The Rainbow Stallion

"We're here?"

"Yes, we're here," Cano repeated himself a second time, already taking his leave off the train. I followed close suit, not intent on losing my new friend or getting lost in...

This maze.

Aydin was a maze, I gazed and gazed up, and I could still see the city's peak. But I couldn't see anything inside because it was all concealed by a towering obsidian wall, it was probably high as Celestia's own tower! How did I miss this!? At the front, there was a giant, as tall as the wall, wooden door, but it seemed darker than any wood I've ever seen. That monster door was flanked by two obsidian guard watch towers. Was it my imaginton or could I see tiny white spark resonate from the windows? Not important. Everything seemed to be made out of that dark, grim material, obsidian, except for the rotten monster door.

"First time to Aydin? You're gonna have a hell of a time in this second Hell," an old rasped voice sounded beside me, I turned my head and saw an old green mare, face wrinkled to the max, limbs and body frail.

"Second Hell?" I questioned curiously, the old pony huffed.

"Go in, do what you need to do and get the hell out of here before you end up a lifeless body." well that was a hell of an assumption to make, I shook my head and looked away, back to the enormous door.

It unexpectantly began to creak open, from the sound of it, its hinges weren't oiled in decades, small bits of saw dust falling from here and there. But the most funny thing about the giant door that it was single, most doors big as this were double. It slowly began revealing the city, houses, which most were old, rotten or crumbling to the point of extinctsion.

What would,  a fast flier, determined and tomboyish mare like Rainbow Dash, would be doing in this obsidian craving city? It was time to find out.

Me and Cano trotted through the monster door, me keeping close to him, I did NOT want to be alone right now, not later, not ever in this spine chilling place. If he went somewhere, I will go with him.

As we entered, the door slowly began closing, I gulped, feeling shivers creeping on to me, like a dozen of tiny spiders. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I heard a faint, distant, evil laughter as the door shut, cutting me off from the rest of the world. And who would climb these walls?

I felt a damned sensation in my head, so I leaned on Cano's shoulder, groaning, he immidiately snapped his attention to me.

"You alright, Pick?" he was worried, I could hear it in his voice.

"I'm fine, Cano, just... got a little lightheaded for a moment." to be honest, my new friend and companion felt strong, the muscles on his shoulder shifted as he balanced me on my hooves.

"What are you two colt cuddlers doing outside? It's almost night." I turned around, and the female voice belonged to... a  heavily armored mare. Her dark blue helmet hid most of her face, but I could see the yellow mouth and horn, her eyes were covered by a pair of weirdly shaped goggles. Her whole dark blue body armor, from shoulder to hoof looked quite bulky and heavh to carry, and on her left side, strapped to her neck, was a worn out combustion lever rifle, the ones that spits lead.

"We just arrived here, ma'am, we'll be on our way," Cano just stole my words, the mare huffed and opened her mouth in a smile.

"Outsiders, eh? First time to Aydin? Don't answer. Look, some free and friendly advice. If you find a place which has walls and a roof, you'll be safe, if you stand out here through the night, you'll be bones in the morning. So I suggest you go to the Rosebur Inn. Now." and with that, she finally trotted off into the city. I looked at Cano.

"What do you think? Should we go to Rosewhatwasitagain Inn? Inns give beds, right?" Cano looked troubled, worried, and one I did not expect, scared. Fear was setting into me too, the way she described that we'll become bones if we stay out.

"Come on, Cano! Let's go, please." I begged, frowning in worry. The stallion shook his head, looking down at me and smirking.

"Yeah, sure, let's go to the inn, night's coming." with that we sent out to search for the inn. Looks like Rainbow Dash would just have to wait a bit more.

After minutes of searching, passing old buildings and seeing an old hospital off into the distance, we finally arrived to our destination. Rosebur Inn. A sign labeled with the inn's name was rocking back and forth on a piece of wood. Me and Cano cautiously entered.

The interior was again, dark and grim, like the rest of this city. There was a counter on the far left side, a pony's head could be seen behind it, reading through a newspaper. As I and Cano approached the counter, I could see that it was a ember mare, maybe in her middle ages.

"We'd like to rent a room, please," I said politely as I could, the mare simply gave out her hoof and said "Ten."

I searched through my... crap... I've forgotten that I left my saddlebag on the train! Going back would be bad, and the train hsd already departed... crud.

But Cano saved us a night outside by placing ten bits in the mare's hoof, she smiled, revealing yellow crooked teeth, she threw a rusty key up, Cano catched it.

"Second floor, second door on your right." so we followed her instructions.

We reached the second floor, there were four doors, each on either side, Cano slid the key into our room, opening it with a creak. It was a square shaped room, one lightbulb in the center with no switch to be seen, a single bed on the far left side, a window with intact glass, thank Celestia, a drawer next to the bed and four wooden boxes in another. Shockingly, there was only one bed, Cano and I had to share, a stallion sharing a bed with another stallion, doesn't sound bad.

As soon as Cano closed and locked the door, I quickly put up the four boxes against the door.

"What's with the boxes, Pick?" Cano was curious, I flushed a little.

"Safety measurments, if somepony enters, without a key." Cano chuckled and jumped on the bed, laying out on his side, his back facing the wall behind him, I closed the window and bolted it shut. He was impatiently tapping the empty space in front of him.

"We'll figure out if that mare was telling the truth, we can't take any chances now."

Then, with a nervous gulp, I lay down on the bed, too, next to Cano, my back facing him, I flushed again as he put his foreleg around my waist and stomach, pulling me in from behind as he threw the white blanket over us. And before me saying anything about him keeping his foreleg around me, his muzzle met my ear.

"Goodnight, Pick."

"G-Goodnight, Cano," I couldn't argue, I felt safe, warm and comfortable in my friend's embrace.