Two Hundred Days

Day 88

Gala Hat's Log

Just like the others, we found Keen Eyes at the base of Canterlot's mountain. Crush and Sweet Tooth were the first two to come out of there. We wouldn't have spotted them if Red Diamond wasn't sleeping on the rooftop again. They shone a signal light, a common unicorn beacon to call for help, so we sent Lotus and Lilac out to investigate.

We were all shocked at what we saw. Crush's horn had been snapped and glued back together, and Sweet Tooth was covered head to tail in painful brands. We tried to save them, but we weren't the only ones who saw their light. The Changelings came before we could carry them off, and certainly before they told us what had happened. The last thing Sweet Tooth said to me before a Changeling swarm split us apart was "Wait for the others."

So every evening, under the cover of darkness, me, Lilac, or Lotus would fly out to that same spot and look for Keen and Mint. Whatever they did when they left us stirred up something in the Changeling nest, and now the streets are once again filled with guards. Not as many as before when the E.U.P started their advance distracted the Changelings, but it was still dangerous to move about.

And then we found Mint Leaf only two days before Keen Eyes showed up. Compared to the state of of Crush and Sweet Tooth, she had things better, but she still won't talk to any pony. Her left foreleg is totally crippled and it's a struggle to get her to eat and drink, but she is still alive.

By now, three messages have been played over the radio. Two of them were from Manehattan, hosted by DJ-Pon3 to boost the nation's morale. The third one is unclear. We picked it up on a really old frequency after Copper Tail got bored and messed with the settings. It was a short series of beeps played on a loop, and it just kept going, and going, and going.

It sounded something like this:

di-di-dit di-dah dah-dit dah-di-dah-dit dah di-di-dah dah-dah / di-dit dah-dit / di-dah-di-dit di-dah di-di-dit / di-dah-dah-dit dit dah-dah-dit di-dah di-di-dit di-di-dah di-di-dit

I've never heard anything like it, but I feel like it's important. If it's some kind of code then there must be a reason for it to be protected in a code.

Day 88 part 2

Red Diamond's Log

Finally, a chance to settle down. The morning after Keen and his scout team left us Gala Hat got really paranoid. I totally get it, other ponies were paranoid too, but I just wanted to sleep.

Instead White Hoof, Lotus, Triple B, Gum Drop, and Gala voted to move our base to somewhere closer the the edge of Canterlot, in case we needed to leave in a hurry. We must have spent the whole day just looking for the right place. Gum Drop wanted to use a big fancy hotel while White and Triple B tried to pull us to a sports shop. Somehow, Gala got us all to agree to set up at a small bed and breakfast place called "The Lonely Manticore" with a really scratchy carpet material.

It's warm and cozy at least, so I guess it's not that bad. I'm freaked out at what happened to the scouts though. I mean, who wouldn't be. Crush was one of the toughest ponies I've ever seen, and for him to show up broken like that, it's just not a pretty picture to think about.

After we decided to stay at the Lonely Manticore we spent the entirety of the following day moving our stuff over there. Unlike the mansion, the food in the bed and breakfast were not only sub-par, but most of it was spoiled too. Gotta hand it to the rich, they know their foods well.

Gala also insisted I bring all the spare parts and scrap metal the Keen always lugs around with him. Me, of all ponies. Why not Triple B, he's more like a pack mule than any of us. But no, instead he and White Hoof got to sit on the rooftops and watch for Changelings and drink cider, and since no Changelings showed up that day, they just sat around and drank cider; that's supposed to be my job.

The job I have now, which is looking after Mint, is much better. There's not much to do aside from getting her to eat each meal and calming her down when she gets one of her "fits." It's a little hard - she screams and shakes half of the time, and the other half she hallucinates and experiences violent spasms. When it gets to that I end up having to tie her up in a blanket before she hurts herself.

It's all really weird. I don't get more then a few hours of sleep at night - Mint's fits happen most often after hours - and I'm too busy rehabilitating her in the day to take a good nap. I thought I'd hate it, but seeing Mint slowly coming out of her fracture state feels kind of good.

Day 89

Lavender's Note

I am still learning to write but Gala said I was ready for my own pajes in the book. I get scared when I look at Mint or Keen. No pony tells me why they left. No pony tells me anything. Only Gala and Copper play with me, and Copper only scares me with kitchen knifes. He is not like my daddy, Keen is. Keen help save me one day and I don't ever forget it. Gala takes care of me so she is like my mom.

I remember my real mom saying to me that daddies and moms should love each other. She once said my real daddy was a basterd. She never said what a basterd is, but I don't think she loves him.

I think Gala loves Keen though. She cried when she saw him. I did too. That means we both love Keen, so he is my daddy.

Day 89 part 2

Gala Hat's Log

Without any medicine I don't know what we can do for Keen. Both his rear hooves are gone, replaced with metal versions nailed into his legs. It looks like any other infection we've seen. It's the same as Hay Bale and Hammer, and they're both gone now. Keen could really be next.

We didn't think we would need antibiotics. I'm sure the mansion has some, but it's swarming with Changelings now.

Day 89 part 2

Copper Tail's Log

I gotta say, if my cooking won't snap them out of whatever state they're in, I don't think nothing would. Fried hay and grape apple cider makes any pony feel better. Damn, whatever they found back there really did a number on them.

I wish we knew what to avoid, what to look out for. They left nothing for us when they left, so we can't be sure about what happened. Gala Hat doesn't think they went into the castle, she says it wouldn't have been that long to go in and out. I'm with her on that, but there's no other lead we have.

We need to pull them back and get some answers. I bring Keen Breakfast and lunch everyday and I see his cold, empty eyes looking at me, like he doesn't know who or what I am. It's freaking me out man, that guy was always the most level headed of us.

Day 89 part 3

White Hoof's Log

I went out hunting a couple of Changelings with Triple B this morning to honor those who left us. Together we took down a squad of four; one for each of the scouts who are either dead or injured. Triple B's not talking, probably still shaken up about Crush being gone. I wasn't that close with Crush, but he was a good stallion.

Day 92

Gala Hat's Log

Thank's to Red Diamond's hard work - never thought I'd say that - Mint Leaf's making good progress to recovering. She still can't walk alone, but there's nothing we can do about that. Her fits have stopped but she's still not talking to any pony.

Keen on the other hoof, he's not well at all. We've tried removing the metal hooves nailed to him, but we don't have the skill to do so. Luckily some alcohol was available to clean his wounds, but the nails are leaving his skin open to infection so I have to clean it every morning and night.

Getting him to eat is still nearly impossible to do. For whatever reason he starts violently vomiting after a full meal so we need to slowly give him food and drink throughout the day. I talk to him to calm him down but he never says anything back. And at the end of each day he looks for something. I don't know what but there's something he needs, and if we find it we could get his mind back on track.

Day 93

Red Diamond's Log

Mint said her first words this morning. It was like a whisper of the past, hearing that "thanks" when I served her milk and cookies this morning. I asked her how she was doing, and she said "yes." Then I asked if she knew her name, and she said "yes." I asked her if she could tell me her name, and she said "yes." I asked her what her name was, and she said "yes." Still so much work to do. We've done what we can for her foreleg, but I think it's been set incorrectly, and limping around moves the makeshift cast so much she flinches with each step. It's still more success than Keen's had.

Day 93 part 2

Gum Drop's Log

I tried to get some better food from the restaurants across the street, but I galloped back here as fast as I could when I saw how many Changelings were searching the city. I guess Keen and the others gave us away. They're scanning all of Canterlot for other ponies, and I don't think we can hide here for long. The others are already taking over it while I take watch over Mint and Keen.

Day 93 part 3

Gala Hat's Log

We should have realized they'd look for us after they found Mint and Keen. No, we should have realized it long before that. After Keen took the others on reconnaissance we could have repaired a carriage from the street, gotten ready to flee. Even if we left everything behind and ran, we couldn't carry Keen and Mint with us.

On top of all that, I have Lavender to worry about. Moving will be hard on her, and I don't know how she'll react to leaving Keen and Mint behind if we have to. I have to admit we might not have a choice in the matter. If the Changelings find us, we can't escape with them on our backs.

On the other hoof, Red Diamonds thinks we can get leave now, take a broken cart right outside and ride it down the mountain and make our way to Manehattan. That's the best place to find medical treatment, but there's no way we could get there without running into a war zone or losing Keen to his infection.

We could go west, but Los Pegasus is just as far. Cloudsdale's out of the question for obvious reasons. If we did leave tonight, our only hope to get anywhere would be to follow the train tracks south to Dodge Junction and Appleloosa, or north to Vanhoover. Neither of those places sounds good but we're at the end of our ropes. Red Diamond's right: if we stay we'll die, or worse, end up like Keen.

Day 93 part 4

Lavender's Note

Gala Hat says we are going to run with Keen and find him help. The Bad Ones are coming to find Keen. The Bad Ones want my new daddy, but I want him more.

Day 93 part 5

White Hoof

I need to fix up this carriage before night falls. That gives me about two hours to replace two wheels, reinforce the suspension, board up the top of the carriage, and replace a hinge on the door. Triple B's good for the heavy lifting, but bless his tiny brain, he can't do more than hammer in some nails. Glad we still have Keen's scrap metal, or else this carriage's going no where.

Lotus and Lilac are looking out for the Changelings as we work, circling the Lonely Manticore like two squawking crows. At least the Changelings are sweeping away from us, for now. In a few more days they would have been right on top of our base, probably with Keen and Mint as ruined as ever.

I don't mean to sound like a pessimist, but if we take those two in their state, they might jeopardize our exodus from Canterlot. We already not sure on where to go, we don't need one of those two break down on the road. If surviving this means I have to live with their lives on my conscious, then so be it I'll will put them down the moment they slow us down.

Day 93 part 6

Copper Tail's Ramblings

One carriage for food and cooking utensils is all we get. Two bales of hay already fills that thing to the brim, a bowl of fruit and some carrots might squeeze in but there's nothing more we can take. My saddle bag's just trying to burst with all the pots and plates that I have to bring. At least we've quit taking Keen's box of metal salvage. I wish Triple B could take the cookware, but he's hauling the food.

Night's about to fall on us and Gala Hat's trying to coax Keen out of his room; she's been at it for the past hour but he won't budge. Red got Mint on board really quick, but still no words out of Mint except the occasional "hi" or "yes." At this point, I don't think Gala can get on board with us, but I hope she won't forget the escape just for him. Keen was a great dude, but we can't afford him like this. In any event, Gala Hat's basically the new leader and we need her along regardless of Keen's condition.

Night 93

Gala Hat's Log

I managed to get Keen to come along, but with great effort. I had to tie him down to his bed and tie the mattress to the top of the carriage. He wasn't struggling dramatically, but he simply didn't want to leave. I guess he's okay with being strapped down to a mattress though. It took a little longer, but we finally took our leave only half an hour after dark.

Everything was fine until we got to the outer gates. They were even rustier than when we came to Canterlot, and though we managed to buck it down, we also managed to alert nearly every Changeling in the city. If it wasn't for our huge head start, they would have swarmed us. The road down hill really put us ahead for the first hour, but once we got on the road to Ponyville we were really slowed down.

There's no doubt they're still following us, but for now we're out of sight. We've taken the road to Ponyville to find the railroad, and maybe we'll find out where we should be headed. Every pony's put the decision into my hooves, like they did when Keen led them. My head is wracking with pain from the pressure of the choice.

Los Pegasus was one of the biggest cities before the collapse, probably still teeming with ponies. Probably.

Appleloosa is secure for now, but it's been isolated from the rest of Equestria by a Changeling siege. Getting there would be hard, but if we manage to make it we just might find help for Mint and Keen.

Dodge Junction was a small town, said to be one of the few places untouched by the Changeling's surprise invasion. It's the least likely target for the Changelings, but there's next to no chance for us to find a professional doctor in Dodge.

We could try and make it to Manehattan. No, it's too far and too dangerous. We've had no radio contact with any station from Manehattan for days. From last we heard, the land between us and Manehattan is completely overrun. Oh how I wish I could hear something from DJ-Pon3. Any news from Manehattan could really soothe the nerves.

Day 95

Gala Hat's Log

We've been evading the Changeling search parties at nearly every corner. They're really not letting us go, which scares me even more. Their stupid insect wings let them overtake us and recolonize the ruins of Ponyville. They're pretty much building it from the ground up; the Wonderbolt strike on it didn't leave much. Not even the ruins of the old castle was left.

It sucks, hiding here in the edge of the Everfree Forest. The carriage can barely move in the thick flora, and no pony can sleep for more than a few minutes without something from forest hooting or screeching or scratching. At this rate we'd have to head south through Ghastly Gorge to avoid the walls of the Changeling fortress. If we do, then the choice has been made for us; Dodge Junction and Appleloosa would be the closest cities to us.

Day 95 part 2

Red Diamond's Log

Being out here in the forest has really given Mint a new well of recovery. The scent of the trees, the blooming flowers, the ripening fruit; everything in nature is bringing out more of Mint each day. She can answer simple questions with a coherent answer, but her leg's still severely broken. Limping around's difficult for her, but her cast's holding better now with some new tree sap.

I keep telling Gala Hat she should let Keen walk for himself and see if the forest can help him like it did for Mint, but she's worried he'll wander off or infect his metal hooves. Just writing about it gives me the jitters, but Keen's had no improvement since we found him, and the nails are digging into him anyways. I don't think a simple walk could do much more harm than that dusty mattress he's strapped to.

On another note, I swear I can feel timber wolves watching us, growling at us at every moment. Every time I try to sit down for a nap, which I still try to do at all times, I constantly hear heavy breaths coming from the deeper parts of the forest. White Hoof tells me it's just Triple B's exasperated mouth breathing, but not even that buffoon can make a growl like a timber wolf.

Day 96

Gala Hat's Log

After leaving the carriage stuck in a pit of mud, we've had to take what food we can and carry it in our saddle bags. We have enough for a few days, but there's no way we can make it to Los Pegasus if we wanted. Vanhoover's out of the question as well then too. The Changelings are still building up a fort on top of what used to be Ponyville. Looking at it now, I still can't believe we were living there two months ago. I can't believe two months ago I was still with Nurse.

But there's no time to cry over a city's ruin. We're still hiding from Changeling search parties as they comb the area for ponies, and we'll have to make a run for it down to Ghastly Gorge if we want to get out of their reach. I didn't want to make Keen walk, but I had no choice once the carriage began to sink into the mud pit.

We couldn't bring any antiseptics with us - there wasn't much left in the Lonely Manticore anyways - so Keen's going to have to struggle through the nails tugging at his skin in every step. He's healed around most of it, but those metal hooves those monsters put into Keen are opening new cuts in his leg as the nails creep up into his flesh. Sweet Celestia, I'm feel... so sick just taking about it. I have to-

Day 96 part 2

Gum Drop's Log

Vomiting is a waste of food, especially now. If the Changelings didn't hear Gala Hat's regurgitation, they'll probably smell it soon enough. It's okay though, now that we're at Ghastly Gorge. Well, it's okay for every pony but me and Triple B. Once look at the rocks and we all knew Keen was not making it through the gorge without help, so I have to carry Triple B's saddle bag of hay while Triple B carries Keen.

I don't get why Red Diamond makes fun of Triple B. This entire escape wouldn't be possible without him; he pulled the cart out of Canterlot and through half of the Everfree Forest, he lugged the most food in his saddle bag, and now he's pulling another pony's weight too. All Red ever does is talk to Mint. It's been helpful, I suppose, but that mare's been lazy ever since our days as Marketeers. Talking is pretty much all the work she'll be willing to do, and even then it'll be too much for her. Wish Triple B was a Marketeer instead of a bandit when we were in Ponyville, sure would have made some hell of a difference.

Day 97

Gala Hat's Log

We've lost the Changelings for now but as soon as they expand that fort of theirs their reach will definitely cover this whole area. Hiking across the gorge is probably the best chance we have to completely avoid the Changelings. We don't know how long it will take us, and there's no time to fly up ahead and scout the whole place, so we'll just have to have faith and hope it's deep enough to keep us out of sight.

Lavender's pretty scared from stories she heard of giant eels living in the rocks, but I keep telling her they were cleared out after a severe weather incident a few decades ago. But old legends are White Hoof's specialty and he keeps spouting old ghost stories of travelers eaten by the eels. Every pony else isn't moving to well on this rocky terrain either. Changeling scouts pass overhead a few times and we have to cling to the edges until they finish passing over the area. All together we're making pretty slow progress at the moment.

At least Triple B's taken a fast pace when he can, even with Keen on his back, so that every pony else has to keep up. At this rate we'll be out of the gorge and on our way to Dodge Junction. No pony want to go near Appleloosa after escaping from the Changelings in Canterlot, even though it's been over hundred days since the first attack on Equestria, when it was announced that Appleloosa was under siege. A lot could have changed, in fact Appleloosa could be the biggest city in Equestria outside of Manehattan. But that's too big of a chance for some others (Copper Tail I'm looking at you).

We got to get a move on in a few minutes. There's a pretty big shelf just two or three kilometers ahead, and we want to set up camp there before it gets well and truly dark, and the twins are already complaining about the cold air.

Night 97

Red Diamond's Log

It's great to finally get a chance to rest after hours of treading through that horrible gorge. Ghastly can't describe what it is, it's completely insane. The rocks are hard and sharp and I scraped myself twice just trying to get up onto this cold stone ledge. The damn cliff side is impossible to traverse. At least Triple B was able to bring up Keen with brute force alone. Stallion's just as insane as the gorge itself.

Mint Leaf's progress it going very well out here. She's been talking to every pony more throughout the day, even trying to comfort Keen Eyes a little. She keeps telling him to remember, remember, and remember. But remember what? I wish we knew what went on in that castle, the same way any reader will know what we're thinking as...

Oh shit, we're idiots.

Day 98

Red Diamond's Log

Sweet Celestia, I... oh, I don't know what to think after tonight. I spent hours flipping through the pages, looking for the pages we ignored during our shock. Every pony's made a habit of not looking back, just writing forward. Maybe we can't hold onto the past, so we just lock it up in here, like what Keen did when he was so cruelly tortured by those sick, twisted, fuckers. Damn it I can't even swear enough to... whatever.

We're leaving right after breakfast and I don't want the little one to hear my language or Gala will have my hide, but I don't think Lavender can handle hearing what they did to Keen. Gala will want to know. She needs to know,now that I think I've found out what's wrong with Keen. No matter what happened down there this journal seemed to keep him tethered to sanity. If we get him to write, maybe something inside him will be fixed.

Probably won't be writing much from now, with Dodge Junction just a day or two away every pony wants to get there before we run out of food. I don't want to do the extra work, but I guess going hungry is worse. I can handle a bit of hunger but Gum Drop and Copper Tail will lose it if they skip a meal.

Day 98 part 2

Lavender's Note

The night was very cold and the fire was small. No pony talks becuase they are tired. Gala says I need to eat hay to grow big but the hay taste yucky.

Day 98 part 3

Gala Hat's Log

I flew up ahead to check out how much farther we have until we're out of Ghastly Gorge, and it looks like I underestimated the length. We'll probably have to make camp again tonight, even if every pony keeps up with Triple B's pace with no breaks. I'm thinking of flying Keen up ahead to Dodge, but he's too heavy with those metal hooves on him. Lotus and Lilac could help though, but we don't have much food to split up, and without a pegasi with the group they won't have bird's eye view of the gorge. They might get lost easily.

But Keen's infection's returned, and we're out of any alcohol or antiseptics or anything. We'll need another day or two to get out of this place and probably another three or four to walk all the way to Dodge Junction. I don't know if Keen can handle another week like this, he's already sleeping through most of the day and our water is running low. Abandoning the group to save Keen could save him. He's the last pony I've got from the old times, I can't lose him.

Day 99

Red Diamond's Log

Crap, this is bad. Gala Hat took and the twins took Keen and Mint last night. She talked to me about taking Keen to Dodge first and coming back, but she needed to take the twins to do it. I said no, but clearly that meant nothing to the bitch, and now she's even gone off with Mint, as if all my hard work did nothing to make her better. It gets better, half of the food and water's gone with them too, and worst of all I'm left here to watch Gala's precious little brat, the thick head, fat ass 1, fat ass 2, and White Hoof. When I get my hooves on her, I'll... do something.

I'm getting out of here today, and I'm taking this stupid journal to Keen and he better write like his life depended on it. As much as I hate it, I'll need Triple B to take my saddle bag or else there's no way I could handle climbing out of here. Oh yeah, that was the other thing we needed pegasi for, carrying grounded ponies out of this cursed place!