5) How Did I Get Caught Up With You?

he pegasus gently moved out from under Pea and lay at the head of the bed. Before laying down she put part of the bed's covers over her friend and then fell asleep herself, hopeful of Pea wanting to stay. While one mare went into a troubled sleep the other slept like a rock sinks in water.

The next morning Pea awoke to her nephew jumping on top of her rather suddenly,"Wake up, wake up!" he cried,"Somepony came to the castle and she really wants to meet you!"

Pea rolled Tuff off her chest,"Do you have to crush my ribs every morning, little bolder?"

Daring woke up groggily,"Wha-? What's going on?" she yawned.

"Twilight said somepony called Celestia is here to visit Pea Gravel!" Tuff declared proudly. The two mares gasped.

Daring got off the bed hurriedly and grabbed a metal forearm,"Come on! If the princess, not one of the little ones...the big one wants to meet you, you have to hurry!"

Tuff took the other arm and they both sat Pea up. She pulled her hands away and made a grumpy morning thank you to the assistants. She made her way for the door and Tuff called after her,"She's in the six-chair room with Twilight. I think there's some breakfast ready."

Pea rolled her eyes and trudged through the halls to the main room where the princess were waiting. Seeing the fabled 'Sun Goddess' for the first time snapped Pea to her senses. Twilight sat next to this massive and elegant alicorn as if she had known her for years. Pea on the other hand stood gawking several feet away.

"Come and sit with us," Celestia's charming voice blanketed the air,"There is breakfast waiting here and we have much to talk about."

Deja vu, Pea thought.

She walked forward and the morning sun's rays reflected off of Pea's legs, causing the sun princess to half flinch is surprise. The cyber mare took a seat at the table and found a small but filling breakfast awaiting her, it wasn't as extravagant as her first breakfast at Twilight's. Pea targeted a wonderful smelling bowl of oatmeal with daintily sliced fruits on top of the morning soup, Celestia sipped a mug of coffee tensely. For how pleasant of a morning it was something felt tension between the royal and the foreigner.

"So I've heard that you've made a name for yourself, Boatswain," Celestia said.

Pea half choked on an apple slice,"Oh, so you've read the book A.K. Yearling and I wrote?" She found a glass of orange juice nearby and sipped it," Did it deem tolerable, your highness?"

Celestia chuckled,"I've read it. It's an interesting book, but I'm not to fond of the hoof-full of violent stories some ponies write."

Pea leaned forward in her chair,"My apologies, princess."

"No need," the alicorn smiled. She looked over to Twilight,"I hope you don't mind, faithful student, but I need a word with Miss Gravel...alone."

"Alright Celestia, I'll be in my room studying if you two need anything," and with that the lavender alicorn left.

Celestia's maternal look turned icy. Her magic aura glowed atop her long horn and before Pea knew it they were on the mountain that looked over Canterlot. The sudden thin mountain air lashed Pea's lungs, the alicorn seemed unaffected. The grey mare looked around at the snowy area so high above the rest of the land, and somehow Celestia's stare was as colder then the air biting Pea.

"What is your ploy, Land-crawler?" Celestia said through her teeth.

Pea had heard this term used before, it was when a higher-up spat at the small ponies that labored away. Pea's surprise lashed into a defensive anger.

"Ploy? I haven't any idea of what your talking about, your highness," Pea said slyly.

"Do not play ignorant with me," The sun princess glared,"I know of what hunts you out there. I will have none of that, you should never have come here."

"So you do know what's going on out there," Pea spat.

Celestia smiled,"Indeed. One of my importance must know of such things."

"Have you done anything about them?" Pea dug her fingers in the snow.

Celestia stood silent for a moment,"I'm doing what's right, leaving it alone."

Pea snapped. She lurched forward and grabbed the alicorn's collar,"Ponies like you and I are dying out there!" She shouted," Plague and war is eating our kind alive...how can you do nothing?!"

Celestia looked down at her,"Ponies like you are dying. How dare you say that I am the same as you, Land-crawler."

Her aura grabbed Pea and flung her away in the snow. The mare rolled several feet then shot up to her feet, Celestia had a cold smile on her regal face. Pea gritted her teeth and clenched her fists into the snow.

The princess laughed,"Oh, you plan on fighting me? Don't do that to yourself."

Pea sprung forward with a fist ready for a swing. Her blood boiled as her jump neared her to the 'Goddess'. Inches away from her regal face Pea's dangerous fist was caught with a yellow cloud of magic. Pea moved her other fist but it too became snared, then her feet locked to the ground against her will.

Celestia looked at the angry statue of a mare with a entertained malice,"So this is what a pony must be like to survive out in the world, a bloodthirsty mongrel? How disgusting."

Pea strained her body to move but it was locked stiff, she watched as Celestia paced around her," Now this is a mess, what will I do with it? You've made some friends and removing you would cause an issue, but a pony of your kind would have some valid excuse to become absent. 'Ran away because you didn't belong here' would suffice."

"You pretentious bitch!" Pea shouted,"You have godly powers and yet you keep a few ponies safe while the rest lay in fear...how do you sleep at night?"

"I've grown accustomed to it," Celestia shrugged," Since you'll be destroyed in a moment I suppose I could tell you why I'm so liberal of the foreign ponies. I made a deal when I received the crown."

"A deal?" Pea asked furiously," A deal with who?!"

"Tztalm, the king of Tartarus," Celestia said simply.

Pea was awed at the princess's mistake,"A deal...with the Devil?"

"Indeed. I can't let you live though, Land-crawler," A yellow cloud encased Pea and crushed her limbs against her body. Celestia stood only a few inches away from her victim.

The seemingly innocent cloud pushed against Pea's body like the pressure of the blackest pits in the ocean. The mare could barely breath with the pressure and her body quivered in pain. Celestia had a face of stone as she preformed the dirty deed. Pea's right arm inched against from the cloud's force with all of the mare's might. This strength surprised Celestia so much that her grip slipped only once, much to her regret.

Without the cloud, Pea pounced on Celestia like a hungry wolf. With her legs locked around Celestia's neck Pea rammed a fist into her nose. The alicorn reared and thrashed to get the cyber mare off of her but to no avail. Pea curled with her torso, lifting Celestia over her head and smashing her white face into the now reddened snow. Pea crouched next to the trembling princess with small rivers of blood coming from her nose.

"Been awhile since ya got a real nose bleed, eh?" Pea smirked.

Celestia's wing sprung out and smashed into Pea. She jumped up and jabbed her horn at Pea, barely missing. Celestia swung her horn-ended head skillfully like a fencer while Pea was pushed back, only her forearms as shields. On her hind legs Pea blocked the stabs from the now furious alicorn, the grey mare was pushed back on the snowy peak. This went on for some time until Pea noticed the alicorn was showing signs of fatigue in her jabs. The cyber mare side-stepped and the horn sailed past her, she took advantage with a downward ax-kick to the alicorn's temple. The princess stumbled forward a foot or so an collapsed.

"Funny thing," Pea said popped her neck,"Where I'm from, you're called a god," She knelt next to the dazed alicorn's head with a vicious smile,"I did too, at one point. I can't call you that now...gods don't bleed."

Pea was about to make the finishing blow but a speck in the distant sky stopped her. There was a resounding boom then a midnight blue alicorn rocketed like an arrow toward Pea. The mare had a fraction of a second to react and instead of being impaled she was sliced over the shoulder. The midnight blue alicorn flicked her head and Pea knocked the mare to the ground. She stood closer to Celestia with a dangerous look to the cyber mare.

"Sister, is this foreigner an assassin?" Luna's commanding voice asked.

"No, but she knows of the Deal, Luna," Celestia choked.

"I see, she's a fire that must be quenched?" Luna asked. Her sister numbly nodded.

Pea stood on her fore-hooves with fists ready for the next contender. The midnight princess accepted her challenge. Her dark blue aura produced a halberd with a crescent shaped blade, it began twirling in place as Luna stared down the earth pony.

Pea smirked,"Hardly fair, isn't it? Or are you just scared of me?"

She ducked as the blade swung over her head. Luna stood in place as her weapon became locked in a deadly dance on the snow with Pea. The mare ducked and blocked as the blade was gripped in it's master's cloud of magic, whirling through the air with it's sharp edge. Pea noticed a pattern in the attacks, with the way it was spinning around it could be slingshot Pea's strike back. Once the handle was placed just right, she grabbed it. It swung just the way she thought it would and she went flying at Luna, who was taken by complete surprise.

Her head was knocked back by a kick to the jaw followed by another. Luna staggered back and swung downward with her horn as an executioner would swing an ax. Pea held against the blow with both hands grabbing the blue spear. Her metallic limbs strained against the force of Luna's.

"Surrender, Land-crawler!" Luna growled.

The horn was being pushed until it was level with her neck. Luna expected the mare to plead and beg but a devilish gleam shown in Pea's emerald eyes instead. Without warning she leaned back only half a foot and swung her arm's along Luna's downward strike, causing Luna to smash face first into the ground like her sister had.

Pea looked at the pair with red river noses. Luna grabbed Pea with her magic and forced Pea back several feet as she stood to her regal height. The frosty mountain air whipped around the three fighters. Pea rolled her shoulders and began walking back to finish her fight. Almost in a divinely placed pattern another unexpected fighter entered.

A small black cloud burst ten feet above the ground and a figure in dark wrappings dropped out of it, facing Pea. His size matched that on an alicorn bur far more dangerous looking. Once it stood up the shape was unmistakable, it was a centaur. An assassin from The Torrent. His face was hidden by a bronze mask with many tiny holes under a dark hood. At either side of his horse torso was a long curved sword in it's black scabbard and a hefty crossbow. Along with small bull horns sticking out on the sides of his head, his maroon skin shown out under the black wrappings on him. He seemed taken back that someone was on the mountain top, he turned to the princesses.

He shouted in a foreign tongue and pulled a cross bow aimed to them. Pea took no time on interfering on the shot. In a fraction of a second she jumped on his back and yanked one of his arms causing him to miss fire. He reached behind and grappled the mare with a vice grip. The assassin threw Pea in front of him and reared back, his fore-hooves hammered Pea's torso with his body weight, cracking her ribs. The assassin trampled over the injured mare as he ran to the two alicorns.

Luna was up but Celestia's head wound kept her from a stable getaway. Celestia attempted to fly into the air but the centaur had a grappling rope and latched it to her ankle skillfully. She crash landed like a clipped bird, her sister circled the assassin in the air. He loaded his crossbow and aimed for Luna, she dived at him, horn ready for blood. The crossbow's bolt fired and dug deep into her chest and a moment later she cried out crashing to the ground. She struggled as her life blood oozed into the snow. She looked up to see the shadow of the centaur blocking out the mid-morning sun.

"Lord Terik protects, Lord Terik punishes," The assassin chanted as he drew a curved sword from a sheath strapped to the side of his horse torso. He continued chanting as he readied his sword for an executioner's swing.

While this was going on Pea staggered over with Luna's halberd. As the centaur rose his sword, Pea rose her weapon. Luna winced but no blow came. The centaur cried out, dropping his sword as Pea's swing chopped his back legs off at the knee. His body slumped back and he looked at Pea. His gaze was cut short when the crescent blade became lodged in his horse torso, he pawed at the blade as blood gushed out. Pea ran it further into him as she pushed him to the ground. He grabbed his sword and swung at Pea, she blocked it by pulling up one of his front legs as a meat shield.

The centaur's hands shivered at the sight of his only remaining hoof. Pea pulled out the halberd and  without a word threw the fight's  last swing, ending with the masked head dropping away from it's body. The princesses looked in awe at the grizzly sight, Pea took a deep breath and smiled at them. The grey mare staggered and then fell backwards, feinting from her crushed ribs. She lay in the snow, the adrenalin ebbing away and the frigid air biting her skin as she fell into unconsciousness.

It was dark and warm, Pea sat in a empty field. Pea knew it was a dream inside her unconscious state so she enjoyed the peaceful scenery, her cyber limbs were gone, the sight of her skin-toned hooves again fascinated her. Her eyes adjusted to the light and she noticed she was atop a hill in a warm, flat island. The hill was steep and high above the field where a small campfire was crackling, Pea's nerves calmed even further as she remembered that the campfire was her friend's. She sat in the warm grass listening to the sound of the breeze and her friend's laughter. The soft sound of hoof-steps met Pea's ear and she shot up.

In the dim night light she saw him, Rochi. His light brown fur shown in the moonlight around his well toned muscles. Instead of a mane to flow in the wind he had a dark green bandanna over the top of his shaved head. Rochi's teal eyes shown like the tropical waters he sailed through his whole life. On his left ear was a hoop ring like Pea had, as a sign that they weren't slaves to anyone. Rochi seemed hesitant, standing before Pea Gravel in the moonlight.

"I'm sorry, I just came up to check on you," His voice though usually brash, sounded sweet tonight,"I'll...I'll be going back to camp now."

"Hang on!" Pea said, reaching out a hoof for him,"Won't you stay, just for a while?"

"If you insist," He smiled. Rochi walked over and sat next to Pea,"Lovely night isn't it?"

Pea scooted closer to him,"Mmhm, lovely."

Rochi looked up at the moon,"It's not the night that's the only thing lovely," He chuckled,"I once heard a legend that's there's a mare on the moon. She fought the sun goddess and was banished there," He sighed," I wonder why somepony would do that."

"Stories are stories Rochi. I know plenty where they are simply used to teach foals morals and to scare them to bed," Pea yawned.

"Did I bore you with just that?" Rochi joked.

Pea yawned again,"No, it's just that...I feel like I haven't seen you in awhile."

Rochi lookeded confused,"I had the sentry shift before you. You saw me an hour ago."

Pea sighed,"It's a long story...more like a dream..."

"We've got time," The sailing stallion said intently,"Don't worry, I wont fall asleep on you from boredom," He nuzzled her cheek.

Pea punched his shoulder playfully,"You big meanie! Alright I'll tell you."

The mare's mind went a bit fuzzy. It was a dream...right?

"I had a dream that I went to The Sun Goddess's Garden. It was just like the stories, a true paradise! I met all of these colorful ponies, each one so nice. There was this author named A.K Yearling, or her alter ego Daring Do and a tom-boy pegasus called Rainbow Dash, those mares were great. I even met one mare named Applejack, she owned her own farm. A pony owning a farm!" Pea words painted a picture for Rochi. One not to different then one he kept close to him.

" 'Jack' in a girl's name?" Rochi rolled his eyes,"Only you'd come up with something like that. So go on, What was she like?"

"To be honest, I was afraid to be around her," Pea grimaced,"I saw a bit of myself in her when we...argued. You know how I can get sometimes..."

"Yeah, a real cutthroat killer!" Rochi made a mock snarl,"The Great and Dreaded Gravel, warrior and farmer!"

Pea shoved him into the grass,"Shut up you!"

Rochi sat back up with a pair of puppy dog eyes,"Awww, did ya have to push me? I think I bruised a little."

"Quit moping, sugar cheeks," Pea stuck her tongue out," Anyways...oh yeah! I met the Sun Goddesses herself too!"

Rochi looked intently on the mare next to him,"Sooo...what was she like?"

"She seemed nice at first, but she called me a Land-crawler like any other noble we've met. She wanted me thrown out because I wasn't born there and taught their ways...she even tried to kill me," Pea went quiet.

"That's a nightmare, not a dream," Rochi said comfortingly,"You shouldn't trouble yourself over it," He nuzzled Pea's cheek.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Pea giggled.

"You looked a bit chilly," Rochi smiled.

Pea rolled away from him and lay on her back, staring up at the sky. Rochi followed and Rolled up next to her.

"Look at those stars," Pea sighed,"They're beautiful...have you ever wanted to know what it'd be like?"

"Hm?" The stallion asked,"Sorry, I was too busy looking at the star next to me."

Pea rolled her eyes,"You're impossible sometimes, you know that?"

"Bah! Everyone is," Rochi waved a hoof in the air,"Anyways, you were talking about...being up there with the stars?"

"Yeah," Pea pointed at a cluster of stars,"There's the Discord constellation you showed me. and over there is the Three Goddesses," Pea looked up at that night sky as if it were the first time.

Rochi chuckled,"You're learning. You missed the Ox King in the west and the Windago up there to the north," He said pointing to each constellation," Don't worry, I'll make a sailor out of you yet."

Pea sighed happily, cuddling up next to the sailor. Rochi rose an eyebrow,"You seem happy tonight. Like, really happy. You didn't eat one of those Jade Cactus Fruits did you?"

Pea rolled her eyes again,"No, Rochi. I'm not doing the jade, alright?"

Rochi scratched his head,"Are you...you know...aroused?"

Pea gasped dramatically,"Why sailor, I do believe you're trying to seduce me!"

"Hey, don't be hating me for asking," Rochi shrugged.

Pea's heart was beating fast, it felt warm all throughout her body and in her well missed legs. Even if it was a dream here, it felt so real. It could feel even more real with a single question. Pea hadn't really been one for sex, she was to busy trying to keep her and her friends from all sorts of dangers...but right here...right now...

She didn't even have time react. Rochi just grabbed her and kissed her square on the lips, she wrapped her forearms around his neck and held tight. After so long, a simple kiss like this...melted all of the ridged defenses she had built up over the years. When Rochi pulled away Pea almost magnetically put her head to his chest.

Pea's face was bright red,"Oh...my god. Rochi you have no idea how good that mad me feel."

"I bet I do," Rochi said suavely. He held Pea close to him, looking back up at the sky Rochi smiled,"We've been through some pretty tough shit, haven't we?"

Pea sighed,"Yeah, but soon that will all be behind us," She said dreamily.

"How soon?" Rochi asked bluntly,"Did you have a dream about it?"

Pea thought about what Rochi asked. Dreaming of paradise wasn't to big on her mind, just making sure her and her crew can get by. After being in Equestria, however, the wish to take them there bloomed.

She nuzzled her favorite sailor,"It's more of a wish...actually."

"I thought I was the superstitious nut job," Rochi teased,"Now miss down-to-earth is talking about wishes?"

"Yeah...for all of us to be away from the fighting, the hunger. Just to live in peace...all of us together," She sighed happily.

"Now I know you're doing drugs," Rochi groaned,"The Pea Gravel I know would get board of a peaceful life. You realize what that means, a job with bosses and taxes to pay," Rochi's mellow voice hardly sounded threatening in his rant,"After a life of wandering and mercenary work, you'd want to be a farmer or a fisherpony?"

Pea pursed her lip. She remembered the reason Rochi went rouge with Pea and her crew, for rising above tyrannical rule. To become a just leader for others of his species, not to be ruled by something that forces work and never dose any. How could a stallion of his type ever want to become a simple farmer, no king was a farmer.

"Never mind, sorry I said something stupid..."Pea said timidly.

"It's okay, wishes are wishes. If you work hard enough...and don't die along the way, I'm sure you'll make it," Rochi said reassuringly.

The two ponies lay together in the grass, held in a lover's embrace. For Pea, this moment felt like it lasted forever and she loved every minuet of it. They were locked together for how long the mare didn't know but she did nothing to stop it. She closed her eyes, completely absorbed in the moment.

Suddenly a slimy feeling rubbed against Pea's cheek, "Ahhh...like a fine wine your taste has heightened with age," a strange voice said.

Pea froze. Her euphoria was shattered in an instant, her whole body went into utter shock, completely petrified. Her eyes darted frantically around to see the wind, island, camp and night sky were gone. Instead she had a cast surrounding her broken ribs as she sat in a ridged hospital bed. The worst thing of all, the heart stopping detail that made Pea's heart skip a beat...

The blue green head of Volm stared Pea from where she dreamed Rochi was.

The mare was at a loss of words, she could only stifle a half gasp as she tried to breath. Pea tried to move but a wave of pain came from her torso, the cast over her chest restricted her movement's to barely sitting up. Volm sat up on the next to her of the bed, wiping off his lips with a six fingered hand. His body looked bigger then the last time she saw him, more vascular and muscular. Pea was furious, violated, petrified and afraid; only faced with this blue-green devil did she feel so helpless.

Volm stared back at the near flat-lining mare with a vicious stare from his demonic eyes. He sat there, waiting for a response from her. The mare was so panicked by seeing him and more the fact being violated by him, it took Pea several minuets to calm down enough to talk.

She opened her mouth to speak,"How...w-why...what are you-"

"I know what you're thinking; 'How can you be alive? I thought I killed you!' " the monster mocked,"Well I'll just tell you one thing," Volm placed his alien hands near Pea's quivering torso and leaned his face dangerously near her's,"I've crawled too long to get where I am now! I will never let my ambition be stopped by a pathetic cunt like you...dear Pea Gravel."

Pea gasped out a few words,"B...but...I...I saw you-"

"-Dead?" Volm finished for her,"I just let you...express your feelings," he snickered as he returned to the foot of the bed,"I came here for something else besides an invitation into your fantasies," Volm's voice hissed.

"You were in my dream?" Pea tried to wrap her head around the idea,"That's...how could you do that?"

Volm placed a hand to his chest dramatically,"Honestly, dearest road pebble. Would you think I'm anything less then that? Besides, we both know you enjoyed it! Even if I had to look like your little boy-toy to get some," Volm's acid voice cackled.

"What do you want, you bastard?" Pea seethed.

Volm scratched behind his ear as a dog would, looking up with a wicked smile,"Can you calm down?," Volm yawned,"You'll have a heart attack if you don't breath."

Pea bared her teeth then spat at the blue-green beast,"Fuck you."

"Now then, I came to tell you about something important," Volm said with a friendly smile, ignoring the mare's angry words. His eyes looked a bit more like a regular pony's at this point.

"Obviously, or you would've gone and probed someone else," Pea folded her arms defensively.

Volm rubbed his alien hands together,"Belial is getting desperate to find Tartarus. That centaur you met, you know him, the one that tried to assassinate the royal bimbos. Since you three were at his drop point though, he didn't have enough time to react and you wrecked that scrub. Oh and the whole princesses wanting you dead, don't worry about that anymore."

Pea was aghast,"Are you...helping me?"

"You...or more specifically, Daring Do, has something that I want," Volm said casually.

"The Egg of the King?" Pea asked venomously.

"Hit the nail on the head, sugar stuff. If you give me that I'll make sure Belial and his subordinates will never see or touch this land and anything in it," He held out a hand," Do we have a deal?"

"You're kidding," Pea stared at the hand,"I don't even belong here, what makes you think I have any say in this country's affairs? Not im a million years."

Volm's hand retracted,"You can understand the weight of the situation out there, the princesses would just send someone...or somepony to go do it for them. I talked with Celestia while you were out, she made a plan ship you out, hopefully to never come back."

Pea rolled her eyes,"I figured it, but a royal pardon and your sketchy protection really doesn't move me. I'm still saying no."

"I know I've done some...bad things but really Pea, must you ignore my generosity?" Volm cooed.

"Generosity?!" Pea shouted, even tough it spiked a fireball of pain though her torso,"You are everything but trustworthy and generous! You took away my friends, my lifestyle," she held her palms out,"My legs..."

Volm growled under his breath. He shook his head and looked back up at the mare,"But look at your new ones! You're much stronger then other ponies, even ones out there. You had the Dragon King Borox after you and I kept you and your crew safe from them-"

"-by scattering them to the wind," Pea finished.

Volm was becoming impatient,"You're so stupid. Fuggin' ponies... Look," He rubbed his forehead," I hate Belial and that dragon prick just as much as you do. Once I have that blue gem your marefriend is wearing I'll be able to wipe them out."

"Then what? What will you do then?" Pea asked, afraid to know the answer.

"I'll make the whole world like Equestria," Volm said happily, his hand re-extended for a closed deal.

"What are you-" Pea asked, dazed.

"Are you taking the fucking deal or not?" Volm barked,"You ponies and all your empty questions..."

"What is it then, why should I trust you?" Pea barked back," How do I know you're no lying?"

"I have made deals of my own. Though I look and act the evil part, my intentions are good...for a price," Volm said dryly.

"Of course, everything has a price," Pea glared at the blue demon,"Tell you what, I'll give you the stone after I find my whole crew. Alive."

A vein bulged on Volm's forehead, "I can't promise that their all alive, pebble. But if that's the way you want it, I'll even sweeten the deal with this," The hand he had extended clenched tightly, his nails drawing blood from his hand. His fingers uncurled and a shiny black, tangerine sized pearl lay in his gouged palm. Volm's inky black blood dripped on the medical bed Pea lay on like thick black syrup.

"The hell is that?" Pea grimaced.

A string stretched out of it as Volm dropped the pearl. Pea was quick to catch it and examined the disturbing object. Volm wiped his bloodied hand on his chest leaving black streaks,"It's a kind of...homing thing. It will help guide you to your friends, in the order you met them. The place where that friend is, a bit of white will point the way on it, the closer you get the whiter it gets. It's simple enough for something as menial as you, pebble."

Pea was hesitant, why had he simply shown up and offer so much help? She remembered his promise to anything that decided to fight him,'You'll walk away different then you walked in', hence her cyber legs. Though he was a complete monster and horridly cruel, he was a beast of his word.

"What will you do with Equestria? While I'm gone," She asked, still catching her breath.

Volm had a straight face for once,"I wont touch a hair on anypony's head. I won't corrupt, deceive or manipulate anything or any one here. I will be the watchdog of this land, you have my word as a bastard of nature."

Pea hesitantly looked at him,"I won't shake your hand, Volm. Never."

"Belial's ships travel further and further out on the sea each day," Volm itched his chin,"They may stumble across Equestria, or your friends. Just think of all the fun they'd have here, dominating these little whelps."

Pea's body shivered,"I won't make a deal. I'll never trust you."

"I already gave you a compass and my word, what more do you want?" Volm seethed.

"My legs back," Pea said bluntly.

The blue green demon thought about this. He itched his chin,"Perhaps...so what do I get?"

"I'll let you stay out of sight and out of mind here, unless somepony is in extreme danger," Pea commanded.

Volm cackled,"Even when you have no position, you still make demands," He shrugged,"Fine, come back with all of your friends alive, and I'll give you your legs back. Then you can live all peaceful and shit here."

Pea nodded simply. Volm rolled his eyes in disgust at the deal he agreed to.

The demon slapped on a business-like smile, "Glad we could come to an agreement! See you when you come back," Volm vanished in a wisp of steam. Pea sat in a numb state of mind at what just happened, a strange feeling of waking up coursed through the mare's body. Her mind was becoming clear and unclouded, sitting up awkwardly she hid her face in her palms.

"That bastard...what can I do to kill that thing?" She asked herself. Pea sat still aside from the faint sound of hoofsteps outside the infirmary.