Rebels in Equestria 16.5 - Dusk's Delivery

> The heater thrusts a jet of smoggy air in your face.
> It's warm embrace is almost bliss to your senses.
> Fog and frost starts to nip at the edges of the windshield.
> But you pay it no mind, you're more focused on other means.
> Instead your eyes wander your surroundings.
> Dancing to and fro trying to catch every minute detail.
> Quickly, you realize your location.
> Anonymous had described it once to you.
> An automobile.
> You glance about the cabin.
> A sense of speed overcomes you as you see the world pass by in a blur.
> Leather softly creaks as you anxiously tighten your grip.

> Your eyes are drawn back inside.
> Various instrument panels lined to the dashboard with all kinds of information.
> A small black box installed on the dashboard catches your attention.
> It often crackled in static, but occasionally let the sounds of voices.
> Other humans?
> You tried listening in on their conversations.
> But it the interference was too much, making it all an inaudible gargle of static.

> You look outside the window, only to catch shadows of light breaking into the glass.
> The setting sun shined brilliantly through the cracks in the city skyline,
> It's blinding, but comforting.

> “Have a nice nap?” a familiar voice beckons.
> You quickly glance to your left, only to see Anonymous behind the wheel.
> “You know, I was supposed to have you take the wheel a few hours ago,” he remarks. “But you looked so peaceful, I didn't want to awake you.”
> You give a slight pause as you search for the words.
> But you can't seem to find them, leaving the cabin eerily silent.
> “Still groggy, eh?” he smiles. “I don't blame you. Just take it easy, we're almost there.”

> The truck winds through old side streets and little alleyways.
> It's not before long that you arrive at a small garage nestled in between two brick buildings.
> You glance out the window.
> Brick and mortar as far as your eye can see.
> Buildings line up for what seems like miles on end.
> Each one of them empty, and devoid of life.
> “It's been a while since I've been here.” he mumbles. “Just keep a sharp eye.”
> Anonymous honks the horn a few times.

> The soft churning of the engine is steady.
> Anonymous sighs with impatience.
> He honks the horn a few more times.
> “Bastard always takes his sweet ass time.” he scoffs. “We're on the clock here.”

> The garage door flies open.
> You see a few burly men inside.
> Many of them armed with weapons of all kinds.
> Dozens of pallets and wooden crates lay scattered about the garage.

> One of the men steps out into the open and walks up to the cabin.
> He steps to the cabin and offers Anonymous a cigarette.
> He declines.
> Anonymous hands him a small paper document from his pocket.
> He carefully examines it before giving an 'OK' signal to the others.
> They start their work loading up the pallets onto your truck.

> Other humans.
> [spoilers] Even if it's just a dream, it's still a breathtaking sight. [/spoilers]
> Whenever you picture humans, you picture Anonymous.
> So to your eyes seeing other humans is a beautiful sight.
> As you stare long and hard, you note of the diversity within them all.
> Everything about them is breathtaking.
> From the color of their skin, to the looks in their eyes.
> One of them catches you staring.
> You exchange glances for a moment, before regretfully averting your eyes.
> He doesn't seem to pay you any mind, and returns to his work.

> One man in particular catches your attention.
> A tall burly man who has seen better days.
> His skin is rich and dark, but his eyes are as clear as snow.
> Scarce rags drape across his body. Almost too farfetched to call clothes.
> A gruff beard hangs from his jaw.
> Frizzy hair is just kept at bay by a hat almost too small for his head.
> He approaches the truck with a limp.

> “Anonymous!” the man beckons. “Haven't seen you in a while!”
> Anonymous snaps his neck to the voice, and gives a deep smile.
> He hops out of the cabin and meets the other man with a hug of sorts.
> “Yuri!” Anonymous responds. “It's been too long!”
> “That is has, tell me. Why is it I never see you around these parts anymore?”
> “Gah. You know me, Yuri.” Anonymous scoffs. “I'm just not cut out for this shit.”
> Yuri belts out in a hearty laugh.
> “Running supply rigs isn't that bad! Look on the bright side! At least you've got company!”
> Yuri gives  a quick nod over to you, beaming you a cheeky grin.
> “I suppose,” Anonymous nods. “But it's still a shit gig.”
> They exchange in a whole hearted laugh before Yuri turns his attention to you.

> “Pretty one, isn't she?” the Yuri hollers. “Now, how'd a guy like you get set up with a pretty lady like her?”
> “We don't pick our squad mates Yuri, you know that. It's just orders.”
> He glances over you deviously before turning to Anonymous.
> “She's way out of your league.” Yuri whispers. “You should hand her over to a real man. One that'd actually know how to please her.”
> “Eat shit.” Anonymous starkly responds.
> “Relax Anonymous! Relax!” Yuri laughs. “You oughta lighten up! You're too serious!”
> “I'll lighten up when the war is over.” Anonymous heavily replies. “Are those supplies loaded up yet? I've got orders to get this shit in pronto! Otherwise, command will have me by the balls.”
> The Yuri exchanges a few gestures with his crew before turning back to Anonymous.
> “Yeah. You should be all set.” Yuri responds.
> Anonymous exchanges one last handshake with his old friends before hopping back in the truck.

> With a flick of Anonymous' keys, the engine roars to life.
> It's absolutely deafening.
> “Just be sure to give us a call when you arrive at Gracemeria.” Yuri beckons.
> “I will.”
> “And be careful! I hear those Stovie's are starting to monitor some of our routes. Don't get cocky.”
> “Just worry about your own hide, Yuri. I'll be fine.”
> “You never learn, do you?” Yuri laughs.

> It's not before long that you're back on the roads.
> The city sweeps by in a blur, and not before long, you're on a lonely highway speeding towards your destination.
> Daylight fades quickly as the sun sets over the horizon.

> With each moment you spend in this world, you mind races with questions.
> Your time here is short and precious, and you waste little of it.
> Absorbing as much as you possibly can.

“W-Where are we going?” you silently ask.
> The cabin returns to silence for a few moments before Anonymous responds.
> “You were there at the mission briefing, weren't you?”
“I just-....I just forgot.”
> He glances at you for a moment and raises an eyebrow.
“Just humor me, why don't you?”
> Anonymous lets out a deep sigh.
> “We're headed towards Gracemeria.”
“Gracemeria? The nation's capital?”
> “Bingo.”
“Are we far?”
> Anonymous grips the wheel, then sighs.
> “It's just a day's drive.”
“That's not too bad, I suppose.”
> “Granted, that's if we don't run into any traffic.” Anonymous laughs.
> He stares down the barren roads.
> You drive down what seems like an endless road with not a soul in sight.
> At least his sense of humor is resilient.

> The road is barren.
> Every so often, you drive by a few signs posted by the highway exits.
> Each one leads to a different town, a different city.
> Your mind wanders for a moment.
> You wonder what those cities and towns may look like.
> Who they might house.
> And how they turned out amidst all this chaos.
> Anonymous had always told you some cities fared better than others.
> Some were even hardly affected by the war.
> He always called them 'the lucky ones'.

> The window fogs up with your breath.
> But you wipe it clean.
> As you stare out the window into this memory made world, you can only imagine how it's real counterpart is holding up.
> Did the war ever end?
> Did they suffering ever cease?
> All those people you saw just now.
> Did they make it out alive?
> Anonymous always spoke about his friends and family.
> About the people he's lost during the war.
> You think to the garage and it's workers.
> You wonder if he was talking about any of them.

> You glance up to the heavens above.
> An unfamiliar mess of  stars, clouded by cloud trails.
> Somewhere, somehow, can you imagine Equestria nestled in that infinite cosmos.
> It's a strange sensation.
> But a familiar one.

> This is just a dream.
> And it pains you to think about it.
> But at one point in time and space.
> This was a reality.
> Anonymous' reality.
> A cruel and harsh place that only nestled hate and suffering.

> You look to the horizon.
> Tall skyscrapers and buildings poke up from above the rolling hills.
> Tall stacks of smoke rise up from the structures.
> Cities burning.
> People dying.
> But for what?
> An inane war?

> You scoff at the stupidity of it all.
> The gross amount of life lost here is enough to make you sick to your stomach.
> It's truly repulsing.
> Every time you glance into the city scape, you shudder in disgust.
> But at the same time, you're glad.
> Happy even.
> Because at the end of the day, you know that this is all but a dream.
> A nightmare.
> One he no longer has to endure.

> “Hey.” Anonymous calls out.
> He breaks your train of thought.

> You glance up to him.
> His eyes are deep and sulked.
> His voice, worn and cracked.

> “Can do me a favor?” he quietly asks.
“Yes?”
> “Behind your seat, there's a small bag. Could you grab it for me?”
“Of course.” you reply.
> You remove your seat belt and peek around your seat.
> And just as he said, a small brown bag lies propped next to a rifle.
> You grab it and place it on your lap.
> “Pour us a drink, would you?”
> You nod as you peer inside.
> A small metal thermos with two cups.
> The cap opens up with a small 'pop'.
> The soft aroma of coffee fills your nostrils as you pour him a glass.

> “Thanks.” he smiles.
> He finishes the drink in one sip.
> You try to do the same, but burn your tongue in the process.

> Eager to break the silence in the cab, you speak up.
> “W-Whats in the cargo?”
> Anonymous raises an eyebrow, and turns back to the road.
> “Supplies.” he answers. “Mostly just food and munitions, though.”
“Food?”
> “Yeah.” he scoffs. “Food.”
“Why?”
> “Because. Unlike Tarvo City, Gracemeria is under a heavy embargo.”
“Embrago?”
> “Yeah, Stovie's are pretty good at keeping the supplies out of the city. And, on top of that, everything distributed inside the city is under strict ration.”
“That must be awful.”
> “It is.” he sighs, “The civilians there barely get enough food to live by. Let alone our boys.”
“Oh...”
> “I mean, it's not like we're any better.” he mutters, “We barely had enough for ourselves, let alone for this.”
> You nod in agreement, at a loss for words.
> Anonymous takes a deep breath and sighs.
> “But, it's what's for the best. Right?”
> You laugh awkwardly.

> He glances at you.
> He quickly changes his expression and lands you with a soft punch to the side.
“Ow.” you whisper.
> “Hey! Hey! No need to be so tense!” he jests, “Lighten up!”
“S-Sorry.”

> The cabin falls silent for a few moments.
> “So..” Anonymous asks, “Err..Where you from?”
> You glance up to Anonymous.
“Far away. You almost wouldn't believe it.”
> “The countryside?”
> You give a puzzled look, before replying.
“Yes, the country side.”
> “Have any friends out in the country? Or is it all farm land like they say?”
> You think long and hard before replying.
“I've been out of it for a while. So, I've had a hard time adjusting to all this.”
> “Oh.”
“But I do have a few friends here and there. My girls? They keep me company.”
> Anonymous perks up a bit.
“What, no boy friend?”
> “You blush for a second.
“W-Why are you asking? Are you trying to-”
> “Oh. No. No.” he interrupts. “I'm just curious, is all.”
“Do you?” you quickly ask.

> He glances over to you and smiles.
> “Yeah.” he answers. “Reach into my bag. There should be a photo.”
> You open up his bag one more time and rummage through.
> Within the junk, you find it.
> A small crumpled photo.
> It's a group photo of a bunch of kids.
> You make out Anonymous in the bunch.
> He's a bit younger than he is now.
> This must be his class photo.
> He glances over to it and points to a young girl by his side.
> “That's her.” he announces. “Pretty ain't she?”
“She's beautiful.” you whisper.
> “She's back in Tarvo. She volunteers in one of our hospices.”
“Does she?”
> “Yep.” he beams.
> You glance back to the photo.
> “So you never answered my question?”
“What?”
> “Do you have a special someone?”

> You glance down to your feet.
“Well...” you mumble. “There is this one person.”
> “Oh? What's he like?”
“I just recently met him. B-But I feel as though we already have a strong connection.”
> “Oh?”
“He's a kind person. And he tries his hardest to please everyone.”
> Anonymous gives off a warm smile.
> His expression just gives off a 'been-there-done-that' vibe.
“I mean, I can just see it in his eyes. He's hurt. He's not perfect. And people just don't seem to understand that...”
> Anonymous sighs.

“B-But sometimes, he's just so unpredictable...”
> “That sounds like it might land him in trouble.”
> You glance over to Anonymous.
> “It does.”
> He gives a deep sigh
> “Well. It's a good thing you're there to keep him in check, right?”
> You glance at your feet.
“Yeah.

> The highway branches off.
> You glance around as the highway gives way to wide open plains.
> Rolling hills lull across the land as far as the eye can see.
> It's a soft landscape lit only by a few solemn stars over head.
> You stare up at the unfamiliar sky.
> The Emmerian stars shimmer under the moonlight.
> A cold, but familiar light that leaves you yearning for your night sky in Equestria.
“Reminds me of home.” you whisper.
> “Yeah.” Anonymous sighs. “Me too.”