We stand united 1x1 Maple Bat

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"Y...Your right. Sorry... Just scared right now..." Fluttershy said before he got off "W... Where are you going? I'd rather not be..." She sighed "Left alone." She sighed and sat down waiting for something to come and attack them, she knew something was just because Jack had mentioned danger and usually knew what it was coming.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

Jack started sitting down in the sand, but luckily he was still able to look back to see if any danger would come, his ears also being the advantage of sharper hearing.

He just started to look into the distance, he did not know what to be, sad? angry? All he was thinking about was how miserable he was going to have it in the coming days, even if he was used to such things, he still was not feeling comfortable with it.

-----------------------------------------------------------

It was around 4 hours that it had become really dark.

Jack was still sitting in the very same position as all those hours ago.

He was inspecting the knife had used before against those guards he had killed.

'This looks pretty sharp, i still will have to keep it mantained, but i could actually use this without much trouble.' He tought, but all he was occupying himself from just scowling into the depts of the desert again.

Edited September 13, 2017 by Mickey Adaptus

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Fluttershy had walked over to where Jack was after the others started to get up. "Jack... I didn't want to say this with the other potentially listening but... I can't do this anymore. I'm so scared... and hungry..." She looked down not looking him in the eyes "I can't keep up with the others especially in strength, so what can I do to be helpful, You all just carry me around and I never really help any pony... Am I... worth keeping around?"

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"There is no shame in being that Fluttershy, you don't need to be strong or have no fear, nobody is going to judge you for who you are."

"But is it really a problem if you are not strong enough? If you don't have that strength, don't try and force it down yourself, you care about animals and nature, but you are not a born fighter, which means you shouldn't force down all this upon yourself, because nobody is demanding you to fight, it is YOURSELF who is making all that doubt."

"If I am being honest? Everyone will rather want you to not fight and stay safe rather than jump into danger that you cannot face alone because then you are going to end up hurt or worse, which is what nobody wants. If you truly want to make yourself feel helpful, stay alive, don't attack things that you are not able to defeat because getting hurt like that is not helping either, it may sound all heroic, but you know what? Heroics is making what made us all die, being a hero is not something to brag about, or to feel prideful, it is so you can protect others, let the ones who are stronger do this task and don't force it down upon yourself." Jack said.

"I hope that helped a little.."

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Fluttershy smiled, for the first time since they all got captured she smiled "That... That did help. I felt like I wasn't helping but you made it seem like I don't need to be able to help in combat. The others are waking right now we should probably go say hello then." She said as she motioned back to the rock the others were on. "Thanks by the way."

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"No problem. And you go ahead, I just need time to think.." Jack said as he looked down.

He noticed her staring at him, and he started to groan a bit.

"Please do, I need it Fluttershy." He said as he as he looked in the other direction.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"Ok... I understand. You need some space. Just stay safe." She said flying back over to the rock.

Once she got there the others were fully awake and had gotten down from the rock "Hey Fluttershy, How long were you gone from the rock?" Ember asked wearily

"Not long I saw you all getting up and left." Fluttershy responded.

Celestia smiled at her "Well someone certainly feels better."

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

'I just wonder how I am going to end up. Either I am going to die in some battle or if I survive getting out of this desert I am sure something else will happen that put me in some sort of tragedy, there is just no end to this never ending nightmare...' Jack thought.

'I guess the only thing I can do now looks forward and see what happens, I am just getting tired of having to struggle my way through all of this.' he thought with a frown.

'How ironic, my situation is going to turn the same as the person who i just injected myself with into.. I guess fates are not so far removed from eachother after all.' He tought as he slowly walked back to the rock,

[Maple Bat 3,568]

After a bit Jack caught up with the others Festus ran over to him. "Oh, Celestia I'm glad you're ok..." Festus said putting his arm around Jack's shoulder. "Let's go! We can make it out of the desert now. I believe in us!" Festus didn't really know if they could do it but he wanted the others to believe it so he tried to convince himself.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"Yes, perhaps we  can, hope is all we can use at this moment." Jack tried to force a smile but it looked more like a tired frown.

"Let's go, the better we get out of this place the better." Jack said, not even looking at anyone for just a second.

He scowled a bit as he was pacing ahead of the others, but what was causing it, he did not exactly know, all he felt was just an empty spark in his mind.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

The other few kept a rather quick pace at first but slowed down after a while later, Fluttershy was keeping the briskest pace, After Jack's speech to her, she had her inner-flame rekindled. She was full of hope now, hope for herself and all of the universe. "Let's hurry! The sooner we make it out the sooner we can get supplies!" Fluttershy said encouragingly 

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

It was about 45 min later that they were walking still troughs the cold night.

Jack had not talked to anyone just once, which was rather concerning compared to his more open and talkative personality.

But during all that walking he either was lost in thoughts or he kept that stone faced frown on his face, which had a hint of despair in it.

The only thing that occasionally changed was his walking speed that to slow down a bit but was still going.

'Star gazing, Star gazing, Star gazing... Oh how I would love to enjoy that now, but all I can see are planets that are soon burning with fire.' Jack thought with negativity.

He just shook his head to confirm his thoughts as he walked further.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Festus kept looking back at Jack seeing the same frown on his face, he kept smiling to try to help him get rid of it but it never changed.

Celestia and Ember both noticed the varying mood of the group and had no idea no Idea what to make of it.

Star eventually got sick of the over optimist Fluttershy and punched her in the chest, "Things are a lot worse than they seem Fluttershy you can't be so happy when there are others dying out there."

Festus gripped his sword but didn't move initially

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

Jack turned around, something was building up inside of him, a feeling that he managed to acquire only since around 4 hours ago.

He punched Star in the face hard, which knocked her straight in the sand.

"Your personality is something I could mildly tolerate, but I do NOT tolerate, is someone attacking my friends. If you attempt that again, i won't be so nice." Jack said giving her a dead glare.

"Look me in the eyes and dare make an excuse. Because I won't fall for it!" He almost roared.

Some of the DNA had already affected Jack a small bit, the exploding anger being part of this.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Ember, Festus, and Celestia jumped when Jack reacted, Fluttershy was too busy trying to see what happened, Star had left a visible bruise on Fluttershy, so star had intended for that hit to hurt her which angered Ember past the limit. Ember pushed Jack away from Star she was about to thank Ember but Ember put her foot on the pony she stomped on star's chest hard. "It doesn't feel so good on the other end does it!" She stomped again driving star into the ground. "You've been, nothing but ungrateful since we saved you and frankly I wish we'd have left you... It's not..." Ember growled

Festus pushed both of them away from star "Now, Now we don't need to be fighting..."

Fluttershy walked over to Star Festus tried to intervene but Fluttershy wasn't gonna be stopped "Star... I know you lost your son and you have no idea if she's gone or not... but my daughter... Maple... She is gone, I know for a fact. You can still have hope he's ok but for me..." she trailed off and started to continue walking.

Star, half buried in sand, stood up and shoot it off. "Wow... I didn't know..." She suddenly felt bad for everything she'd done until this point, She didn't seem to want to make another comment all she said was "I'm sorry..."

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"I am done." Jack said.

"I am done feeling like this, if I am going to stand around where all my problems are going to get avoided by others, then FINE!"

"Perhaps not everyone noticed, but I am NOT capable of doing this anymore! You all can't expect me to bite through all of this, trying to keep up and solve all YOUR problems while I am constantly having to linger around in mine?! AM I NOTHING TO YOU GUYS?! I have been forced to this for 7 years, and I am going to say it out loud, I don't want to be forced to fight through all these death traps one by one, only to get hurt and having to deal with the pain all over again. I am going to say it again, i CANNOT handle this!!!"

"Just leave me behind, shoot me, i don't care, just this ordeal over with!!" Screamed as he started to sob on the ground.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"Don't think that way Jack," Festus began "None of us wanted to be here now, You're much more to us that someone we can call on when we need help, We're all working for the same thing right now."

"Remember Jack All of us may have been focused on our own problems but we've all got this one unified goal, To defeat Valtrek. I know it may seem like you're going through a lot and you are, Focus on one thing at a time." Celestia said, "Right now, we need to find a way off this planet. Don't overwhelm yourself thinking of what you can be doing but what has to be done to lead into something else." She was basically telling him to start focusing on one thing at a time rather than the big picture.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"But you have been missing my entire point, right now it is not about in the future, it is about now!"

"You expect me to walk through this desert for so long in my current state?"

"You guys may not be aware, but I am not someone who can force his way through such colds or hot temperatures, I cannot just walk for miles and hope for the best, I am going to die like this!!"

"And back there, when I was shot, Festus was the only one who even tried to do anything, but all of you? You all thought that an emotional thing was more important than someone who just got a BULLET in his chest! Do you know how irresponsible that sounds? Do you even realize how Luna will react when she founds out that I died due to nobody being able to take care of me?"

"I may be rude, but if this is what it takes to open all of your eyes, then I am going to say it, I am a child, not a person who can just do these things and expect the best. Do you how I feel? I feel DEVASTATED because I worry about the fact that none of you has even cared about this before, I even said it MULTIPLE times, that this was going to be a problem, some ideas were good, but what about the others? What about the one who can't endure these things?"

"Go ahead and ignore it all again, but you know you have blood on your hooves when I die out here due to these reasons." Jack said with slight tears.

 

He eventually calmed down a bit.

"I am sorry for my outburst, but I need to be honest with you guys here. Some may call me resilient for managing to fend for myself for quite some time. But there is a reason behind it, i have suffered quite alot of injections, being a test subject and all, and then having that raging demon in my body back then, i was able to ignore my body problems in the end. Food and Water were something I did not even need. But when that demon was removed, it caused my normal standards to return, and i can say i am not very used to them.  My problem is that you have all being so caught up in your own problems that i had no way to treat mine as i was so busy helping others."

"Look, i know none of you have this duty, but this is not going to end well because i am lacking comfort, emotional support, like a mother would give. Those things have been absent in me since forever, instead, i am forced to move through this giant desert with this ongoing tension. Having friends is nice, but where is the person i can cry to when i am sad, who i can look to for support? I have none, and so i am either forced to cry in a corner or bottle it all up like I always do. Either way, if you all just end up ignoring this again then i am leaving this group and not move from this spot, it is as simple as that." Jack said with a bleak expression.

Edited September 14, 2017 by Mickey Adaptus

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Ember grit her teeth, She wasn't too good at this 'Friendship' thing "Hey... It's not that bad... It just looks a lot worse than it is." She said awkwardly

Festus would have responded but he was at odds with Star keeping her from saying anything hurtful.

Celestia looked at him and approached him "I'm sorry about that emotional thing, I thought Fluttershy had surpassed me in strength. After seeing that she wounded that Assassin I couldn't even touch, I wanted to see how strong she'd become with my own eyes. The problem was I had been blinded by that Idea and thankfully Festus was here to snap me out of that awful train of thought. I still feel bad..."

Fluttershy calmly walked over to Jack and hugged him, it was simple but She meant it "I'm sorry, I can't imagine what you're going through. Most of us have lead prosperous lives until all this started happening Meanwhile there's you... While you may not have gotten to just live on your own you've done so well to help everyone. Don't feel like you don't deserve anything, because of everything you've done jack you deserve way more than what we could give you." She hugged him tighter "W... We'll all make it out of here, But Please... Let me take as many of your burdens as I can, I'll do anything for you here just ask." She never let go of him however, She was too scared of losing someone else who was important at least to her. "I'm sorry, Maple, I won't fail someone who needs me again," Seh whispered under her breath it was so quiet that Jack couldn't even hear it with his better hearing.

Edited September 14, 2017 by Maple Bat

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

Jack did not know what to say at first, this was perhaps the first time he had experienced such a flurry of emotions.

He did hug her back.

"Thanks, I am just a bit lost for words, I do not know what to precisely say back but... Thank you. I guess that is the best I can say at the moment." Jack said he was a bit flabbergast as he did not expect it to turn out like this.

"I apologize for my outburst, but i had no other choice. The reason is that I just won't last long in these temperatures, with the night i would eventually just freeze to death, with the day i would get an overheating due to the sun is just burning on me from all the exposure and heat. And then trying to walk for miles... I hate to say it but that is just to much for me, in the past i tried to force my body trough these conditions but in the end it has caust serious health issius, lots of deases, and overall just weakness. I just have taken to many risk for my feeling, i mean, how many times i have been wounded and healed so far? if it happens to much the body eventually won't be able to take it, i am not sure how it goes for species on Equestria but i know from experience that a body such as mine won't be able to hold out all that punishment forever. Wich is why i have been so worrying about crossing this desert..." Jack admitted.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Fluttershy didn't move for 2 reasons, He needed this right now and, they both were helping each other keep warm while it was cold. "I know it's a lot but you might as well go as long as you can. We may not make it out by the time you can't go any further but if so... at least it was all you could give to us..."

Celestia walked over for some reason she hugged them both "If he cants walk any further then we can just carry him. You'll make it through this Jack, I'm willing to bet you have made it through worse." She said trying to be helpful.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

Jack smiled a bit.

"I did, granted i got lots of help but i did manage in the end. If we are lucky, we might even find help around here, the chance of course is rather low, but there might still be a chance. Hope is all we need." He said.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Celestia smiled "Well you've got help this time too. Let's keep moving, We're burning moonlight." While Celestia was right Fluttershy held onto Jack for a few seconds before letting go and then following the others.

Festus Finally managed to get away from Star and went over to Jack walking beside him. "You feeling any better?" He asked "I know I am after you helped with that bullet."

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"Yeah, i am feeling a bit better." He said.

"You know, funny enough one of my older friends was actually the one who taught me how bullets from wounds, and he is just a year older than I am. I guess it should be him that you should be thanking the most." Jack said with a chuckle as they were moving.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"Nah," Festus said, "I'm thanking you because if your taught something that doesn't mean you have to actually do it, Like how Fluttershy was taught to fight but now she doesn't anymore after all her anger subsided it seems like she's back to normal for the most part. That said it also seems like Star has no intention of thanking any of us at this point but at least she mostly keeps it to herself now."