Warriors

by The Mirage

Chapters

• Prologue: Firefly
• Prologue: Ricco
• Prologue: Cloud Skipper
• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7
• Chapter 8
• Chapter 9
• Chapter 10
• Chapter 11

Prologue: Firefly

Prologue:

Firefly

The unrelenting wind buffeted my face with sand, it’s grainy and annoying texture brushed through my mane and felt as if it was piercing the skin under my fur. I made the mistake of opening my wings to try to fly, the useful appendages immediately caught the wind and threw me backwards. I had the strange, spinning sensation ponies get when they fall then I felt my back hit the sand. I covered the top of my eyes, then opened them, seeing sand blowing over me in what looked to be a never ending torrent, the scorching sun beamed down, but was shrouded by the sandstorm.

“Well shit...” I cursed, spitting out some of the grinding sand in my mouth.

I knew this had been a stupid idea, I should have never listened to Thunder Cloud or Roaring Rain. They had dared me to fly into a sandstorm for fifty bits, and who in tartarus was I to not accept? I mean, fifty bits could get me quite a lot.

I sighed, “Money isn’t everything, Firefly.” I spoke my mother’s words, she had told me that countless times, and yet I still get into things like this.

I brought myself to my hooves and ran towards the way I had been going, hearing a louder and louder hurricane of laughter. I had to admit, I started laughing too once I broke out of the wall of the sandstorm, dropping at the hooves of a laughing stallion. A dark blue hoof helped me up and dragged me away from the sandstorm.

“Holy shit, Firefly, I didn’t think you could do that!” Roaring Rain said.

“Well, I did.” I said, looking around, “Where did Thunder Cloud get off to?” I asked.

He made a sour-looking face. “Um, he said he would be back in a few minutes, he was going to... uh, get the money we owe you.”

I raised an eyebrow at him, but disregarded it. “I’ll just go meet him!” I said cheerfully, spreading my wings for flight.

“Wait!” He called out suddenly, making me tuck my wings back down. “He... uh, was acting really weird, I think he might be proposing today!” He said.

I felt my heart skip a beat, Thunder Cloud and I had been dating for a little over a year now, everything had been running smoothly. I thought of his dreamy, golden eyes, his smooth, ash coat and soft, thundercloud-black mane. I felt my wings flare out again and I took off, I had to see him.

I unconsciously flew across town with a wide smile on my face, if there was a thermometer for happiness and you measured me with it, the meter would break.  I stared straight ahead, never giving a glance to the sand and mud built homes. To me, it was normal, to others from across the world, it would be different.

I stopped over the large house at the end of Haynolulu street, looking in the ceiling window that would show down to Thunder Cloud’s bedroom.

What I saw there, would stay in my heart forever.

At first I thought he was just standing on top of his bed, but as I flew closer, I saw another face, another face I recognized from High School

Mercedes Sapphire.

On top of her, rutting her like there was no tomorrow, was Thunder Cloud, my coltfriend.  Not her coltfriend, my coltfriend.

I felt tears well up in my eyes, my vision blurred for a few moments.  When I opened my eyes again, she had her bright blue eyes opened, as well as her mouth, staring up at me.

It took a few seconds for Thunder to realize what she was doing, then he also looked up, staring up at me.

Tears were like liquid fire, burning my eyes.

I dropped down to the front door, taking his spare keys he had given me and swung the door open.  It felt like every step I took up the stairs I was growing hotter and hotter with fury.

He opened the door before I got up the stairs. Looking at me with frightened eyes.

“Firefly, I-”

I pushed past him, entering his bedroom and coming face-to-face with Mercedes.

“What are you doing here?” She asked.

Her lipstick looked like it had just been redone, I was determined to knock the smirk right off of her face, but I pushed past her too, exhaling deeply.

“I’ve come to get my things.” I said. “Then I’m leaving.” As much as I hated my own words, I knew I would achieve nothing with violence, it was over between us.

I started grabbing a few things that were mine when Thunder came up behind me, putting a hoof on my shoulder.

“Sweetie, please, don’t do this.” Thunder said imploringly.

I didn’t speak, but I whipped his hoof off rather forcefully with my wing.

“Firefly.” He demanded, spinning me around and holding my shoulders.

“Let go of me.” I said, trying to back up, but only finding myself against a wall.

He grasped one of my wings with his own, massaging the base of it and sending a tingling sensation into my spine.

“C’mon, baby, you know I love you.” He said, increasing pressure on my wing.

Mercedes flicked her hair impatiently in the background, mumbling something to herself.

“Stop.” I said, twisting his wing in an awkward position.

He took his foreleg and raised me up on the wall, holding it under my chin.  My hindlegs were just touching the ground enough to keep me from choking, but he raised a bit more, lifting me completely off the ground.

“You aren’t going anywhere.” He said, “You were nothing until I took you in, you didn’t have friends, you were on the streets for fuck’s sake.”

I remembered my foalhood, moving from house to house, I remembered when we had to leave dad. I remembered ending up here.  Meeting Thunder Cloud and his friends in high school.  He did take me in, he pretty much supported my mother and me.

I felt instinct take over my body, I realized that I was choking, suffocating against his grip.

I looked at his wing in my wing, the closeness of my hindlegs to his stallionhood, then his muzzle, then I reacted.

First, I delivered a ball-breaking kick to his stallionhood, he dropped me and backed up a few hooves. Next, I twisted his wing with my own, doing a frontflip over him and twisting the flying appendage until it was bent backwards and I heard a menacing pop! Finally, as he fell onto his right, holding his now broken wing, I spun around and blew him onto his bad wing with a skull-shattering kick to his temple.

I took a silent breath, grabbed my leather jacket from his closet and walked out, pushing the starstruck Mercedes out of the way.

I stared into the mirror, my room was lit by four candles, my pink fur still had bits of sand in it, as well as my purple-blue mane and tail. I sat back on my haunches, breathing heavily from the fly home. I blinked, looking closer at my purple eyes, marveling at the almost artificial sparkle and glow that came from the nearby candlelight.

I exhaled deeply, looking down at my hooves.

“It’s okay, girl, you did what you had to.” I said to myself.

I looked to the right, seeing the bathroom, I dragged myself in there, turning on the water to the shower and stepping in, the warm water surged down over me, running through my mane and in between my eyes, I shut my eyes, twisting my neck to pop it. The water gave me a warmth that was like a mother’s hug. I yawned slowly a sleepy feeling built up in my chest. After everything that had happened today, I was ready for bed.

After shampooing myself, I stepped out of the shower, a towel held my mane up and I whipped my tail back and forth to dry it off. I slipped a cozy velvet robe over my body and splayed out on my bed, letting my mane hang free. I stretched my legs freely, holding them in the air for a second before I dropped them back down at my sides.

I brought my tail up, rubbing it across my belly, feeling the soft dampness against my soft fur.

Knock, Knock, Knock.

I raised an eyebrow, someone was knocking on my door. I looked at the clock on the wall, it was half past midnight. I wondered who could be knocking on the door at such a time.

Knock, Knock, Knock.

“Yeah, I’m coming...” I said, exiting my room and quickly skipping towards my front door, slowly opening it.

Three ponies in professional-looking suits were standing there, two larger, dark blue stallions stood on the sides of a light yellow mare.

“Firefly?” The mare said.

“Yes, may I help you three?”

The stallion on her left’s horn lit up and he mumbled something.

“We need you to come with us.” The mare said demandingly.

I backed up, “Wait, what?” I asked. “But, what about my-”

“Your mother is already in good hands, she is staying in a Royal Suite in Canterlot.” She said, cutting me off.

I blinked. “Canterlot... Equestria?!” I stared in disbelief, neither of the ponies expressions changed the slightest bit, this was clearly no joke.

“Yes, Ma’am.” The mare said, “Princess Celestia needs you.”

“Princess Celestia?! What does she want with a pony like me?!” I asked.

The mare reached out her hoof to me, “Everything will be explained when we get there, we just need you. Right now, it is a National Emergency.”

The mare didn’t wait for me to answer, she extended her hoof and touched my shoulder.

I was falling. Falling fast. I could not open my wings, I was completely frozen in place. Yet I was falling.

Just as quick as it happened, a blinding light flashed, and I covered my eyes.

“Hello, Firefly.”

Prologue: Ricco

Prologue:

Ricco

An underground arena bustled with activity. Music blared in the background, but all the real attention was down at the pit, some would say. The pit was just a sandy floored area surrounded by rickety wood planks. Two griffons were fighting claw to claw inside. If you don’t know anything about griffon fights, no holds are barred. This was a fight to one of them were knocked out, or even dead in some cases. One Griffon was easily twice the weight of the other, who was trying to use his small size to his advantage. The bigger of the two swept a claw and tripped the smaller, then slammed into its side, pushing out all the air in its stomach.  The bigger picked the smaller up and  threw him into the side, snapping some planks like twigs. An announcer blared from a radio somewhere.

“RICCO THE CRUSHER WINS AGAIN!!!” The announcer shouted, “CAN ANYONE STOP THIS ROUGH AND TUMBLE GRIFFON?!?!

As I was in question I decided to said nothing. I just walked to the other side of the arena and slumped down, taking another drink from my Cider. A random griffon jumped down from the crowd into the pit. the crowd roared.

“I’ll fight ‘em.” The new griffon said.

“It seems we have a challenger.” the announcer said, “Let’s get this thing started!”

I immediately got up and  kicked the other griffon to the ground. When the griffon tried to get up, I punched his face, sending the him right back down.

“T-That’s not fair!” The griffon said, holding his nose.

“All’s fair in a fight to the death!” I said, before kicking sand into the griffon’s eyes.

I grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and smashed his head into another side of the arena, knocking him unconscious. The announcer blared loudly again.

“NO ONE CAN STOP THIS GRIFFON FOR ALL IT’S WORTH!!” The announcer said.

I was tired of all the noise and fighting, I’ve probably paid for this month’s rent, and today’s dinner twofold with all of these matches. I spread my wings and  jumped over the barrier and walked away, not looking back until I got to the winnings table.  When I did, the other griffons didn’t say a word. I picked up the forty thousand bits and walked out and flew to my apartment. When I reached my door, I looked to see if the paper had fallen from the opening between the door and the wall.

Of course it hadn’t.

I looked back up and opened the door, closing and locking it before doing anything. I walked over to the closet and opened it to find my flintlock pistol, peppered and loaded for anything. I looked over to the weapon I’d had no use for yet. It was like a musket, but had a longer barrel. It also had a telescopic lens on the top of the firing mechanism.

Knock, knock, knock.

I picked up and hid my flintlock pistol in my wing. I walked over to the door and looked through the peephole. It was the griffon from the ring, the one I kicked sand into. I open the door and hold it open with one hand.

“What?” I said, trying to sound uninterested.

“Give me my money back.” He gritted through his teeth.

“No.” I said, I put my hand on the trigger.

“You cheated.” The griffon unfurled his wings

“No, I didn’t.” I said again, pulling the firing pin back.

“YES YOU DID!” The griffon pulled out a shotgun.

But I was faster.

A .75 caliber round dug into the griffon’s skull, not leaving the other side. He dropped, dead, to the ground. I simply closed the door and waited.

…

…

…

AHHHHHHHH!

“There we go.”

I picked up my things, as quickly as possible. dismantled the strange weapon and put it into a bag, along with a few days worth of food, a nice suit I’d had forever, never finding a time to wear it, and my bowie knife. I took down everything I’d taped up over the years. I took out one of my primary feathers and placed it in the front of the door. I thought it over, and decided it was a good idea to take out my bowie knife and hide it in my feathers. I looked over the room one last time. Everything still out was replaceable.

Knock, knock, knock.

I looked at the door, then to the window. The window seemed more friendly than the door right now. I covered my front with my wings and lunged through the window. I opened my wings as soon as I heard the door give way.

“Hey!” One called. The accent was different than my own, but I couldn’t place it.

I was at least thirty meters away from my home when I felt myself fall over, it was like a gigantic wasp had stung me on the wing, I felt the ‘venom’ streak through the rest of my body. I was shaking, face-first in the dirt, cursing from the pain.

I heard movement behind me, I tried to unfurl my wing, but only found it numb. The Flintlock had fallen at my side, I made an attempt to reach for it, but it was kicked away before I could get my claws on it.

I didn’t see claws, or paws smacking it away. I saw hooves, large, but weak looking, pony hooves.

“W-w-what... the f-fuck...” I said.

The male pony grabbed under my beak and stared me in the eyes, speaking quickly and aggressively.

“Are you Ricco Porvet?” He asked.

“And what if I am?” I countered breathlessly.

“Look, I don’t care what went down back there, I only care who you are and if you are the Griffon I am looking for.” He said, squeezing my wing with his unicorn magic.

“Yeah, so what?” I said, not thinking about the pain.

The pony dropped my wing and pulled me up, I stood a bit taller than him, but he didn’t seem to be paying attention to my size.

“I need you to come with me.”

“Last time someone said that to me, and I listened, I was beaten senseless in the back of a shed.” I said, surprising the unicorn with my bowie knife.

The unicorn looked down at the blade, but looked back up at me.

“Well I assure you, Princess Celestia won’t be hosting any private beatings to any griffons.” He said. “It is against our way to torture.”

Well, I did recognise the name Celestia.

“You say that now.” I said, putting the bowie knife away.

“Ricco, Celestia needs you,” He said. “Do you know what the Elements of Harmony are?”

“Sure...” I said, “but why do I care?”

“Because you’ll get a good pay to get them back.” He said. “And, judging by your ego, it will be easy peasy.”

“Okay, smarty pants, which type of the Elements of Harmony do I have to save, the ponies themselves, or the stupid necklaces?” I asked, I only act stupid to throw people off.

The stallion chuckled to himself for a second, then looked up with what looked like a tear in his eye. “Fuckin’ both.” He said.

“Huh, need to think about this for a second.” I said, pretending to be thinking.

“No time to think, we have to act.” He said. “I will teleport you to Celestia directly, we have two others working with you to get them back, once the deed is done, you can get your pay, and go back to this place.”

His horn flared up with magic before I could speak, a blinding light threw me away from him and I felt a spinning sensation. Then, just as fast as I could contemplate what was happening, I was someplace far different.

Two ponies sat in front of me, a large, white mare with both a horn and wings, sitting upon a great throne, and a smaller, pink mare with only wings. She stared at me for a few seconds, then turned away, showing off the back of what now looked like light armor.

“Well fuck you too.” I said to the pink mare, then turned to the white mare, “Celestia, I presume?”

Prologue: Cloud Skipper

Prologue:

Cloud Skipper

It was bad, definitely bad news. I had done something wrong, very, very wrong to be called to the Princess directly. I hit my hoof against my head repeatedly, I couldn’t remember anything I had done lately to set anypony off. Sure I argued with some of Luna’s Night Guard a few times, but all of the guards did that! Each and every Night Guard was a rival with a Royal Guard, we would argue constantly if we could.

I felt sweat begin to bead on my forehead, I was in trouble for something, no doubt, but for what exactly?!

I clicked my hooves nervously against the stone walkway as I slowly inched toward the castle’s excessively large doors. I looked up at their massive height, trying to contemplate what could all fit in there. Most Royal Guards knew that Canterlot Castle was once used to house dragon’s, but hadn’t been used for such a purpose for hundreds, if not thousands of years.

I bumped my head into the door, not knowing that I had gotten so close to them.

I looked around, trying to see if somepony had seen my foalish mistake.

One guard stood on either side of the door, not moving a muscle, but I knew that deep down, they were laughing their asses off.

I frowned, and slowly creaked the door open.

“Excuse me?!” I heard a mare say.

I looked in the building, Celestia was up on her throne, looking down at two others, on the left, a large, brown, white and black Griffon that was clearly angered, on the right, a smaller, pink mare in a light suit of leather armor with a steel neck cuff that elongated from the end down to her wings were glaring daggers at one another. I had never seen either of the two before.

“Ricco, I will advise you not to speak to my subjects in such an impolite manner.” Celestia said, motioning to the Griffon. “If you need some time for the teleportation spell to wear off, you may find your quarters at the end of the hall that way.” She said, pointing to left.

The Griffon stomped past the mare, snapping his tail like a whip as he strode past her.

“Such immaturity...” Celestia mumbled, looking my direction.

I had forgotten that I had been walking towards the scene the entire time, and I was now just a few yards away from Celestia herself.

She inhaled, “Cloud Skipper, it is nice to see you again.”

“N-nice to see you again as well, P-princess.” I stuttered, bowing quickly. The pink mare gave me a quizzical look which I picked up on from the corner of my eye.

“Do you know why I brought you here today?”

My mind banked, I couldn’t focus on a single thought in the millions that swirled through my mind.

“N-no Princess.”

Even her blinking seemed to carve into my very soul, I wasn’t ready for any form of punishment.  I didn’t even know what I had done to make her angry.

“Sit down, I wanted to speak to all three of you together, but from what I have heard, Ricco has already gotten the memo.” She explained, looking over to the direction the Griffon, who I assumed was Ricco, had gone.

The pegasus mare beside me sat down, she was a light, but not quite bubblegum pink with a bluish-purple mane and tail. She had a slight frown on her face.

“Cloud Skipper, this is Firefly, she is from Haywaii.” Celestia said, gesturing to the mare. “She has come a long way in order to help us.”

“No disrespect princess, but what exactly am I helping you with?” Firefly asked, tapping her hoof against the ground.                      

Celestia looked calmly down towards her, “Six of Equestria’s most beloved heroes and six of the most sacred artifacts have been taken from Equestria.”

I heard myself gasp. “Princess, are you talking about-”

“The Elements of Harmony.” She said. “As well as their bearers.”

The mare stood up, “But how are two random, regular ponies and a griffon supposed to stop something that was powerful enough to take the Elements?” She asked.

Celestia sighed. “I asked myself the same question when I thought of this idea...” She said softly, looking down. “But I visioned you three, and you three only, each one of you have a gift, even if you don’t see it.” She explained. “I am willing to put Equestria on the line for this.”

“For this? For a hunch?!” Firefly raised her voice.

“I would bet my life on it.” She said.

Firefly sat down and looked down at her hooves. “This is so crazy...” She mumbled.

Celestia’s voice cracked. “I understand if you do not feel the same way, I will schedule for your return, Firefly.”

I looked over to Firefly, then spoke. “Firefly, I don’t know you, I don’t know what you have been through, but I know one thing for certain...” I began. “When the Princess asks for something so great, she is not wrong.” I bowed before Celestia. “I will do it, for you and the ponies I swore to protect.”

Firefly looked over at me, her eyes sparkled with an unseen emotion.

“Fine... If you think this is best for Equestria, who am I to argue?” Firefly asked, bowing as well. “I will do it.”

A few stomps came from the left hallway, directing my attention to a visibly vexed Griffon.

“I’m not bowing, and I’m not doing it for you babies, and, just so you know I don’t take orders unless they’re fair...” Ricco said,. “But yeah, I’m in.”

Firefly put her hoof in front of her, I put my hoof on hers, noticing the motion. Ricco calmly slid over and put his claws on my hoof.

“Then it is settled then.” Celestia said, stepping down from her throne and leading us down the right hallway. “Come.”

We followed, an intense glow flashed from her horn. “You three will be training as much as you can until Monday morning, which is when you will be off to Equestius to find them, my sources tell me that they are located somewhere in the Cheval Desert.”

“Equestius is quite far from home, Celestia.” Firefly said, “How would we know where to find anything?”

Ricco piped up, “Moving around will be a piece of cake, I know the layout of all the countries, Griffonia doesn’t exactly want to not know what we’re up against.”

I turned my head and glared at him, “What do you mean, against?” I asked.

Ricco kept silent, which seemed to bug Firefly.

“Now, now, I did not bring you three here to fight amongst yourselves, I brought you to fight against your enemy.” Celestia said, trying to divide us.

“And who might that be?” Firefly asked.

Somepony blocked our path up ahead, an orange pony in a military grade jacket and a pair of aviators stood strong.  As we came up next to her I noticed her as Spitfire, the Wonderbolt Captain.

Spitfire had received military training just as much as any other pony would if they were to join the Royal-Guard or what-not. As far as I was concerned, The Wonderbolts were just as much of guards as we were.

“I see you’ve brought along some newbies for me, Princess.” She said, her raspy voice kind of echoed through the halls.

“Not exactly, Spitfire.” Celestia said, “They are trained in their own ways, this one especially.” She said, pointing a hoof towards me.

I released the strap of my helmet and pulled it from my head.  It felt like my mane could breathe now, the cool, yet calm air flowed through it.

“Ah, Cloud Skipper.” Spitfire said. “Looks like I only have two newbies.”

“One.” Ricco said, pointing an accusing claw at Firefly.

“Oh, dammit.” Firefly said.

“Excellent.” Spitfire said with a menacing smirk. “Let’s get started.”

Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

Firefly

Spitfire was definitely not a girly-girl, oh no, she had us working 24-7 since we first spoke to her, my wings had never be the strongest, but were not weak. The Wonderbolt had us each carrying loads of fifty pounds on each wing while they were outstretched, leading across a room that was as large as a hoof-ball field. The stallion, Cloud Skipper and the Griffon, Ricco, seemed to be having no trouble whatsoever. I could understand why Ricco’s wings were so strong, they were gigantic! But Cloud Skipper moved just as fast as the Griffon with his powerful wing cradling the weights like they were marshmallows.

“What the hell are you doing back here, newbie?!” Spitfire yelled, popping up beside me.

“I’m a mare, Ma’am, I’m not as... strong as those two.” I said, regretting my words.

“Just because you are a mare doesn’t mean you can show weakness, that’s when ponies take advantage of you, because they know...” Spitfire delivered a wild kick to my side, knocking the wind out of me and causing me to fall over, she stood over me with an annoyed smile. “...they can overpower you.”

I jumped up, letting my wings fall to my side. “Neither of them can overpower me.” I said with an angry tone.

“Oh? Is that so?” Spitfire said, turning to the two, who had finished. “Ricco, get over here!”

Ricco tensed for a second, but complied. “What?”

“She thinks that you can’t overpower her.” Spitfire said, staring up at the griffon without a hint of fear. “What do you think about that?”

“I think it’s a challenge.” Ricco said, then his mouth grew into a grin.

“Then a challenge it is.” Spitfire said. “Fight her, right here, right now.”

“Okay.” Ricco opened his wings and lunged at me. We rolled until we hit the wall, where Ricco punched me across the face with tremendous force. My own blood spattered across the floor.

I thought fast and used the wall as leverage to push Ricco away from myself, giving me time to notice just how powerful the punch had really been. It was blinding, and put me in a trance-like state for a few moments. I moved quickly across the ground as the griffon charged again, missing by just mere inches, I delivered a swift blow to the back of his head while I was behind him. Ricco used his tail to trip my hind legs. I fell to the ground and Ricco slammed both fists into my stomach, pushing out all the air in my lungs. He picked me up by the neck and launched me back to the wall.

I felt myself leave consciousness for a split second, but stood up nonetheless, taking in a few quick, shallow breaths.

“You have fight in you...” Spitfire taunted me. “...and that will give you your own advantages.”

She turned to Ricco, “You attack almost blindly, but can hit harder than her, or Cloud Skipper over there.” She explained. “Cloud is almost a mixture between you two, he attacks quickly, but powerfully.”

I tried to talk, but my jaw was in a tight, gripping pain, so I nodded.

“Are we done here?” Ricco asked, sitting down.

I approached the griffon carefully, waiting to see if he would try to attack again. I slowly raised a hoof for a shake and nodded towards it. His hand shot towards my face and I closed my eyes in expectance of another hard hit. Instead, I felt a hand on my head, not a fist to the face, ruffling my mane.

“See you soon, Bubblegum.” Ricco said, getting up and walking towards the door.

I watched him leave, then sighed, “Fherken Dhek...” I tried.

Spitfire chuckled a bit then spoke. “I’ll see you three tomorrow. Your room is in the west hallway, fifth door on the left.”

I walked out of the room with Cloud Skipper slowly, walking side by side with him down the hallway towards my room. I kind of rotated my jaw around, then took my tongue off of my teeth and spoke to the stallion.

“So, you ever met Ricco before?” I asked him.

“No, I haven’t.  I haven’t met all that many griffons come to think of it.” Cloud replied.

“You ever fought one?” I asked, gingerly touching the side of my face.

“Once or twice, yeah.  They always fight dirty, not really caring how much that have to hurt somepony in order to win.” Cloud said.

I stopped at the room I was put in. I looked at the door for a second, then looked at Cloud, who was still looking at me.

“Don’t you need to get to your room?” I asked.

“I was put in this room too.” He said.

I feared the worst immediately, I swung the door opened and saw a giant griffon lounging on a bottom bunk of a bed.

“Somepony’s going to be in the hospital by morning.” Ricco said as he looked towards us. He probably assumed they’d be in the same room when he saw the bunk beds.

“If it’s me, someone will have a broken beak.” I said, fluttering up to the top bunk of the opposite bed. “I’m lightest, so I get top.”

“I meant whoever put us in the same room, maybe you should stop always assuming you’re the subject of the sentence, Bubblegum.” Ricco said.

“My fur is not bubblegum!” I shouted. “It’s just pink.”

“Somepony is already named Pinkie, so I can’t call you that, Bubblegum.” Ricco said, his voice remained constant.

“Why can’t you just call me by my name, Firefly?” I asked.

“I like nicknames, Bubblegum.” Ricco said.

“Okay, fine.” I said.

“I think we all just need to just chill.” Cloud said. “We all know you two started on the wrong hoof, so why don’t we try to get to know each other, instead of fighting.”

“Okay, we can go in a circle, I’ll go first.” I said. “Ricco, where are you from?”

“Griffonia.” Ricco said.

“Now me, Firefly, tell us about your family.”

I froze. Family wasn’t the biggest part of my life, I knew I had a sister, somewhere, but my dad had left when we were foals.

“I have my mom, that’s about it.” I said.

“My turn, what’s everyone good at? How do you make money?”

“I just worked around, I had gotten out of school awhile ago, so I didn’t really get a job.” I said.

“I’m a guard, as you can see.” Cloud Skipper said.

“So... Butt-kisser and wild card?” Ricco questioned, but didn’t wait for answer, ”Good, your turn, Bubblegum.”

I sighed. “How do you make money Ricco?”

“I do... Things.” Ricco said, “You’d probably arrest me if I told you.

“I’m not gonna judge you if you’re a stripper.” I said playfully.

“You wish.” Ricco said.

“Maybe.” I said, rolling over on my back and looking at him upside down. “But I’m guessing you’d like this mare better.”

“You, still, wish.” Ricco flicked my nose.

“Cute.” I chuckled, “Actually, do all griffons hit as hard as you do? Because I think you dislocated my jaw.”

“Not that I know of.” Ricco said, “That was your question.”

“I’m about ready for bed, so you kids can keep on doing whatever you're doing, I’m going to bed.” Cloud Skipper said with a yawn.

“Whatever.” Ricco said, “So, Bubblegum, What were you doin’ before coming here?”

“Taking a bath, but before that I was beating my ex’s ass.”

“Wow, he must’ve been a pussy.” Ricco said.

“He was fine for awhile, but I found him cheating on me.” I said. “And he was strong, I was faster though.”

“Ok ok.” Ricco said, “Your turn.”

“I think I’m going to turn in as well, we probably need to be up early tomorrow...” I said, feeling a yawn coming.

“Alright, suit yourself.”

I turned around in the top bunk, facing the wall and pulling the blanket over my shoulders. The soft fabric caressed my cutie mark as well as my shoulder blades, it was odd to have a different blanket than my own, one that I had been under for years.

The feeling was alien, but comforting.

It didn’t take long for the darkness to embrace me, gently rocking me to sleep.

Light. A lot of light.

“Fuck... ow...” I grumbled, rolling onto my belly and pulling the pillow over the back of my head.

The rays of the sun had left a little lightshow on the insides of my eyelids, making my idea of going back to sleep more challenging.

I pushed up on my front hooves, pulling my neck back to stretch. I fluttered my wings gently, then stretched them as well, popping a few joints in them. I let out a slow and quiet moan at the nice feeling and left my wings up for a few more seconds.

“Look’s like someone had a nice dream.” I heard a voice say,  I turned left to see Ricco with a grin as he stared at my wings.

I put them down at my sides and jumped off of the top bunk, landing with a light Thunk!

“You wish.” I said, doing a little wiggle as I stretched, pushing my flank into the air and getting my head low to the ground.

I caught Cloud Skipper staring, “Like what you see?” I asked with a little girly grin, still stretching.

“Let’s try to keep what we are doing here as professional as possible.” Cloud said, his cheeks a little rosy.

“I don’t think professionals stare.” I giggled, striking another pose with my wings splayed out and a cocky grin on my face.

“Yeah?  And I don’t think professionals flaunt their body around either.” He said, clearing his throat and looking away.

“I wasn’t at first.” I said, whipping him lightly with my tail and opening the door. “I’m going for a fly, who’s coming?”

Ricco looked at me with an unamused face. “Too lazy.” he said.

“I might as well join you.” Cloud replied, sliding off of the bed and trotting to my side.

I sashayed out of the room, Cloud followed close behind. I had never seen the interior of Canterlot Castle in the day, there were dozens of murals and fancy windows shining brightly in the bright sun. I gawked at the six murals lining a hallway near the entrance of the castle, each one were painted with a different color, violet, cyan blue, a buttery yellow, pink, orange and a deep purple. Each also had intricate designs with numerous shapes and almost visibly swaying lines.

I smiled, there were no castles or grand halls in Haywaii, it was nice to see something so different.

We made it to the grand entrance, where I stopped and looked over at Cloud Skipper, who walked through the halls uninterested in the beautiful works of art.

“What is it like to guard this place?” I asked, “Ponies must try to steal from here all the time.”

“Actually, it is pretty peaceful here.  Ponies respect the Elements of Harmony too much to steal their commemoration from the princess.” He explained.

I was almost startled. “Wow, if we had something like this in Haywaii, it would be empty by nightfall.” I said. “It just shows that everypony here doesn’t know what happens everywhere else except for the princess.”

“If it doesn’t concern a pony’s own well being, they won’t care to think about what happens anywhere else.” He said, turning towards me.

“But it does, ponies die all the time from murder, rape and other horrible things... doesn’t that happen here?” I asked.

“Not really, no.  If it does, the princesses will handle it quickly and prevent it from spreading.”

“That’s... good, I guess.” I said, shaking the thoughts of murder and rape from my mind and opening the door.

The sun immediately burned my eyes and I had to cover them, when I could put my hoof down, I could see that Canterlot was bustling with activity, it was like somepony had started a riot.

“It is... legal... to fly around here, right?” I asked awkwardly.

“Of course it is.  Why wouldn’t it be?”

“In some of our cities you can get arrested and beaten for flying too high.” I explained.

“Well, that won’t happen here.  The princesses try to keep all of the laws as fair as possible.” He said.

“Oh, that’s nice of them...” I said, spreading my wings and taking off.

The feeling of having wind run over you as you glide through the sky is different than swimming, or running, or jumping, it gives an unmatched sense of freedom. To see the ground slowly disappear under you gives an elegant glow to the rest of the world, being locked to the ground you can only see things from a few heights, but flying you can go anywhere and see anything.

I smiled as I looked down on the now tiny city and ponies looking like an ant colony.

An idea popped in my head, I flew down towards Cloud Skipper, who gained height with a lazy speed, almost bumping into him with momentum.

“You wanna race?” I asked excitedly, it had been awhile since I had a good race, I thought for sure a soldier would be faster than any regular pony.

“Really?  I’m not all that fast.”

“Aww,” I groaned, why couldn’t anypony ever work there wings for speed instead of just raw power? “fine, I’ll go easy on you.”

“No, if we race, then you go all out.  It isn’t worth it if you don’t push yourself.”

I grinned and squealed with giddiness, even though it was embarrassing. “Okay, we race through the streets down there,” I said, pointing to the streets of Canterlot. “then we’ll circle around and end at the castle.” I explained, lining the path with my hoof.

“Sounds good to me.”

“Okay, onetwothreego!” I quickly shouted, shooting downwards at the buildings.

My eyes turned into slits as I neared the ground at air-slicing speed, just before I collided I tilted my wings and shot through a crowd of ponies, never even clipping one. I turned right on the first road, flying past windows and shooting a cocky grin towards the ponies inside. I turned my head back to the path and noticed a sign coming at me at blinding speeds, I curved around it just in time to not hit it, brushing off the little bit of panic that had gone over me. I turned left then right again swiftly, frightening some of the ponies under me.

I remembered the race, I looked behind me, where Cloud Skipper was nowhere to be seen, I grinned confidently. Turning back, I was surprised to see a figure flying in front of me.

Cloud Skipper.

I was so confused I almost missed the next turn. I pushed the beat of my wings to a new extreme, pulling ahead of him and focusing harder on the race and my wings. I didn’t pay attention to the mass amount of papers and other light things flying up from under us as we sped by.

I grinned, giving an extra boost of confidence soar through my body, tickling my spine and sending adrenaline roaring through my veins.

I noticed a black spot clouding my vision, I looked over casually, feeling my body turn and react before I could think about it. As I stared longer into the spot I noticed the odd rotation it was doing, it seemed like the more I tried to make sense of it the more my mind was... off.

“Distracted are we?” A voice asked.

Suddenly, a unreal force stopped me, holding me in place. The buildings around me seemed to fall off the face of the earth and the sky steamed and melted into an endless black. Absolute nothingness surrounded me, I tried to judge if I was falling, or upside down. Wherever I was, it was almost dizzying.

I tried to move, but only found myself locked in place. I struggled harder, the blackness felt as if it was choking me.

“You think you know what you’re getting into, don’t you?” The voice from before reappeared, but echoed from all around, making it impossible to judge where it was coming from.

“Wha-? Who are you? Where am I?” I asked, I feeling of panic had leaped into my heart.

“You think you know darkness, think you know pain... Let me tell you something, doll...” It said, ignoring my question.

Suddenly, a figure broke the endless black barrier and appeared right in front of me. A pair of yellow and red eyes stared with a menacing glare, a jagged tooth in a devilish smile disturbed my very being.

This... thing, floated before me in an almost casual manner, like it had done it millions of times before, yet the wings on it’s back did not move an inch.

It chuckled and grabbed my chin with two griffon talons. “You don’t.”

I tried to scream, his talons were beginning to dig into my lower jaw, but I felt a smoke-like substance imprisoning my throat from making a noise.

It cleared its throat “I want to show you something.” It said with a disturbing giddiness. “It will be the last thing you see, and the last you forget.”

The thing dragged me with some intense magical power, a more... ‘full’ enviroment built up around us, a room, white walls, stone floor. In the middle of it...

Me.

My left front hoof was completely gone,cleanly cut through, my face was brutally beaten, both eyes blackened, light streams of blood and an oil-like substance streamed from my closed eyes. Both of my back hooves were twisted in impossible ways, both bleeding at knee joints, my right ear was half gone, and I crawled slowly, painfully with one right hoof. I watched helplessly as the doppelganger bled out onto the floor.

My body was past panic, I was in full-stage freakout mode, trying desperately to free myself from the unbreakable magic surrounding me.

“So let me start this, as punishment for ever accepting your mission, you can choose to go on, and end up like this, or stop now, and leave for home.” It said, turning me towards him so I faced him.

He pressed his paw and griffon claw against my face and leaned in to my ear, whispering with it’s foul breath. “Discord.”

Suddenly a claw on his right and a talon on his left extended into my eye sockets, pressing against them with tremendous force.

A sharp, blinding pain shot through my brain, I felt myself tumbling erratically, an invisible fire burned my eyes, I heard somepony scream, my eardrums felt like they were going to blow in my ears. I felt my lungs light on fire, like I had been inhaling smoke for the past hour. I rolled, feeling a hot liquid under me, something crunched as I moved, I heard another scream before I noticed it was me who was causing it.

I had never felt so many things in my life, the fright of me not being able to see or even hear as I felt like I was hauled away was hellish. I had no idea where I could be, I was on somepony, or somethings back, moving rather quickly.

That was the last thing I remembered.

Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Cloud Skipper

I stared through an open door into a pure white room, rays of sunlight poured in from a window opposite of where I was standing, against the middle of the wall was a small bed, white sheets and chrome bars holding it all together. A steady beep let me know that the unmoving mare hadn’t lost her life during the crash.

I thought hard about the whole thing, everything was going swimmingly throughout the whole race. Was it momentum that caused her to not stop? Was she getting distracted?

I shook my head and stepped into the room, a dark blue alicorn stood over the mare, looking down at her blindfolded face. A look of sorrow stuck on her face.

Princess Luna.

The alicorn leaned down towards the small pegasus, her horn glowed with a dark blue aura, she pressed the tip of her horn against the blindfold, enveloping it with the aura, at first I didn’t move, she was trying to heal her, which was perfectly possible, but to restore her vision was not.

“I am sorry Ma’am.” The nurse said.

I rotated my head, seeing the nurse, and a mare I hadn’t seen before, her face had a look of disappointment and anger.

“You have nothing to be sorry about, she should know better than to use those damn wings in such a way.” The mare said, she blew a hot pink hair from her face.

I frowned, “A mother should not be so angry with her child, she was only trying to have a little fun.” I said.

“You shouldn’t be telling me how I should mother my child.” The mare said, her pink fur seemed to waver with anger.

“Watch your tongue.” I said, “I was only trying to help.”

The mare stormed out of the room, I tried not to stare, I saw a pink magic envelope the door and slam it shut.

I did a double-take. Firefly’s mother was a unicorn?

I must have thought out loud.

“My dad named me.” A raspy, broken voice said.

I turned around, Firefly shuffled under the covers.

“He was a unicorn too, but he was happy to have a pegasus, my mom didn’t share his feelings.” She said, trying to sit up.

“Firefly, I do not think you should be moving so early...” Luna warned as the mare got out of the bed.

Firefly took her hooves and untied the blindfold.

“Wait!” Luna said.

Firefly seemed to freeze, she turned and looked at me, her eyes were clouded, and whiter than before. She blinked. I noticed a glow in her eyes, like there was a fire behind them.

“Why can’t I...” She blinked again, then waved a hoof in front of her face.

Luna cleared her throat, “I’m sorry, Firefly.”

“Am I...” Firefly choked on her own words, “Blind?”

Even if Firefly was in the hospital, Ricco and I still showed up for training, the griffon hadn’t even seen the mare yet, which I thought was rather cold of him.

“How exactly are we supposed to save the Elements of Harmony with a blind mare slowing us down?” He would ask, I would not answer, I didn’t know if she even considered going anymore.

As Spitfire yelled at us for not paying attention, the doors to the gymnasium opened, Celestia walked in, Firefly by her side, I noticed quickly that her eyes were covered by a black leather blindfold that wrapped around her head and tucked tightly behind her mane so it was hidden from behind.

Spitfire turned to Firefly and Celestia with a respect that Ricco and I had not got from her yet.

“Spitfire, I want you to fight this mare.” Celestia said.

Spitfire choked on Celestia’s words, “What?!” She asked, “You can’t be serious!”

Celestia did not move, her eyes remained fixed on Spitfire.

Spitfire straightened herself and removed her jacket, “Very well then.”

I raised an eyebrow and walked up to Firefly,  leaning close to her.

“What in Tartarus are you doing?” I hissed.

She looked at me through the leather blindfold, a frown on her face.

“Training.” She said with a smirk.

I backed up, I didn’t know what Celestia was doing, she was blind!

Spitfire moved back a few steps and Celestia moved away from Firefly.

Spitfire charged first, swinging a wild hoof towards the mare’s head, which was dodged almost expertly. Spitfire swung again, her hoof was caught by Firefly’s, she tried to escape by hitting the other mare with her free hoof, which was also caught and pinned to the ground. Firefly attacked quickly with a jarring headbutt, she pulled the Wonderbolt’s front hooves toward her and slid beneath her, sweeping the orange mare’s legs out from under her, When Spitfire tried to get up, a menacing uppercut lifted her off the ground and made her land with a violent thud.

Spitfire was out cold.

I let out a breath that I didn’t know I was holding.

“Damn...” Ricco cooed.

Celestia moved towards Firefly, putting a hoof around her neck and taking her over to where Ricco and I were standing.

“I assume you two want to know how she did such a thing.” Celestia said.

“Of course.” Ricco said, looking over at Firefly, who looked a bit more frightening with the blindfold on.

“Luna used an old Night Vision spell on her eyes, giving her a bit of her sight back, she says Firefly will be able to see the aura of all things, managing to see the outline clearly through the blindfold, but can’t see anything with it off, Luna is trying to find a solution for this, but hasn’t come up with anything yet.” Celestia explained. “As for her enhanced awareness, the aura of what she is in contact with reacts with her brain in a way Luna nor I can explain.”

Firefly nodded by her side, she lifted a hoof to me. “I never noticed you were so cute.” She said, running a hoof through my mane, a grin on her face.

Being called cute wasn’t exactly something I would think I would be described as, but I took the compliment anyways.

Ricco chuckled, “You kids are so cute.” He joked.

Firefly turned around and walked towards the door, whipping her tail side to side, giving me a clear view of her flank, I knew she was meaning to do this, and had nothing against it.

“I’d tap that.” Ricco whispered loudly to me.

Celestia didn’t seem to hear, “You two are dismissed.” She said.

I followed Firefly’s trail to the door, thinking about her sudden mood towards me, she was just a mare, right?  I thought about her calling me cute, she was pretty cute as well.

I shook my head, I was thinking too much about her, I had a job to do.

I stared at the bottom of the top bunk, trying to think today back over, I rolled, facing the wall.  I couldn’t get my mind off of the mare above me, the mare I had met only two days ago, I didn’t have a reason to be thinking about her so much, she had called me cute.  Big deal, it’s not like she kissed me, she hadn’t done anything affectionate, and I hadn’t done anything back.

A whimper echoed through the small room.

I froze, Ricco was asleep, and that couldn’t have been him.

There was movement on the bunk above me.

I gulped, I sat up to help, but felt my chest pull me back, I noticed my pounding heart, I was nervous as hell.

I shook off the sudden feelings and fluttered up to the top bunk, peeking over it, Firefly was facing the wall, shivering and whispering.

Dis... Discord...

I noticed the name. “Firefly, are you alright?” I whispered so she could hear.

She stopped shivering, I watched her chest rise and fall for a few seconds before she rolled over, I looked into two glowing white eyes, tears streamed down the mare’s face.

“Yeah, I-I’m fine.” She said.

“Are you sure?” I asked, feeling a sense of sadness at her eyes.

She blinked and sniffled. “Yeah, just... go back to bed...” She said.

I did what she asked. After about five minutes, I heard her shift from above me again, I closed my eyes, trying to find sleep.

I felt something poke me on the shoulder, I opened my eyes, seeing a mare with a pillow in her mouth, looking down at me.

I could almost feel the heat from her blush.

“Um... Sorry to bother you, but, um...” She hesitated. “Do you think I could sleep with you tonight? It’s, um, cold up there.”

I blinked, then moved over to the wall, I could hear the fear in her voice, but I couldn’t find out why it was there. “Of course.” I said.

The mare set the pillow down and laid down beside me, I pulled the covers over the both of us and turned towards the wall, closing my eyes again, I could feel the heat from the mare’s body, she had a scent of the morning dew, or a field of flowers in the spring. I did a double-take when the mare’s arms wrapped around me, her body pressed against my own, she didn’t seem to mind me being so close, feeling her heartbeat against my back was almost soothing, it felt nice to have somepony next to me.

I felt it again, that push against my chest, I didn’t know what it was, but it had harshened since I had lest felt it minutes ago.

I fell asleep minutes later, wondering what could be causing this.

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Firefly

It is different to wake up without any vision, it is kind of like when you wake up, but don’t open your eyes for awhile. The only difference being I couldn’t open my eyes and look around, not now, not ever again. I blinked and rolled over, feeling a presence beside me. Cloud Skipper.

I wrapped my hooves around him, my heart jumped suddenly, I smiled, it was nice to sleep with somepony, they were warm and just feeling them breathe was soothing. I moved my hoof away from him reached into my pillowcase, feeling a leather piece, I placed it over my closed eyes for a few seconds, then took it down and opened my eyes, exhaling as a blue aura outlined the room, giving me a better sense of direction. I looked over at Cloud Skipper, an interesting glow emanated from his outline, fading away like smoke after a few seconds.

I smiled, moving closer to him and wrapping my arms around him, exhaling deeply. I felt him stir, he yawned as he awoke.

“Good morning.” I cooed a little too affectionately.

“Well, good morning to you too.” He said, rolling to look at me.

I bit my tongue and took a risk, leaning into him more and curling my neck so my mane caressed under his chin and I could feel surrounded by his larger, stronger frame.

“You’re so warm.” I said with a sweet smile.

“Thanks, you’re pretty soft.” He said, raising a bit to give my head more room.

I giggled, I felt a sudden pressure in my chest, I felt my heart rate escalate a bit.

We stayed like that for a few minutes, before I heard shuffling in the opposite bed.

“Well isn’t that cute.” Ricco said groggily. “You two been fuckin’ all night?”

I frowned, feeling a bit of offense in his humor.

“No Ricco.  We didn’t do anything.  I don’t appreciate your tone.” Cloud said, I felt him move away from me, sitting up.

“Hey, I don’t judge too much, she’d be a good fuckbuddy.” He said.

I jumped out of the bed and just about attacked him before I stopped myself.

“I’m nopony’s bitch.” I snarled.

“I’m not a pony.” Ricco snickered back.

I turned towards the door, walking away before I felt a pair of eyes on me, I covered my flank with my tail, something I hadn’t normally done.

“Quit staring asshole.” I said, my voice laced with aggression.

I swung the door open and stomped out, slamming it behind me.

I was met face-to-face with Spitfire.

“Oh, um... good morning.” I said, hoping she hadn’t heard the conversation.

She eyed me quizzically for a few seconds, her fiery orange irises locked with my clouded violet.

“Morning, Firefly.” She said. “How are your eyes?”

“Better.” I said, trying to figure out if she was testing me.

“Princess Luna explained what she did to help, that is truly remarkable.” She said.

“Can I take that as a compliment?” I asked.

“Of course.”

“Well, thank you then.”

I side-stepped the larger mare and she walked into the room.

I heard a shout, then I turned around, seeing Cloud Skipper on top of Ricco in the middle of the room, the pegasus smashing his hoof repeatedly into the griffon’s face and beak.

I rushed back into the room, Spitfire stood there, watching with an amused smile on her face.

“Fuck you!” Cloud shouted, hitting Ricco again.

Ricco pushed him off  and got up, his talons extended and he rushed the pegasus, slashing at his neck, slicing off a bit of fur, then ramming him into the wall.

“Okay! That’s enough!” Spitfire shouted, her voice louder than I would have expected.

The two stopped abruptly, looking over at the wonderbolt.

“Anypony want to explain why the fuck you two are fighting?” The orange mare asked.

The two walked towards the door, Cloud pushed Ricco to the side so he could go first, I ran after him.

I knew it wasn’t the best question to ask, but I asked it regardless.

“Are you alright?” I asked, stepping in front of him to stop him.

He tried to push past once, firmly, but not hard enough to cause harm. I held him in place, lifting his chin and checking his neck, a small trail of blood was leaking from the cut down onto his coat. I didn’t think first, but I acted, moving my muzzle close and licking the blood from his coat.

Cloud Skipper jumped back, I saw a pink aura around his face and his wings rustle a bit, then I realized what I did.

I felt a blush invade my cheeks.

“I... I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do that...” I said, cursing myself under my breath.

Okay, it wasn’t a mystery to me anymore, I was attracted to the stallion. I was very attracted to him, I felt safe around him whenever Ricco was pushing me around or when Spitfire was pissed off.

I felt my heart rate increase as he spoke.

“D-don’t worry about it...just give me a bit of a warning next time, okay?”

“Yeah... um... are you alright?” I asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine.  Just a few scratches and bruises.  Nothing a Royal Guard isn’t used to.” He said.

I gave him a friendly peck on his cheek and smiled at his dumbfounded expression.

“Thanks for protecting me... Cloud Skipper.” I said, my blush intensifying.

“You’re welcome.” He said, smiling softly.

I turned around, looking down the hallway. I turned back, seeing the stallion walking away.

“Hey! Cloud Skipper!” I called.

He turned around, “Yeah?” He asked.

“You wanna walk with me?” I asked.

He stood for a second, then spoke. “Sure.”

So we walked, occasionally using our wings to get around the city. It had been a few hours since we had woke up, the sun was up in the very middle of the sky, shining down to light the city.

As Cloud Skipper and I walked down the road, Ricco approached us, his expression had changed since this morning.

“Hello Ricco,” I said, watching him take his place on my right, where Cloud Skipper was on my left. “nice of you to join us.”

“Likewise.” He said simply.

“Are you alright since this morning?” I asked.

“Yes! why wouldn’t I be?!” Ricco yelled, then flinched, “Sorry, I just... Nevermind.”

I flinched at Ricco’s random outburst, then continued walking beside the two. I moved a bit closer to Cloud.

“Are you alright?” Cloud Skipper asked. “What was that?”

“Nothing important.” Ricco said.

“It’s pretty important, considering we’re going to go save the Elements of Harmony together.” I said, bumping Ricco lightly and noticing how soft his feathers were.

“I-I get home sick okay?” Ricco blushed, “It was a crap of an apartment, but it was where I lived.”

I blinked. This big, rough griffon got homesick? “If it makes you feel any better, I kind of do too, I didn’t even think about what I left before I left it.”

“Ehh, maybe a little.” The griffon said, looking the other direction.

“Cloud, you live in Canterlot, where is a good place to go to pass time?” I asked, looking over at Cloud Skipper.

“Canterlot isn’t exactly an entertaining city.  There’s not all that much to do here.” Cloud said with a shrug.

“Oh, great.” I said. “Any nightclubs? Bars? Anything?”

“Well, there is Club Pon-3.  That place is pretty good.”

“Then we should-” I facehoofed, “We need to go back to the castle first, a Night-Club probably wouldn’t be doing anything special right now.” I said, “We can go spar until later, Spitfire would probably be happier too.”

“Firefly! You and Cloud Skipper are up!” Spitfire shouted.

I stepped out near Spitfire, and Cloud followed, getting a few hooves away from me and stopping, facing me. I grinned and winked at him.

“Don’t hold back, Skippy.” I said, taunting him, with the ‘Come hither’ hoof movement.

The stallion rushed me, putting his strength into his shoulders and putting his head down. I easily side-stepped his attack, giving him a quick smack on the back of his head. When he stopped, he looked over at me with a confused expression.

“Try again.”

He moved fast, getting up on his hind legs and swinging a hoof at me. I stopped the hoof with my own and flared my wings, smacking him across the face.

“Come on, you can get it this time.” I taunted again.

He chuckled for a second, then swung two hooves rapidly, I dodged the first one, but the other one caught me across the face, spinning me around and sending me to the ground.  As I looked at the floor, I got an idea.

I whimpered pitifully, trying to get some fake tears to come from my eyes, eventually letting them drip onto the ground.

I heard him kneel down behind me, he put his hoof on my shoulder.

“Firefly, are you-”

I hopped up, sending my hoof into the bottom of his jaw, then held his other hoof with my wing, pulling him towards me and pushing him backwards again with a hoof to his stomach, he lurched over and held his stomach, I stood up on my hind legs and dropped my body weight down onto his head with my elbow.

He laid on the ground for a second, obviously surprised.

I giggled a bit and helped him to his hooves, there was a cut over his eyebrow, leaking down his face.

“You okay?” I asked him, trying not to laugh at his expression.

“Yeah, I’m fine.  I didn’t really expect you to fight dirty like that.” He said, shaking his head.

“Hey, Cotton Flitter.” Ricco shouted from where Spitfire was, “She’s faster than you, anticipate her movements.”

“You want to try your luck against her?” He shouted over at Ricco as I helped him walk towards Spitfire and Ricco.

“You know what?” Ricco spread his wings, “Sure.”

Ricco used his strong wings to fly to the arena and land with a thud. I was surprised that the ground didn’t crack.

“I beat her once, I’ll do it again.”

I looked over at Ricco, then to Cloud, licking his small wound.

“Don’t worry,” I said, tasting the coppery flavor of blood. “I’ll be fine.”

I trotted over towards the arena, stopping a few yards from Ricco, cracking the joints in my neck and grinning.

“Let’s go.”

Ricco used his wings to burst towards me, I countered by using my own to go higher than him, landing behind him. I rushed him while he had his back turned, swiping at the back of his head with my wing. I felt something foreign wrap around my middle and throw me from his back, I landed on the ground with a menacing thud.

“One thing ponies don’t have, usable tails.” The griffon said, waving the said limb back and forth.

I quickly hopped up, waiting for the larger being to make a move. He just stood there. Ricco started to look at his claws for dirt.

I started slowly approaching him, watching his eyes scan my body for its every movement. I ended up right in front of him, as he towered over me, I smiled up at him.

I flared my right wing, shooting a few feathers in that direction. His eyes moved just like I wanted them to, seizing the opportunity, I quickly shot upwards and gave him a quick punch with my left hoof, then my right, landing before him again.  Before I could pull back, he grabbed my right foreleg joint and pulled the whole limb from its socket, causing a sickening crack to echo throughout the room.

“Only dislocated.” Ricco said.

A blinding pain invaded my brain as he spoke, I felt myself go flying back as he kicked me away, I heard myself scream, the pain was so intense I thought I was going to pass out, my whole foreleg felt like it had been ripped from my body.

I managed to stand up after a few seconds, the pain making my outline-vision almost fail altogether, a red aura replaced the blue.

I tried to stretch the limb, but found it to hurt worse.

I felt myself almost fall again, but I caught myself with a wing.

Wings.

I watched as my vision blurred, Ricco came closer and closer until I rammed into him, launching him backwards. He used his wings to catch himself and land normally.

“Are we done?” Ricco asked, untensing.

Blood pounded in my ears, fury built up until I felt like I was going to breathe fire.

My vision failed, then everything intensified.

Wind passed my body as I felt my good hoof smashing into something, somewhere in between, I was thrown through the air, slamming back down, luckily on my good side.

For a few seconds I thought I had passed out.

“Nopony... that still sounds weird, nopony answered my question.”

“Yeah... we’re done.” Cloud Skipper said, his voice drawing near me.

I just laid there, keeping still, wishing for the pain to go away.

“Are you okay Firefly?  How’s your leg?”

“H-how d-do you th-think?” I asked, feeling tears build in the side of my eyes.

“It should be fine.” Ricco said, “I didn’t do anything major.”

I felt myself getting lifted up, slowly, carefully I was placed on who I guessed was Cloud Skipper’s back.

I stayed quiet as the three of us returned to our room.

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Ricco

Cloud Skipper placed Firefly in the infirmary. Strength had always been a strong suit of mine, but so is analysis. I know what things will do the worst for someone, pony, whatever.

I walked back to our room and opened the door. I looked at my bag. ‘That’ thing was still inside. I picked it out of my bag and looked at it. It was too long to be a short range weapon, but too thin to be a explosive launcher. The wood was nicely finished and smoothed for comfort. The scope on top was aligned perfectly. I heard hoofsteps from behind and placed the gun back into the bag.

“Now don’t go blubbering at me for destroying your girlfriend.” I said, not looking back, “She didn’t back down.”

“You knew she wouldn’t be able to keep going.  Why didn’t you stop?”

“Experience is the best teacher.” I said, “I learned everything from experience.”

“She doesn’t need to ‘experience’ that.  We don’t have the time for any of us to be recovering from injuries when we should be training.”

“Why do you think I dislocated it instead of breaking it?” I said, “It only needs to be put back. Not much of a recovery time.”

The door swung open, Firefly entered, holding her hurt hoof up to her chest.

“Speak of the devil and she will appear.” I said, turning around.

“I’m going to sleep.” She said, fluttering up to her bed and covering herself up. “G’night, boys.”

“Goodnight Firefly, sleep well.” Cloud Skipper said softly, looking over at her.

“Use your speed to get on my side next time, Bubblegum.” I said.

Firefly mumbled something, pulling her covers up over her head with her wing. “You too, Cloud Skipper.”

I noticed an apple on a nightstand near my bed.

“Well, I need to test something.” I said as I grabbed my bag and the apple, “And I need this too.”

I walked down the hall and out the front door and spread my wings. I landed in the middle of the Royal maze. It was a large, closed off area with a stump at the end. I placed the apple on the stump and flew to the other end of the clearing. It was about 1,000 meters. I pulled out the long rifle and placed in a clip of six that I found along with the gun and and lay on my belly. I looked through the scope. the apple was about the size of a grape. I felt the soft breeze in my feathers. I aimed slightly to the right to compensate. I stopped my breathing and didn’t move any muscle on my body.

My talon flexed. A shot rang out and the apple spun off the stump.

I pulled out a flathead screwdriver and turned the adjustment screw slightly, so slightly in didn’t even look like I did anything, to the left. I flew and placed the apple back on the stump. I went back to the gun and got into my shooting position again. It was so quiet I heard the leaves rustle.

Blam!

Apple pieces shot in all directions.

“Doesn’t help when you don’t breathe.” Someone said.

I whipped around, seeing Firefly standing, her eyes glowing in the moonlight and her mane blowing softly with the breeze.

“What?” I asked, I didn’t feel like she had any room to judge my shot, and anger was rubbing off in my tone.

“You need to breathe more.” Firefly said, “Breathe in to focus your shot, the exhale when you pull the trigger.”

“What do you know about shooting?” I growled.

The mare walked closer, a small frown on her face. “My dad taught me.” She said.

I smirked, “I bet daddy also told you the Tooth Fairy was real.”

“He also told me not to work with bitches like you, so consider yourself lucky.” She retorted.

I lunged at the mare, swinging the butt of the rifle at her head, she gripped the rifle and stripped it from my claws.

I watched her remove the clip, break the scope, jam the loading system and rip out the barrel. My eyes widened as she broke what remained of the rifle in half on a stump and threw it to the ground.

“Fight fair for a change, huh?” She said, the same frown still on her face.

I charged the mare again, she flew straight up out of my view, as I looked up, she dropped all of her weight into a punch on my temple, creating little white dots in my vision.

She landed at my side, I swiped at her blindly, missing and getting a kick to the back of the head, keeping my vision blurry.

I reached my tail up to grab her but she grabbed it, wrapping it around my neck and strangling me with it, I grabbed my bowie knife from its sheath and slashed it towards her, hitting my own tail and not the mare, who delivered another mean punch on my neck, causing me to choke and cough. I grabbed my neck with one claw and leaned down, closing my eyes and trying to get rid of the pain in my throat.

I almost immediately noticed my mistake, but the mare had already struck me with the powerful uppercut, launching me into the air, where she followed up with a few punches to my head and face while still in the air, and as we began to fall, she grabbed ahold of my front leg and twisted it behind my back, as we landed, she pulled with the impact and a devastating crack echoed outside.

As I tried to regain my senses, I heard her walking off.

I tasted blood in my mouth and hated the fact that I had just lost to a mare smaller than me.

Lost. I couldn’t stand that word.

I didn’t lose, I hadn’t lost to griffons twice the size of me, yet I lost to this pathetic, tiny, insignificant, blind mare?

I got up and watched her walk away, when she turned around, her frown had turned into a taunting smile.

“Only dislocated.” She said.

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Cloud Skipper

As the sun beat down on us, Ricco and I held back while Firefly led the way, she seemed to be much more resilient to the heat and sand than us. Even if she was blind, she seemed to know exactly where we were going.

I lowered my sand mask and took a sip from my flask, trying to wash down the sand in my teeth, but only letting more in.

Ricco spit onto the ground, trying to get sand out of his mouth.

“It makes you wonder how she lives in Haywaii with all this sand,” I said to Ricco.

“No it doesn’t,” Ricco said, chuckling.

“How so?” I asked.

“I don’t care how she lived before, the past doesn’t matter now,” He continued,  “All we have now is the future and present.”

“When did you become philosophical?” I asked, trying to get my eyes back on Firefly, who had just passed over a sand dune.

“You like her, don’t you?” He asked.

“What’s it to you?” I said rather coldly, looking over at him.

“You do.” Ricco said, “It means nothing to me, I’m just trying to sort out the facts.”

I ignored him, Firefly had just stopped for the first time in miles, staring off into the distance. I couldn’t see her face, but I could tell she was worried by the look in her clouded eyes.

“Something wrong?” I asked, looking up to her standing on top of the dune.

She stayed quiet for a few seconds, then spoke through the cloth around her face and head.

“Sandstorm is coming, we need to move faster.” She said. “You two need to pick it up.”

Ricco spread his wings and shot ahead, just above the ground.

Firefly spread her wings and landed on his back, urging him to go down.

“If you spread your wings when the storms coming, even strong wings like yours will get you carried away.” She explained.

“Don’t tell me what I already know.” Ricco said, rotating sideways.

Firefly growled as she landed next to me, I put a wing around her.

“Don’t worry, he’ll relax sooner or later.”

“I don’t understand why he always has a problem with me,” she said, staying under my wing and keeping my pace.

Ricco flew back to our position. “C’mon, we’re in a hurry, right?”

She started trotting faster, leaving the warmth of my wing, I sped up as well, letting it relax on my side.

We were all in a full out sprint now, Firefly still leading the pack. The sandstorm had gathered to our west enough that it was blocking out the sun, making the Atacama much darker than before, we still had no place to take shelter when the sandstorm hit, and the pyramid had not been spotted by any of us yet.

The wind picked up at a moments notice, threatening to blow us down the side of a dune or sweep us off of our hooves and claws.

All of the water in our flasks had long since been emptied, and we were practically dying of thirst, all of us were slick with sweat and even Firefly, who had kept her pace this entire time, was slowing down.

Any moment the sandstorm could increase in speed and be down on us like an angry god. I had began to wonder if we had gotten lost in this desert, I could have swore we had walked over the same dune more than five times, ponies had talked about heat messing with your head, and I had started to think that was what had happened.

“Ricco!” Firefly shouted over the wind.

“What?” He responded.

“You have the strongest wings of all of us, try to fly up and look for the pyramid,” She said, “If you can’t hold up against the wind, just come back down.” She explained.

Ricco spread his wings and winced. He took off, heading straight up. The sand was too thick, I lost sight of him within seconds.

I knew it would hurt to fly in this crap, but seriously?  I finally made it above the sand storm.

“Why didn’t we just start flying before the storm, it would’ve been much faster.” I muttered to myself as I looked around.

Sand was the only thing I could see in the front, back, to the left, and to the ri- Wait. I can see a glimmer off the top of something. I was about to go back down, when I noticed I couldn’t see anything on the ground below me. The winds down there were strong, I could’ve been blown half a mile away from them. If I went back down, I might not be able to get back up here. What to do…

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a pink shape break out of the sand, and begin to scan her surroundings, I guess I had been blown pretty far away.

Firefly set her eyes on me. “Ricco! Come on!” She shouted.

“What about Cloud?” I asked, I knew I couldn’t just leave him.

“He can’t fly in this! We have to walk!” She shouted.

“Fine, it’s about a mile to the East.” I shouted back.

I flew towards her and down, getting back to Cloud Skipper.

I saw the Griffon and the pony come through the sand a few hundred hooves away, and ran towards them at full speed, as they tried to talk, I couldn’t hear a word they were saying, and they knew that too.

Ricco eventually started leading the way at an extremely fast pace, Firefly kept up well and I stayed right next to her.

We practically ran face first into the Pyramid, luckily we were on the side with the entrance, so we entered quickly, glad we could finally get out of the sand.

“Alright, we’re here.” Firefly said. “What’s our next move?

Just as she finished speaking, a shout was heard directly in front of us, a feminine shout of fear.

I ran head-first into the dark hallway, looking for the sound, unluckily, I ran into a wall.

“Wait!” Ricco shouted, “Don’t you know what a pyramid is?”

I looked back, Firefly had lit a torch and was steadily walking towards me with Ricco by her side.

“A pyramid is a three-dimensional maze,” He continued, “And you don’t get to turn around and leave if you reach a dead end.”

“And you just managed to evade three traps.” Firefly said, carefully walking over a few pressure plates.

I frowned, “I’m sorry.” He said.

“Just be careful. We don’t know what’s in here.” Ricco said, “Why are we even here, Bubblegum?”

“Celestia said that she had detected Discord’s magic in this desert from this location, is it not coincidental that there is a random pyramid in this exact spot?” She said, “She thinks he is housing the Element bearers here.”

“Discord, eh? He could also be luring us into our graves.” Ricco said, “No more stupid stuff.”

“Got it?” Firefly said, looking down at me.

“Got it.” I said, getting up.

I looked to the left, seeing yet another dark hallway, looking to his right, another hallway was there, a torch at the end of it.

I took a step that way, but Firefly stopped me.

Ricco lit another torch and threw it down that way, the light rolled for a few yards, then dropped into a hall, where a series of hisses and growls sounded until the light was put out.

“Snakes?” I asked.

“Alligators.” Ricco said.

This was going to take us awhile, if it didn’t kill us first.

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Firefly

I walked slowly through the tunnels, following Ricco, who held the torch with his tail, lighting the way. Cloud Skipper was next to the griffon, talking to him as we walked. The pyramid’s maze made it extremely difficult to try to know where you had been and where you hadn’t, it had felt like we had been going in circles since we had started.

I couldn’t help but notice how humid it was getting in there, I was sweating harder than I had been outside, I was almost panting.

“Is it getting hotter in here?” I asked the two.

Cloud Skipper looked back, “No, it’s actually pretty nice in here.” He said.

“Seriously?” I asked.

“Why would I lie?” He said.

I looked at the ground while we walked, trying to shake off the sudden humidity.

“I think we made it.” Ricco said.

I looked up, seeing a large wooden door.

“Anybody got a key?” Ricco asked.

“Are you kidding me?” Cloud Skipper said, putting his shoulder down and ramming into the door, breaking it off of the hinges.

“That works too.” I said, walking past the two and purposefully bumping into Cloud Skipper, stealing a look at his muscular, sweaty body.

As I entered, a room opened up before us.

“Yeah!” A voice shouted, “Run you bastards!”

Gunshots followed the sudden voice, to our right, a sandy colored stallion was taking shots at massive, alien-looking scorpions.

The mammoth insects skittered off through a large drainpipe to our left, evading the stallion.

When he holstered his weapon, he looked over to the three of us.

“Those huge bastards have been trying to take my loot all day!” He said, walking over to us with a cocky smile. “And it looks like I’m not the only one with a treasure.” He said, sliding next to me and wrapping a foreleg around my neck, “What is your name, sweetheart?”

“She’s blind.” Ricco said, “And taken.”

“By who?” The stallion and I asked simultaneously, holding me close, he smelled a bit like smoke and flowers.

“The royal guard.” Cloud said.

I smiled at him, leaving the new pony’s arm and standing by Cloud Skipper.

“Ah, I see.” He said, “Then great friends we shall become!” He announce, taking my hoof and kissing it.

I didn’t say it out loud, but he was pretty charming.

Ricco chuckled. “I don’t suppose you’d tell us your name?”

“Ah, where are my manners? My name is Buckshot, I’ve come here to look for a buried treasure, and I suppose that’s what you’re here for as well?”

“Nope.” Ricco said, “We’re here for other reasons.”

“Well, if you’d let me, I’d love to take a walk with you three, it gets kinda lonely down here,” He said, “Plus it’ll give me time to talk with the lady.”

“Company would be great.” I said, it would be nice to talk to somepony different other than these two.

I looked down the drain, seeing the end of it clearly, there didn’t seem to be anything inside of it, at least not right now.

As we all walked, Buckshot and I talked back and forth, he was talking about his last adventure, where he took an ancient relic while fighting off hundreds of giant spiders, he was like a non-fictional Daring Do. I would often chuckle at his jokes, and would burst out laughing as I looked at Cloud Skipper’s face, trying to hide his jealousy.

“So these scorpions, they’re like the spiders from your story, right?” Cloud Skipper asked, interrupting our conversation.

“Well, kind of,” Buckshot said, “There won’t be as many scorpions, but they’ll be twice as deadly,” He continued, “While the spiders can only bite you, the scorpions will be able to sting you and bite you.”

“Oh, great.” Cloud said.

“That means you’ll have to be extra careful with your eyes, love.” He said to me, making me blush hard.

“She’s blind still.” Ricco said.

“That’s what I said.” Buckshot said, looking over at the griffon.

“How can she be careful with something she doesn’t have?” Ricco asked.

“Well, she does have her eyes, but she needs to be careful if she can’t see them coming for her, if she wants to keep such a gorgeous body intact.” He said, making me giggle like a schoolfilly.

“Wow, you’d better keep an eye on this one, Cloud.” Ricco said.

“Already am.” Cloud gritted through his teeth.

“Don’t worry about me, Cloud, I can take care of myself.” I said, bumping into him affectionately.

He managed a smile at me, but I could tell it was forced.

I leaned over and kissed Cloud Skipper, pulling his head so I didn’t have to kiss his cheek. I noticed how much hotter it got as he proceeded to kiss me, getting it more intense by the second, he finally pulled away with a grin on his face.

I wanted to kiss him again so badly, I almost couldn’t keep myself still I wanted to so much.

I was really starting to get annoyed that nopony else felt the random temperature changes, or was even affected by them, I was the only one sweating.

I shook my head, realizing that had been the first time I had kissed Cloud Skipper like that. All I could think about was kissing him again, pinning him to the ground- or better yet, him pinning me to the ground and just full on making out with him, holding him close to me as mody body heated up and pushing him on his back, straddling him and-

My eyes widened, I now knew why I was having such sensual thoughts, it had somehow eluded me until now.

I was in heat.

And I was surrounded by stallions, surrounded by larger, stronger stallions that could do whatever they pleased to me at a moments notice.

“Uh…” Ricco raised an eyebrow, “Are you okay, Bubblegum?

“What?” I asked, swallowing the saliva in my mouth. “Yeah, totally. Is it hot in here?”

“Nope.”

“Oh, well, maybe I’m just being claustrophobic.” I lied, my eyes darting to the larger figures around me. “Maybe we should just fuu... find the elements of harmony!” I caught myself.

“That’s a great idea. Cloud Skipper, Bigshot, you get the front.” Ricco said, “Bub...Firefly and I will get the back.”

Dirty thoughts rolled around in my mind as his said front and back, making me almost giddy all of the sudden.

Cloud Skipper was happy to get me away from Buckshot, and took up the front with him, Ricco came back to where I was walking.

This was bad, really bad. Even the word ‘came’ was bouncing around in my head.

“I know what’s going on, Firefly.” Ricco said.

“What do you mean?” I asked, trying to act like I wasn’t shaking like a leaf.

“Don’t be coy, your unprofessionalism could ruin the mission.” Ricco said, “Get it together.”

“How would I ruin the mission?” I asked with a crazy laugh, “I’m completely fine, nothing is wrong, and I’m being completely professional about the mission.” I rambled.

“Fuck.” Ricco said blatantly.

I couldn’t help but blush intensely from such a blunt, but naughty word. “Stop it.” I said.

“If you were to get out of control in here, you might endanger all of our lives.” Ricco said, grabbing one of my hooves, “You could trigger a trap, or worse.”

“I have no idea what you mean, I am in perfect control of my sexual nature.” I said, letting ‘sex’ trigger a few images in my mind.

“Cum, fuck, enima, bondage, sixty-nine-” Ricco listed.

I slapped him, trying to get the words out of my head. “Ricco, you’re just making it worse.” I growled.

“Realize how bad it would be if you lost it.” Ricco said, “I could take you outside and they could fight Discord.”

“Me and you? Outside? Alone?” I said, “Perfect!” I shouted, getting a bit of attention from the two stallions in front.

“You know that’s not what I was implying.” Ricco said, turning back towards the stallions, “Let’s keep moving.”

Now I was just getting frustrated, I had been in heat twice before, and I had Thunder Cloud with me both times, and he kept me under control, now I had these three, one I was too embarrassed to even admit I was in heat to, the other probably wouldn’t end well with Cloud Skipper and him.

I stopped, sitting down and looking at the floor of the pipe we were in.

Cloud Skipper noticed, as did Ricco, making both of them stop. Buckshot followed after a few seconds as well.

“Are you okay, Firefly?” Cloud asked, sitting next to me.

I shook my head from side to side.

“Are you tired?” Buckshot asked.

I repeated.

“Ricco, has she said anything when she was next to you?” Cloud asked.

I looked up at Ricco, who scowled down.

“Well, she did yell perfect.” Ricco said, “But that was it.”

I was going crazy with the three of them around me, I couldn’t stand this for much longer, I needed a stallion. Right now.

“I...” I said, feeling even more turned on by the second.

“I think she needs some air.” Ricco said, “You guys go on ahead, I’ll take her out of here.”

Cloud Skipper placed a hoof on my shoulder, keeping it there as he spoke. “We won’t go far, and we’ll wait for you two.”

I nodded, knowing I would say something wrong if I spoke.

“Good, this’ll give you two some time to connect.” Ricco said to the two stallions, simultaneously getting me to my feet, “You both know Equestrian, that’s a good place to start.”

As we exited the drainpipe, I stopped again, pressing my back into a wall.

“Oh come on!” Ricco said, getting irritated.

“Ricco, you don’t understand.” I said, trying to clear my cloudy head. “I need, like need this, mare’s don’t go without it when they are in heat.”

“They can, and you will.” Ricco said, sitting down in the sand.

“Ricco, please.” I said, “I need Cloud Skipper right now, I can’t be like this for the next few days.”

“You can wait until we’re out of the pyramid for good.” Ricco said, “Now get your head out of the gutter and back on your shoulders, you are a mare who’s gone through some bad things, you can handle it.”

I got up and started walking back down the drainpipe, seeing Cloud Skipper at the end of it with Buckshot. Ricco and I ran to the end of it.

Nothing. Nothing was here, no Elements, no bearers, no Discord. We did have a few clues, but nothing other than that, we now knew he was jumping around from place to place with the elements and their bearers, trying to make his trail impossible to follow. Celestia would have to detect his magic directly as it was in use, and not follow the residue left behind from it, or we would have to try to intercept him.

That was what we would have to do, we took Discord’s map, and the pictures of the elements and their bearers, Buckshot was as disappointed as we were, apparently the place Discord had taken shelter in was the main chamber, and was supposed to house a completely diamond goblet, surrounded by bits and assorted gems. Ricco laughed his head off when we found out there wasn’t any treasure.

“Oh, the irony is just sickening.” He gasped.

Luckily, we didn’t have to go all the way back through the pyramid, Discord had made some stairs leading to the main tunnel we entered, a stone wall would drop down as we pulled a lever, also to our luck, the sandstorm had passed and we could see a large village in the distance.

Buckshot came with us after her accepted that the treasure was lost, he said he had been to this pyramid a few times before and had never noticed the village before, but we ignored him.

At least I did.

As we arrived in the village, we immediately found our way to a hotel, seeing that the sun was quickly falling, darkening the desert.

As we checked in, I couldn’t help but notice the constant smile on the cashier’s face, even when she spoke her smile was still there.

I shook my head, heading up the stairs with Ricco, Cloud Skipper and Buckshot.

We had rented out the biggest room, it had three beds in two bedrooms, two smaller ones in one while the master was in its own room. There were also two bathrooms, a full kitchen and a large living room to separate everything.

Buckshot tried to argue that Cloud Skipper and I didn’t get the master bedroom because ‘Treasure hunting was a hard job’ but we didn’t break and kept the room.

All four of us were in the living room, I was talking to Cloud Skipper in his lap, Buckshot was reading and Ricco was napping in a chair.

“Buckshot, Ricco, I think we’re gonna turn in.” Cloud Skipper said as he brushed his hoof through my mane.

Ricco was out like a light, not responding at all, and Buckshot barely raised his head.

“I suppose I should as well.” Buckshot said, standing up and stretching, he looked over at Ricco and took out his revolver, smacking the griffon in the stomach rather hard, then walking into the bedroom.

Before Ricco went on a rampage, we escaped into our bedroom, where we quickly got under the covers, snuggled against each other and fell fast asleep.

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Cloud Skipper

As I woke up, I poked my hooves around blindly for Firefly, trying to get some warmth from her. Even if we were in a desert, it was strangely cool inside of the village. As I probed my hooves around, I ended up not finding her, forcing me to open my eyes.

The sun blinded me immediately, my eyes felt like they were on fire as I tried to adjust by blinking. Firefly wasn’t in the bedroom, nor the bathroom. I checked the living room as well, finding no presence of the mare.

My thoughts immediately were racing, had she been captured? Was she taken in the middle of the night? Had I been too stupid to wake up?

I burst into the other bedroom, making Ricco and Buckshot jump out of bed with surprise, Ricco spread his wings immediately, keeping off of the ground. Buckshot was hanging off one of Ricco’s legs, looking around.

“What the fuck, Cloud?” Buckshot shouted.

“Firefly’s not here, I can’t find her.” I said.

Ricco landed, “She could’ve just wanted to look at the town.”

“What if she got captured?” I asked.

“Then we have to get her back!” Buckshot said, reaching in his backpack and pulling out a small shotgun and cocking it.

There was a loud smash outside the door, the three of us looked at each other for a second, then we all rushed into the living room shouting.

“Who are you?!”

“Where is Firefly?!”

“TICK TICK BOOM MOTHERFUCKER!”

We all stopped rather abruptly when we found out who was there.

Firefly stood in the living room, dressed in an extremely tight outfit, resembling a wonderbolt skin-tight costume, but seemingly tighter and all black with a little hood instead of a mask, she also had a pair of high speed flight goggles on top of her head, holding some of her hair back.

A whistle elicited from Buckshot, I gave him a swift elbow to the side.

“So, um, Firefly... Where have you been?” Ricco asked.

She shook her hair before answering, giving her a cute bedhead.

“I went for a little fly with my old training suit.” She said, stretching inside the suit, “Pretty cool, huh?”

“Yeah, cool.” I said before anypony else said anything.

“I also got tickets for a flight show, which Ricco and Buckshot will be going too.” She said, holding up two tickets.

Buckshot looked bored, being an Earth pony, I’d guess he didn’t have anything in common with the pegasi, so he wouldn’t have much interest with a flight show.

“They have free booze?” Firefly tried.

Buckshot brightened up, “I’m in!” he said, raising his hoof to Ricco for a hoof bump, which Ricco slapped down.

“Interesting.” the griffon said.

“What about you two?” Buckshot asked.

I was about to ask the same question, but Firefly was already speaking.

“We have something to go to, you two just go have a good time.” She said, practically pushing them out of the door, while I just stood watching.

“Since we’re out of the pyramid, go right on ahead.” Ricco said, falling face first.

“What are we going to do?” I asked, watching the mare trot over to me with a bounce in her step.

She took off her goggles and shook her hair again, “Well, I first need to tell you something.”

My eyes widened as she stripped from her skin tight uniform, eliciting tiny whimpers and moans from her.

“What is it?” I asked, trying not to let my eyes wander from her face.

“Y’know how I was acting a little weird last night?” She asked.

I remembered, Ricco had to take her away from us all for a few minutes.

“Yeah.” I said, looking at her sleek, slender body, it was an instant turn on even if she was slick with sweat.

“I’m kind of... well, I am in heat.” She said, slowly walking closer to me.

I had only seen one mare in heat before, and she was going absolutely insane around stallions and mares alike, practically begging for sex. I was surprised that Firefly seemed so restrained.

“Um... alright.”

“Please, don’t be innocent, just... I’ve been waiting all last night and this morning, and I got the other two away.” She said, licking her lips at the end of her sentence.

“I won’t hold you back, just calm down.” I said, following her into our bedroom.

“I can’t be calm about this, I’m too excited.” she said.

“Is this your first time?” I asked.

She hesitated, “No, well, yes.” she said.

“Didn’t you have a coltfriend?”

“Yes, but we never... did this...” she said, scratching the back of her neck. “I was with him for two of these, but I was too young at the time, and I didn’t want to give myself up so easily.”

“I understand that.” I said, “Is that why he was cheating on you?”

“Probably.” She said with a frown, I felt bad for probably touching base on a sore subject.

“Hey, don’t be nervous.” I said, feeling awkward in this conversation, even with her.

I hugged her, she dragged me onto the bed, putting me on top of her as she laid on her back, but kept me standing. She looked up at me with smoky eyes, her face was just begging me for it. She leaned up and held onto the back of my neck, nibbling at my ear and rubbing her chest against my own.

“Don’t be gentle.” She whispered, whining erotically as I suckled on her neck. “Make me yours.”

The mare began to wrap her back legs around me, pulling me down towards her, I resisted, making her pull harder and giving her a cute, annoyed look on her face.

“Has anypony ever told you you’re cute when you’re angry?” I asked, teasing her with a few short kisses.

“Shut up.” She said, trying to elongate the kisses.

I could feel the heat from her sex on my erect stallionhood, I could tell she was soaked. I wanted to keep this going as long as I could.

I slid down her body slowly, circling my hooves down her sides and planting gentle kisses on her stomach as I passed, when I reached her marehood, I stopped, looking up at her. Her entire face had reddened, as well as the tips of her ears, she looked more scared than I had ever seen her.

“Are you going to be alright?” I asked, worried for her.

The mare nodded rapidly, not opening her mouth to speak.

I leaned down closer, opening my mouth as I grew closer to her wet lower lips, I let out a small breath, and she stiffened, drawing away from me quickly.

I reached my hooves out to her’s, holding them and letting her squeeze them as I pulled her closer.

I waited no longer, I gingerly licked up the middle of the slit, making the mare wrap her legs around my neck and squeeze. She took short, rapid breaths as I continued, whining when I just barely stuck the tip of my tongue in and made tiny little circles with it. The wetness literally felt and tasted like honey in my mouth. Along with the warm sensation inside of her, I was loving this even more than she was.

I focused my attention on her, she had leaned back onto a pillow, her eyes clenched tightly closed and her mouth barely open, whispering out sweet nothings that I couldn’t hear.

I surprised her by sticking my tongue further into her, making her yelp then moan out for a few seconds.

It was warmer as I pushed my tongue further into her nethers, making her cry out with pleasure and ecstasy, she tasted like sweet, smooth honey, her smooth walls were flexing as she squirmed. I slowly pulled out, twirling my tongue around in large circles, tasting that honey flavor again and making Firefly writhe and squeal like a schoolfilly.

As I moved back inside, the mare squirmed around, giggling and moaning the most erotic moans I had heard from any mare I had been with.

I pressed my tongue with much more pressure onto her clit, pressing against it and giving little flicks with my tongue. She was crying out and moaning so loud that I was beginning to fear that somepony would think I was killing her or something.

I pulled my head back, looking up at her face, her face was intensely red, she took breaths so quickly I was sure she was going to hyperventilate, her ears were splayed back and her eyes were glazed over, she was staring straight up, her mouth open in a small oval.

“You look like you’re having fun.” I said with a grin, some of her juices running down my chin.

She looked down to me slowly, using barely any muscle to keep her head up. She looked like she was going to say something, but I quickly moved back to her nethers, pressing her clit between my lips gently, making her yelp instead.

I pulled back up and crawled up towards her, leaning down and planting a light kiss on her lips. She pulled me down into another, kissing me aggressively. Between us, our tongues sparred for dominance over one another's mouth, she tasted her own sweet nectar and moaned into my mouth. My erection stood taller than it ever had, during every one of her silences, I could hear our heartbeats mixing together in quiet harmony, like two different drums pounding the same beat.

I pulled away, the strand of saliva between us glistened in the morning light for a few seconds, then snapped as I used my hooves to push up, making me stand over her with a wide, toothy grin.

She looked so innocent, laying on the bed like that, her limbs splayed while she loudly took in the air, her chest rising and falling during her inhales and exhales, the smoky look in her eyes as she stared up at me did it for me, I couldn’t wait any longer.

I leaned down and pulled her near me, she made no attempt to pull back, but scooted towards me. Just as I was pulling towards her, she spoke.

“Cloud... wait.” She said.

I understood, she must have been nervous.

“Yeah?” I asked, keeping still while staring down into her eyes.

She took a breath, looking to the side for a second, then looking back up to me.

“I want you to be here... next time this happens... and when it happens after that.” She said quietly, holding her arms around the back of my neck. “I want you to be with me, and I want to be with you...”

I looked down at her, starstruck.

“I... I love you.” She said, pulling me close.

I hugged her back, tightly gripping around her smaller frame.

“I’ve been wanting to say that too.” I admitted, “And I wouldn’t want to be with any other mare, for the rest of my life.”

She pulled away, “You mean it?”

“Of course.” I said, kissing her cheek.

“Sh-show me.”

I refused to hold back any longer, I pulled my hind legs off the side of the bed. Standing up on them, I slid the mare towards me, putting her in position and holding the sides of her hips just above her cutie mark and pushed my erection towards her dripping sex. I gingerly pressed the tip of my member against her folds, letting her wetness lubricate me as I pushed deeper inside.

The mare gasped, pulling away, I stopped, loosening my hooves so she could move more freely.

“Are you alri-”

“I’m fine!” She yelped, uncertainty lacing her words.

“Are you sure?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

She fell silent, looking away from me and biting her lip.

Firefly took a breath, looking back up at me.

“I want to do this with you, and nopony else.” She said, her voice quiet, yet proud. “Trust me when I say I’m fine, because I am sure that I want this to happen between us.”

I smiled, wishing I had something so lovely to say to her, something short and sweet as that was.

I kissed her deeply, fireworks went off inside of my stomach, my mind lit up like a light and we held each other, it was our first kiss of pure, unconditional love. A burning sensation tore through my chest and burned hotter than any fire as my heart rate doubled in speed. My mind failed to comprehend the world around us as we continued in the kiss, never separating, the sun would not compare to the heat around us, I felt tears for the first time in years run down my face to mix with her own, silently streaming onto the covers.

As we separated, I stared into her eyes, letting them hypnotize me as I noticed myself pushing back into the mare, she bit her lip, closing her eyes as I went deeper inside her, with only a small moan, I noticed I could not push in any more, I had run into a wall inside of her, she gripped hard around my length, a tear pooled at the side of her eye. I felt the gripping intensify again, squeezing me hard.

She cut me off before I could speak.

“I’m fine.” She said, opening her eyes and focusing back onto me, “I promise.”

I tested a harder push, but nothing gave way, I pulled just a bit out of her, making her writhe under me, she pulled me down onto her, my chest was pressed up against hers, she wrapped her arms around me and squeezed.

I hugged her back, tightly holding her as I pressed into her.

Her hymen quickly gave way, eliciting a loud shout from the mare followed by a deep, girlish moan.

I pressed deeper into her, making her squirm and whisper underneath me, I gently kissed the side of her neck, pressing the rest of my length inside of her as she yelped.

“Ooooh... Cloud...” She struggled, squeezing me tighter as I pulled back again, making an almost silent squelching sound.

The mare’s fur had darkened in a few places from the small amounts of blood dripping out of her, painting the sheets a rosey red as well.

The mare released more whines and moans as I continued, trying to keep my breath and keep from shouting about how amazing this was. The tips of her ears were a bright red as I thrusted a few more times, then slowed my rhythm, cherishing the feeling of being wrapped around inside of her, her soft and velvety insides, not giving any notice when she would tense around me again. My legs shuddered as she gave the cutest smile I had seen from her, I wasn’t going to last long at this rate.

“Firefly... sweet Celestia...” I moaned, trying my best to keep from falling down on her.

She whined again, then shouted. I was really not ready for her next tightening, because I could feel precum release from me, I was getting dangerously close.

“Cloud... I’m... I’m gonna...” Firefly tried, the rest of her words failing as she was blinded by the feeling inside her.

“Me too...” I said, keeping my words steady.

She screamed loudly, gripping me tight enough to take the wind out of me.

I felt her burst, coating my already slick member, eliminating any friction that remained. I began to pull away from her, knowing I couldn’t wait any longer, but she gripped tightly around me as I pulled away, using the last of her strength to wrap her rear legs around my waist, holding me inside of her.

“No, inside.” She whispered to me, giving me time for just a few more strong thrusts, ending with me hilting inside of her as I reached my own climax.

Our juices mixed together as I exploded inside of her, shooting wave after wave of seed deep inside of her womb, feeling too weak to even try to pull away. I felt blinded from such an intense orgasm, my mind was blank with things to say, I couldn’t even put words together, I hadn’t done anything this morning, and I felt exhausted.

When I finally opened my eyes, I was staring at the ceiling. Firefly was beside me, heaving for air. Juices leaking from her vagina dampened the bed, her eyes were locked closed, a simple, pleased smile was on her lips, she looked like she was dreaming.

“That... was amazing...” She said, fighting for air.

I took a breath, “You have no idea.” I said, smiling over at her, which she mimicked, but with her eyes closed.

I wrapped my arms around her, she groggily followed, getting up and lying down on my chest like a filly and her father. She had a small smile on her face, her body was slick with sweat. I held her regardless, like a mother would to her child.

Then we kissed, like two lovers would.

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Ricco

Buckshot and I walked along the street towards the flight show, the townsfolk were much nicer than the mares and stallions in Canterlot, there weren’t any griffons like me, but I had gotten used to that in the past week. Being surrounded by ponies wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be in the beginning.

It seemed that all of the ponies here were smiling, no matter what, we had even seen a pony who had just spilled his coffee on himself laughing.

Buckshot was greeting everyone, I would reply to most of the ponies we conversed with. I was actually getting confused with the amount of smiles around us, I noticed the few ponies that stared.

“Bucky, is there something wrong with this place?” I asked.

Buckshot looked over with a confused look on his face. “Are you kidding? Everypony here is like family!” He said, waving at a pony I hadn’t seen.

I looked over where Buckshot was waving, one single pony wore a frown, a dark, creature-like frown.

I first noticed his single tooth extending from his jaw, then his eyes, a butter yellow surrounded a deep, blood red. Next came his horn, a jagged, bent, light blue bone protruding from his head.

As I found myself staring, he grinned like some kind of criminal.

A carriage passed in the rode between the pony and I, when it passed, the unicorn had vanished. I sped up my pace, pushing Buckshot quickly along, no matter if he hadn’t noticed or not.

I looked around, ponies were staring with bright, friendly smiles. I had not yet seen one blink, I looked in the other direction, seeing more ponies closing in around us, getting closer as we looked away, then abruptly stopping when we looked back.

I bumped into somepony, he kept walking past, turning his head only to smile at us.

Staring.

Watching.

I reached to my side, then cursed, I had left my knife in the hotel when Firefly was rushing us out.

I thought of the two ponies there, alone. Would they be okay? Were they okay?

A line of ponies were in the way, not letting us pass, their smiles mocking our increasing sense of suspicion.

I extended my claws, swiping across the face of one of the ponies, who didn’t even flinch as I cut across his face, keeping his smile on his face. Letting the blood run down into his teeth and drip onto the ground.

I grabbed Buckshot and leaped into the air, spreading my wings and flying upwards, for the first time in a long time, I was actually frightened. Something was very wrong with this town.

I slapped myself in the face, Buckshot had said he’d never seen the town before the night before, and they should have just steered clear of it then, but hadn’t.

My wings flexed and I shot off through the sky, feeling the wind rush past me as I flew. When I looked down, the mocking faces of the townsfolk stared into the sky, watching us. I spotted the hotel out of the corner of my eye, around it there were ponies everywhere, crowding inside of the lobby.

I heard a shout, and shot down towards it. Just as I prepared to land on the roof of the hotel, an intense crushing pain rocketed down my side. I felt Buckshot leave my claws and go soaring through the air as I spiraled downwards, eventually hitting the ground with bone-breaking force.

I let out a low, pained moan as I laid on my back, I looked around slowly and saw Buckshot to my left about twenty yards away, struggling to get up.

Another painful amount of pressure shot through my chest, when I directed my attention there again, a cyan pony stood on my chest, stamping her hoof into my chest. Her mane had a certain flair that immediately made me recognize her. The seven colors of the rainbow made connections in my brain and made me try to talk, but immediately had a hoof on my throat.

“Not smiling now, are you?!” She shouted, her gravelly voice attracting some of the smiling ponies, who started a slow walk towards us.

I shot up and threw the rainbow pony over my back, keeping her there. I sprinted over to Buckshot and grabbed him too, bursting upwards with the help of my wings and landing on the balcony of our apartment.

The volume of the world around me intensified when two hooves hit me on both of my temples and sent my face into the brick balcony floor.

“Alright, motherfucker...” I said, swinging a wild uppercut and catching Rainbow Dash under the chin, sending her into the air and then crashing back down.

I looked up just in time for Cloud Skipper and Firefly to come tearing out of the apartment, taking flight immediately. I grabbed Rainbow Dash and checked for Buckshot, who was still on my back and took off after the two pegasi.

I quickly caught up with them, talking quickly as we flew at high speeds towards the desert.

“Can someone please tell me what the fuck is going on?!” I shouted.

Firefly looked over with fear in her eyes. “How the hell should we know?!”

Cloud Skipper looked over just as a shadow cast over the world around us, cutting off vision for a few seconds before an intense pressure slammed us all into the ground.

Only sound told me that we were all getting up, I had lost feeling of Rainbow Dash and Buckshot, I felt a claw out for them, but found only sand.

Suddenly, the sun blinded me, making me cover my eyes.

When I looked around, a giant, slender figure stood above us. I couldn’t place exactly what animal it was because it was so many. Two yellow and red eyes seemed to mock my thoughts as I looked into them.

Something clicked in my brain, this was exactly who we were looking for.

Discord.

The draconequus cleared his throat and smiled, a single jagged tooth stuck from his jaw.

“Well, fancy seeing you three here,” he said, shrinking in size and leaning down to look at Firefly, who glared into his multicolored eyes with her cloudy ones. Even though she was blind, she could seemingly see him.

“Especially you, Firefly,” he said, tapping her nose.

Firefly’s aggressive look shrank into that of fear, and sadness.

She gripped the sides of her head and fell down, tears streaming from her eyes.

“Stop it!” she screamed.

Cloud Skipper swung at Discord and the hybrid creature disappeared. Then reappeared above me upside down.

“Just having some fun, jeez,” he said, floating upwards out of my grasping range.

Cloud tried to console Firefly, who stared at the ground with a shattered self-esteem.

“Discord!” Rainbow Dash shouted from a few body-lengths away, “Where are my friends?!”

“Safe place, unlike here, where you shouldn’t be.” Discord said, mocking the mare.

“I swear to Celestia, when we get the Elements of Harmo-”

“But you won’t get the Elements of Harmony!” Discord chuckled.

“We’ll kill you if we have to.” Cloud Skipper said.

Discord looked at the group we had, then burst out laughing.

As he rolled on the ground, he spoke, “This broken group? You three barely know each other! You three can’t work as a team!”

“We-” I tried.

“We?” Discord laughed again. “The little one would be a better challenge!”

Cloud Skipper, Firefly and I all looked over at each other.

“Little one?” Cloud Skipper asked.

Discord grinned, “Oh, you three don’t know.”

Firefly floated upwards in Discord’s telekinetic gripped and was poked on the belly by the one who held her.

“This little one.”

Firefly looked at Discord, then down at Cloud Skipper.

“Aww, congratulations.” Discord said with a grin, magically making her belly bloat out, her face contorted into that of pain and surprise.

Before anyone could speak, a loud popping noise echoed throughout the air and Firefly’s bloated stomach disappeared into her normal slender body.

“But you don’t need something like that on a mission, so I’ll take that.” Discord said, dropping the mare to the ground.

A broken look was on the mare’s face, she looked shocked but somehow sad.

“You-” She choked on her words.

“Yes I did.” Discord grinned, “Anyways, good luck.”

Discord disappeared again, and one of the civilians from the town stood on the spot where he disappeared from, grinning widely.

I looked over at Firefly then at the Smiler, and charged straight at it, if it was anything like they were in town, they could do virtually nothing.

I reared back and slashed my claws downwards at the Smiler and hit only air. Before I could contemplate that it had disappeared, something smashed into the back of my head, making me fall face first into the ground for the second time today.

I tried to do the same thing I had done to Rainbow Dash, but was hit into the side of the head again, making my vision blur and ears start ringing.

This one I was fighting acted like he was supercharged or something, he moved faster than anyone I had ever fought. The only one who came close was...

Firefly.

I looked over at the mare, “Fire-”

I was kicked in the throat, then sucker-punched me in the jaw. Then it jumped into the air and tucked his two front hooves together, bringing them down on my head.

The last thing I saw was sand.

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Firefly

I didn’t know what it was, but I felt... strange... empty. It was almost like I hadn’t eaten in a long time, but it didn’t hurt, I just felt... clean.

I felt tears in my eyes, dripping onto the sand as I held my stomach. My head felt heavy and waterlogged, like there was water in my mane. Sadness swelled throughout my heart and came over me like the waves over the shore.

How could Discord have known something like that? It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours since Cloud and I had been together for the first time.

Discord could just... do that? Something so heinous and evil as taking an unborn child?

No... there couldn’t be any way he could do that, even with his magical powers. He couldn’t sense something that was so far away.

Could he?

What other explanation could there be behind the feelings I had right now?

“Fire-”

Somepony’s voice was cut off by a choke and a sputter, snapping me back to reality.

I looked up to see Ricco fall into the sand, kicking it up around him as one of the ponies from in town looked at Cloud and I from over his body.

“Stay back.” Cloud said, stepping in front of me.

I tried to speak, but the pony shot towards Cloud Skipper and socked him across the face, knocking him off balance for enough time to trip him and get on top of him, laying punch after punch on his chest or face. Cloud Skipper had no chance with his wings or hooves because they had been pinned down.

Cloud finally broke out one hoof but the pony on top of him grabbed those hooves with his front hooves and instead of punching Cloud the pony started headbutting him.

I reached to my right hind leg and slid a black, talon-like blade out of it’s sheath, I never used something like this, but in this moment, it felt like that was all I could use.

I ran up behind the pony and stabbed the blade into the back of it’s neck, curving it into the skin of the creature and spinning him around and pushing him on his back, where he quickly started to recover.

I took a few steps back and ran towards the pony.

The world seemed to move in slow motion as I jumped into the air and came down on top of the pony with a jarring punch, then kept hitting, blood was pouring from the smiling mouth, teeth were cracked and broken. His eyes had begun to roll back into his head and bones were breaking.

I retrieved my knife from the back of his neck and stabbed it into his neck then to his chest again and again.

Somepony pulled me off of the pony but I kept swinging at him, he hit the pony I care about and the griffon I care about, he was going to kill us all. I wanted his blood like he wanted ours.

“Fuck you!” I shouted, throwing the knife which bounced off of the convulsing pony’s head.

“Stop.” Cloud Skipper’s voice was in my ears.

My chest rose and fell, blood caked against my fur, dripping down onto the sand or drying on my skin, I kicked and shouted, but heard nothing but a dull ringing in my ears. The sand against my hooves felt so familiar, like I was home.

I opened my eyes, looking around.

I was in the desert, alone. I could see again for some reason, everything looked so perfect and detailed. I smiled, remembering how good it felt to see the world. Somehow, someway, my vision was back.

But my friends were gone.

“Is that what they are, really?” A voice said.

I recognized it immediately, Discord.

I gritted my teeth, looking around in the empty desert, trying to find out where the voice was coming from. It suddenly seemed like it was bouncing around me.

“Where are you?” I growled, readying myself for a fight.

“It doesn’t matter where I am, Firefly, it matters where your so called ‘friends’ are.” Discord said in all seriousness.

“What did you do to them?” I asked, reaching for my knife, but finding out it wasn’t there.

“What did they do to you?” Discord asked back.

“Wha-?”

“They left you here, how should I know where they are?” He said, his voice echoing around in the barren desert.

I dropped my guard for a second, but shook my head, I wasn’t about to fall for his tricks. “You’re lying, they wouldn’t do that.”

“I assure you, I’m not.” Discord said.

“Why would the-”

“Because they see you as weak.” He stated with a laugh.

I heard a snap of fingers, and he appeared in front of me.

I felt frozen, I was completely unable to move as he leaned down to my height, staring into my eyes.

“Why don’t you re-think who your friends are, sweetheart.” He said.

Out of nowhere, I felt like I was going to throw up, I regained my ability to move, but my muscles refused to hold me up and I collapsed onto the floor.

“Cloud Skipper, some friend or Coltfriend he is.” The hybrid said, “From the beginning he liked you for your body, and when you talk to him? Oh, all he pays attention to is how you move your body around, and is off in another world, fantasizing about you.” He explained.

I tried to cover my ears, but Discord magically locked my hooves to the ground.

“Come on, Firefly, you're smart, put the pieces together, do you think he will really want anything to do to you when this is over?” He ranted, “He even has a mare back home that he has had feelings for far longer than you!”

Tears rushed to my eyes, I tried to ignore him, but it was like he was forcing me to listen.

“He is quite the nice guy at first, but just you wait until this is over, he will forget you and probably send you home himself, just so he doesn’t have to see you when the other mare falls in love with him.” Discord was laughing now, but he was speaking in honesty, he didn’t even sound like he was lying.

“And how about Ricco? You call him a friend, but he just thinks you’re just along for the ride. After this is over, he is probably going to get paid by Celestia and leave the first chance he gets to go back to Griffonia and get himself killed down the line.” Discord was pacing around me now, and I couldn’t help but listen.

“Ricco is just another criminal that deserves to die in whatever hole he crawled out of, he is useless in your life unless you go on another grand adventure like this.” The draconequus chuckled, “He won’t last in your life, sooner or later you’ll be alone again, wondering how you ended up where you are.”

The monstrosity took a deep breath and leaned down in front of me, looking back into my eyes.

“Think about what I said here, don’t just brush it off.” He spoke, standing up straight again and disappearing before me with the snap of his fingers. “Don’t worry, I’ll be here for you no matter what.”

I closed my eyes and gripped my head, trying to fight off the intense pressure suddenly on my body, I screamed and opened my eyes, throwing tears around, then slammed them closed when all I could see was the eyes of Discord.

All of the sudden, everything faded.

When I opened my eyes, Cloud Skipper and Ricco stood over me, staring in shock.

I saw how much I could see of both of them, I could see again.

Discord had given me my eyes back.

We weren’t in the desert anymore, but the sky was still above us, slowly moving.

We were in a wagon or something. I noticed the blanket wrapped around me, and the pillow under the back of my head.

“Where are we?” I asked in a monotone voice.

“Firefly... your eyes...” Cloud Skipper gawked, staring down into my eyes.

“I asked where we were.” I said, pushing him away from me as I sat up.

Immediately something cracked in chest and sent me right back into the place I was before.

“Firefly, don’t move, you might have broken some of your ribs.” Cloud Skipper said, holding me back where I was.

I didn’t like that, he didn’t have any right to hold me down.

I tried to push his arms off with my own, but he held me in place, his strength was superior and he was on top of me.

“Why are you fighting against me?” Cloud asked, flexing to hold me down. “Stop doing that.”

I pressed my nose against his and growled at him, “Let. Me. Go.” I demanded slowly.

“I don’t want you to hurt yourself.” Cloud said, with care in his voice.

“Firefly, please calm down.” Ricco said.

“Shutup!” I screeched, pressing with all my might against Cloud Skipper, “Let me go!”

“Ricco, help me.” Cloud said, holding me down.

“Firefly…” Ricco put one hand on my head and pushed me down. “Calm, down.”

I tried to press back against his claws, but he pressed harder, it felt like he was going to crush my skull any second. So I stopped fighting against them, gritting my teeth.

Cloud Skipper loosened his grip and Ricco did too, “What was that all about?” Cloud asked me.

I refrained from talking to him, just growled and stared hatefully at the both of them.

“Ricco, is she sick?” Cloud Skipper asked, trying to blame me wanting to look around on some kind of sickness, what a joke.

“No, not exactly.” Ricco said, staring directly at me, “Might be a problem though.”

“Yeah, what’s that, asshole?” I said, glaring at him.

“Your behavior is abnormal.” He said, “Even for you.”

I spit at him.

He wiped his face and frowned. “You’d never do that, not before.”

“Is it... that time of-”

I picked up my arm when Cloud was off guard and slugged him in the side of the head, “I’m not on my period, asshole!”

Cloud pressed he hooves back onto mine, glaring down at me.

I leaned my head up and looked directly into his eyes, staring into them with hatred.

“Hit me.” I said, knowing he wanted to. “Do it.”

“I won’t.” He said, pushing me back down onto the cart.

Cloud stared down in confusion and concern, Ricco had a surprised look.

Cloud looked up at the driver, “Hurry to Canterlot, we have an emergency.”

The cart moved faster now, Ricco sat down and watched me closely while Cloud Skipper held me down.

“Ricco, should we tell the princess about this?” He asked.

“Yes, she might know the exact cure, per say.” Ricco said, “If you can look after Bubblegum, I can fly to her now.”

“Hurry.” Cloud Skipper said.

“Discord told me about you, Ricco.” I said just before Ricco took off. “Don’t abandon us, we still have a lot to do.” I grinned at him.

“Discord?” Ricco raised an eyebrow, then grinned and put his face so close to mine I could feel him breathing, “Discord knows nothing about me.”

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Ricco

Right after the Discord statement, Firefly gave me a mean headbutt, which I expected.

I flew out the window of the cart towards the castle. I entered through a window of the throne room right next to the Princess of the Sun, who was drinking a cup of tea.

“She’s changed.” I said, startling Celestia, making her spill “Firefly’s behavior has altered dramatically.”

“What do you mean?” Celestia asked, putting down the now empty cup of tea.

“She has started to question Cloud’s and my behavior.” I said, “And she mentioned something about Discord. How he told firefly about me.”

Celestia closed her eyes and faced downward. “Hmmmm… It seems that she has fallen under a spell conjured up by Discord, one that he has used before on my elements.”

“And…” I said, impatiently, “How do we free her from it?”

“She would need to be reminded of why she is here and why she and you are friends.” Celestia said.

“Well that’s… not as easy as I was going to make it sound.” I said, thinking about how I’ve treated the mare.

She looked like she’d seen better days when I first saw her. She didn’t look like much of anything to me. I was harsh on her for her faults and weaknesses. But for some reason, the word friend seemed to click into place when I thought of her. Why? I didn’t ever give her any slack, not even when she was in the pyramid. I came to a sudden realization when I thought of Cloud Skipper.

“I think I know what has to happen.” I said as I looked back up to Celestia.

Droplets of water started to land on the roof that was at least forty feet above me, making a small bell-like chiming echo around the room. Flashes of lightning lit up the room slightly as well.

“It’s too dangerous to fly back to them.” She said as she beckoned a guard over with a wing.

She whispered an order to the guard, who immediately trotted out the door.

“I’ve asked the guard to send Firefly directly to my chamber upon reaching the Castle.” She said, “But that won’t be for a while. Why don’t we talk about something?”

I was immediately suspicious about her question. “Why?”

“Well, you’re here and there isn’t anything else to do on a rainy day.” Celestia said.

I was aware that the weather was controlled by magic in Canterlot, so all it took was one word from the princess for it to be any other type of day, but I felt genuine concern in her tone.

“What exactly did Firefly say about Discord?” Celestia asked, now sitting down.

“Well, she said that Discord told her about… me.” I said, “But that isn’t possible, he didn’t know about me until you called me.”

“Why do you think that?” Celestia asked, I could feel something in her tone.

“Because….” I started.

I realized that I really didn’t know why I thought that. The thing I felt in her tone was a knowing. A knowing that I didn’t have an, what you would call, clean past.

“Do you think this because you don’t want him to know about you?” She pushed.

I sighed. Even before the underground fights and reckless killings.

“Why don’t you tell me about you?” Celestia asked.

Her tone changed again. It was now one of sincerity, one of caring, one of empathy.

I sighed again, and sat down. I started to tell of my past. Things started out good enough for me. I was born into a rich family of stock traders for the Griffonia Stock Market. My childhood was one filled with sunny days on a ranch that my father owned, but others cared for, and cold, winter days in a mountain cabin. My parents were loving enough, and shielded me from the reality of society in Griffonia. One of corruption and greed. One day, when I was around twenty-two, about seven in griffon years, we were enjoying a nice day on my father’s estate by the pool. I was swimming and both my parents were catching some rays with their large wings. Suddenly, a large carriage pulled up and opened a whole can of lead straight through our iron fence. The water level was low enough for the bullets to sail straight above my head. The carriage sped off and both of my parents looked like swiss cheese. I got out of the pool and ran into the house. I asked one of the servants to help them, and they obliged immediately. When he was walking away, I noticed him smiling, instead of mourning. I ran into my father’s room and locked the door, I thought back to when the carriage pulled up. Not even one servant was startled or rushed out to see what happened.

I started to look out the window and lose myself in my own recollections.

It turns out that my father’s head servant had hired the mafia to take out my close family. I looked around my father’s room for anything that could be used as some sort of weapon. I eventually found my father’s gun safe. It was a measly S.A.A. and a custom gun I’d never seen before. I still carry both around to this day. My wings had dried enough for a short flight, so I took the first chance I got and flew to my uncle’s house. Apparently, my father did not spread his wealth throughout the family and my uncle never got a single bit. As you would imagine, I had a large inheritance to my name. My uncle accepted me with open arms. He was nice to me, until the inheritance was gone. He turned out to be a real scumbag. He would come home every other night either drunk or drugged, but never in a good mood. He’d beat me with the nearest blunt object until I’d pass out, and then some. After about two years, I grew tired of the my uncle’s behavior and snapped. During one of his beating sessions, I threw a punch and knocked him out cold. Apparently I was very strong through some type of breeding my father was doing. He’d only been married to my mother for her gene pool to make as close to perfect child he could call his own. I walked up to my room and got the Single Action Army I’d taken and blew my uncle’s brains out. Of course the cops came snooping around, but I was long gone.  I’d flown for who know’s how long until I’d reached a different city. One that wasn’t as pleasant as my hometown. I grew up on the streets and learned the hard way of living.

I looked back to Celestia to see if she was listening. Intently, I should add. I turned back to the window.

I found a place to stay, if you could call it that, and lived out my life. I found a dame, I think that was the correct terminology back then, who tugged my heartstrings with a vengeance. We started to go out. She was a beautiful griffon, of a middleclass family, a girl my father would have never let me go near, but he was gone. We’d gone out on a few dates, and even thought of settling down with each other, and we almost did. One day, as I knocked on the door of her house, I found it to be wide open. Upon closer inspection, I saw that the door had been forced open, and the deadlock had broken through the frame of the door. I walked into my love’s ransacked house to find her in the bathroom, facedown in the bathtub. A note was lain in the sink. The death had been courtesy of the Griffonia Mafia. I cried my heart out for at least a week. You might not know this, but Griffons mate for life. Killing a griffon’s mate was the dirtiest thing someone could do. Of course I wanted revenge, but going against the mob was suicide. I had to live with this burden. I started to become more and more angry with each passing day. I eventually stumbled upon an underground fight club, which is where you found me.

I stood up and stretched my legs “That brings us full circle.” I said.

A guard rushed in and whispered into Celestia’s ear, “Send them in.”

“They’re here.” Celestia said as Cloud Skipper brought in an unwilling Firefly.

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Firefly

“Oh, Sunbutt’s here too!” I shouted up at the Princess sitting up in her throne that probably costed more than half of the houses in Haywaii. “Can’t wait!”

“Firefly!” Cloud Skipper shouted at me, covering my mouth.

Celestia didn’t seem bothered by the insult, which bothered me. “You clearly weren’t lying.” She said to Ricco.

Ricco only shook his head.

“I’m so sorry, Princess.” Cloud Skipper said, trying to hold me close to him.

“It isn’t your fault, Cloud Skipper.” She said, looking down at us.

Celestia suddenly raised an eyebrow, looked down at Ricco, then down to Cloud and I again.

“Cloud Skipper... have you... developed feelings for her?” Celestia asked awkwardly.

I wanted to shout at her, maybe say he was just my fuckbuddy or something that would catch her off guard.

“Princess, no offense, but I find that off topic in the situation.” Cloud said professionally.

“Cloud Skipper, I will decide what is on and off topic, answer the question.” Celestia said.

Cloud sighed, then looked at me, I tried to bite him through his hoof, but failed.

“Yes, Princess. I love her.” He said.

Suddenly, there was a great weight on my chest, kind of like when you get the wind knocked out of you, but somehow in reverse.

“Ah, very well.” Celestia said, leaning down at me and touching her horn on my head.

My eyes shot open, a sudden blinding light enveloped the area around me. I somehow saw the events of us all meeting, and all we did together, the fights and the talks, the jokes and secrets we shared, the good and bad things together, the things that made us who we were.

“Friends.” Celestia said.

When the light faded, I immediately looked around, confused.

I felt instantly horrible, not ill, but I was sickened by myself, the way I acted and my attitude towards my friends and peers. The things I wanted to say made me want to run away from the people I thought so bad about.

“Firefly?” Cloud Skipper asked, letting me away from him.

I almost spoke, but choked up immediately. I looked to him, then the princess, her eyes were full of worry. Cloud looked hopeful, tears welled up in my eyes and I made a girlish whine.

Then I ran.

I quickly found our old room, slamming the door and locking it behind me, gripping my hair and falling down onto the bed. I let tears fall from my eyes onto the pillow, soaking it within a few minutes.

“Firefly! Open up!” Ricco shouted from outside, slamming into the door.

It would only be a few more hits until the door broke, Cloud and Ricco rushed in and grabbed me, trying to get me back to my senses. I didn’t want to talk to them and say something else that could hurt them in any way, so I barely moved in their grasp.

After a few more minutes, they decided to climb into bed and wait. I was going to talk to them. I felt too bad already, it would only take something else to break Cloud and I away from each other. Ricco probably wouldn’t forgive me as it was, I cursed myself over and over, mentally abusing myself as I laid in bed.

It would have been a few hours before I finally fell asleep, dreaming about possible consequences of the horrible things I said. My mind eventually burned itself out and I slept peacefully.

When I opened my eyes again, the darkness of the night greeted me. I heard some commotion outside of the door, ponies were talking in very hushed voices, stopping every few seconds.

I looked into light that was coming out from under the door and tried to count how many were out there, after a few minutes I had seen a pair of claws and nothing else, I guessed that Ricco was outside talking to Cloud or someone.

I got up and turned on the light, quickly heading for the door until I heard a rustle from behind me.

Jumping forwards, I whipped around and saw Ricco and Cloud sleeping in their appropriate beds.

I disregarded them and turned back to the door, going to find out what-

I stopped dead in my tracks, if Ricco was in bed, who else had griffon claws in the castle.

Just as I reached for the door, it opened up and two griffons tackled me, smashing a rag into my face that smelled horrible and held me down.

A punch from one of the unknown griffons dazed me, then I inhaled the scent of the rag again, sending a wave of drowsiness through my head. Another punch made me black out for a few seconds and the smell drove pulled me from consciousness.

The last thing I saw as one huge griffon put me up on his back was the other signing a note and slipping it under Ricco’s pillow, who despite the entire ordeal hadn’t even moved from a sleeping position.

Light immediately burned into my brain when my eyes opened. My head hurt badly, for reasons I didn’t exactly know.

I tried to reach around for Cloud Skipper blindly but found my hooves behind my back they had fallen asleep or something, because I couldn’t feel them at all.

Snapping me awake was a jet of ice cold water splashing against my face, it made me choke as it got into my mouth, I sputtered and coughed as it continually shot at me, soaking my fur and mane, getting in my eyes and everything else.

“Stop!” I shouted, the water seemed to intensify, getting colder and more powerful, hitting my face and head again.

I gurgled on the water and spit it out, coughing and shouting at whoever was doing this to me.

After a few squeaks in the background of the sound of spraying water, it stopped altogether.

Dripping water was the only thing I could hear in my waterlogged ears, someone was saying something, but I couldn’t make it out.

I whipped my head around a few times, getting some of the water out of my ears so I could hear.

“-you see what we have to do to get what we want?” Someone said, it was an accent like Ricco’s, definitely from a griffon. “Ricco, as you can see, we have your little girlfriend. So, if you don’t get us what we want, it will end up like last time. Which I don’t think you want to bring up.” He said.

“What do you want?!” I shouted at him.

I hear steps nearing me, his claws tapping on the floor that I couldn’t see through the lights around me.

A teeth-grinding punch knocked me sideways, sending whatever I was sitting in and me to the floor with a menacing crack.

“You need to wait your turn, little lady.” He said, all I could manage to see were his claws on the ground in front of me.

He cleared his throat and walked away.

“As I was saying, we will need at least five million bits in the next three months.” He said, “At the end of the second month, I will give you our location and you will bring the bits.” He explained with a chuckle. “In the mean time, me and the boys will have our fun with her. You remember the fighting club, don’t you Ricco?”

His voice sent chills down my spine, and the freezing water didn’t help. What was that he said about two months? He was going to keep me for two months and then give me back? What kind of ‘fun’ had he been talking about?

So many questions circled around in my head.

I was sat back up straight.

“I didn’t think you liked ponies, Ricco.” The griffon said, inhaling near my mane. “I can see why... I always have liked my girls... tight.”

The lights were turned off all at once and the world came into view very slowly, I was surrounded by griffon’s, all watching me with evil smiles. The griffon in front of me seemed different than the rest, he had black and white feathers and silver fur, he looked like some kind of royalty.

I followed his gaze to his chest, then down, then down some more until I was met with a horrendous sight.

The griffon had seemingly been... excited by this whole ordeal and had grown fully erect. I was in awe as he picked up the wooden chair I was in and broke off the legs so I was sitting much lower to the ground, and I knew exactly why.

He was at least six or seven hoof lengths easily, with a width that would make any pony jealous. Something like that would tear me in half.

I looked up at him with pleading eyes, which seemingly made him smile brighter.

“Please...” I said, trying to move away.

He moved me against a wall and stood himself up, shoving his putrid length into my face. I put my head down and tried to scoot against the wall to get away.

When I failed to comply he grabbed the sides of my head and pressed hard against them, the pressure on my skull started to hurt instantly, the sides of my head felt like they were being crushed.

I gritted my teeth and tried to think about something other than the pain, but it hurt so badly it made me want to scream, but I didn’t want to open my mouth at all.

After a few seconds, he let go and growled angrily. He looked back at the camera and smiled.

“She’ll give in soon, she won’t have any choice but to eat somehow.”

I thought about what he said for a second, then squeezed my eyes closed, not wanting to imagine what he was talking about, even though I already knew.