//------------------------------// // 5) How Did I Get Caught Up With You (part 2) // Story: Fact or Fiction // by Mocha Star //------------------------------// The mare's mind went a bit fuzzy. It was a dream...right? "I had a dream that I went to The Sun Goddess's Garden. It was just like the stories, a true paradise! I met all of these colorful ponies, each one so nice. There was this author named A.K Yearling, or her alter ego Daring Do and a tomboy pegasus called Rainbow Dash, those mares were great. I even met one mare named Applejack, she owned her own farm. A pony owning a farm!" Pea words painted a picture for Rochi. One not to different then one he kept close to him. What she didn't say was how she got there, how she lost her limbs...almost nothing besides the moments she was in Equestria. " 'Jack' in a girl's name?" Rochi rolled his eyes, "Only you'd come up with something like that. So go on, What was she like?" "To be honest, I was afraid to be around her," Pea grimaced, "I saw a bit of myself in her when we… argued. You know how I can get sometimes..." "Yeah, a real cutthroat killer!" Rochi made a mock snarl, "The Great and Dreaded Gravel, warrior and farmer!" Pea shoved him into the grass, "Shut up you!" Rochi sat back up with a pair of puppy dog eyes, "Awww, did ya have to push me? I think I bruised a little." "Quit moping, sugar cheeks," Pea stuck her tongue out, "Anyways...oh yeah! I met the Sun Goddesses herself too!" Rochi looked intently on the mare next to him,"Sooo… what was she like?" "She seemed nice at first, but she called me a Land-crawler like any other noble we've met. She wanted me thrown out because I wasn't born there and taught their ways… she even tried to kill me," Pea went quiet. "That's a nightmare, not a dream," Rochi said comfortingly, "You shouldn't trouble yourself over those," He nuzzled Pea's cheek. "Hey, what are you doing?" Pea giggled. "You looked a bit chilly," Rochi smiled. Pea rolled away from him and lay on her back, staring up at the sky. Rochi followed and Rolled up next to her. "Look at those stars," Pea sighed, "They're beautiful...have you ever wanted to know what it'd be like?" "Hm?" The stallion asked, "Sorry, I was too busy looking at the star next to me." Pea rolled her eyes, "You're impossible sometimes, you know that?" "Bah! Everyone is," Rochi waved a hoof in the air, "Anyways, you were talking about… being up there with the stars?" "Yeah," Pea pointed at a cluster of stars, "There's the Discord constellation you showed me. and over there is the Three Goddesses," Pea looked up at that night sky as if it were the first time. Rochi chuckled,"You're learning. You missed the Ox King in the west and the Windigo up there to the north," He said pointing to each constellation, "Don't worry, I'll make a sailor out of you yet." Pea sighed happily, cuddling up next to the sailor. Rochi rose an eyebrow, "You seem happy tonight. Like, really happy. You didn't eat one of those Jade Cactus Fruits did you?" Pea rolled her eyes again, "No, Rochi. I'm not doing the jade, alright?" Rochi scratched his head,"Are you… you know… aroused?" Pea gasped dramatically, "Why sailor, I do believe you're trying to seduce me!" "Hey, don't be hating me for asking," Rochi shrugged. Pea's heart was beating fast, it felt warm all throughout her body and in her well missed legs. Even if it was a dream here, it felt so real. It could feel even more real with a single question. Pea hadn't really been one for sex, she was too busy trying to keep her and her friends from all sorts of dangers… but right here… right now... She didn't even have time react. Rochi just grabbed her and kissed her square on the lips, she wrapped her forearms around his neck and held tight. After so long, a simple kiss like this...melted all of the rigid defenses she had built up over the years. When Rochi pulled away Pea almost magnetically put her head to his chest. Pea's face was bright red, "Oh… my god. Rochi you have no idea how good that made me feel." "I bet I do," Rochi said suavely. He held Pea close to him, looking back up at the sky Rochi smiled,"We've been through some pretty tough shit, haven't we?" Pea sighed,"Yeah, but soon that will all be behind us," She said dreamily. "How soon?" Rochi asked bluntly, "Did you have a dream about it?" Pea thought about what Rochi asked. Dreaming of paradise wasn't to big on her mind, just making sure her and her crew can get by. After being in Equestria, however, the wish to take them there bloomed. She nuzzled her favorite sailor, "It's more of a wish… actually." "I thought I was the superstitious nut job," Rochi teased,"Now miss down-to-earth is talking about wishes?" "Yeah… for all of us to be away from the fighting, the hunger. Just to live in peace… all of us together," She sighed happily. "Now I know you're doing drugs," Rochi groaned,"The Pea Gravel I know would get bored of a peaceful life. You realize what that means, a job with bosses and taxes to pay," Rochi's mellow voice hardly sounded threatening in his rant,"After a life of wandering and mercenary work, you'd want to be a farmer or a fisherpony?" Pea pursed her lip. She remembered the reason Rochi went rogue with Pea and her crew, for rising above tyrannical rule. To become a just leader for others of his species, not to be ruled by something that forces work and never does any. How could a stallion of his type ever want to become a simple farmer, no king was a farmer. "Never mind, sorry I said something stupid..."Pea said timidly. "It's okay, wishes are wishes. If you work hard enough… and don't die along the way, I'm sure you'll make it," Rochi said reassuringly. The two ponies lay together in the grass, held in a lover's embrace. For Pea, this moment felt like it lasted forever and she loved every minute of it. They were locked together for how long the mare didn't know but she did nothing to stop it. She closed her eyes, completely absorbed in the moment. Suddenly a slimy feeling rubbed against Pea's cheek, "Ahhh… like a fine wine your taste has heightened with age," a strange voice said. Pea froze. Her euphoria was shattered in an instant, her whole body went into utter shock, completely petrified. Her eyes darted frantically around to see the wind, island, camp and night sky were gone. Instead she had a cast surrounding her broken ribs as she sat in a ridged hospital bed. The worst thing of all, the heart stopping detail that made Pea's heart skip a beat... The blue green head of Volm stared Pea from where she dreamed Rochi was. The mare was at a loss of words, she could only stifle a half gasp as she tried to breath. Pea tried to move but a wave of pain came from her torso, the cast over her chest restricted her movements to barely sitting up. Volm sat up on the next to her of the bed, wiping off his lips with a six fingered hand. His body looked bigger than the last time she saw him, with more veins and muscle. Pea was furious, violated, petrified and afraid; only faced with this blue-green devil did she feel so helpless. Volm stared back at the near flat-lining mare with a vicious stare from his demonic eyes. He sat there, waiting for a response from her. The mare was so panicked by seeing him and more the fact having her mind violated by him, it took Pea several minutes to calm down enough to talk. She opened her mouth to speak,"How… w-why… what are you-" "I know what you're thinking; 'How can you be alive? I thought I killed you!'" the monster mocked,"Well I'll just tell you one thing," Volm placed his alien hands near Pea's quivering torso and leaned his face dangerously near hers, "I've crawled too long to get where I am now! I will never let my ambition be stopped by a pathetic cunt like you… dear Pea Gravel." Pea gasped out a few words,"B… but… I… I saw you-" "-Die?" Volm finished for her,"I just let you… express your feelings," he snickered as he returned to the foot of the bed, "I came here for something else besides an invitation into your fantasies," Volm's voice hissed. "You were in my dream?" Pea tried to wrap her head around the idea, "That's...how could you do that?" Volm placed a hand to his chest dramatically, "Honestly, dearest road pebble. Would you think I'm anything less than that? Besides, we both know you enjoyed it! Even if I had to look like your little boy-toy to get some," Volm's acid voice cackled. "What do you want, you bastard?" Pea seethed. Volm scratched behind his ear as a dog would, looking up with a wicked smile,"Can you calm down?" Volm yawned, "You'll have a heart attack if you don't breath." Pea bared her teeth then spat at the blue-green beast,"Fuck you." "Now then, I came to tell you about something important," Volm said with a friendly smile, ignoring the mare's angry words. His eyes looked a bit more like a regular pony's at this point. "Obviously, or you would've gone and probed someone else," Pea folded her arms defensively. Volm rubbed his alien hands together, "Belial is getting desperate to find Tartarus. That centaur you met, you know him, the one that tried to assassinate the royal bimbos. Since you three were at his drop point though, he didn't have enough time to react and you wrecked that scrub. Oh and the whole princesses wanting you dead, don't worry about that anymore." Pea was aghast,"Are you… helping me?" "You… or more specifically, Daring Do, has something that I want," Volm said casually. "The Tear of the King?" Pea asked venomously. "Hit the nail on the head, sugar stuff. If you give me that I'll make sure Belial and his subordinates will never see or touch this land and anything in it," He held out a hand, "Do we have a deal?" "You're kidding," Pea stared at the hand,"I don't even belong here, what makes you think I have any say in this country's affairs? Not in a million years." Volm's hand retracted, "You can understand the weight of the situation out there, the princesses would just send someone… or somepony to go do it for them. I talked with Celestia while you were out, she had a plan ship you out, hopefully to never come back." Pea rolled her eyes, "I figured it, but a royal pardon and your sketchy protection really doesn't move me. I'm still saying no." "I know I've done some… bad things but really Pea, must you ignore my generosity?" Volm cooed. "Generosity?!" Pea shouted, even though it spiked a fireball of pain through her torso, "You are everything but trustworthy and generous! You took away my friends, my lifestyle," she held her palms out, "My legs..." Volm growled under his breath. He shook his head and looked back up at the mare,"But look at your new ones! You're much stronger than other ponies, even ones out there. You had the Dragon King Borox after you and I kept you and your crew safe from them-" "-by scattering them to the wind," Pea finished. Volm was becoming impatient, "You're so stupid. Fuggin' ponies... Look," He rubbed his forehead, "I hate Belial and that dragon prick just as much as you do. Once I have that blue gem your marefriend is wearing I'll be able to wipe them out." "Then what? What will you do then?" Pea asked, afraid to know the answer. "I'll make the whole world like Equestria if you want! Just say yes," Volm said happily, his hand re-extended for a closed deal. "What are you-" Pea asked, dazed. "Are you taking the fucking deal or not?" Volm barked,"You ponies and all your empty questions..." "What is it then, why should I trust you?" Pea barked back," How do I know you're not lying?" "I have made deals of my own. Though I look and act the evil part, my intentions are good… for a price," Volm said dryly. "Of course, everything has a price," Pea glared at the blue demon, "Tell you what, I'll give you the stone after I find my whole crew. Alive." A vein bulged on Volm's forehead, "I can't promise that they’re all alive, pebble. But if that's the way you want it, I'll even sweeten the deal with this," The hand he had extended clenched tightly, his nails drawing blood from his hand. His fingers uncurled and a shiny black, tangerine sized pearl lay in his gouged palm. Volm's inky black blood dripped on the medical bed Pea lay on like thick black syrup. "The hell is that?" Pea grimaced. A string stretched out of it as Volm dropped the pearl. Pea was quick to catch it and examined the disturbing object. Volm wiped his bloodied hand on his chest leaving black streaks,"It's a kind of… homing thing. It will help guide you to your friends, in the order you met them. The place where that friend is, a bit of white will point the way on it, the closer you get the whiter it gets. It's simple enough for something as menial as you, pebble." Pea was hesitant, why had he simply shown up and offer so much help? She remembered his promise to anything that decided to fight him,'You'll walk away different then you walked in', hence her cyber legs. Though he was a complete monster and horridly cruel, he was a beast of his word. "What will you do with Equestria? While I'm gone," She asked, still catching her breath. Volm had a straight face for once,"I won't touch a hair on anypony's head. I won't corrupt, deceive or manipulate anything or anyone here. I will be the watchdog of this land, you have my word as a bastard of nature." Pea hesitantly looked at him, "I won't shake your hand, Volm. Never." "Belial's ships travel further and further out on the sea each day," Volm itched his chin, "They may stumble across Equestria, or your friends. Just think of all the fun they'd have here, dominating these little whelps." Pea's body shivered, "I won't make a deal. I'll never trust you." "I already gave you a compass and my word, what more do you want?" Volm seethed. "My legs back," Pea said bluntly. The blue green demon thought about this. He itched his chin, "Perhaps… so what do I get?" "I'll let you stay out of sight and out of mind here, unless somepony is in extreme danger," Pea commanded. Volm cackled, "Even when you have no position, you still make demands," He shrugged,"Fine, come back with all of your friends alive, and I'll give you your legs back. Then you can live all peaceful and shit here." Pea nodded simply. Volm rolled his eyes in disgust at the deal he agreed to. The demon slapped on a business-like smile, "Glad we could come to an agreement! See you when you come back," Volm vanished in a wisp of steam. Pea sat in a numb state of mind at what just happened, a strange feeling of waking up coursed through the mare's body. Her mind was becoming clear and unclouded, sitting up awkwardly she hid her face in her palms. "That bastard… what can I do to kill that thing?" She asked herself. Pea sat still aside from the faint sound of hoofsteps outside the infirmary.