“Are you sure about this?!” Lassie whispered to me as we each picked up a small handful of pebbles.

“Positive, she's the only one who'll give it to me straight,” I replied as I stood up, Lassie scoffing.

“More like the only one who'll tell you not to go. Come on, be honest, you know what she's gonna say,” Lassie told me, making me shrug in return. “Come on, are you really going to let Daring Do's life hinge on HER opinion!” Lassie scolded me.

“I've tried to leave this life behind. I've tried to convince Daring to leave it behind. I at least tried to retire, she just insulted me about the thought of it. We'll see what she says about it because, unlike anypony else, she'll at least give me a straight answer,” I told her, Lassie rolling her eyes.

“How about somepony you don't know?” she offered, myself shaking my head.

“Daring needs to stay a fictional character in the public eye,” I told Lassie whom just scoffed at my excuse.

“So then why ask her of all ponies?” she asked, pointing to the bedroom window. I just shrugged as I cocked my arm back, ready to throw.

“Because she is the only one who will seriously consider both options,” I answered as I tossed the pebble at Applejack's bedroom window, which missed and bounced off the roof. For a few moments, Lassie and I tossed pebbles, most of which missed horribly.

Finally, Lassie pecked one off the window. “Ha! And the crowd goes wild,” Lassie whispered, not wanting to wake everypony in the house with her wild cheer. After a few more pebbles knocked against her window, it slid open, the farmer pony taking a look out as she rubbed her eyes.

“Huh, who...” she trailed off as she spotted us, illuminated in the bright moonlight down below. “What in tarnation are you doing here?!” she growled at us, Lassie quickly pitching up.

“Hey, pssssh! Sssh, come down here! Don't wake the whole bloody neighborhood!” she hissed back, Applejack giving us a look before huffing.

“Ah'll be down in a second,” she grumbled, shutting the window. Only a minute or so passed before the orange farmer pony stormed out the front door of the farm house and across the yard, a rather annoyed expression about her.

“This better be good!” she snapped at me. Despite everything, she still resented me for what I, or Derreck, had done... but I guess I couldn't blame her. I bit my lip and stayed silent, pondering how I should approach her about it. Lassie however, was quick to pipe up.

“Of course it is, you nimwit. We wouldn't have come to see you at this hour if it wasn't,” she answered, Applejack raising a brow to Lassie's tone.

“Well. Then what's this big emergency?” she asked, a little agitated we had woken her at this hour. Lassie nudged me, motioning with her head.

“Go on, show her. I'm not solving all of your problems for you,” she quipped, making me sigh as I reached into my shirt pocket but before I revealed the photo, I looked to Applejack.

“Applejack, just know that I haven't considered anything just yet. I'm looking for advice,” I told her, the farmer's brow raising even more. “And you have to Pinkie Promise not to tell a single living soul,” I told her, Applejack shaking her head.

“Not until ah figure out what yer up tah,” she told me with a squinty eyed look.

“We're not up to anything! We're getting thrown into something,” Lassie shot back, the farmer pony looking to her.

“Oh ah get it. Yer goin on another crazy adventure tah kill ponies and yah just need a good excuse tah do it, right?” she snapped at us, Lassie getting steamed at the farmer's tone.

“Just show her the damn photo already for Celestia's sake!” Lassie growled as she scrunched her nose. “Then maybe she'll understand.” I fished out the photo and handed it over to Applejack who rose a confused brow.

“Oh... okay, so what the hay is this an' what's it supposed tah mean?” she asked and I sighed.

“Applejack, you have to listen to what I'm about to say and believe me for this to make sense, okay?” I asked, the mare giving me a stern look but letting me speak. “Okay, a long-long time ago I went on an errand for Flim and Flam to get some kinda... thingy. But their directions sucked and their map wasn't very helpful. I ended up in Ghastly Gorge where I met a mare... her name is Daring Do-” Applejack cut me short.

“WHAT?! Yah mean the mare from Dash's adventure books? She ain't a real mare-” I cut her short.

“Applejack, like I said, you just have to listen to me before you can understand,” I ordered, the mare sighing and reluctantly began listening again.

“Okay... so like I said... I met Daring Do and we found Peg Leg's gold... there's a longer story to that, one involving her locking me up and us fighting and blowing up the cave but that's besides the point. After that, we both got paid from the museum then went our separate ways. She came back to me a while later and convinced me to climb Mount Tia with her... you remember that. It wasn't actually a terminally ill mare. I lied about that to cover up Daring's existance. And now, just recently, she came back wanting me to go find some book of fantasy or something... and I told her no, that I was retired,” I replied, Applejack giving me a serious look. “I tried convincing her to retire as well, to get out while she was ahead... but she just mocked me as I walked away, saying she'd do it herself... and just today I got this in the mail,” I told her, Applejack stifling a laugh.

“Alright... supposin' ah do believe all this... what's goin' on?” she asked and I just shrugged.

“I don't rightly know. The picture never came with a letter, or a ransom note or anything. I suppose those Daring Do stories are based on more real life events than anypony realizes. I'm guessing... whoever the villains are in the story, probably captured her,” I offered my reasoning behind it, which only made Applejack laugh.

“Oh... oh, ah understand alright. So yah don't know what's going on but yah want muh consent tah go on some crazy adventure an' kill more ponies so that when Twilight gets back from her parents' house and finds out yah broke yet another promise, yah can tell her that AH gave yah permission tah do it. Ah see what yer tryin'-” Lassie cut her short.

“We're not trying to do anything! We figured you off all ponies would give it to us straight.” She stomped her paw down. “And you're doing a pretty good job of it so far,” she snarled out, Applejack looking to us with a slightly stunned expression.

“Give it tah yah straight, how?” she asked in curious wonder. I picked up to answer her question.

“Should I try to rescue her?” I asked in the most blunt of ways. “I'm not going to hurt ponies, I'm not going for the sake of an exhilarating thrill. I'd be going to save a... friend. But I'd be breaking my promise. So, we came to you to ask... what's the right thing to do?” I asked, Applejack scoffing.

“Well, if yah really need tah ask, then yah'll ready making a mistake. Yah made a promise tah Twilight!” she snapped and I nodded.

“That's all I wanted to hear,” I said as I turned around to head back to the library, Lassie following close behind. Before we even got a few steps away, Applejack was calling over to us.

“Hey, take yer photo,” she called out, holding the photo for us to take but I merely shook my head.

“I won't need it,” I replied as I continued to walk away. Not even ten seconds had passed by and Applejack scurried in front of us.

“W-wait... hold on... what'll happen tah this mare if somepony don't save her?” she asked and I just shrugged.

“I don't know. Like I said, we didn't get a ransom note or anything, just the photo. I don't know what they wanted with me or even who sent the photo. They might hold her a bit longer and try to get something from me, or maybe try to ransom somepony else... or they might just kill her, I don't know... but it's not my problem anymore,” I said as I moved past her.

“She could be in serious trouble though,” Applejack shouted at me and I just shrugged as I twirled around, walking backwards as I looked to her.

“You said it yourself AJ. I shouldn't have even had to think about it. I have a promise for Twilight I need to keep,” I repeated her own words, Applejack biting her lower lip. The mare ran up and stopped me in place, a conflicted look on her face.

“Don't yah even try tah put this on me! Ah... ah... UGH! Yah really are a snake in the grass! This ain't even fair!” she yelled at me, now just as conflicted with the problem as I was.

“Nothing in life is fair AJ... we are just forced to make the decisions,” I told her, her face twisting a bit into a frown.

“Don't call me AJ. Muh friend's are the only ones that get to call me that,” she snapped, making me sigh.

“Fine... Applejack... I'm going home, because I have a promise to keep to-” she cut me short.

“Oh no yah don't. Yer not leaving this on me!” she ordered and I rose a brow.

“I'm not leaving this on you. I just asked your opinion on what I should do. You don't have to get involved,” I answered, Applejack grumbling to herself.

“Oh yes, yah did leave it on me... yer... yer playin' games an' ah don't like it... GUR! Ah can't believe ah let myself get roped inta this...” she growled before going silent for a moment's time. “Like yah said...” she bit her lip before whispering under her breath. “Ah can't believe ah'm about tah... we ain't goin' tah kill ponies, right? So, where was she headed?” Applejack asked.

There was a long pause in which I seriously considered it. Applejack was the most likely of all ponies to tell me to keep my promise... and here she was, in a way, volunteering to go. “I don't kno-” I cut myself off before I could finish. I did know where she had went. She had told me part of her plan...

A soft, gentle warmth trickled against the side of my head... slowly trailing my cheek and then to my neck. I stirred in my seat before finally cracking my eye. Morning time had finally come around, and our train was somewhere in a vast emptiness of farmer fields.

Shaking off my morning disorientation, along with drowse from slight lack of sleep, I let out a yawn and sat up, letting out a slight, muffled groan. With a cluck of my tongue, I looked around the cabin car. There were a few other ponies, here and there, but not many.

“Mmm... okay...” I muttered as I stood up and moseyed my way through train car after train car, eventually reaching the caboose. Leaning again the back railing of the final car, I went over my thoughts.

This was crazy. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I should've stayed home... 'should've'. But here I was, breaking my promise to Twilight yet again because I had considered the alternative... but hey, at least this time Applejack of all ponies was on my side... kind of. She still firmly believed that I had pressured her into this, but irregardless, lucky for Lassie and I she decided on coming with.

Having let Spike and the others take my truck, we were only left with one option to get to Appleloosa... the train. On top of that, Applejack had noted that her good cousin Braeburn would probably know what cave Daring had mentioned and that finding her would be easier than first thought...

And now here I was... early morning, on my way to Appleloosa to rescue some damn pegasus that I hardly even liked... for fuc...

I shook my head as I stood up, looking to my F&F watch only to realize I had spent over an hour leaning against the back railing just pondering my thoughts. Turning around, I headed back to our train car, and took a seat beside Applejack, whom was sitting across from Lassie.

My dog friend sat happily reading a book... a documentation book about wildlife... while she sucked earnestly on a lollipop. “Nature books?” I asked curiously, breaking Lassie's trans like state.

“Wha... huh? Oh... uhh, ha-ha no. The new Playcolt limited magazine,” she replied, turning the book my way and revealing a smut magazine tucked into the actual book. I groaned with a slight chuckle whilst Applejack let out a displeasured 'Tch' which caught Lassie's attention.

“You know... I think I might just know why you've been so stuck up lately Applejack,” she quipped, catching a narrow glare from the farmer pony. “I mean, jeez, ain't no shame in it. We all like to rub one off every now and then,” she chuckled heartily, the apple farmer just rolling her eyes in slight disgust.

“Ah can't believe ah got roped inta this,” she complained, Lassie laughing.

“You didn't. Seriously. I suggested going to see literally any another pony besides you. Somepony who wouldn't even have considered it and just said yes cause it's the right thing to do. I seriously don't know why you two even had to think about it. Yeah, she might be a... real wanker but hey, she's a living pony and nopony deserves to be tied up like that... under normal circumstances, you know?” she asked us rhetorically. “I thought for sure when Evan suggested we ask you, he was just trying to take the easy way out because you'd definitely say no, then he could feel better about himself leaving her to... at the mercy of her captors I suppose,” she mentioned before going to rummage through a rather large duffle bag she had resting on the other half of her seat.

Applejack took a finer look at the bag. “Say... what's in the bag? Aint no weapons ah hope. Thought yah said yah wasn't plannin' on hurtin no pony,” she interrogated, Lassie laughing.

“Oh goddess no...” she trailed off as she pulled out an oddly shaped dildo. “Mostly dildos and vibrators. Oh, and some butt plugs... a set of anal beads,” she mentioned, making Applejack and myself groan as we got out of our seats to leave, myself going to get some breakfast. “Hey... what did I say?” she asked as we both walked away. “Well, you asked,” she called out. “A girl always cums prepared, right? Just ask Rarity!”

The train came to a slow stop at the Appleloosa train station, the conductor calling out various things, letting us know we had reached our stop and such. Hefting up our travel bags, of which Lassie's was the largest, we made our way off the train and into the small town. Looking around, vivid memories came back to me of my time spent here with Applejack, back when we were friends and when I'd help her and her family out on various occasions.

It was hot out, making me regret having worn my old duster coat. The town was slow moving, as usual, with a tumbleweed bouncing gently across the town's main road.

“Okay... what now?” I asked, taking a look around but then following a silent Applejack, whom began to trot through town, with Lassie and myself in tow. The town was nice and made me wish I had visited it more often in my youth. It had a nostalgic feel to it... real old style western vibe which really made me feel at peace. The ponies around town seemed simple and rather easy going, not so fast paced and uppity like in Manehatten or Canterlot.

Stumbling around as I followed Applejack, I enjoyed the sights, taking it all in. We may be on a rescue mission, but that didn't mean I couldn't enjoy what there was to see. “Well HOWDY cousin Applejack!” shouted an ecstatically happy and all too familiar voice. Looking over, Lassie and I watched as a light gold colored stallion rushed over and took Applejack into a big hug. “Well heck cousin, why didn't yah tell me yah was headin' around these parts? I woulda taken a day er two off tah-” Applejack quickly cut him short.

“Ain't here on leisure, Brae. Serious problem, but yah was just the pony we was lookin' fer,” she told him, Braeburn going silent for a moment before looking over to us.

“Oh hey, Mr. Burdick! And... oh, you must be Lassie. Applejack says you're the dog that can talk!” he gave us a friendly wave as Lassie sighed with a smile.

“The talking dog...” she shook her head before Braeburn picked up again.

“Well shoot, yah said there was a serious problem and yah'll was looking fer me?... ah mean, ah'd love tah offer muh help but what kinda problem yah'll need me fer? Ah ain't real good at-” Brae asked, Applejack quickly cutting him off to explain things as I took a look around us.

Jeez, usually caves were part of mountains and stuff but the surrounding area mostly just looked like flat plains and of couple of hills... but I suppose this cave could be part of a gorge or something too so-

“Well holy hay Applejack! We better go tell the sheriff right away!” Braeburn broke my thoughts as he turned to gallop away. “C'mon, this way!” he told us as he began galloping away, Applejack and Lassie in quick pursuit and leaving me dragging behind. Gosh... I was so old... and, well, I wasn't actually fat but I couldn't run all that far without really feeling it in my lungs. The others made it to the Sheriff's office a full minute ahead of me, already in conversation about the kidnapping.

I burst through the door, panting heavily as though I was on my last few breaths. “Jeez, you feeling alright?” Lassie asked in a slight bit of worry.

“I am too old for this,” I punned.

Sheriff Silver Star leaned back in his chair. “Well... ah don't reckon ah know of any caves around these parts,” he mentioned as he rubbed his chin. “Ah'd love tah help but we need more tah run on than just saying some mare was foalnapped. Ah can throw together a posse to go look but without even a picture of the mare or a place to start looking...” he trailed off as I caught my breath.

“She... said... a cave... some kinda book... a relic or... an artifact,” I panted, the sheriff perking a brow.

“An artifact you say? Hmm... ah reckon none of the townsfolk know much about that, but ah'd be willin' tah bet a days wages that the buffalo might. They been around these parts longer than any of us an' they'd probably know about that cave to... reckonin' yah'll figure out where this place is... ah'll throw together a posse tah come looking, and we'll apprehend these would-be foalnappers,” he said in a just tone. “Until then, ah'll have a real hard time getting law bringers together with what little information we have. Sorry ah can't be of any more service,” he apologized, but we all just nodded.

“Thank yah Sheriff,” Braeburn gave him our thanks. “It's more than enough,” he assured the older sheriff before turning to us. “C'mon yah'll, ah know a shortcut tah the buffalo village!” he told us in haste, rushing out the door and leaving me to groan.

“Ughhhh... more running...” I dipped my head...

Hours had passed and nightfall was upon us as we entered the small native village, myself wheezing heavily. I really was old... and probably out of shape. Derreck... he kept himself better fit than I did... jeez, maybe he really was better than me at-

“Hello, brother Braeburn,” came a very deep and husky voice as a buffalo came up and embraced the young stallion in a very formal hug. “It is so good to see you-” he was cut off by the rather frantic stallion.

“It's so good to see you too Rainy Storm, but ah'm afraid we're not here fer friendly reunions. A friend of ours had been foalnapped!” he exclaimed, the buffalo's eyes going wide.

“Foalnapped?! Then why come here?” he asked curiously.

“Well... yah see, we don't know where she is but we know she's somewhere in the area an' that it's got somethin' tah do with a cave and an artifact but... well, none of us back in town know about any cav-” he was cut off as the buffalo stuck his hoof into Braeburn's mouth.

“Sssh! Come, we must speak to the great elder, and the chief should know as well...” he let out a whistle and a younger buffalo quickly came over. “Little Strongheart, quickly. Get the chief, and tell him to meet us at the great elder's,” he ordered, the young buffalo quickly running off into the village. Rainy Storm began to lead us through the tribe's village, speaking in whisper.

“The cave... there is only one. And it is forbidden,” he told us, my eyes going wide. That certainly sounded like something Daring was into... forbidden caves. “The artifact you speak of... I will not say more, you must speak with the elder and the chief.” He kept quiet after that, leading us to a somewhat larger tent than the others, holding the entrance flap open for us.

Lassie went first, followed by Braeburn, Applejack and finally myself. As we entered, the tent flap was closed behind us and we were greeted by the sight of a very elderly buffalo sitting on his haunches, perfectly still and surrounded by lit candles that illuminated the tent.

“Come... sit...” his lips didn't move but we heard him clear as day. Though Applejack, Braeburn and myself were slightly hesitant about taking our seat, Lassie plopped herself down quickly and happily, panting slightly with a slight smile on her face, tongue hanging out.

The old buffalo rose a smoke pipe to his lips and took a generous inhale, speaking to us despite having a pipe in his mouth and seemingly talking without any hindrance. “So... it has come to be,” he said, myself picking up.

“What has?” I asked, a gust of wind blowing throughout the tent and nearly putting out the candles, sending a shiver down all of our backs.

“Sssh!” the elder hissed. “Be silent in this time of revelations... for it has been foretold in my visions... the two apple farmers, the outcast... and the talking dog,” he told us, lowering the pipe from his mouth and exhaling several smoke rings. Suddenly, all the candles went out and we were encased in darkness.

In the very far out distance, a single, glimmering light began to shimmer... and then another... and another... soon, we were surrounded by... stars?!

“You live your own life, a chooser of your own destiny... but there are events of your life that have been foretold in the catacombs of time... events that cannot be avoided, but one's that you will always fight with the fullest of your heart...” the elder's voice spoke as some of the stars began to move, replicating ponies fighting, ponies loving each other and all sorts of events that weren't very specific but were depictive enough to know what was happening.

I noticed Applejack standing next to me, but Braeburn and Lassie were absent. “Your honesty defines who you are, strengthening the bond you share with your friends. With it, nopony can break who you are,” he said.

Wait... so was he talking to me or to-

“Your lewdness and sexual drive makes those around you uncomfortable. However, your unwavering loyalty and compassion keeps you close to the hearts of those you love and cherish...” It was that moment I noticed Lassie was here too but... why hadn't I noticed her earl-

“You have a soft heart, caring for those closest to you. You'd give everything for those you care about, to keep them safe from danger and harm...” I noticed that now even Braeburn was here. I went to scratch my head but noticed I didn't have a hand... or even a body! I was just... I couldn't even speak!

“You all have so much to learn... and so much to live. Embrace all of life's little things, for they are the biggest gifts of all,” he told us...

My foot kicked and I awoke on the floor of the tent... my head felt a little fuzzy and-

“Woah... that was a wild trip,” Lassie groaned groggily as the four of us slowly sat up, the tent flap opening and a large buffalo entering. We all sat in silence as, whom I presumed to be, the chief walked across the tent and sat beside the elder.

“Rainy Storm... says your friend has been foalnapped,” he said in a monotone voice. I went to speak but he continued to speak before the words could leave my mouth. “He also says... she has plundered into the holy burial grounds of our great ancestors, looking for an artifact. No doubt grave robbing and disrespecting the final resting places of those no longer with us. I fear she may have angered the spirits there and they are the ones that have taken your friend,” he said, Lassie speaking up.

“Okay, but then why would they have taken a photo and sent it to us?” she asked, Braeburn quickly piping up.

“Wait, there was a photo? Why didn't yah'll show that tah Sheriff Silverstar?! That woulda-” he was cut off by Lassie as she huffed out a reply.

“We didn't keep the photo, alright? We just kinda panicked and left it behind and we've been winging it since,” she answered, the elder shushing us as he blew another few smoke rings.

“We do not know who has taken your friend, or why... but if it is the spirits, you must appease their anger to save your friend. Otherwise, her spirit will be damned to eternal torment,” he said.

“Then what are we waiting for?” I went to stand up but collapsed to the floor, my whole body feeling numb. The elder shook his head.

“If you were to go there now, like you are, you would suffer the same fate as your friend. Your body must be cleansed of all evils and purged before you may enter the sacred grounds... even then, you may still enrage the spirits as your friend has already tainted their sacred resting places...”

The chief looked to us. “When you awake, you'll be near the holy grounds and will be accompanied by our greatest tracker. He will guide you and help find your friend. My best wishes,” he told us just as everything started to fade away into a messy blur of vibrant colors...

I felt myself gagging on water, being dragged down stream with several bullet wounds in my body. Suddenly, a pair of hands grabbed me, dragging me from the current. I coughed and continued to spit up water as the figure rescued me from the river. I groaned as I tried to focus my vision but could hardly manage. The man began to wrap my wounds with medical bandage, along with extracting several bullets that were still lodged in my body...

I hung up the phone, feeling stunned, shocked... lost. They had Derpy. The man patted my shoulder with a smile, assuring me everything was going to turn out alright and that I had nothing to worry about as he picked the phone back up...

The thugs surrounded us on the cliff side of the mountain. This was it... we were done. A mighty roar was unleashed as a figure lunged straight into the middle of the group, slashing at them with razor sharp claws. The thugs all screamed as Daring and I were left stunned by the occurrence. The man turned to me, his grizzled face forming a smile as he gave me a thumbs up...

Something blasted the back of my head and I felt my body drop. Even though I was unconscious, I could see myself... like a spirit from above. The mare that had blasted me whispered something to my body, then turned to keep guard. Within seconds however, my body rose back up, now sporting a different appearance as it snarled wildly like a maddened beast. Lunging into the mare, I... no, he grabbed her, claws extended as he went to impale the mare for crossing me like that...

I felt a painful strike hammer me down, my body bouncing across the ground a few times before coming to a painful stop. A dark cloaked figure slowly approached, a ghastly fume emitting from beneath his robes. I let out a pained groan as I tried to get up, to fight this figure but couldn't find the strength to do so.

The figure lifted a sickly scythe above its head, readying itself to finish me off. I winced as I clenched my eyes shut. There was a deafening roar, followed by a petrified scream of terror. Opening my eyes, I watched as a burly man tackled Death to the ground, punching it several times before drawing out a wicked handcannon that shone in the darkness.

The gun thundered several times, each shot illuminating Death's bony face. The figure of Death went limp in the big man's hands before he dropped the body to the ground. Standing up, the man looked to me as he walked over and offered me his hand. “Do not worry, my brother. I will always protect you, and together, nothing can stop us,” Derreck told me...

I awoke with a scream, thrashing about on the ground as I regained consciousness. The others all looked to me and I noticed their tribal garb, along with the face paint they had on. “Woah... you guys look...” I trailed off and saw myself done up in a similar fashion and nearly gasped.

“Sssh,” whispered a fairly slender, compared to the others, male buffalo. “We are walking on the sacred grounds of our ancestors. Even now, we are disturbing their peace. We must be quick to save your friend. Quickly, this way,” he ordered us.

The others had all woken up before me, how long I didn't know, but they had all regained their composure better than me and I was dragging a little as we walked along through the spooky grave yard.

We all could hear spooky voices. They were distorted, and garbled but they sounded freaky. A thick fog ran across the ground, so dense I could feel the resistance against my legs as we walked along. The fog was also so thick we couldn't actually see the ground, and I ended up stumbling once or twice.

“Jeez... this place gives me the creeps,” I muttered, Lassie snickering.

“You're telling us? We've been up for the last fifteen minutes waiting for your lazy ass to wake up.” She stifled a laugh. Just before she could say anything else however, she let out a scream and was pulled to the ground with a yelp. We all stopped as her body disappeared under the smoky fog.

“Lassie!” I yelled out in panic, hearing her scream just a few feet away. Rushing over, I reached into the fog. “GRAB MY HAND!” I yelled, just as the others ran over as well. I felt her paws grab my hands and I began to pull her away from whatever had her.

“GET ME OUTTA HERE!” Lassie screamed to us just as I managed to pull her upper half out from the fog. Braeburn and Applejack came to each side of me and began to help pull Lassie from the depths.

Just as we almost had her out, something grabbed my ankles from behind and dragged me away. Giving a sharp kick, I managed a hit to the face of our aggressor. I barely even managed to roll onto my back before a creature jumped onto me. It's face was mostly comprised of rows upon rows of razor sharp teeth. It's body was slender and thin and it had a long bony muzzle. It didn't say anything but rather just chomped down on the side of my neck, shaking it's head and chewing me up something fierce.

Letting out an agonizing scream that was mixed with blood, I landed several punches into the side of the creature's head which only spurred it to ravage my neck more. Reaching across the ground for anything I could use, my hand found the handle of some kind of club.

My hand gripped the handle tight and swung the blunt club into the skull of the beast, knocking it off my body. Rolling over and on top of it, I let out a fierce battle cry and began to bash it's skull in with the old style native club. I continued to beat it for several seconds before stopping to take a good look at it. The skull had been crushed and the creature was no more...

Standing up and out of the fog, the others all looked to me in shock. “JEEZ! Evan!” Lassie cried out as she rushed over. “Oh goddess, we gotta get him outta... eww...” she groaned as she watched my neck slowly heal back together.

“I'll be fine... hey, you,” I said to the buffalo. “What the hell was that?!” I asked, the club still in my grip.

“A spirit that has not passed on. It's presence lingers here to guard this holy ground. We must hurry, for when there is one, there are always more. The cave is just this way,” the buffalo told us, leading us with the utmost of haste.

As we hurried along, Lassie pulled me closer to her. “Hey... listen, when we were all knocked out, I had this crazy dream about a blue stallion... I-I-I don't remember what his name was but... for some reason, you were... you didn't stop him and just stood there while he... and h-he... he stabbed me through the belly with his horn,” she told me and my spine shivered. “Y-you'd never... never let somepony do that to me, right? Never stand back and just let it happen?” she asked. “I know you're a pacifist now, but if it came down to it, you'd stop somepony who was going to kill me, right?” she asked, pretty shaken up about this dream of hers.

“Hey, relax. Of course I would. You just saw what happened back there, right?” I asked, Lassie nodding in response.

“Y-yeah... well, I mean, I saw you guys pulling me out but the dream... sorry, I... it just felt so real, l-like... like an epiphany or something, you know?” she asked and I nodded. The buffalo suddenly came to a stop and motioned for us to do the same.

“This is the most sacred place of all... where our ancestors left their mark before passing on to the other world...” he trailed off and pulled out a set of flint stones, striking them over a torch and bringing it to life. “Quickly, this way, we must hurry” the buffalo said as he led us along, torch illuminating the entire inside of the cave.

There were markings all over the walls, hoof prints, ancient writing... my lips mouthed out a single word. 'Wow...' I was left in utter shock. This place... was amazing. In just a few dozen yards however, we were at the end of the cave, itself only being a few dozen feet deep.

“This is the end of the cave,” he told us, my brow rising and Lassie speaking our minds for us.

“But we haven't found our friend? If she's not here, then where is she?!” Lassie whispered.

“I do not know,” the buffalo told us. “But this is the only cave in the region-” he was cut off by Braeburn.

“No!... No, it ain't... well, perhaps the only natural cave but...” he trailed off as a ghostly moan echoed throughout the cave. We all stood still for a moment before slowly turning around to be confronted by a floating entity that hovered between us and the exit.

It was the upper half of an elderly buffalo but one that was in spirit form, groaning and emitting a screeching whiny noise that sent cold shivers down my back. Our buffalo guide leapt in front of our group and began to speak in ancient tongue, a language I doubt any of us could understand. The ghost let out a loud screech that shook the tunnel but the buffalo stomped his hoof and spoke in a more determined voice.

There was a long pause before the ghost moved aside, the buffalo turning to us. “Quickly, this way. RUN!” he told us before galloping out of the cave, the rest of us following him.

Rushing out of the cave, the buffalo didn't stop and just kept running, all of us following him closely until we were finally out of the grave site. “Goddess dammit... fuck! That was creepy...” I swore, Lassie nodding as she kicked off her tribal garb.

Looking to the buffalo, Braeburn asked a question that had been on my mind earlier. “What did yah say back there? Ah didn't rightly understand none of it,” he asked, the buffalo turning to us and speaking.

“I spoke to him in our ancient tongue, the language of our ancestors. I told him that your friend had been kidnapped, and taken there. The spirit screamed back that no one had been to the holy grounds in a very long time and accused me of lying. I told him that we meant no disrespect, and that we had brought nothing with us, nor were taking anything and that we were only searching for your friend, for her safety and well being. He allowed us exit only because you are all pure of heart,” he told us. I half expected Applejack to speak up and quip something about me but she stayed silent.

“That wasn't the right cave,” Braeburn noted, Lassie laughing as she slipped on a brown leather jacket that covered the front half of her body before she heaved her travel bag over her back.

“A-durr, yah think?” she joked. I looked to Applejack and Braeburn who were slipping on their hats.

“H-hey wait... why were we dressed in this tribal garb if all our clothes were right here?!” I asked, the buffalo speaking up.

“We had to dress in the ceremonial ways before laying hoof on the holy grounds. It is the way of the spirits and defying it would only further anger them,” he told us. “It may also be one of the reasons the spirit let us leave,” he told us just as I spotted my clothes.

Kicking off the tribal uniform, which was just a rope around my waist and a piece of cloth over my groin, I slipped on my briefs and camouflage cargo pants. “Say... I don't think I got your name,” I asked just as I slipped on my under shirt, followed by the vest Braeburn had given me for my birthday last year.

"My name is Bill," he said in a very monotone voice.

“Bill eh? Huh... that's quite the peculiar name,” I mentioned, Lassie laughing.

“Pfft, what?! Come on, you of all people?” she asked, making me raise a brow. “Dude... he's a buffalo and his name is... oh screw it,” she muttered, leaving me a bit lost. I looked back to him then noticed something I hadn't before. His eyes... they were...

“Y-you're... you're blind?” I stammered, the buffalo nodding in return. “But... but you didn't even stumble,” I mentioned and he nodded again.

“I was born this way. It seems that perhaps vision is a great handicap that none of you realize. Without sight, my other senses have reached heights that some consider unnatural. I can... see, everything even in the darkest of places just by the sounds that are given off by hoofsteps. The sounds of your breathing. I may not be able to see the exact definition of your facial features, but I know you are in your older years,” he told me, making me go wide eyed.

“Glorious Luna... man, I had no idea. That's crazy...” I trailed off, Bill nodding in return before turning to Braeburn.

“You were saying about this being the wrong cave,” he mentioned, Braeburn nodding.

“Y-yeah... yeah, ah was. See, ah nearly fergot 'bout it but... well, when I was younger, muh grampa used tah tell me stories 'bout a mine 'round here, even before Appleloosa was started. When we was all sleepin', ah had a dream 'bout it... it's cold... dark an'... over just yonder, by them hills,” he said, pointing over to some hills in the distance.

“Wait,” Applejack spoke up. “How do yah know fer sure?” she asked, Braeburn just shrugging in return.

“Ah... ah just know... like... like somehow, deep down, yah know?” he asked, Lassie letting out a deep exhale.

“Well... in that case,” she mentioned as she pulled out a-

“Oh ah just knew it! Ah shoulda known yah was plannin' on killin',” Applejack shouted, myself groaning as I watched Lassie load a few cartridges into Daisy, my old lever action that her, Derpy and I had painted together.

“Ughh... Lassie,” I groaned, my dog looking to me.

“What, I brought your handgun as well,” she told me, Applejack storming away a few paces.

“Of course, OF COURSE! Ah knew yah'll hadn't changed and was just lookin' fer an excuse tah kill-” Lassie cut the angered farmer off.

“Hakuna your tatas Applejack. I brought them with me just in case. Evan had no idea I brought them with me. Besides... Evan, you should be on my side. When haven't we gone on an adventure and needed a gun?” she asked, myself shaking my head.

“L-Lassie... I... ugh... we're not supposed to even be out here... shit, Applejack I-” the mare cut me off.

“Applejack me nuthin! Don't yah even dare try an' pull a quick one on me. Ah guarantee yah knew about them killin' things she had and just pretended not tah. Yah'll never change,” she scolded us, myself giving a disapproving look to Lassie who just shrugged.

“WHAT?! Fine, you know what, when shit gets hairy, I won't use the gun and when you're all getting your asses kicked I'll say 'Told yah so',” she mentioned before slinging the lever action rifle over her shoulder, just beside the travel bag... something was telling me it wasn't just anal beads and dildos in there...

Hours past and we arrived to an old mining camp. It was small... and terribly run down. The only thing left were some dilapidated tent frames and some areas where one could tell there used to be fire pits.

I looked to Bill. “You didn't have to come with us,” I told him but he simply nodded.

“I gave my word I would help find your friend. I am one of the tribe's best trackers and scout.” His reply was monotone and I could tell no sort of reasoning would have him change his mind. Braeburn spoke up and led us further into the camp.

“C'mon, the entrance tah the mine is just over here,” Braeburn said as he led us over.

“Say... cousin, how long has it been since anypony was around these parts minin'?” Applejack asked, Braeburn shrugging.

“Don't rightly know. Grampa used tah talk about how his father worked in the mine just before it closed... so uhh, it's definitely been some time,” he answered honestly. Lassie walked up a bit closer to him.

“So... if nopony has been around these parts in ages, save for maybe a few scavengers or treasure hunters... how do you know where the entrance is?” she asked, Braeburn stopping for a moment.

“Ah... well, like ah said... had a dream 'bout it when the elder put us to sleep with that smoke. It was quite vivid and... it was almost like I was trapped in some kinda... roller coaster or something, zooming all through the country side straight tah this place. Entered the mining cave right...” he trailed off and swallowed, pointing towards a cavernous hole that used to be boarded up, the boards having been smashed down. “There... ah was pulled inta the cave but... it was dark, an' cold an'... well, then ah woke up,” he told us.

I looked to Bill and shot him a question. “What's with the dreams we had?” I asked just as we reached the mine entrance.

“It is the great elder's inner peace herbs. They say the smoke doesn't put you to sleep, it takes your spirit from your body and lets you transcend to the plains of the other world. There, you may witness future events or perhaps epiphanies... but that is just what some say,” he told us and my body shuddered. Considering what just happened with Braeburn, I'd consider those to be pretty accurate rumors.

“Okay... how far down do you think this goes?” I asked, nopony else answering. “Yeah... figured as much.” I stepped forwards and felt a cold, howling wind exit the cave. “Don't suppose any of you have a-” I was cut off as Lassie pulled out a couple of flashlights from her travel bag.

“SEEEEE?!” she quipped at Applejack as she walked past her, lightly slapping the farmer across the face with her tail as she walked past. “Not just guns...” she said as she offered us all a flashlight though Bill declined, stating he could see just fine in the dark.

“Huh... smart thinking,” I told her and she nodded.

“Like Rarity says, a gal should always cum prepared,” she laughed as she led the way into the mine. Even the insides were run down in here. It looked like the tunnels could collapse at any given moment.

Braeburn came up beside me to speak. “So... uhh... yer wearing that vest ah gave yah?” he asked and I nodded.

“Surprised? I wasn't kidding when I said I liked it. It's pretty nice,” I replied with a smile, Braeburn nodding.

“A-ah dunno. Just... well, Applejack's been sayin' things 'bout yah an'... well, ah don't know what tah think. It's just... well, ah kinda didn't expect tah see yah wearing the vest is all. Most of the time when yah give somepony a gift, yah hardly ever see 'em wear it. Not that it's a bad thing, it's just... well, she also said that yah used tah run around in some skull shirt killin' ponies,” he said and I nodded.

“Yeah... I did,” I answered, Braeburn stopping for a moment and falling a few steps behind with a quiet 'Oh' escaping his mouth. I stopped and nodded for him to keep up. “Come on, it's a complicated story and it wasn't really me doing it. I'll tell you over a glass of cider once this is all over,” I assured him.

Coming around a corner, we all gasped and shuffled back into the shadows. “Shit...” Lassie swore as she peaked back around the corner, seeing the two guards that stood posted down the tunnel, right in our way. “I'll handle them-” she began while actioning the rifle.

“No, wait!” I hissed, grabbing the barrel of the rifle. She gave me a look, along with Applejack. “I got a better idea... you still got that porn magazine?”...

The two guards stood idly by, bored and barely paying attention. “Man... why are we always stuck on guard duty?” one of the guards asked, the other shrugging.

“Because we're-” he was cut off by the sound of some rocks bouncing across the ground. Lifting their spears, the second one called out. “Alright! Who's out there?! Show yourself!” he yelled. “Bumble Berry, that better not be you again!” he warned.

A few moments passed and the first guard huffed. “C'mon... better go check it out,” he said, the second nodding in agreement as he traded his spear for the lantern.

The duo walked down the dark tunnel, the second holding up the dim lantern while the other held a spear at the ready. Coming around the corner, they both halted in their tracks, looking around. "Huh..." the second guard muttered as he squinted his eyes. "I swear I coulda..." he trailed off with a deep gasp as he pointed to the ground. “LOOK!”

The first looked down and dropped his spear. “UGH! The new issue of Playcolt limited... uhhhh!” he shuddered as he hunched down by the magazine, the second following suit.

“Oooh... oh-ho... oooh...” the second whispered as as he flipped open the magazine. As the two huddled by the magazine, a group shuffled along the wall of the tunnel, very discretely and quietly, slipping past the guards without a hitch...

“Oh man... what?” Lassie asked as we put distance between us and the two guards. “That was crazy... I thought for sure we'd have to put them down,” she mentioned.

“Of course that would be yer first decision,” Applejack commented, making Lassie sigh.

“Listen, if you're going to be sour this whole time...” she trailed off as we all stopped. It just got a little colder... and somehow darker. “Maybe we should keep it down?” Lassie whispered as we neared a fork in the path. “Great... which way now?” she asked. We stood there for just a few seconds before Braeburn and Applejack took a few steps down the right path, turning back to us with a shrug.

“Flip a coin?” Lassie asked.

“Well, I mean, there's five of us so we could always just vote,” I suggested, taking a look down the left path while Lassie took a few steps down the right one. “Looks like the left path might get a bit more narro-” I was cut off by a regal voice.

“Ahh, I was wondering when you'd show up,” spoke the voice, Lassie and I pivoting on our heels.

“Princess Celestia?!” we both gasped as the regal princess stopped just a few feet away from us. “W-what... what are you doing here?” I stammered out. Surely she wouldn't bother herself with this.

“Hmm... so you still haven't figured it out? I guess it's true what they say. You really can't teach an old dog new tricks, now can you?” she asked, a glint in her eyes.

“Princess!” Applejack called out as she went to approach.

“Ahh... I was hoping you'd bring the purple one, but I guess any element of harmony will do,” Celestia stated, making me perk a brow.

“What... what the hay are you talking about?!” I asked, not taking a liking to her voice.

Her horn lit up in a brilliant mass of color but nothing happened. “WHAT?!” she boomed in disbelief and I blinked unsurely, taking a step back as did Lassie and Bill. “What is this magic you...” she turned to Applejack and hammered her with a magical blast.

“APPLEJACK!” I yelled out, turning to see my friend... err, whatever she was now, get tossed against the mining tunnel wall, Braeburn gasping and rushing to his cousin's side.

“FUCK THIS!” Lassie yelled, flipping the levergun off her back in a dazzling display and leveling her sights on the princess. Celestia however, was already one step ahead, the upper ceiling to the tunnel collapsing in front of Lassie and cutting her off from us.

I turned to face Celestia as the ground continued to shake from the collapsed tunnel. “What the buck Celestia?!” I yelled, fists clenched.

The princess took a relaxed pose as a laughing echoed from behind her. “Tsk-tsk-tsk...” taunted a voice. Bill however wasn't one to wait around to see what was going to happen and charged the princess while the figure from the shadows was emerging. A brilliant beam of energy shot out from near the figure and hammered Bill in the gut, knocking him back and to the ground, leaving me to gasp and face the figure alone as Bill grunted and groaned on the ground behind me, the smoking wound in his gut smoldering.

“What the hay is going on?!” I roared, a calm voice answering me... one that had my body tensing stiffly.

“You know... for such a successful pony... err, person... you really are incompetent, you know that? Or perhaps... Derreck was the key to your success...” the figure, a stallion, trailed off as he came to a stop beside Celestia, cloaked in a robe. “And you were just the failure that was holding him back since the beginning, but I guess we'll never really know, will we?” he laughed as he pulled back his robe's hood, revealing a blue face and horn. My fists clenched even harder, brows narrowing.

Bill groaned from behind me as he struggled to try and get up. “You like?” Tristan asked as he levitated out the two mystic railguns... the only two prototypes from Manehatten. “I think they were supposed to be called HE-ARC... Hyper Electromagnetic-Automatic Rail Cannon... but I suppose we'll never know about that either, huh?” he asked tauntingly.

“I don't get it! Celestia! Why are you siding with him?!” I snarled, Tristan laughing so hard tears nearly came to his eyes.

“You still don't know?! Even right this second you can't figure it out?!" he laughed maniacally before sighing. "You never thought for one moment that Celestia was acting a little out of character, not like her old self?! Did you really think she would normally be that mean, sadistic and cruel. That she'd stab Derreck in the back by having her sister and you destroy him after having him complete her various tasks?!” Tristan laughed at me. “Maybe this will convince you... Celestia, darling, give me a kiss,” he said and I watched in shock and horror as Celestia's eyes glinted and she leaned over to kiss Tristan on the lips, a grunt leaving my mouth as it started to piece together.

“You see... when I first faced you in Ponyville, I realized that your brutal, unethical tactics would be impossible for me to defeat, and hence... I'd never be able to take over Equestria... well, originally I just wanted my sister to love me, but everypony kept getting in the way, so I realized the only way to achieve my goal was to completely take over Equestria-” I cut him short.

“You're a sick, twisted fuck! I aughta rip your-” He cut me short by pointing one of the railguns at me.

“Hush-hush now, I'm not finished. I realized, in that moment... the only way I could overtake Equestria is if I were to whittle it down, so to speak. I knew that Celestia would send guards after me after the whole Ponyville incident and that she'd be able to sense my magical powers so... I needed a new plan. I quickly began going over various spells and such, trying to think of something, anything... that would let me become more powerful, powerful enough to best you and any other alicorn. See, Twilight was easy to defeat. She may have been a prodigy unicorn and now an alicorn but she hasn't reached her full potential as of yet. However... alas... there was no such spell that could grant me the power I needed but even so...” He walked around to the other side of Celestia.

“Something... came to mind... something, even I don't know why I didn't think of before. Trickery. I realized, the best way to beat my enemies is to pin them against each other. And who better to secretly terrorize my enemies than the most beloved and powerful alicorn of all time?” he asked.

“But how?! She would've dusted you in a second!” I snarled and he nodded.

“Exactly, smart cookie. Face to face, yes... yes she would've. But alas, that's where I am truly smarter than all of you. You see, I read up on all forms of magic, dark included. And... King Sombra had a most interesting spell that would weaken one's will and then-” he clapped, letting out a loud smacking echo that traveled down the tunnel. “Mind control, just like Queen Chrysalis. And just like that, I thought I had the world at my hoof tips but then... an even greater power emerged. That... Derreck Parker fellow... his powers were completely uncontrollable, like a blazing wildfire. His energy was so dark and corrupted I doubted even Celestia and I could stand against him... and then I realized it... he trusted, or a least listened, to Celestia. All I had to do was have her order Derreck, you, to destroy all of my enemies for me. In doing so the rest of the world would view you as evil, or at least a destructive force that was not needed and everypony would eventually band together to destroy the entity known as Derreck. After that, I was half expecting Nightmare Moon to destroy you for having killed her love interest but alas, this incident with Daring Do has put a slight hitch in my plan but even so. I do believe Celestia can handle Nightmare Moon, after all, she has defeated her once before and now even has the help of her sister. I was originally going to let her vanquish you then have the Elements of Harmony finish her off once and for all but even so. Having an Element bearer here will shorten my list of enemies,” he told me.

“So that's it... you mother fucker... shit... fuck! Why didn't I figure it out sooner?!” I roared, namely to myself.

“Because... you're a failure, a reject, a disgrace... does that sound familiar... and fairly close to the reality of it?” he taunted. I let out a roar as I charged at him, but both his cannons were up in a flash, firing out hyper accelerated projectiles that almost looked like beams of energy.

The rounds punched through me, leaving sizzling hot wounds gaping in my body as beam after beam lanced through me, quickly cutting me into Swiss cheese as I gasped, feeling the shots travel through organs and cutting apart vital arteries while some of the rounds struck bones but deflected off. One round struck my skull and it was all over. I felt my body falling into a pit of darkness, a shrieking cloaked figure flying after me, his bony face all too familiar...

Third person...

Evan's body dropped to the ground in a heap, blood puddling around him as his wounds let off smoke. Bill groaned as he tried to stand up but was kicked onto his back by Celestia. “You... you think you'll get some kind of satisfaction from me... that because I'm old and blind that I'll beg?! I'll never bow down to you! Not like this!” he snapped. “You may have once been the goddess of this world, it's protector... but you are now nothing more than a puppet!” Bill coughed, Tristan laughing as he stepped forwards.

“Such valiant and courageous words,” he mocked, Bill spitting blood at him

“Do your WORST!” Bill said firmly, Tristan snickering as he leveled one of the HE-ARCs at him.

“So be it,” he said casually, triggering the weapon and blowing a hole clean through Bill's head, the buffalo's eyes going wide as his body lay lifelessly limp against the ground...

Author's Notes:

Bud-dum-tssh! I did have the chapter done this weekend, but as usual something happened. Actually, it was just before Father's Day. As most of you may know from reading this story, I never actually had a father in my life but I did have a father figure. And on Saturday him and I went down to the Chevrolet dealership to get him a new truck and I just kinda wanted to have the picture of after he got the truck to show you guys and gals