Mask

Annoying.

The story was annoying.

Spike had this very familiar thought running rampant through his brain as Snips and Snails told their story. It could have been summed up in maybe a paragraph or a few sentences, like from Cranky or maybe even Maud Pie. Instead, it had been a thirty minute long story whilst Spike checked through his supplies and cleaned his weapons, Sand being enraptured for what was, essentially, a normal business day for Twilight and himself, told by two of the towns most troublesome duo. Spike himself didn't much care for the story, after all, it just included a train ride from Canterlot to Ponyville, but they talked about every little stop before and after said train ride. Needless to say, Spike was only half paying attention as he cleaned his wound and covered it, then pulled his weapons apart, cleaning them.

Of course, Spike still held them as friends, even if he was annoyed by them. They had the capability to learn, to change, and to better themselves, which made the two quite the rare pair in the apocalypse. It seemed that Spike may have put up a front, as he was genuinely proud of them and would have admitted it, had he not been absolutely bored out of his mind with the story. It also seemed that they were trusted enough to guard the outer perimeter of the settlement they had, which was a step up from what anyone would trust them with before the bombs.

Spike looked up as he finally put his snapper back together, sliding it into its holster, hearing Snips and Snails finish their story. He got a good look at them, giving a soft hum of thought as he inspected them. The two magic bloods had changed; instead of being the small, chubby little boy he was before, Snips was now taller, about average height at five feet and six inches, and packed on some muscle, though still seemed a bit pudgy. Thankfully not in the dehydrated, unhealthy way, but a good amount of fat and muscle that made him look strong and healthy. Snails himself has shot up, and although he would not reach Spikes adult height (which was a few centuries away), he did tower over Spike now at six feet and four inches. He seemed slender, though Spike knew not to underestimate him as he knew he had a hidden strength.

That being said, their personalities were still similar, Snails was the last person in Ponyville to get a joke (though this did not make him dumb, as he often asked deep questions and was naturally curious), and Snips was the energetic goofball he was before the fall.

"What are we doing, we should bring you to the others!"

Spike perked up at this, then asked, "Others?"

"Yeah, the Leader, he'll want to talk to you and Sand here, Spike! After all, he is a big fan of your friend!" Snips spoke, earning a nod from Snails, who gave a gentle smile.

"Friend? What friend?" Spike thought to himself, though all he did was exchange a look with Sand, then asked, "Shouldn't you two be staying here? Guarding?"

Snails turned to Snips, then quietly drawled out, "The Leader was awfully sore the last time we did something without askin first."

"Snails, you thinkin what I'm thinkin?"

"Why do people use 'dose' instead of 'does' in a story?"

"Yeah - what? No! I mean we should use the signal!"

Sand and Spike watched, with amusement and annoyance respectively, as Snails let his hand glow. He looked at Snips, who nodded, threw the light upwards, blinding Spike for a moment and making him hiss as he covered his eyes. After a moment, another light shot up into the tunnel, much further away, making Snips and Snails smile, Spike adjusting his sweeper a bit as he heard loud banging behind them again, twirling around a bit as muffled screams of the hellish mutants were heard.

"We're changing shifts, we'll take you to the Leader." Snips said as they started walking, Sand and Snails following him. Spike stayed behind a moment, giving the door a look, before following the trio, a strange pit in his stomach forming as they walked.

As they walked, Spike gave a look around the tunnel, seeing several claw marks and holes, his eyes trailing along the marks on the wall. He peered back at Sand, who was in the middle of talking to Snips about hair dressing, Snails using a flashlight attached to his chest to look forward, his eyes scanning over every surface. Something just didn't feel right to Spike, though he couldn't explain what was wrong to them.

They passed a duo who were also armed, giving them a confused look as Snips and Snails walked by, though they continued onward without saying a word. Spike gave them a glance, adjusting his sweeper as his eyes locked with the closest man, watching him smirk, walking down the hall. His eyes narrowed, then he looked back at Snips and Snails, both talking about what they would have for dinner.

Spike grasped Sands shoulder, then mumbled to her, "Something feels...off."

Sand looked at Snips and Snails, who stopped to talk about something or other, not paying attention to the world around them. Sand looked back towards Spike and raised a hand a bit, mumbling, "I admit, they seem a little...weird, but that doesn't mean they -"

"They are perfectly fine." Spike cut through her thought, his eyes narrowing as he looked the way they were going, whispering to her, "It's about this Leader they keep talking about. Something just isn't sitting right when they mention him."

Sand gave them a glance, seeing the two talk about something or other, then turned back to Spike, whispering back, "You don't think this...Leader is taking advantage of them, do you?"

"I can't say for certain. Let's at least meet the guy before I come to any conclusions." Spike mumbled back, adjusting his gear as he started walking again. "Hey, Snips, Snails!" He called out, the duo looking back at Spike in confusion. "You said your Leader was a big fan of one of my friends, who exactly? Rainbow Dash? Applejack?"

"Oh, no, none of the girls, just the -" Snips was interrupted by the sound of gun fire in the distance, making them all turn the direction they came from. "Well, uh...this isn't really the best place to discuss this, let's just go to the Leader and he'll explain everything." They started walking again, hearing the gun fire become more and more distant, Spike giving the direction of the sound a glance.

Seemed like a lot of gun fire for a few Fuglies.

Snips and Snails walked into the opened gates of the settlement, Sand quickly following behind, whilst Spike was lagging behind. A few of the guards and people near the gate had given Spike stranges looks, some even backing away from him. Spike adjusted the mask on his chest, peering around as he inspected the buildings around him; much like the Caverns, the buildings around them were scrapped together, though Spike noticed a lot more plant life and fungus, making him stare at the surroundings a bit.

He could make out a modified gate further across to the other side, and some sort of strange building in the middle of the settlement that towered above the others. He could almost make out some sort of symbol on it, though he was distracted when he saw a glint of something on the far wall; he could make out some metal bars and an opening in the wall, though he didn't get a good look as he bumped into a person, who scuttled away as soon as they got a good look at Spike.

He heard a child gasp nearby and looked over, his tail giving a soft curl as he did, seeing a young girl hiding behind her father. Spike gave a wince as he realized how he looked at the moment; covered in blood from ripping apart that poor Fulgy, some of his armor was scratched and his shirt was ripped from the claw marks The Right Hand had given him, and blood from the recent wound given to him was still on his face. He was a mess. He adjusted his Sweeper a bit, trying to ignore the eyes boring holes into him at the moment.

"Spike?" Sands voice made him look up at her, his eyes conflicting whilst hers shown nothing but patience and worry. "You okay?"

Spike looked back, seeing the child shivering while holding onto their father. He lowered his head, then shook it, walking forward, "No."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Well, I -"

"Hey, the Leader is just ahead." Snips said, making Spike and Sand share a look. Spike himself only nodded to her, not minding the mans interruption. They walked towards a rather humble looking home in the middle of the settlement, flowers sprouting out from the walls, along with some (thankfully not poisonous) mushrooms. The front door opened to a rather thing man, with a beard and long hair, both braided rather beautifully with a few flowers in his hair. He gave them a soft, warm smile as he looked at them, giving Snips and Snails a hug, laughing a bit.

"Snips! Snails! What brings you to my home!" He asked with a warm, almost fatherly, voice.

Snips gave a natural smile, which was very rare in this world, and spoke, "Leader, we brought -"

"Ah ah ah, boys, boys!" The man spoke naturally, giving them both a playful chuckle, "We had a talk about that, my name is not 'The Leader', it's just Green Thumb!" He looked up to see the blood covered Spike and the tired looking Sand, giving a gasp. "Is...is that Spike? Sweet Celestia, what happened to you, my poor boy?"

"Yeah, we found them fighting the Lost Ones at the back door, Leader." Snails drawled out, Snips nodding, ignoring the tired smile Green Thumb gave the duo. "We thought, since you were friends with his friend, you might help them out."

"I would never turn them away, even if they were strangers, you know that! Come, Spike and..."

"Sand."

"Sand! Spike and Sand, you must be exhausted, come in, come in, I'll brew some tea for you two. And look at your wounds." Green Thumb waved them in, Snips and Snails adjusting their gear. "Snips, Snails, you two work far too hard, would you like to come in for some tea?"

"Oh, no thank you, Leader, we had some plans." Snails spoke, Snips giving a soft smile.

"Thought we were try and beat Hayseed at chess today."

"Oh, he plays a mean game! I won't keep you two then, have a fun night." Green Thumb said, giving a soft smile. He shut the door and turned to the two warriors, giving them soft looks, "Go on, sit, sit, you must be exhausted!"

Spike and Sand shared a look, before looking around. Beautiful gems hung from the lights on the ceiling, Spike having to stop himself from snatching one up and eating them, despite how delicious they looked. The man had some rather comfortable looking furniture, the walls having no wallpaper, though the drawings of both adults and children were on the walls, done by some sort of paint. Spikes eyes roamed over to a chair, offering it to Sand, who happily sat down and gave a groan as she slumped on it, though Spike felt his eyes roaming around to the kitchen, seeing Green Tumb using some magic to set a fire, heating up a kettle.

His eyes wandered over to a door, seeing a strange symbol that looked like a horn and antler carved into it. Spikes eyes narrowed at the symbol, before looking at Green Thumb, adjusting his weapons on his back. "So, you're the Leader?"

Green Thumb gave a tired smile and sighed, before shaking his head, "No, I'm not the Leader. I am the one everyone talks to about jobs and food though, so they just call me that." Green Thumb admitted, crossing his arms and leaning on the desk. "The Leader is my husband, but he's on a hunt."

"Hunt?" Sand perked up, looking at the man, confused, "What hunt?"

"No clue. He just leaves whenever something catches his fancy." He grumbled out, though the kettle screaming made him hop up and grab some cups. "I hope you don't mind, it is green tea. Funny, I know, but it's the only tea I can really grow down here."

"Green Thumb? Weren't you a gardener who talked to Fluttershy?" Spike asked, making the man smile at him.

"I am surprised you remember! Feels like so long ago, but I did garden and help plant crops, like carrots and celery and the like." Green Thumb said, using his magic to pour the tea, floating cups over to both. Spike easily grasped the boiling cup with one hand, taking a sip of it. Sand, however, tried to grasp it, hissed at how hot it was and set it down next to her on a coaster, giving Spike a surprised look as he drank some of it, showing no issues at the heat. "Once the bombs dropped, I was already near this entrance and was able to help out families who couldn't get to the main doors in time." Green Thumb said, before his eyes gave a heavy look, holding onto his cup in his hands. "I couldn't save everyone though. It happened so fast, and I...we left a few out there. I just didn't have time before the first bomb hit...though some part of me wishes I could keep the door open and let the rest in."

"I know how you feel." Spike said, his hands gently squeezing the cup, drawing Sands attention. "I wish I could have saved more...but I was just a boy when it happened and I..." His voice faltered a bit, before he looked over to Green Thumb, shaking his head a bit. "Sorry."

"Don't be. Sometimes, we need to let our emotions out, be it anger or sadness." The man said, giving a warm smile. "Last we meet, you were only about...yay high." Green Thumb made an approximate measurement with his hand. He walked over to Spike, giving him a soft look, "Take off your helmet, let me have a look at that wound."

Spike complied, hearing Green Thumb give a soft noise as he he inspected it. "He got it saving my life." Sand answered the unspoken question, making Green Thumb chuckle.

"Good to see you haven't changed, Spike." Green Thumb said, before pulling the bandage off, hissing at the sight. He pulled out some sort of bottle, then poured it on the cut, Spike giving a hiss, hearing Green Thumb mumble an apology. He started cleaning the cut, asking Spike as he kept himself busy, "So, how is Fluttershy doing? I assume she survived the bombs, judging by your attitude."

"They were in the Crystal Empire when it happened. Last I heard, Discord -" At the name Discord, Green Thumb visibly stiffened, though this went unnoticed by both Spike and Sand, "was on vacation there and would meet up with the others. It's been years since we last had contact."

"Wait, Discord? As in...the former God of Chaos, Discord?" Green thumb asked as he put a patch over the now clean wound, giving Spike a nod, letting the dragonblood put his helmet on.

"Yeah, Discord, Big Mac and I would get together to play Oubliettes & Ogres on Guys Night." Spike smiled at the memory, before looking up at Green Thumb, who was busy staring out the window. "Green Thumb? You okay?"

"I...I think you both should leave."

"I'm sorry?"

"Excuse me?"

"My husband will be here soon, and I...I think you should leave." Green Thumb said hurriedly, pouring their cups down the drain, peering all around out his window.

"Is there something wrong?" Spike asked, Sand standing up and adjusting her gear. "Did I offend you?"

"My husband is a great hunter. He went off looking for something...incredible, and he doesn't like strangers. You both may supply up, but you have to leave before he comes back with one of those 'beings' he keeps rambling on about." Green Thumb spoke, waving them over, Spike giving a growl, though Sand quickly stood up and walked over. "That right there is the temple, where they'll take the quarry. If you go there, you'll be captured immediately by the Hunters, so you'll need to -"

"Hunters?!" Spike yelled out, smacking his hand on the table, drawing their attention. "Just what the fuck is going on? Why are you so worried? And why the fuck do you have hunters?!"

Green Thumb sighed, then looked at the gate, glancing back at Spike, "Listen, my husband is...he is something else. Before the bombs he was normal, but now...he...I can't explain it fully, but you both are in danger. Now, near the temple, you'll find supplies that you'll need, and a door to leave this place." Green Thumb opened a door at the end of the house, showing a back door, "Now, you'll need to avoid the Hunters to get to the door, but if my husband sees you, he'll likely throw you in the Cage."

Sands looked at Green Thumb, an uneasy feeling settling in her stomach as she asked, "Just...what in Celestias name is the Cage?"

"Trust me, you don't wanna know." Green Thumb muttered out, before giving them a soft smile, "I'm rooting for you guys."

"Wait...why aren't you helping your husband?" Spike asked, making Sand grip onto her rifle a bit, her eyes narrowing a bit.

Green Thumb sighed, before looking at Spike, giving a tired smile. "Before the bombs, I loved the man to death. I would do anything for him. Now...I can't even look at the man without feeling a sickness in my gut. Just avoid him if you can, Spike, he'll hate you the most."

Spike opened his mouth to ask a question, before Sand butted in, cutting his thought in half, "What about Snips and Snails? We can't just leave them!"

"Oh, trust me, they are perfectly safe here." Green Thumb then gave a peek out the window, nodding to them, "I've kept an eye on them this long, not gonna quit now."

Spike walked over to Green Thumb, only to hold an arm out, Green Thumb grasping his forearm in a type of warriors hand shake, not minding the cold metal of the chains on Spikes forearm. Sand gave a soft smile, then spoke softly, "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet, you're still in here." Green Thumb spoke, then gave them a soft wave, "Just avoid the Hunters. You'll recognize them by their masks and sigils on their chests." Spike and Sand walked out the door, seeing Green Thumb give them a soft smile. "As soon as you guys get your supplies, try to avoid the things my husband is hunting. It is said they can meddle with minds, and if he brings one back...you really don't want to be around it." Green Thumb closed the door, Spikes eyes narrowing as Sand looked at him.

"You don't think that..." Sand began, before seeing Spile walk into the shadows, drawing no weapons. "Wait, don't you want to arm yourself?"

"Not particularly." Spike mumbled out honestly, poking his head out of the alleyway they were in, seeing some tending to flowers or plants. "After all, they may be my enemy, but I don't want to kill them. They all have lives as well."

"Okay, no killing." Sand spoke, adjusting her rifle to sling it onto her back. She walked over, peering out with him, asking, "You got a plan to head over to that temple?"

"I do." Spike slowly said as he looked up at the ceiling, seeing walkways above them, some of them holding building materials and some buildings set up to give a better view on any enemies.

Sand followed his vision, giving a grunt, "Why do I have a feeling that I'll hate your plan?"

Mayor Mare rubbed her cheek as she read through a book, snacking on a sandwich. To say she was worried about Spike and Silver would be an understatement, as they hadn't been able to contact the away teams for some time. However, she knew they could handle themselves and that it was just her own worries eating at her. After all, Spike had basically saved Big Macs life all those years ago, and Silver had fought off a horde of mutants just to save her life.

Mayor Mare took a sip of her water and looked up, seeing Bulk Biceps talking to some random magicblooded woman, his tiny wings flittering a bit. Bulk had taken over training in Silvers absence, and it seemed he was doing a great job, as no one complained to her. Though, she often wondered why he only let them get into shape rather than literally bulking up, much like him.

She watched Big Mac and Applebloom sit down across from her, raising an eyebrow at them. Big Mac nodded to the Mayor, Applebloom seeming to fidget in her seat for a moment, making the older woman sigh, then speak, "No, I haven't heard from Spike or Silver, and no, I am not going to bother them in case they are in the middle of something."

"That ain't what we were gonna ask ya." Mayor Mare looked at Big Mac, confusion marking her face. "We were gonna ask if ya noticed anythin different 'bout Spike lately."

"Not that I can remember...why?"

"Well -" Applebloom started, before pausing a bit, looking around a bit. She leaned in and whispered, "When Spike was staying with us a week ago, he kinda...sleep walked."

"Sleep walked? Is that it?" Mayor Mare asked, her eyebrow perking up.

"We wish it was just that."

Big Mac took over, mumbling out as he searched through a bag, "We didn't wake 'im up cuz, ya know, they might react badly or lash out or somethin like that, like miss Twilight told us. But...he took some paper we had and started drawing...these..."

Big Mac pulled out some papers and put them in front of Mayor Mare, the woman setting her cup down and staring at them. On the pictures were random scribbles in a language she couldn't make out (if it was a language at all was beyond even Mayor Mare), however, she did recognize different things in the drawings.

The first being a hand print, four fingers, next to a clawed hand, drawn in charcoal. The next was the mountain that held Canterlot, the city barely being seen, with two black figures at the bottom. The third drawing was of a black humanoid, tall, lanky, with massive eyes, random symbols around its head. A fourth drawing was of flowers branching out of a skeleton in some sort of dark forest. The last drawing was the most alarming and confusing, as it had Spike with his wings out, one hand ready to strike out with claws, the other hand up, palm facing upwards, as if to help someone up, his face ripped into two directions; on one side, showed a scale covered face, roaring silently in fury, the other was his normal face with strange symbols on his forehead and a hand print on his face, looking far more peaceful.

And in the middle was a strange humanoid, far smaller and stockier than the previous one, being surrounded by black figures that appeared like shadows, or ghosts, reaching its hand out for help.

Mayor Mare peered through the drawings, her face unreadable, before she looked back up at Big Mac and Applebloom, asking, "Have you told anyone about these?"

"Nope." Big Mac said, glancing at Applebloom, who gave him a nudge. "We didn't even tell Spike about it. Seems like he doesn't rightly remember even getting up and we didn't show him the pictures in case it might trigger somethin. We both know Spike ain't the type to make up this sorta thing."

"Good. Let's keep this between us right now." Mayor Mare spoke, pushing the papers back to Big Mac. He nodded, stuffing them back in the bag, giving Mayor Mare a soft look. "I'm still trying to understand it..."

Thunderlane took this moment to run up to the table, panting loudly, holding his side and groaning. "Oh sweet Celestia or Equestria...I think I pulled some stitches..."

"Thunderlane? What are you doing here?"

"We got...we got word that...oh geezy Petes...I am gonna die..."

"Come on now, spit it out." Applebloom said, glaring at the man.

"Hold your...hold your horses...whew. Alright, we just got word from Silvers team. They're almost at the last settlement."

"Some good news! That's in short supply these days." Mayor Mare said, smiling, though the look Thunderlane gave her made it fall rather quickly.

"Not exactly. They said there was a faction holding captives and that Diamond Dogs are searching for Spike for some reason. Which means we gotta shore up defenses. They already attacked Cherry Jubilees settlement, we might be next."

"And there's the bad news." Applebloom said glumly, though she gave a hiss when Big Mac elbowed her. "What'd I do?"

"Let the guards know, hopefully Blaze Powder has her next batch of weapons ready."

"Did I tell you how much I hated this plan?" Sand hissed in Spikes ear as he dug his hands into solid rock, giving himself a new foothold. His tail was curled around her hips, keeping her attached to him like a sort of life line. Sand had to admit, she loved how he felt, his muscles flexing under his armor, though Sand secretly wished his tail would squeeze tighter. Of course said thoughts suddenly scrambled in her head as he gave a grunt of exertion, digging his hands into a crevice in the wall, resting there for a moment.

"Yeah, you might've mentioned it...twelve or so times as we snuck through the alleyways...and while I was climbing." Spike mumbled out, his hands digging a new hand hold, then adjusted along the wall, sliding across it, feeling Sands grip tighten around him.

"Well I fucking hate this plan."

"I told you not to look down at the half way point. Begged, even." Spike mentioned, then jumped up to a rock, grabbing a hold, ignoring Sands yelp of surprise. "I also told you not to grip onto me too tight."

"Well, I'm sorry for choking you, but you lost your grip and I panicked!" Spike rolled his eyes at this, before gripping onto the metal grating, his hands easily bending the metal. "Are we there yet?"

"Do you want to open your eyes and check?"

"No, I'm good, thanks!" Spike chuckled at Sands response, before giving a hum.

"You got a good grip on, right?"

"Yeah, whhHHHHHYYYYYYYYY?!" Sands question turned into a shriek as he suddenly let go of his hips and smashed his tail into the metal grating, Spike using his momentum to smash his hands into the metal and flip both of them over, landing on his feet, stumbling a bit as Sands grip tightened.

To Sand, her stomach felt as though it has dropped to Spikes feet and back up to her throat in the process of him flipping over, using all of her power to not throw up from the sudden changes. Once she finally regained power of her stomach and swallowed her bile, she let go of Spike, careful not to trip in the claw marks Spike left, the dragonblood looking at her, asking, "You okay?"

"If you weren't so hot, I'd punch you right in the fucking gut..." Sand hissed out, staring up at him with an unamused expression, still green from the move he did.

"Don't worry, we only had to to it once, we won't need to do it again...probably."

"Go...fuck...yourself." Sand mumbled out between breaths, standing up and stretching a bit, regaining the feeling in her arms and legs after hanging from him for so long. "Okay, I'm good."

"That's good, because I don't see anyone, but that means we better get going. It won't be long until they notice the claw marks in the floor." Spike started walking, peering around, giving a soft hum, "You cleaned your filter, right?"

"Of course I did. I did it while Snips and Snails were talking about their amazing trip."

"Getting lost in Canterlot and riding a train home doesn't really count as a - wait."

"Oh, come on, Spike, I've never been to Canterl -"

"No, wait. There is no one up here."

"Yeah, what about it?"

"If there is no one up here, that means a shift change...and that means we gotta hurry our asses off of these catwalks." Spike started running, Sand giving him a stare, only to follow, giving a groan.

"I need a breather and he is ready for round three." Sand joked to herself, then started jogging after him, looking down and giving a queasy sound as she started to speed up, wanting to be off the catwalks as soon as possible. "Spike, just how will we get down?"

"By jumping." Spike said easily, stopping at a building that came out of the ceiling, attached to the walkways. He opened a door and peered in, ignoring the look Sand gave him, seeing a few chairs and windows all around to provide a look out. He whistled to her, waving her in, ignoring her unamused look as she walked past him.

"By jumping? You wanna be a little more specific?"

"By jumping off the railing, it is the quickest way to get to our destination." Spike reasoned, making Sand groan a bit, holding her head in her hands, Spike peering through lockers and cabinets for any spare ammo. He shook his head as he saw nothing but papers, spare clothes and some books, Sand looking around nervously.

"So, are you including me in your suicidal plan?" Sand asked, her eyes narrowing a bit as she became distracted, looking at him, "I'll just take the stairs if I get a choice."

"Stairs will be guarded, which means a fight and that means drawing attention to ourselves. We need to -"

"Hey, Hot Rod, you left the door open." A new voice suddenly cut Spike off, pushing the door open. "I swear, you're so spaced out you're seeing...who are y -" The woman started to ask, before Sand acted, smashing her fist into the poor womans cheek, sending her to the floor. Sand was on top of her in an instant, the door being pushed open by a man, the mentioned "Hot Rod", who stared at the sight, raising his weapon and ordering something that was lost to everyone.

His weapon was quickly smacked out of his hands a chain, poor Hot Rod not even having a moment to look before he was punched, knocking him out immediately. Spike grabbed Hot Rod and put him on a chair, before looking at Sand, who punched the poor woman again, finally knocking her out. Sand panted as she looked over, Spike himself just twirling the chain back around his arm, nonchalant as his tail lazily waved to and fro.

"You know, for a guy who won't kill, you sure don't pull your punches in fight."

"I do pull my punches. Otherwise, he would be dead." Spike replied casually, making Sand stare at him, pulling some ammo out of the mans pockets, inspecting the rounds. He handed her the ammo he grasped, saying, "Won't fit in my boomer, but it will fit in yours." Sand looked at him, curiously, before taking the ammo.

"Not afraid they'll need it?"

"The man just threatened your life. If he wakes up sooner than expected, I don't want him making those threats a reality." Spike pulled the slide back, ejecting the live round, then looked up at her. "And I'd rather they not waste precious ammo on us."

"Good point." Sand mumbled out, watching him rifle through her pockets. Spike pulled out a few shotgun shells, then grabbed her Boomstick, pulling the ammo out of the rotating cylinders. He racked the shotgun, a live shell flying out, Spike grabbing it once it fell to the floor, putting them in his pocket. "Doesn't it bother you that you are okay doing that?"

"Not really. I'm not taking anything that genuinely belongs to them, just some ammo." Spike stood up, then nodded to her. "Alright, let's go. I'll take point until we get above the shed."

Sand walked over to the door, peering around, before nodding to him, Spike standing up and walking over. He walked out, looking around, then waved her over, leaving the two unconscious guards in the room. Spike kept walking, adjusting his gear, Sand watching the stairs and walkways, her eyes scanning along the darkness.

Soon, they both stood directly over the temple, Sand peering down at it, giving a gasp as she saw a commotion at the front gates, the distant sound of yells echoing below them. "Looks like something has got them riled up." Sand said as she saw some of them spilling out of the temple with weapons on them. "Hopefully it isn't us." She turned to Spike, only to suddenly get scooped up, giving a loud 'eep' as he carried her bridal style, making her blush wildly. "Sp-Spike?!"

"Hope you got a good hold."

"Why would I need a good hoooOOOOOOOO-!"

Spike jumped off of the railing, Sand suddenly gripping onto him as he plummeted towards the ground. Spike took this moment to let them free fall for a moment, Spikes eyes hardening as he scanned the ground. Seeing no one, his wings suddenly flew open, catching them mid air, slowly letting him parachute to the ground, Sand held onto Spike in a grip that was far too strong in his opinion, shivering as she looked at the ground. Realizing that Spike was gliding down, she growled and smacked his chest, not caring if anyone heard her next words.

"Fuck you! Next time, tell me your plan!"

"I did tell you the plan. I jump, we land."

"That isn't a plan! Next time, say you are gonna glide down!" She was about to yell at him more, when they heard footsteps coming towards them, Spike pulling Sand to the side and into the shadows, watching two men walk by. Spike couldn't get a good look at them, but he noticed some strange ornaments on their armor. He poked his head out of the shadows, hearing the commotion in the temple, his eyes narrowing a bit as he looked at the entrance, hearing shouting and talking spill from the doorway. "Spike, help me open this."

Spike twirled to see Sand struggling with a lock on the door. Spike walked over, pulling two pins out, then knelt down next to her, mumbling out, "Never thought this would come in handy..."

"Wait...why not just break it?" Sand asked him, becoming curious as he fiddled with the lock.

"Well, seeing at it is locked, that means it is important. And although they are my enemy, I really shouldn't compromise their supplies simply because I need some." Spike spoke as he stuck his tongue out in concentration, Sand finding the sight adorable, before a thought suddenly shot into her brain.

"How do you know how to pick locks?"

"Twilight taught me."

"...Why...why did she teach you how to pick locks?"

"She locked herself out of the house a lot and I always had a key, so she learned and then taught me in case I ever lost my keys." Spike answered easily, before looking up at Sand, seeing her raise an eyebrow. "What?"

"Nothing, just open it."

The click echoed out, Spike stepping back and smiling as Sand walked in. Spike would have entered, had it not been a pinching at the back of his skull. A very familiar feeling.

He suddenly stumbled in, giving a groan as he grasped his helmet, trying to stop the headache that suddenly formed. He looked up to see Sand staring at shells and rounds in boxes, her jaw hanging loose as she stared at the sheer amount of shells. She turned to say something, only to see Spike leaning against a wall, clutching his head, giving a gasp as she walked over, "Spike, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, just grab some ammo." He winced as he spoke, standing up on shaking legs. He walked over, grasping shotgun shells and comparing them to those on his shotgun, before sliding them into place on his body, fitting them into holders and into some pockets. He adjusted and pulled his sweepers magazine out, sliding fresh rounds into it, giving a hiss as the feeling suddenly stopped.

"Spike, I can't help if you don't tell me what's wrong."

"I don't know what's wrong. Feels like something is trying to talk to my br -" Spike stopped and gave a grunt as he saw a new wave of pain slammed into his head, flashing hot white and making him lean against the wall. Sand was upon him in a moment, grasping onto his shoulder and slowly walking him out of the shed. They stopped in the doorway, Spike slowly shifting his wings back into his body as he was far too weak to use them, looking up, his eyes flashes in recognition of the temple. "I...wait...whatever it is, it's in there."

"In there? The building full of armed men and shouting, that temple right th - And you're already walking in." Sand hissed out, seeing Spike open the door and slip inside, giving a wince at the sudden noise increase, the sounds of excited chattering and shouting making him grunt as he slid along the back, Sand quietly following around the crowd with him.

Luckily, they had been to busy talking amongst themselves that they had not noticed Spike nor Sand enter. Spike looked around, then started to lean back against the wall, adjusting his gear as his headache faded, gripping onto the chain around his arm a bit, the pinching at the back of his skull intensifying. He noticed something off about the group in front of him, though he couldn't figure out what, unable to even see their faces, marks, or any armor they wore, only spotting bits of off white colorations or yellows, narrowing his eyes as Sand rested next to him.

"So, we see what this big deal is, then we leave, right?" Sand asked, making Spikes eyes harden as he looked towards the stage.

"That's the plan." Spike said, adjusting his gear, his tail curling around him, his fists squeezing as the pinch at the back of his mind relaxed a tad, his eyes scanning the crowd. "Something's off."

"Yeah, I'm listening to you instead of dragging your scaley tail outta this mess!"

"No, I mean...something's wrong with them."

"What do you mean?"

Spike opened his mouth to answer, only to clamp it shut as the crowd suddenly went quiet, their attention pulled towards a door. The door opened to two men, holding shields and spears, Spikes eyes widening at their armor, a sick feeling in his stomach as a miniature Rarity and Fluttershy gasped in horror in his mind.

Bones.

The men wore bones. The skulls of animals were covering their faces, likely a panther or cougar or some other big cat, with the lower jaws covering their own jaws. Long capes made of fur flowed from their backs and multiple trophies made of bones (some of which Spike recognized, others he did not) hung on their armored chests. The one of the left had long claws attached to his wrist braces, likely used for up close and personal attacks, whilst the other had adjusted the big cat skull to allow cow horns to branch out of it, giving him a demonic appearance, a few knives hanging on his armored chest. Their boots landed with heavy thuds as the room watched, both men slamming the end of their spears into the ground, a reverberating metal racket echoing out into the temple, commanding attention.

The hairs at the back of Spikes neck suddenly raised up, his mind scrambling with fear instincts as he saw an individual walk out, silent and calm. The man was covered in a red robe, which looked both comfortable and commanding, his hands were free, covered in scars from animal attacks and previous fights. He wore a gas mask, of that Spike was sure of, and his features were hidden thanks to the shadows of the hood. However, the most striking thing about the man wasn't his fabulous robe or the commanding presence he drew towards himself, no, it was the skull he wore.

A deer skull.

However, as jarring as this was, Spike probably wouldn't be as shocked as he was if he didn't spot something weird about the skull; one of the antlers had been broken off and was replaced by a horn. It had been done on purpose and Spike knew exactly why.

It mimicked Discord, the former God of Chaos.

He looked around, then spoke in a deep voice that echoed throughout the temple, "My brothers and sisters! It is a joyous day, a joyous day indeed!" Spikes eyes narrowed as he had to stop himself from pulling out his snapper, the danger alarms blaring in his head as he watched. "As you remember, twenty five loyal men and I went out into the wastes above to capture the Dark Ones, and we succeeded in capturing one!"

"What is a Dark One?" He heard someone call out, a few murmuring words spoken afterwards. The murmurs stopped as the man held up a hand, walking forward and looking into the crowd.

"The Dark Ones are proof of what I have been saying all along. The peace we had endured for a thousand years after the Nightmare was a lie! Once Discord returned, he was able to turn the world back to its rightful place; pure chaos." Spikes backed up, looking at Sand, who cringed at the words.

"Isn't Discord reformed now?" Someone else called out, likely newbie to this cult.

"Indeed, the Elements of Harmony, Celestia and Luna have 'reformed' our great God...or so it would seem. He has clearly fooled them." With soft murmur increasing, the man stepped forward again snd asked the crowd, "Have you seen the outside? The mutants running amok! The snow smashing through old homes and the clouds blot out the sun constantly! It is not a world of peace! It is a world of chaos!" The Leader spread his hands out and looking into the mass, the deer skull panning around. He took a stance and called out, voice loud and powerful, "The Elements are dead! The Princesses are dead! And now, only Chaos remains! Discord has rewarded us, and now, we have one of his messengers, who will show us the path to him!"

"Spike, we should really go. Like...now." Sand grabbed onto his arm and tried tugging him, but he stood, rooted in place. "Spike! Come on, the wacko has these guys riled up, we should -"

"No, we have to stay and help."

"Help what?"

That moment, the doors behind the Leader opened with a loud creak, Spike wincing as he felt a wave of energy hit him. He gripped onto his head, giving a grunt as he felt another wave smash into his head, Sand giving a nervous look around, seeing a few of the "Hunters" stop and turn to him, some giving gasps and soft murmurs, others just staring at the odd pair. Sand opened her mouth to say something, only for the sound of wheels squeaking to catch everyones attention, the Leader nodding to the two men pulling the cage, Sand backing up a bit as she caught sight of the poor being.

A young Dark One.

The Dark One looked around, then instantly spotted Spike and silently pressed up against the cage, Spike giving a grunt as a few flashes ran through his mind; flowers, children playing, and a tree. These images made Spike turn to the dark one, eyes wide as he realized what was going on. The Leader suddenly turned, the Dark One getting a good look at his face, seeing his crazed eyes through the mark and feeling the mans thoughts had frightened the young being, its eyes staring in fear at the beast disguised as a man.

"BEHOLD! A BEING OF PURE CHAOS! A MESSENGER OF OUR GOD! OUR..." Before he had a chance to finish his sentence, the poor little Dark One shot a wave of fear over the crowd, its mind branching out and causing people to scream in pain as they tried to make sense of such complex thoughts entering their heads. The Leader fell instantly and so did his two guards, the men who had pulled the cage soon followed. A few in the front rushed forward, the Dark Ones sphere of influence smashing into them, making them fall as well, the sphere growing and growing, stronger and larger by every second.

Spike reacted faster than Sand could comprehend, grabbing the woman and smashing the door open. He threw Sand out of the doors faster than she could protest, Spike twirled as the wave hit him too, making him scream in agony as foreign thoughts slammed into his skull. He gripped onto the wall, cracking it in his hands, slowly looking at the people around him; some were frozen in place, many were on the ground, screaming in agony as their minds were invaded by accident and the Leader was lying on the floor, shaking, his mind being scrambled by the poor creature. The only one who seemed less affected was Spike, who only grunted and started walking towards the Dark One. The little one looked up to see Spike, reaching a hand out through the bars.

"Помоги мне."

Another blast of thoughts entered his mind, making Spike fall to his knees. He shook his head, gritting his teeth as he got back up, stumbling his way through the crowd, careful not to step on anyone. He could see the whole crowd was wearing bone armor, though he had no time to deal with that as another wave hit him, making him grunt as he just barely stopped himself from kicking someones head. His head swam and his stomach churned, the feeling to throw up building in Spike as he kept walking towards the cage and the little dark form within it. He made it to the stage and clambered onto his belly, the waves of pure emotion and energy hitting him full force. He looked to see the Leader, cackling madly as he lies on the ground, made mad from the thoughts smashing into his head.

He was sure he could hear Sand yelling his name, however, he kept moving, seeing the little figure huddled in the corner of the cage. He started crawling towards the creature, then got onto his knees, steadying his mind and his stomach. He looked up to see the little black form pushing back into the cage, watching him with an unsure glimmer in its eyes. Spike gave a soft, though sickly, looking smile as his hand shifted into his claws, then slashed open the lock, finally giving into his bodies demands and kneeling down, panting as he tried to regain control of his stomach again.

The little Dark One stared at Spike, the sphere of influence finally stopping and letting everyone else breathe. Someone pulled a helmet off and vomited onto the floor, the Leader taking deep breaths, rubbing his sides and grunting a bit, his guards trying to stand up, struggling a bit. Spike looked up to see the Dark One staring at him, its massive eyes staring into his green ones, reaching a hand to him.

Spike stared at the little being, and to be honest, it gave him the creeps. However, he felt for some odd reason that the strange being meant no harm, despite its actions mere moments ago. Spike adjusted, then held a hand out, the little Dark One walking over and grasping his forearm, giving it a soft squeeze, a calm peace settling over the two.

"Thank...you."

Spikes eyes widened as he stared at the little being, only for one of the guards to stand on his legs, shivering and shaking like a newborn fawn. The Dark One looked over, letting go of Spikes arm, then ran on all fours, phasing into nothing, Spike watching as its form disappeared into nothing.

Sand took this moment to jump over a woman, who was crying and babbling to herself, then narrowly dodge a man who let his lunch loose onto the floor, giving him a disgusted glance, then jumped onto the stage, grasping onto Spikes shoulder, "Come on Spike, you with me?"

"That thing...that boy..."

"Come on, we gotta run Spike!"

Spike shook his head a bit, then looked up to see the guard staring at them, his hands squeezing his spear in his hands. Spike stood up, losi.g his balance for a moment, before jumping down with Sand, walking through the crowd, slowly regaining consciousness around them. Sand walked around them far more easily than Spike did, as he was trying to make sense of what was in his head. He stumbled for a moment as he saw someone standing up, reaching for a gun, his reactions far faster as he smashed his fist into the side of the poor womans head, knocking her out. He finally got his bearings, walking to the exit and leaning against the doorframe, panting and gasping for breath.

"Are you...are you okay?" Spike asked Sand, giving her a look over.

"Yeah, other than you tossing my ass out like a bag of garbage, I'm fine. What was that about?"

"I could tell something was wrong, so I reacted. Did...you get hit by...whatever that was?"

"No, you threw me out of whatever was going on. How'd you know I would be safe?"

"I didn't." Spike said honestly, standing up. He heard shouts inside the building, giving a concerned look inside, seeing some people slowly standing up, "We should go. Now." Sand nodded, then adjusted her bag and started jogging, Spike following her, not noticing the guard next to the Leader staring at them as they ran across the door.

Spike ran over to the door, thankfully close to the temple, opening the metal panel next to it and giving a grunt. "This may take a minute." Sand took cover behind some cobbled together fortifications, aiming towards the temple with her rifle, resting it on a barricade. "Don't kill anyone."

"I may not have a choice." Sand hissed at him, hearing shouts echo back. She pulled the lever back a bit to inspect the round, only for her to look back at Spike, who was giving her soft eyes.

"Please...don't kill anyone. Injuries and scare tactics, but...we can't lower ourselves to their level."

Sand stared into his eyes, seeming to think for a moment, before sighing loudly and mumbling, "Fine, no killing."

"Thank you."

Spike kept fiddling with the wires, giving a grunt as he heard shouts rising from the temple. "Uh, Spike..." Spike kept working, ignoring Sands voice. "Spike, you should hurry up." He pulled another wire out of place, then plugged it into a new place. He heard more shouts echoing out, his tail curling around himself anxiously as he heard Sand shift nervously. "Spiiiiiiike..."

"Saying my name does not help the process, I can tell you that much." Spike hissed out, only to flinch when a bullet impacted into the wall next to him.

"How about getting shot? Does that speed the process up?!"

Spike growled under his breath, ripping out another wire and plugging it into a new spot, another bullet bouncing off of the wall, making him wince. He heard Sand fire, a few shouts of alarm echoing out, though he heard no bodies hit the floor. He kept working, finally pulling the lever up, an alarm echoing out as the heavy doors started to open into an airlock like room, making Spike look towards Sand.

"Into the room!"

"About time! Thought you were playing with the th -"

A shot rang out, Spike feeling something wet fly across his face, making him pause. He wiped his face, giving it a confused look, only to see blood on his palm. He looked to Sand, standing there, a shocked look on her face as she yook a weak step forward, then looked down; a dark red stain sprouted from her right shoulder, a bullet hole visible through her shirt. She stumbled, before falling into Spiked arms, his mind reeling in shock as more bullets imbedded themselves into the walls around them, some bouncing off of the cover and floor, Spike hands gripping onto Sand.

"Fuck me..." Sand mumbled out, tears streaming out of her eyes as she clutched her own shoulder. "Spike, I think they...Spike?" Sand looked up towards Spike, seeing his pupils turn into slits. "Spike...stay with me...please..." Spike looked back towards the men firing at them, giving a smoke filled breath out, his fangs much sharper now as he looked at them running towards Sand and himself. He pulled Sand closer to his chest, giving a throaty hiss as he walked into the room, gently setting Sand down and seeing the Leader, loading another round onto his rifle and taking aim.

He was the one who shot Sand.

They were threatening her life.

They...will pay

"No, Spike, don't!" Sand called out, seeing Spikes back shift into wings, ignoring the sounds of cracking bones and the glowing saliva dripping out of his mouth. "Just stay with me, kid! Spike!"

Spike took a deep breath in, then opened his mouth, a volley of fire spewing out, dancing across the ground and burning into the cover Sand was just behind. Multiple men who were close enough were suddenly set aflame. Luckily, they all ran away, putting themselves out, using a mixture of flailing hands, through burning pieces of clothes off, or stop, drop, and roll techniques. Spike kept going, taking a deep breath and letting another volley of flames spew out of his mouth, making the Leader back off, his skull helmet staring at Spike, whose wings were extended, making him look much larger than he truly was.

Spike finally stopped his breath attacked, panting as smoke spilled out of his mouth, a wall of fire between him and the Leader. The Leader tilted his head, before calling out, "The Interloper." Spike only gave a hiss in reply, his fist clenching as the Leader stared at him. The sound of an alarm beeping caught Spikes attention, the Leader gripping his rifle a bit harder, taking aim and huffing.

Spike twirled around and breathed out some fire, covering the mans robes in flames, making him drop his rifle. Spike ran back towards Sand, seeing her struggling to put on her mask. The Leader, his robes aflame, calmly tore them off, showing off his bare upper body, pants and boots. His body was covered in scars, his mask and deer skull still intact as he stared at Spike and Sand. Spike knelt down, using his wings to shield Sand as he shifted his hands back from his claws, helping Sand pull her mask on. He adjusted her armor, his pupils rounding as he hissed softly, getting a good look at the wound.

She was lucky, it went through her, which meant Spike didn't have to dig the round out, but he didn't have the right supplies on him. He used his wings to keep them shielded as he tore open the exit wound, giving a grunt as he stared at the wound. "I need the right supplies, but I didn't see any medical supplies in the shed, can you hold out until -"

The door then decided to open, Spike looking up, his eyes filled with a protective gleam as he stood up, pulling his Snapper out and taking a stance, hissing a bit. The door groaned as it slowly opened, making Spike visibly relax as he recognized the boots, "Silver?"

"Spike?!" The older man called out, walking over to him. He paused for a moment, seeing the green flames surrounding the entrance and several men backing away and running, the Leader standing there, watching them, his face unreadable thanks to the mask. The man turned around and started walking off, making Silver glare at him, though all he said was, "I see you haven't lost your touch at making friends."

"You could say that. I have a downed teammate here." Spike said as he knelt down next to Sand, the woman giving a tired look upwards. "Hey, Sand, help is here."

Meteor walked in, instantly pushing Steel out of the way (and ignoring his curse filled protest) as she rushed over, adjusting her bag a bit, before Spike stopped her, saying, "We need to get her out of here first, it isn't safe."

Sand gave a weak chuckle and adjusted, asking Meteor, "Wouldn't happen to have a drink on you, would you?"

Silver raised an eyebrow and looked over to Steel, Bright, and Wave, giving a nod as they walked over, Silver turning to Spike as they knelt down to help Meteor with Sand. The two stood for a moment, before Silver suddenly grabbed the man and pulled him into a hug, Spike not wasting a moment to return it, the man giving the magicblood a squeeze, before letting him go, giving a soft smile through his mask, "Good to have you back, kid. Report?"

"Sir, we have three other factions; a Diamond Dog faction led by a magicblooded woman, a faction of Slavers led by a Earthblooded woman, and these Hunters, led by a Earthblood cult leader." Spike said, giving a gesturing to the few men who stayed there, watching them nervously through the wall of flames.

"So, we're up shit creek...any paddles?" Steel asked, his wings shuffling as he stood next to Silver, the man giving Spike a look.

"Yeah." Sand called out, making them turn to her. "Two of them want to fuck Spike and keep him as a husband, the third just found out you all exist and is too busy chasing after a Dark One."

"Dark One?" Silver asked, then looked back at Steel and Meteor, quietly asking, "You don't suppose that...?"

"Knowing our luck, sir? I think it's more than likely."

Spike and Sand shared a confused look, before shouts rang out, making the team look over the flames, seeing more men walking out of the temple. "We have to leave. Now." Meteor said, helping Sand onto her shoulders in a fireman's carry. Spike was about to follow the group when he felt a, now familiar, pinch at the back of his mind. He looked around, becoming confused, before looking over to a nearby rooftop, spotting the little Dark One.

It stared at Spike, its large eyes seemingly to peer into his very soul, making Spike stare back. It gave a surprised jump as it heard yelling, looking around nervously, before looking back at Spike, reaching a hand out and sending out a message that shot through Spikes body, making his eyes widen.

"Help me. Please."

Spike looked over at Silver, who was adjusting his gear and speaking to the others. He looked back to see the green flames dying and more shouts echoing out in the settlement, his wings ruffling a bit behind him. His back was killing him; two shifts in one day was killer, but three? He had never done such a thing before...and he had never done what he was about to do.

"Alright people, let's move out! Spike, I need you to debrief me about...Spike?" Silver barked out, only to turn, his eyes going wide as he saw Spike standing there, the shredded panel on their side in his hands. He ripped out the wires, an alarm echoing out as the heavy metal doors started to close, the man running towards the doors as Spike stared at them, pulling his sweeper out, hearing Silver, "What are you doing?!"

"Sorry Silver...I have to do this." Silver was about to slip under the doors, before Spikes tail smacked into him, sending him stumbling back and into the others. Spike then turned to the other panel, trying to erase the look in Silvers face as he breathed fire into it, melting the wires, ensuring the door would stay shut for the time being.

"Alright...now, to help the Dark One."