"A seal is to keep something from getting out."

Day 51

I opened my eyes and I was in the chair outside. I stood up and stretched a bit. It seemed pretty early morning and the only ones out were Bulwark and the two robots... I went inside the cave and noticed that the two Steel rangers removed their armour and are still looking at the seals. They drew the seals to get it open I went to them calmly and yawned gently sitting there watching them to see what they're doing. The two rangers had a book with them writing down the information on it and Lily turned to me with a gentle smile.

"Ah hello, Tiria we might need your help here if you don't mind." I blinked and walked over to them tilting my head. She smiled and looked over to the book. "It seems from what I learned from the info of the warden's office... They hid four books around parts of Equestria... It seems the first one... Is located in a port town not far from here. I don't know anything about this little port town. So I would recommend having other's go with you."

I nodded she gave me the map of the area here and it leading to the town. I went out of the cave and Kip was awake and so was Shadow. They were talking and they looked to me and I showed them the map.

"Oh.....that town...is not safe... Why do you have a map of it?" Shadow asked calmly and Silver Gunner walked up to me.

"I would say gather some food potions and ammo and head down there... It's where a book is to break a seal on the stable." Kip blinks looking to Shadow and she smirks.

"I am coming with you... I am not staying here..." Shadow laughs and Silver nodded.

"Let's go then shall we?" Said Silver Gunner. Kip smiled and trotted off to gather her supplies

"Finally I can do something..." I said with a smile. "I got tired of just sitting here doing nothing." I blinked watching Fleur's crew started walking in with parts of the cruise ship going into the cave.

Kip trotted back to us watching this as well.

"Huh, I thought she was joking when she said she would tear down the cruise ship to build an inn in there." Kip calmly said and I laughed.

"I have learned...to take whatever Fleur said seriously." Kip had all her bags. I went to get my weapons from the case opening it up and putting on my armour and getting my Zebra pistol and the strange mace. I got my bags and journal as well looking to Shadow who just had the chewer on his back with ammo.

"Alright let's go." Bulwark kept the gate open for us and I looked to her.

"If we aren't back in three days come and search for us." She gave a nod and we looked towards the east. I was told there is water down that way... But why would there be? I looked to Shadow and then Silver. Then to the map... The walk to get there would take us through what is called RadScropain lands. I thought wonderful... The four of us walked slowly along the path... It was all of us to this mission... To find a book to remove the seal.

Kip looked up to me with a gentle smile.

"Have those two learned what is in that stable?" I looked to her calmly and shook my head.

"I think they're trying to find why they sealed it off in the first place. I am hoping we don't find anything deadly in there" Shadow chuckles softly looking towards me with a smile.

"It's not a deadly place really... Just for some reason...everypony there just vanished... No one knows why really." I blinked and Shadow flaps up his wings to Kip and goes.

"Oooooo." Kip rolls her eyes and gives him a kiss.

"Enough brother...that's silly of you..." Shadow laughs and smiles at Kip they are very close now and I loved the fact that he was always there for her... Same with Silver who kept to himself staring at the shotgun. I looked over to him and let the other two walk on ahead and I walked beside Silver Gunner... As he looked to me his robotic eyes glowing.

"I know...these ponies and Zebra... I know them... I just can't remember them... All I know they gave me this shotgun..." Silver sighed looking at the gun. He stared at the name and looked down wanting to remember. Remembrance he wants to remember them so much... But it seems he will never will unless something triggers in his head. Hopefully, someday he will remember. I looked ahead of us seeing small scorpions along the ground. As they seem to just avoid us. This walk would take us half a day I was told. Looking over to Kip and Shadow who are laughing and talking.

I smiled enjoying that fact we are back to normal for the time being. Looking to Silver who just kept walking. He stayed silent holding the shotgun and trying to remember.. If he had a heart... I am sure he would be crying a bit right now. But I doubt he can. I feel bad for him real bad... For him... I wish I could help him.

I watched ahead closing my eyes feeling rain starting to fall on us but of course we didn't care and kept moving. I looked to the others and I saw the fog forming and stopped turning to see the Fog wolves and they started to speak as the others stopped to look.

{Don't...go on...sister.... The seal...is there for a reason...} They vanish as the fog takes them away like they weren't even there...

"Tiria why did you stop?" I blinked, turning to them seeing Kip come up to me with a worrying look.

I looked back seeing nothing and then back to Kip.

"Sorry just thinking." I smiled and kept walking along. I felt something was bothering me after that... I looked to the top of a rock seeing the fog wolves again. It seems they're trying to tell me something. I have no idea what they're trying to say and we kept walking through the land of Rad Scorpions. But it seems we didn't see any of them. Keeping my gun armed and waiting for them to show up.

" It seems....they're in hiding..." Shadow said calmly looking around his blue eyes watching. As we get closer to our destination the port town... On the map, that was called. Speaker of waves. I blinked staring at that name... Speaker of waves? Yeesh who names these places and why do ponies name things so strangely? I looked up seeing the wolves again but this time...my friends saw them too.

They started to speak to me again. We stopped as they started to speak. {Keep walking...sister... We are keeping the minions of the poison from you...with our fog... But take heart... If you find the seal....destroy it... Don't allow them to open it.} I looked to my friends who looked at me.

"Lets go..." As they moved to let us walk as we watched the fog come from their bodies and their mouths... The fog wolves bodies seem to be made of the very fog... As well as the Kip's of time. Then the fog made them vanish as it seems the fog is keeping the crazy Scorpion's from harming us... Looking up seeing that we are two hours away from where we have to go. Our stomach's started to rumble as I chuckled softly.

"It seems I am hungry..." Kip nods and we find a spot an hour away from where we need to go. She puts up her magic torches and we start a fire and just sit there watching our food cook. Silver Gunner walks around the camp patrolling making sure we don't get harmed. I sat there thinking of what was said to me... I am going to die... But I am also going to have a little one that comes through this... Hopefully Sand will be able to raise them... I looked at the meat cook and felt my hunger growing... But I felt that my pain was growing... It seems my choices are going to cause either my friends to live or to die.

I remember the start of the journey being forced to leave from my species... It's been almost two months...since I found my friends... I looked to Kip and Shadow who are chatting and he seems to be trying to get her to have her foals with Crossfire. As she blushes and giggles.

Smiling at that... Going back to the meat... Has the wasteland beaten my honour? If I die from a pup has my honour been taken by the waste? Has the golem of the waste beaten me?

I keep looking closing my eyes and feeling my will falling a bit... But I need to keep moving... I need to gather my thoughts. Looking to the meat again and it's placed in a bowl and floated to me and I smile to Kip. She had a gentle smile on her face. As she leans on Shadow as she gives him meat as well. I calmly eat its something I never thought... Would I make a good mother if I lived? Would I make a good leader?

"Tiria?" I looked over to Kip and she has a worried look. "Are you okay? You seem bothered by something." I smiled, shaking my head.

"Don't worry Kip... I am thinking... Just thinking of the future you could say." Shadow nods. I went back to eating closing my eyes and looked at the pip-buck... This fog this time is not causing my pip-buck to go nuts... Find that strange...really strange. But I just focused on eating and drinking from my canteen that held some bit of a dirty water..But I had to drink. Something strange was going on with this stable... Why would these wolves care if I open it?

Calmly setting the bowl down and Kip takes it back to place it back in her bag. I stood up a bit watching as I noticed the fire torches bringing soft soothing as I got near it... Looking to them... Magic? How does magic work like this... I felt so unsure around these torches I feel that my life is calm. I think it's a way for Kip to calm the wounded... As she works on them.

I stood there awhile as I watched the fog lift a bit to show us the port town. From what I could it looks very run down. I closed my eyes again and felt my head and heart... I felt my heart slowly beating my brain hurting from thinking too hard about this... I need to relax and just let my life continue without hurting... Sitting back down we waited a little longer before heading to our next path. I started to feel my body was falling apart... But that is probably because of all the insane shit I did... Carrying that orb... Looking to my arm that is still wrapped up. I looked to Kip was eating carrots and Shadow who was eating his meat they seemed worried about me... Apparently, I could tell that Kip told Shadow and Silver Gunner what is going to happen to me...

"You and Silver know, don't you Shadow." Kip's ear's fall.

"Know what... Tiria?" I blinked for a moment and closed my eyes and sighed.

"Nevermind." Shadow looks to Kip and I stand up and help Kip get everything ready blowing out the torches and she takes them apart placing most of the gear inside of Silver Gunner but her First aid kits and her shotgun. Looking towards me I give her a gentle smile and she just gives a weak smile.

We start our walk again seeing how it's going to be hard to find this seal.

______

Speaker of Waves

We walk into the town as the fog doesn't seem to be in this part. Looking around calmly seeing no bodies, no bones... Nothing just buildings that seem to be empty. I looked at them and smiled. Looking around calmly and sighed.

"Why do I feel like something bad is going to happen?" Kip looked to me and then she shivered so did Shadow and Silver looked at us.

"Did....someone just walk over my grave?" I felt a voice in my mind. {Ah....please free me child...searching for the seals? This empty war...that caused so much death?} I held my head and then looked up looking around finally seeing what happen here... Whatever is this thing is showing us the past...and somehow even showing Silver.

________________

Speaker of Waves the past.

{Please....see what happen here...children... Of the past... Please see...} All of us opened our eyes seeing the war didn't make it here but the ponies attacked each other. {It was sister on sister...a small battle to protect the Zebras within this little town... Some refused to follow what the government was saying and a war of death broke out here... The warden brought in the seal. It was an experiment since...some of the ponies brought here...were criminals mixed into the normal group... The POW camp enjoyed the irony... Of testing things like this... No pony was innocent in this war.} I finally would be the one who asks the question. "Who...are you?"

The flash would end and standing there would be Zebras right in front of us... Zebras have lived here all their lives? But then they vanished showing that the entire town is just a ghost town because of the seal.

___________________

Back to the "Normal" World

Our vision cleared and we stood in the middle of the town still and I looked to the others. "It just comes clear..dosen't it...oh it does.." I rolled my eyes and getting more and more pissed off at ponies. My anger got to me so much that I howled deeply, it echoing softly as I closed my eyes and kneeled.

"How...can ponies even think of working together anymore? How can we even see them becoming to that path... The path that will never end... If we save them will the future just turn back?" I sighed closing my eyes not sure if I should keep moving. Kip put her hoof on my shoulder and nuzzled me.

"Tiria you can't keep blaming all the ponies in the past or the future for the mistakes... We need to move on and find this seal...and then learn what happened here." The others nodded as I sighed closing my eyes and stood back up and looked around.

"I think we should check all the buildings... We might find out what happened here." They nodded and Silver went to the library first and we all followed him. He turned his eyes on and all the books all over the floor and the pages ripped out.

"What in the world?" Kip said, looking at the mess. Shadow looked through the pages. I looked through the terminal.

"Hmm from what I see here... It seems nopony even took out books at all...and this town...was fully built a month before the war ended. Because they ordered all these books a day before it ended. But why would this be in here? You would think all this info they have in here is in the town hall." I looked up from the terminal.

"There is nothing here about a book from a warden." I closed my eyes. What would hold a seal? I blinked a moment a place for trinkets.

"Kip, what is a place you place old trinkets in?" Kip blinks and thinks a moment.

"Oh, yes, a museum?" I nodded

"Let's find it" I got up from the chair and shadow blinked staring at one of the books and he heard a sound and followed it seeing a female Griffin. She was in a net while her friends seem to be dead...

She looks at him with fear and speaks with fear.

" Are you here...to kill us?!" I blinked and noticed seeing no bodies and Shadow looks again and doesn't see the bodies and looks up to the net.

"Miss you should look again." The female to looks back down seeing no bodies and shakes.

"This town...scared off my friends...we came to look for food... I am Owl beak." Shadow stared at her he seemed to enjoy how she looked... I looked to him and put my paw in front of his eyes to see if he was still there...

"Ahem... Shadow....now is not the time." He blinked, looking at me.

"What... I am staring at a female of my species... is that a bad thing?" Kip laughs loudly. I rolled my eyes and mouthed 'males'... I undid the net and helped her down. She rushed out of the room and looked around.

"Look go, head to the POW camp not far from here... You will find help there." She nodded and flew off.

"I am so going to have her as mine." I face pawed and Kip laughed and Silver looked at him.

"Is this normal for your species then? Suddenly telling a female that she will be your's suddenly at first look." Shadow blinks looking to Silver.

"No...but for me it's normal... Because hey, she is beautiful I deserve something at least." I just rolled my eyes again.

"Focus!!" Shadow looked to me so did Silver and I looked to Kip who had a gentle smile on her face.

"Alright now... let's go to the museum and find this seal..." They nodded and we walked back out of the building and looked around...

"Now if I could only find it?" I said stroking the back of my head with a paw with a soft snort from my nose. Silver went ahead of us and pointed with his hoof to it. How this town was set up was odd. The museum right by the docks? I looked down to see a body leaning agents a wall it was all bones and not wearing any clothing but I looked through it and found a small little card with strange markings on it and placed it in my bag. It was interesting that was the only body I found.

We went inside the museum. Silver stood by the door guarding it.

"I will stay here, you get going." I nodded and Shadow along with Kip followed me. We went into the old relic room. Kip looked through one of them. She read the plaque and tried to get it out of the glass. Shadow grabbed The Chewer mini gun, smashing the case with it and Kip uses her magic to look at the old relic with ancient writing on it. She placed it in her bag. As I kept looking and found and old book and opened the case looking through it. I shrugged and put it in my bag. A silent alarm went off but of course, none of us heard it.

Shadow and Kip kept taking strange items that would be mistaken for seals.

Then robots started coming in and one yelled: "EXTERMINATE!!" I blinked looking towards the robots and I thought 'Oh wonderful...' I grabbed my pistol and fired at them and they fired lasers back at me and I rushed back out quickly to get out of the door.

"Come on!!" Kip and Shadow rushed back out and Silver gunner still stood at the door.

"What did you three do now?" I looked to Silver with anger in my eyes.

"Oh... I don't know...lets see robots wish to kill us...anything else?" Silver chuckled and the robots rushed out of the room and Kip pulled her shotgun out of her bag with her magic blasting one of them blowing the head off. Shadow grabbed the chewer and used it like it was a giant club... Smashing one of them over and over. Then a voice came out of PA.

"Self Destruct set in 30 seconds..." I blinked and ran out with the others as quick as we could and when we got out - Boom!!! The entire building went up and I went flying into a window and landed in a building, knocked out completely.

_______

Day 53

Two days later I woke up in the same room and stood up no bones broken just a lot of blood on my arms from the glass. I went out to look for Silver, Kip and Shadow... But I found no trace of them. I looked to the former museum that blown up the building still on fire a bit. Others near it and burning. I looked down. {Who the hell had it in their right mind to put a self-destruct in a museum.} Looking around I yelled out.

"KIP!!! Shadow!!! Silver!!" My voice echoed. I heard nothing. I was alone... Could they be dead? Could something have happened to them? Lowering my eyes... What would I tell Crossfire? What would I tell him? 'Oh... I am sorry crossfire I lost track of your wife...' I sat down and felt the doubt filling me again. Closing my eyes and breathing deeply. I felt my emotions going through so many ways. No tears coming from my eyes. Stand back up on all four paws. Slowly walking through the burning town. Heading back out what will I tell them? Dispair filling my heart... I closed my eyes and just walked along the dead ground.

Rain started to pour with lighting falling. I was walking back but the pouring got so hard... I had to hide in a cave. I opened my bag to get some water from my canteen. Drinking from it looking through it finding no food at all. I layed down watching from the cave seeing the rain just falling over and over. Alone...again..Did I deserve friends at all? Did they die because of me? I closed my eyes and let the sleep take me.

_________________

Day 54 early morning

I opened my eyes and the rain stopped. Heading outside of the cave following the old path back to the camp. I knew it would be a long trek alone. Then I heard a voice.

"Hey, kid you seem to be alone here." I looked up my heart stopping seeing Shadow land beside me and Kip rushing to hug me and Fleur along with a few other ponies even Cannon ball to find me.

"You.....found me...but... I thought I lead you to your deaths?" Kip had tears falling from her eyes and hugged me tightly looking to Fleur and smiled.

"Well the bomb did knock us out and Silver dragged us back... So there is that... But we wanted to come back and find you." I nodded and passed out from the pain in my legs.

__________

Day 55 hospital

Opening my eyes Fleur and Kip were pulling the glass from my body. Wrapping what they could with bandages. I looked like a real mess... I groaned and Fleur used her magic to stop me from talking and moving... "You need to rest Tiria."

I sighed laying there resting when they finished Kip and Fleur sat by the bed watching me... I could tell in their eyes they were very worried about me... I never thought a ghoul would care... But I have learned that even if she is decaying and dead... She has a big heart... Kip is just Kip being motherly. I layed there not sure what to think.

"I screwed up didn't I?" Fleur blinks and smiles.

"Not at all Tiria..." Kip tried to reassure me.

"You need to relax and not worry so much my darling friend." Fleur said with a gentle nuzzle on my arm. I smiled softly and Lily walked in, I looked to her. She looked through Kip's bag finding the large tablet and shattering it.

I blinked and watched them look through my bags next and finding the small little card I found.

"Ah thank you miss Tiria you found the seal." I blinked and sat up despite the pain.

"You mean to tell me that little thing is the seal?" She looked to me with a blink and nodded.

"Not all ponies were insane to put seals in crazy large items Tiria... Some used little items like this... Because it made more sense and less to be stolen. You can tell just by the word written here..." She smiled at me and I sighed, groaning, my head throbbing. Oh, gods... I am started to hate ponies even more now... Kip giggles.

"I do...find that interesting...that ponies of old...felt that something too big was too much." Kip giggles and walked out heading to meet Crossfire. and Fleur forced me back down with my magic.

"There is someone that wants to talk to you." I nodded and layed there as Fleur floated something on my chest and looked to see Star shooter and she was giggling, nuzzling on me and I laughed.

"Hello, little one." I stroking her head. "You want another story?" She gave a nod as Fleur came back over and whispered in my ear.

"I need to get back to my cruise ship to help take it apart..Please don't get hurt anymore... I don't want to have to tie you down and force you to heal." I smiled at her and she winks and trotted out. As I held the little one...

"Ah yes, a story. How about the story of a young wolf female... That found friends in a broken land?" She nodded with a large smile on her face.

"Ah yes...the young female left her home to find adventure... Her first part of her journey she...ran into some monsters. Big nasty monsters." I had no heart to tell her it was ponies. She seems so innocent. She looked at me with her big eyes and I couldn't help but smile. Star Seeker was going to be a wonderful scribe someday.

"She fought them with vigour and honour... But to no avail, she was captured!!" She gasped and her eyes full of wonder. "She was told that she would be given to an evil monster known as Trot trot... Because every time he ran, he trotted. But yes she found herself her first friend a little cat named hissy. Hissy was a sweet little kitty that spoke like a little girl and was always the one that caused the evil to find her." Chuckled softly.

Her eyes still full and big wanting to hear more. She giggled and danced around mimicking the parts I said in the story. I chuckled and watched the little filly giggled more as I sat up stroking her back.

"Let's see ah... She followed the little kitty on an adventure...and they both saw a sign that was painted in jelly. Saying the jelly doughnut was here... She followed the kitty to run into a flower and angry flower... That tried so hard to get them to steal the hearts of every living plant and stop the strange one from being so punny."

She giggled and I smiled softly and after awhile I tried to continue with the story but her mother walked in. I looked to the former raider who still had all her scars. She helped the little one of the bed and she came back to me when the little filly left.

"Thank you... Tiria... I am trying to keep her life innocent... She melted mine and my husband's hearts... Thank you so much for what you did for us." I smiled and nodded and she trotted out as she I gently got off the bed and walked out of the hospital I hated the smell of it. Walking to the stable to see them setting the little card near it and lily looked to me and smiled.

"I am going to need one more seal... But no rush... I need to read on where they went first...and then I will have you go for them." Gave a nod

"What is in there do you know?" She looked at me again and shook her head.

"Sadly I don't... I read up they may have experimented on the prisoners in there but that's all I know really. I hope to find out more... But if we can get this open... We might find more than just weapons in there... We might find out why they built this vault in an old camp. This camp has been around way before the war started...it was used to hold Equestria's criminals but then it turned into holding prisoners of war. So something changed down the line... To make a change that drastic."

Giving a nod, I let them do what they needed. I was stopped by Sand as he smiled at me and we nuzzled closely...

"I was thinking... Tiria would you like to come with me to a romantic dinner?" I gave a blink and smiled.

"I would love to." He lead me to the bar as a table was already set up thanks to the bartender and there was calm violin music playing. I looked to see a robot that a trader gave us... That played gentle violin music. There were two slabs of meat and some old wine as I felt my heart jump at this. A romantic night and I haven't told him yet that I would be dying when our pup is born... Why ruin it. He smiled and chuckled.

"I know this is not normal for our kind... But Crossfire told me this is how ponies do it...and I guess since our kind used to be ponies we should at least do something like this." Chuckled softly and gave him a gentle smile nodding.

"I agree." I heard a mic and looked to Silver Gunner who was going to sing for us. He sang a very gentle song.

"Love...her tender....love her sweet...never let her go... You have made her life complete...and she loves you so... Oh love her tender...love her sweet more then you should know...for darling she loves you...and she always will... Love her long love her dear...take her into your heart... For all the years and~" He shorted out a moment and started singing again. I facepawed if they could see me blushing I would be at the moment.

I took the wine and calmly drank it as Silver gunner kept singing but I could make it out this time... His voice turned into a saxophone and calmly played jazz music. Along with the hovering robot that did the same. Drinking the wine again and eating the meat calmy. In my mind, I felt how are we so lucky to have this peace? For the moment anyway. I am sure others aren't having such an easy job... But we need to stay where we are unless the time is right.

I finished eating and drinking the wine as he walked with me along the little town and looking towards him and smiled very gently at me and we sat on the gate bulwark was near us and she watched us with a smile. It was so beautiful, the bog, the ghouls...the fog... Yuck, this place was gross if you kept looking at it like this. It's something I hope that someday would be cleared closing my eyes soon I felt that a battle would be fought and... I would have to be part of it.

"Tiria..." I looked towards him and he placed a bullet made ring around my neck and I looked at it calmly.

"What is this about?" He smiled and kissed me deeply and I broke it gently but I had to find out what this was about.

"What is this?" Sand chuckled.

"It's basically me asking you to be my mate for life." I blinked, my eyes go wide, tears falling looking away.

"I can't do that Sand... I do love you... But I can't be with anyone for life. But I want you to be there for the pup." Sand looked down and nodded.

"I understand Tiria...it's all new to you... Maybe someday you will change your mind." He got off the gate. I looked to Bulwark who came close to me and put her head on my shoulder.

"Something wrong Tiria? He had been working on this for almost a week." I sighed

"Bulwark you have to promise that you don't tell him." She gave a nod.

"When I give birth...there is a bit chance... That I might die." She blinked looking at me with fear in her eyes.

"You need to tell him Tiria...how would he think if the pup he made with you caused you to die..." I nodded. She gave me a tight hug and I nuzzled her calmly staying silent as I watched the gate with her.

"It seems lonely up here Bulwark...how do you do it?" She looked towards me with a smile.

"It's not that boring. Tiny normally comes and said hello to me and joins me... Sometimes Ra Proto jumps up here and watches with me... I take this job very very seriously."

I nodded as I sat here watching the gate with my friend... I looked to see the wolves again and they spoke.

{Destroy the seals...sister destroy the seals.} Then they vanished... I am starting to wonder if looking for these seals is a bad thing... But I feel that opening that stable would be a good thing... To help the ponies here.

Closed my eyes thinking of the little ones including Star Shooter hopefully someday the world will go back to normal but at the moment all I can do is wish that she will be safe...and safe even after I pass.

So I wait as this peaceful night goes helping my friend Bulwark watch the gate.