A Thousand Lives

I woke up to soft morning light. I shuffled calmly, enjoying the peace. I glanced over my shoulder. There was Celestia, looking at me with thoughts on her mind. I fell off the couch. "JESUS FUCK!" I sprawled on the floor, scrambling for a gun, a sword, even a sturdy stick. After a quick moment I realized I was not only alive, but she had been with me while I slept. I swallowed my paranoia.

As I tried to stand I heard the princess giggle again. "I think we still have more to discuss."

I didn't like the sound of that. I stood up quickly, bag dangling from my shoulder. I peeked in it and saw the void. Okay, nothing messed with. I looked at her. "Fine, keep it quick."

She looked at me. "It has been so long since anypony has told me anything like an order." Her face was a mask, but mine was too. I didn't trust her, especially since I didn't remember falling asleep. She sighed. "Fine, I saw you in action there. You killed three creatures like you, for a friend you had known for approximately two minutes. This worries me, but also gives me hope. I shall allow you to stay, for now." I nodded and shoved a hand in my bag, before pulling out a breakfast bar. She glanced at it, but continued talking. "You are a killer, and one who is obviously hurt, so you shall have a caretaker whenever you leave the farm."

I ripped open the bar, but paused as she said that. "I don't do babysitters." I took a large bite out of the bar, blanching at the taste. "I hate macadamia nuts." I then took another bite.

Celestia's ears perked up. "Then why are you eating it?" I shrugged, which seemed to shut her down. She cleared her throat. "Well then, I shall repeat you will have a caretaker, but more to look at your..." She stole a look at my arms. "Injuries, as well as learn about you. Consider it as somepony to make sure that ponies don't automatically seem suspicious of you."

I nodded, and took another small bite. I really hated macadamia nuts. But food was energy. I pulled myself into standing and dug around in my case. "You owe me one for Mr. Friendly. help me out."

Celestia paused, before nodding. "Very well, what can I do?" I pulled out another mine, of approximate friendly payload. I smiled.

Celestia took my request for a small hole well, and we replaced Mr. Friendly quickly. She then teleported away without another word. I felt it was rude, but checked the tablet regardless. It was fine, and I set it up with the new mine before going back inside. I took in the room and smiled. Time for the safe house ritual, weapon check.

It was a few hours before anyone knocked. They actually knocked a few times, but I had an earphone in and was listening to music and didn't hear it until someone shouted for me to get my butt outside. I flicked off the trip mine with a thought and a twitch before opening the door. Applejack and Fluttershy were there, looking at me expectantly. I looked at them. Neither of us spoke until I waved, popping out an earbud. "Yes?"

Applejack spoke first. "Well partner, yah left a hay of an impression. Celestia said before yah were supposed to leave the barn Flutters here had to give yah a full physical."

I flinched. I didn't like showing off my arms. I sighed. "Fine, come on in, keep an eye out for red lines, don't touch them."

Applejack looked and saw the three I had on entry points. She glared at them. "What in tarnation are those?'

I shrugged. "Explosives, I need something protecting me if I want to sleep. It's a dangerous world." Both ponies lost their color at this, but I walked to the couch, which had a half disassembled rifle on it. I picked it up and assembled it rapidly, running through a quick function check before clearing it. I leaned it against the couch and sat down. I gestured to Fluttershy. "She'll want you to look at my arms." I shrugged of my jacket, showing my glowing nails.

Fluttershy fainted, while Applejack had to excuse herself with a head dangling out the window. She turned her look to me after a few disgusting noises coming from the outside. "What happened to yah?"

I frowned. I tapped a nail and uttered a name. A small picture came from it. "This is Captain Titus." They stared at the attractive man, with two brass studs in his forehead. His brown hair cut short. "Each nail is someone I've lost in my travels." I tapped a few more, then shrugged and took off the dress. I had to change anyways. I tapped the only nail on my chest. This one near a collar bone. "This is Macready." I showed him to them. Then muttered a cancel spell and all the pictures faded. "I never leave a friend behind."

Applejack stared, and Fluttershy seemed to be stuttering awake. She sat up, and gulped at looking at me again. "Oh my, and all those scars. At least half of these weren't treated."

I covered myself with my arms. "Hey, I did my best. I'm not exactly a doctor here."

This was greeted with more silence. Fluttershy walked up and looked me over clinically. "You mean you patched up all your wounds yourself?"

I was getting nervous. The last doctor I had visited drugged me and tested on me. I'd never gone to a doctor sense. "I uh, I don't like doctors."

Fluttershy nodded. "Well I'm not a doctor, so sit still miss." I did as she began muttering and tapping me all over, before finally taking a step back. "You're surprisingly healthy. I know you did your best with all these, but half of those were nearly fatal due to improper dressing. The gash on your arm was near an artery, and the stitching was barely enough to keep it from ripping open."

I froze, she told all that from how they healed? Geez, I thought I was good at combat medicine too. "Well, you suck pony doctor. You try patching a hole with a staple gun while getting shot at."

Both ponies stared at me. Applejack spoke first. "What's a staple gun?"

I smiled. New topic, time to run with it. "I have one, gimme a sec." I reached in my pack and pulled it out. I held it to the ground and fired. "See, you pull the trigger and it uses a link of metal to force two things together."

Fluttershy stared, but Applejack just whistled. "Ah reckon that thing would be right useful in making walls and such."

I shrugged. "Never used it for long term building, just throwing together a wall for a less than quick escape."

Unfortunately, Fluttershy was not easily distracted. If anything she looked horrified. "You used that, on yourself?!"

I flinched. bad distraction. I rubbed the back of my head. "Yeah... it was that or bleed out."

She stared at me in horror. Applejack joined in this time. "Sugarcube, that thing looks like it would hurt yah even worse. How in the hay are yah still alive?"

A good question, one that I could use to reforge my little personality. "I'm really stubborn. I got the thing back that opened me up." I traced the wound I was talking about, a large scar that went from my thigh to my navel. I shuddered at the memory. Close call.

Fluttershy flinched, but her voice brokered no argument. "Stand up and turn around." I did, and she gasped. "Only two scars here." I nodded. I felt her hoof trace the scars. "This ones so small, but this one looks like a spear wound."

I moved away. "The small one's where I got shot. The other is a spear wound. I was traveling with a group, they found out somebody would pay money for me. They tried to cash me out." I grabbed my bag and pulled out spare underwear. "I want to see the town, can somebody be my babysitter so Celestia won't turn me into a small rodent."

The ponies didn't laugh, but Fluttershy nodded. "I still need to see... under those clothes." I flushed, and gestured to Applejack, who quietly made an exit.

The check up was quick, and professional. I then quickly changed underwear and looked at Fluttershy, still flinching after I explained exactly why I was less than pleased about the examination. "Hey, what should I wear?"

Fluttershy was less than chatty whenever I wasn't either hurt or sad. "Oh, uhm... maybe just something simple. And not scary, ponies might run away from you if you were any scarier."

I nodded and pulled out a small plate carrier in a nice, dark tan. I like safety, so no judging. I pulled out a black turtleneck and slipped it on, before velcro-ing up the plate carrier. I pulled out some jeans and put them on, before slipping on my old combat boots. "Gods this feels right."

I dug around in my pack as Fluttershy spoke quietly from behind me. "What feels right?"

I pulled out a holster and clipped it to my plate carriers quick holster thing. I had never learned it's name, but it was on all my gear that needed one. I checked the holster, which was for a Taurus revolver. I dug out the revolver and froze. I knew this one. I smiled and pulled out a box of .357 and loaded it up. "Being in regular clothes. No dress, no fatigues, no stealth suit. Just a shirt and plates." I slid the revolver in the holster and slammed my fist into my chest. I heard then solid thump of ceramic and smiled. "It's nice."

Fluttershy flinched at my solid thump. "Oh well, if you like it, then that's good. Are you ready?"

I shook my head. "Nope, you're princess said she liked our spar and I don't trust her not to ambush me again for fun. I reached into my bag and pulled out a long curved blade. "And Yasumori will have my back." I lashed it to my back and smiled. "Now, where are we going?"

Fluttershy's eyes betrayed that I looked a bit scarier than she would have liked, but she kept a lid on it. "Well, Rarity asked to see you, and I need to run and visit Open Paw for some new feed. If you thought it was okay we could do that?"

I nodded and pointed to the door. "Mares first, I've got to lock up." She walked out and I flipped back on the trip mine as I walked out. I saw Applejack walking around her orchard. She appeared to be inspecting the tree's, which were probably hers since it was her barn. I waved, and she waved back as I followed Fluttershy. We walked into town in a calm silence, which I approved of. I caught several stares, and several ponies made sure to give me a wide berth, but it was acceptable. I moved through the village in awe.

It was wonderfully simple. I saw ponies helping each other in a million small ways, and noone noticed. The houses were all nice and clean. I even saw a child wave to me. A child who wasn't terrified of the scarred murderer in their village? Perfection. I was led to the carousel building that I had landed beside. Fluttershy walked in easily, so I just followed.

The front of the store was much less cluttered than the back I had sat in yesterday. It was decorated like a little girls dream, with pony dresses all over. I also saw Rarity, glasses perched on her head. I reached up to mine and didn't feel them. They probably fell off at some point yesterday. I pouted about that, but brushed it away. I followed Fluttershy as she picked up a magazine on a small table, and sat on a chair. I grabbed one and stared at it. It was in another language, and I couldn't read it. I stared for a moment before putting it down and waiting.

Fluttershy noticed and looked at me, some worry tinting her vision. "Oh, do you not like fashion magazines?"

I blew air out my nose. "I forgot my translator doesn't work on words. I'd have to grab my little buddy and get him to hand translate it, I might do that later." I started thinking if he would like it, he normally enjoyed working on projects.

Fluttershy though, seemed interested. "A translator, so you aren't speaking Equestrian?"

I shook my head. "Nah, I have a universal translator that does it all for me. Some kind of magic that translates surface thoughts into a voice. Honestly my voice is kind of hard to hear. To much screaming."

I idly tapped at my forearm. I didn't mention that the nail there had it enchanted in. Then Fluttershy ruined it. "Can I hear your real voice?"

I sighed. I rolled up my sleeve to the nail near my wrist. "Pull this out and you can." And she fainted again. I still don't know why ponies keep doing that. I moved the magazine off her face and stared at it a while before tossing it on the table. "Damn moon runes."

It took almost an hour for Rarity to notice us. The fact I had begun making origami cranes and throwing them at her had nothing to do with it. I will plead the fifth to any other testimony. She did however, light up upon seeing us. "Oh, just the two I was looking for." She glanced at Fluttershy, but then returned her gaze to me.

Apparently fainting Fluttershy was normal. I waved. "Yeah, Fluttershy said you asked for me?"

Rarity nodded, and proceeded to look over my outfit. "Yes dear, I was just thinking of making you a new outfit, but I have no idea what you'd prefer. I could make a dress like last night, but I've hardly heard your opinion on what you want."

I moved to look over her designs. They were sketched on white paper, and most were very colorful. "No clue. Has to have full sleeves, and I prefer darker colors. Anything past that though..." I just smiled. "Wait, easy to move in too, I like to be able to wear a thing like this with my outfits too." I gestured to the plate carrier I was wearing.

Rarity barely noticed as new paper floated around her. "Of course dear, now do you like it to be form fitting or more flowing? Perhaps a nice shirt. Oh, but those dimensions are so nice, maybe those pants you have on would be a good base." She began half ranting questions as I answered. Fluttershy woke up at some point, though I only noticed when the sneaky pony showed up with some tea.

I thanked her quietly and both ponies excused themselves. I could hear them whispering in the other room. I also caught Rarity peek out of their little area a couple times to glance at me. I waved once, just to show her I knew. She quickly blushed and ducked back to their little hidey hole on the other side of the room. I tapped on the nail in my forearm. I was careful not to actually pluck it. I had learned that it would hurt. A lot. I looked at my pack and reached in, pulling out a book. I just thought of an author, and had to pull a book out of a small pile, but I got one. Monstrous Regiment. I flicked it open and began reading.

I had read a few chapters before the ponies returned. I didn't really notice them more than some sort of ethereal grunt. I turned the page and chuckled. I saw Rarity look at me from the corner of my eye, and smiled wider. I could be a civilized girl. For short periods of time anyways. I dog eared a page, and put it beside the chair I had plopped down in. Rarity made some mild comment about needing time to work on a dress, and very politely kicked us out.

Me and Fluttershy went to the per food store, in which I found that steak was considered pet food. I saw the gold bits being passed around and looked in my pack. I had a few septims from a long time ago, and held them up. "Excuse me sir, would these cover that meat on the wall?"

He looked at them oddly, then at Fluttershy. "Is he, uhh, supposed to talk?"

I facepalmed, and waited for Fluttershy to speak. "Yes, he's from very far off." She then moved some more of her own gold coins to him. "Just put that meat with my normal order please. He doesn't know much about Equestria yet."

The pony nodded and passed her a piece of paper. Fluttershy walked out and I followed. I turned to her. "Have all these ponies thought I was your pet?"

Fluttershy seemed to shrink. "Well, uhm, that might have been the whole point of you being with me. I mean, I now you're not as bad as someponies might think, but you are... uhh, really scary."

I sighed. I was scary, I was a known killer. I patted Fluttershy. "It's fine, just a bit insulting." I looked out at town. "I think I'd like to go home now though."

Fluttershy nodded. "That sounds nice. Uhm, if you wouldn't mind. Twilight said she'd want to see you too. I could call for her. If you're okay with it."

I groaned. "Yeah, sure. Just... tell her to bring me a table. I need a damn table."

Fluttershy nodded, and we continued our walk in silence. I enjoyed that. To many ponies tried to talk honestly.

We returned to my barn, and I typed in the password to my tablet, before walking in. I flick of my wrist and the trip mine was off. I sat on my couch and picked up the rifle again. Fluttershy watched with interest as I looked it over. I pulled a pin, and talked. "AR-15 carbine. It's name is Joan." I pulled the barrel down, making the upper fold down. "It's chambered for 5.56 millimeter rounds. It can shoot-" I paused, having no clue about the fire rate. "A lot of rounds per minute." I slid the bolt out and put the rest of the rifle down on the hard wood beside me. "It's a tool, and I'm not scared of it."

Fluttershy glanced at the rifle. "Why would you be scared of a tool?"

I inspected the bolt, looking it for carbon build up. "Because it's the most dangerous thing I've ever worked with." I scraped my finger against a small bit of black build up on the extractor. "This rifle has been with me for a long time, and it has killed a lot of people." Fluttershy stayed quiet as I worked. I dug a cleaning kit from my bag. "A long time ago, someone very special to me taught me how to shoot. I was terrified, and really bad at. He would say everything about any gun he passed to me, and remind me it's a tool."

I took a wire brush out and rubbed it against the whole assembly. Paying attention to any build up. I sighed. "And now I do it to myself. It helps me stay focused." I moved the rest of the rifle to my lap, and grabbed an oil rag from the kit and wiped it down. "And plus, all my favorite rifles are named Joan, it's a pretty name."

Fluttershy nodded. Apparently seeing me clean was soothing enough for her to approach me a little bit without flinching. She looked at it. "Is it like that thing you did in my house?"

I flinched at that. "Yeah, uh, sorry about that. This is basically a bigger, better, version of that." I hoisted the whole thing up, and eye'd down the barrel. "Plus this one is nicer, it's prettier."

She didn't seem to get it, but I didn't for a long time. I pulled out a barrel brush and began to clean out the rifle. I ran it through a couple times and reassembled the whole ordeal. I wasn't giving it a full clean, but no tiny parts around without a table. I heard Fluttershy begin speaking very quietly. "Uhm, can I see it?"

I looked at her for a moment. Then nodded. "No mouth holding. You can pick it up with your hooves if you can. Don't touch this." I pointed to the trigger. "And be careful, it's a very precise piece of equipment"

Fluttershy looked at it as I leaned it against the couch. She walked up and hoisted it in the crook of her hoof. "It's heavier than I thought." I smiled and nodded. She looked it over and pointed at the lines on the barrel. "What are those?"

I thought of my answer. "When I fight things I remember them. If they were really good, or had a really good reason, I'll mark what I used against them." I pointed to the white circle. "That was a mad god who tried to enslave the world." I pointed to the red one. "And that one was a madman, he wanted to burn down an altar to a dark evil that could have driven a whole nation mad." I shrugged.

She paled a bit, and passed the rifle back. She then sprinted out the door. I chuckled, before looking around. I wanted to decorate this place, and with God as my witness I will. I looked at the bookcase and reached into my pack. I pulled out a small statue of a troll, and placed it on the top. "Perfect." And that was all I could really do. It was spartan, so I couldn't do much. I looked at the books, then the windowsill. I walked over and picked up my pocket watch. "Hey little buddy. Want a job?" The imp stretched out and looked at me nodding. "I need a translation job, if I pass a book your way can you try to get a rough English translation guide?"

The imp flexed his biceps and smirked. I laughed. "Alright little buddy." I propped the pocket watch back up and grabbed a random book on the shelf and opened it to the middle. I placed it in front of the watch and moved back to the couch. I brought out Creepy. He unrolled in my hand and I pet him on the head. "Hey Creepy, you got a moment?" He clicked, which was either yes or no. Either way. "I moved to this place, can I trust you to be my alarm system?"

He clicked again and scuttled outside. He then instantly ran back in clicking. I looked to him. "Is it another crazy unicorn?" He clicked once. "Is it purple?" He clicked twice. That was odd. I heard a knock at my door. I moved to the door and pulled it open. And a mint green uniform tried to charge in. I worried about the trip mine, but it was still thankfully off.

She began staring at every corner of the room. "Is it true, did I really see a rare xenobiological creature. Is it actually living here?" She began looking at all the like, five things in the room. "This is so fascinating." She began staring at my blanket.

I coughed. "Uh, maybe?"

She brought a small notebook out of her saddlebags. "Oh my, she's much larger than I thought." She began writing while looking me over. "I wonder of she would let me look under her sleeves?"

She tapped her muzzle with her quill. I looked at it in confusion. "I doubt it."

She nodded. "Of course Ms. Voice in my head. I hope I can find a way to talk to her though. Her knowing Equestrian is unlikely. Maybe pictures?"

I froze. I had seen many things. I had seen empires fall. I had seen worlds burn. I had not seen a small pony that was sure I couldn't speak. "Er, have you tried talking to her?"

Lyra stomped. "Of course!" She walked up to me and spoke very slowly. "HELLO. I. AM. LYRA."

I wiped the spit from my face. "Yes, you are. If you remember you told me while I was fixing your leg." I pointed to the bald patch on her leg, where there wasn't even a scar to show her former wound. Fancy Unicorns with their fancy bodies.

She at least had the decency to look ashamed. "Yeah, I guess you did talk to me then, huh?" I nodded as she resumed staring at everything. "But this is amazing, I've read every myth on humans there is. All extremely contradictory of course. No myth ever seemed to answer any questions from an academic point of view."

I sighed. "That's how it goes everywhere. Just don't to be a huge annoyance." I plopped down on the couch and reached in my bag, and reaching for my book. I pawed around before finding it missing. "Shit, it's still at Rarity's." I stared at my bag, frowning. "Well that ruins my plans."

Lyra perked up from her notebook. "What plans were those? Are you gonna assault Ponyville? Or maybe your gonna break into the palace?"

I sighed. "No, I was gonna read a book. I left it at Rarity's, so now I either have to find a new book or...." I looked at Creepy. "Hey Creepy, wanna job?" He ran up waving back and forth like a top.

I knelt down and held out my hand, which he climbed on. I was about to tell him what to do, when Lyra jumped up. "Oh my gosh, what is he?"

I glared at her, but it had no effect. I already missed being terrifying. I turned to Creepy. "Run to a carousel looking building and find a book in English. Bring it back, got it?" Creepy raised a leg in a silly little salute, the popped into a ball and rolled off. I turned to Lyra, who was waiting patiently. Or at least waiting quietly while fidgeting. "That's Creepy, he's a little robot that I use for basic jobs. Be careful around him, he's a bit of a coward."

She began writing in her little notebook, apparently taking notes. I really needed something to do. I pulled my own notebook out of my bag, and a small box of pencils. "Okay Lyra. Sit still, and I may just answer a few questions." I looked her over and began trying to sketch her. "Also, don't touch the thing beside me. It's dangerous."

Lyra sat down and stayed still. "So if you're a human I have so many questions. Like, what are humans like?"

She began writing as I tried to make her basic body. It was difficult, mostly due to my own lack of practice. "Varied. Some a beacons of hope, some are evil beyond imagining. Most are just there, like a tree. They'll do what needs to be done, and live their lives."

Lyra sat there and wrote for another moment. She then took another look at me. "What do humans eat?"

I shrugged, and got her basic shape done. "Whatever. Personally I like chicken and greens, but humans can eat a lot of things if we're desperate."

Lyra nodded. "You said chicken, is that the only meat, or can you eat even more?"

Her head was nodding, making her mane bob. It was impossible to draw, so I focused on her tail. "Anything that isn't poisonous we can eat. We have preferences though. Some animals I'd never eat though. horse, dog, cat. That sort of thing."

I pulled my eyes across her form. The muzzle seemed to stay still, so I focused on it next. Lyra seemed to have found her next distraction. "So what is your culture like?"

I barked out a quick laugh. Which she then wrote down. "To many to count. I've seen hundreds that I can remember, and most of those I couldn't tell much about. Humanity's super fractured. Though, whenever a bigger threat shows up we close ranks and hold our own. Mostly."

I'd done a respectable job of her I thought. I glanced at her mane, now flopped over one eye. Perfect. I began sketching that. "Don't move a muscle for a minute." She froze for a moment as I managed to finish her mane. I nodded. "Your good."

She quirked her head at me. "Good at what?"

I flipped the notebook over as I spoke. "Well if your taking notes I'm drawing. How's it look?"

Lyra looked at it, and furiously wrote with magic while staring. "You can draw like that? I figured with your sword and stuff you were a guard. But you must be an artist or something."

I shook my head. "I'm whatever keeps me alive. I'll admit by now I probably fight like a caged demon, but I don't only fight. I draw, I read, I even occasionally cook." I looked at my pack, it was barely big enough for my plate carriers and swords, but it had what I wanted right now. "Speaking of, it's dinner time. You got any carrots or something?"

Lyra shook her head, and gasped as I began withdrawing a camp set from my bag, and a pot that barely fit in it. "How in the hay?"

I smiled and waved my fingers. "Magic." I snapped and ignited my little campfire, before gesturing to Lyra. "Go grab about ten apples from the field, I'll find a way to pay Applejack back later."

Lyra stared and debated whether to listen or not and ran off. I fished out some spices and the last of my fruits. I began mincing them, and throwing spices into the water. I liked to add spice first, then the food. I waited a moment, and a knock issued from my door. Sighing I got up, opened it, and slammed in the password.

I walked in again without even checking the door. "Lyra, put the apples by the pot."

No apples appeared by my pot. I looked up, at Twilight sparkle staring at me in curiosity, and an under current of fear. I shrugged it off and waved. "Oh, sorry Twilight Lyra came by, so I drafted her to help make dinner."

Twilight walked in, with a table behind her. I clapped as she stared. "What do you mean, drafted her?"

I quickly ran up and wrenched the table away, before setting it in front of the couch. "Told her to fetch me a few apples, I needed some for the stew. You're free to join us." I said, before dumping my minced fruit into the bowl.

Another knock at the door, and I gestured to Twilight. While she handled that I began stirring my meal. I sipped at the broth. Acceptable, though not great. "Needs cinnamon." I poured in a touch, and tried again. Stew is awesome. I glanced as Lyra made her way inside. "Yo, need some apples. Stat."

Apples were levitated, only to be brutally chopped by my knife. I dumped them in the broth and smiled. Lyra looked at it. "So is this authentic human food?"

I stirred it a bit. "I guess. It's just a stew." I stirred it again, and took another sip. "Hmmm, maybe some more pepper?" I reached into my spice kit and gently spread some more pepper in. One more sip later and I nodded. "And now we wait."

The ponies began quietly swapping notes. After a few minutes Twilight walked up. "Hey Draitha, Lyra said you sketched her?" I nodded, and gestured towards my notebook on the floor beside me. She picked it up and looked it over. "How long did it take to sketch this?"

I shrugged, and checked over the stew. Almost done. "Probably six or seven minutes. I could only do it in pieces. Harp butt over there kept moving."

Twilight looked it over again before nodding. I sat still for a moment before Twilight turned to Lyra. "Hey Lyra, could you run out to the library and grab the book on my mantle? Celestia asked me to have a few words with Draitha here."

Lyra grumbled, but walked out. Her notebook went with her, but the quill was scratching the entire time. I looked at Twilight as I took another sip of the stew. "It's done. I'll grab a bowl for you."

I reached into my bag and grabbed two bowls and two spoons. I used my ladle to pour the bowls, before putting both on the table, and sitting on the couch. Twilight looked at it. "Thank you. I don't want to do this, but I need to see your... your pack."

My eyebrows charged up my head, and established a beachhead on my forehead. I tried to mount a defense, but they stayed. "My pack? Are you entirely sure what you're asking? You don't mean my bag?" She nodded, but there was hesitance. I shrugged, and stripped down to my bra. I waited a moment, before taking a sip of my stew. It was good, a nice simple stew. I looked at Twilight, who was staring in horror. "Would you like to meet them?"

She nodded, but it was slow. I tapped a nail in my right forearm. A head popped up. A robot face appeared. It had a blocky cylinder like head. A large blue glow from the middle. His black metallic hand was in frame, and making a peace symbol. twilight stared. "Who was he?"

I tapped the nail again. "Ethan, some intelligent robot I paired up with. He was a good guy. He saved my life, I saved his. In the end I watched him set himself to self destruct to destroy an enemy stronghold." That wasn't necessarily true, but close enough. I rubbed the nail. "He died, I left. Same is true for every nail."

I tapped another nail, then another, then another. I lit up almost every nail. I had said a name with each one, but I left of Macready's. I didn't want to share. I grabbed my spoon and had another bite of soup. Twilight seemed stunned. "Why did you do it though?"

I shrugged. "I move to much for a graveyard, and I need to keep my friends with me. Now they'll never leave. Besides, the pain helps keep me focused."

Twilight bolted up. "Those things still hurt? Like, you don't have a painkiller or anything?"

I shook my head. "No, I want to feel it. All of these people died for me, I bleed for them. Fair trade."

Twilight shook her head. "But would they want you too?"

I bit back my first response. Yelling wouldn't help anyone. "Who cares?"

Twilight looked at me. "I care. It hurts, and that's not good."

I poked at my stew, trying to ignore her. She just calmly stared at me. Finally I snapped. "I've heard it all before, so just drop it ok?"

I could tell she didn't want to, but I saw her levitate up the spoon beside the other bowl. The rest of the meal passed in silence. I picked up both bowls when we were done, and put them on the corner of the table. "Where's Lyra?" I asked, while trying to find some form of conversation. I hated being alone.

Twilight seemed to grab onto the conversation like a drowning man with a raft. "I told Pinkie to distract her until you were done talking to Princess Celestia."

I thought of the pink ball of hyper and sweets. "Is that a war crime or something? It seems cruel to tell her to focus on any one person, er pony." I rubbed the back of my head, but Twilight giggled.

"Maybe." She replied. "but I needed you alone for a minute. Besides, Celestia will be here soon."

I nodded and set the small camp stove to low heat. The stew would keep for a while. I dragged myself up, feeling happy and full. "Well, while we wait on the boring princess I'm going to watch a movie."

I could see Twilight try to ignore my jab at Celestia. It was like watching a balloon resist being inflated. I smiled as I dug around for a minute in my bag. I pulled out a large tablet, maybe twelve inches. I began turning it on as Twilight looked over my shoulder. I managed to get signed on when I heard a click behind me. I turned to see Creepy with my book on his head. "Hey, good work buddy." I picked up the book and put it on the table. "Back to your job Creepy, stay safe" He waved a leg and scuttled back outside.

Twilight stared at the book as I switched my tablet to a video player and leaned it against the book. I turned on some red vs blue, and began watching. "I hate this show." I said, while leaning back. I smiled as it played.

Twilight however, was annoyed. "What are they saying?"

I frowned, but responded. "The translator won't work on this, they're speaking my language." Twilight began taking notes as they talked. I laughed at a few moments, which made Twilight flinch, but I appreciated that she stayed. I liked having people around. After a few episodes I paused it. "Hey, do you want to hear some of our music?"

She nodded shyly. I closed the show and looked at the playlist on this tablet, then stared at Twilight. I figured rock wasn't her deal, or pop music. Librarian, I had known a librarian, but she listened to rock and grunge. I shrugged and pulled up country as a choice that maybe she wouldn't hate. "Ever heard of Johnny Cash?"

She shook her head and I thumbed on 'God's gonna cut you down'. I started tapping my foot, and sang along. Twilight began taking notes I hummed with the instruments and sang with the lyrics. At the end of it I smiled at Twilight. "I hate that song."

Twilight finally looked at me again. "Why do you keep saying that? You've said it about everything."

I giggled. "Running joke. Remember Francis?" She nodded, staring at the bare skin where the nail lay. i spoke over her distraction. "Well he hated everything, after that I just started saying that about everything. It makes me smile."

Twilight stared at my tablet as I tapped it again, and Powerwolf blared out. She flinched back. I laughed as she made a frustrated noise. "You are an impossible creature." She pointed at me while talking "Everytime I start thinkig I get closer to understanding you you change. It's like you're a million people in one. "

I shrugged. "Maybe I am, you never know." I wiggled my eyebrows while trying to look serious. I know that it doesn't work, and Twilight let out a little giggle. I laughed too. "Here, in response to my annoying personality let's see if my buddy has translated your language yet." I gestured to my pocket watch, and raised an eyebrow. "After all, it's not everyday you get to decode a new language."