//------------------------------//
// Delivery 
// Story: Rainbow's Lonesome Road 
// by Centurion Pike-Wall 
//------------------------------//

Over the next couple of days, it was the same schedule. Get up at five, pick dates, clean the dates, go to sleep. After about a week thought, they had finished off all the trees. By this point, void had found out what exactly Plow was doing while the others cleaned dates. She was making date cakes; thin, circular patties of judges dates that were cooked on a pan over an open fire. She and the others had gotten to taste a few, and they were pretty good. Not pinkie pie level good, but still not bad. 

One day, she loaded up a massive amount of these cakes into some crates. She then laid a white tarp over them, and put them into a cart. She then addressed the assembled workers. "Ok, I'm bringing the date cakes to the buffalo tribe up north. And since you all know how dangerous it is out there, I need some company. Who wants to come?"

None of the others looked too eager to go with her. Void then said, "Ah, screw it. I'll go."

Iron Plow gave her a wide grin. "Perfect! Get the water bottles, we'll need um. Meet me back here in about five minutes."

After Plow went back toward the house, the others grabbed her and pulled her back to the shack. All wore panicked looks, especially Date Shucker. When they entered their quarters, Streak was shoved back, with all the others in front of her. Before she could demand what was going on, Shepard half shouted, "What the f*** were you thinking!?"

"What are you talking about? I'm just going to help the boss do a delivery, what's wrong with that?" She demanded.

Date Snicker said, "Listen, your new, so we can forgive you. But, delivery duty is by no means an easy job. You have to help haul the cart, which is heavy as s***. She also tells stories, which are also boring as s***, and you can't stop her. Not to mention the risk of bandits and that kind o' stuff."

None of this discouraged void. " Seriously? Your all scared of doing a job because of talking? Your all wimps! "

"Fine, your funeral." Said antenna. They all left, and void grabbed her bandana, goggles, and Pith hat. She then grabbed the canteens and went down to the river near the house. She didn't go as far as the spot where she washed up, having, aparently, enough guys to just reach down and fill them up from a higher position on the bank. She also soaked her hat, since she had been told it could hold water. With that done, she went back toward the cart.

Plow was already hitched up, wearing cloak and stetson. When she saw Void approach, she smiled, and gestured to another cloak on a crate next to her. "Put it on, you may need it. You know, case we hit a sandstorm. After that, hitch yourself up. I want to be most of the way their by sundown." She did as she was instructed, putting on the cloak and hitching up the wagon. With that they set off, Void thinking,This shouldn't be too bad. The others are just trying to scare me.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This is worse then the blades, she thought as she and her earth pony boss moved a long. It wasn't the fact they had nearly fallen into the scorpion pit. It wasn't the wind sending lots of sand into their faces. It wasn't even the heat, though that didn't exactly feel good. It was her bosses constant yapping.

Apparently, she was with some bigshot mercenary group of something before she founded the farm. She had lots of stories, and talked about her adventures non-stop. The others were right, it was almost painful! She had listened closely at first, hoping to learn some stuff about the land she now would call home. She didn't. Despite the fact it was about fighting, it was really boring. Before the betrayal, it would have been like letting Twilight go wild with one of her little study things. The thought of her old friends made her scrunch up.

Plow seemed to notice a look on her face, and asked, "you good?"

A little surprised, Void said, "Yes, I mean no, I mean-I don't know."

"Want to talk about it? "

"No"

"Ok then. So, as I was saying-"

"Hey, boss. Can I ask you a favor? A big one?"

" Sure, what?"

"Just. Shut. Up. The stories aren't interesting, and frankly kind of annoying."

" Hahaha. Sure thing. "

"Really? The others made it sound like it would be way worse."

" Heh heh. Yeah, it's fun to watch them squirm. But, since you went through....that, I'll stop. "

"Cool."

With that, they walked along in utter silence for a long time. Eventually, it got dark, and they pulled up near a cave, placing the cart inside and pulling weeds from the ground to make a fire. After they had it going, they began to lay out the mats to sleep. 

Plow said, "Ah, this is it. You can't get a view like that in the north. Nothing like the desert sky at night.  those princesses do one thing right, the night sky. "

Void looked over at the earth pony. "You mean you respect Luna?"

" Yeah. I mean, she makes the north star, which guides us at night. She brings the only cold time in this godforsaken desert. She gives us the best piece of art we southerners are likely to see. So, why shouldn't respect her. If anything, her becoming the mare in the moon was all her selfish C*** of a sisters fault. Damn shame, though. "

"You know she is's Luna again."

" yer jokin'"

"No joke. Me and my friends were the ones to do it."

" So that's what the elements of harmony are, huh? "

"Yep. I should get some *yawn* shut eye. Night."

"Night, streak."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The next day, they had packed up camp and went out again. After a few hours, they arrived at a small clearing near some rocks. Plow said, "Alright, the buffalo chief should meet us here. It may be a while so feel free to look around a bit."

Void did as she had suggested. She climbed up a rock formation, using her one remaining wing to help propel her up. She then looked around, taking In the desert. It was surprisingly beautiful, the various rocks, plants (few as they were) and dunes casting cool looking shadows from her elevated position. Many of the rocks themselves also were in unique shapes, once more casting cool looking silhouette 's on the horizon. In the distance, she was a few house looking shapes; she guessed that was appleousa. And so, she and her boss waited in the little nook of rocks.

And waited. And waited. And waited some more.

"What's taking those walking rugs so long!?" Plow shouted. " Hey streak! You see a massive cloud of dust, let me know. Probably our best clue! " following her instructions, Void watched for a cloud of dust. She eventually saw one: heading toward the town.

"I see one! It's heading toward some buildings on the horizon!"

" What!? Those B******* are going toward Appleousa? Get down here! I want to know what's going on! "

Void slide down the rock formation, and went back over to the cart. As she began to hitch herself up, she asked, "What do you think there doing over there?"

" Ah don't know, but thunderhooves is over 2 hours late. He's never been late before. I want to know what he is up to. Alright, you sitched up? " After getting a nod from Void, she said, "Alrighty, let's move."