Author's Notes:

Well... this took a hell of a lot longer than it was supposed to. Can't say I'm surprised, but still.
Anyway, hopefully the next one will come sooner now that I've got some of my shit back together. Started losing steam for a while, but I think i can get back on track.

I tried to scratch at my chest, but mommy caught my hoof and sighed.

"Sweetie, don't scratch," She said, ruffling my mane. "We don't want your stitches getting messed up."

"But mommy, it's itchy..." I whimpered and scratched again at the nearly bald patch on my chest.

"Diamond, if you keep scratching it, it won't heal." She nuzzled me and lifted me onto her back. "It'll only be another week, okay?"

I nodded, and coughed a few times.

"Diamond!" Ashes ran up and hugged me. "Hi Diamond!"

"Hi Ashie!" I hugged her back.

"Hello, Ashes, what are you doing here?" Mommy asked.

"Momma went to go see a doctor." Her ears went back. "But I don't wanna go in. It's stinky."

Mommy laughed. "Yeah, I guess it kinda is.”

“Ashes?” Somepony called out. “Where’d you go?”

“She’s over here, Sand,” Mommy said.

A tan mare trotted out of a room. She looked sleepy. She smiled when she saw Ashes. “Hey, stop running off, you. I don’t want to lose you, now do I?”

“A’kay, momma!” Ashes said.

“Sand, are you feeling okay?” Mommy asked.

Miss Sand stopped smiling for a moment. “Y-yeah. I’m okay… Just tired.”

Mommy hummed. Ashes and I just looked at her.

“You know, ‘Sid and I don’t really have any plans this week.”

Miss Sand’s ears went up. “You don’t?”

“Yeah. We could look after Ashes for a bit. Let you get some sleep? You look like you haven’t been getting enough sleep.”

“Are.. are you sure? I mean…” Miss Sand scratched her neck. “I don’t wanna be a bother…”

“I wanna be a bother!” I screamed, hopping up and down.

Mommy snorted a laugh.

~~~~

I watched Vill out of the corner of my eye, pretending that I wasn’t actually glaring at her, but staring at a particularly interesting rock. The greys of my freaky right eye didn’t really seem to mix well with the colors of the fire in my left, making the left water and generally giving me a headache. I rubbed that eye yet again, muttering curses under my breath.

Vill was talking happily with Ashes, Misty and Zeed. Snow snoozed on one of the chairs around the fire, while Kara and Nezan were asleep in the tents. Zim had a wing wrapped around me as I leaned against him.

Vill laughed.

”Just wanna punch her, don’t you?”

I covered my ears and swore again.

”Admit it. You didn’t even want her to tag along. Just wanted to go along with what your crush wanted.” She snickered. "Bet she doesn’t even care about that foal.”

I clenched my teeth. I tried to push her into the back of my mind. Vill’s annoying voice kept distracting me.

”Hey, I’m just saying what you’re thinking. Not my fault you’re a bitch,” She said in a sing-song way. ”I could take care of her, if you wanted.”

“Ye just keep talkin’ moar an’ moar,” I muttered. “Why won’t ye just fuckin’ shut up?”

“You say something, Knives?” Zim gave my shoulder a gentle rub.

”Yes, because that silly accent is so intimidating.” I could almost imagine her slitted eyes rolling. My own eyes twitched.

“Nae,” I growled. “Ah didnae say anythin’.”

He eyebrows furrowed. “Uh… did… did I do something wrong?”

”Is dating a bitch wrong? Is a single date and a couple minutes of ‘fun-time’ even considered dating?”

“Nae, nae at all.” I forced a grin onto my face and gave him a peck on the cheek. “Aam just irritated, is all.”

He smirked at me. “Aren’t you always irritated?”

I tapped him on the muzzle. “Shut up, ye.”

He replied by planting a kiss on my muzzle. I happily closed my eyes and leaned into him.

”Mmm. Cute.”

My eyes popped right back open as I gasped and somehow ended up choking on my own spit. I pulled away from my coltfriend and started coughing, only to hear her start laughing hysterically from somewhere in the back of my mind. My face burned a bit.

Zim patted my back. “You okay?”

After a few thumps on my chest with a forehoof, I stuck my tongue out. “Aye, Aam fine.”

Zim shrugged and pulled me closer with a wing. I leaned against him again and rested my head on his shoulder.

0100100001100101011011000111000000100001

I'm shaking. I try to hide it and frown, but she doesn't buy it.

She smirks.

I gulp and once again try to steel myself.

Her tail twitches, smashing into the crystal wall and sending a spark fluttering around. I flinch

“Oooh,” She says. “Look at the big scary mare in the cage, eh?”

I growl.

She cackles.

She bends down, towering over me, and grins. “I hate you.”

I take a step back and swallow nervously.

“I’m going to get out, you know.” her grin gets wider. "Just wait."

"Sh-shut-"

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU," she screams.

Her hoof lashes out, puncturing the crystal cage and sending a shower of diamond shards crashing into me.

I scream in terror and scramble back as far as I can.

Her hoof flails as she reaches for me. Blood starts to drip from her leg as the gaping hole closes around it.

Her tail stabs into the crack and it grows wider. She roars in fury.

I'm quivering in terror, trying to move as far away as I can. Every step makes her lash out again and again.

She jams her other hoof into the crack and starts to pull.

The skin on her face starts to slough away.

I panic and start screaming. The shards on the ground lift into the air and I try and force them into the exposed flesh of her leg.

She slams her horn into the crack.

It's going to break.

010000100101001001000101010000010100101101001001010011100100011100100001

"Knives!"

I jolted up and screamed at the top of my lungs. I struck at her.

"Gagh, hey, hey! Calm down!"

I stopped flailing my forehooves and blinked the dark.

With my weird eye, I could see Zim rubbing his face. Ashes, apparently in the process of putting a gas mask on Snow's face, had paused to stare in confusion. Misty and Zeed had stopped disassembling the tents to stare as well, both with masks of their own, and Vill had taken a moment from carrying lighter things to the wagon to give a confused, look.

"Yeesh. That's a nasty left hook, there," Zim said.

"What?" I glanced around, still shaking in fear. "What happened?"

"You dozed off and started screaming when Raid woke you up," Ash said. "Last time I heard you scream like that was after Lockpick."

I flinched. "Please don't... talk about that... please..."

"..."

Her face fell and she bit her lip. "Right, sorry."

"Goddesses, Knives," Zim rubbed my shoulder. "The hell were you dreaming about?"

"..."

I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Foalhood nightmare. It's... been coming back up for-"

My ear twitched. I gulped. "Commin' back oop fer a while nao."

"Hey, we gotta hurry up before that storm gets here!" Nezan yelled from the front of the wagon.

"Storm? Is it goin' tae start rainin' again?" I asked.

"Ehhh... no. We just have to get away before it gets here," Zim grimaced and held out a mask.

My eyes widened. "Wait... that orange crap that's all over th' place?"

"Yeah, that. With the zombies and stuff," Zeed said.

My coltfriend blinked as I slipped the mask onto my face. "Oh, you've dealt with it before?"

"Sort of. When Zeed and Ah got out, we had tae hide from it wi' some arsehole." I rolled my eyes.

"It was friggin' creepy." Zeed kicked the rolled-up tent into the back of the wagon.

I turned to our grey friend, who had put on her 'Hearteater' helmet. "What about ye, Ash?"

"I hate 'paths. They even scare the slavers. Come on, Snow." The little pegasus rushed into the open ammo crate and shut the lid, which Ashes strapped to her side. The top opened a small amount, just enough to reveal a pair of large golden eyes peeking out. “They’re easy to fight off, but… there’s just something really wrong about them. Makes me nauseous.”

“Yeah, I know how you feel,” Misty grumbled.

Kara came charging towards us, a nervous look on her face, and started picking things up and throwing them onto the wagon.

"Kara, calm-" Misty began, only to be cut off by her daughter.

"Can we just hurry up, please?" The filly yelled.

"Kara! Watch your tone," Misty snapped.

Kara's ears drooped and she shrank a little. "Sorry, mom."

"Its okay, Kara, I know you're stressed out right now," The older mare said, letting out a sigh.

"Right, dogs are hitched up, one we get loaded, we can head off." Nezan started picking things up and tossing them into the wagon.

Misty frowned and opened her mouth, only to shut it again and shake her head with another sigh.

"Storm's getting closer," Zim mumbled, peering into the distance. "I think I can see the 'paths."

"Ah cannae really see. It's down over there, right?" I squinted and tried to follow his eyes, the colorless vision of my right eye clearly showing the land around me.

He nudged my shoulder and pointed. Following his hoof, I finally saw the large blob of something smoky in the distance.

I frowned. "It's that far? Why are we freakin' out about that?"

"It moves quick." He shrugged.

"Let's move, guys," Nezan shouted as he helped Misty and Vill onto the cart. He climbed up into the driver's chair and was joined by Ashes, who took out her rifle and held it at the ready. He whistled at the dogs, and they started pulling at a rapid pace.

"Come on, let's go." Zim trotted to the cart, taking his usual position beside it.

I took another glance at the cloud before I joined him.

~~~

Apart from the wind and the sound of Ashes' guitar, the desert was silent. Snow had, at some point, crawled back out of her ammo crate to snuggle against her mother's side, eventually dozing off to the mare's wordless lullaby. I couldn't see Ashes's eyes, but I saw that she constantly turned her head back and forth, occasionally looking behind us. Zim walked beside me, Vill and Zeed walked next to the Vinedogs, and Misty and Kara were in the wagon itself.

The vinedogs seemed a bit frantic, apart from Schwann, who simply plodded along in a stoic manner.

It had taken less than an hour for the fog to catch up with us and put an orange tinge over everything.

”You’re so good at guessing, Knives.”

I grit my teeth. She hadn’t shut up the entire time.

“Why are we freakin’ out about that?’’ Hilarious. Well done, Knives.”

I tried to push her back, only to have her bounce right back into my head with an evil cackle.

”Go on, keep trying, b1tch, but you’lI never get rid of me.” I growled. ”Awww, look! My... oh, sorry... I meantyour eye’s tw1tching!”

“Sae, Zim!” I asked, my voice cracking a bit as I blurted out the first thing I could think of. “Hao exactly does one preen?”

He turned his head towards me. “Uh… What?”

She snorted a laugh.

“Preenin’? Hao exactly does it work?” I asked, trying to hide my twitching eye from him. “Ah, mean, Ah’ve only seen ye daein’ it once, and Ah didnae really get what ye were daein’.”

He was silent for a moment. “Are you okay?”

“Aye, just… tryin’ tae make friendly conversation…” I coughed. “Ye know, tae kill th’ time?”

He was silent for a few moments more before he shook his head in bemusement. “Oookay. Well, there’s not much to it. You just pull out the bent and broken feathers and smooth out the rest. Make sure the shafts are aligned and all that.”

”Pffft, excellent choice. Completely distracted you, didn’t it?” She laughed.

“Well, good to know I’ve been doing it right,” Ashes said, gently stroking her filly’s feathers.

“How’d you even figure it out, anyway?” Zim asked.

“Oh, it took a while, but I finally found a book on multi-tribal parenting,” She rubbed the back of her helmet. “Unfortunately it had little on actual preening so I kinda had to work off some anatomy textbooks in Prench, and I can’t read Prench, so…”

“Y’know, I can teach you if you want,” He said. “I am, surprisingly, still licenced, despite how long it’s been.”

I gave him a confused look. “Ye need a liscence tae teach how tae preen?”

“No, you need a licence to preen other ponies. I, however, got mine as part of the Lover’s Guild Initiation.”

“You’re part of the Lover’s Guild?” Nezan twisted around to look at the pegasus. “Seriously?”

Zim stopped and waved his hooves in a defensive way. “No, no, not like like that! I’m just a masseuse. Well… actually not even that now. I need to get my membership reinst-”

“Incoming!” Ashes called out. “Fifty meters out!”

“Damnit. All of you, get on.” Nezan yelled.

Zim paled. “Uh, I’ll just fly behind you.”

“Zeed, can you take Snow in with you?” Ashes asked.

“Yeah, sure.” The zebra trotted over and Ash put the foal on Zeed’s back, tossing the Ammo crate down to where Zeed could catch it. The smaller mare then ran to the back of the wagon and hopped in, followed by Vill and myself, though I paused to give Zim a quick peck on the cheek before joining them. Zeed and I drew our weapons, with her awkwardly holding her laser pistol in a fetlock, and me levitating my grenade rifle and sword, while the two pregnant mares took Snow and Kara closer to the hidden hatch in the floor. Snow whimpered a bit and hid once more in her ammo crate as she was comforted by Misty. I glared at Vill, who simply sat down and rubbed her stomach with a grimace.

“Oh crap…” Zeed whispered, staring out the back window.

I looked past her head and cringed. There were hundreds of them, all charging mindlessly through the mists with their blood red eyes, a veritable sea of equine bodies. I shuddered.

There were a few thumps on the roof, which I presumed were from Ashes.

The ‘paths approached at a steady pace, inching closer as we rolled along. I could easily see their twitching pupils move back and forth.

One of them locked eyes with me.

An orange one with a grey mane, a stallion. He grinned at me with black, rotted teeth that nearly made me gag. He said something, but I couldn’t quite hear it.

Suddenly, a spurt of blood sprang from his skull. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he fell, the brand-new corpse tripping up the other ‘paths behind it, cutting a line through the massive herd as its members were halted in their tracks. The hole in their ranks was filled back up in seconds.

Zeed groaned. “Luna’s Moon, that’s creepy.”

“Y-yeah.” Kara gulped. Misty wrapped a wing around her and gave her a soft nuzzle. The sight made my heart ache a bit.

”Aww, somepony misses her mommy.”

My expression turned into a deadpan stare, directed at nothing in particular. “Fuck ye.”

“What? What’d I do?” Zeed asked, tilting her head at me.

“Eh…” I bit my lip. “Sorry, thinkin’ about somethin’ else.”

She continued to stare for a moment. “Riiiiii-”

Another ‘paths’ head exploded, creating a hole similar to that of the first one.

All at once, their heads turned towards us, the same eerie grin appearing on all their faces.

I shuddered again.

“THEY’RE SWARMING, OPEN FIRE!” I heard Zim scream.

“They’re what?” Zeed asked.

“Just start shooting,” Misty yelled.

I shrugged, and fired a grenade at the closest one. The direct hit send a small cluster of them flying through the air, landing on some of their companions and once again creating multiple spaces in the herd.

”Oooh, big hunter on the field. Look out, we got a bad-ass over here!” She snickered.

I growled and fired another shot.

The closest ones to us charged, giggling and babbling in a bizarre manner. One’s head exploded, and another had its legs struck with red laser fire. The third dropped to the ground when Zim slammed into her from above and threw her at the herd. Several tried to jump out at the pegasus, making him zip higher into the air with a grimace on his face as he fired off his shotgun.

“Damn, there’s a lot ay them.” I muttered.

“What?” Zeed yelled. “I can’t hear you.”

With a groan I turned to her. “Ah said, there’s a- AAH!”

A splash of blood hit me as one of them dropped dead almost within hoof’s reach.

“Guys, come on!” Zim said, flying just in front of us. “You have to pay attention. You can’t tell they’re getting closer?”

As if to demonstrate his point, one of them made a grab for his tail. Zim responded by casually swinging his gun around and blasting the ‘path’s head off.

I took another shot into the herd, scattering more of them around. “Och, they’re nae that tough.”

Zeed smack me on the head. “Don’t jinx it!”

“Yeah, say that when they grab hold and start dragging you down,” Zim snorted. “I’d rather not see you taken by these guys, thanks.”

“Aww, how sweet.” I smiled. He shrugged and flew off.

Zeed shot at some of the closer ones, aiming for their legs and sending them tumbling into the others.

A few more thumping sounds came from the roof. I looked up and hummed to myself. “What’s she daein’?”

“What?” Zeed yelled.

“Ah said-”

I felt a tug on my tail, and barely had time to grab something before I lost my balance, sending my weapons flying through the wagon. I was left hanging off the edge of the wagon’s door frame as Knives screamed and started shooting at my attacker.

“Damnit Knives, he just said to pay attention!” She said.

”You shouLd just let go, Knives.”

“KNIVES!” Zim called out.

I tried to pull myself back in, but grunted in pain as more pressure was put on my tail. Kara and vill ran up to try and tried to pull. I could hear Zim’s shotgun firing wildly.

I craned my neck to see behind me. Several of them had taken hold of my tail. I glanced around for my sword, lying on the opposite side of the wagon, next to Misty.

Seeing where I was looking, Misty grabbed the weapon and rushed over. I reached out with my magic, taking the sword and moving it over to my tail, ready to cut it.

The wooden beam I’d latched on to splintered, and I fell. I was sent tumbling through the ranks of the ‘paths, desperately holding my sword in my magic.

I grunted when I stopped rolling. There were hooves all over me, slipping and sliding. I pushed them away, slashing and kicking at them, but they kept swarming over me.

I kicked a few of them and managed to scramble back a few feet, but they simply piled on top of me again.

“GET OFF AY’ ME!” I screamed.

Their babbling was constant, a low drone in my ears.

They grabbed at my mask, trying to pull it off.

I struggled to get away, but every time I managed to get lose, another swarm moved over me.

My mask came loose. I found myself coughing from the dust, my eyes tearing up. Something large and grey moved towards me from amongst the advancing swarm.

”Nice to see you.” She said.

I screamed in anger. Swung at HER.

”Oh, no, that won’t do.”

“KNIVES!” Zim’s voice echoed.

”STOP F1GHTING, KNIVES!”

I struggled against the hooves that were grabbing me.

(0m3 0|\|! Their voice made my head hurt. J0ln u$! |)0|\|’7 |=1g#7? 11$73|\|,

“GET OFF, GET 0FF!” I screamed through my coughing.

KNIVES, SAY SOMETHING! WHERE ARE YOU?”

Too many of them! I tried to get away but I can’t seem to get free.

“W3 should just ign0re your lover for n0w. Don’t really need him, now do we?” I seE it clEarly. her face, Right in fRonT of Me. “You ANd i NeED, to Have? A lIttTtTtlLllllE ChaAaAaaAaAAt. Don’t; We?”

A gr1n.

I scream. I fight, Struggled against the hooves. They keep dragging me back. Tears streamed down my face, blurring my vision. “NONONONONONONONONO-”

“KNIVES!”

$74y w17# u$! St4Y wI7h u$! Hard to understand them, like they weren't real words.

"ZIM, HELP!"

I barely catch sight of a blue blob through my teary eyes.

”Jus7 l3t mE (kill you) Kn1v3s. Just D0 1t, don’t? even b0ther f1ghting,” The sizzle of acid. “Just let yourself die.”

She’s going to kill me. I scream.

Something wraps around my hoof and pulled.

|)0|\|’7 60! (0|\/|3 |34(|<! They call.

”WhY do You evEn (b0Ther)? I’ll Just come aNd. Find You…”

“Come on, let’s get out of here!”

High above them. Cling to the hoof, still sobbing. Don’t know how long. She’s after me.

“Don’t let her get me, don’t let her get me, don’t let her get me, don’t let her get me-”

“Luna’s Moon, is she okay?”

I hit the floor. Scramble to the wall. Clamp my hooves over my ears. “I don’t wanna die, keep her away, keep her away-”

“I-I don’t know. She’s been muttering the whole time.”

“Don’t let her get me, please, please, don’t let her get me, I don’t wanna die-”

“Knives? Knives, come on, snap out of it!”

“Don’t let her get me, don’t let her get me-”

“Quick, get the mask off her neck.”

I struggle against the hooves on me, screaming in fear.

“Okay, this isn’t working, back off a bit.”

“Don’t let her get me, don’t le-” WHACK.

I blinked a few times. My face stung like hell. In front of me was Kara, a scared look on her face, her hoof held back for another blow.

My right eye started tearing up, and I hissed in pain. “Fuck… you hit hard for somepony your size.”

“Kara!” Misty screamed.

“What?” The filly said. “I didn’t know what else to do.”

Zeed gave me a confused look. “Uh… that’s not actually supposed to work…”

“Knives, are you okay?” Zim asked. “I pulled you out of the herd and you kept muttering about somepony trying to get you. What happened?”

I felt the blood drain out of my face, my mouth went dry. The back of my head felt… lighter…

“N-nothin’. I-I-Ah don-dunnae wh-what that was about.” I swallowed.

He pulled me into a hug, wrapping his wings around me. “At least you’re all right.”

I smiled and kissed him, closing my eyes as I nuzzled his neck. “Thanks.”

“How the hell did you even get that far?” He asked. “It took me hours to find you.”

My eyes popped open, one a-twitch. “Hours?”

“Yeah, once you fell off, they stopped chasing us and went after you. Zim was flying overhead trying to find you.” Zeed tilted her head, a look of concern on her face. “What happened to you?”

“Ah was just tryin’ tae get away from them, but they kept grabbin’ meh and...” I rubbed my face with a fetlock. “Ah’ve really been gone fer hours?”

“So, what happened? Is Knives alright?” Ashes dropped down from a hatch in the ceiling and pulled me into a hug before I could get a word out and started squeezing the air out of my lungs. “Oh, thank Celestia you’re not dead.”

My response was a wheezing gasp.

"How did you even fall off?" She asked. "I mean, you were doing just fine and I suddenly.heard you screaming!"

I choked again. I felt dizzy from the lack of air.

"Ash, I think you're squeezing her too hard," Zeed said.

I nodded frantically and tapped the mare’s shoulder, gasping for air.

“Uh…” She gently lowered me to the floor and gave me an embarrassed grin. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” I wheezed.

“I’m just glad you’re okay, Knives. I’d… I’d hate to lose anypony again. Especially now.” She sighed and glanced out the back door. After a moment, she yawned. “Hope they don’t catch up again. Be right back, gotta grab Snow and get to sleep.”

“What, yer goin’ tae bed already?” I asked.

She blinked at me. “Yeah, you have any idea what time it is? It’s I past my bed-time and much further past Snow’s. I can already feel the coffee wearing off.”

"You can use my bed, if you want," Misty offered. "I doubt I'll be using it tonight."

"Actually, uh..." Ashes pointed to the hatch in the floor. "Mind if I sleep down there?"

Zeed and I snorted a laugh.

She rolled her eyes and let out a lighthearted sigh. "Shut up, you two."

Misty gave us a confused look. "Uh... well, I guess if you'd feel comfortable, go right ahead, but why?"

"Ashes is like a cat," Zeed said with a grin. "She likes to sleep in the smallest places she can fit."

Ashes frowned. "How would you know, you've never even seen a cat."

"Oh? Maybe one wandered into the Prison one day." Zeed stuck her tongue out.

Ashes simply quirked an eyebrow. "Really."

The zebra rolled her eyes. "Fine, I've never seen a cat in real life."

"That's what I thought." Ashes smirked and rolled her eyes.

"Ah've read about 'em."

"Ugh... come on..." The grey earth pony gently set her ammo crate on the floor and opened the lid, revealing a white-and-teal ball of fluff. "Hey, Snowball."

The foal shifted in the box, blinking wearily at her mother.

Ashes smiled. "You wanna sleep in your box or do you wanna come with me?"

Snow yawned and crawled out of the crate, stumbling around a bit before finally shoving her face into her mother's chest and mumbling something.

“Oh, really?” Ashes giggled and wrapped her forelegs around the sleepy foal’s middle, lifting her up and giving her a kiss on the cheek. “I guess you’re not, huh? Glad you told me.”

"Mmph..." the filly said.

"Okay, okay, I'll stop bugging you." She gave the foal's mane a gentle stroke and lowered her into the hatch.

"See ye tomorrow, Ash," I said with a chuckle as the mare hopped down after her foal. "Dunnae get stuck down there."

She stuck her tongue out. "Shut up, Knives. Night, every pony."

Misty blinked as the door closed. "Huh. 'Kay, then."

"Zeed, your marefriend is kinda weird." Kara mused. "Cool, but weird."

"Ex-marefriend." Zeed sighed. "And she kinda is."

"Well," I said, stretching out my back. "Ah think Ah'll gae out and play guard yer a bit."

“You’re going to stand on the top of the cart?” Zeed asked with a hint of incredulity.

I shivered. “Hell nae, Aam stayin’ oan th’ ground, thank ye very much. Ah’ll keep movin’ around th’ wagon. Nae like Aam gettin’ any sleep tonight anyway.”

“Fair enough.” She shrugged.

“I can stay on top,” Zim said.

Zeed snickered. “I’m sure you can.”

Kara made a gagging noise and my face turned bright red.

”...”

I felt a shudder go down my spine as I caught movement from the corner of my eye. I turned to look, finding that the door to the outside was hanging open. With a shrug, I pushed it open and hopped onto the sand, quickly spinning around to catch up again after brushing myself off, with my grenade rifle floating along behind me. The vinedogs up front were looking a bit ragged, and Nezan seemed to have dozed off a bit.

The sunlight barely managed to pierce the clouds. Pulling my pipbuck out of my mane, I took note of the time, nearly five in the morning, and sighed before checking my ammo supply.

Shoving the device back into its hiding place, I began my patrol around the wagon.

~~~~

"There isn't really much point to all this."

Green blinked. "Huh?"

"It's just pointless." Xixixix shook his head. "Check."

The filly furrowed her brow as she stared as the game board. "Really?"

"Luna on E6. Why?" He tapped his chin. "Just why?"

Wretch replied by letting out a loud snore.

"There's really no reason to just attack out of nowhere."

"Um... didn't Wretch shoot her?" Green smiled and moved the guard. Her frown returned as the stallion immediately moved the phoenix.

"Check. I mean, Wretch doesn't even look that violent." He hrrm-ed in thought.

Green blinked. "Um... she shot my old master in the face."

Xixixix quirked an eyebrow at her. "Right..."

Green gasped and slammed a piece down on the table. "CHECKMATE!"

Wretch snorted in her sleep. Xixixix hummed thoughtfully. "Yup, you got it. Well done."

Green squealed happily, her wings fluttering as she danced on the tips of her hooves.

“I just can’t stop thinking about it. What was her name… Knives? Fuck, she was nuts.” He tapped his chin again. “Hot, but nuts.”

Green glanced at the sleeping pink unicorn. “But... Wretch is kinda nuts too, isn’t she?”

“True…” The zebra shrugged. “Whatever. Play again?”

Green grinned. “Sure!”

-----

Footnote 1: Diamond Knives

EXP: 15%

$0|\/|371|\|6’5 \/\/20|\|6. 5#3’5 |\/|1$51|\|6. \/\/#323 |)1|) 5#3 60?

~

Footnote 2: Zeed Kazdri

EXP: 5%

~

Footnote 3: Prism “Zim” Blitz

EXP: 5%

~

Footnote 4: Ashes
EXP: 20%

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To-Do List:

Active Quest:

Let’s Go Sunning: Make your way to Fifteen. Try not to die.

Other quests:

Sifting Through The Dust:

1) Find information on the location of Ashes.

2) Find information on the location of Obsidian Knives

3)Find information on the location of Nezan Kazdri