//------------------------------// // Chapter 21: Repetition // Story: Lost and Fallen // by Superdale33 //------------------------------// Lost and Fallen Chapter 21: Repetition My guns were a lot dirtier than I had expected. Thin layers of powder coated the insides of the barrels while several patches of dirt and fingerprints made the weapons look more like overused toys. Thankfully, the cleaning wands that Pinkie had were working miraculously. It was bizarre for Pinkie to have such small brushes in the first place, but sitting across from her in her room quickly alleviated that mystery. These utensils were perfect for cleaning her party cannon - wherever the hell it came from - and her expertise in using them was near perfect. Just watching her hold a small wand in her mouth as she scrubbed the trigger, around the back of the cannon, showed how delicate she was with them. Using guns constantly, I was pretty adept myself, but Pinkie was in a class all her own. Thinking back to how she had volunteered her wands and cloths reminded me of the mission and everyone else who was coming with me to Manehattan. Of course, the biggest complication - besides Twilight tagging along - was getting everyone to believe that the information was credible. Convincing them would have flopped if Twilight hadn’t taken my side. In the end, everyone was in agreement. I was just glad I didn’t have to bring up the dream stranger. If Luna made everyone on edge, who knew what would have happened if I had mentioned him. Reaching for a clean cloth, I wiped the outside of my revolver, focusing on the metal finishes. The mundane task allowed me to remember the finer details of the meeting, how everyone was discussing how we would get around to finding Rarity in the first place. Fillydelphia would have turned out better if we had known where Fluttershy was to begin with. Twilight wanted to send me like the last few missions, knowing my own species wouldn’t think twice with another Human around. The Buffaloes and Zebras wanted to have one of their own in the mission as well, as a way of starting their effort in the campaign. That would have the consequence of their own species’ drawing their homelands into question with the Humans, and everyone had thought it best to just leave the stealth operations - if they wanted to call them that - to the Ponies. “No-Lane?” Pinkie asked, dropping her wand to the ground, “Are you sure you and Twilight aren’t going to need help? I can provide pretty good distractions. With confetti too!” Ah yes, that little bombshell of Twilight coming along for the operation definitely turned a few heads, particularly Shining’s. It was hard to forget his lovely death threat against me regarding her safety. “Thanks for the offer, Pinkie,” I said with a chuckle, “But I think we have it down on who’s going on this mission.” “Yeah,” Pinkie said with a nod, grabbing a cloth. She went to work cleaning the outside of her cannon as she gave a small giggle, “I suppose there are a few Ponies going already. There’s you, Twilight, Applejack, and…” She tapped her chin, scrunching up her face. I sighed as I set my weapon on my lap, “We don’t know who’s flying the carriage. Probably Dusty.” The number of Pegasi in Las Pegasus was staggeringly low. As far as I could tell, only a handful were around; about half a dozen. However, those who wanted to fly a carriage to a Human infested city made that sum even slimmer. Dusty was the most likely volunteer. Derpy would have jumped in if she could, but she was still scouting the outer perimeter of the city because of… Pinkie’s frosting accident. As much truth as there was from Jayden, we couldn’t predict if some random party of Humans were sneaking up on us. Twilight was another viable option, though considering she was a princess, I wasn’t sure if her towing Applejack and I around would be for the best. I didn’t doubt her strength, but quite frankly, I didn’t want a load of political bullshit coming my way. Just imagining Shining Armor getting on my case was enough to quell any suggestion of the sort. After scrubbing the same spot of my revolver for the fourth time, I glanced to the window as the morning light shone through the blinds. “It might be about time I head out,” I announced, heaving a sigh as I set the cleaning utensils aside. Pinkie let out a small whine but did the same as she pushed the cannon out of the way. “Thanks for letting me use your things, Pinkie.” “Eh, what are friends for if we can’t share our little scrubby thingies,” she explained with a shrug, holding up a wand with a hoof. {~+~} “They're never going to find Rarity.” “Why are the Ponies putting their faith in a Human?” “And to think that other Human actually saved a prison full of foals.” “I heard he saved one of the Elements of Harmony! Pretty far fetched, huh?” “Are these Ponies going to let us help at all?” “Sure, let’s send a princess into a Human occupied city. That’ll end well.” The air was abuzz with these comments and it was getting on my nerves. Some of their complaints were warranted to a degree; having Twilight along with the mission could prove dangerous if the Humans found out. However, none of them had any idea how delicate these missions were. Hell, the last trip to Fillydelphia would have ended in disaster if not for the rebels hiding in the sewers. Pinkie didn’t mind in the slightest. Her ability to tune out such things was remarkable, and it made me jealous of her. Her happy demeanor was probably thanks to ignoring what she didn’t want to hear. Ignorance was bliss, and it seemed Pinkie was a master at knowing what was important or not. I chalked it up as another thing Pinkie was good at. From when I had first met her to walking alongside her at that moment, she was becoming far more helpful than I had thought. With the Post Office in sight, it wasn’t hard to spot the other members of the meeting gathered around, including the Buffalo Chieftain and Zenith. Just like everyone else, they spoke among themselves, with Shining and Twilight being the most heated of the bunch. Dusty was working with the harness of the carriage, reaffirming my assumption that he would be the one flying us. It wasn’t until our approach that they broke off from their own conversations, each with a mixture of readiness and uneasiness. “Took your time, did ya?” Applejack remarked with a snide grin. I mirrored it with a shake of my head. It was hard to tell time when there weren’t many clocks around, or  any at all for that matter. The carriage doors was open enough for me to see the familiar lamp resting inside, as well as a couple saddlebags. “We all set?” I asked the group. In a flash, everyone’s eyes looked the other way, and it didn’t fill me with confidence. Twilight cleared her throat, “We… have someone to fly us in.” “...Okay,” I stated impatiently, stopping myself from tapping my foot, “Who is it? Dusty?” A small squeak was heard, and I casted my gaze to the group as a butter yellow hoof rose above the heads. The way it shook made me quietly grumble. The Ponies parted to reveal Fluttershy, her eyes tightly shut and her hoof still held high in the air. Of all the Pegasi capable of flying us into a city full of Humans, it had to be the most scaredy cat Pony I had ever met. Everyone’s hesitant attitude suddenly made perfect sense. “No,” I said hotly and firmly, pointing to the floor, “No no no. Fluttershy is not flying anyone, anywhere.” “Nolan,” Cadance spoke up, her sorry expression felt more in line for a bratty kid. It didn’t sit well with me. “You can’t treat her like something to pity.” “Pity has nothing to do with it,” I snapped, my voice getting louder. “This has to do with her own well being.” I lowered my voice, feeling ashamed of my next few words, “And our own.” The whimper from Fluttershy was all I needed to know she didn’t take that comment well. But damn it if it wasn’t true. She blamed herself for thinking I didn’t want to be around her, after we had saved her from a rapist! She was a doormat, as blunt as that was, and though I didn’t like treating her like she was useless, there wasn’t much a meek Pegasus like her could do. Not only that… But I didn’t want her around another Human. I didn’t know if she had any psychological issues from being locked up in a dark room for months and… having sex with a Human. The best conclusion I could come up with was that she was unpredictable in how she would behave on the mission. “So what you’re tellin’ me,” Applejack said taking a few steps forward. If looks could kill, I would be vaporized into ashes and blown away. “Is that my friend Fluttershy can’t fly the carriage cause ya think she’ll be a liability?” “Well, what’s wrong with Dusty?” I asked crudely, gesturing to the Pony literally one foot away from the carriage. It was impolite to use such a tone, but considering Dusty looked perfectly fine and had flown more times than not, I couldn’t see a reason why Fluttershy had to fly us in. Dusty rolled his eyes, adjusting his duster as he spoke to me, “Because Fluttershy wants to do it.” It almost sounded like he was being lazy. But besides that, he was blind to what Fluttershy had been through. As a matter of fact, everybody was on that same boat, even Fluttershy herself. It wasn’t like I wanted to upset Fluttershy. She was a good Pony, and to see that goodness head to something bad would be like oil and water. And we would be forced to drink that concoction if we were caught. I didn’t speak this out loud, and I wasn’t sure why either; it was a compelling argument with its own merits. However, as I glanced back to Fluttershy, I felt something else was at stake. The look in Fluttershy’s eyes were saddened, yet fixated on my own. As small as it was, there was determination in her. She wanted to do this, not just for us, but for Rarity. And denying that resolve wouldn’t end well, even if the mission went without a hitch. Rubbing my head, I heaved a heavy sigh, “Fine.” I half expected everyone to burst into celebration. Another victory against a Human, and all that. The factors of me being on their side and the victory being low key probably dampened those thoughts. I should have been more surprised by how quiet Pinkie had been throughout the entire discussion. “Thank you.” It was a whisper, something that was nearly hidden by the wind, but I heard it. As these Ponies as my witnesses, I heard it. The words cleansed my feelings about bringing Fluttershy. It was like a jolt of rejuvenation running through my body. And I smiled. Maybe bringing her wouldn’t be as bad as I thought. “Wow,” Zenith drew out with a snicker, elbowing the Buffalo chief beside him,  “Ponies are dramatic around their friends, are they not? Kushangaza. It is no surprise that they trust the mlezi.” Again with that word, that word that could potentially be an insult hidden behind a language barrier, or a compliment hidden behind a language barrier. The common theme between the two possibilities was that I had no clue what he was saying. And the only translator I knew was angry with me… Shit, and there I was about to take off again without letting Carrot Top know, just like last time. Zenith was right, Ponies really were dramatic. The Buffalo chief blew heavily through his nose, throwing dust into the air. His expression was neutral as could be, but the little voice in my head told me he was getting impatient fast. We couldn’t afford to dilly dally much longer, if we didn’t want to feel the wrath of a Buffalo. Coming from someone who had dealt with that before, I wanted to avoid another confrontation like that. “Let’s get going,” I said, turning away from the others, “Get Fluttershy ready to fly. There’s someone I need to speak with real quick.” “Better make it in a jiffy, Nolan,” Applejack warned, “We’re all flame and no steam at the moment.” I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I decided to just hurry along. After all, I still had to find Carrot Top in the first place. Yeah, no pressure. {~+~} No matter how many times I pounded on the door, Carrot Top still wouldn’t answer. After all the trouble of finding where she lived, and she didn’t bother checking on who was knocking. I took a few steps back to get a better look of the house itself. It was one of the few suburb-like houses in the city. They were just around the corner of the block from my own shack, though I hadn’t much reason to visit up until then. It was a basic house too. Nothing stood out to write to the press for, and the color wasn’t that great either. A door, a window… and that was it. Not much to it, but perfect for anyone looking for a quaint little place. Not that I was trying to sell it to anyone, but I had to admire the house’s appeal. Shaking out those distracting thoughts, I pounded three more times on the door with no response. It was possible that Carrot Top was down right ignoring me, but considering I hadn’t said a word yet, she couldn’t have known it was me. A look over to the window slashed that thought to pieces as the movement of something orange from behind the curtains caught my attention. “Carrot Top!” I shouted, banging a few more times on the door, “If you’re not going to answer then just listen.” Listen to what? An excuse? An apology? A farewell? I was ill prepared for the task - as much time as I was given - and it might have been for the best that we weren’t face to face. My chest was tightening as well, making my actions feel strained. Despite that, I could still speak, and if there was one thing I was good at, it was talking about whatever came to my mind. “I’m heading to Manehattan, alright?” I said, putting my hands on my waist, “Just to let you know. I might not be around for a while, so…” I was pathetic to the tenth degree, but I was lucky enough to acknowledge that. What was a guy like me, who had left for a cloud city, supposed to say to a Pony that was downright scared for my well being? A thought struck me and I snapped my fingers. Somehow my problem had become something to be solved instead of something to overcome, like how a relationship would become, but an idea was an idea. “I know I was an ass, leaving you behind and not telling you where I went,” I started, resting a hand behind my head, “But I’m letting you know right now where I’m going. I realize you care about me, and I didn’t take that seriously. I’m sorry.” Not a noise was heard. I didn’t know what to say after that. I just stood there waiting for something, some sort of acknowledgement at the very least. But no, nothing. I was just a blowhard Human that didn’t deserve any fucking recognition for my mistake! I was close to cursing out Carrot Top, shouting at the top of my lungs how shallow she was. But it wasn’t worth it, or rather, it wasn’t justified to go off on her like that, even if she wasn’t directly in front of me. The distant sound of wings, along with the thud of four hooves landing drew my attention away as I looked back to find Dusty. His expression was all I needed to know I was out of time. With one final sigh, I shook my head before walking away, and Dusty was kind enough to get out of my way with a hasty shift to the side. If Carrot Top wasn’t going to spare a minute with me, then I wasn’t going to spare another minute with her. {~+~} One thing I hated about the trips inside the carriage was the lack of light and noise. Sure, there was the lamp and the whistling wind, but that hardly counted. We might as well have been luggage, waiting for our next landing to get unloaded. I hoped Dusty taught Fluttershy how to untangle herself from the harness. When I had returned to the carriage, she still hadn’t even gotten it on. The Buffalo Chieftain wasn’t pleased with the progress, but at least I wasn’t missed. I looked to Applejack. She had remained as still as a statue, refusing to look at me. Twilight was the same, though not as much, since she would break the self-imposed rule to catch a glimpse of me before turning away to stare at our supply bags. Their stillness made the dancing shadows projected from the light far more sinister. Any other time, I would have wondered why they were giving me the cold shoulder, but given I had sandbagged Fluttershy coming along merely a few minutes ago, I had no excuse to ask. Or was it an hour ago? It was hard to keep track of time without any windows. My ears were going to burn from the silence. It was reminding me of the S.W.A.T. van, and that was already unbearable. Sitting around in a tight area with five other fully armed men heading towards a guaranteed gunfight… One could imagine the conversations going on in there. To think the new guy was striking up one with me and I had barely given him the time of day. I had wondered why none of the other S.W.A.T. members hadn’t spoken up; they were enjoying what little talking went on in that van. Memories of my past life, the life I wanted to get back to, weren’t the most important when it came to the situation I was in. They had no relevance to the more concerning events. I needed to focus on what we were doing. Just like back in the S.W.A.T. van. Some things never changed. “So what does Rarity look like?” I questioned. I had heard next to nothing about her, and since we were on our way to rescue her, having some extra info would help immensely. Twilight gave a wistful smile full of nostalgia. “The last time I saw her, she was still as beautiful as she always was,” Twilight said, her eyes looking straight at mine, “She always has to look her best. A white coat and purple mane. More purple than mine!” She gave a small pout as she stared at her hooves, “Even though it’s technically not purple.” A white coat and purple mane; easy enough to remember. And if Rarity still kept up appearances, even after the unfitting circumstances, she would stand out spectacularly, if Twilight was accurate in her description. Jayden did mention that Rarity was the prettiest Pony any Human had seen. That statement had to hold some truth to it, though I had to wonder how much of his opinion obscured the solid facts. “Probably the prissiest mare I’ve ever met,” Applejack added, though her unmoving body made it seem she hadn’t spoken at all. However, a smile did crack away from her stoic behavior, “And the prettiest one too.” A tasteless joke almost erupted from my throat, but I swallowed it back. Applejack was just being respectful to a friend, no need to bug her about how she phrased things. It did occur to me a handful of times that none of the Ponies I had met were in a relationship, besides Shining Armor and Cadance. These Ponies were all nice enough - and admittedly cute enough - to share love with another Pony. Rainbow Dash didn’t even have a boyfriend of any sort, and she seemed like the type to jump around. Then again, I was the same way. I didn’t date anyone until Emma, and even then, we took things relatively slow. Finding that person that just clicks was never easy. Maybe it was better for these Ponies to wait it out and find someone after the Humans get their asses kicked out of Equestria. “I wonder how she is…” Twilight said solemnly bowing her head, “What if… what if she’s in the same condition as Fluttershy?” The words kicked Applejack out of her rocky exterior, crumbling around her to reveal devastation. The thought of Rarity being raped as well made my stomach twist in knots. I reached for my mask again, tightening my hands around it. No matter how hard I squeezed, however, I still couldn’t get my anger out. The only comfort I could gain was knowing we were on our way to free her from whatever travesty was beset on her. “She was with Fluttershy, wasn’t she?” Applejack brought up, looking to us as her voice wavered. “Back in Canterlot, when the Humans took it over. They were with Princess Luna, and then they were captured. If anythin’, Rarity didn’t end up with the same Human as Fluttershy.” That put a positive twist on things. It was a shame it sounded so desperate. Humans haven’t been the friendliest bunch, as understated as that was, but that was just from whom I had met. As far fetched as it was, thinking of Rarity with a relatively neutral Human calmed me down considerably. How long would that last though? Still, Rarity once being with Luna and Fluttershy; I had nearly forgotten about that. Luna’s betrayal still tasted bittersweet, but Fluttershy had seen it all with her own eyes. Alongside a dear friend. My gaze looked to the wall where Fluttershy was flying, feeling the puzzle of her volunteer fully come together. At that moment, I felt even worse for wanting her to stay behind. The confidence I had seen in her, no matter how small it was, had been for the sake of Rarity. Maybe Fluttershy really wanted to come because she couldn’t bear to think of Rarity being in the same position as she once was. Clearing my throat, I pushed back the depressing thoughts, and the Ponies did too as they looked to me. We needed a subject change, desperately. “What’s her Element of Harmony again?” I asked with a smile. It was difficult to get it; the thought of Rarity’s condition still plagued the back of my mind. “Her Element of Harmony,” Twilight repeated, nodding to herself. Her mind was on that fact so much that she didn’t even dare look anywhere else but ahead. I wasn’t the only one trying to push the vile thoughts away. “Right, well, Rarity is Generosity-” The whole carriage tilted up. It was so fast, so random, that all of us nearly slid right onto the doors. The incline itself was fairly steep, but we all were able to catch ourselves by holding on to our seats. How Applejack and Twilight were able to hang on to anything with hooves still baffled me. Despite our well-being, our baggage was sliding away from the wall. I reached out with a foot to catch one, but missed as they slid out of reach. “Catch them!” Twilight screamed, “She’s still in there!” “She!?” I questioned, but didn’t have time to get a response as one by one the baggage hit the doors. I let go of my handhold just enough to slide along the bench, reaching with my other hand for a bag. Just as I grabbed hold of the biggest one, the last bag rammed into the rest, knocking the doors open. My grip on the bag was iron tight, but the weight was surprisingly heavy. It must have been heavier than a sack of bricks! The sheer weight of the bag, mixed with the sudden rush of air, caused me to lose my grip as I followed the bags right out the door. My breath hitched in my throat, the world presenting itself to me in all of its horrifying spender from a thousand feet above. The most bizarre thing though was that the heavy bag I had grabbed screamed. Just seconds after falling through the doors - it might as well have been minutes - I was enveloped in a purple magic. My stomach lurched from nearly falling from a great height for the second time, in two days no less! My eyes stayed riveted to the ground below me, watching as it rushed passed us as we continued to move behind the carriage. The tops of trees were all I could see for miles. Not a patch of grass could be seen through the branches that hid the world underneath. The other bags that had fallen out were already swallowed up by the trees. “Fluttershy!” Twilight yelled from inside the carriage. “Get us back on the ground!” The only indication that Fluttershy had heard was the carriage tilting towards the ground - at a much more tolerable incline too. All I could do was float behind it with Twilight’s magic being the only thing keeping me from death. Never had I been so glad that an Alicorn had come along. {~+~} The landing was much softer than Rainbow could ever pull off. At least for the carriage, as for me and the bag I still clutched in my hand, I pretty much landed as well as jumping off a couch at ten miles an hour. It wasn’t rough, but it was enough to knock me off my feet. The world played with me as my eyes saw the sky and grass both fight to keep my attention. After the world eventually stopped spinning, I remained still in an effort to regain my composure. It didn’t help that I was going to puke if even the slightest thing moved in front of my vision. Taking a deep breath, I pushed myself up to sit up, rubbing my head to drive away my dizziness. And when I looked up, I found myself in a round clearing with dark trees surrounding us. The vines and eerie atmosphere clearly proved that we had landed in a place I really didn’t want to return to. “The Everfree Forest?” I asked weakly, glancing around until I spotted the carriage. Twilight had already climbed out, trotting over to me. Applejack remained in the carriage itself, with something in her mouth. Everything was too blurry to get the finer details figured out. Fluttershy just peeked around the corner, and as much of this incident was her fault, I didn’t have the energy to say anything. I blinked a few times until Twilight stood in front of me, placing a hoof on my forehead. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Nolan,” she said hastily, “I wished I had told you sooner. Maybe we wouldn’t be in this situation.” “Told me…?” I whispered, closing my eyes as my body ached. The impact may not have been deadly, but it still battered me up. Twilight rushed off again before I could get my question to her. Over to the one bag I had managed to get a hold of. With her magic she ripped open the zipper, and out popped Carrot Top. My head couldn’t comprehend it. Carrot Top was here! In a bag! And she had nearly fucking died! By the way she was taking her breaths, she hadn’t had an easy time either. She was essentially in my situation, though worse, since she was trapped inside a confined area the whole time. Though I was still somewhat sick, I couldn’t keep my emotions bottled up any longer. “What the hell are you doing here!?” I asked. My tone had made her look away as her ears folded back. With shaky hooves, she stepped out of the bag, barely getting a few feet away from it before falling to her haunches. She still hadn’t looked at me. “Do you know how mad I was that you flat out ignored me!?” I questioned, regaining my strength quickly. “You were pissed with me that I just left without telling you, and now this-!” “Yes, this!” Carrot Top shouted back, finally facing me. She had tears in her eyes, but by the way she was glaring at me… “Now you know how I felt, how I didn’t even know if you were alive or dead. Or where you even were!” “This isn’t the same, dammit!” I shouted back, getting to my feet but keeping my eyes solely on her. “I had to sneak off without being seen!” “And you didn’t trust me enough to tell me?!” she screamed, her voice already croaking from our argument. “I trusted you enough to know you didn’t need to worry about me,” I said, but I faltered at the end. Before Carrot Top could say another word, I grumbled, “But you did anyway.” I couldn’t manage to look at Carrot Top this time. As much fury I had at her nearly dying again, I couldn’t muster the courage to keep up our fight. Even still, my internal debate was as heated as ever. Carrot Top nearly died, and for what? Just to get back at me? It didn’t feel right. My gaze came into focus again as I saw Fluttershy still harnessed to the carriage, watching the scene. “What happened, Fluttershy?” I questioned, driving the conversation away from Carrot Top. The low growl from her showed she wasn’t very pleased with that. Fluttershy just shrunk down, whether it was from my tone - which admittedly was pretty threatening - or from the sudden attention from Applejack and Twilight. Hiding behind her mane, Fluttershy mumbled out something about fire and a move. Other than that, I may as well have talked to a tree. “Fluttershy,” I said sternly, holding out a hand, “Carrot Top nearly died from what you did.” “She knows that, Nolan,” Twilight hissed to me. Applejack merely glared at me; I was getting a lot of that lately. The only thing stopping her from lashing out at me was my mask in her mouth. I was thankful I didn’t lose it in the flight. “Someone shot at me,” Fluttershy stated. Everyone looked at her in surprise, myself included. A human shooting at her was shocking on its own, but someone shooting her from within the Everfree Forest? That chance was too small to even consider, yet that was what happened. “Shoot,” Twilight cursed, whipping her head around, “And we were shouting. They could have heard us.” Applejack spit out my mask, “More than enough reason ta hightail it outta here.” A flock of birds took off suddenly, flying away from a single spot in the woods surrounding us. I unholstered my revolver and aimed it at the spot. It was close to where Fluttershy was, and she was in no position to run off. If getting her into the harness was hard, I couldn’t even imagine getting her out. Twilight’s horn glowed as well, ready to use it at a moment's notice. Her expression was far fiercer than I had ever seen it. The last time the both of us had encountered Humans, she was hesitant to attack them. Knowing her magic, and her newfound readiness, I had a hint of pity for whoever was going to step into the clearing. But what if it wasn’t a Human? I lowered my gun just a tinge. This forest was inhabited by wild animals, and our volume would surely drag in some unwanted attention. We needed to hurry and leave. Movement in the bushes locked my arms again as I prepared to fire. The air was as tense as I was. Applejack and Carrot Top shifted over to Twilight and me respectfully. They knew we were capable of long range fighting, though a part of me wondered if they wanted to use us as shields. Fluttershy couldn’t move so well, prompting her to cower as far back as the harness allowed. The shaking grew more intense as the person behind the trees grew closer to the clearing. And with one final push of a bush, Spike stepped out. I had nearly pulled the trigger from the surprise of seeing him. He hummed to himself before freezing mid step. His eyes were wide enough to encompass his head, and his pupils looked to everyone. I hadn’t seen him this stunned since the first time he saw me. “Heeeeey, guys,” he said with a nervous wave while Twilight and I relaxed. His uneasiness was understandable; anyone would act the same if they walked right into the front of a gun barrel. Or glowing horn, in Twilight’s case. “Jesus Christ, Spike,” I breathed, releasing a heavy sigh as I holstered my revolver, “You scared the shit out of us.” “Yeah, sorry,” he said, rubbing the back of his head, “Zecora just said-” He didn’t get a chance to finish as Twilight flung herself onto him, wrapping her arms around his head. Spike didn’t react, standing there with his mouth agape. Seeing Twilight hug Spike again warmed my heart. It had been a while since they had last met. “Spike!” the voice of Zecora said as more rustling came from bushes, “What have I said about wandering ahead? Don’t you know it fills me with…” She cut herself off as she emerged from the bushes far more frantically than I had ever seen her. She hadn’t changed a bit in appearance, and neither had Spike, when I thought about it. Although she had on more saddlebags than I remembered. “Dread…” she finished before she finally registered who she was looking at. A wide smile erupting on her lips as she gave a small prance into the clearing, “Friends! How good it is to see you. The times we have met are far too few.” “Oh, Zecora!” Fluttershy said as we gathered closer together to better greet the two. Upon seeing Fluttershy, Zecora was even more pleased as her smile fell to a far more personal and warming one. “Ah, Fluttershy,” Zecora greeted with a nod, “How long has it been since we last conversed? I hope all is well, and you’re not at your worst.” Fluttershy giggled, “I’m alright. Twilight already filled me in on you and Spike. I’m glad you’re keeping each other safe.” “Can’t… breathe…” Spike wheezed, pushing against Twilight. His words sounded far too exaggerated in my opinion. I was pretty sure hugging couldn’t choke you. Twilight still got the message as she hastily backed away with a blush, setting Spike down. “Sorry, Spike,” she said, scruffing the grass with a forehoof, “It’s just… I’ve missed you.” Spike grumbled a bit as he messaged his chest, but gave a weak smile regardless of his pain. “Well, yeah,” Spike replied sincerely, “I mean, I missed you too. How has saving Equestria been going?” “It’s had its ups and downs,” I responded, chuckling at the cheap account of our activities. “Still a work in progress.” Applejack chuckled as well, probably just as amused as I was with my explanation, “We were actually on our way ta find Rarity.” The expression on Spike’s face could only be described as bright. His mood before wasn’t depressed by any means, but he was definitely more excited at hearing about Rarity. I don’t even think he had greeted Fluttershy yet. “I gotta come with you guys!” Spike nearly squealed, jumping up in down. “No,” Twilight and Zecora said simultaneously. Spike crossed his arms with an audible whine. All I could do was smile. Zecora and Twilight were pretty much on the same wavelength. “You know why you can’t go,” Twilight said plainly, giving Spike a look that resembled a mother scolding a child. “It’s far too dangerous.” “More dangerous than the Everfree Forest?” Spike asked sarcastically, gesturing to the side. Given the contents around the area, Spike had made a very good argument. Even still, he had so little experience with Humans. Hell, I was the first he had met face to face. “Yes, Spike,” Twilight sighed, “You have no idea what those Humans can do.” “Well, actually…” Spike said as he tapped his chin. He wasn’t being snarky, but instead thoughtful. If that was the case, then maybe I wasn’t the first Human he had ran into. And it clicked, causing my eyes to widen in remembrance. “Zecora,” I said, gaining her attention. “The letter you sent to us. The one about Jayden?” Twilight was the only one to have the same reaction as me. I had thought she would have brought it up much sooner than me, given her natural intelligence, but the appearance of Spike must have thrown her off. Applejack and Fluttershy were only curious, not as invested as I was. I almost groaned at how they were treating the subject. As for Zecora, she barely even moved. Her eyes were looking right through us, absorbed with… whatever was on her mind. Slowly, Twilight moved to stand beside her, her expression already tender and caring. I couldn’t imagine it was hard to recall that memory, but I didn’t know Zecora that well. She had to had more pressing things on mind, like if there were manticores hiding behind us, ready to rip us apart in a shower of blood… Great, I suddenly felt paranoid “Jayden...” Zecora spoke up at last, closing her eyes. Thank god too, I didn’t want to think anymore about the hypothetical manticores. “He was the Human who ransacked my old home out of the blue. What he hoped to find, I haven’t a clue.” “But you do know that he found something,” I said, crossing my arms. Everyone else grew grim at my statement, knowing full well where I was getting at. “Um,” Carrot Top said with a raised brow, “Would someone mind filling me in?” Zecora smiled, but her eyes were still ragged. More so than a minute ago. The topic was getting to her, someway or another. “Mimi walituma ujumbe onyo kuhusu Binadamu aitwaye Jayden. Yeye alisema kweli, bila kujali,” Zecora said in Zebrikun. I could only assume she was explaining the situation to Carrot Top. A second passed before Carrot Top nodded, slowly at first, but gradually picked up, “Naelewa.” Zecora chuckled, “Mimi naona wewe bado kujua jinsi ya kuzungumza lugha yetu. Asante.” “You bet your life I still do.” I really needed to learn Zebrikun, if just to not feel like a damn third wheel. At least by the looks of everyone else, I wasn’t the only one left out. Twilight was just infatuated by everything they said, and it made it kinda funny that she had no idea what they were saying. Just imagining some Zebras insulting her, and her getting all excited about it… I really wanted to see that. I cleared my throat, not just to get everyone’s attention, but to put my attention back on the matter at hand. “Ladies,” I said, giving the both of them a frank look, “English.” Carrot Top’s eye roll was enough for me to warrant a glare. Luckily, she didn’t go as far as to continue to speak Zebrikun, because I would have been pretty peeved if she did. She would have loved that, no doubt. Zecora was nice enough to give an apologetic smile. Maybe she could rub off a little onto Carrot Top. “You are right, Nolan,” she said with the wariness from earlier returning in full, “There is no time for my language to be a concern. The tale I have yet to tell is what you all yearn.” She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what must be a long story. “Some time ago, no less than a week, Spike and I decided to head for my hut for a peek. He thought my potions would come in handy, and he was right about them being quite dandy. When we arrived there, a Human is what we found. And he had a vial in hand, the contents downed. He entered my home, took what was mine; my anger and sadness did combine.” “Then she went in,” Spike interrupted, “And told that Human to beat it - in perfect rhyme too! She was totally awesome! He had a knife and everything, but that didn’t stop Zecora!” “Spike!” Twilight scolded, causing him to recoil, “Don’t interrupt.” As rude as he was - if that could be considered rude - Spike’s version of the story put Zecora in a much more cooler light. I had only met a handful of Ponies willing to stand up against an armed Human, and that took some spunk. The blush on Zecora’s cheeks was enough for me to know she appreciated the compliment. Also, she looked damn cute when she blushed… I actually didn’t feel too bad admitting that to myself. I must have gotten used to those random thoughts. “What was the potion he drank?” I questioned, forcing my brain to stay on topic. “The letter you sent to us said to trust everything he said. Did it have something to do with it?” Zecora gave a firm nod, “As far as I know, you are indeed correct.” She rubbed her chin thoughtfully, “Although, what the potion contained needs to be checked.” “A manticore made a nice little home on top of Zecora’s hut,” Spike interjected with a huff, “After Zecora’s outburst, we had to make a break for it. It’s a shame the Human - Jayden - survived too.” “But how do you know his name?” Twilight asked, “If you only met him for a moment, how could you possibly be that intimate with him?” Of all the words at her disposal, Twilight had to use intimate. I had an idea of what she meant, but everyone else was disturbed by it. Bonus points for Twilight not seeing any of their expressions. It helped that Zecora simply stared at Twilight with the blankest face I had ever seen. “How do you know his name?” I repeated, knocking everyone back on the right track. My brain wasn’t the only one getting distracted lately. “Ugh,” Spike groaned, crossing his arms. “He wouldn’t shut up about his name. ‘I am Jayden’, ‘you dare cross Jayden’, Jayden this, Jayden that. Jayden, Jayden, Jayden! And yet the smug guy still survived.” I hummed to myself. Strange how Jayden was never that arrogant with his name back in Las Pegasus. Whatever potion he drank was changing him much more than from what I had seen. Perhaps his overconfidence was much higher before we had even met. As entertaining as it could have been to see him toss around his name as much as Trixie did, Spike gave me enough reason to believe it was more annoying than amusing. Although, it did remind me of the Zebras that had arrived at Las Pegasus. It might be something Zecora would like to know, if she had family or friends there. “Well, besides Jayden’s visit,” I started, the last word coming out as a hiss, “The Buffaloes and Zebras came by. Pretty unexpected on my part, but things are going smoothly.” “That’s great!” Spike said with an enthusiastic nod, rubbing his belly, “I wonder if they have any turquoises. Those were so good last time.” He spoke like turquoise was a delicious candy snack. It might have been exactly that, but I had no idea in this world. Jewelry could be a food and an accessory for all I knew. Applejack chuckled, “Sorry, Spike. They ain’t carrying nothin’ like that.” Spike sighed as he crossed his arms, “Figures.” “Did you say Zebras?” Zecora asked. She was more curious - maybe even cautious - than excited, which wasn’t what I expected. She didn’t even follow up with a rhyme. It felt wrong to hear it that way. Like a piece of her character was taken away, leaving behind someone that just wasn’t… Zecora. “Yeah,” Twilight answered with a hint of hesitancy, “Why? Do you think someone you know is there?” Zecora was cross. Not enough to lash out at us, which none of us would have understood if she did, but more on the lines that a rotten memory had floated across her eyes. “As long as Zenith is not there,” Zecora replied curtly, digging her hooves deeply into the ground. The grass underneath was completely scraped off, and with a flick of her hooves, she sent whatever dirt was stuck to her careening away. How bad was her memories to turn her so bitter all of a sudden? The worst part was Zecora didn’t rhyme. It was making me squirm. A glance to Twilight showed she had picked up on it too. We exchanged a look, and I gave a slow and hopefully hidden nod. If Zecora was having these thoughts with Zenith, the leader of all Zebras, than we needed to pry and figure out why. “What did Zenith-” Twilight started right before a gunshot echoed through the woods. I jolted in fright, more for the sake of the Ponies than myself, but I relaxed once I realized the shot was too far away to affect us. Even still, it left me on edge. “W-W-What was that?” Fluttershy whimpered, already on the ground, hooves over her head. “Gunshot,” I explained, staring off where it had originated, “About a mile off. Pretty close but-” More gunshots followed, far too many to be coming from one gun. Either the person firing them off could dual wield or… “I think there’s more than one shooter,” I said, gripping my revolver. If what Fluttershy said about being shot at was true, then these guys must be the same culprits. Damn it! I was so occupied with our conversation, I completely forgot the reason we landed in the Everfree Forest in the first place. If it wasn’t for those gunshots in the distance - which I assume was the Humans fighting off a local inhabitant - than they would have been right on top of us. Stupid! Spike hurried over to Zecora’s side as she stood defensively, looking in the same direction as myself. “Spike and I heard a gunshot just before you arrived,” she announced as Spike pulled off the bags that she carried on her back. “Here are the things of which you were deprived.” Hearing her rhyme again was like someone threw cool water over me after a hot day. It soothed me enough to release a breath I didn’t even know I was holding. Zecora was back to normal, for all intents and purposes at least. Applejack trotted up to them as Spike pulled off the last bag, leaving Zecora’s saddle bag. I eyed the bags myself, and noticed that they were the ones that had fallen out. The bags Carrot Top had nearly joined if not for Twilight’s quick actions, who would have died if she hadn’t come with us in the first place. It wasn’t the time to be bitter about that though, we had Humans on the prowl, and quite frankly, I didn’t want to waste time fighting them. As for how Zecora and Spike were able to get our things and run into us out of the blue… Well, I didn’t want to waste time thinking on that either. “Let’s grab the bags and get the hell out of here,” I ordered, rushing over to grab a bag. Applejack pulled two other bags over her back before heading for the carriage. Twilight levitated what was left, while I threw my own over my shoulder, and we all booked it for the safety of the carriage. Applejack and Twilight jumped inside, and I was just about to do the same. “Come on, you guys!” Carrot Top yelled. I turned back to find Zecora and Spike staying where they were, watching us leave with their faces dead serious. “Haraka!” “We still have our duty here,” Zecora explained, holding her head up just enough to show she was standing tall. “We shall make a break once you leave; do not fear.” “Yeah!” Spike said, stomping a foot as he put his hands on his hips, like how a superhero would, “You guys go save Rarity. We’ll keep up the effort here!” I didn’t know what they were doing for their effort, but the work they did hauling our stuff after they had tumbled out was good enough. Twilight stood just within the confines of the carriage, heartbroken. Once again, she would be leaving her brother - whom she cared for a long time. A part of me did feel guilty separating them, leaving the two to fend for themselves in this dreadful forest. However, a more prevalent and optimistic part of me knew that they had made it this far. They would endure. If they can put their faith in me, I could put their faith in them. “Good luck,” I said with a nod right before hopping into the carriage, backing Twilight a bit before slamming the doors shut. I wished I could make them more secure, but they weren’t designed to hold people. She didn’t move even after we were stuck in the darkness. And as Fluttershy ran a moment right before taking flight, Twilight fell to her haunches. It might have been how rocky the take off was though, since I had to press a hand against the wall to keep my own balance. “Why…” she said, taking a shaky sigh, “Why does he have to grow up so fast?” I grunted with a smile. She wasn’t devastated that they were leaving, but that Spike didn’t need her as much as before. Sort of like a baby bird leaving the nest. And if Spike kept up his courteous demeanor, as much as Zecora was, then I think he was going to soar just as much as we were. Returning to our surrounding conditions, I was more irritated that we were back to how we were traveling beforehand, only worse. The same deathly silent environment, but in the pitch black darkness. The lamp must have fallen out along with our bags. The only visible light came from between the cracks underneath the doors. Closing my eyes, I sighed. Just swell. {~+~} An island with nothing but buildings, a huge bridge connecting the city and mainland, an imitation of the Statue of Liberty; It was official, Manehattan really was a parody of Manhattan. I was sure if I knew more of the borough itself, I would have spotted similar buildings as well. The ones I could see stood out like beacons, held up higher than the other mundane buildings. Even boats were putting around in the bay. And Rarity was in there somewhere. “See anythin’ interestin’?” Applejack sidling up next to me. I broke my gaze to glance at her. She locked her eyes with the city, just I had done. “Unless you like the sides of buildings,” I said with a shake of my head. “Although…” “The bridge is blocked off?” Applejack asked, and I suppressed a chuckle, turning to the the bridge entrance. The only bridge leading into the city was for trains mainly, but the Humans had set up a blockade. Of course, since the sun had set hours ago, the guards must have been toned down compared to the day time. The hill we stationed ourselves on was the perfect spot to scope out the area too. It helped that there were tall hills surrounding the bridge, giving us lots of space to set up and make a plan. “We’ll find a way around it,” Twilight stated as she appeared at my other side, “Just another obstacle in the goal of freeing Equestria.” “Well, when you put it that way, I almost feel inspired,” I said with amusement, earning a friendly glare from her. But in all seriousness, I didn’t recall her being as patriotic before. Maybe being so close to getting Rarity back had gotten her more excited. I stood to my feet and stretched my arms. Applejack did the Pony equivalent and pushed her forelegs in front of her, like how a cat would. “Did I ever mention the time I went ta Manehattan as a filly?” she asked. “You brought up heading out,” I said as we all headed back to the carriage. Twilight was trotting up ahead, her wings propelling her just enough to give her some extra speed. Fluttershy and Carrot Top were resting, with the former rubbing where the harness was strapped to her. “I think you left out the Manehattan part.” “Thought I did,” Applejack muttered before speaking up, “Well, my Aunt and Uncle Orange live here. Not sure what the Humans did with ‘em but…” She sighed, dipping her head. “I hope they’re alright.” “Maybe we’ll run into ‘em,” I offered. It wasn’t a comforting statement, but there was little else I could provide. Her silence was enough to convince me. Upon reaching the others, Twilight leapt in the center. “Let’s get to making a plan,” she said with a hoof in the air. She was energized that was for sure, and I couldn’t help but grow more hopeful in our success. Unfortunately - or fortunately in certain lights - my eyes landed on her wings… and horn. “Wait,” I said pointing to Twilight, “We have to cover up your wings.” She flinched, her wings fluttering again at their mentioning. “W-What’s wrong with my wings?” she asked, her voice cracking just a bit as she stroked a wing with a hoof. “Don’t take it personally,” I quickly added, “But as soon as a Human sees your wings, they're going to make assumptions. And I don’t think we need the attention.” It only just crossed my mind that the Humans might think she was a Pegasus at first glance. Since Pegasi were rare for them, it would probably draw their attention a lot faster than Twilight being an Alicorn. My argument won out as Twilight nodded, although it was small. Why would she feel offended to hide her wings? She saw my logic yet was still hesitant. Maybe it was a sense of pride; having wings and a horn showed her species, and therefore her position as princess. If that was the case, then I needed to work on trimming down that pride before it evolved into arrogance. Reaching for a bag, I lifted it up and searched inside, finding a brown blanket. It was small, but it would fit perfectly for Twilight. I held up the blanket, letting it open up as the bag fell to the ground. With my arms holding either side of the blanket, I stepped closer to her and placed it gently along her back. She didn’t speak, but the way she squirmed was enough for me to work gentler. The blanket was on, and after straightening out a few wrinkles, it was near perfect. I took a few steps back to get a better look. The blanket completely covered her wings, and draped over her tail. It hung a foot away from her hooves. The color was the only negative; brown looked terrible on her. “How ya feel, Sugarcube?” Applejack asked, stepping closer. Her eyes wandered around Twilight. “Warm,” Twilight said. She grimaced as she turned her head to face her back. Small dimples on the blanket poked out. Her wings may have been covered, but moving them around would make the blanket worthless. “Hold on,” I instructed, crouching down and grabbing the bag from before. I laid it along her back and adjusting it to fit like how I saw other saddle bags were placed. The saddle bag I had had two compartments for putting items, and each one pressed against each side of Twilight. Her eyes lit up in understanding as she used her magic to tighten the belt. “How ‘bout now?” Applejack put in again. Boy, she was really helping us. “It’s a bit uncomfortable, but I’ll manage,” she explained, fiddling with the bags with her hooves. Facing us again, she gave a huge smile, as big as before I pointed out her wings, and stood up straight. “But now we’re ready.” “Still no plan,” Carrot Top exclaimed, sitting on her haunches as she looked through a saddle bag. A map sat just to her side. “But while Nolan was playing dress up with Princess Twilight” - I crossed my arms with a firm frown; I couldn’t show that I found her joke somewhat amusing - “I looked over the map of Manehattan. It’s a big city.” “Course it is,” Applejack said, “I coulda told ya that.” “What we need is a point to start looking,” Twilight said, eyeing the buildings jutting over the hill we used as a lookout. “Someplace that would be good to start our search.” “What about a bar?” Carrot Top suggested, her eyes looked back to the map, “We went to one-” “Not going to happen,” I interrupted with a shake of my head, “After that incident in Fillydelphia, I want to stay far away from any bar.” In hindsight, it was dumb to head to a bar full of drunk Humans. If things didn’t turn out the way they did, we would have been screwed. “What about an inn?” Carrot Top brought up, putting the tip of her hoof on a point on the map. “It’s not too far off, just after the bridge, and we could get a room to drop off our saddle bags.” “I think it’s a good idea,” Fluttershy muttered before squeaking as we all turned to her. Even though Fluttershy was going to watch the carriage, she still had a say in all of this. The others just smiled at her input, and Fluttershy was able to give a smile back. “I guess we’re heading for the inn,” I announced. It may have been unnecessary, but I suppose I needed to hear it for myself. I didn’t oppose the idea, but… I didn’t know. An inn was used for travelers coming into towns and cities. Why would the Humans use an inn if all of their troops were stationed there? They couldn’t come and go from towns as they pleased. There was a factor I was missing, and it was making me uneasy. I didn’t bring it up to the others though; they had enough on their mind. Plus, it could turn out to be nothing. We needed our focus on finding Rarity. Well, actually we needed to put our focus on how we were going to cross a guarded bridge. One step at a time.