Chapter 18: Grounded
Lost and Fallen
Chapter 18: Grounded
Though the Pegasi were a bunch of assholes, they sure knew how to fix up a hot air balloon. The holes and slashes that littered the balloon itself were covered with patches, and seemed to be holding well. They could fix them up, sure, but they were terrible at making them look good. The peach-colored patches contrasted with the pink hue of the balloon, and the fixes looked like someone had put two bandaids over each other to form a cross. Just another fault of the Pegasi to add to the list.
Standing before it didn’t make it any prettier either. Instead, it gave me ample reason to hate the Pegasi more. I had to be careful with my animosity though, because despite most of the species being ungrateful and doubting pricks, I still had a few good friends who were Pegasi. Though the one standing beside me would probably be ranked a little lower than a friend.
“What are you starin’ at?” Dusty said, tapping my leg with a hoof, glowering at me. “Get in already.”
Though Rainbow had forgiven me for what I had done, Dusty was far from excusing me. In fact, ever since Rainbow had transferred me to him, he had put every effort to make a hostile comment on everything I did. If I didn’t know better, I would say he would call me Human again too.
Glancing at him with a tired look, he gestured a hoof to the hot air balloon, putting a lot of emphasis into it. He really wanted me to get in the balloon, so with a smirk, I took deliberate steps, keeping at a slow pace. The agitated groan from Dusty was definitely worth the snail pace I was moving.
Besides annoying Dusty, another reason for walking slowly was to think about how the other Pegasi had been looking at me as I made my way to the edge of the city. It was pretty disturbing, not because they threw stuff at me, or called me names, or any other discriminatory actions. Hell, they didn’t even do any of that stuff. They just gave me the cold shoulder, flat out ignored me, and on special occasions, glared at me with the iciest looks possible.
There could have been hundreds of reasons for this odd behavior, though considering I had broken into the mayor’s mansion and nearly killed her, those reasons were easily narrowed down. It may have been related to the discovery of Lightning’s little scheme to frame me, and if it was, perhaps the Pegasi were actually giving some thought to my morals. At the very least, they didn’t view me as a murder, since I was proven innocent involving the death of Fleetfoot, and since I chose not to kill Lightning outright. Though that could have gone either way. I couldn’t say I was proud of what I did, but I could say it felt fucking good.
Finally reaching the hot air balloon, much to Dusty’s relief, I vaulted inside before plopping down on the floor. Sitting on true solid material was rather relaxing, or at least more secure. Twilight said I had three days before her Cloud Walking spell would wear off, and I admittedly wasn’t very worried about it. It wasn’t until I rested inside the basket did I suddenly realize I could plunge right through the clouds at any moment.
Dusty didn’t share my reassurance, giving me one last mild glare before sitting on his haunches, looking over the area. We just had to wait for Pinkie and we could head back to Las Pegasus. Sighing, I rested my elbow on the basket edge, wondering what could be keeping her. There couldn’t be anything else that we needed, since I had all my…
My eyes widened as I hastily reached behind my back, grabbing for my shotgun which wasn’t there. My mask was still gone too. Cursing silently, I stood back up, but Dusty flew in front of me, hovering in place as he put both of his hooves on my chest to stop me.
“And just what are you doing?” Dusty questioned, giving a slight push to get me to sit back down. Grunting in irritance, I knocked his hooves aside, furrowing my brow.
“My shotgun,” I emphasised, my voice barely containing my malice. I even held out my arms in a way to show it was missing, “I want it back.”
Dusty shook his head, keeping his eyes on me as he did. “No can do,” he said, crossing his forelegs, “We need to head back to HQ, and you going back into Cloudsdale will just cause a disturbance.”
I clenched my hands, taking a stance, “I already caused a disturbance, genius.”
We just stared at each other, our eyes narrowing in hate. For the longest time, Dusty and I had been on opposite sides of the fence, never really agreeing on anything and always at each others throats. He saw what I had been doing for these ponies, and yet he still acted like I was a liability to everyone and everything. At that moment, staring at Dusty with a furrowed brow, I could feel myself growing angrier and angrier. I was just looking at him and my rage was building because of it.
I would do anything to get back at this guy. Just once. Just to get him to respect me for five goddamn minutes.
“No-Lane!” the voice of Pinkie shouted behind Dusty, and when I glanced over his shoulder, I blinked and shook my head in bafflement. Pinkie Pie was hopping over to us, waving a hoof… and wearing my mask, along with the goggles and helmet. It covered her head completely, hiding her ears and mane like they had never existed to begin with. It was as if the mask was made for her in the first place.
She hopped over, just as Dusty turned to face her, jerking his head back and mirroring my expression upon seeing her. We watched as Pinkie stopped in front of us, wiggling her rear a moment before giving one last bounce into the basket. She turned to us, probably hiding a smile underneath the mask.
“What?” Pinkie asked, knocking me out of my speechless staring. I gave a noise close to a word, but it died in my throat. I just couldn’t fathom why Pinkie Pie thought it would be a good idea to wear my mask. I couldn’t be mad at her, but it did leave me lost on what to say.
“You’re wearing my mask,” I eventually said, pointing to her head. She eagerly nodded, and I rubbing my forehead with the palm of my hand. “Why are you wearing my mask?”
“I…” she started, but she trailed off, bowing her head slightly, “I thought it’d be funny. It looked like you needed a good laugh.”
My expression softened to pity, my heart aching from both the reminder of what happened in Cloudsdale and Pinkie’s attempt to ease some of that pain. I cracked a smile, finding her effort more comforting than anything. “Thanks, Pinkie,” I said with a nod, crouching down to her level. We were at eye level, and it was actually kind of scary looking at her with the mask on. I couldn’t gauge her emotions, and though I had worked with people with masks on before, Pinkie was an entirely different case. “Can I have my mask back now?”
“Oh, right, sure,” she said, her voice sounding stiff. It was saddening, since I felt like I was the one responsible. Nevertheless, Pinkie sat on her haunches and reached up with her hooves, nudging the mask off. It didn’t take much effort, and in a few good pushes, she got the mask off and onto the floor.
Her mane was all puffy and messy, with pieces of hair splaying in different directions. Her eyes shifted upward, trying to catch a glimpse of what her mane looked like. Of course, she couldn’t see it very well, but she seemed to know anyway. She gave a huff as she scrunched up her muzzle, reaching up with her hooves as she tried to pat it down.
While she tried to control her mane somewhat - which was odd to think about - I grabbed my mask and goggles, standing back up as I examined them. The Pegasi had left them alone; they weren’t torn or mangled like I had imagined. Opening up my mask, I peered inside and groaned inwardly. Pink hair was everywhere, littering the mask like a dog’s bed.
Again, I couldn’t be mad at Pinkie. She was just doing what she thought would make me feel better. It didn’t particularly work, but it was the thought that counted. Ignoring the pink hair, I slipped my mask on, strapping the goggles along with it. I didn’t need my mask on, but in doing so, I felt like I could accomplish something. My failure in getting the Pegasi’s aid left a bitter feeling in me, but the mask… It just felt good. I had helped the ponies with this mask, saved lives with this mask, and I would continue to do so.
Facing Pinkie, she looked up to me with her fore hooves in her mane. She had an air of curiosity and awe to her as she smiled, “You look a lot cooler with the mask on than I do.”
It was almost childish of her to say, but that comment put a smile on my face too. I even let out a small chuckle, making Pinkie gasp before wrapping her forelegs around herself in a hug. She must have been congratulating herself, and I couldn’t blame her. She was the Element of Laughter, after all.
The wind brushed by me, causing me to face where it came from. The open sky awaited, without a cloud to be seen. I think Rainbow had briefly mentioned something about the Pegasi clearing out the clouds for a sunny day. I knew it wasn’t for my departure back to Las Pegasus, but it did make me feel happier.
Speaking of departing, we should be starting our journey back. I turned to the other two ponies alongside me. Pinkie faced me with full attention, like what I imagine she would do if I were Celestia herself. Dusty, on the other hand, had his eyes set on Pinkie, smiling fondly. Raising a brow, I glanced to Pinkie a moment before turning back to Dusty, a sly smile growing.
“Hey, Dusty,” I exclaimed, causing Dusty to lurch back as he fumbled with his wings. He turned to me, more out of worry than anger, and his pink cheeks added to that. “How about you stop gawking at the fine mare so we can get underway, huh?”
Dusty was frozen in fear, and I chuckled some more from his reaction. Pinkie was confused, however, tilting her head before facing Dusty, who gave a forced smile. He cleared his throat awkwardly, scratching the back of his head with a hoof as he looked downward.
“I, um…” he stammered as I leaned back against the basket in amusement. Well, I got my revenge somehow, though I most certainly didn’t get any respect from him. But I would take what I could get. Dusty finally got the nerve to look to Pinkie, who still stared at him with rasp focus. “That was… very nice of you, Pinkie. I just wanted to say that, and I did, and now I’m…”
Sweat was dripping from his forehead as he tapped his hooves together nervously. Swallowing, he shrunk down as far as possible, “I’m just shutting up now.”
I just knew Dusty had a thing for Pinkie. He hinted it a few times - without really knowing himself - and at that point, it was blatantly obvious what his feelings were towards Pinkie Pie. The real question was whether Pinkie picked up on it.
I fully expected Pinkie to go into a giggle fit over his behavior, but I was pleasantly surprised when she gave a soft smile, putting a hoof over her heart. “Aw, thank you, Dusty,” she said, “Maybe next time I can get you to laugh too!”
“Heh,” Dusty said, relaxing from his previous posture. “I’d like that.”
“I bet,” I mumbled to myself, glad my mask hid my smile so well. Another reason why I loved this thing. However, I think Dusty caught it as he turned to me with a rather neutral expression. I thought he would be a little more peeved after my little remark, but instead, he took off towards Cloudsdale. Puzzled, I watched him fly off until he was out of sight.
Pinkie and I just stood there, contemplating his reason for leaving so suddenly. I couldn’t have affected him that badly for him to just up and leave. Pinkie was surprisingly silent, just as concerned for Dusty as I was, if not more. The only plausible thing that came to mind for his withdrawal was contacting Rainbow for whatever reason, or collecting more research for his little project, or…
My eyes widened seconds before Dusty came back into view, flying over to us with a black stick in between his hooves. At least, that’s what it looked like at first. When he got closer, I could tell it was my shotgun. He had gotten it back.
He slowed to a halt just as he reached us, tossing my shotgun to me. I caught it with both hands, keeping my fingers away from the trigger in case the ponies had fiddled with it. I gave it once over, finding no sign of it being tampered with, before turning back to Dusty, giving a curt nod. He just nodded back, his serious face showing he didn’t want to talk about it, which was fine with me.
I clipped the shotgun to my back, holding on to it a moment longer, before relaxing my body, “Thanks, Pinkie.”
She blinked, looking up at me, “For what? Dusty is the one who got your thing-a-ma-jig.”
I chuckled, releasing a long sigh; if only she knew. “You ready to go?” I asked, changing the subject. She immediately dropped her bewilderment for excitement.
“Yepperoni and cheese!” Pinkie said enthusiastically, holding a hoof in the air. Jumping up, she grasped the rope and gave a firm tug. The fires burst to life underneath the balloon, causing us to hover a couple of inches before drifting over the lip of the clouds. We were on our way back home.
I clung a hand to one of the supporting ropes connecting the basket and balloon, finding enjoyment in the travel. Dusty flew behind us, more as an escort, but since there wasn’t really anything able to attack us in the air, I doubted we really needed it.
I took a deep breath from the passing air. It’d be a couple of hours before we reached Las Pegasus, but I didn’t think it would be too bad if we arrived a little late.
{~+~}
“And then Twilight shot a whole bunch of beams, sending a lot of Pinkies back to the pond,” Pinkie said, getting really into her story as she leaned forward, waving her hooves around. I sat across from her, my mask still on as I listened. Dusty flew a few feet away, eavesdropping on Pinkie’s tale as well. It was a rather interesting one too. “Then there was just two of us left, but eventually I was the last one there!”
“No shit,” I said, genuinely fascinated.
“Yeah!” Pinkie said, looking chipper, “I just knew I wanted things to go back to the way they were, so I stayed really super focused the whole time! It was exhausting!”
Dusty grunted, “That must have been terrifying, knowing that with just one mistake, you could be sent to the Mirror Pool forever.”
Pinkie nodded, honestly relieved that wasn’t the outcome. “I was lucky that my clones weren’t exact copies,” she said as she held up her hooves close to each other, “They acted like me, but they were a liiiiittle over active.”
Dusty and I shared a chuckle, both knowing the irony of that statement. Pinkie laughed alongside us, but I had a feeling she was doing it because we were and not by the context. It didn’t really matter though; we were having a good time.
Reaching up to my left shoulder, I adjusted my combat vest, making it a bit more comfortable. I rarely took the thing off, even around friends. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust them, but that Equestria was a dangerous place for a normal Human to be walking around in, even around the ponies. I would have died on many occasions if it wasn’t for it.
Just as I was about to relax my arm, I brushed over my shoulder again, and noticed something wasn’t right. I glanced down, tapping the area again with my hand until realization hit me like a freight train, alarming me as I searched over the basket frantically. I couldn’t have left it at Cloudsdale, could I?
“What’s the matter, No-Lane?” Pinkie asked happily, unaware of my dismay. Stopping, I gave a loud sigh, thumping my back against the basket. How could I have been so stupid to forget it?
“I didn’t get my knife back,” I said shaking my head as I pointed to the empty sheath attached to my shoulder. “It’s somewhere back in Cloudsdale.”
I didn’t expect Pinkie and Dusty to be very sympathetic; it did sound kind of lame from a pony's perspective. However, Pinkie pouted as she crossed her forelegs in a huff. “Well that stinks,” she said, “How will you help ponies if you don’t have your knife?”
Staring at her, I couldn’t tell if she was being sarcastic or not. “It might not be much,” I admitted with a shrug, “But that thing got me out of a few tight spots.”
Oh, how true that statement was. When I was in hand to hand combat, my knife came in handy. It might not have been very versatile, but maybe that’s why I found it special. It was used for one thing and one thing only: killing. Nothing confusing or dumb downed about that, even if it sounded dark.
“You could mail Rainbow Dash when we get back,” Dusty spoke up, avoiding eye contact. His face was far too stoic too. It was like he was deliberately trying to hide his emotions. “She could grab it before she leaves.”
“If the Pegasi let her,” I muttered, putting a rather grim mood on the once cheery atmosphere.
Pinkie tapped her chin thoughtfully, “What about the spell Twilight cast on us? The Cloud Walking spell? It’d wear off on the knife, and it’ll come falling down to the unsuspecting ground way, way below.”
It was an astute observation, but if that was the case, then Rainbow would have a far easier time retrieving it. After all, the Pegasi weren’t monitoring the ground, so one combat knife would be a trivial grab, especially for Rainbow. With that in mind, I gave a dismissive wave at Pinkie, giving a small grunt as well. “I wouldn’t worry about it, Pinkie,” I said with a sigh. I didn’t know if it was one of relief or fatigue. I still had a tension in my stomach, like I was worried about something, but my mind was relatively at ease. The moment the three of us shared was tranquil, without the exhaustive and serious thoughts that usually plagued our minds. We were just… relaxing.
And as a round of silence settled down on us, it made the leisure time we had far more enjoyable.
“I’m going to check up ahead,” Dusty spoke up, pointing downward with a hoof, “Make sure nopony shoots at us when we land.”
“Why would they-?” I started before instantly realizing why he would be concerned. No one really knew that Pinkie and I had left. Twilight and maybe Applejack knew, but the rest of the ponies had no clue. Even if Twilight had explained to them of our departure, playing it safe wouldn’t hurt anyone. Hell, Pinkie Pie was the only one that knew about her hidden hot air balloon. I stroked my chin, grimacing my face ever so slightly, “Right.”
“Yep,” Dusty nodded, knowing that I had figured it out. Without another word, he dived down, prompting me to stand up to see how far out we were. Unfortunately, with all the clouds that suddenly surrounded us, I couldn’t see shit. Glancing around, I grew mildly frustrated, putting a hand on my waist while the other gripped one of the ropes.
“Where the hell did all of these clouds come from?” I said, narrowing my eyes in an effort to see through them. It probably didn’t help that my goggles were dark tinted, making things harder to see, but I wasn’t going to take them off. I missed it too much.
Pinkie hopped up and put her forelegs on the ledge of the basket, scanning the area as I did. Staring straight ahead, she gave a small smile. “It might be the Pegasi preparing for some rain,” she suggested, and I could only nod in agreement.
“Like when I returned from Appleoosa,” I recalled. After I had stepped out of the clinic in Las Pegasus, there was some rain. It was incredibly brief, hardly soaking my clothing. But I could remember that time clear as day since it was after a foal had…
I gave a long, heavy sigh; it wasn’t healthy to dwell on the past - something I should have learned a very long time ago - but the event had only happened a few days ago. Possibly a week. It was still a sore topic with me. With a hollow smirk, I concluded that was the reason why I felt awkward when someone said I saved the foals. Because I didn’t save all of them.
“So how long till Dusty gets back?” Pinkie asked out of the blue, resting her head on the edge of the basket.
“I don’t know,” I said irritably, not wanting to deal with such a simple question while I had a lot more on my mind. “Five, ten minutes maybe. Why do you ask?”
“He’s funny when he’s flustered,” Pinkie giggled, holding a hoof to her mouth in a vain attempt to hide it. “I want to see more of it.”
“Trust me, Pinkie,” I said in amusement, crossing my arms as I gazed out into the clouds, “I have a feeling you’ll see more of it.”
“Glad you think so too!” Pinkie exclaimed as she looked up to me innocently. As I looked back at her, I just couldn’t imagine her in a relationship, whether it be her naivete or her friendliness. In some ways, I felt like Dusty would be shunned to a place a few boys back at the Police Station referred to as the ‘friend zone’. I had never experienced it myself - only viewing girls as friends up until Emma - but apparently it was bad.
Giving another glance to the surroundings, it became increasingly difficult to ascertain if we would hit something, or someone, if there were Pegasi flying about. I couldn’t even see the ground below, let alone directly underneath the basket. The clouds were far too thick, and I had to wonder why Dusty was worried about someone shooting us. They probably couldn’t even see us. I just hoped Pinkie knew what she was doing.
What also concerned me was that we were gliding through the clouds like they were made of air. Though that would usually be normal, I had been standing on clouds for a day and a half. It just felt odd. Damn, Equestria was confusing.
“I hope we don’t crash into anything,” Pinkie said nonchalantly, tilting her head to the side without a care in the world. Sighing, I raised my hand and gripped the rope that controlled the flames.
“I think we should get higher,” I said cautiously, “At least until Dusty comes back.”
At that exact moment, a loud thud radiated from the side of the basket, along with a groan of pain. A gray hoof revealed itself before clinging to the basket, and the pony pulled himself up, showing that it was Dusty. He rubbed his head with a free hoof, and the tinted glasses he wore were completely askew.
“Too late,” Pinkie stated with a bounce, jumping over to Dusty, “Is the ground A-okay for landing?”
Shaking off his stupor, Dusty faced us with wide eyes, frantic and panicky. That wasn’t a good sign. “Buffalo and Zebra,” he said, causing Pinkie and I to look to each other to see if we heard the same thing. Turning back to Dusty, he shook his head in agitation, like we were supposed to immediately understand him. “Buffalo and Zebra,” he emphasised again, “They’re visiting Las Pegasus from their homelands.”
The first thing to pop into my head was that there was Buffalo walking around, making me curious as to where they lived, and what lifestyle and culture they had. I already had a bit of an idea with what the Zebras were like, thanks to Zecora. However, I dismissed that thought when I considered the reason these two species had come over to the Pony Resistance. The only reason they would come was to discuss their assistance in our cause against the Humans.
Which meant I was a likely liability, considering my streak with the Pegasi didn’t fare too well.
“Oh!” Pinkie said excitedly, lifting up her hooves repeatedly like a child in school. “The Buffalo are here! I haven’t seen them in a looooooong time. Not even Little Strongheart! I wonder how she’s doing? And the Zebras! Zecora never brought up her own kind, and to meet them-”
“You can get excited later,” I interrupted, my eyes flicking between Pinkie and Dusty, “Right now, we need a place to land this thing so the ponies don’t lose two more allies.”
Dusty nodded, “I spoke with Princess Twilight. She wants us to land by the shack in the outskirts of town. You know, the one you sleep in?”
“Sounds good to me,” I said with a nod, glad to have a game plan. In a situation like this, delicacy was the desired skill. I whipped my head over to Pinkie, who faced up in attention. I released the low hanging rope while nudging towards it, indicating the controls. Pinkie stood up straight and saluted me with a serious expression before hopping up to the rope and giving another pull. She hung for only a split second, giving the balloon the necessary heat to carry us over the rest of the town.
I gave another look downward, glad that the clouds were covering our approach. In some way, I was just as excited as Pinkie to meet these new species, but at the same time, I knew I would screw it up somehow. I just had to lay low for the time being, like Rainbow Dash had advised me back in Cloudsdale. Except this time, I was going to listen.
I wasn’t going to ruin our chances this time. Equestria needed the help.
{~+~}
Our landing was less than graceful, considering it was hard to even see the ground. The clouds reached all the way to the floor, making an opaque fog. I didn’t even know if we would land near the shack. The hot air balloon touched down for a second before bouncing off the ground a few times. Dirt and rock was kicked up each time as Pinkie and I held on to the sides. Eventually, the hot air balloon slid to a halt. I waited a few more seconds before letting go, in case a random gust of wind came blowing through. Releasing my grip, my legs suddenly felt weak, and I clutched the basket again. My world was spinning slightly, causing my head to ache. I shook my head hoping to relieve the disorientation, but found no success.
“I’ve seen foals land better,” Dusty commented as he landed in front of me on the earth. “but it could have been worse.”
“I’ll say!” Pinkie agreed from my side. The basket shook for a moment, freaking me out as I tightened my hands. I heard the sound of four hooves landing, which was probably Pinkie exiting the basket. “Like the one time me and my friends were blown out by a tornado! That was a doozy!”
My head was shaking of its own accord, like my body was trying to cure the dizziness that had been placed on me. The feeling of nausea gripped my stomach, making me groan in discomfort. Of all the times to grow sick, why right after landing a hot air balloon? I ignored my inner investigation as my head grew light.
“Um, you alright, No-Lane?” Pinkie questioned, and I opened my eyes a crack, seeing Pinkie stand in front of me. Of course, my vision made it feel like the world was spinning, so I quickly shut my eyes, leaning against the basket side.
“No,” I grumbled, using an arm to caress my stomach, “I might have spent too much time in the sky or something. Not used to it. Walking on clouds for so long probably didn’t help either.”
“It should pass,” Dusty stated rather emotionlessly, “Just a side effect from flying. Some Unicorns and Earth Ponies get air sickness when they’ve spent most of their life on the ground. There are many exceptions, but it’s what I’ve been told.”
Though it wasn’t a lot of information to swallow, my condition at the moment made things difficult to understand. Taking a lot of deep breaths, I calmed myself down enough to feel a bit normal, though I was still slightly queasy. With both hands, I eased my way out of the basket, keeping my movement slow so I wouldn’t suddenly get sick again. When my feet hit solid earth, I leaned my body against the basket, waiting for my sickness to vanish completely.
“So, why is all this fog around?” I questioned, looking around the area, finding nothing in sight but whiteness. I might as well strike up a conversation while we waited for Twilight or someone to decide on what to do next. “I don’t really see much benefit with having it around.”
“To a Human, maybe,” Dusty replied stepped beside me, “but to us Ponies, it’s necessary. We sometimes use the clouds to hide activity from the Humans, especially during the day. I’m guessing Princess Twilight or Princess Cadance wanted to make the meeting with the Buffalo and Zebra as secret as possible.”
“So why haven’t I seen it used before?” I retorted, growing fascinated by such a tactic. It was pretty ingenious.
Dusty grunted, “It takes a lot of Pegasi to create and maintain fog, and to have one cover up most of Las Pegasus would be very, very hard.”
“Like putting cotton candy into a lollipop!” Pinkie said excitedly before licking her lips exaggeratedly. “Mmm, cotton candy…”
“Uh, sure,” Dusty agreed warily.
I stared some more into the white abyss, more questions popping into my head regarding the fog. Like why cover the city with fog when two groups of allies are around? Was it to keep the Humans from noticing a large group of non-Humans’ movements? That was probably the case, and I was too lazy to ask Dusty for more information. For the time being, I let my mind go as blank as the fog around me. “Just as thick as pea soup too,” I said rather randomly, remembering quite a few television shows referring to fogs as such.
Dusty balked at me, “What kind of soup?”
“Pea soup,” I answered with a shrug as I turned to him, “It’s just-” I noticed his disgusted expression before it clicked in my mind what he meant, and I slapped a hand to my face. “Oh for fuck’s sake. No, we don’t do that with our soup.”
Dusty did ease up a bit, but still kept a disbelieving look on him. I couldn’t believe he would jump to such a bizarre conclusion with pea soup. It sounded like a half-assed joke to use amongst ten year olds or something.
“Do what with soup?” Pinkie asked, popping up between Dusty and I, looking between us expectantly.
“Nothing,” we both said monotonically.
“Hello?” a timid voice called from within the fog, catching our attention. “I hear somepony but I can’t see.”
“Fluttershy!” Pinkie shouted, jumping away from us and waving a hoof while Fluttershy squeaked. “We’re over here.”
“P-Pinkie Pie?” She asked, “Where is here?”
I sighed in annoyance, “Where our voices are.”
“Oh, Nolan,” Fluttershy said, and I saw a dark figure slowly make it’s way over to us. “I didn’t know you would be out in the fog.”
She finally came into view with a small smile on her face. “How was-?” she started before squeaking again when she saw me, falling down to cover her head as she shook uncontrollably.
I pushed off of the basket in worry, thinking I did something to scare her. Crouching down, I gestured with my hands outward, unsure if I should touch her. “Whoa, hey, calm down,” I said softly, “What are you afraid of?”
Fluttershy peaked out from between her hooves to gaze at me again. She unfurled her forelegs as she continued to stare at me, shivering every once and while. “Your mask is scary,” she explained, “The last time you wore it was when you… punched Robert.”
Simply ‘punching’ Robert was an understatement. More like beat him to a pulp. But that wasn’t the point at the moment. Giving a nod, I stood back up with my hands crossed. “Yeah,” I said, “I’ve been told that before.”
Dusty eyed me like I was full of shit, but didn’t say anything. He obviously hadn’t seen me in action while wearing it. Pinkie rushed over to Fluttershy, walking around her before sidling up to her.
“So whatcha doing all the way out here, Fluttershy?” she asked.
“Twilight wanted me to meet you,” she said, keeping her eyes on Pinkie, “She’s very busy with the Buffalo and Zebra diplomats.”
“Did she have any plans for me?” I questioned, growing slightly worried. If Twilight couldn’t meet me, then she may not get a chance until the diplomats left. And by then it might be too late.
“I can’t say,” Fluttershy admitted with a shake of her head. She tapped her chin a moment in thought, “But I did hear her mention something about you returning a lot sooner than she thought you would.”
So, Twilight was banking on me being gone in Cloudsdale long enough for her to get the aid of the Buffalos and Zebras. Of course, if I had known things would go south with the Pegasi, I would have warned Twilight beforehand. But the past was in the past.
“Alright,” I spoke up, standing up straight. Gripping my mask, I tore it off, feeling the chilly fog reach my skin. I tossed my helmet, mask, and goggles into the basket, figuring I could grab it later. A glance around showed no sign of my shack, and I knew Pinkie would have landed as close as possible to it. So either she missed the target, or the fog was a lot thicker than I thought. “I’ll find my shack and wait for this business to blow over.”
Dusty grunted, elbowing me in the knee, “You sure you can wait that long? These kind of things don’t finish over night.”
“Like I have a choice,” I replied. Sometimes, I felt like that statement was far too true. And at that very moment, a sharp gasp was heard behind me, causing all of us to whip around to the hot air balloon. Leaning over it was who I assumed was a Buffalo. This one in particular was about as tall as any other pony I’ve seen. The head was a little lower, almost revealing no neck, and with pointed ears. What stood out the most however was that the Buffalo had a band around the forehead with a white and black feather poking out from the back. Like a native american.
I would have called that racist, but this was a normal thing in this world.
The Buffalo stared as we stared right back. My eyes were wide, and I refused to make any sort of movement. The Buffalo might interpret it as an attack or something. At that point, the entire negotiations involving the Zebras and Buffalos hinged on the next few seconds.
“Well,” I breathed, not even moving my jaw to speak normally, “Things just keep getting better and better.”
“Little Strongheart!” Pinkie shouted and making everyone jump from the sudden volume, even the Buffalo. “It’s been so long!”
I closed my eyes in irritation, really wishing Pinkie would just shut up for one minute. Just one minute. Then again she did know who this Buffalo was, and that was definitely an advantage. Reopening my eyes, I waited for the Buffalo - Little Strongheart - to speak, and I didn’t need to wait long.
“You’re a…” she said, tilting her head to the side, “Human?”
I shrugged, “Yeah, I’m a Human.”
Another bout of silence elapsed, and Little Strongheart slowly shifted across the basket of the hot air balloon. Her eyes never left my own as she dropped her forelegs on the ground. Just like all of the other ponies, she had an air of cuteness to her, like a small bundle of brown fur…
Damnit, brain, no time for shit like that.
Little Strongheart stepped closer, and for the first time, ripped her eyes away from me to face Pinkie. “Why are you with a Human?” she questioned, though not in a hostile way, which was somewhat particular. The Buffalo must know that Humans were the enemies, if not from experience or observation than by accounts from the Ponies.
Pinkie looked up to me before facing Little Strongheart. I could almost feel the large grin Pinkie gave, causing me to give a small smile of my own. She was contagious when it came to those.
“His name is No-Lane-” she started.
“Nolan,” I corrected, rolling my eyes as my smile disappeared.
“-and he’s a friendly Human!” Pinkie finished with a small hop. It was at that point that I felt I had hit my limit of Pinkie. Her cheerfulness can wear a guy down. I needed a break away from her, and I knew the perfect excuse to do it too.
“Fluttershy?” I asked, her eyes landing on me, “Do you have a pen and paper I could use? I need to write a letter.”
She shook her head, “No, but I know a pony who would be happy to give you those.”
“Then get that pony,” I said, hopefully not as a command but as a request, “Tell him to meet me in my shack.” I threw a thumb over my shoulder before glancing around again. “If he can find it anyway.”
Fluttershy nodded, looking like she was glad to have something to do. I didn’t hate Fluttershy, but she didn’t seem to be very useful in this time of crisis. She was the Element of Kindness, and in war, kindness could only get her so far. Compared to the other ponies, she was useless, and even thinking that made me feel guilty. I couldn’t even imagine what she could be going through.
Before Fluttershy could take one step, she stopped herself, turning to me with the same innocent smile. “How was Cloudsdale?” she asked sweetly. “Twilight told me you were visiting.”
I just looked at her, my heart aching. I couldn’t bring myself to do anything else. I had completely forgotten that the rest of the Ponies had no idea about our failure. Add the fact that Fluttershy was a Pegasus, and it made me feel even worse. It was like the world wanted to remind me of my mistake. I was probably over glorifying it, but I still felt terrible.
“Some things…” Dusty spoke up, thankfully, shifting his hooves and watching the ground. “Happened. We’ll fill everyone in later.”
And what a delight that would be.
Fluttershy nodded again before trotting off into the fog. It might have been her Pegasus abilities, but I wondered how she can navigate through any of this. And her lack of using her wings worried me a bit. I had never seen her use them once, while a lot of Pegasi flew every chance they got. She could have been crippled for all I knew, possibly when she was enslaved.
Closing my eyes, I tried to distance myself with that line of thought. It wouldn’t lead to anything good; just self pity and fury. At the moment, I didn’t want nor need those two. I would question it later, in private. I didn’t want a repeat of the party after returning from Fillydelphia.
A nudge from my leg caught my attention, and I glanced down to see Pinkie Pie. “I’m going to head with Fluttershy,” she announced, pointing to the fog, “You alright by yourself?”
“I’d be better if I knew where the shack was,” I admitted, scanning the whiteness again. Pinkie giggled as she trotted past me. She made it a couple paces before stopping. Lifting up a hoof dramatically, she pushed it forward, and a loud metallic thud was heard. To me, it looked like she just hit the fog itself, but when she turned around, she had a wide grin on her face that said otherwise.
“It’s right here,” she declared, holding up a hoof like a woman on a game show would do. I balked for half a second before grunting in humor. Of course, Pinkie could find the shack. She seemed to have a knack for the weirdest things.
She walked back and passed by, heading where Fluttershy had disappeared. Dusty and Little Strongheart followed behind silently, neither giving sign of farewell to me. Well, Little Strongheart did give a worried glance back, but I didn’t count that. They were slowly being consumed in the fog when I heard Pinkie speak up again.
“Oh, Little Strongheart,” Pinkie said, her silhouette figure hopping, “Make sure not to tell the Buffalos about Nolan! It’s a secret until Twilight says it’s okay. You see they might hurt him, and I don’t want him to be hurt!”
“I understand,” Little Strongheart replied, as their figures vanished before my eyes. I could vaguely hear more of their conversation, but it was too quiet to make out. Facing where Pinkie had struck the metal siding, I took careful steps as I lifted up my hands, feeling my way through the fog. Luckily, my caution wasn’t needed, as just a couple strides away I could see the walls.
Steady as a rock since I had left it, and far enough away from the other ponies to feel isolated. I may have hated the small shack before, but I found myself retreating to it for a multitude of reasons. Living in a compact city like Los Angeles made me forget how much I desired being alone. Truly alone.
Shuffling along the side of the shack, I found the door and entered, finding relief that I could see clearly. Seeing the bed caused my muscles to feel weak, as if the sight of it made me tired. With my eyes feeling slightly heavy, I took off my shotgun and revolver, lightly tossing them to the side before falling into the bed.
Sleeping on a solid yet soft material was nice, not like the unfamiliarity of the clouds. Then again, I had been sleeping in a prison, so the beds could have been manipulated to be as hard as stone. It was probably something I wouldn’t figure out, and didn’t bother to think on it as I quickly drifted to sleep.
{~+~}
“I’m a little pony, cute and stout. Here is my tail, and here is my snout. When I get all steamed up, I just shout, ‘Have some friendship and hug it out’! Ho, ho! I love that song! I changed some of the words so it can fit both of our worlds! Aren’t I a swell friend, Nolan?”
“What… the… fuck!?”
“Well, that’s no way to talk to a friend. You could learn a thing or two from me! And I must say, that’s saying something. Oh, and Manehattan is lovely this time of year!”
{~+~}
My body jerked as I came out of the dream. With my racing heart, I would have chalked it up as a nightmare, but there was something about it. The dream wasn’t something I would associate with a nightmare. I didn’t feel like I had escaped from a monster, or experienced a similar trauma. Instead, I had a deep feeling of unsettlement and possibly confusion. I couldn’t even compare it to any of my previous life occurrences. It was really unique and bizarre.
Taking a deep breath, I pushed myself up with a hand rubbing my forehead. Why was I always getting weird dreams in this world? First Luna, and then this mysterious voice who claimed to be my friend. I couldn’t even bring this up to the Ponies without looking like I was losing my mind. Voices in my heads… that must have been worse than when Luna was rattling around in my mind. At least with her I could remember what was happening.
A soft thud resonated in the room, and I perked my head, forgetting the dream for the time being. From the sound, I could only assume that a bird had hit the shack. However, there was muttering outside, which was far softer than the previous noise. Getting to my feet, I kept quiet as I listened carefully. However, it wasn’t needed as someone knocked on the door.
“Nolan?” the voice of Apple Bloom, sounding both uncertain and hurried, “Are ya in there?”
I was genuinely surprised to hear from her. Not only had I not spoken with her for a long time, but that she also made her way through the thick fog. I swiftly opened the door, looking down at Apple Bloom, who was rubbing a hoof on her nose, grimacing.
“That hurts…” she mumbled to herself before shaking it off, tilting her head way back to face me. “Nolan, can ya come with me ta check on Applejack?”
The question was a bit out of the blue, but Apple Bloom wouldn’t have asked if it wasn’t important. She may be a kid, but she had her priorities straight, especially in this day and age.
“Sure,” I answered with a curt nod, stepping out of my shack, “What’s the problem?”
Apple Bloom shook her head, her frown deepening, “She’s been talkin’ in her sleep a bunch. A-And she’s been looking really tired, like she ain’t really sleepin’.”
I was certainly concerned at that point. Applejack was too prideful to tell anyone about her problems. Hell, I doubt she even told anyone besides Fluttershy, Carrot Top, and I about her rape back in Ponyville. It kind of hurt to think she was keeping all of her emotions and problems cooped up inside of herself.
“What does she say?” I asked, crouching down to her level, “In her sleep, I mean.”
“...Ta leave her alone,” Apple Bloom said, her ears folding back. Her voice was fairly quiet, like she was suppressing a sob. “I don’t stay long to hear anythin’ else. I just don’t know what to do.”
I didn’t want a crying filly on my hands, so I desperately tried to think of something to ask. “What about…” I started, as her eyes glanced up to me. “What about the other ponies? She’s been friends with Twilight and the others for who knows how long. I only met her a week ago.”
“But no one else has been with her since the Humans took over,” Apple Bloom insisted, propping her her forelegs on my knees. Her face was only a foot away, and I couldn’t break eye contact with her. “You’re the first person ta see her for months. I might be just a foal, but I know that some ponies change when they're gone for a long time.”
She bowed her head, “I mean, everypony is different. They’re always busy, and nopony wants to play with us. Twilight, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack; they just don’t seem like themselves. It just all feels… wrong.”
All I could do was stare at her, slightly taken back by her words. Jesus, she had all of that in her head this whole time? And she was just a kid! One that was a prisoner for the Humans for a time. I hated how all of this had to befall such an innocent bystander like her. War knew no innocents, I suppose.
“Well, come on,” I said, raising myself back up, “Let’s check on Applejack.”
The weak, almost forced smile she gave me was more than enough to raise my mood. Even though she was living in a harsh world, one she never thought she would be in, she could still smile in spite of it. She pushed off from my legs and bolted into the fog, waving a forehoof to follow. She really wanted me to hurry. And I was afraid if I didn’t, I would lose her in the fog.
So I jogged after her, hoping we didn’t bump into any Buffalo and Zebras along the way.
As Apple Bloom and I walked through the fog, I came to notice that the ground had a line dug into it, and that Apple Bloom was running along it. Putting two and two together, I came to the conclusion that she had drawn it to help her through the fog. Quite ingenious.
“By the way, Apple Bloom,” I called her, and she turned her head towards me without losing her pace, “Who told you I was back? Or I was in the shack? Or how to even find the shack?”
“Pinkie Pie,” she answered simply, facing forward like it was the only reply needed. And in truth, it really was. Needless to say, I should have seen it coming. And when we reached a building, one that was pretty typical of all the other buildings in Las Pegasus, I found myself breathing a sigh of relief. Leave it to Pinkie to help us make our way through some fog.
Apple Bloom didn’t waste any time as she rushed to the door, pushing it open without a care. As I approached the doorway, I had to wonder if any Buffalo or Zebras were inside, and if that was the case, how I was going to get to Applejack. However, as I stuck my head inside, examining the interiour, I saw no sign that either of those species was there.
“Come on, Nolan,” Apple Bloom whispered, standing beside another door, which was closed. Apple Bloom was a lot more desperate, pawing at the floor slightly, though not enough to make any noise. “Applejack is through here.”
Swallowing, I stepped carefully past the couch and coffee tables towards Apple Bloom. I didn’t know why I was growing nervous from seeing Applejack, though the last time I spoke with her didn’t end well. There was no doubt she would give me an earful, but if what Apple Bloom said was true, Applejack was having a harder time than I would. With the door in front of me, I hesitated a moment before I reached out for the door handle.
“I’ll talk with her alone,” I said, turning to Apple Bloom. She didn’t argue, or even look to me. She had accepted it, and stood rooted to the spot. I couldn’t tell if it was out of fear or simply doing what I said. Whatever the reason, I was heading inside by myself. I twisted the knob, ready to do just that.
“Um, Nolan?” Apple Bloom asked, and I faced her again with a raised brow. “What’s rape?”
My heart jumped for half a second, my stomach feeling sick as I looked down at Apple Bloom. Of all the questions she had to ask, she had to go with one she wouldn’t understand. And it wasn’t my place to tell her at her age either. However, I had to say something about it, even if it made me sicker than it did back at the hot air balloon.
“Why…” I started, finding myself short on breath, “Why do you ask?”
“Derpy said it at your party,” Apple Bloom stated, “And I didn’t know what it meant.”
I nodded slowly in understanding, my hands nearly shaking on how I would explain. “It’s…” I said, releasing the door handle to hide my hands. They were trembling ever so slightly, and I felt like I had to hide that. “It’s when someone hurts another really badly. So badly that it leaves a scar in their heart. One that doesn’t go away for a long time.”
I couldn’t believe how accurate I was, even when I was avoiding the real definition. My stomach was doing flips, and my hands shook even more. I hoped what I gave her was enough to sate her curiosity. I didn’t think she could ask a worse question than that.
“Did you ever have to rape anypony?” Apple Bloom asked. A hand rose to cover my mouth in horror. Even if Apple Bloom was basing her question off of my explanation, I couldn’t imagine myself doing that. Just the very thought was all kinds of wrong. I couldn’t hide my shaking any longer, and my breathing was heavy too.
Apple Bloom didn’t take notice of my behavior, standing by and waiting for my answer. She knew I had hurt others for the Ponies, but she didn’t know how much. If only she knew, if only I wasn’t the one who had to answer her questions. Why did she have to ask me? I gritted my teeth as I clamped my eyes shut; Damnit… God fucking damn it.
“No,” I said at last, easing my shoulders, “No, I never… did that to anyone. And I never will.”
That reply was harder to muster than it should have been. It was obvious to me that it was the correct answer, yet it took a good amount of strength to bring it out to light. It made me feel drained, but I still had to help AJ.
“Don’t mention rape to anybody else, alright?” I instructed, twisting the door handle again.
“But why-?”
“Just don’t!” I exclaimed, making her jump back in fright. I couldn’t look at her, I couldn’t face her and know I had scared her. So instead, I pushed the door open and slunk inside, closing it behind me.
The room was dark, with the only light being from the window, which was filtered through a pair of thin curtains. The window hung just above a bed, giving it enough light to show someone under the blue covers, facing away from me. If the blonde mane and orange coat didn’t give away who it was, then the Stetson hat and red hairbands on the nearby table did.
In that situation, I was unable to find the urge to wake Applejack up. After what Apple Bloom had brought up, it made me realize just how much AJ had gone through, for her family and for herself. She deserved to sleep, just for a few moments longer. And as I watched her, I could feel depression set in.
My eyes lingered on her still form, the covers rising and falling with each breath. She was so vulnerable, but she refused to show it to anyone. It made me sad, more so than I would care to admit. Why did she have to keep her emotions at bay, even from her own sister? She was my friend, and the way she acted almost made me wish I could undo the past.
“No…” Applejack whispered, turning towards me. She was still asleep, but her face was scrunched up in rage and fear. “Get away… Leave me alone…”
“Applejack?” I called, walking slowly towards her. She was tossing and turning frantically, her eyelids twitching. She kicked at the covers, showing her quivering body as she gritted her teeth.
“I just wanted…” she said, her breathing ragged as she twisted around. “I just wanted her safe…”
“AJ,” I said, stopping as I stood above her. She looked so defenseless at that moment. All the other ponies were probably the same in one way or another, but with Applejack, she always put up a strong front, sort of like Rainbow Dash. Unlike Rainbow, however, Applejack had been sexually violated, and had refused to tell anybody about it except for Fluttershy, Carrot Top, and myself.
“No, no stop!” she exclaimed, her movements becoming more wild by the second. I needed to get her out of her nightmare and back into reality, despite both being nearly similar. I leaned over to grab her, hopefully to shake her out, but she lashed out with a hoof, grazing my cheek.
I reeled back a bit, reaching a hand to where she had stuck me. It was slightly sore, not too painful, but Applejack was growing increasingly violent. Her nightmare must have been worse than I thought.
“Applejack,” I said loudly, quickly reaching out my hands and grabbing her flailing forehooves. She struggled, tears leaking out of her closed eyes. Her breathing was erratic as she did whatever she could to break away from me. “Applejack!”
“Let me go!” she yelled, taking in gulps of air, “I… I don’t want to… Let me go! Let me go!
“Applejack!” I shouted, jerking her forward to give her the full volume. Her eyes snapped open with a gasp. For a couple seconds, I gazed into her frightened emerald eyes, seeing her realize she wasn’t in her nightmare, but in the real world. She remained still, her ears straight up and alert as I held on to her hooves.
“N-Nolan,” she said, her voice strained as her breath hitched. The tears that were already in her eyes increased as her ears slowly drooped. Scrunching up her face again, she closed her eyes as she tilted her head down. “Nolan...”
She threw herself against my chest, her forelegs held close to herself as she sobbed. I had one arm cradled around her, while the other held her head. Her sobs escalated to cries, her body convulsing with each shout of inner pain. All of the emotions she held back, the ones she hid, came flooding out. She made no move to stop it either, and just let it all out.
I didn’t say a word; No comfort, no questions about her dream, nothing. I just eased my body to sit on the bed, hardly shifting Applejack in my arms. We just sat there, Applejack’s tears dampening my vest as she continued to cry. Her anguish almost put me to tears too. I didn’t know what held it in though. I felt like I was on the brink the whole time, but not a single tear spilled out.Seconds turned to minutes as Applejack’s cries faded back to sobs until there was only her shaky breathing. I glanced down to her, only seeing her blonde mane. She sniffled occasionally with a couple instances of silence thrown in.
“I thought…” Applejack spoke up at last, “I thought I was bein’... r-raped again.” She shivered, pressing her body harder against mine. “Nolan, I… I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all. I-I never heard anythin’ ‘bout it. And it had just happened.” She sounded like she was going into another bout of crying, but she restrained herself as she took a deep breath.
“AJ,” I consoled quietly, stroking her head slightly, “To be honest, I have no idea how to handle your pain. I just don’t know. I can support you like any of your other friends, but I have no experience with it either. I wish I could do more… but I can’t.”
Being so brutally truthful to her hurt me internally. I wanted to take them back, change it to something more soothing to see her happy demeanor again. But I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I couldn’t lie and say it would all get better soon, because I didn’t know if it would.
“Thank you,” she breathed, extending out a hoof to wrap it around my arm, “Thank ya kindly.”
Her head lifted up to stare into my eyes, her face still contorted in sorrow and distress. Her eyes were reddened, and she had tear stains on her cheeks. As she locked eyes with me, with my hand still holding up her head, I could feel her gratitude. Nothing more really needed to be said. And I didn’t believe she was thanking me for being there to hug her and keep her company. I believe she was glad she could hear the truth from someone she trusted. She too didn’t want to hear the lies either.
She slid off of me as I stood up, putting a hand over where her tears had soaked my chest. She just sat there, staring at the ground, contemplating. I didn’t bother guessing what it could be. I just gave a ghost of a smile.
“We all need somebody to lean on,” I replied, and she nodded so slowly that I was surprised I caught it. I paused, searching what to bring up next, and I glanced back to the door, where Apple Bloom still remained. “Your sister has been worried about you. Talk to someone, okay? You have to tell your friends eventually. Fluttershy could help you through it.”
“Fluttershy…” Applejack whispered, her head hanging even lower, “Here I am bawlin’ my eyes out and she’s been through so much more. I’m such a selfish Pony.”
“No,” I responded instantly and firmly, causing Applejack to perk her head slightly, “You’re anything but selfish. Just like you and me, we both lost loved ones. It doesn’t make us different. It’s the same with you and Fluttershy.” I gave a heavy sigh, “You both need to talk about it.”
Applejack nodded again, though much more noticeably. I could have brought up the question that Apple Bloom had asked me, but I didn’t want to load another weight onto Applejack. We needed to take it one step at a time. And as I gazed out the window, I knew we would have to deal with the Buffalo and Zebras soon.
Because the fog was lifting.
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That you do. Damn good to see another chapter.
I have been waiting for a awesome chapter...... and I got one.
Damn..The feels man
YES! Another of one of my favorite stories updated! Thanks for the update Super Dale, you made my day!
You know its a good day when this story updates, dam dude this hit my feelings hard.
damn dude, I have a small list of stories that I'm willing to stick with when there is a large gap between chapters and these chapters keep it on top of the list, good work.
After re-reading the entire story, I can safely say it all fits well so far, and that plans are moving apace....but I am getting worried about Luna.......somethings not right....and whats in Manehatten?
MORE PLS MORE. I cant live anymore... your updates take so long but the story is so good, and why do you always end on cliff hangers? is this AOT all over agn?
Was that Discord? That dream was way too random. It had to be him.
A great, cathartic chapter. I'm glad that Applejack is dealing with her emotional wounds--most authors would had
handhoof-waved it.I also like how Nolan handled Applebloom, a little sister who needed to do something but didn't know whom to ask.
Well done.
Dear superdale33,
You sir have a fucking talent! This story is one of the best HiE I have ever read. Everything is perfect, it's not just all action or charter development it's a perfect blend of both. I can see that as an author you put true passion into your work and I love it. I can't wait to see what this story has in store for us. Best of luck to you and your story. Green~out
Waited a long time for the chapter and it was amazing. Applejack needs a shoulder to cry on and right about now all she really has is Nolan. Sadly he can only do so much but be there for her. Should be interesting to see what the Zebra's and the Buffalo want and the crazy voice in the dark can only be Discord. And I think he is giving out a hint. Maybe where they should go next? To find the last of the elements? To find Rarity?
You and your cliffhangers, superdale.
5688774 What's weird was that I didn't really intend it to be a cliffhanger. I didn't even think it was one until people pointed it out.
5690409 yet agin an other good one.
but if anything i wish those pegis would be ent a nofie that due to not helping them there no longer part of the contry
5690409
...And that's why they call him Cliff-Hanger!
Ah, the memories of childhood.
Also, on a completely different note, this is one of the best HIE's I have read. Keep it up!
To watch a story walk from the depths of a shadow, into the light of recognition is a great achievement for me. Me, you may ask? Well, I have been here since the beginning. From chapter one to now. It wasn't until chapter five did this story get just a few more views.
This masterpiece will stay in the hearts of hundreds of people. And who knows, maybe someone will write their own on this and will become a new genre in the Fandom. Just like "Your Human and You", "Fallout: Equestria", and many others.
Thank you SuperDale33 for giving us a story that has never been done like this before and to keep it going. You are a hero to many, and a legend in the fandom.
5717396 img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120919141553/mlp/images/7/74/Applejack_blush_S02E14.gif
I didn't really think I was doing that well. But considering how far I've gone with this story... I'm just glad everyone's enjoying it.
Still waiting for Nolan to punch out a pony, the insane ones at the asylum don't count.
5727663 Well, you never know with this story...
I'd be so pissed if I had to leave behind my shit, regardless of what it was D8>
nice chapter man, once more!
AJ NEEDS SUM HUGGIN'S!
Nice work.