“Blitz isn’t gonna believe this,” Hunter said, dragging the now-removed heart of the baron wurm behind him.

“Why not?” I asked. We jumped down a small drop, and I hissed as the impact made my shoulder flare up.

“He’s always kinda thought that you’re just some Equestrian wimp who’s gonna die his first day outside.” He stopped momentarily to look up and stretch.

“Well, I almost did.”

Hunter grinned. “Good thing, too. He and I had a bet over whether or not you’d survive the hunt. Thanks.”

“What?” I shook my head in disbelief. “I almost died back there!”

“Well, yeah,” he said. “But you didn’t, and I made some money. An even trade. Hey, we should go hunting more often!”

“No thanks.”

The recusant chuckled. “Don’t worry, buddy. I wouldn’t want to lose my bet!”

I sighed. This place is going to be the death of me. I took a second to reflect on the thought, and realized that I had never used that phrase before and actually meant it. Disturbing.

Somewhere in the distance, an eagle called. Hunter’s ears twitched, and he suddenly leaped off of the ground, flying up above the treetops and leaving the wurm heart on the leaves.

“What is it?” I asked, peering upwards.

“Never ignore an eagle’s call, Dissero.” He poked his head back under the leaves. “Griffons found us! Hurry up and get back to the cave. Try not to get killed!”

At that, he flew away, leaving me alone amongst the trees. I looked around nervously. So far everything I’d run into out here tried to kill me, and I was getting the creeping feeling that some new predator would leap out of the bushes, teeth bared.

I suddenly realized the full weight of Hunter's words. Griffons had found us!

I broke into a gallop, sides burning. My mind raced. I could stay away and avoid the battle, but then I’d probably get killed by some Outer World beast. I could join the battle and hope the Stygians would protect me, but then I’d have to fight the griffons. I wasn’t exactly the best fighter, and I only had one sword left!

By the time I clambered up over the edge of the small landing around the cave entrance, I had been running for an hour. My lungs burned and my body ached. I was, to summarize, not at all in fighting condition.

The scrape of swords and yells of the wounded rose up from the cave. I pulled a rope out of my saddlebags, tied it to the lone tree that grew nearby, grabbed hold, and peeked inside.

Most of the clan was gathered on one side of the cave, fending off the griffons as they dashed in and out in quick hit and run attacks. On a ledge halfway up the wall, Colonel was giving orders and brandishing a rifle, shooting at any griffons that exposed themselves as the clan fought around her. On the other side of the cave, Blitz and Shatter moved amongst the griffons, attacking any that broke from the group or dared to raise a gun.

One of the griffons passing through the sand pit saw my shadow and looked up. My eyes widened. Shit.

I scrambled backwards as the griffon flew out of the hole and landed before me. Rolling under his sweeping axe, I came up behind him and bucked hard. He recovered so fast that I barely had time to grab the rope before he shoved me into the hole.

I screamed as I fell, coming to an abrupt stop a couple meters above the sand pit. I shook my head and looked up just in time to see the griffon cut the rope.

“Oof!” I plopped into the sand. Rolling over, I tried to regain my bearings or get up, but the world didn’t want to stay still, and my shoulder wound burned from the landing. I idly noted the griffon standing above me, blade raised for the kill.

A dark blue blur slammed into him, knocking him aside. I crawled to my hooves, bracing myself on a nearby rock and gritting my teeth at the pain. Blitz was shouting something at me. I turned to see him wrestling with the griffon. “Go, Equestrian! Get somewhere safe! We’ll handle these bastards!”

I wasted no time, stumbling out of the sand pit and drawing my last remaining sword. Pitiful. I was barely able to fight one person with three weapons. What can I do with one?

“Stygians! Charge!” Colonel’s command rang through the cave, and the clan let out a fierce warcry as they galloped forth. A griffon reared up before me, deadly sharp steel claws worn on his talons, and I leaped to the side. I brandished my sword, but the griffon easily knocked it aside with his beak, charging forwards and wrapping his tail around my neck. He snarled at me and flapped his wings. I gagged as the tail tightened around my neck and pulled up.

Luckily for me, the griffon wasn’t used to fighting unicorns. I levitated my sword above my head and swung wildly, cutting the tail away. I fell down to the hard rock, trying to both gasp for breath and call for aid at the same time.

“My tail!” The griffon hissed in fury. Faerie flew by, wingblades dripping red, and suddenly there was blood spilling on me as the griffon plummeted from the sky, lifeless.

I gagged. What the fuck is happening!? Noise everywhere. The stomp of hooves, the flap of wings. Fire burns as smoke pours out the windows. I squinted as the sunlight shone into my eyes and the shadows danced around me. The sky fills with airships and smoke. I crawled to my hooves, barely noticing as the griffon raising his sword before me was knocked away by Flintlock. A massive tower collapses, crushing hundreds beneath it. I managed to pull my gun out of its sheath and pointed it at something, stuttering as I tried to get out a trigger word. Nothing happened. Thunder, lightning, wind in every direction. The world was a roar.

I felt something pull on my neck, and suddenly I was looking into Colonel’s eyes. “Pull yourself together, Equestrian! Get the fuck up!” She disappeared as abruptly as she arrived.

I shook my head, eyes wide, and looked up. Another griffon stood before me, a bloodied axe hanging over my head. The axe fell to cleave open my skull as I lay there, paralyzed with fear.

Then some instinct took over. My horn glowed, and the axe veered off course, stinging my cheek with a glancing blow instead of spilling my brains. My attacker recovered quickly, stepping back to narrow his eyes and figure out what had just swayed his blade. I heard a bang! above me, and I choked on gunsmoke as the griffon keeled over. I scrambled to my hooves as Colonel landed next to me, hastily shoving another bullet into her rifle’s breech. I looked to her for guidance.

“Just try not to get killed, for fuck’s sake,” she said.

I nodded like the innocent little Equestrian I was.

With a quick glance I saw the griffons flying away, chased by Blitz and Pyre. We were winning the battle. I noticed my heart pounding and the wall holding my weight for the first time. I almost lost it back there.

Colonel had a hoof on my shoulder. “You okay?”

“Y... yeah.”

She nodded, turning to face the rest of the clan. “Pack light, Stygians! We’re bugging out!” she shouted.

They didn’t need to be told twice. Within seconds, every member of the clan was in motion, flying through the caves, filling saddlebags, and throwing everything else into a big pile in the sand pit.

Colonel beckoned to me, and I fell in behind her. “Hunter! Blight!” she called. The two stallions were by our side in a blink.

“Blight, take Faerie, Flintlock, Pyrestripe, and Blood with you. I’ll lead the others. We’ll meet at the planned rendezvous. If I’m not there in two weeks, move on.”

The old recusant nodded curtly and broke off.

“What are we doing?” I asked tentatively. I wasn’t sure if I could take much more of this.

“We’re bugging out,” she replied. “The griffons found us, and our only hope of survival is to be somewhere else before they get back with something bigger than a scouting party.”

“You plan for this?” I had just assumed the clan was safe here. Still not used to the Outer World, I guess.

“Of course. The griffons are relentless, and frankly, I’m surprised it took them so long to find us. Usually, we can easily fly away on our wings and start over elsewhere. But as for you, Dissero...” She stopped to size me up briefly.

“Uhm,” I stammered, looking over my wingless sides self-consciously. An idle thought drifted through my head, and I dismissed it immediately for being stupid. That hadn’t been flying. That had been falling with extra grace!

She raised a hoof. “Do not worry, the clan leaves none behind. At least, we won’t completely abandon you. You won’t, unfortunately, be able to accompany us. You would slow us down too much, and I won’t endanger the rest of the clan for you.

“But Hunter here has volunteered his services. Come.”

We followed her to a high, table-like rock. She pulled a map out of a pocket in her barding and spread it out. After a cursory examination, she jabbed her hoof at the worn out image of a mountain range.

“We’re here,” she said. She traced a line west, towards the ocean, and stopped over a sketch of a city. “You’re going here.”

I scanned the map. The mountains we were in seemed to form a circle around some region to the east labeled as ‘The Bare Lands,’ where the map ended.

“After we leave, you and Hunter will wait here. When the griffons arrive, he will lead them away to the south, allowing you to travel safely,” she explained.

My eyes widened, and I looked over to Hunter. “Are you sure about that? What if they catch you?”

He shot a confident smile my way. “Don’t worry, I can handle myself. You can’t.”

I nodded quietly. “Thanks."

“We never abandon a clanmate,” Colonel said, pushing the map towards me. “You can keep the map. Any questions? Good. I must go lead my clan. In the meantime, I recommend you start packing. Hunter can help you with that.”

She trotted away, leaving Hunter and I alone together. Recusants were flying, galloping, and planning all over the cave, filling it with an atmosphere that was both calm and hurried. Hunter beckoned to me with a wing, leading the way to the large pile of supplies that was being made in the middle of the sand pit. Faerie, Navery and Flintlock were busily looting the cave and piling everything up, and Hunter and I began to sort through the pile and pick out everything I would need for the journey.

Within five minutes, the pile was complete and the clan was gathered around the sand pit. Hunter and Navery were clustered together off to the side.

“Be careful,” I heard her say.

“Only for you,” he replied. They embraced, and Hunter joined me at my side.

After a brief glance over her clan, Colonel looked down to us. “Fly safe, Hunter. Take care, Equestrian. If you manage to find us again, we’ll welcome you.”

Hunter nodded to his clanmates. “See you soon.”

“Thanks again,” I said.

The rest of the clan offered me brief farewells. As one, they flew up and out of sight.

Hunter stared after them a few seconds and then turned to me. “You got everything you need? Food, map, barding, swords, a bit of gold?” he asked.

“Yeah.” The butterflies were coming back.

He flew out of the hole, and I clambered up after him on a rope he let down. He cut the rope with a dagger, motioning for me to step back. I backed up against a nearby rock, and he tossed a match into the hole. He stepped back and shielded his face as a wave of heat rose up. I heard a brief sizzling, and then a huge explosion. A few smoking items landed at my feet.

Hunter turned to me and grinned. “Flintlock’s work. No doubt he’s proud.”

We were on a wide, gently sloped ledge. Above us was a steep rise up the mountain and below a similarly steep drop down into a forested valley. The ground was rocky, with sparse soil that allowed a few mountain bushes to grow. A lone tree grew right on the edge of the cliff, hanging out, and a few large boulders rested together where they had fallen, hugging the mountainside.

I carefully walked to the edge of the cliff and scanned the horizon nervously. I had the feeling that the griffons would be here any moment now.

“Hey, get out of the open!” Hunter said. “They’ve got eagle eyes, for fucks sake. They can draw your lifemark before you even see their shadows.”

“Oh, right.” I stepped back and, after a short search for a decent hiding spot, tucked myself away in a small hole under the fallen boulders.

“Good. Now they’ll see me first, and I’ll be able to lead them away before they see you,” he said. “Oh, by the way, I’ve got a little something for you to help you with the walk.” He reached into his saddlebags with a wing, rummaged through it, and pulled out a small, metallic object. He held it out to me.

“A harmonica?” I asked. I grabbed the instrument with my magic and held it before my eyes, watching the way the sunlight reflected off its shiny surface.

“Those things are great. Whenever you’re out in the wilderness alone, at night time, with your imagination creeping up on you from every direction, a little bit of music does a lot to drive it away.”

“I can’t take this.” I held it back out for him. “You’ve already done too much for me.”

He pushed it away. “No worries, Navery got me eight of the things awhile back. Something about one for every key or whatever. I won’t miss it.”

Reluctantly, I levitated it into my own saddlebags. Honestly, I had hoped he wouldn’t take it back. I probably wouldn’t be able to sleep at nights, alone out in the strange and hostile Outer World, without something to calm my mind.

“Thanks again, Hunter.”

He grinned. “Yeah, sure. Now I probably better stop talking to you before the griffons see me staring at these rocks and figure out you’re here.”

I nodded, and he turned away from me. He flew up and perched on the top branch of the tree, looking out into the distance.

Within a minute, an eagle’s call sounded from somewhere further down the valley. Hunter’s ears twitched, and he surreptitiously tilted his head towards my hiding spot.

“That’ll be them,” he hissed, barely moving his lips. “Once they get close enough to see, I’ll fly away. Wait until you can’t see them anymore, and then wait an hour more. Don’t worry about me. I’m confident I’ll live for our paths to cross again.”

I offered no response, and he expected none. He knew I could hear him. My heart was starting to beat faster. What if something went wrong? What if they caught him before he could get far, and came back to search the cave? What if they ignored him and came straight for me? What if I left too early, and all his effort was for naught?

Stop being so fucking selfish. His life is in danger too.

Hunter saw something outside of my view, and flared his wings. He leapt off the tree branch and flapped hard, rising up and circling lazily. I heard another eagle call, and he flew out of sight.

I heard wings beating the air, and tucked myself further into my hiding place, pushing my tail up against the rough stone. Ten minutes passed, and the first griffon came into view. My heart was pounding. More griffons followed, until there was a whole flock of at least forty flying past. I was sweating. Some of the griffons were scanning the mountainsides lazily, and I tried to push myself further back, but there was no more room. I felt something give, and heard some pebbles falling as my weight shifted the balance of the rocks.

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.

I froze. None of the griffons seemed to notice. I closed my eyes, thanking Celestia I had a brown coat that blended well with the shadows. I dared not move, waiting for the sound of the wings to leave.

After what seemed like an eternity, the deadly sound drifted away. I strained my ears to ensure no noise escaped them. Nothing. I fought the instinct to run right away, to dart out of the rocks and break for the mountain path as fast as possible before the danger returned. The silence was more terrifying than the sound. Everything I heard made me jump. I was shaking. I watched the sun travel across the sky, counting the passage of time.

I heard a pair of wings.

Terrible things drifted through my mind.

The scratch of talons on rock.

I drew a knife. Slowly, quietly.

I saw something land in front of me, and lunged outwards, tackling it and fiercely stabbing it over and over, eyes shut tight from fear. Any moment now, greedy talons would reach out and grab me, competing for the right to tear me to pieces.

Nothing happened.

I opened my eyes, and saw the hawk bleeding out beneath my hooves.

I released a shaky breath of relief and looked around. No griffons. I rolled onto my back, dropped the knife, and began to chuckle. It grew into a hysterical laugh. It felt magnificent, but I knew that now was not the time to relax. I picked myself up, cleaned the knife, sheathed it, and started for the mountain path.

Panting, I stopped to rest in the shade of a scrawny tree. I put up a hoof to support myself on the cold stone beside me and looked up. The sun had almost set, and I was running out of energy. I had been climbing down the mountain for at least two hours now, and had lost count of how many times I’d wished for a pair of wings to carry me down on a gentle wind. No wonder the clan had hid up here. It was fucking impossible just to climb down, let alone climb up. I had managed to descend the mountain before, when I joined in on the raid of the other recusants, but I hadn’t been laden with long-distance traveling supplies, and had been allowed more frequent rests. Now, I couldn’t afford a stop. I had to get to the concealing safety of the trees at the foot of the mountain by sunset, in case the griffons returned.

I shook myself and levitated a canteen to my lips. Thank Celestia the cave is only halfway up the mountain.

Pushing off the mountain, I continued the descent. I was at a relatively easy point right now: a series of switchbacks that led to the final stretch of the path. A small part of me smiled knowing that I was almost there, but the rest of me was too tired to join in. I took a moment to watch the snow fall. The hike went on.

For the first time, I allowed myself to think about what just happened. Big mistake.

What hopes does a pony like myself have out here? In this hellhole? To think, that I had been so confident after I almost beat Colonel in a spar! She had probably been going easy on me, anyways... I doubt I could really defeat her, even with three blades. Now I realize how weak I really am...

My time in the foundries had been easy. Had been nothing. A bit of manual labor! Levitating coal for the furnace! Technically not even manual... to think I’d felt tough from the experience. Toughened, maybe. But nothing compared to the Outer World. Everywhere I went, someone else had to save me. Fuck, my whole life, I needed someone to save me. Silver ever since I was a colt. My crew back in Harmony City. The Stygians, ever since I arrived. Poor old Dissero can’t do shit for his life.

A pair of eyes.

Lost in my thoughts, I almost forgot to watch my hooves. I suddenly found my forehooves skidding down the cliff before me. Eyes wide, I scrambled back onto the path, shaking my head. I’m not giving up yet. Continuing down the mountainside, I searched for a more practical endeavor to occupy my mind. It didn’t take me long to find one.

Now what?

It wasn’t a question I had really needed to answer until now. Back in Equestria, I had a routine I could follow. In Harmony City, the Baron dictated my daily activities. When I escaped, I knew that I always had to be pushing forward, running away from the Baron and searching for land. While I was with the clan, I set myself to learning how to defend myself and repaying them for saving my life. Although I did still have a concrete goal right now, getting to the city alive, I had no idea what I would do when I got there. Where I would go. What I would find.

I still had to find my crew. I wonder how they’re doing? I hope they’re okay. If there was anything I had learned since my arrival, it was that the Outer World was a dangerous place. It changed ponies. It had changed me.

I felt kind of bad that I hadn’t thought about them for so long. Have they given up on me already? It had been at least a month since my fall. How long could I honestly expect them to look for me? They had their lives they had to get on with. They had to survive too. Maybe they had given up, and found their own way back to Equestria. Or maybe they were hundreds of miles away by now. Or maybe they had found a new life in this place already.

Or maybe they’re dead.

The wind picked up, and some of the falling snow blew into my face. I pulled my bandanna up as the biting wind and damp seeped into my fur. My barding did nothing against the weather, which seemed just right for a lost and lonely unicorn. I shivered.

A slip, and I lost my balance, falling right on my face. I had to stop with the deep contemplation for now and focus on the task at hoof. It was too wet, cold, and slippery for me to be climbing down a mountain with half of my head somewhere else.

I came to the end of the last switchback. All that was left now was to climb down one last snowy descent, and I would be off the mountain and into the safety of the trees. Then I could find somewhere to spend the night and rest. The climb was physically exhausting; the wet and cold had sucked my stamina, and the constant threat of griffons was mentally draining. Even though I knew that Hunter had led them away and I was probably safe, my body didn’t seem to want to believe it. Every little noise made my heart skip a beat.

I tentatively placed a hoof on a loose looking rock and tested it. It seemed secure enough. I placed my full weight on it as I went to take another step, and it suddenly gave out beneath me.

The rock tumbled away, and I fell face first into the snow. Again.

My momentum carried me forward against my will, and I began to roll. I picked up speed, hit a pile of snow, and felt myself launched into the air.

I curled up into a ball to protect myself, but I landed on more snow instead of the hard stone I had been expecting. I rolled all the way down the slope, hitting hundreds of little rocks and hard things on the way down, until I finally slammed into a tree.

I screamed in pain, clutching my side. For a few moments I lay there, holding myself. It felt like I had broken a rib. Or maybe two. Or three. At least I was alive. Hunter’s efforts wouldn’t be in vain. Or at least, they wouldn’t yet.

It felt like every inch of my body was covered in bruises, cuts, and scrapes. I had to get up, had to move on, find shelter! I knew my scream would attract predators. Raptors. You can find ‘em wherever there’s prey...

Fuck, that tumble hurt. I felt the sun beginning to set, the warm light drifting away from my coat. It was getting dark. Got to move.

Finally, the pain faded enough that I could open my eyes. I lifted my head, hissing in pain from the movement, and looked around blearily.

My head fell into the snow.

The sound of a basketball bouncing down the sidewalk. My tormentors arrive to bother me once more.

“Hey, Sissy, what’s up?” They laugh at me. Mocking.

I look away. Tired of the ridicule. Father won’t help. He’s out on his ship. I don’t even contemplate running to Mother. They already think I’m weak enough as it is.

“Oy, look at me when I talk to ya!” The larger one approaches. I close my eyes and send a prayer to Celestia. Why doesn’t she ever help? I hear them getting ready to throw the basketball at me, and brace myself. The impact never comes.

“Hey, leave him alone!”

A savior? A pegasus colt with a striking silver mane runs up and tackles one of the earth pony foals. With a fierce growl and hard kick, he sends them on their way.

I look up tentatively. “Why did you help me?”

“I don’t like seeing other ponies get picked on. Just isn’t right!” he offers a hoof and helps me up, flapping his tiny wings.

“What’s your name?”

“Silver Feather.”

I woke with a start. My eyes darted side to side. My heart slowed to a regular pace. My body felt like it had just rolled down a mountain.

I tentatively raised a hoof to block the bright light of the rising sun as it shone in my eyes, and was rewarded with a stab of pain.

“Aaagh, fuck!”

I clutched my side. I’d have to be more careful.

Delicately, I climbed to my hooves. I needed shelter. Somewhere I could spend a night without fear of what hunts in the night. Or even what hunts in the day. I stumbled along, holding my chest with a hoof.

Following the mountain, I came across a shallow cave, half-buried in snow, and wormed my way inside. The dim glow of my horn didn’t reveal anything particularly murderous. Good enough for me. I sat back against the cave wall and levitated my saddlebags off, thankful that I didn’t actually have to move to grab them.

“Let’s see what we’ve got then,” I said. Opening the bags, I rummaged through them in search of medical supplies. Map... harmonica... canteen... rope... ah, there we go.

I pulled out a small flask, holding it closer to better read the label. ‘Healing Draught: Accelerates regeneration for a day.’ Just what I needed. Pulling out the cork, I briefly contemplated the wisdom of drinking a health potion made by a poisoner before downing it all in one gulp.

Hrm. Tastes like... like...

It occurred to me that I had no idea what the hell that tasted like. There was simply no taste I could relate it to. It was kinda like... yeah. Like that. Hard to put into words, really. I looked down to the empty flask and considered drinking another, to get another taste. Idiot. This isn’t Equestria Cooks. Survival is more important!

Good point, brain. You’re a fine companion.

“Urhk!” I grabbed my stomach and keeled over, dropping the flask to shatter on the cave floor. I was overcome with the sickening sensation of things moving around inside of me. Things that should stay still. It wasn’t a fast movement, either. It was a slow one. It was like all of my bones were getting into a race with each other, but were playing to lose. My bones are a bunch of jerks.

I wheezed and coughed, lying on the hard rock as my body rearranged itself. Time slipped away. There was nothing but the strange half-pain that occupied my mind. My thoughts drifted, and then altogether stopped. The world escaped my notice, and the seconds passed away.

Stormslider looked over her work, and allowed herself a slight smile. Silver will love this, she thought.

Of all the crew, Silver had taken Dissero’s death the hardest. An understandable notion, considering their friendship. The others had gotten some semblance of normalcy back in their lives. They were moving on. Silver, however, still sat idly in the cockpit, listening to whatever orders he was given, occasionally making an unenthusiastic joke while looking out into the distance sadly.

Storm knew that Ember had been trying to cheer him up, but she wasn’t going about it right. The fiery engineer had more or less assumed command, being both the loudest of the five and the only with any idea about what they should do. She ran the ship with an iron hoof, trotting up and down halls, pushing ponies with forceful suggestions. Ember saw Silver’s depression as an obstacle. A prime pilot running at half efficiency, as Storm would put it.

The cloudgineer picked up her most recent creation and slung it around her shoulder, making for her door. She knew Silver well. They had known eachother a long time, ever since playing against each other in a cloudball game back at the Academy. He was a good pony.

She walked out into the main room, where Cleaver and Ember were busily sorting through some stack of papers or other. She wasn’t sure what they were up to, but she hazarded a guess that it was probably one of Ember’s plans to make themselves at home in this land. She seemed set on becoming a permanent resident of the Outer World.

Flying onto the navigation level and trotting into the cockpit, Storm was treated with the sight of Silver Feather, goggles around his neck, leaning on a wall coated with gauges as he stared out into the sky.

“Hey,” Storm said. “I want to show you something.”

Silver’s ears twitched. “I’m busy.”

“It’s cool.” She held her work out before her and shook it enticingly. If she could just get him to turn around...

He sighed and turned to face her. His eyes widened, and he almost broke out into one of his trademark grins. “What is that?” he asked.

“I made it for you. Come up to the deck and I’ll show you,” she said, pleased with his reaction.

Once they were on deck, Stormslider went into more detail. “It’s a lightning gun,” she said. “I’ve been fiddling with the rune guns since we escaped, and it turns out that the runes accept all kinds of magic, not just unicorn.”

Silver cocked his head, taking the gun up in his hooves. “How does it work?”

“It’s just like kicking a thundercloud. You pull this lever here, with a wing or a hoof, and the pressurized thunderclouds inside will zap whatever you’re aiming at. I designed the barrel to direct the thunder forwards. At close ranges it’ll even daze anything in front of you.”

He grinned, balancing the barrel on a nearby railing as he stood on his hind legs. With a magnificent flash and a thunderous rumble, lightning arced out of the gun, annihilating an unlucky cloud.

“Sweet!” he exclaimed. “Thanks, Storm.”

She smiled. “No problem.”

“Hey, you two!” Ember called from the cockpit ladder. “We’re having a meeting!”

Storm looked to Silver. The two pegasi shared a brief but warm embrace before walking down to the navigation room. The large table in the middle, previously broken by an intruding cannonball, had since been fixed with some glue and nails they’d bought from the locals. Cleaver and Nix were sitting beside it, with Ember standing confidently at the front of the room.

“Now, then,” she began. “If we’re going to be staying in the Outer World, we need to find a way to make gold.”

“Why?” Silver asked.

“Because, we don’t know the plants that grow out here. We have no supplies. I’m tired of eating meat and doing what we can to stay afloat with dried paint and scrapped drywall. We need a job of some kind, to support ourselves. The ship isn’t even repaired yet!”

She spread some papers out upon the table. “Normally, we would make money from trade, but this world is different from Equestria. We don’t know the routes, goods, customers, or land. Splitting up isn’t an option. Together, there’s not much we can do for money.”

“What are you proposing?” Storm asked cautiously.

“I say we become mercenaries. You all saw when we went into that town. There were jobs everywhere. Jobs of every kind. We could capture criminals, escort caravans, anything we can get! What do you say?”

Suddenly, I was back.

Sunlight was filtering into the cave. Looking up, I was disturbed to find the sun was lower in the sky than it had been before. Did I just go back in time?

I pulled myself up and came to a more reasonable conclusion: I must have been out for at least a day. I stretched gingerly, feeling my body as I moved. The aches were still there, but the thousand sharp pains had faded into dull throbs. I felt along my sides. It hurt to touch them, but not nearly as bad as before. I could walk now. It seemed that the potion had at least put my bones back in place, though I didn’t think they were mended all the way yet. It would do.

I nosed through my saddlebags and pulled out a roll of bandages. Unbuckling my barding, I carefully wrapped the material around my chest, tying it tight with my magic. As much as I would’ve liked to stay another night, I had places to go, and ponies to find.

I climbed over the snow piled up at the cave entrance, sliding down the other side and back into the trees. I had a long journey ahead of me, and it was already getting kind of hard to breathe with layers of bandage and barding constricting my lungs. I had already lost a day. Every second I was out here was another second that my crew might give up. Or that I might die. In all honesty, the latter was more probable.

With a sigh, I took the first step of the day.

I hate hills.

Panting, I crested yet another of the seemingly endless series of hills. I paused to wipe the sweat off my brow and take a drink from my canteen. Empty.

What kind of world is this, where the rain is hard enough to bother, but not to fill a pony's canteen? I held the container up to the sky, vainly hoping that the gentle rain which had plagued me for the last ten hours might fill it up. It didn’t. I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised, because that’s exactly what happened the last nine times I tried it.

I scanned the horizon. To my left was the river which I had been following ever since I got out of the forest. It ran from somewhere up in the mountains, west to the coast, and according to my map the city I was looking for was right on it. I had been walking all day now, stopping only to curse the rain and check my map.

Putting the canteen away, I walked down the other side of the hill, letting gravity do most of the work while I contemplated finding water. Sure, there was a river right next to me, but the recusants had warned me about the cleanliness of said river. Full of shit, they had said. Might get you drunk, too, they had said. I needed to find a lake. Or some puddle that was deep enough that it wasn’t all mud.

Suddenly, I had an idea. It was the kind of idea that made me feel proud to have come up with it, and at the same time somewhat ashamed that I hadn’t thought of it earlier. Taking out my canteen again, I held it up to the rain. But this time, I used my magic to direct the rain into it. Success! Now I just had to wait a bit and... there!

I took a drink before putting the canteen back. I was about to get back to walking when I heard a branch snap behind me. I whipped around, shaking my saddlebags off and drawing my three swords so fast that the pains in my chest flared up again.

An adorable little bunny stood before me, standing as high as he could in an effort to get his head above the tall grass.

I chuckled to myself, sliding my swords away. A bunny! How cute. Surely a loveable little bunny couldn’t be dangerous.

I levitated my bags back on and turned back, glancing towards the river to get my bearings, and started walking again. I smiled to myself at the concept of the bunny. Soft, light steps followed behind me.

I stopped, twisted my neck to look back. Two bunnies. Hrm.

Probably nothing.

On a whim, I looked back again a few minutes later. Ten bunnies. I cocked my head, narrowing my eyes. This was getting very suspicious. Deep inside me, my innate Equestrian innocence battled with the Outer World caution that had been slowly developing.

It’s just a bunny.

It’s ten bunnies. Suspicious bunnies.

But they’re bunnies! Adorable little bunnies! Who’s ever heard of dangerous bunnies?

This is the Outer World.

I drew my swords, sliding into a defensive stance as the ravenous bunnies bared their teeth, hissing. Twenty more bunnies rose from the grass behind them, showing sharp fangs and claws. My eyes widened. All at once, they pounced.

I waved my swords wildly, managing to kill a few in the air, but soon they were all on me. They crawled over my barding, gnawing and clawing at it in an attempt to get to the soft pony flesh underneath. It was like drowning. Drowning in adorable, ravenous, lovable, murderous bunnies.

Luckily I didn’t need my hooves to get them off. I closed my eyes and hunkered down, using my swords to swipe them off my sides in droves. When I got back up and looked around, tiny pieces of adorable bunny were scattered all around me. I let out an exasperated sigh and went to clean my blades when a little plume of earth suddenly shot up in front of me.

And out came a bunny.

Everywhere, bunnies were popping out of the ground, claws bared, hissing. There were dozens of the things. It’s bunny hell! I took a cautious step back, realized that now was not the time for cautious steps, turned tail and ran away as fast as I could.

But I didn’t hear them giving chase. I looked behind me and realized that they weren’t even chasing me. No, they were quite content eating the diced bunny I had left behind. The whole scene would be a lot less disturbing and a lot cuter if they weren’t cannibals, really.

I shook my head and continued my journey, muttering to myself.

“This place is fucking insane...”

Author's Notes:

Hunter is a prudent gambler.
Silver has a goddamn lightning gun.
And Dissy needs to watch his step before he kills himself.