During her stay in the facility, Blue had overheard—for she had never been included—countless conversations. Of them, the idea that 'the last steps in a race are the hardest' had come up more than once. She, being the naive mare who knew nothing outside of her cozy facility life, had always laughed at the thought. Surely, she would reason, the last few steps—when the metaphorical finish line was so close by—would be among the easiest?

As the trio trekked the last twenty metres to the village, however, she couldn't have appreciated that statement more. She was hungry, RipEar having denied her one of the precious crackers; her stomach's growls and grumbles were surely apparent to anypony within a fifty mile radius. As if that was not discomfort enough, she could still place little pressure on her rear leg, the crude stitches in her flank irritating and painful. Every lame hop was hell for her remaining hooves, tired and bruised from scrambling over sharp stones for the past hour. Even flying now and then—a taxing task when her wing was still bruised—was not enough to relieve the pain.

RipEar's detour, it had turned out, was not such an easy journey. The landscape had been hellish, devoid of any life other than a few shriveled, malnourished insects and a single, lonely raccoon, scampering about among the rocks. It had been unforgiving; even the slivers of dirt  provided no relief from the wicked floor.

But then, the village up ahead—so tantalisingly close now—looked to be a fairly comfortable place. The cozy houses, built at the side of an impossibly steep hill, were nothing overly special. The circular walls and roofs were all made solely from aged wood, supported by rocks at the base—of which there was an abundance. There were no windows in any of the residences, the only entrance to each being a pony-sized hole between the planks concealed by heavy, equally timeworn leather. The overall feel was rustic, somewhat like a cavemares' settlement rather than a modern one. But, in its own way—especially when nestled away in amongst the sea of rocks and lifelessness—it had buckets of charm.

"Hello?" RipEar looked almost as uncomfortable as Blue with each step he took. He lit his horn as he looked about and hovered his dagger over to the mare. As he then picked up a fair-sized boulder to his left, he nodded to Coalburst without a sound and snapped his attention back to the village. He trod forwards slightly more boldly now. "Hello?"

After a few moments, the leather door at the furthest house slipped open. An earth pony stallion, presumably only a few years older than Coalburst, stepped out into the bleakness. He paused for a second before he took a slow step forwards, his eyes thinned as he watched the newcomers.

And then, from a hidden peak on the slope, the onslaught came. Pebbles and rocks dove down towards the trio, gaining speed with every second they fell. But Coalburst was faster as she yelped and dropped to the ground. Her magic sparked. Just before the attack could reach them, her yellow aura then encased all but a few dozen projectiles and heaved them backwards as a gasped yell wrenched itself from her throat.

The ponies leapt out of the way and winced as pebbles grazed their skin. The intercepted missiles crashed to the ground with an impact so powerful that it could have been mistaken for a tiny explosion. Only the knowledge that it could have been so much worse made the pain bearable.

The next moment, RipEar was ready. He watched quietly as the second assault came and gritted his teeth as he heaved his boulder backwards. He then threw his head forwards and released the massive ball of rock from his grasp with a yell. It collided with the projectiles, almost smashing the smaller fragments to dust. Immediately it began to plummet. He hissed and then leapt forwards as he fumbled to grab it with his magic; the momentum of the boulder made him gasp and strain as he endeavoured to slow its descent, even Coalburst's help still not enough to stop it completely.

Blue whimpered as she watched the scene, cowering quietly behind the two unicorns with the dagger held uselessly in her mouth. She didn't have magic—what good could she do?

But then, that wasn't quite the truth. She was a pony of Equestria and she did have magic—pegasus magic! And, right now, it could be the last push which her companions needed.

As she slowly limped forwards, Blue unfurled her wings. Her flank burned with each hop; her partly healed shoulder grumbled; her bruised wing muscles and bent feathers sent an ache up her spine. But that was nothing compared to the guilt she would feel if she didn't help—and so she galloped forwards and flapped her wings as she threw the blade to the floor.

Jumping up into the air, Blue gasped as her wing screamed, already overworked. Tears flooded her eyes and streamed down her cheeks; they blurred her vision, but she resisted her heart's demands to retreat. She had to be strong, had to save these ponies—even if they had made the first hostile move.

Behind her, she could hear her name being shouted, could hear the terror in both RipEar's and Coalburst's voices. But that wasn't important right now—she would make them proud, prove that they didn't have to worry so much about her.

Her hooves smashed against the rock and she howled, pain lacing every one of her limbs at the impact. As tears fell thick and fast, she gritted her teeth, grinding them together. Shuddering as they squeaked, she fought to focus her attention instead on flying, flapping her wings with every ounce of strength that she had. But still she fell, despite the best efforts of everyone.

Blue screamed as she peeked down, the ground less than ten metres away now. She scrunched her eyes up and bit down harder than ever, bracing for impact as she continued to struggle. The rashness of her decision only then occurred to her but she didn't once stop fighting, using her entire ounce of strength to push up. For just a moment, she even considered that maybe, with her efforts as well, RipEar and Coalburst had managed to slow its fall—but then she heard a collective gasp and realised that she was just desperate.

Dying, however, wasn't as bad as she'd imagined. Perhaps it was because her body was so agonised already, too numb to feel anymore pain, but it didn't feel that much worse than before.

But if that was the case, why could she still feel her wings, torturous as moving them was? In fact, why could she feel the burning of her limbs and hear the pounding of her heart at all?

Though her eyes were closed, Blue's ears quickly picked up not on the screams and cries which had sounded before, but instead on the gentle rush of feathers as they brushed through the air. And, as she peeked her eyes open, she found herself unable to breathe for a moment at the sight which met her.

Three pegasi—two stallions and an ageing mare—were positioned around her. Their own hooves heaved up against the boulder as they flew upwards. Down on the ground, a few unicorns even strained alongside Coalburst and RipEar to levitate the boulder up; sweat beaded on their foreheads as their horns shone with magic. And, in a matter of seconds, the rock's rapid descent finally stopped, the unicorns at last coming to regain control over it. As one unit they pulled it away and relieved the pegasi, dropping it behind them with a resounding thud.

Blue giggled quietly as her body, wrought with pain, gave in; her wings stilled, her body slackening as she suddenly began to drop. But she was only in free fall for a split second; the pegasus stallions quickly reached under her forelegs and lowered her down steadily.

Oh, goddesses. They were irresistible.

Blue's fantasy soon broke, however, as the stallions gave her a curt nod each. Watching as they retreated, her tail flagged higher momentarily and her eyes grew wide as she focused on those adorably solid rumps. It wasn't long before they brushed up against other mares, though, and chatted quietly as a few fillies clustered around. Blue huffed and turned away as she clamped her tail and forced herself not to think on them too much. She didn't need them; she would fight the urges with the pain.

"Blue!"

Turning her head slowly before she hopped around, the mare gave a small yelp as a blur of black and orange leapt towards her. She screamed as she felt herself be smashed to the ground and even more pain coursed through her body. She gritted her teeth and hissed; her stomach's growls sounded right on cue.

"Coalburst!" Blue cried. She bucked her hips and threw the little filly off. She gave a moan as she then rolled over onto her stomach and let out a breath, laying her head down on the floor. With her wings splayed out, she looked around before a small smile graced her lips. Her eyes shone very slightly. Though still a part of Plague-Equestria, this little village was far from what she'd imagined would be possible. The ponies here were reasonably happy; they laughed and chatted and—significantly—did not kill each other on sight.

It was oddly like what Blue could imagine pre-war Equestria would look like—except a lot duller in the feeble light.

Caught up in her admiration for the place, Blue didn't notice as a tan stallion drew closer to her and she yelped as his voice sounded on the air.

"That was stupid, you know," RipEar said as he grabbed the mare's muzzle with his magic and turned her head sharply so that she faced him. She winced, but he didn't seem to mind her discomfort too much. In fact, despite the sweat which greased down his fur and the dim light in his eyes, he looked kind of cheerful. On that note, he'd been reasonably chirpy—by his standards—for the past few days. "How you ever thought you could stop it alone is madness."

"What can I say? I've got a lot of mistakes to make up for." Blue gave a small shrug before she recoiled, sparks tingling in her shoulder. Laying still, however, at least eased the pain somewhat. "And I figured helping you with the boulder was... Well, it'd make up for me ruining our meal at the swamp. And for me getting you and Coal nearly killed by wolves and that weirdo, psychopath mare. And—no offence, Coal—it was my fault that Coal's now coming with us in the first place, which I know ticks you off."

RipEar stiffened as he watched the little mare; his ears drooped as she spoke. "I don't care. She's more help than you are," he admitted and chuckled at the filly's expression of utter shock. "But you don't have to... Prove yourself, of whatever. You're my- oh! Oh, forget I said anything. Just forget it."

Blue frowned. She watched the stallion intently as he turned away and used his magic to pull her to her hooves. He did not once look back. "I'm your what?" she began as she took a step forwards. "Rip?"

She received no answer.

Blue huffed and turned back to look at Coalburst, smiling as she wobbled to her hooves, a wince on her face. Her flank burned the worst, of course, but her fore shoulder was more than happy to join in with the grumbling. But she wouldn't bow to pain; she would stand tall—or as tall as she possibly could, anyway.

"Sorry for, y'know, squishing you," Coalburst said, her little eyes alight with glee. She hopped around Blue in a bouncy, foalish manner; she did not so much as stumble with each step she took. It was incredible, really, how much the body could learn to deal with—but, of course, it was not so much fueled by a desire to be independent as a need to survive out here. "Don't mind RipEar, he just loves you."

"Tolerates me, sure. Loves—not so much." Blue rolled her eyes and watched as the stallion walked away towards a pale-pink earth pony mare. Frustration and jealousy reared their ugly heads immediately, though she quickly looked back to Coalburst and forced a grin. The filly only giggled and skipped forwards some more.

"Nope. He puts up with me, but only 'cos you want him to," Coalburst said. She circled around Blue once again as she waited for the hobbling mare to catch up. "If you weren't here, he'd get shot of me right away. But that's fine; I'm a nightmare, I know. My mum always said I was."

"You're not-"

"I am." Coalburst gave a massive grin as she slowed. She kept at Blue's side for just the briefest of moments. "I talk too much when I'm happy. But that's fine; if ponies can't deal with me, I'd rather be alone."

Blue laughed quietly at the filly's words. "Well, I like you. None of the ponies at the facility liked me much; only Rip ever talked to me. So even if you're a pain, you're a happy pain. And it's a nice change from Rip's grumbling."

"Aww, he's just looking out for you!" Coalburst galloped forwards and gave a few bucks before she returned to Blue's side; the latter still walked lamely. They were, by now, inside the confines of the little village—but only just. "See, I don't know many ponies who'd risk their rump to save someone's life if they weren't friends."

"There probably are ponies like that out there, Coal."

"Nah. Well, okay, maybe a few. But most probably wouldn't. Look after your own and all that. See, if RipEar saved someone but died trying, you'd die too 'cos you don't know a thing about life out here." Coalburst giggled even more as she stopped next to the mare once again and poked her chest with the tip of her hoof. "So, you're kinda like my student. And lesson one—he's looking out for you. Just deal with it. He just doesn't want to hurt you by giving you too much info."

Blue moaned. Her head fell so that her muzzle nearly brushed through the dirt. "Well, I don't like that idea," she said and gasped as her fore hoof came down upon a particularly sharp rock. It was small, only slightly too large to be classed a pebble, but the pain was very real nevertheless.

Elevating her hoof momentarily, Blue winced before she noticed Coalburst who now danced on the spot, her face a scowl. The mare grinned sheepishly and quickly carried on forwards. "I... You don't know any farriers, by any chance?"

Coalburst shrugged. "Nah, I don't really know anyone. I just relied on Mum 'till she died, so I've not got any... What's the word? Oh—contacts."

Coalburst looked straight ahead and beamed as Blue opened her mouth to speak. She then galloped the last few metres up to RipEar's side before the mare could say a word and brushed up against him with a squeal. He, in turn, gave a loud yell before he calmed and narrowed his eyes at her, watching cautiously as she careened around. A moment later, she gave a high-pitched whinny and shot off yet again; she headed into the village as fast as her tiny hooves could carry her and bowled over a group of young foals. Then snorting with laughter, she clambered off of them as they recovered; once each had come to their senses, they soon joined her in fits. They weaved in between houses and leapt over rocks as they chased her and could only be described as crazy—though that, of course, could easily be taken the wrong way out here.

"Oh my stars!"

Blue took a sharp breath in as heavy hoof steps suddenly sounded, louder with each second. As she snapped her head around, she then yelped and leapt aside immediately; she barely missed the mare who shot towards her. Wincing as she landed awkwardly, Blue then hobbled over to RipEar and leant up against him before she let out a breath.

The pink earth mare—the same one who had been talking to RipEar the moment before—turned around and smiled; she blushed as she trotted forwards in a bouncy manner. Her eyes, a beautiful shade of bronze, shone. She stopped just before Blue and then stared right at her; a second later she drew back, gasping.

"You okay?" Blue frowned and took a very unsteady hop backwards. She snapped her gaze about as a squealing blur of foals then galloped past; a second later, she refocused her eyes on the equally joyous mare who was now nodding wildly. In fact, her cheeks were rapidly becoming stained—was she crying?

"Oh, I'm just so happy to know you're alive!" she squealed before she threw her fore hooves around the pegasus. Blue, in turn, reared up unsteadily on only one leg. She flapped her wings to keep her elevated as she quickly pushed the earth pony off. Hugs were great and all, but not from a complete stranger. "It's been so long, and last time I saw you I thought you were gonna die!"

"What?"

The earth mare stilled for a moment before she let out a small sigh as her ears drooped. In fact, she looked quite normal now that she was more depressed. "Oh, right. You don't remember me, do you, Rh-nghh!"

RipEar's glare was one of daggers as he clamped the mare's mouth shut with his hooves. "Anyway," he began as he snapped his gaze to the earth pony and narrowed his eyes, "as Cu here was saying, you probably don't remember her. But yes, we've been here before—right before you fell into the coma. Everypony was betting you were gonna be a mad'un."

Blue glanced around the town slowly, but nothing seemed familiar at all. "Wow. Really?" She then paused as she realised what the stallion had said. "Hey, wait! Why would they think that"

RipEar laughed and shook his head as if to say, I won't tell. He held his own tongue and used his magic to clamp the mare—Cu's— mouth shut, he then reverted back to the initial topic. "Yeah, we came here. But don't ask anything; I'm not gonna say. So don't go asking about yourself, got it? I don't want you dying on my watch." RipEar turned away and looked up to the unnatural sky. He sighed as transferred his gaze towards the steep hill behind the town. "But that's not why we're here. I didn't want you coming this far in as it was, but I couldn't nab much back in the facility before we left. These ponies have a job for us—and if we can do it, they'll give us some real weapons. Better than what we've got now, 'cos once we get away from here we'll never survive with just a dagger."

Blue, though somewhat slouched and put-out at the orders, shivered and trembled at the thought of needing more powerful weaponry. "What? Like a gun?"

RipEar snorted and laughed coldly. "You wish—well, you probably don't, but Coal and I do." The stallion rolled his eyes as he finally released Cu from his grasp and used his magic to pull the dagger, discarded by Blue, back to him. "Guns and ammo are few and far between—and working ones? Even rarer. Nah, these ponies've got a spare sword and axe. Brutal, if you ask me. But you'll need something better than a knife, even if it's a horrid thought."

Blue whimpered, recoiling at the stallion's words. She didn't open her mouth to retaliate, though—namely because she was more preoccupied by the thought that she would be expected to use such weapons. She wanted to be strong, she really did—but that seemed extreme.

"You... You mentioned a job?" Blue began, looking in the same direction as he did. Not getting an immediate—or even a slightly delayed—reply, she then bucked him gently and snapped her words again, more harshly this time.

"Yeah. Shouldn't be too hard, if you know what you're doing. But none of the ponies here wanna risk it, anyway."

"It's that bad?"

"Nah. Like I said, it just depends whether you know what you're doing—and I happen to be a master, so we'll be fine." RipEar grinned as he pointed with his horn at his flank, but then he stiffened. He glanced upwards and winced at Blue's curious, cocked-head expression. After a moment, he sighed. When he spoke again, his voice quivered. "S-stealing stuff, it's what I do. I've always been good at it... But, hey, it's a great talent out here... Right?"

Blue paused momentarily, her breath catching in her throat as she stumbled backwards. No wonder he had never told her what his mark meant before; it was an instant repellent for trust. "So... You're a... A thief?"

The stallion's ears fell, his body slouching as his head fell slightly. Blue wasn't sure she'd ever seen him look so dejected—and his voice was weaker than she'd ever heard before, as well. "You could say it with slightly less contempt," he whispered as he looked away. He then turned around, his tail clamped, and began to slouch off. Cu followed at his side for a few seconds, looking down at him with tear-filled eyes, and Blue had to hobble to keep up, her mind in turmoil. So lost in her thoughts, in fact, she almost missed his next sentences. "Knew it was better when you didn't know. I just thought you'd trust me after all this—but no matter, no matter. I am what I am." He shrugged slightly. "There's a lake out back; Cu's gonna take you to get washed. And I... I'll be here. I guess."

RipEar sighed as he walked up to the edge of one of the circular houses, his legs crumpling beneath him as he collapsed to the floor. Then burying his head, he folded his hooves underneath himself as far as was possible before he closed his eyes. His body trembled very slightly. He looked so small, so fragile; Blue's heart, though somewhat hurt at his admission, leapt out to him instantly. But, before she could hop on over, Cu's pink hoof wrapped around her wither and began to lead her away.

"C'mon," Cu said, sparing but a momentary glance towards the stallion. "Leave him be; he'll come to his senses soon. It's a tetchy subject for him."

Blue hesitated for a moment before she sighed, hanging her head as she hunched up her body. She then slunk forwards with her hooves dragging through the rocks as she followed the pink mare quietly. Her heart now ached along with the rest of her body. Not only did she apparently know very little about RipEar, the one true friend she'd ever known, but she'd now left him wounded as well.