The cold night wind blew wildly in the San Palomino Desert sending sand and dirt flying in all directions, making it almost impossible to see. The moon full and bright was the only source of light for miles. And there, in the middle of it all, were three people bearing the harsh weather as they continued through to their destination.
Protected by blankets and goggles they were relatively comfortable treading the desert. One had stopped in their tracks and pulled down a mask to shout. "Are you sure we can't stop and set up camp for the night?! The weather might be better in the morning!", yelled the voice of a woman, clearly tired from the days activities.
The voice of a man yelled back, "Not yet, we have to get as much distance away from Appleloosa as we can! Besides, Las Pegasus is where our next target is, and it's just on the other side of the desert! Keep moving!!" He pulled his cowl back above his face and pressed on. The woman pouted and did the same, readjusting the backpack she had stuffed full of supplies to fit on her shoulders better.
The group didn't get more than ten feet before a loud roar echoed through the blizzard of sand shaking the ground below.
All three had stopped and looked around to locate the source of the noise and regain their footing from the rumbling ground. The man pulled down his mask a second time and yelled once more, "On second thought... let's set up camp!" The woman seemed too frightened to argue, and eagerly nodded her head.
The woman lifted the hood from over her head revealing a horn, which glowed a bright red hue within her dark colored hair. She channeled her magic into his hands and focused. As she moved her arms up and over her head, the sand around the three moved along and formed a solid dome of earth.
Inside the third member of the party was already at work and had ignited a lantern for them to see. She pulled down her hot pink hood and mask, and removed her black framed goggles revealing bright blue eyes that seemed to be able to cheer up anyone on a gloomy day, that is if she wanted to. She also had long straight pink hair which went down to her lower back. As she shook the remaining sand out of her gear she took notice of the other two, who where now covered in the shaken off sand. She just gave an uncaring look.
The second member, the other woman, removed her backpack and bright white overcoat and cowl, her goggles already on the ground. Her hair was of a violet hew and her eyes a darker blue than the pink ones. She wore a sense of elegance and purity that showed above the rest of the group. She gently brushed off the sand covering her gear and watched as the leader of the team not bother to clean off the sand that smothered him.
He sat down and tore off his dark blue scarf which sent the sand out in a wave over the other two's heads. His hardened red eyes seemed to look angry under his cerulean hair as he stared at the overhead ceiling of sand. His cerulean jacket unzipped on top of a white t-shirt. He closed his eyes, lowered his head and sighed.
"Are you okay Darkshot? You seem troubled." the woman clad in white had asked. He sharply opened his eyes and glared at the indigo haired woman to his right. The look he gave her seemed to keep from prying further.
"I'm just irritated that we couldn't get any more ground covered on our way to Las Pegasus. Time is of the essence." He then pulled out a pack of cigarettes and placed one in his mouth. Bringing out a lighter he caught the cancer stick on fire. He took a long drag and exhaled through his mouth in a stream of smoke. He then noticed a bubble around him and glared at the horned girl. "The fuck's with the bubble Rarity?"
"You may appreciate smoking, but I refuse to endanger my health from your careless secondhand." she answered, annoyed.
"Well could you at least put in an air passage through the roof to let the smoke drain? I don't want to smell like I just caught fire again." she complied and an opening in the dome appeared. Complete silence filled the makeshift tent, and eventually Rarity went to sleep while still maintaining the spell. "Pinkie Pie," he addressed the other member of the group, "you've been a little too quiet for my taste. Something on you're mind?"
"Nothing." she replied quickly.
"You and I both know when you're lying."
She turned to Darkshot, tears in her eyes. "I'm just... I miss my old life in Ponyville. I miss helping people to smile and forget the bad things in the world. I miss it and it hurts. It hurts right where my heart used to be." She began to cry. Then crying turned to balling. "Why do we do what we do?" Darkshot punched the bubble of blue magic and it shattered to pieces. He then rushed to Pinkie and held her in a tight embrace. She cried into his chest as he attempted to bring her comfort. Pinkie Pie's tears fell and she sobbed for a good five minutes until she cried herself to sleep in Darkshot's arms.
His shirt now stained with tears Darkshot leaned back and let the pink haired girl rest. He brushed a lock of hair out of Pinkie's face and behind her ear. With her head resting on his chest he didn't wish to move and wake her. "I wish I could answer that. 'Cause I don't know why." He was left to his thoughts and eventually drifted off into slumber.
Darkshot awoke when he was swiftly kicked in the face, sending him flying into the dome of sand. He could hear the muffled yelling of Rarity, but with his head in the sand he couldn't make anything out. He also heard Pinkie's voice as well, yelling back. 'The girls are fighting again. Great. Now if only one of them would help me out of the wall.' He groaned within the side of the dome and his fist began to glow a dark cerulean aura. All went quiet as he lifted his arm and punched the dome, sending the sand in waves across the area. The two girls looked on in fright as he turned to them, eyes glowing black with a white outline and same color wisps coming from them.
The two held each other tightly and fell to their knees. Darkshot turned fully and glared down upon them, clenching his fists as if to instill pain. He was then grabbed at by a tentacle around his neck and pulled away from the sand dome they had slept in. Rarity and Pinkie Pie's eyes widened and they bolted outside where the sandstorm had settled. There they saw Darkshot's form hanging limp from what had grabbed him.
"Rarity?"
"Yes Pinkie?"
She gained a face of hatred and rage, "Get my gun and take shelter. This one's mine."
Rarity was slightly stirred by this but complied, "If you insist."
Darkshot groaned as he opened his eyes and saw the girls looking down at him, his head in Pinkie's lap. He sat up quickly and took in his surroundings noting the long dead full of bullet holes demon sand worm... with no heads (as worms have one on either side of their bodies).
"Oh goodie, he's okay." said Pinkie her hair poofed up since earlier.
"How long?" he asked simply grabbing his head.
"About an hour now." Pinkie answered.
Rarity then spoke, "Darkshot, I must apologize for my behavior earlier. You did nothing but comfort my friend last night and I realize that now. Please, forgive me the significant amount of pain I may have put you in."
Darkshot took a moment until he finally stood, "Let's keep moving. There's bound to be more than just that out here, and I don't want to fight through another storm."
He grabbed all his gear and began pressing on. The other two following shortly after. Silence was the only thing that could be heard from them the rest of the way.
Hours past until they finally arrived outside the city of Las Pegasus. The three travelers were exhausted from the journey and the events that took place along the way.
Rarity spoke first, "Okay, we're here. Now how do we get up there? In case you forgot Darkshot we don't have wings."
Darkshot smirked, "Maybe you don't," he said removing his jacket and handing it to Pinkie, "but I do." He finished and spread a pair of strong, cerulean blue wings. He bent his knees and took off with a strong flap, flying in a circle to stretch out the bones. He landed and held out his hand for Rarity. Pinkie puffed her cheeks a little in irritation as she wanted to go first. Darkshot took off again with Rarity holding on for dear life.
"Remember to cast that walk on clouds spell once we get up there. Don't wanna have an unexpected meeting with the ground now do we?"
Darkshot flew higher and higher until he broke through the clouds above. Rarity's horn ignited and the spell was cast. Afterwards she was placed on the fluffy surface of white. Staring into Darkshot's eyes for a moment and her cheeks turned rosy and she smiled. He was saying something but she was too caught up in her fantasyland to hear him. Until he yelled directly into her ears "RARITY!!"
"Huh?!"
"I said I'm going to get Pinkie, and as soon as I get back I want you to cast the cloud-walking spell on her. Okay?"
She nodded seeming to understand the instructions. And with that Darkshot jumped down the hole in the cloud floor. Using his wings he glided slowly toward the ground where Pinkie was drawing something in the dirt. "Hey Pinks, you ready?"
She looked up from her laid down position and pointed to the drawing she made. "Look what I drew Shotie."
He looked down at the sketch and his eyes widened to a picture of them in a loving embrace with a heart around them. He backed up a little and stuttered, "I-uhhhh... don't know what to say about that." He really didn't. All he did was hold and comfort her last night, nothing else. "I honestly don't know how to mock that. OH MY GODDESSES, that's never happened before!"
Pinks then jumped him and squeezed the non-existent life out of him. "OOHHH, you don't always have to be the tough one. I think it's okay if you show your true feelings around me."
He shook his head and came out of his stupor. "Anyway Rarity's waiting top side so lets get going." He didn't have to tell her twice as she jumped onto his back, which caused a bit of pain to his wings. He stumbled forward a bit but managed to regain his lost balance. With the added weight on his back he had to take a running start to get up to the proper takeoff speed.
Darkshot had to jump and then begin flapping his wings in order to get off the ground. He flew around a bit longer to get used to Pinkie's weight on his back, and then shot straight up and punched through the clouds above. Rarity jumped back and lit her horn immediately casting the spell as Pinkie let go and fell off Darkshot and landed on the puffy white mass.
Darkshot continued to float in the air as he spoke, "Okay. Now that we're here we should split up. Remember who you're looking for?" they nodded. "Good, you two will stay together in case the spell wears off."
"What about you Darkshot?" Rarity had asked.
"I'm on my own. Don't worry, I have my magnum, and I don't plan to cause a scene unless I have to." the two girls looked to each other, and then back to him with looks of worry. "You two have each other. And was by myself long before I met you two. I'll be alright." he then took on a serious expression. "You have you're objective. Side-quests are optional. Move out!"
With that they all ran off, Pinkie and Rarity in one direction, and Darkshot in another.
