(Sakura Con)

“Yay we’re finally here!” Samantha yelled out as she walks inside with her friend.

“I don’t see why you had to drag me along?” Said Vanessa as she try to fix her hat that kept blocking what she was seeing.

“Oh come on don’t be like that besides this is a lot of fun, and you always complain I never spend any time with you” Samantha said as she make sure she has everything in a bag on her hip.

“Cause most of the stuff you drag me to ends up with me getting hurt, remember the time when you brought me to that kids paintball party?”

“Okay one that was my mum idea I didn’t think it was your kind of fun, and two how was I supposed to know there would be that many kids?” Samantha then crossed her arms and looks at the sky. “Besides once they found out that the paintballs hurt they stop playing after that.”

“They didn’t, they kept on shooting each other until they passed out.” Said Vanessa as she rubs her arm. “At least we stopped them once we found out that was happening."

“They did say for an adult to be with them at all times, not our fault there mums and dads can’t keep an eye on them” Said Samantha as she pays for the both of them to get in. “Besides we’re here to have fun, so can you do this for me please?"

“Fine but if something bad happens here and you get me to be the hero, I’m just gonna ignore it hide out in the bathroom.” Samantha sigh at her friend and then pulls out her formboard staff then smiles at her.

“Don’t worry with my staff by my side nothing can hurt me, if only I could get a Kinsect to go with it. I feel like my costume is missing something without it.” Said Samantha as she looks at a food bar on the way in.

“Ugh I can’t stand that bug in the game, nor do I want to get near it in real life.” Vanessa shuddered at the idea of something that big holding on to someone's arm.

“Hey it was really useful when we took on that boss that one time, you can’t say it wasn’t a big help in the end.” Said Samantha as she looks at a stall selling swords.

“By help you mean that you stood their like an idiot, and had me fight a deviljho all by myself.” Grumbled Vanessa. They both stop when they see what looks like a tall metal skeleton man walk away with a book and some kind of staff.

“Hey where do you think he get that staff from? It looks so real.” Said Samantha as she looks around to see where he got it from. Vanessa who was still looking at the guy walking away and was about to say something when the tall guy disappeared in the crowd.

“What the? Hey did you see that?” She asked only to find Samantha was standing at a stall looking over some stuff. “Never mind.”

Samantha then saw something that made her eyes sparkle. “Vanessa you have to see this!” She calls over to her friend waving her arms at Vanessa.

“What is it this time?” Vanessa asked only to see something orange with green eyes put right in her face. It didn’t take Vanessa long to find out what it was and start freaking out. “It a Mauldrone!, that guy said I can have it for 60 pounds if we buy a three for one deal!”  

“And you want me to help you buy it I take it?” Said Vanessa as her friend was giving her the puppy eyes, she sigh and looks at what else was on offer and saw a Monster Hunter's book. “Huh this could be a interesting read.”

“We still need one more thing.” Said Samantha as she try to look for something else to get. That when the guy behind the stall start talking to them. “Do you need help with something my deer’s?”

“You wouldn’t happen to have a charge blade would you?” The guy looks between them and rubs his chin. “Tell you what I can exchange what your friend there has on her back for better one and throw this in as well."

The guy go under his stall fishing around for something until he pulls up what looks like bowgun. Samantha and Vanessa eyes go wide at seeing it, just how did he hide something so big under there. That was until he folded it up and looks at them. “What do you think?”

“Deal.” Said Samantha handing over her old staff to the guy and getting a new one that looked really real. Then Vanessa pockets the book and takes the bowgun, she was surprised how just how heavy it was.

“Watch out for the Velociprey, they get nasty this time of year.” The guy calls out as Samantha put the Mauldrone on her arm then both girls start walking away.

“.......Okay?” Said Vanessa as she walks a little faster to get away from the strange man. Samantha was smiling and petting her new Mauldrone. “Hey maybe I should name it, what do you think?”

“Name it whatever you want, you know I’m not very good with names.” Said Vanessa as things start to look strange. “Hey question, do you feel a little light head a bit?”

“Well now that you ask yeah I do feel a little dizzy.” Said Samantha as she holds her head.

“Hey…..are you ok-.” The next thing the girl knew was passing out and falling. “D-Dammit.”

Vanessa slowly opened her eyes and try to think what happened. The last thing she remembers was her and Samantha passing out. Before Vanessa could think more on this she hears a buzzing. At first she doesn't move but keep hearing the buzzing sound then as much as she hated to she followed the sound to her friend was as sleeping on the ground next to her.

“Oh really funny Sam, you almost got me-” Vanessa stop what she about to say when her friend rolls over with a very alive big BUG crawling all over her friend and buzzing it wings. Vanessa could only do one thing and that was scream.

“GAH! PANCAKES!” Samantha jumps awake and the bug quickly crawls to her arm and lock itself in place. “WAH!?, I’m Up! Is it a school day or something?” She asked looking around to find her dressing room, only to see she in the middle of nowhere. “Van, where are we?” Samantha asked then saw her friend hiding behind a large rock.

“We’re in the middle of fucking nowhere Sam.” Vanessa growled and pointing at her friend. “And you have a huge monster on your arm KILL IT!” Samantha just stare at her friend before laughing and holding her arm up.

“Oh calm down it not real." The Mauldrone then buzzed it wings, Samantha blinked at this before looking at her arm and seeing it little head turn to her. “Okay… So it is real… Awesome!” Samantha yelled picking the bug off her arm and holding it in her arms. “I’m going to call you Tom!”

“Ok you are taking this really too well.” Said Vanessa as she get on the rock and has a look around.

“Are you kidding me I’ve always wanted to be a real monster hunter and now I can! We’re going to have so much fun isn't that right Tom?” Samantha said as the bug buzzed it wings again and went back to locking itself to her arm.

“Ok one, I doubt we’re monster hunter’s because we’re in the middle of nowhere. Two I’d be more focus on figuring out where we are, and three I’m not getting near that thing on your arm.” Samantha told her friend as she stay on the rock.

“When you put it like that it does sound kind of bad, but if we find some water maybe we can just chill out there until someone find us.” Said Samantha as she looks around not really sure which way to go.

“Oh joy we get to play the waiting game, this is gonna be so much fun.” Vanessa said in a sarcastic tone.

“Maybe not.” Samantha said as she looks at the Mauldrone. “Hey Tom think you can help us find some water?” The Mauldrone let go of Samantha arm and start to fly off in one direction, Samantha run after it and follows. “I think he found something!” She calls back as she runs.

“Hey! Wait up dammit!” Vanessa yells running after her friend little did they know something else was watching them.

Vanessa was bored following the bug unlike her friend who was more than happy following it. Vanessa then reached into her pocket and pulled out the book she got from that guy. Not only that but she was thinking about leaving the bowgun behind but something in the back of her head kept telling her she would need it.

Vanessa then opened the book and started to read a random page. The book was very vague about the monsters, not what she had in mind when she got it. But the artwork on what the monsters were supposed to look like was really good.

“Hey Samantha how long till we reach water, are you sure that thing know where it going?” Vanessa asked. As she looked up and saw something, just what was that.

“Hey Vanessa look, what that up there?” Samantha asked only for the Mauldrone to turn back and go back on her arm. “What wrong Tom?”

“Hey why did your bug friend return?” Vanessa asked walking up next to her.

“I don’t know maybe it has to do with those shadows that are getting bigger coming this way." Samantha said as she pulls her staff out and looks at it. “Do you think there friendly?”

“Something tells me they’re not…...get ready to run in case shit hit’s the fan.” Said Vanessa as she put one hand on Sam shoulder.

“Wait you have a bowgun right? Why not find out if it works, I mean if Tom is real then.” Samantha asked looking at it.

“You and I both know I prefer to use either the switch axe or the charge blade, and besides I doubt this thing will work for me seeing how I’m a blademaster.” Vanessa said handing over the bowgun to Samantha. “You use it.”

“Fine but you have to take Tom” Said Samantha as she about to hand over the Staff and holds out her arm with Tom who buzzed at Vanessa.

“You sure he won’t bite my face off if you hand him over to me?” Asked Vanessa as she hands the bowgun over and take the staff.

“Who him? He’s just a big sweetie.” Said Samantha with a smile and pets him. “Go on he don’t bite, I think?”

“Fine.” Vanessa grabbed the glaive, and extended her arm for Tom to crawl on to. “Ugh it feels weird.”

“Just think of him as a living shield.” Said Samantha as she unfolds the bowgun. “Hey, I don’t think this thing was finished being upgraded yet.”

“Great so it’s at level one then huh?” Asked Vanessa as she try to not throw or pull Tom off her arm.

“Maybe?” Samantha answered as the shadows get closer. “Hey, you got any rounds?”

“Look in your bag Samantha I’m not a gunmaster remember.” Samantha did as Vanessa said and pulled out a clip of rounds for the bowgun, they both look at it as if to ask how it got there. Samantha then try to put the clip into the Bowgun like in the games when they heard a voice call out to them.

“Well, well, well. What do we have here boys?” Both girls blink when they look at the one who said that, and could not believe what they were seeing.

“........Samantha is that a talking pony?”

“.......Yes Vanessa it’s a talking pony, and they don’t look friendly."

“Really now, what gave it away?” Said Vanessa sarcastically. “Was it due to the fact that they look like a bunch of crazy idiots from an apocalyptic world?”

“Well I was going to say it was the fact they wasn’t cute.” Said Samantha as she looks at her Bowgun trying to work out if she can aim it or not.

“.......Really?”

Samantha just blinks at her friend. “What? I mean look at them they have knifes and scars, they also dress up as if they was from that Mad max movie.”

“Hey! Shut up and hoof over the goods, we might even let you freaks go if you do something for us.” Said one of the bandits.

“Boss maybe we can keep one of them and sell the other one as a slave.” That comment made all the ponies laugh.

“Wow…...Talk about being racist huh Vanessa?” Asked Samantha only to see just how angry her friend was getting. Samantha even take a step or two away from her friend just to be on the safe side.

“I’m sorry, but what did you just say?” Growled Vanessa as she unfolds the staff and the blade come out.

“What as long as it not a pony there nothing wrong with having a slave” Said one of the bandits.

“Sir we would sell a pony even if it was a little filly.” Said a bandit with a hat.

“Well, whatever it pays well." Said the Boss. As he pulls out a makeshift axe.

“.........Samantha.” Vanessa said sounding almost calm.

“Yes?” Samantha replied worryingly.

“Kill the others, but the boss is mine.”

“Can’t we just hurt them really badly and leave?” Samantha asked hoping to get out of here without fighting anyone.

“Normally I would suggest that, but something tells me they’ll just come after us when they wake up.” Samantha sigh and take aim at them.

“I understand.” Samantha said and pulled the trigger. The bang was followed by one of the bandits being shot in the hoof having it get shot clean off.

“That bitch shot me!” Screams the downed Bandit.

“Get them!” One of the others yelled and they all run at the two hunter’s.

“Tsh, New York city at night all over again.” Vanessa used her glaive to launch herself into the air, and attack the bandits boss who block the attack.

“Can’t we all just get along!” Screams Samantha as she shooting at the bandits to and missing some of them.

“What are you morons doing!? Stop being pussy’s and get them!” Yelled out the boss who had a horn on his head.

“I be more worried about me instead of the others shit head!” Vanessa said as she push the bandit’s boss back a few steps away from herself.

“Damnit!” Yelled the boss as he swings back with the axe. But what Vanessa could not work out is how he was holding it without touching it.

“How the hell are you even holding that without any hands?” Asked Vanessa.

“What you don’t know about magic?” Said the Bandit Boss who then smiled. “Oh this is going to be fun.” A large rock floats over his head then the rock was sent flying at her.

“Ah crap baskets!” Vanessa did a barrel roll to the left, then launched Tom at him.

“GAH! It on my face! Get it off! Get it off!” The Boss yelled shaking his head trying to get Tom off.

“Samantha how are you doing on your end?”

“I don’t like the flying ones!” Samantha calls out firing her Bowgun in the air at the flying ponies.

“Use a flash bomb on them, just like you did with the fly dragons in the game.” Vanessa suggested. Samantha then pulled a flash bomb and throw it in the air then covered her eyes.

“AAAAAHHHHHH! MY EYES, I CAN’T SEE!” Yell the two flying ponies as the fall to the ground.

“Heh works every time.” Vanessa called back Tom to return to her arm. The bandit Boss was gasping for air as he sit on the floor. “Ha! Face down with female kicking your ass, it’s must be my birthday cause I’m have a blast mopping the floor with you.”

“Van I think we should go before they can see again.” Said Samantha as she keep her bowgun aimed at them.

“You and I both know they chase us if we leave them alive.” Vanessa replied.

“Come on I just want to leave, besides Tom is shaking.” Said Samantha as she looks at Tom.

“Fine, but they come after us after we leave. I’m gonna say I told you so.” Said Vanessa as she turns and start to walk away. Samantha sigh and follows her friend only for them to hear a yell from behind them.

“You’re not getting away!” Yelled the Boss Bandit. Then something large flies past them and he was gone.

“What the hell was that?” Asked Vanessa only for Samantha to point at the large land shark was the only way to describe it, but they know what it was and it name. As the monster shakes it head and swallows the pony in one bite the two humans slowly back away from it.

“It a Cephadrome…” Said Samantha with a look of fear on her face. “What do we do?”

“Simple.” Vanessa focus her attention at the bandit’s vehicle. “Hope you don’t get car sick?”

Samantha was already running to the car with her bowgun on her back. “Hurry up and run!” She calls back in panic.

“Gee thanks for leaving me in the dust asshole!” Vanessa yelled as she tries jumped into the car,  but saw Samantha jump in the back and loaded her bowgun. “Just drive!” The wheels of the car screech as Vanessa drives, Samantha saw the Cephadrome eat another pony before it roared and dives into the sand and swims after them.

“Oh no…” Said Samantha as she take aim.

“I take it that it’s following us?” Asked Vanessa

“Yeah, hey you know that movie tremors?” Samantha asked as she fire her bowgun into the sand. “Well this is a bit like that!”  

(Music Starts)

“Yeah but only this involves a giant sand shark, instead of mutated worms.” Vanessa answered as she made a hard right turn pass a huge boulder. The movement some how turns the radio on and they hear music playing.

“Oh that just makes this feel more like the movie.” Complains Samantha as she keeps shooting at it.

“You see this is what I was talking about, this is what I was trying to avoid!” Screams Vanessa as she drives.

“Shut up and drive faster!” Yells Samantha. Tom on the other hand was on the dashboard looking outside as everything flying past.

“Can this get any weirder than this?” Vanessa asked as she notice something was moving under a blanket under the passenger side of the seat. She then removed the blanket to see a small beat up little colt with chains around his hooves and neck. “Well that answers my question.”

“Hey I got charge shots back here!” Yells Samantha as an explosion go off somewhere behind the car. “It still following us!”

“Um we have bigger problems than fish face back there.” Said Vanessa as she try to keep her eyes on the road if there was one.

“Like what is a Deviljho in front of us or something?!” Calls out Samantha.

“We have a underage pony in the passenger side of the car.” Vanessa said pointing to the little colt who was shaking in fear.

“You're worrying about driver safety now of all times! We’re being chased by a Cephadrome that plans on eating us!” Samantha then throws a flash Bomb at it.

“A flash bomb won’t work on it, unless it’s out from under the sand.”

“Well I don’t have a sonic bomb now do I? I’m working with what I got!” Tom go over to the colt and clicks at him before trying to work out how to free him.

“Hold on, hard left!”

“Hard wha-”

Samantha screams as she hanging out of the car by her legs and is still trying to shoot the Cephadrome with her bowgun.

“Man they make it look so easy in the video game, why is he so hard to kill it in real life?” Asked Vanessa. As she looked in the rear mirror and saw Samantha was trying to get back inside, and the Cephadrome was getting a bit too close for her liking.

“Drive faster!” Screams Samantha as she looks in her bag for something.

“I’m going as fast as this stupid thing can go! You got problem with it? Then you drive, otherwise get off my back and keep shooting!” Vanessa yells but then see something she wasn’t going to like, she saw fins in the sand going past them. “That can’t be a good sign.”

Tom was going crazy in the car and goes into the back sets and try to hide under something. “What going on, is it good news?” Asked Samantha as she fire another charge shot at the monster.

“Um don’t freak out or anything, but I think there’s more of them.” After Vanessa said that she heard Samantha scream, as the two humans, Mauldrone and colt were driving through a school of Cephadrome’s.

“Oh you have got to be kidding me?” Asked Samantha as she gives up on shooting the monster that was after them.

“I have an idea, but you’re not gonna like it.” Vanessa made a hard right towards and open gully.

“I’m not liking this, I’m not liking this at all!” Screams Samantha.

“Like I said you’re not gonna like it.” With that she full speed towards it, avoiding the Cephadrome’s that were trying to eat them.

“We’re gonna die!” Screams Samantha.

“I’m too young to die!” Screamed the young colt holding onto Tom. As they drove into the empty gully. Vanessa notices that the Cephadrome’s had stopped, or more like gone around the gully and away from them.  (Music Ends)

“Good they left us for the time being, now we can think of a plan before they reappear on the other end.” Vanessa said as she stopped the car, then remembers the colt that was holding on to Tom. “Oh right.”

Samantha falls out of the back of the car and crawls on the floor, before laying on her back panting. “Never… do that, again.” She said more to herself then to Vanessa.

“Hate to break it to yeah, but unless we can think of a plan then we’re gonna have to do it again.” Said Vanessa as she get out of the car and go to the passenger side then opens the door. “Plus I don’t think the gear I have now, will do any damage towards them.”

“Same here.” Said Samantha as she saw the colt sitting there holding on to Tom for dear life. “Who’s that?”

“Like I said before we have a passenger in the seat, why do you think I said that earlier?” Said Vanessa as she try to carefully lift the colt out.

“Okay, let see if we can get those chains off of him, I’ll look in the glove box.” Said Samantha as she go into the car.

“While you do that I’m gonna have a look outside and see if things are ok.” Asked Vanessa. All she got from Samantha was a wave as she was digging around in the car.

“Meow.” Samantha hit her head and looks around from in side of it then calls out. “Hey did you hear that?” Samantha looks out the window and saw a Felyne looking at her from the other side. “Vanessa…” Samantha calls out staring at the cat.

“Yeah what is it?” Vanessa calls out as she walks over then see the Felyne standing on the car. “Oh…”

“Oh that all you're going to ask is oh? Help me!” Said Samantha who dare not to move.

“Is everypony okay down there?” Called out a voice from above them.

“If by okay you mean not scared to death by a giant sand shark? Then yeah we’re okay.” Said Vanessa as she saw a Pony who was red and had a blue mane and tail. She also had a jacket and a backpack on, the pony then saw the colt and yelled. “What do you think your doing with him!” The pony fly down and lands next to the colt making sure he was alright.

“Whoa we didn’t do anything to the little fella. We found him like this when we were fighting a bunch of bandits that wanted to sell us to become slaves.”  

“Not to mention a school of Cephadrome’s that wanted to eat us.” Added Samantha, as she pointed outside to the Cephadrome’s jumping out of the sand.

“Those things have names?” Asked the pony as she walks up to them, the pony then notices the cat walking on the hood of the car. “What that?”

“Honestly I have no idea, this little fella appeared out of nowhere.” Vanessa answered as she notice the cat breaking the chains of the little colt. “So care to tell me who you are, and where we are random talking pony lady?”

“We’re in the wastelands, nopony come out here seeing as there all the monsters that live here.” She said as she looks around. “Sorry I haven’t given you my name it is Sunny Day and you are?”

“Samantha and this is Tom.” Said Samantha cuddling the Mauldrone in her arms.

“I’m Vanessa.” Said Vanessa as she looks to the now free colt that was given some water by the cat. “Now who are you two?”

The colt looks at everyone before saying his name. “I’m Pip and are you guys going to eat me or something?”

“......Really does it look like we would eat you after what happen earlier?” Said Vanessa folding her arms.

“To be far one of you is wearing the hide of a lagombi.” Everyone turned to the Cat that was playing with it whiskers. “By the way I’m Sir Scatsbarry it nice to meet you all, but we should find somewhere safe to sleep for the night. This way my village is not far from here.”

“......Am I the only one who just notice a talking cat?” Asked Vanessa.

“No.” Everyone else said at the same time, Tom even flew over and locks itself on to Vanessa arm.

“Okay good, for a second there I thought I was going insane.” Everyone followed the Cat calling himself Scatsbarry. They then saw as they went deeper into the gully they find a small village full of cats.

“This feels so weird.” Said Samantha.  

“I been out here in the wasteland for years, and I never even knew this village was here. How can these cats survive out here for this long without getting notice by raiders, ghouls, and monsters?” Said Sunny Day as she was in shock at how clean the village looks like.

“We lived our lives with the monsters, it a part of our lives. It hard work but the other things fear them we fear them to but we live with them as well.” Said the Cat that was leading them.

“So the reason they haven’t found you yet is because the monsters eat them all before they can get here?” Asked Vanessa. The cat smiles at them after she said that. “Something tells me not to fuck around with these little bastards.”

“That and if there’s anything like the game they will try and take our stuff.” Whispered Samantha to her friend.

“Great so don’t fuck with them, and don’t let them steal your crap.” Vanessa whispered back.

“Come this way we have much to talk about and food to eat.” Said Scatsbarry as he goes into a cave in to the side of the large gully. Once inside they see hundreds of Felyne, some even wear armour and some looked like cooks and waiters. There was even a hunter bored on the cave wall in the large hall.    

“This is so cool!” Yells Samantha as she runs off inside.

“Okay I have to give you guy’s credit for surviving this long out in the wasteland, but I still don’t understand. How you guys could’ve survive this long without getting any kind of radiation from the aftermath mega spells?” Said Sunny Day.

One Felyne close to them on a table calls out after hearing that. “We’re Hunters!” Then all the Felyne call out. “MEOW!”

“But…...I don’t.” Stumbles Sunny trying to work out how that make any sense.

“Don’t question it Sunny.” Said Vanessa. “Let just eat, drink and forget today even happened. I wonder what Aptonoth taste like?”

“Ugh fair enough, still have some more questions though.” Said Sunny as she saw one can with a large plate on it head with some kind of large cooked animal.

“Van they’re playing my song!” Cheers out Samantha as she sit with a group of Felyne and start eating with them.

“Oh god not this song.” Vanessa complains.

“Why what wrong with it?” Asked Pip as he stay close to Sunny.

“That Damn cooking song they always play whenever they cook. It was bad enough when they did it, but it gotten to be annoying when Samantha started to sing it.”

The ponies looked confused at the human girl until her friend stands on a table and started singing. Not only that but the Felyne were joining in.

“Ugh.” Groans Vanessa as she grabs a mug off a table and start to drink it. “Someday this turned out to be.”

Next Chapter: Chapter 2: Deviljho on a rampage Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 54 Minutes