//------------------------------// // Memories // Story: Fun Bug // by HJSDGCE //------------------------------// On the deserts of Equestria… Saddy, Indigo and Haven, or the Trio for short, was on their way to Appleloosa. After driving for several hours in the hot, burning desert, Indigo decided to take a little nap, bored of watching dead trees and animal carcasses. The driver, Haven, was bored as well but kept his eyes on the road, driving carefully and avoiding traps and rocks. Saddy, who was looking forward on arriving to Appleloosa, wasn’t bored at all. Instead, he was humming a small tune, quite loudly, which was annoying to Indigo but was a boredom-killer for Haven. Saddy examined Haven, since he has all day to do so. Haven was a pegasus. He had a muscular build, his mane was red in colour and his body was silverish-grey. His right hoof was covered with leather straps, and only one of his wings was shown. As they were driving, Saddy’s curiosity started to reach its peak. He wondered, all day, on why Haven’s right hoof was covered with leather straps. But what made him curious the most was what that grey pegasus said; “You might think so, but I am not the only one who follows this path. There are other, stronger than me, younger than me. My death will only slow down the inevitable. Till we meet again, Iron Hoof.” The last two sentences made him wonder. “Did that old pegasus called him ‘Iron Hoof’?” Saddy thought. He was so curious that he didn’t even noticed Haven calling him. But after a few minutes, Haven managed to pull him out of his trance. “Hey, you OK? You’ve been like this for a few hours already.” asked Haven. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’ve just been wondering.” replied Saddy. “Wondering about what?” Haven asked. “About that grey pegasus you killed.” Saddy paused. “He said something about ‘Iron Hoof’. What does it mean? Who are you?” “Hmmm… ‘Iron Hoof’. That’s a name for sore ears. No one has called me that for a while now. Well, ‘Iron Hoof’ was a title, given to me by the Princess of The Night herself. You see, I used to be a royal guard. A night guard to be exact. I was there when everything happened. Well, I wasn’t there to see everything. I was one of the hoof-full of ponies that managed to escape Canterlot. I was lucky to be alive.” “Wow, that means you must’ve seen a lot of blood, huh?” said Saddy. “Yeah, and it’s kinda shameful too. For a night guard, we’re suppose to protect the lives of others. Not the lives of ourselves. I had a hard time getting some sleep after that, knowing of all the ponies I let down.” “But at least you’re alive to tell the tale, right?” Saddy proclaimed. “Yeah, but the point of being a night guard is to NOT tell the tale. We’re suppose to be secretive.” “Well, that didn’t work out, huh?” Saddy said, as he laughed afterwards. “Oh yeah, I always wondered. Why do you cover your right hoof with leather straps?” “Well, this is why…” Haven stopped driving, and slowly took off the leather straps covering his right hoof. As he took it off, small pieces of his hoof can be seen. If, that was his hoof. “It’s a cybernetic hoof! Awesome!” Saddy said, his face full of amazement. “Yep, it’s a cybernetic hoof. Made from a special material known as crystametal, a rare mineral-based steel said to be harder than titanium. Usually weapons and armour are made from this element. ” “Cool… But how did you get it?” asked Saddy. “Now that’s a long story. Keep your ears open, cause this story might last us till Appleloosa.” said Haven, covering his hoof with leather straps again and continued driving. “Aww colts. I hate stories!” Indigo protested. --------------- In the depths of Canterlot’s Castle Dungeon… The sounds of screaming and pain can be heard from every corner. Prisoners, some alive and some barely, all in their cells, shaking and weeping, scared of what was to happen next. One of them was a griffin, eating dead remains of ponies, insanity at its peak. A few metres ahead, there were multiple interrogation rooms, used during the Great Equestrian War, all more than 1,000 years old. Each we’re made specifically to ‘interrogate’ the enemies captured. In reality, they we’re torture rooms. Each room had a viewing panel, for the audience to watch, and inside the room was a strap table, a long desk, on top had a number of numerous tools and contraptions. Some rooms had moss stuck on the walls and some had blood stains instead. Haven was there, wearing his night guard armour and being dragged by two muscular Pinkies, each wearing full-body armor plating. His face, bleeding, and his body was almost lifeless. But he knew he was alive, for now, or else how would he known to be in the dungeons? But that didn’t matter to him. What mattered most was what was waiting for him in one of those interrogation rooms. As they dragged him into one of the rooms, he looked in the surroundings, seeing that there was fresh blood everywhere and a chipped tooth just at the corner. The Pinkies left him on a table, while other Pinkies, wearing face masks and medical white coats, started to strap him onto the table tightly as another one was at the long desk, sharpening a scalpel. Suddenly, the door opened and a Pinkie with a face mask came in. But it wasn’t an ordinary Pinkie. This one was different in some ways. It had a nice, well-kept mane, not poofy at all. The cutie mark, like all Pinkies, was disfigured beyond recognition, but that wasn’t the weird part. The weird part of this Pinkie is that it had two large scythes, sheathed at its back. The left scythe had the word ‘FUN’ printed on it, while the right one had the word ‘BUG’ instead. Afterwards, that pony came close to Haven and gave him a shot of adrenaline. “Helllllllooooo theeeeerrreeee.” said the Pinkie. Haven didn't reply. He breathed heavily, looking at the Pinkie, wondering why he was different. “Oh me! I forgot to introduce myself! HA! Silly me!” The Pinkie took of its mask and combed its mane. “My name is Ra Pon. Or, that was who I used to be. Oh well! I am a full-grown stallion such as yourself. But, what’s different from you and me is that I’m happy and you’re sad. Too bad. HAHAHAHAHA!”said the mystery pony. A small cough was heard from him afterwards. “Where was I? Oh yes! I almost forgot! Where you are at! Well, you’re at the dungeons! I expected you to know that. And what makes me different? Hmm… Let me think… Oh I know! I’m actually normal! That’s right!” He didn't reply. Haven lied there on the table, still strapped on it. “Oooo! A grumpy one! I always liked a challenge!” said Ra Pon, his hoof open, asking for something. “Get. Me. The. Book.” said Ra Pon. A Pinkie then goes out through the door and grabs a book. It was actually just a bunch of paper stapled together. Ra Pon takes the book and pushed the other Pinkies aside. “Behold! Fan fiction!” said Ra Pon, shoving his ‘book’ in Haven’s face. Again, Haven didn't reply. He just glared. Ra Pon started flipping to the first page. He suddenly shrieks loudly which somehow made all the other Pinkies scream in pain. “The main character is a triple-alicorn zebra with a rainbow mane named Timmy McShekelStealer. She likes money! She likes it so much that he hates ponies that spend it! She’s also married to Sephiroth Mary-Sue Van Helsing! He can change gender and everybody loves and envies him! He also has magical powers and has sex with everything!” "That... Was... Idiotic..." Haven said, spitting out some blood onto Ra Pon's leg. Ra Pon, still smiling but is obviously angry, opened his hoof, asking for something. But Haven knew, this time, it wasn’t a shitty fanfic. “SCALPEL! I NEED A SCALPEL! But a hammer will also work.” Ra Pon called out. A Pinkie then came and gave him both a scalpel and a hammer. Ra Pon then went to Haven, the tools in his hooves and his face giving a sadistic look. Ra Pon hammered Haven’s left wing, hitting it multiple times, shattering the bones like glass. He then took the scalpel, and slowly ‘remodeled’ Haven’s wing. Haven wanted to scream in pain, but he refused and kept his mouth shut. Tears slowly came out of his eyes, the excruciating pain was too much to bear. Haven’s mind was failing as he slowly closed his eyes… --------------- “So, you died?” asked Saddy. “If I was dead, I wouldn’t be here, would I?” “Oh yeah… My bad. Carry on.” --------------- CLANK! Haven slowly woke up from his hell as the sound of the metal door closed and locked up tight. He was dizzy and his head hurt, but that didn’t stop him from standing up again. He stood up, his legs weak, trying to walk to the door. Then, he felt a sudden pain on his back. “Augh! What is that?!” screamed Haven in pain. He looked at his back and saw the most horrifying thing he had ever laid eyes on. It was his left wing, but it had been ‘reshaped’ and ‘remodeled’ until it couldn’t be used for flying anymore. It was like the Pinkies left his wing upside-down and inside-out. The wing kept bleeding, but it was already bandaged. He also noticed a scar that was left on where his cutie mark was. It looked a lot like the Pinkies’ cutie mark, which was 3 balloons, but this one was a burn mark. He was still wearing his armour. Guess they were too lazy to take it off. Haven looked around, searching for a way to escape. He saw a small window with metal bars in it, but he couldn’t fly anymore. He examined the metal door, but it was locked up so tight, that it would take a thief an entire hour just to open it. So, he knew he couldn’t escape. Unless there was a chance of it. Haven sat at the corner of his prison, feeling lost and hopeless. His mind, delusional and insane, but kept on trying to stay as who he is. Everyday, he ate food from what he believed is trash, with only 2 meals per day. Everyday, he sat at that same corner, letting his mind linger in the darkness of who he is. Or who he was. After 2 weeks of staying in that prison, everything was the same as usual. Depressing, and that’s usual to him. But on that very day, a chance of escaping was given to him. BOOM! A powerful explosion was heard from outside, but Haven couldn’t see it. Then, more of the same explosions was heard as well. Suddenly, a Pinkie guard crashed at his door, but didn’t even give the door a scratch. But the Pinkie’s hoof was sticking out, so Haven grabbed the hoof and lifted the Pinkie from the far side of the door. He lifted it high enough, and grabbed a key from its pocket. He was about to open the door, until the wall right next to him broke apart, which made a slightly larger exit. “Huh, talk about having too much miracles.” Haven went through the broken wall and escaped his own prison. But he still had to escape the dungeon. Haven knew the hallways of the dungeon like the back of his hoof. He walked quietly but quickly, and went straight to the exit door. As he was about to reach there, Ra Pon broke out from the ceiling, blocking his escape. “Where are you going, grumpy one? Are you leaving?” asked Ra Pon. Haven looked at Ra Pon, his face filled with anger and rage. "You..." "That's right! ME! Wait, who am I? Hmm... Oh yes! I'm Ra Pon! I'm the one who ruined your wing! FOREVER!" He then pointed at Haven burn mark, stating that; “You can’t leave. That mark means you we’re captured by us! Anypony not infected will know that! You’ll be shunned by your own kind! And best of all? You’ll be hunted down! By us! BY ME! BY THE ENTIRE PINKIE EMPIRE!” “Really huh? In that case, you don’t know so much about me after all.” stated Haven, bravely. Inside, he knew that was a terrible idea. As Ra Pon was about to unsheathe his scythes, a blast was heard from outside. It shook the entire dungeon, making the ceilings crumble and large amounts of stone fell between Haven and Ra Pon, separating them. The wall next to Haven crumbles as well, giving him a way out. Just before he left, he looked at Ra Pon while the other did the same. “We’ll meet again one day, grumpy.” “Yeah, we might. If you’re lucky and I’m not.” Haven went straight through the hole in the wall, escaping the terrible dungeon and the home he thought he had left, many months ago. --------------- “So, you escaped? From a Pinkie that was different than others? A Pinkie that was special?” asked Saddy. “Eeyup. That’s how it happened. But that didn’t stop him. Even though I escaped that time, Ra Pon kept on chasing me across Equestria. He was persistent, and insane.” “Wow… When you left Canterlot, where did you go then?” asked Saddy. “Well, I had to find a place to go. A place to sleep. A place to be safe. So, I went to the only place I could think of. A place that I believed that no Pinkie, not even Ra Pon, would follow. Ho boy, how wrong was I.” --------------- In the Everfree Forest… Haven ran, and ran. He kept on running, no stopping for any cause. He ran into the deep, dark of the Everfree Forest. He avoided any beasts lurking the forests, and trees that might eat him, and ran. As he was running, he found an old shack, built from the trunk of a large tree. It had a few windows, but only one door. There were strings of weird charms, hanging by the front. A sign written ‘Zecora’ was nailed at the door. He looked around the shack, peeping through windows, searching for any hostiles. When he knew he was safe, he went inside, and took a little nap. In short words, he fainted from exhaustion. Just as Haven woke up, his stomach made a rumbling sound that could wake up a dragon. “Huh, I guess you’re hungry, my abused stomach. Eating that trash in the dungeon made me remember how terrible off-Equestrian missions are.” Have stood up and started searching for any food. He checked the shelves, the drawers, even the trash. But all he found was some weird spices and remedies. He decided to make his own food from these items. He made 3 different dishes, which two of them was a complete failure while the other one was just less satisfying. Though, his will to survive urged him to eat it anyway. He didn’t feel well, but he didn’t felt the hunger anymore, and he was quite happy of that. While Haven searched for anything else he can scavenge, a Pinkie on patrol found his wherebouts. “Sir, we found him. Full grown, average-sized stallion, red mane and tail, silverish-grey body and a broken wing.” said the Pinkie, using a radio. “Good… We’ll attack him at night. For now, keep watch of him. He might leave before we get there. If he does, kill him.” said another Pinkie through the radio. The Pinkie followed the orders given and keep watch of Haven from afar. As he watched Haven searching and sleeping, the day slowly ended and the night emerged. Suddenly, eyes were seen in the dark. It was the Pinkies, and they had surrounded the shack. A familiar face was then seen, known as Ra Pon, standing with his two scythes in his hooves. Slowly, Ra Pon raised his hoof and said; “Get in… And kill him… But don’t kill him! Because I want to have the honours on doing that.” said Ra Pon. The Pinkies then ran towards the shack, breaking the door and windows, hitting everything inside, including each other. Ra Pon entered the shack, and was shocked. “He… isn’t… HERE?!” shouted Ra Pon angrily. Ra Pon went back outside and met with the Pinkie that keep watch of him. Ra Pon grabbed the Pinkie’s neck, breaking its spine. He dropped the dead Pinkie and threw it in the forest, for the Timber Wolves to eat. He looked back at the shack, and shouted; “Find him! FIND HIM NOW!” The Pinkies obeyed his command and searched the entire building, twig by twig. But then, they all stopped suddenly. “Hey, umm… Does any Pinkie else smell that?” asked one of the Pinkies. Ra Pon entered the shack once more, scolding the Pinkies inside for stopping. “Why did you stop? Did I tell you to stop? I told you all to find him! And I mean FIND HIM!” scolded Ra Pon. “But sir, there’s a peculiar smell. We don’t know what it is.” said another Pinkie. “So, there’s a smell. Boo hoo! This shack smells funny! I don’t like this smell! SO WHAT?! I SENT YOU ALL TO FIND HIM! AND IF WE DON’T FIND HIM! WHAT’S THE POINT OF BEING HE-“ Ra Pon suddenly stopped. Ra Pon looked from afar, towards to stove. He noticed that the stove was on, and that something is inside. He went to the stove and looked closely to what’s inside. He saw mixes of spices and remedies, all in one metal pot. “Oh darn.” said Ra Pon. Ra Pon ran out of the shack, followed by an explosion from the stove. He was thrown to a nearby bush, while all the Pinkies inside burned to death. Ra Pon looked into the fire, watching the other Pinkies cry, scream and burn. “That sneaky, grumpy bastard…” Ra Pon said. Meanwhile in the northern regions of Equestria… The land was covered with snow, blizzards roam and Death waits for any unlucky survivor. A trap door suddenly opened from under the snow, with Haven exiting the hole. “Phew, good thing I found that secret tunnel. Who knew that shack was built under a mine shaft. And good thing that there was a mine cart, ready just for me.” said Haven. Haven, now wearing a thick, wool jacket and a scarf but still wearing his armour, slowly made his way through the cold, unforgiving blizzard. Each step, harder than the last, but at least he was making progress. He walked until he reached a crystal house, which was owned by Crystal Ponies. He knew he was in the Crystal Empire, but not the one like during the days before the Fun Bug. The Crystal Empire, now a frozen wasteland, was left as a ghost town. The buildings stood tall, but with no ponies in sight. But he wasn’t surprised. He knew that the Crystal Ponies, with the help of Princess Luna, fled to the moon during the outbreak. The princess of the night herself, on the other hoof, was a complete mystery to him. Haven wasn’t quite fond with the surroundings of the Crystal Empire. He only went there twice when he was a night guard, and even then he only had to stay in the Crystal Tower. He then looks into one of the crystals and saw his burn mark. “That’s right. That Pinkie said that I would be hunted down. Which means, he would be searching for me right now. In this weather and that Pinkie’s platoon, I’ll be killed before I even knew it.” said Haven, as he entered the Crystal Tower. “Better make the odds against him, then.” Haven walked into a small room inside the tower. There, he pulled a small lever, hidden from view, and opened a secret passageway. He followed the passageway and went inside a city under a city known as Veteris Crystal Imperii, meaning ‘The Old Crystal Empire’. The underground city was half of the Crystal Empire before it disappeared under King Sombra’s rule. When the Crystal Empire and its residents disappeared, the underground city was left untouched for 1,000 years. The city was then forgotten, even by the Crystal Ponies themselves. This ancient city, now filled with rats and moss, was said to be the most modern city in the world. It even has its own security system. Some say, that the security systems in this forgotten world still works, protecting what was left from their masters. “This could work…” Haven thought. Haven knew the surroundings of the ancient city better than the one on top. He sometimes explored these dangerous buildings when he was a night guard. He knew that he could use the city against his enemies if he improvised. And so, he made hidden traps, tripwires and other triggers around the center of the city.Then, he hid himself behind a deactivated, crystallion, made of crystametal. He waited patiently there for two hours until he heard some hoof steps. “And so here they come…” said Haven, wearing heavy-plated horseshoes made from the same metal that made the robotic guard pony. He was armed, ready for battle. There were two teams, each consisting of 11 Pinkies, Ra Pon wasn’t seen. Haven watched as the Pinkies walk through the hallways. As they we’re walking, one of them accidently stepped on a tripwire. Suddenly, a pile of rocks came crashing down, crushing 4 of the Pinkies in the first team. On the second team, one of them leaned on the wall and pressed a hidden button. The wall then turned into a piston-like trap, grinning 3 into the wall in front. 15 we’re left, and even Haven knew that. He threw a small pebble onto a twig that was holding a piece of wood, creating a chain reaction of small traps. A dart trap was triggered and killed 3, a simple battering ram and killed 2, falling spike that killed 4, and 6 was left. He jumped out from the shadows and went on hoof-to-hoof battle against the remaining Pinkies. He leaped behind one and broke its neck. Then, a Pinkie saw him and tried to attack him, but failed as Haven quickly punched it in the face to a spiked wall. The 4 Pinkies chased him down as Haven ran away. They chased him relentlessly, ignoring anything around them. One of them set off a trap got itself killed by a mechanical claw coming out from the ground, piercing its torso. The three left kept on chasing Haven but he was smarter than them. He jumped across an abyss and stood on the other side. The Pinkies failed to notice the abyss and 2 of them fell to their deaths. Only one still standing, and yet Ra Pon was never seen. Haven ran to the central square of the forgotten city and noticed the last Pinkie waiting there. He stood there, his eyes on the last one. “So, you’re left, huh? Too bad. I was actually having fun killing you creeps.” said Haven, daringly. “Don’t get your hopes up! I’m still standing! And I’ll be the one to kill you! And earn my prize!” said the last Pinkie. “Prize? So, that’s why Ra Pon isn’t here. He sent his goons to kill me and even put a prize on my head. What a couch potato.” said Haven. The Pinkie didn’t even take a minute to think. It lunged towards Haven in full speed, leaving its logic and reasoning behind. But Haven was ready. He saw the Pinkie took out a long blade and tried to slice Haven. But every attempt it did, missed. Haven avoided all of its attacks calmly, not rushing and just going with it. The Pinkie used its blade and went on to stab Haven. But he then grabbed the Pinkie’s blade with his left hoof and broke the Pinkie’s hoof with the other. He grabbed the blade as it was thrown in the air and stabbed the Pinkie in the chest, through the heart. He left the blade there, in the Pinkie’s heart, and went on without a single word, leaving the dying Pinkie to bleed. Haven went back to the entrance of the ancient city, feeling relieved that it was over. But he knew it wasn’t. Not until his or Ra Pon’s life is taken. But he was still relieved. “Finally, it’s over! For now at least. But it’s still OK! I’m not dead, not scarred, not blown apart, not sliced in half… Well, you get the idea.” Haven said with his voice, filled with happiness. “I hope I don’t meet with that lunatic... Or be a lunatic...”. Upon reaching the entrance, he walked calmly with a smile on his face. But that smile quickly broke as he sees… “Speak of the devil himself…” said Haven, his face now gasping in fear. “Nice to meet you again as well, grumpy!” said Ra Pon. It was Ra Pon. The ‘Ra Pon’ he thought he would never have to meet again. The ‘Ra Pon’ that took away his ability to fly. The ‘Ra Pon’ that writes terrible fanfic. That ‘Ra Pon’. “I never thought that you would have survived. In fact, I never thought you would have killed them so easily! HAHAHAHA! And that trap at the old shack in the Everfree Forest?! That was priceless! You nearly got me there! But at least you got 27.5 of everypony else!” said Ra Pon. “Thanks for that compliment. Indeed, it was made for you. And did you say ‘27.5 of everypony else’?” “Oh! One of them was already dead! So, it only counts as half of it! HAHAHAHA!” Ra Pon took out his scythes from his back, still giggling and with a smile in his face. “Now where we? Oh yes! I was going to kill you! That’s it!” said Ra Pon. Ra Pon, with his scythes, went on slicing Haven’s head off, but missed as Haven quickly leaned backwards, avoiding the fatal blow. Ra Pon kicked Haven in the chest and threw back and to the ground. Haven looked up and saw Ra Pon lunging towards him with one scythe going to his heart. Haven rolled to the side and again, avoided the fatal blow. He recovered quickly and blocked Ra Pon’s scythe with his horseshoes. But the force was too strong and pushed him back to a wall. Ra Pon lunged his scythe towards Haven, missed by an inch, and dragged his scythe across the wall, scarring it with a mark, and missed Haven again as he ducked for cover. Ra Pon did a bicycle kick which hits at Haven’s face and broke the wall behind him, throwing him across the room. Haven crashed at a pile of wooden boxes, bringing injuries with it. “Is this all you can offer me? No fighting back? This is pathetic! It nearly costs me my life, hunting you down! And now, this is how you repay me? BY NOT BEING A WORTHY OPPONENT?!” said Ra Pon, his anger reaching its peak, yet still smiling. “Well, you didn’t give me a chance to hit you. How can I win if I don’t have a chance?” said Haven, wiping blood off of his chin. “Hmm… You’re right! If you don’t have a chance, then you’re not a worthy opponent! To make you worthy, I have to give you a chance! Well then, hit me in the face! I dare you!” said Ra Pon, wanting his face to be punched by Haven. Haven didn’t took ‘No’ as an answer and went straight to Ra Pon, punching him in the face with all of his strength. Ra Pon was thrown back outside, spinning uncontrollably and yet, he landed on his hind hooves. “Nice punch! You took out a tooth! I’m proud of you! Now, we can fight and kill each other!” praised Ra Pon, spitting out a broken tooth. Both Ra Pon and Haven lunged towards each other, each attacking with full of might, and their weapons clashed. And yet, the winner was… “Me! It’s me! I’m the winner! WAHOO!” Ra Pon cheered to himself. Haven was nailed on the floor, One of Ra Pon’s scythe being the nail and his shoulder was the wood. The scythe went through Haven’s right shoulder, dealing heavy damage and bleeding. Haven screamed in pain, fear and terror. “Oops! I almost forgot about you!” said Ra Pon, giggling afterwards. Ra Pon slowly walked to the dying Haven, his smile now larger than ever. He went to Haven and took hold of his scythe, but not removing it. “Killing you will be so much fun! I’ll probably get a promotion! Yes, a promotion! A promotion from the boss!” said Ra Pon. “The boss?! You mean, you’re not the top?! You’re not the leader?!” asked Haven, still in pain. “That’s right! I’m not the top! The top is somepony else! The top is the Inspector! He knows things! He sees things! And best of all, he’s the strongest of them all!” said Ra Pon. Ra Pon moved his scythe a bit, which made Haven scream in pain. “Now you’ll see why I’m superior and you’re not! Why I’m the best and you’re the worst! Why I will win and you will lose! You think I’m gonna kill you like that?! NO! I’ll let you feel pain first! Cause you have no idea what pain is…” Ra Pon slowly pulled his scythe to the side, forcing it to move while Haven screams in pain.“STOP IT! DON’T DO IT! YOU’LL RIP IT OFF!” shrieked Haven. “That’s what I’m planning to do.” Ra Pon then did a last pull, and ripped Haven’s right hoof off, leaving Haven with only one hoof. Haven looked at his amputated hoof, his face fear of death. Knowing that he couldn’t survive anymore, Haven did one last trick. “Got any last words before I take your head as a trophy?” asked Ra Pon. “Yeah, I got one.” said Haven before he pressed a pressure plate. Suddenly, a pair of spinning blades came out of the ground and went straight to Haven and Ra Pon. Before Ra Pon could react, the spinning blades we’re already to close and… SWISH! The spinning blades sliced Ra Pon into two pieces, the upper torso and the legs. Haven lay down quickly, dodging the spinning blades. The spinning blades then reaches the end of its tracks, going back down into the ground and resetting. Haven lifted his head and saw the body of his rival. Ra Pon, currently dead, his body now in two pieces, lifeless and cold. “It’s finally over…” said Haven in relief. Haven walked, dragging his body, across the road back to the entrance. He walked with his two hind legs only, his left hoof holding the bleeding shoulder that once held his right one. He left his amputated right hoof back with what was left of Ra Pon. He was bleeding heavily and was dying need of new blood. Haven managed to reach the entrance but as he did, he fainted behind a broken stone pillar. He was scared to die, scared to be alone, and scared of the dark. His vision blurred and before he knew it, he was lost, and he was dying. ------------ “So, you did die after all!” said Saddy. “Umm… Dude, he is not dead. He’s driving the jeep.” Indigo replied. “That’s right. I’m not dead. When I woke up, all I knew is that I was alive and the bodies of the Pinkies and Ra Pon was gone. I also found out that I had a new hoof. And it was this cybernetic one.” said Haven, flexing his robotic hoof while driving. “So wait, you have no idea where that hoof came from? It just came to you and stuck itself into place?” Saddy asked. “Yeah, I guess so. I still have no idea but I don’t want to go back to Veteris Crystal Imperii. That place scares me now. I think I might have achluophobia.” said Haven. “What’s achluophobia?” asked Indigo. “It means extreme fear of darkness. I guess going through the most horrible time of your life in a dark place gives you that.” replied Saddy. “Yeah, I guess it does.” said Haven. They kept on driving for more than an hour until the jeep went to a complete stop. Indigo, who was lying on the back seat, tumbled down under the seats of the front. Saddy, who was sleeping with his eyes barely closed, was woken up in a startling way. “Dude! What the heck?! I fell down under the seats! It was hard to get out, you know.” said Indigo in an angry manner. “Um what?! Huh?! Who am I?!... Oh wait, I’m still me. That was a good nap. Also, why did you stop suddenly like that?” asked Saddy. Haven stepped out of the jeep and looked down from the steep cliff in front of them. His glare was emotionless but then, he smiled a little. “We’re here. Welcome to Appleloosa.” said Haven, pointing at a town below.