Chapter 8: Brax

As the day wore on mist began to settle in lowering visibility somewhat, causing the dead city of new saddle to vanish from the skyline mixing with the heavy grey cloud that made up the sky.

While we walked in silence my eyes still glancing at my EFS I saw a friendly pop up, followed by 8 other friendlies and then a whole mob of friendlies amongst all the red that was already plaguing my EFS.

“Hey Midnight we have a huge group of friendlies ahead” I announced sounding thrilled that civilised ponies were out here too.

“How many?” she asked

“Uhh about fifteen” I said confidently even though it was just a guess.

She looked shocked as we heard hoofsteps quite close and I ran up to an intersection which had an old graffitied stop sign and saw a line of ponies on the road to the right. Midnight flew up behind me as I took a closer look.

The line of ponies had shackles on and all wore almost no clothing and the ones that did wore rags. I could see a filly and a colt also shackled. It must have be freezing without any clothing on I thought.

The ponies that lead them looked cleaner and well-kept than raiders but still looked quite fierce; they wore armour and warm clothing.

I felt sickened looking at the filly that was being half dragged along the ground.

“Slaves” whispered Midnight.

I saw a slaver whip one of the mares that was slowing the group down and she trotted up faster. I felt white fire lick my insides as anger clouded my judgement. I pulled out my rifle.

“Amethyst what?” Midnight whispered.

“We’re going to save the slaves” I whispered to her.

“Hey” I yelled out to the slavers “How much for your slaves?”

The slavers all jumped pointing weapons at us and I suddenly realised I made a mistake. There were four of them and two of us.

“Well boys looks like we gots ourselves a pretty unicorn and a pegasus” said the large and angry looking unicorn buck that wore thicker and warmer clothing than the others and who I could only guess was the leader “we will get good caps fer these two I think”

He looked over to us “Drop yer weapons and nopony gets hurt” he called at us as his goons and himself had their guns pointed at us.

“We fight” I whispered to Midnight.

She nodded once and I fell into a fighting stance as they began to shoot at us.

I slipped into SATS firing at the pony that whipped the mare and hit him in the head just as Midnight took to the air and started firing from the sky. I then turned and ran behind an old concrete fountain which had a unicorn mare in the centre sitting down with her horn in the air, in what was once someponies front yard.

I took a peek around the fountain and slipped back into SATS, my rifle on the Big Buck unicorn and fired. I missed and hit his friend in the foreleg who let out a howl but did not drop to the ground. The slaves stopped and sat huddled in the middle as the slavers returned fire.

I could hear fire from Midnights battle saddle as I aimed through the scope of my gun as bullets hit the fountain sending dust and bits of concrete raining down on me. I took a peek around to get another shot when I felt a bullet penetrate my barding and hitting me in the side which sent pain bursting through my body. I took an un-aimed shot and quickly ducked back behind the fountain. This was followed by the screams of the slaves.

I tried to refocus trying not to hit the ground or pass out as I felt another shot glance from my barding and another strike the fountain I was hiding behind. Chancing another peek Midnight took down one of the other slavers but she was now grounded with her left wing hanging on one side. The remaining slaver who I thought was a stallion was actually a mare covered in thick clothing. She had a whip like thing in her mouth. She struck Midnight with the whip and she seemed to convulse as I heard a heavy crackling sound fill the air as it wrapped around her body.

Ignoring the pain in my side the best I could, I galloped out from the safety of the fountain, and aimed the rifle at the mare attacking Midnight. I slipped into SATS and fired three times. Two of my shots hit her causing her to hit the ground. The weapon was still attached to Midnight as it electrocuted her.

The Big Buck pulled out some of those grenade things, pulled the pins and telekinetically threw them at me. As quickly as I could, I pulled off the electrocution whip from Midnight as the grenades flew through the air. Midnight did not get back up.

In the time I spent getting the whip off Midnight the Grenades landed next to me. With no time to pick them up and hurl them back I activated my shield and as soon as it closed over

BOOOOOM

I felt pain erupt over my entire body as the shield around me collapsed and launched me into the air. It felt like I was just smashed over my whole body with a sledge hammer before hitting the ground with a heavy thud onto the asphalt.

I struggled to my hooves feeling blood run from my forehead and into my eyes. He pointed a gun right at me and fired however my barding took the hits feeling like hard punches on my painfully injured body. I redirected my rifle at the stallion and activated SATS and fired three times. All three found target and he hit the ground with finality.

I coughed and tasted copper as blood came out. My pipbuck gave all kinds of warnings from mostly internal soft tissue injuries and internal bleeding. I took out three healing potions and drank them feeling bad for using so many. My pipbuck started to calm down a little as my injuries mended but my body by no means was feeling any better.

I galloped as fast as my legs would take me to Midnight’s side. She was lying face up and was still not moving. I half lifted her up, her wings drooping on each side with her left one extremely bloodied. I shook her with my hooves as I started to cry “Wake up Midnight! Wake up Midnight. I put my hoof to her heart and felt it beating. I let out a small sigh of relief but tears continued to drift down my face as I shook her once more her head lolling on her shoulders.

I pulled myself together and pulled out four healing potions and tipped them down her throat causing her to cough, her wing began to mend as well as a bullet wound to the right foreleg. I hit her chest a few times for her to cough out some of the potion that ended up in her lungs and laid her on the asphalt as she came around.

As she got up I threw my hooves around her. “Oh Midnight you’re ok” I squealed before giving a small cough and a sniff.

“Argh Amethyst” Midnight said rubbing her head “Oww”. She then sat up onto her haunches before saying “thanks Amethyst”

I nodded; glad she was going to be ok. I turned to the slaves all of whom were still chained together and all who looked at me looked extremely frightened.

I tried to smile reassuringly at them; I finally told them “I’m not going to hurt you. I’m going to free you”. Most did not look convinced.

I pulled out my screwdriver and bobby pins before I began to pick the locks on each shackle. As I continued I got quicker and quicker. I reached for the light brown filly that was on shackle number 12, she was too young to have her cutie mark, she was bloody and she was not moving.

“Excuse me” I said in my kindest voice as I put a hoof on her side and shook gently “are you ok?”

She did not answer. I put my hooves around her and picked her up slightly off the ground. She had a bullet hole through her head. It matched the bullet holes that I put in the slavers. At that moment a memory of just a few moments ago almost caused me to drop her.

The un-aimed shot that missed followed by the screams of the slaves. I began to feel the crashing realisation that I just shot this filly. I killed her. She was dead because of me. I fell to my haunches and felt tears build once again in my sticky and bloodied eyes as I began to cry in front of these slaves. I pulled the dead filly into an embrace and cried for I don’t even know how long. I was a monster, I was murderer. Time to add this filly to the mass of other ponies I had killed.

“Amethyst, pull yourself together” Midnight said as she pulled the dead filly from my forehooves and placed her onto the ground gently. “Let’s finish this off then we can cry, these slaves need to be released.”

I wiped a hoof across my eyes and gave a hiccough and took three deep breaths before nodding. Midnight pulled me to my hooves, I felt tears leak down my cheeks.

I unshackled the little colt behind her, then the stallion behind the colt, then the mare behind him.

I turned to all the slaves and croaked “There you’re all free to go”

“How?” called out a light blue mare with a green mane who had scars on her body.

I looked at her confused as Midnight spoke.

“Oh of course they have them on” she said sounding defeated.

“Have what on?” I asked, but when I looked at the slaves they all wore some kind of collar. “What are those things?” I asked

Midnight answered my question “They are explosive collars” she said not sounding too happy. “If the slaves escape and go too far away from the slavers they all detonate killing everypony wearing one.”

I looked at the slaves and the devices looked quite rusty and old.

“Can’t I just pick them or use a key?” I asked Midnight

“No” she replied “They are locked via code by the slaver wearing the bracelet that controls them”.

I wandered over to the dead leader and looked at his right forehoof. He had this bracelet that Midnight was talking about. What’s more it had a connection for a pipbuck. I plugged my pipbuck in and it seemed compatible. I attempted to hack the bracelet which had a six number PIN rather than a password. After a few minutes of trying to hack the device I was beginning to think that I could probably not do this one. After backing out of the device for the eighth time I began to lose some composure and started to get frustrated as all my feelings whirled like a cloud over my head.

I finally got through on the twelfth attempt and deactivated the collars. I then unlocked them all. I heard them hit the ground as they fell away from the slave’s necks.

I then fell to my haunches as images of Midnight lying unconscious and the memory of me shooting the filly filled my head. My eyes burned as I heard the slaves begin to trot away.

Midnight pulled me up onto my hindlegs and pulled me into an embrace. The floodgates opened and I began to cry into her breast while she held me.

“It’s ok Amethyst” she whispered. “Get it all out.”

I felt my tears begin to soak into the woollen jacket over her barding as I cried quite loudly. My nose began to leak mucus which I then gave a huge sniff.

She petted my mane and felt myself begin to calm down and my breathing slowed as I breathed in the sweet smell of her sweat.

“There, there Amethyst. It’s going to be ok” she continued to whisper to me holding my head to her.

I felt another emotion begin to overtake my despair as my heart began to fill like a balloon. I felt myself begin to get emotionally attached to her as she cradled me. I could no longer deny. I have fallen in love with Midnight and I wanted her more than anything. I shuddered trying hard not to nuzzle her or do anything that might suggest that the comfort she was providing was delivering this unintended emotion.

I heard somepony with a rather deep voice clear his throat. I broke away from Midnight seeing green on my EFS. I was looking at quite a large earth pony stallion. He was one of the slaves. He had a dark grey coat, a short light blue mane and his cutie mark was a blue lightning bolt, he looked nearly double my age.

“Can I help you” I croaked still feeling tears leak out of my eyes. I felt a little intimidated by his sheer size. He towered over Midnight and I. Midnight looked up at him suspiciously.

“Are you girls heading into New Saddle?” he spoke in a very deep and very calm, trusting kind of voice.

I nodded and gave off a small sniff and wiped my nose with a hoof.

“Ok I’ll be going along with you two then” he said as if this decision was his.

“Hang on” piped up Midnight “Who the ruddy hell are you?”

“I am a pony” he said with finally as he stomped a forehoof “I wouldn’t say I’m a good pony but I can assure you that I am no risk to you.”

“I don’t know Amethyst” Midnight whispered to me as I nodded.

I whispered to her back “You heard Watcher. We need to make friends. The more the merrier and even though I can hardly trust him we ought to give him the chance”.

Midnight nodded still not looking convinced.

Giving a small sniff I reached out a forehoof and told him my name “Amethyst”. He looked at my forehoof and did not touch it. I quickly drew it back and couldn’t blame him as it was covered in snot and blood, so to prevent awkwardness setting in I pointed it at Midnight and said “She’s Midnight”.

Midnight looked at him not trusting him one bit. I sighed but he opened his muzzle again, “So I take it that you’re the leader” he asked in his deep resonating voice pointing a hoof at me.

I was taken aback. Me a leader? I almost laughed but it was Midnight who answered.

“Yes she is.”

What? Since when was I leader I thought.

I blubbered before asking quietly “What makes you think I’m the leader?”

Midnight tapped her hoof on her chin with mock thinking “Well... Remember I’m the one travelling with you not the other way around, you’re the one who makes most of the decisions such as when to rest or sleep.”

I opened my mouth and then closed it again. Nothing came out because I knew it was true. But that didn’t stop me from arguing.

“Your older, more wiser and know a lot more than I do out here” I told her. “Why can’t you be leader?”

They grey stallion said nothing as Midnight raised an eyebrow at me.

Midnight shook her head “You are the one DJ Pon-3 goes on about, this is your journey not mine. You lead your way to destiny not me.”

I looked up at him feeling very small “Your right I’m the leader.” The big blubbering baby filly leader who had no fucking idea what she was doing I added in my head.

“You’re that mare that DJ Pon-3 goes on about?” he asked curiously.

I felt like shaking my head but gave one single nod instead.

*                                        **                        **                      **                                                *

I took a deep breath as I looked back to the filly I shot and tried not to break down again. My purple magical sheath enveloped her as I levitated her to the front yard of one of the houses.

Midnight and the grey stallion followed me as I put her on the ground and focused on the ground.

I poured all my focus and used all the strength driven by grief and anger at myself and levitated compact earth completely by magic from the ground leaving a rough three foot deep hole.

Midnight and my new companion just stood there watching as I levitated the filly into the hole and pushed the mound of dirt back into the hole leaving a small bump of a mound. I then levitated a small cracked stone Pegasus statue and placed it on the top of the mound and pushed it into the dirt so it would not fall over.

I felt tears leak out of my eyes as I looked at the makeshift grave and felt Midnight put a hoof on my shoulder causing my heart to jump a little.

The deep voice from behind said “You are a very unusual pony, you know that?”

I turned to face him, “What do you mean?” I asked.

He shook his head before replying “You risked your life to save ponies unknown to you, you dug a grave for somepony that died during the fight and shedding tears over somepony you never knew.” He then looked at me like he had never seen anything like me “You are an unusual pony” he concluded.

I didn’t know what he was talking about and I did not really care. I didn’t even know his name.

This thought jumped to mind and found it coming out of my mouth before I could stop them “Who are you? I did not get your name?”

After saying it I felt stupid. It came out rather aggressively than I intended it to.

He said in a low voice “They call me Brax and I have already told you I am a pony.

*                                        **                        **                      **                                                *

Midnight and Brax looted the copses we had killed, something that I felt a bit squeamish doing. He took their clothing, armour and weaponry and put them on.

The clothing and armour looked quite small on him but he simply said “It’s cold and this is better than nothing at all. Anyway we need to swing by my shack on the way there so I can collect my things.”

I did not want any distractions on the way to New Saddle so I asked him “How much off course is it?”

He looked at me surprised than simply said roughly “We will lose maybe an hour or so.”

I nodded happy for losing only one hour before saying “ok no problem. “

So once again we continued our journey to New Saddle with our new companion through the outer suburbs.

*                                        **                        **                      **                                                *

We arrived at Brax’s steel shack; it had begun to snow lightly. His little one bedroom shack was thrown together with steel cladding and sheeting that was welded together around a huge concrete pillar under an elevated highway to create what was his home. When we walked up to the door I noticed two strange looking turrets with green gems embedded in the casing point in our direction. They did not fire at us as we walked over the threshold into his shack.

His shack was small and cluttered. He collected a lot of stuff. He had a fireplace, two doors that led into other rooms, the concrete pillar in the Middle and a kitchen to the far side.

Curiosity leaping at me I slithered away over to a shelf of ordainments and looked at the little figurines. All kinds of pony figurines lined the top shelf and I scanned them all. One caught my eye, it was a little toy unicorn mare. She was aqua in colour and had a medium length aqua and white mane and her cutie mark was a lyre. Her fringe was similar to Midnights I noticed.

I wrapped my magic around her and pulled her closely examining her. She was kind of cute I thought as I ran my eyes over her little body.

“Don’t touch” sounded a deep voice from behind me. I jumped, causing me to almost drop her.

“S-sorry” I mumbled placing her back next to the pastel yellow earth pony with a pink and blue mane. My eyes darted to this figurine then back to the aqua mare.

“Excuse me umm Brax” I said in a small voice, “Is that yellow mare Bon Bon?” I asked.

He looked at me a little shocked that I would know who she was. He then nodded, and asked “How do you know Bon Bon?”

I pointed a hoof at the aqua unicorn ignoring his question “Is this Lyra?” I asked curiously.

“The one that you were drooling at? Yes that is Lyra” he said.

I wasn’t drooling at her I thought. I opened my mouth, heat rising over my face and clopped myself on the forehead.

He continued as if there was no awkward silence “Lyra and her wife Bon Bon travelled Equestria so Lyra could perform. She became the best instrumentalist in Equestria.”

“Lyra and Bon Bon were married” I asked looking back at the two figurines.

“Yes they were” he said nodding.

I felt my heart flutter at the thought as I imagined myself and Midnight getting married. It would be so magical, so beautiful being with the special pony I loved in beautiful white dresses walking down the aisle.

I heard Midnights voice as if from far away “Amethyst? Hello?” I saw a white hoof wave in my face.

I blinked and shook my head “Sorry I-?” I mumbled coming back to earth.

Brax continued as if I had not just fallen into a stupor.

“Lyra ended up playing personally for the princesses at events such as the Grand Galloping Gala, balls at the princess’s schools and for the ministry mares.

“Princesses?” I asked curiously “Princess Celestia and Luna?”

“Yes” he nodded “and the mares they had full trust in, the trust of the war, which they ultimately failed.”

“Who are the ministry mares?” I asked wanting to know more.

“The ministry mares were great friends who accomplished huge feats together” he said in a slow growl.

Midnight sat on her haunches bored and clearly not listing.

I nodded listening intently wanting to know more.

“They ran the six ministries” he said.

“Like Fluttershy?” I asked.

He nodded then said “Enough about this let’s get ready for tomorrow so we can arrive at a decent time.”

*                                        **                        **                      **                                                *

Midnight and I laid on the old mouldy couch in the main room while Brax went about collecting his “Things.”

We were both exhausted from the long day. My barding was in need of repair, the steel underneath was now torn and the shredded leather sleave that held it in place was showing and some parts of the steel had shrapnel imbedded into it.

I mentioned this to Midnight but she just waved it off as normal and we would just repair it at New Saddle. I checked my guns and ammo as well. My rifle had taken quite a beating at the last fight and that too might need to be repaired.

Midnight had taken off her Battle Saddle and barding before lying on the sofa. She was lying next to me and she had her eyes closed. She looked so peaceful lying there asleep. I let my eyes pass over her bruised body, the light from the fire that Brax lit for us flickered over her white coat and feathers. My eyes found her cutie mark on her right flank where the coat turned from white to black and the wings that formed in the middle. My eyes lingered over her flanks for a little longer than necessary before they slid to her wings which were more brown than white from dirt. I then looked up into her face, her red eyes cutting into mine, her eyes narrowed before she opened her muzzle.

“Are you checking me out?” she asked suspiciously.

I felt myself blush before stammering “N-Noo-maybe” I paused before my muzzle opened involuntarily “Yes.”

I looked into the fire not wanting to see her face. I expected her to scold me or to laugh. What I did not expect was her voice to sound kind and sweet.

“Amethyst, look at me” she said kindly.

I looked at her, my face felt boiling hot, my heart felt like lead and horrible butterflies developed in the pit of my stomach. I looked into her beautiful piercing scarlet eyes. She did not look angry or upset. She looked a little worried if anything.

“Amethyst” she said in the same kind and perhaps a little sympathetic voice, “Amethyst, you are a beautiful, smart mare and I do not wish to hurt your feelings.” She took a deep breath as I braced myself “I am not the mare for you, I am too old, too different and I’m not really interested in mares, in fact I’m not really looking for a relationship either and I’m not really the kind of pony wanting a relationship.”

I nodded listening as I felt my heart sink a little and felt a little upset, trying hard not to show it on my face.

One of the doors opened and Midnight poked her head over the couch telling Brax “Could you give us a moment? We’re having a mares talk”

I heard him back into his room again.

Midnight continued “Amethyst I love you a lot as a great friend but nothing more, I see the way you look at me and I see longing in your eyes and perhaps a little desperation.” She paused before asking “Have you ever been in a relationship before?”

I shook my head thinking back. None of the fillies throughout my adolescence liked me. I did have my crushes like every filly but none of them ever turned into anything.

She smiled sympathetically before saying “Your heart is not mine. It belongs to somepony else, sometimes it takes time to find the pony you love.”

I nodded but Midnight continued before I could say anything.

“All I am trying to say is that I don’t have the same feelings for you as you do for me and for you not to expect me to fall in love with you.”

I nodded again before saying in almost a whisper “I’m sorry Midnight.”

“For what?” she asked “You can’t control who you fall in love with, it just happens.”

I smiled feeling a little better, not that I was over Midnight, in fact what she just told me probably made me love her even more.

“I know” I said softly “I’m just used to. You know,” I gave a sigh before saying “The other fillies back at the stable just.” I shrugged then I thought of being laughed at, the memory of Glenda, the stupid things I had done at the stable looking for somepony to give me happiness and love only to get laughed at or teased. I felt a tear leak down my cheek.

“Oh Amethyst don’t cry” Midnight told me in a sweet voice.

“I’m not” I said softly, “just memories that’s all.”

“You understand?” she asked.

I nodded and gave her a weak smile.

“Good” she said nodding, “just don’t get upset or beat yourself up ok?”

I nodded again and said “I won’t.”

“Ok Brax were done” Midnight called.

I heard the door open and Brax came into the main room.

“What was that about” I heard him say in his low growl.

Midnight got up and trotted over to him leaving me on the lounge all by myself.

I heard Midnight whisper something inaudible to him, I hoped she was not telling him everything we discussed, or maybe she was just telling him quietly it was nothing for him to be concerned about? “I think she is” my consciousness said. “Does it matter?” no it does not I thought. I shrugged it off.

Midnight came back and flew herself back onto the lounge as Brax walked in front of me saying “I am ready to go but it is dark outside so we should stay the night. You fillies got food?”

We both nodded and he walked back over to the table where he had a bowl of beans and corn. I levitated out some tins of banana and pineapple and some bowls and wandered over to the table with Midnight at my hooves. I then telekinetically opened the tins with the can opener and poured them into bowls for Midnight and I.

“Amethyst why are you still in your barding?” came the deep rumble of Brax’s voice, “Aren’t you hot in that?”

“What?” I stammered “oh umm” Now I’d thought about it, I could feel a layer of sweat between the woolly lining of my barding and my coat. The fire in here had made it quite stiffly and it was indeed warm.

Before I began to eat, I took off all my clothing and armour including my socks and scarf. I cringed, my coat damp with sweat, blood and dabbed with bruises that the healing potions did not heal. I could smell myself and it wasn’t what I would call a nice smell.

I sat up at the table and unlike Midnight or Brax I began to eat telekinetically filling my hungry stomach.

We all ate in silence until we were all done. It was I who broke the silence “Brax do you happen to have a bathroom I can use? I feel very icky and dirty.”

He frowned at me before rumbling “My water is not to be used for bathing. I do not waste precious water. You wait until we get to New Saddle”

“Oh” I mumbled.

He looked at my coat before saying “Besides you don’t look very dirty.”

Wow I’d hate to think of what he would call “dirty” I thought. He had a point though so I just nodded.

“What’s your story?” asked Brax

“Who mine?” I said taken aback. He nodded looking a tad curious.

“Well” I started “I am from a stable in white tale woods. I spent my whole life in there and I have been out for what? Nine or ten days”

“You have only been out here for ten days?” he asked shocked “and you and her took out them slavers” he said pointing a hoof at Midnight and I.

“Well yeah” I said before adding “I spent a few days in Hospital at Cantal though”.

“Why did you leave the stable?” He asked in his grumbling voice.

“My stable has a failing Water Talisman so I’m trying to find another before we run out of water” I said.

“You’re looking for a water talisman?” he looked shocked before laughing “Oh good luck with that.”

I looked at Midnight and she looked as confused as me.

“So why are you going to New Saddle? Are you planning to steal it?” he asked accusingly.

“What? No” I said desperately “I’m going to the M.A.S hub to see if we can find a spare there” I said loudly.

“M.A.S Hub in New Saddle?” he balked “You will probably find it has already been looted by the steel rangers unless it is too dangerous to go in there. They more like the M.W.T areas but they will loot M.A.S hubs especially for Water Talismans.

This information hurt but I remained confident, so I told him “I don’t care, I’m going anyway”

He nodded before pulling the conversation back on track “So what is it like in a stable?” he asked curiously.

“I love it inside the stable” I told him “It’s safe, clean and there is plenty of water and fresh food. The daily routine gets boring but if you learn to keep yourself occupied its better than getting shot at, seeing defiled corpses and-” I stopped as the image of the buck standing over the injured filly who was crying flooded into my mind, the memory of the colt and mare in the cage as I laid trapped in a cage and finally of the filly I killed today. I felt my eyes burn but no tears came. I shuddered as I let out a wine and finally tears formed and spilled.

I bawled trying to finish “This place is twisting me, I want to go back to the stable, I hate this place, and I want my mum. I want Berry back” I gasped trying to get a grip on myself, taking huge breaths.

“Amethyst don’t cry” Midnight said softly, “I know it’s hard but remember you chose this and you must be strong to continue.”

I nodded taking a huge breath and wiped my eyes. Midnight was right, I needed to be strong if I was to lead and succeed even if it does tear me apart. Five hundred ponies relied on me to return with a new water talisman.

“She do this often?” asked Brax pointing a hoof at me looking at Midnight.

Midnight looked at him confused as did I.

He facehoofed “You have cried like what? Three times today?”

I glared at him through my puffed up eyes but it was Midnight who told him “Do you have to be so insensitive about it? Amethyst is new out here and has only known the comfort and safety in her stable since the day she was born.”

He looked at me and grumbled “My apologies.”

I waved a hoof at him and mumbled “don’t worry about it.”

He turned to Midnight “What’s your story Pegasus? Your kind is a rare sight out here”

I did not notice this until now. I had not seen a single pegasus since I met Midnight or in fact since I left the stable. Unless you count the book in my bag.

I turned to Midnight. “Yeah, I would like to know too” I told her.

I saw her shift in her seat clearly uncomfortable and mumbled “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Brax narrowed his eyes “You’re not enclave are you? I can see you have a cutie mark so you can’t be a dashite”

“What’s a dashite” I asked curiously “And what is ‘enclave’?”

I looked at Midnight and she shook her head and clearly looked uncomfortable. This was the closest that I had seen Midnight to crying, her jaw was clenched and she let out a sigh.

“Fine, I was born in Friendship City, both my parents were dashites and I was their only foal.” She continued, her face set on his “I am not enclave and I am not a dashite, both my parents were killed when I was ten, which is all you need to know.”

“What’s a dashite?” I asked softly clearly feeling the atmosphere was as thick as mud.

Midnight looked at me before saying in a ‘I don’t want to talk about this’ kind of voice “A dashite is a pegasus who openly disagree with the enclave. Traitors more or less who defy enclave orders and try to help the pony folk on the ground, ponies like you unicorns or earth ponies” she waved a hoof at Brax before continuing “at least that’s how my parents explained it to me when I was a filly”

She stopped talking before eyeing Brax “So big stallion. What’s your story?”

Brax looked almost as uncomfortable as Midnight but he spilled “I used to be a slaver. I was born into it, both my parents ran the New Saddle to Trottingham slaver route. I gave it in when I was about your age” pointing to Midnight “because my morals were being pushed each and every day which despite being necessary out here I could not continue the work “

I piped up cutting him off “It isn’t necessary to enslave ponies to survive, there are other avenues.”

“That may be so but you are forgetting that is all I knew, I was born into it. It’s what my parents did and it’s what I was to do”

Seeing the look on my face which was probably of hatred he simply shook his head “Look, I understand if you do not like me or think I am vile because you are likely right. Did I not tell you when I first met you that I am not a good pony?”

This was true I thought “b-but you were caught and became a slave” I asked stammering slightly.

He remained silent before saying “I would have deserved it. I was caught due to complaisance; I have not seen slavers wander around my hut in over five years and due to stupidity ended up caught. I think that is enough about my past for now.” He concluded.

I let off a sigh then said “I wonder if DJ pon-3 already knows about our rescue today?”

“Probably” muttered Midnight “Find out tomorrow I daresay” she added, she too let off a sigh and rubbed her eyes before saying “I might get some sleep. I’m so tired” and she stifled a yawn.

Brax left his seat and looked at the two of us “you two can sleep in the sitting area and do not touch anything please” his eyes lingered on me.

We both nodded and left our seats to the sitting room. Midnight curled up on the rug and she looked over to me saying “You can take the lounge if you want I’m ok down here.”

“You sure?” I asked wanting Midnight to be comfortable.

She nodded and I climbed up onto the mouldy sofa.

I pulled out the last memory orb labelled “Amethyst’s Trip to Canterlot” out of my saddlebags and concentrated on it. I felt the world tip away.

                                         ========OooO…OooO========

I was walking to the counter of a very flash atrium, the floors were highly polished, crystal chandeliers hung from the high carved ceiling. The counter that my host was walking up to was made of a dark highly polished wood along with highly polished brass around the edges of the counter.

When my host reached the counter, the mare behind the counter said in a very posh accent “Name and business reason?”

My host stammered slightly but held her composure “I-I am Amethyst Star, I am here for a scheduled meeting with miss Twilight Sparkle.

The mare behind the counter levitated the phone to her ear before speaking “Amethyst Star for Twilight Sparkle? Send her up? Ok”, she looked at my host before saying “level 7” and she pointed a hoof at the elevator as the door opened.

“Thank you.” My host muttered as she stepped into the highly polished wooden and brass elevator and hit the number 7 with a hoof.

I caught my host’s reflection. She was wearing a very elegant purple dress, she like me was a unicorn, her coat was a very light purple with a dark and light purple streaked mane, and her eyes were light purple, much lighter than my own. My host checked her reflection in the mirror and with a ding the doors slid open and my host walked out into a comfortable looking office. The office only consisted of one desk behind which a deep purple pony with a deep blue mane with two streaks of grey appeared to be working, rather hard by the look of it.

With a clatter, my host looked and saw a light purple reptile with green spikes. It took me a moment to realise that this was actually a young dragon. My host did not flinch as the Dragon walked over to my host and waved a claw saying in a surprisingly good natured voice “Hey, how can I help you?”

My host cleared her throat before saying “I’m Amethyst and I have been requested to see Twilight Sparkle at the next available opportunity.”

“ahh yes the receptionist downstairs mentioned” motioned the purple dragon.

“Hey Twilight” the dragon yelled across the office.

“What is it Spike?” Twilight replied without taking her eyes off her work, her voice sounded extremely familiar, quickly realising this was the very same mare I had been riding when I lost myself in the first memory orb.

The dragon facepalmed with his claw before replying, “Guest? Amethyst is here to see you.”

Twilight looked up at my host with her dark purple eyes that were a very close shade to my own, “Amethyst? Oh good to see you, I really need to speak to you about those gems”

I felt my host tense, she was very nervous as she approached Twilights desk.

“Take a seat” Twilight insisted kindly levitating a chair and putting it down in front of her desk.

My host sat and Twilight smiled at her kindly “Cookie?” offered Twilight. She levitated a tin of cookies to my host and she took one in her own magical field and took a bite. It tasted very nice. Twilight then continued “I called this meeting with you as I understand that you are good with finding gems”

My host nodded and Twilight went on “My friend Rarity is very busy at the moment and I need a pony who can find gems en-masse.  I understand that you are a geologist yes?”

“Correct” my host advised.

“Excellent” she beamed, Twilight looked relieved.

“We need a new gem mine. The one in splendid valley has been… Exhausted.” Twilight was speaking in a business like tone. “And we need to seek out a new gem mine to continue the supply for the war effort.”

Twilight pulled out a map with five circles and she announced “We have five survey locations currently and should we fail to find any, I will find backup survey locations. Princess Luna has advised this to be of utmost importance and has hence asked you to start immediately.”

My host frowned before inquiring “What’s the pay?”

“Of course, money” Twilight said looking apologetic. “Princess Luna believes it more than fair that the pay is one hundred thousand Bits for the urgent start of this work up-front and seven hundred thousand Bits for the successful find of a Gem mine.”

My host frowned thinking about the deal and she seemed set on a compromise “Throw in a suite in Canterlot and you have yourself a deal” I felt my host say nervously.

Twilight smiled then reached a hoof out to my host “I am sure that can be arranged” Twilight assured.

My host touched hoof with Twilight then I felt her muzzle smile before saying happily “Nice doing business Miss Sparkle.”

Twilight nodded before telling my host “Meet me down stairs this time tomorrow and we will discuss over lunch.”

My host nodded as the memory deteriorated into blackness

                                                                    ========OooO…OooO========

I sighed and put the memory orb away. All I learnt was that Twilight was my first host and the place that the publican in Cantal said where there might be a water talisman but to stay away from Splendid Valley.

I then laid down on the lounge and curled up closing my eyes and had the most comfortable sleep since I was in Cantal.

*                                        **                        **                      **                                                *

“Amethyst, no sleeping in, it’s time to wake up” a voice from faraway said to me. I felt a hoof touch my side and I opened my eyes.

Midnight was shaking me awake. She was already in her barding with her battle saddle in place and saddlebags on.

I jumped out of the sofa and saw Brax standing around. He was in his gear too. I could not recognise him beneath his heavy black armour nor his helmet which looked incredibly bug like, the black stinger on his tail covered his actual tail. He wore a battle saddle like Midnight but the guns I could not recognise. They looked alien and deadly with no visible barrel and nothing but an indent where the barrel was supposed to be.

“What guns are those?” I asked him.

“Energy rifles” he replied in a more robotic voice I assumed generated by the armour he was wearing, “Midnight and I are ready and you are still standing around naked. Do you want to get ready or not?”

“Oh right” I muttered realising that I was dawdling.

I pulled on my smelly, torn and bloody barding and put my woolly socks and scarf back on before levitating my saddlebags back in place. I then filled my canteen from the tap and finally said to my now two team members “Ok let’s go.”

*                                        **                        **                      **                                                *

BLAM

BLAM

PTTZATTZ

Gunfire pelted through the air at us as I accidentally led us into a raider camp that consisted of large vehicles and carriages.

I had my shotgun out dodging gunfire. A raider mare in woollen clothing jumped out in front of me with one of those electrified whips.

I attempted to aim my shotgun at her but my armour prevented me from being as swift as I could potentially be. Instead, I activated SATS but before I could pull the trigger the whip wrapped around my middle. As it did so I felt my muscles tense, I dropped my shotgun and extreme pain burst from my middle. I saw a beam of red light hit the mare holding the whip and she disintegrated into dust before my eyes. I levitated the device off me and picked up my shotgun noticing it had been Brax who’s alien like weapons had done that.

Shaking my head I jumped back into the fray shooting every hostile I could see.

“Kill them motherfuckers” yelled a stallion from one of the trucks. My EFS was dotted with quite a number of hostiles. I felt a bullet glance my barding and saw somepony with a small gun in her mouth. I aimed my shotgun at her and shot, causing her body to explode in a mix of gore.

I saw another pony with a huge gun levitated. The gun was similar to my rifle but was much larger in size; it matched the gun I saw in the gun shop in Cantal.

I heard a bullet wiz past my head and I dived under the nearest carriage. I heard a bullet pass through the carriage I was under.

“Come out little filly girl, I promise ill make your death nice and slow” cooed the raider.

I then rolled back out of the carriage and activated SATS again. I fired twice killing the pony with the sniper rifle.

“Amethyst look out” Shouted Midnight

Too late, I felt several bullets pierce my hind legs and pain burst through them.

I rolled back under the carriage feeling hellish pain building in my hind quarters and the warm sticky blood trapped between my barding and my coat.

I chanced a peep from under the carriage and spotted the sniper rifle. I wrapped my magic around it and pulled it to me. I put my shotgun away and rolled back out aiming at the pony that had shot me. But he was already dead. Midnight must have shot him.

I spotted just a few hostiles left on my EFS and I rolled out from my hiding spot and slipped into SATS aiming at a pony Midnight was fighting. My accuracy with this gun was much better. With two shots I took out the pony attacking Midnight when four more hostiles popped up onto my EFS. I glanced at them and rolled back under the carriage, my heart pounding.

There were three raider ponies and some winged unicorn thing that was about four times taller than a normal pony. She was surrounded by a sickly green shield. The same colour as her coat.

I took the chance and rolled back out and fell into SATS once more.

BLAM

One raider pony dead.

BLAM

Second raider pony dead.

BLAM

Third raider pony dead.

BLAM

The bullet glanced off the winged monsters shield.

I rolled back under the carriage.

I heard her laugh. It seemed to echo slightly, “You foals dare disrupt our plans? I will have you little ponies.”

I took a quick glance and saw some red beams of light hit the shield with no effect. She laughed again. “Your puny weapons are no match” she said in a shrill voice that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

I rolled back out still lying on the ground activating my own shield which unlike hers was a thin clear film. I then shot at her but my own bullet just smashed my own shield which collapsed.

“You filly girl entertain me”, her emerald eyes were set on me with malice. She was grinning. “You have a lot of fight in you but you fight like a foal.”

I gritted my teeth and shot at her again and with a small spark the bullet just glanced off. Her shield was like a super powerful version of my own and I could not break it.

“You don’t give up do you? Well it’s time to end you filly and your friends” she said in the echoing voice.

Her horn crackled with electricity and her shield collapsed. The bolt of light was not aimed at me but at Midnight who fell out of the sky as she was struck.

Brax who had somehow managed to sneak behind her in his stupidly heavy armour let out bursts of red light which caused the winged goddess thing to turn. Her horn flared again to strike down Brax. I activated SATS and sent out two shots to her head but not before her horn sent a bolt of lightning at Brax.

BANG

Click

Her head exploded as the bullet hit the back of her head and she fell to the ground as did Brax.

I couldn’t get up or for that matter walk with my injured hind legs so I dragged myself to Midnights side and saw that she was breathing. A piece of her barding at her breast had melted away, burning her coat and scolding her skin beneath. She had passed out. I pulled out some burn ointment and applied it to her burnt skin. It scabbed over but did not do the same job as expected by a healing potion of which we had none left.

Brax was not what I could call close to me so instead I concentrated a field of magic on him and lifted him towards me hoping I wasn’t going to injure him further. I dropped him next to me and I heard him speak inside the armour “Amethyst, the armour spell matrix has crashed. Can you reboot me from your pipbuck? I am uninjured” he added.

Where the bolt of lightning had hit Brax it left a scorch mark on the armour but nothing more. I spotted the slot for my pipbuck device and plugged it in. From here I could see all kinds of information from the advanced armour suit. I rebooted it and heard all the systems come online.

From my pipbuck I could see Brax’s heartbeat, breathing and everything else that my pipbuck could otherwise tell me about myself.

I unplugged it and he got to his hooves.

Midnight came round as he did so.

“Ow. That hurt” she moaned looking at her injury, “what was that thing?” she asked.

“Celestia only knows” I muttered privately thinking she looked like a dark evil version of Princess Celestia herself.

I began to notice that I felt a little giddy and lightheaded, my vision began to swirl and I saw Midnights blurry face above me, “Amethyst are you ok” she asked from far away. I saw black enclose my vision and felt myself slip away into unconsciousness.

*                                        **                        **                      **                                                *

I came round my head feeling like lead. I opened my eyes and sat up “ohhh” I moaned stars popping in my vision. I felt strangely naked as cold bit my lower body. My barding and clothing had been removed on the lower part of my body and I could feel pressure around my hind quarters, they had been bandaged up.

“Careful Amethyst, take it easy and don’t get up” came Midnights voice.

I laid back on the ground where I saw a metallic hoof on a plastic bag filled with blood, a small surgical tube connected to it. I suddenly became awake of a needle in my forehoof.

“You lost a lot of blood Amethyst” Midnight said softly.

“You should be up in no time” came the deep rumbling voice behind the armour. I felt the needle in my arm get removed causing me to gasp.

I floated out my canteen and took a sip then put it back.

“Do you know much in medical?” I asked Brax.

“No” he grumbled “I’m just winging it.”

I clambered to my hooves looking at my body which was half mummified. I found my barding which was lying on the ground near me. I levitated it up and put it back on feeling the blood that was soaking them soak into the bandages. I cringed a little feeling very dirty.

*                                        **                        **                      **                                                *

Once I had gotten myself together and recovered enough to move around I moved over to the truck which the raiders were using for storage.

Here I found some locked boxes. I picked them all easily enough as the locks were of poor quality. I found some healing poultices, healing bandages and a single healing potion. I put these away wanting to keep the healing potion for emergencies.

I also found some Med X painkillers, a pack of Rad Away, some filled syringes of a substance I did not know of and a tin of Mints with a zebra on the front. I did a double take as I recognised this tin from the memory. On the front it read “Party Time Mintals.” I opened the tin and found some mints inside. They looked no different than the ones I ate in the stable. I levitated one out wanting to try it but I heard a clop clop sound as Midnight came into the back of the truck with me.

“What are you doing Amethyst?” Midnight asked.

I turned around, the tin and the mint both levitated in front of me.

“I found some sweets” I said to Midnight showing her the box of mints.

Her eyes narrowed when she saw them. “You haven’t eaten any of these have you?” She asked looking very concerned.

I was just about to pop it in my mouth when I took a look at her and said “No. why?”

She knocked the mints out of my field of levitation with a hoof, causing the little mints to scatter across the metal floor of the truck before saying aggressively “They are not mints. They are drugs”

“Drugs?” this piece of information made that memory of Pinkie Pie a little clearer “These mints are drugs?” I asked curiously.

“Yes Amethyst that’s what I just said” Midnight grumbled “Are you sure you did not take any?” she asked in a kinder voice.

I nodded.

She smiled, her face softening “ok good” she said with relief.

I looked back inside the box of chems which were filled with all kinds of tablets from headache tablets to Rad X to a bottle of something called Buck and emptied them into my saddlebags.

I left the truck to find out where Midnight and Brax had gotten to.

I found them in a makeshift hut with a running generator. Inside was the most amount of technology I had ever seen in such a tiny hunt. Brax had his armour connected to the maneframe computer that seemed to run all the devices.

Midnight laughed as Brax backed out of a lock down.

“Leave this to the expert Brax. Amethyst will get into it.” Midnight gave me a little wink which made me smile.

Brax’s head turned looking at me through those orange bug eyes before saying “Your telling me Amethyst can get into this?” his voice was filled with doubt, “I’ve been working on these things for years” Brax said as he unplugged his connection and I plugged mine in preparing to hack it myself. Are you telling me some mare barely of age can –“

Beep

“Welcome to the XI Maneframe. What would you like to do?” the machine said in a cool female computer voice.

I could almost see Brax’s stony face as he fell silent. He blubbered “Tha- That machine had a very strong password and a heavy firewall. How-?”

I replied feeling very smug “You said you have been working on these for years. I’ve been working on these for most of my life.” I smiled at him widely showing teeth and a squee came out.

Brax facehoofed and Midnight had shoved a hoof in her mouth to stop herself from laughing as I turned my attention to the XI Maneframe.

I pulled up logs of a file called “Slaves” they were numbered, not named. Each number had a ‘Destination, Status before arrival, type be it earth pony or unicorn, gender and Caps paid.’

So these were slavers not raiders I thought wildly. I looked through the tabs and roughly 20% of all ponies died on the trip to the ponies that had paid for them.

Most of the ponies were sent to either Trottingham or Fillydelphia I noticed and the “Client” name that came up most often was “Red Eye” for Fillydelphia and “Xenzorth” for Trottingham. They took up roughly 90% of the slave trade. The rest went to random areas such as Old Apploosa, Hoofington and a few other towns I did not recognise.

“Wow there are a lot of slaves” Midnight was saying, looking at the data as well. I nodded looking at the data out of curiosity than anything.

“Why are Unicorns worth so much more than earth ponies?” I asked curiously taking note that a unicorn was fetching nearly three times the caps as an earth pony.

Brax answered the question “Unicorns can do magic and are able to lift heavier weight than earth ponies. Earth ponies are normally used for pulling”.

I searched through the data on the Maneframe and found that this base was operated by somepony called “Fritter.”

I looked through the logs and found the last one.

Entry 259

Trade’s been good and with the recent opening of Trottingham which is run by a huge nut down there called Xenzorth, our demand has picked up by almost 50%, he pays slightly better than Red Eye but the slaves are quite harder to get to Trottingham alive.

Shame he has no use for foals but Red Eye has a high enough demand for them.

Xenzorth wishes to write a contract for 700 new slaves with 500 being Unicorns. Red Eye has a huge demand for Unicorns as well.

I’ll be heading to Trottingham to meet Xenzorth to solidify our relations and sign this new contract. This contract is worth almost 1.5 Million Caps so this contraction has to be perfect. I’ve left this place in capable hands while I am gone.

I blinked and gritted my teeth as rage began to take hold. I could not contain it and burst out “Fuck these ponies, 700 fucking ponies, 500 of them Unicorns” My voice finally shrieked causing Midnight and Brax to take a step back as my horn flared and I screamed out “Unicorns like ME, Ponies like YOU.” I did not care about the rest of the information on the machine. I wrapped my telekinetic field around the Mainframe and reefed the mainframe off its footings, breaking wires with loud electrical bangs and threw it against the wall of the hut. It went straight through the wall and smashed into a truck.

Midnight remained silent but Brax spoke up “Wow you take anger to a whole new level.”

I rounded on him “Don’t make me throw you either, after all ponies like you are responsible for this.” It was a low blow but I did not care.

Brax shut his mouth. Midnight and Brax left me inside the hut as they left through the door. I remained inside looking at where the Mainframe used to be, now just broken wires and smashed equipment. Stupid fucking ponies I thought wildly. Almost every pony I had met out here was thieving, pony slaving, and torturing monsters. It almost made me feel ashamed of being a pony. Midnight and Brax acted as if this was all normal. Then I thought of Brax. He had been involved in this, responsible for the enslaving of ponies, rape and murder of foals and other ponies.

I wanted to scream in frustration but instead I just clenched my jaws and pulled the door open so hard it came off the hinges. This did not ease my anger so I threw the door as hard as I could and screamed “Fuck you Celestia” I didn’t usually use bad language or for that matter blasphemy but I was hurt and I needed to blow off the steam.

I saw Midnight and Brax waiting for me both choosing to wait for me to calm down. This was wise. If Brax opened his mouth I would have probably thrown him so hard he would end up on the moon.

As I walked past them I told them “Let’s get out of here” and put ourselves back on the right track.

*                                        **                        **                      **                                                *

A few hours later when I had calmed down a bit, the sky began to grow dark and it became very windy indeed. We were still not far from New Saddle however the buildings vanished as it began to snow.

“I think we might be set for a blizzard” I heard Brax say over the wind.

“What’s a Blizzard?” I asked.

“Big Storm with lots of snow and cold, we ought to seek shelter” Brax replied.

I blinked “What’s a Storm?” I asked feeling stupid especially after Brax facehoofed.

Midnight told me instead “A storm has lots of wind or rain or snow or two of each, normally accompanied by lighting.”

“Lightning?” I asked.

Brax interrupted “Are you being stupid on purpose?”

I looked at him maintaining my cool “No, how about you spend the first nineteen years of your life underground, I can’t even look up at the sky without bringing my last meal all over myself”.

“That’s lighting” Midnight interrupted.

She pointed a hoof but all I saw was fading light.

“What?” I stammered but not before I saw a bolt of white crackling something streak out of the clouds and hit the ground. I blinked still seeing the bolt in my retinas; I had never seen anything like it.

BAAANNNG

I jumped and screamed really loudly and pull out my shotgun and looked at my EFS in less than two seconds. There were only two green blips.

“Where’s the fire” I said stupidly.

“That was thunder” Midnight said coolly, “the lightning did it.”

“Oh I,” but another bolt of lightning flashed on the horizon followed by another

BAAANNNG

I jumped about a foot into the air.

Midnight giggled “Oh Amethyst you so funny.”

Footnote: Level Up

New Perk: Winging the medical profession – When you drink a healing potion it is 10% more effective.