//------------------------------// // Chapter 14 // Story: Linkin Pony - Recharge: Revamped // by Kaciekk //------------------------------// “Alright, I’m going to Los Pegasus,” CharmingRhythm told SpinningNote, who was on the computer. It was six days since he had come back. It was time to meet up with Ash and Jet. “This early?” Spinning wondered.  “Yeah. It takes about an hour to get there, and I want to get some supplies before we meet up and leave,” Rhythm explained. “Hmm, okay. You going alone?” Spinning asked. “Actually, Blazing offered to come with.”  Just at that moment, BlazingFlair popped his head out from around the corner. “I’m ready when you are!” “Am I in charge again?” Spinning said. “I guess, I don’t know.” Rhythm shrugged. He nodded to Blazing and the two of them slipped out of the door.  About an hour passed. EchoBeat stepped into the main room and saw Spinning sitting, just as he expected. Spinning’s ears flickered and he twisted his head around. “Hey! I found some interesting files!” Spinning announced. “Um, okay?” EchoBeat responded. “That is, if you are willing to listen to me. I tried telling Feather about them but he got bored and left,” Spinning said, although he did not seem to be bothered by it. “Sounds like him.” Echo rolled his eyes and took a seat next to Spinning. “Whatcha got?” “Okay, so a while ago I found out that Hybrids invaded the village,” Spinning began. “But it didn’t seem to add up. On another computer I found out that there was also a raid of rogues. Well, they just referred to them as a gang, but I think they were rogues.” Echo tilted his head as he listened to Spinning ramble. “But, the rogues and Hybrids overlapped. They made it sound like the rogues sent the Hybrids in the village.” “Wait, so the Hybrids and rogues were working together?” Echo pondered.  “I’m not so sure. But I guess the rogues must have not liked this village. So they lead a hoard of Hybrids into it to get rid of the ponies,” Spinning concluded. “That seems like a lot of work just to attack a village,” Echo said. “Who knows,” Spinning replied while turning back to the computer. Then he glanced back at Echo and added, “Oh yeah! I found out that this building used to be a rehab center. I think. Some files stated it as the “old counseling center.” It must have been unused when the last residents were here.” “I guess that makes sense why there is a meeting room and all of those seperate rooms,” Echo determined. “They must have been offices. But what does this have to do with anything?” “I dunno,” Spinning shrugged. “I just find it interesting.”  “Alright. I have plants to tend to.”Echo stood up and began to walk away. He looked back to Spinning. “If you see Feather again, send him my way. Tell him I’m willing to give him another potion brewing lesson. He keeps running away from me.” “You got it,” Spinning answered. Behind CharmingRhythm, BlazingFlair strolled along the sidewalks of Los Pegasus. They were heading their way to pick up more supplies. “What do we have to get?” Blazing asked. “Well, I want to get a mattress. I know, seems like a lot, but we need it, or else Clarity won't assign us any recruits,” Rhythm told him. “How’d you get the ones that we’re supposed to meet then?” “Uh… they were sent by someone else. I have no clue,” Rhythm answered honestly.  “Weird.” A silence filled the air before Blazing spoke up again. “Hey, can we visit Hyper? I want to see how he’s doing.” Rhythm considered it for a bit. He noted that they were close to Hyper’s apartment. “Alright, but let’s not be too long.” Inside of the apartment, the stallions conversed. Rhythm stood by the door most of the time, watching the others. “When do you think it will be fully healed?” Blazing asked Hyper. “I don’t know. It still hurts. But the doctor says it’s healing fast and the infection went away,” Hyper explained from the couch. JumpingJolt was sitting next to him, Hyper’s foreleg wrapped around the colt. “Well, that’s good news. Can’t wait to see your new wing,” Blazing said. “Yeah. Patchwork has a pretty cool design for it actually. We’re going to make it match my EPD and armor,” Hyper reported. “That sounds awesome!” Blazing replied with a smile. Blazing’s green eyes peered over to Rhythm. He noticed that Rhythm had only said a few words to SweetHooves and Hyper, and nothing more. He must have wanted to leave. “We should go,” Blazing told them. “We have supplies to pick up.” Blazing and Rhythm said goodbye and returned on their path. They were quiet for a few minutes. “You didn’t really talk to him,” Blazing noted to Rhythm. “Why not?” Rhythm blinked, only now realizing the fact. He sighed, “I don’t know.” He hung his head low, his gaze fixed on the sidewalk. It looked almost as if he was staring at his forelegs in front of him. “Seeing Hyper hurt also hurts you, huh?” Blazing assumed. “You know what he’s going through.” “I guess so,” Rhythm replied while picking his head up.  Blazing and Rhythm had picked out a twin sized mattress, as well as a small water filter. They returned to the cab and placed them in the back. It was almost noon, so they waited for the two new recruits. Noon passed, and there was no sign of them. Rhythm was wondering if he was in the right spot, or if the time was correct. Everything seemed to line up. Suddenly, the fear that he may have been tricked flew into his mind. Would the recruits just set him up to make a fool of himself? Before he could expand on that daydream, another vehicle rolled up behind their own. It seemed to be in worse condition than theirs. Rhythm was surprised it still worked. Jet and Ash exited. “This a friend?” Ash questioned, pointing her horn to Blazing. “He’s my teammate,” Rhythm said. “I’m BlazingFlair,” the orange stallion said while extending his foreleg to shake. “Ash,” the Unicorn stated without taking Blazing’s hoof. Jet stepped forward and shook it instead. “And I’m Jet.” “How old are you guys?” Blazing wondered, noting that they were younger than him. “I’m twenty-one,” Jet told him. “Ash is twenty-two.” “Are we just going to stand here?” Ash let out impatiently.  “We better get going,” Jet agreed, although more politely. “Just show us the way.” Blazing drove their cab into the desert, with the other ponies behind. Blazing turned his muzzle to Rhythm and darted his eyes between him and the path ahead. “Jet seems nice,” Blazing started, “but Ash…” “Is rude,” Rhythm finished with a snort. “Maybe she’ll warm up to us,” Blazing said. Blazing’s ear flickered as he heard a rumbling sound from the left. The sound became louder, and an engine appeared. It rode the railway adjacent to them, and slowly moved ahead. On the engine the symbol of the Resistance was painted on the side. There were two cars attached to the engine. “I wonder where they’re going,” Blazing mused after the train left some distance.  “Who knows,” Rhythm responded. “It would be nice if we could get a train to transport a lot of supplies.”  Blazing knew the railroad ran not too far from their camp, next to the stream. “Maybe we can.” “Oh yeah. I’m definitely going to ask the president to borrow a train,” Rhythm scoffed playfully. “I mean you can try,” Blazing suggested. The four ponies finally made their way to the camp. The rest of the team came out and greeted the two new recruits. “You can stay in here.” Rhythm pointed to a house that was on the corner closest to the base. “That’s the one we have fixed up the most.” “Fine. Whatever,” Ash mumbled as she dragged her stuff to the building. Blazing glanced at Jet who still stood next to him. “Is she always like this?” “Yeah... “ Jet exhaled. “Well, she’s usually in a slightly better mood. I think she’s just annoyed we have this mission.” “Why did you even agree to take this mission?” Blazing asked. “I thought a mission with less Hybrid fighting might bring Ash and I closer together,” Jet admitted. “Some actual quality time.” “Maybe it will,” Blazing offered optimistically.  “Yeah,” was all Jet said as he gaited over to the house. Right now, Blazing could not tell how good of a fit these two young recruits were for the camp. He could only hope that they would get along. He could only hope that they would be loyal, and stay at the camp. With that hope, Blazing believed it could be possible.