Did she open her eyes?

She is sure she opened her eyes!

Rainbow Dash's hands dig into the cold damp ground, panicking whimpers escape her and her ears flick to every sound it can find. Voices, crunches, munches, beating heart. All sounds in the dark void. Her fingers tear into the ground, pulling out grass and mud. Are those tears on her face? Whose voices are those? Whose walking towards her?

A hand goes on her shoulder, and in a feral fit she lashes out, wings expanding and body twisting to push the unknown body aside while her hand aimlessly reaches for one of her swords.

But her sword is gone!

Her hand beats against her thigh, hitting nothing but armor. Her heart races and her mouth dries as her frantic search yields nothing, but then one blink brings her color.

Blurry colors, but colors nonetheless.

Another blink and she sees she is on top of Flash, her muddy hand pressed against his throat, and she blinks again, looking at the hazy figures of Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, both of whom are staring at her and resting against a stone wall of a building that has mostly crumbled.

Rainbow Dash swallows and slides off of Flash, her trembling hand running through her damp, vibrant mane. She blinks again and squints her aching eyes to peer out the doorway to the fog covered landscape. She cannot see much, but she can definitely feel the cold dew clinging to her exposed fur and feathers, and with a shaky sigh she looks at Flash apologetically.

“Sorry. I don't know what that was about,” says Rainbow Dash.

“You were having a nightmare,” says Flash, now sitting up and rubbing his neck. “I guess I shouldn't have tried to wake you up.”

“Did I miss anything?”

“Pinkie tried to go on patrol, but she collapsed before she did a hundred steps.”

“What about Flutters?”

“She still hasn't spoken a word. The good news is her splint and bandages are fine, but the bad news is that we still have to carry her and Pinkie. ”

Rainbow Dash nods and goes out the door, scanning for anything in the haze. No luck.

“Hey, Dashie, come here for a second,” says Pinkie Pie.

“Why?” asks Rainbow Dash, looking over her shoulder.

“I just want to whisper something in your ear. Super secret stuff.”

Rolling her eyes, Rainbow Dash goes to Pinkie Pies side, but before she can say anything the Ranger grabs her jaw with one of her big earth pony hands and uses her other hand to force Rainbow Dash's eyelids further apart. Despite Rainbow Dash's protest and her vain attempts to pry the Ranger off of her, her head is still forced to turn this way and that with Pinkie Pie humming in thought. After some seconds, Rainbow Dash manages to pull herself away, rubbing her jaw and glaring at her partner while Flash stands behind her, hand on his sword's hilt, ready to strike.

“What the hell was that!?” says Rainbow Dash.

“Just what I thought,” says Pinkie Pie. “You're going to need a lot of carrots.”

With a grunt, Pinkie Pie grips the stone wall and pulls herself up, her hands and knees shaking, and she points into the fog.

“Glittersburg is about a five hour walk from here. It will have an inn, a market, and an apothecary,” says Pinkie Pie. “They also conveniently have carrots.”

“Can they fix you and Fluttershy?” asks Rainbow Dash.

“Don't worry about me. I'm oh to the kay, but the apothecary should be able to help Fluttershy. Maybe they have something to make her more receptive.” Pinkie Pie waves a hand in front of the stiff pegasus' face, but she shows no response save for twitching eyelids. “Yep. Definitely going to have to work on that.”

“I'm more concerned about the axe she took to her back and the arm she broke. Receptiveness can come later.”

“Suit yourself. But we are going to have to sell some stuff if we want to do anything over there.”

“We'll get to that point when we get to town.” Rainbow Dash looks at Flash. “Scout ahead and let me know what you find.”

Flash nods and disappears into the mist, and Rainbow Dash slumps against the wall, rubbing her hands down her face, not caring about the mud streaking her. Silence then moves in. No words from the mouths of ponies or calls of the Wild. The quietness really adds a layer of depression to an already dreary environment, and while Rainbow Dash puts on a calm demeanor, she keeps her back to her Fellowship so they do not see her wringing her hands together or blinking a lot. As she scans the fog to the best of her eyes, a sweet voice comes behind her.

Rainbow Dash looks over her shoulder and sees Pinkie Pie is sitting back against the wall, her hands limp on her lap, her head bowed and eyes closed as the melody leaves her lips.

Pinkie Pie's voice fades and Rainbow Dash sits down on the damp grass and looks out into the mist again, feeling some of the burden ease away and a smile gracing her face.

“I haven't sung that in a while,” says Pinkie Pie.

“You should sing it more often,” says Rainbow Dash.

Pinkie Pie cracks her eyes open and flashes a weak smile. “You want me to sing for you?”

Fluttershy's ear twitches and her lips dip to a small frown as she glances at the Ranger from the corner of her eye, and Rainbow Dash snorts and folds her arms across her chest.

“Even when you are close to death you find ways to make things weird,” says Rainbow Dash.

“I thrive off of weirdness, you know that. Unless you conveniently forgot, which I wouldn't mind,” says Pinkie Pie. She jabs a thumb at Fluttershy. “Though, I think she feels differently about my unconventional taste.”

Rainbow Dash waves the statement off. “Fluttershy doesn't care.”

Pinkie Pie sizes up Fluttershy. “She probably does, actually. She's giving me a nasty stink eye.” Pinkie Pie slides away from Fluttershy. “Like a really nasty one.”

“She took an axe to the back and broke her arm. She's just grouchy, like any sane pony would be.” Rainbow Dash goes to Fluttershy and wraps a blanket around her. “Keep on flying, Flutters. We'll get you fixed soon.”

Fluttershy uses her good hand to pull the blanket around her, and she eases herself to the ground, closes her eyes and loosely curls up with her tail held close to her. Seeing this, Rainbow Dash eases herself next to her and looks out into the fog. There, the three mares sit in cold silence for almost an hour before Flash returns. He ruffles his feathers to shake the dew off, and he steps inside the occupied structure, smiling.

“Good news, Pinkie Pie was right,” says Flash. “Glittersburg is close and has everything we need. Plus I didn't see any signs of danger. We should have an easy time getting there.”

Rainbow Dash nods and gently scoops up Fluttershy. “All right, let's get going then.”

When Rainbow's Fellowship arrives at Glittersburg it is no where near as epic as Rainbow Dash is used to with her arrivals. There is no display of strength with her being flanked Hurricane soldiers, no civilians rightfully cowering in fear or town lords stumbling over their words for an appropriate welcome. No, what happens with her arrival is her landing just fine with Fluttershy in her arms and Flash crash landing with Pinkie Pie in a pile of crates that draws only the dullest of gazes.

“Flash, really?” says Rainbow Dash harshly as her bodyguard leaps to his feet, mane and feathers ruined and face covered in mud. Pinkie Pie remains on the ground in a heap, covered in splinters.

“I'm sorry, but earth ponies are heavy. Especially when they carry an armory,” says Flash, staring hatefully at Pinkie Pie's Party Cannon, plus her hammer, bundle of blades, the long coat and her other supplies. “How do you carry all that anyway?”

Pinkie Pie, her face still in the rubble, holds up her pointer finger. “Earth pony thing.”

Flash grabs the Ranger's hand, pulls her up, and after he helps her stabilize she smiles and brushes herself off.

“Thanks. But if you're going to drop me, drop me somewhere soft next time,” says Pinkie Pie.

“...Right, I'll remember that,” says Flash.

Rainbow Dash adjusts her grip on Fluttershy. “So, where's the apothecary?”

Flash points to a building hidden in the fog. Its corners and steeple are lit by large lanterns, and glowing from flame in the steeple center is a cut out of a cross inside a heart. So, Rainbow's Fellowship makes their way to the structure, passing dark wood buildings, ponies with ragged clothes talking at stalls or shop windows, and guards wearing sheets of metal armed with bows and blades. Every pony they pass casts them a cautious look, but Rainbow Dash keeps walking while Pinkie Pie and Flash eye the observers carefully.

At one point Rainbow Dash sees what looks like a guard appear on one of the roofs, but mostly ignores him and kicks open the door to the apothecary, appropriately named: Heartbeat's Apothecary.

Inside is a lot cleaner and drier than outside. Sure there are muddy footprints on the first half, but beyond the sign that reads 'Please Remove Footwear' is a relatively clean floor. And next to the sign is a pale earth pony stallion wearing a long coat, a loose shirt and thick boots and gloves, plus a belt with small blades sheathed to it, all black. He is sitting in a chair with a sword next to him and has a stringy black mane that goes down to his neck and partially covers his eye.

“Remove you footwear,” says the stallion.

Rainbow Dash rolls her eyes, but reluctantly complies, even though it is a pain to undo the straps that connect her boot to her armored shin pads, and when she pulls off her sock she grimaces from seeing it hold the shape of her foot.

“Hello, Fellow Ranger, how's life?” says Pinkie Pie, having yet to take her boots off and taking a seat next to him.

The Fellow Ranger shrugs. “Can't complain. I'm taking a break from the Wild for a bit and got a job being a guard here. How about you? You look like you had a good day.”

“I had an excellent day! Did you happen to catch word from the Wild?”

The Fellow Ranger thinks for a moment. “Three things come to mind. Towns have gone dark, a Foaling has a hefty bounty on her head, and the Knights of the Five Circles lost a couple of their members about ten days ago. I can only imagine retribution is on their mind.”

Rainbow Dash listens carefully to the conversation and hears a slight nervousness in Pinkie's tone when she speaks.

“Do the Knights know who did it?” asks Pinkie Pie.

“I'm sure they have an idea,” says the Fellow Ranger.

“...Okie dokie.. Well, I'll be seeing you.”

The Fellow Ranger nods. “Be seeing you.”

Pinkie Pie hastily approaches Rainbow Dash and turns her so that their backs are to the Fellow Ranger.

“We weren't trailed were we?” whispers Pinkie Pie.

“No. But we'll still be leaving once you and Flutters get fixed,” says Rainbow Dash.

“I already said I'm fine.”

“Are you fine enough to fight a Five Circle Knight? Because last I checked you got your tail handed to you by one.”

Pinkie Pie jabs Rainbow Dash's chest. “That was a cheap shot! If he and I had squared off normally then I would've squished his head like a pumpkin!”

Rainbow Dash raises a brow. “Do you even know how to fight normally?”

“Yes!”

Rainbow Dash stares.

“Maybe.”

Rainbow Dash keeps staring.

“I've done it before.”

Rainbow Dash pats her shoulder. “Sure you have. Take your boots off.The sooner you and Flutters are fixed the sooner we get to Ponyville.”

Pinkie Pie makes an objective whine, but Rainbow Dash ignores her and goes to the front counter, hating the feeling of her feet being exposed. Once there she peeks over the counter and sees nobody anywhere. Huffing, she looks over her shoulder and sees Flash is guarding the door, Fluttershy huddled in the corner with the blanket wrapped tightly around her and Pinkie Pie has yet to take her boots off. That's annoying, but rather than wasting her time trying to get the Ranger to obey she bangs her hand on the counter.

“Hello!? Doctor needed!” shouts Rainbow Dash.

And that is when a yellow earth pony mare with a curled mane of blue and light blue wearing a simple, thick white dress and apron steps out. Though when she sees Rainbow Dash she freezes in her spot, her colors paling and ears drooping, and the pegasus frowns.

“Relax, I'm not here to pillage anything. I even took my boots off. But I need your help. A couple of my companions got hurt really bad and need some medicine,” says Rainbow Dash.

The mare looks at the Fellow Ranger, and when all he does is nod she turns tail and disappears from view.

“Hey!” Rainbow Dash has to stand on her toes to look further down the hall. “What gives!? Customers are waiting, you stupid mud pony!”

As soon as the words leave her mouth, she wince and looks over her shoulder half expecting to see glares. Thankfully she sees none, but the Fellow Ranger inspecting his knife is unnerving in its own way. A few seconds later, footsteps echo in the building and Rainbow Dash turns to see stepping up to the counter a unicorn stallion with a combed over brown mane, caramel coat and dark blue eyes wearing a white tunic and apron.

“There is no need to make a scene, regardless of who you are,” says the stallion.

“Well, your customer service is garbage,” says Rainbow Dash.

“Sorry for not living up to the expectations of pegasi royalty. Would you like me to prepare you a flower bath as an apology?”

“Not sure if you're being sarcastic or genuine.”

“I was being sarcastic. Now, what ails your companions?”

Rainbow Dash points to Fluttershy. “She took an axe to her back and broke her arm.” She points to Pinkie Pie, who still has not taken off her boots. “And she took an arrow to the shoulder and had her gut slashed.”

“Lies. I'm fine,” says Pinkie Pie.

“And what about you two?” asks the stallion, eyeing Rainbow and Flash.

“Absolutely nothing,” says Rainbow Dash.

“My arms are about to fall off,” says Flash.

“You'll live,” says the stallion. “As for you two, come with me.”

Fluttershy looks at Rainbow Dash, and after getting a nod she timidly approaches the unicorn, but when Rainbow Dash looks at Pinkie Pie all she sees is the front door closing and Flash taring at it with a surprised look. With a heavy sigh, she stomps outside and sees Pinkie Pie hurrying away from the apothecary with uneven steps. Though, that problem is fixed when she zips up to her and grabs the earth pony's coat collar.

“Hold it. Where are you going?” says Rainbow Dash sternly.

“To the beach. Wanna come?” says Pinkie Pie.

“No! You're going back inside to get fixed! I don't need anypony dying on me!”

Pinkie Pie continues walking, despite Rainbow Dash digging her feet into the cold mud and using her wings to give her some leverage.

“Pinkie, stop being a phallus!” says Rainbow Dash, gritting her teeth and growling from the strains in her arms.

“Can't be what I don't have,”'quips Pinkie Pie. “Plus, I said I'm fine so I'm fine and we can drop the cake and move on!”

Rainbow Dash releases Pinkie Pie, only to curve around her so that she is blocking her path and glaring at her. She has to look up to do it, and for onlookers, seeing a small, slim pegasus looking up at a tall, bulky earth pony is an amusing sight, but Rainbow Dash is far from amused. And her feet being exposed and covered in mud is not helping her mood.

“Fine? Do you realize that you can still barely walk and that when Shining Armor brought you to me it took you two days to stand up?” says Rainbow Dash.

“A day and a half, actually,” counters Pinkie Pie.

“I don't care! Tell me why you don't want to get fixed. Do you have a death wish?”

“Yes.”

“... What?”

“You heard me.” Pinkie Pie walks past Rainbow Dash towards a building with a mug shaped sign. “Be right back. I'm going to find some happiness real quick.”

“But we got to leave as soon as possible!”

Pinkie Pie ignores Rainbow Dash and slips inside the mug building, and the pegasus stares at the door, eye twitching, fists clenched and breathing heavy. After an explosive exhale she marches back to the apothecary, ignoring the stares of the guards, and when she is inside she leaves a trail of muddy footprints that leads up to the counter, where the yellow mare is. At the counter, Rainbow Dash slams her hand down and looks into the terror stricken mare's eyes.

“Bill me and tell me where I can find some carrots,” says Rainbow Dash.

Those words are the only ones on Pinkie Pie's mind as her finger traces the mug's rim. Froth has bubbled up and spilled over the side, too, leaving a small puddle around the mug's base. With her back hunched over, Pinkie Pie gulps down her drink -relishing the sweet taste of carrot and apple- and glances around the fire lit room. Dirty stallions and mares alike laugh and chatter with broad smiles. Utensils cling against plates, the aroma of fresh baked goods and warm soup and candles masks the body odor, and somewhere someone shouts out an order being complete.

Sighing, Pinkie Pie looks at her rock necklace and rubs the smooth stone with her fingers while her other hand rubs the faint scar along her neck. Tears build up, and she swallows a lump in her throat, hoping that it will grant her breath, but all it does is fill her with an empty coldness.

“A mare Ranger? That is something I hadn't seen before,” says a tired stallion.

Pinkie Pie breaks her eyes from the stone and looks at the stallion next to her. Earth pony, big in height and muscle, and judging from the scars on his hands and the faint discoloration on his fur Pinkie Pie is sure he is a stone-crafter.

“You seem to have been through a lot, too,”' says the stallion.

“You can say that... You look like you work a lot,” says Pinkie Pie, sizing him up.

“That I do.”

Pinkie Pie blinks the haze out of her eyes and with a well practiced wolfish smile she places her hand on top of his and twirls the string on her shirt.

“I'll tell you what,” says Pinkie Pie, “ you seem like a nice guy, so you buy and I'll make sure we're both distracted from the gloomy days for a few minutes. How's that sound?”

The stallion looks her over, and she bats her lashes and lightly pulls the string on her shirt so the top opens enough to show some cleavage. Seeing the pink bust below, the stallion taps the counter and lifts his hand up to the bartender.

“Tender, her tabs mine!” says the stallion.

“Good man,” says Pinkie Pie, patting his arm and taking another gulp of her drink, eagerly awaiting the moment that will remove the pain for a few minutes. “Good man.”

With Flash guarding Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie being a pill, Rainbow Dash walks up to a block shaped building with a carrot painted on it with her muddy feet snug inside her boots. The building is spectacular in the way that it has not collapsed on itself, and when she reaches the window she finds yet another fantastic display of poor customer service.

“What do you want?” sneers an old fat mare whose blubber is rolling off the sides of her chair.

“I want some carrots,” says Rainbow Dash. She checks her money, dreading how little she has left. “Four of them, to be exact.”

She puts the four gold coins on the counter, and the fat hag leans back in her chair and yells down the hall.

“Oi, Bronze! Ya lazy git, I need four carrots!”

There is a cluster of chaotic noises in the back, including banging metal and breaking glass, followed by a storm of swears. A moment later when the stallion known as Bronze steps out carrying a bundle of four carrots, Rainbow's jaw drops from who she is seeing.

“Davenport?” says Rainbow Dash.

Bronze, also known as Dilbert Davenport, freezes, then blinks and sulks.

“Oh no.”