Fallout Equestria: The Great Hoard

by RuinQueenofOblivion

Chapter 5: Comfort

Author's Note:

Re-edited after feedback from Red Parade.

“Other things may change,

But we start and end with family.”

-Anthony Brandt.

“Okay, let’s see,” I said as I unfolded the map. I had to hold it steady given the winds at the high altitudes we were now at. “We’re almost there, that’s the good news at least. The bad news is that we’ve got a bit of a trek ahead of us.”

“Fun,” Calypso said as she eyed the path ahead of us. “That path seems oddly worn for being this old. Do you think it’s been used recently?”

“Maybe,” Pure Heart said with a shrug. I started to fold the map back up and put it in my bags as she looked at our new companion. “Do the Harrowers use this path for anything?”

“Hmm, how did you think I got out? Of course, most of them are hidden and I haven’t been told about them all. So I don’t know the best way.”

“Alright, I guess we’ll figure it out as we go,” I said as we started down the path together. “We shouldn’t be too far away from the Stable at this point. Let’s just hope that the competition isn’t ahead of us already.”

“Yeah,” Calypso agreed. “It seems kind of odd to put it this far up though.”

“Well, pegasus stables tend to be pretty high up,” Pure Heart pointed out. “And it may also depend on different things. This was built for dragons, after all, so the Stable is probably much larger than usual.”

Crow looked to Dusk, I noticed that he was whispering to Pure Heart.

Pure Heart frowned a little before nodding in understanding. I glanced back at Dusk for a moment, I was starting to get an idea of what was going on. We were ponies that she had just met, and given everything that happened, I didn’t blame her for not trusting us just yet.

Ahead of us, being stupid and looking over the mountain, Fishy was looking at the view, spitting and tossing rocks from the cliff face.

“See anything interesting, or are you just letting your Blackjack show again?” I asked with a chuckle as we approached her.

“Hmm?” Fishy didn’t notice me at first, and looked up when I approached. “Oh, sorry. Down this path I see a village.” She said and lifted her hoof to point to the village down the cliff. “I had to make sure it was real.”

“Yeah, that definitely looks real to me,” I said as I glanced down towards the village.

Dusk softly spoke up. “I don’t think it’s wise for you ponies to go in there.”

Fishy stared at Dusk like she swore. “What do you mean you ponies?”

“I meant no disrespect. Just.. that village is full of Zebras that think the war is still going on.”

“The war was almost 220 years ago,” Pure Heart commented as she glanced down at the village for a long moment. “Any idea on what we can do? Crow can pretty much blend in there for obvious reasons.”

“Could we maybe pass as Zebra sympathizers?” I suggested. “I mean, we don’t exactly fit the wartime definition, but a lot of us do have connections to Zebras back home. Maybe we can pass it off.”

“It could work,” Dusk nodded. “With my kind, they have no issue. There used to be other changelings in there. But they all died out from what I learned.”

Crow suddenly changed into a zebra mare. “I will do this. I don’t want to join them in death yet anyway. I got a lot of plans.” He gulped as he thought about what Dusk said.

“Alright, let’s try this then,” I said as I nodded down to the village. “Just in case, let’s put our weapons down when we get close enough. Don’t do anything too aggressive, okay?”

“Maybe I should do most of the talking,” Calypso suggested. “Fishy and I have the most experience with Zebras. And, well, Fishy no offense but you’re not very, uh…”

“I know I am not very good at expressing things. I do tend to put my hoof in my mouth many times,” Fishy nodded.

“Did...did she just...” Crow looked at Fishy with wide eyes.

“Yeah, that was… surprisingly self-aware of you, Fish,” I added. “But yeah, I agree Calypso should do most of the talking. Most of my interactions have been with the Sahaani Tribe, at least outside of Nomad City, so I don’t know how good I’d be anyway.”

“Now that you’ve got the idea, I do hope this goes well,” Dusk acted very unsure about all this.

“Me too,” I agreed as we headed towards a winding path that would take us down the cliff towards the village.

00000

“HALT!!” A zebra guard ahead of us lifted their spear. “Lay down your weapons!”

“Okay, right now would be a good time to start talking…” I muttered to Calypso and Crow as we laid down our weapons.

“Greetings sir. We just mean to pass through. In the name of our great Caesar...” The eyes of the guards went wide and their faces filled with anger.

“You dare say that fool’s name here?! The war is happening because of him!” The rage in the guard’s eyes made me fear for Crow.

“Oh boy… that didn’t go well,” I muttered, thinking quickly. “We bring news of the war, we’re part of a… uh…”

I quickly thought up an explanation. If they didn’t trust the Caesar, then maybe they’d be receptive to another explanation. “Splinter group from the Empire, out of Carthage, the old Atori City on the eastern coast.”

The guards looked at each other. “Then why did you say in the name of our great Caesar?”

Crow chuckled. “You can’t be too careful with both sides watching you now. They could be here watching us for all we know. They could have even followed us here. It’s a way to make sure they don’t think we aren’t on their side.”

A zebra wearing a tattered cloak wearing a strange mask and he leaned in to the guard to whisper. I could hear what this zebra said. “Bring them to me.”

“Shaman?” Pure Heart whispered to me.

“Or a Seer maybe,” I whispered back.

“You may go, follow the one in the cloak.” The guard said, turning his attention to us before he nodded to the cloaked zebra. Crow gulped a bit looking to the rest of us.

“Well, I guess we should follow them,” Calypso said as we started after the cloaked Zebra together.

Fishy looked around with a great amount of fear in her eyes. She held her wings tightly to her side, unsure of what to think of the village. Calypso looked over at her and gave her a soft smile to try and reassure her, though I could tell she was a bit nervous about this too.

We reached the Seer’s hut and were led inside. The Seer was an old Zebra stallion with faded robes. He opened his eyes when we entered and I noticed that they were milky and faded, but they fell on us, making me feel a little uneasy.

“You, changed one, show your true form, there are no secrets to be had here,” he said as he stared at Crow.

Crow let out a sigh and shifted back to his true form. “ I forgot that the blind ones see.. Even if they don’t have eyes.”

“You have come from a long way off, I see,” the Seer said as he glanced at us. “The Spirits speak of you. They say that you come seeking the last lord’s hoard. An odd choice for ponies such as yourselves. A warrior child, a child from a city that moves like a cloud, the daughter of great chieftains, the daughter of a star maiden, a changed one, and one of the Tribe of the Night. A strange group to be sure.”

“Even here it seems that the reputation of my mother follows me. Well, it's all over. I will say what she never did. We come in peace.” Fishy tried to be less like Blackjack.

“We’re just here to trade and get the lay of the land,” I explained. “We’re heading to Stable 110 right now. If we could just be pointed in the right direction, we’ll be on our way.”

“Gaining access to the Stable is not as simple as just walking through the front door, my young friend,” the Seer snorted. “Don’t you think that the treasure would have been found a long time ago if it was that easy?”

“He’s got a point,” Calypso muttered.

“Of course I do! I’ve seen more than a few would-be treasure hunters come this way!” The Seer replied. “And very few of them made it into the Stable and beyond. You’re playing with fire, ponies, you’d better be weary so you do not get burned.”

“There are times when you can’t go back and can’t stop. I feel this is one of those times. This group helped bring harmony back to my tribe. So I feel they have the right and prowess to do it.” Dusk did her best to prop us all up.

“Ah… then it was they who dispelled the serpent’s venom… fascinating… I thought that I felt that,” he replied before pointing at me. “And she laid the dragon’s spirit to rest, as well as the fact that all of you survived a Voicestealer in the forsaken village. Perhaps you are worthy, or perhaps you are just very lucky.”

“Yeah, that doesn’t fill me with much confidence,” I sighed as I brushed my mane back. “We’re trying to find this treasure either way though, we’ve come this far after all.”

“Excuse me for butting in.” We all look at Crow. “But is there a way you can make it easier for us to find this?”

“The Spirits forbid us from seeking out the Stable, it is in lands that they have long abandoned,” the Seer answered. “But there is another way. You are not the only outsiders to come to this village. One who knows many things is here in the village, and perhaps they can tell you more about the location of the Stable.”

“Can you take us to them?” Dusk Lily asked as she tilted her head.

“No, but you can find them if you follow the desert’s dust,” the Seer answered. “You will find them easily enough.”

I could tell Crow found it hard to stay respectful. I gave him a look to make sure he did.

“Uh, could we maybe get more clues than that?” Pure Heart asked.

“I think that is all we are getting. For the journey matters and all that,” Dusk flatly added.

“Alright, let’s, go find the desert’s dust I guess,” Calypso said, scratching her head in confusion. I shrugged as we headed back out of the hut. I took one last look back at the Seer who gave me a slight nod before I caught back up to the others. “That whole thing felt weird… did it feel weird to all of you too?”

“Anything pony-like is weird to me,” Crow sighed. “In the words of many changelings, ponies and zebras are psychotic.”

“Really? Vex never said that,” I commented.

“Well, I said it now, that’s all that matters. Anyway, let’s find this dust.” Crow again was getting on the nerves of most of us.

I nodded as we started to look around for what this “Desert Dust.” That didn’t even make sense, we were nowhere near the desert..

00000

“Alright maybe since my kind can see certain things with our eyes. Maybe only bat ponies can see the dust?” Dusk Lilly shrugs.

“There’s dust all over this village!” I said in frustration. “How are we supposed to find some dust? And what does it even mean by desert dust? We’re in the middle of the freakin’ mountains!”

“Serenity, calm down,” Pure Heart said as she placed her hoof on my shoulder.

“That Seer was just screwing with us, weren’t they?” I said in frustration. “How in the name of Celestia, Luna, and whatever else there is up there are we supposed to find DESERT FREAKIN’ DUST?”

A voice not too far from us sounds out. “Maybe you didn’t understand the full answer to the question. Maybe the candle is lit but you don’t see it. Maybe it’s spirit is there but you’re blind.”

“WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?” I shouted in frustration as I spun around to see who said that.

Crow turned to the voice staring at the brown dust-like camel. “Um… If he’s the answer, I am so pissed off!!” Crow groans.

The camel lifts up a cup of tea in its paws to its lips taking a quick sip “Relax to the music of your heart. It’s the only way to go. Maybe you allow your stress to control your feelings.”

“Serenity, calm down, this isn’t the time to get angry,” Calypso said as she held her hoof up to stop me from yelling at the Camel again. She turned to look at the Camel. “We’re looking for a way to get to Stable 110 in these mountains. The Village Seer said to look for you I guess for clues to finding it.”

“The ones before me knew about it. But do you have what I want?”

“What exactly do you want?” Pure Heart asked.

Crow sets down caps in front of the camel. “Is this what you want?”

The camel stares at the caps. Then back up to us. “I seek what most seek in this world. I don’t seek money, that is the poison of the soul.”

“Sounds like some of the ponies in the Enclave these days…” Calypso muttered to us before turning to the Camel again. “What exactly does that mean? Love? Knowledge? Food? Water? A place to live? What?”

“The hero of the desert brought us water years ago. But you said the word knowledge. The real truth is what binds my kind together. Our genetic memories of the past.”

“So, you want knowledge? What kind of knowledge can we give you?” I asked, scratching my head.

“You don’t seem to understand, my dear. We seek all knowledge. We allow ourselves to be enslaved for knowledge. So those coming after we die learn more, then they add to the memory.”

The camel stands on his hooves looking down at us. “Just give me history or a story that you know. We don’t care what changelings have to say. For they’re nothing in the world to us. We don’t wish to know their history.”

I narrowed my eyes a little at that, but we needed answers. “So, what can we tell you then?”

“I think he wants us to just say it. Like flat out telling him history. Rather than just asking him what he wants to know,” Dusk Lilly added.

“The bat is correct. Questions get us nowhere, dear it just gets us in circles and never ends.”

“Okay, fair enough,” I said as I looked at the others. “So, where should we start then? There’s a lot we could tell him.”

“That’s another question, you know,” Pure Heart chuckled.

“I know it’s another question!” I groaned.

“I will do it.” Crow stood up and stared at the camel. “I don’t care if you don’t want to learn about my kind. But why not learn about my family?”

The camel stares at Crow then looks at the rest of us. “Family is big for my kind. Please speak.”

Crow took a deep breath. It was hard for him to talk about his family. “I met the most beautiful mare when I was the same age as my friends, she wasn’t a changeling, she was a normal mare. I just was a drone to my queen.” He took a deep breath and looked to Pure Heart for support.

“It’ll be okay, Crow,” Pure Heart said as she placed her hoof on his. “Keep going, we’re all here for you.”

“I did the unthinkable. I ponynapped her. I broke off from my queen in defiance and I learned she didn’t love me back. I was stupid, foolish, and I saved her life soon after from my own kind. Our bond grew from that and my queen found us. The Queen was disappointed in my actions and the fact I ponynapped this mare. So what did she do? She allowed the mare to live with us. She then demanded that I court the mare and treat her like a real lady. If I didn’t she would kill me. So I did what she said a few years later. I got married to her, had children, and well ended up in this world.” He finally felt better after saying what he has been wanting to tell the rest of us for years.

“Hmm, lust gets in the way of what I get from that story. But love tends to win later. Thank you bug. I mean whatever you call yourself.” He chuckles.

“I guess I’ll go next,” I said as I looked at Pure Heart and she gave me a nod. “Back when I was younger, the city I was living in was under siege by… it was by the Changelings, but Crow here wasn’t involved. Me and some other ponies got involved in fighting back the Changelings, I was way too young looking back on it. There’s no other way to say it really, I was a foal soldier. I did what I had to do to protect my home, but it’s left me broken. I’ve killed more beings than most ponies my age. I always thought I was only good for fighting, but Scootaloo and Pure Heart... they helped me realize that I was wrong about that. I’m sometimes still plagued by the memories of what happened back then.”

“Be happy child you don’t have genetic memory. You would remember every moment of guilt and pleasure of those before you. Thinking that it’s your fault that you did it even when its just a memory.”

“I… uh… oh…” I said as I looked at the camel in horror. “That can’t be easy, I‘m so sorry.”

“No, It’s not for I was not there when our kind betrayed Equestria. Those we betrayed forced this on us. In the name of Luna and her great Moon. I shall join her in her rebellion again.” He saluted to Luna like she was there.

“Oookay um... Before the camel starts spouting all for Luna, I’ll go next,” Go Fish stood up and looked proud. “My story is Go Fish in the shadow of her mother, Blackjack. I have a crazy mother who is crazy. I am in her shadow, she is also known as Go Fish… But my story is getting out of her Shadow, which I am doing now. I am who I am now.” I just stared at Go Fish.

The camel just stared as well. “ Uh...okay?” The camel was confused.

“Yeah, uh we don’t really all have epic histories,” Pure Heart admitted as she rubbed the back of her head.

“Unless you want to hear about all the trouble we got into when we were fillies,” Calypso said with a chuckle.

“Well, do what you feel works.”

“Fishy’s been my best friend ever since we were both fillies,” Calypso said as she draped her wing over the grey pegasus. “I’m the daughter of the former President of the Enclave, Winter Breeze. Honestly, there’s not much to tell, we were mostly kept hidden from the world other than our parents, the help, and our tutors. It all changed when my mother started the Enclave War against the rest of Equestria and we wound up moving around a lot, seeing more of Equestria as a result. Unfortunately we also got kidnapped by a pony named Cloud Chaser, but we were saved by Scootaloo, her friends, and Fishy’s mom Blackjack. Since then, we’ve been living in Crusader Town and getting to know the world better because of it. There’s not really much else to say.”

“Well, I feel you almost are done, you don’t need to give me more. But if you wish for just one clue then all of you must give.”

“I was born on the ground, but I barely remember it. Instead I was raised aboard Nomad City, a flying city built by the Ministry of Awesome,” Pure Heart said. “My parents were part of the city’s security force, at least until my father died and my mom went into politics. But what’s really important to me is this mare right here,” she said as she nuzzled me gently. “Serenity’s not had the easiest life, but I’m going to do what I can to make it better. I love her, and I would do anything for her because I know she’d do the same for me. When she lost her mom, I did what I could to help her get back to her old self, and here we are.”

I blushed a little as Pure Heart gave me a kiss on the cheek.

“Alright, I guess it’s my turn. I shall give you what happened recently. These heroes here saved my home that had a spell placed on it by naga. For months we lost ourselves because of a naga pretending to be a mare. She did everything she could to hold us back. It took Crow here and his friends to help. I don’t wish to go deeper into it. But that’s my story,” Dusk Lilly finished.

The camel nodded while drinking from the tea. “Now I shall give you the way.”

“Thank you,” I said with a slight bow of my head.

He lifted his paw to the way out of the village but all we saw was fog. “Go that way and sing to remove the fog. If you don’t sing you will never find it.”

“Sing? Oh boy…” Calypso said with a groan. “I can’t carry a tune to save my life.”

“Allow the random music that plays somewhere to lead you.”

“We haven’t had that in Equestria for over 220 years,” Pure Heart pointed out.

“Then your heart has been lost.” The camel flatly added, “Sing for the world and bring the heart that was lost during the war.”

“Uh, okay?” I asked. “I guess it’s worth a try.”

“I shall give a name. I am Gem Seeker of the sand walkers.” He stood up and simply walked into the fog and vanished.

“Oooo ooooo.” Crow lifted his hooves in a spooky gesture.

“Let’s just get this done…” I groaned.

“I have a feeling this is not going to be easy,” Fishy sighed

“Yeah, well, let’s go, everypony listen for the music I guess,” I said as we started towards the fog.

00000

As we walked around there was no sign of any music, even after what felt like hours. I groaned, getting more and more frustrated as time passed before finally stopping and stomping my hooves. “We’re getting nowhere! That Camel probably was playing a joke on us!”

Fishy jumped feeling bones on her hooves. “Ponies have died here!”

Dusk kept to herself but this feeling looked like it was starting to get to her as well.

“Maybe we should go back to the Zebra village and see if we can get information from someone else,” Pure Heart suggested. “Which way was the village again?”

“Oh no, we are lost!” Go Fish stopped and lay down holding her head. “NO!!”

“Fishy, calm down, we need to stop and think…” Calypso said as she hugged Go Fish gently, though she looked just as worried as the rest of us. “Anyone have any ideas as to what we should do?”

“I do…” Crow said as we all looked at him. “He said ponies have lost the heart. Do you get what he means by that? The power to sing from the heart. Meaning they have lost the will to feel friendship, so the music was never that. But the fact we lost ourselves to the past. We must give in to our hearts,” he finished.

“But… we are friends… aren’t we?” Calypso pointed out.

“We may be friends but the magic of friendship is dead. Normally that magic brought forth music. It was more of our hearts being the music.” Crow tried to say.

“And how are we supposed to bring it back?” I asked.

“Let me try this.” Crow took a deep breath. “You have shown me so much kindness. So much love that I feel my empty soul is willing to give.” Crow acted like he heard the music and looked around for it.

“I’ll try, I guess,” I said as I added to it. “You all have treated me like a friend… and more… despite my mistakes and flaws. You’re all my family,” I said. For a moment I thought I heard something but it just faded away as quickly as it came.

“I may have not known you all for that long. But I thank you for saving my home. I thank you all for freeing my home. It’s an honor to find this treasure in the name of our friendship.” Dusk looks around the music getting louder then silent.

“Me and Fishy may have always been friends, but you all helped me really understand what it really means. My family made mistakes, cost a lot of lives, but things are changing. The world is changing. And all of us… we’re going to have to change with it, and maybe cause some of that change,” Calypso said. “And I couldn’t have a better group of friends to do that with.”

The music slowly played through the land. “I seek a treasure too good to be true.” Crow softly sang. “I seek it with my friends who showed me mercy. Who showed me hope and love.”

I closed my eyes tightly. I felt the music in my heart and it gave me a chance. I shouted to the heavens. “I forgive myself for what I have done. I no longer wish to hold this pain inside me. I wish to show that I have hope.”

Dusk sang next. “I see within our hearts. That we don’t wish to be lost to our past and our endless torment. I look back on my life and see nothing but torment. But now I am freeeee.” She spread her wings and flew into the air

Go Fish looked at all of us before spreading her wings and smiling. “I feared I would be in the shadow of my mothers. I feared that I would not be my own mare! I now see that I have been blind and lost to my guns.” She stared at her weapons. “They allowed me to be blind and now I see that I need to be free. By not allowing the names of my mothers to rule my soul!”

Pure Heart closed her eyes. “I watched as the world fell apart around me. Oooo seeing all those ponies lives ruined. Ooooh but now I bring myself to see the world anew. I shall not let the past control me. I let my soul be taken by the magic of friendship!!”

Caly looked at the rest of us, she knew she had to move on as well. “I forgive the stallion that kidnapped me. I don’t wish to hold him with any more hate in my heart. Because of him, I fell deeper in love. Deeper in love with Fishy.” The song came to its full chorus as all of us finally sang their hearts.

“We all lost the magic of friendship. It’s been lost from our hearts. We can’t allow it to be lost again. We must fight to save it and hold it to us.” All of us sang together.

“We must...” Calypso started

“Sing to..” Fishy continued

“Bring the....” Crow sang

“The magic...” Pure Heart continued

“Of friendship...” Dusk sang.

“Back into our hearts.” I sang then all of us sang once more together.

“We must bring the magic of our friendship back to our hearts.” The music ended and the fog lifted. Standing right in front of us is the same camel that told us to do this.

“Good show, good show.” The camel clapped his hooves.

“That was… wow…” I said as I placed my hoof on my head for a moment.

“I feel like a weight was lifted off me.” Fishy smiled for the first time since I met her.

“Yeah, just… wow,” Calypso said as she hugged Go Fish tightly. “That felt... right somehow.”

“Yes, it did...” Crow had tears streaming down his face. He wrapped his hooves around Pure Heart and cried softly into her neck.

I paused a moment and then joined the hug, putting my wings around both Crow and Pure Heart gently. “It’ll be okay…”

“See what I mean by you lost your heart?” The camel softly voiced. “You ponies held so much in that your wars took hold of your souls. To finally allow that past those battles to be removed from your soul. It’s a wonder to the heart.”

“I know Equestria has changed,” I said as I looked at my friends. “But I don’t think the magic is completely gone, it’s just slowly working its way back in. It’s not going to be easy, but I hope that we reach that point someday.”

“Well, then you’re here.” Gem Seeker stood and headed towards the way we must go. But when he moves we see what looks like mounds of dirt.

“Uh, what’s that?” Calypso asked. “They look like, you know…”

“Graves,” Crow softly added, heading to look at them.

“Who do they belong to?” I asked softly.

“I…” Crow went silent seeing the names. “You might want to see for yourselves.” Crow sat to honor whoever is buried here.

We headed over to the graves, slowly to try and show reverence as I read the names on the graves.

“What, they’re just names.” Go Fish looks at the names and her ears droop.”Their ages, they died so young...”

“I think Scootaloo mentioned them once,” I commented as I looked them over. “They were students at the School of Friendship back before the war,” I said then counted them again. “Weird, there’s only five here.”

“Like I told you, they found the way,” Gem Seeker, who we met before returned but with something larger and more likely to hate us.

“Oh crap, a dragon!” I said with a gulp at the sight of the large orange dragon with a purple, fin thing (I never asked what it was called). “Why did you bring a Dragon here?”

“There are many dragons here. But the rest of the sand walkers are enslaved to them willingly for knowledge,” Gem Seeker said

“These camels make no sense to me,” Fishy added.

“Me neither,” Calypso said as she looked closely at the Dragon. “Wait, you look familiar somehow…”

Crow did what he felt was best and he gave the dragon a respectful bow. He looked to the rest of us. “Be respectful just in case.”

We nodded and bowed in respect.

“It seems the song of friendship really mellowed their minds,” Gem Seeker commented.

“What? We’re not that mellowed… are we?” I asked.

“You lost your temper when the way wasn’t clear,” Gem Seeker said. “You all almost fell apart before you sang. You allow a treasure to rule your path. But do you understand the true nature of this treasure.”

“Geez, ponies really have changed in the past two centuries,” the dragon said with a chuckle. “Are you sure you’re not all dragons wearing shapeshifting medallions or something?”

“Like I told you my dear, the war changed them” The camel looked up to the dragon. “It made them less trustworthy and more toys to their desires and wants of the flesh.”

“Hey, wait a second, we’re not looking for the treasure out of greed!” I protested.

“Yeah, we’re just here for the adventure… well and Serenity’s reason, but we just wanted to find it as a group of friends!” Pure Heart added.

“Oh yeah, you probably haven’t met any Camels before have you?” The dragon asked as she looked over at Gem. “They’re very blunt, you get used to it.”

“Heh heh. I know why you’re here: the adventure. But to me, you’re still ponies and a changeling. You always fall back on your sins and your boast of the past. It’s why I said the song will free you. You proved to me you’re not like the past.”

“You know what screw you too camel.” Go Fish growls. “I have no sins!! I am pure and always will be pure,” Go Fish lied

“I…” I started to say and paused a moment. “We’ve all got sins, some of ours are just more obvious than others. I think you’re right and the song helped, but we’ve got a long way to go, not only as friends but as a species. We can’t just put a bandaid on it or sing a song and pretend that solves all our problems. Because you’re right, we’ve… that was the point wasn’t it?”

Gem laughs. “Yes, that was the point. You admitting to yourselves that even a song is not enough. But it helped the mending start. Now, the journey is just starting. There is a bigger reason for this treasure. My master will be here tomorrow to explain.”

“So, what now?” Calypso asked.

“Anyone else tired?” Crow asked as he yawned, shaking his head.

“Yeah, I guess we should set up camp for the night,” Pure Heart said. “I’ll start making dinner if anyone’s hungry.”

“I am hungry, anything would be good.” Dusk Lily yawned.

“I’m going to lay down for a bit, wake me up when dinner’s done,” I said as I went to set up me and Pure Heart’s tent. I laid out the bedding and laid down. I closed my eyes, thinking about what had happened today, my mind drifting as I fell asleep.

00000

“Serenity, come on!” A voice shouted to me and I snapped awake, realizing I was crouched behind a rough barricade. I blinked a little when I realized I was young again with a pistol strapped to my side as my Battle Saddle. The cold on my face felt familiar too, like I was back in... “Come on, the Changelings are retreating, we can’t pass up this chance.”

I glanced up and saw a Changeling dressed in a coat and hat pulled down over his head. Vex, the Changeling I had fought with during the War. I blinked in surprise and nodded as I let him pull me up. I was back in the Crystal Wasteland fighting Changelings, but how?

Had the last few years of my life just been a dream, or was this the dream? I quickly found myself running through the Wasteland more on autopilot than anything with Vex towards the retreating Changelings that were heading towards a large hive structure.

I noticed a Changeling that was setting up in one of the trenches and stopped. I lined up a shot on the Changeling, and then everything suddenly went wrong.

The ground shook as an explosion landed next to me, sending me flying. I could feel the pain running through my body as I did. This wasn’t an unfamiliar dream, I had this more times than I could count ever since the Changeling Invasion. I was now lying alone on the battlefield, Vex had vanished and I felt like I was dying.

I was dying.

This had happened before, but last time I was saved by my friends. I tried to scream but no sound came out as I did, there was nothing to do but wait. Because I knew what was going to happen next.

“Child… why are you here?” A voice echoed in my mind. “One so young does not belong here…”

“Please… help me…” I said weakly, trying not to look up, tears coming down my face through the pain. “I don’t want to go…”

“You shouldn’t have been here… now you will join us,” a new voice said as I looked up. Standing before me was a small army of the dead, each damaged in one way or another… each one another being I had killed.

“Please… I’m sorry…” I said weakly as they started to circle around me. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry...”

“You became part of this war, now you must pay for your mistakes,” the voice echoed in my mind. “You will pay for your actions.”

I screamed as I felt the hooves of the dead grabbing at me. “PLEASE, I’M SORRY! I DIDN’T MEAN TO… I didn’t mean to…” I cried out, my vision started to turn blurry as I felt someone shaking me.

“Serenity, Serenity, wake up!” A voice said as I looked up again to see Pure Heart standing over me, trying to shake me awake.

“Pure Heart?” I asked hoarsely, looking into my marefriend’s green eyes as she looked at me scared. “What happened?”

“You were screaming in your sleep again,” Pure Heart said as she finally stopped shaking me, but she still looked scared. “Are you okay?”

“I… I don’t know,” I admitted as Pure Heart hugged me tightly. My breathing finally started to slow as I hugged her back, tears streaming down my face as I hugged her back. “I’m sorry for scaring you.”

“It was that dream again, wasn’t it?” Pure Heart asked softly and I nodded a little. “I’m sorry, Serenity. You’re going to be just fine, I promise, I’m here for you.”

“We’re all here for you,” Calypso’s voice said from the tent flap. I looked up to see everyone else watching us from a distance.

“Serenity?” Crow flies into the tent and he looks at me with worried bird eyes. “Dreams again?”

“Yeah…” I said softly as I looked down at my hooves. “I’m sorry for disturbing all of you.”

The camel was humming outside, they sang to themselves and we could hear it. “They have been doing that all night.” Crow shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe we should join them?”

“I’m not sure I feel much like singing,” I said softly as I snuggled against Pure Heart. The Unicorn smiled a little and stroked my mane.

“Well then allow the rest of us to help you sleep. By singing for you out here, hmm?” Crow smirked.

“Yeah, don’t worry Serenity, just relax,” Pure Heart said as she leaned in and kissed me gently on the cheek. “I’ll be right here for you the whole time.”

“Okay…” I said softly.

The others hummed outside. I could feel the music building in my soul again. “We are searching for treasure. We are searching for our friendship. To lead us on an adventure through this land.” Pure heart softly sang.

“The journey has been rough,” Fishy sang. “It has been taxing on our souls. Been taxing to us all.”

“A journey to end all journeys without a war to get in the way. The only thing that could stop us is our own souls,” Caly joined in.

“For we are bringing the friendship,” Dusk sang.

“Bringing the power of friendship back to our hearts,” They all sang.

“We are bringing the magic of friendship back to our heart. We are bringing… the magic of friendship back. To our hearrrts.” The song ended.

I gently closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep in the warm embrace of Pure Heart. This time, my dreams were far more peaceful.

LEVEL UP!

Perk Received: Wrong Side of Elysium.
Details: Your past has still left you scarred, but you have ponies who are willing to help you get through it. You take less damage when you are with your friends.

Comments

[Megaskullmon]

YAY new chapter out.

[The Bricklayer]

I'd honestly have put this through a Grammar checker because I can really tell which parts were Mega's and it... bothers me. Like, it really does from a writing standpoint.

[RuinQueenofOblivion]

10305572 Yeah... we really need to work on that in places.