The book opens up again. The ghoul minotaur writes in the book sighing.

“To the NCR I hope we are ready to leave this area. They don’t want us here and when they learned who I was they would not want me here either. I have many more meetings that could take a while before I get us to leave. It might be best to stay out of the way of those who live around here.”

He looks at the letter.

“I know the leadership of the NCR will try to force their views in this land and they will be met with harsh resistance and if they fight back don’t be surprised if any of the leadership gets killed by the camels of this land. They will see them as invaders and if the NCR tries anything I will just sit by and watch.”

The NCR writer looks at the letter and sighs pretty unsure about it.

“The camels have been here since even before ponies. When the land was lush forest land. I am going to request that the NCR stays out of the business of the camels. The zebras and the ponies here. Even the other races will not welcome NCR power here. I will say again don’t overstay your welcome.”

The minotaur clicks a speaker beside him.

“Excuse me, Pidgeon, could you deliver a letter for me?”

The door opens up and a white Upholi comes in, she sighs and smiles.

“Sir, is it another harsh letter to the leadership of the NCR?”

He laughs

“Of course, they have been trying too hard to force their views and politics in this land like they own it or run it. They were just asked to come in and deal with Ruby. Now I need to get ready for more meetings.”

Pigeon sighs.

“When are we going to be leaving? We have been here almost a month and with the hateful glares we have been getting since the death of Ruby I worry they might kill us here just for carrying it out.”

He nods.

“Yes, I am hoping to be done soon.”

Pigeon leaves and the minotaur sighs. The door opens and he looks behind to see the one in the shadows again.

“Beezen if we are forced to leave. Will you take over?”

The one in the darkness nods.

“Yes, I will take over. I came in to warn you that the order of Mimic is trying to stir up some problems. It wouldn’t surprise me if she did this all herself before the little bug was killed. Cranberry has asked me to continue writing the book since Ruby is gone.”

He holds a book in his hand with the title Rainfall.

“Well, you did follow her half her journey. I am sure they trust you more than they would trust me if they learned who I am.”

The one in the cloak laughs.

“Yes, the universe seems to be speaking for you again. Anyway, I will speak to you again my friend. I need to get going for a party to remember the little bug.”

Beezen leaves, closing the door and the Minotaur writes everything which has been said into the book and closes it.

_____________

Hard Rock Hospital and medical tests

The sun slowly comes up over the mountains. A beam of sunlight wakes me up. I groan, opening my eyes. I look around seeing Sunny Day's work signing some papers to get some more supplies and another pegasus nod. I turn my head to see Cranberry laying her head on me and she is asleep.

Sunny days notice I am awake coming to me to check my vital signs. She leans down to whisper to me.

“Are you doing okay?”

I nod trying to get up Sunny keeps me down.

“No, you’re here to stay little one. Cranberry has a lot of plans for you to make sure you’re okay. Meaning she will be testing you with everything again. She knew you would fly away when you woke up. So I made sure to stick around while she rested on you.”

I look at the red mare sleeping on me. I don’t know why she is doing this. I have never seen such kindness in my life. I grunt gently trying to at least move. When the sun hits the eyes of the red mare she opens her eyes yawning. He lifts her head shaking her head. She and Sunny Days go do other things. I look around. I don't see Tick Tock or Waterspout. They must have left to get some sleep themselves.

An hour later though Cranberry came back into the room with a drink called Coffee? Sunny Days replaced the empty IV bag with another witch that holds pure glowing magic. I gasp calmly feeling the cold magic going through my system.

“Sunny, can you gather everything?”

Sunny nods. I am confused about what she means by that. I glance at Cranberry and she sighs softly, smirking at me.

“Ruby. Do you mind if we redo all the tests? It would mean we have to redo every single thing. It will help me with getting you better if we have to go through this all again”

I groan.

“Come on Cranberry I know you’re coming with us but do you have to?”

She tilts her head.

“Ruby, I need to make sure you’re healthy. It won’t be easy for me to go with you if I can’t understand how your body works.”

Sunny days come over, wrapping me close to her again and stroking my head.

“If you don’t do it for her can you do it for the two of us?”

I glance up at the two mares. Their gentle eyes are so gentle and motherly. I am trying very hard to fight their gentle motherly eyes. It’s harder said than done. I sigh I don’t want to be poked or prodded and all that.

“Okay fine…what do we do first?”

Cranberry nods to Sunny. The other mare trots off to get everything ready.

“We will be doing everything Ruby. So that means making you pee and give me a sample of your droppings you understand?”

I groan again. Sunny pulls the iv out of my side. She gives me the bag patting my head.

“Drink before we start the test, Ruby.”

I glance at Cranberry.

“Yes, we need to check how pure magic works on your system. My other question before we start is ``can you kill somepony by training too much magic?”

I nod

“Yes, I can make mistakes if I don’t let up. The pony will grow old and if I take all their magic from their core it will take a long time for them to come back from it. Sometimes their organs can’t handle it. So if they have some magic left in their core then they can return from it.”

I force my mandibles into the iv bag letting the pure magic go into my system. I feel it all going into me at once. I feel parts of my exoskeleton that haven't gathered magic into the wounded parts slowly heal and what has dented pushes back out into normal.

Cranberry quickly grabs a clipboard writing down what she sees. Sunny Days looks after me after some parts of me are healed.

“From the looks of it Cranberry, it takes a long time for any of her body to heal. Ruby, is there anything which could take this magic in your system away?”

I glance over at Cranberry and then at Sunny.

“There are some weapons ponies made which can block my ability to use magic. It has to be set to a certain setting. With the setting, my entire ability to fly can be removed from me.”

When I said this I got very worried they would be using these weapons on me. I look around to make sure none of these types of energy weapons are around. I don’t see any relaxing a bit. I doubt they would ever shoot me.

“I will be doing the other test, Ruby. Cranberry will be doing the more invasive testing. So I need you to relax while I take your blood and I need you to go to the bathroom so I can get some samples. So I will be doing the more gentle things. Cranberry will be beating you up.”

I glance at Sunny Days and I look at Cranberry sighing

“What do you mean by invasive?”

Cranberry giggles trotting off while she goes set whatever she is going to set up. Sunny sits in a chair and puts a cup on my body to test my blood pressure, right? My body is so different from a ponies so I doubt they would be able to read it.

“Now relax and let me do what I can okay?”

The pressure hurts so much I groan feeling the cold object check what is called a pulse? Do I even have one? I grunt feeling a needle go into my side after I buzz in pain and Sunny stroking my head with her wing.

“Shhh it’s okay it will be over soon.”

I watch the blood go into the vials they’re taking more than normal than this. I don’t know why they’re taking like ten vials and another nurse comes in to grab the vials and trot off. The needle is removed from my body and I grunt feeling a bit beat up.

“Alright, are you ready for the more invasive tests Ruby? It’s not going to be pleasant.”

I look up at Sunny Days. I am concerned about what she means by invasive. I take a deep buzzing breath letting out the air buzzing my wings to try to destress myself. I flap my wings following Sunny to where Cranberry is.

“What do you mean by Invasive?”

Sunny chuckles.

“Well, first we will have you do the samples for us. We will be placing you in a machine to look at every inch of your body. Give you X-rays so we can see your insides. Are you sure you still wish to do all this?”

I glance at Cranberry when we get into the room. I look at the two mares. They both look at me. I can tell they don’t want to push me into something I don’t wish to do. They’re willing to let me do it if I don’t want to.

“Look I may not enjoy being poked and prodded. Even though I think it’s wise for you two to do it. Since Cranberry will be coming with me on my journey. I have a feeling so much is going to be happening to us that we need a good doctor.”

Cranberry blushes her red cheeks turn redder. She giggles.

“I will do my best, I can't promise anything. Now Sunny, can you take her to the bathroom while I get everything else ready?”

Sunny nods as the older mare lead me to the bathroom. She looks down at me smiling.

“So tell me do you know how to use the toilet?”

I glance at the white object in the middle of the bathroom. What is the toilet? Why is it even here? Do others use it? The older mare lifts the lid with her wing. She tells me to come over and I flap my wings watching her.

“This is how ponies and others go to the bathroom. They use this object: how do your species go to the bathroom?”

I stare at the older mare. Why would anyone even ask such a question? Outside, why not just use it? I did that so many times back on the island. Unless there is something I don’t understand about how proper citizens live?

“Forgive me Sunny but I do it another way. Because it’s there unless I am not doing it like a proper lady? Am I wrong or do I need to be a proper lady in the eyes of ponies?”

Sunny looks down at me. I could tell in her mind I might be an improper creature. I will never understand ponies. The ones on the island didn’t care how you lived. They were respectful of how you lived.

“I have no room to question you little Ruby. I may be a proper old mare in the eyes of some. But I have done some questionable things in my past. Including using the wild as the bathroom. It’s the best you can do when you can’t have indoor plumbing.”

I am confused about what many do? Also, what is indoor plumbing? The island did have stuff like this with the magic tech it had. It made no sense to me but it did have it. I am never going to understand any of this.

“I see, so just give the samples and then you will test it for what?”

Sunny explains to me how the testing works. It’s to see how my system works and to see if I need to change my diet to certain foods. She then explains it will help them understand more creatures like me since Magic eaters keep to themselves.

“I never thought of that so I am the guinea pig so others like me have to go through it.”

Sunny giggles.

“Well sweetie it could be that but also it could be we need to make sure we keep you alive. Because trying to protect land like this and doing what some would consider heroic. It may get bad enough that you may consider yourself a hero.”

I sigh deeply, shaking my head.

“I don’t have the right to consider myself a hero, Sunny. After what I did on the island and all the death I caused. I know I was controlled but still, I will never get over the anger I feel I could have fought the control.”

Sunny leans down to wrap me in her wings.

“Shh please, Ruby, stop beating yourself up. You can’t blame yourself for everything. You did what you felt was right to come this way to free yourself from your past and you feel it’s returning?”

I nod weakly.

“I worry no matter what I do I will never redeem myself. I want to protect this land but do I have a right to do so with the pain I have in my soul?”

I take a deep breath relaxing and take the cups to get the samples and the bag. Sunny gets out of the bathroom to let me have privacy and I pee into the cups and I stare at the urine after. I am amazed at the glowing of my body fluids. I then take the sample and notice a compartment for placing the objects inside. I go to the sink to clean my hands.

“You done?’

I come out nodding

“Now what?”

Sunny sighs looking towards the MRI room.

“Ruby, do you have issues with closed spaces?”

Closed spaces? I have never had this question asked before. I think of a moment looking back through my life. Have I had issues with closed spaces? I have no idea I glance at the room looking back at Sunny.

“I don’t know if I did, I don't remember.”

Sunny nods. I followed her into the room. There are so many strange machines. I have never seen so many machines used to test me. I look at Cranberry who is setting up two blankets and a pillow on a strange tray. I think it goes inside the machine?

“Okay Ruby lay here Sunny and I will get you set up.”

I do as Cranberry saids I get on my back. Sunny makes sure I am fully spread out. They put strange cups on me. Cranberry forces a needle in my side. I grunt in pain and notice a white fluid going into my system. Sunny puts the other blanket over me whispering into my ear.

“If you feel confined it will just be for a while don’t worry we will be here to talk with you.”\

Cranberry gets everything to make sure the system is going to work.

“Okay, this machine is a bit older than the ones we have in the clouds. So this will take an hour to read every inch of you. Let me know when you’re done if you felt like you were panicking or had deep-rooted fears.”

I stared at Cranberry and then at Sunny I tried to stay brave. Cranberry clicks the button and the machine draws me inside. I gulped trying to relax and when I fully got into the machine a glass window closed, locking me in here. I look around. It's nice and dark. The machine just makes strange sounds. I hear Sunny's voice.

“Okay, we will be turning on the system. We both will be talking to you. So are you ready?’

I buzz softly.

“I am ready.”

I hear a clicking sound and bright lights come on. It starts making strange computerized sounds and I feel my body tearing itself apart digging through me magically to look me over. I scream scared to death of the sounds.

“LET ME OUT!!”

Sunny goes silent for a moment.

“She is panicking, should we let her out?”

I hear only the sounds of the machine. It gets worse and I scream in fear. I look around, my eyes jotting around. I feel like the walls are closing in on me. I feel so weak and like I am trapped. The walls they close in.

“Sunny, if we don’t do this she will never let us do it. We need to push through it. Maybe sing to her and she will relax.”

I panic more trying to flap my wings. I can’t flap them at all. I look around noticing Shadows and try to see who comes in. I see Tick Tock and she looks inside waving at me. Waterspout does the same waving at me. She looks worried about me though seeing my fear.

After a while I notice Tick Tock having system problems being near the machine. She gets away from it and is still close enough to talk to the others. It looks like it was causing some of her systems to seize up.

“Tick Tock, she is panicking. Do you think singing to her will relax her?”

I could hear Tick Tock a little.

“Cranberry I may have known her for at least ten years. But I don’t know everything about her. She likes you and Sunny so maybe one of you sings for her.”

The machine has music coming through it. I have heard of this magic music before. I look around but I just hear it from the machine. It's a gentle little tune. I feel relaxed, feeling my body still being pulled apart from the machine.

“Little gentle bug doesn’t let the world get to you, my little friend. Oh, such a sweet little creature of such a big heart. Listen to Sunny days as she sings for you. Ooh ooh ooh. I have been lost for so long. I have lost my grand foals after the hardliner's war. I see you. I remember what I have missed. I miss raising little ones. I miss them all so much.”

Cranberry adds to the song.

“Oh, little bug, listen to our song. We are here to help your little one. You’re a gentle creature, don't allow your past to get to you little one. Oo hoo hoo. Such a gentle little one listening to our singing voices will help you get through this task.”

Sunny and Cranberry sing together.

“Oh, little creature with a big heart. You’re not only a friend to us, you're a gentle creature who has shown us a great and mighty heart. You gave us a meaning to do something with our lives. After everything which happened to the both of us.”

The song ended and the hour went pretty quickly. I feel relaxed and they unhook everything for me. The two mares both kiss my forehead. Sunny helps me off the strange system. I know I am not done with the testing.

“We got a few more tests, are you up for them?”

I look up at Cranberry.

“I am up for it. If that is the only one that would have to lock me into the system. So what is next?”

Cranberry thinks.

“Before you go to Cranberry can you please check out Waterspout for me?”

Cranberry blinks, turning to look at Tick Tock and Waterspout.

“What’s up?”

Tick Tock gently removes WaterSpouts cloak and her back is covered in some nasty wounds. I notice the mark on her shoulder. I fly up to get a good look at it. I know that mark. I swear I know that mark.

“Wait, that is a water hunter mark.”

Tick Tock sighed.

“WaterSpout got attacked by some water hunters; they beat her with a whip and then marked her. I lied for her so a proxy war wouldn’t happen because of Waterspout getting hurt. We talked this morning and she told me telling the truth won’t cause an issue if it stays between us.”

I felt a great deal of rage building in my body. Waterspout noticed how upset I looked and Sunny quickly trots off to get something.

“Ego denique Ruby. Noli quaeso tribum meam odisse.”

I was confused looking over to Tick Tock.

“She asked you not to hate her tribe. We have no right to judge how her tribe runs. I did hurt or I could have killed many from her tribe. I even tried to use one of the ointments to help her. As you can tell it caused more problems.”

I look closely at the wounds some of them are infected and soon after Sunny comes back.

“Tell her we need to go inside those wounds, clean them out and remove a lot of the flesh. I hope she understands it will be painful.”

Tick Tock glances at Sunny looking at Waterspout.

“Purgant vulnera tua, et malam carnem eiciunt. Esne bene hoc?”

Waterspout tenses up looking at Sunny. She then looks at Tick Tock and she looks worried about trusting Sunny. She then looks at me tilting her head. I give her a nod. She nods to Sunny. She follows Sunny and Tick Tock so Tick could talk if she is panicking.

I sigh looking back to Cranberry

“I am ready for the rest of the tests.”

Cranberry sets me up for what is called an X-Ray? I am confused and she places a lead vest on me and starts x-raying every part of my body. Again I am so confused about how this works. It doesn’t feel convincing and I am very relaxed.

“Hmm, Ruby it's going to take a while before all this is ready. I got a few more tests and then we will have to wait a while for it all to be ready. After the tests I want you to come with me to my office. I need to talk to you. It’s about your mental health. I heard the anger you and Tick Tock had for each other out of the blue.”

She takes me to another room and there is a bed with a strange system.

“What is this?”

Cranberry chuckles.

“It’s an Ultrasound system. It's normal to check for pregnancy but I am using it to see how your heart sounds and works. Don’t worry you will be fine, it's not confining. So you ready for it?”

I sigh deeply getting into the bed and she places the strange sticky black objects on me and she connects them to strange wires and I look around to see how everything works. It’s just so odd there is so much stuff to check how the body works.

“Now after this, there is another heart reader to see how strong your heart is. Then we got another test and it will be close to the last ones. Then we have to check your weight and then stress tests. Then I got to ask the nurses to look through everything we did. It will take a while for Sunny and the others to get everything done. I hope you’re okay with this.”

I close my eyes again.

“Yes, I am fine with this.”

I watch while Cranberry places a strange cream on the machine. I notice a lot of it works on pony magic technology. I am starting to see why the ponies went away from their roots. Sadly, it took a technology boost for the world to die as it did. I feel the cream slide on my body. I can take a look and I notice how my heart works.

I stare at the machine. I see that there are like two other hearts connected to it. In the first two, it’s for my normal blood system and to force blood through my system and she looks at the other one. It’s the magic heart that flows the magic through my system; it looks to be connected to a large core. My body looks so alien even to me and Cranberry takes a pencil to write down what she sees.

“Ruby, your body is not made for these machines. If your kind starts showing up around the world we would have to try to find a way to make machines just made for your species. I worry they might have to be very invasive to teach how your body works.”

She clicks a few keys and I listen to how my heart sounds. She listens to the two witches pump the blood into my system. They both sound like a drum and work very hard for my body. She then listens to how the one witch forces magic through my body. This one sounds like it can’t be read very easily and it makes no sound at all since I am full of magic. I notice she leaves a moment and brings a strange energy weapon that has a stunning setting.

“This is going to hurt.”

She shoots me with it and the magic heart begins working hard pumping magic through my system again since it looks like the core which holds all my magic went dark. Then after the stunning feeling leaves my body the heart begins to beat normally again.

“Did you have to do that?!”

I cough, feeling my body working correctly again.

“Hmm, it does seem you’re correct, certain weapons can cause your magic system to shut down.”

She unhooks me from the system and I stare at her angrily. She hears me buzzing. I am buzzing like a very angry bee. She just smirks sweetly at me. I get even angrier that she dares to try to be so sweet to me.

“Oh hush Ruby, I am just doing what you’re allowing me to do if you didn’t want me to do it you should have said something.”

I buzz angrily allowing her to lead me to another room for more heart testing. I just sound like an angry honey bee who has been pissed off too much. She places me on the strange bed. It looks like a bed for a very young foal.

“We normally use these systems for foals younger than you. Since I don’t know your true age, Ruby I will have to do this.”

I chuckle.

“I was born seventy years ago on the island. Of course my species age very differently so to you I am seventy but to my species, I am just twenty close to twenty-one. It takes us many years just to get one year.”

Cranberry stares at me.

“You’re older than me but sweetie you act so extremely young for your age.

I sigh softly

“Majesty made my species this way so she could control us easier. It takes a long time for us to age mentally.”

Cranberry connects me to everything. She watches how strong my heart system works and it doesn’t even read my heart or magic heart correctly at all. Finally, she removes it. I am starting to get very upset. I thought we would be done by now.

She carries me on her back. She tells me just a few more tests and I can leave to get something to eat because I am extremely hungry at least that’s how It feels to me after all these tests. It’s gotten to the point my anger for all this is getting upsetting.

Sunny trots through wearing a blood-white outfit. She trots back down the hall with more bandages and thread. I am hoping Waterspout is okay. I am sure they will have to do a lot of nasty cleaning for the poor mare.

Cranberry sets me on a scale to check my weight. I barely weigh much of anything that is made for ponies she giggles.

“This weight system acts like you don’t exist, little one.”

I buzz angrily.

“Stop calling me little one!!”

Cranberry giggles kissing my head.

“Sweetheart to ponies you will always be little. Now two more tests this is a promise. I am going to be setting you up on a flying machine to test you and then to see how your body handles running and stress. Are you ready for all this?”

I grunt while Cranberry sets up the machine. I watch her tilting my head.

“I am so used to Alicorn Magi-tech it doesn’t make sense to have technology this invasive when stuff I lived in for years it’s odd to me. So I have no idea what is going on with half of this stuff.”

Cranberry glances at me.

“Say that again?”

I glance up at Cranberry.

“Alicorn Magi-tech? Technology mixed with magic I know it’s strange, it's how it worked there at least.”

Cranberry sighs.

“I see you're used to technology we can’t even make. Alright, the flight part of the tests is ready.”

I fly into the air getting connected to the system. A unicorn nurse walks in holding a clipboard to help with this test. I look back to the doorway worried about Waterspout. After a while, I see Waterspout with Tick Tock beside her walking out of the hospital. She is wearing her cloak and Sunny comes back wearing a clean outfit.

“I did the best I could for Waterspout now her body just needs to heal. Whatever they used on her it wasn’t pleasant. She didn’t want me to heal the area they burned a mark on her skin. So how are the tests going?”

Cranberry chuckles.

“I don’t have the heart to tell her it’s been almost three hours. I am sure she is getting very upset and she hasn't cussed at me thankfully.”

I stare at Cranberry while the machine works. Sunny giggles looking up at me while she watches. The tests are finally done and they both set me to run. I groan. I am getting upset now my stinger comes out of my ass.

“We are very sorry this has been taxing for you, Ruby. Can you at least let us do these last two tests and we wait for the results?”

I grunt, sighing as we go through the running tests for thirty minutes. I watch the mares write what they see and then I am placed into another chair and strange electrodes connect to my body. I am warned this could be very painful. After many painless minutes, I grunt allowing the rest of these tests, and my body is very hurt and in pain. Sunny has to carry me to Cranberries office. She helps me in the chair.

It takes at least thirty more minutes to get all the tests.

“I am sorry it’s taking so long, Ruby. I can tell from the look in your eyes you had enough of us.”

I chuckle weakly. I want to cuss out these two mares. But they have been so kind to me. If I didn’t allow them to do this to me it would have been someone else they tested. It’s just I never expected stuff like this to get very boring. If this is how every new race they meet goes through seriously.

“I am sure other races had it worse off than me.”

Sunny nods

“I wouldn’t know but since a lot of the old tests and files have been long gone. Unless we go to the old test systems around the land we might be able to find files. But I highly doubt we could really.”

I sigh getting into the chair Sunny is in and leaning on her. I nuzzle her side feeling calmer and happier since she has been so sweet and kind to me. The older mare covers me with her wing holding me close to her side.

“I am sorry Ruby. I am asking you to go through all this. You have so much to go through. Some call you a hero and now you have to go through this endless testing. At least all you have to wait for now is the results. I warn you though the results might not be fully told since we know nothing about you.”

I chuckle

“I know nothing about my own body either. I may have had a brood before. It didn’t survive because well they all died because of the war and they were forcibly aged to get ready to fight Star Shooter.”

Sunny strokes my head.

“You don’t act like a mother.”

I chuckle

“They were taken from me after I laid the eggs. I don’t even remember who the male was. I remember nothing about that, it's just sad. Majesty did so much to our bodies I am sure if I had a brood I would not be there to raise them. I will have to watch them from afar.”

I look away from the desk looking towards the door hearing Cranberries hooves while she walks down the halls. I don’t know how I know it’s here she walks with a gentle stride and maybe a stride that is full of pride.

She came in with a pretty condensed result list. She sits in a chair on the other side of the desk setting it down.

“Now your results. I don’t understand much about your body Ruby. But I learned enough that some weapons can destroy your ability to fly or for your body to work. From what I see though you’re a very healthy young lady. So it’s going to take a while to learn more about you which would mean we have to do more tests. But you’re very easily stressed and you might need to lay off the pure red meat. Other than that I am sure you will be good.”

Sunny chuckles.

“Cranberry means we will have to do more tests and take more time to learn more about our little friend here.”

I stroke my head with a little buggy hand. I feel annoyed I spent the whole time going through this and they understand nothing about me. I can’t expect them to know about me right away. It will take more studying of what they got to learn more about me.

“Can I go now?”

Cranberry glances at Sunny and they both nod.

“Go ahead Ruby, I am sorry if we wasted your time.”

I smile weakly

“It's okay. I just want to get out of here now the smell is getting to me.”

I flap my wings flying out of the office. I get close to the way out.

“You failed…”

I stop suddenly turning to see the robots surrounding me. I try to get away from them. I feel the stress in my body getting intense. No, I will not let this beat me.

“You lost a little bug. I put you in your place. It’s time to admit it..”

The robot which attacked grabbed me in my mind forcing me into the wall. I stare at the robot as if in my head I am in the wall body-wise I am still flying in the air I feel my body in pain.

“I will not admit that I failed. Get off me!!”

I break from the grip and when the robots vanish I fly right into the wall falling right onto the ground groaning and stroking my head. I glance up seeing a shadowy creature in the window suddenly going away.

I fly up to the window to see if I can see anything. I see a piece of purple fabric finish behind a wall. I grunt, stroking my head and sighing. I wonder what in the world that was. I head outside to head to the bar. I see many walking through the streets and I see no one else with the strange fabric.

I sighed, shaking my head. What in the world was that? I fly off to the bar to relax and get something hard to drink.

___________

Goldies bar

It’s been an hour since I have been here drinking down another bottle of rum. I have been building up a tab and I still can’t get drunk. I sigh feeling awful after what happened. I look around again seeing many of the same souls within here. I suddenly see the fabric again and I see the face of one wearing the fabric.

She looks at me. I stare at my little buggy hands and spiders climb all over my body. I try to get them off me and I smash my buggy hands on the table. Dunewalker grabs me with her cybernetic paw.

“Ruby?! Are you okay?”

I shake my head looking at the booth across from me and I just see a pony there.

“I don’t know. I have been seeing a strange creature in an odd purple-looking fabric that walks on two legs. They have hair only on their head.”

Dunewalker stares at me. She sits in the booth with me.

“Are you okay Ruby? If you have to admit getting your ass kicked by a robot that caused you to lose yourself mentally for a bit then you have a right to admit that.”

I groan.

“Dunewalker I am not going to admit to anything. I just need to relax a bit before I head on our training.”

Dunewalker sighs.

“Ruby, I need to tell you something..”

I ignore her drinking more rum.

“I am a minion of Wheel Tread and he wants to use you.”

When I hear this I don’t hear what she saids. I hear something else. ‘You’re an idiot Ruby and I see you like the most worthless creature ever.’

“I guess I am worthless.”

I glance up at Dune and she looks surprised at what I said. She turns her head to look at someone or something at another table. I haven’t seen her this angry before. I don’t look because I feel if I do I will get attacked again

“No Ruby you’re not worthless you’re just very easily stressed out. It’s not easy to work on your stress levels. I know a way you could if you wish to learn how during our training?”

I smile weakly drinking from the rum.

“I wouldn’t mind learning to be stronger when it comes to that.”

Dunewalker sighs.

“Okay, that’s enough.”

She grabs me with her cybernetic paw pulling me out of the bar setting money down on the bar nodding to Goldie. When we fully get outside she brings me outside the town to a strange cave heading into the mountain Hard Rock is connected to.

“You need to stop feeling sorry for yourself so I feel the best way is to do some training. I will teach you a few things. Then you have to get through the old pony military training. I am going to ask you to get through in at least twenty to thirty hours do you think you can do that?”

I sigh.

“What is the point?”

Dune growls smacking me across the face. I shake my head and stare up at Dunewalker. I buzz angrily at her.

“Enough of this woe is me shit you want to help this land?! If you want to prove you’re not a hero then get over yourself. Do your best to help this land Ruby that is all I am asking. You will fail at times and you need to keep going and not let your mind take over.”

I take a deep breath releasing my stress.

“Alright I will try now what do I need to do?”

Dunewalker sets down a blanket of weapons. I see many of them including a dagger with a strange red gem. I stare at the gem closely and I notice it looks like the gem. The gem has a great power I am trying to understand what it is. My sight suddenly goes all fuzzy as I fail to see it. I try again and I just give up after a while.

“I am going to let you pick at least one of these weapons.”

I focus on the dagger picking the dagger and staring at it. Why do I feel attracted to this dagger? I feel like it has powerful magic within it. I pull the dagger out of its scabbard and notice the glowing runes. These runes are powerful. I feel them very strongly. Duneawlker sets down a book of runic magic.

“This is rare magic only camels use. It’s rare for anyone else other than camels to use it. Some runes can make armor and are powerful and unbreakable. Some runes could heal your wounds if you stab in the body of a creature.”

I have never seen or heard of this type of magic before. Strangely, camels have their magic. When I open the book to read it the magic is very impressive and hard to understand. There is a rune on making your armor never break or one for endless pockets. There is one called the giant bag of holding?

“This is odd magic. How long has your species been using it?”

Dunewalker chuckles.

“We created the runic magic during the age of Celestia and Luna before Luna was sent to the moon. Camels don’t normally have magic in their bodies so we had to find a way to make our magic. By connecting our souls to the sand itself. The sand to us is our magic and it’s our lifeblood. At least that is how the story goes, at least I remember from those before me.”

I nod reading through the book.

“So you just want me to learn at least one rune?”

Dune nods.

“To those who never grew up learning the runic magic. It will take longer for you to learn. If you grew up with it and normally are one with the sand then you will have an easier time. Now what you do is write the runes you see in the sand. Read the runic magic symbols closely.”

I tilt my head.

“What if there is no sand around to use this magic, is there another way?”

Dune nods.

“It’s not easy but it will take every part of your magic core inside you. It could even kill your magic core for months because of having no sand around. The sand makes it easier since it’s the lifeblood of camel magic.”

I look through the runes. I notice the runes on the dagger already are blood absorbing. I read what the rune does. ‘This rune is used to gather the blood of the innocent or the evil. Gather all the blood for any deed you wish to use it for. If you do the rune right it will fill a powerful gem. Warning this spell will not bring back the water of the land.’

“Only two runes work on one thing. If you put too many runes on a weapon or armor they will explode from the power of magic or it will just not be able to be used from the power within it. Now I want you to find an easier rune. Look for the rune that will make the knife unbreakable from anything.”

Looking through the book I found the one she asked me to find. I write the runes in the sand. The runes glow gently in the sand when I do so. I noticed the words and they’re hard for me to say.

“Alright, you will have to speak how the camel speaks. It will take time to learn every word. So don’t worry about failing. When you say the spell you will feel the magic in the sand form on you.”

I lay the dagger under the runes and they glow brightly, pick up sand and begin to chant the words. It takes a while to say the words correctly.

“talasim min maedin ghayr qabil lilkasr tastajib likalami watajeal silahi ghayr qabil lilkasr”

When I say them correctly and fully I feel runes burning into my body. I place my puggy hand on the dagger and the sand engulfs me and the dagger after a while, the sand vanishes back into the very ground and the rune glows brightly on the dagger.

“Not bad you did mess up a word or two but it still understood what you meant. Now how this training will work. You will live off the land and you will make armor from whatever you find in there. Same with medicine and so on with food. The only thing that will help you is this dagger. Now before anything else are you sure you’re up for this?”

I sigh softly putting the dagger back into the scabbard, putting the strap of the scabbard on my side looking to see if I can grab it and pull it out. I notice I can and take a deep breath looking at the cavern. Dunewalker grabs my face with her paws and I look into her eyes.

“Oi buggy, listen and listen well. If you fail, don't take it too harshly. If you run out of time and still finish I will let it slide. You don’t need to prove yourself at all to me. I may be an ass hole but you’re a gentle creature trying to prove yourself. Again if you wish to back out I will not judge you for it.”

I force her paws off my face staring at her.

“You insulted me many times when we met Dunewalker. What changed so much that you’re willing to look the other way if I chicken out?’

Dunewalker smirks.

“I will still have the right to insult you and be racist towards you if you back out. But no matter what I will still respect you deeply. It takes alot for me to respect anyone. The fact you want to help this land on your terms makes me smile.”

I glance towards the way into the cavern. I head towards the entrance of the cavern looking at it. I see it’s a pretty normal cave that has been upgraded for ponies or ever lives here and trains. I look to see a sign ‘Warning real monsters and beasts within come in at your own risk. All zebras must pay!!’

I roll my eyes oh geez how helpful. There are evil beasts in here but then oh zebras are evil and must kill!! I shake my head. I have read some old newspapers about all this. I look back at Dunewalker and she sighs.

“Something wrong?”

I shrug my shoulders.

“Just wondering why there is just a random door in a cave.”

Dunewalker walks to the entrance and laughs.

“Inside is a lobby, a barracks, and a place to eat. I doubt anyone has been in there for years. I warn you to go in and you go right straight out and you will find your way into the training area. But you might find some helpful stuff if you search through the base before leaving.”

I glance back at Dunewalker.

“Is there no one living there?”

Dunewalker shrugs her shoulders.

“I highly doubt that if you find anyone alive in there I will eat a bowl of sand.”

I head inside the cave taking a deep breath and closing my eyes. Should I do this? I hover there a moment thinking before I fully go ahead Dune places her paw on my back. I glance back at Dunewalker.

“If you get way over your head Ruby. I will not judge you for coming back out. I promise again I will not think any less of you.”

I sigh

“Why are you being so kind to me after you insulted me?

Dune smirks

“I am a gal of many different faces and emotions. I will always insult you. I will belittle you but I will not treat you any less if I consider you a friend.”

I nod, opening the door and heading inside.

____________

Old military training cavern

When I get inside the old base. Looking around it looks like the base Star Shooter blew up on the island. The main area looks like a lobby for a recruitment area. I turn around to look around and I stare at a pony skeleton hanging from a fan. Looking around more I see many more bodies of ponies. All I could see was a lot of them attacking each other. I turn around even more seeing more bodies scattered about these ponies killing each other there is no doubt about it. I see many with knives on their backs. One with a desk tossed on a small body looking like mare bones.

I take a deep breath, closing my eyes, tears falling from my eyes. I feel so sorry for these ponies here to train to fight in some war that would end the world. I look around and I swear I am hearing an old recording.

“Ponies, I regret to inform you that Cantorlot has been hit. I…it’s not just that.”

I walk towards the sounds seeing a screen. I see what is called the news and it seems to be a recording. It seems someone recorded this and set to play it over and over. I watch the ponies speak frantically.

“We got a camera down there to show….”

I watch them change the cameras to many places in Equestria a large city and it looks like the bomb went off and seen many of balefire bombs blowing up all over and one of zebra and ponies fighting in a large trench war.

When they see the contrails they stop their fight and they look at each other. They know they can’t run and I watch at least a pony and a zebra hug and when the bombs hit the camera turns. I hear the screams, the endless screaming, and the flash. Then it rewinds starting up again. From the start of the war. Why would someone record this?

I glance at a pony skeleton on a couch. Looking at the table they wrote something on a piece of paper I looked down at it and then back at the pony. ‘To those who wish to see the past if you survived this war. I recorded all this… I don’t know why to show the hubris of our pride. To show the stupidity of our leadership. To show everything they caused in the name of the pony kind.’

There is another letter near it. ‘I grew up in a world of peace. Then we couldn’t stop ourselves from angering the zebras or those who fought with them. Even though they never wanted this war themselves. We still are at fault because our elites saw the money in their eyes. They sold our souls to the devil. I have sat here as the others around me kill or kill each other. I don’t know how long I will last.’

I glance at another letter ‘It’s been at least a month I can no longer search for food. On the outside, there is an endless sand storm from a balefire bomb that hit the salt flats. I don’t even dare to try to go into the training cavern. But.. I am not strong enough. I am all alone now. All I can do is…Poppy. My love if you read this. I am sorry..’

I look at the couch again and I notice the ponies head has a giant hole in it. The entire couch was covered in dried blood. The gun on the floor all the bullets spiraled all over the place. I stare at the gun for a long while. I want to take it but I feel I have no right to move this display of pain and misery. Looking back at the screen and then back at the body. I turn it off to let the pony finally rest.

I doubt there is anything I could find in this building to help me through here. I head down to the kitchen area and many more bodies. I take a deep breath, shaking my head I will see these ponies in my nightmares.

I am not going to defile this base. Someone else who wants to defile it will come through here themselves. I got a task to do and it’s all I can do. I head back out of the kitchen heading towards the door leading to the training area. The walls are heavy metal, there are no windows to see out and the one door is tightly closed. There is a button to let me open the door. I take one deep breath exhaling looking back at the past. Ah, all I can do is bow my head. I can't do anything to honor these dead. I click the button and it makes loud alarms and the door grinds and screeches while it opens.

“Welcome Stallion or mare welcome to the best day of your lives. Joining the Equestrian Military to strike those evil striped monsters from our lands. Remember you will be tested on how heartless and how strong mentally you’re. If you do anything we consider wrong or a problem. Pinkie Pie is always watching you remember this.”

I glance at the poster on the wall. Pinkie Pie is always watching you. Then look at the other wall, Join the Steel Rangers and one last one The Ministry of peace. I stare again at the eyes of the pink mare. I swear her eyes are following me.

The door fully opens up.

“Welcome to the first day of the rest of your lives. Honor the princess to get the mares and even stallions if you swing that way. Including to you mares yes go for your sex be part of the next swing of things yes. So yes, the true warrior of the light.”

I roll my buggy eyes, yes warrior of light in a war that ended in fire. How lovely. I lift myself into the air and head to the first area of training. I see a sign about the first part of my training. ‘Welcome, Sir or madam. So you wish to fight the striped monsters and drive them from our lands? Well, then you need to learn the basics. So to handle this we got many of Equestria’s harsh and awful monsters and creatures so you can treat them like trash because they’re for zebra killing training.’

A deep angry buzz leaves my body from flapping my wings. I read on the sign there are many things on the list. Next, you will have to learn to repair your wounds. When you get through the cavern you will find a book on how to do so. If you bleed too much and die we aren’t at fault here. You’re at fault for not being strong enough.’

I glance at all the bones including the blood on the walls saying ‘The world has ended!!’ Looking at the sign again there is more on the list. ‘You will learn how to cook, Skin, and make your clothing during this training. You will find books on each thing in the area and make this easier on you. There are blast doors to separate each area. The first area is to deal with the beasts and to cook and so on. Deeper in the cavern you will see zebra prisoners who we forced to help train you. If they kill, not our problem. Then later a live battle simulator of real bombs and bullets being fired.’

My buggy mouth hangs open a gap. Did they bring zebra prisoners here? To help ponies learn to train and that means killing them. I want to get pissed off at these ponies. But I can't because they're all long and done. Unless the ones who wrote this sign are a ghoul and they regret everything they did.

There is one last thing on the sign. ‘Now if you’re a flier or a unicorn. If you wish to do this thirty-hour training press this button here now warning. Don’t press if you’re pregnant or a big cry baby.’

I press the button and the door opens up leaning to the first area for cooking and training. I walk towards the door. Before I could I heard a machine running and turned to see a strange gun come down and it blasts at me many times. I didn’t move fast enough and when it hit me I was stunned for a while. I felt all the magic in my system gone and I can’t even fly now. I look at my wings, they won’t even move.

“Now make us proud sir or madam”

I groan walking into the first area of the training. When I get into it the blast door slowly comes down and closes up tight. Natural light goes through this cavern. I glance to the side of the cavern. There is fresh water flowing through the area into a pipe heading into the base. There is fresh water here?

I turn to look at the cavern. It's a huge cavern in the mountains. I find it amazing so many creatures and monsters of old never got affected by the radiation and balefire of the. I look around forgetting I am in a cavern full of beasts. So being the dumb-ass bug I normally end up allowing my mind to forget. A shadow casts over me. I gulp deeply hearing growling behind me. I grab the knife in many of my little buggy hands.

I turn to see a strange powerful fleshy wolf. The wolf has hunger in its eyes. I quickly move out of the way of its attacks. I move out of the way quick once more this time though the little shockwave from its paw hitting the ground causes me to stumble a bit. It swipes at me hard to make me fly towards the wall. I didn’t feel claws in that thankfully I positioned some of my legs in a way to catch myself on the wall. I quickly skitter down the wall and the wolf attacks me again. This time the paw hits me hard and I fall from the wall grunting. I shake my head, it swings its paw and I stab the dagger in its foot and the wolf screams and whines in pain.

I quickly move out of the way. I don't get out of the way fast enough and I get hit by the claws of the wolf. I buzz in pain, my glowing magic blood flowing through the wound. I watch the wolf's other paw while the poor creature holds it up and when the paw comes down. The paw comes down and I quickly move out of the way bouncing off the wall and stab the dagger into the foot through it into the ground to pin it. The wolf howls and screams in pain quickly before the creature regains itself. I force my mandibles into the neck of the creature.

I drain the magic from the poor wolf. Most would think a creature like this doesn’t have magic every single being of this world is connected someway to the Leylines. My claw wounds seal leaving at least a little scar. I pull my mandibles out of the poor wolf and the body of the wolf falls to the ground. Trying to move but from the magic I took I can just strike. I grab the dagger from the paw pulling the dagger out. I stare at the pathetic wolf. The eyes are full of pain and all I can do is kill it.

“I am sorry..”

I softly say to the wolf. I set the dagger to the throat, slicing through it. The flesh-ripping the blood spattering to some it would be music. To others, it would be horror but to others, it’s simply life. Life of one trying to survive in a world wishing to kill you. The sad empty feeling of survival is the only way some can live under a misty dead sky.

After the deed is done I close the eyes of the dead wolf. I try to move my wings even though I got some of my magic core back from feeding whatever shot I am not allowing me to use them. Looking back at the dead creature. I am thankful I learned how to skin back on the island. It’s not a pretty job but you have to do stuff like this when it’s called for.

Using the knife I dig into the wolf's lifeless body removing the skin of the muscle. With each cut the flesh rips and tears. The smell is awful. I need this to keep me safe. I scoop some of the puss and flesh rubbing it all over me to make myself stink and smell of death. I use the skin to make a bag grabbing a large bone and making the bag well enough to place meat flesh and organs inside. If there are zebras in here they might have potions using the guts to make them into a rope tying it up or trying and when that fails I take a vine from one of the trees using that as a rope.

I get ready to put the dagger back into the scabbard. I stare at the blade, the blood is gone? I shrug my shoulders, setting it into the scabbard carrying the bone over my shoulder with the flesh. I hear the sound of dripping blood while I head to the next area of the training.

I stop after a few steps looking around noticing bear claw marks in the trees. I was told years ago if you stumble upon a bear. You let the bear go first and you never try to fight the bear. I set the bag down to open it up and toss the meat to keep a bear or bear away from me. I quickly skitter away and smack right into the leg of a bear. The bar turns to look at me. It leans into me sniffing and coughing snorting leaving me alone. I heard heavy stomping and quickly hid behind a rock. I see a hydra coming through. I quickly back away to try to get to the next cavern for the rest of my training.

I hear roaring looking around. I get smacked by a large tail I grunt while it tosses me aside. I turn quickly to see a large lion beast. Oh my it’s a manticore I try to be faster and the big cat tries to claw me and I can dodge out of the way and it tries to hit me with the stinger. I trip on a rock before I could move out of the way of a claw and I get stabbed in the side. I scream in pain.

I am stuck on the claw. I quickly, even though the pain, try to grab the knife. I pull it from the scabbard but I drop it and the lion creature tosses me around on its claw. I scream in pain and I grab onto a rock feeling the claw digging more inside me. I see the dagger quickly with another of my many legs grabbing it and cutting right at the claw. I cut through the nerve of the flesh declawing the poor cat. I fall to the ground with a flop groaning feeling my body dent.

I groan standing back up and noticing my bag is sprawled all over the place. The poor lion creature roars at me limping away. I weakly walk to the next part of the training cavern. My blood leaking through the wound even though the claw keeps it from fully flowing through. I see a blast door leading to the next training area. Its cracks open just a bit enough for me to get through.

I quickly go through the area not letting the pain get to me. I hear heavy stomps behind me and I see a giant stare bear. It’s charging at me and I keep running and before I could get to the door It stands over me about to strike and a red hydra attacks it from behind and they both fight. I would stay and watch the two giant monsters fight. But If I don’t take care of this wound now It will get worse. I squeeze under the door and groan.

__________________

First aid training

I get away from the door just in case they find a way to break through. I get to an old used campfire by it. I see a bunch of old pony bodies that look like they died in their sleep. I wonder if most of them made it here and if they didn't know. I look at the bones grunting.

“Oh don’t give me that look!!”

I stare at the skull and wait, why am I talking to a skull? I noticed that one of the piles of bones is on top of the first aid book. I push the bones away from the book opening up and it shows how to make a fire and the best first aid just in case. To make a fire from the chapter I read. ‘The best way to make a fire. Find brush and weeds and whatever is very dry. Make sure to do all this first before you do the rest.’

I sigh, noticing I am still holding the knife. I don’t know why I am holding this knife and didn’t put it back. I shrug my shoulders. I need it anyway. I go around gathering old brush weeds and parts of the wood. Even though it hurts and is painful and I am weak from the loss of blood. I ain’t going let it stop me.

“Maybe this is a good test of your body?”

I ask myself

“Yes, maybe it is…Wait..”

I look around not hearing anyone not seeing anyone. Why the hell am I speaking to myself? I stroke my head. Is this madness? Madness comes to you when you feel you’re no longer sane in your mind. I gather everything to do what I need to do.

“NO NO! That is not enough you fucking whore!!”

I quickly notice I am laying down and I am confused what the hell is going on? I look at the pile of what I had and it's all over the ground now. What happened? I grunted, gathering it all again and putting it into the fire pit.

“We must sing together.”

I look around noticing I did it again. I have hold of an old cup singing with the dead ponies. The loss of blood is getting to me. I looked into the book again to make sure I got everything. ‘Next step is to take a long stick and a piece of wood. Put the stick in the piece of wood and rub it hard on the wood. This is not an easy step. Don’t let it bother you when you see a spark blow on it and it will start.’

I do what it saids to do. It takes a while I feel my mind drifting again. I see a spark and it turns into a face.

“Ruby Ruby..”

I shake my head blowing into the wood and the fire starts. I turn the pages to look for first aid. ‘Now you have a deep wound and nothing else to work with? Now we can’t insult zebras on everything they’re the best with herbs and ways to repair your wounds. Now to do this find some leaves and herbs they should be all over the place. Be prepared this won’t be a simple task.’

I groan looking around for the herbs. It showed what I needed and I took them back to the fire and put them into a cup and took one of the bones I learned from the zebras. The best way to make a healing paste is to make sure to have some water. I take another cup to the water stream. It's faster now. I fill the cup with water and then mix the paste I made and now I just need to get the claw out.

“Oh, Ruby, this is going to hurt. Don’t cry now girl, you're stronger than this.”

I grab the claw on my side pulling it out. I scream in pain and blood flows. I scream loud enough it echoes. I worry I may have just called something and I shiver when I fully pull the claw out. I take some of the paste and lay it in such a way on the dagger and go inside the wound placing the paste on the flesh. I scream deeper in pain and then I use more to fill the wound up with the paste. Then I know this is not a wise idea to do this. I place the blade of the dagger into the fire to make the blade hot. I grab a bone this time so I don’t scream.

Biting down hard on the bone and placing the dagger on the wound bite hard on the bone while the flesh closes from the burn. I use what is left of the paste and smother it on the burnt flesh. I drop the knife groaning. I feel my brain screaming in pain. I see hooves coming towards me. I can't make them out but when I open my eyes again.

I saw Star Shooter.

“Shhh, little Ruby I am here. I am sorry you got in this situation by wanting to come and see me.”

I sob softly, standing up and jumping to hug the young mare tightly. I miss her so much.

“Star. Shooter, I feel I failed you.”

Star Shooter chuckles.

“No, you would never fail my little bug. You aren’t trying to take on a queen or taking on the enclave like the one who raised me for a time. You just wish to help a desert find its footing again, that's all you can do.”

The ground pulls Star Shooter away from me and I chase after her.

“Don’t go!! I need you!!”

I sob trying to chase after her but I can’t move.

“You don’t need me anymore, little bug. You proved yourself to be stronger than anypony all you need to do now is wake up, little one.”

I groan, feeling so much pain and I close my eyes like I am waking up.

____________

The zebras

I open my eyes and notice I am in a tent looking around. A zebra stallion standing over me smiles at me leaning down to look at me closely.

“Hello, little one are you doing okay? You were screaming after someone in your sleep?”

I look around noticing my wound it’s been sewed up and I see the blood on the cot cleaned out. I try to get up but the zebra keeps me down shaking his head.

“Don’t force yourself to move, not yet little one. One of our far-seers will be coming back for some food for you.”

I grunt sighing

“How long have I been out?”

The stallion smiles stroking my head with his hoof.

“Close to six hours. I have a question for you though: why are you in this cavern?”

I smirk weakly

“I was told if I wanted to help this desert land I needed to train here.”

The stallion frowns

“That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard, little bug who in the world told you that?”

I grunt and shifted to look at him.

“A camel”

The zebra sighs.

“I see the camels are still as crazy as ever. Anyway one of our Far-seers will be in here to talk to you. Please be kind to her. She is a gentle mare.”

The stallion leaves the tent and after a while, I see a zebra with various stripes. She leaned on her staff and looked down at me. The gentle zebra lays beside me looking at me with her gentle blue eyes.

“Greetings, I am Inyanga. You must be the little bug the Dj has been talking about on the radio.”

I tilt my head blinking.

“How do you hear the DJ in this cavern?’

She laughs.

“We do have Radios in here. She said you’re willing to without the name of the hero behind you even though some will try to force that on you. You will help this land tell me do you have others who are with you?”

I smile weakly

“I am Ruby Glide. The others with me on this journey are Cranberry. She recently offered to join us. My Friend Tick Tock. A water hunter named Waterspout and Roll Roll and Hawk. I am sure Dunewalker, the camel that pushed me in here will come with us too with how she acts.”

The mare smiles

“For such a small little creature you have a strong heart. Are you heading out of the way of the training area little Ruby?”

I nod weakly getting up off the bed with the help of the mare. She sets me down.

“Well, then you have a heart and are insane as well. If you survive the last part of the training area. I will be following you. Are you okay with a zebra coming with you?”

I chuckle nodding.

“I would love someone of wisdom to follow me and show me the right path.”

Inyanga smiles.

“I don’t consider myself wise. Come there will be food by the bonfire and one of our elders will talk to you in our language using the fire. I will translate for you.”

I use the mare as a crutch. She leads me to the bonfire where many zebras are sitting around eating food and they look at me as I come over. Sitting on a chair made of stone bones and various golden objects I am guessing is their leader. They offered me so much food I began to eat and the leader began whatever they were doing.

They toss strange dust and powder into the fire and it acts strangely. Many other zebras shamans I am guessing chant to make the fire form in what they wish.

“Abhinc maiores nostri in hanc speluncam nomine pacis a mannis coacti sunt. Sed utebantur nos ad eorum exercitationem.”

Inyanga translates for me.

“Years ago our ancestors were forced into this cavern in the name of peace by the ponies. But they used us for their training.”

The shamans make the fire show this. The zebras are being forced into the cavern by the ponies. They show the ponies using them for the training and how the zebras tended to get the upper hoof in this cavern because they grew up here.

“Scimus qui regredientem Scimus, qui venturum ad astra lo- cunt : Novimus et ipsi judices loquuntur. Hyacinthi nomen Grogar dicunt.”

“We know who is returning, we know who is coming to the stars, speak his name, they also speak of the judges. They say the name of Blue Goat Grogar.”

The fire changes the many faces of the stars at least how they see them. The many masks and faces in the darkness. They carry great power and fear for these zebras as many stares at them in horror. The fire then changes to the great undead goat. I have heard old stories of him and his face forms laughing loudly.

“Astra tibi habent consilia. Hoc etiam ait : Tu casura parvus heros. Sicut omnes heroes cadunt. Sed multi hoc facie dicent. Irride, dices, scies. Non utantur ea ut super te ungulam facias.”

I tilt my head.

“The stars have plans for you. It also says you will fall for the little hero. Like all heroes fall. But many will say this to your face. Laugh at them, tell them you know. Don't let them use it to get the upper hoof on you.”

They show me the fire turning into me and the stars making me do something then me falling not how I fall just falling. But it shows me laughing at those who keep saying it to me. Like they want to force it in. Who is that silly to keep hammering it in?

“Inyanga nos sequemur te prolem Maiestatis et tu eris ei familiaris.”

Inyanga smiles, patting my head.

“We will let Inyanga follow you child of Majesty and you will be family to her.”

I smile happily hearing this. The fire dims after all this and It’s just Inyanga and me while I finished eating she looks down at me.

“Time for your final task, little one.”

She gives me the scabbard of my knife with the knife.

“There is power in this knife. It has a power many haven’t felt since the days of Luna and Celestia keep it close. Now go and I shall follow when your task is done.”

______

Old propaganda of the past.

The zebras lead me to a metal tunnel.

“Here is the final stretch little one. Many of us don’t return when we come down here. So please survive little one. I want to get to know my new sister.”

I glance up at Inyanga smiling.

“I am honored.”

I walk through the old tunnel.

Walking into the room An old cam noticed me all the lights turn on and all I saw were screens on the wall. I saw a strange pony with dot eyes pointing its hoof to walk through the hall. I did what It said to do.

Then a screen to my right turned on. A voice blared. "So you have made it through the two caves. You now have the skills to face a real battle. But before you go watch each screen one by one. Turn to your left to see how to deal with explosives you will come across in the field." Turning to my left to look at the other screen.

"So you wish to know what the battlefield is like. It's full of many things that can explode."

The screen showed ponies and Zebras being blown to bits by various objects including a bedroom alarm clock.

"But there is hope. Each of these explosives has a wire. So even if you don't have the skill it can be very easy. Now the next one will be on gun safety and how to use one."

Sighing softly and walked ahead to the next screen looking to the right.

It was an entirely new voice and it sounded more like a game show host.

"SO!! you bought your first gun. You wish to stuff it to those stripped monsters. Well here's how you do that. You arm your gun, take off the safety, put in your ammo then fire for their dirty heads."

Then a robotic voice sounds while it throws large bombs at Zebras

"Friendship is not a right of stripped scum. All hail the freedom of friendship!!"

The screen next to me had a course on Heavy weapons.

"Ah yes, heavy weapons for every stallion and mare's dreams. A weapon that could beat any pony to bits by the drop of a hat. It's simple: find yourself a rocket launcher or a Minigun and go to town on that striped scum, turn them into lunch meat for the very dogs they are."

Hearing that made me grow extremely upset. I buzzed like a bee for a second because. I felt the ponies of old were extremely xenophobic. This was getting on my nerves. Looking at the next screen it thought about melee weapons

"So you have been given a sword or a knife. It's pretty easy to tell what you could do with them. You could kill animals for food. Skin them for value or you could take it to the war and kill every single stripe out there. This is a war ponies we can't have you be fillies and colts now. We need you to be ready to take on the Stripe filth. So next thing take the sword in your magic or your mouth. Slice the Zebra's head in the name of Princess Luna. Equestria Shall rise from the ashes of the blood that we spill. Next, you will learn how to beat Zebras hoof to hoof."

I was starting to get tired of all this. My anger in my very core built to levels unseen for a peaceful creature such as me. I don’t understand why such hatred and why they tried so hard with this it’s like they couldn’t handle being told they couldn’t have a resource.

The next voice which comes from the screen sounds like a zebra.

"Greetings pony I wish to teach you how to fight my kind hoof to hoof. Now it's pretty simple. You stand on the back of your hooves as my kind would."

It's a video showing a Zebra how to do basic attacks

. "Now some may be a bit stronger than you are. I understand going hoof to hoof all the time wouldn't be too wise. But you may have to if there is one that wishes to do great harm to you. I don't wish to see my kind killed. But how they treated me it might be wise to end this war anyway we can. Now the next one is what is at stake if we let them win."

There are two more screens for me to see and I slowly walked toward them looking at the one on the right that was turned on. But it didn't say anything for a while. But it was just a screen for the moment. No image but then they all turned into an Alicorn like majesty was.

"Greetings."

The beauty of this mare was amazing. I could see the power in her eyes, the gentle soul in those eyes. The way her mane flowed like it was in a valley of wind. I just see as the end nears the mare of power and might.

"I'm Princess Luna. forgive me, my little ponies. But you need to know the truth. This war shouldn't have happened as it did. But I know that this message will be sent to you too late. But. "

An alarm starts to ring. Luna looked away from the screen to look outside to see the contrails. Then back to the screen. She knows full well she will not survive this night no matter what she tries she looks back to the screen so much pain in those eyes of beauty

"The war is ending in fire and death. To those that are doing this training session in many parts of the world. Live don't fight anymore if you see Zebras surrender they might keep you alive. Forgive me for my failure, my little ponies. I failed you. My sister never should have given me this position. I should have stayed the princess of the night. Now I must protect my home."

Tears fell down the mare's eyes.

"Forgive me someday little ponies. I am sorry for what I brought."

She looks back outside a shield form and her horn glows, adding to the shield.

"Goodbye, my little ponies."

The screen turned dark and I just stood there feeling so much heartbreak from this.

They started to hate what they have done? The Zebras too? Maybe they could have come back to their seat and stopped the battle. But the hate would have been too deep at the end of the war. Are zebras and ponies working together? I wouldn't have thought of that. I have seen this on my island. The door leading to the last and final part of the training opened. Slowly walking to it seeing the room full of smoke and fire. Hear gunshots and screams. This was a fake battle with real guns and everything. How would I do this? How would I do this? I didn't know but taking a deep breath I knew I had to do what I needed to do.

____________

The final task

I find myself in the training room hearing the guns and firing going off and voices of screaming and cheers. I can’t just sit here and wait. I need to get through. I quickly do this next task as best I can by running through it.

Quickly started to run then gun's started going off. I felt a bullet jab right into my side going through the other side. I gasped in pain. Okay...this is real. But I didn't want to stop. It may have hurt but I felt another bullet graze my head. But it still didn't stop me from looking around for a rock to hide by. I could see that most ponies didn't even make it this far. Grunting deeply I didn't know if I should keep going. But I needed to do this for all my friends. I wanted this weapon to fight whatever that robot was yelling about.

Saying softly to myself. "Come...on Ruby you can do this...Come on...You can do this.." Skittering around trying to dodge what I could, the gun's stopped firing but when I got farther in I noticed large guns firing into the air. Then an explosion hit right beside me causing me to fly a bit while the gun was starting again. I felt a little charred and burned. One of my wings broke. Slowly getting back up groaning. I needed to do this. I can't stop now. Finally finding a set of bones on the side that could have been pony bones. Seeing that some stopped right here just to die. Groaning deeply feeling every inch of my body in bad shape even after I have been taken care of by the Zebras.

I take a few deep breaths buzzing softly. Every inch of me was in deep pain. Slowly standing up again grunting. Lifting my head to see that I am not far away I'm close to the end. Looking to the door I saw another hall leading to somewhere else. The place I need to go to. Closing my eyes, and taking a deep deep breath. Feeling my heart beating quickly. Only had one chance at this.

Quickly rushing on my aching legs rushing through the firing line dodging what I can feel bullets graze or go right through my wings. Feeling sharp metal goes into my side. Damn, I don't think I can do this anymore if I can't make it. An explosion hit behind me and I flew into the wall near the door. My body smacked the wall with a crack. Gasping in pain I felt every part of my body scream at me. Still, I can feel my legs but I broke something. Looking to see a rocket launcher aim at me getting up limping on my legs. Since a couple no longer works.

The rocket fired quickly moving and when it hit the side of the wall beside me I flew into the hall bouncing on the wall and then rolling down. Pathetic buzzing sobs came from me. Finally, I made it. But at a price my well-being. Slowly standing up More legs hurt but my body slowly carried and weakly along. The screen's turned on.

“Congratulations ponies you have done it you have proven yourself.”

Just then the voice was cut off and another screen came up. I see another pony who looks like they were working on something and taking things apart to try to turn this system off and it seems he is unable to.

“I can’t allow these anymore. The world has ended, we all lost and I can’t allow this to keep going but the system will always stay on no matter what I do. But I do what I can. I freed the zebras and told them to escape if they could. I am sorry to those who still think there is something here. There is no door open to you to get out of here. Please turn this system off so everyone can finally be at peace.”

The mare goes silent for a while she sighs.

“Goodbye.”

The screen goes dark. I head into the room and in the room I see many machines working and robots going through like this world is still alive. On a table, I see a scabbard of a sword with a fiery bird on it. I go to grab it and I feel a strange sensation come over me. Like it’s speaking to me. ‘Carry me with honor little creature, use me in your battle and I shall guide you.’

I stare at the blade when I pull it out of the scabbard. I keep hearing the name Spitfire, a name for a strong mare or a strong stallion. I close my eyes tightly. I look at the machine powering all this and I see the only way to turn it off is to use this blade. I take the sword and force it into the hole.

“Welcome Spitfire of the wonder bolts It’s been seldom since you clocked in. We have been expecting you to pick up your sword and show these weak fools the real method of training. What do you wish us to do?”

I look at the machines and I sigh weakly feeling light-headed.

“Turn everything off, the training is over.”

It took a while but after a few seconds the computer turns off and everything outside goes silent. I grab the sword and put it back into the scabbard I got to tell Dunewalker she is going to need to eat the sand. A door opens up and I notice it leads down a hall.

When I go into the hall I see a door open up and see the bartender Goldie she stares at me.

“Ruby?!”

I walk past her stopping a second.

“Is Dunewalker in the bar?”

Goldie nods following behind me. When I get into the bar many stares at me I see Cranberry, Sunny Day, Tick Tock, Waterspout, Pinda, and Dunewalker. Cranberry and Sunny trot to me trying to look me over.

I walk past them, setting down the sword in front of Duneawlker as she looks at me.

“I did it…Can I pass out now?”

Pinda stares at the sword and Dunewalker.

“What did you do?!”

I hear hoof steps come up behind me and while the two pegasus mares look me over they stare at the zebra who pulls me from them to hold me close.

“Relax, she will be fine, just needs rest. I am Inyanga. I am of the zebras of the training cavern. I am amazed it’s connected to a bar.”

Dunewalker just stood there silent. She was staring at the sword from what I could tell she knew what it was and the power of this sword. But before I could ask anything I passed out with everyone coming to help me including the camel.

There are times when you wonder if the world is just full of wanting to treat you like a punching bag or if you’re just lucky I guess I am the lucky one.

Footnote: Level up.

new perk determination: When the odds seem very bad and against you. You gain 20 speed on foot. But your ability to make judgment lowers

Quest perk: You gained two new weapons: The Dagger has a faster speed attack doing small bits of bleeding damage. The sword: you have found the sword of Spitfire while you have it in your legs or hooves. You gain the ability to think like a wonder bolt leader. While it's strapped to your side. You feel the presence of the old captain guiding you.

Next Chapter: Chapter Five: Past Shadows Estimated time remaining: 48 Hours, 51 Minutes