Lesser of Two Evils

Joyce, was much more happy now that a sizable amount of booze was in her system. Sometimes it seemed like the only thing to ever make her happy. And that wasn't far from the truth. She sat with a foot on her cousin, Bryce's table. He didn't mind. They were family after all. She had long since, taken off her poncho to reveal the rope over her shoulder, and the wicked belt she wore underneath. A belt fit with knives mostly. Though she prefered the use of her fathers hunting knife, it always helped to have eight knives hanging from a peice of leather around your waist in a pinch.

The three other guns-for-hire were unseen at the moment. The only two in the room were Rarity, and the aformentioned. Applejacks drowzy eyes scanned over, Rarity. The manner in which she lay, and the style in which she dressed were of two different worlds. Applejack shut her eyes just as the ither stirred. This nap was far over due.

Rarity sat up, holding the side of her head. At first she wondered why it hurt so much. Then she caught a glimpse of the lumux who seemed to be in the frows of slumber. The recent events concerning her head rushed back to her. She would've given the woman a peice of her mind, but she decided it would be best to let this slide, after a short visual inspection of their waist. Rarity gace a feminine groan as she stood., knowing her hair was an absolute wreck.

After a brief ponder on the situation she realized why she even associated herself with the brute to her left, in the first place. This woman owed Rarity one Twilight Sparkle, and she would be damned if she didn't pay up.

"Applejack," Rarity said, loud enough that the other should have heard.

There was only the faint buzzing of a fly to answer her.

"Applejack!" She approached.

"I'm ignorein' ye," came a curt response.

"Well unless you plan on missing out on the second half of your payment, I suggest you quit 'ignorin' me." She put her hands on her shapely hips.

"Well, shit, I guess ah'm up." AJ opened her eyes looking up at the fashionable woman.

"We've a strategist to abduct."

Applejack stood, swaying drunkenly, "Ah got my boy Bryce on it. He's my everything man. I come to him for, guns, 'n' computer shit, 'n' uh, uh, all type a shit."

Rarity shook her head in disbeleif, "Are you drunk?"

"Drunk's an ugly word, ah, ah, prefer," she paused, and with a flick of her hands added, "Happy."

Rarity pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to calm her nerves. No doubt Twilight was fleeing. They had to get to her before she slipped through their fingers.

"Now, don't ta'll fret, in a lil' while I'll stop all of this swayin' and I'll just be a clear minded as ah need ta' be. I work better when I'm drunk any way."

Rarity sighed and shook her head again. She was just about to insult the alchoholic when in barged a very handsome, and chipper young man.

"I got it," he rubbed his hands together.

Applejack pointed in his direction, "cool."

"Now ya'll take yer time, cuz' the slippery sons-of-bitches is close buy, just a ways east. So why don't ya' come to the basement with your sister, an' pick you out somethin' nice, on me."

"Wouldn't has it no other way, Brae, Brae, Bu-"

"Bryce."

"Yeah, Bryce."

Applejack took her leave, dissapearing behind a door, leaving Rarity, and Bryce alone.

"Aint' you gonna' go fetch yerself some ordinance?"

"Me? Oh, no I'm sorry, I've never even shot a gun."

"Huh."

There was a long and awkward pause, between the two, until Bryce broke it.

"Well, ya' know there's a bathroom up, the stairs, if ya'd like ta' fix yer hair."

Rarity's attention was all his, "How much product do you have?"

"Lot's. How ya' think I keep mine so fabulous," he smiled, brushing a hand through his hair.

Rarity  thanked him, dearly, and sped up the stairs in search of the bathroom. The man she left behind simply sat on the couch shaking his head, smiling.

Applejack stepped off of the last step into the basement to find her sister, scouring the floor in search of something, while her friends looked at her smiling. Applejack could only assume she knew what the younger one was in search for. She chuckled, lightly, to her self as she sauntered over to a large walk in closet, still swaying drunkenly. She walked to the back of it, spreading a pair of jackets, and stepped pass into a room concealed by them. "Abbs, you can keepa' seachin' but if you really want them guns, they're over here!" Applejack called.

Abigail grumbled something, but joined her sister any way. She found her sister in a similar search along the wall, though it was cut short when she flicked a switch, stirring trace of irony. The lights, came to life revealing an amount of guns, and other general contraband that could get their friend Bryce, three life times in prison. From shotguns, to hand gun, he had it. All along the white brick walls, and some on table and work benches that lay about the long hall.

No body spoke. They let their actions speak for themselves, as they began their tour, selecting just what they would be bringing along. "We had best hurry the hell up, who knows where them bitches could get to," AJ added to the sound of shifting metal.

"What the hell should we get?" Sandy asked almost hushed.

"Probably nothing big. Jus' some hand guns." Jack responded, her drunkenness settling.

"But like, what?"

"Ah just said, get a hand gun."

"But there's so much to choose from!" Sandy said show casing a sawn off shotgun.

"But I doubt we gonna need any of that."

"You don't really need all those scary assed knives on your belt but you carry those where ever you go! And that stupid poncho!"

"Do I need to cut down on yer pay, or cut down on yer fingers?"

"Fine." Sandy submitted, hiding her fright.

Abby, and Shamaya almost laughed at the fool-hardy display of their friend, even stopping their search just to stand and listen to her whine. Applejack searched in every corner. Finally she heaved a box, setting it on a table in the middle of the hall. She opened it up, and was delighted a the lack of disappointment that she had found what she needed.

"Okay girls set your guns down, I got what ya' need."

"But I want this one!" Sandy said, waving around a desert eagle.

"Well look at these first, I think you'll like'em." Applejack retorted, showing disdain.

All three of the girls approached Applejack at the table. Inside the box lay three chrome plated colts. Each one shining bright. Each girl smiled, Sandy even dropped the gun in her hand.

"Apple, ya' found 'em!" Abigail said, expressing great joy.

"How did you get them?" Shamaya asked, shifting feet.

"Does it really matter? Just take 'em. I'm as about as nice as I keep sober."

All three girls reached in at the same time, removing a pistol each, and loading them with the clip that also lay with in the box. Just as the last ensuring click was heard the ring leader, the attractive Rarity, stepped in, her hair looking better than a models.

"Oh, hello. Are they here to help you Applejack?" She asked.

"Yep," the one in question replied, putting a gun in the back of her waist band.

"I suppose I will be the one paying them?"

"Aint gonna be me."

"Very well then. Let's make haste then shall we."

They all followed her out of the room. Though she would never admit it, Rarity was very much so, afraid of the group accompanying her. She would have denied them the chance to help, if she weren't so desperate.

She walked up the stairs, her high-heeled shoes, making muffled clicks all the way up, and heavy thuds directly behind her. At the top of the stairs they met the smirking Bryce, leaning against the couch.

"I never told you where they was at." He said, a matter of factly.

"They just a ways east, you done said that," Applejack said from behind Rarity.

"They, just north, of the gas station."

"The, gas station?" Applejack asked.

"The gas station." A long pause found them, "Well hurry on now, and here's your poncho Joyce."

They took their respective belongings, and left the house, forming a plan all the while.

"Oh, shit." Shamaya feeling her chest, "I left my damn jacket," she added hurrying inside.

"Hey AJ," Abby said, the two of them lingering on the porch.

"Yeah," she replied.

" Ah hit that."

Applejacks face contorted, "What? I didn't know you were-"

"I aint," she laughed, "I just like getting licked, thought you should know."

Applejacks, face contorted again, "do ya' really think I care 'bout yer fuckin' conquests?"

"No, ah just wanted ta' see the look on yer face," she said still chuckling.

Shamaya stepped out of the house, putting her jacket on, shifting her eyes between the two. "Are we going," she asked.

"Yeah, as soon as you idiots get in the car!" Sandy yelled, opening the driver side door.

The three hurried to the car.

Before leaving they felt it wise to devise some plan for their activities. They would abduct them, and bring them back to a hide-away of Applejacks, she used for business. Applejack made it clear she wanted alone time with the one named, 'Rainbow Dash'. With that they drove off, leaving a cloud of dirt, and dust behind them.

It was the afternoon. Twilight and gang had made it far into the desert stopping only once to find rest. And now once more to fill up the vans tank, and refill their stomachs. Rainbow Dash stepped into the gas station, a high pitched beep greeting her. She adjusted her blue tank top to cover up the beretta, hanging in the back of the waist band of her pants. Slowly she walked past the man, probably not old enough to drink legally, his face plastered in acne.

She made her way to the chip isle. She picked up a few bags of 'Emerald' chips, and relayed to the counter. Placing the bags of chips in front of the absent minded teen. An awkward moment found the two as he simply stared, obviously not used to seeing prismatic hair, atop a woman, remotely attractive.

"Err, uh s-sorry, ma'am, I-I uh, that'll be," he scanned them into the system, "twenty, two fifty three." He waited a moment, tapping the top of the cash register as if to remind Rainbow Dash.

"How, about I keep all my marks, and you give me yours," she pulled the beretta out, of her pants relieved at the lack of metal poking her ass.

The boy did not respond. He only, put his hands in the air.

"Well what are you waiting for? Gimme' all the money you got or I'll fucking kill your dumb ass!"

The boy whimpered again. He let out a pathetic apology, opening the register.

To Dash's dismay, her cell phone began to ring. "God-fucking-dammit," she grunted, pulling the thing from her pocket, silencing it, then putting it back. Not five seconds passed when the shrill tone of her phone attacked her again. She repeated, with twice the annoyance. The boy pulling money from the register, smiled briefly, pausing his forced task. He could practically feel the anger radiating from behind the robbers black sunglasses.

"Don't you fucking stop," Rainbow yelled.

The beep of the sliding door, stopped both of them. Rainbow Dash turned. In walked a dark skinned woman, clad in a black suit, and dull purple hair. They both stared at each other, the man behind the register, shifting his eyes between the two. In a single, fluid motion the suited woman, pulled a chrome plated .45 colt from her jacket. Dash, took to her name, and found her self over the counter, as the other woman took cover behind the shelves to the left, shooting her gun in Rainbow's general direction.

The man was crouched next to Rainbow Dash, almost crying. Dash, and the woman exchanged fire, shortly leaving cover for each spray of bullets they sent each others way. It wasn't long when before Rainbow Dash's spray and pray style of shooting left her gun dry. She ducked down, below the counter. She heard a whimper next to her when she was reminded of the store clerk next to her. He was bleeding, from a bullet wound that punctured through his torso somewhere Dash couldn't see. She grimaced slightly, knowing he would be dead soon.

     Rainbow Dash, prepared to run for her life, waiting for a break in the sound of pops, that emitted from her adversaries pistol. When the other woman ceased fire, she ran for the sliding door. It didn't open fast enough, and she knocked it free of its place, finding that the desert was still as, hot as ever, as she emerged from the store sun bearing down on her.

The woman saw the van, still where it should be, next to the pumps. What she expected, a feeling of relief, ended up breaking. What she saw, was a blonde headed woman aiming a gun at the heads of her two friends who, both sat on their knees. The blonde woman, took the hat from her head, and waved still holding it by its crown. Next she heard foot steps approaching from behind. Rainbow Dash normally didn't know when to let up, but she couldn't risk those two getting hurt. For once in her life, she relented, putting her hands above her head.

The van was a lot less comfortable when there's two crazy women, one who you know wants to kill you, and is pointing a gun at you, and two others. It's down right unsettling when the one holding the gun is telling you about all the things she wants to do to you. But Rainbow Dash really couldn't judge the blonde. It's what she would do.

"Ah want to make it real clear, that ah haven't killed you because my boss says she wants all of you alive, but she definitely don't need all of you alive," the psychopath drawled in an unfortunately familiar accent.

"So, where ya' taking us?" Spike asked, unfazed by the pistol in her hand.

"Wouldn't you like to know," the purple headed driver said, sarcastically.

"Why, yes I would. S'why I asked."

"Well, we aint tellin'. Trust me though it's better than what blondie had in store for you.

The blonde woman smiled at that.

Rainbow Dash, sat sullenly in the corner of the van. Upset that not only had she been bested, but she had also been captured again. Twilight how ever was almost freaking out. It was made abundantly clear that she wasn't used to captivity. Not a moment she sat still, despite the demands the blonde woman made.

"Who sent you?" Twilight almost yelled.

"You'll find out eventually, just settle the fuck down," AJ was getting annoyed again.

"Are you going to kill us?"

"I wish."

"No, no ,no, no, this isn't good," Twilight was now holding her head.

Time, went by. The only noise was the tasteless banter, one would expect from kidnap victims. This banter, often being retorted with threats, yells, and all around nasty behavior. But Dash sat just drifting in her thoughts, and drifting into a coma-like sleep.

As you might expect, it was to every ones relief when the van stopped moving. The door Rainbow Dash was leaning against was suddenly opened, dropping her onto the desert floor like a bag of hammers. A boot, covered mostly by pin striped pants, and dirt then came into view next to her head. It didn't take much to realize that this foot belonged to the maniacal blonde. "All of you lil' fuckers get the hell out of my goddamn van." This line, little more than a shout, confirmed it.

Rainbow Dash rose, groaning. Twilight, still shaking, and Spike stepped out. The slam of the driver side door told them all that the other captor, was due to join them. Rainbow Dash looked up at the building before them. A warehouse, probably out of use for over a decade. She could tell, as it seemed rusted and decayed. If they're in a town then there must be people right? Dash thought to herself. She looked to the fence. Just beyond it lay paved roads, and even farther a building. And that is were all intelligent thought died.

Dash stood next to Spike. Applejack looked at her almost sneering.

"Ah, really can't wait 'til I get the go-ahead to skin yer' ass," the blonde said, frighteningly honest.

Twilight almost fainted

"Now get the hell inside before miss genius here has a heart attack, and miss fag hair, gets you all killed!"

They did as they were asked, walking into the darkness. AJ stopped, Rainbow Dash, to the other woman's dismay. She lowered her gun. "I owe ya' this much," she said almost sympathetically. Dash turned her head, and instantly reeled as Applejacks fist made contact with her nose.

"God-fucking-dammit," she screamed trying to nurse her bleeding wound.

Applejack laughed, a highly facetious laugh, pushing Rainbow Dash into the warehouse.

"You bitch, my fucking ring stabbed me!"

"Maybe you shouldn't keep steel in your face 'en," AJ retorted.

The warehouse was, an extremely dank, and musky one. The smell was worse than burning flesh, and had a tinge of gasoline. The air was thick, and hard to breath. If one had asthma this place would easily be their demise. The lights were out, and it was as dark as it was outside. Rainbow Dash would have made a run for it, if the blonde one hadn't been pressing her pistol against the back of her head. "Stop." The blonde woman drawled. They stopped.

A scratching, like metal against concrete, was heard. Then it stopped, and was heard again. Then once more. "Sit," the blonde ordered again. Spike and Twilight complied, but Rainbow Dash still stood. Applejack forcibly yanked her down to the seat behind her, by her shoulder. Dash only grunted. Next a rattling of chain replaced the foreboding silence. The three, sitting, hostages, were promptly cuffed, all excepting the chain restraints.

For a moment a shuffling of feet took place, as the blonde and her accomplice moved freely. More feet joined, one a soft click of high heeled shoes. Then the feet stopped. The blonde struck a match revealing all the people that had taken places around Rainbow Dash, and gang. A splotch of blood decorating her face and shirt.

In front of them stood a third purple haired woman, in a fashionable suit. One Spike easily recognized. On either side were two more suited cronies to go along with the one who had aided Applejack. One with red hair, and theother with pink and steel streaks.

Applejack tossed a match into a barrel filled with with nothing useful and suddenly the inside of the warehouse was filled with flickering source of illumination. She then took her place on top of a cage with some whimpering wretch inside, that was just out of the horizon of sight, the fire gave off. The suit wearing, goon, took her place next to the suit wearing boss.

"Good evening you three." The one with the most class spoke.

Rainbow Dash spit, a mixture of blood and saliva to the side.

"I'm sure your heads are filled with questions you are too fearful to ask. And with good reason. Beside me are four, sociopaths they have been ordered to shoot you if you don't do as I say."

"Cept fer' you color head, I'm'a kill you any way's," the blonde interrupted.

The original speaker glared at her. "As I was saying that only goes for you Twilight, and you're young friend, what ever his name may be."

"How d-do you know my name?" Twilight asked.

"Pardon?"

"M-my name, how do you know it?"

"Oh, we went to collage together. I noticed how commendable you were in almost every aspect, and I have need of your intellect," she cleared her throat,"You see in this world, no matter how  you think you are there is always some one in control of you. And sometimes you simply need to do away with that person. And you'll probably need help with that. You, my dear, are my help. If you help me, I will let you live. You don't and I'll still get my help, through force and pure brutality. And trust me, I have experience in forced labor."

"I don't have much of a choice than do I?"

"That's what I just said."

"Well alright then. Take us away."

The woman clapped her hands together,"excellent," she exclaimed. "Girls, un-cuff Twilght and her green haired friend."

"What about the rainbowy one?" Sandy asked concerned.

"You heard what I said, I'm'a kill 'er." The blonde spoke again.

"Too bad." She uncuffed the two allowed to accompany her current employer.

As Twilight, and Spike left with the four women, to somewhere unknown, the lavender headed woman exchanged a final glance with her, briefly seeing a look of fear on her face, as both were concerned for the rainbow headed woman's life, whether they showed it or not. And then she left the others field of vision, maybe for the last time. She tried to feel sorry for her, but in her line of work it was sometimes hard to feel sorry for even Spike.

The blonde lit a cigarette, still sitting on the cage. She took several slow drags, all the while a shadowy figure moved about beneath, making their fear known. After a long moment passed, she stood twisting her back, sounding off a few pops. "Gettin' too old . . .," she muttered.

She approached Rainbow Dash, her boots scuffing across the cement floor. She stopped just before her, still smoking her roll of tobacco.

"Yer gonna wish hadn't run." She said, a devious smile cracking her face.

Rainbow Dash glared at her trying to appear strong, trying to keep her crumpling ego from shattering completely. First her career racing is ended being reckless, now her life is ended being reckless.

Applejack took a slow, final drag on her cigarette and discarded it. She put her hand back within her coat, pulling a match box out.

"Ah, always like to make sure folks I'm gonna kill, know how they gonna die." She said.

With an aching pace she approached the cage she had used as a place sit.

"Ya' know that smell of gas, you smell?" She patted the cage. "Right here."

With her un-occupied hand she dragged it so that it was not but three feet away from Dash's feet. She looked in horror. Inside the cage she saw a face she knew, not a stranger, a face she had seen before. The face looking at her through the black steel was a face plastered all across Equestria. The face of a girl, younger than Spike, who had been kidnapped. Rainbow Dash had seen her face countless times, on the internet, on flyers, there was even a news story about her on a nation wide broadcast channel.

What set her apart from all the other missing persons cases, was the fact that this girl, despite her autism, had been a source of inspiration to many with her care free attitude, despite her handicaps. Always kind, and always trying to help people that let her in to their life. And now here she was. Unwashed. Naked. Beaten. Starved. And pleading for Rainbow Dash to help her the best she could. It hurt Dash to know she couldn't. Applejack sat back on top of the girls cage, blocking her face from view, with her legs.

"I call her derpy, 'cuz she's a fuckin' retard." Applejack laughed to her self. She looked down."Aint that right?"

No response.

She bashed the cage with her hand, "Aint that fuckin right!" Applejack yelled.

"Uhh-huhh, I'm-I-I'm stupid," came a pathetic and heart wrenching reply from beneath her.

"What are you?" Applejack held a hand to her ear as if to listen.

"Stupid," the poor girl said.

"What?" the sadist raised her voice an octave.

"I'm-I'm a, I'm re-"

"Re? Re- what stupid? You know what you are tell me."

"Retarded," the one in question answered. Streams of tears, exposing her sadness, fear, and hopelessness all at once.

"That's what I like ta' hear," Applejack stood again, "Someone that knows their place." She spit on her. "Almost makes me regret doin' this," she scraped a match across the side of the box, eliciting a flame.

"No! You can't be serious! Do-" Rainbow Dash pleaded.

It was too late. Applejack had done the most cruel thing any one could do. She tossed the match into the cage. Just like the barrel, it went into flames instantly. Dash tried to look away from the girl, her screams piercing her ears, her body thrashing and contorting, turning to ash, all within the cramped steel cage. The youngest of them tried to expand her body to help deal with the skin melting, pain, but she could not, as it was far too small. Rainbow Dash, did try to look away, but the blonde bitch held her eyes open, ensuring she saw the flames consume the young teenaged girl. extinguishing a life. Forever.

Three months ago

This is how it ends. Last in line, to be beaten, shot, and then cast down a hole at the end of some unmapped cave, abandoned by her only friend. They had only been audited yesterday. Poked and prodded by guards for hours until they decided she was too weak, and passed her friend on to work in the mines. They had the courtesy to give  one more day of her miserable life. She was sure it had more to do with scheduling than actual kindness but still. She didn't sleep the entire time they had left her in the cell. She only thought of her misery that would be ending soon. How they were going to do to her what she didn't have the courage to do to herself.

Every time the group of executioners shot, she twitched. The sounds of their guns echoed all along the cave, and she would take a deep breath in some attempt to console herself. It'll be over soon, she told herself. It did not help. No matter how much she knew she wanted it there was still that glimmer of hope that shined at the bottom of her cesspool of emotion. That hope that the hurricane of pink hair had showed her. That hope that will not be smothered.

She stepped up, it was time of reckoning now. They did not beat her like they did the others. perhaps the sadists were becoming bored. She took a brief look at the bottomless hole her body would be cast down. The entire cave smelt like rot. Looking forward at the men holding her death. There were three, but she noticed more feminine features of one. They reloaded, dull clicks of metal making her even more jittery. One looked at the rest before, aim and opening his mouth to speak, in a raspy, emotionless voice.

"One."

Fluttershy closed her eyes. Maybe her hope could be smothered.

"Two."

Fluttershy could hear only her heart thumping, now. This is the end, she assured herself.

"Three."

Fluttershy heard no gunshots. What she did hear was the struggle of one man, and the snap of a bone. Her eyes opened now, and the sight before her was a shocking one. The person in the center, the smaller, more feminine one, was strangling one of the others, while one lay dead in the floor. Fluttershy almost fainted from this surprise. She let out a breath of air she did not know she held, and sank to her knees. She vomited.

The treacherous guard was now beating their former comrade in the face with a rock. They stopped, breathing heavily now. Her back was turned to the girl she just saved. She stood popping her neck. In a flurry of party like energy, she turned, whipping off her hat that had concealed her eyes, and her hair, and curtsied, face plastered with a giddy smile.

"I fuckin' told you I'd get you out," she said, maintaining her smile.

Fluttershy wiped her mouth, still nauseated, but now stupified.

"I pinkie promised you, and I never let a pinkie promise go. Nuh-uh, not once. When I set my mind to something I . . .,"

Fluttershy stopped paying attention. She was teetering on unconsciousness, while some fool babbled on. But then again this fool saved her life. This fool saved the iota of hope left from being stamped out. Sometimes it takes a fool.

The woman poked Flutteshy on the shoulder, "You okay?"

"Wh-wa, yeah. Err,yeah. I'm just reeling from a near death experience."

"Oh, that's cool, but we had better hurry. Because I don't know about you, but I don't wanna spend another minute in this place."

Fluttershy nodded, as the woman helped her to her feet.

"I know a way out, just follow me," the insane one said, putting her hat back on, and picking up the gun she had just dropped.

Fluttershy followed the other woman, not really caring where they went. They went through the caves, turning so much she was sure that she would never be able to find her way out if it were up to her. However her savior seemed to know precisely where they were going. It didn't matter though. Who else was she supposed to have faith in? Herself? No. She was pathetic example of a human, and she knew it.

The time came when they made a turn into a leg of the cave that ended, with a blur of light, as cliche as it was. They slowed their pace, to only a cautious walk. When they finally emerged, Fluttershy shielded her eyes from the assault of sunlight. For most of her enslavement she was kept underground, or at least away from sunlight. When her eyes finally adjusted, they met the eyes of her friend, a smile hanging under them. "We're out," she said, simply, then stepped out of the way, revealing the ocean in all its glory.

For the first time, in a long time, Fluttershy felt free. A feeling she was unfamiliar with. A feeling she didn't expect. A feeling, that felt no where near as good as she had expected. She looked at the ocean again, it's length consuming the entire horizon. On the far side lay Equestria, and one responsible for her time here.

"What's the matter, why you lookin' so blue?" The woman to her right asked.

"Nothings wrong. I just- I don't know." She looked back to the ocean, "Do you even know how we're going to get back to Equestria?"

"No, but it's probably going to involve a boat," she smiled, "don't worry, madame has it all figured out. Aint nuttin' I'sum caint handle."

Fluttershy looked on at her, unimpressed with her ridiculously large smile, growing wider by the second.

"I'll need your help though. You can swim right?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Because I can't. I'm gonna need something to hold on to while we find our transportation. "

"How is that gonna work?"

"I hang on to you while you swim, and I keep a diligent eye out for a vessel," she said mimicking a sentry.

Fluttershy cocked a brow, "I'm not that good of a swimmer."

"Yeah well you're better'an me."

"Guess I can't really argue with that."

"Damn skippy you can't! Now turn around. I gotta change out of my weapon. We'll need ta' keep quiet, so this gun isn't gonna be too useful."

Fluttershy furrowed her brow, while turning, thinking of the woman's awkward choice of words. She heard a faint rustling of clothes, and the jingle of a belt. After a brief silence, she heard it again, and when she turned back around the woman of questionable mental health,was twirling a striped green thong around in one finger, smiling.

"Well get in the water," she said, still happy.

Fluttershy opened her mouth to protest, but decided there would be no point. She reluctantly slipped into the icy water. It was a refreshing experience to feel a liquid other than the piss of a man simply trying to degrade you, or his spit hitting you in the face. She noticed the grime washing off of her as she waded deeper and deeper into the blue.

She sighed a moment, before the other pounced on her back, clinging. "Mush," she yelled. "Or what ever you're supposed to do."

Annoyed, she complied. You could argue with insanity, but in the end it's a lot easier to accept it. She began swimming, barely able to do so with the wait of another on her back. In the distance they spied, a fishing boat, bobbing in the water. The woman raised herself on Shy's back, and said, "Set sail me matey," almost pushing the other's head under water.

Fluttershy did. Very annoyed. When you weren't trying to deal with the meaningless sentiments of everything, and not having been loved in months, this woman was nothing but annoying. Fluttershy was getting tired, unsurprisingly as it had been a while since she last had any rigorous exercise, having been locked up in her cell for so long. She struggled to keep her head above water. Often she gasped for air, she was deprived of. It didn't take long before her muscles started aching. She would give out if they didn't get to the boat soon.

Then they did, thank God, Celestia and every other imaginable deity. The weight on her shoulder was lifted, as the frizzy haired one, climbed aboard. It was like she could breath again. She waited, floating the ocean, listening to the struggled last breaths of a man on the boat, then yelp of another, and then the same audio as before.

Before she even had time to board the vessel herself a happy face appeared, startling her, causing more ripples in the water. A hand joined the familiar face above, and took her own, as it aided her to get on top of the boat, in a very unceremonious manner. She sat looking down on her wet clothes, before looking at the bodies not yet dumped. They were not the bodies of the vicious men that had abused her for damn near a year. They were the bodies of two, very usual, fishermen, trying to make a living.