What It Means

by Dustchu

Wind Nation Arc - Time to Split

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In Town

---

I didn't waste time before dashing back to the Inn where we were staying. it took me some time to find it, as I was in an unfamiliar part of the town. But thankfully after a few minutes of aimless running around, I found the inn and burst through the front doors before going to my room. I ran inside a snagged my bow and arrows before throwing them on. Once I was done, I checked Dancer's room and found both mares inside. Dancer looked to me in surprise. "Where were you at? We looked all over for y-."

I shook my head. "No time, we gotta bail," I told her, heart pounding in my chest. "Those caribou found me and they mean business, so we better run for it," I explained quickly. I left out some details, obviously, but I didn't have time to explain everything!

Blade Dancer looked pissed. "Again? What did you do to piss them off?" She hissed under her breath. Her tone was somewhere along the lines of pissed and disbelief. And it was probably directed more so towards the caribou, as well as me. Understandable, considering she knocked several of them out with a few sucker punches, thus emblazoning her image in my mind appropriately as: Someone to not fuck with.

"Uhh," I coughed, scratching my hip. "Shall I explain while we mayhaps, run?" Dancer and Sakura gave each other looks before grabbing their things.

And run we did.

Dancer and Sakura quickly gathered their things, which wasn't much considering they bought so little from the market. Sakura had a new pack now though, so that was a plus. She could carry some things. Dancer also had a somewhat larger pack for herself, which sounded like it was filled with things, though what things I didn't know and so I didn't pry as we made a move. Once we had everything, we paid the inn for the short stay and quickly left before running through the streets, passing by several ponies and griffons alike and headed for the exit on the eastern side.

"Okay, explain to me why we're running!" Dancer ordered me as we ran. While Sakura and I were running, Dancer was in a sort of jog. She was super tall and had some long legs, so... whew.

I gulped as we passed by a wagon, my own pack shifting slightly from the heavy weight of the orb inside of it. When the fuck was I supposed to tell them about this? "Well, those caribou we fought earlier at the pub up the road? Well they're after me because of what a mare and I sorta did to them...?" I offered, getting a look from the mare that bordered on say what now? I could tell them the truth... but could I even trust Dancer with what i was carrying? "Look, we kinda... fucked them over in a deal gone wrong okay?" I lied... and they both looked at me as I ran, eyes drilling into the back of my head.

I felt like shit saying that to them... I just lied to them both, and now I had to keep that lie up. But, I was doing it for good reason... right? While I didn't exactly trust the two mares just yet, despite I didn't want them getting involved with this bullshit I was in on. I didn't want anyone getting these keys to try and release... whoever it was, and I trust Daring to hide the ones she has now because she's Daring. She's not going to risk her home andh er loved ones to some legend or myth, she knows better. Another thought... could I hide the one I have now? Would my own personal greed get in the way of that? Would someone offer me something I couldn't refuse in return for the key?

...

I shook my head, I couldn't let that happen. I mean... this isn't my world, so I owe nothing to the world's inhabitants, nothing at all. I could just dump the key somewhere in a river, abandon Sakura and Dancer to their own devices, and go on my own path away from it all and live off the land. Or go find the other humans and live with them away from all of this crap. But instead, I'm risking life, limb, and soul to keep a key from getting into the hands of some dangerous individuals, getting into fights I could run away from, and obeying the law.

Truly, my life is one clusterfuck right now.

Dancer seemed to be staring at the back of my head as we continued running through the town. I didn't know what she was thinking, probably wondering if I had something to hide. Cause I did give a bullshit reason when she asked. A deal gone wrong? Pfft. I just focused on getting out of town, shaking away those thoughts. I had killed like two or three of those fuckwits, four if you count the one I had stabbed back at the pub down the road towards where I found Sakura. And chances are they're all out for my head, considering what I've done, I took one of their keys twice and killed some of their dudes. I'd be surprised if they weren't after me.

I had to get out of this place and far away from those dudes. I also had to get Sakura and Dancer out of here, while I'm sure Dancer was one hell of a fighter, the caribou could probably cheat or something, and I wasn't in the mood to listen to them rape my new friends...

The three of us kept moving through Jainko until we found the road leading out. We ran down it as fast as we could away from the town, leaving it and hopefully the caribou far behind us. I'm sure it would be fine, as long as we weren't there we'd be fine and so would the people. As we continued down the road out of town, I thought about how far I've come since arriving here. It's been a few days I think, maybe more, I don't know, I'm horrible at keeping track of time. Anyway, it has been a few days since I arrived here and already I've killed maybe four or five dudes and I'm having to keep some freaky demon orb away from some bad dudes or the world's fucked over by some uber dark king guy.

Fantastic. Is this what all heroes in games and shit go through?

I really want some incentive out of this crap, like money, special favors, or something! But alas, the morally better part of me just wants to do some good in the world. Ugh, being me sucked sometimes.

I'm not sure how much time passed between us leaving and arriving at this crossroads where we were at now. But it may have been an hour, maybe more, jeez. I have no idea how far we ran but a look behind us and the town was just a distant blur on the horizon, a small blurry dot. Fear makes a man do some incredible things, especially when that fear is as thick as a giant elephant dick. I was breathing pretty hard, which didn't surprise me considering I wasn't used to running as much as I have today. Dancer seemed pretty alright, she wasn't even breathing hard, hell, she barely looked winded! Sakura, however, was worse than I was. The poor filly was leaning against a tree and trying to suck in as much oxygen as she could.

I spat onto the ground as my lungs burned. I went about checking to make sure everything of mine was still in its place, and once I found everything in order, I spoke up, "Jeez..." I coughed out, standing up as straight as I could even as my legs ached. "Don't think I've ever run as much as that."

The three of us rested for a wee bit of time, trying to gather our strength. More so Sakura and I rather than all three of us. Dancer was just staring at me still with her bright blue eyes. I couldn't help but gulp. "So, you fucked over a bunch of Caribou?" She questioned me, and I nodded slowly.

In a way, it was true. I did fuck them over, at least three times now, maybe more. Again, I am horrible at keeping track of things. I did fuck over the Caribou, so I was just... redirecting the truth in a way? So as not to tell them what I had actually done in detail. "Ye-yeah, pretty much. Though in my defense, the mare I was with roped me into said situation against my will." I explained to the mare as I rested against a rather large tree and wiping my brow.

All that running left me tired as balls, but we gotta keep moving.

Sakura walked over to the river nearby and splashed her face with some water as Dancer walked over to me. Her imposing form towered over me quite a bit, I mean... I was like 5'10'' and she was almost solid 7', so... yeah, she's a biggin'. "I think you're hiding something..." Dancer muttered, looking down at me like I was a slug on the ground before her boots.

In some aspect, yes... yes I was a slug. "H-hiding something?" I asked, cursing my stutter. "I'm not hiding anything."

She narrowed her eyes at me, and looked ready to say something before Sakura said, "Should we keep moving?"

I nodded quickly. "Yes! Yes we should," Dancer eyed me still and as Sakura walked off I said, "You have your reasons, and I have my own." I followed after Sakura down the road, hoping to put the small town of Jainko and the caribou behind us for good.

But some things are never that easy are they?

---

Several Hours Later

---

We had gone as far as we could before resting near a large river that went on for quite some time. It was a deep one too, considering I saw a half sunken ship in the distance near a waterfall. It looked like one of the frigates from AC 4: Black Flag, but was missing its sails and had some massive holes in the sides. The river was pristine looking, crystal clear unlike the rivers of my hometown with a sparse amount of trees all around and clear fields of short grass and a rocky sandbar. The skies were slightly cloudy and I noticed a road on the other side of the river that went off into the woods, I'm not sure where it went though.

We had taken to resting near some trees and rocks, Sakura looking off into the wilderness as Dancer and I filled up some canteens with fresh water which we pulled out of the river and put into a pot. Dancer boiled it after a comment I made about making sure to clean out whatever it might have in it. Granted they have magic and shit, but it was more for my sake than anyone's else. Who knows if there were some kind of magical viral microbes or something floating around in the water. That shit might kill me if given the chance to enter my system. I can handle the flu no prob, but I wasn't sure if my body could handle some trippy magic virus.

Eventually, we had our water some of which I had drunk greedily before filling it up again and looking aroundthe area. I wasn't sure of our food situation, but our water was pretty decent for now. I needed to see about purchasing some food for us all whenever we made it to the next town. I would love something sweet right now, like candy... fuck, maybe I should have gone to Equestria to begin with, go to the bakery or something in Ponyville.

Alas, too late for that now. I sighed, sitting down near some trees after taking off my pack and Kama and setting them aside. Dancer had her own pack lying next to a rock across from Sakura and me. I watched the river flow for a while, contemplating what to do with my time. As much as I would love to rest, I felt like I needed to do something to help me fight better. Granted I took those caribou thugs down fairly... decently. But still... I was acting out of fear and instinct! I'd rather have more than just that to fight with. They were just grunts! Would I even be able take on any of the more experienced dudes?

Probably not, if I'm being honest.

Suddenly Dancer hopped off of the rock she was sitting on, landing perfectly on her feet before going over to her pack and opening it up. And after a moment of me watching her, she pulled out a handle... like, a sword grip or something before she walked over to me. "Pick up your weapons."

I rose an eyebrow at her and stood up before gripping my Kama, keeping my eyes on her. "Oooookay, why?" I asked her, what was her game?

And suddenly in a flash of light, I found myself barely dodging the swing of a blade. I managed to quickly duck down out of the way, rolling to my right out of pure instinct as I held up my Kama in a prepared block. I saw the grip thing she had was now a rather long Katana. The blade was black as night itself with a gleaming silver edge along the blade's edge. The grip and pommel itself had some elegant carvings and a guard that was shaped like the crescent moon.

She was staring down at me with a tiny smile on her face, and said, "You're a fast one."

"The hell Dancer?!" I hissed, as I saw Sakura hide behind a tree nearby. What was she up to?! Was she turning on me or something? The fuck!?

Dancer stalked around me in the open field we were in, her eyes still on mine as I felt that feeling of fear coming back full force. She was planning something... but what? I didn't know, but it probably didn't bode well for me. "I was just curious is all. I saw the blood on your Kama and was curious to see how well you would hold up in a fight." She told me as I stood up and stumbled off to the side away from her. I held my Kama up in a fighter's pose, both held tight in my hands as I circled around her. She seemed to be examining me, holding her blade towards me as her eyes ran up and down my form. "Your stance is an odd one, not one I've seen before..."

She's reading me? How could she... well she's a former adventurer, so she's probably seen some action and knew the tells. I was tense with how I moved, my muscles primed for what was or might come at me any second but my mind wasn't racing. I was focusing as much mental power as I had into watching her, studying her carefully and waiting for that first strike. If and when she came at me, I would probably lose focus. "Well... I uh... don't really know how to explain that." I admitted. I didn't know how to explain it.

Any more thoughts were cut off as she came at me. She moved like a blur, blasting off from where she stood and rocketing towards me. Her blade came from the side in a sideways arch, I barely managed to block it with my Kama.

And Christ I wish I didn't!

She had some strength behind her blow and it sent it stumbling off to the side from her blow. It didn't cut me or anything, but shit fire that fucker hurt like a motherfucker! "Yeow!" I yelled as I stumbled away, bouncing off to the side and gripping my now aching wrist and hand. I wasn't expecting that at all... shit, she's stronger than I thought she was.

The mare made a humming noise. "You need some work on your form." She told me, twirling her katana about. "Pick up your weapons." She ordered me as my eyes flicked from her to my weapons.

A groan and I managed to pop my wrist and relieve some of the pain before picking up my Kama again. Well... least now I got me a training partner... assuming this is how it's playing out. I sighed before twirling my own Kama and getting back into my fighting pose. "Now what?"

She just smiled.

"Defend yourself!"

Author's Note:

Annnnd here we are at the hiatus, for now, sorry folks! Hope you can enjoy what I got up while I prep the next arc for you guys to enjoy

Stay tuned!

Comments

[Bronycommander]

I can't blame dancer, Training is the key to stay fit and alert. Plus he could get better when fighting the caribou.

[Bronycommander]

For some reason, I can't help but think if the caribou would win, that Dancer would be a black collar and Sakura would be scared to death, ending up as a red or purple collar I suppose.

[Dustchu]

8365406
Hell yeah she does, Daring motherbuckin' Do.

8365647
Sexy indeed~ Hahahah, and yeah, they should~

8365778
Two new chappies!
8367491
Indeed~

8367977
It certainly could happen Hehehe

8368072

8377147
It is very important, hopefully she can whip his scrawny ass into shape!

8377165
Ooof

Thanks for reading everyone!

[Bronycommander]

8379219
Your Welcome, Keep up the Good Work!

[Thestral Music]

Nice to see the realism around static blocking - fast road to a fucked wrist and arm fatigue.

[Disavowed ASH]

I know I am late, but you are doomed boi!!!! Your secret hiding ass will be killed faster than it takes teenagers to have sex.

[Starlight Nova]

When does the first sex scene start?

[Dustchu]

8386016
Yep! I'm trying for some realism here, then again I try that with most of my stories... I probably fail But yeah, training, fighting, and all of that isn't going to be easy for our young hero.

8407559
Hahaha, most likely! But who knows? He's been lucky so far.

8428961

Now why would you insinuate there will be a sex scene good sir?! This is a story of cultured ponies and refined taste!
*Shoves smutty ideas away*

[Blaze the draconic mage]

Pls make more

[Dustchu]

8567775
I shall do muh best to update, and thanks for boarding the Crazy Train!

[Blaze the draconic mage]

8568457
i love the song crazy train

[AkwardIncarnate]

Why didn’t it show up in my library that this was updated?

[Dustchu]

8603305
That happens a lot, i think it might be a bug or something

[Dustchu]

8638240
hue, you're close

[I have a cup of dirt]

Moar pls

[Dustchu]

8922669
One day my friend, one day.