Lost and Fallen

Chapters

Chapter 3: Impressions
Chapter 4: Asylum
Chapter 5: Answers
Chapter 6: Everfree
Chapter 8: Mission
Chapter 9: Youth
Chapter 11: Business
Chapter 12: Lament
Chapter 13: Sacrifice
Chapter 14: Denial
Chapter 15: Upward
Chapter 16: Welcome
Chapter 17: Error
Chapter 18: Grounded
Chapter 19: Worry
Chapter 20: Belief
Chapter 21: Repetition
Chapter 22: Gathering
Chapter 23: Broken
Chapter 24: Supplant
Chapter 25: Lost
Chapter 1: Different
Chapter 2: Threshold
Chapter 7: Dust
Chapter 10: Downhill

Chapter 3: Impressions

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 3: Impressions

The first thing I felt as I slowly woke up was prodding from my side. It was steady, and a bit rhythmic, but it was also annoying, seeing as I was still tired. I ignored it for a time, hoping that whoever was poking me would just leave me alone. My prediction didn’t come true, however, as the prodding continued for a few more minutes.

“What?” I eventually asked roughly and sleepily, refusing to open my eyes.

“Are ya goin’ to get up or what?” Applejack’s voice rang in my head, forcing me to give a sigh. I half wished that everything that had happened was just a dream, but reality proved me wrong.

I sat up in bed, shivering slightly as a wave of cold washed over me from the lack of blankets. My mouth was dry, not having drank anything for nearly two days. Looking over the room, I could see Rose, Lucky Clover, and Goldengrape getting out of their beds and giving me nervous glances.

“I don’t really see a reason to get out of bed,” I responded to Applejack’s question bitterly, rubbing my forehead. Applejack rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath.

“Listen here, Nolan,” she said, anger dripping in her tone, “I gave ya a place ta sleep, now I want ya ta clear out before Jordan finds ya.”

“He’s dead, Applejack,” I reminded, shaking my head.

“And I’m supposed ta take your word for it?” she exclaimed, glaring at me with those piercing emerald eyes. “I appreciate you getting my stuff back, but I still don’t trust ya.”

I couldn’t believe she was bringing this up right after I had woken up. I was still groggy from the day before, and though the rest was pleasant, I still felt sore. What really ticked me off is that she still didn’t trust me, after what I did for her. I retrieved her belongings just so I could gain her trust and get my answers. Though the latter was met, the former was still to come, if it ever did.

I didn’t bother arguing with Applejack, and reluctantly slid out of bed, my body already wishing it was back on it. I gathered my weapons and apparel, slipping on my headgear and combat vest, and made sure I had everything.

“Hurry it up, Nolan,” Applejack called from the other side of the room, next to the door. “I want ya out of here.”

No plan, no way home, and no place to stay; I was still stuck on these three problems. What was I supposed to do? Where was I supposed to go? I growled to myself as these questions, along with others I had yet to find the answers to, rattled around in my brain. I was about to head for the door, when three knocks resonated from it.

“Open up, ponies,” someone bellowed from the other side, “We have important business with you.”

All the ponies faced me with wide eyes, as if the revelation that I had actually killed other humans had sunk in. I would have boasted that I was right, if I wasn’t a bit frightened myself. Did they find out I was here? If so, then how?

Thinking fast, I went prone, and crawled under the bed. Once I was hidden, one of the ponies opened the door. “H-Hello, sirs,” Rose stuttered, and I assumed she was the one who opened it.

“Look, pony,” a man said venomously, “We’re looking for a man who killed Mayor Jordan and three others yesterday. He looks like this.”

I was pretty sure I had killed five men, but that they had a picture of me was what surprised me. If they had one, they could post it up all over town, and I would have no chance of settling down.

Some hole I had dug for myself.

“We haven’t seen a man like that, sir,” I heard Lucky Clover say. I didn’t expect the ponies to cover me. Perhaps they had seen I wasn’t like the others.

“Really?” one of the men drawled, “Anybody else?”

The man's tone sounded like he wasn't buying their lies, but his next question caught me off guard. "What about you, apple pony?" the man asked, causing me to become confused.

It was obviously Applejack, but why did he inquire to her specifically? She must had done something to raise suspicion or something. Awkwardly, I shuffled under the bed, getting a good look at the scene - I again thanked the stars that my clothing was black. Two men - one wearing a baseball cap while the other was bald - were in the doorframe, showing a picture of me. Well, a picture with my headgear on, anyway. They had their eyes on Applejack, who was sweating profusely and avoiding eye contact.

“I-I haven’t seen nopony,” she answered, facing away entirely. Why was it so hard for Applejack to give an excuse? All she had to do was tell a small lie.

“And where did you get Jordan’s hat?” the bald man inquired harshly, swiping the hat from her head.

“That ain't Jordan’s!” she exclaimed, trying to grab it back with one of her hooves, but the man held it up out of her reach. “It’s mine!”

“Nice try, ya stupid pony,” he teased, giving a smile that I wished I could shove my fist into. “Now tell us, where did you get this?”

Applejack stopped her struggles to retrieve her hat, and backed down apprehensively. I knew I would have to act eventually, and slowly crawled out under the bed, staying as silent and hidden as possible. “I-I... well, y-you see...” Applejack stammered, sweeping her eyes over the room rapidly.

“I know you’re lying, pony,” the bald man hissed, getting into her face, “Now tell me! Where. Is. This. Man!?”

Applejack was stuttering like crazy, shifting her eyes around and taking a few steps back. At that point, I was out from under the bed entirely, crouching low as I observed with restrained anger. The other man, seeing to have had enough, slapped her across the face, sending her to the floor with a short whine.

“Applejack!” Rose cried, and was about to help her friend up, before the hat-wearing man brought out his revolver and pointed it at her. Rose yelped and jumped back in fright, shaking. I almost jumped out at that point, but I had to stay hidden. More bodies would only cause more discord then I needed. So I silently hoped that they would just go away and leave the poor ponies alone.

Applejack, looking disoriented with her breathing becoming slightly forced, glanced back up at the man, who stood up straight superiorly. “Alright, bitch, if you won’t tell us, I guess there's no use for you,” the bald man chuckled darkly, grinning like a madman. Applejack was pushing herself away with her hooves, shaking her head. The bald man gave a few laughs, then grabbed her legs and brought her back to him as he unholstered his revolver.

“Hold still,” the man said, “I don’t like it when they struggle.”

For the second time in twenty-four hours, I snapped, rage boiling inside of me. I drew my revolver, Vera, and sprang up to a stand, aiming for the man who was looming over Applejack. I pulled the trigger, hitting his head and leaving behind a huge hole in it, and he slumped to the floor. The hat-wearing man moved his gun to aim at me, but I was already ahead of him, and I shot a bullet at him. I only got him in the shoulder, but it was enough for him to fall to the floor, screaming in pain as he dropped his own weapon.

Applejack scrambled to her hooves, grabbing her hat in her mouth as she backed away quickly with her eyes wide. The other ponies were speechless, pressing themselves against the wall to get as far away as they could from the bloody bodies. I lowered my hands, controlling my breathing as I relaxed. I was a bit amazed that my shoulder wasn’t sore or in pain.

I walked over to the hat-wearing man I maimed, bearing down on him and giving the cold stare of my goggles. “You’re the bastard who killed Jordan, ain’tcha?” the man hissed, clutching his shoulder and groaning from the pain.

“You said that I killed four people, but I know I killed five,” I said, not moving a muscle, “Who survived?”

“I ain’t telling you shit!” the man shouted, sneering at me. I lightly picked up my foot, and pressed it against the man’s wound, and he screamed in pain. I knew how to get answers the old fashioned way, but had held off earlier. I didn't like doing it to begin with.

“How about now?” I asked in a mocking way.

“Fuck! Fine!” he gave in, but I kept the pressure on, in case he was bluffing. “Grayson was in critical condition, but he’s alive! Goddamn it!”

I stepped off, and the man breathed hard, closing his eyes tight in pain. The man who ‘owned’ Carrot Top was still alive. The mercy I showed him allowed him to survive, and I doubt he wouldn't take my actions lightly. “Thanks for the info,” I said before stomping him in the head; He went out like a light.

I holstered my revolver and looked over at the picture of myself that had been dropped by the bald man. I bent down, picked it up, and examined it. Upon closer inspection, I saw it was a Wanted poster.

Wanted

Dead or Alive

500 bits

Last seen in Ponyville

I couldn’t help but notice that my bounty had jumped up a couple hundred bits, which I guessed was the currency here. Killing the mayor and a few other people would do that. The picture was hand drawn, probably by an artist who got witness accounts. It was fairly accurate, though it only had my mask and such; no face.

“Ya saved me,” a breathless voice said, and I lowered the poster to see that it was Applejack. She was sitting on her haunches with her hat back on her head, staring at me like I had done a double back flip. I gave a simple nod to her revelation, and rolled up the poster and slipped it into my pocket. Might as well keep a copy.

“I can’t stay in Ponyville anymore,” I informed the group, but they didn’t react to my words. “You all should get out of town, they’ll think you’re my associates.”

Still nothing, their mouths open in utter shock at the growing pool of blood. I ground my teeth irritably, and I said louder, “That means now.”

That shook them out of their stunned silence, and they cleared out, stepping over the bodies with grimacing looks. I remained where I stood, contemplating my next move. Escaping the authorities would only get me so far, and I didn't have any idea where another settlement could be. I had no supplies either, so I had to get food and water before I could leave.

With a hollow plan set, I briskly made for the exit, but then a thought struck me. If I was going to be a wanted man, I would need more ammunition than I had. I only had about fifty-two rounds for my shotgun, not counting what I had used already. My revolver, however, had only a few shots before It would be worthless.

I looked over the bodies of the two men I had killed, or more specifically, their revolvers. They seriously couldn’t be using the same type of bullets my revolver used, could they? Crouching down, I retrieved one of the fallen’s revolvers, and swung the cylinder open to check. I turned the weapon around and allowed the bullets to slide out onto my open palm. After tossing the revolver aside, I then picked a bullet up and looked on the underside of the cartridge for the head-stamp, which would tell me if it can be used for my revolver.

I was quite surprised; they were the same caliber.

My prayers answered, I gathered as much .44 Magnum revolver ammunition as I could carry, and I also reloaded my revolver. How was it that this world had very expensive ammo for a revolver like this? It was probably one of those mysteries that would never be solved. With the bullets bulging in the pouches on my vest, I stepped out of the house, feeling a lot more powerful.

Applejack was standing right in front of the door, eyes to the ground pitifully. I raised a brow; I thought she would’ve been long gone by now like the rest, or at least get as far away from me as possible. Yet here she was, playing with the dirt as she gave quick glances at me with a sorry expression.

I made to ask why she was here, but she spoke before I could utter a word. “I’m still not sure I can trust ya,” she admitted, “but I reckon I owe ya big time.”

“Great,” I said with sarcasm, “now I can die happy.”

She stopped pouting to give me a glare I was becoming all too familiar with. “I’m tryin’ to help ya here,” she pointed out, shaking a hoof at me.

“I thought I was stupid to ask questions that I should already know the answers to,” I snapped, crossing my arms. I shouldn’t have been that aggressive to her, seeing as she was going to do something instead of simply answer my questions, but I wanted a bit of payback.

“Do you want my help or not?” she finished, her eyes narrowed. I gave a sigh, not the type that meant one had given in, but the relieving kind; I would finally get somewhere.

“That’s all I ever asked,” I said, walking by her. “So what did you have in mind?”

Stopping a few feet away from her, I examined the area for any more threats as she spoke, “I can take ya ta... Twilight.”

That got my attention instantly as I swiveled to face her. Twilight was one of her friends, as I recall, and got really defensive what I inquired where she was. Applejack wanting to talk about her must mean she trusts me a bit more. Still, I was a bit miffed that I had to save her from being killed for her to come around. I wondered why she wanted to go to Twilight, considering how important she was, but I didn't bother asking.

“I know where she’s at,” Applejack continued, trotting up to my side while looking up at me, “And I think she can take ya back to that world ya claim to be from.”

Rubbing my chin, I contemplated if it was worth going after this pony. Who was I kidding. I had nothing to do to begin with, so her plan was the only real option. “If we’re going to leave, we’re going to need supplies,” I explained, a hint that I would accept her offer.

“I’ll get some apples, you get some water,” she instructed. Figuring I could find some canteens, I nodded at her orders and made my way to Jordan’s house while Applejack headed for the orchard.

{~+~}

Finding some canteens was one thing, but filling them was another. Though there was a stream not to far away, I was worried that I would get spotted by a passerby. I already had enough publicity as it was, and I'd rather not be chased again.

I was about to head for the stream anyway, to test my luck, but before I did that, I learned that the household had running water. The technology I had seen so far in this land made me think that it hadn't grown much. Having indoor plumbing, however, changed that theory. Did they advance in some areas and falter in others? I remember a few civilizations going through the same process, but this place was so miss matched that I it was hard to predict.

Putting it behind me, I stepped out of the house with three canteens full of water in my hands, quenching my thirst as well. I would need a backpack or something to hold any of the supplies Applejack and I would gather, but I hadn't seen one at all. As if the universe was reading my thoughts, Applejack walked over to me from around the corner of the house, probably from the single-story building, while carrying some sort of saddle bag strapped to her side. It was apple green, with her cutie mark as the buckle.

“Ready to go, partner?” she asked in a neutral tone. Her expression was determined, that much I could tell, but there was something else. Something different. It could have been her refusal to really trust me, or just my imagination.

“Not quite,” I answered, lowering myself to a knee, presenting the canteens in my hands, “I need a bag to put our water in.”

“Just put ‘em in here,” she said, turning to the side to show her saddle bag. I was about to argue that it wasn't fair, but I didn’t want to start a full blown argument again. Opening up the siding, I dropped the canteens inside, noticing the apples that she had gathered. With that action, I knew we were ready for our trip.

“So where to, AJ?” I inquired, standing to full height as I threw a nickname out of the blue. She didn't take it so well, whipping her head at me, glaring at me yet again.

“Only my friends and family call me AJ,” she informed me, trotting towards a direction. Sighing, I followed along. It would be a long walk.

{~+~}

Hours went by like the wind, the cloudless sky still as brilliant as ever. The yellow grass almost shining in the sun, with the sky glowing slightly because of it. Plains went as far as the eye could see, with hills adding to the sight. I thought it was marvelous - living in the city most of my life, I never got the luxury of seeing nature at its finest. Applejack, on the other hand, behaved as if the scenery was evil.

I didn't bother asking about it, she’d probably blame me or something along those lines. Strangely enough, she brought up the topic herself. “The land wasn't always like this,” she announced somberly, keeping her gaze ahead. “It used to be green, but the Pegasi don’t give rain no more.”

I was half listening when she spoke, but a few seconds later, I jerked my head back. “Wait, Pegasi?”

Giving an irritated sigh, she shook her head, and kept talking. Maybe I could find out what she meant later. There were Griffins around, so Pegasi weren't completely impossible. “There hasn't been a drop a' water in these here lands for a while. Just up in the mountains where the humans ain't at.”

That was a puzzling statement. Why would the weather choose where to rain? It didn't have a mind of its own. Even in this world of fantasy, that would be absolutely ridiculous. And why does the weather avoid humans? God, I wished I wasn't so in the dark.

Perpetual silence reigned over us as we continued our trek, the sight of Ponyville long gone. With my thirst and hunger satisfied, I was becoming increasingly bored. The beautiful landscape could only quench my boredom for so long. “So...” I started, seeing if she would cut me off. “Can you answer my question about those tattoos on your flank?”

Halting in her tracks, she turned to face me, making sure I was serious. I still had my mask on, so it was a bit awkward for her to stare at me. Complying to my request, she turned so her flank was easily in view, and she explained. “Our Cutie Mark shows us ponies what our special talent is,” she said, her tone somewhat happy, but her face said otherwise. “I’m good with apples, as ya can see.”

I rubbed my chin, thinking about what she said, “Rose’s ‘Cutie Mark’ is a rose. So is she good with... roses?” I was grasping at straws here, and my mind was still reeling over the title being ‘Cutie Mark’.

Applejack nodded, and I said, “And these marks just... appear?”

“When the time is right,” Applejack said with an indifferent expression. She turned back around, moving on with our journey. I played with my helmet a bit, absorbing this information. Almost everything that had to do with the ponies themselves was not influenced by humanity. It was strange to think it was natural and normal.

“Shake a leg, Nolan, we’re almost there,” Applejack called from the top of a small hill before climbing down the other side. At that, my heart gave a skip. Getting to Twilight would be the first step to getting out of this bizarre place and back to the world where everything made sense. I gave a slight grunt, realizing that Applejack had stopped calling me by my species name. Perhaps she had moved on from it.

As I climbed the hill that Applejack disappeared over, I wondered what I would find. Would it be a lone house on the prairie, or a small run-down shack? I even thought up a bunker, but tossed that idea to the side with an inward chuckle. That wouldn't be practical.

At the top of the hill, my jaw nearly dropped. it was a bunker. It looked like one of those old military bunkers, partly in the ground and camouflaged to avoid detection and such. Cold concrete surrounded a wooden door that felt way out of place - it didn't look like it could survive a nuclear bomb.\

Still, this must have been the place, as Applejack was walking towards it. Picking up the pace, I ran down the hill, astounded that we had reached our destination. The thought of going anywhere in this world made me jittery in nervousness; a completely different world, in terms of geography, was a bit worrying.

I arrived at the bottom of the hill to a small flat area in front of the bunker, and it was at that moment that something burst from the ground. It knocked me back, spewing dirt everywhere, and I landed on my head. Though my helmet had taken most of impact, it still hurt quite a bit. Groaning, I stumbled to my feet, my sight foggy from the landing.

“Nolan! Duck!” Applejack screamed, her voice desperate. I did so without hesitation, as it wouldn’t be right to ignore her at this point in time. Lucky I did, too, as something flew through the air above me, casting a long shadow. It retracted itself, and when my vision cleared, I looked up to see what we were facing.

It was a thin purple tendril, of all things. The material that made it up was unfamiliar to me, though it shouldn’t have been too surprising, considering the circumstances. It had a strange twinkling effect, and was transparent! I could see Applejack waving her hooves in the air at me through it.

“Watch it, Nolan!” she shouted, and I focused my eyes at the large tendril that towered over me. It was about to slam down on top of me, but I jumped out of the way, meeting the ground with a curse. I scrambled to my feet as the tendril did the same maneuver, but I jumped to the side again, this time drawing my revolver.

Taking a few shots at it, I learned that it was ineffective, as the bullets flew right through it. I gripped my revolver tightly in my right hand as my inner rage was growing again; I hate it when the enemy fights unfairly. It may seem dumb to think that all enemies will fight honorably - being a cop, I should know this - but my inner being can’t help but turn furious at the prospect at being at a disadvantage.

“Son of a-” I hissed, but didn’t have the chance to mutter my profanity as the tendril slammed by my side. I had to come up with a way to take this thing down, or find a way to get in the bunker, whichever worked. Putting away my revolver, I leapt out of the way yet again, barely getting out of the way as the tendril attempted a fourth strike.

I was backing away from the tendril as it thrashed around, seeming to grow angry. If I could put some distance between me and it, then Applejack could slip in and get help. That’s when Applejack slid to my side, facing the tendril with a hard face. “What the hell are you doing!?” I hissed, warily watching the tendril for its next move.

“Well I can’t just let someone who helped me die now can I?” she retorted smugly, a smirk flashing across her face for a brief moment.

“You’re going to get yourself killed,” I muttered, shaking my head. I appreciated her assistance, for whatever it was worth, but I suppose I didn’t want to see her hurt.

Then she did something inconceivably stupid. She charged straight for the tendril, swiveled her body to face away from it, and bucked it. Obviously, her hooves passed right through it, and because of that, she lost her balance and fell on her stomach. She went to get up, but I could see that the tendril wasn't going to give her a break.

“Applejack! Get out of the way!” I shouted, waving an arm for emphasis. She wouldn’t respond, or maybe she couldn’t hear me, but the tendril had already smacked her away, sending her away with an audible grunt of pain. She landed a few yards away, rolling to a stop. I rushed to her side, noticing with relief that she was still alive.

“Goddamn fool,” I muttered as I looked her over, but it was only half hearted as she was barely awake. “You’re going to get us both killed.”

I looked back at the tendril and saw it was preparing for another attack, as it seemed it was going to charge forward to stab us like a shish kebab. “Shit,” I cursed, not daring to face away from the tendril, “We gotta move.”

Applejack didn’t reply, and attempted to get up. She was succeeding in that respect, but her current speed wouldn’t be enough. The tendril surged forward, its intent to gore was evident. I blinked at how fast it was going; we wouldn’t get out of the way in time. Desperately, I picked up the struggling Applejack, and tossed her away, just as the tendril slashed through my back.

I’ve been shot more times than I could count, but never had I been stabbed through the back of my left shoulder and out the front. I would’ve screamed in pain, maybe even whimper a bit, but the sheer shock of it all was enough to silence me, and when the tendril retracted, I could feel the air stinging the gaping hole it left. It probably didn’t look pretty either.

After that, everything was a blur, as far as I could tell. Applejack was yelling at the bunker, and another pony was standing there. It looked like it was purple, but I couldn’t tell as everything became fused together in my vision. My wobbling got the better of me as I knelt down and fell on my stomach, unconscious from the loss of blood.

{~+~}

“Nolan...” an angelic female voice called out in the darkness. I opened my eyes, but it made no difference through the dark void. I had heard that voice before, but I thought the owner was long gone. I moved my body, but it was like moving through a thick substance - almost pointless and difficult.

“Come Nolan...” the voice said, and a bright light illuminated my surroundings, causing me to flinch as I covered my eyes with my arms. When I looked back, I saw endless white, and my lone body floating. I was still wearing my outfit, but my weapons were all but gone.

“Over here,” the voice deadpanned, and I span around so quickly I could’ve broken my neck. It was... something; it was a shade darker than the environment, so it was impossible to see any details. From the looks of it, it was a woman - slender with long hair.

The more I looked at her, and the more I analyzed her voice, I began to put the pieces together, until my heart nearly stopped. “Emma...” I whispered, relaxing my frame. It couldn’t be her, she died years ago. This was either a dream, or I was really killed by that tendril, and I’m in the afterlife.

I reached out my hand, my disbelief slowly disappearing as I stared at her. I wanted to hold her again, to comfort her, to tell her I was sorry...

That’s when gravity took hold, and I plummeted from view as Emma remained where she was, giving me a blank gaze as I fell. The area was becoming black again, and I was enveloped in the growing darkness.

I couldn’t stop as I gave one last cry, one so loud that I might’ve been able to shatter glass.

“Emma!”

{~+~}

I sprung up in the bed I was laying on, shouting the name as if I was still in the dream. That’s when my senses kicked back in, and I gasped in pain from my left shoulder, clutching it. I was wearing nothing but my boxers, and covered in cold sweat. I was out of breath as well, taking large gasps of air. I’ve never experienced a dream so vividly, not even when I first lost her. Shaking the memory out before I got all emotional, I gave a gander at where I was.

First off, I was in a comfy bed, with a warm quilt blanket that was light purple with a strange pink, six-pointed star, surrounded by five smaller white stars on the cover. My left shoulder, forearms, and right elbow were bandaged up - the first more heavily than the rest. The room I was in was homey, with a fireplace and an azure carpet. There were more details in the room, but a knock brought my attention over to the door on my left.

I was a bit reluctant to open the door, considering my luck with knocking doors so far, but since I wasn’t chained up or dead, I must not have been captured by humans. “Come in,” I said hoarsely, the dream still flashing through my mind.

The wooden door opened just enough for a head to poke through, and one did. It was a pony I had not seen yet, with a gentle light purple coat. Her mane was plum purple with a pink streak in it, and a horn sticking out of it.

Horn sticking out of...

Horn!?

I raised an eyebrow as she gave me a warm smile, stepping fully into the room, revealing her elegant wings at her sides.

Wings at her...

Wings!?

Okay, I’ve seen some strange things here, but... wings and horns?! I expressed my discomfort, and she seemed ashamed of it, dipping her head as she gave me a sorry look. I also noticed that her ‘Cutie Mark’ - still think that’s a girly name - was the same as the one on the covers. Shaking off my confusion, I gave an awkward smile, “I, uh... hi.”

“Hello,” she said simply, her earlier mood returning, albeit a bit less cheery. “You feel alright?”

I glanced at my injuries, seeing how well bandaged they were, before facing her again. Did she do this by herself? That’s pretty good, compared to how I would have done it. “Could be worse,” I stated, rubbing my shoulder. She took that as a good sign as she walked over to the bed.

“You were lucky my tendril spell didn’t kill you,” she expressed.

“Yeah, I- wait that was yours!?” I said, raising my voice. She cowered back at my tone, her ears folded back.

“Y-Yes,” she whimpered, looking to the side, “It was a protection spell.”

It was an excuse, one I wasn’t pleased with, but I didn’t know how to express my rage, as I didn’t know how she could cast a spell. So I settled on gripping my hair with my hands, quivering with suppressed fury. She noticed my reaction, and was even more afraid to speak.

“I knew he wouldn’t take it well,” another voice said with disdain from outside the door. I groaned, as I already knew who it was.

“You have something to add, Applejack?” I hissed, pushing off the blanket while rubbing my forehead. She stepped into the room, her own anger showing in her features.

“In fact I do,” she said narrowing her eyes at me, “You have no right to go off on Twi’ like that.”

“No right!?” I shouted, standing up and breathing hard. Twilight, as she was called, shrunk down even more, covering herself with her hooves. “She nearly killed us! Nearly killed me!”

“She didn’t do it on purpose,” Applejack exclaimed, stomping her way over to me. “It was just an accident.”

“How was that an accident!?” I roared, getting in her face. She didn’t back down, which was strange; she was scared of other humans, but not me? Applejack and I had a stare down, one that lasted many minutes, until Twilight spoke up again.

“I-It was to protect me from humans!” she cried, tears welling up in her eyes. “I... I didn’t know it would hurt someone so badly. I’m sorry!”

She was sobbing now, sniffling occasionally, and Applejack went over to comfort her. That’s when I reflected on how I was behaving; it was like how Carrot Top was being treated. It doesn’t matter how different it was, it still had the same effect.

I wasn’t so different from the monsters that I had killed.

Seeing the harm I was doing, I sat back down on the bed, facing the carpet with resentment towards myself. Applejack was motherly shushing Twilight as she continued to cry. The more I heard it, the more I hated myself; she was the one that could get me home, says Applejack, and here I am yelling at her for something she indirectly did. That was the reason why I didn't speak up, for I was afraid she would refuse to help me. I wouldn't blame her if she did.

After about five minutes, Twilight gave one last sniffle as she wiped the stray tears in her eyes. Applejack backed away cautiously, probably to comfort Twilight again at a moment's notice. She looked at me like I would beat her if she crossed me again, and I knew I had to make things right. "I'm sorry," I mumbled, gazing off to the side. “I guess I’m a little... on edge, as of late.”

It was a terrible excuse - I’m able to hold my true anger from other ponies, but not her? I gave a glance at her, wondering what she could be thinking. She was still shaking slightly, but she seemed to stand up straighter. “N-No,” she stammered eventually, swallowing carefully, “I should have known sooner that you were friendly.”

“You never could have known, sugarcube,” Applejack assured, walking to her side. Twilight didn’t object, but she also didn’t agree. Sighing, I shook my head; she really does feel guilty about what happened.

“Let’s start over,” I suggested, hoping it would drop the situation I had made for myself. “I’m Nolan Anderson.”

Twilight gave a small smile, “I’m Twilight Sparkle.”

I returned the smile, “A pleasure, miss Sparkle.”

Twilight looked at me funny, moving around to get better views. “I can’t figure out how you could go from being so aggressive to being so friendly so quickly.”

“Well,” I said, looking around the room. “Before we get to specifics, can I have my clothes back?”

Twilight gasped, “Oh, sorry. I’ll be right back.”

She turned around and left the room, leaving just Applejack and I. She watched as Twilight left, then focused on me. “We have a real problem if you just blow up in my friends’ faces,” she announced, pointing a hoof at me.

“Yeah, well, I have the problem of being in a world where there are winged and horned ponies,” I replied back, adding emphasis on the obvious.

Applejack didn’t retort right away, quickly gazing over to the door to see if Twilight was nearby before facing me. “There are more,” she said ominously and I jerked back in surprise; she seemed to get a kick out of that.

“How many more?” I asked warily, not liking how something out of mythology was walking around.

She smirked, behaving as if she had a foothold on me. “In Twilight’s case, only three others, but most either have a horn or wings,” she answered with a grin.

“So why haven’t I seen them up until now?” I asked in curiosity; surely I would have seen them if all ponies were slaves.

Applejack’s smug look diminished to depression, as she slumped her shoulders and released a small sigh. “Unicorns are... more valuable,” she said, but it wasn’t quite clear.

“What does that have to do with the horns and what about the Pegasi?” I inquired, not seeing the connection. Applejack merely shook her head - I guess I would have to ask Twilight when I got the chance. “Alright, then what exactly is Twilight? I know Unicorns and Pegasi, but what is she?”

She snorted, “Her kind are rare, only the princesses are Alicorns.”

The princesses again, and they’re a type of species that is considered rare. So are they a princess because they’re an Alicorn? Or are they an Alicorn because they’re a princess? That’s when it dawned on me.

Twilight must be a princess.

“Ah, fuck,” I swore, slapping my hand to my head. I had gone off on a princess and I was too blind to take that into consideration. That’s when Twilight entered while levitating my stuff in a magenta aura in front of her. Seriously!? Now they can use... magic was probably the correct term.

I scoffed at her, but she took it the wrong way as she stopped a few feet away, looking a bit frightened. “Now you have magic?!” I exclaimed, throwing myself back on the bed, trying to absorb everything. There was a lot to take in.

Applejack then burst out laughing, falling to the ground holding her head. Glancing back, I could tell Twilight was on the verge of a giggling fit herself. Thinking about it, it was somewhat humorous to do what I just did. Twilight restrained herself the best she could and placed my stuff by my side as I sat up. I sifted through my clothing to make sure everything was there as Applejack stood back up. My jacket, undershirt, boots, combat vest, and such was present, but my weapons...

“Where are my guns?” I asked, my frustration growing yet again.

Twilight made to answer, but Applejack beat her to it. “Locked up so you can’t do anything with ‘em.”

I had every reason to explain that I had saved her and had done nothing that would have provoked such a decision. But if I did that, it would only add to their reasoning. “Whatever,” I said, waving a hand, “but can I have some privacy?”

Twilight instantly blushed, backing away quickly - strange, since I wasn’t going to get even more naked; I just wanted to be alone as I dressed. Applejack merely rolled her eyes as she followed behind. As the door shut, I could’ve sworn I heard Applejack mutter, “Humans.”

{~+~}

A few minutes later, I was back in my outfit, feeling a lot bolder with some threads on me. It felt clean, like someone went through the trouble of washing it before bringing it to me - another reason to give my thanks to Twilight. It was even stitched from the cuts on my forearms and elbow. I left my mask off and on the bed, thinking it would seem less imposing without it, and went for the door.

Before I pushed it open, I could hear Applejack and Twilight speaking with each other, and couldn’t help but eavesdrop, maybe because they were talking about me. "And you're sure that you can't tell?" Twilight questioned rather nervously.

Applejack sighed, "Like I said, I can't tell if them humans are lying or not, and Nolan is no exception. Even if I could, I wouldn't trust any of 'em with a bag a' hammers."

"What about Nolan? You've traveled with him so far. Surely you can trust him."

"Twi'," Applejack responded with irritation, "you weren't out there with those things for three months. And you saw what they did when they invaded."

"But didn't Nolan save you from my... Tendril spell before I stopped it?"

Applejack became unusually quiet, and it made me curious as to how she would respond. After a minute, she finally broke the silence. "Maybe, but I don't like it. I feel like he's using me."

It was time to intervene, defend myself, something to show that I was not those humans I killed. "Something you two want to tell me?" I asked as I sauntered into the room.

It was a lovely room, but a bit too lively for my tastes. It was what you would find in a normal living room: sofa, coffee table, and such. However, the walls were covered with bookshelves, from the floor to the ceiling.

Twilight chuckled sheepishly from the dark green sofa she and Applejack were sharing. "How long were you listening?" She asked with an awkward smile.

Crossing my arms, I replied, "Long enough."

Seeing an open armchair that was across from them, I walked over to it and plopped down, resting my head back. "Alright," I started, closing my eyes. "I want to know all about the invasion, no holding back."

"You don't know?" Twilight questioned skeptically. How many times did I hear that question? Too much to count that's for sure.

"I'm not from around here," I said without moving, then sat up resting my chin on my hands, giving Twilight a cold stare, "so no, I don't know."

"Applejack?" Twilight asked like one would an adviser. She looked over and gave a nod, as if confirming what I said. “Alright so let’s say you don’t know, what do you want to know?”

“Everything,” I replied simply, sitting back up, “What happened here, why there are creatures that should not exist, stuff like that.”

Twilight seemed hesitant, rubbing the side of her head, “Where do I even begin?”

“How about where Applejack left off,” I offered, “When you and your friends went to check out... the Crystal Empire, if I remember correctly.”

Twilight nodded, sadness building up on her face, “Well, my friends and I went to check out the damage done to the city after the battle. What we found was... terrible; most of the guards were dead, and the city was practically destroyed. But Pinkie took it the worst...”

I raised a brow, “One of your friends?”

She nodded reluctantly and continued, “She couldn’t make ponies smile with so much sadness. She turned into... someone else. Someone who was not Pinkie, but some crazy mare that I’ve never met before in my life. I think Rainbow knew something about it.”

“Wait, she turned from herself to some psycho just because she couldn’t make people... smile?”

“Yeah,” Applejack jumped in, “She’s the type that wants everypony to smile and be happy. Kind of hard to do that when...”

She trailed off and dipped her head, and Twilight did the same, in some silent mourning. “Death is present,” I finished, closing my eyes. These ponies were so innocent that even the thought of death was foreign to them. I wish our world came close to that. I could still remember the first time I saw death; it still lingers in my mind like an omnipresent shadow.

Shaking the haunting thought out of my head, I decided to know more about this princess. “Why don’t you tell me about yourself?” I inquired, gesturing towards Twilight. She must have known about how I changed the subject, but she seemed content with the notion.

“Well, I’ve been a princess for a few months now, before the invasion,” she explained. “I lived in Ponyville before my coronation, but I turned into an Alicorn after a certain... incident.”

I figured that this ‘incident’ she spoke of was rather embarrassing, or somewhere along those lines. Still, if it wasn’t pertaining to this whole invasion business, then it wasn’t important. “So you became an Alicorn which means you become a princess?” I asked, with a raised eyebrow.

“Exactly,” she said with a smile.

“So what were you before you became... that?”

“A Unicorn of course! Wouldn’t be the Element of Magic if I wasn’t!” She answered with glee.

“Typical,” I grumbled, “Anyway, why are you in this bunker?”

“Princess Celestia ordered me here,” she answered, sitting up straighter than before. “She said to come here to study humans.”

“Study humans?” I asked in disbelief, “But wouldn’t it be better to study humans outside?”

Twilight’s bright attitude faltered slightly, and her smile diminished as well, “It was something that crossed my mind, but I’m sure Princess Celestia had her reasons.”

These ponies put a lot of faith in their Princess; not once had they spoken about her in hatred. She must have been a good ruler. “Alright, what did you learn?” I questioned, wondering the viewpoint of someone who had done external research.

“Well, I learned that humans are just as intelligent as ponies, and that they have more dexterity with their hands and fingers. They also go through constant strife with one another.”

Textbook knowledge from an alien race; figured as much, considering she seemed like the book-worm type. She opened her mouth to continue, but Applejack stopped her by placing a hoof on her shoulder. “Twi’, how do you know so much about humans anyway?” she said, “It’s been botherin’ me ever since Princess Celestia gave ya the assignment.”

“From all these books she lent me!” she exclaimed flying over to a high shelf behind me. I twisted my waste to get a better look as she extracted one book in particular. “They talk about human anatomy, culture, and everything!”

“Now, how in the hay does Princess Celestia have books on humans?” she questioned rather harshly, causing Twilight to flinch. “We thought they were a myth three months ago, then suddenly they come out of nowhere.”

Twilight clutched the book in her hooves harder as she looked down. “I... I don’t know,” she admitted, “She never told me.”

“Let me get this straight,” I jumped in, standing back up, and walking to a random shelf, reading a few of the titles. “This Celestia sent Twilight here to this bunker for the sole purpose of learning about humans as an invasion was taking place?”

“I guess when you put it that way...” Twilight said with regret.

“Say Nolan,” Applejack spoke up, “What’re those letters on your back? S - W - A - T, swat?”

I looked back at them with a surprised expression. I should have known that they wouldn’t know what S.W.A.T. was, but I had forgotten those four letters were still on my combat vest. “S.W.A.T. It stands for Special Weapons And Tactics. It’s a branch of the law enforcement back home. We deal with high-risk operations that require precision and military-grade maneuvers.”

“Whoa,” Twilight said, hovering over to me while staring, her face filled with excitement. “You’ve got to tell me all about it!”

“I don’t see why not,” I said with a grin, turning to face them fully, slipping my hands into my pockets. That’s when my fingers touched the documents still in my pockets, and I was reminded of the situation I was in. It also made me wonder if Twilight washed them with my clothing. I averted my eyes as my demeanor went serious, “On second thought, I think it’s high time I head home.”

Twilight’s face fell quicker than I’ve ever seen one before, “Right now?”

I nodded, “I don’t belong here, and I would rather deal with the problems in my own world right now.”

Applejack scoffed facing away from me. “Selfish as always,” I heard her mutter, causing me to rub my forehead.

“Look, Applejack,” I said, gazing at her sternly, “I don’t want to solve your problems, okay? I don’t belong here, and therefore don’t have any obligation to help anyone.”

“I guess that’s true,” Twilight admitted, floating back to the floor. Then she looked up at me with glee. “But maybe you can make an exception-”

“No,” I repeated, narrowing my eyes. There was absolutely no reason for me to help these ponies. And what the hell would I do? Fight back an entire nation of humans?

“Alright,” Twilight gave up, sighing in exasperation as she walked past me. “I’ll look up trans-dimensional travel, if I have something on it.”

I couldn’t tell if that was sarcasm or not, but I nodded nonetheless and made my way back to the armchair. As I sat back down, I gave off a small smile as I leaned my head back. I felt my chest fill with relief - I would finally leave this place once and for all.

“I can’t believe you,” Applejack whispered, and I looked over to her to see her standing in front of me. “Why won’t ya help us? We need it!”

“You expect me to fight an army!” I exclaimed, my temper building. “What could I change?! I can’t tip the balance or whatever!”

“Uh, oh,” I heard Twilight mumble, but I was too into the argument to react to it.

I don’t expect ya ta do anything like that!” she said, placing her forelegs on the armrests as she got in my face. “I just think ya should help others around ya!”

“I do that every fucking day!” I shouted, gripping my legs tightly to restrain myself. “Why should I help you guys anyway!? You hate me, don’t you!?”

“Maybe because you have to,” I heard Twilight whisper, but it was enough for me to recoil, my face in shock. Applejack was just as surprised as we both turned our heads in her direction. Her nose was in another book, which was bright green and on the floor.

“What’re ya sayin’, sugarcube?” Applejack said cautiously, as she jumped off of my chair, walking over to Twilight.

“It says here in ‘Through the Wormhole and Back’ - by Starswirl the Bearded - that to go from one universe to another is extremely difficult; not even Princess Celestia could pull something like that off,” she explained, not even looking up at us.

“So, how did I get here?” I inquired, standing back up as I crossed my arms. “There isn’t even any magic where I’m from.”

“Really?” Twilight said in amazement, looking up from her book.

“Stay on topic, Twi’,” Applejack reminded, with a bored gaze. Twilight gave an embarrassed chuckle, and looked back at the book grimly, clearing her throat.

“Well, answering your question, Nolan,” she addressed pointing at something in the book. “I don’t really know, but I do know how to get you back home.”

“Great,” I said, clapping my hands together, “so let’s get it done.”

“That’s the thing,” Twilight sighed, shaking her head gloomily, “I need the Elements of Harmony to get you home.”

Applejack’s jaw dropped, and Twilight nodded solemnly as if it was an obvious fact. I was just plain confused now. “What the hell are the... Elements of Harmony?” I asked, throwing my arms out in front of me to show my puzzlement.

“I guess you wouldn’t know,” Twilight admitted, walking over to me.

“I don’t even think most humans know,” Applejack agreed, stepping to the side to make room for her friend as they both stood in front of me.

“The Elements of Harmony are six artifacts representing the elements of friendship. And me and my friends, in turn, are those elements,” she explained rather simply. It all sounded corny to me, but if it’s part of this world, I couldn’t really deny it.

“Okay,” I drew out, my mind working fast so I don’t look like an idiot. “So, what are the ‘elements’?”

“I represent Magic,” Twilight said, pointing to herself, “and Applejack represents Honesty.”

That would explain why Applejack was talking about lying, and why she can’t lie herself. “I think I get it so far,” I said, rubbing my chin, “what are the other four elements?”

“Kindness, Laughter, Loyalty, and Generosity,” Twilight recited, “And each of my friends represents one of them.”

“Right, right,” I waved off. I could figure things out just fine; I didn’t need to be reminded of something that was literally said a minute ago. “Now, what does it have to do with me getting home?”

“If my friends and I, with the help of the Elements of Harmony, come together,” she stated, as she walked away back to the book, “we can conjure enough magic to send you back home. In theory.”

I was about to cheer, but a nagging feeling inside of me told me that there was a catch - there’s always a catch. “And where are your friends and the elements?” I asked, regretting asking the question already.

Twilight gulped as she closed the book, “I don’t know where my friends are, and the elements are locked up in Canterlot.”

I blinked, “You mean Camelot, right?”

It was Applejack’s turn to blink, giving me an odd look, “No, it’s Canterlot.”

So now there was a place that was a parody of something back on Earth? I was afraid to see if there were other cities like that in this bizarre place. Sighing, I sat back down in the armchair, leaning my head back to gaze at the ceiling, slowly allowing the new information to sink in. Why did everything have to be so complicated?

A long silence was what continued, the two ponies moving away to give me space. I just sat there with the thoughts of everything that had happened. It was almost too much. I would have to help these ponies find their friends and get the Elements of Harmony if I wanted to return home. I was sure the other people here would love to get in my way as well. In short, I would have to do some shit to get what I want. When I finally looked back up, the ponies were waiting patiently on the sofa with expressions of expectancy.

I quickly stood up, cracking my neck as the soreness was setting in. “Okay,” I said quietly, “Where do we start?"

Author's Note

Big thanks to Ogatasensei123 for correcting my mistake regarding calibers for revolvers.

Chapter 4: Asylum

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 4: Asylum

The sky was littered with brilliant stars. Each one similar, yet different. It was all I could stare at as I sat on top of the bunker entrance, my feet dangling over the edge. My right hand was occupied with the newly lit cigarette, while the other was resting on my lap. Twilight and Applejack were inside, probably fuming over the arguement that I had, admittedly, started.

“Not my fault they can’t understand humans,” I growled as I inhaled from my cigarette.

Still, the situation kept repeating over and over in my head, like a horrible nightmare. I wondered how they thought of me now, but my mind would not stop replaying the events. “And to think,” I mumbled, “it all started with a good plan...”

{~+~}

“A friend nearby?” I asked, wondering if I had heard right.

“Yeah,” Twilight said as she was overlooking the small map of the area around Ponyville; which was laid out on the coffee table. “It’s Pinkie Pie.”

“You mean the friend that went crazy?” I deadpanned; she was going after that friend first?

Nodding, Twilight pointed with a hoof at a spot on the map. I leaned down to get a closer look, and saw she was indicating an area north of Ponyville. Even if we were headed for this ‘Pinkie Pie’, it was a relief to know we wouldn’t have to travel far.

“From my calculations, it should be about fourteen miles away,” she explained, while staring ahead, presumably doing the math in her head. “That’s about a day’s travel.”

“Fourteen miles?” I responded with disbelief. I’d walked long distances before, but if that place was that far away, finding Twilight’s other friends would be a lot more challenging.

“Yeah, not a problem,” she replied gleefully, causing me to furrow my brow at her. She saw it and looked at me with a blank expression. “What?”

“Nothing,” I said, rubbing my eyes. “So, what exactly are we heading for?”

Twilight faced the map again, all cheerfulness gone. “It’s an asylum Princess Celestia built for all the traumatized ponies during the war. We’ve... never had death so prominent, and many ponies didn’t take it so well.”

“Figured as much,” I whispered, standing straight to stretch out my legs. “Here’s another question: why is it in the middle of nowhere?”

Twilight’s ears folded back as she looked away. “Princess Celestia didn’t want to risk the poor, mentally unstable ponies to hurt others,” she replied quietly, “and she also didn’t want morale to diminish everytime ponies saw the building.”

“War strategies,” I mumbled idly, rubbing my chin, “are you sure there was no other war before this one?”

Twilight shook her head solemnly as Applejack entered the room with a bowl of apples on her back. “Not from any book I’ve read,” she answered, “Princess Celestia wouldn’t talk about her past much.”

“Not even to you?” I inquired as Applejack placed the bowl on the coffee table, “Her most faithful student?”

Applejack sat down beside Twilight, an apple in her hoof, and answered the question with a slight chuckle, “Kinda surprised us too.”

Using her magic, Twilight levitated an apple from the bowl. Before Twilight could take a bite, however, she froze, as if having a sudden revelation.

“Uh, you alright?” I asked carefully, looking her over.

She narrowed her eyes at me as she said, “How do you know that Princess Celestia called me that?”

Well, that was one question that I was able to find the answer to myself. Of course, it was just a guess, and I really didn’t know - yet she verified it for me easily. “I found a letter that was addressed to you, back in Ponyville,” I answered, jabbing a thumb behind me to the figurative town.

Twilight’s suspicious demeanor changed quickly, as she was utterly surprised. “You found a letter?” She asked, her face lighting up. I gave a small nod, reaching into my pocket while we all ate our apples; just as juicy as the one back at Sweet Apple Acres. I retrieved the letter, but before I could place it on the coffee table, Twilight grasped it in her magic and hovered it over to her face, reading intently.

After a few seconds, she looked over the letter to me, an eyebrow raised, “That’s strange how you found my letter after all this time.

“If you think that’s strange,” I replied darkly, my eyes to the floor, “then you should see things from my perspective.”

That shut her up, as she averted her eyes and Applejack, of course, narrowed her eyes at me. I gave a quick smirk while the only noise in the room was the three of us eating our food, lost in our own thoughts.

I wished I had my weapons back, I always felt comfortable with them, and with a dangerous place like this, I wanted them more than ever. “Can I have my guns back?” I asked suddenly; no point in beating around the bush.

Twilight looked over to Applejack, and she shook her head. I had a feeling that Applejack was saying some nasty stuff behind my back. Facing me again, Twilight smiled apologetically, “Sorry, Nolan, but I think it’s for the best if we kept them for now.”

I squeezed my apple tightly, keeping my anger in check. As I’ve said, I feel weak if I’m at a disadvantage, and this was definitely one of those moments. “I want my stuff, now,” I seethed.

Twilight swallowed, but Applejack didn’t back down. “She said no, Nolan,” she reminded me bitterly, tossing her apple core into a nearby bin.

“And I said I want them back,” I shot back, “Why can’t I have them?”

“I... W-Well, we decided that-” Twilight started hesitantly.

“We wanted to make sure ya wouldn’t kill Twilight with ‘em,” Applejack finished, nodding for emphasise.

“God dammit, Applejack,” I growled loudly, slapping a hand over my face, “You’re stubborn as a mule!”

“Well, you’re not wrong,” Twilight muttered.

“Ya still have no proof that you’re really from another world,” she said rather calmly, pointing an accusatory hoof at me. “You’re friendliness could just be a big trick.”

“It isn’t a damn trick!” I shouted, my anger let loose, “I don’t have proof for crap! What the hell do you want from me!? What did those humans ever do to you!?”

“A lot of things,” she said slowly and surely, like it was a matter of fact. I ran a hand through my hair, my eyes closed tightly in agitation.

“Fuck this,” I grumbled, storming out of the door for the exit. The ponies didn’t try to stop me, nor even utter a word. I was somewhat glad of that, I might have hurt them if they had.

{~+~}

Taking a drag from my cigarette, I knew I could’ve handled it better, yet my old habits got in the way. Still, I figured I deserved to have my weapons, especially Vera. Emma would have wanted me to hold on to it.

Just thinking about Emma and that dream I had gave me shivers. God I missed her, even a year after her death. I still beat myself up over it. Everyone always tells me that I couldn’t do anything about it, and that’s exactly why I beat myself about it. I couldn’t do a damn thing.

My train of thought was broken when the door below me opened, and light streamed into the darkness, showing the shadow of a pony. The pony walked out and revealed itself to be Applejack, and she had my weapons in her saddle bag. That was a surprise to me, and I would’ve called out right away, but I didn’t want to startle her. She stepped forward slightly, looking around anxiously.

“Uh, Nolan?” she called, taking a few more steps into the open. “Where are ya?”

“Up here,” I replied quietly. My strategy worked, and she didn’t freak out. Instead, she slowly turned to me with curiosity, and I gave a lazy wave at her. She didn’t say anything from there, and instead walked up around the incline to the side and sat on her haunches to my right. She took out my weapons and placed them on the ground gently, which caused me to raise a brow.

“Why the sudden change of heart?” I inquired, taking another puff from my cigarette.

Playing with her hooves, she replied, “It felt right. I sort of trust ya, but I guess I am stubborn. My pride always got in the way in the past, and it got in the way now.”

“Pride,” I mulled over, my gaze skyward. “That would make sense.”

“So,” Applejack started, looking over to my weapons, “Why are these so important for ya?”

A smirk showed on my face as I reached over for one particular gun, my revolver. I held it above my lap, checking it over as I spoke, “Just this one, mostly. It’s very important to me.”

“Did a friend give it to ya or somethin’?” She asked obviously, forcing me to give a quick sigh.

“More than a friend,” I clarified, throwing open the cylinder to check the ammunition inside; full as when I loaded it. “My… girlfriend.”

“Ya have a girlfriend?” Applejack asked incredulously. I was willing to bet that she had doubts that anyone would be interested in me.

“Not anymore; She’s gone,” I replied darkly.

“Oh,” she said, facing away as her ears drooped, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“I don’t know about you, so I’d say we’re even,” I replied half-heartedly; I already got enough sympathy from the police station.

“I suppose you’re right,” she nodded, “Maybe I can tell you when I’m ready?”

I couldn’t help but chuckle, “Then I can do the same?”

She gave a smile back, and I blinked with shock dominating my face. That was a rare sight for me, she saw my stunned expression and chuckled. “Yeah,” she said after a few laughs, “then we can understand each other.”

“Sounds good to me,” I laughed, taking another drag from my cigarette. Applejack eyed my cigarette as I did so, I suppose they wouldn’t be familiar with something like it.

“It’s a cigarette,” I explained, holding it up as it was nearly finished. “When it burns, it releases smoke that the user inhales.”

“Isn’t smoke bad for ya?” she asked, tilting her head to the side while lifting a hoof.

“It sure is,” I said with a shrug, flicking away the stub.

“Then why do ya use it?”

“It helps me get through tough times,” I said with a distant expression. Applejack quieted down after that, laying down on her stomach. We just sat there, staring off into the twinkling sky. We could plan when to leave and which direction to go later. At that moment, nothing else really mattered. Just the endless sky, and the large moon.

{~+~}

At some point, Applejack and I went back inside to rest. Sleeping on the couch was no big deal, but Twilight was fretting about my wounds. She was really oblivious to what the humans did to her kind. I think she saw that I wasn’t part of them, but it worried me more than it should. All in all, the bed wasn’t too bad, I wished my couch was half as comfy.

The worst part was the nightmare I had. It was an exact repeat from last time, with Emma calling out my name and me waking up in cold sweat. I couldn’t understand why these dreams were so prevalent suddenly. And why were the dreams an almost exact copies of each other? Whatever the reason, I didn’t sleep well at all.

The next morning was deathly quiet as we all got up and gathered what we would need for the trip. Though waking up early might be the reason for the silence, I think it was last night’s argument that shut all of us up; we just weren’t ready to speak with each other yet.

The food in Twilight’s bunker was strange: just apples. I understood that she was from Ponyville, so she would love apples, but how did they stay preserved for months? I guess saying ‘magic’ would answer half the questions I had, but that just seemed lazy. Twilight packed more than I thought was possible, sporting a very light blue saddle bag with her own Cutie Mark as a buckle. Everybody must have their own personal saddlebags.

Hours pass by, and the landscape that had once enchanted me was ruined by the sweltering sun. How I didn’t feel it last time was a mystery to me, but now it was burning hot, especially with my mask on. I spoke my discontent aloud, and Applejack gave me a strange look as she trotted to my side.

“Why do you wear that mask all the time anyway?” she asked, “It must be a mite hot with it on.”

I scratched the back of my neck as I thought of an answer. Why did I have it on a lot of the time? It wasn’t really necessary. However, when I thought about it, the answer clicked. “It hides my identity,” I replied, but it wasn’t really enough, as even Twilight was giving me funny looks. “The other people here only recognize me with my mask on.”

“So, you’re like a masked vigilante like in one of my books!” Twilight summed up with a smile.

“That’s one way to put it,” I agreed reluctantly; next she’s going to say I’m a superhero. “But I won’t be recognized by the others without it, so I can navigate cities without getting out my revolver.”

“How did you manage that?” Twilight asked with a tilted head.

“Dumb luck,” I shrugged while pulling out a piece of paper. I handed it to Twilight who took it in her magic and unfurled it to reveal my Wanted poster.

“Five hundred bits!?” she shouted, forcing me to jump back with a curse as we all halted in our tracks. “How did you get five hundred bits on you?!”

“Jeez,” I commented harshly, rubbing the ear that was closest to her, “keep it down, will ya?”

“Do you know how much that is?” she inquired hysterically, to which I shook my head. “That’s enough for a month’s worth of apples!”

I wasn’t sure how to respond to that - Sure, there were probably a dozen choices which I could’ve said on the spot, but something about that sentence caught me off guard.

“Sugarcube,” Applejack walked over to her, “I told you, he… killed other humans.”

“What!?” She remarked quickly with complete surprise. That was what was stopping me - how shocked she was about my bounty. Didn’t Applejack fill her in?

“I told you last night,” Applejack reminded.

“Oh,” she said simply and quietly, feeling ashamed. “Now I remember.”

She chuckled nervously; well that explained that.

“Come on, let’s keep moving,” I said, gesturing forward. The two ponies looked over and gave a firm nod as they took the lead. I had no idea where we were heading - even with the map - so it was for the best that they showed me the way.

{~+~}

The sun had reached the crest of its movement, when Twilight called out to us, “There it is!”

Looking over, I couldn’t believe it was a functional building. It was large, that was obvious, about three stories tall and twice as wide. Many of the glass windows - which had metal bars outside of them - had burst open, and the few that were still intact had many cracks. The walls were scuffed up by the elements, and faded paint covered them. A stone wall surrounded the building with a wooden gate, and a noticeable piece of cloth was hanging out of a second-story window.

I didn’t say anything, though, and instead briskly walked to the building, passing through the gate, with the two ponies hot on my trail. “In a rush, are we?” Applejack snarled, but i didn’t care as I neared the wooden double doors.

“The sooner we find your friends, the better,” I responded as my hand landed on the door handle. As she groaned I pulled on the handle, but it wouldn’t budge. I gave it another tug but nothing. Gripping it with both hands, I used all my strength to open the doors. The doors opened slightly, but not enough for even a mouse to squeeze through.

“What the…” I whispered as I backed away to see the problem. It was quite obvious; a piece of rope was wrapped around both handles. That I had missed it was embarrassing to say the least.

“What in tarnation,” Applejack mumbled when she saw the same thing. “Who did that?”

“Humans trying to keep something in?” Twilight suggested, a hoof rubbing her chin.

“Well, they’re in for a rude awakening,” I announced, unsheathing the knife attached to my shoulder. Flipping my hold on it, I cut the rope with ease and returned the blade. I pulled again and the door came open, with a terrifying surprise.

A dead human body, which apparently had been leaning against the doors, fell forward, causing the three of us to backpedal quickly in horror. We were speechless as we examined the body from a distance. It looked smashed in, with cuts and gashes all over it. It was also rotted, if the smell was any indicator.

“What…” Twilight squeaked out, backing away still. This would be her first sight of a rotting corpse. Kneeling down, I checked it out while scrunching up my nose. Boy, did it stink!

“I can’t tell what the cause of death was, but it seems obvious that-” I cut myself off as I looked into the hallway that the door opened up into. Three other bodies, all with the same gruesome abuse, were there.

“Oh my… goodness…” Twilight whispered before falling to her stomach shivering uncontrollably. Even Applejack was having the shakes. I’ve never seen either pony behave this way. Facing the interior again, I noted that it was very dark in there, with only the few rays of sunlight to show me that there was more to the room.

“Your friend, Pinkie Pie… is in there?” I asked as I stood up and pointed inside; I could feel the trace of fear in my voice.

“Yes,” Applejack whispered quickly, as if saying the word would release all hell.

Something went down here, that was an undeniable fact. But what killed these people? Something that humans had to lock in. I decided to keep my guesses under control until I figured out what happened. I turned to the two ponies who were scared out of their minds. They wouldn’t go inside even if they were forced. Which only meant one thing.

“I’ll go in alone,” I said, unholstering my revolver and grasping it tightly. There was no refute from either pony, though I swear I heard Twilight say something about insanity. Swallowing a lump that was forming in my throat, I warily stepped over the bodies of the deceased and made my way through the hallway.

The first thing I found out about the place was how cold it was. The building barely had any sunlight and the heating system of the building must have been offline for awhile. I wasn't complaining though, it felt good. Luckily, the hallway was straight most of the time. At some point, I saw a message written on the wall in blood. It was quite large in font, and the implications that ponies wrote it was just scary:

A mind is a terrible thing to waste

I’m sure that had nothing to do with this asylum.

My trip led me to an intersection, and it would put me completely out of view of my only known exit. Sucking it up, I continued to the right, revolver at the ready.

There was the occasional bloody body, but it barely deterred me. What gave me second thoughts was the sound. There wasn’t any. Not a peep could be heard throughout the entire building. If there was anyone inside, I would be able to hear them, especially with it being so damn quiet.

There was so many rooms that I had to be wary of potential ambushes. My training told me to check each room carefully, but in the darkness, I may have skipped a few. Most of the rooms were padded cells, but what worried me was that they were empty. Not a body or anything.

Eventually, I entered some sort of office. The body of another human was hunched over a small wooden desk. There was nothing major to note in the room, but when I was about to leave, my eyes glanced over a piece of paper on the floor.

Picking it up while the dirt slid off, I read what it said:

Dear Hale,

I hoped there was a way for my little ponies to return to their original selves the normal way. However, based on the information you gathered and your recommendation, I see no other way. Please note that I do not want the Psychonas Potion dispersed to the patients until it is certified that it will cause no side effects. Especially for the Element of Laughter, Pinkie Pie. Leave her for last, as I still have faith that she will return to her old self on her own. Just give her time. I thank you for your efforts and I await the results of the patients.

-Princess Celestia

P.S. Give my regards to Dusty Hall, and a raise, since he’s working a fair amount of overtime.

Another letter by the Princess, and this time she contacted the pony who I assume was the doctor in charge of this asylum. But what happened when this ‘potion’ was given to the patients? And when did the humans get involved? Folding the letter up, I put it in my pocket with the rest, and made my way out. I still had work to do.

As I left the room, I heard silent skittering to the right of me. While cursing under my breath, I aimed my revolver in the direction of the noise, but I only saw a piece of metal leaning crooked against the wall. It swayed slightly, giving off a low metallic thud every time it hit the wall. Was I hearing things? That seemed unlikely, as I’ve never had a problem with my ears before. Though there was a first time for everything.

Taking a shaky breath, I turned back to the hallway and followed the signs to the stairs, and while I climbed them, I had this nagging feeling that I was being followed. I had had enough of this building already and I wanted to find Pinkie as fast as possible, if she was still alive.

As I reached the second floor, I began to hear a faint noise. As I continued, I realized it was a voice. I walked down another hallway with patient rooms on the sides until the voice became distinguishable. That’s when I realized it wasn’t someone speaking, but singing…

Hush now, quiet now

It’s time to lay your sleepy head...

Hush now, quiet now

It’s time to go to bed…

Drifting off to sleep

Exciting day behind you…

Drifting off to sleep

Let the joy of dreamland find you…

The way it softly echoed throughout the dark and desolate halls was like a scene out of a horror movie. Needless to say, I was scared shitless, which was a first. The singer kept repeating the lyrics and the tone did not change in pitch for even a second. Like it was practiced. Not only that, but I heard more rustling behind me, though I didn’t bother to turn around.

“I gotta get out of here,” I mumbled, knowing that there was no chance I would find Pinkie in a place like this. Just as I turned around to head back, something screamed and slammed into my face. The screaming continued as whatever attacked me continued its assault, two hard surfaces slamming into my face over and over. I shoved whatever it was off, and it yelped as it landed on the ground hard. I faced whatever it was, revolver pointed at it.

It was a pony. A pony in a broken straight jacket.

I paused just for a moment at that piece of info, and it gave the pony another chance to jump me. Thankfully, I shook off my hesitation and shot a bullet through the skull, killing him instantly. The bang from my revolver echoed through the building, but it did not disrupt whoever was singing. Second after second, I waited for something to happen; I had a feeling that it wouldn’t be good.

Then I heard a scream, then another, and another. There were so many ponies screaming that it was deafening. And the worse part was that it was coming from all around me. Almost as one, the crazy ponies crawled out from wherever they were hiding, twitching slightly and muttering to themselves. All of them had broken straight jackets on, and a few had a knives clenched in their drooling mouths. They were literally coming out of everywhere: the doors, the ends of the hallway, and the ventilation. All the while, the mare was still singing.

Knowing quickly that I would need some breathing space, I ran down the hallway, kicking a pony that was in my way. The others gave chase, but my long strides were able to outpace them for the moment. When I was at a reasonable distance, I whipped around and began shooting at anything that moved. I saw a few bodies fall, but there were still too many.

I continued running back, taking a few bullets out of my vest pouches as I reloaded. It wasn’t easy to run at full speed while delicately putting bullets in my revolver, but I made it work. Their endurance was quickly overcoming my speed, and I was growing tired. This meant that I couldn’t afford to stop and shoot again. I aimed my revolver over my left shoulder at the nearest pony while maintaining my speed the best I could. I fired, and he tumbled back. Another one jumped at me, but I was able to shoot it as well before it landed on me.

Facing forward again, I saw that there were two sets of stairs coming up; one going up and the other down. I intended to get out of this place, so I headed for the stairs going down, however, just before I reached them, I could see other crazy ponies make their way up. Thinking on my feet, I veered away from that set of stairs and climbed upward to the third floor. Now, I was trapped; if I couldn’t find another set of stairs or something soon, I would be smashed to a pulp by these ponies.

I repeated the movement of reloading and running, albeit a lot slower, and almost paid the price as one of the crazies was able to lodge a knife on my lower leg. I gave a small grunt of pain as I gritted my teeth. I kicked off the pony, but the knife remained, so now I was limping as fast as I could.

The hoard was still after me, and I was running out of options very fast. With little else to do, I holstered my revolver, got out my shotgun and blasted two ponies who were a little too close. After pumping my shotgun, I shot at another pony a bit further away as I backed away. Pumping and shooting another pony, I knew I was nearing a dead end, with only a door as my salvation. When I had the opportunity, I swung open the door, jumped in, and slammed it shut.

I saw a lock, thankfully, and hastily slid it in place. My lungs were on fire, as well as my leg, and I reached down and pulled out the knife with a grimace. I hate it when someone does that. Tossing the knife to the side, I fell to my knees as I listened for the crazy ponies. There was still muttering, but strangely, they weren’t trying to enter. And the singing had ceased as well. Thinking nothing of it, I rested my head against the cushioned door and allowed myself a break.

That’s when the occupant of the room jumped on my back, hooves pressed against my throat as I dropped my shotgun. I swung around blindly, trying to knock the pony off. Feeling myself losing consciousness, I ran backwards and slammed the pony into the wall. There was a whine and the pony released me, sliding along the wall to the floor as I stumbled forward. I coughed a few times and rubbed my throat tenderly; it was worse than having human hands strangling me.

“That’s it,” I growled as I unholstered my revolver again, turning around slowly, “Now I’m really-”

I stared at the pony with my revolver aiming at her head. She was shivering and facing away with eyes closed. I couldn’t believe who I was seeing; I was told that she would be pink, as her name implies, but I had thought it was an exaggeration. Sure enough, she was pink all over.

Pinkie Pie.

Her mane and tail were a dark shade of pink while her coat was a slightly lighter pink. Both her mane and tail were straight as an arrow, which made her pretty damn creepy. She had a few stray spots of blood around her hooves, but that was probably from simply walking around.

“Are you… Pinkie PIe?” I asked, lowering my revolver. She opened one eye to see that I wasn’t threatening her any more, then glared at me.

“N-No,” she responded, “I’m Pinkamena Diane Pie.”

“Then why do your friends call you Pinkie Pie?”

She gave a nervous spasm for a moment, before narrowing her eyes at me. “I don’t have any friends, they all abandoned me in this place,” she explained, facing away with a scowl.

I scratched my neck awkwardly, this was confusing. “Right, whatever,” I replied, throwing my hand in the air. “Let’s just leave.”

“Leave!?” Pinkie shouted, like I had given a preposterous plan. “You can’t just leave! Nopony can leave!”

She looked down at her hooves with sadness, “Nopony…”

We stood in silence as I looked around the room. There was a metal-framed bed that sat underneath a barred window with a bit of food stashed underneath it, and a toilet in the corner of the room. Facing Pinkie again, I saw how exhausted and skinny she looked. It must have been rough staying in place like this.

“How long have you been here?” I inquired walking over to the window; my leg flared up but I ignored it.

“How long since humans started the invasion?” she shot back.

“I guess it would be three months ago.”

“Then that’s how long I was here.”

Sighing, I looked out the window at into the golden fields. There was no question that she was crazy, but the question is why she hasn’t lost her lid completely yet. The other ponies were deadly and out for blood, yet here she was, just barely holding on. What factor had her stay like this for so long?

That’s when I remembered the letter I picked up. I swiveled on the spot and crossed my arms, as I pondered whether to ask. I decided fairly quickly, “Have you heard anything about a potion?”

She flinched at the mere mention of it, and looked around quickly, as if searching for someone who was listening. “That… thing that they gave the others?” she questioned trotting over to the bed as she scrounged through it.

“Yeah,” I answered, watching her every move, “I read something about it helping the patients here.”

“Lies!” she shouted suddenly, putting her forehooves on her bed. “All lies!”

“I’m guessing it didn’t work.”

“The potion didn’t save ponies,” Pinkie explained with a shake of her head. “It did for a while, but it made the ponies go even more crazy.”

“I bet you never took any of it.”

“No,” she replied in a hushed manner, “‘too dangerous’, they said, ‘humans coming’, they said.”

I walked over to my shotgun and picked it up, looking it over to see if it was damaged in anyway. “So the humans came when they were giving the potions,” I assumed, “and this potion helped ponies for a little while, but eventually caused them to worsen. Then the doctors and guards fled when the humans arrived, leaving the patients here. Fucking cowards.”

Pinkie didn’t object, but she didn’t agree either, causing me to give a long sigh. After attaching the shotgun to my back, I walked over to her and stood behind her, a hand reaching out to her. It nearly touched her shoulder, but I stopped myself short. She probably didn’t want to be comforted by a human. If the ponies have one thing in common, it’s that they hate my species’ guts.

“Pinkie, we need to go,” I said quietly. She didn’t say a word, her gaze glued to the window that allowed sunlight to shine in. “We need your help to get me home and-”

“Kill this human, now!” she suddenly shouted, causing me to jerk my head back.

“We can’t kill him,” Pinkie denied afterwards. Wait, what? “He just went through all of them, why should he die?”

“But he’s only in it for himself!” she shouted again. Was she arguing with herself?

“I know he has a selfish reason for doing this,” Pinkie said to no one again, “he just told us.”

“Us?” I repeated; she must have split personalities.

“Then why won’t you kill him?!” she shrieked.

“Because…” she mumbled in reply to herself - this was too weird. Silence followed, and Pinkie dipped her head low. Then she began sobbing softly. Sure, she tried to cover it up the best she could by laying her head on the bed and rubbing her eyes, but she was sobbing nonetheless. “...I’m tired of all this sadness and depression! I don’t want any more death!”

I lowered my head, thinking hard about the words that weren’t even addressed to me. I was used to death by now, taking it from those who hardly deserved to live. But what of someone who had seen the aftermath of a battle, when that pony has never even seen someone die, especially with someone who likes to make others smile? I understood Pinkie a bit more.

“Pinkie,” I said sternly, causing her to drop off the bed and turn to me with a few tears falling down her cheeks. She attempted to wipe them away, but before she could look up, I knelt down and wrapped my arms around her in a tight hug. She didn’t move, but that made me want to hug her more. I hadn’t hugged anyone like this since Emma, but Pinkie deserved it.

She needed someone, right then and there.

Eventually, Pinkie leaned her head against my shoulder, reaching her hooves around as far as possible. “I’m sorry about all this, Pinkie,” I apologized, even though I did nothing wrong.

“I hate your kind so much!” she hissed, and a more tears fell from her eyes.

“Yeah, I know,” I responded gently, finally pulling away. She gave a shaky sigh, as she made for the door. I was about to ask what she was about to do, but she simply unlocked the door and pushed it open. “Whoa, Pinkie wait!”

I sprinted forward grabbed her by each side of her flank. She squealed and resisted immediately as I pulled her back. When I released her, she turned towards me with narrowed eyes, “Don’t touch me!”

I ignored her and closed the door hastily, making sure that no ponies were nearby at the same time. Weirdly enough, there wasn’t any at all. “You could’ve gotten us killed,” I explained, re-locking the door, “It’s not exactly peaceful out there.”

Pinkie grew worried, “Yeah, I know. That’s why I have the lock.”

That was confusing for me; why would there be a lock inside a cell? “I installed it a while back, so they wouldn’t slip inside while I slept,” she explained.

“Still,” I said, eyeing the door, “It must be hard to sleep in a place like this.”

“I know,” she agreed, a single tear shedding from an eye. “That’s why I sing myself to sleep.”

“Sing yourself…?” I repeated, “You were the one singing?”

She gave a small nod, and I rubbed my temples tiredly; that solved one concern. Looking at the door again, I knew we had zero chance of getting out alive. Hell, I hardly made it there in one piece. “Maybe we can go out the window?” She suggested like she read my mind, pointing a hoof at it. Then she shook her head, “No, no, that won’t work. Those bars would get in the way.”

Eyeing the window, I saw the bars she was indicating and a solution struck me. “Well, Pinkie, we might actually be able to go through the window,” I assured, hopping on the bed as I looked out. It had no glass, unlike the other windows, so I clenched the bars tightly to not fall off, and hollered, “Twilight!”

I waited a few seconds for a response, but when none came, I repeated her name again. Then I heard someone exclaim, “Nolan?”

“Twilight! Up here!” I replied, “At the window!”

Hearing the distant sound of fluttering wings, I braced myself to see a pony fly for the first time, if their wings were capable of flight. Sure enough, Twilight came around the corner of the asylum, her wings spread out. It was elegant, I had to say, seeing something that would normally be impossible laid out before me. I shook off my stupor and put my concentration back on the situation.

“Over here, Twilight,” I said, waving a hand through the bars. She saw me and flew over to the window, hovering just behind it.

“Hello, Nolan,” she said as pleasantly as she could, but I see that she still felt disgusted by the dead bodies from earlier. “Did you find Pinkie Pie yet?”

“It’s Pinkamena Diane Pie!” Pinkie snapped, making Twilight’s mouth gape open.

“Is that…?” she asked, but seemed too out of breath to finish.

“It’s Pinkie,” I reassured, giving a glance over to Pinkie who was staring intently at the ground. “She’s just… not herself, I guess.”

Twilight looked very saddened by this, “And it was because of the humans?”

I faced her, almost feeling myself giving her a blank stare, “I don’t think I need to answer that.”

Twilight swallowed, and opened her mouth, but I knew exactly what she was going to say. “As I’ve said, I don’t know why humans did this,” I interrupted, causing her to close her mouth quickly. “Now just use your magic to get these bars off and fly us out of here.”

“Can’t you just… walk out?” she inquired with a tilt of her head. She seemed reluctant, like she knew the answer already.

“Not an option,” I respond, “I’ll explain once we’re out of here.”

Twilight gave a nod, and her horn held the aura of her magic as the bars shared the same. In an instant the bars disappeared, and I backed away as I went over to Pinkie, who still hadn’t moved since I began my conversation with Twilight. “You first, Pinkie,” I instruct, gesturing towards the window.

She slowly looked up to me with wonder, her eyes wide. “I can… leave?” she asked in a disbelieving tone.

“Yes, you can… Pinkie,” Twilight whispered, probably not believing that she had found a friend after so long. This caused Pinkie to stay frozen at her spot. Her head swiveled to Twilight, who had a sad smile. Then, she returned the smile, albeit a very small one, and trotted over to the bed, hopped up, and slinked her way through the window. It wasn’t too big, but it was enough for even myself to fit through.

Twilight carefully scooped Pinkie up by her armpits, and began to slowly descend to the ground. I watched from the window, until I heard an unwelcoming sound. Someone slamming into the locked door. I turned to it dramatically - not on purpose - and hoped that whatever did that would walk away. Another slam. Crap.

Even after two slams, the lock looked liked it was about to give; it wasn’t a very strong one. I got out my revolver and pointed it at the door, wishing Twilight would hurry up. Another slam from behind the door. The lock was on its last legs. Another slam and a pony burst through the door, and I gave him a bullet through the skull as a reward. Other crazy ponies swarmed into the room, but I was able to kill all of them quickly; having only one place for them to enter. I was so focused on killing each pony that came through, that I forgot to reload my revolver. So it came as a shock when it clicked empty.

By that time, there was already some bodies on the floor, and my back was against the wall as I stood on the bed.
“Damn, Twilight!” I screamed, kicking a pony that was getting too close. “Where the hell are you!?”

“I’m coming, relax,” I heard Twilight mutter spitefully as she neared the window, “Can’t you-”

She looked through into the room, and she nearly lost her flight as she dipped a few feet. “Wh-What is happening!?” she shrieked in panic.

“Get us out of here, Twilight!” I ordered, as more were coming in, “Now!”

A bright purple light filled my vision, and then I was standing at the entrance of the building. Blinking stupidly, I looked in every direction to be sure it wasn’t a trick, accidently putting weight on my injured leg. Applejack was here, Twilight was here, Pinkie was here, the open door…

“Shit!” I cursed as I sprung for the double doors grasping both and shutting it. I picked up the rope I had previously cut and tied it the best I could. I was no boy scout, but it would do. Seeing that we were safe, I released a breath that was being held subconsciously, and slunk to the ground. I took off my head gear and just fell to the floor on my back.

I hoped I never had to go through something like that again.

“Nolan,” Applejack called out, “What are ya doing?”

I had never been so happy to hear Applejack’s voice in my time in Equestria. I gave a weak grin, “Just catching a breather.”

“What was in there?” she followed up, and I could hear Twilight shudder. Pushing myself to a sitting position and taking a deep breath, I explained everything that had transpired in the cursed building. Pinkie opted to stay out of the discussion, sulking a few meters away from us. When I finished, I wasn’t surprised in the least how the ponies reacted: practically sick and horrified.

“The ponies… k-killed the humans?” Applejack asked. I nodded, and reached for the letter in my pocket.

“I also found this in an office,” I explained, passing the letter to Twilight. As she took it and glanced through, I continued, “It says something about a ‘potion’ that probably worsened the psychotic ponies in here.”

“I remember this,” Twilight whispered with slight awe, looking over to me. “Princess Celestia was talking about it a few times, but I never knew she used the potion.”

“No offense, Twi’,” Applejack said, “but you didn’t know a lot of things when you were in that there bunker.”

As the two spoke with each other, I saw Pinkie stare at the dry fields like a newborn looking into a new world. I stood up, wincing a bit from my leg, strolled over, and stood behind her, but didn’t bother her. She was deep in thought. “It…” she finally spoke, “looks so different, yet familiar.”

I remained silent, waiting for her to go on. “Let’s leave ‘em! They deserted you, left you to rot in that place! Then again, you’re nothing to everypony. Not even your closest friends helped you. You should just kill yourself!”

Twilight and Applejack faced over to Pinkie, eyes wide. They were so stunned that they could only stare at her as she continued.

“But… they came back for me,” she replied to herself. She was going into another self argument.

“For their own selfish needs! Once they’re done, they’ll throw you right back in!”

“N-No! That’s not true…”

“Pinkie,” I sighed, feeling depressed, “we can help you.”

“How can you help me!?” she shouted, tears dropping from her face, “The doctors couldn’t do anything, how can anyone else!?”

I stood still for awhile as she wept, then reached into a vest pouch and extracted another cigarette from the case. I also took out my lighter and easily lighted my cigarette, taking a few puffs. I held it in my hand, as I finally answered Pinkie’s question. “Take it from someone who has had experience,” I explained simply.

“I don’t think you were locked up in some asylum,” she hissed, turning her head towards me.

“Never said I did,” I said, inhaling from my cigarette, “I just know what it feels like to think that no one can help you.”

She gave a sorrowful expression as her mouth hung open slightly. She was surprised, obviously, but I didn’t go further than that as I left my cigarette in my mouth and turned around to head for the other ponies. “W-Wait,” she said, “Did your friends help you when you were in trouble?”

I clenched my hands into a fist as I suppressed my fury. “No,” I said quietly, hate laced within my words as I strode away from her, while Twilight and Applejack trotted past me to comfort her.

{~+~}

After bandaging up my leg, we rested for a few hours to replenish our hunger and thirst - far away from the asylum, thankfully. The menu was apples, but I was growing used to that, but Pinkie seemed somewhat happy to have some real food in her. As we sat on the ground in a circle, the rolling hills of dry grass surrounding us, my mind kept thinking up a way to find the other three Elements of Harmony. The three ponies had no idea where any of them could be, so finding out where they were would make a good start.

“Hey Nolan,” Twilight called to me, capturing my attention, “How do you get used to it? Y-You know, killing others?”

That question has been asked of me by many people, and I always gave the same answer, “I don’t.”

“Oh,” she said, looking at anything but me as she took a bite from her apple. “W-Well, do you have a plan of where to go?”

“Nope-”

“Good, because I do,” she interrupted with a smug smile, the previous topic forgotten. She asked that question on purpose, I just knew it. “If the humans have taken over Equestria, then they should have tabs on the… ponies, right?”

She still couldn’t accept the fact that her kind were mostly slaves. I couldn’t really blame her. Still, she had a point, “Where are you getting at?”

“Why don’t we go to Ponyville and see if they have our friends filed around somewhere?” she proposed, with a gesture towards the direction of Ponyville. Well, I assume it was the direction.

“That’s a good idea, sugarcube,” Applejack praised, before speaking to me. “How ‘bout it, Nolan?”

I shrugged, “I don’t have anything better.”

“Don’t I get a say!?” Pinkie jumped in the middle, looking livid.

“O-Of course you do, Pinkie!” Twilight remedied, backing away from the sudden appearance. “What do you think?”

“I… like the idea,” Pinkie mumbled with a sheepish smile; I’m going to have to get used to her craziness.

Standing up, I cupped my hand over my eyes to see better as I gazed out into the wilds, “I guess we’re heading back to Ponyville then.”

Chapter 5: Answers

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 5: Answers

Ponyville had hardly changed as we entered the town. The same buildings were still there, and the humans continued their daily routine of disciplining the ponies and living their lives. One thing that did change was the security. Everyone had bolt-action rifles strung over their shoulders, and there was numerous patrols coming and going.

Somehow, my prediction that my mask - which was in Twilight’s saddle bag - would disguise me was spot on. No one gave me a second glance, and those who did quickly brushed it off. I was beyond thankful for that for two reasons. One, I didn’t think I could fight a whole town with the weaponry they had. And two, we had no plan whatsoever.

Looking around, I tried to find out where to begin looking for the information we needed. All I could really see was wanted posters literally covering the buildings. A small humourous grunt escaped my lips when I saw that my bounty had risen again to six hundred bits. Applejack stared straight ahead, giving nervous gazes at each passerby, while Twilight simply looked on with curiosity. Pinkie Pie just followed along depressedly.

“Hey!” Twilight suddenly exclaimed, drawing unwanted attention. After I gave her a death glare, she cleared her throat anxiously and whispered, “Why don’t we head to my Library?”

“You used to own a library here?” I inquired; why would a princess be in charge of something so mundane?

“Yeah, you see,” Twilight explained plainly, sounding like a teacher educating a student. “I wanted to stick close to my friends when I became a princess, so Princess Celestia allowed me to work out my royal duties while I stayed here.”

“Huh,” I replied, honestly approving of Celestia’s actions. “Well, the Library is a start. So let’s head over.”

“What about where Jordan used ta work?” Applejack interjected, looking between us, “Wouldn’t the Mayor have some stuff on our friends?"

I rubbed my chin, she had a good point. Jordan would have kept tabs on as many ponies as he could, and would most likely keep it close to him. The Town Hall. “Okay, let’s split up,” I suggested, “Twilight and I can head for the Library and Applejack and Pinkie can check the Town Hall.”

“No humans!” Pinkie shouted, causing us to jump a little, “Can’t stand them. No, no, no.”

“Uh, not ta go against your idea,” Applejack said warily as she stared at Pinkie, “But wouldn’t two ponies walkin' without a human raise some questions?”

“Just tell them I ordered you to pick up some supplies,” I thought up. It was a logical conclusion, and hopefully no one would think better of it.

“Nolan,” Applejack scolded, “ya know I can’t lie.”

“God damn it,” I cursed under my breath, Applejack was right. I saw first hand how bad she was at telling a fib, and there was no way she would be able to get by easily. Plus, the people here might recognize her if she was not under some kind of supervision. I had no idea if the people here knew she had helped me escape.

“Okay,” I spoke up after a minute of contemplation, “Twilight and Pinkie will go to the Library, and Applejack and I can head for the Town Hall.

“What about Pinkie’s… behavior?” Twilight said, pointing a hoof at the pony. She was right; we were lucky that Pinkie had not attacked another person yet. Still, I was growing impatient with their contradictions to my plan. They should be glad I was able to come up with a plan.

“Just… use your magic,” I said rubbing my forehead. Giving a nod, Twilight explained our plan to Pinkie and they both headed off. As I watched them trot off, I was worried that they would be caught. I wasn’t sure if it was because I actually cared for them, or because they would rat me out and get me killed.

Nudging me, Applejack brought me back to reality and we set off for the Town Hall. Walking through the town with the knowledge I had, I felt conflicted on how I saw the ponies. They had only wanted to live their lives in happiness, but then they were forced to obey a species that they had not even known existed. Now that I thought about it, how did these ponies not know that there was a species living right next to them? Surely they would have found them by then. I wondered if Celestia had anything to do with it; leaders always had their secrets, especially those that were ‘good’.

“Uh… Nolan,” Applejack asked nervously, and I looked to her with a raised brow. “This may not be the best time, but…”

“We have a bit of time,” I reassured, “What is it?”

“...Do ya have a family?” she inquired, looking both sad and curious. Wow, she knew when to pick the best time to ask something like that. Then again, I did say there was time.

Grimacing slightly, I gave a small nod, “Not exactly a family anymore.”

“What happened?” Applejack inquired tenderly. How strange that she would suddenly take an interest in my family. It was probably something deeper than just being curious, but I would find out why later.

Grinding my teeth, I tried to figure out where to start. “I had my mom and dad, of course,” I said, scratching my head. “No siblings… lived a normal life…”

I had an idea why I was having a hard time talking about it, but I wouldn’t admit it to myself. Applejack simply stared at me, yearning me to go on. “My dad was deployed in the military when I was seventeen, and… my mom died of a heart attack when I was nineteen…”

“Did your dad come back after that?” Applejack asked, and I could tell she was feeling sorry for me. I didn’t like it when people did that. I already knew that my past was saddening, and I didn’t need people feeling apologetic about events that they never knew about.

“Yeah,” I spat, kicking a rock on the ground, “Then took off again without a second thought about me. He barely even talked to me. I hope I never see him again.”

Applejack winced from my tone, “Don’t ya think that’s a bit harsh?

“Harsh is leaving your family and never coming back,” I shot back, keeping my gaze to the ground. Just thinking of that man made me tense up in anger, which is usually why I avoid thinking of him. Taking a deep breath, I calmed down and faced Applejack, who seemed lost in thought. Whether it was from my family or something else, I didn’t know.

“What about you?” I asked, veering the conversation off myself. “Have any relatives?”

Applejack visibly sagged at the mention of her own family, and I regretted asking about something that she was sore about. “It’s sorta complicated,” she admitted with a mournful chuckle.

“Then it can wait. We’re here.”

“Huh?” Applejack said, glancing around. We had made it to the Town Hall, and the stroll had taken more time than I thought would be necessary, even with Applejack’s knowledge of the town. However, that wasn’t the biggest worry, as the building held another obstacle.

The Town Hall was locked down.

There were troops all over it, patroling around the building in twos and more at each window. When I looked over to where I had burst through the window on the second floor, A plank of wood was boarded up to cover it.

“Whoa, Nelly,” Applejack said in surprise, “Ya really caused a ruckus here.”

“Well, when the only way to find out where you were was by stealing something from the Mayor…” I said, rolling my eyes. Applejack bowed her head slightly in thought, and I couldn’t tell what she was feeling. Guilt? Anger? Sadness?

“What do we do now?” Applejack asked, looking up to me with a blank expression. Or she could just be thinking of our next move.

I shook my head as I reexamined the Town Hall. There was no way we would be able to get in there without being questioned, and I doubt it was open to the public anyway. “Let’s get to the Library,” I suggested, “Twilight and Pinkie should be there by now.”

“Alright,” she agreed, and we turned around and walked away, heading for our next destination.

I knew we had a few minutes before we would meet back up with Twilight and Pinkie, but I was reluctant to restart the conversation again. Would Applejack even want to bring it up again? Although, she was the one who started the discussion about family. Looking anywhere but at Applejack, I inquired, “So… what about your family?”

Applejack did not do anything to acknowledge that I had spoken. Thinking she was just ignoring me so I wouldn’t pester her, I shook my head slightly and continued in silence. In my peripheral vision, I suddenly saw something gray fly by. Looking over, I saw only the empty air. I swore I saw something gray. Maybe even a bit of yellow, but that may be pushing it. Catching up with Applejack, who had moved up a bit while I had stopped, I made sure to watch my back for the time being.

In this world, there’s no such thing as seeing imaginary things.

The Library was a lot closer than the Town Hall, and it came into view quite fast. I also noticed a strange raised platform of some sort just across from it. There were only a few people looking it over, and I thought little of it as I neared the Library. As I approached the door, I caught a glimpse of the name of the building before opening the door.

Golden Oak Library.

As I entered, the first thing that I noticed was the aroma of steel and gunpowder. I was familiar with the smell, but I thought I would smell wood or must. Then my eyes registered what the room actually contained: firearms. There were only rifles, revolvers, and double-barreled shotguns, but those three quantities took up the entire room, hanging on wooden racks on display. Twilight was seated in the center of the room, staring at the weapons with a dumbfounded expression, and Pinkie was off to the side, arguing with herself in hushed whispers.

“The… the library,” Twilight muttered taking deep breaths, as if going into hyperventilation. “It’s… it’s a-”

“An armory,” I finished, taking a sweep of the area.

“What happened to all the books?!” she nearly shouted hysterically, not surprised that I had suddenly appeared, “There were hundreds and hundreds of books!”

“Keep it down!” I exclaimed quietly, waving my hand around, “We don’t need someone coming in here and finding us.”

“But the books!” Twilight said, pointing a hoof at the guns while facing me with anxiety. She wasn’t taking this well at all.

“We have more important things to worry about,” I explained, crossing my arms in thought. “Like where to find out where your other friends are.”

“What was wrong with the Town Hall?” Twilight inquired, her tone uneasy.

“The humans here have it locked up tighter than the palace vaults,” Applejack answered, stepping forward. “There’s no way we could get through ‘em.”

“So now what?” Twilight asked. I had asked myself that question a lot lately. There was really nothing we could do. We had no idea where the other three ‘Elements of Harmony’ could be. Even if we did, we would probably have to go through a bunch of people to get to them, and I could only do so much.

“End their lives!” Psycho Pinkie shouted, gaining our attention. I had decided to name the violent version of Pinkie to make it easier on my brain.

“No!” Pinkie cried, “I don’t want to kill anyone! Stop it!”

“Do it!” Psycho Pinkie said angrily.

“I don’t wanna, I don’t wanna!” Pinkie whined, grasping her head with her hooves. I could see tears falling already; another breakdown.

Twilight sighed and walked over to Pinkie to help comfort her. I would hate to admit it to Applejack and Twilight, but Pinkie was becoming more of a burden than anything. She constantly went into hysterics, she didn’t contribute to the situation, and she may get us in trouble. However, there was nothing I could really do about it, since there was nowhere to send Pinkie. Dropping the subject from my mind, I focused on what our next objective would be.

As I was thinking, I idly walked to a nearby shotgun, examining the weapon. It was an ordinary design, and I snapped it open to see two shells inside. My curiosity piqued, I grabbed the shell and looked it over. I could recognize the ammo anywhere: 12-gauge. It wouldn’t work on my shotgun, which only used 20-gauge. I guess I would have to really conserve my shotgun use. I could only carry my riot shotgun, so I couldn’t carry around another long-barreled weapon without discarding it first. Deciding to wait until my shotgun ran out of ammunition, I placed the double-barrel shotgun back where I found it before speaking to the group.

“Okay, listen,” I called out, and everyone turned to me, even Pinkie, “Let’s get out of town while we still have the chance. Then we can come up with something else.”

“Why don’t we ask Derpy?” Pinkie asked pointing at the window behind us while wiping her nose. Eyes wide, I whipped around towards the window, my body tense, but there was nothing there.

“Derpy?” Twilight repeated in disbelief, “Pinkie, there’s no one there.”

“She’s right there!” Pinkie said, emphasising her point. I was still staring at the spot she was referring to, but there was still nothing. “D-Don’t you see her?”

“Sorry, Pinkie,” Applejack apologized, “But we don’t see anypony.”

Pinkie looked down with sorrow, shaking slightly, “But… but she’s…”

I would have disregarded Pinkie’s claim that there was someone there, but my earlier sight of something gray graced my mind. Could it be the same person? Were we being followed? “Who’s this… Derpy?” I inquired, an eyebrow raised as I stared at the window.

“She used to be the mailmare here in town,” Twilight explained, “She had cross eyes and was pretty clumsy.”

After saying that last part, Twilight rubbed her head with a shiver, as if recalling a past event. “When was the last time you saw her?” I asked the group as a whole, though I knew Pinkie probably would be no help.

“I think she was deliverin’ a package out a’ town,” Applejack replied, playing with her hat in thought. “She could be anywhere.”

“Would there be a chance that she returned?” I followed up, furrowing my brow.

Twilight gave me strange look, “You can’t possibly believe that Pinkie saw her. Eh, no offense, Pinkie.”

“None taken,” Pinkie sneered bitterly.

Shaking off her comment, I said, “I’m not implying that she really saw her. But I just have a feeling that we’re being watched.”

“Do ya think someone recognized ya?” Applejack inquired, turning to the window.

I shrugged, “I don’t think so. But my attire isn’t exactly normal here. Maybe someone is just wondering about it.”

“I doubt someone would hide and follow us just to find out where you got your clothing,” Twilight pointed out.

“If that’s the case,” I summed up, “Then we should proceed with caution. Let’s just get out of town quickly.”

As Applejack and Twilight gave nods of confirmation, I looked over to Pinkie, who was peering out the window where ‘Derpy’ had supposedly been.

“Hey, what’s going on outside?” Pinkie asked, squinting her eyes.

I was about to look to see what she was talking about when a loud bang rung out. Pinkie gasped, covering her mouth in horror as she scooted away from the window.

"Death," I could hear her mutter, "Death is upon us, the reaper is smiling now."

Though her comment concerned me, there was already something to worry about. That noise was a gun. No doubt about it.

“Get down!” I whispered frantically, throwing myself to the floor. I didn’t know if the shot was intended for us, but I wasn’t taking any chances. The other three ponies dropped down as well with fearful expressions. A few seconds dragged out, but nobody shot another round or called out to us. Crawling quietly to the nearest window, I peeked outside to see what was going on, drawing my revolver simultaneously.

The platform that I had dismissed earlier was now buzzing with activity. Humans and ponies stood before the platform with expectation, as two humans and two ponies stood next to another pony, who was lying down on the platform. My eyes widened at the one person in particular. Grayson. Though I knew he was alive, I wished it wasn’t true, yet there he was, using a wooden cane to get around and handling a piece of paper, apparently reading from it.

On the platform with him was someone I didn’t recognize. He had black, shoulder length hair, wielding a revolver in one hand. When I gazed at the ponies that were with them, I realized that they were chained together in a row, and that the ponies were shockingly familiar.

Carrot Top. Goldengrape. And… a dead Rose. My breath hitched as I stared at her still form, a single bullet hole through her head. What the fuck!? When did these ponies get captured? Why were they being executed? My fist was unconsciously tightening against the window sill, and I gazed over to Grayson who was speaking to the group that spectated the scene before them. I couldn’t hear a word he said, his voice muffled from the barrier between us.

“Nolan,” Twilight whispered from the other end of the room, “What’s going on out there?”

“They’re...” I hesitated. I didn’t know how Twilight would react, as she had a tendency to go overboard. Still, she had a right to know, and there was no point lying, “executing ponies.”

“What!?” she responded in a hoarse tone. I wouldn’t be surprised if her heart stopped. “B-But why? They didn’t do anything wrong!”

I reflected on how these ponies had helped me, or had been at the scene of the crime. My heart dropped; it was my fault. I was the reason why there were being killed in public. My own selfishness was causing their deaths. “W-Who’s being executed?” Applejack inquired, beads of sweat dripping from her face.

I gave a small sigh, and replied, “Carrot Top, Rose, and Goldengrape.”

“The other ponies at my farm?!” Applejack jerked back, her jaw hanging open.

“Yeah,” I said, feeling distant from all that was happening. “And it’s all my fault.”

“Darn tootin it’s your fault!” Applejack seethed, walking over to me. “If we just left ya alone, they wouldn’t be in this mess!”

“You think I don’t know that!” I snapped back, pointing a finger at her. “You think I wanted this to happen!? I just want to get home!”

Applejack didn’t back down, nor did I expect her to. She narrowed her eyes more as I turned away from her as another shot reverberated in our minds. All of us instinctively jumped slightly, caught off guard from the sudden sound. I looked over at the platform again, seeing Goldengrape fall down, his eyes wide open in shock. He was dead.

“Shit!” I cursed, standing full height, grinding my teeth “I’m not just going to stand here and let them all die like criminals.”

“Do you have a plan?” Twilight asked weakly, still uneasy that the ponies would be killed in such a way. I faced the outside again, taking note of everything. The humans who were watching the spectacle had their eyes glued to it. The ponies, on the other hand, were cringing and facing away in sympathy of the ponies on stage. My guilt grew as my gaze passed over the deceased Goldengrape; I had to avenge him, along with Rose.

“Twilight,” I said sternly, extending my hand towards her while staring outside, “give me my mask.”

Without pause, Twilight used her magic to levitate my head gear out of her saddlebag and towards my outstretched arm. I snatched it from the air and hastily put it on, feeling the seconds tick by. Carrot Top was next and there was no way in hell that I was allowing her to die. After I finished, I briskly made for the door, my revolver still tight in my hand.

“What about your plan?” Twilight called to me as I opened the door. I halted at the door frame, considering her words for a moment.

“Don’t have one,” I said, continuing my walk as the ponies stayed inside the Library. When I had neared the gathering, I could finally hear what Grayson was going on about.

“...assisting a fugitive. Do you deny this?” he asked Carrot Top, over his sheet of paper.

Even from this distance, I could tell she was shivering, her bruises, though faded, were still present on her sides. “I-I didn’t help him th-though!” she stuttered as loudly as she could, which wasn’t much. “He j-just saved me!”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Grayson brushed off, “Now, does anyone want to purchase this pony?”

Carrot Top dipped her head, facing the ground, probably to not get even more distressed from the lack of raised hands. That’s when an idea struck me: I could purchase her. “Going once,” Grayson shouted, the other man on stage, who I assume was the executioner, leveled his gun with Carrot Top’s head. Would my plan work? I didn’t even have any money!

“Going twice,” Grayson said, the executioner’s finger twitching. God damnit, it can’t work!

“I’ll buy her!” I screamed. Confused, the crowd looked at each other to see if someone would actually purchase the pony. Carrot Top blinked in disbelief, looking around to see who had said that. With the distraction, I aimed my revolver at the executioner just as Grayson laid eyes on me. I couldn’t help but give a smug smile at his expression. It felt good to take him by surprise.

“Didn’t see that one coming, didja?” I whispered, as I gave a mock salute, then gripped my gun and fired at the executioner. The loud bang and the man falling dead made the group panic, looking around frantically for the shooter. I had already taken off, heading for the Library where Twilight and the others were at. I hoped that Carrot Top would be able to escape from there.

“It’s the Masked Man!” I heard Grayson shout behind me, “Get him! I’ll raise the bounty on him by three hundred bits! Just kill him!”

Wow, talk about desperate. Nevertheless, I quickened my pace, as I heard cries of anger and vengeance. I crashed through the Library door, and slammed it shut behind me. As the sense of Déjà vu rushed through my mind, I locked the door and slid to the window to a crouched position.

“What the hay, Nolan?!” Applejack shirked at me, who was laying low to the floor with the other two as the first bullets began to fly. “That was your plan?!”

“Don’t like it, come up with your own,” I shot back, shooting through the window at an approaching man, sending glass shards everywhere.

“Well now what do we do!?” Twilight jumped in with a worried expression next to Applejack. Pinkie was beside Twilight, looking just as frightened.

“Look for another exit,” I ordered, taking another shot out the window. “I can hold them off for awhile.”

Twilight looked around, like the alternative exit would be in plain sight. I focused back on the fire fight, putting more bullets in more approaching men. They were getting smart, as they aimed for the window while taking cover, forcing me to duck my head as the bullets impacted my position. As I brought myself out of cover to take more shots, I saw someone with a rifle aim straight at me. I ducked just in time, the bullet nicking my helmet.

I had forgotten that they had weapons besides revolvers. I would have to change my strategy. Then I gazed over the room before me, Twilight and the others had gone to find the other exit, and I grew a maniacal grin at the amount of weapons. Crouching low, I went over to the racks of rifles and gathered as much as I could carry. I made my way back to the windows, placing a few at each one, carefully avoiding being seen from outside.

When that was finished, I quickly got the shotguns and looked around for a place to put them. Though there was no cover in the room, a doorway leading to a kitchen was perfect. This idea of mine had better work. That’s when the guns stopped, and I heard muffled voices from outside. They must have thought I had been killed, or were just waiting for me to make a move. Using the lull in gunfire to my advantage, I came back to the window, grabbing one of the rifles I had rested next to it.

I checked outside, seeing a few of them arguing. The shattered window allowed me to hear what they were saying. “Is he dead?” someone asked.

“You, check it out.”

“Why me?! Why the hell don’t you look?”

“Because I outrank you.”

“Crap, alright.”

Gripping the rifle in my hands, I quickly aimed outside to the approaching troop and took the shot. The recoil was more than I was used to, causing me to give a small wince, but the bullet hit its mark. The others scrambled back for the cover that they had left, and I had trouble loading another bullet into the chamber. How did anyone manage these clunky bolt-action rifles? Even with my inefficient loading, I was able to take out one more before they were behind a barrier once again.

As they were shooting at my cover again, I tossed the rifle to the floor and shuffled to the other window, grabbing the rifle that rested there. Because the enemies were focused on where I once was, I was able to take aim without worrying about getting hit. Still, I didn’t waste time as I pointed my rifle at someone behind a nearby building and fired.

The people around him flinched as his body fell, and as quickly as I could, I loaded another bullet and shot again. They moved their attention to my position and I backed away as the bullets practically ripped it to shreds. When their firing stopped, I edged for the other window. However, I found the reason why they had ceased fire. Someone had rammed into the door: they were already too close.

“Shit,” I cursed under my breath, tossing the rifle and hastily making for the doorway holding the shotguns. A bang from behind the door informed me that they had shot the lock. I equipped myself with a shotgun, and stood beside the doorway, awaiting their arrival. They kicked down the door and I instantly jumped out shooting at the first two to come running in with both shells.

God, the kick was worse than the rifles!

I dropped the shotgun and grabbed another just as more were running into the slaughter. As they fell, I could see some others take positions at the windows and the entrance. Instincts kicking in, I shot at each man at the window and discarded the shotgun as well.

Just as I reached for another shotgun, I heard Applejack’s voice over the gunfire. “Nolan!” she yelled, “Twi’ found an- gah!”

The sudden yelp of pain filled me with fear. What had happened? I peeked around my cover and saw Applejack laying on the ground clutching her left forehoof with her right, as it was bleeding. I also noticed two men running for her. I dispatched them quickly with my shotgun as I ran out of cover, heading for her. I slid beside her as she was shivering from the suppressed cries of pain. I gave the injury a look over and found out that the bullet had passed right through it.

“Can you walk?” I asked, taking out my revolver as I kept an eye on the entrance.

She put pressure on her hoof and almost fell back down. However she pushed through the pain and gave me a nod. I had to commemorate her for her stubbornness against pain, but I hoped she wouldn’t push herself too much; I knew what it was like to get shot in the leg. Patting her on the shoulder, I jumped up and gave suppressing fire as we both crept back into the door she had came through.

When we were completely through, I slammed it shut, noting with a groan that there was no lock for this door. We had better hurry. Turning to face where we entered, I saw that it was a large basement, with the stairs open to the two story room. The place had strange technology that I wouldn’t associate with a place like Ponyville, with electronics and such.

My brain was trying to comprehend how technology was present in a world where it shouldn’t be, but the gunfire had halted once again, and I snapped out of my revery. I hurried down the stairs behind a struggling Applejack, picking her up half way down.

“Put me down!” she yelped, as she kicked, but it sounded hollow; that leg must have hurt more than she was letting on.

“No time,” I mumbled, practically flying down the stairs. I saw Twilight and Pinkie standing beside some sort of hole in the ground, near the wall, looking uneasy. When I ran over to them and they saw Applejack bleeding, their eyes widened in shock.

“A-Applejack!” Twilight cried out stepping over to us.

“She’s fine!” I shouted, placing Applejack on her back rather harshly. “Get going! Now!”

The door upstairs burst open, men already infiltrating the basement. I began firing on them, keeping them at bay until the ponies had made it through. When they were all inside, I inched towards it until I was at the brim of the hole, still firing until my revolver clicked empty. When it did, I jumped inside.

It was pitch black, forcing me to squint to see anything through my tinted goggles, but that didn’t work either. When I hit the bottom, I toppled over from the unexpected landing, but I pushed myself back up quickly. I had jumped into a dark tunnel, with absolutely no light to see anything at all. It caused me to panic slightly, but Twilight’s horn lit up, casting a lavender light on the walls.

“Keep going!” I shouted, pointing to the dark abyss of the rest of the tunnel. “We’re not out of the fire yet.”

The two galloped through it, with me right behind. I kept glancing behind me to see if anyone had followed us through, but the darkness canceled any hope of sight. That didn’t stop the sound however.

“They went through here!” someone shouted, echoing through the tunnel. “Someone get me a torch!”

I was racking my brain, trying to come up with some way to get them off our tail, but the tunnel was extremely linear; it literally went in a straight line. I gazed around at the tunnel walls until an idea hit me in the head.

“Twilight,” I called out, causing her to look over to me. I could see she was having trouble, what with holding Applejack and using her horn for light, but this had to be done. “Can you collapse the tunnel behind us?!”

“Are you crazy!?” she scolded me, her fear showing plainly on her face. “It could cause a chain reaction and bring the whole place down on top of us!”

I looked behind me again, and was able to see someone throw down a torch, illuminating the surrounding area. “It’s either that,” I said, keeping my eyes on the entrance, “or get shot in the ass!”

“Okay, okay! I see your point!” Twilight agreed. She skidded to a halt, and turned to face where we had come from. A human had just jumped down, already getting used to his surroundings. Her horn was growing very bright, and I saw a chance to help her a bit by taking Applejack off her back. When I did, I could easily see Twilight relax slightly and concentrate on her spell.

Time seemed to move at a crawl, the spell feeling as if it would take ages to complete as more men were following the first. Hearing mumbling beside me, I looked down to see Pinkie going into her ramblings. Yet strangely enough, one line of it made sense.

“Forgive your enemies... but never forget their names,” she quoted quietly, staring ahead. Wait, wasn’t that a quote from-

A huge explosion and sudden flash caught me off guard, making me stumble back from the sheer force of the discharged energy. After that, the rumbling I could feel in the earth caused me to shiver; my plan was working. I saw Twilight breathing heavily, watching rocks and boulders fall and block the path. The only problem was that they were still falling, and would eventually crush us. “You went a little overboard, Twilight,” I announced, backing away. “Let’s get going before the ceiling comes down on our heads.”

“I… did it,” she breathed, but was difficult to hear over the shaking and rumbling. “I… completed the spell.”

Was the spell more complicated than I thought? Even so, she could reflect on it when we were out of danger. “Twilight!” I shouted, finally knocking her back to reality as she gawked at the collapsing tunnel. “I don’t want a dead princess on my hands! Run!”

She followed my orders without hesitation, spinning in a circle and running like I’d never seen her before. I was already up ahead, right behind Pinkie Pie, with my lungs burning from the exertion. However, no matter how hard we ran, the crumbling tunnel was growing closer to us.

“Shit, we’re not going to make it!” I yelled, gritting my teeth. Fortunately, the cave-in stopped abruptly, as if the tunnel saw our plight and fixed it. Breathing heavily, I slowed to a stop and tenderly laid Applejack on the ground as Twilight joined my side, appreciating the break.

After a minute or two of just resting, I looked over the ponies and assessed them. Pinkie seemed absolutely fine, not tired from the sprint. Applejack, though unwinded, was still in pain from her leg injury. And finally, Twilight was exhausted and from what I could make out from the spell, I couldn’t blame her.

“Is everyone alright?” I asked, making absolutely sure there wasn’t some bullet wound that someone may be hiding.

“Fine,” Applejack answered promptly, “I’m… fine.”

“Can you walk?” I questioned, crossing my arms while looking agitated.

“No-”

“Then you’re not fine,” I shot down, feeling annoyed. She really was stubborn, and I’m sure if I didn’t interrupt her, she would go into a huge explanation on why she was alright. Twilight sat on her haunches, still looking in disbelief. No doubt about the spell she had performed.

“What’s so special about that magic spell?” I asked in exasperation, she was making a big deal about it.

Twilight gave a heavy sigh, closing her eyes as she faced the ground. “It was the last spell Princess Celestia taught me,” she revealed with a sad tone. “I couldn’t master it, and this was the first time I was able to use it.”

I gave her a sympathetic look, “She was important to you, huh?”

She gave a nod, but then quickly shook her head and faced me with a forced smile. “She wouldn’t want me to mope around,” she said, trying to dissolve the sorrowful feeling. “We should keep going.”

I wanted to say that we had time, but I couldn’t be sure if that statement would be true or not. Instead I faced the rest of the tunnel and saw that it ran on for another hundred meters. “Where does this go anyway?” I inquired; it wasn’t exactly normal for a tunnel like this to be here.

“It goes to Fluttershy’s cottage,” Twilight informed me, stepping past me with her horn glowing. “Princess Celestia wanted Fluttershy to make it to our usual gathering place, my Library, without any distractions.”

That seemed like it would waste more time than gain, but this Princess was the expert. Besides, this ‘Fluttershy’ - who I recall being one of the Elements of Harmony - must have been important to have some sort of tunnel built in her basement. Shrugging off my thoughts, I carefully lifted Applejack up and looked over to Pinkie, who was rocking back and forth.

“Pinkie,” I exclaimed, and she instantly looked at me with unblinking eyes… Freakin’ blink already! “Uh, can you make yourself useful and carry Applejack for awhile?” I asked, tilting my head towards Applejack for emphasis. Applejack groaned quietly, probably feeling useless because of her lack of mobility.

“No!” Psycho Pinkie screamed, “That lazy pony can walk herself.”

“But she’s hurt,” Pinkie reasoned, “and she helped us before.”

“Not in that asylum!” Psycho Pinkie retorted, “I’m not letting that pony on our back.”

“But she’s our friend!” Pinkie cried, breathing heavily. Psyco Pinkie didn’t say anything, causing Pinkie to look at me expectantly. I gave a curt nod of understanding and placed Applejack on her back. Twilight levitated some bandages out of her saddlebag and over to Applejack’s foreleg, which was still bleeding.

“Hold still, please,” Twilight requested, tightly wrapping the wound. Applejack winced when Twilight tightened it, but didn’t move as she was told.

“Don’t worry, Applejack,” I assured, “Once the pain is gone, you should be able to walk by yourself.”

Applejack sighed, “Just dandy.”

{~+~}

The end of the tunnel was just a simple wooden door, and was no challenge to get through. Not that I was complaining; I was expecting to have to blast it open again, based on my luck. When I turned the knob and entered, my hand hovering over my holstered revolver, I saw that it was another basement. This one, however, was way less advanced than Twilight’s.

Twigs and crumbs littered the floor, and the dull scent of manure hung in the air. The lighting was slightly better than the tunnel, but was still difficult to see. The basement was empty, yet unnerving. Like it once held a purpose that was no longer significant.

Pinkie and Twilight slipped past me, heading over to the stairs that lead to the surface. I followed behind, and the four of us entered the room above. It was all wood, making me believe that this household was carved into a tree as well. Bird houses were hung on the ceiling, and mouse holes were placed in certain areas in the walls. Seeing that this room was bare pointed to the thought that this building was abandoned.

“Applejack?” Twilight asked, eyeing the room with an uneasy face. “Do you know if the humans had found the tunnel before?”

“Can’t say, Twi’,” Applejack shrugged from her position on Pinkie, who glanced back at her as she spoke. “I wasn’t ‘loud off the farm.”

“Probably best we keep moving,” I suggested walking over to a window with dank and torn curtains. “I don’t want to get in another fire fight.”

“I thought you did pretty good out there,” Pinkie complimented with a frown, “Can’t you… keep it up?”

I scoffed, scanning the exterior of the house, “I only have so much ammunition, and as I said before, it’s all luck. I’m surprised I didn’t take a hit back there.”

Silence reigned over us, forcing me to speak up to avoid the awkwardness that usually followed it. “You said this was... Fluttershy’s house, right?” I asked, having to recall the pony’s name.

“Yes, right next to the Everfree Forest,” Twilight explained, nodding slightly.

“Perfect,” I said, noting positively that the area was empty, “We can go into the forest and use it for cover to-”

“Enter the forest!?” all three ponies shouted, nearly making me jump from their outburst. These ponies can be really loud.

“The forest is evil!” Twilight exclaimed nervously, “There are all sorts of monsters in there!”

“Well, think of it like this,” I said turning towards them, “Either the monsters in the forest, or the humans in Ponyville.”

“Ya seriously have no idea what’s in that there forest,” Applejack said with a worried expression.

I thought about her words carefully. It was true, of course, that I have never stepped foot in the forest. Add to the fact that I have no idea what monsters were in Equestria, and I had a recipe for disaster. There was just one thing I wanted to confirm.

“Have the humans ever gone inside that forest?” I inquired, causing Applejack to grimace.

“I overheard Jordan talk about some humans who went in ta explore the forest,” she gulped, sweat dripping from her face. “From what I could learn, they heard guns and screams. And they were never seen again.”

I grunted, crossing my arms, “You make it sound like a campfire story.”

“It’s the truth,” Applejack finished with narrowed eyes.

“I know it is,” I said, pausing for a few seconds so those words could sink in. “Anyway, we can worry about the forest later. While we still have the time, let’s figure out what to do next.”

The ponies faced away from me, but it didn’t take a genius to know why. They had no clue, same as me. Ponyville was probably on high alert at this point, searching the town for us, or me specifically. Not only that, but there may come a point where they would investigate this house. And if we couldn’t think up something quickly, we would be screwed.

“Derpy!” Pinkie cried out suddenly, throwing Applejack to the floor as she streaked for the door, crashing through it.

“Pinkie, there’s no Derpy!” Twilight shouted, as she and I ran after her. When we left the house and into the crisp outdoors, We found a bit of a surprise, more for Twilight than me. A gray pegasus pony, with three bubbles as a cutie mark and a blond tail and mane, was standing there in shock. What surprised me was her eyes; one was looking at us, while the other was looking up.

She was cross eyed.

“Princess Twilight!” Derpy said in alarm, bowing low, “I was really worried when the humans came after you.”

Twilight rubbed the back of her head with a small smile, obviously uncomfortable with being addressed and treated like royalty. “Uh, thanks, Derpy,” Twilight thanked, “but I told you that you don’t have to call me that, or bow.”

Derpy giggled as she rose, “I know, but it’s fun. And I’m so glad that I found you!”

“So you’re the pony that’s been following us?” I accused, causing Twilight to glare at me. Derpy blinked and turned to me, as if just registering that I was standing right by Twilight.

“I didn’t know if you were their master,” she retorted, scrunching up her nose rather adorably. But then she relaxed, “but when you saved Carrot Top, I knew you must have been the human that the town was talking about.”

At the mention of Carrot Top, I leaned forward with a tad of distress, “Did she get away? Did Carrot Top escape?”

Derpy tilted her head at how concerned I was. In truth, I felt responsible for putting her in that situation, and if she didn’t escape death, than I was more a failure than I had previously thought. Thankfully, Derpy smiled, and faced behind herself, exclaiming, “Carrot Top, c’mere!”

I heard hoof steps as a pony approached from the path that probably led into town. Soon enough, Carrot Top came into view, backing towards us while keeping a watchful eye.

“What is it, Derpy?” She inquired with no hint of annoyance, “I was watching the path, but nopony has-”

She turned to us, stopping mid sentence as she looked to see Twilight and I standing there. The next thing I know, she was running at me in full gallop, eyes closed tight, and hugging my waist tightly. “Thank you!” she cried out, “Thank you, thank you so much! I thought I was dead, with Goldengrape, and-and Rose…”

“Well, I couldn’t just let them kill you,” I explained, not sure what to do with my hands. I should have hug her back, but it was just strange to be truly liked in this land that I was completely stunned. My statement made Carrot Top hug me even tighter looking up at me with strained eyes.

“That’s what you said last time…” she reminded, “When I almost died…”

The guilt began to grow as I was forced to remember how she was almost killed both times. “It’s all my fault that those people nearly killed you,” I said sadly, my arms resting limply. “If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have been in danger.”

“But you made it up by saving me,” she replied courteously, finally letting go of me and backing off to give me room, “You're the first person to stand up for me in my entire life.”

“Even before the invasion?” I asked in bewilderment.

She nodded and continued, “I was pretty lonely back then, and didn’t have many friends, and when the humans arrived in Ponyville, I thought I would live like that for the rest of my life.”

She looked up at me hopefully, “But then you came, and changed that.”

“I couldn’t save Rose or Goldengrape or anyone else before hand,” I said quietly, “So don’t call me a hero, because I’m not one.”

Carrot Top opened her mouth to argue, but something struck Derpy suddenly. Something very pink. “I knew it was Derpy!” Pinkie shouted out happily, snuggling the surprised pony. “I just knew it!”

Why didn’t see say hello earlier? Why did she wait until now to tackle Derpy? I suppose it didn’t matter too much, but Pinkie sure was random.

Derpy gave an embarrassed chuckle, “Sorry for hiding, Pinkie. But I wasn’t sure if this human would hurt you if he saw me.”

“Glad ta see you’re alive at least,” Applejack smiled, limping over to us.

“Likewise,” Derpy responded cheerfully. “Now I can take you to Rainbow Dash at Los Pegasus.”

To say we were shocked by that was an understatement. Our eyes went wide and jaws dropped open. “R-Rainbow Dash?” Twilight repeated.

“Los Pegasus!?” I repeated, shaking my head. I must have heard wrong; there was no way that there was a place that would be a copy of Los Vegas.

Derpy simply grinned, “Yeah. Rainbow Dash is leading the resistance movement.”

Applejack and Twilight faced each other with a smile, glad to have learned of another friend’s whereabouts. Pinkie, on the other hand, was acting nervous. “Rainbow Dash!?” she shrieked, making Derpy take a few steps back in fear. “I can’t see her! What will she think of me!? I can’t see her!”

“Why not?” Derpy inquired, and Pinkie stomped a hoof down in aggravation.

“I have my reasons!” she shouted, forcing Derpy to look at her funny.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” I said, waving my arms and walking in between everybody to get their attention. “Back up a bit. Did you say Los Pegasus?”

Derpy was really looking confused now. “Yeah,” she answered slowly, “Is something wrong?”

“Wrong?” I repeated, ripping my mask off while looking at her incredulously. “There’s a city here that is one big pun of a city where I’m from!”

“And that’s in the north… right?” Carrot Top asked, the last word coming out meekly. I would have shouted at them for being so oblivious, but I had to remind myself that they still believed I was just another human here.

“I’ve told Applejack and Twilight,” I sighed, gesturing to them while cooling down. “I’m from another world. It’s the only reason why I’m helping them find their friends. To get home.”

“Is… that really the only reason?” Derpy asked, looking dejected.

I couldn’t meet her eyes - or the only eye facing me - and looked off to the side, regretting bringing it up. “Yeah,” I said, having to force myself to say the single word. “It is.”

“Well that’s just…” Derpy started, hovering in front of my face while thinking of the right word to use. “...mean!”

“And the other humans here aren’t?” I snapped back, furrowing my brow.

“You have no idea what they took from us!” Derpy shouted in my face, her eyes quivering. “They took my daughter.”

Though I was mildly taken aback by that, I didn’t show it, though my insides tightened in empathy. Derpy landed back on the ground her eyes shut tight, no doubt to stop the tears before they even began. Carrot Top looked between myself and Derpy, her jaw slack like she had something to say but wasn’t sure if it should be said.

“Th-that can’t be right!” she cried out, looking up at me, as I raised a brow. “If you’re just helping them, then why did you save me?”

“I may have my own reasons for helping Twilight and Applejack,” I clarified, feeling like the group had suddenly turned on me. “But I’m not heartless. I’ll help someone if they need help. I was a cop before I came here; it was my duty.”

Everyone was silent, not sure how to respond to my statement. Looking over the group, I could tell that it was growing pretty big. Applejack, Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Derpy, and Carrot Top. Then there’s me; the odd ball out. Who knew that we would gather this many ponies together. Turning around to face the very dark forest, I spoke up, “Let’s get going before the people in town come here.”

“Right,” Derpy agreed solemnly, probably still sad about her daughter. “Los Pegasus is pretty far away. About a three day journey if we don’t get side tracked.”

She pointed to a direction, “It’s South West of here; in that direction.”

“Uh, Derpy,” Twilight corrected, pointed in the opposite direction, towards the wicked forest. “South West is that way.”

Derpy gave a sheepish grin, playing with the dirt, “Sorry, I’m not very good with directions.”

“So we’re going through the dark and potentially dangerous forest, huh?” I summed up, facing the forest with a tired expression. “Well… let’s get it over with.”

“There!” Someone screamed up the path, “I found them!”

Knowing it was another human, I quickly ran over to a tree for cover with the other ponies, Twilight helping Applejack as she was still limping. I put on my mask again, hoping to god that they didn’t see my face. Though, even if they did, I doubt they saw enough to get a clear picture. The humans were already opening fire on our position, not leaving me room to fire back while tearing up the trees.

“We’re trapped!” Carrot Top realized with a hint of panic. “Now what do we do?!”

I gave a small glance to the approaching people, seeing that there were far too many. Then I turned toward the forest. The place that was apparently cursed to hell, and may be far worse than what the attacking humans could do.

But at least it had a higher chance for survival at the moment. Hopefully. “Scatter into the forest!” I ordered, knowing that I may be sending them to their deaths.

Chapter 6: Everfree

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 6: Everfree

As we all ran into the Everfree Forest in random directions, my mind failed to come up with a way to regroup. The forest was unexpectedly thick, and with the monsters that inhabited it, finding each other would be a miracle. Still, my wager was that the humans wouldn’t follow, or even if they did, we would lose them in the confusion.

Brushing past tall ferns and vines, I was beginning to think this place was more of a jungle than a forest. And the canopy above made it feel like night had come. More than once I stubbed a toe on countless rocks and roots, cursing like crazy all the while. Nevertheless, I was growing further away from the other humans, which was what counted.

Glancing behind me, I saw no indication that I was followed and slowed to a stop, leaning against a tree as I breathed hard. At times like these, my clothing really hindered my endurance. I couldn’t change it at that moment, so there was no point in griping about it. My smoking probably didn't help either. It was frustrating how much running I had to do; I just couldn’t catch a break.

Shaking it off, I looked around the area, pushing off of the tree. How would I find those ponies? I felt hopelessness set in, and pessimism wasn’t far behind. I would never find them. There was no chance. As this was going on, panic began to build as well, as I couldn’t remember which way would lead me out of this forest. I considered calling out to them, but was worried I’d attract something I would never want to meet.

Approaching footsteps made me freeze, making sure I wasn’t hearing things. It was coming behind me, and when I turned around I was suddenly tackled to the ground. From the strength and grasp this person had, it was definitely human. I landed with a grunt, wrestling with the man on top of me. I knew I could easily dispatch him with my knife, but I found it difficult to reach it.

Instead of getting my knife, I put my legs on the man’s stomach and kicked him off. As soon as he was off me, I jumped to my feet, unholstering my revolver. The man did the same, and we were at a stalemate with each revolver pointed at each other.

The man, who had shaggy black hair and a goatee, gave a small chuckle, “Well now. I knew you were hard to kill, but I didn’t think you’d make it that long in Ponyville.”

“Why bring that up?” I questioned harshly. “We’re not in Ponyville.”

“I know,” he expressed with a shrug that I found really annoying, “Just wanted to say it, Masked Man. By the way, how does it feel to kiss those ponies asses?”

“What the hell are you talking about?” I asked angrily as we began to circle each other slowly. “I don’t have sex with them, unlike you assholes.”

“That’s not what I meant, you damn pony-lover,” he shouted back, his smile disappearing, “What’s it like to follow them around like a little trooper, to grovel at their hooves like a peasant?”

“I don’t follow anyone,” I replied, “We just have a common goal.”

“Right, and I’m Princess fucking Celestia,” the man shot back with an eye roll, “Did you forget what those ponies did to us!?”

At that, my curiosity took control, “Let’s say I did. What did they do?”

“In a few seconds, it won’t matter,” the man laughed, his grin returning, “Since you’ll be dead on the ground.”

We both stopped at that moment, the wind suddenly becoming louder than usual as we waited for the other to make the first move. That’s when I saw the green, predator eyes glowing in the darkness behind the man. My eyes widened, but since my mask was on it didn’t alert the other man, who was still waiting. What emerged from the veil of darkness made me stumble slightly at the sight.

A bundle of sticks in the form of a wolf.

The wolf gave a low growl, and pounced on the unsuspecting human, biting him on the shoulder. The man screamed, taking an accidental shot from the sudden attack. I backed away slowly as the man fell forward with the wolf on top. Two more followed behind, baring their wooden teeth. Is this what the ponies were afraid of? If it was, than I can understand why they would choose not to enter the Everfree Forest.

I had never faced down an animal before, let alone a vicious, wooden wolf. So I took the logical step of running. As I sprinted away from the scene, I could hear them bark and growl as they gave chase. Ducking and weaving through the forest proved useless as the wolves weaved through the trees effortlessly. This was their territory, they knew the land and everything that inhabited it, and I would be their next meal.

I wasn’t going down without a fight, as I drew my revolver out and whipped behind me. I saw two wolves closing in on me, and I quickly took aim and fired at the closest one.

It clicked empty. I hadn’t reloaded my weapon at all, and now I was vulnerable. The closest wolf bit into my left arm, pain shooting up it as the predator tried to drag me down. With the other wolf stalking behind, I knew I had to act fast. With my right hand, I put away my revolver and unsheathed my knife, slamming it down into the wolf’s skull and killing it instantly. As its grip loosened on my arm, the other wolf bit into my lower left leg. I lost my footing and tumbled onto my stomach, my knife falling out of my hand. I quickly rolled onto my back just as the wolf pounced on me. I put up my hands just in time to catch its head, its jaws trying desperately to sink into my face.

I was too busy holding the wolf off to grab anything to save me from death, and even that wasn’t enough. My strength was waning, and I nearly slipped more than once. Just then, I heard a gasp from someone off to the side. Only half a second later, I saw Applejack from the corner of my eye charging straight towards me and the wolf. When she was within range, she planted her forehooves on the ground, swiveled around, and gave a bone-shattering buck to the wolf. It flew off of me and crashed into a tree, breaking into a mess of branches and twigs.

With the threat dealt with, I stood warily to my feet while retrieving my knife. My eye caught sight of the other wolf I had killed, which had the similar fate of falling apart into bits of wood. “I think we’re even now,” Applejack remarked snidely, wincing from the pain from her hoof.

I grunted, “From the number of times I saved you, we’re far from even. But thanks.”

“I expected ya to take these Timberwolves no problem,” Applejack said, pointing a hoof to what was left of the enemies.

“I was sloppy,” I admitted, taking my revolver out with a handful of ammunition, “Won’t happen again.”

As I reloaded, Applejack gave a look around, her ears perked for any sound whatsoever. That’s when a ‘Timberwolf’ howled, followed by many other howls. The sound gave me goosebumps and sent chills down my spine. There were a lot more of them. Looking at Applejack, she seemed quite calm, baring her teeth. Compared to me, she was acting very cool and ready. She must have dealt with these wolves before.

The sound of quick foot falls and heavy panting reached my ears, coming from behind me. There were so many footsteps that I couldn’t distinguish how many there were. “Applejack, we need to move,” I recommended, but she didn't answer, facing the direction of the noise with a somewhat surprised expression.

“I think I heard Pinkie in there!” she exclaimed, facing me with worry. “We gotta help her!”

Glancing at the forest again, I could just make out the high voice of Pinkie, screaming in fear. Applejack was right; she always was. “Alright, but how do we find her in this-” I started before seeing Applejack rush forward.

“We ain’t got time for a plan!” she shouted back, disappearing in the shrubbery.

I couldn’t resist a facepalm as I yelled back, “You stupid, stubborn girl!”

I broke out into a sprint after her, but my fears were realized when I couldn’t see where Applejack was. How did she expect us to help Pinkie if we couldn’t see a damn thing!? The only thing I could do was follow the barks and footsteps of the wolves, hoping it would lead me to the ponies.

Minutes passed, and I had no luck at locating anybody. The sounds of the wolves were fading out, which meant I was either going in the wrong direction or I was falling behind. The forest was like a maze as there was no clearly defined way of knowing if a path would lead anywhere, or if it’d lead me off track. The tall bushes and plants didn’t help at all, hindering my efforts to find the ponies.

At some point, I had grown too tired to carry on, and stopped in my tracks, resting my hands on my knees. I was very concerned now; Applejack and the others were somewhere in the forest, and I had no clue as to where they may be. With those Timberwolves and whatever god-forsaken monsters were in this forest, I could only hope that they would find a way out of this forest and regroup together.

That’s when my train of thought turned in a new direction; wondering if my worries for the ponies was because I needed their help to get home, or if I really cared for them. Walking again through the forest, I knew I kind of cared for them, but I wasn’t sure if it was enough to warrant an actual liking of them.

With these ponies, I was forced to work with them, to befriend them. In this world where humans dominated ponies, I was the sole person that cared about their safety, and more than just to get myself back to Earth. That thought made me feel special in a strange way, like knowing that you are unique in a world full of regular people.

Smiling slightly at the thought, I focused on the pathway I was strolling on. My brain realized I was daydreaming while those ponies were running for their lives. Giving a small insult towards myself, I jogged a bit, eyeing the area warily while listening intently. Nothing could be seen or heard, which worried me considerably.

Then, I saw a clearing up ahead, and made my way to it. When I arrived, I saw that it was a small enclosed space with the trees bordering it like brick walls. Looking up, I could see that night had fallen at some point, and the stars and moon were out. My attention turned to the small tent that was placed exactly in the middle, just sitting there. There was nothing exceptional about it; it was dull gray with no features that made it different from an average tent.

I approached it cautiously, in case it held a human within. Even if it did, I doubt he would know who I was, or what I did. The sound of movement caught my attention and I halted instantly, waiting for whoever was inside to come out. Sweat was soaking my clothing as I waited, until the flaps opened and out came…

A purple, bipedal lizard.

That was my initial interpretation, my eyes wide at the small creature. It had green crests all along its head and spine, with a green underbelly. As it clamored out of the tent, he hummed a small tune that I didn’t recognize. When his head turned to me though, he froze and stared with wide eyes, like a deer in the headlights. We simply stood there, looking at each other in wonder and shock.

“Z-Zecora!” the thing shouted, zipping back into the tent as quick as a whip. I jerked my head back from the sudden noise, wondering if it was afriad of my species or just myself. Suddenly, another creature jumped out of the tent along with the first one. This time, it looked like a Zebra, with the coat, tail and mane striped black and white. What was curious was that it had pieces of gold jewelry on its neck and ears.

The zebra glared at me, standing protectively in front of the lizard that cowered behind its legs. I would have said something at this point, but the bizarrity of the scene made me pause to reconsider my actions.

“Be gone, turn away!” the zebra chanted in a strange, feminine voice. “Otherwise, I’ll make you pay!”

I realized that she was angry at me like the ponies were, and I guessed that she was not on good terms with the humans either. With this, I knew I had to be careful and not upset her further.

I raised my hands in a non-threatening position, “Look, miss, I just want to find my friends and I can get out of your hair.”

The zebra wasn’t buying it though, as she narrowed her eyes. “False statements, is what you speak,” she said, pawing the ground, “I’ll have you know, I am not weak.”

Did she always speak in rhyme? It wasn’t really that annoying, but it was fairly interesting. Taking a deep breath, I tried to come up with something to show that I didn’t want any trouble. I wasn’t sure why I was so nervous at the time; the zebra didn’t seem to have any weapons on her. Still, I didn't want to relenquish my own weapons; I was on the clock. I was about to take a step before the zebra shouted at me.

“Do not move until I approve!” she shouted, obviously as edgy as any of the other ponies around humans. I slowly drew back my leg and was simply standing there. I growled slightly, not to seem intimidating, but in frustration; I had to hurry.

Our eyes never broke contact, and it felt like time was slowing down, waiting for one or the other to say or do something. I knew that whatever I did would seem like an attack, but the zebra or lizard would not do a thing. What a perfect time to be a nice guy.

“Nolan!” Twilight exclaimed coming into view as she flew above the trees, “Thank goodness I found you, I-”

She saw the other two creatures that were with me as she landed, her next words dying in her throat. Now the zebra and lizard were both in disbelief, both their jaws dropping. “Zecora,” Twilight said in a breathless tone, “S-Spike.”

The purple lizard, who I assumed was Spike, stepped forward, his hands held together in a hopeful stance, “Twilight?”

Before I could register that Twilight knew the two, Spike ran up and wrapped his paws around Twilight’s neck in a hug. Twilight was taken aback by this, but eventually put her right foreleg around him in return. The sight was heartwarming, to say the least, and I smiled a bit at the affection.

At the worst possible moment, however, another howl from the wolves reached our ears, and I gritted my teeth in anger. Those things would not leave us alone. “Shit,” I mumbled, feeling ready to spring into action, “I still have to find the others.”

Twilight and Spike broke apart as I looked around for someplace to go. I was still lost as ever in this forest, and the howl had echoed around, throwing the source off. Berating myself for not being able to pinpoint the source, the zebra, who must have been Zecora, spoke to Twilight.

“What others does he speak of?” she inquired, “And why did you arrive from above?”

“We don’t have time to answer questions,” I replied harshly, “I need to find out where that howl came from.”

Zecora looked slightly upset that I had answered in the way I did, but brushed it off and thought for a second. “I believe it came from the south east direction. I shall lead you there, if you have no objection.”

I didn’t really have anything against her leading the way, but I was confused why she would suddenly trust me enough to lead me to the others. “Alright, let’s get going,” I agreed with a nod, then I faced Twilight. “Stay here, we’ll be back.”

It had just occurred to me that I had been giving a princess orders, but Twilight wasn’t fazed by that at all. She nodded frantically, probably afraid of her friends’ fate. Zecora and I took off into the dark forest, me falling behind only slightly to follow her. She galloped through like she had been through here a hundred times, dodging trees like they weren’t even there while I clumsily went around them. Then, suddenly, she halted in her tracks, her hooves kicking up dirt as she forced herself to a stop. I didn’t stop as abruptly, but I did nearly bump into here.

“Whoa, we’re kind of in a hurry here,” I snapped, but Zecora merely eyed the blue flowers that she had stopped in front of. They looked like normal flowers to me, but if this world had taught me anything, nothing in this world is ‘normal’ in the sense I think of.

“Those flowers are bad,” she said, gesturing towards the flowers, “Avoid them, and you’ll be glad.”

I didn’t want to argue with her, especially since she seemed to know these woods like the back of her hoof. “What does it do?” I asked, my curiosity winning over my anxiety to help my friends for the time being.

“Poison Joke with its flowers of blue,” she explained, carefully shuffling beside the flowers to move around them. “What pranks it hides, I haven’t a clue.”

Poison Joke? So it’s a flower that played pranks or something? Whatever the flora’s intentions were, I probably didn’t want to run wildly in the stuff. I followed her example and sidestepped the plant like the plague. When we were out of range, Zecora and I broke out into a run again, determined to get to the other ponies even with the distraction.

As we neared the destination, I could hear growls and barks from the wolves, and sped past Zecora and retrieved my revolver yet again. When I broke the treeline, I was in a wide clearing that was at the bottom of a tall cliff. Six wolves formed a semicircle around three ponies. Applejack was standing protectively in front of a cowering Carrot Top and a mumbling Pinkie Pie, trying to discern which enemy would strike first.

I aimed my revolver at the closest wolf, but I caught sight of Derpy Hooves hovering above with a terrified expression. She seemed like she wanted to help, but didn’t know how to proceed. She was inexperienced in combat, I could figure that out easily.

Thinking fast, I knew that the three ponies wouldn’t last long with the wolves backing them into the cliff. Though I may be skilled with my revolver and shotgun, I didn’t know the first thing about hunting, and didn’t know how to handle the situation effectively. I decided to rely on instinct and hoped that everyone survived.

I checked the cylinder again to make absolutely sure I was prepared for the fight, and with my weapon completely loaded, I took action. Six bullets, six wolves. I hoped that was enough. I aimed for the head of a wolf and pulled the trigger, watching the head explode in wooden shrapnel. Both the wolves and ponies were startled from the sudden death, jumping in fright.

“Derpy! Go with Zecora and the others!” I ordered. She gave a nod of confirmation and waved her hooves frantically towards the woods for the ponies to go through. With the wolves putting their attention on me, the three ponies were able to slip around them and follow Derpy into the woods with Zecora alongside them.

Now, it was just me and the Timberwolves.

Two of the wolves sprung towards me, their teeth bared. I was able to take a shot at one, killing it, but didn’t have time to take out the other one. The wolf slashed across my right forearm, causing me to cry out in pain and punt the wolf out of range. The other wolves were feeling confident as they all rushed towards me, desperate to see the end of me. I fired off my revolver in quick session, taking out two of them before they swarmed me.

I was dragged off my feet again, but was able to retain my revolver for the life of me. It was practically useless as the wolves all bit and clawed at me. I could feel the hot liquid of blood dripping all over my limbs, my helmet and combat vest protecting my vital organs. I was able to get a some shots off on a few of them, but the bullets didn’t hit anything that could kill. I was slowly being mauled to death.

When my head began to fill with the dread of death, I heard something hard impact one of the wolves, forcing the rest of them to stop attacking me to see what had been foolish enough to intervene with their meal. I, too, gave a glance as to who it could be. It was Applejack, of course she was saving my hide again, and in the same hour no less.

Luckily, with the distraction she gave me, I pointed my revolver at one of the wolves’ heads and fired. At this range, I could feel the blast from the wolf, like a balloon had popped next to my face. A swish of gray, undoubtedly Derpy, streaked through the air, knocking one of the wolves off of me. With only one wolf left on me, I dropped my empty revolver on the ground and retrieved my knife, sinking it into the chest of the wolf.

Shoving it off, I got to my feet, turned towards the one that Derpy had taken off me, and ran towards it, tackling it to the ground right when it had stood up back up. With its struggling efforts, I hastily shoved my knife deep into its neck, and the wolf crumbled below my frame. With the wolves gone, I breathed a sigh of relief, noticing for the first time that my breathing was fast and labored.

I stood shakily to my feet, my injuries making me feel like I was sitting in acid. I gave a gander around, making sure that the enemies were truly gone. All I saw was Applejack and Derpy standing before me with expressions of concern. The adrenaline that was pumping through my veins was making my vision spin, and I felt sick to my stomach, clutching it with my left hand tightly.

“Ya alright, partner?” Applejack asked tilting her head to the side with a raised eyebrow.

“Peachy,” I wheezed out, stumbling like a drunk. “Let’s… let’s just head back.”

“Can you walk?” Derpy asked, sounding more worried than Applejack. I gave a small nod, and they nodded back, beginning to walk back to where Zecora was. After sheathing my knife and reclaiming my revolver, I followed behind with a slight limp, nursing a few of my injuries while leaning on every tree I passed. Though I was wounded pretty badly, I didn’t want to seem weak in front of them. Perhaps because I felt like I was their main defense between them and the humans. If I was gone, how were these ponies going to make it?

I gave a dry chuckle; I was boosting my ego by thinking they wouldn’t last a day without me. Wincing from a sharp pain in my arm, I focused on walking straight. I gave a sigh, realizing it was going to be a long trip back.

{~+~}

At long last, we emerged from the thick jungle-like forest to the clearing that held Zecora’s tent. The place seemed more lively; a small campfire was built and everyone was talking animatedly with each other. Carrot Top was speaking with Zecora, while Spike and Twilight caught up with each other. Pinkie was still looking glum, but that wasn’t new. Applejack and Derpy came in without a break in the atmosphere, but when I came into view, everyone went suddenly silent, as if they had forgotten I was still here.

“Don’t mind me,” I grumbled, walking past them with their eyes glued to me. “Just passing by.” I found that they had brought logs to sit around the fire, and with gratefulness, I slowly sank into my seat. I gazed around the group seeing that they were still staring at me. I had really killed the mood.

“You’re hurt,” Twilight noticed, gesturing to myself. I glanced at my arms, finally able to see them in the light of the fire. They were mostly deep scratches and bites, nothing that wouldn’t heal on its own. I reached up and took off my mask, feeling the heat of the fire warm me in the chilling night.

“Very observant,” I replied sarcastically. I extracted a cigarette from my vest pouch - at that point in time, it was all I cared about. Twilight briskly trotted over to my side, a band of gauze floating out of her saddle bag in her magic. As Twilight looked me over, applying bandages where needed, I put a cigarette in my mouth and took out my lighter.

“I thought you’d have more hair,” Spike commented, earning a glare from Twilight. But I simply chuckled from the remark as I lit my cigarette.

“I’m the first human you met, hmm?” I asked, inhaling the smoke.

“Yep, never met one until now,” he expressed rather cheerfully. He seemed blissfully ignorant of all the things humans have done, and I was somewhat glad of that.

“That’s my brother, Spike,” Twilight introduced with a groan.

I raised a brow at her, and she took note of it as she explained further. “I took him in after I passed the entrance exam for Celestia’s School For Gifted Unicorns.”

I caught most of that, but the school was what puzzled me. It wasn’t relevant though, and a different question was begging to be asked. “How does a lizard fit into that exactly?” I asked in confusion.

Before Twilight could answer, Spike exclaimed defensively, “I’m a dragon!”

At that, I burst out laughing for two reasons. One, I should've known there would be dragons in this land, and yet failed to think there would be. And two, he was the smallest dragon that I have ever seen in any work of fiction.

“It’s not that funny,” Spike huffed, crossing his arms while sulking.

After I calmed down, I inquired with a humorous grin, “How old are you?”

“He’s just a baby dragon,” Twilight answered with a smile, and Spike groaned loudly.

“Twilight!” he whined pitifully, “Why do you have to say it like that?”

“Because it’s true,” Twilight responded, bewildered by the question. The others all chuckled heartily at that, making Twilight even more confused. When Twilight tied the last bandage on my leg, she left and sat next to Spike, bringing him closer to herself with a forehoof. Spike didn’t resist, and in fact, snuggled up close to her. It made me wonder why Spike was with Zecora in this dangerous forest, but figured I could ask about it later.

“What about you?” I requested, gesturing to Zecora with my free hand and taking another drag from my cigarette afterwards.

“Zecora is my name,” she replied politely, pointing a hoof at herself, “And alchemy is my game.”

“Do you always rhyme?” I asked, but I must have said it too harshly as her ears folded back.

“If you are uncomfortable about it…” she started, looking ashamed and frightened at the same time.

“I never said I was,” I remedied, taking another smoke, “Hell, I thought it was interesting.”

“Oh, well…” she seemed speechless, surprised even, “Thank you.”

I guessed, with sentences that short, that there was no point to rhyme, and just gave a shrug. Taking a deep drag from my cigarette I prepared myself to ask the group a question. “Okay, riddle me this,” I inquired, everyone looking at me as I spoke, “Why is Twilight’s brother in a forest full of terrifying monsters with a zebra that knows alchemy?”

Everyone faced Spike and Zecora, who both tensed up from something that was obviously hard to talk about. “I…” Spike started, but wasn’t sure where to go with that as he fell silent. Zecora cleared her throat as she gave a grim expression, preparing to tell me.

“Before the invasion, Twilight told Spike to come to me if the humans ever entered town. Together, Spike and I had been bouncing from place to place from all around.”

I could see why Spike was reluctant to talk about it. Witnessing an army marching towards town with the intent of taking it over must have been terrifying. I was impressed, though, with their plan.“So, you two have been moving around the Everfree Forest to avoid the humans?”

Both Zecora and Spike nodded, and I grunted. “I’ll be damned, that’s actually a good plan.”

Twilight grimaced slightly, probably from the thought of forcing Spike to flee his home and leave behind the other ponies. “I’m glad you’re okay, Spike,” she expressed, bringing him even closer. “I knew I would find you again.”

“It sure is nice seein’ ya again, Spike,” Applejack said with a smile. “With all those nasty humans out there, I was ‘fraid ya would be caught.”

I felt a pang of anger when she didn’t excuse me from that insult, but I knew there was no changing Applejack’s point of view. My only major concern, at that point in time, was my rumbling stomach. “Anybody got some food?”

Applejack gave a tired sigh, and nosed through her saddle bag that sat next to her, searching its contents. “We got apples, apples, and more apples,” she deadpanned, glancing over to me.

I winced, gagging slightly at the thought of eating more of the red fruit. After consuming loads of the food for the past few days, I felt like a bit of variety wouldn't be a bad thing. Some oranges, bread, anything to spice things up. My eyes looked over to Zecora, a notion of a silent question. She understood my meaning, but shook her head, unfortunately. Sighing, I reached my hand towards Applejack to take an apple, and she grabbed one and gave it to me. I gazed at the apple dejectedly; perhaps Las Pegasus would hold more bountiful foods.

“You don’t have any muffins?” Derpy inquired sadly, her eyes glazing over.

Applejack shook her head, and Spike said, “We don’t exactly have anything to bake them in.”

Derpy sighed, “I guess I’m too used to the food at Las Pegasus.”

The thought of a city where food was commonplace almost seemed like a paradise, especially if it’s a sanctuary for ponies; no people to come ruin it. Chuckling, I flicked the cigarette stub into the fire, and bit into the apple with only minimum pause. “What’s it like there?” I asked after swallowing, causing the rest of the group to look at Derpy expectantly, curious as well.

Derpy brightened as she spoke, “It’s great! There aren’t any humans there, we grow our own food, and we take care of each other!”

“How did you get there, Derpy?” Carrot Top questioned, “You lived in Ponyville.”

“I was delivering a package to the city when Ponyville was attacked,” she revealed, dipping her head. “Rainbow Dash was also delivering something. And that’s why she was there.”

“What was in it?” Twilight followed up, leaning in slightly. I had to assume that Twilight had gone into hiding before Equestria was completely taken over; why else would she not know about something that one of her friends was doing?

“It has-” Derpy started, but then gave a sharp gasp, hastily covering her mouth with both hooves. She eyed me nervously, causing me to give her a strange look.

“Did I do something?” I asked uncertainly. Derpy pulled her hooves away, but was much more reluctant to speak.

“I can’t talk about it around humans,” she whispered slowly, playing with her hooves, as she faced downward pitifully. I would have explained to her that I wasn’t like other humans, that I was different, but the way she worded her sentence made me rethink my words.

“Someone ordered you to keep it a secret,” I stated. She gave a nod, “By Rainbow?” Another nod, “Well… that’s understandable, I guess.”

Derpy smiled sadly, her eyes glazing over as she stared into the fire, “You’re a rather strange human.”

“My own world is a lot different from this place,” I explained, my mind thinking back to my home. “I guess I would be strange, compared to some of the bastards here.”

I could almost feel the gazes bore into my head as I, too, faced the crackling fire. “I guess, in retrospect, it’s really similar as well. Earth has its fair share of bloodshed. As long as humans have been around, we seem to be able to find a way to kill one another. Land, resources, opinions; doesn’t matter the cause. What does matter, is the effect.”

“Nolan,” Twilight whispered anxiously, her breath caught in her throat, “what exactly did you do in your world?”

The silence that followed was long and unsettling. I already told Twilight about my job back on Earth. What I didn’t explain was the specifics, which is why she brought up the question. With determination, I looked up at all the faces gathered around. Though some didn’t know about my occupation, they were just as interested to know, if not more. The answer was simple enough, yet complicated at the same time. “I keep the peace in a city… by killing others who needed to be put down,” I replied quietly, causing a shiver to course through the ponies and dragon simultaneously. “It’s how I’m so good with a gun, lots of practice… and a good teacher. Those people deserve what I give them.”

“Ya talk as if the humans were varmints,” Applejack commented coldly, her glare doing nothing to hinder my mood.

“What do you care?” I responded, “You hate humans. If anything, you would be happy that there are less humans.”

“That doesn’t mean I like killin’!” Applejack shouted, slamming a hoof down as she stood up. I must have spoken too much - I tend to speak pessimistically sometimes, especially if my mind wanders. Another bout of silence hung in the air, the other ponies not sure how to respond to my words or Applejack’s outburst.

“No death,” Pinkie muttered, still sitting away from the group. “Killing is wrong. Can’t stand it.”

“Perhaps we should head to bed,” Zecora recommended warily, looking at each pony and myself. “All this talk is filling us up with dread.”

“Zecora’s right,” Twilight agreed, standing up as well. “We need to head to Las Pegasus as soon as possible. Once we meet up with Rainbow Dash, we can figure out what to do next.”

The other ponies nodded, and prepared for sleep. Zecora had stored another tent bundle in her own tent, in case of emergency, so the ponies had another place to rest. With Twilight’s magic, it was set up in no time. There wasn’t enough room for myself though, not surprisingly, but Zecora was nice enough to give me a pillow.

After everything was settled, Zecora, Twilight, and Spike slept in the first tent, while Applejack, Carrot Top, Pinkie Pie, and Derpy slept in the other. I remained where I sat, afraid to really fall back asleep. I couldn’t fight my exhaustion for long, as the day had taken its toll. I took off my belt, vest, and shotgun and rested them nearby. Then, I rested my head on the pillow. It was troublesome to find the right spot to sleep, but my tiredness won out eventually, and I fell asleep.

{~+~}

“Nolan…” the angelic voice called out. I covered my ears, wanting it to stop, my eyes shut tight. I was back in the recurring nightmare, the white setting around me. The voice of Emma rang in my head, and my guilt doubled.

“No…” I whispered, my jaw tightening. “Please, no.”

“Behind you,” she said, and despite how much I resisted to look over, I did anyway. There she was again, a white silhouette standing there. My muscles went weak, as I fell to my knees. All I could do was stare at her, her features standing out like spotlights. Her hair, her body, everything reminded me of her. I couldn’t bare to see her anymore, tearing my eyes away.

“Please, leave me alone,” the words felt like daggers in my heart; it was hard to tell my deceased girlfriend to leave, especially after seeing her for the first time in two years. But she was only tormenting me in my own head. Each night she came, standing there as a grim reminder of my mistake. The one mistake that had cost her life.

“I will,” she spoke, making me inhale sharply in surprise. She hadn’t said anything besides my name and ‘behind you’. This would be the first time she actually acknowledged me in this place. I looked up to her, my mask hiding my disbelief. “All you have to do, is tell me where you are.”

My breathing was increasing rapidly; it could finally stop. All the terrible dreams, the sleepless nights, all could be gone if I simply tell her where I was…

Wait a minute.

Both my hands clenched tightly as I stared at her intently. She tilted her head sideways ever so slightly. I pushed myself up to my feet, and asked, “Why do you want to know where I am?”

She hesitated, and all it did was make her seem like someone she wasn’t. “To see the real you,” she answered, but it sounded desperate, like she was hoping I would believe that.

“Where did we first kiss?” I whispered, my arms shaking.

“W-What?” she asked in shock, confirming it even more.

“Where did we first kiss!?” I shouted, startling her as she raised her hands to her chest.

“I- We- At…” she was grasping at straws, making my temper rise.

“Where did we first meet? How old was I? What was our patrol number?” I was shooting out questions like a machine gun as I walked towards her, each time causing her to wince and shrink down. “How long were we together? When did you die?”

She didn’t speak, stuttering with different words. I came to a stop standing a few feet away from her. I knew she couldn’t see the deathly glare I was giving her, but she seemed to sense it as she fidgeted with her hands from my mere gaze.

“Here’s a question you might be able to answer,” I said, barely moving a muscle, and she tensed up. “Who the hell are you?”

“I-I’m your-”

“Don’t give me that bullshit!” I screamed, holding myself back from punching her. “I asked you a question, you faking shithead! You better tell me the truth before I crush your head with my boot.”

She jerked back at my threat, and I crossed my arms in wait. She faced away from me in thought, but I didn’t rush her. I knew I had her beat. Then, without warning, I fell, the world breaking into darkness.

{~+~}

I woke with a start, sitting straight up as I was thrown back into reality. I gave a quick look around, seeing that it was still night, and that the fire had died out a while ago. As I realized that I was back where I was, my anger grew until I really needed to let loose a torrent of swear words. Since the ponies were asleep, I couldn’t do that, but I was able to compensate.

“Fuck!” I hissed quietly, slamming my fist onto the ground. With that, I gave a long and tired sigh, leaning against my knees. It was a relief to know that Emma wasn’t haunting me, though I still felt like I deserved it, but that means that someone else had been messing with my dreams. Seeing as I had no way to find out who was doing it, there was no way I could stop that person from entering and driving me insane for as long as I was in Equestria. Although, she was frightened when I found her out, maybe she would back off.

That raised another question: How did she enter my dreams? If it was magic, that would mean that a unicorn was responsible. I doubted Twilight would be the culprit - a girl like her wasn’t one to hurt others. The humans couldn’t have done it, unless they suddenly gained the ability of magic. And why did this person what to know where I was anyway? What was this person up to?

I rubbed my face, feeling both irritated and drained. That ‘dream’ made sure I wasn’t getting sleep anytime soon, so I just sat there thinking. “Why me?” I asked myself, shaking my head. “Why is this all happening to me?”

I stood up and stretched my legs, as they were sore from sleeping on the ground. I sat on one of the logs again, feeling the implications of everything hit me suddenly. Talking ponies, crazy dreams, trans-dimensional travel, tyrannical humans; I was surprised I hadn’t cracked yet. I placed my head in my hands, my brain empty and fuzzy.

“Nolan?” I heard a voice call out softly, I looked over to the tents to see Carrot Top standing half way out, looking at me concerningly. “Are you alright?

I faced away, hiding my disdain, “I’m fine. Just had a bad dream.”

There was a short pause before Carrot Top left the tent completely and walked over to me. I turned to her as she sat down next to me; something told me she was having trouble sleeping as well.

“Do you… do you want to talk about it?” she inquired quietly and carefully. The remnants of the dream flashed through my head, and I sighed deeply.

“No, I don’t,” I replied, making Carrot Top even sadder than before as she looked to the ground dejectedly. “But is there something you want to talk about?”

She flinched when I finished the question, looking at me in wonder. I suppressed a smile, “I can tell when someone can’t sleep. I’ve had experience.”

Carrot Top’s eyes flicked downward in sorrow, her forehoof stroking her other for comfort. “I don’t want to bother you,” she stated, but I felt like she was just being courteous, “It’s kind of a long story.”

I shrugged, gesturing towards the night sky, “Got nothing better to do for the next few hours.”

I was able to get a sad smile from my half-assed joke, and she faced forward recounting her tale. “I had a brother, one I loved very much. His name was Fire Mane, and he loved playing with fire. But sometime later, we found out he liked putting out the fires more than making them. We would play all sorts of games together; tag, hide-and-seek, and all that. He’d always cheer me up when I was sad, and every Sunday, we would get ice cream and count the number of clouds in the sky. We were practically inseparable. When we grew up, I took the family business of growing carrots, and he became a fire pony in the local department. He was the best of the best, saving ponies from buildings and cats from trees. Yet he always found time to come by and keep me company.”

I gripped my knee as something struck me as odd. “You’re speaking in the past tense,” I noted with a heavy heart, “And I don’t think its before the invasion. What happened?”

“A lot of ponies have lost their loved ones in this war,” she said slowly, a frown growing on her muzzle. “But that doesn’t mean we didn’t lose them before.”

She took a deep, shaky breath and continued, “A year before the invasion, he was diagnosed with brain cancer. We couldn’t cure it; the infection he got prevented him from getting treatment, then spread too much to cut out or use magic. For months, he was in the hospital, fighting a losing battle. But he took it with stride, never complaining about it all, and even encouraged other crippled ponies. Then he… passed away.”

I could tell she was fighting back tears, but they were able to come out anyway, sliding down her cheeks. She wasn’t finished though; I could tell. She was still sobbing silently when she looked up at me with a trembling lip. “I… I never got to say goodbye,” she said hoarsely, struggling to speak clearly. “I miss him so much.”

“And that’s where the nightmares come in,” I finished, and she nodded, rubbing her eyes with a hoof. Hearing about someone else’s loved one passing away reminded of my own heartache.

“I lost someone as well,” I said, causing her to whip her head at me, her eyes wide. I didn’t think it would be that surprising. “I was going out with a beautiful woman, named Emma Margaret. We met in the police department as partners, and we were together for three years, and it was fantastic.”

Carrot Top’s ears folded back, reluctant to ask what was on her mind, but I already knew what she was going to ask, “How did she die?”

My mouth went dry, and I forced myself to swallow, the memories flooding back through my head. The firefight, the mistake, the bullet, the death, the pain; it was almost unbearable. I broke out of that horrible daydream, and focused on Carrot Top, who was waiting patiently for my answer. I gripped my hands tightly together, “She was shot.”

I didn’t want to go further than that, the pain in my heart was too great to bear. Thankfully, Carrot Top picked up on that, and simply bowed her head in silent remorse. “Is that why you’re having trouble sleeping?” she inquired after a short pause.

“Part of it,” I replied, “Not sure what the other part is though.”

“I’m sorry."

“Everybody always is”, I replied with an indifferent look.

She opened her mouth to respond, but stopped herself, nodding instead.

“You know,” Carrot Top started slowly, looking off to the side. “You're the first human that actually… listened to me.”

I grunted, “Like I keep saying, not from this world.”

“That doesn’t change that fact,” she said, with a small smile. “Thanks.”

I smiled back; it was a small piece of gratitude, and in this place, it was one of the few I was ever given. “You're welcome, I guess.”

She stared into my eyes for a full minute, before she realized what was doing, and looked away with an embarrassed look, blushing. Again with the blushing. Did she not like being stared at? I brushed it off as she stood back up and headed for the the tent.

“Well, good night,” she called back gently.

“Same to you,” I returned as I saw her disappear through the canvas. When I thought about it, she was the first pony to actually treat me kindly. Granted, I did save her life, twice, but it was still a bit heartwarming, to say the least. Her story was saddening as well, having someone die when there was no cure for something like that must have been difficult to go through. One sentence she said was still replaying in my mind:

A lot of ponies have lost their loved ones in this war, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t lose them before.

It made me think about all the other ponies that I have met. Applejack, Twilight, Pinkie, Derpy; they all must have lost someone or other in this war. Who they were and what happened to them was a mystery, and probably would be for a long time. If I was averse to talking about my life, they would be as well, if not more.

And they probably lost a lot of them from the humans.

I understood the ponies a lot more, but that doesn’t mean I knew them personally. A three day trip to Las Pegasus would be quite a journey, and maybe we could learn something from each other. With that thought, I lifted myself off the log and back on the ground, resting my head against the pillow. No point in staying awake all night.

{~+~}

In memory of Eddie Albert Goble II

(1988 - 2013)

Author's Note

Eddie is SomeGuyCamping's brother-in-law who passed away recently.

Chapter 8: Mission

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 8: Mission

My eyes shot open from the cheer, my mind feeling suddenly groggy. I slowly climbed out of the bed, rubbing my eyes, and went up to the door, opening it. I was greeted with nothing, and when I looked over to the buildings and streets, I could see what had awoken me.

The ponies were having their party; cheering for the return of a princess and the other Elements of Harmony. Lights were lit all along the street, and everyone was having a blast. I could clearly see Applejack, Twilight, and Rainbow laughing together, probably talking about the times before the invasion. I couldn’t see Pinkie anywhere, but I didn’t expect to see her. She was, after all, in depression - and a bit crazy.

Watching the scene, I gave a long sigh, and leaned against the side of the shack. It figures that I was brought out of that dream by a cheer. It must have been really loud to have traveled all the way to me. And the dream itself, with Luna, it got me thinking about Celestia. If the ponies were holding on to hope that she’s still alive, then their spy network wasn’t as good as I thought. I was quickly brought out of my revery by a grunt from beside me.

“Relax, human,” I heard someone growl, and when I looked over, I saw Dusty, sitting there with his whiskey bottle. “There’s nothing you’re missing.”

Just what I needed, a pony that’s literally standing outside to watch me. I had forgotten that I was supposed to be monitored. Groaning in irritation, I went around back to have a smoke, and when I walked to the other side, I found there were steps leading to the roof of the shack. Curious, I made my way up, carefully testing the floor to make sure it could support my weight. When it seemed safe enough, I stood in the middle, and gazed upward.

I was amazed by the beautiful night sky that was presented to me, each star standing out like the sun itself. It mesmerized me, and I felt like someone had done it just for me. It was an impossible feat in itself, but it was what I felt. I took out the box that held my cigarettes and took a peek inside, suppressing a groan.

I had six left.

It didn’t occur to me earlier that I would eventually run out of cigarettes. I wasn’t a heavy smoker, but I knew I would still have withdrawal symptoms and such in due time. Not only that, but I wouldn’t have my stress-reliever anymore, and that made it much worse. Shaking the thoughts off, I took out a cigarette and put the box back inside the pouch.

I sat on the ledge of the shack, legs dangling over, which overlooked the momentous party that was taking place. I took out my silver lighter, and within seconds, I had a lit cigarette that I had placed in my lips, taking a long drag from it. My thoughts were my own as I tried to figure out what I was going to do. I couldn’t leave this place for whatever reason, I couldn’t have Vera, and I wouldn’t be able to go back to Earth. Now, instead, I was trapped in this city, caged like a zoo animal, that is, if the animals were being actively hated at the same time.

I had hit a new low, and it wasn’t doing anything for my mood. I had that feeling when someone is stuck someplace, and there’s no way out. It was very uncomfortable, but who would care what I thought, what I did? To the humans, I was a criminal that needed to be put down like a rabid dog. To the ponies, I was just the enemy, nothing more, nothing less. I took another drag hastily, hoping it would hide away the depression that had suddenly set in. So much for staying positive.

Looking over to the party, seeing the ponies laugh and have a good time, left a hole in me that was already big enough after losing Emma. What was the point of doing anything now?

That was when Carrot Top rounded the corner of a building and came into view. She didn’t look too happy herself. Her head was a little low, and in her mouth was a plate holding two muffins. At the sight of the food, my stomach gave a low growl, and I realized I hadn’t eaten anything for hours. She continued to trot over to my shack and when she was within a few feet of it, she looked up at the door with saddened eyes. Was she sad because I was treated badly?

“You need something, miss?” Dusty asked rather politely. I didn’t think he was capable of such feats.

Carrot Top placed the plate on the ground gently before facing Dusty again, “I just want to give Nolan something to eat.”

She must have been unable to see me on the roof. I wasn’t too surprised though, there was no light source anywhere near the shack. There was a few moments of silence as Dusty contemplated what to say. Instead of waiting for him to respond, however, I decided to speak up. “I’m up here, Carrot Top,” I said softly as to not startle her.

She jumped a little nonetheless, and turned her eyes at me, squinting. After a moment, she gave a sad smile, and picked up the plate again, looking around for someplace to climb up. “There’s a set of stairs on the other side,” I explained, inhaling more of my smoke.

She quickly trotted to the other side, out of view, and Dusty mumbled, “What makes him so important?”

Ignoring his comment, I listened as Carrot Top made her way up the steps and walked over to me, standing to my left as she placed the plate of muffins between us. Sitting on her haunches, she looked away, as if unsure on what to say or do. I gave a humorous grunt at her behavior and picked up a muffin. Looking it over, it was like any other muffin I’ve seen from my world. Disregarding any caution, I bit into the muffin, and was shocked by the taste. It was nothing like I had tasted before, and it was too difficult to describe. All I really cared about was savoring the flavor for as long as I could before I swallowed.

“Umm, do you… like it?” Carrot Top questioned slowly, raising a brow with a hint of hope.

I nodded, too busy devouring the delicious muffin. She smiled at that and continued, “Derpy made them. She was always good at it, but she liked eating them more than anything. I had to sneak these away so she wouldn’t eat them.”

I chuckled as I imagined Derpy eating her own creations without a care. After finishing the muffin, I took another smoke from my cigarette, feeling much better than I did five minutes ago. I faced the party again, my sadness slowly seeping back in. Even with this small break, it wasn’t enough to tide over everything that had happened in this city. Glancing over to Carrot Top, she looked to have realized that she couldn’t replace my mood, and her ears folded back while she faced the ground.

“Hey,” I said, as she looked up at me without moving. “Don’t worry about me. I’ve… gotten through worse. You can head on back if you want.”

“I know, but…” she muttered, shaking her head. “But they were just so unfair to you. They wouldn’t even listen to you. It just doesn’t make sense why you have to stay over here while everyone else is having fun.”

She was practically reading my mind, and it was very thoughtful of her to worry about a human like me. “Thanks for your concern,” I replied, as I faced the party again, “But it’s hard to change how you view someone after what their species does to you.”

Carrot Top thought over those words as she remained silent, then she looked up to me with curiosity. “If the ponies hated you so much, then why are you helping us? If what you said about being from another world was true, wouldn't you help the other humans instead?”

“I don’t judge others from my first impressions,” I explained, my left hand idly rubbing my leg. “I felt like there was a reason why the ponies were acting like they were. And when you told me that they enslaved the ponies here, I knew I would never join their side.”

I ran my hand through my hair as I prepared to speak again. “Back in my world, there was a civil war over slavery. One side supported it, and other wanted to abolish it. Differing sides, differing viewpoints, leads to war eventually.”

Carrot Top gulped as she looked straight into my eye, “And… who won?”

“I’ll tell it like this,” I said, a hint of a smile betraying my answer. “Currently, it is illegal to practice slavery. And in everyone’s eyes, it’s something that any good person will never do.”

Carrot Top gave a weak smile, obviously very glad of the outcome. We watched the party that was going on in front of us, simply enjoying the view that the city and the sky gave us. After a few moments, Carrot Top faced me yet again, but was drawn to the object in my hand.

“I’ve been wondering about this for a while, but what is that?” she asked, pointing a hoof at the cigarette.

I gave a small smirk, “It’s a cigarette. It helps me get through tough times.”

She continued to examine it, and an idea crossed my mind that caused my smirk to intensify. “Want to try it?”

She was taken back by the question, and uncertain whether to follow through. “I guess,” she answered, “It won’t hurt, will it?”

I could understand her caution, for I was the same way a few years back, and I was very patient with her. “You may cough a bit, but it’s worth a try,” I stated truthfully. I wasn’t sure if the humans here had cigarettes, or she really had never seen a cigarette before, but it would be worth a little laugh to see how this went. After all, it wasn’t like she would try using it again after only one single smoke.

I placed the cigarette in her mouth carefully so it wouldn’t fall out, and backed away a little to give her space. It was pretty comical to see a pony with a cigarette, probably because it seemed too unreal if compared to the ponies of my world. “Now what do I do?” she asked, looking down at the cigarette.

“Just inhale from it, and it’ll do the rest,” I explained, holding back my laughter until the moment arrived. She gave a nod, and inhaled. In an instant, she spit the cigarette out, hacking and coughing like she had breathed in a cup of water. She beat a hoof against her chest as I was laughing my ass off; it was all worth it.

“How… can you… stand that stuff?” she asked between fits of coughs.

My laughing diminished after a few seconds, and I eventually controlled my breathing enough to respond to her. “Sorry about that,” I said, but the small amount of joy in my voice said otherwise. “I was the same way, and I couldn’t resist.”

“Hey! What’s goin’ on up there?” Dusty asked from underneath us, stepping away from the shack to see us.

Carrot Top hastily waved a hoof, still coughing, “N-Nothing is… wrong. Nolan… was just showing me something.”

“Keep your human stuff to yourself!” he shouted at me, as he went back to his post, mumbling kid-friendly curses at me.

Taking a deep breath, my attitude swiftly shifted to a somber one. “To answer your question,” I started, playing with my hands. “I said it helps me get through tough times, and I wasn’t lying. Everyday, it helps me forget about my troubles, if only for half an hour.”

At last, Carrot Top had given her last cough as her jaw opened a bit, as if she wanted to speak but feared it would be the wrong thing to say. Instead, she closed her mouth, and scooted over to me, bumping the plate back so she could sit right beside me. Then, without any warning, she leaned into to me, causing me to freeze up.

“Maybe being with a friend can change that,” she said nicely, as any response was lost in my head. I hadn’t really thought about it, but maybe she was right. Having someone as a friend could- Wait, she considered me a friend? A human?

I didn’t say anything, but couldn’t stop a smile from creeping on to my face. I guess I considered her a friend too, especially if she’s willing to stay with me after my dumbass stunt.

{~+~}

I woke up rather early the next day, feeling a bit sore. I wasn’t visited by Luna again, but maybe she thought that was enough for one night. Whatever her reasoning was, it was a good sleep, I had to say. After sitting on the roof for about an hour, Carrot Top and I parted ways, with her going back to the main city, and me just going downstairs. I got out of bed and put on my armor again, I reached for my weapons, but I remembered that the ponies had taken them. Growling slightly, I grabbed my mask, but left it off, thinking it would seem less intimidating towards the ponies.

When I stepped out of my shack, shutting the door behind me, I gazed over to the city to see very few ponies out of bed, and even those that had looked tired. I stood there wondering what I could do that day. I knew I had to find a way to get them to see me as an ally instead of an enemy if I wanted to get anywhere, and that meant mingling with the ponies. That moment, I declared in my head that I would try everything I could to try to get out of this rut that they had put me in. It was my mission.

Glancing to my right, I knew the first thing I had to do was wake up Dusty to ‘escort’ me, though I found the notion completely ridiculous. It was out of my hands, however, and if I was caught walking alone, I could get shot again, and I might not be so lucky this time. Dusty, himself, was sleeping against the wall of the shed, snoring loudly. Some guard he was.

“Hey,” I exclaimed, “Wake up.”

All that did was have him wave me off with a hoof as he turned away from me. Rolling my eyes, I spoke up louder than before, “Get up, Dusty, I want to go for a walk.”

When the words left my mouth, I realized I was acting like a dog, if dogs could talk that is. Nevertheless, I wanted to get something done today, and I wasn’t going to be foiled by a sleepy pony trying to ignore me. “Fine,” I said, “I’ll just wander by myself.”

With a groan, Dusty finally picked himself up, looking over at me with half-closed eyes. “Why can’t you just sleep like any other human does at this hour?” he asked, rubbing his head.

“Because I’m not like any other human,” I retorted, already walking away, “Now come on, I need to get stuff done.”

“What do you mean by that?” Dusty questioned harshly, his tiredness washing away instantly as he trotted to my side. His glare was near piercing, but I was already used to being hated, and it hardly fazed me.

“Relax,” I said flatly, “I just want to talk to a few ponies and get to know them.”

Dusty looked like he wanted to argue further, but held his tongue for some reason, and we walked towards the main part of the sanctuary in silence. Suddenly, the shot of a gun resonated through the streets and I tensed up, expecting to take another blow. Thankfully, the shot didn’t hit me, nor did I think it was intended for me. Dusty wasn’t bothered by the gunshot, and in fact was raising a brow at me. I relaxed my body, and looked around for the origin of the shot. Another bang caught my attention, and I looked down the street to see an open area where a building should be, but was noticeably absent. Like one of those small sandlots in the city.

Deciding to investigate, I made my way for the area, and when it came to view, I saw a surprising sight. A Unicorn was levitating a gun as she aimed down the sights of what looked like a makeshift firing range. An old-fashioned red and white target was on the other end, and it was obvious that was what the pony was aiming for. The pony herself - as it was a female - had a light blue coat and a pale blue mane and tail. Her Cutie Mark was a wand and a sway of magic, at least that was what it looked like to me.

I grew closer to get a better look, wanting to see how well ponies could shoot guns, but mostly to see where these ponies got them in the first place. The pony heard my approaching footsteps and turned, showing an unamused face. She gave off a smug grin that just oozed with superiority, and I knew I wasn’t going to like what she had to say. “Oh, the big bad human wants to see the Great and Powerful Trixie shoot a gun,” she taunted, lowering the weapon a bit.

“Great and Powerful?” I questioned when I was close enough, crossing my arms as Dusty stood by my side. “You look like a normal Unicorn to me.”

“Well, that’s because your feeble little mind can’t comprehend the magnitude of her magic ability,” she responded. Talk about snooty; I was willing to bet not even the other ponies liked when she was around.

“Right,” I drawled, not wanting to start a big argument over her capabilities with magic, seeing as I have no idea how well she was with magic. “What are you doing anyway?”

“If you must know,” Trixie said exasperatedly, looking back down the range. “Trixie is practicing with these guns.”

She talks in the third person, wonderful. “And how’s that going for you?” I questioned, unable to suppress a smirk. The ponies couldn’t be very good to begin with, seeing as they aren’t even used to war.

However, Trixie simply shot a smirk back at me. “Trixie would have to say she’s pretty good,” she said, as she glanced at me, “She did shoot you.”

I failed to stop my shock as I blinked in surprise. I knew some pony must have shot me, as there was no chance it was a human, but to face that pony so soon was too convenient in my opinion. “You,” I emphasized with a pause, pointing a finger at her, “shot me?”

She nodded with a proud look on her. “Hold your applause, human,” she said, holding up a hoof, “It was an incredible feat that only the Great and Powerful-”

“Anybody could have made that shot,” I interrupted, putting a hand on my hip. Trixie lost her egotistical look as she looked at me in disbelief. I wasn’t saying that because I was jealous, but in fact it was true. Seeing as I was about five yards away from the wall, she may have shot me through a crack, and that can’t have been difficult. Even a recruit at the Police Station could pull it off. Trixie shook off her stupor and gave the same glare everyone else had given me.

“That is impossible,” she said, waving the gun around like it wasn’t loaded, putting me on edge. “From what Trixie has seen, no other can shoot like her.”

“Exactly how many times have you seen someone else shoot?” I questioned, getting really tired of her obnoxious attitude.

“Why, many other Unicorns here, of course,” she explained, her irritating smile returning, “And I doubt a human can repeat what the Great and Powerful-”

“I bet I can,” I interrupted again. I was mostly interrupting her so she would stop saying that stupid line of hers. I mean, seriously? How self-centered could one pony be? Trixie was doubtful as she looked me over before simply staring at me.

“Trixie thinks you are lying,” she announced, making me furrow my brow at her.

“I can prove it,” I said, displaying my hand for her to put the gun. Before Trixie or I could do anything else, Dusty jumped in between us, his eyes set on me as he shook his head repeatedly.

“Nice try, human,” he spat, “There’s no way you’ll get a gun like that.”

I was going to argue that I just wanted to put Trixie in her place, but I knew he wouldn’t believe me. So instead, I rubbed my eyes, and walked away, Dusty following behind.

“Ha!” Trixie shouted from the shooting range, “Maybe next time, you’ll remember not to mess with the Great and Powerful Trixie!”

Holy crap, that girl was infuriating!

Taking many deep breaths to calm myself, I strolled down the street, admiring the plantlife as ponies tended to them. They were only watering and picking fruit, but I was still reeling over the thought of a whole street being a garden. I focused my mind back to the matter at hand, which was still to get on these ponies good sides. And I knew where to start.

“Dusty,” I asked, and he grunted to show that he was listening, “Where can I find the medical place here?”

Halting in his tracks, Dusty looked at me, his shades doing well to hide his emotions. “Why in all of Equestria do you want to go there?”

I shrugged, stopping a few paces ahead as I looked over my shoulder to him, “Just want to help.”

Dusty scoffed, continuing his walking, “Right, like a human like you just wants to help ponies.”

He was half right on that. Though I may not be like the humans here at all, I had an ulterior motive to assisting the doctors here. It kind of made me sad that he was right about me. That’s when I noticed that he was walking away from me, heading near the entrance of the sanctuary. He must have been leading me to the medical area, and I aptly followed along, jogging a bit to catch up with him. If I knew anything, it was that the best way to show that one wasn’t evil was to help the doctors. It wasn’t like I could hurt anyone, and I’d get points for helping them out.

In a few minutes, Dusty brought me to a building that had only one floor. The large red plus sign pointed to the conclusion that it was a clinic back in the day. He gestured his hoof towards the building, a silent way of showing that this was the place. Nodding in understanding, I briskly made my way to the wooden door and swung it open.

“Unless you’re sick or injured, come back later. We’re busy,” a feminine voice instantly said from a desk, where a Pegasus pony was sorting through papers with a concentrated expression. She was pink, like Pinkie, but had a blonde mane and tail. I couldn’t see her Cutie Mark, but it hardly mattered at the time. The room was small, and a few chairs to my left were the only furniture. A door to my right lead to the rest of the building.

“I, uh, wanted to help with anything you had,” I explained, stepping through the door while rubbing the back of my neck.

“We don’t need assistance currently, so I must insist that-” she stopped herself as she faced me, jerking her head back in surprise. She was not expecting a human to be here, that was for sure. However, she quickly turned back to a bored and irritated gaze.

“What do you want, human?” she said with a sigh.

“I just told you what I wanted,” I replied, trying to be patient with her.

Sighing again, she hopped off the chair she was seated at and walked around the desk to come over to me. This time, I could see her Cutie Mark, which was a golden Caduceus, showing that her profession was definitely medical. “Look, no offense, but I doubt our patients want to be ‘helped’ by a human,” she stated plainly.

She was probably right. Why would a pony want to be helped by the species that enslaved them? Still, I had to persist. “I don’t have to help the ponies,” I insisted, taking a few steps forward, which made her take a few steps back. “I could… sweep the floors or something.”

It was very obvious that I was desperate to help around, and that could be a good thing or a bad thing. It may show that I truly wanted to assist them, or it could show that I wanted to look like I wanted to help them. I hoped they thought it was the former.

The Pegasus pony gave me an odd look, attempting to judge my intentions as I stood there, silently wishing she would accept. It was at that moment, another pony walked in with a large stack of papers levitating in his magic.

“Angel, did you get those files I asked for?” the stallion asked, unable to see me thanks to the paper stack that was directly between his eyesight and me. From what I could see, he had a light blue coat that was a shade darker than Rainbow Dash’s, and a messed up light brown mane and tail.

“I was,” she said disdainfully, keeping her eyes on me. “Until the human came by.”

“Human?” the stallion said, shifting the papers away from his eyes to see me for the first time. His eyes widened to a humorous size as he blinked at my appearance. “Oh.”

A long and awkward silence came down on us like a wave of water, as I wasn’t sure what to say at this point. Dusty slipped by me, looking between me and the doctor as he raised a brow behind his shades. “Yeah, he’s a human,” he said nonchalantly, shaking the doctor out of his stare.

“So he is,” the doctor agreed, with a nervous chuckle. “Can… I help you?”

“I-”

“He was just leaving,” the nurse interrupted, walking towards the doctor. “We can’t have a human making the patients nervous.”

The doctor lifted a hoof and rubbed his chin in thought, “Quite true, I suppose…”

“Look, just listen for five minutes,” I put in, clenching my fists. “I want to help around here for a little while, maybe get to know you guys.”

“Get to know us?” the doctor repeated, tilting his head, “That doesn’t sound human.”

“That… what?” I responded dumbly. I wasn’t expecting a response like that.

“I have never heard a human say those words before,” the doctor elaborated, “Granted, I haven’t met any humans before, but from the reports from the spies, I’d say you’re the first that wanted to ‘help’ ponies.”

“You do know why that is, don’t you, Doctor Styles?” the nurse asked harshly, “Humans are enslaving ponies here.”

“Yes, yes, I understand that,” Doctor Styles waved off, “But the tone, how desperate he is, it’s unheard of.”

That pony. That pony with the medical degree, was the very first to say that I wasn’t like the others, besides Carrot Top. I wanted to shout out a thanks to whatever deity was watching over me for giving me a break, but I knew that it was weird to even think of doing that. Instead, I said, “Yeah, well, I’m not like other humans.”

It was getting really old repeating that line to almost every pony I came across, but it seemed to be requirement at the same time. The doctor was instantly over me, the stack of papers leaving his magic hold, floating to the floor in a mess, as he looked at me every which way. It was a bit uncomfortable being this closely examined by a pony, but he was a doctor, so he must have known what he was doing. He even used magic to drag me to his level to look over everything above my torso, which was pretty startling the first time.

After a few minutes of examination, he stepped back, with the nurse walking up to his side. “Why did you do that, Direct?” she questioned cautiously, as if she was afraid of the answer. “Besides doing the basic physical test.”

“I have a feeling about this one,” he mumbled, squinting his eyes at me, “I can’t put my hoof on it.”

Feeling like the conversation was going nowhere, I opted to change the subject back on track. “Can I just have something to do in this city?” I said, my head rolling back in exasperation.

“Perhaps you could…” the doctor muttered, making me turn to him, eagerly anticipating the rest of that sentence. I had to start somewhere to get anywhere, and if I had to clean the floor with a toothbrush, than by God I would.

“You can’t be serious,” Dusty said, shaking his head disapprovingly, “He’s a human.”

“And you’re a pony,” he snapped back, pointing a hoof at him, “she’s a pony, and I’m a pony.”

“And that’s supposed to mean…?” Dusty followed up, leaving the sentence hanging.

“What I mean is that though he may be a human, he might not be the humans we know.”

“Don’t get philosophical with me, Doc,” Dusty practically begged, putting a hoof over his muzzle.

“Then instead I shall do research,” Doctor Styles exclaimed, putting a hoof in the air in declaration. “You wouldn’t, by chance, know where Princess Twilight is, would you?”

“She’s probably in the library,” Dusty said, nudging his head to the door behind me. As quick as a flash, Doctor Styles was out the door, leaving us in bewilderment. The nurse, rolling her eyes, chased after him. It was just Dusty and me standing there, and we weren’t sure what to do now.

“What is he up to?” I asked, more to myself than to Dusty while looking towards the door.

“He does that more than I’d like,” Dusty said with a sigh, and I involuntarily chuckled.

“Dusty!” the unmistakable voice of Rainbow Dash shouted through the streets, “Where are you and that human!?”

She sounded pretty frantic and panic-stricken, maybe even a bit pissed. Dusty brushed past me as he trotted to the door, stopping just outside the entrance. “Over here, Dash,” he hollered, and Rainbow landed right in front of him as he stood at attention.

“And the human?” she questioned with a straight stare.

“In the building,” he said, and I stepped out to present myself. She looked skeptical for a second, looking at me, the building, then me again.

“Why were you in there?” she asked in an aggressive tone, walking over to me in an intimidating fashion.

“I wanted to help around, see if I could get you guys to believe me,” I expressed honestly, shrugging my shoulders. I had no reason to hide what I was doing. If anything, she would see me in a new light, even if it was a bad one.

“Sure, whatever,” she said rolling her eyes, looking back at Dusty, “Get to the Post Office, I’m going to Appleloosa.”

If Dusty wasn’t wearing his shades, I would swear his eyes widened. “You’re heading there!? Are you going-?”

“Dusty!” Rainbow hissed, shifting her eyes towards me. He, too, glanced at me, his jaw open in shock before closing shut and giving me his cold stare. Of course, another bloody secret that they’re keeping from me. I wondered if it was the same one that Derpy nearly let slip.

“Just head to the Post Office,” she repeated, launching back to the air.

Dusty turned to me, “Alright, back to the shack, buddy.”

“Like hell!” I exclaimed, throwing my arm to the side for emphasis, “Take me to the Post Office, I want to know what’s going on.”

“Why?” he snapped, walking up to me, poking my stomach, “So you can report to the humans. To the Baron!”

“No!” I screamed, “Get it through your thick skull, you son of a bitch! I’m not with them!”

I had lost my temper, and I didn’t regret it. All that built up tension just burst out of me like a shaken up bottle of soda mixed with a whole pack of mentos. I was tired of everyone just accusing me for something I wasn’t even involved with. Hell, I didn’t even know about this place until a week ago!

“Well if you’re so sure of it,” he shot back, as he glared at me, “then prove it! Show that you’re not with them!”

“I don’t have any-” I stopped myself, a realization hitting me.

“Yeah, that’s right,” he taunted, “You can’t because you don’t have any proof!”

I didn’t say a word, mostly because I was still in shock of my stupidity for not bringing it out sooner. Carrot Top had told them about my bounty, but they still didn’t believe it. If they wanted solid proof, they were going to get it.

Dropping my mask to the ground,I reached into my pocket, dragging out the few papers I had accumulated over my travels thus far. Dusty simply raised a brow, not seeing the significance of a piece of paper. I quickly rifled through the papers and found the bounty that I had picked up in Ponyville.

“Remember when Carrot Top said I was wanted?” I asked, my voice oozing with suppressed rage at both myself and the pony.

“Yeah,” he replied slowly, “What of it?”

I threw the bounty to the ground, “There’s your proof.”

I would have felt better about myself once I saw his face fall as he read the poster, but I was still ticked off about the situation as a whole. He read it over and over again, glancing between the amount of bits on my head and the image itself. He also looked up once in awhile, comparing the picture and myself. Finally, he sighed, taking off his shades with a hoof as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Alright,” he muttered, as if he hated to admit it himself, slipping his shades back where they belonged, “So you may not be with the humans, but that doesn’t mean that we fully trust you.”

“Like I give a shit about that,” I said, crouching and snatching my mask and poster again, “Just take me to the Post Office.”

He had no basis for an objection, but he was digging real deep for one. I could tell. Eventually, he gave a curt nod, avoiding eye contact with me as he began walking for the Post Office. I stood still for a moment, trying to absorb what had just happened. In a sense, I was finally being trusted, if only by a slight margin. They couldn’t say I was with the humans in this world, but I doubt they thought I was completely off the hook. Shaking out my thoughts, I quickly caught up with Dusty as he rounded the corner. I hoped I would be getting somewhere.

{~+~}

The Post Office entered my sight as we rounded another corner of the streets. It was rather simple looking, with only one floor and a small lot adjacent to it. That same lot had many ponies surrounding what looked like three wooden delivery trucks. As Dusty and I neared them, however, they all had one very obvious difference: they had no compartment for the drivers to sit, and were replaced with a carriage-like area where the ponies could hook themselves up to it.

“Quiet down, everypony,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she stood atop the vehicle, causing the crowd to go silent. “Now, I know this is a risky mission, but you all know this is important.”

Many members of the crowd dipped their heads, whether in thought or sadness, I didn’t know. As I scanned the ponies, I saw Applejack, Twilight, Derpy, and Carrot Top amongst them, including those I had met that day. Pinkie, once again, was not there. One pony caught sight of me, which caused a chain reaction as the crowd slowly saw my entrance to the area, whispering to each other in discontent.

Stopping short of coming too close, I looked up at Rainbow, who scowled at me, or maybe it was Dusty, considering he had brought me here. “What are you doing here?” she questioned, pointing an accusatory hoof at me.

I shrugged, “Seeing what’s going on. Why? You hiding something?”

“From a filthy human like you,” a pony from the crowd added, “Of course we are!”

Dusty sighed with a shake of his head. “Rainbow,” he called to her, looking at his hooves, “He’s… well, not with the other humans.”

Raising a brow, Rainbow glided to the ground, landing right in front of Dusty. “I thought you’d be the last person to say that,” she admitted, glancing at me as I crossed my arms. “What happened?”

Without waiting for anything else, I revealed my wanted poster that I was still clutching in my hands. No one was really stunned by the display, but Rainbow stepped closer to it, squinting at it. Then, her jaw dropped.

“The Baron even signed!?” she squeaked, causing a collective gasp from the crowd. He did? Why didn’t I see it? I turned the poster to myself, but still didn’t see what she meant. Looking over to Dusty, he was nodding grimly at Rainbow’s claim, making more of the crowd nervous.

I faced the poster once again, but this time I looked for anything that was out of the ordinary, and that was when I spotted it. It was incredibly small, so I was surprised that the ponies were able to see it at all, though they were probably used to looking for it on stolen documents. It was a small scribble on the bottom right corner that I must have passed off for an accidental mark. I was willing to bet that it was the Baron’s signature, as Rainbow had pointed out.

“So that means…?” Carrot Top said walking out of the crowd with a puzzled expression.

“It means,” Rainbow emphasised, suddenly getting in her face fearfully, which made Carrot Top jump back. “He really is a wanted human!”

Seriously? That was all that it meant? From her reaction, one would think I was a legendary monster coming back from the grave. “What’s so special about that?” I questioned, putting all the attention on myself, “I told you I wasn’t with them.”

“You don’t understand, do you?” Derpy whispered, stepping from the crowd, “If you’re wanted by the humans, then that means your a bigger threat than we thought!”

You have got to be fucking kidding me! I finally prove I’m not with the humans, and all it got me was that I was a bigger danger than before, in their eyes at least. “Well, I really dug my own grave, didn’t I?” I muttered to myself, closing my eyes to clear my thoughts.

The ponies were talking amongst themselves, ignoring my presence for the time being. Not that I was complaining, it gave me a chance to think up a response. As I tuned out the noise, I weighed my options. I could simply leave and find the rest of the Elements of Harmony without their help, which would probably be a bad idea, seeing as I have no idea where I would go. I could also just stay here for the rest of my life, but I tossed that idea out as fast as it had entered my mind.

Then, there was compromise.

“Hey,” I said, returning back to reality, but everyone was talking too loud to hear me. “Hey!” I shouted, and they listened that time. I wasn’t sure why, but I think the fear factor had something to do with it. “Why don’t you guys try giving me a chance instead of shunning me away, huh?!”

Rainbow Dash looked to the side, her eyes unfocused as she thought about it. Then she turned to her friends, who took silent demeanor for a question.

“He can get a job done,” Applejack admitted quietly, “And I don’t think I could’ve gotten out of Ponyville without him.”

The other ponies in my group agreed with her statement, and Rainbow glanced at me again, her face unreadable. Then, he face lit up like an idea had struck her, and she gave a sly smile. Why did I have a bad feeling suddenly?

“Give you a chance…” Rainbow repeated as she strolled over to me, her smile getting wider. “Okay, how about this? I have to… do something at Appleloosa. If you can get it done, then we might give you the benefit of the doubt.”

I held my breath as I asked the obvious question, “And if I fail?”

“Then the humans kill you,” she said like she was just telling me the weather. “Either we get the mission done, or you die. It’s a win win situation.”

“For you it is,” I grumbled, knowing full well that I had no choice if I wanted to get back to Earth in the long run. Sighing, I glanced at Rainbow again with contempt, “Fine, what do I have to do in… Appleloosa?”

“That,” she said, her smirk getting even bigger as she turned away with her nose in the air. “is a secret.”

I gaped at her, and a few of the ponies hid their laughs at my dismay. “How do you expect me to accomplish a mission I know nothing about?!” I shouted, throwing down my mask in rage.

She glanced back with that sly look that made me seriously reconsider her offer. “You’ll know what to do when you see it,” she explained, walking over to the carriage. “Now get in, or you’ll be left behind.”

What did she mean by that? Would it be that obvious? Still, I was about to run to the carriage when a thought struck me. Turning to Applejack, who was still wearing her saddle bags, I crouched down and held my hand out, confusing her. “Can I have my weapons?” I asked firmly, causing the crowd to hush itself.

Applejack, looking conflicted, glanced at Rainbow, who rolled her eyes with a grimace, but nodded. Given permission, I reached into her saddle bags, and pulled out my stuff, putting it on their respective places. My shotgun on my back, my revolver in my holster, and my knife in its sheath on my shoulder. It felt good getting my stuff back, and now I was ready for anything.

As quick as a whip, I climbed into the back of the truck-like carriage, and the doors were closed behind me by the ponies. There were a few moments of wait before we set off for Appleloosa, which I used to get comfortable in the empty compartment. We were soon moving, but then, completely unexpected, we took off. We were off the ground, from what the vertigo was telling me, and soaring through the air.

I panicked a bit, as would anyone who was trapped in an enclosed space miles above the air, but I soon settled down as I got used to it. I had no idea how far the town we were heading for was, but it had to be pretty far, and I decided to get some sleep. It would be a long flight, and an even longer mission afterwards. I leaned against the paneling of the compartment and drifted off to sleep.

{~+~}

I was instantly awoken by the rough landing as we ran through a bunch of large rocks, based on the bumpy ride I had. When the carriage stopped, I pulled myself off the floor I had fallen onto and stumbled my way through the dark and to where I thought the back of the compartment was. When I found the wall, I pushed to open it. I felt resistance, so I pushed harder, and suddenly the resistance was gone, making me fall through the open doors and onto…

Sand.

Lots and lots of sand.

From where I was lying, I found an endless sea of sand in all directions, with quite a few mesas scattered around. As I pushed myself to my feet yet again, brushing my clothing off, I saw cacti as well, with dry bushes mixed in. We were in another desert, and the sun was in the afternoon position.

“Enjoying the scenery, human?” Rainbow quipped as she stepped to my side.

Growling, I turned back to the carriage, and saw two other carriages as well, pulled by a few other Pegasi. Why would they need to bring so many transport vehicles here, in the middle of nowhere?

“Your mission is to head to Appleloosa,” Rainbow instructed, walking past the carriages as I followed along. “Once there, infiltrate a prison that’s on the other end of the town.”

A small town came into view, and even from this distance, I could tell it was an old Frontier town, straight from the Wild West from my world. Equestria was getting way too close to Earth. I pointed at the town, “That’s Appleloosa?”

“Yep.”

“Alright, so what am I supposed to do at this prison?” I asked, rubbing my chin as I was already thinking up a plan.

“You’ll see when you get there,” Rainbow said, reminding me why this mission was so bad for me. As I looked at her, prepared to complain about the vagueness of her answers, I saw that she didn’t have her usual smirk. Instead, she had a frown that held sadness and despair. She caught me staring and quickly shook out of it, putting on a neutral face.

“J-Just get it done, human,” she said heading back to the carriage to hook herself back up.

“Wait,” I called as she used her mouth to tighten the belt on herself. “What do I do when I finish the mission at the prison?”

“Then lead them to Saddle Mesa,” she ordered, pointing to a mesa that did indeed look like a saddle on the top. I turned back to ask to clarify, but she had taken off already, just missing me. “Be there by tomorrow at midnight, or we’ll leave you here!”

“You have to give me more than that!” I complained loudly, but it was futile as the three carriages were too far to hear me. I turned back to the town with a huff, my hand still clutching my mask. I had little choice, but if it got me home, then it would all be worth it in the end.

Taking a deep breath, I walked through the desert, heading for my destination. The blaring heat was much worse than in Las Pegasus. I didn’t know what it was, but the sun must have been at least ten degrees hotter, and that made a lot of difference. As I neared, the town I had already seen the familiar things I would see in Ponyville. Ponies enslaved and humans walking around like they owned the place.

There were differences, though, which made the area unique. The humans wore white jackets and dirtied pants, with a strange scarf-like belt around their waists. Also, because the town was smaller, the streets were crowded, making it chaotic for everyone. The last thing I noticed was the familiarity of the town compared to one in the late 1800’s. I had watched quite a few Western films when I was young, but the situation didn’t call for me to gush over everything because of nostalgia.

I idly faced the clear blue sky, glad to see that I wouldn’t have to worry about rain. Then, I saw a blue pony zoom across the sky. The pony was so fast that I only caught a glimpse before it was out of sight. It had to be a pegasus - what other pony could fly like that? - but what was it doing exactly? Did Rainbow Dash already have spies here? Shaking my head, I continued on my way; I could ask Rainbow Dash later.

That was when I spotted the prison. It was really big, almost as wide as the town itself, and it was mostly made of cobblestone. Watch towers were on each corner, and guards patrolled the outside. The sheer size of the place made me think that the towns purpose was just for the prison. As I examined it from a distance, though, the look of the prison felt too fresh, too new. If I had to make a conclusion, I would say that the prison was built recently.

Now the question was how I would infiltrate without drawing attention. From the looks of it, it wouldn’t have some secondary way of entering, as a large gate took up the front, facing the rest of the town. A disguise would be better suited for the mission, so I could move freely once I get inside. I just needed some drabs and I could-

“Out of the way,” someone exclaimed, roughly shoving me out of the way. As I quickly regained balance, I looked over to who had pushed me, and saw a line of people heading straight for the prison. They were probably new recruits for the building, as they all had bags slung over the shoulders, no doubt holding personal items.. Well, there was my ticket in.

Thinking fast, I looked to the back of the line to see a mildly-built young person that was nervous for whatever reason. I could take him out, hide his body, steal his clothes, and then get back in line before anyone noticed. Hopefully that was all I had to worry about, unless these guys had a secret code or something.

Ignoring the risks in my plan, I briskly walked to the back of the line, surveying the area for any straying eyes. Though the area was crowded, I could use it to my advantage and hide in plain sight. When I reached the person in the back, I tapped his shoulder. He jumped from the sudden touch, and whipped his head towards me, eyes wide.

“Hey, can I talk with you a second,” I request, jabbing a thumb towards an alley; nothing suspicious about that.

The man rubbed his head, glancing around, “I don’t know. I was told to stick with this unit.”

“Fine,” I said, feigning surrender with a shrug, “I guess I’ll have to tell the Baron that you didn’t listen. I’m sure he’ll love to hear your explanation.”

He went really pale when I mentioned the Baron, and hastily ran for the alley without any more motivation, scared out of his wits. That had worked pretty easily. Keeping a smile hidden, I strolled to the same alley, acting as normal as possible. When I was in the darkened area with the other guy, he looked around fearfully.

"So, what does the Baron want?" he asked, looking directly behind himself in a paranoid fashion..

I took out my revolver, "Absolutely nothing."

And before he could make another move, I clopped him over the head with the handle. I holstered my revolver afterwards, and he swayed for a second before tumbling down to the floor face first, his brown leather bag falling with a thud by his side. This time, I failed to hide my smug grin, the plan coming to fruition as I crouched down to his prone form. I still had to hurry, as the line of people wouldn’t wait for me.

"Better get this on," I muttered, taking off my holster.

{~+~}

As I promptly put in the last boot that was required of the uniform, I knew I was running out of time. The the outfit was a size too small, but it fit me nonetheless, and I didn’t really care if the shirt was a bit too tight. I picked up my bag, holding my armor, shotgun, and other clothing, and bolted out of the alleyway, confident that the unconscious man wouldn’t wake or be found until morning. It was a good thing these buildings had storage rooms behind them.

I saw the line already starting to enter, with a short man holding a clipboard, probably checking to make sure all the men were there. I rushed all the way there, hoping I would make it on time as the last guy in line was being checked off by the guy with the clipboard. When I finally reached over there, I was breathing pretty hard, standing at attention.

The guy with the clipboard, who was short with balding brown hair and an overweight frame, looked up from the object in his hands, giving me a glare. “You’re late,” he remarked gruffly, “I’ll have to mark you on that. What’s your name?”

“It’s…” I hesitated, knowing I couldn’t use my real name as it would give me away some time in the future. “Chris, sir.”

It felt strange to acknowledge these humans, who had treated the innocent ponies here unfairly, as someone above me. But I had to keep appearances up. The balding man glanced up narrowing his eyes at me. “Chris, eh?” he asked with a snort, scribbling my name on the clipboard. Then, clearing his throat, he said, “You’re officially under the control of Miss Megan, the current Warden. Whatever she says goes, no objections. Are we clear?”

He glanced up at me for my answer, and though I had no intention to follow this Warden, I still had this feeling that I should watch my step around here. “Yes sir,” I reply with a nod. When I thought about this Warden’s name, I realized it was a woman’s name. This would be the first time I heard of a woman at all in Equestria, granted I had only been in one town. I guess I’d have to see what she was like when I met her, if I ever did.

The man in front of me grunted and gestured inside towards the gates where the other recruits were already waiting in a dark room that must have led to the other side of the room, probably to a courtyard. When I entered, the man behind me came in as well, closing the door behind us and putting us in complete darkness.

Before I could question why we were standing around in a pitch black room, the door in front of us began to slide open, gears whirring like crazy to do as they were intended. My eyes were used to the darkness at that point, so the sudden light made me flinch and cover my eyes. The door clanked to a stop as the recruits moved forward, from the sound of it. I followed along, my eyes too blurry to make anything out.

To better adjust my eyes, I faced the ground, and the lighting slowly got better as I blinked a few times. Then I faced forward to see where we were, and it only took a few seconds for me to register what was going on around me. My heartbeat quickened as my jaw dropped, my eyes wide in shock. I lost my grip on my bag as it fell out of my hand, but I hardly cared as I stared at the scene, still trying to wrap my head around it. The sight nearly made me fall to my knees as I tried to control my breathing.

Foals.

Pony children all over the courtyard.

They were holding kids in a prison.

Chapter 9: Youth

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 9: Youth

I still remained where I stood, my mind failing to come to a logical conclusion for putting foals in a prison. That was because there was no logical conclusion! No explanation could make up for putting innocent, young ponies in a place like this, and I would have been shouting in rage if I wasn’t still in shock. I had wondered once in awhile where the children were, sure, but I had figured they were just kept away from me at Las Pegasus, or maybe in hiding. I was not expecting this at all.

The foals were not happy about the circumstances that had been forced upon them. They were attempting to have fun in the courtyard, which was probably a form of recess in the Humans’ eyes. Some were playing with a blue ball, while others played other playground games, but I could tell their actions were halfhearted. In their minds, they knew they were prisoners to those Human bastards.

Just watching them try to have fun made my heart drop, it was a sad and pitiful sight. They were trying so hard to ignore the oppression, to go back to the times before the invasion, but no matter how much they played, the pain in their hearts would still remain. Pulled from their parents, their homes, everything they knew and loved. I could barely watch them.

“Hey, recruit,” someone called back to me, knocking me out of my stupor. I turned to the man who had called me, unable to contain the glare that I gave him. It was the same person that had let me into the prison, and he didn’t like the way I was looking at him. “Don’t look at me that way. That’s an order. Now follow the others.”

Growling slightly, I grudgingly walked to where the other recruits were gathering, which was around a door on the other side of the courtyard. My eyes took note of everything that was going on in the area, and though I was boiling with rage, I was also incredibly heartbroken over the small ponies. Though a few were playing together, most were walking around with depressed expressions, and some just sat down on the ground. These were children, foals, and they had no idea why they were in this prison to begin with.

As I glanced around, I saw a guard yell at a small filly, a unicorn that had a white coat with a light purple and pink mane and tail. The poor filly looked on the brink of tears, cowering away from the human, and it aggravated me to no end. Some other fillies were watching the display, too scared to stand up to the Human. And who could blame them? “...Now I have to wash it out, you little runt!” the man shouted, making the filly flinch, shaking slightly on the ground.

“B-But I was just-” the filly tried to get out, but was instantly silenced by the man.

“I don’t care what you were doing,” he yelled in frustration, making the filly jump. It took all my strength not to intervene, as I knew what Rainbow Dash wanted me to do: to free these foals. Even if it wasn’t - which I highly doubted - I would do it anyway. These foals deserved a better future than this. In the end, staying under the radar was the best option, even if I didn’t like it.

When I looked over to the man and filly again, however, I saw the man bring his right hand back for a slap, the filly closing her eyes in fright. They were fucking abusing them!? Do any of these Humans have any conscience!? In a blink of an eye, I ran to the man, and grabbed his forearm before he could make a move, gripping it tightly. The man yelped from the sudden pain in his arm as he backed off of the filly.

“Hurts doesn’t it, you bastard?” I hissed, teeth clenched shut. In a swift move, I turned him to me, and with my free hand, punched him in the nose. He cried out, and I released him from my hold, allowing the momentum of my punch to throw him to the ground. Grunting in grim satisfaction, I faced where the filly had been standing to find nothing; I must have scared her off. It was somewhat saddening, because it felt like she thought I was as much as a monster as any other Human.

Then I felt something slam into the back of my head, and I instantly lost my sight as I fell to the ground. My vision faded in and out for quite a while. One second, I was on the ground, the next, I was picked up and dragged through the courtyard and hallways of the building. Then I was thrown to the ground with no remorse. It had happened so fast that my brain was still trying to catch up with what had just happened.

As the seconds ticked by, my head began to clear slightly, allowing me to see where I was. From the ground, it looked to be an office, with boring gray walls and floors. As I slowly pushed myself off the ground, I felt a painful throb on the back of my head, and I rubbed it gingerly. It hurt a lot, and I wished I had my helmet.

Before I could stand, I heard a voice speak to me. “You’re finally up, are you?” she asked, as it had a feminine tone to it.

Glancing up from my position, I could see a rather large desk, with someone looking over it to myself. She had dark red hair, with a wry smile that screamed power. When I finally stood on my two feet, with my head still hurting, I took a good look at her. Her clothing was a bit different from the the other people I had been in this town; a business suit. It was as gray as the walls around us, and I had a feeling that this woman was all business. She must be the one in charge of the prison: Megan.

“Now, let’s discuss your actions in the courtyard,” she said, getting straight to the issue. No small talk, no threats, nothing. Structure must be second nature to her.

“What about it?” I grunted out, still rubbing the back of my head.

“Did you already forget what you did to the guard?” she asked sarcastically, “It only happened a few minutes ago.”

Thirty seconds in and I was already hating this woman. “I remember what happened,” I groaned, holding my tongue to avoid saying something I would regret. “What I meant was what you wanted to ‘discuss’?”

“Of course you did,” she smiled, intertwining her fingers. I closed my eyes, restraining myself yet again. “So, why did you attack the guard?”

“He was about to hit a kid,” I replied monotonically; it felt like I was filling in a report at the station.

“I fail to see what the issue is,” she said curtly, her annoying smile never wavering.

“Fail to see…” I repeated in disbelief, too blown away to finish the sentence. “Are your damn ears broken? He was going to hurt a child!”

“They have explicit orders to maintain the discipline in this prison,” she responded, barely batting an eye.

“She did nothing wrong,” I emphasised leaning over her desk, our faces a foot away, “how do you justify that?”

Her smile widened, “They have to get used to it. After all, we’re just suiting them up to be future slaves.”

I looked away from her, shaking my head as I tried to forget what I had heard. These people were only raising them for their own selfish reasons. Then again, what did I expect from a bunch of good-for-nothing assholes? Taking a deep breath, I took a step back, thinking of what to say next.

“You should already know this,” she commented, her smile finally faltering for a split second. “Are you a transfer from the North?”

I thought about it second; I doubt she would believe me that I was from a completely different world. “Yeah, I am,” I answered slowly, hoping she wouldn’t see through my lie.

“How is it there?” she asked casually, leaning back in her chair, “It’s been awhile since I was last up there.”

She was testing me. The way she sat and how she suddenly asked the question was enough evidence for me. I had to tread very carefully, or I would find myself in a hole I wouldn’t be able to get out of. “Couldn’t be better,” I replied, trying to keep my voice neutral.

She stared at me for some time, trying to see if I was telling the truth. I felt like I had kept my response pretty vague, but with how little I knew about her, she could be as good as Applejack. After half a minute, she relaxed a little, her smug grin returning.

“Alright then,” she said with a nod. She then opened a drawer in her desk and pulled out a few sheets of paper, placing them on the desk as she retrieved a pencil as well. “Now, you shall receive double night duty for the next two weeks as punishment. What is your name?”

“Chris,” I muttered with a roll of my eyes. I would be long gone before I would get the full punishment. “When does my shift start?”

“In about an hour,” she stated, glancing out the window that revealed the setting sun. “Until then, feel free to head to the cafeteria. The cooks make a mean pony stew.”

I jerked back in surprise, looking at her like she was crazy. They couldn’t stoop that low, could they? It had to be a joke. “It’s a joke, recruit,” she chuckled, putting the papers back in the drawer.

I relaxed my shoulders, rubbing my head. That was not funny in the least, and I really hoped she burned in Hell. Deciding to leave, I grabbed my bag that was thankfully brought with me and I did just that, hastily exiting the room before she added something else that would make me hate her more. As I stood in the hallway, I saw that it was empty, which gave me time to think.

How was I supposed to free all these foals by tomorrow night? This place was built to keep people in, and I was sure the Humans wouldn’t let us waltz right out. I could see why Rainbow Dash was both hesitant and ready to send me on this mission. Little risk, big reward. I just hoped I lived long enough to see her face when I made it back with every single kid here. It was plain wrong to put kids through this place, and I was going to avenge them, even if it killed me.

First things first, I had to check on that one foal that I had helped out. I had to be sure she was alright. Who knows, maybe she could help me out a bit. With a goal in mind, I sauntered down the hallway, hoping I was going the right way.

{~+~}

After asking around, I learned that recess had ended and the kids were back in their cells. Just the thought of that made me swell up with anger. With a bit of backtracking, I found and opened the wooden door to the cell block. It was like any other prison, except full of children sitting around as they waited for whatever came next. I walked slowly through the hallway, just… watching them. It almost made me want to cry, admittedly. There were Pegasi, Unicorns, and the normal variety all together in this one place. At the very least, the scene hardened my resolve.

As I looked through the bars of another cell, I saw the foal I was looking for, lying in the bed while facing away from the bars. Two others were sitting next to her, trying to comfort her, by the looks of it. One had a large pink bow in her red mane, and the other had a purple mane and tail with an orange coat and wings. I shuffled my feet over to their cell, and gripped the bars. I was unsure if the kid even wanted to talk to me, let alone see me. If she didn’t, then at least I would know if she was alright.

“Hey, kid,” I whispered gently, unconsciously bending down to her level. Her ears flicked slightly and she tightened her body into a ball, but she didn’t respond. The other two, however, turned to me in surprise, but then glared at me, turning away with a huff. I guess the Unicorn foal didn’t want to talk with me. “You alright?”

Still nothing. Sighing, I tried to think of what to say next, but I couldn’t find the right words. What was I supposed to say? I was just another Human to her, and I felt like I deserved the cold shoulder. Even if I promised I would get her out of here, she wouldn’t believe me. No one had so far.

Swallowing, I faced the ground, and said, “Okay then... See ya.”

I raised my body and turned to leave. I had to get to work. “W-Wait,” a voice from the cell cried out quickly. I turned my head back to see the Unicorn sitting up on the bed, giving me the most adorable eyes I had ever seen. The other two that sat beside her faced her quizzically, probably wondering why she would stop me.

I crouched back down, giving her a small smile for comfort. “Y-You’re the one that stopped him from hurting me,” she realized, hopping off the bed.

“He’s the one you were talking about?” the orange one asked her in disbelief as she pointed a hoof at me, “I thought you were making that up.”

“Why would I lie about that?” the white one asked her, raising a brow. Their behavior made me want to chuckle, but it wasn’t the time or place.

“Are you alright?” I asked again, keeping my smile, “He didn’t hurt you before I got there?”

“No, he didn’t hurt me,” she responded with a smile of her own, before it slipped to a sad frown. “At least… not today.”

My hands clutched the bars tightly as I frowned as well. They were going to pay for this, dearly. For now, I could learn more about these poor fillies. “What’re your names?” I asked, looking between each one.

“I’m Applebloom,” said the one with the large pink bow on her head, waving a hoof in the air. Her voice had a Southern drawl, instantly reminding me of Applejack. I wondered if they were related; her name did have apple in it. But maybe that would be wrong of me to assume that right off the bat.

“The name’s Scootaloo,” the orange one responded, her wings buzzing slightly as she hovered in the air for a second before landing.

“I’m Sweetie Belle,” the Unicorn filly squeaked cutely.

Then, simultaneously, they exclaimed, “And we’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders!”

“Crusaders of… Cutie Marks?” I asked with a grunt of amusement. It was like they had their own little club, and it was really adorable.

“Yeah!” Applebloom said, and the three showed me their flanks, which were blank, completely devoid of any picture unlike every other pony I had met. “Ya see, we’re searching for our Cutie Marks.”

“And we won’t stop until we find them!” Scootaloo proclaimed, as the other two nodded. I gave each one a smile. They were stuck in this oppressive atmosphere, yet they were able to keep their cheery and determined attitudes, even if they had diminished.

“Nolan,” I said, gesturing to myself. I kept it to my first name to not complicate things. “And don’t worry, I’m going to bust you all out of here soon.”

“All of us!?” Applebloom said incredulously.

“Every single one,” I replied, tapping her nose, though I wasn't sure why. Probably because it felt like it fit the mood. The three erupted in smiles as they looked at each other. They really believed that I would get them out, and I knew I couldn’t fail them. I didn’t think I could deal with seeing these fillies so sad.

“Wow,” Scootaloo whispered, “You’re like Alex!”

Turning to her, I gave her a strange look, “Alex?”

“Yeah!” Sweetie Belle agreed with a frantic nod, “He always looks after us. Well, not just us, but everypony! He gives us extra food, blankets, and sometimes, even reads to us!”

“And he’s… a Human?” I asked, trying not to raise my hopes.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t he be?” Sweetie answered, tilting her head. A human that helped the ponies, to a small extent, but it was better than nothing. It was a one-in-a-million chance for something like that to happen, and I was lucky enough to have him in the prison. I could use all the help I could get, depending if he was willing to lend me a hand.

“Where can I find him?” I asked the three, a confident grin growing on my face.

{~+~}

After the girls informed me what Alex looked like and that he would probably be in the cafeteria during that hour, I gave my thanks to them and left for the destination. I was still in disbelief that there was a good Human here, but that raised the question of why he was here to begin with. I could ask him all of my questions once I found him. When I pushed open the doors, I instantly scanned the area, searching for him intently. The cafeteria was rather small, with about ten tables in total. There was a pillar here and there to support the ceiling, but other than that, it was really bland, and empty, come to think of it.

My eyes eventually landed on the figure that the girls had described. Sandy blonde hair, slim frame; it had to be him. But as I made my way over to him, I knew I had to make sure that it was him. I took a seat across from him, dropping my bag beside myself, but he only gave me a glance before focusing on his vegetable stew in front of him.

“Are you Alex?” I asked, keeping my eyes trained on him.

“What if I am?” he snapped back quietly, still focused on his food.

“Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Scootaloo said I’d find you here,” I explained calmly, and he looked up at me with wide eyes. I couldn’t help but smile, “So you’re Alex then?”

Glancing behind himself, Alex looked at me with a doubtful expression. “Who are you? What do you want?” he asked, narrowing his eyes. This was definitely the guy the three fillies were telling me about. With that information, I knew I could tell him who I was without repercussion, hopefully.

“The name’s Nolan Anderson,” I answer, sticking out my hand to shake. He looked at the hand hesitantly, but took it anyway, shaking slowly. His grip was really firm; he was way stronger than he looked.

“Alex Metz,” he replied, “But I guess you already knew that.”

“Half of it,” I admitted as we release our hold. I relaxed back in the chair as I spoke, “They only told me your first name.”

“Alright, you answered my first question,” he said waving a hand, “but what about my second one?”

My features hardened as I chose my words carefully. What I told him would make or break my mission. I hoped my hunch was correct. “I need your help, but I have to make sure of some things first.”

He raised a hand to gesture for me to hold up. “What are you hiding?” he asked, “You’re not telling me something.”

This was it. Now or never. Taking a deep breath, I whispered, “I’m... the Masked Man.”

Alex’s eyes widened as he stared at me, at a loss for words. He took a quick look around to make sure we weren’t being overheard before leaning forward. “You’re the one the Baron is after?!” he whispered frantically, his face in shock and worry.

I leaned back in the chair nonchalantly, nodding, “Yeah, I’m the thorn in his ugly backside.”

My risk had better pay off, otherwise I would be in a heap of trouble. Alex played with his stew using his spoon as he looked deep in thought. I could feel beads of sweat drip from my forehead as I anticipated what he would say next. After a minute, he faced me with a concentrated gaze and sighed.

“So you’re the one at Ponyville that got away with those escaped ponies?” he asked simply. With my throat dry from nervousness, I nodded. He gave an amused grunt as he smiled, “Well, good on you, I suppose.”

I released a breath I didn’t know I was holding; he wasn’t going to give me away, at least not at the moment. I returned his smile with a hint of relief, glad to find another human that didn’t hate me outright.

“So,” I started, turning serious, “Can you answer some of my questions?”

“Yeah, of course,” he answered. That was… really easy. I was liking this guy.

“Thanks,” I reply courteously before getting down to business, “First off, why did the humans take over Equestria?”

“You don’t know?” he asked curiously, tilting his head.

Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. “I’m… not from around here,” I explained the best I could, “Can you just answer the question?”

“Alright, alright,” he muttered, trying to calm me down before thinking for a moment. When he had his thoughts sorted, he started the story. “A few months ago, some ponies infiltrated our country and blew up almost all of our food supplies using magic. At first, we thought that was impossible, seeing as we had no conflict with the ponies for as long as we’ve been around. But then, this guy started going on and on that the ponies were trying to take advantage of us. Trying to rile us up, from what I could remember. Most of us ignored him, but as time went on, and food and jobs began diminishing, we wanted something to blame, something to throw our anger at.”

Through his tale, I tried piecing the puzzle together in my head. “The same guy from before told us that Equestria was to blame for all our troubles," Alex continued, "People were dying and growing sick, so we had little choice. The guy I was talking about? He calls himself the Baron, and he got approval from our government to lead the army that would invade the ponies. They attacked… I think it was called the Crystal Empire. It was the closest place, so the Baron said to strike there first, I guess. Anyway, they were easily winning, what with superior firepower and all that shit. But then, this pink blast erupted from the palace, and drove them back.”

Pink blast? I had never heard anything about that. Although, I was barely told a thing about the war, so it shouldn’t have been too much of a surprise. I couldn’t hide my confused expression, and he caught it as he chuckled. “I know, I know,” he said with a wave of his hand. “Ridiculous, right? But that’s what I heard. So, after the blast, they all retreated back home. The Baron wasn’t pleased about that one bit, and ordered them back. They saw no point, if the ponies were that powerful. Then… Well, that’s when the ponies did something unforgivable.”

“What was that?” I asked slowly, unsure if I wanted to hear it.

“They burned down our homes,” he revealed, but he said it with a hint of doubt, like he didn’t really believe it himself. “While the army was out fighting, a lot of the houses were set aflame by the ponies all over the country, apparently.”

“You sound like he was lying,” I said, pointing a finger at him.

Alex grunted, “That obvious? I never saw a hair of a pony when they ‘attacked’, so yeah, I found it a bit fishy. But who would listen to to a handful of people when the majority wanted to get back at them?”

“So it’s just plain revenge,” I summed up, giving a disappointed sigh. It always leads to something as simple as vengence.

“Pretty much,” Alex agreed, crossing his arms as he looked down to his stew that had long been ignored. “I was in our country the whole time. Didn’t want to get caught up in some war when I had a sister to take care of.”

“So why join now?” I asked, my wonder shifting over to Alex. “And why stay here to help these humans keep foals trapped in a prison? Even you have to object to this.”

He sighed, probably from asking himself this question to many times before. “Jobs were hard to come by, and joining the army was the only way I could keep food on the table. As for working here specifically, I would rather quit in a heartbeat than keep these kids stuck in cells. But then who would take care of them? Who would reassure them that it’ll be alright? They remind me too much of my sister, and I can’t just leave them alone and scared.”

“Then you’re just the man I need,” I said with a grin, causing him to raise a brow. “I need your help to free them.”

“...Come again?” he asked, looking at me like I had gone crazy. “You want to do what?!”

“Free them,” I repeated, suddenly feeling ready for action. “I’m with the pony resistance, and I was sent to get these little guys out of here.”

“Wow,” he expressed with a smile of his own, “How did you get the ponies to trust you? The way the people here treat them, I figured they wouldn’t trust any humans.”

“Well… They don’t trust me,” I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck with a forced laugh. “But I plan on fixing that soon.”

“Freeing the kids…” he said blissfully to himself, looking at the ceiling as he relaxed in his seat. “I’m in.”

“Thanks.”

“So,” he said leaning on the table, scooting his stew to the side. “What did you have in mind? How are we going to do this?”

I opened my mouth to respond, but then closed it as I furrowed my brow. “I… have no idea,” I admitted, making him slump his shoulders, “But that’s why I need your help. Two heads are better than one.”

“We have all the time in the world, I suppose,” Alex agreed with a nod, but I gave a nervous chuckle.

“We actually have to free them by tomorrow night,” I explained, making Alex’s jaw drop. “The ponies of the resistance have carriages waiting over at Saddle Mesa, but they’re going to leave tomorrow at midnight.”

“So we have to free a prison full of children, with other people likely to try to stop us, and do it all by tomorrow.”

“Basically,” I answered with a shrug.

Alex frowned as he looked to the side in contemplation. “Look,” I started, “If you want out, I under-”

He held up a hand to interrupt me, facing me with a smirk, “If we’re going to do this, we better get started.”

I was a bit taken back by his response; I expected him to drop out when he heard the time limit. But, all in all, I was glad he was going to assist me, and I returned his smirk. “Okay,” I said, “Let’s get to it.”

{~+~}

It was time to spring our plan into action. It had taken many hours to plan out everything, considering I was still trying to figure out the layout of this place. And by the next day in the afternoon, we had a solid plan. It had a hole here and there, but it was the best we could come up with on short notice. My night shift would actually come in handy during the operation, giving me an excuse to roam around without looking suspicious.

It was a few hours before midnight, since we had to wait until nightfall to make the escape easier. I was standing outside the prison block on one side of the double doors with some other person I had never met before, simply waiting around for our shift to end, or at least, that’s what I pretended to be waiting for. I was growing restless as I awaited the signal from Alex, continually glancing down the hallway.

At last, I saw what I was waiting for: his arm waving around slowly from the corner. Probably not the greatest signal, but under these circumstances, it was also the best. Looking over to the other person I asked casually, “Is Miss Megan coming down here?”

“How should I know?” he snarled, facing forward intently, obviously not happy with the shift.

“Well,” I continued with a shrug, “because she’s coming down right now.”

“Right,” he drawled in disbelief.

“You know what else?”

“What!?” he shouted, turning to me angrily.

I didn’t respond, and simply stared as Alex came up behind him. Without any hesitation, Alex wrapped his arms around the other’s throat, cutting off his oxygen instantly. He held on tightly as the guard struggled futilely, and he soon passed out, slumping in Alex’s arms.

“Took you long enough,” I commented as I walked up to him.

“You try convincing your superior that you wanted to have a walk about,” he snapped back, dropping the body to the ground, “Now it’s your turn. You think you can go through without being caught?”

“Sure,” I said, and that was all I said, as I didn’t want to jinx it with some idiotic words. I ran past Alex and swiftly made my way to my room, intending to get my mask and such on before initiating the plan. I wasn’t going to leave my stuff behind, and there was no way Alex could talk me out of it. I knew time was vital, however, and was able to get there faster than I thought I would. Entering, I instantly grabbed my leather bag - and I pondered very briefly if a sentient animal was used to make it - and dug through it. I retrieved my armor, mask, and shotgun, placing it to the side. I stripped down hastily and put my clothing on, attached my shotgun to my back, and then finally my mask and helmet. I was ready.

I rolled my shoulders a bit to get my body used to my armor again, and left my room, heading for Megan’s office, where the keys to the foals’ cells would be. Though it was quite dark, I encountered no resistance, thankfully, and I found myself standing outside of her office. Checking the ends of the hallways again, I opened the door as quietly as I could and slipped in, closing it behind me.

The office was just as I had remembered it, just much darker. I made my way around the desk, and began opening drawers. I remembered the last time I did this, and I ended up jumping out a window because of it. I hoped I wouldn’t have to repeat that little stunt. As if fate felt like giving me a hard time, I heard someone approaching down the hall, and felt panic rise in my heart as it skipped a beat. The whole mission would be over if I jumped out the window, but I couldn’t get spotted either.

There was one advantage this time: darkness. As quickly and quietly as possible, I made my way to the darkest corner and held my breath, hoping whoever was coming through wouldn’t take a glance in my direction. The door swung open just as I got into a comfortable position, and I waited for the person to come out so I could jump him. And when the person did come through, I had to stop myself.

It was a stallion. One with a light gold coat, and a mane with a mix of light brown and bright amber. He also had a cowboy hat and brown denim vest, and I wondered if he was related to Applejack. I mentally slapped myself at that thought; just because a pony had a Western hat and an apple on their flank, didn’t automatically make them associated with Applejack. It was very judgmental, and I could only berate myself over it.

I was suddenly snapped out of my thoughts when the pony in question was shifting through some papers placed on the desk, and I knew I would have to deal with him. Though the darkness was assisting me at that moment, I was still visible, if only just. But how would I approach this pony? I guess it wouldn’t hurt to ask him, with a bit of reassurance of course.

I crept up behind him, as his attention was to his own search, and when I was a few feet away, I leapt on him, and we went crashing to the ground beside the desk. My hands clamped over his mouth before he could make a sound and I put my weight on him, trapping him.

“Listen closely,” I ordered in a low and dangerous voice, and he froze in his struggles, too afraid to make any move at all. “I’m staging a break out, and if you want to leave, then I can take you with me. If you want to stay, though I don’t know why you would, I’ll knock you out. Nod if you understand.”

He gave a quick nod, and I said, “Now, nod if you want to come with me.”

There was a few moments of nothing as the pony thought over the proposition, but came to an answer as he gave a nod. I sighed, glad that this pony would be coming along, I could use someone to help me find the keys. I released my hands from his mouth, and he let loose a few quiet coughs. I may have been holding on too tight, but at least I got my message across that I wasn’t messing around. Stepping off of him, I gave him a bit of space to seem like I wouldn’t hurt him again. Well, unless he started shouting for help, which I doubted he would.

When he turned his head to me, raising his body to a sitting position, his eyes widened as his mouth opened. “Y-You're the Masked Man!” he whispered with a southern drawl, pointing a hoof at me. These people couldn’t come up with a better name than that?

“Guilty as charged,” I admitted, throwing my arms to the side in a gesture of sarcasm, “Now help me find the keys.”

“Why, exactly, do ya want ‘em?” he asked nervously, his eyes shifting over to the door.

“To free the kids here,” I reply harshly, walking over to the desk, “What else would I do with them?”

“You’re… really going ta free ‘em?” he asked hesitantly, trotting over to the other side to face me.

“Yes,” I emphasised, going around to where the pony was, already rifling through the drawers again, “Now help me out, we don’t have all night.”

He remained silent, and immediately began going through the drawers. I gave a mental thanks to him as I continued my search. Although there weren’t many drawers, there was so much crap in them, I couldn’t discern anything, and the darkness didn’t help either.

“Here!” he exclaimed quietly and excitedly, sticking his head into the drawer, when he pulled it back out, a key ring was in his mouth, along with two keys. Smiling under my mask, I snatch the keys from his mouth, and headed straight for the door, the pony right behind me.

When we left the office, the both of us hastily departed for the cells to make the exchange with Alex, who had no doubt filled in the foals about our plan by now. I glanced to the pony that was beside me. I asked, “What’s your name, by the way?”

“Braeburn,” he answered, looking somewhat paranoid, as he kept glancing behind us.

“And why were you in Megan’s office?” I followed up, feeling like this was important in some way.

“I was supposed ta look for the reports for the new recruits,” he explained, looking at me with a smile, “But now, we can leave and never look back.”

At those words, Braeburn’s happy demeanor turned sad as he hung his head. “Appleloosa…” he muttered. He must have been attached to this town before the war, and I was interested to see what this place was like in its heyday.

That’s when my brain had analyzed what the meaning behind his words meant. If Braeburn was supposed to retrieve the reports from her office, then wouldn’t she come looking when he didn’t return?

“Shit, we better get going,” I said, my voice strained as I tried to keep it quiet.

“Why?” he asked innocently, “What’s wrong?”

Sighing, I explained what I had discerned from his previous statement, and his eyes bugged out. “Horseapples!” he cursed, picking up the pace. I was able to keep up with him fairly easily, but I worried that people in other rooms would hear his loud hoof steps.

In time, we made it back to the cell block, unhindered, and we barged right through. The foals were already wide awake and talking amongst themselves. Naturally, they instantly fell quiet when Braeburn and I were suddenly in the room, but Alex was in the center, calming them all down.

“Don’t worry, everypony,” he said gently. I could see why the foals here had liked him, he even talked like them. “He’s going to help you all escape.”

“Braeburn!” The crusaders cried happily upon his arrival, waving from their cell, and Braeburn gave a wide grin as he returned the wave.

“We have to move ahead of schedule,” I said hurriedly, throwing the keys to him and he caught them without a hassle. “Megan is going to be on the move.”

Alex held his tongue as he forced himself to avoid saying a curse word. “Alright,” he agreed, already unlocking cells. “But you better double time it to the munitions room.”

I nodded, and quickly turned to Braeburn, “Help Alex out, I have something I need to do.”

I turned on my heels and bolted for the door, determined to get to the other side of the compound before the humans became all the wiser. “W-Wait, Masked Man!” he called back, and I halted right at the door, which was half open, and looked over to him. “I haven’t known ya for very long, but… don’t die out there, ya hear?”

I gave a curt nod and resumed my sprint, making up for lost time. Seeing all those foals look so happy at the thought of escape made me work harder towards my goal. At that point, failure was not an option. Those children were going to escape, one way or another. They deserved that much.

As I rounded another corner, I had to skid to a halt as there was a bunch of people milling about, holding rifles and shotguns and the like. They barely noticed my entrance, and I had to use that to my advantage as I hid behind the wall, taking deep breaths. Since I had my original clothing on, I no longer had the ability of passing as one of their own. I would have to fight through them to the munitions room, which is probably where they were getting the weapons at that moment. Now was the moment to reveal my presence in this prison.

I grabbed my shotgun from my back, and looked to make sure it was still good; I never got around to looking it over when I got it back from the ponies. It was as good as I had left it, and the ammunition was still inside, full and ready to be fired. I gripped it tightly in my hold, mentally preparing myself. I didn’t count how many were in the next hallway, so I had to make each shot count.

There was only one thing I had to check first. I cocked the shotgun, loading the shell into the chamber. Everything was in place.

“Did you guys hear-” one of them started, but I stopped him when I turned around the corner and fired at him, killing him and the guy behind him. The other people were instantly on alert, trying to get their guns trained on me. But thanks to my surprise attack, I would take one out each time one would point their weapon on me, thereby denying them the chance to retaliate. Another advantage I had was how narrow the hallway was, allowing my shots to go through multiple people. By the time I had dried up my shotgun, the hallway was clear.

Grabbing a bit of ammunition from my vest pouches, I reloaded my shotgun and placed it on my back once again. There were still a few alive, lying in the hallway as they clutched their injuries. I left them be, as they were incapacitated and wouldn’t prove a threat. The room that they were getting their guns from was wide open, and when I glanced inside, I could see much more than just guns.

There were barrels of gunpowder, explosives, dynamite, and ammunition; a large room with shelves and shelves of the dangerous items. It was more than just an armory, it was a place full of potential death. And I would be blowing it up. The distraction would make the people here fixate on this place, allowing Alex and the others to slip out. I just hoped it would be enough.

I stepped through the door frame, contemplating how I would blow this place to kingdom come, until someone kicked me in the back of the knee, making me tumble down to my knees. I whipped my head around and saw another human, who was bald and wore a white sleeveless shirt with a wicked grin on his face as he cracked his knuckles.

“My turn,” he snarled, his smile never wavering. I sprung into action, quickly standing up as I swung a fist at him. However, he ducked underneath it and charged at me, grabbing me around the waist and slamming me against the wall. I grunted from the hit, and I slammed my knee into his stomach, causing him to stumble back, gripping where I had hit him.

I unholstered my revolver, and drew it on him, but he was too quick, as he was able to slap it out of my hold, and smash a fist into the side of my head, knocking to the floor. Hand-to-hand combat was never my thing, but I knew enough to get me by training back on Earth. I hoped what I knew was enough.

As I warily got to my feet, he took the initiative and was about to punch me again, but I was able sidestep him and slam my elbow into his spine, causing him to reach for it while taking a few steps forward. I followed up by kicking him in the ass, and he tumbled into a shelf of guns. As he groaned from the attack, a few guns shifting around and falling from the shelf, I searched around for my revolver, completely forgetting that I was in an armory.

By the time I found it laying on the ground, the guy had taken a revolver on the shelf, firing on me. I dove into one of the alleys of shelves, hoping to lose him somewhere in the room. I ran to the back of the room, and hid behind a stack of barrels, just as he got to where he last saw me. Seeing that I had hidden myself, the guy gave a low chuckle.

“You think you can escape me, Masked Man?” he asked, and when I glanced back, I saw him slowly walk through the alley, looking around with the same stupid grin. “I’ve been waiting to face you since the moment I heard about you.”

That made me wonder how many other people wanted a crack at fighting me, but I pushed it to the back of my mind for the time being.

“If you’re here to help those damn foals, then you’re wasting your time,” he laughed, “You’re going to die in this room, and once you do, I’m going to show those kids what happens when you try to escape. One whip at a time.”

Okay, that crossed the line. This fucker needed to die a horrible death, and I had just the idea. Taking out my knife, I got ready to jump him as soon as he came around to my position. Unfortunately, I had to wait for him, which meant listening to his bullshit.

“I think I’ll start with that Unicorn filly calling out to her ‘Mommy’ all the time,” he snorted, making me tighten my hold on my knife. Just a few more steps and he would be within range. “That should shut her up.”

Oh, I knew what would shut him up. And I would show him in the next few seconds. “What?” he chuckled darkly, “Got nothing to say? And here I thought you were here to free those foals.”

“I am,” I said, as he was standing in position, and he jumped from my response, probably not expecting me to actually reply. I slide out of my cover and rammed the knife into his left eye. He was screaming his head off, thrashing about as he dropped his gun. I retrieved my knife, and he covered up his eye instantly with his hands as blood poured out of it. Seeing as he wasn’t dead, my knife had only penetrated his eye, leaving his brain intact, but that was what I was intending to begin with. As he fell to the ground, whining from his new injury, I sauntered over to a my revolver, which was where I had dropped it, and holstered it. I realized that I was in a place where ammunition was abundant, and so grabbed a few bullets before heading over to a nearby shelf.

“H-How can you be with those ponies?” the man whimpered as I grabbed a stick of dynamite from a wooden box, heading over to a barrel of gunpowder. I opened the lid, and saw the large amount of explosive powder. It would be more than enough.

“That’s easy,” I answered, sticking the dynamite into the barrel as I dug into one of my pockets, still facing away from him. “It’s because I know better than to put children in a place like this.”

I retrieved my lighter and looked over to him, holding it close to the thread that was sticking out of the dynamite. “And I’m not from his world,” I said flatly, lighting the fuse.

“No!” he shouted at me, but I was already dashing for the exit, not wanting to stay around for the blast. “Don’t leave me here, you bastard!”

It was so easy to tune out his cries of anger, which allowed me to focus on getting out of there. By the time I was down the hall, it blew up, and it was one hell of an explosion. I couldn’t remember much when it went off, mostly just a loud noise and bright light, and being lifted off my feet. The next thing I knew, I was lying on the ground half buried in rubble. Smoke and dust was practically suffocating me as it swirled all around me.

I didn’t know how long I was out, but I knew I should hurry nonetheless. Groaning, I slowly pushed the piece of wooden board that had landed on me and slipped out. Looking over, I saw what was left of the room, which wasn’t much. Through the hazy fog, I could make out destroyed walls and small fires everywhere, nothing was left untouched. My part of the mission was a success, and I hoped that Alex’s was as well.

Standing to my feet, I felt pain shoot up my leg, and looking down I could see blood over my pants, I must have gotten a gash from the explosion. Hoping to walk it off, I went through the partially destroyed hallway, trying to recall where the exit was. I was already hearing voices call out to each other, saying stuff about the explosions and gunshots, but nothing on any foals breaking out. I was thankful for that, and I was also thankful for the fog as it masked my own escape. And though my leg throbbed painfully, I was able to limp my way outside, into the fresh, dust-free air.

It was the courtyard, but it was void of anyone; no pony or human in sight. Opposite from me was the gates, wide open, an indicator that they had already left. I began wobbling over to it, and when I made it past the gate, I saw the town on high alert, men running to and fro.

Because of the distraction I had caused and the darkness that shrouded the town, I was able to avoid detection through the back alleys of the town, and eventually I broke free from it, heading towards Saddle Mesa. In the distance, I could see silhouettes of small ponies and a single tall figure; it was the group. I still couldn’t believe that Alex and I had done it, we had gotten the children out of that hell.

From what I could tell, they were standing around, probably uncertain if they should wait for me. And while I was getting closer, I heard the click of a gun.

“Freeze!” Alex shouted; the darkness was hiding who I was, so it was understandable that he would point a gun at me.

“It’s me, Alex,” I called out, still continuing to him.

“Nolan!” I heard a voice from the group of foals, and one of them trotted to me. When it got closer, I could see it was Sweetie Belle as she jumped on my good leg. I must have made a good first impression with her. Kids were always easy to convince of one thing or another, and showing that I was a nice person was a good push. Then, there was a sharp gasp as she let go of me, facing me with a worried expression. “Wha- what happened to your leg?”

Crouching down, I patted her on the head, “Don’t worry about me, kid. I can make it until we’re out of danger.”

“Speaking of which,” Alex spoke up, his arm pointing towards our destination, “We need to get moving. The place is pretty hilly, so we should be able to get by without anyone spotting us.”

“Then let’s go,” I said, knowing he wouldn’t be able to see me through the darkness.

As the group began to walk - with Sweetie joining with her friends - I stayed in the back to jump into action if anyone had followed us. My continued glances behind me made me neglect my immediate surroundings, so it startled me when someone cleared their throat right next to me.

“Jesus,” I muttered, shaking my head as I saw who it was. It was a grown mare, probably another pony that wanted to join the escape like Braeburn. Her coat was dark magenta, nearly looking purple in the darkness. Her mane and tail had pink and light pink, and the Cutie Mark on her flank depicted three smiling flowers. How peculiar.

“Are you the human that helped these foals?” she asked, gesturing to the group ahead of us.

“It’s Nolan,” I corrected irritably, tired of everyone calling me by my species name. “And yes, I am.”

“Thank you,” she said gently and hesitantly, not used to thanking a human. “They need to be far away from a place like that.”

I grunted in agreement, and then we remained quiet for the longest time. That was, until the mare jerked her head as if she had remembered something suddenly. “I’m Cheerilee, by the way,” she introduced hastily, “I was their teacher.”

“Hey,” I said simply, not looking at her, hoping she would get the message that I didn’t feel like conversing. Luckily, she did, and trotted to remain with the group, leaving me with my thoughts. Besides the good feeling I got from helping these kids out, I knew now that the ponies at Las Pegasus would have to know I didn’t mean them harm. It was a comforting thought, especially when I thought of sleeping in a comfy room and bed and not in some backwater shack.

I saw Alex slow his pace to walk beside me, but didn’t speak to me right away.”I almost didn’t recognize you in your mask,” he said, but it felt like he was trying to make small talk to cover something up.

“What’s the matter?” I asked, still facing ahead as he looked at me with a hint of surprise. I wasn’t too off from my assumption.

“I… have to go,” he revealed, his tone very down, like he didn’t really like the thought himself. I looked at him for a moment and saw the sincerity and determination in his face; he truly meant what he said.

“What for?” I asked, wanting to know more.

He gave a short laugh, scratching the back of his head, “The ponies of this resistance you mentioned probably don’t want another human with them. They hardly trust you to begin with.”

I wanted to argue against that notion, but he was right. “I have to get back to my sister back home,” he continued, looking at the starry sky, “After seeing what we have to do in Equestria, I don’t think I could bear working in the military.”

“So you’re just going to go AWOL?” I questioned, finally facing him, my concern hidden in my mask, though my tone gave it away. “Won’t they know you left without consent?”

“The records of my military time were caught in that explosion,” he said with a shrug, causing me to sigh, “They were in the office next to the armory.”

I stopped in my tracks, and he did so as well after a few steps, looking over to me, “This is goodbye then,” I stated, standing still. The thought of losing him made me sadder than I realized. The first good human I met and he would be gone, and I wouldn’t see him again.

“I guess so,” he agreed sticking out his hand for one last shake. I grasped it instantly, appreciated his firm handshake for the last time. “It’s been great working with you. Keep them safe, alright?”

“Yeah,” I said as he walked past me. I couldn’t bear to see him walk off, it would damage my morale more than it already had. To me, it felt like he was more of a hero than I was. Someone to look after, a faithful resolve, everything. Compared to him, I was just a beat-up guy with a surly attitude.

Without really thinking, I took one last glance over to him, and saw he was already half way back to the town, which had lights all around it. The people there must have been getting organized. Though I wouldn’t ever meet him again, I was glad there’s another human in this world that thinks straight. Facing back towards the group, I saw how close we were to Saddle Mesa, and when I mean close, I mean practically right underneath it. Needless to say, it was freaking huge.

The ponies were climbing over one last hill until we would be at the base of the mesa, and it was a strangely large hill as well. But when Braeburn climbed to the top, he gave a small cheer and looked back to us.

“It’s the Resistance! They’re here!” he said, causing the other ponies to look at each other with happiness, picking up the pace to get over the hill quicker. Alex must have filled them in on all the things happening outside of the prison.

I briskly clamored to the crescent of the hill, with a few stray foals here and there, and sure enough, there they were. The three carriages that had brought me to this desert were all lined up, and the ponies towing them were surprised to see the foals, and I bet it was because they thought I couldn’t do it. I relaxed my arms as a smile stretching over my covered face.

I had done it.

And that was when the unpredictable happened.

A distant gun shot - what must have been a sniper rifle - was heard behind me and a filly standing just to my right was struck. I was in so much shock that I couldn’t see where she was hit, but she went tumbling down the hill anyway. I was about to go after her, but another gun shot was heard and I was the one that was shot, the bullet tearing through my left arm.

I gave a cry of pain as I, too, tumbled down the hill, my eyes blurring from the sand and pain. When I stopped at the bottom, my head was already trying to wrap my head around what had happened. A sniper had spotted us I suppose. I hoped Alex wasn’t caught. Despite my disorientation, I was able to push myself up, ponies panicking while some barked out orders. It was all the same, all I could do was look over to the filly that was also in pain. From what I could tell, she was still alive, indicated by her chest rising and falling, and she was barely conscious. It was still too dark to see where she was shot, but there was blood… a lot of it.

Though the injury was painful, I pushed through it as I gritted my teeth, rising from my position. I swayed slightly, but I righted myself and walked to the filly, crouching down to examine her.

She was pink, from her light magenta, with lighter streaks, mane and tail, to her pink coat. Her eyes were half closed, and she seemed to have to force herself to breathe, and after looking her over, I could see why. The bullet had gone through a lung, and the bullet hadn’t gone all the way through.. I wasn’t an expert on pony anatomy, but from my basic examination, she wouldn’t make it for very long.

Then it struck me. This was a filly, just an innocent small pony that just wanted to reunite with her lost family. Why did she have to be shot!? She had done nothing wrong! My mind was still trying to get over the fact that someone had just shot a child, one that was so full of hope not thirty seconds ago. I was shaking my head at the gesture; this couldn't happen, this pony couldn’t die.

“You!” Rainbow’s voice yelled at me, trotting from behind. “What the hay!? Did you lead those humans to us!? What’s-”

“Get back to the carriage,” I whispered, gently slipping my hands underneath the filly.

“Wha-? Huh?” she said, taken aback by my words.

I turned to her, the filly resting in my arms. “Get to the fucking carriage, damn it!” I screamed, causing her to jump back. She wasn’t used to me lashing out like that. “We don’t have time! Get us to Las Pegasus as fast as possible!”

She didn’t argue, nodding her head frantically as she zipped over to the front of the carriage. Meanwhile, I ran for the back, hopping inside. I placed the filly on one of the seats as everyone inside watched with bated breath. Shutting the doors, I felt ourselves lift off, and going very fast. I had underestimated how fast a Pegasus could fly.

Taking out my knife, which made some ponies gasp quietly, I cut my sleeves, and wrapped them around her chest, where the bullet had gone through. I was trying desperately to keep her alive, but she was losing consciousness fast.

“Stay with me,” I said to her, shaking her awake. “You have to stay awake.”

“So tired,” she mumbled, her eyes drooping. “I want my sister.”

“Just hang in there, kid,” I instructed, applying pressure to the wound.

It was all I could do: sit there, treat her wound with what I had, and comfort her. I wanted to believe that she would make it, but there was a niggling feeling of doubt in my gut, one that I couldn’t push out. It caused my breathing to increase from the uneasiness, and I could tell it was getting harder for the filly to stay awake.

After what felt like hours, I felt the carriage buckle slightly as we landed on the ground. Instantly, I picked up the filly, and kicked the carriage doors open just as the carriage had rolled to a stop. The ponies who greeted us with curiosity were shocked to see my sudden appearance, but I hardly noticed them as I jumped down and rushed past, heading straight for the clinic. The adrenaline pumping through me canceled everything out, as I wanted save this filly’s fleeting life. At long last, I charged through the clinic doors, seeing the nurse look at me with wide eyes.

“What are you-” she started before I ran over to the desk, the filly still in my arms.

“Get the doctor! She’s been shot!” I ordered, and thankfully the nurse saw it right away and ran to the other door. In mere seconds, Doctor Styles came running to me, his face struck with worry and concern.

“How long ago was she shot?” he asked, levitating the filly out of my hands.

“I dunno,” I said, feeling myself fall apart while rubbing my forehead as I tried to remember, ”Ten, maybe fifteen minutes ago?”

“Sis?” the filly asked aloud, catching our attention, “Can I go to sleep now?”

I clenched my hands as I felt a pang of sympathy for her. “You’ll be alright,” I told her softly and hastily, petting her mane, “You’ll see your sister soon.”

“I’m glad,” the filly smiled. I wondered how she hadn’t complained about the pain, but she must have been in so much shock that her body was ignoring it. Without another word, Doctor Styles ran out of the room with the filly, probably heading for the operating room. I intended to follow, but the nurse stopped me, putting a hoof on my chest.

“We’ll take it from here,” she said, glancing towards the door as someone entered. “Take care of your leg.”

And with that, she chased after the doctor, as I was left alone. Or so I thought. “N-Nolan?” I heard the voice of Applejack, and I looked over to her, seeing the sadness and happiness in her features. “You… brought my sister back.”

I was much too worried for the filly to respond right away, so I simply shrugged, as I didn’t know who her sister was. “Yeah!” Applebloom spoke, poking her head from between Applejack’s legs. “He totally helped us, Applejack! And so did Alex!”

Well, I’ll be damned, they were related. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree… no pun intended.

At the mention of Alex, Applebloom looked around the room, just realizing he wasn’t with us. “W-Where is he?” she asked, but again, I couldn’t find the words, my mind drifting off on its own. Shaking my head, I tried to focus on the conversation at hand, but still had trouble.

“He…” I started, working out the words before I spoke, “He’s heading home… to get back to his sister.”

“Oh,” Applebloom said a little sadly, her bow dripping low somehow, “Well, at least he’s with family.”

“Yeah,” I sighed, leaning against the only desk in the room as I slipped my mask off. With it off, I clearly displayed the conflicting emotions of guilt, sorrow, and empathy laced on my face, and Applejack picked it up.

“I heard about the filly,” she muttered, her eyes falling to the ground as Applebloom remained where she was with a cheerless expression. “I… hope she gets better soon.”

“Yeah,” I said, turning away from them with a distant expression.

That was when I heard the hoofsteps of someone down the hall, and my anxiety multiplied. Who could it be? What news would it bring? Was the filly alive? All of these questions were swirling around in my head as I watched the door with a shaky breath.

The nurse came back, but her head was hung low, and her eyes were watering. No, please don’t say what I think. “She…” the nurse started, giving a ragged breath. “She didn’t make it.”

And with that, my whole world fell apart.

A filly had been shot… and killed.

The world no longer registered for me, as if I was disconnected. There were voices, but they were so far away. There was movement, but my eyes didn’t pick it up. It was a strange feeling, but I didn’t dwell on it for long. I found my feet moving of their own accord, my mask falling from my grip as I walked to the doors. When I pushed them open, I was vaguely aware of a lot of ponies around, but they were like shadows; they were there, but I didn’t care.

I walked through them with a shocked expression on my face, just taking one step after another until I was outside of the crowd of ponies. I didn’t know what they knew, but it hardly mattered.

I fell to my knees, as I stared at the ground, the same thoughts running through my mind as I felt drops of water hit my head. It was raining, and a filly had died. I turned towards the darkened sky as the rain picked up, pattering on my blank face.

It was raining, and a filly was dead.

And I had lied to them.

Chapter 11: Business

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 11: Business

As Rainbow pushed open the door to the bookstore, everyone inside turned their gazes to her. They weren’t too surprised by her entrance, but when I came after, they were more than a little shocked. I wasn’t fazed though, and continued on until Rainbow was in her seat at the table. I preferred to stand away from everyone else, not wanting to sit at the moment.

The stares persisted as they were confused as to why I would join them so soon. But all I did was shrug as I glanced over to Rainbow, a subtle gesture that she would explain. “Why is he here?” Shining Armor asked harshly.

“I… trust him now,” Rainbow revealed with a gulp, causing the group at the table - except for Dusty, who already knew - to gasp.

“You trust him?” Shining asked with a raised brow.

“Stop the presses,” I remarked quietly and sarcastically.

Applejack and Twilight were happy at Rainbow’s declaration, smiling slightly with a nod of approval. Dusty was unmoved, whether he didn’t care or was on the fence of Rainbow’s decision was unknown. Cadence was contemplating the thought of a friendly human, and Shining was obvious about how he felt about the issue.

“Did you forget who we’re dealing with?” he asked, pointing an accusatory hoof a me. “He is a human! You know, the species that took over Equestria and enslaved everypony!”

“Shining,” Twilight spoke with both authority and anger. “Do you know what Nolan has gone through? What he has done?”

“What does it-”

“Shining,” Cadence exclaimed, catching his attention as he faced her, his expression softening. “Give him a chance, like your sister did.”

He looked at the ground, obviously conflicted, and I knew I had to say something to change his mind. “We’re all living beings,” I said, catching more than just Shining’s attention. “Even if we’re a different species, doesn’t mean we’re that different.”

I was mostly bullshitting my way through, but it felt like what I said had a layer of truth to it. “You need me,” I continued, finishing up my impromptu speech, “And I need you guys. We need to work together if we want to get your homes back, and get me back to my world.”

“Still don’t believe that,” Shining muttered, and I sighed.

“We have to work with him,” Rainbow told Shining, earning a growl from him, “Especially if we want to get Fluttershy back.”

I perked my head up at that, remembering her to be another Element of Harmony. Another step towards getting myself home. Walking towards the table, I took a seat in my chair, giving Rainbow my utmost attention. “Why do you need me to get Fluttershy?” I asked, putting my elbows on the table as I leaned my chin on my hands.

“The scouts have been able to narrow her down based on rumors and snips of information,” Rainbow explained, dipping her head below the table. She returned with a rolled up paper in her mouth, and laid it upon the table. Using both of her hooves, she opened it up to reveal a map of Equestria. There were so many markings that I had a hard time figuring out where the major cities were.

“She’s in Fillydelphia,” she announced, tapping a point of the map that must have been around the East coast. I couldn’t stop myself from giving a low chuckle, causing everyone to face me with the most confused expressions I had ever seen. I composed myself as I cleared my throat in embarrassment.

“What’s so funny?” Twilight asked for the group, more out of curiosity than being upset.

I rubbed the back of my neck, “Well… there’s a city where I’m from that has the same name, except it doesn’t have the word ‘filly’ in it.”

“Uh, alright,” Rainbow said with shake of her head, her face turning serious again. “Anyway, she’s in Fillydelphia. But that’s as much as we know. We need somepony to go in there and figure out specifically where she is, and hopefully get her out.”

“And that’s where I come in?” I asked nonchalantly, leaning back in my chair as I crossed my arms.

“Yep,” Dusty said with a sigh, obviously not liking the idea in the least. “You’re the only one here that won’t raise attention.”

“Fine by me,” I shrugged, and Applejack glanced over to me before turning to Rainbow.

“And he’s goin’ in alone?” she asked.

“Well, that’s the idea,” Dusty put in.

“No, he isn’t,” Rainbow snapped quickly, catching Dusty off guard. “We are not putting him through another mission by himself.”

I was glad that Rainbow was truly giving my a break for once. Applejack looked at me again, causing me to wonder what was going through her mind. Was she really worrying over me? She knew I could take care of myself, so why get all worked up about me going in by myself? Especially after I just went through a mission where I was by myself.

“I’m goin’ with him,” she declared with a determined face, making those at the table gawk at her.

“A-Applejack?” Twilight stuttered, “You want to go-”

“With Nolan?” Applejack finished, “Yes, I do. He’s already had enough doin’ everythin’ while I’m just twiddlin’ my hooves. If anypony’s goin’ with him to Fillydelphia, it’s me.”

“You don’t have to,” Rainbow told her, “He can go with somepony else-”

“I want ta help,” Applejack emphasised, slamming a hoof to the table. “And nopony is goin’ to stop me.”

I smiled at her bravado, and I nodded in her direction. “Thanks, Applejack,” I said, causing her to smile back.

“I want to make up for how I treated ya back when we first met,” she explained, her head dipped low as she pulled her hat off her head, holding it in front of herself. “It’s the least I could do.”

Having Applejack want to make up for her behavior was a nice change of pace. Perhaps I could learn more about her while we were on this trip. Thinking about the location we would be going, I had never been to the East side of the United States. Though I wasn't in the United States anymore, this would probably be as close as I would ever get to seeing Philadelphia.

“You’ll be leaving tomorrow,” Rainbow finished up, looking between Applejack and myself. “You deserve some rest.”

I rubbed my eyes, feeling the tiredness set in from her reminder, “Hell yeah, I do.”

Knowing that the small details would be settled later, I made to stand from my seat, but not before someone else spoke up.

“I’m coming too!” a different voice exclaimed, causing everyone at the table to look around. Seeing that everyone at the table was silent, I turned my head to the door to see Carrot Top. As all eyes turned towards her, she fidgeted under their gazes as she faced away sheepishly. “I mean… You know, if it’s alright.”

My smile grew bigger at her gesture of friendship and I stood from the table, making my way over to her. She faced up at me when I stood in front of her, and put my hands on my hips as I gave a humorous grin. “It’s good to have some good friends with me,” I said, making her smile brightly. Then, unexpectedly, she hugged my torso, snuggling against my chest. It felt awkward, but not really out of place, and I wrapped a single arm around her.

I was glad I had met her.

“Does anypony else want to suddenly join him?” Dusty asked loudly, looking around, almost daring someone else to raise their hoof. “Anypony at all?”

“Nolan!” Pinkie said out of nowhere, charging through the door that Carrot Top had also entered through. To say that everyone was shocked to see her was a good understatement. She was still pale and skinny, but the sadness she had in her eyes was no longer full of self pity.

She didn’t bother looking at anyone else in the room, her eyes fixed solely on myself. “I can’t lose a good friend…” she whispered, as Carrot Top backed away to allow me to address Pinkie.

“Pinkie…” I said in a hushed tone, “You… left your room?”

She gave a firm nod, “I thought about what you told me, and I know you’re right, but I need help. I don’t think I can figure it out on my own.”

I didn’t think she was wrong; she was the type that cared about her friends, and I knew she would need help from a friend to truly get back on her hooves. I crouched to a knee as I put myself to her level, and faced her with a frown. “I need to go, Pinkie,” I explained with a heavy heart. “Maybe… another friend can help you.”

It was at that moment that Twilight, Rainbow, Applejack - with her hat on - and - surprisingly - Dusty came over to her with forced smiles. Of everyone that was presented to her, Dusty was the most puzzling. I didn’t even think he knew her all that well, and yet he stood amongst Pinkie’s other friends. I didn’t voice my concern though, choosing to give Pinkie a smile.

“You still have friends, Pinkie,” I said, patting her head as she gazed at the four that stood before her. “They’ll help you, no matter what.”

She was still taken aback by her friends’ gesture of friendship, and it caused me to give a suppressed chuckle. For some reason, I found it humorous that she would be so shocked that her friends would help her.

“You’re in good hands,” I finished, standing back to my feet, “I’ll take my leave.”

I was about to head for the door when a thought caught my attention. I turned to face the room, seeing everyone curious as to what I have to say. “If I’m being given my ‘freedom’, here,” I said, crossing my arms, “Then can I have my weapons back?”

“‘Course ya can, Sugarcube,” Applejack answered rather quickly, causing me to feel happy that she was so different compared to when we first met. Most of the ponies raised no objections, and even looked like I deserved to have them. As Applejack went over behind the table to get them, Shining Armor glanced over to me as he looked to everyone else.

“Aren’t any of you worried he’ll turn on us if he gets his weapons?” he asked, making Princess Cadence sigh.

“Shining,” she scolded, “Twilight told us he has been with them for a while.”

“That’s right,” Twilight continued for her, “He had many chances to attack us.”

“And he didn’t,” Applejack finished with a smile, coming back to me with my stuff on her back. She halted as I got my revolver, shotgun, and knife, putting them in their respective places. It felt good to be armed and ready for anything.

“Thank you,” I said, causing Applejack to wave a hoof dismissively.

“It was nothin’,” she said, “I mean, I just got your stuff.”

“Besides that,” I elaborated, looking over everyone, “Thanks for giving me a chance.”

Rainbow looked to the floor glumly for a moment before turned to me with a smile, “You’ve earned it, after the way we’ve been treating you.”

I gave a single nod at them, and stepped over to the door and headed back outside. As I shut it behind myself, I turned to face the street and was met with more than a few ponies hanging out by the door. Their faces held a mixture of hate and confusion, probably for many reasons involving myself. It was highly annoying to see there skeptic faces, but I would have to wait until Rainbow would spread the word that I was suddenly trustworthy.

In the meantime, I rolled my eyes, made my way through, deciding to just walk around as I absorbed everything that I had just gone through. A prison break, a filly dying, Princess Cadence and Shining Armor, finding out about Princess Luna.

Shit, I went through a lot in only a few short hours. It was a good thing I went for a walk to clear my head a little, otherwise I would have been overwhelmed with all this stuff. It would probably be for the best if I got some rest, seeing as I hadn’t slept for nearly a full day.

The sound of a revolver discharging echoed through the streets, but I didn’t react like I did the first time I heard it. Instead, I wondered who would avoid what I was doing and practice firearms. It only lead to one conclusion: Trixie. I had my revolver back, and I figured it was time to put her in her place.

Turning to the direction of the noise, I quickly made my way over to the sandlot, where I was able to find thanks to the occasional revolver shot. I was still tired, but I ignored it, wanting to show up Trixie for a change. In time, I finally had the shooting range in my sights, and picked up the pace.

Hearing my footsteps, Trixie turned to me nonchalantly, levitating a revolver, and wasn’t even fazed that I was there. “So, the human has come back, has he?” she said with a smug attitude.

“Do you really have to ask?” I replied bitterly as I began to think that it was a bad idea to visit her again.

“Trixie believes so,” she said with a nod, as if confirming to herself that was what she meant. Giving a long sigh, I rubbed my eyes, trying to remember why I came to her in the first place.

“About that challenge you started a few days ago,” I reminded, looking down the range, “I accept.”

“Oh,” she remembered as she looked to the sky, “Yes, that’s right. You wanted to be destroyed by the Great and Powerful Trixie!”

Damnit, not that stupid catch phrase again. She didn’t care that I had my weapons either, and I wondered how unconcerned she was for her safety or the safety of others. Rubbing the small headache that was building, I walked over to the range. “Let’s just get this done,” I sighed, wanting to hurry up and put Trixie in her place.

Trixie pranced over to the wall that separated us and the firing range, raising her revolver to her eye level as she aimed down the sights. Already, I could tell that she had quite a bit of experience wielding a gun. She was relaxed, concentrating only on the target presented to her as she slowed her breathing slightly. Since these ponies were so unfamiliar with these types of weaponry, she must have learned how to handle it herself. That was pretty impressive on its own.

A few seconds later, she pulled the trigger and fired the bullet. It hit a bit to the left of the center, but all in all it was a good shot. However, Trixie wasn’t humble in the least.

“Another brilliant shot by Trixie,” she bragged, closing her eyes superiorly as she raised the barrel up. “Try and beat that.”

“Won’t be so smug in a minute,” I grumbled, unholstering my revolver and opened up the cylinder. It was still loaded, making me feel lucky that it hadn’t gone off while the ponies were handling it. A revolver suddenly firing would probably paint me as a saboteur of some sort. Clicking the cylinder closed, I instantly took aim at the target, lining up the center with the sights.

The distance wasn’t so great - about half of what the target practice range was back at the police station - but I was having trouble. My fatigue was catching up with me as I struggled to keep the gun still. If this was in an actual firefight, I would have been dead already. I tried to shake the sleepiness out of my head with little success. I ground my teeth as I focused entirely on making the shot, ignoring all the ambient noise as I held my breath.

Gently, I shot off the gun, the bullet landing further away from the target than Trixie’s shot. I gave a quick, concise curse as I shoved my revolver back in my holster as Trixie gaped at my shot. It probably wasn’t a good idea to skip some rest.

“I… won,” she said with a hint of surprise before quickly collecting herself, glancing over to me as her pompous attitude returned in full. “Was there any doubt?”

“Emma would be scolding me at this point,” I whispered, shaking my head as I gazed to the ground with a blank expression.

Unfortunately, Trixie caught my words as she looked up to me with interest. “Who is this ‘Emma’ you speak of, human?” she asked, tilting her head to the side.

“A sharpshooter like you wouldn’t imagine,” I answered without really thinking, my mind in the past. “Every time I’d miss, she’d shout me down until I could get her tips in my head. Pretty pissed one time when I won a wager I made with her.”

“She was… really that good?” a voice said behind me, and Trixie and I looked over to see Applejack, a look of amazement in her eyes.

I gave a wide grin, “One of the best back at the station. She taught me everything I know.”

“Could ya…” Applejack started, swallowing as she looked away. “Tell me more about her?”

It was at that moment that I realized that I was freely speaking about my old girlfriend, without a care about what had happened to her. It caused me to frown as the bad memories began to overrun the good ones. I quickly shook them out, but they still lingered there in my mind.

“I guess I could talk a bit about her,” I admitted, slipping a hand into my pocket. I gave a sideways glance over to Trixie, who was still listening to the conversation. “In private, anyway.”

Trixie gave me a deadpanned look before groaning loudly, trotting away. I kept track of her until I felt like she couldn’t listen in and faced Applejack again. She knew that I had been reluctant to talk about Emma before, and probably knew that I felt more comfortable talking about her.

My tiredness was causing me to say things that should have stayed in my mind. I gestured with my open hand to the street and we walked side by side as I thought of a good place to start.

“I joined the force when I was twenty-one, a few months after my mom died,” I started, gazing at the cloudless sky above. “I was put on as a patrol unit with Emma. She had been on the force for… I think a year. She instantly forced me to practice with a pistol, giving me a hard time all the while. We barely spoke with each other, besides the shouting matches we had against each other.”

I heard a stifled giggle from Applejack, and I looked at her with a raised brow, a smile growing. From someone else’s point of view, it was a bit funny, especially knowing that we would get together eventually. Facing forward, I continued, “Well, you can imagine that I got better, thanks to her coaching. When I was able to make twenty clean shots in a row, she wanted to celebrate, and we went out for dinner. We learned a lot about each other, and you can see where it goes from there.”

Applejack nudged me with an elbow, “You two must have been close.”

“You can say that again,” I muttered, looking down at her as I gave a sly smile, “And the few times we had sex were nice as well.”

Applejack recoiled at my blunt wording, blushing profusely as I chuckled. I’d never had a chance to make a joke like that before. When I turned to Applejack again, I noticed she was walking slower, her head hanging low. Thinking I had crossed the line, I stopped in my tracks a heavy frown on my face.

“Look, AJ-” I started, but caught myself as I realized that I used her nickname. I was waiting for a rebuttal from Applejack, but she simply looked up to me, waiting for me to continue. Maybe she had allowed me to say that name at last. I shook out my thoughts, “I’m… sorry if I made you uncomfortable. It’s just that I’ve heard a lot of people joke about it-”

“Was it really that good?” she asked suddenly, making my eyes widen as I faced away with a hint of embarrassment.

“I… Well, yeah, I suppose,” I answered, then I faced her with concern, “Why do you ask?”

Her eyes were watering up, and she looked away. “Its nothin’,” she said, “I’ll leave ya alone now.”

Then, she trotted away, just like that. I would have stopped her, told her that it couldn’t have been nothing if she behaved like that from the mere mention of sex. But I had experience with something that didn’t want to be discussed. Hell, I might have even been an expert. If I wanted to talk to her about her problems, I had to tell her mine, and I just wasn’t up for that.

Sighing sadly, I made my way over to the shack at the back. I knew that I didn’t have to sleep in the decrepit old thing, but it was isolated and quiet. Something that I didn’t notice when I slept in it. At that moment, I just wanted peace and quiet, and this would grant my wishes.

“Um… Nolan?” a sweet voice asked quietly and nervously, making me involuntarily sigh at delaying my rest. Turning around, I saw that it was Sweetie Belle, looking sad and a bit lost. My grouchy attitude was instantly gone as I gazed at her large, cute eyes, knowing that she wouldn’t have bothered me without good reason.

“What’s up, kiddo?” I asked kindly, hoping it would lighten the mood a little.

“...Where’s Rarity?” she asked in the sweetest and saddest voice I had ever heard from a child. It was so heartbreaking that I nearly teared up from how depressed she sounded.

I opened my mouth to speak, but closed it afterwords, my thoughts suddenly wondering something else. “Why don’t you ask someone else? I’m sure they would know.”

“Everypony keeps saying they don’t know,” she replied, facing the ground as she sat on her haunches. “Applebloom has Applejack, Scootaloo has Rainbow Dash, but I don’t have my sister.”

That sentence not only confirmed that they were related, but that they were probably close. At that thought, I knew she was simply feeling left out and terribly lonely. I didn’t want to have to answer her question, for it was only what everyone else had said.

“Sorry,” I mumbled with a shake of my head, “I don’t know either.”

“Oh,” she said, somehow looking even more sorrowful as tears threatened to leak from her eyes. “Sorry for disturbing you.”

She turned to leave, but I would hate myself if I just left her in that state. “Hold up,” I called, causing her to look back with her ears folded back. I walked up to her and picked her up, causing her to squeak as she tightened up. I didn’t say a word as I held her close to my body in a hug.

“I promise you, Sweetie,” I said quietly, rocking slightly on my feet. “I’ll find your sister.”

Sniffling, Sweetie hugged my neck, pushing her nuzzle into my shoulder. “R-Really?” she said, feeling a very slight wetness on my shoulder. “I miss her so much…”

“I know you do,” I said, closing my eyes as I simply hugged her, acting tough for her. After a minute, I slowly knelt down and set her back on the ground. Her eyes were a bit red as she wiped what had spilled out.

Afterwards, she looked up, a smile on her face. “Thank you, Nolan.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” I responded with a smile of my own, “I still need to get your sister back first.”

She nodded and trotted off, looking much happier than she did before. I, on the other hand, felt really bad at that moment. Everything that I had seen in eight hours had piled on top of each other, building up a mountain of grief that had no intention of being demolished any time soon.

My shoulders sagging, I went over to the shack and made my way inside. I tossed all my weapons to the side, including my combat vest and boots, and plopped on the bed. These ponies were too innocent to have such terrible memories and times. They lived in a utopia that was far better than anything a human could dream up, and yet they were the ones suffering.

It wasn’t fair.

But then again, life is rarely ever fair.

{~+~}

I opened my eyes to find myself in a familiar white void, standing on my legs. I had fallen asleep in my shack, and was a bit surprised that I was contacted by Luna again. At least I could ask her some questions. I also had my mask on, and it made me ask myself a question: Why is it on when I’m in my dreams? If Luna was inside my head, then wouldn’t she know what I looked like?

“Nolan,” I heard the voice of Luna behind me, and I turned to see her, but something was wrong. She was on the ground, clutching her sides in pain as her face was contorted in agony. I walked over to her as I looked her over, seeing what was wrong. Strangely enough, I couldn’t see any visible injuries. She looked just fine.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, though without a hint of concern.

“The Baron,” she wheezed out, and I noticed that she was breathing heavily. “He will not let up.”

“Are you trying to trick me again?” I said harshly, crossing my arms as she faced me with disdain.

“W-What?” she said, slowly standing back up, her legs wobbly, “I have nothing to gain from tricking you again. You already know who I am.”

I stared at her for a moment before I spoke, “Then explain why everybody thinks you’re a traitor.”

She froze in movement, staring at me in complete surprise as her mouth was wide open. “T… Traitor?” she wheezed out, “B-But… how?”

“They say you sold out the ponies you were escorting,” I explained, her face even more stunned than before as my voice grew in volume, “You betrayed them when you could have fought back. You let those humans capture them and put in enslavement!”

“T-That was not my intention,” she said desperately, but I didn’t want to hear it, turning away from her in a anger.

“How am I supposed to believe anything you say anymore?” I questioned, putting a hand against my forehead in exasperation. “First you try to trick me, than I find out that you betrayed the ponies you ruled over.”

“I’ll admit that I did surrender without a fight,” she said, bowing her head as I looked over my shoulder to her. “But it was so nopony would be hurt. I had lost my sister, and I didn’t want to lose anypony else. Especially not the Elements of Kindness and Generosity.”

I recoiled as I whipped around to face her. “What?” I whispered dangerously.

“They were in Canterlot during the attack,” Luna explained, facing me again, “I was supposed to help them out of the city like most of the ponies in my company.”

“So, let me get this straight,” I said, facing her as I struggled to comprehend her meaning. “You surrendered even though you had two of the most important ponies in Equestria!?”

“I just…” she muttered, shaking her head over and over again as if it would make her forget. “wanted to do what was right.”

“Well, guess what, Princess,” I snapped, clenching my fists, “You. Fucked. Up.”

She rounded on me, showing anger that I hadn’t seen since Applejack back when I first met her. “What would you know!?” she shouted, a stray tear streaking down her cheek as her eyes trembled. “What would you know of sacrifice!? Of surrendering!?”

“Don’t you tell me that I don’t know sacrifice!” I roared, throwing my arms back. “You haven’t seen the shit I have! You don’t know me! All you know is what those humans have done to this place!”

“Then tell me,” she seethed, her eyes furrowing, “What would you have done different in my position?”

I stared her down, and she did the same. It was a match that seemed to last longer than I anticipated, and I was the first to look away. I knew the answer in my head, but I guess I was trying to view things from her perspective. Like no one else did for me.

I faced her again, my expression hardening. “I wouldn’t give up,” I answered, seeing her face drop to mild shock. I turned away from her, “Don’t enter my dreams again. Ever.”

I didn’t hear a thing. No words, no movement, nothing. I turned around to find only the whiteness that surrounded me. She was gone, and hopefully for good. Whether she was truly a traitor to her kind would remain a mystery for some time, but I was glad I wouldn’t be a part of her schemes. But if I was happy that she was gone, then why did I feel so guilty?

{~+~}

The inside of the compartantment that made up most of the carriage was silent. Not a single sound was uttered from the three of us. The only source of light was from a small oil lamp that cast an orange hue on everything around it. I glanced over to Applejack, staring at the lamp as she mentally prepared for our mission. Looking over to Carrot Top, I could see that she was doing the same.

I rested my head back, remembering what the same atmosphere was like in the S.W.A.T. van back home. Everything was nearly identical, from the swaying vehicle to the prepped weaponry. Though I was the only one with a real weapon, it did not change that fact. To think that something so familiar would be in a world where familiarity was anything but.

I would have also been getting ready for what we would have to face, but I was distracted as my mind went back to the time before we were heading to Fillydelphia. I had slept for nearly twelve hours straight, and even after awakening, I still felt exhausted. However, since the mission didn’t start until the next day, I decided just to sleep some more. The second time I woke, it was in the middle of the night, and I had to wait a few more hours before any other pony was not asleep. When they eventually did get out of their beds, we got everything sorted out, and we were on our way to Fillydelphia.

“Nolan?” Carrot Top’s voice rang in my head, echoing very slightly in the small compartment. Turning towards her, I could see the faint puzzlement in her expression, and with a sideways glance, I could see that Applejack was interested at what Carrot Top had to say.

“Have you ever…” she started paused a second as she searched for right words to use, “been to a big city before?”

“I lived in one,” I answered simply with a shrug, causing her to perk her head up.

“This would be the first time for me,” she announced, giving a small, nervous chuckle. “I always found them intimidating.”

“They ain’t as bad as they look,” Applejack put in, “I went to Manehatten when I was a filly, and they can be kinda nice, I suppose.”

I only gave a ghost of a smile at the pun of Manhattan. I guess I was getting used to hearing these locations. “That’s good,” Carrot Top replied softly, closing her eyes.

I closed my eyes as well, hearing the wind howl through the other side of the wooden walls. That’s when I felt my gut pull as we descended to an unseen place. We must have arrived.

“Okay, one last run through,” I said, sitting back up as the ponies focused on my words, “We have a few days to find out where Fluttershy is and get her out. If we find her early, than we’ll have to camp out and wait. We meet back with Rainbow wherever she lands.”

The two ponies gave a curt nod, and we waited for our landing. In time, we felt the buckle of the vehicle as it made its rough landing, nearly making us tumble out of our seats as the ride slowly came to a halt.

“RD really needs to work on her landings,” Applejack muttered, glaring over to where Rainbow would be hitched up.

Shaking the comment out of my head, I opened up the doors and hopped outside. As soon as my feet made contact with the ground, I took a gander around the area. There wasn’t a building in sight, just golden fields. But when I peeked behind the carriage, I saw the city in the distance. It was way bigger in terms of building size, with many of them being nearly twice the size that I was used to, and it seemed like it would take awhile to search through all of it. Luckily, each pony was unique in color, from what I could figure out, and it would make it a bit easier to ask around for Fluttershy.

“Alright,” Rainbow said, stepping over to us as Applejack and Carrot Top got out as well. “You guys know the drill, right?”

We gave our confirmation and she nodded, “Okay, be careful and find Fluttershy.”

“You can count on us,” Applejack said, puffing out her chest. I think she was taking this mission a bit too proudly.

“And Nolan,” Rainbow addressed to me, facing me with a hardened expression, “Please, take care of Fluttershy, when you find her. We’ve been friends since we were fillies, and I’d feel terrible if something happened to her.”

“You don’t have to worry,” I responded, facing her with a sad frown. Fluttershy was very special to her, and I didn’t think I wanted to feel Rainbow’s wrath if Fluttershy got hurt.

“Yeah, I guess,” she said quietly with a shake of her head. “I just… I can’t even imagine what those humans have done to her.”

“Hey, I said you don’t have to worry,” I repeated, slightly irritated, “We’ll get her back.”

“Right, right,” she said shaking her head as she looked between us again. “I’ll come back in a few days.”

We nodded and she hitched herself back up to the carriage. After giving us a quick salute with a hoof, she got a running start and flew back in the air, turning around in the sky and flying back. Once she was out of sight, I noticed how we would know where to come back to.

A small lake.

It was quite gorgeous, its surface glistening in the afternoon sun. It only went as far as a half a mile, as far as I could tell, but it was enough for us to spot from a long distance. Rainbow had chosen well for a rendezvous point.

“Come on,” Applejack said to us, walking towards the city, “We better get goin’ before it gets dark.”

She trotted away and we followed along. I hoped no one would question a man simply walking into the city with two mares alongside him. Of course, only a few had ever questioned my outfit, but there was no harm in being a bit cautious.

{~+~}

In time, we came around the borders of the city, a dead orchard surrounding the trail we walked upon. It was no surprise that I didn’t see it before our approach, considering that it looked like mere bushes from a distance. There wasn’t really anything special about it either, just a bunch of dead trees, simple husks of their former selves.

I stretched my arm as my gloved fingers glided on the rough surface of the bark from a nearby tree, feeling a tinge of sadness. There was no evidence that the orchard was ruined by artificial forces, it was just not cared for, withering away in time.

“This must have been Apple Fritter’s farm,” Applejack said, staring off into the distance.

Looking over to her, I raised a brow, “Come again?”

“Apple Fritter,” Applejack repeated, facing me with a small frown. “She used ta own the apple orchard outside of Fillydelphia.”

“How many apple orchards are in Equestria?” I asked with a hint of disbelief. It was radical to think that so many apple trees resided in a single country.

“I lost count a long time ago,” she said with an amused grunt, breaking away from us and towards the nearest tree. “But I remember when I visited here, me and Apple Fritter would always buck apples in the mornin’ while Red Delicious slept in.”

This would be the first time Applejack spoke about her family, though these sounded like distant relatives. She was still holding back from her immediate family, but I didn’t pressure her, facing away as I remained silent.

“We’d play all kinds a’ games too,” she continued, her mind lost in memories, “Like Hide n’ Seek and Tag.”

Carrot Top giggled, “My brother and I played those games too!”

I was glad that they were keeping positive, especially in an environment of death. Unfortunately, they had to break up their revelry as a farm house came into view. It was very similar with Applejack’s home, but it was painted apple green instead of red. We stopped for a moment, examining its peeling paint and decaying wood from afar. It was obviously abandoned, but I had a nagging feeling that there was still something around.

“We have ta keep movin’,” Applejack said with a sigh, turning along the path that lead away from the house towards the city. Carrot Top watched her for a moment before glancing over to me. She was silenting asking why Applejack’s demeanor suddenly changed, and all I could do for an answer was shrug. Carrot Top turned and trotted away to catch up with Applejack, but I remained, staring at the house. Perhaps being near this house brought up bad memories, or perhaps it was a reminder that we still had a mission to complete.

Shaking the theories out of my head, I made to follow, but something caught my eye. Quickly turning towards it, I caught a glimpse of something blue dashing through an open window. This really made me a nervous, since I had seen the exact same color and movement in Appleloosa. Were we being followed? What connection did this have with what I had seen before?

Unlike before, I had time to spare, and could afford to deviate from my objective even for a few minutes. I needed to know what that was. With my eyes trained on the window, I snuck quietly towards the front door of the house, afraid that a single misstep would alert whatever I saw.

“Nolan,” Applejack called from the trail, causing me to flinch in reaction.

“Shush!” I hissed, facing them as they blinked in surprise from my attitude. Waving my hand over, they quietly made their way over to me, which was quite a feat with their hooves. When they stood beside me, I crouched down to their level, never taking my eyes off the window.

“I saw someone go into the house,” I whispered, gesturing to the house, “I saw something similar back in Appleloosa.”

“Are we bein’ followed?” Applejack asked, glancing over herself.

“Probably,” I nodded, standing back to full height, “I’ll check it out, you two wait here.”

“Why can’t we come?” Carrot Top asked, her face showing more worry than anything else.

“Because I have a gun,” I explained, jabbing a thumb to my shotgun on my back. I stepped forward towards the front door, and entered quickly, cringing when the door creaked in protest.

Leaving it open, I turned to the room and gathered my bearings. It was nearly identical to what I could remember from the farm house in Ponyville. Dull brown walls and floor, oval rug, and couch. The only difference was that dust had settled on all the furniture, and pictures were strung around. Some were hanging on the walls, while most were set on side tables that were against the wall.

The stairs were not hard to find, being directly across from the door. I slowly made my way to it, looking at the pictures as I passed them. They depicted many ponies, doing various things. The ponies that appeared the most, though, were a green-maned mare with a soft golden coat and a cyan-maned stallion with the same coat. Maybe they were the two ponies Applejack mentioned: Apple Fritter and Red Delicious.

Then my eyes found Applejack as a filly, looking like she was trying to buck a tree. I stopped where I was, staring at the photo for longer than I imagined. Seeing a carefree and happy Applejack made me realize how much the ponies had changed from who they were initially. War changed people.

The sound of glass shattering was like a jolt through my system, reminding me what I was doing. Looking straight up, I knew the noise came from above me, on the second floor, and with finality, I made my way up the steps. The first door I came across was slightly ajar, and taking a deep breath, I slowly pushed it open. The door didn’t make a sound, thankfully, and I saw immediately who was inside.

It certainly wasn’t a human, but a pony that stood there, searching through drawers for something or other. It was a mare, sporting a uniform of sky blue, light yellow lightning bolts on her stomach. The only parts that I could make out were her ears, wings, mane, and tail.

Speaking of the mane and tail, they were deep orange, almost looking like fire.

I leaned back on my feet, wondering what I could do now that I figured out that this pony wasn’t a human. However, as I did, the floor board underneath creaked, and the pony’s ears perked up as she stopped all movement.

She whipped her head towards me, and I was able to catch a glimpse of her flight goggles before I was suddenly tackled by her through the doorway, across the hallway, and into another door, smashing through it. I fell to the ground with her on top of me, and she attempted to slam her hooves into my head..

By some miracle, I was able to dodge each strike, and got the time to throw her off of me. She tumbled onto her back as I hastily pushed myself to my feet, unholstering my revolver. By the time the pony was on her hooves, I had the weapon pointed at her. She froze as she stared down the barrel, though I couldn't tell how she was feeling because of her goggles.

“Now just… calm down,” I demanded, taking deep breaths from the sudden attack. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

“I know that’s a fat lie,” she commented bravely with a snarl, and I sighed.

“Just listen for-” I couldn’t continue as the window behind me smashed open and when I turned around to see what happened, I was met with a hoof hitting me in the face. My revolver flew out of my hands as I stumbled to the ground, the mare getting out of the way before I fell to the floor.

My cheek was in pain as I rubbed it with a groan. “That’ll teach you, human,” a voice said with venom. I looked up from my position on the ground, and saw a stallion standing beside the mare.

“Took your time,” the mare grumbled.

“I told you to wait for me,” he snapped back, not taking his eyes off of me, at least I thought that was what I was doing. He wore the same outfit as the mare, but had a cyan coat with a dark azure mane and tail.

“We don’t have time to go by protocol,” she said turning towards him. “I took a risk.”

“And it failed,” he grunted, gesturing to me, “Now we have to take care of him so he doesn’t know we exist. You know how long that takes.”

“I know, I know,” she sighed, dipping her head, “I’m sorry.”

“You’re not going to kill me,” I declared, sitting up as I leaned on my knees, catching their attention.

“And why is that?” the stallion said taking a few steps forward.

“Because I’m not alone,” I muttered, facing the floor.

“Nolan!” Carrot Top shouted conveniently from downstairs. “Nolan, are you okay?”

“More humans!?” the stallion whispered frantically, backing away. “We need to get out of here.”

“But what about him?!” the mare pointed out with frustration, “If he tells other humans about us, Cloudsdale is ruined!”

“Up here, Carrot Top,” I exclaimed, making both ponies recoil as they stared at me.

“Horse feathers!” the stallion cursed, stomping a fore hoof. “We’re out of time!”

“Wait…” the mare said slowly, confusion laced in her words tilting her head, “Isn’t ‘Carrot Top’ a pony name?”

“Then she’s obviously a slave, Spitfire,” he said, “Now let’s kill this human, and get-”

“What in tarnation?!” Applejack shouted, coming into view of the doorway, while Carrot Top was just behind her. They were both surprised, but the other two ponies were the opposite of that, both behaving angrily.

“What should we do now, captain?” the stallion hissed, placing a hoof over his muzzle in agitation.

“Would you two just cool your fucking jets for two minutes!?” I yelled, but they ignored me as they shook their heads in thought. I grunted disdainfully, throwing an arm up in exasperation. It was like Las Pegasus all over again.

“Now hold on there, Wonderbolts,” Applejack protested, stepping forward as she stood by me, her expression softening. I couldn’t help but wonder how she she knew what these two were associated with. “Nolan here ain’t our enemy, he’s helpin’ us!”

“What are you? Brainwashed?” the stallion accused.

Applejack groaned, “Why does everypony think we’re brainwashed?”

“Don’t look at me,” I commented with a shrug, “I just work here.”

“What do we have to do to prove that Nolan is innocent?” Carrot Top spoke up, trotting into the room to stand by Applejack’s left.

“I don’t know,” the stallion said with annoyance, “Maybe if he was a pony, I would think differently.”

“You and most of Las Pegasus,” I muttered, closing my eyes with a sigh.

“Heh, maybe if he was the Masked Man,” the mare, known as Spitfire, chuckled.

Applejack, Carrot Top, and I stared at the two with mild shock, while glancing to each other. Could it really be that easy to convince them?

“Oh please,” the stallion waved off, “That’s just a stunt pulled by the humans to make us think we have hope.”

“And if we had evidence against that?” I said, pushing myself to my feet, wincing from the sore spots on my chest and cheek. The two looked to each other and then Spitfire faced me. She raised a hoof and brought up her goggles, resting it on her forehead to reveal her brilliant orange eyes.

“Are you saying you’ve met the Masked Man?” Spitfire said in disbelief, leaning forward.

“Met him?” I replied with a smile, “I am him.”

Spitfire jerked her head back, her eyes wide, but the stallion just gave a bark of laughter.

“You’re just giving an excuse to live, human,” he laughed, shaking his head.

Glancing at Applejack, she gave me a look that showed that she wasn’t amused in the least like myself. With a roll of my eyes, I held out my hand and Applejack complied almost instantly, reaching into her saddle bag with her mouth for my mask and placing it into my outstretched hand.

As I put on my head gear, Spitfire’s expression changed from curiosity to awe, her jaw dropping. I hadn’t worn my mask for a while, and it felt strangely good to put it on again. A smile began to grow on Spitfire.

“W-Wow,” she whispered with a smile, “You’re him?! You’re the Masked Man!?”

I was a bit weirded out that she would freak out like that. After all, none of the other ponies came close to the way she was acting. In fact, they didn’t even believe me! What was different with her?

“I saw how you saved all those foals in the prison!” she said excitedly. Well, that explained that. Even still, that didn’t feel like it was enough. “It was amazing!”

The stallion, still agitated to no end, grunted, lifting up his own goggles to see properly, “Strange that you, Spitfire, were the only one to see it.”

“Soarin,” she said back with a sigh, turning to him with a small glare, “What’s so bad about liking a human that helps ponies?”

“Maybe because they don’t exist,” the stallion, Soarin, emphasised, turning away from us.

Spitfire gritted her teeth, but when she turned back to me, she gave a small smile. “I was there when you were in Appleloosa,” she explained, looking at me in a new light, “I saw how you made a part of the prison explode and then follow out with the rest of the foals.”

“Wouldn’t you be a bit more concerned that I’m a human?” I asked before hastily adding, “Not that I’m evil or anything. It’s just that… you seem to trust me very quickly.”

“Are you kidding?” she asked staring at me incredulously, “Your wanted poster is all over Equestria! Everyone’s heard of you!”

I guess it wasn’t too hard to accept. I had seen the price I had on my head back in Ponyville, but everyone in Equestria? I must have really been messing up these people’s plans. I gave a quick chuckle as a thought passed my mind, “What’s my bounty right now anyway?”

“Five thousand bits,” she answered nonchalantly.

I balked at her, and Applejack and Carrot Top were no different. Five thousand dollars was a lot in my world, and from what I understand in this place, bits had a higher exchange rate. Spitfire wasn’t fazed in the least about the money on my head, and was in fact laughing softly.

“I can’t believe we ran into you!” she said, sticking a hoof out, “I’m Spitfire, captain of the Cloudsdale Hunters!”

This time, it was Soarin’s turn to be shocked, “Spitfire! Did you seriously just tell a human what we were!?”

She put her hoof down before I could shake it, and whipped her head at him, staring daggers, “Yes, Soarin, and there’s nothing you can stop me from telling him more.”

Soarin gripped his head with his hooves, “Ah! The higher ups are not going to like this!”

“Whatever,” she waved off, turning to face me again. I was absolutely stunned that she would risk compromising her faction so blatantly. There had to be some logical reason to it, but I couldn’t think of a good one off the top of my head.

“I have more questions than I expected to have,” Carrot Top mumbled, but Spitfire caught what she was saying anyway.

“Why wouldn’t you?” Spitfire said rather playfully, “We’ve been keeping the Cloudsdale Hunters a secret since before the fall of Equestria.”

“I can kinda see why’d you want ta keep it a secret,” Applejack commented, rubbing her chin with a hoof, “What with all the humans ‘n all.”

“Exactly,” Spitfire nodded, “We couldn’t let anyone but a Pegasi know about them.”

“But why tell us all this?” I questioned, feeling lost in this explanation, “Wouldn’t all the secrecy be pointless?”

“Perhaps,” she said offhandedly, “But I have these feelings in my gut about these types of things. And my gut is telling me that you guys won’t tell any of the humans.”

“Your gut is why we’re in this situation in the first place,” Soarin added, still upset with Spitfire telling us all this.

“Hey,” Spitfire snapped, “I followed my gut with Rainbow Dash, and look what it got her.”

“Wait, you know Rainbow Dash?” I couldn’t help but ask, crossing my arms.

“Of course she does,” Applejack said with a smirk, “They’re the Wonderbolts. They used ta perform all sorts a’ stunts back before the invasion. Rainbow was a big fan.”

I raised a brow and really examined their suits. When I looked at them long enough, they did remind me of some sort of plane acrobatic group back on Earth. But I couldn’t really remember their name. Throwing that thought out, I put my hands in front of me in a gesture to hold up.

“Okay,” I said with the shake of my head, “So, what do you guys do then?”

“Collect food mostly,” Spitfire answered, “We can’t grow any in the clouds.”

Well, at least some form of logic was still present on this planet.

“Alright, that’s enough, Spitfire!” Soarin roared, making her flinch, turning to face him. “I will not just stand here and let my captain give away all our classified material!”

“Watch your tone, Soarin,” she growled, getting back her bravado, “I’m still a higher rank than you.”

“Don’t do this, Spitfire,” he said, suddenly quiet, hanging his head, “Don’t turn away from everything we worked hard to achieve for just a single human.”

I instantly became guilty for allowing her to spill out everything she wasn’t supposed to. I didn’t do anything wrong, technically, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t have done something to stop it.

“Nolan has saved many ponies,” Applejack interjected, all eyes on her, “He had more than enough opportunity to turn on us. He was even in Las Pegasus, where the Pony Resistance is!”

“That’s not going to convince our superiors,” Soarin pointed out, “We have to face the music when we get back home.”

“We can trust him, Soarin!” Spitfire shouted, looking very hurt that a friend would turn on her. “We can bring him to Cloudsdale! He can make his case, and-”

“Listen to yourself,” Soarin said gently, his eyes holding regret, “You think we can convince her that a human is actually trustworthy?”

I would have said something sooner, anything to bail out someone who would trust me so quickly, but I was afraid that in doing so, it would make matters worse for her. I had a feeling that Applejack and Carrot Top were the same. Spitfire looked both fearful and uncertain, wondering if what she did was the best decision.

“Come on,” Soarin said, gesturing to the window that he had broken earlier. “We have enough food for a while, we should head back.”

Spitfire sagged her shoulders, looking depressed, “Alright, I’m coming.”

“Hold up,” I said, making Spitfire look up at me. Turning to her, I gave a small smile, “Thanks for telling me what you did.”

It wasn’t much, but I had to give her my gratitude for telling me more about what was going on. She nodded, smiling sadly, then an idea struck her as her eyes lit up. Quickly, she reached into her blue saddle bags, whispering to herself.

“Here it is,” Spitfire said with a hint of joy. When she pulled back her head, she had a card in between her teeth. She reached forward to give it to me and I took it, immediately reading what was written on it.

Spitfire

Captain of the Wonderbolts

It was all that was written on it, so I flipped it over and saw a picture of fire.

“That’s my Wonderbolt card,” she explained, “I want you to have it.”

“What would I do with this?” I asked, realizing afterwards how mean that sounded.

“It’s just something you could use to get into Cloudsdale,” she said before glancing to Soarin, “That is, if the other Pegasi don’t kill you before hoof.”

“I appreciate it,” I said, not knowing if I would even go to Cloudsdale at all. She nodded and slipped her goggles back over her eyes.

“Catch you later…” she said trotted over to the window before freezing in her tracks. She turned to me, “What’s your name again?”

“Nolan,” I answer, carefully slipping the card into my pocket, “Nolan Anderson.”

“Nolan…” she whispered to herself, tapping her chin thoughtfully. I didn’t know why though, my name couldn’t have been that unique to make her contemplate. At least, when it was compared to the other human names.

“Spitfire!” Soarin yelled, already hovering outside the window.

“Coming, coming!” she said, running for the window before hopping through it, not even touching the glass shards.

Carrot Top made her way to the window, glancing outside for a moment, “They’re gone.”

“Well now,” Applejack said, smirking, “It seems you got yourself a fan!”

“What!?” I exclaimed, staring at her incredulously, though it was hard to catch, since I was still wearing my mask. “A pony being a fan of a human? Yeah, right.”

“I guess it is a bit far fetched,” Applejack admitted, stepping back into the hallway. “Let’s get goin’, we need ta get to Fillydelphia.”

Carrot Top followed quickly, and after retrieving my revolver, I caught up with them. But as the two went downstairs, I remained at the top, gazing into the room I had entered before. A picture frame was laying on the ground, the photo facing the ground as I only saw the backside. It must have been knocked down from the dresser when Spitfire was looking around.

I stepped into the room and quickly found out it was an old bedroom. I crouched down to the picture frame and picked it up, flipping it to see the front.

I was instantly met with a large gathering of ponies. They all stood in front of a barn that was very similar to the one back in Ponyville. As I examined the ponies, I noticed some familiar ones: Apple Fritter, Apple Bloom… Applejack. It must have been a family picture, before everything went to hell. She had lost a mighty big family, that was for sure, and I understood why she was hesitant to talk about them.

“Hurry it up, Nolan!” Applejack shouted from below, and waited a second before replying.

“Just… looking around,” I lied, opening up the frame and extracting the photo within. Once it was free in my hands, I folded it up as I stood, putting it inside my pocket, right next to the card Spitfire gave me. Something told me that Applejack would want this. It may have been the last picture she took with everyone she had loved so dearly.

Chapter 12: Lament

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 12: Lament

We had finally made it. Fillydelphia. And it wasn’t as grand as I had made it out to have been in my head. Sure, the buildings were up to par with what I used to live around, but the inhabitants tainted that feeling like a disease. The humans were numerous - what I had expected - but watching them walk around with a pony was just plain cruel.

Prideful humans strutting down the winding roads as ponies followed along like obedient dogs. Many of the humans had two or more, perhaps as a sign of wealth and power. And I truly felt sick from witnessing slavery at its finest. Ponyville was only a taste of what that city had. Hell, even the buildings themselves felt off; their dull colors acting as if they were tainted with humanity’s stench.

That was what Applejack, Carrot Top, and I were seeing, walking down the street as we simply examined our surroundings.There were a few people staring at us, probably because of my heavy clothing, but all in all, they ignored us. At least my disguise was still working. However, we had no idea where to go, as we had no idea where to find Fluttershy. At least we weren’t pressured to hurry; Rainbow had given us plenty of time, and would even extend it if needed.

Asking around was probably the best option, but I found myself hesitant to do so. It wasn’t that I was worried that I would be found out, but rather I had a feeling that it would be a waste of time. Besides, if I inquired about looking for a particular pony, people would point to the local police, and I didn’t want to get anywhere near them. I was probably at the top of their ‘Most Wanted’ list. Maybe even the only one.

“So where do we go?” Carrot Top asked, trotting beside me as she glanced over to a group of humans talking with each other.

I faced downward in thought, idly scratching my cheek. I really had no idea where to start, it truly would be like finding a needle in a haystack. “I don’t know,” I admitted with frustration, shaking my head. “We have to start somewhere though.”

“We can try splittin’ up again,” Applejack suggested, walking up to the other side of myself. I briefly considered it, but remembered how well it had gone the last time we had split up.

“No, we need to stick together,” I said, looking off down the road, “This place doesn’t seem as forgiving as Ponyville.”

I noticed Applejack and Carrot Top step closer to myself, as if the mention of the lack of safety caused them to become wary. I found it a bit humorous, though not enough to chuckle. As we continued on, I thought back to how I would find someone back on Earth, how Emma and I would figure things out. The both of us would go to areas that were possible places that our target would hang out: bars, strip clubs, and such. And if he wasn’t there, we could always find someone who knows of him. Sometimes, the criminals were just that predictable.

I stopped to think for a moment, and the two ponies halted as well when they saw that I wasn’t with them. Looking over to me, they each raised a brow, but I ignored them for a moment, my mind suddenly coming up with an idea. If this was after a war, then the victors would have more of a reason to visit someplace to celebrate, even after many months.

“We need to find a map,” I announced, causing the two to light up in recognition.

“That’s a good idea,” Applejack agreed with a nod, “It’d be a lot easier ta navigate if we had one of those.”

“Not just any map though,” I said, looking around like the item I sought would be in sight. “We need a tourist map. Something that can tell us where all the bars and restaurants are.”

“Why do we need to find one of those?” Applejack asked as I began walking again.

“Long story short, it’ll help us find Fluttershy,” I explained quickly, not wanting to go through the small details as I walked away.

“All that matters, I guess,” Carrot Top muttered as she galloped to catch up to me. Applejack did the same a few seconds later. When I thought about my plan as a whole, it was ridiculous that we would find a single pony by going to a recreational area, possibly a place where Fluttershy wouldn’t be at. But it was worth a look. It was better than stumbling through this city for days on end.

{~+~}

I should have realized sooner that humans would have no use for tourist maps. They had the whole city to themselves, who said they had to utilize old maps made by ponies? So, after nearly an hour of looking through shops, I knew that no one would have a map laying around, let alone a map for tourists.

“Consarnit,” Applejack cursed, stepping out of the shop with Carrot Top and I behind her. “Did the humans burn ‘em all or somethin’?”

That sparked a lead in my head that could actually produce results, though it was a bit disgusting to think about. “They wouldn’t burn them,” I started slowly as we stopped in the street. “They’d get rid of them, sure, but they wouldn’t waste the time to burn them. Humans try to get things done the easiest way.”

Carrot Top eyed me with a raised brow, “That seems sort of odd.”

“No kidding,” I remarked with a sigh, “Anyway, the humans here would probably throw them away.”

“Does that mean…?” Applejack trailed off, lifting a hoof as she backed her head away in disgust. She may be the type to get her hooves dirty, but no one likes dumpster diving.

“Yep,” I exhaled, walking past them as I briskly headed for a nearby alley. I rounded the corner, and there stood a dark green dumpster with a black lid. From the exterior, it looked heavily neglected, with patches of dried slime and large rust spots. However, as I neared it, I didn’t smell a whiff of any putrid smell. There was a lingering smell of garbage, but nothing bad enough to have to take a shower afterwards.

“You’re not seriously goin’ ta climb in there, are ya?” Applejack asked uncertainly, pointing a hoof at the dumpster.

“Unless you’d like to volunteer,” I quipped, lifting up the lid and leaning it away so it would stay open. Inside was nothing but papers - old newspapers, office reports, and various scraps - that filled up half the dumpster. The humans must have been dumping them in droves.

Not hearing a response from Applejack, I glanced over to see her playing with her hooves as she gave a nervous smile. I sighed, “Figured as much.”

And with that, I placed my hands on the edges and climbed inside. As soon as my feet landed on the multitude of papers, I nearly slipped, clutching the sides like a lifeline.

Kneeling down, I nearly hid inside the dumpster as I pushed papers around, searching around for what we were looking for. “I have a question, Nolan,” Applejack announced, standing on her back legs as she leaned onto the dumpster to look inside. “What makes you think that the humans will use the same buildings that ponies did?”

I gave a small grunt, “Like I said, humans try to get things done the easiest way. If something was a club, they’ll make it a club. If something was a cafe, they’ll make it a cafe.”

“Shoot,” Applejack said with a hint of disbelief, “humans sure are lazy.”

“Tell me about it,” I said, lifting a map from the other papers, only to find it was a map of a place called ‘Hoofington’. Tossing it behind me, I instantly found another map in the form of a pamphlet, and when I picked it up, I knew it was the one I was looking for. “Here we are.”

Applejack perked her head, trying to get a closer look from where she stood. I brought the pamphlet up to the sunlight, scanning over its contents. “Yeah, this is definitely a tourist map,” I nodded, standing back up inside the dumpster. I held it over to Applejack, “Here, take a look.”

She grabbed it in her mouth and pushed off of the dumpster, landing back on her forehooves. As I climbed out, Applejack opened it up, laying it on the ground as she looked it over with Carrot Top. Once I was free from the miserable metal box, I stretched my back, feeling slightly sore from hunching over.

After hearing a few pops from my spine, I gave a content sigh, relaxing my shoulders. Carrying around all this heavy equipment was murder on my back.

“If you’re right about what you said,” Carrot Top said, smiling as she looked up to me. “Then this will definitely come in handy." I smiled back, crouching down as I picked up the map. “The nearest location on the map is a restaurant just down the street.”

Nodding, I gave a large sigh, shaking my head as I looked at all the different locations. There were a lot of them, and I hoped my hunch was correct. I would like to find Fluttershy as fast as possible, and this map was our first lead to getting that mission done.

“Let’s get going.”

{~+~}

After finding another boarded up, decrepit building, I wondered if my hunch was just a lie I had told myself in hopes of finding Fluttershy faster. Hours of searching yielded no results as none of the buildings indicated on our map were occupied whatsoever. The sun had nearly set as we trudged on, not knowing what we would do for sleep.

I was able to keep a somewhat brisk pace, determined to find the Element of Kindness with my eyes glued to the map. Because I didn’t have a writing utensil, I couldn’t mark where we had gone, and we had walked in circles more than once. It didn’t deter me very much, but when I glanced back to my pony friends, they looked like they could fare better.

They weren’t so much tired, as simply despondent. Dragging their hooves, they held their heads lower as their eyes were half closed. They needed something to cheer them up, and speaking with them was the best option, but I decided to hold out on that. We were coming up on another recreational location that might actually be in use.

The map placed it somewhere North West of where we entered the city, and it was called ‘Club Eclipse’. There wasn’t much said on the map, besides the fact that it was a nightclub. So, closing the map, I kept my eyes peeled for the building, hoping that it would lead us somewhere. The streets were nearing empty as night slowly approached, causing my mind to suddenly think of something. Did this city have a curfew? If that was the case, then we had to be careful. We didn't have a place to stay for the night, which would cause us to end up in a jail cell. Not only that, they would search through our belongings, find my mask, and then we’d really be in trouble.

With my head running through these scenarios, my ears suddenly picked up strange music. A rhythmic sound that thumped loudly, almost reverberating through the streets. It was slightly muffled, like the music was being blocked off, and if I had to guess, I would say it sounded like dubstep. Emma had dragged me over to a club that played nothing but dubstep once. The music was alright, but it wasn’t something I would listen to all the time. I mostly went along with her because, well, it was Emma.

“Do ya guys hear that?” Applejack asked as we neared the noise.

“Yeah,” Carrot Top said with a thoughtful tone, “It’s almost like the music DJ Pon-3 would play.”

“Who?” I inquired, looking over my shoulder with a raised brow.

“She was a famous DJ that played around Equestria,” Carrot Top explained. It should have been obvious that these ponies had music with them, but to have the type of technology to play music like dubstep? This land couldn’t seem to make up its mind if it was technologically advanced or not. Nodding in understanding, I faced forward again with conviction. The only place the music could be coming from was from the nightclub, which meant that we would have our first lead after all our searching.

Rounding a street corner, the club came into view, and it wasn’t hard to miss. The club itself was like any other building in the city, but its neon sign and flashing exterior lights set it apart. Not only that, but there was a line stretching to where we stood, each person eagerly waiting to be let in. Glancing to the front, I could tell that no one was having any luck, with the bouncer turning nearly everyone down.

“How in tarnation are we suppose ta get inside?” Applejack asked incandescently, a face scrunching up in frustration, “It’d be ages before we’re get in there.”

“Well,” I said with an indifferent shrug, “We could use the way Emma and I used to get into a club.”

“And that would be…?” Carrot Top trailed off, rolling a hoof for emphasis.

I gestured towards a nearby alley adjacent to the club, unable to stop a small smirk from growing, “The back door.”

Carrot Top and Applejack looked at each other with a blank gaze, like they couldn’t believe they hadn’t thought of that sooner. Not waiting for their brains to kick in, I calmly entered the alleyway to appear inconspicuous, then picked up the pace once the darkness encompassed me. The sound of hoofsteps behind me indicated that Applejack and Carrot Top were right behind me, having snapped out of their trances.

I came across another door bathed in the white light of a single bulb hanging overhead. It was practically begging to be opened. It made me briefly wonder why it wasn’t guarded, but I came to realize that the guards were probably inside. We should approach carefully.

“Alright, let’s get goin’,” Applejack exclaimed charging towards it, making my eyes shoot open. I didn’t have time to utter a word before Applejack was in front of the door, and in that same time, she pivoted on her hooves, and bucked the door open. I instantly winced, but when I heard the sound of pain, I stepped towards the door hesitantly.

Peering inside, I saw a man lying on his stomach on the floor, giving a low groan. I stared at his still form before turning slowly towards Applejack, who was also wide eyed at the sight. I had to remember that she had one hell of a kick. Shaking off my surprise, I waved the ponies inside, who watched their hooves to make sure they didn’t step on the man. Once they were inside, I gave a glance down both ways of the alleyway and shuffled inside, closing it behind myself.

The area we entered must have been a back room, what with the cleaning supplies, extra bulbs and chairs, and crates. It was slightly dark, probably from the mixture of the dim lights and contrasting brighter lights from an open door way. I braced myself for someone to come investigate the noise Applejack made, but none came. The music must have been too loud for anyone to hear.

After my eyes lingered on the door way for a time, I crouched down and grabbed the unconscious man’s arms, dragging him over to a nearby closet. I swung open the door, and with a small grunt, I shoved him inside, closing it afterwards.

“That should do for a while,” I muttered, brushing my gloves together with a nod.

“Whoa… N-Nelly,” Applejack said behind me, and when I turned around, I saw her and Carrot Top looking through the doorway with the largest blush I’ve ever seen on their cheeks. Applejack had put her hat over her face in embarrassment while Carrot Top simply stared with a worried and uncertain expression.

“Something the matter?” I asked, walking over to them.

“U-Um… uh…” Carrot Top mumbled blushing harder, if that were possible.

Without another word, I stood behind them, leaning forward to get a better look out the door. I balked at the sight, my mouth slightly agape.

The room was where the majority of the nightclub took place, with men drinking alcohol at a nearby bar and tables that were strung around. A light fog hugged the floor, flowing out of a device next to the DJ stand. The DJ herself, strangely, was a pony. The humans must know good talent when they see it. The pony had a white coat, contrasting the blue tint of the club. Although, her electric blue mane fit the setting, and her purple shades complemented it nicely. Even her Cutie Mark - a music symbol of some sort - fit her.

However, despite everything that I was seeing, there was something that stood out the most.

The ponies that were dancing like strippers on top of a stage next to the bar.

I had the decency to look away when I found out their intention, and I could see why Applejack and Carrot Top were anxious about the scene. Reluctantly, I examined the room again, to get a better picture. I was an adult, I could handle myself. The humans seemed to be enjoying the show immensely, smiling and cheering them on with hoots and hollers. It put me out of whack way more than I thought it would.

Swallowing a lump that had formed in my throat, I finally spoke to the ponies, closing my eyes in mild frustration. “God fucking damnit,” I hissed quietly.

“Please tell me I’m dreamin’,” Applejack whimpered inside her hat.

“Nope,” I said with a sigh, glancing around the room again. “But if there’s someone who’ll know where Fluttershy is, it’s in here.”

“Ugh,” Carrot Top said, dipping her head down. These two were very uncomfortable with what was going on. And who wouldn’t in their position? I was willing to bet that ponies weren’t into… this sort of thing before the invasion. It must have been new to them.

“Why don’t you two wait outside?” I suggested, jabbing a thumb over the door we had previously entered through. “You don’t have to put up with this if you don’t want to.”

They both faced me, opening their mouths either to argue or agree. But they closed it soon after, nodding instead. They briskly swept past me, exiting the room before I even knew they were gone. They must have been really uncomfortable.

Facing the room again, I wished I didn’t have to go through all this just to find a single pony, but I had very little choice. Besides, maybe I could get through without being thoroughly disgusted. Big fat emphasis on ‘maybe’. I stuck one foot out, but halted, suddenly having second thoughts, but pushed that aside as I finished the step, walking into the room.

I made my way to the bar, all the while checking out anything else in the room. The ponies were giving any human within sight a suggestive look, dancing suggestively while wearing clothing not meant for everyday living. A few ponies were already on top of humans laps, making me avert my gaze quickly.

They were actually making out with them.

It sent shivers down my spine, and I gave a shaky breath. It was already awkward enough walking through here, but they had to do that as well? Wouldn’t that count as bestiality? Then again, these were intelligent, talking ponies, not the ones from my world. This was probably normal here. Still, none of them were even hesitant to think about it. My mind was much too clouded to give it much thought. The mixture of the scene, music, and fog was making me disoriented.

On the brightside, the ponies were all mares. I don’t know what I would do if even one stallion was in this place.

I finally made it to the bar, which didn’t have many patrons sitting around. I sat on a stool and crossed my arms as I leaned them on the furnished wood. I could hear the ponies and humans, moaning in their embrace. The thought of them having sex suddenly appeared in my mind, causing me to slap a hand to my head. I didn’t need that thought going through my mind. For once, I wished the music was louder.

“What can I get ya?” someone asked in front of me, and when I looked up, I saw it was the bartender. He was slightly fat, but not so much that it was immediately noticeable, and he had his brown hair in a comb over. He was cleaning a glass with a dishrag, just like every bartender ever known. Ingesting alcohol at this point of time seemed absolutely valid, but I doubted getting drunk in a place like this would end well.

“Not thirsty,” I said with a small growl laced in. I hoped he got the message that I didn’t feel like talking.

“Alright, what about a pony?” he asked, gesturing to the other ponies milling about with the humans.

I gritted my teeth, “God, no.”

“Ah,” he said knowingly, putting the items in his hands down on the counter. He gave a frank expression as he looked me up and down. “You must be one of those folks that hate interracial sex.”

I wasn’t totally against the idea, once it warmed up to me in the next three or so years. “They common?” I inquired, hoping to get something out of all this.

“Yeah,” he answered with a small nod, looking around, “Not many people like the idea, especially after we conquered them. Ya know?”

“Right…” I said with a roll of my eyes. That was when I remembered why I was in this place to begin with. “Listen, could you-?”

“Hey there, handsome,” a female voice said, and when I turned to the stool next to mine, I quickly looked the other way, cursing under my breath. Fine time for a pony to hit on me! “What’s the matter? You uptight?”

Calming myself down, I faced her again, giving a bored look, the bartender having left to do his job. The pony herself was gray furred, a nearly black mane and tail combed to perfection. She carried an air of class with her, like she had participated in many fancy parties before everything went to shit. Glancing down, I saw that she wore silky, pink striped socks, probably to appear more appealing to the people here. Then I noticed her Cutie Mark: another music note, this one being purple.

“You like what you see?” she asked, causing me to flinch as she ran her hoof along her flank. I berated myself for doing being caught staring at her flank. Confound these ponies and their Cutie Mark placement. I turned away from her, staring straight ahead as I ignored her, hoping that the silent treatment worked in this world.

“Come on, you can talk to me,” she said, running her hoof along my arm. “I’m Octavia. What’s your name?”

I hoped that was her actual name and not a stage one. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to tell her my own name. “Nolan,” I said bluntly, still not looking at her.

“Nolan,” she repeated, rolling the name off her tongue like it was majestic. She leaned in, her eyes half shut, “I like that. Why don’t you and me go somewhere more private, hmm?”

I was starting to play with my hands. I hadn’t been this uneasy since asking Emma out on an official date. My throat was unexpectedly dry, as I forced myself to swallow, the lump having grown much bigger than before. I had to calm down, I wasn’t going to have sex with a pony. Plain and simple. I kept repeated that in my head to ease my nerves, with little success.

“N-No,” I managed to say, “I’m fine.”

“Your mouth says one thing,” she said, leaning in close to my head, her muzzle only a few inches away from my ear. She whispered, “But your pants say otherwise.”

I didn’t have a boner, so I had to assume she was just flirting with me. I was at the end of my rope, though, and I gently pushed her away, standing to my feet. She seemed mildly surprised, but that didn’t deter me as I spoke to her.

“Listen, Octavia,” I said sternly, “I’d appreciate if you’d just leave me alone.”

I had to be upfront with it, and hoped it didn’t appear I was playing hard to get. I had no experience when it came to getting girls off my back. She just stared at me, her mind working hard to come up with a response, whether it be a flirtatious or a serious one. Without waiting for one, I walked away, wondering where I could get information so I could get the hell out of there.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t take everything that was happening in this room, and briskly went back to the room I had come from. As soon as I was away from club, I paced back and forth, rubbing the headache that had formed. This was way more stressful than I had anticipated. Even if there was someone who knew of Fluttershy, I didn’t think I would find that one person before I was overwhelmed.

“Excuse me, sir?” A familiar voice called out from the doorway. I cringed, already expecting the flirts to come flooding back.

“What do you want?” I groaned, turning to Octavia, who was somewhat nervous where she stood. “I already told you I’m not interested.”

“I understand your request, sir,” she said in a professional tone. “I just wanted to apologize if I had done something wrong.”

“What, so you wouldn't drive away a customer?” I asked with a blank face.

She turned away in embarrassment. I was spot on with that guess. “Well, yes, I suppose that’s part of the truth.”

“Right, whatever,” I said with a wave of my hand.

“But…” she continued, glancing up at me. “There’s another reason.”

“I thought I told you-”

“It’s not that, sir,” she interrupted, facing me completely. “It’s just… you have a certain air about you. The other humans just come in and expect to have sex, but you’re a completely different story.”

“Shocker,” I grunted, crossing my arms.

“It’s like you don’t care what happens to yourself,” she finished, unfazed with my word. That caught my attention, causing me to look at her questionably. “You’re the type that has been through a lot, and distance yourself because of it. You have a story.”

Well, it was nice to be set apart from the rest by a pony prostitute, but what else did I expect? She didn’t go on, and waited patiently for my response, which I actually had to think about. I wasn’t used to people saying that I had little reason to hang out with others.

“Thanks for the concern,” I said quietly, turning away, “But I have to find someone. It’s really important.”

“Maybe I can help,” she said, and I looked over to her, seeing her smiling face. It wasn’t the one that I saw back in the club, but one of genuine friendship. I had little to lose, so I might as well get what I came for.

“Do you know where I can find a pony named Fluttershy?”

She was taken aback by my words, but replied nonetheless. “But of course,” she answered, making my breath hitch, my eyes widening. “The owner of this brothel is her master. But why do you want to find her?”

“Long story,” I said frantically, kneeling down in front of her, “You have to tell me where this owner is.”

“But… why?”

“Just tell me!” I shouted, making her jump a bit.

Her face contorted with anger as she narrowed her eyes at me. “That’s privileged information. I’m afraid I can't tell you that."

“Not even for the Masked Man?” I asked before I could stop myself, standing back on my feet. She balked at the mention of my alter ego, her mouth falling open instantly.

“You’re the Masked Man!?” she said, suddenly short on breath.

“Yes, yes,” I sighed. Who knew that people becoming awestruck of my reputation would get old so fast? “Now, can you tell me where Fluttershy is?”

“You’re the one that saved all those foals in Appleoosa?” she whispered, her eyes slowly traveling down my body and back up.

“Yes,” I emphasised, growing annoyed, “Now where’s Fluttershy?”

“Right, yes, sorry,” she apologized, shaking her head to collect her thoughts. “I just… can you help me?”

I raised a brow, “With what?”

“Escape this place,” she clarified, looking over her shoulder into the club, “I want to get out if here. With my lover, Vinyl.”

“Alright, so you want me to free her,” I summed up. It wouldn’t be the first time I had to get shit done to get anywhere. “Easy. Where is she?”

“She’s DJ-ing the club right now,” she said, pointing a hoof out the door.

I grunted, already striding back to the club, “This’ll be a piece of cake.”

However, when I walked through, I saw that the DJ known as Vinyl was gone, the music playing in a loop. I found myself panicking, thinking that Octavia would ditch me if I couldn’t find Vinyl in time. I scanned the room, my vision looking for anything white as a basis of my search. Eventually, I caught sight of her, though in a predicament that I didn't want her to be in.

A human was dragging her away to a door, gripping her mane tightly. She tried to break free with her hooves, scruffing up the floor at the same time. She really was resisting with whatever strength she could muster, but it was futile as he pulled her without even a backwards glance. The other people around saw it too, but chose to ignore it. How normal was all this crap!?

Without speaking with Octavia, I rushed through the room, knocking past people that got in my way. As I got closer, the conversation between the two was heard, and it only drove me to go faster.

“Let me go, you drunk human!” Vinyl cried, her glasses falling off after a hard tug, causing her to whimper. “I’m just supposed to DJ!”

“Shud up, slut!” he slurred, nearly tripping over himself. Yeah, he definitely had too much. “Just take it like the pony you are!”

“No!” she cried defiantly, “You are not going to do anything to me!”

“Damn right he’s not!” I said, grabbing his arm when I was close enough. He let go of her out of instinct, and Vinyl scampered to a safe distance, panting slightly as she watched the two of us. I figured she would have fled entirely when she was free, but I couldn't complain.

“What do you want?” he said, tipping back and forth as he turned to me, jabbing a finger at my chest with his other hand. He was far younger than I thought, maybe twenty years old. His eyes were bloodshot and droopy, and his blonde hair was messy. “Get outta here, there’s plenty of other ponies to fuck.”

“That isn’t my intention, asshole,” I growled, tossing his arm away angrily. He swayed a bit, but I wasn’t finished yet. “Go get yourself another drink before I shove my boot up your-”

“Whoa there, sir!” the bartender interrupted, walking between us and pushing us apart. His focus was on me though. “The rule around here is that if someone wants a pony, that person gets her. He got her first, and she should not have been resisting.”

I could feel Vinyl hide behind me, and I was a bit perplexed by that. Wouldn’t she think I was just another human? “Well, I think that rule is bullshit,” I replied, narrowing my eyes.

“Look, sir,” the bartender said, “You can have a round with her afterwards. Is that alright?”

That comment made me growl angrily, and I had to force my rage to subside before I would do something stupid. He must have forgotten that I didn’t want to have intercorse at all, let alone with a pony. “Fuck. off,” I said in a dangerously low tone. “I’m not having sex with her, and neither is he. That’s final.”

“Sir, if you don’t stop now, I will have to take drastic matters,” he warned, looking at me cautiously.

Figuring he meant calling the Military Police, I said, “Whatever.”

I would be gone before they would show up, so I wasn’t worried about them finding me. Besides, I could handle myself pretty well. Turning around, I saw that Vinyl was facing me with awe, utterly shocked that I would stick up for her. I simply gestured to the doorway leading to the back room.

When she turned to look over her shoulder, she saw Octavia waving her over with a hoof, a smile adjourned on her face. Vinyl smiled back, trotted over, and they hugged each other. It felt oddly nice to see those two have each other. It reminded me of my time with Emma.

I took a few steps forward to follow, but the crack of a revolver behind me with the impact of a bullet on my back stopped me. The force of the bullet sent me to the ground, my lower back burning with pain. My bullet-proof vest saved me again, but I wasn’t out of the woods yet. I hissed as I pushed myself to my feet, the chatter around the club going silent.

Vinyl and Octavia’s jaws dropped like rocks, just like the ponies back in Las Pegasus. And when I was turning to face my shooter, the other people and ponies in the club were just as dumbfounded to see I was back on my feet. My eyes landed on the bartender, a revolver out and pointed at myself. His arm was shaking, probably from seeing me stand back up after taking a shot to the back. What I didn’t understand was why he shot me in the back. Why not in the head? Or if he wanted to injure me, in the leg or arm? Whatever his reasoning was, I was thoroughly pissed.

“Big mistake,” I said, right before I grabbed his revolver, pointed it up, and smashed my fist into his face. He tumbled into a table, destroying it, and driving those who sat around it to step away. He had let go of his weapon, leaving it in my hands, and I just tossed it to the side.

I knew I was in trouble. Not just from the fact that I had punched the bartender, but also that someone else had fired upon me. It narrowly missed my head by inches, causing me to whip around and dive out of the way, just as more bullets were shot in my direction. I picked myself up and sprinted for the doorway. I saw the other ponies, including Applejack and Carrot Top, were gathered inside.

“Go! Now! Run!” I shouted, pulling out my shotgun. It was the time for superior firepower. The ponies scrambled for the exit, as I turned back to the doorway, already seeing the humans coming through. I discharged my shotgun into doorway, and caught more people than I thought in the blast. In that time, the room was clear of ponies, and I got outside as well.

I slammed the door shut, and pushed my body against it. “Applejack! I need my mask!” I ordered as I felt someone run into the door. The mask was pretty much useless since people had already seen who I was, but I hoped they didn’t see my face long enough to get an accurate depiction.

“Right, hold on,” she said, ducking her head into her saddle bag. In mere seconds, she pulled out my stuff, and with a nod, I jumped away from the door and shot through it, killing whoever was behind it. With that, I pumped my shotgun, quickly clipped it to my back, and snatched my mask, all the while running with the other ponies down the alley away from the street.

I fumbled with my mask, but eventually got it on, though uncomfortably. It felt good to put it on, like I was suddenly given permission to go on a rampage. Of course, I would never do such a thing, it was just what I was feeling. We reached the end of the alleyway, only to find a street branching in two different directions. The good news was that it was empty of other humans, the bad news was that we had no idea where to go.

A bullet whizzed to my right, making me flinch and take cover behind a building, drawing my revolver at the same time. The ponies did the same, with Octavia and Vinyl hugging each other tightly beside me. They were so desperate to get out, and at that moment, they thought they were going to die. It was a bit irritating that they would dismiss my own skills with a gun, but we had only just met, so I let it slide.

Knocking open the cylinder of my revolver, I checked to see if it was loaded. Satisfied, I closed it shut, and aimed it down the alley. A few humans were making their way up, and as they were out in the open, I was easily able to take a few out. After three of them dropped dead, the others took cover behind various dumpsters strung about. As soon as they did, they opened fire on me with their rifles, forcing me back behind cover as a hail of bullets struck where I stood only a second before.

“Damn,” I cursed, not seeing an opening anytime soon. They would overtake me in no time. We were definitely outnumbered this time.

“What do we do?!” Carrot Top shouted over to me from the other side of the alley, covering her ears from the multiple gunshots.

“I’m thinking!” I shouted back, loading three bullets back into my revolver. I wasn’t kidding either, my mind was working furiously to think of a way to avoid the humans as my eyes glanced around the area.

It was at that moment that a sewer lid in the middle of the street was pushed open by a hoof.

I stared quizzically at the opening in the street, not expecting a pony to be hiding in the sewer. A stallion poked his head out, looking very cross when he laid eyes on me, but quickly spoke to the group.

“Get inside, quickly!” he yelled, making everybody look bewildered at his appearance. The lighting was too bad to get a good look at him, and the fact that he ducked back inside the hole didn’t help either. “If you want to survive, get in here!”

Octavia and Vinyl were the first to take a few steps, but were stopped when a few bullets nearly hit them. They scurried back, frightened to take another foot closer to the death hole. I knew the odds, and the best way to get out of this was to follow that pony’s instructions. But we needed something to distract the guards.

Exactly after I thought that, a small object was thrown out of the hole and through the alley. It exploded a second later, erupting thick gray smoke that clouded the area. It was way too convenient, in my opinion, but I didn’t want to tempt fate, as most of the humans had stopped firing. It was hard to hit a target you couldn’t see.

“That’s our cue!” I announced to everyone, “Get inside!”

Without hesitation, the ponies rushed over to the manhole, heading inside one at a time. As if the sound of us escaping was a trigger, the humans were shooting at us again, though missing horribly. Applejack and Carrot Top were able to get inside safely, and Octavia wasn’t too far behind. Unfortunately, one of the humans’ stray bullets hit home. Vinyl was hit in the chest, giving a small whine of pain as she fell to the ground, unmoving.

“Vinyl!” Octavia cried out from the top of the manhole. She made to head straight for her, but we were running out of time, so I threw my hands out in a gesture to stop.

“I’ll get her!” I said, “Just hurry!”

She stared at me, seriously contemplating if I could be trusted to bring Vinyl. She may have known that I was the Masked Man, but I was still a human, and she seriously did not want to take that risk. Thankfully, she did anyway. Shutting her eyes tightly while scrunching up her muzzle in worry, she climbed down and out of sight.

Taking a deep breath, I pushed away from the wall and fired a few shots as I backed towards Vinyl. When I stood beside her, I holstered my revolver and tucked my arms under her. There wasn’t nearly as much blood as I thought, but I didn’t waste time as I hurried over to the manhole. Once I got there, I shifted Vinyl to my right hand and carefully lowered myself inside, making sure Vinyl didn’t scrape against the walls. It was difficult, but I managed.

As soon as my feet hit the ground, I held Vinyl in both hands again, seeing darkness. The only light came from the entrance just above me. In time, it closed by itself, probably by a Unicorn using magic, and I was shrouded in complete blackness. I didn’t dare utter a word though, and neither did the other ponies that I could hear breathing. We weren't out of the woods just yet.

The echoing of shouts and orders from above were indistinguishable, and the thumps of boots were prominent. As it was going on, I clamped a hand over where Vinyl’s wound was, holding back the blood until she could get medical attention. It was several minutes before all noise above faded away, and I released a sigh of relief. If that stallion hadn’t saved our skins, we would have been toast.

That’s when all the lights in the sewers came on, and I saw everything at once. It was definitely a sewer, complete with grimy, gray walls and metal flooring. I could hear rushing water somewhere nearby, and I was surprised I hadn’t smelled the stench in the place sooner. It was horrid. Most of my attention, however, was focused on the many spears and swords pointed right at me, only a few inches away from making contact with myself.

The ponies were wearing gold armor that fit snuggly around their body, and most of their coats were white, though they had dark spots from muck and dirt. A gold helmet also displayed their manes in a mohawk fashion, reminding me of Roman soldiers. And of course, they were giving me the death glare. They wouldn’t be ponies if they didn’t hate humans.

“Put the pony down, and step away,” one pony ordered, stepping a bit closer. I pinned him as being in charge, but that didn’t stop me from talking back.

“She’s been shot,” I explained exasperatingly, “She needs a doctor.”

A cyan magic aura surrounded Vinyl, and I glanced over to the a Unicorn stallion to see his magic in use, so I let her go as she floated away from me. She hovered through the gathered ponies, and was placed on a gurney. The light disappeared, and I could see a white coated mare look her over as Octavia stood right next to Vinyl, her eyes tearing up.

“She’ll be taken care of,” the stallion in charge stated plainly as he kept his gaze on me, “Now, drop all of your weapons and kick them over.”

“Wait!” I heard Applejack shout, making the stallion groan, dipping his head. I could see her pushing through the ponies, and Carrot Top was right behind her.

“I thought I told you to-” the stallion started.

“I know what ya said,” Applejack retorted hotly, standing in front of the armored ponies. “But leave this here human alone, he ain’t done nothin’ wrong.”

“I know he’s the Masked Man,” the stallion spoke back, his voice hinting that he was holding back his anger. “But he’s still a human.”

I smiled as a memory popped in my mind. I pointed towards the stallion, “And you’re a pony, and she’s a pony.”

The stallion looked at me funnily, as did many of the others. Even Applejack was facing me with confusion. With a quiet and short chuckle, I explained, “A doctor in Las Pegasus said that. I didn’t really get it then, but I think I do now.”

“Alright…” the stallion said, trailing off to hear what I meant.

“It means that I may be a human, but that shouldn’t be what separates me from a pony. We’re all unique, and not everyone will behave like the one beside him.”

“Nice philosophy, human-”

“Nolan,” Applejack interrupted again, furrowing her brows at the stallion. “His name is Nolan.”

The stallion sighed, definitely annoyed with the situation he got himself into. “Right, whatever,” he said, taking a few steps closer to me. “Nice philosophy, Nolan, but we need assurance that we can trust you.”

“Wait, Nolan!?” a pony in the crowd exclaimed, “Is that you?!”

I tilted my head to the side in wonder; how could a pony in this place I’d never been to know me? The ponies parted again to reveal another stallion in gold armor, except he had a bluish gray coat and a dark gray mane. He seemed vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

He smiled up at me, “It’s me! Lucky Clover!”

That’s when my brain clicked, and put a hand on my head in shock. “Lucky?” I whispered in disbelief. He nodded excitedly, and without any care, I tore off my mask and dropped it to the floor, showing my wide grin. I never thought I’d meet a friendly face in a place like this. Though we weren’t exactly friends, it was still a nice thought. “Good to see you.”

The stallion in charge looked between us trying to figure out what was going on. “Now, hold on a moment,” he said, his eyes landing on Lucky. “You know him, Lucky?”

“Yep,” Lucky nodded, “He freed me and Applejack from Sweet Apple Acres in Ponyville.”

There was muttering amongst the other armored ponies, discussions about this new revelation. The memory of the times in Ponyville filled my head, and though they weren’t exactly nice, it still presented itself as a reminder of my first two days in this topsy turvy world.

“Nolan,” Lucky said, catching my attention, “How are Rose and Goldengrape? You must’ve run into them at some point.”

And at that moment, I remembered the horrible end those two had met. My eyes held sadness as they dropped to the floor, my voice suddenly gone. Lucky’s smile faded away to be replaced with worry and apprehension.

“Wha- What’s the matter?” he asked.

“Lucky,” Applejack spoke up on my behalf, stepping closer to him. When he turned to her, she continued, “They’re dead.”

There was suddenly silence, even the guards, who were talking amongst each other stopped to listen in. They must have gotten to know Lucky, so I could imagine that they were sympathizing with him. Lucky started to breath hard, backing away as he shook his head.

“No, no that’s not possible,” he said to himself.

I swallowed, “It’s true. Sorry, Lucky.”

“But…” he said, falling to his haunches. “I never got a chance to tell Rose that I loved her.”

I looked away as my eyes closed shut, I could hear sobbing and nothing else. It was deafening, and I wished I could have brought better news. Losing loved ones was hard. It always was, and always would be.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, feeling like I could have changed something. I was there, I could have saved her. LIke with Emma. My teeth clenched shut as I put a hand over my face. “I’m sorry.”

I could have said something else; to comfort him, to explain what happened. But it was all I could say. How could I have failed to saved a pony that another loved? But yet again, factors were out of my hands. And the humans were to blame.

{~+~}

I was lying on a bed given to me by the ponies here, staring up at the ceiling as I placed my hands behind my head. My mask laid on the floor; there was no point wearing it in a sanctuary like this. After our moment of silence for Lucky, the ponies ushered us to rooms. I was thankful enough not to be placed in a prison cell, hell, they even disclosed a bit of information about themselves.

They called themselves the Old Guard, a group from the Royal Guard that was stationed in Fillydelphia during the invasion. They were all that was left, as far as they knew, and seeing as I’ve been to a few locations, I couldn’t argue with that statement. Their leader was named Solar Flare, someone who had served under Princess Celestia herself. They all worked as a type of resistance of their own, performing spy work and such. They probably had a clue to where we could find Fluttershy.

My thoughts traveled to Lucky Clover. I wondered how he got into becoming part of the Old Guard in the first place, but I was able to come up with a personal conclusion. The most logical thing was he simply trotted to Fillydelphia, and found out about the group. I gave a small smirk, glad he decided to help against the humans. He was an ex-slave after all, so he must have had more than enough information about the humans.

The door opened, and with sideways glance, I saw that it was Solar Flare with a neutral expression. I sat up in my bed, leaning my arms against my legs as I waited a few moments before speaking.

“How’s Vinyl?” I asked, turning my head to him.

“She’ll live,” he answered plainly, making me wonder if he even cared at all. I nodded nonetheless, and got out of bed, pushing my back in as the bones cracked. “We’re actually having a meeting in a minute.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re fetching me to join,” I said with only a dash of sarcasm.

“Not my choice,” Solar replied, and I couldn’t tell if he detected my tone. “The Element of Honesty wants you there.”

“She has a name, you know,” I remarked bitterly, crossing my arms. “Applejack, is that so hard?”

“I was disciplined to address those of higher status by title, not name,” Solar snapped back, already leaving the room. “Come on, before I start it without you.”

Rolling my eyes, I pick up my mask and followed him out. As we exited, I got a good look of their headquarters. Since it was underground, there were obviously no windows, so most of the walls were covered in posters and billboards. The number of civilian ponies were few and far between. I suspected that it was difficult freeing ponies without being caught.

The main room itself held multiple tables holding various items. One table held armor pieces as a pony looked them over, while another held medieval weaponry.

“Nice little operation you got here,” I commented, my eyes trained on other tables, holding other items.

“Glad you like it,” Solar responded with a small grunt, “We scavenge whatever the humans throw out, and take what we can when night comes.”

We were nearing another door that probably lead to the meeting room, but before we walked through, I took note of two other tables. There were guns on one table; revolvers, shotguns, and rifles. I figured that ponies were stealing the humans’ weapons, considering the Pony Resistance in Las Pegasus did the same. What really caught my eye, however, was the other table.

It had the smoke grenades that were used on the surface. Out of curiosity, I broke off from following Solar, and stood over the table, looking at each grenade. They were the homemade variety, being made of mostly of old food cans, and were laid out in neat rows. I picked one up, noticing that it was a bit heavier than a flashbang, and lightly tossed it to myself.

“Something distracting you?” Solar shot out rather harshly, standing in front of the door.

“Just wondering how you knew how to make this?” I asked honestly, gesturing to the table as I set down the grenade.

Solar stepped closer, picking up a grenade in his magic. “The Unicorn wizards thought it up. They started with a design that could cover our escapes, and worked from there. These grenades use condensed magic to do just that.”

I stared at the grenade a moment longer before I question came to mind, “Ever thought of making an actual grenade?”

Solar looked at me with a bit of confusion, tilting his head to the side. “An… actual grenade?”

“Yeah, one that blows up and kills people?” I explained, making an imitation of a small explosion with my hands. Solar blinked a few times, a look of pity washing over his face.

“We… haven’t thought of that,” he admitted, looking at the grenade in a new light.

I had a feeling that ponies wouldn’t come up with stuff to kill before anything else. They were the opposite of humans, and it made me glad that these ponies held their morals even in a time of war. I had to respect them for that.

“Probably for the best that you don’t,” I said, walking past him towards the door. I walked through, and found nearly everyone there familiar as they sat around a small table. Applejack and Carrot Top were talking with each other, though I wasn’t sure about what. Octavia was fretting over Vinyl, who was trying to laugh it off. I could tell that where she was shot was still very sore, evident by how she reacted when Octavia touched a little too close to the wound.

The only pony that I didn’t recognize was sitting silently, her eyes trained forward. She had the same gold armor as all the other Old Guard members, and her coat was just as white as well. The only difference was the orange-red mane and tail. By the time I finished looking around the room, Solar pushed past me, standing before the gathered group as they all quieted down to hear what he had to say.

“To start this meeting,” he said, eyeing the new figure in particular as I stepped beside him, “I want Nova to give her report about human activity.”

The mare known as Nova stood up, her seat being pushed back as she cleared her throat, looking down at a piece of paper. “Their activity has been crazed and frantic,” she read off, her eyes moving from left to right. “They have desperately been searching for the human known as the ‘Masked Man’, and are growing desperate. They have been going through each house, and are on the look out for any suspicious activity.”

“Damn persistent bastards,” I muttered with a shake of my head as Nova sat back down in her seat.

“I don’t think I have to say that we’re in trouble right now,” Solar said, “If any of you want to leave, you’ll have to be careful when going back up there.”

“A few of them saw my face,” I said, rubbing my chin thoughtfully, “I think it’ll be a major issue when we do leave.”

“If you want, we can have a few of the Guards to kill the witnesses,” Nova offered, causing me to smile thankfully. Though the Guards here were still wary of my presence, they knew that I was no longer with the other humans around. I was glad that Lucky vouched for me.

“That would be appreciated,” I thanked with a nod, “I think the only person we have to worry about seeing my face is the bartender of Club Eclipse.”

“I really despise that place,” Octavia commented with a very low growl.

“We’ll be sure to take him out,” Nova finished up. I was about to ask what would happen to the slave ponies that worked in the club, but stopped myself. The owner of the club was the person who owned them, so even though the bartender would die, he would simply be replaced. That’s when I remembered what Octavia said back at the club, and I instantly spoke up.

“Octavia,” I called, catching not only her attention, but Vinyl’s as well. “You said you knew where Fluttershy’s... master is, right?”

Octavia nodded, “His name is Robert. He lives somewhere near the edge of the city.”

I gave a determined nod, “Then that’s where I’m heading.”

“If I may ask,” Solar said, “why are you so interested in finding the Element of Kindness?”

“Fluttershy,” Applejack corrected quietly through narrowed eyes.

Ignoring Applejack’s comment, I crossed my arms, “In truth, it’s to help me get home.”

“In the North?” Vinyl asked with a tilt of her head.

“Look,” I sighed, shaking my head, “I’d love to tell you the whole thing, but I doubt you’d even believe me.”

Nova gave a humorous grunt, “I’ll take your word for it.”

Waving her off, I got back on topic. “So, if I’m going to get Fluttershy and get her back to Las Pegasus,” I said, “I’m going to need someone to lead us there.”

“Nova can do that for you,” Solar announced, earning a nod from her, “She knows the city inside and out.” Then, as an afterthought, he added, “She was stationed here way before humans were even heard of.”

I nodded before turning to Octavia and Vinyl again, “What about you two? You coming with us?”

“We’re going to stay here,” Vinyl answered with Octavia nodded in agreement. At a logical standpoint, saving them was pretty much a waste of time. But from a thoughtful standpoint, it was the right thing to do, regardless of what I got out of it. I wondered what they intended to do here, or why they didn’t want to tag along, but I didn’t feel like getting details, and remained silent a moment.

“Alright then,” I said at last, rolling my right shoulder. “We should head out as soon as possible.”

Everyone gave their agreement and walked out of the room. I remained where I was for a moment, in thought of the reasoning behind my overall behavior in this place. The only reason I had ever given in helping any of these ponies was to selfishly get to my own world. I could have just as easily done it by siding with the humans, but there was always a nagging feeling in my mind. Something that strayed me away from doing just that.

I cared about the ponies long before I liked them.

It was a strange and ridiculous thought, but I suppose these ponies had that effect on me. Taking a deep breath, I made my way for the door. I felt somewhat ready, at that point, to free Fluttershy and get out of this shameful city.

{~+~}

“Here’s a question that’s been bugging me,” I said with a grunt of disgust, “How can you guys live down here?”

We were walking along a concrete path that was to the side of a river of sewage. My mask was back on my face, as I predicted that the house that Fluttershy was held in would have people milling about. Nova lead the way with a torch in her magic, the light of the fire illuminating the dull walls. Applejack and Carrot Top followed behind me, and from what I could tell, they disliked the sights and smells as much as I did.

Nova chuckled, a smile appearing on her face for the first time, “You’d be surprised how much ponies can adapt when they’re in a pinch.”

“Sounds like humans,” I muttered with a sigh. A small squeak near my feet made me jump, and I lifted a foot as I glanced downward. A rat glared back at me - who knew that non-intellectual creatures could still have human qualities - and zipped away into a hole in the wall.

I grimaced as Applejack stood beside me. “This place is worse than a pigsty.”

Carrot Top nodded as she scrunched up her nose, looking past the two of us to Nova, “Are we almost there?”

“Yep,” Nova answered rather cheerily. I had a sneaking suspicion that she was liking our dismay a little too much. “Just a few more blocks.”

A couple of minutes later, and Nova had us standing below a ladder leading back to the surface. I rubbed the back of my neck as I looked straight up, my mind becoming anxious. We were so close, and I was afraid that something would come up and block us from our objective.

“So, just up here and we’ll be at Robert’s place?” I asked, facing Nova again with a finger pointing up.

“That’s right,” Nova nodded, “Be careful though, I have no idea who might be waiting for you.”

She was actually concerned for my well being. What was surprising about that was I had only just met her. Shaking off the thought, I gazed at the ladder a moment before placing my hands on the bars.

“I’ll take that risk,” I said, climbing up. Once I reached the top, I took a deep breath, and pushed on it with all my might. These lids weren’t exactly light, but I was still able to push it just enough to take a peek outside. It was still dark out, which I was thankful for, and the empty street added to that benefit. It was perfect time to rescue Fluttershy.

With the rest of my strength, I shoved the lid to the side as I forced myself out of the manhole. Once I was back on my feet, I turned in every direction, and nodded in satisfaction when there wasn’t a thing in sight.

“All clear,” I called softly into the hole. Afterwards, I kept an eye out as Applejack and Carrot Top pulled themselves onto the open street, giving a quick look around themselves.

“So, what house are we lookin’ for?” Applejack asked Nova, sticking her head a bit into the hole. Carrot Top and I leaned to look inside as well, seeing Nova standing there with her torch still in her magical hold.

“Should be a white painted building,” she explained, “You can’t miss it.”

“Gotcha,” I replied, glancing over to the said building. She was right that we wouldn’t miss it; the building was shining brightly, even in the moonlight. I faced Nova again, “Thanks for the help.”

“No problem,” she said, gazing at us with determination, “And if you ever need any more help, you know where we are.”

I gave her the thumbs up, having to hold it slightly sideways so she could clearly see it. And before I knew it, Nova enveloped the lid in her magic and placed it back where it was. Without waiting for the others, I briskly made for the white building, wanting to hurry in getting to Fluttershy. Who knew when these humans would spot us.

Applejack and Carrot Top hurried after me, not speaking a word as I neared the front door. I took a shallow breath as I contemplated whether to sneak in or just kick it down. In the end, sneaking won, and I attempted to turn the handle. It was a good thing I tried it first, as it was unlocked. These humans were either laid back in security or they were just plain stupid. I liked to think it was the latter.

I got out my revolver as I charged through, aiming around the dark and broad room. It was empty as well, but that didn’t stop me from keeping up my guard. Applejack and Carrot Top followed after, and they were just as cautious as I was. The room was much more simplistic than I anticipated; there wasn’t a single piece of decoration, just a few pieces of furniture. A few doors and a staircase on the far side of the room presented options for us to check out, and I ran plans through my head of how to approach searching each room.

“Let’s take each floor together,” I suggested quietly, holding my revolver up to reduce the strain on my arm. “I’d rather not get ambushed by a human here.”

Applejack and Carrot Top silently nodded, and we spread out from the main door. Applejack slunk towards an open door that seemed to lead to a kitchen, while Carrot Top snuck over to a closed door. I decided to check out the door below the staircase. Watching my footing, I stepped closer to the door, weaving between couches and tables.

When I was close enough, I pressed myself against it and waited a moment to open it. Gripping my revolver tightly with one hand, and another hand on the handle, I braced myself for a human on the other side. In a fluid motion, I turned the handle, pushed through the door, and swept my weapon over the room. It was extremely dark, the only light coming from the light from the main room. I could smell the scent of sex in the air, and it made me uneasy. My ears, however, heard light scratching on the hardwood floor.

If it was a human, I would have heard him speak by then, and the scratching noise sounded awfully close to what a hoof would make. With these points, I risked calling out. “Hello?” I said, my voice just above a whisper. The only reply I received was a slight whimper, and perhaps a suppressed sob. “Fluttershy?”

There was still no response, and with a sigh, I grabbed my lighter from a pouch, lighting it swiftly. I wasn’t expecting it to illuminate the entire room, and when I looked along the nearby wall, I found a torch. I held my lighter underneath it, and just as I guessed, it instantly caught fire, and lit up the rest of the room.

As I put away my lighter, my eyes instantly landed on a yellow furred pegasus mare, though the sight was not as comforting as I would have hoped. The pony was lying on the floor, her fore legs and back legs were chained together. A piece of rope wrapped around her midsection, trapping her wings. The awkwardly pointed feathers was proof that it was on way too tight. Another piece of rope was tightened around her muzzle, keeping any form of words from escaping. Her back was against the wall as her legs pushed her as far as possible. That would explain the noise I had heard.

It was absolutely terrible how the pony was treated; stuck in a dark room for god knows how long while being restrained like a pig about to be slaughtered. I didn’t even mention the amount of red marks along her body. But the absolutely worst part was her eyes, they looked up at me, quivering in fright that I would do the same thing to her. It tore me apart.

I was utterly speechless as the pony trying everything she can to get away from me. I eventually snapped out of my stupor and approached her, but when I took a single step, she squeaked in protest, her eyes clamped shut as she shook like a leaf. I couldn’t bring myself to go any closer, and simply looked at her in sad disbelief.

As I stared at her, I couldn’t get over the fact that she looked so innocent, so pure hearted. And to see her in this situation made me feel completely guilty. My species did this to her, and I felt dirty because of it.

“Nolan?” Applejack said behind me, “You find anything?”

The yellow mare, who had to be Fluttershy, opened her eyes in shock, her shaking being toned down a bit. I still couldn’t speak, and simply grunted, as I placed a hand against the wall to hold my balance. Since I had shifted away from the door, Applejack got a clear view of what lay inside, and her breath hitched in her throat.

“F-Fluttershy,” she whispered, her jaw hanging open as her breathing increased. “You- You’re-”

Fluttershy’s eyes glistened with water, probably from seeing a friend after so long. Applejack didn’t say another word as she trotted over to Fluttershy, gripping the rope around her muzzle and yanking it off. As soon as Fluttershy’s mouth was free, she looked at her friend with tears building up.

“Applejack?” Fluttershy asked, a tear streaking down her face. Her voice was so soft, and it made me feel worse. “I-Is it really y-you?”

Applejack faced away, unable to bear witness to the condition that Fluttershy was in. “Yes, Fluttershy,” she said after a few seconds, “It’s me.”

And without another word, Applejack flung herself onto Fluttershy, wrapping her tightly in a hug. Fluttershy was sobbing at that point, her tears coming out in streams as she cried. I raised my right hand, staring at it a moment as if it was to blame for what happened. It had the capability to save and harm, and I wished the former had befallen Fluttershy.

“Oh, Applejack,” Fluttershy said in between sobs, “My master… he did… I mean, he forced me to…”

“What did he do, Fluttershy?” Applejack asked, and a second later, I knew exactly what she was going to say, and I froze where I was, refusing to breath.

“H-He raped me,” she said, breaking back into her sobs, and ever so slowly, my hands balled into fists. “Over a-and over! I… Applejack, I…”

Applejack hugged her tighter, “You don’t have to say anything else. Everything’s going to be okay.”

Applejack was taking it rather calmly, while I, on the other hand, was breathing hard, my left hand tightening so hard that I could feel my nails cut into my glove. I was more than upset, I was past pissed. I was downright enraged. What human had the right to do something like that to someone like her?! My teeth was clenched tightly as I threw my hand on my head, gripping it tightly. He had to pay, he deserved what I had in store.

“What the hell!?” a new voice shouted from the other room, “What the hell is going on?!”

I glanced over to the room, my face downcast as I saw it was a human. He had a gangling figure, sporting a black shirt with jeans, and his hair was long and tattered. I pushed away from the wall, presenting myself fully as I stood across from him.

“Who the fuck-” he started.

“Are you Robert?” I interrupted coldly, still not facing him fully.

“I asked-”

“Are you Robert!?” I repeated loudly. The man took a step back, looking me up and down in confusion.

“Yes, I am,” he answered brashly, a form of mockery that only made my mood worse.

“Good,” I said, and without a care, I pointed my revolver at his legs and fired. A bullet ripped through his foreleg. He dropped to the floor, crying out in pain as he clutched the newly made injury. I watched him squirm for a bit, relishing in it as I slowly walked towards him.

“Wha-” he said before recognition filled his face, “Y-You’re the Masked Man!”

I didn’t acknowledge that he spoke to me. Instead, I let go of my revolver, allowing it to fall to the floor. After that, all I could remember was jumping on top of him, and while I grasped the collar of his shirt in my left hand, I punched him square in the face with my right hand.

I didn’t stop after that, nor did I have any plan of stopping anytime soon. I just lifted up my arm again and smashed my fist into his face, and I did it again and again. I was blind with rage, my body working on its own, and I was just fine with that. I could only hear my fist making contact with his head, and his shouts of pain. I didn’t let up, each swing of my arm crashing down harder than the last one.

No one deserved to live after doing what he did.

I had lost track of time, seconds could have become minutes as I brutalized Robert without remorse. My breathing was shaky, my movements slowing after excessive use. I wasn’t done though, bringing my arm further out to make up for my lessened speed. I heard someone call me from behind, but I ignored them, too focused on the matter at hand. I pulled my hand back again, desperate to feel my fist hit him yet again.

“Stop!” Fluttershy cried, covering Robert’s face with her body as she looked up to me.

I halted immediately, my face frozen in shock from her sudden appearance and the realization of my berserk. I felt my fist had become pretty much broken at that point, my shoulders tensed up. Fluttershy was still crying though, her breathing getting caught in her throat with each inhalation. Her teal eyes looked up at me with a pleading expression, begging me to do what she had said.

“Please…” she whispered, her head dropping as tears fell from her muzzle. “Just stop…”

My strength left me, causing me to drop my arm as my torso swayed from side to side. I fell back, my arms catching myself as I pushed myself away from Robert and Fluttershy.

I shook my head with disdain, “No, it’s not right…”

Fluttershy didn’t reply, and I finally caught sight of Applejack and Carrot Top watching from a distance, their eyes wide with sorrow. “He doesn’t deserve to live,” I said, my eyes trained on his still form. “That monster can’t get away with what he did.”

I brought my hands to my face, seeing them shake from the adrenaline. “It shouldn’t be like this!” I roared, my hands gripping my head. Despite what I learned of Fluttershy, my mind was still reeling over something.

She had defended the person that abused her.

Why? Why would she do such a thing? Did she not hold a grudge? A thirst for revenge? She wouldn’t even let me avenge her. I felt so useless, powerless.

Why did good people have to suffer so much?

Chapter 13: Sacrifice

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 13: Sacrifice

Walking through the barren fields outside of Fillydelphia did nothing to clear my mind. The golden grass acting only as a reminder of what humans had done to these innocent ponies. Finding Fluttershy was a huge indication of what my species had done to the country. Stealing, killing, raping; it all came crashing down in my mind, causing me to feel distant, mentally and physically.

I trailed far behind the three ponies, knowing that Fluttershy would want me to stay away from her. I knew I would if I was in her position. She even turned her head towards me with a slightly fearful face, though Applejack and Carrot Top did the same, so I may have been over thinking it.

Nonetheless, I hardly took note of their exact actions, staring blankly ahead as I followed along like a stray dog. I thought back to the events after beating the crap out of Robert, Fluttershy’s ex-master. Our hasty getaway, after a quick recuperation, was met with no resistance, thankfully, but none of us got a chance to check if Robert was even alive after I went berserk.

Most likely he was dead, but I had no evidence to point to that conclusion. After all, if Grayson from Ponyville could survive a shotgun blast, who knew how resilient these humans were. Anyway, after leaving Robert’s household, we made a break for the edge of the city, as the borders weren't far. In little time, we were able to depart from Fillydelphia - hopefully for good - and head for the rendezvous point at the lake.

It was still nighttime as well, and I was exhausted from everything that had happened. I was drained of energy, and hoped to find sleep soon.

“Nolan,” someone called ahead, snapping my attention back to reality. Blinking dully, I focused on the one who said my name, seeing Applejack face me with sadness. Swallowing under my gaze, she continued, “We’re here.”

Applejack gestured with a hoof towards the body of water that I hadn't noticed until she pointed it out. The water was calm, and the moonlight shone brightly on its surface. We had arrived at the small lake early, but it was better that than late. I tried to figure out when Rainbow would get to the lake, but I was so out of it, I couldn't form any sort of calculations.

“Thanks,” I muttered to Applejack with a sigh, lowering myself to the ground. She stared at me for a moment, looking me up and down before slowly backing away. She trotted away from me towards Fluttershy and Carrot Top, leaving me to my thoughts.

Her actions made me think that she was either worried about me or fearful about what I could do. I had beaten up a man so quickly that I could imagine that the ponies would realize how powerful we humans can get when we were angry. It was all a blur for me at the time, however, as I was so blinded by rage. That thought lead to another; what would have happened if we didn't get to Fluttershy when we did? I glanced over to Fluttershy, who I caught looking over to me with curiosity. But when I faced her, she flinched and turned away, causing me to sigh.

She was still afraid of humans.

I remembered back to what Rainbow had said to me right before she left: I’d feel terrible if something happened to her. Bowing my head, I gritted my teeth in frustration over myself. I felt so responsible for what happened to Fluttershy, even though I had nothing to do with what happened to her. Not only that, but I had failed Rainbow in a sense as well.

I saw a bit of pink in the corner of my vision, and I turned to find Fluttershy approaching. My gaze caused her to falter, her movement diminishing as she came closer to me. I tilted my head in confusion, wondering why she would want to come close to another human after what she went through.

Eventually, Fluttershy stood before me, hiding her face behind her mane. She was quivering slightly, and it just made me feel worse. I waited patiently for her to speak, knowing how nervous she must be around me.

“U-Um, mister A-Anderson,” she said, still not looking at me. She must have learned my name from the others, since I hadn't said a word to her since retrieving her from Fillydelphia.

“You can just call me Nolan,” I muttered, keeping my voice low to seem less intimidating. Unfortunately, that had the drawback of my tone being low as well. The result was having Fluttershy shiver even harder, and I berated myself. I had to be gentler than that, dammit!

“N-Nolan,” she said, swallowing again as she peeked past her mane. Her turquoise eyes were quivering as much as her body was, but they held a feeling of determination to them as well. “I’m sorry.”

That caught me way off guard, causing me to jerk my head back. She was apologizing to me? If anything, I should be the one doing that! She wasn't finished though as she continued, “I guess you don’t like being around ponies, so I just, um, wanted to say that. I won’t bother you again.”

She turned to leave, making me gape at her in disbelief. That wasn't how it was supposed to be! I reached a hand out, gripping her right shoulder to stop. In that way, I involuntarily scared her, causing her to squeak cutely as she froze in movement.

“What are you talking about?” I asked, my incredulity evident in my voice. “I should be the one who’s sorry.”

She pivoted her head toward me, still in fear as she lowered her head a bit, “B-But why are you avoiding us then?”

I remained quiet for a moment, sighing as I released her and sitting back on the dry grass. “I… just figured you’d want to stay away from humans,” I admitted with a small shake of my head. “You went through a lot. Anybody would hate to be around humans after that.”

Fluttershy eyes never left my own as her face took a look of understanding. After a few seconds of silence, she spoke, her voice a mere whisper. “Y-You care about me that much?”

It seemed like a pretty silly question, but I nodded as my answer. A smile rose from her lips, making her face look much brighter than I had seen it in the past few hours. “That’s very sweet of you,” she said, causing a weak smile of my own to emerge, “but I don’t hate you for what someone else did.”

“Heh,” I grunted, eyeing Applejack, who was digging through her saddlebags, “I wish other ponies had that view.”

I didn't hear anything from Fluttershy, and I assumed she was thinking over my words. “What do you mean?” she asked and I turned to her, a frown plastered on my face as I saw her concern.

“The ponies…” I started slowly, thinking over my response as I spoke, “weren't exactly accepting of me.”

I let those words sit, allowing the gears to turn in Fluttershy’s head until it clicked, causing her to gasp in shock. “The ponies were mean to you,” she realized, but I took it as a question.

“That’s one way to put it,” I replied, finding myself playing with my hands.

“But why?” she asked, stepping closer to myself, “You’re so nice, and considerate, and helpful, and… and…”

“I’m a human,” I said with a shrug, my head facing the infinite sky above, “That’s why.”

A perpetual silence filled the area, even Applejack and Carrot Top had stopped as if they had overheard our conversation. The wind became noticeable, chilling us as it brushed past. Fluttershy tried to speak, but her voice never got out, as if she couldn't think of the something to say, but was trying anyway.

Finally, she settled with a whisper, a tinge of sorrow laced in her words. “That… That isn't fair,” she said, her eyes watering ever so slightly as she frowned deeply. I was surprised how sensitive she was with such topics. I didn't think it was that sad.

I sighed with a shake of my head, “Yeah, I know.”

More silence. It wasn't awkward, but I was growing annoyed about talking about something that I had discussed a few times already. With that thought, I realized how hungry I was, and I looked over to Applejack and Carrot Top, both of them gazing at me with their own looks of sadness. Great, I was stuck in a pity party.

“Applejack,” I called, causing her to perk her head a bit as she looked at me, “Throw me an apple.”

She didn't respond and simply retrieved an apple from her saddle bags. Holding the apple with her teeth, she threw her head back and tossed it to me. I caught the apple easily with my hand and fluidly brought up to my own mouth. The juicy fruit made me temporarily forget my troubles for a moment before I had to swallow.

It reminded me that I still knew very little of Applejack’s past. And I found myself staring at the apple, wondering if I should ask her about it again. The photo that I had retrieved from the farm outside of Fillydelphia showed that she had a large family, but she barely spoke about a single one of them. Hell, I didn't even know Applebloom was her sister until they had reunited.

My eyes flickered over to Applejack, seeing her and Carrot Top walk over to Fluttershy and I. When they were close enough they got themselves settled as we formed a sort of ring facing each other. Digging into her saddle bags once again, Applejack pulled out another apple and placed it in front of Fluttershy, looking at her sympathetically.

“Eat up, Sugarcube,” Applejack stated, giving a nudge to the fruit for emphasis, “I can’t imagine how hungry ya must be.”

Fluttershy nodded in thanks, and tentatively picked up the apple with both of her hooves. Quicker than I anticipated, she dug into the apple with vigor. I shouldn't have been too surprised; who knows how much Robert fed her. While Fluttershy ate, I decided to question Applejack, as she and Carrot Top were simply watching.

“I think now’s a good time,” I started with as much softness as I thought necessary, catching everyone’s attention. But my eyes were solely focused on Applejack. “for you to tell me about your family.”

Applejack faced away, caught off guard by my sudden declaration. I hastily added, “If you want to. I’m not forcing you.”

“Ya waited long enough, I suppose,” she agreed, still not looking at me as she played with her hooves. “It’s just… kinda hard to talk about them.”

I felt a bit guilty about wanting to get some sort of idea out of her past, but I remembered something that might make her feel a little better. However, the thought made me shiver, wanting to avoid the topic over all.

“Do you remember our promise?” I asked, making her head whip over to me in confusion. I wasn't surprised that she had forgotten about it; a lot had happened that almost made me forget. “We promised that we would trade stories between ourselves: you with your family and me… with my girlfriend.”

Applejack made to speak, leaning forward with her mouth open, but nothing came out. She was just as curious about my past as I was of hers. I was glad that Fluttershy and Carrot Top were respectful enough to remain quiet. If there had to be two other ponies to hear my story, I was glad it was them. Carrot Top was my friend, and Fluttershy was the type of pony to respect someone’s hidden past.

A moment passed before Applejack nodded, agreeing to our exchange. She took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before speaking. “I suppose the best place to start is at the beginnin’,” she said, “Before the humans came, I lived and worked at Sweet Apple Acres with Granny Smith, Big Macintosh - my big brother - and Applebloom.”

I hardly gave a second thought when I heard their names; I was way past the fact that ponies here had strange names. “We’d always work as a family to harvest the apples,” Applejack continued, “And I always tried my hardest, especially after…”

She trailed off, the memory hard to deal with. I figured I would bring up a different topic, help her through. “What about your parents?” I asked bluntly.

Fluttershy visibly flinched, her expression turning sadder than before. Applejack was the same, except she had a hint of depression as well. That made me realize why she didn't bring them up in the first place, and I slouched my body from my incompetence.

“They passed away,” she said quietly, and I didn't bother asking how they had died. It wasn't because I didn't care, but because I knew she didn't feel like talking about them. I may have been learning about her family, but that didn't mean I should intrude on subjects that were very sensitive to her.

Taking another deep breath, Applejack kept going, not truly deterred by the mentioning of her parents. “Anyway, after they were gone, I didn't know what to think, so I left the farm. I needed time to think things over, and I thought Manehatten was a good place to go.”

Despite the tone she gave, Applejack chuckled, a small weary smile on her lips. “Found out it wasn't the place for me when I saw a rainbow explosion in the sky.”

I grunted in amusement, my own smile emerging. I could see why it would be funny, though I do wonder how a rainbow explosion would occur in the first place. It probably had something to do with Rainbow Dash or something. I wouldn't put it past her.

“I helped out on the farm, made lotsa friends, and lived a nice life with my family,” Applejack summed up, her smile showing pride, and I didn't doubt it for a moment. However, the smile she had suddenly fell, and I mirrored it. A look of hurt on her features as she eyed the ground again.

“It kinda went downhill after Twilight became a princess though,” she said, her voice above a whisper. “It was a few months after her coronation. Granny Smith wasn't feeling so well. We got a doctor an’ everythin’, but he said she was just gettin’ old. He didn't know when she’d pass, but he knew it’d be soon.”

Applejack’s eyes began to water, but she hardly took notice of it. Whether it was because she didn't care, or because she was acting like it wasn't there, I didn't know.

“We looked after her for weeks,” Applejack continued, “My friends came by to check with us everyday, and we always had hope she would get better. ‘The Apple stubbornness’ and all that.”

It didn't take a psychic to guess what happened next.

“Then,” Applejack said, choking up for a brief moment, “one day, when we all woke up to start another day… she didn't.”

The tears started running down Applejack’s face, but she hastily wiped them away, her teeth grinding together. A small sob escaped from Fluttershy, and I closed my eyes in respect. It reminded me too much of my mother, and how she had died. A long silence followed, and it gave us time to regain our composure. Taking a shaky sigh, Applejack forged on, her bravado having already diminished considerably.

“And the day after we buried her in the orchard,” she said with a shake of her head, “The humans attacked the Crystal Empire. And I think you know what happened there.”

There was no malice in Applejack’s voice, and I assumed she was just reminding me of what had happened there. I caught sight of Fluttershy shuddering from the mention of that place. It must have been terrible to walk through a land full of dead bodies. I couldn’t help but feel bad that I had gotten so used to killing and death that I hardly gave it a second thought. I brought my hands together, intertwining them as I held it up to my mouth. All the while Applejack was still speaking.

“Sweet Apple Acres fell on hard times,” she said, “There was so much demand for food, and it was just me and my brother that worked. The war forced us to our limits, and it was still not enough. Big Mac joined the Royal Guard once he heard that Hoofington had been taken over. We had family there, and he didn’t take it so well. I had to hire some more hooves to help out at the farm, and even then we were still behind in the demand. Big Mac sent letters everyday, sayin’ he was stationed in Manehatten. And… and…”

This time, when Applejack cried, she didn’t bother stopping the tears, allowing them to run down her cheeks and drop onto the ground. “The humans came to Manehatten, a-and I… never heard from him again. Not until Celestia herself came to the farm to tell me what happened.”

Damn, that must have been hard. I couldn’t even imagine how poor little Applebloom had taken the news.

“And finally,” Applejack said, pulling her head up to face the sky directly above her, “the humans took over Canterlot like it was nothin’, and came straight to Ponyville.”

At that point, Carrot Top and Fluttershy were sobbing quietly, their ears folded down as they tried to listen over their sadness. The worst part, however, was that I wasn’t crying myself. What did it take for me to bring my feelings out!? Was I a terrible person for not crying? I sure felt like one.

“Me and Applebloom didn’t get word until it was too late,” she said, still staring upwards, causing her hat to slip off her head and tumble to the ground. “The humans were at our doorstep, and me and Applebloom were cornered. I couldn’t fight ‘em off, there was just too many. They were going to take Applebloom, my only family I had left. So I… I had made a d-deal.”

That instantly caught my attention, causing my eyes to widen as my jaw opened up ever so slightly. “I told the human in charge, Jordan, that-”

Applejack cut herself off, her hind legs quivering as her forehooves slowly dragging through the grass as they drew closer to her stomach, as if to cover up something. “I said I’d do anythin’ if they just left Applebloom with me. And that no good Jordan, h-he said I had to…”

My brain clicked, and I threw a hand over my forehead, my anger growing once again at what Applejack was about to say. I should have known, it made perfect sense with the hints I was given. Why hadn’t I seen it sooner?

“I had to have sex with him,” she finished, covering her face with a hoof. “A-And when I-I did, he… he took her anyway.”

She fell to the ground, wailing as she cried her eyes out. “I w-was… so alone!”

Applejack had lost her whole family, including her farm and her friends. When compared to me, my concerns and past felt like it wasn’t worth anybody’s time. A hand was still over my head as I slowly drew it down over my face. There were no tears. I still hadn’t shed a single fucking tear!

The sound of three ponies crying were torture to my ears. They could cry about something that deserved to be sad about, and I couldn’t get up to it!? I hated those humans so much. But it wasn’t the time to be angry, Applejack was a crying wreck, and she needed comfort.

Slowly, I leaned forward where I sat, reaching my left arm past Applejack. Gently, I lifted her hat, and brought it up to Applejack, placing it back on her head. Applejack stopped crying for a moment, going silent as I rested my hand on top of her hat. She picked herself up with ragged breaths, sniveling as she sat back up with my hand still on her head. Her face was tilted down, allowing her eyes to hide behind her hat as tears continued to fall from her muzzle.

It was reasons like Applejack’s that ponies hated humans with a passion. She became hateful because she was separated forcefully from someone she loved, and even sacrificed herself to save her, to no avail.

She told me what tragedy had plagued her mind, day and night. So it was my turn.

“I’m sorry that happened, AJ,” I said sympathetically, “No one deserves to go through what you did, and I can’t imagine how you must feel.”

“W-What about y-you?” she suddenly asked, lifting her head up to reveal her bloodshot emerald eyes, a look of concern and anguish. “What about E-Emma?”

I stared into her eyes, hardening my features futilely as I sighed. I crossed my legs, sitting as comfortably as possible as I got ready for my story. I opened a pouch on my vest, and extracted my cigarette case. Opening it, I noticed I had four left, and I made it three when I pulled one out. Slipping the case back into the pouch, I retrieved my lighter, lit it, and held it underneath. As my cigarette caught heat, I noticed that Fluttershy was curious as to the nature of the white and orange stick in my mouth, despite how sorrowful she was. I didn’t bother with an explanation, inhaling the smoke once it was lit and pocketing my lighter.

All eyes were on me, and I didn’t bother delaying for another moment.

“Emma Margaret,” I started, holding my cigarette in one hand as the other scratched my cheek. “My girlfriend for two years until thirteen months ago.”

I realized something that may help explain about her, and I unholstered my revolver, holding it to display it to the ponies. “This is my gun, Vera,” I explained, “It’s named after Emma’s middle name. Emma Vera Margaret. She gave it to me as a present on our one year anniversary. She always thought it was corny that I named it after her, but it felt right, and it still is.”

With that said, I holstered it again, and got another drag from my cigarette, preparing myself with my story. As I told them my story, I could see the events playing before my eyes, like I was reliving them all over again.

{~+~}

“Then when I finally cornered the guy,” Emma laughed, holding it back as much as she could, “he was so scared that he pissed his pants, right in front of me!”

I chuckled heartily, making sure not to spill my coffee in the interior of our police cruiser. I was glad Emma had these stories of hers. It made our evening patrols way more bearable. After a minute of laughter, Emma calmed down enough to take a sip from her coffee, sighing in content afterwards.

“Shit,” I said, a few laughs still able to escape from me as I rubbed my head, “I guess I missed all the fun, huh?”

“Don’t worry, Nolan,” Emma reassured with a wave of her hand, “There’ll be plenty of time for you to see some weird stuff.”

I gave a small grunt of amusement before I glanced out the passenger window I sat next to, seeing the dark clouds lingering above. “Looks like we’re going to have rain,” I noted, finishing off my cup of coffee.

“About time,” Emma said, running a hand through her black hair - which was tied in a bun - as the other hand leaned against the steering wheel, “We haven’t had some decent rain in weeks. I’m looking forward to it.”

I looked over to her in disbelief, but before I could question her statement, the police scanner, situated in the center of the console, crackled to life.

A male voice came through, one that seemed so distinct for some reason in my mind, “Nearby units, we have a three-nine-oh on fifty-four thirty-one Baker Street. Any available units, please respond, over.”

“Baker Street,” I repeated, “That’s on the other side of town. So, we let another patrol handle it.”

Emma nodded approvingly, “Nice. I’m glad my training has finally got inside that thick head of yours.”

“All in a day’s work,” I replied cheekily with a smile. And I was right, as another unit, who was indeed closer, responded, taking the call. A minute of silence fell upon the car as I stared off into space.

“You alright?” Emma asked, and I gave a deep sigh, leaning back in my seat.

“I dunno,” I admitted with a shrug, “I guess I’m just bummed out that we had to go on patrol on our two year anniversary.”

“It’s only for thirty more minutes,” Emma reminded with a chuckle, shaking my shoulder. “Just hang in there.”

I smirked at her attitude before nodding, and just when I did, the police scanner went off again, this time a female voice, “Any available units, we have a four-one-seven on Central Avenue. Any available units, please respond, over.”

“Now that’s us,” Emma noted picking up the black receiver and holding it close to her mouth. As she pressed the button on the side, she said, “Dispatch, this is patrol unit one-oh-six, responding to the four-one-seven, over.”

As Emma started up the car, I took our empty coffee cups, setting them in the cup holders as the women on the other end of the scanner replied, “Roger that, one-oh-six, over.”

“Person with a firearm, huh?” I said, slipping my seatbelt on. Emma did the same with a humorous smile, driving the car out of the alleyway where we were parked.

“Probably just some teenager waving around his toy gun,” she stated with a shake of her head. “We’ll check it out, report back to dispatch, and still have enough time to go out to dinner.”

“I was thinking more of a movie,” I joked, glancing out the window and watching the buildings pass by, idly rubbing my cleanly shaven chin. It didn’t take too long for us to arrive at our destination: the skeleton of a new building being put up. The only thing that could be recognized was the beams that made up the outline. As Emma reported to dispatch of our position, I climbed out of the vehicle, my eyes searching for our suspect.

All I could see were shovels, mixers, tools, and other such things strung around, including a few vehicles off to the side and a trailer on the far side of the lot. The whole place had an eerie feeling to it, like we were being watched.

“A construction yard?” I questioned as Emma walked up beside me, examining the surroundings as much as I did. “Why would a kid be running around here?”

Emma rolled her eyes walking forward as we kept our senses tense in case something jumped us. “You always forget that not everything is that simple,” she said, “Always expect the unexpected.”

“Right,” I said with a sigh, bowing my head slightly, “Sorry ‘bout that.”

“Just concentrate on what’s going on,” she stated, patting my back. Suddenly, her face lit up, remembering something. She stuck her hand out to my chest, stopping me, before putting her hands on her hips as she looked at me slyly. “You remember our promise to each other?”

I groaned, covering my eyes as I shook my head. She brought this up every time we were on duty. “Yeah, yeah,” I muttered, lifting my hand off of my head as I gave a small smile, “Might as well get it over with.”

Emma giggled, as she stood up straight, “I promise to keep you safe, Nolan.”

With a quick sigh, I said, “And I promise to keep you safe, Emma.”

Nodding in satisfaction, Emma walked off, picking up her previous pace. As for myself, I crossed my arms with an annoyed expression as I watched her. We had made that promise every day since we had first met. Keeping each other safe was a no brainer, and I didn’t know why we had to recite it all the time. We barely got shot at to begin with, and when we were under fire we were hardly injured. It just wasn’t very practical.

Shaking out of my thoughts, I ran after Emma, slowing down as I walked beside her in silence. We were nearing the other side of the lot with no one in sight. From a simple glance, I could tell Emma wasn’t liking what was going on, and neither was I.

As we strolled through, my eyes caught sight of a soft glow of light behind the trailer. I narrowed my eyes, suspicion building in my stomach. “You see that?” Emma asked, her voice quieter than before, “The light?”

“Yeah,” I answered just as quietly, knowing that we may actually be dealing with someone brandishing a firearm. We needed to tread carefully. “Have a plan?”

“Need more info first,” she explained as we slowed our footsteps, approaching as quietly as we could. I gave a faint nod at her answer, my eyes glued to the corner where the mysterious light was. The sound of faint talking reached my ears, causing me to perk my head out, trying to hear what they were saying. They were rushed, frantic, and a bit nervous, but I couldn’t tell what they were speaking of.

Then, their shadows came into view, thanks to the light, and before Emma or I could move out of the way, two people, dressed in black hoodies came around the corner. They instantly caught sight of us, stumbling back as Emma and I froze up. It was so sudden and unexpected - even though we were supposed to expect those - that we hesitated.

“Shit!” one of them shouted, diving back behind the trailer, “It’s the cops!”

And that’s when shots were fired. Men came around the same corner, more than I could count, and were firing on us. I couldn’t figure out why they would instantly open fire on us, nor did I have the time as Emma and I retreated to cover. We drew our weapons; mine being Vera, and Emma’s being a standard-issue handgun.

We reached one of the trucks that were parked, and hid behind it as bullets whizzed by us. It was a wonder that we weren’t already dead. We were in the open, and there must have been at least half a dozen guys firing on us.

“I’ve been hit,” Emma hissed, crouching down as she reached a hand behind her back, rubbing the spot where a bullet had hit her bulletproof vest. At the time, I was glad that it was mandatory to wear them.

I grunted in dismay, eyeing her wearily, “It’s a wonder you were able to keep up with me.”

“Expect the unexpected, remember?” she said, smiling despite the pain that she must have been in. Shaking my head, I stepped up to the edge of the vehicle, peeking behind it. The shooters were in cover, still firing on our position. The darkness of the night didn’t help either, but thankfully the moon was out, lighting up the area like a far away spotlight. In this situation, we would have clearance to engage and return fire, but we needed back up.

“You think we can make a break for the car?” I asked Emma, taking a few shots to drive away anyone from approaching us.

“Too many people firing at us,” Emma said, rolling her shoulders as she stood back up to full height. “We need to take out a few first.”

Giving a curt nod, I aimed my revolver at someone reloading their handgun in the open, and fired a single bullet through their chest. They fell to the floor, crying out, and a guy next to him flinched, allowing me to take him out with a shot as well.

Slipping back into cover, I retrieved a few bullets for my revolver, and swung open the cylinder. As I reloaded, I could hear Emma firing her pistol, and the cries of pain confirmed that she was making her shots count. She wouldn’t be the sharpest shooter in the station if she couldn’t. Smirking, I shut the cylinder of my revolver, placed the extra bullets back in my pouch, and got ready to shoot.

“No need,” I heard Emma say beside me, and when I looked at her, I saw her hold her pistol upright with a superior smirk. “I took enough of them out. Let’s get going.”

“Right,” I replied before I checked around the corner, waiting for the right moment to head for our car. Once I detected a lull in the gunfire, I sprinted for the car, Emma on my heels. As soon as we returned to the car, we ran around it, and crouched behind it.

Emma opened up the passenger door, which faced away from our shooters, and reached in for the receiver. Meanwhile, I fired on anyone that poked their head out, keeping them at bay as Emma spoke to dispatch. I didn’t catch what she said exactly - especially with the situation we were in - but I knew that more units were incoming.

After finishing up, Emma slammed the door to the cruiser shut, taking a position in the back while I was still crouched at the front. Gunshots tore up our vehicle; shattering glass, popping tires, and all in all making a big mess.

The minutes whittled away as Emma and I shot at our shooters, and one by one, they fell. The backup was sure taking its time, but I didn’t pay it much mind. After what felt like an hour had passed, the shooting had finally stopped. The silent pause that followed was daunting as we held our breaths waiting for someone or something to happen. Eventually, I peeked over the hood where I was crouched, and considering that I wasn’t immediately fired upon, the area must have been cleared.

Still, the lesson that Emma had been prattling about all night rang in my head as I pointed my revolver around, almost begging for another person to jump out. Emma did the same, and together, we walked around the cruiser, seeing only the bodies of dead shooters. Sighing, I lowered my gun, slumping my shoulders as I breathed easy for the first time since arriving to the construction site. With a few more glances around, I turned to Emma, who hadn’t lowered her guard for a moment.

“I think we can relax now,” I deadpanned, holstering my revolver.

“I dunno,” Emma replied, uncertainty evident on her face.

“Come on,” I said with a dismissive wave, “They would have shot at us by now.”

Emma eyed me for a second before sighing herself, her gun hanging by her side as she held it limply. “I guess you're right,” she muttered, “I must be getting paranoid.”

I chuckled as I gripped her shoulder, shaking her a bit in good fun. “Come on, let’s wait in the car until another unit arrives, have them clean up the mess.”

Unfortunately, as soon as Emma nodded at my words, she glanced back at the construction sight, and gave a sharp gasp. “Nolan, watch out!” she shouted, diving towards me. My eyes widened when I heard a gunshot, and when we landed on the ground with Emma on top of me, I could hear her breathing raggedly.

As quickly and gently as I could, I pushed Emma off, wishing that I had time to find out where she was hit. Instead, I jumped to my feet and drew my revolver, sweeping over the area again for the shooter. I found him, struggling on the ground as his pistol clicked empty, desperately trying to kill me.

Growling, I fired a bullet, hitting him in the head and killing him instantly. I didn’t feel a shred of remorse or pity. With the threat taken care of, I hastily holstered my revolver, kneeling to the side of Emma as her breathing worsened.

I slipped my hands around her body, hastily searching for her bullet wound. As my hand slipped over the side of her stomach, I felt a wetness slid along my hand, and when I brought it up to my face, I saw that it was blood. Lots of blood.

I placed my hand back over her wound, applying pressure to stop the bleeding. My face was stricken in panic, but I tried to rid it by keeping myself busy. “Come on, Emma,” I said, my own breathing increasing, “Stay with me here.”

Emma, for her part, was resting her head on the ground, her eyes already looking droopy from blood loss. Seeing this, I put more pressure on the wound as I slipped my other hand, under her head, giving her some comfort.

“You're going to make it,” I said, swallowing as my throat suddenly went dry, raindrops beginning to fall from above, “you’re going to make it.”

Emma raised a hand up to my face, resting it on my cheek as she looked up to me with a pained smile on her face. Her mouth opened, and her speech was so quiet, I had to strain my ears to hear her.

“I’m glad I was able to keep you safe,” she said, then without warning, the arm that was held up to my cheek fell limp as she closed her eyes.

I was in shock, my mind unable to accept the circumstances that fell upon me as I began to speak incoherently. “Emma…” I whispered pitifully, shaking her a bit. “Emma!”

She didn’t move. She didn’t speak. I shook her again, but there was still nothing.

“Don’t do this to me,” I begged bringing her head up to me in a hug, “Don’t leave me like this!”

Sirens were sounding in the distance, but I hardly took notice. The rain was falling even harder, but I shrugged it off. I hugged Emma tighter with each passing moment, and found myself rocking back and forth with her in my arms, desperating wanting her to wake up. Wanting her to come back. Tears were falling from my eyes before I knew I was even crying, landing on Emma’s shoulder and mixing with the falling rain.

She was gone. She was truly and utterly gone, and there wasn’t anything that could change it.

{~+~}

“What the fuck do you mean I can’t come in!?” I screamed at the man that was Emma’s father. I was standing outside of a church, the funeral for Emma about to be held, wearing a black suit with no tie.

“Why do you think?” Emma’s father growled, crossing his arms as he stood in front of the entrance. He had on a suit as well, but his was dark gray, matching perfectly with his hair. “It was your fault she was killed in the first place.”

My anger dissipated at that statement. I opened my mouth to argue, but I closed it instead. How could I argue against that when he was right? Finally, I was able to speak, calming myself enough to do so.

“It… it was out of our hands. We…” I said, trailing off as I bowed my head again. Since Emma’s father was a friend of the chief of police, it didn’t take long for him to find out the details about what had happened.

“Don’t give me that bullshit, Nolan,” he said, jabbing a finger at my chest. “You didn’t double check the area, and Emma had to save your sorry ass and sacrificed herself to do it!”

“I know,” I said loudly, “I was careless, and I blame myself for it, but you have to let me attend this. It means a lot to me.”

“I don’t have to do anything for you,” he said, turning away from me as he opened the door, “It was your fault that she died, and I’m not letting someone like you come to my daughter’s funeral!”

With that he slammed the door shut, leaving me out in the cold, my guts clenching up from his words. Tears were welling up, but I clamped my eyes shut as I took a few steps away from the door, feeling numb from both the cold and the self-blame. I couldn’t really be mad at him.

He was right after all.

{~+~}

I waited on the edge of the cemetery, a single violet rose in my hands. I watched as Emma’s burial took place near the center. The gathering was large, more than I had anticipated. She must have had a lot of family and friends, more than I gave her credit for. The blue sky was devoid of clouds as I saw the coffin holding Emma being placed in the grave. I couldn’t see very well as the people stood tightly together, obscuring my view.

My mind drifted away from me, and I wondered what I would say. An apology, a promise, a memory; all options that I could say, and probably would say.

The time ticked by, and eventually the burial had officially ended, as many people left for the parking lot, their heads hung low in respect. There were still quite a few people around Emma’s grave, but soon those numbers dwindled until there was no one left. Their wasn’t even a person in the cemetery that I could see. I was alone, and it terrified me.

I knew I had my chance to finally pay my respects to her, but my legs wouldn’t obey, and I found myself shaking. My hands played with the flower in my hand as I tried to force myself to go through with it, but without much success.

At last, I took a step forward, followed by many more. Emma’s grave was in plain sight, and the closer I got, the more my gut tightened. I passed by other tombstones, hardly giving them a second thought. I slowed to a stop, standing over Emma’s grave at last. Her tombstone was elegantly carved, having the impression of love that she always expressed when we hung out together. The message was clear as day itself, and I read it aloud, mostly to remind myself that this was real.

“Emma Margaret,” I read, my mind barely processing that I was speaking at all. I skimmed over the years of life and read the message underneath. “A loving daughter and outstanding officer.”

I was there. I finally had my chance to speak to Emma, though I wished it was face to face. Instead, I stood there, staring at her grave as if it would disappear.

“Hi, Emma,” I whispered, “I just…”

I clammed up, my mind running a wide blank. I couldn’t think of anything to say, and I was hating myself for it. It was my fault she had died, and I couldn’t think of something thoughtful to say on her burial?

“I’m sorry,” I whispered out, my eyes training on my shoes, “If I hadn’t been so careless, If I had paid attention… If I had expected the unexpected, you’d be here right now. But why? Why do you get to keep your promise? I couldn’t, and I can never forgive myself for that. I can see why you made us say that promise to ourselves. You wanted it to mean something.”

I took a few steps forward, resting a hand on her tombstone, the tears stinging my eyes. “I might not have been able to keep my promise, but I will keep others safe. As an officer.”

I ground my teeth, placing the flower on top of the marble with shaky hands as I gripped it tightly with my other hand.

“Please,” I wheezed out, sobbing quietly as tears ran down my face, “Please forgive me, Emma. I couldn’t protect you, I couldn’t keep you safe, and I can't go on without you for very long."

I was met with silence, not even a gust of wind made a sound as it pushed past me. I remained there for some time, until the sun was hovering over the horizon. In that time, I brought up memories of times with Emma and I. Happy times. Ones that could never be repeated.

As the hours passed, I could feel my heart hardening, locking up my emotions. There wasn’t a chance I would let anyone who thought they could kill get away. I had already avenged Emma, but I needed to avenge others that had died.

“I’m going to keep my promise this time,” I said at last, turning away from her grave. I liked to think I had kept that promise. I liked to think that.

{~+~}

I stared at my lap, waiting for some sort of response from the three ponies that had finally learned of my tale. The cigarette that hung in my mouth was nothing but an orange stub at that point, having burned away. I took it out, staring at it a moment before gently flicking it to the ground. I had surprised myself by telling them about Emma’s funeral and burial. It slipped out, but I was glad it did. It just felt sort of right to tell them what had happened in the end.

I heard crying that I hadn’t noticed before, and looking up, I saw that all three of them were sobbing. Their faces were practically drenched with their tears, and they closed their eyes to stop the flow.

“Anyway,” I muttered with a shrug, feeling a bit dull after reliving those memories, “That’s what happened. It’s not as bad as what you guys have been through, but-”

Suddenly, Fluttershy leaped towards me, wrapping her forelegs around my neck as she cried into my chest. The gesture caught me off guard, causing me to gawk at her. I didn’t think she would hug me so soon, considering what she had went through. I accepted it though, draping an arm over her in a return hug.

“I-I’m sorry,” she said softly through my chest, “I-I’m sure that E-Emma was a nice person.”

I didn’t say anything, and simply hugged her tighter. Words couldn’t describe how much I missed Emma, and I knew that they understood that. Even still, I had only lost one person that was special to me. These ponies had lost their homes, their way of life, their freedom, and their loved ones. It bothered me that they were crying over what haunted my mind when they went through worse hardships.

After a moment of hugging Fluttershy, she pulled away, lifting a hoof to wipe away her tears. It was at that moment that Carrot Top walked to my side, looking me dead in the eyes with her saddened green ones.

Then she leaned forward and kissed my cheek, closing her eyes as she did.

I froze in shock, my mind registering what she had done. It was a bit fuzzy and warm, but it was a kiss nonetheless, and that’s all that mattered to me. When the kiss ended, she lingered near my face, almost relishing it for a moment before taking a few steps away from me. Her gaze was downward, but Applejack stood next to me this time, making me turn to her.

“E-Everypony's problems matter, Sugarcube,” she muttered, her breathing raggy after crying. “Don’t think for a moment that what ya went through ain’t important.”

“It-” I said right before Applejack put a hoof over my mouth, silencing me instantly.

“Please,” she begged, the tears building up again, “Please don’t.”

I sighed as she set her hoof down, nodding at her words. The point she was trying to make was that we all experienced loss, and it always mattered, even if it was just a single person. I always thought that someone who went through the most loss was supposed to get more recognition. I was wrong.

My finality hardening as I looked at each pony in turn, knowing who was behind these ponies’ sadness. “We will take back your home,” I muttered, causing their ears to perk as they faced me. “There won’t be any more pain.”

There was silence for a while, until Fluttershy smiled, “Thank you.”

Words affected people in significant ways, and those two words were no different.

{~+~}

After our story telling, we finally fell asleep. Well, the ponies did, I stayed awake a bit longer to make sure no one would jump us. AJ didn’t question it, and in fact, took a turn after she woke up at around sunrise. It was several more hours before any of us got a good amount of rest. We explained to Fluttershy that Rainbow Dash would pick us up the next day, causing her to grow excited at seeing her childhood friend. I was glad she had some good news. After months of being a sex slave, good news must have been rare for her.

We also told her about what happened to us, with a few chuckles along the way when we thought back. Fluttershy was particularly touched when I told her about what happened at the prison, and hoped to meet Alex someday to thank him. The feeling was mutual for me as well.

Our times together in Equestria somehow shifted to my times back on Earth. So I told the group of ponies the misadventures that Emma and I had, most of them ending in laughter. It felt great to have the ponies smiling and laughing, and I understood why Pinkie loved what she did.

The next day, I opted to check my weapons, just to make sure I knew where I stood with my offensive capabilities. Since I was using my revolver more than my shotgun, I was able to save on ammunition, having about thirty-one shotgun shells left. Still, it was the only shells I had left, and even with my conservation, they were still diminishing.

“Nolan?” Fluttershy called beside me where I sat, making me jump with the shotgun in my hold. “Oh, sorry.”

“No, no,” I waved off, turning to her, seeing her apologetic look. “It’s fine, I should have been paying attention.”

Fluttershy really was sweet to put others before herself in every situation, but at the same time, it was a bit annoying. She didn’t need to apologize for everything that got a reaction out of me.

“I just wanted to ask, um, what kind of animals you had where you came from,” she requested, facing away from me, “That is, if you want to.”

“Animals?” I asked, raising a brow as I put my shotgun back on my back.

“Oh yes,” she nodded, her eyes full of wonder, “I love animals, I used to be the animal caretaker for Ponyville before…”

She trailed off, bowing her head as her wonder evaporated on the spot. She didn’t need to finish that sentence, as I was able to figure out what she meant. Thinking over her proposition, I knew I had nothing to lose, and maybe I could cheer her up a little bit. It bothered me that she was that open with me. Applejack told me she was really shy around strangers. I hoped that her time with the humans hadn’t tainted her kindness. Then again, Applejack also said that Fluttershy needed to be more assertive, so it could have been a good thing as well.

“Well,” I started, bringing a hand to my chin in thought. Fluttershy was knocked out of her revery as she looked at me with interest. “We have lots of animals. Lions, tigers, bears, and such.”

“Oh my,” Fluttershy whispered, lifting a hoof to her mouth. It wasn’t out of fright, but I couldn’t tell what it could have been.

“Do you have similar animals?” I asked, forgetting how parallel this world was with my own.

“Of course,” she answered with a fond smile. “I cared for many woodland creatures. Rabbits, squirrels, mice, birds, bears…”

The list went on for quite a while, a smile growing on my lips with each passing second. Eventually, I chuckled loudly, causing her to stop and look at me with confusion.

“What’s so funny?” she asked, a hint of hurt in her tone.

“It’s just how many animals you cared for,” I explained kindly, gesturing a hand to her for emphasis.

“Oh,” she blinked, staring straight ahead for a moment before giving a soft giggle herself. “That is a little funny.”

I shook my head, a broad smile still on my face. It quickly dropped, however, when a shadow passed over us. With only a glance at Fluttershy’s startled expression, I whipped my head to the sky expecting the worst. Unfortunately, the shadow had left, and I got a face full of sunshine as a reward.

I winced, pulling my eyes away as I rubbed them. And while I was doing that, I heard a collective gasp from the three girls, and what sounded like a rough landing of wood.

“Rainbow!” Fluttershy shouted, her hooves running towards something.

Pulling my hands away, I looked over to where I heard the noises, seeing everyone crowd around Rainbow, who had finally arrived with the carriage in tow. Fluttershy was hugging her tightly, and Rainbow was doing the same right back, their faces in pure joy. Honestly, it was quite heartwarming to see two good friends reunited.

After a moment, they broke apart, looking at each other with delight and happiness. “I can’t believe they actually found you, Fluttershy!” Rainbow expressed a wide smile on her face. It was probably the first time I saw her smile like that.

“Had doubts, did you?” I joked as I stepped towards them, a cocky smile on my face.

The confident smirk on Rainbow’s face told me that she had a snappy retort of her own, but when she opened her mouth to reply, AJ cut her off. “Glad you could finally make it, RD,” she thanked with a nod, “Let’s get goin’ back to Las Pegasus now. I wanna get back with Applebloom and the others”

The mention of the city made the expression on Rainbow’s face turn serious as she glanced to each of us. “That reminds me,” she said, causing our own smiles to fade into curiosity, “Princess Cadance and Twilight know what to do next, thanks to Nolan.”

“Me?” I asked incredulously, pointing a finger to myself as everyone looked to me.

“Yeah,” Rainbow nodded, “You know, the idea to get help to take back Equestria.”

I had somewhat forgotten about that, but I was glad that they had taken my advice. “That’s good to hear, I suppose,” I said with a shrug, “Who are you getting help from first?”

Rainbow gave a long sigh, one that sounded very stressful, “The Pegasi at Cloudsdale.”

Chapter 14: Denial

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 14: Denial

The Pegasi at Cloudsdale…

Repeating to myself what Rainbow had said still made me feel like we were going to have a rough ride. They hid out in their cozy home in the clouds while the rest of their kind were attacked and enslaved. Not exactly a generous group. Still, sitting on the carriage back to Las Pegasus gave me ample time to wonder how the situation would go down.

They couldn't ignore a cry for help from their own kind. From what I could figure out, Equestria was very friendly, and ponies in that environment would assist one another. Of course, if they had remained uninvolved since the beginning, they would probably stay that way. Yeah, it was going to be harder than we had thought.

Sighing, I leaned back against the carriage wall, resting my head as gazed up to the roof. I remembered back to our talk with Rainbow, which mostly consisted of what had gone down in Fillydelphia. Needless to say, Rainbow understood all too well that it wasn’t a walk in the park. Plus, she hadn’t spoken to me directly, or even looked at me, since we told her what had happened to Fluttershy. She probably didn’t want to have anything to do with me. Or perhaps she didn't know what to think of me. Which ever the reason, Rainbow and I were definitely distant from each other, but not like how it was when we first met.

At least I had an advantage that Rainbow could use to get into Cloudsdale: the card Spitfire had given me. I hadn't shown it to Rainbow yet, but I could easily hand it to her when we were safe in Las Pegasus.

I glanced over to Fluttershy, seeing her lying on the bench in the carriage, sleeping gently. Her chest slowly rising and falling caused me to smile. Despite the hardships we might have to go through in the future, I was glad Fluttershy could be amongst friends again.

Then the carriage lurched as it landed, causing everyone inside to jolt forward a bit. Fluttershy shot awake, looking around frantically with wide eyes. With a roll of my own eyes, I silently cursed Rainbow for not being a little more gentle with her landing. AJ was right, she did need to work on those.

Being closest to the exit, Carrot Top pushed open the doors leading outside, and I took a glance over her shoulder, seeing only a handful of ponies, and all of them were ones I recognized. I sighed, leaning back against the wall again as I stared off into space. How was a stubborn city like Cloudsdale supposed to help us out if the ponies here wouldn’t even come near me? Would I have to hide myself away when everyone was out fighting? I did not want to be left out of the action, especially since I had a stake in all of it, but it may have to come to that.

And what if the Pegasi refused to support us? What would become of Fluttershy, or Carrot Top… or Applejack? Maybe I was looking a little too much into it. I couldn’t read the future, so there was no point worrying about something that may never come to pass. Still, I didn’t want to raise my hopes too high and then have them crushed.

A hoof nudged my arm, causing me to blink as I turned my head to see Carrot Top. She had a smile on her face, and that was when I noticed that we were alone. Everyone had gone their separate ways.

“You okay?” Carrot Top asked softly, “You’ve been sitting there for a few minutes.”

I let myself think about the question, wondering if I was okay, but eventually nodded. “A lot on my mind lately,” I replied with a small shake of my head, glancing around the area to see if anyone was in sight. “Where’d everybody go?”

“Well, home,” she answered, her smile still on her face. I was curious as to why she was smiling so much. It made me cautious for some reason, like she was hiding something. I shrugged off the feeling; I trusted Carrot Top as much as she trusted me.

“I guess I’ll head for my own home,” I said with a accepting expression on my face. As I pushed myself to my feet, I could see Carrot Top’s smile quickly turn into a frown, causing my eyebrow to raise.

“Wait,” she said, holding up a hoof, her eyes darting outside before turning back to me, “There’s, uh, something we need to go over at the Headquarters.”

“What is it?” I asked, a hint of impatience in my voice. I was growing tired by the second, and a tad bit grumpy.

“Just follow me,” she explained, her smile returning in full as she hopped out of the carriage. I didn’t want to be rude by blowing her off, so I climbed down from the carriage as well, walking just behind her. It didn’t need to be said that the streets were empty, not a soul in sight. I found it strange that none of the other ponies had asked me what had happened on our mission, but perhaps they were reluctant to bring it up.

Then I remembered Pinkie Pie, and how she was still being rehabilitated to her normal self. The thought of having a ‘normal’ Pinkie was absurd to me for some reason. Never the less, I wanted to know how it was going, and if there was any progress.

“Carrot Top,” I called, causing her to look back towards me, her smile still on her lips. It was making me uneasy. “Did you see Pinkie Pie? How is she doing?”

She was taken off guard by my question, her jaw opening as she tried to think of something to say. “She… she was there when we arrived,” she answered, quickly facing the front again to avoid eye contact. The way she phrased her answer was more than enough reason to be concerned. Not only that, but I didn’t recall seeing Pinkie when we got back.

“And…?” I trailed off, hoping she would catch on. Carrot Top missed a step, and stumbled forward a bit, thrown off by my persistence.

“Oh, uh…” she said, sounding like she was trying to cover something up. It was getting very irritating. “Oh! W-We’re here!”

I looked up, seeing that we were just outside the bookstore. “That’s great and all, but-” I was cut off as I faced Carrot Top again, only to see her slip inside without another word.

At that point, I was just plain confused. Empty streets, ponies ignoring me, not answering all of my questions; it was becoming all too familiar, and I was nervous because of it. If they reverted to their old ways of discriminating me, then that would mean that something had come up. Something that must have really messed up my reputation, again.

Knowing I had to set things straight, I briskly made for the door, hoping I could speak my case. Which would probably happen, since Carrot Top had lead me right to them. With the turn of the knob, I opened the door, noting that the interior was very dark for some reason. As I entered, I wondered if I was tricked into coming there to be trapped or ambushed. And if that was the case, then I-

“Surprise!” many ponies shouted at once, the lights clicking on as I jumped back in mild fright, my hand on my revolver handle. Confetti rained down from the ceiling as I saw balloons and party decorations flood my vision. There were ponies laughing in celebration, though the only ones around were the ones I recognized. There wasn’t a single pony I didn’t know on some level. Trixie, Doctor Styles, Princess Cadance, even Shining Armor, though he looked like he wanted to be anywhere else.

Of course, I was so dumbfounded that I just stared at them, unsure how to feel about the situation. It was obviously a surprise party, but… it was so sudden! I suppose that would be the point of such a party, but it was still off-putting for myself.

Pinkie Pie bounced over to me, instantly catching my attention as I gawked at her. Her mane and tail were all poofy, like cotton candy, though way more smooth looking. Her pink colors were brighter than the last time I had seen her, and she had a wide smile on her face. She was actually expressing joy.

“P-Pinkie?” I asked, more baffled than I’d been for quite some time.

“Yep, it’s me!” she cheered, bouncing in front of me as my eyes traced her up and down movements. “So were you surprised, Nolan? Huh? Huh? Were ya?”

I calmed down a bit, seeing as it wasn’t some trap being placed for me, “I… yes, Pinkie, I was surprised.”

The words were familiar yet foreign at the same time. Mostly because the surprises I was familiar with were very violent. I didn’t tell her this, though, and why would I? This was a party for others to smile and be happy. Even still, I could only stare at Pinkie like the whole thing was one big ruse to get me to let my guard down.

“That’s what I was hoping for!” she cheered, halting in her bouncing and looking up to me. She saw my frown, causing her to frown herself and lower her head as if she was scolded. “Do you… not like it?”

Shit, seeing a sad Pinkie again was just plain heartbreaking, like Fluttershy. These ponies sure knew how to play with my emotions. I held up my hands, waving them rapidly to dissuade her sadness. “No, not at all, Pinkie,” I said, causing a small smile to emerge from her, “but I guess I didn’t expect you to change into a completely different person, uh, pony in under a week.”

Pinkie faced down a moment in thought, her smile faltering before facing the group of other ponies that were gathering around, some who were both concerned and confused about our conversation. Eventually, Pinkie looked back to her friends, and I instantly understood how she had changed, and I felt foolish for having to ask.

“We helped her,” Dusty announced at last, taking a few steps forward. “We just… made her realize that hope wasn’t lost simply because the humans took everything.”

I stared at Dusty a moment, before I gave a small smirk, “That was pretty intelligent of you.”

He grunted, though it sounded more humorous than annoyance, “Yeah, well, get used to it.”

Everyone got a good chuckle out of that, including myself. I caught Pinkie staring at Dusty with a kind smile on her face before shaking it off, turning back to me. “Let’s get this party started!” she shouted, followed by a yell of agreement from everyone else.

Before Pinkie could trot off to check on the other party goers, I put a hand on her back, as I still had a question. “What’s this party for?” I inquired, gesturing with a hand at the room.

“For a lot of things,” she explained cheerily, “but to make a very long list short, it’s for you!”

I was about to ask what I did to deserve a party, but I stopped myself, remembering the stuff I had done for these ponies. I had to laugh at myself a bit for forgetting that. Instead, I smiled at her, and her own smile grew because of it. “Thanks, Pinkie,” I said, truly grateful.

“You're welcome. It’s what friends are for, right?” she responded, and zipped away before I could give an answer. I suppose it was rhetorical, but I felt like I was obligated to answer, especially to her. She deserved to go back to the way she was, before the humans invaded. It was refreshing to see her so chipper.

And at that moment, I was tackled to the ground, stopping my heart for the briefest moment before almost knocking my head against the wall because of the force. I found Derpy laying on my chest, hugging and nuzzling my neck tightly as she thanked me up and down. I was speechless, wondering what she could be thanking me for. I hadn’t seen her since leaving for the prison to save the foals, and that felt like weeks ago.

“Derpy?” I questioned, sitting up and gently pushing her away from my neck to see her clearly. My chest was slightly sore where she had slammed into me, though I was more worried for her. “What are you thanking me for?”

Derpy simply gave me a blank stare with one eye as the other looked up. I had to admit, she looked kind of adorable with that wall-eyed expression of hers. After a second, her face lit up, like she had momentarily forgotten the reason but had recovered. “Oh, for saving my little muffin!”

“Uh, what?” I asked.

“That’s me! That's me!” a filly cried out in glee, somewhere behind Derpy.

Derpy flew into the air, revealing a small filly with a light purple coat and a mane that matched Derpy’s. She ran up next to me with a large smile as I stood up again, hoping she wouldn’t suddenly jump on me as I did.

“That’s my daughter, Dinky Doo,” Derpy explained landing beside the filly and wrapping a foreleg around her neck. “You saved her with the other foals at the prison.”

It made sense, but it felt odd that Derpy had to wait a long time to thank me. And she was still ecstatic about it. Was she holding in all of her enthusiasm to give her gratitude to me all this time? I felt kind of honored, though I also felt rotten for forcing her to wait. I wasn’t really sure why.

“Don’t hurt him too much, Derpy,” Twilight called with a chuckle, trotting over to my other side. “He only just got back from Fillydelphia.”

“Oh yeah!” Derpy shouted, her eyes wide as if she had forgotten where I had gone. “Did you save any more ponies there?”

Twilight faced Derpy with a smile, “That’s the first thing you ask?”

“Of course,” Derpy nodded, before she frowned, giving Twilight a funny look, “Why wouldn't it be?”

Twilight blinked with a bewildered expression before shaking her head, her smile returning, “You got me there, Derpy.”

I didn’t meet their eyes when they looked up to me for my answer. I could think of something they could have asked first, but I wondered if it was rude to shake their foundations so soon. They seemed to notice my reluctance, their faces growing worried, even Dinky’s.

“What’s the matter, Mr. Nolan?” she asked, making my heart ache. She didn’t need to hear what I had to say.

“Nothing, kiddo,” I said with a forced smile before gesturing towards the CMC not too far away, “I just need to talk to Derpy and Twilight alone for a moment.”

“Oh, okay,” she said before bounding off happily, a skip in her step.

Derpy watched Dinky join the other fillies with a look of concerned bafflement before facing me again. “Why did you send her off?” Derpy asked, and I sighed sadly.

“Something… happened to Fluttershy,” I explained, my hand running through my hair as I tried to word the situation the best I could. Derpy and Twilight glanced to each other, their faces contorted with concern. I opened my mouth, but my mind ran dry with a way to disclose the news. “Fluttershy, she was, um…”

My voice was grave at that point, and my reluctance was very apparent as I suddenly became aware of exactly where my arms were. Derpy and Twilight stepped even closer, their eyes telling me they feared for what would be said. I took a deep breath, “She was sexually assaulted by a human.”

Just saying those words made me cringe, like I was the culprit for the deed. And the expressions of dismay and horror made it worse. “She was…?” Twilight whispered out, falling to her haunches, her brain failing to absorb the news.

“Fluttershy…” Derpy whispered out, her eyes clamped shut. Then, her eyes shot open as she shouted, “Fluttershy was raped!?”

Derpy threw her hooves over her mouth, but the damage was already done. I winced from both her volume and the context as the chatter around the room was silenced immediately. All eyes were facing Derpy, who was breathing raggedly through her hoof with water in her eyes. Everyone’s stares went to Fluttershy, who stood by Rainbow Dash, the latter nervously looking to everyone staring at them, and the former hiding behind her mane. What was worse was that Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Dinky heard Derpy yell as well as they looked over with confusion. They were so innocent that they didn't even know what rape meant.

“Wha- Who…?” Twilight said, still taken by shock. I already knew about what happened to Fluttershy, but hearing it from someone else made me feel worse. My heart clenched as my shoulders sagged. I wished Fluttershy didn’t need to go through that.

“D-Did that human do it!?” Trixie shouted, pointing a shaky hoof at me like I would strike her for it. My gaze was somber by that point as it fell to the ground.

“No!” Applejack said instantly, jumping in front of me to stand defensively. “He had nothin’ ta do with it!”

Though that statement was one hundred percent true, I still had this pit in my stomach, like what Applejack said was also a lie. I didn’t understand it, and I was becoming quezzy because of it.

“I need some air,” I said quickly, making for the door. The eyes of everyone in the room were like pin pricks on my back. It was very uncomfortable, even when I was opening the door to the sunlit outside.

“Nolan…” Applejack called weakly, but I ignored her, closing the door behind me. I stood there for a moment, wishing I could have done something to prevent what had happened to Fluttershy, but I knew there was no way I could. I walked away from the door and towards the wall next to it, leaning an arm against it as I faced downward. Why was I so hung over it anyway? Applejack was raped too, right?

Although, just thinking about what happened to Applejack made me grimace. She had everything taken away, and yet I'm more worried for Fluttershy. It may have been because Fluttershy was meeker, but that didn't stop me from hating myself.

I shook my head, knowing I needed to do something to distract my mind. The empty shooting range suddenly came to mind, and I inwardly shrugged to myself. I didn’t see a reason why not, and I could use the extra practice. I shifted my body to briskly head over to the empty lot, arriving there in no time at all.

It hadn’t changed a bit from when I was there last time, the same empty area with a red and white target at the other end. I took out my revolver, opening up the cylinder to make sure it was loaded. Satisfied, I closed it and took aim, shifting my weight between my feet.

“Elbows slightly bent,” I whispered, “Controlled breathing, and…”

I squeezed the trigger, the bullet firing off and hitting the target in the direct center. I allowed myself a small smirk before firing the remaining bullets in the cylinder. Each time I fired, I thought about why I was helping these ponies, though I wasn’t sure why I was thinking of that particularly. It was just what was on my mind: Getting home, freeing everyone, doing the right thing, helping my friends… and being a hero.

After I fired the last bullet, hitting the center like the others, the final thought that passed through my mind stayed behind, causing me to lower my gun as I reflected on it. I declared myself not a hero to Applejack and the others one time before, but after everything I’d gone through, what I would go through, could I consider myself a hero? I was too modest to proclaim myself as one, but maybe the others would.

“Whoa,” the voice of Twilight said in awe, kicking me out of my thoughts as I turned around with a raised brow. She stood there with an interested look, turning between myself and the target.

“You're so good,” she said trotting up to me as I grunted in acknowledgement, pulling out a handful of ammunition.

“Not really a big deal,” I said somewhat quietly, still a bit put off by the comment earlier as I reloaded my revolver.

“Not a big deal?!” Twilight repeated, her eyes wide as her wings fluttered for a moment in agitation, “I may have only read about humans, but that was unbelieveable.”

“That’s the thing though,” I emphasised, holstering my revolver, “You’ve only read-”

I stopped myself, remembering that Twilight was a bookworm who actually studied humans, albeit in a closed off bunker. She may be smart enough to know what’s wrong with me, though it was weird to think of a pony as a psychologist.

“Nolan?” Twilight asked, tilting her head to the side, but I didn’t reply right away, even though I knew what I wanted to do, for I didn't know how to word my request. “Nolan, are you okay?”

I took a deep breath, bracing myself for whatever may happen next. “Could you help me out?” I asked nicely, and Twilight pulled her head back ever so slightly. My question must have shocked her, but only by a very small amount. Her face had a look of interest, wondering what would bring about my behavior. Hopefully in the next few minutes, she would know what's been going on with me.

I sighed again, lowering myself to the ground to sit down, leaning my back against the sandbags that formed a wall between the streets and the firing range. My eyes traveled to the boundless sky, and before I knew it, I found myself talking.

“There’s been something on my mind since rescuing Fluttershy,” I started, and from the corner of my eye, I could see Twilight walking up to me and sitting on her haunches, listening intently with a caring expression. “I didn’t give it much thought until a few minutes ago. For some reason, I feel guilty for what happened to Fluttershy. Not just her, but everyone: Applejack, Carrot Top, Pinkie Pie. It may not have been me who did terrible things to them, but my own species did.”

My eyes flickered down to my hands, which laid on my lap limply. I remembered how I stared at them when I nearly beat that man mercilessly, remembering how I had lost control. “In my own world, I’d barely blink if I learned someone was hurt by another human. I was so used to our world being so unforgiving and ruthless, that I would hardly care if I learned that someone was murdered on the news. In this world, in Equestria, it's different. Your home was a kind and friendly place, and the humans came and ruined everything.”

Twilight’s face lit up in realization, probably knowing what I was getting to, but she remained quiet, waiting for me to finish first. “Ponies and humans may be similar in intelligence and such, but they’re different in the physical sense. What they’ve done, I’ve basically inherited. I’m a human, just like them, and in a way, it makes me feel like I was responsible for what my species did. It wasn’t a human hurting another human, but a human hurting a pony…”

I finally turned my head to Twilight who was frowning, her eyes glazed over as she faced the ground. “A poor, innocent pony,” I whispered, putting a hand over my forehead. It was ironic; I kept telling these ponies over and over that I wasn’t with the other humans, and there I was saying that it felt like everything was my fault someway. Maybe their constant insults had gotten to me.

"You've lost control..." Twilight muttered, causing my ears to strain just to hear it.

"Control?" I repeated, looking at her quizzically.

"Right," Twilight confirmed with a nod, fidgeting with her hooves as she spoke, "You were part of the law enforcement back in your world, so you're used to being able to handle a situation."

I scratched my chin, thinking over what she said. Unfortunately I couldn't think for long before she continued. "In Equestria, however," she said, a hoof idly hovering over her chest, "You don't have any way of controlling what's been happening, and you feel lost. And you express that through guilt."

I swallowed, my mind instantly going back to how I felt about Emma. I was unable to prevent her death, which would be a form of uncontrollable events. It made sense, especially since I was feeling like crap, just like back then.

"And you don't rely on your friends," Twilight added, hastily turning away from me, attempting to hide a small smile. I balked at her, completely stunned by her words as I stared at her with a furrowed brow.

"Uh, excuse me?" I asked, leaning forward a little to see if I could hear right.

"You don't let your friends take some of the weight off your shoulders," Twilight explained, her eyes glancing towards me before turning to the ground. "I'm willing to bet you were the same back where you're from."

When I thought about it, she was right. After Emma died, I distanced myself from everyone, taking measures into my own hands. It was one of the reasons why I joined S.W.A.T., to not have to worry about half the stuff that I used to. Another reason was so I could kill bastards before they could hurt someone, no exceptions.

“What you need to do is understand that you have no attachment to those other humans,” Twilight summed up, getting back to her previous analysis. “It was those humans that hurt everyone, not you.”

Hearing Twilight say that honestly did make me feel better, causing me to give a ghost of a smile. It had erased a bit of the blame I had placed on myself, though some of it still lingered. But I could play it off. I could use that blame to drive me forward and help everyone else. Nodding to Twilight in silent thanks, I stood to my feet, rubbing my shoulder a bit from having to carry around my armor.

“I’ll keep that in mind, Twilight,” I said sincerely, heading for my shack, “I’m going to catch some rest.”

“What about Pinkie’s party?” Twilight asked with a frantic tone, quickly flying past to land in front of me, halting my movement. “She put a lot of work into it, and she was really looking forward to it.”

Any argument that came to mind was instantly thrown out, knowing how Pinkie was before I had left. With the help of her friends, Pinkie was able to become her old self again, cheery and fun, and I didn't want to upset her because I was tired. Add the fact that she went through the trouble of giving me a party, and it was impossible to refuse. My rest would have to wait.

“Alright,” I subsided before I jabbed a finger at her chest, “But you have to tell me specifically how Pinkie got better. I want to… know how well she was taken care of.”

Twilight gave a bright smile as a response, “Yes, of course. It’s not very long, but I’d be happy to explain.”

Nodding, I whirled around as she trotted up to my side, looking up at me as she spoke. “We first had to learn a little bit about Pinkie herself, which was actually the hardest part. She was reluctant to talk about her family and home, probably because of…”

She trailed off, failing to come up with a good word to use. “Certain events,” I finished, wondering why ponies had to dance around the issue like it was a sore topic for everyone. Sure, it was way too soon to talk about it like it was a normal thing, but everyone acted like it was taboo to mention the invasion.

“Right, certain events,” Twilight agreed, clearing her throat awkwardly like she had realized how ridiculous her beating around the bush was. “Well, we learned that Pinkie had no experience with death whatsoever, not even with her grandparents.”

“How is that possible?” I asked doubtfully, raising an eyebrow.

“I don’t know,” Twilight admitted with a shake of her head, “But I think it’s because her parents never brought it up, perhaps telling her lies about what actually happened.”

I grunted, “I guess the shock of death at the Crystal Empire didn’t do so well to her head.”

“It must have been horrible for her,” Twilight muttered, her head bowed low. “Fluttershy is at least familiar with her animals dying, Pinkie was completely broken. To see her turn into somepony else…”

Twilight closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves before reopening her eyes. “Anyway,” she said, her voice slightly strained to control herself, “once we learned about that, we told her about death, and how it’s a part of life. She thought that no one really died, like the princesses. It felt strange to explain something like that to a mare of her age. It was kinda depressing too.”

Every pony I had met who had known Pinkie had said how carefree and merry she was. If she didn’t know about death, I wondered how that would have affected her. To not know about death must have been blissful, and then to have it all come crashing down in one fell swoop. Damn, I couldn’t even imagine it.

“What about her split personalities?” I asked, keeping the conversation moving as we approached the library. “Was that some sort of defense mechanism or something?”

Twilight shrugged, “I’m not really sure. It definitely came about at seeing the state at the Crystal Empire, but it seems like it had manifested before we arrived there. It may have been there before we even met her."

We stopped right outside of the building, noticing how eerily quiet it was inside. All I could make out was a single voice speaking to a group. It sounded like Applejack's, but I focused on Twilight with a look of contemplation. “How’s her condition now?” I asked, gesturing towards the door.

“Well,” Twilight stated, facing the door like she could see through it, “Once we explained the concept of death, she calmed down enough. We told her that even though there was death, that doesn’t mean she can’t be her old self again.”

“And then she just…” I said, rolling my hand to come up with the right word before settling with, “changed? Right on the spot?”

“There’s not much logic to it,” Twilight sighed, probably just as lost about the action herself as her head sunk in exasperation, “But it’s Pinkie Pie. As far as I can tell, she’s back to the way she once was.”

I chuckled quietly, “A childish, happy, excitable pony with cotton candy for a mane and tail?”

Twilight giggled at my joke, covering her mouth with a hoof. “I missed that side of her for so long,” she said more to herself than to me.

The Pinkie I had seen before me was the real Pinkie, not the half psychotic, half somber one I had met in that asylum. First impressions were important, because how a person meets someone the first time is how that someone will see that person. I really wanted to believe that the Pinkie not fifteen feet away from me was truly the one and only pink party pony. But this lingering feeling inside of me made me feel like it was a hoax. I didn’t like it, but I had to cover it up, and get used to it.

"Hey, Nolan," Twilight whispered, causing me to look at her, curious as to why her voice was so hushed. She was right next to the entrance, peeking through the crack created by the door. "Come here."

I raised an eyebrow at her behavior, but obliged anyway, keeping my movement slow to keep quiet for whatever reason. I stood behind Twilight, leaning in to see what she was so quiet about. All I saw was the group of ponies standing or sitting huddled together. They were all looking towards Applejack who stood before them, deep into some sort of story telling.

“With the cover of the smoke, everypony high tailed it into the sewer entrance,” she said with a little more drama than necessary. Nonetheless, the statement caused me to move my head back in confusion, wondering what in the hell she was talking about. “But when me, Carrot Top, and Octavia made it, Vinyl was shot by a bullet through the smoke.”

It suddenly clicked in my head that she was retelling the story of the little engagement in Fillydelphia, when we rescued Octavia and Vinyl. How that topic of discussion came to play was probably a distraction for Fluttershy’s sake. I was actually interested to hear Applejack’s side of the story, curious to see from a different perspective. Silently, I lightly pushed open the door, scooting past Twilight as I entered undetected.

“Don’t leave us hangin’, sis,” Applebloom said excitedly, making me ponder why Applejack would tell a kid a story like mine, “What happened next?”

“Keep your bow on,” Applejack chuckled with a wave of her hoof as I crept over to a nearby wooden chair, sitting back into it. “I’m gettin’ to that part. Well, Nolan said he’d get her, and that’s exactly what he did.”

“What happened to Vinyl?” Sweetie asked, stepping forward a bit as her voice suggested she was concerned, “Is she alright?”

“She’s fine, Sweetie,” Applejack said with a wink, “If it wasn’t for Nolan, I don’t think she’d have made it.”

In my seat, I squirmed a bit from the praise, not used to it at all. Not on Earth, and certainly not here. The guilt I had for myself dwindled away even more, and I found myself smiling. “Wow,” Rainbow muttered, bringing a hoof to her mouth as she thought to herself, “When I think about it, I’ve never seen him in combat. I wonder how good he is.”

I rested my head back, the rest of the conversation becoming nothing but gibberish as I continued my smile. Leave it to Applejack to boost my confidence.

“Oh, uh, Nolan,” the voice of Applejack said, causing me to look up instantly. The eyes of everyone else was upon me, but I only looked at Applejack, who was playing with her hooves as she looked anywhere but at me. “How long were you there?”

I kept my voice neutral, even with the handful of eyes on me. “I just got here, actually,” I said, my smile growing a little bit more. “Thanks for that, by the way.”

Applejack cleared her throat, lifting a hoof up to her mouth to help as I saw a faint blush on her cheeks for the briefest time. “Nothing to it,” she said humbly before Pinkie stepped forward.

“So, uh, Nolan,” she said nervously, though I had no idea why she would, as her eyes flickered to the side and back to me, “Did you want to keep partying?”

She sounded hopeful, and the large eyes she had was evidence enough that my answer hinged on whether she would be happy or not. I had already decided before hand, so with my smile still on my lips, I nodded, “Of course, Pinkie. Wouldn’t want to disappoint you.”

Pinkie perked up immediately, jumping in the air with a hoof pump, if that was accurate enough. “Alright!” Pinkie cheered as she landed, whipping around to the other ponies, “Let’s get this party started!”

{~+~}

I was standing outside beside the bookstore, the party having calmed down after a few hours. I had my pack of cigarettes in my hand, contemplating whether to take a smoke or not. It was slightly frustrating, seeing as I had so few that I actually had to ration them out to myself. But when would be a good time to smoke? That was the question that I was debating with myself. I couldn’t ask any of the ponies for advice, since they weren’t even familiar with a cigarette to begin with.

Though I knew I’d feel slightly moody, I slipped the pack back into my vest pouch with a sigh. Maybe I could raid somebody’s room when I visited another city to see if they had a cigarette or two. I wondered if the humans here even had cigarettes. Anyway, as far as I knew, everyone was still inside, partying as much as they could. I chuckled what had happened in that single room: games, delicious snacks, and more than a few conversations. Though the party felt more for kids, it was nice.

The door opened, and out walked Rainbow, giving a long exhale as she looked down to the ground. She looked very tired, and I was sure it wasn’t because of the long party.

“Something on your mind?” I inquired with a raised brow, catching her attention as her eyes glanced up to me before moving over to the door.

“Yeah, just having to deal with the other Pegasi,” she admitted, sitting on the ground. “It’s going to be a pain to have to get them to help us.”

“You have any sort of plan in mind?” I asked, idly taking out my knife to examine it. It was relatively clean, though I was sure there was some dried blood or something on it.

“Not yet,” Rainbow revealed, facing the door with a bored look, “We’re going to talk about it once Pinkie’s party is-”

“Over!” Pinkie shouted from a nearby window next to me. I jumped back, nearly dropping my knife. I whipped my head over to the window, seeing it was wide open with Pinkie Pie leaning out of it with a smirk.

“The party’s over?” I asked, calming my heart down, “Just like that?”

“I know when to end a party, Nolan,” she stated as she leaned an elbow on the window sill, with half lidded eyes. “And now is that time.”

I knew Pinkie was random, so I could accept what she said as truth, I suppose. I looked over to Rainbow, who simply nodded, as if telling me that it was normal. Getting used to this Pinkie Pie would be harder than I thought. Rainbow nonchalantly shrugged at my perplextion with a hidden smile before heading for the door. I followed her, through my thoughts were still baffled. How far would Pinkie go with her shenanigans?

Upon entering the building, I saw everyone cleaning up the mess of balloons and trash that littered the room. They were almost done, what with the room pretty much clean. Many bags of garbage were already piling up along the walls as Shining Armor threw the last bag over to them with a grunt. Everyone glanced around, in case they had missed a piece of trash. Not seeing one, they turned to Princess Cadance, who smiled at all of them.

“I think its time to discuss our next move,” she announced, before turning to Doctor Styles. “Doctor, could you gather everyone that does not need to be here and give us a bit of privacy?”

“Of course,” Doctor Styles answered with a short bow before turning to Trixie and the foals, “Come on, everypony, let’s let them do what they need to do.”

The foals whined but followed him out. Trixie, Derpy, and the Nurse left in a line as well, and before Carrot Top left to join them, she turned to me with a blank look. I looked behind me, in case she was seeing something I wasn’t, but found nothing.

“Uh, what’s the matter?” I questioned, facing her again while waving my hand to gain her attention. She was snapped out of her reverie as she blinked before blushing a bit, hastily leaving with the rest and closing the door in her wake. It was a peculiar behavior, but my mind was pondering something else. Seeing them leave made me think we were kicking them out, like they didn’t deserve to hear what would happen. I was sure that Cadance had her reasons though.

Scratching the back of my head, I made my way over to the table where everyone else was just getting comfortable. I took a seat of my own, deciding to start what we would talk about.

“So,” I said, glancing at everyone, “The Pegasi, right?”

“Right,” Rainbow answered with a nod, “Getting them to help would be great for us, and bad for the humans.”

“That could be said for any other ally you plan on getting,” I argued, turning from Rainbow to Cadance, “Why the Pegasi first?”

“The most obvious reason,” Cadance said with a sigh, “Is because they were, and still are, a part of Equestria. If they don’t assist us, then we will have lost one third of our population already.”

That must have been why Rainbow was a bit on edge. It was very important that the Pegasi help us out. And seeing how I’d only met two Pegasi outside of the residents of Las Pegasus, that must mean that all of them were holed up in one single cloud city. And with the knowledge that they couldn’t grow food up there, provided by Spitfire, they may get desperate and do something they would regret.

“What we’re going to do,” Cadance said, looking quite determined as she paused to make sure we were all listening, “is send Rainbow Dash to Cloudsdale to convince them to join us.”

I raised a brow, “Why Rainbow Dash?”

I saw from the corner of my eye how Rainbow puffed her chest out slightly as Cadance answered. “She’s well known amongst the Pegasi,” she explained with a hoof gesturing to her, “They’ll listen to her, and hopefully she can convince them to join us.”

“But you’re a princess,” I stressed, “Wouldn’t they listen to you more than Rainbow?”

Cadance shook her head, “I’ve been in stasis for most of the occupation. I don’t know a lot of the hardships that everypony had to go through. But Rainbow Dash has been helping the Resistance since the beginning.”

Having Rainbow Dash in charge of diplomacy made me feel like things would turn out bad.

“Should be a piece of cake,” Rainbow declared with a flutter of her wings, her eyes showing that she was overconfident. “But I wouldn’t mind someone coming with me.”

“Why don’t I tag along?” I asked as I looked over to Rainbow Dash.

“What?!” Dusty shouted as everyone else gave me funny looks like I had spoken gibberish, “Are you crazy?!”

I lifted my arms in a way that would show I was dumbfounded, looking at everyone at the table. “Whoa, just hold your-” I stopped myself just in time to change what I was saying, “words… What’s wrong with me heading to Cloudsdale?”

“Are you kidding me?” Dusty said with an irritated sigh, rubbing his forehead with a hoof. Taking a deep breath, he put his hoof down gently as he spoke, “The Pegasi would tear you apart as soon as you set foot there. That is, if you could set foot there.”

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know that I couldn’t stand on clouds, but I had to wonder how the Pegasi did. Was it just because they were Pegasi? It would make sense, considering they could fly. Rainbow faced me sympathetically, all cockiness evaporating as she dipped her head down slightly.

“I know you don’t like being put on the sidelines,” she said, “Trust me, I feel ya. But this is just something only we can handle.”

I grumbled to myself, leaning back in my seat. They were right, there was no way I would be able to stand on clouds long enough to utter a single word. Still, being left behind was not something I liked to do. Defeated, I shook my head with a shrug, and Cadance continued with the discussion. “So, who’ll accompany Rainbow?”

Dusty briefly raised a hoof long enough to catch our attention before setting it back down. “I don’t mind,” he announced, adjusting the coat that he wore, “Need to get out more anyway.”

Rainbow nodded in approval, “And we can leave first thing tomorrow.”

“Excellent,” Cadance praised with a beaming smile, glad to have things running smoothly. But as quick as it came, it left as Cadance faced Fluttershy, on edge with what she would ask next. Fluttershy sensed her anxiety, causing her to shrink down slightly, especially when everyone looked to her as well. “There is something else we need to talk about, and you’re the only one who can help, Fluttershy.”

Despite being under some pressure, Fluttershy lifted her head ever so slightly, showing bravery if only just. “W-What do you need my help for?” she asked, her hooves brought up to her chest in a form of protection.

“You were the last one that saw Rarity, right?” Cadance asked kindly, causing everyone to perk up at that, including myself. I had forgotten that Fluttershy and Rarity were a part of Luna’s Company, which I so aptly named for the time being. If anyone would know where the last Element of Harmony was, it would be Fluttershy.

However, with everyone’s expectations rising, it made Fluttershy’s resolve strained as she lowered her head a bit. That wasn’t a good sign at all.

“Sorry,” she squeaked out, her head so low that her muzzle was below the table, “We were separated in Canterlot, after we were captured. I… I don’t know where she is.”

A collective, disappointed sigh was heard from everyone, probably from having a good amount of hope plummeting. I hadn’t raised my hopes as high, knowing that they were in different locations to begin with. And Fluttershy didn’t seem like the type to pay attention when she was afraid. Though, I couldn’t blame her. Especially after what happened in Fillydelphia.

Cadance allowed a short minute to let us think before speaking up. “I believe that’s all we shall discuss for today,” she declared, with a frown, causing Fluttershy to whimper from being unable to assist. “Catch some rest, especially you two, Nolan, Applejack.”

Rest would be nice. Having not to worry about someone sneaking up on me would be nice. But staying behind while someone else went to try to convince an entire part of a species to join us was not nice. There had to be way I could help, I just needed to think outside the box…

As everyone got up to leave, an idea came to my mind, and I stood up instantly, accidentally knocking over my chair. “Twilight,” I called, catching her before she could leave as I made my way over to her, “Do you know some sort of spell that’ll help me go with Rainbow?”

I didn’t need to hear Rainbow’s groan to know that she was growing annoyed with my persistence, and Twilight sighing in exasperation added to that effect. “I do know a spell that can allow you to walk on clouds for a short time,” she explained, unintentionally making my heart leap in not only surprise but delight, “But you heard Rainbow and Dusty, you going to Cloudsdale would only cause a panic. Right now, we need to take things slowly.”

I was growing angry, but they had their reasons, and I couldn’t fight that. Instead, I gripped my hands, trying to drive out the small amount of fury I had while taking a deep breath. There was no way I could get them to agree with me, and I just had to accept it.

“Fine, fine,” I submitted, running a hand down my face. I was getting too tired to make much of an argument anyway. Perhaps I could persuade them tomorrow before they leave, that sounded like a plan.

“Come on, Nolan,” Applejack said, grabbing my jacket sleeve with her teeth, “Let’s get you to a nice bed. How’s that sound?”

I softly chuckled at her motherly behavior, allowing myself to be pulled towards the door. “That sounds good, AJ,” I said as she let me go, turning her body as her head focused on me.

“For ya, it should sound wonderful,” Applejack said, drawling out the last word to make it more appealing. And I had to say, it worked. As I walked through the doorway with her, dragging my feet slightly, I realized how exhausted I really was. I was gone for only a few days, but those days were tense. Some sleep would do me good.

“Nolan! Wait a sec!” I heard Pinkie call as I looked over my shoulder, seeing her gallop over to me. Before I could turn to her, she had ran to the front of me, causing me to halt, Applejack doing the same. The smile Pinkie had on her lips told me she was excited about something. “Did you like my party?”

“Uh, yeah, I liked it,” I answered, feeling slightly unsettled by the question, “Why?”

“No, Nolan,” Pinkie scolded, an annoyed look on her face, “Did you really like it?”

“And I said yes, Pinkie,” I said back, raising my voice from irritance, “Why are you asking?”

Pinkie bit her lip, a hoof pawing at the ground a bit in nervous tension before speaking, her eyes set to the floor. “It’s… It’s the first party I’ve given after a long time,” she explained quietly. “I wasn’t sure if I lost my touch or not. And I’m still not sure.”

“Pinkie Pie,” Applejack said with a smile, shaking her head, “That party was a hoot. You don’t need ta worry too much.”

“Sorry, Applejack,” Pinkie said with a half smirk, “But this was a party for Nolan, and if he didn’t like it, then I failed.”

I was about to say she shouldn't think like that, but the party really was for me. It was up to me whether the party was a success or not, though I wish it didn't hinge on my answer alone.

"Ya know," I said, a hand on my chin, "this would be the first time I've had a party like that since I was eleven or twelve. And being able to enjoy something pretty simple, and to forget my troubles for just a few hours... It was nice."

Pinkie looked up to me, her silence indicating she was waiting patiently for my answer. And with a small smile, I did just that. "It was a good party, Pinkie. It's something I needed here in Equestria, and I'm glad you cared about me enough to give it to me. It's more than I can hope back home."

Pinkie smiled brightly, her eyes closed as she looked up at me. Seeing her so happy made me… Damn, it was hard to explain. Before I knew it, Pinkie hopped up and wrapped her hooves around my neck in a hug, and surprised, I instinctively caught her, putting my hands around her back.

“I’m super duper glad you liked it,” she said, her hooves tightening, “I… Thank you.”

Pinkie put herself into that party, wanting to give me something special after everything I’d been through. It was memorable, I’ll give her that, but it wasn’t because of the games or food or decorations. It was because of how everyone was having a good time. They had forgotten what having a Pinkie Pie party was like, and it just felt right.

“Don’t stop partying, Pinkie,” I said, amazed that I would say something that corny.

I heard a small sob from Pinkie, “I won’t. Not until I die.”

Death. She had learned that concept recently, and for some reason, I was pleased she understood it. If everyone lived indefinitely, we wouldn't appreciate the lives we live. And I had to make these ponies a life worth living, by kicking the humans out of Equestria.

And the only way to do that was to get the Pegasi to get their heads out of the clouds and help us.

Author's Note

Please give Legion222 a huge thanks, as he stayed up past midnight with his school, chores, and such to get this edited as soon as possible.

Chapter 15: Upward

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 15: Upward

My eyes fluttered open, grogginess hitting me like a train. My head had a dull pounding that made me bring a hand to it, rubbing it tenderly. When I brought my hand away, I stared at the ceiling as I lay on my bed, taking a deep breath. I couldn’t form deep thoughts for some reason, possibly because of my tiredness. I tugged on the blankets that covered me, finding the air chilly to my bare body…

Wait, since when was I naked?

That fog in my mind cleared away as my eyes widened, sitting up in bed with a frantic look. I immediately scanned my surroundings, finding nothing but dull walls, windows that were far too bright to look through, and a single wooden door opposite of the bed. I looked at the bed specifically, finding it had green covers on a metal bed frame. And since the bed was queen sized, I naturally gazed over to the other side, where I saw there was someone sleeping right next to me under the covers.

The other occupant stirred, causing me to freeze up, wondering what the hell was even happening. With a few seconds of struggling, the person broke free from the blanket, showing off her orange mane and yellow fur… Oh shit.

“Hey, Nolan,” Carrot Top mumbled with a content sigh, but all I can do was gawk at her as my breathing became shallow. “What did you think of last night?”

I knew exactly what she was implying, and I didn’t like it one bit. Instead of responding to Carrot Top’s question, I shoved the blankets off of me, nearly tumbling out of the bed in my haste to get out. I searched for some sort of clothing to wear, but found none, and so simply dashed for the door.

“What’s the matter?” I heard Carrot Top call behind me, “Don’t you love me?”

I couldn't answer in a situation like this! It was all too much, like the time I realized I really was in a different world. I swung the door open and ran through, slamming it shut behind me. Strangely, when I leaned against it to catch my breath, I found that I was wearing my S.W.A.T. uniform again, though without the mask.

I didn’t even give my clothing a glance as I walked over to the mirror where a sink sat underneath it directly across from the door, because the room I had entered was a bathroom. Leaning against the basin, I turned the handle and allowed water to gush through the nozzle. With both hands, I cupped them together and held them underneath, and splashed some of the water onto my face.

Turning the flow of water off, I lifted my head up, looking into the mirror and finding my reflection dripping with water and sweat. Then my reflection sneered at me, and I jerked my head back in shock. My reflection didn’t follow my movements, staying still as his sneer intensified.

“You’re a sick fuck, you know that?” my reflection stated, and despite being in an impossible scenario, I glared at him, my anger replacing my fear.

“What?!” I hissed, my hands clenching up.

“Having sex with a pony,” my reflection said like it was nothing, “Must be nice to just forget about your dead girlfriend after grieving for a few years and get with a completely different species.”

“I didn’t-” I started, cutting myself off as I ground my teeth, “I don’t even know-”

“Look at you!” my reflection laughed, “You can’t even believe yourself. Don’t lie, you know it’s true.”

“No, it’s not!” I shouted, clutching my head tightly, wanting it to stop.

“You loved laying with that pony!” my reflection announced, “You’re no better than the other humans!”

“Shut up, shut up!” I screamed, shaking my body back and forth, my head hurting even more.

“You’re nothing but a good for nothing horse fucker!” my reflection accused, and that was where I snapped. I reached for my revolver that was still in my holster, pulled it out, and aimed it with one hand directly at my reflection, right at his forehead.

“Go to hell!” I shouted at the top of my lungs before pulling the trigger.

The room rang from the gunshot as the mirror exploded in glass, shards raining onto the sink and floor. My heart was pounding so hard that it was all I could hear, besides my ragged breathing. But the surprises didn’t stop there. After the mirror was shattered, I saw another room that matched the one I was in perfectly on the other side, and lying on the ground was myself, shot in the head. Blood was pooling underneath him with his eyes closed, yet still holding that infuriating smile.

“Took you long enough,” he said, making me jump back with a frightened yell.

{~+~}

I bolted awake, my eyes wide and my body soaked in cold sweat. I took deep breaths, my mind solely on the dream. Nightmare was more like it, and I found myself patting myself down, making sure I still had my clothing on. One quick scan of the room told me I was back in the shack that I had fallen asleep in. The remnants of my nightmare made my mind instantly go to one particular pony.

“Luna…” I muttered, laying a hand over my eyes. It had to be her, she didn’t like that the Baron was torturing her, so she took her pent up aggression on me for turning my back on her. I wanted to believe that theory full heartedly, but a part of me wouldn’t let me. Luna wouldn’t do something like that, if she was speaking the truth. Even the times when she was actually trying to break me, it wasn’t that bad. But if that was the case, then did that nightmare manifest from my own mind? The implications of that idea scared me with each passing second.

However, as the seconds ticked by, the nightmare was fading away from memory, incredibly fast as well. Only the most glaring moments stood out, like finding out that I had slept with Carrot Top and how I had shot myself through a mirror. Did my subconscious know something I didn’t? Or was this world just messing with me again?

I rubbed my eyes, suppressing a yawn as I pushed off my bed. The morning sleepiness still weighed me down, and my mind was far too muddled to give the topic much thought. Shaking off my weariness, I took hold of my combat vest and weapons, briefly checking them over as I put them on myself. Afterwards, I headed for the door, pulling it open and wincing from the light from the sun. When my eyes adjusted, I saw that the sun was quite high, far too high to be morning. Crap, did I oversleep?

Groaning, I stepped outside, noting that many of the ponies were already walking about. The party yesterday must have taken a lot out of me to have slept so long, or perhaps my body was just catching up with itself. The real question was why no one tried to wake me. There was more than enough reasons for them not to, but I would have simply liked to know out of curiosity.

The glares from the ponies I passed was minimal, most having known about my recent mission of saving Fluttershy. Instead of looking at me with contempt, I was stared at with blank faces, like they were trying to figure out who I was. That just made me smile, and I waved at a few ponies just to see their awkward waves back. It was fairly amusing, but I didn’t do it very much, focusing on getting to the library, where Rainbow would be before she left for Cloudsdale.

When I arrived at the Headquarters, I entered and found it empty, and surprisingly clean. The books that had once littered the floor had been put back neatly on the shelves adjacent to the walls. Nothing felt out of place as I took a few steps inside, appreciated the cleanliness. I pondered why no one had spruced up the place to begin with. Maybe Twilight had finally registered that the place was a mess. She was the clean-freak type, so it’d make sense.

A sharp gasp knocked me out of my thoughts, as I looked over to a part of the library, seeing Derpy trot over to me with a wide smile. “Nolan,” she said hopping up a bit as she stood in front of me, “Why did you take so long to wake up?”

Taking a deep breath, I rubbed the top of my head as I faced the ceiling. “Dreaming,” I stated blatantly, hoping she wouldn’t question further.

“Oh, okay,” she said, walking over behind a bookshelf, sitting in the center of the room, and out of sight. Where she went off to wasn’t very important as I glanced around, finding no one else in the room. Rainbow said she was leaving that day, so I was more than a little concerned. Derpy returned with a plate full of muffins placed on her back, each one looking quite delectable as she balanced it over to me.

“Muffin?” she offered, arching her back to better emphasize them. My stomach growled at seeing the muffins up close, answering her question instantly. Gratefully taking one, I examined it a moment, noting that it was blueberry, before taking a bite. Delicious as always. However, my concern ruined the flavor as I swallowed, frowning as I turned to Derpy. Her unease at my behavior was evident, and I quickly spoke my thoughts before I worried her needlessly.

“Where is everybody?” I asked, gesturing to the rest of the room, “I thought we were seeing Rainbow off today.”

“We did, she left already,” Derpy replied bluntly, almost making me drop my muffin in shock. I stared at her, hoping it was some sort of joke or mistake; it was Derpy after all, though I wouldn’t say that out loud. However, after a few seconds with no denial of her previous words, I groaned, shaking my head at my own incompetence. I had slept so long that Rainbow and Dusty had left without saying goodbye. So much for trying to convince them to let me join them.

“What’s the matter, Nolan?” Derpy asked, sitting in front of me quizzically as I took another bite of my muffin. I chose to chew on it for a while, giving me a moment to think, before swallowing and responding to her.

“I just wanted to see if I could go with them, that’s all,” I said, my voice showing how upset I was, “But I guess I screwed that up.”

“Screwed what up?” Carrot Top’s voice asked from the door, causing me to flinch as she entered. After taking a quick peek at her, I turned away, taking another bite as I tried to push the memories of my nightmare as far away as possible.

Carrot Top seemed to catch on as she looked up at me with a strange look before facing Derpy, who was equally confused. “What’s up with Nolan?” she asked.

Derpy merely shrugged, and Carrot Top faced me again, silently coaxing me to come out of my shell and tell her. I really didn’t want to, seeing no point at telling her of a dream like that. So I reminded myself that it wasn’t the same Carrot Top, slowly twisting my head towards her.

Seeing her face calmed me down, strangely enough. Perhaps seeing the real Carrot Top made me realize that the one in my nightmare was utterly fake. Even still, I didn’t look her in the eyes, for I felt that in doing so I would reveal what had happened in my head during the night. “I’ve just…” I said, staring at her hooves, “been thinking about Cloudsdale.”

It wasn’t a complete lie, yet I still knew I was averting what really was in my head. Carrot Top, for her part, looked somewhat apologetic as she gave a nervous smile. “Yeah, sorry we didn’t wake you,” she said, glancing up to me.

“It’s… fine, I guess,” I said, sighing, “but what stopped someone from kicking in my door and waking me?”

“Well,” Carrot Top started, looking a bit scared, “You were tossing and turning in your sleep. And I thought waking you wasn’t a good idea at the time.”

Yeah, that was probably for the best, though I would have prefered if she had taken me out of dreamland before I had met my mirror self. Still, it wasn’t the time to point fingers, but to get a clearer picture of what was going on.

“So, what can you tell me about Rainbow’s departure?” I inquired, leaning against a bookcase as I continued to eat my muffin, careful not to knock down my support.

“Rainbow said she’d be gone for a few days,” Carrot Top explained, taking a seat on the floor, “She and Dusty brought some supplies and said their goodbyes. Nothing really happened.”

I grunted in understanding, finishing off my muffin with one large bite. The quiet atmosphere that fell over us felt right in the library, our thoughts dictating the conversation for a while. I couldn’t help but be disappointed that I couldn’t go to Cloudsdale. I probably just wanted to walk on a cloud city, which would have been pretty cool. But there was something that was bugging me, making me apprehensive for some reason. I couldn’t really explain it.

The door opening again caused all three of us to look over, seeing Twilight enter with a book in her magical hold. As she shut the door, Twilight finally noticed us staring at her, blinking a few times in mild surprise. “Uh, hello, everyone,” she said, waving a hoof lightly, before turning to me, “Oh, Nolan, I’m sorry, Rainbow-”

“Already left,” I interrupted, holding up a hand to halt her words, “Derpy already told me.”

“Yes, well, sorry again,” Twilight apologized, walking over to a nearby shelf and depositing the book with the others. Afterwards, she lit up, facing me with a smile. “Oh, by the way, Trixie’s looking all over for you. She said she wanted a rematch.”

“A rematch?” I questioned with a raised brow, pushing away from the bookshelf.

“Yeah,” Twilight nodded, her magic pulling out another book from a higher shelf, “I told her how you shot the center of the target six times in a row. She wanted a real rematch.”

I rolled my eyes, “What, did she think I threw her the match last time or something?”

“That’s the impression I’m getting,” Twilight admitted with a shrug.

“Great,” I muttered, putting my hands on my hips, “Now I have to deal with a self centered Unicorn wanting to shoot a gun better than me.”

At that moment the door burst open, Trixie standing there as she whipped her head around until she caught sight of me. When she did, she gave a huge grin. “I knew that had to be your voice, Nolan!” she declared, trotting inside.

I gave a brief sigh, “Speak of the devil…”

“Who are you calling ‘devil’, hmm?” Trixie questioned, puffing out her chest as she stood as tall as she could. “Anyway, the Great and Powerful Trixie demands a rematch against your shooting prowess.”

I gave her a deadpan look, “And the very annoyed Nolan demands you stop talking in the third person, but it looks like neither of us are getting what we want.”

Trixie opened her mouth to argue, before closing it, looking deep in thought before speaking again. “If Trix- I mean, I speak in the first person,” she started, admittedly getting me interested, “then will we have our rematch?”

She really wanted to have this rematch, and I knew she wouldn’t leave me alone until I gave her one. “Goddamn it,” I mumbled before speaking up, “Fine. Let’s get this over with.”

“The Great and Powerful-” she said right before she caught herself, coughing intentionally as I crossed my arms, “I mean, I am glad you accepted. Let us start now, shall we?”

How the hell did I get myself into these dumb situations? To be honest with myself, this was the only situation that I could call dumb since arriving in Equestria. Still, I wondered if showing her up would get her to shut her trap once and for all. She was willing to stop talking in the third person to have this rematch, so she must be willing to go to great lengths to show her worth. Maybe it had to do with her personality, or what she did before the invasion.

Whatever the reasoning may have been, I reluctantly followed Trixie out, taking out my revolver and checking it over. The sound of hooves behind me indicated that Twilight and the others were following behind, wanting to see the match as well. In fact, as we neared the shooting range, I saw many other ponies heading in the same direction, to the point where I was beginning to think the rematch was becoming a full blown event.

Arriving at the shooting range confirmed that assessment, what with the large group of ponies watching us approach. It was already bad enough agreeing to a rematch, but having to do it with three dozen pairs of eyes on us was just ridiculous. Did firing a damn gun suddenly become a national pastime? I understood there was a fair amount of competition in my world regarding firing a gun, but with these ponies, it was bizarre.

Trixie and I stopped just before coming in contact with the sandbags that were still erected, looking over the many eyes glued to our every move. It was quite obvious that Trixie was the favored one in the rematch, which was kind of surprising, considering her attitude. A simple glance at Trixie determined she was milking every moment of it too, waving her hoof to everyone like she was a princess. I closed my eyes, suppressing my anger the best I could.

At least I had somewhat forgotten my nightmare at that point. If I had to give Trixie credit for something, it was being a distraction. After a few moments, Trixie drew her revolver - rather dramatically if I may add - which had been resting behind the sandbags.

“Are there any rules to this?” I asked.

“Of course,” Trixie answered, aiming the weapon down the range, “We each get six shots, and Twilight Sparkle determines the winner.”

I eyed Twilight a moment, wondering how she got roped into this. Her frank expression told me she had volunteered as much as I did. Without warning, Trixie fired off her revolver, causing a few ponies to jump. The first bullet was very close to the center, and the next five shots were worse than that, but not by much. Each one was only a few millimeters apart from each other. What was worth noting was that a lot of her shots were to the left of the target. She needed to learn to compensate for that.

With all her bullets spent, Trixie set the gun down on the sandbags, smiling triphumently. Twilight, with a quick flutter of her wings, flew over to the target, hovering above it as she stared at the newly created bullet holes, calculating Trixie’s score in her head.

“Trixie has twenty six points,” she announced, backing off from the target. There wasn’t a whole lot of cheering, only excited muttering amongst the crowd. Trixie put her snout in the air, acting superior even before I had a chance to go. With another roll of my eyes, I held the revolver up to my face, gently rubbing it between my fingers.

This was the last gift Emma had given me, and I had a feeling she’d guide my hand that day. I gave a small smirk; she had always hated showboaters. Gripping the handle with both hands, I aimed down the sights.

The crowd went silent, as if the slightest sound would disrupt the entire competition. With the sights centered, I calmed myself down as I whispered, “Elbows slightly bent, controlled breathing, and…”

{~+~}

I never realized how quiet the Resistance Headquarters could be. Sure, it was a library, so it was the golden rule anyway, but the few times I had ever entered were anything but silent. It added a sort of serenity, and it was perfect for the books I looked over. I doubted I would be able to read through a whole book, or even a quarter way through one, given the circumstances, but simply reading through the titles brought me incalculable entertainment. Subjects I would normally find in the Fantasy section back on Earth were under Non-fiction, so it was quite interesting for me.

Standing in front of a bookcase, at the far corner of the bookstore, I gave a few chuckles at the titles I found. Chimeras and How to Avoid Them? Parasprites: Cute & Dangerous? I didn’t even know what a Parasprite was, but before I could investigate on the mysterious creature, the front door opening caught my attention. I faced in the general direction of the door, since many bookshelves were blocking my view, but the voice that spoke was all I needed to know who it was.

“Nolan?” Applejack called, the door shutting a moment later, “Are ya hidin’ in here?”

I grunted, a smile gracing my lips as I turned back to the books, “I wouldn’t exactly call it hiding.”

A playful huff could be heard as Applejack came around a bookshelf, revealing her own smile. “What are ya doin’ in here anyway?” she asked, standing beside me to examine what I was skimming through. “I thought you’d be celebratin’ your victory.”

I had to resist an eye roll on that comment, having been said to me many times before. “I’ll tell you what I told Pinkie Pie, it isn’t right. You of all people should know about humility.”

Applejack lowered her head a moment before perking back up, facing me. “You're right,” she said, a bit put off by how she was before, “I guess these changin’ times are takin’ their toll on me.”

I hummed at that statement, distracted by another title that really piqued my curiosity; Indigo Knights. I wasn’t sure why that, of all books, made me want to pick it up and start reading. Maybe it was the word ‘Indigo’, as I hadn’t seen it before.

Applejack seemed to notice my entranced expression, as she nonchalantly stated, “And it may have been because Trixie tied me up in front of the entire town.”

I whipped my head over to her, giving her a baffled expression that made her burst out laughing. She had to be joking, right? Well, knowing Trixie, it would be easy to imagine her doing something like that. “Does that have some background to it?” I asked, sounding a bit hopeful.

“It does,” Applejack answered, closing her eyes and waiting a long period of time. At that point, I knew she was messing with me. Eventually, she opened her eyes, giving another smirk. “But I’m just going to let that simmer for a while.”

With that remark, I reached my hand over and hit her hat lightly, causing it to cover her eyes. Applejack laughed in good nature as she adjusted her hat to how it was originally. I chuckled as well, my mind drifting off as I stared at Applejack. She really was a kind mare, which was nearly ruined by what the humans in this world had done. I was still disappointed that I couldn’t join Rainbow Dash in Cloudsdale. I knew I shouldn’t get hung over it, but I felt like regardless if I came or not, the Pegasi would-

My eyes widened as that revelation hit me full force, making Applejack squirm a bit under my gaze. I didn’t care, my mind running over my last thought like I would forget it somehow if I didn’t. “I need to get to Cloudsdale, now,” I stated a bit frantically, briskly heading for the door.

Applejack looked at me like I had gone crazy, her jaw slightly limp as her eyes followed me out the door. I looked both ways of the street, searching for Twilight with desperation. Applejack charged out of the bookstore, obviously wanting answers. I glanced at her a moment before looking back to the streets as I spoke. “The Pegasai will know that I’m here,” I explained hastily, finding myself pacing back and forth on the sidewalk, “No matter how long you hide me, they’ll learn of me and think you’re all traitors. Then we’ll never get their help.”

Applejack toned her shock down, but she still looked at me with a bit of uncertainty, “Nolan, I know ya want ta help us with the Pegasi, but what your proposin’ sounds farfetched at best.”

“Is it?” I questioned, halting my movement as I glared at her, “Think about when we met the Wonderbolts outside of Fillydelphia. They wanted me dead, and if it wasn’t for you and Carrot Top, that probably would have happened.”

“We can’t just talk about ‘what if’s’!” she shouted, causing a few passersbys to look our way. Applejack marched right up to me, glaring as much as I was. “Ya don’t know how they’ll be when they meet’cha! You’re just looking for an excuse ta get ta Cloudsdale!”

“You don’t understand!” I argued furiously, stomping a foot, “If we don’t show myself to the Pegasi as soon as possible, they’ll think I'm a spy, working for the other humans. They have no clue what I’ve done so far, and they won’t help us!”

“Nolan,” Applejack started calmly, through her angry expression showed anything but that, “That’s a load a’ horse apples. They’re not just gonna turn their backs on us just because we have a human with us.”

“Oh yeah,” I said, sarcasm leaking into my voice as I threw my arms up in the air a moment as I took a few steps back, “Just like how they didn’t turn their backs on you when Canterlot was lost.”

Applejack shook her head, her eyes clamped shut, “Stop muddlin’ the issue!”

I gripped my head tightly as I tried to bar my frustration. Applejack couldn’t grasp how important it was to show myself to the Pegasi. If we kept quiet about my existence, there'd be hell to pay, and we couldn’t afford to lose a valuable ally.

“Forget it,” I said, walking away from Applejack, my hands tightened into fists. “You can’t seem to get it through your damn thick head of yours, so I’m not going to even try any more.”

There was no sound indicating that Applejack responded to my last sentence, and I gave a brief exhale at that. It was only after a few minutes of walking through the city did I realize the weight of my words. I had insulted her intelligence, yelled in her face, and threw away her arguments in favor of my own. I was acting childish, and I felt guilty for what I had done. Slowing to a halt in a empty part of the streets, I gave a heavy sigh, lowering my head in mild defeat. I really didn’t know what to do; going to Cloudsdale wouldn’t be wise, but staying in Las Pegasus wasn’t an option either.

“Hey, Nolan!” Pinkie said, bounding into view as she hopped over to me. I couldn’t bare to look at someone so happy at the moment, so I looked the other way, trying to ignore her. She stopped in front of me, looking quite playful as she lowered her front legs in a pounce. She had her heart-lifting smile, but upon seeing my grim face, it fell, making her concerned instantly.

“Is something wrong?” she asked, her voice unusually quiet, “Did… did someone die?”

I quickly brought my hands up in front of me, waving them as I said, “No, no, no one died, Pinkie.”

She was relieved of that, but her smile did not return, frowning as much as I was. “Then, what’s the matter?” she inquired, as she stood on her hind legs putting her forelegs on my chest. Her eyes were a few inches away from mine. “Tell aunty Pinkie, she can help.”

I was willing to bet that I was older than her, but I didn’t state that as I sighed, keeping my eyes trained on hers. “It’s about Cloudsdale,” I started with a very small shrug, “I’m worried that if I don’t go there and reveal myself to the Pegasi, they won’t help us.”

“You reaaaaally want to go to Cloudsdale, huh?” Pinkie said, tilting her head to the side.

“Yeah,” I said, gazing towards the ground, “Maybe it is just another excuse to go to Cloudsdale, but… I don’t know. I can’t just sit here and do nothing.”

Pinkie was quiet for a few seconds before lifting up my head with a hoof to face her again. “Then let’s go to Cloudsdale!” she declared, her expression brimming with confidence. “If you really want to go, Nolan, then there ain’t nothing nobody can’t do!”

I was flabbergasted, both by her last statement and her conviction. I didn’t think Pinkie, of all ponies, would help me. It caused me to smile a bit in gratitude with a nod, and Pinkie mirrored my actions as she hopped back to the ground.

“Alright!” she announced, facing away as she stood tall, making me worried that someone would overhear us. “First, we need a way to get to Cloudsdale!”

I had to mentally facepalm at myself for forgetting that it was in the clouds. Pinkie couldn’t fly, so the only way up there would be with wings, and I doubted anybody would take my side like Pinkie had done. “And I have just the idea.”

I looked at her with intrigue, wondering what she could have in mind. She noticed my curiosity, but waved a hoof in an idle manner. “I’ll get you at night,” she explained, “Then we’ll leave for Cloudsdale together!”

“Together?” I asked, actually surprised that Pinkie would want to join me.

“That’s right!” she said with a firm nod, “You can’t go by yourself, silly.”

My bewilderment at that changed to immense gratitude as I chuckled lightly, “Thanks, Pinkie.”

“Anytime,” Pinkie replied softly, facing me with a look that made me want to hug her. “Just stay home tonight, and I’ll get you. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of our travel plans.”

I didn’t like being left out of the loop, especially with Pinkie the one responsible for our mode of transportation. She didn’t seem like the kind to do things quietly. Of course, I had no say in the matter, considering I had no other way of getting to a city in the sky. So, reluctantly, I nodded at her plan and we both parted ways. I would need some extra rest if we were heading out at night.

{~+~}

Several hours had passed with no word from Pinkie, and having lain on my bed nearly the entire time did nothing for my boredom. I was able to get some sleep, but my mind was too occupied to doze off most of the time. As soon as I heard a knock on the door of my shack, I bolted right for it with my mask in hand, nearly tripping in the process. Swinging open the door, I saw Pinkie standing there with pink saddle bags on her back, keeping a vigilant eye out as she glanced over to me.

“This is Agent Pink,” she whispered, holding a hoof up to the side of her mouth. “Do you copy, Agent Lane?”

I looked at her with a small glare, giving the area a quick look over. It was empty, and the lights from the main portion of the city were shut off. Hopefully, no one would come snooping around at this time of night. I turned back to Pinkie, who was low to the ground, her head facing every which way. “We don’t have time to mess around, Pinkie,” I explained, pointing to the ground in a form of scolding, “And Agent Lane? Where did you get that from?”

“Easy,” Pinkie stated, hopping back up to a standing position as she dropped her earlier attitude for her usual joyful one. “No-Lane, it makes perfect sense.”

“Sure, whatever you say,” I mumbled, shrugging off the name for the time being before getting serious, “Now where’s our transportation?”

“It’s right here,” Pinkie said with a smile, gesturing a hoof off to her left, “See?”

I poked my head out before jolting it back, seeing a full blown hot air balloon sitting right there. The balloon itself was purple, with a frilly yellow piece around the bottom of it. The basket sitting on the ground, attached to the hot air balloon above it, was pink as well. It had to be the girliest thing I had ever seen, so I guess it made sense for Pinkie to have it. My shock was broken when Pinkie bounced over to it, holding up her hooves like a showgirl.

“Pretty nifty, huh?” she asked, trotting over to where the pink rope was tied down to a stake in the ground, the other end of it being hooked to the basket. “I keep at least one hot air balloon in every city, in case of hot air balloon emergencies. Like this one!”

I could hear Pinkie’s words perfectly, but completely understanding them was a whole other story. I watched as she easily jumped into the basket in one leap, disappearing a moment before peeking her head out as she threw her forelegs over one of the sides of the the basket. “Whatcha waiting for, No-Lane?” she asked teasingly, giving a quiet giggle, “Get in!”

The repeat mispronunciation of my name finally knocked me back to reality, and I frowned a bit as I begrudgedly moved towards the balloon. “You know, Pinkie,” I said with a shake of my head, failing to stop a small smirk from emerging, “You sure are something.”

Pinkie took the comment in stride, smiling widely like she had just been complimented. Her reaction made me smile in turn; it was nice having a friend like her. I tossed my mask inside the basket before placing my hands on the top of it, just about to push off and climb on board. However, a voice stopped me, and nearly my heart as well.

“What are you two doing?” Twilight shouted, flying down to land right behind me. I glanced over to her, grinding my teeth slightly at nearly escaping only to be foiled by her. Her expression was just as angry as my own, scowling at me for a moment. “Are you sneaking off to Cloudsdale?”

“What’s it to ya?” I demanded, pointing a finger at her, my voice much louder than I wanted it to be.

Twilight trotted forwards, looking at each of us in turn with a small glare. “You both know why you can’t go, Nolan,” she scolded, “The Pegasi won’t take kindly to you.”

“I already know that,” I retorted with a shake of my head, “But I have to do this.”

Twilight held her gaze on me for quite some time, and I wondered what could be going through her head. She may be simply coming up with another excuse for me not to go, but I think it was something deeper than that. Unexpectedly, Twilight sighed, her eyes falling to the floor as she frowned.

“I don’t want to see you hurt,” she suddenly revealed, causing my own scowl to soften as she whipped her head back up to me. “Don’t you understand that? If you go to Cloudsdale, you could get hurt or…”

I heard a small whimper from Pinkie, and when I faced her, I saw that she had hidden half her face behind the basket, with her ears folded back. Her glazed over eyes spoke volumes to me, knowing exactly what was going through her head. I stared at her for a moment longer before looking back to Twilight, her own concern obvious on her features.

“I know you’re worried for me,” I said, my tone delicate, “but you have to let me do this. What will the Pegasi think if they find you hiding me?”

Restating my reason for leaving out loud made me realize just how desperate I was. I knew I just wanted to go to be useful, make the most out of myself, and my brain was just raking for any excuse. Maybe it was time to tell Twilight how I really felt about this.

“I need to do this, Twilight,” I continued, “I know there’s no real good reason for me to go, but… I just have this feeling.”

The tension was thick as I awaited Twilight’s reply. She was obviously fighting herself over it, scraping the ground with a hoof. Then, her expression changed to thoughtfulness, as if an idea had struck her.

“What would Princess Celestia do…?” she muttered, and it made me sad that she looked up to Celestia that much that she was practically an idol and role model. Why did that make me sad? Because Celestia’s fate was unknown to everybody, and that was probably tearing Twilight apart, little by little.

Twilight raised her head, a smile forming as she looked at me. “She would trust her friends,” she said, before adding to herself, “And I guess I forgot that lesson.”

Lesson? In what exactly, friendship? It sounded a bit ridiculous, but seeing Twilight, then and there, it made more sense than not. She walked a few more steps before she stood right in front of me, looking up at me.

“I believe in you, Nolan,” she said with determination, “So please, don’t do anything stupid.”

I felt like a joke would be a good response, but seeing her serious and distraught face told me it wouldn’t be appropriate. “You got it,” I said, giving a half smirk.

“By the way,” Twilight started, raising an eyebrow, “How were you planning on walking on the clouds?”

My befuddlement clouded any words, I had to say, my brain actually questioning why I hadn’t thought about it. A quick glance to Pinkie told me she hadn’t thought that far ahead either, as she gave a sheepish smile, chuckling anxiously. Seeing our reactions, Twilight groaned before her horn lit up, enveloping Pinkie and I in her magic for a short time before stopping. I looked myself over, not seeing a thing out of place, and I turned back to her with a raised brow.

“That was a Cloud Walking spell,” she explained, gesturing a hoof to myself, “It’ll allow you to walk on clouds for three days. Make it count.”

Being able to walk on clouds… that must have been everyone’s dream at some point. Sure, we may be able to fly under, over, and in clouds, but actually standing on them, gazing off into the horizon… It made my guts churn in excitement.

“Why don’t you come with us, Twilight?” Pinkie Pie asked with a tilt of her head, dropping her gloomy mood, “It takes three to tango!”

I opened my mouth to tell her that wasn’t the saying, but decided against it, simply shaking my head instead. “That’s alright, Pinkie,” Twilight declined politely, “I need to take care of something. But you guys should get going. I don’t know how the others would feel about you two taking off.”

Nodding at Twilight’s words, I hurdled over the basket railing. “You ready, Pinkie?” I asked as I landed beside her.

“As I’ll ever be,” she said with a smile, before turning back to Twilight, “Ready for blast off!”

With a playful roll of her eyes, Twilight used her magic to pull the rope away from the ground, and the next thing we knew, we were floating away. It was a bit unsettling for me, having been used to standing on solid ground. My stomach was doing flips, but it wasn’t so bad that I felt sick. A quick look back to Twilight showed her waving goodbye to us, and I was thankful that I wasn’t afraid of heights. Pinkie and I waved goodbye as well, until Twilight was completely out of view.

Speaking of which, the scene from up above was amazing. The city of Las Pegasus looked wonderful from the air, which would explain why it was named as such. The desert area around the city, though dull, looked captivating. But the sight that really caught my attention was Canterlot, still sitting in the lone mountain so very far away. Like a diamond in the rough. I sat there, staring off and admiring the area, before a worrisome question popped into my head.

“You know how to drive a hot air balloon, right?” I asked hesitantly, turning to Pinkie.

“Absolutely positively!” she cheered, hopping up and pulling a hanging rope, allowing the flames underneath the balloon to enlarge, lifting us even higher. I gave a reassuring nod, facing towards the view again. It would be a while before we made it to Cloudsdale, but I didn't think I would get bored any time soon.

{~+~}

The scenery changed dynamically from desert landscape to forests as we moved along, and it entranced me the entire time. I never realized how much I had missed from living in the city. Pinkie was kind enough not to interrupt my reverie, staying silent as we drifted in the night sky. However, as time went on, I wondered why she hadn’t did something to deviate my attention to her. And with that thought, I glanced over to her, catching her standing on her hind legs, resting her head on top of the basket.

Her expression was somewhat blank, having a hint of a smile as her eyes rarely moved. It didn’t look like something to be concerned about, yet I was compelled to speak with her.

“Something on your mind?” I asked, sounding off handed as she turned towards me, her smile growing as her gaze landed on me.

“I’m just glad I could join you,” she expressed, dropping her head down as she faced me fully.

“Why’s that?” I questioned, as I had been curious since she had requested to come along.

"Ever since you rescued me from the asylum," Pinkie said, pausing a moment to shiver with a frown. I wouldn’t consider it a rescue, but if she wanted to believe it was one, than who was I to judge? “I had this feeling that I needed to repay you.”

“Well, that’s very considerate,” I admitted, relaxing my body as I sat on the floor of the basket. “But you didn’t have to.”

“Oh but I did!” Pinkie contradicted, hopping up onto her hooves, her smile brightening, “The way I was behaving was very un-Pinkie of me. I had to make up for what I had put you through.”

I remained motionless, absorbing what she said. The whole reason she was coming was to pay me back for how she had behaved, even though it wasn’t her fault to begin with. If it was anybody’s fault, it would be the Humans. Maybe she already knew that, and wanted to tag along with me to find a way to get back at them. It made more sense, but since I was talking about Pinkie, it would make no sense. At least, that’s what made sense for myself. I was over complicating it. The point was that she had to have been honest with me, and in the end, that was all that really mattered.

Nodding my head, I gave a sigh, “Thanks again, Pinkie. You seem to know what to do around friends.”

“Heh,” Pinkie grunted, lifting a hoof in embarrassment, “Not always.”

For some reason, I found the comment funny, and chuckled a bit from her actions. Pinkie did as well, and after quarter of a minute, Pinkie gasped, her smile growing as she trotted up beside me, her eyes glued to something in the sky.

“We made it!” she cheered, bouncing in place. The piece of information made me grunt in excitement, pushing myself to my feet and looking to where Pinkie was facing. Sure enough, a large group of clouds were coming into view. Since they were some of the few clouds I had seen since arriving in Equestria, it was rather easy to make out the structures that populated them. However, it was only the main portion of the clouds. A couple of smaller cloud bases were strung around, holding even more buildings. It really did give the feeling of a city in the sky, with the larger cloud being downtown, and the multiple smaller clouds being the suburbs.

Of course, I was a bit speechless, as would anybody who saw a city in the clouds. “Holy shit,” I whispered, finding the place quite beautiful. It just fit so perfectly, being away from all the humans and such. For a while, the problem of convincing the Pegasi was not on my mind…

Until something suddenly flew out of nowhere and past the balloon. Pinkie and I jumped back in surprise, falling on our rears as we tried to comprehend what had just flown by. The sound of leaking gas caught my ears, and I quickly picked myself up, leaning over the basket. As I looked up, I saw that the balloon had been cleanly sliced open, allowing the hot air inside to flow freely. We were quickly losing altitude.

Thinking fast, Pinkie hopped up on the rope again, giving it another tug as the flames roared to life. Unfortunately, it only leveled us out for a very short moment before we were descending again.

“Damn it!” I cursed, at the balloon above us, “Who the hell did that!?”

“I did,” a male voice said behind me, and when I whipped around, I saw a Pegasus, nonchalantly hovering there. It was far too dark to make out what he looked like, but the moon gave some light to show where he was. The voice was vaguely familiar, prompting me to hesitate before I lashed out with a fist, trying to drive the pony away from our balloon. This did absolutely nothing, as the Pegasus simply moved out of my reach before shooting back up. Another hiss of air rang through the night, showing that the pony was responsible for the cuts as we fell faster. Out of instinct, I reached for my revolver, only to have someone grab my jacket tightly. Facing the perpetrator with malice, all I saw was Pinkie Pie, clenching my jacket with her teeth tightly as she gave me a worried glance.

“Please,” she said through her teeth, “Don’t shoot them. I don’t want them to die.”

I knew Pinkie was right on many accounts, and so I listened to her, lowering my hand to the side as I took a deep breath to calm my nerves. Once I did, Pinkie released me, giving a relieved smile before another hiss of air could be heard, wiping it off her face in an instant. Our plummet had grown to a faster rate, to the point where we were practically free falling. We took hold of the basket, trying to stay attached to something so as not to be thrown out.

With wind rushing past, I leaned out of the basket far enough to see where we would land, and all I saw was the dull grayness that made up the clouds. Before I could register that our crash landing would come sooner than expected, we hit the cloud full force, causing me to slam my head down on the basket. Though the material was soft, hitting it at the speed I did made me very dizzy, and the momentum the rest of the hot air balloon had caused Pinkie and I to tumble out of the basket and on top of the cloud.

My dizziness made it hard to know where anything was, as the world was a blur to me. While on my stomach, I looked to my side, showing that Pinkie was thankfully still by my side, though shared the same state of pain. The soft thud of hooves on clouds caught my attention as I turned ahead of me, seeing no less than three ponies standing there. They were still merely silhouettes, so I didn’t even bother trying to differentiate between them.

One pony stepped up to me, slamming a hoof onto my head and sending my head against the cloud. The cloud was actually very soft, like a feather pillow, but the hoof was not. It made my head spin even more as I winced.

“A Human using a hot air balloon,” the stallion spit out, pressing harder against my head. “Did they really think they could simply fly up here in the middle of the night and not expect an ambush?”

“Don’t bother trying to figure them out,” another stallion said with a grunt, “They’re all idiots.”

The first stallion grunted, “He even brought up a Pony, probably his slave.”

“No…” a female Pegasus interjected, and I was able to see her approach Pinkie from the corner of my eye. “This is Pinkie Pie! She’s one of the Elements of Harmony, isn't she?”

“Didn't she go crazy during the invasion?” the second stallion asked, “Should we keep our distance from a psycho like that?”

“Don’t call her that!” I barked out, earning another slam to the back of my head.

“Shut up!” the first stallion shouted, “Why do you even care anyway?! Because of Ponies like her, I’ll never see my sister again!”

“I care a lot more than any of you bastards!” I shouted back, causing the Pegasi to remain still for a moment in what I assume was hesitation, “At least I didn’t fucking turn tail and hide like you cowards!”

All that got me was yet another slam to the back of the head, much harder than the previous ones. It was so bad that I had to fight to stay awake as I became nauseous from my head spinning.

“You have no right calling us cowards, Human!” the first stallion screamed, pressing harder and harder onto my head. I had to bite my tongue to not cry out in pain. The sliding of metal was heard as a blade was unsheathed. “Might as well finish this thing off,” he said with something in his mouth.

“N-No…” Pinkie whispered, reaching out a hoof in her half dazed state. She was just barely holding on, her eyelids very close to shutting. “Please, no more… killing.”

She spoke her final word as she went completely limp, going unconscious. The female Pegasus sighed, “We should take her back to Cloudsdale. Rainbow Dash would want to see her.”

The second stallion growled, “And what about the Human? There’s no way in Tartarus I’m letting it into Cloudsdale.”

“Tell… Rainbow Dash,” I muttered, my own consciousness fleeting, “It’s Nolan.”

“Oh, shut up!” the first stallion shouted into my ear, before stomping his hoof onto my head again, making me black out completely.

{~+~}

“My, my, this one certainly is unique, I wondered why Princess Luna had me check on you. But I don’t feel like trying to explain anything to you at the moment. Too much work, and I’m already doing enough of that. I’ll just leave you for now. Oh, by the way, don’t keep Luna waiting for long; she may just lose her mind! Though, that wouldn’t be the only thing she would have lost.”

{~+~}

I gasped as I opened my eyes, staring at nothing but clouds. What was that dream about, or would it even be considered a dream? The only thing I could perceive from it was that voice. It was an odd voice too, one I hadn’t heard before at all. My dreams were becoming weirder and weirder. Not that my head helped, as the back of it was pounding in utter pain. The headache was worse than I had ever gotten, and I groaned as I turned to my side, seeing where I had ended up.

The small room and bars pointed to captivity, along with a few other cells though I hadn’t clue how many. The thing I noticed the most was that everything was made up of clouds, making me believe I was in Cloudsdale. It fit the premise of the city, so it would be more confusing if I wasn’t there. Pushing myself to a sitting position, I winced as I clamped a hand over my head, massaging the painful areas.

Well, I had made it to Cloudsdale, but I sure as hell didn’t receive a warm welcome. Though, that should have been expected. I couldn’t even remember why I bothered coming to Cloudsdale in the first place, which was probably thanks to my impaired brain.

A sharp gasp from outside my cell made me blink as tried to focus on the source. All I was able to make out at the moment was a blob of orange with wings. “You’re awake, Nolan,” a Pegasus mare announced. “Thank goodness, I was afraid the Pegasi had put you in a coma.”

I shook my head, trying to shake off my dizziness, to no avail. “You’ve taken quite a beating from what I heard,” the mare continued, “And I think I recall someone saying that Pinkie Pie was with you.”

“Who are you?” I asked slowly, trying to keep things simple until my brain decided to work properly.

“I’m not surprised you didn't remember me,” the mare sighed, “It has been a while. But I’m just glad to see you again.”

“Name?” I requested, a bit annoyed the mare had skimmed over that detail.

“Oh, right, sorry,” the mare apologized hastily, “It’s Spitfire. Do you remember me? We met in the apple orchard outside of Fillydelphia.”

“Yeah,” I nodded, my eyes starting to make out the pony. It did share the same color scheme as Spitfire, and the mane was certainly recognizable. Her smile felt genuine as she gazed over to me, strangely not wearing her Wonderbolt outfit. A few seconds passed before I was able to see the area clearly, and I blinked in confusion. “My eyes must be messing with me,” I said with a hint of a chuckle, “It looks like you're in a cell too.”

“Well,” Spitfire said, dipping her head low as her ears folded back, “That’s because I am in a cell.”

“A cell?” I repeated, getting to my feet as I stepped closer. She really was in a jail cell, being directly across from myself. “You’re in… You’re in jail!?”

She nodded feebly, unable to look up to me as I stood there flabbergasted. “But…” I said trying to find the right words, “But you’re a Wonderbolt, how could you-?”

I flinched as another wave of pain came back, making me halt my confusion as I fell back onto my bed. As I pressed my hand against my skull, Spitfire turned her head down the hallway, probably towards the exit.

“Soarin reported me to Lightning Dust,” she explained with a shrug, “She threw me in here without hesitation. Even if she was on my side, everypony hates me for what I did.”

From the way Spitfire spoke, I was sure Lightning Dust was the one in charge. Whether it was just the Wonderbolts or all of Cloudsdale was yet to be seen. “All you did was talk to me,” I said, growing angry that a mare like her was getting paid for her kindness by being sent to prison. “They have no right-”

“They have every right,” Spitfire interrupted, closing her eyes in acceptance of her fate, “I gave confidential information to the enemy. To everypony in Cloudsdale, I’m a traitor.”

I wanted to comfort her, but I was reminded of the scene back when I first met her. She had given so much information, more so than any other pony that had first met me. There had to be some other factor besides knowing that I was the Masked Man.

“Why did you tell me everything you did?” I questioned, leaning a hand on my knee as I got semi-comfortable. “There has to be some other reason why you did it.”

Spitfire stared into my eyes, either to put off what she had to say or wondering if I would believe it. Swallowing, she clamped her eyes shut, “I was rescued by a Human.”

That made me stare at her in curiosity. That made sense, considering she had the knowledge that there were good humans out there. My mind instantly went to one human in particular, the only other person I knew who was considered good.

“Was the Human’s name Alex?” I asked, somewhat glad that guy was doing more good for the ponies. To hear him having saved another Pony put a smile on my face.

“No,” Spitfire said with a shake of her head, looking off into the distance. I was stunned by that, though not much as I concluded that there was another good Human out there. And for some reason, that was even better than hearing that it was Alex.

Spitfire smiled fondly at the memory, “It was four Humans. We ran into a hostile group, and they opened fire on us. I was shot through the wing, and was the only one to be shot down. I heard them coming, and I thought they were going to finish me off. But… those four were the ones who found me. They took care of me: bandaging my wing and giving me water. When I had the strength, they let me go freely. I could only catch one of their names, and it was… Vincent. He was the leader.”

“Vincent…” I muttered, my eyes wandering to the ground. There wasn’t just one other good person running around, but a whole group. I couldn’t hope for anything better. It truly was a heartwarming thought, knowing that there was more Humans helping the Ponies.

“That’s why I trust you, Nolan,” Spitfire acknowledged, facing me and leaving her memories behind, “No one believed me when I said I was saved by Humans, but after learning about you, I knew you had to be good.”

I grunted, rubbing my forehead with a serious look, “And now you’re paying the price.”

“Maybe,” Spitfire said, scanning her surroundings with a frown before brightening a bit as she turned towards me, “But I don’t regret it.”

Giving a half smirk, I laid my back against the wall, trying to figure out what to do next. I was trapped in here until Rainbow Dash got me out. At the moment, she was my only hope, and I hoped she had a lot of sway with the Pegasi.

Not only that, but I don’t know what the Pegasi had done with Pinkie. I just hoped they’re treating her right. With Rainbow Dash around, that should be the case. Man, it was going to be a while for everything to be sorted out completely. I needed something to keep my boredom at bay.

“Hey,” I called out, and Spitfire tilted her head as she listened, “Do you have a harmonica?”

Chapter 16: Welcome

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 16: Welcome

Clouds were sturdy stuff when they wanted to be. It was probably the Pegasi’s doing, since the bars wouldn’t break under any force I could muster. All those fantasies of clouds acting like cotton candy or pillows were sorely mistaken. It was true they were really soft, but it was more comparative to a rug or a carpet. My attempts were completely futile, but even if I did succeed, I doubt I would have escaped. Running would only further my guilt, and I needed the opposite of that.

Sitting in my cell, I grew increasingly agitated when no one came to visit. Not Rainbow Dash, not Pinkie Pie, not even this ‘Lightning Dust’, who I assumed was in charge of Cloudsdale. It was somewhat peculiar, and I could only conclude they were discussing what to do with me.

In the meantime, I studied a bit of my environment. The clouds, though fairly thick and unbreakable, allowed light to penetrate them, a lot more than I had expected. It illuminated the room like everything was a light. When night passed, it must have been a bit darker, but still somewhat lit with the moon. Nearly all my personal belongings had been taken from me, from my mask to my weapons to my lighter and cigarettes. I was really disappointed about the last one. The guards never walked through the hallway that separated the cells, either because they trusted us not to escape, confident in their security, or were just plain lazy.

I wasn’t really surprised; Spitfire and I were the only prisoners.

With our isolation, it wasn’t hard for boredom to find us, but it was rectified by the harmonica Spitfire had on her. I never asked her why she had one, since I was distracted by how a harmonica was in a Pegasi prison to begin with. I had requested it as more of a joke, regarding all those shows that had the instrument in jail, yet I found it in my hands when Spitfire tossed it to me.

Red in color, and not a hint of grime or neglect on it. Fiddling with it in my hands showed nothing of interest on it, not even a manufacturer logo. The harmonica brought back memories, ones I wasn’t sure if I should be happy about.

“Do you know how to play it?” Spitfire asked, still seated on her cloud bed as she tilted her head in curiosity. I gave a weak smirk as I held up the harmonica, staring at it with both fondness and antipathy.

“Yes,” I answered before giving a deep sigh, “Unfortunately.”

“What do you mean?” Spitfire said, her curiosity being replaced with worry, lifting a hoof up to her chest as if she had crossed a forbidden line.

“My dad taught me how to play when I was young,” I explained, my movements never changing. “He said it was a dying skill, and that someone should learn. It was fun playing it, but when he left, I dropped it all together. I promised myself I wouldn’t ever play it again.”

I narrowed my eyes, asking myself why I hadn’t thrown the harmonica as far away as possible. Maybe I had gotten over my dad’s disappearance a long time ago, or perhaps I wanted to play the instrument for old time’s sake. Whichever the reason was, I found myself bringing it up to my lips, seeing Spitfire’s small smile from the corner of my eye.

The test blows, from high pitch to low pitch, showed the harmonica was unaltered at all. Taking in a lung full of air, I played a slow tune, one that wasn’t really based on anything; I just played what felt natural. Spitfire watched with rapt attention, finding my talent compelling. Having the harmonica sing its familiar melody soothed my senses, temporarily distancing the problems that were constantly hovering over my head.

In a way, it had the same effect my cigarettes did.

The longer I played, the more my brain went off track, thinking over all these poor ponies, even the Pegasi, simply surviving. Applejack was a prime example. It made me wonder if their perseverance would pay off in the end.

“Cut the noise, human,” a loud stern stallion exclaimed, walking into view with armor that matched the ponies in Fillydelphia, though it was silver instead of gold. My halted music caused me to raise a brow in mild anger. A glance over to Spitfire showed she mirrored my feelings, though she expressed them a bit more intently.

“He’s doing nothing wrong,” she stated plainly, gesturing a hoof over to me as she leaned forward.

“Remain silent, traitor,” the guard snarled, turning his eyes to her briefly. His tone got to Spitfire as she blinked before she gave a distraught look, her ears lowering as she faced the floor. Having a Pegasi remind her of her imprisonment must have been like a knife in the heart. Having gotten to her, the guard turned back to me, my anger having grown from his behavior. “Lightning Dust would like a word with you.”

“Oh yeah?” I retorted hotly, tightening my hands over the harmonica. “Then why doesn’t she come here herself?”

“You humans are always the same,” a female voice said in exasperation, the sound of hoofsteps, though slightly muted, resounding in the cell block. It wasn’t long before a mare appeared beside the guard, who stood to attention. The mare herself resembled a little of Spitfire, with her windswept amber and gold mane, and her turquoise coat was similar to Rainbow Dash. The way she carried herself also put her even closer to Rainbow Dash, but the look in her eye - the disinterest in myself - somehow showed how cold she was. Looking me up and down with her eyes added to that description. “And to think Rainbow Dash, of all ponies, vouches for you.”

Hell yeah, she did.

“Just what makes you so special?” she asked, lifting her head up slightly in a way of superiority.

“Well,” I said, lightly tossing the harmonica onto the cloud bed I sat upon, “For one, I actually care about the ponies down below.”

Lightning grunted disdainfully, “You do? Please, if I wanted a guilt trip, I would have spoken with that loud pink mare.”

“Don’t talk to him like that,” Spitfire said, jumping off her bed as she rushed to the bars, “He’s gone through enough-”

“Zip it, Spitfire!” Lighting shouted, whipping her head towards Spitfire with a flash of rage. “You’re already in jail for fifteen years after leaking classified info. Do you want it to be doubled?”

Spitfire deflated completely after that, her body sagging like all her confidence had been drained away. Her reaction made Lighting smirk triumphantly, taking a few steps towards Spitfire. “It feels good to get a little revenge,” she said, putting a hoof under Spitfire’s chin, lifting it up to gaze into her eyes. The smile she had was probably more infuriating than any other I had encountered so far. “I may not be Wonderbolt material, as you put it, but it seems the tables have turned so nicely in my favor.”

Spitfire knocked Lighting’s hoof away, baring her teeth in a form of aggression, but all it did was cause Lighting to chuckle.

“Why’s that?” I questioned, having decided to at least get a little information on this mare.

Lighting chuckled some more as she focused her attention back to me. “After Spitfire kicked me out of the Wonderbolt Academy,” she explained, frowning for a fraction of a second before regaining her arrogant demeanor, “I decided to work on politics instead. My reputation as the daughter of a previous mayor helped tremendously, and a little can-do attitude didn’t hurt either.”

Her frown returned in force as she looked at me, her voice rising, “I was elected mayor just before you humans invaded Equestria. I had no choice but to make Cloudsdale a sanctuary for all Pegasi, and everypony just flew right on up here. Of course, since Pegasi can’t grow food in the clouds, the Wonderbolts were made into the town’s personal scavengers: The Cloudsdale Hunters.”

I hadn’t thought about it before, but searching for food for an entire city must not have been easy. And if the humans knew the Cloudsdale Hunters existed, they would put extra protection on their foods, making it way more difficult for them. That would explain why the group had to be kept a secret, and why everyone loathed Spitfire.

Lightning took a deep breath, wanting to keep calm before she would continue. “I had to make the Cloudsdale Hunters easier to join than the Wonderbolts just to get recruits for scavenging,” she explained, looking off to the side, becoming more distant than I would have expected. By that statement alone, I could assume it wasn’t a very popular idea among the Pegasi to fly down to the surface. “They’re all cowards. Here I am, giving them a chance to help everypony, and what do they do? Hide and wait for somepony else to do it.”

“Are you just going to babble all day?” I questioned, pushing myself to my feet as I pocketed the harmonica. “Or did you come down here for a reason?”

My sudden height put the two ponies on alert, backing away from the bars like I might reach over and choke them. Giving me a wary look, Lightning stated, “I’m actually letting you go, human. You can thank Rainbow Dash for that.”

I jerked my head back in shock, furrowing my brow in disbelief. Even if Rainbow Dash was able to set me free, there was no way Lightning Dust would just let me roam around. Hell, even if she put bodyguards on me, there had to have been some secret agenda she was hiding behind her back. After meeting her for merely a few minutes, I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if that was the case. The look in Spitifire’s eyes matched my own, and I knew I had to watch my step.

Whatever her reasoning may be, Lighting Dust used her mouth to fetch a ring of keys from underneath her wings, which must have been uncomfortable to carry around like that. Sliding a key in, she unlocked it and swung open the door. As she took a few steps back with the guard to give me space, she gave another grin that blared warnings in my brain. She was definitely up to something, and it was most likely having it seem like I had escaped.

As a precaution, I remained in my cell, crossing my arms defiantly. If she was bluffing, then I wasn’t going to fall for it. The few seconds that passed were enough for Lightning Dust to raise a brow in impatience. Even the guard next to her, though unmoving for most of the conversation, was narrowing his eyes slightly. I was definitely getting under their skin - or fur I suppose - but did that mean she really did have something planned for me?

“Come on, human,” she snapped, waving a hoof towards herself, “We don’t have all day.”

I shook my head, “I’m not moving an inch until I know you aren’t going to throw some bullshit my way.”

In the background, I could see Spitfire suppress a chuckle, and I gave a ghost of a smile from it. Lightning Dust, on the other hand, grew angrier as she placed a hoof on her head, giving a low growl. “Fine,” she relented, stomping her hoof as she faced me sternly, “You want some insurance? You wait here.”

She took a few steps away from my cell before turning back to the guard. “Stay here until I get back,” she ordered, not even waiting for the guard to nod in understanding. When I felt she was far enough away, I sighed and sat back on my bed, running my hands across my face. Dealing with her was pretty damn difficult. She was hard to read, and one wrong move could ruin our chance to get the Pegasi as allies. I kind of put that in jeopardy before hand, but if the Pegasi are letting me out purposefully, then I didn’t completely shatter the idea.

“Nice one,” Spitfire said with a small laugh, “Can’t remember the last time she was so on edge.”

I gave a half smirk in acknowledgement, but quickly went back to my frown as I stared at the floor. “I feel uneasy around her,” I admitted, “I’ve dealt with ponies not trusting me before, but this is on a different level.”

“Yeah,” Spitfire said, looking in thought, “I heard Rainbow Dash was here to try to get the Pegasi to help the other ponies. But why are you here? Wouldn’t that make things harder for Rainbow?”

I gave a grunt, a sigh escaping my lips as I remembered asking myself the same question. “My rationale was the Pegasi might think negatively if they find the ponies were hiding me. But when I really look at it, I may have just been a stubborn asshole. It was a bit over my head coming here.”

“Well,” Spitfire said, sounding like she was finishing something up. I raised my head to gaze at her, seeing her smile again, “You’re here now, and you can’t change that. Might as well make the most out of it.”

That was oddly wise for Spitfire to say. It wasn’t that it was true, but that it was something I would find in a movie. This world had more in store than I could ever anticipate, from the strange quotes to the pun-riddled names.

The dull sounds of hoofsteps was suddenly heard, breaking my reverie as we all looked over to the hallway. Lightning walked through, only giving me a glance as she walked past my cell to stand by the guard. That’s when I noticed the other occupant that had followed Lightning.

I would have noticed her sooner, but she had flown straight up to my face, and smacked a hoof against my head. “You idiot!” Rainbow shouted, looking livid as she hovered in front of me. I grimaced from the volume and impact, rubbing a hand where she had hit me. Hooves weren’t soft, and I’d had to learn that the hard way so many times. “You couldn’t wait in Las Pegasus!? What were you thinking!?”

“That I could-” I started.

“Don’t answer that,” Rainbow interrupted, making me sag my shoulders. Great, it was one of those arguments. “You weren’t thinking, that’s why! And you brought Pinkie too!? You both could have died, and it would be all your fault! If I wasn’t here, the Pegasi wouldn’t give you the time of day! They would have left you here in jail forever! What do you have to say for yourself!?”

I waited a few seconds, mostly for the pain to subside in my head, if only by a little bit. After which, I turned my eyes to Rainbow, seeing her face contorted with worry and anger. I had seen that look from Emma enough times to recognize it; Rainbow was genuinely afraid of my death. And to see it in Rainbow was saying something.

“Are you finished?” I questioned, which only got me another hit on the head from her. She then turned her back to me, crossing her forehooves in the process.

“Now I’m done,” she said with finality.

Grumbling a bit from the second strike, I thought about a reasonable response for her. I could explain the same reason I had given myself and the other ponies, I could say it was her fault for not taking me with her in the first place. Hell, I could have simply ignored her and walked right out. Yet from all those choices, I went with the simplest.

With a heavy sigh, I said, “Sorry.”

The single word didn’t make Rainbow react in the slightest, though she did tilt her head a little towards me, showing that she was listening. I could tell Lightning was rolling her eyes. She really was not in tune with these types of conversations. It made me wonder if Lightning and Rainbow had a history together, but I had to remain focused.

“I shouldn’t have come here,” I said, my tone sounding forced as I gazed to the ceiling, “I shouldn’t have brought Pinkie. I just… wanted to help.”

Rainbow turned her head back towards me, her eyes softening a bit. She lowered herself until her hooves met the floor, then she faced me fully. She was trying to keep her expression stoic, but the cracks in her mask were all too obvious. “Just…” she said before closing her eyes, keeping what was left of her hardened features. “Just don’t do it again, ‘kay?”

“I can do that,” I agreed, throwing in a bit of humor. Rainbow’s small chuckle proved it worked. She turned around to spot Spitfire with a smile of her own. Rainbow’s joy evaporated instantly, stepping past Lightning and the guard as she stood on the opposite side of the cell.

“Spitfire…” Rainbow muttered, though not in surprise. She must have known before coming to me, but seeing it in front of her must have made it worse.

“Don’t worry about me, kid,” Spitfire waved off before pointing a hoof at me with a smirk. “If I were you, I’d be more worried for him. Did you know he is a bit crazy when it comes to curiosity?”

The joke made Rainbow crack another smile, raising an eyebrow at the same time. “Do I?!” she said, adding on to it, much to my chargan, “Nolan walked right up to the Resistance Headquarters and got shot. But he didn’t get a scratch.”

Spitfire blinked before turning her owlish gaze to me, causing me to chuckle as I walked out of the cell. “Bullet-proof vest,” I answered simply, gesturing to my chest. Then I furrowed my brow as a thought struck me. Was it possible for these ponies to replicate my vest to wear for themselves? If that could be done, the injuries alone could be reduced significantly. I should ask Twilight when I got a chance.

“Come on, Nolan,” Rainbow called, walking up the staircase, her voice having dropped from joking to anger. A glance to the other ponies showed I had missed something, as Spitfire was angry as well, and Lightning had a bored expression on her face. Without wasting any time, and dropping the fact Lightning had something planned for me, I followed Rainbow through the hallway. The scenery didn’t change at all as we moved along, passing cell by cell. It wasn’t until we reached the end of the hallway did Rainbow push open the door without losing her momentum, and I was met with sudden sunlight. A couple blinks later, I passed through the ajar door, and was greeted with a rather disappointed sight.

A wall of clouds greeted me, surrounding the prison. The cloud I stood upon that was floating in between two larger clouds showed a bit of the blue sky at the sides. They weren’t connected to each other, but it did give that impression. In some senses, it felt like I was at the bottom of a well. I did make out the tops of a few buildings on the larger clouds, but overall, the cloud I was on was isolated from the rest, which made sense, considering it was essentially a jail.

That’s when I caught sight of a Pegasus flying through the air, and just like that, I suddenly realized the sky was full of them. They were flying to and fro up above, each looking like they had somewhere to be. There were so many of them, it felt like a rainbow of colors racing around each other. Despite their busy nature, they still found the time to gawk, glare, or turn away from me. In fact, more than a few Pegasi were stopping in their tracks all together, just to simply turn their icy and bitter eyes on me. I could only give a half closed stare back, as I was really tired of shit like that.

Rainbow suddenly jumped in front of me, flying in place as she waved her forelegs. “Nothing to see here,” she stated plainly, waving off the spectators, “Keep on flapping. Friendly human here.”

I think it was more that it was Rainbow Dash herself that was deterring the other Pegasi, rather than her words or waving, but it worked nonetheless. The Pegasi continued on their way, though much more wary than before.

After that was all done, Rainbow put her forelegs on her hips - which kind of weirded me out her legs could bend that way - giving a grunt of disatisfaction. “You’re not exactly well known for being a good guy yet,” she explained with a small glance back, “But hopefully ponies’ll leave you alone.”

“Well, that’s comforting,” I commented sarcastically. I knew Rainbow meant well, but having no reassurance I wouldn’t be openly attacked wasn’t a comforting thought in the least.

“H-Human!” I heard a mare stutter, causing me to look behind me to see a Pegasus floating a couple feet away. Her coat was grayish, light purple with a cyan mane and tail. A cute pink bow sat on her smooth looking mane, which reminded me of Fluttershy’s for some reason. She had her forelegs close to her chest, and was quite fearful as she spoke. I couldn’t help but notice she also had a Cloudsdale Hunter uniform as well, though without the full mask, only covering up to her cheeks. A scabbard held a sword with a silver hilt, sitting just below the wing so it could be easily retrieved with the mouth. “Don’t-Don’t do anything f-fishy, okay?”

By her stuttering alone, I could tell she was very frightened to be around me, but from her words, she sounded like she was meant to watch me. I raised a brow a bit, wondering who would assign her with me. Then another Pegasus suddenly zoomed in front of me, getting up in my face similar to the way Rainbow did when I had first met her.

“You hurt one hair on her mane,” the mare threatened, “and you’re dead.”

That made me blink in surprise, taking a step back to get a better view of my threatener. She had the exact same colors as the other mare, but her mane was much more radical. The back side stood on end while the front part was a bit combed down, though just barely. She even wore the same exact clothing. The two were similar yet different at the same time, leading me to an inference between them.

Narrowing my eyes, I pointed a finger between the two as I said, “Are you… twins?”

“So what if we are?” the aggressive mare shot back, leaning her head forward, as if daring me to argue.

“Calm down, Cloudchaser,” Rainbow said with a stern expression, waving a hoof dismissively as she landed beside me. “He’s not with the other humans.”

“A human is a human, Rainbow,” Cloudchaser, as she was called, emphasised, landing in front of Rainbow Dash. “It doesn’t matter what he did or didn’t do, he’s still a human.”

Yeah, that was what I was afraid of a few days ago. However, I felt I could easily use what Twilight had said to me to my advantage. “Just because I’m a human,” I said, jabbing a thumb towards myself, “doesn’t mean I’m with the other humans. Hell, I’m not even from this damn planet.”

“A human alien,” Cloudchaser remarked sarcastically, turning to the other mare who was still hovering at eye level with myself, “Can you believe this, Flitter?”

I turned my eyes to the other mare, but that just made her nervous as she covered her face with her hooves. Why would she be so uncomfortable around me? If she was a Pegasus, she would have had little to no interaction with other humans. Wouldn’t she just be angry like the rest? Unless…

“Would you quit staring at her!?” Cloudchaser shouted, jumping to her back legs and shoving me a bit, glaring as much as anybody else. “You’re in Cloudsdale now, so don’t even think of doing that to her. Especially not when I’m here.”

“What?” I asked in shock, actually surprised she would jump to such a conclusion. I understood humans had their way with ponies, but these were Pegasi for crying out loud! They could just fly away, couldn’t they? Then again, Spitfire had been shot through the wing, and if the humans weren’t as nice as they were, then she’d be in a heap of trouble.

“Did something happen to her?” I questioned, gesturing towards Flitter, who was shivering a little at that point.

“What do you care?” Cloudchaser snapped, looking away from me as she shuffled closer to Flitter. Cloudchaser gave a brief sympathetic look over to her before turning back to me, as if trying to hide it from me and me alone. “Pegasi might be able to just fly away from danger, but sometimes, there are things you can’t just fly away from.”

“Okay, that’s enough,” Rainbow exclaimed, stomping a hoof, “I know Lightning wants you to watch over Nolan, but I don’t want any of that ‘every human is evil’ stuff. Nolan is cool, end of story.”

“Whatever,” Cloudchaser responded, though somewhat quietly. Flitter peeked over her hooves to gaze over to me, and though she didn’t hide right away when I looked over to her, she did lower herself behind Cloudchaser.

Rainbow sighed before turning to me, “Me and Dusty need to discuss a lot of things with Lightning and the other Pegasi. It may take a while, but don’t draw attention to yourself.”

“Not even the good kind?” I joked, though my heart wasn’t into it. Being alone with every single pony hating me wasn’t going to be pleasant. Rainbow simply gave me a stink eye, but it was enough to get her point across. “Okay, okay, I’ll lay low.”

“Thank you,” she said, though she stressed the word to make it sound like a sarcastic remark. Nonetheless, I nodded as she spread her wings, taking flight high into the air before disappearing over another cloud. Turning back to my two escorts, they both flinched and Cloudchaser stood defensively in front of Flitter.

“So are you two twins or not?” I replied, hoping to change the subject off of myself. “Yes or no?”

“Yes, we’re twins,” Cloudchaser said, her steeling gaze never wavering. “Happy?”

“I might be,” I said, though in all honesty, I actually was. If I could understand them a bit more, perhaps they wouldn’t be so distant. I glanced around the area, seeing that I was pretty much stuck on this single cloud that held the prison cells. And another glance to the Pegasi made me want to just hide back in my cell and talk with Spitfire, at least then I’d get a proper discussion going on.

“So…” the voice of Flitter started, catching my attention, “What exactly did you… w-want to do?”

A quick idea passed through my mind, “Get my stuff back, preferably.”

Cloudchaser glowered at me, “So what, you can go on a rampage?”

I sighed, knowing it was going to take a while to get through these two. It was a good thing I had a bit of practice. “No, you can keep my weapons if you want,” I said, grinding my teeth slightly, “but I’d at least like to get my mask and cigarettes back.”

“What’s a cigarette?” Flitter asked, actually taking a few steps forward.

“Some sort of gun!?” Cloudchaser shouted, leaping in front of her sister yet again.

“Oh would you relax?” I requested impatiently, rubbing my forehead, “You act like everything I have and do will be a threat to national security or something.”

“You mean like what happened to Equestria?” Cloudchaser said quietly, her glare softening for the first time as she bowed her head. Flitter instantly stepped to her side, placing a comforting wing over her. I guessed my remark was a bit out of line, even after the few months since the invasion. I always thought the ponies were overreacting to how their country fell, but I had failed to realize it was their home. I knew if the United States was taken over, I would be pretty sensitive about it as well.

God, I could be pretty callous sometimes.

“Fine,” I sighed with a shake of my head, “Let’s forget about the cigarettes. Can I at least get my mask back?”

“What’s so important about that?” Flitter asked though with no hint of malice, just curiosity.

“It made me who I am in this place,” I stated, surprising myself with how true the statement was. “It’s… special.”

Flitter was obviously hesitant, looking over to her sister constantly. They must have some sort of connection that transcended sisterhood, like they had to rely on each other so much that they had to watch each others’ backs periodically. Thanks to the humans, no less.

“Will it get you to stop asking questions?” Cloudchaser snapped, surprising Flitter as she retracted her wing. Cloudchaser didn’t care, her determination to keep me in check shining brightly.

“Sure,” I said with a sigh, turning away from them. My answer showed I was getting tired of being treated like I was a loose cannon. It might have been the case in a few situations, but I knew who to aim my gun at. I examined the area, getting a better idea of my surroundings. It was apparent I was somewhat lower than the other portions of the city, and was only able to see the thick clouds that made up the foundation. Facing the brims of the larger clouds, I wondered how I would be able to get to them, or any other clouds that were disconnected. I could walk on clouds just fine, but I was still lacking in the wing department. They must have had some sort of bridge to get across these gaps. After all, foals wouldn’t be able to fly as soon as they were born… Unless, that was another strange thing that happened in Equestria.

My head lowered to search the edge of the cloud I was on, and did not fail as my eyes found a sort of bridge. My ambiguous description was purposeful, as the bridge wasn’t really a bridge. At best, it was a sort of beam or thin platform, never meant to be walked on. With a bit more thought, the Pegasi probably intended to form it like that, possibly as a subtle punishment to whatever prisoner was in this jail. I was also willing to bet the Pegasi would lock up a prisoner’s wings when they were escorting them, so the bridge would be used as a fear factor directed at the criminals.

Damn, and there I thought Equestria wasn’t so cruel. Probably another addition because of the humans. But how many Pegasi prisoners had there been to require such a bridge? It was a perplexing thought, but as my eyes wandered across the bridge, I found a set of stairs rising alongside the side of the large cloud, directing it to the very top. That was my ticket to Cloudsdale major.

With my path set, I walked forward at a brisk pace towards the bridge, Cloudchaser and Flitter quickly taking to the air as they hovered a few feet away from me. I could almost feel their eyes bore into my skull, looking for even the slightest notion I was a threat. I had no idea how well trained they were with those swords of theirs, but I wasn’t going to tempt fate. I’d rather keep my head where it belonged.

I didn’t hesitate for a moment when I reached the bridge, pressing on like I was walking on a sidewalk. It wasn’t as thin as I had thought, being about a meter in width, but it was still very hazardous. In fact, as I walked along the platform, I glanced at the drop that awaited me if I didn’t watch my step.

The cloud I was on must have been as high as a skyscraper, being several stories up. At the surface of Equestria, I could see the forests and plains Cloudsdale hovered over, shrouded in shadow. The trees were mere blades of grass, and any large boulder was a pebble. I wasn’t afraid of heights, but I think anyone in my position would be a bit freaked out. Tearing my eyes away, I took a deep breath, calming myself, suddenly becoming anxious. The sooner I crossed the bridge, the sooner I could get to-

A small push was applied to my side, tipping me over ever so slightly towards the edge. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the murderous fall, waiting patiently to swallow me up. With my stomach dropping, I swayed a bit, waving my arms around while grunting in panic. With quick movements, I regained my balance, lowering my body to keep myself oriented on the platform. Cold sweat had broken out all around my body, and my breathing was much louder.

The uncontrolled sound of laughter to my side reached my ears, and I shaky looked over to see Cloudchaser. Her hooves were holding her stomach, her face slightly red from so much mirth. It didn’t take an expert to know she was behind my near-death experience, and I clenched my teeth in fury. “Did you…” she wheezed, easing her laughter just enough to speak clearly, “Did you see his face!? Priceless!”

I faced away from her with a huff, shakily standing back up. With a quick glance to Flitter to see her reaction, I saw she was even more frightened than before, which didn’t make sense to me. With a shake of my head, I started forward again, being much more mindful of where my feet were stepping.

Abruptly, another shove from behind - one that was much more forceful - pushed me forward, making me stumble as my breath hitched in my throat. Aiming for the ground, I fell onto my stomach, my arms clamping to the sides as I kept my tumble as still as possible. Clutching the cloud bridge like a lifeline, I remained there for longer than I needed to, making sure I wasn’t dead for the second time in a few minutes.

Another burst of laughter was behind me, making me stretch my neck to get a good look. And of course, it was Cloudchaser again, only this time she was lying on the bridge, smacking the cloud like she was having a hard time breathing. Her very red face concluded she found it absolutely hilarious to bat me around like a cat playing with a mouse.

“Oh my Celestia!” she cried before breaking out in another round of snickering, “That was… that was even better than before!”

For some reason, I couldn’t muster the energy to be angry at her, probably because fear was welling up inside me instead. However, I needed to get going, so shivering I stood to my feet, suddenly extremely fearful of the ground far below. Swallowing, I spread my arms out a little bit, hoping it would help balance me out, even though I’d had no real trouble earlier. However, before I could even take another step, Cloudchaser knocked my feet forward, causing me to fall onto my back and knock the air out of me.

Completely disoriented at that point, I coughed as I gasped, desperately getting air into my lungs. Having a heavy kevlar vest could really be a hassle sometimes. Cloudchaser didn’t care about my condition as she chuckled heartily, her laughter much more dumbed down than before. My heart was pounding, completely terrified of even standing on my own two feet. I was at an extreme disadvantage, mostly because I couldn’t fight back. Even I wanted to just teach her a lesson, it could be interpreted as an assault, and then everything would go wrong.

Warily, I turned my body to the side and pushed myself up to sit down. My hands kept a firm grasp on the ledges, like letting go would bring about my doom. People had shot me before, tried to kill me, but at that moment, I could easily be pushed right off the side, and no one would bat an eye.

I needed to get control of the situation, and fast.

Taking a long and strenuous breath, I pushed myself up to my feet, turning to Cloudchaser again. When I looked over, I saw a thoughtful expression on her face, maybe even regret. Shaking out of her stupor, she gave a wide smile, chuckling slightly, though a bit strained.

“Knock it off,” I muttered, mustering what anger I could as I glared at her. My shivering body may make it look like I was afraid, but I had to put up some front. I didn’t want to appear weak around these Pegasi.

“No way,” Cloudchaser said with another small chuckle, “I’m going to have my fun now before-”

“Knock it off!” I shouted taking a few steps toward her as she jerked back in surprise, “Yes, I’m a goddamn human, but I’m still a fucking person!”

I was actually shocked I had the courage to face her like that, what with being able to die with a simple push. But I stood my ground, taking deep breaths from my shout. A small tap around my throat could be felt, and I faced where it had originated. Flitter had her sword in her mouth, and the blade was just a few centimeters away from piercing my throat. The sword was like a claymore, but had a bit more of a curve to it. However, I wasn’t really focused on that, staring at Flitter with a blank expression. She had a look in her eye, one that had been persistent since I had first met her. The reason the blade had tapped me in the first place was because she was shivering so much.

She was so afraid; of me, of losing her sister, of what could’ve happened if she hadn’t acted. But what she was really afraid of was if she had the fortitude to take that leap, and kill someone to protect another. Yet another innocent forced to do something they never thought they would have to face.

I closed my eyes as I shook my head in dismissal. “That’s the problem with most of you ponies,” I said, looking at Cloudchaser’s still surprised face before turning back to the bridge. “You all are becoming too much like humans.”

I didn’t say another word as I crossed the rest of the bridge, and traveled up the long staircase. And though Cloudchaser and Flitter were following me, they stayed a little further away.

***

After many grueling minutes climbing an absurd amount of steps, I made it up to the top part of the clouds. And up there, for a few seconds, I forgot about all the misery in Equestria. I would have called the sight I saw paradise if there wasn’t a nagging voice in the back of my head.

To sum up, it was the most unreal place I had seen in Equestria, with fantastical houses and Greek pillars on every cloud I could see. Pegasi swooped and dived in different locations, arriving at their destinations like colorful worker ants. The horizon was devoid of everything; no trees or mountains to remind me I was on the ground. It truly felt like I was in a cloud city, and I was relishing in that fact.

Then, it came to a screeching halt. Not in the bad way, but not really good either. Pinkie popped her head out of the cloud like a gopher before gasping loudly upon seeing me. Becoming a pink blur, she catapulted out of the cloud and onto my chest, knocking me down in no time flat while hugging me tightly around the chest.

“Nolan!” she cried happily, snuggling her muzzle into my chest, which couldn’t be very comfy. “You’re okay!”

Even though I was knocked down on the ground by a pony again, I had to chuckle, actually glad to see Pinkie. I was a little bit worried about her after the crash, but she looked like she was fine and dandy to me. It was at that moment Pinkie pushed off of my chest, putting her nose to mine as she got serious.

“Did they hurt you?” she asked desperately, her eyes - being blue in color - were determined, all cheerfulness having evaporating. “Please say they didn’t.”

Her sudden concern caught me off guard, making me hesitate from answering her. I had been hurt by the Pegasai, but I couldn’t bring myself just to point the finger at Cloudchaser. A glance towards her told me she had tensed up, but still held her angry glare, albeit somewhat softer than before.

“They…” I started, looking Pinkie in the eye as she perked her ears up, “didn’t hurt me, Pinkie. I’m like you said: okay.”

“Good,” Pinkie said with a swift nod, her smile returning in full as she bounced off me in a single bound. She bounced a little more on the tips of her hooves as I pushed myself up to my feet. I had to hand it to her, Pinkie could boost someone’s confidence in such little time. And I couldn't help but share a bit of it.

“Yeah, it is good to not be hurt,” I joked, scratching the back of my head, gazing around the area a bit more. “So how’s Cloudsdale? It’s kind of hard to know about a place in a prison cell.”

A stern grunt from behind told me Cloudchaser was still unhappy with my release. Wow, it was going to be a while to get them used to me. No one said it would be easy, but I didn’t know where to start. Regardless, I paid more attention to Pinkie, who had halted midair when I asked about Cloudsdale. It was pretty cool, but I didn’t bother questioning why it happened. The content mood Pinkie was radiating changed on a dime again, but this time, she was incredibly sad, her mane drooping a little to match.

“Cloudsdale…” she whispered, looking back to the landscape of the city, “isn’t so good.”

It was a cryptic message indeed, and with another glance around, I wondered if it held truth. I didn’t doubt Pinkie Pie, but whatever she was referring to couldn’t be blatantly seen. That gave me more unease than if the problem was in plain sight.

“Come on,” Pinkie said, waving a hoof to follow her as she walked away, “You have to see this.”

I hummed for a moment before setting out with her, figuring I could get my mask later. We didn’t go along any sort of path, since the Pegasi had no reason to walk anywhere, but the terrain made it a bit difficult. Cloudchaser and Flitter offered nothing as Pinkie and I struggled through the clouds. In comparison, it was equivalent to walking through a very rocky trail, since every little tuft of cloud that jutted upward was a trippable obstacle.

After a few minutes of that, we finally made it to some sort of sloped pit, gazing off into a large encampment. The large pit-like area was enclosed by walls that were twice as tall as myself, with dome-like clouds that acted as tents. Then there were the Pegasi, hundreds of them, all milling tightly around each other. Their expressions weren’t exactly happy, and it made me come to a grim conclusion.

“Pinkie,” I said slowly, my eyes scanning over the ponies, “What is this place?”

Pinkie whined a bit, her head lowering, “An immigrant camp.”

I gave a heavy sigh, tearing my eyes away at last to stare at my feet, “I was afraid of that.”

A grunt from Cloudchaser could be heard, making me whip around at her, my eyes narrowing. “Something the matter?” I questioned harshly, noting her hardened features.

“Yes,” she said with a nod, “Why would a human like you care if there are immigrants? You’re the cause of all this in the first place.”

Pinkie blinked in shock, turning towards Cloudchaser with a heart-broken face. “Nolan didn’t do any of this,” Pinkie said with a shake of her head, looking very sad, “He helps ponies.”

“Like your insanity?” Cloudchaser retorted, making Pinkie flinch and causing me to growl. Cloudchaser crossed the line at that point. She could knock me around all she liked, but I wasn’t going to let her insult my friends. Flitter even gawked at her, and for the first time, I saw her become angry as she closed in on her.

“Cloudchaser!” she scolded, getting up in Cloudchaser face. “How could you talk to somepony else like that? Don’t you remember what Mom told us?”

The shock on Cloudchaser’s face was just the same as my own. I didn’t expect Flitter to snap like that, especially to her sister. She must have only been able to stand up to Cloudchaser, keeping her in check, even if Flitter could barely talk to a human like myself.

Cloudchaser bowed her head, still stunned, but I didn’t think it was simply because Flitter had shouted at her. “I… I don’t know w-what…” she stammered, her jaw slowly opening as if she was just realizing something horrible. “I’m sorry!”

Then she took off, flying faster than I had seen anyone fly in a while. Flitter didn’t say a word, as though she hadn’t completely registered Cloudchaser had left. When she finally came back to reality, she gave a brief blink before yelling, “Cloudchaser, wait!”

It was too late to call her back, having disappeared over a cloud near a group of houses. The three of us stared at where she had gone, our thoughts clouding the environment. I felt like I was tearing these two Pegasi apart, one way or another. It started out because I was the subject, and it ended with Cloudchaser taking off because of how she had acted.

“Do you want to go after her?” I asked, facing Flitter who was still gazing somberly at a certain cloud.

“N-No,” she said, attempting to sound determined, and succeeding for the most part. She turned towards me, and when she saw I was looking at her, averted her eyes to the side, her head sinking back. “I have a responsibility to watch you, and-and that’s what I’m going to do.”

She wanted to chase after her sister. The look in her eyes said it all. In her position, I would do the same. I may not have had a brother or sister, but the urge to comfort someone you love is always familiar.

“Oh,” Pinkie pipped up, though not nearly as happy as she once was. Her head was tilted at a small angle, getting a better look at what she saw at the immigrant camp. “I think I see Dusty from here.”

With slight interest, I looked over as well, seeing the gray, duster coat-wearing stallion that was Dusty. He was speaking with a few of the Pegasi while quickly scribbling on a clipboard. He was taking notes, but for what was anybody’s guess.

“I wonder what he’s up to,” I mused, my mind still worrying for Flitter. A quick glance over to her confirmed she was still focused away from us. A distraction was definitely something she needed.

“Flitter,” I said gently, making her turn toward me sluggishly, her eyes a bit droopy and watery. “ If you're serious about keeping an eye on me, than you have to come with us.”

Flitter wiped her eyes, “Yeah, R-Right.”

Pinkie took that as a reason to hop off the ledge and onto the sloped hill, trotting down to the encampment below. With a ghost of a smile, I stepped down as well, forcing myself to slow down so as not to trip. When we reached the bottom, the effect of fear was instantaneous as everyone’s eyes were glued to me. The same mixture of fear and anger swept through the crowd of ponies. Some fell back to the tents, while a few stood their ground, ready to fight if need be. Lucky for them, they had no reason to prepare.

Sighing through my nose, and with Pinkie standing up straight like a knight guarding a king, we walked through the camp. I was semi aware that Flitter was behind me, but she was so quiet she may as well not have been there at all. Even still, the idea of someone constantly watching me didn’t lower anyone’s vigilance.

As we approached Dusty, Pinkie rushed on ahead, trotting to a stop behind him. She looked over his shoulder, noting what he was writing for a moment. The way he wrote was by using his mouth to move the pencil across the paper. It certainly was a way to write, and I had to hand it to the ponies, they were pretty inventive when it came to their limited pony bodies.

Finished secretly examining his written words, Pinkie gave a small smile. “Hey, Dusty,” Pinkie said, making the stallion jump, dropping the clipboard and pencil to the floor. When he turned around, his snout made contact with Pinkie’s, and though she only gave a toothy grin, Dusty gave a very faint blush as he took a few steps back. I openly laughed at his condition, finding it humorous he would behave in such a way. I had a feeling he liked Pinkie more than he let on.

“Uh, hello, Pinkie,” he said with a nod, his tone way too neutral for the situation. “And… Nolan.”

Counting my name made me chuckle a little more, especially since he was glaring at me ever so slightly for laughing at him. His eyes flickered back to Pinkie, who had stepped unusually close to him, with a scrunched up face. Dusty jerked a moment, but remained frozen, as if moving would set off a bomb.

I had to laugh some more at that.

Shaking off his stupor, he glared at me. “This isn’t a laughing matter, Nolan,” he said angrily, making me halt in my mirth instantly, growing serious. He was right, I was in an immigrant camp of Pegasi that had been pushed out of their homes and separated from their family because of my species. Why had I found such small things so comical? Regardless of what that answer might have been, he stayed quiet as his features grew stern. Dusty grabbed the fallen clipboard in his mouth and placed it on an outstretched hoof, holding it up like he had earlier.

“Are those names?” Pinkie asked, tapping the clipboard in curiosity.

“Yeah,” Dusty replied with a nod, turning away as he read the board, “A few of the Pegasi here are parents, and I was collecting names to see if any of their Pegasi foals were at Las Pegasus. Just something extra to keep me occupied as I collect some info.”

“Info?” I questioned, stepping past Pinkie to look at the clipboard myself. Along with the aforementioned names, there were many numbers and stats littering the paper. I couldn’t read what they represented - thanks to Dusty’s chicken scratch handwriting - but it definitely was a hunk of data. “Is that for the mayor?”

“And the rest of the council,” Dusty added, nodding once again as he reviewed what he had gotten down so far. “It’s going to take some mighty amount of convincing to get their help.”

“Yeah,” I said with a sigh, crossing my arms as I looked around at the surrounding Pegasi, “Figured that already.”

“Like you have any right to be sarcastic,” Dusty growled, giving me a hard sideways glance, “Thanks to your little visit, the council is stuck in a stalemate whether we’re simply slaves trying to trick them.”

I ran a hand through my hair, gripping it tightly afterwards. I just had to rush up to Cloudsdale, didn’t I? I just had to play the hero. I couldn’t believe the lies I had told myself. But like Spitfire said, what was done was done. I just had to make up for my mistake.

“What can I do, Dusty?” I questioned, making him face me with a raised brow. “I mean, to show the city council I’m with you ponies. There’s gotta be something I can do.”

“Well, since you’re a human…” Dusty said with a growing smile, one that I didn’t like one bit. “You could always use subterfuge.”

“Hilarious,” I grunted disdainfully and sarcastically, crossing my arms, “Weren’t you the one that said this wasn’t a laughing matter?”

“I’m not laughing, now am I?” he smirked, looking over his clipboard again as I rubbed my head. I was going to need a vacation after this trip. “I think I saw some Pegasi trying to teach others about humans. Maybe you can… enlighten them.”

If the Pegasi wouldn’t kill me, his jokes would. But it was something to do, and it could put me in a good light. Without saying another word, I left behind Pinkie and Dusty, heading past a few more cloud tents. I had seen the group from a distance, but as I approached, I got a better view of them. It looked more like a classroom, since most of the Pegasi were gathered around while one other spoke to them.

Somehow, none of them noticed me, and I kept it that way, standing a ways away with my arms crossed as I listened to the presentation.

“-Never fight a human head on, understood?” the instructor said, a mare with an artic blue coat and white mane. Just like Spitfire and Lightning Dust, her mane was swept back, and she wore a Cloudsdale Hunter outfit, with goggles resting on her forehead. She even had a bit of a lisp, though it was somewhat unnoticable.

The group didn’t answer her question as the mare eyed everyone present, looking for weakness. I was familiar with that look, having it given to myself during my training in the police force. I would say it was the same as the military, but I knew they were much harsher.

Satisfied with what she saw, the mare smirked, “Now, you’re probably wondering why you should kill a human unseen. None of you have seen real combat with a human.”

Again, more silence. It was understandable why everyone would behave in such a way, but it made me uneasy, like they were robots. Must have been part of their training.

The mare put a hoof to her mouth, clearing her throat politely before speaking. “A human has a lot of weaponry. Besides just their firearms, they have knives and explosives. Not only that, but it has been learned humans can make use of their environment to construct even more weapons. A list of known weapons such as these are: a plank of wood, a metal bar, a broken bottle, and bricks.”

The entire group was abuzz with conversation, every single pony was startled of this news. As for me, I had to shake my head in slight amusement, knowing a whole lot more could be made. And that was just limiting us to grabbable objects, since humans are also pretty good using our own body parts as well.

“But don’t worry,” the mare said with a wave of her hoof, quieting the group, “Most humans are too stupid to know this.”

I tilted my head back in forth as I stared at the sky; that certainly was debatable. Many of the gathered Pegasi were relieved to hear of this, but the mare still wasn’t finished

“Furthermore,” she continued, smirking from what she was about to say, “all humans are warmongering monsters, so we have the advantage of cunning on our side.”

“Keep telling yourself that,” I said, and when everyone turned at my direction, the reaction was instant. The Pegasi closest to me jumped into the air, quickly backing away with their wings in panic. The other Pegasi eyed me with thirst for my death, but no one was nearly as pissed as the one mare was. The savage look in her eye alone told me she was just barely restraining herself from rocketing forward to rip me limb from limb.

The mare was silent for a while, as was everyone else as they stared at me. I simply stared back, though much more uncaring than I intended. “You the human Lightning let loose?” she snarked, causing me to nod as an answer, “Then what do you want?”

“To tell you you’re wrong,” I stated bluntly, walking forward. The Pegasi jumped out of the way, allowing me to cut through the group and up to the mare. “The name’s Nolan, by the way.”

“Don’t expect me to use it,” she shot back, a small smile forming, like she was entertaining herself with her own insults, “But I’m Fleetfoot.”

“Right,” I said in acknowledgement, “Anyway, yeah, humans aren’t simply mindless monsters you know.”

“So… what?” Fleetfoot said stepping past me as she looked over the crowd, as if to rile them up against me, “Are you here to say you’re different?”

I grunted, “Hell no.”

Fleetfoot turned her head back to me, actually dumbfounded by my proclamation. Even a few of the Pegasi were giving each other these perplexed looks. I gave a brief smirk before hardening my features, looking off to the side in thought. “I’ve done that too many times now,” I said, “And quite frankly, I’m not going to be staying here for long. What I meant that humans aren’t monsters, is that you’re not giving them enough credit with their intelligence.”

Fleetfoot gave a quick glance back at the group of Pegasi before leaning forward, holding a hoof next to her mouth. “It’s just something to make everyone feel better,” she whispered. “Boost morale.”

“Well, don’t do it,” I said blatantly, making her jerk back in surprise, pointing to the ground to emphasise my point. “They need to know. Otherwise, they’re going to make some decisions that could cost them their lives.”

With a grimace, Fleetfoot stared at the ground, and I rose my voice as I stared at her, letting everyone hear. “As much as it'll make you feel better, humans are smarter than they appear. They took Equestria, your home, they were able to take Canterlot, a fortress on a mountain, and they’re driving all of you to starvation. If you think so closed-minded, then you’re just going to lose. Badly.”

With all eyes on me, I dug through one of my pockets, unintentionally twisting to the side to get a better reach. I needed something to prove my point a little more, and I wondered if I still had the letter from Celestia to Twilight. It had been a while, but I was sure I had kept it there. My hand passed over other documents, I couldn’t see. I just needed to-

A loud bang rang through the air, making me pull out my hand from surprise. The group all ducked instinctively, all manner of shouting and curses mixing together. That was a handgun going off, but where did it come from? Who shot it? My eyes landed on Fleetfoot who swayed left and right before falling to her side, her shoulder bleeding profusely. Shit, that wasn't good! Where the hell was-?

A gun, a revolver - no, my revolver - landed beside me only a foot away, making my eyes widen as I took a step away like it was cursed. What the hell was happening!? Where did Vera come from!?

“Hey, a gun!” one of the Pegasi pointed out, finally noticing the revolver as well, “But did… did the human fire it off?”

Oh… fuck me.

“Stop him, quick!” another pegasus shouted, pointing to myself. I was so confused and disoriented; I just shook my head as I backed away, my hands held up in a vain attempt to show I wasn’t a threat.

“I didn’t do this!” I yelled, but a pegasus had already knocked into my chest, tackling me to the ground. The sounds of dozens of swords unsheathing reverberated in my ears as my head knocked against the cloud floor once again. A sharp piece of metal dug into my neck a little bit, drawing blood. The pegasus on top of me was all I could see too, with only a couple other Pegasi surrounding him.

“I knew you were trouble,” the pegasus stallion said, standing on my chest. He looked and sounded like the pony that was with Spitfire when I had first met her. I couldn’t remember his name though. Even if I wanted to, I was panicking, knowing death was imminent yet again. I couldn’t even speak, my voice suddenly disappearing as my head went blank. I just couldn’t figure out what had happened. “I should have killed you when I had the chance.”

Before I could contemplate on what the Pegasus meant, the forceful shoves of someone breaking through a crowd could be heard. And with the comments of discontent from the other Pegasi, I knew it had to be someone supporting me.

“Hold it!” the voice of Dusty shouted, making some of the Pegasi back off, except for the one on top of me, who glared at me like it would incinerate me. “Everyone back away from the human!”

Even more Pegasi backed away from me, but the pegasi on top of me was still motionless. I heard Dusty growl, “I’m a representative of Rainbow Dash, the Element of Loyalty, and I’m saying this one last time, Soarin. Back. Away. From the human.”

With a loud huff, Soarin hopped off, walking away while growling like a beast. Taking a few breaths, I pushed myself up to a sitting position, while my hand inexplicitly landed on my revolver. Like a flash, someone cut into my wrist, making me jerk my hand back with a hiss of pain. With my arm shaking, I examined it, noting a clean slice had appeared, dripping blood onto my pants.

I gripped my arm to stop the bleeding, but it didn’t have much effect as the blood seeped around my hand. I would need some bandages. Lowering my arm, I looked to find it was Soarin, his sword gripped tightly in his mouth with my blood splattered on it. With a twist of his head, he sheathed the weapon, turning away without another glance towards me. “You’re not killing anyone else today, you monster,” he growled, making his way to the group of ponies surrounding Fleetfoot.

With an expert eye, I could tell the bullet may have passed a few major arteries. If she wasn’t treated quickly, she’d die of blood loss. Luckily, she was already set on a white cloth - probably loaned from one of the immigrants. Two Pegasi took hold of each end of the cloth in their mouth, their teeth clamping down on it. Beating their wings, they hovered a moment to make sure Fleetfoot was secure before taking off. The sheet was already soaking with her blood, showing everyone the Pegasus’ condition. As they left, I took note of dozens of other Pegasi, a mixture of Cloudsdale Hunters and immigrants, the gunshot having gotten all of their attention.

“Tell me,” Dusty exclaimed, standing motionless. His eyes were unreadable, yet held a growing ember of anger, the fire growing with each passing second. Despite his steely gaze, I stared right back at him, waiting for him to finish. “Did you shoot that Pegasus?”

I could feel my face tighten as I let that question hang for a moment, “No.”

“Too bad,” Dusty sighed, relaxing his expression as he faced the numerous Pegasi that were crowding the area. The familiar stares were even more intense than I had ever seen ever before. They were out for my blood, that was for damn sure. “Because nopony is going to believe you.”

Chapter 17: Error

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 17: Error

“And that’s how I got back here,” I said, my tone hardly hiding my rage. Sitting in the same damn prison, in the same damn cell. Square one all over again, except this time, there was no getting out. The cloud material that surrounded me furthered my anger, reminding me where I was, and what had just happened.

Someone had shot Fleetfoot with my revolver, and that someone was not me. A Pegasus pony did it obviously, but who specifically - and how - was what was running through my mind. Of course, it could have been Lightning Dust, but she was with Rainbow Dash, and she wouldn’t lie to me. Not after what we’ve been through.

“I… can’t believe it,” I heard Spitfire mutter, and I focused on her, finding her lying on her own bed, her head sitting on top of her forelegs. My small tale was getting to her, and pretty hard as well. We didn’t know each other for very long, but we already had some connection together. It could have been that we were both locked up in the same prison, or because she didn’t hate me right away like other ponies. Either way, I thought of her as a friend to confine my plight. Hopefully, she thought of me the same way. In this world, and in this city, friends were a little hard to come by.

“What’s so hard to believe?” I asked with a shrug, standing to my feet to stretch out my muscles. The small walk in Cloudsdale had barely affected my sore body.

“You’re working so hard to get ponies to like you,” she explained, her eyes flickering over to me. “And then somepony frames you like that. It’s just… unfair.”

The reuse of that word made me chuckle, though it was halfhearted. It was far too true to laugh at, and my mirth was hollow enough for Spitfire to hear it. I could tell because she didn’t ask about it; she already knew. The silence that followed allowed me to continue to think about the suspects who probably framed me.

It couldn’t have been Flitter, that I can assure myself. She was too fragile to even attempt to shoot a gun, let alone shoot it at another of her kind. Come to think of it, who in their right mind would shoot another pony just to get me in trouble? That kind of action is unthinkable. How desperate were these ponies to resort to that? It was a human thing to do, and it sent a chill up my spine.

My species was changing these ponies for the worst. If we didn’t act fast, it would degrade even further. Who knew what these ponies would do to win. Torture was my greatest fear, not because they might do it to me, but because they might do it to themselves. Their ship of kindness and compassion was sinking, and those who were becoming human were dragging those who had a shred of decency down into the depths. It was despicable.

“I hope Fleetfoot is okay,” Spitfire spoke aloud, catching my attention. My curious gaze hinted that I was wondering if they had a relationship of some sort. Thankfully, Spitfire caught it and continued to explain. “We trained in the Wonderbolt Academy together. And when things went bad, we worked together to save who we could. It wasn’t until Lightning changed the Wonderbolts to the Cloudsdale Hunters did we separate.”

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, my guilt burning through my chest.

Spitfire picked her head up as she faced me fully, her expression of pure confusion. “Sorry for what?” she asked quietly, as if afraid of the answer.

I shook my head, putting a hand on my forehead in anguish, “If I hadn’t come up here, none of this would’ve happened. Your friend’s life wouldn’t be at stake, the Pegasi would choose to help the Resistance, and… just… everything.”

Spitfire didn’t speak. I didn’t know if she was blaming me, but I kept speaking anyway. Probably so I could postpone her reply. “Why am I even here?” I asked rhetorically, closing my eyes in frustration, “I’m forcefully taken from my world and thrown into Equestria, and for what? So I could pay for my damn sins? So more people can suffer from my actions?”

“No, don’t think like that,” Spitfire retorted as she pushed herself up to stand on her bed. Her expression and voice was sincere, genuinely surprising me. I thought she would have some animosity towards me after what happened to her friend. “I know things don’t go your way all the time, and… I am a bit mad that my friend is gravely injured because of you.” Ah, there it is. “But you had to have been brought here into Equestria for some reason, right?”

She did know I wasn’t from the North like the other humans, so I had to wonder if she believed me that I wasn’t from this world. My eyes lingered on her before drifting to just below her. She was correct that I had to have been brought to this world for a reason, and by the looks of things, it was for these ponies. Remnants of that stone flashed through my mind, the one that resembled a sun. It was definitely a link to my arrival in Equestria, and with the knowledge that Celestia controlled the sun, it didn’t take long for me to pin her for being responsible.

But Luna couldn’t detect her presence, if Luna wasn’t lying when she told me that. I was brought to Equestria months after Celestia’s ‘disappearance’, so she had to be alive. Plus, the sun was still rising and falling like it normally did - well, ‘normal’ as in a magical Alicorn was moving it. Celestia must have been concealing herself with magic, so the Baron wouldn’t use Luna to find her. It made a whole lot of sense, but that begged one important question.

Where was Celestia?

“Brought here for a reason,” I repeated, sitting back down on my bed, staring up at the ceiling, “I’ll just have to wait and see if that’s the case.”

Spitfire smiled gently, lying back on her bed as she kept her gaze on me. “Even if you weren’t, Nolan,” she said quietly, “You saved lives. And there’s nopony who can change that.”

“No,” I agreed with a nod, my brow furrowing ever so slightly, “But there are people who can ignore them.”

That statement turned Spitfire’s mood around, making her frown sadly as her ears drooped. I glanced at her before looking off to the side. As hard as it was to admit, these ponies were quite adorable when their ears did that. Did it take me that long to figure that out? I mean, these ponies were already cute to begin with…

I put a hand over my eyes as I shook my head. My brain had jumped from ‘little girl’ cute to ‘fall in love’ cute. Why my brain had jumped to such a conclusion was bizarre, but it wasn’t completely off either. Damn… what was this world doing to me?

I shook out those thoughts; there’s no time for daydreaming about pony love - no matter how distracting it was. I needed to focus on my situation; I was in jail, and I was more than likely to stay in there if I or my friends couldn’t come up with something. However, I simply couldn’t drive the subject out. Hell, it even jumped over to how I felt about Carrot Top, or Applejack. These were ponies for crying out loud, and there I was thinking how cute they looked. Jesus fucking christ, I needed help.

The soft thuds of approaching hoofsteps stopped the flow of awkward thoughts as I parted my fingers to peer past my hand. Spitfire was standing at the bars, watching the hallway with a raised brow. Then, she blinked in surprise, as she backed away. The sound of two walking ponies got louder as they came into view from my right.

The first person to appear was Flitter without her uniform, her head hung low as she stared at the floor. My eyes widened a bit, but softened to understanding as a guard followed behind her. Spitfire and I watched as Flitter stopped at a cell to the left of Spitfire, and the guard stepped past her and pulled it open. Afterwhich, Flitter walked inside, and when the guard slammed the door shut, she flinched whipped around. Her eyes gazed straight ahead as her breathing became ragged. As if she was suddenly aware of where she was, her breathing became suppressed sobs as she slowly lowered herself to the ground, covering her eyes with both hooves

It didn’t take a vivid imagination to know she was crying. How depressing.

The guard remained uncaring as he walked off down the hallway, leaving us alone again. Spitfire moved as close as she could to Flitter’s cell, pressing her body against the wall that separated them. Her mood had already taken a dive from my grim attitude, but seeing Flitter in such a state made things worse.

“Hey,” she said, giving a motherly tone that I didn’t know she had. She was looking at the wall like she could see through it, and her sorrowful expression almost made me believe she could, seeing how Flitter was feeling. “You alright?”

The sobs didn’t stop, and Flitter made no move to reply. Undaunted by the response, Spitfire closed her eyes, relaxing her body as she sat on her haunches. “Nolan told me what happened,” she said, “How you were supposed to watch him and make sure he doesn’t get in trouble. Then, how someone shot Fleetfoot…” She took a shaky breath, closing her eyes tighter as if to fight off her tears.

“I f-failed,” Flitter whimpered at last, her voice so low that we were lucky to catch it. Neither Spitfire nor I dared to interrupt her, waiting patiently for her to speak when she wanted to. “I was given one simple job, a-and… I couldn’t even do that.” She tightened herself into a ball, trying to be as small as possible. “I deserve to be here.”

“No, you don’t,” I snapped, standing to my feet and making Flitter flinch, finally uncovering her eyes to show how red they were. Spitfire had opened her eyes as well, facing me to hear what I had to say. “Someone else shot Fleetfoot and framed me for it. You only got in trouble because you were there watching me. You know that another Pegasus was the cause of all this. Why lie to yourself?”

“I don’t…” Flitter said, raising her head as she looked at her hooves, “Because I don’t want to believe another Pegasus shot a pony. It’s just… It’s not right!”

“Neither is being framed for something you didn’t do,” I retorted, glaring at her slightly. She must have felt my gaze, because she was a little bit more tense than before. Spitfire turned her head between Flitter and me, her sympathy completely apparent. I didn’t want sympathy, I wanted retribution.

Sighing, I swung my legs onto the bed, lying on my back as I got comfortable. I wasn’t particularly tired, but the recent events had made me want to fall asleep and forget my troubles. But my eyes remained half closed, unable to drift into slumber. My mind wasn’t even a buzz with possibilities or thoughts. It was blank, and it made me wonder why I couldn’t sleep.

“Nolan,” Spitfire spoke up, and I shifted my eyes to see her in the corner of my vision. She was mostly a blodge of colors, but I could still see her. “Why don’t you play your harmonica? Lift our spirits a little?”

I didn’t recall the harmonica being mine, but it wasn’t like it was anyone else's either. I closed my eyes, taking a long breath, “I don’t feel like it.”

“Oh come on,” Spitfire replied, sounding like she was trying to lift the mood. I had to give her credit for trying. “Flitter, Nolan can play a harmonica like you’ve never seen.”

“Really?” Flitter said, sniffling afterwards.

“Spitfire,” I warned, though it may have come off as playful banter, “I’m not going to play the harmonica.”

“Please?” she pleaded, “Pretty please with a cherry on top?”

“No,” I grunted, furrowing my brow.

“Just a small tune.”

“I’m not going to-”

“You know you want to.”

“Spitfire-”

“Just for a few min-”

“I’m not playing the fucking harmonica!” I roared, sitting up as I faced Spitfire. She was hurt, both from my tone and what I had said. Her head hung lower than I had ever seen it. Frowning, she tore her gaze off of me and turned around, lying down and curling up. With a sideways glance, I saw Flitter hiding underneath the bed, her frightened eyes trained on me. I did have some regret how I had reacted, and I needed to explain my reasoning. Although, it would have probably been spoken on deaf ears.

“Sorry,” I said gruffly, lying back on the bed and bringing my hands behind my head. I had been apologizing a lot lately, which meant I’ve been doing things wrong. Getting people hurt, both verbally and indirectly. It wasn’t a welcome feeling. “Playing a harmonica isn’t going to solve our problems.”

“Maybe,” Spitfire agreed without budging, a tinge of a sob in her voice. “but it would have been nice.”

That left me speechless, opening my eyes at the dull gray ceiling. I sagged my shoulders as my heart felt heavy. My regret was a lot worse at that point. Gritting my teeth, I silently cursed whoever had shot Fleetfoot. They sure as hell weren’t going to get away with this. But with another glance around my surroundings, I couldn’t help but feel like they already had.

{~+~}

The light in the jail dimmed as time went on. As I had thought, the light was mostly from the sun, but because the moon was very bright every night, it gave the room a nice white shine to it. As for the three of us, nothing had changed. No one made a peep, or even moved. My attempts at sleeping failed as I stayed up the whole time, staring dumbly at whatever caught my interest. The mood from earlier had dampened, but it still lingered like a picture hanging on the wall.

Spitfire and Flitter had fallen asleep, or at least that’s what it seemed to me. They both had their heads turned away from me. It was unsettling for some reason, like I was some hideous monster to them. I wasn’t insulted by their behavior, since I had yelled at them a few hours ago.

Instead of feeling offended, I felt like I was losing myself to my anger. I had behaved badly to my friends ever since the meeting regarding Cloudsdale. Shouting at Applejack, forcing my way to Cloudsdale - nearly killing Pinkie in the process - and yelling at the few ponies that hadn’t downright hated me at first sight.

As much as I was changing this world, it was changing me too.

Maybe Spitfire and I were both right; I was brought here for a reason, and part of it was to atone for what I had done on Earth. Not that I had done anything deserving as such. In fact, this place could have been a type of Hell for all I knew. A place just before true Hell, and my behavior reflected that change.

I gave a ghost of a smirk as I shifted a little on my bed. Why was I perceiving my existence here as punishment? Or even as a religious reason? I may have hit the nail right on the head, but until I see some proof, I wasn’t going to acknowledge those thoughts.

“Flitter!” A hushed sound said, breaking my thoughts as I remained still. When did someone enter the prison? “Flitter! Wake up!”

The voice was toned down a bit, but it was familiar. Tilting my head, I looked over to the hallway, confirming my suspicion. Cloudchaser was facing away from me, setting her sights on Flitter, who hadn’t stirred from her name being called out. Cloudchaser didn’t have her uniform on, and based off her movements, she was frantic, stepping from hoof to hoof as if she was in a hurry. She even paced a little bit in front of Flitter’s cell, nervously checking the hallways.

“Flitter, it’s me Cloudchaser,” she said, pressing her muzzle against the bars, trying to get as close as possible. “Come on, please. I don’t have much time.”

I raised a brow at that, sitting up as I leaned against my hands for support. She wasn't given permission to come here, which meant two things: She was going to tell Flitter something private, or she was busting her out. Cloudchaser didn’t understand what was at stake from coming here. Then again, she might have been responsible for me being thrown back in prison. Perhaps she was trying to get Flitter out because she didn’t consider her own sister would be in the same position as myself.

I had to suppress a growl at that, standing to my feet carefully. I didn’t care about what she did with her sister, but I was going to get answers out of her. Even if she wasn’t the culprit, she had to know something.

Taking deliberate steps towards my cell bars - glad that the clouds concealed my activity - I slipped over to the corner of my cell, just within reach of Cloudchaser. She was oblivious to my conscious state, so I had a clear advantage. And I wasn’t going to waste it.

“Flitter!” Cloudchaser hissed, raising her voice a bit. “Wake up already!”

I reached my hands through the bars, keeping my movements as slow as possible.

“I know you’re a heavy sleeper, but this is ridiculous!”

My hand was hovering just to the side of Cloudchaser’s light purple tail. I prepped my mind for what I was going to do. I would need to act fast.

“It’s like you’re ignoring…” she started before trailing off, her head lowering. Swiftly, I swung my hand, grabbing a handful of Cloudchaser’s tail. When I had a grip, I tugged hard, making Cloudchaser yelp as I dragged her closer to me. With my other arm, I wrapped it around her neck, releasing the tail and grabbing her front. I wasn’t going to choke her, but I held on tight enough that she could barely move. Cloudchaser didn’t shout out besides her initial surprise, probably so the guards wouldn’t come to investigate. With a hand against her chest, I could easily feel her heart hammering inside, even the slight shivering she had.

“N-Nolan!” Flitter said, her voice at a normal level, but still sounding like she wanted to yell it out. She had her hooves pressed against her bars, looking at me desperately. A fainter sound was heard a little to the right, and a glance over showed Spitfire was awake as well. She was just as shocked as Flitter about my actions, if just a bit lesser. She was standing in the center of the cell, refusing to come closer or fall back. Besides Cloudchaser’s grunts of struggling, there was silence, no one daring to speak up.

“I’m not going to hurt her,” I explained flatly, facing Flitter. She relaxed her shoulders, but she still stared at me like I was lying through my teeth. Lucky for her, that wasn’t the case. “I just want some answers.”

“I have nothing to say,” Cloudchaser stated, halting her struggling as she stared straight ahead. She may have been right, but I was having my doubts. She was a suspect behind the shooting, and I was going to grill her until she told me something I wanted to hear.

“Did you shoot…?” I started, momentarily forgetting the victim’s name, “Fleetfoot. Did you shoot her?”

Spitfire jerked back from my question, standing straight as her ears perked up. She was curious as well, but she didn’t want to voice her opinion. Understandable, considering she didn’t want me to hurt Cloudchaser.

“N-No!” Cloudchaser said in shock, shaking her head, and involuntarily, her entire body. “It wasn’t me! Honest!”

Hearing her panicked voice sent a dagger through my heart. She sounded so innocent that I was prepared to release her. However, I shook it off, steeling myself. I was a police officer, I had to harden my emotions so they wouldn’t get the better of me. As much as it pained me, I tightened my grip a bit, making Cloudchaser gasp, groaning a little bit from the increased pressure.

“Nolan!” Spitfire spoke up, her hesitantly completely clear in her voice, “Stop it!”

I was expecting Flitter to defend her sister, but looking over to her showed she was afraid, removing her hooves from the bars. She was just as afraid when I had shouted at Cloudchaser a couple hours ago. This time, however, she was powerless. She knew that no matter how much she shouted, how much she tried to break out of her cell, it would be hopeless… Actually, she could probably break out of her cell, since she was a Pegasus. In fact, couldn’t she and Spitfire break out? And if Cloudchaser knew that, then why did she attempt her own prision break?

I blinked as I realized my mind had drifted off. I would have time to ask those questions later, when I wasn’t holding a mare hostage. Remembering Cloudchaser’s answer, I leaned my head towards her ear, watching it flicker a bit with each breath I took.

“If you didn’t shoot Fleetfoot,” I whispered, adding to my intimidation. It worked, since Cloudchaser remained stock still as I spoke, “then who did?”

Cloudchaser was quiet for a few seconds, probably contemplating her words carefully. “I… I don’t…” she muttered.

“Tell me!” I shouted in her ear, making her flinch, as she hunched her shoulders.

“Lightning Dust!” she blurted, “I-I think it was Lightning Dust!”

The deadpan look on my face would have been comical under lighter circumstances. Though Lightning Dust was one of my suspects, I had to wonder if she really would shoot another pony. She seemed like the type to get someone else to do her dirty work. Of course, that works with what Cloudchaser had just said. She thought Lightning was responsible.

“What do you mean by that?” I questioned, releasing my hold just a bit as a form of a reward.

“She asked me to…” Cloudchaser paused, as if talking about it was horrid. “She wanted me to shoot you, in the head.”

“Shoot him?” Spitfire breathed, holding a hoof to her mouth, “But… Fleetfoot was the one that was shot.”

That was true, but as I looked to the side, I couldn’t think very much about it. There was too much unknown, too many possibilities. I had to get more information. Turning back to Cloudchaser, who was breathing pretty hard after her outburst, I took a deep breath.

“Can you tell me exactly what happened?” I asked nicely, keeping my voice soft. I had gone from bad cop to good cop, knowing I had broken her, mentally speaking. Those cop movies may be unrealistic, but they were pretty spot on when it came to that tactic.

“After I left you and Flitter,” Cloudchaser said, bowing her head, “I sat on a cloud, just… thinking. Lightning came up to me, asking me for a favor. She… she wanted me to shoot you, and kill you. But after what I said about Pinkie, I couldn’t do it. I just felt so terrible. Lightning called me a coward, and flew off. A-And the next thing I know, Fleetfoot is shot, and-and Flitter is in jail, and…”

She trailed off after that, sniffling as she sobbed quietly in my arms. I doubted I would get anymore out of her, which meant it was the time to act. Slowly letting her go, I brought my arms back as she sank onto the floor, covering her eyes. Her cheeks already had a few streaks of water, and I wondered if some stray tears had appeared during my interrogation.

With a guilty frown, I closed my eyes. I didn’t really like playing the bad cop, but it got results. Emma was so good at it… I always wondered how she did it.

Shaking off my memories, I stood to my feet, seeing that Flitter was whispering words of comfort to the distraught Cloudchaser. She even lowered her frame to lie on her sister’s level. Spitfire simply watched me as I gripped two separate bars of my cell, trying futilely to pull them apart. I wasn’t going to sit in this cell and let the shooter walk around scot free. I believed in justice, and having some asshole walk around pushed me to track him down. Unfortunately, no matter how much I pulled, the bars didn’t even budge.

With each tug, I groaned as my face scrunched up in tension. The clouds refused to move, which lead me to believe that only Pegasi could manipulate them. I could only stand on clouds, not really interact with them.

“Do you need help?” Spitfire asked slowly, eyeing me warily.

“I’m going to hunt the Pegasus that shot Fleetfoot,” I stated plainly, not halting for a minute on pulling on the bars. “I really don’t like it when a piece of shit like that pony gets out of this without a scratch.”

Flitter lifted her head towards me, her eyes full of curiosity. “Why do you want to get the pony responsible?” she questioned innocently, before mumbling something intangible.

“Besides saving my sorry ass?” I snapped back, my frustration with my lack of escape seeping into my mood. Another pull of the bars proved fruitless yet again. “Back where I’m from, I upheld the law. And something like this? It doesn’t fly with me.”

“Where you’re from?” Flitter repeated, and I stopped in my attempt to escape. My breathing had increased, as well as the sweat on my brow. I rested my head against the cool, cloudy bars as I closed my eyes. It wasn’t that I was getting annoyed by that question, but that it was setting on me that I couldn’t escape on my own.

“Excuse me,” Spitfire said, but it sounded way too close to be coming from her cell. Opening my eyes, I saw her standing right outside my own cell, staring at me hard. I stared at her back with a form of irritated confusion. I glanced over her to see that her bars were stretched to the side, as if a muscular man had come along and pushed them away like they were made of dough.

“Nolan,” Spitfire said sternly, knocking me out of my bewilderment. I remembered her request and took a couple steps back. Afterwards, Spitfire stood on her hind legs and leaned her forelegs on the bars. With ease, she pushed them aside, her stoic expression making me wonder if she was angry. With an opening created, she stepped to the side, and I squeezed through them and into the hallway.

Cloudchaser cowered away from me, keeping herself as small as possible, and Flitter looked at me like I was an abusive husband before sighing. Lifting up her own forelegs, she too pushed the bars away, making me furrow my brow in annoyance.

“You guys can just escape whenever you want?” I questioned, looking to Spitfire, who simply nodded, still peeved about something. “So why didn’t you do it earlier?”

“And go where?” Flitter asked back as she stepped into the hallway. She looked like she was getting angry as well, stomping over to me as she spoke, “To the humans? To be slaves? To almost get raped!?”

She stood just in front of me, tilting her head up to glare at me. It suddenly clicked in my mind, but the only indication that it did was heavy sigh. “So, you were almost raped, huh?” I said, my voice gravelly and downtrodden.

“If it wasn’t for Cloudchaser,” Flitter went on, ignoring my question, but at the same time, answering it, “I’d just be some… some sex toy.”

She said the last part with a cringe, clamping her eyes shut. These two had gone through a lot, and there I was, thinking they were safe and sound in Cloudsdale the entire time. I was really blind sometimes. Too many times I would judge these ponies from the context of where I found them, and fail to understand them fully.

Kind of like what the Ponies were doing to me.

Running my hand down my face, I thought of my next words carefully, glancing around at the three ponies. “So, it’s a principle thing,” I concluded quietly, worried that Flitter might think I didn’t consider what she had said. “Why neither of you tried to escape before was because you each believed you deserved it.”

“Yeah,” Spitfire replied, looking over to Flitter and Cloudchaser, “I guess so. I mean, it just feels like the right thing to do.”

“Well, it’s not,” I stated bluntly, making the three of them jerk back like I was spouting blasphemy. Shaking my head, I changed the topic as I turned to Cloudchaser, “And why are you here? Were you trying to get your sister out?”

“No,” she snapped back, her expression full of disgust and anger, “I just wanted to apologize.”

Flitter gazed at her in a new light, surprised by that statement. Cloudchaser shied away, rubbing a hoof against her foreleg. “It’s my fault she’s in here in the first place,” she explained, “She covered for me, told the other Pegasi I was just grabbing food. And it’s my fault she’s in prison. If I had stayed behind, I probably would have stopped the shooter from hurting that pony.”

“Fleetfoot,” I said, correcting her term as I grew determined, “And I’m going to get the pony responsible.”

Without another word, I walked down the hallway towards the exit, leaving the others behind. Spitfire quickly trotted up to my side, looking up to me with a hint of uncertainty. “And where exactly are we going?” she asked, raising a brow.

I raised a brow right back, my eyes flickering over to her. “We?” I repeated, unable to stop a smirk from creeping up my face.

“I can’t let you face this alone,” she said with a smirk of her own. Her uneasiness even toned down a bit. I grunted in agreement, wanting the company anyway. Even if I didn’t, she had broken me out, so it would only be considerate to let her tag along. Looking over my shoulder, I could see Cloudchaser and Flitter following me as well, trailing behind with hesitation. “So, could you answer my question now?” Spitfire asked again.

Nodding, I furrowed my brow as I picked up the pace. “We’re heading straight for Lightning Dust herself,” I said grimly. Spitfire had lost her footing, but had regained herself fast enough, staring at me with wonder. I couldn’t blame her. Just saying that out loud made me anxious.

{~+~}

The outside was as crisp as when I had arrived in Cloudsdale, but that was just a passing thought. What really got my attention - and my concern - was the lack of guards. When there were no guards patrolling, I thought they would be hanging out at the entrance of the prison, not be absent completely. No matter where I looked, there was no indication that Pegasi were watching over this place. Add to the fact that there was a ‘hostile’ human, and my interest was through the roof.

“What’s the matter?” Spitfire questioned, but I didn’t spare her a glance. There had to be guards somewhere, I just had to keep an eye out. I couldn’t let them get the drop on us, since I doubted I could fight against flying ponies with swords. “Nolan?”

I gave one more sweep of the area before turning my eyes on Spitfire, who was giving me a pretty skeptical look. “Where are the guards?” I asked back with a hint of panic, gesturing both of my hands to the empty scenery. “Shouldn’t there be guards?”

Spitfire gave a nod before pointing a hoof directly above us. Tilting my head back, I gazed up at the stars and moon, as well as two Pegasi silhouettes flying lazily in circles. That definitely answered my question, but how were we going to sneak past them? I can’t fight without a weapon, and their advantage of flight would be a problem.

My eyes wandered to the large flight of steps to the top, as well as the narrow bridge leading to it. Going the direct route would just get myself seen, but I couldn’t come with any alternatives. Not unless…

I blinked in surprise from the idea, and grimaced afterwards. Why couldn’t I come up with normal plans, and not ones that could get me killed? I broke away from the ponies and walked over to the ledge of the cloud we stood on. When I was as close as I dared venture, I tilted my torso forward to peer over the edge, seeing the ground way, way at the bottom. Yep, that drop could still kill me.

“You have something on your mind?” Spitfire asked, stepped beside me. She had a lot more courage, considering she stood upon the ledge like the drop was a swimming pool.

“Yeah,” I answered with a long sigh, swallowing, “You guys carry me underneath the clouds to Lightning’s place.”

Spitfire jumped back in shock, and I took a few steps back away from the edge, glad to be further way from a potential death. “You can’t be serious?” she questioned, with a shake of her head, “I’m used to lifting things, sure, but a live person?!”

I came to a small realization that most of my plans have been half baked, near-death, crazy ideas. It was almost cliché in a way.

A tap on my leg caused me to look down to see Cloudchaser, “Um, we could…” she started, pausing a moment with a mildly guilty look, “distract them. Have them chase us.”

I mulled it over a bit, agreeing that it was more sensible, but there was still some flaws to it. “What about the other guards?” I questioned, putting my hands on my hips, “They can’t be the only two.”

“Actually, they are,” Spitfire revealed, unfurling her wings and stretching them out to the side. I stood their baffled once more, refusing to believe that those two guards, acting like they were sleep flying, were the only two on duty. “Every other guard Cloudsdale has are at the borders, making sure humans don’t attack us.”

“Seriously?” I grumbled under my breath as I rubbed my eyes. With Pinkie’s and my arrival in this place, there were at least three Pegasi that had stopped our hot air balloon. But no sort of protection inside a large city full of immigrants? I suppose it showed that they feared humans more than whatever would come up internally.

The ponies were quiet as I looked up at the sky again. They were waiting for my call, which was bizarre. I was a human, one that two of the three ponies once feared and hated, and they were waiting for my decision. My police authority must have been leaking into my leadership skills, though I never thought of myself as the leading type.

With a grunt, I turned to the ponies with a nod. “Alright, we’ll go with that,” I answered, before hastily adding, “But be careful. One of you is already in trouble, and I’m not sure how far the Pegasi are willing to punish.”

“They…” Flitter started, before stopping herself, releasing a breath instead, “Okay.”

Cloudchaser extended her wings and launched straight into the air, hovering afterwards as Flitter did the same, though much more delicately. I could easily tell their personalities apart from their flying style alone. I watched them head upwards, flying around each other as they did.

“Cloudchaser was part of the Wonderbolts Academy,” Spitfire revealed out of the blue, “And Flitter would have been admitted too, but she declined the offer.”

I grunted, watching Cloudchaser and Flitter flying over the edge, the two guards giving chase, “Is that supposed to reassure me?”

“It just means their fast,” Spitfire responded with a bitter undertone. She trotted up to the ledge and jumped off, disappearing a moment before shooting above me, hovering just across the bridge. I stared at her a moment before glancing back to where Cloudchaser and Flitter had fled. Why they would help me out was a bit perplexing, but I had lost my chance to argue. Facing the bridge, I started across with a jog, determined to find Lightning and deal with her, one way or another.

{~+~}

Cloudsdale was deserted. Not a single Pegasus could be seen in the small lanes that separated the cloud buildings. Considering the city was a place for flying ponies, there was no reason to put in walkable paths. That made things difficult for me, since I had far more trouble walking at night than in the daylight. At least during the day I could see where my feet were. In the moonlight, I could barely make out the cloud I stood upon, forcing me to walk awkwardly since my perception of the ground was off.

I was thankful no guards were around. I wouldn’t be able to outrun them very well in these conditions. Spitfire lead the way, flying just ahead of me as we made our way through the city. There wasn’t many decorations, like signs or murals. It all was bland, which was sort of odd. These ponies were colored every hue of the rainbow and they couldn’t make a couple things to liven up the place?

I would have asked Spitfire about it, but it wasn’t the time to ask questions like that. We needed to focus, especially when dealing with Lightning. If she really was the one behind the shooting - which was undoubtedly the case - then we needed to tread carefully. If she had the capacity to shoot a gun at her own kind, then what would stop her from doing the same to us?

After a while, we broke away from the buildings to find a rounded hill, topped by a mansion. And what a mansion it was! It looked like most of the economy went into making it. The walls were flattened perfectly, like they were made of smooth marble. Compared to the other buildings we had passed by, it was a masterpiece. It had the traits of a mansion too. Double doors for the entrance, two stories high, and wide enough to hold about two rooms on either side. The four windows on front side added to that effect.

All I could do was stand there in disbelief. I couldn’t even come up with a snide remark about it. That had to be the Mayor’s house.

Spitfire stopped a moment to look back, looking slightly embarrassed as her eyes shifted between the mansion and myself. “Yeah…” she said, finally facing away and flying ahead, “It… yeah.”

She was just as speechless as myself. And for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why I was having trouble forming some response to the sight. Shaking my thoughts out, I ran after her, keeping my wits about. Surely Lightning would keep a guard or two either around or in her house. Or perhaps she was so arrogant to believe that nothing would get that close to her mansion. It was hard to say with her.

Spitfire and I approached the entrance, and I suddenly felt exposed. A desire to find cover suddenly ran through my system, to the point where I was shaking a little bit. I tried to push it off, but it wouldn’t leave. Spitfire examined me as she tilted her head, unsure of my behavior.

I shook my head, before looking to my right, along the mansion. “Look for a back entrance,” I said, gesturing the same way I was facing. “I’ll try one of the windows.”

Spitfire put up no argument, giving a firm nod before soaring away and around the corner. She was a Pegasus that had to sneak past humans to find food, so finding an alternate way inside would be second nature to her. Stepping off to the right, I neared the closest window, finding it had no window pane. A quick scan of the room - which held a table with six chairs - showed no one inside. My eyes fell back on the window, steadily waving my hand through the open square with skepticism. The Pegasi couldn’t even make a glass pane for their windows?

I didn’t want to waste time thinking about the reasons behind that, so I placed both hands on the sill, giving a better examination of the room. It was as dull as the rest of the town, but had a bit more elegance to it. That elegance was in the form of the furniture, which I could only describe as fancy. Both the table and chairs had curvy legs, with elaborate back rests. It fitted the theme of the mansion nicely. There was also something on the table, but it was too dark to make out.

“Hey,” Spitfire whispered nearby, and I was luckily I didn’t jump out of my skin. This whole place was putting me on edge. I backed away to the left and allowed Spitfire to put her forelegs on the window sill next to my hands as she spoke. “There’s no other way in besides the windows.”

“Gotcha,” I acknowledged, turning back to the room. I gave it one last sweep before climbing over the window sill, keeping my movements slow. As soon as my feet touched the ground again, I felt relief from the previous uneasiness. Years of police work had made me slightly paranoid in situations like this, and for good reason too. I glanced to the two other doors in the room before I heard a loud, annoyed groan from the room across from the window.

“I’m not going away until we finish this,” a masculine voice said, a hint of finality in his tone. “No matter how long you stay quiet.”

Spitfire gasped softly, swooping into the room with her wings before landing softly beside me, “It’s Soarin.”

No one responded to Soarin, making me ponder if he was talking to himself. To keep myself busy, I shuffled over to the object on the table, getting a better look at it.

Vera. It was Vera, my revolver. It was sitting their, with a stick through the trigger well. My gaze hardened as I reached for it. This was undeniable proof that Lightning was the culprit. But then, who would believe me? Spitfire was the only one here with me, and everyone thought she was a traitor. Most, if not all, of the Pegasi thought Pinkie was crazy, and Rainbow Dash’s trust was broken when Lightning had framed me.

“Fine,” I heard the voice of Lightning hiss, drawing my attention to the door. My eyes flickered back to my revolver, picking it up as I looked it over. “You want to talk about what happened?”

“That’d be for the best, yeah,” Soarin snapped back, agitated. I took out the stick from the trigger well before tossing it to the side. Despite the adventure I’ve been on, Vera was still pretty sleek, besides the small scratches around the trigger. That’d be the last time I let a pony handle my stuff.

“You did what you had to do,” Lightning said quietly.

“Yes, I know,” Soarin said sternly, “But I was just supposed to fire the gun at the crowd, not actually hurt someone! And one of my own teammates too!”

I stopped my examination of my revolver, letting their words sink in a moment. Closing my eyes briefly, I glanced over to Spitfire, seeing her clench her eyes shut, her brow furrowing. “Soarin… Why?” she asked to herself.

“I know it wasn’t intended,” Lightning agreed solemnly, “but we got a better reaction than we could have imagined. The council won’t even negotiate with Rainbow Dash about-”

“I don’t care what the council wants!” Soarin yelled, “Fleetfoot was shot, and it’s my fault.”

I silently slid the cylinder open, noting that there were five bullets and a used case. After the incident in the Everfree, I always kept the weapon loaded at all times, so it proved that the gun was used, and not by me.

“Exactly!” Lightning shouted, matching her tone with Soarin’s. “It’s your fault! I told you to take your time with the human’s gun!”

“That thing weighed a ton!” Soarin argued, causing me to give a short smirk as I held my revolver to the side as if I was showing off. “And wielding it was, what do the humans say? Oh, I don’t know, bullshit!”

He was growing more sarcastic by the second, and I was growing annoyed with their continued bickering. It sounded so pointless to begin with, and since I would never get any good evidence, my frustration was increasing as well.

“How hard could it be!?” Lightning screamed, “You take the grip in your mouth” - I momentarily eyed my revolver with disgust - “hold the gun up with a hoof and pull the stick back with the other hoof!”

“That’s not the point!” Soarin shouted, making me wonder when they would just start throwing punches. I crept up to the side of the door, pressing myself against it. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. Barge in the room and wave my gun around like a terrorist? There was no way anyone would believe me, especially if I came in waving a gun around.

Maybe I was just there to get revenge.

That thought made me freeze on the spot. It couldn’t be the reason why I was at this mansion. This was for justice, for Fleetfoot. But how would I even get justice in a world like this?

“You’re right,” Lightning said, knocking me out of my musings. Spitfire trotted to the other side of the door, pressing her ears against the wall. A nostalgic feeling came over me, reminding me what to do in situations like this. Bang, breach, and clear. Except I had no flash bangs. What a thought to come to me in a time like this. “All of this is pointless,” Lightning said, hissing a bit at the end. “This argument doesn’t matter. I was afraid to tell you this, but I guess it wouldn’t matter how I said it.”

“What are you saying?” Soarin asked slowly. I strained my hearing, not wanting to miss a thing.

“Fleetfoot’s dead,” Lightning said monotonically. It was hard to tell if she was sincere about it, since her tone threw me off a bit. But what didn’t throw me off was Spitifire’s reaction. She was devastated, her eyes trained straight ahead towards me. Her body was rigid, refusing to move a muscle. It was like her mind was rejecting what was said, causing her to remain motionless.

As for myself, I didn’t need any other reason to take down Lightning.

With fury building up inside of me, I pushed myself off the wall to stand in front of the door. Bringing up my leg, I gave it a firm kick, knocking it open. Lightning and Soarin jumped from my sudden entrance, but that didn’t stop me as I waved my gun around.

“Don’t fucking move!” I roared, giving a the room a quick glance. It was a typical lounge, with a few sofas and bookcases hugging the walls. The two ponies were standing in the center beside a short table. They both had looks of horror and shock, following my words to the letter.

“Right,” I grunted. Just looking at them stirred up my anger. Those two, who had framed me and killed a pony, stared back at me. Their eyes looked so shallow at that moment, like they had given up their innocent lives long ago. “You two assholes,” I said, pointing between the two, “are going to pay.”

“Wha-?” Lighnting said, blinking back at me, “When did you get here? You were-”

“Shut the fuck up!” I shouted, using my other hand to grab the table and flip it to the side. It was lighter than I expected, and it tumbled away, leaving room for the ponies and I. “I’m sick of you. Your excuses, your attitude. And you.” I glared at Soarin, who stiffened at being addressed. “You go all day and night saying how terrible I am and you kill your own fucking kind. Just to get to me!”

“It was an accident-!” He said, his voice barely containing his shaky tone.

“So what if it was!?” I shouted, “Neither of you have any sort of capacity to trust anybody!”

I was stalling, and I knew I was. In my head, I was trying to figure out what to do with them. At the end of the day, I would be blamed for this. Trespassing, shooting a pony, and holding two ponies hostage. There was no way anybody in this city would know I was on their side. Maybe that’s why I was doing this; I had given up hope that these Pegasi would view me differently. I had no point playing nice.

“W-What are you going to do?” Lightning asked desperately, swallowing. Despite my rage, I couldn’t bring myself to hit either of them. Some part of me was holding me back, stopping me from letting my anger get the better of me. It was probably for the best. However, I still had my gun.

“Remember this?” I questioned, waving the gun as I watched their eyes follow it. “The same gun you used for your fucking plans?”

“You’re going to shoot us?” Lightning breathed, her eyes dampening, “You can’t-”

“Who says I can’t!?” I exclaimed, “You don’t care that a Pegasus died by your own hands, no matter who pulled the trigger. At this point… you pretty much lost any right to live.”

“N-No…” Lightning begged, her breathing becoming rapid, keeping her sight on my revolver. “Please…”

Clenching my revolver, I brought it up to my face, giving it one last once over. How had it come to this? I wondered what Emma would think of me. Shaking off the thought, I brought it down, aiming it at Lightning, right between the eyes. Soarin was glued to the spot, frightened to take any action.

“Please,” Lightning continued, clamping her eyes shut and letting the tears fall, “I don’t want to die, I don’t want to die.”

I hesitated a moment, remembering when I had heard those words before. It was so long ago, when I met Carrot Top for the first time. No one wants to die, but the world pushes for it anyway. It was a horrible thing to think. And yet, I found myself pointing a gun at a pony begging for her life.

“An eye for an eye…” I whispered, before pulling the trigger. The bang reverberated through my ears, and I let it envelop me. It was a reminder of what I would have to do to help these ponies and free them. And as I stared at Lightning, my revolver pointing just to the left of her head, I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to go through with it.

Just like I had done by sparing her life.

“Makes the whole world blind,” I whispered, lowering my revolver. Lightning clutched her chest, trying to calm herself down after nearly dying. Soarin could only look between her and myself, unable to understand what had happened. I couldn’t even discern what I was planning to do. Had it just been a ploy to teach Lightning a lesson, or was I really going to shoot her in the head? Like any other human in Equestria would?

Feeling numb, I turned to the doorway that I had come through. Spitfire stood there with a hoof stretched out, like she was attempting to stop me. When I faced her, she just looked at me, lowering her hoof. She was surprised, but it was difficult to know from what.

Pausing for a moment, I walked past her, dragging my feet slightly. I was despondent, not wanting to talk. I just wanted to leave Cloudsdale, and never come back. That’s what the ponies would want anyway. I passed through the dining room and through the other door, into a hallway. I continued on until I reached the front door, and I could hear voices on the other side. Lots of them. It made me halt at the double doors, both of my hands resting against each door. There were ponies waiting for me on the other side, and it wasn’t for good intentions.

Bracing myself, I shoved open the doors, taking a few steps to find a large gathering of Pegasi. Most of them were civilians, being held back by a line of Guards, both on the cloud and in the sky. However, as soon as I came out, there was activity, all the guards put their attention me, drawing their swords. They were prepared to fight, but I wasn’t. Everyone else was looking at me, holding their breaths.

I scanned the crowd again, and I found Rainbow Dash and Dusty near the front. They stared at me like they were looking at a different person. They were almost unreadable. I could only guess how I looked to them. My eyes spotted Pinkie Pie as well, her mane having deflated. I had to tear my gaze away from her, otherwise I would feel even worse. Of course, my eyes landed on Flitter and Cloudchaser. They weren’t under any sort of restraint, so they weren’t under arrest. However, they didn’t look all to happy with me.

With a grunt, I realized that the ponies must think I had killed a pony. My head was hung low, looking at the revolver in my hand. That was probably why.

With a sigh, I walked forward, unable to holster my revolver without a holder. In a way, it allowed me to pass by all the ponies. The guards made no move to kill me, no one stood in my way. From what I could see from the corner of my eyes, they just stood there, watching. Waiting.

Why did I feel so hollow? So distant?

I just kept walking. Where I ended up didn’t matter to me.

{~+~}

The sky looked beautiful during a sunrise. Especially when I was a couple miles above the ground. I was far enough away from all the Ponies to actually enjoy it without interruption. At the edge of town near the ledge of a cloud, just sitting there. My left leg was propped up, allowing my left arm to rest upon it as the sun gave the clouds an orange tinge. The stray clouds that floated between the sun and I acted as ornaments, giving a glow that made the scene even better.

No matter how long I stared at that gorgeous spectacle, however, I couldn’t drop the memories of the night. After everything I had been through, I came to a conclusion that I hated Cloudsdale with a passion. And everyone in this town hated me too. My thoughts were so muddled, making me feel depressed.

The flutter of wings could be heard as a Pony landed beside me, sitting on her haunches. A mere glance at her colorful mane confirmed who it was. I had a feeling she would be the one to come to me. “Rainbow,” I greeted in a low tone.

“Idiot,” Rainbow muttered, and I turned my head a bit to get a better look at her. Her eyes were droopy, and her body sagged a little, but she still had the capacity to give a deadly glare at me. “You’re just… just a…”

“Dumbass,” I finished, facing the sunrise again, “Yeah, I already know.”

Rainbow didn’t say anything right away, letting the wind blow by us. It was soothing, cooling me off. I wasn’t sure why I was so warm, but the chilly breeze was nice.

“You came to Cloudsdale,” Rainbow said, finally sorting out her thoughts, “You wanted to help, but it was-”

“Pointless,” I finished again.

“Yeah,” Rainbow said, faltering a moment, “And now the Pegasi… They’ve refused to help us.”

That should have been expected. Yet when I closed my eyes, releasing a long sigh, my heart still felt so heavy. In a way, I had already known the Pegasi wouldn’t help us, probably about when I first entered Cloudsdale. I had to wonder if they would have helped us at all, but that didn’t mean I hadn’t ruined our chances completely. It was my fault, I was to blame.

“So what now?” I asked, feeling utterly lost after the events.

“You’re leaving Cloudsdale,” Rainbow stated flatly. I wasn’t even mad about that, I wanted to be gone. And I never wanted to come back again. “Pinkie and Dusty are going with you. As for me, I’m staying here, try to smooth things over.”

I faced her fully, seeing the hopelessness wash over her expression. She didn’t want to do it. She didn’t want to stay here, nor did she want to stay away from her friends. From what I could tell, she was the active type, not the kind to talk all day. She took initiative, but that wasn’t going to help her here.

“What about Spitfire?” I asked, “Cloudchaser? Flitter? ...Fleetfoot?

Rainbow looked away from me, causing me to worry a bit. “Cloudchaser and Flitter aren’t going to be in trouble. Soarin sang like a bird, told everyone about the plan Lightning had whipped up. I’m not sure what the council plan to do with them. Fleetfoot is going to have a funeral and memorial service. She had been a Wonderbolt for a long time. As for Spitfire… she’s gone.”

I raised a brow, “Gone?”

“No one has seen her since you left the mansion,” Rainbow explained with a shrug. Spitfire must have been tired about all the politics and such involved with Cloudsdale. Perhaps she was heading for Las Pegasus. She’d be a good ally for sure. There was a pause in our conversation, like we couldn’t come up with something else to discuss. Then again, what else was there to say?

“I miss the old days,” Rainbow revealed, staring at the sunrise, sorrowful. “I would practice all day to be a Wonderbolt, and then nap the rest of the day.”

She gave a dry chuckle, “I would hurry and finish my weather duties, so I could hang out with my friends. It was good.”

She bowed her head, her ears drooping. “Now look at me,” she whispered, as if holding something back, “Look at all of us. Nothing can go back to those days, when I’d challenge Applejack to a hoof wrassle, or-or help Twilight with her magic spells. Even after we get rid of the humans, it just wouldn’t be the same.”

Stroking my beard with my right hand, I wished I could have seen what it was like before the humans. To see all these ponies living freely, doing whatever they did. I heard a stifled sob, followed by shaky breathing. “I want to go back,” Rainbow said, her voice full of sadness. “When I was free.”

Responsibility could be seen as a prescription drug. You could do what you wanted, but you’d have to swallow the pills eventually. Eyeing the sunrise again, I realized that all of these ponies, not just the ones controlled by the humans, were trapped. These ponies had to live with the fact that humans had taken over, enslaved their kind, taken their loved ones, changed their home forever.

“We can’t go back,” I said, gripping my hands as I stood to my feet. “There’s no point wanting what we once had. We have to keep moving. I keep forgetting that, but… there’s always something to remind me.”

Rainbow stayed quiet as I turned to her, holding out a hand to her. Her cheeks were stained with tears as she eyed me with confusion, and I gave her a weak smile. “Come on,” I said, “I don’t think anybody should see you like this.”

“Y-Yeah,” Rainbow hastily agreed, wiping her cheeks before putting her hoof in my hand. With little effort, I got her back on her hooves. Together we both walked back towards town, reminding me of the crisis I had caused.

“Sorry for everything,” I said, shaking my head, “For being such a burden.”

“You freed a prison full of foals and got my friends back,” Rainbow said with a wink and a smile, “I think I can let it slide.”

I nodded with a chuckle, glad we were on good grounds with each other. The Pegasi could doubt my actions all they wanted, that doesn’t stop them from being true. And I wasn’t finished, not by a long shot. I had to hand it to Rainbow, she knew how to turn my emotions around. And I suppose I did the same for her.

Las Pegasus was going to feel like a paradise once I got back.

Author's Note

So much has been going on in the last two months. And now I'm beat.

Chapter 18: Grounded

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 18: Grounded

Though the Pegasi were a bunch of assholes, they sure knew how to fix up a hot air balloon. The holes and slashes that littered the balloon itself were covered with patches, and seemed to be holding well. They could fix them up, sure, but they were terrible at making them look good. The peach-colored patches contrasted with the pink hue of the balloon, and the fixes looked like someone had put two bandaids over each other to form a cross. Just another fault of the Pegasi to add to the list.

Standing before it didn’t make it any prettier either. Instead, it gave me ample reason to hate the Pegasi more. I had to be careful with my animosity though, because despite most of the species being ungrateful and doubting pricks, I still had a few good friends who were Pegasi. Though the one standing beside me would probably be ranked a little lower than a friend.

“What are you starin’ at?” Dusty said, tapping my leg with a hoof, glowering at me. “Get in already.”

Though Rainbow had forgiven me for what I had done, Dusty was far from excusing me. In fact, ever since Rainbow had transferred me to him, he had put every effort to make a hostile comment on everything I did. If I didn’t know better, I would say he would call me Human again too.

Glancing at him with a tired look, he gestured a hoof to the hot air balloon, putting a lot of emphasis into it. He really wanted me to get in the balloon, so with a smirk, I took deliberate steps, keeping at a slow pace. The agitated groan from Dusty was definitely worth the snail pace I was moving.

Besides annoying Dusty, another reason for walking slowly was to think about how the other Pegasi had been looking at me as I made my way to the edge of the city. It was pretty disturbing, not because they threw stuff at me, or called me names, or any other discriminatory actions. Hell, they didn’t even do any of that stuff. They just gave me the cold shoulder, flat out ignored me, and on special occasions, glared at me with the iciest looks possible.

There could have been hundreds of reasons for this odd behavior, though considering I had broken into the mayor’s mansion and nearly killed her, those reasons were easily narrowed down. It may have been related to the discovery of Lightning’s little scheme to frame me, and if it was, perhaps the Pegasi were actually giving some thought to my morals. At the very least, they didn’t view me as a murder, since I was proven innocent involving the death of Fleetfoot, and since I chose not to kill Lightning outright. Though that could have gone either way. I couldn’t say I was proud of what I did, but I could say it felt fucking good.

Finally reaching the hot air balloon, much to Dusty’s relief, I vaulted inside before plopping down on the floor. Sitting on true solid material was rather relaxing, or at least more secure. Twilight said I had three days before her Cloud Walking spell would wear off, and I admittedly wasn’t very worried about it. It wasn’t until I rested inside the basket did I suddenly realize I could plunge right through the clouds at any moment.

Dusty didn’t share my reassurance, giving me one last mild glare before sitting on his haunches, looking over the area. We just had to wait for Pinkie and we could head back to Las Pegasus. Sighing, I rested my elbow on the basket edge, wondering what could be keeping her. There couldn’t be anything else that we needed, since I had all my…

My eyes widened as I hastily reached behind my back, grabbing for my shotgun which wasn’t there. My mask was still gone too. Cursing silently, I stood back up, but Dusty flew in front of me, hovering in place as he put both of his hooves on my chest to stop me.

“And just what are you doing?” Dusty questioned, giving a slight push to get me to sit back down. Grunting in irritance, I knocked his hooves aside, furrowing my brow.

“My shotgun,” I emphasised, my voice barely containing my malice. I even held out my arms in a way to show it was missing, “I want it back.”

Dusty shook his head, keeping his eyes on me as he did. “No can do,” he said, crossing his forelegs, “We need to head back to HQ, and you going back into Cloudsdale will just cause a disturbance.”

I clenched my hands, taking a stance, “I already caused a disturbance, genius.”

We just stared at each other, our eyes narrowing in hate. For the longest time, Dusty and I had been on opposite sides of the fence, never really agreeing on anything and always at each others throats. He saw what I had been doing for these ponies, and yet he still acted like I was a liability to everyone and everything. At that moment, staring at Dusty with a furrowed brow, I could feel myself growing angrier and angrier. I was just looking at him and my rage was building because of it.

I would do anything to get back at this guy. Just once. Just to get him to respect me for five goddamn minutes.

“No-Lane!” the voice of Pinkie shouted behind Dusty, and when I glanced over his shoulder, I blinked and shook my head in bafflement. Pinkie Pie was hopping over to us, waving a hoof… and wearing my mask, along with the goggles and helmet. It covered her head completely, hiding her ears and mane like they had never existed to begin with. It was as if the mask was made for her in the first place.

She hopped over, just as Dusty turned to face her, jerking his head back and mirroring my expression upon seeing her. We watched as Pinkie stopped in front of us, wiggling her rear a moment before giving one last bounce into the basket. She turned to us, probably hiding a smile underneath the mask.

“What?” Pinkie asked, knocking me out of my speechless staring. I gave a noise close to a word, but it died in my throat. I just couldn’t fathom why Pinkie Pie thought it would be a good idea to wear my mask. I couldn’t be mad at her, but it did leave me lost on what to say.

“You’re wearing my mask,” I eventually said, pointing to her head. She eagerly nodded, and I rubbing my forehead with the palm of my hand. “Why are you wearing my mask?”

“I…” she started, but she trailed off, bowing her head slightly, “I thought it’d be funny. It looked like you needed a good laugh.”

My expression softened to pity, my heart aching from both the reminder of what happened in Cloudsdale and Pinkie’s attempt to ease some of that pain. I cracked a smile, finding her effort more comforting than anything. “Thanks, Pinkie,” I said with a nod, crouching down to her level. We were at eye level, and it was actually kind of scary looking at her with the mask on. I couldn’t gauge her emotions, and though I had worked with people with masks on before, Pinkie was an entirely different case. “Can I have my mask back now?”

“Oh, right, sure,” she said, her voice sounding stiff. It was saddening, since I felt like I was the one responsible. Nevertheless, Pinkie sat on her haunches and reached up with her hooves, nudging the mask off. It didn’t take much effort, and in a few good pushes, she got the mask off and onto the floor.

Her mane was all puffy and messy, with pieces of hair splaying in different directions. Her eyes shifted upward, trying to catch a glimpse of what her mane looked like. Of course, she couldn’t see it very well, but she seemed to know anyway. She gave a huff as she scrunched up her muzzle, reaching up with her hooves as she tried to pat it down.

While she tried to control her mane somewhat - which was odd to think about - I grabbed my mask and goggles, standing back up as I examined them. The Pegasi had left them alone; they weren’t torn or mangled like I had imagined. Opening up my mask, I peered inside and groaned inwardly. Pink hair was everywhere, littering the mask like a dog’s bed.

Again, I couldn’t be mad at Pinkie. She was just doing what she thought would make me feel better. It didn’t particularly work, but it was the thought that counted. Ignoring the pink hair, I slipped my mask on, strapping the goggles along with it. I didn’t need my mask on, but in doing so, I felt like I could accomplish something. My failure in getting the Pegasi’s aid left a bitter feeling in me, but the mask… It just felt good. I had helped the ponies with this mask, saved lives with this mask, and I would continue to do so.

Facing Pinkie, she looked up to me with her fore hooves in her mane. She had an air of curiosity and awe to her as she smiled, “You look a lot cooler with the mask on than I do.”

It was almost childish of her to say, but that comment put a smile on my face too. I even let out a small chuckle, making Pinkie gasp before wrapping her forelegs around herself in a hug. She must have been congratulating herself, and I couldn’t blame her. She was the Element of Laughter, after all.

The wind brushed by me, causing me to face where it came from. The open sky awaited, without a cloud to be seen. I think Rainbow had briefly mentioned something about the Pegasi clearing out the clouds for a sunny day. I knew it wasn’t for my departure back to Las Pegasus, but it did make me feel happier.

Speaking of departing, we should be starting our journey back. I turned to the other two ponies alongside me. Pinkie faced me with full attention, like what I imagine she would do if I were Celestia herself. Dusty, on the other hand, had his eyes set on Pinkie, smiling fondly. Raising a brow, I glanced to Pinkie a moment before turning back to Dusty, a sly smile growing.

“Hey, Dusty,” I exclaimed, causing Dusty to lurch back as he fumbled with his wings. He turned to me, more out of worry than anger, and his pink cheeks added to that. “How about you stop gawking at the fine mare so we can get underway, huh?”

Dusty was frozen in fear, and I chuckled some more from his reaction. Pinkie was confused, however, tilting her head before facing Dusty, who gave a forced smile. He cleared his throat awkwardly, scratching the back of his head with a hoof as he looked downward.

“I, um…” he stammered as I leaned back against the basket in amusement. Well, I got my revenge somehow, though I most certainly didn’t get any respect from him. But I would take what I could get. Dusty finally got the nerve to look to Pinkie, who still stared at him with rasp focus. “That was… very nice of you, Pinkie. I just wanted to say that, and I did, and now I’m…”

Sweat was dripping from his forehead as he tapped his hooves together nervously. Swallowing, he shrunk down as far as possible, “I’m just shutting up now.”

I just knew Dusty had a thing for Pinkie. He hinted it a few times - without really knowing himself - and at that point, it was blatantly obvious what his feelings were towards Pinkie Pie. The real question was whether Pinkie picked up on it.

I fully expected Pinkie to go into a giggle fit over his behavior, but I was pleasantly surprised when she gave a soft smile, putting a hoof over her heart. “Aw, thank you, Dusty,” she said, “Maybe next time I can get you to laugh too!”

“Heh,” Dusty said, relaxing from his previous posture. “I’d like that.”

“I bet,” I mumbled to myself, glad my mask hid my smile so well. Another reason why I loved this thing. However, I think Dusty caught it as he turned to me with a rather neutral expression. I thought he would be a little more peeved after my little remark, but instead, he took off towards Cloudsdale. Puzzled, I watched him fly off until he was out of sight.

Pinkie and I just stood there, contemplating his reason for leaving so suddenly. I couldn’t have affected him that badly for him to just up and leave. Pinkie was surprisingly silent, just as concerned for Dusty as I was, if not more. The only plausible thing that came to mind for his withdrawal was contacting Rainbow for whatever reason, or collecting more research for his little project, or…

My eyes widened seconds before Dusty came back into view, flying over to us with a black stick in between his hooves. At least, that’s what it looked like at first. When he got closer, I could tell it was my shotgun. He had gotten it back.

He slowed to a halt just as he reached us, tossing my shotgun to me. I caught it with both hands, keeping my fingers away from the trigger in case the ponies had fiddled with it. I gave it once over, finding no sign of it being tampered with, before turning back to Dusty, giving a curt nod. He just nodded back, his serious face showing he didn’t want to talk about it, which was fine with me.

I clipped the shotgun to my back, holding on to it a moment longer, before relaxing my body, “Thanks, Pinkie.”

She blinked, looking up at me, “For what? Dusty is the one who got your thing-a-ma-jig.”

I chuckled, releasing a long sigh; if only she knew. “You ready to go?” I asked, changing the subject. She immediately dropped her bewilderment for excitement.

“Yepperoni and cheese!” Pinkie said enthusiastically, holding a hoof in the air. Jumping up, she grasped the rope and gave a firm tug. The fires burst to life underneath the balloon, causing us to hover a couple of inches before drifting over the lip of the clouds. We were on our way back home.

I clung a hand to one of the supporting ropes connecting the basket and balloon, finding enjoyment in the travel. Dusty flew behind us, more as an escort, but since there wasn’t really anything able to attack us in the air, I doubted we really needed it.

I took a deep breath from the passing air. It’d be a couple of hours before we reached Las Pegasus, but I didn’t think it would be too bad if we arrived a little late.

{~+~}

“And then Twilight shot a whole bunch of beams, sending a lot of Pinkies back to the pond,” Pinkie said, getting really into her story as she leaned forward, waving her hooves around. I sat across from her, my mask still on as I listened. Dusty flew a few feet away, eavesdropping on Pinkie’s tale as well. It was a rather interesting one too. “Then there was just two of us left, but eventually I was the last one there!”

“No shit,” I said, genuinely fascinated.

“Yeah!” Pinkie said, looking chipper, “I just knew I wanted things to go back to the way they were, so I stayed really super focused the whole time! It was exhausting!”

Dusty grunted, “That must have been terrifying, knowing that with just one mistake, you could be sent to the Mirror Pool forever.”

Pinkie nodded, honestly relieved that wasn’t the outcome. “I was lucky that my clones weren’t exact copies,” she said as she held up her hooves close to each other, “They acted like me, but they were a liiiiittle over active.”

Dusty and I shared a chuckle, both knowing the irony of that statement. Pinkie laughed alongside us, but I had a feeling she was doing it because we were and not by the context. It didn’t really matter though; we were having a good time.

Reaching up to my left shoulder, I adjusted my combat vest, making it a bit more comfortable. I rarely took the thing off, even around friends. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust them, but that Equestria was a dangerous place for a normal Human to be walking around in, even around the ponies. I would have died on many occasions if it wasn’t for it.

Just as I was about to relax my arm, I brushed over my shoulder again, and noticed something wasn’t right. I glanced down, tapping the area again with my hand until realization hit me like a freight train, alarming me as I searched over the basket frantically. I couldn’t have left it at Cloudsdale, could I?

“What’s the matter, No-Lane?” Pinkie asked happily, unaware of my dismay. Stopping, I gave a loud sigh, thumping my back against the basket. How could I have been so stupid to forget it?

“I didn’t get my knife back,” I said shaking my head as I pointed to the empty sheath attached to my shoulder. “It’s somewhere back in Cloudsdale.”

I didn’t expect Pinkie and Dusty to be very sympathetic; it did sound kind of lame from a pony's perspective. However, Pinkie pouted as she crossed her forelegs in a huff. “Well that stinks,” she said, “How will you help ponies if you don’t have your knife?”

Staring at her, I couldn’t tell if she was being sarcastic or not. “It might not be much,” I admitted with a shrug, “But that thing got me out of a few tight spots.”

Oh, how true that statement was. When I was in hand to hand combat, my knife came in handy. It might not have been very versatile, but maybe that’s why I found it special. It was used for one thing and one thing only: killing. Nothing confusing or dumb downed about that, even if it sounded dark.

“You could mail Rainbow Dash when we get back,” Dusty spoke up, avoiding eye contact. His face was far too stoic too. It was like he was deliberately trying to hide his emotions. “She could grab it before she leaves.”

“If the Pegasi let her,” I muttered, putting a rather grim mood on the once cheery atmosphere.

Pinkie tapped her chin thoughtfully, “What about the spell Twilight cast on us? The Cloud Walking spell? It’d wear off on the knife, and it’ll come falling down to the unsuspecting ground way, way below.”

It was an astute observation, but if that was the case, then Rainbow would have a far easier time retrieving it. After all, the Pegasi weren’t monitoring the ground, so one combat knife would be a trivial grab, especially for Rainbow. With that in mind, I gave a dismissive wave at Pinkie, giving a small grunt as well. “I wouldn’t worry about it, Pinkie,” I said with a sigh. I didn’t know if it was one of relief or fatigue. I still had a tension in my stomach, like I was worried about something, but my mind was relatively at ease. The moment the three of us shared was tranquil, without the exhaustive and serious thoughts that usually plagued our minds. We were just… relaxing.

And as a round of silence settled down on us, it made the leisure time we had far more enjoyable.

“I’m going to check up ahead,” Dusty spoke up, pointing downward with a hoof, “Make sure nopony shoots at us when we land.”

“Why would they-?” I started before instantly realizing why he would be concerned. No one really knew that Pinkie and I had left. Twilight and maybe Applejack knew, but the rest of the ponies had no clue. Even if Twilight had explained to them of our departure, playing it safe wouldn’t hurt anyone. Hell, Pinkie Pie was the only one that knew about her hidden hot air balloon. I stroked my chin, grimacing my face ever so slightly, “Right.”

“Yep,” Dusty nodded, knowing that I had figured it out. Without another word, he dived down, prompting me to stand up to see how far out we were. Unfortunately, with all the clouds that suddenly surrounded us, I couldn’t see shit. Glancing around, I grew mildly frustrated, putting a hand on my waist while the other gripped one of the ropes.

“Where the hell did all of these clouds come from?” I said, narrowing my eyes in an effort to see through them. It probably didn’t help that my goggles were dark tinted, making things harder to see, but I wasn’t going to take them off. I missed it too much.

Pinkie hopped up and put her forelegs on the ledge of the basket, scanning the area as I did. Staring straight ahead, she gave a small smile. “It might be the Pegasi preparing for some rain,” she suggested, and I could only nod in agreement.

“Like when I returned from Appleoosa,” I recalled. After I had stepped out of the clinic in Las Pegasus, there was some rain. It was incredibly brief, hardly soaking my clothing. But I could remember that time clear as day since it was after a foal had…

I gave a long, heavy sigh; it wasn’t healthy to dwell on the past - something I should have learned a very long time ago - but the event had only happened a few days ago. Possibly a week. It was still a sore topic with me. With a hollow smirk, I concluded that was the reason why I felt awkward when someone said I saved the foals. Because I didn’t save all of them.

“So how long till Dusty gets back?” Pinkie asked out of the blue, resting her head on the edge of the basket.

“I don’t know,” I said irritably, not wanting to deal with such a simple question while I had a lot more on my mind. “Five, ten minutes maybe. Why do you ask?”

“He’s funny when he’s flustered,” Pinkie giggled, holding a hoof to her mouth in a vain attempt to hide it. “I want to see more of it.”

“Trust me, Pinkie,” I said in amusement, crossing my arms as I gazed out into the clouds, “I have a feeling you’ll see more of it.”

“Glad you think so too!” Pinkie exclaimed as she looked up to me innocently. As I looked back at her, I just couldn’t imagine her in a relationship, whether it be her naivete or her friendliness. In some ways, I felt like Dusty would be shunned to a place a few boys back at the Police Station referred to as the ‘friend zone’. I had never experienced it myself - only viewing girls as friends up until Emma - but apparently it was bad.

Giving another glance to the surroundings, it became increasingly difficult to ascertain if we would hit something, or someone, if there were Pegasi flying about. I couldn’t even see the ground below, let alone directly underneath the basket. The clouds were far too thick, and I had to wonder why Dusty was worried about someone shooting us. They probably couldn’t even see us. I just hoped Pinkie knew what she was doing.

What also concerned me was that we were gliding through the clouds like they were made of air. Though that would usually be normal, I had been standing on clouds for a day and a half. It just felt odd. Damn, Equestria was confusing.

“I hope we don’t crash into anything,” Pinkie said nonchalantly, tilting her head to the side without a care in the world. Sighing, I raised my hand and gripped the rope that controlled the flames.

“I think we should get higher,” I said cautiously, “At least until Dusty comes back.”

At that exact moment, a loud thud radiated from the side of the basket, along with a groan of pain. A gray hoof revealed itself before clinging to the basket, and the pony pulled himself up, showing that it was Dusty. He rubbed his head with a free hoof, and the tinted glasses he wore were completely askew.

“Too late,” Pinkie stated with a bounce, jumping over to Dusty, “Is the ground A-okay for landing?”

Shaking off his stupor, Dusty faced us with wide eyes, frantic and panicky. That wasn’t a good sign. “Buffalo and Zebra,” he said, causing Pinkie and I to look to each other to see if we heard the same thing. Turning back to Dusty, he shook his head in agitation, like we were supposed to immediately understand him. “Buffalo and Zebra,” he emphasised again, “They’re visiting Las Pegasus from their homelands.”

The first thing to pop into my head was that there was Buffalo walking around, making me curious as to where they lived, and what lifestyle and culture they had. I already had a bit of an idea with what the Zebras were like, thanks to Zecora. However, I dismissed that thought when I considered the reason these two species had come over to the Pony Resistance. The only reason they would come was to discuss their assistance in our cause against the Humans.

Which meant I was a likely liability, considering my streak with the Pegasi didn’t fare too well.

“Oh!” Pinkie said excitedly, lifting up her hooves repeatedly like a child in school. “The Buffalo are here! I haven’t seen them in a looooooong time. Not even Little Strongheart! I wonder how she’s doing? And the Zebras! Zecora never brought up her own kind, and to meet them-”

“You can get excited later,” I interrupted, my eyes flicking between Pinkie and Dusty, “Right now, we need a place to land this thing so the ponies don’t lose two more allies.”

Dusty nodded, “I spoke with Princess Twilight. She wants us to land by the shack in the outskirts of town. You know, the one you sleep in?”

“Sounds good to me,” I said with a nod, glad to have a game plan. In a situation like this, delicacy was the desired skill. I whipped my head over to Pinkie, who faced up in attention. I released the low hanging rope while nudging towards it, indicating the controls. Pinkie stood up straight and saluted me with a serious expression before hopping up to the rope and giving another pull. She hung for only a split second, giving the balloon the necessary heat to carry us over the rest of the town.

I gave another look downward, glad that the clouds were covering our approach. In some way, I was just as excited as Pinkie to meet these new species, but at the same time, I knew I would screw it up somehow. I just had to lay low for the time being, like Rainbow Dash had advised me back in Cloudsdale. Except this time, I was going to listen.

I wasn’t going to ruin our chances this time. Equestria needed the help.

{~+~}

Our landing was less than graceful, considering it was hard to even see the ground. The clouds reached all the way to the floor, making an opaque fog. I didn’t even know if we would land near the shack. The hot air balloon touched down for a second before bouncing off the ground a few times. Dirt and rock was kicked up each time as Pinkie and I held on to the sides. Eventually, the hot air balloon slid to a halt. I waited a few more seconds before letting go, in case a random gust of wind came blowing through. Releasing my grip, my legs suddenly felt weak, and I clutched the basket again. My world was spinning slightly, causing my head to ache. I shook my head hoping to relieve the disorientation, but found no success.

“I’ve seen foals land better,” Dusty commented as he landed in front of me on the earth. “but it could have been worse.”

“I’ll say!” Pinkie agreed from my side. The basket shook for a moment, freaking me out as I tightened my hands. I heard the sound of four hooves landing, which was probably Pinkie exiting the basket. “Like the one time me and my friends were blown out by a tornado! That was a doozy!”

My head was shaking of its own accord, like my body was trying to cure the dizziness that had been placed on me. The feeling of nausea gripped my stomach, making me groan in discomfort. Of all the times to grow sick, why right after landing a hot air balloon? I ignored my inner investigation as my head grew light.

“Um, you alright, No-Lane?” Pinkie questioned, and I opened my eyes a crack, seeing Pinkie stand in front of me. Of course, my vision made it feel like the world was spinning, so I quickly shut my eyes, leaning against the basket side.

“No,” I grumbled, using an arm to caress my stomach, “I might have spent too much time in the sky or something. Not used to it. Walking on clouds for so long probably didn’t help either.”

“It should pass,” Dusty stated rather emotionlessly, “Just a side effect from flying. Some Unicorns and Earth Ponies get air sickness when they’ve spent most of their life on the ground. There are many exceptions, but it’s what I’ve been told.”

Though it wasn’t a lot of information to swallow, my condition at the moment made things difficult to understand. Taking a lot of deep breaths, I calmed myself down enough to feel a bit normal, though I was still slightly queasy. With both hands, I eased my way out of the basket, keeping my movement slow so I wouldn’t suddenly get sick again. When my feet hit solid earth, I leaned my body against the basket, waiting for my sickness to vanish completely.

“So, why is all this fog around?” I questioned, looking around the area, finding nothing in sight but whiteness. I might as well strike up a conversation while we waited for Twilight or someone to decide on what to do next. “I don’t really see much benefit with having it around.”

“To a Human, maybe,” Dusty replied stepped beside me, “but to us Ponies, it’s necessary. We sometimes use the clouds to hide activity from the Humans, especially during the day. I’m guessing Princess Twilight or Princess Cadance wanted to make the meeting with the Buffalo and Zebra as secret as possible.”

“So why haven’t I seen it used before?” I retorted, growing fascinated by such a tactic. It was pretty ingenious.

Dusty grunted, “It takes a lot of Pegasi to create and maintain fog, and to have one cover up most of Las Pegasus would be very, very hard.”

“Like putting cotton candy into a lollipop!” Pinkie said excitedly before licking her lips exaggeratedly. “Mmm, cotton candy…”

“Uh, sure,” Dusty agreed warily.

I stared some more into the white abyss, more questions popping into my head regarding the fog. Like why cover the city with fog when two groups of allies are around? Was it to keep the Humans from noticing a large group of non-Humans’ movements? That was probably the case, and I was too lazy to ask Dusty for more information. For the time being, I let my mind go as blank as the fog around me. “Just as thick as pea soup too,” I said rather randomly, remembering quite a few television shows referring to fogs as such.

Dusty balked at me, “What kind of soup?”

“Pea soup,” I answered with a shrug as I turned to him, “It’s just-” I noticed his disgusted expression before it clicked in my mind what he meant, and I slapped a hand to my face. “Oh for fuck’s sake. No, we don’t do that with our soup.”

Dusty did ease up a bit, but still kept a disbelieving look on him. I couldn’t believe he would jump to such a bizarre conclusion with pea soup. It sounded like a half-assed joke to use amongst ten year olds or something.

“Do what with soup?” Pinkie asked, popping up between Dusty and I, looking between us expectantly.

“Nothing,” we both said monotonically.

“Hello?” a timid voice called from within the fog, catching our attention. “I hear somepony but I can’t see.”

“Fluttershy!” Pinkie shouted, jumping away from us and waving a hoof while Fluttershy squeaked. “We’re over here.”

“P-Pinkie Pie?” She asked, “Where is here?”

I sighed in annoyance, “Where our voices are.”

“Oh, Nolan,” Fluttershy said, and I saw a dark figure slowly make it’s way over to us. “I didn’t know you would be out in the fog.”

She finally came into view with a small smile on her face. “How was-?” she started before squeaking again when she saw me, falling down to cover her head as she shook uncontrollably.

I pushed off of the basket in worry, thinking I did something to scare her. Crouching down, I gestured with my hands outward, unsure if I should touch her. “Whoa, hey, calm down,” I said softly, “What are you afraid of?”

Fluttershy peaked out from between her hooves to gaze at me again. She unfurled her forelegs as she continued to stare at me, shivering every once and while. “Your mask is scary,” she explained, “The last time you wore it was when you… punched Robert.”

Simply ‘punching’ Robert was an understatement. More like beat him to a pulp. But that wasn’t the point at the moment. Giving a nod, I stood back up with my hands crossed. “Yeah,” I said, “I’ve been told that before.”

Dusty eyed me like I was full of shit, but didn’t say anything. He obviously hadn’t seen me in action while wearing it. Pinkie rushed over to Fluttershy, walking around her before sidling up to her.

“So whatcha doing all the way out here, Fluttershy?” she asked.

“Twilight wanted me to meet you,” she said, keeping her eyes on Pinkie, “She’s very busy with the Buffalo and Zebra diplomats.”

“Did she have any plans for me?” I questioned, growing slightly worried. If Twilight couldn’t meet me, then she may not get a chance until the diplomats left. And by then it might be too late.

“I can’t say,” Fluttershy admitted with a shake of her head. She tapped her chin a moment in thought, “But I did hear her mention something about you returning a lot sooner than she thought you would.”

So, Twilight was banking on me being gone in Cloudsdale long enough for her to get the aid of the Buffalos and Zebras. Of course, if I had known things would go south with the Pegasi, I would have warned Twilight beforehand. But the past was in the past.

“Alright,” I spoke up, standing up straight. Gripping my mask, I tore it off, feeling the chilly fog reach my skin. I tossed my helmet, mask, and goggles into the basket, figuring I could grab it later. A glance around showed no sign of my shack, and I knew Pinkie would have landed as close as possible to it. So either she missed the target, or the fog was a lot thicker than I thought. “I’ll find my shack and wait for this business to blow over.”

Dusty grunted, elbowing me in the knee, “You sure you can wait that long? These kind of things don’t finish over night.”

“Like I have a choice,” I replied. Sometimes, I felt like that statement was far too true. And at that very moment, a sharp gasp was heard behind me, causing all of us to whip around to the hot air balloon. Leaning over it was who I assumed was a Buffalo. This one in particular was about as tall as any other pony I’ve seen. The head was a little lower, almost revealing no neck, and with pointed ears. What stood out the most however was that the Buffalo had a band around the forehead with a white and black feather poking out from the back. Like a native american.

I would have called that racist, but this was a normal thing in this world.

The Buffalo stared as we stared right back. My eyes were wide, and I refused to make any sort of movement. The Buffalo might interpret it as an attack or something. At that point, the entire negotiations involving the Zebras and Buffalos hinged on the next few seconds.

“Well,” I breathed, not even moving my jaw to speak normally, “Things just keep getting better and better.”

“Little Strongheart!” Pinkie shouted and making everyone jump from the sudden volume, even the Buffalo. “It’s been so long!”

I closed my eyes in irritation, really wishing Pinkie would just shut up for one minute. Just one minute. Then again she did know who this Buffalo was, and that was definitely an advantage. Reopening my eyes, I waited for the Buffalo - Little Strongheart - to speak, and I didn’t need to wait long.

“You’re a…” she said, tilting her head to the side, “Human?”

I shrugged, “Yeah, I’m a Human.”

Another bout of silence elapsed, and Little Strongheart slowly shifted across the basket of the hot air balloon. Her eyes never left my own as she dropped her forelegs on the ground. Just like all of the other ponies, she had an air of cuteness to her, like a small bundle of brown fur…

Damnit, brain, no time for shit like that.

Little Strongheart stepped closer, and for the first time, ripped her eyes away from me to face Pinkie. “Why are you with a Human?” she questioned, though not in a hostile way, which was somewhat particular. The Buffalo must know that Humans were the enemies, if not from experience or observation than by accounts from the Ponies.

Pinkie looked up to me before facing Little Strongheart. I could almost feel the large grin Pinkie gave, causing me to give a small smile of my own. She was contagious when it came to those.

“His name is No-Lane-” she started.

“Nolan,” I corrected, rolling my eyes as my smile disappeared.

“-and he’s a friendly Human!” Pinkie finished with a small hop. It was at that point that I felt I had hit my limit of Pinkie. Her cheerfulness can wear a guy down. I needed a break away from her, and I knew the perfect excuse to do it too.

“Fluttershy?” I asked, her eyes landing on me, “Do you have a pen and paper I could use? I need to write a letter.”

She shook her head, “No, but I know a pony who would be happy to give you those.”

“Then get that pony,” I said, hopefully not as a command but as a request, “Tell him to meet me in my shack.” I threw a thumb over my shoulder before glancing around again. “If he can find it anyway.”

Fluttershy nodded, looking like she was glad to have something to do. I didn’t hate Fluttershy, but she didn’t seem to be very useful in this time of crisis. She was the Element of Kindness, and in war, kindness could only get her so far. Compared to the other ponies, she was useless, and even thinking that made me feel guilty. I couldn’t even imagine what she could be going through.

Before Fluttershy could take one step, she stopped herself, turning to me with the same innocent smile. “How was Cloudsdale?” she asked sweetly. “Twilight told me you were visiting.”

I just looked at her, my heart aching. I couldn’t bring myself to do anything else. I had completely forgotten that the rest of the Ponies had no idea about our failure. Add the fact that Fluttershy was a Pegasus, and it made me feel even worse. It was like the world wanted to remind me of my mistake. I was probably over glorifying it, but I still felt terrible.

“Some things…” Dusty spoke up, thankfully, shifting his hooves and watching the ground. “Happened. We’ll fill everyone in later.”

And what a delight that would be.

Fluttershy nodded again before trotting off into the fog. It might have been her Pegasus abilities, but I wondered how she can navigate through any of this. And her lack of using her wings worried me a bit. I had never seen her use them once, while a lot of Pegasi flew every chance they got. She could have been crippled for all I knew, possibly when she was enslaved.

Closing my eyes, I tried to distance myself with that line of thought. It wouldn’t lead to anything good; just self pity and fury. At the moment, I didn’t want nor need those two. I would question it later, in private. I didn’t want a repeat of the party after returning from Fillydelphia.

A nudge from my leg caught my attention, and I glanced down to see Pinkie Pie. “I’m going to head with Fluttershy,” she announced, pointing to the fog, “You alright by yourself?”

“I’d be better if I knew where the shack was,” I admitted, scanning the whiteness again. Pinkie giggled as she trotted past me. She made it a couple paces before stopping. Lifting up a hoof dramatically, she pushed it forward, and a loud metallic thud was heard. To me, it looked like she just hit the fog itself, but when she turned around, she had a wide grin on her face that said otherwise.

“It’s right here,” she declared, holding up a hoof like a woman on a game show would do. I balked for half a second before grunting in humor. Of course, Pinkie could find the shack. She seemed to have a knack for the weirdest things.

She walked back and passed by, heading where Fluttershy had disappeared. Dusty and Little Strongheart followed behind silently, neither giving sign of farewell to me. Well, Little Strongheart did give a worried glance back, but I didn’t count that. They were slowly being consumed in the fog when I heard Pinkie speak up again.

“Oh, Little Strongheart,” Pinkie said, her silhouette figure hopping, “Make sure not to tell the Buffalos about Nolan! It’s a secret until Twilight says it’s okay. You see they might hurt him, and I don’t want him to be hurt!”

“I understand,” Little Strongheart replied, as their figures vanished before my eyes. I could vaguely hear more of their conversation, but it was too quiet to make out. Facing where Pinkie had struck the metal siding, I took careful steps as I lifted up my hands, feeling my way through the fog. Luckily, my caution wasn’t needed, as just a couple strides away I could see the walls.

Steady as a rock since I had left it, and far enough away from the other ponies to feel isolated. I may have hated the small shack before, but I found myself retreating to it for a multitude of reasons. Living in a compact city like Los Angeles made me forget how much I desired being alone. Truly alone.

Shuffling along the side of the shack, I found the door and entered, finding relief that I could see clearly. Seeing the bed caused my muscles to feel weak, as if the sight of it made me tired. With my eyes feeling slightly heavy, I took off my shotgun and revolver, lightly tossing them to the side before falling into the bed.

Sleeping on a solid yet soft material was nice, not like the unfamiliarity of the clouds. Then again, I had been sleeping in a prison, so the beds could have been manipulated to be as hard as stone. It was probably something I wouldn’t figure out, and didn’t bother to think on it as I quickly drifted to sleep.

{~+~}

“I’m a little pony, cute and stout. Here is my tail, and here is my snout. When I get all steamed up, I just shout, ‘Have some friendship and hug it out’! Ho, ho! I love that song! I changed some of the words so it can fit both of our worlds! Aren’t I a swell friend, Nolan?”

“What… the… fuck!?”

“Well, that’s no way to talk to a friend. You could learn a thing or two from me! And I must say, that’s saying something. Oh, and Manehattan is lovely this time of year!”

{~+~}

My body jerked as I came out of the dream. With my racing heart, I would have chalked it up as a nightmare, but there was something about it. The dream wasn’t something I would associate with a nightmare. I didn’t feel like I had escaped from a monster, or experienced a similar trauma. Instead, I had a deep feeling of unsettlement and possibly confusion. I couldn’t even compare it to any of my previous life occurrences. It was really unique and bizarre.

Taking a deep breath, I pushed myself up with a hand rubbing my forehead. Why was I always getting weird dreams in this world? First Luna, and then this mysterious voice who claimed to be my friend. I couldn’t even bring this up to the Ponies without looking like I was losing my mind. Voices in my heads… that must have been worse than when Luna was rattling around in my mind. At least with her I could remember what was happening.

A soft thud resonated in the room, and I perked my head, forgetting the dream for the time being. From the sound, I could only assume that a bird had hit the shack. However, there was muttering outside, which was far softer than the previous noise. Getting to my feet, I kept quiet as I listened carefully. However, it wasn’t needed as someone knocked on the door.

“Nolan?” the voice of Apple Bloom, sounding both uncertain and hurried, “Are ya in there?”

I was genuinely surprised to hear from her. Not only had I not spoken with her for a long time, but that she also made her way through the thick fog. I swiftly opened the door, looking down at Apple Bloom, who was rubbing a hoof on her nose, grimacing.

“That hurts…” she mumbled to herself before shaking it off, tilting her head way back to face me. “Nolan, can ya come with me ta check on Applejack?”

The question was a bit out of the blue, but Apple Bloom wouldn’t have asked if it wasn’t important. She may be a kid, but she had her priorities straight, especially in this day and age.

“Sure,” I answered with a curt nod, stepping out of my shack, “What’s the problem?”

Apple Bloom shook her head, her frown deepening, “She’s been talkin’ in her sleep a bunch. A-And she’s been looking really tired, like she ain’t really sleepin’.”

I was certainly concerned at that point. Applejack was too prideful to tell anyone about her problems. Hell, I doubt she even told anyone besides Fluttershy, Carrot Top, and I about her rape back in Ponyville. It kind of hurt to think she was keeping all of her emotions and problems cooped up inside of herself.

“What does she say?” I asked, crouching down to her level, “In her sleep, I mean.”

“...Ta leave her alone,” Apple Bloom said, her ears folding back. Her voice was fairly quiet, like she was suppressing a sob. “I don’t stay long to hear anythin’ else. I just don’t know what to do.”

I didn’t want a crying filly on my hands, so I desperately tried to think of something to ask. “What about…” I started, as her eyes glanced up to me. “What about the other ponies? She’s been friends with Twilight and the others for who knows how long. I only met her a week ago.”

“But no one else has been with her since the Humans took over,” Apple Bloom insisted, propping her her forelegs on my knees. Her face was only a foot away, and I couldn’t break eye contact with her. “You’re the first person ta see her for months. I might be just a foal, but I know that some ponies change when they're gone for a long time.”

She bowed her head, “I mean, everypony is different. They’re always busy, and nopony wants to play with us. Twilight, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack; they just don’t seem like themselves. It just all feels… wrong.”

All I could do was stare at her, slightly taken back by her words. Jesus, she had all of that in her head this whole time? And she was just a kid! One that was a prisoner for the Humans for a time. I hated how all of this had to befall such an innocent bystander like her. War knew no innocents, I suppose.

“Well, come on,” I said, raising myself back up, “Let’s check on Applejack.”

The weak, almost forced smile she gave me was more than enough to raise my mood. Even though she was living in a harsh world, one she never thought she would be in, she could still smile in spite of it. She pushed off from my legs and bolted into the fog, waving a forehoof to follow. She really wanted me to hurry. And I was afraid if I didn’t, I would lose her in the fog.

So I jogged after her, hoping we didn’t bump into any Buffalo and Zebras along the way.

As Apple Bloom and I walked through the fog, I came to notice that the ground had a line dug into it, and that Apple Bloom was running along it. Putting two and two together, I came to the conclusion that she had drawn it to help her through the fog. Quite ingenious.

“By the way, Apple Bloom,” I called her, and she turned her head towards me without losing her pace, “Who told you I was back? Or I was in the shack? Or how to even find the shack?”

“Pinkie Pie,” she answered simply, facing forward like it was the only reply needed. And in truth, it really was. Needless to say, I should have seen it coming. And when we reached a building, one that was pretty typical of all the other buildings in Las Pegasus, I found myself breathing a sigh of relief. Leave it to Pinkie to help us make our way through some fog.

Apple Bloom didn’t waste any time as she rushed to the door, pushing it open without a care. As I approached the doorway, I had to wonder if any Buffalo or Zebras were inside, and if that was the case, how I was going to get to Applejack. However, as I stuck my head inside, examining the interiour, I saw no sign that either of those species was there.

“Come on, Nolan,” Apple Bloom whispered, standing beside another door, which was closed. Apple Bloom was a lot more desperate, pawing at the floor slightly, though not enough to make any noise. “Applejack is through here.”

Swallowing, I stepped carefully past the couch and coffee tables towards Apple Bloom. I didn’t know why I was growing nervous from seeing Applejack, though the last time I spoke with her didn’t end well. There was no doubt she would give me an earful, but if what Apple Bloom said was true, Applejack was having a harder time than I would. With the door in front of me, I hesitated a moment before I reached out for the door handle.

“I’ll talk with her alone,” I said, turning to Apple Bloom. She didn’t argue, or even look to me. She had accepted it, and stood rooted to the spot. I couldn’t tell if it was out of fear or simply doing what I said. Whatever the reason, I was heading inside by myself. I twisted the knob, ready to do just that.

“Um, Nolan?” Apple Bloom asked, and I faced her again with a raised brow. “What’s rape?”

My heart jumped for half a second, my stomach feeling sick as I looked down at Apple Bloom. Of all the questions she had to ask, she had to go with one she wouldn’t understand. And it wasn’t my place to tell her at her age either. However, I had to say something about it, even if it made me sicker than it did back at the hot air balloon.

“Why…” I started, finding myself short on breath, “Why do you ask?”

“Derpy said it at your party,” Apple Bloom stated, “And I didn’t know what it meant.”

I nodded slowly in understanding, my hands nearly shaking on how I would explain. “It’s…” I said, releasing the door handle to hide my hands. They were trembling ever so slightly, and I felt like I had to hide that. “It’s when someone hurts another really badly. So badly that it leaves a scar in their heart. One that doesn’t go away for a long time.”

I couldn’t believe how accurate I was, even when I was avoiding the real definition. My stomach was doing flips, and my hands shook even more. I hoped what I gave her was enough to sate her curiosity. I didn’t think she could ask a worse question than that.

“Did you ever have to rape anypony?” Apple Bloom asked. A hand rose to cover my mouth in horror. Even if Apple Bloom was basing her question off of my explanation, I couldn’t imagine myself doing that. Just the very thought was all kinds of wrong. I couldn’t hide my shaking any longer, and my breathing was heavy too.

Apple Bloom didn’t take notice of my behavior, standing by and waiting for my answer. She knew I had hurt others for the Ponies, but she didn’t know how much. If only she knew, if only I wasn’t the one who had to answer her questions. Why did she have to ask me? I gritted my teeth as I clamped my eyes shut; Damnit… God fucking damn it.

“No,” I said at last, easing my shoulders, “No, I never… did that to anyone. And I never will.”

That reply was harder to muster than it should have been. It was obvious to me that it was the correct answer, yet it took a good amount of strength to bring it out to light. It made me feel drained, but I still had to help AJ.

“Don’t mention rape to anybody else, alright?” I instructed, twisting the door handle again.

“But why-?”

“Just don’t!” I exclaimed, making her jump back in fright. I couldn’t look at her, I couldn’t face her and know I had scared her. So instead, I pushed the door open and slunk inside, closing it behind me.

The room was dark, with the only light being from the window, which was filtered through a pair of thin curtains. The window hung just above a bed, giving it enough light to show someone under the blue covers, facing away from me. If the blonde mane and orange coat didn’t give away who it was, then the Stetson hat and red hairbands on the nearby table did.

In that situation, I was unable to find the urge to wake Applejack up. After what Apple Bloom had brought up, it made me realize just how much AJ had gone through, for her family and for herself. She deserved to sleep, just for a few moments longer. And as I watched her, I could feel depression set in.

My eyes lingered on her still form, the covers rising and falling with each breath. She was so vulnerable, but she refused to show it to anyone. It made me sad, more so than I would care to admit. Why did she have to keep her emotions at bay, even from her own sister? She was my friend, and the way she acted almost made me wish I could undo the past.

“No…” Applejack whispered, turning towards me. She was still asleep, but her face was scrunched up in rage and fear. “Get away… Leave me alone…”

“Applejack?” I called, walking slowly towards her. She was tossing and turning frantically, her eyelids twitching. She kicked at the covers, showing her quivering body as she gritted her teeth.

“I just wanted…” she said, her breathing ragged as she twisted around. “I just wanted her safe…”

“AJ,” I said, stopping as I stood above her. She looked so defenseless at that moment. All the other ponies were probably the same in one way or another, but with Applejack, she always put up a strong front, sort of like Rainbow Dash. Unlike Rainbow, however, Applejack had been sexually violated, and had refused to tell anybody about it except for Fluttershy, Carrot Top, and myself.

“No, no stop!” she exclaimed, her movements becoming more wild by the second. I needed to get her out of her nightmare and back into reality, despite both being nearly similar. I leaned over to grab her, hopefully to shake her out, but she lashed out with a hoof, grazing my cheek.

I reeled back a bit, reaching a hand to where she had stuck me. It was slightly sore, not too painful, but Applejack was growing increasingly violent. Her nightmare must have been worse than I thought.

“Applejack,” I said loudly, quickly reaching out my hands and grabbing her flailing forehooves. She struggled, tears leaking out of her closed eyes. Her breathing was erratic as she did whatever she could to break away from me. “Applejack!”

“Let me go!” she yelled, taking in gulps of air, “I… I don’t want to… Let me go! Let me go!

“Applejack!” I shouted, jerking her forward to give her the full volume. Her eyes snapped open with a gasp. For a couple seconds, I gazed into her frightened emerald eyes, seeing her realize she wasn’t in her nightmare, but in the real world. She remained still, her ears straight up and alert as I held on to her hooves.

“N-Nolan,” she said, her voice strained as her breath hitched. The tears that were already in her eyes increased as her ears slowly drooped. Scrunching up her face again, she closed her eyes as she tilted her head down. “Nolan...”

She threw herself against my chest, her forelegs held close to herself as she sobbed. I had one arm cradled around her, while the other held her head. Her sobs escalated to cries, her body convulsing with each shout of inner pain. All of the emotions she held back, the ones she hid, came flooding out. She made no move to stop it either, and just let it all out.

I didn’t say a word; No comfort, no questions about her dream, nothing. I just eased my body to sit on the bed, hardly shifting Applejack in my arms. We just sat there, Applejack’s tears dampening my vest as she continued to cry. Her anguish almost put me to tears too. I didn’t know what held it in though. I felt like I was on the brink the whole time, but not a single tear spilled out.Seconds turned to minutes as Applejack’s cries faded back to sobs until there was only her shaky breathing. I glanced down to her, only seeing her blonde mane. She sniffled occasionally with a couple instances of silence thrown in.

“I thought…” Applejack spoke up at last, “I thought I was bein’... r-raped again.” She shivered, pressing her body harder against mine. “Nolan, I… I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all. I-I never heard anythin’ ‘bout it. And it had just happened.” She sounded like she was going into another bout of crying, but she restrained herself as she took a deep breath.

“AJ,” I consoled quietly, stroking her head slightly, “To be honest, I have no idea how to handle your pain. I just don’t know. I can support you like any of your other friends, but I have no experience with it either. I wish I could do more… but I can’t.”

Being so brutally truthful to her hurt me internally. I wanted to take them back, change it to something more soothing to see her happy demeanor again. But I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I couldn’t lie and say it would all get better soon, because I didn’t know if it would.

“Thank you,” she breathed, extending out a hoof to wrap it around my arm, “Thank ya kindly.”

Her head lifted up to stare into my eyes, her face still contorted in sorrow and distress. Her eyes were reddened, and she had tear stains on her cheeks. As she locked eyes with me, with my hand still holding up her head, I could feel her gratitude. Nothing more really needed to be said. And I didn’t believe she was thanking me for being there to hug her and keep her company. I believe she was glad she could hear the truth from someone she trusted. She too didn’t want to hear the lies either.

She slid off of me as I stood up, putting a hand over where her tears had soaked my chest. She just sat there, staring at the ground, contemplating. I didn’t bother guessing what it could be. I just gave a ghost of a smile.

“We all need somebody to lean on,” I replied, and she nodded so slowly that I was surprised I caught it. I paused, searching what to bring up next, and I glanced back to the door, where Apple Bloom still remained. “Your sister has been worried about you. Talk to someone, okay? You have to tell your friends eventually. Fluttershy could help you through it.”

“Fluttershy…” Applejack whispered, her head hanging even lower, “Here I am bawlin’ my eyes out and she’s been through so much more. I’m such a selfish Pony.”

“No,” I responded instantly and firmly, causing Applejack to perk her head slightly, “You’re anything but selfish. Just like you and me, we both lost loved ones. It doesn’t make us different. It’s the same with you and Fluttershy.” I gave a heavy sigh, “You both need to talk about it.”

Applejack nodded again, though much more noticeably. I could have brought up the question that Apple Bloom had asked me, but I didn’t want to load another weight onto Applejack. We needed to take it one step at a time. And as I gazed out the window, I knew we would have to deal with the Buffalo and Zebras soon.

Because the fog was lifting.

Author's Note

I need to boost my self-confidence and get these chapters out more.
EDIT: It has now been edited by Legion222!

Chapter 19: Worry

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 19: Worry

The street was empty as far as I could tell, but I dared not risk stepping out. Instead, Applejack walked out as she scanned the area while I stayed just beside the door, out of sight. Apple Bloom sat by my feet, staring out the door as if she was on watch. I had to appreciate the work she was putting in, even if it didn’t contribute much.

After Applejack and I had walked out of her room, she and Apple Bloom had shared a brief apology with each other. It was rather heart warming, even if it lasted just a couple of seconds. They probably would have talked with each other more, if the problem on my hands wasn’t so precarious.

For whatever reason, the fog that had once shrouded my movements had been lifted, letting the sunshine light up the city. As beautiful as it was, it punctuated the fact that I was in a bad position. I was supposed to hide out in the shack until the Buffalo and Zebra ambassadors left, and if I was caught, it could be a repeat of events of Cloudsdale. Applejack explained the significance of the fog, and it was similar to what I had predicted: a way to cover the migration of two different species to Las Pegasus.

Since Rainbow Dash had filled her in some time ago, AJ went further on to say that the Humans had no idea Las Pegasus existed, all thanks to the fog they would form in emergencies. It was hard to believe until I gave it some thought. Humans would send scouts to find other Pony cities to invade, and it was hard to find a city that they couldn’t see. And if a particular group of scouts did get close, Pegasi would lead them away as distractions. It sounded delicate to maintain, but it seemed to have been successful.

If the fog was lifting, then either negotiations had started or all the ambassadors and their escorts were all accounted for inside Las Pegasus. I didn’t know which was worse, but both guesses were pretty similar anyway.

Applejack stuck her head through the door frame, her face grim, though showing nothing worth getting worked over. “Coast is clear,” she whispered, “I think all them Buffalos and Zebras are chattin’ with Twilight and Cadance.”

“Even the company they brought?” I asked, remembering Little Strongheart. She was willing to keep my secret, but she couldn’t have been the ambassador for the Buffalo. She sounded too young, and honestly, she didn’t look like any Buffalo I had seen.

“As far as I can tell,” Applejack said with a shake of her head, “I ain’t even seen a Pony out there. Everypony might be learnin’ about the ambassadors or somethin’ like that.”

I gave a sigh as Applejack walked back out, with Apple Bloom scampering after her. The tension was already high with me being in the same city as two foreign species, but that I was in a compromising situation didn’t help in the least. I just couldn’t win in this world, and it irked me to no end. Turning to the door, I hesitantly peeked outside, seeing Applejack and Apple Bloom both on alert. The way they acted around each other definitely proved that they were family, that was for sure.

Briskly exiting the doorway, I kept up my own vigilance, looking down both directions of the street as if watching for traffic. Just as Applejack had said, not a soul was in sight. It was unnerving, considering the few times I had seen it empty had not been very good for my overall well being. Rubbing my chest, I could still remember when I had crashed through a brick wall. I didn’t think Buffalo or Zebras had magic, but I was sure they had other things up their sleeves. If they actually had sleeves, anyway.

“Come on,” I said with a wave, “Let’s head back to my shack.” Grunting to myself in grim amusement, I added, “With my impeccable bad luck, I’m sure I’ll be spotted before the sun sets.”

“Now don’t ya jinx it,” Applejack scolded, pointing a hoof at me, “Ya hear?”

“Right,” I said as I walked down the street. Applejack and Apple Bloom trailed along, and all of us kept a keen eye out. I took a deep breath, trying to calm down a bit; it wouldn’t help if I was jumpy. “It’s just that the worst shit gets thrown my way. I swear whatever god you worship has it out for me.”

“God?” Applejack questioned, stepped beside me as she raised her brow, “We ain’t got no gods.”

I balked at her as I attempted to make sense of her statement, and failed. Since when did any sentient species never have some sort of god? Admittedly, I only knew of the Humans as being sentient, but even still, nearly every group of Humans had some sort of religion. The ponies not having any bothered me more than it should.

Then again, the Ponies had it pretty easy with Celestia around. No violence, no war; a true utopia. Religion was something to explain the phenomena that affected our world, but with magic in Equestria, there was really no need for it. Celestia controlled the sun, Luna controlled the moon, and everything must have settled into place from that balance. Having no religion also meant no wars over who was right and wrong.

“What’s a god?” Apple Bloom asked, genuinely confused as she walked in between Applejack and I. “I hear ya say it when ya get angry, but I don’t know what it means.”

I chuckled dryly, “It’s a little hard to explain. A god is basically some powerful deity that has some control over the world.”

Apple Bloom gasped in excitement, giving a small hop as if she had figured out a difficult math problem. “Like Celestia!” she exclaimed, before being quickly hushed by Applejack, who twisted her head around to see if anyone heard.

As for myself, I had to suppress a laugh. Celestia as a goddess… what a joke. She can control the sun, sure, but that’s as far as she could go, as far as I could tell. If she really was a goddess, then I doubt the Humans would have ever been able to conquer Equestria. Hell, they probably wouldn’t even be able to think about it before Celestia kicked their asses. In my opinion, a god was someone invincible, untouchable, unreachable. To have a god down with mortals would mean they were in disguise, if Greek mythology taught me anything. But considering Celestia was openly moving the sun, then she was, at best, a very powerful magic user.

Of course, what did I know? I couldn’t step into a brand new world and expect to know how everything ran. However, after all this inner monologue about religion, I had to wonder if the Humans in this world had religions. That was something I could predict without too much thought.

“Nolan!” a voice shouted in my ear, causing me to flinch as my heart stopped for half a second. Backing away quickly, I faced the person responsible only to see Derpy hovering at head level with brown saddle bags on. A large smile was on her face as she gasped sharply. “I finally found you! You’re a good hider.”

“Yeah,” I said, rubbing my ear tenderly, “And why were you looking for me?”

“To give you these,” she said, reaching her head inside of her saddle bags. She pulled out a piece of paper and a bottle of ink, along with a quill to write. She held them in her hooves, a proud smile on her face as she presented them to me. “Fluttershy said you wanted to write a letter to Rainbow Dash.”

My face lit up at the mention of a letter, a small smile emerging. I had to remember to thank Fluttershy when I got the chance. Getting my knife back would be easier than I thought it would. I reached over and collected the items, and as I examined the quill and ink, I realized I had never written with such ancient utensils. It would be interesting to see if I could write with them, and if Rainbow could decipher it if it turned out bad.

“Thanks, Derpy,” I said with a nod, “I just need Rainbow to grab something for me back in Cloudsdale.”

“That makes sense,” Derpy replied with a nod of her own, “I still can’t wait to hear what you guys did. I’m sure you saved even more lives!”

My jaw locked up as I tore my eyes away from Derpy. Applejack and Apple Bloom were smiling just as much as her, showing that they were excited to hear about the tale as well. I really didn’t want to explain that I had fucked it up six ways to Sunday, but I doubt I would get any choice in the matter. After all, Dusty and Pinkie were there too, and the latter was terrible at keeping her mouth shut. In the end, however, everyone deserved to know what had transpired up in Cloudsdale. They had a right to know.

“Oh, by the way, Nolan,” Derpy said, ignoring my distant expression, “Why were you sneaking around earlier?”

“Sneaking around?” I asked back, taken completely off guard with the question, before I realized what she meant, “Oh, I’m just making sure the Buffalo and Zebras don’t see me. Make sure to keep it a secret, alright?”

It sounded redundant to keep it a secret, but Derpy had a tendency to blurt out things she shouldn’t. And with the stakes this high, I had to make sure she had gotten the message, word for word.

“Sure,” Derpy said before holding up a hoof next her mouth, her eyes shifty as she whispered, “I can be a really good secret agent too.” She rubbed her chin afterwards, contemplating something, “I have to wonder why you were all the way by the doctor place. It’s pretty far away from where Fluttershy said you landed.”

“Doctor place?” Applejack questioned, “Ya mean the clinic?”

Derpy nodded enthusiastically, and Applejack faced me with a mixture of confusion and worry. As for myself, I was trying to understand what Derpy meant. There was no way I was near the clinic, which I recall was near the entrance of the Sanctuary. And if I wasn’t there then that meant…

“Shit,” I muttered, my heart dropping as I stepped closer to Derpy, “Who did you see by the clinic?”

“You, of course,” Derpy replied with a smile, ignoring my worried look, “You were being all sneaky. You even hid from me! I thought it was weird that you weren’t wearing all your bulky clothing, so I was going to ask about it, but you got away.”

“Fuck…” I said, my breathing becoming shaky as I dropped the writing supplies, “Shit, shit, shit, shit!”

I stomped a foot, clutching my head as I gazed over to Applejack, who wasn’t as anxious as I was, but wasn’t too far away from it.

“Did ya ever…” Applejack started, not wanting to hear the answer, and truth be told, neither did I. “Go the clinic recently, Sugarcube?”

I swallowed the lump that had quickly formed in my throat, shaking my head. “I never even left the shack,” I answered. Apple Bloom covered her mouth, her eyes wide as she must have came to the same conclusion I had.

“If you were at the shack where I found ya...” Apple Bloom whispered.

Applejack looked at Apple Bloom before slowly turning to me. The fear in her eyes was as good as any to show that all of us were on the same page. “Horsefeathers,” Applejack breathed, “We have another Human here.”

My face grew dark, pondering how a Human was able to infiltrate Las Pegasus in the first place. The Ponies’ system of security must have made a slip or something, especially with all the foreigners coming in. However, it wasn’t the time to figure out how the Human got in, but where the fuck he was, and if he was going to do something drastic.

“Damnit,” I cursed, covering my eyes. We were already in a critical moment of the Pony Resistance, and a Human just had to sneak in and fuck up everything we needed. “Damnit!”

There wasn’t any time for sulking, we had a Human that was very likely to kill someone if we didn’t act fast. And as far as I knew, the three of us were the only ones to know that a Human was here. I would have counted Derpy, but by the way she tilted her head, I doubt she even came close to what we had figured out.

“Applejack, Apple Bloom,” I ordered, knocking them out of their horrid thoughts, “Tell Twilight the situation, but keep it on the down low. We don’t need a mass panic.”

“But we need everypony to know,” Apple Bloom argued, “Wouldn’t it be easier?”

I shook my head, “If we tell any other Ponies, they’ll start searching for this Human, and the Buffalo and Zebras will eventually learn about it. Right now, they can’t know, otherwise they might connect this Human with me, and refuse to help us.”

Applejack stared at me after my long winded explanation. Her mouth was slightly open as if she had figured something else out, and she quickly closed it as her eyes hardened. “The Pegasi aren’t helping us, are they,” Applejack said, stating it as fact, one that was far too true.

Never had I felt so on the spot before, more so than first entering Las Pegasus or with everyone down right hating me. “Now isn’t the time to talk about that,” I said, though the tone of my voice was less than frantic, as if confirming it without saying it. And Applejack took it as such as she closed her eyes in silent remorse. I didn’t know if she blamed me for it, but I didn’t want to waste any more time than we already had with the Human walking around. We needed to take action.

“Listen,” I emphasised as the three Ponies put their full attention on me. “Just go fill Twilight in about the other Human. Derpy’ll lead me to where he was before.”

“We’re on it,” Apple Bloom said as she stood up straight, saluting. Applejack was still distracted by the small revelation, merely giving Apple Bloom a sideways glance. However, she turned her eyes back to me with determination.

“We’ll get it done, partner,” she said with a tip of her hat. Afterwards, the two of them raced down the street. Derpy and I watched them for a moment before I turned to her, holding up my hand to keep her focused on me. She faced me, still lost about what was happening, and I had to feel sorry for her. Applejack had blatantly said the problem, yet Derpy could only stare at me.

Her name, her eyes, her personality; I didn’t want to believe it was true, but she had some sort of mental disability, no matter how small. Despite this, Derpy still was strong in her own bubbly way… Heh, maybe that’s why her Cutie Mark was three bubbles. Keeping happiness close even in dark times. Kind of like Pinkie, but Derpy seemed to pull it off with her own flair.

I shook my head, driving those thoughts away. I was supposed to be hurrying along, not contemplating a mare’s purpose in life. Even still, Derpy acted more as a foal than most Ponies I had met, and in a way, I wanted to preserve that innocence. Of course, the same could be said for all Ponies, but Derpy was unique. Maybe I was just pitying her, and I had to berate myself for thinking like that. I was sure Derpy already had enough people pitying and judging her.

“Take me to where you last saw the human,” I requested. Derpy brought her head back as if she was mildly startled by such a question.

“The Human?” she questioned with a smile, “You talk like there’s another Human…”

Her face lit up in recognition before it settled into shame, her head hanging low. All I could do was frown at her realization. She didn’t like that it took this long to figure out, and no doubt she felt even worse knowing she had let a random Human slip by. A smirk grew on my face as I jerked a thumb off to the side.

“Come on,” I said with confidence, “Let’s go save some lives.”

Derpy perked up at that line, giving a grand smile as she clapped her hooves together. Satisfied I had cheered her up, I briskly headed down a nearby alley, hoping to go through a shortcut to get to the clinic. Derpy flew just above, and in a way, she was more observant than she had been before. Having two eyes looking two different directions was probably disorienting, but I was sure it had its advantages too.

{~+~}

Reaching the clinic, I stopped a moment at the wall just next to the entrance. I leaned against it to catch my breath while Derpy watched. With all my anxiety, panic, and exercise, I found myself slightly winded, and I needed to be ready when I found the other Human. I had no idea what sort of weaponry he had, but I wasn't going to be a fool and enter a fight tired.

As I caught my breath, I took a glance around the area, glad that no Buffalo and Zebra were walking about. Despite saying earlier that I had terrible luck, I found that no one had spotted me yet, not even through a window. Or perhaps they did and the two species were waiting for their chance to strike. I took a hasty look over my shoulder, suddenly feeling paranoid. I needed to catch this guy before someone stabbed me in the back.

“So you saw him somewhere around here?” I questioned, stepping away from the wall and shifting towards the nearest alley. At that point, the shadows were on my side, even if they were limited since the sun was at its highest point in the sky.

“Somewhere,” Derpy agreed, tapping her chin, “He stood just at the corner of the building.”

Nodding, I continued over to the corner, which was actually near a shaded alley way. Definitely useful if I needed to hide. “What was he doing exactly?” I inquired, taking note of the entrance of the Sanctuary. The few spots of dirt held small prints of hooves, hundreds of them. It showed where the Buffalos and Zebras entered. A closer look revealed no human prints; neither feet nor shoes. Either the person was smart to avoid making tracks, or just plain lucky. I hope it was the latter, it would show he wasn’t observant, and I could get the jump on him if I was careful.

Hearing no response from Derpy, I turned back to her to see her tapping one hoof on the other, like she was counting her fingers. I shook my head in amusement; it seemed Humans and Ponies weren’t as different as we all liked to believe. Derpy tapped her hoof one last time with finality, flying over and into the alley. I peeked inside, seeing Derpy land in front of a window and narrow her eyes at it.

“Here,” she stated, tracing her hoof into the ground like she was drawing an ‘X’.

Making my way over to where she had indicated, I scanned the area, taking note of everything out of the ordinary. The path was made of pavement, with nary a pile of sand or dirt, unlike the street. It was also barren of any sort of objects, such as trash cans or fire escapes. Just as I reached where Derpy stood nearby, I noticed a poster nearby. It was the same as many of the other posters I had seen in Las Pegasus, but what was strange was that it had been written on. And by the looks of the handwriting, it was rushed and written in a fit of rage.

The picture of Celestia, first off, had been violated. Her face had been overlaid by a blot of ink, which had dripped down the paper to make it seem like she was a horrific monster. The words ‘Stand against the Humans!’ had been left alone, though a subtitle was added on the bottom. It was fairly small, and I questioned how a Human was able to pull it off with such limited options of writing. ‘Except for one fucker!’. I would have been flattered if I wasn’t in a dire circumstance.

Breaking away from the poster, I turned to the window that sat just across from it. I had a clear view of the inside, though there wasn’t much to see but a few hospital beds. Derpy hovered to my side, our heads nearly touching as we looked over the room.

“The Human was looking into here,” she said, “I wasn’t sure what he was staring at though.”

Movement in the far side of the room caught my attention. It was on top of a bed, in which the sheets were shuffling around like the occupant was stuck. An image flashed before my eyes, reminding me of a dream I would rather forget. Pushing the memory back, a small filly emerged from the blankets. She was a Unicorn with a coat similar to Applejack’s, and a mane that was lightish red. Her eyes were heavy as she gave a small sneeze, which was muted by the window. Afterwards, she lied back down, bringing the covers over.

“Not to offend the cute little filly that reminds me of my little muffin,” Derpy said with a brief smile at the mention of her daughter, “But why was a Human looking at the filly?”

I narrowed my eyes, “Maybe not the filly herself, but what she represents to him.”

Derpy scratched her head, “Unicorns?”

I had to give her credit for the guess, but combining the poster behind me with the filly in the room, I had a feeling why this Human was here. “Appleloosa,” I said stepping away from the window, “This Human is getting revenge for what I did at Appleloosa.”

“Nolan!” a mare snapped, causing Derpy and I to jump as we gazed at the source. It was the nurse of the clinic, though her name escaped me. I couldn’t blame myself either, having met so many Ponies. “What are you doing back here?!”

“Saving lives!” Derpy instantly blurted. The nurse rolled her eyes as if she was disappointed.

“Searching for someone,” I clarified, “You wouldn’t happen to see where I went the last time I was here, would you?”

“No,” the nurse snarled, “I was too busy chasing you off. Why were you looking at foals through a window anyway?”

Considering I had no excuse for that without spilling the secret of another Human in Las Pegasus, I just stared at her, hoping it would accomplish something. However, she just stared back, her anger growing. If Derpy didn’t step in and defend me, I didn’t think the nurse would let this slide. However, Derpy just looked between us like we were about to enter into an all out brawl.

“Angel?” someone questioned as a stallion leaned his head to look down the alley. “What are you doing back here?”

That Pony I recognized right off the bat. Good ol’ Doctor Styles. Coming to represent me again, hopefully. As his eyes flicked between the nurse - Angel - and I, Doctor Styles slowly stepped closer, though not without caution. I opened my mouth to explain what Angel had said to me, but I stopped myself, remembering a more dire situation was still on our hands. Breaking away from my spot, I strolled in the opposite direction, gesturing for Derpy to follow.

“Sorry, Doc,” I apologized, “We’re in a bit of a rush.”

Turning down the alley way, I made to move on, but was stopped by a yell of both surprise and fear just ahead. Rushing forward, I rested a hand against the building as I gazed down the road. Many Zebras stood around, staring upon a Human who was just as shocked to see them. He hadn’t expected to be spotted, but by the looks of it, he was just behind a couple of fruit barrels, and the closest Zebra - most likely the one who spotted him - backed away with his body low.

“B-Binadamu!” he cried out, as if his previous shout hadn’t reached anybody, “Binadamu katika patakatifu!”

“Great,” I said, grinding my teeth. I was hoping to take the other Human out before either of us were spotted, but since that plan was out the window, I had to expose myself as well. I couldn’t lose him; he just might hurt someone if I did.

The Human soon caught sight of me as I stood out in the open. The Zebras were unaware of of my presence, but the Human glared at me as if it was all my fault to begin with.

“You!?” He hissed before glancing around at the many Zebras. They all remained unmoving, and I wasn't even sure if they had even met a Human, let alone knew what to do with a bad one. Taking quick note of his outfit, I saw he had on the clothing that reminded me of Appleloosa; the tan coloring and dusty appearance gave it away. He had a growing brown beard that matched his wiry hair. And in some way, he was familiar. Considering I had gone through Equestria, meeting quite a few Humans along the way, it sort of startled me how much I recognized him.

He turned to look down the road before whipping back to me, repeating it a second time. His legs were warily backing away from everyone as well. “Don’t run,” I whispered, bracing my legs. “For the love of god…”

Considering he had no reason to listen to me, even if he could hear me, he bolted down the road, almost leaving the area before I inwardly cursed, tearing after him. I passed by the Zebras, who all jumped from suddenly having another Human breeze by like a bullet. I didn’t bother looking back, but I had a feeling once I caught the Human, things were going to get ugly with the foreigners.

Keeping my eyes on him was no trouble. There was no one to confuse him with, and he wasn’t as fast as he wanted to be. He suddenly veered down an alleyway and I followed suit, almost wanted a bit more of a challenge. When we made it back into the open road again, my heart nearly jumped when we passed by more Zebras and Ponies. I wasn’t exactly sure why it bothered me so much that we were passing other foreigners. Their fellow species would have quickly filled them in on finding two Humans zipping around the city. However, considering they were with Princess Cadance and Shining Armor, it almost made me sick with worry. Things were going to get real ugly later on.

The Human pushed by them like they weren’t there. Being a bit more polite, I juked and dodged around them, quickly apologizing when I bumped into someone. As I neared the baffled Cadance and Shining Armor, with the Human getting through them without so much as a grunt, they set their eyes on me.

“Nolan?” Cadance questioned, with a raised brow.

“What is going-?” Shining Armor started.

“Can’t talk now!” I bellowed, barely giving them a second glance as I continued the chase. The Human had his head down, and his strides were shorter. I was wearing him out.

He turned to another corner, and as I did the same, I saw a lot of Ponies, mixed with Buffalos and Zebras, completely blocking the street. Nearly everyone I knew was amongst the crowd, from Carrot Top to Twilight Sparkle. I smirked, believing I had him cornered. However, the worst occurred when he pulled out his revolver. With my eyes wide, I reached for my own, but found my waist barren of my gun. I had left it in the shack.

“Son of a-!” I exclaimed before the crack of a pistol was fired off. I looked ahead, but found the Human was pointing it at the sky, and everyone parted, allowing him passage. Unfortunately, a couple Ponies filled the gap back in, watching the Human flee. They didn’t really react to a Human running rampant, just confusion and headscratching. They must have mixed up the Human as myself. Picking up a bit more speed, I vaulted over one pony who yelped in surprise. Luckily, he was a rather small Pony, so it wasn’t too much effort, and the rest of the way through was fairly open.

“Nolan!” I heard Carrot Top call, along with a few of my other friends as well.

“Busy!” I shouted over my shoulder before seeing the Human crash into an ajar door. It was just across the street in a three-way intersection. So he was going to lose me in a building, huh? Fat chance. Running after him, I got through the doorway only to find a table in my way. At my speed, it was a miracle that I was able to leap over it while still maintaining my run. The Human pushed over a chair, which I easily circumvented. He was growing desperate.

The Human got back outside, and what greeted him, as well as myself, was a wall of brown fur from the Buffalo. They were much more similar to the Buffalo I had seen on Earth, and their thick backs were a testament to that. They weren’t aware of our loud entrance, or were slow to react to it. Either way, the Human knew that there was no way to force his way through, and I knew I had him. I was just a couple feet away, but he still had a revolver in his hands, and as he raised his arms to aim, I knew I had to do something before one of the Buffalo died.

With a final burst of energy, I leapt forward and wrapped my arms around him. He lost balance immediately as we both fell to the pavement, with me on top of him. Though the revolver was thrown out of his hands from the impact, that didn’t stop him from retrieving a knife from his belt. I was unable to pull up my arms before he shoved the knife into my arm, above the elbow.

“Fuck!” I said before bringing my other arm back and socking him in the nose. He took the hit before retaliating with a kick that knocked me off of him. I shuffled back to my feet, clenching the stab wound as my arm fell limp. He nimbly held the knife, his other hand held up to brace for another attack. Unfortunately for him, the Buffalos had finally noticed our little fight, and the biggest one stood out from the rest. This Buffalo had a native american headdress, and as he scraped a hoof along the dirt, I knew he was about to charge, especially with the burst of air that came out of his nose.

I didn’t know Buffalos as much as I would like in this world, but seeing a large, mad, horned species charge was definitely something to be avoided. And with the Human’s back to them, he wouldn’t be able to do that.

The Buffalo charged, his stomps alerting the Human, but it was too late. Just as he turned around, the Buffalo hit him square in the back, knocking him to the side. I was able to move out of the way with relative ease, since the Buffalo couldn’t steer very well it seemed. As quick as I could, I ran over to the Human, who was slowly rising from that hit - something I had to give him credit for. I reached over and snatched the knife from his hands before slamming the base of the handle into the back of his head.

With his prone form, I released a long breath as I eased my muscles. The soreness finally reached me as I wobbled a bit from the exertion. This guy may not have been as physically fit to sprint, but at least he didn’t have ten pounds worth of armor on.

“What is the meaning of this!?” someone bellowed behind me, and I associated the voice with the Buffalo that had knocked the Human over earlier. Warily, I looked back, seeing a very pissed off Buffalo just about to charge again. His eyes were boring into my drooping ones as I tried not to fall down. My legs felt like they were about to give away at any moment.

“I demand to know why one Human is attacking another!” He shouted, turning down the street. Following his gaze showed that the multiple groups I had passed were catching up, having ran after us. The large Buffalo had his sights set on Twilight specifically, who was trotted briskly over to stand out from the other ponies.

“It was something we were meaning to discuss!” She explained, her face pleading for everyone to hear. “That Human there is friendly!”

“Friendly!?” the Buffalo scoffed, “Bah! My ancestors would have killed him in seconds; you are lucky I am more tame.”

My arm had gone numb, and the bleeding wasn’t becoming any easier to hold back. The pain was something else too, like the knife had hit bone. I grimaced as I released my hold a moment, a wave of pain shooting up my arm. I hadn’t felt something like that since I had fallen through a window back in Ponyville. At least with that venture, it was easy to recuperate. I lifted up the knife, looking at the blade that was coated in my blood. A lot of my blood.

“Humans are frail,” the large Buffalo declared, pointing a hoof at me, “They rely on weapons that can be used from afar. It is a coward's choice. A true warrior gets up close for battle!”

Little Strongheart broke away from the crowd of gathering Ponies, Zebras, and Buffalos. She streaked across the rather barren area around myself, the other Human, and the large Buffalo. She stopped to the left of him, which was actually pretty brave, since the large Buffalo was about to go on another rampage.

“Chief!” she whispered, though her words could easily be heard by everyone. “Please listen. The Princess speaks the truth! Not too long ago, I-”

“Not now, little one,” the Chief said, gently pushing Little Strongheart aside. I was expecting him to release some of his fury, but he had a soft spot for her. “These Humans the Ponies spoke of are supposedly dangerous. However, I have taken one out without a problem.”

Something was growing in me. A feeling I would never associate with a situation like this. Yet, as I heard the Chief speak, I found a smile emerging on my lips.

“And how could any Human be friendly!?” the Chief stated rhetorically, looking around. He was really causing a scene, and it just made me bite my lip to stop my smile from getting any bigger. “Are they not the ones who invaded Equestria? Everypony’s homeland?”

“Chief,” Little Strongheart stated flatly, “You do realize we were at odds with the Ponies once before, right?”

The mild shock on the Chief was quickly wiped away as he shook his head, acting like it had never occurred. But I had still seen it, and a hand covered my mouth, keeping my small convulsions from erupting. The feeling was still growing too.

“Of course, I knew that!” the Chief announced, his eyes shifting around to see if anyone dared contradict him. “But with these Humans, they have nearly taken the country. They are at focus right now, not us.”

Twilight was nervous as she looked between me and the Chief, “We’re… not really questioning who’s in focus. I mean, this Human is a… Human, but he’s different.”

“Different how?” The Chief questioned, a brow raising, “Are his feet abnormally large? Or perhaps he has a speaking impairment that I am unaware of? Or maybe this one is so dumb he can’t even understand the words coming out of my mouth?”

My shoulders were hunched up, and the feeling inside of me was reaching its peak. I could barely hide my mouth as I closed my eyes, trying to calm down. I didn't think anything would stop it though, not without release.

“Really,” the Chief stated with a lazy gesture to myself, “How in the world is this Human different?”

The feeling that had been growing, I knew exactly what it was, and I was tempted to stop it before it got out of hand. But after what the Chief said, I couldn’t hold it any longer.

The feeling was mirth.

I burst out laughing, clutching my stomach as my wound hurt with each guffaw. It was a hysterical scene, not just from what I heard and saw, but how I laughed as well. I sounded like a maniac, finally reaching his ultimate goal. The source was almost completely obvious too, I didn’t have to worry if I had lost my mind. Just seeing and hearing someone doubt, question, and threaten me literally a minute after I saved him from another Human was too comical to let pass.

My knees buckled as I fell to the ground, pounding a fist against the dirt as I tried to get some relief from my laughter. But as I raised my head, I could only laugh harder at the bewildered and scared expressions everyone shared. And when I mean everyone, I fucking mean everyone. The Chief, Twilight, all her friends, the other Buffalos, the Zebras, the Ponies; everyone! It was too much, and I could only laugh harder at them. I tipped over to the side, finally taking long breaths from my reaction. With each breath came a quiet chuckle, as the humor still hadn’t completely left my system. It wasn’t for another minute before I stopped with a wide grin on my face.

“Wow,” I said at last, “You guys…” I swallowed, my throat dry as I squeezed out the last few words. “You guys are… I can’t even describe it.”

“N-Nolan?” Twilight breathed, and I tilted my head up at her, catching sight of her frightened face. “Are you alright?”

“Oh yeah,” I said, nodding before glancing at my wound, “But I think the blood loss is catching up with me.”

The statement was too true, since I hadn’t been keeping pressure on it. With three limbs being weighed down like someone had been sitting on them, it was difficult to get back to my feet, but I managed as I stumbled slightly. I faced the Chief, my overzealous smile falling to a fond one.

“But hey,” I said with a shrug, “I’m only the Human that saved your ass.” I gestured to the other Human, my arms shaking. “Since he was willing to kill you without a second thought. Why take my word for it when all the Ponies here can vouch for me?”

Another chuckle escaped my lips. I hadn’t even considered the fact on how wrong the Chief was with his declarations. And the chase, oh my god, the chase! I went after the Human for a reason, and it sure as hell wasn’t to play tag!

“What’s wrong with ya, Sugarcube?” Applejack questioned, stepping away.

“Everything!” I stated, waved my arm out, “And nothing…”

I trailed off as I tumbled back onto the ground. Dark spots filled my vision until they overtook it. I was unconscious before I could utter a thank you to everyone for listening.

{~+~}

Groaning, I came out of my slumber with a ache that was splitting my head open. I brought a hand up, rubbing it out as much as I could, but found no relief. It was persistent, and as I opened my eyes, it only got worse. Even still, I gazed around, finding my vision blurry as I made out the familiar white walls and ceiling that was the clinic. Considering I had no recollection of ever entering the building, let alone lying down inside, I was more than confused, and it didn’t help my headache.

“You’re awake,” the voice of Carrot Top said, more out of surprise than stating the obvious, “Hold on.”

I blinked several times, and I was able to catch a glimpse of her stepping through a door and disappearing behind it. I tried to remember the last thing I was doing. Laughing; I knew there was a lot of that. What was strange was that it felt both forced and natural, like my mind was already thinking it, but my brain couldn’t stop myself from expressing it.

The door opened again, and with my sight much clearer, I could easily see Doctor Styles make his way over to me. A hoof was on my forehead before I knew he was standing beside my bed. I grasped the sheets, finding comfort from the coolness in his hoof, even if specks of dirt were on it.

“Still pretty warm,” Doctor Styles murmured, “Nurse, can you fetch another bucket of water and towels?”

“Of course,” the nurse said. I had no idea she was even in the room. How disoriented was I?

“Wazz…” I tried to speak, but my speech was slurred.

“Ah ah,” Doctor Styles stopped, bringing back his cold hoof, much to my dismay. “The effects of the drug is still in your bloodstream.”

“Drug?” I wheezed out, my throat still dry. I remembered that when I was laughing. And my arm was still hurting, even in the clinic.

Doctor Styles nodded, before holding up a clipboard that I swear came out of nowhere. He traced a hoof down it as he spoke, his eyes narrowed as he read. “The knife was coated with a type of drug that brought out the inner feelings of others. The Zebras were able to help me identify it. Sort of peculiar, if you ask me, though I know you can’t in your condition.”

Why a Human, who snuck into a city full of Ponies, would use a poisoned knife was beyond me. Of course, in my state of mind, such thoughts were nothing but static and fuzz. However, the most concerning element that stuck with me was what happened to the Human.

As if reading my mind, Doctor Styles moved the clipboard away as he gave a smirk. “Nice work with the Human. Twilight has him sealed up in jail. He won’t be hurting anypony anytime soon. Even the Chief was impressed, well, after his rant, that is.”

“Doctor,” Angel scolded, coming back in with a silver bucket at her hooves. Her face showed she was anything but pleased, and Doctor Styles knew this as he smiled uneasily. “Please stop antagonizing the patient. He can learn about the other Human later.”

“Right,” I said pushing myself up. My shirt and armor were gone, showing my bare chest. It didn’t bother me, especially when I saw my bandaged arm. It was necessary for them to be taken off. I wasn’t even sure why I had to explain that to myself. My headache was always the answer.

“Uh, you need rest,” Doctor Styles stated, though he wasn’t very forceful about it. The more I moved, the better I felt, as odd as it was. The drug must be slowly waning, what with my kidneys weeding it out. I flexed my injured arm and winced when a painful throb responded. It was still sensitive, but I could deal with it.

“Nolan,” the nurse stressed, her eyes furrowing, “The doctor has given you orders.”

Ignoring them for a moment, I turned to the nightstand on the other side of the bed, eyeing the cup of water that begged to be drank. Without a thought, I lurched forward and grabbed the cup, downing the water greedily. It felt so welcoming that I held the cup at my mouth, even after finishing off the contents, as if more water would magically appear. Somewhat sated, I placed the drink back on the nightstand before releasing satisfied sigh.

“And I’ve opted to ignore those orders,” I retorted, glancing around for my clothing. I found it in a heap against the wall, with a hole where I had been stabbed. Blood stained the inside of the sleeve, and I was almost tempted to leave it. I would need to get someone to patch it up, hopefully soon.

Standing to my feet turned out to be easier than I thought, but not by a whole lot. The room span for a while, but after a few quick shakes of my head, everything fell into place. Reaching for my clothing, with my arm acting up again, Doctor Styles approached me, looking like he was about to put his hoof down. “You must stay in bed. We don’t know if the drug had any after effects. For all we know, it could kill you! You. Could. Die!”

“Nice try,” I snapped back, throwing my jacket back on as I adjusted the zipper. “How long did it take you to think that up?”

Doctor Styles made sounds akin to words, but he was definitely flustered. Luckily for him, Angel came to his rescue as she stepped up next to him, pushing him aside with a hoof as she glared at me. All I could do was smirk as I threw my vest on, feeling its snug pressure fit right in.

“He’s only doing what’s best for you,” Angel said as I slipped on my gloves before facing her fully with my arms crossed, “Do you really want to risk dying when a lot of Ponies don’t want you to?”

“What do you care?” I asked back with a wave of my hand. Angel had done nothing but antagonize me every chance she got. If anything, she was trying to get me killed as much as any Human had ever attempted. I made to walk past them, but Angel laid a hoof above my knee. It wasn’t the force that stopped me in my tracks, as it wasn’t even very strong. It was the exact opposite; her touch was much gentler than I had ever thought possible from her.

“I care,” she whispered, almost making me swat her hoof away in disbelief. But she wasn’t finished as she bowed her head, “I care that you survive so I don’t have to put up with more injured Ponies. It was already bad enough that I had to tend to so many wounded, but to have most of them end in death…”

I stared at the top of her head, unsure exactly how to feel about Angel. Doctor Styles spoke up, his eyes soft, “Do you know what Angel did when the foal - Piña Colada - passed away?”

Bringing that subject up made me somber, as if it was a trigger, and I shook my head in reply, feeling like he had already won the argument. “She cried,” he stated, “And if you knew her as much as I do, you'd know she rarely ever cries.”

That gave me a different perspective on Angel. I knew that I couldn’t judge these Ponies, knowing all of them had suffered in their own way, but meeting a cold hearted nurse like Angel made me think nothing fazed her. I was wrong again. Even still, I couldn’t leave myself bedridden any longer. The Human had been captured, but there could be more, searching for him. I needed to question him, torture it out of him if necessary. The Ponies were too soft to do something like that.

“I’m not going to die,” I said, emphasising each word so the two could memorize it. “But if something doesn’t feel right, I know who to go to. Besides, I’m sure there are other people who need more attention.”

Angel glanced up, her face hard to read at her angle, but she softly nodded at my words. Doctor Styles even smiled, accepting them as well. These two had healed me a few times, from broken ribs to gun shots, and I never really thanked them for it. Then again, I was thanking them by helping Ponies, so I suppose it balanced it out.

Leaving the two behind with a quick goodbye, I left the room, and as I closed the door behind me, I could see more rooms in the hallway, probably the patient variety. A glance to the plaque beside the room I had occupied showed that it was room one-oh-six. Inwardly, I smiled at the number, somewhat glad I had been sleeping in there.

I made my way down the hallway until I reached the receptionist room, and halted at the doorway at what I saw. Applejack and Apple Bloom were the first I spotted, sleeping soundly together and making me ponder how long I had been out. The two had really bonded after Applejack’s break down. I didn’t want to feel like I had helped, since I wanted AJ to have come to terms on her own. And in a way, she kind of did. Carrot Top was already trotting up to me as soon as I was in view, and I put my focus on her. When she was within range, she stood on her hind legs and wrapped her forelegs around my neck. I forgot that the Ponies could be as tall as Humans when they felt like it. I wasn’t surprised by her gesture either, wrapping my hands around her back for a second before pulling back. She did the same, but instead of falling back to all fours, she put her forelegs on my chest and used one to slap me across the face.

That stunned me as my face jerked to the side, my mouth falling open as my cheek grew numb. Before I could reach a hand to sooth the pain, Carrot Top pushed off and glowered at me.

“Jerk!” she exclaimed. Her voice was low enough to not disturb Applejack and Apple Bloom, but had enough malice to show I was in trouble. “You just up and leave for Cloudsdale without telling anybody, without telling me, your friend! And all of a sudden you come back and I don’t even know until you’re off chasing some Human! And you get yourself poisoned in the process! You’re so insensitive! Don’t you know I’ve been worried for you!? You just-just…”

She finished off with a loud angry grunt as if it would describe all of her anger. I was in relative shock at first, but I came to understand her frustration quickly. I hurt a lot of people by heading to Cloudsdale, and it seemed it would be a journey to haunt me for a long time. As Carrot Top pushed off me, I could finally see that there was one other occupant. And though what Carrot Top had said to me was pretty important, I had found myself bewildered by the visitor.

A Zebra sat on one of the chairs, having a smug smile, or perhaps it was confidence. His eyes gave me the impression that he was laid back, more relaxed than anybody else I had met in this world. His color scheme was similar to all the other Zebras I had gotten glimpses of, and his mane was a short mohawk. He had one circular earring as well as multiple bracelets on both forearms, all with bronze coloring.

“Je ni wakati mbaya kuzungumza?” He asked with a deep yet young voice. He was asking a question, but I only knew by his tone, because I didn’t understand a word he said. I should have known he would speak in a different language.

“Uh…” I responded, “I don’t speak…”

Carrot Top sighed with a roll of her eyes, “Ndiyo.”

I turned my baffled gaze to her; not only could Carrot Top understand the Zebra, but also speak his language. The Zebra chuckled, before pushing off the chair he sat on, trotting up to me with a hoof outstretched.

“I am Zenith,” he said in English, his accent showing his African roots, or Zebrican, I suppose, “I am happy to meet a warrior such as yourself.”

I didn’t meet his hoof, staring at it with confusion. He knew I was a Human, yet treated me like I was another Pony. I had to be cautious around this, in case it was a trick. He noticed my hesitation as he put down his hoof with another chuckle.

“I see you are being careful,” he said with a sagely nod, “Inaeleweka. In your position, I would behave the same. Fear not, however; I saw what you did against the other binadamu. I believe you are on our side.”

It was a fresh change of pace, having someone new like me the first time I meet them. With everyone either hating or fearing me, Zenith was probably the very first Pony to actually come up to me peacefully. Not even Spitfire had done that the first time I had met her.

“Okay, Zenith,” I greeted back, trying to break the ice I had set with my earlier mood, “I’m Nolan. And don’t take this the wrong way, but why are you here?”

“Ah,” Zenith said in realization, rubbing his chin, “I suppose I should elaborate on my position. I am both the leader and ambassador for the Zebras from Zebrica. I am here at the request of Princess Twilight Sparkle, specifically to lend aid against the Humans. Except for you, I suppose.”

So, not only was this Zebra friendly towards me, but was the one in charge of his people too. That would pave the way for my well being among other Zebras. After all, the people follow their leader - if he wasn’t a douche bag - and would surely follow his example. Feeling better at that, I stuck my hand out for a proper shake, and Zenith returned it with a smile of his own. For once, we may actually get an ally against the Humans. A glance over to Carrot Top made me frown as she sat on her haunches facing the wall.

Having a friend like her acting that way wasn’t a good feeling to have. She was one of the few, if not first, ponies to treat me with kindness, and betraying her trust really didn’t change things for the better.

“Carrot Top,” I called, searching for the right word to start with. “I should have told you that I was leaving, but it didn’t really cross my mind.”

She grunted in disdain, and I nearly facepalmed at my idiocy. Right, start off by saying I wasn’t even thinking about her at all. Why did everything need so much drama? Not wanting to deal with her attitude, I decided to veer the topic away from myself.

“How do you know how to speak Zebra anyway?” I asked, looking to Zenith in case I had offended him in some way. He simply smiled, closing his eyes with calmness. I envied his mellow demeanor. It must be nice to be able to tune out all the harsh things going on in the world.

“It’s Zebrikun,” Carrot Top corrected, barely turning her head to speak, “It’s their language, and I learned it from Zecora.”

If I recalled correctly, Zecora had been shunned for a while in Ponyville, and I didn’t think Ponies would want to visit her in the Everfree Forest. Plus, Carrot Top had never spoken in Zebrikun when we visited Zecora. Why didn’t she tell me of her bilinguality? There were a lot of questions floating around, and I feared none of them would be answered because of our small fallout. And if many of the other Zebras couldn’t speak English, than I would need her to translate when Zenith wasn’t around.

Everything just had to be complicated.

Thankfully, I had a Human to interrogate, which would give me time to figure out how to deal with Carrot Top. I didn’t think pushing off our heated conversation would be a good idea, but if there were Humans still roaming around, I needed to know. First, I would deal with the Human, then I could focus on my friendships.

“We’ll talk later, alright?” I asked as I headed for the door.

“Whatever,” she snapped, her head tilting towards the floor. I halted at the door, my heart tightening at her one-worded answer. She was really angry about what I did, which was somewhat ironic, because most Ponies were angry at me for different reasons. Figuring out how to make up for what I did wasn’t going to be easy, but nothing had really been a walk in the park either. Sighing, I opened the door, glancing over to the still sleeping Applejack and Apple Bloom. It put a smile on my face to see them so tranquil.

“We will talk later, mlezi?” Zenith asked with a genuine smile, nothing smug or confident about it. I raised a brow at the word he called me, unsure if he had insulted me or not. Looking over to Carrot Top showed she wasn’t about to tell me. For the time being, I had to hope it was a friendly term. With that in mind, I nodded in his direction before stepping outside.

It was at that very moment a bird swooped down by my head, causing me to swat wildly at it in reflex. I covered my head when it left, keeping an eye on it as it flew in a wide circle before landing on Fluttershy’s outstretched hoof, who stood just a few feet away from the building.

“Mrs. Bluejay!” Fluttershy scolded, her eyes scorning the bird who cowered away. “What did I say about attacking my friends? I know Humans are bad, but this one is good. Now, say you’re sorry.”

The bird nodded before stretching its wings and flew over to me. Hesitantly, I held up a hand and it landed on it, right before tweeting like any other bird I had ever heard. It wasn’t hard to guess what it could have said, but that the bird had some form of intelligence and that Fluttershy could understand them was what threw me off.

“It’s… fine,” I said with a raised brow. I turned back to Fluttershy, who trotted over with a smile of satisfaction. “You can understand animals?”

“Oh, yes!” she said excitedly, “I don’t know exactly what they say, but I have a really, really good feeling on what they mean. I used to have a bunch of animal friends back in Ponyville. I was the caretaker for them.”

The bird chirped in agreement, and I had to feel guilty for not knowing more about Fluttershy. She had a whole life before the Humans came, all the Ponies did, and I knew nothing about those lives. Sure, some of them were obvious, like with Applejack and Carrot Top, but what did Pinkie Pie do? Or Trixie? I could only guess, and it didn’t feel like it was enough.

My eyes wandered to the bird’s leg, where an item was tied to one. It was a small note, with a piece of string wrapped around it. There was no reason for Fluttershy to tie a piece of paper to the bird. “What’s with this?” I questioned, pointing to the note.

“I’m not sure,” Fluttershy answered leaning closer with her head tilted up. I brought my hand down for her to get a better look, but I was sure Fluttershy already knew what I was talking about. “Mrs. Bluejay flew all the way from Ponyville to deliver it. Most of the animals don’t know the names of Ponies, so she couldn’t tell who gave her the note. It had to be someone who the bird was familiar with though, otherwise she would have just flown away.”

So the bird had to trust the person who gave it the note? That was some really specific guidelines, especially for an animal. It couldn’t have been any Human, considering the bird had attacked me on sight. Pushing away the speculation, as I thought I had an idea who sent it, I pulled the string apart and picked up the note. With delicacy, I unfurled the paper, squinting to see the small letters that formed a single sentence. One that made my eyes widen in complete confusion.

Trust everything Jayden says -Zecora

And unless the rules had changed around Equestria, Jayden was a Human name.

Author's Note

Edited by Legion222 yet again!

Chapter 20: Belief

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 20: Belief

The door leading to the jail cell rested right in front of me. The reception room I stood in was plain and bare, and I hardly cared what was in it. All that mattered at that moment was what I had just heard from Shining Armor, who was at my side. Even though my breathing was normal, I could feel my heart harden, and it just showed that I really didn’t know what to do.

“Ask him again,” I ordered, my gaze intensifying against the door.

Shining Armor kept his sight straight on me, staring me down like I did with the door. “It wouldn’t make a difference,” he stated plainly.

“Make a difference?” I questioned as I turned to him, my anger seeping out. “There’s no way in hell he’s Jayden.”

Shining raised a brow, “And you don’t think he’s telling the truth?”

My thoughts fell apart like the first time I had heard that word. What was the truth when it came to this Human? He had no reason to reveal any information to us, yet I was supposed to trust him like a good friend. He could just be lying about his name to cover the real truth, and the note was just to help cover his ass. But the bird hated Humans like a lot of Ponies I knew, and there was no way he could get the bird to help him. Plus, Zecora wasn’t one to suddenly change sides either.

There had to be something we were missing, something that would explain this whole predicament. Zecora was the link, but the best we could do was ask for clarification, and there was no telling how long it would take to get a reply.

The ambient talking outside drew my attention to the door behind me. The group of Ponies lounging out there were growing antsy, on edge with the Human in jail.

Shining Armor glanced to the door before turning back to me, his expression just as troubled as it had been since I had showed him the note. “Do you think it’s wise we keep the note a secret?” he questioned, “I’m grateful you showed it to my family and me, but everyone else has a right to know too, especially the diplomats.”

“It wouldn’t do any good,” I said gruffly, rubbing my head. The headache from the poison was acting up again. It almost made me wish I had stayed in bed. “Showing it to them would just make everyone want answers, and since we don’t have those, we’d be kind of stuck.”

Shining Armor looked at me like he wanted to argue further, but said nothing as he turned back to the door that lead to Jayden. I looked back as well, stumped on what to do next. Though there was an option, it wasn’t one I wanted to follow through with.

“He’s all yours to interrogate, you know,” Shining Armor said as he gestured to the door. I swore he could read my mind, considering how stumped I was, especially with the grin he gave me; a mixture of arrogance and reassurance. I grimaced at his suggestion, taking a long breath. How ironic that I once was determined to beat the truth out of him, and when it was indicated by a slip of paper that he would tell the truth, I chicken out. I wasn’t even sure what I was so afraid about.

I lifted up the note that I still clutched in my hand, reading it over again like I had done several times already. Nothing had changed about it, but that was just from what I could see. Maybe Zecora left something unseen on the message, only detectable by magical means. I rubbed the paper between my fingers, not really expecting anything to happen, and was none too surprised when I was right.

“Here,” I said, presenting the paper to Shining Armor, who picked it up with his magic, “Take it to Twilight. Maybe she can find something that I missed.”

He read the message himself before glancing at me with a raised brow. “I’m pretty sure the words won’t change when Twilight reads it again,” he said, his tone dripping with skepticism.

“Just have her look it over,” I demanded with a dismissive wave, stepping for the door, “I’ve got a Human to question.”

“Just don’t go overboard,” Shining Armor warned as he made his way to the other door, eyeing me warily.

“No promises,” I answered as I eyed the door knob. The door behind me opened, letting in a stream of voices before being silenced as it was closed again. I took in a big breath, holding it as tried to think how I would handle Jayden. He knew me from somewhere, and I knew him, if my presumption of him being from Appleloosa was correct. We would have a lot to talk about, that was for sure. Releasing the breath, I twisted the doorknob and entered in one fluid motion, wanting to pass that barrier as quickly as possible.

Yet, as I closed the door behind me, I swallowed like a new recruit in the police force as Jayden gave a knowing smirk from behind the large single cell. It used up half the room, and it proved that crimes were rarer than a good Human in Equestria. He didn’t speak, but locked his gaze with mine. I didn’t move for the longest time, anticipating that he would be the first to speak. But when not a word was spoken, I walked further into the room, my footsteps echoing against the walls. I approached the lone chair in the room, slipping into the seat as I took a load off, relaxing my body as I leaned back. Jayden mimicked me as he leaned back in his bed, resting against the wall as he brought his hands behind his head.

“Well, here we are,” he stated, gesturing to the room, “alone at last.”

“Fuck off,” I muttered, crossing my arms as I narrowed my eyes. He laughed at my remark, but it was dry and forced.

“It’s been a long time since Appleloosa,” he said with a shrug, “Things change… people change.”

“Considering how you nearly shot the Buffalo chief,” I said sharply, “I highly doubt you changed in the least.”

“Now who said anything about me changing?” he asked before chuckling with that same dusty laugh. It was getting on my nerves, which meant he was using it to try to break me. I knew how these interrogations went: some guy thinks he has a leg up on the questioner and try to get him to crack and lose himself. However, that was in my world, where physical means would get someone in trouble because of people's rights. In this world, I wasn’t at all held down by any means, but I knew the Ponies would not be happy. Strange how that, of all things, would be what held me back.

I leaned forward in my chair, resting my elbows on my lap. “Who are you?” I asked attentively, running a mental checklist in my head for possible questions.

“Jayden Joseph Garratt,” he stated, his tone far too relaxed for my liking. He acted like I was hosting a job interview, and I had a feeling he knew he was slowly getting to me. “Military Police of the Humans’ Occupational Army at the Appaloosa Juvenile Rehabilitation, retired.”

“Retired?” I asked, suspending my disbelief for the moment.

Jayden nodded, “Yeah. You did blow up half the building, remember?”

“I’m pretty sure you can’t just leave the army,” I snapped back.

He shrugged again with an even larger smirk, “Didn’t stop Alex.”

For the first time, I showed surprise, instantly regretting it as Jayden chortled. My expression slid back to thoughtfulness, but it hardly mattered. Jayden knew a lot more than he was leading me to believe, but it could just as easily been a lie. Damn, this would have been a lot easier if I hadn't gotten that message from Zecora. Everything was way too complicated. Some of what Jayden had said sounded like it could be true, but it could still be some elaborate trick meant to distract me from some grander scheme.

“Was anybody with you?” I questioned, skipping my personal question about Alex for later.

“Nope,” he said, “Got no friends, my family is in Humania, and the military has me listed as a deserter. The only Humans for a hundred miles are you… and me.”

Once again, I was at an impasse whether he was honest. For all I knew, this whole exchange was a ruse to buy time for other Humans to slip in and do whatever they have planned. What the hell was Zecora thinking by sending that message? Of course, Jayden had no trouble telling me all of this, which either meant he was a good liar or it was the bonafide truth.

“Do you know a Zebra named Zecora?” I questioned. If I was going to learn more about him, it might as well be about his relation with her and that message.

“When I was heading here,” Jayden began, tilting his head up to the ceiling, and getting even more relaxed, “I made my way through Ponyville. You certainly left a nice reputation there. Anyway, everyone said you disappeared in the Everfree Forest. Went in there, and followed a convenient little trail right up to this hut. Place was deserted, but there were lots of potions. All just sitting there, waiting for me to stumble right in.”

Just following his tale was putting my trust on the limits. Just suddenly coming across a hut in the middle of that damned forest full of potions made me really question him. Then again, it was true that Zecora lived in the Everfree Forest, so it wasn’t too far off that she had a permanent residence somewhere in there.

“There was this one potion,” Jayden continued, sitting up as he held his arms parallel to each other, just a couple inches apart. “The biggest one of the bunch. Full of a liquid, all red and gooey and shit. Drank the whole thing.”

“Why?” I asked, truly confused at the dumb stunt.

“Biggest potion equals best rewards,” he said with a shrug, still smiling his smartass smile, “Anywho, it tasted like piss, but now look at me. Confident and everything. A lot better than how I was when you tricked me into an alley before hitting me over the head and stealing my crap, huh?”

So, the person sitting before me was the same idiot that was dumber than anybody else I had met. Granted, I had only known him for about five minutes, but he was certainly pretty stupid to think the Baron wanted him specifically. And to think, the same person sat before me. That was if he was saying the truth.

“Then!” Jayden went on, suddenly getting more excited as he shifted on his bed as if he was getting really into his story, “This Zebra comes in and speaks in perfect rhyme before booking it! I grabbed the nearest potion and took off right before she could bring her woodland friends. Cause if the tales of that forest are true, I don’t want any Manticore chewing on my ass! Ha!”

The way he told his story was very jarring. The questions were staggering in my mind, and I knew that asking any of them would just lead to even more questions. The real question was what reason Jayden had to tell me the truth? He knew who I was and who I was helping, yet he wasn’t at all afraid to tell me everything like I was a diary. And the closest thing that came close to an explanation was the potion he drank.

“Why tell me all this?” I asked. If I was going to ask anything else, it might as well be the one that would make or break his honesty. Jayden closed his eyes as his smile widened, as if trying to contain his laughter.

“Why…” he said with emphasis, eyes wandering off to the side, “That’s always the question. Well, I’ll tell you why.”

As much information as he had given me - whether it was real or fabricated - I wasn’t nearly as interested as his explanation for his actions. Even if it was just another lie, I was far too curious not to know. And as he leaned forward, I clenched my hands tightly as I hardened my expression.

“I don’t believe you’ll do it,” he stated plainly, sinking into his seat as he let his arms dangle. He didn’t follow up with an explanation, prompting me to stare at him intently. With a bout of fury, I glanced to the side as I suppressed my anger. I was close to losing it, and maybe it wouldn’t be a bad thing. At least then I could get some frustration out and some proper answers.

“Do what?” I emphasised.

Jayden chuckled, “You’ll never stop us. Not you, not this resistance, not a thing. It’s all pointless. It won’t matter if I give you all the secrets on our species, you will all lose this fight.”

It was my turn to chuckle, though it didn’t change his expression. He was really sure the Humans would inevitably win, and just that alone made me laugh. I wagged a finger in his direction, a grin on my face.

“You sure are an overconfident bastard, aren’t you?” I asked, shaking my head again at his absurdity. These Ponies might not seem like much, but after helping them out, they were definitely not something to be trifled with. Granted, I didn’t think they would have gotten as far as they did without me, but they were still a resilient species.

“Confident? Yes,” he replied nonchalantly, “That’s what the potion I drank did to me.”

So that’s what the potion did. I was wondering if it had changed his personality in some way, but to give him immense confidence was still far fetched. There was no proof that the potion was what changed him, and I wasn’t even counting if he had even drank a potion.

I had a lot to consider, what with everything he told being truth or not. From what I could discern, it sounded real, but that meant very little in the long run. I just needed some concrete evidence to reassure myself. It would help no one if these Ponies paid a heavy price for not double checking myself.

The door swung open behind me and I glanced back to find Sweetie Belle coming in, looking around with a curious expression. Seeing her in this room, around another Human, instantly put me on edge as I shot up to my feet and hurried over to her. She was startled by my sudden movement, as she backed up a bit to see me fully.

“Sweetie,” I scolded quietly, my eyes shifting behind me to see Jayden still smiling. If I didn't know better, I would say he was high as hell. “What are you doing here?”

“Twilight asked me to help look for you,” she said with a smile. Taking a deep breath, I calmed myself down, not wanting to yell at her for coming in here. Who knew what Jayden was keeping from me, and having Sweetie in here with him was something to be avoided.

I shooed her out the open door, following behind her with my hands still behind her to keep her going. When we were in the receptionist room, I slammed the door shut, making Sweetie jump before cowering a bit. I wouldn’t say I was mad at her, since I was more on the line of worry, but she really needed to knock. She must have known who was in there. And hell, what if I had been beating the truth out of Jayden? She would have walked right into that scene. Despite already knowing first hand the wrath of a Human, she didn’t need to see me do that.

“Look,” I said firmly, causing her to shrink down even further. I took another deep breath, “Just knock before you come in alright. I don’t want to see you hurt.”

Sweetie quickly nodded before standing back up, albeit a bit more shaken than before, “Twilight wanted to talk to you. She didn’t tell me why though.”

“Thanks for letting me know,” I said as sincerely as possible, hoping it would make up for my earlier attitude. She gave a smile, reassuring me I hadn’t hurt her feelings too much.

{~+~}

The outside was quiet without the pedestrians breathing on the door. They most likely moved along, finding something else to worry over, no doubt. Sweetie had skittered off down the street, almost stumbling a few times in her haste. I wasn’t nearly as hurried as I headed down the street opposite of her. It wasn’t until I realized I had no idea where Twilight was that I berated myself for not asking Sweetie before hand. I ran a hand down my face from such a mistake. The stress was bad enough, but having to wander around in search of an Alicorn was going to be a waste of time.

“Nolan!” I voice said ahead of me, and a small pale yellow Pony slammed into my gut. It didn’t take the wind out of me, but it did catch me by surprise as my arms instinctively caught the Pony. The Pony was Apple bloom snuggling up against my stomach with contentment, even bringing a small smile out of me. No words needed to be spoken to show her affection.

“‘Bout time we found ya,” Applejack said as she trotted into view. Her radiant smile was a drastic relief from my oppressive thoughts. For both me and her as well, since she had that nightmare just a couple hours ago. “Ya left the clinic in such a hurry, we didn’t even know ya were awake.”

“You two were sleeping,” I explained, petting Apple Bloom. She enjoyed it thoroughly, rubbing her head against my hand. It resembled a cat so much, but it was adorable. “I didn’t want to wake you.”

“Ah, shucks, Sugarcube,” Applejack waved off, stepping closer, “You don’t need ta worry none ‘bout us. You were the one who got poisoned.” Her expression slid to concern. “How ya feelin’?”

I sighed, not really knowing the answer myself. Having hurried out of the clinic probably wasn’t the best idea, but with Jayden still locked up, I didn’t have too much time to waste. Apple Bloom was distracted by my petting to listen to our conversation, or maybe she was faking it. Just petting her made me realize why I was pushing myself.

“I’d be feeling better if I knew the Human was telling the truth or not,” I grumbled, adjusting my hold on Apple Bloom so it would be more comfortable for the two of us. “As far as I could tell, he took a confidence potion. Can’t tell what he says is truth or not. It’s become such a shit show.”

Applejack nodded, more out of sympathy for my effort than in understanding. She wasn’t the type to pity others, she always had to do the right thing when someone needed it. Seeing her stand there, keeping me company… it reminded me of our first meeting, how hostile she was, and how we practically hated each others guts. Somewhere down the line, we became friends, not on the same level as her other friends, but pretty high up nonetheless.

“AJ,” I started, searching for the words to speak my mind. Applejack didn’t react much, but her ears did perk up ever so slightly. “Back in Ponyville after the first night… how could you have trusted me enough to take me to Twilight?”

The question had been in my mind for some time, but it wasn’t until I was standing in front of Applejack, wondering how I was to trust a clearly bad Human, did it ever come to light. Twilight was a princess, one that was so valuable that she went into hiding, riding out the majority of the invasion. If Applejack knew of her location, then her other friends knew as well. They were trusted with that information, and yet Applejack had taken me to her. It didn’t matter that I saved her life; she could hardly stand to have guns around me at the time.

The silence Applejack provided was in no way unnerving. If I was stuck with such a question I would need time to answer too. However, the way she remained motionless, gazing off to the side with a far off look scared me. Did she ask herself that very same question before?

“Nolan,” she said, still staying still, “I don’t think ya know exactly how us ponies were handlin’ being slaves. We lost everythin’ to the Humans, more than just our homes and loved ones. We lost ourselves too. We couldn’t be what we were; the Humans made us to be nothin’ but workers or… playthings. They treated us like objects, just to be used 'ntil we died.”

Her pause and frequent blinking was enough to show me she wasn’t taking this explanation well. I didn’t say a word, letting her reach the courage to continue. “Then you came out of the blue, sayin’ you’d help, and got the entire town huntin' ya by the next day. Takin' ya ta Twilight, even after ya did save me from… something I didn’t want ta go through again, was wrong. Twilight was supposed to come out when the time was right, not when a friend comes knockin’. She was learnin’ more than just Humans; spells, magic and the like. She was supposed to be the one ta lead us.”

“What did I do to change your mind?” I asked. It sounded foreign to hear my voice, like it had no reason to be spoken.

“Ya gave us… me, somethin’ to believe in. Somepony that could get a Pony’s hat and headbands back just to get some questions answered. I didn’t trust ya as far as I could throw ya, but… I guess I wanted ta believe a Human really did want to help us.”

“Applejack, I’m hardly someone to believe in,” I stated, “I did what any right person would do.”

“No, ya ain’t,” Applejack shot back, finally facing me with a hard glare. It was laced with respect and admiration, but I was still taken aback. “Ya ain’t just some feller that happened ta appear outta nowhere, you’re Nolan. You’re the one who was taken here.”

“So, what?” I questioned, “You think some divine intervention just popped me in this world just because you were in trouble?”

“That’s not…” Applejack started but the response died in her throat as she broke eye contact shaking her head, “The point is that I wanted somepony to believe in. Even if you had no reason ta be here in the first place. My hat and hairbands? They’re just clothes. I had loads back home.”

“You sure do make a big deal out of them,” I noted. Applejack pawed at the ground closing her eyes.

“I was testin’ ya,” she admitted, “I knew I didn’t really need those clothes, but in a way, I was gettin’ back at the Humans, and by some miracle ya do come back with them, and then… I don’t know.”

“I doubt you could put your faith in some bastard that so happened to get your hat back,” I stated. A hat that she didn’t really care about too. It almost felt like she was just coming up with an excuse. Maybe she didn’t really know to begin with, just wanting to believe in someone like me was way too far fetched.

“I think ya can do it,” Applejack said firmly, standing tall with her chin just a tad higher. “I don’t rightly know what I was thinkin’ back then, but right now, I know you can help us.”

She genuinely believed I could pull it off and save everyone. At that point, I just felt embarrassed. When the hell did I become a messiah of hope and freedom for these Ponies? These Ponies gave me too much credit. I may have played a part in numerous activities, but these Ponies were the very reason I was doing them at all. If I had the chance to leave before I had become involved, I would have taken it. But that was before I witnessed the atrocities these Humans were doing, and how the Ponies were in terrible shape because of it.

Apparently, doing something about it suddenly marks me as a hero. As flattering as that was, I would have been the biggest douchebag if I found the ability to leave during my the first few days in Equestria.

“Heh,” Applejack said, staring at Apple Bloom, her voice quiet, “She fell asleep.”

Suddenly aware of her status made me realize how my arms were positioned. They rested just underneath her, cradling her as she rested her head above my elbow. I was afraid that moving any of my arms would wake her, and I couldn’t stand to let that happen.

“I guess we’re pretty boring, huh?” I smiled, earning a chuckle from Applejack. Gently, and at an appropriately slow pace, I shifted over to Applejack and laid Apple Bloom on Applejack’s back. She watched me do it with a quiet thanks.

“Maybe some extra shuteye wouldn’t be so bad,” Applejack pondered, “It has been a long day for us.”

“You deserve some rest,” I stated in agreement, nodding.

She chuckled as she turned away, “Ya need it more than I do, Sugarcube.”

Some rest would be terrific. Just to be able to fall into a bed and not worry about what could happen. It was a fantastical dream in itself, and to reach it, I’d have to deal with Jayden at the least. Which meant finding Twilight and seeing what she wanted.

“I’ll take a rain check on that,” I said as we parted ways. I could have sworn I heard Applejack say something being too hard. It was most likely directed at me. She was too motherly for her own good. I should tease her about it, I would love to see her reaction. In the meantime, I still had to find Twilight in this stupid city, cause I still had no idea where she was.

Damnit, I didn't want to spend my fucking time like this.

{~+~}

The time it took to find Twilight wasn’t as long as I had anticipated. It was thanks to an explosion that rocked the ground and left a large column of purple smoke a couple blocks away. There wasn’t any sort of panic either, more confusion than anything. Ponies, Zebras, and Buffaloes alike were hardly in awe, though still surprised by the sudden appearance. Considering I had been gone for a few days, I had no idea if it was normal, but the murmuring amongst the others mentioned Twilight in more than a few conversations.

Since the cloud could easily be seen from any part of the city, finding its origin was a piece of cake. And arriving on the scene proved that thought to be very literal. The small lot that held the firing range was completely covered in purple gunk. Not just the lot either, but the street and the surrounding buildings were also affected by the explosion. Reaching over to a nearby wall with the purple gunk, I wiped a finger across it and gave it a closer inspection.

“Frosting?” I questioned, carefully slipping my purple coated finger into my mouth. The rich, sugary taste definitely pointed to my assumption. Just as I rubbed the rest of the frosting onto my pants, an object shifted in the lot. The area in actuality had lots of pony-sized clumps, standing as still as statues. All except for one, which really wasn’t saying much, since it was simply swaying its body.

A vigorous shake of the head brought back Twilight as she gritted her teeth. She wasn’t seething, but she wasn’t at all pleased either.

“Pinkie!” she shouted, looking around at the other clumps of frosting, “Which one are you?”

“Over here!” Pinkie said back, raising a hoof high enough to differentiate her from the other poor ponies. A tongue stuck out of her mouth and combed around her face like a wiper in a storm, swallowing the frosting in one gulp. Considering Pinkie’s other bizarre antics, I was more shocked that I wasn’t shocked that she could do that. Her face showed absolute glee as she hopped a few times, shaking off the rest of the frosting on her body. “That was so good!”

Twilight licked her hoof before wincing, “Unfortunately, I have to agree.”

“Fortune has nothing to do with it,” Pinkie proclaimed as she stuck her entire hoof in her mouth, moaning in delight, “I know that I need waaaaaay less frosting next time for my party cannon.”

The other ponies were wiping off their coats, either with acceptance or irritation, but all grumbling to themselves. All except for one, which I assumed was the party cannon Pinkie spoke of. It was very undermining for such a contraption to cover itself in the substance it was supposed to be shooting out, but Pinkie was involved, so fuck it. It was what it was.

A loud gasp drew my attention back to the other ponies as Pinkie bounced up to me, “No-Lane! You’re amongst the standing!”

Twilight chuckled as she trotted up to me as well, “I suppose he is standing with us. Glad you’re okay, Nolan.”

“Yeah,” I said glancing around at the mess again, “Should I ask what the hell happened?”

“You can,” Twilight said with a shrug, giving a scornful sideways look at Pinkie, “All that happened is somepony decided she wanted to fire her frosting-filled cannon at the firing range.”

“Psst!” Pinkie whispered with her hoof held up to the side of her mouth, “The pony is me!”

A grunt escaped my throat as Twilight gazed above. I did the same, but found nothing out of the ordinary; still the same blue sky. In my thought process, I remembered the purple cloud that had lead me to this very spot. It’s disappearance was much faster than I thought was capable. Either the Pegasus ponies work fast, or the gas contents were very thin.

“I hope nopony saw that,” she said, wincing ever so slightly. “If the Humans saw it, they’d know somepony is here, they’d come and investigate, then we’d be-”

“I doubt that’s the case,” I interrupted, holding up a hand. Twilight’s eyes were wide enough to encompass her entire head, and her voice was getting higher too. I was glad I had spoken up; I didn’t want to have to deal with a panicking Alicorn. “According to our Human friend, there isn’t another Human for a hundred miles, though I think sending a few scouts around wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

Twilight blinked at my words before she recoiled her head and turned back to where she once stood, muttering to herself. She pushed away the frosting, her eyes focused on the ground. Pinkie gave me one last smile - all teeth and happiness - before bowing her head and eating the frosting. Not just eating it, but walking around with her mouth open, allowing the frosting to slide into her mouth and leaving a trough of exposed pavement and sand. Watching her at work was almost hypnotic, like my brain was still processing the strange behavior. The other ponies were getting brooms and mops, and though Pinkie wasn’t doing much, she was still clearing up a bit of the frosting.

“Here it is,” Twilight exclaimed, levitating a slip of paper. It had bits of frosting on it, but was still intact. Staring at the paper made me realize it was the note I had given to Shining Armor. With a gallop, Twilight stood in front of me as she presented it. Her firm expression didn’t fill me with confidence. “Here’s the note Shining gave me.”

Suspending my worries, I took hold of the note, reading the message again: Trust everything Jayden says -Zecora. It still hadn’t changed. “Did you learn anything?” I requested, almost hesitantly.

Twilight sighed, “I couldn't detect any type of magic in the note, Zebra or otherwise. There’s only the paper and the ink.”

So much for getting a clue on Zecora’s meaning. My eyes flickered to the ground, anxiety building in the pit of my stomach. There had to be some way to interpret her message. Maybe it was a code? And the way to decipher it was on its way via bird? At that point, I was grasping at straws, desperately trying to find a reasonable explanation for… everything.

“What could she mean?” I questioned aloud, more to myself than to Twilight.

“Zecora?” Twilight asked, lifting a hoof as she raised a brow, “I don’t think she could be hiding a ‘meaning’ in the message. I think it’s pretty clear on what it means.”

“I know that,” I replied gruffly, walking to the side, my boots sloshing through the frosting as I stared at the note, “But this can’t be it. How am I supposed to trust Jayden?” I crushed the note into my fist, tightening it in impatience. “Just how the hell does she expect me to trust that fucking asshole!?”

I was almost ready to just pack up and head to Zecora myself, just to get a clear, straight answer. Hell, I might just drag Jayden along to avoid another misunderstanding. However, since that was just plain illogical, I took a deep breath, soothing my temper. Cracking under all this stress wasn’t going to help anyone, least of all me.

“Why do you have to trust Jayden?” Twilight questioned, causing me to look at her in bafflement. I was prepared to chew her out in the idiocy of her question: because he had the answers, because he was holding something back, because he was a completely arrogant prick that needed to be put in his place. However, something held me back. The look in her eyes held my tongue, the look of a cool, collected mind. She knew exactly what she was going to say.

“There isn’t anything forcing you to put your trust in Jayden,” Twilight continued, closing her eyes. “What you can, and really should do, is put your trust in the one who told you to trust him.”

It didn't even take a fraction of a second to understand what she meant, “Zecora…”

“You trust her, right?” Twilight asked. It was the final nail in the coffin for my argument, if I even had one. She was right on so many levels, that I didn’t even fight a smile from emerging on my lips. It was the silent compliment for her, and Twilight took it as such as she smiled back.

“I trust her,” I stated, “And if I trust her, than I can trust what she says.”

Saying it aloud cemented the words as undeniable honesty. Twilight was right, as she normally was. I didn’t have to put any type of faith in the Human, but I can believe in what Zecora had to say, and what she said was to trust what he said.

Pinkie suddenly bumped into Twilight’s hind leg, causing her to lift it up. Lying in the frosting was Pinkie, looking up at us with innocent, apologetic eyes. Her cheeks were swollen with food, and her muzzle was covered in purple as she gave one last, large swallow before lifting up a frosting covered hoof.

“Want some?” she asked sweetly.

Twilight shook her head before Pinkie shrugged and went back to work. And then Twilight gave a huge smile, like a light bulb had gone off in her head. It was a bit jarring, considering it was so sudden. She pranced right up to me as she closed one eye and keenly examined my stomach. The only fascinating thing around there was my kevlar vest, and her staring at it so closely made me conclude her next question.

“Say, Nolan,” she started with as much sweetness as sugar itself. She backed away, putting a hoof in front of the other as she rocked back and forth on her hooves. “Here’s a crazy thought. You know how you can just… get shot and then stand right back up? Like you were never shot in the first place?”

“I wouldn’t phrase it like that,” I grumbled, rubbing my chest. As much as this protected me, getting shot with it on was still painful.

“Right, right,” Twilight said, nodding curtly as she waved a hoof. “But you still didn’t die! And that vest you wear all the time proves how effective it is.”

Her tone of voice was almost too girly, in a strange kind of way. It was higher and faster than how she normally spoke, but it sounded like she was sugarcoating something I wouldn’t like to hear. She might as well bat her eyelashes while she was at it. I never did like it when people beat around the bush.

“And…?” I asked impatiently.

“Can I borrow your vest to study?” she asked, stepping closer with a hopeful smile, batting her eyelashes. Damn, I didn’t think she would go that far. The eyelash batting anyway; I was actually beginning to wonder if the ponies would ever ask about my Kevlar Vest. Dusty brought it up once before, but other than that, everyone ignored that I had a bullet proof vest on.

It wasn’t until a couple seconds had passed did I realize I hadn’t answered Twilight’s question.

“Not unless I can borrow your wings,” I said jokingly, pointing to the appendages. They fluttered at my mentioning, and Twilight gasped in excitement.

“I can give you wings!” she said, her horn lighting up, “It’ll just take a-”

“No, stop,” I demanded quickly, watching her horn fade away. Thank god for that, who knew what Twilight was going to do to me with her magic. “I don’t want to suddenly grow a pair of wings, alright?”

“It’s not so bad,” she mumbled, her wings fluttering again.

“Look,” I said frankly, holding back a groan as I crossed my arms. “This vest goes where I go. In my world, I’d give it to you in a heartbeat; it’s heavy as hell and I hate lugging it around. But here?” I grunted in amusement, “I couldn’t even step near this place without getting shot at.”

“Please?” Twilight went on, glancing around desperately, “I’ll give you… something in return!”

“How kind of you,” I remarked, my arms still crossed, “But the answer is no.”

“Please,” she begged, sitting on her haunches to put her hooves together, “Pretty please with a cherry on top?”

I was suddenly reminded of Spitfire and her annoying attempt to get me to play the harmonica. With Twilight, I knew my anger wouldn’t stop her. I doubted even a legion of Humans would stop her from studying my kevlar vest. Just my luck. The harmonica, however, did give me an idea. A dastardly idea that was too good not to pull off.

“How about a deal?” I requested, which Twilight eagerly accepted with a nod, her smile widening. “If you can learn to play the harmonica, I’ll let you study my vest all you want.”

Her smile disappeared in a flash, and I was tempted to burst out laughing. Seeing her so confused and crestfallen was surprisingly comical in the context I was in. “Play the… harmonica?” she repeated, rolling the word in her mouth.

“Yes,” I answered, digging into my pocket and presenting the red harmonica. It wasn’t until that moment that I realized the redness reminded me of Applejack’s cutie mark. It was a very strange comment to think of, but luckily it was brief enough to brush away. “Learn to play it, and the vest is yours to study.”

I held out the harmonica, half expecting Twilight to refuse. She looked at the harmonica, tilting her head back in forth in examination. The expression she was giving pointed to her deep contemplation on my proposal, and the way she scrunched up her face didn’t bode well for the harmonica. Eventually, she gazed back up to me with a regretful frown. That decision didn’t take long.

“But I’ve never even played an instrument before,” she started, making me chuckle. She thought she could get out of the deal with an excuse like that. Cute.

“It’s a dying skill,” I explained, nearly slapping myself for using those words. It's how my dad had phrased his explanation. As much as I loathed him, the description was still accurate. Just my luck that my dad had a way with words. I took a deep breath before finishing, “It’s hard to find someone to play one.”

“And you can?” she asked, more out of shock than an angry outburst.

I smirked, “You bet your wings I can.”

Another flutter from her wings, and this time she even turned around to face them. She was very conscious about them. Though, from what I could remember, she had become an Alicorn a couple months ago. If two extra limbs were suddenly stuck to me, I’d be pretty conscious about them too.

Eyeing the harmonica, Twilight levitated it out of my hands as she placed it on her hooves, fiddling with it. Eventually, she held the harmonica up to her mouth, took a deep breath, and blew. The soft whine that came out flew through the air and brought me back to my summer vacation, twelve years ago.

The harmonica was orange, a color that made me want to hide it away from sight. Dad was in the backyard with me, prompting me to play it. I blew into the harmonica, and the same tune as Twilight’s came out. My dad just laughed and said it was a good start. I didn’t really care about that - I was sure any sucker could blow into the damn thing and make a noise - but the noise that the harmonica gave off was what truly encaptured me. The sound itself had potential, like it wanted to show the world what it was made of. It was pleasant, tranquil, but most importantly…

“Graceful,” Twilight said, transfixed on the harmonica.

I jerked back into reality, looking to Twilight, “Huh?”

“The sound,” she explained with a smile, holding up the harmonica, “I think it's graceful.”

The word was fine, but she couldn't think of better word than that? “That’s what you think when you hear that?” I asked, giving a small smile, keeping my voice friendly, “Graceful? What about soft or nice?”

“But that’s what it sounds like to me,” Twilight said, blowing into the harmonica again and recreating the tone, “Graceful.”

My cynicism for graceful was rather arrogant of me. My dad had called the tone charming and my mother, pretty. No one else had really heard me play, so they never heard the same note again, and the times someone did find me playing a short song, they would say it was good.

“What do you call the sound?” Twilight said with a playful smirk. She was going along with my remark, and I couldn’t blame her. I would have encouraged it if anything.

I closed my eyes, replaying the note again in my head, “Captivating.”

{~+~}

“Manehattan.”

All that came to mind after hearing that word was the dream I had earlier the same day. The voice that had mentioned it still echoed in my head. I knew that someone had tipped me off about Manehattan, but that person was still unknown. His personal goals could be completely out of whack, and the dream was a testament to how he behaved. However, there was no need to really trust that voice, as I had the word of Zecora that whatever Jayden told me would be the undeniable truth.

And for him to say Rarity, the last Element of Harmony, was in Manehattan made me both ecstatic and nervous. The latter was from how a low level grunt like Jayden knew where Rarity was. I asked as much and he laughed his high and mighty laugh. Asshole.

“Everybody knows she’s in Manehattan,” he explained matter-of-factly. He stood to his feet as I remained sitting, taking a few steps closer to the iron bars separating us. “It’s a well known fact. A Pony like that doesn't go unnoticed by us Humans. She’s probably the hottest Pony in this damn country!”

“Okay,” I said tiredly, rubbing my forehead, “Too much information.”

He chuckled, “What’s the matter, squeamish?”

My fist lashed out before I could stop it, hitting him in the nose as he tumbled back. Speeks of blood dripped onto the floor as he hastily wiped his nose. His arm was smeared with red and this face was an absolute mess, and I couldn’t be happier. Unfortunately, Jayden was still smiling. How potent was that potion he drank? He could take a punch to the face and still pull off a grin. A psychotic one at that.

“That’s right,” he said, his voice augmented from the blood clogging his nose, “Let it all out. No reason to hold back against another Human, right? Never stopped you before.”

“Shut the hell up,” I ordered with finality, “You act like you know me, but from what I understand, you don’t even know yourself. So just piss off.”

“Well,” he said, glancing to the side as his smile faltered. It was an interesting development, to say the least. His smile had never slipped once since I had spoken with him. “You’re right about that. Took a confidence potion to get me where I am. And even then, I’m a piece of shit anyway. Funny how things work.”

I had very little to work with when it came to Jayden. I had only met him briefly back in Appleloosa, and he was a pretty big idiot, but all together, still young. I didn’t know how the army worked for the Humans in this world, and quite frankly, I didn’t want to find out. Hell, the state of affairs for the Human country could be ugly as sin, and probably on the brink of collapse. Maybe a war was imminent, maybe lots of people were homeless, or even worse. But it wasn’t something I wanted to learn. If I did, than I’d have to pity the people who had resorted to invading a peaceful country to gain any momentum in their land.

Just as these Ponies were victims, who knew how many Humans suffered before hand. How could Equestria not know that a destabilizing country that neighbored them in the north needed help? They didn’t even know they existed! There were only two Ponies that would know, and one of them had violated my dreams, repeatedly. Finding Celestia would be a good step after rescuing Rarity, for both the Ponies and myself.

Blinking out of my reverie, I looked back at Jayden who hadn’t moved an inch, rubbing his nose every once and awhile. How quickly he dropped his arrogant attitude - no matter how slight - showed that the potion couldn’t cover all of his flaws, or perhaps it was a side effect. It could get worse, causing him to break down and lose his confidence even more than before, like an addictive drug. But for the time being, Jayden was just a Human that didn’t have any right to be anywhere. Not with the Humans and not with the Ponies.

Almost sounded like myself. And I was dead afraid of that.

{~+~}

Two cigarettes left.

The one I was using made it three, technically, but other than that, I was down to my last few. After that day, I was just glad I was able to use one. From coming back from Cloudsdale, to finding the Buffaloes and Zebras, to finding another Human, and then getting poisoned! I would have asked what else could have happened, but I wasn’t going to tempt fate. I really didn’t want some hellspawn crashing through the gates of the city because of my ill timed words.

Nonetheless, standing outside for a relaxing smoke after everything was nice. The meeting had already clouded my mind with how we would rescue Rarity, but that would be tomorrow, and at the moment, I could just smoke my thoughts away. Of course, they found a way to fester and gnaw at my mind anyway, but the cigarette helped hold them back.

Taking the cigarette out of my mouth, I breathed out a cloud of smoke as I glanced down to my holstered revolver. It had been too long since I had cleaned it. Maintaining a weapon was important, and not doing so would cause a malfunction at best, and an explosion at worst. I kept a mental note to ask a few Ponies to see if they had any cleaning agents to help with that. In the meantime, I had time to kill, and I was taking the time to not worry about anything.

The nighttime air was crisp enough to enjoy too. A few lanterns lit the streets, reminding me of the party that the Ponies had held when me and several other Ponies had arrived for the first time. That was also the first time I had shared a cigarette with a Pony, and it was also the last time. With Carrot Top…

Damn, that was one of the thoughts that were festering and gnawing in my head. I still had no idea what to do with Carrot Top. Emma was usually so understanding when it involved work that I never had a problem explaining to a girl about such things. In this predicament, I had no experience that could help me, which meant I needed outside help. My first thought was to ask someone who knew her personally, but that was a long shot. She hasn’t brought up anyone she was close to besides her brother. There might have been a chance Pinkie knew her well enough. Throwing parties for everyone was second nature to her, so she had to know a thing or two about the Ponies themselves.

Catching sight of Dusty passing by, I waved my hand, “Hey, Dusty.”

The sudden jump he gave was confusing. I was out in the open, near several lights; everyone could easily see me. Yet he acted like I had emerged from the darkness to give him a good scare. As fun as that would have been, I didn’t want to focus on how much I could have played with that.

“Why so jumpy?” I asked with a smile, shaking the ash off my cigarette.

“It’s nothing,” Dusty said dismissively, his eyes narrowing. “What do you want?”

Straight to the point then. “Do you know where I can find Pinkie?” I asked, tilting my head. Dusty gazed off to the side, far more tense than usual. From what I had learned about him, his behavior only meant one thing. I had to suppress a smirk at that thought.

“She was just talking with Twilight down that way,” he stated, gesturing down the road.

“Alright,” I said, taking another long drag from my cigarette, “So what did you want to talk to her about?”

He jumped a second time. I swore that he was turning a little pale too. He was way to easy to read, it was almost criminal to play with him like I was. However, he was able to recover his composure as he stood up straight. I wasn’t sure who he was trying to convince with that tough facade.

“If you must know,” he said disdainfully, “I was going to see how Pinkie was doing.”

I shrugged, if that was his explanation, I didn’t have a right to judge. Considering Pinkie was put through a lot, especially when she was having psychological problems, it was good of Dusty to take care of her as a friend would. I still couldn’t believe her friends had helped her so quickly. If they hadn’t told me she was back to her normal self, I would have assumed she was faking it.

“Ah, you do care, Dusty!” Pinkie said as she somehow appeared behind Dusty, giving him a hug. He froze, his eyes wide as a blush emerged on his cheeks. I was afraid if I didn’t speak up, he would be permanently petrified. However, as humorous as it was to see Dusty like that, Pinkie was holding on to him a lot longer than usual. I had seen her hug many times - if parties was second nature to her, than hugging was third nature - and she looked perfectly content on remaining by Dusty’s side.

Of course, Dusty was about to pass out from holding in his breath, so I would have to break Pinkie out of her rather heartwarming gesture. Just as I opened my mouth, a voice broke over the short silence, “You can quit trying to convince me, Shiny.”

Looking back, Twilight was exiting the bookstore, followed closely behind by Shining. Neither were pleased in the least. “Twily, if anypony is going, it should be me, not you,” Shining declared, pointing a hoof at Twilight. She whipped around, quickly trotting up to his face. His attitude made a one eighty as he reeled back from Twilight being so close. I was glad her glare wasn’t directed at me, and I had to suppress a chuckle at Twilight's nickname. It reminded me of my own silly one that Pinkie had provided.

“I’m going with Applejack and Nolan to find Rarity,” she announced, just as she had done back in the meeting. “And that. Is. Final.”

The princess side of her was leaking hard enough that other bystanders were getting a little scared. And Shining was taking it as well as he had back in the meeting. Hell, everyone was dead against Twilight coming along. I didn’t mind much, since having an Alicorn as back up was always a plus. Though I was smart to keep my mouth shut about it.

Shining grunted as he backed away from Twilight, “I know you’ve seen what the Humans are capable of-”

“And I’ve also seen what she’s capable of,” I spoke up as Twilight looked to me with appreciation. “She can handle herself. And if things turn bad, I’ll still be there to help.”

Shining gave me a dubious look. I couldn’t tell if he was questioning my ability to protect Twilight, or my support of her coming. Either way, I remained unyielding in my decision. I could tell that Twilight wouldn’t be budging in the matter, so the only option was to support her. Plus, she reminded me of myself, how I didn’t want to sit on the sidelines and wait for someone else to do the work. Seeing Twilight take the initiative shows how much she cares about her country, and everyone else will respect her even more.

For a moment, I thought it was simply a stunt to get attention, but knowing Twilight, that thought was pounded into the ground and punted away.

Shining trotted up to me and, with his magic, yanked my head so it was level with his. Because of how close I was, I couldn’t get a clear look at him, making his next words sound somewhat hollow. “Listen closely,” he said lowly, “If anything happens to Twilight, I’m holding you accountable. There isn’t a Pony alive that will stop me. You hear me?”

Ah, the fun with overprotective brothers. To think that love could be so strong between siblings that they would need to threaten their friends to get the point across. I was expecting it to come from Shining too, based on his attitude back in the meeting. Raising a hand, I held it next to Shining’s horn.

“Crystal,” I said, before flicking his horn, causing him to grunt before his magic died out, releasing me. Standing up straight, I smiled on how well that worked. It was only a guess whether a Unicorn’s horn was fragile enough to lose it’s magic with a simple flick. I couldn’t imagine how awkward it would have been if I had done that with no reaction to it. Shining didn’t take it well, his eyes narrowing at me before walking away.

Twilight came up to my side with a sigh, “Sorry about that. He’s always been pretty protective of me. It doesn’t help that he was brainwashed by a Changeling Queen a year ago.”

“I kind of figured…” I said before I blinked, looking over to Twilight, “Changeling?”

She chuckled, holding a hoof up to her mouth, “I’ll tell you later. Right now, I need to head to bed early. We’ve got a big day ahead of us.”

That was a smart thing to do, even if it hadn’t come from Twilight. She stifled a yawn before heading to her own room. Taking a deep breath, I figured I needed to get some extra sleep too. Another glance at my guns reminded me I still had something that needed doing, and a look back to Pinkie and Dusty, who stood motionless as they stared back at me. I didn’t think they would sit and watch that exchange like a show, but I was glad they didn’t leave. Saves me the trouble of finding them.

“Pinkie,” I called. She perked her head up. “You wouldn’t happen to have some cleaning supplies for firearms would you?”

“You bet your Vera I do!” Pinkie declared, hopping over Dusty in a single bound. She suddenly frowned as she stopped her advance, tapping her chin. “But I think you should wait for tomorrow. Like Twilight said, you’ve got a big day ahead of you, even though it’s technically still night.”

I smiled as I eyed the stars above, “Got that right.”

After making plans to meet with Pinkie, I headed back to my shack. By the looks of the Ponies, Zebras, and Buffalos I passed, everyone was in rather high spirits. It helped that we were drawing near to a final confrontation, if we ever got up to it. After saving Rarity, the main focus would be to get the Elements of Harmony back. And from there… I didn’t know. Maybe some super magic will erupt from it, or maybe it was just a symbol of reclaiming Equestria. Whatever happens when we get those pieces of jewelery back, there wouldn’t be anything stopping me from heading back home.

Closing in on my shack, a pang of sadness came over me. Leaving all these Ponies behind, after all we had been through, sounded selfish. But as I had maintained since arriving in this world, I didn’t belong here. They didn’t need some another damn Human around to remind them of a very bad part of their history.

Author's Note

This story ain't dyin' on my watch.

Chapter 21: Repetition

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 21: Repetition

My guns were a lot dirtier than I had expected. Thin layers of powder coated the insides of the barrels while several patches of dirt and fingerprints made the weapons look more like overused toys. Thankfully, the cleaning wands that Pinkie had were working miraculously. It was bizarre for Pinkie to have such small brushes in the first place, but sitting across from her in her room quickly alleviated that mystery. These utensils were perfect for cleaning her party cannon - wherever the hell it came from - and her expertise in using them was near perfect. Just watching her hold a small wand in her mouth as she scrubbed the trigger, around the back of the cannon, showed how delicate she was with them. Using guns constantly, I was pretty adept myself, but Pinkie was in a class all her own.

Thinking back to how she had volunteered her wands and cloths reminded me of the mission and everyone else who was coming with me to Manehattan. Of course, the biggest complication - besides Twilight tagging along - was getting everyone to believe that the information was credible. Convincing them would have flopped if Twilight hadn’t taken my side. In the end, everyone was in agreement. I was just glad I didn’t have to bring up the dream stranger. If Luna made everyone on edge, who knew what would have happened if I had mentioned him.

Reaching for a clean cloth, I wiped the outside of my revolver, focusing on the metal finishes. The mundane task allowed me to remember the finer details of the meeting, how everyone was discussing how we would get around to finding Rarity in the first place. Fillydelphia would have turned out better if we had known where Fluttershy was to begin with. Twilight wanted to send me like the last few missions, knowing my own species wouldn’t think twice with another Human around. The Buffaloes and Zebras wanted to have one of their own in the mission as well, as a way of starting their effort in the campaign. That would have the consequence of their own species’ drawing their homelands into question with the Humans, and everyone had thought it best to just leave the stealth operations - if they wanted to call them that - to the Ponies.

“No-Lane?” Pinkie asked, dropping her wand to the ground, “Are you sure you and Twilight aren’t going to need help? I can provide pretty good distractions. With confetti too!”

Ah yes, that little bombshell of Twilight coming along for the operation definitely turned a few heads, particularly Shining’s. It was hard to forget his lovely death threat against me regarding her safety.

“Thanks for the offer, Pinkie,” I said with a chuckle, “But I think we have it down on who’s going on this mission.”

“Yeah,” Pinkie said with a nod, grabbing a cloth. She went to work cleaning the outside of her cannon as she gave a small giggle, “I suppose there are a few Ponies going already. There’s you, Twilight, Applejack, and…”

She tapped her chin, scrunching up her face. I sighed as I set my weapon on my lap, “We don’t know who’s flying the carriage. Probably Dusty.”

The number of Pegasi in Las Pegasus was staggeringly low. As far as I could tell, only a handful were around; about half a dozen. However, those who wanted to fly a carriage to a Human infested city made that sum even slimmer. Dusty was the most likely volunteer. Derpy would have jumped in if she could, but she was still scouting the outer perimeter of the city because of… Pinkie’s frosting accident. As much truth as there was from Jayden, we couldn’t predict if some random party of Humans were sneaking up on us.

Twilight was another viable option, though considering she was a princess, I wasn’t sure if her towing Applejack and I around would be for the best. I didn’t doubt her strength, but quite frankly, I didn’t want a load of political bullshit coming my way. Just imagining Shining Armor getting on my case was enough to quell any suggestion of the sort.

After scrubbing the same spot of my revolver for the fourth time, I glanced to the window as the morning light shone through the blinds. “It might be about time I head out,” I announced, heaving a sigh as I set the cleaning utensils aside. Pinkie let out a small whine but did the same as she pushed the cannon out of the way. “Thanks for letting me use your things, Pinkie.”

“Eh, what are friends for if we can’t share our little scrubby thingies,” she explained with a shrug, holding up a wand with a hoof.

{~+~}

“They're never going to find Rarity.”

“Why are the Ponies putting their faith in a Human?”

“And to think that other Human actually saved a prison full of foals.”

“I heard he saved one of the Elements of Harmony! Pretty far fetched, huh?”

“Are these Ponies going to let us help at all?”

“Sure, let’s send a princess into a Human occupied city. That’ll end well.”

The air was abuzz with these comments and it was getting on my nerves. Some of their complaints were warranted to a degree; having Twilight along with the mission could prove dangerous if the Humans found out. However, none of them had any idea how delicate these missions were. Hell, the last trip to Fillydelphia would have ended in disaster if not for the rebels hiding in the sewers.

Pinkie didn’t mind in the slightest. Her ability to tune out such things was remarkable, and it made me jealous of her. Her happy demeanor was probably thanks to ignoring what she didn’t want to hear. Ignorance was bliss, and it seemed Pinkie was a master at knowing what was important or not. I chalked it up as another thing Pinkie was good at. From when I had first met her to walking alongside her at that moment, she was becoming far more helpful than I had thought.

With the Post Office in sight, it wasn’t hard to spot the other members of the meeting gathered around, including the Buffalo Chieftain and Zenith. Just like everyone else, they spoke among themselves, with Shining and Twilight being the most heated of the bunch. Dusty was working with the harness of the carriage, reaffirming my assumption that he would be the one flying us. It wasn’t until our approach that they broke off from their own conversations, each with a mixture of readiness and uneasiness.

“Took your time, did ya?” Applejack remarked with a snide grin. I mirrored it with a shake of my head. It was hard to tell time when there weren’t many clocks around, or any at all for that matter. The carriage doors was open enough for me to see the familiar lamp resting inside, as well as a couple saddlebags.

“We all set?” I asked the group. In a flash, everyone’s eyes looked the other way, and it didn’t fill me with confidence.

Twilight cleared her throat, “We… have someone to fly us in.”

“...Okay,” I stated impatiently, stopping myself from tapping my foot, “Who is it? Dusty?”

A small squeak was heard, and I casted my gaze to the group as a butter yellow hoof rose above the heads. The way it shook made me quietly grumble. The Ponies parted to reveal Fluttershy, her eyes tightly shut and her hoof still held high in the air. Of all the Pegasi capable of flying us into a city full of Humans, it had to be the most scaredy cat Pony I had ever met. Everyone’s hesitant attitude suddenly made perfect sense.

“No,” I said hotly and firmly, pointing to the floor, “No no no. Fluttershy is not flying anyone, anywhere.”

“Nolan,” Cadance spoke up, her sorry expression felt more in line for a bratty kid. It didn’t sit well with me. “You can’t treat her like something to pity.”

“Pity has nothing to do with it,” I snapped, my voice getting louder. “This has to do with her own well being.” I lowered my voice, feeling ashamed of my next few words, “And our own.”

The whimper from Fluttershy was all I needed to know she didn’t take that comment well. But damn it if it wasn’t true. She blamed herself for thinking I didn’t want to be around her, after we had saved her from a rapist! She was a doormat, as blunt as that was, and though I didn’t like treating her like she was useless, there wasn’t much a meek Pegasus like her could do. Not only that… But I didn’t want her around another Human. I didn’t know if she had any psychological issues from being locked up in a dark room for months and… having sex with a Human. The best conclusion I could come up with was that she was unpredictable in how she would behave on the mission.

“So what you’re tellin’ me,” Applejack said taking a few steps forward. If looks could kill, I would be vaporized into ashes and blown away. “Is that my friend Fluttershy can’t fly the carriage cause ya think she’ll be a liability?”

“Well, what’s wrong with Dusty?” I asked crudely, gesturing to the Pony literally one foot away from the carriage. It was impolite to use such a tone, but considering Dusty looked perfectly fine and had flown more times than not, I couldn’t see a reason why Fluttershy had to fly us in.

Dusty rolled his eyes, adjusting his duster as he spoke to me, “Because Fluttershy wants to do it.”

It almost sounded like he was being lazy. But besides that, he was blind to what Fluttershy had been through. As a matter of fact, everybody was on that same boat, even Fluttershy herself.

It wasn’t like I wanted to upset Fluttershy. She was a good Pony, and to see that goodness head to something bad would be like oil and water. And we would be forced to drink that concoction if we were caught. I didn’t speak this out loud, and I wasn’t sure why either; it was a compelling argument with its own merits. However, as I glanced back to Fluttershy, I felt something else was at stake. The look in Fluttershy’s eyes were saddened, yet fixated on my own.

As small as it was, there was determination in her. She wanted to do this, not just for us, but for Rarity. And denying that resolve wouldn’t end well, even if the mission went without a hitch.

Rubbing my head, I heaved a heavy sigh, “Fine.”

I half expected everyone to burst into celebration. Another victory against a Human, and all that. The factors of me being on their side and the victory being low key probably dampened those thoughts. I should have been more surprised by how quiet Pinkie had been throughout the entire discussion.

“Thank you.”

It was a whisper, something that was nearly hidden by the wind, but I heard it. As these Ponies as my witnesses, I heard it. The words cleansed my feelings about bringing Fluttershy. It was like a jolt of rejuvenation running through my body. And I smiled.

Maybe bringing her wouldn’t be as bad as I thought.

“Wow,” Zenith drew out with a snicker, elbowing the Buffalo chief beside him, “Ponies are dramatic around their friends, are they not? Kushangaza. It is no surprise that they trust the mlezi.”

Again with that word, that word that could potentially be an insult hidden behind a language barrier, or a compliment hidden behind a language barrier. The common theme between the two possibilities was that I had no clue what he was saying. And the only translator I knew was angry with me…

Shit, and there I was about to take off again without letting Carrot Top know, just like last time. Zenith was right, Ponies really were dramatic.

The Buffalo chief blew heavily through his nose, throwing dust into the air. His expression was neutral as could be, but the little voice in my head told me he was getting impatient fast. We couldn’t afford to dilly dally much longer, if we didn’t want to feel the wrath of a Buffalo. Coming from someone who had dealt with that before, I wanted to avoid another confrontation like that.

“Let’s get going,” I said, turning away from the others, “Get Fluttershy ready to fly. There’s someone I need to speak with real quick.”

“Better make it in a jiffy, Nolan,” Applejack warned, “We’re all flame and no steam at the moment.”

I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I decided to just hurry along. After all, I still had to find Carrot Top in the first place. Yeah, no pressure.

{~+~}

No matter how many times I pounded on the door, Carrot Top still wouldn’t answer. After all the trouble of finding where she lived, and she didn’t bother checking on who was knocking. I took a few steps back to get a better look of the house itself. It was one of the few suburb-like houses in the city. They were just around the corner of the block from my own shack, though I hadn’t much reason to visit up until then.

It was a basic house too. Nothing stood out to write to the press for, and the color wasn’t that great either. A door, a window… and that was it. Not much to it, but perfect for anyone looking for a quaint little place. Not that I was trying to sell it to anyone, but I had to admire the house’s appeal.

Shaking out those distracting thoughts, I pounded three more times on the door with no response. It was possible that Carrot Top was down right ignoring me, but considering I hadn’t said a word yet, she couldn’t have known it was me. A look over to the window slashed that thought to pieces as the movement of something orange from behind the curtains caught my attention.

“Carrot Top!” I shouted, banging a few more times on the door, “If you’re not going to answer then just listen.”

Listen to what? An excuse? An apology? A farewell? I was ill prepared for the task - as much time as I was given - and it might have been for the best that we weren’t face to face. My chest was tightening as well, making my actions feel strained. Despite that, I could still speak, and if there was one thing I was good at, it was talking about whatever came to my mind.

“I’m heading to Manehattan, alright?” I said, putting my hands on my waist, “Just to let you know. I might not be around for a while, so…”

I was pathetic to the tenth degree, but I was lucky enough to acknowledge that. What was a guy like me, who had left for a cloud city, supposed to say to a Pony that was downright scared for my well being? A thought struck me and I snapped my fingers. Somehow my problem had become something to be solved instead of something to overcome, like how a relationship would become, but an idea was an idea.

“I know I was an ass, leaving you behind and not telling you where I went,” I started, resting a hand behind my head, “But I’m letting you know right now where I’m going. I realize you care about me, and I didn’t take that seriously. I’m sorry.”

Not a noise was heard.

I didn’t know what to say after that. I just stood there waiting for something, some sort of acknowledgement at the very least. But no, nothing. I was just a blowhard Human that didn’t deserve any fucking recognition for my mistake! I was close to cursing out Carrot Top, shouting at the top of my lungs how shallow she was. But it wasn’t worth it, or rather, it wasn’t justified to go off on her like that, even if she wasn’t directly in front of me.

The distant sound of wings, along with the thud of four hooves landing drew my attention away as I looked back to find Dusty. His expression was all I needed to know I was out of time. With one final sigh, I shook my head before walking away, and Dusty was kind enough to get out of my way with a hasty shift to the side. If Carrot Top wasn’t going to spare a minute with me, then I wasn’t going to spare another minute with her.

{~+~}

One thing I hated about the trips inside the carriage was the lack of light and noise. Sure, there was the lamp and the whistling wind, but that hardly counted. We might as well have been luggage, waiting for our next landing to get unloaded. I hoped Dusty taught Fluttershy how to untangle herself from the harness. When I had returned to the carriage, she still hadn’t even gotten it on. The Buffalo Chieftain wasn’t pleased with the progress, but at least I wasn’t missed.

I looked to Applejack. She had remained as still as a statue, refusing to look at me. Twilight was the same, though not as much, since she would break the self-imposed rule to catch a glimpse of me before turning away to stare at our supply bags. Their stillness made the dancing shadows projected from the light far more sinister. Any other time, I would have wondered why they were giving me the cold shoulder, but given I had sandbagged Fluttershy coming along merely a few minutes ago, I had no excuse to ask. Or was it an hour ago? It was hard to keep track of time without any windows.

My ears were going to burn from the silence. It was reminding me of the S.W.A.T. van, and that was already unbearable. Sitting around in a tight area with five other fully armed men heading towards a guaranteed gunfight… One could imagine the conversations going on in there. To think the new guy was striking up one with me and I had barely given him the time of day. I had wondered why none of the other S.W.A.T. members hadn’t spoken up; they were enjoying what little talking went on in that van.

Memories of my past life, the life I wanted to get back to, weren’t the most important when it came to the situation I was in. They had no relevance to the more concerning events. I needed to focus on what we were doing.

Just like back in the S.W.A.T. van.

Some things never changed.

“So what does Rarity look like?” I questioned. I had heard next to nothing about her, and since we were on our way to rescue her, having some extra info would help immensely.

Twilight gave a wistful smile full of nostalgia. “The last time I saw her, she was still as beautiful as she always was,” Twilight said, her eyes looking straight at mine, “She always has to look her best. A white coat and purple mane. More purple than mine!” She gave a small pout as she stared at her hooves, “Even though it’s technically not purple.”

A white coat and purple mane; easy enough to remember. And if Rarity still kept up appearances, even after the unfitting circumstances, she would stand out spectacularly, if Twilight was accurate in her description. Jayden did mention that Rarity was the prettiest Pony any Human had seen. That statement had to hold some truth to it, though I had to wonder how much of his opinion obscured the solid facts.

“Probably the prissiest mare I’ve ever met,” Applejack added, though her unmoving body made it seem she hadn’t spoken at all. However, a smile did crack away from her stoic behavior, “And the prettiest one too.”

A tasteless joke almost erupted from my throat, but I swallowed it back. Applejack was just being respectful to a friend, no need to bug her about how she phrased things. It did occur to me a handful of times that none of the Ponies I had met were in a relationship, besides Shining Armor and Cadance. These Ponies were all nice enough - and admittedly cute enough - to share love with another Pony. Rainbow Dash didn’t even have a boyfriend of any sort, and she seemed like the type to jump around.

Then again, I was the same way. I didn’t date anyone until Emma, and even then, we took things relatively slow. Finding that person that just clicks was never easy. Maybe it was better for these Ponies to wait it out and find someone after the Humans get their asses kicked out of Equestria.

“I wonder how she is…” Twilight said solemnly bowing her head, “What if… what if she’s in the same condition as Fluttershy?”

The words kicked Applejack out of her rocky exterior, crumbling around her to reveal devastation. The thought of Rarity being raped as well made my stomach twist in knots. I reached for my mask again, tightening my hands around it. No matter how hard I squeezed, however, I still couldn’t get my anger out. The only comfort I could gain was knowing we were on our way to free her from whatever travesty was beset on her.

“She was with Fluttershy, wasn’t she?” Applejack brought up, looking to us as her voice wavered. “Back in Canterlot, when the Humans took it over. They were with Princess Luna, and then they were captured. If anythin’, Rarity didn’t end up with the same Human as Fluttershy.”

That put a positive twist on things. It was a shame it sounded so desperate. Humans haven’t been the friendliest bunch, as understated as that was, but that was just from whom I had met. As far fetched as it was, thinking of Rarity with a relatively neutral Human calmed me down considerably. How long would that last though?

Still, Rarity once being with Luna and Fluttershy; I had nearly forgotten about that. Luna’s betrayal still tasted bittersweet, but Fluttershy had seen it all with her own eyes. Alongside a dear friend. My gaze looked to the wall where Fluttershy was flying, feeling the puzzle of her volunteer fully come together. At that moment, I felt even worse for wanting her to stay behind. The confidence I had seen in her, no matter how small it was, had been for the sake of Rarity.

Maybe Fluttershy really wanted to come because she couldn’t bear to think of Rarity being in the same position as she once was.

Clearing my throat, I pushed back the depressing thoughts, and the Ponies did too as they looked to me. We needed a subject change, desperately. “What’s her Element of Harmony again?” I asked with a smile. It was difficult to get it; the thought of Rarity’s condition still plagued the back of my mind.

“Her Element of Harmony,” Twilight repeated, nodding to herself. Her mind was on that fact so much that she didn’t even dare look anywhere else but ahead. I wasn’t the only one trying to push the vile thoughts away. “Right, well, Rarity is Generosity-”

The whole carriage tilted up. It was so fast, so random, that all of us nearly slid right onto the doors. The incline itself was fairly steep, but we all were able to catch ourselves by holding on to our seats. How Applejack and Twilight were able to hang on to anything with hooves still baffled me. Despite our well-being, our baggage was sliding away from the wall. I reached out with a foot to catch one, but missed as they slid out of reach.

“Catch them!” Twilight screamed, “She’s still in there!”

“She!?” I questioned, but didn’t have time to get a response as one by one the baggage hit the doors. I let go of my handhold just enough to slide along the bench, reaching with my other hand for a bag. Just as I grabbed hold of the biggest one, the last bag rammed into the rest, knocking the doors open. My grip on the bag was iron tight, but the weight was surprisingly heavy. It must have been heavier than a sack of bricks!

The sheer weight of the bag, mixed with the sudden rush of air, caused me to lose my grip as I followed the bags right out the door. My breath hitched in my throat, the world presenting itself to me in all of its horrifying spender from a thousand feet above.

The most bizarre thing though was that the heavy bag I had grabbed screamed.

Just seconds after falling through the doors - it might as well have been minutes - I was enveloped in a purple magic. My stomach lurched from nearly falling from a great height for the second time, in two days no less! My eyes stayed riveted to the ground below me, watching as it rushed passed us as we continued to move behind the carriage.

The tops of trees were all I could see for miles. Not a patch of grass could be seen through the branches that hid the world underneath. The other bags that had fallen out were already swallowed up by the trees.

“Fluttershy!” Twilight yelled from inside the carriage. “Get us back on the ground!”

The only indication that Fluttershy had heard was the carriage tilting towards the ground - at a much more tolerable incline too. All I could do was float behind it with Twilight’s magic being the only thing keeping me from death.

Never had I been so glad that an Alicorn had come along.

{~+~}

The landing was much softer than Rainbow could ever pull off. At least for the carriage, as for me and the bag I still clutched in my hand, I pretty much landed as well as jumping off a couch at ten miles an hour. It wasn’t rough, but it was enough to knock me off my feet. The world played with me as my eyes saw the sky and grass both fight to keep my attention.

After the world eventually stopped spinning, I remained still in an effort to regain my composure. It didn’t help that I was going to puke if even the slightest thing moved in front of my vision. Taking a deep breath, I pushed myself up to sit up, rubbing my head to drive away my dizziness. And when I looked up, I found myself in a round clearing with dark trees surrounding us. The vines and eerie atmosphere clearly proved that we had landed in a place I really didn’t want to return to.

“The Everfree Forest?” I asked weakly, glancing around until I spotted the carriage. Twilight had already climbed out, trotting over to me. Applejack remained in the carriage itself, with something in her mouth. Everything was too blurry to get the finer details figured out. Fluttershy just peeked around the corner, and as much of this incident was her fault, I didn’t have the energy to say anything.

I blinked a few times until Twilight stood in front of me, placing a hoof on my forehead. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Nolan,” she said hastily, “I wished I had told you sooner. Maybe we wouldn’t be in this situation.”

“Told me…?” I whispered, closing my eyes as my body ached. The impact may not have been deadly, but it still battered me up. Twilight rushed off again before I could get my question to her. Over to the one bag I had managed to get a hold of. With her magic she ripped open the zipper, and out popped Carrot Top.

My head couldn’t comprehend it. Carrot Top was here! In a bag! And she had nearly fucking died! By the way she was taking her breaths, she hadn’t had an easy time either. She was essentially in my situation, though worse, since she was trapped inside a confined area the whole time.

Though I was still somewhat sick, I couldn’t keep my emotions bottled up any longer. “What the hell are you doing here!?” I asked.

My tone had made her look away as her ears folded back. With shaky hooves, she stepped out of the bag, barely getting a few feet away from it before falling to her haunches. She still hadn’t looked at me.

“Do you know how mad I was that you flat out ignored me!?” I questioned, regaining my strength quickly. “You were pissed with me that I just left without telling you, and now this-!”

“Yes, this!” Carrot Top shouted back, finally facing me. She had tears in her eyes, but by the way she was glaring at me… “Now you know how I felt, how I didn’t even know if you were alive or dead. Or where you even were!”

“This isn’t the same, dammit!” I shouted back, getting to my feet but keeping my eyes solely on her. “I had to sneak off without being seen!”

“And you didn’t trust me enough to tell me?!” she screamed, her voice already croaking from our argument.

“I trusted you enough to know you didn’t need to worry about me,” I said, but I faltered at the end. Before Carrot Top could say another word, I grumbled, “But you did anyway.”

I couldn’t manage to look at Carrot Top this time. As much fury I had at her nearly dying again, I couldn’t muster the courage to keep up our fight. Even still, my internal debate was as heated as ever. Carrot Top nearly died, and for what? Just to get back at me? It didn’t feel right. My gaze came into focus again as I saw Fluttershy still harnessed to the carriage, watching the scene.

“What happened, Fluttershy?” I questioned, driving the conversation away from Carrot Top. The low growl from her showed she wasn’t very pleased with that.

Fluttershy just shrunk down, whether it was from my tone - which admittedly was pretty threatening - or from the sudden attention from Applejack and Twilight. Hiding behind her mane, Fluttershy mumbled out something about fire and a move. Other than that, I may as well have talked to a tree.

“Fluttershy,” I said sternly, holding out a hand, “Carrot Top nearly died from what you did.”

“She knows that, Nolan,” Twilight hissed to me. Applejack merely glared at me; I was getting a lot of that lately. The only thing stopping her from lashing out at me was my mask in her mouth. I was thankful I didn’t lose it in the flight.

“Someone shot at me,” Fluttershy stated. Everyone looked at her in surprise, myself included. A human shooting at her was shocking on its own, but someone shooting her from within the Everfree Forest? That chance was too small to even consider, yet that was what happened.

“Shoot,” Twilight cursed, whipping her head around, “And we were shouting. They could have heard us.”

Applejack spit out my mask, “More than enough reason ta hightail it outta here.”

A flock of birds took off suddenly, flying away from a single spot in the woods surrounding us. I unholstered my revolver and aimed it at the spot. It was close to where Fluttershy was, and she was in no position to run off. If getting her into the harness was hard, I couldn’t even imagine getting her out.

Twilight’s horn glowed as well, ready to use it at a moment's notice. Her expression was far fiercer than I had ever seen it. The last time the both of us had encountered Humans, she was hesitant to attack them. Knowing her magic, and her newfound readiness, I had a hint of pity for whoever was going to step into the clearing.

But what if it wasn’t a Human? I lowered my gun just a tinge. This forest was inhabited by wild animals, and our volume would surely drag in some unwanted attention. We needed to hurry and leave.

Movement in the bushes locked my arms again as I prepared to fire. The air was as tense as I was. Applejack and Carrot Top shifted over to Twilight and me respectfully. They knew we were capable of long range fighting, though a part of me wondered if they wanted to use us as shields. Fluttershy couldn’t move so well, prompting her to cower as far back as the harness allowed.

The shaking grew more intense as the person behind the trees grew closer to the clearing. And with one final push of a bush, Spike stepped out.

I had nearly pulled the trigger from the surprise of seeing him.

He hummed to himself before freezing mid step. His eyes were wide enough to encompass his head, and his pupils looked to everyone. I hadn’t seen him this stunned since the first time he saw me.

“Heeeeey, guys,” he said with a nervous wave while Twilight and I relaxed. His uneasiness was understandable; anyone would act the same if they walked right into the front of a gun barrel. Or glowing horn, in Twilight’s case.

“Jesus Christ, Spike,” I breathed, releasing a heavy sigh as I holstered my revolver, “You scared the shit out of us.”

“Yeah, sorry,” he said, rubbing the back of his head, “Zecora just said-”

He didn’t get a chance to finish as Twilight flung herself onto him, wrapping her arms around his head. Spike didn’t react, standing there with his mouth agape. Seeing Twilight hug Spike again warmed my heart. It had been a while since they had last met.

“Spike!” the voice of Zecora said as more rustling came from bushes, “What have I said about wandering ahead? Don’t you know it fills me with…”

She cut herself off as she emerged from the bushes far more frantically than I had ever seen her. She hadn’t changed a bit in appearance, and neither had Spike, when I thought about it. Although she had on more saddlebags than I remembered.

“Dread…” she finished before she finally registered who she was looking at. A wide smile erupting on her lips as she gave a small prance into the clearing, “Friends! How good it is to see you. The times we have met are far too few.”

“Oh, Zecora!” Fluttershy said as we gathered closer together to better greet the two.

Upon seeing Fluttershy, Zecora was even more pleased as her smile fell to a far more personal and warming one. “Ah, Fluttershy,” Zecora greeted with a nod, “How long has it been since we last conversed? I hope all is well, and you’re not at your worst.”

Fluttershy giggled, “I’m alright. Twilight already filled me in on you and Spike. I’m glad you’re keeping each other safe.”

“Can’t… breathe…” Spike wheezed, pushing against Twilight. His words sounded far too exaggerated in my opinion. I was pretty sure hugging couldn’t choke you. Twilight still got the message as she hastily backed away with a blush, setting Spike down.

“Sorry, Spike,” she said, scruffing the grass with a forehoof, “It’s just… I’ve missed you.”

Spike grumbled a bit as he messaged his chest, but gave a weak smile regardless of his pain. “Well, yeah,” Spike replied sincerely, “I mean, I missed you too. How has saving Equestria been going?”

“It’s had its ups and downs,” I responded, chuckling at the cheap account of our activities. “Still a work in progress.”

Applejack chuckled as well, probably just as amused as I was with my explanation, “We were actually on our way ta find Rarity.”

The expression on Spike’s face could only be described as bright. His mood before wasn’t depressed by any means, but he was definitely more excited at hearing about Rarity. I don’t even think he had greeted Fluttershy yet.

“I gotta come with you guys!” Spike nearly squealed, jumping up in down.

“No,” Twilight and Zecora said simultaneously. Spike crossed his arms with an audible whine. All I could do was smile. Zecora and Twilight were pretty much on the same wavelength.

“You know why you can’t go,” Twilight said plainly, giving Spike a look that resembled a mother scolding a child. “It’s far too dangerous.”

“More dangerous than the Everfree Forest?” Spike asked sarcastically, gesturing to the side. Given the contents around the area, Spike had made a very good argument. Even still, he had so little experience with Humans. Hell, I was the first he had met face to face.

“Yes, Spike,” Twilight sighed, “You have no idea what those Humans can do.”

“Well, actually…” Spike said as he tapped his chin. He wasn’t being snarky, but instead thoughtful. If that was the case, then maybe I wasn’t the first Human he had ran into. And it clicked, causing my eyes to widen in remembrance.

“Zecora,” I said, gaining her attention. “The letter you sent to us. The one about Jayden?”

Twilight was the only one to have the same reaction as me. I had thought she would have brought it up much sooner than me, given her natural intelligence, but the appearance of Spike must have thrown her off. Applejack and Fluttershy were only curious, not as invested as I was. I almost groaned at how they were treating the subject.

As for Zecora, she barely even moved. Her eyes were looking right through us, absorbed with… whatever was on her mind. Slowly, Twilight moved to stand beside her, her expression already tender and caring. I couldn’t imagine it was hard to recall that memory, but I didn’t know Zecora that well. She had to had more pressing things on mind, like if there were manticores hiding behind us, ready to rip us apart in a shower of blood…

Great, I suddenly felt paranoid

“Jayden...” Zecora spoke up at last, closing her eyes. Thank god too, I didn’t want to think anymore about the hypothetical manticores. “He was the Human who ransacked my old home out of the blue. What he hoped to find, I haven’t a clue.”

“But you do know that he found something,” I said, crossing my arms. Everyone else grew grim at my statement, knowing full well where I was getting at.

“Um,” Carrot Top said with a raised brow, “Would someone mind filling me in?”

Zecora smiled, but her eyes were still ragged. More so than a minute ago. The topic was getting to her, someway or another. “Mimi walituma ujumbe onyo kuhusu Binadamu aitwaye Jayden. Yeye alisema kweli, bila kujali,” Zecora said in Zebrikun. I could only assume she was explaining the situation to Carrot Top.

A second passed before Carrot Top nodded, slowly at first, but gradually picked up, “Naelewa.”

Zecora chuckled, “Mimi naona wewe bado kujua jinsi ya kuzungumza lugha yetu. Asante.”

“You bet your life I still do.”

I really needed to learn Zebrikun, if just to not feel like a damn third wheel. At least by the looks of everyone else, I wasn’t the only one left out. Twilight was just infatuated by everything they said, and it made it kinda funny that she had no idea what they were saying. Just imagining some Zebras insulting her, and her getting all excited about it… I really wanted to see that.

I cleared my throat, not just to get everyone’s attention, but to put my attention back on the matter at hand. “Ladies,” I said, giving the both of them a frank look, “English.”

Carrot Top’s eye roll was enough for me to warrant a glare. Luckily, she didn’t go as far as to continue to speak Zebrikun, because I would have been pretty peeved if she did. She would have loved that, no doubt. Zecora was nice enough to give an apologetic smile. Maybe she could rub off a little onto Carrot Top.

“You are right, Nolan,” she said with the wariness from earlier returning in full, “There is no time for my language to be a concern. The tale I have yet to tell is what you all yearn.” She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what must be a long story. “Some time ago, no less than a week, Spike and I decided to head for my hut for a peek. He thought my potions would come in handy, and he was right about them being quite dandy. When we arrived there, a Human is what we found. And he had a vial in hand, the contents downed. He entered my home, took what was mine; my anger and sadness did combine.”

“Then she went in,” Spike interrupted, “And told that Human to beat it - in perfect rhyme too! She was totally awesome! He had a knife and everything, but that didn’t stop Zecora!”

“Spike!” Twilight scolded, causing him to recoil, “Don’t interrupt.”

As rude as he was - if that could be considered rude - Spike’s version of the story put Zecora in a much more cooler light. I had only met a handful of Ponies willing to stand up against an armed Human, and that took some spunk. The blush on Zecora’s cheeks was enough for me to know she appreciated the compliment. Also, she looked damn cute when she blushed…

I actually didn’t feel too bad admitting that to myself. I must have gotten used to those random thoughts.

“What was the potion he drank?” I questioned, forcing my brain to stay on topic. “The letter you sent to us said to trust everything he said. Did it have something to do with it?”

Zecora gave a firm nod, “As far as I know, you are indeed correct.” She rubbed her chin thoughtfully, “Although, what the potion contained needs to be checked.”

“A manticore made a nice little home on top of Zecora’s hut,” Spike interjected with a huff, “After Zecora’s outburst, we had to make a break for it. It’s a shame the Human - Jayden - survived too.”

“But how do you know his name?” Twilight asked, “If you only met him for a moment, how could you possibly be that intimate with him?”

Of all the words at her disposal, Twilight had to use intimate. I had an idea of what she meant, but everyone else was disturbed by it. Bonus points for Twilight not seeing any of their expressions. It helped that Zecora simply stared at Twilight with the blankest face I had ever seen.

“How do you know his name?” I repeated, knocking everyone back on the right track. My brain wasn’t the only one getting distracted lately.

“Ugh,” Spike groaned, crossing his arms. “He wouldn’t shut up about his name. ‘I am Jayden’, ‘you dare cross Jayden’, Jayden this, Jayden that. Jayden, Jayden, Jayden! And yet the smug guy still survived.”

I hummed to myself. Strange how Jayden was never that arrogant with his name back in Las Pegasus. Whatever potion he drank was changing him much more than from what I had seen. Perhaps his overconfidence was much higher before we had even met. As entertaining as it could have been to see him toss around his name as much as Trixie did, Spike gave me enough reason to believe it was more annoying than amusing.

Although, it did remind me of the Zebras that had arrived at Las Pegasus. It might be something Zecora would like to know, if she had family or friends there.

“Well, besides Jayden’s visit,” I started, the last word coming out as a hiss, “The Buffaloes and Zebras came by. Pretty unexpected on my part, but things are going smoothly.”

“That’s great!” Spike said with an enthusiastic nod, rubbing his belly, “I wonder if they have any turquoises. Those were so good last time.”

He spoke like turquoise was a delicious candy snack. It might have been exactly that, but I had no idea in this world. Jewelry could be a food and an accessory for all I knew.

Applejack chuckled, “Sorry, Spike. They ain’t carrying nothin’ like that.”

Spike sighed as he crossed his arms, “Figures.”

“Did you say Zebras?” Zecora asked. She was more curious - maybe even cautious - than excited, which wasn’t what I expected. She didn’t even follow up with a rhyme. It felt wrong to hear it that way. Like a piece of her character was taken away, leaving behind someone that just wasn’t… Zecora.

“Yeah,” Twilight answered with a hint of hesitancy, “Why? Do you think someone you know is there?”

Zecora was cross. Not enough to lash out at us, which none of us would have understood if she did, but more on the lines that a rotten memory had floated across her eyes.

“As long as Zenith is not there,” Zecora replied curtly, digging her hooves deeply into the ground. The grass underneath was completely scraped off, and with a flick of her hooves, she sent whatever dirt was stuck to her careening away. How bad was her memories to turn her so bitter all of a sudden?

The worst part was Zecora didn’t rhyme. It was making me squirm.

A glance to Twilight showed she had picked up on it too. We exchanged a look, and I gave a slow and hopefully hidden nod. If Zecora was having these thoughts with Zenith, the leader of all Zebras, than we needed to pry and figure out why.

“What did Zenith-” Twilight started right before a gunshot echoed through the woods. I jolted in fright, more for the sake of the Ponies than myself, but I relaxed once I realized the shot was too far away to affect us. Even still, it left me on edge.

“W-W-What was that?” Fluttershy whimpered, already on the ground, hooves over her head.

“Gunshot,” I explained, staring off where it had originated, “About a mile off. Pretty close but-”

More gunshots followed, far too many to be coming from one gun. Either the person firing them off could dual wield or…

“I think there’s more than one shooter,” I said, gripping my revolver. If what Fluttershy said about being shot at was true, then these guys must be the same culprits. Damn it! I was so occupied with our conversation, I completely forgot the reason we landed in the Everfree Forest in the first place. If it wasn’t for those gunshots in the distance - which I assume was the Humans fighting off a local inhabitant - than they would have been right on top of us. Stupid!

Spike hurried over to Zecora’s side as she stood defensively, looking in the same direction as myself. “Spike and I heard a gunshot just before you arrived,” she announced as Spike pulled off the bags that she carried on her back. “Here are the things of which you were deprived.”

Hearing her rhyme again was like someone threw cool water over me after a hot day. It soothed me enough to release a breath I didn’t even know I was holding. Zecora was back to normal, for all intents and purposes at least.

Applejack trotted up to them as Spike pulled off the last bag, leaving Zecora’s saddle bag. I eyed the bags myself, and noticed that they were the ones that had fallen out. The bags Carrot Top had nearly joined if not for Twilight’s quick actions, who would have died if she hadn’t come with us in the first place.

It wasn’t the time to be bitter about that though, we had Humans on the prowl, and quite frankly, I didn’t want to waste time fighting them. As for how Zecora and Spike were able to get our things and run into us out of the blue… Well, I didn’t want to waste time thinking on that either.

“Let’s grab the bags and get the hell out of here,” I ordered, rushing over to grab a bag. Applejack pulled two other bags over her back before heading for the carriage. Twilight levitated what was left, while I threw my own over my shoulder, and we all booked it for the safety of the carriage. Applejack and Twilight jumped inside, and I was just about to do the same.

“Come on, you guys!” Carrot Top yelled. I turned back to find Zecora and Spike staying where they were, watching us leave with their faces dead serious. “Haraka!”

“We still have our duty here,” Zecora explained, holding her head up just enough to show she was standing tall. “We shall make a break once you leave; do not fear.”

“Yeah!” Spike said, stomping a foot as he put his hands on his hips, like how a superhero would, “You guys go save Rarity. We’ll keep up the effort here!”

I didn’t know what they were doing for their effort, but the work they did hauling our stuff after they had tumbled out was good enough. Twilight stood just within the confines of the carriage, heartbroken. Once again, she would be leaving her brother - whom she cared for a long time. A part of me did feel guilty separating them, leaving the two to fend for themselves in this dreadful forest. However, a more prevalent and optimistic part of me knew that they had made it this far. They would endure. If they can put their faith in me, I could put their faith in them.

“Good luck,” I said with a nod right before hopping into the carriage, backing Twilight a bit before slamming the doors shut. I wished I could make them more secure, but they weren’t designed to hold people. She didn’t move even after we were stuck in the darkness. And as Fluttershy ran a moment right before taking flight, Twilight fell to her haunches. It might have been how rocky the take off was though, since I had to press a hand against the wall to keep my own balance.

“Why…” she said, taking a shaky sigh, “Why does he have to grow up so fast?”

I grunted with a smile. She wasn’t devastated that they were leaving, but that Spike didn’t need her as much as before. Sort of like a baby bird leaving the nest. And if Spike kept up his courteous demeanor, as much as Zecora was, then I think he was going to soar just as much as we were.

Returning to our surrounding conditions, I was more irritated that we were back to how we were traveling beforehand, only worse. The same deathly silent environment, but in the pitch black darkness. The lamp must have fallen out along with our bags. The only visible light came from between the cracks underneath the doors. Closing my eyes, I sighed. Just swell.

{~+~}

An island with nothing but buildings, a huge bridge connecting the city and mainland, an imitation of the Statue of Liberty; It was official, Manehattan really was a parody of Manhattan. I was sure if I knew more of the borough itself, I would have spotted similar buildings as well. The ones I could see stood out like beacons, held up higher than the other mundane buildings. Even boats were putting around in the bay.

And Rarity was in there somewhere.

“See anythin’ interestin’?” Applejack sidling up next to me. I broke my gaze to glance at her. She locked her eyes with the city, just I had done.

“Unless you like the sides of buildings,” I said with a shake of my head. “Although…”

“The bridge is blocked off?” Applejack asked, and I suppressed a chuckle, turning to the the bridge entrance. The only bridge leading into the city was for trains mainly, but the Humans had set up a blockade. Of course, since the sun had set hours ago, the guards must have been toned down compared to the day time. The hill we stationed ourselves on was the perfect spot to scope out the area too. It helped that there were tall hills surrounding the bridge, giving us lots of space to set up and make a plan.

“We’ll find a way around it,” Twilight stated as she appeared at my other side, “Just another obstacle in the goal of freeing Equestria.”

“Well, when you put it that way, I almost feel inspired,” I said with amusement, earning a friendly glare from her. But in all seriousness, I didn’t recall her being as patriotic before. Maybe being so close to getting Rarity back had gotten her more excited.

I stood to my feet and stretched my arms. Applejack did the Pony equivalent and pushed her forelegs in front of her, like how a cat would. “Did I ever mention the time I went ta Manehattan as a filly?” she asked.

“You brought up heading out,” I said as we all headed back to the carriage. Twilight was trotting up ahead, her wings propelling her just enough to give her some extra speed. Fluttershy and Carrot Top were resting, with the former rubbing where the harness was strapped to her. “I think you left out the Manehattan part.”

“Thought I did,” Applejack muttered before speaking up, “Well, my Aunt and Uncle Orange live here. Not sure what the Humans did with ‘em but…” She sighed, dipping her head. “I hope they’re alright.”

“Maybe we’ll run into ‘em,” I offered. It wasn’t a comforting statement, but there was little else I could provide. Her silence was enough to convince me. Upon reaching the others, Twilight leapt in the center.

“Let’s get to making a plan,” she said with a hoof in the air. She was energized that was for sure, and I couldn’t help but grow more hopeful in our success. Unfortunately - or fortunately in certain lights - my eyes landed on her wings… and horn.

“Wait,” I said pointing to Twilight, “We have to cover up your wings.”

She flinched, her wings fluttering again at their mentioning. “W-What’s wrong with my wings?” she asked, her voice cracking just a bit as she stroked a wing with a hoof.

“Don’t take it personally,” I quickly added, “But as soon as a Human sees your wings, they're going to make assumptions. And I don’t think we need the attention.”

It only just crossed my mind that the Humans might think she was a Pegasus at first glance. Since Pegasi were rare for them, it would probably draw their attention a lot faster than Twilight being an Alicorn.

My argument won out as Twilight nodded, although it was small. Why would she feel offended to hide her wings? She saw my logic yet was still hesitant. Maybe it was a sense of pride; having wings and a horn showed her species, and therefore her position as princess. If that was the case, then I needed to work on trimming down that pride before it evolved into arrogance.

Reaching for a bag, I lifted it up and searched inside, finding a brown blanket. It was small, but it would fit perfectly for Twilight. I held up the blanket, letting it open up as the bag fell to the ground. With my arms holding either side of the blanket, I stepped closer to her and placed it gently along her back. She didn’t speak, but the way she squirmed was enough for me to work gentler.

The blanket was on, and after straightening out a few wrinkles, it was near perfect. I took a few steps back to get a better look. The blanket completely covered her wings, and draped over her tail. It hung a foot away from her hooves. The color was the only negative; brown looked terrible on her.

“How ya feel, Sugarcube?” Applejack asked, stepping closer. Her eyes wandered around Twilight.

“Warm,” Twilight said. She grimaced as she turned her head to face her back. Small dimples on the blanket poked out. Her wings may have been covered, but moving them around would make the blanket worthless.

“Hold on,” I instructed, crouching down and grabbing the bag from before. I laid it along her back and adjusting it to fit like how I saw other saddle bags were placed. The saddle bag I had had two compartments for putting items, and each one pressed against each side of Twilight. Her eyes lit up in understanding as she used her magic to tighten the belt.

“How ‘bout now?” Applejack put in again. Boy, she was really helping us.

“It’s a bit uncomfortable, but I’ll manage,” she explained, fiddling with the bags with her hooves. Facing us again, she gave a huge smile, as big as before I pointed out her wings, and stood up straight. “But now we’re ready.”

“Still no plan,” Carrot Top exclaimed, sitting on her haunches as she looked through a saddle bag. A map sat just to her side. “But while Nolan was playing dress up with Princess Twilight” - I crossed my arms with a firm frown; I couldn’t show that I found her joke somewhat amusing - “I looked over the map of Manehattan. It’s a big city.”

“Course it is,” Applejack said, “I coulda told ya that.”

“What we need is a point to start looking,” Twilight said, eyeing the buildings jutting over the hill we used as a lookout. “Someplace that would be good to start our search.”

“What about a bar?” Carrot Top suggested, her eyes looked back to the map, “We went to one-”

“Not going to happen,” I interrupted with a shake of my head, “After that incident in Fillydelphia, I want to stay far away from any bar.”

In hindsight, it was dumb to head to a bar full of drunk Humans. If things didn’t turn out the way they did, we would have been screwed.

“What about an inn?” Carrot Top brought up, putting the tip of her hoof on a point on the map. “It’s not too far off, just after the bridge, and we could get a room to drop off our saddle bags.”

“I think it’s a good idea,” Fluttershy muttered before squeaking as we all turned to her. Even though Fluttershy was going to watch the carriage, she still had a say in all of this. The others just smiled at her input, and Fluttershy was able to give a smile back.

“I guess we’re heading for the inn,” I announced. It may have been unnecessary, but I suppose I needed to hear it for myself. I didn’t oppose the idea, but… I didn’t know. An inn was used for travelers coming into towns and cities. Why would the Humans use an inn if all of their troops were stationed there? They couldn’t come and go from towns as they pleased. There was a factor I was missing, and it was making me uneasy.

I didn’t bring it up to the others though; they had enough on their mind. Plus, it could turn out to be nothing. We needed our focus on finding Rarity. Well, actually we needed to put our focus on how we were going to cross a guarded bridge.

One step at a time.

Chapter 22: Gathering

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 22: Gathering

Wanted

The Masked Man

Dead or Alive

7000 bits

Has SWAT written on his back

After all this time on the run, the Humans had finally gotten more descriptive with my appearance. It was only one line, but that small addition would quickly get me into more trouble than I needed. My only set of clothing had S.W.A.T. written on the back! And I was walking around Manehattan with it on!

I should have been vigilant, I should have been looking down the alleyway I stood in for bounty hunters, but I didn’t. I just stared at my wanted poster as my mind flew over to how dead I was. The others with me would be dead too! Or maybe the Humans would kill me, and take them prisoner…

Fuck! My mind was going places I didn’t even want it to tread. I had to think positive, but just staring at this poster was making my hands shake in anger. In one stroke, I tore the paper in half and let the breeze take the pieces away. Why did everything have to blow up in my face? Why couldn’t I just come into the city, get Rarity, and leave?

“It’s not your fault, Nolan,” Twilight stated, turning to me with guilt written all over her. I almost snapped at her to shut up. I was tired of hearing that. Of course it was my fault. If I hadn’t come along, we wouldn’t have been in that situation.

“I hate this place,” I grumbled, leaning against the wall.

Despite our major setback, we were able to get into the city. Some dumbass so happened to provide a boat for us to get across to the island. Some part of me was disappointed it was so easy. If I had it my way, I would have loved to have rammed a train right into the blockade. That thought at least put a smile on my face.

The city itself was pretty grand in many areas. Electrical lighting, real pavement instead of cobblestone, large billboards, skyscrapers; a true metropolis if I ever saw one. My view from the hill didn’t give the place justice. The only underwhelming thing was the population. There was hardly a person walking around. The night would explain that though; it was still very late, or very early, depending on the exact time.

“All clear,” Applejack called, trotting with Twilight up to me. “I don’t see why we can’t just cover ya up with another blanket. We brought plenty.”

I rolled my eyes, holding my hands against my head. The gloves were cold, and soothed my burning forehead. All this tension was going to make me sick. As viable as Applejack’s suggestion sounded, it just urked me to no end.

“I think having a blanket wrapped around me would be pretty suspicious,” I said, trying not to sound hostile. The last thing I needed to do was distance myself from my only allies.

“We’re out of options,” Twilight countered, already levitating another blanket out of her bag. It was the same as the one on her back. “No one followed us, but you need something to cover up the word until we can find a way to remove it.”

I stared at the blanket, wanting it to disintegrate so I wouldn’t be forced to use it. I knew how Twilight felt with her blanket; it felt like I was covering up a part of myself. I couldn’t see the word written on my back, but having it reminded me of, well, myself. But if Twilight could deal with a blanket, so could I. Shaking my head, I snached the blanket from the air.

“Fine,” I said hotly, swinging the blanket around me and catching the other end. Adjusting it was no problem, and by the looks from Applejack and Twilight, they were content with my decision. “But I’m not heading out until Carrot Top gets back. We need to get into that inn.”

Applejack nodded, “Darn Tootin’. I thought we’d find that inn right quick.”

“Same here,” Twilight nodded, pawing at the ground, “Maybe it closed down, or maybe the Humans tore it down for an armory, or-”

“Or maybe you’re looking too much into it,” I interrupted, giving the blanket a firm tug to keep it nice and tight around my shoulders. I can see why Twilight didn’t like having the blanket on; It wasn’t even in contact with my skin and the damn thing was making me itchy. I took a deep breath, knowing I had a lot worse to think about than small irritants like that. “We just need to keep our heads straight here.”

Twilight glanced behind her before facing me again, stomping a hoof. “You’re right,” she announced in determination, “This is just a road bump. I mean, you’ve been through a lot of bad situations right?”

“Yeah,” I answered with a grunt, growing weary just thinking about those situations. After getting stuck in a basement with a hundred men trying to kill me, it would take some really bad shit happening to top that. At least in this situation, I hadn’t lost anyone… I was really hating myself for forgetting their names. Hell, nearly forgetting that fire fight in the first place.

“Ya alright, Sugarcube?” Applejack asked sincerely. My memories must have been showing through. Her concern was something I needed though.

“No,” I said with a shake my head. I didn’t want to admit it, but the pit in my stomach was a testament to how I felt. “I just feel like I’m dragging you guys down. The one who seems to start the fights rather than avoid them.”

“That ain’t true,” Applejack argued, but she didn’t put much effort into it. She knew how wrong she was.

“Isn’t it?” I questioned, clenching my blanket, “Getting your things back, the library in Ponyville, the Everfree Forest, Fillydelphia; most of those fights were because I was there. No one recognized you or Twilight. It’s my fault.”

An afterthought struck me: Why didn’t anyone spot Twilight back in Ponyville? She had her wings out and everything. It’s even stranger how that never occurred to me earlier. That was at least a week ago though, and Ponyville was far away. It wouldn’t affect us at the moment. Returning to the situation at hand didn’t help much, making my heart drop ever so slightly. I wasn’t in the brightest mood.

A hoof wrapping around my body snapped me back to reality. Applejack pressed herself against my chest, tightening her hold on me. I raised a hand and petted her neck, heaving a heavy sigh.

“Come on, Nolan,” Applejack whispered with a weak chuckle, “Share some of the burden, would ya?”

My hand tightened around her neck. Sharing the burden felt like something that I shouldn’t do. These Ponies were suffering; they had served their time in hell. Even if I was overthinking it, I had to keep it up. I had to harden my heart and push on. But… Applejack wanted to help. And she was a stubborn mare.

“Sure, AJ,” I said tentatively, a smile easing on my lips, “I wouldn’t want to argue with you.”

She pushed away from me hastily, flashing a smile to show it wasn’t out of anger, “Now what’s that supposed ta mean?”

The two of us had been through a lot, Applejack and I. Just the thought of what we’ve accomplished together cooled me off. Even before we met, our lives haven’t been the easiest. Our connection was through those harsh times, leading us to this very moment.

And with all that, I smirked, “You’re the kind of girl I wouldn’t want to mess with. Reminds me a lot of myself.”

“No offense, Nolan,” Applejack said with her head to the side and her eyes closed, “But I think I’m a class all my own.”

A chuckle escaped my lips, not out of mockery, but from simply getting back to joking about things. I needed the distraction, we all did. As serious as our situation was, we knew we needed to relax a little to make it through in one piece. I was glad I was able to pick up on that, and Applejack as well.

“What exactly are you two talking about?” Twilight questioned, confused out of her mind. I suppose not everything could be picked up as quickly by everyone. For someone versed in friendship, some ideas went right over her head.

“Found the inn,” Carrot Top suddenly spoke, standing at the end of the alley way. It almost seemed like she had been there the whole time. She was stoic, damn near emotionless. It didn’t feel like her at all. Applejack and Twilight grimaced ever so slightly; they must have been feeling the same thing.

“Uh, great work!” Twilight congratulated, hurrying over to stand by Carrot Top and peering into the street. The occasional Human passed by, but Ponies were even rarer. It was bizarre. I expected the place to be just the same as Fillydelphia, yet there were so few Ponies. And of the people walking around, they were far more casual than usual. No military clothing or weapons of the sort.

Something was off, but I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what.

“Where’s it at?” Twilight asked, turning to Carrot Top.

She stared at me.

“Carrot Top?”

She still didn’t break eye contact with me.

“Carrot Top,” Applejack said louder, and she finally turned her eyes away to focus on her. “Where’s the inn at?”

“Oh,” Carrot Top said simply, blinking. It was like she was lost in her own little world. It was still creepy how intently she put her attention on me though. She must still be upset about me taking off for Cloudsdale. “It’s just a couple blocks away, past an old battleground. It’s occupied too.”

“Battleground?” Applejack mumbled, almost like a whine. Something had dawned on her, and it was anything but good. Her eyes trailed off to the ground, wide with shock. Her body was rigid, not even her chest moved with her breathing.

“Applejack?” I questioned, crouching down to her level. She didn’t register what I said, but what startled me was what I could hear. Her breathing was quick and ragged, and almost unnoticeable. Seeing her in that state scared me; I had only seen her break down twice, and this was getting close to those same heartbreaking moments. The old battleground Carrot Top had mentioned had hit somewhere in her.

With a push of her legs, Applejack bolted straight down the alley, nearly shoving past Carrot Top, and sharply turning around the corner. Panic stricken for her safety, I gave chase, clutching my blanket behind me as my heart made its way to my throat. My earlier attitude towards myself was shoved as far away as possible in my mind. Applejack was the one who needed comfort from whatever terror had suddenly infected her mind.

Upon reaching the street itself, I kept my eyes glued on Applejack’s form as it grew smaller with each second. Just as I broke off after her, ignoring the watching eyes of the Humans, Twilight did the same. She mirrored my feelings, but was in more despair. As for Carrot Top, I could only assume she was following us.

All my senses were clouded. My thoughts were so loud that everything I felt was nothing compared to my worry for Applejack. All I knew was I needed to get to Applejack, to figure out why she had torn off without so much as a word. Just seeing her run, I could tell something was very off. She stumbled often, and couldn’t decide if she wanted to focus ahead or on the pavement.

The buildings were too similar to draw my attention, which made the street lights stand out more. Running underneath each one was like going through a spotlight: a moment of extreme attention before being swallowed by the darkness again. The repetitive nature of the lighting, along with my heaving chest, caused the hazy world that I failed to interpret in favor of Applejack to become clear. What I really took note of was where we were heading. Based off what I could remember from my scouting just under an hour ago, we were heading for the entrance to the city, the bridge. Considering the inn was just past it, as well as the battleground, I doubted Applejack wanted to leave the city.

No, her destination was at the battleground. And based off the marks on the buildings coming up, we were closing in.

Sure enough, Applejack slowed to a trot, then to a stop just at the boundary. Mine and Twilight’s stop was more abrupt, skidding just a couple feet behind Applejack. A thick rope linked between repeating poles as it looped around the site, hugging it and dividing it from the normal street. The way it went from one side of the street to the other made it out like it was public art. Something to be left alone, to admire or learn from. The battleground itself painted it in a whole different light.

A definite chaos of sorts had been unleashed. The fence that had been erected couldn’t contain the entirety of the destruction the supposed battle had wrought. Bullet holes upon bullet holes covered every wall upon the confines of the battleground, and even in several other surrounding buildings. Shattered windows were so prominent that everything underneath them was a death trap of glass waiting to happen. Medieval-like weapons were strung around, mostly spears, but the occasional sword could be seen. If I didn’t know better, the original wielders of those weapons had simply dropped them and left, leaving behind an abandoned site that was left to its own demise. But the ground itself was enough to tell me that was not the case. Black stains were splattered around giving no discern where their true origins lied. The stains were grimy and sickening to stare at. Even from where I stood, I could tell they were the dried remains of blood. A lack of cleanliness over the months had allowed the blood to sit and bake under the sun, with no rain to wash them way. To an extent, the battleground had been preserved, untouched.

Yet the absence of bodies, Pony or Human, did not cement that sentiment.

Applejack had her mouth open, the words refusing to come out. She didn’t want to say what was on her mind, but her body forced it out of her.

“Big Macintosh...” she got out, her voice trembling. That name, she had mentioned it before as her older brother. I was thankful that fact came to me. After all, the one time Applejack was able to get those heavy burdens off her chest was not something I would easily forget. Just thinking about her older brother popped up more information of him: He was shipped off to fight the Humans, stationed in Manehattan… the Humans attacked…

“No,” I whispered lightly. My mouth fell agape, more out of horror than shock. This was the spot where the Ponies had made their stand against the Humans. Where they had lost, as well as the city itself. Their bravery to stand against an enemy with superior weaponry was astounding. Where I would say brave, the Humans undoubtedly saw them and laughed. I tightened the hold on my blanket.

“This…” Twilight said, gazing around, “This is where the Royal Guard made their stand in Manehattan.”

“Twilight,” I said coldly.

“Where the Humans... “ Twilight continued, grimacing, “massacred them.”

“Twilight,” I scolded, facing her.

“And where Big Macintosh-”

“Twilight!” I yelled, causing her to jump and allowing a few stray tears to come out. I knew she could feel my intense gaze, turning away as she shrunk down as much as possible. She knew she had gone too far; Applejack still hadn’t moved.

Before I did anything else, I got a better look of the battleground, or I suppose a more accurate word would be battlefield. The scope was enormous! I didn’t notice how far the battle had raged, going down the street and across the train tracks. The Ponies must have fought the Humans as they crossed the bridge. Defending whatever Ponies were left in the city, if they weren’t already evacuated. I actually didn’t have a grasp on what happened in Manehattan during the invasion. Maybe the city had been unoccupied, or maybe the Ponies had no warning.

“Big Mac!” Applejack screamed, stepping back and forth frantically. “Where are ya?!”

I winced, too shocked to shush her. Or maybe my heart was too sympathetic. How desperate was she to expect her brother to just come around the corner? That was like if I had expected my mom to wake up while at her funeral… I figured out why I hadn’t spoken up.

“Big Macintosh!” she yelled, sounding hoarse. “Come out! Please!”

“Applejack,” I called, feeling weak as I walked towards her. I wanted to yell at her for her actions, knowing it would draw the attention we were trying to avoid. But I couldn't bring myself to come even close to berating her.

“Come back!” she cried, sobbing at the end, “Just come back!”

She fell to the floor, splaying her body while covering her snout with a hoof. Her crying was undeniable at that point, letting the world know of her pain. The closer I grew, the easier it was to see the tears dripping off her chin. I wished I couldn’t see them, I wished the old Applejack that I was joking with not three minutes ago would come back. And yet my wish would come true as soon as Applejack’s wish did.

I knelt down to her when I was close enough, resting a hand on her shoulder. Her shudders came hard and fast, matching with her sobs.

“He isn’t coming back, AJ,” I said monotonically, trying to stay sturdy for her. “He’s never coming back.”

“He didn’t want to go,” Applejack got out through her hitched breaths, “But we encouraged him, we didn’t think it’d get so bad, we didn’t think he’d…” Another deep breath, shakier than before. “Princess Celestia… she came to the door. As soon as I saw her face, I knew. I knew! He was gone. Gone…”

Fresh tears erupted from her eyes, and she clenched them shut in a vain attempt to stop them. Her sobs were silent, allowing a terrible memory to bubble up inside me. The days following the death of my mom, after my dad had left for the military without a word to me, I wanted him to die in battle. I didn’t care how, I just wanted to wake up one day to find a notifier at my door, telling me of the news.

Next to Applejack, crying over someone she knew was dead, finding where he died… I was selfish. No matter what I felt about my dad, he was still a member of the military; protecting lives in another country. And I just wanted him to die, and to have someone come up and tell me that. Maybe what I really wanted was some feeling of communication with him. To be acknowledged by him. I didn’t know why I expected to get that feeling from his death.

In that way, I was worse than him. Worse than what he could ever do to me.

Interrupting Applejack in such a state was not the right thing to do. So I backed away, and let her get it all out. A quick glance around told me that we were drawing a crowd. Mostly Humans, men and women alike. Over my travels of Equestria, I had only seen one woman, and to see others suddenly did raise my curiosity. As for Pony spectators, I could only spot one, another strange occurrence in the city. It was like the Humans refused to have a Pony slave. Pretty doubtful, but there were too many other possibilities to question.

There I was getting distracted again, and I shook out my thoughts to my original intention of worrying over the crowd. Yet despite the commotion Applejack was causing, she needed to get all her emotions out before we continued on. I could only figure she hadn’t truly accepted the loss of her brother. Some sliver of hope had been clutching to her heart. And seeing this battlefield had caused that hope to shatter.

She just needed time. It could be a minute, it could be an hour. She just needed to accept it, like I had to with Emma.

“Sir!” a man called sternly behind me. I whipped around to see the familiar army get-up; green fatigues with a holster around his waist. I cursed under my breath. “What’s your Pony doing?”

We had to move, to get away and not draw any more attention. If a Military Policeman was taking interest, than we had to leave before he found me out. Luckily, Twilight had the same reasoning as she rushed ahead to Applejack’s side, lowering herself. I turned to face him with my hands holding tightly to the blanket. My back was burning, like everyone was staring at it. The blanket had come in handy, as much as I hated to admit it.

“She’s…” I started, seeing the MP grow closer. He walked with authority, and his worn disapproval wasn’t something I wanted up in my face. “She was getting claustrophobic. I had to get her away from others.”

As the MP continued his advance, I growled, “That means she doesn’t want other Humans around at the moment.”

That stopped him, though he was none too pleased as he put a hand on his hip. “Exactly how would a Pony get crowded around here?” he asked, using his free hand to gesture around. I followed his meaning, seeing that despite the crowd, there wasn’t many witnesses, just a dozen or so.

“She doesn’t get out often,” I explained, my voice trembling. Lying on the fly wasn’t exactly my forte.

“And who’s this Big Macintosh?” he questioned again, his hand resting against the handle of his revolver. I didn’t think he was buying what I was selling.

“Teddy Bear,” I blurted. If I was able, I would have punched myself for that one. Carrot Top was sharing the same sentiment, though her gaze was enough of a punch to make me swallow. The MP raised a brow, probably having dealt with bullshit like what I was dishing.

“One last thing,” he said dangerously low, his fingers wrapping around the handle of his revolver, “You do know that citizens aren’t allowed weapons, right?”

Citizens!? When the hell did that ever become a factor!? No one brought it up, and no one cared I had a firearm anywhere else! He had to be lying, this fucker was just trying to get to me. Because why, of all the god forsaken times, did that rule suddenly make an appearance!? Carrot Top was just as stunned as me, staring at the man and backing away slowly. It took me a moment to realize I still had to respond.

“I… have a permit,” I answered, averting my gaze.

He grunted with pursed lips, walking forward again, “You’re coming with me.”

Applejack was still whimpering behind me, but Twilight tried to mellow her whines by shushing her while stroking her mane. Carrot Top was backing away faster as the man approached. Her fear reminded me of the times of her own enslavement, how she was beaten mercilessly. And the man gave just enough of a smirk after seeing her to know he was enjoying his power. All these Humans were the same, to the point where it was just infuriating.

I only had seconds before the MP would be close enough to realize I was the Masked Man. My options were limited; Applejack wasn’t in the condition to be running and the MP had seen my face.Though a lot of people around had seen it too, I could only hope they couldn’t get an accurate depiction from where they stood. I could hardly make out what they looked like.

I had to kill the MP, but the crowd would panic, seeing as they don’t have weapons of their own - I still couldn’t believe that shit. Who knew what would happen in all the chaos.

Then there was a crack, and suddenly the MP’s head had splattered open, blood shooting out the side. I recoiled at the gruesome sight as he flopped to the ground. The crowd broke into the chaos I had predicted, crying out in fear as they pushed and shoved to get as far away as possible. It was actually the first time I had seen Humans run away in fear. Maybe there really were ‘citizens’ in the city.

“If you don’t want to get arrested,” a grave voice spoke up from an alleyway. A glance over showed a silhouette in the shadows, a rifle in his arms. “Then I suggest you get your rear in gear and follow me.”

He might as well have been telling us to piss off from his tone. He couldn’t at least feel a little urgent? The figure shifted into the darkness without waiting for a response, and I knew we didn’t have much time to linger. The crowd wasn’t as completely crazy as I had thought, as shouts of orders were already breaking through the screams. As the dead MP had indicated, there weren’t many people around in the first place.

“Applejack, let’s go!” Twilight hissed.

Carrot Top was already bounding after the Human, and Twilight was shaking an indisposed AJ. She couldn’t have completely shut down, could she? She knew her very life was at stake, and the life of her best friend! I made to check it out, keeping a good hold on the blanket, but was thwarted when more commands and questions were coming from behind. A look behind me showed a handful of MPs pointing at me with their revolvers drawn. Time was up.

“Twilight, levitation!” I ordered, changing course and going full sprint for the alleyway. Twilight did the same, actually surprising me with her burst of speed as her magic picked up Applejack. She didn’t even care, floating there without any resistance of the sorts.

A single bullet ripped through the air, nicking my hand. A gasped sharply, my hands releasing the blanket as I dived the rest of the way into the dark alleyway. On my side, I clutched my wrist as the stinging grew worse. Any motion of my hand brought a flash of pain. Nevertheless, I stumbled back to a stand as Twilight rushed past me, following behind the retreating Carrot Top around the corner.

“Don’t shoot him, you fucking idiot!” a man demanded, “Let’s get him alive!”

“Yeah,” another responded as I rounded the corner, seeing Twilight and Carrot Top head for a building across the street. “So we can beat the crap outta him for killing Phil!”

I had to hand it them, they sure were different from the other Humans I had met thus far. Everyone else wanted to kill me on sight, but not those guys, they just wanted to fuck me over then kill me. Tossing away the thought, I hurried after the Ponies, my heart hammering in my chest, both from the exertion and the guilt. It was Fillydelphia all over again. Why was I so incompetent!?

The MPs' footsteps behind proved they were hot on my tail. I couldn’t lose them in that building! What was that man thinking?! Or maybe he had abandoned us and Carrot Top was just heading for the closest shelter. With little choice, I stayed in line with the Ponies and flew through the open doorway left by Twilight. In my hurry, I misstepped and lost my balance, stumbling forward just enough to slam into a counter and flip over the side.

I landed on my back, my body hidden behind the counter, and it was only then that I had a feeling for my surroundings. Warm wood bathed in a gentle light, the counter having a couple glass bottles underneath, and a man standing over me. From my position, I could only make out his tan boots and black pants. Carrot Top actually stood next to me, just by my legs. Her head was pulled back, and a hoof was held up to her chest in a form of protection. My brilliant entrance had caused her to freeze up.

“Stay where you are,” the man whispered, and I was able to detect that urgency I wanted earlier. Even though it wasn’t the same voice - this one being a bit lighter - I definitely wasn’t in a position to argue with his demand. Everything was happening so fast, and I was just trying to keep track of everything, but for the time being he was helping us.

The door slammed open stopping any chance of a recap, heavy footsteps entering the threshold of the room. Carrot Top ducked slightly in panic, her eyes turned towards the counter. I had a flashback of the boutique back in Ponyville, and I hoped it didn’t turn out the same with our Human helper.

“You there!” someone called out, “Did anyone come in recently?”

“No…” the man above me replied, sounding weary, “Is there a problem?”

“We’re searching for a man, brown hair, black clothing. Had a purple and orange Pony with him.”

“Shit! Right there!” A different man bellowed, “There’s an orange Pony right there!”

Carrot Top gave a whine as she stepped closer to me, her head just above my own. Her tail must have been sticking out just enough for them to catch. My ears were close enough to the ground to hear someone heading right to the counter we hid behind. I reached for my revolver, hoping I could get a clear shot with Carrot Top so close.

In fact, she was very close to me, close enough to see her shiver. Her eyes staring at me with confliction, as if she was having an inner debate. She leaned in close, her breath brushing against my skin. It smelt of carrots, of all things, and I had to chastise my brain for bringing that up.

Quickly and shockingly, Carrot Top rested her chest on my own, laid her hooves against my shoulders, and kissed me.

Not on the forehead, not on the cheek, but right on my lips. My eyes shot open, feeling her own lips pressing down on me. It was furry, but still had the essence of a woman’s kiss. The mixture between how natural the kiss was and Carrot Top kissing me herself left me stunned. And Carrot Top had her eyes closed, getting really into it. I wasn’t sure what her plan was; my brain might as well have shut down at that point.

But with only a second left before a MP saw us, I closed my eyes too, scrunching my face just enough to appear like I was enjoying it too. With a final throw of my arms, I held onto Carrot Top’s back. A brief moan escaped her lips, but it disappeared as soon as I heard it. There was no sound, not the footsteps nor my own breathing. I could feel someone’s gaze burn a hole through me and it was making my back tense up.

“Geh,” I heard above me at last, along with a hasty step back, “Fuck, it’s just someone groping a Pony. A different orange Pony.”

“Oh, them,” the Human standing just inches away from us said, his voice bored. I had nearly forgotten he was standing there. “They’ve been at it all night. They’ve been pretty rowdy, but I didn’t want to interrupt.”

“Fucking Pony Lovers,” the MP swore, “They’re as bad as the Masked Man.”

“Come on,” a different man spoke, “Don’t knock it till you try it. Those Ponies are really easy to force a blowjob.”

“Yeah, you would enjoy that wouldn’t you.”

“Enough chit chat,” the MP closest spat, “That murderer must have gone through another building. We need to hurry before we lose them.”

Footsteps filed out of the room, and the door fell shut before there was only silence. That was, until Carrot Top pulled away, her cheeks burning redder than I had ever seen them. She got off my chest and gave me room as I stared at her in wonder. I could still feel where she had pressed against my lips, as if they were on fire.

“Carrot Top…?” I spoke slowly, unsure how to interpret that kiss. She looked away, her cheeks somehow blushing even harder. She had kissed me to disguise the fact that we were hiding - and those MPs must have been really thick to not blatantly see that it was me. Even still, some part of her had been enjoying it, I could tell through the kiss alone. It was hard to tell if it was just another part of the guise to throw off the MPs.

“I’m sorry,” she spoke rapidly, “I didn’t want us to get caught and it was the only thing that came to mi-”

“Wow!” the man above me exclaimed, grabbing hold of an arm and pulling me up. There was no hint of force, like he was simply helping up someone who had tripped. Given how I had gotten to the floor in the first place, that wasn’t too far off. Back on my feet, I was finally able to see our rescuer. After all, if it wasn’t for his assistance, I think we would have left the building in chains.

By his voice alone, I knew it wasn’t the same man that had killed the MP earlier. Hell, his face was a dead give away to that. He wasn’t downright cheerful like Pinkie was, but the smile on his face was definitely a pleasant one. What also caught my eye was his appearance. He resembled someone of southeast Asian descent, though I couldn’t pick out the exact country.

“That was one close call we had there, huh?” he asked, resting an arm against the counter. “I almost lost character there for a moment when they spotted your Pony.”

“Yeah,” I said with an uncertain look. I was still trying to get over that Carrot Top, a pony, had kissed me. It was to throw off the MP for sure, but… she was a Pony! And I was a Human! Even Carrot Top was blushing over the absurdity of the action. Taking a long breath, both from the kiss and from dodging the MP, I studied the other Human

His intentions couldn’t be malicious, with the situation earlier as proof, so I doubted he was like most other Humans around. Probably closer to Alex. He had on a long sleeved shirt, as green as his eyes. A scarf was wrapped around his neck, sharing the same color. Although scarf wasn’t very accurate. It was too bunched up to be a scarf.

“Hey, Anthony,” the man called, leaning to the side to look behind me as he cupped a hand around his mouth, “I don’t mind saving a couple lives, but a little warning next time.”

“I don’t think the MP gave me much choice,” a familiar voice grumbled. It was the same one who had shot the man from before. Turning around with Carrot Top, another man came around a corner from within the building. “So, deal with it.”

This one had orange-brown hair, with flecks of gray. His face matched the gruffness of his voice, more haggard than I had seen from others. A thin scar shined on his cheek as he brushed his shoulder, showing his red t-shirt. His pants were similar to the other man standing beside me. However, following behind the man was Twilight, relief evident in her expression as she watched the scene unfold.

“Alright, hold up,” I said stepping around the counter and away from the two. They both watched me with a raised brow, “Who the hell are you guys?”

“Ah,” the man behind the counter sighed, “You’d think we would learn to introduce ourselves before squabbling.”

“You’re the one who’s overexcited all the time,” the other one said before taking a breath, “The name’s Anthony.”

“Vincent,” the man behind the counter waved, his smile dying slightly, yet the humor still remained. “And I assume you’re the one Anthony saved from the MPs.”

I nodded, and Anthony’s lips twitched in a smirk, “The Masked Man himself.”

I balked alongside Carrot Top, and Twilight was more fearful than surprised as she stiffened. “How do you know that?” I asked, hovering a hand by my revolver just in case.

Anthony pointed to me, “You have S.W.A.T. written on your back. Those wanted posters were spot on with that.”

Not only that, but I had lost the blanket too. My hand was still hurting from the bullet that had grazed me, but I was more concerned with the two gentlemen. I wasn’t sure if it was a good or bad thing that they knew of my other self. Though certainly they had saved us from the verge of arrest.

“What’s that mean anyway?” Vincent questioned, leaning against the counter as he squinted his eyes, “Are you a bug exterminator or something?”

Carrot Top and Twilight both had to cover their muzzles from their amusement. Admittedly, I had never heard someone come to that conclusion before. It even got a smile out of Anthony, who hadn’t really expressed anything up to that point.

“Special Weapons and Tactics,” I answered, waving away his comment of being an exterminator. “A special forces division of the police department back home.”

“Never heard of them,” Anthony muttered, though I didn’t argue with that. I gazed around the room, getting a better feeling of the atmosphere. The best word to describe it was cozy. Many round tables with adjoining chairs were placed around, though a wide path was made from the entrance to the counter. Behind the counter were several shelves chock full of bottles of varying size, shape and color. All of them had liquid, and it wasn’t difficult to figure that they were alcoholic.

“Where are we?” I asked, glancing past Twilight, noting the back room where she and Anthony had emerged from.

Vincent cleared his throat, as he stood up straight, holding out a hand as if presenting a brand new car at a game show. “Welcome to the Hard Hoof Inn! We accommodate all Humans and Ponies here, no questions asked!”

Vincent looked to Anthony expectantly, causing the latter to groan under his breath. “We also have a bar,” he stated plainly, crossing his arms, “So there’s that.”

Vincent was put off by his lack of enthusiasm, but kept the ball rolling with a wide smile. “And it’s run by your very own Vincent and Anthony!”

“And Berry Punch!” someone spoke up. Yet another person came around the corner, but it was a Pony instead. Her mane and tail somewhat resembled the teacher had I rescued with the children back in Appleloosa, though the color was a darker shade of magenta. Her coat was a much lighter tone, and her Cutie Mark revealed a bunch of grapes with a strawberry. She flashed a smile, her magenta eyes - jeez, there was a lot of that color - shining in the light. “These two nimrods wouldn’t be able to run this place without me.”

“I mean,” Vincent shrugged, slightly embarrassed as he faced away from her, “We kind of know about drinks.”

“Hardly,” Berry responded, looking to me with a snide smile, “These guys don’t even know how long to ferment red wine.”

“I could have sworn it was an hour,” Anthony said with a shake of his head. Berry just blankly looked at him, her deadpan stare almost making me laugh.

“Okay, back it up,” I interrupted, catching all of their attention, “I know who you are and where we are, but I think an answer to what the hell just happened would be nice as well.”

“Easy,” Anthony replied, pulling out the rifle that had been strung behind him. It was a lever action rifle, probably the first I had seen in the country. Given that that variety of weaponry was superior to the bolt action, I had to wonder why they weren’t more common. “I saved your ass, and your Ponies' asses, before you guys could get grabbed by an MP.”

“What have I said about using that word?” Berry Punch scolded, glaring at Anthony who rolled his eyes, “You know that’s offensive to them.”

“I don’t see any Donkeys around,” Anthony shot back. My mind took a moment to wrap around the notion of sentient Donkeys, the kind that actually don’t like the use of the word ass… Why didn’t I think that there were Donkeys in this world? Off track again!

“Listen,” I said sternly, holding up a hand for them to focus. Also for something I can focus on; I was tired of getting off topic. “I get what you did, and I’m grateful, but I would like to know why.”

This gave everyone pause. Given the nature of my question, I didn’t think it would be difficult, but with more thought, I had essentially asked why they saved the one man that was making a huge difference for the Ponies. The one man sympathizing with the Ponies. The one man who’s working to kick the Humans out of Equestria.

Vincent was the most thoughtful, and Anthony just looked to him, as if he was the reason he was doing any of it. Berry Punch did the same, though she looked more curious than patient. Perhaps my question was too broad for them to answer, so with a sigh, I kept things to more recent times.

“Where’s Applejack?” I asked, noting she wasn’t amongst us. The ears on Twilight folded back as she looked to the back of the building. Grim with concern, I headed that way, only to be stopped as Twilight trotted up to me with a hoof on my chest. “She needs some alone time, Nolan. Seeing that battleground really tore her up.”

I closed my eyes, “I can only imagine.”

“It was strange,” Twilight said, stepping away from me as she sat on her haunches. “She didn’t cry during his funeral. The rest of us couldn’t figure it out, but…”

“Yeah,” I replied, crossing my arms. Not much point discussing a topic that I already knew about.

“The battleground?” Vincent asked absentmindedly. Then again, there were still people in the room who were not as well acquainted. If they knew what was right, they would drop it. “Oh, you mean the one down the street? We were finally able to cart the bodies out a few days ago.”

“A few days ago?!” I exclaimed, looking to the door. I could almost picture the Humans just getting a few wheelbarrows and throwing the bodies like they were nothing more than sacks of dirt. And Vincent spoke like he was a part of it! I faced him again as I shouted, “It’s been months since the battle!”

“Damn military wouldn’t let us near the dead Ponies,” Anthony filled in, his voice graver than it had ever been. “They’d get their own, but wouldn’t spare a moment for the Ponies. No matter how many times people protested, they wouldn’t budge. It wasn’t until a few of them had been shipped away did we get a chance to bury them.”

Something wasn't right with that sentence, and the news about the bodies must have been messing me up, because I couldn’t pinpoint what it was. And my brain wasn't helping by thinking of Big Macintosh as one of those bodies.

“What’s with all the care for Ponies?” Carrot Top questioned, sounding aggressive, but looking more frightened than when we were nearly caught. “You talk like the Humans actually want to help the Ponies.”

“Cause they do,” Berry stated with a smile, looking to Anthony. “I was almost executed for trying to escape. But they bought me before that happened.” Her smile dipped into a frown, “I lost some good friends though.”

“And they treat you well?” I asked begrudgingly, keeping my hopes from lifting.

“What kind of question is that!?” Vincent fired out angrily, slamming his hands against the counter. Twilight and Carrot jumped, but I stayed still, furrowing my brow. “Of course we treat her well. We’re not the sack of shits that beat them until they can’t stand. We heal them! Fix their wings and send them on their way!”

Wings? Twilight’s wings were still hidden under the blanket and pack, there was no way he could have figured out she had them. Vincent placed a hand on his head, sweat protruding all over his face.

“I’ve always said that to them,” he muttered, his voice going in and out. “And they followed my orders, and what do they get for their compassion?”

His voice had gone down to a whisper. A very dangerous whisper. It was actually putting Anthony on edge, his face breaking away from tough to worry. “Shit,” he said, stepping quickly to Vincent. Berry had the same look as she swiveled and took off for the back room.

“Fucking torture and death!” he screamed, swiping a hand and smashing it into a glass bottle on the shelf behind him. His hand was already bleeding as liquor dripped onto the floor. Carrot Top and Twilight were backing away frantically in terror, and I was on the cusp of knocking him out before he completely lost it.

“What the hell is wrong with him?” I questioned as I pointed to him. Anthony didn’t answer as he grabbed one of Vincent’s arms. All that did was push him even further as he lashed out with his free arm, hitting Anthony in the arm.

“Fuck you!” he yelled at me, or maybe Anthony. If it was for the latter, it didn’t faze him as he grabbed his other arm, twisting them towards each other as Anthony struggled with every ounce of strength he had. I wanted to intervene, but something kept me rooted to the spot, and it was uncertainty. Anthony knew what was happening, but he wasn’t spilling what that was, and I wasn’t going to mess things up by running in blind.

“Berry!” Anthony shouted over his shoulder. Vincent was close to shoving him right into the shelves when she came skidding around the corner, a photo in her mouth. She quickly hopped her forelegs onto the counter and showed the photo to Vincent. At first, nothing happened, trying to break the hold Anthony held him in. But Anthony never broke his eyes away from the photo, and his movement slowed to a crawl.

In disbelief, I looked to Twilight, who was in the same boat as me. Carrot Top was just scared, actually hiding underneath one of the tables as she watched the scene unfold. At one point, Anthony released Vincent onto the counter. He rested there with deep breaths, a bleeding and shaky hand reaching for the photo. Berry gave it to him as he slid off the counter and onto the floor.

He was still staring at the photo.

Everything was still, Anthony and Berry were in relief, but I couldn’t bear to let my guard down. Twilight was the same, though she didn’t have her horn alight for self defense. We just stood there and did nothing as Vincent remained motionless on the floor.

I couldn’t bear it any longer, “What the actual fuck just happened?! And I don’t want some bullshit answer either!”

Anthony ground his teeth at my tone, but didn’t retort. He looked to Vincent again, then to my waist, where he narrowed his eyes. “I’ll tell you once you put that thing away,” he sneered, wiping the sweat from his brow. I looked down to see my revolver in my hands, drawn from its holster. I was holding it on the grip, ready to fire at a moment’s notice. I didn’t even realize I had gotten it out.

I did as he instructed as Berry dropped off from the counter, sitting on her haunches with a sigh. Rubbing his head, Anthony showed his arms, and I noticed some sort of scar. It was dark and wide, and that was all I was able to get before it was hidden again in his sleeve.

“His team was tortured to an inch of their life,” Anthony explained, gesturing to Vincent, “Then the Military snuffed that last inch. Him and a few others were ‘rehabilitated’, in their words.”

“So what?” I followed up, a hand on my hip, “He has PTSD?”

Anthony grunted, a ghost of a smile emerging that meant nothing to anybody, “Right on the nose.”

“We’re not sure exactly what causes his breakdowns,” Berry continued, her gaze full of sorrow as she looked at Vincent. He wasn’t looking at the photo any more, but simply leaned against the wall while clutching it tightly to his chest. “But when he sees that photo, it calms him down.”

“W-What’s it a photo of?” Twilight spoke up, her voice trembling.

Anthony gave a genuine amused smirk, though it was half hearted, “That’s the weird part. It’s-”

“Me,” a very familiar voice spoke at the entrance. I turned my head, and when I saw the person, my eyes slowly grew wide.

Spitfire. Of all the people, of all the Ponies, it was Spitfire. She was pushing open the door with a hoof, her expression more somber than I had ever seen it. Not outside Fillydelphia, nor in Cloudsdale. She hadn’t changed one bit as she strolled into the room, locking her gaze on Vincent. She kept her distance as she remained still. Looking between her and Vincent, I realized she wasn’t looking at him, but at the photo he held so tightly to.

“He break down again?” she asked, barely moving. She didn’t even look to me, and she knew I was sharing the same room as her. She had greeted me like an old friend the last time we ran into each other, but at that moment, I might as well have been a chair.

“Yeah,” Berry answered, giving Vincent a sideways glance before focusing on Spitfire, “I had to-”

“I know,” Spitfire interrupted with a far away smile, one that was more from a memory than from what she was looking at. If one word could describe the whole scenario I had witnessed, it would be baffling. No, more than that, I was downright dumbfounded!

“What!?” I whined out, not realizing how high my tone was. Everyone looked to me like I was the weird one, and I could do nothing but wave my hands in front of me. “Okay, hold it. Hold everything! No one do a damn thing until someone explains this! I don’t want another surprise until I’m at least caught up.”

Spitfire nudged her head to the side, finally breaking away from the photo to look me up and down before giving a brief smile, “Hello, Nolan.”

I hadn’t said hello to her yet, and I was yelling for an explanation. Well, I was just the pinnacle of good manners. Even though Spitfire was acting differently than usual, she still could be snarky when she wanted to. Although I didn’t recall her ever being snarky before hand…

“Eh… hi,” I said back awkwardly. I felt like such a jerk for not saying my salutations first, but everything was happening way too fast for my liking. I had been kissed by a Pony! And I still wanted answers on that! I took a deep breath, brushing my hand through my hair. Remembering Emma’s one true rule fit the situation: expect the unexpected. I had to wonder if she would be saying that in this completely overwhelming night.

“First question,” I said loudly, staring at my feet, “Why are you here, Spitfire?”

She chuckled quietly, “You almost sound like you don’t want me here.”

I just looked at her tiredly. I suppose I was right in that she had always been snarky in one way or another, but I was too exhausted to deal with it. Luckily, she picked up on it, closing her eyes a moment as she scraped a hoof against the wooden floor.

“Staying with Vincent,” she explained, lifting her head, avoiding meeting anyone's eyes. “He was the one who helped me when my wing was shot, along with his squad. After leaving Cloudsdale, after you nearly… killed Lightning Dust, I flew away. I didn’t know where to go, so I wandered around Manehattan, and found Vincent here, of all places.”

She shook her head, “He changed though. The Humans broke him after they learned he had helped a Pony, a Pegasus. Tortured him and his squad. A lot of them died, and the rest were so traumatized they were scarred for life. Vincent included. The photo… it’s a picture of me, to remind him that their suffering wasn’t in vain, that he went through all that for a reason.”

“Yeah,” Vincent spoke up at last, spooking Twilight and Carrot Top, who was still underneath the table. I had to admit, he even scared me a bit. I half expected him to throw a bottle of liquor at me. Even as he pushed himself to stand, I tensed up, ready for another freak out. But he was drained, ashamed of what he did. He didn’t even have the energy to keep himself up, holding a hand out against the wall for support as he cradled his bleeding hand.

Spitfire flapped her wings and hovered over to Vincent. His wistful smile was actually very nice to see, and Spitfire’s was very much the same. They both were worn out, and I wasn’t the least bit surprised when Spitfire wrapped her forelegs around his neck. He reciprocated by hugging her back, petting her back all the while. Blood smeared on her fur, but she didn’t mind in the least.

My head was still bustling with questions, but I got what I needed from Spitfire. They deserved to share that moment. Facing Anthony, I could see the longing in his eyes, yearning for something Vincent had. He glanced down to Berry, but turned away hastily, like he didn’t want to be caught doing so. Too late for that, but I wasn’t going to hang it over his head.

“Second question,” I said quietly, trying hard not to break the moment Spitfire and Anthony were sharing. “What sets this city apart from any other Human occupied city? I’ve seen Ponyville and Fillydelphia, and Manehattan is nothing like those.”

“Like what?” Twilight asked, equally as quiet as my voice.

I held up my hand, counting each finger, “This inn, the lack of Ponies, a lot of Humans wanting to help Ponies. And that’s just from the top of my head.”

“Don’t forget the women,” Anthony added with a smile. I raised a brow at his direction, and he grunted, “It’s not illegal for women to join the Military, but they’re so uncommon that it might as well be. I say it’s because they're too kind hearted, not a bad reason in my book.”

“Kind hearted?” Carrot Top said, poking her head out from underneath the table. She really needed to get out from there, it’s getting embarrassing seeing her like that.

“Yep,” Anthony nodded, “That’s why a lot of them are here. Helping out the Ponies and all that.”

“Okay,” I nodded, propping up a hand to my chin, “And the answer to my question?”

Berry Punch intervened, hopping up on the table - the one Carrot Top was hiding under - and held up a hoof as if presenting the world to us. As dramatic as it was, it was far brighter than what the atmosphere had been undergoing for a while.

“The first true Human-occupied city in Equestria!” she bellowed triumphantly. I didn’t think that was much better than any other city, but I let her continue, “One that has Humans not from the Military.”

“So that’s…” I started before realization hit me. A city that has citizens, people not in the Military. The Humans were actually moving into this city to live a life amongst Ponies. “So wait, the Humans in this city are actually those who live here for the betterment of Ponies?”

“Exactly,” Anthony answered, pointing at me, “Lots of folks back home who weren’t happy with the invasion came here to set things right; prove that not all Humans are jackasses.”

“Anthony, that woooord,” Berry reminded him through clenched teeth. He waved her off.

“They buy Pony slaves so they don’t go to bad owners,” Anthony went on, actually showing some excitement. Berry nodded, probably showing herself as an example to that testament.

“Why not just free them?” Twilight said. That was actually a good point, and probably something that would have been bugging me in the back of my head for a long time.

“Military law,” Berry spat, growing cross as she kicked what little dirt was on the table, “All Ponies must be in enslavement. No exceptions.”

“Granted,” Anthony brought up, holding up a finger as he looked to Berry playfully, “If Ponies became freed, they’d stop at nothing to free all Ponies. Though, as much as it’s warranted from the Military, I don’t see any reason to keep the slaves in the first place.”

As much as I agreed with that statement, discussing a topic like that was opening a whole new can of worms. The buildings that were supposedly burned by the Ponies was one major point. It all came down to the Baron, who wanted the invasion of Equestria in the first place… one person I hadn’t heard a thing from in a long time. Too long.

I had another question regarding him in my little list, but I had more pressing matters to tend to.

“Third question,” I said, growing hopeful with the situation around here. Although my next question was a far more touchy than I would have liked. But if it wasn’t answered in some way, I was always going to ask myself the question until I went insane. Shifting uncomfortably between my feet, I pointed to Vincent, “How come he’s… Asian?”

Everyone, and I do mean everyone, gave me the oddest looks. Even Spitfire and Anthony had broken their small embrace to look at me like I was asking why the sky was blue. Damn, I didn’t think I was being that offensive!

“Asian?” Vincent asked slowly, “What does that even mean?”

The question took me off guard, and all I could do was open and close my mouth like an idiot. I already knew I was one for asking my previous question, but jeez, his question left me speechless. I had to remind myself that Asia was a part of my world, not this one.

“Are you asking why he’s a Unique?” Anthony asked, tilting his head to the side.

“A what!?” I yelled. What other things did I not know about in this dumb fucking world!? First I ask why he’s Asian, and then Anthony goes and says he’s a Unique! That’s… I sighed, “Okay, you got me. What’s a Unique?”

“People like me,” Vincent responded with a wave, “Most people are generally the same, but there are some who have varied traits that make them different. There are some with dark or tan skin, some with eyes like mine, and so on.”

“You’d think another Human would know that,” Anthony remarked, grabbing a bottle from the shelf. “I know they’re somewhat rare, but come on, they practically run our country.”

I couldn’t take this any longer. Pulling up a chair, I fell into the seat with my head in my hands. Uniques; essentially any race that wasn’t Caucasian. That would explain the lack of them in Equestria. If they were as well regarded as Anthony made it sound like, they were probably the high class of society; rich, governmental roles, and the highest on the food chain. That certainly made things interesting. Of course, my world tried to make everyone equal, but nope, this world has Caucasians on the bottom rung.

“So what does that make people like you or me?” I snapped at Anthony, suddenly feeling hot. “Are we just groveling at the feet of Uniques then?”

“Hardly,” Anthony said, popping off the lid of the drink and giving a quick swig of the contents. He shook his head from the alcohol before placing the drink in front of me. “Everyone’s pretty well respected on an equal plain, especially with the Ponies being the ‘bad guys’. The Uniques are just… a bit higher on that ladder.”

That sounded way too perfect in my eyes. But I wasn’t in the mood to argue any further. At that point, I was fatigued. The day was way too long to begin with, what with landing in the Everfree Forest. But then getting to Manehattan to find a new Wanted poster, Applejack’s break down - I should check on her when I got the chance - and the little chase into this very inn. Then, a kiss by Carrot Top, meeting Anthony and Vincent, Berry Punch, Anthony’s own break down, Spitfire, the citizenship in the city, Uniques-

“I need a vacation after all this!” I yelled out to the world, not caring in the least who heard me. In fact, let the Baron hear it, maybe then I could stop having all these sudden revelations in such a short amount of time and get some peace and quiet in my head for more than twenty four hours!

Everyone was quiet as I rested my head on the table, staring at the bottle in front of me. Gin, seven-fifty-four, good shit, or so says the label. Maybe the alcohol would do me some good. Lifting myself up, I grabbed hold of the neck of the bottle, shaking the contents.

“What the hell is with all this yelling?” a voice rang from the other side of the inn, where a set of stairs sat. Creaking of wood was heard as someone stepped down, revealing Alex… “Some people are trying… to…”

He stared at me, I stared at him…

Well, the night was still young, and my brain might as well keep going at it. I took a sip of the gin.

Chapter 23: Broken

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 23: Broken

My senses came slowly. My body was lighter, yet encompassed in warmth. It was making me dizzy, but as I blinked my eyes open, the sight of the ceiling, with its wooden finish, eased my mind. It might have been my fatigue thinking, but I was far too comfortable to complain. The blanket laid over me was heavy enough to hinder my movements, and I was okay with that. Light emanated from the window over my head, shining in the room and making it glow with radiance. Everything was peaceful. Not a noise to be heard.

Of course, I tried to recall how I got here in bed, but all I could remember was drinking some gin after seeing Alex…

I bolted straight up, quickly glancing around as my shadow cast against the walls. The room was mundane, having only the bed and a side table. The only door was across from me, and the memories of a nightmare flooded my mind. Quickly, I patted around the bed, finding no Ponies in the room. The shirt I wore was plain white, definitely my shirt, but it terrified and calmed me. Where the hell did my clothing go, or better yet, my bullet proof vest?

Panicking wouldn’t help me, and I took a long breath. My heart still pounded in my chest, however, no matter how much I tried. I was vulnerable; one shot at me and I was dead. Who had taken it off? If only I could remember. I knew I hadn’t drank too much, or maybe that was just it. I had one too many drinks and couldn’t remember a thing from last night.

Shaking my head, I threw off the blanket and slipped out of bed. I still had my black pants, so that was something. Even still, I hurried out of the room, searching the floor for my shoes and socks, since they were missing too. The floor was tidy, but none of my things were here, not even my guns.

No protection, no guns; if I was suddenly attacked, I would be screwed.

Charging out the door, I took a moment to see how the light radiated on the walls. I wasn’t one to take notice of something like that, especially with the situation I was in, but something about the hallway was stimulating. The deep red carpet, the hanging lights, and the pictures of mountains were all I took note of. It was warm and welcoming.

It gave me hope that I wasn’t in a dire situation, that I could breathe easy and rest. But my chest was still tight, and barren. I couldn’t stand it. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t have minded, but this was Equestria, and considering what I had gone through, I wasn’t going to take a chance without my vest.

“Fascinating,” a voice said in a hush a few doors down. It wasn’t very loud, but in the still atmosphere, it was like a blow horn going off. Briskly making my way down the hallway, I kept my ears perked for any other sounds, but none could be heard except for my footsteps. Stopping at a door, I glanced at the others, wondering if I had guessed correctly. Everything else was either too far or too close for the noise to have originated from. Although, I didn’t give my reasoning much thought; I was just in a hurry to find my stuff.

Reaching out for the door knob, I finally noticed the bandage wrapped around my hand. The binding was heavier around my wrist, where the bullet had grazed me. Holding it up for a closer inspection, I turned my hand around, stroking the thin cloth. Whoever had bound it was very good, I didn’t even notice my hand had been wrapped up. Wiggling my fingers, a faint pang of pain erupted from my wrist. It wasn’t completely healed just yet.

Resting the hand to my side, I used my other hand to grab the knob and turn it. Entering the room, I found Twilight lying on her bed, her bags were leaning against the base - lucky her. She faced away from me, too transfixed on something to notice my entrance. Her horn glowed and levitated the object high enough for me to…

My bullet proof vest!

“Hey, hey!” I exclaimed, startling her as the magic around my vest disappeared, allowing it to fall back onto the bed with barely a sound. Twilight whipped her head around as her ears splayed back, her hooves scrunching together. The surprise and guilt on her almost made me want to take back my aggression, but I wasn’t going to let her off easy. “What the hell, Twilight? You just take my stuff without asking first?”

“I didn’t want to waste the opportunity,” she explained quickly, reaching out a hoof to nudge my vest. “You were asleep, and I thought I could just get a quick peek of it before you-”

“Seriously?” I questioned, causing her to shrink away, shifting her body enough to face me without difficulty. “I said you could look at it all you want after you learned to play the harmonica. Why didn’t you just practice?”

Twilight looked away, her mouth open but nothing legible was coming out. It wasn’t until after she took a shaky breath did she speak coherently. “You weren’t using it, Nolan,” she stated, her face hardening, “And you’re in a safe place. Nothing bad would happen to you.”

“It’s still mine, Twilight,” I said back, pointing at her with my bad hand, “You know more than anyone that taking something is considered stealing. I mean for fuck’s sake, you’re a princess!”

“And what about you!?” Twilight snapped back, facing me again with resolve. Her eyes locked with my own as her brows furrowed. “You have something that I might be able to replicate and use on other Ponies. I can save lives, but you’d rather be selfish and keep it for yourself, and just have me learn how to use a stupid instrument!”

Her words caught me off guard, and I could feel my stomach flip, “You’ve been thinking about this for a while.”

“Yes, I have,” she stated, standing on her bed, splaying her wings in a triumphant matter. “And as a princess, I have the right to use any means necessary to protect Ponies. That includes taking a vest that stops bullets.”

“And how long will that take?” I asked, raising a brow. “To learn its properties, replicate it, and distribute it? How long?”

That gave her pause, her face easing up as her mind worked over my words. I wasn’t an expert with kevlar, but I knew damn well it wasn’t easy to make. And with how technology was pretty hit and miss with Ponies, I already felt like I had won the argument.

“I don’t know,” she said at last, her eyes wandering to the bed. Her wings retracted back to her side, hiding away along with her assertion.

“Exactly,” I said firmly, “What good is it to have something that could take years to recreate, huh? Call me selfish all you want, but by the time my vest can be used by any of you, the Humans will have cleared out.”

Or at least, that was the idea. I had no clue how long it would take to accomplish that. But Twilight got the message as she lied back down, defeated. A spark was in her eyes, giving some cheer to her as she looked to me with a faint smile. “The Humans will be gone and we won’t have any need for your vest,” she said before glancing back at it, “or its… amazing technology, which would be really, really cool to study.”

Hearing Twilight use the word ‘cool’ got a smirk out of me. Coming from a Princess like her, from a brainiac like her, was funny enough on its own. I had to remember that Twilight wouldn’t do something without a reason. It probably wasn’t the best idea to come charging in and yelling. “Just practice the harmonica,” I said, gesturing to her bags as I rubbed my beard, “even if it is a ‘stupid instrument’.”

She blushed in embarrassment and guilt, “Yeah, sorry about that. I got caught up in the moment. I guess you have some attachment to it, huh? Like with me and a good book?”

“Not quite,” I chuckled, “But you have to respect it.”

“Right,” Twilight nodded, before looking to her saddle bags. I half expected her to levitate it out, but nothing happened. “I wish I brought it with me. I thought we’d be finding Rarity, lickity split.”

Lickity split; that was something I hadn’t heard for a long time. She must have been tired if she was using words like that. Twilight looked to me with curiosity, “Did it take you this long to find Fluttershy?”

“Can’t say,” I shrugged, stepping closer, “We haven’t found Rarity yet.”

I sat on the edge of Twilight’s bed as she pushed herself up onto her haunches. She was in thought, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to interrupt her. If I was her, I would hate it if someone did that. I stared at the wall, finding it was exactly the same as my room. Seeing the wooden walls kicked my mind in gear and reminded me that I still didn’t know how yesterday had ended.

“By the way,” I started, stopping a moment to catch her attention. She wasn’t too unnerved from being driven from her thoughts. “Do you know what happened last night-?”

“Hey, Twilight!” Alex called as he poked his head in. I could say with confidence that after seeing him again, he hadn’t changed a bit. He still wore the old tan colored uniform, though I doubted he had any other clothing to change into. “Do you know- Oh, there he is! Nolan, where’ve you been? When I didn’t find you in your…”

His eyes widened at Twilight, causing her to lean back like she was being threatened. Her wings fluttered as a result, and it made Alex shake his head. He was more surprised than when I told him I was the Masked Man.

“You…” he started, raising a shaky finger to point at Twilight. She stared at it as if it would shoot a bullet at her, lifting up both her hooves to cover her chest. “You're an Alicorn.” He shook his head before squinting, “When did you become an Alicorn!?”

“A couple months ago,” Twilight said, lowering a foreleg while raising another, more confused than threatened. Alex was speechless. Seeing an Alicorn for the first time would probably surprise me too if I didn’t know they were so rare. Although, Alex had phrased his question that didn’t contribute to that explanation. Looking back at Twilight, I remembered we had covered her wings during the whole excursion to the inn.

I chuckled, “Twilight, you didn’t tell them you were a Princess?”

“It never came up,” she muttered as she turned away from us.

“P-Princess!?” Alex exclaimed, throwing a hand onto his head, flustered. I swore he was going to overload from sheer shock, much like I did from last night. “Wait until Vincent hears this!”

The words barely left his mouth before Alex was already out of the room. Twilight jerked her body up as she hopped out of her bed. She was readying herself to give chase, but Alex popped his head around the doorway.

“Oh, and uh, by the way,” he said quietly, staring at the floor. “Sorry about hitting your head against the table last night.”

“Say what?” I asked, glancing to Twilight for confirmation, as Alex had disappeared again.

Her nod was exaggerated, along with the roll of her eyes, “He got really excited and nearly tackled you right into a table. He wouldn’t stop fretting over you until we got you into bed.”

Self-consciously, I rubbed my head, finding no sore spot. After being patched up numerous times by these Ponies, I should have expected my wounds wouldn’t be acting up. Hell, I had a tendril tear right through my shoulder, and it was healed in hours. Or was it days? I never got a
definite time on how long I was out back then.

Twilight galloped out of the room, no doubt chasing Alex. I didn’t see the problem about our friends knowing she was a princess. However, bringing up the tendril had triggered something in me. It felt so long ago that I agreed to this crusade to gather the Elements of Harmony to get home. My motive back then was sturdy: find a way to get back home. I suppose I still have that motive, but…

I shook my head, too tired and hungry to think too much of it. No point dwelling on my past motivations. I wasn’t even sure why I brought up what I had been through. Several times, I had reflected on my actions and such, and several times, I had to focus back on the topic at hand. And at the moment, it was finding Rarity.

And my shoes… and guns.

{~+~}

Either Twilight was hording my things for study, or she simply kept them for safekeeping. Whichever was the case, my clothing and weapons were underneath the bed when I searched. Though, not my knife. It wasn’t as personal as Vera was, but there may come a situation in the future that would call for it. I really needed to get a letter out to Rainbow when I got the chance.

Fully clothed - and leaving my mask - I adjusted the straps on my combat vest as I shuffled out the door. Getting them in the right position for comfortability and maneuverability was tricky. Too tight and I couldn’t aim and move properly. Too limp and the vest would be shifting around my torso. At the moment, one strap was being quite cumbersome, unwilling to get to just the right point.

A door to my right creaked open, drawing my attention as my hands remained on the strap. It came from the opposite wall, a stream of light highlighting its place. Berry Punch stepped out, taking a gander around the hallway before her eyes landed on me. Her eyes widened a bit before a faint blush erupted around her cheeks. I didn’t know what it was about Ponies, but their blushes were easy to spot. Regardless, she faced away from me as she trotted past, heading towards where I expect the stairs were.

I didn’t pay her too much mind, more focused on my strap than her, but Anthony stepped out of the same room as Berry Punch’s in his shirt and boxers. It was hard not to give him a funny look.

“You didn’t hear anything, did you?” he asked hastily, pointing a finger at me. If he was close enough, I would have bent that finger straight up. I really didn’t like his accusatory tone.

“And exactly what wasn’t I supposed to hear?” I questioned. The strap had finally given in, freeing my arms as I crossed them. Anthony gave a soft scoff before stepping back into his - or Berry Punch’s - room, slamming the door behind him.

I grunted as I turned back to the hallway behind me, “Friendly.”

Berry Punch stood there, looking behind her as if conflicted on something. She didn’t have a problem speaking around me last night, so I had no idea what was making her freeze up. Although, it may pertain to how her and Anthony were in the same room. It took only a second for the implications to settle in me, and I swallowed as a shiver passed through my body.

“Can I speak to you?” she asked, more saddened than nervous, the blush long gone, “When you’re ready, that is. I’m just going to be checking on the wine barrels.”

And then she cantered away, far faster than usual, swiftly entering through another room. Alone again, I dared a glance back to the room Anthony occupied, half expecting it to open again.

{~+~}

“Twilight, princess, alicorn…” Vincent said as I walked down the stairs. He sounded like he was studying for a test, but when I saw him, along with Alex and Twilight around the bar, that was hardly the case. Vincent was messing with a few of the drinks behind the counter, though his hands were just turning a few of the bottles around. Probably just looking busy. “Am I missing anything else?”

“No!” Twilight snapped, stomping a hoof, her wings fluttering in agitation. “That’s all. I’m a princess and an Alicorn.”

“Okay, okay,” Vincent said holding up a hand as he faced her, “I just don’t want to be left in the dark here. I mean, you’re a princess! Shouldn’t we be bowing or something?”

An idea popped in my head, and I smirked. Walking off the last step of the stairs, I lowered my upper body as I situated a hand on my chest and back. “Greetings, your majesty,” I said pompously, closing my eyes with a smug look. “Your bags wait in your room for your studies to continue. And tea shall be served at seven o’clock on the dot as promised!”

“Damnit!” Vincent said, and I opened an eye to see him glance between Twilight and myself with genuine worry. “I knew I should have bowed. The one time I meet royalty and I mess it up!”

Alex was equally just as uneasy with how I was acting around Twilight, but showed it by holding up his chin with a hand, his eyes glued to the side. In honesty, he could have been suppressing a laugh.

“No, there isn’t-!” Twilight said before she cut herself off, grinding her teeth, “Augh! Nolan!”

My gentle laugh was enough to ease Vincent as he put a hand over his heart, relaxing his shoulders. Alex was just confused. Seeing their faces was worth it. I was so glad they hadn’t known about Twilight’s status as princess.

“Jeez,” Vincent said, resting on the counter, “Don’t even joke about that, Nolan.”

“I don’t see the problem,” I said with a smile, chuckling. I stepped closer as Alex reached for a glass of water. It could have been vodka, since it was a bar, but Alex was smart enough to know the consequences of drinking in the morning. I sure as hell did, and I wasn’t planning on spending the day in a semi-stupor.

“Says you!” Vincent snapped, taking a deep breath, “One moment, Twilight is like every other Unicorn, then Alex comes shouting about an Alicorn princess!”

The glare Twilight directed at me was probably the least threatening one I had ever come across in Equestria. One that I could bear with a grin. I didn’t care what Twilight thought, that was funny. Plus, it wasn’t often I could pull off a prank like that. Tearing her eyes away from me, she seethed quietly to herself before turning to the back room. I followed her gaze to the doorway, remembering that Applejack was still there…

My smile fell as I sighed, “She still out of it?”

“If you mean unresponsive,” Twilight retorted, giving me a sideways glance, “then yes, she’s still out of it.”

“Who, Applejack?” Alex questioned, jerking a thumb towards the door. I nodded solemnly as he nursed his drink, swishing it around in the glass. “I don’t know the full story with her, but knowing you, Nolan, it can’t be pretty. My condolences.”

He raised the glass before giving a long swig. Vincent went back to turning his bottles. It must have been a force of habit when he was nervous, which must have been saying something when the MP from yesterday were questioning him. He was as still as a rock back then.

“How long has she been like that?” Vincent asked gently, turning to Twilight.

“Just before we arrived here in the inn,” she answered, facing him with a frown.

“And before you ask,” I spoke up, “No, this hasn’t happened before.” I eased my breath; talking about Applejack was making me uncomfortable. My inability to help her was probably the prime suspect behind it, but what we were discussing felt like it should be kept private. “The closest was back in Las Pegasus, when she was having nightmares about her rape.”

Twilight blinked at me, her eyebrows raising enough to tell me she hadn’t been informed about this. Vincent and Alex stepped back with the latter rubbing his hand around his glass.

“Damn, rape?” Alex said with a shake of his head, “I know Apple Bloom said her sister was tough, but… don’t know what to think of that.”

To hear Alex bring up Apple Bloom lifted my spirits. I was glad he hadn’t forgotten her name, and undoubtedly he had a lot of the other foals’ names memorized too. However, it wasn’t enough to change the mood that took precedent over the room.

“Wait, nightmares?” Twilight questioned, rushed over to me with renewed anger, “How come you know about these nightmares, but not me?”

I raised a brow, “She never told you?”

“No!” she said hotly, jabbing a hoof into my stomach. My kevlar vest prevented me from feeling it. “She barely even got out that she was…” She halted as she shied away from me.

I groaned, “Rape. Yes, she was raped. As bad as it is, you can’t act like it’s taboo to say it.”

Twilight was quiet, staring at my legs as her head hung low. Alex and Vincent were deathly quiet, and it was bugging far too much that they were watching like it was a spectator sport.

“We’re best friends,” Twilight whispered, her breath hitching, “She’ll tell you but not me?”

The words Apple Bloom said to me echoed in my mind: I know some ponies change when they’re gone for a long time. To think Twilight was more out of the loop than anyone else. Stuck inside a bunker while her friends were surviving against the Human oppression. She needed to know that she had the easy life for those few months, but I didn’t have the energy to bring it up to her. We already had one comatose Pony, we didn’t need another. However, I couldn’t just ignore the issue either.

“Maybe she was protecting you,” I suggested, resting against the counter, “She knew you wouldn’t take it well. After all, you have a lot on your mind.”

More silence followed as Twilight continued to stare at my legs. They were getting fidgety from how intently she maintained her gaze. Not to mention that Alex and Vincent were still gawking at us. Might as well pop popcorn while they were at it.

As if reading my mind, Vincent cleared his throat as he turned away from the bottles. “You know, I think I’ll leave you guys alone for a minute,” he stated, though his voice was definitely pointing to how awkward he was making it by watching the spectacle. That at least let me know how he felt of his position. “I gotta get some groceries, and find Spitfire. She’s not in trouble or anything, but she likes to fly around and wander, and I never know if she could be in trouble or not, so… yeah.”

For all that it was worth, I was glad I wasn’t in his position. He shuffled along the bar, trying his hardest not to look to us, before promptly heading for the door. His strides could have been mistaken for a soldier’s, as long as they were. As he stepped out, I took note of the outside through the windows. Daylight cast long shadows on the buildings as several Humans and Ponies went about their day. One thing I was glad to see were their smiles. Genuine, voluntary smiles.

I never thought it was possible for Humans and Ponies to get along, besides the obvious exceptions of Alex and myself. To see it so abundantly was heartwarming.

Of course, that moment didn’t last as Twilight walked away towards Applejack’s room, leaving Alex and I alone. Shaking my head, I rested my arms on the counter, my eyes flickering over the bottles turned by Vincent. I wasn’t really paying attention to what they read. I was far more curious with the question rattling around my head.

“How’d you get here?” I questioned rather lightheartedly. I didn’t expect my voice to be so chipper, considering the tense atmosphere a moment ago. But just thinking about the tracks Alex had to go through to get from Appleloosa to Manehattan was nagging me. I looked over to him inquisitively, and he broke a smile.

“Not much of a tale, I’m afraid,” he expressed as he took another shot of his drink. I didn’t expect Alex to be modest. Certainly, he had qualities of a big brother - which wasn’t unexpected with him having a younger sister - but I figured he would have boasted about his trek, if just to keep things comedic between ourselves.

“Try me,” I stated back with a smile. He gave a dry chuckle.

“I just walked,” he said with a shrug, “Got really hungry after we parted ways, but I had enough bits on hand to buy some food. Found my way here, and stuck around to recuperate. Pretty big coincidence that we ran into each other.”

“That all?” I joked.

He gave me a gentle shove, “Don’t even start.”

{~+~}

Poking my head through a door, I was instantly met by the cool, still air. Barrels on top of barrels hugged the walls, leaving the center of the room bare, where a lantern sat with Berry Punch. She was adjusting a spout from one of the barrels, but she knew I was there. Not just from the door closing, but just from the way she stopped for a brief moment. Whatever it was she wanted to discuss with me must have been digging around in her mind.

Stepping closer was eerie, like the room was watching us. Every step, every move was observed by the inanimate barrels surrounding us. If I was claustrophobic, I would go as far as to say they were suffocating. The lantern's light cast large shadows across the room, dancing as the flame flickered. I stared at these shadows as I sat crossed legged in front of the lantern, but Berry Punch still didn’t move to greet me.

“So why do you keep the liquor up here?” I started, keeping things civil, “Wouldn’t it be easier to keep it cool in a basement or cellar?”

Berry Punch grunted, finally looking over her shoulder to me, “Liquor is rare in Equestria. It isn’t that it’s banned, but no one really has the expertise to make and maintain alcohol properly. Applejack makes some mean Apple Cider, but other than her, I can’t name anypony else.”

“That still doesn’t answer my question,” I retorted, keeping my voice even.

“The inn doesn’t have a basement,” she deadpanned, not at all pleased with how I had worded my sentence.

A thunk was heard as she banged a hoof against the barrel before spinning around to face me. Her face was dead serious, and I kept mine as casual as possible. I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like what she wanted to bring up.

“But enough small talk,” she stated, her hooves clopping as she made her way to the lantern. They were even creepier than my footsteps. Sitting on her haunches, she narrowed her eyes before speaking again, “You’re the Masked Man.”

She was stating it. She already knew the answer. But I could tell she wasn’t beating around the bush. In a way, she was verifying her own knowledge, and it was only right to oblige her.

“Right,” I said, resting my arms on my legs.

“Which means you were the one who freed all those foals back in Appleloosa,” she said, her head tilting just a bit to the side. I nodded at her words. “So I have to ask you this.”

She swallowed, taking a few breathes as a hoof pawed at the ground, “Do you know a filly named… named Piña Colada?”

The name stuck a chord in me. I couldn’t recognize the name, but something inside of me snapped and a flood of misery rushed forth. My heart stung, but I couldn’t figure out why. My face contorted as I racked my brain for a memory portraying to that name. She was a filly… back in Appleloosa…

I recoiled as a memory flashed before my eyes. A filly, bleeding in her chest, so out of it she couldn’t even feel the pain. I rushed her to the hospital, but it was too late.

Her name was Piña Colada. I figured I should at least tell you that.

Doctor Styles, why did you have to tell me her name?

My mouth was dry as Berry Punch looked to me expectantly, her narrow eyes changing to some semblance of hope. She couldn’t be the sister that little filly mentioned, it was too coincidental. I was just getting worked up over nothing. Even still, I knew I was wrong; why would she ask a question like that if she wasn’t her sister?

“Y-Yeah,” I choked out, feeling my eyes watering just a tad. My brain was blank. I couldn’t think how to break it to her, I couldn’t figure out an excuse to avoid it, I couldn’t even think of a response besides confirmation. “I knew a filly named…” I gave a shaky sigh, “Piña Colada.”

The bright smile on Berry Punch tore me apart. What was worse was the squee she suppressed as she flung her hooves wildly in the air, like how a rearing horse would. I couldn’t do it, I couldn’t break it to her. She was too happy to be toppled back down to grief.

“You saw her?” she questioned before hopping to her hooves with a dainty little skip, “I didn’t want to be hopeful, but… yes! She’s still out there!”

I shut my eyes facing the ground. My hands were sweaty. I couldn’t concentrate. Please, please don’t ask me-

“Where is she now?” she asked, and I fumed. “Back in Las Pegasus with the other foals?”

“No,” I whispered, my eyes wandering to the lantern. The flame swayed from every faint breeze in the room, and the shadows followed suit. I was sure the light would give away Piña Colada’s fate. Amazingly, Berry Punch never lost her smile.

“Oh, so she’s hiding in another city?” she asked stepping closer as if my next response would go unheard. I was cornered like a rat.

“She’s dead,” I blurted, my lips moving of their own accord. Her face contorted, eyes widening as she pulled away. She was disgusted, plain and simple. Who wouldn’t be after hearing what I had said?

“Don’t joke about this,” Berry Punch snapped, holding a hoof to her chest. “This is my sister we’re talking about, alright?”

I had already known that, yet her words pierced my resolve as I locked my eyes with hers. I couldn’t bear to see hope fleeting from her very expression, but I forced myself anyway. It was all too similar to how Applejack behaved. My heart tightened; at that point, it was just a lump of tissue inside my chest.

“No, no you’re lying,” she accused, her voice hollow. She shook her head, “You’re just saying that because… because…” Her eyes furrowed threateningly. “How would you even know!? There must have been loads of foals! It could have been another…”

Her words were desperately hurtful, how she would think it easy to think it was just another filly that was shot, tumbling down the hill of sand along with myself. Another filly I struggled to keep alive until we got her to a doctor.

“She wanted to see you again,” I stated, trying to remember the last words the filly spoke to me, “She held on for a long time.”

“Shut up!” she demanded, throwing a hoof across her eyes, “Just. Stop. Talking! She paused as her teeth clenched, fighting back tears. “How did she die? Tell me that.”

“A sniper,” I recounted, lost in the memory. It was playing again, and I couldn’t fight it. I could only sit there and watch as the filly gave a cry of pain as the bullet struck, after seeing those carriages, leading to freedom. “He fired at us, me and the filly. He got both of us, her body and my arm. It was so fast-”

A hoof slapped across my cheek. It stung as much as any other strike, but it had more impact. My face was directed to the side, where the shadows continued their dance of darkness. They were taunting me, but I was dead inside. I didn’t know what to feel.

Berry Punch, on the other hand, was a plethora of emotion. Her face was shrouded in shadow, as she had to stand over the light to reach me. Her hoof was held to the side after following through with her slap, unable to put it down.

“You monster!” she screamed, shoving me away with her hooves. By how little I moved, I could tell she couldn’t muster the same strength she had put into her slap. My cheek was still stinging. “You have the nerve to tell me my sister is dead, and that the hero of the Ponies survives! What kind of sick Human are you!? You’re supposed to save lives, not cause more deaths!”

Her eyes gleamed with fury, the only thing I could really see on her face. As much as her torrent of words nailed a hole in my heart, I didn’t rebut. I remained still, and took it.

“The Masked Man,” she scorned hotly, her hoof scrapping hard against the floor. “What good are you if you can’t even save my sister! I hope you burn in Tartarus with the Baron and the rest of you good for nothing Humans!”

She was gone before I registered her words and the weight behind them, the door slamming shut. I was left with the echos, the lantern, and the shadows, still pirouetting across the walls. A part of me knew she was just spouting nonsense, that she was just angry. Another part knew I deserved every harsh word she pushed onto me. And yet another part strived to do better, to undo the pain that she was going through.

All I wanted was silence.

{~+~}

The flow of time was at a standstill in that room. No windows to see the sun move and the light shift. No clock to see the hands go around and around. It was just me and the barrels of liquor. And to think my brain simply wondered what to do next. It was obvious: find Rarity and save her. My legs didn’t move, my arms were limp. Damnit, just stand up!

The room was like another dimension. A place where I could sit and think. Maybe I just wanted this opportunity to let everything soak in. But I was wasting time. Time that could be used for planning or searching. So, get up, pathetic body!

My muscles strained as I followed my motivation. I couldn’t describe why I was in such a bizarre state. All I understood was that my body was acting differently than how my brain was. It was separate, and just standing to my feet was a testament to that. My legs were wobbly, and I stumbled a little to the side, grasping a barrel to hold my balance.

Piña Colada… That certainly wasn’t going to motivate me. Dwelling on the past, especially a terrible one, usually didn’t. I suppose I could add that little filly along with Emma on my list of failures, the list of people that I could have saved.

But I had saved lives too. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Carrot Top… Fleetfoot… Rose...

Shit, I had to stop thinking. I might as well teleport to my fucking world while I was at it. Was I so incompetent that I hadn’t realized I was hurting more than I was helping? Berry Punch may have blown up in my face, but she had a reason, a good reason. Even still, I wanted to curse and scream and get all of this weight off me somehow. Did I need to save more lives? Was that it?

No one answered. Who the hell would?

The door behind me swung open, slamming against the wall hard enough to startle me. I jumped away as I spun around, finding Anthony looming in the doorway, wearing his outfit from yesterday. I would have relaxed - seeing as it wasn’t Berry back to berate me some more - but the look in his eyes were killer. He didn’t move for a while, and I was certain he was just going to leave before he slowly walked towards me.

“Hey, Anthony,” I greeted dully, “What’s the matter? You seem kind of-”

He socked me in the mouth, sending me crashing into the ground, barely missing the lantern. Unlike with Berry Punch, I was more pissed than impassive, glaring at Anthony from where I lied, rubbing where he had struck me. The taste of copper was already filling up my mouth.

“What the hell!?” I screamed at him before spitting out a wad of blood and spit beside me. There was a lot of the former.

“You asshole!” Anthony screamed right back, taking a step forward threateningly. “What did you do to Berry Punch!?”

Hearing her name made me somber for a moment before I had to spit another wad of blood, reminding me who I was dealing with. “I think that’s a little private, don’t you think?” I snarked, getting back to my feet again. Unlike last time, my body didn’t have a problem. It helped that I really wanted to knock the lights out of Anthony.

“Private!?” he yelled in disbelief, glancing back and forth as if an audience would burst out laughing, “She won’t stop crying! And I know damn well she wanted to talk to you beforehand, so fess up!”

I knew I wasn't getting out of here without giving him an answer. This world seemed to thrive on that mentality. “Fine,” I grumbled, swishing around the blood in my mouth. I was tempted to swallow it. “Her sister is dead. Are you happy?”

He blinked, his facade of big tough guy evaporating, “Her… what?”

“Berry Punch’s sister,” I emphasised, getting my turn of assertion, “is dead.”

I wasn’t one to insult a friend - or an acquaintance - but boy, did he look like a dumb, blubbering idiot. It might have been my bleeding mouth talking, but his switch around in attitude was worth ridiculing him over. Anthony put the back of his hand against his forehead before turning away from me.

“Seriously?” I questioned harshly, “You punch me in the fucking mouth and you don’t even know why?”

“She’s-” he started before shaking his head. I spit yet another wad of blood onto the floor. I needed some water, this blood was getting everywhere. “She never said she had a sister.”

I was surprised enough to let a bit of spittle drip from my mouth. Wiping it off my chin, I looked to him as he faced me with contemplation. “What was her name?” he asked, his voice surprisingly gentle.

“Piña Colada,” I answered. He opened his mouth a moment before giving a ghost of a smile. I wasn’t sure if he found the name slightly amusing and was trying to hide it. I was on the same boat as him back when she passed away.

“How long have you known Berry Punch?” I questioned.

“Three months, give or take,” he said, the gentleness replaced with somberness. “She was real skittish around me and Vincent for the first week. Didn’t talk, did her part of the work. I think it was when we started up that bar she got interested. And me and her kicked it off.”

I raised a brow, and he obliged to my confusion, “We both like liquor.”

That little remark got a grunt out of me.

“We’ve been… friends,” he stated, but I didn’t like how forced it was. “Friends for a while.”

“Just friends?” I asked, crossing my arms, remembering how they were in the same bedroom. I might have been overthinking that part though.

“Good friends,” he stressed, though without too much aggression. I didn’t need a black eye along with my bloody mouth. “We’ll keep it at that. After all, if what Twilight told me is right, you have a friend of your own to rescue.”

Rarity. Enough distractions, we needed to get back on track. Even still, Twilight’s exposed back forced me to ask, “You see her wings yet?”

Anthony grimaced, scratching the back of his head, “Yeah, I saw them.”

“At least that’s out of the way then,” I chuckled, stepping towards the door. Before passing through it, however, I turned back to him and punched him in the gut. The breath left him as he crumpled to the floor, gasping for air. “And next time, don’t punch me.”

{~+~}

Applejack lied in her bed, a blanket covering her body and leaving her head exposed. Of course, I could only see the back of her head from where I sat alongside Twilight. Seeing Applejack again in the exact same position was putting a whole load of pain on my chest. And I couldn’t just give her a pep talk like last time. She might be able to tough out her rape, but knowing full well that her brother was gone… I had no brothers of my own to compare her experience, but losing Emma was all I needed to know what she was going through.

Everyone went through grief differently though, and having Applejack lie around, practically lifeless, was very much different to what I had done.

With my legs drawn up to my chin, I was relieved to have something to rest my heavy head on. A part of me must have been carrying a part of AJ’s burden. I didn’t know how Twilight could sit without something to rest against. Ponies couldn’t sit like Humans, nor could their legs bend like one. They had to prop themselves up, weather through their own storms. Or maybe Twilight was getting some backlash from Applejack’s mood. As far as I could tell, she was the main link between these Elements of Harmony. Even still she hardly showed any sign of tiring.

I grunted; maybe it wasn’t just Applejack who was stubborn.

“You say something?” Twilight whispered, facing me as she tilted her head. Seeing her up close, her cleanly cut mane was even sharper than I had thought. A far cry from every other Pony I had met. While I was staring at her mane, she was staring at my mouth, newfound concern bubbling in her expression.

“Is that… blood on your lips?” she questioned, lifting a hoof to point. It was so close I swore she was going to touch me. As for her question, I must have missed a few spots when I was cleaning up after the exchange with Anthony. “I’ll get it.”

She licked her hoof before reaching out to me, and I was able to back away just before her hoof connected. “Don’t do that,” I accused loudly before wincing and looked to Applejack. Still sleeping. “I’m not a kid.”

Twilight bashfully faced the floor, her head hung in shame. “S-Sorry,” she whispered out, “It’s just AJ and…” She took a deep breath, “Did you say something before?”

“I was… just thinking,” I muttered back. I wasn’t at all miffed that Twilight got the subject back on track. Her motherly instincts must have been kicking in, and after seeing Spike, I had to imagine how he dealt with her during those moments. “You’ve been friends with Applejack, Fluttershy, and the others for a while, right?”

“Yeah,” Twilight said firmly, brokering no argument.

“Was it always like that?” I asked.

Her eyes studied me, but eventually she turned away with a heavy sigh. “No,” she answered, her eyes half lidded, “Not always. For most of my life, I just stuck with books. I didn’t really think friends were that important.” She chuckled dryly, “Now look at me, sitting here with you, waiting for Applejack to snap out of it.”

A small smirk eased on my lips, “I didn’t exactly expect to be in this situation either.”

“I guess not,” Twilight agreed with a nod, “Life is strange, huh?”

“Nah,” I replied with a shake of my head, “Life is unexpected. But it’s what makes it good, ya know?”

Twilight hummed, but I wasn’t sure if it was in thought or in agreement. Either way was fine by me.

Eventually, Applejack would wake up, go back to the way she was, and help us out as a friend. But she might not wake up, she might change, and wouldn’t have the energy to do much. Such turmoil was going to tear us apart, and I knew we needed to move on ahead with our plan. It was the reason I was in the room in the first place, to get Twilight. Suddenly, I needed someone else to pull me out.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I pressed against the wall as I stood up, gesturing for Twilight to do the same. Hesitantly, she did, glancing back to Applejack. If Twilight and I spent all our time worrying over AJ, we wouldn’t get anything done. As much as I wanted to comfort her when she awoke, we couldn’t waste any more time.

I walked past Twilight as she followed along reluctantly, and it wasn’t until we entered the main lobby of the inn did she speak again.

“You know,” she said, using her magic to close the door behind us. “I thought it would be so straightforward on these missions. I read that with enough optimism, nothing would be impossible. But after seeing that battlefield…” She gave a tired sigh, her ears slowly folding back, “I don’t know how you guys can even stay on track.”

“Well, think of it like this,” I suggested, holding up a finger. My mind was working furiously to come up with a good comparison. “Each mission is like a book. We might get pretty far in one book, or we might not. And sometimes, we have to stop for a moment to work on something else.”

“That makes a lot of sense to me,” Twilight nodded with no hint of sarcasm. I could have sworn that analogy wasn’t the greatest, but as long as Twilight got it, mission accomplished. “Oh, and we can make a lot of our life events like books. For example, this whole resistance against these Humans is like a huge book.” She gasped sharply hopping up and down as she trotted over to the bar. “Oh, Oh! And these missions are like chapters!”

She was getting pretty lively, which wasn’t at all bad. I wished I could manage something like that, but my mind was far too burdened with everything else. It didn’t help that neither Alex nor Anthony were here, just Carrot Top. She sat in one of the many chairs in the room, her hooves on the table as she tried to hide behind it. She tried her hardest not to look at me, knowing what I wanted to discuss, and it sure as hell wasn’t the wine selection.

Movement outside caught my attention, though it just turned out to be several busy Humans and Ponies. They all were reading some sort of poster tacked to the wall across the street. Probably my new bounty, I did cause quite a ruckus last night. Turning back to Carrot Top, her restraint was even more apparent. She may not be moving around much, but the strain on her neck was more than enough proof for me.

“Carrot Top,” I said, resting an arm on my hip. She slowly looked to me, and I could tell she really didn’t want to bring up the subject. Frankly, neither did I, but ignoring the elephant in the room wasn’t going to make the scene disappear in my head. “About last night…”

“It won’t happen again,” Carrot Top replied blatantly, staring ahead, “It was just to throw off the Humans, n-nothing more.”

Oh, it was something more alright, and she was hiding it from me. My stomach boiled for the briefest moment before it simmered down. She was just as awkward with the kiss as I was. Maybe giving it bit more time wouldn’t hurt before I brought it up again. In a place more private, too, as Twilight was giving Carrot Top and I a look of curiosity. Knowing her, that wasn’t a good thing, given the topic.

The entrance burst open, not too different from last night, and I whipped around, keeping my back away from the door. I didn’t know why it had occurred to me so late that I was walking around near the windows with S.W.A.T. still on my back. Luckily, it was just Anthony holding the door open with one arm as the other clutched tightly to a piece of paper. He was… excited? It was hard to tell from his pasty skin. I didn’t think it was from fear or worry, but his face was in pure shock, so it was hard to tell.

Berry Punch galloped past Anthony before skidding to a halt her eyes whipping over to me. “Nolan!” she yelled, just as aghast, maybe even more so. “You’re not- I mean, it is believable, but it’s just- that one guy- No!”

She slapped a hoof to her head, growling before taking a deep breath. It was the first time I had seen her in such a state, and it was putting me on edge. My imagination jumped to Spitfire and Vincent before I had to take a deep breath myself. Get the facts first, then mellow in apprehension.

“Slow down,” Twilight advised, stepping closer. She was far calmer than I was. She must have had experience in such tense matters. It worked too, as Berry Punch took another deep breath. Anthony was doing the same, still clutching the paper tightly. If it was any tighter, it would rip.

“Sorry, Princess-”

“Just Twilight,” Twilight reprimanded quickly.

“Right, Twilight,” Berry Punch restated with a nod, wiping a few drops of sweat off her brow. “It’s just, well, look for yourself.”

She pointed to Anthony who flinched as our eyes went to him. The paper he held was what I was really looking at. It had to be what was getting everyone all riled up, and if it was giving Anthony the shivers, then I didn’t think I was going to like it. He closed the door - which I didn’t even realize was still open - and sped over to me. I swiped it as soon as it was within range, and looked over the document, preparing for the worst.

Graceful Gathering Gala

Hosted by True Helper Blueblood

“True Helper Blueblood?” I questioned, my earlier anxiety melting away. It sounded like a dumb party than something like an execution. In fact, the picture was of some hoity toity Unicorn Pony with white fur and a yellow mane and tail that screamed over-groomed. The bow tie was just icing on the cake. For a moment, I thought Blueblood was the Pony, but that was impossible. Ponies weren't given rights like that by the Humans. My best assumption was that the Pony was some big attraction. Who knew why he was so important though.

“Keep reading,” Anthony said gravely, tapping the paper.

Come one, come all!

A celebration will be held for those wanting to meet the True Helper himself! Drinks and food will be provided, and slave auctions throughout the night! All Uniques enter free - and bring one guest with no extra charge! All others will need 1 bit for admittance!

Have an unwanted slave? Several rich attendees are on the lookout! Earn big Bits!

Formal attire required, all who attend must abide by the Occupation Code, event is held-

“Alright, I’m getting nauseous from just reading this,” I gripped, covering my eyes to hide them from all this bullshit. It was a bit of an exaggeration, but I still didn’t like how they referred to these Ponies as slaves to be traded like property.

“Just read the last part,” Anthony said exasperatedly, whether from my attitude or from sharing the same sentiment. Regardless, I scanned past the location and date until I found the last lines of the poster.

Special guests will be visiting from many corners of Equestria! Including Megan Lowery, Joshua Holloway, and the biggest one of all!

“The Baron!?” I hissed, reading over the line again. I couldn’t be reading this right; the Baron himself was attending this party!?

“Y-You’re joking,” Twilight accused, just as shaken up from the revelation. “There’s no way it’s the Baron. I mean, he’s the one behind this whole invasion!” She tapped her chin, “Right?”

“Exactly right,” Anthony nodded glumly, “The very same Baron that never left Canterlot since it was captured.”

“Sounds paranoid,” I noted, giving the poster another look over. The information was suddenly more important, sprouting several questions. Why was this Blueblood so significant? And why did he have a title like ‘True Helper’?

“What’s more is that the party is tonight,” Anthony said, causing a sigh to escape my lips. I wasn’t sure how to process this. In some light, this was an opportunity to assassinate the head honcho reigning over Equestria. In another light, it was probably going to be so heavily guarded and fortified that none of us were even going to get close without getting deterred. And we still needed to find Rarity.

“Do you think…” Twilight started, her magic enveloping the poster. I let it go as she hovered it over to herself, “the Baron owns Rarity? I mean, it’s a bit of a long shot- It’s that Blueblood?!”

Her eyes were wide in both surprise and anger, transfixed on the poster that she held an inch away from her muzzle. I couldn’t figure out what she meant before she slammed the poster onto a table, her rage breaking through her expression.

“Blueblood is Celestia’s nephew,” Twilight emphasised, slapping a hoof onto the poster. “Why the hay is he called a ‘True Helper’? He definitely didn’t help any Ponies!”

No way. A Pony in a position of power. And he wasn’t a captive or anything! I was with Twilight on this one, what the hell did he do to earn a prestigious title like that?!

“He’s always been here,” Anthony clarified, with a nod from Berry Punch. “Ever since he sold out those Ponies sneaking out of Canterlot, the group with that princess… I forgot her name.”

“Luna,” I whispered, my eyes flicking over from my shoes to the chair to the floor to my shoes again. If Blueblood got his title of ‘True Helper’ from betraying Luna’s Company, then that meant she had never betrayed the Ponies in the first place. All the flak the Ponies back in Las Pegasus were giving her was all for nothing. She was innocent.

I was pretty torn up about that. There I was yelling at her back in my dreams.

Of course, my shame quickly evolved into fury, seeing the real perpetrator on the poster, with a shit eating grin no less. The Baron wasn’t the only one I wanted to kill at that Graceful Gathering Gala. A good shot through the eyes ought to do it. However, I had to stay rational. As much as this snide prick needed a firm thrashing, we couldn’t get off track.

For the second time, the door burst open, allowing Vincent and Spitfire to enter. They might as well have been running for their lives, based on their breathing. Hell, even Spitfire was flying around, and there was no question that she was faster in the air than on foot. Twilight and Berry were the first to see to Vincent; he was swaying a bit. Spitfire flew right over me, her momentum carrying her in a circle before landing on a table next to me. It nearly toppled over from her speed.

“We… learned about a… party,” Spitfire spoke with gasps interrupting her. I swore, if she passed out…

“Yeah, Graceful Gathering Gala,” I said, walking over to the poster before waving it for emphasis.

“That’s… not it,” Vincent gasped out, leaning an arm on a table. Hearing Spitfire was one thing, but hearing Vincent made me more cautious. For someone from the military, he sure didn’t sound like he was in good shape. He held up a hand to ask for a moment, but I didn’t need to hear it.

“Rarity's there,” I said with a snap of my fingers, pointing to him afterwards. Both him and Spitfire nearly slipped from their spots. Even the other people in the room looked at me like I was psychic.

“How…?” Spitfire started.

I shrugged indifferently, “Not hard to assume really. Given how these Elements of Harmony have been, and my luck, it’s a safe guess. And your reactions tell me I’m right.”

They both nodded. Vincent slid into a chair and rested his head in his hands. Spitfire simply lied down on the table. I kept a mental note to not use these tables; they were used more for lounging than eating.

There I go, trying to distract myself. For good reason though. I was not excited to head to his party. The Baron, Blueblood, and Rarity were all there. Another look at the poster gave me nothing but a reminder that it was unavoidable.

“We saw her,” Spitfire revealed, still breathing pretty heavily, but had calmed down enough to speak normally. “She was walking with Blueblood, in the street. I wasn’t sure why they were out there, but it felt off. We couldn’t get a closer look either, me being a Pegasus Pony and all that.

“And what’s worse was that I recognized her,” Vincent said with a shake of his head, along with the rest of his body. It was either from his own anger or from his exertion. “Blueblood walks around with her once in awhile. Even passed by the inn at one point.”

There was no conclusion to bringing up that information. But I couldn’t find it in myself to blame him for not doing something sooner - if that was what he was getting at. In fact, looking to Anthony, he was brooding in his own way: staring at the floor. Something him and I had in common.

The Ponies didn’t know what to do. They stood around looking between everyone, like I did. Waiting. Placing the poster down, I knew what they were expecting, though examining my attire, I didn’t feel like we were quite ready to free yet another Pony.

“I’m going to need a suit,” I muttered with no sense of motivation, rubbing my forearm. The pit in my stomach wasn’t going to leave; the last time I had worn a suit was anything but pleasant.

Chapter 24: Supplant

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 24: Supplant

Too tight. Just one of the complaints I came up with for the suit I wore. Brushing the black coat, the cloth as dark as coal, I tried to ignore the lack of heavy wear around my torso. I couldn’t hide my bullet-proof vest underneath the suit, and it unfortunately had to be taken off. But without it, I was naked. I had argued up and down with Twilight why I needed it, and there it was in the corner. I had never been a fan of formal wear, and this situation was not making it better. I was prepared to simply throw the vest on anyway, but I wasn’t stupid. I knew I couldn’t. The new pants were pretty bland, as were the shoes, both matching the color of my coat.

There was yet another complaint; my toes were far too pressed.

Of course, I couldn’t say these aloud. The suit belonged to Anthony, and I wasn’t one to gripe about a gift.

Adjusting the cuffs of the undershirt, I stepped back into the hallway, spotting Vincent already in his suit, along with an orange bow tie. With the rest of his suit as black as mine, it really didn’t work well together. The way he waited patiently with a stern smile on his face didn’t ease my annoyance either.

“You didn’t take long,” he noted impatiently, his hands held in front of him. A glance down the hallway showed that I wasn’t the last one to get ready. Besides Vincent, there was Twilight Sparkle, sporting a long dress that followed her form. Midnight blue in color, it flowed around her tail before ending in a flourish of flowers. And it was all topped off with a red rose design around her chest.

She was also unpleased with my less than timely appearance.

“We still have plenty of time,” I retorted, fixing my coat’s collar to feel more comfortable. Twilight grunted, a scowl on her face. Her eyes, however, were fixed on the door leading into Carrot Top’s room.

Vincent raised a brow as he looked over me. His head tilted left and right in examination, his face scrunching up. I wished he would stop with his exuberant critical eye and just tell me what was on his mind.

“No tie?” he questioned.

Shaking my head, I rubbed the exposed white shirt that my suit couldn’t hide. Vincent gave me a look like he didn’t like it, but he pursed his lips as he glanced down to Twilight, who didn’t even bother giving her opinion. I was glad he didn’t bring it up; ties were damn hard to get on, and just felt out of place. Besides, I looked a lot better without one.

The door to Carrot Top’s room opened as she slipped through. “Sorry, I took so long,” she stressed, fidgeting with her dress. It was more in line with what a Pegasus would wear; gray with streaks of blue along the back. The front looked more like a cloud itself, encompassing her chest in a tuft of cotton. I thought she would take on a more carrot-derived design, but that was simply based on her Cutie Mark. Not everything had to revolve around those strange tattoos though, and I doubted there was a such a dress on such short notice.

“We’re losing daylight,” Twilight announced as she quickly trotted for the stairs. Her dress swayed with each step. Yeah, the dress was definity form fitting. “Let’s head down to meet the others. We’ll come up with a plan there.”

Vincent was just as rushed, following in line with Twilight as Carrot Top and I remained. If I could draw a comparison between the two of them, they sure liked to keep things orderly when it came to time. Maybe instead of rebuking us, they could exchange their agendas to see whose was more organized.

“Do you like it?” Carrot Top asked gently. Turning to her, I could see her blush as she lifted a forehoof to cradle her dress. The smile was very pleasent to see, causing me to mirror it.

“Yeah, it’s nice,” I replied. My mom always said to compliment a woman on her appearance when she asked for it, and that lesson helped immensely with Emma. Although Carrot Top was a mare, I was sure it still counted.

Admittedly, both Carrot Top and Twilight looked good. Cute yet still having an air of grace. They didn’t even care that they were pulling off those dresses, and this was coming from someone who had no experience in the field of fashion. I couldn’t imagine someone like Applejack wearing a dress. Not here, nor anywhere really.

Sighing, I gazed longly down the hallway, where I was sure Twilight and Vincent were getting antsy waiting for us, again.

“I’m glad you like it,” Carrot Top spoke before I could make a move. Her smile was more fond, and her blush had toned down. “Berry Punch lent it to me. I wasn’t sure how it would look, and Twilight isn’t exactly the type to give another mare advice. Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it,” I said with a nod. She shifted closer to me and nuzzled my stomach. Her mane brushed against my hand, and I petted it slowly. I had never felt a Pony’s mane before, having worn my gloves. It was soft, and therapeutic in a way. The softness was thanks to the bath she had taken a while ago, but I still couldn’t get enough of it. I wasn’t sure what compelled me to comfort her either, but something told me she didn’t get compliments very often. “I’m sure you would have looked great in anything.”

She gave a nervous giggle as she rubbed her foreleg, her blush returning to the intense red from earlier. If it was that easy to compliment her, I had to remember to do more. It was making her ecstatic, and it warmed my heart to see her in high spirits. Plus, it was adorable the way she giggled.

Breaking away from her, I made my way down the hallway as I turned to her, “Okay, now I know those two are going to blow a gasket. So much for being punctual.”

“It was worth it,” Carrot Top remarked, sticking her nose in the air. Glancing down to my suit, I found a few strands of orange hair sprinkled around. They could stay there though, I wasn’t worried about appearances.

{~+~}

“That’s the plan?” Anthony questioned in disbelief.

We all stood in a ring, shoulder to shoulder, to work on the plan. Twilight and I came up with most of it, since she had the brains and I had the expertise. After all, breaching was my forte, even if it wasn’t as violent as my other escapades. Still, several other people had chipped in, and it was the final plan that was giving Anthony pause.

Why couldn’t he bring up his objections before we came up with the final plan?

“I’m with Anthony on this one,” Alex said, pointing to him. I couldn’t read his expression. He was definitely grim, but there was another harrowing feel about him as well. “I get there isn’t a lot of formal clothing to give out, especially with the party starting in an hour, but there’s gotta be something better we can come up with.”

“Four is a good amount of people for this type of mission,” I stressed, “Any more and it’ll get suspicious.”

“I know, I know,” Anthony said, holding up both of his hands, “And that’s the reason you can’t sneak me or Alex in, but I’m sure another Pony or two would avert a couple eyes. No offense.”

“No, I see your meaning,” Twilight nodded, glancing to Berry Punch and Spitfire, “But as Nolan pointed out as well, having four is a good way to keep ourselves inconspicuous. We can easily communicate with each other without anyone noticing.”

“When you put it that way, it makes sense,” Spitfire agreed with her own nod. She gave a playful look to Anthony, “And besides, we’re not completely out of the action. Any sign of a struggle and we’ll be in there before they can say ‘Wonderbolt’.”

Unless that would just make things worse. Even though Alex, Anthony, and Spitfire would hide outside of the party location - I still hadn’t gotten a confirmation where it was held - it could just create chaos for us if they got involved, and get someone killed in the process. I had been in several S.W.A.T. teams, and I knew that the more allies there were, the more confused it could get. Friendly fire, misinstruction, and disorientation, just to name a few.

However, at the end of the day, we were outnumbered, and anyone capable of fighting was a requirement.

Speaking of which, Berry Punch wasn’t too happy with our plan, staring off into space. She hadn’t spoken up for a long time. “Sorry, you have to stay here,” I apologized. Berry shook out of her trance as she forced a smile. A really forced smile.

“It’s no problem,” she said, but her words were empty to me, “Someone’s gotta watch Applejack, right?” Her smile finally fell to the frown she had hidden as she turned to Anthony. “Just don’t die.”

Vincent chuckled, “That’s the plan.”

“Well, not really,” Twilight added afterward, “I thought everyone was-”

“Figure of speech,” I interrupted, with a bemused shake of my head.

“Oh,” Twilight said as she gave an embarrassed smile. Everyone either chuckled or smiled at the exchange. All but Berry Punch, who slipped out of the circle, making her way across the room. Anthony and I were the only ones to notice her leave.

“I’ll be right back,” I said without looking away from Berry. Vincent responded, but I wasn’t paying attention, already heading to Berry with my mind abuzz. She still had to be hurting after finding out what happened to her sister. And she wasn’t at all pleased with how Anthony was coming with us while she stayed behind. They had something going between each other.

As I approached her, Berry didn’t move, staring at the wall intently as I figured out what to say. It was a lot harder than I thought.

“You don’t have to worry about Anthony,” I reassured quietly, keeping it as private as possible. “Hopefully, we won’t need his help.”

Berry Punch turned to me, and her eyes were on fire as she hissed through clenched teeth, “Hopefully?”

I didn’t think whatever I would have said would make much of a difference. And considered she blamed me for the death of her sister, I doubted anything I did would make up for it. Sighing, I waited a moment in case Berry would follow up, but when she didn’t, I spoke again.

“I know you’re still upset over your sister, and I’m sorry, but there isn’t-”

“Sorry?” She hissed again, facing me fully. The fire in her eyes would have roasted me if I wasn’t already prepared for whatever she had in store. “You think sorry is going to make it all better? You think it’ll bring my sister back?”

“No, I know it can’t do that,” I expressed, already regretting speaking to her. She always found a way to make me feel guilty, “It’s just… I’ve lost someone close to me too, a lot of us have.”

“And you think just because everyone lost someone, my loss is no different? Or even important?”

“Damnit, you’re not even listening to me,” I stated, tightening my hands into fists. I had to really force myself to stay quiet. Berry Punch was getting worked up, and I didn’t want our conversation to turn into a show.

“I don’t need to,” she shot back, somehow keeping her voice as low as mine. She also didn’t want to cause a scene. “My sister was killed because you couldn’t do a thing. And now I’m supposed to trust that Anthony won’t die because of your actions?”

Relaxing myself, I thought about Emma, and how devastated and angry I was when she was gone. If there was a person to blame, wouldn’t I have blamed him? That was always the case; someone always had to be blamed. It was already bad enough I blamed myself for what happened to Emma, or Cloudsdale, or hell, here in Manehattan! And it wasn’t any easier getting talked down for what happened in Appleloosa either.

Having all this on my conscious was really bad. Especially with a huge, delicate mission ahead of us.

“Got nothing to say?” Berry Punch spat, stepping closer. Once again, she was hitting all the right buttons. Enough to rile me up, but not cause me to explode. Cornered like a fucking kid caught with cookies.

“Leave him alone,” Carrot Top ordered harshly, stepping to my side. Berry turned her icy glare to her, and the sparks flew between the two of them. I was afraid they would break out into a fight. We had to avoid that, since Carrot Top’s dress could be ruined.

I never thought I would ever worry about a dress in my life.

“Carrot Top, it’s fine,” I whispered, leaning over to her while closing my eyes. I had to believe what I said too.

“It’s not fine!” she said, no longer keeping things quiet. I didn’t need to look over to the others to know they were watching. Somehow, it always ended up like that. Carrot Top took a defiant step forward, almost defensively in front of me. “She has no idea what you went through!”

“I know all I need to know!” Berry yelled, pointing a hoof to me, “He’s the reason Piña Colada is dead!” Her eyes were glazing over, “I can never ever see her again, because he couldn’t protect her! Why did she, out of all the other foals, have to die!? Huh!?”

Her breathing was erratic, and I mentally debated whether just to drag Carrot Top away before the argument went any further. However, those thoughts disappeared when Carrot Top maintained her glare. Berry Punch’s words hadn’t affected her in the slightest. As for me, it just added another load onto my overburdened heart.

“I don’t know,” Carrot Top said, speaking steadily and with finality. Her face loosened up a bit, “I don’t know why Piña Colada died. But it isn’t Nolan’s fault.”

My stomach tingled a little bit, like the load was melting away.

“But he was-”

“Yes, he was there!” Carrot Top interupted, taking several steps to put her face against Berry’s. She was actually dumbstruck over Carrot’s assertion, “And he tried his hardest to save her! You have no idea what he went through! He was destroyed, broken, when he found out she died. Everyone was celebrating from the foals being free, and he was the only one who wasn’t.”

Doctor Styles probably wasn’t celebrating, but I didn’t bring it up. A doctor could hardly be blamed. They try to save the lives of those who hang in the balance, and I… was the one who put them in those critical conditions in the first place.

“That’s enough, Carrot Top,” I demanded, she faced me, but I gave her a look that shut her up quick. She ground her teeth before heading back to the others behind me. Berry Punch watched her leave, her gaze slowly turning back to me. A revelation had gone off in her head, but I wasn’t sure on what, specifically. “Look, I don’t care if you blame me or not. I already know I fucked up, I don’t need someone rubbing it in my face. Your sister wasn’t the first one that I’ve failed to save, and I’m sure she won’t be the last.”

My mouth was bitter when I said that. It hurt... It hurt a lot.

“But as long as I’m alive, I’m not going to let these Humans keep you Ponies enslaved.”

The cold, hard truth was given. No turning back from that. And it was just that: the truth. I fail sometimes, sure, but that was no reason to give up and hope that would help someone. I was making a difference, and the proof was on my Wanted posters.

“We…” Vincent spoke up weakly, “We gotta get going.”

Bracing myself, I turned my head to find everyone looking to me. Even Carrot Top was no longer upset, but more accepting that I had stopped her. Everyone else eyed me like I would blow up in their face as soon as they moved. A sigh escaped my lips. I was already tired, and the night had only begun.

“Then let’s go,” I said with a nod. The others lingered a moment before heading for the doorway, still keeping a wary eye on me. Carrot Top remained still, staring at the floor as I approached her. “Hey,” she looked up to me, “Thank you. That… meant a lot.”

She gave a smile, one that was either forced or genuine. It was small enough to be either of them. “What are friends…” she hesitated, frowning for half a second before her smile came back. She was definitely forcing that one. “What are friends for?”

I wrapped an arm around her, drawing her close, “For when we need a hug.”

She didn’t hesitate for a moment to return that hug. Her fur was still soft too.

{~+~}

“Whoa,” I said, my eyes traveling over the large room. The whole building must have been that one room! An open, two story room with balconies along both sides. It even had bridges connecting them! If the mansion the party was being held in was built before the invasion, then Equestria must have been loaded on money to spend it on stuff like that.

And the atmosphere, holy shit, the atmosphere! Warm yellow lighting from the lofty chandeliers gave everything a beautiful glow. There wasn’t much furniture, but the long tables were expertly crafted and covered with stylized food.

The music complimented the setting. Gentle sounds of a piano weaved around the room, acting like a pacifier to all the attendees. I couldn’t even remember when I heard music like that. It just made everything feel more calm and thoughtful.

I was blown away by the elegance. It wasn’t stuffy or uptight, but relaxing and meaningful. The general chatter in the room was tame, and everyone that I could see were having a pleasant time, even the Ponies. They all smiled, they all laughed, they all enjoyed each other’s company.

Everything almost made me forget that Equestria was invaded. Almost.

And with that, my appreciation degraded into a passing interest. I was sure everyone would be having a truly good time, if the knowledge of enslavement wasn’t hanging over their heads. Even still, it was nice while it lasted, and the room - it was more of a ballroom than a regular room - still captured my attention.

“I always forget how liberal nobles are with their money,” Twilight noted. Looking down to my side, I didn’t see a hint of disdain. Her eyes twinkled as she admired the room. “Some of them can make some amazing places. And share it with everypony.”

“Well, I don’t think Blueblood is the type,” Vincent added, adjusting his bow tie again. I had to wonder if it was part of his nervous habit. “Though, everyone does seem to be pretty chipper.”

“Makes you wonder if having the entrance price so low had anything to do with it,” Carrot Top put in, stepping forward into the room. She twirled around, her dress flowing as she gazed above to the underside of a bridge. Even that had a beautiful design to it. I was reminded of Medieval times; all swirly with deep red and purple colors. The room always had something new.

“Should we split up?” Vincent asked, turning to me with a raised brow. Twilight and Carrot Top did the same as I contemplated. The room was full of people, a couple guards around the walls, and there was no sign of Rarity or Blueblood. I half expected to spot the Baron, but I didn’t have a clue what he looked like. It scared me, knowing a false move at the wrong time could ruin everything.

I was more uneasy from the fact that we couldn’t bring our weapons. A part of the code of the city or something like that. I didn’t like it one bit, but I didn’t want to have to explain why I was armed for a friendly gathering.

However, there wasn’t too much worry about getting found out. No one had blinked an eye at our arrival, and I didn’t see a reason why the guards would push around a Pony in a place like this. “Yeah, alright,” I said, stepping closer to Carrot Top as I turned to the other two, “Doesn’t look too dangerous.”

“Oh goodness!” Vincent exaggerated, his hands on his cheeks as his eyes widened mockingly, “What if someone were to jump us? How would we ever survive?”

“Fuck you,” I chuckled.

He chuckled back, “It’s a party, Nolan. Manehattan’s had lots of them after the invasion. Most of the people here are Pony supporters too.”

“And yet,” I sighed, hands on my hips as I gazed around, seeing the cheery expressions on everyone’s faces. “It’s being held by someone who betrayed his own species.”

“Point taken,” Vincent replied before rushing over to throw a hand over my shoulder, “But lighten up!” He glanced around before getting closer and whispered, “We’ll find Rarity, don’t worry. It’ll be a cinch, easy as pie!”

I raised a brow at Twilight, who raised a hoof in a shrug. Carrot Top was busy scanning over the room, her face much more determined. Damn, she was already getting busy. The party did last for a couple of hours, we had plenty of time to unwind a bit as we searched for Rarity. Plus, I had never attended such a prestigious party before.

“Speaking of pie,” Vincent said, slipping away, “I’ll start looking over by the buffet table. I’ve waited hours to eat!”

A thought occurred to me. I grabbed his shoulder before he could bolt, leaning my head in as I looked off to the side. The subject was touchy, but it needed to be addressed. The way he smiled just made it that much harder.

“Is your PTSD going to come up?” I questioned. It was a harsh way to put it, but I wanted to get it over with. Vincent frowned ever so slightly, raising my worries. His next words weren’t comforting either.

“Don’t know,” he grumbled. It was hard to tell if he was mad at me for bringing it up, or at himself. I wanted it to be the latter, not for my sake, but because I wanted our emotions to match. If his condition was going to put us in jeopardy, then I needed to know so I could come up with something if he did… lose it. Just phrasing it that way made me feel guilty. Even still, what he provided only made me nervous instead of calculative.

“I have faith in him, Nolan,” Twilight interrupted, her voice brokering no argument. She was using her princess tone again. It wasn’t difficult to notice her change in pitch when she was determined. “Can’t you do the same?”

“I trust him too,” I said back. The words rang in my head, and whatever I wanted to say next died. Sighing, I patted Vincent’s shoulder as a silent apology, and though he didn’t respond, he could have easily brushed it off. That was something at least.

“You won’t keep friends if you ask them questions like that,” Twilight warned. If she kept up with that demeanor, she could have been my mom.

“I had to make sure,” I explained.

Twilight shook her head, “It doesn’t matter. I’ve learned that you have to trust your friends, because they trust you.”

Vincent hurried over to the buffet table, stepping past people and Ponies in his rush. To think a goofball like him had PTSD. It was saddening, knowing he had that linked to him like a prison chain. My worry for our sakes should have been directed to him. Treating him like a bomb that could go off was definitely the wrong idea.

Before I could say something on that regard, Twilight walked off, holding her head high as she took deliberate steps. She was far more experienced than I was in the atmosphere. Probably had something to do with being a princess. And her advice with friends almost sounded like it came from a children’s book. Hell, maybe she was an expert on friendship.

As a distracting afterthought, her dress covered her wings very nicely.

“Can I stick with you?” Carrot Top requested, nudging me with a hoof. I didn’t know if she overheard that whole conversation, but I was glad she didn’t bring it up. I already felt bad for what I said to Vincent. “I wouldn’t mind spending more time with you.”

“It would be easier to find Rarity separately,” I whispered, eyeing several individuals. I had to get my mind back on track, and watching the different types of people was welcoming. There wasn’t many striking features on any of them. The Ponies were far more unique, with their coats, dresses, and suits. A part of me considered that the Humans were jealous of the Ponies’ natural flair. It was definitely something better than the Humans could pull off.

“Right, no time for friends,” Carrot Top muttered.

“It’s not about us,” I snapped back, facing her. She had to know the importance of our mission. We could relax a little, but we needed to cover as much ground as possible. “We just need to keep a look out of Rarity, and we’ll find her quicker if we split up.”

“I know,” Carrot Top sighed, kicking her forehoof along the floor dejectedly. “It’s just I like…” She shuffled closer to my side, resting her head against me. “I want to be close to you. I feel better when I know you're by my side.”

I wanted to flat out tell her that we had to put our feelings aside, but my gut wouldn’t let me. It enjoyed the way she refused to leave me, and wanted to stick by her too. Jeez, my stomach was a mess, like a butterfly was going berzerk. A diversion was what I needed, and I had an idea how to achieve it.

“Your eyes match your dress very nicely,” I said, my voice trembling slightly. I thought a compliment would ease my tension, but after saying it, my heart was racing, my face heating up. Carrot Top was just as bad, a blush growing on her cheeks as she pawed at the floor.

It was only after a few seconds had passed did I realize how pathetic my compliment was.

“Smooth,” a woman said with a hint of a giggle. I turned to the person, finding a dark skinned woman, wearing an elegant black dress reaching down to her knees. Her hair was puffy, running down her back. After looking at her blue eyes, she gave a playful look as she held up two wine glasses filled with a golden brown drink.

“I know I’m hot, you don’t have to check,” she flirted with a smirk. I didn’t know I was checking her out in that way. Embarrassment filled my already uneasy stomach, and I averted my gaze while cupping a hand over my eyes. Damn it, why did my body have to turn against me?

“I’m just teasing,” she laughed. I peeked through hands to see her hold out one of her drinks, a much more easy going smile on her lips. Tentatively, I accepted the glass, my face still hot.

“It’s apple cider,” she pointed out, taking a sip of her own drink. “Non-alcoholic. I figured you could use something to cool yourself off.”

“Thanks,” I mumbled. I was having a hard time getting words out. Taking a drink, the liquid opened up my throat, and I took a deep breath to ease my nerves. When was the last time I had been on edge when I wasn’t in the middle of a fire fight? “What’s your name?”

“Emma,” she said, and I nearly dropped my drink, spilling some of the contents. My nerves were back in full force.

“Easy there,” Carrot Top said, using a hoof to tilt my hand to even the drink out. She was right. I couldn’t get emotional every time I heard that name. After all, it only put a firm hold on my heart… no biggy.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Emma apologized to Carrot Top, putting her hand on her chest. She was awfully sincere, but she wasn’t sarcastic about it. I was just glad the attention was off of myself. “Did you want a drink? I just saw him getting all flustered and thought he could use one.”

“No, I’m good,” Carrot Top waved off politely. “I know how Nolan can get sometimes.”

“Nolan, huh?” she said turning her eyes back to me as her hand wrapped around her waist. “Nice name. And you’re pretty nice yourself.”

“Didn’t really think I was a nice guy,” I said, my eyes flicking to the carpet.

“I wasn’t really talking about your attitude,” she explained, and when I glanced back to her, she had a sultry look in her eye that made me jerk my head back. It wasn’t that I was surprised - it was a part of it - but that she would advance on me so soon. I couldn’t recall if other women had hit on me back on Earth. If they did, I was oblivious to their charms, too focused on the loss of Emma to even consider another relationship. With this Emma, however, my mind was going blank on how to properly respond.

“He’s not interested,” Carrot Top said hastily, holding a hoof in front of her. That summed up what I had in mind. Props for picking up on that. Though she didn’t need to look like she was about to stab someone.

Emma chuckled, “You guys really can’t take a joke.”

Considering the real reason for being at the party, we were more on edge than usual. A shame I couldn’t relate any of this to her, she was actually pretty friendly. However, Carrot Top was still glaring at Emma. A spark of anger was directed at her. Did she really need to get on this woman’s back?

“Carrot Top,” I snapped, causing her to turn her glare to me. “Calm down.”

My words caused her to recoil her head back, as if her actions had finally caught up with her. Emma looked between us, her eyes studying us instead of taking offense to Carrot Top’s behavior. Then her gaze landed on Carrot Top before she gave a sly smile.

“You two would make a cute couple,” she noted with an affirming nod.

For the second time, I nearly spilt my drink. It was out of the blue, and my mind hadn’t thought of a Pony and I being together. I wasn’t even sure what to think about that! I drank more of the cider, wishing it really was alcohol to hide the heat on my cheeks. A glance towards Carrot Top eased my tension, as she was far more uncomfortable than I was. Hell, her blush nearly encompassed her entire face.

“W-What makes you say that?” Carrot Top stuttered, rolling the last word like it was a joke. She even had a smile that she used to hide her anxiety. Emma had a knowing smile on her face as she put a hand on her hip. At that point, she was just playing with us. I didn’t know if she could tell if someone was easy to fluster or not, but she was definitely messing with us really easily.

“I’d like to speak with Carrot Top alone for a moment,” Emma stated, turning to me respectively. “You don’t mind do you?”

I wondered why she had to ask me that, but I remembered Carrot Top was supposed to be my ‘slave’ for the party. That thought made me cringe internally.

“Sure, be my guest,” I said, gesturing to her. Carrot Top wasn’t put off by how she was referred to, but did grimace slightly; her face was still red. I was thankful she didn’t get even angrier at Emma. She was a nice girl, if a bit over the top with her pranks.

“Thank you,” Emma said, before taking a step to the side, revealing a Pony I had no idea was behind her. “This is Lyra. Could you watch her for a moment? She doesn’t like being around Humans, and I think she could use the good exposure.”

That must have been the most subtle compliment I had ever received. I couldn’t say no after hearing that, even if I was searching for someone else. Then again, the state of the poor Pony - a Unicorn - didn’t make me feel better. Her pale green body shook like crazy, her eyes darting around. She had a black music note in her white and cyan mane, complimenting her black dress. The two of them must have chosen to wear the same type of dress.

Emma gave a small wave as she ushered Carrot Top away. She was covering up her face with a hoof as she hobbled away with her other hooves. I wasn’t sure if she was hiding it from me, but if she was, it was a bit late. Left with Lyra, I saw her quiver even harder, her eyes wide as she remained rooted to her spot.

“What’s got you nervous?” I questioned, wondering if she would have an aneurysm from all her shaking. I mean, jeez, I didn’t even think Fluttershy was as bad as her.

“Why?” she wheezed out at last, her legs drawing closer to each other as she clamped her eyes shut. “Why-why-why-why-why? She knows I hate this…”

“Not a fan of Humans?” I asked, trying hard not to sound annoyed. The Ponies had their reasons, but with all these good Humans running around the city, I couldn’t imagine a mare like Lyra getting skittish around us.

“I don’t know how to do hoofjobs!” she blurted, her eyes whipped up to me in panic. “Or blowjobs or-or anything like that! I’ve never even… done it with anyone!”

Jesus, she was a wreck. I had half a mind to scold her for thinking I would even consider doing any of that shit with her. Luckily, my rationality took prominence as I took a step back, holding up a hand.

“I’m not going to do any of that,” I promised slowly, giving her a wide berth. Distance was always the key with situations like this. It helped in hostage situations, and it would help here. However, Lyra glanced to a passing man, and though he barely looked our way, she still flinched when he came close.

“It’s more for everyone,” she whispered, her ears folding back as she shrunk down. I was curious what she had went through to have to announce her experience in sex. Everybody had a horror story to share regarding the Humans, and I had to wonder if I had scarred someone like that.

Then I remembered Lightning Dust. What little guilt had accumulated from my thoughts evaporated instantly.

“Nolan!” Twilight hushed as she skidded to a halt in front of me, making Lyra squeak in fright as she jumped back. She relaxed when she saw who it was, clamping her mouth shut afterwards like she had swallowed whatever words had brimmed in her mouth. “I found Blueblood!”

A breath of air escaped me as a smile grew, “Nice, alright, let’s go.”

Twilight nodded curtly before bounding off, juking through the throngs of people, much to their annoyance. Before I did the same, I faced Lyra, who had her head tilted to the side, furrowing her brow.

“Why… why would Twilight be interested in Blueblood?” She asked, staring ahead like the air itself had an answer.

“Just take my drink and wait here,” I ordered, causing her to flinch again before grabbing my drink with her magic. I didn’t wait for a response before taking off, nearly bumping into a woman in my haste. Sidling, shuffling, and rounding through people was tough, especially while keeping track of Twilight. Her fleeting mane was all I could see, and there were times where it disappeared in the crowd. But I kept up my pace.

There were several eyes on me, but I ignored them; I didn’t have the time to worry over who was watching me when I could lose Twilight in a moment’s notice. And by the time Twilight stopped, it took me precious seconds to reach her still. We weren’t on the clock, but with how we had rushed through the room, breezing by attendees, I could smell the suspicion in the air. And it was stuffy.

Laying my eyes on Blueblood, who resided at the corner of the room, I had to process what I was seeing. He was exactly how the poster depicted: white coat with golden locks, perfectly trimmed and combed. He was bigger than I had thought, with a Cutie Mark of a compass rose. What really left me in a state of shock was not from any of that, but with the company he kept.

Grayson, Carrot Top’s ex-owner, and Megan, the warden of the foal prison.

Manehattan was just one big wondrous reunion.

They hadn’t seen our abrupt entrance, too enthralled in their own conversation to pay either of us any mind. I wanted to think they just liked listening to their own words, the way they regarded themselves. Holding themselves up, as if superior to not only Ponies but other Humans too. Although I did get immense satisfaction in seeing Grayson still using his wooden cane. The brown suit he wore was mediocre to say the least, and Megan wore a suit of her own, still as tan as I remembered.

From the three of them, Blueblood had my attention the longest. He wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. I didn’t get the feeling of arrogance that I had thought I would have, but instead, enthusiasm. His smile never faltered, and he was giddy with excitement. It was uncanny.

“Let’s go,” Twilight announced stepping forward, and I was able to look to her for a brief moment before holding out a hand to stop her. She gave me a small glare, with more confusion that actual agitation. “What’s wrong?”

“A plan,” I emphasised, turning away to hide my face from the three, “You know, something instead of just blindly walking up to them.”

“We just ask him where Rarity is,” Twilight stated brightly, straightening up like it was so clear, “What’s so difficult about that?”

I wouldn’t be surprised if she had never partaken in espionage. That plan had so many flaws, I doubted there was enough time in the night to explain it to her. It took me a moment to think up an appropriate response before holding up a hand to restrain myself from saying something much worse.

“No,” I said flatly. She held her head back in bewilderment before I continued, “First off, Megan has seen me without my mask. I’m not sure if she’ll remember, but I imagine she had her suspicions. And besides that, if we go straight up to them and ask where Rarity is, that’ll make things worse. We need subtlety.”

Twilight absorbed all of this, her face hardened as she hummed, “Blueblood knows who I am. He’s the nephew to Princess Celestia, remember? He’s sure to recognize me.”

“Seriously?” I asked, tilting my head, “He knows you and you don’t bring it up until now? How is Blueblood even a nephew to-?” I took a deep breath, I didn’t want a full lesson on the heritage of Celestia. “Forget it. For the time being, I need to get to Blueblood to have him slip where Rarity is.”

“Then I’ll distract the Humans,” Twilight declared with a nod, searching around. I shook my head at her tactic. There was no way a distraction was just going to come out of the blue. Then she beamed, “Vincent! Perfect!”

I faced the direction she was looking, only to find Vincent eating a cupcake. Well, eating wasn’t very accurate, more on the lines of
inhaling. Scanning the table, there was a notable lack of food on several serving trays. He really had been holding out for the party food.

Well, at the end of night, if we weren’t caught as conspirators against the Human occupation, we could definitely be accused of being freeloaders.

Twilight galloped over to him, brimming with tenacity. I didn’t have a clue what she had in mind, but turning back to the other three, they didn’t seem like they could be very easily distracted. There were so engrossed with each other, there was no way we could get them apart without the whole party blowing up along with them.

But Twilight was smarter than me. A plan had to be bubbling up in her head. I just wished she had shared it with me.

“My fine fellow!” someone said with glee, suddenly wrapping an arm around me and squeezing me uncomfortably. Surprised, I hesitated a response as I eyed the man way too close to me. Top Hat, brown jacket, and jeans. He could have come straight from his work in that get-up. His smile made me want to push him away as far as possible. Especially with that damn gray beard of his.

“Can I help you?” I asked, hoping he picked up on my distain.

“I just noticed you had no tie,” the man said, “And I thought, ‘Gee! This man is like me! Free from the constraints of a tie!’ But then I remembered I love bow ties.”

“Fascinating,” I deadpanned, urging myself not to punch him in the face. “Any other reason you want to bother me?”

“Surely you heard my piano playing,” he said suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows as he broke away from me, thankfully. My breaths were hard to ease as the thought of him getting close again gripped my stomach. I hoped he kept his distance. “What am I saying? Of course, you did! As several other piano enthusiasts try to achieve, it had a mixture of order and chaos to lighten the place up without it being boring.”

I groaned, “I don’t care. Go play more piano if you love it so much.”

“Very well,” the man sighed in defeat, holding up both of his hands as if preparing to be handcuffed. His sudden disinterest made me ponder if he even wanted to speak with me in the first place. “You should focus on whatever is on your little mind. The Baron will be here soon, and trust me, you’ll need to finish whatever it is you’re doing before you meet him!”

Okay, that was very awkwardly worded. School must have been one of those things he skipped in life, along with showers. If he hadn’t pulled away when he did, I would have suffocated. And his voice brought up memories that I wanted to push as far back as possible. Though, what memories those were, I hadn’t a clue. It was odd, to be sure.

There was a splat behind me as Megan cursed, “Damn it!”

Casually looking over, staying as inconspicuous as possible, the origin of the splat was not difficult to find. After all, it covered the front of her. A fine mixture of white and green frosting. Oh, how I would have loved to revel in her distress. The way she shook in anger was already a great sight to behold.

“That certainly brings up some bad memories,” Blueblood stated with a wince. His voice was something I wanted to hear less of. Screw what I said earlier, this guy was arrogant to his very fiber. His tone was testament enough.

Megan grunted in disapproval, splaying her hands out away from the mess, “It’s more than likely a Unicorn with bad taste.” Or an Alicorn with great aim. Twilight really did pull through with that distraction, and though it was a bit crude, I couldn’t agree with it more. “I’ll get the guards to keep an eye out for a mischief maker.”

“I’ll get the guards,” Grayson said, holding up a hand to stop her, “You get cleaned up.” She gave a curt nod before sauntering off, trying to play off the mess on her suit. Grayson gave a brief smirk, his eyes trailing to the floor. I ground my teeth, resisting the urge to wipe it off his face. Oh, he’s courteous to other women, but not a mare begging for her life? Fuck him.

Blueblood stepped next to him, a hoof on his chest, “I do apologize for the inconvenience. I am the host of this party, and such behavior is frowned upon.”

“I understand how difficult it is to stay in control,” Grayson waved off, making me relish in that fact. “I suppose I’ll have to get back to you on that proposal regarding the slaves in Ponyville.”

I wished I had paid more attention to their earlier conversation. That would have been an interesting thing to listen into, if only to crush whatever proposal they were referring to. Regardless, Grayson hobbled away, using his cane to support most of his weight. I wasn’t sure why his legs were giving him trouble. I was sure I had shot him in the waist back in Ponyville.

“Hello there,” Blueblood welcomed, causing me to jump slightly. I raised my brow, ignoring the jolt of adrenaline pumping through my veins. Blueblood acted friendly, his smile a lot bigger than I would have anticipated. “Were you waiting to speak with me? How considerate.”

I hesitated, differentiating the answer between what I wanted to spout versus what I needed to say, “Yeah, sure was. I’ve heard stories, but I didn't think I’d get to meet… you.”

Looking him over again, I was not the least bit surprised I had paused. Even though he was bigger than most other Ponies, he was still frail, like a kid could just kick his leg and he would get all dramatic over it. Despite his physical appearance, his demeanor was jarring. I swore he was biding for something.

“Ah, I get that a lot,” he stated nonchalantly, “My reputation precedes me.”

“That’s something I wanted to ask,” I said, straining my voice so I didn’t sound accusatory. It was really hard not to yell in his face for what he had done. “Exactly how did you get all of this after you…? You know.”

“Sold out Princess Luna and the other Ponies of Canterlot?” he asked, closing his eyes as if replaying the events. He was far more distant than I had anticipated. The way he phrased it also caught my attention. It was as harsh as I would have put it, actually. Blueblood glanced outside before facing me again, steeling himself. “It was a necessary action. Those Ponies were heading to their own self destruction.”

“How?” I asked gravely. Blueblood blinked at my sudden attitude before I cleared my throat, “I mean, how so? I’m sure they thought they could seek shelter away from the Humans.”

Blueblood remained quiet as he eyed me for a moment. I brushed my arm, pretending not to care that he was examining me every which way. He shook it off, grunting. “I have seen what you Humans are capable of. What lengths you all go to for victory. It is not pleasant. Not in the least. Even if I was saving my own fur, anyone who resists is brutally beaten. I am sure that if I had not told the Baron about Luna and the others, they would have met a much worse fate.”

I would have rebutted that argument, but I wasn’t around during the invasion. Maybe the Humans were far more severe back then. That, and I didn’t want to blow my cover. Nevertheless, Blueblood thought what he did was for the best, and though it did save himself, his intentions did-… well, I actually couldn’t say if what he did was right or wrong. The only Ponies I knew of that was part of that company was Rarity, Fluttershy, and Luna.

I owed her an apology too.

“And two of the Elements of Harmony were with Princess Luna as well!” Blueblood exclaimed, holding a hoof to his head in dismay. I couldn’t tell if it was fake or not. “I can’t even imagine the state they would be in if they had gotten away, only to have the Humans find them later.”

Oh, I didn’t need to imagine what would happen to Fluttershy. As angry as the topic made me, it got us on the subject, which was exactly what I needed.

“Elements of Harmony?” I questioned, slipping a hand into my pocket to look more refined. At least, I hoped that’s what it looked like. “You mean the Elements of Harmony?”

Blueblood nodded, “I am surprised you’ve heard of them. Such information rarely makes it out of Canterlot. Most Humans don’t even believe they exist. Too fantastical, they say.”

He scoffed as I hummed to myself. I was genuinely in thought about this new piece of information. If the Humans didn’t believe in the Elements of Harmony - both the jewelry Twilight described and the six mares themselves - then it would explain why they weren’t top priority among the Humans. And why Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rarity were all in different places under different ownerships. Speaking of which…

“I’ve also heard you have a very… fine mare with you,” I said, swallowing afterword. It was not easy to stay in character like I did. It just didn’t feel right in the least. “I believe her name is Rarity?”

“You are correct,” Blueblood said before chuckling, leaning closer to myself, “You and several others are envious. I can tell. And yes, she’s very good in bed.”

Okay, too much info. I had to look away to hide my grimace. Luckily, he didn’t really suspect much from it.

“Heh, you won’t find her around,” he explained, gesturing to the balcony hugging the far wall. “She’s still in our room, powdering her nose, I’m sure.”

That was all I needed.

“Very interesting,” I said with a nod, smiling as I threw a thumb over my shoulder. “I’m expecting a friend soon, so I hope you don’t mind if I look for him.”

“But of course!” Blueblood smiled, nodding furiously. “The auction will be starting soon, and no one should miss that. Having these Ponies sold to good Humans will do some good for everyone.”

I gave him a funny look before hastily turning away. It certainly didn’t warm my heart knowing that the Ponies were still enslaved. What bothered me more than that though was how he treated his fellow Ponies as slaves. Being royalty, I was sure he was used to Ponies bowing at his every whim, but he acted like all of this was normal. Like it was supposed to be that way.

Shaking it off, I stepped through the crowd of Humans and Ponies, making my way to the buffet table where Twilight and Vincent were still at. No sign of Carrot Top, but I was sure I could find her when I got a hold of Rarity. As long as it wasn’t a hasty escape. My vision was dominated by purple eyes as Twilight practically jumped onto my chest.

“Did you find her? Did you find her?” she asked, somehow able to keep her voice down over her excitement. Seriously, her smile could have melted hearts, and it nearly did mine as I gently pushed her off. Vincent, thankfully, wasn’t nearly as intrusive as he waited nearby.

“Not exactly,” I answered honestly, “But I know where to find her. Blueblood said she was in their room, probably somewhere on the second floor.”

“That is oddly specific,” Vincent said, crossing his arms. It was at that point I noticed frosting near one of his lips.

“It’s more of an assumption,” I clarified, looking around, “Most master bedrooms in mansions like this are on the second floor. Have you guys seen Carrot Top?”

“Wasn’t she with you?” Twilight asked, and I shook my head with a sigh. No luck with that. She was with Emma when we seperated, and I doubt Emma was a Pony serial killer, so the two of them must have been somewhere in the room.

“I’ll look around for her,” Vincent announced, already stepping away as he pointed to us. “You two get Rarity. We’ll be set by the time you get back.”

Twilight and I nodded before setting off, and we didn’t get far before I turned to her, “By the way, nice work with that distraction. I didn’t think you were the type to throw a cupcake.”

“Throw a cupcake?” Twilight asked, tilting her head. “I never threw any cupcake. You were already talking with Blueblood before I could come up with any distraction.”

“But then where…?” I started before trailing off, shaking my head. It was a confusing, and admittedly scary, sentiment to know Twilight had never thrown any cupcake. But the plan had worked, and no one was the wiser. I was willing to set aside the mystery in favor of getting to Rarity.

{~+~}

“You sure this is the door?” Twilight questioned skeptically, gesturing to the door. Her doubting look was killing me. Every door we had checked held no success. The first few doors had met the might of my foot, with my breaching skills getting some action. Yet there was so many rooms that it was a miracle that we hadn’t gotten lost. It was even more of a miracle they were all devoid of any guards. Somehow, I didn’t think the excuse of looking for the bathroom would resonate well with them. And with Twilight alongside me, it would definitely give them the wrong idea. Just treading on that idea made me shiver.

The main room, though huge, was only the tip of the iceberg. Several hallways branched through the mansion, stretching every which way with dozens of doors. The mansion back in Cloudsdale was a dollhouse compared to this one. Some rooms had obvious themes, like an office or a bedroom, but there were several ridiculous ones like a room full of paintings of Blueblood and another with a therapy couch.

With the final door in front of us, what with every other door knocked open, all I could do was stare at Twilight with a blank expression. She got the idea, as she turned away, possibly hiding a smirk. Her wings fluttered underneath her dress. Either I was right about that assumption or I was making her uncomfortable. I didn’t really care.

Clutching my hands, feeling the skin of my hands, I knew this was it. And I didn’t hesitate to step over and throw the door open. It slammed against the wall and a lady-like grunt was heard somewhere inside.

“If that’s you, Blueblood, I am still not ready,” A mare said hotly. Her voice was refined, and definitely had some hint of a British accent. “These things take time, and you must be patient.”

“Rarity!” Twilight breathed, the stress that had built over the night washing away as she surged into the room. I glanced down the hallway before following behind, shutting the door silently. There was no way I was going to let some wandering guard ruin this entire operation.

The room was grand, having a four poster bed that rose all the way to the ceiling. A veil of red curtains hide the actual bed within. Like most of the mansion, dark wood made up the walls as a seated window displayed the street just outside. Alex and the others were still there, and a part of me wished I could wave at them. Even from this distance, I could tell they were antsy for some activity.

“There you are!” Twilight exclaimed, putting my attention on the door opposite the one we came through. It was ajar, showing its white interior; the bathroom, most likely. “I… I can’t believe we found you. It’s been months!”

A feeling of accomplishment swelled in my chest as I stayed in the bedroom, holding my hands behind me. Rarity was Twilight’s friend, and it was only right they reunited by themselves.

“Oh,” Rarity said, sounding far less ecstatic than Twilight. “You sure took your time.”

I rolled my eyes; Rarity must be the pampered type. I was not filled in on that little detail. Studying the room around, I noted a large painting just to the side of the door. It was nearly as big as the window, and only depicted Blueblood and who I assumed was Rarity. Both were smiling as they held hooves, wearing regalia I would have found in some seventeenth century paintings.

“Why are you hugging me?” Rarity asked. I raised my brow, turning away from the painting.

“Well, duh!” Twilight responded, “We’re best friends!”

“I do not recall a maid being my best friend,” Rarity stated flatly.

I was dumbfounded.

“Maid?” Twilight asked. I wasn’t the only one, as it would seem. “I’m not a maid, I’m Twilight Sparkle. Come on, Rarity, there’s no time to joke around.”

“I could be saying the same to you!” Rarity snapped back, “Coming in here and declaring yourself my best friend. Although, your dress does look smashing on you.”

“Thanks?” Twilight responded, “But Rarity… don’t you recognize me?”

“I certainly do not,” Rarity declared with the clop of a hoof, completely baffling me. Was this the wrong Pony? No, the painting showed that Blueblood and Rarity were together. A white hoof pushed open the door as a mare trotted out, wearing a pink bathrobe. She was facing behind her at Twilight who was sticking close to her. Rarity wasn’t pleased in the slightest.

“Now, I would appreciate it if you took your leave,” Rarity demanded, holding out a hoof towards the door as she held up her nose. “As fabulous as that dress is - especially how well it goes with your coat - I must have some privacy to prepare for the party.”

“W-What?” Twilight whispered. If I was able to see her heart, I was sure it had split in two at that very moment. Her mouth was agape, her ears splayed back, and her eyes were getting misty.

Rarity gave her a sideways glance before turning to the room, and to me. She jumped as her eyes fixated on my own. I was shocked too, and not just from the her bizarre behavior. The portrait of her didn’t give her justice. She was… beautiful. I couldn’t deny that she looked pretty. I never thought I could see a Pony as more than cute, but her mane and tail were stylized to perfection, and her white coat was flawless. I didn't think there was anyone else more pristine than her.

“Absolutely not!” Rarity yelled, sounding more dainty with each sentence as a faint blush flowered on her cheeks, “I am not your typical mare that you can just play around with and leave in the morning! I am a lady, and the only stallion I need is Blueblood the True Helper.”

“Rarity, this is not funny!” Twilight yelled, at the end of her rope. Who could blame her? This was supposed to be one of her best friends, and Rarity didn’t know her at all. She rolled her eyes, furrowing her brow as she glanced back and forth between us.

“The two of you have nine seconds to leave before I call for someone,” she hissed through clenched teeth.

“Twilight,” I called, moving to a position to block the door, “What’s wrong with her?”

“I-I don’t know!” Twilight said, her voice cracking, trotting beside Rarity as she looked to Rarity’s horn. She squinted her eyes at it, causing Rarity to jerk her head back. The next thing I knew, Twilight was holding Rarity’s horn with a hoof as her own horn glowed faintly. It was so unexpected for Rarity that all she could do was make sounds akin to words.

“Wh-it-ak-puh!” she stammered before knocking Twilight’s hoof away, jumping back as she lowered her head. “Keep your hoof to yourself, you ruffian! It needs to stay spotless for Blueblood.” She rubbed her head, avoiding her horn as much as possible while pouting, “It’s his favorite.”

“Answers!” I ordered, getting freaked out. Twilight was at a lost, looking in random directions, searching around in her big brain of hers. This couldn’t stump her, she’s tackled worse problems before. I was correct as Twilight gasped, like the solution had slapped her across the cheek.

“No,” she muttered before shaking her head repeatedly, “No, no, no, no!”

She lowered her head so it was resting on the floor, covering it with her hooves as her breathing turned erratic. That was never a good sign. “Well, what is it?” I questioned cautiously, hoping the answer wasn’t too severe.

“Her memory has been replaced,” Twilight revealed, popping her head back up, panic stricken. “Everything… everything before the replacement has been changed or distorted. If she doesn’t know who I am, then she doesn’t know who Applejack is or-or Rainbow Dash or-” Twilight covered her mouth with a hoof, her eyes watering. “Or Sweetie Belle.”

“Fuck,” I said, feeling the weight of all of this.

“Language, Human,” Rarity said, before looking to the side, “Honestly, nopony these days can get by without a Human slipping a profanity or two.”

Ignoring her, I walked closer to Twilight, fear tearing down the relief that I had worked hard to achieve. “What does that mean for us?” I asked, “For the Elements of Harmony?”

“I don’t know!” Twilight yelled, frustrated with my questions. Probably more frustrated that she didn’t know the answers, “I’m not sure how it would affect anything right now! The spell used on her-”

“Whoa, whoa,” I held up my hands, “Spell? Someone did this to her on purpose?”

“Yes,” Twilight stressed, hyperventilating. She was going to pass out at this rate. “It’s called the Supplanter spell. It takes away the memories of a Pony and puts in artificial memories created by the caster.”

Eyeing the painting on the wall, I crossed my arms, gripping them tightly, “Did Blueblood do it?”

“No one should have been able to do it!” Twilight yelled, stomping a hoof, “Only the princesses know of the spell! And I didn’t feel a trace of magic from Princess Celestia or Princess Luna. Not even Blueblood’s!”

There were too many blanks to fill from this turmoil. I can make presumptions, like magic leaving traces from the caster or whatever, but what’s this secrecy with the spell? And who was able to cast it in the first place if not Blueblood!? Slapping a hand over my eyes, I tried to refocus myself and forget it for the time being, but the outcome of our mission, or even the entire Pony rebellion was at stake. The Elements of Harmony might have been affected, and if they were… then I might not be able to get home.

Such a selfish thought when in comparison to Twilight. Her friend didn’t even know her, and I was worried about getting home!?

“Guards!” Rarity shouted, tearing through the doorway. Twilight and I flinched, as her body disappeared around the corner and down the hallway. “Come quickly! There are nicely-dressed intruderrrrrrs!”

“Damnit all!” I cursed as I gave chase. This was the type of disaster I didn’t need, yet life found a way anyway. Except a lot more people were going to get hurt, in more ways than one, because someone - some Unicorn - thought to fiddle with the memories of another. One thing bugged me the most.

Besides Blueblood, there was another Unicorn working with the Humans.

Chapter 25: Lost

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 25: Lost

Rarity had four legs, and yet it wasn’t hard to keep up with her. Over that time, however, she prattled on and on about intruders. My head was in a fit of rage, ranting and raving over how she was going to ruin everything because some fucker with magic replaced her memories. Not only that, but I was running in a suit! That thing was never meant for such assertion, and it was the only thing I could blame for not nabbing her right away.

“Anypony!” she screamed, throwing her head back, eyes shut tight as she ran blindly forward, “Are there really no guards in this part of the mansion!?”

“Shut up!” I yelled after her, racing down the hallway. The endless doors I had kicked in earlier were meshing together, making a sort of repeating pattern of wall and door. The pattern was coming to a close as a corner came up. Pushing my legs harder, I sprinted closer to Rarity, who was too busy screaming her head off to notice.

“Darn you, ruffians!” she hollered, “Darn you all to Tartarus, or wherever bad people go! Agh! If you weren’t chasing me, I could come up with better insults!”

Where the hell was she getting all this air!? It was already bad enough I had to chase her down, but she had to continuously shout at me like she wasn’t tired in the least. She wore a bathrobe for crying out loud! By the time Rarity had reached the corner, having to slow down to get around it, I was furious as I dove at her. With my hands outstretched, I grabbed her flank and brought her to the ground with me. She let out a surprised yelp before we slid into the wall.

“Unhand me, you-!” she said before I grabbed her bathrobe and yanked her closer to me, sitting up in the process.

“Shut the fuck up, bitch!” I yelled, causing her to flinch as her ears splayed back. She was afraid, and she damn well deserved it. “We’re trying to help you, and you’re not making things easier!” I shook her with each word, seeing her hooves tuck in as she stared fearfully into my eyes. “I swear to god if one of my friends die, I’m going to beat you into a fucking pulp! You hear me!?”

“When the g-guards get a-a hold of you...” Rarity tried to speak, but her breaths were interrupting her, either from our run or from my yelling. Whichever the reason was, I grabbed her muzzle, shutting her up quickly as I pulled her even closer, her fur nearly touching my skin.

“One more word,” I muttered dangerously, shaking her again as she whinned, “One more word.”

Tears were flowing down her face, along with the mascara she was wearing. Her breaths came erratically through her nose. She didn’t resist as I held her there, waiting - no, daring - her to make another peep. But my hand still kept a firm lock on her muzzle, denying any word from escaping her lips. Even still, she didn’t whine or groan or moan. She just sat there, scared shitless.

“Nolan!” Twilight called from the hallway we had ran down. She was as exhausted as me, and I was sure her dress impaired her own movement as much as my suit did. She galloped through the hallway, but stopped when a Human, from an adjoining hallway, popped out. He was one of the guards at the party, with a black top and gray pants. He had a revolver pointed at Twilight.

“Halt!” he demanded, but Twilight flared her magic, and the gun was forced out of the guard’s grip. She threw it down the hallway he had appeared from, and then levitated him up and smacked him against the wall. She followed up by slamming him against the other wall. Afterwords, he floated limply in her magic, and Twilight dropped him as he crumpled to the floor.

I thought Shining Armor was strong with his magic, able to throw me through a brick wall. But Twilight had taken down the man without any trouble. She had to be holding herself back though. She was an Alicorn, and I didn’t want to be around when she unleashed her power on someone.

“What are you doing?!” she barked, cantering over to us like the Human had never lept out in the first place. “Let her go!”

Turning back to Rarity, she had her eyes shut, her tears coming full force. I didn’t know she was in that much anguish, and I had to remind myself I had done that to her. Releasing her, she took a deep breath as she fell to the ground, sobbing. Her legs pulled even closer together, turning herself into a ball.

My heart dropped when I saw her in that state. And true to her compliance, she didn’t make a sound louder than a whine. Considering she was the dramatic type, that had to be saying something.

A hoof struck me on the cheek before Twilight tossed me away from Rarity, allowing her to quickly sidle up next to her. My landing didn’t hurt, but it still made my back ache. Letting out a grunt of pain didn’t make it feel better either.

“What is wrong with you?” Twilight questioned as I pushed myself up. My back was numb, but that didn’t stop me from looking to her. Tears brimmed in her eyes as she gave me a hard glare, her lip quivering. Rarity faced away from both of us, and all Twilight did was wrap a hoof around her in comfort.

“She was going to get us killed,” I started, putting a hand on the wall to steady myself.

“You don’t know that,” Twilight spat, her animosity growing. As for me, I didn’t have the energy to balk at her statement. Instead, I growled.

“A guard is right there, Twilight!” I yelled, pointing to the man. “If he had gotten the drop on you…”

“I’m not dead, Nolan,” she said, turning back to Rarity. She was sniffling uncontrollably at that point, so shaken up she couldn’t even stay still. Twilight nuzzled the back of her neck, a wing extending out to act as a blanket. “The Rarity I know wouldn’t get me killed. Her memories might be replaced, but she still has her personality, what makes her special. She’s still in there… somewhere.”

I grunted, standing to my feet, “You know the spell better than I do, Twilight. You know whether Rarity is still in there or not.” Twilight hunched her shoulders, keeping her head close to Rarity. “You know, and you don’t want to believe it.”

“She’s gone…” Twilight whispered, “She’s gone for good. You can’t use the Supplant spell twice on the same Pony. It… It destroys their consciousness. They become a husk. A living thing with no awareness. The Rarity I knew, all of us knew… She’s never coming back.”

Another sniffle, but it came from Twilight this time. Her head was hung to the side, tears cascading onto the floor. A lump was forming in my throat as I put a hand over my forehead. My heart went out to her, but I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know the Rarity everyone else knew. I didn’t know what she was like before the invasion, and I would never truly experience what she represented. Her generosity. The element she represented might be still intact, somewhere inside her, but it was a slim chance.

“All those memories we shared,” Twilight cried, “All those times together. She’ll never remember, not even the feelings that came with them.”

I gripped my forehead tighter. It grew harder and harder to steady my breathing. What Twilight said got to me, and the feeling grew worse the longer I thought about it. Gone was the time Rarity met her friends, gone was the sister she loved, gone were the memories that made her unique. They were all gone. And she would never even realize it.

A tearing noise was heard, snapping my attention back to the Ponies, blinking away my stray tears. Rarity had a piece of fabric between her teeth, the sleeve of her bathrobe, and with a jerk of her head, it tore completely off. With the strip of fabric, Rarity tapped Twilight’s shoulder, who sat up before wiping her eyes.

Rarity spat out the cloth onto her hoof, presenting it to Twilight with a smile. It wasn’t a big one, but given the circumstances, it was probably the biggest one she could muster. Shuddering, Twilight levitated the cloth and blew her nose, taking a long breath afterwards.

With another sniffle, Twilight folded up the fabric and set it down, “Th-thank you.”

“Think nothing of it,” Rarity said, her voice quiet, glancing down to the ripped sleeve. “I have plenty of bathrobes. Enough for the whole party, though I doubt Humans would fit into them.” She lifted up a hoof to her mouth, “They’re all Pony-sized.”

Twilight giggled. It was nearly hollow, but still had mirth, and hope. It shared the sentiment I went through. Seeing Rarity cheer up Twilight, even after what I said to her, was heartwarming. The scene still made my heart heavy; Rarity’s actions for helping Twilight couldn’t be because she remembered her.

The two of them stood back up, both fairly shaky.

“Um,” Rarity said, pawing the ground as she shifted her weight back and forth. Her eyes didn’t meet Twilight’s, but did flicker over to me before hastily casting downward. “I’m afraid to ask this, but… do you know me?”

The small smile Twilight had died as she nodded. Rarity swallowed, nodding back. “I see,” she remarked, “I understand that you and I were once friends, and that Human there.” She shivered, “I’m friends with him too?”

“No,” I answered, “We’ve never met until now.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” Rarity breathed, holding the back of her hoof against her forehead, “Now I don’t have to worry about friendship with him.”

Given my antagonistic attitude, I couldn’t fault her for that. If someone chased after me, knocked me down, and said I wasn’t their friend, I would damn well agree with that lunatic. A glance back at the unconscious Human, however, reminded me that we couldn’t waste too much time.

Stepping over to him, I grabbed a hold of each arm and headed to the nearest doorway, nudging it open as I passed through. A lone therapy coach was all there was. I recognized the room, and since it was just across from a hallway, I easily recalled where to go to leave the maze of rooms. Dragging the man inside, I tossed him to the floor, his arms flailing to the side as he remained still. The thought of putting him on the couch crossed my mind, but there wasn’t much of a point. When he woke up, he wasn’t going to care where he lay.

Hurrying back to the hallway, Rarity and Twilight greeted me at the doorway, both looking to me with curiosity. “What?” I asked. The way they looked at me made me feel stupid in a way.

“You do know that we’re not going to stay long enough for the other Humans to find that guard, right?” Twilight questioned, lifting a hoof to point to behind me.

Rarity gave a dainty nod, how I imagine a lady would, “The party will end long after you’re both gone.”

They were probably right, but it set my mind at ease at the very least. Plus, they weren’t accounting for the random guard patrol that could come by. Shrugging, I glanced down the hallways, recounting our footsteps through the doorways as I shuffled past Twilight and Rarity to jog my memory.

“So you’re coming, right?” Twilight asked. It froze me in my movements, even my heart skipped a beat at the question. Glancing back, I could see the confliction in Rarity, her eyes troubled. If she refused to come back with us, then what would have been the purpose of heading to Manehattan?

“I’m not sure, darling,” Rarity replied, causing my heart to sink. “I mean, I’m sure you’re a nice mare and all, but this is so sudden! I’m just supposed to believe that my whole life is a lie? I remember meeting Blueblood right here in Manehattan, in the park. How romantic he was, and how I found my special somepony, after all these years. And you tell me it’s fake? It’s far too much to take in.”

“But it’s the truth,” I stated, turning around. Rarity jumped as her gaze whipped to me. Her frame shook ever so slightly, and my arguement died in my throat as I took a few steps back, facing away. Nice one, idiot. Like she was going to accept what I said after that chase. The hallway felt a lot longer suddenly, and the silence didn’t make it easier.

“I know you don’t have a lot of reasons to trust us,” Twilight said, her voice quivering. It must have been a hard thing to say to a friend. “But… Oh.” It was the sound of surprise, like an idea had come to her. I focused on the hallway, walking down it a bit to concentrate on how to get back to the ball, if that was an option. Smuggling Rarity out, if she decided to come back with us, was going to be a lot harder. “Do you mind if I use a spell on you? It’s just going to be a memory spell, I swear it won’t hurt.”

“Will it change me back to the way I was?” Rarity asked as I reached the end of the hallway. The way her voice echoed almost made it seem like it was coming from my head. It made me uncomfortable, like the answer was something so terrible, I couldn’t tell it. I couldn’t concentrate on finding the exit at that point.

“No, at least, I don’t think so,” Twilight answered, her confidence waning.

“Then, I grant you permission,” Rarity said. I tilted my head over to them, their horns touching and eyes closed. Twilight’s horn glowed, but it was different. It shined far brighter than I had ever seen it. I had no idea exactly what Twilight had in mind with that ‘memory spell’, and I bet Rarity was the same. After what I did, Rarity should have shoved us away, but instead, she listened to Twilight, and gave her a torn sleeve to ease her pain.

Maybe there really was a part of the old Rarity still in her.

{~+~}

A lit cigarette in hand, I leaned against the wall, watching Twilight and Rarity still lost inside the spell. After finding the door leading back into the main hall - thankfully within eyesight of the two Unicorns - my next plan was to find an alternative exit, but the place was already hard to navigate. There was no way I would be able to get around without losing Twilight and Rarity. And if they left their spell while I was away, then we would have been separated. That was something we didn’t need to add to our list. It was already long enough without Rarity’s memory loss.

Applause broke out from the main hall, catching my attention as it died away. Something big was going on in there. My first instinct was to push open the door and see for myself, but there were too many risks. I wasn’t really against looking, but if something happened because of it, I couldn’t leave Twilight and Rarity. I could lift a Pony, but two at the same time was going to be heavy and awkward. And I didn’t want to know what would happen if I interrupted a spell.

Even with my caution, my curiosity was still piqued. Sliding closer, I rested an ear against the door, faintly making out a voice resonating from the other side.

“...pleased to have you all here,” Blueblood bellowed, “As you all know, today’s auction is honored to welcome the one and only Baron here to participate.” Another round of applause, it was hard to tell if it was weaker or stronger than before. I didn’t expect to get a feeling of the crowd toward the Baron, but it was wishful thinking. “I would also like to take the time to remind everypony about the reason for this party. The funds will go to the dwindling economy of Humania, and support those that are less fortunate than ourselves.”

More applause, still no difference. The funds going to Humania - why, of all things, did it need to be called that? - was interesting. Alex had told me before that his country wasn’t in the greatest condition, but even after this war, they were still having problems? An invasion would take a lot of resources, sure, but it had been months. Free labor, a wealth of food, and a land of opportunity, and yet it still wasn’t enough.

“One last thing before we begin the auction,” Blueblood said, his voice in anticipation, “I would like to extend-”

“What are you listening to?” Twilight asked. I jerked away from the door, Blueblood’s voice quieting to mumbles. Twilight stared up at me while Rarity stood behind her. She was conflicted and distant, gazing upon the carpet.

“Just a speech,” I answered before gesturing to Rarity, “Is she alright?”

Twilight glanced back, heaving a sigh. Rarity didn’t show that she had heard my question. “I ran several memories through her head,” Twilight explained, “Most of them are the times I knew of her, so I can’t really show more personal times with her family.”

“Maybe Sweetie Belle can fill in the blanks,” I said somberly. That time, Rarity perked up in recognition, staring at me. There was a feeling of loss in her eyes, but something else too. It had to be in regards to siblings, which I couldn’t share on her level.

“Does Sweetie Belle… miss me?” Rarity asked, blinking. “Twilight showed me all those times together with her, but there wasn’t a lot.”

“Well, of course,” I replied like it was obvious, resting a hand against the wall, “She’s your sister.”

“It doesn’t feel like it,” Rarity muttered, drooping her head. “It just felt like a movie. All these pictures and moments I was in, but they looked like someone else's. And knowing I have a family, a sister, it just… my whole life has become a lie.”

“Not your whole life, Rarity,” Twilight corrected, resting a hoof on her shoulder. “Just the life someone fabricated in your mind. Those events really did happen. That was your real life.”

“But that’s the thing, darling,” Rarity sighed, gently pushing the hoof away, “The life that I know has been here in Manehattan. Opening up a boutique, finding love with Blueblood, living in this mansion; it’s all I know. Now, I’m not even sure what’s real and what’s fake.”

“We’re real,” I stated, jabbing a thumb to my chest.

Rarity furrowed her brows ever so slightly, “Yes, you made that pretty clear.”

“Look, I’m sorry about that,” I apologized. Rarity turned away, lifting a hoof as if she was going to walk away. “But I didn’t want my friends getting hurt.”

“Friends?” Rarity asked, her hostility gone as she turned to me, “Who else is here?”

“No one you would know,” Twilight answered, “At least, not from what I showed you. Just another Human and Pony.”

“Fifteen hundred bits!” a voice boomed from the door, drawing my attention back to it.

“The auction! I’m late!” Rarity exclaimed. She jumped from hoof to hoof as she paced around the hallway. She was panic stricken too, but I was more baffled that she was flustered over not attending a goddamn slave auction. “I was supposed to meet Blueblood before it started.”

“You can’t really support slavery of your own kind,” I said, holding up my cigarette and finding the stub had burnt out. I tossed it away as Rarity slammed a hoof down.

“No! I am a lady, and such barbarous customs are outrageous!” she said before frowning, “We actually have our own slaves too. It was something I never liked, but the Humans hold the power. Blueblood and I can only do so much.”

“Then come with us,” Twilight offered with an hoof extended towards Rarity, “We’re working to free Equestria from the Humans, and we’re getting my friends back too. Including you.”

“The Elements of Harmony,” Rarity muttered with a thoughtful expression. She must have known the adventures she had gone on with the others. Although I was never given a run down of their times together, I did know that their work was significant. If the princess of a country thought it was important, who was I to judge.

As we waited for Rarity’s answer, I listened into the main hall, seeing if there was any details worth noting.

“...to Grayson from Ponyville!” said someone, followed by applause. I had to laugh at my little idea; what details would I get from a slave auction? How much people are willing to pay for a Pony?

“I’ll do it. I’ll go along with you under one condition,” Rarity announced, holding herself up. Twilight and I exchanged a glance as Rarity waited for our undivided attention. “As long as you don’t hurt Blueblood. That’s all I ask.”

I opened my mouth to question it, but Twilight beat me to it, “Done.”

As much as I was behind getting Rarity on board with our cause, I could only balk at how fast Twilight agreed. Even though Blueblood wasn’t the one who used the Supplanter Spell on Rarity, I didn’t think he was clear of charges just yet. He still sold out Luna and her company. That at the very least deserved a kick to the gonads, even with his excuse.

For the moment, I would have to go along with it. Even if I didn’t want to follow through, it was a simple condition, and I could put my feelings behind me. Provided Blueblood didn’t start some shit up.

“Fine, let’s just concentrate on getting out of here,” I said with a wave of my hands. “Right now, we need a different way to get out of this mansion. As soon as we step outside with Rarity, there’s going to be a lot of questions.”

“We can take the hidden chamber in my room,” Rarity said, pointing a hoof behind her. “Blueblood and I kept it in case of emergencies. I’m not quite sure it qualifies as an emergency, but it’ll get us out of the mansion quickly enough.”

“Except we still have our friends in the main hall,” Twilight reminded. Her voice was heavy, along with her face. She was right too, we couldn’t go anywhere without retrieving Vincent and Carrot Top. But that emergency exit would be a truly wonderful escape route. It would be far easier for Rarity to leave through that than the way we came.

“We’ll walk in and grab ‘em then,” I stated with a cross of my arms, smiling. I couldn’t help it, things were actually falling into place. Twilight grunted in acknowledgement and gave her own smile. I had a feeling she knew the sentiment.

“Can you wait here, Rarity?” Twilight asked, “We’ll be right back to take that hidden chamber.”

Rarity nodded, “Yes, of course, darling. I shall remain her in the meantime. Do be hasty though, I’m afraid that guard you took out earlier may awaken.”

“Gotcha,” I said before pushing open the door, Twilight falling beside me, face determined.

“Let’s finish this chapter,” she muttered to herself. I could only grin in agreement.

All the occupants of the main room were too set on the auction to see us come in, even the guards. Instead of a stage, where auctions were usually held on, there was just a table with a Pony standing atop it. The Pony being sold at the moment was depressed, a violet mare Unicorn with greenish gray mane and tail.

“The betting is set on three hundred bits!” A Unicorn stallion boasted, holding out his hooves to the mare standing on the table. The mare in question shrunk down slightly with ears splayed back. The stallion presenting her was peculiar. He was far more lanky than what I had seen from most Ponies. It wasn’t his pale yellow coat or red-white mane that stood out, but his getup. A striped shirt and straw hat; he looked like he was part of a barbershop quartet.

The Pony eagerly scanned the crowd, leaping back and forth. “Going once!” he announced dramatically, “Going twice!”

“Sold, to Billy from Trottingham!” another Pony popped out from… I want to say no where, but I wasn’t sure. He looked exactly like the other announcer, but he had a red mustache. How could a Pony get facial hair? “I see you have exquisite taste! No one is judging, of course!”

A quiet, amused chuckle swept through the room.

“Well, Flam,” the first Pony said, “It seems we’re on a roll this auction.”

“Yes, indeed, Flim,” Flam replied, “And we’ve only just begun! Save some of your bits, folks!”

“Cause there’s more to come!” Flim finished, holding up a hoof to the air. A soft growl emanated from Twilight, who turned her head away in disgust. I would have done the same, but I needed to spot our friends, and quickly. I knew they wouldn’t blow our cover, but the longer we lingered here, the more uneasy I became. Especially since we had got a hold of Rarity.

However, despite our vantage point from the second story balcony, there were so many Humans and Ponies clustered, I couldn’t pinpoint where they were. They could have gone under one of the balconies stretching across the main room, or even underneath the one we stood upon.

“Any sign of them?” Twilight questioned gravely. She wanted to get out as soon as possible, same as me. A thought struck me as I eyed the buffet table, but with no luck.

“Nothing,” I answered, giving another pass over of the room, “Let’s head downstairs.”

Twilight and I walked along the balcony for the nearby stairs, acting as casual as possible. The top area of the main hall probably wasn’t restricted, but the lack of other guests made my heart beat faster. The four guards stationed there as well made my stomach flip, not to mention the firearms they still had on their hips.

Two faint bumps formed around the back of Twilight. Her wings were pushing against her dress. Patting her back, feeling the soft silk, I cleared my throat as I whispered, “Keep it together.”

“It’s hard,” she replied, taking a deep breath. She didn’t look to me, but I could tell she was too busy searching the room to do so. “What if the guards found our friends out, and we don’t even know?”

“They’re fine, trust me,” I responded. “But it’s not going to help anybody if someone spots your wings.”

The doors burst open as three strangers quickly filed inside. They were barely noticed by the crowd, either from the auction or from the lackluster attire of the three strangers. They all had brown cloaks, clashing with the the formal wear everyone else wore. Hoods were pulled over their heads, which were bowed to keep their identities completely hidden. The way they strode in, without a hint of pause, was odd. They had a purpose in here, and they weren’t going to be distracted in the least.

“The Lost?” one of the guards said to himself. He was more confused than frightened, but considering I had never heard of any group called the Lost before worried me. The three strangers moved amongst the crowd, somehow making their way without any interruption in the auction. They simply merged within the other people and flowed through them like water. They had a Pony with them, but the strangers were so clumped together I couldn’t make out who it was. A yellow coat for sure, but a bag was over the Pony's head, his identity as secret as the strangers’.

“How could they treat that Pony that way?” Twilight asked, a hoof over her mouth. Squinting my eyes, I could see the stranger in front clutching a rope stretching over to the Pony. It was a way to guide the Pony, but it would have been unnecessary without the bag. It just felt like they had the bag on just to have a blind pack mule around. It was sick.

And yet, we couldn’t do anything. That must have been the worst part for me. Our friends were still missing and Rarity waited for us; we couldn’t spare to break our cover to save a mistreated Pony. Even so, I kept my gaze on them, ignoring my original plan as I watched them. Maybe I wanted to see where they were going, or who they wanted to speak with. The way the three strangers presented themselves was already getting me worked up.

They halted simultaneously, facing a man with graying brown hair. His suit wasn’t significant, so I couldn’t determine if he was important or not. He was relatively in the front of the crowd, however, and if the three strangers stopped for him, than he was vital to whatever they had planned.

The suited man faced them, but there was no indication they spoke. The strangers were motionless, unwavering. From what I had seen so far, they might as well have been ghosts.

“Nolan, let’s go,” Twilight whispered to me, tugging my arm as she eyed the nearby guard. He still hadn’t recognized our presence, but it was only a matter of time. “I don’t like it, but we can’t save every Pony that’s being abused.”

“I know, I know,” I said back, still watching the strangers converse with the suited man. “But something about those three…”

The lead stranger finally moved, presenting the Pony they had brought with them. Wings, a Pegasus; my heart was pounding. Butterflies for a Cutie Mark; my throat was dry as my eyes widened. And then he tore off the bag. Fluttershy.

My breath hitched. She clamped her eyes shut from the sudden light, sinking lower as she regained her bearings. The rope was tied around her neck, red marks could clearly be seen, even from our distance. The stranger still spoke, a hand gesturing to Fluttershy. The suited man raised a hand to his chin, interested in her, or maybe of how she was obtained.

Shit, if she told them about our mission...

“No, no, no,” Twilight whined, “Not again. She’s already gone through enough. What are we supposed to do now?”

My mind was blank, staring at the number of guards around. Four on the balcony, several more on the ground floor. Too many to keep track of. If we did anything, without any way of fighting back, we could die. But there was no way we could leave Fluttershy. Seeing her scared again awoke a deep hatred for those three strangers. A hatred I hadn’t felt since Fillydelphia.

“We can take out a guard and grab his gun,” I suggested, seeing the guard stand idly around, just a couple feet away from us. Easy pickings. “Then we might be able to stand a chance. You’d have to use your magic.”

“Magic, r-right,” Twilight repeated, her voice failing. In truth, I was surprised I was able to keep calm. With all the questions stewing in my gut, not to mention the risk of pulling off my plan, someone was going to get hurt, or worse. Bullets were going to have to fly, and it might be for nothing if they drag Fluttershy out before we could get to her. Even after firing a shot, and alerting our friends just outside, they didn’t know Fluttershy was here, they wouldn’t be looking for her.

“Okay, you get outside and tell-” I started, right before the doors burst open again.

“Ya’ll varmints are gonna pay!” Applejack shouted in rage, streaking through the room in full sprint. My jaw fell open, staring at her as she zig zagged past the guests. They were just as bewildered by her appearance, looking around for the source of the voice as a commotion stirred amongst themselves. Given the size of Applejack, for a Pony, she was lucky to be spotted by anyone else.

“Stop that mare!” A guard shouted from the entrance, no doubt the one stationed there to prevent situations like the one Applejack caused. One guard was able to push through the crowd to get in front of Applejack, only for her to slip by his grasp. Not only did she avoid getting caught, but Applejack lifted up her hind legs and kicked him right in the ass, sending him to the floor.

Another guard came barreling after her, only for Applejack to turn her back to him and kick him in the knee. A gruesome crunch was heard as his knee was forcefully bent the wrong way. He howled in pain, falling to the floor, clutching his knee. Twilight and I winced at the action, still too startled to do anything.

The guard’s injury was enough for the crowd to move away from the scene, a few screaming in horror. Murmurings and general panic spread through the room as they backed away hastily from Applejack, which didn’t deter her as she shoved her way through the guests.

“Shoot her!” Blueblood demanded, pointing a hoof to her. “Stop her this instant!”

The guards on the ground floor drew their guns, but with the crowd, they couldn’t even see Applejack, let alone get a lock on her. However, on the balcony, the guards had no trouble tracking her, already aiming their own revolvers at her. Knocking myself out of my shock, I hurried over to the nearest guard.

I grabbed his gun and pulled it up, socking him in the stomach. He dropped his gun into my hands as he bent over from the attack. I finished up with a knee to his jaw, sending him to the floor. With revolver in hand, I surveyed the scene quickly. Applejack was still muddled in the crowd, but guards were coming from all angles. She would eventually be overwhelmed, that crazy mare. That wasn’t even mentioning the three guards still on the balcony. The closest one jumped from my actions.

“Hey!” he shouted, but he didn’t do another thing, as Twilight levitated him and smashed his head into the wooden wall. The rest of the body slumped down. My eyes checked to see if someone had heard our scuffle, but they were too preoccupied with Applejack. We still had an edge.

Adjusting the gun in my hand, I took aim and fired on another guard. The bullet hit him in the head and sent him to the floor with a shower of blood. With the gunshot, everyone crouched to the ground, covering their heads. Before anyone else could react, I shifted my aim to the other guard, getting a shot to his chest. He shouted as he tumbled back, falling off the balcony and landing headfirst onto the ground, splattering blood along the floor.

“Twilight!” I shouted. “Grab Fluttershy and Applejack!”

She didn’t respond, teleporting in a flash of purple before reappearing at the edge of the crowd. With most of the people crouching down, the guards had a clear shot on Applejack, who still rushed through the room, determination radiating from her. I could tell where she was heading. Her sights were dead set on Fluttershy.

I didn’t know how Applejack found out about her before Twilight and I, but I could grab the details later. Lining up my sights, I fired on one who was ahead of Applejack, nicking his shoulder. Another shot, and I got the torso of another guard. There wasn’t many standing in her way, which left-

Someone else fired a shot, and the bullet hit me in the chest. Pain coursed through my system, and I found difficulty in drawing air. My eyes landed on the person responsible, one of the strangers, with a revolver drawn and pointed in my direction. He fired another round, but I fell back before he had the chance to hit me again, slumping against the wall. My breaths were short and extremely painful, my lungs on fire. Whenever I tried to breathe, it felt like scalding spikes were going haywire inside me.

More gunshots were heard, far more than what the guards could muster. Our friends from outside, they were fighting with us. Or, more accurately, without me. The revolver I once wielded rested beside my hand. I had to cough, hunching over and doing so, but with each exertion was like a dagger was stabbing me. Blood dripped from my lips, the taste of metal emerging in my mouth. My consciousness was waning, the edges of my vision growing dark. The pain was unbearable.

“There he is!” a voice said. Forcing myself to look, Alex, Carrot Top, and Emma ran up the stairs, the latter holding up her dress slightly to hasten her movements. I reached a hand to them. I wasn’t sure why; a way of asking for help? To grab the attention they already had for me? To warn them of the shooter aiming up here? Whatever it was, I blacked out before my brain could process it.

“Shit, he’s been shot!” Alex announced, his voice ringing in my ears. My eyes open for a moment, seeing them crouch around me, Alex and Emma pressing their hands against me. “In the chest too. It’s not good.”

“When is a bullet wound ever good!?” Emma snapped, her head whipping every which way. “We need a place to check on him.”

“Darlings!” the voice of Rarity yelled over the gunfire. Everything was too blurry. I was going to fade out again. “Bring him this way!”

My body was moved. Picked up or dragged. Everything went black again, but the world was too loud to truly fall unconscious. All I knew was that we were leaving the main hall, where Twilight and the others were. Where Applejack was. That thought stuck with me as I opened my eyes again, releasing a noise. It was between a grunt and a call, and just ended up being neither.

“Pleased to meet you,” Emma said, catching my attention as I was shouldered by Alex. I walked with him, but he supported most of my weight. My feet were moving, but they stumbled into each other. Rarity lead the way.

“I wish it was on better terms,” Alex said. Darkness was coming, my head dipped down. “Hey, stay with us now!”

He jerked me awake, but my lungs still burned. I could barely breathe. In fact, every time I tried, it just got harder and harder.

“The chamber is this way,” Rarity exclaimed, hurrying down the hallway. The others picked up the pace as well, but my eyes closed before I could see where our destination was.

Suddenly, there were more gunshots, shouts, calls, names; all mixed together and far away. My body jerked around, but I had no feeling of where or when. I couldn’t breathe, damn it, I had to breathe! My lungs wouldn’t budge, no matter how much I forced them. Just one more ounce of air. Anything…

Something sharp pierced my chest, and I gasped, air filling my lungs. The agony followed, but I could breathe! My eyes fluttered open, my head on the side. Carrot Top stood there. Her face was a mess of tears, kneeling beside me. With what little strength I had, I pushed my hand to her. I didn’t want to see her that way.

Darkness again, and I had a feeling it was there to stay. The only thing I registered before going unconscious was Emma’s voice, distorted and loud.

“Damnit, Nolan, if you die on me, I’ll going to the afterlife myself just to beat you for breaking her heart!”

{~+~}

A loud chime woke me. I didn’t open my eyes, but I was aware that I was underneath the covers of a bed. My chest ached, each breath causing a jolt of pain in my lungs. It came to the point where I wanted to stop breathing just to avoid the pain. However, just thinking about that made my head hurt. The memory was still fresh, how I was in so much agony over the lack of air. A shiver ran up my spine, and with another chime resounding in my ears, recollection flooded my mind.

Springing up, my chest burned, and I wrapped an arm around it, stifling a groan. My shirt and jacket were gone, displaying a band of gauze wrapped around it. But I still had my formal pants on. I gazed around the room, feeling a sense of quaintness, and also knowing that it belonged to somebody. A dresser stood beside a closet, and a handful of pictures hung on the walls, along with a letter. It stood out from the rest, but I didn’t have the energy to investigate.

There wasn’t a sign of any of my friends, but I knew I wasn’t a captive. I had been in enough beds after various injuries to know I was well taken care off. Throwing my feet to the side, my chest aching, I pushed off from the bed. I wavered but kept my balance as I shuffled over to the window, nudging open a curtain.

Manehattan at night. I was still there. The streets had several Humans running around, rifles in hands. They rushed to and fro, their heads shifting every which way. If the whole city was like that, then the ruckus we caused at the mansion must have made a big impact.

The mansion.

A pang of uncertainty erupted in my stomach, overcoming the pain. It was heavy, and I couldn’t ease it away by myself. Setting my sights for the door, I stumbled over to it. Even though my anxiety dulled the aching, my whole body felt out of place. Throwing myself to the door, I leaned against it, resting a moment as I caught my breath.

So many unknowns plagued my mind. The bullet had done more than incapacitate me, but prevented me from assisting my friends. They fought for the sake of Rarity, and Applejack, and Fluttershy… It was a slew of people really. I couldn’t even keep the events from playing straight in my head. What worried me the most was those new characters, the Lost. They came out of nowhere, and had even got a clean shot on me. They couldn’t have been pushovers, and the thought of Applejack or Alex taking them on dashed any thought of hope.

I couldn’t take the questions any longer. My hand reached for the doorknob while another chime echoed through the door. It was loud enough to sound like it was ringing in my ears.

“My goodness, darling!” Rarity’s voice said with annoyance, “Does that thing have an off switch?”

“Shhh,” Fluttershy whispered, barely audible, “Nolan’s still asleep.”

I pushed open the door, still clutching my chest as I more or less stepped into the room. Silence was my greeting. Emma, Fluttershy, and Rarity sat along a couch, reading, from the books scattered on the coffee table in front of them. Instead of a dress, Emma had a shirt and sweatpants, and Rarity no longer had her bathrobe. Seeing them, alive and well, made me sigh, relaxing my body. A bit too much, however, as my wound flared again. I fell to a knee, clutching it tightly as I ground my teeth.

“Damn it, Nolan,” Emma cursed, rushing over to me. “You opened up your wound.”

My lips curled into a smile as she knelt beside me, pushing me back to sit. Her hands fiddled with the gauze. “It’s fine,” I stated, hissing as she put pressure on my injury. I didn’t know her qualifications as a doctor, but she could at least tell me what she was doing.

“Just a spurt,” Emma commented, eyes fixated at my chest. A joke almost escaped my throat, but I couldn’t bring myself to say it. “We need to change your bandages eventually.”

“Why can’t we do it now?” Fluttershy questioned, standing beside Emma. I didn’t even hear her approach. She was undetectable when she wanted to be. Her sympathy looked to Emma’s purse expression. Her kneeling position made her just as tall as a Pony.

“Honestly, I want a little explanation how this wound is ‘fine’,” Emma said, crossing her arms, “If this is what you call fine, than I’d hate to see when it isn’t.”

Taking a few deep breaths, a way to siphon the pain a little, I raised a brow, “What do you mean?”

“One of your lungs nearly collapsed,” Fluttershy whispered, covering her muzzle. “That bullet punctured it and air leaked into your chest cavity. If we didn’t treat it when we did-”

“But you did treat it,” I emphasised, feeling along the bandage. A spot a few inches away from the bullet wound was very sensitive, a sharp ache acting up every time I brushed by it. “And I’m guessing it wasn’t pretty.”

“Does stabbing you with a pen count as pretty?” Emma remarked with a shake of her head. Fluttershy and Rarity shuddered, both hunching their shoulders as they curled up. “By the time we were able to release the pressure, you were going into shock. And that isn’t even mentioning digging the bullet out. And you call all of that ‘fine’?”

“What can I say?” I said back with a shrug, wincing when my chest ached as a result, “I've been stabbed through the shoulder by a tendril. Kind of changed my viewpoint on what’s bad or not.”

Emma balked at me, as did Fluttershy. Rarity just looked at me like I was crazy, and I couldn’t blame her. I surprised myself by bringing up that incident. Compared to everything else I had gone through, it was pretty tame. At least in the situation, I was the only one who got hurt.

Emma eased her tension as she chuckled dryly, sitting with her legs crossed. “That would explain the scar. You are one interesting man, Nolan,” she noted. Grunting in agreement, I spotted my shoulder, along with the circular scar tissue imprinted there. Despite the topic, my thoughts drifted back to the mansion, sombering my expression. Maybe everyone knew what I was thinking, the quiet atmosphere making the Ponies glance to everyone awkwardly.

“What happened?” I asked, closing my eyes. The pause that followed was far too long.

“The Lost happened,” Emma replied gravely. She knew I didn’t need to clarify my question.

I whipped my eyes over to her, narrowing them intently. It wasn’t that I was angry at her - she had so little to do with our plan that it would be pointless to blame her in any way - but that the memory of those three Humans coming in surfaced. They were professional, even if their clothing didn’t show it. What I hated the most was that no one had ever spoken about them, or even mentioned their very existence, and that this group suddenly showed up, and ruined everything.

“And exactly who are they?” I asked, my hands tightening into fists. Fluttershy bowed her head and backed away. As much as I scared her, I couldn’t bring myself to comfort her at the moment. I was too furious to have a swear-free thought. The curiosity from her and Rarity, however, couldn’t be denied, tilting their heads over to Emma.

“I would ask how you don’t know them,” Emma started, “But I don’t think you want to be asked that.” She sighed, “The Lost is a group that lives in the Backbone Mountains, the eastern part of Humania. Lots of horror stories originate from them, but the solid fact is that people know of them. And for the rare times they do show up, people know not to interfere in any way.”

Fluttershy whined, sliding closer to myself. After meeting them first hand, there was no way I could berate Fluttershy for being captured, or how they treated her. My anger simmered as I raised a hand, gently petting her mane. She froze for a moment, but softened up. Her mane was soft, my fingers sliding through it easily.

“There are rumors that they take contracts from high-paying people,” Emma continued, “All secretive endeavours; no one knows who hires them or for what reason. But from what some folks say, they’re not entirely heartless. They helped many of the refugees of Wales back before the war official started.”

“Wales?” I repeated, stopping my petting of Fluttershy to look to Emma. Fluttershy inched closer, either from her fear of the tale or the lack of comfort I had provided her.

Emma blinked, “The southernmost town in Humania, where the Ponies primarily burned the buildings.” She said it like it was obvious. I didn’t want to explain my whole predicament of being stuck in a different world, so I stared at her, silently waiting for her to continue as I resumed petting Fluttershy. “Well, you just need to know that the Lost gave them a town at the base of their mountain monastery. And don’t ask me why they consider it a monastery, I have no idea. They’re not religious, as far as the rumors have said.” She rubbed her head, “I’m getting off track. Essentially, the only time the Lost ever come down from their home is to fulfil a contract. And at that mansion, it was pretty clear they were given work by the Baron himself.”

The gray haired man the Lost had spoken with was the Baron. Figures. The one time I finally spot him, and I didn’t even know.

“Their mission had something to do with Fluttershy though,” Emma explained, gesturing to her as she whined again, hiding her frame behind me, quivering. “She told me everything about your Resistance, and don’t worry, I won’t sell you out.”

I considered asking her why that was, what motivation she had for helping us out. But it would have been rude to do so. She was respective to the Ponies, and I had met a handful of other Humans willing to help them too.

“Okay, but what happened to the others?” I said impatiently, the lack of other friends in the room was doing nothing for my anxiety.

“It was a real… clusterfuck,” Emma explained with only a second of hesitation. “Plain as that. Those friends of yours really made a mess of things there. I can’t tell you what happened exactly. Too much going on.”

I wanted to argue, but I didn’t have evidence to say they didn’t make a mess of things. I just wish she would cut to the point.

“Twilight got me away from those meanies,” Fluttershy muttered in my ear, resting her hooves against my back like I was a shield. “But she and Applejack… I…”

She sniffled, resting her forehead against my shoulder. Tears drenched it, trickling down my back as she sobbed. Her breaths tickled my back. I could only process what Fluttershy meant, my breath shortening. I pushed myself to my feet, making Fluttershy squeak as she fell off my back.

“Nolan,” Emma said cautiously, standing up as well. I ignored her, my mind reeling as I limped away from them, towards the counter of a kitchen. My hand rested on it, the other nursing my chest. My body leaned against the counter as I processed what Fluttershy meant.

“Twilight informed us to get Fluttershy and Rarity out,” Emma said behind me, “She went back for the mare that charged into the mansion.”

“We had to leave,” Rarity spoke up, her voice cracking. “The guards were coming, and the other Human, that gentlecolt, he couldn’t hold them off.”

My arm shook.

“We’re sorry,” Fluttershy cried, “I-I wish I wasn’t so… so useless.”

I balled up my fists.

“I’m sure they’re alive, Nolan,” Emma said.

My teeth clenched together.

“I wish I really knew,” Rarity muttered, her voice downtrodden, “Maybe I would feel more about this.”

“They… they can’t be dead, right?” Fluttershy questioned within a sob, “I was n-never-”

“Shut up!” I shouted, knocking my arm against a glass cup, shattering it against the wall. The yell took a lot out of me, as I breathed heavily, my wound flaring up again. I didn’t care. Twilight was gone. Applejack was gone. They couldn’t be dead, no, if they wanted me alive for what I did, they would keep those two alive as well. As ruthless as most Humans were in Equestria, they gave some mercy to the Ponies.

“Just…” I whispered, holding a hand over my eyes. “shut up.”

The answers I had gotten were not what I wanted to hear. Applejack and Twilight, taken prisoner. AJ had her sister to worry about, and was already a slave back before I arrived. As much as it was her fault for blindly charging into the party, I just couldn’t blame her. My heart ached just as much as my wound. She had already gone through too much, damn it! Give her a break!

And of course, my guilt doubled when I realized I hadn’t even considered the fate of Twilight Sparkle, or my other friends for that matter. “Did…” I said hoarsely, glancing back to them. They were rooted to their spots. “did anybody else make it out?”

“Lyra is gone,” Emma stated before swallowing, facing the floor, “I saw them take her. They took a lot of Ponies prisoner. I guess they thought there might have been other Pony spies.”

I looked to her empathetically. She had lost a friend too, one that was so squeamish around other Humans she could barely even look at one. And they just took her prisoner because of what Applejack did. Not everyone in Manehattan was sympathetic to the Ponies. My eyes wandered to Fluttershy, silently repeating my question, but she hid herself behind her mane; she didn’t know. She didn’t know most of the friends I had ran into in Manehattan, but Carrot Top…

“There was Carrot Top and… Alex, was it?” Rarity said, tapping her chin as she hopped off the couch. She made her way to the broken glass, levitating the shards as she spoke. She was casual about it; trying to alleviate the tension in the air. I could only wait while my heart beat heavily. “And another Pony too, but I can’t remember her name. she was a… guard of some kind. She helped us get past some Humans.”

That certainly was something, but it wasn’t exactly what I asked for. All the shards were in Rarity’s grip as she set course for the wastebasket just across the room. “She and Carrot Top are leading Alex out of town. Something about his sister.” Rarity stopped for a second, sighing before continuing, her voice lower than before. “But they should be back.”

“Yeah,” Fluttershy whispered, “That guard Pony, um, was really… forceful.”

A guard Pony helping us? In Manehattan? They might have been a branch from the Old Guard back in Fillydelphia, or even another secret group living in the sewers. Regardless, hearing that Alex and Carrot Top were alright made butterflies appear in my stomach. They were fine, separated from us for the moment, but fine. I just wish I could say the same for Vincent, Anthony, and Spitfire. They were prepared for a gunfight, but that didn’t mean they weren’t outnumbered. Not knowing their fate still left a faint hole in my gut.

If Carrot Top was around though, I wasn’t sure how I would feel. She was my best friend, pure and simple. We had been through thick and thin together, and having her out there, with the Humans searching everywhere for me made my heart heavy.

But the sound of a door opening and closing lifted it immediately.

“We’re back,” Carrot Top said, mellow and a tinge annoyed. I would have charged right over to her, but just twisting to the side made the pain return. Painkillers would have been really useful. Regardless, I held my breath as Carrot Top rounded the corner, entering the room before halting as our eyes met.

My stomach tightened again; seeing her after that ordeal was too much for me. I smiled like an idiot, tearing my eyes away as I walked over to her. The pain didn’t even exist any more. The others in the room were gone. There was just Carrot Top and I.

My pace quickened until I fell to my knees sliding slightly as I threw my arms around her, holding her tight. Her fur was still soft, like back at the inn before we left for the mansion. Feeling the smooth fur lace through my fingers was overwhelming. I just wanted to hold her, remain by her side and keep her safe.

I had already lost Applejack and Twilight, losing her would have been too much.

“Nolan…” she mumbled, her forelegs hugging me as her head rested on the crook of my neck. There were no words exchanged between us. All we needed, for that moment alone, was each other.

“Jeez, you guys are emotional,” a female voice spoke behind Carrot Top. The tone and snideness broke me away from my revery, a flicker of anger building inside me as I pulled away from Carrot Top. She turned around as my gaze landed on the bitch who interrupted us.

Her fur was white, clashing with her fiery mane and tail. Her mane was swept to one side, easily displaying her coy smile. I didn’t know what right she had to have a smile like that, but I knew a handful of ways to turn it around.

However, something struck me; the voice, her looks. I had met her before, and it only took a little imagination to put some gold armor on her.

“Nova,” I said, who blinked at me, her expression shifting to confusion. Her name would have escaped me, but in my mind, she was linked to Fluttershy, and it was hard to forget what befell her.

Nova gave a sideways glance, clearing her throat as her arrogance deflated into a mixture of nervousness and uncertainty. I didn’t know the distance between Fillydelphia and Manehattan, but it had to be pretty far. But even ignoring that issue, she had a duty with the Old Guard. Something was iffy, and I didn’t like it.

“She came all the way here to help us,” Carrot Top explained, her eyes also locked on to Nova. She wasn’t pleased at all from the interruption. I was glad we had something in common with her. “Said Lucky sent her.”

“Right,” Nova nodded. She acted like she was accepting a suggestion than agreeing with a fact. “My superior, you remember him, right?”

I hummed to myself, standing to my feet with effort. Carrot Top held a hoof to my side, supporting my ascent. A glance around showed everyone was either on edge or indecisive, whether it be from my actions or Nova’s behavior.

“Yeah, I remember,” I muttered, my head tilted down. I had to sort my thoughts out, a small pause stagnating the conversation. No one made a sound. I spoke again, much louder and accusatory, “I remember your superior being Solar Flare.” Her eyes widened, I was willing to bet her heart stopped too, “Who the hell are you?”

She looked around the room, taking a step back like she was cornered. In truth, the door exiting the apartment was right behind her, and I doubted any of us would be in prime condition to catch her. Despite having caught… whoever she was, her alarm dampened into acceptance as she released as sigh.

“And here I thought you’d have forgotten,” Nova said with a shake of her head. And then, right before my goddamn eyes, she burst into green flames. My heart jumped into my throat, everyone giving off some form of shock. They didn’t see it coming either. The flames, however, didn’t burn or sear Nova’s surroundings. They just engulfed her, starting at the hooves and swiftly making its way up.

In seconds, some… thing stood in Nova’s place. Black and grotesque were the first words that popped into my head. However, it wasn’t entirely the truth. A curved horn replaced her spiral one, and several holes filled her forelegs, like someone had dug tunnels through them. Frankly, it made my skin crawl.

That wasn’t even the half of it though. Two, curved teeth jutted from her mouth, much like a vampires, but longer. Her ears were pointed while her bug-like wings were splayed at her side. With the addition of her entirely blue eyes, I would have said she was a bug herself.

“A Changeling!?” Carrot Top blurted. That put my stupefied expression into thoughtfulness. I had heard the word ‘Changeling’ before, from Twilight. But to see what she was referring to, standing in the same room, I wasn’t sure what to think. Twilight had been so casual in their mentioning, yet there wasn’t anything casual about them.

“Is it really that shocking?” the Changeling asked, raising a brow. Her body had changed dramatically, as did her voice, but it wasn’t one I was expecting. It was very fluid and feminine.

“Yes,” Emma shot, venom dripping from her tone, “What did you do with the real Nova, huh?”

A shapeshifter did have to deal with the other real person, but I wasn’t certain if Emma knew what a Changeling was. The Ponies were similar; they knew what they were, but were more startled from this particular Changeling’s appearance. The Changeling, in question, leaned against the nearby wall, propping her hooves to the side. She was taking her exposure pretty well.

“Haven’t touched her,” the Changeling replied, “Really no need when she’s not in the same city.”

That answered that. But I was too curious why a Changeling would come around here. It wasn’t exactly a great time to be Pony. Surely she had her own kind to be with. “Okay,” I said slowly, holding out my hands incase someone did anything; Carrot Top looked like she was going to leap at the Changeling at any moment. “So, why are you here?”

“You,” she said simply, relaxing her face like all of this was boring. “My Queen took quite an interest in you back when I reported you in Fillydelphia. She assigned me to watch you since then.” Her face tensed up as her head dipped, “I guess she’s going to hate how my cover was blown. I’m going to be taking care of nymphs for a month.”

“Queen?” I asked, but shoved the question aside. I had more pressing things to bring up. “Why is she interested in me?”

The Changeling brought her head up, staring at the ceiling. Any hint of boredom before was washed away with sadness. Her somberness hit me more than it should have. “Because you’re helping the Ponies,” she stated, swallowing, “And our hive is dying.”

Chapter 1: Different

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 1: Different

The life of a police officer was never easy. I had to put up with so many factors at once it was almost too much to take, some of which didn't even make sense to me. First, there were my superiors, who demanded my participation as much as possible, even though I was already doing that. Then, there was the constant stream of crimes I had to settle to keep the peace in the city of Los Angeles. Finally, the people who simply hated the cops. The ones that called us 'pigs' and other profane names. They were correct on multiple accounts, but it was a prejudice that grew old fast. Especially since it wasn't related to what I did.

When I thought about it, the media never gave us a break either, but there was no point complaining about them. In fact, complaining about any of these things would do nothing to change what they did. Sort of like how my life had been; a roller coaster of unneeded drama and hardships. For some reason, it always felt good to think about these things, regardless if they brought truth, falsehood, or a mix of both. It was a distraction, something to rest my mind upon before it would need to truly focus. as anyone would agree, as I approached our mission destination.

The large black van I sat in jerked slightly as it careened down the street, knocking me out of my reverie. A glance around told me no one was effected by the sudden shift of the vehicle. A sharp turn to the left proved this point as everyone swayed inside the van, but thought nothing of it. We were all set for the firefight that awaited us. Black attire with a combat vest that sported the familiar white S.W.A.T. logo on the back. The combat helmets we wore over our ski masks were doing their job nicely, hiding our identity completely. Even the dark tinted military giggles strapped over our eyes sheltered our eyes from external means, making us far more imposing. All in all, we didn't mess around in terms of protection, both physically and visually.

My assessment of our apparel was cut short as I remembered why we were dressed that way in the first place. A robbery, the thieves holed up in a building still under construction, a fire fight breaking out between cops and robbers. The rest was a bit fuzzy, but in the end, what did it matter? If S.W.A.T. was being called in, it was pretty serious. What weapons the robbers could have, if we had the element of surprise, and were what was really important, and was unknown to us. Regardless, the firearms each of us held were ready for what was in store, whatever we would encounter. The other five men that were in the van with me were probably thinking the same thing. It was pretty normal, especially with our lack of knowledge regarding our mission.

These precious moments were best left in silence, so everyone can ponder to themselves. Sadly, it wasn't the case for the new guy that had joined our ranks. As usual, no one was thrilled when he was assigned to us. No party or congratulations, just the expectation to do his job and do it well. The way he spoke intelligibly most of the time, mutterings of an inexperienced man as only a few words cropped up from time to time.

Though it was his first time, none of us told him to shut up. Whether it was out of respect for the new guy, or knowing these were the times to prepare, I didn't know, but I was certainly getting irritated.

"Oh man," he mumbled excitedly to himself, speaking coherently for the first time since I had met him as he examined his MP5 submachine gun for the third time. "This is so exciting! Can you believe I was accepted for S.W.A.T.?"

I certainly couldn't believe it, and I had bet many others at the station would agree with me. I didn't hear of him until he was suddenly thrown on our laps. Shaking my head, I wished he would keep quiet like the rest of us. No one responded to his question, assuming it was rhetorical and hoping he would get the message. Some of the other members used to behave like him - enthusiastic at the prospect of stopping gung ho criminals. A single mission was all it took to teach them that S.W.A.T. wasn't a game. The new guy glanced around, not catching on to our subtle hint, and continued on with his ramblings.

"How about you, Anderson?" he inquired to me specifically. I was hoping he wouldn't talk to me, but I suppose sitting next to the chatter box meant one had to interact with him.

"Just call me Nolan," I snapped quietly. Just my luck to be the one who had to talk with him. I didn't even know his name!

"Oh, uh... alright, Nolan," he corrected, his tone sounding a bit confused. He must not have been used to speaking to others so informally. Silence followed afterward, but it only lasted for a second before he decided to speak to me again. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

I gave a calm sigh. I knew the new guy would have questions, but why did I have to answer them? Maybe it was because I was the sole person to actually acknowledge his existence on the van. If that was the case, I had learned my lesson.

"What is it?" I asked rudely.

"Why do you have a revolver instead of a 9mm like the rest of us?" he asked, pointing to the gun holstered to my side. The others in the van looked to each other, like the new guy had asked a stupid question. With inward sigh, I somehow knew at some point he was going to ask that... I suppose it was a good time, but it didn’t mean I had to like answering him.

I gripped the handle of my revolver and pulled it out fluidly, allowing him to see it fully. "A Smith and Wesson 629 .44 Magnum Revolver," I recited perfectly. If I could see his face, I bet the new guy was in absolute awe at my skills involving memory. I had my reasons for memorizing my revolver's official name though.

"It may not be standard issue, but it gets the job done. I call her 'Vera'," I explained while placing the revolver back in the holster. The new guy watched me do this in awe, as if he watching some action movie hero. He wondered if it was wise to stick this man into a place where bullets would be flying by; he seemed like he would be easily distracted. He tilted his head down, obviously in thought about something.

"This may be a little personal," he inquired, rubbing his neck as he faced me again, "But how old were you when you went into S.W.A.T.?"

The question may have been irrelevant to the mission at hand, but I was sure he had his reasons. "Twenty four," I answered, looking off to the side. "I'm twenty five now," I added, thinking he would appreciate the additional info.

"I'm only twenty," he responded, his tone suggesting he was ashamed of his age. "I bet you have loads of experience."

"More than most," I admitted, nodding slightly. The new guy must have presumed I didn't want to speak more on the subject, and the sounds of the van filled the compartment in the short break that followed.

"Have you heard of My Little Pony?" the new guy questioned suddenly, leaning forward towards me. That had to be the strangest question anyone had ever asked me, and I had been asked some pretty ridiculous questions.

"I remember some girls playing with those toys when I was a kid, why?" I replied, honestly curious as to why he would ask a question like that.

"There's this awesome show based off the toys," he revealed, the excitement evident in his voice. I couldn't believe a grown man was watching a show based on a toy made for little girls. The others in the van were unfazed by this knowledge, which was even stranger. Either they already knew about his interest, or they were into the same thing. I really wanted it to be the former, since I couldn't stand the thought of so many men watching such a show.

"Why would you watch something like that?" I asked in disbelief, my eyes trained on him.

"You should check it out on your computer sometime, it's great," he expressed, reflecting my question away. Though I did have a computer, I hardly used it, and the times I did, it was never for entertainment. Even if I did use it for such purposes, I would avoid a show for little girls.

I didn't tell him this though, putting up my silent demeanor. Not just because I didn't want to talk to the new guy anymore, but also because the driver had banged on the metal sheet that seperated us from him. It meant we were nearing our destination, and it helped ready ourselves for deployment when he eventually stopped.

The new kid was already told of this sign, so everyone was checking our gear one last time. Four others held their MP5 sub-machine guns at the ready, while another person and I readied our pump-action shotguns. The seconds ticked by as we neared the drop point, and I had that gut wrenching feeling inside me I always had when I was about to get into a gun fight.

I faintly began to hear the sounds of discharging handguns and the loud pangs the bullets made when they impacted metal. It only got louder as we got closer and closer, to the point where it was difficult to tell where the shooters were. I didn't know how many people were out there, but there must had been a lot.

At that point, some stray bullets were beginning to ricochet off of the armored van we occupied, leaving behind loud ringing noises. The new guy flinched each time a bullet impacted the side, making me give a hidden smile in amusement at his jumpy mood. At last, the van came to a halt; it was time to go.

The two men closest to the doors pushed them open, filing out as they did. I was near the back so I was the last to get out. As I was exiting the vehicle, I realized the gunfire had ceased. That meant the other police officers where following protocol, which was to cease fire and stay at a safe distance to allow us, the big guns, to come in and clean shop. I wondered whether that was wise, since the criminals would know we had arrived, but I had never questioned it.

Our team briskly walked down the street towards the line of patrol cars. Many police officers were aiming their guns at a certain three-story building. That must have been where the convicts were. We headed for the man in charge, Captain Moore, to get an overview of the situation. Our S.W.A.T. captain, Sawyer, was the one who spoke with him. Since I was second-in-command, I had to listen to the conversation as well.

"What's the situation?" Sawyer asked in his deep voice, as Moore kept his eyes on the three-story building. Moore was average looking, if not slightly overweight. Of course, being a captain, he could do what he wanted, so I didn't really care.

"As far as I can tell," Moore said, turning his gaze over to our squad, "the bastards are holed in pretty tightly. They stopped firing when they saw your S.W.A.T. van roll by. Probably getting ready for your breach."

Sawyer nodded, and gestured at the building for us to get into a breaching position. The rest of us nodded to his order and, as quietly as we could, neared the door in the alley way. The new guy was in front of me, and I could easily hear his uneasy breathing. He was definitely nervous, and I knew he would act like that once we were about to get in on the action.

Once we were in the graffiti-filled alleyway, we made a beeline for the deteriorating white door. Sawyer positioned himself to the left of the door, while I stood further to the left behind him. Another person stood on the right of the entrance, readying his MP5. The others stood off to the side, ready to provide support if the need arose.

"Remember, team," Sawyer reminded, looking at each of us in turn, "shoot to kill but if they try to surrender, take prisoners."

So it was the usual plan to kill everyone. I didn't know why he told us to try to take prisoners, since they never surrendered. That's why they sent us in, to take care of them before they caused anymore damage. I bet even Sawyer knew that, but standard procedure probably forced him to tell us anyway.

"Anderson," Sawyer commanded sternly, snapping me out of my thoughts, "Breach, bang, and clear."

I gave a curt nod, and Sawyer nodded back. His hand approached the door handle, grasped it in his hand and turned it. The door swung open to a small degree, and there was thankfully no immediate threat. That was my cue.

I grabbed a flash bang from my belt while holding my shotgun in my left hand. I promptly moved over to the door while at the same time pulling the pin. I threw it in quickly and placed myself back behind Sawyer. The familiar flash of light mixed with the extremely loud sound it emitted told us it went off. The following groans of pain was just icing on the cake.

As soon as the flash bang went off, Sawyer and the person standing to the side entered, weapons at the ready. I heard gunshots as I followed closely behind, but they were disorganized, chaotic; definitely not our own. Apparently, the people inside thought they could get a shot on us while disoriented.

Sawyer and the other breacher took out the three men nursing their eyes and ears, avoiding the enemy bullets while giving short sprays from their submachine guns effectively. I didn't have to discharge my weapon, and neither did the other members of the squad as we entered as well, seeing the dead bodies on the ground.

With the short break granted to us, I took a quick peek at what we were dealing with. The three dead men, sprawled around the room, all wore a red handkerchief over their noses and mouths, crudely hiding who they were. They also wore red baseball caps and dirty shirts. The reason for their resistance against the police wasn't present, as there wasn't anything worth fighting for in the room. It was probably in a different room. The weapons they once wielded were resting next to them. With a quick examination, I could tell they were plain Uzis. We had to be careful.

"Alright, team," Sawyer called as we all gathered around, "same plan as usual. Teams of two, clear each floor. Meet back here when you're finished."

The rest of us nodded, and I finally examined the room we were in. It was all white, there was no furniture, no painted walls, just an empty room. The faint smell of paint was in the air, and the various paint buckets adjacent to the walls added to my conclusion. The complex was probably under renovation. If the rest of the rooms were like this, then the job had just gotten a lot simpler.

I somehow got paired up with the new guy, much to my dismay. I didn't bother asking what his name was out of not caring what so ever. Even if we were working together, I believed it would not be required. We were given the third floor, and in my opinion, the easiest floor, since we had the advantage of height if we needed it. Things had been going my way that day, to an extent.

The new guy and I rapidly climbed the stairs, which were thankfully closed off, eliminating any thought of an ambush. I had to admit, the new guy was holding up. Sure, he hadn't done any real work yet, but he seemed ready to do his job. As we hopped the last step onto the third floor, I raised by hand into a fist, indicating for him to halt. The new guy complied, waiting for my next order.

I observed the area we had to clear. There was a small hallway with three doors, one on the left, one on the right, and one at the far end. I gestured to the door to the left, and he got in position to the right of it. I stood to the left, and when he gave me the thumbs up he was set, I quickly stepped away and kicked the door down.

We charged in one at a time, with our weapons at the ready, but there was no one to greet us. Relaxing our shoulders, the new guy gave a small sigh, and I did as well. "One down," I muttered, "Two to go."

He and I left the empty room and took our places on the opposite door. We did the same procedure; he gave the thumbs up and I kicked the door down. However, It was the same thing as before: empty.

At that point, the new guy was shaking slightly, his jitters becoming obvious to me. He was either growing anxious about having to fight someone, or was impatient at not finding anything so far. Either way, I hoped it wouldn't get us killed.

We had one last room to check, and at that point, I hoped it was empty as well. From my luck, if the previous rooms were empty, it meant the last one would be holding the men we had to take down. It had become such a miserable habit I was on the verge of giving it a name.

The hallway was too narrow to redo the same tactic we had used previously, so I had to improvise a quick breach plan. Only one of us would be able to enter at a time, like the other doors. Unlike the other rooms, however, one person would have to wait until the other was completely inside before he could render aid. The biggest risk with this breach would be someone would inevitably be injured, or worse. That was if the men behind the door knew we were coming, but it wasn't like we had been silent on the floor.

I took a deep breath, knowing what I had to do. I turned to the new guy, who clutched his MP5 closely to his body, waiting for my orders. I told him the situation given to us by fate, and he shook even harder. I know I would have.

"S-So am I going to be the one to... e-enter first, sir?" he stammered, staring at the last door like if was about to bite him. I couldn't help but pity him. A man who thought he would be bringing justice and stuff like that. But at that point, he thought he had to risk his life for a single room. It wasn't right, especially since he had only just joined S.W.A.T.

"No," I answered seriously, and the new guy tilted his head to the side. I guess he had thought I was going to force him to do it. "I'll go in first, you take out anybody when you get the chance. Understand?"

I couldn't tell if the new guy was relaxed or agitated more, for he was still shaking. "I understand," he complied, nodding as his shakes toned down a little afterwards. I was glad I was able to ease his mind, if only slightly.

Nodding back, I faced the accursed door, raising my shotgun to eye level as I began hearing my heart beat against my chest. Before I reached for the door handle, I suddenly remembered I had one more flash bang with me. I lowered my shotgun only slightly while my right hand went to retrieve it, and when I looked upon it, I tossed it lightly to myself. I couldn't believe I had forgotten about it, even the new guy had a few with him! Though it would have been a waste to use them in the previous empty rooms. Even still, I felt pretty dumb.

Groaning at my idiocy, I shrugged the thought off, and held my shotgun vertically to balance it out. I turned the handle of the door, and opened it only a crack. Afterwards, I pulled the pin of the flash bang and shoved it through the small crack of the door. The flash bang went off and I slammed my shoulder into the door bursting into the room with my shotgun at the ready.

The next thing I knew, someone had tackled me from my left side, sending both of us to the floor. My shotgun was thrown out of my hold from the impact, and I was wrestling with the man who was on top of me.

I didn't know where the new guy was, but he must have had his hands full with the other people in the room, if hearing his MP5 was any indication. As I struggled against the man on top of me, I began thinking of my options. My shotgun was out of reach, so that was out. I couldn't get my .44 revolver without this guy getting a shot at me. That only left my combat knife, attached to my vest on my left shoulder.

With a plan in mind, I elbowed the man in the head, and while he was dazed, I quickly grasped the handle of my knife, took it out and rammed it into his neck. He stopped instantly his eyes wide as he choked on his own blood, a few drops falling on my chest. I didn't want to kill him in such a manner, but it was my only available option at the time. With his life fleeting, he tumbled off of me, allowing me to sit up and look around frantically for any other threats.

Two other men were dead on the floor, blood dripping from bullet wounds by a submachine gun, but what caught my eye was one of the criminals was standing over the new guy, with a handgun pointed at his head. Thinking fast, I dropped my knife as my hands instantly unholstering my revolver. Aiming the weapon at the man's head, I fired a single bullet, which passed though the man's head. The mand didn't even mutter a sound as he fell onto his stomach beside the new guy.

I nearly fell back in relief, releasing a breath I didn't know I was holding. Who knew I would be that attached to a guy I had only met yesterday. Of course, I anybody would have done the same, but the feeling was still there. I pushed myself to my feet, and stood up, feeling somewhat sore where the man had hit me. The smell of paint was replaced with gunpowder, and it forced me to give a small cough.

After holstering my revolver, I picked my shotgun off the ground, looking it over for any damage. Satisfied with its nearly pristine condition, I lifted it over my back and attached it to the clip that hung on the backside of my combat vest. Having that little clip made carrying my shotgun much easier when we were finished with a mission. After snatching my knife and putting back where it belonged, I walked over to the new guy, who had not made any indication to get up. Stopping next to him, I held out my hand, expecting him to grab it.

To my horror, he didn't move at all.

My eyes widened behind my goggles and I knelt down quickly, putting two fingers against his neck. There was a pulse, thank god, and I concluded he was knocked unconscious, not dead. He was probably hit in the head by a blunt object. Still, he should get medical attention as soon as possible.

Before I could shout for help, I caught sight of an odd object sitting not too far away. It was a flat piece of stone, stylized and painted like the sun. It was perfect, with smooth corners and no smudged paint. Why was such an object here? Did these bastards steal it?

Standing up, my eyes not leaving the object for a second, I carefully stepped over to it, and picked it up. I studied it effortlessly, feeling the smooth object through my gloves as I turned it over. A yellow circle made up the center, and it was surrounded by a light shade of orange. The flames that flowed outward, representing light, were a dark shade of orange. It was very peculiar, yet beautiful.

Suddenly, the object began to glow white, causing me to raise an eyebrow. Did it have hidden lights in it? I would have left it alone at that point, but something inside me wanted to continue to examine it, to learn about it. A burst of bright light shot out of it, and I dropped it on instinct, backing away from it. The light filled my vision, to the point where I thought I would go blind. Then I felt myself falling, and the light faded to black, as I slipped to unconsciousness.

{~+~}

I could feel the hard floor pressing against my side, a sign I was still alive. It was dead quiet, not even the small sound of movement could be heard. I opened my eyes fully, the tinted goggles suppressing the light that filtered through the windows. I shook my head as I sat up from my prone position, glancing around to get my bearings.

The room was completely empty now - the dead convicts and the new guy were gone. The walls were still white, but looked dirtier than before. The floor also changed from plain concrete to a wooden finish. What the hell happened? Did one of my S.W.A.T. members move me to a different room? Even if I was, I think someone from my squad would be here with me.

I tiredly stood up, groaning as I did. The unintentional sleep had made me sore, and I wondered how long I was out. I checked my equipment, to see if anything was missing. I still had my shotgun, along with all the ammunition I was allowed to carry for it. The same went with Vera, as it was still holstered to my side. Even my knife was in its place.

I lost nothing in my unwilling move, and I was still wearing all my gear. So the real question was, where was I? I walked over to the window, noting it was a four-pane window instead of just one large glass pane. I put a hand over my eyes to see better, but it proved fruitless as the glass was fogged up from the other side. I guess the only way to figure out where I ended up was by going outside.

I strode towards the door and tentatively opened it. The hallway was still there, but I didn't know if it was comforting or disturbing. Nevertheless, I made my way back to the stairs, and I found out I was in a two story building unlike before. As I stepped onto the ground floor, I sighted a simple wooden door with a round handle. I figured a long time ago I was in a different building, but confirming it still made me uncomfortable.

The windows were the same as the one above; foggy and opaque. I hardly took notice, as my objective was just to get the hell out of the building. However, as I neared the door, I felt dread well up inside me. It was the fear of finding something I wasn't ready for. I pushed it aside, knowing I had no choice, so, cautiously, I opened the door.

The sight made me almost want to slam the door shut in shock.

I wasn't on the same street anymore. I wasn't even in the same city anymore. By only looking out the door, I could tell I was in a different land. There were cottages that were timber-framed with distinct thatched roofs. Almost all the buildings were identical, save a handful. The roads were run down with dirt paths, with a few patches of cobblestones here and there.

I took a small step in this strange place, looking around in a baffled state. The place was so unrecognizable I doubted I was in the U.S. anymore. The buildings were outdated to our construction guidelines, and the streets would at least have some signs around. I exited the house I was in entirely, circling around to see it. It was similar to the other housings, but had a wooden sign hanging by the door, saying ‘For Sale’ in black text.

"Alright, calm down," I whispered to myself, trusting it would help as I held out my hands in front of me, "It's just a dream. A very vivid dream, but still a dream. I'll wake up, and forget this whole thing."

My gaze drifted to the sky, seeing it was perfectly cloudless, with the sun at an angle with the horizon. That was another thing that confused me; the sun seemed... larger, as if Earth had grown closer to the sun or vice versa.

That was when the inhabitants of this town opened their doors, exiting their homes. It was odd to see people leaving their homes nearly simultaneously, but I had to remind myself I was still in a dream. They all wore forest green jackets with haggard jeans. Various accessories complimented their heads. If I didn't know better, they all seemed like military, with the revolvers holstered to their brown leather belts.

What was really unusual was what followed behind each person. If I remembered correctly from my Biology classes in college, they were ponies. Four foot tall, colored ponies, with big eyes, and tattoos on their flanks. My head must had really messed with me. I decided to explore a little, humor my mind before I woke up.

As I strolled down the street, I couldn't help but regard the place with wonder. The whole town had very unique yet run down buildings. One looked to be made of sweets, while another looked like it was carved into a tree. It was fascinating how my mind would come up with them.

The locales weren't the only things that interested me, the populace was unreal. Each person was followed by one or two ponies. Mysteriously, the ponies seemed to be sad. They were actually expressing sadness, like a human would. The humans didn't care in the slightest about that phenomenon, or just didn't notice. There was a variety of colors the ponies displayed, yet I knew something wasn't right.

The more I observed my surrounds, the more it seemed to not be a dream. Everything was so surreal, and I'm pretty sure I could never think up a place like this in a hundred years. What was ironic was that everyone was gawking at me as I went by, like I was the weird one. Even the ponies.

Speaking of the ponies, as I studied them while I walked, I could almost feel a presence I wouldn't associate with a pony, as if it was aware what was going on around it. It's impossible to discern whether the reality I found myself in was real, but I was slowly leaning away from it all being fake. My heartbeat increased at the realization that this place might be genuine. My breath quickened as well, and I began to feel woozy. It felt like my whole perspective of logic was thrown out the window.

The sound of an angry cry broke me from my contemplations. It came from around the upcoming corner, and a yelp of pain also resonated in the same direction. I picked up the pace, hoping to assist in some way.

As I rounded the corner, my eyes laid upon a man, whose features were contorted with fury, as he stood over a pony. The pony was cowering away from him, clutching its stomach with its hooves. Apples were lying around the filthy ground, and a knocked over basket lay close by, presenting to me what had happened.

It was already strange enough that the pony was twisting her leg in a peculiar way, but that it was brightly colored was another. I knew some of the other ponies had abnormal coats and manes, but I didn’t think they were so vibrant. This pony seemed to be female, as did a majority of the other ponies, with a pale goldenrod coat and carrot orange mane and tail. Her tattoo on her flank was three carrots.

"Stupid fucking pony!" the man bellowed, kicking the poor pony in the stomach, causing the pony to wince in pain. I didn't think ponies could wince. "Can't even hold a basket of apples without spilling it!"

The man continued to kick the pony relentlessly, and I knew it was a case of animal abuse. As a police officer, it was my duty to uphold the law, no matter where I was. "Hey, knock it off," I said sternly, walking over to him with determination. The man did stop, causing the pony to catch a break as it breathed raggedly

"What do you want?" he asked threateningly, crossing his arms as he faced me. He had a long face that told everybody he was always serious. His short black hair had gray growing in random places.

"You do realize that's animal abuse, right?" I explained intently, halting in front of him.

"Animal abuse?" he asked me, and before I could answer, he broke down in laughter. Even passing people thought my comment was comical, as they tried to stifle their own laughter. Was it an inside joke? The man finally stopping his laughing, but was wheezing from overexerting himself.

"Oh, that's rich," he chuckled, wiping an imaginary tear from his eye. He gazed at me again, and his snickering was cut off. "You're serious?"

I hesitated a moment, wondering if it was worth going through with this. Was it normal here to just hurt animals like that? I didn't want to question how the system worked. The man narrowed his eyes, "What are you anyway? A special operative of the Baron?"

Baron? Was he the one in charge? More questions were filling my head, but I had to tread carefully. I was getting a bad vibe from the person. "Uh, yeah," I answered, scratching the back of my neck. I may have lied, but telling the truth was probably unwise at that point.

"Oh," he spoke, visibly relaxing from his earlier pose, "Then you must be here to speak with Mayor Jordan about the apple shortage."

"Right," I agreed, pointing a finger at him, "I'm here to find out about the apple shortage."

I had no idea what I was saying. From the man's words, there was apparently an apple shortage in town. And the leader of this town was Jordan. If I can find him and explain my predicament, he can point me in the right direction, and I could get home. It wasn't much of a plan, but it was a plan nonetheless.

"He's over at Sweet Apple Acres, as usual," he stated, jabbing a thumb at a path that led out of town. "And if it isn't too much trouble, can you put a good word my way?"

"Whatever," I grumbled with annoyance, stepping past him. I didn't like when people tried to brown nose their way through the ranks. The man acted like he had been slapped in the face, but didn't say a word. As I was heading to the path he indicated, I looked over my shoulder one last time, and saw the man grab the pony's mane and forcibly pull her to her hooves as he scolded it. Why would he talk to a pony who couldn't talk back? I know some people talk to animals, but how loud he was to the pony was ridiculous.

I faced forward again, shaking my head. I would get all my answers from Mayor Jordan, and then I can get back home. Still, that pony didn't deserve to be treated like that. The other people ignored the abuse as well, like it was a common occurrence.

"What have I gotten myself into?" I mumbled as I strode down the dirt path, leaving the town boundary. My head wandered around, admiring the beautiful nature around me. The rolling hills were filled with golden grass, and it was quite remarkable.

That's when I saw the large castle-like city on the side of a lone mountain. I may not have known every city in the world, but I was pretty sure there wasn't a place like that, especially one that looked so precariously placed. Just another question to add to my list, which had grown quite a bit.

My trip brought me to a bridge that spanned a small stream. I thought it was quite quaint, seeing as the bridge was exaggerated given the small river of water. After I crossed it, the view on my right side changed from wide-open plains to a large tree orchard. Each tree was healthy, bearing bountiful apples by the dozens. I wondered if I could try some when I got the chance, and decided to ask when I could.

A fork in the road was presented to me. One lead onward, heading to who knew where. The other path went into the orchard, and probably to Sweet Apple Acres. I took the latter for obvious reasons.

My trek eventually brought me to a red barn. Like the town not too far off, the barn was worn down and shabby, with peeling paint and beaten wood. When I thought about it, the whole town reminded me of those old ghost towns, except this place wasn't abandoned, just neglected.

I took a small break to check out the surrounding area, leaning against a post of the white rail fence that surrounded the orchard. Sweet Apples Acres looked like a normal farm. Crops were growing vibrant vegetables, animals were in their pens, and farm equipment was strung around.

I gave a relieved sigh, glad to finally be on the right track. The whole place had been so confusing, I was afraid something would happen to make it weirder. Mayor Jordan would give it to me straight. And if he didn't... I'd think of something else.

The best place to find him would be in the barn, but as I pushed myself off to head there, I heard arguing. It wasn't one of those arguments that lasted a few minutes, but the one that turned violent fairly fast. I decided to investigate, and the sound was coming through the trees.

Vaulting the fence, I carefully snuck through the tall apple trees, wary I may be trespassing. I got to the point where I was able to discern words in the heated discussion, and I approached much more quietly so as to not be found out. One may call what I was doing eavesdropping, but a police officer knows that any evidence is good evidence.

"I don't care how tired you are!" shouted a masculine voice, "You need to buck as many trees as you can, or the shortage will continue!"

"I don't care!" a female voice seethed angrily with a southern drawl, "What I need is rest! How am I suppose ta harvest apples if ya never give me a break?!"

I had crept behind one of the trees, my back pressed against it, and I knew right behind it were the perpetrators of the argument.

"Don't question me!" the man bellowed, using a threatening tone, "Just get the rest of the apples then you can rest, you fucking bitch!"

The raging disagreement came to a close as footsteps could be heard crunching towards me. I pressed myself harder into the tree, hoping he wouldn't catch me where I shouldn't be. Luckily, he walked past without a glance back. He was tall, maybe a few inches taller than me, and he wore the regular clothes everyone in town wore. What set him apart from the rest was the light brown Stetson hat on his head.

If my deduction skills were as good as I thought they were, that was probably Jordan. And if it wasn't him, than it was someone who could point me to him. I was about to follow him and speak with him, but the woman he was arguing with crossed my mind. Why were they working someone to exhaustion? Was it slavery? I knew I had to at least talk with the girl to see if she was alright.

A loud crack, followed by many small thuds, came from behind my tree. I peeked around my tree to see what she was doing, but I only saw a pony. This pony had an orange coat, with a blonde mane and tail. The tattoo on her flank were three red apples. That pony must have been the most ordinary one I had seen so far. I searched the area, but found no sign of the other woman. Did she take off? And why does this pony seem so mad?

I took a step forward to get a better view, but my foot, unfortunately, landed on a branch that snapped under my weight. The pony's head whipped over in my direction, her eyes, which I just noticed were emerald green, were narrowed in fury. Soft freckles sat underneath them, on her cheeks. However, upon seeing me, she jumped back in fright. My appearance really was uncommon if I could spook a pony.

"Whoa Nelly," the pony said nervously. Wait, the pony spoke? Actual words!? Was she the one who was arguing with the man!? My brain was tripping over word after word, trying to comprehend this unfathomable revelation. I shook my head several times, even banged my head with the palm of my hand to shake me out of it. Though it was difficult with my helmet on.

"What are you doin'?" the pony asked aggressively, referring to my odd motions. She must have gotten over my attire at some point. I simply stood there, dumbstruck. "You're... you're talking," I said dumbly, pointing a shaky finger at her.

"Of course I'm talkin'!" she snapped, glaring with all her might, "Did ya forget I could or somethin'?"

"I... what... how...?" I stammered, my movement was at a standstill as I observed the pony. She wasn't having any of it though, and rolled her eyes with annoyance.

"Look mister," she explained sternly, "I have work ta do. So iffen you don't mind..."

She walked over to a tree, spun on the spot, and kicked it with her hind legs. A cascade of apples fell, landing perfectly in the baskets that sat underneath the tree. My brain, at that point, was barely registering what was going on around me. I had to process everything that had happened so far, so I sat down, placing my back against a tree, with my hands cradling my head.

At first I thought I was carried to a different location, but that was thrown out, seeing as I was in a different world entirely. Then I assumed I was dreaming, but again, it didn't fit, as this place was too real and, at the same time, too unreal. So, my last option was I was taking drugs, and this was one large hallucination. It would explain the bright light before I was knocked out cold.

Having an explanation running through my head, I looked up to find the orange pony right in front of my face, causing me to flinch and bang my head against the tree. Good thing I had my helmet on.

"Are ya just going to sit there and watch me all day?" she questioned, her face barely containing her anger. I released a large breath, calming myself so as to speak clearly.

"I think I'm taking drugs," I announced, and the pony tilted her head to the side with a raised eyebrow, "because a pony is talking to me."

I apparently said the wrong words, as her anger grew more intense, taking a few steps away from me, "If ya didn't want me to talk to ya, then ya could've just asked!"

I waved a hand in front of me, trying to control the situation, "Whoa, wait, that's not what I meant. I'm just saying... wait, why am I trying to explain this to a pony who doesn't exist?"

The orange pony growled, pawing the ground with one of her hoofs, as if she was about to charge. "If you're just gonna insult me, than you might as well skedaddle," she informed me without sympathy, "I ain't got time for that."

She turned away, grumbling to herself, and I wondered how drugs were even interacting with me. From what I was told about hallucinations, they wouldn't speak to someone, let alone get angry. Maybe this was real, and this was all actually happening...

"No," I whispered, causing the pony to swivel her head towards me.

"Pardon?"

"This can't be real," I continued, ignoring her while gripping my head, "I'm not in a magical world where there are colorful, talking ponies with human owners. What the hell is happening!?"

"Stop with your yappin'!" she ordered, facing me fully, "I know your kind, and I know this is just a trick. Well it ain't workin'!"

"Shut up!" I roared, but she didn't back down, or even flinch.

"You listen here, fella," she said, "Just go tell Jordan I'm working as hard as I can! I don't need no mangy human to watch my every move!"

My mind was in overdrive, I couldn't handle it anymore. So I jumped to my feet and took off, to where I hoped was the barn. It was official, I was insane. I just got chewed out by a talking pony. A talking pony dammit! I was probably sitting in an asylum, mumbling to myself with drool coming out of my mouth.

I reached the orchard boundary, and climbed the fence, but slipped and landed on my stomach on the other side. I didn't know where I was, but I didn't care. I was just glad to be alone, to think about what was happening.

My brain was accepting that my surroundings were real; the hint of pain in my stomach, the dirt I lied on, everything. I was truly in a land with talking ponies and humans as the overlords. Though it didn't make any sense, I had to accept it, or I would actually go insane.

Giving a defeated sigh, I knew there was only one option for me now: getting home. If I could somehow teleport to a completely different place, than the opposite should be true. I just needed to find out how to do that. I flipped myself onto my back, sat up, and rested my forearms on my knees.

Jordan was still my main goal. The pony before wouldn’t help me, seeing as she didn’t like humans at all. I gave the area a general sweep and found myself in the main farm of Sweet Apple Acres. Giving another sigh, I stood up, and brushed off the dirt stuck to my once pristine pants.

After that was finished, I went straight for the barn, figuring that was where Jordan lived. At that moment, I wished I could have a smoke, to calm myself enough to be in momentary bliss. I couldn't, however, as I was growing desperate for information, and couldn't waste any more time.

I heard more cracks, and I glanced around, seeing other ponies working in the orchard. Even from this distance, I could tell they weren't happy with where they were. And if they all were sentient like the orange pony, than it crossed the line to slavery, unless they were being paid, which was unlikely.

I rubbed my forehead as I neared the barn. I was getting ahead of myself. I arrived here merely half an hour ago, and I couldn't start accusing people of slavery, especially with ponies being the work force. I finished my pondering with a sigh as I lifted a hand to the door and knocked three times.

Waiting impatiently, I idly played with my hands, wondering how Jordan would respond to my story. The door swung open immediately, with little warning, and there stood Jordan. He eyed me up and down, determining me based solely on my appearance.

"Can I help you?" he asked, giving me a bored expression.

"Yes, hi," I introduced, placing my hand in between us to shake, "I'm Nolan Anderson."

He didn't go for my gesture, still staring at me with his judging gaze while crossing his arms. I retracted my hand - that was rude. "I was hoping I could talk with you for a second," I requested as kindly as I could muster.

"Get on with it," Jordan demanded as he ground his teeth.

"I don't know where to begin," I stated, scratching my neck. "Well... where am I?"

"Sweet Apple Acres," he answered, his tone suggesting he was not amused.

"I mean... what town? What country?" I elaborated.

He cocked an eyebrow, and I just realized my questions did sound kind of crazy. I also realized I would finally be getting the answers I craved, causing me to perk my head.

"You are in Ponyville," he replied, sweeping his hand out to indicate the surrounding area. "In the filthy land of Equestria."

"...I never heard of a place like that before," I said, "But anyway, how can the ponies talk?"

I only assumed the other ponies could talk. For all I knew, the orange one was the only exception. My question made Jordan look at me critically, his expression completely amazed, and not in the good way.

"What's your game?" he asked harshly, jabbing a finger at my chest.

"Nothing," I stated truthfully, "I'm just new here, and I have no idea how to get home."

"Knock it off," he ordered, jabbing me again, "I don't want any funny business, and I certainly don't want some asshole asking me stupid questions. Now get lost."

"Look, I just want to-"

"I said get lost!" he roared, pushing me full force with both his hands. I lost my footing and fell into the dirt, releasing a grunt when I did. Using my hands, I pushed myself to a sitting position just in time to see Jordan slam the door, leaving me with a defeated attitude.

I stood up, suddenly feeling tired. I had been tossed around this place and I still had few answers. I only found out I was in Equestira, and more specifically Ponyville. Only then did I realize the silliness of the names, but I wasn't in the mood to dwell on it.

With fleeting hope, I dragged my feet over to the rail fence and sat on it, my feet dangling slightly. Leaning my arms on my legs, I gave a heavy sigh. I was in one of my moods again, and there was only one way to remedy it. I opened one of the many pouches on my combat vest, extracting a cigarette pack. When I got it out, I opened it to see I had ten left inside.

I pulled one out and put the pack back in the pouch. I quickly tugged off my entire head gear - helmet, ski mask and goggles - and tossed it to the ground without much care. My short brown hair wavered in the small breeze that came by as I rubbed my light stubble beard. I reached into my pocket and retrieved my silver lighter.

Routinely, I placed the cigarette between my lips, while igniting my lighter close to it. In a matter of seconds, the cigarette lit, and I put my lighter back where it belonged. I breathed in the smoke, enjoying the intoxicating feel it had, and pulled out my cigarette from my lips as I exhaled. I watched as the smoke danced around in the air as it disappeared completely.

To sum up, my situation turned from bad to worse. I had no plan, no way home, and no place to go. I suppose I was a little too optimistic about getting home, but there was no way I could have predicted everybody would be this hostile towards me. So I just sat there, trying to forget my past, the present, and the uncertain future.

A loud crack right behind me broke my train of thought, and I glanced over my shoulder. It was the orange pony from earlier, but she tried to ignore that I was sitting here, keeping her eyes on the trees and its apples. I faced forward again, inhaling another lungful of smoke.

"So you're still here, are ya?" she questioned, kicking another tree with a little more power than I thought necessary.

"I guess I am," I replied curtly. I gave a small grunt, and mused, "I doubt you'd answer my questions."

"What would a human like yourself ask what you don't already know?" she asked, kicking another tree. "You already took what I hold dearly: my home, family, friends."

"What are you talking about?" I snapped, swinging my legs over the fence to face her fully.

"Don't act like you don't know," she said, still not looking at me. "You know full well what you and your kind did to us ponies."

"No, I don't!" I shouted, throwing my arms in the air. "I'm not even from here, and everyone thinks I'm the bad guy. You think I did something terrible, while everyone else thinks I'm up to no good!"

At last, she stopped her tree kicking to give me a cold stare. It was slightly unsettling, considering I just blew my top. Her stare went on for a quarter of a minute before she gazed at the ground.

"I still can't tell if you're lyin'..." she mumbled, shaking her head.

"What do you mean?" I asked hesitantly, sliding off the fence while inhaling from my cigarette.

"I mean," the orange pony emphasized, "I can't tell if you're lyin' or not. I'm usually pretty good when it comes to that stuff, but with you humans..."

So she was a living truth detector or something? Was that even possible for a pony? Why did I ask questions like that; anything's possible with these ponies. I didn't voice my confusion, staring off into space instead. I sighed, "So basically you don't trust me."

She gave me a straight face and gave a quick nod to my statement. "Fine," I whispered dejectedly, "then how do I earn your trust?"

She jerked her head back at my request, her mouth slightly open. "You... want to earn my trust?"

I shrugged and gave another drag from my cigarette before I answered, "It seems like the only way to get my questions answered. And I'm sure the people here aren't going to help me without throwing a tantrum."

The orange pony's surprised expression slid into contained anger, her eyes furrowed as she frowned. "I don't know if this is just another trick or not, but you can start by gettin' my stuff back."

"Alright," I complied, flicking my burnt out cigarette bud away. "What is it?"

"My hat and hairbands," she stated.

"Your hat and... hairbands?" I asked, looking her over. She didn't seem like the type of pony to wear clothing of any kind. Hell, I didn’t even know ponies had clothing overall.

"Yes, that there Jordan fella took 'em away from me when he..." she trailed off, turning her head away from me. She looked to be fighting back tears. It was probably a sore subject, one that didn't want to be talked about, like my own past.

"Okay," I agreed, vaulting the fence and picking up my head gear.

"Wait, you're actually going to get 'em?" she asked, tilting her head to the side in doubt.

"I said I would, didn't I?" I replied putting on my head gear individually.

"Well, I suppose, but..." she said, playing with the dirt with a hoof. She obviously wasn't used to thanking people, so I faced the barn, wondering where to begin my search for the items.

"What's your name?" the orange pony inquired. Her voice wasn't harsh like it usually was, but compassionate, maybe even friendly.

"Nolan Anderson," I responded, "And yours?"

"Applejack," she replied instantly in turn.

She matched her name well, but I didn't think about it for long. Still, I smiled underneath my mask. Though she didn't want anything to do with me, she knew the proper etiquette of exchanging names. I had a rocky mission ahead of me, one I found questionable, but I always kept my promises. As best as I could, anyway.

{~+~}

Editor's Note: Hello, my name is Legion222, and I'll be you editor for this story.

This is my second time working with Superdale33, and I gotta say, you folks are in for a ride! He's tons of fun to work with, and a great writer! This story was especially fun to work on, and I've enjoyed it every step of the way so far. I hope you do, too!

Read on,

Legion

Author's Note

As I've said in the description, I do not have expert knowledge of S.W.A.T., nor have I ever been a part of S.W.A.T. If something does not seem right, please let me know. Also, you have no idea how helpful my editor was.

Chapter 2: Threshold

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 2: Threshold

I couldn’t help but stare at the barn with frustration, my mind blank on how to approach the mission given to me. Applejack was still standing behind me expectantly, as I could tell after glancing behind myself multiple times. Where was I supposed to start? I didn't even know the lay of the land. Giving a low growl, I turned completely around, with my shoulders slumped.

“I, uh,” I hesitantly muttered, scratching the back of my neck, “I’m going to need a little more information.”

Applejack eyed me doubtfully, an eyebrow raised, probably suspecting I could never retrieve her belongings. Rolling her eyes, she jumped over the white rail fence sepearating us without a hitch, and stood beside me.

“Ya see that barn?” she asked, pointing a hoof at the building. I looked over at the barn again, feeling childish as I did, and nodded. “That’s where Jordan lives, and that’s where my stuff is at.”

It took all of my strength not to facepalm at her statement, but I still rubbed my head irritably. She had better be joking. “I mean,” I emphasized, clenching my left hand tightly while gritting my teeth, “I need information I don’t already know.”

Applejack gave a coy smile, her eyes half closed in smugness. She was enjoying playing with me, and I wished I didn’t have to work with her. “Listen here, human,” she taunted while facing the barn seriously, “Jordan wears my hat all the time, and I reckon he only takes it off when he sleeps. My hairbands are in the town hall, where he works. That’s as much as I know.”

Though I was glad she decided to give me some real facts, she was still kind of vague, and I don’t think it was on purpose. Deciding I would have to make do with what I was given, I walked forward, intending to spy on Jordan for a start. Applejack didn't wish me luck, or even say goodbye, but I didn’t expect one - she still didn’t trust humans.

As I slunk towards the barn, being as discreet as possible, my mind was racing. Why would I steal from a man who had stolen Applejack’s things first? Two wrongs don't make a right, but I didn't have much of a choice. However, that thought just made me feel worse.

I shook my head as I neared a window that was part of the barn, the possibilities running through my mind relentlessly. It had to be a bad idea; a cop stealing always was. It was the only thing going through my head as I peered through a four-pane window into the building. The interior was rather ordinary, with wooden walls and a few pieces of furniture, including a sofa and a rocking chair. It was plainly obvious Jordan was nowhere in sight, but it worried me more than if he was inside.

That’s when I felt a hand tightly grip my shoulder, causing me to wince. I tentatively turned my head to see two muscular men wearing green T-shirts and snarling at me. They were definitely working for Jordan, and that meant I was caught.

“Shit,” I muttered as they each grabbed an arm and dragged me to the front, my feet unable to keep up with their brisk pace. When we reached the corner, where the front door was, I could see Jordan there with his arms crossed. I barely had time to register he was there before I was shoved to the ground harshly. I braced my arms as I fell onto the ground, but didn’t bother to look Jordan in the face.

“So,” he started in a superior manner, as I kept my eyes trained to the ground, “you thought you could just snoop around my abode without my consent? Is that it?”

Choosing not to answer, I kept my position on the ground, ignoring anything he said afterward - my own thoughts were at the front of my find at that point. I could easily escape whatever he decided to do with me by simply telling him Applejack told me to do it. However, it wasn’t my place to tattle on others, nor was she really responsible for what I did. Besides, Jordan would probably just think I was making stuff up to get out of trouble.

Suddenly, the two men beside me took each arm again, lifting me up to my feet without remorse or consideration. I faced Jordan, and he was obviously pissed I was flat out ignoring him. “Listen, you fucking piece of shit!” he seethed, grabbing a handful of my jacket collar. “If you want to live, you better leave in the next five minutes and never come back! Are we clear?”

This guy was absolutely serious, as the look in his eyes said it all. I wasn’t afraid though, since I had dealt with much worse. “Crystal,” I replied quietly, and I shook off the men holding me. I sauntered toward the exit of Sweet Apple Acres, but not before I whipped around and flipped the bird.

He wasn’t fazed, however, but I got my point across I was as bitter as him. Turning my attention back to the matter at hand, I was running out of options. Getting Applejack’s belongings would be a lot tougher when I was officially kicked out of Jordan’s property. And I was still uncertain if stealing from him would be the best choice.

Then I remembered a piece of information Applejack had told me. Her hair bands were in the Town Hall. It was a start, especially since Jordan was busy at his home. I walked faster back to town, my mind still going back and forth between morals and personal business. When I crossed the bridge over the stream, I made my way through the streets to the largest opening of town.

Basic logic dictated for a small town like this was that any area that was wide open or had a statue in front was where the Town Hall was. The place was bustling with people and ponies, the former pushing and shoving to get to where they were going. I stepped off to the side to avoid any offensive confrontation, and quickly studied the town square.

Nothing truly major stuck out, besides the statue at the center of it all. It was faded pink, with a reared pony balancing on a ball, and a pool of water surrounded the statue. I had no idea how it depicted this town, but I put it in the back of my mind as I stared across to the Town Hall.

It was brilliant, even if the paint was not luxurious. It was cylindrical in design, with a cone, brown roof at the top. I zig-zagged through the crowd of people and ponies, avoiding contact as much as possible as I kept most of my focus on my objective. I eventually stepped onto the porch of the town hall and reached out for the door knob, hoping it wasn’t locked.

It wasn’t, and after thanking my luck, I rushed inside, closing the door behind me. The room was open, like a theater without a stage, but it hardly mattered as I searched for a door to an office. A doorway showed a closed-off set of stairs that curved with the building, and I climbed up them two at a time. When I reached the top, a receptionist’s room was what greeted me. No one was there, and I had no problem walking by the desk to the door behind it.

I opened the door slowly, peeking through to make sure it was empty. Jordan may be at the apple orchard, but it didn’t stop my training from forcing me to check to make sure. When I assured myself that it was all clear, I fully entered the room. A lone brown desk sat in the middle of the room, a fancy window behind it allowed strands of light to radiate onto the wooden floor. An assortment of potted plants hugged the walls, their leaves looking droopy and unhealthy.

My eyes scanned over the desk as I approached, looking for the hair bands that belonged to Applejack. All there was was a single document. I figured reading it would help me in my situation in some way, and my curiosity didn't help either. I shuffled around the desk to face the piece of paper the right way, and began to swiftly read through it.

My most faithful student,

No doubt you have read the news lately of the attack, and let me assure you that Cadence and your brother are safe. However, we now have a crisis on our hooves. I request you and your friends come to Canterlot as soon as possible to discuss the topic. I await your arrival.

-Princess Celestia

A note at the bottom, in different handwriting, was scribbled across:

Find this 'faithful student'.

Wait a goddamn minute. I thought this land was being ruled by a Baron, when did a Princess come into the picture!? And who the hell was this ‘faithful student’? The document did not help in any way, shape, or form. Just the opposite in fact, and I was growing really frustrated at not getting anything accomplished.

The sound of footsteps beyond the door shook me from my thoughts, and a knot in my chest formed. Someone was coming. My first thought was to escape, but I caught myself before I attempted to do so, reminding myself why I was here in the first place. With great haste, I practically threw open the drawers that were part of the desk, and found two red hair bands on the bottom drawer. I extracted them and put them in my pants pocket, and I glanced at the parchment that still rested on top of the desk.

The footsteps had halted from the other side of the door - I had three seconds at best before the person entered. Acting on impulse, I grabbed the document, scrunching it up as I did, and shoved it into my pocket with the hair bands just as the door swung open.

It was Jordan, and he was aiming his revolver at me.

I didn’t think breaking and entering would warrant such an act.

“I should have known you wouldn’t leave well enough alone,” he growled, his trigger finger twitching. I kept my gaze towards him, spreading my feet to take action at a moment’s notice. My mind was searching rapidly for an escape route, and I had to keep him talking until I could come up with something.

“Who’s Princess Celestia?” I asked, deflecting the subject.

“You know damn well who it is,” he said, furrowing his brow deeper. “And what is with you and these stupid questions!? Did you just sleep through the last three months or something?!”

I got him to ramble about how forgetful I was. It wasn't what I was shooting for, but it would do. As for my escape plan, I could only think of one way to get away from Jordan without getting killed, and it was pretty risky in itself. I really didn't want to do it, and I would need a distraction to boot.

“Of all the people to come into my office, it had to be you!” Jordan exclaimed, adjusting his grip on his gun. “It was a good thing I decided to check up here. The moment I met you I knew you would be trouble, and now I caught you red handed, you masked man. It doesn’t matter why you’re here, not as long as I’m Mayor. Everything I say goes, and I can shoot without worry, even if it’s another human. Well, what have you got to say for yourself, stranger?”

He was monologuing like any villain would, and I found it very cheesy. I had to say something before we ended up staying there for hours. “I said my name was Nolan Anderson,” I put in, then acting on instinct, I shouted, “Applejack, run!”

And Jordan took the bait like a fish in a river.

With wide and confused eyes, Jordan gave a glance over his shoulder, and with the time given to me, I took out my revolver as I dashed for the window. With a single shot, I shattered the window, glass falling to the ground outside. Bracing myself, and ignoring the small voice telling me to stop, and jumped out the window. It probably was the worst decision I've done in a long time, and it the feeling of dread was amplified when gravity took hold of me. I plummeted to the street below, leaning a bit to my right before I hit the ground on my right shoulder.

I cried out in pain, but stopped myself short, trying to act tough for all it was worth. I gripped my shoulder with my left hand, the pain numbing the rest of my arm, as I rolled over to my feet to stand. The town square was at a stand still, everyone had suddenly froze at my sudden stunt. It was very unnerving to sweep over the crowd with eyes all on myself.

“Stop that man!” I heard a shout above me, and when I faced back to the Town Hall, I could see Jordan just outside the window pointing a finger at me. “A hundred bits to the one who takes him down, two hundred if he’s alive!”

I was already charging down the street before he had finished, barreling past people before they realized I was a wanted man. It was difficult with my heavy combat vest, but I didn’t have much choice. I knew I wouldn't stand a chance if everyone decided to turn on me. I broke away from the crowd, and into the nearly empty roads.

I had no idea where I was going, weaving between back alleys while clutching my shoulder. At some point, the people from the square had begun to chase me, their thundering footsteps all the indication I needed to maintain my bolt.

I flew around a corner and slammed myself against the wall, hoping nobody saw me slip away. The pain of my arm was still present, but it wasn’t as bad as before, as I tried move it around to get the feeling back. I didn't even realize I was still clutching my revolver, and I holstered it when I did. My heart was beating fast, both from being chased and the thought of what these people would do to me if I were captured. Little noise was being produced, so I knew I had a minute or two to think things over.

Being an outlaw - I had to admit - was my fault. If I hadn’t broken into Jordan’s office, I wouldn’t have gotten into this mess. I found it somewhat ironic I was a cop an hour ago, and now I’m on the opposite end of the law, but that was beside the point. Maybe turning myself in would be for the best... or maybe it would get me a bullet in my head.

I decided just to wait it out; let them cool off before I showed myself.

I turned to the rest of the alley, and spotted a building across the stream. It was kind of like the Town Hall, but smaller and brighter, or at least as bright as it could be in this dreary town. It also reminded me of a carousel at a carnival, with horse models near the top. I concluded to myself it was a good place to hole up.

As I edged toward the alley’s exit, I gave a brief look of the area, making sure no one would see me. When the coast was clear, I sprinted with everything I had for the building, crossing the bridge with ferocity. My nerves were tensed as I quickly made my way to the door of the building. When I made it, I gave a sigh of relief, reading the sign that hung by the door.

‘Carousel Boutique’.

“There he is!” I heard a shout behind me. After my heart nearly stopped, I hastily glanced behind me to see Jordan and a few other people had found me, speeding from behind a corner of a building. With great urgency, I tried to jerk open the door, but it wouldn’t budge as it was locked. Of all the times a door had to be locked, it had to be while I was under pressure.

Thinking fast, I jumped back, and unholstered my revolver. With both of my shaky hands wielding the gun I took aim, hearing the shouts and jeers of the approaching group. I pulled the trigger and the familiar blast of my weapon rung in my ears. My injured shoulder spiked in pain again, and I gripped it with my left hand, clenching my jaw shut. Nonetheless, my plan had worked, and the lock was in shambles. I charged through the door with my good shoulder, and slammed it shut again.

Someone from the opposite side rammed into the door, almost knocking me back. A wooden chair sat next to the door, and I swiftly grabbed it and placed it under the doorknob, creating a makeshift lock. Another pound reverberated on the door, but it was suppressed by the chair. I backed away from the door, and holstered my revolver, knowing I had to think of something before they breached.

A low whimper echoed in the room, and I instinctively froze. Despite being short on time, I couldn’t help but stand there, hoping what I heard was just a trick of the wind. Another whimper, this one being louder, came out and I whipped around, worried my life would end at that moment. A pony was cowering on the floor, shivering with eyes shut tight. The pony was positively familiar.

It was the one being abused in the street; the carrot mare.

By the looks of the pony, she had been heavily beaten since I last saw her, apparent from the many bruises that littered her side. I felt incredibly bad for the mare, especially after finding out that these ponies were intelligent. There wasn’t anything I could do for her at that moment, considering the circumstances, but it didn’t help my compassionate heart.

“Look,” I sighed, tensing up as another slam came from the barred up door, “I can’t do anything to help you. You have a... master, and I can’t change that.”

The mare finally looked up towards me, clearly fearful I would strike her if she said something bad. “W-Why do you a-act like you don’t k-know about... about....” she stuttered, but went back to cowering, shaking harder than before.

“About what?” I coaxed, tilting my head slightly.

Her eyes widened, her jaw opening in utter shock. “You... y-you don’t know?” she asked desperately. “We p-ponies were e-enslaved after you humans i-invaded Equestria.”

My breathing ceased, time seemed to slow, and yet it didn’t matter to me. If I thought my mind was blown before with everything that had happened, it didn’t compare to that sudden revelation. It didn’t make sense to me that I would react so abruptly to that piece of knowledge, especially when compared to the talking ponies. Maybe it was I was so oblivious to it, or perhaps the idea was always possible in my head and I neglected to keep my suspicions. Either way, I was completely stunned.

Another bang from the door brought me back to reality, and I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I would have time later to sort my contemplations. “Sorry about this,” I apologized to the mare, before taking my revolver out and knocking her head with the handle. She dropped unconscious like a sack of bricks.

I didn’t want to do that to her, but I didn’t want her to disclose my whereabouts to Jordan and the others trying to bust in. With the mare out cold, I darted over to another room opposite of the entrance. It didn’t have a door, or even an alternative exit if things got hairy, but I was running out of time. I entered hurriedly and pressed myself beside the door frame, hidden from view.

As soon as I did, the door burst open, the chair smashed from the last impact, from what I could hear. Footsteps echoed in the room as many people rushed inside until everyone suddenly stopped. My shoulder was still throbbing, but it was tolerable. I controlled my breathing, taking deep breaths to keep myself quiet.

“Where the hell did he go!?” the undeniable voice of Jordan screamed suddenly as grunts of vexation followed by the other men. An assortment of movement was made, indicating they were quickly surveying the room.

“Maybe this damn pony can tell us,” one of the men sneered, earning a few dark chuckles from the others. I risked a look out of the door frame, glad my clothing was all black to camouflage myself, if only slightly. I counted five men, revolvers drawn, all surrounding the innocent mare, who still looked unconscious.

I knew I could probably take them, what with the element of surprise and the shotgun still on my back. But I was hesitant. I didn't know why, but I couldn't find myself taking out my shotgun. They had the intent of killing me, yet I couldn't bring myself to kill them. The best explanation I could come up with was more men could be out the door, but it felt like a lie. I couldn't figure it out, and I was growing frustrated with myself.

A man nudged her with a foot until she awoke groggily, blinking repeatedly as she glanced around the room. Once she understood what she was in, she froze, her head lowering as she tried not to look any of them in the eye.

“Where did the man go, Carrot Top?” asked another man, crouching down as he stared at her. I recognized him as the one who was abusing the mare in the street earlier

“I... I don’t k-know, sir,” the mare known as Carrot Top responded apprehensively.

“Bullshit!” shouted Jordan, and he kicked Carrot Top in the stomach, who whined in pain. “Are you blind or something!? He ran right in here!”

“I-I know, sir,” Carrot Top confirmed anxiously, “B-But he knocked me out before-”

“I don’t want your excuses!” Jordan yelled out, kicking the pony with each word causing more whines. My hands began to clench into fists as I watched. They had more than enough reason to die, but I still refused to open fire right away. I didn't know what I was waiting for. “Grayson, what do you want to do with your pony? She’s not going to tell us anything.”

Grayson, Carrot Top’s owner, gave a low hum, scratching his chin thoughtfully. I knew whatever he would do to her would not be merciful. He shrugged after a period of time, “Just kill her, she’s been rather useless lately. I’ll just purchase another one from Somersett Mines.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. He was just going to get rid of her like a fly on a wall. What made it worse was how casual he acted, like he’d done it before! Jordan gave a small smirk, and pointed the revolver at Carrot Top. The mare gasped, and tried to back away from him.

“I-I’m sorry!” she attempted to plead as a man from behind her grabbed her mane to keep her still, tears were slowly falling from her eyes. “I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die!”

Jordan gave a small amused chuckle, “Like I give a fuck!”

At that point, I had snapped. What was holding me back before was long gone. Carrot Top had been beaten and harassed for who knows how long and these men just took all she had gone through for granted. I couldn’t control myself as I reached behind me and grabbed my riot shotgun, bringing it to my front. At the same time, I was standing and presenting myself in the doorway.

“Hey, is that-?” the man holding Carrot Top asked, but I interrupted him by shooting his head off. The adrenaline pumping through my veins canceled the pain in my shoulder. I pumped my shotgun again, and shot at another man, catching him in the chest. Jordan, Grayson, and another man had the insight to run for cover, and did so feverishly.

I slid back into cover as well, hearing revolvers discharge and bullets impact around my position. I took a quick glance to see where they hid and jumped back just when a bullet whizzed by my head. One of them was behind a stage, another took cover at a wooden crate by the door, and the last one was hiding behind a mannequin in the shape of a pony. The mannequin confused me greatly, but I shook it off.

I had to take into account that Carrot Top was still in the crossfire, so my aim had to be critical. I pumped my shotgun again, waiting for a gap in the gunfire, and when it came, I jumped out of cover and blasted right through the mannequin. The man behind it fell to the floor, but I couldn’t tell if he was dead or not as I hid behind cover again.

A hail of gunfire came at me, although there was less of it. I counted the number of shots I’d taken while I waited for an opportunity. I shot three rounds, which meant I had five left before I had to reload. With only two hostiles left to take care of, I knew I could release a few pot shots to keep them away from my cover. I stuck my shotgun out of cover, and shot two shells. The gun nearly flew out of my hands, but I kept a firm grip on it.

Three left in the chamber.

I couldn’t stay in hiding forever, and it would be far easier to take them out if I had the element of surprise. But it wasn't an option. Suddenly, the gunfire ceased - just stopped altogether. I would’ve popped out and took fire, but something felt off about this break.

“Just give up now, you bastard,” Jordan called from his cover, which I believe was behind the stage. “We have you outnumbered.”

“Maybe,” I agreed with humor in my tone, “but I have you outgunned.”

“Surrender,” Jordan continued, ignoring my statement, “That gun of yours can only last so long.”

I gave a small chuckle, “You underestimate me, Jordan.”

I jumped out of cover, my gun pointed at the stage where he was poking his head out. “I never surrender,” I whispered with no remorse, and discharged my shotgun, which smashed through his skull, knocking him back. After which, I cringed, hoping I didn’t ruin Applejack’s hat.

The other person looked over the crate, and shot at me. The bullet only grazed my right elbow, but it still stung like hell. Hissing in pain, I went back to cover, checking my wound. The clothing and skin were torn open, and blood freely oozed out of it. I hastily placed my shotgun down, putting pressure on the injury with my left hand, cursing under my breath.

I felt alone as my breathing became amplified, droning out any other noise. There was one man left, and two rounds left in my shotgun. The adrenaline must have been getting to me, because a life-threatening idea was the only plan I had.

I sighed, loosening slightly as I picked up my shotgun. "Fuck it," I grumbled, pumping another shell into the chamber. When the the man ran out of bullets, I surged out of cover, heading straight for him.

The man panicked, backing up as he fumbled his reloading. I didn't give him the chance as I unloaded both shells into his chest; he was dead before he hit the floor. With the threat detained, I fell into a seating position on the floor, breathing hard. I clipped my shotgun on my back once again, and leaned forward on my knees.

A wave of heat washed over me, sweat soaking my mask. I slowly took off my head gear, holding it in my hand loosely when I was finished. I gazed at it as if it was the one to blame for my situation, and I could see my reflection in the goggles. I tossed it to the ground, and rubbed my face. A sharp intake of air could be heard in the room, followed by forced coughing.

I pushed myself to my feet to see what it was, but instantly regretted it as I felt light headed. I stumbled around slightly, but then pressure was applied to my side, stabilizing my wild movements. I looked down, and was somewhat bewildered to see Carrot Top placing a hoof on my hip, staring back at me.

“Are you... are you alright, mister?” she asked with a depressed expression. Realizing my jaw was hanging open, I quickly closed it, and nodded.

“I’d be more worried about yourself,” I said with a small smile, trying to lighten up the mood.

She returned the smile, but did not hold it as she eyed my various injures, backing away to give me room. I checked myself over for anything major, and wasn’t too disappointed. My shoulder still ached from my rough landing, with small bits of glass sunk into it, and my elbow was bleeding pretty badly. Not only that, but I also felt like a wreck.

More coughing traveled through the room, and it came from the mannequin I had shredded with my shotgun. I walked over and saw Grayson, laying on the floor with his chest covered with blood. He gave one glance at me, and gave a short chuckle.

“Well, looks like you win this one, huh?” he wheezed out, a stupid grin on his face. I remained silent, furrowing my brow, as I drew my revolver. He saw this, and chuckled again, but went into a fit of coughing as a result. When he regained his breath he spoke with a hoarse voice, “What are going to do? Execute me? Shoot me like a dog?”

“Who said I was going to shoot you?” I retorted, before pistol whipping his head, knocking him unconscious. I didn’t kill if I could show mercy, and Grayson would most likely bleed out anyway.

“God, what an arrogant prick,” I said, turning around while holstering my weapon. I stepped past Carrot Top, who hadn’t taken her eyes off of me, and over to Jordan behind the stage. His upper chest and neck were a mess, but I was more focused on the Stetson hat that laid a few feet away. I picked it up, twisting it around in my hold to see if there was any damage. By some miracle, the hat was unscathed, and I knew I had gotten what I came for.

“Uh, excuse me?” Carrot Top inquired quietly, and I faced her with an eyebrow raised. She took that as a hint to continue and did so carefully. “Why did you... well, save me? Don’t all humans hate ponies?”

“I couldn’t just let them kill you,” I said incredulously. Could she really not believe I wouldn’t help someone like her?

“Well, thank you,” she said, smiling with a faint blush, while facing away. Why was she blushing? I didn’t really say anything that would cause it. I shook my head and was about to head for the exit, but stopped myself.

Looking down at Carrot Top, I could see her fidgeting with her hooves, making sure she didn't look at me. I knelt down to her level, giving a worried expression. “I have some business I have to finish,” I explained to her, but she still didn’t face me. “If you want, I can take you along and-”

She finally looked at me, and placed a hoof on my chest, shaking her head. “It’s alright, I’ll find a way. You're a criminal now, anyway."

I nodded in understanding, “I guess I am.”

I stood up, grabbing my head gear as I did, and put it on. When that was finished, I glanced at Carrot Top one last time. “You take care, okay?” I requested.

She opened her mouth to respond, but stopped, closed it again and nodded. I nodded back, and strolled outside, closing the door behind me. I began my long trek back to Sweet Apple Acres, the sun hovering over the horizon. I reviewed the events of the day in my head, with my job with my S.W.A.T. team, appearing here, finding out about the talking ponies, and being attacked by my fellow humans. And it all ended up with the news that humans had invaded this country, Equestria.

To say the day was overwhelming would not be accurate enough.

I kept to the outskirts of town, avoiding the people that were still hunting for me. I took out my shotgun, along with exactly eight shells to reload. I didn’t know if the people here had ammunition for my shotgun, and decided to refrain from using it until I knew for sure.

After which I checked my wounds; my bullet wound on my elbow was not as bad as I had thought, as it had stopped bleeding. My shoulder, of course, was still sore and throbbing. It would probably be like that for awhile. All in all, my long walk back to Applejack was fairly boring.

{~+~}

By the time I made it back to Sweet Apple Acres, the sun had passed below the visual spectrum, and though there was the orange tinge in the sky, darkness was fast approaching. The cold was slowly gnawing on my body, causing me to shiver. My limbs felt like lead from everything I had done, and I was looking forward to some sleep. My growling stomach was only a reminder I hadn’t eaten since breakfast. The enticing apples still hung in the trees, practically begging me to eat one.

Shaking my head, I faced anywhere but the apples; I had to stay focused. I heard the crack of hooves against wood somewhere in the orchard, and changed course towards it, vaulting the fence yet again. Weaving through the trees was simple, and I found Applejack in little time, kicking the trees. She also looked tired, and for the first time, I actually pitied her. Not just for her being fatigued, but also for what the people here did to her kind. I may not have had all the details, but it seems to me these ponies had it rough.

Applejack turned her gaze over to me, her eyes narrowed in hatred. Her eyes moved down to my hands, and she gasped, turning her whole body towards me. “You... you got my hat,” she noticed sheepishly.

“That’s not all,” I said, reaching into my pocket. My hands touched the paper document I had slipped in before the whole fiasco earlier, and I was a bit surprised; I had forgotten I had taken it. I took it out as well as Applejack’s hairbands, and handed her items to her, who took them in her hooves with a sad smile. I brought the terribly wrinkled document to my face, reading the letter again.

I still had no idea who Princess Celestia was or who the the recipient was supposed to be. But I had completed my objective, which meant I can finally receive my reward. I lowered the letter, and saw Applejack with her clothing on. She had one hairband in her mane, her hat was placed on her head, and the other hairband was on her tail. It was odd to see a ponytail as a pony’s mane, but it was only a minor observation.

“Can you answer my questions now?” I asked in annoyance.

She scoffed, “I still don’t see a reason, but yes.”

Sighing in relief, I relaxed my frame, sliding to a sitting position. “Finally,” I mumbled to myself, then I said, “First things first, where am I?”

“Sweet Apple Acres, Ponyville, Equestria,” she answered rolling her eyes as if I was an idiot. She was being broad, probably so I wouldn't have to ask follow-up questions. I would’ve found it nice, if she didn’t speak so scornfully. I had only repeated my question I had asked Jordan for verification; I had to be absolutely sure he wasn’t pulling my leg.

“Next question,” I continued, rubbing my chin, “How come you ponies can talk? Some mutation or technological breakthrough?”

“We could always talk,” she snapped, waving her hoof at me, “For as long as we could form words.”

That confirmed these ponies were natural, and probably unaffected by humans, that is, until the invasion. I held up the letter in my hand so Applejack can see it, and asked, “Who’s Princess Celestia?”

“She was the ruler of Equestria,” she said rather quickly, then glared at me, “before you humans came here.”

I rolled my eyes, and was glad she couldn’t see it behind my mask. “Anyway, who’s this ‘Faithful Student’?” I followed up, placing the document on the ground so she could see my meaning. She took one glance at the letter, and took it in her hooves, gawking at it. I was surprised she could pick it up with hooves, as it seemed impossible to do it.

She eventually brought the letter down, showing she held sorrow in her eyes. “She was a friend of mine,” she said slowly, taking a shaky breath, “Twilight.”

“Where is she now?” I inquired, more out of curiosity than actually caring about her friend's well being.

Applejack shook out of her sad demeanour, and fixed a piercing stare at me. “Now why in the hay should I tell ya?” she retorted, taking a few steps towards me, “That’s why you’re helpin’ me out, ain’t it!? Ta find Twilight!”

I groaned; how long would she think I was tricking her? I didn’t want to start a huge argument, so I opted to change the subject. “Moving on. So, uh...” I fumbled with my words not sure how to word my next question, which irritated Applejack considerably.

“Just spit it out already!” she snapped, stomping one of her hooves.

“What happened here!?” I blurted, my patience growing thin with her.

My question must had hit home because Applejack became unusually quiet, looking away with a distant expression. She gazed at me without remorse, but I didn’t back down. I wanted, no, needed the full story. She gave a heavy sigh, and sat on her haunches, telling her tale.

“It all started a few months ago. Back then, we didn’t even know humans existed. Ya supposedly lived northeast of Equestria, next to the Griffin nation. At one point in time, y’all invaded the Griffins, killin’ most of ‘em. That’s what Princess Celestia told me and my friends.”

Carrot Top’s story was legit then; humans did throw the first punch. And not just at Equestria, but with mythical creatures as well. However, at that point, I’d believe there were magical unicorns.

“You humans first attacked the Crystal Empire, the northernmost place in Equestria, and Princess Celestia sent some royal guards to hold off the attack. A little afterwards, she sent me and my friends to see what the damage was. And... and...”

Applejack trailed off, shaking her head with eyes closed as if to hold off tears. I sighed, knowing she wouldn’t like it if I pressed her on it anymore than I already did. Not only that, but I was still worn down from the day. It looked like I would have to hear the rest later. Placing my hands on my knees, I stood up, eyeing many trees that surrounded us. My brain went to autopilot as I walked over to a tree, hand outstretched for one of the red fruits.

“Just what do you think you’re doin’?” Applejack asked sternly, trotting to my side.

“Getting an apple,” I replied simply, my hand still reaching for it.

“You can’t just take one!” she scolded, “Jordan will bake ya alive!”

“I don’t think we have to worry about him,” I said nonchalantly, picking the apple out of the tree, and examining it. Applejack was puzzled, raising a brow while shifting between her hooves nervously.

“What do you mean by that?” she inquired, shifting her head back like she was afraid of the answer.

“He’s dead; I killed him,” I answered bluntly, taking off my headgear in one quick swoop, holding it in my other hand, while bringing the apple to my face. It looked delicious, and the moonlight reflected it perfectly. Wait, moonlight? I looked up, noticing the sun had completely set, allowing the moon to fulfill the task of lighting the night. Strangely, the moon was huge, much bigger compared to the one back home.

I looked back at Applejack, planning on asking her about it, but she was too stunned to answer, her eyes wide while her mouth was agape. “Y-You killed him?” she breathed.

Looking away from her, I bit into the juicy apple, not sure what to say. I was too tired to really think about the consequences, and my body was thankful for the nutritious food.

“You just killed him!?” Applejack screamed, backing away from me. I took a deep breath through my nose, noticing the fresh air, and looked over to her.

“Yeah,” I answered, and before Applejack could make another retort, “after he tried to kill a pony.”

That shut Applejack up, and she seemed to be debating whether what I was saying was true or not. Seeing that this could go on for a while, I brought up a relevant question, “Do you have someplace I could sleep?”

“You don’t have your own home?” she asked sarcastically. I just stared at her, waiting for her to take this seriously. “Why should I find you a place ta sleep?”

“Will you just shut up and just trust me for once!?” I snapped back, slamming my mask-filled hand into a nearby tree. This made her jump back, a hint of fright was on her face for the second time I had met her. I sighed a little at seeing her like that. It didn't feel good to be feared. “Please?” I added weakly.

Sighing, she dropped her scared expression and trotted past me, keeping her gaze forward. “Follow me,” she mumbled, and I did so silently, snatching the letter from the ground and shoving it into my pocket.

We weaved through the orchard in complete silence besides me munching on my apple. We broke away from apple trees, moving over the white fence and into the main part of the farm. I finished my apple about that time - I was really hungry - and tossed the core back into the trees. It was biodegradable after all.

Applejack carried on toward the barn, and I followed along like an obedient dog. She turned her gaze over to the barn, a questioning expression on her face before turning forward. She was probably wondering why it was dark inside, since the interior had no lights on whatsoever. We walked around the barn, and a single story house came into view. It was made of dark wood, a simple gable roof was on top of it. The house also sat on a foundation, keeping it from touching the ground. A single lantern next to the door gave a small amount of light in the evening, contrasting its orange glow with the whiteness given by the moon.

Applejack walked up the small set of stairs that lead to a patched up door while I remained at the bottom. When I was close enough, I noticed the whole structure was very worn down and patched up; wooden boards nailed in certain places, and pieces of cloth that covered whatever was behind it. Applejack knocked a few times on the door, and stepped back. I turned my attention back to the door in time to see it open a crack.

“Oh, Applejack,” a feminine voice said with relief evident in her tone, “I was afraid it was Jordan.”

The pony behind the door opened it completely and saw me standing there. Her body recoiled in shock, but I didn’t care as I studied her for a moment. She had a very pale yellow coat and chartreuse green eyes. Her mane and tail were raspberry color, with light raspberry streaks, while her tattoo on her flank was a single rose.

“Simmer down, Rose,” Applejack addressed the panicking mare, “I brought him here.”

Rose did calm down a bit, but her quivering eyes wouldn’t leave my intimidating figure. I gave an awkward wave at her, hoping it would make it seem like I wasn’t trying to do anything aggressive.

“W-Why did you bring him here?!” Rose nearly shouted at Applejack, “Does he work for Jordan o-or does he want to take us away!?”

“Rose!” Applejack exclaimed sincerely, stopping the mare from going full rave, “You always panic when these type of things happen.”

Rose nodded rapidly, taking deep breaths afterwards. Deciding to speak up, I asked, "What exactly did we humans do to make everybody fear us?"

Rose looked at me like I had gone crazy, as Applejack shook her head in annoyance. "Did you get amnesia, sir?" Rose inquired shakily, evidently still cautious around me.

"You can call me Nolan," I corrected, waving my hands in front of me gently, "and no, I'm pretty sure I don't have amnesia."

Rose looked back at Applejack, then back to me. She gestured with a hoof for us to enter and I followed Applejack into the small abode as Rose shut the door behind us.

The ceiling was low - my head almost touching it - and very drafty, which was strange considering there were no windows, though it was fresh. Six shabby beds in total occupied the single room house, three on each side. Three dim lanterns hung on the ceiling in a line, poorly illuminating the room, and I mentally noted to watch my head. Two other ponies were laying on the beds closest to the door, looking bewildered at my appearance.

Both of them were male, or stallions, if the different snouts was any indication. That’s where the similarities ended, however. The one on the left had a bluish gray coat and a dark gray mane. He had light cobalt blue eyes and three four-leaf clovers on his flank, contrasting with the other colors. The one on the right had a matching color of light cobalt blue for his mane and eyes. His coat was a pale, light grayish gold, and the tattoo on his flank depicted two bunches of green grapes.

“Uh, hello,” the gray coated stallion welcomed awkwardly, waving a hoof slightly.

“Hey,” I replied back just as sheepishly, averting my eyes; I didn’t want to seem like I wanted to hurt them. Applejack made her way to a bed behind the gold-colored stallion. Rose swept by me carefully, her head ducked low, as she went to the bed behind the gray colored stallion.

I remained where I stood, scratching my cheek, thinking of something to break the ice. “So...” I started, and all eyes fell on me, “What’s your names?”

The two stallions glanced at each other with mild confusion, and faced me again. “Well,” the gray-colored stallion answered, “I’m Lucky Clover.”

“And I’m Goldengrape,” the gold-colored stallion finished. Now I was puzzled, but not on appearances, as I’d grown used to it, but their names.

“I'm Nolan, and are all pony names based off their appearance?” I asked the group, but more specifically Applejack, as I was gazing at her.

“Eeyep,” she responded, laying her head on the bed without taking her eyes off of me, “Been like that long before you humans came in.”

She was never going to believe I wasn’t with them, even after all the things I’d done for her. Accepting that fact, I grudgingly walked to the furthest end of the building, avoiding banging my head against the lamps, to a bed to the right. I sat on it, facing away from the ponies, and placed my head gear beside me. Sleep was fast approaching for me, and I rubbed my eyes tiredly. But I had to stay up just a bit longer to finish the conversation with these ponies.

“What happened to you?” Lucky Clover inquired with a raised eyebrow at my various injuries.

“Got into a... disagreement,” I said vaguely. I would have been more specific, but I wanted to have some leverage over these ponies. And if it meant keeping my own secrets, then so be it.

"Say Applejack," Rose inquired, changing the subject and gaining her attention, "when did you get your stuff back? I thought Jordan took them."

I glanced over my shoulder to see Applejack roll her eyes, and I knew it was intended for me. "That Nolan feller got 'em for me," she answered reluctantly.

I looked over my shoulder fully to see the four ponies were staring at me. It wasn’t very unnerving for me, seeing as I was the guest here. My questions were unrelentingly present, and I had to get them answered. Deciding to rest, I took off all of my equipment - Shotgun, combat vest, and revolver - and placed them against the wall beside the bed.

I swung my legs onto the bed, not minding that I still had my dirty boots on, and lied my head against the pillow. It felt extremely good to just lay down and do nothing, and I sighed in content. Putting my hands behind my head, I enjoyed resting my weary body on it, even though it was lumpy.

“You got her stuff back?” Goldengrape asked in a doubting tone. I found it irritating. Did anyone believe anything I say?

“Yes,” I replied with annoyance laced in my words, “I took them after I killed him.”

“You what!?” Rose shouted in panic, her features showing utter shock and fear as her pupils became pinpricks. “No, this isn’t good. Not good at all. What will the other humans think? Are you wanted now?”

“Rose,” Lucky Clover said quietly, but somehow it was enough to stop her rant, though she was panting uncontrollably. “Why would a human kill another human? They’re the same species. It’s never happened before.”

“First time for everything,” I added grinding my teeth. I would never believe the humans here had never killed each other. Perhaps they had fought with each other, but someone, probably the Baron, organized them and pointed at Equestria. It was only a theory, though, and I filed the idea to the back of my mind for the time being.

“What’s with the tattoos on the flanks, eh?” I asked rather rudely, my sleepiness leaking into my mood. The ponies all gave each other odd looks, and Applejack, lifted her head, glaring at me again.

“Will ya cut the act?” she retorted angrily, “You’re not fooling anypony!”

“It’s not an act, I’m telling-” I said, but then registered the last word she said, “Wait, ‘anypony’?”

Applejack groaned, putting a hoof over her snout in agitation. “You do seem to...” Lucky Clover noted while rubbing his chin, “behave differently from the others.”

“Maybe it’s because I’m not like the others,” I snapped while rolling onto shoulder to face away from them. Unfortunately, it was my right shoulder.

“If you’re not like the others,” Goldengrape put in, lifting a hoof for emphasis, “then what are you like?”

“There’s a good question,” Applejack agreed, “Where are you from if you have no idea what’s goin’ on, huh?”

Staying quiet, I turned my eyes to the floor, wondering how to answer that question. Would they believe me if I said I was from a different world? I surely wouldn’t, and it wasn’t like they took everything else I said for granted. But maybe I would get lucky. “I’m from...” I slowly said, and then sighed deeply, “a different world.”

Silence filled the room, and it worried me more than the jeers the ponies could’ve been spouting. I risked a glance over, and all the ponies were looking away from me, probably contemplating if it could be true, let alone possible. Deciding to elaborate, I said, “The last thing I remember was this strange stone resembling a sun, and a bright light. Then I was here."

“So what you're saying is,” Rose spoke up nervously, “that you’ve never seen this place before?”

I gave a curt nod, and took a deep breath, hoping they would believe me, unlike Applejack. “I don’t know if I believe you,” Rose started quietly, canceling my luck in an instant, but a smile was forming, “but you must be different if you’re sleeping around us ponies.”

Shaking my head, I turned towards them in disbelief. The stallions were nodding at Rose’s words, but Applejack huffed and laid back down, facing away from me. A small smile creeped onto my face, as I replied, “Not exactly normal for humans to sleep with ponies, hmm?”

At these words, all the ponies fidgeted with their hooves, and Applejack became stock still, and I did’t think it was because she was asleep. I sat up in my bed, eyeing each pony in turn, “What’s wrong?”

“Well, it is normal, but...” Rose responded hesitantly, a blush building up on her cheeks, “It's usually a lot more... intimate.”

“What do you mean?” I asked carefully, leaning up while lifting up my right knee to rest my elbow. It could’t be what I thought it meant. There was no-

“What do you think it means!?” Applejack suddenly yelled, jumping up from her bed, looking absolutely livid. “Ya humans have sex with us! Ya rape us! Are ya really this stupid!?"

I was in utter shock, not really from her outburst, but the words behind it. “I... I had no idea,” I stammered with little volume. I couldn’t say another word, my throat suddenly caught on seemingly nothing.

Applejack grunted disapprovingly, laying back down while facing away for me, “Right.”

The other ponies laid down and faced away from me as well, although not as angrily. Seeing that the conversation was over, I rested my head against the pillow, my eyes staring at the ceiling as my mind thought a thousand miles a second.

Did the humans really do that in this world? Is it from the lack of women, or is it just because they were able to? In my world, it would be interpreted as disgusting and downright wrong. But this wasn’t my world, and it could be perfectly normal here. But why did Applejack snap at mentioning it? Did she strongly disapprove of it, or was it something deeper? I couldn’t be sure of anything, but my mind never seemed to run out of questions.

That wasn’t the only thing on my mind. Eventually, I wondered how some of my acquaintances back on my own planet were doing without me. I had no one special waiting for me back home, but then why did I want to return so badly? As I thought about it, I could only come to one conclusion: familiarity. This place had things I could only dream of, and its not like I’m wanted, by the humans or the ponies. All in all, it wasn't my world, and I didn't belong here.

My mind was filled with this and more as I drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

Author's Note

Again, super special thanks to Legion222 for editing.

Chapter 7: Dust

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 7: Dust

I was the first to wake in the morning. That was probably the earliest I have ever awoken in Equestria, since one of the ponies usually stirs me from my sleep. I remained still, however, instead of waking the others. If they weren’t awake, then it was too early to do anything; Applejack and Twilight had both confide in me that they were early birds. The moment gave me time to reflect on my dream. Mostly just contemplating what asshole would use my dead girlfriend as a way to get to me. No matter what that person said or did next time I met him, I would never forgive him. As I was lost in my thoughts, the ponies emerged from their slumber, rubbing their eyes with yawns. I shelved the thought of the dream intruder for the time being, and got up myself. Because of our tiredness, none of us talked much, silently eating our breakfast - apples, again.

After that, we got down to business. “So it’s a agreed that we’re heading for Las Pegasus?” Twilight asked the group, looking at each of us. Everyone gave their agreements, except me, who was actually thinking it through. Rainbow was another Element of Harmony, so it was only natural to go to her. If my hunch was correct, she would know where the last two ponies were to get me home. Derpy was a spy, that was plainly obvious, so she was bound to have loads of information about the humans and such.

“Nolan?” Twilight called, gaining my attention as I snapped out of my revery. “What about you?”

“Yeah, sure,” I answered quickly, standing up from my seat. “Let’s get going.”

Twilight packed up the tents in record time, while everyone else gathered everything together for the trip out of the forest. Since I had no backpack - nor would I probably ever find one - all I had to do was slip on my mask and I was set. It made me feel useless that I couldn’t hold any of the loads, but, then again, I was basically a guard for these ponies.

Once everything was in its bag, and everybody was ready to go, I asked, “So what’s the plan out of this forest?”

“I shall lead you through,” Zecora chanted, already walking towards the edge of the clearing, “and still have time to make some stew.”

I could only assume what she meant was that she’d guide us through the Everfree Forest as fast as she could. None of us responded to her statement, though, and instead just followed along. I remained in the back, keeping a wary eye out for any more Timberwolves that may still have been lurking about. Not just Timberwolves either. I had come to learn sometime on the trip that many monsters inhabited the woods. Cockatrices, Manticores, hydras; anything that was a mythological creature in my world was a living, breathing beast in this forest.

I could see why humans had never ransacked the place, and why Zecora and Spike were able to live there peacefully, to an extent. I didn’t have to worry too much about the monsters here, however, as Zecora was an excellent guide. She knew which routes to take to avoid a creature's territory, which plants to stay away from, and even when it was a good time to take a break. She knew the Everfree Forest like the back of her hoof, and she didn't hesitate to show it. I doubt even Twilight knew the stuff she did, and that’s saying something.

“How do you know so much about this forest?” I eventually asked her out of nowhere.

She turned to me with a perplexed look. She still didn’t trust me as far as she could throw me, “I have lived in these woods for many years. I like it here, despite its fears.”

I rubbed my chin in thought. Why would anybody want to live here? Surely Ponyville was built before she moved here. “Why didn’t you live in town? Or at least in the plains?

“Plants and herbs populate the Everfree,” she answered, flashing me a knowing smirk, “It reminds me of home, which fills me with glee.”

“And Ponyville kind of shunned her a bit,” Twilight added with an embarrassed grin. Zecora gave a short chuckle, obviously having gotten over that fact a while ago.

“You said this place reminds you of home,” I continued, gesturing to the forest around us. “Where were you from?”

“The land of Zebrica, is where I’m from,” she explained, looking upwards in remembrance, “It is a place with no hint of scum.“

It wasn’t hard to figure out what Zebrica represented in my world. After all, she was a zebra, so it would stand to reason that she was from this world’s equivalent of Africa. Never the less, the number of punny names for this place was overwhelming my sense of logic. Couldn’t they come up with any original names here? Though, since these ponies had never heard of any city from my world, I suppose it was understandable that the names would be what they are.

I was so deep in thought about the subject, that I didn’t notice that we had reached the edge of the forest until I nearly bumped into Derpy. I gazed out into the open, where the Everfree Forest ended, and saw normal looking trees leading down a path that had come from an unknown location. No doubt the trail would lead us to our destination: Las Pegasus.

“This must be Highwing Road,” Twilight noted, staring at the dirt path with a hint of happiness. “All we have to do now is follow it straight for Las Pegasus.”

“Woo-Wee!” Applejack exclaimed in astonishment, eyeing the road with equal content, “We’ll be there in no time!”

“Thanks for everything, Zecora,” Derpy said, a wide grin on her face. Zecora nodded humbly. We walked a few steps to start our journey, but soon realized that Zecora and Spike weren’t following. Simultaneously, we all turned to the two with confused expressions as they played with their feet or hooves.

“You’re not comin’?” Applejack asked with disappointment. The other ponies shared the same sentiment; they didn’t want to part from the two we had only met yesterday.

“Sorry guys,” Spike apologized, rubbing his elbow, “But Zecora and I think we should stay here.”

Twilight balked, Her jaw dropping as she stared at Spike, “But… why?”

“We believe that we should stay near,” Zecora explained, “Watching the humans while we’re here.”

That was a pretty good idea; these two could easily check up on the humans in Ponyville, and if they got caught, they would only have to run into the Everfree Forest to lose their pursuers. The ponies in the group, however, didn’t like the reason. They were very attached to these two, and if I had gotten to know them, I would have felt the same way. No one said anything against their decision, and in the end, all the ponies shared a collective sigh, and smiled.

“Well, Hope ta see ya soon then, Zecora, Spike,” Applejack drawled, tipping her hat with a hoof.

“Yeah,” Derpy agreed, shooting a few meters into the air and doing a back flip. “And don’t let any flying houses land on you!”

Spike rolled his eyes with a shake of his head as Zecora snickered at Derpy’s quip. I myself couldn’t tell if Derpy was joking or serious. Carrot Top gave a quick goodbye, and Pinkie mumbled something of the same. Twilight walked up to Spike with a sad smile, taking a deep breath.

“Well, Spike,” Twilight said, a genuine smile growing, “Take care of yourself.”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Spike replied, shrugging. “Besides, Zecora will watch over me.”

Twilight chuckled lightly before hugging him tightly, Spike struggling in her hold as he seemed to be having trouble breathing. Everyone else gazed at the two with broad smiles, but I could see the sadness in their eyes, and it wasn’t for Twilight and Spike. They were remembering their own loved ones. I should know, I looked into the mirror the same way.

It was many minutes before they finally broke apart, and with that, we silently walked away. However, I was stopped by someone tugging on my lower pants, and when I looked down, I saw it was Spike. He was bashful, giving a small hint of a blush on his cheeks as he faced away from me.

“Can you… do a dragon a solid?” he requested. That wording made me look at him quizzically, but my mask hid it. I was more curious as to what he wanted than actually wanting to help him out, though it was part of it, so I gave a nod.

“Could you find Rarity, please?” he asked, looking at me hopefully. I recalled that Rarity was another one of Twilight’s friends, one that I needed to find to get home. What confused me was why this small dragon would be concerned for this pony. They must have been friends, sure, but why did he ask about this particular pony? And why didn’t he ask Twilight or another pony instead of me? I voiced my questions, and he let go of my clothing, fidgeting with his hands.

“Promise you won’t tell anypony…” he whispered, putting a hand by his mouth while watching the others around us, who were waiting for us to finish. “But... I like Rarity.”

Huh. A school crush. Haven’t encountered something like that for a long time. He wasn’t finished talking, though, and he looked like he was searching for the right words to answer my other question. “And… you seem like a cool guy, especially if the others trust you.”

“I wouldn’t exactly call it ‘trust’,” I mumbled, crossing my arms. He looked at me pleadingly, giving me the puppy-dog eyes. I don’t know why he resorted to that, I hadn’t even answered his question yet. “Alright, fine, I’ll find Rarity for you.”

His attitude flipped completely, as a grand smile erupted on his face as he hugged my leg. “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you.”

I awkwardly peeled Spike off, and he ran back to Zecora, waving us off as I walked back to the group to continue our journey. We grew further and further away, with Derpy waving comically to the two the whole time. I faced forward, and examined the snaking path through the forest, a small mountain range looming in the background. “So where exactly is Las Pegasus?” I questioned no one in particular.

“It’s South East of Ponyville, just past those mountains,” Twilight informed, pointing at the peaks.

“Hiking,” I muttered. I had never, in all my life, walked along a mountain trail. I was hardly even exposed to nature as a whole. Living in the city all my life had its disadvantages. It sure would be interesting.

{~+~}

Journeys were a bitch. In movies or books, the heroes walk hundreds of miles through deserts and such, and come out fine. With me, it was totally different. Though I wasn’t carrying anything, my body armor and weaponry still weighed me down, and my black outfit acted like a conductor for the sun, practically baking me alive. We were about half way around the mountains when the sun had set, and I opted to rest early. the others were a bit reluctant to do so, probably because they all seemed fine and dandy. However, they complied anyway, probably thinking it was for the best.

As I was gathering sticks with Applejack, I felt like I should find a way to break the ice. The silence was killing me, and I wanted to keep my mind off all the walking we would have to do the next day. “So,” I started simply, my mind going blank.

“Yeah?” Applejack urged on, picking up a stick with her mouth and tossing into her saddle bag; how could these ponies stand putting things like that in their mouths?

“What exactly happened to the Pegasi?” I asked, glancing over at her. It was the first thing that popped into my head, and it was a question that had bothered me since learning of their existence.

Applejack sighed, “I guess now’s as good a time as any.”

She placed one more branch in her saddle bag before facing me fully, her expression hardening. “When Canterlot was taken over by you humans, many of the pegasi left for Cloudsdale for sanctuary. I haven’t heard anythin’ since. There are some exceptions, of course. Rainbow Dash and Derpy being two of ‘em.”

“Couldn’t the humans take over Cloudsdale like any other city?” I asked, heading back to camp with Applejack walking beside me.

She gave me a dry chuckle, keeping her gaze forward. “Cloudsdale is unreachable unless you have wings or a hot-air balloon; it’s in the sky.”

I was taken aback by that. Though it made sense that Pegasi would have a city in the sky, the thought of anything living above ground made me wonder at the possibilities. I had to ponder what it must be like…

{~+~}

The next morning, I was both relieved and worried when I found out that I didn’t have another nightmare. The perpetrator must have learned his lesson, and decided to leave me alone. Or come up with another plan. Either way, I had a restful night. Our journey continued for two more days, and still, no one really spoke with one another. It could have been because we were all focused on getting to the sanctuary of the city, or that there was literally nothing to talk about. It could even be because they were still nervous around me. I didn’t mind too much, I liked the quiet.

After passing by the mountains, we were greeted with a wide desert, with barely a hill to be found. The grass that once was very prominent was now replaced with barren earth, indicating that it had became a dry desert. In the far distance sat Las Pegasus. I was surprised that I could see it at all, as the buildings weren’t exactly big.

“Oh, oh!” Derpy exclaimed excitedly, floating a few feet ahead of us while pointing a hoof at the far-off city. “There it is! Las Pegasus!”

“We see it,” I said, with a dismissive wave, “It’s not very much though.”

“What did you expect?” Twilight asked, walking to my side with a raised brow.

“Bigger buildings,” I commented with a shake of my head.

Applejack scoffed, “I don’t like the city. The ponies there are pretty judgemental.”

That would explain why she and I could never got along. She was raised in the country side, with hard work and kind folks around. Then there was me, raised in the city where people would rather find a nickel on the street than help you. Applejack and I were as different as night and day. We continued towards the city in silence.

{~+~}

The sun was in the afternoon position as we finally arrived at our destination. And it wasn’t exactly pretty. Everything looked bleak; the buildings were abandoned, the streets were deserted, and the sky was completely devoid of clouds. If I didn’t know better, I’d say the place was left to rot, plucked clean by the humans when they came through here. Yet Derpy had this wide grin on her face that pointed against that. There must have been a catch to all of this.

Despite the disheveled wreck that was the city, my mind couldn’t help but see the differences between the city I knew and this place. The roads were quite wide, and the buildings were built low. They were simplistic in that they had one door at the ground level and two windows on each floor. The material for every building was brick. No matter where I looked, that was all I saw. It also left a strange feeling in me, though that could just be that we had gotten here after traveling for so long.

The ponies didn’t admire the place as I did, for they were very confused and scared. “Are you sure this is Las Pegasus?” Carrot Top asked, looking at the buildings with a grimace, her ears folded back.

“This is definitely the place,” Twilight muttered, also looking around.

“Come on, guys, it’s this way,” called Derpy who had gone ahead of us and around a corner. The ponies trotted to catch up, but I hung back, being very cautious. The feeling of someone watching me made me glance around. I could only hope it wasn’t humans.

“Whoa Nelly,” Applejack said slowly, and when I looked over, I saw her and everyone else’s jaws were wide open in shock. I briskly made my way over, my footsteps giving an eerie echo in the desolate city. When I broke around the building to see what the ponies saw, I instantly found out what they were stunned about.

A wall. A large, makeshift wall that looked hastily built. It was a good four stories high - which was two stories higher than the other buildings. It was made up of wood mostly, though there was an occasional metal plate here and there. It formed a circle around a portion of the city, by the look of it. A double door sat directly in the middle of the street, ten meters away from where we stood. All in all, it was a breath-taking spectacle that made me wonder how ponies were able to make it.

“Here it is!” Derpy said, staring up at it with a smirk, “The Resistance!”

“We made it!” Twilight cried, galloping forward with vigor. The other ponies followed suit, even Pinkie, all glad to make it to the one place that would be human-free. I even found myself giving a sigh of relief, knowing that I would be able to find the last two ponies, retrieve the Elements of Harmony, and get home, all by simply walking through to the other side.

I took a single step, and a loud bang resonated through the city. A bullet hit me square in the chest, and the air was instantly knocked out of me. I fell to the floor, losing consciousness fast as the sound of my name was called.

What felt like a split second later, I came to, my mind incredibly fuzzy with a sharp pain in my chest and faint ringing in my ears. I had been shot, obviously, but by who, I didn’t know. It must have been by humans, but that raised more questions than answers. Deciding to get my bearings, I raised my head ever so slightly to a fairly startling scene, darkness threatening to overcome my sight.

The first thing I saw was Carrot Top, sobbing on my chest, her face covered by her hooves. Pinkie was to my left, covering her ears with her hooves as she hyperventilated, her eyes as small as pinpricks while she mumbled something. Applejack was off to my right, her face one of disbelief as she simply stared at the ground. Why she would seem so stunned was beyond me, my mind was filling up with too many questions as it was. I faced in front of me, past Carrot Top, to see something that was pretty new.

The door had opened up to show a rainbow maned pony with a sky-blue coat. That was all I was able to discern about her, what with my shaken body and all. Derpy and Twilight were shouting and arguing with the pony, and a steady crowd of other ponies, that was still growing, observed from the other side of the wall.

There wasn't a human in sight.

I laid my head back down, regaining my hearing and energy simultaneously, and it wasn’t quiet at all, much to my small headache. Bickering, disagreements, the whole enchilada. I took a deep breath, and that startled Carrot Top enough to look up at me, her face full of surprise and hope. I lifted my left hand and waved slowly, making Carrot Top flinch upon seeing it. Slowly but surely, I began rising from the ground, grunting from the pain that still lingered on my chest.

The first to notice were Pinkie and Applejack, who were both in disbelief, as they backed away from me like I was coming back from the dead. The ponies of the crowd were growing quiet fast, absolutely terrified of me by the looks of it. Derpy, Twilight, and the rainbow pony were the last to notice my revival, as I stood to full height, my left arm nursing my stomach where the bullet hit me. The three were gawking at me like the rest, but not as much as the rainbow pony, who had to rub her eyes to make sure she was seeing right.

It was probably the most unbearable silence I have even been in, and it was incredibly irritating. I swept my gaze over the crowd, taking note of everyone that had gathered around. They were all staring at me, just standing there like freaking idiots. The wind was taunting the silence that seemed to reign supreme as it blew through.

With my annoyance at its peak, I finally spoke, “It’s not polite to stare.”

That shook everyone out of their daze, as they got over their initial shock and glared at me, besides those in my group of course. Applejack and Pinkie ran to my side with Carrot Top, looking me up and down, in doubt that I was still ticking. “B-But you were shot!” Pinkie exclaimed, and Applejack nodded to her statement.

“Not from this world,” I repeated darkly, my face downcast to check my combat vest. I small imprint where the bullet had impacted was all that was left, and I grunted in thankfulness that I had my armor. I hadn’t told the others about it, since it never really came up. I faced the crowd again, seeing the large amount of hate that was practically radiating from them. I took a few steps forward before the rainbow colored pony shot forward and got in my face. She was so fast that I didn’t even see her do it, and jumped back from her sudden appearance, which didn’t help the chest.

“Stay back, human!” she snarled. She was female, and from this distance, it wasn’t hard to see her magenta eyes glowering at me. Her statement was followed by shouts and jeers and such that garbled together. The basic gist of it was that they didn’t want me around here, and probably wanted me dead. Twilight and the others tried everything they could to explain, and the rainbow pony flew back to confront them for whatever reason.

All I wanted to do was get a word in, explain my situation, something, but the volume was so loud that I couldn’t even hear my own voice. No matter how loud I was, it was drowned out by the ponies’ obnoxious yells of loathing. I rubbed my forehead tiredly, thinking of what I could do to regain the silence that had once been dominant. That’s when I got an idea.

As quick as a whip, I unholstered my revolver, raised it over my head with my right hand, and fired. The noise was stopped in an instant, all eyes wide as the crowd focused on me. I, myself, was groaning in pain from my hand, barely keeping my weapon in my hold. It was hard enough trying to keep my revolver steady with two hands, but with one, it strained my arm considerably. I waited a few moments to allow the pain to subside a bit, and placed my revolver back in its place.

“Now that I have your fucking attention,” I growled loudly, “Can someone tell me who the hell shot me?!”

The rainbow pony was the first to speak, as she bared her teeth and stomped a hoof in frustration. “Who cares who shot you!” she emphasized, “What matters is why you aren’t dead! Those guns always killed ponies when a human shot them!”

Before I could stop myself, I chuckled, which didn’t help my situation in the least with the rainbow pony. Was that the first time any of these ponies tried to shoot a human? I could imagine their disbelief pretty well now. “Don’t laugh about this, human!” the rainbow pony shouted, she just loved giving out orders. She turned to Derpy, her glare still steady, “Why the hay did you bring a human, Derpy?! I told you not to do that! You’re putting everypony here at risk!”

Derpy shrunk down from the rainbow pony’s gaze, her eyes glancing at all the other ponies that glared at her. “I thought that- He was- I mean-” she stammered, struggling to find the right words.

“Hey, don’t blame her!” I shouted, and the Rainbow pony whipped her head towards me. “She just thought she was doing what was best!”

“Stay out of this, human!” she retorted angrily, “You're lucky you’re not dead yet, so don’t push your luck!”

Twilight jumped between the rainbow pony and myself, looking very worried, “Rainbow, please, we all decided to bring him with us.”

“Yeah,” Carrot Top agreed, “and he has a name.”

“I don’t care what his name is!” the pony known as Rainbow shouted. This was the pony that was in charge of the Resistance, and one of the ponies that was supposed to assist my return home. Thinking it over, I was screwed. No way in hell and back was she going to help me. “Why are you sticking up for him? Unless…”

She narrowed her eyes, “...You’re all brainwashed.”

“RD, that’s ridiculous,” Applejack put in, giving her own glare at Rainbow. “How would a human do that anyway?”

“I-I don’t know,” Rainbow shot back, her resolve faltering, “But we all know that those things only bring bad news!”

“I’m right here, damn it,” I whispered to myself, grinding my teeth.

“H-He kills,” Pinkie said, swallowing, and causing Rainbow to jump back in freight with a yelp. She must not have noticed her until now. “B-but he doesn’t kill innocent ponies.”

“I bet he does!” Psycho Pinkie put in, making Rainbow back away further from her, fear evident on her face. What perfect timing for Pinkie’s split personality to come in.

“P-Pinkie!?” Rainbow shouted in disbelief, “W-Why are you here? I thought you were-”

“Still in the asylum!” Psycho Pinkie interrupted, “Where you left me to wither away and be forgotten!?”

Rainbow’s ears folded back, the hurt etched on her features as she consciously placed a hoof over her heart. “Pinkie… You can’t honestly think that…” she said, just barely louder than a whisper.

The anger on Pinkie’s face faded away and was replaced with sorrow, “N-No! I didn’t mean that!”

She didn’t say any more as she looked away, her eyes clamped shut. Rainbow continued to stare at her though, like she was expecting Psycho Pinkie to yell out again. “How did she even get out?” Rainbow asked, then faced Twilight with bewilderment whiled pointing at her, “And why did you leave the bunker?” she faced Applejack and pointed again, “and I thought you were captured by humans!”

“They were, technically,” Derpy spoke up, looking braver, “But...”

She turned her gaze towards me, and once again, all eyes were on me. I felt myself fill up with pride; I was actually proud of helping these ponies. I wasn’t sure if it was simply because it meant I would be in the good books with these ponies. Subconsciously, I hoped that wasn’t the case. “No, no, no,” Rainbow said with each shake of her head, “There’s no way a human helped you guys out. They have no reason to!”

“Well, I do!” I said, making my way over to the group, the crowd quickly backpedalled away, cautious of my approach. I ignored them, however, and focused on Rainbow Dash as I stopped a few feet away from her. She raised a brow with a questioning look before flaring her wings and hovering in front of me.

“And what reason would that be, hmm?” She asked, jabbing a hoof at my chest. I winced from the sore spot, but my mask hid it well, and I was partially thankful for that. I knocked her hoof away and crossed my arms.

“To get home,” I answered truthfully and simply.

Rainbow rolled her eyes disdainfully, “If you just went North, you can, feather-brain.”

“That isn’t my home,” I said quickly, and looked to the sky as if I could see Earth itself floating above. I took a deep breath, trying to figure out how to describe my predicament. “I’m not from this world.”

“So now you’re saying you’re an alien?” she scoffed, and there was more than a few snickers from the crowd of ponies.

I grunted in irritation, “I might be, not really sure.”

Rainbow landed back on the ground and walked away from me. “Wow, you’re unbelievable,” she said with a small chuckle, “A human that says he’s an alien.”

I knew there was no way I’d get to her, but that wasn’t my top priority. What I needed to do was to find the stuff I needed to get out of here. Twilight spoke up before I could voice my thoughts, “Rainbow, can we discuss this inside?”

Rainbow dipped her head in thought, then glanced over to me, her eyes studying me with full intent of uncertainty. I couldn't blame her for being protective of the other ponies. After all, they were able to make it this far, why risk bringing in a human now? Even so, I hope she would take that risk. Finally, she faced Twilight again with a softened face.“Alright,” she relented with a sigh, “But he doesn’t go anywhere with those guns and stuff. And I want someone to watch him twenty-four seven.”

“That’s reasonable,” Applejack nodded, and the others agreed as well, besides me.

“Maybe for you it is,” I said, barely moving, “I’m not giving up my stuff.”

“It’s either that,” Rainbow replied, “Or we take you out like we do with the every other human that comes by.”

I rubbed the back of my head, forcing myself to cool down. Getting mad at these ponies would not get me anywhere. So, reluctantly, I took out my shotgun and knife and put them in Applejack’s saddle bag. Then I got out my revolver, gazing at it as if it would be the last time I would see it. Gripping the gun tightly, I reached over to the saddle bag and forced myself to place it gently inside. Rainbow gave a smug grin that was extremely agitating, and strolled through the wall. The other spectating ponies either left to do whatever they did, or allowed Rainbow to pass by, along with the other ponies.

I waited until my group was through before attempting to enter the portion of the city, and as I passed the gate, the eyes of everyone locked on to me with contempt and hatred. I glanced around, It wasn’t too different from outside the wall, though it didn’t look nearly as run down or condemned. The streets were replaced with large gardens, flourishes of bountiful fruit trees and vegetables growing exuberantly. Many a pony walked along the sidewalks, either tending to the garden or monitoring everything else. Signs and posters covered the walls with slogans like 'Stand against the humans!' or 'Don't turn on your fellow pony!'. Each poster always had the picture of Celestia, reinforcing my view that she was very important to the ponies.

In all my life, I have never been discriminated by anyone; I was pretty much an Average Joe. However, in this city alone, I was hit full force with it, everyone’s judgemental gazes lingering on me as if I would lash out like any other human here would. I remained by the gate as the group walked along, and I hurried after them as two ponies closed the doors behind me. Locking it with an innumerable amount of locks.

No matter where I looked, there was always somebody staring at me with narrowed eyes, or with an upturned snout of superiority. It was extremely disheartening, and it only got worse as I continued along. At one point, the oranges that hung bare on the trees were too enticing to resist as I passed by them, and I reached out to pluck one. I was stopped suddenly by someone kicking me in the shin, hard. I nearly fell down, and only by waving my hands around a bit was I able to regain my balance. I continued walking while facing behind me to see who had done it, and saw a pink mare with a lime green mane and daisies as a cutie mark shake her head slowly with a furrowed brow.

Having enough of all the hostility, I looked to the ground with a heavy sigh. I could hear ponies whispering behind my back, and I knew it wasn’t anything good. It was all just becoming too much, and it made me think how evil those humans must have really been to cause these ponies to act like that.

Eventually, we made it to a building that was off to the side of the main road, right before an intersection. It looked to be a bookstore, as emphasised by the sign out front.

The group entered the building single file with Rainbow Dash being last. I was about to follow before she shot back out and shoved me away without a care. “You stay out here,” she ordered, “Dusty will watch over you until we’re done.”

Then, she slammed the door shut. Sighing, I glanced behind me, and took note of a pegasus stallion that stood straight with some odd clothing. He had on a sandy-tan duster of some sort with a vest underneath. His coat was as grey as Derpy’s with a short cut black mane and tail. A pair of shaded glasses sat on his snout as a glare hid behind it, and I eyed him strangely. Why was he so oddly dressed? If I didn’t know better, he was a part of S.W.A.T. himself.

“What are you looking at?” he shot out with an Australian accent defensively. I guess it wouldn’t be too irregular for a pony to have an accent like that, Applejack had a southern accent after all. I closed my eyes in suppressed anger at his attitude, and laid back against the wall by the door, sliding down to a sitting position. The pony, who was probably Dusty, didn’t move a bit, still staring at me like I would disappear in a blink of an eye.

Reaching up, I took off my head gear and stuff, and breathed easy in the cool air. Having it on had become second nature, and I had sometimes forgotten I was wearing it at all. I faced the pony in front of me, then glanced at the door beside me. There was some muffled talking, but nothing could be made out. I was stuck here until they were finished.

“So... Dusty, is it?” I said, tilting my head as I examined him.

“How did you survive that gun shot?” He questioned, rebounding my question with one of his own.

Knowing there was no way around it, I decided to reveal my 'ace in the hole' in this world. "I have a bulletproof vest," I answered, gesturing to my torso nonchalantly. Seeing him struggle to examine my vest from a distance was oddly humorous, seeing as we were at least five meters away from each other. He eventually leaned back, and sat down on his haunches before reaching into his inside coat pocket. When he pulled his hoof back out, a bottle that looked like whiskey was in its hold, somehow. Using his teeth, he popped out the plug, dropped it to the ground, and took a large gulp from the bottle. After he was finished, he turned his eyes back on me.

"Since when did humans have that kind of armor?" He asked like I was being interrogated. "We haven't seen any indication that you had them."

"Since when did ponies have alcohol?" I replied with a question. If we were playing twenty questions, then I want to get some of mine answered.

Dusty scoffed, "What does it matter to you, ya dingo?"

I couldn't hide my irritance as I responded, "Just answer the goddamn question."

"I don't have to say anything to you," he retorted quickly, taking another swig from the bottle.

I silently gave a curse to his aggressive nature, wishing to be rid of him as soon as possible. We sat there for awhile before he spoke up again. "I see you got Pinkie from the asylum," he said, with a tilt of his bottle.

I had no idea why he would want to bring that subject up, based off everything else I've done. I brought a princess, for God's sake. Even still, I waited for him to go on. "What was it like there? In that asylum?"

I looked up to the cloudy sky, letting my head rest against the brick wall I was relaxing against. In all honesty, it was probably the worst place I've ever been in. Crazy ponies, dark atmosphere, and enough chills to freeze over Hell. It definitely wasn't someplace I liked to talk about, but why was he so interested in it? It didn't make any sense that this pony would...

The letter.

Instead of answering Dusty's question, I jumped to my feet - which in turn made him jump up - and dove a hand into my pocket. He looked quite ticked that I had caught him off guard, though it was hard to tell with his shades. My gloved fingers came across the piece of parchment, and I yanked it out. It was the same letter that I had found in the asylum. My eyes briskly scanned it over, seeing if my memory was correct. Then I found what I was looking for:

Give my regards to Dusty Hall, and a raise, since he’s working a fair amount of overtime.

I slowly raised my head to look at Dusty, who was eyeing me like I had suddenly sprouted wings. It felt good to have something over him, even if he didn’t know it yet. “You worked at the asylum, didn’t you Dusty Hall?” I said with a smirk.

Dusty flinched, as if I had burned him, before he came back to his stoic expression. “Yes, I did,” he replied simply before pointing a hoof at me, “And how did you find that out?”

I held up the letter before me, giving it a slight wave for emphasis. He shot from his position with his wings, snatched the piece of paper in my hand, and landed again, reading the letter with a critical eye. After a few seconds, He slammed the paper down, and growled to himself as he hung his head. I crossed my arms, my smirk still on my face, “Do you mind explaining that?”

He looked away, probably thinking of exactly what to say, as he pulled his shades away to show his dark blue eyes shifting uncomfortably. Eventually, he looked up at me, and from the look of him he seemed in pain, troubled, something along those lines. “I…” he whispered.

At that moment, the door swung, and Rainbow was standing there with a annoyed stare that I knew was directed towards me. Dusty had stood to attention, his shades back on his snout. Rainbow gave me a sideways glance, studying my exposed face, before stepping out of the doorway to allow the other ponies to come through.

“So… how’d it go?” I asked, but none of them looked me in the eye, especially Carrot Top, who had her eyes clamped shut for some reason. Rainbow did not looked pleased, and everyone else looked apologetic; what exactly would that mean? When they were all out, Twilight finally looked at me with a forced smile. “We, uh, came to an agreement,” she expressed with fake happiness.

“Don’t sugarcoat it,” I deadpanned, and Twilight’s smile faded quickly as it was replaced with a sorry look, with a tinge a fear.

“Okay,” she said quietly, and took a deep breath. “You can stay…”

I nodded slowly as a gesture to continue.

“but you can’t have any of your weapons, we can’t help you, and you have to sleep in a rundown shack!”

She spoke so fast that I nearly missed it, and I wish I did. “Are you kidding me!?” I exclaimed, my anger growing with a tad of depression eating its way in.

“Nope,” Applejack said with a distant expression, seeming to look somewhat remorseful, if only just. I groaned in exasperation, as I felt like I was at the end of my rope. I ran a hand through my hair as I thought about their decision. I couldn’t have my guns with me, which meant I couldn’t carry around Vera, my revolver, the last gift Emma gave me, for as long as I stayed, which would probably be forever, if these ponies thought I was with the other humans. I also couldn’t get any help, which didn’t make much sense in the first place, as I was helping them so they could help me. Finally, I had to sleep in a shack, though that shouldn’t be a surprise.

My temper subsided, but I was feeling really hopeless now. “Where’s this shack?” I requested as I rubbed my eyes.

{~+~}

The ponies, or more accurately Rainbow Dash, lead me through the intersection that adjoined the building and walked past more as we came to a barren part of the city. It was fairly close to the wall, and it looked like this part wasn’t initially part of the city before the wall was erected. Eventually, we came across a shack that looked no bigger than a bedroom, made mostly of wood, and was sagging noticeably.

“Welcome to your new room, human,” Rainbow laughed, a cruel smile growing on her face as she hovered beside me.

“Yeah, yeah, yuck it up,” I growled, feeling my hands tightened into fists. This is where I’ll be sleeping for who knows how long, and it didn’t even look like it could shelter me correctly. Not only that, but Rainbow’s mocking was really testing my restraint. It was like she was trying to get me to snap and attack her. When I thought about it, it was probably exactly what she was trying to do.

The other ponies looked uncertain, even Applejack was gazing at me like she wished there was something she could do. Rainbow crossed her forelegs, acting like she was getting back at all the humans by picking on me. Sighing depressedly, I walked forward towards the door of the shack, and slowly pulled it open with ease. What awaited inside was atrocious.

The walls had moss growing in certain parts of it, the concrete flooring looked damp, and the bed that was the only piece of furniture had no sheets, pillows, or blankets. Who had lived here before me? They must have abandoned this thing years ago.

“Go on, have a look around,” Rainbow snickered, still lingering behind me. I glanced behind me with a firm glare, but that didn’t scare her off. Feeling all the unrighteous hate towards me that day had suddenly hit me, and I wasn’t happy about it one bit. I was being discriminated by ponies, and for what!? For being the species that had invaded them!?

The wave of anger that washed through me took control of my body as I quickly slipped into the shack and slammed the door with all my might. It may have been childish, but it was the best that I could do without being targeted by these ponies a second time. I stared at the door for awhile, waiting for them to leave.

“Did you really have to tease him?” Carrot Top asked shyly from the other side.

“What did you expect me to do?” she said back with a small chuckle, “You guys told me that he doesn’t hurt other ponies, so I might as well get some kicks out of it.”

“But was denying our help really the best option?” Twilight asked as I heard hoofsteps leaving the area.

“I said it once, and I’ll say it again,” Rainbow replied in exasperation, “He’s only tricking you to tell that Baron guy where we are. He only did all that so he could sneak in.”

“But he’s a wanted human, RD,” Applejack exclaimed, surprisingly. “Humans were tryin' ta kill him!”

“Just another trick up his sleeves,” Rainbow responded as their voices were growing distant. “Don’t worry about it, he doesn’t mind. Ha! Anyway, about the party we’re going to have…”

The voices were gone, and I felt like utter crap. Taking off my combat vest, I rested it along with my mask next to the wall as I climbed into the wobbly bed. It wasn’t exactly comfy, but it wasn’t like I could change anything about it. Since there was nothing to do then, I decided to sleep early. After all, it had been a tedious and long journey. Giving one final sigh, I closed my eyes, and fell asleep.

{~+~}

I opened my eyes, and found that I wasn’t in the shack anymore, or even in Las Pegasus. I was standing upright with the environment stretching in infinite white. I knew I was back in my dreams, and that could only mean one thing.

“You better piss off right now,” I growled underneath my mask, “I don’t have time for your tricks.”

I was only answered with silence, which wasn’t right. This intruder in my dreams would have tried something or other to lull me in a false sense of security. But there was nothing, no fake imitations, no elaborate deception. Just… nothing.

In the quiet, I heard a footstep, or perhaps just someone shifting his foot, but it was enough for me to catch it. It was surprising at first, but my frame hardened. Whoever was behind this whole debacle with my mind was behind me, I just knew it. As soon as I turned around, I would see the one thing that had caused my nights to be hell for the first few days in this place. With a deep breath, I turned and gazed over to who that one person was.

It was a pony, though that wasn’t a shocker, and she was an Alicorn, as she had the wings and horn to point to that assumption. She was also very dark, and she stood out when compared to the bright surrounding. Her coat was a dark sapphire blue, with a mane and tail that were a picture of the night sky itself, flowing magically. This pony was also the biggest I had come across; at least as tall as me, not counting the horn. The last thing I noticed was the tiara on her head, the black necklace around her neck, and her Cutie Mark.

A blob of black with a crescent moon.

“H-Hello, Nolan Anderson,” she mumbled nervously.

I didn’t say a word, and instead briskly walked over to her. She backed away a little, her face contorted with fear as her eyes widened. When I was a few feet away from her, I stopped, and she closed her eyes while turning away, expecting me to hit her. I really, really, wanted to, but something was holding me back, and it made me want to question her first before I gave judgement.

“Are you the bitch that has been messing with me?” I hissed out, clenching my hands shut.

The pony opened one eye slowly, seeing if I would hit her, and then relaxed as she looked at me guiltily. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again as she faced the ground. She was having a hard time finding the words, and I was losing the small amount of patience I had with her.

“Answer me, dammit!” I shouted, causing her to jump back in fright. She looked terrified of me, and I didn’t know why. If this was a dream, than she couldn’t really get hurt here, right? Finally, she gulped, and stood up straight, though I could see that she was shaking.

“I… I am the one who has been interfering with your dreams,” she said with as much bravado as she could muster, before lowering her head as her ears folded back. “And… I am dreadfully ashamed of it.”

I shook my head, feeling my insides boiling in rage. She thought she could make all of that up by just saying sorry? The world doesn’t work like that, and she crossed the line when she thought she could use Emma to her advantage.

“Why?” I asked simply, crossing my arms as I eyed the floor. If she couldn’t answer that one question, than I wouldn’t be held responsible to what I would do to her.

She sat on her haunches, her hoof pawing at the ground slightly as she thought on how to respond. Eventually, she looked up with a forced smile, “Maybe some introductions are in order. I am Princess Luna, ruler of the night in Equestria.”

“I didn’t ask who you were,” I snapped, causing her to flinch, “I asked ‘why’, as in, ‘why the fuck were you using my dead girlfriend to get to me!?’”

I yelled out the last part, and I didn’t regret it. In fact, I actually got a kick out of seeing her squirm a little. It was a sadistic side of me that I wasn’t proud of at that point in time. “I-I am sorry, Nolan Anderson,” she said with a sob, tears threatening in her eyes. “I did not have a choice in the m-matter.”

That made me raise an eyebrow, but she couldn’t see it, so I spoke my interest. “What do you mean?”

She looked at the ground pitifully, her eyes quivering as a few drops of water leaked from them. “When I was captured, the Baron locked me in the dungeons, where I still reside. It is only recently that he learned of my power to go into others’ dreams. When you became a wanted criminal, the Baron forced me to trick you into revealing your location, so he could… eliminate you.”

So it all went back to the humans, and more specifically, the Baron. Still, I was mad that she went along with him, even if she was forced to do it. She wasn’t finished, though, and continued, tears flowing faster than before. “At first,” she said, with a few sniffs, “I-I refused, as it was abusing my power. But all he did was have others beat me, and I subsided. It was only when you found me out that I decided against assisting the Baron in any way.”

She shook her head, “And all he did was have humans beat me each day. I can hardly stand it, but I do not want to use my powers for evil. It was how I became Nightmare Moon in the first place.”

I had no idea who Nightmare Moon was, nor did I dwell on it. “So…” I said, rubbing my chin, “You came back to apologize, right?”

She nodded with a sad frown, standing back up with some difficulty. “I had to make right for what I have done,” she said, and she cried harder, “especially after what that human did to ‘Tia.”

That caught my attention, as I looked at her. “‘Tia?” I questioned, without any hatred or remorse, just curiosity.

“Celestia, my sister,” she informed, breaking back into her cries. I closed my eyes in thought. As far as I could tell, all the ponies acted like Celestia was still alive. LIke she was still working to find a way to free the enslaved ponies. But now, this is confirmation that she is dead and gone.

“How do you know she's dead?” I asked slowly and carefully, feeling slightly bad for being so hard on her.

“I no longer feel her presence,” she stated, as her legs gave out, and she fell to the ground with a hollow thud. She made no movement to get up, so I figured she wanted to be there right now. “It was the day that Canterlot fell. ‘Tia told me to guide the ponies of the city away to a safe haven, and when we were at the bottom of the mountain… she was gone.”

She closed her eyes as her crying took control of her emotions, and I was left with my thoughts. This princess had gone through a lot. Not that any of the ponies had a walk in the park, but Luna must have been tearing herself up for months, forced to succumb to the Baron and the other humans. I didn’t forgive her for what she did to me, and I never would, but I could sympathise with her. I didn’t know what to say or do at that point; I didn’t want to comfort her, but at the same time, I couldn’t bear to see her in this state.

“Don’t weep for those who are gone,” I said monotonically, as I turned around. “Weep for those who are still suffering.”

The sobbing was toned down a bit, and a long moment of silence was all there was. “You are a very different human, Nolan Anderson,” Luna noted, and I heard her stand back up on her feet. “Though I do not know much about you, I feel as if you have gone through a lot.”

“What, you didn’t know that already when you entered my dreams?” I said rudely.

“I can only see what emotions stand out the most,” she explained, sniffing, “And you have an immeasurable amount of guilt in you about the human girl you loved.”

I dipped my head, as I thought about her words. Yeah, I had a lot of guilt for sure. When I looked back, I could see where I had gotten it, too. “I think it’s best to leave it at that,” I said, glancing back at her. “And… try to resist the Baron.”

Luna opened her mouth to protest, which wouldn’t be surprising if the beatings were that bad, but she held her tongue and gave a curt nod. It was at that moment that a loud noise that sounded like cheer rang in my head painfully, and I fell, once again, as darkness replaced the white.

Chapter 10: Downhill

Lost and Fallen
Chapter 10: Downhill

The next few minutes were a blur, as my mind was a bit numb. A filly that I had only known for half an hour was dead and gone. I felt even worse knowing I didn’t even know the girl’s name, or where her sister was. For all I knew, that little filly had joined her sister. What also concerned me was how good that damn sniper was. It was incredibly dark, the distance was great, and many other factors; yet he was able to shoot my leg and that pony. I wondered if that sniper left me alive on purpose, but I shook that thought out. Some stray gust of wind must have changed the bullet’s course.

Though sadness was overwhelming my senses, I could still make out everything that was going on. The ponies were going into hysterics over the newly returned foals and the death of one particular filly. I saw many foals run up to their family, their faces in pure happiness. All I could do was sit against a building with a cigarette in one hand. Alone and forgotten, that was, until I reminded them I was here.

“Nolan!” I heard a pony exclaim gleefully to my left, and when I looked over, I saw it was Carrot Top, trotting over to me as she watched the scene of the reunited families. I guess I wasn’t so forgotten as I had thought.

“Hey,” I replied somberly, sounding more like a grunt.

“Did you bring these foals back?” she asked with a breathless voice. I could understand her disbelief; it was an impossible feat to begin with.

“I wasn’t alone,” I replied simply, and that was when Carrot Top caught on to my mood as she frowned, matching my attitude.

“W-What’s the matter?” she asked quietly, and I bowed my head, my mind going back to the events.

“There was a filly,” I muttered, readjusting my seated position, growing uncomfortable. “She didn’t make it.”

“Is it the filly that passed away in the clinic?” she asked, sitting down next to me, for which I was very grateful. I needed a friend to talk to.

“Yeah,” I said, getting another drag from my cigarette before continuing, “We were nearly home free, and then there was a sniper.”

“She was shot!?” she asked hoarsely, shock evident in her tone. Apparently, how the filly had died hadn’t circulated around the town yet. If I was in the doctor’s shoes, I wouldn’t talk much about it either. “That’s horrible!”

I remained silent for a moment, critically thinking about those last two words. It was horrible, and unjustifiable, and still I felt like I was to blame. I was there, I could have done something! If I hadn’t let my guard down, she may have been still alive, then again, it could have happened anyway… Just like Emma.

I shook my head as I clenched my teeth shut. I needed to talk to someone about her eventually or I would tear myself apart. But I wasn’t going to do it yet, I still needed time. Though it felt like I was just stalling the inevitable. Nevertheless, I was a bit relieved about that decision. Sighing, I tried to get my mind back on topic, remembering what the subject was about.

“I promised her,” I muttered, my right hand tightening.

“What?” Carrot Top asked with a raised brow, missing what I had said.

“I promised her!” I hissed, slamming my hand to the ground, startling Carrot Top. “I promised that she would be alright, that she’d see her sister.”

Carrot Top’s ears folded back as she closed her eyes, “You couldn’t have known.”

“I…” I started, about to rebut her for it, but she was right, even if I wanted to put all the blame on myself. “Never knew her name. She was so close to freedom, to living a full life, and she died, and I never even knew her name!”

Carrot Top put a hoof on my shoulder as I took deep, ragged breaths. I was getting really worked up, but I didn't want to stop, like shouting about it would show the universe that I already felt bad enough. That filly never deserved to die so young. These ponies didn’t deserve to be invaded, to be enslaved, or to die…

“Her name was Piña Colada,” A voice said in front of me, and I turned my gaze, seeing Doctor Styles stand there with a determined and drained face. “I figured I should at least tell you that.”

I stared at Doctor Styles, not even caring what the filly’s name reminded me of as a weak smile grew, “I appreciate it.”

He nodded at my thanks, glancing at the other ponies. I couldn’t tell if he had longing in his eyes or loathing, like hating someone that had died. I didn’t want to pry, and I didn’t have to as he spoke again. “My parents were in Canterlot when the humans invaded. I was in Ponyville at the time, along with Nurse Temperament.”

“Sorry to hear,” I said, holding the cigarette in my hand.

He chuckled sadly, facing the ground in remembrance, “We weren’t very close, ever since I left home to pursue my career; they never supported me being a doctor. Angel and I were here in Las Pegasus for a conference when we heard the news that Ponyville had fallen. It was happening so fast; one moment, Canterlot was taken, and a few hours later, we hear the same thing happened to Ponyville.”

I wasn’t too enthusiastic about him giving his life story, but I was respectful enough to listen to him. He obviously needed to get that off his chest. The silence that followed wasn’t completely uncomfortable, it felt sort of right, but I wanted a change of topic. Glancing around, I noticed that the foals and family had gone their separate ways, probably to catch up after being apart for so long. I guess I’d been sitting out here for awhile.

“Nolan,” Applejack called as I saw her approach me, along with Applebloom, who was carrying an apple in her mouth by its stem. Both of them weren’t looking too happy themselves, but it was more heart wrenching to see Applebloom look so sad. “Ya need ta eat somethin’.”

My guilt seemed to be keeping my stomach full for the time being, but she was right, as I needed some real food. With a nod, I stuck my hand out underneath Applebloom, and she released the apple into my hand. Clasping my hand around it, I gave a wide grin while staring at the apple. It was good to have friends like those to comfort me when I needed it.

I blinked in surprise; had I just called them friends? A week ago, I would have called it ‘forced acquaintanceship’, but that day… I was content in calling them friends. Because that was what they were.

“Thanks,” I said, looking up at them with a weak smile. It was a simple word, but I didn’t think I needed to say more. Flicking my nearly burnt out cigarette, I took a bite out of the apple as I idely listened as the ponies spoke.

“So, what happens now?” Carrot Top asked Applejack, who sighed in response.

“I don’t know,” she admitted with a shake of her head, “RD told me she’s gonna have a meetin’ in an hour.”

“To talk about what?” Applebloom asked with curiosity.

“Nothin’ that concerns ya,” Applejack said seriously, looking at her sister with a hint of a glare as she nudged her along with a hoof, “Go play with your friends.”

Applebloom whined, but did as she was told, trotting away from us. As I ate, I looked around seeing Rainbow talk with Twilight rather quietly. Twilight gave a glance at me, which broke me out of my stare as I looked away. I wasn’t sure why, since they were the ones hiding something from me - big shocker. I continued looking around, seeing Dusty chat with Doctor Styles and the nurse. Many other ponies were going back to work, mostly farming, but others patrolled, and that was when I realized that I hadn’t seen one pony in particular.

“Applejack,” I said uneasily, standing up as I continued to look around. “Where has Pinkie been?”

Applejack was taken aback by my question, and glanced at a nearby house nervously. “She’s been in that there house since we got here.”

“She hasn’t come out since?” I asked in a worried tone, “Not even for food or water?”

“Now, hold on there,” Applejack said, putting a hoof on my chest to calm me down. “We’ve been givin’ her food and such, she just ain’t in the mood to be around nopony.”

“So have you talked with her?” I followed up, staring intently at the building.

Applejack shook her head, “No, I thought I should give her some space, seein’ what she’s been through.”

“With a condition like hers,” I said, “Leaving her be should be the last thing we do.” I looked back at her, “I’ll check up with her.”

Applejack smiled at my kindness, “Thank ya kindly, Nolan. She’s on the top floor, last room on the right.”

Nodding, I waved goodbye to them and made my way over to the door of the building. As I did, I gave one last gaze around. Everyone was still where they had been earlier, except for Dusty. He was nowhere in sight.

Shrugging the thought off, I entered the building, and was instantly greeted by the dull smell of the air. By the looks of the interior, it hadn’t been cleaned up in ages. Pushing the thought out, I hastily climbed the creaky stairs, wanting to get this over with. At the top, I looked down the hall to see Dusty, sitting against the door that was supposed to hold Pinkie.

“Dusty,” I said as I walked down the hallway, causing him to jump up, revealing that he was drinking from his whiskey bottle. “What are you doing?”

He looked at me with his shades at a loss for words, placing the bottle inside his vest. His mouth was hung open as he remained where he sat. “I was… checking up on Pinkie,” he explained, and though it felt like the truth, his tone suggested that it wasn’t the whole story. I found myself standing by his side, looking at the door that stood between us and Pinkie.

“And?” I asked expectantly, facing him with a hardened expression. He adverted his eyes, gritting his teeth as he did.

“She’s… fine,” he said quickly, hesitating more than he should.

Crouching down, I looked him dead in the eye, “Do I need to drag Applejack up here to get you to tell me the truth?”

He rolled his eyes before glancing back at the door, “She’s… not eating.”

I gave a sigh, standing back up as I looked at the door as Dusty continued, “I think it’s a form of suicide. Whatever happened in the Crystal Empire must have been very traumatizing.”

“And you didn’t talk to her?” I asked in an accusatory voice. “Comfort her, do something?”

“You think I haven’t tried that already?” he snapped, slamming a hoof to the floor. “She doesn’t do anything when I try talking to her. What am I supposed to do!?”

I closed my eyes, thinking back when I was the same way, barely eating a thing as I just slumped around. How did I get out of that ditch in my life? It wasn’t the time to look back in my life, because another’s was at stake. Reopening my eyes, I stepped around him as he backed away, knowing I was going to open the door.

“I’ll give it a shot,” I said, as I turned the handle, pushing open the door. The room was unusually bare, not a single piece of decoration was set up. With my eyes scanning over the room, it was inevitable that they landed on Pinkie. She was lying in her bed, her head resting on her hooves. She looked very unhealthy, with her ribs being more noticeable, and her fur was paling. She was worse than when I found her in the asylum. Why would she do that to herself after staying alive all that time in that place?

“Pinkie?” I called, hoping to gain her attention. She didn’t move, however, gazing over at the wall blankly. I gave one last glance back to Dusty, who looked incredibly worried, staring at Pinkie. Gently, I closed the door to keep the distractions down, and turned back to Pinkie.

“Pinkie,” I said loudly, but she still didn’t move. Raising my voice, I yelled, “Pinkie!”

Still nothing. Growing frustrated, I walked over to her and shook her, “Listen to me!”

There was a quiet sob, one that I barely caught, but it was enough to make me stop with a bit of reluctance. I took a few steps back, and looked for a chair I could sit on. Seeing one, I quickly grabbed it and brought it over, setting it beside the bed. As I sat down, I heard another sob that was barely audible.

“Pinkie,” I said softly, leaning forward, “Talk with me.”

I saw her bring a hoof over to her eye, rubbing away something - must have been tears. Leaning back, I waited for a moment to see if she just wanted to collect her thoughts. After a while, I knew she wasn’t going to speak any time soon.

“If you’re not going to talk,” I said with a sigh, “Then at least listen.”

There was no way to tell if she understood what I said, or would even do as I told, but I guess it was a small risk. At the very least, I would feel like I did something.

I sorted out my thoughts before I finally spoke, “I have no idea what happened back at the Crystal Empire, but trying to kill yourself isn’t going to make you feel better.”

I paused for a second, listening to what I had said as I thought of a follow up. I wasn’t the best at personal speeches, but I had to do something. “You’re hurting inside, Pinkie,” I started, “I can see that. The other thing in your head, the one that tells you to kill your friends and yourself. Did she tell you to do this?”

I asked it before I could stop myself; she wasn’t going to answer, so there was no point in asking. “You’re not the only one that’s hurting,” I continued, “Hundreds of ponies are being beaten and forced to do labor. I know it’s tough to forget the stuff you saw, but sometimes we have to put aside what we want, so that others can have what they want.”

That gave me a thought that might actually work, “Isn’t that what you always did, Pinkie? Make others smile even when you didn’t want to?”

Not expecting an answer, I stood up, feeling that I had done what I could. “Just remember that other ponies still love you,” I said, turning my back to her. “And they want someone to cheer them up.”

I heard her crying loudly; she wasn’t hiding it this time. “N-Nolan…” I heard her say, causing me to whip around, actually surprised that she spoke to me. As she looked up at me, I saw that her eyes were bloodshot, and her cheeks were stained with her tears. She must have been crying longer than I thought. “How am I supposed to cheer ponies up when they lost somepony?”

She must have been inexperienced at that field. Maybe that was why she lost her mind to begin with. I shook my head sadly, “Sorry, I can’t answer that.”

That caused her to lower her head, but I went on, “It’s something that you have to figure out on your own.”

I turned back to the door, hearing her sniffle a bit as I opened it up. I hoped what I said changed her for the better. Exiting the room, I saw that Dusty was gone, and though it wasn’t a big deal, I thought he would have stayed to hear if Pinkie had changed. Of course, I didn’t have an answer for him.

I left the building to find that the street was practically empty. Only a few ponies were out working on the gardens, but even they seemed to be rushing to finish up. Seeing a pony run by, I turned to see it dash into a theater, and when I saw another hurry through the same building, I knew it must have been where they were gathering.

Thinking they must have been arranging a meeting without telling me, I stormed over to the building with anger. I thought I had earned their trust? What other hoops did they want me to jump through before I could be accepted!? I slammed open the door into the lobby of the theater, which was devoid of ponies. I walked over to the doors leading into the theater room, and slowly opened it, taking a peek inside.

It was dark as night in there, except for the stage lights, which were turned on, but they were on the other side of the red curtain. Almost everybody I knew was standing in a huddle at the stage, talking excitedly and quietly. I briskly made my way over, not hiding my presence in the least. Some ponies took a glance over to me, and when they did, they were instantly panic-stricken, pure terror on their faces. It was rather odd, seeing as they knew I was walking about. I assumed that they were just used to someone watching over me.

Ignoring them, I hopped up on the stage and walked around the large group of ponies, deciding to go around the stage to see what they were hiding from me. Huh, maybe the ponies were scared to show me what they had behind their backs, so to speak. Then again, they would have stopped me. As I was doing this, I heard voices speaking to each other nonchalantly, some I recognized right off the bat, but there was a few I didn’t know.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Twilight asked concernedly, making a female chuckle.

“I’m fine, Twilight,” the female informed, “I’m just a bit hungry.”

“More apples! Stat!” Twilight exclaimed.

“On it!” Applejack said, and then there was more chuckling, but there was a male voice there as well. As I looped around the curtain, I saw many ponies in the spotlight, though not nearly as many as what was on the other side of the curtains. Applejack had apples brimming inside her saddlebag, and Rainbow wasn’t too far off with a bowl of water at her hooves. Twilight and Doctor Styles were looking over two ponies that I was unfamiliar with, though one was the same type of pony like Twilight.

One was a large, Unicorn stallion, probably the biggest I had come across. His coat was white, and he had a three-toned blue mane. He also had blue hooves, and a Cutie Mark resembling a shield. The other was a mare that was as big as Luna was, and had wings and a horn like the other Alicorns I had seen. Her coat was pink, and her long mane had the colors pale gold, magenta, and violet.

The question was why the other ponies were trying to hide these two from me. Maybe the Alicorn was a princess as well, and they were afraid I would turn them in or something. It was frustrating to still feel left out, especially after all I had done for them. Without truly thinking it through, I strolled out of the shadows, revealing myself.

“Hey, thanks for telling me about these two,” I remarked sarcastically. The ponies I did know whipped their heads towards me, their eyes wide. The other two turned towards me, and then froze with shock. Stopping in my tracks, I raise a brow as I glance around, “What?”

“Human!” the stallion shouted, grabbing me in his magic. Before I realized that I was caught, he tossed me right through a brick wall, sending me outside and into a street without vegetation. As far as I knew, no one had gone through a brick wall and survived. After experiencing it first hand, all I could say was that it was very, very painful.

“Shit...” I hissed on my back, clutching my stomach. It was in the most pain, and I may have broken a rib. I slowly pushed myself to my feet as I listened to the argument inside the theater.

“Stay back everyone!” the stallion ordered, “I’ll take care of him personally.”

“W-Wait!” Twilight said, as I looked through the hole in the wall I had made. It was too dark to see through, but I could still hear them. “You don’t under-”

“Get back, Twily,” the stallion said, making me shake my head. Had I heard right? Controlling my breathing, as it hurt quite a bit if it was too deep, I tried to say something, but it was difficult.

“H-Hey,” I said, but it was far too quiet for anyone to hear. A rose-colored beam of magic struck me in the chest, causing my pain to double in my chest as I tumbled back to the ground. I was willing to bet if I wasn’t wearing my bullet-proof vest, I would be dead.

“How do you like it, human!?” the stallion spat, stepping through the hole with a strong glare. “Doesn’t feel good to be bossed around, does it?”

“God damn it,” I breathed, as I rocked back in forth from the pain. He didn’t know I was with the ponies, and that was really bad for myself, seeing the situation I was in. He pressed a hoof against my chest, exactly where he struck me, and I gave a few suppressed cries of pain.

“Shining, stop!” Twilight shouted, trotting out of the hole.

“What are you saying, Twilight!?” the stallion yelled, looking back at her. “You want him to get away!?”

He had released some of the pressure that he had put on me, and I knew this was my chance. Bringing both of my hands back, I swung them against his legs making him fall to his side with a short yell. Quickly, I rolled over - with excruciating pain - on top of him and unholstered my revolver. While sitting on top of him, I shoved the barrel of my gun against his head, clenching my teeth shut.

“Please, stop! Both of you!” screamed the feminine voice I had heard earlier. With the revolver still at the stallion’s head, I glanced towards the hole to see the other Alicorn that was with him. Tears were brimming on her eyes as she looked at me pleadingly.

Looking back down, I could see the stallion breathing hard from the exertion as he looked at anywhere but the gun that was still against his head. I couldn’t really kill him, but hopefully I had showed that I wasn’t going to be pushed around. With a sigh, I put my revolver away as I got back on my feet, gasping from the pain once again. I stepped back and leaned against a wall as the stallion sat up, staring at me with confusion and hatred.

The other Alicorn ran over and embraced him, hugging him tightly. But the stallion was still staring at me. “Why?” he asked quietly, lowering his head.

“Shining,” the Alicorn said softly, “It doesn’t-”

“Why?!” he said, startling the Alicorn, “Why did you let me live? You could have killed me right there and then.”

The Alicorn looked nervously over to me as I gave a small smile, facing the ground. “What’s so funny?” he asked, finally standing back up.

“Oh, nothing,” I said weakly, the pain starting to get to me. “Just thinking that I don’t need to answer that question.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” I said, turning my eyes to him as I became serious, “Because your friends can answer it.”

“What?” he said, looking over Twilight for an explanation.

On the spot, Twilight played with her hooves, looking a bit guilty. “It’s one of the things we needed to discuss…”

She explained everything she knew about myself, while Doctor Styles came over and looked me over. I had to remove the clothing on my torso, but I wasn’t too worried about that. He told me I would need proper medical attention, but I could wait a few minutes to talk with the others. While he was examining me, I saw from the hole that Rainbow and Applejack had come through as well. The other ponies must have been looking on in wait. After Twilight told my story, the Alicorn tilted her head at me before turning back to Twilight.

“But…” she said with a baffled tone. “What happened after we were put in statis? Where are we?”

“We can answer any questions you have,” Twilight reassured, walking closer to the Alicorn and stallion.

“I have one,” I spoke up, putting all eyes on me, “Who are you two?”

“You first,” the stallion said, pointing a hoof at me as he eyed me suspiciously.

Sighing in annoyance, I complied, “Nolan Anderson.”

“Cadence,” the Alicorn introduced instantly, placing a hoof against her chest.

“I’m Shining Armor,” the stallion said reluctantly, “Captain of the Royal Guard.”

“Wait,” I said, raising a brow in bewilderment, “How could you be the captain of a ‘Royal Guard’, but not know what was going on?”

Shining glanced at Cadence with a frown as she grew sad, staring at the ground. I must have asked something that was touchy. Facing Twilight, Shining asked, “You’re sure he’s trustworthy?”

“Well…” Twilight thought for a moment, making me sigh in exasperation. I was never going to be trusted.

“I trust him,” Applejack spoke up, standing bravely as everyone turned to her quizzically. That was a big shocker for me as I gazed at her with wide eyes.

“You, AJ?” Rainbow asked, looking her up and down, “I thought you would be the last one to trust a human.”

“I may be a might stubborn,” she admitted, walking towards me, “And I might have more of a reason ta hate humans” - I was still never given the reason for that - “but I think he should have some trust.”

There was silence as the group contemplating her words, causing me to fume. “Are you all serious?” I whispered dangerously, forcing myself to my feet, despite the pain, as everyone looked at me. “I bring three of the Elements of Harmony and save a prison full of children, all the while being beaten, stabbed, and shot at. And you’re still on the fence if I’m with the other humans?!”

Everyone were facing the ground pitifully at that point, unable to look me in the eye. That was until I turned to Cadence, who was watching me curiously. “Why are you helping us anyway? I thought humans-”

“Hated ponies?” I finished harshly with a shake of my head, falling back to a seated position. “Like I wasn’t asked that before. I’m not even going to bother answering that.”

“Watch your mouth, human,” Shining snapped, taking a few steps forward threateningly. “That’s my wife you’re talking to.”

“Well, excuse me,” I replied curtly.

Shining gritted his teeth as he was about to come closer to me, but Cadence put a hoof against his chest as she turned to Twilight. “Did he already tell you why?” she asked nicely, not even responding to my rudeness.

“Yeah,” Rainbow answered instead with a roll of her eyes, “He says he’s from another world.”

Shining gave a bark of laughter, “You honestly think we would believe that?”

“Oh, that’s new,” I said, tired of being humiliated again over the same true explanation. Then I muttered, “Rather hang out with Luna in my dreams at this point.”

“What was that!?” Rainbow yelled, flying straight towards my face as she slammed a hoof by my head. I didn’t feel threatened, but it was strange how she would jump to aggressiveness.

“I said I wish I was hanging with Luna in my dreams,” I repeated as she backed away with a shake of her head. I blinked a few times before looking over to some of the others. Twilight, Cadence, and Shining were confused as well, but Applejack was in shock, staring at me in disbelief.

“Please,” she said quietly, looking at me desperately, “Please tell me that was a joke.”

I didn’t know what the big deal was; Luna was a princess like Celestia was, so wouldn’t she be treated the same way? On the other hand, Luna did try to manipulate me to reveal where I was, so maybe she had tried it before. Looking at Applejack’s face made me not want to answer, but I had to speak the truth.

“It’s not a joke,” I explained, feeling lost as Rainbow smashed a hoof to the ground and Applejack was even more shocked, “Luna visited me a few times in my dreams.”

“So you were lying to us!” Rainbow accused loudly, causing everyone but Applejack to jump.

“What the hell are you talking about?” I asked, “I thought Luna was another princess like Celestia.”

“She was,” Rainbow seethed, narrowing her eyes at me, “Until she betrayed us.”

Well, great. I was back to where I started, simply because Luna was in my head. Just fucking great. As I groaned at the circumstances that got me here, Shining Armor walked up to Rainbow who was still glaring daggers at me.

“What do you mean?” he asked, “When Cadence and I were put in stasis, she was still ruler of the night.”

Rainbow scoffed, “If you saw what I saw, you’d say the same thing.”

“Then what did she do?” I asked at last.

“Get yourself patched up,” she said, facing away from me, “It’ll be the last sign of kindness you’ll ever get.”

Then, she walked away with everyone else with her, albeit much more hesitantly. Doctor Styles, who stood at the sidelines the whole time, trotted up to me, his face paling slightly. “Luna… really visits you in your dreams?” he asked, hoping for a different answer.

“Sometimes,” I confirmed with a nod, “Why is she suddenly a sin to befriend?”

Sighing sadly, Doctor Styles used his magic as he forced myself to my feet, “Rainbow will tell you eventually.”

{~+~}

Since I was put under the entire operation, I was quickly taken care of, the pain being replaced with a bit of numbness. After waking up from my sleep, the nurse indicated where my clothes were, giving me a cold stare the whole time. I discovered that my weapons were missing, though I had a good idea who had them. Figuring I could bring it up at the little story Rainbow would share, I got my clothes on and left the building, where Dusty was waiting for me.

“Everypony’s waiting at the bookstore,” he growled with a deep frown, nodding his head down the road. I was being escorted yet again, I truly was back to where I started. As he lead me down the straight, all I could feel was Déjà vu, what with everyone staring at me like I had killed a princess… Poor choice of words.

Ignoring them the best I could, I found myself in front of the bookstore. I stopped for a moment to reflect on the last time I was here. Unable to get through because of my species, and yet, when I was basically in the same situation, I was allowed inside. It was strangely ironic in a way, or maybe not. I was never good in English class.

“Hurry it up,” Dusty grumbled, shoving past me, “Don’t want to keep them waiting.”

Before I took a step, I gave a glance around, noticing that many ponies were gathering around, probably to see me get incarcerated or something. Feeling disheartened, I took a few steps towards the bookstore.

“Nolan!” I heard someone cry out, and when I turned towards the pony, I saw Carrot Top emerge from the crowd with my mask on her back. I faced her fully as I felt my heart crumble slightly; the first pony to truly trust me, and I involuntarily broke it.

Stopping a few feet from me, she reached behind her and pulled my mask off her back with her mouth and put it on the ground. She then looked up at me desperately, “Please… tell me it isn’t true.”

Whatever Luna did must have been bad if it even shook up Carrot Top. However, until I learned what it was she did, I could only answer that question with three words. “Yeah… it’s true,” I said blankly, picking up my mask, and quickly walking towards the bookstore. I didn’t think I could bear to see her expression of despair.

Pushing open the door, I was instantly met with dusty and fallen shelves, full of unkempt books. In the back of the store, I could see a single light that hung from the ceiling, showing a long table surrounded by the ponies. Dusty, Rainbow, Applejack, Twilight, Shining, and Cadence; everyone was here, waiting for me. I briskly made my way over, and took a seat, tossing my mask on the table and leaning back in impatience.

“I’m here,” I announced plainly, “So get on with it. What in God’s name did Luna do to mark me as a liar?”

Rainbow glared at me, then looked around the table, “First, it’s in agreement that Shining Armor, Princess Cadence, and Twilight don’t know about Princess Luna’s betrayal.”

“We already figured that,” I snapped, slapping a hand to the table, “Just get on with it.”

“Fine,” she sighed, stopping for a moment to think of where to start. “When Canterlot was being invaded, Princess Celestia ordered me to take Shining Armor and Princess Cadence to a safe place, away from the humans.”

I still didn’t know why they were in stasis to begin with, but I was definitely not going to get an answer after my new reputation. Rainbow continued, “She also told Princess Luna to take the ponies of the city and guide them through a secret tunnel out of Canterlot. There is no way that the humans could have known about that tunnel, or that the ponies had gone towards a certain direction.”

“Okay,” I said slowly, thinking of where this was going. “So, what happened?”

Rainbow took a deep breath before answering, “After dropping off Shining and the Princess, I flew straight back to help anyway I could… and when I found them, they were instantly ambushed by humans. Somepony had sold us out, and that pony was Princess Luna.”

“That’s no proof,” I scoffed, getting to my feet as I leaned forward, my hands on the table for stability, “You’re accusing her of something that anyone in that group could have done.”

“She surrendered without a fight,” Rainbow snarled angrily, “She had the guards capable of fighting them off, and she was a powerful Princess herself, but she surrendered to them as soon as they came out. She ordered everypony else to do the same.”

Her voice was cracking a bit as she spoke, “S-So they were all captured. But while they’re all being beaten by humans, or-or put into forced labor, Princess Luna is sitting in Canterlot with the Baron, laughing at us!”

She was breathing hard from practically shouting the rest of the story, her eyes watering slightly as she stared right at me. Shining and Cadence were shocked, and Twilight dipped her head as if she was both thinking it over and in shock. As for myself, I was still unsure, falling back into my seat with uncertainty. When I met Luna, she was practically hysterical when I found her out. Then again, she did try to trick me, and she looked fine when she said she was being beaten herself. Whether her betrayal was real or not, I still had no proof to say otherwise, and was essentially stuck in my position.

Having nothing to say, I remained quiet, as did everyone else. It wasn’t until a minute passed when Shining looked at me, with barely a hint of rage. “And she visits you in your dreams?” he asked, causing me to close my eyes. Maybe I had put too much trust in Luna.

“Once in awhile,” I reply truthfully with a shake of my head.

“We need to act fast then,” Shining declared, looking between everyone. “Who knows what they’ve been talking about.”

“Already a step ahead of you,” Rainbow said with a stern expression, “I’ve sent Derpy and other scouts to see if they have an invasion heading this way. But we have to deal with this... human.”

She pointed a hoof at me as I simply crossed my arms, still looking downward. “I’m. Not. With. Them,” I stated, my hands forming into fists. “How many times do I have to say that before you get it in your thick heads?”

“No more tricks, human,” Rainbow seethed, sticking with my species name.

“Whoa there, RD, don’t jump ta conclusions,” Applejack said with a shaky voice, still shaken up from the turn of events, causing me to look at her in puzzlement. The most stubborn pony I knew was defending me? “Nolan, may be a human, but he’s more than proven himself, hasn’t he?”

“We can’t say that for certain, AJ!” Rainbow exclaimed, knocking her hoof on the table. “We’ve been fighting the humans for months. You should especially know what they’re capable of.”

Applejack opened her mouth but closed it just as fast, looking flustered as she tried to come up with a response. Soon, she said, “But… Nolan isn’t-”

“I don’t care what he isn’t!” she screamed, sounding completely hysterical. “He’s a human! And they never change!”

“Well maybe I did, you bitch!” I shouted before I could stop myself. Thinking back, I probably wouldn’t have stopped myself anyway. All that time, I was subconsciously holding myself back from calling them any offensive names, maybe as a way to show my difference. However, the word fit perfectly for Rainbow Dash; she was simply being a bitch.

The room was silent, the only sound coming from my ragged breathing and the ponies outside. As I glanced around the room, I saw that many of the ponies were unsure what I would do next, almost cringing when my gaze fell on them. Throwing my hands up in the air, I got up with a irritated growl, grabbing my mask as I headed for the door. I had enough of Rainbow’s shit for one day.

“Hey!” Dusty shouted, coming around to float in front of me, stopping me from leaving. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Going back to my ‘home’, I replied curtly, pushing past him, “The fucking shack, the run down piece of crap, whatever you want to call it.”

“We’re not done here,” Rainbow whispered just enough for me to hear as I opened the door, the faces of many ponies waiting on the other side. I’d pretty much had it with these ponies. I do one thing for them, and they just mark me for something else and forget what I went through. Like I asked for this, like I intended this to happen. If they stood in my shoes for a minute, they would see things from a whole new light. But until that day, I wasn’t going to listen to their gripes for another second.

“Well, I am done,” I hissed, closing my eyes tightly, “With all of you!”

I then slammed the door, and walked briskly for my shack, staring straight ahead to avoid the scornful glares. Enough was enough. Once I reached my shack, I strolled in and slammed the door behind me, shaking with absolute anger.

“God fucking dammit!” I screamed smashing my fist into the wall. I gasped in pain, and nursed my hand as it throbbed from the impact, sitting on the bed. Anger was being replaced with depression and sorrow, and I nearly wished I was enraged instead. My mind was a blank as I idly stared at the wall across from me. I just… didn’t know what to think of.

“Emma…” I said to the open air, wondering if she was watching over me, “What would you do?”

As expected, there was no answer, causing me to sigh, resting my head in my hands. I was so tired of everything, for being hated for existing. It was judgemental and discriminating, but I had no say or power to change their minds. First impressions were important, and mine was ruined because of those damned humans.

What was the point of trying to impress these ponies? At that point, I wished I could just leave and fend for myself while these ponies dealt with their own ‘Resistance’. At least then I wouldn’t have to put up with their constant rebuttals.

That was when I heard voices outside my door, causing me to perk my head up, listening to distract my mind. “What do you foals want?” Dusty’s voice said gruffly. He must have been sent to watch me, again.

“W-We want to see Nolan,” Applebloom’s voice said nervously, put off by the presence of Dusty.

“He’s off limits,” he grunted, “Go back to your games or whatever.”

“B-But-” Sweetie struggled to get out. They must have come to see me, but because of my brand new reputation, I was deemed dangerous, especially for the kids.

Dusty sighed, “Sorry, but… it’s complicated.”

That was an understatement. But I think I would have used a cop out like that as well. Why try to explain all of this to an innocent filly? Shaking my head, I waited for the Cutie Mark Crusaders to say a response, but there was nothing. It was only after a few seconds that I heard footsteps fading away. They decided not to push for the topic, which I was glad for. I didn’t feel like talking to curious children. It would end in confusion and anger, and I didn’t want to put my anger on them, especially since they didn’t do anything wrong.

Without really thinking, I pulled out my cigarette pack out and opened it. It wasn’t until I pulled out a cigarette half way that I realized what I was doing. I never had two cigarettes on the same day, usually sticking to every other day. If things were really bad for me, I might have a drag everyday, but did my situation warrant having two on the same day? The addictive side of my mind said it was a perfect reason, but my logical side said otherwise.

With more force than I thought would be necessary, I closed the pack and slipped it into my pouch. I had very few to begin with, and I wasn’t going to start having more than I needed. Technically, I didn’t need them, but I was simply being rational with myself.

Knocking from the door snapped me back to reality like I was struck by a truck. Blinking a few times, I tried to determine whether the knocking was real, and was immediately answered by more knocking, this time sounding more deliberate.

“I know you can hear me, hu-... Nolan,” Rainbow Dash’s voice rang out with both sorrow and annoyance. It was already strange enough to see Rainbow visit me so soon, but to actually call me by my name was completely foreign.

Pushing off of the bed, I walked to the door and cracked it open to see Rainbow on the other side. She had a look in her eye that looked to be apologetic and irritant. “Came here to call me names, did you?” I asked blandly, my eyes half closed in tiredness.

She opened her mouth to retaliate, but stopped herself as she quickly closed it and sighed. “Can I come in?” she asked bowing her head. I tilted my head to the side ever so slightly, wondering why she would act this way.

“Since you asked so nicely,” I grunted, pulling open the door completely as I made my way back to my bed. As I sat down, I noticed Rainbow close the door as she stood in front of me, her eyes hardened to the point where I couldn't read her face. Rainbow gulped, before looking down.

“I… came here to say I’m sorry,” she muttered, and I was so surprised that I nearly burst into laughter, thinking it was a joke. Luckily, I caught myself, only smiling briefly before seeing her gloomy expression. It wasn’t a joke, she seriously came her to apologize to me, the ‘evil’ human.

Shaking off my bewilderment, I studied her a moment before asking, “So who put you up to this?”

She took offense to that, jerking back as she scoffed, “Can’t a pony say she’s sorry on her own?”

I gave her a deadpanned look, one that made her laugh nervously. “I… well, AJ and Twilight did,” she confessed, dipping her head low. I rubbed my face as I told myself that she would never change, until she looked at me with determination.

“But!” she exclaimed to catch my attention, which worked, “I was thinking of the way I’ve been acting, and how I’ve been treating you.”

“And?” I asked, gesturing for her to continue.

“And…” she said slowly, choosing her words carefully, “I shouldn’t judge someone by their species. Especially after everything you’ve done.”

“Damn right,” I whispered, making her glance at me sadly before looking away.

“I’m just…” she hesitated, having an internal argument with herself. Then she blurted, “Scared! I’m scared, okay!”

It wasn’t obvious to me when she was ordering all the ponies around, but looking at her now, I noticed some of the symptoms: averting gaze, slight shivers, and shaky breathing. Something told me she had been holding back this entire time. She tried to fix herself up, shaking herself a bit, but all it did was make her look worse.

“Can’t believe I’m doing this in front of a human,” she commented quietly, but I wasn’t really upset about it. At that moment, she was in fear, so I understood her a bit more. She swallowed and continued, “I’ve never lead anypony before, I don’t even know what to do! All I could do was give everypony hope.”

I was mildly shocked by that; she seemed to have everything under control from my point of view. “But you came up with the plan to save the foals from the prison,” I reminded, hoping it would contradict her statement. However, she shook her head in disagreement.

“Dusty came up with the plan,” she announced, giving a shaky sigh, “I just went along with it. I don’t know why anypony made me leader. I might be the Element of Loyalty, but I have no clue what to do!”

She was breaking down fast, her hooves pawing at the ground nervously as her breathing quickened. “I… I don’t know how we’re going to save Equestria,” she said her eyes glazing over, “We don’t have the right weapons, we don’t have the numbers, we don’t have anything!”

That was how Equestria fell to begin with. It was an unfortunate truth: incapable means against an unstoppable force. And with humans being the enemies, it’s no wonder they were able to take over so quickly. If there were other allies of Equestria maybe they could-

My eyes shot open as an idea struck me.

“Does Equestria have any allies?” I asked excitedly, making her look at me strangely.

“I don’t know. Why?” She asked, her eyes filled with lost hope.

“Is there anyone else?” I persisted, leaning forward, “Any neighboring countries?”

She thought about it for a moment, scratching the top of her head with a hoof. “Well, There are the Zebras in the South East, and-”

She cut herself short, her eyes widening as I grew confused. “What? What’s the other race?” I hastened, feeling like we were getting somewhere.

Sighing, Rainbow mumbled, “The Changelings.”

I may know a few common mythological creatures, but whoever the ‘Changelings’ were, it wasn’t anything I was familiar with. Still, it was something to work off of, an army to assist the ponies here. A chance to retake their homeland.

“Do you see what I’m getting at?” I asked to make sure she knew my idea.

“I think so,” she said, recollecting herself as she brightened slightly. “You want us to ask for help?”

“Exactly,” I answered, crossing my arms. “If you don’t have an army, build one.”

She was running the idea through her head, her face blank of any emotion. Then she blinked, and frowned, “How are we going to ask for their help? They didn’t involve themselves in the war for a reason.”

That was where I was stumped. I didn’t see how I could be much of help; If I couldn’t convince a group of ponies that I was on their side, I definitely doubted I could change the minds of a whole country. My silence must have been all the answer she needed, as Rainbow ran a hoof through her mane, uncomfortable with what we would have to do.

“We’ll figure it out,” I eventually said, but she didn’t seem like she believed me, letting out a long, drawn out sigh. I felt like a change of subject wouldn’t be so bad at the moment, so I asked, “Have you found your other friends?”

She looked up at me with a frank expression, “Yeah, kind of. I found out where Fluttershy is at. But not exactly.”

She was incredibly sad at the mention of the other two friends, especially Fluttershy. “What’s wrong?” I asked, “Isn’t it a good thing that you know where one is?”

“We could only narrow it down to a city in the East,” she explained, “And… Fluttershy and Rarity were part of Luna’s group out of Canterlot.”

That piece of information made me pause for a second. For one thing, it reminded both of us that I still had chats with Luna. Another thing is that the group was captured, so that meant going through a lot of people.

“Before you say anything,” I started, with a brave expression, “You should know that Luna had been messing with my mind when I got to this place. I’m not with her at all.”

Rainbow was still conflicted, but nodded. I nodded back, and continued, turning my gaze to the floor, “When I found her out, she said that the Baron had been forcing her to visit my dreams. I told her to try to fight him off, but I don’t know how that went. she hasn’t contacted me since, but I have a feeling that this break won’t last long.”

“So…” Rainbow drawled, tapping a hoof to her chin, “She’s not the one behind the surrender?”

I shrugged, “Can’t say. You know more about it than I do. She could just be lying to me for all I know.”

Rainbow gave a final nod as she said, “I should be heading back, everypony is waiting for me.”

I didn’t say anything lost in thought about the Elements, Luna, and what the best course of action would be. I guessed the best way to figure that out would be to join Rainbow and the rest of her friends. It was only when the door closed that I realized that she was gone, making me spring to my feet.

I briskly burst out of the door, and both Dusty and Rainbow, who were a few yards away, jumped in shock. “Jeez, Nolan,” Rainbow muttered, putting a hoof to her chest, “A little warning next time.”

“Oh, please,” I waved off, “Anyway, do you care if I listen to what you have to say? If I want to get home, I have to get the Elements of Harmony together, and I prefer not to sit on my ass all day.”

“I don’t think that’s-” Dusty started.

“Yeah, alright,” Rainbow interrupted, and Dusty looked at her like she had fallen dead.

“But I thought you…?” he said slowly, looking utterly confused at Rainbow’s change of direction.

“A girl can change her mind, can’t she?” she asked with a chuckle, and I gave a small, amused grunt. It felt good to be treated like a living, thinking person; it was a long time coming. Dusty gave her a strange look before glancing at me and releasing a sigh.

“Don’t blame me if he turns on us,” he muttered and walked away, but not before Rainbow’s eyes went wide, looking at me like it was something I was planning the whole time. And of course, I crossed my arms with a raised brow, in a way of saying that it was preposterous.

“Do you seriously believe that I’m still with the other humans?” I asked in disbelief.

She looked away, deep in thought as she said, “I just want to keep everypony safe. It’s the least I can do.”

That was probably how she rationalized me being treated the way I was. She couldn’t have been acting the way she did without a true reason. Plus considering that she hardly knew what she was doing, bashing on me must have been a way to release her tension. I sighed, “You do realize if I was spying for the humans, then wouldn’t telling you about Luna blow my cover?”

She blinked with widened eyes before giving a sheepish smile, drawing a circle in the ground with a hoof. “I guess that’s true,” she admitted, and I glowered at her as she took a few steps back, “Okay, okay, It’s reasonable!”

I chuckled lightly, “That’s good to hear. So why the change of heart? You seemed to hate my guts a few minutes ago.”

“I did,” Rainbow stated with a deep sigh, “But… the Cutie Mark Crusaders told me a little about what happened at the prison.”

The three kids helped me out? I guessed it wasn’t too much of a surprise, since they got to know a friendly human the whole time they were in captivity. “They told you about Alex then?” I asked.

“Yeah…” Rainbow said slowly, turning her gaze to the ground, “I didn’t think a human could be so… nice.”

I grunted, “We’re full of surprises.”

“No kidding,” Rainbow said, lifting her head back up, “Come on, I don’t want to leave Princess Cadence and Shining hanging.”

I still wanted to know about them, and since I seemed to have a bit more freedom than I used to, it probably wouldn’t be too much of a problem. “By the way,” I said, grabbing her attention, “Could you tell me about those two ponies that were in 'stasis'? I’m still in the dark about that.”

She hesitated for a moment before nodding, “I guess you deserve to know.”

We continued walking as she explained, “Way back during the battle at the Crystal Empire, the humans were overwhelming the ponies there, and they had to use this love-magic blast, like they did at their wedding.”

What she said fit in with what Alex told me back at the prison, that a pink blast drove back the invading human forces. Why the two had to do such a blast at their wedding, however, I didn’t know, but it hardly concerned me at the time, so I remained silent. “But when they used it, something happened,” she said rather quietly, “The were completely drained by… something, the crystal ponies didn’t know what to make of it. They were in this coma-like sleep, and we couldn’t do anything until they woke up. Twilight took it the hardest, losing her brother and sister-in-law.”

Oh, they were siblings then? That would have been nice to know! I didn’t voice my thoughts though, since I didn’t want to slip back to how things used to be. “Princess Celestia said that the best way to watch them as they slept was through a magic stasis of some sort, one that could hold them until they were awake. So Twilight did the spell, and the war went on. But when the forces reached Canterlot, Princess Celestia told me to take them somewhere safe, somewhere away from the humans.”

“So you took them to Las Pegasus,” I finished. I was surprised how well this fit in my brain, like all the pieces had finally come together. Taking them to the other side of the country from the humans was a smart move. It would also explain why Rainbow chose this city specifically to defend.

“Yep,” Rainbow rubbing her head, “And afterwards, I came back to see if I could help in any way at Canterlot, but… well, you know the rest.”

I nodded, “And they haven’t woken up until today, huh?”

“Yeah!” Rainbow said excitedly, her wings beating quickly to allow her to hover. “Now, they can lead the resistance, and I don’t have to worry about making difficult decisions!”

I glanced at her concernedly; that didn't seem very healthy, avoiding something like that must be. I expressed my concern, but she waved a hoof idly at me. “I was never meant to lead a bunch of ponies in this type of way,” she explained, as we walked through the streets, drawing more than a few bewildered stares. “She’s a princess, and a princess always knows what to do. Plus, Shining Armor is military smart, so he knows how to deal with this stuff.”

She wasn't wrong, but that didn't mean she should disconnect herself completely from the leadership role. The ponies in the city had been following her for months, and suddenly giving the reins to another pony seemed more like a cop out than a justifiable way of giving control to someone more worthy. I shrugged it off, thinking it wasn’t too big of a deal, and we continued on.

It didn’t take long for us to find ourselves in front of the bookstore, but before Rainbow took a step to enter, I stopped her by putting a hand on her shoulder, crouching down to her level. She looked up to my furrowed brow with a confused expression.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Will you let me help?” I asked back.

“Well, of course-”

“I mean without ditching me to figure something out on my own.”

She laughed nervously, “Yeah, uh… sorry about that.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I commented, turning her to face me fully as I put my hands on each of her shoulders. “Will you let me help you with no strings attached, and without bullshitting me through a debriefing?”

She did seem apologetic about sending me to the prison on my own, but the past was in the past, and I needed a straight answer. Rainbow looked determined as she looked up at me, and gave a single, firm nod. “You can count on me,” she said sticking out a hoof.

I let go of her shoulders as I glanced at her hoof, unsure how I should handle it. In the end, I balled my hand into a fist, and pounded it against her own, making Rainbow smile widen. We were in this together, and that meant no solo missions for me or anyone else. It also meant no more scorn from her, and hopefully the other ponies.

It was time to truly get down to business.