1Bit

"Oh, you wanna talk about guts?!" I yelled at her as she started to walk away. I primed my battle saddle, and pointed it directly at her. "Well how about we blow yours out! Oh wait...you probably don't have any!" His breathing had become more erratic as anger seemed to fill his mind. Sweet Celestia, he just wanted to shoot right now.

Comet was less happy now, the feeling of frustration overcoming him as this mare continued to act all snarky to everything he said. "Nice to see you mercenaries are still assholes. Don't know why I even bother..." He spat, rolling his eyes again and tightening his saddlebags. "You know what? I'll see you up the mountain, clearly y'all don't need me in your mix. So sorry that I offended you." Comet snarled at the mare. "I'm not exactly the most social type, so it's real nice to know that I still can't talk to ponies."

"Ooh, you're a feisty one. Don't know what you're trying to prove with the whole tough act, but whatever." Comet muttered. He was already remembering why he never talked to other ponies. Always made enemies when he opened his big mouth. "Look, I'll go if you really want. I only bothered coming over here to make sure I wasn't gonna get stabbed in the back when I went up the mountain."

"Pfft, a living..." Comet rolled his eyes, falling back onto all four hooves again. "You make it sound like there's something to live for in this wasteland. Funny." The apple made a loud crunching sound as he took a large bit out of it, fumbling around to grab the dusty old map out of his saddlebags. "All I know is I've had a hell of a journey trying to get here, and I don't need some dumbass ponies messing it all up for me at the end of it all. And besides, nothing wrong with a colt being pretty." He smirked at the mare.

Comet couldn't help but smirk at the remark. "Not sure whether that's an insult or a compliment. I'll take it as a compliment." He flicked his mane, extending one wing out to examine it before using a hoof to clean off some dirt that had got trapped between his feathers. "I know you're just jealous that I was able to enjoy my childhood without the fear of death or worse."

"Oh please, I'm not looking for caps. I just want to kill raiders for the simple fact they're raiders, don't need no incentive." Comet smirked, taking another bite from the apple. It was surprisingly good for produce that had come from the wasteland. "Unlike you ponies playing around down here in the dirt, us Cloudsdalians are proud pegasi who put morals over paychecks thank you very much."

"Theme, huh? Sounds like a fun day." Comet chuckled to himself, digging a hoof into his saddlebag and searching around for one of the apples from the village. He hadn't eaten in at least a day. Rationing was going pretty well so far. "Yeah, I might follow you guys for a while. As long as you ponies don't double cross me, then it's all good."

"Well, you could have at least tried to sound more panicked. I know I'm not the strongest pegasus out there but still..." He rolled his eyes, letting out a groan as he released the chokehold. He'd lost enthusiasm now. "Don't worry, I'm heading up the mountain as well. I have some beef with those raiders up there and I ain't leaving until they're dead. So I guess I'm not shooting you today. What even are you lot? Mercenaries or something?" Comet asked, leaning back against the tree behind him.

Comet could see the opportunity to do something arise as they came down to rest. Clearly they were taking a break before continuing to...wherever they were going. The leader, quite heavily armed, signalled for them to rest up. Comet double-checked his saddlebag, making sure all weaponry was ready just in case things turned for the worse. They usually did. He hovered across the small treeline, ducking behind the twiggy remains of bushes when he could. It took him a few minutes, but he was inching closer and closer to the leader's position. Alright Comet, keep it cool. Let's just get this done. The pegasus took a deep breath, before breaking through his cover at a snail's pace, keeping barely above the ground as he went towards the pony. The other ponies in the group were blind to his ministrations and he couldn't help but grin before he launched his hooves at the armoured stallion, so that both forelegs were firmly around his neck. Not choking him; but enough to get his attention. "Alright...now you're gonna stay real quiet." He whispered into the stallion's ear, tightening his grip as if to reinforce his point. "And you're gonna tell me exactly where you're going and who you work for."

"I know you're not most mares. I doubt most mares meet by having one pointing a gun at the other." Amber giggled softly, remembering how they originally met. Quite a different relationship back then to the one that existed now for certain. "I just hope you don't get bored of me. Although, if we do end up flying into the star, I doubt that'll be much of a problem..."

Comet could hear voices up ahead as he began his steady approach to the mountain. From his own experiences out in the wasteland, he thought it best to scout it out. Most of the time, it was raiders. Or worse. On silent wings, he hovered across the ground, to silence his movements. Hooves would be too obvious. Too loud. The pegasus dived behind a burnt out tree in front of him, taking a deep breath to keep calm before peeking his head out. There was a road just before him, one of the many that seemed to connect towns and villages across the barren Equestria that he called home. Squinting, Comet could make out multiple figures hanging about in the middle of the road, and he guessed they were the source of the voices, muttering and discussing things under their breath. They certainly weren't raiders, but they didn't look too friendly anyway. I should stay hidden he thought to himself With any luck, they're going to the exact same place I am. What other reason would such ponies be so heavily armed out here?

"Sweet Celestia, we are a pair...I imagine the rest of the crew must be sick of us by now." Amber giggled, sticking her tongue out at Solar. "But you're still cute, and I still love you to pieces, so it's all good." She leaned in close, wrapping her in a tight hug. "Thank you for sticking with me. No doubt most mares would've just left me by now..."

"U-uh, yeah, mostly." She replied, a bland expression plastered to her face as she watched the others from a distance with disinterest. She just couldn't care for any of it. "I mean, nopony is going to really know what will happen when the days creep by and I go longer and longer without morphine. We can only hope nothing bad happens. I'm not sure my body can take another incident like in the desert." Amber looked down solemnly, ruffling her wings.

9/10 Foo Fighters rock ^w^ (I dont even like rap that much, but this track is seriously good)

"Jeez, is your entire family dorks or something? Sweet Celestia..." She sighed and shook her head disapprovingly with a silly grin on her face. "Of all the adorable, sweet, amazing mares I could have fallen for, I fell for the one with the dorkiest family possible~" Amber giggled.

"Oh really? Well I'll hold you to that. Seeing you punch your mom would probably be the greatest thing since hay fries were invented." Amber giggled, smirking back as the gateroom drew nearer. There was a decent crowd of ponies in the room for sure, and it seemed like Scarlett...and other Scarlett? What in Equestria is going on~

"Aw crap..." Amber had finally taken notice of the radio clipped to her belt. Sure, she hadn't really cared for it before now but Scarlett's calm yet slightly irritated voice was clear enough. "Well, seems it turns out everypony is in the gateroom and we should probably really, really quickly get over there before your mom gets pissy with us and blames me or something."

Amber did just as Solar had said, and began leaning against her body for support. She hated appearing so weak, but she had no choice. She was weak. "Thanks sweetie...I know I can count on you." Amber said softly, giving Solar a weak grin as she tried to walk normally. "Hopefully Scarlett won't be too hard to find...I swear to Celestia if we walk in and nopony's around I'm gonna get testy."

"Yeah, we should probably go see..." She sighed, resenting ever mentioning it. And now began the painful task of having to separate herself from Solar, something she wished she would never have to do. Amber clambered off the bed and shakily stood on her four hooves, trying to gain her balance. She straightened up her uniform, cleared her throat and attempted to trot confidently to the door.

"Hey Solar~" Amber spoke up after a few minutes had passed. "You don't think that...well y'know, perhaps we're missing something. We've been stuck in here for at least an hour or so. I mean, you pretty much came in here to make me feel better or whatever, and never left." She giggled, booping her muzzle.

"Well I want to hold you a lil longer as well~" Amber let out a soft giggle as she twisted the two of them over so that Solar lay beneath her. She smiled and let out a satisfied grunt before closing the distance and giving Solar's lips a brief kiss. I'll never get tired of this mare... The petite pegasus cuddled tighter and snuggled her muzzle into Solar's fuzzy chest fur.

"N-no! My b-butt isn't cute....n-no~" Amber's face heated up, and a bright blush spread across her fuzzy cheeks. "But anyway!" The pegasus squeaked as she felt Solar's nose boop against her own, prompting more stuttering and sent her heart racing. "You're not g-getting rid of me easily e-either..."

"Sorry sweetie, but the award of cutest mare has already been taken by you." Amber giggled in response, wrapping her hooves around the now on top of her, Solar. "Besides, I bet you're the one who's getting all the looks around this place. You're a much nicer looking filly than me." She stuck her tongue out playfully, and let out a deep content sigh as she sunk back into the mattress beneath her.

While Ruby initially grumbled and tried to fall back to sleep again, she couldn't escape the faint screams and scuffling she could hear in the distance that made shivers run down her spine. With panic beginning to set in, she grabbed what she could from beside her bed and clumsily fell from her mattress in a rush to get to the door. Her hooves clammered against the wood as she practically flew down the stairs and raced out the door. She could see all sorts of stirring and chaos just out of town, deciding to run the very opposite way alongside the many other ponies still inside Ponyville.