//------------------------------// // 73. Farewell, Maka // Story: Tales of the Oppressed // by Terran34 //------------------------------// Near the edge of camp, massive fallen trees have been lined up to form makeshift walls, keeping out the majority of the wildlife. In addition, the guard is no longer stretched as thin as before, as now they only have small gaps between the trees to guard. My destination is the entrance facing away from Ponyville. According to one of the scientists I'd stopped on the way to the walls, that's where the monsters of the forest have been trying to get in the most, and therefore that's where I'd find Iron. The camp finally seems to be taking shape as well. Several tents with differing functions have been in a circular fashion around perimeter of camp, leaving a large central area, as well as an adjoining area where the entrance to the ruins is located. One such tent is a sizable dining tent, where wooden tables and cooking equipment have been set up. The food supplies are also stored inside, within portable coolers or boxes to keep cool and dry. I must say, it's very convenient for their “electronics” to be able to function without an outlet. Anyway, it's inside that tent that we all meet up for meals three times a day. It's also where Pinkie spends the most of her time, as the camp's appointed cook. Also, I pass several tents that are just being set up against the walls of the camp. To my knowledge, those are where we're going to be sleeping in the future. One of our airships will have to go back and forth for supplies eventually, and there's just not enough room on one airship for the entire expeditionary force. I'm not sure how much I'll like sleeping around a large group of ponies, but we don't have much space to work with. Several guards are standing near one of the gaps between the fallen trees. This is one of the last few remaining gaps, due to the other gaps being filled in slowly by more trees to further strengthen the camp. So far, it's looking like this is intended to be the only exit from the ground. Commander Iron is one of the guards there, standing as stalwart as his name in the center of them all. He held his trident and shield in front of him with a small amount of magic, ready to defend the camp whenever necessary. It seems like he's already had to do some fighting, because I can see the remains of timberwolves scattered in the underbrush. There's none of the big predators, but I'm not worried even if one does show up. Having fought alongside the guy, I know he can take care of himself. “Iron!” I call to him simply as I approach. I get not only his attention, but the attention of some of the other guards as well. It's probably because I omitted his title. “ Seth,” Iron returns my greeting just as simply, turning his head ever so slightly to look at me. As I get close to him, he lifts up his visor to get a better look at me. “Is there something I can help you with?” “Yeah. I'd like to talk to you in private for a moment,” I tell him seriously, coming to a halt just in front of him. Iron's expression turns slightly curious, but he doesn't move. “I'm afraid that if it isn't urgent, it'll have to wait. I can't leave my post,” Iron responds firmly with a shake of his head. He indicates the fallen timberwolves with his hoof. “We've already come under attack several times now, and we suspect that larger predators may soon take notice.” “Please, there's nothing in this forest more dangerous than the Scorpios, and I killed the fucker,” I retort. Besides, some of the guards I see here are ones that I've also fought with, in the streets of Canterlot back during the changeling invasion. I think they can handle whatever comes out of that forest. When Iron still looks unconvinced, I sigh and look at him beseechingly. “It's urgent to me. I need a favor, and in exchange I'll take your shift sometime and let you rest.” Iron stares at me for a while, mulling my words over. Finally, the guard next to him angles her head to look at Iron in such a way that I can see who she is. “It's all right, Commander. I've been practicing like you showed me, so if any manticores or the like show up, I think we can handle them,” Swift Lance assures him, giving me a wink. Huh, I did not expect her to help me out...or even be here in the first place. “You can go with him if you need to.” “...Very well. I should not be gone for very long,” Iron promises his guards, much to my relief. He's right, I only need him to get Maka out of that hole, and then he can go back to standing around and whacking wooden dogs with a glorified pitchfork. “Lead the way, Seth.” “Thank you,” I tell him tersely, and then I stride back into camp after making sure that the taciturn commander is still following me. There's a lot of ponies working in the area right now, so I lead Iron to an area behind one of the tents so that we'll have the best chance of remaining undisturbed. “So what's this about?” Iron asks patiently, watching me curiously. “It's not like you to ask others for favors.” “Yeah, I'd rather you hadn't pointed that out...but whatever. You're right,” I grunt. There's literally no way I can get him to do this without telling him something about my family...but I suppose that can't be helped. “But that can come later. So, has Shining Armor told you about the monster that I encountered down here before?” “Yes, he did. He said that it was particularly dangerous because it couldn't feel pain,” Iron related. Suddenly, he looked alarmed. “Have you discovered more of them?” “Nothing that bad. What I didn't tell Shining Armor is what those monsters are...or rather, what they used to be,” I admit with difficulty. I find it hard to meet his gaze, and for a few seconds, I don't speak, unsure if I should even tell this to him. Why don't I just ask Twilight? Who cares if she freaks out? Wait...everypony that was in the wedding hall knows that my race is undead. I guess telling him can't hurt. “They used to be my race.” “What?” Iron actually looks taken off guard by my revelation, his dark eyes wide with surprise. “How can this be? I was briefed on the nature of the monster before the mission began, and as described by my captain, it is in the rough shape of a pony. Your kind is clearly bipedal.” “I know. That's what makes it so sickening,” I reply, my expression turning pained. “They didn't come like that. They were...twisted...” Understanding dawns in Iron's face. He scuffs the ground with hoof, and then he looks at me seriously. “I see,” Iron says simply. “I don't want to sound insensitive, but you've yet to tell me what exactly you need my help for.” “I need somepony to help me get the monster's body out of the ruins,” I tell him flatly. I try to read his reaction, but the only change in his expression is just a slight rise of an eyebrow. “I can't do it on my own.” “You need a unicorn's magic, because the hole is too small to get both you and the body out at the same time,” Iron correctly deduces. When he sees me nod, he sighs. “May I ask why the monster's body is so important to you?” “The...monster...was someone I knew,” I admit grudgingly. I had hoped I wouldn't need to explain that to him, but I guess I should have known better. “She used to be family.” Iron's expression turns pained, and then it softens. He lifts a hoof and rests it on me in an attempt to comfort me. “All right. I will help you,” he promises me. I emit a sigh of relief, inwardly cursing myself. I wish I could have just done this myself, but instead I have to feel like a total weakling and spill my feelings to him. “How do humans usually send off their dead?” “There have been tons of rituals over the ages, but most commonly we either bury or cremate them, depending on the beliefs of the family in question,” I explain to him, once again surprised by how sharp he is. I've barely told him anything, yet he keeps guessing my intent. “In this case, I want to cremate her. She...doesn't look human anymore.” “I understand,” Iron affirms. He turns away from me and walks into one of the tents that covers the sleeping areas. Curious, I follow after him, lifting the flap of the tent and entering as well. It looks like this is where the off duty guards are spending their time, because I can see several of them out of their armor, playing cards or having conversations. Upon the commander's entrance, all conversation ceases without him needing to say anything. Iron looks down at the two nearest guards. “You two. I need you to ready a funeral pyre in the open area near the ruins entrance. Quickly now,” Iron orders them. The two guards look confused and alarmed by the order, but they do as they're told. They leap to their hooves and leave the tent, with us right behind them. “Why did you do that? I was planning on taking her body someplace secluded and dealing with it myself,” I demand. All I want is his help getting Maka out of the ruins. I don't need something as complicated to set up as a pyre. “It's partially out of respect for your help in defending Equestria, unwilling or not. You are a fine warrior,” Iron explains, inclining his head to me. Defending...oh, he must be talking about how he and I fought together in the battle against the changelings. Why should that affect how he treats my niece? “Was this family member a warrior as well?” “You could say that...though I think she was forced into the role due to circumstance,” I reply reluctantly, remembering Maka's last stand with a heavy feeling in my heart. Iron actually laughs at that. “Aren't we all?” Iron responds, causing me to raise an eyebrow. I guess there's a lot more to his civil war story than he told me. Though it's fair for him not to tell me. Anyway, he continues as we branch away from the two guards walking with us and approach the hole in the ground. “Your customs are very similar to that of Bleak Island's. Therefore, I'm going to give your kin the traditional Bleak Island warrior send off.” “Okay, now I think you're doing a little too much for me, especially considering you've never met my niece before,” I finally say, my uncertainty becoming too much to bear. “Is this all just because we fought together?” Iron and I come to a halt by the entrance to the ruins. He gives me his full attention, gazing at me in my eyes. Damn, I don't know if I've mentioned, but the commander has a piercing gaze. “You must not understand. To me, that's more than enough to respect someone,” Iron divulges. “Much can be learned about the character of another after fighting alongside them in battle. I could feel the determination and spirit in your heart as you fought with me that night. I saw you going out of your way to protect our soldiers, even taking hits that you would have easily avoided otherwise.” “That's because the whole battle was my...” I try to interrupt, but Iron continues on, drowning out my protests with his firm voice. “Whatever your reasons, your actions were commendable. That is why I respect you, and that is why I'm going to extend your family that same respect,” Iron decides, his brow set in a determined gaze. It seems to me like he's not going to let me stop him from doing this. Ugh...but this means I have to come up with some way to pay him back for this. I said I'd take his shift, but that was before he decided to give my niece a respectful service. “I still don't think you need to bother, but whatever. I doubt telling you not to is going to do much of anything,” I grumble, turning away from him. “Indeed. Now, lead me to her,” Iron orders. I nod and step over the barrier surrounding the hole. The ladder is busted, so I fly down, landing on the ancient red floors with a quiet click. Looking up, I suddenly remember that most unicorns can't fly. Just as I'm questioning how Iron is going to get down, he falls through the hole and lands solidly on all four hooves with a crash, the floor cracking slightly under the impact. Or he could do that. “Careful! These ruins are unstable, especially stairwells like these,” I warn Iron as he steps out of the cloud of dust that he'd just created. “So it seems,” Iron observes upon seeing the cracks that his descent had caused. Afterward, he too can't keep himself from looking around the ancient human structure with interest. “Nevertheless, I am impressed that this structure is as well preserved as it is. To my understanding, most ruins we've uncovered have been more or less unrecognizable.” “It probably has something to do with how dry and firm our soil is, and the fact that this place has been covered in it, practically airtight,” I hypothesize, though I doubt I'm right. I'm no expert at aging and that kind of thing. Honestly, my classes in my computer science major ended up being completely useless in the end. I should have studied something more practical. “Now, come this way. She's on this floor.” I lead Iron past the broken door and into the hallway, which was as dark and dismal as ever. “There's something else I should mention. She's...well...the body isn't pleasant to look at. That's why I asked you, and not somepony more familiar to me like Vinyl or Twilight,” I explain, walking towards the camera security room. “So I understood. You told me she was twisted, so I'm expecting the worst,” Iron responded readily, not seeming discouraged in the least. Finally, I stand before my fallen niece, and even I can't keep myself from wanting to vomit. Maka is barely recognizable. Her once vibrant hair is now dull and lifeless, falling out of her twisted skull. Her skin has dried up and is sunken in, having decomposed over the months in which she's been here. Her lips are ripped and raised in a feral snarl that will never fade, and her eyes are long since misted over. Oh Maka...this just isn't fair. Iron catches sight of Maka as well, and even he has to pause. He glances between me and the corpse, no doubt trying to envision Maka as she used to be by comparing her to me. Eventually he sighs. “Twisted indeed. You were right to come to me. I doubt anypony here would be able to handle such a grotesque sight,” Iron finally states. “Right. Now let's get her out of here,” I agree. Iron nods, and then he lowers his head, his horn lighting up with dark blue magic. An aura surrounds Maka's body, though for some reason it looks unstable, flickering in and out of existence. Iron narrows his eyes and concentrates harder, and Maka's body starts to float, though very slowly and sluggishly. When I hear Iron grunt in exertion, I realize something must be wrong. “What's going on? Are you having trouble?” “Something...is resisting my hold. It's difficult to keep a grasp on it,” Iron grits out, trying hard to keep Maka in the air. “I don't understand...this has never happened before.” “It's resisting your magic?” I question with shock. Maka is dead, and it's still managing to cause some resistance? How much resistance would a live Oppressed exhibit? Just the thought of a magical resistant monster like that makes me shiver. “It's not going to stop me...but it's worth noticing,” Iron grunts. He slowly starts to move back towards the stairwell, carrying Maka with him. “If there are more of these monsters, then this ruin may be more dangerous than even you expected.” “Yeah, but I didn't fucking expect them to be resistant to magic! I didn't have magic then, so I had no chance to test it,” I shoot back, feeling more worried than I care to admit. I have all of this power now, but if the Oppressed can resist it, even I might have trouble with them now. “I am not blaming you. I simply mean that we must be extra vigilant, making sure nopony goes without a guard escort,” Iron assures me, taking another painstaking step. “It's good that we discovered this now.” “Yeah...I would hate to be the unicorn that tries blasting one without knowing about it,” I remark. Suddenly, I realize that if I do run into another Oppressed, I might end up being helpless in the worst case scenario. My magic is my main form of offense, augmenting my physical attacks and serving as a ranged weapon through my rifle. I'd have no way to fight one. “Iron, I don't suppose you brought along any extra weapons?” “I did indeed, in case any of our weapons were to become damaged,” Iron answers. He looks back at me with understanding a moment later. “I see...you've come to the conclusion that if you cannot harm them magically, you would engage them with a blade. Good thinking.” “Thanks, I guess,” I respond awkwardly. I have no idea how to use medieval weaponry like swords and the like, but it would be better than going unarmed. When we reached the stairwell, Iron and I come to a halt, Maka's body floating haphazardly behind us. “You go up first. Be prepared to pull her up once she passes out of my telekinetic range,” Iron directs me. Ugh, great, I have to touch her. I guess that can't be helped though. “Got it.” I leap into the air and flare my magic enough to propel me out of the hole. When I land, I notice that the two guards Iron spoke to are in the middle of setting up a pile of kindling around a flat wooden platform. That must be the pyre. It's large enough that other ponies are starting to take notice, gazing at it momentarily on their way to whatever task they're in the middle of. More importantly, Opal seems to be there as well, staring at the pyre with alarm. I'll deal with her in a moment. Iron is already lifting Maka's body up the shaft, having to exert his magic even harder as Maka neared the edge of this range. Just as Maka's twisted hooves rise above the ground, I reach down and grasp them, taking care to avoid the still sharp claws. Sure enough, her skin is as slimy and disgusting as I'd expected. What's even worse is that after Iron releases her from his grasp, I have to carry her entire weight...and she isn't stable enough to handle that. With a sickening crack, one of her hooves tears right off of her body. I have to reach down and grasp Maka in someplace else to prevent her from falling. “Oh god,” I choke. I start lifting Maka up, but it's a slow process; she's heavy, and I don't want to break her even more than I already have. “Yo, you look like you need some help,” I hear somepony say. That sounds like Vinyl, the unicorn approaching me from behind. Oh no, she's not going to be able to handle this. “What's the matter, is a little heavy lifting too much for...what the hay is that?!” Vinyl's mouth falls open in shock and horror when she sees what I'm trying to lift out of the hole. When the smell of it reaches her, she chokes, just as I'd expected, and then she rushes over to someplace secluded to throw up. Idiot...that's what you get for sticking your nose into my business. Finally, I manage to drag Maka out of the hole and set her down on the ground. Ugh, my hands are covered in slime. I need to go to the stream and wash this shit off. Down in the hole, Iron manages to climb up the ladder up until the point where it is broken, and then he leaps upwards, allowing me to grab him next and help him up. “Thank you,” Iron pants, clearly somewhat tired from having to carry a magic resistant object. “Let's get cleaned off, and then we'll start the service.” “I hear that,” I grunt, trying not to look at my hands. After a quick trip to the stream, Iron and I return and start moving Maka again, though the commander has the bright idea to toss a small tarp over her to conceal her from innocent eyes. Though there's no preventing Opal from approaching us when she sees us coming. “Commander! These guards are telling me you ordered them to set this up!” Opal exclaims worriedly. “What's happened? Has somepony been...hurt?” “No. He's doing a favor for me,” I answer her before Iron can say anything. When Opal looks at me, I continue. “There's a family member of mine that died here. I'm just sending her off.” Opal's expression turns from worry to pain, and then to sympathy. “Oh...then I apologize. I'm terribly sorry for your loss,” she tells me softly. Right...you have no idea how much I've lost since getting to Equestria. “Come here.” “Wait what? Please tell me you're not going to...” I try to say as Opal approaches me, but then she rears up and throws her hooves around me in a warm embrace. “...hug me. You touchy-feely ponies.” “Let's keep moving. I can't hold her forever,” Iron reminds me patiently. I waggle my hands to tell him without words how trapped I am. It isn't until Opal releases me that I can move again. For some reason, she decides to follow us as we near the pyre. Vinyl rejoins me near the pyre now that she's finished throwing up her lunch. She looks at the tarp weakly, and then back at me. “Seriously...what the hay is that? It was...the most disgusting thing I've ever seen!” Vinyl demands, falling in step between her mother and I. “Someone I never got to know,” I reply somberly. It takes a while for that to click with Vinyl, but when it does, she too looks pained by the revelation. She keeps pace with us for a few moments, and then she slinks off for some reason when she thinks I'm not looking. That's fine, she doesn't need to be here for this. Iron places Maka gently on the pyre, finally releasing her from his magic. I almost didn't notice it, but he releases a soft sigh of relief. Damn, the Oppressed would have been a threat even to the ponies, just because of that magical resistance, if that's really what it is. “Seth, would you tell me her name?” Iron queries, looking at me once he's put some distance between himself and the pyre. “Maka Rogers,” is my simple response. Right now, Iron and I are standing together, watching the two guards finish preparing her final resting place. Iron nods and removes his helmet, letting his silver mane free to dangle down to his shoulders. He sets it beside him on the ground, along with his trident and shield. “Very well. Then we can begin,” he affirms. The two guards lift up branches from the ground and ignite them with their magic, illuminating the area with an orange glow. As they're getting ready to light the pyre, I hear the sounds of other ponies approaching. Opal stands beside Iron, giving me a reassuring smile in response to my questioning glance. I don't know why she feels the need to be here. Vinyl returns as well, along with Rainbow, Twilight, and Pinkie. “What the hell are all of you doing here?” I demand when they approach me. Rainbow takes her place at my side and doesn't answer, because she knows my question isn't directed at her. “I heard from Vinyl that...you've suffered a loss,” Twilight reveals, her ears flattening slightly. She approaches me and rubs her side up against me in typical pony fashion...though she's never done that to me before. It's always just been Rainbow...who is eyeing Twilight rather strangely. “I want to be here for you.” “Me too! I'm not going to let you be so sad on your own!” Pinkie agrees, joining the growing group of ponies around me. I think that makes six of us, not counting the two guards approaching the pyre. “Vinyl, what the hell? At what point did you start thinking it was okay to go around telling ponies about my personal feelings?” I snap, turning my annoyance onto the unicorn in question, because I know Twilight and Pinkie are too stubborn to leave now that they're here. “Sorry bro. I just didn't want you to have to go through this on your own. I know I wouldn't want to,” Vinyl reasons with a shrug, though she doesn't look like she's sorry at all. “I especially had to go find Rainbow.” “Yeah! Though I'm awfully curious now myself,” Rainbow expresses, hovering closely by me and watching me for a reaction. “Is this what you had to talk to the commander about?” “Yes, and I was going to tell you later. I wanted to do this on my own...but it doesn't seem like any of you are going to leave, huh?” I responds. “Not a chance!” Rainbow asserts with a stubborn shake of her head. “Can't keep me away. We're friends, dude,” Vinyl adds with a reassuring grin. “Even if I'm not your friend, you're still mine. And I don't let my friends grieve alone,” Twilight inserts with a determined expression. “That's what friends do! We're happy together, and we're sad together,” Pinkie tacks on brightly. “Any friend of my daughter is an immediate friend of mine, no questions asked.” Even Opal adds her two bits to the conversation. “I don't think I'll ever be able to understand you ponies,” I finally admit after a short pause. All of them are willing to stand here with me to mourn the death of someone they don't even know, all because they know I cared. “Nobody would have cared enough to do this for me back in my time...apart from giving me useless platitudes so they don't have to feel guilty.” “Pardon my interruption, but I'm ready to begin the Bleak Island rites for the departed,” Iron interjects, drawing our attention back to him and the pyre. His words silence us all, until the only sound that can be heard in the clearing is the residual background noise from the camp. The two guards stand on either side of the wooden construct, holding their torches high. “Ponies, I must remind you that life is a gift: precious and fleeting. Every last one is a treasure to be cherished, and when it comes time to leave, it is an unspeakable tragedy,” Iron begins, speaking in a clear and official voice. Around me, the ponies bow their heads, listening intently. I do the same, allowing Iron to respect my fallen niece. “The crowd has gathered for you tonight; you with your blood stained coat, lying in the soft white embrace of your own virtue. With this flame, your fellow soldiers rise up to commemorate your sacrifice.” The two guards take a step forward and lower the torches to the bottom of the pyre. There's a short pause, and then the kindling starts to burn. Golden orange flames spread across the wood, licking up the sides of the pyre until it eventually forms a cracking blaze. I watch in a somber silence as the flames engulf Maka's fallen form with a hiss, slowly eating away at her decomposing flesh. “My fellow warriors, gazing down upon us from the stars, I call upon you now to gracefully accept the brave warrior Maka Rogers into the halls of the beyond,” Iron continues, not even flinching despite the growing heat of the flames. Next to me, Rainbow gazes at me in surprise upon recognizing my last name. She immediately puts two and two together, as do the other ponies here that have heard my last name. “Fallen one, rest easy, and know that one day we will see you again.” Iron at last falls silent, his speech concluded. I...am satisfied. I could not have asked for a better way to send off the niece that I never got to know. It's funny that I'm remembering this now, but in the video, Maka looked a lot like my brother...but she had my eyes. I wonder if she had been as big of a nerd as her father. There's a long silence after that, none of us saying a word. We simply stare at the flames in silence as the sun dips below the horizon and the sky darkens. Slowly and surely, Maka's body melts away, revealing her twisted bones. I know this is so I can say goodbye to a niece that I've never known, but it feels like so much more than that. I can't help but see the faces of all of those that I've left behind in the flames of the pyre. Amaryllis, with her fiery personality...Adam, that jock that who was a bigger nerd than I was in the end...my mother and father... Despite my mental resistance, eventually I choke softly, my eyes tearing up. Goddammit, I'm so pathetic...I have never met her. I wouldn't even have known about her if I hadn't seen that video back in the school. So why am I crying about this? Fuck, I must look so weak right now. I hate looking weak...especially in front of others. “Seth?” Rainbow asks softly, moving close enough to me such that her voice could be heard over the inferno. Oh no, don't you dare mention how I look right now. “Can you tell me about her?” “Why?” I ask bitterly, wiping a tear from my eye before it can fall. “You never mentioned a Maka to me when we were talking about your family. What was she like?” Rainbow insists. “I wish I knew,” I respond weakly. Rainbow looks confused, so I know I have to explain as much as I can. “I never got to know her. When I came to this time, I left behind my family and friend. But...life went on without me.” “In that time, Adam must have found someone that he wanted to share his life with. He got married and had a daughter, Maka,” I continue. Rainbow's eyes widen, and then she nods sadly. She now realizes that the one we're watching burn right now had been my niece. “She then grew up and was forced to become a soldier as Sombra wiped out my kind. I think she was the last human to die...but death wasn't enough. Sombra had to make her into one of his undead slaves, and then just left her there in that school to wander for three thousand years. I had to put an end to her myself.” “Wow...I don't even know what to say...if I even can say anything,” Rainbow emits after a stunned silence. She lands on the ground next to me and rubs up against my side as well, which at this point feels a lot more reassuring when she does it as opposed to Twilight, for whatever reason. “There's really nothing you can say. I had to kill my own niece, Rainbow,” I tell her firmly, but then I regret wording that so harshly when I see her wince. “Sorry. Thank you, but no one should have to do that.” “Yeah...” Rainbow trails off, turning her head back to the flames. There's nothing left of Maka now except for her bones, which even now are burning black. I'm not one to believe in religions or afterlives, but I hope that wherever she is, she's at peace. I stand there until there's nothing left of her, and then I wordlessly turn away from the dwindling flames. Farewell, Maka. Dinner is a somber ordeal, at least for me. Nopony else knows or cares what I just had to feel, apart from the few that were with me. Therefore, I'm sitting here with my friends, eating what little of the rations that are edible to humans, while everypony else talks and laughs amongst themselves. Why should they care? It's not like they ever knew Maka. Despite knowing that, I can't help but feel a little bitter. Iron excuses himself first from the table, claiming that he has to return to duty and give some of the other guards a chance to eat. After he's gone, Opal stands up next. “I'm afraid I need to retire as well. We plan to start enlarging the ruins entrance tomorrow morning,” she reveals. “Seth, I'll need you to come find me after you wake up.” I nod wordlessly, stuffing the last of the salad in my mouth. It's getting pretty late, and I'm a little tired myself. Plus, there's nothing I want to do right now apart from sleep. Opal leaves, taking Vinyl with her. She has her own tent, being the project lead and all, so that's where she and Vinyl are going to be sleeping from now on. Apparently the sleeping quarters are mostly finished as well, so that's where Twilight and Pinkie are going to go. I could probably go there as well, but I really don't feel like sleeping surrounded by a bunch of random ponies. “I'm going back up to the airship,” I tell Rainbow, standing up from the table. I still have a room there, and I might even have some real privacy if I go there. “Wait for me! I'm coming too!” Rainbow calls, and she follows me persistently when I stride out through the tent flap. Whatever. She can come if she wants. “You know they have room for us in the main tent, right?” “Like I give a fuck. The last thing I want to do is be surrounded by a bunch of snoring ponies,” I retort scathingly, causing Rainbow to flinch. Yeah, I'm not in a good mood. She still follows me, however, as I take to the air and fly up towards the moored airship. There's not very many ponies on the deck of the airship. The only one who's still up and about is Gilded Skies, and he doesn't even look at me as I pass by him and walk into the ship and down into the lower decks. My room is on one of the lower decks, near the engine. I don't mind it that much. My parent's house back in my time had a heating system that would mess up every so often, so I had to sleep with the hum of a portable heater in the background. Basically, a little hum doesn't bother me. Though I'm curious as to how an engine in this time works. I sit down on my cot with my back against the wall, completely silent. I'm tired, and I can feel my body telling me to sleep, but I can't bring myself to. On the other side of the room, Rainbow climbs into her cot as well, but it doesn't look like she can get comfortable either. She keeps squirming around, emitting little sighs of frustration. I sigh, unable to sleep. It's like all of those feelings I've had bottled up inside ever since losing everyone I cared about are rushing to the surface. Dammit, I refuse to let myself cry. Girls cry. Men are supposed to be strong and never cry, no matter what happens. Even knowing that, my eyes are still watering. “Hey, are you all right?” Rainbow asks quietly. I don't even need to look to know that she's gotten out of her cot and is standing rather close to me. She's looking a bit uncomfortable for some reason. “Yeah, I'm fine,” I reply in a dead sounding voice. I don't even look at her, my eyes trained on the wall across from me. There's a silence, and then Rainbow softly huffs. I'm suddenly surprised when Rainbow climbs up on the cot next to me. There's plenty of room, because I'm only sitting on the back half. She gets right in my line of sight, gazing at me with her soulful magenta eyes. “C'mon, Seth. Don't make me force it out of you again,” Rainbow scolds me gently. Heh, she's being stubborn again. Can't you go to sleep? I'm about as weak as I've ever been. “You keep doing this. Quit keeping it all in and talk to me.” I want to turn away, but I can't tear my gaze away from those eyes. It's like she's drawing me in. As I look at her, I can't help but remember all the times she's stood beside me and listened to my stupid bullshit, even since the beginning. She's never cared for my privacy. It doesn't matter how I felt. If something was wrong, she'd make me tell her, and then pull some bullshit to make me feel better. Heh...I guess I couldn't have gotten luckier with her. She's everything I ever wanted in a friend. I can't compare her to Amaryllis, but...nevertheless, I don't know what I would do without her. But...I've lost everyone I cared about. If that happened to her...I... Throwing reason to the wind, I do the first thing that comes to my mind. Rainbow yelps as I throw my arms around her neck, hugging her closely to me. I rest my head in her fur, a few strands of her mane in my face. “Seth...what are you...” Rainbow stammers, her face coloring. She doesn't push me away though. She cuts off when she hears me choking. Goddammit, I'm weak after all. I've lost so much since getting here...and now the feelings I've been holding for months are coming out, whether I want them to or not. “You're...not allowed to go anywhere,” I tell her weakly, squeezing her tighter. “You hear me? I'm not losing you too.” Rainbow looks stunned for a few moments, and then her expression softens, and I feel her hooves embracing me as well. “You idiot...how could I leave someone as awesome as you behind?” she remarks to me warmly, resting her head over my shoulder. The two of us remained like that for a long time. Rainbow continues to hold me as I shamelessly cry into her fur, my body shaking. Eventually, sleep finally overtakes me, and without paying any attention to where I am or the situation I'm in, my eyes close and I know no more.