Last Stop on the Mail Route

This was the first time I'd just... gone somewhere on my own since my arrival. Between Ponyville, the Train, and Canterlot, I haven't seen much else of Equestria. Even my initial romp through the Everfree was a lighter one, skirting most of the dangerous areas by a wide margin. But this...

A long, slow breath takes fresh, crisp air into my lungs. The Everfree was a little more stressful, so it didn't quite click... but this. I always had a soft spot for roaming on my own. My Hunting trips were my comfort back home, and it'd been close to half a year since. This was as close as I was gonna get to one here.

Maybe fishing would be more socially acceptable here. I could settle for that. I'd have to ask Twilight about fishing law. Maybe Dash or AJ know some local areas... or maybe Sunbutt knows a good river or two. I'll ask in my next letter once I'm sure fishing won't plummet my social credit score.

I'd left a note on my door saying I'd be gone for a couple of days. Mostly so Dinky or the crusading trio didn't sit outside wondering where I was, since I didn't get other visitors. Didn't foresee myself being gone too long, the Mountains didn't look very far, as long as I kept a good pace.

The first day was full day of just straight trekking, with a hint of hiking. Skirting the Everfree, I mostly stuck to the road as it cut into plains, before I figured a good direction towards the mountains and broke off the path. Waist high Tallgrass kept me company, reminding me to check myself for ticks when I settled for the night. With how similar Equestria was to Earth, it was always a guess of whether or not they actually had the same thing, some comical variant with a horse pun, or just didn't have it at all. But out here, it was just me and my thoughts; clear blue skys, minimal clouds, and a soft breeze. Or it was, for a bit.

I could hear the flapping of wings approaching from higher up, my head tilting to try and pin the sound. A familiar rainbow-colored blue Pegasus came skirting around me, hovering at about head level as I pause. Not the company I was expecting.

"Hey, uh--Anon." Dash greeted me quickly, though it wasn't her usual tone.

"Hey. What's up?" I return, waiting expectantly. She was glancing around a lot, like she was worried.

"Oh, uh, nothing. Absolutely nothing, just uh... checking on you, since you know, you're... walking." She rambles.

"Yeah, I tend to do that." My eyebrow raises. She hasn't stuttered this bad since she first saw my leg.

"Y-yeah! Yeah, you do. Uh... since you've been, you know, walking... here, this way... you haven't seen Scootaloo have you?" Dash asks, flapping closer.

"Scoots? Uh..." I trail off. "Not since she last swung by with Apple Bloom for those figures of you she wanted. Why?"

"Figures of me? Oh. Ha! Wait, uh... no, nevermind. Thanks Anon!" Dash shouts, before rocketing back off into the sky.

"...Yeah." I mumble, staring after the trail she leaves. Weird, but, weird happened weekly. Must've gotten in trouble or something. Ever since Twilight let me know the Elements tended to have most problems covered around Ponyville, I stopped offering to help. If they needed it they'd ask.

Shrugging to readjust my pack, I resume my cut through the plains. Probably just a story I'll hear about when I get back. Those Fillies had apparently gotten up to some serious mischief before, and were probably at it again.

Eventually, as Evening starts to near, the steep inclines as plains begin to turn to hills. I settle against the side of a steep curve, using a rogue tree as cover for the night, nestling my tent against it.

The smokey trails from my campfire fill my nostrils, and I'm in a damn good mood. I feel like I belong out here.

Soon, I settle for the night.

The Humvee rolls around the ill-kept road, sun glaring down, the gunners legs between me and the other soldier in the backseat. Driver and shotgun are shooting the shit; something about who they'd let their sisters date in the barracks.

I'm jostling around in the back seat, service rifle strapped to my chest as I glare out the window, watching homes and faces flit by. It's hard to focus on anything outside the window. Faces are fuzzy, details are hard to grasp. Inside, though, everything is crystal clear. Especially with how fucking sweaty it is.

"...Thou always has the oddest dreams." I hear whispered beside me. I blink, using a hand to adjust my helmet as I follow the sound. Past my gunners legs, amusingly geared in a somewhat surprisingly accurate depiction of my uniform, instead of my fellow backseat buddy, is the Princess of the Moon. Her horn sticks out of a hole in the front of the helmet, Mane seeping out from the bottom. She's looking over everything with curiosity. Usually, when I see her in person, she's tired... muted. The odd time I see her in my dreams, she's in her element. Which, for my dreams, includes a healthy scoop of nosiness.

"Patrol. Usually pretty standard." I respond, shifting to lean back in my seat.

"...Your dreams remind me of those we used to observe before our banishment. When war was not far off the average Ponies mind, their dreams never drifted far from it." She continues, now peering to look up towards the gunners hatch.

"Didn't take you Ponies for that type. Should share stories one day; bet you've got some good ones." I respond, following her gaze. Ramirez was on the gun. So it was that dream.

"...Perhaps. I could--" Luna starts. The conversation in the front seats died out suddenly, drawing Lunas attention.

"...What is that?" She mutters, squinting forward, between the seats and onto the road ahead, as it became unusually crisp. Couple dozen feet ahead, middle of the road, a kid in rags. Holding something in a paper bag.

Luna watches as I pat Ramirez's legs, a pang of guilt in my throat as I flick my gun off of safety. The Humvee swerves, driver shouting, before the explosion rocks the car off its axis, tumbling and rolling as it hits the side of the road.

I blink awake, heart pounding, patting my chest for my rifle. When my hands find the strap to my hunting rifle, not my service rifle, a long breath escapes me. Paced breathing helps slow the heartbeat.

I'd probably hear from Luna about that in my next letter with Tia. With a groan, I push myself out of my tent, starting to pack up and prep for the days trek.

Soon, the hills start to give way to mountains and cliff faces. Ponyville was far, far in the distance now. With camp broken, I continued higher, and further. I was holding up pretty well, for being a few months off my game. Only needed the odd break every few hours to let my leg breathe.

By the end of the second day, I couldn't see any of Ponyville, nor the forests. I was fully and deeply in the mountains, skirting cliff-faces and loosely following the easiest paths. This is where I would start to search.

I settled for the night beside an indent against the cliff walls. I'd brought some wood with me from below, but it wasn't going to last for very long. Good enough to have a warm meal and get comfortable.

A distant howling perks my ears, but its far. Makes me wonder if it was Wolves, Diamond dogs... or some other odd option.

Sleep doesn't come as easily as it did last night, but I fall asleep all the same.

I'm sat with Tia and Luna, in the royal dining hall. The castle is oddly quiet, no staff or guards. Tia looks tired, but has a small plate of tea, and a little cake in front of her. Luna has her own cup, but doesn't touch it, staring at me. I think this time, she pulled me into her dream? Or is... she making me dream of this? Her magic worked weird.

Tia looks tired. This is promptly proven when she stifles a yawn.
"Sister..." Tia starts, placing her cup down, the soft golden glow leaving it. "You and I both know that Nonny's world doesn't work like ours."

"We are aware, Sister. Anon. I wanted to ask you earlier, but my Sister bade me to wait. So, now I ask you; what was that?" She asks. Oh. Last night. I look to Tia, raising an eyebrow.

"Is she actually here, or...?" I trail off, pointing at Celestia.

"Yes. We can draw multiple dreamers into one dream, though it is not something we do often." Luna informs.

"Your world is strange, Nonny, but it's not as though we do not understand." Tia says softly, flicking a half-lidded, tired gaze my way. "And I was just curious. I don't get to peek into your dreams..." Tia trails off, pouting.

"Sister." Luna chirps.

"You're not missing much. Nothing gossip worthy, anyway." I add.

Tia sighs softly, looking to me again.
"I'm not here to offer you help, or a solution, or stage an... intervention, as Luna may have wanted."

"Sister--!" Luna starts, but is cut off by a raised hoof.

"With her unique position on the matter, she cares deeply for those affected by the... more violent things from a time she still remembers. I simply wanted to ask if you're alright... and if you'd like to talk." Celestia continues nonetheless.

Luna is practically fuming, but...

"We did say something about swapping stories, right?" I ask towards Luna. She blinks, settling slightly.

"Yes, we did. Do you..." Luna starts.

"I don't want to keep Tia up, or keep you from your duties... but I wouldn't mind sharing stories now and then over... dream tea, or whatever you want to call this." I relent, looking down. There were like... four different cups on my plate.

Tia smiles.

I stir, rubbing my temples.

Fuck, those Mares had some stories. Made them promise to show me the royal armory next visit. Apparently this place didn't get to sunshine and Harmony without a few roadbumps, and living for a few thousand years meant they had to get their hooves dirty.

I think I'll stop pestering them to let me visit the moon.

Now on the third day, once I'd packed up and started out again, I spent most of it searching. I had a rough idea what they looked like, but it was important that I got the drop on them; not the inverse. I started climbing up and perching on higher points, watching and listening for a while before shifting to another, using my binoculars to try and peep for any caves or mines.

It was a few hours past noon when I finally found what I was looking for.