Dusty

“Well if you say so.” Tempest says back with one more glance at broken gates before following Foxglove inside. “And I’m not tired the walk was pretty short for me. Not trying to brag about it, I just walk all over. Even to other cities. Enjoy it more than trains or airships. You miss a lot on them that you gain by walking. Found so many wonderful camping spots thanks to it.” She remarked looking about the hold building as they walked inside. It struck her as odd seeing it looking so old and run down. And dusty. Foxglove lived her did she not? “This place looks pretty old. But the roof is working so not too bad.” Tempest says looking up. “You ever poke about in really old places? Like than big stone forts? It's so… Cool? It makes me wonder about things. How many hooves walked the floors before me. What did it look like all them years ago. In a way it's like traveling back in time… Maybe it's just me wishing I lived back then. An age more befitting a mare like me.” She looked down at Foxglove. “You must enjoy old things, living in a place like this.”

Bravo cocked his head to the side as Blue explained the deal with ‘nightmare from’ Luna. He felt just as much skepticism as Blue did to his story yet it seemed too make sense. But was it bad for her to step up and do what must be done? Celestia seemed far to weak to do what had to be done all well clinging to power. But can he make such a judgement? They have been dead for three generations all he had was the broken past to look on. Fragments from half rotted books and newspapers and what his small school had between fire drills and training to keep the airship flying. That was most of his schooling after all… history did not matter much when all hooves were needed to keep the ship flying. “I see… thanks for explaining it. But I'd find it hard to see her in the wrong.” He says well stretching a wing out than moving it out in front he starts preening the giant thing. “History is even harder to read when so much is lost. Just pieces of a puzzle with much of it missing. Just have to take a shot in the dark… At least I had some schooling but even they lacked real books on the past. Why’d the aeronautical navy need them in the war? When the end came they did not have time to go looting books. Just aimed are ships up and pushed off at max speed. Been flying than on. Grew up in a raptor class cloudship. They work as are destroyers in the sky. Small, fast and what not. Mine was named Frozen Skys and she was home. And it's spelled S.K.Y.S, yes it's spelled incorrectly.” He rolls his eyes. “Not that most back home know that but well, real schools are a thing here.” “Going off track. Frozen Skys is where I grew up. She’s been flying none stop for a over a century and a half. Like all are cloudship she’s held together with hope, duct tape and a lot of hooves. Power outs, engine blowbacks that shake the full ship. Stunk something else, only knew that after spending so much time away. When you are born on it you never know it smells bad. That is the defalt. Spend some time out in the open air and go back in the can? Made me wonder how I knew knew it heh. But they are homes for the most part. More than half of all the Enclave lives on are old warships.” Closing his eyes well he preening his wing he can still remember his bunk room. A dozen others shared it with him. The wailing alarm klaxons screaming into his ears, accompanied by the bone-rattling throb as the enormous raptor engines beat at the air, struggling to keep it aloft on an inconsistent stream of old and ‘repurposed gasoline’ made from Luna knows what. An engine blowback made the room shake so hard a mare almost fell out of her bed. Static coated orders hiss over partially functioning intercoms. Stripped of all vitality by the failing electrical systems in to barely understandable messes of garbled speech.

Bravo was fine with Blue firing back a rant of his own. Really it was fascinating to hear the contents of it regarding the two sisters. Fist him calling them ‘Auntie’ was something Bravo did not really understand. How was Blue related to them? That can be something to dig in to later as something far more… odd leaped out at him. This ‘nightmare from’ and Celestia. “Not going to lie, got no $#@%@$# clue what a ‘nightmare from’ is with Luna. Luna has been Luna forever. But I can say my world did not look up to Celestia. She was in her own way the first traitor of the war when she was unwilling to do a thing. She just did nothing, unwilling to even send in the army as the Zebras… killed us. All she did was try and talk them down. Even after the…” He trailed off, looking away for a few moments with a deep breath looked back at Blue. “There's anevent. A bad one… A lot of colts and fillies were killed. Even in the wasteland this is well known and remembered so many lifetimes later. But Celestia did not have the guts to go to war even with that. She stepped down and had Luna take over in full to give the order. After that she just sat and did nothing for the rest of the war. She refused to speak about it and went on like it was not going on. She did that until the very end. From what news papers I found speaking of her… about two years before the end she still acted like nothing was going on.” He looked down at his hooves, inspecting them. “I don't know why. I understand she wanted peace, love and friendship but to stand down and just block what is going on helped no pony. That is why we all love Luna. She did so much for us, no matter how much it was wearing her down. How I wish I was alive in them days, to stand with her and defend are home.” He shakes his head and leans back. “No matter the timeline some things seem to be broken it sounds like. Maybe its fate.”

“He’s trying too fix that… ‘portal machine’ for me. He believes he can do it and send me back to the same spot I came from. He even thinks he can keep it going as needed. He’s pretty… sure this world can use me. I don’t see it. But he thinks I can help by what I know and have seen. I know where things can go and don’t want this world to walk that path… The war that ended my home? Boiled the seas and wiped the land baron? Coal. It all started over coal. We did not even need coal halfway into the war… The Enclave told me why, beat it in to me… But out in the wasteland you see so much… Suffering. Pain. no amount of pride can explain why we did it.” Bravo says leaning back, really just venting now and not caring if blue cared or not. It did not matter. He just needed to vent to a pony that will not go off on some funky rant… or explode. “Luna… The Luna you have? She looked nothing like mine.” He says looking over at Blue. “Mine was named ‘Empress Luna, warmaster of equestria and nightmare of the unworthy.’ and had black fur… really she looked different in almost every way. What use am I to this world when even that is so different? So call me crazy but I want to go back. But for now I will try my hooves at helping. Being some ‘hero’ to promote pace. All well knowing I am hardly the pony for the job.” He waves a hoof. “Sorry for ranting. It's just been building up. You don’t have to act like it matters. Just you sitting and hearing me out is all I need. So, thanks for that… I know you are not my Blue but it means the world to me to have you sit and hear me out. A nice work around for never meet ones heros ‘eh?”

Lightning can’t help but note the new face showing up, really she hoped this one will leave them alone as well. She will happy let them battle it out LATER when she is not going to die from her hardware glitching out or you know... blowing up and taking part of this city with her. Why was she in this city? Why was her past such a mess? So many big holes… But that’s a problem for later. She knew well what was going on now and that was all that matters. “Do not interfere! Ple-” Her words cut off half way as her own muzzle was hijacked. “Security breach. threat level red. Weapons: free!” she spoke in a cold tone, her eyes darting about very aware of the fact that she was not the one speaking now. She felt as if something was shoving her down, out of the way. But this was normal wasn't it. This happens every time she saw a window of freedom. But she was not letting it go this time, this was the longest she was ever free and she wanted more of it. She WILL NOT allow herself to be used like some puppet again! “I have sustained a head wound. Core systems damaged. Begin tactical withdrawal until successful scuttling.” After a few moments of trying to move in the magic holding her she spoke more… Well, not Lightning. “New assessment. You must die. I will limit the pain I inflict, if possible.” She says well trying to aim her front legs, and the guns on them, at the pink mare. Lightning for her part was struggling to hold onto what free will she still had and found it more easy than it ever was before. Her mind was sharp, clear and ready to battle tooth and fang as she and the AI tusseld over her own body well. The AI having too deal with Ossia was helping as well. It was never programmed to deal with such an unusual predicament for ‘hacking’ like this. -Scuttling in 30 seconds!-

“Well, I can be the first one to get a tour.” Tempest remarked well looking at the old doors of the manor and moved to them. “A writer? Well forgive me for not knowing of the work you do. I have not had much time to read in my life. A shame as I do enjoy it. Well have to make a note to look for some of the books you made… they sound like what I’d enjoy.” She added with a look at Foxglove, her eyes lingering on the mare for a few moments before looking away. “You own this place?” Tempest asked with blink of shock, than looking off at the gates she ripped open… woops. “Uh, sorry for the gates I did not know… I’d pay for new ones buy uh… Well I don’t got much bits to my name for gates, let alone a home as big as this. A mare can dream but that's about all I can do for such a home.” She explained. “End up in some trailer or something. But that sounds fine to me, spend most of my time outside.”

Blaze was pretty happy the mare did understand her and even better, speak to her! She watched with wide eyes at this ‘breath magic’ Shiori Rin can do… her name was a real muzzle full. Than the lost wing! It did not look that lost to her… like she can see it. There it was. “It’s there!” She barked with a big grin, aiming a cloven hoof at the prosthetic wing. “Don’t seem that lost to me! And I can’t blow fire like some dragen… let alone magic fire. Buuut I can do thiiiis!” She hops back a few paces, shuts her eyes and thinks… of the worst things she can. Getting hurt, used, lied to and the works. Everything that can make her mad. It took some work in truth, she was having to much fun to be mad. But after thinking about some pony shaving her mane off that did the trick as black and blue flames combusted over her body engulfing it fully with unnatural flames that made made the dirt underneath her hooves sizzle and pop. But it did not last long as she spotted some stranger… and all the town looking at her. Woops. The flames flickered and passed as she shook off the last dark whispers of fire. “That’s my fire! It doesn't hurt! At least on the outside!” She says smiling before turning to face the stranger. He looked a lot like the group of ponies she hung out with last day! The sheriff told her they are bad, no good outlaws and best a mare like her don’t hang with them… But they seemed so nice! And so did he! He called her pretty after all! So she raced up to him. “Hi! I’m Autumn Blaze, nice to meet you! I’m just exploring this town! You live here?” She asked looking him over. He must have seen a lot of hard times with all them marks.

Blaze ran slash hoped her way down the town road, head swinging about as she looked at everything in wonderment well she made her way to the farmland outside of town. But that stopped as she heard somepony calling out to her in a language she did not understand. Digging her hooves in to the dirt she slides to a stop and spins about to face the mare. The mare looked so much… like her self! But different! Wasting no time she bolted up to the other mare. “HI! HELLO!” She yells in greeting running about the mare before lifting not so fleshy wing up. “Ohhh, wings! Why is one like this? Why do you have two horns? They look nothing like mine! Where is your mane? You look so much like me! But not at all!” She talked in flood as darted about, leaving no part of the poor mare un-looked at or poked. “I’m Autumn Blaze, nice to meet you, I'm a kirin what are you? Are you some odd kiri? Do you speak like me? I did not understand you, I hope you can understand me!” she stopped darting about to stand in front of the mare with a big grin and cloven hoof out in greeting.

Niilavin’s ears go down as his master made the games forbidden! How can a pony do such a thing! But he can’t do a thing about it… So he just took some joy in master taking him out to get fish. That’s not to bad. [“At least you know to feed me…”] He grumbles, still upset about not getting to play his games… But by the time they got to the Fish Market Niilavin was much more happy kitty as he sniffed the air, his size parting the shopping masses like snowplow as moved stand to stand to sniff and eye up the fish. But he really lit up when Blue told him to do as he wished. Darting from one stand to another he followed his nose. They needed nothing to hold the fish as Niilavin just leans down and opens his maw, ponting at some fish than at his open jaws. Well the fish merchants sacred at first the gang soon had a full flock of fish merchants following them, shouting and waving fish at Niilavin in a desperate bid to entice the sphinx to buy their fish over others. For all the madness this caused two good things were coming out of it. Niilavin was a very happy cat as fish merchants just gave out free fish to take pictures of the sphinx eating them for advertisement. And there were plenty of happy fish merchants watching Blueblood slapping his name on tabs to for the sphinx. Even now they can be heard chattering about how big the sphinx may get and how much fish they will need to import for such a ‘guest’... and how rich he may make them. All well Niilavin pranced about like a king in a sea of beggars trying to gain a coin.

Something clicked for Bravo with the way Blue reacted to him asking for more. A realization that made him feel very guilty and shameful. He took for granted that drink did not take the time to enjoy it alone with no hope for more. This world was destroying his morals. “Hay uh, sorry about the drink.” He remarked after Blue was done talking, he’d have a pass to forget it but he felt wrong in doing so. “After all my talking of making the most of the things that was… Rude to the extreme. Most of all if you pulled out just that one it must be rare… My deepest apologies.” He offers Blue. Moving on to what was asked of him, and feeling bad about how he acted, Bravo was willing to give Blue whatever he asked for. “Ossia yes, she is an odd mare… some magic spell on her I think. Looking back it was shocking how… much she did things to me. Even in that stressful spot she grabbed me by the nose and lead me about like a mare waving a maternity pass.” He says with a snort and a shake of his head. “Wish I knew more, are friend told me some. But insisted I learn more myself.” Now the next thing to be asked was… Well, a real shotgun of a deal. Bravo had to lean back in his seat too think on it. Not that it was hard… he had so much regret. “My family. My friends. The wasteland is ruthless beyond measure but friendship is still very much alive… maybe more than ever. When you make that jump it's hard to explain in this world? Yes you have heroes of such power battling it out with their opposing kin but it's so dramatic. A show almost. My show is life and death and from this? Friendship stronger than steel and I miss them every day. Wulf. Swiftblade, Rust and Mire… Mire is my wife. She has two foals, one more on the way.” He says looking at his hooves, well he did not cry, his face was heavy with shame. “I think of her and my friends every day. They may think I am dead but will never believe it… It's a wastelander thing. A friend is never dead, just lost and someday you will meet them again. I make fun of them, call them mud walkers… But they were family and I was the birdbrain. So yes, I regret leaving that world. This one is better in every single way yes, but home is home. Even if it's rainy, muddy and broken the friends you have make it wonderful. Without them this is just a gilded jail.” He looked back over at Blue. “Sorry for how depressing that got. I swear I’m not that much of a doomer.”

“I can enjoy hard liquor but I can’t stomach whisky or its smell.” Bravo says leaning back, shutting his eyes as he thought about how he can explain why. After a few moments he looked back at Blue. “We have… something call raiders. They are insane and I must underline this. They are all fully insane, broken and so removed from me or you as too call them a pony seems wrong. I had to hunt one down named Whisky. She loved whisky and horded it. But she had some… extreme likes with it. I will not even touch on what they were so both of us can keep are drinks down. Just know the smell of whiskey brings back what I saw and smelled and it makes me feel very sick to this day.” He says shaking his head as if to toss off even remembering it at all. Taking the bottle he gives it a sniff before just slamming it back and downing the drink in one shot. It was not even a chuge as he downed it all like a shot. He then leaned his head side to side, flicked his ears. “$%@#^ this is good, got more?” He asked with a hearty grin. “And well, I came here on the offer given by a mare. I belive you know her. An outing to help me adjust more and to get away from are friend too… I don't know. Talk to a pony that is not crazy? Or have something blow up every few minutes? Almost shot him when he had something go bang IN my bedroom. Well I was sleeping. Only just missed him in my panic.” Bravo says rolling his eyes.

“I’m not past taking an offer of clean water later.” Bravo remarked as he followed Blueblood. “It took me a few weeks to get used to the fact that clean water is so readily available. But even now I find it hard to stomach how wasteful some are with it… Same for food. I do my best to not pass judgement, devent worlds and different times.” He added giving some insight to views on the matter. To live on the scraps of a dying world gave one deep respect for the smallest of fortunate gifts. Clean water and food nothing to take for granted and even with so much at his hooves he found it hard to be wasteful. A full sea of drinkable water was as precious and valuable as half a glass full. A full table of food fresh and warm was no less wonderful than a can of ancient, yet edible, soup uncovered in the decaying heart of a long lost city. Upon entering the den Bravo whistled as he looked about the room, spinning about in place a few to take in all of the room. Well some of the wonder of this world was lost on him, time and time it pulled something new to impress him. He moved about studying architecture and furniture in wonderment of the past now living before him. Looking to Blue he nods his head. “Yes.” He says with a puff of smoke. Looking at the ashtray Blue can see the thinking going on behind Bravos eyes as the wastelander pieces together what it is. Than walked over and drops his spent cig on it. Than lifting a hoof he gently pushed the tip of a hoof down on it, crushing the cig and killing the embers. He then sits down on the seat, shifting his large wings about like a cape on his back. There large size was so much that they seem to get in the way of something so easy as sitting. Yet Bravo made do, a lifetime of dealing with them making such struggles part of life and hardly notable to him. “Surprise me, i’m not pisky. Just no whisky.”

Lightning was a little on the shocked side to hear another voice in her head. She had to many of them as is! But at least it was easy to understand it. Gathering herself she did her best to explain what was going on. -Critical warning! Enforcer at risk of capture! Preparing scuttling! Critical warning!- Just about every cuss word Lightning knew flashed in her head, she had no time to remark on… whatever was going on with that headless mare being tossed in to the lake. “C-code!” she barks, she knew what had to be done yet… saying it was so hard! “G-go-goa” The words just can’t leave her muzzle. She can’t speak them. All she can do is hope the pink mare can work it out somehow. But she had to gain the override codes and speak them… from there she end the scuttling. And really have the freedom to whatever she wanted to Lightning. Even inprint herself as the new ‘CEO’. but that was a risk Lightning can live with over exploding. After that she can work out what systems got damaged. They can be repaired, exploding can not. “Can read… thinking… my thinking?” She asked. “Can’t… Tell you. Things. Can’t think of some even… But code. Code in my head. Someware. You NEED it. Whatever it takes.” She explained. Hoping the pink one can understand it.

Bravo arched an eyebrow than chuckles at the hasty salute Blueblood tossed up. He was not at all offended by it, it was an honest try from a pony that had no real clue what to do back. “I can tell you, his great, great grandson is pretty much the same. Never in my life have I had as much fun, and hated him just as much, as when I worked with that %$#^&%$ colt toy of a pony.” He says with a smoky sinker and makes his way in doors, taking care to keep his wet power armor on the door rug as to not trail water all over. The smoking rules sounded fair, far better than most, so he had nothing to fuss about. “Sounds good to me, will put it out if I ever end up going to the other floors.” He says with a nod of thanks. Now removing his armor… He was safe, he knew he was. Yet it never came easy. Letting Blue guide him to where wanted it to rest he then put his helmet back. “Stand back, don’t touch the moving parts.” He says over the armors speaker as the back hissed, then splits open like a bug shedding its old skin. Bravo pulled himself out much the same way with a skin tight jumpsuit over his body. Key parts of the jumpsuit had metal rings that looked to lock in to parts of the armor to help Bravo move in it. And maybe to some joy Blue saw the scorpion tail stay put as Bravos flank came free. In its place was a balled up tail, tucked up between the legs. Bravo had to shake it some to unstick it from the jumpsuit. Free he stretched his legs some and sniffed at himself. “Eh..” is all he had too say remarking on his sent. Looking back at Blue he puffed his cig a few times. “Well, best I keep this on. Even if this is not too bad… back in my world I went weeks on weeks without ever seeing a shower. But that was pretty normal for every pony. Clean water was to $@%^$# rare to waste on washing.” He says with a sheepish grin. "I do love all the clean water you have... small things in life."

Bravo let out a proof smoke as he watched a passing car, long fancy and screaming power and riches. All of this place did that. It was so different, so alien and unbelievable. Yet there it was. And maybe that was what was most hard… or was it letting go? He did not know, it seemed to change every day. But he was a hunter of the Enclave, he lived years in the wasteland. He can make it. Turning to look at the door as it opens he saw Blue. His eyes looking up and down a few times as he looks over the details and after a moment's time speaks up. “%@#$.” He mutters the swear on smokey air. “You really are him. Just like the postcard… Nice to meet you sir.” With that he stands tall, wings close and tall up tall as he clicks his four hovers together, bows a head than looks up well shooting one giant wing up skyward. One can not underset how large his wings were to a normal pegasus. “SSgt Castle Bravo, Hunter 6th squad of the 5th fleet, Raptor, Frozen Skys.” He spoke fast as he held that pose and did not move for a few more moments before dropping it, standing like a normal pony. Well, normal as one can in his getup and with a scorpion tail behind him. “Java has done his best. It seems we all know him. He did not tell me this… Not shocking. I know him well… and know his great, great grandson from my timeline. It helps us break the ice more easily. Luna bless him, insane as he is he’s done all he can to make this %#@$ %@#$@ #@$@#$ of a deal more easy.” He says with all the charm of a wastelander. He takes in one more deep pull on a cigarette. “No smoking inside?” He asked with a frown, none vocally showing how much he did not care for how many hated smoking.

You know what is awesome? The world. What is more awesome? Seeing how big it is after knowing only your home! At least that is Autumn Blaze believed and nothing was going to change that, so far she has had a blast! Her first stop off the train was a town out west and in the first 24hrs she managed to do so much. Meet outlaws, party with outlaws, end up in jail for a night and get a free bed. It was awesome! Done hanging with them she was back out on the streets exploring Appleloosa. Fun as they were she still had a lot to do in town before she had to jump onto a new train and head east! “What do you think Gloom?” Blaze asked looking at the map, than down at the shadow casted next to her. “Ohh ya the farms… You think appels live there? Well ya it's an appel farm…. Oh! Apples as in like applejack? Be funny if one of them lived in a town named after apples! And having appel farms. She was an apple farmer wasn't she?” She jerks a hoof up, holding a stick with her cloven hoof, shaking it at herself with a shocked face. “Twiggy! Shhh! Don’t use such language, there are foals about! But yes, it is pretty hot out here… must be the lack of trees. Well sounds like we got a plan. To the appel farms!” Jumping up and shoving the map in her big saddle bags she raced down the dirt roads, a smile big and strong as can be on her muzzle as she looked at the passing town in wonderment. So much to see, so much to do. How will she ever see the world in a lifetime? She only just started!

Loyalty. The guiding light for all pegasus ponies in the war and after. Loyalty was everything and this fact was trained, taught and beaten in to every last pegasus. There was no other way, no other path. And yet Bravo found himself lost thanks to it. What was loyalty when the very thing you swore to die for is nonexistent. When everything you know is nonexistent. This reality shock Bravo to his core just by being itself. By being here in this shape and lacking everything that made his world, his views work. It was crushing and took him weeks… months to even go outside again. Mech was a good friend even his help did not make this more easy. Acclimatising to this world and shock it was to his beliefs, views and understand just took time. A lot of it. He was better now… Somewhat. It was still hard, confusing and confusing but he managed to do trips outside without breaking down or lashing out at some pony. Mech was the only pony to even have a hope of understanding… It. Why this was hard. But Bravo had to push on. Well he wanted to go home he knew he couldn't. It's been too long. He’s MIA or KIA and can’t go home. And this world was better in every way. Food! Water! Safety! It took weeks too learn how to sleep without jumping at every sound. Weeks trust water. Food… so on and so on. And yet he was still spinning in place. Loyalty… Loyalty. The word that haunted him like hounds on a fox and it made him feel aimless. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ With a clap of thunder Bravo looked up at the sky's pouring rain. He liked the rain. It made him feel… safe. Familiarity was the word, safe was the feeling. Rain was part of life back… There. Mud, rain and death. At least he had rain. Walking down the road gazed up at the towering buildings of white. Time to time a flash happens and he saw HIS Canterlot and its countless horrors. It made a shiver roll down his spine but he pushed onward, dry from the storm underneath his power armor. He still can’t go outside without it. Not for long. Panic attacks. When one spent months in it leaving it is terrifying. Every part of his brain screamed ‘outside is danger!’ without it. Even a friend next to him he’d start to panic. More time… maybe that is all he needed. Looking at the map in his HUD he gazed up at another big building. This was the place… Blueblood. A war hero… At least for Bravo. The mare from his first moments here was tied to Blue. Mech never did explain how very well, saying it will be easier if he ‘saw it’ for himself. Or something. Bravo just hoped the offer was still open. Mech was fun, but insane. A level head was something he needed and with luck this pony had one to offer. …. Ringing the door bill he looked up at the giant wood doors. Why on earth did a pony need doors do big? Did they have a pet sphinx or something? Well he sat at the door he removed his helmet, letting his golden orange mane flow out with a shake and lit up a cigarette. Was no dash but it helped keep his shakes down. He still hated Mech for not making him more. He knows the mad-doc can, he just did not. jerk.

Tempest let out a small snort as pulled a hoof up to shake the other mares. “I am not the best mare for helping one regrain social skills as I hardly have such skills to share.” She remarked with a glance at the gate. “And… that is fitting for what I did. I like to view myself as mighty…” She then looked back at the pretty mare as she gives a name. “I’m Tempest Shadow, a name most know well but take more pride in meeting one that did not.” She says back with a smile. “And you are a writer? That is what it sounds like… I don’t think I have had the pleasure of reading a book from you sadly. Well I enjoy reading I have not much time in my life for it… Do hope to change that in truth. Why I am this way, seaking someplace more… removed. It seems I am on a good path as it sounded like you wanted to do the same to work?” She says looking up at the old building. “Love to own a place like this in truth…”

Tempest did not respond to them, not at first. Just staring out at the lake she felt so out of place with a heavy feeling of flight or fight. She was afraid of what was happening around her as very genuine offers of kinship were being held out for her. And that scared her more than any battle or monster she has faced. She did not deserve it, not one drop of it. But that can’t be why she was scared. She knew that and it made her feel all the more ashamed. Rubbing her front legs together she shifted uneasily before looking at herself in the water. Such a sad mare she saw, sitting alone even as others sat with her. “I.” She starts and ends going nowhere with that as she struggled to place her feelings. “I’d… like that… All of it.” Almost forcing herself to speak at first. “I’d like some friends ya.” She looked over at Sunset and gives the mare an awkward smile. “I don’t know what strings you’d have to pull but that sounds nice…” She then looked to the rest. “I’m sorry for… Everything. This day should not be about me. Fange! You won… And Hanabi you deserve as much care.” She says with a shake of her head. “But you still pushed onward, dropping everything for… Me. I don’t know… How to deal with things like this. I don’t get helped. I don’t get saved. But I have been. Time and time and I just…” She trailed off looking away with a frustrated snort and stomp, angry at herself. Why was just… taking something good so damned hard. “I know what happiness was. But after losing it one time I am scared of losing it again. You have to understand being my friend will not be easy for me or you three.” She explained as well as she can before pulling herself to look at all of them again. “But I think… no, I know this is what I need.” Shifting about she looked down at a hoof, than holds it out with an even more awkward smile. “So maybe… We can be friends?”

Tempest leaned her head to the side as she found the local. A mare… A pretty one at that, not menmy mares dress like that… She liked it honestly, when she was young, that's what she wanted too dress like. She has a pretty voice as well… Tempest lifted a hoof up and was about to speak up when the mare turned around and spotted Tempest and thankfully did not yell in shock. She was very relaxed about it… making Tempest wonder if she knew Tempest was there all along. “Last I checked I was alive, despite everything” Tempest says back. “Hopefully I am not disturbing you from that nap, came out here to explore off the beaten path. I care not for all the tourist traps. All they do is tell me where some peace and quiet is.” She added chuckling before looking over her back to where she came from. “I hope you don’t own this place… I ripped the gate off its hinges” She added before looking back at the pretty mare… Her eyes were gorgeous. “I can leave if you wish, I did not come here to bug some locals."

Out of the way, snuggled up between mountains and deep in a dark ‘haunted’ forest that was mostly untouched? most that visit just want to run about in old buildings and stay out of the way? The more Tempest learned about the town of Hollow Shades the more she liked the sound of it. And it was pretty close Canterlot and Ponyvill! At least by her standards. She's traveled far longer paths on hoof so the hoof travel was not bad. So, wanting to see the place for herself she planned a trip and set off it. _____________________ “And stay down…” Tempest mutters, her horn sparking in the rain as she kicked a charred chunk of wood. Looking up in to the dark woods she smiles seeing shapes backing away, running off in to the void. Timberwolves where easy to scare away if one knew how. Well the Timberwolf she lit up was not down for good, being set on fire like that was going too keep it playing dead for a time. “Two packs in one night… I like this forest.” she remarked with a smirk, heading back to her tent with one last kick to the smoking Timberwolf. _____________________ Two days later she was in the town. Well it was cute and themed to look all old and spooky but she was not here for that. All she needed in town was some goods and to ask the Mayor on where she was legally allowed to camp. After setting up her camping site for a longer stay over she sat off her real aim… Checking out the less traveled paths. She picked up a few maps and travel brochures in the town and used them to tell her where not to go. She had to travel a good ways out to get away from the tourist spots and off deeper in to the woods. But the payoff was well worth it… Uncovering an old manor. Not on the maps or brochures, just what she wanted to find. With a flair of her horn the old rusted gates are ripped open, ancient iron glowing hot as she parted them and walked on in to the manors long forgotten courtyard. Untouched and beautiful… Or was it? beautiful yes, but not untouched. Her sharp eye spotted hoof prints in the overgrown grass and dirt. Fresh it seems. Maybe a local vistes here? Easy to see why. Looking up at the towering old manor she just rollers her soldiers and pushed on ahead to explore deeper.

Tempest pulled a front leg up to rub at both spots she got kissed well sticking her tounge out as if she ate something nasty. Done removing the weird feeling on her cheeks she takes her appeals, slapping them up on her back. “Thanks AJ, properly be sundown when I show up to crash. Thanks for letting me. Shall try too not wake you up.” She says well eyeing some Colt cutting in line… Foals these days. But AJ was dealing with it and Tempest had done her fair share of ‘social interaction’ for now and just wanted to get a move on. So, giving AJ a thankful nod she dashed down the road to get up to Luna knows what mischief. *Exit Tempest*

Tempest felt taken aback at how AJ reacted to her plans, going on a small rant about that remark. It left her just blinking, even if AJ was speaking gentle it was fussing all the same. Like some old mother mare fussing at her colt for being stuped but trying to be nice about it. It was weird. “I made no remark about being isolated, I just want to explore something that may be good for me. To find myself, my real self and learn to love what I am and not worry about…” She sighs and shakes her head. “Later, we can talk later. Plenty wanting apples and not here to see us fuss like your my mother.” She says with a roll of her eyes before nuzzling in to her sadeel bags to grab sack of coins. Plopping it on counter she looked back at AJ, eyeing her up before talking. “If you must kiss me… fine. But on the cheek. Plase, all I ask is that you respect my boundaries on this.” She says pushing ten bits over. “I want two bushels… so, two kisses on the cheek? Can use some more apples on the road when I head out in the morning.” She added explaining why she wanted two, it was nothing fancy or trying to mess with AJ. She just needed some food for the road and may as well buy it from AJ.

The fact you end up as one of the… bipedal things in that world made it sound so much worse, Temy can’t even think about what it is like to wiggle about on one's back legs than fail their… arms? Arms was it? About to grab things. At least griffins walked about like a civilized species! Belh! But far more fascinating and less sad than that fate was Sunsets take on why she comes back. friendship, and not just some good friends. But something more. A best mate, a brother in arms that you trust and knows you like no other. That was her bond with Twilight. Something She never… Well maybe one time did have. But such feelings for another so far removed from ehr life now they seemed no different than reading about some pony in an old book. As for… the tones other picked up on, they were all but lost on Temy. Such notes of love and romance were so outside of her reach of understanding they did not even register as a passing thought. To her eyes this was bound of deep camaraderie. Something she did wish, even thinking about Sunny having such a bound with an other left her feeling some about of want for the same. What it must be like to have such a strong tie come back to someplace so far away time and time again just to see them. “You are lucky to have such a thing…” She says looking at the lake, ears aiming behind her at the two following them. She was very aware they have been. “One day maybe I shall have such camaraderie again and not be scared of it. When ever some pony reaches out all I see are daggers behind backs. That is my world and my own jail it seems. I know I am in it yet I can not find the key to let myself free. Even now…” She darts her head back to look at the two following them, before they even talked she was staring at them with a flick of an ear. “Fine, join us again. Saves you following like lost pups.” She looked back to Sunset sighing and taped her hoof at the water. “One brick at a time I breaking free. Its slow. Painfull. But at least I know… As much as I hate it, much of this jail is my own making. Now I must unmake it… And maybe it's best not to do it alone. I just have to learn how to open the door to let help in.”