As promised, one slightly longer. Heads up: The next chapter is when the 'gore' and 'mature' chapters really come into their own. So, yeah; just FWI.

P.S. While it really isn't a problem, can I ask you to keep non-story related comments to a minimum. I can assume you know who this is addressed to, correct? Like I said, not really an issue, but just as a favor, 'K?

Music: We burn by sabaton

A few days later, Rainbow flew swooped over a familiar clump of trees, Burkesh just in sight. The town had grown a little bit over the past two years. The wall was moved up and reinforced, with other buildings built in the new space. One of these new houses she had bought with the saved up script from a few runs. She had also established a new routine for what she did in town.

First things first, she skidded to a halt outside the office. Trotting inside, she handed in the slip of paper the mayor in the last town had signed, as well as receiving her pay. She would generally talk with Diana a bit, who she had formed a friendship with over the years. Then, she would pick up her next contract, which she would start the next day.

After this, she would head down to the market to pick a few things up. Some food for her to make dinner and for the road. A quick repair on anything that might've broken during the run. And, most importantly, and where she spends most of her money, at Huffer's stim stand to get crackers. The stuff was a true lifesaver and was pretty enjoyable besides. Like flying without flying in a way.

Finally, it would be at her home. After the expansion, she had bought one of the new houses. It was just a place she could lay down and rest on a semi-comfortable surface for once in a few days to a week. She usually wouldn't do much inside; generally, just eat, maybe preen or cut her hair if needed, then go to sleep. In the morning, she would get up, grab another quick bite, then head out on her next run.

Due to her lack of real presence at home, it wasn't all that much. Now that she thought of it, that probably why no one had even really bothered to try and rob her. Crime wasn't really a problem, but she knew that some people would take the opportunity if they could. Anyway, the room was pretty bare: a few candles, a bedmat, a small box, a wooden bucket, and a small personal item.

As she entered, she slid off and tossed her bag against the box, with her hat soon following it. The clothes took a bit longer to get off, but soon she was bare again, as she set the sweat-soaked pieces of cloth down by the bucket. She'd wash them in the morning. Then, she made herself a quick dinner of figs, bread, and clumpy butter. It wasn't much, but it was enough to fill her up. Then, she popped a cracker, then smiled and popped in a second one, just for the heck of it. Felt good, anyhow. Then she laid down.

She found herself face-to-face with that personal thing she had in her house. It wasn't her goggles; those were resting against the box with her hat and bag. No, it was a small, flat piece of wood, carved with images of several ponies. She had spent about a month, and about ten pieces of wood, trying to get it just right, and it still looked somewhat like a blob. However, she knew exactly what it was supposed to be: her family. Herself in the center, her mom on her left, her dad her right, and Scootaloo right in front of her. She managed to squeeze out a tear at the memory before she drifted off to sleep.

Rainbow awoke with a start, jerking up faster than she had since she first started using crackers. Immediately, the cause became apparent. Burning wood filled her nose, thick black smoke filled her eyes, and harsh, panicked screams filled her ears. She quickly pulled on her duster, grabbed her sword, and shoved open the door. As she did, her eyes turned to pinpricks.

Several of the buildings in her immediate sight-line were burning. Creatures ran around in a panic, and a few seconds later Rainbow notice some of them were chasing others. Several of them wore scrap armor and were armed with weapons. Brigands. Burkesh was under attack.

How they got inside was irrelevant; action was all that immediately mattered. She pulled her sword free of its scabbard, then took off. She had had a few other encounters with brigands during her time, and she had learned to take advantage of speed and surprise to win. So, she did just that.

She shot from one to another as fast as she could. She would shove the sword as deep as she could into whatever was exposed. Necks, faces, chests, flanks, sides, backs; whatever was exposed and she could hit, she went for. This worked for the first three she encountered, but she then was forced to the ground by one grabbing her wing in his teeth.

She snarled in pain, scrambling to her hooves as fast as she could. The Bighorn was on her in a flash, Warhammer barely missing her as she dodged. She ducked under another horizontal swing, then sprang upwards at him. Aiming for the neck, her blade instead struck at the top of his scrap breastplate. The rolled edge of it snagged the blade, and ground both her and the tip to a halt. Her opponent took the opportunity to headbutt her, causing her to stagger back and drop her sword. He then howled in sadistic glee and lifted up the weapon to bash her head.

In desperation, she flapped her wings as hard as she could, springing forward again. She slipped under his guard, tackling him to the ground and making him drop the hammer. She slugged him in the face, then lifted up her head to look for a weapon. Her hopes were granted; her sword was pretty close to where they fell. She grabbed the sweaty handle in her mouth, lifted it up, and shoved it into her attacker's neck. Bloodshot out like a geyser, with more only coming out as she yanked it free.

Another brigand ran up behind her, metal caps over his teeth flashing in the early morning sun. She couldn't spin around in time to counter with her sword, so she just reared up his legs. As he lunged out at her, she bucked him right in the mouth. Whirling around, she saw a tooth fly out as he flew back, impacting a house with a loud *crack*. He slid down it, moaning in pain.

She looked around, but no other brigands were around her, so she took this time to look at her wing. The bighorn took a good bite out of it. Blood and the bite mark stood out, even though her feathers. The bite was deep, going through most of the flesh and even skimming one of the hollow bones. That would ground her for at least a month, if not more due to the lack of a proper hospital in town (no offense to Cass). But, no time to think about it. She had to get out of here.

She ran to her house, throwing open the door and closing it in one go. She slipped on her goggles and grabbed her bag. She then picked up the carving of her family. She looked at it, then, for reasons even she didn't know, she kissed it. She tossed it in the bag, closed the strap, and bolted back for the door.

She threw open the door and quickly looked around. Nothing to the left; no brigands, no fire, not even any townspeople. She could see the wall and knew the gate was already pretty close to her house. If she wanted to, she could just skim along it until she reached the gate, then bolt out. Even grounded, she could probably outrun most of these guys. However, that wasn't the plan. She had made some friends out here: Diana, Huffer, Cass, even Tyler. She had already been abandoned by one set of friends; she wasn't about to return the favor to her new ones. She adjusted her head to the right. In that direction was a brigand with a rock mace, which was swinging down at her head. Wait... What!?

*SMACK!*

Rainbows head jarred from the impact, bouncing off the wall as her ears ringed in protest. She dropped her sword, stepped back, then collapsed. Her last sight before consciousness left her was the grinning face of the brigand.