//------------------------------// // 5 - Met by Threat // Story: Shift in Spectrum // by Superdale33 //------------------------------// High above the ground, the world was immense and vast. A bleak outlook with the prominence of sand and rock. Except for the glint still flickering in the distance. Rainbow hummed in thought, squinting her eyes at it. Even though she was much closer than before when she had spotted it, there wasn’t anything about it that stood out. It did shine brighter, but nothing significant. However, in the blank landscape, it made itself known far better than any other landmark, even with the cliff behind it. Giving it one last look, Rainbow shot back down, the Interceptor resting just below her. Max rested an arm on the roof, clutching his canteen while looking through his binoculars. All he saw was the hills of sand; not a glint in sight at his level. Sighing, he pulled the canteen to his lips, drinking a gulp of water. He set the canteen on the roof as Rainbow fluttered to a stop, hovering in front of him. “It’s still there,” Rainbow announced, pointing ahead. “I can’t make anything out of it. It’s just there.” Tossing the binoculars onto the driver’s seat, Max gave her a sideways glance before focusing on the nothingness that hadn’t changed. There wasn’t even a mountain in the distance; it was flat and barren. “You’re sure?” Max said, his voice neutral. It gave Rainbow the chills, but she still maintained an expression of resolve. “Positive,” she stated with a nod. “And if you want proof, I’ll be more than happy to drag your flank up there.” She pointed to the sky with an arrogant smile, and Max grunted. Once again, there was no discrepancy in his tone. Rainbow gave her own grunt, though it was full of frustration, crossing her forelegs in the process. It stretched her injury, and she winced, relieving her muscles as she patted the brown cloth wrapped around her leg. Because of the dark color, there wasn’t any a way to tell if the bleeding had stopped without removing the bandage. “Get in,” Max ordered, sliding inside as he set aside the canteen and binoculars. Rainbow opened her mouth, but caught herself as she looked back to her wings. She also wiped her forehead, the sweat permeating through her body. The canteen was put near his seat, and she gave a faint smile before making her way to the passenger window. By the time she was climbing through the window - her face recoiling - Max was already shifting gears. When she sat on her haunches, they were off. The sudden transition in speed threw Rainbow against her seat. Her heart thumped much like whenever she would fly at incredible speeds, but she was much more shocked, clutching her chest as she took steady breaths. “Warn me next time!” Rainbow demanded, putting a hoof down as she glared at Max. “I’m used to being the one in control when I’m going fast, okay?” Not a sound was heard from Max as he drove the Interceptor through the hills of sand, weaving around to maintain a relatively bumpless ride. Irritated, Rainbow turned to the window, watching the world go by. However, it didn’t take long before she whipped her head back to him inquisitively. “So, what’s your name?” she asked, curious. There was a long silence as Max faced the other way a moment. Rainbow lifted her head, finding his gaze landing on the side mirror. He eventually turned back to her briefly, but put his focus on his driving. “Doesn’t matter,” Max said simply, and Rainbow scoffed. “It does matter, jerk,” she snapped, jumping to her hooves. “And seriously, what’s with the attitude? You’re quieter than Fluttershy, but act like you’re cooler than everything else.” No reply from Max, but Rainbow smirked regardless, “If you won’t give me your name, than I’ll just call you ‘Jerk’.” Rainbow chuckled, “How do you like that?” No response again, and Rainbow huffed as she fell into her seat, her eyes wandering out the window, “Jerk.” Her chin rested on the sill, watching each hill pass by. The sun pressed its heat onto her, and she found her throat dry. Retracting her head, the interior provided a cool shade to encompass her. However, even with the rushing air from the drive, she was still hot as she rubbed her throat, swallowing. The canteen sat between her and Max, but Rainbow didn’t speak up about it. Instead, she forced her attention on the metal leg-brace on Max’s right. “What happened to your leg?” she questioned, gesturing to it. The topic got Max to flicker his sight on it before turning away from Rainbow. She didn’t berate him, but nodded her head understandingly. “Sore subject? I feel ya. I broke a wing a while ago. I had to stay in the hospital for a few days. I didn’t like it either. I did enjoy this awesome book though. Heh, I guess that kind of makes me an egghead, but I don’t care. It was really awesome.” Her thoughts ground to a halt as she gasped, “You know, maybe the book that brought me here is, well, here, in this world. Do you think someone might have found it?” “Probably gone,” Max muttered. Rainbow blinked in shock, staring at Max before her ears folded back, the shock being replaced with despair. “I hope not,” she said somberly. “It’s my only way home. Unless you know someplace nearby called Equestria.” “That book…” Max said, turning to her as his expression filled with curiosity. “That’s how you got here from your world?” “Yeah,” Rainbow nodded. “Someone gave it to me in the mail. It was supposed to be the newest issue of Daring Do, but I guess it was something else.” She tapped a hoof to her chin, “I wonder if it’s like the Power Ponies comic: getting trapped inside a fake world. Is this world fake?” “If this is fake,” Max said, narrowing his eyes ahead, “then I’d have no reason to help you.” Rainbow Dash didn’t say another word. No matter how high Rainbow was, the sunlight beat down on her dreadfully. Her flying was labored and forced as sweat poured off her, even when the sun was close to setting. Regardless, she was excited, smiling down at the spot the glint had lead them to. A wide semi circle entrance of a tunnel inside the cliff. Concrete bricks were  along the side, supporting it. Sand built up along the entrance, dwindling further in and revealing an intact road. The object responsible for the glint could be seen: a large mirror hanging on a thread. The sight made Rainbow give a small laugh, gliding closer before pulling back. Grimacing, she peered below to find Max looking up to her. He was halfway out of the Interceptor, a hand on the wheel and a foot on the sand. Nothing swayed him as he watched Rainbow, who crept a bit towards the glint before sighing in exasperation. Slowly lowering herself, Rainbow crossed her forelegs, scrunching up her face. “It’s that way,” she stated monotonically, nudging her head towards the cliff. It was enough for Max to hop back inside and gun it for the location. Though Rainbow was left in the dust, she rolled her eyes, shooting off after him. The hilly terrain had died off and was replaced with gentle slopes, giving a smooth ride for Max. The cliff sat prominently, looming over the Interceptor as it drove closer. Color emerged in the corner of Max’s vision, and he glanced over to see Rainbow flying beside him. A memory of their first meeting arose in him, and he gave a ghost of a smile. Rainbow didn’t even bother turning to him, even with the roar of the engine drumming against her ears. Her focus was solely on the tunnel. Upon reaching it, the Interceptor slowed as Rainbow pushed back with her wings to stagnate her speed, until the both of them came to a stop. The sand sloped steeply into the tunnel, giving the Interceptor a precarious obstacle. With a foot on the brakes, Max flipped a switch to his right. The head lights flooded the tunnel, illuminating the darkness. A shabby wall, made of metal sheets, was further inside, cutting off the rest of the tunnel and leaving a small area at the entrance, big enough for a car to fit. Tapping the gas pedal, Max leaned forward, keeping an eye on the front of the Interceptor intently as he rolled inside. He would shift his gaze to the wall every so often, hunching his shoulders with a hand firmly on the stick shift. Rainbow paid no mind to Max, fixated on the mirror swaying on the thread. It was broken, jagged on both ends. The thread was tied in the center, allowing it to swivel in place. It was as big as her too. “How did this thing reflect light all the way out there?” she asked, twisting around to face the wasteland. “I don’t think the sun could even reach it.” She hummed to herself before blowing a raspberry, throwing out a hoof nonchalantly. “Doesn’t matter. As long as I find that book.” The car door slammed shut, and Rainbow glanced back to find Max stepping over to the wall. A single sheet of metal stood out from the rest, a wooden stick curved over like a handle. Max and Rainbow grouped together at the door, the latter hovering in place. The headlights cast large shadows against the wall, giving the two monsterous appearances as they stared at the door without a sound. A low moan swept through the tunnel as wind pushed through. Rainbow studied the wall, fiddling with her hooves nervously. “So, you think the book-?” she was cut off as Max held a hand in front of her face. She winced, but kept her mouth shut, watching as he pressed himself beside the door. With his back to the wall, he stood as flat against it as possible, reaching a hand towards the door. He froze before looking to Rainbow, who flinched like she had been struck. Sighing, Max pushed her to the opposite side of the door, which was easily done with her lack of resistance. She could only stare in bafflement. “What are you-?” she started but was cut off again as Max clamped a hand over her muzzle. He retracted it quickly enough, but Rainbow groaned in frustration, crossing her forelegs. With his hand, Max leaned closely to the door, and gave one solid knock. Before the metal could stop reverberating, a hidden slote, about eye height for Max, slid open. A pipe stuck out before it boomed, a flash of light radiating from it. Rainbow recoiled from the shot, flying backwards hastily before hitting the wall. She cried out, her wings catching herself before she fell to the floor. The door swung open, nearly slamming into Max, as another man hurried out. The vest and pants he wore were ragged and brown, their original color lost. A curved piece of green metal was tied to his chest, rusted around the edges as it shined in the headlights. A pair of sunglasses were worn, but lacked the shaded lenses, leaving only the thick frame. His movements were twitchy, whipping a weapon around that was more like a long pipe with a handle and trigger. His gaze landed on Rainbow, and he aimed it at her, a smile on his long face. “Ha, ha!” he laughed, his whole body quivering. “I didn’t think I’d ever get fresh meat!” “Fresh meat?!” Rainbow blanched, her wings faltering a moment. No one made another move when a double barreled shotgun tapped the back of the man’s head. He froze instantly, lowering his gun as Max stepped around the door. He never let the man out of his sight. “Ah, I figured I still had a good run ahead of me,” the man lamented, his voice turning more refined as he dropped his gun, clattering against the pavement. He shrugged as he bent his elbows to raise his arms. “Technically, I’ve had a terrible run, what with the Black Clouds stealing my stuff.” He blinked when Max came into his view, and then held a hand to his heart. “The Road Warrior himself! Technically, you’re a Car Warrior, but Road Warrior has a nice ring to it.” “Road Warrior?” Rainbow asked, glancing to Max. He didn’t react, still keeping his shotgun aimed at the man’s head. Staring at his weapon, Rainbow glowered. “Lower your death stick, Jerk. He’s hardly someone who likes killing others, unlike you.” The man turned to Rainbow, “Technically, I’m a killer too, or did you not see me shoot ol’ Pip here? But besides that… are you talking? Technically, it would be jumping to conclusions in thinking that, but if true, then my books are not completely fictional!” Books. The word made Rainbow’s ear twitch. She glanced to the ground before looking to Max. He was hard to read, near unemotional. The man was rather perky, especially with the shotgun still pressed against his head. The sight was enough for Rainbow to maneuver over to Max and lay her hooves over his shotgun. No words were exchanged right away as Max shifted his eyes to her coldly. “Lower it already, Jerk,” she demanded. “He might have the book we’re looking for. You know, the one that’ll get you food and water?” The incentive didn’t work immediately, only having Max hum in thought. The man nodded vigorously, nudging his head to the open doorway with a smile, “Oh, yes! I have more than one book, technically, but books nonetheless.” He spoke quickly and with little pauses. Both Max and Rainbow stared at him, his smile, though innocent, was somewhat psychotic as he showed his teeth to them. They were a mixture black and yellow, causing Rainbow to grimace. Growling, Max brought his shotgun down, allowing Rainbow to hover as she looked to him gratefully. The man sighed, stepping back to the door as he waved them to follow. “Come, come,” he offered, his voice calm and level. “If you seek books, I have them here. A mighty sanctuary for books! I’m sure there’s a technical word for it, but I don’t know it.” Rainbow tilted her head as Max stepped backwards, his shotgun still out as he made his way to the Interceptor. He opened the car door and cut the ignition, flipping off the headlights all the while. The area became dark again as the shade returned, somewhat brightened by the dying sunlight. Max didn’t waste time as he briskly walked back to the other two, bending down to snatch the weapon off the floor before pushing the man towards the door. Rainbow gaped in anger at his actions, but the man shrugged it off and walked through first. Rainbow grunted disapprovingly before landing on her hooves to follow with Max just behind her. The interior was lit with a dim lantern sitting in the center. Shelves made of wide metal sheets were wedged into the tunnel walls, each one holding several books. However, most of the books were lying in towers, stacking higher than Max. And these towers littered the floor, making traversing the room dodgy. The end of the room narrowed with the books, ending with an opening into the rest of the tunnel. It was pitch black, with no sight of where it would end. “The name’s Greenhorn, by the way,” the man explained as Max closed the door behind them. The way Greenhorn stood - straight and proper - along with the rise of his chin made him more like a gentleman. “Technically, it’s Ernst, but I changed it.” “I’m Rainbow Dash,” Rainbow introduced before pointing to Max with a roll of her eyes. “And that’s Jerk.” “He’s the Road Warrior, technically” Greenhorn corrected, scratching his chin, “but that’s more of a title. His real name is a mystery.” Max made no indication that he heard them, studying the room while pacing back and forth. There was a bedroll beside the lantern, as well as a small pile of books. A handful of beaten suitcases and chests were open, holding cans of food and dirty bottles of water. “We’ll stay here for the night,” Max announced, crouching beside a chest, setting the weapons aside as he pulled out a can. There was a pregnant pause as Rainbow stared at him in shock. Her face was red and she stomped a hoof down, but Max gave her no mind. “You can’t just act like you own the place!” she yelled, trotting over to him. “And that’s his stuff, Jerk!” “Ah, let him be,” Greenhorn waved off. Rainbow skidded a bit across the pavement to halt, whipping her head to him. She was more shocked than finding Max digging through the chest. Despite her surprise, Greenhorn didn’t show any sign of anger or frustration. The gentle smile on his lips was almost mature in a way, especially as he set his arms behind his back. “But he’s…” she started before a tin can opened behind her. Max had gotten his hands on a small dish, the faded and torn sleeve on the can presenting a cat. He dug his fingers into the mush and shoveled it into his mouth. His lack of hesitation and disgust made Rainbow cover her mouth. Her last words came out as a defeated whimper, “He’s eating cat food.” “And it was a good find,” Greenhorn admitted, walking over to the bedroll and sitting upon it cross legged. Rainbow shuffled her way over to him, unable to tear his eyes away from Max finishing off the can of cat food. Sitting on her haunches, she shifted her eyes to Greenhorn, his expression calm and collected. “There are worse things to eat.” Rainbow groaned, her head lowering, “Like what?” “Maggots,” Greenhorn offered instantly, his lips purse yet still holding a smile. Rainbow blinked in disgust, pulling a foreleg up. “Any corpse I find is just littered with them. But they’re better than whatever the hell they’re eating.” A shiver ran through Rainbow, her eyes wandering to the bedroll. Greenhorn tilted his head, watching as she heaved a heavy sigh. There wasn’t a hint of disgust like before, just disappointment. Max opened another can, stirring the air with more noise, but neither Rainbow nor Greenhorn paid any attention. Lying down, Rainbow flickered her gaze to him. “Why is everything like this?” she forced out, her voice faltered just a pitch. “Why is everyone crazy, or mean, or just-just… terrible? This place couldn’t have been like this all the time.” “Well, duh,” Greenhorn exclaimed, grabbing a purple book from a pile resting nearby. A few sputters of laughter escaped his mouth. “Of course, this place wasn’t always like this.” He let the book fall open in his hand, looking upon the page that was revealed. “My father told me that there was once a time when books were used for many things besides telling stories: fun, learning, thinking. A world where books were used for a wide range of things really shows what it was like. I got down his story before he passed away.” With both hands, he closed the book, holding it over to Rainbow. “Tell me what you think.” Rainbow took the book with her forehooves, her movement slow and tender. With one hoof, she held it as the other opened it, her eyes gazing upon the contents. Which was absolutely nothing. There were no words or pictures, there wasn’t even any ink. Furrowing her brow in bafflement, Rainbow flipped through the pages, finding that the entire book was blank. The considerate care from before vanished as she tossed the book to the ground. “There’s nothing there!” she stated, gesturing at the book. “You didn’t write anything down!” “Ah, but you are mistaken!” Greenhorn replied with a finger in the air, his voice slightly giddy. “Technically, there is a story within the confines of this book. It’s just not readable.” No matter how hard Rainbow stared at him, Greenhorn didn’t laugh off his words nor say it was a lie. He just sat there, his smile growing bit by bit. Then Rainbow’s jaw dropped in awe, scooping up the book again as she opened it. “You mean there’s some sort of secret message in here?” she asked in excitement, “Like invisible ink? That’s awesome!” “Ha, ha! Don’t be ridiculous,” Greenhorn chortled, swiping the book back, leaving Rainbow with more confusion as her forelegs remained still. “This book holds a story, it’s true, but not in a way you’re familiar with.” He grabbed another book from the same pile, presenting it flashingly like it was pure gold. “This has a story of two warring robot factions that can change into vehicles.” He dropped the book upon his lap, picking another book and waving it around. “This book contains the adventures of a teenage girl speaking to little animals - ‘pets’ as they were once known as. And to you, they have nothing. But to me, everything is as clear as the day after a sandstorm.” “Ugh,” Rainbow moaned, slapping a hoof to her forehead, “you lost your marbles too.” “Technically, I don’t own marbles,” Greenhorn corrected, positioning the book under his arm. “Psh, that explains a lot,” Rainbow deadpanned, glancing to the side before leaning forward threateningly. “And what’s with all this ‘technical’ stuff? You say it all the time; it’s annoying.” “Technically, I don’t-” he started but stopped when Rainbow glared at him. He blinked as he set the book in his hand down, chuckling weakly. “My family used to get a lot of stuff wrong. I guess I picked it up.” “You can’t have kept up with all of these books,” Max spoke up, his fingers sliding down the spines of several books. “Why keep ‘em?” Rainbow scowled at him. He didn’t give much regards to the books, sifting through them. Books tumbled to and fro, landing in awkward position on the floor and making the room harder to move around than before. It wasn’t until Max pulled out one book, dark pink in color, did he stop. He held it up, catching a bit of the light from the lantern, before turning to Rainbow. Her magenta eyes were enough to make him grunt quietly, setting the book back down on a pile. “Tech-...” Greenhorn sighed through his nose, his voice somber for the first time. “No, I can’t keep up with all the books in my collection. But if I can’t remember the story later on, then it mustn’t have been very important to begin with.” Max stared at the book he had picked up, his thoughts drifting… Why didn’t you tell me your name sooner, Max? Don’t you like it? The voice was soft. There and gone before Max could register the tone: curiosity. Hissing quietly, he pressed a hand over his eyes, rubbing the sides of his head. The girl had come as a shadow before him, but remained just that; a trick of the mind. Wiping his hand across his face, Max bent over and snagged a bottle of water before heading to the exit. “I’ll keep watch,” he grumbled, swinging open the door. The outside was dark enough to give off a blue hue over the sand and pavement. The moon shined down and delivered a shimmering silver to compliment the blue. The sight was only a fraction of what the night had before Max slammed the door shut, leaving the lantern with it’s golden light. Rainbow perked her ears, staring at the door intently. Besides the shifting of feet, there wasn’t any other sound. Not even the wind would give a low whistle. Swallowing, Rainbow searched around until she spotted a suitcase filled with bottled water. They were light brown, the sediment within swirling amongst the liquid. Despite its unappealing contents, Rainbow smacked her lips, dipping her head slightly as her ears splayed back. “Do you mind if I…?” she started, chuckling nervously as she nudged a hoof in the direction of the bottles. Looking to the water, Greenhorn smiled with a nod, “Yes, you may have some. Think of it as an apology for pointing my shotgun at you.” With a nod in return, Rainbow swiftly trotted over to the bottles, using her mouth to pull one out and bring it back to the bedroll. The bottle was set down before Rainbow held up her head, raising a brow. “Why are you so friendly?” she asked, holding up a hoof. “We started on the wrong hoof, but you’re like the exact opposite of Jerk.” “Because you fascinate me,” Greenhorn expressed, jumping to his feet, the books in his lap tumbling down, before hurrying over to a particular pile of books. It was the tallest one of the bunch, sitting in the corner of the room. He pulled a brown book from the bottom, causing the pile to tilt and topple over into a line of books across the floor. Greenhorn ignored the mess, the brown book held tightly in hand as he plopped back into his seat. Opening the book from the very first page, Greenhorn adjusted the frame of his glasses, “I want to hear your story. Especially with the Road Warrior. It’s not everyday I get to listen to events from a creature like yourself.” His behavior put Rainbow in a neutral expression, looking upon him and his book without much emotion. However, a smirk did eventually emerge from her lips as she gave a quick laugh, “Technically, I’m a pony.” His vigorous nods were fast as he looked to the book in his hands, tracing a finger along it. He stopped at a point, and looked up to her expectedly. Put on the spot, Rainbow faltered, scratching her chest tensely. “So, where do you want me to start?” she asked. He scrunched up his face as he waved a hand dismissively. “Anytime really,” he explained, facing the pages of his book. “As far back as you can remember in this place preferably. I doubt you were born here.” “Yeah,” Rainbow said, her eyes nostalgic as she pulled her gaze to the ceiling. “I actually came here from my home in Ponyville. You see, as far as I can tell, it started with this new book in the mail…” “...and then I asked you where to start,” Rainbow finished, lying on her side, staring at nothing in particular. She closed her eyes a few times after she was done, shaking herself from dipping into sleep. “The last part was unnecessary,” Greenhorn said, his finger still tracing along a page in the middle of the book. Stopping at a point, he closed the book and rubbed his thumb along the brown cover. “Regardless, you gave me a story to remember for a good long while. I thank you.” “Eh, no big deal,” Rainbow shrugged, sitting up as she reached her mouth to the open water bottle, nearly empty. With the neck of the bottle clenched in her teeth, she pulled her head back and swallowed what was left. Dropping the bottle, she sputtered a bit, coughing to the side politely. “Just wish I had some fresh water.” “Not a lot of people are willing to share such a luxury,” Greenhorn explained, looking through his book. “Even I have to admit I wouldn’t share it if I had some.” A suitcase in the corner was near empty, with only a single can sitting inside. Rainbow stared at it, her stomach grumbling slightly before rubbing her eyes. The sound of sliding feet was heard from the door, but lasted only a second before silence came back. And it was far more potent than it ever was. “You're still better than him,” she snapped, glaring at the door. “Jerk always pointed that death stick-” “Shotgun,” Greenhorn interjected. “-shotgun at me,” she finished irritably, her glare flickering to him. “I’d rather stick with you. You probably have that book somewhere in this collection.” “The one you described being the reason of you being here?” Greenhorn inquired, to which Rainbow nodded. He pushed himself to his feet, wincing a bit as rubbed his lower back. “I’m afraid the one you speak of is no longer here.” Rainbow gasped, jumping to her hooves, “You mean you actually had it?! Where’d it go!?” “Yes,” Greenhorn admitted, narrowing his eyes. “My family brings as many books as they can find. Usually, they don’t have much luck, but just the other night, they came by with an interesting one. One with words. I couldn’t read them - dad was always the one who read stories to us. But what I could tell was that it was very much different, special even.” “Did they tell you where they found it?” Rainbow asked hesitantly, her voice faltered as her ears folded back slightly. With a finger raised, Greenhorn drawled in thought, waggling his finger as he stared off into space. “It was…” he started before humming, “I think it was in some old ruins. Yeah, yeah, some ruins. They said it was just sitting in the corner. Makes me wonder if it was on a time out or somethin’. But it isn’t where you woke up, if that’s what you’re getting to.” “How’d I get in the middle of the road then?” Rainbow whispered, before shaking it off as she stood firm and tall. “So what happened to it?” “I mentioned the Black Clouds,” Greenhorn said, shuffling over to a section of the room filled with piles of books. He scanned over the books, before grabbing one from the top, pulling it open. “A bunch of men who drive around in Rigs. Terrible people. Raided my place while I was out scouting for supplies. Stole a fair amount of books - along with your book - and a bunch of food and water. Left one hell of a mess too.” “Then I guess we’ll have to go after them,” Rainbow declared, rocketing into the air. She stook a foreleg out, posing like someone was about to take her picture. “You and me! We can take them!” “You talk like I can fight,” Greenhorn said, a slight grimace emerging as he eyed Rainbow. Her bravado deflated as she lowered back to the floor, slumping her shoulders. Greenhorn focused back on his book, his tone even and to the point. “I’m a scavenger at best. You have a better chance of surviving with the Road Warrior.” Rainbow pounced to him, making him flinch and pull a leg up. She bore her teeth angrily, staring daggers at Greenhorn. “There’s no way I’m going anywhere else with Jerk over there,” she seethed, glancing to the door. “And why the hay do you still support him? He would have finished you off if I didn’t stop him!” Rainbow’s breathing was heavy, memories flashing through her mind of the Leopards, the canyon, the broken bridge, the explosions. She tore herself away from Greenhorn sulking away but her face was still red. The sight relaxed Greenhorn as he set his foot back down, stretching his neck back to watch her. He broke his sight and turned back to the book, his eyes set on the crease. “How do you know you stopped him?” he asked, hollow and nearly unfeeling. Rainbow whipped her head to him, glowering at him. He didn’t move a muscle as he continued. “You may think you have him all figured out, but there’s a reason why he’s a legend out here.” Rainbow’s face fell, but still kept her eyes narrowed at Greenhorn. He set the book down, his movement stiff as he let his arms fall limply to his side. “Was there ever a time he obeyed your commands? That he actually took you as someone to listen to?” Rainbow opened her mouth. “No, I think not. That’s not how he operates.” Upon turning around to face Rainbow, she gazed curiously at him. He was more notably tired than before. What few wrinkles he had were more prominent, sticking out like they had marred his expression. “Get to the point already,” Rainbow huffed, falling to her haunches with a frown. Greenhorn grunted, “If he didn’t want you around, he would have left you. He isn’t the type to give second chances.” “But he gave you a second chance,” Rainbow snapped, pointing a hoof at him. “Then I guess you see my point,” Greenhorn remarked, no sign of pleasure over his arguement. Rainbow groaned, slapping both hooves to her face as they slid down. “Great, thanks for nothing,” Rainbow grumbled. “Point or no point, I still don’t know how you expect me to follow Jerk, or whatever you want to call him. I mean, come on! He doesn’t even give his name, or actually care about anyone!” Greenhorn walked over to her, and crouched down, tilting his head slightly. A ghost of a smirk emerged from his lips, “You’re very fixated on having someone around.” “It’s something important to me in friendship,” Rainbow explained, heaving a sigh as her eyes wandered to the floor. “Being loyal and all that.” “Considering the stories I’ve heard of him,” Greenhorn said, patting her shoulder in comfort, “he’s more loyal than you give him credit for.” He looked to the door, “You should get some sleep. You’re going to need it if you’re heading after the Black Clouds.” Greenhorn rose back up, heading back to his books. Rainbow could only stare at the door, her eyelids growing heavier and heavier. It wasn’t until she blinked - staying up just a bit longer - did she spot the door was ajar.