Daring Do and Atom's Wrath

Six and Daring finally stopped in a large clearing a few miles from the tree line well away from the city. Six stalked around the edge of the clearing gun in hand head turning back and forth as he took in his surroundings. Daring meanwhile pulled out a compass and a map from her saddlebags and started studying them intently.

“If we head northeast from here we should make it to the next town in a few days’ time,” Daring looked over at the still prowling Six. “We should be able to hide long enough then till a train comes through then hop on.”

“We should avoid using trains as much as possible, too predictable,” Six said not even glancing in Daring’s direction.

“It's too far to Canterlot on foot,” Daring traced a hoof along the map. “Plus, there’s a mountain range in the way. The train is the best option. Once we’re on there shouldn’t be too much trouble.”

“They could have people waiting for us at the next station,” Six holstered his gun and walked over to Daring. “We need to keep as low a profile as possible.”

“We’ll at least need to take a train through the mountain and up to Canterlot,” Daring pointed to the map at a picture of a tall mountain with a city on it. “Since the trains started going up there most roads have become unsafe to travel.”

“It could still be done,” Six said leaning closer to the map. “We’d just need someone who’s done some pathfinding before.”

“And where are we going to find somepony like that?” Daring threw her hooves into the air. “I’m an explorer, not a pathfinder. I generally fly where ever I need to go.” Daring flexed her wings to make her point.

“I can do it,” Six pulled the map closer to himself examining the paths closer. “I’ve done it before.”
Daring’s eyes narrowed as she stared at Six. “So, you’re a pathfinder now?” Daring asked. At Six’s silence, she sighed, “Right is there anything you can’t do?”

“Crochet, never learned how,” Six said never looking up from the map.

Daring stared at Six with a furrowed brow and an open mouth. After a moment she started chuckling which quickly turned into full-blown laughter. The sound echoed around the jungle which seemed to return the melodious note with one of its own.

“Feel better,” Six asked after the sound had died down.

“Yeah, yeah I do,” Daring panted out, wiping at her eyes. “You’re not too bad for a…” Daring’s eyes moved back and forth as her mind searched for the right word. Eventually, she gave up and turned to Six, “What are you exactly?”
“I’m a human,” Six said turning his head to look at the Pegasus, the green lenses of his helmet glowing eerily in the half-shade of the jungle.

Daring’s eyebrows raised, “A human? Really?” Six nodded as Daring eyed him with renewed interest. “That’s… interesting. There are legends of humans dating from before the founding of Equestria to even two hundred years ago.

“Two hundred?’ Six asked tilting his head to the side and turning his body to fully face Daring.

“Yep,” Daring nodded her head not noticing how tense Six’s body was. “There are accounts of bipedal creatures wearing metal suits and the power of the sun in their claws.” Daring tapped her chin, “Most stories make them out to be guardians of the ponies in the area now called Ponyville.” She pointed at the map to a town at the base of Canterlot mountain. “They disappeared as quickly as the showed up and no pony’s ventured deep enough into the Everfree to find out what happened to them.”

“Why not?”

“Superstition mostly,” Daring shrugged. “The thing you have to understand is that magic permeates everything here and all ponies have an innate ability to control it. But the Everfree forest actively resists this control and that weirds most ponies out.”

“People fear what they don’t understand,” Six said staring at the area on the map marked ‘Everfree Forest’.

“Exactly,” Daring’s eyes brightened, and a smile spread across her face. She opened her mouth to continue speaking.

“I sense another lecture coming on,” Rosie trotted out the trees at the edge of the clearing, the shadows clinging to her coat as her slit pupils gleamed from the darkness. “Tartarus, I think I learned more about history listening to her then I did in school.”

“One should always take care to learn from the past, so they don’t follow in its steps,” Six said in a low even tone as he stood.

“True enough,” A lazy smirk adorned Rosie’s lips. “But one should also look to the future, so they don’t get stuck in the past.

“Ugh I hate philosophy,” Daring rolled her eyes. “Too much talking and thinking, not enough doing.”

“Says an egghead,” Rosie snarked.

Daring bristled, her fur fluffing out and her wings flaring, “I’m not an egghead.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Rosie brushed off Daring anger with a wave of her hoof as she walked towards them. Her nose twitched, and she halted her approach her nose twitching. “Why am I still smelling blood?”

Daring looked over her clothes and found them surprisingly clear of blood despite the fight. “Not me, though you do realize we were just fighting for our lives right?”

Rosie rolled her eyes, “Yeah I know, this smells decently fresh though.”

Both pegasi looked over the Six you simply stared back. “I’m fine,” Six said turning away from the mares. “Just a stab, nothing major.”

“Right, just a stab that I can still smell blood from,” Rosia said her nose scrunching.

“I’ve had worse,” Six said refusing to give any ground.

Daring reached forward and poked Six in the side before he could back away. “That’s not the point,” She growled, glaring at Six. “We’re in this together, we can’t just hide stuff like this. Even if it’s not serious we need to know.” Another poke which Six quickly backed away from. “Come on we need to see it now.”

“No,” Six stepped further away from the mares. They stubbornly walked towards him.

“You’re not getting away from,” Daring said a slight growl leaving her lips. “We need to know how bad it is.” Her expression softened. “From what I gather you’re used to being alone but right now you’re not alone. So, let us help.

Six stared at the ponies for a moment before speaking in a low tone that almost had the Ponies straining to hear,” It’s not about needing or not needing help.”

Daring and Rosie tilted their heads at Six, confused frowns crossing their faces. Instead of answering verbally, Six moved his coat out of the way. There was a hole in his shirt just past the chest piece. The fabric was stained red around the hole in a small circle.

He spread the hole to reveal the wound, which wasn’t much of a wound anymore. It had scabbed over, the edges of the scab starting to peel off. A yellow bruise surrounded the wound, and that was even starting to disappear.

“What the tartarus!” Rosie nearly yelled the words as she took a step back.

“Do all humans heal that fast?” Daring asked taking a step forward, nose twitching as she studied the wound. The bruise had gotten smaller as more of the scab flaked off revealing the scar underneath.

“No,” Six said letting his coat fall back over his body. “I’d prefer to let this drop.”

“Let this drop?!” Rosie’s wings flared as fear flitted across her face. “Let the fact that you’re healing at a rate that would normally require a heavy amount of magic to do?!”

“It’s probably science, not magic,” Daring said turning to Rosie. “And that’s nothing. Yesterday I had a broken leg and wing.”

“Minitour shit,” Rosie spat as she glanced over Daring. “There is no fucking way.”

“It’s true,” Daring flared her wing, flexing them up and down. “Caballeron captured me and was torturing me for info. Six here saved my life, even killed Caballeron with that thing on his hip, what’s it called?” Daring looked over at Six pointing to the device on his hip.

“A gun,” Six offered.

“Right, a gun,” Daring turned back to Rosie then whipped her head towards Six again. “Wait wait wait, that’s a gun?”

“We’re getting off topic here,” Six said.

“Right, right,” Daring nodded.

“Caballeron’s dead?” Rosie’s voice was barely a whisper, a scowl on her muzzle. “Well good riddance that smarmy bastard.”

“He wasn’t always like that,” Daring’s ears flattened.

“Just because you dated him doesn’t make him any less of a bastard,” Rosie’s scowl deepened.

“You dated him,” It was more a statement than a question from Six.

Daring’s eyes flitted back and forth, “Aren’t we getting off topic?”

“They dated for a few months, he cheated on her with some whorse from the university and stole some artifacts she was gathering,” Rosie jabbed a hoof at Six. “Now why are you healing so fast.”

“Why is this so important,” Six asked.

“Because only ponies under the direct influence of magic heal that fast. Either from another unicorn,” Rosie’s eyes narrowed, “Or dark magic.”

“I’m not a pony.”

“You just admitted humans don’t heal that fast.” Rosie shoved a hoof in Six’s direction. “As far as we know you could be a dark magic user using us to get to Equestria, so you can rape and pillage your way through it.”

Six’s hands clenched as the words hit him. He stood in silence for a moment before advancing on Rosie. She cowered, ears flattened and tail tucked, as Six towered over her the green lenses of his helmet boring into her amber eyes. Finally, he spoke, “Believe what you want. I don’t answer to you.” With that Six spun on his heal and stalked to the edge of the jungle drawing his gun from his side.

As he disappeared in the jungle Daring spun to the still cowering thestral, “What the tartarus was that Rosie?” She all but shouted the words causing Rosie to flinch. “Need I remind you he saved my life. Shouldn’t that warrant a little more trust?”

“You saw what I saw right?” Rosie pleaded eyes wide. “He’s not natural.”

“Thestrals weren’t considered natural two hundred years ago,” The sharp words caused Rosie to slink even further from Daring. “Plus, he hasn’t used a single drop of magic since I’ve met him.”

“But-“

Daring’s glare silenced Rosie, “Besides that, you and I both know what dark magic feels like even when not visibly used. Have you felt that? Cause I haven’t.”

Rosie’s ears flattened again as she stared at a particularly interesting piece of grass. Daring huffed and trotted away. She disappeared into the jungle following Six’s path.

She found Six leaning against a tree not too far from the clearing. His helmet was off as he stared at the gun in his hand. He looked up at Daring his grey eyes meeting hers. They locked eyes for a moment, long enough for her to see the haunted look in his.

She sat down next to him still just watching as his attention turned back to the gun in his hand. “I trust you, you know,” Daring said in a soft voice. “I know at this point I sound like a broken record, but you saved my life. You had no reason to, yet you did.”

Silence reigned once more as the sat. Six sighed before speaking, “I could have killed them all.” Daring looked up at him brow furrowed. “It would have been easy, I’ve done similar things before.”

Daring shook her head, “Doesn’t matter what you did then. It’s matters what you do now.”

“Tell that to the ghosts clawing at my back,” Six stood to his full height his helmet appearing to cover his face. “I’m going to check the perimeter, make sure no one’s around.”

Daring nodded, “There’s a small town a few days walk from here. If we get started early we should be able to stay ahead of Steel Arm.” She looked back to the clearing. “I’ll see what Rosie has for supplies and set up a small camp. I’ll take the second watch.” Six said nothing as he walked off causing Daring to sigh. “And we’re back to silence.”