“What are you doing soldier, is that how you shoot!? A sniper would see you a mile away before you even get the chance of spotting him!” My drill sergeant shouted out insults as I tried to take aim at the target. This whole shouting and insulting has been going on for two weeks. Two full fucking weeks that has been nothing but a pain in my ass. The drill sergeant that was tasked to train me and four other recruits, I could tell by the tone of his voice that he’s disappointed in most of us but I can’t tell if he sees one of us better than the other in being an elite sniper. If Rios was here he’ll give me some motivation support, right?

I’m not the best in ranged weapons that require a lot of intelligence to use as knowing the weapon from memory and what it does, but I guess with time and teaching I’ll be a know wanna be. For now, I favor the submachine guns, machine guns, and shotguns as I felt comfortable shooting them without aiming much. If there were going to be any other gun I’m gonna be used by me then it’s going to be all of them since I had gone through five different battles that were involved in wars between a country.

Killing is not easy as the thought sticks to your conscious, seeing the person you kill staring at you with those dead cold eyes with pity as you go about your day. I wish in simulations I don’t feel the emotional feeling that these men been through, I can’t shake off those memories of realizing I just killed a man for what I believe the greater good for being the good guy, but in truth there is no such thing as good or bad unless there is a full explanation. Knowing yourself and enemy gives you victory, knowing yourself but not your enemy even if you won a battle you feel defeat, but not knowing yourself and your enemy then every time you kill is always a wave of negative emotions and defeat. I don’t feel this defeat only does the person I’m seeing memories of does, how they regret killing just because of orders forcing them against their own will.

“That sniper won’t see me sir!” I take aim ignoring the sergeant and fired making a dead accurate shot between the circle and dot making it a good shot but not the best accurate shot to be considered a kill shot. I sighed out of disappointment and aimed higher up at another circle with a dot in it, but much smaller than my hand making it difficult to aim at the dot. Before I could take a shot one of the other trainees besides me shot and hit a millimeter or two above the circle making it a miss shot. I had forgotten that there were other trainees here at the firing range.

“What the hell was that soldier!?” The sergeant shouted out to the man on my right. Glad it wasn’t me, I can’t handle being yelled by that guy. I fired another 50.cal at the small target, the kick back slammed the against my shoulder causing it to ache from the third time firing this gun. Using this gun while standing would be more painful than laying down with the bipod and monopod setup. It was a direct hit as the hole from the bullet replaced the dot in the circle making it an accurate shot than the last one.

This went on for half an hour before the drill sergeant called off training. This whole learning how to fire a sniper rifle simulation was nothing but a pain in my ass. I am glad that training was over and that the sergeant can now shut up and begone before I shove his head up someone's ass. Why did I think to do that?

Everyone taking training at the military academy was all out on the field playing whatever sports here they have at their disposal. There were some “break time” here so that soldiers joining up to fight have at least some way to release stress than having it build up in every training they are assigned to. The break last for about an hour or two before everyone has to go back training for the rest of today, but I’m just glad to have some time away from getting yelled at for something I did correct or messed up on.

Outside I’m usually sitting on a bench reading books what has blurred words which would be useless to even attempt reading. I spent my time just thinking of the outcome if I ever wander off away from the ship. Would there be other intelligent life out there? I know that I had been watched from a distance by something, but how do I know they aren’t hostile? Rios already knew about it since I did report to him about seeing something in a distance doing its best to keep itself hidden from view, but I did managed to catch glimpse of the figure. I can’t say what type of creature it was as from the distance you can’t see anything other than a silhouette.

“Arien…” Everything around me froze as if time has been stopped by a snap of a finger. “...I’m pulling you out of the simulation.”

“Okay Rios,” I replied back, this had happened to me when I first got back into the simulation. It did surprise me to know that Rios was watching over me as the simulation goes, talking to me every once in a while giving me history lessons or identity of the weapon in my hands. “I’ll see you in the real world.”

Just like that everything went black before I opened my eyes to see a dim lit ceiling. The room that held the simulation had dim lights making the whole room seem like a place to hold a psycho in, though it had a reclined chair in the middle of the room with wires connecting it from the floor and monitors by it. What is connected to the headrest of the chair where the wires connect to these stabilize my brain to prevent the bleeding effect; blending effect of real-time memories and memories of the person in the simulation, but seeing as I don’t know the history of these people I don’t have to truly worry about them. Rios still didn’t want to risk the effect so he had me get off the simulation time to time before going back on for another session.

Sitting up straight in the chair I looked to my right. On my right was Rios standing by a monitor of my brainwaves and heart rate. He glanced up taking his eyes off the monitor before shutting off the machine.

“Welcome back to Arien, how was training?” Rios smiled, for once he actually smiles, and leaned against the monitor. This was my chance at getting to know Rios if I play my cards right.

“Sargent is an asshole if I hear him yell at me one more time I’ll shove my foot where the sun doesn't shine,” I said shaking my fist in the air as if I was cursing someone. I saw Rios covered his mouth chuckling into it. I was still planning on knowing him and this was good I make him laugh, I just have to keep this up. “So Rios, do you want to hang out with me?”

I have sworn a record player suddenly stopped giving the atmosphere an awkward moment. A sigh escapes from Rios as he placed his right hand on his muzzle. Oh shit, did I do something wrong to cause him to think or was there something in his mind? Whatever it is this has two endings and I’m rooting for the good one.

Rios lifted his hand off his muzzle and stared at me straight in the eyes, his gaze felt like he was burning two holes in my eye sockets. His frown turn into a grin before I even know it he fazed through the monitor and patted my head, well he couldn’t physically touch me but I can feel the warmth radiating off his hologram as his hand rested on my head. I think I got the good route I wanted! Not caring I smiled and tried to swat his hand away but I remember that he can’t be physically touched.

“Tomorrow, meet me at the crew deck in the lounge,” He said before walking away, but just when he reached the door he turned his gaze to me. “We’ll play a game there.”

The crew deck, I remembered going there when boredom had gotten me. It was when I first discovered how to play pool in the lounge and how drinking alcohol doesn’t really have much punch and flavor in them, like seriously make better alcohol that packs a punch and gets you drunk instantly. I don’t have a drinking problem if that’s what people see me as, I just want something that can take me away from reality, but then again the micro nanites in my body would just do something against the alcohol in my system. One of the many problems I see in my life in just being alive in these past three weeks.

I pushed myself out of my seat and stretched out my limbs from the hours sitting on that chair without moving is such a pain in the ass when the cushions not that fucking comfy for me. After the quick stretch, I wandered out the room to go find Jack. That little guy is still working on the right wing thruster, but thankfully Rios wasn’t that cruel to keep him busy he gives him two or three-hour break when it hits noons or four in the after. I’m the type of guy who needs someone to talk with or else I might go insane and start speaking to myself.

Speaking of my sanity I wonder how I’m still insane from how I woke up in a place I don’t recognize, fighting some wicked wolf, and learning that you are not what you expect to be from an AI that could be lying. How did I hold on for so long that it could break a man’s sanity in one week? Is this how a homunculus handles things just don’t think about it? If so then I’m down with being the creature I am. Acting like nothing is important other than the mission is making me feel like I’m just a soldier following order but one who can disobey that order. Is there such a thing as that?

My walk through the ship was cut short when a certain engineer drone flew by making a high pitch scream or whistle I think. I ran after the damn drone to see what seemed to be a small little furry guy yelling at the tops of its own lungs. Jack had to be built as a drone that fucking flies instead of building it with legs then again (twice) it would look weird to see a drone with a sphere body. That damn drone hovering over the floor gave him the advantage to go faster than me. Each turn I made my shoes would squeak as I continue my pursuit to get that thing off of Jack’s back.

“By my creator’s name Jack slow down or spin around like a panicking drone you are!” Jack finally heard my advice and spun around causing whatever that fur ball is to be flung at my face. All of a sudden everything went dark with rugged fur rubbing against my face. It didn’t take a smart ass to figure out what’s it doing. “AHHH GET IT OFF OH BY MY THE NAME HE’S HUMPING MY FACE!”

“WA XA IA!” I twist and turn trying to get his damn thing off my face and stop if from face fucking me! When I got the hold of the little FUCK I pulled it back but at the cost of my hair getting pulled.

“What the hell is going here!?” A flash behind me told its own news that Rios was here and now demanding what was happening. With a turn, I showed him this...whatever the hell it was. Now I got Rios’ attention and did I see a spark in his eyes?

“This bastard was riding Jack and slamming his little fist,” I said as the little fur ball was kicking and yelling bloody murder of whatever language it speaks. Was this little guy the one watching me in the snow? No, I wouldn’t have seen him in a distance unless up close because how small he was. I took my eyes off the little shit and looked at Rios to see his creepy grin and crazy stare. Something tells me that I already know what he has plan but I don’t want to acknowledge it.

“Seems like another inhabitant of this planet came to visit,” Rios pointed out licking his lips. Okay, this just went from being mad to scared of a fox that I wanted to know more of. “Arien would you be kind and follow me, I have a spot where our “guest” can stay for the night until we know what he is.”

If someone was expecting me to feel sorry for the little fucker they got me wrong I’m glad that Rios has something in mind for this fur ball it was payback for face fucking me. Rios gestured me to follow and I gladly followed him around the ship to one room with the little guy kicking and screaming at the tops of its lungs in its own language as we walked.

“Little guy seemed to be mad Arien…” No shit. “...Did you do something to make him mad?”
Rios asked sounding like a mother father a combination of both if I say, but in a creepy way. Is to it too late to reconsider our tomorrow hang out?

We entered the lab where Rios wanted the fur ball in and placed him in a sealed glass-like container with small drilled holes in it just to keep him breathing fresh air. The whole lab is what you expect from a lab except having some advance scanners, robotic limbs, monitors, glass containers, and few samples in some laboratory flask. I’m not much in science though I do feel like I did this before but for a different reason.

Before Rios could start any scanning and data collecting on the fur ball I walked out the room to the Armory as I feared that Rios would do more than scanning. On my way to the Armory, Jack whizzed by carrying circuits and wires back to the right thruster. There goes my plan thrown out the window on talking with Jack as he’s busy and so was Rios. I guess a change of plans was necessary now than later.

Arriving at the armory I looked around in the room to see what I had crafted. Clothes, guns, bullets, and armor, well one armor as I could no longer craft due to being low on material meaning no craft unless I find more. Actually that gave me a thought what if i have a quick word with Rios and say that I’m about to go around and see if i could find like some sort of underground cave buried by snow. That sounds like a plan doesn’t it? Now thinking about it the whole thing sounds like it won’t work.

I entered in the Quick Equip (should have thought a better name) and went through the two only winter clothes I have. German or Russian, both are meant for winter. I think I go with Russian since they had more experience in the cold and had faced the devastating snow storm that gave them the upper hand on taking back their capital (I think) and pushed the German army off their land. For Mother Russia! Oh, wait I’m not Russian I am german. Well that went a turn down but hey I did see through the eyes and fight as a Russian soldier in the second war.

Warmth is important when you’re in a snowstorm. I tapped the screen once causing the ceiling above to open up and bring down a cleaner pair of Russian winter clothes. Have I ever mention that it made two pairs instead of one like everyone would have thought when using something you don’t know what it does? If there was a no then I need to explain a bit more often in my journal.

I stripped myself of any clothing on me and traded it for the cleaner pair as I don’t want to smell my own reeking stench. Before I even go to Rios I have to visit the ship’s laundry room to clean my clothes. I’m not sure if there are other space ships having a laundry room for its passengers. Putting on a new set of clothes before I gathered up my dirty clothes and exited out the Armory to the laundry room.

The room was small as there were only two machines that cleans my laundry whenever I just leave them laying on top of the table. This is one way that I prefer to have my laundry cleaned and me not doing anything while the ship is cleaning my laundry as I’m going to be busy trying to find a cave or something like one. I just hope there not a big furry monster looking for the small one or else I’ll be fighting something I don’t know of. Fighting the unknown could be dangerous like holding a lit Molotov until the fire reaches the gasoline and blows up in your hand and catching you on fire. I don’t want to catch on fire considering how I’m literally wearing clothes that can light on fire! FIRE!

Speaking of fire I wonder if that little shit can catch itself on fire and melt the glass? With that in thought, I wandered out the laundry room and made way to the lab where Rios may or may not be documenting. I truly wonder what happens if you hit a hologram with another hologram, would they feel the pain like me?

When I arrived at the doors of the lab I rested my hand on the lever, but before I could open the door I heard screams coming from the other side along with a surgical saw. Okay, Rios is fucked up to the head. I swallowed the lump in my throat and taken a deep breath in through the nose and out through the mouth and opened the door to see the unspeakable.

“WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!?” I shouted at Rios, who had control of the robotic arms one with a surgical saw and the other holding out a data pad. Rios was a fucking crazy fox as how this whole thing looks like a torture chamber than a lab room now than before. It didn’t take long for the crazy fox to turn around with a wicked smile.

“Oh, you know just some dissection to see what’s inside this creature’s body as it is need for the sake of science!” Rios chuckled as if he said a joke, but this was nothing to joke around about. “I only uncovered a fifth of the creature’s species and language and this thing has been threatening how he’s going to call for more to attack if you don’t release him, isn’t that funny? Such a small creature threatening us. I can die happily if I were an organic. How I would enjoy doing these experiments if I could wander out in the snow looking for new species to study on. Imagine having to know every about that race, culture, anatomy, witnesses, history, and many more.”

“I-is this the same Rios, I’ve known these three weeks?” I thought to myself. If this was truly how Rios was then I don’t want to see him mad.

“Hey uh, Rios? I’m gonna go out and search the area, I won’t be back for a while,” I said making sure not to cause more chaos than what’s happening now. That wicked smile of his finally died as he was back to his normal-ish self.

“Oh, well don’t let me stop you,” He said turning his attention back to the unlucky fur ball. “Just don’t be late for tomorrow, I’ll be waiting in the lounge.”

Wow, just wow I was expecting him to be going against it and wanting me to keep a certain distance from the ship. I’m thankful that Rios didn’t. I went back to the Armory to grab a submachine gun and a secondary arm seeing how Rios gave me permission, well he didn’t care, on going out to look for a cave. I didn’t tell him about the cave part, but I guess he wouldn’t mind now seeing how he doesn’t care that I’m going out.

Turns out it was dark outside making it difficult to wander away from the ship, but at least the good news is that I don’t have to worry about losing the ship from my sight as how there is a flashing white bulb light at the back of the ship making it easier to find. The storm still the same always snowing no matter how long it has been, endless snowing makes it feel like the whole world is like this. I really hate the cold and I bet I’m not the only one here walking this snowy wasteland that wishes to be somewhere warm. I had prepared for this trip of mine being equipped with the PPD-40 and the Trench Gun, both guns I know how to use have a good amount of ammo for. Three drum magazines for the Russian submachine gun and thirty shotgun shells for the Trench Gun, this coat only has to pockets and the ammunition I have filled them up, well to be correct the third drum was in the other pocket forcing me to use the submachine gun first then the shotgun second.

The only sound I can make out here is the crunching snow under my boots and harsh blowing wind in my ears as I travel around searching for at least something out of the ordinary other than snow. I had been out for around an hour? Actually I think it's been more than an hour seeing how I’m much farther away from the ship and on top of a snow hill where I got the second least best spot to have a look at the terrain, but I can’t see jack shit because of the storm and how fucking dark it was. I wish I had one of those flashlights so I can see a bit farther but I don’t have the blueprints to make one nor enough materials. Now I regret crafting guns without thinking what I needed for this storm.

“Hey, what’s this?” I spotted something down the hill, in the opposite direction of the ship, that stood out a lump of snow on the side of the hill. Curious as to what it was I climbed down the hill and kept myself from losing my footing. I reached the lump and began to dig up the lump of snow until I spotted coat of black under a thin layer of snow. There was something under this pile of snow! I picked up the pace of digging and tried to piece together what had fur.

‘Is Luna here!? Did she tried to find me!?’ I tossed my gun aside and used both my hands throwing a handful of snows aside as the thought of Luna being out here for hours. It’s so dark out here but I’m sure that coat color belongs to Luna who else would be this close to the ship! I unburied half of Luna’s body from snow, but before my gears began to turn and take notice of missing wings I dug up the rest off of this horse and found out it wasn’t Luna.

This was another horse smaller than Luna, but she lacks the horn and wings. Being careless and rash I picked up the horse and held it close to my chest. After having the horse in my arm I picked up my gun and ran back to the ship where it’ll be warm and lots of blankets there to warm the horse in my arms up. I don’t know why there was a horse buried under snow but I can say one thing if I haven’t come out here then it would have died.

I made it back to the ship with the horse in my arm and entered the ship before going straight to the crew’s quarters where I am sure that there was a heater there to warm this horse up. Rios would be too busy to know that I had returned and Jack was still repairing the thruster making the whole arrive unknown which was good. If Rios knew that I had brought something back that inhabits this world then he’ll do the same to this horse like he did to the fur ball. I don’t want him to give the horse the same fate as the fur ball, I won’t forgive myself if he knows it’s here.

After creeping through the halls I made it to the crew’s quarters and entered in. I set the horse down on a bed and turned on the heat in the room, I just have to keep this horse warm. I walked back to the bed and sat at the edge before leaning my head over its snout. Soft breaths came out of the horse’s snout meaning that it's still alive, but the horse was still freezing.

‘Okay, I am getting annoyed at calling the horse, it.’ I leaned my head back and turn my body to the right. ‘It won’t hurt to check its gender, will it? I’m not going to regret this, am I?!’

Shaking the last thought away I reached over to the horse’s hind leg and lifted up to see nothing between the horse’s legs meaning it is a she. I should have guessed the gender than looking for myself! My head snapped to the side where I could check on the mare, but when I did she was awake with eyes wide opened and blushing. Oh by my creator’s name, she felt me lift her leg. I felt my cheeks begin to burn as our eyes locked together.

“Uhh hi…” Gathering to give a small wave the mare, surprisingly she waved back. Since we’re in a room with a light I now got a better look at her. The mare’s coat was white as snow, her crimson hair made her look unique, but for the eyes, they were a gorgeous red that could be compared to a ruby. We both continued to stare until I heard Rios rambling to himself on the other side of the door.

‘Oh shit!’ I bolt to the door and stood in front of and just in time too as it opened up to reveal Rios on the other side with a smile. ‘Please don’t notice.’

“Oh Arien, I didn’t know you have returned,” He said sounding surprised of seeing me back so soon. “I have great news, the fur ball language has been translated and written on a datapad where other languages go to. The creature is safe to eat meaning you can hunt them down and cook them if you ever like to, you finally get the chance to eat meat and even cook! It wouldn’t that be great?”

“Um yeah that’s great, I could finally have something to eat than that pink slime.” I smiled keeping myself in his view. “It’s good news to hear this Rios, but could we talk about it later when I’m not getting out of my clothes?”

Rios raised a brow before rolling his eyes, something tells me that I messed up. He leaned to the right which caused me to lean to the left blocking his view to the mare lying on one of the beds. Now he knew something was wrong when I did this and it’s going to be more difficult to keep him from seeing the mare.

“It’s dark outside and I could barely see two yards away do we have a flashlight laying around the ship? I can’t wander around the area in the dark and see only darkness and shadows,” I said trying my best to at least throw him off a topic of seeing what’s behind me. “ You can’t search around for a cave if it’s too dark outside to see anything in the distance and let’s not forget about the storm outside too making it difficult to see too. Plus if I do find a cave by accident there’s the same problem too dark to see anything. I wouldn’t know if there was some giant creature lurking inside ready to pounce at someone who can’t see in the dark.”

“Hmm, true having a flashlight would help the most.” Rios crossed his arms thinking deep, which was good! “I know the X16 has a build in light, but I also know there was another flashlight around the ship just don’t really remember where it was. The flashlight should look like a small cylinder that has a clamp attaching to it, this light is able to attach to nearly any gun. Remember the word NEARLY.”

Okay note to self flashlight look like a small cylinder with a clamp attached to it apparently Rios doesn’t know where this flashlight on the ship. I think I successfully clouded the crazy fox’s mind meaning that the mare was save from his crazy tactics of discovering a species. I truly want to know how Rios from the memory so kind and clueless like me to a fucking crazy scientist AI that wants to dissect an unknown creature for the name of science. When the hell did things went south and what caused it?!

“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow then,” I said wanting to end this soon if possible now. Hopefully, the mare doesn’t think she’s in danger, but then again I did lift her hind leg to see what gender she was and I have to admit this I also saw her nethers lips. Come on hold it together Arien keep your cheeks from flushing red.

“Yeah…” Rios walked away, but before he made his tenth step he turned with a smile. “...make sure to keep that mare company.”

“YOU FUCKING KNEW!” I was bewildered at how he knew that the mare was here. A chuckle came from the fox himself as he pointed at the camera above him. Oh shit, I totally forgot about the cameras around the ship, Ceria must have told him or I just got spotted by him when he happened to look at the security monitor.

“Ta ta.” Like that he disappeared, but not before he stuck his tongue at me.

What just happened? No really what just fucking happened right here in that few seconds of keeping Rios from seeing the mare. I’m having a mix signals from Rios, is he not going to dissect the mare or is he going to leave her alone? Actually, does she even speak English same Luna?

I softly hit my head on the doorframe and turn my head slightly to the right to see the mare staring at me. Maybe she did understand English. I sighed before I walked over to the mare and took a seat on the bed opposite from hers, she didn’t show any signs of being scared of me which makes me wonder if she even has a clue what’s going on.

“So, Miss.”

“Crimsonrose.”

“Huh?” I stared at the mare. I didn’t catch her name because she said it too fast.

“Crimson Rose,” She said clearly and slowly. Crimson Rose, what a unique name I have to say, but I guess the red hair what got her that name.

“Well, since you gave me your name I’ll do the same, the name is Arien.” I held out my left hand for her to shake, but stares at my hand not knowing what I’m doing. It took her a few seconds for her brain to click on figuring out what a handshake is before she reached out her right hoof and grasp my hand. I began to move our hand/hoof up and down before we pulled our forelimbs back.

Crimson Rose, can I ask you some questions?” I asked being calm and having collected thoughts of what to ask her. Rose gave me an approving nod which made it more confusing as to why she’s so calm, but thankfully I’m asking questions. “Why are you so calm?”

“Because I know you won’t do harm,” Rose answered. How does she...oh wait does me saying hi and not showing any hostile aggression towards her? “You would have killed me before I had awoken, chained me up in some dungeon, and armed with a weapon.”

“I guess that makes since, but I’m not a native to this planet,” I pointed out. She can’t be so calm after hearing that, can she? Turns out she was calm and didn’t show a single sign of fear meant that she’s sticking with her gut on knowing that I won’t harm her and she does make a point I could have killed her, locked her up, and stabbed her after she woke up. “Next question, how did you get caught up in the snowstorm at night?”

This one took Rose some time to think as her eyes were glued to the floor. I saw her lips moved but nothing came out from them, she was probably talking to herself but she could also be thinking of a lie to explain how she managed to get caught up in that storm. Either way, I just want this question to be answered.

“I lost my caravan out in the storm and I tried to find them, though it was too dark out and the storm hit harder than usual. I had tried to follow their trail before the storm hit, but when it did I couldn’t see three ponies away and the snow storm had covered the tracks making it difficult to find them. All this happened because how clumsy I was to sleep in the back of the sled, I didn’t know I would fall off the back in the cold without a single pony spotting me. I wonder if they ever notice I was gone, but I guess they didn’t since being caught in the storm is death how no pony could survive the harsh cold.” Rose tried to hold back a tear (so I thought) but she burst into tears. Being a kind man (homunculus) I reached out and patted her side saying that she can let it out. Only if I knew of what’s behind her story. After a few pats on her side and small quiet sniffles Rose wiped away the tears from her eyes and looked back up at me.

“Are you okay to answer two more or do you want to stop this?” I asked unsure whether to continue asking more or end this now and sum up what I got. Rose waved a hoof gesturing me to continue. “The next question I was going to ask was what is your species, but seeing how you already answered that I’m gonna tossed that one aside and ask the last one. Ahem, will you run away and return back home if you are left alone?”

“No!” I reared back head in surprised at how she responded, did I push a button? Rose realized her own action and lowered her head onto the pillow repeating her answer, but much more softly. “No, I won’t.”

‘Quick response on that meaning she doesn’t like home or her home was destroyed. I need more information about Rose’s past if I want to know why she said no so quickly. Her being this calm is kinda making me believe she has any sanity, but whatever keeping her calm is a good thing as I don’t have to worry about her screaming and trying to attack me.’ I couldn’t help but to sigh at how she’s acting hell I probably met her under twenty-five minutes and I’m getting the vibe of bullshit. It’s the best act to leave this alone and pick it up next time. I stand up off the bed and walked to the door, but before I left I gave Rose one look over to notice two blades on her rear. ‘Is that part of her fur?’

/Rose’s POV\

‘Oh buck, oh buck, how did I manage to get caught in the storm, without a winter coat for this snow storm, and rescued by a furless Dire Wolf who probably is an omega and was kicked out of the pack. How did I end up having the worst luck?’ I groan as I buried my face in the pillow, if I didn’t steal that weird compass then all of this wouldn’t have happened from the beginning. I’m not a thief only a mare who wants to have an adventure, not some boring life being some daughter of a warlord stallion. Ponies seeing you has a daughter of a warlord it's bothering because how stallions would want to marry a warlord's daughter just so he could be superior to those farming the crops and near the city wall.

I lift my head and stared at the door where Arien left through. Seeing as Arien knows that I won’t run and scream (so I think) I hopped off the bed and walked across the room to the door. When I reach at the latch sticking out from the door it opened up by itself leaving me confused of how it did that. I walked out the room where the beds were in and glanced at both my sides. This entire place was made out of metal and that must have been a pain to collect and build up in the north. Seeing how the halls were empty I took a right walked down the hall to where there might be more of Arien’s kind.

My father would kill me if he knew the reason as to why I left home. I guess being hidden here with Arien and this Rios might not be that bad as Arien seems kind and protective meaning if I get on his good side and become his friend then he’ll keep me safe from Rios, but finding him was going to be a pain in the flank as this whole place feels like one long hallway. Speaking of Arien, I haven’t run into him yet which was starting to worry me as the thought of another dire Wolf would find me and think I’m their next meal.

I picked up the pace from a slow walk to a light trot as I wandered through the halls. My ears began to pick up a sound of something humming down the hall. I slowed myself to a fast pace walk until I came to the source of the humming sound. The sound came behind a pair of metal doors with no handles attached to them.

‘How does somepony open them?’ I touched the metal surface of the door and stared at my reflection. A mare of crimson hair and red eyes along with a white coat staring at what she was now, a mare who’s been dumb enough to follow a compass out in a storm for three days without a winter coat thinking she might find something that would take her away from her troubles as being a daughter to a charger getting unwanted attention. Before I could pull my hoof back the doors opened without warning with Arien behind wearing different clothes.

“Oh, hey Rose didn’t expect you to be out here this soon,” He said walking past me. I took the chance to follow him making sure I stay close to his liking. We walked back to where I came from which was starting to worry me as there might have been other Dire Wolves around the corner, but when we did turn that corner there were none surprisingly. Usually when you find an omega there are sometimes a full pack in the area as omegas are just scouts and useless members of the pack being treated poorly. Being curious as a mare I am I decided to ask Arien if there are any other Dire Wolves around.

“Dire Wolves? I never heard of them, but if that’s what you think I am then you are wrong.” We arrived at the room where Arien and I had our questions. Arien grasped the latch on the door and slides it opened, which is a weird way for a door to open in my opinion. “ My kind is homunculus as for the Rios, who you didn’t see when I was blocking him from see you, is a fox. At first I thought he would try to bring you in for dissection, but I should have known better when I had brought you in he saw us on the ship’s cameras.”

We entered the room where I first woke up in this place. I watched Arien walked over to the corner of room by the door and picked up something before walking by me. Again I followed him wanting to stay safe even if his words were true I don’t really know my way around this place.

After walking through the halls and riding down, what Arien calls “an elevator”, we arrived at the main floor of this place. I don’t understand the layout or how big this whole metal den. We exited out of the elevator and walked through another set of halls, but this one was different as it was shorter compared to the others. Both of us stood in front of another pair of doors, but Arien told me to say which I listen as this place was his home and that I’m starting to believe that Rios and Arien are truly the only ones here.

I sat by the doors and glided my hoof across the metal floor as I waited for Arien to come back out from the room he was in. If ponies were here they would be disappointed to see a daughter of a war lord acting like a pet to another being. As I stared blankly at the floor my ears flicked at the direction of the doors where I hear something heavy moving behind them. Was there something behind these doors that Arien did not want me to see or was it for a different reason? I had lied to him about being dumb of sleeping on the back of the sled and falling off not even giving details of why my caravan didn’t go back or why I didn’t call out.

‘I really buck up with that make-believe story of mine,’ I thought to myself as the sound of the doors opening caused my ears to fall flat on both sides of my head. The guilt of lying really does make you feel sorry for lying to someone who saved you from the face of death, huh?

“There we go no more dangerous weapons laying around like a child’s playroom.” I don’t exactly know what he meant by that as I don’t really know much of what he means in words, but I do make my guesses on what he meant. I heard him approached me before I felt him tap my back with one of his claws.

“Rose, you okay?” I heard him asked. I nodded my head just so we won’t go into another long talk.

“Just tired.” Okay, maybe a small talk it good for today as it has been a pretty long day.

“True, you probably didn’t get any rest since you were between life and death out in that snow storm,” He said sounding pretty tired himself. There was a short time of silence before I heard him move. “I’ll walk you back to the crew’s quarters.”

There I was laying on the bed where Arien had put me on before I had woken up with him touching me and looking between my legs. I could have swung a hoof at the back of his head but at that time I thought he was a Dire Wolf already trying to mark me, thankfully he wasn’t. He’s going to pay for invading my privacy.

My eyes felt heavy meaning that I’m more tired than I actually realize than before. Resting my head on the soft pillow I closed my eyes and let sleep take over me.

“I know who you are.” My eyes snapped wide opened. I looked around to find who said that, but everything was different. The whole room wasn’t made out of metal anymore but wood looking like a royal bedchamber, the bed I lie on wasn’t the one I slept in instead a bigger one made for a royal couple.

“Ahh, I see you noticed your surroundings which makes it perfect for us to meet right now, but seeing how stressed you are I leave you at ease until I wish to speak with you.” The whispers, I couldn’t find who said it as the whispers came all around as if the walls were speaking to me. Is this what ponies have to deal with when they lie to somepony that’s good? I had lied to my father more than once and never have it ever had this happens to me until now.

“Who are you?” I asked looking around the room just to if there was a pony hiding in the dark, but I can’t see anypony hiding in the shadows.

“Umm no, take time to knowing Crysis more then I’ll tell ya my name doll face.”

“What?”

I heard the door’s lock clicked along with hoofsteps coming from behind the wall. I leaped off the bed and ran to the door seeing if it was locked. My hoof gripped the metal ball as I tried to pull the door back, but it didn’t budge. Failing to know that the door’ opens in a different way I turned myself around with my rear facing the door, I lifted by rear end up and pulled my hind hooves close to my stomach before bucking the door down.

Once I heard the door fall down I whipped myself around and bolted out the room to a narrow hallway with one door at the far end of the hall. I carefully walked towards the other door being cautious of what I step on as there might be traps hidden under these wooden floors.

Making it to the other end of the hallway with no surprises hidden around in this narrow space I gripped the handle of the door and pushed forward causing the door to reveal darkness on the other side. I jumped back to see if there were any traps attached to the door but there were none making me worry that I might let my guard down because of this. Tossing my worries aside I took the first step in the shadows. The ground felt solid enough to support my whole weight meaning that I can walk without worrying that the ground would be too weak to support my weight.

I continued to walk blindly in the dark before I saw light from the sky shining down. Being so blinded by joy I ran over to the lighted area. When I drew close to the lighted area I saw a dark silhouette approaching on the other side of the light. My body tensed up from the unknown figure as I stopped behind the beam of light shining down. The silhouette on the other side was tall as Arien was but I can tell something was different its left forelimb had some places where the limb was skinnier than the right forelimb.

I took a step back as the figure took a step forward into the light causing me to gasp.

Author's Note

I kinda went too far on this one, but hopefully, I found mistakes that wouldn't ruin reading out loud. If you see a mistake I and a friend of mine missed then comment down below and put the sentence with it so I know where to find them.