A rat crosses along the path as it goes to the stream before drinking from it, the muk from its mouth leaking into the water before it is struck through its body and lifted up into the air, squealing to no avail until Sentire flicks her scythe and sends it off. "Piece of bullshit," she mutters under her breath before groaning and sitting down on a log.
"Now that's an argument," the dog suddenly spoke up next to her as he laid his front half on the log, a leg of the bear in his mouth and being chewed on. "Really don't like the Equites and Trial now, do you?"
"No…it's just…Solaris dammit. I sometimes hate his attitude to everything," Sentire mutters before sighing and putting her head in her hands. "When I heard that I can go back to living again, I was hoping that I can return to my life if I completed this one job. Just a normal shitty job as an office worker and living in a shitty rundown apartment. But it worked. Living under the princes' rule no less. Where there were no wars to be worried about and only needed to worry about the occasional troublesome riots by stupid things. And now he pulls this out of his ass and says that the Equites are fine? A group that actually wants to go back to the old days so bad, they would kill any opposition in their way or worse, changed into a mare and be used as slaves for breeding. How is that better than what we had?!"
The dog hums as Sentire puts her head in her lap and then his ears flicks up as she starts to sob. "I just wanted my life back. The life I knew. I wished I stayed dead."
The dog shakes his head before sighing. "There is a reason he sees it that way. The Equites are based on an empire that spans across miles upon miles of land, taking over most of what history known as the lands that existed. They had expansive riches, history, an army, and a system that worked and no one questioned it. And those that got in the way were crushed. A faction that works," the dog explains and makes Sentire pick her head up to look at him as he seems to smile behind his chewing. "Then you got the ERM. A group that wants to make a new system government. A system that would be fairer to the citizens and try to make the goal of keeping their land theirs and only theirs. Its citizens would be so ingrained in its life, they would follow the group's lead. Lavishing itself in its riches and spoils. There would be winners and losers, but so do the Equites. And finally, the prince faction, if you can call it that. A group that wants to bring back the old days before the spread of these creatures. Keeping their lands safe based on their powerful alicorns and peaceful nature. Luring any and all beyond to the idea of making friends. Which, on paper, works. And I bet it has back then. Alliances are forged in friendship. But others are formed in blood, marriage, or just paying off. Friendship takes many forms. It's not always the happy go lucky you tend to remember as," the dog lectures before going back to chewing. "Mmm…good marrow."
"You got fat," Sentire points out.
"Don't tell that dick. Another reason I have been staying away from you guys," the dog requested as he kept chewing. "How do you ponies make this so good cooked?"
"You want to talk about it now or you want to vent more to the now plump emergency food?" Trial asks, walking up behind them.
Sentire suddenly stands and turns to him, holding her scythe at the ready before relaxing. "Hey…" she could only say now as she stares at Trial.
Trial says nothing, twirling a knife, waiting for her.
Sentire lowers her scythe before looking at the dog who shrugs and gets up before walking off and leaves them alone. "Why do you hate only the princes that much? Why turn to Equites when they are similar in a way?" Sentire asks as the small campfire light in the distance and the moon gave them some light to see each other.
"They are not. You have been told lies second handedly. The princes, on the other hand, Solaris to be specific, he is the kind of pony both Leone and I fought and died to bring down," Trial informs as Sentire recalls that one story of his she overheard about his three friends from childhood.
"So…you don't see that in the Equites at all?" Sentire presses.
"They are the citizen's rising up in a state of emergency. You can't expect them to follow your personal rules or the rules of the princes especially after they fled from Canterlot in disgrace. Gleaming and her husband were also refugees because a rebellion forced them out of their kingdom and the nobles let them run the show in Canterlot, knowing they could get away with crap," Trial informs.
"What makes you think that the Equites can't be corrupt once it all settles down?" Sentire asks, trying to remember the history of this stupid empire they are basing themselves off of.
"There isn't, but can you condemn someone for something they could do opposed to someone who has?" Trial asks.
Sentire stares at him as she grips her handle a little too tightly that makes it shake. "Answer me this, are you going to live happily under their rule, knowing that they will become corrupt soon?"
"If they start, then we will start what we did in our life," Trial says fully seriously, scaring Sentire a bit of how he said it so casually and yet seriously.
Sentire tries to compose herself before Trial turns and walks off.
"Remember, this is a job you signed up for. There is a reason they came to me. It's dirty work they can't handle for some reason and the world will never be the same. And you were never supposed to be there," Trial informs.
Sentire slowly hangs her head as he continues walking. "I wish I stayed dead then."
"Do you?" Trial asks stopping her as she could feel his stare, remembering how much longer he was there than she was.
Sentire doesn't say anything now while Trial left her alone and the dog comes back with a barebone he chews in his mouth. "A fluke? You think of yourself as that? No wonder you think of everything as shit," the dog says before walking off to find something to eat.
Sentire could only stare at the ground and sniff.
"She's fine," Trial reassures as he sits back down by Leone.
"How fine?" Leone asks.
"Just need some time," Trial says.
Leone hums. "Well…we should get some rest and head out before morning. And as for William, you're coming with us," she speaks in a foal tone as she turns to the turtle, tickling it under the chin. "Who's a good boy? Who's a good boy?"
"And the skunk who I assume has been named now?" Trial aks.
"Stripes," Barb says, still petting it after all this time.
"You grew fond?" Trial asks.
"Nah. Just keeping it safe for now. Butterscotch would kill me if I harm a critter," Barb replies.
Stripes look at her with beady little eyes.
"Still…" Barb struggled to say as she felt the eyes on her.
Stripes pads at her chest affectionately.
"Aw. That's cute," Leone teases.
"Just say it iron dragon," Trial says teasingly on the other side of her.
Barb sighs. "It's coming with us."
Stripes increase the padding tempo hearing that.
"I'm going to say that Butterscotch would love you now after that," Leone says giggling.
"Well, let us sleep shall we?" Trial asks walking away from them all.
"I still got questions," Rainbow says getting up and rushing after him.
"Come on Williams," Leone offers as she leads the turtle back into the water and lays down near the edge.
"Us too I guess," Dusk says as everyone got bags out and slept on them as pillows.
Once the fire went out and everyone was asleep, Sentire came walking back, still looking down and then looking for a spot to sleep before someone picks themselves up and she looks to see Dusk turning his gaze at her. "You okay?"
Sentire just walks up and stabs the scythe hilt into the ground before kneeling down near him and then slowly leans over and puts her head on his chest. Dusk stops completely as Sentire grabs hold of his arms before Dusk hears something calling. "Psst…hug her," Leone whispers and Dusk slowly wraps his arms around Sentire, pulling her close. Sentire just snuggled into his hold as she slowly falls asleep in his arms and he too follows as well while Leone smirks a bit.
"Sleep well?" Trial asks the moment Rainbow stirred.
Rainbow smiles as she sleeps against him. "Yep," she sighs in relief while snuggling her head on his chest.
"You seem to have gotten really close to me more," Trial says smirking as he leans up.
Rainbow just slaps his chest. "Shut up."
"I only speak the truth," Trial says smirking as he stretches a bit.
Rainbow sticks her tongue out at him. "Shut up. Besides, you don't need to say it."
"Well, get me when we start to move out," Trial says sitting down to meditate.
"Sure," Rainbow yawns before stretching and then looks around to see everyone mostly before blinking at the sight of Sentire and Dusk sleeping together. "Holy Solaris. Dusk finally got laid."
Leone smirks a little as they all started to stir and get up. "Yeah. And they are cute…if it wasn't for how we kinda hate the prince life."
"What is he doing?" Sweetie Belle asks, looking at Trial.
"Meditating," Leone answers as she gets up and checks on William as he peeks out of his shell. "He uses magic, so he uses this to train his stamina and magic pool. Why not join? Magic train yourself?" Leone suggested smiling and patting her head.
"How do you meditate?" Sweetie Belle asks.
"Trial?" Leone asks as she pushes Sweetie Belle to his side while he kept his eyes closed. Trial gave no response and Leone lifted an eyelid before sighing. "He is in deep."
"Deep?" Sweetie Belle questions as she looks closely as well, though blushing when she didn't want to touch him in any way.
"That means he is searching for something powerful or increasing his mana reserves again," Leone says sighing.
"Oh," Sweetie Belle agrees and hums as she leans in closer and looks to see how he is doing that. "Hmm…" she hums and tries to get in the same position and meditate as well…from what she knows.
"I may have to carry him today," Leone says.
"How long does he spend time in that?" Sweetie Belle asks curiously as the others start up the fire and cook the rest of the meat.
"Well…can last a few hours to a few weeks," Leone says.
"That long, huh?" Rainbow yawns and tries to eat the breakfast.
"Yeah, I don't understand magic like he does, but that is what I consider average for deep meditation. He usually emerges with some new powerful spell or his mana increases greatly," Leone says.
"So…nothing will break him out of it?" Spitfire asks, wondering if they will have to protect his body.
"Not well…last time I did that, there was this huge magical explosion from all the mana that came rushing back. It is also not a good idea if you don't know what realm he has connected to," Leone explains.
"So…maybe we can use him in an emergency?" Glide suggested.
"Yes, last choice emergency," Leone emphasizes.
"Good to know," Vinyl says dryly.
"So who wants to wake the lovebirds?" Leone asks.
"I got it," Rainbow says crawling over before shaking both of them. "Wake up guys. We got a job. And prince Solaris wants a letter or he will send you to magic kindergarten."
"NOT MAGIC KINDERGARTEN!" Dusk yells as he sits up suddenly with a panicked look on his face and a messy mane before grabbing a latter and scroll and starts to write randomly. "Uh…Barb! What did we do today?!" Dusk asks panicking before seeing the others smirking and snickering at him while Sentire slowly sits up and rubs her head innocently.
"How you got laid finally?" Barb jokes smirking.
"Does he even know how?" Leone asks.
Almost all of them laugh as others gave some sneaky grins. Dusk blinks before frowning to Rainbow. "Rainbow."
"Come on. We need some magic user who isn't meditating," Rainbow says.
"For?" Dusk groans as he scratches his head.
"In case we need one," Rainbow says as Dusk notices Trial is meditating and Sweetie Belle is attempting to imitate him.
"Uh…Sweetie Belle…you need to focus your magic and pool it, trying to train like a muscle, reusing it," Dusk lectures and Sweetie Belle blinks before her horn glows and she tries meditating again. "There you go," Dusk sighs as he wipes his face. "So…we moving with him like that or is this a short one?"
"Check his eyes," Leone instructs.
Dusk raises an eyebrow before moving over and lifts up Trial's eyelid before closing it. "Shit…you can carry him, right?"
"Oh yeah, wouldn't be the first time, but when he comes out of it, he will probably be starving," Leone says.
"Duly noted," Spitfire says as she carves out some meat and cooks them as she prepares her bag.
"Oh, look who is becoming a wife," Leone whispers into Spitfire's ear cheekily.
Spitfire just pushes her head away without looking at her and kept cooking.
"I don't hear a denial," Leone says with the biggest smirk.
Spitfire just keeps cooking away.
"This is drama gold," Glide whispers to Fleetfoot.
"Wife G and F, you have something you want to share with the class?" Leone asks, seeing them snicker.
They both stop and look away blushing. "No. Nothing at all," they both said.
"Oh, then you can help me work," Leone says.
"With what?" Glide asks, gesturing around them.
"Packing up," Leone says.
"We do have to get moving," Sentire says standing up and stretching.
"Yep…remind me, who has our money?" Leone asks looking at Sentire.
Sentire hums. "Trial. But I hold some emergency ones."
"Oh…then that shouldn't be a problem," Leone says smiling now.
"Right…what are you two waiting for?" Sentire asks the two wonderbolts who then scramble to get packing and not face an interrogation by Leone.
"Nice. You might make a good wife if you got a hubby for it," Leone applauded.
"Thanks for that ridiculous comment," Sentire mutters with a roll of her eyes.
"Well…guess it's time to get moving," Spitfire says as she grabs some of the cooked meat and packs them away while the two sweating mares toss everypony's bags their way.
Dusk lead the way again as everyone trailed behind and Leone carries Trial in her arms. Though Sweetie Belle did stick by them as she watches how deep Trial is in his mediation still. Dusk hums as he looks at his map and tries to see the landmarks and calculate their place. "Manehattan is about…halfway now. But according to this…we should be arriving at another town soon. But that could be an old one that now failed."
"We can find supplies?" Octavia asks curiously.
"Yeah. Prince Solaris said that when the attacks happened, everyone dropped what they were doing and defend their place. But since some obviously fared better than others…yeah. We got a lot failed areas," Dusk explains.
"And no one has tried to rebuild or at least try to live out here?" Leone asks.
"Look to the turtle on your back and remember what he was," Dusk sighs before going back to reading closely at the map.
Leone hums as she looks at her back where Williams was tied to her by rope as he looks at her with slow blinking eyes. "Right. Got it."
"Yeah. Natural result. If a turtle can become that, then what can a really normal annoying creature like a dog be in a town? Or a pack of them?" Dusk asks and makes them all think about where they were living.
"So then…a gargoyle at a nest?" Leone asks curiously.
"That is actually weirder than all this," Dusk says offhandedly.
"Great," Leone says happily and looks down to Trial who still doesn't stir. 'So the bossy monster is actually like a spirit. Just our department.'
"I don't want to know what you are thinking in that heads of yours with that smile," Dusk says quickly enough to not get involved in them.
"And you shouldn't," Leone retorts sticking her tongue out at him.
"All that aside, is that the town?" Sentire spoke up as she points ahead of them to a wooden town in a line that seems to resemble a western one. One that reminded Dusk and Rainbow of the town where Applejack's cousin, Bailey Sweet, lives.
"Yeah…that's it," Dusk says as he checks the map.
"Supplies would help," Zicoro advises.
"What are we waiting for? Let's go," Vinyl says happily and walks ahead of them.
"Hold on. I got two dead weights here," Leone says before looking to the two on her. "No offense."
William just blinks and Trial remains unmoving.
Sentire hums as she digs in the shelves and takes out a few old cans of peas and corn and places them on the desk behind her. Dusk digging around in the book and brochure section to find some maps of the area. Octavia, however, is digging in the clothing section for some clothes that hung around, even if they are dusty. "Find anything good?" Rainbow asks, coming in with a bag that made can clinking noises.
"More food," Sentire says as she keeps taking food off the shelf.
"Got some local maps…what little there is," Dusk answers as he packs the folded up maps away.
"And got some clothes in case we get in a scrape…or need some rags for first aid," Octavia says holding up a shirt to herself and Rainbow gives a shrug and leaves her slouching.
"Well, the others got their place searched. Found a few loose bits as well," Rainbow informs as she looks around before walking over to the desk and packs away the cans in her bag.
"That should be it," Sentire says as she puts another can on the table.
"And that one?" Rainbow asks pointing to the top shelf where a turned over can sits.
Sentire hums as she looks and reaches up blindly before touching it and then rolling it off the shelf to her hand where she reads it. "Chocolate fudge cake in a can?" Sentire asks showing Rainbow who looked surprised as Sentire reads the date on it. "And sell by…just in the last two months. Nothing some cooking would do."
"Damn…you're pretty lucky," Rainbow says as she watches Sentire pack it away in her own bag. "Don't waste it."
"Hardly. I love chocolate," Sentire says smiling as they all grab some extra things and walks off as Sentire looks at all the clothing before looking at herself in a busted mirror. Trying to imagine herself in a few clothing options of some shirts and pants, even a set of gloves that are hanging around. She then shakes her head before walking outside where everyone is collected. "We got what we need?"
"Here," they all mostly held up their bags while Leone held up Trial and shows William still tied to her back.
"He still not moved?" Dusk asks.
"Nah. Still out. But according to time…maybe until night," Leone says thinking.
"Maybe?" Vinyl asks.
"Probably," Leone corrects.
"You have no idea, do you?" Vinyl asks.
"I just go with the flow and never ask," Leone says sweatdropping.
"That's…" Spitfire starts before sighing, "the lamest excuse ever, and I heard worse from trainees."
Leone still giggles nervously before her ears twitch. "Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Fleetfoot asks, straining to help Glide with carrying most of their items in their bags.
Leone hums as she turns to sound when her ears turn to the side. "Over there," she whispers and everyone looks in that direction to see an alleyway out to the wasteland, but nothing creepily passing by it.
"And what are we looking for?" Rainbow asks, all of them still watching the alley for anything.
"No, wait. There," Leone instantly turns and look the other way and for them to follow along and see nothing in the alleyway.
"I think you've been out in the sun too long," Octavia says, slightly worried as she holds a hand to Leone's forehead while she kept looking every direction.
"I'm serious, I'm hearing something," Leone says as she looks around worried and holding Trial instinctively closer.
"From?" Spitfire asks, preparing her sword.
"Fast…and small," Leone tries to describe as her ears turn towards another scurry in front of her and behind everyone else. "And really, really chatty."
"You mean Sweetie Belle?" Scootaloo teases and Sweetie Belle gives a glare to her. "Kidding."
"And there is more than one…maybe…three, no. Four…five," Leone tries to count as her ears turned everywhere. "Seems to be all fours. That's what messed me up."
"Quadrupeds then?" Sentire asks.
"Isn't that what I just said?" Leone asks as she looks all around them, but keeps her ears on a swivel.
"Terms later. Which way?" Spitfire demands as she holds up her sword with the rest of the wonderbolts, while Zicoro holds a staff and Sentire her scythe, leaving Dusk to prepare some magic.
"Trying…" Leone nutters, keeping an eye and ears out. "It's…everywhere. I can't get a location," she growls angrily.
"Then we should leave," Dusk advises as he kept a look behind them.
"I second that," Rainbow agrees, making them all nod.
"Okay…keep the foals safe. Let's get out in a huddle," Leone says as they all crowd around the fillies and starts to lead them out of the town.
"How far away would you say they are?" Dusk asks.
"Just behind the buildings…lying in wait," Leone answers, keeping an eye on where they are going. "Normally, this is where I would jump in, but with Trial, like he is, I can't," Leone adds.
"The one time he actually meditates," Spitfire mutters under breath.
"If these guys are fast, we can't take them on open ground…wasn't there a bank?" Dusk asks, trying to look for the building and keep an eye on his side.
"Yeah. Why…the vault?" Rainbow asks and Dusk nods.
Leone gives a lioness growl and a huff. "Alright. To the bank. Maybe use it to corner them and give us a chance. Sentire…you can be the fastest fighter for trying to distract and take them out."
"What?! I'm not fast," Sentire argues.
"Yeah. I am," Rainbow spoke up.
"But you're not the one with a weapon that handles monsters that fast and even purify them," Leone argues back and makes them both shut up.
"Bank then," Spitfire spoke up, now leading the way and keeping her sword in front of her. The others following her lead soon after and keeping their fighting methods up.
"Sentire, stay here. Keep them distracted. Shouldn't be too hard. You're a pink mare in a brown area," Leone says winking at her as they all enter the bank and Leone shut the door behind her, leaving Sentire out on the patio before she hears something coming out from in-between the buildings.
"Great. Thanks for the compliment," Sentire mutters to herself. "Nevermind the fact I can barely fight the big boys, but now I have to hold myself against a pack of monsters. Yes. Thank you for that."
"No problem," Leone says through the door, rather happily, and makes Sentire growl to herself.
Sentire keeps an eye out, keeping her head on a swivel, her hands clenching the hilt. Knowing that the patio is going to hinder her, she slowly steps off and onto the rough desert ground, keeping her scythe held behind her and ready to swipe.
Some running ahead of her kept her attention there before some growling was heard behind her and then felt something that knocked on her side and something flies by her, disappearing away into an alleyway. "Shit…" she groans and tires to look to her scratched shoulder. "Okay…so they know distraction moves."
Growling from all over starts to reach her ears and she quickly gets up and holds up her scythe, ready to slice them. The growlings then stop and she strains her ears to hear them, but then hears patterning and turns to look behind her where four dogs sized monsters were glaring holes in her, or rather with hungry eyes that wanted to eat her.
Sentire tires to ignore the burning pain and stand up, bending her knees slightly as she prepares to run away. The four monsters, all slimy, drooling the gunk out of their mouths and leaking from their body, start to slowly stalk towards her. Sentire grips her hilt tight as she glares them down before they suddenly took off running at her like a cheetah coming at her. Sentire gasps at the speeds before being scratched and then knocked down by a strong body slam. She groans and rolls over before getting up. Loud barking and something akin to laughter reach her ears and she looks up to see that the four monsters are turned at her, ready for another run.
Sentire huffs as she gets up again. 'What's the words? What're the words?' she thinks quickly before finding them. "Integro!" Sentire calls and waits for her scythe to burn, but nothing happens. "What? Integro!" Sentire yells as she looks at her scythe. "I said integro!" she demands shaking it. "You decide to conk out on me now?!"
Loud laughing suddenly got close and Sentire quickly dives to the side and gets some scratches to her back before landing. "Damn. Now I got a busted ass magic," Sentire coughs and quickly shuffles herself and gets up back.
Her gaze quickly turns the monsters and sees them bending down for the next run. "Okay…what to…" Sentire says quickly. Her eyes quickly catching one disappearing before the rest. Her arm suddenly holds her scythe up, making a loud whine as winds rush past her and then another, but one seemed to scratch from behind the blade side and gets across the back of her shirt, making it really painful as the shirt's tattered rags touched her broken skin. While the last went low and got the top of her thigh, butting it just the same.
Her gaze turns around behind her and sees that two of the monsters are leaking gunk onto the ground from a wound on the side and the other on the stomach, while the rest remain unscathed. "Okay…do it without help." Sentire clenched her teeth and shifts her grip to the end of the scythe before the monsters run at her again. She quickly shifts her leg and kicks the back of the scythe, sending it spinning and she helps it along to spin in the air. It spins wildly around as she moves it around before her and hears some whines as she ducks and moves around. She then grabs the hilt and stops it before looking behind her to see that one had lost a leg, another a tail, an ear on the other, while the last came out fine except for the cut side which still leaks gunk. Sentire hums before running off. The monsters starting to chase her down.
Leone breathes out carefully as she holds Trial close. "Well…?"
Spitfire and Rainbow peek out from the slightly ajar vault to see Sentire run out of view and the monsters chasing her down. "They are still fighting, but we can't see more at the moment," Spitfire replied.
Leone nods before a glowing caught her attention and look down to see Trial glowing green in a magical aura while some moss and grass grew from where he touches the ground, spreading across the area. "Wow…nature magic."
"That's the one he is going for?" Dusk asks as he keeps his magic ready.
Leone nods slowly. "Guess so."
Sentire cries out suddenly as she comes back into view and she rolls across the ground to a stop. "Ow…stupid earth pony magic. I could really use your help," she curses herself before quickly getting up, her adrenaline running at full speed.
Sentire quickly holds her scythe behind her and spins herself around, swinging the blade around her and catches one across the side and sends it rolling across the ground before coming around again on the other side makes it stab one in the head. She grunts when she felt the weight and looks to it before crying out when two bodies crashed into her and send her down onto her back. Sentire growls and rolls over before grabbing her scythe and gets up as she flicks the monster away to the other side of the street.
The remaining creatures all bark and laugh at her, almost insulting and angry at her. Sentire spits out some blood while glaring them down. She then holds down her scythe at the end and holds the blade behind her before kicking it and sends it flying over her as they run again. She ducks and sends the blade crashing down onto a monster as the others sail over her head. The stabbed monster struggling and shake against the ground and scythe, cutting itself more. Sentire growls before lifting a hoof and crashes it down onto the top edge, driving the blade more and makes the monster flush against both ends, it's struggling stopped. Sentire rushes over and grabs the end of the scythe and the top before pulling and drags the monster with her before she uses a hoof and pushes it off with a wet slunk.
Her eyes flick to the two remaining before running off as she readies her grip for another way to use her blade. However, one of the monsters jumped ahead of her and she meets the distance in time before it crashes into her side and sends her flying into a building, crashing through the door and its small glass window. Sentire groans as she tries to roll on the ground and feels parts of the glass in her arms and sides. Sentire pants heavily and starts to breath quicker, her blood pumping now before growling as she gets up and glares at the two outside.
The scythe gaining a gray-steel like an aura before Sentire's eyes glow as she notices the aura. "Coerceo!" Sentire yells through the pain, the monsters running at her when her eyes moved away from them. Sentire kicks the blade up and stabs one in the head into the ceiling as chains suddenly wraps around the monster and lock it in place where it was before she jumps and kicks the blade down, the last monster flying through the door only for it to be smacked into the back wall when the back of the scythe hits it and then lands on the ground. She then turns her blade around and grabs the hilt before kicking and slices the monster in half. The two pieces flying past as the gunk from the slices land on her. Sentire growls as she turns and spins the blade around before stopping as it crashes stuck in the ground.
Sentire pants heavily, her adrenaline dying down while a dog like head falls down beside her and then a body besides. The pain starting to come back and make it harder to move. She struggles to hang onto the scythe handle before falling to the ground, still trying to grip it. "…ow…"
"Is it over? I haven't heard anything in a while," Leone asks, brushing some hair out of Trial's closed eyes.
"I think it is clear," Fleetfoot says.
"Who's going to check?" Leone asks, still keeping an eye on Trial as more grass and moss grows in the vault.
"Wait. The grass is growing and beating back the corruption," Dusk says wide-eyed.
Leone blinks and looks down to where some black gunk is before it is burned away when some of the grass and moss touches it. "Well…it is magic. Like you said, magic hurts the corruption the most," Leone says shrugging.
"But, nothing has ever…" Dusk just stops and stares at Trial as if he was some sort of grand magical artifact.
"No!" Leone cries out daringly as she points at him.
"What?" Spitfire asks.
"No. You can't study him or…do whatever it is you do," Leone scolds Dusk.
"But, he could be the key," Dusk tries to argue.
"And so is every other magic out there," Leone points out before pointing to his horn and poking it. "Even you. You said it. Magic is useful for easily killing these monsters."
"You did mention that part…multiple times," Rainbow laminated.
"Yeah…guess I did," Dusk admits looking away, rubbing the back of his head.
"And for that, since you are the third capable pony to fight, you go," Leone orders, pointing out the door. "One and two are already out."
Dusk hangs his head now. "Dang it," he mutters before getting up and peeking out to look around for a little before walking out of the building and into the streets. "Sentire?" he calls out as he looks at the monster lying in the street.
Walking aimlessly through the town, he tries to look for Sentire to be anywhere, even the monsters themselves, but he barely comes across any before seeing the general store door busted down. "Sentire?" he calls, walking up to it. "Sentire?" he calls out softer and then sees a pink hoof on the ground before running up and sees Sentire lying on the ground, two pieces of a dog-like creature lying at his hooves while another with its head cut off lies in the doorway beside Sentire. "Sentire," he calls as he rushes over and reaches out before feeling her neck. Dusk sighs in relief before looking her body over and gulps a little embarrassed. Her shirt is ruined and barely holding on, noticing that she doesn't wear a bra in any way, her pants are holding out well though, but now has a small cut on the side that almost cuts it apart, but still holding strong. Glass pieces stuck in her arms and legs, possibly from the door she is partly on.
Sentire moans weakly and flutters her eyes open before seeing some clothing and then looks up to see Dusk looking worried down at her. "Hey. Everyone okay?" Sentire groans in some pain.
"Yeah. Guess you killed them all…right?" Dusk asks carefully as he looks over her injuries closely.
Sentire nods a little. "If there isn't a fifth."
"Good…you don't wear a bra?" Dusk asks with a blush on his face.
Sentire sighs and lays her head back. "I told you. I need to move. The bra choked me."
"Right…" Dusk could only say before picking up her arm carefully as Sentire eyes him, hissing once in a while when he made some shard injuries move. "Okay," Dusk whispers before whispering some words Sentire can't hear and the glass shards in her arm come out before falling to the ground. He then whispers some more while holding a hand above her arm and the wounds start to glow before they heal themselves. Sentire groaning as the lingering pain from it hits her.
"Hold on. Let's at least get you fixed up," Dusk says moving to one of her legs and carefully lifts it before using the same magic on her with the shards and then the healing. "At least you can brag to Leone that you held your own. Maybe Trial will give you more training if he does."
Sentire nods slowly and picks up her head at him. "She sent you out?"
Dusk sighs and hangs his head as a sweatdrop appears. "Yeah. For wanting to study Trial because of his magic."
"You deserve it," Sentire sighs and then uses her good arm to sit up in a sitting position.
"Hey. Let me finish first," Dusk complains as he finishes her leg before moving to the other side and picks up her other leg.
"Mostly fine," Sentire says before suddenly slumping over and them coming back up, her head feeling hazy. "What the…?"
"Told you. The healing spell is a combination of the user's magic and the injured one. Accelerating the healing is this part, but it tires out the injured one is their injury is too great or numerous," Dusk lectures as he heals up the injuries on her leg and moves over to her arm. "Here," he says carefully lifting up her arm while guiding her to the ground again.
"Thanks," Sentire sighs in relief now while watching him work before he finishes and puts her arm down. He then looks at her and then looks away embarrassed while rubbing his head. "What?"
"Uh…okay. There's a scratch under your…yeah. And one near your hip," Dusk explains pointing and gulps. "…may I?"
"You already healed me there closet a few times. I think you can do it again," Sentire almost giggles.
Dusk sighs before looking again and moves her large breast up carefully before healing under it and moves his hand down over her side to get the scratch. Sentire smiles all the while as she gives a slight shiver before he lets go and looks to her hip and then starts to heal what he can see and moves her pants down slightly to get at the rest. "There," he says finishing as he pulls her pants back up. "Now, grab on," he offers as he wraps his arm around her shoulder and pulls her up, getting her to stand on her two hooves. "…should get you a shirt at least," Dusk mentions as he looks around and then away before leaving her leaning against the doorframe. He walks over to the clothing area and grabs a shirt before giving it to her. "Here."
Sentire takes it before leaning down to pick up her scythe and uses it to cut it down to a manageable size and then wraps it around her chest. Sentire smiles a little at the worn out wrapping before looking to Dusk. "Okay. Should be good now."
Dusk takes a deep breath in and turns himself to look at her before seeing that she is covered up modestly before rushing over and grabs her hand, noticing the scraps the cuts. "Really?" he asks, starting to heal her.
Sentire blushes as he switches to her other hand now. "Guess I didn't feel them."
"Feeling my flank," Dusk mumbles before finishing up and Sentire clenched her hands and nods at the results. Though her eyes soon move over to the glove rack and reach to hover over the selection before choosing a pair of fingerless leather ones and slips them on, after taking off the price tag. "At least I don't have to worry about you cutting yourself again."
Sentire blushes a little before lifting up her scythe and uses it to help her walk outside. "The others must be waiting," she says and makes Dusk follow her back to the bank to grab the others and get out of this town.