//------------------------------// // Chapter 18: Heading South // Story: North Woods NightMares // by Starfighter //------------------------------// ‘This is how I end!' Thought PW as a tidal wave of emotions overtook him, much like the large rump enveloping him from above.  Frosty’s mass continued its uninterrupted trajectory right towards the ground, smothering PW. When everything landed the technician was flat on his back face up and inches from her rear-end. Miraculously, he was alive. Upon realizing what was happening Frosty had immediately braced her knees against her fall and locked her thighs with all her strength. She managed to arrest her descent before nearly a quarter ton of force was fatally transferred into her assistant’s skull. She recovered into a crouch and stood to whirl around and triage her unintended victim. PW simply lay still, a drop of blood in one nostril and betraying no emotion. Frosty’s eyes widened and she gasped in panic. “Oh no-no-no-no; please don’t tell me I broke his neck!” The titan feared as she gingerly checked for a pulse. “PW?” She called in alarm.  She looked back to his bleeding nose and touched a towel to it– “Owww~!” Cried the stallion. “That’s a good sign; you can feel pain!” She let out a trembling sigh. “Are you alright, PW? That was a big, big operational error on my part, buddy!” “Er, yeah!” PW whispered with a chuckle.  Frosty took a deeper breath, shook her head towards the ground and then smacked her hoof into her forehead. “That was so dumb of me to do that with you behind me.” The mare complained. “Not all bad, 2; my bad being behind you!” PW consoled her with a smile. “You know; I finally got that treatment! What that one guy wanted so badly? The face sitting creep from fitting?” She laughed at the memory. “Yes, I remember him, PW. That bastard would probably be asking me to do it again!”  The giant pony turned around and found the bed had been pulled completely out from the sofa. She put a foreleg under PW and gently placed him onto it.  “Alright, PW. Just take it easy and keep the towel pressed to your nose. My oaf ass is going to leave you alone now – I can’t believe I nearly took out my new assistant by mistake.” She muttered. “Wait, a towel?” Asked PW, pulling it off his nose. “Agh– it’s ruined; I ruined it!” He complained, seeing the blood. “Forget the towel!” She shouted, startling him. “We’ll get a new towel. Just, take care of your nose, okay?” “Okay. Yes ma’am.” He nodded.  She nodded back and retreated on that high note to go make her bed before she could ruin things further. With her sofa-bed on the other side of the train car, Frosty’s snoring was masked by clattering train wheels. PW was able to sleep soundly through the night as it completed its run in Canterlot, arriving early in the morning just after sunrise. The jolt woke him and he watched as a switcher locomotive coupled up to the rear of their car and moved it around the yard, including through a wye to reverse direction, dropping it off at the end of the platform track, and finally pushed a whole other train into their car. They waited several minutes before the Seaward Limited departure and in that time PW walked past the fast-asleep 2 to see if she was awake and he noticed something odd. The area around her eyes was tinted red and the corners of her eyes looked damp. ‘Did… did she cry herself to sleep?’ PW wondered. He backed away before she could wake and criticize him for entering her personal space. With a strong golden shaft of light streaming into the car the train finally started off down the mountain and onto the Southern Line. PW noticed a few things around the car vibrating more. He was now tuned to recognize this cue and he turned around to greet the Night-Mare. “Hey.” Frosty said with a yawn. “Hey.” “Um, how’s your nose?” “It’s fine. Also, I didn’t get the chance to tell you last night but you don’t need to come down so hard on yourself over what happened. I’m fine. And, mistakes happen. It’s no big deal and I don’t want it weighing on your mind.” He explained in the most comforting way he could without revealing what he saw. She let out a long breath and gave a weak smile.  “Where are we?” She asked in a more usual, commander-like tone. “Halfway between Canterlot and Ponyville.” “I see there’s no more wires over the tracks.” “That’s right. They’re only on the Ponyvania Railroad. We’re on the Southern now.” “Learn how to do that with tactically important knowledge, PW, and you’ll be a super-soldier too.” Breakfast was brought in by new staff in new uniforms given the railway and train change. Just after breakfast the train stopped in Ponyville and continued round the western periphery of the Everfree Forest. The train also made a stop at Ghastly Gorge just after lunchtime. PW eagerly watched out the window as thick forests slowly began to yield towards badlands as the train made its way into the horse latitudes. It was fully dark, however, before the train arrived at Appleloosa. The train was mostly empty by this point, aside from tourists bound for Arimaspi and Seaward Shoals. The combat team had one more night on the train. PW was able to feel the train making its climb over the Macintosh hills before he fell asleep and the train continued its nightward journey through the equatorial region of the planet. Before heading to bed that night the massive mare did her usual workout routine.  Polaris wasn’t even aware that he was focusing on Frosty’s powerful thighs and she caught him staring. “PW!” “Wuh–huh?” The helper stallion cried, stirred from his trance. “Why are you staring at my legs?” She asked with wide, dangerous eyes. “Um, I–I told you I like large things?” The stallion squeaked sheepishly in his quick-mounted defense.  Eight toes clicked from their sockets to steady her as she reared (or, rather leaned because the train ceiling wasn’t high enough for her to stand fully) and she thumped over to the stallion who was now in big trouble. She came so close that his snout nearly made contact with her knee. So close that PW could make out the muscle beneath her coat.  “Now, what do you think?” She asked, imposing. “P-p-powerful, powerful base! Sturdy as hell, tough as steel and strong as any machine!” PW complimented.  She’d intended to rebuke him but was rather impressed by this display of appeasement and let it slide. “Don’t forget, PW; these legs have a registered kill count.” She warned. “I know! They deserve offerings!” “Excessive attachment can lead to mission failure.” She declared and got back to work. PW spent a long, long time reflecting on his mistakes. "She's right. I'm a threat to the mission. I can do better. I WILL do better!" PW scolded himself. By daybreak the train was still making its way to Arimaspi, having overnight entered the canyon of the endorheic jungle river which would be unavoidably dumping all of its water into the desert to be evaporated further south. Several hours later it finally arrived in the town of Arimaspi. There was a knock at the door which PW answered. “The train is prepared for you to alight.” Said an earth-pony conductor. “Thanks.” Replied PW, next hefting is bags atop his back. “Remember the threat assessment, PW.” Frosty muttered.  He led the way and, because they were at the end of the platform, he only had to look right. There were just a few handful of ponies getting off, and none of them seemed interested in looking their way. “OK, what now?” Asked PW. “We need to keep moving.” Frosty explained. “Let’s get to the south end of town and take a look at the map in a more private setting.” “Sounds good!” The town was very small, even smaller than Starlight’s Cave. Although the real reason for the town’s existence wasn’t to subsist – it was exclusively imperial; to establish the furthest reaches of Equestria and prevent a possible northward settlement by the Polymorph creatures. Though some particularly adventurous, well-off ponies would also use the town as a staging location for great jungle expeditions to retrieve ancient artifacts in the jungle, as Daring Do did. One road that led south became the Desert Gateway, and it was just that. In a glade of palm trees and banyan trees removed from the town they were able to don their combat gear. “How do I look, PW?” Asked the tactical outfitted Night-Mare, wearing her characteristic skull gaiter. “Very scary and very dangerous!” He grinned. "Good. See PW, you can compliment her without going overboard and being a mission risk." He thought, debriefing himself. They continued down the Desert Gateway and came to a bluff. Frosty, ahead of PW, stopped to admire the view. “Woah! Look at that – it goes on for miles and miles; eh, PW?” She exclaimed, looking out at the vast desert. “I would but your butt is taller than me!” He chuckled. “I-it’s not that big…” The mare assured herself as she stepped aside. “Oh, it is big!” Polaris looked out into the desert for himself. “P-PW!” Frosty barked. “What? I just said the desert was big! I’m agreeing!” “Oh… nevermind.” She yanked her gaiter up to her nose to hide her blush. Part of the reason for the stark contrast between the equatorial jungles and the southern high pressure zone responsible for keeping the Bone-Dry Desert bone dry was a steep drop off the plateau on which the jungle sat. That allowed the soggy moisture from the sea to penetrate the hills and kept the desert wind at bay. Once over the crest of the plateau the air dried remarkably quickly as one descended. It was certainly hot but now, in the southern hemisphere, July would actually make this among the mildest months to travel. The Desert Gateway descended as a cobble path that eroded to dirt and then sand. As the last bits of the road began to crumble, they came upon a well-pipe and a sign. “Klugetown 440 miles. Fill up ‘yer jugs!” Read PW. “We might as well.” Frosty dropped her bag onto the ground and rummaged through it. “Also, we need to test our radios and check in. Put your headset on while I fill our waters.”  Once their waters were filled Frosty put hers on. “Windy, Frosty soundcheck.” Said the mare quickly. “Five-by-five.” PW replied. “Do you actually know what that means?” She asked. “Erm, not really!” “The first number is volume.” She explained. “The second is clarity. The scale is out of five. So, if you are sufficiently loud and perfectly clear that is five-by-five. I say again. Windy, how do you read?” “Five-by-five, for real. How about me?” “The same. Switch your channel over to number 2.” She said preparing to make a call. “Arimaspi Control, Frosty. How do you read?” “Five-by-five.” Control crackled. “Standby for a briefing from S.” “Hold up, control. My little assistant hasn’t done his soundcheck yet.” “Oopsie.” The voice chuckled in reply. “Arimaspi Control, Windy. How do you read?” Polaris finally tuned in. “Five-by. Welcome to the team!” “Thanks!” “Standby for briefing…” A gust of hot wind out of the south dried their eyes and mouths out and they both needed to take a drink. PW stood in awe at how quickly Frosty drank, having downed half a water bottle in only four or five gulps. “Frosty, Windy, S here with your briefing update. Night-Mare 5, Echo, is already arriving at the oasis. It is located about forty miles southwest of the town. Follow the riverbed until it completely dries up, then shoot for bearing 210 for another twenty miles and it should take you right to the oasis. Once you get within twenty miles, barring a freak dust storm, Windy should be able to identify it from the sky  as there are no other notable objects protruding from the sands. The oasis is at exactly 16 degrees south and 13 degrees 47 minutes west. Once you make contact with Echo, she will lead you to the dummy caravan and you can then be on your way south. Be sure to look out for Verko at all times. S out.”