Carmino

Pea and Oza had taken a tributary rout on the road (which turned out to be a smaller part of a highway) and they ended up on a hill top. The view wasn't massive,but it was much nicer than being on the flatland below. Oza was fascinated by the map, partly because his dragon eyes could see more of the details the an Pea's could. They found out the town Neighxvile was only a few hours away, Oza confirmed this when he saw crop fields in the city's direction.

The two travelers decided to camp out on the hilltop and head over to the city in the morning. Oza set up a campfire to keep his friend warm and Pea took some rations from their stash. Though Oza was a jem-eating dragon (most are) he didn't mind eating the food Pea shared. They sat and relaxed in the warm mid-summer breeze, the few trees out there waved and danced in the gentle wind.

Pea loved being out in the wide world, now a rest in a soft bed was welcome, but she couldn't imagine living like that. She wiggled into the tall grass make-shift bed next to the campfire that made soft welcoming crackles. She drifted into a well awaited sleep as Oza watched the horizon. He didn't know what to expect from the next town, was it going to be like Beamville or was there something hidden there?  A shiver went up the young dragon's spine. The Image of Jenja's piercing eyes still flashed in Oza's mind. By now she most likely thinks that Oza was dead so he didn't worry to much. He too fell asleep...

It was mid-afternoon when they both finally awoke. To their surprise there was a massive crowd of ponies heading to Neighxvile! The friends sped down to the hill to see what was going on. As they arrived to the heard some armed guards stepped between.

"You two will have to wait out here, we don't want an civilian mix-ups," one of them said.

Pea intervened," That's fine sir, but what happened? Why are all these ponies out here?"

The guard snorted,"That's confidential information civilian, move along!"

The guards led some stray ponies back into the block. Pea was plain frustrated, and Oza could tell. Her youthful, bright face wrinkled into an adorable frown. Oza couldn't help but giggle. Pea punched him lightly snapping Oza back into semi-seriousness. The two had no trouble out-walking the sluggish heard. When they entered the town Pea noticed large tents with ponies in lab coats running in and out of them. The town (or at least this part) looked rural with its long streets  lined with homely little houses. The park that once served as a fairground now was a relief shelter for the mysterious heard.

Other ponies were bringing supply crates to the camp. Civilians looked out of their doors and windows in concern and fear. Several earth ponies in uniform made road blocks and kept the curious civilians away from the shelter. Pea and Oza looked from the newly erected fence line, wondering just what all the commotion was about. They didn't have to wait long...

The heard of ponies entered the camp's gates and the ponies in lab coats rushed over. Some were helped along, other were carried away in stretchers. Pea saw that many of the patients had burn marks and others had massive fractures.The sheer scale of the operation was unsettling...as if a whole city was relocated. Oza pointed out an important looking mare in a suit talking with some guards, they were talking so quietly even Oza had trouble hearing them.. The two friends sneaked over to where the secret conversation was being held. The main guard had large squared of shoulders and a corse face. The mare had her mane up in a lofty bun that bobbed when she moved her head.

"...thank goodness you arrived with the Beamville populace-" the mare in a suit said, she was stopped short by the head guard.

"We only brought the survivors mam'...we couldn't locate anypony else..." his strong features held back tears.

The mare was speechless. She looked at all of burned and traumatized ponies. There were so many here...she could understand how the guard felt, but didn't see a loss into the hundreds of survivors.

"... but there are so many here, surely there wasn't a horrible loss?"  One of the uniformed ponies snapped up and glared at the mare.

" Beamville is a town with over a hundred and thirty thousand  strong...'a great loss'?! You dumb bitch, only five hundred made it out!"

The head guard stamped his hoof at the speaker,"Watch her damn mouth boy, you talking to the mayor of this here town!"

The mayor took apologized for what she said and decided to take her leave. Oza  and Pea watched days she left the enclosure. Once she had made area yards away a few press ponies swooped in, hungry for the latest news. The mayor however didn't much feel like talking.

" So mayor, what's this whole hullabaloo? Why are all these ponies here?" One of the reporters asked. The rest awaited with  anticipation. Mayor broke into a sweat. She didn't want to lie as cause suspicion, but she also didn't want to create a panic.

"... umm...these ponies...er...are victims of a...tornado that went through Beamville. They all are extremely tired and injured. Please don't interview them. J-just leave wait until they all recover."

The reporters stood unsatisfied and grumpy. Oza walked over and snorted loudly, startling the nosey ponies.

" You heard mayor...get!"  Grunted the dragon. The reporters scattered in lots of directions from the dragon. The mayor's hair frayed as she sped of to the shelter, "Everypony! There's a dragon here!"she cried.

The guards sprang into action, pulling out swords while the head guard folded out a firearm of some kind. Pea was trying to keep up with all that was going on.

"Whats wrong?" Pea cried, "Why are you all acting like this?" But her cries were in vain. The guards threw a heavy chain net over Oza. The dragon was to confused to care or struggle. The guards yelled for every pony to spread out of the dragon's 'reach'. The ponies in their houses panicked, the ponies in the tents panicked, and the mayor panicked.

" Hey lady!" One of this the guards shouted," come this way! Its not safe over there!"

Pea however, flicked her mane as she trotted next to Oza and sat firmly next to her friend. The guards and other ponies screamed for her to get away, while that was going on Oza turned his had to Pea. She had a stern look on her face.

"What are crazy ponies doing? This net not comfy." Oza said. Pea started to take then net off of him.

"Stop!" Shouted on of the guards,"He's gonna eat you!"

"You stop," snapped Pea," he's not that kind of dragon!" Once when was done pulling of the net she stood up. Tension built up in the already nervous crowd. The head guard stepped away from the encampment. Pea saw a name tag on his armored vest. It read: Srg. Black Berry. His dark purple coat shone like the night under his kaki uniform. He gritted his teeth as he steeped forward.

"Mam' you 'an your friend aren't welcome here," he cocked his gun, "we've all had more than enough of the scaled bastards. Just git outa here before someone gets hurt..."

Pea stamped her hoof on the pavement,"Can you at least tell me just what the hell is going on?"

The Sargent and everypony else became unsettled. The Sarg finally spoke up.

"Beamville was attacked by 6 dragons last night...they were all Roxites..."

With this words everyone, including Oza and Pea became terrified. Oza  remembered them, Pea despised them. They were a pack of flightless dragons, the most powerful in the area being Sidzo. Both friends knew once Roxites set their greedy, wrathful eyes on something, its gonna have a damn tough time trying not to be pulverized. They could also tell that the victims of the raid were terrified of Oza and his wing stubs, him being there only made it worse. With an apology here and there, they went to the outskirts of the area.

The two friends sat on the hill top they slept on the night before, lost in their own painful memories of the Roxites. This place was so far from the desert... how, no...why are they out here? Pea became scared,  simply waiting for something to come out of the grass and attack. Her ominous feelings were right...

A few yards behind Oza  sat someone or somepony in the tall grass. Suddenly a red made with a hefty mallet and baby blue hair sprang from her hiding place. She had a blue bandana over her mane, Pea didn't even see her before she struck Oza's head. There was a loud THOCK and the dragon slumped down.

"Ouch,who hit Oza?" He groaned. The red made rose up on her hind legs and swung her mallet on Oza head again.

"Die! Die you dragon bastard!" She squealed as she raised her mallet for another swing. Pea finally took action and tackled the mysterious attacker.

The mare was swept off her hooves from the impact and they landed in a tangled up heap. The red pony tried her best to throw off Pea, she did pretty good for a bit. Pea decided to end the struggle.

" Harden," Pea said with effort. Surely enough, the vest she wore grew heavy. The red pony gasped for breath and squirmed under the sudden weight.

"What are you doing?!" She squealed,"Get the hell off before he kills us both!"

Pea frowned,"You too huh?"

Oza  rubbed his head were an ugly knob was forming," Hey pony, Oza not hurt you, why hit Oza?"

Pea rolled her eyes,"oh stop being such a baby!"

The red pony stopped struggling, she looked up at Pea in disbelief. She simply couldn't believe that a pony was mouthing off a dragon. Her face that one looked desperate now loosened up into guilty embarrassment. Pea found a her mood swing odd...

"Just who are you?"Pea asked, her eyes narrowed.

Oza  lumber over to where the mares were piled up. He lifted Pea up (her vest was still in it's armor state) in one hand and the stranger in the other. His eyes shows no contempt to the red pony. He made his big toothy smile.

"You hit pretty hard for a pony!" The dragon chirped.

Now the stranger felt guilty of  what she did. She looked at Pea than to Oza meekly, "I-I'm sorry...I d-didn't know what I was thinking..."

"Oza forgives pony."

"I-I suppose I s-should introduce myself...the names Dew Berry..."

TO BE CONTINUED...