"Alright, so do we have everything now?" I ask as I stare at the list of ingredients for Rainbow's cure. I look up from the list, eyeing the multitude of items laying on the table before me.

"Everything except for that flower." Twilight says as she rubs her chin with a hoof. I sigh as I stuff the list into my pocket, simultaneously pulling out my pistol with the other hand. I check the magazine, finding it to be full. Twilight said we'd be heading into the Everfree Forest, which is apparently the most dangerous place on Equis. I do remember that manticore that attacked us when I first came to Equestria. I ended up killing with a bow, but not before it could get a good hit in on Rainbow. Boy, was that a frightening experience.

"When should we head out?" I ask as I hold the pistol down by my side, making sure the safety is on.

"Tomorrow. It is far too late to be heading out right now, we'd be in for a lot of trouble is we left now. First thing in the morning, we'll move on out." Twilight replies. I nod and place my pistol down on the table and take the rifle off of my back. I aim down the scope, making sure that it is lined up correctly before walking upstairs. I didn't even bother to say where I was going.

"Um, where are you going darling?" Rarity asks. I turn around to see the three girls looking at me. I sigh, look down at my rifle, then back up at them.

"I'm going to the balcony to scout out the forest. I want to have a good idea of what exactly I'm walking into. I'll be back in a little bit." And with that, I turn around and continue walking upstairs. I make it into Twilight's room where I then make my way up to the balcony. I walk out, and the cool evening air hits me in the face, the wind rather strong come to think of it.

I shoulder my rifle as I stand against the fence at the edge of the balcony. I look through the scope, glad that it zooms in rather well. It really is a good substitute for binoculars, though I could really use a pair right about now.

I slowly turn in a semi-circle, scouting out the area around me, mainly the Everfree Forest. I sigh as I lower the rifle, realizing that I'll be going into that hell hole come tomorrow. I swear, I wouldn't do this for anyone other than my family.

I place the rifle on the ground, leaning it against the fence, and lean against it as I stare out at the beautiful sunset over the horizon. The entire town lights up in a bright orange hue, making it look even more beautiful than it normally does.

"Hey." I calm, somewhat quiet voice calls from behind me. I turn around to see Alice, her hair blowing in the wind behind her. A small smile forms on my face, and I scoot over some so she can lean on the fence next to me. She accepts, and a few seconds later, she is standing right next to me, taking in the amazing view as well.

"Do you... ever get scared?" I ask as I turn my head, the wind causing my bangs to slap me in the face.

"Depends. John is usually so protective of me that I have nothing to really be scared of. So, it really depends what you mean by scared."

"I mean... Have you ever been scared for someone else. Someone you love?"

"I... Yeah, I have. My mother got sick when I was just ten. I watch her for a month as she just got worse and worse. John and I tried everything, but there was just... nothing we could do. She died after about a month, and it really broke us. Individually, we fell, but as a family, we really came together. John became the real leader of the family, though dad still likes to thing that he's in charge. I guess... that's the only real time I've been truly scared." Alice tells her story as I look into her eyes, seeing that it is painful for her to recall. I drape an arm around her shoulder, and pull her into my side as I place my vision back onto the sunset in the distance.

We stand there in silence for a good long while until Alice finally speaks up again, asking, "Matt, do you love her?"

"Who?" I ask, though I know exactly who she is talking about.

"Rainbow, duh. I saw the way you looked at her, the way you worried about her. Trust me, I can spot love from a mile a mile away."

"I... Well, yeah, I do. Is that weird?" I ask as I rub the back of my head.

"I don't think so. It's definitely different." She says with a light laugh. "Love comes in many forms though."

"Heh, yeah, that it does."

*John*

"So, Alex, why'd you leave Rainbow back there? You said you were going to watch her 24/7." I ask as we walk down the road.

"I needed some fresh air. Trust me, I wouldn't have left if your dad and the others weren't there. I just really needed to out for a little bit, I just felt a little cramped back there." Alex says as he stretches his arms by holding them above his head.

"Well we've already walked two miles, and we still haven't found anything." I say as I shine my flashlight into the trees next to us. We headed out about an hour or so to see if we could find any clues at to where this so called "gang" might be.

"It has to be around here somewhere, it isn't like an entire warehouse can just get up at walk away."

"What exactly are we up against again? Matt said it was some gang, but he didn't really go into details."

"No idea honestly. I just know about this one guy, Jack, who is a part of said gang. Y'know, Matt said he was wandering through the forest for a good four or five days, I doubt this place would just be a mile or two from your place." Alex says rather quietly.

"He could have been walking in circles. These here woods are pretty dense, so it wouldn't be surprising for city folk like him to get lost."

"Ha, city folk, sure." Alex chuckles.

"What's so funny?"

"You obviously don't know Matt, the dude loves being outdoors. We used to go camping in the summers when we were kids, and that was when he always seemed to most alive to me. Hell, the guy even has his own island with a cabin that he built himself."

"No kiddin'?"

"Yeah, too bad he doesn't use it anym-"

"Shhh, get down!" I whisper as I grab Alex and pull him down into a bush. We lay down on our stomachs, and I listen in as carefully as possible.

"I don't hear anyth-"

"Alex, shut up!" I whisper through my gritted teeth. My chin hovers just inches from the dirt, my arms barely supporting me.

"How's the girl doing?" A voice says it grows closer towards us, coming from the direction we were walking in.

"Which one, the fucked up horse thing or the actual girl?" Another one asks.

"The girl, his sister you dumbass." A third voice. They group comes into view, but I can only see parts of them through the leaves and branches of the bush.

"Always crying out for her brother and shit. Really annoying. If she keeps it up, I might have to introduce her to my friend." One of them holds up a gun, and they all start laughing. It makes my blood start to boil as anger fills my mind. I don't know Matt well, but he's friend, and when I make a friend, I consider them family, and nobody messes with my family.

"Maybe we should just, y'know, let them go now Jack." A fourth one says. From what I can see, there's only four of them. Wait, Jack, isn't that the guy that Matt and Alex have been talking about?

"Are you turnin' on us Trent?" The guy I assume is this Jack character says.

"I'm just say-"

"You were just saying what? Y'know, I don't like traitors Trent." I hear the sound of a gun cocking, then the explosion of a bullet being fired, followed by the thud of a body hitting the ground. The guy's face lands right in front of us, not even two feet away, his lifeless eyes staring directly at Alex and I.

The three make a ninety degree turn, and head into the forest on the other side of the road, leaving the body to rot. We wait a few minutes to make sure they are gone, then slowly make our way out of the bushes.

"Holy shit man, holy shit." Alex says quietly as he places his hands on his head. I kneel down next to the guy, placing a hand on his chest. I shine my flashlight on him, and his blood shines in the light.

"Right in the stomach, man." I say as I sigh and close my eyes. "Alright, we can use this I guess."

"Use it!? Use it how, this guy is dead John!"

"I know I know. Look, we can take his clothes, then one of us will be able to sneak into the warehouse unnoticed. My dad can patch up the hole in the jacket, and then we'll be good to go." I explain. I notice something shining in his pocket, and pull out a glock. Alright, we could probably use this too. The more weapons, the better.

"So what about the body? We can't just leave it here after taking the clothes. If one of those guys finds it, they'll know somebody was here.

"We... We bury it, or burn it, something. Besides, it ain't right to just leave a body like this, no matter who they are."

I grab the feet, and Alex grabs the arms. We spend the next four hours carrying the heavy body back to the house. The entire time, I was checking every direction, making sure we weren't being followed. We stopped about a hundred feet from the house, and I sent Alex to get two shovels. While he was doing that, I decided to check the pockets of the guy that we had just carried.

"Phone, knife... wallet." I open the wallet, and pull out the guy's ID. Trent Warren, only twenty years old. What a way to go, shot by your own gang member.

"Hey, got the shovels." Alex walks up behind me, tossing a shovel in my direction.

"Thanks, lets get this guy underground." I'm about to stick the shovel into the ground when I hear something.

"Did you hear that?" Alex says as he looks around. I nod, listening for the sound again.

"H-Hey... you..." We look down, and our mouths drop open in complete and utter shock. My words come out in nothing more than a whisper carried in the wind.

"Oh my God... He's still alive..."

*End of Arc 2*

Author's Notes:

Arc 1: The Rifts [X]
Arc 2: Missing [X]

Now for Arc 3: Fighting Back

I really hope you all enjoyed Arc 2 as much as I did, and I can't wait for Arc 3!

I'm sorry that I haven't been able to upload daily like I used to, but school is being a real pain, not to mention the personal issues I'm trying to deal with.

Regardless, I hope to continue this story up until the end, and I hope you'll continue it with me!