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- >Day Under the Burning Sun.
- >”Give me your magic,” !Xhaba commands. “I want it. It belongs to me.”
- >His voice is deep, and he speaks quickly with a strange cadence.
- >!Xhaba’s skin is dark as coal from the African sun, his teeth twisted and yellow from cigarettes.
- >Malaria shows itself through his yellow and red eyes.
- >His name was strange to pronounce at first, with a frontal mouth click then ‘haba.’
- >You heard one of the others pronounce it as Zabba, or Gabba, but never when he could hear.
- >Around you, the room is filled with the smell of smoke and waragi.
- >The soldiers are young, maybe between ten and sixteen years old.
- >Against the broken concrete wall, two mares are laying down.
- >The pony with a two tone blue mane, and off white coat is lazily licking the other.
- >Her mane is yellow, with a blue coat, and her eyes are dilated in a sort of mix between alertness and being sleepy.
- >A Zebra near you is watching intently.
- “I don’t know how.”
- >The man next to !Xhaba clicks and grunts.
- >Over his chest is a necklace of bleached white pony skulls with a red rodent charm in the center.
- >His lower lip is filled to the brim with qat and two pairs of Pegasi wings adorn his back.
- >!Xhaba laughs loudly before taking a puff on his cigarette.
- “What did he say?”
- >The Zebra considers for a moment before translating.
- >”Equestrian magic unique to each Unicorn, what could be easier than eating his horn?”
- >”We should be more considerate, Faili Halijapatikana. Please use English.”
- >Faili brushes his skulls before responding.
- >”As you wish.”
- >!Xhaba waves his machete.
- >”Always the same with you. Eat, eat, eat. Did you gain the power of flight? You did not.”
- >You try to pull away, but your chain keeps you in place.
- >”Eating Unicorns gave me power, or have you already forgotten?”
- >”I wasted our last two Pegasi on you. This one belongs to me.”
- 1/31
- >”The blood of an innocent child makes our soldiers strong. It makes them fierce. You should eat its heart. That is where true power lies.”
- >!Xhaba looks you over as if weighing your worth.
- >”What is your name?”
- “Meteor Shower.”
- >”I like that. I will be able to make rocks fall from the sky.”
- >He mimes pulling down a boulder from the clouds.
- >Again you try to pull away, and the restraints dig into your coat.
- ”Please, don’t eat me. There has to be another way.”
- >This gets Faili’s attention and he smiles a crooked smile.
- >”Are you a virgin?”
- >Your ears pin themselves down and you try to look away from them.
- >You whisper your response.
- >”Louder, so I can hear.”
- >Suddenly the ground seems very interesting.
- “Yes.”
- >Both men laugh.
- >They want to have your body first.
- >You heard the princesses were able to lend their strength to Twilight.
- >Can you do the same?
- “You don’t need to do that. Let me try something.”
- >You close your eyes to concentrate.
- >!Xhaba's fingers touch your mane as you let your magic flow.
- >Give it to him.
- >Give it all to him.
- >Your horn lights up and you can feel a glow covering !Xhaba.
- >”I can feel it. I can feel your magic.”
- >You try harder, willing yourself to pass everything to your new master.
- >Anything to keep him from eating you.
- >”I can feel your power, your strength!”
- >Your teeth clench as you try desperately to pass what you have to him.
- >”Everything tingles, like nupping.”
- >What little magic you have is nearly gone.
- >Still you strain harder, hoping against all hope to please him.
- >Faili clicks in excitement.
- >His skulls chitter against themselves as he chants an unintelligible series of clicks.
- >You strain and grunt trying to send every last bit.
- >This has to be it.
- >You grunt a final time and collapse to the ground.
- >All around you, dust lifts off the floor as you try to catch your breath.
- 2/31
- >You feel light headed, like the last time you tried to use all your magic.
- >Both men click to each other.
- ”Is it over?”
- >”Yes, Meteor. I have your magic.”
- >You turn and look as !Xhaba laughs.
- >”Now I am invincible. They will cower before us. Now watch.”
- >He lifts a hand and concentrates on one of his child soldiers.
- >The boy senses something wrong and wakes from his drunken stupor.
- >”General, what is happening?”
- >”Hush, child.”
- >The boy watches cautiously as !Xhaba rises.
- >”Do not resist. Give me your soul.”
- >The off white mare suddenly becomes interested and stops licking her companion.
- >The child grabs his chest and coughs violently.
- >”Give it to me.”
- >”Please, General.”
- >”Give it to me!”
- >!Xhaba strains to pull out his being.
- >He grits his teeth in effort, but nothing happens.
- >Faili watches with annoyance, and when he has had enough, he speaks up.
- >”This is not our way. Eat the pony.”
- >”Not yet. Bring another.”
- >The boy, with soul still intact, slinks off to the far corner of the room.
- >He is safe for now.
- >The soldiers shuffle before bringing forward a naked girl.
- >Her belly is distended from malnutrition.
- >She doesn’t fight, and keeps her eyes on the ground.
- >One of the boys kicks her so she falls on her knees before !Xhaba.
- >”You know what I want.”
- >”Yes, master.”
- >”Good.”
- >!Xhaba clenches his fist to rip out her soul.
- >Again nothing happens.
- >!Xhaba grunts and tries again.
- >”Why is this not working?”
- >Faili points at you with his curved blade.
- >”I told you, you must eat them to gain their strength.”
- ”Please don’t.”
- >You hear explosions and gunfire in the distance.
- >Both men turn to listen to the sound.
- >A radio springs to life, and a staticky voice begins.
- >”We’re being attacked. One hundred soldiers, maybe more.”
- >”Who is it? Mbantuwe?”
- >”Listen for yourself, General.”
- >The radio picks up the sound of chanting, and men stomping rhythmically.
- 3/31
- >”Hello, hello,” the voice chants. “Hello, hello.”
- >But it isn’t hello.
- >There are too many syllables for it to be that.
- >”How many trucks do they have?”
- >”It looks like-“
- >The radio transmission ends suddenly.
- >”Unbaba, answer me!”
- >After a few moments, the General stops waiting for a response.
- >!Xhaba grabs his rifle and rises.
- >The soldiers around him do the same.
- >Faili looks you in your eyes.
- >He smiles before speaking.
- >”You do not know the way. The way of the Devil. I will show you.”
- >Without warning, Faili plunges his knife into the girl’s belly.
- >She screams and struggles, but the soldiers keep her still.
- “What the buck!?”
- >You try to escape, and pull against your chains again and again.
- >”Be quiet!”
- >One of the children kick you.
- >You feel your stomach wrenching at the sight and smell of death.
- >Faili reaches up into the girl’s chest and plucks out her heart as easily as if he was picking an apple.
- >The girl collapses into the growing pool and spasms a few times.
- >Blood squirts out as Faili takes a generous bite of the still beating organ.
- >He passes it reverently, as if it was a holy relic to the General.
- >!Xhaba takes a small bite before tossing it to the children.
- >They fight amongst themselves for a taste and soon enough all of them have smears on their lips and hands.
- >It only takes a moment for them to clear the room.
- >They make sure to grab every weapon before leaving.
- >Engines in disrepair roar and rattle as the technicals outside turn on.
- >They climb onto their steel machines and drive toward the fighting, leaving only you, the Zebra, and the two mares.
- >They watch for a while as you shake, none of them are willing to speak first.
- >How could those men do that?
- >They ate her heart like it was nothing.
- >No.
- >Not nothing.
- >Maybe like candy.
- >Your hooves tremble against your will, but you can’t stop them.
- >Finally, the mare who was licking her friend is the first to speak.
- 4/31
- >”Are you alright?”
- “What the buck was that? He killed that girl!”
- >You look at them over and over, but all they offer are pained expressions.
- >How many times have they seen this?
- “Well?”
- >The Zebra steps forward.
- >”What they seek is power, living flesh, they must devour.”
- >Your hooves slowly stop moving.
- >You can get through this.
- “So that’s normal?”
- >”They always do that before fighting,” the mare says.
- “It’s insane. We need to get out of here.”
- >You get up to run away, but metal keeps you in place.
- >Your chain is attached to the wall, and you notice that all the ponies are chained to the same metal frame.
- >”Once before we tried to escape, all we got for our trouble was rape.”
- >”But we still have to keep up hope, Punda.”
- >”Hope is only for a fool, how can we leave without even a tool?”
- ”There has to be some way.”
- >”We’ve tried, but we can’t break our chains. You wouldn’t happen to be good at lock picking, would you?”
- >She looks at you with hope in her eyes.
- >How long has she been here?
- >Why are they still alive?
- “I’m not good with magic yet, but I can try.”
- >You take a deep breath to calm yourself.
- >Concentrate on your lock.
- >You can do this.
- >The lock lights up, and you imagine opening it.
- >You hope it will explode, or disconnect, or unlatch, or melt, or disappear, or something.
- >Your magic sputters and fails to the disappointment of the mare.
- >Silence once again returns to the squalid room.
- “I’m sorry.”
- >”It’s alright. It was too much to ask.”
- >”Hungry you must be, after setting your magic free.”
- >The Zebra takes out a baobab and breaks it open to reveal the chunks of hard flesh.
- >Your stomach churns at the sight of it.
- “I don’t know if I can eat right now.”
- >”Please try,” the mare says as she lightly brushes your mane.
- >You take a piece in your hoof and pop it in your mouth.
- >The fruit is sweet and slightly tangy.
- 5/31
- >”I’m Coco Pommel. This is Pundamilia, and she is Apple Cider.”
- >Apple is breathing heavily and kicking her hoofs out like she is trying to reach for something.
- >She is laying down on a pile of sandbags or something.
- “What’s wrong with her?”
- >”Too much heroin.”
- >The Zebra trots over and takes Apple in his forelegs.
- >He nuzzles her over and over, which seems to calm her slightly.
- “I’m Meteor Shower. They must have left something we can use, a gun or maybe a sledgehammer.”
- >”!Xhaba sometimes leaves guns over there,” Coco says as she points at a broken locker. “But our leashes don’t go that far.”
- >She gets up and looks at the dead girl.
- >After a moment she bites an area that isn’t completely drenched in blood.
- >She slowly drags her to the doorway.
- ”I can do it.”
- >”I hope so. It’s only a matter of time before they eat us.” Coco looks back at the locker. “Doesn’t look like there’s anyth- wait. Grab that handle.”
- >A small piece of wood pokes out from the edge of the container.
- >You light your magic to grab the wood, but it flickers several times before disappearing.
- >Again you try, but to no avail.
- >”Don’t worry. You’re still just a filly.”
- >Your cheeks burn in embarrassment.
- >Not this again.
- >Why does everypony think you’re a mare?
- ”I’m a colt.”
- >Coco looks you over before her eyes change to recognition.
- >”Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.”
- “That’s alright,” you lie. “I get it a lot. What should we do now?”
- >Punda clears his throat.
- >”All we can do it wait, to see what will be our fate.”
- >Coco frowns as she looks at the pool of fluids.
- >”Go help out Apple. We’ll clean this.”
- “No. Let me do it.”
- >For some reason you don’t want her to clean the mess.
- >Like it was your fault.
- >”Just rest with Apple. She needs somepony right now.”
- >Coco grabs a mop while Punda fills a bucket from an exposed pipe.
- 6/31
- >You have to move carefully to keep from getting both your chains entangled.
- “Hello,” you say to Apple Cider, but she doesn’t respond.
- >You wonder what you’re supposed to do.
- >Maybe lick her?
- >You don’t remember where Coco was licking, and you don’t want to taste her saliva.
- >A grunt of annoyance escapes before you can stop it.
- >Instead of licking her, you just put your forelegs around Apple.
- >When she returns your embrace, you can’t help yourself, and feel your eyes watering.
- >Why did this have to happen to you?
- >You cry and cry until there is nothing left, and you drift off to a better place.
- >
- >
- >”Wake up. They’re back.”
- “What?”
- >”Just hold this.”
- >A pony shoves a bag at you before retreating.
- >Your sleepy eyes blink several times before you get them to focus.
- >You can hear trucks and other vehicles pulling up next to the building.
- >The room is lit, but you can tell that outside is dark.
- >You must have been asleep for hours.
- >Coco and Apple balance a few bottles of waragi on their backs, while Punda holds a bundle of qat.
- >You stand beside them with your bag.
- >“Hello again, my ponies,” !Xhaba says as the door opens.
- >Faili is close behind, but one of his skulls are shattered.
- >They both have to step over the body at the entrance.
- >Thankfully one of the soldiers drags it away.
- >All the ponies bow in unison, so you do the same.
- >The children take their bottles and pass them around after enjoying a long swig of waragi.
- >Maybe half of them have returned.
- >Whether that is because they were killed, or left to defend the outpost, you don’t know.
- >Faili takes several qat leaves and stuffs them into his mouth, before drinking his own alcohol.
- >”Apple Cider, you survived. Well done.”
- >The mare bows deeply for him.
- >”Thank you, Faili. Can I have some more?”
- >Coco taps her shoulder.
- >”No, Apple. You said you would stop.”
- >This amuses the shaman, and he pets Apple.
- 7/31
- >She leans into his touch, seemingly begging for more heroin.
- >”She has seen the way. The way of the Devil. How can you deny the Devil?”
- >Faili reaches out with his hand, and somehow without touching you, drags you toward him.
- >Your hooves try to dig into the ground, but he easily pulls you.
- >”Never resist me, Meteor. Or you will know the anguish of a thousand deaths.”
- >He takes your bag and removes foil and a small bottle.
- >A small amount of powder is poured onto the folded metal.
- >Faili raises a lighter and burns the white dust.
- >With a broken straw, Apple inhales the fumes.
- >Her eyes almost instantly dilate, and she wobbles before finding her resting spot.
- >Coco just shakes her head.
- >”Thank you.”
- >Satisfied, Faili turns to !Xhaba.
- >"That was truly a great victory."
- >”Mbantuwe is a coward. He only fought for three hours before running.”
- >”But he did kill many of our boys.”
- >”We will have to get more.”
- >”Send Unbaba. There should be more children in the southern villages.”
- >”You do not want to go, Faili?”
- >He shrugs in reply.
- >”They do not interest me.”
- >”Perhaps you will find more Pegasi, or even a Unicorn.”
- >”Will they be mine?”
- >”We can split them, right down the middle.”
- >He makes a knife hand and slices the air for emphasis.
- >”As you wish.”
- >The soldiers have become more rowdy, and click and laugh amongst themselves.
- >One of them starts dancing, and a few others follow suit.
- >It’s that song you keep hearing.
- >”Ebola. Ebola in town. (Don’t touch your friend). No touching. No eating something. (It’s dangerous). Ebola. Ebola in town.”
- >The rest of the song is repetitive, but it says how to avoid the disease.
- >The lyrics also tell about how the singer isn’t going to leave.
- >From the singing and dancing, it’s a mocking song.
- >Even !Xhaba gets into it and dances next to his chair.
- >Faili shakes his head and looks at them with annoyance.
- >This makes !Xhaba smile.
- 8/31
- >”Why are you upset? Don’t tell me that you still think Ebola is real.”
- >”It is a sign of being loved by the Devil.”
- >!Xhaba laughs.
- >”It is a scam by the Government to get international aide.”
- >Faili doesn’t respond, he just crosses his arms.
- >”If Ebola is real, why are we not sick?” He takes a monkey hand. “Look.”
- >He chews the flesh enthusiastically, relishing the flavor.
- >Your stomach turns as you watch.
- >You’ve seen people eat bat, and antelope before.
- >But it was always after being cooked.
- >Its fingers seem to clench !Xhaba’s lips as it is ripped apart.
- >”The monkey did not know the way, my brother.”
- >One of the soldiers trips and rips the radio from the shelf.
- >The others erupt into loud angry clicks.
- >This agitates !Xhaba and he says, “Can I never have peace?”
- >”They want to celebrate our victory. Send them away. Neither Mbantuwe or Starlight will dare attack us at night.”
- >Starlight?
- >That’s a strange name for an African.
- >Maybe it is a pseudonym?
- >"And Gilda?"
- >"Gilda and The Boys? They won't last two weeks."
- >”Perhaps you are right. Children, leave us. Go to your whores.”
- >Annoyed that their party has to move, the soldiers pick up their bottles of waragi and exit.
- >You wonder where the stream of soldiers will go.
- >Is there a brothel close by?
- >You hear engines coming to life, and the soldiers drive away.
- >The room is quiet for some time, before Punda approaches and bows before the men.
- >”Many soldiers you did kill? How many are pushing up daffodils?”
- >!Xhaba eyes him cautiously between bites.
- >”Why do you want to know?”
- >”I simply want to revel, in your victory for the Devil.”
- >Faili responds this time.
- >”I counted thirty three of theirs, twenty seven of ours. Most were diseased. Hardly worth eating.”
- >Twenty seven less soldiers to keep you here.
- >But how many do they have overall?
- >”Enough questions. Now is the time for women.”
- >Faili reaches over toward Apple Cider.
- 9/31
- >She doesn’t resist, and looks blankly at the ceiling as she is pulled with his magic.
- >”I am ready to serve, master,” Coco whispers while bowing.
- >”Not you. I want the new girl. Meteor Shower.”
- >!Xhaba bats her away and she has to move to keep from being hit.
- >You gulp.
- >Not again.
- >”What is it? Come here.”
- “But, I’m a colt.”
- >”A what?”
- >You scuff the ground.
- “Uh, a colt. A stallion.”
- >Faili and !Xhaba exchange looks before turning back to you.
- >”You are saying that you are a man?”
- “Yes.”
- >”A man with a penis.”
- >You purse your lips.
- “Yes.”
- >Both of them laugh and laugh.
- >”This, I do not believe. Come here.”
- >”Leave him alone!”
- >!Xhaba waves his machete.
- >”Be quiet, Coco. Or I will chop off your legs.”
- >She opens her mouth to say something, but chomps the words away.
- >Coco slinks back and they ignore her.
- >”Come here now,” !Xhaba commands.
- >You approach slowly, and he grabs your chin.
- >He moves you from side to side, trying to get a good look at you.
- >”You look like a mare.”
- “I get that a lot.”
- >”Lay on the ground.”
- “What?”
- >”Lay on the ground, or I will let Faili eat you. He will show you the way.”
- >The shaman chimes in with a smirk, “the way of the Devil.”
- >He touches the shattered skull on his chest.
- >You don’t want to die.
- >Especially if you are just going to be used as decoration on his chest.
- >Slowly you sit in front of them.
- >You can feel your cheeks burning.
- >Never has this happened to you before.
- >”Now lay back.”
- >Shamefully, you do as you’re told.
- >”Move your tail.”
- >You move it slightly, hoping that it is enough.
- ”Please.”
- >It doesn’t satisfy them, and !Xhaba says, ”more.”
- >Again you just barely move.
- >!Xhaba takes out a pistol and presses it against your leg.
- >”I will not ask again. I raped a pregnant woman. Her belly was full and I raped her. And then I killed her.”
- >You look away in shame while your tail moves away.
- 10/31
- >They laugh in unison.
- >”I did not believe it. Look at him.” He points at you. “How can he be a boy?”
- >You wince in embarrassment.
- >On their own, your hooves move to hide your face.
- >”It is an omen. A virgin’s blood can cure Ebola. What could a virgin colt’s cure?”
- >”How many times must I tell you? Ebola isn’t real.”
- >Faili wrinkles his nose like he smells something foul.
- >After a moment he concedes the point.
- >”HIV then.”
- >”What about Malaria?”
- >Faili shrugs noncommittally.
- >!Xhaba thinks it over as he examines you.
- >”Perhaps I can gain his magic as well. How do they say? Two birds?”
- “Please. I don’t want this.”
- >”You belong to me? Why should I care about what you think?”
- >Your eyes look around for something, anything to respond with.
- >All you see is a room filled with dust and debris.
- “I can cook your food, and clean.”
- >”I have other ponies for that. The only thing you have that interests me is your magic.”
- >The room stays quiet for several moments.
- >You can feel your heart beating.
- >This will happen, one way or another.
- >Why fight?
- >One day they will get sloppy, and then you can escape.
- >You just have to get through this.
- “Can you give me something, so I won’t care?”
- >Punda kneels next to you and whispers, “not a good choice, to be like Apple. With addiction you will have to grapple.”
- >Faili waves his hand dismissively.
- >”That will spoil your magic.”
- >Coco takes a deep breath, and tries to puff herself up to look bigger.
- >”Please don’t hurt him. I’ll be your little mare. He’s just a colt!”
- >”Be quiet, Coco!” !Xhaba throws a bottle at her, and it shatters on the ground. “The next pony that speaks, dies, here and now.”
- >The ponies look at each other, before backing away.
- >Only Apple Cider keeps watching, though her eyes aren’t focused.
- >You hear a belt unbuckling.
- >His pants are thrown carelessly aside, and they knock over a metal box.
- 11/31
- >It clanks loudly as it hits the ground.
- >This is it.
- >You turn and lift up your rear and tail for him.
- >”No, no. That would be too easy. I want to see your face, like a woman. My woman.”
- >He moves you back into place and climbs over you.
- >You can smell his hot stinking breath.
- >It’s a mix of waragi and stale cigarettes.
- >When was the last time he washed up?
- >Slowly he enters you.
- >”No, no. Do not clench up. Relax,” he laughs as he mockingly tries to sooth you. “Relax.”
- >His hands brush your chest and he feels your coat.
- >You have to grit your teeth to take him.
- >”Yes, much better.”
- >He shimmies forward before pushing in again.
- >This time he hilts against you, his force pushes you back slightly.
- >You grunt in pain, but keep from crying out.
- >”Look at him. He is like a woman.”
- >!Xhaba pushes into you rhythmically, incessantly.
- >His orbs slap against you over and over.
- >”Look! He likes it.”
- >You move your forelegs to look down.
- >To your shame, you have become unsheathed.
- >”He was destined to be used like a woman.”
- >That isn’t true!
- >You want to scream, or kick out, lash at him, or anything.
- >Anything to have this end.
- >But that would mean death.
- >You just have to hold on, a little bit more, it's almost over, you tell yourself.
- >This becomes your mantra as he takes you.
- >Just a little bit more.
- >It’s almost over.
- >You can do it.
- >
- >
- >The next few days are the same.
- >!Xhaba and Faili leave each day, to either get new soldiers or raid nearby villages.
- >Though the results are usually the same.
- >They come back with new soldiers, slaves, and food.
- >As quickly as they get new supplies they are used up.
- >The men get drunk daily on waragi, and eat every last bit of bush meat they find.
- >Once they brought a dead earth pony, and ate him.
- >He looked like he was shot several times.
- >You wonder if he was able to fight back, or if he was found cowering behind rocks, like you were.
- 12/31
- >They never leave any weapons laying around.
- >Sometimes Unbaba comes and picks up soldiers for patrols.
- >Usually no more than three or four, but they never return.
- >Every night, !Xhaba takes your body, but it does nothing to give him magic.
- >Faili insists that he must eat you to gain your strength.
- >!Xhaba usually responds in annoyance, but seems to be coming around to the idea.
- >If raping you doesn’t work, then maybe consuming you will transfer your power.
- >Most days Coco and you talk about back home.
- >Sometimes you talk about escaping, while Punda cautions against trying.
- >Apple Cider half-heartedly participates, but always jumps at the opportunity for heroin.
- >To pass the time you break small rocks with your magic.
- >It's a simple trick.
- >Just find the fault and squeeze.
- >Today, the men have been gone longer than usual.
- >Apparently something called the UN is giving out food and medicine in the south.
- >The boy left to guard you is slowly falling asleep.
- >You watch as his head bobs up and down as he listens to the radio.
- >Finally he slumps, and his rifle is just barely held on by his fingertips.
- >Sadly he is just outside the reach of your chain.
- >Coco Pommel nudges you.
- >”This is our chance.”
- “What if he wakes up?”
- >”He won’t. I saw him smoke heroin earlier. He didn’t even chew qat.”
- >”Again you’re talking about running away? How often do I have to convey, that our fates are sealed. We have no choice but to yield.”
- >”Punda, I don’t want to die here. I’d rather be out there fighting.”
- “They’re just going to eat us when they find new ponies.”
- >”What would you do, where would you go? Things aren’t as simple as you think, Coco.”
- >”If you don’t want to help, then don’t. Just stay out of this.”
- >”There are dangers out there, hippos, lions, and probably bears.”
- ”We’ll find a way to Starlight and join her.”
- >Punda frowns at this, but doesn’t continue arguing.
- >Nopony even knows where she is.
- 13/31
- >You push those thoughts away.
- >This is your chance to escape.
- >You walk as close to the guard as your chain allows.
- >With your magic, you slowly, very slowly try to grab the soldier’s gun.
- >Careful not to disturb him, you raise the stock slightly.
- >He reaches out and pulls the gun in closer, before shifting to get more comfortable.
- >Buck.
- >”Try again.”
- “I can’t. He’s holding it too tightly now.”
- >”Just grab a rock and bash his head in then.”
- >You were hoping to avoid killing him, but it looks like you don’t have a choice.
- >There are many large rocks, and debris laying around, so you just grab one.
- >”I have returned,” a man says loudly.
- >You drop the rock and it crashes into the ground.
- >The boy jerks up at the sudden sound.
- >”I was not sleeping.”
- >Unbaba gives him a confused look.
- >”I did not say that you were, my brother.”
- >”Good. Because I wasn’t.”
- >Unbaba looks at him for a while before changing the subject.
- >”!Xhaba said I could have one of the ponies.”
- >The boy wipes his eyes before responding, ”which one?”
- >”I do not care. It is to trade for more ammo before we attack Starlight tomorrow.”
- >Starlight!
- >”Take the Zebra.”
- >Punda hangs his head in defeat.
- >His time has finally come.
- “Where is Starlight?”
- >Unbaba inspects Punda while the boy fumbles with some keys.
- >He checks his eyes before miming for Punda to open his mouth, then he examines his tongue.
- >”Starlight? To the north. Everyone knows that,” Unbaba says while checking the ears. ”He will do.”
- >The boy puts down his rifle as he moves to unlock the Zebra.
- >”Can I say goodbye to my friend?” Coco asks.
- >Unbaba shrugs as he lights a cigarette.
- >He offers one to the boy who takes it quickly.
- >Coco pulls the Zebra in for a hug before whispering, ”How do these work again?”
- >Punda makes a confused look before realizing what she’s asking.
- >He shakes his head.
- 14/31
- >”On the bottom is the lever. Simply pull for what you endeavor,” he whispers back.
- >She eyes the gun.
- >”Thanks.”
- >In a single motion she reaches out and snatches the rifle away.
- >”Stop right there!”
- >Unbaba and the boy look at her with surprise.
- >Instinctively they lift their hands.
- >”Relax, pony. We just need to borrow the Zebra for a while.”
- >”No, you’re going to kill him. Now unlock us!”
- >Again the boy fumbles with his keys before finding another.
- >Unbaba tries to shimmy to the door.
- >”I said don’t move!”
- >The boy undoes the latch, and the metal frame opens slightly.
- >”There, you’re free.”
- >”Now take off our collars.”
- >Coco waves the gun at them.
- >The boy shakes his head.
- >”I don’t have the keys to your collars.”
- >Without that, you will have to carry a dozen feet of heavy chain behind you.
- >”Only I have the key,” Unbaba smiles. “And now that I think about it, you can’t fire that gun.”
- >”Why not?”
- >He points at her.
- >”Your hoof won’t get past the guard.”
- >”Yeah? Let’s find out.”
- >Coco claws at the trigger several times, but nothing happens.
- >Unbaba lunges forward and kicks the gun out of her hooves, and it lands beside you.
- >A knife is in his hand.
- >It catches the light and glints as he laughs.
- >”Goodbye, Coco.”
- >Without thinking, you take the gun, and press it with your magic.
- >Loud bangs fill the room, and Unbaba drops to his knees.
- >Two more bangs and the boy falls beside him.
- >”Sweet Celestia, Meteor! You did it!”
- >You hooves shake as you watch them bleed out.
- “I just killed them. I killed two people.”
- >Your voice is shaky.
- >You imagined it would be easier.
- >Now you’re a murderer.
- >”They would have killed us if you didn’t,” Coco says as she hugs you.
- >She’s warm.
- >”Punda, are you with us?”
- >He frowns.
- >”Why do you ask for my voice, when you have already taken my choice?”
- >”So, you’ll come?”
- >Punda takes a deep breath before answering.
- 15/31
- >”If we wish to go far, we will need to steal a car.”
- >”I don’t know how to drive.”
- >”Don’t worry, I can fit the bill, for I have been taught that skill.”
- “Then what are we waiting for? We need to go now.”
- >”What we seek is a key, to move the chassis.”
- >”I'll check Unbaba. He has to have one.”
- “We should unlock ourselves first.”
- >“Try the soldier's keys,” Coco says while rifling through their pockets.
- >Punda takes the gun and places it on a rock.
- >He kicks it a few times before he is satisfied.
- >You see that the guard is bent now, hopefully enough to let him shoot.
- >With that done, he peeks out the windows, looking for other soldiers.
- >He stands on his hind legs to get a good view.
- >You have to try several keys before one opens your collar.
- >You put a hoof to your neck.
- >It feels so good to be free.
- >With that, it only takes a few moments to unlock your friends as well.
- >”I’ve got one,” Coco says.
- >”Bring it to me, so we can flee.”
- >She tosses him the jagged metal and he runs out the door without looking back.
- >Will he stay?
- >He wouldn’t just leave you, right?
- >Beside you, Apple Cider stirs from her daze.
- >”What’s going on?”
- ”Apple, we’re getting out of here. Let’s go.”
- >”Now?”
- “Yes, now. Get up!” You shout.
- >You can feel your heart racing.
- >Every moment you waste, is another moment that !Xhaba could return.
- >She tries to stand, but wobbles.
- >Coco moves so she is next to her friend.
- >”Get on my back, Apple.”
- >You help her climb on Coco’s back by pushing on her rear.
- >She’s heavier than you imagined, but her flank is very soft.
- >The mare struggles, but manages to get on top of her friend.
- >One of the cars outside roars to life.
- >You hope that is Punda and not more soldiers.
- >Coco tries to move as fast as she can, but Apple keeps wobbling, so Coco has to walk slowly.
- >In the distance you can hear cars approaching.
- >Oh no.
- 16/31
- >There are maybe three or four, and driving at normal speed.
- >Dust and debris are kicked up behind them.
- >Coco opens a rear door and tries to push Apple in.
- >”We will soon be skeletal, unless you throw her in our technical.”
- >”I’m trying!” Coco yells in exasperation.
- “Hold on.”
- >You close your eyes and concentrate.
- >She’s heavy.
- >Are all earth mares like this?
- >You grit your teeth and push against the ground.
- >Somehow, you lift her up and throw her into the back seat.
- >You inhale giant gasps of air as you try to catch your breath.
- >”Get on the gun, get on the gun,” Punda repeats.
- >He presses on the gas and the vehicle lurches forward.
- “No. They will see us.”
- >A bullet hits the frame.
- >”Celestia help us. I think they already did.”
- >Coco climbs through the rear window into the bed of the truck.
- >All around you, you can hear bullets impacting the ground and whizzing by.
- >You were hoping this would be a clean escape, but that was wishful thinking.
- >Coco picks up a helmet and puts it on.
- >The truck hits a bump and Coco flies into the air.
- >With her hooves she reaches out to grab something, anything.
- >“Meteor!”
- >You grab her with your magic, and she lands on the edge of the bed.
- >She kicks out several times, trying to bring herself to safety.
- >”Buck!”
- >She’s almost as heavy as Apple, but somehow you drag her back in and she climbs into the chair.
- >You watch as she straps herself down.
- >”I don’t like this ride,” Apple complains.
- “This isn’t a good time.”
- >She whines, but you ignore her.
- >”Buck, it’s not working!”
- ”You have to pull on the thing.”
- >”What thing?! There’s lots of things! I’m pulling the trigger.”
- >”If you want the gun unbound, you must first chamber a round.”
- >”I don’t know how!”
- >“Reach to the side and pull the action, so we can escape from this faction.”
- >”You’re not being very helpful, Punda!”
- “It’s that thing,” you point out.
- 17/31
- >A bullet ricochets off the frame of the truck.
- >”Buck!”
- >With your magic you pull the bolt for her.
- >It slams back into place.
- “It should work now.”
- >The weapon erupts in loud banging and Coco starts firing at !Xhaba’s men.
- >”Meteor, take this gun, to help Coco as we run.”
- >Punda passes you his rifle.
- >This isn’t something you want to do, but you have no choice.
- >It’s you or them.
- >You stand on the backseat and aim.
- >Punda hits another bump and the car swerves.
- >You knock your head on the seat, but quickly collect yourself.
- >A pack of monkeys screech as you drive by.
- >One of them catches a bullet and splats on the ground.
- >Even though Punda bent the trigger guard, it’s difficult to shoot with your hooves.
- >You have to use your magic.
- >The sound of gunfire is almost deafening.
- >”That thing is loud.”
- ”Apple, you had better be useful at some point or I’m gonna be pissed.”
- >”What do you want me to do?”
- “Anything.”
- >She pulls open the seat and rips out some yellow foam.
- >It quickly gets bunched up into small balls which she stuffs into her ears.
- >”I got one!” Coco yells.
- >One of the chase vehicles is smoking, and you watch as it swerves into a ditch.
- >Only two left.
- >”Take these.”
- >You pass some to Coco before stuffing your ears as well.
- >The sound deadening is slight, but it will have to do.
- >You continue firing.
- >The two remaining cars swerve as they try to dodge dried out trees and brush.
- >Coco turns to look at you.
- >”It stopped firing.”
- “Pull the thing again.”
- >She yanks on the bolt twice.
- >”It’s not working.”
- “Sweet Celestia.”
- >Punda says something, and you have to turn to him to hear.
- >”She must have run low, see if they left extra ammo.”
- >When you look back, you see fabric billowing over the gun.
- “You’re out. You need another belt.”
- >”There’s another box here, but I can’t reach it.”
- >The car jumps into the air, and then it shakes violently.
- 18/31
- >”What’s happening?”
- >Suddenly you see one of the rubber tires fly off, and the car makes sparks.
- >For an instant, the car lifts off the ground and nearly tips over.
- >You have to grab out with both hooves to keep from being thrown.
- >Punda gets it back under control, but you leave a trail of sparks.
- >Somepony has to help Coco, or you all will die.
- >You shake your head.
- >It’s a stupid idea.
- “Take this, Apple.”
- >”Me?”
- >She lazily takes the gun and pokes the weapon out the window.
- >You climb out the back to help Coco.
- >Punda turns sharply, and the side of the bed keeps you from falling out.
- >A truck honks loudly, but doesn’t slow down.
- >During the chase you must have gotten back on the road.
- >A loud screeching sound comes where your tire used to be, and the sparks are getting bigger.
- >The technicals are now to your right, instead of directly behind.
- >They’ve closed the distance.
- >You grab the box and pull out a fresh belt.
- “Now what?!”
- >”There should be a latch on the top, open it, and put one bullet to start the swap.”
- >Sounds easy enough.
- >You hear a loud clink.
- >”Buck! They got me!”
- >Coco wails and grabs her face.
- >Her hooves are covered with blood.
- >Inside the car, Apple unloads her gun.
- >One of the drivers falls on his wheel causing it to honk loudly.
- >It veers off to the side and jumps over a protruding boulder.
- >The car sails into the air and explodes the moment it slams into the ground.
- >Only one more.
- >”I can’t see, Meteor! I can’t see!”
- “Just hold on, Coco. We’ll make it out of this.”
- >”I can’t see!”
- >You close the latch and pull the bolt back.
- “Can you unbuckle yourself?”
- >”I’ll try,” she says between sobs.
- >Coco undoes her belt and slinks to the floor of the truck.
- >Somehow you climb on and aim the gun.
- >It’s now or never.
- >The gun shakes violently as you unload.
- >This isn’t the time to be cheap.
- >The gunner’s chest explodes into a cloud of blood.
- 19/31
- >You turn to the driver, but he thinks better of it, and veers away.
- >His car races ahead to cut you off.
- >When you try to move the gun, it protests and hits the edge of the cabin.
- >You can’t aim forward.
- ”Punda, you have to turn to avoid him.”
- >”We’re out of luck. The wheel is stuck.”
- >Your car is slow now, and you smell oil burning.
- >The thick plume of smoke hinders your view.
- >”Not much longer this car will last, we need another, and fast.”
- >You have no choice then.
- >”We have to keep going!”
- >Ahead of you, the truck has stopped, and a man climbs over some rocks.
- >”Look, that man on the boulder. What does he have on his shoulder?”
- >A rocket launcher!
- “Buck!”
- >As if in slow motion you watch as the man steadies himself.
- >A large plume of smoke ejects from the rear before he gets to an angle where you can shoot.
- >The moment the lance flies, one of your bullets hits him.
- >He stiffens and falls backward like a board.
- “Please. Please,” you say to yourself as if chanting. “Please!”
- >The rocket hits the ditch in front of your car, but it’s enough to lift the front end.
- >Punda frantically tries to turn.
- >Both you and Coco are thrown from the truck.
- >You slam on the ground with a thud.
- >You hear a wretched grinding sound.
- >Though your vision is blurry you can see that the truck landed on its side.
- >You can see a figure.
- >Maybe a boy, maybe a man.
- >He steadies his gun at you.
- >This is it.
- >You will finally be at peace.
- >A loud bangs erupt from a gun, and the man falls to his knees.
- >Another shot and he stops moving.
- >You look up.
- >Apple Cider is poking up through the window with your rifle.
- >”I got him.”
- >Finally, something is going your way.
- “That was good shooting. Do you see any more people?”
- >Apple looks over at the rocks before shaking her head.
- >”I don’t see any.”
- >You let yourself sigh in relief.
- “It’s over.”
- >You look at Coco.
- >She is struggling to stand, and after a moment gives up.
- 20/31
- >The gash on her head is bad, and her eyes are closed shut.
- >Her helmet is dented in the front, and it looks like something exploded on it.
- >You’re not sure if they can actually stop bullets, but it definitely blocked something.
- >”What’s that smell?”
- >Your nose crinkles as you catch a whiff.
- >Gasoline.
- >Apple tosses the gun onto the ground and prepares to jump out.
- “Where’s Punda?”
- >”He’s not with you?”
- >You look around, but you don’t see him.
- “Check the car.”
- >Apple pops her head back in the truck.
- >”He’s still buckled in. Hey, Punda, get up!” It takes a second before Apple looks out again “He’s not moving.”
- >Buck.
- >The Zebra is trapped, and unconscious.
- “We have to get him out of there.”
- >Apple winces, but replies, ”I’ll try.”
- >You move toward the windshield to try to get a look, but it’s completely shattered and opaque.
- >What was once a slight trail of smoke has grown into thick plumes.
- >You hear grunting as Apple tries to move him.
- >”He’s too heavy.”
- “Keep trying.”
- >”I can’t climb and pull him out, Meteor.”
- ”What about out the back window?”
- >”We’re going to die if we stay here.”
- ”Punda could have left us. He had the truck, but he stayed. We’re not leaving him.”
- >”I have to get out of here!”
- ”Kick out the windshield.”
- >”I can’t. The wheel will get in my way. We have to run.”
- >You can’t leave him there.
- >He’s probably the only reason you’re still alive.
- >You see the gun.
- >Does it still have ammo?
- >Flames lick the edge of the hood.
- >You can feel the heat rising.
- >The cabin won’t last much longer.
- ”I’m gonna shoot out the windshield, get down!”
- >”What?”
- >You grab the gun with your magic.
- >You aim at the top and shoot three times which makes Apple scream in surprise.
- >Three holes appear in the shattered glass.
- >Without thinking you throw the gun aside and pull on the windshield with your magic.
- 21/31
- >The glass comes out in long strips which you rip as quickly as you can.
- >Now you can see the problem.
- >With the truck on its side, the wheel blocked any chance she had of kicking out the glass.
- >Apple scurries out and instantly turns around to pull him.
- >Thick clouds of smoke fill the air, and Apple keeps coughing.
- >”He’s too heavy.”
- >The angle is poor.
- >You take a deep breath and concentrate.
- >You can feel your glow surrounding him, and you lift just enough so Apple can pull him out.
- >She kicks and presses against the ground, and Punda slides out like a worm being pulled from its hole.
- ”You’re going to have to carry him.”
- >She kneels down and you drag him across her back.
- “Go to the other truck, behind those rocks.”
- >Apple starts running off, and somehow Punda manages to stay on.
- “Coco!” This time she is standing. “We’re going to the truck. Com’n.”
- >She shakes her head.
- >”Where is it?”
- >Buck.
- >She can’t see.
- >You run to her and grab her withers.
- >She jumps at your touch.
- ”Grab on to me.”
- >She reaches out and takes your tail in her hoof.
- >Coco hobbles behind you as you lead her to the other vehicle.
- >The sky is filled with black smoke, probably letting everypony for miles around know where you are.
- >!Xhaba likely has more soldiers coming for you.
- >You turn to Apple Cider.
- “Can you drive?”
- >”I don’t know how, can you?”
- “No. Coco?”
- >”I can’t see,” she cries.
- >Only Punda knew how.
- “Punda, you have to wake up!” You shake him. “Punda!”
- >He lays still, barely breathing.
- >”It’s no use. We have to run.”
- “We’re not going to escape without a truck.”
- >In the opposite direction from where you came, you see another cloud of brown dust.
- >Your ears raise in alarm.
- >Another vehicle.
- >Gilda?
- >Mbantuwe?
- >You don’t want to stay to find out.
- ”Put him in the truck. I’ll drive.”
- >”You don’t know how.”
- “Then I’d better learn real quick.”
- 22/31
- >You lead Coco to the rear seat and she climbs aboard.
- >Apple puts Punda in the front seat, and hops on the machine gun.
- >She probably had to unlatch the corpse, but you don’t check.
- >Thankfully the engine is still running, but there are too many controls.
- >Three pedals.
- >Some sort of stick.
- >Gauges and lights, some red, some blue.
- >Meaningless numbers are shown under the wheel.
- >You press the left pedal with your magic, but nothing happens.
- >With your magic you press the other two, and this time the engine roars.
- >Okay.
- >It’s something at least.
- >You press the gas again and push the lever forward.
- >The car makes a horrendous grinding sound, but doesn’t move.
- >”Meteor, we have to go!”
- “I’m trying!”
- >You press the first two pedals and move the lever.
- >This time it slides into place easily.
- >Yes!
- >Now for the gas.
- >The truck lurches forward and immediately dies.
- “Buck!”
- >You press on the gas again and again, but the car doesn’t move.
- >”Meteor!”
- “I said I’m trying!”
- >You pull on the lever, but this time it is solidly in place.
- >”Where are we? Are we finally free?”
- “Punda!”
- >He looks at you, but his eyes don’t focus.
- “Listen. We need you to drive.”
- >”Drive? You drive.”
- ”This isn’t the time for jokes. We need you.”
- >He puts a hoof to his head, and his eyes seem to spin.
- >”I can’t concentrate, or even see straight.”
- ”They’re coming for us. We have to go.”
- >He shakes his head.
- >”Maybe I can put it in gear, as long as you can steer.”
- “Good. Let’s do that.”
- >He slowly climbs over the stick and takes your place.
- >The seat is a tight squeeze with both of you sharing it.
- >There isn’t much room, but that doesn’t matter.
- >You can feel his legs moving, before he plays with the lever.
- >The engine rumbles and the car lurches forward.
- >Behind you a truck pulls up.
- >”Get the buck away from us!” Apple yells while pointing her machine gun at them.
- 23/31
- >The men watch as you pull away slowly.
- >Just scavengers.
- >Punda shifts gears again and the car picks up speed.
- ”Where were you taking us?”
- >”Anywhere from !Xhaba and Faili. I thought we would have time to discuss and agree.”
- >Behind you, Coco has found a dirty cloth and presses it against her face.
- >She has stopped crying, but she’s still breathing heavily.
- >”I heard Faili say that Mbantuwe was west. Which means !Xhaba is east.”
- ”So south?”
- >”South to the UN. I heard they are good men.”
- >”The UN doesn’t exist. They’re a lie.”
- >”I have seen them with my eyes. I think they would be good allies.”
- >You look up at the sun.
- >Punda made a lot of turns, so you can’t be sure, but something tells you south will take you to !Xhaba.”
- >After all, he said he was going to steal from the UN.
- “Sorry, but south would take us back to our captors.”
- >”North then.”
- ”To what? The mountains?”
- >”We don’t exactly have a lot of choices here, Meteor.”
- “Then what?”
- >”We should not bicker, let’s go north, to Starlight Glimmer.”
- >”How are we supposed to find her? That would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.”
- >”We will never know, unless we go.”
- >
- >An hour or so passes before the sun sets.
- >Progress was slow.
- >Punda didn’t want to switch to a higher gear since he thought you couldn’t handle it.
- >Eventually he asks you to stop.
- >He reasons that the lights will give away your position.
- >You find a hiding place among rocks and baobab trees before Punda turns off the engine.
- >”So far we have been blessed, but now we must rest.”
- >You climb into the backseat with Coco.
- >Punda leans his chair back to try to find a comfortable position.
- >He looks drained, so you decide not to bother him.
- “Coco, are you alright?”
- >”I don’t know.”
- “Let me look at you.”
- >She pulls away when you touch her chin, but relents after a moment.
- >You take the cloth away from her hooves.
- >”How bad is it?”
- 24/31
- >The bleeding has stopped, but she has a gash on her forehead.
- >Blood has caked over her eyes.
- >Flecks of metal and paint cover her face.
- >”You can tell me.”
- >You feel your own eyes watering.
- >This mare has helped you so much.
- >You’d still be chained to that wall if she didn’t take that gun.
- >Whether it is for her or yourself, you don’t know, but you pull her in for a hug.
- “Oh, Coco.”
- >”That bad, huh?” she wavers. “That’s alright. At least we are free.”
- >Though she can’t see, you offer her a weak smile.
- “At least we’re free.”
- >Apple Cider pops her head in through the back window.
- >”Look what I found,” she says while holding out some aluminum foil.
- >You bat it out of her hoof.
- >”Hey!”
- ”Can’t you see we’re having a moment?”
- >Apple picks up the foil and tries to collect as much of the spilled powder as possible.
- >”I can see you two are crying like little fillies. We escaped. The world is ours now.”
- >You’re annoyed when Coco pulls away from you to turn toward her.
- >Apple always ruins things.
- >”What did she find?”
- >She would only be picking up one thing.
- “Heroin.”
- >”Yeah, and there’s only two more pouches worth.”
- >”You shouldn’t be smoking that. It’s bad for you.”
- >”I just need a little so I can sleep. The moon is really bright today.”
- >”Is it?” Coco wavers again.
- “Coco can’t see, alright?” You wave a hoof at Apple. “Just do your drugs away from us.”
- >”Of course she can’t. All that stuff is caked on her face. Hold on a second.”
- >You press your lips together.
- >“Let me clean it for you.”
- >She pours some water over a cloth before gently wiping Coco’s face.
- >”Does this hurt?”
- >”Not really.”
- >The blood comes away, but her face is still swollen.
- >”Your eyes feel fine.”
- “What would bad eyes even feel like?”
- >”I don’t know. Smushed? Can you open them?”
- >”I’ll try.”
- >Her eyelids flutter, but they only open a hair.
- 25/31
- >”It’s really fuzzy.”
- “You can see?!”
- >”I think so, but I still can’t open them.”
- >”The same thing happened to my sister. I bucked her in the face and she couldn’t open her eyes for a day. Mom was so mad…”
- >”So I’ll get better?”
- >”Yeah. Looks like your helmet got hit, and then cut your face. You’ll be fine tomorrow. Anyway, I couldn’t find any food, but you can have this water.”
- >She drops a bottle on the seat.
- ”Thanks, Apple.”
- >”No problem. You saved us.”
- >With that she goes back into the bed of the truck, probably to smoke her heroin.
- >Punda lets out a low snore, before shifting.
- ”I guess she was right. We got worked up over nothing.”
- >”Yeah,” Coco smiles. “But it’s alright. You’re still just a filly.”
- >Not this again.
- >You push away from her.
- “No I’m not.”
- >This makes her laugh.
- >”I’m just playing with you, Meteor.” She inches forward, until her hoof touches yours. ”You were very brave today.”
- “I didn’t do much.”
- >”We’d still be locked up, or worse if you didn’t grab the gun.”
- ”But it was you who started this. You grabbed the gun first.”
- >”Sure. I started it, but you made it happen. You fixed the machine gun, saved Punda, and then came back for me.”
- ”I guess we could argue all night over who did what.”
- >”Yeah, so just accept my compliment.”
- >She leans forward and nuzzles you.
- >She’s so soft.
- >You can’t help yourself and nuzzle her back.
- >”I’m getting pretty sleepy. We should get some rest.”
- >You doubt Apple and Coco will be able to fit on the bench together comfortably.
- >Apple will probably want to sleep in the front seat like Punda.
- ”Okay. Should we sleep head to hoof?”
- >”So you can kick me in the middle of the night? Just sleep right here.”
- >A hoof reaches out and pulls you closer.
- >She nuzzles your mane, almost insisting that you lean into her neck.
- >She smells so good.
- 26/31
- >After a moment you stop resisting and close your eyes.
- >You move a bit to find a better position.
- >Her breath seems to mix with yours, but it isn’t unpleasant.
- >In fact, you think you like it.
- >You close your eyes, and drift off.
- >
- >
- >The sun is just peeking over the horizon when you wake.
- >During the night, Coco rolled on her side and her lips just barely graze your cheek.
- >One of her hooves kick out absently.
- >What is she dreaming about?
- >Soon enough the other ponies wake up.
- >Punda and Apple collect baobabs, and you all sit around to enjoy them.
- >One small puddle offers water, but it’s murky, and filled with mosquito larva.
- >Coco thinks it would be better not to drink it, so you share what is left in your bottle.
- >At least she can see now.
- >You drive for hours looking for Starlight.
- >Punda moves slowly, since he doesn’t want to kick up too much dust.
- >Just when you are about to give up hope, Coco speaks up.
- >”Look! Ponies!”
- >In the distance are two Pegasi staring from tree branches.
- >Each of them brandish rifles, though they aren’t aiming at you.
- >Punda stops the car well in advance of them.
- “What are you doing? Keep going.”
- >”They may think we intend to attack. Then they won’t hold back.”
- ”We’re ponies. They wouldn’t shoot us.”
- >”But, we are in !Xhaba’s truck. We don’t even know if they are free ponies.”
- >”What if they belong to Mbantuwe?”
- ”That isn’t possible. Ponies wouldn’t work for these people.”
- >”If they belong to Mbantuwe, then us they will surely slay.”
- >”How much ammo do we have?”
- >”Half a belt, and one magazine.”
- “You aren’t seriously thinking about shooting them, are you?”
- >”No. We’re just being cautious.”
- >”Right. I’ll get on the machine gun.”
- >Apple climbs over you and through the small window.
- >Punda slowly turns the truck so it is perpendicular to them.
- >It won’t be a great angle for the gun, but it will be enough.
- 27/31
- >The Pegasi exchange glances, before lifting their rifles.
- >Seconds pass.
- “This is silly. We came all this way to stop now? I’ll go.”
- >”Wait, Meteor.”
- >You ignore Coco and open the door facing them.
- >With a quick hop you are on the ground and wave.
- “Hey! We’re looking for Starlight!”
- >”Stay where you are!” One of them yells.
- >You take a step forward.
- “We just escaped! You have to help us!”
- >”I said stop moving!”
- >He aims down his sight.
- >Apple swings her gun to face them.
- >”Who do you work for? !Xhaba!? Mbantuwe!?”
- ”We ran away from !Xhaba!”
- >”That’s what the last ponies said.”
- >Last ponies?
- >Did other ponies attack them?
- “What do you mean?”
- >Coco hops out of the car and stands beside you.
- >”Please help us. We don’t have any water.”
- >”You have guns.”
- >Punda leans out his window.
- >”We had to kill many men to disappear. Then we drove a full day before arriving here. How could we betray you, after all we have been through?”
- >They ignore you and argue among themselves.
- >After a moment one turns back.
- >”Alright. The rest of you stay where you are. Just send the filly.”
- >Sweet Celestia!
- >If you have to hear that one more time…
- >”I’m not a filly!” You grab a boulder and grunt as you lift it with your magic. “And this is what I think about !Xhaba!”
- >You feel the rock in midair, and find its fault.
- >All rocks have them.
- >You squeeze your magic and it explodes into a thousand pieces.
- >Apple neighs behind you, nearly falling out of her seat.
- >Small chunks of rock impact the car.
- >It almost sounds like a hail storm.
- >Coco turns to you.
- >”I didn’t know you could do that.”
- >You have to take several breaths before responding.
- ”Neither did I.”
- >The Pegasi argue among themselves again.
- >Their hooves wave up and down.
- >It looks like one wants to shoot you, while the other is willing to take a chance.
- >The stallion relents, and speaks.
- >”Follow Songbird.”
- 28/31
- >The mare flies into the air, and hovers while waiting.
- >Her mane is yellow and black, and seemingly covers her eyes.
- >You and Coco climb into the truck before Punda follows her.
- >She takes you through several winding roads.
- >You have to avoid six broken trucks.
- >They are riddled with bullets, and one barely resembles a vehicle.
- >The hulks are half buried so as to serve as barriers.
- >You also see armed ponies watching human children in muddy pools.
- >They take handfulls of mud, and place it into buckets, before another shifts away the mud into another pile.
- >A girl picks up a rock, and it glints.
- >Must be a gemstone or something.
- >At the camp, half of the buildings are burned down, or hardly more than rubble.
- >The other structures are in disrepair.
- >They really were attacked.
- >”Wait here while I talk to Starlight Glimmer,” Songbird says.
- >She zooms ahead and lands next to a Unicorn with a pink coat and purple mane.
- >Several men with blue helmets stand next to them.
- >Behind the two ponies are massive trucks carrying wooden crates.
- >A few have already been unloaded.
- >Their vehicles are larger than any you have seen before.
- >Who are they?
- >The Unicorn tosses a bag at one of the men with blue helmets.
- >He weighs it in his hand, before motioning for his friends to mount up.
- >They climb onto their massive machines, and kick out the last few boxes.
- >With that done, they quickly leave.
- >Then you notice the ponies looking at you with caution.
- >A few of them have rifles at the ready.
- >One has a rocket launcher pointed at you.
- “This is it.”
- >You open up a door.
- >The pony you assume is Starlight waves a hoof and the others relax slightly.
- >”All of you. Show yourselves.”
- >Coco, Punda and Apple dismount and stand next to you.
- >”What do we have here? A Zebra, a wounded mare, a…” Her brows furrow. “What looks like an addict, and a filly.”
- >This time you don’t shout.
- “I’m not a filly.”
- 29/31
- >”No?” She smirks. “Either way, you’re still four more mouths to feed.”
- ”Please. We’ve-“
- >“Yes, yes. I heard your story. Your supposed story anyway.”
- >”You don’t believe us?” Coco asks.
- >“Do you have proof?”
- >”Don’t you see the bullet holes?” Punda waves at the truck. “We had to steal two cars to escape with our souls.”
- >”Any truck could have bullet holes. These people, if you can call them that, don’t care about anything. Did you bring anything worthwhile?”
- >”Just ourselves,” Coco confesses.
- >Starlight scrunches her nose like she smells something foul.
- “We know !Xhaba plans on attacking you today. We heard it from one of his lieutenants.”
- >”Faili?”
- >You shake your head.
- “No. Unbaba.”
- >Starlight waves a hoof dismissively.
- >”I don’t know him.”
- >”It’s true. We all heard it.”
- “We know how many technicals he has, and how many soldiers,” you lie.
- >You know he has maybe two hundred men, but you don’t have a good count.
- >You can’t even be sure how many trucks he has.
- >!Xhaba and Faili have many outposts.
- >What if they have one of those monsters, like the men with the blue helmets?
- >Glimmer stares you down like she is looking into your very being.
- >Her piercing gaze is too much and you have to look away.
- “Please. We have nowhere to go.”
- >You feel your eyes watering.
- >This was supposed to be your salvation.
- >What will you do if they don’t accept you?
- >Just drive and drive until you run out of gas?
- >You look back at Starlight, and see her resolve weakening.
- >”Songbird?”
- >”Yes?”
- >She waves her hoof.
- >”Give them some rifles.”
- >”Sure.”
- >“And you had better not be lying.”
- “We’re not.”
- >Songbird leads you to what you would describe as a hut if you were feeling generous.
- >Straw is piled next to the walls like makeshift beds.
- >"I'm sorry it's not much," Songbird says as she opens a crate.
- >The box reveals a few rifles, the same kind you've been using.
- 30/31
- “It's better than what we're used to. Thank you.”
- >She slumps slightly, but tries to hide it.
- >"Magazines are in the other container. Are you hungry?"
- "We could use some water."
- >"I'll bring you a few bottles."
- "Thanks."
- >Songbird takes one last look at you before flying off.
- >Coco nudges your shoulder.
- >”At least now we’re safe.”
- >”It is dangerous to say that, you’ll doom us with that chitchat.”
- >”Punda, you are too superstitious.”
- “He’s right though. We don’t know if we really are safe.”
- >”You think !Xhaba will attack?”
- ”Maybe… Since we ran away he will want to get new ponies.”
- >”But he doesn’t have enough ammo for that, right?”
- ”I don’t know, but if I ever see them again, I'm going to kill them.”
- >Your ears lift.
- >What is that?
- >You move to the window.
- >You focus more and finally hear it.
- >It almost sounds like a guitar.
- >A guitar over the roar of engines.
- >”Oh, no,” Apple whispers.
- >Your heart sinks.
- >Somepony blows a whistle several times, and you can hear your new friends shouting.
- >A few run past your door toward the sound.
- >You can hear crates being pried open.
- >”These ponies can’t take another attack.”
- >You all grab rifles before moving back to the window.
- >Coco and Apple push against you to get a better look.
- >A dozen trucks are kicking up dust as they approach.
- >One is huge, almost as big as what the men with blue helmets have.
- >The gunners don't look like people.
- >Are they... Diamond Dogs?
- >Yes!
- >Diamond Dogs, Griffons, and ponies.
- >The flyers hop off the trucks and soar into the air.
- >One Griffon is wearing a leather jacket.
- >You load a new magazine.
- >Revenge will have to wait.
- >"Who are they?"
- >You pull on the bolt and it slides back into place.
- "Gilda and The Boys."
- 31/31
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