Author's Note

The chapter has been updated. All information regarding the mysterious book that Sortilege finds has been changed from what it was. If this is your first time reading this chapter then don't worry about it.

I'm catching more and more grammatical errors in this chapter. Did not have an editor this time around so if you see any glaring grammar errors let me know in the comments.

Chapter Seven: Hell ain't a bad place to be

"Well, I mean, let's face it. You're not exactly normal, are you?"

Sortilege stood in the center of a crowded room. Every important pony in the stable seemed to be there. The Overmare. The head of security. The chief technician. The stable's doctor. There were other ponies there too but Sortilege didn't know them. The ponies in the room all wore the same somber look on their faces. They spoke in whispers, speaking quietly, so the little filly in the room couldn't hear them. They asked each other all sorts of questions. What had happened? How was something like this possible? What were they going to do? They all asked and nopony answered.

Sortilege was preoccupied with her own question. A question that had been on her mind since she had woke up that morning. A question she had yet to receive an answer too. It seemed so trivial compared to everything going on around her, but for some reason Sortilege couldn't stop thinking about it. She needed an answer. She looked up and noticed the stable's doctor approaching her. Sortilege brightened up a little. The Stable Doctor was the nicest pony Sortilege knew. Maybe he'd help answer her question.

The doctor of Stable twenty eight made his way over to the little blue filly in the center of the room. He looked down on her with woeful eyes and she looked up at him, perplexed. Then she asked the doctor the question stuck on her mind.

"Who's gonna make my breakfast?"

To the young filly the question made perfect sense. She woke up every morning, brushed her teeth, combed her hair, then ate breakfast. Sortilege was still very young. Not even old enough to have a cutie mark. She couldn't make breakfast all on her own. She needed somepony to do it for her. So, in light of recent events...who was going to make her breakfast this morning? The filly looked up at the doctor, confused and hungry. Rather than answer her question the doctor continued staring at her with the same sad look. His eyes began to water and he proceeded pulled the filly into a tight hug.

In the past, hugs had served to solve various problems for the young Sortilege. Once, she had been teased by a colt in class so bad she'd gone home in tears. Her mother had hugged her and she'd felt better. Another time she'd been running in the halls and fell and scraped her knee. Her father had found her, gave her a band-aid and a hug and like magic everything felt better. Hugs solved all sorts of problems...but not all problems. Sortilege's current problem was that she was confused and hungry. The hug she was currently on the receiving end of did nothing to subdue her mind or stomach. Instead this hug just further confused her and made her a little uncomfortable.

As the stallion hugged the young filly, the Overmare made her way over to the pair. Sortilege sat motionless in the forehooves of the Stable's doctor. As the Overmare approached, Sortilege's hope began to rise. The Overmare was the most important pony in the stable! She knew everything! Surely she could answer Sortilege's question.

Sortilege, still in the embrace of the Doctor, looked up to the Overmare. "Who's gonna make my breakfast?"

Rather than provide the filly with a proper response the older mare looked at the filly with the same sad eyes as the doctor. She then turned her attention to the doctor and Sortilege's question remained unanswered.

"How did this happen Doctor?" The Overmare asked.

"The heater in their room broke." The doctor answered. He had yet to relinquish Sortilege from his embrace. "It released carbon monoxide into their room while they were sleeping. A freak accident."

"Who's gonna make my breakfast?" Sortilege asked once again. Rather than give her the answer she so desired, the doctor proceeded to hug her even tighter.

"How is she holding up?" The Overmare asked.

"Not good." The Doctor replied. "I think she's in shock. She just keeps asking about her breakfast."

"I'm just really hungry." Sortilege spoke up. The doctor's comment further frustrated the child. She wasn't in shock. She was hungry! She hadn't eaten all morning and the person who normally fixed her meals was...currently unavailable.

"Who's gonna make my breakfast?" She repeated yet again.

"Sortilege..." The doctor sat Sortilege in front of him and looked her dead in the eyes. "It's gonna be okay sweetie."

Sortilege stared back at him. She had no idea what to say. No one was listening to her! She was hungry. She wanted breakfast. She was too little to get it herself. She needed someone to make it. Why was it that nopony seemed to understand that.

"Doctor, can I talk to you alone please?" The Overmare asked. The doctor nodded and the two made their way over to the far side of the room. Sortilege watched them as they spoke. She couldn't hear what they were saying but noticed that every once in a while they would look over to her with that sad look in their eyes.

Sortilege stood in the center of a crowded room. The ponies in the room all wore the same somber look on their faces. They spoke in whispers, speaking quietly, so the little filly in the room couldn't hear them. They asked each other all sorts of questions. What had happened? How was something like this possible? What were they going to do? They all asked and nopony answered.

Nopony answered Sortilege's question either. She only wanted to know one thing and one thing only. The filly understood what had happened. She knew her parents were gone. She knew they wouldn't be able to care for her anymore. She understood. What she didn't understand is why everypony in the room ignored her. Why everypony looked at her with such sad eyes. Why nopony answered her question. The only thing Sortilege really cared about at all.

"Who's gonna make my breakfast?"

O.o

"Who's gonna make my breakfast!?"

The group had been walking all through the night. They took no time to rest, just in case there were surviving Oodies or other rival bounty hunters in pursuit. The first rays of sunlight were just beginning to peer through the cloud layer. The five ponies made their way across the barren wastes, tired, hungry and four of them recovering from a night of copious amounts of drug use. The only member of the group who had abstained from the debauchery, was busy making her own discomforts known to the rest.

"Who's gonna make my fucking breakfast?!" Sugar repeated for the third time since the sun came out. "I'm fucking starving!" The sand colored fillies typically foul temperament was at an all time due to her lack of sleep and the loss of her flamer.

"We can't stop and eat now." Scarlet replied. "Oodies might still be on our tail and we have nothing to fight them off with. We need a place to resupply first."

"Fucking Oodies." Sugar responded. The venomous tone she used in the majority of her speech rang particularly clear on this morning. "I hope all those retards got vaporized."

"Doubt it." Scar replied. The crimson Pegasus wore a tired frown on her face. The bags under her eyes remained hidden behind her sunglasses. "Oodie's breed like rabbits. Doubt we got more than half of 'em."

The group continued on. Sortilege sucked on her last cigarette. Savoring every puff. As the group had walked through the night, she'd done quite a bit of thinking, much to her chagrin. She'd been trying to avoid thinking of anything but found herself unable to shut off her mind. Her mind repeatedly wandered back to the days of her youth. She tried desperately to remember all of her childhood friends. She failed. At least since coming down from her high, she'd begun to remember the names of various ponies. That much was a relief. Much less of a relief, was the realization she'd never see any of those ponies ever again. They'd been killed by over zealous bounty hunters. Sortilege fought to understand the reasoning behind the massacre of her stable. Why kill everypony? That seemed just a little extreme. Once they had Sortilege, they had no reason to kill the rest of the Stable's inhabitants. It didn't make any sense. Then a thought struck Sortilege…

"Sugar?" Sortilege spoke up.

"What?" Sugar snapped back.

"Are you sure my Stable was wiped out entirely?"

"I don't fuckin' know. That's what May told us." Sugar replied. She mulled over her words for a moment. "May's also a stupid bitch. She could have been exaggerating I suppose."

"So...there's a chance it wasn't entirely wiped out?" Sortilege asked hopefully.

Sugar's grumpy expression suddenly changed as a revelation suddenly struck her. Her eyes widened, her spine stiffened and she kept her head pointed forward as she walked, not facing Sortilege as she spoke.

"Nope. Just kidding. Everyponies dead. So sorry." She spoke rapidly, hoping to put an end to the conversation as quickly as she could.

"Now hold on Sugar." Upon hearing Scar's voice, Sugar tensed even further. "We don't know that for sure. Somepony could have survived."

Sugar turned to Scar and did her best to force a smile onto her face. "Don't be ridiculous Scar." She spoke through gritted teeth. "May said the place was wiped out. Why would she lie to us?"

"She lied to us about this job." Skitz made her way into the conversation with her usual bluntness.

Sugar faced away from Sortilege and turned her head to Skitz and Scar. She barely held the smile on her face and the corner of her eye twitched sporadically. Scar and Skitz stared back at the filly in confusion. Through her forced smile the filly mouthed the words 'shut up' at her companions. Scar and Skitz each raised an eyebrow at each other, both trying to comprehend Sugars strange behavior.

The moment was interrupted by a sudden interjection from Smokin' Grass. "Yo gals. Check it out."

Grass pointed in the distance where a lone structure stood. The place had formerly been a diner but had now been converted into a small supply depot. Wood boards with the word "Stuff" had been nailed over the diners original sign.

"We might be able to resupply over there."

"Yeah sounds like a good idea." Sugar agreed. "And let's keep quiet on the way over there. I gotta fuckin' headache."

The rest of the group obeyed the fillies orders but still exchanged bewildered glances amongst themselves. Sugar was acting odd.

The group made their way over to the supply station and entered. A lone stallion sat near the counter, his head down and his eyes closed, fast asleep.

After everyone had entered, Sugar used her magic to slam the door and jostled the stallion from his nap. The stallion sat up, let out a yawn, smacked his lips and with his eyes still half closed began to speak.

"Welcome to Stuff. The fuck you want?"

Sugar shot him a nasty glare "We need supplies. The fuck you have?"

"You got a fuckin' mouth on you little girl." The stallion replied then looked to Grass. "You let her talk like that?"

Grass shrugged. "I ain't her fuckin' dad."

The hair on the back of Sortilege's neck bristled as she listened to them speak. "I hate that word."

"What word?" Grass asked.

"The 'F' word."

"Fuck?"

Sortilege nodded.

Grass let out a small chuckle. "You're adorable."

Sortilege felt a rush of heat make it's way to her cheeks and a small smile creep onto her face. She into Smokin' Grass eye's and for a moment felt something...new. A sensation she’d never experienced before. As she stared back at the handsome young stallion before her she felt the burning sensation in her cheeks make it’s way into...other areas as well. This was definitely new.

"Are those incendiary bullets?!"

Sortilege's daze was cut short by Sugar. Her, Skitz and Scar had begun to browse through the supplies when a particular item caught the fillies attention.

The shop owner let out another yawn. "Sure are."

"Are they five five six's?"

The stallion shook his head slowly, trying his best not to fall back asleep on the counter. “Sure are.”

"Perfect for Bandit! How much?!" Sugar was practically hopping up and down in excitement.

"For the box?" The stallion rolled his eyes up in thought for a brief moment. "Hun'red fitty caps."

"Shit! I don't have enough!" Sugar turned and looked up at Scar. "Scar do you have any spare caps I could borrow?"

Scar shook her head. "Got nothin' Sugar."

Sugar looked over to Grass and gave him the best puppy dog eyes she could manage.

"Grass, can I borrow a hundred and fifty caps? Please?" She thrust out her lower lip, in an attempt to be as absolutely adorable as she could manage.

"Nope. Sorry Sugar. I'm homeless now. I need all my caps for myself."

"Shit!" The puppy dog eyes vanished in an instant and Sugar's rage came surging back all at once. She turned to her largest companion, who seemed to be busy staring off into space as usual. "Skitz, you have anything on ya that I could trade?"

Skitz turned her attention from the spot on the wall she had been so seemingly focused on and looked to Sugar. "What?"

"Do you have anything in your cloak I can trade for fire bullets?" Sugar regarded her partner with a look of hopeful desperation.

"Lemme check." Skitz then began to dig through the various pockets and sections of her cloak, looking for anything she'd be willing to part with. She began to pull out all the random items she had accumulated in the past few days and lay it across the counter. Within a few minutes, a plethora of bent tin cans, broken dinner plates, old stuffed teddy bears, empty bottles and a toilet plunger sat across the counter.

Sugar looked to the shop owner with wide hopeful eyes. The shop owner looked at the wide assortment of junk that now sat on his counter before looking back to Sugar with a frown and a raised eyebrow.

"Actually...I think I want to keep this one." Skitz said, before grabbing the toilet plunger and placing it back into her cloak.

The store owner switched his bemused look to Skitz before turning back to Sugar. "Yeah I'm not taking any of this shit." He yawned once again. "Hurry the fuck up. I wanna go back to my nap."

"Fuck!" Sugar exclaimed once again. "You have anything else Skitz? Anything at all?"

Skitz began to dig through her cloak again. The various knives and guns she had stored away, clinked and clanged against each other.

"Why don't you trade a couple of those old guns and knives?" Grass suggested. "You have plenty and it looks like a couple of them are pretty much useless anyway."

Skitz froze in the middle of digging through her cloak. Slowly she turned to face Smokin' Grass. Once again the absent minded smile had disappeared and been replaced by a scowl. She glared back at Grass and a low growl began to emanate from her throat.

The sudden change in Skit's demeanor caused him to take a nervous step back.

"Ummm...nevermind I guess. Sorry."

Skitz held her glare for a little longer before returning back to digging through her cloak.

Scar leaned over close to Grass and began to whisper. "Yeah by the way...don't ever ask Skitz to part ways with a weapon."

"Yeah..." Grass whispered back. "I got that."

"You got any other advice for dealing with her crazy?" Sortilege asked, interjecting herself into the conversation.

"What the fuck did you just say?" Scar immediately snapped back at her, her face a mix of both rage and bewilderment.

"I...I...I..." Sortilege stuttered, taken aback by Scar's sudden aggressiveness. She looked to Grass for help but the stallion seemed just as confused as Sortilege.

"You want advice? Keep your fuckin' mouth shut." Scar snapped again, then walked away from the two to join Skitz and Sugar.

Sortilege looked to Grass, her mouth open in genuine confusion.

"What did I do?" She whispered.

"I'm not sure." Grass answered back. "Maybe she doesn't like you calling her friend crazy. But between you and me..." Grass leaned in even closer to Sortilege so he was sure that no one would overhear his next statement. "...Skitz is a fucking nutjob."

Despite the vulgar language Sortilege found herself nodding in agreement.

"Ah!" Skitz suddenly exclaimed and then proceeded to pull out a large roll of magazines from one of her pockets. "Maybe we can trade these?"

She laid the magazines out on the counter for the group to see. Everyone's eyes widened as they stared at the covers. On the front very single magazine featured absolutely stunning mares, striking various compromising poses. Everyone gaped at the magazines in awe. Sortilege felt her cheeks redden. A coy smile began to creep onto Scar's face. Grass began to chuckle. Skitz wore her typical oblivious smile and the previously exhausted store owner was now wide awake, his eyes focused like lasers to the magazines and a little string of drool dangled from his lip.

One member of the group left out however. "Hey assholes, I can't fuckin' see what it is!" Sugar said as she tried in vain to peer over the edge of the counter.

"Trust me Sugar, you don't wanna see what it is." Scar replied as she smiled down at the filly.

Sugar used her magic to snatch one of the magazines off the counter and she began to flip through it.

Upon opening the first page her brow furrowed in disgust. "Eww." she flipped to the next page and her scrunched her nose in further revulsion. "Gross." She turned the page again and this time the look on her face changed from one of repugnance to absolute horror. "Gah!" She yelled as she dropped the magazine and took a step back from it as it hit the floor. "What the fuck?! That's disgusting! Skitz where the fuck did you find these things?"

Skitz shrugged. "Around."

Sugar shuddered. "What the fuck!? Ponies like that?!"

Scar and Grass both chuckled.

"Just wait 'til you're older Sugar." Scar said.

"Nope! I'm never having sex! I'm staying a virgin forever! Sex is fucking gross!" She shuddered again before turning to the shop keeper. "We'll give you these for the incendiary rounds. Deal?"

The stallion picked up one of the magazines and opened it up. His eyes widened immediately. "Holy fuck!"

Skitz peeked her head around the counter to view the magazine as well. Upon seeing its contents her eyes widened in a similar manner to the stallions. "Oooo, I like that one."

The stallion glanced back and forth between Skitz and the magazine for a while before finally answering Sugar's inquiry. "Yeah I'll trade 'em."

"Woo!" Sugar moved to snatch up the box of ammunition on the counter but was stopped by Scar.

"Hold the fuck up! We could trade those for some real supplies. Healing potions and food and shit like that. It's not all about you Sugar!"

"But Scar!" The filly looked up to her partner in desperation. "Fire bullets!"

Scar cocked her eyebrow back at Sugar.

"Ugh! Fine!" She snapped. "Fuck you Scar! You ruin all my fun!!"

The group was able to trade the magazines for a fair amount of food supplies and a couple of healing potions. As the group prepared to head out, Sortilege approached Scar.

"Scar? I'm sorry about what I said earlier. About Skitz."

The red Pegasus regarded Sortilege coolly for a moment before responding. "Just don't do it again. Skitz has issues. We all do but we don't take kindly to bein' called crazy."

"Who called who crazy?" Sugar asked as walked over to the pair.

"Sorts did. About Skitz." Scar replied.

Sugar glared at Sortilege. "You bitch!" She snapped. She held her glare for a second before turning back to Scar. "C'mere for a minute. I got something I wanna talk about with you and Skitz." She shot another glare towards Sortilege. "In private."

The pair walked away to join Skitz, who sat at one of the diners booths, leaving Sortilege alone with Smokin' Grass. Sortilege smiled awkwardly at Grass who returned the smile with much more confidence. As Sortilege regarded the stallion, the same feeling from before overcame her. She looked over Grass's features. He was very handsome stallion, he always had a sly smile on his face but the feature that stood out were his eyes. On the outside Grass seemed like a perfectly nice stallion but in his eyes all Sortilege saw was...cold.

"You okay?" Grass asked as Sortilege gazed into his eyes.

She shook herself from her daze and averted her eyes. "I'm fine. Just...confused."

"Probably been a stressful week I imagine." Grass said with a smile.

"Yeah it has been. I don't think I've ever cried this much in my life. But..."

"But what?"

"I don't know. It's hard to describe but...It's like I don't feel bad enough. Like...I feel like I should be more upset than I am but..."

Sortilege turned and looked out the window of the diner. "The wasteland is terrible...but I don't think I completely hate it." She turned back to Grass. "Is that weird?"

Grass chuckled. "Yeah actually it kinda is."

Sortilege sighed. "I'm so tired."

Grass walked over to Sortilege and put his foreleg around her. "After last night, we're all tired."

"What are you gonna do Grass?" Sortilege asked.

"Oh don't worry about me." He smiled at her. "I'll think of something." He finished his sentence with a wink.

Sortilege smiled back at him. It was good to be reminded that there were kind ponies in the wasteland.

Over at the booth, Sugar, Skitz and Scar spoke in hushed tones.

"What's this about Sugar?" Scar asked.

"We need to shut the fuck up about Sort's stable. As far as we're concerned, everyone is dead. Got it?"

Skitz and Scar glanced at one another with raised eyebrows before turning back to Sugar.

"Why?

"Because, right now that bitch thinks she has nowhere to run to. If she figures out she still has a home, she might try to run off." Sugar looked over to where Grass and Sortilege stood. "We might want to reconsider tying her up or something."

"I don't think that's necessary." Scar replied. "C'mon Sugar she's been good so far."

"She's not your fuckin' friend Scar!" Sugar whispered through grit teeth. "She's a fucking job! The highest paying job we've ever had or will again. Get it through your skull! That bitch is gonna make us rich."

"Yeah I get that...but...she's still a pony Sugar."

"Oh boo fuckin' hoo! Don't get soft on me Scar. You can pretend you care all you want, but when it comes down to it, you're just like me and Skitz..."

Scar lowered her head and frowned. Skitz had on her oblivious smile and Sugar her ever present scowl. "Now, let's talk about those incendiary rounds..."

"You're not getting those!"

"You ain't the boss of me bitch!"

While Sugar and Scar argued and Grass and Sortilege talked, the shopkeeper was about to get back to his nap. He let out a yawn and began to close his eyes when he noticed something odd. He perked up and focused his eyes on Sortilege. He studied her carefully before digging through his belongings and finding a piece of parchment that had arrived at his shop only a few days prior.

"Sugar you don't need incendiary bullets!" Scar snapped.

"Yes I do! It'll be like having Smokey again. It'll help me grieve!"

"Be reasonable! With the caps we have, plus the magazines, we can get a decent amount of healing potions and cheaper ammo and that's gonna benefit us a lot more in the long run."

"But-"

"No buts!" Scar slammed her hoof to driver her point home. Skitz did exactly the same only she just seemed to be miming Scarlet's movements for reasons that not even Skitz herself understood fully.

"Fine!" The filly finally gave in. The group trotted up to the shop keeper and laid the rest of their caps along with the magazines on the counter. "All this shit for all the food and supplies you can share."

The stallion looked over the magazines and caps laid out on the table.

“Ummm yeah. Just hold on one minute. I keep the food and stuff in the back. Stay right there.” The previously exhausted stallion seemed to have regained some of energy and hurried off to the back of the store as quickly as he could.

As the group waited Sortilege began looking over the items stashed in the display case. She had neither the means or desire to purchase anything but it helped to distract her from everything that had been running through her mind. As she browsed, one item in particular caught her attention. A book. An old, dusty, plain looking book with a single white star on the cover. As Sortilege studied the cover of the book she noticed something and what she noticed made her blood run cold. It simply wasn’t possible. She rubbed her eyes. She shook her head. Maybe she was still a little high. She blinked hard several times and then returned her attention to the book. It remained the same. No detail had changed. She carefully studied the words etched on the cover. She had made no mistake. She knew that above all else, she had to have that book.

“S-Sugar!” She called out.

“What?” The irate filly trotted over to Sortilege”

“Will you buy me this book?”

“The fuck you need a book for?”

“Sugar...look at it…”

Sugar did as she was told and began to study the book. At first she was unimpressed. The study of psychic abilities held no interest to the filly. Then her eyes wandered to the same spot that Sortilege had seen before and the fillies eyes widened in shock. Her jaw dropped open.

“What the fuck?” She exclaimed. Just like Sortilege, she could hardly believe what she was seeing. “Skitz! Scar! Come over here and look at this!”

Skitz and Scar wandered over. Sugar pointed to the display case and the two looked at the book in confusion. Eventually though, their eyes came across the same spot and their expressions changed to match Sugar and Sortilege’s.

“Whoa.” Was all Skitz managed to get out.

“That is fucking weird!” Scar said. She removed her glasses to get a better look at it. None of them could believe what they were seeing.

Eventually Grass made his way over to the group and they pointed out the anomaly to him as well. Soon he joined them in their shocked expressions. The group simply stared at the book in silence for a moment. Finally Grass spoke.

“It’s got to be some kind of coincidence.”

“Probably.” Sugar replied. “But it’s still trippy as hell.”

“You’re gonna buy it for her right?” Grass asked.

"I don’t think we can afford it.” Scar answered him.

“Then I’ll get it.” Grass said. “I got a couple caps I can spare.”

Sortilege looked over to the stallion and smiled. He returned her smile with his own before shooting her yet another wink.

“Oh so you’ll buy her a stupid book but you won’t buy me incendiary bullets?” Sugar glared at the stallion. “Fuck you Grass.”

“You know what Sugar?” Grass began. “I’ve just about had it with your…”

Grass’s sentence was cut off by the return of the shopkeeper stallion. The young unicorn didn’t seem to be carrying any supplies though. Instead he held a fancy looking shotgun in his magic. With the business end pointed right at the group.

The only one’s to react were Sortilege and Skitz. Sortilege began to ease away from the gun. She was sweating nervously. Skitz on the other hand seemed to be enamored with the gun. Skitz had a thing for shotguns and the one pointed at her was exceptionally pretty.

“Alright, here’s the deal.” The shopkeeper began. “Hand over the million cap bitch and you’ll make it outta here alive. Got it?”

The rest the group simply shot him a bemused look. Skitz kept her eye trained on the shotgun. Sugar and Scar looked at one another, raised their eyebrows and then turned their attention back to the stallion.

A few moments later the group made their way out of the shop fully supplied. Sugar was ecstatic.

“Woo! Fire bullets! Fuck yeah!”

Skitz was equally happy but far less vocal. Mainly due to the fact that she held a brand new shotgun her mouth. She trotted out of the store with her head held high.

Sortilege looked at the book she had procured. She still couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Grass was probably right in that it was most likely just some weird coincidence but even still, it made Sortilege uneasy. All at once she felt a chill. As if somepony was watching her. She looked over the vast expanse of the wasteland. There wasn’t a single soul around for miles, save for their group. She looked at the cover of the book one last time, just to be sure it still said the same thing. Sure enough it did. Written in small letters across the bottom of the book:

"Diary of Sortilege Harmony."

O.o

Dear Diary,

Me and Shimmer practiced magic again today! We went to the library and found an old book on mind spells like hypnosis and stuff. We were hoping to find one that would make the colts fall in love with us. There were a bunch of really interesting spells in there though. I'm going to try a couple of them out.

Dear Diary,

I got my cutie mark today. I used one of the spells I learned from that book on Shimmer. The spell made Shimmer walk backwards. The window was open. She gets out of the hospital tomorrow. I don't know what my special talent is. What is a big white star supposed to mean? Today's been a crummy day.

Dear Diary,

Blue Sky, the Pegasus colt picked on me again today. Momma says that he picks on me because he likes me. I don't like him. He's not even cute. Wish he would just leave me alone.

Dear Diary,

Blue Sky won't be picking on me anymore. He was teasing me again. So I used one of those spells from that book again. The spell made it so blue would fly higher uncontrollably. Eventually his wings got tired. I burned the book when I got home. I'll tell the library I lost it.

Dear Diary,

Schools been a lot nicer without Blue Sky around.

Dear Diary,

Shimmer and I aren't friends anymore. I told her about how I used the spell on Blue Sky and she got really upset. She said she was going to tattle on me. I'm so mad. She's supposed to be my friend. Friends keep secrets.

Dear Diary,

Shimmer won't be telling anypony about Blue Sky. I think I'm starting to understand what my special talent is.

Dear Diary,

Picked up a book on Stars today. Apparently Zebra's believe that stars are evil.

Dear Diary,

Teacher gave me detention today.

Dear Diary,

New Teacher seems nice.

Dear Diary,

Dreamy Delight, the cutest stallion in class, asked me to the dance! He was gonna ask Creme Brulee, but she's in the hospital.

Dear Diary,

Dreamy Delight stood me up. Everypony is gonna be laughing at me tomorrow.

Dear Diary,

School burned down. Momma and Papa have decided we should move. Says this town just isn't safe. Too many weird accidents happen this place.

O.o

Sortilege closed the book. Her mind was whirring and she was having the most difficult time focusing her thoughts. She couldn't believe what she had just read. It scared her.

She sat down the book and looked around. Night had come and everypony was settling in. They'd gained a decent amount of supplies from the diner. Grass and Scar were talking to one another. Skitz was doing something with her new combat shotgun. Sugar was seated right next to Sortilege and staring right at her.

"What's the matter with you? Look like you just seen a ghost."

"I'm fine...it's just...this book. Weird that it has my name on it."

The filly shrugged. "Eh don't look to much into it. It's just a coincidence. A creepy one but weirder things have happened. Like one time, I shit you not, I was running with my old raider gang and we ran into this freaky mutant thing. Guy fell into a pool of taint or something. I don't even know but he was the scariest looking motherfucker I'd ever seen. Had extra limbs poppin' out of him and shit. It was nuts. So you know what I did?"

Skitz, Scar, Grass and Sortilege all replied in unison. "You shot him in the face."

"Damn straight."

Sortilege chuckled. As messed up as it may have been, Sugar's story was just what she needed to help shake the feeling of unrest that had settled in her gut. It didn't last long though. Sortilege looked up into the night sky. A small gap had appeared in the cloud layer and through it Sortilege could make out a small group of stars. A large one encompassed by three smaller. Just like her cutie mark. The longer she stared the more the vertigo began to set and after a while she looked away. Her breath had quickened slightly and she placed her hoof on her chest in order to calm herself down.

"Scar! Can I have a cigarette?"

O.o

Rock sat at the top of a building and looked out across the wastes. The sun was setting. Little gaps in the cloud layer allowed a few dying rays of the sun to shine through. Rock surveyed the land. Nothing moved. It was almost peaceful.

"Ugly ain't it?"

"Hmm?" Rock hadn't even noticed the Griffon sitting next to her. One of the mercenaries Gunsmoke had hired.

"The wastes. Fuckin' ugly, am I right?"

Rock shrugged. She didn't find it particularly ugly. To her it was just dirt and rocks. Scattered over miles and miles. Nothing ugly about rocks. Most ponies didn't think much of rocks but Rock was not most ponies.

"Ehhh whatever." The Griffon continued. "You're not much of a conversationalist are you?"

Rock shrugged again. The ghoul hardly ever spoke. If she didn't have something to say she remained silent.

"She never has been."

Rock turned her attention to the newcomer and a warmness began to make it's way into her chest as she watched Sandy approach them. The edge of her mouth curled slightly. The closest thing she could get to a smile.

"Good evening Mister Sandy. How's it going?" The Griffon asked.

Sandy shrugged. "It's goin.'"

"That's it? That's all you're gonna give me? You two are boring as fuck."

Sandy laid down next to Rock. He looked her dead in the eyes and smiled. He'd begun to smile again ever since Gunsmoke had hired them. Rock attempted to do the same but failed. She wasn't good at smiling even before she had died. Now that her face had mostly decayed, it was even more difficult. Sandy though, had always been a great smiler. It was his smile she'd fallen in love with. Sandy leaned forward and kissed her as the very last rays of the sun died away.

"Oh! Gross!" The Griffon seated next to them began making incredibly rude gagging noises. "I can see his tongue in your mouth! Disgusting! I'm fucking out of here!" With that the Griffon leaped into the air and flew away.

"Good. Glad she's gone." Sandy said. "Wanted to talk to you about something Rock."

Sandy pulled out a piece of parchment and handed it over to Rock. The parchment in question was the bounty notice for Sortilege. It had a picture of the mare on it and as Rock stared at it she began to realize what it was that Sandy wanted to talk to her about. Rock couldn't exactly place her hoof on it but for some reason she felt like she'd seen the mare before.

"Does she look familiar to you?" Sandy asked. "I can't help but feel like I've seen her before but I don't know where from."

Rock nodded and continued studying the parchment.

"Even her name sounds familiar." Sandy said.

Rock studied the piece of paper a little longer. She looked over the words on it. 'One Million cap reward for whomever delivers Sortilege Harmony to Forb Mountain alive.' Rock began to wonder how anypony could have amassed such a fortune. Rock remembered a filly from her days before her youth who claimed to have a collected a million sparkle cola caps. A childish exaggeration. Thinking of the child made Rock wonder what it would have been like to be a mother. She had never gotten the chance. She's died too soon. Ghouls couldn't have children. In her two hundred years of travel she had experienced just about everything there was to experience. Everything but the one thing she wanted most in life. If given the choice she'd give back those two hundred years of adventure without a second thought in exchange for a simple short life with the stallion she loved. Her one respite had been the fact that he'd been there through it all. The thought of abandoning her had never even crossed his mind and the thought of losing each other was the only thing the two really feared.

Rock snapped out of her daze and looked at Sandy. He'd been looking at her the entire time. Smiling. It'd been so long since she'd seen him smile.

"Have I told you how beautiful you are lately?"

Rock smiled back the best she could. He had reminded all throughout the day, every day for two hundred years. She laid her head against him and closed her eyes. His heartbeat was faint but it was the most wonderful sound in the world. Sandy placed his foreleg over his wife and gazed up into the night sky.

"See that spot Rock?"

Rock looked into the sky to see the spot Sandy was referring to. A little hole in the clouds where a cluster of stars gathered and in the middle of the cluster was an empty space.

"That's ours Rock. That empty spot right there is our spot and when we die that's where you and I are gonna go. Our last adventure together."

Sandy laid his head atop Rock's. "When this is all over Rock. When she gets here and we bring smiles back to Equestria...I think we should die. There's nothing left for us here. It's time to move on."

Rock snuggled into her husband. She didn't need to say anything to him. He knew that she agreed. She'd been thinking the exact same thing. To die in the arms of the pony she loved was the only adventure she had left.

As the ghouls laid there in each others embrace and as they did Rock sat back to when she'd first met Sandy and the events and ponies that had brought them together...

O.o

Rock stared at the giant gears moving on the walls, trying to wrap her head around their purpose. She'd been on her way to the lab when she'd spotted she. Two gigantic, moving gears right next to the door entrance. Rock had never really noticed them before but for some reason today they had caught her eye. She wondered what their purpose was. She wasn't aware of any particular reason for them to be there. Were they part of some complex machinery hidden behind the wall? Were they decorations? If Rock looked away from them would they still exist? Did they have a destiny? A reason for existing beyond the comprehension of any mortal equine being?

The truth was Rock was stalling. She was in a particularly foul mood this morning. Her stomach ached and her head throbbed. The first thing she'd done when she awoke was throw up. Her stomach was empty but she couldn't seem to keep anything down so her hunger only added to her torment. So she stood by the door, waiting. Dreading the day she had ahead of her. It'd been almost a full year since she'd arrived at the facility and they'd made almost no progress on the megaspell. The war just kept getting worse and worse and the citizens of Equestria were lacking hope more than ever. Talks of weaponized megaspells had everyone paranoid. The last embers of the fire of faith were dying away.

"Goodmorning Rock!"

Rock's heart stopped when she heard his voice. The one aspect of each and everyday she looked forward too. Sandy. From the moment Rock had met Sandy she'd been enamored. The way he smiled. The way he moved. The way he breathed and even the way he blinked. The stallion hadn't possessed a single faulty quality. Upon their initial meeting she'd been stunned. To shy to bring herself to introduce herself to him. All she could bring herself to say was 'Rock.' She'd mentally berated herself for her poor choice of words but at the same time it had lead to something wonderful. He mistook her flustered introduction for a legitimate one and ever since then he had taken to calling her "Rock." And she could barely describe how wonderful it made her feel. He named her after the most beautiful thing in the world. Every time she heard those words leave his lips, butterflies formed in her stomach.

Unfortunately it didn't seem like he felt the same way as she did. At the start there had seemed to be some sort of attraction, but it seemed to die away quickly. He never treated Rock as anything special. He was friendly to her and polite but he was like that with everypony. He told her the same jokes. Gave her the same looks and treated her the same way he treated everypony else. She was just another pony to him.

Rock still held onto that bit of hope though, that maybe someday the stallion of her dreams would return her love.

"Goodmorning Sandy."

"How are you this morning Rock?"

"I'm fine. How are y..." at that moment Rock let loose a monstrous sneeze and coated Sandy in lime green ooze.

The two stood there in silence for a moment. Sandy reeling in disgust and Rock dying of embarrassment.

"Gesundheit."

"I am so sorry."

"It's fine." Sandy said as he produced a handkerchief and began to wipe the goo off his face. "You don't seem fine."

"I'm sick." Rock replied with a sniffle.

"I can see that. Why don't you take today off?"

Rock shook her head. "Can't. Today's too important. We have a new pony joining us on the project."

"Really?"

Rock nodded. "A consultant from the ministry of arcane science. She's supposed to be an expert on mind altering magic. Maybe even better than Rise N' Shine."

Sandy perked up. "Well what are we waiting for?! Let's go meet her."

Sandy and Rock headed over to the lab entrance where the ever present minotaur guardian, Max, awaited them. He scanned their ID cards and the massive doors opened.

As Rock stepped through the doorway she felt a knot in her stomach. It could have just been her illness but it didn't quite feel right. It felt wrong. A cold shiver ran down her spine. A new presence lingered in the facility and it would prove to be unlike anything Rock or Sandy had ever encountered.

And wouldn't encounter again for two hundred years.

O.o

Sortilege couldn't bring herself to read anymore of the journal. The contents were simply too disturbing to her.

Sortilege sighed. She set aside the bag and reached into her pocket and picked out the only other item she currently carried with her. The book Ditsy Doo imparted on her. "The wasteland survival guide."

If there was anything in the world that could help her it was this book. She opened it and began to read, only to have the book ripped from her grasp by a pink magic aura and tossed into the fire.

"Sugar! Why did you do that?!"

"Principle Sorts. I made a promise to burn every single copy of that retards book I could find and I never break a promise."

Sortilege frowned. "Oh bother."

"Don't worry none about it Sortilege. I can tell you everything you need to know about the wasteland with ten simple easy to remember rules." Sugar smiled as wide as her mouth would allow. She stood up and faced Sortilege, then proceeded to clear her throat.

"Sugar's ten commandments to wasteland survival! One: Food and water are gold. Two: Bullets are cheaper than healing potions. Three: Shoot first and ask questions never! Four: Help yourself because no one else will. Five: Don't fuck no one over unless you plan on killing them. Six: Better safe than sorry. Seven: Know when to quit…

"You suck at that one." Scar interjected.

"Shut the fuck up Scar! You're ruining my speech! Ahem...where was I?"

"Seven."

"Good to hear you're paying attention Sorts! Alright, seven: know when to quit. Eight: Don't be a hero. Nine: Waste not, want not. And the tenth and final rule..."

"If this is your first night in the wasteland...you have to fight." Skitz interjected.

"No!" Sugar giggled. "Skitz shut the fuck up." Though her words were harsh Sugar's voice held no aggression at all.

"The tenth rule Sorts and probably the most important rule." Sugar looked Sortilege dead in the eyes. "Make friends. They're the most important resource there is."

"Mhmm." Sortilege said as she typed away on her pipbuck screen.

"Are you writing these down?" Sugar asked.

"Well...yes. I want to remember them."

Sugar pressed her hoof into Sortilege's nose. "Nerd!!" She smiled at the older mare and Sortilege laughed.

"You seem like you're in a better mood Sorts." Grass chimed in.

Sortilege's smiled faded. "I'm not sure Grass. I'm just trying not to think about anything."

"You seem to be doing a pretty good job at it. It's kind of impressive."

"Yeah you should be all sorts of fucked right now." Sugar added. "You torched a fucker back in the hut. How you feel about that?"

Sortilege shrugged. She had been trying not to think about it.

"Well let me give you advice." Sugar trotted around Sortilege and laid down next to her. "Don't. Don't feel anything about it. That guy was trying to kill ya. Then I would of been out a million lucre! Fuck 'im. Got what he right deserved."

"I suppose..." Sortilege replied.

"You really don't seem bugged by it." Sugar commented. "Good attitude to have. Oodies are wild animals anyways."

Sugar turned her attention to Skitz who was seated a ways away from the fire and was messing with her new shotgun. She had sawed off the majority of the barrel and had replaced it with what appeared to be a large tin can and was just adding the finishing touches.

"Whatcha doin' to that thing Skitz?"

Skitz raised the shotgun and took aim at a small lizard sitting on a rock not far away. She tongued the trigger and the weapon fired. Instead of the thunderous roar typically produced by a shotgun it let loose a small whistle and the lizard exploded into red mush.

"You put a fucking silencer on a shotgun?!"

Skitz smiled. "Yeah."

"You're nuts." Sugar giggled. "Whatcha gonna name it?"

Skitz caressed her new weapon. "Whistler."

"Whistler?"

Sktiz fired the shotgun again into the distance and it made the same low whistling sound.

"Whistler." She whispered.

"Why do you name guns?" Sortilege asked.

"Naming guns is important." Sugar answered. "Not every gun. Take Skitz for example. She's like a walking armory. Too many guns to name. And she's got even more knives. But she carries a couple special ones with her that she puts a lot of love and attention into."

Sugar faced Sortilege. "Guns are your friends. Remember rule ten?"

Sortilege nodded.

"Show her your buddies Skitz!"

Skitz reached into her cloak and pulled out her large machete. "This is Moonlight. First thing I ever used to kill a pony in the wastes with."

"She killed my old crew with that thing." Sugar added.

"Wait what?!" Sortilege and Grass exclaimed simultaneously.

"Oh yeah. We were raiders. We were out raiding. Saw Skitz wandering around all on her lonesome. Crew rushed her. Skitz turned them to minced meat." Sugar smiled at the large, goofy looking mare. "Her and I been best mates ever since."

Skitz smiled her big goofy grin. Sorts smiled as well. She was actually having somewhat of a good time and was determined to enjoy it while it lasted. Grass smiled too. The stallion was always smiling mainly due to the fact that he was perpetually stoned off his ass.

There was only one member of the group lacking a smile.

"Hey Scar! Quit being a sook and get over here and show us the new toys Grass gave you!" Sugar called out.

Scar had been lying quite away from the group. Her eyes held heavy bags under them and her mouth hung low in a frown. She seemed genuinely depressed and Sortilege couldn't help but wonder if she herself was at fault.

"What the fuck has got you so down?" Sugar asked.

"Just tired."

"Well show us the present Grass gave ya."

Scar took off her battle saddle. She'd replaced the submachine guns that had previously adorned them for the two, fancier looking weapons Grass had gifted to her.

"These are a couple of old rapid capacitor laser weapons. Made by the enclave. Basically a fully automatic laser."

"Laser?" Sortilege asked.

Scar nodded. "A direct energy weapon. Fires a concentrated beam of magical energy. Turns the target to dust. Great thing about these is that they use electron charge packs meaning I can recharge them when they run dry rather than having to buy more ammo."

Scar looked over her saddle and finally cracked a smile. "They're accurate as fuck too. Way better than my old smg's." She looked over to Grass. "Thanks Grass. You're the man."

Grass chuckled. "Yes I am."

"So whatcha gonna name 'em?" Sugar asked.

Scar pointed to one of the lasers. "Dust." she moved her hoof to the other. "Echoes."

"Dust and Echoes?" Sugar nodded with a smug smile etched into her face. "Cool. I like it."

Scar's smile faded away. "Well gee thanks.” she replied sarcastically. “Glad to have the Sugar stamp of approval."

"Wow. Did you get mud in your cunt or something? I feel like that sudden bout of aggression was undeserved."

Scar laid her head on the ground and sighed. "Sorry."

"Yeah whatever. Go to sleep."

"Yeah." Scar moved away from the group and headed back to her own secluded corner of the camp. As Sortilege watched her leave she couldn't help but feel responsible for Scar's current state.

"Don't worry about her none. She'll be right by sparrow's fart."

"What?"

"Hey Skitz!" Sugar left the previous conversation in the dust and turned her attention to her oldest companion. "That reminds me! You gotta name that bad boy that Grass gave you!"

Skitz reached into her cloak and retrieved her new grenade launcher. The weapon was massive but overall simplistic. A single barrel attached to a large cylinder with six tubes connected to a handle. Skitz flipped the weapon open and revealed the inside was completely empty.

"I think that's a good name." Skitz said.

"What's a good name?"

"Bad boy."

Sugar shrugged. "It's your gun. Name it what you like."

Skitz reached into her cloak and pulled out another object. This one looked like a bullet. A big pink bullet.

"Finally have something that can shoot this."

Sugar and Grass's eyes both went wide as saucers and the two began reeling away from the item as if it were radioactive.

"Skitz what the fuck is that?!" Sugar exclaimed. "Please don't say what I'm thinkin' it is."

Skitz chuckled. The reactions from Grass and Sugar made Sortilege nervous. Still she was curious.

"What is it?"

Skitz smiled. "Canterlot grenade."

"Where the fuck didja get a canterlot grenade?!" Sugar exclaimed once more.

"From Freaky. Was a gift."

"Put that thing away! It's worse than a fuckin' balefire egg. Don't pull it out unless we get rushed by a Hellhound and even then make sure I'm on the other side of Equestria before you use it!"

Skitz rolled her eyes and proceeded to stash the grenade along with Bad Mother, Mother, Anton and Whistler away in her cloak.

Grass laughed. "Damn Skitz. I swear you're the scariest pony I know. I'd rather fight a Hellhound barehooved."

Skitz smiled her big, unassuming, nonthreatening grin. Looking at her, you'd never guess just how terrifying the mare could actually be. "Thanks."

She then proceeded to lay her head down and close her eyes. "Goodnight guys. Sweet dreams."

Sugar yawned. "Skitz has got the right idea. I'm dead tired." Sugar followed in Skitz examples\ and laid down and closed her eyes, leaving Grass and Sortilege the only two still active.

"So Grass." Sortilege began. "Are you gonna join us and collect the bounty too?"

"Not sure really. Don't have a home anymore. Kind of at a loss as what to do. Not sure the bounties the right way to go. Girls could probably do it but I'd probably get killed. My old girlfriend lives close to here here. Might go see what she's up to."

"I'll be sad to see you go Grass."

"Don't worry about that Sorts." Grass said with a grin. "I don't do goodbyes. Only until next times." He finished his sentence with a wink.

"I'll look forward to it." Sorts returned the smile and her own weak attempt at a wink.

"So what about you? You got a million caps on your head. What are you gonna do when those girls get to Forb Mountain?"

Sortilege shrugged. "I have no idea. I don't even know why I'm wanted or how they could have known about me. I've never even left my stable. Maybe it was all a mistake. Maybe they got the wrong pony. I don't know what's gonna happen."

"You'll be alright Sorts." Grass said. "I've never met a Stable pony quite like you. You seem to be doing okay. Just stick with the girls and they'll help you sort out this whole mess." Grass's eyes wandered over to Scar's direction. "I'm gonna go check on Scar. Probably go to bed afterwards. Goodnight Sorts. "

"Goodnight Grass." Sortilege smiled. "You're the man." Then attempted another wink.

"Yes I am." Grass chuckled and then trotted off into the night.

Sortilege pulled out the book she had obtained from the shop. The cover was simple enough. Just a plain red binding with the title on the front. Simple but Sortilege liked it. Red was her favorite color after all. The book made her uneasy. The fact that it not only had her name on the cover but also spoke of the same sack of coins Sortilege had happened to always carry with her was simply strange. Despite the weirdness of it all Sortilege also found the book...somewhat comforting. As if she had been destined to find it. Like she was being guided by ethereal forces. It made her feel safe and in control. Like everything was destined to be okay.

Sortilege felt something dig into her side. She looked down to see Sugar snuggled up next to her, fast asleep. The little filly looked positively adorable. Like an actual Filly for once. Sortilege remembered Sugar's words. Her rules for staying alive in the remnants of the world. Specifically number ten. Sortilege looked around the camp to Skitz then to Scar and Grass and then back to the slumbering Sugar. That was the rule Sortilege would value over all others. For the first time in her life she felt like she was following it.

Sortilege laid down and closed her eyes. She snuggled up tight next to Sugar and for the first time in days felt as if she would finally have some pleasant dreams.

And then the snoring came.

Snore. "Bitches...bitches...bitches...."

O.o

When the group awoke, Grass was gone. Apparently when he'd told Sortilege that he didn't do goodbyes he wasn't kidding. He had left without a word. Sortilege simply wished him the best and hoped in her heart that she'd one day see the kind and quirky stallion again. She hoped she lived that long at the very least.

After the group packed up their things and ate breakfast the group headed out. Sortilege licked her teeth clean of the remains of the most delicious substance to have ever entered her mouth: Sugar apple bombs. The finest in wasteland cuisine. While Sortilege could do without the crazy ponies and vicious monsters, the wasteland itself just kept proving to be quite enjoyable.

Sortilege smiled and hummed to herself as she walked.

"The fuck are you so happy about?" Sugar asked her.

"I'm not sure. Just in a good mood. I actually had a good night sleep and in all honesty I'm finally starting to feel a little like my old self."

Sugar stared at the older mare in amazement. "How? Seriously, please tell me how the fuck you can be smiling right now?"

Sortilege shrugged. "There just isn't anything for me to be upset about."

"You were ripped from your home, everyone you grew up with is most likely dead, you just killed a guy for the first time and you've been captured by ponies who intend to sell you for money. How can you possibly be fine?!"

Sortilege thought for a moment. "Well...yes I was ripped from my home, but...I'd been there my whole life. It was actually starting to get pretty boring and it's nice to get out and stretch my legs. Experience more of what life has to offer."

Sugar stared wide eyed as Sortilege continued.

"Now about everyone in my Stable possibly being dead...yes I suppose I'm still very much upset about that but...well...I never took the time to get to know anypony there. I can remember a few nice faces but the majority of them just blend in together. It's not like I was close to anyone though I suppose I will miss our doctor."

Sortilege paused as she remembered Doctor Feelgood. She could really go for a lollipop. "But it's not like I'm a stranger to loss or anything. I lost my parents when I was very young after all and I made it through that just fine."

"You're just over it? How? I'm not even over the death of MY parents and I never even met 'em!"

"Well...I wouldn't say I'm...over it. Not completely anyway. I'm still sad I'm just...through crying about it. Tears solve nothing. So I have resolved to do away with them."

"Well...way to look on the bright side I guess." Sugar mumbled. "Wish I could do that."

"And as for killing that atrocious Oodie brother...well I guess I would say I'm over that. It was an act of self preservation. I merely reacted in the moment. Not something I'd care to do again but...if I'm gonna be living in the wasteland now I suppose it's a necessity."

"You're right about that." Scar interjected. "Nopony can last out here for long if they refuse to kill. Sugar you might want to make that rule eleven or something."

"That's just common sense Scar." Sugar replied. "No need to be writing' that down."

"And as for being captured by you...well I prefer you over the ponies who captured me first. And imagine what it would have been like had I been captured by those ghouls or worse the...Oodies." Sortilege shuttered. "You three may have your quirks but...as weird as it is...you're the closest thing I've ever had to friends."

Sugar smiled warmly at Sortilege and she smiled back. While their initial meeting may have been rocky, the little filly had finally begun to grow on the Stable mare.

"I like her." Sugar proclaimed. She turned to Skitz. "Can we keep her?"

Skitz smiled and shrugged. "Sure."

The moment was interrupted by Scar who leaned down and whispered in Sugar's ear. "What happened to not being her friend? Thought she was just a job?"

Sugar frowned. Beaten by her own words. "We need to find a water source guys." She said, addressing the group as a whole. "Scar's still got mud in her cunt."

"Fuck you, you little bitch." Scar replied.

"Knock it off you two." Skitz snapped. Eliciting shocked expressions from both Scar and Sugar. "Someone's coming. Get ready." Skitz sniffed into the air. "Might be raiders. Can't tell quite yet."

Sugar and Scar prepared their weapons. Skitz took the lead and Sortilege hid behind the large mare. Out in the distance a lone figure appeared at the top of the hill. It was tiny. Perhaps the same size as Sugar. It thrust its hoof in the air and called out to the group.

"Sugar!"

Sugar squinted her eyes at the figure in the distance. "Who dares invoke my name?"

The figure kept waving and calling out for Sugar.

"Skitz. Gimme the binoculars." Skitz did as she was told and gave her binoculars over to Sugar.

"Fuck me! It's fucking Nia!" Sugar dropped the binoculars and began galloping at full pace towards the figure.

"Nice." Scar commented. "We might be able to pick up some more supplies."

"Who's Nia?" Sortilege asked.

"She's a little Zebra friend of Sugar's. Travels around with her adopted moms selling shit to whoever's willing to buy it. They stop by Misery a lot. Nice gals."

Scar's mood had not seemed to improve. She was wearing a permanent scowl. Sortilege contemplated asking about it but before she could, Scar took off into the air towards Sugar, leaving Sortilege alone once again with Skitz.

As the two mares walked towards the other group flashbacks of the previous night ran through Sortileges head. She'd learned a lot from that experience. Perhaps 'don't ask Skitz about her past' should be rule twelve. For the most part Skitz seemed to be in her typical, easygoing oblivious mood but Sortilege had no way of telling when she would snap again.

When the two finally made it to the group, Sortilege saw the rest of the caravan. A large wagon being pulled by two giant birds, rested at the top of the hills. Standing next to the wagon, Scar was busy talking to a unicorn mare. While she may not have been as clean as Sortilege or possessed Scar's natural beauty the mare certainly wasn't ugly. She was dirty but very nicely dressed, wearing a short green dress and a helmet with goggles attached to it. Her coat was lavender and her hair was gold with a little stripe of green through her mane and tail.

Seated on the wagon was a mare who was almost identical to the mare speaking with Scar. Her coat and mane were identical colors but whereas the other mare looked relatively clean this mare's coat was grimy and unkempt. Whereas the other mare had a long and well styled mane, this mares was short and messy, poking out underneath a stocking cap she wore. Instead of a dress this mare wore a torn and dirty sweater and a pair of sunglasses sat on her face which happened to match her cutie mark. Last, the mare talking with Scar seemed pleasant and happy and the mare on the wagon seemed completely disinterested in everything going on around her.

Sortilege turned her attention from the two mares, to the two strange creatures pulling the wagon. A pair of giant birds. bigger than any pony Sortilege had ever seen. The birds heads moved around in quick darting movements, just like the ravens that Sortilege had seen scattered about the wastes. Sortilege had always thought that all birds could fly but had a hard time imagining that the little wings on these massive creatures could get them off the ground.

"Be careful now." The mare in the hat said to Sortilege as she approached the birds. "They don't like strangers and they'll nip at you if you get too close."

"What are they?" Sortilege asked.

"Radmus! Giant radioactive birds. A very rare sight indeed. Perfect for pulling our little supply caravan and much faster and easier to take care of than Brahmin."

The mare approached Sortilege and smiled. "I'm Goodness Gracious and over there is my twin sister, Morning Sunshine." The mare on the wagon gave a small, disinterested wave, not even bothering to glance over in her sister's direction. "We've heard about you. The million cap mare. I simply must ask: why do you have such a large reward on you?"

Sortilege shrugged. "I honestly don't know. Hope to find out soon though."

Goodness nodded. "I hope you do as well. Can't imagine it's too much fun being a wanted mare."

Sortilege turned her attention to the last member of the group. The little filly speaking with Sugar. The enemy of Equestria. All her life Sortilege had been told that Zebra's had been responsible for the destruction of the world. That they were evil creatures, hell bent on the annihilation of all ponykind. The little filly in front of her was the last thing Sortilege had expected to see. The Zebra filly was smaller than Sugar. She didn't look too different from a pony, save for the black stripes that ran along her body. The filly had quite the interesting hair style. Her big, poofy mane seemed larger than her own head. Her cutie mark was fascinating as well. It seemed less like a cutie mark and more like a continuation of the Zebra's stripes that formed into a singular star pattern, much like the symbol you'd find on a compass.

Sugar was just in the middle of telling Nia one of her wonderful stories.

"So I'm lounging at home right, and Skitz comes up to me and asks me 'Hey Sugar what do ya want for hearth's warming?' and I'm like 'the fuck is hearth's warming?' and then she explains that it's some holiday from before the war that everypony used to celebrate and give gifts and whatever. So she wants to get me a gift and I can't really think of anything but I tell her I'll give it some thought right?"

"Right." Nia replied.

"So I'm thinking about it. Try to figure out if I want a new toy or a tea set or some crap like that. I'm wandering around one day and I go in the bathroom to take some personal time ya know."

"Dookie time."

"Exactly. I pick up this old magazine and it happened to be and old issue of Weapons Monthly."

"Oh I love that magazine!"

"I know! It's my favorite. So this magazine right, it magically opens up to the center page where in lies an advertisement...to the brand new..." Sugar lowered her voice to giver her next words more dramatic effect. "...Destruction ranger three thousand mini gun!"

"Oh wow! That's a nice gun."

"I know! So eventually Hearth's Warming time rolls around, it's Hearth's Warming Eve and I'm getting ready for bed and Skitz has this old green thingy set up in the middle of our room right, some shitty pieces of metal all painted green and made to look like a tree ya know? Apparently it's a tradition that you put up a tree in the middle of your house during Hearth's Warming and then you put the presents underneath them and open them in the morning. Well I'm not known for my patience exactly and when I saw that big box underneath that tree with my name on it I fuckin' flipped out and I asked Skitz If i could open it early. She goes 'why not' and I open it up and guess what it was?"

"A dollhouse."

Sugar stared back at her fellow filly dumbfounded. "No, have you been listening to me? I only asked for one thing. I got the mini gun!"

"You got the mini gun?!"

"I got the mini gun!"

"You got the mini gun! Alright!"

"Yeah of course I did! I only asked for one thing. But the only problem was, this thing is brand spankin' new. I have no idea where the fuck Skitz found this thing. It's so friggin' new in fact...that it's still in pieces. So I got to put the thing together myself."

"Some assembly required huh?"

"Very much so. So I spend the rest of the night, while everyone else is asleep, spending the whole night putting this damn thing together. Well It gets to be around three in the morning and I'm adding the finishing touches right, just decorating, putting a little flame design on the barrel, painting it pink, the usual ya know. All of the sudden...I hear this giant banging noise on the roof! It's three in the morning!"

"Burglars?"

"That's what I thought. So decide to go up to the roof to check it out. It was like destiny ya know? That I would receive that chain gun on that night and be awake that late putting it together. So anyway. Up I climb up our ladder and as I peer over the lip of the roof you know what I see?"

"What didja see?" Nia asked getting more and more enthralled with Sugar's story.

"A big, fat, drunk homeless stallion, with this big fuckin' white beard in a red smoking jacket and a red sleeping cap is on our roof! Somehow, I shit you not, I didn't make this up, he managed to get this big fuckin' sleigh, tied to a bunch of fuckin' radstags, up on my fuckin' roof top! And the fucker is trying to take a dump in my chimney!"

"Yer kiddin'!"

"I'm not! I couldn't believe my fuckin' eyes! It was the craziest damn thing I've ever seen! And I'm like 'Hey! What are ya doing?' and he turns to me and he says 'Hey little girl you get back to bed!' and I go 'No YOU get back to bed!' So I pull the trigger on the minigun and I unloaded on him, shot him right in the face! I send him flying off the back of the roof, but then it also spooks the fuckin' radstag that are up there and they start freaking' the fuck out so I decide to light them up as well and unload on them and start pickin' 'em off one by one like a fuckin' skeet shoot. So I clear the whole roof right only NOW...I gotta clean up the place."

"Bummer!"

"I know! So I decide to take it out on the radstag. I make one into a rug, gave us a nice new decoration for our hideout. I put up a new stuffed radstag head over the fireplace. Scar received a new lucky radstag hoof and for Skitz? She got a brand new, nice red smoking jacket. And after that Hearth's warming was saved!"

"You saved Hearth's warming!"

"I saved our fuckin' lives!"

"Wow Sugar. Yer amazin’."

"You bet I am."

Sortilege watched as the two laughed together. When they stopped the young Zebra approached Sortilege.

"Hey. I'm Nia. Can I ask ya somethin'?"

"How can ya stand the smell?"

Sortilege raised her eyebrow at the young Zebra before her. "Pardon?"

"Sugar's breath. Travelin' wit’ her this whole time. How can ya stand it?"

"Fuck you Nia, you uppity bitch!" Sugar rushed over to Nia and shoved right up against her fellow fillies. "My breath is lovely!"

Throughout Sortilege's brief time in the wasteland she'd encountered many terrifying things. Bloatsprites, ghouls, raiders, radroaches and of all the things she'd encountered she would be quick to place Sugar at the very top of that list. So when Sugar pressed her face into Nia's, her eyes burning with that same familiar rage Sortilege winced, knowing full well that Sugar was not above beating her fellow filly within an inch of her life. But Nia didn't flinch. She stared Sugar straight in the eyes, a smug grin glued to her face...then she darted out her tongue and licked Sugar's nose.

Sugar jumped back "Agh! Gross Nia! Now I got fuckin' Zebra cooties!"

Nia smacked her lips. "Ya know fer a filly named Sugar ya ain't all that sweet."

Sugar was frantically trying to wipe the imaginary Zebra cooties from her face. Sortilege and Nia both chuckled at the spectacle. All at once they were interrupted by the sound of someone yelling behind them.

"C''mon Goodness! Cut me a fuckin' break!" Scar was yelling in the face of Goodness Gracious.

"I'm sorry Scar but it's too far off of our trade route."

"And it's dangerous." Morning replied from the front of the wagon. "We aren't mercenaries Scar. We're merchants. We'll end up getting killed if we help you."

"Me and the girls are about to be millionaires. YOU could get a slice of that action! C'mon think about it for a minute, you guys are missing the opportunity of a lifetime!"

"Scar, It's not happening." Goodness replied apologetically. "But I'll tell you what, since we're friends and all, we'll give you a discount on our merchandise. Does that help?"

"Whatever." Scar huffed then made her way to the back of the wagon to look at supplies, her head hung low and her eyes narrow the whole time.

"Don't mind her none." Sugar said as she approached Goodness. "She's got some mud stuck in her cunt or something." Sugar turned her attention to the other mare seated at the front of the wagon. "Hey Shady! You got any good remedies for washing mud out of your cunt?"

Morning raised both her forelegs and struck them together twice in Sugar's direction.

"Yeah fuck you too ya cranky bitch!" Sugar yelled back.

"What's all this fuckin' yellin' about?" A voice, a male voice, called out from the back of the wagon.

Sugar turned her attention to the back of the wagon. Her expression brightened significantly. Her smiled completely enveloped the lower half of her face. her teeth showed and eyes widened.

From behind the wagon, the source of the voice revealed itself. It was male, Sortilege was at least sure of that. Anything else about the creature, Sortilege was clueless. It walked on it's hind legs or rather it hopped on them. The creature legs didn't seem like they were quite built for running, resembling nothing like any equine or any other creature Sortilege had ever seen. They were thick and well muscled, very different from the creatures forelegs which were diminutive in comparison. Each one of it's five forelegs had five little claws at the end, one of which held a mug filled with an amber colored liquid. It's elongated muzzle somewhat resembled a dogs and it's long ears poked out from underneath a wide brimmed hat he wore.

"Well, well, well..." The creature spoke. "If it ain't my three favorite cunts in the wasteland!"

Sugar smiled back up at the creature. "G'day Joey!"

"G'day yerself sheila. How ya been Sugar Baby?"

Sugar scrunched her face back at the creature. "Don't call me Baby, Joey. You know I hate that."

"I will call ya whatever I damn well please ya little shit." The creature, Joey, turned his head and spotted Sortilege. "’Ello then. Who 'ave we 'ere?"

The creature wiggled his eyebrows at Sortilege and approached her with a devious smile. Sortilege instinctively backed away. It wasn't so much that she had no idea what the strange creature was, but rather in the way Joey was looking at her. It was just unsettling.

"G'day miss. Name's Joey." The creature said extending one of his paws. Sortilege reached out her hoof and the creature grabbed hold of it, brought it to his mouth and kissed it. Sortilege remembered back to her first meeting with Smokin' Grass, when the stallion had gone through almost identical motions. She'd felt all sorts of new emotions back then. Her cheeks reddening. The feeling of butterflies dancing in her belly. This time she once again felt an entirely new rush of emotions. Her cheeks going green. The sudden wave of nausea in her gut. Strange how the same exact gesture could get such a variety of response.

Sortilege pulled her hoof away from the creature. "Sortilege Harmony." She replied, not doing a very good job at keeping the disgust hidden from her face. "Pleased to meet you."

"Sortilege?" Joey repeated back. Saying the name as if it had left a bad taste in his mouth. "What the hell kind of name is Sortilege?"

Sortilege glared back at the creature. For what may have been the first time in her entire life she felt genuinely offended.

"Well what sort of a name is Joey?" She answered back with as much venom as she could muster.

"Oh I like her!" Joey said turning his attention back to Sugar. "She's feisty! Where'd ya pick this one up Sugar?"

"She's our latest job Joey. Biggest job we ever had!"

"Oh yeah?" Joey turned back to Sortilege. "Yer that million cap bitch ain't ya? Who'd ya fuck to get that much money on ya eh?"

"Excuse me sir." Sortilege replied, putting on her sternest expression. "I do not appreciate being spoken too like that. Please tone back your language a little."

Joey scoffed. "Don't like being talked to like that eh? Well fuckin' get used to it sheila. Ain't no such thing as foul language out in the wastes. There's just language. Why don'tcha work on yer own communication skills and ask me the question that's on the forefront of yer horny little noggin eh?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"The question yer dyin' ta ask mate. You know what I mean, so ask it. I ain't gonna get offended. It's a reasonable question."

The gears in Sortilege's mind finally began working and she soon realized what Joey had meant. There was a question she was dying to ask and Joey's promise that he wouldn't be offended hardly mattered because at this point she could care less if he was offended or not.

"What are you?" Sortilege asked.

"There ya go! The question of questions! Well Missy, it just so happens that you are looking at one of the only specimens of talkin' Kangaroo yer ever likely to encounter in the wasteland!"

"Talking Kangaroo?"

"That's right. A talking Kangaroo. Only one I've ever met. Met other Kangaroo's before but none of them could talk like me." Joey shrugged and brought his mug up to his face for another drink. The Kangaroo approached Sortilege and placed his hoof around her neck. Sortilege wretched as the heavy smell of alcohol hit her nose.

"Now..." Joey began. "Whether or not there there are other talkin' marsupials out there or not I don't fuckin' know. What I do know is this..." Joey downed the rest of his beer. "There ain't no one else out there quite like me."

He finished his sentence by laughing in Sortilege's face and proceeding to slap her ass.

Sortilege, quite fed up with the Kangaroo's rambunctious behavior began to turn away from the strange and incredibly rude creature. As she turned around she ran face first into another pony who had stealthily made her way over to the area. Sortilege backed away to see Skitz standing before her, same oblivious smile over her face, her dark mane draped over one eye.

"Well 'ello Skitz." Joey spoke and then looked over the mare. "Still the most terrifying thing walking around on four legs?"

Skitz closed her eyes and smiled. "You know it!"

"Hey Joey!" Sugar said suddenly. "Tell us a story!"

"Tell us the story of the time you tamed that Hellhound Joey." Nia said.

"Ah that's a good one. "Have a seat girls." Sugar, Nia, Joey and Skitz all sat down in the dirt. Sortilege remained standing and mulled over whether or not she would stay to listen.

Joey pulled Sugar onto his lap and proceeded. "It was quite a ways back. I was out on my lonesome, hoppin’ around looking for something to do, when what do ya know, something to do is exactly what pops out of the ground. This Hellhound bitch erupts from the earth like a fuckin' volcano and the first thing I notice is that she's got the nicest ass..."

Sortilege immediately walked away. She'd had enough of that from Sugar. Joey's overall disposition had bothered Sortilege to the absolute extreme.

She made her way to the front of the wagon and leaned against it. She pulled out one of her cigarettes and lit it. As she looked over the wasteland she thought about Scar and Joey and Grass leaving. She had been in such a wonderful mood but the universe seemed bound and determined to ruin her day it would seem.

"Hey can I have a puff of that?" The mare on the front of the wagon asked.

"Of course." Sortilege replied and levitated the cigarette over to the mare. "I'm sorry but what was your name again? Morning Sunshine?"

"Call me Shady. Only my sister calls me Morning."

"I see." Sortilege out into the distance. Studying the dull colors of the wastes. The browns, the greens, the little specks of blue where the cloud layer broke apart. She sighed. The more she looked at the wasteland the more she seemed to forget about her Stable. Even if there were survivors, even if she somehow escaped this mess, how could she ever go back? She couldn't leave this place. The feel of the dirt beneath her hooves, the gentle breeze blowing against her face. How could she go back to that suffocating steel enclosure filled with ponies who had never even taken the time to get to know her?

"Huh." Sortilege said aloud as that thought ran through her mind.

"What's up?" Shady asked.

"Just thinking about home." Sortilege said. "Stable twenty eight. You know...I thought I had been happy there but the more and more I think about it...I'm not sure I even realized what happiness was. I wasn't happy. I was just content."

"Ain't that a good thing?" Shady replied. Sortilege gave her the cigarette again and she took another long slow drag off of it. "Having everything given to you. Never having to worry about food, water or shelter. Never having to want."

"Isn't that just like being dead though?"

Shady stared back at Sortilege. It was very difficult for Sortilege to get a reading on her for the mare's eyes were hidden behind a pair of tinted glasses.

Shady levitated the cigarette back into Sortilege's mouth and looked out into the wasteland.

"Ya know. That way of thinking actually makes me mad." Shady finally replied.

"I'm..." Sortilege hadn't been expecting that. "...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

Shady shrugged. "Didn't upset me. But I know for a fact there ain't a living thing out in the wasteland who wouldn't kill for a chance at the life you had. And here you are saying you prefer it out here in this ugly hellhole. That's just about the shittiest attitude I've ever heard."

Sortilege frowned. "Hey now that isn't fair. You don't know what it was like growing up in a Stable!"

"Lady, I grew up in Tenpony. Pretty much the same thing and let me tell you, I'd give just about anything to get back in."

"Well..." Sortilege began. "I don't think the wasteland is nearly as nasty as everyone makes it out to be."

"You kidding me?" Shady replied, raising her eyebrows in shock. "The wasteland is ugly as all hell! Look." The mare grabbed Sortilege's face with both her hooves and twisted Sortilege's face out towards the wastes.

"Tell me what you see." Shady said.

"I see...brown."

"You see dirt." Shady said. "That's dirt and mud and grime. It's nasty."

"It's pretty." Sortilege replied back. "Brown is a lovely color.

"Brown is the color of shit."

Sortilege wrestled her head free from the other mare's grasp. "Well...yes. I suppose you could look at it that way." Sortilege reached forward and grabbed Shady's head much like the mare had previously done to Sortilege.

"Tell me what you see." Said Sortilege.

"A barren, desolate hellhole. Decay, death and the futility of existence."

Sortilege frowned at the mare. "You must be great at parties." Using her magic Sortilege took the glasses off the mare's face. "Really look at it. Tell me what you see."

Shady stared out into the distance. She saw dirt, dirt and more dirt. In the sky she saw clouds, clouds and more clouds. Then as she was staring she started to notice things. The dirt wasn't all brown, there were bits and pieces of color here and there. Mushrooms and moss still grew, giving the land little speckles of color. The fact that they were so few and far between made them stand out even more. Looking up at the sky she noticed the little holes where the sun was just barely able to get through and shine down on the remnants of Equestria. A small reminder that there was still light in the world.

Then Shady put her glasses back on and it all went away.

"Nope. Hate to tell ya lady but the wasteland sucks."

Sortilege sighed and shook her head. "I guess I see where you're coming from. When you look out in the distance, you see an end. I see a beginning."

"Whatcha guys talkin' 'bout?"

Sortilege looked down to see that the little Zebra, Nia, had joined them.

"Hey Nia." Shady began. "You'd love this chick. She's just as optimistic and naive as you and Goodness."

Sortilege stuck her tongue out at the rude mare. Not a gesture she'd usually partake in but she was tired of rude ponies. Did anypony in the wasteland have any manners?

"Well someone's gotta be to make up fer ya sour attitude Shady."

Shady shrugged before making her way back onto the wagon.

"Yeah she takes some getting used ta." Nia started. "She's alright once ya get ta know 'er though. Now as for Joey..."

Sortilege scoffed. "I could imagine. He's quite the character."

Nia returned the scoff. "You don't know the half of it toots. Imagine livin' with the guy."

Nia turned around and started to head towards the end of the wagon. "C'mon. Yer groups gettin' ready to head out."

Nia and Sortilege headed to the back of the wagon where Goodness, Joey, Skitz and Scar were all standing and watching Sugar. The young filly was busy emptying the contents of her stomach all over the dirt.

"You're a dick Joey." Scar said.

"Hey It ain't my fault." Joey defended himself.

"How is it not your fault?" Goodness asked. "You told her to try it!"

"But she's the one who tried it. Ultimately, she is the one at fault here." After the Kangaroo finished his sentence he proceeded to spit a thick glob of brown fluid onto the ground.

"What happened?" Sortilege asked.

"Sugar Baby just had her first taste o' nicotine." Joey replied. "Typical reaction for a beginner but ya gotta give 'er props for trying."

"You gave a cigarette to a child?!"

"He didn't give 'er no cigarettes." Nia's face twisted in disgust as she watched the remainder of her friends breakfast hit the ground. "Scar's right. Yer a dick Joey."

"Duly noted."

"What on earth did you give her?" Sortilege glared at the biped. Sugar may have been mature and intelligent but she was still a child and harming a child was at the very top of Sortilege's list of bothers.

Joey reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small pouch. "Gave 'er some of this. Straight tobacco chew. She said she could handle it."

"She most certainly did not." Goodness stepped in. "You pushed it on her. That filly idolizes you. She'll do anything you tell her too. You should know better Joey."

Joey shrugged as he opened the pouch and pulled out a large wad of wet, brown tobacco and placed it in his bottom lip.

"I'm offended by that statement Goodness. We been togetha' fer years now and you don't know me at all."

Goodness rolled her eyes. "Kangaroos..."

"Hey! I resemble that remark!"

Sortilege walked over to Sugar. The filly had ceased vomiting and was lying down in the dirt.

"Are you okay Sugar?"

Sugar raised her head. A small string of vomit hung from her lip and remained clinging to the dirt.

"Actually..." Sugar wiped her face clean. "Aside from the hurling I feel great. I'm all lightheaded and shit...it actually feels pretty good. You should try it." She craned her neck to face Joey. "Thanks Joey. You are the best."

"See? She's fine! Yer all gettin' on me case fer nothin'!"

Sortilege walked up to him. "Let me try that stuff."

Joey handed the pouch over to the unicorn. "Knock yerself out sheila. Has a bit of a kick."

"Don't Sortilege." Scar interjected. "It's not like cigarettes. That shit will knock you on your ass. And it's just plain gross. Tastes terrible. You develop a nasty spitting habit and it'll rot your teeth faster than anything."

Sugar ignored her Pegasas companion and took out a small wad of the chew and mimicked Joey's actions. She placed the wad in her mouth and pressed in with her bottom lip. While it wasn't the worst thing she ever tasted it was definitely foul and it burned terribly. Some of the juice flowed down her throat, singing her esophagus and instantly upsetting her stomach. Within a minute Sortilege was mimicking Sugar's previous actions, vomiting all over the ground.

"Told ya it's got a bit of a kick eh?" Joey threw his head back and laughed.

After she finished vomiting, Sortilege noticed a strange sense of euphoria overtake her, not entirely unlike her first experience with a cigarette. She felt amazingly terrible and terribly amazing all at once. Perhaps the weirdest sensation she'd ever been through aside from her experience with herb.

"Oh bother." Sortilege muttered as she attempted to walk but only stumbled forward.

"You get used to it after a while." Joey said.

"I don't think it's a habit I'll be picking up. Thanks for the experience though. Good to try new things I suppose."

"Now that’s a great attitude to have!." Joey chuckled again and moved over to Sortilege. He placed his paw on her back and began to slowly inch it down her spine. "If yer ever in the mood to try something new...come 'n find ol' Joey and he'll show ya somethin' amazing."

"Wretch." Scar spat at him.

"Aw Scar. Ya jealous? There's enough of this little marsupial to go around."

"In your dreams sicko."

"Ugh." Sugar moaned from her spot on the ground. "Let's get going guys."

Skitz proceeded to pick Sugar up by the scruff of her neck and place her on her back. Sortilege borrowed a canteen from Goodness and washed the remainder of vomit and tobacco from her mouth.

The group headed out, slightly heavier from the few extra supplies they had procured. Sortilege was enjoying the nicotine high of her life and Sugar had her eyes closed as she rode atop Skitz's back. Scar seemed in a far better mood, gliding along next to the group as she continued to examine her new longbow.

Sortilege turned her head briefly and waved goodbye. Nia and Goodness had seemed fairly nice and Sortilege hoped to encounter more ponies like them in her travels. Shady wasn't all that bad either but if she never met another Joey in her life it would be all too soon.

Goodness, Joey and Nia returned Sortilege's wave.

"Those girls still scare the livin' daylights outta me." Joey remarked. "You can never tell if they're gonna suck your dick or slice it off!"

"Lovely Joey." Goodness commented as Nia giggled. "But I cannot say you're wrong. Those three are terrifying."

"Four." Another voice joined the group and Goodness turned to see her sister walking towards them. "All four of 'em scare the piss out of me."

"That delightful young stable mare?” Goodness asked. “Why on earth would you be afraid of her?"

"Yeah." Nia added. "She seemed really nice."

Shady watched as the hunters and their prey disappeared into the distance.

"That's what scares me."

O.o

Sandy and Rock entered the massive entrance to the laboratory. Over in the corner, surrounded by various scurrying robots, sat Sunshine and her new companion that had joined her in the previous months.

Sunshine was deep in thought. For once the child sat still, not moving, not flinching, focusing so hard she barely blinked. Her tongue curled out of her mouth in concentration as she studied the object before her. Finally the young mare made her move, moving her bishop across the board and placing it strategically in the far corner.

She lifted her head and smiled wide in pride. "Checkmate."

Her opponent stared at the board. Then to sunshine. Then proceeded to move his back paw and scratch behind his ear. A loud clanging sound rang out as the canines metallic paw struck the edge of the cybernetic constructs wired into his head. The cyberdog stood on all fours and faced Sandy and Rock.

A little light on the dog's collar lit up and a gruff, smokey, metallic voice rang out.

"Alas...defeated...by a child...what has become of the great Walkin?"

Sandy chuckled. "You'll get her next time Walkin. I believe in you."

Walkin, the Cyberdog, turned back to Sunshine. "I hope you know...I let you win...on purpose...I merely wished to spare...your feelings."

"Pffft." Sunshine dismissed her canine companions comment. "I knew you'd say that."

"How are you this morning Sunshine?" Sandy asked

The filly jumped to her hooves, her typical energetic self returning. "I'm doing swell Mister Sandy!"

"Good to hear." Sandy replied with a smile.

"Oh my...Miss Rock..." Walkin began. "You don't look...swell at all...are you feeling ill?"

Rock swayed on her feet, a sudden wave of nausea hitting her. "I'll be fine."

"Where's your mom Sunshine?" Sandy asked.

"She's over there talking to the new lady." Sunshine's expression suddenly dimmed and her smile faded. "I don't like her. She's weird."

"You think she's weird?" Sandy asked, his eyes wandering over to Walkin. "That's saying a lot."

Sunshine nodded.

"Well I suppose we should go introduce ourselves."

Sandy and Rock headed over to the testing area. Finding Rise N' Shine among the large maze of machinery and wire actually proved to be a rather easy task. Rise N' Shine's voice rang particularly clear on this morning and while her words to too distant to be understood by Rock and Sandy, one thing was obvious: Rise N' Shine was upset.

Eventually the two found Rise N' Shine, spitting and stuttering, trying her best to relay some sort of information to the newcomer. Rise N' Shine's mane seemed even more disheveled than usually. Her constant shaking was now completely out of control and her wide eyes somehow seemed even wider. The mare's usual yellow complexion was turning red from frustration.

When she saw Rock, Rise N' Shine hastily marched over to her and began babbling incoherently at the mare.

"Slow down Shine. What's the matter?"

Rise N' Shine did her best to concentrate. Finally her nasally, stuttering voice was able to form a coherent sentence.

"T-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-tell h-h-h-h-her sh-sh-she c-c-can't s-s-s-smoke in here!" Rise N' Shine yelled.

Rock looked over to the new Unicorn mare, who indeed had a lit cigarette dangling from her mouth.

"Would you mind putting that out? There's a lot of delicate machinery in here, it's a health code violation and I feel really nauseous this morning. Please?"

The mare lifted her hoof and stamped the lit cigarette end into the edge of her toe. She deposited the remains into a nearby trash receptacle.

The mare looked over the newcomers in the most unsettling manner. Both Sandy and Rock immediately knew what Sunshine's aversion had been. She wore a small, sly smile and stared at them through half lidded eyes. The devious look sent chills down their spines. The smile the mare wore was the kind of smile you only saw in comic book villains. It was almost seductive, as if she knew something that no one else did.

"Why hello." The mare spoke. She began to walk towards them and time seemed to slow down. Her dark green eyes held that same, devious look. Her short, bubblegum pink mane bobbed up and down as she walked. When she reached them she outstretched her dark blue hoof towards Rock.

"Pleasure to meet you. I'm Sortilege Harmony."