Mad World

It's Not A Farewell

Part 2

Fluttershy started to cry. The watery liquid running down her saddened face. Her lip curled, she wouldn't break down in a situation like this. She needed to be strong, like Thunderlane over there. He had selflessly risked his life for her, a pony he had barely spoken to. She couldn't cry, not here, not now. She must hold herself together.

"Fluttershy?" Thunderlane was looking over at the canary pegasus. He had placed himself so he could see the path they had taken, in case a certain griffon decided to try and follow. He showed concern for his fellow pegasus. The look in his eyes was obvious enough, even if he didn't save her.

"Y-yes?" Her voice was laced with the obvious fear that made itself apparent. There was a small choke in it from trying to fight back her tears. Her efforts were valiant but nonetheless, not good enough. Tears had been streaming down her face for some time now and she couldn't get them to stop. No matter how hard she wanted too.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your mourning, but we need to move. It's not safe here." He trotted over to the crying pegasus, with cautionary strides. He didn't want to bother her anymore then she already was. But the circumstances demanded they both get out of here.

"O... okay. B-but, um, w-were are w-we going?" Fluttershy was still crying, but not nearly as harshly as she was a short while ago. She was beginning to get ahold of herself. The canary mare stood up from her place on the clouds, shaking as she did so.

"We can't leave the city, that would be suicide. They are no doubt watching all the perimeters of Cloudsdale. I say we head to the factory, maybe we can hide out there till they leave. If they don't leave then I guess we'll just have to try and sneak out later. Regardless, one of us has to make it out of here in order to inform the princesses." Thunderlane was assuring in his words no doubt, but she had one thing on her mind.

"What about Rainbow Dash? She could still be around here and I have to look for her. I won't leave till I know what happened!" Fluttershy's eyes showed determination unusual for her. Her legs no longer quivered or wavered. Her stance was proud and tall. There was no way she was going to run away while Dash was still out there. It just wasn't going to happen.

Thunderlane looked a bit shock by the statement. The entire time they had been talking she had been on the verge of tears or was crying and now... now she was strong. Like she was a whole new pony. Never in the time Thunderlane had been around her, as limited as that was, had he seen her act so brave. Apparently, they were going to go look for Rainbow Dash.

"Okay, okay. Let's just start by you telling me where you last saw her. I can't help if I don't know where to look." He was trying to be as nice and friendly as possible, but he knew they couldn't stay there anymore. No doubt the griffon that went by earlier had figured out they didn't head to the exit. He was most definitely on his way back by now. They had to leave.

"W-well, I... she..." And just like that her confidence was re-broken. "um... Oh! The concession stands! That was where she said she was going before this started." Fluttershy had almost a happy look on her face, like she was going to do something she really wanted to do.

Despite that though her fear and anguish over today's events was still abruptly apparent. She had never even seen a pony die, let alone witnessing the travesties that plagued Cloudsdale. This place, once riddled with conversations of friends and family, now only a token to the damage the griffons were capable of. Even the sights of the clouds around her reminded her of the horrors she had witnessed.

"Okay, so we know she went to the concession stands before this started, but there is no way we can go check there. First of all, she wouldn't still be staying around there at this point. Secondly, we need to think like her, imagine what she would have done. This leads up to a problem though." Thunderlane had obvious distress about him. He knew trying to imagine exactly what she would do is improbable, nay impossible.

"The amount of time I've spent with Dash tells me she could have done a multiple of things. She may have left to inform Celestia, knowing her speed was great enough to beat any followers. Rainbow Dash could have fled to a different part of Cloudsdale, hoping to find refuge or a way to contact Canterlot. We can’t just try and guess where she went. That's far too dangerous. I think we should try and look for her at the factory first and move from there." Thunderlane trotted over to the shy pony, hoping to comfort her as best as he could. While still trying to get her to move from this place. It was getting less and less safe by the minute. He could just tell.

"Be confident Fluttershy, Dash is way too tough to let these brutes get the better of her." A timid smile formed on the lips of the canary pony. Indicating she believed in Thunderlane. Though by choice or by the fear that she may not find Dash without his help was another matter.

"Now come on. We're going to the factory for now. It's safe there and we can search for her on the way. If Rainbow decides to go looking for you it'll be in the safest area of the city. We have to hope she thinks of the factory before she goes searching the stadium. It would be a death trap for her in there." At the comment, Fluttershy made a vaguely obvious wince. The thought of Rainbow Dash getting killed once again made her want to collapse. She couldn't though. She had to stay strong. Keep hope.

Thunderlane looked over to see the scared pegasus was shaking again. Without a word, he walked beside her and placed a wing around her. Attempting to comfort the poor girl. Though it was a bit expected, her reaction was normal. Fluttershy simply embraced him, the protective grasp of a big brother figure to her.

She felt safe. Like nothing bad was going to happen now. Nothing bad could happen. His wing felt like it created a barrier of warmth and security. Fluttershy slowly began to press herself against the side of Thunderlane. She wanted to feel as shielded as she could. To let her mind escape the environment around her.

The area around them, riddled still with the faint roars and cries of the stadium, had never seemed so frightening to her. This act of kindness by Thunderlane meant far more to her than any item ever could. His willingness to risk his safety and delay his path in order to make sure she was o.k. was invaluable.

A couple minutes passed while she stayed in the protection of him. The surroundings around him plagued his mind in this time. He knew they had to get moving. To make it to somewhere safer than an alleyway outside the stadium.

"Kay, you better now?" He looked down at the canary mare. She glanced back and gave a nod, indicating she would be o.k. to move now. Thunderlane lifted his wing, breaking that protective wall he had set up for her. At first she gave a whimper, a whimper due to the loss of protection she had felt. Then she slowly embraced the cold, bitter world around her. Giving up the comforting protection of Thunderlane's wing in order to accept the harsh city.

Thunderlane gave one more stare at the shy pegasus before giving a nod and turning to head away from that place. She quickly followed, not wanting to get any farther from him then she had to be. The city was beginning to dimmer with the approaching night. The sun's descent towards the horizon only leading further to make way for the moon. Neither knew what the night would bring to them. Safety? Protection? A means to hide from the fears that built in their minds?

As they began to move away from the stadium, she started to feel terrible. Not physically, though what had happened at the stadium did make her wanna vomit. Fluttershy didn't like this feeling. It was one of fear, sadness, angst, and paranoia. The feeling drove deeper into her mind, growing as it did so.

While they traveled, she couldn't stop from peaking behind her from time to time. Taking small glances at her own shadow, only to realize what she had just looked at. Every so often she would stop, drawing the attention of Thunderlane with the ceasing of hoofsteps behind him. He too would cease, waiting to move like her.

She listened for a second with each stop. Trying to spot any unknown sounds around them. Every so often they would hear a small, faint scream from a dying pony, only to be followed with shouts of praise for the victor. This only pressed to feed the paranoia.

One such case, she stopped as they passed a closed athletic goods shop. She turned towards the way the sound came, staring directly towards the path they had traversed. In the silence they heard a yell no more than 50 yards away.

It came to them as a surprise, such a close cry. It came from the pathway just to their right. It was followed by some resounding thrashes and a couple more calls for help. It took all his will to not just fly over there and at least try and help the poor soul, but he couldn’t. He had to protect the one in his care for the moment.

Thunderlane knew for certain that Fluttershy couldn’t hold her own at the time being. He’d basically be throwing her to the claws of death if he left her now. They had to find Dash first. Only then could he leave to help others. Maybe sneak out of Cloudsdale to try and gather the help of the princesses.

They had maneuvered their way to the edge of Cloudsdale, just a short ways away from the factory. The what was normally short trip had taken them little over an hour by her best guess. It had been filled with fear, distress, and major cases of paranoia on both their parts.

The factory stood a mere hundred, hundred-fifty yards away. They weren’t too far away. The only thing was that the space remaining to the factory was completely open. No cover, no clouds to hide them. Just pure, clean air.

“Okay, this is the deal. We have to cross at the same time. If we don’t, we may very well get split up if any of those ‘Birds of Prey’ show up. It’s gonna be dangerous. If you didn’t look around there is nothing between us and that factory. We have to move fast. As fast as you can, k Fluttershy?”

Thunderlane spoke as kindly as he could to her, but he needed her to know it was dangerous. That if they weren’t careful, weren’t observant, they could very well join their fellow pegasus who have since passed.

“Oh, umm…” She wasn’t ready. She knew it. Fluttershy wasn’t brave enough to go across that gap if it meant they could die. “… I can’t do it.” She hung her head in shame. She knew they had to, but she just couldn’t. She was too scared.

“You can. You handle this Fluttershy. I’ve seen you tough out worse. You are an Element of Harmony. You helped save all of Equestria on multiple occasions. I once even heard you stared down a mighty dragon and made him whimper like a baby. If you can handle that, you can surely just pass over this gap.

“But those were different. My friends depended on me. They needed me to do those things.”

“And I need you now. I won’t leave you here, but we have to get over to that factory. It’s safer there. We just have to cross this open plain. After that we’ll be fine. Now come on, you can do this.” He could see the fear beginning to dissolve from her. It worked, his little pep talk.

“Okay, you’re right. I can do this. It’s just a gap. That’s all. Just a short flight.” She stood up tall, wanting to believe she can do it. To make that short, open trip to the factory that awaited them. Flexing her wings, she nodded to the dark grey pegasus beside her.

“Now that’s the spirit, let’s do this.” They took to their stances like they would before a race, preparing to take off in a flash of black and yellow. He started the countdown to their flight across the open space.

“3…” They simultaneously flexed their wings in the air.

“2…” Identical warm up flaps.

One never came.

In a blink of an eye, two twin griffons landed before them. They both donned that basic golden armor and black berets. They placed themselves in the flight paths of the two, aggressive gazes locked on their prey.

“Well, what do we have here. Two lucky fools who have lasted long enough to survive till night.” The griffon on their right spoke up. His voice, mocking in its tone, was brutish. He had them right where he wanted. Cornered away from the rest of Cloudsdale. In their total control.

Fluttershy dropped back to the ground, covering her face from the predators that stared them down. She was once again scared for her life and for the life of her savoir. Her shaking would impress an earthquake.

Thunderlane took a couple steps to the side, placing himself between her and their surprise attackers. There was no way he would allow them to hurt her on his watch. That simply wouldn’t happen.

“Now hold on fellas, we can work this out. I’m sure we can talk about this and come to reasonable, sensible compromise.” He was trying his hardest to seem composed, collected in his thoughts. Trying to prevent himself from faltering, but their sheer size was imposing. Let alone what they planned to do to them. He didn’t even want to think about that portion.

Fluttershy had recovered enough to stand back up and get in the protective grasp of Thunderlane. Semi-safe from them. She didn’t want to be by herself physically. She wanted the comfort he provided. To feel safe, even if they were in an extremely dangerous predicament.

A glimpse of curiosity came over the griffons. They first shared a glance towards each other, then they turned back to him. A compromise huh, they never considered that. Wonder alone was strong enough  to have a listen.

“So, a deal… hmm. What did you have in mind? It’s not like you have anything of value to offer us. What could you possibly do to prevent us from slaughtering you here and now?” The other griffon had spoken up for the first time. He sounded eerily similar to his counterpart. Even just their physical resemblance was odd, but this on top of it. One would guess they were related.

“I… I… I don’t know. To be honest, I have no idea what I could do for you. I was kinda hoping you would suggest something.” He looked at them with a gaze of wonderment. Thunderlane wanted them to know he would be willing to do anything, anything at all to get them to let them go.

The two griffons looked the pair up and down a few times. Their glances seemed playful, but nonetheless evil. They weren’t here to make deals, only to torment. Misleading them for the fun of it. They conversed in secret for a minute, coming up with a truly evil and twisted plan.

“Well… there is nothing you can do for us. That female on the other claw, she would be an excellent mate for either me or my brother here. Give us her and we’ll spare your life. Refuse and we kill you both.” A twisted, cruel smile came over their faces. They wanted something only thought to be taboo to the pegasus kind. To pair a pony to a griffon, that was something that just wasn’t right.

Her face locked in horror. Her eyes, wonderful blue eyes were widened to the size of saucers. She truly feared what they would do to her. Another fear ran through her mind. One she hadn’t thought of yet.

He might just do it.

Thunderlane barely knew her. What would stop from just simply agreeing, giving her to them in order to spare his own life. There was no way she could fight them and no way to prevent him from just giving her up. It was a horrifying fear. And on top of the fear was the practicality of it. He wouldn't lose anything. He had nothing from stopping him from doing so. She just had to hope. Hope he was a kind as he appeared to be.

“No. No, that is not gonna happen. I didn’t risk my life twice today to simply hand her over to the likes of you. I won’t allow it. I guess you’ll just have to kill us then, ‘cause you’re not getting her.” Thunderlane strengthened his stance between them. He would die long before they ever put one devious claw on her.

A wave of relief came over her. To know there was no way he was gonna give her to them. She couldn't possibly thank him enough for that, despite the fact they were both doomed now. It may be selfish of her, but she didn't want to be a play thing for them. Even if that meant she could save a life.

"Oh, well that's just too bad. I guess we'll just have to kill you and have our way anyways. That seem fair to you brother?" The griffon on the right turned to see his brother scanning their prey, the young Fluttershy. Licking his lips in anticipation, he could see the fear in her. They thrived off it. Fear, a simple emotion, yet they craved it like the animals they are.

"LIKE HELL YOU WILL!!" Thunderlane attempted to barrel into the griffon who last spoke, only to be batted into the cloud street beside them. The griffon that hit him pinned him to the street, preparing to deliver the finishing blow. He brought one digitized claw back, only to be stopped by his fellow griffon. A sparkle of a demented, evil idea shining in his eye.

"Actually, I have a better idea. Hows about we make him watch. Watch as we do what we want to her. Make him feel the terror in her heart as we ravish her. Let him stare on as we slowly kill her after, then we kill him. We'll give him more then enough time to understand that he killed this poor mare." A crazed smile came across both their faces. The idea had hit the mark they expected it to.

"NO! DON'T YOU TOUCH HER! I SWEAR I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU BOTH! I SWE-" He was cut of by a claw to the chin. It cut deep down his face, leaving an open gash in its wake. Despite the blood draining from his face, he held his resolve.

"FLUTTERSHY!! GO! Get outta here! You ne-" Again he was hit into shutting up. This time the claw came across his eye. He was blinded from the hit. Having no idea if the effect was permanent or not, he didn't care though. He was dead. His only wish at this point was for her to go, atleast try and make a break for it. She had to atleast try.

She couldn't though.

Fluttershy merely dropped to her stomach, covering her head with her hooves. Her sobs extremely apparent. The shaking which had ceased earlier, started up again without Thunderlane's protective grasp to stop her. The griffon that had been stand up, not holding down Thunderlane, started his slow, methodical waltz to her position in the clouds.

"Pl-please... please don't... please don't do this." It took all her effort just to state the simple plee. What little tears she had left were being shed now as he made the short distance to her her. He let the fear build as he closed the gap. Once solidly stationed above her, he began his final rant.

"Well, now aren't you a cute one aren't you. I think we'll have lots of fun with the likes of you. You know, this is the first time I'm going to get to feel the touch a soft pony. Usually I deal with the harsh, bitterness of the griffon kind. You know our leader is basically the average female in our kind. Rough, brutish, not at all like you. You look so timid, so shy. This'll be fun." As he reached down to grab her by the neck, a flash of blue shot out of nowhere and sent him flying into a neighboring building.

"What the fuck was that?!" The griffon that had been holding down Thunderlane was shocked to say the least. "Hey... bro?! You there?!" He called out to the now gaping hole in the building's wall. He received no reply. No call back from his kin.

An eerie silence came over the three. They sat waiting to see what had happened. No one left the building, no sounds escaping the walls. Just simple, almost peaceful silence. Then a sickening snap. The sound it generated stopped even the breathing in the group. It was followed shortly by more and more snaps. None compared to the first though. It was so ferociously loud.

"Um... ar-are you okay?" The fear that laced the griffons voice was so obviously apparent. He was shaking trying to hold Thunderlane down. The once strong griffon began backing away from Thunderlane and the hole. As he was about to turn and run like a coward, another flash and he was sent kareaming into the open abyss below.

Thunderlane got to his hooves and headed over to the edge in a heartbeat, wanting to see their savior. In the distance below them he could see what looked like... Rainbow Dash!? Did she really just do this?

She was mercilessly beating the griffon to death as they fell. Hoof after hoof hitting its mark on there descent. The griffon attempted to fight back, but to no avail. Her hooves were moving at speeds fast enough he couldn't see them, let alone defend himself.

At the last moment, she delivered a buck that sent him skyrocketing into the ground. Enough force behind it to double or even triple his current velocity. He hit the ground with an amount of force to send neighboring trees crumpling in the wake of the impact. His body was no doubt obliterated in the impact.

Thunderlane looked on in horror, understanding the lengths Rainbow Dash would go through to defend those she deemed fit. To think such a nice, friendly pony could now relentlessly kill and destroy anyone she wanted too was terrifying. She had the speed, the smarts, and the will to do exactly what she wants. Should she completely lose it they could very well be doomed.

For now though, he had to hope she was here to protect Fluttershy. Most likely she didn't care about him, though she'd most likely defend him if he would defend 'Shy. From what the shy pegasus had told him, they were close. Too close to just leave either behind if it came to it.

"Fluttershy!" Rainbow Dash shot back up to the clouds they had been on before she showed up. A happy, cheerful tone to her voice. To think her friend, the Element of Kindness was now safe was a huge relief. She did, however, not even acknowledge the last minute or so of time. Ignoring the fact she just brutally murdered two beings, extinguishing their lives by her own hoof.

"Rainbow Dash?" The canary pegasus's ears perked up a bit. She still had her head buried in the cloud, avoiding the events that had happened. The sound of Dash's voice was similar to music to her. "Rainbow Dash!" She shot from her place in the cloud to meet her rainbow maned friend

Flying towards each other, the happiness each was experiencing was ever apparent. Huge smiles and anxious eyes on either's part had made a home on their faces. Wings beating as fast as they could, the two pegasus were closing the gap to each other.

Thunderlane watched on as he seen that little canary pegasus who was usually so timid fly at a speed he hadn't seen her go before. Far faster than when he had seen her ever go before. Apparently adrenaline is an amazing thing. If only she could have used some of that adrenaline earlier, when she was in danger. Some ponies just freeze up under serious pressure he guessed. Nevertheless, he seen she was now happy. The morale boost will be a good thing.

They collided in the air, falling back to the clouds with a loving embrace. Each holding the other in their hooves. Not wanting to let either go. If she had any left, Fluttershy would have been crying in joy. The reuniting with her fellow Element was something she had hoped for since this began.

The same could be said for Dash. Only, how she achieved this goal was a bit more brutal than Shy's way. Dash could very well have killed off more of the griffons in her wake. They had no way of knowing. To Fluttershy, it didn't matter. She could honestly care less as to how she survived, as long as she did. For Thunderlane however, he wanted to know. To know the level of hostility she presented. If she could be trusted to not crack and turn on him or her timid friend.

That didn't matter now though. What mattered now was that they were together. Joined again after each dealing with dilemmas that had threatened to not only harm them, but also to kill them. It was something they had been anxiously awaiting for the entirety of the time they were separated. This moment was joyous.

"Thank Celestia you're not hurt 'Shy! I was so worried! I don't know if I could've lived with myself if you'd have gotten hurt. I'm so happy I found you!" She was hugging her canary pegasus friend. A moment neither she nor Fluttershy wanted to end. Dash's voice was laced with the ever apparent joy she was displaying for them reuniting. Basically encasing her, Dash had wrapped her wings around Fluttershy.

"I don't know if I could've lived with myself if you'd have gotten hurt." The line ran through Thunderlane's mind. Ever feeding his paranoia for his fellow pegasus. If something should befall Fluttershy, Dash will most likely not be able to handle it. To be honest, he had no idea as to what she would do.

"Thanks Rainbow, for saving us. If you hadn't came along when you did, I'd... I'd..." She couldn't finish the sentence. Not wanting to further remind herself of what would've happened if Dash hadn't shown. To think she was a mere few moments away from death was frightening. Fluttershy began shaking in Rainbow Dash's hooves from the thoughts.

"Hey, hey. Calm down now. I'm here and I won't let anything hurt you. No one is going to lay hoof or claw of you from now on. Kay?" She looked the pegasus in the eyes with sincerity and compassion. Dash wanted to make clear that she would never, ever be in harm around her. She would make sure of that.

"K-Kay." The timid pegasus stared down at the ground, away from the caring eyes of her friend. She didn't want her to see the fear that was still apparent in her. Fluttershy wanted to atleast seem strong for her friend, when in reality she was weak. She hadn't even been able to run away when she was told so.

Thunderlane decided to go and take a look at what Rainbow Dash had done to the other griffon. The one she killed in the building when she first arrived. As he approached the home, he noted the utter lack of light. He would have to enter the building to see.

Once in, Thunderlane started looking around in the direction in which Dash had sent the griffon flying. After a short search, his eyes landed on what he'd been looking for. In the corner of the room lay a limp, motionless body. Walking towards the griffon, he noted that the clouds around him had turned a deep shade of red. Most likely from the griffon. Upon getting close enough to see the details, Thunderlane was horrified.

The griffon's neck was basically severed in two. His severed head lay a yard or two from his body. The vertebrae stuck out of the gaping hole that was left. This must have been the first initial snap they heard. Then why the rest of the snaps if he was already dead? This only feed Thunderlane's fears. The griffon's wings had been broken back towards his tail. The base of the wings had snapped, the bones protruding outward away from him.

Thunderlane could see that there were claw marks running down his spine. Did Dash rip of his own claw after killing him and proceed to beat his corpse with it?! His question was answered once he looked under the side of the griffon. There, buried deep in the ribcage of the griffon, stuck a lone claw. Its form barely outside of the body of the lifeless griffon.

The last thing he noticed was that the griffons spine had been snapped just above the hip. If he had to guess, Thunderlane figured this was due to the initial hit sending the griffon into the building. Dash had hit the griffon with enough force to shatter a wall. A spine wouldn't have been hard for her to break.

It disgusted him really. To think she would do such cruel, vile things. She was an Element of Harmony, yet she murdered with surprising force and power. How did she get this way? What acts against her would drive such a seemingly normal pony to the brink of insanity like this?

That was enough of that for him. Thunderlane backed away from the corpse slowly and turned out the hole he came in. When he returned he seen the pair were still in there embrace, the same as they were when he went in. Just sitting there holding each other, blissfully unaware of the ever present danger that could be eying from a far.

"Um... sorry to interrupt but we need to move. Now. It's not safe here." Thunderlane tried to induce the duo out of their hold. He would feel much safer if they were just out of the open. In the factory.

"Oh, sorry we..." Fluttershy had begun to speak up, but Rainbow made it her job to reply. She wouldn't be interrupted by the likes of him.

"Hold on 'Shy." She broke her embrace with the timid canary pegasus and turned to Thunderlane, anger in her eyes. "Now who the hell do you think you are?! Telling us when we need to do this and that. I'll decide what to do and what's best for us. You got a problem with that?" Rainbow Dash put her face right up to Thunderlane's, staring him straight in the eyes.

"... No. Actually you can decide what's best for her from now if you want. I think I'll be taking a trip to Canterlot. I need to find out what's going on here. You two can do whatever the hell you want from here on. I don't really care." With that, Thunderlane turned and started to heading for the edge of the cloud. A satisfied grin came across the lips of the rainbow maned pegasus. She had won her bout with him and she knew it.

"Wait! We need you. You saved me and I need you. We need you." Fluttershy began trotting up next to him, only to be stopped by a cyan hoof. The anger that had vanished off her face a second ago made a second appearance. The thought of Fluttershy being saved by someone other then herself infuriated Dash.

"What's this you saved Fluttershy? That's my job and mine alone." Thunderlane turned back to her with a pretty pissed off glare.

"Well where the buck were you then?! Fluttershy was about to get murdered by a griffon back at the stadium and if it wasn't for me she would've died. Would you have wanted that for her?!" He gave a slight pause, waiting for a retort. None came. The pegasus in question simply looked down at her hooves, defeated. "Exactly. You wouldn't have wanted that and neither did I. So I saved her. You're welcome. Now," he turned to Fluttershy. "I'm heading to Canterlot in order to see if I can get the princess's aid in this whole predicament. You two should just go wait it out in the factory till I return. Got it?"

"Y-yeah, I got it." Rainbow Dash admitted in a weak, fragile tone. She didn't like admitting that she was wrong, ever.

"Kay, good. Also Fluttershy, make sure to stay alive. For her sake." He gave Dash a nod and turned back towards the edge of the cloud. With a few flaps of his wings, he was off. Heading away from that terrible place. He hoped the cover of the night would be enough to hide him from the eyes of the griffons. If not well, he just had to hope luck was on his side.

Thunderlane was gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Adaptive here: Yeah, yeah I know. A terrible spot to leave things off. But this is only part 2. There is another part coming. Also, sorry for the overall terrible writing in this chapter part. Sorry for the delay in this release as well. It shouldn't have taken this long. I haven't felt myself these last few weeks and thus it has lead to terrible writing. Sorry. The next part will conclude this chapter and we'll go to a different portion. K? I hope everyone who read this has a wonderful day or night.