Chapter 9: At dawn

Legionnaires skulked about the camp their helmets and masks hiding their faces. Hayseed's small family lay against their wagon bound with their throats cut, even the foals. Aroma fought them to the bitter end when a legionnaire's machete pierced her heart ending her life. Artemis hung from a cross, her breathing was strained to a breaking point. Death was approaching quickly. She had led that innocent family to their demise. They took no prisoners, no slaves, this was about the purity of revenge. The Legion was out for blood and blood they got it. Verity walked over to the cross and smirked.

"Good morning Artemis!" He said in...in Aroma's voice?

Artemis gasped as she awoke from her nightmare. Aroma was standing over her with a smile. Without thinking Artemis threw Aroma to the ground violently. Aroma landed with a thud- Artemis grabbed her famas and kicked out of the tent.

"Where!" Artemis shouted aiming her rifle in all directions spasmodically. She kicked on SATS. Hayseed, Aroma inside the tent, Verity, Lady, the two foals, Grandpa. Artemis cycled through the targets....no legionnaires....just the usual.

"Is something wrong?" Hayseed asked.

"Oww my aching head..." Aroma trailed out of the tent rubbing her head. Artemis lowered her rifle and looked embarrassed. It was just a dream....a nightmare. Verity just looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Nightmares?" He asked plainly possibly ridiculing her.

"No..." She answered. "I thought you were going to spring a trap this morning. Have us all killed."

The foals looked at each other with worried expressions. Artemis sat down at the dead campfire from last night where everyone had congregated. They ate breakfast in quiet, Aroma massaged her throbbing head.

"So um Mr. Verity would you like to tell us about yourself?" Lady asked kindly.

Verity returned her question with a look of disapproval and exhaled deeply. "I've been a legionnaire since my birth. I've killed people, lots of people. I had two wives and two kids but sickness took them." He said coldly answering her question.

"I'm sorry. A man should never have to outlive his kid." Hayseed condoled.

Verity shook his head. "They were runts from birth, they would have never benefited the Legion. Better they go like they did."  

Hayseed rubbed the back of his head and nodded. Such cruelty was the Legion's way but you were never ready for how easily they practiced it.

"How do you know, Artemis?" Aroma asked massaging her temples.

"She bested me in combat and that makes her my superior and that....that makes her my superior." He said begrudgingly.

"But Artemis isn't Legion." Aroma stated.

"Oh but she is." Verity said giving the others pause as they ate. "Artemis was born in Gryphondale. She's Maric's daughter." He noticed they didn't recognize the name. "Maric was the legate." Artemis's eyebrows rose sharply in worry.

"A legate!? No that's impossible, mother told me he was an officer." Artemis countered. Verity simply shook his head.

"Nope. Maric was a legate, the highest rank below the Cesare himself."

"Goddesses..." Aroma exclaimed softly. "Then why did they treat Artemis so....crudely?"

"Maybe they didn't know Maric, or enough to think she resembled him. She is also a woman and women have no standing in the Legion. They are physically and mentally inferior to men and their sole purpose is to bear children and ensure the survival of our species. No more, no less."

"So. My father...this Maric, was a legate." Artemis reiterated examining her hands. "What happened to him?"

"He died about five years back. His son took his mantel." Verity answered casually.

"A son! I have a half-brother!" Artemis exclaimed with a worried tone. Verity simply nodded his head.

"Yes. His name is Valiance. He hasn't seen much battle but he is strong and has the mind of a keen strategist. A son Maric could be proud of. He has Cesare's ear in running the Legion and he is merciless. He once punished an under-preforming squad by beating it's commander to death in front of them then ordered the entire squad be killed. With Valiance leading you it takes more courage to retreat than to advance."

"Wow." Aroma was stunned by Verity's words.

Verity stood up and Artemis rose quickly ready for him to try something but again he showed no hostility.

"We have wasted enough of this family's time." He pointed over at Hayseed's general area. He and the others were listening intently on the conversation.

They packed up the equipment and got on the road. Artemis kept Verity's sword. It was masterfully forged from a hellhound's claw and it was damn big. You'd hate to see who this claw used to belong to. She glanced over at Verity. He wasn't horrible on the eyes maybe even a little cute. Wait what was she thinking! Verity was a centurion he was a professional killer. Besides she wasn't sure he was waiting to kill them in their sleep!

A nice beat played on the radio then as the song faded and Djpon3 spoke....

"Hello my little ponies this is Djpon3! Voice of the wasteland or maybe not so much wasteland and just land." She chuckled happily and resumed. "Anyway, I'm here to bring you your news." The DJ trailed off in the news.

"Artemis.." Hayseed asked for her attention. She flew up to him at the helm of the wagon.

"What's wrong?" She asked. Hayseed merely pointed down the road. Artemis pulled out her binoculars and peered in the direction of the road.

"Slavers." Artemis uttered softly.

Down the road several ponies were camped around a ruin. They didn't look like they were going anywhere, probably highwaymen that would impose a toll on passing caravans. There was no signs of them being Legion tax collectors and besides a Legion outpost would have more banners and crucified ponies. Verity climbed next to her in the wagon and looked down the binoculars.

"Hmm....dissolute. Bandits." He said in a low tone.

"Just what I was thinking." Artemis concurred. Hayseed turned to the two griffons with a calm but alerted expression.

"So, what do we do? Do you guys fight them or do we pay?" He asked. Artemis and Verity exchanged glances before answering.

"We sneak around head on and make them by surprise..." Artemis and Verity answered in a horrible unison tripping over each others words. Verity cleared his throat.

"As my plan..." Verity began Artemis interrupted him.

"Why do you get to go first!?" Artemis exclaimed. She often tried to not let trivial things get to her but she felt Verity was speaking first because of his misogynistic views and she refused to let him belittle her because of her gender.

"Because I am a man." He answered simply confirming her suspicion. Artemis opened her mouth but a demure voice spoke instead. They turned and saw Aroma in the wagon. She lowered her ears and rubbed her leg, embarrased for the interruption.

"How about one of us walks up to them and ask them if they would be so kind as to help us with a broken wheel. I get them to come over here and you two jump em'." Aroma smiled as her plan was considered.

"But that puts Hayseed's family in the midst of the firefight." Artemis injected. Aroma looked saddened by her disapproval.

"Well no, these aren't the first gunslingers we've encountered. We have ways to protect ourselves." Hayseed reached under his seat pulled out a BFR and loaded it. Once he finished he reached under again and pulled out a hunting shotgun."

"What? I always keep a few guns stashed....in case of bandit emergencies." He said with a smile.

Lady walked into the wagon with the foals on her back, she told them to assume their positions for when they hide during bandit attacks. She trotted up to her husband and he threw her the revolver. She enveloped it in a aura of magic and Hayseed loaded his shotgun.

"Verity." Artemis said sternly, he turned to meet her gaze. "If I give you your sword to fight them you will only fight the raiders. If you even approach any of our group looking like you might attack so help me I will gun you down where you stand." She threatened pointing a talon at his face. Verity only smiled.

"You can trust me Artemis..." He said. It was odd to here him say her name. Artemis smirked and handed his sword. She kept her famas ready just in case. He unsheathed it slowly and raised it to the air.

"Ahh." He said being reunited with his blade. "Let's go."

Artemis nodded and they took up positions. Artemis flew up and hid in the rocky overlook that watched over the wagon, she assembled her DSR post-haste. Verity took a stance in wagon and the others assumed their positions, Hayseed purposefully removed a wheel from the wagon to make Aroma's story seem possible. Finally Aroma trotted up to the gang warmly trying her best not to be scared.

"Yoo hoo! Hello My wagon has seemed to gone and break down, lost a wheel I'm afraid. Can one of you strong young bucks give me a hoof?" Aroma asking innocently. The raiders eyed each other gauging her story. Then one chuckled.

"Hehe. Sure lady, I'll give you something." He hissed and pulled out a knife. "It ain't to smart to go up to strangers out here and say you're alone and stuck."

Aroma slowly backpeddled from the thug. "But. You guys wouldn't hurt anypony now would you?" She said sheepishly.

The bandit chuckled again and walked closer. Artemis watched through her scope.

"Dammit Aroma wasn't convincing them. That one raider's about to pounce." She thought to herself. If worse came to worse Artemis would take the shot allowing Aroma to get to cover.

"I'd give you all my caps if you'd be so kind as to-"

"Hehehe no...I think I'll kill you and fuck your corpse until rigamortis takes you!" He snarled and leapt at her! Aroma let out a shriek.

POW!

The stallion was knocked sideways in air as Artemis's round hit him square in the stomach. He did not get up. The other raiders were alerted and Aroma ducked for cover.

"She's got support!" One raider yelled. POW! Her rifle rang out again taking another pony down.

In her scope she saw Aroma firing back at the gang but her pistol was of poor quality and they were closing in. Verity! A split second later Verity was at the raiders closing in on Aroma. He decapitated one and turned another into ribbons of flesh. The last raider went scrambling back to the ruin. Artemis was to distracted to kill the last bandit, instead her scope was on Verity. He picked Aroma out of cover and took her back to the wagon. What! Artemis raised from her scope and blinked in surprise. Upon reentering the scope Verity was staring directly into it.

"Get the last one." He mouthed with a scowl. Artemis turned to the ruin, it was little more than a wall or two and a lot of bricks.

Then out of the ruin walked the final raider. She was a dark gray unicorn with a black mane. The mare raised her hooves in surrender. Artemis scanned around the ruin her EFS didn't show any hostiles. Artemis backed out of her scope and sighed with relief. She hovered down to the mare. They rest of the group in tow.

"Please...I don't wanna die." She squeaked. Verity raised his sword to her throat.

"I should kill you where you stand! Now you even beg for our mercy....pathetic!" Verity threatened. The mare masked a sob. Artemis lowered his sword with a talon.

"No, don't kill her. She's surrendered." Artemis told him calmly.

"Do you think she would have spared us if the tables were turned Artemis?" Verity responded. Artemis hadn't thought about it but he was right.

"No but we're not them." She countered. "We're better, we don't summarily execute prisoners."

"Then what will we do? Keep her prisoners until the end of her days?" He asked then turned to the mare. "What is your name!?" He asked fiercely to scare her.

"Obsi,s,s,id...Obsidian Shine." She squeaked again. Verity wrapped a talon around her face.

"Good." He then savagely bashed the hilt of his sword into her skull. Obsidan Shine fell to the ground unconscious.

"What the hell Verity!" Artemis shouted.

"If you won't execute her then she must be detained until we pass judgement. Hayseed, you and your wife securely bind this mare. Interrogation will come once she wakes up." He proclaimed. Hayseed and Lady went to the wagon to fetch their materials without question.

"Hey Verity...thanks." Aroma said delicately and gave him a big hug, squee included. You would have thought she was poisoning him. That scowl of his, Artemis allowed herself a small chuckle.

~some time later~

Reality painfully came into being as Obsidian opened her eyes. Her vision was fuzzy and her hearing was clouded. She tried to move but she was tightly bound. Hooves, gag, she could't move. After blinking several times she moaned feeling a agonizing pain in her head. Verity looked down at the unicorn.

"Ah you're awake. I was hoping I had crushed your skull but it seems you have brains to spare...or a very thick skull." He interlocked his talons and got off his chair.

They were at Palomino and had been there for a while. A couple hours actually, night had fallen. Verity was assigned to watch their prisoner until she awoke then he was to notify the others. Then they would decide her fate.

The mall's speakers played a cheesy tune that made you feel at home and ready to spend your hard earned money. Artemis was talking with her good friend Hans again.

"So that's it. I'm probably being chased by some frumentarii, I'm traveling with a centurion and I need some allies people I can trust. Do you think you could-" Artemis asked hesitantly.

"Pshh, say no more Arty I'm so in." Hans answered happily. Artemis felt relieved but she wanted to make the threat clear.

"Are you sure? Just like that? Y'know we'll probably be going up against the Legion right?" Artemis said with an eyebrow raised. Hans only smirked confidently.

"Sweetie you're my girl and if anypony is going after you they'll have to deal with me." He said boldly putting a hoof to his chest. "And besides the whole man-whore game is really boring, I think I want a meaningful relationship now." He added casually.

Artemis smiled. "So when can you be ready to go?"

Hans leaned back on the bench and put a hoof to his chin. "Hmm....two hours, tops. Where's your caravan?" He asked.

"Down by the south entrance. It has a mark of Cesare' on it." She answered.

"That's queer. You're being hunted by the Legion yet you have a mark, you're strange Ms. Arrow but I guess great minds think alike right?" He patted her back and went to get his belongings.

This was good. Hans was a tried gunslinger, while mostly proficient in handguns he was damn good with them. He could hit targets with some of the best rifles. After the conversation concluded Artemis got up and went to the food court. The old eateries were repurposed to be.....eateries. She sat down by Aroma who was lazily drinking tea.

"Hey Aroma..." She began.

"Hey Artemis...." Aroma said with a downed tone.

"Everything alright?" Artemis asked. Aroma just sighed heavily and took a big drink and watched the crowd go by.

"I'm homesick. I miss Stable G." She glumly. That was also the first time Artemis heard her call it Stable G. Artemis thought of a way to help alleviate some of her depression.

"Do you wanna talk about home? Artemis asked nicely. Aroma nodded and leaned on the table.

"I think the worst part is that I'm coming to terms that the idea of me actually returning is....distant." A tear rose in Aroma's eye. "I won't see me parents, Radio, Quick Fix or Bubbles ever again." She added hopelessly.

"Who are those ponies?" Artemis queried.

"Radio's my mentor. He teaches me about maintenance for the Stable's systems." Artemis interrupted.

"You're a maintenance pony? What's you're cutie mark?" Artemis asked, thinking back she never saw Aroma's mark.

Aroma flashed her flank and show off her cutie mark. Three gears connected in unison decorated her flank. Artemis wasn't expecting that.

"What does it represent?" Artemis questioned. Talking about her cutie mark seemed to lift Aroma's spirits. If only a little.

"Well I'm a engineer in Stable G. I'm good at making stuff, maintaining stuff and calculating equations." Aroma explained.

"Wow. So you're good with computers and that stuff."

"Mhmm." Aroma hummed and sat back down. "Hey Artemis..I want to ask you a couple questions." She added.

Artemis raised an eyebrow and accepted "Sure, ask away."

"Okay." Aroma situated herself in her chair. "Artemis what do you think of men?" She asked innocently. Artemis had to think of her words, she wasn't expecting a question like this.

"Well...I. I guess they're the...opposite sex from us..." Artemis said awkwardly. Dammit this was the opposite of a good response! Aroma snickered.

"I guess what I meant was. What do you think of men, romantically. Like having kids." Aroma edited her sentence. Artemis leaned back and exhaled nervously.

"Why do you ask?" Artemis questioned. She didn't talk much about her sex life, which was pretty much non-existent.

"We'll I guess I'd want to have a husband one day. Maybe have a kid..or three but I look at the life I'm living and I feel like it won't happen. I imagine I'll be dead in the next five years, they're aren't many old caravan guards y'know." Artemis finally answered.

It did cause her silent distress when she thought about it. She didn't want to settle down and become some farmer in the ass end of nowhere. It was a mental topic she tried to bottle up just for the sake of not getting lost in her thoughts......which was exactly what she was doing! Quickly she snapped herself out of her trance.

"Teehee do you do that a lot?" She asked innocently.

Artemis blushed. "Err only when I think about deep stuff. Didn't you have another question?"

Aroma took a breath. "Yeah, but this one is more serious...How do you deal with killing people?"

With that question the music of the mall faded to oblivion. The killing. How did she cope with taking the lives of other ponies and griffons. Some would say it's kill or be killed, kill one to save thousands, kill for the greater good. But personally she was truly just calloused to killing people. She had known violence and death since her birth, it may have been the legionnaire in her blood. That insensitivity to slaying your foes regardless of their lives, their families, their ended futures. The first sentient kill of her's was, was....she couldn't remember. Damn.

"I...I've done it all my life. I never reveled in it but it's been a part of my life since I was very little....." Artemis was ashamed of her calloused thinking. Aroma saw this in her face and gave her a big hug.

"Don't feel bad Artemis. If it's any consolation you kill the bad guys. You stopped them from hurting other people. Remember that." She said. Artemis chuckled and wiped a unexpected tear from her eye.

"Are all the ponies in your stable this huggy?" Artemis asked with a friendly smirk.

"Mhmm, everyone gets a hug even Mr. Verity." She smiled. Next Chapter: Chapter 10 - A Story to Remember Estimated time remaining: 7 Hours, 25 Minutes