullet impact on his chest, and watched Flam take his round right above the collar bone, piercing his trachea. As Dano twisted and fell from the momentum of Flam’s shot, Flim’s round whizzed in front of Dano. The shot was off and impacted on the side of Dano’s M9, knocking it out of his hand. Dano reacted as he fell backward and quick drew his Magnum and fired just as Flim fired his second shot. The .44 round smacked right into Flim’s sternum and knocked him off his feet while Flim’s shot hit Dano right in the gut.

The world returned to normal speed when Dano hit the ground. He quickly patted himself, and released a relieved sigh when he didn’t find any blood. Dano sat up with a little pain where the rounds had hit him and looked at the revolver in his hand. When he fired it the recoil was immense. His entire body shook down to the bone. Dano smiled at the Magnum and mumbled, “Most powerful hand gun in the world.”

Dano stood up and holstered his revolver, and looked over the two dead salesmen. Flam laid on his back, his limbs outstretched as blood ran out of his throat. Flim, also on his back, looked worse than his brother. His entire chest had caved a bit from the powerful round, and blood rushed out of the large hole in his sternum.

Dano sighed, he didn’t want to kill them. If this was how all of his first encounters were going to be he might as well stay in the hospital. Dano pushed the doubt away, and checked the pockets of the now deceased men for the truck keys. They were in Flim’s front pocket, and it made sense to Dano. Flim seemed to be the one who ran the whole operation. Dano shrugged and moved to the truck. He dropped the tailgate, climbed into the bed, and pushed all of the junk out. Once cleared Dano jumped out of the bed and hoped into the driver’s seat. As he thrust the keys into the ignition Dano remembered that he lost his pistol. He thought about it then shrugged, there were dozens more back at the parking garage.

Dano backed the truck onto the street he had been walking on and turned the vehicle toward home. It only took him a half an hour to get back to the hospital, even with his slow speed and dodging piles of rubble or cars. Dano parked the truck in front of the hospital, shut it off and locked it.

Dano got out of the cab and walked to the bed of the truck. After fiddling with some latches he opened the bed box to find some straps and random hand tools. Dano closed the box and sighed. He had hoped for something along the lines of helping, like maps or directions.

Dano spent the rest of his day replacing the cracked ceramic plate in his body armor, getting a new M9, finding cleaning supplies, cleaning his Magnum, eating and brushing his teeth. He went to bed content and a little exited, tomorrow he would leave the city in search for the people the brothers had referred to. Dano fell asleep with a smile on his face, and hope in his heart.

thanks for reading guys and gals
just to let you know
i pumped out these first 4 chapters quickly because it was the weekend
and now classes start tomorrow
so the chapters will probably slow down a bit
i know
im sorry
but i gotta graduate
or my momma would kill me
anyway
i will keep working on the story when im not working on school stuff
and hey
i have a week off after this one
so it shouldn't be so bad
dont forget to comment
that is all
kthanxbai

Arrival

Whole New World
Chapter 6
Arrival

Dano awoke to a comfortable bed and a pleasantly lit room, but he wasn’t happy at all. He sat up and grumbled as the dream he had that night flooded into his mind.

“God damned women and their secrets.”

He sighed, they had him by the balls. Dano had nowhere to go, or people to live with. The feeling made him a little scared. He had no idea what was in front of him, and the women had not given him any information. Dano knew that he was supposed to fight, and his military knowledge kicked him. Information was key to surviving a battle, it was a lesson proven in millions of wars and conflicts. Dano rubbed his face with his hands and dismissed his worries. They aren’t going to help me now.

Dano got out of bed and scanned his new room. The two windows on opposite walls pointed east and west, allowing maximum sunlight even with their small size. The hard wood floor under his feet was cool and refreshing. Dano’s curiosity peaked when he looked at the trunk at the foot of his bed, he had neglected to search the room when he moved in.

Dano opened the trunk, and found an extra set of sheets, an extra comforter, extra pillow cases and beach towels. He closed the chest, happy that he wouldn’t have to wash his sheets so often. Dano moved across the room to his desk. The papers he had seen earlier strewn across the space were actually maps. He looked through them with vigor. One was just of the immediate area, and Dano noticed a red line that ran along the opposite shore of the lake. There was no key, so he didn’t know what it meant. The next map covered a larger area, and showed where the road to get here was. This map had green circles surrounding the clearing, and the key in the bottom right of the map stated that they were the locations of tree stands. The red line was present again, and snaked its way through the forest and by the lake. They key said it was a trail used by a local coyote pack. Their territory was on the other side of the lake.

Dano cringed a bit. He didn’t want to go out and kill the animals, and he didn’t know if he stayed on his side of the lake that he would be safe. Fine place to send me.

The last map was blown up enough to encompass the town of Delhi. Dano looked all three maps over one last time before setting them back down on the desk. There were two drawers to the right of the area where the chair was pushed in. Dano opened the top drawer and found a stack of papers and some pens. Dano ignored them as he closed the drawer. The next one down was deeper and heavier. When Dano opened it he found a large pair of binoculars, he guessed a ten times zoom, in a leather case. There was also a compass, matches, some manila folders and more paper. Dano pulled the compass, binoculars and matches out and set them on the desk. He would need them later.

Dano turned around and wandered over to the short book shelf. The entire piece of furniture was full of old, large tomes. Dano read the spines of some. The Odyssey, The Iliad, War and Peace. Damn, that’s some heavy reading. Dano contemplated using the books as kindling, but put the thought aside. He didn’t know how long he would be here, and he may need to use them as a fire starter in an emergency.

Dano finished his familiarization and got dressed. He stripped down and put on an entirely new uniform. The clean clothes felt good, and smelled a lot better. Dano threw the old clothes onto the floor at the foot of his bed, he didn’t have a hamper or anything to store them. Dano strapped on his boots, and decided against a bullet proof vest. He stepped out of his cabin, after brushing his teeth and eating an MRE for breakfast, with his three weapons, a canteen, his knife and no clue on what he needed to do. Dano looked around, half expecting something to call to him or catch his attention, but no such thing appeared. He sighed and decided to finish unpacking the truck.

Dano had run out of time yesterday before he brought in the ten boxes of jerky, his two cases of water and the sewing kit. Shouldering his rifle Dano went to work. His bed was quite large, probably a queen size, and had enough room underneath it to slide a box. Dano managed to fit all ten boxes and the pair of crates of water under the bed, and placed the sewing kit on top of the desk.

With the truck empty Dano tried to think what he needed to do next. He half wished he took a survival course or something in college. Dano was thinking for about a minute before he gave up, he wasn’t cut out for this survival thing. Dano sighed and thought about his nearby resources. He knew that there were smaller, nimbler vehicles back at the farm house. I could use those. Dano began to walk to the truck but stopped short. How was he supposed to get a quad bike into the bed if there weren’t any ramps? Dano grumbled as he realized he was going to have to walk. He sighed and set off down the road.

It took Dano an hour and a half to get back to the farm house. He judged that the road was about five miles long, and since he drove extremely slow in the truck to get there the distance seemed about right. Dano entered the shed through the door he had left open. He looked at both the quad bike and the MULE, and was trying to decide which one to take first. He picked the quad and began to search the shed for keys. Dano found them hanging on a peg on the wall, as well as the MULE’s keys.

Dano was about to start up the quad and leave when he noticed a hatch in the ceiling. He stood on the quad bike’s seat, and pushed the hatch open. There was a small attic above the shed proper which was empty except for a half dozen wood backed foam targets, that looked like the ones people used for archery practice. They were about two feet wide, a foot thick and two feet tall, and some had small holes where an arrow had pierced it.

Dano pulled himself into the attic and inspected the targets. It dawned on him that he was here to train, and that he had very limited experience with firing his weapons. Dano grabbed the foam squares and threw them down into the shed. Once he cleared the attic he slid out of the hatch and back on top of the quad bike. The targets were scattered around the area.

It didn’t take long for Dano to pick up all of the targets and stack them outside the shed. He couldn’t fit them all on the quad bike, or in the bed of the MULE. Dano sighed, he was going to have to take multiple trips. Good thing he had nothing else planned today. Dano stacked three in the back of the MULE and then strapped the other three onto the back of the quad using some bungee cords he had found lying around.

Dano started the quad bike and it came to life, spewing a thick black cloud of exhaust out its tailpipe. The engine hummed nicely as Dano pressed the accelerator with his thumb, and pulled the quad out of the shed slowly. Once Dano was sure the four-wheeler wasn’t going to explode Dano increased the pressure on the gas, and turned down the road.

It didn’t take Dano very long to get back to camp. He sped down the trail a lot faster than he did in the truck. The quad bike handled the corners and relatively thin trail well, so Dano decided to make it his primary transportation.

Dano parked the quad to the left of the truck and shut it off. He sat on the four-wheeler for a bit. He really didn’t want to walk back to the shed and grab the MULE. Dano sighed and threw his will into the mix, and eventually came out on top. Dano slid off of the quad, and turned to leave the clearing once again. He stopped when he spotted the three gas cans sitting in the back of the truck. He could use the shed tank as a gas station when he came and left, but what happens if he went into the woods? Dano grabbed the three cans and began the walk back to the farm house.

Another hour and a half long walk later Dano was leaning on the tank as he filled up the gas cans. His feet hurt from walking so much, and was happy this was his last trip. As Dan waited for the cans to fill he looked around the room. His eyes fell of the assorted yard tools hanging on the walls. He didn’t have anything like that back at the camp. He could use the axes to get fire wood so he could have warm food, or for heating the water from the lake when his own water supply ran out. Dano agreed with himself, he was going to need the tools.

After filling the gas cans and throwing them into the passenger’s seat of the MULE Dano went around the shed and picked out what tools he thought he would need. He grabbed an a pair of axes, one that was a double header, a special axe with a head that doubled as a wedge, a sledge hammer, a shovel and a tool that was designed to sharpen blades. Dano had no idea how to use a whet stone, so the small, green plastic handled tool with what looked like metal in the shape of a V jutting out of it would prove to be invaluable. Dano threw the tools into the bed of the MULE, hopped into the driver’s seat and started the engine. Just like the quad bike, the MULE’s engine started rather well, albeit the smog that came out of the exhaust. Dano drove the ATV out of the shed and sped off down the trail.

It took Dano a little longer to get home on the MULE than the four-wheeler, but he didn’t mind. The MULE was more comfortable to drive, and had more storage space than the quad. Dano moved the bike into the ‘for tight quarters’ role and placed the MULE in the ‘go into town’ slot.

Dano parked the MULE to the left of the quad and climbed out. He went to the left side of the cabin and picked up one of the two empty crates that he threw there yesterday after he finished moving in. Dano dragged the crate over to the MULE and placed all of the tools inside. He then carried the crate into the cabin and placed it under the left side window, between the bookshelf and the trunk.

Dano went back outside and pulled the foam targets off of his ATVs, and placed them by the cabin. He wasn’t sure where to set them up yet, so resting against the cabin would have to do. Dano looked at his watch, it was only midafternoon, and he had run out of things to do. Dano sighed and tried to think. I could modify my rifle, and find a place for my knife. Dano nodded and entered the cabin.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in the cabin. Dano played around with his rifle until he found a combination of modifications he liked. Dano was happy that his Mk 14 came with a rail system that surrounded the barrel, it made putting on and taking off attachments much easier.

He eventually ended up placing a bipod on the bottom rail as far away from the user as possible, and attached it so the legs of the stand folded forward. With the rest of the bottom rail open Dano put a front pistol grip on the rifle, and made a note to adjust it when he finally started practicing. On the two side rails rested a pair of flashlights, one on each side, at the end of the rails. Dano looked over the lights before he attached them, and found that the outer jacket of the flashlights was made from the same material as his watch strap. The two lights were solar powered, making batteries obsolete. Dano was happy he didn’t have to go searching for batteries when he wanted to move around at night. The top rail was occupied by an ACOG scope, which had a zoom of times four. The scope was attached to a base that had a small button on it. When Dano pressed the button the scope snapped to the side, allowing the soldier to used iron sights. This flexibility would come in handy when Dano was engaged in close quarters and needed his peripherals more. Dano was content with his modifications, and found out that he wasted some time tinkering with the accessories.

Dano spent the rest of the day modifying his tactical vest to incorporate his knife. He had decided to attach the blade to the empty part, above the breast pockets, on his left shoulder. Dano used the sewing kit to attach the leather sheath to the synthetic vest with the knife blade pointing up and to the left. With its configuration Dano could quick draw the knife with a sweep of his right hand. At first Dano was concerned that the blade would slide out, but after a few test jumps the blade held its place in the sheath. Confident that the knife was secure Dano quick drew the knife, and the motion was fluid and comfortable. The ridged leather sheath held is position and didn’t move, and Dano felt pride in his sewing skills.

Dano still had around an hour of sunlight to waste. As he walked out of the door to try and find something to do he eyed the lake. I haven’t bathed in a while… Dano shrugged and went back into the cabin, grabbed a whole new set of clothes from the wardrobe and a towel from the trunk and headed over to the lake.

Once by the water Dano stripped down and walked down the slight incline of the grassy beach into the water. The lake was warmed from the sun till about three feet deep. Dano sat in the shallow warm water and let it clean and sooth him. It felt good to just sit in the lake and watch the sun set in front of him. After a good while Dano cleaned up by rubbing a wet hand all over his body and splashing himself. Once clean Dano got out of the water, dried himself and put on his new clothes he walked back to the cabin. Dano was refreshed and ready for a good night’s sleep.

The next day started the same as it usually did, but about a half an hour earlier than when he usually woke up in the hospital. Dano had been waking up steadily earlier, and chalked it up to his body acclimating to the rising and setting of the sun. He bet he would soon be getting up and going to bed with the celestial body.

After his routine of eating, dressing and brushing his teeth Dano set out. He decided to only go in his t-shirt, pants and boots, and the only weapon he brought was his M9. Dano knew that today was going to be strenuous.

Dano walked out of the cabin with his axe slung over his shoulder, he had decided to get started on gathering fire wood. He wandered into the woods a few yards before he found a couple trees suitable for his level of technology. They weren’t the largest trees, only being about a foot in diameter, but they were perfect for the axe toting survivalist. The trees were large enough to be split, but not to big that it would take Dano forever to chop it down. Dano strode up to his first tree and sized it up. He took a step back and swung the axe horizontally, and the pleasant sound of the tool biting deep into plants flesh returned to Dano’s ears. He swung again, but a slight downward angle. A piece of wood fell out as the result of the change in direction, and the beginnings of a wedge could be seen.

Dano kept swinging until the tree began to creak and list. His eye’s immediately shot upward to the top of the tree to try and see which direction it was falling. Thankfully the tree was falling away from Dano, and fell to the ground with a large thud, breaking several branches off other trees. Dano wiped the sweat off of his brow, and climbed on top of the trunk. He measured about a foot from where the tree had separated from its stump with his eyes and began to hack downwards, switching sides from left to right, making another wedge. The log eventually separated from the rest of the trunk and Dano looked it over. It was his first log, and it filled him with a bit of pride. I can do this.

The rest of the day went on like it started, with Dano cutting wood. He had managed to cut down two trees and process one and a half of them. When he finished with a piece of the plant he moved the logs to the stump where he felled his first tree. There he would begin to split the wood when he got around to it.

Dano stopped cutting wood with around an hour of light left so he could take a bath in the lake. Once he cleaned himself he went back to the cabin and laid in bed. His hands were covered in blisters. He made a mental note to cover them when he woke up the next morning so he could keep chopping wood. He prayed that they would callous up sooner rather than later. Sleep found Dano quickly, and he was out before the moon graced the world with its presence.

The rest of the week and the one following continued like the first day. Dano would rise, get ready, go out, chop and split wood, stack it by the cabin, take a bath and fall asleep. His hands and muscles killed him, but Dano began to see the callouses developing on his hands, and strength growing in his arms and legs. He knew he had to keep going through the pain.

Dano had amassed a large amount of wood, and decided he needed to do something else for a bit. He checked the date on his watch when he woke and noted that it was June 26th, and it was a Saturday. He went through his routine after waking up then gathered his three main weapons with a couple clips for each, and put on all of his armor and clothing. He needed to practice shooting in as realistic an environment as possible.

Dano exited his cabin and moved around the building. He grabbed a pair of targets. They had weight to them, but Dano had grown in strength since the last time he moved the foam blocks. He took the two targets to the other side of the lake, making sure to look out for the coyotes that supposedly occupied the area. Dano scurried back to his side of the lake and unslung his rifle. He laid down in the grass on the edge of the lake, extended the bipod and took aim.

The targets were large and clear in his scope as he sighted in. He fired a round and the rifle kicked back. Dano watched a hole appear in the foam target just below the center. The rifle had a little more kick than Dano had anticipated, and his shoulder hurt a bit. He ignored the pain, adjusted the scope a bit then fired again.

Dano emptied the clip on the target, all twenty rounds impacting in a cluster around the center. He felt some pride as he examined the area of missing foam. Maybe I have a knack for this. Dano switched targets, reloaded and pressed the button to make the scope shift out of his line of sight. He adjusted the iron sights of his rifle for two hundred yards and fired. After firing all his rounds Dano pushed the scope back onto the bottom of its stand, and heard a satisfying click. He peered through the optic and was a little disheartened at the sight of a not so tight cluster of rounds a little lower than the center. Even with his iron sights zeroed Dano wasn’t the most accurate. Well, I am new to this…

Next Dano fired ten rounds with each optical choice while kneeling, then standing. The clusters got less and less focused, but he knew that was supposed to happen. Dano adjusted his front grip at least a dozen times while he fired till he found the sweet spot where he could hold the weapon comfortably. He felt pretty good about his accuracy, since it was his first time using the rifle. Dano folded the bipod and slung the rifle over his shoulder, he had to go practice with his other weapons.

Dano grabbed another two targets and placed them at the edge of the clearing, one on top of the other and their backs to the forest. Dano counted out fifteen yards and turned. His back was to the cabin, and the outhouse rested a dozen feet to the right of the targets. Dano removed his pistol from its holster and took aim with both hands, like you’re supposed to. He emptied the clip on the top target, and was surprised to find the cluster pretty tight, except for a few outliers where he found himself firing to fast.

Dano slid another clip into his pistol and returned it to his holster. Dano let his hand hover over his piece, waiting for an imaginary cue. He stared at his target, as if he could see eyes peering back at him. Dano quick drew his weapon and fired from the hip. The round was low, impacting into the top of the bottom target. He cursed at his bad aim. Dano tried this again and again until he finished off the clip. His aim was atrocious. How I killed Flim and Flam I will never know… He slipped his pistol back into his holster and sighed.

After the pistol came the Magnum, and Dano was nervous. He remembered the shock to his body when he fired the weapon last. Dano took a deep breath and aimed the gun, both hands on the grip. He pulled the trigger and felt his arms buckle from the recoil. It wasn’t as bad as when he fired it with one hand, but it still hurt. Dano finished the cylinder, and he found his aim was pretty good, but his rate of fire was slow. He knew one of the biggest reasons he carried the weapon was intimidation, but he would eventually have to back up his bark with a bite.

Dano reloaded the revolver, which took a long time, since each round needed to be fed in individually. Once the cylinder was back in place Dano put the Magnum back into its holster and prepared to quick draw it. He didn’t waste time, and immediately pulled the weapon out, aimed it and fired. The recoil knocked the barrel vertical and nearly out of Dano’s hand, but the round was near the center of the target. Despite the pain in his arm Dano quick drew five more times, and finished off the cylinder then holstered the Magnum. The draw was a lot slower than the M9s, but it was still quicker than reloading either his EBR or M9, making it an effective secondary backup.

Dano had wasted an hour or two shooting his weapons, and set off to go clean them in the cabin. The whole process was new and took a while to get done right, so the rest of the day went by peacefully. Dano went to bed after his first day of practice shooting with confidence. He had done pretty well for his first try, and was looking forward to more practice. Dano fell asleep content that the only thing he could do now was get better.

The months of June and August went by in a routine. Every Sunday through Friday Dano would maintain his home. He would gather fire wood, clean his clothes and sheets in the lake, go wandering through the surrounding forest to get the lay of the land, hunted a bit and even tried to fish in the lake. Saturday was spent shooting, cleaning and resting. Dano had been getting better with his weapons, and felt confident that his training was nearing completion. He eagerly awaited the women in his dreams so they could give him a new direction, but they never came.

Dano laid sprawled out on the grassy beach of the lake in his underwear, letting the sun dance over his body. It was a Wednesday, but he was feeling lazy and decided to take a day off. He was happy as he could be, even though a worry was tugging on his brain. What’s my next move. Dano tried his best to dismiss the thought and enjoy his sun bathing, but it persisted. Frustrated Dano sat up and stared at the lake. His gaze eventually drifted to his reflection, and his eyes took in himself.

Gone was the scrawny person he saw in the hospital window, his eyes sunken into his head. Before Dano was a man who was fit, muscles contracting and loosing under tight skin. His brown hair had grown out to the point where it could cover his eyes, and he had stubble all over his face. Dano had learned how to shave with his knife, after dozens of cuts. He stared at the clear blue eyes in the water, and they stared back. Dano closed his eyes, shook his head, and tried to relax. He had to be patient, the women would eventually give him his next order. Dano laid back down, and soon fell asleep.

After his nice nap Dano wandered around the clearing not doing much on anything. He had gotten dressed and stacked wood for the fire tonight. He also cleaned out the fire pit he had built out of stray flat stones once he had compiled enough wood to last him a while. Dano enjoyed sitting by the fire at night and watching the stars and moon drift across the sky. Tonight was going to be one of those nights.

Eventually the day crept by and Dano found himself watching the sunset. The hues of red, orange and yellow made the world look soft and inviting. Long shadows moved through the clearing as the sun’s angle became more and more shallow. Times like this made Dano forget about the world outside of his clearing, of the decaying cities and the feral dogs. He was at peace.

The sun set and Dano started a fire. He sat on a log which he had dragged out of the forest on a whim, and enjoyed the heat emanating from the flame in front of him. The night was cool on his back, and the sounds and worries of the day melted into nothing as he stared into the ever shifting fire.

Dano was knocked out of his trance by a loud crash coming from the forest. Dano remained sitting, but his pistol was already out and pointing toward the sound. He had gotten better at his quick draw. Dano scanned the forest for movement, his M9 following his eyes.

There was a rustle, and Dano trained his weapon on it. He made out the outline of a four legged animal push out of the brush and towards him. Dano resisted the urge to shoot, there was something strange going on. The beast entered the glow of the fire, and Dano recognized it as a wolf. In the low light he couldn’t recognize any other discerning features of the animal. It was looking at Dano with curious eyes, and didn’t seem aggressive. None the less Dano didn’t lower his weapon, he kept it aimed right at the snout of the K9.

The wolf stared at Dano for a few more seconds before it barked. Dano had to restrain a laugh as the curiosity in its eyes changed into disbelief and confusion. It barked again then took off towards the lake. Dano followed the wolf as it ran by with his pistol and eyes, a little confused.

The wolf reached the lake and stared into the water for a while before howling. It struck Dano as a scream in frustration more than a call for family. The wolf turned and walked back to the fire, its head hung low and tail dragging on the ground. This only peaked Dano’s curiosity, the wolf seemed to be exhibiting a lot of human traits.

Dano lowered his weapon finally as the wolf stepped over the log bench to Dano’s right and laid down by the fire. It looked confused and a little scared. Dano didn’t know what to do, but the wolf’s expression was tugging on his heart strings. He turned to his left and pulled out one of the strips of jerky he was going to eat for dinner and tossed it in front of the wolf. It looked up at Dano, and he motioned for it to eat with his hand. Dano had never seen a wolf smile, but the contortions of the animal’s mouth looked like its version of one.

The wolf dove into the meat and devoured it quickly. When it was done the wolf stood and began pawing at the ground. Dano didn’t know what it was up to, so he watched as the dog went along. He seemed to be writing something in the dirt around the fire pit, but in glyphs he couldn’t understand. When it was done the wolf looked at Dano and barked.

“I can’t read that buddy.” Dano responded while shrugging.

The wolf phased out for a bit, staring into nothing before it returned to the world. It scribbled the glyphs out and started over. This time Dano could make out words, in English. His jaw dropped when he read ‘where am I?’ The dog barked to bring Dano back to life, he looked a little annoyed.

“You are in a forest.”

The wolf growled at the response, it wanted more.

“In New York State.”

The wolf phased out again, its jaw dropped. He scribbled out the words and wrote another line. ‘What year is it?’

“2032.”

The wolf looked like he was going to have an aneurism. Its face contorted with a mix of confusion and distress. It quickly scribbled out the words and pawed another question. ‘What country is this?’

“The United States of America.”

The wolf slumped to the ground, looking defeated. Dano tentatively reached out a hand and pet the wolf, trying to console him.

“What’s your name buddy?”

The wolf stood slowly, still looking upset and wrote out a single word. ‘Echo’. Dano offered a hand.

“Nice to meet you Echo, I’m Dano.”

The wolf reached a paw up and Dano shook it. Echo scribbled out his previous line and name and wrote, ‘looks like I’m stuck with you then.’ Dano nodded.

“Looks like it.”

Echo nodded, understanding the situation. He pawed another line in the dirt. ‘Can I have more to eat? I’m starving.’

Dano laughed and offered him another piece of jerky, which Echo ate just as fast as he did the first one. Dano patted Echo on the head, and it seemed to calm both of them down. Echo laid back down and stared at the fire, a sigh escaping his jowls. Dano returned his gaze to the fire, and the two just sat there staring at the flickering flame letting their worries escape into the dark night that surrounded them.

Well, another chapter done
yes, yes it is
have you noticed they seem to be getting longer?
yes, the word count has increased, probably because you feel pressure from yourself to finally get the meeting with fluttershy over with
wow logic, i didn't know you had feelings
i dont
that what was all that?
im logic, it was the logical answer
fuck you...

lol
heres another one for you guys
hope you enjoy
dont forget to comment
that is all
kthanxbai

Meeting

Whole New World
Chapter 7
Meeting

Dano awoke to the sight of a clear blue sky hanging overhead. He blinked and tried to remember where he was. The last thing he recalled was some weird dream about a literate wolf named Echo. Dano chuckled and thought, it was a weird dream.

Dano sat up and found himself in his clearing, by the fire pit. He had fallen asleep on his log bench, and his back popped and creaked as he stretched himself. Dano yawned and scratched his face while he looked around, seeing if anything had changed, until his eyes fell on the wolf in his dream. Echo was still sleeping by the fire pit.

Dano’s mind went into over drive. He… he is real. Dano tried his best to keep himself under control. His logic trying desperately to hold down the fort as confusion battered down the gates. Dogs can’t write… He was on the verge, insanity was storming the keep. Dano was about a second from freaking out when a loud bark shattered his concentration and brought him back to the real world.

Echo had awoken and was staring at Dano, a little concern on the wolf’s face. Dano stood quickly and took two steps back, his hands raised in a defensive position.

“You aren’t real buddy, you are just a figment of my imagination.”

Echo made a noise that Dano would consider laughing. The wolf stood and began to write something in the dirt. Dano watched him go, and in the light of day he could make out the wolf a lot better.

Echo was, by Dano’s knowledge, about average size for a wolf. He sported a dusty brown coat with feint streaks of red, and the bottom of his muzzle and his chest was a nice tan. Echo’s body had a couple furless scars on it, one was a large pink line that ran across his throat. The eyes Dano had seen last night didn’t change much, large black pupils without much color around them. Echo reminded Dano of the wolf dog character Balto from the Disney movies that bears its name.

Dano stopped gazing at Echo when he had finished writing. He cautiously stepped forward until he could read what the wolf had written. ‘You aren’t real dumb ass.’ Dano shot a glare at the wolf, which had a grin plastered on his face.

“How can a wolf learn how to write? It doesn’t make sense.”

Echo sighed and erased his writing. He went to work again. ‘Do you have paper or something? Writing in the dirt isn’t the greatest set up.’ Dano nodded and motioned for the wolf to follow him.

The pair entered the cabin. Dano made a b-line for the desk while Echo took in his surroundings. Dano opened the top drawer, pulled out a pen and paper and called Echo over. Echo threw his front paws onto the desk, and Dano held the pen up to the wolf. Echo took the pen in his mouth, adjusted it around so he could grip it and began to write.

At first Dano couldn’t make out a word he was writing, but steadily Echo got better with his mouth penmanship until Dano could read it. It took the wolf a good dozen time to write the same line over and over until Dano could understand it. ‘Do you know about My Little Pony?’ Dano gave the wolf an doubtful look before responding.

“No.”

Echo gave Dano a pitiful look, as if this ‘My Little Pony’ was the meaning of life, and Dano had missed out. The wolf sighed and began writing again. ‘Doesn’t matter.’ Dano shrugged.

“How did you learn to write Echo?”

The wolf paused and looked like he was organizing his thoughts before writing again. ‘I was a human once. I don’t remember my name from that life, but I do have memories of it. I was transported to…’ the wolf paused, trying to find the right word, ‘another dimension, where I was transformed into an animal called a Diamond Dog. I made some friends and explored a lot, you know, the whole nine yards.’ Dano nodded, trying to process the information. ‘It was years after I had arrived in that dimension when I was out exploring. I found a strange hole in the ground and, my curious self be damned, I entered it to see how far it went.’ Echo looked up at Dano with a look of ‘here I am, get used to it.’

Dano just stood there for a moment digesting the information the wolf had just laid down. A few questions popped into his head, and he decided to ask them.

“What is a Diamond Dog? Is it like a wolf?”

Echo pondered the question before nodding. Dano’s mind was reeling. There was a dimension crossing wolf that was once a human being, leaning on a desk with a pen in its mouth in front of him. He burst out laughing. Echo looked confused as Dano tried his best to breathe through his hysterics. After a few minutes of chuckling Dano got control of himself, wiped the tears from his eyes and looked at the confused wolf.

“Sorry, I had to get it out. This is just too weird.”

Echo chuckled and nodded. Dano guessed he understood the whole ‘need to not go crazy over the weird situation’ feeling. Echo turned back to the paper and wrote a line. ‘What’s your story.’ Dano sobered up as he remembered his short journey so far.

“I don’t remember much, but when I was in college something happened. I woke up in a hospital twenty years later in some pod. My body didn't age, as if it was in stasis. The world changed a lot when I was asleep. The city I woke up in was destroyed by some war, and I have only found two people.”

Echo wrote a quick line. ‘Where are those two people?’ Dano rubbed the back of his neck and sighed.

“They thought I was stealing from them, so we got in a shootout. You can tell who won.”

Echo looked at Dano for a second then nodded and wrote again. ‘I have had to kill to survive myself.’ Dano felt comfort in those words, and smiled a bit. Echo picked up the smile and grinned himself. Dano patted the wolf on the head.

“Let’s go find something to do.”

The month of September crept by. The leaves were just beginning to change from their normal green to a range of reds, oranges and yellows, and the days were beginning to get a little shorter and cooler. Dano and Echo had grown closer as the days turned to weeks and weeks into a month.

A camaraderie grew between the two survivors as they worked and lived together. They would tell stories about their adventures, Echo having a lot more than Dano, and their pasts. The two of them found refuge inside of each other, a place to go where they were understood. They had both done things to survive they weren’t proud of, and a sympathetic ear always helped.

One simple afternoon the pair were sitting by the fire pit. Dano had learned to understand Echo by the change in tone of his growls and barks and a bit of sign language, and only the most complicated of conversations required a pen and paper. Echo laid in his spot to the right of Dano in between the log and the fire pit as Dano sat in his spot on the log.

“I think Picard was definitely better than Kirk.” Dano said as he pulled some jerky out of its packaging.

Echo let out a low growl, he disagreed.

“Come on man, Picard is at least a hundred times cooler than Kirk.”

Echo growled again, a little louder.

“I guess you won’t see reason then…” Dano chuckled as Echo took a nip at his leg, the equivalent of a friendly punch in the arm.

Suddenly Echo’s ears perked up and twitched around. Dano recognized the reaction, Echo had heard something worth listening to. Echo hopped to his feet and barked loudly and with urgency.

“What is it?”

Echo pointed at Dano with a forepaw.

“It’s me?”

Echo growled in frustration and pointed again. Dano thought, me, what am I? I’m a human. Human? HUMAN!

“Human?!” Dano’s voice was filled with excitement.

Echo nodded and barked again. Dano shot out of his seat, ran into the cabin and grabbed his vest and rifle. When Dano got back outside Echo was waiting impatiently by the clearing to the right of the cabin. Dano ran over to Echo , and they both took off into the woods.

The two ran for a good ten minutes before Echo stopped, his ears shifting around picking up whatever he heard. Dano stopped, took a deep breath and checked the sun, they didn’t have much time left before nightfall. Echo barked quietly and raised a paw to his muzzle. Time to be quiet. Dano and Echo crept through the forest as silently as they could.

The birds had stopped singing and went to bed, and the sound of a small breeze was all that could be heard, making the forest eerily quiet. Dano tried to listen to the world, and he heard the sound of crying. It was soft, high pitched and definitely feminine.

Eventually the pair found a small clearing only five yards in diameter. Sitting on a fallen log in the center was a woman. She was wearing tight dark blue jeans which were caked in dirt from the bottom of the knee down. On her feet were flat soled shoes that were also covered in grime, and a canary yellow sweater covered her upper body. Her long hair covered her face as she cried into her hands. In the fading light Dano couldn’t tell exactly what color it was, but it looked like a shade of pink.

Dano was crouched behind a tree, and to his left Echo sat behind his own hiding place, both of them peaking at the girl from behind their cover. Dano turned his gaze to Echo and got his attention without any noise. Dano raised a fist into the air and made a circle motion with his extended pointer finger. He was signaling to get Echo to try and hear anyone else nearby, for all they knew the woman was bait for a trap.

Echo nodded and he faded out into his brain as his ears twitched and scanned. Dano didn’t know how good a wolfs hearing was, but Echo had pointed out a squirrel by listening to its breath from across the clearing once. Echo faded back and shook his head, they were alone. Dano silently took a deep breath and exhaled. He had to do this right.

Dano stood and motioned for Echo to stay as he stepped out from behind his tree and into the clearing. The woman jolted at the sound of Dano’s foot steps, turned and gave Dano the most scared look he had ever seen. Her deep cyan eyes bore into Dano face. She stood and took a step back.

“Wait.” Dano said with as much kindness as he could muster. “I’m not going to hurt you, I want to help.”

The woman didn’t take another step back, but was still frightened out of her wits. Dano tried to take a step closer, but she jumped as the movement. Dano retracted his foot and released a small sigh.

“My name is Daniel.” Dano tried to calm her down enough so he could help. “What’s yours?”

The woman spoke.

“M-my name is Fl…”

Dano couldn’t hear her as her voice dipped into a whisper. She ducked her head behind her long hair, as if to hide behind it. Her eyes would stare at the ground for a while then flicker to Dano then back to the ground. Dano picked up the vibe that she was either really nervous or very shy. Probably both.

“I’m sorry,” Dano softened his own voice. “I couldn’t quiet hear that.”

“My name is…”

“One more time.” Dano felt a little frustration creep into his brain.

The only sound the woman made was a high pitched squeak. Dano was confused. What the fuck? Dano sighed a little louder.

“Alright,” Dano reproduced the squeak in place of her name, “it’s getting dark, and you’re going to need a place to stay. I can offer you shelter for the night, as well as food.”

The woman nodded slowly, not even fazed by the joke Dano tried to use to lighten the mood. Tough crowd. He turned around and whispered to Echo.

“Cover us, I don’t want anything jumping out without warning.”

Dano heard a light shuffle of leaves, Echo had gotten the message. Dano turned around and offered a hand to the woman. She slowly walked toward Dano and took it, she was shaking terribly.

Dano led the mystery woman through the now darkening forest and to the clearing. She would make a high pitched noise that sounded like ‘eep’ every time there was a sound, but Dano ushered her on, promising that it was safe. When the couple broke through the last of the foliage the sun was completely gone. Dano led the woman to the log bench and asked her to sit. While she sat Dano started a fire.

After a few minutes there was a rustle in the undergrowth coming from where the two had emerged, and the woman jumped at the noise. Dano looked at the sound and made a quiet whistle, a challenge to the intruder. The noise responded with a quiet howl, and Dano knew it was Echo.

The wolf exited the tree line with a little shock on his face. Dano had taken a seat in the dirt to the left of the bench, so his right side was pointed at the woman, the cabin to his back, and the forest to his front and left. When the woman caught a glance of Echo she gave another quiet ‘eep’ and hid behind her hair. Echo moved to the fire and took a seat on the opposite side of the pit, facing the woman.

“Is t-that a wolf-f?” Even more fear seemed to be seeping in to her voice.

“Yes, and his name is Echo. Don’t worry he won’t hurt anybody.” Dano filled his voice with confidence, hopefully transferring some into the woman. Echo barked softly as if to agree.

The woman seemed to perk up as Echo made it clear he wasn’t going to hurt her.

“Oh, what a nice name. I don’t really know any other wolves.”

Dano smiled, he could see her starting to get comfortable. Echo also sensed the feeling and walked around the fire to lay in his spot. The woman looked at Echo for a while before giving him a soft pet.

“He’s very soft.” She smiled a bit.

SUCCESS!! Dano felt great. His second attempt at contact was working, and no one was dead. Next step was trust. Dano gabbed a package of jerky and slowly cut it open.

“I bet your hungry,” Dano pulled the meat out, “I hope you like jerky.”

The woman shook her head slightly.

“I’m sorry… I’m a vegetarian.” She hid behind he hair again, and Dano felt a little bad. He hadn’t anticipated this turn of events. “I’m sorry.” She squeaked.

“It’s alright, I don’t have much else to eat though.” Dano thought. There was a small energy bar that was packaged in with the MREs. He decided it would have to do. “Let me go check if I have anything else.”

“Oh… you don’t have to do that if you don’t want to… I mean… I can go without for the night… it isn’t that long.” The woman’s words came out in soft quiet squeaks, and she looked worried.

“It’s no problem. Really.”

Dano stood and walked into the cabin. He grabbed a pair of MREs and returned to his spot by the fire. Dano opened the packaging and looked inside. He rifled through the MRE till he found a rectangular bar. He pulled it out, opened it and handed it to the woman. She took it and nibbled on the energy bar.

“I know it’s not the best tasting thing in the world, but it will keep your energy up.” Dano told the woman as she nibbled away.

“T-thank you Daniel”

“No problem, and call me Dano.”

“O-okay.”

The three beings sat by the fire for about an hour in silence. Dano was content to let the woman focus on petting Echo, she seemed to be happy around the animal. Dano was starting to feel tired, so he stood and addressed the woman.

“Let me show you to where your sleeping tonight.” Dano extended a hand to help her up.

She took the hand and pulled herself up. Dano noticed she was still shaking.

“O-okay.”

Echo watched the couple go into the cabin. Once inside Dano struck a match and lit the candle on the desk. It bathed the cabin in a glow that only seemed to make the place feel even more earthy. The woman was taking in the room as Dano walked over to his wardrobe. He pulled out a t-shirt and pants.

“Your clothes are a little dirty, so you can borrow these. They probably aren’t the most comfortable, but they are clean.” Dano laid the clothes on the bed as he spoke.

“You don’t have to do that if you don’t want to… I mean… I’m just fine the way I am… I guess.”

“I insist.” Dano smiled at the woman, and she gave a small smile back. She still had her face behind her hair, and was giving of a very scared aura, but Dano could see that she was beginning to feel comfortable enough to not cringe at every move he made.

Dano excused himself and exited the cabin. Echo was still laying where Dano had left him, but instead of watching the fire he was staring at Dano intently. Dano ignored the glare and sat down on his log. Echo stood up and began scribbling in the dirt. ‘Do you know who that is?!’

Dano reproduces the squeak again then shrugged. Echo face-pawed and began writing again. ‘No, she is Fluttershy.’

“So you heard her name? Good, because I didn’t.”

Echo stared at Dano with a look of disbelief, but then a thought entered his mind. Echo’s expression changed back to normal, and he laid back down. Dano wondered about Echo’s strange behavior as he stood back up and walked to the cabin door. I wonder what’s so important about Fluttershy, and why does she have that weird name? Dano shrugged and knocked on the door gently. Even with his light tapping Dano still heard an ‘eep’ come from the cabin.

“Are you dressed Fluttershy?”

“Y-yeah.”

Dano opened the door to see Fluttershy hiding under the covers of his bed. Dano suppressed a chuckle as she peaked her head out from under the sheets.

“I’m just making sure that you’re comfortable.” Dano thought for a moment, “Would you like it if Echo stayed inside with you?”

Fluttershy peaked he head out a little more.

“I wouldn’t mind.”

Dano was about to turn and call Echo, but he felt the wolf practically run through his legs and hopped into his bed. Fluttershy giggled as Echo barked and wagged his tail, trying to be a cute as possible. Dano sighed and blew out the candle.

“Good night you two.”

Dano closed the door and walked back to his bench, where he laid down. He stared up at the stars, and watched them move ever so slowly through the sky. Dano let out a content sigh and closed his eyes. Sleep pulled him under slower than normal, for Dano was too busy thinking about the woman named Fluttershy and how she would play into his quest.

Dano was sitting in the abyss he hadn’t seen for months. It felt like he was sitting on his log, but when he looked down to check it wasn’t there. Just inky blackness. Dano returned his gaze forward to see Sun and Moon standing just like they always were.

“You have completed your training Daniel.” Sun said in her warm, motherly voice.

“And you have met Fluttershy.” Moon spoke, her voice as calm as ever.

“She will be your key to happiness Daniel, you must not let her fall.” Sun’s voice grew serious for the last part, and it scared Dano a bit.

“You will have to pay a price to save her, and all of your friends.” Moon’s voice was just as serious as her comrades.

Dano stood, worry on his face.

“What price?”

The two women smiled and spoke in unison.

“The price you have been willing to pay for your entire life.”

Dano blinked, he didn’t understand, but before he could question them their hands were on his shoulders. They faded away in the flash of light and Dano was left alone. ‘The price you have been willing to pay for your entire life.’ The thought echoed through his conscious as the abyss closed in. Dano’s last though before sleep claimed him was, what price?

Well, there it is. Fluttershy in now in the picture. I am totally relieved
no your not
shut up logic
you are worried that your portrayal of Fluttershy was not up to snuff, even though you reviewed her dialog many times
i said stuff it man
im not a man
then what are you?
your logic
can i make you a man?
im your logic, you could make me anything
really?
yes you co...
*poof*
...uld
your now mr. spock, live long and prosper.

lol
hey guys
hope i got Fluttershy right...
anyway
tomorrow i am going home, so i probably wont have a chapter done tomorrow night
and friday will be busy
ik i have said this before, but the chapters may be delayed
so, since you have been such good readers you will get two pictures
one this chapter
another the next
so here it is:

don't forget to comment
that is all
kthanxbai

Homecoming

Whole New World
Chapter 8
Homecoming

Dano felt something shaking him as he regained consciousness. He reflexively rolled over and mumbled something like ‘five more minutes’. Dano had forgotten where he was sleeping, and rolled off of the log he called a bed for the night. He face planted into something wet, and tried to breath. Nothing entered his lungs. Dano’s body tried it’s best to save itself, but all it could do was flail around wildly. After a few milliseconds Dano eventually lifted himself out of the muck he was drowning in. He pulled his lower half under him and sat as he wiped his eyes. When they were clear Dano opened his eyelids to see an amused Echo and a concerned Fluttershy.

Dano looked around, the world was grey and wet. It had started raining during the night and continued into the morning. Fluttershy and Echo had tried to get Dano inside before he got sick, but Dano had the suspicion that they were too late.

“I’m sorry for waking you up…” Fluttershy tried to apologize before Dano raised a hand to stop her.

“It’s ok Fluttershy, it looks like I needed to get up anyway.” Dano managed a small smile as he stood.

Echo barked and grinned. Dano didn’t need words to understand that Echo had just made a joke. He shot the wolf a look, but it didn’t do anything to Echo except make him laugh.

“We should get inside, I really don’t want to get any wetter.” Dano said as he tried to gauge how soaked his clothes were.

Echo nodded and began to walk to the open cabin door, and Fluttershy tried to follow. She was having trouble keeping her pants up, and the boots on her feet were too large and were threatening to fall off. Dano moved behind her, picked her up and cradled the woman. Fluttershy began to freak out, and started to squirm. Her boots fell off as she tried to wriggle her way out of Dano’s arms. Fluttershy finally realized that Dano was carrying her, and calmed a bit. She buried her face behind he hair, and Dano chuckled as a small blush graced her cheeks.

The couple entered the cabin under the scrutinizing gaze of Echo, who looked a little confused. Dano ignored the wolf as he crossed the room, and sat Fluttershy on the bed. Her eyes immediately darted to the floor, and Dano decided to give her some space. He moved to the trunk at the foot of his bed and pulled out a towel so he could dry off. Dano wasn’t about to get undressed in front of Fluttershy, so a quick rub down would have to suffice. Luckily the synthetic cloth that made up his jacket and pants didn’t hold water well, and they dried off quickly. Dano’s cotton underwear, socks and t-shirt didn’t fare so well.

Once Dano finished he threw the towel into his dirty laundry pile, and sat on the trunk. The room was filled with an awkward silence until Dano decided to talk. He turned on the trunk and faced Fluttershy.

“How did you get out in the woods anyway Fluttershy?”

Echo perked his ears, he was just as curious as Dano. Fluttershy’s eyes never left the ground when she responded.

“Well, um… I was out in the woods with my friends, and uh… we got separated.”

Dano nodded as his mind produced more questions.

“Where are your friends now?”

Fluttershy shook her head, she didn’t know. Dano pondered some more.

“Where do you live Fluttershy?”

“I um… live in Ponyville.”

Dano stifled a laugh. Ponyville? He couldn’t believe the situation he was in. Dano sighed, he had accepted that his life was going to be weird. He stood, grabbed his pack and began shoving essentials into it. Fluttershy looked confused at Dano’s actions, so he explained.

“We got to get you home, I bet your friends are worried.”

“Oh my… You don’t have to do that…”

Dano chuckled at Fluttershy’s attempt to be polite, and continued to pack while he responded.

“We both know it will be a lot safer if I came along, and I bet Echo would love to meet some other people.”

Dano looked over at Echo who was sitting by the gun case and smirked. Echo looked absolutely exited to go see Ponyville.

“Well… if you want to.”

Dano looked over at Fluttershy and gave her a toothy smile. She returned the large grin with a small smile of her own.

It didn’t take long for Dano to pack. He only brought a couple MREs, medical supplies, his binoculars, extra ammunition and water. Dano put on his armor and vest, as well as his Magnum and M9. Fluttershy looked nervous when Dano looked over his weapons, making sure they were loaded and working. Dano smiled at her, trying to relive her anxiety.

The rain stopped after a couple hours, and the sun broke through the clouds. A rainbow graced the sky to the left of the cabin, and birds sang out from the forest. The world was humid as the rain began to evaporate.

Dano dried off the quad bike’s seat with another towel before he and Fluttershy got on. Dano had given Fluttershy a belt and taught her how to tie up boots, so she wouldn’t struggle with the clothing. He also gave her a jacket to help keep her warmer in the early fall weather.

Dano started up the quad, and Fluttershy ‘eeped’ as she wrapped her arms around Dano. He chuckled at the easily startled woman then turned to Echo.

“You don’t think you could track her trail?”

Echo shook his head, even if it hadn’t rained he probably couldn’t follow Fluttershy’s scent home. Apparently wolves had great hearing and night vision, but their smelling abilities were just like your average dog.

Dano cursed as he pressed the accelerator. As the quad pushed up to the edge of the clearing that Dano had originally brought Fluttershy out of he checked his watch. The compass said they were going south east. Dano eased the quad bike through the undergrowth as Echo trotted alongside. Dano had no idea where to go, but he had to try to get Fluttershy home.

The trek through the forest was frustrating and long. After the group reached the small clearing they found Fluttershy in Dano asked Echo to see if he could find tracks or anything else to find their way. Luckily Echo had found small footprints that weren’t destroyed by the rain. The group entered the woods again, hoping that they could make it before the sun set.

The going was slow and tedious. Occasionally Echo would lose the trail and have to double back, so Dano had to wait for the wolf to find the foot prints again. After hours of tracking the forest abruptly ended and opened up into a field. Dano scanned the horizon for any sign of life, but the field was made up of rolling hills making his position ineffective.

Dano moved up the tallest hill he could find and scanned again. He caught a glint of light in the distance. Dano reached into his fanny pack, which startled Fluttershy, and pulled out his binoculars. Through the lenses the glint transformed into the roof of a building adorned with solar panels. Dano’s heart jumped for joy, he had found civilization.

After telling Echo to get on the quad and Fluttershy to hold on Dano took off. The quad opened up in the open field, cruising at over forty miles per hour. Echo was laughing the entire time, and Fluttershy was squeezing Dano so hard he could barely breathe. It didn’t take long for the bike to cross the large field and reach the village.

Dano slowed when the group hit the outskirts of town. The place was colorful, with flower pots on every window sill. The buildings were all wooden and painted, but in a variety of colors. It was as if someone took the entire rainbow and splashed it over the area. Fluttershy lead Dano through the town toward, where she said, her friends were.

The village of Ponyville was pretty empty compared to the amount of housing. Dano noticed that the people he did pass had strange hair, a whole range of pastels and colors adorned their heads. Also that there was mostly women and children, and the occasional man. Dano chalked it up to the fact that the men were probably working.

The citizens of Ponyville watched Dano with a mixture of curiosity and fear. He was well armed, armored and covered in dirty clothing. Dano couldn’t blame them, if a man walked into his home armed with three different weapons and in full combat armor he would probably react the same.

After a few minutes of cruising the group pulled up to a large tree with a door in its trunk. Dano should have been surprised by the sight of a living tree that was a house, but he had acclimated to the strangeness of the post-apocalypse world.

Dano dismounted from the quad and helped Fluttershy. Echo hopped of and barked excitedly, he was looking around with a happy look in his eyes. The three approached the dark wooden door of the tree house, and Dano knocked loudly.

“Can you get that Spike?” A feminine voice asked behind the door.

“I got it Twi.” Responded a boy’s voice, Dano guessed young teens.

The door opened to reveal what Dano had guessed, a teenager. He was only about fifteen and was wearing a purple, zip up sweatshirt over a green t-shirt. His lower body was covered in baggy jeans, and his feet were adorned with skater shoes that were purple with green laces. The teen’s hair was green, and shaved into a spiked mohawk.

The boy looked Dano over before turning his head into the abode and yelling.

“There is a man here, and he doesn’t look very nice.”

Dano made an annoyed couch at the teen’s assumption. The kid just gave Dano a look that he knew too well. The ‘I don’t give a shit’ look. Dano had given it to teachers, classmates and his father plenty of times.

“Tell him the library is closed.” The feminine voice was louder now.

Fluttershy, who had been obscured behind Dano, peaked her head around her escort. The teen turned his head back to the interior and shouted with enthusiasm.

“You got to see this Twilight.”

A woman entered the threshold. She was a little shorter than Fluttershy and wore a purple sweater vest with a white dress shirt underneath it. Her bottom half was covered with blue jean capris and she wore white sneakers. Her hair was navy blue with a purple highlight, and almost long as Fluttershy’s. She looked over Dano with a mixture of curiosity and nervousness, but eventually extended a hand. Dano took it as she introduced herself.

“Hello, my name is Twilight Sparkle.”

Dano shook the woman’s hand and smiled.

“My name is Daniel, but please call me Dano.”

Twilight smiled, released Dano’s hand and took a step back allowing Dano to enter the building. The first thing that Dano noticed when he walked into the tree was the amount of space. The tree looked smaller from the outside, but the interior was spacious and welcoming. The walls were covered in large bookshelves that were all filled. There was a threshold to the left that ran into, what Dano could see, a kitchen. A small door rested on the far wall of the hallway, and probably lead to a basement. On the right side of the room was a staircase that lead to the upper stories. Standing in the middle of the room was four other women, each strikingly different.

Twilight had greeted Fluttershy at the door and walked past Dano to introduce everyone after she told the group who Dano was. She indicated a woman with short, rainbow hair and said her name was Rainbow Dash. She was wearing a leather flight jacket over a white tank top, and tight blue jeans. On her feet were running sneakers, and Dano could tell by her sleek and thin figure that she was a runner. Her brilliant rose eyes scanned Dano in a way another man would, trying to size Dano up as a possible threat or competition. Dano recognized the patch that adorned the right shoulder as the Blue Angels crest. He made a mental note to ask her about it later.

Next came a woman that was named Applejack. She was very tan and wore a stetson hat over her long blond hair. White freckles were on her cheeks, and her green eyes screamed honesty. As if they were peering into Dano’s soul and detecting any lies. She wore an orange short sleeved button up work shirt that was covered in dirt and grass stains. Her legs were incased in old dirty jeans that were a little loose, but still showed off her form. Dusty cowboy boots covered her feet and the bottom of her jeans were tucked into them. Dano could see some muscle definition in her arms, and he assumed she was a hard working farm girl.

After Applejack came a woman with poufy hot pink hair that was called Pinkie Pie. A massive smile adorned her face and her bright blue eyes seemed to be filled with endless energy. She wore a pink t-shirt with three multi-colored balloons on the front. Hot pink shorts covered the top half of her thighs, and long multi pastel colored socks rose from her feet to below her knees. Pink and white Convers shoes were on her feet, and she looked like she was bouncing a bit. Dano was worried that she would jump him and try to get him to give her a hug.

The final woman in the room was named Rarity, and Dano immediately picked up a vibe from her. Her deep blue eyes were taking Dano in, and he could feel the woman judge him. It put Dano off a bit, but he didn’t show it. Her deep purple hair was curly and obviously stylized, and she wore a very well made white button up dress shirt that was tucked into deep blue jeans. A thick black belt was wrapped around her waist and the gold belt buckle shined in the light like it was just polished. On her feet she wore fashionable black boots, and she stood with the confidence of a woman who was used to being in charge and getting her way.

Dano waved awkwardly at the group as Fluttershy moved around him with Echo right behind her. The four women descended onto Fluttershy all talking at once about how they were worried, what she wearing, where Dano came from, and a bunch of other things that Dano ignored. Echo had taken a seat next Dano, and Dano had gotten into a comfortable stance. His right hand was resting on his M9, and his left thumb was under his rifle strap while the rest of his hand sat on his shoulder.

After a few minutes of endless chatter the women finally turned their attention to the survivor and wolf standing a few steps into the door. Twilight was the first to speak.

“Thank you for taking care of Fluttershy, we were all worried sick.”

Dano smiled and waved his right hand in the air dismissively.

“It wasn’t a problem at all.”

Twilight smiled, and the room settled into an awkward silence. It was interrupted by the teenager from before entering the room, a bowl of chips in his hand. Twilight’s face was one of shock, she had forgotten someone.

“This is Spike.” She said as she made a sheepish smile.

“Sup bro.” Spike looked like he didn’t care, and Dano had the urge to take him down a peg.

“I’m not your bro, man.”

Spike eyed Dano.

“I’m not your man, dude.”

Dano returned the gaze.

“I’m not your dude, son.”

Spike’s face contorted into a scowl.

“I’m not your son…”

Spike was at a loss for words, and Dano grinned devilishly. Spike stared at Dano like he was going to kill him before he turned and walked upstairs with his chips. The girls were giggling as the teenager walked away.

“Why did you do that?” Twilight asked when she was done laughing, a smile across her face.

Dano shrugged. “It’s how I was taught to respect people.”

The girls giggled again before the questions started, Rainbow went first.

“What were you doing with Fluttershy?” Rainbow’s voice was a little deeper that most girls, and very tomboyish.

Dano shrugged again.

“I found her lost in the woods, so I offered her food and shelter. It only seemed right to bring her home.”

Rainbow eyed Dano for the umpteenth time before Pinkie excitedly began speaking.

“Ooo, so you're some mountain man?” Pinkies voice was filled with excitement and joy, like a child’s.

Dano laughed deeply, and nodded.

“Yeah, just call me Mountain Man Dan.”

Everybody in the room laughed along. Once the laughter died down Rarity launched her question.

“Where did you find these horrid outfits?” Dano expected her to sound the way she did, a little snobbish with an upper-class accent.

Dano looked down at himself, and saw shades of brown and grey stare back. He was dirty and his clothes weren’t the most fashionable. Dano heard Echo laughing at him, and shot the wolf a look. The girls looked a little shocked at the sound that escaped Echo’s throat. Before Echo started a panic Dano got his answer out.

“It’s practical, and I don’t really need something fashionable.”

Rarity didn’t look like she accepted the answer.

“Darling, fashion is practical” A though entered her mind. “Oh, we could go to the spa! You definitely need it.”

Before Dano could refuse Rarity had grabbed him by the back of his collar and dragged him out the door, and into the street. Dano could hear Echo laughing, and Applejack yelling.

“But I didn’t get to ask mah questions.” Dano was a little surprised to hear her have a thick southern accent this far north.

Rarity ignored her and continued toward the spa. Dano was shocked that she could drag him around, and after a few minutes of struggling he finally let Rarity have her way. Dano crossed his arms and tried to take in as much of Ponyville as he could while Rarity went along. It looked the same as the road on the way in, just different colors. Dano liked the color, it was pleasant to look at.

It took a couple more minutes for Rarity and her hostage to get to the spa. From Dano’s point of view he didn’t see much of the building, except light yellow exterior walls and a purple shingled roof. Rarity threw the door open, and the sound of a bell reached Dano’s ears. As Rarity talked with someone she let go of Dano, and he promptly fell to the floor with a thud. Dano closed his eyes and braced before he hit the ground, and when he opened them again his field of vision was filled with two women Dano didn’t recognize. The one on the left spoke first.

“Oh, so this is the new man Carrot Top was talking about.” Her voice was thick with a Swedish accent.

Dano sat up and looked over the two women. They were definitely identical twins, with matching deep azure eyes, but their hair and clothes were opposites of each other’s. The one on the left had pink hair like Fluttershy’s, but was shorter. She wore a white apron over a short sleeved, cyan dress shirt and a short, cyan skirt. The right twin had cyan hair, and the same white apron over matching clothes, except they were pink. Dano stood and introduced himself. The two twins smiled and spoke in their thick northern European accents.

“I am Aloe.” Said the one with the cyan hair.

“And I am Lotus.” Finished the pink haired twin.

“Alright girls,” Rarity said as she flicked her hair and began to leave, “give him the usual.”

Dano tried to protest, but before he could speak Lotus and Aloe were upon him. They poked and prodded, trying to get him through an interior door. Dano tried to resist, but the harder he resisted the more forceful the two spa employees became. Dano eventually gave up and entered the room they wanted him to go in.

“Take off your clothes, and put on the towel. When you are ready go out that door.” Aloe said as she pointed to a white towel hanging on a hook on the wall, and then a door behind Dano. Aloe closed the door they came in, and Dano sighed. The things I get myself into…

The room that Dano was stripping in was small, and had three white painted, wooden doors. Dano assumed that the places was just a stop before he hit the spa proper. The walls were blue and the floor spotless white tile. The place was well kept and clean, and it reminded Dano of the hospital. He shuddered at the thought then got undressed.

Dano exited the door Aloe had told him to with the towel wrapped around his waist snuggly. The two twins were waiting for him, and when Dano exited the changing room they looked him over. Their eyes widened a tad as they scanned his body, and when they finished they looked at each other and giggled. Dano felt a huge confidence boost. He had worked hard for the last three months, and apparently it showed.

The twins led Dano to a large bath tub and told him to get in. Dano waited for them to exit the bath room before removing his towel and stepping into the hot water. Dano let out a content sigh as the water loosened his muscles. He hadn’t had a hot bath since before he woke up in his tank, and that was over twenty years ago. Dano chuckled, he was actually thirty eight years old, but was still in an eighteen year old body. Dano rested his head on the side of the porcelain tub and examined his surroundings, only to find the same decor as the waiting room and the changing room. Dano closed his eyes and let the bath do its job, and he soon dozed off.

Dano was awakened by Lotus, and was told to get out of the tub. He complied after Lotus turned the other way, and put on his towel. Lotus led Dano through another door that looked the same as the others and down a small hallway. There were two doors on each wall, and at the end of the hall. Dano followed Lotus to the far right door and let him in. Dano walked in and looked around, and soon put together that it was a steam room. He took a seat on the long wooden benches that took up half of the three walls. The rest of the walls were covered in wood paneling, as well as the ceiling.

Lotus poured water on the rocks that sat in the middle of the room, and steam began to spread throughout the area. Dano relaxed as the spa employee continued to pour water onto the hot rocks until the room was full of the grey steam, and then left Dano alone. The humidity was oppressive, but strangely soothing. Dano felt a smile creep across his face, and he mentally thanked Rarity for this relaxing day.

After the steam room Dano was sent to a cool bath were both Lotus and Aloe scrubbed his hair. Months of neglect left his hair unconditioned and tough. The two twins commented on it immensely, but Dano ignored them and concentrated on the soothing feeling of the two girls massaging his scalp. When they were done Dano got out of the pool and sent into the changing room through the third door where some clothes were waiting for him.

They weren’t his old military clothing, but actual nice civilian duds. Dano put on a pair of boxer briefs, loose cut grey jeans, a beige turtle neck, a black front zip vest, a pair of black socks and a pair of low cut black boots. Dano left the small room after he was dressed wondering where his things went. The door exited into the waiting room, and there was Rarity, sitting with Dano’s equipment.

She was distracted by the jacket when Dano exited the dressing room. When she heard the door close Rarity looked up and smiled.

“You look fabulous Daniel.”

Dano looked at himself and smiled.

“I guess I do, and call me Dano.”

Rarity chuckled.

“Dano is such an improper name, but Daniel is just fantastic.”

Dano gave her a look, and she sighed.

“Fine, I will call you Dano.”

Rarity didn’t look happy, but Dano didn’t really care. He was more concerned with what to do next.

“So now what?”

Rarity smiled and stood.

“We are going back to Twilight’s, she was very interested in you.”

Dano swallowed, he didn’t like the sound of that, but it was his only option. Rarity stood and walked to the door, leaving Dano’s things behind.

“What about my stuff?” Dano asked.

“Aloe and Lotus will send it to the drycleaners. They are filthy.”

Dano sighed and followed Rarity out the door. Aloe and Lotus were standing in the threshold calling to the couple as they walked away.

“Come back any time Daniel!”

Dano chuckled, and Rarity smiled.

“They must fancy you.” Rarity raised an eyebrow as she looked at Dano.

Dano chuckled again.

“Lucky me.”

well, the mane 6 are in the picture
yes they are
hopefully people enjoy the way i clothed and portrait them
i think you did well
wha...? logic you never say things like that
it was the logical thing to say to make you feel better
aww your such a nice vulcan
*sage nod*
say it
say what
you know what
no
cmon
no
do it or your becoming pinkie pie
but she is so illogical
do it or i will
fine. live long and prosper
swag

there it is mares and gentlecolts
the mane 6
and like i promised
you get another pic
here it is:

don't forget to comment
that is all
kthanxbai

Questions

Whole New World
Chapter 9
Questions

Rarity lead Dano back to Twilight’s tree house. The entire walk was in silence, and it made Dano uncomfortable. Rarity kept trying to take sneak peeks at him, as if she was looking for something, it didn’t help the situation at all. On top of that Dano felt naked without his weapons, but he probably wouldn’t need them here. Probably.

It took a few minutes to get from the spa to Twilights house. Rarity let herself in, and Dano followed. Inside the girls had made a semi-circle around Fluttershy, who was sitting on a blue upholstered couch that rested with its back to the far wall and was surrounded by bookshelves. Spike was nowhere to be seen, and Echo was sitting on the couch next to Fluttershy. The girls turned around when Rarity and Dano entered the tree house. They all looked at Dano with smirks when they saw his wardrobe change.

“Looks like Rarity got to ya.” Stated Applejack.

Dano struck a stupid pose that made the group laugh.

“I think he looks wonderful.” Rarity said defensively as she giggled at Dano’s show.

“I have to agree,” Rainbow shrugged, “he looks less blocky.”

Dano believed she was referring to the hard ceramic plates in his armor, and just smiled at the comment.

“Alright girls,” Twilight was getting serious now, “we still have questions.”

Dano felt a little nervous as all the attention was placed on him, and he changed his posture back to normal. Twilight started this round of questioning.

“How did you find Fluttershy?”

Dano relaxed a bit when the question turned out to be less personal.

“Echo heard her crying in the woods last night, so we went out and found her.” Dano indicated the wolf that was sitting on the couch next to Fluttershy.

Twilight nodded and faded into her mind, probably putting together the story she got from Fluttershy with Dano’s. Applejack chimed in next.

“Where’d ya get that nice six shooter?”

Dano had to think fast, he couldn’t say he stole it or found it. People don’t really trust people who ‘find’ things.

“It was my fathers, he gave it to me the last time I saw him.”

Applejack didn’t look satisfied and launched another question.

“Why were you carryin’ it in the open?” Her green eyes bored into Dano’s own.

“For protection, “ Dano stated matter of factly, “I live out in the woods, so I need to be quick on the draw.”

The farm girl seemed satisfied by the answer, and nodded then looked at the others and shrugged.

“Ah got nothin’ else to ask.”

The rest of them agreed, and Dano felt a lot better. He didn’t have to spill his guts about how he got to Ponyville in the first place. Success. Dano looked at his watch, and mentally cursed. It was starting to get late, and he didn’t want to be out in the woods in the dark.

“Well, I think it’s about time we got out of here. C’mon Ec…”

Dano didn’t even finish before Rarity butt in.

“You can’t leave yet, your clothes are still being washed.” Her voice was filled with concern, like Dano was about to forget his child.

Dano mentally cursed again, she was right.

“Then where am I going to stay?” Dano wasn’t about to intrude on anybody’s space. He was a gentleman after all.

“You can um… stay with me. If you want… since you let me stay with you.” Fluttershy offered quietly.

The girls all agreed with their shy friend, and Dano didn’t want to be rude and deny her offer.

“That sounds great Fluttershy.” Dano gave a large toothy smile.

Everybody in the room returned the smile, including Echo. Fluttershy stood, said goodbye to her friends, and left the tree house with Dano and Echo in tow. The group mounted Dano’s quad bike, which was in the same pace Dano had parked it. As he waited for Echo to get onto the rear rack Dano looked over the town.

Ponyville had changed while Dano was in the spa. It was awake, with children running around and playing. Men and woman walked here and there, chatted with each other and shopped. Dano noticed that there was still a deficit of men, and that women definitely held the majority. It struck him as strange, but his internal weird meter had been broken a while ago.

Dano started the engine and drove off at a good pace. Fluttershy was still nervous about riding on the bike and squeezing Dano tightly, but she managed to squeak out directions to get to her home. She guided Dano down what he judged to be main street and through the town center. There was a grey stone fountain that resembled a sun with eight tendrils of flame shooting out in all direction on the left side, and the right side was a simple crescent moon. Dano instantly recognized the symbols, they were the ones that adorned the chests of Sun and Moon. He became a tad suspicious, but he put it aside for later.

As the group moved through the village Dano noticed that the closer one got to the center of town the taller the buildings got. The taller structures held the solar panels that guided Dano to Ponyville, and the tallest was situated right in the center of town. It was three stories tall with a balcony around each floor of the cream colored cylindrical building, and had a large peaked brown shingled roof that was covered in panels. The windows were tall as well, and very grand. Dano wondered if it was the town hall, but didn’t stop to investigate.

It took a little while for Dano to steer the quad through Ponyville and down the trail that led to Fluttershy’s house. When they arrived Dano took in the small abode. It was two stories, and the floor area looked very small. The walls were painted an earthy brown, and the roof was covered in deep green shingles. Vines ran all over the exterior, and each window had a hanging garden next to it. There were dozens of bird houses hanging off of hangers in random places all over the house, and the abode was actually surrounded by a thick forest.

The forest was much denser than the one Dano had called home, and a lot darker as well. A small stream ran in front of the house, and a little wooden bridge spanned it. Several dozen animals of every kind wandered around the clearing. Rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, deer, goats, sheep, and many others. Any herbivore that called the Appalachian mountains their home or could survive this far north was present.

Dano parked the quad at one end of the bridge, and off the side of the trail. The animals all stared at the intruders with fear, until they caught sight of Fluttershy. They relaxed and went about their day as if the three people weren’t there. It amazed Dano that Fluttershy could somehow tame the animals enough so they wouldn’t scatter at the sight of human beings.

Fluttershy led Dano and Echo across the bridge and up the small walkway to her front door. Dano caught a glance of an animal that was somewhat hidden, but still stuck out from the rest. It was a wolf or a dog, and clearly didn’t fit in with the herbivores around it. Dano let his curiosity get the best of him.

“Looks like you have a wolf of your own.”

Fluttershy stopped, turned, looked at Dano and followed his gaze to the K9.

“Oh no… that's Jenna. She is a husky.”

It clicked for Dano, Jenna was domesticated. She wasn’t going to jump anything, or anyone. Fluttershy turned back around and entered her house. Dano and Echo followed through the threshold, and took in their surroundings.

Dano found himself standing in a living room of sorts. The walls were the color of dark stained wood with highlights of light colored wood. There was a pink and brown area rug with hearts all over it, a hearth in the middle of the wall to the right of Dano, and several different small animal homes with steps to them were located on the walls. Holes in the bottom of the walls lead to rodent homes, and Dano was surprised that the place didn’t smell like a barn.

The living room was small. The left wall had a doorway in it, but nothing indicated what was behind it. A stairwell sat in the far left corner and ran parallel to the left wall. The rear wall was decorated with pictures of Fluttershy and her friends, and more housing for animals. The far right corner had a threshold that lead to a small combination kitchen/dining room with a small table and plain light dangling from the ceiling, and Fluttershy had disappeared into the eating area as soon as they walked in the door.

Dano left Echo in the living room and moved into the kitchen in search of Fluttershy. He found the woman putting on a white apron in preparation for making dinner. Dano quietly chuckled as the apron stuck out against the grey and brown camouflage Fluttershy was still wearing. Dano coughed politely when the shy woman didn’t hear him enter, and she jumped a bit.

“I’m just wondering where I will be sleeping tonight?” Dano smiled to try and make Fluttershy feel a little less of the embarrassment Dano knew he was about to inflict on her.

“Oh my… I’m sorry… you can sleep in the guest room, if that’s okay with you…” She hid he face behind her hair, and her eyes darted to the floor as she spoke.

Dano pointed a thumb over his shoulder at the doorway in the living room, and she nodded. Dano thanked Fluttershy before he turned around and headed for the door. He called to Echo, who was entranced by a conversation between a squirrel and a blue jay, and Dano had to speak up to get his attention. Echo jumped and gave Dano a look of annoyance, which he promptly ignored.

The two crossed the living room and opened the door to the guest room. The area was tiny, with only room for a bed, a dresser and a trunk. The bed was perpendicular to Dano and was underneath the only window in the room. The sleeping area took up the entire back wall, and was covered in pink sheets, pink pillows and a brown comforter. The trunk was short and long, and lacked any paint or stain on the wooden panels that made it up. It was small enough to fit under the bed, and that was where it was stored at the moment. A small alcove in the right wall surrounded the sides of the dresser, and made it look like part of the wall. A small cubby was present at the top of the furniture so Dano could place things like his watch and pistol on top.

Now that Dano knew where to lay his head at night he left the guest room and went back into the kitchen. He sat down at a small table and watched Fluttershy work. She seemed content and happy as she hummed a tune while she cooked the meal, and Dano wasn’t about to disturb her.

After a couple minutes she presented Dano with a plate and a bowl. A pair of grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato rested on the plate, and the bowl was full of steaming hot tomato soup. Dano felt a massive smile grow across his face. He had been eating MREs and jerky for three months, and the meal in front of him looked good enough to take a picture.

Dano was about to dive into the meal when he realized that Fluttershy had left the room to get Echo some dog food, and to feed some of her other pets. Being a gentleman Dano waited for Fluttershy to finish her chores and sit down to eat before he began.

Most of the meal was eaten in silence, with Fluttershy mostly staring at her food. Dano felt a little bad about the lack of conversation, so he tried to get one going.

“This is really good Fluttershy, I love the soup.”

Fluttershy didn’t look up from her food when she answered.

“Thank you.”

Dano smiled, but his mind was kicking him to keep forcing the conversation.

“So how long have you lived in Ponyville?”

Again, Fluttershy refused to raise her eyes.

“I was born here.”

Dano kept pushing.

“So your parents are here as well?”

Fluttershy cringed, and Dano’s mind raced. I said something wrong.

“M-my parents aren’t alive a-anymore.”

Dano felt his heart drop into his stomach and his stomach into his feet. Tears began to well up in Fluttershy’s eyes, and Dano felt a huge amount of guilt grip him. She began to cry, and her head dropped into her hands, sobs escaping from her throat. Dano reflexively stood, walked around the table, took a knee and wrapped his arms around the weeping woman.

Dano felt horrible. He was doing his best to consul the woman he made cry, but he wasn’t getting far.

“I’m sorry Fluttershy, I didn’t mean to bring up anything. I’m sorry.”

Dano repeated himself until Fluttershy’s sobs quieted and she regained control of herself, but he refused to let go. Dano knew what it was like to lose a parent, and the only person there to comfort him was his grieving father. He was alone and had to deal with it. Dano swore that he wouldn’t let Fluttershy travel the same path he once did.

While still cradling the woman Dano spoke.

“I lost my mother when I was eight, and my father died recently.” Dano lied about the last part, but he knew that his father was long gone.

Fluttershy uncharacteristically looked Dano straight in the eye, and he returned the gaze without falter. Fluttershy’s dark azure eyes glistened with new tears, and the streaks of old ones ran down her cheeks. She was looking for truth in Dano, proof that this wasn’t a ploy to get rid of his guilt. She didn’t find a lie, but sympathy.

Fluttershy wrapped her arms around Dano, and buried her face into his shoulder. Dano tightened his hold a bit as the woman embraced him. The two stayed in that position for what felt like an eternity, neither of them willing to end the embrace.

Eventually Fluttershy released Dano and pushed away from him gently. Dano complied and let her go. Fluttershy’s demeanor returned, and her eyes gazed at the floor. Dano stood, walked back to his seat and picked up his dirty plates. He moved back across the room to the sink, which rested in the middle of the small counter space and under an exterior window. Dano turned on the water, and began cleaning the dishes he used. Fluttershy watched him out of the corner of her eye, and spoke when Dano began cleaning.

“Y-you don’t have to do that…” Her voice was barely audible, but Dano heard it as if she was yelling.

Dano turned around and moved next to Fluttershy. He spoke while he picked up her plate and bowl.

“I insist.” His voice was filled with compassion. “You should probably get to bed.”

Fluttershy nodded, stood and walked out of the room. Dano went back to cleaning, and a small, burning rage began to build in the back of his mind. He needed answers, and the only people he knew that could give them were Sun and Moon. Dano only had a vague objective, no knowledge as to who or what the women wanted, and that Fluttershy was important. Dano hoped they would visit him soon, he was fed up with the whole prophetic bull shit.

Dano finished cleaning the plates and bowls, and set them on a rack to dry overnight. He left the kitchen and moved through the living room to his new quarters. Echo was sitting in the living room with an expression of worry. He had probably heard everything, and was concerned about both Fluttershy and Dano. Dano ignored the wolf again and entered the guest room, Echo following without orders. Dano stripped out of his clothes and set them on the dresser then crawled into bed. Echo hopped into the guest bed and laid down by Dano’s feet. He knew his friend needed some help, but didn’t know how to give it. Being there for Dano would have to be the best thing to do at the moment.

Sleep came slow to Dano. His mind was racing as he remembered his mistake with Fluttershy, and what he was going to ask Sun and Moon when he met them. Eventually slumber pulled the survivor under, albeit restlessly.

Dano stood in the familiar blackness that these meetings took place in. He crossed his arms, and squeezed his eyes shut. Dano knew what to do by now, and the women would only appear when he wasn’t looking. Sure enough, when Dano opened his eyes, Sun and Moon had appeared. Sun went to speak, but Dano cut her off with a raised hand.

“No more bullshit. I want answers now.” Dano’s voice was cold and hard.

Moon looked offended, and opened her mouth to say something, but Sun stopped her with a hand on the navy clad woman’s shoulder.

“Ask your questions then Daniel.” Sun’s voice was just as warm as it usually was, and her characteristic motherly smile didn’t disappear with Dano’s rudeness.

“You two lead me here,” Dano glared at the women, “why is here so important?”

Sun’s smile disappeared and was replaced by a blank expression as she answered.

“Do you remember what Echo said to explain his presence?”

Dano nodded.

“We are from the same realm he came from.”

Dano didn’t say a word or move, letting the cloaked woman continue.

“In our world my sister and I are very powerful magical beings. We ruled over a country built on the foundations of harmony and love, and the populace was happy and prosperous. Wars were few and infrequent, and hate was something that was only used to comment on bad food or taste in clothing.”

Dano nodded and motioned for the woman to continue.

“My sister and I were always aware of your plane since the beginning of the human race. We watched out of fear, for your world was not a peaceful one. We watched to make sure your race’s hatred and anger did not affect our own world, but the toll of watching the human’s was great. We began to feel sympathy for those who would deny the chaos of your plane, and without proper thought my sister and I intervened. We opened a connection between our existence and yours, and created the avatars before you. We are not human, so our presence would only breed the mistrust your kind was prone to.”

Dano remained silent as Sun continued her story, and let his mind digest everything before he began questioning.

“We built the town of Ponyville, and attracted people that were pure to it with magic. The community was small, but peaceful. My sister and I combined our magic to cast a large spell that gave humans who were impure in thought and action the urge to not enter the valley. This worked well, and Ponyville grew into the image of our world, a place of harmony. But something neither my sister and I could have predicted occurred. The portal worked as a conduit that funneled the magic of harmony into your world, but it also allowed the chaos of yours to bleed into ours. When enough of the hatred moved into our plane a being was formed named Discord. He overthrew our original selves and ruled over our country for millennia before we stuck him down, and regained our thrones. Sadly the populace had forgotten that we were the original leaders of their country, but my sister and I continued on nonetheless.”

Dano was grasping most of the story so far, but he didn’t get his whole place in it. Sun continued without pause.

“When my sister and I realized that the portal was the reason for Discords assentation, our original selves broke the connection, but not before giving us our finial orders. We were to continue to preach harmony and peace, and protect Ponyville without the portal. For two millennia we did just that, but then your race was destroyed by a disease of epic proportions. The people who emanated chaotic magic began to die off, and so did their influence. This left a void in the world that caused the magic of harmony that was built up around Ponyville to spread and try to cover the globe. With the magic gone the spell protecting Ponyville weakened, and chaos was able to seep through the remains of the closed portal and resurrect Discord. In a message our original selves informed us that Discord was returned to his prison, and that our world was safe again. This was joyous news, but that wasn’t the only thing the message contained. When Discord was subdued he detached a small part of him and sent it into this plane. His plan was to build up this world into a bastion of chaos and storm the portal once again with his new army. He also was able to send the human who is known as Echo back to our plane in an attempt to keep a foothold of chaos in our world, but Echo was able to resist and became one with harmony.”

Dano was happy they explained Echo’s whole role, but was still looking for his own.

“Ponyville survived the disease, and continued to flourish. Luckily we were able to build up the community enough that it could continue to grow without inbreeding or new people. Discord’s avatar knew this, and he began to use his powers to twist the minds of the men and women of Ponyville to join him. Our defensive spell was too weak to stop him, and we watched as he stole people away for twenty years. The women he took weren’t totally brainwashed and resisted as much as they could, and still do. The men on the other hand were completely converted, and are lost forever to Discord’s avatar. We eventually built up the spell to stop his meddling, but we do not believe he is willing to give up. A more physical approach is coming, and that is your job. You must stop Discord from destroying Ponyville.”

Sun finished her story, and Dano began to air his grievances.

“Why me?”

Moon answered this time, her worried frown replaced with the same expression as her sisters.

“You are a survivor of the old world, one who has been touched by the chaos and not given into it.”

Dano still didn’t understand how he got into this situation.

“How did I survive?”

Sun responded, her expression and voice unchanged.

“You were in an accident in your class, and arc flash. Out of desperation your father gave you to a company that had developed a new way to save extreme burn victims like yourself. When the world fell you died when the power cut out, but the liquid that healed your wounds was able to preserved your body. My sister and I happened upon you, and returned power to the hospital so the machine would revive you.”

Dano finally got the bigger picture, and he tried to put it together verbally.

“So you’re telling me that you two are immortal avatars of two powerful beings from another plane sent to stop chaos from spreading to both worlds, and you revived me so I could fight for you?”

The two women nodded in unison, and Dano felt his stomach drop. Again he realized they had him by the balls.

“Where are you two now?”

Moon replied.

“We gave up our physical forms to bolster the shield over Ponyville, and continue to saturate the area with magic. Will not be able to return until Discord’s avatar is destroyed.”

Dano sighed, he had no choice but to follow the two beings.

“What do you need me to do?” His voice was filled with defeat.

The two women frowned, and Sun spoke.

“We are not sacrificing you Daniel, and if you do not throw your entire mind and soul behind this mission you will certainly fail.”

Dano didn’t feel any better, but something in his mind drove him to comply with everything he had. Dano sucked in a breath and asked again with more heart.

“What do you need me to do?”

The sisters smiled, and Moon answered.

“Integrate yourself into Ponyville, make the community your home. Make friends and learn the ways of harmony, so you may better defend it.”

Dano nodded. He finally had a clear objective and the information behind it. The two women nodded back, reached out and touched Dano on his shoulders. The white light was accompanied by the love and confidence it always was, but this time it was more powerful. Dano relished the feeling, and he didn’t open his eyes after the light dissipated. Dano let sleep grab him once again, a content feeling him his mind. He could do this, he could save Ponyville, and he thought with a chuckle, The things I get myself into…

All done, back story filled in.
yes, yes it is
what do you think logic?
my thoughts are irrelevant
now that's no way to think
i believe you are doing a good job
thank you
your welcome
so, what are your plans for this week
sit in your head and be ignored
i don't ignore you
yes you do
name one time i ignored you
when you went out and got drunk the night before family day at college
so, a lot of kids get drunk
your mother didn't know you were drinking, and you tried to keep it a secret
fine, i ignored you then
and the time you lied to your parents about what you did whenever your girlfriend came over
i get it
and the time you decided to drive your truck alone with only a permit
LOGIC!
yes
i get it, you can stop now
okay
*mumbles* stupid brain...

there she blows, chapter 9 is up
don't forget to comment
that is all
kthanxbai

Friendship

This chapter contains two different links to two different songs. The links are song*, and song^. Please click on them to fully enjoy the scene in which they were placed. Thank you for your cooperation on this matter.

Whole New World
Chapter 10
Friendship

Dano awoke to the sound of Echo snoring. The sun was just peaking over the horizon, and the world was dark and quiet. Dano let the images of his dream flood back into his mind, and they settled in his brain. He had a job to do, so he might as well get up and start.

Dano sat up and sighed quietly. He hoped his movement wouldn’t wake up Echo, but the wolf woke up once Dano sat up. Echo looked at Dano with the same worry as before, and made a quiet whine. Dano smirked and patted the dog on the head.

“Everything’s okay buddy, no need to worry.”

Echo smiled and barked quietly. Dano chuckled, he didn’t know what he said, but he knew it was something supportive. The two hopped out of bed and began the day. Dano put on his clothes and Echo stretched. Dano realized that his toothbrush and toothpaste were back at the cabin, and he cursed. He would have to go back home and grab his toiletries, or find some in Ponyville.

When the two survivors finished getting ready they walked out of the guest room and into the living room. The house was starting to fill with light, and the animals that called it home began to stir. Dano could hear movement coming from upstairs, and he bet Fluttershy was just rising. He decided to go outside and give her a little space, it was her house after all.

Dano and Echo walked out of the front door quietly, and moved down the small path to the bridge. Dano rested his upper body on the guard rail that faced east and watched the sun power over the mountains and beam into the valley. He enjoyed watching the sun rise, for he never really woke up early enough or wanted to stay up all night to see it before his accident. Dano froze, he had actually died. The thought worked through his mind. He didn’t really think about the whole ‘you died and then was brought back’ part of the conversation last night.

Dano was about to zone out when he caught some motion in the corner of his eye. He turned his head to see Echo sitting on the bridge next to him, he was shifting restlessly while his head and eyes darted around. Dano smiled at the obviously nervous wolf, and decided to have some fun.

“What ya looking at buddy?” Dano smiled at Echo.

The wolf stopped shifting and gave Dano an innocent look, as if he was just looking at a tree or something.

“You looking for that husky Fluttershy was talking about?” Dano’s smile grew as Echo’s expression changed to one of denial.

“She looks nice, not that I’m into dogs or anything…”

Echo looked at Dano with questioning and hopeful eyes, as if he was saying ‘you really think so?’

“Go on now, go find her. I will be fine without you for the day.” Dano returned his gaze back to the horizon, and spoke casually.

Echo’s ears perked and he looked exited, but as he took his first step towards the house the wolf’s demeanor changed to nervousness. Dano chuckled and Echo shot him a look over his shoulder and growled a bit. Dano returned the look with one that sent the message of ‘are you kidding me?’. Echo returned his gaze forward and sighed before trotting off to find Jenna.

Fluttershy came out of her house right when Echo took off, and watched him go while holding a bag of bird seed in both of her arms. She walked down the path to Dano and paused just short of stepping on the bridge. She wore a long canary yellow dress, which shifted as she walked, with the pink flat soled shoes that she was wearing when she was lost in the woods. To Dano she looked like she wanted to say something, so he decided to break the barrier first.

“Good morning Fluttershy, how was your night?” Dano didn’t turn his gaze away from the horizon as he spoke, hoping that the lack of eye contact would make Fluttershy more comfortable.

“Um… it was alright…”

Dano let a small smile grow across his face, he wished it would soften his look enough for Fluttershy to not be so nervous.

“What are you up to?”

Fluttershy uncomfortably shifted her weight, the bag in her arms made a crumpling sound as it moved inside of her embrace.

“I um… I’m just feeding the birds.”

Dano saw out of the corner of his eye that she was still trying to say something. Her eyes, though staring at the ground as usual, were filled with internal conflict. After a few minute of awkward silence Fluttershy spoke.

“I um… I want to thank you. You know… for… for last night. I mean, my f-friends have been there for me, but they never really understood. Rainbow Dash l-lost her father and Applejack lost her parents, but they never um… never let it show.” Fluttershy gained a little confidence as she spoke, but only minutely.

Dano finally turned his gaze over to Fluttershy, and she seemed to pull even deeper behind her hair with the attention.

“It’s no problem, really. I’m happy that I could make you feel better.” Dano gave her a large smile, and Fluttershy returned the grin with a small one of her own.

“H-how long are you going to, um… stay in Ponyville?”

Dano returned his gaze back to the horizon and shrugged.

“I was thinking about staying for a while, but I left some things back at my cabin. Plus I don’t know where I will be staying.”

Fluttershy looked defeated, as if she didn’t want Dano to leave. Dano chalked it up to the experience from last night, and was a little saddened at the sight.

“You can stay here. If you want to…”

Dano didn’t really have anywhere else in Ponyville to go, plus he loved Fluttershy’s cooking.

“That sounds great Fluttershy. I bet Echo will be exited that we will be staying here too.” Fluttershy smiled a little, and it made Dano smile. “I’m going into town today to grab my things from Rarity, Echo should be around here somewhere.” Dano said as he looked for the wolf.

Fluttershy nodded, and said goodbye before she started her chores around the house. Dano reciprocated as he crossed the bridge and began the walk back to Ponyville.

Dano was about halfway to town when he turned a blind corner that went around a somewhat steep hill and ran into someone, literally. Dano fell backwards in a storm of papers and landed on his rear a little dazed. When he regained his composure he saw a woman with blonde hair and gold eyes sitting in front of him. She was wearing a light grey short sleeved polo with even darker grey pants. Dark brown leather boots covered her feet, and she had a dark blue satchel that rested on her left hip that was filled with letters. Dano guessed that was where the cloud of papers came from.

The survivor was first to recover from the accident and began to pick up the scattered letters. Dano noticed that most of them were pink and covered with glitter, but the though was only a murmur in the back of his head. The woman recovered soon after Dano, and also began picking up the scattered papers. When the two completed their cleanup they both stood, and Dano began to apologize.

“I’m sorry for running into you. I really didn’t see you there.” Dan rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

The woman only smiled, before she spoke.

“It’s not a problem, happens all of the time.”

Dano returned the smile and offered his hand.

“My name is Daniel, but please call me Dano.”

The woman took his hand and shook it.

“My name is Ditzy Doo, but everybody calls me Derpy.”

Dano wondered why she was given such a name until he looked into Derpy’s eyes. Her right eye was off center and looking to the right. She had a lazy eye, and she noticed that Dano was looking at it.

“You know it isn’t nice to stare right?” A little annoyance in Derpy’s voice.

Dano jumped a little, and smiled sheepishly.

“My bad.” He chuckled.

“It’s alright, I just need to concentrate and…” Dano watched her lazy eye move to where it was supposed to be. “there.” Derpy smiled.

Dano’s smile turned from one of embarrassment to one of actual happiness before his curiosity got to him.

“Why are you carrying all of these letters?” Dano indicated the satchel Derpy was carrying.

She looked confused for a second, before her mind put things together.

“You must be the new guy Lotus was talking about.”

Dano made an overly deep bow.

“The one and only.”

Derpy chuckled before she answered Dano’s question.

“I’m the mail woman for Ponyville. Since people work all day the only way they can get groups of people together is through the mail.”

It made sense to Dano, and he nodded. Derpy made a face of realization, and began to dig in her satchel.

“I think I have something here for you… Ah,” She handed Dano a pink letter, “here it is.”

Dano was confused, he had only been in Ponyville for a night and he had mail. He took the letter from the mail woman, and said goodbye as she walked past Dano and on to Fluttershy’s house.

He stared at the letter in his hand for a while, and re-read the address on the front several times. ‘Daniel Masset, Fluttershy’s house.’ Dano was even more confused, he never remembered telling anyone his last name. He opened the pink envelope and pulled out a hot pink card with three different colored balloons on the front that looked familiar. Dano opened the card, and confetti shot out at him. Dano had a mixture of surprise and annoyance on his face as the confetti settled on his chest and head. He tried his best to get it off, but the occasional piece seemed to appear out of nowhere.

Dano sighed and read the card. ‘You are invited to a welcome party for Mountain Man Dan at the Pink Hole. The party starts at seven, and don’t be late. We all know how Twilight gets when things are tardy.’ Dano blinked in disbelief, and looked at the return address on the envelope. ‘ Pinkie Pie, 14 Stirrup Street, Ponyville USA.’ Dano blinked again. Pinkie is throwing me a party tonight? Dano decided to go talk to her before he got his equipment back, something didn’t fit.

Dano finished the walk to Ponyville, and began searching for the Pink Hole. After asking around he finally made it through town and to the desired location. The front of the building was mostly windows, and Dano could see most of the interior from outside. The walls, floor and ceiling were all painted or tiled in earthy tones and hues, with dashes of pink here and there. Most of the shop was dominated by an dining area, with mostly chairs and tables, but there was a couple alcoves made out of sofas that looked welcoming. A sign rested above the windows that read, ‘The Pink Hole’ in large pink letters, and the O was replaced with a giant doughnut.

Dano entered the shop, and a bell above to door chimed. The smell of pastries entered Dano’s nostrils, and he unconsciously began to salivate. The shop was filled with warm air, but not oppressively. It was comfortable and inviting. Dano noticed that Rainbow Dash was behind the counter, but she looked occupied.

Dash was resting her chin in her hands, and her elbows were sitting on the counter next to the cash register she was supposed to be attending. Her eyes were glazed over, and Dano knew she was daydreaming.

Dano quietly moved through the shop and to the counter. He realized that Rainbow Dash had changed clothes from the last time he saw her. Underneath a plane white apron she wore a cyan t-shirt, and her lower half was covered in the standard tight blue jeans. Dano couldn’t see her feet from his position in front of the counter, but he bet they were encased in the white running shoes he had seen her in yesterday.

The survivor reached the counter without drawing Dash’s attention. He followed her gaze to a group of people Dano’s age, and he put two and two together. Dano rested his right arm on the counter and leaned over to Rainbow Dash.

“Who are we looking at?” Dano’s voice was quiet, quiet enough that nobody else heard what they were talking about.

“Soarin.” Dash replied dreamily.

Dano covered his mouth with his hand to cover a chuckle.

“Soarin’s pretty hot isn’t he.”

Rainbow Dash sighed contently.

“Yeah.”

Dano was on the verge of bursting out laughing.

“Hey Rainbow Dash?”

“Yeah?” Dash’s voice remained in its dreamy state.

“You realize you just said that out loud?”

Rainbow Dash’s eyes unglazed and she returned to the real world. She looked at Dano with horror as she quickly straightened. Dano laughed as her cheeks began to turn a very dark red that almost matched the red in her hair. Dash scowled at Dano.

“What do you want?”

Dano had to fight to control himself, but he got the answer out between chuckles.

“To see Pinkie.”

Without a word Rainbow Dash turned around and entered a door behind the counter, a scowl still on her face. It only took a few seconds for the embarrassed woman to return with Pinkie in tow. Pinkie Pie was wearing a pink chefs coat and black pants, her pink Converse still on her feet. Her uniform was covered in a thin dusting of flower and a couple globs of frosting. The same could be said for her face, which also had a huge smile on it.

“How are you doing Mountain Man Dan?” The enthusiasm that danced in Pinkie’s eyes also came with her voice, which was bouncy and a little high pitched.

“It’s Dano, Pinkie.” Dano like the nickname his father gave him, and not Mountain Man Dan.

“Okiee Dokiee Lokiee.”

Dano raised an eyebrow at the response, but continued anyway. He pulled the letter from his pocket and showed it to the overly happy chef.

“How did you find out my last name?”

Pinkie seemed a bit confused.

“That is your name right?”

Dano nodded.

“But how did you find out about it, I never told anyone here.”

Pinkie just answered the question with a smile. Dano sighed and decided to move on.

“How did you get a party together so fast for me. I have only been here for one night.”

Pinkie threw both of her hands out in dismissal.

“Psh. I knew you were coming for a while now, well not you specifically, but someone new was coming, and I guessed it was you. Looks like I was right.” Pinkie punctuated her answer with a proud toothy smile.

Dano was confused how she could have known this.

“How Pinkie?”

“Pinkie Sense.”

Dano raised an eyebrow and looked at Rainbow Dash, who just shrugged. Before Dano could figure out what the ‘Pinkie Sense’ was Pinkie perked up even more that she was right now.

“Got to go Dano, doughnuts are done.” She turned and bolted through the door she had exited to talk to Dano.

Dano sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Pinkie confused him so much his head was about to explode. Dash giggled at Dano’s expression.

“She does that to everybody. You will get used to it.”

Dano sighed again and removed his hand from his face. Rainbow Dash looked less flustered, so Dano decided a conversation was in order.

“So who’s this Soarin you told me about.” An evil grin spread across Dano’s face.

Dash’s scowl returned, but then dropped it when she realized that Dano knew enough to get her into trouble if he wanted to. She looked at the ground embarrassed and whispered.

“The one with the short navy hair.”

Dano turned to the group and took in their features more deeply than before.

There were four people sitting in a booth made up of couches, two of them male the other two female. Dano saw that each member of the group wore a flight jacket with small variations in color and design to each. Dano recognized the patches on the shoulders of the groups flight jackets, and each one represented a different military air demonstration team.

Dano first recognized the man Rainbow Dash had picked out. He did in fact have somewhat short navy blue hair, and he filled out his jacket nicely. His green eyes were filled with youthful enthusiasm, like he was still a child. Soarin’s jacket was exactly the same as Dash’s, including the Blue Angels patch, except it looked newer and less faded. Light blue jeans and blue sneakers with black highlights and laces made up the rest of his outfit.

The next group member Dano examined was a woman with two different shades of orange in her hair. Her orange eyes beamed confidence, and her jacket was a little too big for her frame. The leather jacket was unzipped, and a deep yellow t-shirt covered her torso. The rest of her ensemble was the same as most people, blue jeans and sneakers. Dano didn’t have to dive too deep into his military knowledge to figure out that the patch on her shoulder belonged to the Thunderbirds, the army’s acrobatic team. He had the feeling that she was the leader of the group, just by the way she oozed confidence like it was something that came natural to her. Maybe it did.

Next up was the other male of the team. His hair was white with grey highlights, and it had a poof to it, not as extreme as Pinkie’s though. His eyes were grey, but they weren’t dull. They were vibrant, and he seemed to always be smiling. His jacked looked a little too small for him, and probably wouldn’t zip up without tearing. A white t-shirt covered his upper body, and dark blue jeans covered his legs. His feet were covered in black low cut boots, and they were shining in the light. Dano realized that his father probably taught him how to properly clean his boots. The patch on the large male’s shoulder took a little while for Dano to recognize, and he guessed it was the United Kingdom’s army air show team, The Red Arrows.

The last of the group wasn’t actually sitting on a couch, but on the man who wasn’t Soarin’s lap. She was the smallest, and it looked like she could use her jacket as a tent. Her bright white hair complimented her light blue eyes. Her jacket was zipped up, and she wore dark blue jeans and white sneakers. Dano recognized her patch as the emblem of the Snow Birds, the Canadian air demonstration team.

When Dano completed his evaluation he turned back to Rainbow Dash, who had yet to look up from the ground.

“Why don’t you go talk to him? You two look like you have a lot in common.”

Rainbow Dash shook her head, and her voice was filled with doubt.

“No we don’t.”

Dano was a bit confused.

“What do you mean? You both have Blue Angels patches on identical flight jackets, what else do you need.”

Dash sighed.

“His father gave him his jacket, but mine came from my grandfather. And on top of that… my grandfather wasn’t in the navy.” The last part was rushed, as if Dash was embarrassed.

Dano knew what she was talking about, but pressed anyway.

“How could he be a Blue Angel and not be in the navy?”

“He was a Marine.”

Dano already knew this. In his research to find the best branch to enlist in he found the Marine Corp. to be one of the better ones, along with the army rangers. Dano had found out that the Marines fielded a pretty competent air force, and that one of the Blue Angels was always a Marine. This wasn’t the part that Rainbow was worried about though. She was worried about the assignments that the Marine received in the Blue Angels. He didn’t get to fly any of the jets, but the C-130 Hercules transport plane that accompanied the jets. It would transport parts and equipment between shows, and during the shows did some stunts. Nothing to impressive.

The worry that Dash’s grandfather would be considered a pack mule was pounded into place by the rivalry between the Marine Corp. and the navy. To Dano’s knowledge it was a feud at the best of times, and a hatred at the worst. Dano could understand where Rainbow Dash was coming from, and wanted to help.

Dano reached across the counter and placed a hand on Dash’s shoulder. She looked startled at the contact, but didn’t shy away.

“Take pride in the fact that your grandfather was one of the best Marine pilots. How else could he be chosen to become a Blue Angel?”

Rainbow Dash shrugged, and Dano gave her a confident look.

“You’re right,” Dash began to gain her confidence back, “my grandfather was one of the best Marine pilots.”

Dano chuckled and removed his hand from the woman’s shoulder.

“I’m gonna talk to him…” Dano saw a brief flash of nervousness in Dash’s eyes when she saw the group, “when he’s alone.”

Dano chuckled.

“Whenever you want to Rainbow Dash.”

Dash smiled.

“Thanks Dano.”

Dano waved a hand dismissively.

“Not a problem.”

Suddenly Pinkie burst through the kitchen door with her trade mark smile, and a doughnut in her hand. It was chocolate with blue and yellow frosting.

“I just had an idea, and this is it.” Pinkie held up the doughnut like it was the key to the world. “I overheard your guy’s conversation about the Blue Angels and junk, and it made me think. So I made a doughnut with the Blue Angels colors, and I’m going to call it the Blue Angel.”

Dano wasn’t really listening to Pinkie’s spiel about the doughnut’s origins. He was staring at the pastry. It smelled delicious, and the color of the frosting was vibrant. Dano felt the saliva begin to build in his mouth, and he had to swallow or else he would begin to drool. Pinkie noticed.

“Do you want to be the first one to try it Dano?”

Dano regained his composure.

“I don’t have any money.”

Pinkie just giggled.

“It’s ok, it’s free.”

Dano looked at Pinkie and waited for a catch. All he got was a large smile. Dano shrugged, took the doughnut from Pinkie and took a bite. BY THOR’S HAMMER!! Dano groaned as he chewed on the most delicious thing he had ever tasted. The pastry was moist and it felt like it melted in Dano’s mouth. The frosting was perfectly sweet, and Dano’s brain literally stopped working. Pinkie just giggled, and Rainbow smiled at Dano’s expression.

By the time Dano regained his composure a second time Pinkie was laughing harder than was socially acceptable, and Dash was matching her volume. Dano blushed as everybody looked over at him with a mixture of confusion and amusement. He decided now was the time to leave before he did anything else to make him look even more like a fool.

“I’m gonna get outa here now, it was nice seeing you two.”

“We will see you later at your party, right?” Pinkie asked between fits of laughter.

“Yeah. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Pinkie smiled then said goodbye before moving back into the kitchen. Dano said his goodbye to both Pinkie and Rainbow as he left the shop.

Dano wandered around town as he ate the most delicious doughnut in the world. He eventually found himself in the town square, where the fountain Dano had seen on his way through town rested. Dano walked over and sat on a bench, one of the many wooden benches that rested on the perimeter of the square. While he sat Dano watched people come and go, and found himself asking himself why everybody had such weird hair and eye colors. His mind went back to the conversation he had last night with Sun and Moon. ‘…the portal worked as a conduit that funneled the magic of harmony into your world…’

Maybe that was it, maybe the magic altered humans a little. Like the strange eye and hair color was a result of their bodies being purged of the ‘magic of chaos’. This also explained why Dano was unaltered. He was a remnant of the old world, one soiled by the chaos that human beings naturally emitted. The theory solidified in Dano’s mind, it explained everything around him.

After zoning out for god knows how long Dano sighed and was about to get up when he heard a four wheeler approaching. Dano looked to the right and saw an old orange ATV with Applejack driving it. A large wagon was attached to the back of the quad, and was full of produce. She noticed Dano, and pulled up next to his bench.

“How y’all doing sugarcube?”

Sugarcube?

“I’m doing good Applejack. I was on my way to Rarity’s to pick up my things, but I got a little side tracked.”

Applejack chuckled.

“That’ll happen ‘round here. Say, why don’t ya help me out, if ya do ah could drive you over to Rarity’s lickity split.”

Dano stood up and smiled.

“Sounds good to me.”

Dano climbed onto the quad and placed his hands on the rear rack to stabilize himself. Applejack chuckled.

“Ah aint gonna bite ya.”

Dano laughed.

“I’m comfortable right here.”

Applejack shrugged.

“Suit yourself.”

The farm girl pressed the accelerator with her thumb and the quad bike moved forward. The ride was pleasant, and Dano spent most of his time fighting off Applejacks long blond hair or looking around. One shop caught Dano’s eye, for it was boarded up and abandoned. Dano only got a quick glance at the building before Applejack turned a corner. The sign read ‘The Punch Bowl’, and Dano was certain it was a bar. He resolved to ask somebody about it later.

The duo entered a more than usually crowded area with dozens of stalls lined up in three rows. The corridor between one row of stalls to another was about five feet, and the quad easily fit through the gap, even with people milling about. Each stall was colorful and vibrant in their owners attempts to attract people and turn a profit.

Applejack pulled up to one stall that was decorated with painted apples of all colors, and a small sign was stuck into the ground in front that read ‘Sweet Apple Acres’ in elegant cursive. Other than the painted apples the booth was just plain wooden crates and boxes filled with mostly apples, and some other produce. Sitting behind the booth was a man Dano didn’t recognize.

Applejack hopped off the quad and Dano followed. She called to the man inside of the booth.

“Consarnit Big Mac, don’t be rude and introduce yourself!”

The man stood and walked out from behind the produce, and Dano took in the person. Big Mac wasn’t tall, only a couple inches taller than Dano, but he was wide. His shoulder span was at least one and a half times wider than Dano’s, and his arms looked like they were logs. Big Mac had a sprig of wheat hanging out of his mouth, and his green eyes gave off the same aura of honesty as, what Dano guessed, his sisters. He wore a tight red t-shirt that was stained just like Applejack’s, and dirty, dark blue jeans that ended in large cowboy boots. His dirty blonde hair was short, and looked unkempt.

Dano could see the muscles shift under the tan skin and red shirt of the farm boy as he raised his hand so he could shake Dano’s. Dano was a little nervous when Big Mac offered his hand, but took it. Instead of his fingers being crushed Dano was surprised to find out that the hand shake was polite and firm.

“Nice to meet you.” Big Mac’s voice was deep and considerate.

“Dano, my name is Dano.” Dano responded as he shook the giants hand.

“Well, now that y’all have been acquainted its time to unload wagon.” Applejack called with an amused grin on her face.

Dano and Big Mac complied and moved over to the wagon. As the three of them worked Dano decided to talk to Big Mac.

“So, you're Applejack’s older brother?”

“Eeyup.”

Dano raised an eyebrow at the answer, and continued.

“Do you own Sweet Apple Acres?”

“Nnope.”

“Then who does.”

“Granny Smith.”

“You have any other siblings?”

“Eeyup.”

“And they are?”

“Applebloom.”

“Is she younger than you?”

“Eeyup.”

“Is she older than Applejack?”

“Nnope.”

Dano was getting frustrated with the one sidedness of the conversation. He turned to Applejack as the last of the crates of produce were set by the booth.

“He doesn’t talk much does he.”

Applejack chuckled.

“Nnope.”

Dano and Applejack burst into laughter, and Big Mac kept his calm demeanor as he shifted his wheat sprig from one side of his mouth to the other with his tongue. Once the laughter stopped Applejack spoke as she whipped a tear from her eye.

“Well, ah promised you a ride to Rarity’s. So let’s get goin.”

Dano nodded, and helped Applejack remove the wagon from the rear of the quad. Once it was off the hitch the couple climbed on and took off. Applejack waved at Big Mac, who had returned to his place behind the booth, as she left. Dano was too busy fighting off hair to wave.

It didn’t take long for Dano and Applejack to reach Rarity’s house, but when they got there the day was winding down, with the sun beginning to set. Rarity lived in a building which also doubled as her place of work. The building was two stories, and painted light blue. Around the roof and windows of the building there was an elegant white wood trim. The carpenter who put this place together really showed his stuff with the intricate designs in the wood. The shingles of the pitched roof alternated shades of purple, and the windows were large and elegant. A sign rested above the door that read ‘Carousel Boutique’, and was written in calligraphy that was so drawn out that it was hardly legible.

Dano chuckled a bit, he could definitely see Rarity living someplace like this. He dismounted the quad and waved goodbye as Applejack turned the bike around and drove away. Dano moved up to the door and knocked loudly. The sound of high heels on tile echoed from within as a feminine voice called out that she was coming. The door opened to reveal Rarity in an elegant white top, and black dress pants. On her feet were a pair of heels that weren’t the most extreme, but still tall enough that you needed practice to keep your balance.

Rarity smiled when she saw Dano.

“My word, I thought you were never going to show up.”

Dano just shrugged and smiled as Rarity let him in.

The shop area of the boutique was large and open. Several small stages with dressed mannequins lined the light purple walls, and there were dozens of large mirrors scattered around the room. Each dress or outfit was elegant and fancy, and Dano couldn’t figure out how or why a place like this could stay afloat in a town filled with only working class people.

Rarity disappeared though a threshold on the right side of the room that appeared to be a hallway to some doors. Another archway directly in front of Dano led to a large kitchen with a small table in it. The cabinets were a lighter shade of purple than the walls, and the white tile floor and countertops shined in the artificial light of a small chandelier.

Rarity returned with Dano’s clothes and equipment. The clothing was neatly folded, the boots spotless, his pack neat and his weapons had a light sheen to them. Rarity set Dano’s things down on one of the stages, and grabbed a tape measure.

“Now darling, let’s get started.”

Dano was confused.

“Start what?”

“Your fitting.”

Dano took a step back from the approaching fashionista, and raised his hands defensively.

“I just came here for my clothes Rarity.”

Rarity scoffed.

“And that is what I am doing darling.”

Dano’s back was against the wall now, and Rarity now looked devilish as she advanced. Dano was about to dive out of the door when a voice came from the hallway that Rarity had gone down to get Dano’s things.

“Hey Rarity, when is dinner going to be done?”

Dano looked over Rarity’s shoulder to find a girl who was around the same age as Spike. She wore a pale pink tank top, blue jeans capris and pale pink flat sole shoes. Her hair was just as curly and stylized as Rarity’s, but a combination of faded pink and purple covered her scalp. Her light green eyes were full of confusion at the scene in front of her, and Dano thought she looked just like Rarity. Rarity sighed and looked over her shoulder at the teenager.

“I’m working Sweetie Belle.”

The teenager ignored Rarity and stared at Dano.

“Who are you?”

Rarity gasped.

“Sweetie Belle, how rude!”

Dano waved a hand dismissively at Rarity.

“It’s okay.” He turned his attention to Sweetie Bell. “I’m Daniel, but call me Dano.”

Sweetie Belle smiled.

“You must be the new guy everybody around town has been talking about.”

Dano laughed.

“That’s me.”

Rarity sighed and turned around to face Sweetie Belle.

“Sweetie Belle, you know that I am going to a party tonight. Dinner is whatever you can put together.”

Sweetie Belle barely acknowledged Rarity with a small nod. She was more concerned with Dano.

“Where are you from?”

Dano didn’t really know how to answer the question.

“Well, I live in a cabin quite a distance away, but originally I’m from a town called Fulton. It’s way up north.”

Sweetie Belle looked on with enthusiasm.

“Why are you here?”

Dano decided now was the time to play with the teen.

“Decided to drop in and see the sights.”

Rarity covered her mouth as a chuckle escaped her throat, and Sweetie Belle looked confused.

“The sights?”

Dano laughed.

“Of course.”

Sweetie Belle just continued to look confused as she wandered through the room and into the kitchen. Rarity was smiling when she turned back to Dano.

“Well, that was amusing.”

Dano nodded, and checked his watch.

“It’s almost seven, we should get going.”

Rarity sighed.

“Of course darling, let me just wrap up an ensemble that you can wear tomorrow.”

Before Dano could protest Rarity was off again, disappearing through the hallway she retrieved Dano’s items from. He sighed and moved to his equipment.

Dano picked up his EBR and looked it over. Someone must have cleaned the outside, since the metal had a small shine to it. He pulled the bolt back and inspected the internal workings of the weapon. Everything seemed to be in place. Next came the Magnum, which was removed from its clean leather holster. The revolver had a marvelous sheen to the weapon, and Dano could almost see his reflection in the stainless finish. He let the cylinder smoothly slip out of its place and hang to the side of the weapon. All six rounds were there, and the stainless finish of the cylinder also shined in the light. Whoever cleaned the weapon had done a good job, doing both the exterior and interior. Dano snapped the cylinder back into place and put the Magnum back into its holster. Lastly was the M9. Its midnight black finish looked spotless. Dano pulled the slide back just enough to see inside of the weapon without letting a round discharge. Dano smiled as he saw a bullet chambered, just like he left it.

“What ya doing?”

Dano looked up to see Sweetie Belle standing right outside of the kitchen with a sandwich in her hands.

“Just looking over my guns.” Dano smiled.

“Can I see?” Sweetie Belle’s eyes were filled with curiosity.

Dano shrugged.

“Sure.”

Sweetie Belle set her sandwich down on one of the stages and walked over to Dano. Dano, knowing about gun safety, removed the fifteen round clip from the weapon, and discharged the chambered round. The unused bullet made a pinging sound as it hit the tile. Dano turned the weapon around in his hand and presented the pistol grip to the exited Sweetie Belle, but as she reached for it Dano pulled away.

“Now Sweetie Belle, I am going to tell you some very important safety facts about guns. I don’t want you ignoring me. Okay?”

Sweetie Belle’s gaze never left the weapon as she half nodded.

“Sweetie Belle?” Dano’s voice was serious.

“I get it.” Sweetie Belle’s voice carried the usual annoyed teenager tone.

“Okay,” Dano smiled, “first things first. Rule number one is to assume every weapon you pick up is loaded. Second rule is that you will only point a weapon at something if you are, without a doubt, going to shoot it. Last rule is you never rest your finger on the trigger unless you are going to shoot. Understand?”

Yes, I get it.” Sweetie Belle looked annoyed.

Dano sighed and handed the unloaded pistol to the teen. She twisted it around in the air, taking it in at every angle. Dano decided now was teaching time.

“Now, what is rule number one?”

Sweetie Belle looked exited as she remembered the answer.

“Every weapon should be treated like it loaded.”

“Good,” Dano smiled, “how do you check if the gun is loaded?”

Sweetie Belle looked a little confused.

“I-I don’t know.”

Dano kept his smile as he walked behind the teen. He kneeled so he was her height and wrapped his arms around her shoulders so he could show her what to do.

“Are you left or right handed?”

“Right.”

Dano nodded as he looked over her shoulder.

“Ok, then put the pistol in your right hand then with your left hand you are going to pull the top part back and look inside.”

Sweetie Belle compiled, and tried to pull the slide back. The internal spring fought her all the way, and only with a little help from Dano did Sweetie Belle pull the slide back far enough. Sweetie Belle looked into the pistol.

“I don’t see anything.”

“Alright then, just let the slide return slowly then we can move on.”

Sweetie Belle tried her best, but the slide moved a little too fast for Dano. He let it go, and moved back in front of Sweetie Belle.

“What’s rule number two.”

Sweetie Belle’s courage bounced back with her knowledge.

“Never point a gun at anything unless I’m going to shoot it.”

Dano smiled.

“Good, and rule number three?”

“Never rest your finger on the trigger.”

Dano patted Sweetie Belle on the head. She beamed with the positive support, and Dano had the warm fuzzy feeling you get when you do something nice. Sweetie Belle handed the pistol back to Dano. He took the weapon from the teen, and set in back on top of his things while he looked for the round that hit the ground. Dano found it with little effort, and returned the bullet to its magazine before sliding the magazine back into the M9. The metal made a satisfying click as the magazine rammed home, and Dano chambered a round before putting the weapon on safe. Rarity walked back into the shop and put some new clothes on top of Dano’s things, as Dano put his pistol back into its holster. Sweetie Belle practically ran to Rarity and began to jump around the fashionista.

“Dano taught me about guns!”

Rarity’s expression was a mixture of confusion and shock.

“What?”

Dano quickly intervened to save his ass.

“She wanted to see my pistol, so I let her. The gun was empty and there was no way Sweetie Belle could have hurt anyone.”

Rarity didn’t look convinced.

“Why does she need to know about guns? She’s only a little girl.”

Dano frowned.

“Knowledge is power. What would have happened if Sweetie Belle found a gun, but didn’t know how to properly take care of it?”

Rarity went to speak, but couldn’t find words. Dano sighed and continued.

“I’m sorry for not telling you, but just look at her.”

Dano pointed to Sweetie Belle, who immediately made puppy dog eyes. Rarity chuckled, and Dano joined in.

“Yes, she can be quite… persuasive.”

The two adults and the teen all got a healthy laugh out of the comment.

“Well, enough chit chat,” Rarity tossed he hair, “we must be off.”

Dano nodded, grabbed his things, said goodbye to Sweetie Belle and followed Rarity out of the boutique. The two walked through the now dark Ponyville with only the sporadic street light to illuminate their path. The Carousel Boutique was on the outskirts of town, and the Pink Hole was more towards the center. This meant the duo had to walk through a good portion of Ponyville to get to their destination.

The conversation between the survivor and the fashionista was light, and not very personal. They talked about the town and weather, not very important things. This changed when they turned a corner and Dano saw another building that was boarded up and abandoned.

There was no sign identifying the building, and Dano guessed that it was actually written on the covered windows. The two story structure’s pink and navy paint was sloped at a forty five degree angle, but looked worse for wear. The bottom windows were covered in plywood, and the door had a sign that said ‘Closed’. Strangely the windows that were on the second story had light beaming through them. Dano turned to Rarity as they walked down the dirt street.

“What is with the boarded up shops? This is the second one I have seen today.”

Rarity looked a little depressed when Dano brought up the abandoned structure.

“That was Bon Bon’s shop. She used to live there with her fiancé Lyra. I was planning their wedding when Bon Bon just disappeared a couple months ago. She never left a note or anything, she just left.” Rarity sighed. “Lyra still lives there, more a ghost now then a person. She only comes out to get food.”

Dano felt bad about Lyra and Bon Bon’s situation, but the feeling wasn’t the normal ‘poor strangers’ feeling you get when you see a homeless person on the street. It was felt to the bone, because Dano knew that Bon Bon was actually abducted by Discord’s avatar. That her mind was twisted, and she probably wasn’t herself anymore. Dano sighed, and he asked Rarity about the Punch Bowl.

“What about this one place I saw, the Punch Bowl?”

Rarity looked at her feet as she walked.

“That was the local bar. It was owned by Berry Punch, but she disappeared a month and a half ago. A real pity. Her bar was where anybody could go and have a drink with friends, and not just beer. Berry Punch had some of the most exquisite wine you have ever tasted.” Rarity smiled as her brain flashed back to drinking wine with friends.

Dano kept walking, and faded into his mind. Berry Punch and Bon Bon were in Discord’s clutches now. He felt a tad bit of guilt, for his mission was to defend Ponyville. He sighed and returned to the real world.

“That’s tragic.”

Rarity nodded.

The two continued to walk in complete silence. Dano was too busy feeling bad about his already failing mission, and Rarity was too busy thinking about friends and acquaintances that just disappeared. Eventually the two melancholy people found themselves outside of the Pink Hole. The sound of a beat softened by the building reached Dano’s ears, and the bright light that shone through the front windows assaulted his eyes. Dano could see dozens of people either sitting, eating or dancing in the doughnut shop turned club, and he wondered how he was going to remember everybody’s name.

Dano opened the door to let Rarity in, and the unhampered sound of the music echoed through the quiet Ponyville. Rarity walked in with a polite smile, and Dano followed. The heat inside of the building had skyrocketed from earlier, probably from all the bodies. Dano could see a DJ who had blue hair with light blue highlights and purple sunglasses over her eyes behind a turntable and a ton of speakers right next to the counter. She was wearing a grey t-shirt with a pair of beamed eighth notes on the front, and a pair black of headphones surrounded her neck. The DJ wore black cargo shorts around her legs, and Dano couldn’t tell what was on her feet as she moved to the bass she was dropping.

She was blasting a song* Dano knew and loved. It was a Glitch Mob remix of Seven Nation Army, and Dano had once listened to it on his stereo system so loud that the RA had to come and beat down his dorm room door.

Dano chuckled as he remembered the good times. He scanned the room, and he found Applejack, Twilight and Fluttershy sitting in one of the couch booths. Dano moved through the jostling crowd to the couches, and sat down next to Applejack. He rested all of his things on the ground in front of him. Twilight and Fluttershy sat on the other half of the alcove facing Dano.

“Hello Dano!” Twilight yelled over the music.

“How you doing Twilight!”

Twilight smiled.

“I’m pretty good! A little bummed that I had to leave Spike, but he isn’t allowed to these parties!”

Dano was a little confused until he saw a beer bottle in both Twilight’s and Applejack’s hand.

Dano was about to respond when the music suddenly stopped, and Pinkie Pie appeared right next to Dano. She had changed from her work clothes to pink jeans and a blue tank top, her hair as bouncy as ever. Pinkie was standing on the sofa’s arm rest, somehow keeping her balance, as she yelled over the crowd.

“Hey everybody! Dano’s here!”

Dano stood as everybody yelled. The whole scene reminded Dano of the frat parties he had attended. Everybody had a beer in their hands, and people were acting crazy. Dano caught a look at Pinkie’s face, and it was one of pure joy. She must love throwing parties. Dano waved at the crowd and took his seat. If people wanted to say hi they would. Pinkie handed a beer to Dano before disappearing again. The music started up right where it left off, and the party resumed.

Dano opened the beer and took a sip. He wasn’t a light weight, far from it, but he never drank to just drink. He would drink to get drunk, and he didn’t want to do that on his first party in Ponyville. Dano had the feeling that this wasn’t going to be his last party in this town, so it didn’t bother him.

Dano was about to start the conversation back up with he saw Twilight giggling.

“What’s up?!”

Twilight just pointed over Dano’s shoulder, so he looked. Two booths down was a group of five girls. Dano recognized two of them as Aloe and Lotus, but the other three were a mystery. When they saw Dano look at them they all blushed a little and giggled. Applejack had also looked over her shoulder, and began laughing.

“Looks like you’re the hot commodity at this party!” Applejack said as she turned around.

Dano laughed.

“You think so?!”

“Don’t let it go to your head sugarcube!”

“What! Don’t you think I’m sexy?!”

Everybody in the booth laughed, even Fluttershy gave a small chuckle.

“Ah’m not into that stuff!”

Dano shrugged, he didn’t know that Applejack was a lesbian. Dano turned to Twilight.

“What do you think?!”

Applejack elbowed Dano in the arm.

“She ain’t gonna answer that sugarcube! She’s into Big Mac!”

Twilight blushed, and spoke defensively.

“I am not!”

Dano and Applejack burst out laughing. Twilight crossed her arms and looked angry.

“We are just having some fun Twilight, no harm meant!” Dano had to fight through his laughter to make sure Twilight’s feelings weren’t really hurt.

Twilight huffed, and it only made Dano and Applejack smile even more.

The conversation continued on once Twilight had stopped pouting until the song ended. The DJ spoke into her mic.

“Yo party people, how are you doing!”

The crowd roared in response, and it made the DJ smile.

“That’s what DJ Pon-3 like to hear. Now this next song^ goes out to my fav party goer Pinkie Pie.”

Dano heard synthetic noted come out of the speakers, and he realized the song was definitely techno. Over the music Dano heard Pinkie Pie yell.

“THIS IS MY JAM!”

A small circle had formed in the middle of the small dance floor, and Dano stood so he could get a good look. Pinkie was alone in the circle, her hands resting on her head making them look like rabbit ears. Her feet were close together, and once the beat began her hips began to sway to them as well as make her hands move like she was waving. Dano began to smile, the dance was one of the funniest he had ever seen. Eventually other girls joined her, Rainbow Dash was one of them. Dano understood why none of the guys joined in, that dance was definitely for the women.

Dano sat back down and the conversation picked up after its second interruption. Rarity soon joined the group, followed by Rainbow Dash. Dash looked tired, but happy and Rarity looked a little bored. Dano ignored it and talked with her anyway.

The party went on into the night. DJ Pon-3 put on a lot of dubstep and techno, and Dano loved it. He also loved watching the drunk citizens of Ponyville try to walk or dance. It reminded him of Delhi so much he almost called some of the people by the names of old friends. Dano felt his spirits dampen a bit from those thoughts, but somehow Pinkie would show up. She would cheer him up with a song off the top of her head or stories about other parties. Dano was happy that Pinkie Pie was looking out for him, and hoped they would become good friends in the future.

It was early in the morning, or late at night, when the party ended. Most of the people had left anyway, and the DJ had stopped. Dano stood with the rest of the group and made for the exit. Once outside Dano said goodbye to everybody and began escorting Fluttershy home. She hadn’t said two words during the party, and looked pretty nervous so Dano left her alone.

The night was cool quiet as Dano and Fluttershy walked. She offered to carry some of Dano’s equipment, so he gave her the new clothes Rarity had given him. The two were silent as they walked down the path to Fluttershy’s house until the small abode came into view.

“I um… went into town today, and I bought you some things. You said you needed to leave to get it, so um… I got it for you. If you’re willing to take it though…”

Dano smiled.

“Thank you Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy’s face stretched into a small smile.

Dano saw a sleeping Echo in front of the door when he and Fluttershy crossed the bridge. The wolf immediately woke up, sat up on his haunches and did it’s best to cross his front arms. Dano chuckled at Echo.

“I’m sorry I’m late dad, but there was this rave and there were some girls there…”

Echo laughed and returned to four paws. Dano patted him on the head.

“How was your day?”

Echo shrugged as Fluttershy opened the door.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Dano asked as he walked through the threshold with Echo in tow.

Echo made a little whine and shrugged again.

“Courting a dog not as easy as it sounds?” Dano raised an eyebrow.

Echo nodded and looked at the ground. Dano patted his head again.

“Don’t worry buddy, you will get her eventually.”

Echo sighed.

Fluttershy, who had gone into the kitchen as Dano talked to his K9 friend, returned with a small paper bag. She handed it to Dano then said goodnight. Dano reciprocated and opened the bag. Inside was a small can of shaving cream, a reusable razor, a toothbrush, floss and a tube of toothpaste. Dano smiled. He didn’t have to leave Ponyville to get his own toiletries, all to Fluttershy’s kindness.

Dano went into the kitchen and used the sink to brush his teeth. He made a mental note to remember to shave in the morning as he walked out of the kitchen, and into the living room. Fluttershy had left the clothes she was carrying on top of the fireplace, so Dano grabbed them and the rest of his things, which he had thrown on the floor. Dano moved all of his things into the guest room, and found a place for them. His rifle, armor and vest went into the trunk under the bed while his pistol, Magnum, and all his accessories went onto the top of the dresser. Dano organized his clothing into the different drawers of the dresser.

Echo was already asleep when Dano finished putting everything where he wanted it. Dano stripped and hopped into bed. He was tired, and it didn’t take long for him to slip into unconsciousness, a smile across his face.

Hey logic, what does the scouter say about the word count of this chapter?
im not doing this
cmon man
no
fine then, you ask me.
*sigh*, hey author, what does the scouter say about the word count of this chapter?
ITS OVER NINE THOUSAAAAAAND!!!
happy?
quite

sorry for the slow update guys and gals
i bet you were all like this:

but now you see my new chapter and your probably like this:

hope you enjoy the links to the songs (song* and song^ be the links)
and dont forget to comment
that is all
kthanxbai

Immersion

This chapter contains one link to one song. The link is song*. Please click on it to fully enjoy the scene in which it was placed. Thank you for your cooperation on this matter.

Whole New World
Chapter 11
Immersion

Dano awoke to the faint smell of eggs and bacon, and a bright light flooding through his small window. He sat up and looked outside. The world was awake, and the sun had risen quite the distance. Dano guessed that he had slept in, which was alright. He had stayed up very late the night before, and a lack of sleep would have made him irritable.

Dano’s mind went from his late awakening to the smells assaulting his nose. His stomach grumbled loudly, and he realized that the only thing he ate or drank yesterday was a doughnut and a couple beers. Dano climbed out of bed, and saw his door opened just a crack. Echo must have already woken up and left, or Fluttershy let him out. He shrugged and got dressed.

The new clothes Rarity had given Dano were more like the stuff he used to wear. He slipped on a white t-shirt that read ‘Aeropostale’ in navy lettering, a black pair of briefs, dark blue jeans, a pair of black socks and his old tan boots. Dano didn’t want to wear his new black boots much, since they would show dirt and damage must more than his tan ones, and he would need something nice on his feet for a party or two.

Dano left his room after he finished getting dressed. The smell of breakfast intensified as Dano moved through the living room and into the kitchen. He spotted Fluttershy standing over a pan that was on the stove top with a spatula in her hand. She was wearing her white cooking apron over a canary yellow sweat shirt and a brown dress. Her feet were covered by her usual pink flat sole shoes, and a larger than usual smile danced across her face. Fluttershy heard Dano come into the room and turned to see him. Her smile shrunk a little, and her eyes dipped a tiny bit. Despite this she looked happier than most times when Dano was around. Dano moved to the table in the middle of the room and sat while Fluttershy returned to her cooking.

“Good morning Fluttershy.” Dano’s voice was a little tired and soft.

“Um… Good morning.”

Dano let the short conversation die. He knew that if Fluttershy wanted to talk she would, and he didn’t want to spoil her good mood with her usual nervousness.

As Dano waited for breakfast he spotted a fruit salad sitting in front of Fluttershy’s seat. The vibrant colors of the fruit, for some reason, attracted Dano’s attention. Before he knew it Fluttershy had brought him his breakfast, setting it down in front of him. The smell of bacon brought him out of his trance, and his gaze moved to his plate. A piece of buttered toast sat among two sunny side up eggs and three pieces of bacon. Dano looked up at Fluttershy as she sat down, a little confused.

“I thought you said you were a vegetarian?”

Fluttershy matched Dano’s confused face with one of her own.

“Y-yes I am.”

“Doesn’t cooking meat make you sick to your stomach or something?”

Fluttershy looked at her breakfast, and poked it with a fork.

“Oh no… all of my friends eat meat, especially Applejack. I don’t really get too upset over it.”

Dano’s confusion subsided as the thought of Fluttershy being comfortable with others eating meat around her settled in his mind.

Fluttershy’s smile returned, although much weaker, as the two ate breakfast. Dano tried to keep eye contact and conversation to a minimum. He didn’t want to knock Fluttershy out of her good mood. When the duo finished Dano offered to clean up. Fluttershy naturally rejected the offer, but Dano insisted. Fluttershy eventually let Dano have his way. She told him that today was her weekly spa visit with Rarity, so she would be out of the house most of the day. Dano told her that he was probably going to be hanging around town today as well. The two agreed to walk together once Dano was finished cleaning.

It didn’t take long for Dano to scrub the pan and clean the plate, bowl and utensils from breakfast. Fluttershy had run upstairs for something, and Echo was nowhere to be found. Right as Dano put the last piece of silverware onto the drying rack next to the sink Echo trotted through the back door, which rested to the immediate left of the counter. He looked upbeat, and Dano was happy to see his friend feeling better, especially after last night.

“Morning.” Dano said calmly.

Echo walked into the kitchen and sat.

“What’s the word on the Jenna front?”

Echo’s tail wagged a bit and a small smile creped across his face.

Dano chuckled.

“Looks like you’re doing better. Hell, we will be overrun by husky-wolf puppies before we know it.”

Dano and Echo shared a laugh before Echo made a devilish grin and winked at Dano.

“Keep it to yourself for now. I don’t want to explain to Fluttershy that my wolf knocked up her husky.”

Echo rolled his eyes.

“I’m serious bro, no puppies until we figure out a more permanent housing situation.”

Echo sighed then nodded.

“Good. I’m going into town again, you want to come along?”

Echo stood, wagged his tail and barked with excitement.

“Alright, alright. We just have to wait for Fluttershy.”

As Dano finished his sentence Fluttershy walked into the kitchen.

“Um… we can go now. If you want to…”

Dano wiped his hands on the back of his pants.

“Now sounds good. C’mon Echo.”

Echo barked again as he followed Dano and Fluttershy out of the kitchen then out of the house.

The walk to town was slow and relaxing. The wonderful early autumn weather was just warm enough to wear a t-shirt without sweating in the slightest or feeling too cold. The forest that surrounded the valley and climbed the mountains was beginning to turn from green to hues of yellow, red and orange as the month of October began. The sun beamed down from its perch, warming Dano as he walked. Fluttershy had a large smile on her face, and her eyes weren’t looking at the ground like usual. They were raised and taking in the colors of the season. Echo seemed invigorated as he ran around the couple looking and listening to everything. Occasionally he would stop right next to Fluttershy, and she would pet him as they walked. Fluttershy perked up even more when she rubbed the wolf between the ears.

Dano didn’t force a conversation. He was content with just walking along in silence, taking in the world around him. It occurred to Dano that he never really just looked around. Before his accident all of his life was a rush. He had to get to class, or to a friend’s room, or to a party. Dano smiled at the revelation, and was happy that life had slowed down enough for him to actually enjoy the planet he inhabited.

To Dano’s surprise Fluttershy began talking about halfway to Ponyville.

“I love the fall.”

Fluttershy’s voice had a small dreamy tone to it, as if she was thinking out loud.

“I prefer the winter myself.”

“Why?”

Fluttershy looked in Dano’s direction, but not at him as Dano looked at her.

“I don’t really know, but I guess it had something to do with the whole scene in my head. A blanket of unbroken snow in a field with evergreens being the only break in color. Winter to me is like when the world is asleep. Like it’s resting before it wakes up and begins a new cycle of life. I guess that’s why I love winter.”

Fluttershy made eye contact.

“That sounds wonderful.”

She smiled at Dano.

Dano smiled back, and felt a tug in his gut. He turned his gaze forward and sighed as his smile faded away. Dano knew what the tug was, he had felt it many times before. Dano knew it was the beginnings of a crush, and it was on Fluttershy. He cursed mentally.

Dano didn’t know whether to pursue a relationship or back off. Fluttershy was shy after all, and something like that could scare her senseless. Plus Dano had the feeling that the mission he was on wasn’t going to be clean, and he would most likely have to do some things he didn’t want to. Would Fluttershy accept someone who had killed another person? Dano pushed the feeling and thought into the recesses of his brain. He resolved to just ride it out before he did anything.

The group finished the walk to Ponyville in silence. Dano bid farewell to Fluttershy as she moved toward the spa before turning down the road he had taken before to get to the Pink Hole. Echo was looking around excitedly as the two survivors walked through town. He was positively happy to be in Ponyville, and Dano guessed he had been there before.

It didn’t take long for Dano and Echo to arrive at the Pink Hole, but they didn’t enter. The place had a small line in front of the counter as well as nearing maximum seating capacity, and Dano checked his watch. It was a little after noon, so the people inside were probably the beginning of the lunch rush. Dano didn’t know where to go since he couldn’t hang with Rainbow Dash or Pinkie Pie.

A thought entered Dano’s mind as he tried to figure out where to go. He had seen everybody at the party last night, but only Pinkie, Dash, Rarity and Applejack in town. Dano had not visited Twilight, and without a better idea he decided to go see her.

Dano called to Echo, who was watching the scene inside of the doughnut shop, and the pair moved through Ponyville to Twilights house. Dano had to ask around to get directions to the tree house, and through the people he asked Dano figured out that Twilight was actually a librarian. The tree she lived in doubled as the local library, and it explained the large amount of books inside the abode.

When Dano and Echo made it to the tree Dano entered without knocking, it was a library after all. Inside was Twilight sitting on the sofa that rested on far side of the room with a blue book in her lap. She was wearing a simple purple V-neck t-shirt with purple jeans on her legs. Purple fluffy slippers rested on her feet, and a look of confusion was on her face.

“You didn’t knock?”

Her voice was filled with the confusion present on her face.

Dano shrugged.

“This is a library right?”

Twilight smiled.

“It is, but everyone knocks anyway.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude.”

Twilight laughed.

“Oh don’t worry. What brings you here anyway?”

Dano shrugged again.

“I hung out with everybody else yesterday. So it’s your turn to chill with Dano.”

Twilight laughed and closed the book on her lap.

“Well, what does one do while chilling with Dano.”

Dano laughed.

“I don’t really know.”

Twilight realized with a bit of embarrassment that her guest was still standing a few steps into the room. She scooted over on the sofa and patted the open side. Dano took the invitation and moved across the room to his seat. He sat politely, with his hands in his lap.

There was a small awkward silence before Dano started to speak.

“So… you’re pretty smart right?”

Twilight raised an eyebrow.

“You could say that.”

Dano shuffled a little, trying to get more comfortable.

“What can you tell me about the rest of the world. Preferably in the last twenty years.”

Twilight rubbed her chin.

“All I know was that there was a disaster or something. Not a lot of people come to Ponyville, and that was a long time ago.”

Dano’s curiosity peaked.

“Other people?”

Twilight looked confused.

“Yeah, some people come and go every now and again. The last two here was a pair of parts traders. I think their names were Flim and Flam. They sold a lot of things to the Apple Family and the other farms, since they are the only ones who use mechanical devices regularly.”

Dano swallowed and his gaze moved to the floor. Twilight picked up his reaction.

“What’s wrong, did I say something to upset you?”

Dano got control of himself.

“No no. Just a memory from a while ago.”

Twilight believed the excuse, but changed the subject out of fear of another strange reaction.

“How long are you staying in Ponyville?”

Dano smiled.

“Well, Fluttershy said I can live with her for a while, and to tell the truth I feel a little guilty about it. Don’t get me wrong, living in Ponyville sounds great, but I don’t want to burden Fluttershy.”

Twilight nodded.

“You could get a job.”

Dano shrugged.

“I don’t have many skills.”

Twilight rubbed her chin in concentration.

“What did you do before you came here?”

Dano furrowed his brow in thought.

“Well, I lived in the woods for three months, but before that I was in school to become an electrician.”

Twilight returned to her chin rubbing before perking up.

“You could work at Sweet Apple Acres. They could always use a pair of good hands, and you are already acquainted with Applejack. You should go check the market for her and ask.”

Dano nodded.

“Sounds good. Thanks Twilight.”

Twilight smiled.

“Not a problem.”

With that Dano stood and bade farewell as he left the tree house with Echo in tow.

Dano moved through town more purposefully than before. His strides were a little longer and he walked with more determination. Dano followed the path Applejack had taken through town the day before, and found himself by the Punch Bowl. He stopped and took in the abandoned building.

The walls were made of dark red bricks, and the large uncovered pane of glass in the doorway showed an interior that Dano always thought about when he imagined a bar. The right wall was dominated by the bar proper, with glass racks behind the bar filled with liquor bottles. The bar itself was made out of dark stained wood, and the stools that rested in front of it were matching except for the maroon cushions. The left wall was covered in booths with cushions that matched the bar stools. The walls were covered in dark wood paneling, and not so elegant chandeliers were spaced evenly on the maroon felt ceiling to provide lighting. To Dano the bar looked homey, and a nice place to share a drink with friends. Dano sighed before returning to his job quest.

Dano soon found himself in the market place. It was about as crowded as it was yesterday, and Dano had no problem finding Applejack’s booth. He walked through the small crowd and up to the Sweet Apple Acres stand. Behind the produce sat Applejack and a man that wasn’t Big Mac, and they seemed to be having a conversation.

The man wore a yellow long sleeved work shirt under a brown leather vest. His dark blond hair was covered with a cowboy hat, and his eyes were green just like Big Macs and Applejacks. His legs were propped up on the counter behind the produce, and were covered with grey jeans. His feet ended in cowboy boots, and Dano instantly recognized that he was related to the farmers somehow.

Applejack wore a dark orange plaid, long sleeved work shirt that was just as stained as the one Dano saw her in yesterday. The sleeves were rolled up above her elbow, and the shirt itself wasn’t even buttoned up. It was tied above the waist, and underneath it Applejack wore a brown tank top. Dirty light colored jeans covered her legs which Dano guessed ended in the same cowboy boots she always wore.

“Hey Applejack, how’s life?”

Applejack turned from the mystery man to look at Dano.

“Bout as good as it always is.”

Dano and Applejack chuckled before Applejack nodded to the man.

“This is mah cousin Braeburn, he has lived on the farm since we were both little.”

Dano reached his hand over the stall to shake hands with cousin Braeburn, and the farmer leaned forward to bridge the gap.

“Pleasure to meet you.”

Braeburn smiled.

“Pleasures all mine… um I don’t know your name.”

Dano chuckled.

“My name is Daniel, but call me Dano.”

Braeburn nodded and returned to reclining.

“So what brings you to our little booth Dano?”

Braeburn’s drawl wasn’t as thick as Applejacks.

“Well… I was hoping to find a job around here.”

Applejack and Braeburn raised an eye brow and looked at each other before returning there gaze to Dano.

“Don’t get me wrong Dano, but you don’t look to be the farming type.”

Applejack nodded as Braeburn spoke.

Dano had already prepared for this eventuality while he walked.

“It is true that I have never worked on a farm before, but I have worked with my hands since I could walk. My father taught me about almost every tool on this planet and how to use them. Plus the fact that I can learn things quickly if shown makes me pretty good at acclimating to a job.”

Braeburn pulled his legs off of the counter and leaned forward.

“Do you think you could handle waking up at the crack of dawn, and then working until the sun set?”

Dano shrugged.

“I wake up at the crack of dawn already, and hard work would be nice. I don’t want to get fat from all of Fluttershy’s amazing cooking after all.”

Applejack and Braeburn chuckled.

“Ah’m fine with it cousin.”

Braeburn shrugged.

“Fine, you can start tomorrow then.”

Dano smiled.

“Sounds great.”

Braeburn returned his feet to the counter.

“I would wear something a little different than that. White doesn’t really stay white around here.”

Dano chuckled.

“It’s alright. I have some more disposable clothing lying around.”

Braeburn nodded.

“Well, it will be nice to have another pair of hands on the farm. Maybe we could get somethin done.”

Applejack playfully elbowed Braeburn in the side.

“Maybe.” Responded Braeburn lightheartedly.

The group shared a laugh before Applejack gave Dano directions to Sweet Apple Acres. Once informed Dano said his farewell and left the booth with Echo to go find something to do.

Dano found himself wandering through the colorful town of Ponyville with his hands in his pockets and nothing to do. He had drifted from the market toward the center of town when he heard some musical instruments warming up. Both Dano and Echo perked up at the sound and began to move to it.

It didn’t take long for Dano and Echo to find the origin of the music. Dano could see four people sitting in a semicircle underneath the awning of a grey painted building with blue shudders, trim and shingles. A sign hung off of a 4x4 piece of wood that protruded from the building above a single door. A treble clef sat behind a pair of bared eighth notes, and the two musical symbols rested in front of a grey background.

Three of the four musicians that sat in front of the building were playing large string instruments that Dano guessed were cellos. All three of them wore grey polo’s with black dress pants, and dress shoes. The fourth musician Dano recognized as the DJ from Pinkie’s party, and she was playing a drum of some sort that rested between her legs. The DJ wore tight black jeans that ended in black and white Convers shoes. Her upper half was covered with a simple white tank top with her signature bared eighth notes on the front. A pair of purple sun glasses rested over her eyes and the same head phones wrapped around her neck.

The quartet finished warming up, and began a song* by plucking the strings of their instruments. The DJ just sat and waited until the three stringed instruments began to play. She began to play her drum to the beat, and added a few flourishes here and there as the song progressed. Then one of the cellos broke from the melody to produce its own, which was then followed by a second cello creating a counter melody. This went on until a small breakdown where the drumming stopped and the cellos would quiet. The melody would pick itself up once again with the lead cellist creating a totally different solo than the first, and the second seat following suit. This theme repeated itself a few more times until the ending where the quartet began to sing in harmony. The song soon finished after the brief vocals, and the sound died out.

Dano slipped into his mind as the song played. It brought images of conflict and sacrifice to his head. Classical music always did this to him, and he enjoyed the feelings the music would bring out.

Dano didn’t realize that he had faded out so much that he failed to recognize that the song had ended until he felt something hit him in the chest. Dano blinked as he left his mind, and saw the DJ laughing out loud with her three fellow musicians smiling. The DJ was waving Dano over, so he quickly moved down the street with Echo in tow as a blush of embarrassment spread across his face. When Dano reached the quartet the DJ spoke.

“How you doing Dano.”

Dano laughed a little of his embarrassment off.

“Pretty good. How about yourself DJ Pon-3.”

The DJ chuckled.

“Call me Vinyl Scratch, DJ Pon-3 is my stage name.”

Dano extended his hand and Vinyl took it.

“Nice to see you again.” Dano said as he shook the DJ’s hand.

Vinyl and Dano released each other’s hands after a few seconds, and the DJ motioned to the woman to her right.

“This is my wife Octavia.”

Dano shifted his gaze to the woman next to Vinyl. Her long hair was a deep shade of grey with lighter grey highlights, and her eyes were a greyish purple. She wore an expression of an upper class woman, a slight frown. Dano was a little perplexed as he offered his hand to the musician as to why a DJ who was into dubstep and techno would fall in love with an upper crust cellist. Opposites do attract.

Octavia took Dano’s hand daintily and shook it lightly.

“Pleasure to meet you Dano.”

Correct with Dano’s assumptions Octavia’s voice carried the upper class accent and feeling with it.

“Please let me introduce my students. This is Noteworthy,” Octavia motioned to the man to her right.

His hair was a dark slate blue, and his brown eyes were filled with the dregs of the feelings he felt while playing his instrument. Dano enjoyed music so much more when the musician loved to play it.

“and this is Wind Whistler.” Octavia motioned to the woman to Vinyl’s left.

Her hair was a pale gold hue, and her eyes were a deep orange. She was the smallest of the group, and the cello she was holding looked like it could crush her if it fell.

Dano nodded to the two musicians and they reciprocated. Vinyl spoke once the introductions were finished.

“What brings you our little school Dano?”

Dano shrugged.

“I was just wandering around Ponyville, and I heard your music. So Echo and I wandered over here.”

Dano waved a hand at the wolf who was sitting to his left, and Echo barked.

The musicians looked at the K9 before returning their gaze to Dano.

“Owning a wolf is pretty hardcore Dano. We should get one Tavi.”

Octavia sighed at her wife’s comment.

“No Vinyl, we aren’t getting a wolf.”

The musician’s voice carried a small amount of frustration to is, as if she had to say no to a lot of strange things her DJ wife wanted.

“Whatevs.”

Vinyl’s voice sounded like she didn’t really care about the ‘no’, and that the comment was more of a joke than a real request.

“Well I should get going,” Dano said, “I bet you two have some sweet music to make.”

Vinyl chuckled.

“The last time Tavi and I made ‘sweet music’ was…” Octavia had shoved a hand over her wife’s mouth.

“This is neither the time nor place Vinyl.”

Vinyl chuckled under her wife’s hand.

“I’ll just get out of here before I start a fight.”

Dano and Vinyl chuckled.

The survivor said his goodbyes to the quartet, and as he walked away he could hear another song starting.

Dano and Echo wandered a bit more before they decided it was time to head back to Fluttershy’s house. The two survivors had spent a couple of hours just meandering around the town, and watching the locals live their lives. It was another calm day for Dano and Echo, and as they turned down the road that would take them out of town Dano hear his name being called.

Dano turned to see Sweetie Belle running towards him with two other girls. He stopped walking so the group could catch up, and when they did Sweetie Belle introduced her companions through deep breaths.

“This is… Scootaloo… and Apple Bloom.”

Dano looked over the tired teens. One of the girls was wearing a pale yellow button up long sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the middle of the bicep. Her red hair was held back with a dark pink bow, and her reddish-orange eyes actually appeared to change color with more red on the top half than orange. Her legs were covered in somewhat tight blue jeans, and her feet were covered in cowboy boots. Dano could tell she was part of Applejack’s family even without the prior knowledge.

The other girl, who Dano guessed was Scootaloo, wore an orange t-shirt over her abdomen. Her greyish purple hair was made up into a tomboyish look, and her fuchsia eyes were filled with competition. Dano wondered if she was related to Rainbow Dash in any way. Her legs sported a pair of purple basketball shorts, and her feet had orange and purple running shoes on them. Her figure was sleek, and Dano guessed she was the athlete of the bunch.

Sweetie Belle was wearing a simple pale pink t-shirt with tight blue jeans and her pale pink flat soled shoes. All three of the girls had backpack on their backs, and Dano guessed they were either getting out of school or going home after a study session.

Dano waited patiently for the three teens to recover from their sprint, with Scootaloo taking first. She seemed to be more interested in Echo than Dano, and the teen was having a staring contest with the wolf. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom recovered at the same time, and Sweetie Belle turned to her farmer friend.

“This is the guy I told you about.”

Apple Bloom looked Dano up and down.

“He don’t look like he just came outa the forest.”

Dano chuckled.

“Rarity helped me get all fancied up for town.”

Apple Bloom smiled.

“She keeps tryin to get mah sister to go to one of her fancy spa days, but Applejack always get jumpy when she makes up an excuse not to go.”

Dano let that little bit of information slide into his brain. Jumpy? Dano pushed that information into the ‘review later’ folder in his brain.

“Is this a real wolf?”

Scootaloo pointed to Echo with a thumb as she shifted her gaze from the K9 to Dano.

“Yes he is a real wolf, and his name is Echo. I think he would prefer it if you called him by his name.”

Scootaloo looked confused.

“But he’s just a wolf.”

Echo let a quiet low growl escape his maw.

“He’s pretty smart.” Dano said as he threw a look at the insulted wolf.

Echo shrugged as if the whole growl wasn’t his fault.

“Really?”

Scootaloo asked curiously.

Dano nodded.

“Sweet. Maybe we could borrow him for a while.”

Scootaloo looked at Echo with joy, and the wolf made an expression of nervousness.

“You would have to ask him.” Dano said nonchalantly.

Scootaloo turned back to Echo and began to talk, but Dano was asked another question by Apple Bloom so he didn’t pay attention to the small conversation.

“Sweetie Belle says you taught her bout guns, but ah don’t see any on you.”

Dano shrugged.

“I’m not going to carry them everywhere.”

Apple Bloom looked a little disappointed.

“Hey, I’ll make you a deal. You promise to make sure Scootaloo doesn’t do anything to crazy with Echo, and I will show you my guns. Deal?”

Apple Bloom nodded vigorously, and Dano smiled.

“Well, I have to go.” Dano looked over at Scootaloo who was happy talking with Echo. “It was nice to meet you Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, and to see you again Sweetie Belle.”

Scootaloo snapped out of her conversation with Echo and spoke in unison with her two friends.

“See you later Dano.”

Dano called to Echo and waved at the girls as he said goodbye. The three teens turned, and walked away as they waved back.

The day was winding down and the shadows were growing long when Dano and Echo got back to Fluttershy’s house. Dano entered the abode with Echo right behind him, and looked around. Fluttershy was nowhere to be seen. Dano shrugged, and went into his room.

Dano wanted to get his clothes ready for the next day, since he was going to have to get up early and leave. He pulled out his camo pants, his grey t-shirt, grey briefs and black socks, and set them on top of the chest below his bed. Once Dano was satisfied he was ready for the next day he left his room.

The sound of someone chopping something in the kitchen alerted Dano that Fluttershy was here. He entered the kitchen to see Fluttershy wearing the same clothes as before with the plain white apron over them, but she looked different. Her hair had a sheen to it, and looked extremely clean. Fluttershy’s skin gave off a radiant glow that she didn’t have before, and Dano chalked it up to the spa visit. He moved into the kitchen and he took his usual seat at the table.

“How was your day Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy didn’t look up from what she was doing.

“It was um… good. I enjoy spending time with Rarity.”

Dano’s mind returned to the statement Apple Bloom made earlier.

“I heard Rarity would like Applejack to come along, but she always says no.”

Fluttershy froze for a second, and Dano smiled devilishly in his mind.

“Um… yeah.”

Dano chuckled and let the conversation die.

Dinner was a pair of fresh green salads, and Dano enjoyed the break from meat. There wasn’t any talking during the meal, and Fluttershy looked a little rattled from Dano’s comment. That only means you have stumbled onto something juicy. Once dinner was done Dano offered to clean up, and Fluttershy protested. Dano won the debate once again, and noted that Fluttershy was a little less resistant that she was earlier that morning.

Fluttershy went to bed after dinner, and Dano went through his routine of brushing his teeth after he had cleaned up. He also shaved. Dano used the small window above the sink as a mirror, and was pretty pleased with his handy work.

Dano left the kitchen and walked back to his room. He undressed and climbed into bed, where Echo was already laying. Dano was excited about starting his new job tomorrow, and sleep struggled to pull him under. It eventually prevailed, and Dano fell asleep for the second day in a row with a smile on his face.

You know what logic?
what
I'm having a little trouble getting this chapter out, and i dont know why.
well, maybe it has to do with...
* hear knocks on my door*
i wonder who that might be?
*gets up and opens door*
Hi!
H-hello Pinkie pie?
I heard you were having trouble writing so Twilight and I came to help!
w-what?
this can't be happening
But it is
You can read my mind?
of course i can :)
Pinkie, can we please get in the room, i dont want to be seen by anyone else
Alright Twilight
*two colorful ponies enter my dorm room*
Lets get this chapter started!
Are you on LSD?
I hope i am, cuz this is the best hallucination ever. SQUEE!!

I apologize for the late update friends
but if you complain about it in the comments:

don't forget to comment!
that is all
kthanxbai

Wildlife

Whole New World
Chapter 12
Wildlife

Dano awoke to a dark room, and after a quick moment of thinking he believed he had actually woken up before the sun began its trip across the sky. He quickly hopped out of bed and began getting dressed. Echo, who had awaken with Dano, looked on with amusement as the man hurried to put on his clothes, and Dano heard the wolf chuckle at his enthusiasm. The small laugh didn’t even phase the survivor, and he turned to the wolf.

“What’s your plans for the day?”

Echo shrugged.

“Well, I bet you could chill with Scootaloo.”

Echo shook his head vigorously, and a small look of fear danced across his eyes.

“They can’t be that bad. What’s the worst that could happen?”

Echo face-pawed before hopping off the bed.

Dano shrugged at the peculiar reaction of the K9. They are just little girls. He acts like they nearly killed someone or something.

After Dano finished tying up his boots he looked over himself. He had donned most of what he wore before coming to Ponyville. A grey cotton t-shirt covered his abdomen, and his urban grey and brown camouflage pants were tucked into his tan boots. Dano thought he looked more like a soldier than a farmer, but it didn’t bother him much.

Dano left his room with Echo in tow, and moved to the front door. The house was darker than usual, and the animals were rising later than most days. Dano figured out why when he opened the front door to see a grey and wet landscape looking back. He sighed, for his first day of work was going to be cold and wet.

Echo grew exited before he walked out of the door, and Dano closed it behind him. He went back to his room to grab his jacket. Dano was happy the synthetic material he was wearing would protect him from the wet, unless he sat in a puddle for an hour or two.

Dano left his room again after grabbing his jacket and zipping the extra clothing up. Once back in the living room he saw Fluttershy standing by the back wall wearing pink sweatpants that matched her hair, and a canary yellow t-shirt. She had started feeding the animals that lived indoors as Dano finished getting dressed.

“Good morning Fluttershy.” Dano said as he moved past her, and towards the door.

Fluttershy looked a little confused as she turned to look at Dano.

“Are you leaving?”

Dano opened the door, and looked over his shoulder.

“I just got a job working with Applejack on her farm.”

Fluttershy turned back to her chores.

“Oh… Well, aren’t you going to get some breakfast?”

Dano shrugged.

“I’ll make due, see you later Fluttershy.”

With that Dano walked out of the house, and closed the door behind him.

There was a small drizzle descending from above as Dano moved away from the house. The survivor decided to take his quad bike to Sweet Apple Acres, since it was on the other side of town, and Dano didn’t want to walk in this weather. As he moved across the small foot bridge that lead to the road Dano spotted Echo sitting under a tree with Jenna a few feet to Dano’s right. Even with the muggy weather messing with his sight a tad Dano could make out Jenna much better than the last time he saw her.

Jenna didn’t look like any other husky Dano had seen before. Instead of a black and white coat Jenna was actually red and cream colored. Her chest, face, underbelly and legs from the knee down sported the creamy white color, and the rest of her coat was a deep red. Her tail was half and half. The top portion being red, and the bottom cream.

Echo and Jenna watched Dano walk over to his quad bike, and Echo looked positively happy to be outside. Despite Jenna being a normal dog she seemed pretty intelligent, and her brown eyes watched Dano cautiously. Dano waved to the couple once he had climbed onto the quad. Echo waved a paw back, and Dano started up the engine.

The quad roared to life underneath Dano when he turned the key. He held the brake down, and revved the engine a couple of times to warm it up. After a few seconds Dano released the brake and pressed the accelerator. The four-wheeler moved forward quickly, and Dano found himself traveling at a good pace away from Fluttershy’s house to his new job.

The drizzle intensified a little as Dano drove through it, but it was a minor annoyance. The survivor’s clothing did its job and kept the him warm and dry as he cruised down the path towards Ponyville. When Dano reached the immediate outskirts of town he saw Derpy moving to a house as he passed. She waved, and Dano reciprocated. He noticed that Derpy was wearing the same clothes as the last time he saw her, and guessed she actually wore a uniform.

The rest of the trip through Ponyville was bland, and the buildings seemed to contain a shade of grey from the weather. Dano didn’t pay much attention to anything other than where he was going, since he was moving at a decent pace. He quickly navigated through the sleepy town until he exited down a road larger than the path to Fluttershy’s house. Dano guessed this was the one route to the outside world in Ponyville, and only after a few minutes on the dirt road did he see his destination.

To his right was a small wrought iron gate which was flanked by a white fence that stretched on for quite a distance both ways. Behind the gate stretched a dirt road that was bordered by hundreds of apple trees. Dano had noticed the fence and trees as he cruised down the main road, and already guessed they belonged to the farm. The gate was simplistic in design, but where the gate separated was the outline of an apple.

Dano pulled up to the gate, and hopped off his quad. He trotted up to the barrier and pushed it open, noting there was no locking mechanism whatsoever. Dano moved back to his quad, and moved the machine slowly through the gate. He then hopped off again and closed the barrier. Once the gate was secure Dano returned to his transport, and took off down the road toward the farm at a quick pace.

The first building Dano saw as he moved down the driveway was a large, two story red barn with greyish purple shingles. Hanging outside of each window was a flower box that was painted the same color as the shingles, and green vines with slightly brighter red apples attached to them were painted on the façade. A small garage, which had the same color scheme as the barn it was attached to, rested right behind the outbuilding, and was probably where the farm equipment rested.

As Dano moved closer to the barn more buildings came into view. On the other side of the driveway rested a large orange farmhouse with red shingles. The barn and the house faced each other over the end of the driveway, and Dano could see a well-worn path moving between the two buildings. The farm house’s front was dominated by a large porch that had some sparse furniture strewn about it, and that was where Dano saw Applejack resting on the orange guard rail that lined the perimeter of the veranda.

She noticed Dano and hopped off her perch. Like usual she was wearing jeans, cowboy boots and an orange plaid button up shirt. Her hair was thrown over her right shoulder instead of hanging behind her, and her Stetson hat rode a little lower over her face. Dano guessed the slight changes were due to Applejack’s want to keep her hair and face dry.

Dano pulled up to the farm girl who had walked over from the porch to the side of the driveway, and shut off his quad. Applejack looked Dano over before chuckling.

“Well now, that sure is some weird clothes to wear on a farm.”

Dano smiled.

“This stuff will shed dirt and water much better than your clothing, and I bet we will be getting wet today.”

As Dano spoke he looked up into the sky, and discovered that the cloud cover had no break or end in sight.

Applejack followed his gaze.

“Yeah, but hey. Yer here a little early. Why don’t yah come inside and meet Granny Smith.”

Dano shrugged indifferently.

“Sure, why not.”

Dano hopped off of the quad bike and followed Applejack up the porch steps. She opened a creaky outer door made out of thin wood and screens for windows then opened a heavy oak door to reveal the interior of the house.

The entrance lead to a small area where one could leave their coat and hat. Directly in front of the door was a hallway to the right of a stair case. The hallway lead, to what Dano could see, the kitchen. The right wall was dominated by an archway in which a family room rested behind, and the left had closet doors. Dano shed his wet jacket and handed it to the waiting Applejack, who had taken off her hat. She walked to the closet door, opened it and hung up the jacket on a hanger before closing the closet again.

Dano could hear the sounds of conversation and eating coming from the kitchen, and Applejack began to walk towards it. Dano followed behind the farm girl politely down the hallway. Along the walls of the hallway rested dozens of pictures, both old and new. One caught Dano’s eye, and he had to force himself to keep walking instead of coming to a halt and examining the picture.

The snap shot was of Applejack and her five friends, all of them smiling in their own way. Dano had remembered seeing the picture hanging in Fluttershy’s house, and he wondered if all six of the group had a copy.

Applejack lead Dano into then through the kitchen to a large dining room. The table that rested in the center of the room took up most of the space, and a somewhat elegant old world chandelier hung right over the center of the long wooden table. The walls were covered in light orange wall paper with different colored apples repeating themselves at different intervals. The large windows that sat in the walls let in a lot of natural light, but with the stormy weather the chandelier was turned on so everybody could see.

Dano recognized three of the four farmers sitting at the table. Big Mac and Braeburn sat across from each other at the farthest part of the table, and Apple Bloom sat next to her big brother. Dano did not recognize the fourth member of the family sitting at the end of the table facing him.

Dano guessed the last farmer was Granny Smith. Her silver hair was bound up in a bun on the back of her head, and the occasion crazy hair stuck out. Her brilliant orange eyes weren’t dull with age, but actually full of energy and wisdom. A small smile rested on the old farmer’s face, and it seemed to blend in with the wrinkles that dominated her facial features. Granny Smith wore a simple light lime green one piece dress, and Dano couldn’t see her feet. The entire group shifted their gaze away from their food to look at Dano as Applejack introduced him to the old farmer.

“Granny Smith, this is Dano.”

Dano spoke up after Applejack

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Granny Smith, but please call me Daniel.”

Apple Bloom looked confused.

“Why do Ah have to call yah Dano when Granny Smith gets to call yah Daniel?”

Dano smiled and looked at Apple Bloom.

“Because Granny Smith is my elder, and she deserves the respect of my full name.”

The answer seemed to please everybody in the room.

“It’s rather nice to meet a youngin who shows some respect round here.”

Granny Smith’s voice was filled with much more energy than someone would think she was capable of.

“Aw Granny, we all respect ya.” Applejack said with a smile.

Granny Smith chuckled.

“Well y’all better get going. Today is only gonna get worse.”

The old farmer motioned to a window, and she proved to be right as the world seemed to get greyer by the second.

“You heard her, let’s get goin.”

Applejack turned away from the rest of her family and began to walk towards the door. Dano followed behind her as the sound of quick movement and clattering plates echoed from the dining room.

After donning his jacket Dano moved outside with Applejack. She informed him as they walked to the barn that it was still harvest season, being the fall. The problem was that there was only Applejack, Big Mac and Braeburn there to do the work, and Apple Bloom was at school most of the day so her help was minute. Applejack explained that Dano was just another pair of hands, and to do what the other farmers said. Dano didn’t really care about being the laborer, in fact he preferred to be the extra hands. Less thinking involved with the job was always a plus.

Applejack opened one of the two large barn doors and stepped inside with Dano in tow. The interior was wide open and flat. A pair of horses stood in two stalls in the back right corner of the barn. The rest of the right wall was covered with bales of hay from the two stalls to the front wall. The bales were stacked neatly, and almost looked like a single wall of hay. The left side of the barn was covered in several different pallets with different burlap sacks sitting on them, and Dano guessed they were feed bags. The left wall was covered in lawn tools of every type, and Dano could only recognize a few.

Applejack said that Dano’s first job was to help Braeburn feed the cows, and as if on cue the second barn door opened to reveal a quad pulling a wooden wagon backing in. Big Mac had opened the other barn door, and Braeburn was maneuvering the quad into place.

Once the wagon was facing the wall of hay Braeburn hopped off the quad, and with Dano’s and Big Mac’s help loaded the wagon. When the wagon was full Dano was instructed to ride in the farm cart, and to cut the strings on the bales of hay as well as shove it out the back when Braeburn told him to. Apparently the cows that resided on Sweet Apple Acres were free ranch, and lived on a rolling plain several acres wide and long. The hay would be dumped in strategic locations so as the cows wandered they could find the hay.

Dano climbed in back of the wagon, and was handed a knife by Big Mac. Dano looked over the blade, and was a little miffed at the dullness of it. He made a mental note to bring his own knife next time.

Braeburn eased the quad out of the barn and turned to the left, away from the driveway. As the wagon moved off of the flat dirt road and onto the trails that honey combed all over the farm Dano got to see the rest of the complex.

The rest of Sweet Apple Acres consisted of a large chicken coup, a pig pen with attached housing, several storage sheds, a small corral, a small field with sheep grazing, doors to underground storage cellars and a store house for cider scattered around the grounds. Dano asked if the farm produced hard cider, and Braeburn told him that they only made a few barrels of it through chuckles. Dano guessed, as the two men rolled along, that the three adult farmers got into most of it before they sold the rest.

Feeding the cows wasn’t very difficult for Dano, and took up a bit of time. Braeburn kept the quad at a slow speed so Dano or they hay stacked on the wagon wouldn’t fall off. The dull knife was a pain, but the two men got the hay where it needed to go.

After the wagon was emptied Braeburn told Dano that they were supposed to go back to the barn, grab a larger wagon and tractor then head out to the orchard and pick up whatever Big Mac and Applejack had already picked, and then help out in the orchard for the rest of the day. Dano asked about the other animals, and Braeburn told Dano that Big Mac and Applejack had already taken care of it.

As Dano and Braeburn made their way across the open pasture the weather continued to worsen. The clouds got darker and darker, and the precipitation grew from a drizzle to a heavy rain. Braeburn grumbled under his breath about the weather, and Dano decided to let him grumble.

Eventually the pair got back to the barn, and Braeburn drove around it to back of the large red building and stopped next to a larger wooden wagon with short walls and no tailgate. Braeburn told Dano to unhitch the smaller wagon attached to the quad, and then wait there. Dano complied, and once unhitched Braeburn moved the quad into the garage. Dano heard the engine quit then a louder one start. Braeburn emerged the garage atop an old John Dear tractor. Dano chuckled at the sight of the old thing, and guessed that the faded green machine was as old as Granny Smith.

Braeburn backed the tractor up to the larger wagon, and told Dano to hook it up. After Dano attached the wagon he was ordered to get in. Once sitting in the wagon Braeburn drove the tractor down the driveway. The farmer chugged down the road, passing the farm house, and into the orchard that straddled the dirt driveway. Dano noticed that the trees closest to the farm complex were still bearing most of their fruit. He guessed the family had actually started from the farthest point away, and that explained why the trees were bare by the front gate.

About halfway to the end of the driveway Dano saw the silhouettes of Big Mac and Applejack working on some trees. Braeburn waved, and the two grey figured reciprocated. The tractor chugged on for another few minutes until Braeburn turned down a row of trees. The plants were fruitless, and full wooden baskets rested underneath them, about three to a tree. Braeburn pulled of the road far enough that the wagon was out of the way then hopped off the machine.

He told Dano to stay in the wagon and organize the baskets that the farmer handed to him. Dano stood up in the farm cart, and watched Braeburn pick up the first basket. The farmer carried the apples over to the waiting Dano, and the survivor lifted the basket over the low walls of the wagon to place the apples next to the front wall of the farm cart.

The process of loading the wagon went on for a while, and whenever the baskets got too far away from the wagon to be moved efficiently Braeburn would drive the tractor a bit down the row the two were on. Occasionally Braeburn would grab an apple and snack on it, and Dano followed suit. He was hungry, since he missed breakfast, but only ate as many apples as Braeburn did instead of how may he wanted.

When the wagon was full Braeburn would drive the apples and Dano back to a storage cellar in the farm complex, and the two of them would unload the apples and put them in the cool cellar. With the wagon empty Dano and Braeburn returned to the orchard to fill it again.

The duo caught up to the other two farmers when the wagon was about half full. Applejack’s hat was soaked, and looked droopy. Big Mac was also water logged, but somehow he kept the sprig of wheat that hung out of his mouth ridged. Dano chuckled at the two farmers when he hopped off of the half-filled wagon. Applejack heard the chortle.

“What’s so funny?”

Dano shrugged.

“You’re hat.”

Applejack’s gaze moved up to her hat, and she laughed.

“Does appear to be a little wet.”

The whole group laughed then got back to work.

Dano’s arms and lower back were sore from picking up several dozen full baskets of apples, and the picking process didn’t help. He spent most of the procedure with his arms above his head, which put a lot of strain on his shoulders. Even with the soreness growing in his muscled Dano pushed on.

The group of four managed to get in two more wagon fulls before Applejack decided to call it a day. The rain had picked up, as well as the wind, and the world had slowly darkened around them. The team loaded up the last of the picked apples as Braeburn hopped onto the tractor. Once Braeburn started moving toward the machine Applejack took a step back from the entire tractor-wagon rig, and her eyes widened a bit.

Dano had noticed this reaction from Applejack around the tractor throughout the day, and it appeared the farm girl was actually afraid of the thing. Dano was pulled from his thoughts by a cursing Braeburn.

“God damn piece of shit!”

“What’s going on?” Dano asked as he walked up to the side of the tractor.

“Stupid thing won’t start.”

Braeburn turned the key, and Dano heard the engine struggle. The survivor had no experience with engines, but apparently Big Mac was the mechanic of the bunch. He pushed his way past Dano, stepped on the exposed front wheel, opened the hood of the machine and peered inside. Big Mac shifted his wheat sprig from one side of his mouth to the other, and Dano picked up the faintest of sighs.

“She ain’t goin nowhere.”

Big Mac stepped off of the tractor after he closed the hood, and walked back to the group.

“Well, we need to get it home. We could push it then bring the quads back to pull the wagon.”

Dano was throwing an idea out just to get everybody’s brain working, but no one else came up with a better thing to do.

“Alright, Braeburn let Applejack drive.”

Applejack seemed to take offense to Dano’s statement.

“Yah think ah ain’t strong enough to push?”

Dano turned his gaze to the farm girl.

“No. You are the lightest out of us three, so it would be logical to put you on the tractor.”

Big Mac raised an eyebrow at Dano’s answer, and a small smile creped across Braeburn’s face. They had realized the mind trick Dano had just deployed. Applejack was a female after all, and her weight was probably a concern for her. Dano had forced her to either do as she was told, or to say she was heavier than the rest of the farmers.

Applejack grunted.

“Fine.”

Dano chuckled.

As Applejack clambered aboard the tractor the rest of the group unhitched the wagon. Once the farm cart was removed the three men positioned themselves behind the tractor with Big Mac in the middle, and the other two taking up positions on his flanks. After a quick count from three the trio threw all of their strength into the tractor.

The machine began to move slowly, and the pushing men grunted under the strain. Soon the laboring farmers overcame the potential energy holding the tractor where it was, and the machine began to move smoothly at a uniform speed. The soggy ground made it impossible for any of the three pushers to take a small break, for if they tractor slowed it would sink into the mud a little.

After a lot of swearing and grunting the group got the tractor out of the orchard and onto the driveway. Luckily the dirt road was packed down enough that the entire thing wasn’t a mud pit, but a thin slippery layer of mud covered the driveway. Worried about slipping the group slowed down a bit, making sure each step was planted and secure.

The tractor was half way home when someone finally slipped, and it was Big Mac. He fell forward as his feet came out from underneath him, and he impacted on the hitch that protruded out of the rear of the machine between his shoulder and neck. Dano heard the faintest of snaps and a pained grunt from the large farmer.

“Put on the break Applejack!” Cried Dano.

The farm girl did as she was told, and the sound of the emergency brake sliding into place signaled that the tractor was safe to let go. Dano moved away from the machine and kneeled next to Big Mac, who was trying to get up out of the mud.

“Where you hurting Mac?”

Big Mac stood.

“Mah shoulder.”

The large farmer indicated his right shoulder with his left hand.

Dano took a step into Big Mac’s personal bubble, and tried to get a good look at where he had pointed. Dano felt the nervous vibe from the large farmer, but he ignored it. Mud covered Big Mac’s chest, so Dano had to ask him to remove his red plaid work shirt. Big Mac tried to do what he was told, but as he moved his right arm a pained grunt escaped his throat.

Dano recognized the reaction, and guessed the large farmer had broken his collar bone. Dano had broken his own when he was young, and his entire right side would hurt if it moved. The survivor patted Big Mac on his good shoulder and told him he should probably head back to the farm house. Big Mac complied, and began to walk back home.

Braeburn and Dano had to push the tractor the rest of the way back to the garage, and the missing strength of Bag Mac made the job that much harder. Despite the missing farmer the duo go the tractor back to farm complex and into its garage. Applejack told Braeburn and Dano to get the wagon while she checked on Big Mac.

Dano trotted to his own quad as Braeburn grabbed some rope from the barn. The survivor started up his transportation and turned the machine around so it faced the orchard. He waited for Braeburn to grab the rope and get his own bike, and it only took the farmer a few moments to do so. Braeburn pulled out of the garage atop his quad with the rope slung over his shoulder, and took off down the road. Dano followed, but kept his distance. The weather was getting even worse, and a sudden stop wouldn’t be so sudden.

The duo made it to the wagon just as the world began to become pitch black. Dano turned on his head lights to guide his way, but the heavy rain was making the beams of light shorter than they were supposed to be. The two men backed their respective quads up to the wagon, and tried their best in the dark to attach the rope to the farm cart as well as something stable on their machines.

Once Dano and Braeburn were satisfied they had secured the rope they climbed onto their quads. After a quick count down from three they both hit the gas hard. The wagon had slowly slipped into the mud, and the quads tried their best to pull it out of the ground. The farm cart finally complied after a few moments of spinning tires, and lurched forward. Dano and Braeburn didn’t let up as the wagon moved freely. The quads roared in the night as the farm cart fought them all the way.

After an agonizingly long time Braeburn and Dano finally got the wagon out of the orchard and to the farm complex. The two unloaded the wagon using the lights of their four wheelers to illuminate the cellar’s door. Once the wagon was empty Braeburn told Dano that they were going to leave it there, since the wagon sat outside by the garage anyway. Dano didn’t care either way, for he was cold and wet.

Dano and Braeburn hopped on their respective four-wheelers. Dano went to the farm house, and Braeburn went to put the quad back in its place inside of the garage. Dano pulled up to the large house to see Applejack standing on the porch ringing out her long hair. After stopping in front of the steps Dano dismounted his quad, and moved onto the porch to the cold and tired Applejack.

“How’s Big Mac?”

Applejack sighed.

“He can’t move his right arm at all. He needs to go see a doctor or somthin.”

“I could take him for you. I will be heading through town anyway, and he could probably stay the night so I could bring him back the next day.”

Applejack furrowed her brow in thought.

“That sounds alright. Wait here and Ah’ll go get him.”

With that Applejack turned and moved into the house. Braeburn soon showed up after she left, and Dano explained the whole situation to him.

“That sure is a nice thing to do Dano. We really appreciate it.”

Dano waved his hand dismissively.

“What kind of impression would I be making if I didn’t help my employers? Plus Big Mac will need to fix the tractor.”

Braeburn chuckled.

“Yeah, that piece of junk hasn’t worked right in years. We were hoping for another delivery of parts from some salesmen, but they have yet to show.”

Dano coughed loudly to cover his own guilty expression. Braeburn gave him a quizzical look, but Applejack returned with Big Mac in tow before the farmer could start asking questions.

“Ready to go?” Dano asked the obviously in pain Big Mac.

“Eeyup.”

Dano said goodbye to Braeburn and Applejack as he walked off the porch and mounted his quad. Big Mac followed Dano’s lead and sat on the back of the four-wheeler. Dano said a finial goodbye at Braeburn and Applejack as he pressed the accelerator.

The weather calmed down a bit as Dano moved down the driveway. The rain had slowed, but the wind actually picked up in huge gusts between calm breezes. Dano tried his best to miss any bumps or holes in the road, so Big Mac wouldn’t get jostled and hurt himself even more. Eventually the duo reached the gate, and Dano repeated the process of opening, driving through then closing the barrier before moving on to town.

The dirt road that lead to Ponyville was much smoother than Sweet Apple Acre’s driveway, and Dano picked up some speed. When the duo reached the outskirts of town Big Mac quietly gave Dano directions to the local clinic with simple words like ‘left’, ‘right’ and ‘straight’.

The doctor’s office was in the center of town, and actually occupied part of the town square. The small two story building didn’t really draw to much attention, and Dano believed that was why he had never remembered seeing it before.

The building had two lamps hanging on both sides of a blue wooden door. From the dim light emanating from the lamps on the building and the small street lights Dano could tell that the building was also a dark blue that matched the door. There was no light emanating from the windows, so Dano guessed the doctor was asleep.

Dano pulled the quad right up to the front door before turning it off. He slid off of the machine, and trotted up to the door. Three powerful knocks echoed through the open town square as Dano tried to wake the doctor as politely as he could. As Big Mac got off of the quad Dano noticed a light turn on in the second floor, and the sounds of movement coming from inside.

Eventually the door opened inward to reveal a dark interior and a man standing in a simple brown robe and brown moccasins. He had short disheveled brown hair, and groomed side burns that ended right at the earlobe. His light greyish blue eyes were filled with sleep, and he yawned as he addressed his visitors. Dano recognized the hint of an English accent as he spoke

“What is it?”

Dano turned to see Big Mac standing behind him.

“My friend is hurt and needs some help.”

The man leaned over a bit to see past Dano.

“Ah, Big Mac. Pleasure seeing you. How is Granny Smith doing?”

“She’s been doing alright Doctor.”

The doctor moved back from the threshold to let Dano and Big Mac inside.

The interior was dark, but Dano could make out some of his surroundings. The place, in all respects, looked like a house and not a doctor’s office, and the front door opened into a living room.

The doctor just walked through the family room, and through a threshold on the opposite wall. Dano and Big Mac followed without being told, and found themselves in a hallway. To the left appeared a small kitchen/dining room combo, and to the right was a door that the doctor had opened and entered. The duo moved through the threshold to finally find the doctor’s office. The doctor flicked on a row of bright lights in the ceiling, and Dano had to squint for a second before he could examine the room.

The office part of the house was about the same size as the hospital room Dano had awoken in. The walls, floor tiles and ceiling was painted white, and many pieces of medical equipment dotted the area. The whole scene reminded Dano of the hospital, and he felt a chill run up his spine. The right wall was lined with glass cabinets that held several different pieces of medical equipment and utensils.

The doctor had found a seat in a small chair with wheels, and he told Big Mac to take a seat on the examination bed in the middle of the room. Dano moved aside to let the large farmer through, and watched him sit. The doctor pushed his seat across the room, and positioned himself right next to Big Mac.

“Now what seems to be the problem.”

“Mah shoulder Doctor.”

The doctor leaned in to look, and applied a little pressure. Big Mac squirmed a bit, and the doctor nodded.

“I’m going to need you to remove your shirt.”

Big Mac nodded, and began to take his plaid work shirt off. As he did so Dano decided to talk with the doctor.

“So what is your name doctor?”

The doctor rotated his seat to look at Dano, who was standing by the door.

“Doctor.”

Dano raised an eyebrow.

“Doctor who?”

The doctor chuckled.

“No, just Doctor or the Doctor. Whatever you prefer.”

Dano let it slide and continued.

“What do you have your doctorate in?”

Doctor shifted his gaze upward as he thought.

“I have a doctorate in psychiatric medicine, therapy, physics, math, physical medicine and history.”

Dano was shocked.

“How could you get all of those degrees. You look so young.”

Again Doctor chuckled.

“I’m much older than I appear.”

By now Big Mac has stripped off his work shirt.

There was a massive purple bruise where Big Mac had fallen on the hitch, and Dano could see the deformation of his collar bone. The Doctor saw it to, and immediately got out of his seat. He moved over to one of the glass cabinets, opened it and pulled out a sling and a roll of elastic wrap.

Dano knew what the Doctor was going to do before he did it, for he had broken his collar bone before. Dano watched the physician put Big Mac’s right arm into the sling then used the wrap to hold the arm to the farmer’s chest. With his handy work done the Doctor began his spiel.

“Now Big Mac I want you to keep that sling on and tucked for a couple weeks. Then you can take it off, but be gentle. If you don’t then I will have to re-break the bone and start over. Understood?”

Big Mac nodded.

“Doctor,” Dano butted in, “would it be alright if Big Mac spent the night here. I have to get home, and I can pick him up in the morning to take him back to the farm.”

The Doctor shrugged.

“Fine by me… I never caught your name.”

Dano mentally cursed his rudeness.

“Daniel, but call me Dano.”

Dano extended a hand, and the Doctor took it.

“It’s nice to meet you Dano, and I will see you tomorrow.”

With that Dano said his goodbyes to both the Doctor and Big Mac then let himself out of the office.

Once outside of the Doctor’s house Dano mounted his quad, and made for home. He was tired from his first day of work, but it was a good tired. Dano zoned out everything around him as he moved quickly through Ponyville. The sound of the engine faded in his mind, and the cold in his body seemed to disappear. Dano always believed that meditation felt like this, but never really pursued the feeling. He just let it happen, and that was usually when he was tired.

It didn’t take long for Dano to drive out of Ponyville and down the trail to Fluttershy’s house. He shut off the machine and slid off while still in his haze. As Dano walked across the bridge he heard the door open, and saw Fluttershy standing in the threshold holding a candle. She was wearing a yellow robe with fluffy pink trim, and her expression was one of worry.

“Um… it’s very late.”

Dano smiled as he walked up to the door.

“And quite cold.”

The joke was lost at Fluttershy whose expression filled with even more worry.

“Oh… Let me make you something.”

Fluttershy turned from the doorway right as Dano arrived at the threshold, and tried to move into the kitchen.

“It’s ok Fluttershy, I just need to change out of these clothes and get to bed.”

Fluttershy stopped walking.

“O-ok.”

She turned around to see Dano closing the door behind him.

“I will see you in the morning.”

Fluttershy mumbled something like ‘good night’ then walked up the stairs.

Dano shrugged then moved through the dark living room to his bed room. He opened the door, and could see the silhouette of Echo sitting on the bed. The wolf’s head was raised, and looking at Dano. The survivor ignored his friend, and slowly got undressed, feeling the soreness in his muscles. Once out of his soaked clothing Dano hung his pants and jacket on the door handle. He was pretty sure they would dry quickly, and he would need them tomorrow.

Dano climbed into bed already half asleep. Once the tired survivor’s head hit the pillow slumber overtook Dano’s mind, and he drifted off into a deep sleep.

Dano awoke and slowly opened his eyes. He was a little worried that he would wake up later than usual, but all he saw was the pre-dawn dark. The small burst of joy from not being late was just enough for Dano to sit up and throw his legs out of bed. From then on though he had to fight his own sore muscles and tired mind.

Since his only other t-shirt was still a little wet Dano had to wear the white Aeropostale top Rarity had given him. Once he pulled on his shirt Dano moved to the doorway to check the clothes that were hanging on the handle. The synthetic material had dried nicely overnight, and Dano was glad he didn’t have to wear wet clothing to work.

When Dano was dressed he kneeled by his bed, and pulled out his chest. He opened the wooden container to see all of his equipment right where he left it. After locating his combat vest Dano pulled his knife out of its scabbard then used it to cut the sheath off of the vest. He made a mental note to find a better way to equip the weapon, so he could carry it in both combat and through town. Dano put the knife back into its holder then put the weapon into his pocket. He stood, and turned to leave when he caught sight of Echo standing by the bed room door. The wolf had woken up with Dano, as usual, and was waiting for his friend to open the portal.

After a quick stretch and yawn Dano left his room with Echo in tow. The house was quiet as the first rays of light began to poured into it. Dano moved across the living room slowly. He didn’t want to wake Fluttershy, and judging by her worry from last night, he was sure that she would get up to help Dano get ready for the day if she heard him. The survivor reached the front door without a sound, slipped outside with Echo, and closed the door quietly.

The weather was seasonably cool, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. The sun was just powering over the mountains as Dano made his way down the path away from Fluttershy’s house and over the bridge. A soft breeze rustled the leaves that had fallen in last night’s storm, and the sound was soothing to Dano. He decided not to take the four-wheeler this morning. Dano had no way to get any more fuel for the machine, and he didn’t want to be stranded in Ponyville without a way back to his cabin.

Dano walked down the path away from Fluttershy’s house at a decent pace. He would probably show up at work a bit later than yesterday, but he didn’t think the farmers would care much. Plus the fact that Dano had to get Big Mac from Doctor’s house also made his worries about his slightly late appearance disappear.

When Dano reached the outskirts of Ponyville he saw Derpy delivering mail again. She seemed to be the only other person in town up this early, and her cheerful demeanor made Dano perk up a bit. They waved to each other as Dano walked down the opposite side of the street toward the town center.

The town square was quiet, and a tad eerie as a small breeze drifted lazily through the courtyard. Dano quickly moved across the open area to the Doctor's house, where he saw Big Mac standing outside talking with the Doctor. The physician was wearing the same brown robe as before, and Big Mac had put his dirty work shirt back on. Dano approached the two men just as their conversation ended. Big Mac said his farewell, and moved away from the abode to join Dano, who was waiting politely a few feet away. Dano waved to the Doctor as Big Mac moved toward him, and once the farmer had reached him Dano turned so he could walk with the injured man.

Big Mac and Dano were making decent time back to Sweet Apple Acres. The whole journey was in silence, and Big Mack looked a little uncomfortable with one hand strapped to his chest. Eventually the duo made it to the front gate of the farm, and moved through it. Once on the other side of the barrier Big Mac began to look less uncomfortable. Dano guessed the large farmer wasn’t the biggest people person ever.

The farm complex slowly came into view as the two men walked down the driveway. Birds were singing and flying from tree to tree, and the good weather made no sign of changing. As Dano and Big Mac rounded the last corner in the winding driveway the front of the farm house came into view. There were two women standing in front of the large house, and Dano instantly recognized them both as Applejack and Twilight.

Applejack was wearing her usual get up, and her hat had regained its rigidness from last night. Twilight, however, was wearing something completely different than the last time Dano saw her. She was wearing a dark purple mini-skirt that ended mid-way down the thigh, and tall white socks that ended below the knee. Black flat soled shoes covered her feet, and her upper body was encased in a purple sweater vest over a white short sleeved blouse.

When Big Mac saw the girls he froze for a second, before taking off at a quick pace towards the barn saying something about fixing the tractor. Dano stopped walking, and watched him go with curiosity before it clicked in his mind. Big Mac must like Twilight. Dano smiled devilishly at the new information before he continued to move toward the girls.

When Applejack saw Dano approaching she waved, and Twilight followed suit. Dano walked up to the two women.

“Morning you two.”

“Good mornin Dano.”

Applejack seemed pleased to see the survivor.

“Thanks a bunch for helpin Big Mac out.”

Dano waved a hand dismissively in the air.

“Anytime. So what’s up for today.”

Applejack rubbed her chin.

“Well we got the usual chores to take care, and we got to open up the stall for the day seein as the weather is nice. We only need two people though, and Big Mac is in no condition to work in town.”

“He said something about fixing the tractor today while we walked,” Dano half lied, “I bet I could help him with that.”

Applejack nodded.

“Sounds good. I personally don’t want to be anywhere near that machine anyhow.”

Applejack’s statement sparked curiosity in Dano’s brain, but he saved it for later. He instead turned his attention to Twilight.

“How’s your day so far Twilight?”

The librarian shrugged.

“Alright for now, it’s a little early for my taste, but I had to talk to Applejack.”

Dano wondered why she needed to talk to the farm girl this early, but decided not to pry. It was probably something sensitive.

“Well, Braeburn is in the barn loadin up the wagon to feed the cows. You should go help him out.”

Dano nodded, said goodbye to Twilight and moved to the barn.

Once in the large red building he greeted Braeburn, and began to help the farmer load the wagon full of hay. After the farm cart was filled the two men moved to the same positions they took the day before, and commenced feeding the cows. Dano used his own knife to cut the strings holding the bales together, and the sharpened combat blade made short work of the bindings. The survivor made sure to only cut the string at the base of the blade, right where it met the guard. This allowed the rest of the knife to remained as sharp as possible.

Braeburn and Dano made their way back from the pasture after dumping the hay. The farmer drove the quad and wagon over to one of the cellar doors, and helped Dano load the farm cart up with apples. Once the cart was full Braeburn said his farewells, and took off with the loaded wagon toward the farm house. Without anything else to do Dano decided to go help Big Mac with the tractor.

Dano found Big Mac in the garage sitting atop a bucket with tools scattered around him. He looked a bit frustrated at his lack of working appendages. Dano wandered up to the farmer.

“Need some help?”

Big Mac chuckled a bit.

“More than usual.”

Dano smiled then sat down on the dirt floor next to the tractor.

“I’m not good with engines, but I know how to turn a bolt. You just tell me what need to get done so we can fix this thing.”

Big Mac nodded as the two men stood, and got to work.

Years of messing with electrical equipment gave Dano the knowledge on how to work most hand tools as well as use them effectively, so there was no learning curve as he plunged his hands into the engine. As the survivor worked Big Mac looked over his shoulder telling him what to do with short precise commands.

The two worked like this until the sound of quiet footstep brought the two would be mechanics away from the machine. Granny Smith had appeared in the door way carrying a tray with two glasses of ice water, a pair of large red apples and two peanut butter sandwiches. She was wearing a pale red dress, brown slippers and a pale green long sleeved blouse. A large smile graced her old face as she spoke.

“Thought Ah would bring you two lunch, since y’all have been workin so hard.”

Dano pulled his hands out of the tractor, and wiped his grimy fingers on his pants before he took the tray from the old farmer.

“Thanks a lot Granny Smith.”

Granny Smith gave Dano a small smile.

“Anytime youngin.”

With that the old farmer left the garage, and Dano turned to Big Mac. The injured farmer moved back to his seat on the bucket, and the survivor handed him the tray. Big Mac grabbed it with his good hand and set it on his lap as Dano sat on the ground next to the farmer. Big Mac politely handed his companion his food before eating his own, and as the duo ate Dano decided to start up a conversation.

“Hey Big Mac.”

Big Mac looked at Dano, his face its characteristic calm.

“Why is Applejack so nervous around the tractor?”

Big Mac sucked in a deep breath and sighed.

“When we were both young our father was workin on the tractor. Applejack was watching him work when the brakes slipped, and she saw the tractor rolled over Pa.”

Big Mac shifted his wheat sprig from one side of his mouth to the other.

“She never really recovered from that, and the death of Ma shortly after really put a strain on her mind.”

Dano blinked as the information settled in his mind.

“I’m sorry for bringing it up.” The survivor’s voice was soft.

Big Mac sighed again.

“It was a long time ago.”

Dano saw the anguish in Big Mac’s eyes, and he appeared to have lost his appetite as he played with his apple. Dano decided to change the subject.

“How long have you known about Applejack’s crush on Rarity?”

Big Mac raised an eyebrow, and a small smile stretched across his face.

“From the beginnin.”

The two chuckled.

“I don’t see why she doesn’t just ask her out.”

Big Mac made a half shrug.

“Probably has somethin to do with them bein such good friends.”

Dano nodded in agreement before he moved on. The survivor took a bite out of his apple right as he launched his next question.

“How long have you liked Twilight.”

Big Mac visibly twitched at the question then sighed.

“Yah could tell huh.”

Dano smiled as he nodded.

“It was easy, especially when you ran away from her this morning.”

Big Mac made another half shrug.

“You should talk to her man. I heard she might actually like you back.”

Big Mac raised an eyebrow at Dano, and the survivor just returned to his apple.

The injured farmer had regained his appetite after Dano had changed the subject, and finished his food around the same time his companion did. Once lunch was gone the duo returned to the tractor, and stayed there for a couple more hours as they pulled apart the engine to try and find the problem. Big Mac eventually found it, and they replaced the malfunctioning part then put the engine back together.

When the engine was in one piece Big Mac moved to the back of the tractor, climbed on, and started the machine up. The tractor chocked a bit then roared to life. Dano felt a fuzzy feeling wash over him, the feeling one gets when the project they have slaved over reached fruition. Big Mac had a smile on his face as he turned the tractor off. He turned to Dano once he had climbed off of the machine.

“Thanks for the help Dano, yah can go home now. There isn’t anythin left to do today.”

Dano nodded as he wiped his hands on his pants again.

“Sounds good. I will see you tomorrow Big Mac.”

Big Mac nodded before he started picking up the tools. Dano thought about helping the farmer, but dismissed the thought. Big Mac was a working man, and Dano knew if he took that away and gave him nothing to do the farmer would probably go insane.

Dano left the garage and began to stroll away from the building. As the survivor walked he saw Granny Smith sitting on the front porch of the farm house in an old rocking chair, and Dano waved at her. The old farmer reciprocated, and Dano continued his walk with a smile on his face.

There was no rush to get home, so Dano decided to wander for the rest of the afternoon through town on his way back to Fluttershy’s house. After strolling into Ponyville the survivor meandered down his usual route, waving and greeting everybody he knew. As Dano walked his thoughts wandered.

The survivors mind went back to his old life. Images of friends at parties, or just sitting around playing XBOX danced across Dano’s mind’s eye. The scenes of family reunions were intermingled in the mess of images, as well as pictures of home. Dano sucked in a deep breath and let it out as emotions battled in his conscious. He ran his hands through his long shaggy hair, and decided he needed to get home sooner rather than later.

The rest of the journey home for Dano was one of glum silence. His head had dipped a bit as he walked, and his mind was occupied with the loss of his old life. Before the survivor realized it he was home. The sun was going to be up for a couple, so Dano decided to find a place outside to relax. He crossed the bridge and wandered around the house until he found a small open area. The survivor laid down in cool grass, slipped his hands under his head and let the sun warm his body. Before Dano knew it he had drifted off into a small nap.

Dano felt something shaking him gently as he regained consciousness. The survivor opened his eyes to see Fluttershy kneeling next to him, her face illuminated by the orange hues of a setting sun. She was wearing a canary yellow t-shirt with three butterflies on the front. The insect’s wings were pink just like Fluttershy’s hair, and their bodies were cyan. Covering the shy woman’s legs was tight blue jeans, and her feet were encased in pink flat soled shoes. It reminded Dano of the first time he met Fluttershy.

The survivor stretched and yawned before closing his eyes again.

“Five more minutes.”

“Um… the sun will be down soon.”

Dano smiled.

“You worry too much.”

Fluttershy didn’t respond.

“How about this, you stay out here with me until the sun sets then we can go inside.”

“O-ok.”

Dano opened his eyes, sat up and rotated his body to face the setting sun. Fluttershy moved over next to Dano and sat. Her hair covered most of her face, and her eyes were glued to the sunset. Dano found himself watching Fluttershy out of the corner of his eyes instead of the sun in front of him. He felt a small calm move through his brain as he watched the shy woman.

Before long the sun disappeared behind the mountains. The couple stood and made their way around the house, and found Echo waiting by the front door. The wolf looked happy to see the duo, and Dano patted the K9 on the head as Fluttershy lead the two survivors into the house.

For the rest of the day Dano sat in his usual spot in the kitchen watching Fluttershy make dinner. They didn’t talk as the shy woman cooked, and the conversation was light as they ate dinner. Dano had sausage and peppers while Fluttershy had a leafy salad with an assortment of nuts and berries mixed in. Once the two finished Dano cleaned up despite Fluttershy’s protests, which had gotten even weaker than before.

Fluttershy went to bed as Dano cleaned up. After putting all of the now clean dishes in the drying rack the survivor went to his room to grab his tooth brush. Dano went through his nightly routine of brushing his teeth and organizing his clothes for the next day.

Dano climbed into bed that night not as tired as before. The work today had been light, and Dano found it a little hard to get to sleep. Not just from his unexpended energy, but also from his thoughts during his walk home. Sleep did come eventually, but it was filled with images of a life long gone.

The rest of the week went on like it did the first two days. Dano became Big Mac’s right arm as the farmer healed, and a mutual friendship grew between the two. Big Mac took Dano’s advice and began to talk with Twilight whenever she showed up on the farm. Braeburn also grew close to Dano as the survivor worked with the farmer. Eventually Dano felt like a part of the family, and Granny Smith would affectionately call the survivor ‘Daniel Apple’ whenever he was around.

Through working with Applejack and living with Fluttershy Dano got a lot of exposure to their circle of friends. Rarity would constantly give Dano new clothing and fashion tips, and Dano would try his best to remember the lessons. Twilight and the survivor would have conversations about history and literature, and Rainbow Dash would constantly try to get Dano to compete in one thing or another. Pinkie Pie would just randomly appear and talk with Dano about anything, and through the pink haired party girl the survivor was invited to a picnic the girls were having that weekend. Dano said he would attend without hesitation, for anytime spent with his new friends was time well spent.

The picnic was set up by the forest at the edge of Sweet Apple Acres. A small red and white checkered blanket was spread out on a flat portion of the small stretch of grassy field between the feral forest and the organized orchard. It was noon, and the sun was warming the area nicely. Twilight, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Spike, Echo and Dano all sat in a large circle as the food that Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie had prepared was passed around. The girls wore the same get up they usually did, and Dano decided not to wear his work clothes. He wore a t-shirt, jeans and his boots to the picnic, and the girls made their opinions clear that they liked it when Dano wore something other than grey.

Dano had brought his knife with him, against Fluttershy’s wishes, to show Rainbow Dash. She had showed some interest in the old weapon when Dano brought it up in conversation one day, and the survivor handed the sheathed blade to the runner as the food was finished being handed out. Rainbow Dash looked over the blade with excitement, and played with it throughout the meal.

The group, except for Echo, talked and laughed as they sipped on lemonade and nibbled on small cucumber sandwiches. Dano was surprised to see Spike so friendly after their first encounter, and it made the whole picnic perfect for the survivor. All of his friends, excluding the rest of the Apple Family, were sitting around Dano having a good time. The survivor felt at home for the first time in a long time, and all of the thoughts of his old life that had plagued him this week faded into nothing.

Even with the food finished the group continued with the joyful conversation until Pinkie Pie suddenly leapt to her feet, smacked Dano on the top of the head and yelled.

“TAG!”

The rest of the group was confused as the party girl took off at a full sprint into the woods, but quickly recovered. Dano let the six girls and one teen get a head start before he stood, and grabbed his knife from where Rainbow had left it. The survivor pocketed the blade then looked at Echo, who had stayed behind, and the wolf gave Dano a competitive smile. Dano returned the grin and the two took off after their quarry.

The forest Dano and Echo ran through was a lot thicker than the one they had previously called home, and not a square inch lacked foliage of some sort. The survivor followed behind his wolf friend, and the both of them were sprinting. Dano could hear the laughs and cries of the girls ahead of him, and he eventually caught up with them in a small clearing.

The group had reached a stream, and they were trying to cross it without getting wet. Pinkie led the way by hopping on some exposed stones, but once she reached the other side she froze in fear. The rest of the group followed suit, and Dano heard why.

A low powerful growl emanated from the tree line on the other side of the stream, and Dano recognized the pitch. The growl was feral, and hungry. The sound made Dano’s heart stop, stomach drop and scenes of the wild dogs in the city flash through his brain. He reflexively pulled his blade out and unsheathed it, placing the sheath back into his pocket.

“Get over here now!”

Dano’s words were powerful enough to break the girls from their fear, and make them run over to the survivor. Pinkie tried to cross the stream the same way as before, but slipped and fell in the water. The party girl was un-phased, and climbed out of the stream quickly.

A grey wolf emerged from the tree line once Pinkie had rejoined the group. Its yellow eyes bored into Dano’s, and its yellow teeth were bared. The wolf was large, and Dano guessed it was at least three inches taller than Echo at the shoulder. The animals grey coat had splotches of black and brown, as well as bare areas where scars took the place of fur.

The survivor gripped his blade in preparation of the fight to come, and felt confident he could take on the wolf. Dano’s confidence slipped away when more growls emanated from the forest behind the first one, and five more of the animals moved into view. Each of the beasts was just as big as the first one, and the wolves began to cross the stream and fan out.

Dano recognized the maneuver from his last encounter with feral K9s, and his mind raced with one thing. I need to protect the girls. The survivor rose his voice over the collective growls of the approaching wolves.

“Listen up. Echo and I will distract the wolves so the rest of you can get away.”

Dano voice was hard.

“We ain’t gonna leave yah here surgarcube.”

Applejacks voice was filled with fear, but Dano knew she wasn’t about to leave.

“Yeah.”

Rainbow’s usual confidence was severely lacking as she agreed with her friend.

“You have to. I need someone to make sure the whole group makes it.”

Applejack huffed.

“Fine.”

Dano wasn’t satisfied.

“Pinkie Promise that you will get out and not come back in.”

Applejack swore under her breath.

“Cross mah heart, hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in mah eye.”

Dano heard Pinkie make a small whine, and it made him smile a bit. The survivor had just bound two of his friends to his orders, and they would follow them come hell or high water.

“Alright. When I count to three start running home.”

The wolves continued to fan out, and Dano had to get the girls to safety soon before the animals closed the gap behind them.

“One…”

Dano gripped his weapon even tighter.

“Two…”

Echo lowered himself into a fighting position, and Dano felt the adrenaline begin to pump into his veins.

“Three!”

Dano and Echo charged the two wolves in front of them as the girls sprinted back the way they came. The two animals in front of the survivors were caught slightly off guard, and made a weak attempt to counter attack by leaping at Dano and Echo. Dano was prepared, and he unleashed a wicked right hook. The brass knuckles impacted on the side of the wolf’s head, and Dano heard the animal’s skull break under the weight of the blow. The wolf whined in pain and retreated a bit, but it was still alive.

Echo had hesitated before he leapt at his enemy, and caught the feral wolf in the throat with his teeth mid leap. The two animals tumbled through the air, and the wild animal was dead by the time the two hit the ground.

Dano and Echo took off into the woods in the same direction as the girls, and the five wolves followed the survivors into the dense forest. Dano could feel them right behind him, and his mind screamed at his body to run faster. Dano was sucking wind when he suddenly saw a pink and yellow blob on the ground in front of him, and he recognized the blob as Fluttershy. She must have tripped in the confusion, and just laid there frozen with fear.

Dano made the split second decision to stay, and he turned to see the pack of wolves literally right behind him. The survivor had milliseconds to square his shoulders before the first of the pack leapt at his throat, yellow teeth bared. Dano hacked downwards, and caught the wolf right between the shoulder and neck. The blade cut deep, and the wolf managed a small whine before it crashed to the ground and died.

Echo had engaged the wolf Dano had punched, and was squared off after the two collided in the air when they first engaged each other. Echo circled to the right of the wounded animal, trying to exploit its fractured skull. When the feral wolf tried to shift its body so it could see Echo, the survivor struck. The animal could barely see the attack, and reacted too late. Echo wrapped his jaw around the feral wolf’s neck, and bit down hard enough to puncture its windpipe. The animal wheezed as blood filled its lungs and throat before it collapsed.

The rest of the pack slowed, and began to surround the two survivors. Dano couldn’t let this happen again.

“Echo, stay here with Fluttershy. I will lead the wolves away.”

Dano saw Echo nod in his peripheral vision.

Dano sucked in a large breath and let it out before he charge the wolf in front of him. This time, however, the wolf was ready, and pounced almost immediately. Dano reacted by catching the wolf around its neck with his left hand, and stabbing it in the chest with his blade. The survivor threw the now limp animal at one of its pack mates then took off away from Fluttershy and Echo. Like Dano hoped the pack followed him.

Dano ran for as long as he could. His muscles screamed at him to stop and breath, but Dano’s mind kept screaming back that the wolves were right behind him. Eventually Dano stopped, and turned. He could see the anger in the wolves yellow eyes, they were out for blood. Dano squared himself as best as he could as another wolf leapt at him. The survivor hacked at the wolf, and caught the animal right between the muzzle and right eye. The blade pushed its way through the skin, and smashed the bone of the wolf. The feral animal died before it hit the ground, and Dano readied himself for the next one, but he was too tired and slow.

The next wolf jumped into the air and clamped down on Dano’s exposed bicep. Dano inhaled through gritted teeth as he spun on his feet with the wolf’s momentum so the beast wouldn’t rip his bicep off. Completely turned around the other wolf took advantage of Dano, and bit down on his ankle. Luckily Dano was wearing his boots, and the bite wasn’t affective.

The survivor was more concerned with the wolf hanging off of his arm that the one attacking his leg. Dano moved his left hand into the mouth of the wolf attached to him and lifted upward and away. The animal’s top teeth came out easily, but its bottom ones dug deep trenches in Dano’s flesh as the survivor pulled. Once the wolf was detached from Dano’s arm it bit down on the survivor’s hand. Dano ignored the pain and stabbed the wolf in the rib cage perpendicularly to its spine. The blade pierced both of its lungs and heart, and the wolf died quickly.

Dano used the dead wolf in his left hand as a club to get rid of the last wolf. The survivor released the body after the initial blow, and the wolf tumbled across the ground with the corpse on top of it. Dano moved quickly to the pile to finish the last wolf. He kneeled, brought the knife above his head with both hands and brought the blade down in a crushing blow, but the wolf dodged. Dano’s eyes followed the beast as it rolled away from the blade, stood and launched its attack. The survivor brought his left hand up to protect his neck, and the weight of the animal pushed him on his back.

Dano’s arm was pushing up on the wolf throat, and the beast’s mouth was snapping at his face. The wolf snarled, and pushed as hard as it could. Dano could feel the feral K9’s front claws dig into his chest to try and gain any grip to finish the human. The survivor tried to bring his right arm into the fight, but the appendage refused to comply. The wolf bite had really worked over his bicep.

Time seemed to slow down around the struggle as Dano tried his best to push the animal off of him, but to no avail. The fatigue in his left arm was growing, and the wolf was gaining ground. Dano felt its hot breath on his face, and his mind raced. His arm was about to give out when Dano heard a crash from the forest to his left. Echo had returned, and he leapt through the air at the wolf on top of his friend. The feral K9 didn’t react fast enough, and Echo was upon it before it even moved to defend itself.

While midair Echo clamped his jaw on the back of the wolf’s neck, rolled into a ball and used his momentum to pull the feral K9 off of Dano. The survivor could hear the struggle continue for a short while before a small whine escaped one of the wolves. Dano rolled over to see Echo standing over the last wolf’s body, its blood dripping around his mouth.

Echo looked more like the six wolves the two of them had just killed. His coat was stained with dirt and blood, and his eyes were filled with adrenaline and rage. Dano saw the anger seep away from his friends eyes, and was replaced by worry.

Dano was a mess, and blood ran freely from his chest and arm. The survivor felt the last dregs of adrenaline leave his system, and the fatigue and pain replaced it. Dano struggled to stand up, his survival instincts telling him to get out of the forest and find help. Echo whined as Dano pulled himself from the ground, and nuzzled his leg as the survivor struggled to stand.

Once upright Dano felt light headed and tired. Part of him wanted to sleep, and Dano realized that he had lost a lot of blood. He looked at Echo.

“Get me out of here.”

Dano’s voice was raspy and quiet.

Echo nodded, the worry still in his face, and began to trot toward the way home.

The walk to safety was long, and time seemed to slow down around Dano. He felt his body begin to shut down as blood continued to leave his system. The only thing keeping him awake, keeping him alive was his will. Echo would occasionally stop and look back at his friend, and the worry would increase as Dano continued to show more and more signs of extreme blood loss.

After what felt like hours Dano finally broke through the last of the brush marking the tree line. He was right back where he started, at the picnic. Through his hazy vision he could see the girls and Spike sitting on the blanket, all of them looking solemn. The group looked over at the disturbance, and their expressions changed to joy then to worry as they took in Dano.

Unable to go on Dano collapsed to his knees, his head hanging low. He could hear the girls run over to him, but Dano couldn’t hold on anymore. He closed his eyes and let the rest his body want so deeply take him over, and the last thing he heard was the sound of six girls and one teenage boy all talk at once.

So what do you think Twilight?
chapters a little long, you took forever to get it out and you are really lucky you have spell check
What is that supposed to mean?
your spelling is atrocious
you know she is right
shut up logic
are you talking to yourself again?
yes, yes i am. Pinkie can usually hear him.... where is Pinkie?
she said something about going to Mac Hall and baking something
oh boy
this is not good
i know this
*door bursts open*
hey everypony!
Pinkie, i told you to stay in the room
i know, but i got so bored.... and hungry. So i made cupcakes
*hands Author cupcakes as Author face palms
i told you this would happen
shut up logic

there she be
the new chapter
for your eyes only reader
sorry for the late update
but just look how long the chapter is, and the action
anyway
enjoy, and dont forget to comment.
that is all
kthnxbai

Recovery

Whole New World
Chapter 13
Recovery

Dano regained consciousness to the soft chirping of a song bird in the distance, the sweet smell of some sort of flower and the feeling of lying in a plush bed covered in warm blankets. Through his closed eyelids the survivor could see that the sun was up, and a small smile crept across his face. It felt like a typical Saturday morning to Dano, the beginning of a lazy day where he would get up late, and wander around looking for something to do.

Dano shifted in the bed, and a massive pain emanated from his chest and right arm. Memories flooded into his mind. Images of blood, dirt and chaos mingled with feelings of pain, rage and adrenaline. Dano’s eyes shot open, and the survivor tried to sit up to only receive the same skull shattering pain. A cry escaped his mouth before he let himself fall back into the bed, and Dano felt a bead of sweat move off of his forehead and traveled down the side of his face.

Dano didn’t want to risk another brain numbing spike of pain, so he was content with just observing what he could see with his head on the pillow. A lightly stained wooden ceiling dominated the survivor vision, and he couldn’t recognize where he was. The sound of light, fast moving footsteps brought Dano away from observing the ceiling.

The survivor heard a door open to his right, and the soft footsteps increased in volume until they stopped nearby. Dano shifted his head a bit, and was happy there was no pain. The survivor’s eyes caught the face of a very worried Fluttershy.

“Are you okay?”

Dano grunted.

Fluttershy blinked at the response.

“Are you hungry?”

“Yeah.”

Dano’s voice was raspy and flat.

Fluttershy nodded before she took off back the way she came. Dano felt a little pang of regret for being so rude, but he was in a lot of pain. Plus the fact that being laid up could interfere with the whole mission he was on only made him feel even worse.

Fluttershy returned a few minutes later, and Dano heard the sound of a wooden tray being set down somewhere before the woman returned to his view. Dano tried to sit up, but without his right arm and the pain in his chest the survivor didn’t get anywhere fast. Fluttershy moved over to the struggling Dano quickly, wrapped her arms around his chest lightly and lifted. She made sure to put all of the force of her lift into Dano’s arm pits, and not on his wounds. Dano was surprised that Fluttershy actually lifted most of his weight, and as the woman lifted the survivor her hair fell onto his face. The scent of fresh mowed grass mixed with the smell of the world after a thunderstorm moved up his nostrils, and it turned Dano’s brain off.

Fluttershy released Dano when he was upright. He didn’t move, and he stared straight ahead as his mind processed the wonderful scent the woman’s hair. The survivor only snapped out of his mental haze when he felt a tray being placed in his lap. Dano looked down to see a dark wooden tray with legs supporting it on the bed. Resting on the tray was a bowl of steaming stew, a glass of water and a chunk of homemade bread. Dano guessed the stew had been cooking all day for Fluttershy to get it up to him so quickly.

As Dano gazed at his meal he caught a glance at his chest. The survivor was surprised to see it not only bare, but covered in white bandages. Dano did a quick clothing check using his sense of touch to figure out he was sitting in Fluttershy’s bed in his underwear. A brief feeling of embarrassment washed over the survivor’s brain before he set it aside.

After Fluttershy put the tray down she sat on the edge of the bed. She was wearing a canary yellow t-shirt, and a pair of pink sweatpants covering her legs. Dano felt a different vibe emanating from the shy woman as she sat and looked at him with a gaze of worry. She was in caring mode, and it made the survivor feel a little better about his recovery. Everything is going to be fine.

Dano tried to reach for the fork next to the bowl, but as he moved his right arm his bicep screamed in pain. Through gritted teeth the survivor sucked in a breath before the pain subsided. Dano decided he would have to use his non-dominant left hand to eat, but when he lifted the appendage into his view he sighed. Each of the fingers on the survivor’s left hand was wrapped in its own bandage, and the memory of the wolf bite flew into Dano’s mind. He turned his gaze to Fluttershy, and spoke in his dry voice.

“How bad was I?”

Fluttershy looked away from the survivor before she spoke.

“There was a lot of blood.”

Dano sighed.

“There usually is.”

Fluttershy didn’t look back at Dano as she continued to speak.

“Um… that wasn’t your first fight, was it?”

Dano shifted his gaze to his food, and remained silent for what felt like an eternity. When he returned his eyes forward he saw Fluttershy looking back at him, the worry even more present than before.

“How could you tell?”

Fluttershy locked eyes with Dano.

“You have another scar.”

Dano nodded, and he felt a little pang of embarrassment.

“You have already seen it, huh?”

Fluttershy nodded before looking away again.

“The one on your thigh.”

Dano sighed.

“That was a while ago.”

Fluttershy nodded without looking at Dano, and the survivor sighed again.

“You want to help me? I can’t seem to grip the utensils.”

Fluttershy looked at Dano with a bit of confusion as the survivor waved his left hand.

The shy woman audibly swallowed before she moved down the side of the bed and sat closer to Dano. Fluttershy picked up the spoon sitting next to the bowl, dipped the utensil into the creamy liquid and pulled out a large serving. Her left hand hovered under the spoon to catch any drippings as she slowly moved the utensil from the bowl to Dano’s mouth.

The survivor waited for the spoon to get close before he opened his maw to let the warm stew in. Once Fluttershy had crossed the threshold into Dano’s mouth he closed his lips around the spoon, and the shy woman pulled the utensil back out.

The stew was delicious, but it was just a blip in the back of Dano’s mind. He was staring intently at Fluttershy as he chewed, and saw a small blush spread across her face. With a mouth full of food Dano began to laugh. The chuckle started out small, but grew as the survivor tried his best not to choke on the stew in his mouth. Fluttershy had an expression of confusion as she watched Dano laugh.

“Um… what is so funny?”

Dano swallowed, and spoke between chuckles.

“I have no idea.”

Fluttershy blinked in confusion before her mouth contorted into a smile which turned into a giggle. As the shy woman’s laugh grew so did Dano’s, and Fluttershy’s grew in turn. Soon both of them were laughing uncontrollably, and the echo of their hysterics moved through the house. The awkward buffer between the two people melted away, much to the comfort of them both.

Eventually the couple stopped laughing, and after whipping their tears away, continued the meal. In between mouthfuls Dano and Fluttershy would talk. The shy woman was much more comfortable with the survivor than before, and the conversation flowed nicely. Once the meal was finished Fluttershy lifted the tray off of the bed, and left the room with the dirty dishes. With Fluttershy gone Dano began to take in his surroundings.

Dano was in a queen sized wooden bed that was stained a dark brown and rested perpendicular to the wall behind him. The head board the survivor was leaning on was intricately carved with images of birds and flowers, and Dano guessed it was an heirloom. The pink sheets, pink pillow cases and brown comforter of Fluttershy’s bed matched Dano’s, and was just as comfortable.

To the immediate right of the survivor was the doorway, which Fluttershy had left open. The threshold lead to a landing at the top of the stairs, and across the landing was another door that was cracked a bit. Dano could barely see into the dark room, but the white tile on the floor made the survivor guess that it was the bathroom of the house. Dano had never used the bathroom in Fluttershy’s abode, for he shaved and brushed his teeth in the downstairs sink. He only used the outhouse on the Apple Family farm or the one behind Fluttershy's house if he had to go relieve himself, and he would just stick his head in a water trough to wash himself. It never really occurred to the survivor that he could ask to use the bathroom here, but he felt a little awkward talking about things like that with Fluttershy.

Dano continued to scan the room, and his eyes fell upon a small, wooden vanity with a tall mirror attached to it between the door and the far wall. A short, wooden stool rested in front of the vanity, and the whole set up matched with a light stain painted on the wood that made up the make-up area.

The far wall was covered in a dark stained, wooden wardrobe that matched the bed in its intricate carving. Flanking the wardrobe was a pair of bookshelves, one on each side. The shelving was covered in tomes of varying sizes and colors, but they never grew to more than an inch wide. Dano guessed that Fluttershy wasn’t much of a reader, and only kept the books around in case she got bored. The far wall was an exterior wall, so a pair of square windows rested on the outside of each bookcase respectively. The sun beamed through the glass, and from the color Dano guessed it was the early afternoon.

The left wall was bare except for a pair of round windows, and to the left of the bed rested a small nightstand with a large candle sitting in its holder with a box of matches resting next to the light source. An oval area rug covered a bit of the wooden floor in front of the bed, and it matched the same pink and brown color scheme as the one that decorated the living room down stairs.

The room wasn’t large, but was still sparsely decorated. Dano knew you could tell a lot about a person on how their house looked, and Fluttershy’s appeared simple and clutter free. The whole house seemed to fit with the woman’s personality, and the survivor wondered if his house echoed his own character. The thought reminded Dano about his cabin, and his mind began to wander back to the clearing.

Before Dano could drift away into a day dream he heard two pairs of footsteps coming up the stairs. One pair was lighter than the other, and Dano guessed they were Fluttershy’s, but the other was new to him. They weren’t heavy by any means, but they did have a distinct sound to them. Dano guessed they belonged to a female wearing boots or heels.

Dano’s guess was validated when Fluttershy walked into the room with Applejack right behind her, and he guessed that she had just arrived. The farm girl was decked out in her normal garb, and a thin crust of dirt covered her. Dano had seen this happen to her, and himself, before. The woman had just finished working in the fields.

“Nice to see yah up.”

Dano smiled at the farm girl, and she returned the grin.

“We were awfully worried ‘bout yah.”

Dano chuckled a bit.

“Wasn’t my first time to the rodeo Applejack.”

Applejack chuckled.

“Ah could tell. Even with Echo helpin takin down an entire pack of wolves’ aint an easy feat.”

Dano shrugged at the praise, and the farm girl continued.

“Ya’ll have to teach me how to use a knife like that someday.”

Dano chuckled.

“Someday, maybe.”

Applejack smiled.

“Well, Ah’m gonna get outa yer hair. I just came by to drop off yer pay.”

Dano’s eyes drifted down to Applejack’s hands, where a small brown leather pouch rested. She opened the small sac to show the survivoir its contents. Inside was several dozen silver dollar coins, and Dano guessed the coin was used in lieu of the dollar bill because of survivability. Applejack spoke as Dano looked at the currency.

“It aint much, but yah earned it.”

Dano returned his gaze back to the farmer.

“Give it to Fluttershy.”

Applejack blinked in confusion as Fluttershy, who had been standing next to the farmer politely, spoke up.

“Oh no. I couldn’t take your money.”

Dano shrugged.

“Then think of it as a gift for letting me stay here.”

Fluttershy tried to voice another excuse, but Dano cut her off.

“Fluttershy, either you are going to take the money, or I’m giving it back to Applejack.”

Fluttershy ducked behind her hair.

“O-okay.”

With that Applejack handed Fluttershy the pouch, and the shy woman left the room to go put the money away. Applejack turned to follow, but right before she left the farm girl looked over her left shoulder at Dano.

“That was mighty nice of yah.”

Dano shrugged.

“She deserves every penny.”

Applejack nodded and smiled before she left the room. Dano felt a grin spread across his face as the warm fuzzy feeling associated with doing something good washed over him.

Fluttershy returned after a few minutes, and took her seat on the edge of the bed. She didn’t face Dano, and the survivor felt a vibe emanating from her as if she had something to say. Dano waited for the shy woman to organize her thoughts before he spoke, and eventually Fluttershy worked up the courage to begin the conversation.

“T-thank you for the money.”

Fluttershy’s gaze drifted to Dano.

“Don’t worry about it. I would have eaten you out of house and home eventually.”

Dano chuckled and Fluttershy smiled a bit, but she was still putting out the vibe that she wanted to say something.

“I um… I also want to apologize for p-putting you in so much danger. If I hadn’t fallen you wouldn’t have had to run off to protect me, and you would have gotten out without getting hurt.”

Fluttershy hid her face behind her hair, and her voice began to crack.

“I’m sorry…”

Dano leaned forward despite the pain in his chest and placed his left hand on Fluttershy’s shoulder. She didn’t flinch at the contact like she usually did, but actually looked up at Dano’s face. The survivor put on a comforting smile as the sight of the upset woman filled his vision, tears beginning to grow in her eyes.

“You are forgiven.”

Fluttershy looked confused for a moment before it clicked in her mind. Dano had never even thought about blaming her for his wounds, and never would. The shy woman gently wrapped her arms around the survivor and embraced him, her head resting in the center of his chest.

Dano let his good arm wrap around Fluttershy’s shoulders, and he could feel the warmth emanate from her body. The smell of her hair drifted up his nostrils, and the beat of her heart could be felt on his own chest. The feeling the survivor felt was indescribably, but it was a great. As if all his problems had vanished, and that he was safe right there.

Dano couldn’t tell how long the embrace lasted, but he did know that when it ended it was too soon. Fluttershy gently pushed away from the survivor, and he released the shy woman. Fluttershy stood and spoke.

“I’m going to go make dinner. Um… do you want anything special?”

Dano shrugged.

“Surprise me.”

Fluttershy made a small nod before she left the room, leaving Dano by himself.

After a few minutes of doing nothing Dano let his gaze drift around the room until it fell on something of interest. Dano has caught sight of a blue jay resting on the windowsill that belonged to one of the round windows closest to the survivor. The bird hopped around on its perch, its head constantly shifting as it scanned for predators. Dano was hypnotized the blue jay, and he lost track of time.

Dano was pulled from his trance an unknown amount of time later by the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs. He turned his head to see Fluttershy move through the door a pair of bowls in her hands. She handed one to the survivor, and he took it with his left hand. As Dano placed the bowl onto his lap Fluttershy took her seat at the edge of the bed.

Dano looked into the bowl once it was resting on his lap, and a leafy green salad with nuts and berries filled his vision. The meal looked wonderful, and Dano could eat it on his own using a fork to stab the colorful salad instead of scooping stew. Once sitting Fluttershy handed Dano a fork, and the survivor tried his best to grip it in his good hand. The casts on his fingers made them ridged, but Dano managed to get a good grip on the utensil albeit looking rather silly.

The couple made small talk as they ate, with major topics being weather and friends. Once the food was eaten Fluttershy helped Dano lay down without hurting himself too much, wished the survivor a good night and then left with the dirty dishes, closing the door as she left. Dano found himself lying on his back as the last dregs of light left the room. His body was full of unused energy, and the survivor knew that sleep was going to be difficult to find. Dano sighed, and closed his eyes as the last light of the day disappeared.

Sleep came slowly, just as Dano had predicted. His body wanted to move, to expel energy and not sleep. Eventually slumber pulled the survivor into unconsciousness, and the wounded man had a small smile on his face as thoughts and dreams of Fluttershy’s embraced snaked their way through his brain.

So, what do you think.
not your longest chapter, is made up of mostly fill and it took you over a week to write
i know, but in my defense the sun was out a lot this week.
i had so much fun in the sun, i think im starting to tan!
Pinkie, fur can't tan
BUCK YOU, I CAN TAN ALL I WANT
*facehoof* Invictus?
yes?
have you been showing Pinkie youtube videos?
maybe...

confound this weather, it drives me to go outside.
my bad for such a long wait before the update guys.
hopefully you like this chapter, with all its mushy shipping goodness
cuz thats what this one was about...
if you couldnt tell....
...
dont forget to comment btw
that is all
kthanxbai

Looming

Whole New World
Chapter 14
Looming

Dano awoke to the same scene as the day before, the ceiling dominating his vision and the warm sun bleeding through the windows. He decided to wait for Fluttershy before he made any attempt to sit up, and after a few minutes the survivor heard the shy woman ascend the stairs, open the door and step into the room. As he waited Dano heard Fluttershy set something on the vanity before she moved into his field of vision.

Like the day before Fluttershy helped Dano sit up before handing him a bowl. As Dano grabbed the dish with his left hand the shy woman sat on the edge of the bed, her own bowl resting in her lap. Dano inspected the contents of the bowl to find a very colorful fruit salad resting in the dish. The survivor returned his gaze back to Fluttershy just as she handed him a fork, and he took it in the same awkward fashion as before.

Right as Dano began to eat he noticed that Fluttershy was wearing the same clothes as yesterday, and guessed that she had slept in those clothes as well.

“Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy looked up from her food.

“When was the last time you changed your clothes?”

Fluttershy blinked in confusion before looking down at herself.

“Oh um… since we put you in the bed.”

Dano raised an eyebrow.

“And how long ago was that.”

Fluttershy’s gaze returned to Dano.

“Well, you were asleep for a few days before you woke up…”

Dano sighed.

“Fluttershy, you need to change your clothes. Here…” Dano handed his fruit salad back to Fluttershy, and she gave him a confused look. “… I will just get out of your room for a while.”

Dano began to shimmy his way out of the bed using his abs and legs to move. Fluttershy stood and watched the survivor try and get out of the bed without both of his arms, a look of worry stretched across her face.

“Dano you don’t have to get up. I’m fine.”

Dano waved his good hand dismissively as he swung his legs over the side of the bed.

“It’s alright. I need to move around a bit anyway.”

Using his left arm Dano forced himself to stand. Fluttershy moved between the survivor and the door.

“The Doctor said you needed to rest.”

Dano tried to take a step past the woman, but she moved to block him.

“Fluttershy I need to move and you need to change.”

Fluttershy’s whole demeanor changed in an instant, and Dano felt the variation in her presence. She locked eyes with the survivor, and his mind went into a strange panic.

“You are going to rest.”

Fluttershy’s words were uncharacteristically forceful as she stared at the survivor.

Dano blinked and tried his best to break the eye contact, but he couldn’t. He felt himself take a step back, and as he did Fluttershy took a step forward. Dano somehow had lost control of his body and mind as he found himself sitting on the bed, pulling his legs under the covers and returning to his spot without breaking eye contact with Fluttershy.

Just as quickly as she changed Fluttershy returned to normal, a small smile appearing on her face.

“Now that’s better.”

Dano blinked as he tried to comprehend what just happened. Before he knew it his bowl of fruit salad, which Fluttershy had been holding, was placed back in his lap. The shy woman offered Dano his fork, and the survivor took it without hesitation. He ate his food silently as his mind continued to process what had taken place.

By then end of the meal Dano had given up trying to figure out what Fluttershy had done to him. He had pushed the thought away using the fact that the entire town was weird as an excuse to explain Fluttershy’s little power. The shy woman had finished eating around the same time Dano did, and as she picked up the dirty bowls he spoke up.

“Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy turned her full attention to Dano.

“I want you to change your clothes and take a shower, bath whatever. I don’t need you to drop everything, including personal hygiene, to take care of me.”

Fluttershy nodded slightly, and Dano smiled.

Dano watched Fluttershy place the bowls down on the vanity before moving across the room to the large wooden wardrobe. She opened the doors of the closet, grabbed a pair of jeans, a yellow tank top and new underwear. With her new clothes selected Fluttershy left the room quickly, grabbing the bowls right before closing the door behind her.

Dano was happy Fluttershy had taken his advice, and it wasn’t long before he heard the sound of water running from the bathroom across the landing. The water cut out after a few minutes, and Dano guessed that the house had a bathtub instead of a shower.

A good while later Fluttershy returned in her new clothes, and Dano noticed that her skin and hair held a glow that had been missing from before.

“You look clean.” Dano said with a chuckle.

Fluttershy acknowledged the praise with a shy smile before she crossed the room and took her spot on the bed.

Just like the day before Dano and Fluttershy made small talk to pass the time and avoid boredom. The two of them lost track of the world around them, and before they knew it the sun was setting. Fluttershy left the bedroom, made a quick dinner of re-heated stew and helped Dano eat it. The sun had completely set when the couple had finished eating, and Fluttershy returned Dano to his back, said goodnight and left with the dirty dishes.

Dano sighed as he looked at the dark ceiling. Like the day before his body was ready to move, to work, to do anything. The survivor closed his eyes, and waited for sleep to claim him. After what seemed like forever slumber finally pulled Dano under, albeit restlessly.

The next couple days came and went in the same fashion as before. Dano would wake up, and wait for Fluttershy to rise, make breakfast and bring it up to him so they could eat. The survivor got progressively stronger as the days came and went, and he soon could move his right arm a bit as well as move his upper body without pain. Dano was also waking up earlier and earlier as his body began to return to the schedule it once held.

After breakfast was eaten Fluttershy would take the dirty dishes away before returning back to the bed room where the shy woman would make conversation with Dano. For hours the two would talk about everything under the sun, and no matter how long they talked the conversation never dried up or slowed.

After spending most of the day conversing Fluttershy would leave to make dinner then bring it up to Dano. The couple would eat the meal, and they usually finished by the time the sun went down. Fluttershy would wish Dano a good night before grabbing new clothes, taking a bath and going to bed herself.

This all changed when Dano awoke in the dead of night. The world was as quiet as a church mouse, and the eerie glow of the moon pierced through the dark room. Dano felt a strange ominous feeling wash over him, and the vibe was unsettling. Something is very wrong.

Dano sat up and pulled himself out of bed. Fluttershy would have killed him if she was there, but the feeling forced him to ignore the woman’s wishes. Dano moved across the room to the door, opened it and moved downstairs quietly. Using his memory to navigate the space the survivor crossed the dark living room without a sound, and cracked the guest room door enough so he could see inside.

Illuminated by the moonlight Dano saw Fluttershy sitting on the bed in her pajamas, the covers haphazardly coving her. The shy woman was locking eyes with a man that the survivor could barely make out, as if he was transparent. The being’s left hand cupped Fluttershy’s face, forcing the shy woman to look at him while his right hand moved as if to accentuate unspoken words.

Dano pushed through the door, and readied himself for a fight. The man turned to look at the intruder, and Dano saw blood red pupils lock onto his own eyes. The survivor was unable to move or break eye contact with the man, and fear began to snake its way through his brain. The man took a step forward with a devilish grin plastered on his face, and Dano noticed that his top right canine was much longer than it was supposed to be making it look much more like a fang than a human tooth.

The man reached out with his left hand to grab Dano’s face much like he did Fluttershy’s, but when he got close there was a small flash of light. The being pulled his hand back as his face contorted into a scowl. He took a defensive step back before disappearing into a dark smoky cloud that appeared out of nowhere around him.

Dano blinked at the strange intrusion, but his mind soon refocused on Fluttershy. She was still sitting in the bed eyes locked on the place where the man once stood. Dano moved across the room quickly and placed his hands on Fluttershy’s shoulders, shaking her a bit. The shy woman blinked before refocusing on Dano, a look of confusion on her face.

“What are you doing out of bed?”

Dano blinked in confusion as his mind jumped through hoops to put things together. She must not remember the man.

“I just had a bad feeling.”

Fluttershy sighed, and her expression changed to one of slight sadness.

“You should be in bed.”

Dano released Fluttershy, and took a seat on the bed next to her.

“You should too.”

Dano chuckled at his attempt to make the shy woman smile, but her face remained unchanged.

Dano quickly re-ran the whole incident with the transparent man through his head. The event had never happened before, and the feeling associated with it had never once been felt. The survivor was convinced it had something to do with his fight against Discord’s avatar, but he couldn’t put together why he would try and take Fluttershy now.

“Hey Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy looked at Dano.

“Has anything happened tonight, or on this day?”

Fluttershy phased out, her eyes focusing on something far away.

“Yes…”

Dano raised an eyebrow, and waited for Fluttershy to continue.

“Today is the anniversary of my parent’s disappearance.”

Dano saw tears begin to grow in Fluttershy’s eyes, and he wrapped his left arm around her shoulders. A small question formed in his mind, and it nagged at him to find the answer.

“I thought you said your parents died?”

Fluttershy had buried he head in her hands as she tried to hold back her tears. Dano waited for her to regain control of herself before pressing the question. Between chocked sobs Fluttershy continued.

“My mother left one night. She didn’t leave a note or anything, she just left.” Fluttershy stopped crying, but didn’t pull her head from her hands. “My father left the next morning to find her, and he never came back.”

Dano gently squeezed Fluttershy’s shoulders.

“That was three years ago…”

Dano pulled Fluttershy into an embrace, his right arm stiff from its bandaging. Fluttershy returned the hug by wrapping her arms around the survivor’s chest. The couple held the embrace for a few seconds before Dano released Fluttershy.

The survivor stood, walked across the small room and opened the door, but before he passed through the threshold her turned to look at Fluttershy. She was still sitting in bed, her outline accented by the moon’s glow.

“Good night Fluttershy.”

“Good night Dano.”

Dano smiled as he passed through the threshold and closed the door behind him. That smile disappeared once the door closed however, for a range of questions battled through his mind. As he walked through the living room and up the stairs he did his best to try and sort things out.

He realized he had walked in on Discord trying to corrupt Fluttershy, and that he was somehow impervious to the avatar’s touch. This simple thought brought about many more questions than answers. Why was he here now? How am I immune? What does the disappearance of Fluttershy’s parents have to do with his arrival? Dano had no doubt that Discord was responsible for the sudden departure of Fluttershy’s mother, but what of her father?

By the time Dano reached the top of the staircase his mind was too flustered to possibly allow him to go back to sleep. Despite this he walked into the bed room and laid back down on the bed, half out of respect for Fluttershy’s wishes and half out of the hope that Sun and Moon would visit him.

Dano laid in bed with his eyes closed for an excruciatingly long period of time before his body finally called for sleep. Despite the need his mind continued to hold off slumber as it tried to make sense of the new questions that dominated the survivor’s thoughts. Eventually however sleep did come, and Dano was pulled under with a worried frown covering his face.

Dano awoke to the familiar scene of ceiling and sun. No memories of a visit from the two sisters entered his mind, and the survivor concluded that he in fact did not get a visit last night. Dano cursed while he sat up in bed, and waited for Fluttershy to arrive.

A few minutes later the shy woman made her way up the stairs, but Dano heard another set of footsteps with her. They were much heavier, and the survivor guessed they belonged to an adult male. His guess was vindicated when Fluttershy entered the room with the Doctor right behind her.

Fluttershy was in her usual get up for this time of year. A canary yellow sweater covered her abdomen, and blue jeans coved her legs. Flat soled pink shoes covered her feet as they usually did, and Fluttershy seemed to be extra nervous with the Doctor in the room

The Doctor carried a brown leather briefcase in his right hand, and a long brown coat draped over his left forearm as he carried the extra clothing. Covering the physician’s upper body and legs was a blue suit, and maroon Converse sneakers covered his feet. Under the suit jacked was a white dress shirt with a maroon tie, and Dano found the whole ensemble quite fashionable despite his lack of knowledge in that sector.

“Nice to see you up.”

Dano smiled.

“It’s nice to be up.”

The Doctor sat on the edge of the bed, setting his briefcase between his legs.

“Fluttershy here says you are quite healthy.”

The Doctor motioned to the shy woman, and she ducked her face behind her hair at the sudden attention.

“Oh… yes.”

Dano chuckled at Fluttershy’s shyness, for he had not seen it in quite a while. The Doctor ignored the shy woman’s reaction, and returned his full attention to Dano.

“How about we get these bandages off so I can see how you are coming along.”

Dano nodded, and the Doctor moved to his briefcase, picked it up and rested it on the bed. He opened the case by pressing on two locks that rested on the top of the brief case flanking the handle, and they made a satisfying click as they were released. The Doctor lifted the top portion of the case to reveal several different types of medical equipment all snugly strapped to the top half of the brief case. The bottom half was filled with new gauze, a couple bottles of rubbing alcohol and several small pouches of different non-reusable medical tools.

The Doctor pulled a pair of reflective metallic scissors from their place in the case, and began to cut away at the bandages on Dano’s right arm. The scissors were sharp and cut through the synthetic bandage quickly. The Doctor examined the wound after the bandage had been removed, and to Dano’s dismay the Doctor had a small look of confusion on his face.

“Let me see your hand please.”

Dano offered his hand to the Doctor, and he repeated the process of cutting off the bandages with the medical scissors. Again the Doctor looked a tad confused after examining the wounded hand.

“This is odd indeed.”

Dano was having a small heart attack out of worry as the Doctor moved on to cut his bandages around the chest. His mind raced with the possibilities of infection as he watched the physician do his job. After the Doctor pealed the last of the gauze off of the survivor he sat back and inspected the wound, the same look on his face. Dano looked down at his chest to see what had become of the obscured injury, and to his surprise he saw several dozen very intricately placed stiches holding him together over relatively healed pink flesh.

“Nice work Doc.” Dano said as he inspected himself.

“It wasn’t me, Fluttershy did the stitching. She is very good with a needle.”

The Doctor absent mindedly motioned to where Fluttershy was as he looked at Dano, but she had left.

“Huh, must have snuck off.” Dano said as he shrugged.

Dano wondered how Fluttershy had left without him noticing, but the thought was a blip in his mind. The majority of his concentration was placed on the confused looks he had received from the Doctor.

“Hey Doctor? Is there something wrong?”

The Doctor seemed to be deep in thought when Dano asked his question. The physician’s right hand was on his chin and his left hand on the bottom of his elbow as he stared at nothing. Dano’s question jarred him from his thought process, and he looked at him with a smile.

“No, nothing is wrong. You just have healed quite quickly, almost unnaturally.”

Dano blinked in confusion. He chuckled and rubbed the back of his head with his left hand.

“I guess I’m just magical like that.”

The Doctor looked at Dano with a blank expression and it unnerved the survivor a bit.

“I was just kidding Doctor.”

“I have seen some strange things in my travels Dano, and magic is something that only appears in special places.”

Dano blinked.

“You’re telling me you believe in magic?”

“Well, I believe in things that you might call magic, so yes.”

The Doctor gave Dano a cheeky smile.

“One of the prime examples was these two women that used to come into town every other day. They said their names were Celestia and Luna, but I never believed those were their real names. When I came to Ponyville I wasn’t in the best of places in my life, and they somehow knew this. I don’t know how, but they did. This may not sound too magical to you, but I keep my secrets close. Their knowledge of me and my past was enough to convince me they were something more than human.”

The Doctor chuckled at the memory, and Dano’s curiosity peaked.

“Where did they live?”

The Doctor rubbed his chin in thought.

“In a small cottage on the other side of town, but I haven’t seen them in years.”

Dano nodded as he processed the new information.

“Well, let’s get those stiches off. You are probably overdue, so it’s going to hurt.”

The Doctor and Dano went about removing the stiches one at a time, and true to the Doctor’s word they were painful. After removing the stiches in Dano’s chest, arm and fingers the Doctor picked up the bloody synthetic string and placed them in a small plastic bag with the old gauze. The bag was placed in the brief case along with the scissors and tweezers used to cut and pull the stiches out, and the Doctor closed the now complete briefcase.

Dano flexed and twisted his right arm around. With the bandage gone the arm moved more naturally, and the survivor only felt a small twinge of pain from the healing wound. Satisfied that he had retained all of the range of motion in his arm Dano moved on to his left hand. He balled his fingers into a fist several times, and just like his arm his fingers moved like it used to with a minute amount of pain. Dano felt a relieved smile stretch across his face with the return of his arm and hand.

The Doctor stood and grabbed his briefcase, a smile dancing across his own face. Dano followed the physician’s lead, and moved off the bed so he could stand. Once standing the survivor twisted his upper body back and forth, and was treated to the sound of popping vertebra. Dano let out a soft moan at the release, and the Doctor chuckled a bit. The survivor offered his hand to the physician, and the Doctor took it.

“How much to I owe you Doctor?”

The Doctor laughed.

“Absolutely nothing.”

Dano released the Doctor’s hand.

“What do you mean nothing?”

The Doctor gave Dano a toothy smile.

“I mean you don’t have to pay a dime. Did I not make that apparent?”

Dano gave the Doctor an un-amused look, and the physician laughed at the annoyed stare.

“Dano, you did a good deed protecting the girls. One good turn deserves another and all that jazz.”

Dano chuckled.

“Sounds good to me.”

The Doctor smiled before picking up his trench coat and moving to the door with Dano in tow. The two moved out of the bed room and down the stairs to see Fluttershy waiting for them, a small pile of clothes in her arms. The Doctor moved passed Fluttershy towards the door where he stopped only to put on his coat. After wishing Dano and Fluttershy a farewell the physician opened the door and left, closing the door behind him.

After watching the Doctor leave Fluttershy turned her attention to Dano, and she looked over his scars with a bit of worry. Dano also saw a flash of fear move through the shy woman’s eyes, and he wondered if he really looked that intimidating. Fluttershy extended her arms after her evaluation and handed Dano the stack of clothes.

“Rarity got you some more clothing, since you um… ruined the other ones.”

Dano chuckled.

“I’ll thank her next time I see her.”

Dano tried to move toward the guest room, but Fluttershy stopped him with a question.

“Don’t you want to take a bath?”

Dano looked at Fluttershy, and noticed a small blush spread across her cheeks at the mention of the survivor’s personal hygiene. Dano didn’t see a problem with it, and shrugged.

“Why not.”

Dano turned around and began to walk up the stairs, the clothes tucked under his arm.

“Do you need any help?”

Dano looked over his shoulder with an eyebrow raised. Fluttershy’s brain caught up to her mouth, and her blush deepened. Dano laughed.

“I think I can handle it myself.”

“O-okay.”

Fluttershy’s response was quiet, and Dano chalked it up to the massive embarrassment she must have felt from the prior statement.

Dano moved up the rest of the stairs, and walked into the bathroom. The survivor closed the door behind him, and began to scan the room.

The bathroom was small, around the same size as the guest room. A white porcelain bathtub rested parallel to the far wall, and rested under the only very small window in the room. On the right wall was a pair of thin wooden doors that Dano guessed contained extra towels and other bathroom essentials. The left wall was dominated by a large sink with a mirror behind it. The basin rested in a pale pink countertop that rested on top of a couple cupboards painted an earthy brown. The walls retained the same color scheme as the rest of the house, dark stained wood with light stain highlights.

The white tile was cool to the touch, and the feeling invigorated Dano as he walked through the room. He set his clothes on counter, and the image in the mirror caught his eye. Dano squared himself in front of the reflective surface, and took in his own body.

The survivor’s chest was covered in claw marks from the top of his abs to just below his collar bone. There were several dozen different pink scars that moved in groups of four in various directions all over his chest. Dano realized why Fluttershy had reacted the way she did, for his chest looked more like a beat up piece of meat than a human body part. The survivor sighed before moving away from the mirror and to the bathtub.

Dano easily figured out how to turn on the water to the tub, and using trial and error with some knob turning he made the water warm enough that it was slightly uncomfortable. The survivor knew that his body would acclimate to the water quicker than the water would cool, effectively making the warm water last longer. Once Dano had found the perfect combination of hot and cold water he plugged the drain, and waited for the tub to fill.

After a few minutes of waiting the water level inside of the tub reached the point where Dano believed he could get in without causing an overflow. The survivor killed the water, removed his underwear and climbed into the tub. Dano settled in the water with his head and arms resting on the edges. The hot water soothed his body, and Dano could feel his mind begin to slow and wander.

Dano’s mind moved through his memories until it fell on the intruder from last night. Despite the survivor’s wishes the thought remained. With the images came questions, and with the questions came the lack of answers that bugged Dano so much. He tried to force the thoughts away with what the Doctor had told him. Dano resolved to seek out Sun and Moon today, and try to put answers to the questions swirling in his head.

A good half an hour went by before Dano decided it was time to get out of the tub. He lifted himself from the water, and climbed out of the tub. The survivor moved quickly across the room to the tall cabinet, and opened the doors to reveal several shelves. One was covered in stacks of pink towels while the rest contained soaps, shampoos and various other bathroom essentials. A hamper rested on the floor below the shelves, and the wicker basket rose up to the middle of the survivor’s thigh. Dano grabbed a towel and dried himself off quickly, and then used the moist towel to clean up the trail of water from the tub to him.

Once the survivor and the floor were dry the towel was placed in the hamper, and Dano began to get dressed. He pulled on a brand new pair of boxer briefs then a pair of blue jeans. Next came a plain white t-shirt, and then finally a pair of black socks. Dano checked himself in the mirror before leaving the bathroom, and found out that the scar on his bicep showed a bit from under the sleeve. The survivor was happy that most of his scars were covered, for he didn’t want to intimidate or scare people away.

Dano left the bathroom and moved downstairs. There was no sign of Fluttershy, and without knowing where she went the survivor moved toward the guest room in search of his watch and knife. Dano moved through the secondary bed room door to find it looking much like he had seen it when he had first arrived. The sheets, comforter and pillow cases had been replaced, and the bed had been made.

Dano moved into the guest room, and began his search for his equipment. It didn’t take long, for the first place Dano looked was where Fluttershy had put his things. The watch and knife were found on top of the dresser, and the survivor immediately put the watch on. One the digital device was secure Dano picked up his knife and unsheathed it. To his dismay the blade still had blood stains on it. The survivor decided he needed to clean the knife before the encrusted blood dulled it any further.

Dano left the guest room after he sheathed his blade. He carried the protected knife in his hand as he crossed the living room to the front door. Once there he opened the portal, steps outside and closed it behind him.

The world around the survivor was deep in the throes of autumn, and every tree held leaves colored in hues of oranges, reds and yellows. A slight and constant breeze moved across the area, and it chilled Dano a bit. The survivor noticed that the animals that usually moved around the clearing that surrounded Fluttershy’s house were either working on their homes or simply not there. Dano chalked it up to the coming winter.

Once reacquainted with the area Dano moved away from the front door to the bridge, but instead of crossing it he moved to the left and kneeled by the small stream that ran underneath it. The survivor unsheathed his blade and dipped it into the slow moving water. He let the meandering current remove as much of the dried blood as it could before Dano dipped his hand into the water to scrub the rest of it off. The survivor made sure to keep away from the sharp part of the blade, and before he knew it the iron knife was as good as new. Dano dried off the knife with his shirt, and made sure the blade was a dry as possible before returning it to its sheath.

Dano stood and placed the blade into his pocket. Once standing he scanned his surroundings once again in the hopes of finding Fluttershy or Echo. Dano had turned a full 180 degrees before he spotted pink hair to the left side of the house. The survivor moved toward the hair, and soon found Fluttershy sitting in between Jenna and Echo.

The two K9s heard Dano approach, and looked up at the disturbance. Jenna eyed Dano cautiously, and the survivor expected half as much from the non-sentient animal. Echo on the other hand leapt to his paws and rushed the survivor. The wolf jumped into the air when he moved close enough, and landed right into Dano’s arms. Echo tried his best to embrace Dano, and the survivor reciprocated with a warm hug. After a few seconds Dano placed Echo back on the ground, and the wolf barked excitedly.

“I have missed you too buddy.”

Dano smiled at his friend as he barked a second time.

“I bet it was so lonely without me, huh.”

Dano motioned to where Fluttershy and Jenna were sitting.

Echo made the wolf equivalent to a pouty face before laughing. Dano joined in with his friend before shifting his gaze to the two girls. Fluttershy had a larger than normal smile on her face, and it made Dano grin.

“How do I look?”

Dano held his arms out to show off his clothing.

“You look clean.”

Dano chuckled as he heard Fluttershy echo his own words.

The survivor walked across the small open area next to Fluttershy’s house and took a seat to the right of the shy woman. Echo followed behind his friend, and laid down to Dano’s right. Dano was content where he was with his friends surrounding him. As Dano sat he noticed that Fluttershy was holding something in her hands.

“What is that?”

Fluttershy looked at Dano, and he motioned to whatever she was holding. Fluttershy shifted her gaze to he hands, and she opened them to reveal a necklace.

The piece of jewelry looked unassuming at first glance, a simple gold chain with a quarter sized pendant attached to it, but upon closer inspection the pendant took the shape of half of a butterfly with pink wings and a cyan body.

“This belonged to my mother. She would wear it all of the time, and my father would wear the other half. When she disappeared it was still here.”

Dano wrapped his arm around Fluttershy’s shoulders. The action seemed to comfort the shy woman, and she let her head rest on Dano’s shoulder. The couple sat like this for several minutes before Dano pulled his arm back and stood. Fluttershy watched him rise, a small amount of confusion dancing across her face.

“Where are you going?”

Dano looked back at Fluttershy.

“Into town. There are some things I need to take care off.”

Fluttershy’s expression became even more confused, but she didn’t press onward. Dano saw Echo stand in his peripheral, and turned to the wolf.

“Sorry buddy, but I have to do this alone.”

It was Echo’s turn to look confused. Dano knelt down and patted the wolf on the head.

“I will be back soon.”

Echo gave Dano a slight nod.

Dano turned to leave, said his goodbyes then walked away from the group. As the survivor left Echo took his old spot next to Fluttershy, and the shy woman began to pet the wolf slowly. The two of them shared the same worry as the questions of what Dano was up to snaked their way through their brains.

The walk back to Ponyville didn’t take Dano long, but the entire way the survivor cursed not having his coat on him. The weather was to chilly for just a t-shirt, and a slight breeze only made Dano feel colder.

When Dano reached the outskirts of town he noticed that the place had not changed in the slightest. People still moved up and down the streets, chatted with each other and all the other things small town people did during the day. The only difference was that everybody had abandoned the shorts and t-shirts in favor of warmer clothing.

Dano moved through town with a purpose, but when he reached the town center he was stopped by the sight of Vinyl Scratch sitting on one of the benches strumming aimlessly on an acoustic guitar. Dano moved toward the DJ, and took a sat on the bench.

Vinyl Scratch wore her usual from the waist down, a pair of black and white Converse shoes with black tight jeans. Her top half was encased in a grey hoodie that carried the bared eight notes that normally rested on her tops. The purple sunglasses that typically adorned her eyes were pushed up, and sat on top of her bright blue hair. Dano didn’t know if Vinyl had noticed him, for her eyes were closed as she strummed away. To the survivors surprise the DJ actually began to speak to him.

“How are you doing Dano?”

Dano blinked in confusion.

“How did you know it was me?”

Vinyl chuckled as she continued to play random notes on her guitar.

“I’m just awesome like that.”

Dano chuckled.

“I didn’t know you played guitar Vinyl.”

The DJ smiled.

“I play a lot of things.”

Vinyl opened her eyes and looked at Dano. The survivor looked back into strikingly bright red eyes.

“Your eyes are really… red.”

Vinyl laughed loudly.

“I know, right?”

Dano joined in with the DJ, and the two chuckled for a bit before Dano’s brain reminded him about the whole reason he was in town. Once the laughter stopped the survivor stood.

“Well, it was nice talking to you, but I have to get going.”

Vinyl nodded then closed her eyes again.

“Sounds good, talk to you later man.”

Dano noticed the Vinyl had zoned out, so he left without saying more.

As Dano walked through Ponyville he waved at everybody he knew, and they would reciprocate. Before long Dano had made his way to the opposite side of town, but couldn’t locate the cottage where Sun and Moon supposedly lived. As the survivor scanned the rolling field that dominated this side of Ponyville his eye caught the faintest of trails that lead off away from town. Dano didn’t have any other leads, so with a shrug he left the town limits and followed the trail.

Guided by the path Dano walked thought the rolling field to the edge of a forest that resembled the one his cabin was surrounded by. The survivor continued along the path into the forest, and after a few minutes in the wooded area he happened upon a small clearing with a single story building in the center of it. The building was painted in a faded and chipped white paint with navy blue trim and shudders. The windows were covered in grim and dust, and the whole place looked run down.

Dano moved up to the building and pushed the door open quietly. After slipping into the small house the survivor closed the door behind him then began to scan the interior. Dano had found himself in a small waiting area. To his left was an archway that lead to a combination kitchen/dining room with a small table accompanied by two chairs sitting in the middle of the room, and to his right was another matching archway that revealed a small living room with two recliners facing the front window Dano had noticed when he first saw the building. In front of Dano was a short hallway that ended in a dead end, but at the end of the two walls that made up the hallway was a pair of doors facing each other.

Dano noticed that the entire place was covered in a thick layer of dust, and that there was a lack of light despite the windows that took up exterior wall space. The survivor ignored the dining and living room as he moved into the house. He had the sneaking suspicion that his quarry was in the two rooms at the end of the hallway in front of him.

Dano moved silently through the small house. He kicked up a little dust with each step, but other than that the building was still and quiet. When the survivor reached the door to his right he took in a silent breath before opening the portal quickly.

Behind the door was a bed room that was even smaller than Dano’s own. A single bed jutted out of the far wall with a single window above it. Two matching wooden night stands flanked the bed, and took up the rest of the wall space. Dano noticed that there wasn’t any other furniture in the room, not even a dresser or wardrobe.

Dano silently moved into the room, and noticed that there was actually a being on the bed. The survivor drew close to the bed and found the familiar figure of Moon laying in her cloak, her hands placed on her abdomen. Dano scanned the woman’s body, and found that her face was uncovered as she lay dormant.

The avatar’s eyes were closed, so Dano couldn’t tell what color they were. He probably wouldn’t have cared since all his attention was drawn to her hair. The people of Ponyville had some weird coiffure colors, but Moon’s took the cake. Her hair was navy blue, like her cloak, and dotted with white specks that looked like stars to the survivor. Moon’s hair seemed to move and shift to an non-existent wind, and when Dano reached out and touched it her coiffure stopped moving and became normal strands.

Dano felt a sudden presence behind him, and he turned quickly to see Sun and Moon standing in front of him. Their faces were obscured by their hoods, and they were slightly transparent.

“What are you doing here Daniel?” Asked Moon, a bit of annoyance in her voice.

Dano blinked.

“I came here to ask a few more questions.”

“Then ask them.”

Sun’s voice also carried a tad of annoyance to it, and Dano guessed he had crossed some line.

“What are your real names, because I have heard from a reliable source that you’re really called Celestia and Luna.”

Sun sighed.

“Yes, my name is actually Celestia, and my sister’s is Luna.”

Dano nodded with the new information, and then launched his next question.

“Can Discord do what you two are doing now?”

Celestia and Luna looked at each other with a worried expression before Luna spoke.

“Yes, but his body needs to be close to cast a spell such as this.”

Dano’s mind when into overdrive.

“You mean he needs to be close to make himself appear like a ghost.”

The two sisters nodded.

“Daniel, if you have seen him he must be closing in on Ponyville in person. You must go prepare yourself.”

Celestia’s tone was full of urgency, and it only made Dano feel even more on edge.

Taking Celestia’s advice Dano took off toward the exit. He passed through the two sisters before making a sharp turn down the hallway toward the front door. The survivor only stopped to open the portal before taking off at a dead sprint toward Ponyville.

Dread began to find its place in Dano’s mind as he raced down the path back to town. Apprehension of the coming fight also moved into his skull, and the survivor only had one thought on his mind as he sprinted. Must protect Ponyville.

How about this one Twi?
not bad, you aren't the worst writer i have ever met
Thanks?
that title goes to Pinkie Pie
hey!
you know its true. Remember that time you tried to write fan fiction for Halo? You had the Chief bouncing around making friends with Brutes.
and?
I dont think brutes and Master Chief get along.
not unless the Chief sings a song!
kill me now, please.
take me with you....

Wow, we are getting pretty deep in the mystery wrapped in an enigma arent we
dont forget to comment if you havent
and give me your thumb if you would be so kind
that is all
kthanxbai

Invasion

Whole New World
Chapter 15
Invasion

The forest around Dano was a blur as he focused on the overgrown path he was sprinting down, occasionally dodging low branches as he ran. The wooded segment of the trail was quite short, and the survivor found himself bursting out of the foliage after a minute or two. Dano picked up speed once he hit the rolling plain this side of town, and before he knew it the survivor had reached the outskirts of Ponyville.

Dano sprinted through town towards Fluttershy’s house, but stopped dead in his tracks when the town center came into view. A large group of locals stood in a semicircle with the statue at the center of their focus, and Dano guessed there were around 200 people standing in the square. An ominous feeling washed over the survivor’s brain as he moved toward the group to investigate. Dano pushed through the crowd as quietly as he could until he reached the front of the pack. He stood and observed the scene in front of him, his eyes taking in everything that moved.

A middle aged woman with bluish grey hair stood next to the fountain in a black and white suit. Black heels covered her feet, and a black skirt covered her legs to above the knee. Under her dress coat was a white dress shirt with a blue-green neck piece that appeared unreasonably poufy. Reading glasses rested on the tip of her nose, and her deep blue eyes were filled with wisdom beyond her years. Dano guessed that she was the one in charge of the town if not by the confidence that was evident in her stance, but by the fact that she stood alone in the center of the crowd.

The woman was in the middle of a conversation with a man in a brown suit and black dress shoes. From his position Dano could see that the man had stark white hair which was slicked back. Two black streaks ran from his temples back, and the pair stood in a way that Dano couldn’t see the man’s face. He stood with his arms crossed and all his weight on one leg, as if the conversation bored him half to death.

The mayor and the man weren’t the only the only people in the center of the crowd. Standing behind and to the right of the man was another wearing military fatigues, an M4 slung over his shoulder. A red beret sat atop his shaved head, and the overall suit of green and brown camo was dirty and unkempt. Seven other men dressed the same stood on the far edge of the town center by a military style transport truck. The locals had not moved close to the squad, and it explained why they only took up half of the square.

Every one of the soldiers had something covering their heads, and a rifle in hand. Most of the head gear was combat helmets, but one was wearing a New York Jets baseball cap. Along with their head gear the soldiers all had tinted protective eye wear, so no one could see their eyes. The sight of their unkempt uniforms as well as the eye wear made Dano uneasy, and it made him think of an unorganized rebel group fighting in some jungle.

After Dano had fully taken in the situation he finally began to listen to the conversation being held between the mayor and the man.

“… a fourth of our food supply is just too much.”

The mayor spoke with a bit of annoyance in her voice, as if she had been saying that line for a while now.

“Listen lady, you either take the deal or I take the food.”

The man had a tone of extreme boredom as he spoke.

“Your deal is unreasonable.”

The mayor protested.

“That isn’t my problem.”

The man’s tone didn’t change.

“We aren’t accepting your offer, you can take your leave now.”

The mayor said with finality.

The man sighed before holding his hand out in front of the beret toting soldier, and without pause the soldier removed his side arm and placed in in the man’s hand. Dano watched as the suit took the weapon, pointed it at the mayor’s head and pulled the trigger without a moment’s hesitation.

The mayor’s head snapped back as the bullet pierced her skull, drove into her brain and blew a larger hole in the back of her head. Her body crumpled into a pile of flesh immediately, and a pool of blood began to spread from the holes in her skull. The crowd didn’t know how to react to the sudden violence that had taken place, and Dano could feel the vibe of complete shock emanate from everybody around him.

After killing the mayor the man handed the pistol back to the soldier, and he took it back as if rehearsed. Without missing a beat the suit stepped over the mayor’s body and climbed on the wall surrounding the fountain. Still unable to see his face Dano could only glare at the back of the suit’s head as he spoke over the town center.

“Listen up!”

The crowd put all of their attention on the man who had just butchered their mayor.

“Seeing as your little mayor was being a dumb bitch, I will leave it up to you morons. My associates and I have a deal for you. Either you can give me a fourth of your food yield, or I can start killing people. Does that sound good?”

The man’s voice echoed over the silent square.

“I will take that as a yes.”

As the man stepped off of the fountain and turned to walk back to his truck Dano got a clear view of his face. A small white beard that ended in a point decorated his chin and matched his white, bushy eye brows. These features were strange, but Dano paid them no head. He instead stared at the blood red pupils and oversized upper right canine the man sported.

Dano’s face contorted into a scowl as he realized the man was Discord’s avatar, and he had to hold himself back from charging him that instant. Instead the survivor stared at the avatar as he walked away, the beret wearing soldier marching behind him. Dano was about to leave before he noticed that Discord had stopped in front of his team, said something and moved away towards the passenger’s seat.

The squad, including the one with the beret, fanned out into a semicircle in in front of their truck. The beret wearing soldier unslung his rifle, and Dano watched with wide eyes as he pointed it at the crowd along with the rest of the squad. Common sense barked at the survivor to find cover, and just as he turned to escape the coming chaos the beret toting man yelled.

“OPEN UP!”

Dano heard the sound of eight fully automatic rifles fire in unison, and the screams of the local’s right after that. The survivor threw himself on the ground as the people in the crowd tried their best to escape the hail of bullets. Dano could hear rounds wiz overhead as well as impact on the dirt nearby, but by far the most horrific and terrifying sound was of a bullet impacting on flesh.

Just as sudden as the shooting started it ended, and Dano peaked up to see the squad moving to the rear of the truck and climbing in. Discord had already moved into the cab, and was waiting for his team to load up. Dano could see a half grin on the avatar’s face, as if he enjoyed the carnage. The truck started with a roar, and the survivor noticed the driver messing with something on the dashboard before putting the vehicle in gear and backing out of Ponyville.

Despite the slight peak in curiosity that Dano felt watching the driver his mind quickly snapped back to the world around him. The survivor stood and looked around to see that most of the crowd had fled, except for those who had been wounded and their loved ones.

Dano’s mind went into survival mode, and he began to take control of the situation.

“DOCTOR!” Dano yelled at the top of his lungs.

The survivor didn’t know if the Doctor was in the square or not, but to his relief the physician came jogging over to him from across the open area in the same attire as the survivor had last seen him.

“You need me?”

The Doctor’s tone was dead serious, and Dano noticed that the physician’s hands were already bloody from trying to help people.

“I need you to grab an assistant and get ready for surgery.”

The Doctor blinked.

“I haven’t performed surgery in years.”

Dano gave the Doctor a hard look.

“Then you better start remembering.”

The Doctor cursed before walking away, and calling to a woman who was leaning over someone Dano didn’t recognize.

“Redheart, come with me.”

Dano watched the Doctor walk away, and he put the physician out of his mind. He had a job to do and there wasn’t any space in his brain to worry about the Doctor. The survivor took a deep breath to calm his nerves before moving to the closest wounded local and getting to work.

Dano sat hunched over on a brown upholstered couch that dominated the center of the Doctor’s family room. He was staring at his hands, which were covered in the dried blood of a dozen and a half people he had saved hours before. Dano had moved from person to person, evaluating them before carrying them to the Doctor’s house. Once inside the Doctor would begin surgery, and Dano had moved faster than the physician had fixed them up effectively making the living room the survivor sat in a waiting area. Once everybody was inside Dano became the Doctor’s second assistant, and finished the day pulling bullets out of locals.

Dano didn’t think or feel as he worked. His mind was too busy concentrating on the task at hand to process his emotions properly, but as the survivor sat staring his red hands the feelings came along with the images of the day. Four people had died including the mayor. Dano’s mind’s eye moved from face to face of the deceased.

Aloe had been hit in the heart, killing her almost instantly. Dano had found Lotus holding her twin in her arms as tears rolled down her face. The survivor had pronounced her dead on the spot, and moved on without another word.

A man Dano did not recognize had been shot three times in the gut. The musician known as Wind Whistler told the survivor that his name was Caramel, and that he was her boyfriend. Dano carried the unconscious Caramel into the Doctor’s office, where the physician said he couldn’t save him. Too much of the wounded man’s intestines had been shredded by the rounds that pierced his body. The Doctor gave Caramel some of his dwindling supply of morphine, and moved on to the next patient. Caramel died a slow death in the arms of his girlfriend as he finally bled out on the Doctor’s kitchen table.

The most tragic of the fallen was the teenager Dano knew as Scootaloo. She had been hit in the back of the head as she ran away, and was killed instantly. Dano found her with her two friends holding the body of their friend as they cried. The survivor moved on to the next local, but not before looking into the now dull purple eyes of the teen.

Dano blinked back tears as the images of the fallen dragged painfully slow through his conscious. Following the deceased came the memories of the wounded and the survivor watched them go with the same feeling of sadness gripping his heart.

Spike had caught a round to the left knee, and Dano found him being held by his caretaker. The teenage boy was crying in pain, and Twilight was trying her best to keep her foster brother calm. Dano knew from when he first saw the wounded knee that Spike was never going to walk the same again no matter how well the Doctor did in surgery. The survivor told Twilight to carry Spike to the Doctor’s and she did so without hesitation.

Vinyl Scratch had taken a bullet to the right shoulder, and despite the pain managed to keep from breaking down. Octavia was kneeling next to her wife, squeezing her hand as the musician tried to keep herself together as she watched her loved one writhe in pain. Dano had ordered the two to walk over to the Doctor’s for treatment after helping the DJ up and the survivor could have sworn that Octavia had thanked him, but he was already moving on to the next patient both mentally and physically.

An older woman who was introduced as Cup Cake had been hit in the right side of her waist, and Dano had found her being cared for by her husband, which he learned was named Carrot Cake. The husband was trying his best to keep himself under control as he helped his wife. Dano had helped move the older woman to the Doctor’s office where Carrot was not allowed to enter. As the survivor walked out of the door he heard the husband begin to cry silently as he awaited his wife’s return.

Rainbow Dash had been grazed on the left side of her face, and with the lack of blood she seemed to be ok when Dano inspected her. The problem was that she couldn’t move her jaw without extreme pain, and the survivor guessed the round must have fractured the jaw bone as it skimmed it. Soarin helped Rainbow Dash get to the Doctor as Dano moved on.

Applejack was one of the worst Dano had seen that day. Three rounds moved upward across her right thigh in a forty five degree angle, and another bullet had pierced her right bicep. Dano had found the farm girl surrounded by her cousin, brother and friend Rarity. Big Mac’s demeanor was as calm as ever as he tried his best to stop the bleeding with his hands with Braeburn helping. Rarity was a mess as she consoled her close friend by holding the farmers hand as Applejack dipped in and out of consciousness. Dano ordered the group to move Applejack into the Doctor’s house, and they did as they were told as Dano moved away to another person.

Dano couldn’t hold it in any more as the images of a dozen more people he did not know moved through his mind, all of them hurt in one form or another. Guilt clawed at his chest as tears fell into his still open hands, rehydrating the blood covering them. He was supposed to defend this town, to save its people, but he had failed. Four names were etched into his conscious forever. The Mayor, Caramel, Aloe, Scootaloo. The names echoed over and over in the survivor’s brain as the images of the dead and the wounded replayed in his skull.

Dano felt an arm wrap around his shoulders and hold him tightly. The survivor opened his eyes to see the Doctor sitting on the couch next to him, a blood stained white apron covering his suit. Dano returned his gaze back to his hands as the Doctor spoke.

“You did well.”

The Doctor’s voice was soft and soothing.

Dano only nodded slightly at the praise, for he did not feel he deserved the acknowledgement. After a long silence in which the Doctor did not loosen his embrace or move away the physician spoke again.

“What are you going to do about this Dano?”

Dano was a bit shocked at the question, and he looked the Doctor in the eye.

“What makes you think I’m going to do anything?”

Dano’s voice was gruff.

“You don’t seem like the kind of person to let this happen to your friends.”

The Doctor’s voice was dead serious as he moved his hand in a wide arc toward the rest of the living room.

Dano followed the hand and took in the room around him. The meager furniture had been moved and replaced by cots for those to hurt to move, save for the couch. The survivor saw Carrot Cake hunched over his unconscious wife, Soarin sitting with his back against a bare wall with Rainbow Dash holding on to his arm for dear life as the pain in her jaw spiked, Big Mac, Braeburn and Rarity sitting by the cot that held the unconscious Applejack and several more people in various states of hurt.

Each person awake had locked their eyes on Dano as they listened to the conversation between the physician and the survivor. Dano retuned his eyes to his hands and looked at the blood one more time before he felt a rage build in the back of his head.

The blood on his hands was not his fault, but Discord’s. Righteous fury burned in the survivor brain as he made a solemn oath to any god who would listen. Discord will pay. Dano balled his hands into fists before he responded to the Doctor, his voice full of the rage he felt.

“I am going to hunt down and annihilate the people who did this.”

Dano felt a vibe from the Doctor that felt slightly soothing, as if the physician knew exactly how he felt.

The Doctor released Dano and stood.

“I suspect you want to leave as soon as possible, so I will go get packed.”

Dano’s gaze shot up to the Doctor to see a small grin on his face.

“You didn’t think you were going alone. Ponyville is my home too.”

Dano opened his mouth to protest, but was cut off by a glare. The survivor sighed before another voice came from across the room.

“I’m coming too.”

Dano looked to see Soarin staring at Dano, determination in his eyes.

“So are we.”

Dano shifted his gaze to see Braeburn nodding in agreement with his large cousin.

“And so am I.”

Dano looked to see Carrot Cake speak without tearing his eyes away from his wife.

The survivor didn’t know what to say. The people he had only known for a few months were willing to follow him into harm’s way to protect their homes. They were willing to sacrifice for their loved ones, and the thought inspired Dano. A small smile crept across the survivor’s face as he stood.

“Do you really want to do this? Because once we start there is no going back.”

Dano watched the five men nod in unison.

“Alright. We will be leaving tomorrow, if you are not in the town square at the crack of dawn I am leaving you behind.”

Without waiting for a response Dano looked at Big Mac and Braeburn.

“I want you to bring your four-wheeler, we are going to need it.”

Big Mac gave a curt nod before Dano decided it was time to leave. Without another word the survivor let himself out the front door, and found himself looking over the courtyard that the shooting had taken place. Dano heard the rumble of thunder in the distance, and looked up to see dark storm clouds moving toward him. The survivor was happy to see the clouds. The rain will wash the blood away.

Dano moved off of the Doctor’s stoop and began to walk home. The rage in his mind had not subsided, but instead condensed and settled in the back of his mind waiting for a moment to lash out at those responsible for its creation. The survivor chuckled darkly as he walked. If only Discord knew what he had just brought down upon himself…

Wow Invictus... that was kinda dark
it has a dark rating for a reason
Is his mind always like this?
no, other times he thinks about sex
logic!
what?
we are in the presence of ladies
I'm not going to lie to them, even if they are ladies
Logic sounds like a true gentleman
that is the reason i ignore him....

oh boy
blood and gore
and chaos
hope you enjoyed
dont forget to rate and comment
that is all
kthanxbai

Transformation

This chapter contains three different links to three different songs. The links are song*, music^ and time~. Please click on them to fully enjoy the scene in which they were placed. Thank you for your cooperation on this matter.

Whole New World
Chapter 17
Transformation

Dano and his team sped across the open plain at a break neck speed. A bit of the survivor was enjoying the ride as the two four-wheelers powered up and down the small hills that dominated the rolling field, but he didn’t let it show. Dano steeled himself for the torrent he was going to unleash on his squad. Always in their face, always pushing them harder and harder until they believed they would break only to figure out they could do this. The confidence that would spring up from that one realization was what Dano was gunning for, and god willing he would succeed with enough time to return to Ponyville.

After speeding along for a few minutes Dano and his team reached the edge of the forest the survivor had once inhabited, and the small convoy came to a halt. Dano turned in his seat to see Echo sitting between Big Mac and Soarin on the back of the quad.

“You remember how to get home?”

Echo blinked in confusion before giving Dano an ‘are you kidding me’ look.

“I will take that as a no.”

Echo’s expression didn’t change as he nodded.

“Smartass.” Dano mumbled under his breath as he turned back around, and after a quick thought decided to wing it.

Dano eased his four-wheeler into the brush and found himself moving slowly through a forest decked out in hues of orange, red and yellow. The survivor tried his best to keep the machine pointed in a straight line as he weaved in-between trees, seeing as when he had emerged the first time there wasn’t much turning involved.

After a few minutes of moving through the colorful forest Dano felt a nudged on his shoulder. He turned to see Echo pointing with his paw to his right, and the survivor guessed that the wolf had seen something he remembered. Dano turned the quad bike in the direction Echo had pointed, and within the minute came upon a small clearing with a fallen log resting in the middle that looked familiar. This is where I found Fluttershy. The survivor knew where he was now, and he picked up speed as he reentered the forest.

Dano pushed through the last of the shrubbery soon after discovering the clearing, and found himself sitting on the edge of his old camp. The survivor just sat for a few seconds, enjoying the familiar scene of his old home before moving toward the cabin.

The team had emerged from the woods with the cabin facing them, and sitting slightly to the right. Dano could see that his truck and MULE had not been moved or tampered with in his absence as he pulled up next to the stationary vehicles that rested to the immediate front of the cabin. Braeburn followed Dano’s lead and pulled up next to his instructor just as the survivor turned off his quad. Dano hopped off his four-wheeler quickly as Braeburn shut off his vehicle, and began to move towards the building that dominated the clearing. Echo followed his friend as Dano moved a few feet away from the group that was slowly climbing off of the vehicles they had been riding on.

Dano did a quick about face before calling to his team.

“Form up!”

The five squad members scrambled up to about two feet in front of Dano only to stop and stand at attention. Echo plopped down next to Dano once the team was assembled, and the survivor began his second speech of the day.

“I have less than a half month to make you pukes resemble something like a soldier, and this is where I will do it.” Dano made a wide arc with his hand to encompass the clearing. “This is where you will eat, sleep, train and survive, just as I have. Here you will become the best I can make you, the best Ponyville has to defend itself.”

Dano let the gravity of his words sink into the men in front of him, for they needed to know why they were here. The survivor hopefully instilled within them a meaning, a purpose to push themselves, but only time will tell if his plan had worked. After a mental sigh at the fact that everything hinged on his ability to mentally condition the men in front of him Dano got to work.

Just as Dano had planned the rest of the day went by without any real physical stress on anybody. The survivor first stripped each of his men of their individual articles of clothing. Big Mac lost his wheat sprig, the Doctor lost his trench coat and Braeburn lost his cowboy hat. Despite the lack of uniforms Dano believed he had stripped them enough of their individuality to make them on the same plane of existence, which the survivor kept telling them was lower than dirt.

After making his team one entity Dano issued them all body armor and tactical vests, which luckily were designed to be adjustable for the user. The extra clothing helped out the survivor two ways. First by forcing his team to adjust to the foreign feeling of having the somewhat extra bulky layers on as they trained, and made them loose a little bit more of their differences and blend together.

With the armor dished out Dano gave each of his recruits an M4 Carbine. He purposely neglected to give them ammunition, for he was teaching them a lesson about their new lives.

“Your weapon is your life.”

Dano spoke as he handed out the rifles.

“Without your weapon you are useless, and without you your weapon is useless. You will take care of your weapon with the same amount of care as you would your child. You will clean it, you will maintain it and you will protect it. If you do as I have told you your weapon will protect you and your friends, and you will always come home.”

Once finished handing out the M4s Dano moved on with other basic things that every soldier should know, such as when and when not to salute, the ‘at ease’ stance, the difference between the orders ‘at ease’ and ‘as you were’ and the basic rules for their conduct as the recruits they were.

The sun had drifted across the sky quite a bit, but not far enough to call for lights out. Dano gave his team the rest of the day off to wander around and get acclimated. While the men went their separate ways to wonder about why they thought coming here was a good idea the survivor began to check over the mundane workings of his camp.

Dano looked over his food and water supply. He was content with the fact that he had plenty of MREs left, but his bottled water had dwindled enough to worry him even if he lived alone. The survivor would have to begin boiling lake water to cover his team’s liquid consumption. After checking the rest of the camp Dano was satisfied that the water was his only concern, and took the time to run back to the farm house with his MULE to retrieve several plain glasses and a large metal pot.

Once back at the cabin Dano immediately boiled a pot of water and allowed it to cool before calling his team over for dinner. The entire meal was held in silence as Dano decided not to speak and the recruits followed the rule of only speaking when spoken to. After the bland meal the survivor put another pot of water on the fire to let it boil as his men sat around in silence. With the second pot of water complete Dano moved it inside so animals and insects would not get into it.

Dano had ordered his team to follow him as he brought the water inside. Once in the cabin the survivor pulled the comforter and top sheet off of his bed as well as the spares from the chest and laid them on the ground. The comforter would act as a mat for three team members to sleep on, and the sheet would be the blanket. Dano was sure the extra body heat from the whole squad being in the same room would ward off the mid-autumn cold, and the fact that the team would be sleeping in close proximity to each other would help build a bond they would need for the fight ahead.

As the team got ready for bed Dano instructed them that the only thing they would shed was their boots, vest and armor, and that their rifle would be next to them through the entire night. The survivor had quite a bit more to remove, and ended up losing his armor, vest, Magnum, backpack, and fanny pack.

Dano laid down and placed his loaded rifle next to him. He knew that his team would probably have a hard time finding sleep, but as he thought about it he felt himself smile in the dark. Tomorrow he would come down hard, and make them yearn for sleep like they had never done so before.

The next day Dano awoke to the predawn dark like usual. He rose, donned his gear and brushed his teeth before waking his team violently with shouts and somewhat hard kicks. The survivor gave them all two minutes to follow his lead and get ready. To Dano’s men’s sorrow none of them finished before the allotted time, and the survivor gave the team a check before rushing them out the door despite not finishing their new morning routine.

Once outside Dano organized his recruits into a semicircle around him, and he lead the team in stretching as the sun rose in the east. The survivor used the same stretches that he remembered using when he played football, but extended it a bit farther to eat up time.

With the sun now fully risen and the team stretched Dano decided they would go for an endurance run. With full gear the team took off at a reasonable pace into the woods in a line with Dano at the lead. The survivor knew he wasn’t much of a runner, and would have to push himself to get his team to do so, and after a good half hour he could feel the burn in his legs and lungs as he ran. Not willing to show weakness to his men and to be a good example Dano threw all of his will into the run, and before long he reached his second wind. The pain in his legs disappeared and his breathing returned to something more normal. With his new found energy the survivor lead the run for another hour before turning back toward camp.

As the team finished their run by the front of the cabin Dano looked them over. They were beat from the exercise, especially Carrot seeing as he was the oldest. Ignoring their lack of energy Dano didn’t let up, and after a quick breakfast and water break moved on. Push-ups, sit-up, pull-ups on a tree branch, mountain climbers and many, many more exercises were used, and the survivor lead the team through them all by participating. Dano pushed himself to the limit, but pulled through each time for the sake of being the role model for his team.

The day ended with Dano ordering the group into the lake. They all stripped to their underwear and moved into the body of water to clean their sore bodies. The cold bath only lasted a few minutes, and once clean the team left the lake, donned their clothes and ate another silent dinner. The clean water had been depleted over the course of the day, so Dano drew another bucket from the lake. He made sure to pull the water as far away as possible from where the team had bathed.

With the water heating up to boil Dano decided now was the time to quiz his team. He needed to be sure that they remembered their standing orders as well as conduct even in the most mentally compromising state, and they were all extremely tired. The quiz was a total failure as Dano’s team stuttered through the test. The survivor made his lack of happiness with the outcome felt by calling the team to formation and screaming in their faces until the water came to a boil. Dano pulled the hot pot off of the flames only to return to yelling as he let it cool.

Satisfied that he made his discontent clear Dano ordered his team to bed. Like the night before the survivor lugged the water into the cabin, and found Echo sitting on the bed. The wolf had been enjoying the weather as well as the torment Dano was putting his team through, and the survivor could see a grin on his friend's face even in the dark of the cabin. Inside his tired mind Dano smiled as well, but he kept his flat expression. He would smile once he got his team to the level he needed them.

Dano set the water down, and began his finial challenge for the day. To get his team into the mindset that they were to be constantly on guard the survivor set a sentry on a three hour shift. Using random strips of paper with each team members name on it thrown into Braeburn’s hat Dano pulled out Carrot, Big Mac and his own name. They would go out in that order, and Dano gave Carrot his watch so he could tell the time. The watch would be handed off to the next guard when the shifts changed.

After sending out Carrot, Dano laid down on his mat to get his six hours of sleep for the night. The survivor was sore and tired from pushing his team and himself to the max that day, and sleep didn’t come slowly. Dano drifted into a dreamless slumber as he waited for his turn to stand guard.

Dano found himself being shaken awake by Big Mac, and without using too much thought figured out it was his time for guard duty. The survivor rose and put on his boots, being the only thing he took off. Once finished with his foot gear Dano was given his watch back by Big Mac who then immediately curled up on his part of the mat without a word. The survivor didn’t scold the farmer for his lack of professionalism seeing as he was probably dog tired and would need his sleep.

Dano grabbed his rifle and stretched while he let out a massive yawn. The survivor was extremely sore after the first day of his boot camp, and had to mentally steel himself for the coming pain of the day. As he walked out the front door Dano threw all of his will power into his mind, as well as the urgency of the coming battle to subdue any treacherous thoughts of slacking off.

The survivor moved across the small grassy area between the cabin and the fire pit, and took a seat atop his log. The fire had smoldered out hours ago, but still gave off an eerie orange glow as the built up heat denied the flame its finial death. This is where Dano would sit for the next three hours pumping himself up for the coming day. It didn’t take long for him to achieve a state of mind where he believed the pain was worthwhile, was needed for something bigger than him. The unselfishness of his own struggle made him feel better about himself, and the whole ‘believing in yourself’ was half of the battle.

The next three hours went by rather quickly as Dano sat, his mind wandering through memories both ancient and recent. The survivor checked his watch for the last time before standing and moving back to his cabin. He entered to see his men sleeping soundly as their bodies tried to recuperate from the brutal first day. With an internal smirk Dano started day two of his boot camp.

After brushing his own teeth Dano woke the rest of the team up the same way as before, with shouts and kicks. This day started out even slower than yesterday, and only the Doctor got to the brushing his teeth part of the morning routine. Dano gave the team their first check.

Like the day before the team went for a run after stretching with Dano setting a decent pace. The group was pushing themselves as hard as they could, but they were faltering soon after starting. About halfway through Dano looked over his shoulder to see Carrot falling behind. The survivor barked at the recruit to keep up, and was met with limited success. When the run was finished Carrot had fallen behind quite a bit, and Dano was forced to give the group their second check.

The team sat down for breakfast and a drink, but to their dismay the meal was cut short when Braeburn fell asleep while eating. Dano called attention and gave the team their third check. With the rules broken a third time the survivor chewed out the group before beginning a work out that made the first day look like a cake walk. For hours without a break they did every exercise known to man, and all the while Dano lead the pack with his mental attitude pulling him through.

When the sun was a couple hours from setting and ending the worst day of the recruit’s life Dano got his chance to finally put into words why he was mercilessly overworking his team. Soarin was doing another set of pull-ups for the umpteenth time that day when he stopped halfway on his fifth rep and fell off of the tree. His legs could barely support him, and gave out once he hit the ground. Dano watched the entire thing with a straight face and arms crossed as the recruit became the hauntingly familiar form of a man defeated, his body slouched over his knees.

“Get up.” Dano commanded as he glared at Soarin.

“I can’t.”

Dano’s glare only intensified.

“What did you say?”

Soarin didn’t look up from the ground.

“I can’t.”

Dano stormed up to the recruit and grabbed him by his navy blue hair, yanking his head back in the process. Simultaneously the survivor had unsheathed his blade and pressed it up to Soarin’s throat not hard enough to cut, but hard enough for the recruit to feel it. Dano glared into Soarin’s tired eyes, his voice full of anger.

“Is that what you are going to say when you are too tired to fight? When those raiders over run your friends and kill them in front of your eyes?”

Soarin was speechless as Dano’s voice grew in volume.

“Is that what you are going to say when you are sitting in hell knowing that you quit when your friends and family needed you most!? When those raiders storm Ponyville and killed everyone!?”

Dano pressed his blade harder against Soarin’s throat.

“IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO SAY WHEN YOU KNOW RAINBOW DASH IS BEING MURDURED BECAUSE YOU GAVE UP!?”

Dano released Soarin with a shove, knocking the man on his back as the survivor turned to the rest of the group to address them all.

“You will not listen to the voices in your head. The ones telling you to quit, that you can’t go on. They will get you and your friends killed.”

Dano turned his gaze back to Soarin, who had yet to get up.

“The only voice you should hear in your head is mine, and mine alone.”

Dano let the words settle over the group, a bit of worry in his mind that he had gone too far, but after a brief hesitation he saw a spark in Soarin’s eyes. The survivor smiled internally as Soarin pulled himself to his feet, the spark growing into a flame.

“Get back up in that tree and give me ten more pull-ups.” Dano ordered, and the recruit replied with a quick ‘sir, yes sir’ before hopping into the tree. It took him a lot of effort, but Soarin completed his set.

Satisfied, Dano let his team take a quick bath then a short dinner before setting up the nightly guard duty. Thankfully the survivor had gone the day before, so he was exempt for that night. He curled up on his mat after boiling a pot of water and removing his gear with the tiniest of smiles on his face. He had planted the seed, he just had to wait for it to grow.

The next seven days went on like before, but with a slow improvement day to day. Around day five the group could get ready in the two minute allotment as well as complete their physical challenges quicker, and Dano had not given out a check since then.

Along with the physical advance came the mental one. Dano could see the team begin to grow on each other, and during the morning run on day seven the survivor could hear the rest of the group whispering encouragement to Carrot, seeing as he always struggled on the run. The small push from his team mates carried Carrot through to the end, and it made Dano feel proud. Proud that he had, even in his small amount of time, created a bond between his team members that would carry them through the coming fight.

Dano decided that on day ten he would begin weapons training, and the day started like any other with a stretch and run. After this though the whole process changed. Dano issued ammunition and basic modifications to his team then gave them a lecture about how to use their weapons effectively, as well as clean them. The lecture was devoid of his usual condescending tone and bad language, as well as dropping the third person speech the recruits had been using. As far as the survivor was concerned his men had passed their test, and he knew that learning how to use a tool, whether it be a rifle or a plow, was frustrating. Dano didn’t want to cause his men too much grief as he taught them how to be deadly with their weapons.

Along with spending time shooting at targets and being taught how to maintain their weapons Dano took his team on mock patrols into the woods. Using his relatively vast knowledge on the military he instructed them on how to react to ambushes. To push his point across every now and again Dano would fire his weapon into the air without warning to see how his squad reacted. Like taught they would throw themselves onto the ground and began scanning for targets before the survivor would call them back into formation and continuing the patrol.

After the first day of shooting Dano decided that he would send a message back to Ponyville, telling Rarity that they would be coming home a day earlier and that Pinkie should set up a party or something of the like. The message also included requests for a spa day for his men as well as haircuts. The whole point of coming home early was simple, to help his men remember just what they were fighting for before hopping off the deep end.

The survivor used the case his binoculars had come in as a container to hold the letter he had written and gave it to Echo. The wolf was exited to finally have something to do, and the whole set up gave Dano an idea. Before sending Echo off the survivor jotted down a small note for Rarity to make a vest of some sort that held a tube for papers so Echo could function as a courier during battle, effectively making his squad more flexible.

Once the letter and note were secured in the binocular case Echo took it in his mouth and took off at a full sprint. Dano suppressed a laugh as he watched the overly excited wolf dash off into the brush before returning to his team which had just completed dinner.

Day eleven and twelve went by like before, with target shooting, patrols and lectures. While watching his team practice the survivor noticed that Big Mac was the best shot on full auto. Dano guessed it had to do with his muscles, which still dwarfed the rest of the teams despite the intense exercise. With this knowledge Dano gave Big Mac the M249 and made him the squad support gunner. The large farmer proved his right by unleashing a full five hundred round burst onto a target with amazing accuracy at two hundred yards.

Along with Big Mac’s ability to keep his weapon trained on target even on full auto Dano noticed that Carrot was, after some preliminary practice, a good shot as well, but at a much slower rate than his large comrade. The older recruit had much better hand and arm control than most, probably from his time decorating delicate cakes, and it made him deadly accurate. Dano gave him an M16A3 with a heavy barrel attachment and hunting scope he stole from the farm house. The barrel was longer as well as heavier, effectively turning the weapon into a medium range sniper rife. With the weapon in his hands, and some breathing practice, Carrot became absolutely deadly at extreme range, and Dano had to admit he was a better shot than he was.

The last night the team would spend at camp was another quiet one, with the group talking to each other in hushed tones. The squad sat around the fire watching it burn as they ate their food when Dano suddenly felt an urge to look over his men. As he did so he could see something different. They sat with a posture of confidence that they had earned from the two weeks of hell they worked through, and the survivor could see the bond between them as they talked quietly as if they had been friends since they were born. Dano felt a smile stretch across his face, and the team noticed.

“Well this is new.” Soarin said to the rest of the group, his trademark goofy smile on his face. “I don’t think that I have seen Instructor Masset smile the entire time we have been here.”

The group chuckled, and Dano joined in.

“And now he is laughing? I think we broke him.”

Braeburn’s joke only made the group laugh a little harder.

“I don’t have to be a mean cuss anymore, seeing as we are going home tomorrow. You have all graduated so you deserve the respect of a smile.”

Dano’s comment made the whole group grin from ear to ear.

The rest of the meal was carried out with plenty of talking, joking and laughing. Before long the food was eaten, and the group moved off to bed. Before they curled up for the last night in the cabin Dano returned the confiscated clothing to their respective owners, and only Big Mac had to wait to get a new wheat sprig to complete his usual ensemble.

An excitement flowed through the air as the group found their places on the mats. They were all ready to get home, to see their friends and family as well as get the mission started. The team drifted off into a light slumber, none of them wanting to miss even a single minute of their reunion.

Dano awoke to the usual predawn dark, and with an enthusiasm he had not felt in a while got ready for the day. After brushing his teeth and getting his gear on the survivor woke his team up with a quick shout. They had gotten used to waking up to Dano as an alarm clock, and didn’t waste any time rising from bed and getting themselves ready.

Once dressed and geared up the group moved out of the cabin to their awaiting vehicles. Dano had refueled his four-wheeler as well as the Apple Families the day before, and filled his three gas cans while he was at the farm house. He had placed them in the bed of his MULE next to the single case that held the rest of the survivor’s ammunition. Satisfied with the amount of fuel he was now carrying Dano hopped into the driver’s seat of his MULE and started the vehicle as the Doctor climbed into the passenger’s seat. Big Mac and Carrot climbed aboard Dano’s quad, and Braeburn mounted his own four-wheeler with Soarin climbing on the back.

With the team loaded up on their vehicles Dano moved out of the clearing with the group forming a small convoy behind him. The survivor pushed his MULE into the brush on the outskirts of the clearing with a little more speed that was required. He was exited to get back to Ponyville, and he bet the rest of his team did as well.

The cruise through the woods went slower than on the way in. Dano’s MULE was a tad wider than the following four-wheelers effectively making it that much harder to navigate the maze of trees. Eventually though the survivor pushed through the forest and found himself on the edge of the field that wrapped around half of Ponyville, and Dano slammed his foot on the gas once his rear tires cleared the brush. The MULE roared with the sudden increase in fuel as the tires spun a bit in the soft sod before finding purchase and launching the vehicle into a dead sprint. Big Mac and Braeburn followed their commander’s lead, and the convoy raced across the rolling field at a break neck speed toward home.

Dano let off the gas when he reached the outskirts of town, and angled his MULE toward Rarity’s house so they could begin getting ready for the party the survivor knew Pinkie Pie had been working on even before he sent the letter. The convoy stayed on the perimeter of the town, seeing as Rarity’s home was one of the outer buildings. Before long the survivor caught a glimpse of the ornate light blue building that was his destination.

The convoy moved to the front of the building and came to a halt before the drivers shut off their respective engines. As the team clambered off of their vehicles the door opened to reveal Rarity standing in the threshold in a white robe with fluffy purple trim and a white towel wrapped around her head. Dano noticed she looked a bit different without her makeup and usual clothing, but she was attractive none the less. The survivor also noticed that the fashionista had a nervous smile on her face as the team approached.

“Good morning everyone.” Rarity said once the group was close enough to hold a conversation.

“Nice to see you Rarity, did you get my message?” Dano asked while still pondering her expression.

“I did.”

Dano raised an eyebrow at Rarity’s short response.

“And?”

Rarity blinked in confusion before catching herself.

“Silly me. I made Echo a vest like you asked, and it turns out Pinkie was already planning a party for you. I have also set up your appointments with the spa, and the barber will be seeing you there as well.”

Dano nodded as he processed the information.

“I take it Echo went back to Fluttershy’s?”

Rarity nodded quickly, her expression still a nervous smile. Dano decided it was about time he figured out what was going down.

“You mind if I come in?”

Dano took a step forward, but Rarity cut him off.

“I’m sorry, but now is not the best time. I uh… have to get ready for the party.”

Dano gave Rarity a suspicious look before leaning over a bit to see over her shoulder. The survivor could see most of the shop as well a sliver of the kitchen, but a sliver was all he needed. Sitting at the table with her back to Dano was a woman wearing a robe similar to Rarity’s. Her long, messy bond hair ran down her back and ended in a sloppily tied ribbon as a cup of coffee rested in her hands right in front of her face.

“You have company?” Dano asked with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. He could recognize Applejack despite the lack of her signature hat.

Rarity realized Dano had seen enough to get her into trouble, and decided to play along to save her own skin.

“Yes! Company is here, and I don’t want to keep them waiting.”

Dano let out a soft chuckle before letting the matter settle.

“Well, I will leave you to it then.” Dano purposely put emphasis on the ‘it’ to spook Rarity for fun, and it worked much better than the survivor could imagine as he watched the blood run from the fashionista’s face.

“We will be seeing you around Rarity.”

Dano turned around and motioned for his team to follow, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and confusion at the conversation that had just taken place. They followed the silent orders none the less, and followed Dano down the street toward the spa. The survivor could hear a loud sigh come from Rarity as she closed the door, and it made a large smile move across his face as he walked into town.

Before long the group arrived at the spa and made their way inside of the large yellow building. Inside Dano was greeted by a smiling Lotus and two other women. The survivor recognized one as Wind Whistler, even with a white apron over her usual grey dress clothes, but the other was unknown. They mystery woman wore a white apron over a sky blue polo and short white skirt. Her sapphire blue eyes matched with her clothing as well has her blue and bluish grey hair.

“Morning gentlemen.” Lotus chimed much like the first time Dano had met her, but he could hear a slight tone change. He chalked it up to the death of her sister.

“I do believe we have an appointment, and that the barber would be here?”

Lotus nodded politely.

“He will be here in a short while, but as you wait we can get started on your visit.”

Dano nodded in agreement, and the three women began their job.

The spa workers organized the group so that they would enter the spa one at a time to give the girls enough of a cushion between each customer to property take care of them. Dano decided to go last, and waited as each of his squad entered the changing room at ten minute intervals.

When it was Dano’s turn he followed the same procedure that he did the last time after entering the changing room. He stripped and donned a white towel then moved out the back door into the hot bath section. After a quick bath he was then moved to one of the steam rooms then to the cold bath. The survivor found himself sitting in the bath with the mystery woman shampooing his hair, and decided to start a conversation as he relaxed.

“So, what’s your name?” Dano asked with his eyes closed and a content smile across his face.

“Colgate.”

Dano shifted a bit under the woman’s hands

“Like the toothpaste?”

Colgate chuckled a bit.

“Yeah. Ironically I work as a dentist part time.”

Dano chuckled.

“Why are you here then?”

Colgate’s hands paused for a moment as she searched for an answer.

“Lotus was having a tough time with the loss of her sister. Wind Whistler and I offered to help around the spa to get her mind off of things. It seems to be working.”

As Colgate went back to massaging Dano’s scalp a question formed in his brain.

“What about Wind Whistler, she lost her boyfriend.”

The image of Caramel lying on the Doctor’s kitchen table bleeding out flashed across Dano’s brain, and it made him tense up. Colgate felt the change in presence of the survivor, but continued to massage anyway.

“She was really broken up about it, and I pushed her to take this job instead of moping around. It has done her some good as well.”

Dano slowly relaxed after the quick image just as Colgate finished her job. Dano dunked his head under the water as the spa worker left and ran his hands through his hair to remove the thick shampoo. Sure he had washed out the last of the soap from his long hair the survivor climbed out of the tub, wiped himself off and donned his towel before moving to the dressing room.

Inside of the dressing room Dano found a small stack of clothing that he remembered wearing before next to the pile of his dirty clothing and equipment. A plain white t-shirt rested atop a pair of blue jeans with black socks and underwear resting right next to the small pile. Without wasting much time Dano dropped the towel and got dressed.

Dano walked out of the dressing room after grabbing his old clothes and equipment to find a portable barber’s chair sitting in the middle of the lobby, two teens who looked bored, an older man with a polite smile on his face and his team all sitting in the cheap plastic chairs around the lobby. Dano guessed the spa employees were off cleaning up after the group, and the thought explained their absence.

The older man wore a simple white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbow. Blue pants covered with a blue and white striped apron to above the knee encased the man’s lower body, and black shoes covered his feet. Dano guessed he was the barber by his uniform, and by the fact that he was standing next to the barber’s chair.

The barber motioned for Dano to take a seat, and the survivor complied. As the survivor moved across the room he looked at his men. Each of them had gotten slight trims to their usual haircut, and they all wore the usual clothing, and Big Mac had even found a wheat sprig to put in his mouth. As they chatted away quietly Dano placed his things down and took his seat in the barber’s chair.

“What will it be?” The barber asked with a tone of professionalism.

“Short on the sides, longer on the top.” Dano replied as if he was a regular with the barber.

The barber nodded before moving behind Dano, placing a smock over his body and began working.

Massive clumps of hair fell away from Dano’s scalp as the barber worked his scissors and comb. The survivor had let his hair grow since he had moved from his cabin to Ponyville, where he would usually cut it with his knife if it became annoyingly long. After a good while the barber presented the survivor with a mirror, and he took a good look at himself.

Dano’s long brown hair had been trimmed to his specifications, and he ran a hand through it. The survivor smiled a bit as he looked at his reflection, and a brief image of a life long gone passed through his mind. The barber took Dano’s expression as a sign of satisfaction, and removed the mirror as he called to the two teens.

“Snips, Snails. Sweep up and get ready to move the chair back to the shop.”

The two teens groaned before complying, and Dano got out and moved away from the chair so he wasn’t in the way. The survivor grabbed his gear before motioning to his team that it was time to go. They all rose from their seats, grabbed their own gear and followed the survivor out the front door.

The walk back to Rarity’s house didn’t take long, and the group was making idle conversation as they neared their destination. Dano pulled ahead of the pack when the team was around five feet away, moved up to the door and gave it a few health knocks. The survivor could hear several feminine voices coming from the interior of the building as a single voice rose over the chatter.

“We’re closed.”

Dano chuckled, and filled his voice with mock sadness.

“I guess I will go someplace else then.”

Dano heard plenty of shuffling coming from behind the door, before it opened to reveal Rarity. She was still in her robe, and her hair had been released from its towel. The survivor noticed that the hair was especially well taken care of, even more than usual for the fashionista.

“I apologize for our current attire darling.”

Dano raised an eye brow, and Rarity moved away from the door way to reveal the interior. The survivor could see Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Applejack all sporting the same robes as Rarity, and in different stages of getting ready for something much more formal than Dano believed was necessary. The girls noticed the survivor in the doorway, and smiled at the return of their friend.

“Nice to see you again Dano.” Twilight beamed as she sat in a chair with Pinkie behind her combing her hair.

Dano smiled as he moved into the shop and set his things down on a nearby stage.

“Nice to see you all as well.”

Dano shifted his gaze to Rarity as she began to turn toward the back of the house.

“Don’t you think this is a bit too formal?”

Rarity stopped her turn.

“Not at all! In fact this is one of the best party ideas Pinkie has had in a while.”

Dano turned to talk to Pinkie Pie, but she had moved out from behind Twilight and cruised over to the survivor with lightning speed before stopping inches in front of his face.

“Yeah! Seeing as you are all kinda graduating you should have a graduation party!”

Pinkie’s smile grew impossible large, and Dano let out a chuckle.

“I guess you are right Pinkie.”

Pinkie Pie leapt into the air in a fit of joy before returning behind Twilight at the same speed she had left her. The girls giggled at their party girl friend’s antics, and Dano turned to his team.

“You guys can come in.”

As ordered the team moved into the shop with smiles on their face. Twilight got out of her seat and moved over to Big Mac and gave him a quick hug after he had set his things down. Applejack was right behind her friend, and Dano noticed she walked with an obvious limp. Braeburn had appeared next to his large cousin after following his lead just as Applejack arrived at the group, and the four of them began an exited conversation.

Soarin pretty much dropped his things at the door and dived at Rainbow Dash, and she did the same. Their embrace was much more personal than Big Mac’s, and it made Dano smile. The two began to talk quickly to each other without leaving their embrace, and the survivor noticed that Dash has a slight hitch in her jaw from the fracture as she spoke.

Carrot Cake, the Doctor and Dano stood a bit inside of the doorway, not making any moves toward anyone, and Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie did the same on the other side of the room. Dano shifted his gaze over to the shy woman and saw her smile at him. The survivor reciprocated before a question popped into his head.

“Where is Rarity?”

Dano shifted his gaze around looking for her.

“I’m just getting your things darling.” Called the fashionista’s voice from the other room, and she soon reappeared with a large stack of clothing in her arms. Dano guessed they were the uniforms he had ordered by the colors, and was soon confirmed as Rarity set the clothing down and spoke.

“I hope you like what I put together.”

Dano smiled.

“I bet it is fantastic Rarity.”

The compliment made Rarity beam with a positive vibe, and she began to hand out the uniforms.

Dano made small talk as he waited for each of his team members to get dressed after being ushered one at a time into a small dressing room in the back of the boutique by Rarity, and the survivor discovered that among other changes Twilight had been nominated and elected mayor. It made sense to Dano, seeing as the librarian was intelligent, well read and somewhat organized. A bit of him worried about her ability to handle the situation she was in. War wasn’t something you could fully fathom from a book. The survivor pushed the thoughts away and returned to waiting for his men.

After getting dressed each team member would return to show off their new clothes, and each had received a good amount of compliments. When it was Dano’s turn he noticed a slight difference in his own attire. Instead of a plain sleeve there was a large gold star resting where an enlisted man’s rank would be, and a white leather holster large enough to hold his Magnum hung off of the white belt that ran over his jacket.

“What are these additions Rarity?”

Rarity seemed to perk up when Dano noticed the changes.

“I visited Twilight to see if she had any books on the military, and after skimming through them I found out that officers seemed to have more ornate uniforms than their men. I hope you like my modifications.”

Rarity made a pouty face, and Dano chuckled at the over dramatic woman.

“We will see.”

With that Dano moved passed Rarity and into the dressing room. The area was extremely small, and a short bench ran across the back wall. A large mirror covered the back of the door, and a single bright light was embedded in the ceiling. Once situated in the dressing room Dano stripped down to his underwear and socks, and began putting on his uniform, making sure not to crease or mess it up in any way.

Dano pulled on a pair of navy blue dress pants that irritated his skin a bit, but that was natural with dressing up. The clothes were made for looks before comfort. A black belt was looped around the waist of the pants, but Dano waited before tightening them up. He first pulled on a thin white undershirt and tucked it in before buttoning up his pants. Next came the black polished dress shoes which, like the rest of the outfit, were a tad uncomfortable. Righting himself after tying up his foot wear Dano moved on to his jacket, and pulled it over his body. The coat was snug to his shoulder and chest, and after pushing all of the large gold buttons through their respective holes the survivor felt a bit restricted in movement. With everything else on Dano wrapped his thick white leather belt around his waist and tightened it. The empty holster rested more on the front than side of the survivor waist, and was probably placed there to show off the weapon. Once everything was in place Dano picked up his cap and turned to look in the mirror before opening the door.

The survivor saw the spitting image of a soldier in his reflection. The navy blue and white blending just the way Dano had imagined it. The white stripe on the outer seam of the pant fit along with the navy blue trim on his jacket. The gold stars on Dano’s shoulders strangely fit despite not being placed in the original plan, and he felt a little pride as the distinguishing mark elevated him above his men as their officer. A smile stretched across the survivor’s face as one of his life long dreams come true. He was a soldier, and one of a town he would happily defend.

Dano left the dressing room with his cap under his arm, and walked into the shop. Everybody looked at the survivor, but before they could begin complimenting on his new look he called to his team.

“Attention!”

Dano’s voice was loud, but not overbearing.

The team all reacted simultaneously, their heels clicking together as they straightened and raised their right hand to their brow to salute. Dano kept a straight face, but internally he smiled at the reaction of the girls. They seemed a bit in awe at the discipline and confidence the men were putting out. Without waiting form the women to react Dano ordered his team into formation. They moved quickly to the center of the room and lined up in front of the survivor, still standing at attention.

Dano moved to the left of the formation and over to his things, grabbed his Magnum and placed it in the ceremonial holster before returning to the group. As he moved across the room the survivor noticed that the girls were watching him curiously, and Dano decided to show instead of tell.

The survivor stopped in front of the farthest left man, which turned out to be Big Mac. Dano looked him over before pulling his wheat sprig out of his mouth. The large farmer gave it up easily, and the survivor moved on down the line. He stopped at each of his men, looking them over and fixing any problems he saw. At the end of the line Dano continued around and checked the backs of his team, fixing any problem he came along. Once the survivor finished his rounds he moved to about two feet in front of the middle man of the formation.

“Congratulations. With these new uniforms you have officially graduated from basic training, and can now call yourself a soldier. Remember that you are the physical embodiment of this town, and act accordingly. You are Ponyville’s Finest, and no one can take that away from you.”

Dano gave the team a small smile, and they reciprocated with ones of their own.

“I am giving you the rest of the day off. You can go and do whatever you want, but at sun down I want you to report to the mayor’s office.”

Dano had dropped his smile as he gave his finial orders of the day.

“Sir, yes sir.”

Dano nodded.

“Dismissed.”

With that the team turned to see a smiling crowd, and the ones with ties to the girls moved in for hugs and congratulations. Dano moved up to Carrot and the Doctor, who had turned but not left formation.

“You two can leave.”

The two soldiers nodded before exiting the shop, donning their caps as them moved through the threshold. As Dano turned to the rest of the group Rarity’s voice rose above the commotion.

“Well. I think it is time the boys left so we can get ready.”

Dano nodded in agreement, and followed Big Mac, Braeburn and Soarin out of the boutique. Once outside the survivor and his men placed their caps upon their head with the visor intentionally low. They moved into a small circle and began a conversation to pass the time as they waited for the women finish getting ready.

What felt like hours had gone by and the ladies had yet to show. The group had moved from their little circle to leaning up against their vehicles as boredom settled over them. Dano was about to get up and bang on the door to get the girls to hurry up when the portal opened. The women moved out of the shop single file, as if on a runway.

Twilight came first. She wore a long dress that barely draped across the ground as she walked. The front of the dress was a light purple which was covered on her hips back by navy blue outer dress with white and light blue stars running around the bottom. Her upper half was encased in light blue around her abdomen then changed into navy blue around her chest with a large white star right in the middle. Twilight’s collar was blown up, and wrapped around the outside of her shoulders before splaying outward like it was part of a cape a magician would wear. To finish off her ensemble a large light blue star rested on the left side of her hair, and it forced her coiffure to slightly wrap over her right shoulder.

Next came Applejack, and despite her limp still managed to look beautiful. Her feet were covered with light green cowboy boots with a red and white trim around the top edge right below the knee. A skirt that matched her boots ended above the knee and ran up to, what appeared to be, a brown leather top. Tassels that reminded Dano of a Wild West film ran around the hem of the skirt, and they fit in with the western theme of the dress. Applejack’s collar was light green like her skirt and hugged her neck like polo’s collar would, and seemed to be held closed by an apple shaped clasp. At the end of the farmer’s arms were a pair of gloves that matched her boots exactly, and an improved version of her hat rested atop her blonde hair, which had been styled with a small curl in the front and braided in the back.

Following the farmer came Pinkie Pie. The party girl wore flat soled pink shoes with little blue and white bows on the front. Her legs were encased in pink stockings, and her poufy pink skirt ended at the knee which had several layers of white cloth underneath. The dress was covered in decorations that looked like lollipops and candy corn as well as bows that looked like wrapped taffy. Despite how outlandish the look was, it fit on the energetic woman. Her midsection was held tightly by blue and white striped top, and her chest was covered in a brighter shade of pink than her skirt. Her shoulders were covered by her top, and her collar was white and poufy, like whipped cream. Pinkie Pie’s hands were encased in gloves that ended at the wrist, and held a bow similar to the one on the front of her shoes on the top of her hand. Her hair had not changed, and a small round white cap rested atop her head, tilted slightly to the left. The skirt held its shape as the party girl bounced around, and Dano gave credit to Rarity for heading off a possibly embarrassing occurrence if Pinkie Pie got overly excited.

Rainbow Dash followed behind Pinkie Pie. Her dress seemed to reflect her aggressive nature, and looked like a cyan toga underneath a rainbow dress that parted in front of the left leg. The dress was trimmed with a white fluff that looked like a cloud, and her feet were covered in what looked like gold roman type sandals with the straps running all the way up to her knee. The rainbow part of the dress ended right below her chest, and the toga took over from there. It was held up by a single thick strap over her left shoulder, and a thin necklace held a pendant that looked like a group of purple grapes rested around the woman’s neck. A golden replica of an olive branch wrapped around her head, and her hair remained the way it usually was except for being held together in the back with a simple red band.

Fluttershy came next, and her dress made Dano think of French high fashion. She wore a one piece canary yellow gown than ended at the ankles. Light green flat soled shoes covered her feet, and the dress tightened a bit around the waist enabling it to show off a bit of Fluttershy’s form. The back part of the dress appeared to be propped up from the inside and gave the whole thing a Victorian Era feel. The train was light green like her shoes, and was trimmed with different colored flowers. A simple light blue ribbon was attached to her dress at the hips and dipped to about halfway down the dress before wrapping around the back. Fluttershy’s collar resembled the branches of a tree, and ended in a large light blue butterfly that rested squarely on her chest. Gloves decorated her hands and ended halfway up the forearm before changing into something that looked like a single vine with little leaves that circled the rest of the way up her forearm. The shy woman’s hair has flowers that matched the trim of her dress scattered around it, and a light blue butterfly rested on the left side of her head. Fluttershy walked with he hands clasped over the front of her dress, and she appeared a little nervous at the attention the guys were giving her.

Finally came Rarity, and she appeared to be the big finale. Her reddish purple dress seemed to be straight out of a fairytale, and it ended right above the ground. The trim, as well as at regular intervals up the dress, looked like yellow ribbons, and what appeared to be pink and purple jewels were embedded in the large dress. At the hip a small outer dress was attached, and it layered gracefully off of the back of the inner dress with a purple trim that was also covered in jewels. The dress changed color at Rarities chest to a fuchsia, and the top coved her shoulders and midway down her bicep snuggly. The collar was purple and ridged, rising up out of the dress like an amphitheater making you look at the fashionista’s face. The collar forced Rarity’s hair over her right shoulder, and the coiffure shinned even more than usual. A gold tiara studded with purple gems rested on the top of Rarity’s head, and it held her hair back despite not being attached to her head in any way.

The girls lined up in front of Dano and the remainder of his team.

“What do you think darlings?” Rarity asked with a bit of a sultry tone.

Dano couldn’t think at the moment as he took in the six gorgeous women in front of him, and he felt his jaw drop a little. Along with the stunning dresses the girls had put on a little make up. Not enough to notice at first glance, but enough to affect their looks slightly. The girls giggled lightly as the guys failed to respond as they leaned up against their vehicles. Dano somehow took control of himself, closed his mouth and formulated a response.

“You all look wonderful.”

Dano could see the others nod lamely, their minds still not running on all cylinders. This only made the girls giggle even more. The survivor pushed himself upright and made his way over to Fluttershy who was looking especially nervous. Once he reached the shy woman he extended a hand with the palm up, and Fluttershy took it hesitantly. The survivor slightly gripped her hand, and pulled it toward his face while bending over a bit in order to plant a small kiss on the back of Fluttershy’s hand. Dano heard the girls giggle around him, and he returned his gaze upward to see a shocked Fluttershy.

“Do you mind if I escort you ma’am?”

Dano smiled slightly as he tried to be as charming as possible.

“Y-yes.”

Fluttershy’s voice was extremely quiet, and she was blushing madly.

Dano chuckled at the shy woman’s reaction before releasing her hand and offering his arm. Fluttershy wrapped a hand loosely around Dano’s forearm, all the while hiding her face behind her hair. Dano noticed that his men had yet to break from their stupor, and he released an annoyed cough toward them. The soldiers snapped out of their trance and began to move toward their woman of choice, Braeburn purposely holding back.

“Where did you learn to be such a gentlemen Dano?” Rarity chimed as she moved next to the survivor.

“I have my ways.”

Dano chuckled as he dodged the question.

The truth was he had been taught by his uncle on the proper manners during an elaborate social event. This was all in preparation for a ball that Dano’s mentor had been invited to by an old friend who was coming over from France with a daughter the survivor’s age. Along with etiquette came dancing lessons, lectures on table manners and lessons on the proper way to speak around the high class. Dano never believed he would have to use the knowledge again, but it seemed like his life had different plans.

Dano waited with Fluttershy on his arm for Big Mac and Soarin to follow his lead, and they got the gist of the motions. The survivor watched Big Mac move slowly through the whole thing, keeping his large body in control the entire time. It boggled Dano’s mind just how much control he had despite his size, and Twilight was practically glowing when she took the large farmer’s arm. Soarin on the other hand rushed through the process, and Rainbow Dash didn’t seem to mind. Dano could see why they were attracted to each other, both reckless and fast paced.

Braeburn watched the whole thing while staying close to the quads until Pinkie Pie sped over to the farmer.

“Do you have a date?” Pinkie beamed as she stood on her toes inches from Braeburn’s face.

“Uh… no.”

Braeburn’s eyes were wide and he was leaning back a bit to create some distance between himself and the party girl.

“Neither do I!” Pinkie gasped. “We should go together.”

Pinkie flashed a large toothy smile at Braeburn, and his jaw dropped a bit at the question while his brain shut down a second time. Before the farmer could respond Pinkie Pie wrapped both of her arms around Braeburn’s right arm and pulled it into her chest in a much more close version of the way Fluttershy was holding onto Dano’s arm.

“Well. Seeing as everyone has a partner we should get going.” Dano said through a chuckle, and the group followed his suggestion and began to move toward the town center. As the group walked Rarity moved next to Dano with Applejack standing close to her.

“Pinkie has had her eyes on Braeburn for a while,” Rarity’s voice was slightly hushed so the party girl could not hear her as she still clinged to Braeburn’s arm. “Along with most of the single women in town.”

Applejack hopped into the conversation in the same hushed tone as her partner.

“Same with Big Mac. Those girls are goin to be real disappointed when they see a lady friend on their arms.”

Dano chuckled.

“You think they might riot?”

The two women laughed quietly.

“We Apple’s sure know how to make 'em”

Applejack thrust her chest out in pride.

“I’ll say.”

Rarity looked over at her partner with a smile, and they stared at each other for a bit.

“Let’s calm down girls.” Dano said with a bit of sarcasm.

The two women laughed before making small talk with Dano as they walked.

Eventually the group made their way to the town center turned party area. There was a somewhat large stage resting in front of the mayor’s office with five musicians resting in their respective seats with their instruments. Dano could recognize Octavia sitting with her cello, Wind Whistler with a violin and Note Worthy sitting by a piano. Two other musicians that the survivor could not recognize sat with another violin and a viola respectively. Every member of the string quartet with piano accompaniment wore a black tuxedo with bow ties. The group looked very professional as they warmed up for their coming performance.

Running around the stage setting up microphones and speakers was a normal looking Vinyl Scratch. She wore the usual blue jeans, black converse and grey hoodie with bared eighth notes on the front. Dano guessed that she was actually working instead of attending the party, or that she was just blowing off the whole formal setting by showing up in her normal attire.

Directly in front of the stage rested a large dance floor that had been placed over the dirt area between the stage and fountain. Around the perimeter of the wooden dance floor to the outer edge of the town center was covered in round tables with four seats at each. The tables had been covered in white table clothes and a single red rose rested in a small, clear crystal vase in the center of the table. On the far side of the clearing was a long table covered in different confectionary goodness. Dano could feel his mouth water a bit as he eyes a massive cake in the center of the buffet table.

Most of Ponyville had already arrived and were milling around the seating area, chatting happily to each other. Every resident from the youngest attendee to the oldest had put on their best in the means of clothing. Tuxedos, gowns and dresses of every shape, color and size could be seen in the town center, and Dano had a sneaking suspicion that most of the dresses and gowns had been made by Rarity herself at one time or another.

Dano noticed an area devoid of people by the front of the dance floor. Sitting at the group of empty tables was Carrot and his wife Cup along with the Doctor and Derpy. The two couples sat at a single table, and Dano guessed that the seats were reserved for the team, and made his way there.

The entire group followed Dano through the maze of people and tables to their seating. Twilight broke off from the group when she neared the dance floor, and made her way toward the stage as the rest of her friends began to find their seats. Dano pulled Fluttershy’s chair out for her, and after a quiet thanks she sat down. The survivor moved to his own seat just as the sound of a microphone turning on echoed over the open area.

“Please be seated everyone.” Twilight spoke into the mic politely, and the sound of shuffling people and chairs responded to the order. Once everybody was seated and looking at her Twilight continued.

“Today we are holding this party in honor of Daniel Masset, Big Mac, Carrot Cake, Soarin, the Doctor and Braeburn.” Dano and his team rose when their names were called, and were met by a light applause. “These six men have all chosen a path of service to this town, and with this service comes sacrifice. Today we are going to show these brave men just how much we respect their sacrifice by throwing them the best party we can muster.” Another round of applause was heard. “Let the festivities begin.”

Twilight finished with a slight grin like she had always wanted to say that before handing the mic off to Vinyl Scratch then moving off the stage.

Octavia and her students had finished warming up right before Twilight took to the stage, and began a song*once their new mayor had moved across the dance floor to her seat. Dano recognized the tune as Paradise, and despite being played by a string quartet instead of the original alternate rock theme he still could recognize the lyrics being played by the lead violinist.

Dano found himself sitting at his table with Rarity and Applejack along with Fluttershy. The survivor chatted idly with the two women as Fluttershy mostly kept to herself. Dano felt a little bit of pain for not involving the woman that was supposed to be his date to the party, but he didn’t know how to bring her out of her shell. That is until the background music^ changed.

Dano immediately recognized the slow waltz from the ball he had attended in his old life. The image of the girl he was supposed to dance with, whose name he couldn’t recall, flashed across his mind’s eye along with the hint of embarrassment he felt stumbling over his words when asking her to dance in broken French. When he had gotten onto the dance floor with her he was sweating bullets, but the girl gave him a single bit of advice in surprisingly fluent English. ‘Just look into my eyes, and everything with be alright.’ Dano had followed her advice, and discovered he was quite the dancer.

The survivor returned from his memories, stood and offered his hand to Fluttershy.

“May I have this dance?”

Fluttershy ducked her face behind her hair to hide her increasing blush.

“I’m um… not good at dancing.”

Dano could see straight through the white lie. In the time he had spent living with Fluttershy he often found her outside with her animals. The shy woman’s movements showed off a grace that few possessed, as if each of her movements was the focus of her entire attention instead of her just moving normally.

“Neither am I” Dano responded with a confident smile.

Fluttershy risked a peak at Dano before returning behind her hair and placing her hand in the survivor’s.

Dano helped Fluttershy to her feet, and lead her to the center of the dance floor, dodging other couple who had already started dancing, where he stopped, turned and prepared for the dance. The survivor placed his right hand on Fluttershy’s lower back and took her right hand in his left while the shy woman’s left hand rested on the back of the survivor right shoulder. Dano gently pulled Fluttershy close, and he heard a quiet ‘eep’ escape from her mouth. Dano chuckled a bit, before noticing that the shy woman’s eyes were constantly shifting nervously, and her hand was shaking. Remembering the advice the girl had told him Dano removed his hand from Fluttershy’s, placed it on her chin and lifted her face gently so they were looking into each other’s eyes.

“Just look into my eyes, and everything will be alright.”

Dano removed his hand from Fluttershy’s chin and placed it back into her right hand, and was happy to see the shy woman take his advice and stare into his eyes.

Dano finally began the dance, and from the first step he could feel a difference from his last waltz. He found himself staring into Fluttershy’s deep cyan eyes while his body moved on its own, a content smile on his face. Fluttershy’s hand had stopped shaking, and despite not knowing the dance learned quickly as the couple twirled gracefully across the dance floor totally lost in each other’s gazes. Before they knew it the song had stopped and the two stopped dancing as a result, but remained in the embrace as they remained lost in their partner’s eyes. The sound of applause snapped Dano out of his trance, and he looked to see that all of the other dancers had stopped and watched the couple move around the dance floor along with most of the citizens of Ponyville.

With the break in eye contact Fluttershy returned to her normal blushing demeanor, and Dano released his embrace only to take the shy woman’s right hand in his left, holding it about shoulder height.

“Take a bow.” Dano whispered to Fluttershy, his smile still present on his face.

Fluttershy and Dano took a quick bow before the survivor lead the shy woman off of the dance floor and back to their seats, where Dano pulled out her chair for her before sitting in his own.

“Well Dano. I must say you are full of surprises.”

Dano chuckled at Rarity’s compliment

“You don’t know the half of it.”

Dano spent the rest of the day chatting with friends and acquaintances as well as eating delicious cakes and treats of every size and shape. Champagne was the drink of choice for most of the party goes, and Dano wasn’t one to go against the flow. For hours the survivor and his team laughed, talked and ate together, and if you had just met them you could have guessed they had been childhood friends.

Eventually though the sun began to set, and the party winded down with it. Dano was about to call it a night when he noticed that a woman was sitting on the edge of the stage alone, a small stringed instrument rested in her lap, and to the survivor it looked like a miniature harp. The woman had mint green and white hair done up in a short style. A simple mint green long sleeved shirt covered her top half while brown jeans that ended in white shoes made up the rest of her outfit. Dano noticed that she sat slumped over a bit, as if she was upset, and her eyes never left the small instrument in her lap.

The song that had been playing finished, and there was a bit of silence as the rest of Ponyville realized there was an extra musician. Dano head whispering behind him, and he shifted his focus to it.

“Is that Lyra?” Once hushed voice asked.

“I think it is. I haven’t seen her in ages.” Another hushed voice responded.

Dano returned his mental focus to his eyes just as the woman named Lyra took a deep breath and picked up her instrument. Vinyl was quick to run over a mic stand to the new musician, and made it just in time~. Lyra plucked her instrument and the clear note coasted above the now silent crowd, and was quickly followed by another. Soon Octavia joined the new musician, and the solo became a duet.

Dano could feel the pain and sorrow Lyra was putting into her music. It moved him deeply, and he found himself staring at the woman as she played. She swayed with the slow beat ever so slightly, and the survivor could swear she was crying as she played. The song was short and sweet, and when the two musician’s finished Lyra hopped off the stage and moved out of the town center quickly. Dano didn’t know why she had come out to play, but he guessed that it was in the hope that the survivor and his team would find her runaway bride and bring her home. Dano silently prayed to any god that would listen, begging them to make her hopes true, and that the survivor could bring Bon Bon back.

With the song ended the musicians began to put away their instruments, and Vinyl started unplugging things at random. Dano guessed that the party was ending, and being the gentleman he was Dano offered to escort Fluttershy home, to which she shyly agreed. The couple left that party with an hour left of light, and began the trek back to Fluttershy’s abode at a pleasant pace.

The couple walked down the thin winding path in silence as they both enjoyed the weather and each other’s company. After a good while Dano and Fluttershy arrived at the shy woman’s house, but stopped on the far side of the foot bridge.

“Aren’t you coming in?”

Fluttershy looked a bit disappointed that Dano had stopped.

“I have to get back to town.”

Fluttershy nodded slowly.

“O-okay.”

Dano was torn internally by the sadness permeating Fluttershy’s voice, and he embraced her tightly around the shoulders to try and ward away the sorrow growing in them both.

“I will be back before you know it. You worry too much.”

Fluttershy returned the embrace just as tightly before Dano let her go, looking into her eyes with a confident smile. The shy woman gave a small smile in return before saying her goodbyes and moving toward her house.

Dano sighed quietly, feeling his smile fade, before looking to his left to Echo and Jenna sitting under their usual tree together. The wolf realized it was time to go, and nuzzled the husky before trotting over to his friend. Dano noticed that he was wearing a forest camouflage vest that wrapped around his chest and ended at the bottom of his rib cage. Small holes had been cut out for his front legs, and a long tube rested on his back. Dano found Echo’s vest very practical for the wolf’s job, and planned on thanking Rarity the next time he saw her.

Dano began walking once Echo had reached him, and the two survivors began the trek back to town. Dano’s strides were long and purposeful as he cruised down the path with Echo trotting alongside him. The survivor’s mind was grim as he tried to formulate a plan for the coming arrival of Discord’s men, and he believed he had something when he reached the outskirts of town.

The sun was all but gone as Dano moved into the town center. Pinkie Pie was leading the deconstruction of the stage while still being in her party dress, and paid no mind to Dano as he walked by her towards the mayor’s office. Standing outside of the three story building was Dano’s team, and they all looked a little upset to be away from their friends and family. When they caught sight of Dano they all snapped to attention with a crisp salute following right behind. Dano returned the salute while walking, and motioned for his men to follow while he opened the front door and moved inside while taking off his cap.

Dano found himself in wide open reception area with a large wooden desk to his left that was unmanned. After the small archway that covered the entrance and reception the mayor’s office expanded considerably. The two bottom floors were actually one large room with long wooden benches all facing a short stage on the far wall. Twilight, who was still in her dress, was standing a few feet inside the door waiting for the survivor.

“Do you have a desk somewhere?” Dano asked as he approached Twilight, tucking his hat under his left arm.

“Up in my office, do you need anything else?”

Dano nodded to Twilight as the new mayor turned to lead Dano across the room.

“A map of the town would be nice.”

Twilight nodded quickly as she moving across the wide open auditorium to a doorway to the left of the entrance. Behind the door was a long stair case that wrapped around the building up to the third floor. Twilight, Dano and his team moved up the stair case quickly before moving through another door with Twilight’s name engraved on a golden plaque resting on the center of the portal.

Dano followed behind the new mayor into a small round room with a large, ornate wooden desk in the center. A large leather chair with small wheels attached to the bottom sat behind the desk, and a couple dozen metal filing cabinets wrapped around the room facing the center.

As the team filed in behind Dano Twilight moved to a filing cabinet to the left, opened it and pulled out a large piece of paper that was rolled up tightly with a rubber band around the middle. Twilight pulled the rubber band off of the tube as she moved to her desk, and Dano ushered to his team to follow him as he approached the writing table.

The desk top was covered in papers, and Dano remembered that even though Twilight was smart she wasn’t very tidy when it came to things she used every day. The new mayor ignored the mess and rolled out the map over the papers, and Dano took a good look at the town. He needed to find a kill zone to set up an ambush, and he found one soon after looking.

“You see this road?”

Dano pointed a wider than usual street that shot out of the town center toward the edge of the town without turning. The road eventually reached a dead end without anything blocking it.

Twilight nodded.

“The only thing on that street is residential housing.”

Dano removed his hand from the paper.

“We will need that whole road evacuated.”

Twilight looked at Dano quizzically.

“What are you planning Dano?”

Dano looked back at Twilight.

“You got a pen?”

Twilight blinked in confusion before her brain caught up. She riffled through a drawer in her desk before coming up with an ornate pen that politicians liked to use. Dano placed his cap on the desk, took the pen from the mayor, pulled the top off, leaned over the map and began to lay out his plan.

“The enemy will most likely move into the town square to pick up their shipment. I need a couple people from Ponyville to tell them the food is down this road. When they take the bait we will spring our trap.”

Dano pointed to the building they were in.

“Carrot will stay hidden on the balcony in this building providing security for the civilians as well as spotting the raiders when they first arrive.”

Dano drew an arrow pointing to the end of the street from the mayor’s office.

“Once the enemy takes the bait and begins moving down the road Carrot will take a position to snipe them from behind. If they are still in the truck then he can cut most of them down before they can even get out. If they are walking along side of their vehicle then Carrot will target their officer.”

Carrot nodded through his orders.

“How will I tell who the officer is sir?”

Dano looked up from the map at Carrot who was standing to his left.

“The one in the red beret is the one in charge. Your shot will set of the whole trap, so don’t miss.”

Carrot nodded.

“Yes sir.”

Dano shifted his gaze back to the map.

“The rest of us will be set up at the end of the road in cover.”

A question popped into Dano’s mind.

“What is at the end of this road Twilight?”

Twilight rubbed her chin in thought.

“Forest mostly.”

Dano nodded, and drew a line a half inch from the end of the road.

“The rest of the team will be hidden in the brush waiting for Carrot’s shot. I will target the driver of the truck while the rest of you take down everybody else.”

Dano looked up from the map to see the rest of his team nodding as they processed their orders.

“This ambush should only take seconds gentlemen.” Dano said as he straightened himself, picking up his cap. “If it takes any longer people will get hurt.”

The team nodded with determination to do the job right.

“Remember,” Dano’s voice became lifeless. “No mercy. They will kill you and those you love without a second thought. Show them that it was a mistake to come here.”

The team stood quietly, and Twilight looked a little nervous at the sudden change in Dano’s voice.

“Let’s get back to Rarity’s and get geared up.”

Dano’s team moved out of the room without another word, and Dano let them exit before he turned to Twilight.

“Thanks for your help Twilight. I don’t think we could pull this off without it.”

Twilight shook her head.

“No, thank you Dano. If you weren’t here we would just be giving up without a fight.”

Dano gave Twilight a sad smile.

“Only time will tell if that was the right choice instead of the path we walk now.”

Twilight moved over to Dano and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

“We will see.”

Dano gave Twilight a curt nod before handing her the pen he borrowed and moving out of the office, leaving Twilight alone.

The survivor moved down the stair case quickly, taking it two steps at a time. When he reached the bottom he didn’t stop, but continued past his waiting team and out the door. The soldiers were smart enough to follow, and the group piled out the front door and onto the street, all of them returning the caps to their heads.

Dano set a brisk pace as he moved through the town toward Rarity’s house, and before long they arrived. The survivor moved up and knocked on the door only to have it open within moments of his last rap. Rarity had opened the door, and quickly moved back inside allowing Dano to move into the boutique. The fashionista had removed her dress and donned another robe matching the one she was wearing earlier.

“I take it you are here for your other uniforms?” Rarity asked, already half knowing the answer.

“Yes ma’am.” Dano replied.

Rarity nodded before moving to the back room without another word. Before long the fashionista returned with another stack of clothing, but instead of white and navy blue it was colored in forest green, black and a deep brown. Instead of handing them out individually like before she set the pile down on the stage, separated each one while calling the name of the owner and setting them down next to the pile. Rarity then left the room to let the men get changed, and they didn’t hesitate to do just that.

After removing their dress uniforms with the utmost care they donned their utility uniform. Dano wore a black t-shirt that tucked it into his utility pants which were then tucked into his boots. The survivor transferred his belt, with all of its attachment, to his new trousers, and pulled on his new jacket which was then also tucked into his pants. Dano tightened his belt once everything was tucked, and decided not to put on his armor, vest or Magnum holster. He would carry his extra things with his rifle and pack back to the mayor’s office where the team would stay for the night.

Dano’s team finished at just about the same time he did, and the survivor called farewell to Rarity as he quickly left the boutique with his men in tow. They crossed Ponyville in silence back to the mayor’s office, and let themselves in. Twilight had left for home a little while before, and Pinkie had finished the cleanup right after the mayor left.

Each member fanned out into the dark auditorium finding a place to put their things and lay down. Dano took the first bench on the right and used his pack as a pillow as he readied himself for sleep.

The bench was uncomfortable, and coupled with the mixing of excitement and fear for the coming battle made slumber seem impossible. Sleep slowly came though, and the survivor drifted off into a dreamless night as the moon drifted slowly across the sky.

Wow Invictus, that chapter is a doozie
I know, but i still didn't get to end on the cliff hanger i wanted.
maybe next time
yeah, maybe. Hey, where did Twilight go.
i think she went to bed, it is 1 in the morning
hmmm. You wanna play a prank on her?
DO I!
*several minutes later*
so the plan is to fire off this party cannon right next to her head, and see how far she flies.
this is a horrible idea
psh, this is great
yeah logic, lighten up
i warned you
Alright. Now on the count of three fire the cannon. 1, 2, 3!
*cannon goes off, Twilight flied through the air, and a sudden flash appears from nowhere.*
What just happened?
it appears Twilight has transported us to Mexico
i told you this was a bad idea
shut up logic.

It is dangerous to go alone, take this chapter
it took me forever to get to you, and i still didn't get to make you squirm with the massive cliff hanger i planned
oh well
don't forget to rate and comment
that is all
kthanxbai

Violence

Whole New World
Chapter 18
Violence

Dano awoke in the calm darkness before dawn to the sound of his team breathing slowly as they slept, and Echo snoring like a freight train. The survivor chuckled as he lifted himself off of his back, his spine popping as it bent. Once upright Dano rolled his shoulders, and his let out a soft groan has his chest muscles loosened. The night spent on the bench had left the survivor sore, but he ignored the tightness of his back and chest and started getting ready.

Dano woke up everybody in the room with a quick shout before pushing himself to his feet. The team rose with about the same speed as their commander, and each member kept a grim expression as they began their daily routine. Today was the day the stuck back at the raiders, and they would do it without mercy.

With every piece of equipment Dano put on he checked twice. He made sure his armor was as tight and non-restricting as possible, his ammunition was secure in his vest and that each of his weapons were loaded and prepared to do their job. The empty auditorium was silent except for the click of buckles, the sliding of magazines into weapons and hushed chatter as the team checked each other over.

The room was still pretty dark once they had finished getting geared up, and Dano looked out of one of the large windows to see an overcast sky blocking out the sunrise. The weather fit the mood each member of the squad put out. A determined calm, almost eerie, feeling emanated from them all.

Twilight had arrived a few minutes before the team had finished gearing up, and was waiting patiently in the reception area. Dano ordered Carrot to his post before moving out of the auditorium toward the mayor with the rest of his team. She wore a black pantsuit with a white undershirt that was vaguely similar to the one the old mayor wore. Short black heels covered her feet, and a plain purple tie was tucked into the suit jacket. Dano made his way up to Twilight, and she turned to match the survivors speed as they walked out the front door.

“Did you evacuate the street?” Dano asked in a flat, professional tone as he angled toward the road in question, Twilight keeping pace alongside him.

“Not yet. We are still moving them out of town to Sweet Apple Acres. That is the only place that could hold everybody.”

Dano looked around the street to see Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and several other citizens helping people gather essentials before ushering them out of town in groups. The girls all wore more average clothing than their mayor friend, but that was to be expected.

“When do you think you will be done?”

Twilight shrugged, an unnatural motion for her.

“I have no idea Dano. I have never done this before.”

Dano nodded sympathetically.

“Just don’t take too long. I will have to call off the whole thing if people are still in the area.”

Twilight sighed before nodding.

“We got this, don’t worry.”

Dano stopped walking and smiled slightly.

“Do I look worried?”

Twilight chuckled, but didn’t answer the question. Dano’s professional demeanor returned as he resumed walking.

“Who’s going to pull the raiders into the trap?”

Dano wished he didn’t have to put anyone in that position, but he couldn’t place his men in the dead center of town. A stray round could inflict friendly casualties for quite a distance, and evacuating the entire village would take too long.

“Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie are joining me. They volunteered and I’m obligated.”

Dano sighed as the group came to a stop at the end of the road.

“Very well. Stay safe and sharp. We don’t need a repeat of the last visit.”

Twilight nodded then wished Dano and his team good luck before leaving them. The survivor returned the gesture as he moved off of the street toward the woods with his team in tow.

The tree line was around thirty yards from the end of the road. Most of the smaller brush had been killed off by the leaves falling from above or the frost that was starting to appear late at night. To counter the lack of foliage Dano ordered his men to lay prone behind the trees five yards apart from each other and five yards from the tree line. The team took to using some of the exposed roots as platforms for their weapons, and with only the barrel of their rifles protruding from the tree they used as cover they were as camouflaged as they were going to get.

Dano settled behind his own tree at the center of the skirmish line with Echo lying next to him. The wolf placed his head in his paws before letting out a sigh, and Dano felt a slightly nervous vibe emanate from his friend. The survivor decided against his bipod and propped his rifle onto a root that rose about the same height as the attachment. Dano settled the rifle against his shoulder, his right hand resting on the rear pistol grip, and peaked down his scope.

The last group of villagers was being moved out by Applejack, Rarity and Fluttershy as Twilight, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash moved over to the fountain to wait for the raiders. The three girls took a seat around the outer wall of the decorative structure, and from what Dano could see were chatting away happily.

Dano pulled his face off of the rifle stock and rested his chin in front of him on his left forearm. The survivor sighed as he stared at the empty street while a slow breeze made its way through the forest around him, rustling the fallen leaves slightly. Dano’s mind began to drift as he waited, and he soon found himself wondering how far away Fluttershy’s house was to his right. A fraction of the feeling he had felt when he danced with the shy woman moved through the survivor’s mind, and it made him smile slightly. Dano checked his watch absentmindedly, and he let out a quiet sigh. The waiting game had begun.

Dano shifted slightly for the thousandth time that day as he tried to get comfortable. The survivor had been lying in the woods for hours with his chin propped up on his forearm as he stared down the road. Except for the on and off breeze tagging along with Dano and Echo’s breathing the world was silent. Occasionally the sound of someone shifting down the line was heard, but that was the only noise the team had made as they waited.

Dano was about to shift again when he saw movement coming from the third floor balcony of the mayor’s office. The survivor picked his head up off of his arm and returned it to his rifle. Through the scope he saw Twilight, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash rise from their seat as they looked up at Carrot. After a few seconds Twilight nodded before fixing he clothing in preparation for the coming meeting.

Dano heard Echo shift a bit before letting out a very quiet whine of anticipation. The survivor felt exactly the same way as his friend as he focused through his scope. Dano could hear the sound of the large diesel truck before he could see it, and it caused his heart rate to spike. After closing his eyes and taking a deep breath the survivor refocused on the town square through his optic.

After a couple agonizingly slow minutes the truck finally pulled into the tow center, and Dano watched as seven raiders piled out of the back of the truck along with an eighth clambering down from the passenger’s seat. The survivor noticed as he scanned the group that they were a bit bulkier than the last time he saw them, and he guessed with a mental curse that they were wearing body armor over regular utility uniforms.

The eight raiders formed a delta V formation around the front of the truck, which had not been shut off. The man at the tip of the formation was wearing the iconic red beret, and Dano watched as he called to the three women over the sound of the vehicle. In response Twilight, along with her two friends, approached the group. The two parties met, and Twilight began to lay out the trap as she spoke over the engine. She eventually pointed down the road toward the waiting soldiers indicating the location of the awaiting “delivery”.

The officer looked down the road, and Dano’s heart stopped. He swore the enemy was looking right at him, but the officer just turned his face back to Twilight. He began to speak before motioning with his rifle toward the end of the road. Twilight responded with word and nonthreatening gestures, but the officer wasn’t having any of it. His features began to show anger as he responded to whatever the mayor had said, and the three women took a step back defensively before Twilight nodded.

Dano’s heart dropped as Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie turned and began to walk down the street. The officer motioned for his men to follow, and the whole procession creped down the road. Echo whined next to the survivor, and he knew that the wolf knew exactly what was about to take place.

They couldn’t stop the ambush. Once the raiders rounded the corner they would see that there was no food they would execute the girls on the spot. Dano steadied his breathing and steeled his mind. He could only hope that the three women could get out of the way fast enough to escape the coming maelstrom of flying lead.

The group continued to move down the road slowly, each of the raiders scanning their surroundings for possible trouble with their rifles half raised. Dano didn’t see any of it though, he had zoned out of the world around him, and the only thing he could see was his target through his scope. The truck driver seemed bored with his menial task of driving, and was leaning back in his seat with a single hand on the wheel. Dano could feel a bead of sweat creep down his brow as he mentally counted down the distance from his target.

Fifty yards.

Forty five yards

Forty yards.

Thirty five yards.

Dano could feel the tension coming from the men around him. Each of them fearing for the girls in the crossfire while knowing that if they didn’t act they would certainly die. The survivor squeezed his left hand closed while his right pointer finger slid off of the trigger guard to rest on the trigger proper. His breathing and heart beat had slowed, and a calmness settled over him as he watched his prey yawn.

Thirty yards.

The tension suddenly broke with the piercing crack of a rifle, and time slowed as Dano squeezed his trigger. The MK14 pushed back into the survivor as a round flew out of its barrel. Dano watched the distortion of the air around his bullet glide through the air, pierce the transport truck’s windshield and push its way through the top of the yawning driver’s mouth. The raider’s head was forced backwards as the round pushed its way through his brain and out the back of his skull.

Dano’s shot went unheard as the sound of four more automatic rifles fired in unison, raking the enemy with relentless fire. The raiders didn’t even have time to raise their weapons before they were cut down without mercy. The girls, thankfully, had made their move once Carrot had released his round and dove to the ground as bullets whipped above their heads. The whole ambush came and went in seconds, and when it was over a silence settled over the world until it was broken by a single voice.

“MOVE UP!” Dano bellowed over the calm as he sprang to his feet, Echo right by his side.

The survivor moved quickly out of the woods his rifle raised as he scanned the area covered in bodies, and out of the corners of his eyes he team did the same. They were closing the distance rapidly when one of the raiders pushed himself to his feet, and Dano recognized the enemy by his red beret. A brief thought moved through the survivors mind before he reacted with deadly force.

“Sic him Echo!”

The wolf bolted away from the group, and closed the ever shrinking expanse between them and their fallen enemy.

The officer was trying to compose himself, and was reaching for something hidden behind the body of his comrade when Echo reached him. The wolf pounced on the wounded officer with the intention of ripping his throat out, but the enemy reacted just in time to save his neck. Echo ended up clamping down on the officer’s arm, and the wolf’s momentum forced the enemy to his back. Echo ripped and tore at the officer’s arm, snarling the entire time. Mere seconds after the fight between man and beast began Dano was upon the officer, his weapon pointed squarely at his enemy’s face.

“Big Mac, Braeburn. Pick this guy up for me. Echo, let him go.”

The three beings did as they were told, and the officer was propped up with Big Mac and Braeburn holding an arm each. The rest of the team created a semi-circle behind Dano as he stood directly in front of the new prisoner. Echo stood to Dano’s right, his teeth bared and growling.

“Soarin, check on the girls.” Dano ordered over his shoulder without taking his eyes off of the officer’s own. The enemy’s sun glasses had been knocked off when he fell, and Dano noticed that his eyes were a hard grey as they glared at each other.

Dano heard the sound of a rifle being shouldered and boots hitting the ground as Soarin did as he was told, leaving only the Doctor to hold security. The survivor shouldered his own weapon, and took a step toward the wounded officer without breaking eye contact. Now standing a foot away from the restrained enemy Dano broke his gaze away to look them man over, and he eventually found a dark red spot in the center of his left thigh. Carrot had either aimed low or missed to just wound the enemy, but Dano would talk to him later. It was interrogation time.

“Looks like you are bleeding buddy.” Dano returned his gaze to the officer’s eyes and filled his voice with mock concern.

The enemy only glared at Dano while taking in deep, pained breaths

“You mind if I ask a few question?” Dano kept a straight face as he returned the glare.

“Go fuck yourself.”

Dano shook his head as if he was scolding a toddler.

“Didn’t anyone teach you manners?”

Dano quick drew his M9, the securing strap making a loud pop as it released, and in quick secession pointed it at the officer’s right thigh and put a slug through it. Through gritted teeth the enemy groaned in pain, pulling against the men restraining him as he forced his way through the pain. Dano heard a gasp somewhere off to his left, and guessed the girls were watching. Ignoring the audience the survivor continued.

“Now, as I was saying, I have some questions.”

The officer regained his composure as best he could, and began to glare at Dano one again.

“How many men do you have?”

The officer didn’t show any signed of answering, and continued to stare at Dano with those hard grey eyes.

Dano sighed slowly before taking his pistol and hitting the officer across the face with it. The enemy’s head wrenched to the side, and he spit out some blood before returning to glaring at the survivor.

“Don’t make me ask again.”

Dano’s voice was hard.

“Go die in a hole you piece of shit.”

Dano kept his blank expression as he pressed the barrel of his M9 into the pressure point between the officer’s shoulder and neck. Despite the tactical vest, body armor straps and clothes the enemy could feel the uniformly increasing pressure on his nerve ending, and began to squirm as the pistol dug deeper and deeper into him.

“All you have to do is answer my questions and the pain will stop.” Dano said with some more mock concern.

The officer was now trashing so hard that his beret fell off to reveal very dark black hair. It was so dark it seemed to suck up the light around it.

“Alright!”

Dano pulled his pistol away from the officer, and the enemy’s head drooped as he tried to collect himself.

“How many men do you have?”

The officer continued to look at the ground.

“Thirty seven.”

Dano hid his discontent at the answer behind a straight face. Thirty seven is a lot of people to fight at one time, even if they had just taken out eight of them.

“What weapons do you have available to you?”

The officer lifted his head quickly to resume his glare, his lips pulled back to reveal his bloody teeth.

“You fucks have messed with the wrong guy. Sid is going to string you all up, but not after he butchers everybody in this god forsaken place.”

Dano frowned.

“That isn’t the way you talk to the person holding your life in his hands.”

Dano raised his pistol to the officer’s forehead, his finger resting on the trigger.

“Do it you son of a bitch.”

Dano sighed. His prisoner had accepted his fate and wasn’t going to say any more. A change in tactics was required. The survivor lowered his pistol.

“Listen, buddy. My friend here is a doctor. If you help us we can help you.”

Dano waved a hand at the Doctor, who was behind him to the right.

The officer eyed the Doctor before returning his gaze back to Dano.

“You promise that I will get treatment?”

Dano nodded.

“All you have to do is answer my questions.”

The officer eyed the Doctor one more time.

“Fine.”

Dano grinned slightly.

“But I want to be patched up first.”

Dano’s grin dropped. He knew the man being restrained in front of him was corrupt in mind. He would try to kill them all with his bare hands if he needed to, but Dano needed information.

“Let him go.” Dano ordered to Big Mac and Braeburn, and the released the officer. The wounded enemy fell to his hands and knees, for his legs could not support his weight.

For a few second the officer just stayed where he was, his eyes boring holes in the ground. Dano watched him intently, and before anyone else could react the officer removed his side arm. The enemy began to rise, his weapon in hand, but once his head turned up to see his target he was met with the end of Dano’s M9. Without a moment’s hesitation Dano pulled the trigger firing the round at point blank range into the officer’s face.

With his neck muscles already stretched to the max looking up at Dano the officers head didn’t snap back, but instead held its place as the round burrowed its way through the officer’s head, coming out the back and continuing into his back. Blood began to flow out of the officer’s new hole before he collapsed forward.

Dano watched the entire thing with a straight face. He was going to kill him anyway, but that was after he got his information. A sharp gasp came from the girls again, but this time it was accompanied with words.

“You promised you would help him.”

Twilight’s voice was soft as she stared at the recently deceased officer.

“He shouldn’t have removed his weapon.”

Dano’s voice was calm, and he holstered his pistol as he turned to look at the three women standing next to Soarin.

“Maybe he was just trying to take it out to throw it away.”

Pinkie’s voice was filled with denial as she also stared at the body.

“Didn’t look that way to me.”

Dano’s voice remained it’s scary cool.

“Dano. You shouldn’t have killed him. We are supposed to be fighting these men, not becoming like them.”

Twilight’s words struck a nerve in the survivor.

“Last time I checked I wasn’t killing teenage girls.”

Twilight, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash’s jaws dropped in unison at the response, and they tore their eyes away from the dead man.

“These “men”, as you like to call them, would have no qualms killing anybody here.” Dano pointed at Twilight. “You need to learn that before you start getting sympathetic.”

Twilight’s mouth moved as if to form words, but nothing came out.

“I’m going to need a detail of men to burry these bodies. I don’t care where or how, I just need them gone.”

Twilight recomposed herself with a quick shake of the head before responding with a curt nod.

“Big Mac, Braeburn, Soarin. You three will police these bodies. I want you to take their side arms along with their ammunition. Toss their rifles in a pile somewhere.”

The three soldiers responded with a ‘yes sir’ before moving off to do their job. Dano turned to the Doctor.

“Doctor. Take Echo and search the back of the truck for anything valuable.”

The Doctor nodded before he moved toward his objective with Echo in tow. Dano turned around to see the three women still standing around, eyes scanning the bodies strewn around the road.

“Ladies, I think it is time you left.”

Twilight was the first to respond, and without shifting her gaze pushed the girls lightly.

“It’s time to go girls.”

With uneven steps the three woman began to walk away from the warzone, and when Rainbow got a few feet away she doubled over and vomited. Dano ignored the girls, and got about gathering more intelligence.

The survivor moved to the driver’s side of the truck, which had died when many of the bullets fired at the men in front of it had damaged the engine block. Dano opened the door to see his only kill still sitting with his head resting on the top of the seat behind it. The survivor grabbed the body, and without any care pulled it to the ground. He then clambered up the running boards to get a good look into the cabin.

Dano looked around a bit until his gaze fell onto a small electronic device sitting in one of the cup holders that rested hallway up the consol. He grabbed the device and looked it over. It didn’t take Dano that long to figure out it was a GPS, and he quickly found the favorites menu. There were only two addresses put into the device. ‘Ponyville NY’ and ‘Home’. With a finger Dano brought up the route to ‘Home’ and the ETA that rested on the bottom left of the map that appeared told the survivor it was a three hour drive going the speed limits along the way. Dano pocketed the device in the empty rectangle vest pocket that rested over his left breast, and climbed out of the truck.

Carrot arrived with his rifle over his shoulder once Dano’s boots hit the ground.

“You missed Carrot.”

Dano said with a smirk.

“I didn’t want to hit the girls sir.”

Dano patted Carrot on the shoulder.

“There is a reason I gave you the long rifle. I trust that you won’t miss, so next time take the shot.”

Carrot grinned at the compliment.

“Now go help the rest of the guys with the bodies.”

Dano watched as Carrot nodded again and moved passed the survivor toward the front of the truck. Dano was about to go help them as well when he was called in the opposite direction.

“Sir. You need to see this.”

Dano turned to see the Doctor leaning out from behind the truck, and he moved toward the medic.

“What is it?”

Dano rounded the corner to see Echo standing on the tailgate next a chest the same color and size as the ones he had stored all of his things in back at his cabin.

“Look inside.”

Dano moved closer to see a small stack of off white colored bricks with big black lettering on the front that read ‘C4’. Next to the stack was a smaller wooden box, and after opening it the survivor found both the detonators and detonation buttons. Dano looked at the Doctor, and the medic had a big smile on his face.

“This is going to come in handy. Nice find Doctor.”

The Doctor chuckled.

“Nice find indeed.”

Dano chuckled in response, and after finding another pack like his own in the back of the truck removed the medical supplied from his ruck sac, put them in the new pack and gave it to the Doctor. The medic believed he could carry more, and Dano let him go back to his house to retrieve the new medical supplies. With room in his pack the survivor filled it with as many blocks of the plastic explosive and their corresponding parts as could fit. After filling his pack to the brim Dano threw it onto his back, and returned to the front of the truck to help out the rest of his team.

The rest of the morning was spent gathering the bodies of their enemy, stripping them of their weapons and ammunition, and laying them shoulder to shoulder in front of their truck. After the Doctor returned from his house Dano ordered his team to put on their helmets, and he donned the red beret the officer wore. With the new headgear in place the survivor then gave them a short introduction to their new side arms along with the order to only use them in an extremely life threatening position. Dano didn’t want his team using weapons they had just picked up unless absolutely necessary.

With the proper head gear on and new side arms on their hips Dano and his team left the ambush site. They made their way across town to Rarity’s shop and their vehicles. The group clambered onto their transportation, taking the same positions they had on the way in. Echo found a place in between the Doctor and Dano, much to the dismay of the physician.

“Move your furry butt.”

The Doctor shifted uncomfortably as the wolf forced his rear onto the very small spot between the two men.

Echo responded with a growl that Dano interpreted as playful, but the Doctor didn’t seem to get the joke.

“Alright, alright.”

Dano chuckled as he turned on the MULE he was driving, and pulled away from the Carousel Boutique with the two four-wheelers in tow.

The convoy moved quickly through town, and once they merged onto the main road out of the village Dano pulled the GPS out of his pocket. The device recognized the location, but on the 2D map it was just a road. Dano handed the GPS to the Doctor, and told the physician to navigate. The Doctor nodded before settling in for the drive, his hand resting on the M4 that sat between his legs.

The team picked up speed as they exited Ponyville. As they zoomed along they encountered the people they had displaced standing by the main gate to Sweet Apple Acres. They were waiting for Twilight to come get them, and they were probably going to have to wait a bit more as she disposed of the bodies.

As the convoy raced by the crowd Dano caught a glimpse of pink hair and canary yellow clothing out of the corner of his eye, and it tugged on his heart a bit. He wished he could stop and spend time with the shy woman that had become the focus of his thoughts lately, but he had a job to do. Dano pressed the gas pedal down a little harder in a vain attempt to leave his thoughts in the dust, but no matter how fast he went those deep cyan eyes always seemed to crawl back into his mind.

Dano let out a quiet sigh before he made himself comfortable in his seat. The drive was going to take a while, even a full speed. A small smirk moved across Dano’s face. Here I come Discord.

nice length, and we see some action. well done
thanks Twilight. im just happy you arent angry about the whole party cannon incident
yeah, we are really really really really sorry
its alright. i already have a plan to get you back
get us back?
yes, get you back good
i don't like the sound of that
*knocks on door*
who could that be at this hour?
you should go answer that
hmmm, not sure if revenge plan or RA.
its the revenge plan
probably an RA
it isnt an RA
*walks over to door, opens it, sees white alicorn with huge eyes*
oh no
see you suckers later!
*twilight teleports away*
i dont like this
oh please, not again
*alicorn leans in close to Giaus*
prepare your body

new chapter WOOHOO!
don't forget to rate and comment
that is all
kthanxbai

Chaos

Whole New World
Chapter 19
Chaos

Dano looked at his watch for the hundredth time as he drove. It was becoming a habit when he was bored, and now was one such time. The survivor had been sitting in the driver’s seat of his MULE for the last three hours with only two gas breaks to break up the monotony of driving. Despite saying that the trip would have taken the same amount of time, the GPS neglected to take in the pace at which the convoy was moving. The ATVs carried governors that restricted their top speed to about forty five miles per hour, and the speed limit at some of the roads they cruised down was a healthy fifty five.

Even with the trip taking longer than expected it was a nice change of scenery for Dano despite the ever darkening clouds overhead. He passed through abandoned towns, large valleys with steep hills climbing a hundred feet into the air, massive unattended corn fields, large untamed rivers flowing as they had for years before and many miles of bright orange, red and yellow forests that put the woods Dano used to live in to shame. The pristine beauty of nature was a polar opposite to the men who moved through it. They were covered in the garb and tools of war, and they intended to use them without mercy. Flat, expressionless faces ignored the surrounding splendor as their minds began to ask the same question that the millions of soldiers that had come before had asked themselves.

Will I come home?

Dano looked at his watch again to see that only a minute and a half had passed since he last checked it, and he let out a tired sigh before returning his gaze to the road in front of him. Out of boredom the survivor’s mind began to create a mental check list of his supplies, and he believed they would have enough fuel to get to their destination as well as have enough ammunition for the coming fight. Content that they were as ready as they were going to get Dano shifted a bit in his seat before returning his attention to driving.

The convoy was moving through another forest on the outskirts of a small village when a loud crack echoed over the sound of the three engines. Dano’s heart rate spiked as he quickly decelerated, pulled to the side of the road and shut his ATV off. The survivor quickly hopped out of his MULE, and began to scan the surrounding forest with his rifle half raised. The sudden noise didn’t sound like weapons fire to Dano, but more like the noise that was created when metal was suddenly broken.

Dano turned and looked down the convoy to see black smoke seeping out of the Apple Family’s quad, and the survivor put the noise and smoke together to get one broken four-wheeler. He moved to the back of the convoy, not happy in the slightest.

“Shut that thing off before the smoke gives away our position!”

Soarin and Braeburn had hopped off their broken ride while Big Mac dismounted his with Carrot remaining seated. The Doctor, Dano and Echo approached the defunct vehicle and the group of six found themselves surrounding the quad as more black smoke seeped out from the engine. Braeburn quickly followed orders, and the machine sputtered before it died.

“I don’t need to be a mechanic to know that four-wheeler is dead and gone.”

Soarin said with a sigh.

“Eeyup.”

Big Mac shifted his wheat sprig from one side of his mouth to the other.

Dano was content that the smoke had dissipated, but he was now faced with an unfortunate and slightly annoying predicament.

“Alright. We are humping it from here. Everybody grab as much ammunition you can carry and get ready to move out.”

With that the team moved to the back of the MULE and began to load up with as much ammo as possible. Once done with that Dano organized the team into a line with himself at the front and began to walk to their destination, which the Doctor assured was close.

Another hour had gone by before the Doctor called to Dano.

“GPS says we have reached our destination.”

Dano stopped walking and looked around. The group had moved through the tiniest of villages five minute ago, and the only thing other than the asphalt road under their feet and thick forest around them was a winding dirt path that cut its way through the terrain to the left. Guessing that the trail was their objective the survivor told the Doctor to turn off the GPS before leading the group down the center of the dirt road.

Another half hour passed as the team moved slowly down the trail. The same apprehensive tension that had gripped Dano’s mind as he waited in the Ponyville ambush made a home in the survivor and the men around him. They reacted to the slightest noise or movement with quick eyes and raised rifles, for the feeling of wandering into the lion’s den exponentially grew inside of them all.

Dano began to round a bend in the road, and caught a glimpse of fencing and buildings. Quickly the survivor dropped to a crouch while motioning, with an open palm facing the ground behind him, for his team to follow his lead. The slight ruffling of pant legs entered Dano’s ears, and he knew that the group had followed orders. The survivor then closed his fist, telling his team to stay put before going prone and crawling ever so slowly around the rest of the bend until he could see as much as he could without revealing his position.

Dano shifted his rifle to his left side and he felt slightly uncomfortable as his hands switched their usual positions on the pair of pistol grips. Ignoring the feeling the survivor peered down his scope to see a standard chain link fence that he estimated to be ten feet tall and topped with razor sharp concertina wire about fifty yards down the road. The forest flanking the trail caused the survivor’s window to tunnel, and he could only see a single building with quite a bit of movement moving to the left of it.

With as much information as he could glean from his limited view Dano shimmied across the ground back to his original position where he propped himself back up on his knee, turned and addressed his squad with his voice just above a whisper.

“Braeburn, leave your rifle and climb a tree. I need to see if there is any high ground where we can set up. Don’t get caught.”

With a nod Braeburn handed his rifle to the Doctor behind him and moved into the woods on the right of the road slowly before climbing the closest tree. Dano returned his gaze to the front of the column and scanned the surrounding forest as the sound of the soldier climbing the tree behind him was making more noise than he wanted. Eventually the sounds came to a halt with the thud of boots hitting the dirt hard. Dano turned around again to see Braeburn moving back into formation while the Doctor handed the soldier his rifle.

“So?” Dano asked, his voice just as quiet as before.

“It looks like there is a small rise over there.”

Braeburn pointed to Dano’s right, and the survivor turned his head in the indicated direction.

“Alright. I want a five yard spread in this formation. Keep an eye on the person to your right and watch your spacing.”

The team nodded as they were given their orders, and they quickly crossed the road in a half crouch and melted into the tree line leaving behind nothing to reveal their presence.

Dano and his team moved ever so slowly through the colorful woods in a half crawl. Each step they took was premeditated and placed to provide the least amount of noise. The survivor kept his eyes directed to his right as he scanned the edge of the forest he moved through in order to keep close to the target and not get lost. As he crept through the wood Dano could feel the ground begin to rise, and he guessed they were ascending the hill Braeburn had pointed out.

Eventually the slope leveled, and Dano decided now was as good a place as ever to stop. The survivor quit moving, turned his attention to the skirmish line to his left and snapped his fingers. The sharp but soft noise got the teams attention, and with their gazes on Dano he made a large sweeping motion with his outstretched left arm to signal the formation to pivot on his location and face the tree line. The group got the gist and began to move, and Dano returned his attention to the edge of the forest that sat a good ten yards away. Moving even more cautiously than before the formation pivoted and advanced on the tree line, only stopping about three feet from the edge and going prone to maintain as much of their stealth as possible as they observed their target.

Dano laid his rifle to left as Echo crawled into position on the survivor’s right. Dano reached into his fanny pack and pulled his binoculars out. He knew that his scope would be more focused on the cross hairs while his binoculars would give him a wider view. Dano brought the optic to his eyes, and using the gate as a reference point began to gather as much intelligence as he could from his position.

The fencing around the small camp resembled a large square with four three story metal guard towers in each corner, and Dano made note that they were empty. The gate that was first observed by the survivor rested in the middle of the right face of the square.

Moving to the left of the gate was a building that Dano guessed was the commanding officers quarters. The structure was rather small and sat in the dead center of the camp, and it lacked windows of any sort. Pale yellow stucco protected whatever the office was made of, and a flat roof that was pitched a bit to let rain run off made up the façade of the building. The doorway faced the survivor’s position, and a small white sign rested above the portal. In bold red lettering the sigh read ‘Fort Security’. Below the camp’s name sake in slightly smaller, but no less red lettering read ‘Militia Housing Center’.

Dano dived into his military knowledge, and no matter how much he searched he could never recall a ‘militia housing center’ ever being used under the U.S. government’s domestic doctrine. The survivor chalked it up to the probable attempts the government would use to keep control of their people while a pandemic ravaged the world. Dano sighed before returning to his observations.

To the bottom right of the office sat a stocky cinderblock building that rested between the guard tower that occupied that corner of the square and the gate. Pale yellow paint that matched the office’s finish covered the cinderblock exterior, and small rectangular windows rested high on the walls. Noticing that they were designed to distort someone’s view without blocking sunlight Dano guessed that the short building was the latrine. The survivor couldn’t see the doors, and guessed they were facing the gate as well as the rest of the camp.

Sitting to the left of the latrine in the center of the bottom face of the fence was a small Quonset hut. From Dano’s position he could see a small window embedded in the curved sheet metal facing him. The right side flat end of the building held the doorway, and an armed raider sat in a rickety wooden chair. Dano picked up a vibe from the guard’s presence, and with the windows blacked out with what appeared to be sheets the survivor guessed that there was someone in there that Discord didn’t want leaving.

The last building that made up the bottom third of the square camp was a simple tall structure. Flat pieces of sheet metal were bolted to weather treated wood, and the whole rectangular ensemble faced to the right side of camp. A small shed leaned on the top portion of the structure, and Dano noticed the noses of three vehicles poking out from under their cover. The survivor estimated that there was room for another large truck. After concentrating on the apparent motor pool Dano guessed that one of the front ends belonged to a truck similar to the one the survivor had taken out back in Ponyville, and the other two belonged to smaller troop transports.

Satisfied that he has gleaned as much information as he could Dano moved on from the motor pool, past the officers building and to the four structures that dominated the top third of the camp. The top left was dominated by a Quonset hut that looked much like the one being guarded, but instead of the door way being imbedded the flat ends it was placed in the dead center of the curved half facing to the right side of camp. Small windows rested on both sides of the door and on the fat end facing Dano, and he guessed that there were several more. There weren’t any markings designating the building, so the survivor moved on.

Three more Quonset huts covered the area from the unmarked one to the guard tower in the top right corner of the fence. All three of them were the same size, held the same amount of windows on their curved exteriors and had doorways facing the survivor on their bottom flat end. These huts were marked, and the one on the left held a large red ‘1’ above the door while the one on the right held a large ‘2’ which was also in red. The middle hut sported a large ‘MH’ above its flimsy wooden door, and Dano guessed it was the mess hall.

The survivor pulled the binoculars away from his face so he could take in the enemy’s position as a whole, as well as the surrounding area. The camp was in the center of a large clearing that appeared to be manmade. At no point did the woods surrounding the position come within fifty yards of the fence, and tall green grass dominated the open space except in one area. The side facing Dano was inclined and contained a small creek at the base of the rise. The shallow stream wasn’t much of an obstacle, but in its long life it had cut into the earth quite a bit and a steep three foot wall rose from both sides of the slow moving water. To someone else the stream would just be a stream, but to Dano he saw a staging area and a fall back point all wrapped into one glorious trench.

With the surrounding terrain mapped out in Dano’s brain he moved his un-altered gaze back to the camp, and spent several slow minutes observing the target before returning the binoculars to his face. The camp seemed to be somewhat dead as Discord’s men didn’t stray too far from the mess hall. Occasionally one or two would split off and head to the guarded hut and stay for a while before leaving. This only peaked Dano’s curiosity about the hut, and his mind tried to piece it together as he observed several different raiders closely.

They all seemed to wear the same forest camouflage utility uniforms with slight changes to each to add personalization. Their clothes were mostly unkempt and dirty, and it reinforced the fact that they were not professional soldiers themselves but a group of guys with guns and power. Every raider Dano looked at seemed to have the same hair color, a deep black that had no sheen to it at all, and paler than normal skin. This also struck Dano’s curiosity, but unlike the shed this question was easily answered with the knowledge of Ponyville and its inhabitants. Chaotic magic flowed and twisted the DNA of the raiders much like the magic of harmony did with the townspeople. The information solidified Dano’s resolve to wipe them all out, for they were beyond saving.

Dano sighed and moved the binoculars he was holding away from his face far enough so he could see his watch. The digital face informed the survivor that the time was drawing close to noon, and he had to take the watches word. The sky had only darkened as they day went on, and Dano hoped the coming storm would wait. Waiting for the coming fight in the rain wasn’t part of the plan.

The survivor put his binoculars back into the small fanny pack attached to his belt before snapping his fingers quietly to get his teams attention. Without waiting to see if they had heard Dano began to crawl backward slowly for a few feet before rising to a high crouch, turning and moving into the woods. The small sounds of shifting leaves and light footsteps told the survivor that the team had followed his lead.

After a good couple minutes of moving Dano finally came to a halt. He turned around, and his vision filled with five armed men and a wolf moving through the woods quietly.

“Circle up.”

Dano’s voice was no louder than a whisper.

The group did as they were told, and all took a knee in a tight circle.

“Alright, the plan is as follows. We are going to wait for the sun to set before Soarin, Echo and I move in under the cover of darkness to perform some reconnaissance. One of those huts was giving me bad vibes, and the enemy may have hostages. I speak for everyone when I say we don’t want innocent blood on our hands.”

The group nodded in agreement.

“The rest of you will move into that river bed at the base of the hill while Carrot stays on top of the hill as over watch.”

Dano focused on the marksman of the group.

“If the shit hits the fan you will go loud Carrot and no low shots this time.”

“You got it sir.”

Dano smiled a bit and nodded.

“When you make your way into the steam bed go one at a time, and use the grass as cover. No one follow the same path as the one before them, and stay in your position until I call for you. Even if people start shooting, stay hidden.”

The team excluding Soarin, Echo and Carrot nodded as their orders were given.

“Carrot go back out to the tree line and try and find a good position that looks over the right side of the camp.” Dano ordered as he removed his watch. “In three hours come back and I will take over the watch.”

Dano handed the device to Carrot, and the marksman left without another word.

“The rest of you find a place to sit and be quiet. Take a nap or something, and stay close. The smaller our footprint the better.”

The team nodded before dispersing.

Dano sighed and made his way to a large tree that sat to his immediate left. He nestled himself in between two large roots that jutted from the ground while placing his rifle in his lap, and the survivor felt a bit of comfort as the plant hugged his shoulders tightly. As faithful a friend as ever Echo found a place right next to the survivor on the other side of the large root.

“Keep your ears open buddy.”

Echo gave Dano a look that said ‘like I ever stop’, and they both chuckled quietly before Dano squirmed a bit to settle himself.

With his head and back pressing up against the hard bark of the tree Dano closed his eyes. He took a deep breath as he tried to clear his mind and catch some sleep, but pink hair and deep cyan eyes kept pushing back into his consciousness along with the promise he made.

He could feel Fluttershy hold him as her eyes bored into his.

“Promise you will come back.”

“Cross my heart, hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye.”

Dano shifted to try and get comfortable as the doubts swirled through his brain. They barked and screamed that he was going to break his promise, that he was going to die. The survivor shoved those thoughts away as best he could, but they always seemed to creep back into his consciousness.

Time moved slowly for the survivor, but the physical toll of the previous fight and march guided him on his way to a light slumber. Sleep’s grip was loose, and the turmoil that raged in Dano’s mind continued its battle even as he slept.

Dano found himself in the familiar black miasma of his meetings. He closed his eyes, knowing the procedure, and opened them to the sight of the two women who had guided him to his fate. This meeting was different from the rest, for Celestia and Luna, despite wearing the same cloaks as before, had their hoods down.

Dano drank in the sight of the two women’s faces, and he could never recall seeing any other female with the raw beauty and presence they held. The survivor had seen Luna’s face and hair before, but as she stood in front of him the avatar held a much more regal existence. Her nighttime sky hair shifted in a non-existent breeze, and Dano could have sworn he could see the white dots that resembled stars flicker like they would in real life. Luna’s deep blue eyes spoke of a wisdom gleaned from years upon years of life as well as a slight mysterious feel to them. She embodied the night perfectly, a shroud where threats always seemed to be right behind you while being a soothing presence to a lost soul.

Celestia was the polar opposite to her sister. Her hair also moved as if it was a windy day, but was divided into fourths with pastel green, cobalt, blue and pink sharing the same coiffure. The avatar’s pale magenta eyes were filled with compassion and love, and they seemed to glow like a warm summer sun. Dano could feel the comfort of her presence like the feeling of Sol’s rays beating on his shoulders while doing a hard day’s labor.

The two women held their usual smile and frown as they looked Dano in the eye, and he returned the gaze without falter.

“Now is the time Daniel.” Celestia spoke with her light and slightly bouncy tone.

“You will bring swift justice onto Discord’s head, and free the imprisoned souls he controls.” Luna’s gaze hardened as she laid down her judgment.

“Do not falter in the face of death, for your time in not now.”

Celestia’s smile swelled with confidence.

“Do not yield in the face of chaos, for you have braved it before.”

Luna’s own worried frown grew into a small smile, and the two avatars’ began to speak in unison.

“Let the sun’s rays burn away your doubts, and the moon’s glow sooth your woes. May Mother Earth forever guide you home, and Father Time always be kind. You are a son of the universe, and it will bring you salvation in your darkest hour.”

Celestia and Luna did not send Dano away with a touch, but instead turned before walking away. The survivor watched them fade away into the darkness before it collapsed upon him. Sleep pulled Dano back under, and the war that had blasted its way through his brain had ceased in the wake of the meeting between the survivor and the avatars.

Dano awoke to the sensation of being shaken lightly, and he opened his eyes to see Carrot kneeling in front of him. The survivor rubbed his face with his hands in an attempt to wake himself up quickly, and the feeling of rough stubble on his hands seemed to do the trick. Dano picked his rifle up from out of his lap, and shouldered it as he rose from his napping place. Carrot stood with Dano, and the marksman handed the survivor his watch back.

“How does it look?” Dano asked as he returned the watch to his left wrist.

“I don’t think they know we are here. They haven’t made any attempt to look for us or anything like that.”

Carrot stifled a yawn when he finished his report, obviously tired from the boredom of watching a static position for three hours.

“Get some rest Carrot, you’re going to need all of your energy for tonight.”

Dano chuckled and patted his friend on the shoulder before moving from his spot to let Carrot take it.

The survivor rolled his shoulders to get some of the stiffness out of his body as he looked around the small area his team had taken residence in. The whole group had not spread out more than five yards, and each member rested against their own tree trying to beat the boredom and rising fear of the coming night.

The Doctor was digging through his pack, organizing it to allow the quickest treatment. Big Mac simply held his SAW in his lap while he chewed slowly on his wheat sprig, every once and a while shifting it to a different side of his mouth. Soarin and Braeburn both chatted quietly about anything that came to mind, most of it impersonal things just to distract their brains. Echo had woken when Dano rose from his spot, but soon placed his head back onto his paws and closed his eyes.

Dano sighed before he left the area. He moved quickly and cautiously through the forest toward the tree line where he would continue his observations. It didn’t take the survivor long to reach his destination, and he resumed his prone stance much like before. This time however he did not use his binoculars, but simply rested his head on his arms and watched. He had no need to take in details anymore, just simply observe. With his rifle resting on his back Dano simply waited for the day to end and the night to take its rightful place.

Dano sighed quietly as he absentmindedly rolled his right ankle. The joint would seize every once and a while, a reminder of his injury from his high school football days, and the movement added to the survivor’s attempts to fight of the crushing boredom of waiting.

The world had continued on around the clearing as it had for millions of years despite the gravity of the coming fight. The clouds had darkened with the sky, and a slight drizzle had begun. Dano hoped that the weather would not worsen as the night drew closer, and his wishes were answered. The precipitation had continued on without increasing in volume, but not slowing either.

Night descended slowly, and the anticipation grew with every minute before Dano watched the raider guarding the single Quonset hut be replaced by yet another. The new guard carried with him his rifle in one hand, and a flash light in the other. The survivor realized that the raider was the night guard, and that he would be the first kill of the night. Dano simply gazed at the guard for hours before he could see the boredom of sitting in a chair take its toll. The guard began to nod off, and the survivor decided now was the time to move.

Dano rose quickly before trotting through the woods to his team. They had all risen when the sun had set, and despite the slight rain they all appeared un-phased by the change in weather. The survivor moved into the center of the group and then took a knee.

“Circle up.”

Dano’s voice was quiet, but much higher than a whisper.

The team moved quickly from their place of rest into a circle much like earlier.

“This is it guys. Remember to hold fast once we hit them. No one runs, no one hides. We all go down swinging.”

Dano scanned the faces of the men in front of them, and they all returned the gaze without flinching. They knew what they had to do.

“No mercy. It’s us or them, now let’s move out.”

With that Dano rose to his feet, turned and trotted back the way we came. The sound of movement behind him told the survivor that the team was following, and before long they reached the tree line.

Dano went prone and looked over his shoulder to see his team do the same. The survivor returned his gaze forward, and with a deep breath began to crawl out of the woods into the tall grass. Once his entire body was submerged in the plants Dano rose to his hands and knees so he wouldn’t compress the foliage as much, and moved slowly. The incline of the hill coupled with the slick grass made movement difficult, and the survivor was having a hard time trying not to slide down the hill.

After an unnecessarily long time Dano rolled out of the tall grass and down the small, steep incline created by the stream, and quickly righted himself before he fell into the water. Once back on his hands and knees the survivor crossed the stream without touching it, and climbed the ascending ridge just far enough that he could see over the edge. The tall grass blocked his view, but after shifting some of the thin blades ever so slightly he could make out the top of the fence in the dark.

The target was mostly blacked out except for small incandescent lights that rested to the right of each doorway. The slight drizzle distorted the already lacking light making it impossible to see anything outside of the yellow glow.

Dano let out a disgruntled sigh at the lack of light before rolling over to see Echo move out of the grass. The wolf was short enough to walk through the field normally, and it seemed to fit his predatory fame. The grass where Dano emerged was shifted unnaturally, and if you were looking you could have seen that path he had taken. Echo’s trail on the other hand was non-existent, and coupled with the wolf’s silent movements he could have probably jumped Dano if he wasn’t paying attention.

Echo moved down the slope and then crossed the stream in a quick bound before climbing the opposite ridge to lie down next to Dano. The two friends made eye contact, and Dano could see a mix of fear and determination. The sight unnerved Dano a bit, for Echo had spoken of battles he had participated in against mythological monsters that would make any person run in terror. If fighting against humans could bring fear to the eyes of a being that had faced down creatures far worst, maybe the survivor was in over his head.

Dano was pulled from his thoughts by the emergence of the Doctor from his chosen path through the tall grass. Repeating what Echo and Dano had done before the Doctor moved down the far slope, crossed the stream and ascended the opposite edge. The physician rolled over on his back and rested awkwardly, for his pack propped him up slightly just like Dano. Dano’s and the Doctor’s gazes met, and after a brief moment of silent understanding the physician nodded before returning his eyes to the other side of the stream. The survivor followed suit as he tried his best to calm his mind.

The rest of the team made their way out of the tall grass much like Dano with Soarin behind the Doctor. Big Mac came next then Braeburn. Each of them followed the same procedure as the member before them, and it didn’t take long for the entire assaulting team to find themselves lying on their backs on the edge of a stream. Dano knew Carrot was still at the top of the hill performing his over watch duties, and began the next big movement of the plan.

With a quick snap Dano got everybody’s attention. The survivor then rolled over, and with two fingers extended on his right hand waved them toward the camp. The message was received, and Echo, Dano and Soarin simultaneously moved into the tall grass between the stream and the darkened camp.

Dano’s breathing was shallow as he moved slowly through the last open piece of land between safety and the enemy. The sound of rustling came from both sides as Echo moved to the survivor’s right, and Soarin to his left. It didn’t take long for the group to reach the fence, and Dano nearly ran into it as he pushed through the last blades of grass. Once at their destination the survivor pulled out his knife and jabbed it into the earth a couple inches. He dragged it across the ground cutting the roots until the survivor had outlined a two foot by two foot square with the top face touching the fence.

By now Soarin and Echo had moved to Dano’s sides, and looked at him with questioning looks until it dawned on them. They couldn’t go over the fence, so they were going under. Dano wiped some of the dirt that stuck to his blade on his pant leg before grabbing the grass with both hands and pulling hard. The thick blades held under the strain, and after a few moments of pulling the survivor was in possession of a two square foot chunk of sod. He disposed of it quietly before Echo, without being ordered, began to dig into the slightly wet, soft earth. Dano joined him while Soarin kneeled next to the survivor, his rifle half raised as he kept a look out.

The digging was time consuming, and once the hole had reached the bottom of the fence Echo took over. The wolf burrowed under the obstacle at a decent pace, flinging dirt between his hind legs. The grass rustled when the thrown earth struck it, and Echo occasionally bumped the fence making it shift and give off noise. Dano’s heart rate would spike with each sound, and he had to force himself to breath normally.

Echo eventually forced his way under the fence, but continued to dig so Dano could get through. The survivor, on the other hand, was tired of waiting. Dano removed his pack from his back and un-slung his rifle. He then handed the two items under the fence to a very dirty Echo, who took them in his mouth and set them to the side. Dano rolled over on his back and began to shimmy his way into the hole and under the fence.

The survivor sucked in his breath as he forced his way under the obstacle, and about half way through the fence caught on one of the ammunition pockets on Dano’s vest then released as he moved on unknowingly. The metal vibrated and shifted as it moved back to its regular position, and created a loud enough noise to attract attention. Everybody froze with the sound, and Dano could have sworn his heart beat could be heard for miles as it hammered in his chest.

An eternity went by in silence as the three intruders held their breath and waited to be found, but no one came looking so they continued on. Only Dano’s legs were left to be pulled through, and they slid under the fence easily and quickly. Now on the other side of the obstacle Dano put his pack back on and picked up his rifle as Echo took Soarin’s weapon.

The hole had come up in the middle of the hut Dano wanted to recon, and the blacked out window rested right above the survivor head. Without waiting for Soarin Dano moved toward the doorway while staying close to the curved sheet metal wall. The survivor reached the edge of the hut, and peaked around the edge to find the guard sleeping with his chin resting on his chest and his rifle in his lap. There was no better time to strike, and Dano shouldered his weapon before pulling out his knife.

Dano pealed himself off of the wall, stood and crossed the open area in front of the hut quickly and quietly until he was directly behind the raider. Pausing for only a moment to tighten his grip on his blade the survivor wrapped his left hand around the raiders face, covering his mouth. The enemy awoke with a start at the feeling of a foreign object on his body, but Dano continued his movements none the less. The survivor yanked the raider’s head backward while his right hand drove the tip of his blade into the side of the raider’s neck. The raider barely got his hands up to try and pry Dano’s off before the blade was hilted in his flesh, blood flowing freely around the sharp instrument. Dano forced the blade forward, its sharp edge biting through the enemy’s muscles and skin until it was freed from the raider’s flesh, severing both his blood and oxygen supply. Blood ran in sheets down the enemy’s chest, and Dano held his mouth for a few seconds more until the raider stopped squirming.

The survivor cleaned the blade on the shoulder of the recently deceased raider and sheathed it before turning around to see Soarin and Echo taking cover behind the corner of the hut. Soarin had his rifle pointed toward the rest of the camp while Echo stood behind him.

“Stay here, and stay hidden.”

Dano ordered, his voice not rising above a whisper, and they responded with a nod.

Dano pulled his rifle off of his shoulder, and making sure to keep the barrel facing the hut in front of him the survivor turned on his weapon mounted flashlights as well as shifted his ACOG scope. Two bright white beams shot out of the lamps as Dano closed the small distance from where he was standing and the doorway. He moved his rifle to his left hand while he gripped the door handle with his right, and after a deep, calming breath the survivor quickly pulled the door open and stepped into the dark hut.

The first thing Dano noticed was the smell. The strong scent of urine mixed with feces reached the survivors nostrils, and it took everything he had not to vomit on the spot. The next thing Dano noticed as he scanned the room was the lack of anything. The hut was a good fifteen feet long and ten wide, but the only furniture that the survivor could see was a pair of metal, military style beds jutting out of the far wall. The rest of the area was simply open hard wood floors.

Dano shifted his rifle to his dominant side then moved slowly through the hut, keeping his weapon pointed at the two beds. They both appeared to be occupied, and the survivor wasn’t about to get jumped this early in the mission. Without warning the body in the left bed rose from their cot when Dano was about halfway through the hut, and looked directly at him. The survivor responded by pointing his rifle at the person’s face in order for the two LED flashlights to block their vision. The tactic worked, and the mystery person raised a hand to block the searing light.

“Who’s there?”

The voice was feminine as well as quiet, and it caused Dano’s curiosity to peak.

The survivor kept his rifle pointed at the woman, but pulled his face away from the sights to get a good look at her. Grey-purple hair sat in a messy heap atop the woman’s head, and matching eyes tried their best to see between squinted eyelids and blinding light. When the woman sat up from her bed the thin blankets covering her had fallen to reveal a stained and dirty green t-shirt that looked like something one of the raiders would wear under their utility uniforms.

Dano didn’t lower his rifle, but returned the challenge with as much softness his whisper could hold.

“Tell me yours and I will tell you mine.”

The woman switched the hand blocking the light from her eyes to try and get a better view.

“Berry Punch.”

Dano’s heart jumped for joy, but it was soon quelled by questions. The survivor lowered his rifle until it pointed at the floor, the stock still tucked against his shoulder.

“My name is Daniel, and I’m from Ponyville.”

Berry dropped her hand, and in the dim light cast from the small amount of light that ricochet off of the floor boards Dano could see her eyes widen and tears begin to form.

“Are you here to take us home?”

Dano let a soft smile grow across his face, but he doubt that Berry could see it.

“Yes, but I have some questions.”

Berry sniffled as she tried to contain tears of joy.

“Alright.”

Dano nodded and crossed the rest to the room before taking a knee by the bed.

“How did you get here Berry?”

Berry took a deep breath.

“I was taking a walk on the outside of town one night when I was taken by some men, and they took me here.”

Dano nodded.

“How have they been treating you?”

Berry’s eyes glazed over.

“They… they treat us horribly. We have a bucket for a bathroom, and get barely anything to eat…”

Dano knew Berry wasn’t finished, so he waited patiently for her to finish.

“The men… they…”

Berry began to cry, and Dano placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“They rape us.”

Berry broke down, letting her head fall into her hands.

Dano squeezed the woman’s shoulder lightly as the rage he had been holding back burst forth. The righteous fury that had burned in his brain when Discord had ordered the shootings at Ponyville doubled with the knowledge of the abuse of the woman in front of him.

“The nightmare is over Berry, I’m going to get you out.”

Dano’s words were hard as his anger seeped into his words.

Berry pulled her face out of her hands, and wrapped them around Dano’s neck.

“Thank you.”

Dano could barely understand Berry’s words through her sobs, but before he could comfort her the survivor head the sound of footsteps outside of the hut.

Dano pushed Berry off of him, and raised his hand to his lips to get her to quiet down. The woman tried her best to stop crying, but Dano was unsure if she could. The footsteps grew in volume, and to make matters worse the new enemy began to speak.

“Hey Lucky. Are you asleep?”

The footsteps came to a stop, and Dano could only guess where the raider was.

“You know Sid will have your balls if… What the fuck?”

Dano cursed under his breath. The enemy had discovered the body, he needed to act. As Dano rose from his crouch he began to move to the door, but when he reached the halfway mark things took a turn for the worst.

“Who are you…? OOF!”

Dano dropped the sneaking and bolted out the door to see Soarin grappling with the new raider, his rifle being held by four hands. A trickle of blood made its way down the side of the enemy’s face, and the survivor guessed Soarin got the first blow in. Echo was nowhere to be seen, and Dano guessed he was still hiding.

Dano raised his rifle and pointed it at the raider, but held his fire. No alert had been raised so the mission was still one of stealth, but if Soarin looked like he was going to lose the survivor would go loud.

The two struggling combatants failed to notice the survivor, and continued on as if they were the only two people in the world. Soarin, although being fit, was outclassed by the raider, and was slowly loosing. Dano trained his sights on the enemy’s head, and rested his finger on the trigger. The survivor’s heart was beating out of his chest, but he forced himself to control his breathing.

Soarin was giving it his all, but the raider eventually overpowered him. With a quick tug of his left hand and push with his right the enemy ripped the rifle out of Soarin’s hand, and threw the soldier to the ground. Without any more hesitation Dano pulled the trigger, and his round smashed in the side of the raiders head, killing him instantly. Soarin, who was breathing heavily from his exertion, looked up at Dano, and the survivor returned the gaze as they both realized what just happened.

The sound of the shot echoed through the quiet camp, breaking the silence the soldier and survivor had worked so hard to keep. Dano’s brain snapped into soldier mode, and began to pump out orders.

“Get the fuck up Soarin.”

Dano’s voice was at normal volume, but filled with the force needed to get things moving.

Soarin quickly acknowledged to order, stood and grabbed his rifle while Dano moved toward the section of the fence between the prison hut and the latrine. Soarin began to follow, but Dano head him off.

“Get behind the building and cover me, if you see any one kill them.”

Dano indicated the latrine with his empty left hand, and Soarin moved to his position at a trot.

Dano moved to the fence, and found one of the thin metal poles supporting it. He removed his pack, and rummaged through it until he found a single block of C4, its detonator and a detonation switch. As the survivor removed the explosive Soarin began firing his M4 in five round bursts. Dano didn’t need to look over his shoulder to know that the camp was waking to the gun shot, and Soarin was doing his best to cover the survivor.

With the C4 in hand Dano placed it on the ground at the base of the pole before pushing the two pronged detonator into the hard plastic explosive. The survivor heard a whine to his right, and he saw Echo standing next to him with a worried expression.

“I know what I’m doing.” Dano said with as much confidence as he could muster.

Echo just whined again.

Dano shook his head as he flipped a small switch on the detonator. The survivor then looked at the switch in his hand, and found a similar switch, which he promptly flicked. A small green light appeared in the center of the detonation button, and Dano guessed it was armed. The survivor put his bag back on, stood and ran into the prison hut with Echo in tow before taking a knee once again and calling out.

“FIRE IN THE HOLE!”

Dano watch Soarin abandon his position in favor of the far wall of the latrine where he would be covered from the enemy and the explosion. The survivor, once sure no friendlies were in the blast zone, rolled so his back was pressing on the interior wall of the hut, and he made eye contact with a very scared Berry Punch as he squeezed the switch in his hand.

The world shook at the power of the blast, and the sound of debris hitting the hut’s metal exterior echoed through the building. A bit of Dano wondered how the woman in the other bed was still sleeping, but it was a mere murmur in the back of his head as he pushed himself off of his back and ran out the doorway.

There was a crater where the fence once stood, and a sizable hole had been blasted in the obstacle. Dano ran into the center of the breach, and looked out into the field where his team was hiding.

“MOVE UP YOU FUCKS!!”

In unison three men rose from the ground and began sprinting toward the hole in the fence. Carrot also rose from his overwatch position and began to move down the hill far behind his comrades.

By now the enemy had organized itself, and the sound of rounds whipping around him made Dano flinch and dive behind the prison hut, pressing his back into the exterior wall. The sound of bullets ricocheting off of the ground as well as piercing the thin walls of the hut caused Dano’s already adrenalin filled blood to spike with even more of the hormone. The survivor looked down the fence to see Soarin back in his original position, his back pressed against the wall as rounds bounced off of the structure.

Dano pulled his rifle close to his chest, flipped the selective fire switch on his rifle to full auto and took a quick deep breath to calm his nerves before he pushed himself off of the prison hut, turned and stuck his upper body out from cover.

“COVERING FIRE!”

Dano began firing wildly as he sprayed and prayed. Soarin followed suit, and the enemy’s fire dwindled as they took cover. The raider who had been sleeping lay out in front of the survivor, being knocked out of his seat by fire from his comrades giving Dano a clear view of the right side of camp. A few men seemed to be using the officer’s structure as cover, and Dano finished off his clip in their general direction before returning to his covered position to reload.

The enemy’s fire picked up once Dano had stopped shooting, and it appeared that Soarin was taking a lot of rounds from behind the survivor, and he guessed that the enemy was trying to flank them. Just as Dano began to move to counter their action the Doctor, Braeburn and Big Mac ran through the breach in the fence and took cover behind the prison hut. The survivor didn’t waste any time getting his team into position.

“Big Mac and Braeburn, you two moved to the far end of this hut and see if you can flank the enemy before they flank us! Once you clear that side of the camp move to the motor pool and secure it! You two will be covering our flank, so stay there come hell or high water!”

Big Mac and Braeburn nodded before pushing themselves off of the wall and moving to their position. It didn’t take them long, and before a quarter minute went by Big Mac was unleashing massive bursts onto the flanking enemy while Braeburn kneeled behind his large cousin firing in controlled five round bursts. Dano shifted his concentration to the Doctor once he was sure the two farmers could handle themselves.

“You and me are going to get the hostages out of here! Follow me!”

Dano peeled off of the wall, and rounded the corner of the hut before moving through the doorway with the Doctor in tow.

Once through the threshold Dano didn’t waste any time moving across the room to Berry Pinch who had taken cover under her bed with Echo trying to comfort her as rounds pierced her hut. The survivor took a knee next to the bed and reached his hand out to help the scared woman. She took it, and Dano pulled her to her feet as he rose from his crouch.

“What about Bon Bon?!”

Dano’s mind did a double take at the name, and he was filled with joy as well as fear for the woman who had yet to move from her bed.

“Check her Doctor!” Dano ordered, but the medic was already on his way.

The Doctor took a knee next to the woman, and pulled her covers off. Dano pointed his rifle at Bon Bon to provide light, and the survivor couldn’t believe what he was looking at.

Bon Bon was topless, and her body was covered in massive purple bruises. Dano guessed her face was also just as abused, but the Doctor was blocking his view.

“What happened to her?!” Dano asked over his shoulder to Berry Punch.

“She couldn’t take it anymore, and her mind broke! She refused to let those pigs have their way, so they beat her! That was a few days ago, and she hasn’t woken since yesterday!”

Dano felt a pit form in his stomach at the sight of the beaten woman, her chest slightly rising as she took shallow breaths.

“You think she will make it Doctor?!”

The Doctor turned to look at Dano.

“She has massive internal bleeding! We need to get her out, but moving her would cause more damage!”

Dano didn’t have a choice.

“We need to move Doctor! You will carry her and lead Berry to the stream. Once you drop them off get back here!”

The Doctor nodded as he was given his orders, and Dano turned to leave the medic to his duties. The survivor trotted through the room to the door way, and peaked his head out the thresh hold to only pull it back in as a raider sprayed the front of the hut with rifle fire. Dano cursed under his breath before leaning back out of cover with his rifle and returning fire.

Dano finished his clip before ducking back into cover to see the Doctor carrying Bon Bon fireman style, his rifle held in his right hand. Berry Punch followed right behind the Doctor, and the whole ensemble stopped just short of the door. Dano gave the Doctor a curt nod as he slipped another clip into his weapon.

“COVERING FIRE!!”

Dano leaned of the doorway and began firing at the side of the officer’s structure. The raiders taking cover there hid themselves from the onslaught, and gave the Doctor an opportunity to escape, which he took. Dano felt something belonging to Bon Bon’s body brush against his back as the Doctor moved out of the threshold, across open ground and out of the fence. Just as the medic left Carrot made his way in, and took cover with Soarin behind the latrine while he caught his breath.

Once his magazine went dry Dano pulled himself back into the shed to reload. The survivor flinched as a few rounds blasted through the sheet metal around him, and decided to crouch to shrink his profile. As Dano forced another clip into his weapon he looked across the open area between the prison hut and the latrine to see Soarin firing around the corner while Carrot simply leaned against the building, his chest heaving.

“Nice of you to join us!” Dano yelled over the noise of battle.

Carrot simply gave Dano the bird, and the survivor burst into laughter. Even now the middle aged man copped an attitude.

The battle continued on with Dano peeking out of cover and spraying some rounds. He had no clear target, and he needed to keep them from charging him. They probably didn’t know how many men were attacking, but if they knew that it was only six and a wolf they would definitely rush them. This information was based on the intelligence gathered from the prisoner earlier that day, and Dano had no clue how many of the enemy endured the survivor’s first flanking maneuver.

Dano had drained another clip by the time the Doctor got back. The medic took cover behind the prison hut directly behind Dano. Now that everyone was here the survivor could begin to push, and he set the plan he had just come up with in motion.

“Soarin, Carrot, cover us!”

The two soldiers acknowledged the orders, and they both leaned around cover to begin firing. Soarin fired five round bursts while kneeling, and Carrot fired quick three round bursts while standing over his comrade. Dano, Echo and the Doctor made use of the covering fire to cross the open area to the latrine. Even with the rounds coming at them the raiders peaked out to fire at the exposed soldiers, and the rounds kicked up dust around Dano’s feet as he ran.

The group of three made it across safely, and as Dano pressed his back against the cool cinderblock structure Soarin gave a joyous yelp.

“I go one!” He cried before pulling himself behind cover.

Dano ignored the enthusiastic holler, and began to lay down his on the fly plan.

“Us five are going to flank those ass holes behind the center building! Follow me!”

Dano pushed off of the structure and quickly moved down the corridor made by the fence and latrine. The men and wolf behind him followed their commander as he rounded the corner, only to stop at the edge of another wall. Dano peeked around the corner to see he had a clear shot at two raiders next to a fallen comrade who were firing at the soldier’s old position, one of them was kneeling to allow his comrade to fire over him. Without hesitation the survivor brought his weapon to his shoulder and fired a five round burst into the enemy. The first round impacted on the shoulder of the kneeling raider, and his body twisted from the shot. The next two impacted him in the chest, and the enemy fell into his comrade causing the standing raider to start falling, tripping on the body under his feet. The last two rounds Dano fired were high from their original target, but they did find the standing raider, as he stumbled backwards, in the abdomen.

With the two known threats down Dano moved on.

“DOCTOR, SOARIN, CARROT, MOVE UP!!”

The three soldiers took off at a dead sprint around Dano as he covered them. They made it to the officer’s structure without being hit, and the Doctor moved to the corner to peak around the edge. Dano watched as the Doctor swung his weapon around the corner and fired from the hip at some unknown target before pulling himself behind cover.

As the Doctor reloaded his weapon Dano barked orders from his position behind the latrine.

“Soarin, Carrot, the Doctor is going to cover you two so you can cross the gap and clear that building!”

Dano pointed to the mess hall, and the three soldiers acknowledge with shouts.

The survivor waited for the Doctor to begin his covering fire before Dano made his move. With Echo in tow Dano sprinted from the latrine to the to the large Quonset hut marked with a ‘2’. When he reached the front door Dano didn’t stop, but actually dropped his shoulder and ran through the flimsy wooden door, shattering it to pieces as he moved through the threshold.

Dano raised his rifle and quickly scanned the room in front of him from left to right only to find messy metal cots protruding from the side walls, ten to each side. After a second scan back the survivor found a man, sitting with his legs tucked against his chest and his back against the far wall. Dano and Echo moved into the barracks slowly as they watched the man. Upon closer inspection the survivor could see an M9 pistol on his right hand, and his hair was the usual shade of black the raider’s had. The presence of a weapon made Dano’s brain tell him to fire, to kill his enemy, but the fact that this raider was not fighting made his curiosity get the better of him.

As Dano neared the enemy he could swear he could hear soft crying over the sound of battle taking place outside. Eventually the raider heard the survivor, and picked his head off of his knees to see a rifle pointed at his face, two blinding lights assaulting his eyes and a growling wolf. The enemy slowly brought his pistol to point at Dano, but he held it loosely as if he was only pointing it to keep the survivor back but not shoot.

Dano stopped advancing around five yards from the raider, but didn’t react to the pistol pointed at him. Something was up with this guy, and Dano needed to know why. The two men simply stared at each other, and Dano could see his eyes through squinted eyelids. They were a cyan blue that looked much like the ones the survivor saw every time he closed his eyes.

“You need to kill me.”

The raider spoke through his tears, his voice somehow lacking the emotional strain that crying brought.

“I have done horrible, horrible things, and I won’t be able to hold back much longer before I try and kill you.”

Dano’s jaw dropped slightly and his rifle drooped, for he was looking at a man who was refuting Discord’s control.

“We can get you home buddy.”

Dano spoke with as much confidence he could to try and get the raider to finally break free from his shackles.

“No. I’m too far gone, and I could never look my daughter in the eye.”

The raider’s eyes grew distant at the mention of his family.

“Just tell her I’m sorry, for not coming back.”

Dano went to speak, but just as he opened his mouth the color of the raider’s eyes began to change to a slate grey. The survivor had no choice, and he quickly pointed his weapon at the enemy and pulled the trigger. The single round flew from the muzzle of his EBR, and impacted on the raider’s forehead, knocking his head backwards into the sheet metal wall behind him. The pistol the raider was holding dropped with his arm, and his whole body slumped as his muscles relaxed, a pool of blood beginning to spread around him.

Dano let out a sad sigh before moving to the deceased raider. Something had compelled him to fight against Discord, and he had to find it. After quickly searching the survivor saw something reflective hanging out of the enemy’s left hand. The appendage was between his legs and his chest, and had fallen open as his body lost its strength and slumped. Dano pointed his lights at the shiny material, and his heart stopped.

Resting in the dead man’s hand was a thin gold necklace with a pendant shaped like half of a butterfly, its wing a shade of pink while its abdomen was cyan. It clicked in the survivor’s mind. The cryptic last words, the cyan eyes. The raider lying in his own blood in front of Dano was Fluttershy’s father.

The survivor simply stared at the pendant for what felt like forever before he knelt and picked it up. There were small blotches of blood dotting the pendant, and Dano wiped them off with his thumb. He was lost just staring at the half butterfly in his hand, and showed no signs of coming out. What felt like hours to Dano were actually seconds before Echo decided to nudge his friend to bring him out of his stupor.

Dano blinked as he regained his wits before quickly placing the necklace in the top right breast pocket of his tactical vest. The pendant felt like it weighed a ton as the survivor rose, turned and walked to the doorway. The sounds of war had returned to his ears, along with his rage for the one being that was responsible for all of this chaos.

Once at the door Dano regained his composure in full as he peaked out of the threshold to see a good dozen bodies strewn out across the camp, every one of them a raider. The surviving enemy had holed themselves up in the unknown building, and were firing out of the windows toward the soldiers. Dano was about to call for covering fire when the unknown hut’s doorway was thrown open, and a single raider armed with an AT-4 rocket launcher took three steps out of the threshold before taking a knee and firing.

Time slowed to a standstill as Dano watched the rocket shoot out of the end of the long green tube, and make its way toward the mess hall entrance. Trying to escape the blast Soarin and Carrot began to run out of the threshold, but they wouldn’t make it in time. Choosing to save his comrade Carrot shoved Soarin to the ground just as the rocket collided with the side of the mess hall.

A fireball erupted from the point of contact, and swallowed a good sixth of the mess hall and Carrot’s upper half. The world began to spin normally again as Dano watched the explosion dissipate to reveal a charred black Carrot as he collapsed to the ground next to the prone Soarin. Throwing caution to the wind Dano sprinted from his position to the wounded marksman. Rounds kicked up dirt around the survivor’s feet, but he ignored them as he closed the distance quickly. Soarin, overcome with fear, had remained on the ground as the rounds being fired from the structure ricochet around him.

“GET THE FUCK UP, NOW!” Dano yelled as he tried to grab Carrot’s safety handle on the back of his vest, but the thin synthetic cloth just disintegrated in his hand.

Carrot had gotten over whatever shell shock he had experienced from the blast, and began so make pained noises. They started small, but grew exponentially into a blood curdling cry as more of his nerves registered the burning pain.

Dano switched his hand hold to the top right strap of Carrot’s vest, and began to pull him across the ground, eliciting even more screams of pain. Soarin had risen from his overwhelmed mental state, and grabbed the opposite strap so he could help Dano. The two men pulled their comrade through the dirt as their enemy continued to pour hot lead into the air to try and bring down the two would be saviors, and two rounds got lucky.

As Soarin took a step with his right leg about fifteen yards from safety a round pierced his calf, coming in one side and out the other. Soarin let out a quick scream before he grit his teeth and continued pulling. The two men had crossed most of the open area and were only five yards away from the Doctor when another round hit Soarin, this time in his right forearm. Just like the round that hit the soldier’s calf the bullet went right through the flesh to continue on, and just like before Soarin soldiered on.

Dano and Soarin finally rounded the corner of the officer’s building. Soarin let go of Carrot, and took a few more steps before sitting down with the structure supporting his back while Dano continued to pull the extremely burnt marksman. The survivor rotated his body, sat down so he faced the building’s corner, and pulled Carrot onto his lap. Dano looked up at the Doctor, who had been covering them, to see the medic shake his head as he passed by to help Soarin.

That was it. Carrot’s fate was sealed. Dano turned his gaze to the screaming man, and tried his best to comfort him.

“Deep breaths Carrot, deep breaths.”

Carrot either didn’t listen or couldn’t stop, for he continued to scream in pain.

“Dano…”

Dano looked over his shoulder to see an very serious Doctor as he patched up Soarin’s leg.

“He is going to take a while to die.”

Dano got the gist, and he nodded to the Doctor.

The survivor hands were shaking as he placed his rifle on the ground and removed his pistol.

“I’m sorry Carrot.” Dano whispered as he pointed the firearm at the side of the marksman’s head, and pulled the trigger.

The round did its job, and the screaming stopped. Dano felt the warm wetness of blood cover his legs as the life preserving liquid poured out of the two new holes in Carrot’s head. The survivor felt sick, and he fought back the rising nausea in his gut as he pulled himself out from under the dead marksman, grabbing his rifle as he went. Standing on shaky legs Dano moved to the corner of the officer’s building, and peaked around the cover to see the little stronghold the raiders had set up. Big Mac and Braeburn were holding most of their attention while the rest of the team licked their wounds.

It wasn’t long before Dano heard the Doctor talk to Soarin over the sound of the continuing battle.

“Can you walk?!”

Dano didn’t turn his attention away from the enemy.

“I think so!”

An idea popped into Dano’s mind, and a devious smile spread across the survivor face.

Dano pushed himself off of the wall he was leaning on, turned and took a knee. After taking his pack off and setting his rifle down he rummaged through his pack until he found the rest of his C4, their respective detonators and detonation switches. He removed a single switch and tossed it to Soarin, and the wounded soldier gave Dano a confused look.

“What are we doing?!”

Dano didn’t look up from his pack as he jammed a detonator into a single block of C4.

“Making a satchel charge!”

Soarin and the Doctor blinked in confusion.

“What do you mean ‘making a satchel charge’?!”

Dano armed the detonator.

“I’m going to throw my pack at the enemy, and you will squeeze the button to make it explode!”

The Doctor shook his head.

“We are too far away!”

Dano looked up and smiled.

“Then I will just have to get closer then!”

The Doctor shook his head again, but this time in disbelief as Dano rose to his feet.

“Soarin move to the edge of the building so you can see me! To arm the detonation switch just flip that little black switch on the bottom of it! Do not arm it until the satchel charge leaves my hand, and do not squeeze the trigger until the charge is through one of the windows!”

Soarin nodded, and began to shimmy his way along the wall. Dano rose and took a step back to allow him enough room to sit, and once in position Soarin and Dano met gazes. They each nodded to each other before Soarin turned to see down the open area while Dano closed his eyes and took a breath to steady his nerves.

Dano let the breath out, and before he could stop himself took off through the camp. Big Mac and Braeburn were doing a good job distracting the raiders, but a few saw the survivor coming and began to fire at him. Dano braved the shots as he closed the distance. A single bullet nicked him on the side of his left bicep, but the survivor continued on un-phased by the near miss. It only took Dano seconds to cross the camp at full sprint, and once he believed he had reached a close enough distance the survivor threw his entire pack at the building before tucking into a ball and rolling into the dirt.

The satchel charge flew through the air toward the enemy, and Soarin watched from afar as it gracefully arched through the air. Dano’s aim was spot on, and the pack flew through one of the windows with plenty of room in any direction. As ordered Soarin squeezed the switch in his hand, and the whole charge exploded in one massive thunderous boom.

Dano felt the beginning of the blast wave wash over him, but almost milliseconds after the first detonation secondary’s began to go off inside of the building. The combined force of the explosions tossed the survivor through the air back the way he came. Dano hit the ground a good ten yards from where he had taken cover, and continued to roll for another three yards before coming to a stop on his back.

Dano’s vision faded in and out, and all he could hear was ringing. It wasn’t long before the Doctor flooded the survivor’s vision, all three of him. The medic yelled something that Dano couldn’t hear. The ringing in his ears was blocking out everything. Eventually the ringing dissipated along with the blurry vision, and the survivor began to regain his senses.

Dano pushed himself up to a sitting position, and the movement just made his head feel even worse.

“Are you alright Dano?”

The Doctor’s voice was heard clearly, and the sound of gunfire had suddenly stopped.

Dano looked down the open area to see a flat piece of ground where the enemy was once holed up, little fires burning where there was fuel. The charge was powerful, but not strong enough to level the entire hut. With a mental face palm the survivor realized that the mystery building was, in fact, the armory. The structure was full of explosives, and Dano had set them all off.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Dano said, his voice a little shaky.

The Doctor laughed as he helped Dano to his feet.

“Looks like you got a little more bank for your buck huh.”

Dano returned the chuckle.

“You could say that.”

Dano and the Doctor’s little conversation was cut short by the arrival of Braeburn and Big Mac. As the two men trotted around the corner of the officer’s building the survivor looked them over. They both were still functioning, but each of them carried slight wounds. Big Mac had a thin sheet of blood covering his right cheek. It looked like a round cruised right over the large soldier’s sights, skimmed his cheek and took off his right earlobe. Braeburn on the other hand had three holes in his body armor with small streams of blood creeping out of each. The rounds he took were slowed by the vest he wore, but they still had enough momentum to push through his skin.

Dano quickly ordered Big Mac and Braeburn to search the last barracks, and the survivor watched as the two Apples stopped, turned and advanced on the building. Braeburn kicked the door down, and they both filed in before exiting a few seconds later. The coast was clear.

The entire camp had been pacified, except for the officer’s building. Dano had a sneaking suspicion that his quarry was there, and he quickly rounded up his team. Echo had appeared from the second barracks after the explosion, and trotted behind Dano as he walked to the siting Soarin. The survivor picked the rifle he had left before throwing his charge, lifted Soarin to his feet, threw the wounded man’s left arm over his shoulder and carried him around to the front of the structure where he leaned him against the wall to the left of the doorway.

The rest of the team stacked up on the right side of the doorway as Dano moved in front of the threshold. The survivor took a quick breath to calm himself before he looked at his team. Every member of the group gave Dano a curt nod when their gazes met, and the survivor knew that his team was ready to finish the fight. With all of his strength Dano lifted his foot and kicked the door down.

I FINALLY DID IT!!
did what?
i finally got a huge cliffhanger in this fic
you feel so proud don't you
yes, yes i do
well you shouldn't
why not?
because it is mean to mess with people Gaius
its just a little joke
i find it quite funny
thank you twilight, and by the way thanks for the Molestia visit
you enjoyed that?
yeah, once i got over the whole 'horn going places it shouldn't' that night was a blast
you are a very strange man
you know it

take that you ruffians
and stop abusing me with your words
lulz
jk
i love you all
and happy B-Day Belarion Greydeath, i got the chapter out a good 15 minutes before four hours
so take my present and be happy
but no re-gifting
and have fun
don't forget to rate and comment
that is all
kthanxbai

Showdown

Whole New World
Chapter 20
Showdown

The thin wooden door shattered under the weight of Dano’s assault. Before the pieces even hit the ground the surviving team members, excluding the wounded Soarin, began to file through the door, their weapons raised as they fanned out inside of the room. The survivor was the last in, and he found himself standing in a small, well lit interior space. A metal cot, much like the ones around the rest of the camp, rested in the back left corner of the room, and the left wall was lined with full, wooden bookshelves that rose to the ceiling. The rest of the interior walls remained a bare, neutral cream color.

In the dead center of the room sat a single grey metal desk that was completely empty. Nothing covered the desk space, and it looked like no one had even used the counter recently. Behind the desk, with its back to Dano, was a large leather seat. The survivor couldn’t see around the light brown upholster chair, but he knew the man he was hunting was sitting in that very spot.

The team formed a semicircle with Dano facing the desk head on, all of their weapons pointed at the chair. As if on cue the seat rotated slowly to reveal a lanky man with bone white hair, a matching small white beard, bushy white eyebrows and blood red irises with a slightly yellowed tint to the rest of his eyes. A clean brown suit with an egg yolk yellow dress shirt covered his upper body, and when he had completed his turned the man rested his elbows on the desk in front of him, hands clasped together to reveal long, talon like fingernails end the end of his right fingers and thumb. A small, sadistic smile graces the man’s thin face, and through the crack in his expression you could see his overly large right canine tooth.

“Nice of you to finally join me Daniel.”

Discord’s voice was smooth and confident.

“It took you quite a while to get here, but I do believe that explosion made up for the wait.”

Discord chuckled, a deep laugh that made the hair stand up on the back of Dano’s neck.

“Shut your face.”

Dano’s voice was hard has he glared at the person responsible for the death of his friends. The survivor could have sworn his sight began to turn red from the pure lust to end the avatar’s life.

“Now, that isn’t the way to talk to your host.”

Discord pulled his hands apart, leaned back in his chair with an audible creak and tapped his chin with his left pointer finger.

“I do remember there being seven of you. Oh yes, the baker took a rocket to the face. Thunderlane was always a good shot with those sorts of things.”

Dano had heard enough, and he took a quick step forward as he pointed his rifle at Discord’s face.

“Oh no. Looks like tough times ahead for Sid.”

Discord put both if his hands in the air, his stupid smile still on his face as he locked eyes with Dano.

“Go ahead friend, what are you waiting for.”

Dano squeezed the trigger, and he felt the satisfying kick of the rifle against his shoulder. A brief feeling of joy washed over the survivor as he finally won, he finally finished the fight.

The feeling was short lived, and as the small amount of smoke cleared he could see Discord sitting in his chair, the bullet still rotating in the air an inch from the bridge of the avatar’s nose. The rage Dano had felt was soon replaced with fear as he watched Discord pluck the bullet out of midair and rolled it between his thumb and pointer finger. The survivor’s jaw dropped, his rifle slumped and his mind raced to try and do something, anything.

“Get out.”

Dano’s voice was quiet and full of fear.

No one moved, all frozen in terror at the sight they had just witnessed.

“I SAID GET OUT!”

Dano didn’t tear his eyes away from Discord as he barked his orders, and the sound of panicked movement behind him told the survivor he had broken his team out of their stupor. Dano on the other hand took slow steps backwards to cover his team while they evacuated.

Discord chucked darkly as he stood, discarding the round in his hand with a quick toss. The avatar then, with his right hand, flipped the desk end over end across the room where it smashed against the bookshelves in a pile of faux wood, paper and metal. Dano couldn’t believe his eyes as the avatar walked toward him, and the terror of fighting against something that wasn’t human bored its way into the survivor’s skull.

Dano had made it out of the officer’s structure while still walking backwards. Discord glared at the survivor as he kept the same pace as Dano just to taunt him, and when the avatar reached the threshold Soarin, who had been leaning by to the left of the door, swung the pistol he held in his left hand in an attempt to pistol whip the avatar. Discord, without breaking eye contact with Dano, caught Soarin’s wrist with his right hand, removed the pistol with his left and threw the weapon away. Soarin had an expression of awe from the quick reaction, and before the soldier could react Discord had pulled him in close before unleashing a powerful left jab to his gut.

Soarin sailed through the air and came to a rolling stop five yards away from Discord, groaning in pain. Dano’s flight reflexes began to kick in, but as he turned to run Discord closed the distance between them in the blink on an eye. While gripping Dano’s vest with both hands Discord began to spin, and launched the survivor at the prison hut as if he was participating in the hammer throw. Dano flew through the air like a rocket until he came to a sudden stop when he impacted the side of the metal hut, denting the exterior wall a bit.

The survivor slid off of the wall to a sitting position. His vision blurred and his head was pounding, and a bit of Dano wondered if he had a concussion. Training kicked in, and the survivor began to look for his rifle only to find it sitting on the ground next to a still grinning Discord, his beret falling about halfway between him and his enemy. Dano coughed a bit as he tried to fight off the growing pain from his collision.

“What are we going to do?”

Braeburn’s voice was full of fear as he pointed his ineffectual weapon at the avatar, his other standing squad mates doing the same in the open area in front of the officer’s building.

“If we can’t shoot ‘em then we will just have to hit ‘em.”

Big Mac’s voice much steadier than his cousins, but still betrayed some of his own terror. Discord let out a booming laugh, and he held his sides as the sounds of his hysterics echoed on for miles.

“Make my day.”

Dano had regained just enough of his wits to focus on the world around him. The survivor watched his team take Discord’s challenge and charge him. The avatar seemed un-phased by the sight of three men and a wolf sprinting toward him, and remained in a relaxed stance until the last possible moment.

Echo closed the distance first, and leapt at Discord’s throat. The avatar simply ducked under the wolf before rising to his full height just as the three soldiers made it into striking distance. The Doctor threw his rifle butt at the left side of Discord’s head and the avatar countered with a quick spin to dodge the club. While he spun Discord raised his right elbow to head height, and smashed it into the back of the Doctor’s head. The medic collapsed forward onto the dirt, no longer conscious.

Discord continued fluidly from his elbow into a right hook that caught the attacking Braeburn in the side of the head causing the soldier’s skull to twist as he was knocked back from the blow. Side stepping the falling Braeburn, Big Mac managed to get close enough to the avatar to unleash an uppercut with his SAW’s butt stock. Discord deftly dodged the blow by leaning backwards, his feet staying planted as his knees bent until his upper body was parallel with the ground. Big Mac lost his balance as his strike missed its target, and Discord, without pushing off of the ground in any way, short right back up to give the large soldier a wicked head-butt. Big Mac’s upper body shot backwards from the blow, but his legs continued forwards. The result was a pancaked Big Mac laying in the dirt at Discord’s feet.

Echo had recovered from his missed attack, and launched another while Discord’s back was turned. The avatar rotated completely around, caught the wolf by the scruff of the neck and brought the snarling K9 up to his face.

“Nice to see you again Echo. How’s Disarray?”

Echo snapped and Discord’s face.

“What? No witty one-liners? No sarcastic remarks? I thought you were a wise guy?”

Echo was now trashing wildly in Discord’s grasp, trying to gain any advantage. Discord laughed at the attempts before he wound up and threw the wolf at the officer’s building. Echo hit the wall hard, and collapsed on the ground, small pained whines escaping his maw.

Even though they had been knocked down in rapid succession Braeburn and Big Mac tried to right themselves so they could finish the fight while Soarin tried to sit up seeing as he couldn’t walk. Discord’s smile dropped a bit, but he kept the stupid grin as he spoke.

“Why don’t we all just take a seat.”

Dano watched as the three soldiers simply froze as their eyes widened and their teeth clenched behind tightened lips. The survivor realized Discord was imposing his will on them, but before he could say anything to help his friends the avatar snapped his gaze over to him. Dano’s eyes met Discord’s, and the two simply glared at each other for a few long seconds.

“You did a good job Daniel, I can barely get a hold of your little ‘militia’.”

Dano felt something growing in the back of his head, a force much large than himself.

“To bad all of your work will be for nothing. I will take them soon Daniel, and you will be their first kill.”

Discord gave Dano a toothy smile, his large canine showing, as the survivor looked back at his men. Each of them was sweating profusely as they fought the assault on their consciousness.

Suddenly the feeling growing in the back of Dano’s head exploded across his nervous system. Searing hot pain ran through every vein in the survivor’s body, and he flexed every muscle he could to try and stop from crying out in pain. As soon as it started the rush of agony stopped, and Dano opened his eyes to see a frowning Discord.

“Always meddling in other people’s lives.”

Dano didn’t know what the avatar was talking about, but as if on cue a pair of feminine voices echoed from the back of the survivors mind.

“You are a son of the universe, and it will bring you salvation in your darkest hour.”

Dano recognized the voices as Celestia’s and Luna’s, and once their voices dissipated the felt the urge to stand. He did as he was told, and as he rose he felt a power coursing through his body, a force beyond anything he had felt in his life. Dano looked at his hands as he flexed them, feeling the energy flow to the tips of his fingers.

With a sudden jolt Dano remembered that he was supposed to be fighting, and he looked up to see a very disgruntled Discord pointing to the survivors left. Cautiously following the avatar’s indication the survivor turned to see the blacked out window of the prison hut. In the dull light given off from the lamp attached to the officer’s building Dano could see his reflection, and his jaw dropped slightly at what he saw.

The survivor’s short hair was no longer brown, but split in half between four pastel colors on his left and navy blue with white spots on his right. His eyes have also changed, with his left being a deep magenta and his right navy blue. In the instant that Dano saw himself he realized that the two women who had guided him to Ponyville and this fight had given him, at least a fraction of, their own magical power, and his features had changed in response.

Dano looked back to Discord feeling much better about his odds. With the playing field leveled it was time for the bad guy to spill the beans on his plan.

“Why?”

Discord raised an eyebrow.

“Why what?”

Dano glared at the avatar.

“Why not just wipe out Ponyville in one strike? You had the men and material.”

Discord’s disgruntled frown turned back into his sadistic smile as the avatar laughed.

“You good guys and your belief that all that evil people want to do is destroy. Maybe I wanted to create?”

Dano kept a straight face while his brain jumped through hoops to try and figure out what he meant.

“Judging by your expression I’m going to guess that you are completely lost.”

Discord chuckled before continuing.

“How many people do you think are left on this wretched planet Daniel? I’m not going to confuse you any more by making you come up with an answer, so I will answer for you. Not enough. Sure there are communities large enough to rebuild, but they are too busy fighting amongst themselves to even think about the future.”

Discord’s smile grew slightly.

“Even while your species lies on its death bed you continue to give into your base instincts. Your need to kill, to take, to own everything. It’s beautiful.”

Dano still didn’t get it, and Discord let out a sigh.

“I need Ponyville because the morons who live there are too stupid to handle the natural chaos of your world. They would willingly accept my control, and I could build an army from scratch. One baby at a time.”

It clicked for Dano, but one vital piece of information nagged at him.

“If you are trying to build an army, then why are you abducting woman so your men can rape them?”

Dano felt his rage returning as he spoke, and Discord flashed a big toothy smile at the survivor.

“Because we all just want to have a little fun sometimes.”

That was it. All of the other questions that flowed through Dano’s brain drowned in a sea of anger. The survivor pulled his blade from its sheath and positioned himself in an athletic stance. Discord looked away from Dano to observe the still struggling soldiers at his feet.

“Looks like it is just you and me.” Discord said with a sigh.

“One shall stand, one shall fall.”

Dano gripped his blade tighter as Discord returned his gaze, and the survivor noticed the slight drizzle that had dominated the weather suddenly stopped.

“Why throw away your life so recklessly?”

Discord squared his shoulders to Dano, his trademark smirk across his face.

“That is a question you should ask yourself Discord.”

Discord dropped his smile and a scowl spread across his features.

“I will crush you with my bare hands!”

With that Discord took off at a sprint toward Dano, and the survivor did the same. Before his little boost Dano could barely keep up with Discord, but now the avatar moved just like a normal person would.

The two powered beings met mere milliseconds after starting, and the frenzied battle started with Dano dodging a right handed jab from Discord. The survivor retaliated with a quick right handed uppercut which skimmed the avatars chin as he leaned back to avoid the blow. Dano took advantage to the minor lapse in Discord’s balance to throw his left elbow forward. The quick blow to the avatar’s chest knocked Discord back a step, and the survivor continued his onslaught with a jab of his knife towards his enemy’s face. Discord shifted his head to the side to avoid the pointed weapon, and counterattacked.

Dano was over extended, with his right arm fully stretched in a stabbing motion. Discord took a quick step past the survivor’s guard, and before he could defend himself the avatar landed three quick blows to Dano’s chest. The three jabs were followed by a right handed uppercut, and the sound of teeth smashing against themselves echoed from the fight. Dano was knocked back a few steps by the blow, and he felt his mouth start to fill with blood. He had bit the tip of his tongue off.

Not willing to let up Dano let out a roar as he closed on his enemy once more, hacking downward with his blade. Discord caught the survivor’s wrist, and attempted to strike back with a left jab to the face. Dano promptly caught the fast blow, and the two combatants soon found themselves in a grapple.

The survivor and avatar locked eyes as they struggled to gain the upper hand. Discord opened his left hand and began to push towards Dano’s throat while Dano tried to force his blade into the gap between Discord’s neck and shoulder. The two of them held fast, and no one made any advancement for several long minutes before Dano’s arms began to move toward him. The survivor grits his teeth and tried to push back, but Discord was slowly winning the struggle.

Dano felt his knees start to buckle under the weight of Discord’s assault, and the avatar’s grin returned when the survivor finally fell to one knee. Ever so slowly Dano was forced back until Discord stopped pressing, his grin growing as he spoke.

“You know what Dano? I’m going to fuck up your face, so when I take your head back to Ponyville I can see your little girl friend cry before I take her.”

Dano felt Discord’s right hand change its course from his neck to the top of his face. The survivor tried his best to hold him back, but the magical boost was wearing off. Fear began to force its way into Dano’s brain, and he soon felt the avatar’s hand reach its destination. Ever so slowly Discord pushed his razor sharp fingernails into Dano’s flesh. They sliced through his skin just deep enough to draw a constant stream of blood that trickled down the survivor’s face. Once sure he was deep enough to draw a decent amount of blood Discord began to drag his hand downwards.

Dano did he best to resist, but the combination of stinging pain and his own fatigue allowed Discord to continue his mutilation of the survivor’s face. He felt his skin being torn off slowly, and when the four fingernails reached his brow Dano closed his eyes in an attempt to protect the sensitive organs. Discord ignored his enemy’s eyes, and continued down to his chin. Four thick vertical cuts now dominated Dano’s face, and they all dripped blood in a steady fashion, staining the dirt underneath the survivor.

Finished with his destruction of Dano’s features Discord resumed his advance on the survivor’s throat. Dano couldn’t think between the fear of his coming doom and the extreme stinging pain in his face. His base instincts continued to fight for his survival, but his strength had dissipated. The feeling of Discords fingers millimeters from Dano’s neck only made his mind panic even more. The survivor opened his eyes to see a huge grin on his enemy’s face.

“I would have waited an eternity for this. Its over Daniel.”

Dano closed his eye tightly, a feeling of doom washing over his mind. When he was about to give in to the strain of living a pair of cyan eyes appeared in his consciousness.

“Promise you will come back.”

Dano opened his eyes to glare at Discord as a wave of determination washed over him.

“NEVER!”

Dano threw everything he could into the grapple, digging as deep as he could. To the astonishment of both of the combatants Dano rose to his feet as he forced Discord’s hand away from his neck. The avatar’s expression changed from one of victory to one of horror as the survivor quickly overpowered him. Dano’s blade now rested millimeters from Discord’s flesh, and with one more burst of strength the survivor forced the blade downward into his enemy’s body. The blade cut deep, and blood began to flow quickly out of the avatar.

Discord collapsed to his knees, his face contorted in pain. Dano ripped his knife out of the avatar’s flesh, and glared at the mortally wounded man. Discord picked his head up and looked at Dano, his crimson eyes full of anger.

“You may have won this time Dano, but this is far from over. We will be meeting again, real soon.”

Dano raised his blade above his head, both hands on the handle.

“The only place I will see you is in hell.”

Dano brought his blade down as hard as he could, and the sound of a splitting skull echoed in the night. Blood and grey matter pushed its way out of the hole in Discord’s skull, and with an audible breaking noise the survivor pulled his weapon out of his enemy’s head to let him collapse onto the dirt.

With the mental assault gone Big Mac and Braeburn rose to their feet slowly while holding their heads, and Soarin just sat up seeing as he could barely walk without support. The Doctor groaned as he regained consciousness, and he rose to his feet much like his comrades. Echo remained down, much to the dismay of Dano, but as he took a step the survivor collapsed feeling suddenly tired.

Right before Dano hit the ground he was grabbed and lifted back up by a pair of hands. With the rest of his strength the survivor turned his head to see Big Mac holding him up. The large farmer gave Dano a small smile, and the tired survivor returned it before sucking in a deep breath to try and regain as much energy as he could.

“Braeburn?”

Dano’s voice was quiet, and lacked any commanding tone.

“Yeah boss?”

Dano turned his head to see Braeburn smiling at him.

“Go get the girls.”

Braeburn snapped to attention and saluted Dano out of respect before doing as ordered. The survivor returned his gaze to the man holding him up.

“We did it.”

Big Mac nodded as he chuckled deeply.

“Yes we did.”

Dano smiled before he shrugged Big Mac off, picked up his rifle, slung it over his shoulder and began to take some unsteady steps toward Echo. The Doctor quickly moved over to the wolf, picked him up and began to walk toward Dano.

“How does he look Doctor?” Dano’s voice was full of concern for his friend.

“I don’t know Dano, I’m not a vet.”

Dano sighed.

“We will give him to Fluttershy, she will know what to do.”

The Doctor nodded before looking worried.

“How are we supposed to get back? We only have to rides and they are a couple hours away.”

Dano smiled and pointed over his shoulder with his thumb to the motor pool.

The Doctor smiled when he realized they had three trucks to take, and he made his way toward the transports without another word. Dano, feeling a little stronger, turned to Big Mac.

“Find a white sheet and wrap Carrot up before putting him in the trunk of one of the smaller trucks.”

Big Mac nodded before moving to complete his orders.

As the large man left Braeburn returned with Bon Bon in his arms and Berry Punch right behind him. Braeburn looked worried as he approached the survivor.

“She doesn’t look so good.”

Dano, realizing they couldn’t waste any more time, pointed to the vehicles.

“Get her into one of the smaller trucks then find the keys. You are driving.”

Braeburn nodded before trotting away toward the motor pool.

Dano looked around the camp one last time, taking in the sights, sounds and smells before letting out a sad sigh. He had never imagined so much death when he dreamed of being a soldier despite knowing what the military’s job was. Putting that harsh reality aside Dano moved to the motor pool, picking up Soarin along the way, wanting nothing more than to be done with this place.

The next fifteen minutes went by frantically quick. Bon Bon was fading fast, and Echo was in an unknown condition. The surviving team moved as quickly as they could to try and get home before they lost another person. Upon further inspection Dano found out that the two smaller trucks were actually Humvees, and both were armed with long barreled 50 Cal. machine guns. The survivor thanked the gods that the enemy had not used them.

After Braeburn had found the keys in the small shed next to the motor pool the sound of three engines staring thundered through the silent night. Dano drove and Soarin sat in the first Humvee to pull out of the motor pool followed by Braeburn driving the transport truck. Big Mac came last in the second Humvee with Carrot wrapped up in the back, Bon Bon and Berry Punch in the back seat, the later holding Echo in her arms, and the Doctor sitting in the passenger’s seat.

The three vehicles moved through the camp slowly, and Dano used the weight of his truck to break the lock and force the gate open. Once out of the camp the convoy picked up speed, cruising down the dirt path. The Humvees carried their own civilian GPS systems, and each had the location of Ponyville saved. Following the directions the group of trucks turned off of the dirt path onto the asphalt roads towards home only stopping to pick up Dano’s working ATVs. The Doctor, Dano Braeburn and Big Mac struggled a bit trying to get the smaller machines into the bed of the transport truck, but they succeeded after a few minutes of grunting and cursing before returning to task of driving home.

The sun began to rise in the east as the convoy moved. Dano noticed that as it rose it destroyed the cloud cover with its crimson red glow. The sight of the new day brought happiness to the survivor, and a small smile crept across his face as he felt the warm rays upon his scarred face. They had done it, and now they were going home to put the nightmare of Fort Security behind them.

Wow Gaius, that was a quick update
that is what she said
*faceplam*
i just burned myself didn't i
no, you used that joke even though it doesn't fit
of course it fits
when was the last time you heard someone call sex "updating"
uhh.
exactly
you know she is right
shut up logic...

another chapter for your reading pleasure
don't forget to rate and comment
that is all
kthanxbai

Fallout

Whole New World
Chapter 21
Fallout

Dano shifted anxiously in his seat as he drove. Despite moving much faster than they were on the way to Fort Security the survivor couldn’t wait to get home despite a growing despair in the back of his head. He was going to have to break the news of Carrot’s death to his wife as well as show Fluttershy the pendant. Dano tried his best to formulate what he would tell the shy woman, but he wasn’t getting anywhere fast. A little nervous about the coming meeting the survivor moved his eyes off of the road to check himself in the rear view mirror.

Much to his relief Dano’s hair and eyes had returned to normal, but his cuts still remained. The survivor wondered how he would be greeted with the four thick red lines on his face, but he couldn’t delve too deep into the many scenarios. Soarin was shouting for some reason.

“Eyes on the road!”

Dano quickly returned his eyes forward to see that he had drifted quite a bit off of the asphalt and was dangerously close to falling into the drainage ditch. The survivor righted the truck with a quick turn of the wheel as he let out a sigh. He needed to actually get home before worrying about what he was going to do there.

The rest of the trip home was in silence as Dano found himself spending most of the time in his head while Soarin would shift as the pain in his leg and arm constantly throbbed. To both of the soldier’s relief the convoy turned down the last piece of road before home, a simple stretch of dirt the split a rolling plain in half.

The group of trucks sped down the road, kicking up dirt as it went, and before long the sight of an orchard on the left side of the road came into view. Sweet Apple Acres bathed in the morning sun, and as they passed Braeburn unleashed his truck’s air horn to signal their return. Dano could only imagine the smile on the farmer’s face when he saw his home in its splendor.

Minutes after passing the front gate of Sweet Apple Acres the convoy passed the first buildings of the town proper. The sound of the air horn had garnered the attention of the town’s people, but as the trucks sped through the town Dano could see fear and confusion in their eyes. They saw the vehicles of the enemy as well as the large guns attached to the top before they saw the occupants. Searching to find answers the town’s folk began to follow the convoy until it came to a stop in the town center.

As a crowd began to form Dano turned off the engine, opened the heavy armored door of his Humvee and took a step out. Hushed voices traveled through the crowd as they tried to figure out if the man standing in front of them was friend or foe, but the survivor didn’t move to put their curiosity to rest. He instead moved to get his team fixed up.

“Braeburn!” Dano called as he walked up to the soldier who was clambering down from his truck.

“Yeah?”

Dano stopped walking as Braeburn hopped off of the running boards.

“Take Soarin to the Doctor’s house. You both need treatment.”

Braeburn looked skeptical.

“I don’t need anything.”

Dano sighed as he saw the classic Apple Family stubbornness shine through.

“You have three chunks of lead in your chest, and you’re going to need to get them removed. Don’t make me have to kick your ass.”

Braeburn chuckled before nodding.

“Fine.”

Dano smiled.

“Now get going, Soarin won’t wait forever.”

Braeburn nodded once again before walking past Dano, moved between the lead Humvee and the transport truck and tried to get to the passenger side door of the troop transport. He didn’t get far.

“BRAEBURN!”

“Slow down Pinkie! AHH! That hurts!”

Dano took a few steps backward so he could see around the front of the transport truck, and the sight of Braeburn being squeezed by Pinkie Pie brought a smile to his face. The rest of the girls made their way across the town center, splitting up as the rounded the statue that dominated the center of the open space. Each of them held a smile on their face as Braeburn tried his best to escape Pinkie Pie’s embrace, and all of their outfits consisted of sweatpants, t-shirts and flat soled shoes that all held their usual color choice. The survivor guessed they had just woken up from a slumber party of sorts before making their way here. Dano was about to join them when the sound of massed footstep drew his attention back to the side of the truck.

The occupants of the last Humvee made their way toward Dano with the Doctor carrying Bon Bon and Berry Punch holding Echo. In the light of day the survivor could see that the only item of clothing on the abused woman was a pair dirty panties, and that Berry was wearing ripped jeans with no shoes. All of the happiness in Dano’s mind melted away has he put a straight face on.

“How is she Doctor?”

The Doctor gave Dano a grave look.

“I don’t know how much longer she will last.”

Dano nodded.

“Take her to your house and do your best to help her. Soarin and Braeburn are on their way there. As soon as you can fix them up.”

The Doctor nodded as he was given his orders.

“I’m going to need an assistant in case I have to perform surgery.”

Dano waved a hand toward Big Mac.

“Tell Big Mac where to find your assistant and he will get her.”

Without another word to Dano the Doctor moved passed the survivor while telling Big Mac where to find a woman named Redheart. With that out of the way Dano moved his focus to Berry Punch and Echo.

“How are you feeling Berry?”

Berry smiled a bit.

“It’s nice to finally be home.”

Dano returned the smile before asking her to follow him.

With Berry Punch in tow the survivor made his way around the front of the transport truck to see that Braeburn had finally broken out of Pinkie’s embrace and was helping Soarin out of the Humvee. The six girls had expressions of worry as they watched the two men begin to slowly make their way toward the Doctor’s house, a few feet behind the physician and his patient. The sound of Dano walking around the truck brought their attention to him, and they all smiled before they saw his face. Their expression returned to worry again as they followed the scars on his features, and the survivor noticed a slight fear in their eyes as well.

“What happened to you Dano?” Twilight spoke, her voice full of concern.

“Nothing fun.” Dano retorted. He didn’t want to talk about the battle much.

As Dano stopped to talk to the women Berry had moved out from behind the survivor, and once to girls had gotten over Dano’s face their attention moved to the former hostage.

“Berry Punch!”

Pinkie’s smile grew, and she made an attempt to jump on the woman but Dano stopped her.

“Slow down Pinkie.”

The party girl’s smile drooped.

“What’s wrong?”

Dano looked Pinkie in the eye.

“Berry has been through a lot, and she may not be comfortable with getting jumped. I want you to keep calm around her Pinkie No pranks, no surprises.”

Pinkie’s hair seemed to deflate at the order, but she nodded. Satisfied that he had quelled the pink ball of energy Dano move on.

The survivor turned his head so he could address Berry Punch directly.

“Why don’t you give Echo to Fluttershy and have Rarity take you to her house so you can clean up a bit.”

Berry nodded slowly before moving passed Dano to hand Fluttershy the wounded wolf.

Fluttershy had been hiding behind her hair nervously the entire time, but at the sight of Echo she immediately burst forth from her shell.

“What happened to him?” Fluttershy asked as the wolf changed hands.

“He was thrown at a wall.” Dano responded, his voice flat as that particular scene re-ran through his brain.

“Oh the poor thing.”

Fluttershy seemed to push the rest of the world out of her mind as she quickly turned and began to walk in the direction of home. Not wanting to break her concentration Dano let her go, and turned his attention to Rarity as she gingerly placed an arm over Berry Punch’s shoulder.

“Come now darling. Let’s see if we can’t find something clean to put on.”

Berry nodded sheepishly as the fashionista began to lead her away.

“Berry. I want you to go to the Doctor’s house after you clean up.”

Berry looked over her shoulder to nod at Dano before letting Rarity lead her away.

Dano now, suddenly, realized that most of Ponyville had gathered in the square and was watching the survivor’s team move away from the convoy. As the survivor scanned the crowd his eyes fell on a short woman with light crimson hair, a streak of greyish light crimson running through it, push her way out of the crowd. Her clothes consisted of a cerulean blue dress that ended below the knee, and was covered with a yellow apron with pink, frilly trim. Short heals covered her feet while light crimson socks covered her ankles. She had a look of desperation and confusion on her face, and Dano felt his heart drop as he eyed the woman known as Mrs. Cake.

Dano pushed his way through the remaining girls and made his way quickly across the open gap between the convoy and the crowd. Mrs. Cake took short steps toward Dano, and they met after a few moments.

“Where is Carrot?”

Mrs. Cake’s voice cracked as her eyes tried to find a glimpse of her husband somewhere on the convoy.

“Please come with me Mrs. Cake. I will explain.”

Dano wrapped an arm around the baker’s shoulders, and began to lead her toward the last Humvee in the convoy.

“Is my husband okay?”

Dano simply continued to lead the woman toward the truck.

“I will tell you when we are in a more private setting.”

Dano knew that there was nothing private about being in the middle of the town center, but he needed to keep her calm until they got to the body.

It didn’t take the couple long to cross the open area, and Dano could feel every pair of eyes bore into his back when he rounded Humvee. The survivor released Mrs. Cake and turned to face her.

“Mrs. Cake, I regret to inform you that your husband, Carrot Cake, died last night while fighting against the raiders who assaulted Ponyville.”

Dano’s voice was as sincere as he could make it, and it was very hard to keep eye contact with Mrs. Cake as she began to break down.

“Where… where is his body.”

Dano indicated the trunk of the Humvee.

“We brought him home for a proper burial.”

Mrs. Cake was trying her best to keep control, but tears began to force their way out of her eyes.

“I want to see him.”

Dano frowned a bit.

“I don’t think that is the best thing Mrs. Cake.”

Mrs. Cake took a shuddering breath before speaking more forcefully.

“I want to see the body.”

Dano sighed before he nodded, turned to his left and lifted the truck’s trunk open. Lying with his head facing the back of the truck was Carrot, completely covered in as clean a white sheet as Big Mac could find. The survivor lifted and pushed the sheet off just far enough to expose the body’s shoulders and head. Mrs. Cake inhaled quickly at the sight of her husband, charred black with his eyes welded shut.

The dams broke in the baker, and she began to wail as she fell forward onto her husband. Dano had to restrain the distraught woman, for if she touched her deceased husband’s skin it would simply peel off and further damage the body.

For what felt like hours Dano held on to Mrs. Cake as grief racked her body. She balled and wailed into the air as tears ran down her features. The survivor simply held a straight face as he watched the baker morn, and when she showed no signs of letting up he waved the girls over.

“Take her home and watch her.” Dano ordered to Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie.

Twilight and Pinkie wrapped their arms around Mrs. Cake once Dano had let go, and began to gently move her away. Rainbow Dash and Applejack chose to stay behind and they watched the baker go with the two women. Big Mac returned as Mrs. Cake was led away, and passed her by quickly in order to get to Dano.

“You got Redheart?” Dano asked without looking away from Mrs. Cake.

Big Mac nodded.

“Go find the coroner or whoever takes care of bodies around here. I don’t want to leave Carrot in the trunk too long.”

Big Mac nodded again before leaving.

Dano sighed. His list of things to do was drawing ever closer to its conclusion. He just had two more things to do.

After covering Carrot back up and closing the Humvee’s trunk Dano excused himself from the two women and made his way across the town center, pushed through the crowd and made his way across town to a boarded up pink and navy colored shop. Without hesitation he walked up to the front door and knocked on the threshold. The sound of a window opening above the survivor caused him to step back and look up to see Lyra leaning out on the window sill, her skin pale from lack of sunshine and hair a mess from lack of care.

“Hello?”

Dano kept a straight face as he addressed the musician.

“We found Bon Bon Lyra, but you need to come with me.”

Lyra’s usual sad frown was replaced with a huge smile before she ducked back into her house. The musical neglected to close the window as she bolted through the abode, down the back stairs and through the shop before bursting out of the front door. Lyra looked around the street, trying to find her lost fiancé, but once it was clear that she wasn’t there the musician’s frown returned.

“Where is she?”

Dano motioned for her to follow.

“Please, follow me.”

Lyra’s expression grew to one of worry as she slowly nodded. Taking the queue Dano turned and began to lead Lyra back through town toward the Doctor’s house.

By the time Dano and Lyra got back to the town square the crowd had dissipated leaving the open area devoid of life, the convoy being the only thing resting in the square. The survivor ignored the crushing silence as he moved to the Doctor’s stoop and pushed his way into the building.

Dano found himself standing in the Doctor’s living room. Applejack sat with Braeburn and Big Mac on the only couch in the room while Soarin and Rainbow Dash sat across from them with their backs against the wall. As Dano entered the Doctor also entered the room with Redheart right behind him. Everybody in the space looked at the physician, and he simply shook his head. Bon Bon’s struggle was over.

Lyra looked over the blank expressions with confusion and worry.

“Where is Bon Bon?”

No one wanted to answer, and the question hung in the air.

“Where is Bon Bon?!”

Lyra’s voice was filled with worry as she began to panic.

“Please come with me Lyra.”

The Doctor spoke up over the sad silence, and the panicked musician reluctantly followed.

Dano couldn’t take it anymore. He needed to escape the coming sorrow before it destroyed him. Without saying another word the survivor turned and left the Doctor’s abode, but as he closed the door he could hear Lyra begin to cry loudly.

Without anywhere else to go Dano began to walk to Fluttershy’s home, his heart heavy and mind silent. He had one more thing to do before the day ended, and he had been dreading it. As if on cue a weight began to grow in the survivor chest, and it emanated from the small pendant in his breast pocket. He would have to come clean with Fluttershy, but he had no way to explain himself. Brainwashing came to mind as Dano walked, but he dismissed it quickly. The excuse, all though partially true, would sound like a lie he came up to save his ass. He would have to take the fall and hope that Fluttershy wouldn’t hate him.

The walk to Fluttershy’s home dragged on forever to Dano, each step bringing dread, until he finally arrived at the footbridge in front of the small abode. The survivor looked around the clearing dominated by the shy woman’s house to see nothing. All of her animals seemed to have disappeared, and it created an eerie feeling in Dano as if the lack of life was a bad omen. Dano ignored the ominous feeling, and forced himself to cross the bridge, walk up to Fluttershy’s front door and enter the house.

The survivor found himself in the familiar setting of Fluttershy’s home, and he felt a bit of his mind calm to the fact that he was in a safe place. Hearing someone enter her home Fluttershy walked out of the kitchen wearing a white apron over the same clothes the survivor had seen her wearing earlier. The shy woman smiled a bit at the sight of Dano, and she quickly crossed the room to embrace him. The survivor returned the embrace halfheartedly, but Fluttershy didn’t seem to notice.

“I’m happy you came back.”

Fluttershy’s voice was muffled as she pressed her face into Dano’s neck.

“So am I.” Dano replied just as weakly as he was hugging the shy woman.

Fluttershy looked up at Dano without releasing her embrace a look of worry on her face.

“What’s wrong?”

Dano pushed himself out of Fluttershy’s embrace, and she reluctantly let him go. Once free from the shy woman the survivor reached up to his right breast pocket, opened it and pulled out the necklace. Fluttershy’s eyes widened when she saw the pendant, and Dano extended his hand to give it to the shy woman. She took it gingerly, her eyes never leaving the half butterfly.

“Where did you find this?”

Dano took a quick breath before he answered.

“On your father.”

Fluttershy’s eyes darted from the necklace to Dano.

“My father?”

Dano nodded.

“Where is he?”

Dano could hear a slight tone in Fluttershy’s voice, a tone of hope, and it crushed his spirits. The survivor could no longer look the shy woman in the face, and his gaze dropped to his feet.

“He was a raider.”

Dano heard Fluttershy whimper a bit as he continued.

“I had to kill him.”

The sound of the shy woman crying reached Dano’s ears, and out of concern his gaze rose to see Fluttershy staring right through him.

“You… you killed him?”

Dano took a step forward and tried to hug Fluttershy, but she took a step back, her eyes suddenly focused on Dano’s.

“Fluttershy…”

Dano voice was filled with the hurt he was feeling in his heart.

“You killed him.”

Tears streamed from angry eyes.

“You killed him!”

Fluttershy unleashed a right handed slap, and Dano took the blow, barely acknowledging the pain.

“Get out.”

Fluttershy’s voice had dropped to a dangerous low.

“Fluttershy, please…”

“GET OUT!”

Dano stared into the deep cyan eyes that had saved his life, but instead the soft, caring glow they usually emanated a rage filled them to the brim. The survivor knew he had failed his last objective of the day, and without saying another word turned and left the house behind him.

Dano lost track of time. All he remembered was walking back into town and finding a seat on one of the hard wooden benches that sat in the town square. The survivor couldn’t think. A haze had descended upon his mind, and an ache had made a home in his gut. Before he knew it Dano found himself sitting in the cool dark of night. Exhaustion began to pull on the survivor’s mind, and while sitting on his bench Dano fell asleep.

Dano found himself in utter darkness, and after a few seconds believed he was at another meeting. The survivor closed his eyes only to open them again and see neither hide nor hair of Celestia or Luna. Confused, Dano repeated the process, but as his eyes were closed the sound of a deep laugh echoed through the dream scape. The laugh made the hairs on the back of Dano’s neck stick up while a single word bounced around his brain. Discord.

Dano opened his eyes to the sudden feeling of holding his rifle and wearing his armor, and he looked down to confirm the sensations. A voice to Dano’s right caused the survivor to jump and raise his rifle.

“Why did you let me die Dano?”

The voice was Discord’s, but the mouth it came from belonged to a horribly burned Carrot. Another voice behind him made Dano turn once again.

“Why didn’t you save me Dano?”

Again Discord’s voice, but from a bruised Bon Bon. Her light blue eyes were covered in a film, and Dano guessed she was dead from the unblinking stare he received. Yet another voice sounded to Dano’s right, and again the survivor turned.

“Why did you take me away from my daughter Dano?”

Like the first two Discord spoke for the man known as Fluttershy’s father, and the survivor saw another pair of glazed eyes staring at him as well as a constantly bleeding hole in the man’s head.

“You let them down Daniel.”

Dano spun around for the fourth time to see Discord standing with his arms behind his back, his sadistic smile ever present on his face.

“They needed you, but you let them down.”

Discord laughed his dark laugh, and Dano could feel it down to his bones.

“I.. I didn’t let them down, I did the best I could.”

Dano’s voice lacked any sort of confidence as it echoed in the black nothing around him.

“Your best wasn’t enough Daniel, you failed.”

Dano dropped his rifle and fell to his knees.

“No.”

Discord laughed again.

“Yes.”

The three corpses began to repeat their question in unison in an never ending chorus, and Dano covered his ears with his hands in an attempt to block out the chant. The chorus continued on into Dano’s ear unabated, and the survivor could feel his sanity slipping.

“NO!”

Discord’s laugh joined the chorus, and the deep, booming chuckle rose in volume ever so slowly until it was all that Dano could hear. Eventually it dissipated, and the only sound in the black miasma was the sound of the survivor crying quietly.

“No.”

wow, i know fluttershy could be mean, but that was intense
Dano killed her father, how do you think you would act?
i guess your right
im just happy i got all of the dark stuff done, i could have sworn i was growing horns and turning red
whats so bad about horns?
nothing! your horn is beautiful.
kiss ass
shut up pinkie

you guys have worked me to the bone
i hope you enjoy
don't forget to rate and comment
that is all
kthanxbai

Lost

Whole New World
Chapter 22
Lost

Dano shot upwards in his seat, eyes opened wide. The world was dark save the glow of a full moon making its way across the sky. The survivor shivered uncontrollably as the sweat he had worked up was evaporated quickly by the cold night, and he tucked his arms against his chest in a futile attempt to warm himself back up. Flashes of the memory burned their way across Dano’s consciousness. Tears began to form in the survivor’s eyes as his failures caused a massive guilt to weigh of his soul.

The sound of footsteps in the night brought Dano out of his stupor, and he looked up to see two figures approaching him. Even in the dark the survivor could pick out Celestia and Luna just by the way they walked, how they carried themselves and how their robes moved around them gracefully. The two avatars stopped a good three feet in front of Dano, and even with the moon’s help he couldn’t see their faces despite having their hoods down.

“You have completed your quest Daniel.” Celestia said, her voice just as warm as it was in Dano’s dreams.

“And have paid your price.”

Luna finished the sentence, her velvety voice matching the night that she blended into so well.

“Was this your plan all along?”

Dano dropped his eyes to the dirt between the two parties, his voice low and angry.

“What do you mean Daniel?”

Celestia’s light tone annoyed Dano slightly, as if she was aloof of his internal pain.

“Did you plan for Fluttershy to be my sacrifice even though you told me she was my ‘key to happiness’?”

Anger permeated from Dano’s voice as he spoke.

“Fluttershy was never your sacrifice Daniel.”

Luna’s calm tone sounded condescending to the survivor, and it made him that much angrier.

“THEN WHAT WAS!?”

Dano shot out of his seat as he screamed at the women, and tears began to flow as he released his rage.

“Your humanity.”

Celestia’s response lacked its warm tone in favor for a flat expressionless one, and the curtness of the quick sentence diffused Dano for a second.

“What do you mean ‘my humanity’?”

“Killing another human is not natural Daniel. You have broken a subconscious code held by every member of your race, and they can sense it. You do not only carry physical scars, but mental and spiritual ones as well. You will never act the same, you will never think the same and you will never hold the innocent spark every human carries in their eyes. You have forfeited yourself to your duty, and you have paid the price.”

Luna’s voice was flat but forceful as she tried to push past Dano’s rage and into the small part of his brain that was functioning normally, and, unbenounced to Dano, she had succeeded.

The survivor plopped himself down on his bench heavily, the rifle on his back clattering as it impacted the wood. What Luna had said resonated within him, and he could feel his anger subside and be replaced with sadness. It didn’t matter to him what the rest of the world saw or sensed, all he wanted was for the shy woman with pink hair to forgive him.

“That still doesn’t change anything.” Dano said half to the women and half to himself as he stared through them.

“We will talk to Fluttershy when the time comes, you just need to find someone to carry you while your mind and soul heal.”

Celestia’s warm tone had returned with Dano’s apparent calm.

“That is easier said than done.” Dano said, his voice regaining some of its former strength.

“We have faith in you Daniel, now try to get some sleep.”

Luna let out a small chuckle, and her sister joined in. Dano didn’t feel like joining in with the laugh despite his slight improvement in mood, but he did smile as the women’s perfect laughter pulled him ever so slightly out of his hurt.

“Yeah, I will try.”

With that Celestia and Luna bid Dano a good night before leaving just as quickly as they came. The survivor was once again alone, and his mind began to wander as he simply sat and stared into space. He had no reason to go back to sleep, and a bit of him was actually scared to return to his dreams. Dano instead fought off his own fears by looking up into the night sky and started counting the stars. The presence of those flickering lights saved the survivor from himself that night as the scars that no one could see slowly mended.

The moon set and the sun rose as the world continued the rotation it had held since the beginning of time. Dano didn’t seem to notice the change in light, for he continued to look up into the sky as golden rays illuminated soft white clouds. Ponyville awoke around the survivor, and his mood once again soured as the wounds he carried festered in their attempts to heal on their own. Not even the sound of footsteps and whispers from the locals could pull Dano out of his stupor until he heard a voice that belonged to one of his closest friends as she walked away from the Doctor’s abode.

“Whatcha looking at?”

Dano pulled his gaze downward to see Big Mac, Applejack, Braeburn, Rainbow Dash and Soarin all standing in front of him, the latter leaning on the same rainbow haired girl who had launched the question.

“You should go check on Fluttershy.”

Dano’s stare went through his friends, and his soft voice cracked from lack of use.

“What are yah talkin’ bout?”

Dano ignored Applejack as she gave him a questioning look, and the survivor returned his gaze to the clouds over head.

“What’s wrong with you?” Dash asked, her tone blunt.

“Maybe we should leave him be, and do as he asked.”

Soarin spoke softly and with concern as he tried his best to steer his aggressive girlfriend away from causing any unintentional harm to the survivor.

Dano ignored the group as it reluctantly followed his soft recommendation, and continued to look at a small wispy cloud move across the sky as it was pushed by the winds. Time flowed around the survivor, but he failed to notice until the sun was too close to its zenith to continue looking up into the shy. Dano halfheartedly returned his gaze back down to earth to see people walk by either ignoring the survivor, or giving him curt looks before returning to their own life. Not wishing to look at the faces of people he did not know, or did not seem to care about his predicament Dano’s gaze moved to the dirt in front of him.

The sound of footsteps became white noise for Dano, and he soon put the sounds out of his mind completely. In the silence of his consciousness a bit of the survivor that still functioned tried it’s best to cut its way out of the haze covering his thoughts and emotions, but to no avail. Even the will power that he had relied on so much recently failed him, and he was left in the self-destructive circle of guilt and blame until he was pulled out of his brain by a pair of black flat soled shoes holding a pair of small pale feet.

Dano turned his gaze upward to see Berry Punch wearing a white, somewhat ornate, long sleeve top with black jeans covering her legs. Her hair still looked messy despite a clean sheen to it, and all of the dirt that had occupied her pale skin had been removed.

“Hello Daniel.”

Dano blinked as he took in the former prisoner. She looked a lot like Rarity.

“Please, call me Dano.”

Dano’s voice cracked much like before, and he put a small smile on to try and comfort the woman as best he could. Something in his mind broke through the smog in the survivors skull, and told him to comfort the former prisoner he had pulled out of the hell hole know as Fort Security.

“Okay.”

Berry matched Dano’s smile, and, without anything else to say, let the conversation die into an awkward silence as she shifted nervously.

“Did you go see the Doctor?” Dano asked, half trying to keep the conversation going and half out of concern for the woman.

“Yes I did.”

Berry once again shifted her weight.

“And?”

Dano’s voice came out a little more forceful that he wanted, but his patience was at an all-time low.

“Oh!” Berry blushed slightly out of embarrassment. “He said I’m okay.”

Dano raised an eyebrow as his smile turned into a worried frown, a silent challenge to confirm that she was ‘okay’ in every sense.

Berry nodded to confirm that she was healthy, and Dano’s features returned to his soft smile.

“Why are you still in those dirty clothes?”

Dano looked down, and realized he was still fully armed, armored and covered in dirt and blood. A large red stain in his lap made the image of Carrot flash across the survivor’s brain, and his eyes widened as his breath shortened. The memory was so vivid that Dano could swear he was looking down on the deceased marksman at this exact moment.

Berry Punch noticed the change in Dano, and without hesitation reached out and touched his shoulder. The contact pulled the survivor out of his flashback and into the real world as he looked up to see who was touching him. A bit of sweat trickled down the side of Dano’s face, and his eyes looked like saucers as he tried to process everything. After a few deep breaths the survivor was once again normal, if not a little shaken.

“Are you okay Dano?” Berry’s voice was full of concern, and she kept her hand on Dano’s shoulder.

“Yeah. I should be fine.”

Dano lied, for he knew that more flashbacks were on the horizon.

“Have you been on that bench all night?”

Berry’s voice seemed to fill with even more concern, and Dano simply nodded. His brain was still reeling from the flashback.

“C’mon. You’re probably exhausted.”

The truth was that Dano didn’t feel tired at all, but once Berry Punch helped him to his feet the survivor felt any energy he had melt away only to be replaced with fatigue in every muscle in his body. Barely able to stand without support Dano and Berry made their way through town toward the Punch Bowl, the survivor leaning on the former prisoner the entire way.

The couple finally made it to the boarded up bar after taking much longer than necessary. While Dano leaned up against the brick structure for support Berry went off to find her spare key, which she told the survivor was in a plastic bag in the small alleyway between the bar and the neighboring shop. No sooner had she left Berry reappeared with the key in hand, and proceeded to open the front door before picking Dano back up and leading him through the bar.

Just like the survivor had seen when he peered through the glass pane that made up most of the door the Punch Bowl was the color of dark stained wood mixed with maroon cushions. Berry flicked a switch to the left of the door way, and the bar became illuminated in a soft yellow light that only added to the soft, homey feeling of the place.

Dano barely acknowledged the bar, his eyelids beginning to close on their own. The survivor was jarred from his brief rest by a loud sneeze that emanated from Berry Punch.

“Boy this place is dusty.” The former prisoner said mostly to herself.

Dano grunted in response, and Berry realized she was holding up a very tired man.

“Let’s get you someplace nice to lie down.”

Dano didn’t respond as he was lead down the corridor between the bar proper to his right and the booths to his left. Eventually the couple reached the end of the bar, took a right and moved through a discreet door. Behind the doorway rested a set of stairs that ascended to the left. Berry pretty much dragged Dano up the stairway until they took another left through another door.

Dano found himself in a small living room with a couch flanked by two chairs, all three of them angled to face at a plain coffee table that rested in the middle of the room. A small carpet that matched Berry’s hair rested under the furniture, and where the floor wasn’t covered it was made of dark stained wood planking. On the white painted wall to the left of the couple was a hole that resembled a half circle cut into the wall that opened up to a combination kitchen/ dining room. To the right of the hole was an open threshold that led to the rest of the apartment.

Berry didn’t waste any time getting Dano to the couch, and she laid him down with as much care as she could. The survivor felt the softness of the couch through his pack, rifle and armor, and before he knew it he was on his way out. The combination of physical and mental exhaustion let slumber take Dano under minutes after he hit the couch.

Dano was once again in the empty blackness of his lucid dreams. He sighed as he prayed that the sisters would be there, but it was not to be.

“Welcome back Daniel.”

Discord’s deep voice echoed in the emptiness.

Dano ignored the being, and continued to stand. Suddenly the survivor found himself sitting on a park bench that looked much like the ones in Ponyville’s town center naked. He looked down to see a man made out of skin and bones, much like when he was re-awakened all those months ago. Dano held his hands up to his face and flexed them as if to confirm his new look. Just as suddenly as he found himself on the bench the survivor felt a presence to his left, and he turned to see Discord sitting next to him, arms behind his head while his right foot rested on his left knee. The chaotic avatar looked rather comfortable on the bench, and his usual smile decorated his face.

“You left so early the last time. I was so worried.”

Discord chuckled at his own sarcasm.

Dano returned his gaze forward in an attempt to ignore the avatar.

“This is just a nightmare, you aren’t real.”

Discord laughed as he grabbed Dano’s face and turned it so they locked eyes.

“But this is real Daniel. Just like when those abominations created by the princesses visited you.”

Dano’s heart rate spiked at the realization.

“But… But you are dead.”

Discord released Dano and let out another of his laughs.

“Oh? Can a being created by the splitting of a conscious really die? Or is it just transferred to another body.”

Dano felt dread enter his mind.

“You touched my blood Daniel. You were there when I ‘died’. You are now harboring the soul of the man you have sworn to kill.”

Discord flashed a toothy smile.

“You aren’t the only one though.”

Discord returned to relining on the bench, breaking eye contact.

“Berry Punch is also having a wonderful conversation with me, and Bon Bon would too if she didn’t croak. Don’t worry, they didn’t touch my blood, but ‘other’ bodily fluids.”

Dano felt rage seep into his mind, and he lashed out at Discord only to have his boney fist phase right through the avatar. The survivor pulled his hand back out to see a mist reform the façade of Discord’s face.

“You can’t hit a soul Daniel.”

Discord smiled, and Dano felt the dread return.

“I’m going to let you get back to real life now. I don’t want you to get too tired. We have a lot to talk about.”

Dano blinked, and he was suddenly alone. The miasma closed quickly and swallowed the survivor as he stared into the empty space where Discord once sat.

Dano opened his eyes to see nothing but darkness. He guessed that it was nighttime, and as he regained his senses he felt a lack of pressure on his chest. The survivor looked down to see a plain grey t-shirt and his dirty pants. Dano put two and two together and guessed that Berry had removed all of his weapons and armor, and after looking around a bit he found them sitting on the coffee table to his left.

The survivor sighed before pulling himself up to a sitting position. He doubted he would get any more sleep, but before he could even think of anything to do he heard what sounded like a lot of movement coming from the other side of the area. Dano quickly stood, and made his way across the dark room, occasionally bumping into furniture until he was standing in the threshold. In the dim light of the moon’s glow piercing a window at the end of the hall Dano could make out another threshold to his left that lead to the kitchen and two darkly stained wooden doors that took up the wall to the right.

The sounds of movement grew as Dano moved down the hall past the first door until he stopped at the second. He slowly pushed his way into, what appeared to be, Berry’s bedroom, and he could see her thrashing wildly on her bed. Discord’s words ran through the survivor’s head as he watched the former prisoner struggle against invisible forces.

“ Berry Punch is having a wonderful conversation with me…”

Dano couldn’t handle seeing the woman he saved fall back into a place where she was lost once again. Without thinking the survivor crossed the room, crawled onto the bed, sat down in the middle of the mattress and pulled Berry onto his lap. He cradled her head with his left arm and let his heart beat pound a constant, calming rhythm into her ear. Berry continued to thrash for a few more moments until Dano’s therapy took effect, and she calmed. Dano could see a small, peaceful smile stretch across the former prisoner’s face, and it made him happy.

Unknown to Dano, the wounds on his soul were being mended by that small smile. He had found his crutch, and he would need it even more than he would admit.

Dano held Berry until the sun began to rise. He didn’t want to spook her with his presence in her room, so he released the former prisoner as the first rays of light made their way in the windows of her bedroom and made his way out quietly. The survivor returned to the couch and took a seat, unable to find anything to do other than stare at his equipment. Dano didn’t know how much time passed before he was pulled away from staring at the rifle that had been used to kill for vengeance by the sound of Berry rising from bed.

The woman made her way down the short hallway to see Dano sitting on the couch as if he had been there all night, and she flashed him a small smile. The survivor returned it, and was about to ask the woman how her night was when the sound of knocking emanated from downstairs. Berry gave Dano a confused look, and the survivor returned it with a sigh. He had a hunch it was for him.

“I got this.” Dano said as he rose.

“Are you sure?”

Berry looked even more confused, and Dano nodded before leaving the apartment, going down the stairs and entering the bar to see Pinkie Pie through the door. As the survivor approached the portal he noticed that the party girl’s hair was flat and long, a style that made him very nervous.

Dano opened the door, and Pinkie Pie looked at him with the saddest blue eyes he had ever seen.

“Hello Dano.”

Pinkie’s voice seemed to drip with sadness, and it pulled on Dano’s heart strings.

“Hello Pinkie Pie.”

“Are you sorry?”

Pinkie’s question confused Dano for a second, but he soon recovered.

“Of course I am.”

Pinkie and Dano simple stared at each other while the party girl tried her best to find fault in the survivor’s answer.

“Okay.”

Pinkie seemed to recover a bit of her bubbly demeanor, and it made Dano feel better.

“I got your things from Fluttershy, and your uniform from Rarity. They are really mad at you.”

Pinkie handed the somewhat large pile of clothes with a paper bag on the top to Dano, and he took it as he sighed.

“I know they are.”

Pinkie gave Dano a sad smile.

“At least you are sorry, and there was nothing else you could do right?”

Dano nodded slowly. He didn’t have a choice in Fort Security, but they wouldn’t know that unless they were there.

“I should get going. By the way, Mr. Cake’s and Bon Bon’s funerals are tomorrow.”

Dano nodded again as he wished Pinkie Pie farewell before closing the door to the bar and going back upstairs.

With his new clothes Dano took a shower in the bathroom that was hiding behind the first wooden door in the hall with Berry’s permission. The washroom was simple, and held a single shower/tub combo that rested parallel with the back wall that was also painted white. White tile covered the floor except where it was concealed by a dark stained cabinet holding the sink basin in the middle of the right wall and a single toilet in the middle of the left wall. A mirror rested above the sink, and the counter matched the tile in color.

Dano changed into a pair of blue jeans, a grey t-shirt with ‘Aeropostale’ on the front, a black zip up hoodie and black boots when he finished his shower. Once dressed the survivor helped Berry Punch as she cleaned up her apartment and bar, proving most of the muscle needed to remove the boards on the windows as well as height to reach farther than Berry could. By the time the time the sun began to set the couple had completely cleaned the entire bar, apartment and surrounding area.

“You did a good job Dano.” Berry said as she walked up the stairs with the survivor right behind.

“Thank you.”

Dano smiled a bit as he took the compliment.

“I hope it’s not too much of a bother for me to stay here Berry.”

Berry Punch laughed as she walked through the door and into her apartment with Dano in tow.

“It’s alright. I wasn’t using that couch anyway, and besides. You helped me, so I should help you.”

Dano’s smile grew as he heard something along the line of Fluttershy’s excuse for getting him to stay in Ponyville.

“I’m still going to have to find a job. I don’t think Applejack will let me back on the farm.”

Dano chuckled to hide the hurt in his gut from that statement. He is going to miss Sweet Apple Acres.

“You could work in the bar, god knows I could use some help.”

Dano and Berry shared a quick chuckle.

“That sounds great Berry.”

The rest of the day was spent eating a dinner of fresh greens and steak that Berry had picked up the day before when Dano had passed out. The survivor enjoyed the meal, but it wasn’t as good as Fluttershy’s. After dinner Dano excused himself, shaved and got ready for bed. By the time he was done the sun had set, and he made his way to the couch as Berry used the bathroom. A bit of Dano was scared to go to sleep, but his almost constant exhaustion pulled him under quickly.

Dano was once again standing in the darkness of his dreams, but this time he was immediately face to face with a slightly deflated Discord.

“That was a nice trick Daniel, using your heart beat to calm Berry Punch.”

Dano smiled as his voice filled with sarcasm.

“Thank you.”

Discord smiled.

“Oh a smart ass. That reminds me of a Diamond Dog named Echo.”

Dano’s smile dropped at the mention of his injured friend, and Discord’s grew.

“Did I hit a nerve?”

Discord laughed at his own joke.

“What is your plan anyway Discord? I blew up your ammo dump. Even if you do get me you won’t have any weapons or enough ammunition to take over anything.”

Discord laughed again.

“Do you really think I’m that stupid Daniel? I’m the essence of chaos. You can’t stop me no matter how much you destroy or create, for I am ever present.”

Dano’s heart dropped.

“You won’t get me Discord.”

The avatar gave Dano a toothy smile.

“We will see.”

Dano was quickly swallowed by the black miasma, and was pulled back to sleep with the image of a smiling Discord dominating his thoughts.

Dano awoke once again to the dark of night and to the sounds of Berry Punch’s struggle. Again the survivor made his way to the woman’s room, cradled her and let his strong heart sooth her dreams until the sun rose. He then left the former prisoner before she woke, and began to get ready for the coming funeral.

It didn’t take long for Dano to don his uniform. He checked himself in the mirror before he left Berry’s bathroom and like before he could see a soldier standing in front of him, but there was a change. The soldier was scared, he was broken. Although he stood with the same confident stance, you could see the toll of his duty in his eyes. Dano pulled his cap low, and the brim obscured the wounded soul behind the uniform.

Dano had to wait for Berry to rise and get dressed for the funeral, and he found himself standing by the front door for quite a while until the woman came out of her room in a black dress that ended below the knee and black heels. The survivor hated the black clothing immediately after he saw it. It didn’t fit with the vibe of the town, and it didn’t fit with what he had fought for. The two, now dressed for the occasion, left the apartment without a word.

Berry led Dano through the town to the local church a little ways from the town center. The building was small and white with a thin two story tower that straddled the double door entrance and large stained glass windows around the exterior walls. To the right of the small church was a black wrought iron fence that encompassed a small cemetery with a couple dozen simple headstones with rounded tops and the names of the deceased engraved on them. A large gate made of the same material as the fence rested in the middle of the side that faced the road, and they held intricate designs of angles and heaven on them. Two new holes in the ground sat next to each other in the back corner of the fenced in area with brand new headstones above them.

Celestia and Luna stood behind the stone on the left in the same robes they were always wearing with their hoods down and solemn looks on their faces. The remainder of town’s people filled the rest of the cemetery as well as surrounded the fence, for the graveyard was too small to contain them all. Amongst the sea of black stood four men in white, beacons of hope and peace amongst the field of despair. Dano made his way there as Berry peeled off to a group of friends she had known before she had been abducted.

The crowd seemed to split as Dano made his way through it to his team, and they all smiled a bit when they saw him. The survivor did not return the courtesy, and kept his cap low. The girls that Dano had called friends all angrily glared at him as he took his place at the right of the formation in front of them. Pinkie Pie was the exception, for she gave the survivor a small, sad smile much like the day before.

It wasn’t long before a horse drawn carriage arrived with the coffins in the back. Dano spared a quick glance at the headstone that marked the hole he stood on the edge of, and it read in large carved letters ‘Bon Bon.’ Below the name in slightly smaller words lay the rest of the engraving. ‘Always caring, always loving, always kind.’ Dano returned his eyes forward to see Lyra standing on the other side of the new grave, her eyes red from her tears. She was also clad in black, and it made the survivor’s gut wrench. From now on he hated the color black.

The carriage came to a stop parallel to the gates of the enclosure, and six men dressed in black suits that Dano did not know pulled the simple wooden coffin from the wagon, placed it on their shoulders and began to carry Bon Bon to her final resting place. The cemetery was silent save for the sound of the wind and quiet crying emanating from several of the women in the crowd. The six men walked down a path flanked by hundreds of people, all of them watching the coffin pass them by, and eventually stop above the new grave.

“Today we have gathered here to mourn the passing of our dear friend Bon Bon.”

Celestia’s tone was full of sadness and lacked its usual bounce.

“As we lay her to rest may we remember the wonderful life she held. From making amazing sweets for everybody to enjoy, to being a wonderful partner.”

Luna’s voice matched her sisters as she spoke.

“The sun always sets, but it will always rise.”

Celestia closed her eyes as the words left he mouth.

“The night may be long, but it will always end.”

Luna followed her sisters lead, and they soon began to speak in unison.

“Let us morn today, but lets us rise tomorrow happy for the life that Bon Bon led and continue to live ours in harmony.”

As if on cue the six men holding Bon Bon bent at the knee and waist as they lowered the woman into the ground before moving away from the hole. Lyra then approached the grave and dropped a single white rose onto the coffin before two of the six men grabbed shovels and began to fill in the grave. It didn’t take them long, and a rectangle of fresh dirt took the place of the hole.

Celestia and Luna moved to the next new headstone as Dano and his team moved out of the cemetery to the back of the carriage. The Doctor, Soarin and Braeburn took one side while Big Mac and Dano took the other. Ever so slowly they pulled the coffin from the back of wagon, and placed it on their shoulders. They then rotated so that the Doctor and Dano were in the lead and then made their way into the cemetery.

The survivor could feel every pair of eyes on him as he walked in time with his team until they stood over the grave for their comrade. The headstone read ‘Carrot Cake. A loving husband, a kind friend, a guardian of harmony.’ The word guardian hit Dano in the chest hard. They were not soldiers, but guardians, protectors of everything they cared for. They had transcended to title of soldier because of their actions, and they deserved it.

Celestia and Luna made the same speech as before, but with the name changed to Carrot as well as everything that went along with the change. Eventually it came time to lay the marksman to rest, and following the same procedure as before the team lowered themselves in unison to place the coffin on the floor of the hole. Mrs. Cake, who was also covered in black, moved in-between the Doctor and Soarin so she could place an identical white rose on her husband’s coffin. Dano quickly righted himself as the flower fell, and called his team.

“Attention!”

Dano’s voice echoed over the crowd as his team snapped ram rod straight. Mrs. Cake took a step back out of the formation, and returned to her place in the crowd.

“Present arms!”

All five soldiers snapped a quick salute, and after a nod from Celestia the men who had carried Bon Bon began to fill the grave. The five men kept up the finial goodbye to their friend and comrade until the hole was filled. Without waiting any longer Dano turned on his heels and walked out of the cemetery, everybody watching him go. He was done with the black clothing, the headstones, the crying and the sadness. He needed to get out of there before anyone saw the tears he had been holding in leave the eyes that had been hidden behind the black brim of a white cap.

Almost done guys
im so exited!
so am i!
i am also pretty exited to see the end
thanks twily
don't call me that!
what? twily?
GAH!
*snicker* this is fun
you know it

second to last chapter friends
we will see the exiting conclusion to Whole New World in the next chapter
come hell or high water
don't forget to rate and comment
that is all
kthanxbai

Found

This chapter contains one link to one song. The link is tune*. Please click on it to fully enjoy the scene in which it was placed. Thank you for your cooperation on this matter.

WARNING. The following chapter has mature sexual scenes within. If you do not wish to read it, then skip over the section blocked off with the red warning labels. Thank you for your cooperation on this matter

Whole New World
Chapter 23
Found

Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. Winter reared its cold head as autumn silently vanished under blanket after blanket of snow, and Dano found himself still living under Berry Punch’s roof by the time the bitter cold of February began. This wasn’t a bad thing, for Dano had a place to stay, food in his stomach, a place to rest his head as well as work and a friend that he needed so desperately. Berry Punch filled the gap that the fallout of Fluttershy and her friends created, and the survivor reciprocated by being there for the former prisoner. She never talked about her time in Fort Security, but she didn’t have too. They had both been there.

Every night Dano was visited by Discord, and the avatar would constantly taunt the survivor with the fact that his friends had abandoned him, or his many failures. Over time Dano became desensitized to the attacks, and even began to ask questions, much to the delight of Discord.

“So how are you supposed to take me over when the last time you tried to capture someone you couldn’t touch me?” Dano asked as he sat on the typical park bench in the black miasma of his dreams with Discord.

“Simple.” The avatar responded while he reclined on the bench. “I wasn’t in your head the first time but now I am, and I have a secret weapon on my side.

Dano looked over at Discord with an eyebrow raised as the avatar continued to recline.

“Stress Dano, stress. The human mind becomes weak when under a great amount of stress. Bon Bon was getting married, Fluttershy was on the anniversary of her parents ‘disappearance’ and you have lost your friends.”

Dano returned his gaze forward.

“What about Berry Punch?”

Discord chuckled lightly.

“She was trying to quit drinking after she had a miscarriage, and was, by far, the easiest to take.”

Dano didn’t feel anything as he was told Berry’s back story, he couldn’t feel anything.

“What happened to the father?”

Discord pulled his hands out from behind his head and rubbed his chin in thought.

“I think I took him right after his baby died. Soarin can claim that kill.”

Discord continued to ponder before shrugging and returning to reclining.

“I have no idea how her got her pregnant though, he was apparently crazy for anal sex.”

Dano shrugged as well.

“You don’t say.”

After the somewhat brief discussions between Dano and Discord, the survivor would awake in the dead of night to the sound of Berry thrashing. He would rise from his couch and hold her for as long as it took until she settled. The survivor noticed that it was getting harder and harder to get the woman to calm down, and he guessed that either Discord was throwing most of his energy into Berry’s mind or she was weakening. Both explanations scared Dano out of his wits.

Working as a bar tender wasn’t as hard as the survivor expected. The most popular item was a simple local beer, and Berry handled most of the mixed drinks. Dano swore that that woman could mix ashes into sewer water and make it taste amazing. As the weather changed from autumn to winter the usual customers, which consisted of farmers trying to blow off steam after a hard harvest, started to stay home more than go out. They lived to far away down un-shoveled roads to spend their money on simple beer. This didn’t worry Berry as much as Dano, for she knew what the change in seasons brought. The normal town’s folk, with most of their jobs on hold due to the weather, began to take the place of the farmers, and business continued on.

Berry Punch was not the only person Dano counted as a friend in his most trying times. He still had his team, and they had set up a monthly meeting where all five of them got together in the bar and shared a conversation over beer. They always grabbed six bottles though, and they wouldn’t touch the extra one unless to open it or get rid of it when they finished up their meeting.

Echo had also begun to come around right before the snow began to fall, but he couldn’t stay. Berry refused to have the wolf stay in the bar or apartment no matter how many times Dano told her he was smarter than the average animal. The two survivors would usually find themselves walking around town as they chatted, and they received several strange looks from the town’s people. When the snow came the chat became static, and the two would sit on the stoop of the bar instead of walking around.

Echo usually brought news of Jenna or Fluttershy, the latter being slightly more important to the survivor. It seems that after the anger the shy woman had felt dissipated she had settled into a massive depression, and the wolf sometimes had to literally drag her out of bed to get the day started. At first Dano felt a little bit of joy creep into his mind, but he pushed it away violently. Fluttershy didn’t deserve what he had done to her, no matter what she had said or done to him.

Pinkie Pie came around every once in a while when she had room in her schedule. The party girl had moved in with Mrs. Cake to help her cope as well as keep her business going. Apparently the Cake’s shop, known as Sugarcube Corner, was Pinkie’s old apartment and employer before she bought the Pink Hole.

The party girl usually brought news about the rest of the girls and their lives. Apparently they had been telling her to stay away from Dano, with Applejack and Rainbow Dash being the loudest on the subject while Fluttershy simply stopped talking for the rest of their meetings. The survivor understood why Pinkie’s friends told her to stay away, but it seemed that the party girl could see Dano’s suffering and was trying her best to help, much to his appreciation.

Celestia and Luna only sought out Dano once, and that was at the end of November. They told the survivor that they were hoping that the whole spat would work itself out, but the combination of Fluttershy’s shyness and Dano’s guilt made the rift grow with every passing day. The two avatars told the survivor that they would speak to the girls at the upcoming New Year’s party that Pinkie was throwing. Dano only nodded when he was told of the sister’s plans. He didn’t know if their words would help, and all he could do was hope they would.

Dano leaned against a darkly stained wooden pillar in the wall behind the bar that was half for decoration and half to hold up the liquor cabinet behind the serving counter. He was wearing his typical get up when he was working the bar, a simple black t-shirt covered his top while jeans encased his legs. His black boots rested on his feet, and his brown hair was kept short.

It was a typical Wednesday night, with only a single couple out on a date sitting in the last booth on the right, all the way in the back of the establishment. They simply enjoyed each other’s company as they sipped champagne, oblivious to the world.

Dano shifted his weight to get comfortable as he rubbed his face with his right hand. Light stubble met his fingers, and the survivor knew he needed to shave soon. The four slightly faded scars on his face wouldn’t allow hair to grow, so the only way to not look stupid was to get rid of all of his facial hair. Dano shifted once again, and looked at his watch. It told him there was five minutes left before ten. His team’s monthly meeting was at ten on the first Wednesday of the month, and it so happened to be that day.

Dano was happy that the only customers in the bar was the couple too engrossed with each other to bother him, and he was about to go find six bottles of beer when the sound of the door opening brought his attention to the portal.

Snow followed the two customers in as they shuffled into the building before they closed the door quickly. Dano couldn’t recognize the new patrons due to combination of the heavy clothing they wore and the dim lighting of the bar. After a quick second to warm themselves up the two customers shed their jackets and placed them on a wooden coat rack Berry had set out once the weather turned. Dano’s eyes widened slightly when he took in the sight of Applejack and Rainbow Dash slowly making their way to a pair of stools that rested in the center of the bar, and taking a seat.

Applejack wore a long sleeved orange flannel that looked thicker than the work clothes she wore of a matching color during the fall. The same dirty blue jeans and boots covered her legs and feet while her Stetson covered her head. Rainbow Dash wore a cyan long sleeve t-shirt with blue jeans tucked into white snow boots. The two girl’s faces were red from the cold, and they both seemed nervous to be in the bar.

Dano recovered quickly and put on a professional smile as he approached the girls.

“What can I get you ladies?”

Dano kept his tone polite and professional.

“A beer.” Applejack responded, her eyes looking at something to her right.

“Same for me.”

Rainbow’s hand seemed to be particularly interesting to her for the moment.

“Bottle or tap?”

“Bottle.”

Applejack’s eyes seemed to go anywhere that wasn’t occupied by Dano’s face.

“Same.”

Rainbow’s other hand seemed to be the center of attention now.

“Coming right up.”

Dano made his way to a short fridge under the bar, opened it, pulled out two beers, grabbed two coasters from farther down the bar and placed the bottles on top of the protective circles before pushing them in front of the two girls. They both mumbled something like ‘thank you’ before taking the beer in hand, but not drinking it. The survivor shrugged lightly before moving back to his spot.

Right as Dano made himself comfortable the door opened again to let in four men, each wearing heavy coats to protect themselves from the cold. The survivor knew who they were before they all filed in.

“… and so I told him to…”

Soarin didn’t finish his story, for he had caught a glimpse of Rainbow Dash.

“Dash? What are you doing here? I thought you said you were hanging out with your friends.”

Rainbow Dash has turned to see the new occupants of the bar along with Applejack.

“I am.”

The runner’s voice was hard, and Soarin put his hands up in a defensive gesture.

“Alright, alright.”

Soarin shed his coat along with Big Mac, Braeburn and the Doctor while Dano moved to the same fridge as before.

The four soldiers had donned the clothing they had worn before Fort Security. The Doctor was in his navy blue pinstripe suit with a maroon tie tucked into the jacket and maroon Converse sneakers on his feet. Braeburn and Big Mac were both wearing dirty jeans with cowboy boots along with heavy versions of their usual tops. Big Mac wore a red long sleeved t-shirt while Braeburn carried a yellow, wool long sleeved button up shirt under his leather vest. Soarin wore a standard blue t-shirt under his flight jacket, and blue jeans covered his legs to his black boots.

The survivor took six beers out of the fridge before walking out from behind the bar, grabbing a stool and placing it at the end of the booth his team had already moved to. Berry Punch made her way out of the doorway to her apartment just as Dano took his seat. It was her shift, and she waved as she took her place behind the bar. The survivor turned in his seat, reciprocated and returned to his team, handing out the beers before starting the conversation. The four men in front of Dano all took the bottle offered to them, and the survivor set the last down in the spot where Carrot would have sat after opening it.

Time seemed to stop around the group as they chatted away happily. They all shared a bond deeper than most people would ever know or feel, and it had come from their training, minutely, and from their actions together. They were bonds forged in the blistering furnace of war, where hot lead and blood had tempered those connections as they strained, only to come out stronger than before. The group talked about everything under the sun, from their scars to their homes to their women. Soarin kept his voice low when the latter came up, for the woman he was talking about was sitting at the bar most likely listening.

Eventually the time came for the group to disperse and return home. Reluctantly they made their way out of the booth and out the door after donning their jackets, leaving Dano behind. The survivor watched them go, and he felt a mixture of pride and guilt inside of him. He had given them the chance to defend their home and they had taken it, but at what price? They were different now, and they could never be the same. Dano had taken that from them on that night. The survivor sighed before pushing the thoughts away, and getting to work cleaning the booth.

When Dano rose from his stool to put it back he noticed that Applejack and Rainbow Dash had yet to leave or even drink from the bottles in front of them. After a quick shrug the survivor put his stool back, picked up the five empty beer bottles and one full one and disposed of the bottles while he poured the full one down the sink. Dano made his way up to the apartment after getting rid of the newly emptied bottle and wishing Berry a good night. His shift had ended hours ago, and it was time for bed.

Dano sat on the couch in Berry’s apartment the following Monday night. He was busy maintaining his weapons when the sound of someone coming up the stairs pulled him from his concentration. Berry Punch came through the doorway and released a tired sigh as she entered the room, made her way to the closest chair and plopping down on it.

“I hate Mondays.”

Dano chuckled as Berry blew a bit of her messy hair out of her face.

“What’s to hate? No one comes in on Monday.”

Berry sat up in her chair.

“Exactly! There is nothing to do.”

Dano and Berry chuckled before the survivor returned his concentration to the M9 pistol that had been disassembled and cleaned on the coffee table in front of him.

“Twilight Sparkle and Rarity came in today though.” Berry said as she relaxed her spine and slumped in the chair.

“Really?”

Dano didn’t bring his eyes up from the weapon he was now reassembling, but his mind was paying more attention to the woman as his hands deftly completed the jigsaw puzzle known as a pistol.

“Yeah. They said something about talking to you, but I told them today was your day off.”

Dano pulled the slider back on his newly reconstructed M9, and smiled a bit as it snapped back with a loud satisfying click.

“That would explain why Applejack and Rainbow Dash were in the bar last Wednesday.”

Berry let out a tired sigh.

“You think they want to apologize or something?”

Dano slid the pistol magazine into the receiver, and it fell into place without fail.

“Maybe.”

Berry sat up and looked at Dano with a bit of concern.

“Now don’t get Vietnam vet on me.”

Dano placed the pistol back on the table.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

Berry’s expression didn’t change.

“The whole ‘I hate to world because they hated me’ thing.”

Dano chuckled as he picked up his rifle and began to take it apart.

“I have never hated them Berry, so why would I start.”

The answer satisfied the woman, and she rose from her chair slowly.

“Alright Dano, just don’t mess this up.”

Dano made a look of mock contempt.

“Okay mom.”

The two shared a chuckle before Berry wished Dano a good night and went to bed.

The survivor continued to clean the rest of his weapons while a small smile stretched over his face. Not only had his physical scars faded with time, but so had his spiritual ones. Dano was ready to prove that he had healed enough to return to the friendships he had held as if nothing had happened. The survivor suddenly stopped, his smile turning into a frown. He would not act as if nothing happened. To act like that would dishonor Carrot’s sacrifice. Dano resolved to act in a manner that would show he had moved past his failures and grown up while still embodying them. The smile returned to the survivor’s face, and he got back to cleaning his weapon.

Dano trudged through the snow as he made his way through the dimly lit town. The sky was clear tonight and one could see every star in the sky, but the survivor’s eyes remained straight ahead. Today was the day he put things back together with the girls, and Pinkie had created the perfect set up. Not two days before had Dano received a small invitation from a very warmly clothed Derpy addressed to the party girl. It said that she was hosting a ‘We are sorry and we want to be friends again’ party in the survivor’s honor, and after laughing at the name he had asked Berry for that night off. She gave it to him without hesitation.

Dano rounded the last corner in his journey and gazed upon the building known as Sugarcube Corner as he advanced towards it. The building was two stories tall with the second story being pinched between the two sides of the pitched roof. The exterior walls were painted a pale cream color while the parts of the roof that could be seen from under the snow consisted of brown shingles. The wooden doorway rested in the middle of the exterior wall facing Dano, and was painted a soft pink that matched the trim on the structure. A soft glow emanated from the large windows that took up space on the cream colored walls, and the survivor started to hear bouncy electronic music as he approached.

Once standing on the stoop Dano raised his hand to knock, but the door swung open before he could to reveal a practically beaming Pinkie Pie.

“Hello Pinkie.”

Dano couldn’t help but smile as the party girl’s massive grin continued to grace her face.

“Hi! Come on in!”

Pinkie hopped away from the doorway to let Dano through, and with his own smile growing the survivor followed.

Dano found himself in a well-lit shop that was painted a slightly darker cream than the exterior. Pink trim softened the corners of the shop, and created an inviting environment that soothed the survivor. To the left was a counter atop an empty viewing case for the pastries, and behind the counter was a threshold that lead to a darkened kitchen and the rest of the house. Small, round tables with four chairs to each filled up the shop where they had room, and a single unassuming door rested halfway through the right wall.

Pinkie quickly made her way to that door and disappeared behind it, the sound of music increasing as she opened the portal. Without anywhere else to go Dano followed the pink haired party girl’s path across the shop and through the door after he had hung up his coat on a nearby peg attached to the wall.

Dano found himself in a room that looked exactly the same as the one he was in previously, but instead of a counter or any shop related furniture there was just round tables that matched the ones in the preceding area pushed against the walls with two chairs each to create a large empty space in the center of the room. Small speakers rested on a table in the back right corner with Vinyl Scratch sitting in a chair next to them with a laptop in her lap, her sunglasses over her eyes and a smile on her face.

In the center of the room stood almost everybody Dano had counted on as a friend. Big Mac with Twilight, Braeburn with Pinkie, Soarin with Dash, Applejack with Rarity, the Doctor with his hands in his pockets and Fluttershy trying to be as small as possible, all of them clad in their usual attire.

The group and Dano looked at each other for a few moments, the survivor’s smile diminishing slightly.

“Um… We want to apologize for how we treated you Dano.”

Twilight’s eyes dipped as she tried her best to sound sincere.

“We didn’t know what you went through, and we shouldn’t have acted so hastily.”

Rarity’s nose seemed to climb in the air as she tried to cover her own guilt.

“I hope yah can forgive us.”

Applejack finished the apology, and Dano’s smile grew to an impossibly large size. He didn’t know what Celestia and Luna had told the girls, but it had worked.

“You were forgiven long before today.”

Dano watched as six girls all blinked in confusion before it sank in, and their own smiles began to grow. Pinkie Pie separated from the group and in a single bound closed the distance between the survivor and his friends. Dano could barely bring his hands up as the party girl suddenly wrapped him in a hug, almost knocking him over. The rest of the girls laughed at Pinkie’s antics as Dano returned the warm hug.

“You should save some of that for Braeburn, Pinkie.” Dano said once the hug had dragged on for a few second.

Pinkie gasped loudly before she released Dano, ran across the room and leapt on Braeburn. The farmer gave the survivor a dirty look, and Dano just laughed. Apparently Braeburn got this a lot.

The party took off once Braeburn managed to get his overly excitable girlfriend off of him. Nonalcoholic punch and sweet treats were served by Pinkie Pie, and the survivor found himself sitting at one of the many tables around the perimeter of the room talking to anyone who would lend an ear. Every once and a while Vinyl would put on a slower song, and the couples would rise to dance. Dano held off from asking Fluttershy to join him, for she sat as far away as possible from the survivor without being rude. Dano kept his distance, he didn’t want to rush the shy woman.

Dano lost track of time as the party continued on without slowing in the slightest. He was in the middle of discussing the reasons cupcakes could not be used as a viable munition in a cannon with Pinkie Pie when she suddenly leapt out of her seat, took off across the room and made her way out of the party. Everybody watched her go with an expression of confusion, and ended up staring at the door waiting for her to return. Pinkie did just that after a few seconds with someone in tow, and as the party girl moved into the room she revealed that Lyra was the extra person.

Everybody simply looked at the musician with a worried expression, and Lyra blushed madly with the attention. Dano found himself standing and crossing the room to the musician, and embracing her softly. Lyra returned the hug, and calmed as Dano blocked the other’s gazes. The party resumed once Vinyl switched songs, and Pinkie continued her debate on the ‘cupcake cannon’ idea as the survivor lead the musician to an empty seat before sitting down next to her.

Again time flowed around the room as the party continued on unabated. Music continued to flow from the small speakers that Vinyl had supplied, and as a bouncy techno tune ended the sound of a piano playing a slow, sad tune* began to emanate from the sound system. As all of the couples began to make their way to the center of the open floor Dano looked over to see a very sad Lyra.

“What’s wrong?”

Lyra looked up at Dano as tears began to form in her eyes.

“This is The Last Waltz by Frédéric Chopin.”

Dano blinked in confusion.

“This was the song Bon Bon and I planned on having our first dance to.”

Dano’s expression changed to one of sadness until he came up with an idea.

“Would you like to dance with me Lyra?”

Lyra looked shocked at the offer.

“I… I don’t know.”

Dano put on a kind smile.

“I can let you lead if you want.”

Lyra let out a sad chuckle.

“How did you know that Bon Bon let me lead?”

Dano shrugged.

“Just a hunch.”

The two shared a small laugh before Dano stood and offered a hand, and Lyra looked at it for a second before taking it.

“Alright.”

Dano let Lyra lead him to the center of the dance floor before he placed his right hand on her shoulder, and she wrapped her right hand around his waist gently.

“Are you going to lead or not?” Dano asked as Lyra took his other hand in hers, a smile on his face.

Lyra playfully scowled before pulling Dano in close with the arm around his waist, and the survivor chuckled as he let her take control.

Now that they were in position Lyra and Dano began to dance. The feeling of being led through the waltz was new and strange to the survivor, but he fought his natural reaction to try and take charge. Dano’s perseverance paid off, and he soon felt Lyra rest her head on his chest, the warm wet sensation of tears soaking through his shirt. The song was nearing its end when Dano felt and heard the musician begin to speak as they danced.

“You are going to dip.”

Dano blinked in confusion.

“Do you think that is the best idea.”

Lyra simply nodded, and Dano sighed.

This isn’t going to end well.

Eventually the song ended and Dano let himself fall into Lyra. The musician carried the brunt of his weight for a few moments before she buckled. The survivor fell onto his back with a heavy thud, and Lyra had somehow landed sprawled perpendicular to him over his mid-section. The music stopped as everyone looked on with worried expressions, wondering if anyone was hurt. Dano put those worries to rest when he burst out laughing, Lyra following right behind. The rest of the party goers soon joined in, and the room was filled with laughter for several minutes.

Once everyone had settled Big Mac and Soarin lifted Dano to his feet while Twilight and Rainbow lifted Lyra. Once standing the musician gave the survivor another hug.

“Thank you Dano, very much.”

Dano returned the embrace.

“It wasn’t a problem. You can take me dancing anytime you want.”

Lyra and Dano chuckled at his joke before they released each other.

Vinyl returned to playing her techno and dubstep as Dano moved off of the dance floor to sit in a chair by himself, and the survivor seemed to have found a spot in space where he could just sit and watch the party go on without him. He smiled as he saw his friends, both new and old, enjoy each other’s company. Dano felt the urge to go outside for a little while, and after sitting for a few more moments he silently slipped out of the party unnoticed, grabbed his coat and left Sugarcube Corner.

Dano silently trudged down the un-shoveled streets of Ponyville, his eyes turned upward the entire time. The stars and moon were strikingly clear as they traveled across the winter sky, and the survivor zoned out as he walked.

After an unknown amount of time Dano returned to the real world to find himself standing on a hill on the outskirts of town. The light from Ponyville created a massive shadow in front of the survivor, and he stared at the elongated representation of himself for a bit before the sound of footsteps in the snow made him glance over his shoulder.

Behind Dano stood Fluttershy, her arms crossed over her chest as she tried to keep herself warm. A canary yellow coat covered her upper body, and she was encased in tight jeans and pink boots from the waist down. Her long pink hair flowed around her shadow covered face, and her eyes bored into Dano’s back. The survivor returned his gaze forward and up to the sky.

“You know you saved me?”

Dano’s voice was soft, but loud enough for the shy woman to hear.

“In Fort Security. When I was so close to death I could feel his hand on my shoulder. I saw your eyes, and I heard my promise.”

Dano turned around and locked his eyes on Fluttershy’s.

“You pulled me out of there in one piece Fluttershy.”

Dano simply stared at the shy woman as she processed what she was told before she burst into tears and ran to the survivor. Dano accepted her with open arms, and he found himself holding onto Fluttershy as she pressed her face into his chest, tears flowing from her eyes.

“I’m sorry!” Fluttershy managed to say between sobs. “I’m so sorry!”

Dano ran a hand though Fluttershy’s hair while he held her close.

“It’s alright. You are forgiven.”

The couple simply stood in atop the hill on the edge of town for what seemed like forever until Fluttershy had vented her own guilt into Dano. When she had finally settled the survivor gently pushed the shy woman off of him, but kept an arm around her shoulder for warmth.

“Let’s get you home.”

Fluttershy nodded and pushed in close to Dano as they began to walk down the hill towards town.

The walk to Fluttershy’s house was long and cold, but with the shy woman under his arm Dano barely noticed. He was overcome with a sense of joy as he trudged through the snow in the dark. A joy that only grew with every second he felt Fluttershy close by, for he had done it. Dano had repaired the damage he had done, at least enough to be friends with the shy woman once again.

When they finally reached their destination the couple made their way over the small foot bridge and approached the front door, guided by the moons glow. Dano couldn’t find hide or hair of Echo or Jenna, and guessed they had moved inside to escape the cold weather.

Fluttershy unlocked her door and moved inside with the survivor in tow, and they found themselves in the dark living room of the shy woman’s abode as Dano closed the door. The survivor let his eyes adjust to the dark as he took Fluttershy’s coat off of her body and held it until he could see well enough to find the pegged coat holder that was placed to the right of the door.

With the job of escorting Fluttershy home Dano turned to leave, but was stopped short.

“Dano?”

The survivor rotated to his left to see the shy woman standing in the same spot as when her coat was removed. Her face was obscured by the dark as well as her hair, and Dano could hear the conflict dominating her mind through her tone.

“Yes Fluttershy?”

Dano heard Fluttershy shift uncomfortably as well as see a bit of movement in the dark.

“Dano. I… I think…”

Dano waited patiently for Fluttershy to spit out whatever she was saying, but she never got that far.

Dano’s vision was suddenly filled with quick movement, and he felt the warmth of Fluttershy’s body as she perched herself on her toes and placed a light kiss on the survivor’s lips before pulling back. Dano simple stood, his eyes slightly widened as his mind reeled and heart rate quickened.

“I’m sorry! I don’t know what came over me. Please forgive me?” Fluttershy’s words came out quickly and dripped with panic.

Dano didn’t her a word. The emotions he had buried in order to not scare Fluttershy away came rushing forward into his brain. It took the survivor a few moments for his conscious to register that the woman he felt so strongly about was on the verge of tears believing she had done something wrong, and he reacted the only way he could.

Dano took a large step forward to close the gap between him and Fluttershy, wrapped his arms around her tightly, leaned down and planted a kiss of his own on her lips. The two simply held the position for what felt like eons before Fluttershy pressed her body into the survivor’s, and wrapped her arms around his neck. Taking the hint Dano tightened his embrace and increased the gentle pressure of his lips, and Fluttershy returned the push with one of her own.

Time stopped around the couple as the shared the tender kiss, but it, unfortunately, came to an end. Dano pulled away from Fluttershy to see those clear deep cyan eyes staring into his own, despite the dark. Reacting out of instinct the survivor bent at the knee slightly as to lower his level, tucked an arm behind the shy woman’s legs and lifted. Now cradling Fluttershy Dano made his way through the living room using his memory, and began to ascend the stairs up to her room. The shy woman turned and pressed herself into the survivor affectionately as she released a happy sight, and it caused Dano’s heart rate to quicken even more.

==================CAUTION. MATURE CONTENT AHEAD.==================

Dano pushed himself into the room he had become familiar with while he was injured all of those months ago. The moon cast a soft beam of light onto the bed, illuminating the survivor’s path. Without waiting Dano crossed the room, and gently placed Fluttershy on her bed. As the survivor was bent over the shy woman un-expectantly wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled him into another long kiss. Dano’s instincts reacted before his brain, and he climbed into the bed while he pressed his mouth against Fluttershy’s with even more passion than before.

Kiss flowed into kiss, and before long, Dano found himself lightly flicking his tongue across Fluttershy’s lips, asking for permission to enter. The shy woman cautiously opened her mouth and widened her jaw. The survivor slowly pushed his tongue passed Fluttershy’s lips and into her mouth, where it found a nervous partner. With quick, soft movements Dano engaged Fluttershy, and she ever so slowly began to press back. The survivor did his best to control the rising urge in his head to simply take over, and kept the pressure of his tongue equal to the shy woman’s own pink organ.

As the deep kisses began to increase in ferocity, Dano let his weight begin to settle on top of Fluttershy, freeing up his hands in the process. He began to slowly drag his fingers down the shy woman’s sides, making her shiver slightly, until the survivor came to the bottom of her shirt. With a quick flick of the fingers, Dano was now beneath the clothing, and he made his way back up the way he came just as slowly, pulling the shirt as he went. The feeling of Fluttershy’s soft skin under his fingertips sent small shivers of ecstasy down the survivor’s spine, further fogging up his thought processes.

Fluttershy had not been idle as her tongue danced with Dano’s, but had released her grip around the survivor’s neck, moving her hands under his arms and around his back while pulling him closer. Dano had followed the shy woman’s slight directions, and was now pressing himself down with a constant, firm pressure, while he slowly lifted her shirt, caressing her soft skin.

Dano broke the kiss quickly, and pulled the shy woman’s clothing over her head and tossed it away before diving back into the kiss. Fluttershy met him halfway before the survivor forced her head back into the bed as their tongues resumed their furious battle. Coherent thoughts and doubts began to wash away under the sea of pleasure and instincts building up in both parties, and Dano felt Fluttershy’s grip on his back release as she moved her hands around his body, trying their hardest to remove his coat.

Dano decided to help out the shy woman, and after breaking their kissing for a second time, he straightened up and quickly pulled his coat off, followed by his shirt over his head. To the survivor’s pleasant surprise, Fluttershy had sat up, and, with his hands still over his head, attacked Dano with another kiss as she wrapped her arms around his midsection. Without hesitation the survivor returned it as he tossed his shirt and coat into the dark room behind him.

Using whatever part of his brain that still functioned, Dano decided now was as good a time as ever to remove the shy woman’s bra, and without pressing her back down, kept kissing her, while his arms wrapped around her back. The survivor’s hands found the underwear’s clasp, and after fumbling with it for a few seconds managed to undo the bra. Dano gently pulled the straps off of Fluttershy’s shoulders, and, with a little cooperation from the shy woman, managed to get the underwear down her arms before tossing it away with the rest of the removed clothing.

Dano forced himself into Fluttershy, and the couple fell into the bed roughly. With the shy woman on her back once again, the survivor lifted his hips and legs over her own, and she gently spread her lower appendages to allow him entry. Dano settled in-between Fluttershy’s thighs, and with a little weight on his hips, began to grind into her.

Fluttershy moaned softly into Dano mouth as he put pressure onto her sensitive lower half, and it only increased the fog in the survivor’s mind as well as the heat slowly making its way down his body. While keeping his pressure constant between her legs the survivor lifted his upper half slightly, and pulled his lips away from Fluttershy’s. With his mouth free Dano began to trail sloppy kisses down her chin toward her neck while his right hand slowly moved up her abdomen until it came into contact with the soft mass of the shy woman’s left breast.

Fluttershy’s breath caught as Dano gave her mammary a light squeeze, and she moaned right after as the survivor found the sensitive spot where the jaw met the neck with his lips. Dano began to lick and suck on the shy woman’s neck as he applied pressure to her breast with his palm, the mass fitting perfectly into his hand. Fluttershy arched her neck as Dano’s mouth and hand worked in tandem to send waves of pleasure into her brain, and her breaths came in shallow, ragged bursts as she held on to the survivor.

Satisfied that he had shown Fluttershy’s neck enough love Dano began to kiss his way down the front of the shy woman’s neck and onto her chest, where he shifted his weight to his right hand to allow his left to attack Fluttershy’s right breast while his mouth ascended her left. The survivor let his mouth hover over the shy woman’s erect nipple and allowed his hot breath caress it. Once again Fluttershy’s breath caught in her throat, and she arched her back ever so slightly while letting out a small whine of frustration.

Not wanting to keep his partner waiting any more Dano wrapped his lips around the sensitive nub and began to suck lightly while he played with it with his tongue. Fluttershy let out a low moan as her hands ran through Dano’s hair, and it only made the survivor that much more aggressive in his efforts. Dano sucked, licked and lightly bit Fluttershy’s left nipple as his left hand still worked her right breast, and he figured he was doing a good job by the sounds Fluttershy was making.

Eventually the shy woman’s moans and coos leveled out, and Dano guessed he had gotten the most out of his ministrations. The survivor released Fluttershy’s nipple and began to snake his way down her abdomen, planting small kisses as he went. After a teasingly long time he reached the gap between the shy woman’s legs, and he could feel a heat emanating from her crotch.

While kissing her stomach right above her jeans Dano’s hands worked over the clasp holding them together. The pants came undone after a quick tug on the button, and without moving away from her stomach the survivor reached down her legs to remove the boots and socks placed on her feet before discarding them into the dark room. With the footwear gone Dano began to pull the shy woman’s jeans and panties down her legs ever so slowly until they were free from her body. The clothing was then discarded in the same fashion as before.

Dano pulled his head up and away from Fluttershy, and he gazed at her form. In the moonlight the shy woman’s skin looked pale and smooth, and her chest rose and fell slowly as she simply took in breath after breath. Her legs had been pulled together under Dano by the removal of her tight jeans and underwear, and he arms, without anything better to do, lay sprawled out to her sides on the bed. The survivor drank in the shy woman’s figure until his gaze finally reached her eyes, those deep pools of cyan that he wished he could fall into.

“You’re beautiful Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy responded with a small smile and a blush that could be seen even in the pale lighting.

Dano chuckled at the shy response before his brain reminded him that he wasn’t done. The survivor began to settle his weight on Fluttershy’s legs, and she spread them in response. With his chest pressing against the bed and his arms wrapped around the shy woman’s thighs Dano took in the slightly swollen lips of the treasure between her legs. Acting on instinct the survivor stuck his tongue out, and ran it slowly from the bottom of Fluttershy’s slit to the top.

The shy woman cried out in pleasure as Dano’s tongue sent pure pleasure arcing up her spine and into her skull, and the sound only made Dano that much more eager to keep going. The survivor could taste Fluttershy, and it blew his mind. Half out of his desire to please his partner and out of his own want to taste her sweet juices again Dano brought his tongue back to the bottom of Fluttershy’s sensitive area and licked once again.

Fluttershy arched her back and pressed her hips forward as Dano continued to eat out his partner, and after giving her a few good licks he pressed his tongue in-between her folds and into her canal. Fluttershy moaned as the survivor’s pink organ worked its way around inside of her, scrapping against clenching walls as her body begged Dano to go deeper. The survivor obliged to the best of his ability until he pulled out, a strand of fluid attaching his tongue to her crotch.

Fluttershy let out a frustrated coo that soon turned into a shriek as Dano gave her clit a strong lick, and it took most of the survivor’s strength to simply stop the shy woman from slamming her legs down on his head. Without hesitation Dano enveloped Fluttershy’s button with his lips and began to suck lightly while the pink organ in his mouth began to tease and prod the nub.

Fluttershy spasmed with pleasure as Dano attacked her clit with his lips, tongue and, eventually, teeth, and her screams and moans only grew louder and louder until she finally released the flood gates. The survivor felt his chin get soaked as Fluttershy thrust her hips forward and came before letting every muscle in her body relax. Dano went about licking up all of the juices that flowed freely from the shy woman as she basked in the afterglow of her orgasm.

Once satisfied that he had caught all of Fluttershy’s excess fluids Dano lifted his head out from between her legs to see the shy woman panting, her tongue hanging out of her mouth and eyes half lidded. The survivor smiled as he crawled over the shy woman, and planted a soft kiss on her lips. At first Fluttershy was unresponsive, but she soon broke from her stupor to return the kiss.

Dano pulled Fluttershy out of her afterglow with his lips, and it wasn’t long before her tongue began to assault the survivor’s with renewed vigor as she wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him into her with her arms. The heat in Dano’s body had slowly concentrated in his crotch as he had taken care of Fluttershy, and the majority of his brain called for him to relieve the pressure. The shy woman somehow sensed this, and sent an exploratory hand down below. Fluttershy grazed Dano’s member, and even through his jeans he twitched at the contact.

The shy woman felt the reaction, and began to stroke the survivor through his pants. Dano released a groan into Fluttershy’s mouth, and it only made her increase her ministrations in speed and pressure. A bit of Dano was frustrated with the foreplay and begged for release. Eventually the survivor gave into his urges, pushed himself off of Fluttershy, took a seat on the edge of the bed and began to remove his boots. Fluttershy waited patiently as the survivor untied his footwear and kicked them off before hopping back onto her. Dano chuckled as the shy woman giggled before they locked lips once again.

Fluttershy returned her hand to below Dano’s waist along with its partner, and they began to work in tandem to unbutton his jeans, and try to get them down. The shy woman’s position lacked any leverage to facilitate the removal of the survivor’s clothing, so Dano had to break the kiss as he straightened and disrobed before throwing his pants, underwear and socks into the room behind him.

Now completely naked Dano returned his weight to Fluttershy as well as his lips to hers. After a few moments of wrestling with their tongues the survivor pulled his head back, and looked into the shy woman’s eyes. A single flicker of fear appeared in Fluttershy’s features as she spoke softly.

“Be gentle.”

Dano pecked Fluttershy’s lips.

“Of course.”

Dano shifted his hips until his member was in line with Fluttershy’s still moist sex, and he felt his head prod her entrance. Fluttershy inhaled sharply with the sensation as she pulled the survivor close with her arms, and he returned the embrace as he pressed his lips against hers. The shy woman returned the kiss, and Dano began to press his hips forward.

Fluttershy threw her head back and moaned loudly as Dano’s head spread her entrance. The survivor fought the urge to simply thrust as hard as he could, and let his hips continue to apply the same amount of pressure. Dano slowly buried his member into Fluttershy inch by inch, and he could feel her hot, wet passage constrict around him. Dano grunted through grit teeth, and Fluttershy screamed and moaned as she dug her fingernails into his back.

After what felt like an eternity to Dano he felt his hips gently collide with Fluttershy’s thighs, and he paused. The survivor panted as Fluttershy subconsciously massaged his member with her muscles as she gasped, causing the overwhelming sensations of pleasure to jolt up his spine and enter his brain. Moments passed, and all Dano wanted to do was stay there, buried inside of Fluttershy, forever until his instinct took over.

Just as slowly as before the survivor pulled his rod out of the shy woman, leaving only his head inside. Fluttershy let out a desperate coo which turned into a pleasured moan as the feeling of emptiness was soon replaced by Dano. The survivor repeated the process of pulling out to just before slipping out and pumping back in, increasing in speed with every thrust until he settled into a rhythm. Fluttershy would moan and twist underneath Dano as he moved, and he would grunt in response to the growing tightness in his testicles.

Fluttershy’s moans and cried began to become louder and increase in pitch as they went along, a sign that she was moving ever closer to her eventual climax. Dano took note of the sounds his partner was creating, and increased his speed as well as the force of each thrust to keep pushing the shy woman closer to the edge until the sound of his hips slapping against her resonated just as loudly as the noise that escaped their maws.

Dano was getting close, and, by the sounds Fluttershy was making, so was she. The survivor pushed himself off of the shy woman and rose until he was perpendicular to her, gaining extra leverage. He only paused to shift his legs before resuming his thrusts with the same amount of force and speed as before. Fluttershy’s voice rose so high that her cries were only audible as squeaks, and it filled Dano with a lust he had never felt before. His only need was to make her orgasm, and he doubled his efforts despite the almost painful tightness in his scrotum.

As Dano buried himself for the umpteenth time Fluttershy released a pleasure filled shriek as the survivor finally pushed her over the edge, and he could feel her muscles clench down on his member as it was covered in the hot juices that the shy woman was producing in excess. Fighting against every instinct in his head Dano pulled himself out of Fluttershy just as his own self-control broke down, and his flood gates opened.

Dano’s eyes snapped shut as he came, spurt after spurt of semen fired out of him until he had emptied himself. The survivor, overwhelmed by the sheer pleasure, leaned back with his knees still under him, and opened his eyes to see the dark ceiling. He breathed deeply as his body tried its best to recover from the physical stress it had gone through, and Dano could feel fatigue start to pull at the edges of his mind. One thing stopped him from letting slumber take him, and that was the woman sprawled out in front of him.

Dano regained as many of his wits as he could, and lifted himself so he could see Fluttershy. Even in the feint glow of the moon he could see her face, flushed and smiling as she panted. Dano’s seed covered the shy woman from her chest to mid abdomen, and he felt a little pride at the sheer volume he had produced.

With sleep becoming more and more inviting Dano pushed himself out of bed, and walked into the bathroom across the hall. Using his memory the survivor found one of the shy woman’s towels, returned to the bed room and cleaned off his partner who had fallen asleep. After discarding the dirty towel like his clothing, Dano climbed into bed.

========================END MATURE CONTENT========================

Dano suddenly realized with a chill that it was, in fact, winter, and that the rest of the house was several degrees cooler that the heat Fluttershy and the survivor had put out. Dano pulled the thick comforters of the shy woman’s bed over his naked body, and as he made himself comfortable on his back Fluttershy rolled over and placed her arm around the survivor’s abdomen with her head on his chest. The sleeping woman let out a content sigh and smiled as she felt the warmth of Dano’s body and heard the beat of his heart pounding away in his chest. Dano felt a smile of his own spread across his face as he looked down at the woman holding him, her pink hair a mess atop her head. Pure joy surged in the survivor’s veins as sleep began to pull him under more forcefully than before, and the last thing he saw before he closed his eyes was the woman he loved.

Dano stood in darkness like he had every night after Fort Security, and like before Discord stood in front of the survivor. Dano noticed that the avatar’s appearance had changed since the last time he had seen him. Bags rested under Discord’s eyes, and his skin appeared to be paler than normal as well as his suit not fitting as well.

“You did a good job Daniel, her two for your one. Such a selfless lover.”

Dano felt anger rise within him at the mention of Fluttershy, and without hesitation Dano made his way across the small gap between the avatar and himself as Discord began smiling as he guessed what the survivor was about to attempt.

“We have been over this Daniel you can’t touch a…”

Dano wrapped his hand around Discord’s neck, much to the surprise of them both.

“… soul.” The avatar managed to speak as Dano tightened his grip.

The survivor smiled devilishly as fear began to flash across Discord’s face. Dano lifted the avatar into the air with a minute amount of effort, and Discord began to kick and struggle as whatever magic was holding him in the survivor’s mind began to constrict just like his throat.

“You haven’t won Daniel.” Discord wheezed out. “No matter what you do I will be here with you.”

Dano glared into Discord’s blood red eyes.

“And I will be there to put you back into the ground. Every. Single. Time.”

With that Dano squeezed his fist as tightly as he could, and the sound of snapping vertebrae echoed in the darkness. Discord slumped as his neck broke, and his form began to disintegrate into a mist until he was gone, drifting away in an unfelt wind.

Happiness, pure, un-fathomable happiness filled Dano’s brain, and the feeling was only dwarfed by the joy he had felt when he was with Fluttershy. Dano began to laugh uncontrollably as the surge of delight coursed through him. The miasma closed in slowly, and the survivor laughed the entire time before he was pulled back to sleep.

Dano awoke to the sun bearing down through the windows of Fluttershy’s room. The world was silent save for the sound of two people breathing. The survivor opened his eyes and looked down to see a still slumbering Fluttershy resting her head on his chest. The heat she put out was felt to Dano’s core, and his smile returned with the sight of his partner.

Dano returned his head to the pillow underneath it, and released a content sigh. There was no place he would rather be than where he was. Suddenly Fluttershy moved, and the survivor returned his gaze downward to see the shy woman looking back up at him. They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, both smiling, until Dano broke the silence.

“Good morning.”

Dano’s voice was soft and cracked a bit from not using it since the night before.

“Good morning.” Fluttershy echoed, her voice in the same condition’s as Dano’s.

“How are you feeling?” Dano asked, his voice coming back.

Fluttershy sighed.

“Great.”

Dano chuckled softly.

“Same here.”

The couple continued to stare at each other, simply happy to be together.

“Dano?”

A bit of nervousness made its way into Fluttershy’s voice.

“Yes?”

“I… I lo…“

Dano placed a finger over Fluttershy’s mouth.

“I know. I love you too.”

Fluttershy beamed, her smile growing much larger that Dano had ever seen it before. The shy woman pulled herself onto the survivor, and placed a tender kiss on his lips. Dano returned the sign of affection, and was about to go in for another when the sound of someone ascending the stairs reached his ears.

Dano and Fluttershy looked at the portal in unison as Echo pushed his way through the slightly ajar door, and stopped dead in his tracks. The couple and wolf stared at each other as an awkward silence settled over the room. Echo broke the eye contact, and looked around the area to see both Dano’s and Fluttershy’s clothing thrown haphazardly around before returning his gaze to the couple.

Dano felt himself start to laugh, and Echo began to join in. The soft chuckle between the two friends grew until they were both laughing so hard they were crying.

“Nice to see you buddy.” Dano said once he got his wits back under control.

Echo barked something that Dano interpreted as a positive response.

“How was your night?”

Dano smirked at the wolf, knowing full well that his own night would put his to shame.

Echo indicated the stairs with his head and wiggled his eye brows suggestively.

“You didn’t…”

Dano’s jaw dropped as he realized what Echo had told him.

Echo nodded before chuckling.

“What does that mean?” Fluttershy asked, confusion apparent on her face.

Dano’s gaze shifted from the wolf to the woman and back again.

“How do you feel about puppies?”

The End?

Well, this is it.
the end
we have to go don't we
im afraid so. The story is over.
but we had fun here. right Twilight?
yeah Pinkie. we did.
don't worry you two. Even though us hanging out is coming to an end doesn't mean we wont ever see each other ever again.
you're right
and when you're right, you're right
i will see you guys around okay?
goodbye Gaius
yeah! see you later.
*closes door as they leave*
well, on to the next one
*sage nod*
gonna miss em
indubitably
*sits down and gets writing once again while camera dramatically fades to black*

hey guys
looks like its all over
for now :)
and you are probably asking yourself
"why does the story still say incomplete?"
well, when i said this was the last chapter,
i lied.
there will be an epilogue (sorta) that will tie this fic with its sequel
the epilogue will be uploaded when the sequel gets passed the mods
have fun raging!
don't forget to rate and comment
that is all
kthanxbai

Epilogue (Sorta)

Whole New World
Chapter 24
Epilogue (Sorta)

Princess Celestia gazed at the night sky that hung above her with her magenta eyes as she rested on a wooden bench in a secluded area of the Canterlot Royal Gardens. The princess of the sun had always enjoyed the way her sister arranged the stars and moon that drifted lazily through the sky and no matter how much she tried Celestia couldn’t match her sister’s skill.

Celestia's pastel mane endlessly flowed around her long white furred neck and her tail drifted along with it, equal parts cobalt, green, cerulean blue and pink. Her white coat shined in the night, and her massive wings were tucked against her back comfortably. The long white horn that jutted out of her forehead seemed to break her mane as water would break on rock.

After a content sigh Celestia shifter her gaze back to the gardens around her. A cobblestone path snaked its way past the bench, and six foot tall hedges flanked the trail as if they were walls protecting it. The bench that the princess of the sun rested upon was situated in a nook that sprouted off of the path, and was carved into the ridged hedge.

Celestia had always preferred this part of the gardens, especially this late in the autumn season. The hedges held a simplified beauty in the way there were trimmed, and, with the large amount of magic that had secreted into the soil from living near the princesses, had lived for literally hundreds of generations of ponies. Other than her sister these plants were the only other living thing that rivaled Celestia in age.

Celestia’s gaze was about to drift back to the stars above when the sound of wing beats reached her ears. The princess of the sun climbed off of the bench and stretched her long legs as the wing beats grew closer. Celestia looked to her right just as her sister landed gracefully on the cobblestone path, her light blue, ornate horse shoes making a slight clop as the hit the ground. After pulling her large wings in against her navy blue body Luna moved towards her sister.

The lunar princess was shorter than Celestia, her black crown not as ornate as her sisters gold one and the crest that rested upon her chest was made of cloth instead of the jewel incrusted necklace Celestia carried around her neck. Despite these less regal features the navy blue alicorn walked with a confidence that showed her right to be the princess of the night, even if the flowing mane and tail that matched the sky or deep blue calm eyes wasn't enough.

Luna walked up to her sister’s side, and gave Celestia a curt node before the two alicorns began to walk side by side down the cobblestone path towards their destination. Earlier that day a message had been brought before the two regal sisters, but not one from their country or even their plane of existence for that matter. The letter had come from the avatars of themselves they had sent to watch over the humanity many, many years ago.

The message told of a man named Daniel who had succeeded in stopping the avatar of Discord before he further corrupted the human’s plane. This was joyous news indeed, but something had struck Celestia amiss. She knew Discord, and from all of that expertise screamed one thing. That this little struggle was yet complete, and that the prince of chaos had many other means to get out of his prison just waiting in the shadows.

Celestia and Luna walked down the garden path for several minutes, their hooves echoing in the still night, before they reached their destination. The hedge walls expanded in front of them to create a circle with the entrance being the only break in the perfectly round clearing. A single stone statue of a draconequus rested in the middle of the open area sitting on a small platform surrounded by several different types of colorful flowers which had closed their pedals for the night. The moonlight cast a ghastly shadow over the face of the being trapped in stone, and illuminated the outline of the statue in its dull glow.

Celestia and Luna moved undaunted up to the statue, and as they neared the shadows began to fade and the statue’s features could be seen. A look of pure shock dominated the being’s face, and his arms were outstretched in front of him as he tried to ward off the attack that put him in this state. Celestia looked deeply into the stone eyes of the being before letting out a sad sigh. Luna heard her sister, but decided to make nothing of it.

Without another word Celestia tipped her horn towards the statue and pressed the tip lightly in the center of the being’s chest. The sun princess closed her eyes and reached a tendril of magic into the statue. For a few seconds Celestia felt nothing except emptiness until a hand of dark magic reached out and grabbed the probe. The sun princess felt the claw begin to syphon her energy, but she had prepared for this and broke contact off with the tendril allowing it to be consumed by the hand.

As Celestia opened her eyes she could hear the sound of a baritone laugh echo in the back of her head, and the sound shook her to the bone. The sun princess jumped when she felt a wing spread across her back, and she turned he head to see that Luna had moved up beside her sister to comfort her. Celestia returned her gaze to the statue and looked up to the face of the being.

She had felt him, had felt Discord’s presence. This was to be expected, but there was still something off about the sensation. Celestia came to the conclusion that he was, in fact, still not whole. The sun princess turned to her sister, sadness present on her face.

“What is the matter Tia? Did Daniel not succeed?” Luna asked, her voice filled with hope that her assumptions were false.

“No Lulu, Daniel has succeeded, but there is still something missing from him.”

Celestia shifted her gaze back to the statue.

“What are we to do Tia?” Luna’s voice was filled with a little fear at the prospect of Discord’s third return.

“We must put all of our faith in Daniel, and hope that he can stop him again.”

Celestia’s eyes moved away from the statue and up into the sky as if she could send her hope and faith to the man named Daniel. Luna followed her gaze, and the two sisters became lost in the night sky. After an unknown amount of time Celestia moved away from her sister, turned and began to walk away.

“I hope your faith is well placed Tia.” Luna said quietly as she hesitated to follower her sister.

Celestia stopped walking, but did not turn to look at Luna.

“So do I Lulu, so do I.”

With that Celestia unfurled her wings and with a mighty stroke downwards lifted into the air. Luna quickly turned around and followed her sister’s lead. The two princesses soared through the sky toward Canterlot Castle, their minds full of worry and hope that the actions of the human named Daniel would protect them and their realm from destruction they themselves could not.

=====================================================================

I would like to dedicate this fan fiction to my father, who shall go by the name Gaius Solidus. He has always been there for me no matter the case, a rock to cling onto when the world around me raged like a tornado.

My father has recently received a bone marrow transplant to reverse the damage the cancer known as Leukemia has done to his body, and I have seen his steady and caring façade crumble under the strain.

I hope that when he reads this fic that he feels pride in his son, a pride that even in one of his darkest hours I can keep going despite the lack of his presence. A feeling of joy that even as he fights on without me next to him I have the will to create, to enjoy the things I love despite the worry I feel.

I pray that he sees the best of him in me, and that I have become part of the rock that holds him down as his world crumbles around him. I love you dad, and I want you to know that every day I hope that I have made you smile and feel proud of the young adult I have become. Please stay well, and listen to mom so you can come home soon.

I love you dad, with my entire heart and soul and everything my words are worth. No matter what, you will be my anchor to happiness and nothing will never ever change that.

Thanks for reading friends
The sequel, Same Old Fight is now up.
Click >HERE< to get there before everyone else.
That is all
Kthanxbai

Preparation

Whole New World
Chapter 16
Preparation

Dano walked home in a torrential downpour as the storm he had seen earlier settled over Ponyville and the surrounding area. The survivor was chilled to the bone by the combination of rain, wind and lack of sun. The storm clouds that hung over Dano were so thick that not a ray of sunlight pierced them, and despite the fact that it was midafternoon the survivor could not see his hand in front of his face clearly.

Using his memory and staring at the trail at his feet Dano made good time getting back to Fluttershy’s house. His stride did not reflect the dark and brooding environment around him, but was actually full of energy and determination. Before long the survivor rounded the last bend in the trail before Fluttershy’s abode, and through the rain he made out the silhouettes of Echo and Jenna. One of the K9s was sitting under a tree, which Dano guessed was the husky, while the other jumped around enjoying the weather.

The two animals stopped what they were doing when they heard Dano moving through the rain, and the one who had been playing took off at a dead sprint toward the survivor barking madly. Dano met the animal on his side of the small footbridge, took a knee and embraced it. The survivor confirmed that in fact he was holding Echo, and he could hear the wolf whine. Dano guessed Echo had heard the entire thing take place in town.

Dano was content where he was, holding onto his friend when he heard a door open. The survivor looked up to see a faint light in the distance, and guessed Fluttershy had come out of the house. The light flickered out as the noise of the door closing reached the survivor ears, and despite the lack of light the silhouette of Fluttershy appeared in the downpour moving undaunted through the rain.

The survivor released Echo just as Fluttershy moved across the bridge. Dano was prepared to explain his tardiness, but was shocked when the shy woman lunged at him, embracing the survivor around his neck. Dano felt the warmth of the woman move through his chest, and the smell of her hair wafted up to his nose unhindered by the downpour. After a brief hesitation the survivor returned the tight embrace, burying his head in the shy woman’s wet hair.

“I was so worried.” Dano heard Fluttershy say over the rain.

The survivor remained silent, and Fluttershy pulled back slightly from the embrace to look up at him.

“What happened in town?”

Dano sighed quietly as he released Fluttershy.

“We should go inside.”

Fluttershy looked up into the sky as if she had not noticed the rain while Dano moved past the shy woman towards the house without saying another word.

Dano opened the front door and moved into the house. He turned around to see Fluttershy and Echo following behind him a few feet back, and the survivor left the door open as he moved through the dark house to the dining room. Dano took a seat in his usual spot once he entered the eating area, and the survivor heard the door close as he lifted his arms onto the table.

Fluttershy moved into the dining room with Echo by her side, and after she rested the wet candle she held in her hand on the table she turned on the small light that hung above the room. Echo sat down next to Dano and looked up at his friend with worried eyes, and Dano patted his head to calm the wolf. Fluttershy crossed the kitchen and sat in her usual spot, and once seated Dano began to speak.

“There was an attack on the town.”

Dano watched Fluttershy’s eyes widen in shock before he continued.

“They shot the place up pretty bad.”

Fluttershy’s eyes glazed over as she tried to comprehend what Dano had just told her.

“Was anyone hurt?”

Dano swallowed as he prepared to lay the worst of the news down.

“Four people died, and a good dozen have been wounded.”

Fluttershy returned from her mind, and tears began to well in her eyes.

“W-Who…”

Dano couldn’t look Fluttershy in the face, and he shifted his gaze to the table in front of him.

“The Mayor, Caramel, Aloe and Scootaloo.”

Dano’s voice was monotone as he quickly recalled the names etched into his brain. The survivor looked up to see Fluttershy about to break down.

“W-what are we supposed to do now?”

Dano stared into Fluttershy’s moist eyes, and he felt a bit of his own rage seep into his voice.

“I am going to make sure it never happens again.”

Fluttershy broke down, and let her head fall into her hands. Dano stood and moved around the table to comfort the shy woman, much like he did the first night he spent in Ponyville. He took a knee and went to hold Fluttershy, but she beat him to the punch. She wrapped her arms around Dano’s neck as tightly as she could as she cried into his shoulder, and Dano embraced her in kind.

“You can’t leave.”

Dano rested his head on Fluttershy’s shoulder, and he tightened his hold as the shy woman forced the words out through her sobs.

“I have too.”

Fluttershy’s grip somehow tightened even more, and a bit of Dano was shocked at her strength.

“No. You don’t have too. You can’t leave. You won’t come back.”

It hit Dano in the chest like a sledge hammer. He guessed the last man Fluttershy had gotten close with had left and never returned. She feared losing Dano the same way she had lost her father. The survivor wondered if the shy woman saw him as a father figure, but he shoved that thought away and returned his focus to Fluttershy.

“I’m going to come back.” Dano released a reassuring chuckle. “You worry too much.”

Dano filled his voice with as much confidence as he could, but his words didn’t seem to do anything to calm Fluttershy. She continued to hold onto the survivor, repeating her plea to stop him from leaving. Dano just held on as the shy woman shook underneath him, and she cried until she couldn’t anymore.

Fluttershy was reduced to a shivering mess in Dano’s arms. She convulsed with every breath, and she would occasionally mumble incoherent words that Dano guessed were her telling him to stay. Despite her condition Fluttershy’s grip on Dano was absolute, and the survivor could not get free unless he used all of his strength, which was out of the question.

Dano needed to get the shy woman’s mind off of everything, but he didn’t know what to do. The storm raging outside made it impossible for her to enjoy her animals or weather, and other than cook the survivor didn’t know what she did for enjoyment. Dano recalled that Fluttershy was quite good at sewing, and he needed to get ready for tomorrow.

“Fluttershy?”

The shy woman stirred, but did not release Dano.

“I need to get ready for tomorrow, would you like to help?”

Dano felt Fluttershy nod slowly, and her arms loosened around his neck. The survivor slowly pulled himself from the shy woman’s embrace while releasing his own. Dano stood once free, and looked down to see the blood shot eyes of Fluttershy staring back at him. Her face was covered in the streaks of her tears, and her long wet hair stuck to her scalp. The blue jeans and canary yellow sweater she was wearing was soaked through, and she shivered uncontrollably from her breakdown and the cold.

“You should go change.”

Fluttershy nodded then stood, albeit slowly.

“Can you grab your sewing kit when you finish please?” Dano asked as Fluttershy began to walk away, and he received a slight nod as a response.

Fluttershy did not stop to respond, but kept walking slowly out of the kitchen and toward her room. Dano stood in the dining area until he heard the sounds of the shy woman ascending the stairs. He then left the dining room quickly, crossed the living room and moved into the guest room. Echo trotted into the room behind his friend and climbed into the bed as Dano took a knee next to his bedstead and pulled out the short chest that contained his equipment.

Dano opened the wooden container to see everything just the way he left it. His rifle had lost its spotless sheen since the last time he saw it, but the survivor was confident it was in serviceable condition. Dano knew it had been several weeks since he had cleaned the weapon, and that would have to be his first priority. He lifted the weapon out of the chest and pulled the bolt back to inspect the chamber. The survivor was greeted by a copper colored round, and after peering around the internal workings of the weapon he was satisfied it would work despite its lack of cleaning.

Dano set the weapon down next to him, and pulled out his bullet proof vest. After inspecting the grey and brown armor for any signs of neglect he set it down over his rifle. Next came the black tactical vest, and once out of the chest Dano tapped on the four pouches that covered the front with a knuckle. The sound of the metallic clips held inside of the pouches reached the survivor’s ear, and Dano was satisfied that no one had tampered with his ammunition.

With his rifle and upper body equipment meeting Dano’s satisfaction he moved on to his side arms and belt. The survivor stood and moved to his dresser where his Magnum, knife, M9 and belt rested. As he grabbed his things the sound of water sloshing around in the half full canteen reached Dano’s ears, and he made a mental note to empty the container and refill it along with the one on his pack which rested under the bed.

Dano moved back to where he was kneeling and began to look over his things. Before he could remove anything from its carrying case Fluttershy entered the room quietly. The survivor turned his head to see her in a canary yellow t-shirt and pink sweat pants. Dano motioned for her to enter, and she did so just as slowly as she had moved to go to her room.

As Fluttershy entered the semi-dark room Dano noticed that she was carrying a case that he guessed was the sewing kit. It was slightly larger than the one he owned, and it seemed to be older as well. Fluttershy moved across the room until she was behind Dano, and the survivor motioned for her to sit. The shy woman complied, and as she lowered herself Dano rotated his body so they would be facing each other. Once turned the survivor gabbed his knife and belt, and held it in front of himself for Fluttershy to see.

“I need you to sew my knife onto my belt please.”

Fluttershy took the belt and knife from Dano.

“H-how do you want it?”

Fluttershy’s voice was a bit raspy from her recent breakdown, and Dano could still see that her eyes were bloodshot.

“Like this.”

Dano manipulated the items in Fluttershy’s hands to their desired location.

The survivor had been thinking about where to put his knife on and off since he removed it from his vest. With his fight against Discord coming to a head his mind went into overdrive on the subject. Dano decided to put the weapon on his left hip, a little in front of his canteen, at a forty five degree angle, like a sword would be placed. This way he could quick draw the weapon as well as wear it around town.

When Dano placed the knife in its desire location Fluttershy nodded and got to work. The survivor noticed that as she fumbled through her kit that it was probably too dark for the job to be done well, and Fluttershy was too kind to raise her concerns. Dano decided to help out the shy woman, so he leaned over to his rifle, picked it up and rested it in front of him with the butt on the ground. He popped one of the flashlights attached to the front of the rifle off then set the rifle down. The survivor pushed the button on the back on the back of the flashlight, and a white beam of light shot out from the front.

Dano used the flashlight to help Fluttershy, and she was soon ready to begin sewing. As Fluttershy went to work on the knife and belt Dano noticed her hands were shaking. Without moving the light in his left hand the survivor reached out with his right and placed it on top of the shy woman’s sewing hand. Fluttershy looked up to see Dano with a reassuring smile on his face.

“Everything is going to be fine.”

Dano’s voice was filled with compassion and confidence, and he could see some of it take root in Fluttershy’s brain. After a deep breath Dano removed his hand and Fluttershy got back to work without any more shaking.

The rest of the job went on as it started, with Dano holding the light and Fluttershy sewing. The job didn’t take long, and once complete the shy woman handed the belt back to the survivor. Dano took the belt in one hand, and gave a strong tug to the knife to test it. To his satisfaction the sheath did not rip free of the belt.

“You did a good job Fluttershy.”

Dano flashed a toothy smile, and in the dim light cast off of the flashlight that now lay on the ground the survivor could see Fluttershy gave a small smile back. The survivor set down the belt and stood before helping Fluttershy to her feet. Once standing the shy woman turned to leave, but Dano held her back with his words.

“I probably won’t see you tomorrow, since I am leaving early.”

Fluttershy stood as ridged as a board as Dano spoke.

“So I’m going to say my goodbyes now.”

Fluttershy turned around to see Dano holding his arms out as an invitation for a hug. The shy woman moved quickly across the room and wrapped her arms around the survivor’s chest. Dano let out a content chuckle as he wrapped his arms around Fluttershy, but in his mind the hug wasn’t a happy occasion. A bit of him shouted out that this could be the last time he would see her, the last time he would be home. Before Dano could remove the thoughts Fluttershy looked up at the survivor.

“Promise you will come back.”

Dano hid his uneasy thoughts behind a smile.

“Cross my heart, hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye.”

Fluttershy seemed to accept the Pinkie Promise and released Dano.

“You should go into town tomorrow. Applejack got pretty hurt today, and I bet she would love to see you. She will probably still be in the Doctor’s house.”

Fluttershy nodded before turning, wishing Dano a goodnight and leaving the room.

Once Fluttershy had left Dano felt his smile fade. The thoughts continued to yell at him, that he was going to break his promise, that he was not coming home. The survivor let out a sad sigh, for he did not have the answers to put those thoughts in their place. He decided to put his faith in his skills and will, and hope for the best.

Dano finished getting ready about a half an hour later. He set up everything for the next day in a small pile by the door before crawling into bed. Echo had already fallen asleep by the time the survivor pulled the covers over his body. Dano was tired, and he knew sleep would come sooner than usual. Just as predicted the survivor was pulled under after a short while with a worried frown covering his face.

Dano stood in the inky blackness that he had not seen in a while, and guessed that Celestia and Luna wanted to chat. After closing his eyes and opening them to see the sisters Dano waited for them to speak, but something was wrong. They stood the same way as usual, but both of their faces were flat and the survivor could feel them stare at him.

“What are you doing Daniel?”

Moon’s voice matched her face, flat and slightly angry.

“What do you mean? I am doing my job.” Dano retorted, a little confused.

“We told you to defend Ponyville, not conscript the town’s people to do it.”

Celestia’s voice matched her sisters.

“They volunteered, and I don’t see why they wouldn’t want to fight. Their home was attacked.”

Dano’s response seemed to force Celestia and Luna on the defensive, but they pressed on undaunted.

“You don’t understand Daniel. Discord will subvert them right in front of your eyes. They will become his soldiers as soon as you engage him.”

Luna’s voice was beginning to grow angrier as she spoke.

“Then I will have to train them.”

Dano spoke matter-of-factly, and the sisters were taken aback by the statement.

“What do you mean ‘train them’?”

Celestia’s voice had calmed, but remained flat.

“Instead of just charging in I can take them back to my cabin for the two weeks we have and train them. I have seen enough documentaries to know how to make a civilian a soldier.”

Dano watched the gears work in the sister’s head, before Luna spoke up.

“How will you counter Discord’s mind control?”

Luna’s voice had lost its anger, and had become much like her sister’s.

“Mental conditioning is the whole point of basic training. I will teach them through extreme stress to the body and mind that my word is law, and if they disobey that law they will have their friend’s blood on their hands.”

The sisters nodded as the philosophy moved though their heads.

“Do you think it will work?” Celestia asked.

“What do you think makes soldiers do what they do?”

Dano’s question seemed to put Celestia and Luna at ease.

“What happens in Discord if lying about the two week deadline?”

Celestia’s question ricocheted through Dano’s brain, for he did not think about that eventuality since the original plan was to immediately go after Discord.

“I think he will keep to his schedule. He doesn’t know that we are coming for him, and why else would he give them the deadline anyway?”

Celestia and Luna nodded at the answer before moving towards Dano to send him back to sleep. The survivor didn’t protest as he felt two hands press down on his shoulders. The usual feeling of love and confidence flowed through Dano, but it was held in check by his own worries and fears. Despite this conflict inside of him the survivor fell into a deep sleep, his mind uneasy.

Dano opened his eyes immediately after regaining consciousness and was met by the predawn dark. He pulled himself out of bed quickly and began getting dressed. The survivor pulled on his pants and tightened the leg straps for his canteen and pistol holster. He then threw on a grey t-shirt then his utility jacket, zipped it up and tucked it into his pants. Dano knew he needed to look as professional as possible for his training to be effective.

The survivor tightened his belt once his jacket was tucked in then stretched his arms above his head to pull the utility uniform out far enough for full arm movement. After his bottom layer was secure Dano put on his boots, making sure to tuck the legs of his pants into them. Following the boots came the suspenders holding his belt, his bullet proof vest, his tactical vest and finally his Magnum holster. The survivor pulled his pack on after getting on all of his layers then did a once over on all his equipment. Everything was in order, but he still had things he needed to do.

Dano slung his rifle over his shoulder before walking across the guest room and walking out the door with Echo in tow. The survivors moved across the still dark house to the kitchen, where Dano filled his two canteens with tap water. After the two containers were filled the survivors moved back into the living room, and Dano triple checked himself. Satisfied for the third time Dano led Echo out of the front door and into the still dark world.

As Dano and Echo moved across Fluttershy’s front yard the sun began to peak over the mountains to the east, and Dano knew that his recruits were now probably just getting up. The survivors crossed the small foot bridge quickly before hopping on their quad bike. Dano started the engine without hesitation, and drove away from Fluttershy’s house at top speed without looking back.

It didn’t take long for Dano and Echo to make it into Ponyville, and when Dano pulled into the town center the only people there were the Doctor and Mr. Cake standing by the fountain. Dano pulled the quad up to them, and noticed they had swapped out their usual work related clothes for boots, jeans and sweatshirts. Both of them had a small pack on their back, and Dano was happy they took the initiative to bring some essentials.

Dano killed the engine then hopped off of the quad without saying a word to the two new recruits and began to walk to the Doctor’s house. He wanted to check on Applejack before he left, and he needed to kill time before the rest of his team showed up. The survivor crossed the town square quickly and let himself into the Doctor’s house.

The interior of the building had returned to normal, except for a single cot resting in the middle of the living room that ran parallel to the couch. Dano noticed that Rarity was sitting on the couch watching over Applejack as she slept, and Pinkie Pie was laying on the couch also sleeping. Rarity looked worse for wear, and her usually made up hair was a wreck. She noticed Dano had entered and gave him a halfhearted greeting. The survivor moved across the room and sat on the couch, making sure not to sit on Pinkie. He extended his arm over Rarity’s shoulders and gave them a tight squeeze to reassure her.

“Have you gotten any sleep Rarity?”

The fashionista shook her head slowly, and it pulled at Dano’s heart strings. He felt the urge to help take over him.

“You love her don’t you. I mean more than friends.”

Rarity quickly looked at Dano with shock on her face.

“What ever do you mean?”

Dano chuckled lightly.

“It’s why you can’t sleep. Your emotions go so deep that you cannot stand to see her hurt, and it is keeping you up.”

Rarity returned her gaze forward, and Dano could see the cogs working in her head before she sighed.

“I guess you are right.”

Dano leaned in close to Rarity.

“You should tell her how you feel. Not immediately, but sooner rather than later. Applejack may need someone to help her though her recovery.”

Rarity nodded with vigor before a small smile crept across her face.

“That sounds wonderful. Thank you Dano.”

Dano removed his arm from Rarity, but he knew he was only half way done. He guessed that Rarity would obsess over the timing to confess to Applejack, so he decided he needed to do something to take her mind off of the situation. The survivor noticed that Rarity was holding a note pad with random sketches of dresses on the open page. An idea popped into Dano’s mind.

“Rarity, can you do something for me?”

Despite being very tired Rarity put on her usual attitude.

“Of course darling, just ask.”

Dano smiled at the return of old Rarity.

“I need you to make the boys and I uniforms.”

Rarity seemed to perk up at the prospect of making clothing, just as Dano had predicted.

“That sounds like a splendid idea.”

Dano chuckled at Rarity’s enthusiasm, and began to lay down what he wanted.

After a quarter hour Dano had instructed Rarity to make six uniforms that matched the survivors in shape but with more of a forest camouflage to it. Rarity expressed some discontent about the bland colors and simplicity of the utility uniforms, so Dano designed some dress uniforms for the group. The survivor instructed the fashionista as she sketched the uniform on her pad of paper, and Dano found himself describing the Marine Corp. uniform.

High collar, large buttons on the front of the jacket, black dress shoes and a thick black belt around the waist. Despite the similarities there were huge differences. There was no rank on the jacket, and instead of the red, blue and gold theme the uniform would use a white, navy blue and gold pallet.

The dress jacked would be white with navy blue trim and gold buttons. The pants would be navy blue with a white stripe running up the outer seam. A plain white peaked cap with a black visor was the head gear associated with the uniform, and Rarity seemed to enjoy the whole design.

Content that he had given the fashionista something to do Dano stood to leave. Rarity also stood, and Dano gave her a confused look.

“I will need your measurements darling.” Rarity explained to the survivor.

Dano just shrugged as Rarity went for a handbag on the couch and pulled out a measuring tape. After chuckling at the fashionista for carrying a measuring tape with her Dano led Rarity out the front door.

The sun had risen a bit since Dano had last been outside, and Big Mac as well as Braeburn had arrived with their quad and packs on their backs. Soarin was nowhere to be seen, until Dano got about half way back to the group. The young man walked quickly into the town center looking a bit worried that he was late, and the survivor noticed that he too had a small pack on his back. Dano chose to ignore Soarin’s tardiness, for he was preparing his mind. He was about to turn on his drill instructor.

Once Dano and Rarity got about five feet from the group the survivor held out a hand to stop the fashionista. Dano heard her footsteps stop and he moved another three feet toward the group before stopping himself. Soarin had just arrived, and he began to apologize.

“Sorry I’m late Dano, Rainbow Dash was having a tough…”

“Shut up Soarin.”

Dano’s voice was hard, and it shocked the five men. The survivor stuck out his boot and drew a short line with it. As he took a step back he addressed the group.

“Toes on the line.”

Dano watched the group look at each other with confusion.

“I SAID TOES ON THE LINE!”

Dano’s voice echoed over the empty courtyard, and the group rushed to do what the survivor had told them. Once lined up Dano began the impossible task of turning the group in front of him into something that looked like a soldier.

“I want your arms at your sides, chests out and eyes forward. If your eyes go anywhere else I will knock you so hard in the head you won’t remember your own birthday.”

Dano kept his voice filled with a mixture of confidence and bravado in order to intimidate the group, and it seemed to be working. The team did as they were told, and Dano moved up to the man in the middle of the line who happened to be Mr. Cake. The survivor flattened his hands and placed them on the outside of Mr. Cake’s shoulders forcing the two men on the outside to shift to accommodate the space. The survivor repeated this for the rest of the team before moving back next to Rarity. Dano settled into an at ease stance before addressing his team rather loudly.

“Listen up. I’m giving you one last chance to walk away, since the Dano you are looking at right now is in a good mood.” Dano pointed to himself to make his point, and he waited for someone to speak up. No one did.

“Alright. Despite what you were probably thinking we are not going straight after the raiders. We are going to use our two weeks to our advantage and get some training in.”

Dano kept his voice level and aggressive. He would have to keep it that way until his team finished their two week version of boot camp.

“We will be heading out to my cabin for this training, so I hope you brought extra underwear.”

Dano began to chuckle internally to his crude humor until Braeburn spoke up.

“Why do we need to train? Shooting a gun isn’t that hard.”

Dano stormed up to Braeburn and go so close their noses were barely touching.

“DID I TELL YOU THAT YOU COULD SPEAK?!”

“N-no.”

“NO WHAT?!”

“N-no sir!”

Dano huffed and returned to his spot.

“Looks like we will have to go over the rules.”

Dano made his tone sound accusing as if the team had forgotten.

“Rule number one. If told to do something or asked a question you will answer with ‘sir yes sir’ or ‘sir no sir’. If your response requires words then you will put a ‘sir’ in front and behind the sentence. Got that?”

“Sir yes sir.”

“I CAN’T HEAR YOU!”

“SIR YES SIR!”

Dano scanned the group to see if anyone had broken attention, but was slightly relieved to see that they were doing as they were told.

“Rule number two. You will do everything you are ordered to do without complaint. If you complain I will kick you so hard you will be meeting the moon. Understood?”

“SIR YES SIR!”

Dano was happy that his team appeared to be fast learners, but he kept his calm composure.

“Rule number 3. You will carry yourself in a military manor at all times that you are in uniform. This includes standing at attention when called to attention or a superior officer enters the room. Seeing as I’m the only one here with two brain cells to rub together that makes me the commanding officer. You will remove your covers whenever you enter a building that people live in, and you will call every civilian you meet ‘ma’am’ or ‘sir’. Understood?”

“SIR YES SIR!”

Dano kept scanning the group to see anyone break, but so far no one had done so.

“Rule number four. You will not refer to yourself as ‘me’ or ‘I’. You will refer to yourself as ‘cadet’ whatever your name is. This goes for referring to the other cadets as well as myself, but you will call me ‘Instructor Masset’. Understood?”

“SIR YES SIR!”

“Rule number five. If you break any of the afore mentioned rules you will receive a check. You will be given three checks for a day for the entire team. If you exceed your checks then you will be doing PT for the entire day as punishment. Understood?”

“SIR YES SIR!”

Dano felt himself relax a little knowing that his team now had the ground rules. The survivor motioned to Rarity.

“Rarity is going to be taking your sizes down for our uniforms. If you make it through my little boot camp you will receive the uniform.” Dano turned his attention to Rarity. “Go ahead ma’am.”

Rarity seemed to be a bit shocked at Dano’s performance.

“Did you have to do that?”

Dano smiled slightly.

“You haven’t seen the half of it.”

Rarity blinked before pushing the thought away. She moved up to the man on the far right of the formation, which was Soarin.

“Step forward Cadet.” Dano ordered, and Soarin complied.

After a while Rarity had moved down the line to get everybody’s sizes, and finished with Dano’s. Once done Rarity said her goodbyes and left the group to go back to Applejacks side. Dano returned the farewell then ordered his team onto the quad bikes, three to a four-wheeler. Braeburn was selected to drive the quad that belonged to the Apple Family and Dano drove his own. Echo, Big Mac and Soarin rode with the survivor as Mr. Cake and the Doctor rode with Braeburn.

Once everybody was loaded up Dano started his engine and Braeburn followed suit. Without hesitation the survivor hit the gas and took off out of the town square with Braeburn following right behind him. As Dano drove his mind worked over what and how his training regimen would play out. Deciding to have the first day be more informational than physical the survivor put his mind to rest as he pulled out of Ponyville toward his old home.

oh boy, this chapter was fun
i know, right?
how was it fun?
i got to yell at people.
is yelling that much fun?
of course it is silly filly!
see, pinkie gets it
any more of 'it' and you will get a headache
psh. i can handle it
*three hours later*
PINKIE!
YES!
STOP YELLING, I HAVE A HEAD ACHE
i told you
shut up logic

lulz
here it is dudes and dudettes
don't forget to rate and comment
that is all
kthanxbai

Awakening

Whole New World
Chapter One
Awakening

Dano was bored, so bored he decided that he would go back to his dorm room and start drinking, even though it was only Tuesday. Just to liven things up. He thought as he stared blankly at the wall of his lab booth. He snapped out of his trance and looked around the room.

The concrete floor shined a bit in the florescent light. The small desks that dominated the middle of the large lab also had a sheen to them, as well as the seats attached to them. A couple kids sat around doing write-ups when one of them noticed Dano looking in his general direction. He waved and smiled, and Dano responded in kind.

His name was Tim, but everyone called him Sunshine because of his long blond hair. He was wearing a light red and black checkered flannel shirt over a white Budweiser t-shirt. Old, dirty blue jeans covered him waist down, and his legs ended in brown work boots. He was essentially wearing the ‘country boy’ uniform.

“You like what you see?” Tim asked with a large amount of sarcasm. Dano smiled, for a duel of sarcasm had begun.

“You look positively radiant Sunshine.”

Dano believed he was a funny guy, but only because of his uncle had taught him about the world of sarcasm early. Through high school he had developed the art until he could duke it out with the big dogs, but his uncle always got the best of him.

Tim pretended to look flattered, putting an hand over his mouth and looked down in fake embarrassment.

“You're not so bad yourself.” He responded.

Dano winked and the two students laughed. Tim went back to his paper work, and Dano went back to his staring into space.

What am I doing again? Dano was sitting on an old, large table made out of crappy wood that rested in the middle of a large booth. Three plywood walls rose nine feet into the air and ducts ran above, where the fourth wall would be there was nothing, intentionally left open to the rest of the classroom. Six students called this booth their workspace for their respective lab days, but only three were assigned to this day, and Dano was one of them. The other two were off enjoying lunch while he had to wait.

Dano turned his head to look at the rear wall of the booth, and his memory returned. His lab project was done, and he was waiting for the teacher to check it. Dano turned his head back forward, and looked at his watch. It was a little after noon, and Dano was happy that at least two thirds of his excruciating six hour lab was finished.

Dano stared at his watch, he remembered when his charismatic, adventurous uncle gave it to him when he graduated high school. ‘The straps have flexible solar panels in them’ Dano’s uncle told him, ‘so you will never need batteries, and it connects to GPS satellites so the time and date are always correct.’ Got to love modern technology huh. Dano turned his wrist and saw the digital compass that surrounded the time and date move to show him which way was north.

Dano was knocked out of his momentary entertainment by an annoyed cough. He looked up to see a short man in clean blue jeans and a maroon polo that was of obvious Italian decent. His short black hair was dense enough to stop a bullet, and his piercing green eyes could make a freshman cringe with fear.

“You said you had a project that needed to be checked Masset?”

His accent was from New York City, and the stocky man looked like he could knock over the city with a single large fist, or could cover it in his busy black eyebrows.

“Yes I do Mr. Denoto.” responded Dano, a bit of relief in his voice, he had been waiting for a half an hour.

Mr. D nodded and entered the booth, and Dano slid off of the table and followed. He waited behind the short professor as he checked over the wires, boxes and devices that made up his latest lab project.

“Looks good Masset, you have a real knack for electrical.”

“Thanks.” Dano responded, he already knew he was good.

His father had been an electrician since Dano was born, and he took him on internships when Dano showed signs of following his father into the trade. Everything he knew had come from his father from years of teaching.

“Alright, just flip the breaker and we can see if it works.”

Dano moved to the service panel to the left of his lab project and his part of the booth and opened the panel door. A small voice in the back of his head told him about safety protocol that Dano promptly ignored. He squared his shoulders right in front of the panel, and pushed the breaker into the on position.

The world flashed a bright white, and a sudden extreme heat blasted into Dano’s face and chest. He was launched into the air and landed a good five feet away, knocking over some desks in the process. Dano couldn’t comprehend what was happening, he could barely think. Every nerve on his body screamed in searing pain. Every move he made sent an even more powerful surge of pain into his brain. He tried to open his eyes, but they wouldn’t respond, like they were welded shut. Dano opened his mouth, sending even more pain into his skull, and tried to speak, but the only thing that came out was a loud, deep, painful scream. One that animals make, not human beings. Dano heard voices yelling and screaming to get help or to get a fire extinguisher or to turn off the power as he withered in extreme pain. Dano finally stopped squirming as he slipped into unconsciousness, and to the relief of the students around him the blood curdling screaming ceased.

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Joseph sat in the waiting room of the small local hospital his son had been sent to. His seat was a cheap, foam cushioned, plastic chair, and was one of two dozen in the small room. Crappy grey carpet decorated the floor, and the walls were plain white. Behind the receptionists desk sat a young woman, probably an intern. She sat there humming a tune as she filled out forms, and seemed oblivious to Joseph’s mental state. This hospital was the closest to the college, and apparently Daniel needed help fast.

Joseph didn’t get any details from the college when they called him on the job, only that his son Daniel was hurt. After telling his boss about the call he let him go early, and Joseph made the long two hour trip from upstate New York down into Delaware County. Joseph feared the worse as he sped along the highway. He had lost his wife in a car accident when Daniel was eight, and now his son was in the hospital from an unknown accident. He was speeding the entire trip, and luckily the police didn’t see him.

Joseph was battling himself as he waited, logic versus emotion, so deeply that he never heard the doctor enter the waiting room.

“Mr. Masset?” Joseph jumped and looked at the doctor with a blank expression. “We need to talk, come into my office.”

Joseph felt his heart drop, but fought back the negative thoughts.

The doctor was middle aged, and his brown hair was just starting to recede. He wore a white lab coat over a baby blue button up shirt and khaki pants. He spoke cool and calm as he addressed Joseph, as if there wasn’t a problem at all.

The two men walked out of the small waiting room, passed the receptionist desk and down some hallways. The rest of the hospital was white, the walls, the floor tiles, the ceiling, and it made Joseph feel uneasy. He didn’t like the whole sterile feeling. He preferred the whole ‘lived in’ feel of his home and office.

After a few minutes of navigating the, what appeared to be, endless hallways of the local hospital the doctor opened a door that had the name tag ‘Dr. Scheck’ on it and let Joseph into his office.

The room was small and had the same white on white color scheme of the hospital, but had a couple book shelves made out of wood that rested against the wall to the left, and a large, expensive looking desk sat in the middle of the room. The books that rested on the shelves were all different colors, widths and heights. The boost of color made Joseph a little less uneasy about the color scheme of the place. Two small chairs that were exactly the same as the ones in the waiting room sat in front of the desk, and Joseph was surprised to see a man already seated in one of them.

The man was older than Joseph and Dr. Scheck, and had many wrinkles on his pale white face. Thick glasses rested on his nose, and were held in place by a loose black strap around his head. His receding grey hair was well groomed, and he wore a black and white suit that looked twice as expensive as the desk.

Once the man saw Joseph he stood up and offered his hand.

“Hello Mr. Masset, my name is Dr. Brockway.”

Joseph took the man’s hand and looked at Dr. Scheck with a questioning look. The doctor ignored Joseph and found a seat behind his desk. As he sat Brockway let go of Joseph’s hand and took his seat, Joseph followed the two doctor’s leads and took a seat in the only remaining chair. Dr. Scheck coughed and opened a manila folder, skimming it before looking up at Joseph.

“I’m afraid to tell you that your son, Daniel, is very hurt Mr. Masset.” The doctor’s voice was as calm as it was in the waiting room, his tone almost cold.

“What happened?” Joseph was crumbling inside, he was giving it his all not to break down.

“There was an accident in his lab at college, I believe it is called an ‘arc flash’ in the electrical trade.”

The dams broke. Tears began to flow, he had seen an arc flash before, and watched it blow a concrete wall into oblivion. The image of his son being seared like a steak as an arc of plasma and melted metal thousands of degrees hot blew him away.

“He had very severe third degree burns on his chest, face and neck, and his chances of survival are very slim.” The doctor’s voice stayed the same tone, cold.

Joseph didn’t hold back. He sobbed and his face fell into his hands, all he had was his son, and he was now dying. Joseph felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Dr. Brockway consoling him. Doctor Scheck just looked on with somewhat sympathetic eyes as the man vented his grief into his hands.

After a few minutes of crying Joseph finally pulled himself together enough to speak, albeit slowly.

“What can we do?”

It was Dr. Brockway’s turn to speak.

“I represent a medical company which has developed a machine that can help save burn victims sentenced to a slow death, like your son.”

Joseph pulled his head out of his hands, sat up and looked the old man in the face, his brown eyes dull from age.

“What is it?”

Without showing any emotion Dr. Brockway continued.

“In lay-man terms it is like a pod that is filled with a liquid that helps repair the skin and muscle damage. The problem is it has never been used on a human before.”

Joseph could almost feel the hook dig into him. The catch was huge, his only son, a test subject.

“You want to use my son as a test subject?” rage slowly building in the father.

Dr. Brockway’s brow furrowed in thought.

“No, it has already been tested, we just need a human to use it to see if it actually works on us, and not just lab rats.” His voice was also cold, as if the old man only cared about securing his subject for his new machine.

Joseph’s mind was racing with emotions and thoughts. He wished his wife was here, so she could help him through, but he was alone, and frankly had no choice.

“How much does it cost?”

Brockway smiled.

“Since your son would be doing us a favor by being the first human this gel heals, it will be free.”

Joseph was a tad shocked at the ‘generosity’, but his brain was quick to remind him of the fake emotion behind the gesture. Joseph phased out and descended into the battle that was erupting in his mind.

This is too good to be true, his logic stated. But your son can be saved, his emotion retorted. But at what cost? This could fail and we would still lose him, logic trying its best to win the battle. He can be saved. The final blow had been struck. Joseph left his mind and looked at Brockway dead in the face.

“You have a deal.”

The only thing Dano felt was cold wetness on every nerve ending. His mind raced as he tried to find out where he was after he had regained consciousness. Where am I, what’s going on, what happened. Dano tried to open his eyes, but they refused to open. He tried harder, but didn’t get anywhere. It felt like a film of something was covering them, keeping them shut. He mentally cursed his eyes then began his ‘wake up after being unconscious’ checklist, one he had used before, after waking up without remembering the night before. He concentrated on his limbs, and they twitched from the stimuli. Well, at least I’m in one piece. Dano felt a mask over his mouth and nose, what felt like a cold breeze was smacking his lips. He was on a respirator and surrounded by what felt like hard water. What is going on.

Suddenly a muffled voice came from his left breaking his train of thought, it sounded feminine. Dano tried to turn towards the voice, but found it difficult to move. The cold wetness was holding him in place. The voice came again, and Dano struggled even harder, to no avail. He gave up after a few minutes, feeling weak for some reason. The voice came a third time accompanied by the sound of draining liquid. Dano felt his body descend as whatever was holding him disappeared. He felt cold metal touch his back, and he reflexively jumped to get off of it, but smashed his head onto something. It sounded metallic. Dano laid back down and tried to open his eyes, but they wouldn’t budge.

A hissing sound filled Dano’s ears and soon light was assaulting his closed eyes. He sat up, his body aching as he did. Dano grunted as his abs tried their best to life his weight. Once sitting Dano raised his hands to his eyes and began to rub them, a crust broke and fell into his lap, and he forced his eyes wide open. Dano wished he didn’t, the light gave him a headache as he quickly closed his eyes again. Slowly he opened one eye at a time, and let them adjust to the light. Once he was able to open both of his eyes fully he scanned his surroundings as he took his mask off.

The first thing he noticed was the bright wall of light assaulting him from his left. Dano shielded his eyes with a hand and looked, only to find that it was actually a window and not a bank of lights. He slowly turned his head to the right, taking in as much as he could. The walls were painted white from the ceiling to about three feet off the ground. There was a thin strip of wood that ran parallel to the floor, and below it was some cheap wall paper with butterflies on it. To the far right was another window, but blinds covered most of it, so Dano couldn’t see the hallway. At least he thought it was a hallway. To the left of the covered window was the door, a light brown wood finish covered it. Underneath the window sat a fake wood table with nothing on top of it. A chair made out of the same materiel rested between Dano and the table. To his immediate right sat a dresser where Dano assumed his thing were.

Speaking of things, where are my clothes. Dano looked down at his lower body, and was shocked at what he saw. He was pretty much skin and bone. Dano had always had a little pudge that covered his gut and thighs, but now he could see his hip bones jutting out from under his skin. Dano looked at his arms and saw the same thing, skin and bones. I must have been out a long time.

Dano didn’t know what was going on, and his mind was trying feebly to put things together. Ok, white walls with crappy wallpaper, definitely a hospital. Maybe. I’m sitting naked in a… what am I sitting in? He looked over the edge of his ‘bed’ to see a stainless steel finish on the outside that matched the color on the inside. What looked like a small computer panel rested on a thin podium to the left of the tank. I’m in a steel coffin. Great. Dano turned around and looked at the top portion of his ‘coffin’. It had receded into the wall behind him. Okay I’m in a hospital, naked, in a steel coffin. Dano sighed and tried to verbally curse his luck, but all that came out was ”blugha”. And I forgot how to speak, today just gets better and better.

Sick of sitting in his coffin Dano tried to pick himself up with his arms, but was unable to lift himself. After straining for a few seconds Dano gave up. He was breathing kind of heavy, like he just lifted something that weighed more than a few tons. Dano tried again, but this time he pulled his legs under him and lifted with all of his appendages. He stood after grunting and groaning like was lifting a bus. He was shaky on his feet, and could barely shift his weight without his legs starting to hurt. Dano sighed again and mentally cursed his bad luck.

Dano just stood for a few minutes, trying to get the hang of the whole upright thing. He took a small step, and felt pretty good about himself. He took another and was feeling even better, but then he reached the most daunting thing he had ever faced. The wall that barely reached his knee at the foot of his bed. Dano gave the little stainless wall a hard look, attempting to intimidate it. He picked up his foot and stepped over, but what he failed to realize was that the bed was raised by a couple feet. Dano fell face first out of the tank and onto the cold hard floor. Luckily his arms moved fast enough to slow him down so he didn’t break anything.

Dano just laid there. He didn't know how long, but he was comfy. He never knew tile floors could be so soft. His legs were aching from his attempts to walk, and Dano was content to let them finish complaining before getting up. Eventually he picked himself off the ground, noting it was much easier to get up when you’re on your front than when you’re on your back.

Standing once again Dano shuffled to his dresser and opened the top drawer. Inside were his keys, wallet, cell phone, a couple wrist bands, a small necklace and his watch. He closed the drawer, saving those things for later. The next drawer down contained medial gowns, and the one after that contained a set of clothes that Dano could actually see himself wearing. He pulled out and put on some boxer briefs, a grey t-shirt that read ‘Sarcasm is only one of the services I offer’, blue jeans, a pair of black socks and a light grey sweat-shirt without anything on it.

Dano got dressed slowly, making sure not to lose his balance. Everything fit except for the jeans, they were too wide for his boney body. Dano searched the drawer for a belt, but there wasn’t any. He opened the drawer with the medical gowns and pulled a thin white plastic belt out of the loops that wrapped around the waist of the light blue synthetic clothing, and ran the thin belt through his belt loops.

With his pants secure Dano moved on to his accessories. He slid the yellow Lance Armstrong and an thick orange bracelet which read ‘shit just got real’ in big black letters onto his right wrist. Next came his keys into his right pocket, his wallet into his back right pocket and his cell phone into his left pocket. Dano put the cheap gold chain on next, and picked up his watch. As he picked it up he looked it over, and found that the face was blank. All it needs is some light. He thought to himself as he shuffled over to the window.

His light sensitivity had faded, but Dano was stopped in his tracks by a reflection. It wasn’t his, at least he didn’t think it was his. The face was pale white and very boney. It’s blue eyes looked like they had receded into its skull, and had huge bags underneath them. Dano raised a hand, and a hand rose up next to the face. It was his face. Dano’s mind went into panic mode for the second time today. I look like a zombie… Dano quickly shook off his surprise, and moved closer to the window.

For the third time today Dano was dropped kicked in the brain. Sprawled out in front of him was a city, but it didn’t look like one. The sky scrapers were tilted and collapsing, streets were filled with rubble and craters, and nature was beginning to retake what was once hers. Cars laid ruined or flipped over on the streets, but that wasn’t the worst thing. The worst thing was the fact that there was no movement. None. Not even a cat or a dog. Dano’s mind was once again trying to grasp the situation, but was getting nowhere fast. The only coherent thought that it managed to produce was, I have died and been transported into the Fallout Universe.

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Escape

Whole New World
Chapter 5
Escape

Dano awoke and hopped out of bed with vigor. Today was the day he finally got out of this city, and found some people, maybe even some females. Dano rushed through his morning routine of getting dressed, brushing his teeth, eating his breakfast and strapping on all his gear. He practically ran out of the hospital in his excitement.

Once outside Dano set his plan into motion. He scurried over to the parking garage and moved one of the sandbag walls that blocked the entrance so his truck could get through. Dano then backed the truck through the entrance and pointed the bed toward the stair well. With the vehicle in position Dano shut it off, and moved up to the armory and storage tents.

He emptied all of the clothing and boot crates, then put six pairs of boots, in his size, in with as many complete outfits he could fit into one crate. As Dano emptied one of the clothing crates he stumbled upon a chest that was marked wrong, for when he opened the top expecting to see clothing, he found weapon accessories. Attachable flashlights, scopes, front pistol grips, and many other modifications in their own packaging. Dano practically giggled as he picked his way through the attachments. He decided to just take the chest, in case his scope or something broke and needed replacement parts. There was plenty of room left in the crate, so Dano decided to run and grab a half dozen pairs of body armor and tactical vests. The vests were rolled up to conserve room, and once all of the armor was in the chest Dano had to force it closed. He didn’t care, he would rather be safe than sorry.

Dano dragged his full clothing and weapon accessories crates down the stair to the truck. He heaved the two boxes into the bed, and tried his best to organize them. The truck bed was about six feet long, by five wide, but the bed box and gas cans took up a good two feet of the length. The bed also pinched in a foot by the wheel wells, making the bed four feet wide. Dano pretty much had to work with a four foot by four foot box.

His plan was to put four crates vertically in between the wheel wells, which left a five foot wide, one foot long gap in between the boxes and the tailgate where Dano could put another crate horizontally. Then he could stack five more crates vertically on top on the four and another one on top of the horizontal one, since they cleared the wheel wells, but not the top of the truck bed walls. Dano could carry up to eleven crates of anything he wanted.

With a pair of crates in the bed of the truck to provide a visual aid Dano believed his plan would succeed.

Dano went back up to the second floor and grabbed three crates of MREs, two crates of 7.62 NATO rounds and two crates of 5.56 NATO rounds and stacked them in the truck. Next he took an empty crate and put a half dozen M4s, two M249s, three M16A3s, two Mk 14 EBRs, a half dozen M9s and as many cleaning kits that could fit inside. It took some effort to organize the weapons, but they eventually fit enough to close the top. After placing the weapons crate in the truck Dano used another empty crate to store all of the medical supplies in the infirmary, and placed the last crate in the bed.

Dano looked his handwork over and felt a little pride. He was now ready for literally anything in the world, he had enough weapons and ammo to defend himself and anybody who decided to help him, and enough food and medical supplies to ride out a couple years. Dano has the sneaking suspicion that he was forgetting something. He stood there, deep in thought, for a minute until it hit him. Dano forgot water.

Dano closed the tailgate and jumped into the driver’s seat. He pulled the truck up to the hospital, and ran inside after shutting the vehicle off. Dano moved quickly through the familiar white halls to the cafeteria, where a couple boxes of bottled water rested in the pantry. He threw them onto his shoulders and walked back to the truck. There was a couple gaps in the bed where the crates couldn’t fit, and Dano placed the water inside of one.

Dano looked at his watch, it was a little after noon. It hadn’t taken long to organize his supplies, and the rest of the day was just waiting to be seized. Dano hopped into the cab of the truck and started the engine. He looked at the hospital one last time. It was, arguably, his first home in this new world, and a pang of nervousness hit him. It was the same nervousness that he felt when he watched his father leave after he dropped him off at college. Dano thrust the feeling aside and drove the truck to the intersection in front of the hospital. He looked around the horizon, and saw that taller building lay to his left and back. The buildings seemed to get shorter to his right, so Dano turned right and drove.

It took a few hours for Dano to clear the city scape he had awoken in. He had to make occasional stops where the road was blocked by a checkpoint, or go around wrecks and rubble. As Dano got farther and farther away from the crumbling sky scrapers behind him the signs of struggle began to grow. Entire buildings collapsed, wrecks of both military and civilian vehicles, craters in the streets and millions of bullet holes in the ground and walls. It struck Dano that maybe the city wasn’t under attack from the outside, but the inside. Maybe a massive riot. Dano shrugged, the information wasn’t really that important.

The city thinned out after a while until Dano found himself driving through the country side. He had found a highway and hopped on, trying to get a more open route. As he drove he saw a reflective, green, metal sign with distances to other cities on it written in white. One of the cities was Binghamton, and it was one hundred and eighty eight miles away. Dano was relieved, he was still in New York State. Suddenly something struck Dano in the brain. It was the urge to go to Binghamton, and it was overwhelming. Dano thought about it for a couple of seconds before agreeing with his urge, nowhere better to go.

Dano had been driving for hours. His legs were tired from sitting for so long, but his urge to get to Binghamton drove him on. He had traveled through several towns, many he didn’t recognize. He had to stop for gas once in a town called Monroe, and again in a town called Liberty. Each town he stopped in or drove through was empty, and doubt was beginning to settle in Dano’s mind.

Dano was down to this last gas can when he entered a town named Roscoe. As Dano moved through the village after he filled his tank, he spotted a green metal sign, just like the ones who had pointed him toward Binghamton. This sign read ‘Delhi, 33 miles’. Dano immediately recognized the town where his college was. Again the urge hit him, but not to go to Binghamton. It wanted him to go to Delhi. Dano didn’t argue and began the trek to his old school.

It didn’t take him long to get to Delhi, and the placed looked just like it had been the last time he remembered it. Small towns were funny like that, never changing. Dano drove down Main Street until he came to the drive way to his school. He stopped, but didn’t turn up the steep road that lead to his dorm and his room. He did open the door, while standing on the running boards, and looked up at the college that dominated this side of the valley. The sun was about to set, and the soft glow of its rays bathed the buildings that made up the college in yellow and orange.

Dano looked for movement, but like always there wasn’t any. The urge in the back of his head told him to keep going through Delhi, to keep moving. Dano obliged, sat and drove down Main Street, away from his college, and in the slightest bit, his old life.

Dano kept driving after the sun set, but only for a few minutes. His fuel gauge was on E, and he knew he was running on fumes. Dano noticed a dirt road coming up that cut through the forest that surrounded the road he was on. Again the urge kicked in and told him to turn down the road. Dano complied, more out of the lack of fuel than the feeling.

Down the dirt road about a hundred yards rested a large, two story, white farm house that looked like it had seen better days. Dano pulled up to the house just as his truck shuddered and quit. Dano grabbed his equipment and climbed out of the cab in the dark. He cursed not attaching a flashlight to his EBR before he left. He could barely see anything in the growing darkness of the night.

Dano stumbled into the farm house, cursing again. If something or someone was in here they had defiantly heard him crash though the front door. Dano squinted his eyes in an attempt to see in the pitch black of the farm house, and was met with limited success.

He tripped and stumbled his way down some hallway until he came to a room at the back of the house. The space was lit by the now rising moon, and Dano could make out the outline of a long couch and some recliners. Definitely the living room. Dano moved through the scantly lit room to the couch and laid down on it. It was comfortable, but in the open. Dano decided to only strip down to his jacket, and keep his M9 and boots on. He kept his rifle close as he closed his eyes and tried to find sleep in the nervousness of his mind. It soon found him, and Dano descended into a fitful slumber.

Dano awoke to a room bathed in light and smelling like dust. He sat up and looked around the living room, and saw some very old looking furniture and no TV. Dano put two and two together and figured that the previous owners were old. He sat up and went through his routine. He pulled his toothbrush and floss out of his pack and brushed his teeth right there, using the water left in his canteens. He spat out the disgusting toothpaste onto the rather expensive looking carpet at his feet.

Dano was a little peeved. Something in his mind had lead him here, and he had a sneaking suspicion it was the women in his dreams. They told him he needed to help people, but Dano didn’t find anyone in this place. Why take me here? Dano sat for a few minutes mulling over the question. Eventually he stood up and pushed the thought aside. Dano left his pack by the couch he had slept on, grabbed his rifle and began to search the large house for anything good to take, or maybe even a clue to why he was here.

It didn’t take long for Dano to scavenge through the house. The previous owners were simple, even though the building was quite big. He did find a large sewing set, which Dano thought could come in handy. He put it in the cab of his truck. There was a gun cabinet on the second story, but it only held hunting rifles and shotguns. Dano had better weapons in the truck, so he didn’t bother taking the civilian firearms. The entire house was searched top to bottom, and Dano sighed. Nothing here to give me any reason to stay.

As Dano began to walk out of the house he spotted a door that he hadn’t looked in yet. Expecting a broom closet Dano was surprised to see stairs that led to a dark basement. He cautiously descended the stairs, and let his eyes adjust to the dark room. When Dano reached the bottom he scanned the cellar.

The stairs he had come down ended about three feet from a wall, so Dano had to turn to take in the long room. Along the left wall were small windows, and about halfway was a sliding glass door. The back of the building was on a lower gradient that the front. Both walls were lined with workbenches with various vices and tools hanging on racks above them. Dano believed that the previous owner must have tinkered a bit from the sheer amount of tools and work space. There was a large stack of cardboard boxes along the far wall, and they looked less decayed than they should be. Basement must block out moisture pretty well.

Dano moved slowly across the room, his rifle raised slightly. His boots made a soft thud on the concrete floor as he walked. He eventually made his way to the boxes and opened the top box, and found at least two dozen glass jars. He pulled one out and inspected the contents. It was applesauce, and, by the light brown tint, was probably seasoned with cinnamon. Dano’s heart jumped for joy, he wouldn’t have to eat MRE’s forever. Dano popped the top of the sealed jar and smelled the contents. The applesauce smelled like alcohol, it had fermented. Dano cursed, as much as he wanted to eat some nice homemade applesauce he couldn’t get drunk out here.

Dano placed the jar back into its place and opened the next box, and found air tight plastic bags. They were the kind where a machine sucked the air out so your food stayed fresh longer. Dano pulled a bag out and saw a thick slab of dried meat about six inches long by two inches wide inside the tight plastic. His eyes widened as he stared at the jerky in front of him. I’m in post-apocalypse heaven. Dano cut the plastic open with his knife, then returned the blade to his pocket. He made a mental note to try and find a place for it on the outside of his clothing.

Dano smelled the jerky, and the scent of spices and meat entered his nostrils. There was no hint of decay or spoiling, so Dano took a bite. The jerky was tough, but delicious. At that point Dano remembered that he hadn’t eaten breakfast. He wolfed down the rest of the jerky and smiled as he enjoyed the taste of the dried meat.

Dano decided not to eat anymore of the jerky. If it had gone bad he would only have to regurgitate one piece instead of a few. Dano put the top back, grabbed the box and set it aside. He began to go through the rest of the cardboard boxes, and found that about half held jerky. The other half held fermented applesauce, and Dano promptly ignored them.

When he was done sorting Dano had ten boxes of jerky in a pile. He decided to put them in the truck, and grabbed the top two boxes. He exited through the sliding glass door, hopefully ignoring the stairs and walking up a nice hill.

Dano looked around the back yard of the farm house with a quick glance. He saw a rather large shed and a faint dirt road leading into the forest that surrounded the farm house. Dano made plans to investigate the shed after he moved the jerky to the truck. He was happy to find that the gradient was at a shallow angle as he climbed the small incline to the front of the house. Dano found space in the bed on top of the water and returned to the basement to get another pair of boxes. He repeated this process four more times until all of the jerky was in the truck. Dano sighed, unslung his rifle and walked to the rear of the farmhouse to check the shed.

The shed was painted white, like the farm house. It had a couple small windows, one for each wall, and a garage door that took up the majority of the wall facing Dano as he rounded the farm house. Dano pried the door open and stepped inside. Along the walls hung several yard tools. Aves, shovels, picks and tools Dano couldn’t recognize. Taking up the most space in the middle of the room was a quad bike, and right next to it a two seater MULE. Both ATVs had a red coat of paint with black plastic highlights. Both appeared to be in working condition, and lacked rust. The shed was well made to block out the elements for that long.

Dano spotted a large tank that rested on a concrete pad that looked like it could hold a thousand gallons. He squeezed in-between the two ATVs, and opened a small hatch in the top of the tank. The smell of gasoline reached his nose, and a large smile grew across Dano’s face. He had found gas, so now he could get the truck moving again. Dano checked the two ends of the tank for a way to get the fuel out, and found a hose attached to a nozzle that you would find in a gas station on the left side. Dano ran out of the shed to the truck, grabbed a single gas can and ran back to the shed. He filled the can to the brim, put the cap back on and began to walk back to the truck.

As Dano walked he sneaked a peak at the trail that lead into the woods. It looked like it used to be a road to a camp or something. As Dano looked the urge popped into his head again, and told him to go down the trail. It made Dano stop walking. He contemplated ignoring the feeling and keep driving down the road, away from the farm house. The very thought made the urge grow in intensity. Dano sighed, I have nowhere else to go.

Dano dumped the fuel into the truck, hopped into the driver’s seat and drove the vehicle around the farm house. He stopped right where the path entered the thick forest. He stared down the route, again contemplating turning around. The urge pushed hard and Dano felt a little anger seep into his brain. I’m going, I’m going. Dano put his foot on the gas and eased the truck down the road.

It took Dano an hour to creep his way down the grown over road before he reached its end. The thick forest opened up to a clearing. To the left of the road rested a lake that was around two hundred yards long in every direction. It looked to round to be natural, and a dock protruded about ten feet into the water. Dano assumed this was a vacation spot for someone. To the right of the road, and sitting in the center of the clearing sat a small brown cabin with grey shingles and small windows.

Dano pulled the truck up to the cabin and got out. He kept his pack in the cab and only brought his rifle along. He climbed the steps to the door, and tried the handle. Luckily it was unlocked. Dano walked into a pretty empty room. There was a bed with white sheets and a red comforter in the back left corner with a large brown chest at the foot of it. The back right corner was dominated by a tall dark wood wardrobe that faced the door. To the immediate left of the door, which rested in the middle of the wall, was a short bookcase that was filled with novels and books, and a large candle holder rested on top. To the right was an old oak desk with papers all over the desk space. In-between the wardrobe and the desk, resting with its back against the wall, sat an empty glass gun cabinet with drawers for ammunition below the case proper. The walls were painted brown and gave off an earthy feeling, and the windows let in the sunlight well. The place was homey, but that wasn’t what Dano liked the most about it.

Dano liked that fact that the urge that had been plaguing him since he woke up from the tank had finally subsided. The two women wanted him to come here, for what Dano didn’t know, but he was sure he would see them soon anyway.

Dano exited the cabin, and walked around the outer perimeter of the building. When he reached the back of the cabin Dano saw a small shed with a matching color scheme as the cabin. There was a crescent moon window carved into the door of the shed, and Dano recognized the universal sign for an outhouse. Dano finished circling the cabin and began to look around the clearing that the building rested in.

The clearing wasn’t large, but was surrounded by thick forest. Dano felt secure in the clearing, and set out to make it his home.

Dano spent the rest of the day emptying the back of the truck. He placed as many weapons as he could in the gun cabinet, as well as filling the drawers with as much ammunition they could hold. The rest was consolidated into one crate and set in-between the space between the gun cabinet and the desk, underneath one of the two windows. There was about four feet of space between the bed and the wardrobe, so Dano put all of his food crates there, stacking them on top of each other. The armor and weapon modification crate went on top of the extra weapons crate, and the medical create was put on top of the bookshelf. The candle holder went onto the desk to make room. Last was the clothes crate, and Dano managed to get all of the clothes into the large wardrobe. Each outfit was hung on its own hanger, and the boots were neatly placed side by side so they covered the entire bottom.

Dano finished the move in as the sun set. He striped down to just his t-shirt and briefs and climbed into bed. He was happy that he had done a decent amount of physical labor today. It would help him fall asleep, and he had a bone to pick with those women. It didn’t take long for sleep to envelope Dano, and he was slumbering before the moon rose.

Dano stood in the familiar inky blackness that seemed to be the backdrop for his meetings. He crossed his arms and waited. After a few minutes Dano blinked, and the two women appeared in front of him. They wore the same cloaks, same facial expressions and held the same regal presence.

The three beings just stood and looked at each other for a while before Dano spoke up.

“So?”

The two women looked confused at Dano’s question.

“So what?” asked the one in navy.

“Aren’t you two going to spout some prophecy or wisdom? That’s usually what happens when you show up.”

The two women looked at each other then burst out laughing. The one in white’s laughter was warm, like a summer’s day, and bouncy. The one in dark blue’s laugh was cool and refreshing, like a nice dip in a river. Dano had to resist the urge to laugh along with the two women, and keep his pissed off expression. The women stopped laughing and turned to Dano.

“We have no such wisdom tonight Daniel.” The one in white said with a chuckle.

“But you do know why you are here.” The one in navy finished, dropping he usual worried frown for a happy smile.

“That urge.”

The two women nodded in conformation to Dano’s hunches.

“You two were pushing me here?” Dano asked, hoping to get an answer to ‘why here’.

The two women nodded again before the one in navy spoke.

“Here you will train for your mission Daniel.”

Dano gave them a look. How was he supposed to train, and in what.

“You training will be very simple.” Said the one in white, her smile returning to normal.

“You will survive.” Finished the one in navy, her frown returning.

“That’s it? All I have to do is survive?” Dano asked, his questions still not satisfied.

The two cloaked figures nodded again then reached out their hands. Dano leaned away from them.

“Can I at least get your names before you zap me back?”

“Just call me Sun.” Said the one in white as she placed a hand on Dano’s shoulder.

“And me Moon.” Said the one in dark blue as she placed her hand on his other shoulder.

Dano felt the familiar rush of love and confidence flow through him as a white light enveloped his vision. When Dano opened his eyes they were gone, and the void began to close around him. Dano sighed right before his mind became dark, and he fell into a deep sleep.

what... what is this?
its a new chapter in your story
i can see that logic, but its *looks at clock* 1 in the morning, i have class tomorrow
we both know you would have probably been kept awake by your thoughts
yeah i know, but still...

lol
looks like i got another one done
dig in fillies and colts
don't forget to comment
that is all
kthanxbai