https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xSxRwS_rtYaztBnwQt1ugRYWyf1W84njzAOKkDwJpz4/edit?hl=en_US

My dearest ponies,

It would seem this stallion was making a pathetic attempt to reach Umala with a broken leg. I took the liberty of taking care of him for you.

Always watching,

The G. and P. T.

* * *

“Holy shit.”

Break’s words perfectly describe what they saw. The stallion was thoroughly dead. His corpse was hanging by a noose from a tree in the middle of field. Judging by the way his liver was embedded in his esophagus and how his intestines were hanging off the remains of his sternum, it seemed he had not been given the privilege of a swift execution. A pool of blood mixed with a variety of organs and bones sat below him. The whole area swarmed with flies. He had been up since yesterday. A letter had been rolled up and placed in his mouth.

“At the very least, we don’t have to worry about chasing this guy down.” he concluded.

“I suppose so. But now we have a psychopath trying to get chummy with us.”

Break considered the situation, then turned to Iron Shod. “You don’t think...”

“The unicorn.” the grey pony finished.

Without a word, the pegasus went up for another look-about. That unicorn mare. He had spotted her two days ago, back near Hangbuck’s Folly. After that, though, he lost track of her. She had disappeared into the forests. There was little doubt, however, that she was responsible for the gristly scene.

He fitted a piece over his eye. An OPTEX 2315. With it he had an astounding array of optical devices in one simple package. It flickered to life, and he used the thermal scanner to check the immediate area.

There was nothing unusual. A few forest critters at most. He upped the magnification. He looked back to the hill they had stayed at the previous night. It was clear. He glazed over the forests east of the field the others were standing in. A red
blob caught his attention. A pony.

He switched to normal optics. Given that her legs and horn were stained with blood, it seemed logical to assume that the unicorn was “The G. and P. T.” that had left the present hanging from the tree.

She waved at him.

He dropped like a brick.

Back on the ground, Break relayed the information to them, but left out the part about her greeting him. The absurdity of it was too ridiculous for even him to convey.

* * *

Rise and Pan were walking side by side. The forests were starting to transition to a rocky plateau. A late-morning sun shone on their right as they continued south towards Yearling City. Their conversations were much more free-spirited than before.

“You know every filly was crazy about you back in the village, right?”

Pan was taken aback by this. “What? No way.”

“It’s true! They were so jealous when they saw I was going with you.”

He muttered to himself. “And here I thought I was the lucky one.”

Rise lifted an eyebrow. “What was that?”

“Ah, nothing.

Dirt was crunching under his feet. The forests had fully receded. Despite this, it was surprisingly shady. Pan looked up and saw that Break was flying mere inches above him.

“You want something?” he asked.

Break stuck his head between Pan and Rise. “Oh, nothing. Just wondering how it was last night.”

Rise smacked him across the face with a hoof.

“Yeesh, alright, alright. I’m going.” He took off into the sky. “Fucking psycho bitch...” he cursed under his breath.

They silently steamed for a moment, then chuckled. Break was just being Break.

“So, Rise; Tell me. What do I have that the fillies like? I never made a habit of talking to them.”

She giggled. “Your brains, Pan. Your brains. Us mares go crazy over a guy with some meat in their skull.”

With a flirtatious grin, she added: “As well as some meat in other places.” It sounded like a joke.

He found himself blushing. Still, it was less than satisfactory answer. He had been hoping for something along the lines of ‘his dashing good looks,’ or ‘his disarming charm,’ or even ‘his fabulous physique.’ Not like he could complain. Due to his brains he had just bagged the finest flanks in all of Umala.

“Plus you’re so cute when your awkward.”

His ears flattened. That was the opposite of what he wanted to hear. The fillies thought he was cute? Not, say, handsome or striking? He found it extremely emasculating.

“Uh... thanks?”

* * *

“Hey Shod, the G. and P. T. is following us.” With a lack of better name, the group decision had been to refer to their little killer as what she had signed on the letter.

The stallion looked up to the black speck that was Break. He hoofed his ear piece.

“How far back?”

“That’s the thing; she’s ahead of us.”

“Teleportation spell?”

“Maybe. I didn’t see her moving before. That’s the only way she could have gotten ahead of us.”

“What’s her heading?”

“She’s stationary, sir. By the looks of it, she’s waiting for us. Think we should take on her offer?”

“I don’t see why not. One unicorn can’t hurt us by her lonesome.”

“Aye, sir. I’ll keep an eye on her.”

* * *

The G. and P. T.

Hm?

I feel like I’ve heard that before.

I wouldn’t know.

Oh well. I suppose we’ll find out soon enough.

So it would seem.

The ponies were traveling in as best a line as they could manage in the rocky terrain. Iron Shod had taken the front
while Jutsu hovered near the middle and rear, where Twilight and the farmers were trotting along at a steady pace. Above,
Break maintained visual contact with the unicorn.

You know, you’re still wearing the armor. You even slept in it last night.

I honestly couldn’t tell. It feels like a second coat.

Aw, thanks. Even though that wasn’t necessarily a compliment.

Well, it’s true. Between the light material and the perfect fit enchantment, it’s like I’m wearing nothing at all.

Indeed. Well, all the same, in case you didn’t notice, your companions are a bit spooked by it. Especially Mane.

Mane?

He’s been giving you strange looks ever since you tried the crown on back at the border. Though, if I may say so, I don’t think I’m the reason he’s been eyeing you up.

I... uh... what do you mean?

I know that you know what I mean.

You’re saying he is... ah... physically attracted to me.

My dear Twilight, I’m saying he probably wants to take you ‘downtown to pound town,’ as Break would say.

She took off the crown and set about removing the rest of the armor; no easy task while they were moving. Twilight’s face was burning red. Boreas could be a tad infuriating at times. That conversation had been interesting. She looked over to Mane; he briefly caught her eyes then instantly averted his gaze. Twilight, having no significant experience in the realm of interacting-with-the-opposite-sex, was unsure of what to think of the strange reaction.

* * *

Trixie. The Great and Powerful Trixie. The G. and P. T.

That made sense.

No, wait.

That made no sense at all.

“What are YOU doing here?”

The blue unicorn gave the most offended huff one could ever hear. The Great and Powerful Trixie did not react well to
demands made upon her.

“Waiting.” she answered. Her very voice oozed with arrogance.

“For us?”

Trixie’s silence, as well as her contempt stare, indicated that the answer was yes.

“You know her?” Iron Shod asked.

“We’ve butt heads before.” Twilight responded.

She noted that Trixie was not wearing her signature hat and cape. Instead, she was clad in a matte black body suit with a staggering array of highly advanced tools and gadgets attached. That was a change.

“Oh yes, The Great and Powerful Trixie and this filly have... *ahem*... had our differences. Fear not, Trixie is not here to antagonize!”

Twilight found herself even more resentful of the unicorn. She still had the same superiority complex that had been demonstrated ever so tactfully in Ponyville.

“Tell us, Miss... Trixie: Why are you following us?”

“Just ensuring that Celestia’s package is returned undamaged.” As she said this, Trixie nodded at Twilight.

“The Princess sent you?”

“That is for Trixie to know and you not to find out.” She flashed an insufferable smile.

Iron Shod motioned for them to gather together. They huddled away from Trixie, while the enigmatic unicorn remained planted on rock at the edge of the dirt clearing. Even when sitting still she seemed to be constantly inflating her already massive ego.

They were whispering. Break started. “What’s with that infiltration suit? She looks like an MoI operative, if I ever saw one.”

“Sent to keep tabs on us, I presume.” Jutsu said.

“I’m not keen on taking her along, especially if that’s the case.” Iron Shod added.

“Nor am I.” Twilight offered.

“We all saw what she did to that stallion. She’s fucking nuts! The blood hasn’t even been washed off her suit. As far as I can tell, we don’t know anything about her; she could be dangerous. And why does she refer to herself in the third person?” Break kept looking over his shoulder as he said the words.

“No idea, but we need keep going. She doesn’t seem to have anything we need to stick around for.” Iron Shod replied. “...Though I have a feeling she’ll just continue following us, regardless of what we tell her.”

“Let’s just cut her throat and leave her here. It’s pretty dry out in this desert; I’m sure her body would be nicely preserved.”

Twilight’s eyes shot wide. “What!? No!”

Break sighed. “It was a joke, Twi.”

The unicorn just grunted. She was not particularly familiar with or fond of military humor.

They broke the huddle.

“Weeeellll, we’re just going to ignore you and continue on our way. Thanks for taking care of the stallion, though.” Break said to the unicorn.

“Oh, no need to thank Trixie. It was simply necessary for the job. Wouldn’t want your mission to end in failure, after all.”

They gave her blank stares.

Iron Shod butt in. “We’d prefer it if you don’t follow us from here on out.”

“There isn’t much you can do about that, Iron Shod.”

His ears perked up at that, but he didn’t reply. She knew his name. He turned back to the others. “Let’s go.” he grunted.

They departed from the clearing. The strange pony followed them at a distance.

* * *

The three mercenaries were gathered around Twilight. A mid-afternoon sun was pulling the sweat out of their pores.

“What do you know about her?”

“Not much, really. She showed up in Ponyville one day, putting on a magic show. It was an... interesting experience.”

“How so?”

“She was making outrageous boasts; something along the lines of stopping an Ursa Major from destroying a town on her lonesome.”

“Is she really that powerful?”

“No. At least, I don’t think so. When an Ursa Minor showed up in Ponyville, she... ah... ran away.”

Break snickered. “So you were telling the truth about that Ursa back in Hoofall. Imagine that.”

“I don’t make a habit of lying, Break.”

The wind was starting to pick up. Dust was getting kicked into the air.

“That suit. It looked like some Ministry of Intelligence gear.” Break said, abruptly changing the subject.

“Looked like a pretty recent design, too. It didn’t resemble anything I’ve seen before.” Iron Shod replied. As he said so, he looked over his shoulder. The unicorn was barely a speck in the distance.

“You believe what she said about being sent by Celestia?”

“I don’t see any reason not to.”

Twilight jumped in. “All we know at this point is that she may or may not work for the Ministry of Intelligence and that
she may or may not be on an assignment from Celestia to perhaps protect me.”

“That sounds reasonable.” Jutsu concluded.

“We also know for a fact that she is a psychotic murderer.”

“That too.” Break muttered.

“I’m not sure about you guys, but I am not at all comforted by the fact that the pony that was sent to protect me is a sadist with a very possible grudge against me.”

Iron Shod affectionately punched her shoulder. “Not to worry, little missy; We’ll protect you.”

For now, they silently agreed that they were not going to get any answers without talking Trixie herself.

A surprisingly strong gust hit them, peppering the group with sand.

“Break, find us somewhere to set up for tonight.” Iron Shod coughed.

Minutes later, the pegasus’ voice came in through all of their comm devices. “About ten clicks south there’s a bunch of copses scattered about. It seems this damn desert is gonna turn back into forest another thirty from them. What do you think?”

“Can we get to the forests before nightfall?”

“Sure, but there’s a bigger issue: Big ass dust cloud coming in from the west. I reckon we have one or two hours before
we’re trapped in the middle of that thing. I... uh...” There was a pause. “Okay, about twelve clicks southeast there’s a ravine. That should shelter us from the wind, but I can’t promise it’ll be comfortable. In the case of a haboob rolling through here, though, I’d rather be in a ditch than a topside meadow.”

“Affirmative. Point us to the ravine.”

They angled to the left, following the direction Break was leading them. True to his word, the sun was blotted out in a matter of hours.

* * *

“I hope she’s okay.”

“Trixie?”

“Yeah.”

The descent had been simple enough. An easily followable creek dipped down into the ravine, which widened and
flattened near the bottom. It was surprisingly spacious; near the banks of the flow, grasses and shrubs were thriving. There were even a few wilted trees.

A hundred feet above them, the sky was completely dark. The sandstorm was directly above the travelers. It was only minutes after they set up camp in the ravine that the sunlight rapidly receded.

“I’m sure she can handle herself.” Jutsu cut in, interrupting Twilight and Break.

“Hmph. Why do you even care, Twi?” the pegasus grunted.

She wasn’t sure. Perhaps it was just her nature as an Equestrian pony to care for others, regardless of who they were. Evidently, that logic didn’t apply back at the river crossing. She banished the thought. No dwelling on the past.

“I don’t. I just think it’d be a shame for such an asset to go to waste.”

Break chuckled. “I didn’t think you thought like that. I was expecting you to say something along the lines of ‘because of
the kindness in my heart!’ or some sappy shit like that.”

Twilight furrowed her eyebrows and stared at the ground. The realization stung her. It was true; she was starting to think like that. It was only their fourth day on the road and already her mannerisms were starting to slip. Slightly more reckless and less organized. A more ominous truth chilled her spine. She was becoming less empathetic. The more horrific sights she saw, the less they impacted her; the stallion that morning was proof enough of that. The grim display had drawn a relatively subdued reaction out of her.

The river crossing had changed Twilight. There was no doubt. She had blood on her hooves. It tainted her by her own choice. She gulped as a new thought came into focus.

Before her was a lake, the gentle waves lapping at her legs.

Do I jump in, not knowing how it will feel once I’m submerged? Will I be able to come out unscathed, or will the currents pull me from shore?

Do I walk away, and let the sand stick to my skin? Will I leave having never known what lurked out beyond what I could see?

She had made a promise. To the farmers, to Celestia, and to herself. She was going to dive headfirst into the water regardless of the cost. That was a promise she intended to keep.

The sandstorm raged overhead, a shrouding blanket to block out the solace of fiery orb.

* * *

Dinner consisted of canned beans, rice provided by the farmers and water from the creek. They were gathered around an electric lantern, enjoying the moments respite. Pan and Rise were sitting together, all pretenses of secrecy abandoned. It was somewhat amusing, watching the monochromatic colt be flustered with every question by the mare.

Koi and Jutsu, oddly enough, seemed to be having a very private conversation. They were sitting separate from the rest of them. By the looks of it, the subject was not pleasant for either of the two.

Iron Shod and Break ate in silence. Having been in similar situations before, they knew that thinking too much was a surefire way to lose focus.

Twilight, having never been in such a situation before, had lost focus. It didn’t help that she was increasingly aware of the peeks Mane was shooting at her. Was Boreas being serious? She had no previous experience to compare to how the stallion was acting. She’d never had a coltfriend, nor had anyone asked her on any sort of date, save for a few invitations to some school dances years ago. The bookish unicorn had rejected all of these, preferring the company of her texts over that of the mouth-breathing stallions.

I don’t even like him. she realized. He was bitter, sarcastic, arrogant and possessed a stifling amount of smugness to rival Trixie. Mane wasn’t particularly revolting nor handsome. He wasn’t cruel or mean-spirited; just disillusioned with the world. No. He’s too different from me. It would never work. Even if I wanted it to. Which I don’t.

A snarl from the darkness shattered her train of thought. With lightning reflexes, Break and Iron Shod were crouched down in combat-ready poses. Jutsu and Koi scrambled to rejoin the others. The guttural cry had not been lacking in magnitude. Whoever, or whatever, had produced it was no mere forest critter.

Pan, Rise and Mane, being mostly defenseless, were huddled around the lantern. The rest, with their greater offensive capabilities, formed a circle around them. Their eyes darted about, scanning the murky darkness for movement.

“What was that?”

“SHH!”

Rise, having been silenced, returned to quivering and holding tight to Pan.

An unearthly silence descended on the ravine. Nopony stirred for an agonizingly long time. The roar was never heard again.

“Looks like we’ll be having a night watch.” Iron Shod muttered. With that, they returned to their meals, uneasy and no
longer hungry. Twilight set aside her food and cracked open a book. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

“...in the absence of effective bandages and anti-biotics, cauterization may be necessary to stem the flow of blood and prevent infection. If one does not possess the standard-issue instruments normally used in the procedure, a suitable flame can be improvised via direct application of...”

She closed the book. It wasn’t that she found it uninteresting; far from it. Rather, Twilight figured it would be wise to peruse through the other volumes she had brought along. With magic, she probed into her bulky saddle bags for her other readings. Rarity’s coat, some food items, Fluttershy’s medical supplies, the notebook she had been using to keep tabs on their journey, and...

A jar?

Twilight pulled the foreign glass container out of the pack. It was filled with a shockingly colorful fluid. There was a note taped to it.

I slipped this into your bag when you weren’t looking. I’m sure it’s kick will help you out along the way.

-R. D.

Liquid rainbow. The cyan pegasus’ parting gift. She vividly recalled her time in Cloudsdale, at the weather factory. Pinkie Pie had sampled some of the substance; her reaction had been unpleasant. The memory made her smile. A comforting recollection in a time like this. She replaced the jar in her bag, unsure of what practical use it had.

Break gently nudged her. She looked up to her left at him.

“Get some rest, Twilight. We’re going dark in a few minutes.” As he said it, he angled his head at the lantern. She wouldn’t have anything to read by very soon. Her droopy eyes, however, told her that he was right. Nodding, she shuffled off to her shelter, dragging her saddlebags behind her.

Inside the tent, she plopped down onto her sleeping mat. The unicorn decided to at least read the first chapter of one of the other books. At random, one was pulled out.

Search and Destroy: Modern Warfare Strategy and Tactics by General Stoneshoe

With a click, the light suddenly disappeared. In darkness, she groveled. It seemed like she would have to make her
own light. Her horn started to tingle as a light orb spell began to take form. Suddenly, she recalled something Boreas had told her. Something regarding the Horn of Ceros.

She pulled out the blade, and, with a bit of a disgusted look, fit it over her horn. The alicorn had said that the horn was under an enchantment that made it emit magical energy as light. Run a current through it, and it would light up like a torch. At least, that’s what Boreas had guessed. He didn’t sound too sure of himself when he had described it to her. Caution thrown to the wind, she gave the horn a gentle pulse.

The entire ravine was lit up like there was a miniature sun. Twilight scrambled to eliminate the flow. Slowly, the horn returned to its normal metallic luster. Evidently, a gentle pulse was more than enough to fuel the enchantment.

“The hell was that, Twilight?” Break’s voice was coming from outside. “Damn near blinded me!”

“Sorry! I was just... trying something out.”

“Well then try it out in the morning!”

She couldn’t discern what he said next, but judging by the inflection in his voice it didn’t sound pleased. Removing the horn, Twilight started to read with a normal light spell. There was no complaining this time.

“...a soldier thrives on fear. Fear is what keeps him alive. Fear is what drives them forward. Terror is what kills a soldier. A fearful fighter will tread on, hoping that an escape lies ahead of him, but a terrified fighter will wallow in the mud. Victory is not achieved by the blood of one hundred martyrs, but by the living bodies of one hundred survivors...

“...when assaulting a fortified position, it is of the utmost importance to minimize exposure to the enemy. Whether armed with spears, bows or rifles, being caught in the open for any amount of time is always a risk. It is thus important to understand the benefits and pitfalls of suppression, particularly from an entrenched position...

“...ultimately, the outcome of a battle comes down to the application of battle magics. It is the goal of every unicorn on the field to protect their allies at all costs. This can be achieved by impenetrable defense or overwhelming offense. Ideally, a force of arms would have multiple contingents of unicorns dedicated to one or the other. In the absence of multiple magic users, however, it may be more prudent for a unicorn to focus on protection over attacking (See section 5F)...”

A sudden noise brought Twilight out of the engrossing work. Her ears perked up to try and catch the sound again. She was soon rewarded with a small whimper. It was coming from the tent next to hers. Out of curiosity, she cast a hearing amplification spell; one of the many useful things she had learned in her endless studies. She soon regretted doing so. The tent next to hers was Pan’s tent.

He wasn’t alone. There was a slow, rhythmic pounding emitting from the shelter. Periodically, a stifled feminine groan would be coaxed out. She was somewhat astonished that Pan and Rise would actually attempt engaging those sorts of activites while in such close proximity to the others.

I shouldn’t be listening to this. she realized with guilt. But she couldn’t bring herself to cancel the hearing spell. It was fascinating, in an extremely messed up way. Twilight felt herself flushing with embarrassment. A strange pang resonated in her heart, but she could recognize it. Jealousy. She envied Rise, but not because of the absolutely sensual experience she was having.

Oddly enough, Twilight realized just how alone she was. Sure she had her friends back in Ponyville. And Spike. And even Princess Celestia. But she often felt herself holding them at a legs length away. She had no one to truly confide in. Her true thoughts had always been her own, and after the last few days, they were starting to wear on her soul.

The noise died down as Pan and Rise’s heated session came to a close. Twilight thumped her head to the ground, wishing the empty stinging to go away. It was not working. Her ears picked up a new sound: the armor was vibrating. She put the crown on.

What.

I don’t have to be a creepy old alicorn to know that something is bothering you.

Am I not allowed to wallow in sadness?

No, that’s perfectly within your rights. You want to tell me what’s got you all huffy?

I’m alone.

There are seven other ponies around you to talk to.

Talk to? Yes, of course. But not be close to.

Feeling a bit overloaded, are we?

I suppose so.

Well, you can always talk to me.

Thanks, but no thanks. You wouldn’t understand...

I am quite familiar with loneliness, Twilight. Speak your mind.

Everyone I know has someone that they can fall upon. My friends back in Ponyville can go to their families and each other. Spike always has me, but I don’t feel as if he can support me all the time. Celestia has her sister. I just overheard Pan and Rise having a satisfying experience a few feet away. I need someone, Boreas.

You have me.

I need something more... real. No offense.

None taken. I understand what your saying. You need a pony in your life that you can honestly talk to face to face.

Precisely. Not a disembodied soul. I need a physical relationship.

To fulfill certain... ah... needs?

Why you... No! That’s not what I meant at all!

It was a joke.

A rather, poor one, then! You’ve been becoming increasingly annoying as of late, Boreas.

Sorry. I’ve always been regarded as easily impressionable, and listening to Iron Shod and Break is doing nothing to
stem this.

Excuses.

Truth.

Whatever. I just wish I had somepony real to talk to.

I’m fairly confident there are plenty of ponies around you that are willing to listen.

Such as?

Well, if you would take a moment to listen in on Mane, in the tent over...

She crooned her head over towards where she recalled Mane had set up his tent. Her ears adjusted to the new angle as the amplification spell worked its magic. She unfocused on the ambient noise and tried to discern what was coming from the tent.

There was a steady thumping sound. It was accompanied by a strange, moist peeling sensation. Mane was whispering Twilight’s name every few seconds to himself. If eavesdropping on Pan and Rise had been infuriating, then this was absolutely humiliating.

Oh... oh my.

I’d say he’d listen to you.

That’s disgusting! What kind of colt would do that?

Every colt, if you must know.

I’m sure no proper Equestrian colt would resort to such perversion!

You’d be surprised. Hey, if I were you, I’d be taking this as a compliment. He thinks your cute. At least, cute enough to warrant... this.

There is no comfort to be found in knowing that a farmer is pleasuring himself with me in mind.

You don’t like him?

No!

Why not?

He’s... well... he’s just not very nice to be around.

He’s an ass, so to speak.

I... yes. He’s an ass.

Well, if he’s not an option, perhaps you’d like to hear what Break and Iron Shod think about you. They’re keeping watch outside. Maybe they’re talking about their companions.

Audibly groaning, she complied. Turning her head, Twilight used her ears to search for the two bad-mouthed mercenaries.

* * *

“What do you think?”

“...about?”

“About the mission.”

“Completely fucked.” The dark grey pony kicked a pebble into the creek as he said the words. Turning back to Break, he added: “And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

The pegasus gave a short, forced laugh. He glanced back over shoulder, to the tents. “You think she’ll be alright?” he asked.

“Twilight?”

“Yeah.”

Iron Shod considered this for a moment. “She’s a smart girl. Sooner or later that filly will figure out that it’s for her own good that she lets her hooves dirty.”

They sat in silence for a while.

“Pan is one lucky son of a bitch.”

“Yep.”

More silence.

“But, you know, if I had to... I wouldn’t mind taking Jutsu for a tumble through the hay...”

“If she heard you, she’d probably geld you and shove your balls up your gaping ass.”

“Hell, I don’t mind. It’d just be an excuse to get her hooves near that piece of meat.”

They both genuinely cracked up at that comment.

“She’s probably too old for you, Break.”

“She’s probably too young for you, Shod. How old are you, anyways? Late fifties?”

With the most solemn expression he could muster, Iron Shod used the gravest voice possible. “That’s classified information, private.”

Break just stared at him with the most quizzical expression he could. Moments later, they were both convulsing with laughter once again.

“And if I get REALLY desperate, I’m sure you could help me tie down a certain purple-maned filly we all love and hold
dear to our hearts...”

Iron Shod shook his head. “She’s just a kid. That is fucked up...”

Then, with a smile: “But I like the way you think.”

Still chortling, Break continued. “Maybe we could get that Trixie mare to join in on the fun. I’m sure she’s just as crazy in the sack as she is with her magic...”

* * *

Twilight had deactivated her hearing spell long before the stallions were done talking. Their banter was disgusting, depraved, and absolutely sickening.

That was disgusting, depraved, and absolutely sickening.

Okay, so maybe those later things about massive orgies and Umalian whores were a bit unsavo--

Boreas.

Ah, right. Well, you heard them! They were worried about you. I’m sure they’d listen if you just asked.

I appreciate what you’re trying to do, Boreas, but I don’t believe that you or these ponies have the answers I’m looking for.

Well, I tried.

And I thank you for doing so. I need to get some rest. Goodnight, Boreas.

That you do. Goodnight, Twilight Sparkle.

* * *

She was standing in the lake. It was red.

Was it sunset?

No.

The skies were overcast.

It was blood.

She wanted to run. She wanted to get away.

The vile liquid coagulated around her legs, sealing her to fate.

Below the crimson waves, shadows lurked. They flickered about in an insane dance.

She had to go below the waves. She had to see for herself.

But she could not. She did not want to.

Whatever secrets the abyss contained were not worth bathing in blood for.

Behind her. A gust of wind. She tried to turn, but could not.

The blood had frozen her neck stiff.

The wind grew into a mighty gale. Her bonds were ripped as she was thrown into the lake.

Wave after wave pounded her deeper and deeper.

The shadows; bodies.

Mane, his eyes gouged out.

Rise, her skull cleaved in two.

Pan, his body crushed under massive a boulder.

Koi, impaled on a stake.

Jutsu, mighty gashes in her throat.

Break, his wings ripped off.

Iron Shod, his brains blown out.

She could not breath. She could not swim. She would die in the murk of death.

A hoof reached out from above the surface. She grabbed it.

It pulled her up.

Up.

Up.

She woke up.

* * *

“I don’t know what you were expecting. You’re lucky Trixie was watching over you, otherwise this thunder lizard would
have torn you all to shreds!”

The sandstorm had receded in the early morning. They began their ascent out of the ravine just before daybreak. The sun was just peeking over the distant mountains as they were re-entering the flatness of the desert when they came across the massive corpse with a smug unicorn leaning against it.

“Honestly, you foals should think twice before having a camping trip in one of the places bad boys like these like to hide in during a sand storm.” As Trixie said this, she patted the mutilated carcass of the massive reptile.

Twilight had read very little about thunder lizards. They weren’t an Equestrian species, and most information about them had come from the rare sightings deep in the Everfree forest. In short, a nomadic, predatory lizard larger than a fully grown alicorn at birth. Judging by the size of this particular specimen, it couldn’t have been more than a few decades old.

“So that sound we heard last night...”

“Ah, yes. The roar of a thunder lizard. Reputedly as loud as a thunder clap. Trixie was quite impressed to hear the rumors were true.”

That made sense. Given the distance from their current position to their camp in the ravine, the volume of the roar seemed to match.

The eight of them examined the dead beast. If Trixie’s work with the stallion the day before had been a five minute sketch, then this was a true work of art. The head had been cleanly decapitated at the base of the neck fronds and was proudly displayed on top of a nearby rock. Trixie had evidently pulled out the creatures own back spikes and used them to stab the creature in the belly. At least, that was the logical conclusion seeing that there were hundreds of spikes missing from the spine and hundreds of spikes embedded in the belly of the beast. The mace-like tale, which had been severed, was apparently used to bludgeon the lizard. All of the appendages displayed compound fractures that would have matched up with that sort of attack.

The underside was, like the stallion, cut cleanly down the middle all the way from the throat to the nether regions. The small intestines had been dragged out in their entirety; Twilight could only guess at their length as she tried to follow the brownish tube with her eyes through the endless sand dunes. The ground surrounding it was stained with blood and bile. The stench was unbearable.

Break whistled. “Wow. Just wow.”

“The poor bastard was trying to take shelter in the ravine you were cowering in. Thankfully, the Great and Powerful Trixie was here to van--”

Iron Shod cut her off. “Well, thank you, Miss Trixie, but we need to keep going.”

She huffed. “Suit yourself.”

They shuffled off into the desert, resuming their journey to the south.

* * *

“You know, she’s right. We’d probably be dead right now if it weren’t for her.”

The earth pony snorted at Break’s comment.

“She’s still crazy.” Iron Shod replied.

“Oh, no doubt of that. But I don’t think I would have liked that thing getting the drop on us. It would have been messy. Hell, she took that monster out by herself. I don’t think one of my leaflets would even scratch that thing.”

“Are you saying we should have her tag along?” he asked.

“I’m sure she’d have her uses. But I’ll agree: She’s fucking nuts.”

The desert was starting to flatten out into a rockier, barren wasteland. In the distance they could see the faint green of a forest, backed by an even less discernible mountain range.

Iron Shod turned to face the others. “That sand storm cut off our traveling time by a few hours. I don’t think we’re making it to Yearling City by tonight. That’s the West Spur of the Sampan Mountains up ahead. We should reach them before nightfall.”

That sounded good to them. Subtly, they began to pick up their pace. If they were to reach the mountains before dark, speed was essential. The coarse, pebbly ground soon morphed into gentle grasslands. Within an hour the ponies found themselves once again under the welcoming shadows of ages-old pine trees. Dried needles crunched under their hooves. They took a break for lunch.

Twilight pulled out an apple from her bag. Harvested only days ago from Sweet Apple Acres by her hard-working orange-coated friend, Applejack. She bit into the red orb. Her tongue was treated to an ecstatic balance of sweetness and tartness. The rest of the fruit was quickly wolfed down.

Mane walked over and sat next to her. She tried not to gag.

“Hey, Twilight.”

no no no no no no no no no no

“How are you doing?”

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO GO AWAY GO AWAY GO AWAY

“I’m fine, why are you asking?” she flashed a weak smile at the green pony.

“You just looked a bit lonely, sitting by yourself.”

OKAY, YEAH, THAT’S TRUE. BUT STILL. GO AWAY.

“I... I suppose so. Was there something you wanted?”

“Oh, no. Just wanted to chat.”

Just wanted to sleep with me, you meant.

“Alright.”

Why did I just move to make room for him to sit? I’m not very good at saying no, am I...

“Tell me about Equestria.”

With an amount of enthusiasm that she hated herself for, Twilight found herself detailing the many nuances of her homelands society. Mane seemed unnaturally engrossed with her words. That, or he was great at pretending to be.

“...oh, I think we’re getting ready to move out again. We can talk later.”

Iron Shod was making his rounds, telling the ponies to pack up.

Mane raised his eyebrows. “Can’t we talk while on the way?”

She sighed. “I’d... rather be by myself right now. Sorry.”

He just shrugged then walked over to the others. She put on the crown.

How do I tell a colt I'm not interested?

That was hilarious.

Please. Tell me.

No.

Why not?

Because this is sure to be entertaining over the long run.

You are an evil pony.

Just an easily amused pony. Regardless, I think this will be a good learning experience. I’m sure you of all people could
use some practice with managing relationships.

Very funny.

I know. I’m a regular comedian.

Is there anything at all you could tell me?

Just don’t send him mixed messages. If you don’t like him, make it clear. Being nice about it will only make this worse
for both of you.

Is that all?

That’s all I will tell you.

Well, thanks.

They weaved their way through the undergrowth. It was not particularly dense, so they managed to maintain a decent trot. Mane was near the back of the group. Twilight did her best to stay as close to the front as possible. The slope they were ascending was starting to turn from pleasant grass and moss into eroded black stone. Up ahead was a dull, constant roaring. A waterfall.

Twilight hadn’t been paying attention when Break, who she had been closely following, suddenly went to a dead stop. She bumped into him. Either not feeling it or ignoring her clumsiness, Break was thoroughly engrossed with the sight in front of him. They were standing at the top of a cliff. To their right, a stream was cascading down a hundred feet. Far below, the bottom of the gorge flattened out into a large basin, rocky sandbanks extending into slopes that reached back into the forest. There, on the pebbly beaches, stood Trixie, clad in her black body suit. She was surrounded by five haggard looking stallions; three earth ponies and two unicorns.

“Come on, filly! Give us what ye got!” one of them cried.

“Ya on our turf; ya play by our rules.” a second said.

“What Thick Skull said! Give us them shinies on that belt there or bad things may happen to ye!” finished the third.

The unicorn stood her ground. “And If I don’t?”

The first one smiled. “If ye don’t we get ta tie ye up and drag ye back to our hideout. Then we can teach you some humility!” As he said it, he spat at her hooves.

Trixie’s reaction was simply to narrow her eyes. “You can try.”

Two of the earth ponies unsheathed their hoof-blades with wry smiles.

“GET HER!”

They all lunged with astounding agility. Trixie simply winked out of sight. A teleportation spell, but not like any that
Twilight had ever seen. There had been no cast time; she had instantly vanished.

“Teleporter!” one of the unicorns yelled. They quickly untangled themselves and formed an outward facing circle,
looking for where she had reappeared.

Twilight herself was unsure of where the blue pony had gone. That was, until a voice suddenly emerged from behind them.

“You foals going to help me take these brutes out or just stand there?”

Iron Shod was quick to react. “How did you... ah, forget it. Who are those ponies?”

“Bandits. Robbers. Outlaws. I don’t know. They jumped me when I was refilling my canteens down there.”

Of note was the fact that she wasn’t talking in her normal third-person sing song voice. It was a welcome change.

Iron Shod looked back down the cliff. “Those unicorns would tear me apart before I could get close. Not without any
spell protection.”

“I, too, am useless in this situation.” added Jutsu.

That left Break and Twilight. The lavender mare gulped.

Trixie shot them a smile. “You two up for some fun?”

Break was already starting to circle above.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

* * *

The bottom of the gorge was no-ponies land. A flat expanse with virtually no cover. The five stallions stood in the
middle of it, the three earth ponies forming a shield around the two unicorns.

“Thick Skull, can ye trace her spell?”

The brownish-white unicorn shook his head. “Nope. Teleport got covered up.”

“Think she scooted out ah here?”

“If she smart she would’ve.”

They let their guards down. There had been no sign of their quarry for nearly five minutes.

“Damn shame. Looked like she had some real schwanky gear on her. Would’ve fetched ah good price over in Yearling or Maresville.”

“Fuck it. Let’s just get outta here. This place givin’ me the creeps.”

The stallions started to walk, following the direction of the water.

A sharp whistling sound suddenly breezed past them. One of the unicorns crumpled to the floor, a pebble embedded in his skull.

“BARRIER, NOW!”

Thick Skull’s horn flashed as an invisible protective envelope surrounded them. The air seemed to shimmer where the
dome was displacing matter. The unicorn had it up in the nick of time as a shower of pebbles flying at lethal speeds suddenly slammed into the magical wall.

“How ya holdin’, Skull?”

“I’m alright, sir!”

“Good. We need to--” the stallion looked up to the sky. “What the hell is THAT?”

Countless metal shards were descending upon them. They could only watch as hell itself broke loose around them. The unicorn’s barrier held, but barely, as the last of the leaflets unleashed its explosive contents.

“Gah, Fuck!” he groaned as the light from his horn flickered. Thick Skull staggered to the ground as the barrier popped.

“Dammit, back to the safehouse! Go! Go!”

They sprinted along the pebbly banks, the unicorn stumbling behind them.

* * *

Her voice absolutely icy, Trixie gave the order through her ear piece. “We’ve got them where we want them. Chase
them down.”

“What?!” Twilight interjected. “They’re already on the run! You don’t need to kill them!”

Break’s voice crackled over the static. “One air-burst claymore away. Enjoy the meager fireworks, fillies and gentlecolts.”

She could only watch in horror. The four stallions were doing their best to get away, stealing glances over their shoulder to check if they were being followed.

There was a puff of smoke above them. The screams were clear even at that distance. The dirt danced as hundreds of steel balls pelted the ponies and the ground around them.

Twilight was already racing along the cliff to reach the bottom. As she reached the bodies, she noted with morbid relief that they had died quickly. Unlike the scene at the river, this was far more pleasant, if such a word could be used to describe it. The stallions were more or less intact, if peppered with countless half-inch incisions. Much less blood this time around.

A groan caught her attention. The others were starting to catch up to her and Break was descending to the bank. Twilight identified the source of the call: the unicorn, Thick Skull. Cautiously, she approached him.

He had been lucky to be lagging behind the others. Being outside of the kill zone of a claymore had its perks, the main one being not dead. Thick Skull was very not dead. The systems of immediate necessity to his survival; namely his brain and heart, had escaped the brunt of the shower. His lower body and his flanks were a different story. Blood flowed freely, staining the rocky ground crimson. She crouched down next to him. The unicorn tried to turn his head to look at her, but he instead fell into a coughing fit.

“Kill me.” he wheezed.

“I... I can help you.”

“You killed ma’ blood brothers. Kill me so ah can join them.”

Trixie and the others walked over to join her. They all stared down at the dying stallion.

“Don’t be ridicu-”

“KILL ME!”

Twilight spoke not another word

Trixie leaned in and whispered in his ear.

“This won’t hurt a bit.”

Her horn flickered. There was a snapping sound. The unicorn spasmed a few times before remaining perfectly still. He was dead.

“What did you do!?” Twilight demanded.

“Severed his brain from his spine. Granted him his dying wish.” the mare coldly answered.

“He could have survived! We could have helped him!” she screamed.

“To what point, filly!? He was a thief and murderer. Giving him death was an act of mercy on my part.” the blue mare snorted.

She was about to retort when Iron Shod put his hoof on her shoulder. Twilight turned to face him. His eyes spoke all the words that were needed.

Let it go.

No.

Killing a gang of violent thugs was a necessary evil.

Murdering petty thieves was cruelty.