Sempiternal

We walk through the tunnel with the sunlight at the end the only source of light. Once again we were back outside and felt the warm radiant light of the Sun and my nerves settled as I took deep breaths through my nose and out my mouth. I really did have only one fear and that was claustrophobia and being in that complex really made me very nervous but I would never show my fear in front of anyone and usually just sucked it up and moved along.

I take a seat on a nearby rock and check out the commodities I had stuffed greedily into the bag. Along with the clothes and sunglasses I took a Mili spec labtop computer along with a solar charger and several hard drives stacked alphabetically in a box. I didn't know what was on them but it would keep me busy in the meantime and preoccupied until this whole mess was figured out.

While I was looking through the items acquired Fluttershy walks up to me quietly and asked. "Are you ready to go Koba?" I look up at her from my rucksack and smiled back in response
I said. "Yes lets get going I got everything I need"

I sling the bag over my back and let the charger hang out of the opening to collect the suns blistering energy. We start walking back with Fluttershy beside me the whole time during the journey. After only getting halfway my legs were starting to ache from all the hiking we did today and with every step they got weaker and the pack along with my body armor wasn't making it any easier on me as I started to sweat profusely even in the frigid breeze as we pressed on.

The forest was eerily quiet and dead looking all the trees were in sick twisted formations with the ice coated on the giving them a luster as the sun hit them. Even with all the monsters and savage rabid beasts in hibernation the six mares were on full alert with their heads on a swivel scanning in a wide swath the surrounding path. I've only seen a few of these animals they feared so much up close and really didnt think they were all that dangerous but I've underestimated such things previously that I thought was nothing and I have been fooled before. As we kept on walking silently through the frigid woods when Fluttershy steps on a stick and it snaps quietly almost inaudible beneath her hoof causing her to shriek out insanely loud almost perforating my ear drums. I cover my ears as she jumped on me almost knocking me over as she grabbed my side and around my stomach with her diamond crushing grip.

They all stopped dead and turned back at me and her expecting to see some horrible flesh eating monster right on top of us only to see me stopped and with a confused and perplexed look on my face while Fluttershy was still gripping me firmly. She trembled and shook violently like her life was in mortal danger hiding her face under my armpit. Dash starts laughing hysterically and in between giggles she said. "What a scaredypony! Maybe you should have just stayed home Fluttershy" I knew Fluttershy was a timid little thing from firsthand experience and I was going to help work on that. I started to gently tap on her left wing and tell her its alright as Dash kept laughing like a madmare until Applejack shoulder checked her harshly silencing her laughter completely and almost tackling her to the ground and said to Dash. "Why do you have to be so mean sometimes Dash? Y'all know she can't help it."

There was silence for a moment before Twilight took back control of the group and boomed. "Lets get going we don't want to be out here past dark." I let the five mares get a head start on me and it gave us some privacy as I asked Fluttershy who still clung to my side like glue. "Are you okay? Can you walk?" She didn't say anything and I couldn't see her face but could hear her sobbing and wrapped my arm around her back to brace her and said. "It's okay I'll carry you back if you can't do it, just hold on."

I start walking again taking huge strides while following the tracks of the others before I finally caught up behind them like nothing happened and continued the hike. It's a good thing her body was very light and easy to carry even with one arm and her still holding on to me it was almost like carrying a giant stuffed animal. The others exchanged only small talk and chatter to pass the time and before we knew it we were out into the outskirts and back on the dirt path that was worn down with horseshoe tracks.

Fluttershy's house was only a few hundred yards away from the trail and I was relieved and almost ecstatic to see it because it meant I could shed all this extra weight off my body. We all stop at the front yard and I immediately drop the bag that was becoming a major burden on me and could feel my back release as the tension in it wore off. Fluttershy was still sobbing and sniffling and had soaked my side with her tears. I tell her we made it out of the forest and she lifts her head from the safety of my armpit and looks around the area with her bloodshot eyes.

She then asked me quietly almost whispering to set her down. I happily comply and set her up on the ground on her weak and shaking knees. I was almost expecting to watch her fall over and kneeled down next to her ready to stop her from falling over until she steadied her legs a few seconds later. Applejack walks over to us and asks Fluttershy. "You okay sugarcube?" Fluttershy nods and replies with a reassuring smile. "I'm fine thank you for asking."

She then changes the subject and requested to both of us. "We are having a cider party tomorrow night at our barn. It's a going to be a blast and half the town is going to be there y'all two should to it would be a good chance for Koba to meet the other ponies."

Fluttershy just shuffled her feet and kicked at the ground before she replied. "We would love to be there Applejack." She smiles ear to ear and excitedly shouted back. "Yee haww I knew you would say yes!!! Now it's a party!!"

I look down at Fluttershy who still was shaking furiously before asking her. "Rarity invited me over to her house for dinner would you like to come along?" She shifts her eyes back and forth and responded. "I'm sorry I can't my animals need fed and I have loads of chores to do. But you should go and have fun. If anybody can teach you on how to be a gentlecolt it would be Rarity."

I put my hand my hand across her back and stroked her soft thin coat. It was so smooth like she oiled it or something but it was super warm and fluffy. I almost forgot what I was going to say but spit it out anyway. "You'll be fine Fluttershy your friend Rainbow Dash probably didn't mean to hurt your feelings like that. When I get back from dinner I'll help you out with your chores and we can talk some more. Does that sound good?"

Her gloomy and lifeless expression changed dramatically and she cracked an adorable smile showing me those sparkling White teeth of hers. It made my day and maybe the month to see her smile like that. I never have been one to comfort others but It actually left me feeling warm on the inside and it felt good.

I tell her goodbye and would be back soon before I set my bag by the door so the computer could catch more sun to charge while I was gone. I started following the five mares that were making their way back to their homes in town. I talked to Applejack for a few minutes about the day's events while the other's chatted amongst themselves before she made it back to her farm about a half mile from Fluttershy's cottage. She seemed to be a very nice mare but as I would find out later she was the one who had the most guilt pent up in her mind and a very dark secret.

I catch up behind Rarity who was at the side of the pack. I wasn't good at being social and was working on it little by little by engaging in small talk with her. We talked about the weather and the complex for a minute before she changed the subject thankfully and said. "My sister has been dying to meet you and hasn't stopped talking about you since yesterday. So thats why she set up this dinner so you'll get to meet her and her friends at my house."

I could see the town was just in sight with the sure sign of smoke rising over a beautiful Orange and Purple sunset. It left me lost in thought as I walked on quietly down the snow covered road. At least here you didn't have to worry about bombings or checkpoints or other people trying to kill you because it just a thought running through their mind . It really was peaceful and calm. There appeared to be no wars between the different races of ponies and they all seemed to get along in perfect harmony maybe thats why there were no humans here.

When we made it to the front gates it put me out of the cloud of thoughts and onto the town and its inhabitants. It seemed like an ordinary day from what it looked like until the townsfolk spotted me. They all gathered around me in a circle chanting my name and stamping their hooves in unison. They ground shook violently as they chanted my name over and over again. I didn't really like all this attention but it didn't stop my cheeks from turning blood Red from embarrassment. We rudely push our way through the crowd that followed us all the way to Rarity 's carousel looking house. I squinted my eyes at the strange and somehow enchanting structure. All five of us entered the strange looking building to avoid the fanatic mob that had gathered on our tails. Even when Rarity shut the door you could still hear them chanting and cheering outside and pounding on the door.

The inside of her house was amazing as I inspect and look every detail top to bottom. It was had a cozy feel to it with its beautifully decorated walls and finely crafted wooden furniture. Rarity leads all of us as I continue to look around in astonishment through the house and to the dining room. There were plates and chairs set up already for us at the table and Rarity politely asks us to take our seats.

We all took our seats quietly and I take a place in the middle to give me a little space between me and the others Rarity excuses herself into the kitchen and the other four began to exchange small talk before something hit the White windowless door to the kitchen with a loud boom and almost made it fall off the hinges. In an instant I was surrounded by three small ponies that were making my head spin as they shrieked and squealed loudly at my sides.

I recognize Sweetie Belle immediately through the White fur and light Purple and Pink mane. She introduces me to her friends. The other two were Applebloom the Earth pony as well as Scootaloo the small pegasus. And apparently they were part of a secret society known as the Cutie Mark Crusaders from what they told me.

They then excuse themselves to set the food out on the table and disappeared back inside the kitchen. It was only a second after they went in that they were wheeling out a cart full of food that they cooked themselves. Twilight works some of her magic to help them and levitated the plates in front of each and everyone of us. I look down at the steaming pile of food before me. I grimaced at the smell of what looked like angel hair pasta along with a Tomato and Basil sauce with something else that I hoped was melted cheese on top. Sweetie Belle takes the empty seat right next to me and asks me in her high squeaky voice. "Is everything ok? Do you like it?"

I look at her and kept myself from gagging at the smell of the god awful abomination of culinary disaster in front of me and smiled. "It looks great Sweetie Belle. thank you so much for dinner." She gives me a huge grin before she dives her face into plate of slimy White and Red pasta.

I reach into my pocket for my multitool and slide the fork out. I observe the table and look around at the others who seemed to be enjoying it all to well before before taking the first bite. I dive the fork in the plate making a sick scratching noise like nails on a Blackboard and basically shoveled it in my mouth.

My first and immediate reaction was to vomit all over the Gray tablecloth. I have eaten some nasty and long expired rancid food before but this pushed the threshold of what I could take. They definitely wasn't going to be getting a cutie mark for cooking thats for damn sure.

It was all quite at the table not even a word was said until Twilight clears her throat and asked "So Koba what do you think about your stay so far?" I was honestly relieved that she addressed me so I could take my attention off dinner for the moment and replied back to her in a very cheesy manner. " I can't thank you all enough for taking me in and giving me a chance to live amongst your kind." She smiles and asked. "We hardly know anything about you is there anything that your really good at?"