Mosina

>You are Anon

>And you're currently running for your life

>You run through the jungle, darting around trees, hurdling undergrowth

>Beads of sweat run down your face as arrows fly by

>You hold tightly to a sack of priceless artifacts, treasures that you've come to save and bring back to the Princesses

>Behind you is a swarm of angry natives, and they want their treasures back

>But you are Anon!

>You're the greatest explorer this world has ever seen!

>You skillfully weave through the brush and foliage, and the angry calls begin to fade in the distance behind you

>You think you're in the clear when suddenly, you are forced to skid to a halt

>Before your eyes lies a great cliff, a vertical plunge into a raging river

>The voices are getting closer, and you can hear the twang of bowstrings

>There was no turning back, you had to keep moving or risk ending up on a shish kabob

>You take a deep breath, and leap off of the ledge

>As you speed toward the water below, you see something that makes your heart sink

>Rocks, just below the surface

>Suddenly panicked, you begin flapping your arms

>As if that would slow you down

>In your struggle, you barely catch the movement in your peripheral vision

>As you turn to meet the source of the disturbance, you are met with a shadowy figure speeding toward you

>You feel something grab the back of your jacket and slow your descent

>Still in mild shock, you turn to get a better look at your saving grace

>Bat wings.

>Suddenly, you feel yourself falling again

>You and your would-be savior are still heading for a hard landing

>Just before you hit the water, you raise your hands up to shield your face

>A short yelp escapes your mouth as you shoot up in your bed, covered in sweat

>It was just a dream...

>You look at the clock

"Shit, I'm gonna be late." You groan as you jump out of bed and start your day

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>You were supposed to be at the docks 15 minutes ago

>As you rush through the town market, you almost knock over several shoppers

>Typical morning rush in Ponyville

>You're practically at a full sprint now, almost stumbling several times

>"Hey Anon! Your shoe's untied!" You hear off in the crowd

>You look over and spot three fillies waving at you

"Not these three again..." You think to yourself

>Glancing down, you see they were right

>Suddenly, you crash into someone

>Tumbling to the ground together, you roll and flail in a tangled mess

>Finally skidding to a halt, you cough as the dust cloud disperses

"Oh God, I'm sorry about that, I wasn't watching where I was-"

>Your speech is cut short as you try to process just what you were seeing

>Before you was a pony, at least you THOUGHT it was a pony

>But it was...wrong

>Her wings were not like the other pegasi, they were leathery looking, like a bat's wings

>Behind her glasses, her pupils were slits like something that was meant to live in the dark

>And those fangs, you could have sworn these things were all vegetarians...

>She was frantic as she crawled around trying to gather up her belongings

>You watch her in silence as she stuffs papers back into her saddlebag

>"No, no I'm sorry!" She said, talking a million words per minute

>"This is my first time in Ponyville, and I don't really know where I'm supposed to be going, and I was looking at my map and...and..." She trailed off as she finally looked at you

>From the looks of things, she was just as confused by you as you were by her

>"I-I..." She stammers, her eyes wide

>You don't have time for this

>You look around and see another bit of her belongings

>You pick up the rolled up parchment and look at it

>It was a map, covered in all manner of scribbles, X's, and little cliff notes

>Either she'd been all over the world, or she was planning quite the trip

>Handing her the map, she seems to snap out of her trance

>"I'm Mosina!" She blurts out rather loudly as she dusts herself off and fixes her ponytail

"Anon." You say, dusting off your pants

>You look over your shoulder and see the masts of the ships at the docks at the end of the market.

"I'm late for work, it was nice to meet you." You say as you start to walk away

>"Wait! Can I ask you a couple of questions?!" Mosina calls after you, fumbling with a piece of paper and a quill

"Sorry! Gotta go!" You say, rushing back into the crowd.

>As you make your way toward the docks, you turn back and see Mosina the bat pony still staring dumbfounded off in your direction holding a quill and paper in her mouth.

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>"Anon, you're fired." Your shift manager said as he sees you walk into the office

"What?!"

>"This is the third time this week. We need dock hands who will be here on time every morning."

>Your eye twitched

"Fine." You grumbled

>"Here's your last weeks pay, now get out of here." He ordered as he threw a small bag of bits at you

>As you leave the office, you look down at your bag of bits

>This wasn't going to last you hardly two weeks

>Definitely not before you could find another job...

>Curse your fucked up sleep schedule

>You walk back to the market, wondering just what the hell your next move was

>Maybe you could get a job on that farm on the outskirts of town...

>Nah, if you had to hear about apples all day every day you'd probably off yourself

>Maybe you could try your hand at baking over at Sugarcube corner?

>Who are you kidding, you'd end up burning the place down

>Lost in your thoughts, you didn't even notice the bat pony floating above you, scribbling away on her parchment taking notes

>When you finally feel the presence, you looked up and catch her eye

>She jumps as she realizes she's been caught, and her glasses fall to the ground

>"Oh, uh, h-hi again Anon!" She stammers as she drops to the ground and feels around for her glasses

>"Hey, c-could you help me find my glasses? I'm blind as a bat without them..."

>You crack a small smile, in spite of the circumstances

"Hello again..." You pause, realizing you'd forgotten her name

>"Mosina!" She finished, still feeling around in the dust

>She really couldn't see a thing

"I've got it." You say, reaching for the glasses

>Before you can reach them, a small pink hoof snatches them up

>"Well well well, look at that Silver Spoon, the freaky monkey found somepony almost as freaky as him to hang out with."

>You roll your eyes.

>The kids in this town, seriously.

"Very funny kid, give me the glasses." You command.

>"Oooh, look out the monkey is mad at you!" The pink fillies' friend snickered.

>"Yeah don't wanna get the freaks upset, they might try to infect me with their freak germs or something."

>This shit wasn't even clever, you'd had enough.

>"Diamond Tiara! You give that pony back her glasses right now!" An adult voice finally spoke up.

>"Oh fine..." the filly groaned, flinging the glasses at you as they walked away with their friend.

>"What did I tell you about being nicer to others?" The fillies father said as he led them away

>Bad parenting transcends dimensions it seems.

>Turning back to Mosina, you kneel down in front of her and hand her the glasses

"Here you go, sorry about that." You say

>"Thanks Anon..." She muttered, adjusting them to her face

>She was pretty quiet, and she wasn't looking at you anymore

>Those fillies comments must have gotten to her

"Hey, don't worry about those two, they're just a couple spoiled little shits." You say, helping Mosina stand up

>"No, no, I'm used to it. Not many ponies are used to seeing my kind." She mumbled

>But she smiled as she looked to you

>"Thank you again Anon, I'm sorry for sneaking up on you, I just needed to examine you a bit." She said, a small blush crossing her cheeks.

"Examine me?" You said, raising an eyebrow

>"I've never seen anything like you! I had to get a closer look!" She said, before looking away again

>"I guess I should have just asked but I thought you were too busy..."

"Not anymore, I've got all the time in the world now." You chuckle, coming to the realization that you now had the whole day to yourself.

>Her eyes light up at that

>"Well if you're free, would you mind answering some questions for me? It's not every day you meet a whole new species and I really would appreciate it if..."

>She really could just go on and on

>In a way you found kind of endearing, how focused she was on her work

>"Uh, Anon? You there?" She said, a look of concern on her face.

"Yeah, sure, let's go find a place to sit down, no sense letting you do your interrogation in the middle of the street." You shrug

>"Interrogation? Anon I'm not trying to interrogate you!" She cries, looking somewhat worried

"I was just...nevermind. Come on, I know just the place." You chuckle as you see she had no sarcasm detector

>After a lengthy discussion at the local diner, you learn a lot about your new friend

>Her race were normally nocturnal, explaining her batlike appearance, and came from a place call Hollow Shades tucked away in the north

>She was a cartographer, and a researcher, and Ponyville was her first stop on her trip around Equestria

>She had many questions for you as well

>You told her all about humanity, Earth, and about your old home before you found yourself here

>She was fascinated by all things foreign, and you were about as foreign as it got around these parts

>For hours you talked, and soon the sun was starting to fall below the horizon

"Well, it's getting kind of late," You say

"I think it's time to be heading home."

>"Oh shoot! What time is it?!" Mosina cried out, just noticing the looming darkess

"About 7:30, why?" You asked, surprised at her reaction.

>"Oh no! I missed my train! I was supposed to be in Canterlot tomorrow morning but the last train left 20 minutes ago..." She cried, suddenly looking very distraught

"Couldn't you just take the next train in the morning?" You ask, not seeing the problem

>"Yes but I didn't bring enough bits to rent a room for the night, my uncle is in Canterlot and he's supposed to give me the rest of the money I need for my trip."

>You stop and think

>You couldn't just let her wander the streets all night

>Even if she was nocturnal, this was a new town to her.

"You can stay at my house for the night if you'd like." You say, trying to be courteous

>Her eyes light up once again

>"Really? You'd do that? THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!" Mosina squeals with glee as she flies across the table and hugs you

>You flinch at the unexpected contact, but soon you relax as she gives you a final big squeeze

>Suddenly, she seems to realize what she's doing and backs up a bit, blushing a bit again

>"Keekeekee...sorry." she says, rubbing the back of her neck bashfully

>You shake your head as you stand up from your seat

"Don't mention it, come on, my house is just a block away." You laugh, the gears in your mind spinning, planning for tomorrow.

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>The sound of a rooster's crow breaks the silence as the sun rises over Ponyville

>You wearily open your eye, your face half buried in your pillow

>You sit up groggily, stretching in in the early morning light

>Today was the day

>The day you escape this town and make something of yourself

>And your new bat pony friend Mosina was going to help you do it

>As you throw on your clothes and gather what belongings you saw fit, you think about how you're going to present your idea to her

>Maybe you should just ask her if you can come along?

>But what if she says no?

>No, she couldn't say no...you were jobless, and in this economy it's not like there were jobs everywhere exactly

>You could be her assistant!

>Yeah, every good researcher has an assistant!

>This could work

>As you continue thinking about how to best approach the topic, a smell begins to drift to your nose

>...Pancakes?

>You walk out into the hall and hear the sizzle of the griddle, and the smell intensifying

>Poking your head into the kitchen, your mouth drops at the sight

>On the table was a large smorgasbord of food

>A masterfully crafted fruit salad containing every piece from your fridge at the center, flanked by plates covered in pancakes, toast and all manner of things

>Mosina flutters in the air, humming a tune to herself as she flips another pancake off the griddle

>As she turns, she catches your stare, and smiles

>"Good morning Anon!" She says cheerily

"Good morning Mosina," You say

"Did you make all this?"

>She scratches the back of her neck, and makes a small smile

>"Yeah, I'm sorry I emptied your fridge. I wanted to surprise you with breakfast to thank you for letting me stay here last night!" She responds

>Under normal circumstances, you'd be upset about someone raiding your fridge, but looking at your guest you couldn't help but smile

"Well thank you...you didn't tell me you could cook?" You say as you sit down and begin piling food on your plate

>She blushes again

>So easily embarrassed, this one...

>"It's nothing, just pancakes and salad." She said, laughing nervously

>Humble too

>You dig into your breakfast, and ponder whether now would be the right time to ask to join her on her trip

"So, Mosina, when do you need to catch your train?" You ask before your mind is blown yet again

>She has a massive pile of food on her plate, making yours look like child's play

>And she's already carving through it like a knife through butter

>"Arounfth thevn." She responds with a mouth full of pancake

"What was that?" You ask

>Swallowing her food, she chuckles nervously again

>"Sorry, sometimes I forget my manners. My train leaves at around 7 o'clock." She says

>"So there's still an hour or so before I have to go. I really want to thank you again for letting me stay here."

>Now's the time

"It was nothing, can't leave a friend out in the street." You say, bringing a big smile to your guest's face

"So, are you meeting anyone else in Canterlot to go on this trip with you? Are you going it by yourself...?"

>Her smile fades a bit and she breaks her eye contact with you

>"No, nobody else, it's just me." She says

>"My uncle said he would pay for a friend to come with me but nobody back home is really interested in seeing the rest of the world given the...less than friendly attitudes."

>Jackpot

"Well, would you want someone to come with you?" You probe

>"Well of course!" She replies

>"The Hitchhiker's Guide to Equestria says that one should never travel alone, but who would go with me?"

"Well...I've always wanted to get out of this town and see the rest of this place. Maybe I could go with you? You know, as your research assistant or something." You say.

>"Really? You'd want to come with me? But what about your job? Aren't you too busy for all this?" Mosina asked, sounding a bit hesitant

"I sort of got...fired from the dock force yesterday, there's nothing really keeping me here now." You say, producing your small bag of bits.

"This is all I've got left to my name. I can't afford to stay here, so yeah, this seems like a pretty good alternative to homelessness."

>Mosina's eyes are wide at the revelation

>"I'm sorry about your job Anon, but if that's true then yes, you can join me. No friend of mine is going to end up on the street!" She says, the smile returning to her face

"Cha-ching." You think to yourself.

"That's great! I've already got my things packed, I can carry your stuff too if you'd like." You say, standing up and clearing your places

>"Oh Anon, you don't have to do that." She says

"What sort of assistant would I be if I didnt?" You smirk as you walk off to grab your bag

>Nailed it

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>You stare out the window of the train as the field and mountains in the distance fly by

>It was good to see something other than the dirt roads of Ponyville

>In north, you can see the spires of Canterlot peaking over the mountainside

>The two of you had been on the train for about an hour, and the restlessness was starting to get to you

>You look over to Mosina, who is scribbling away at a piece of parchment

>Did she ever stop?

>You stare at her scribbling, scratching your head and wondering what she could possibly be taking notes about on a train

>She looks up and catches your stare

>"You alright there Anon?" She asked, raising an eyebrow

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Just wondering what you're writing there. Something about the experience of the Equestrian rail system?" You joke

>"Why would I write about that? Everyone's seen a train before Anon..." She answers, missing your sarcasm again

>"I'm just making some notes about the landscape. I've never been this far west before...it's different than Hollow Shades."

"Notes for who, exactly?" You ask

>"For my book!" She exclaims excitedly

>"When this is all over, I'm going to compile my research into a book, and it'll be printed all over Equestria! Everypony will know about the whole of the land and it'll be all thanks to me!"

>Well, she was ambitious, you had to give her that

>Suddenly, she stops and looks to you

>"Well, me, and my faithful assistant Anon that is." She corrects herself, winking at you

>You can't help but smirk

>Who'd have thought you'd ever be part of a grand plan to spread knowledge to the masses?

"So my name's going on the cover too?"

>"Right under mine!"

"And half of the profits as well?"

>She snorts trying to suppress her laughter

>"Keekeekee...you're silly Anon. This book isn't to make a profit! You can't put a price on education!"

>You're suddenly mildly less excited about the prospect now

>"No sir," She continues

>"anything the book makes is going right back into the education system so schools all over Equestria will have better facilities for the next generation to learn about the world!"

>You were slightly surprised at how devoted she was to education

>Now it was your turn to be humbled

"That's very noble of you." You say

>"Hopefully they'll return the favor by paying your bills." You laugh

>She rolls her eyes at you

>"Well, if all goes well I hope to receive a royal grant for my work, that should help me continue my research, and cover my living expenses."

"Do the Princesses do that often?" You ask, wondering just how much of a long shot this plan was

>"Only for the best, but between you and I," She whispered, getting close to your ear

>"I think we're a shoo-in!" She said, giggling

>The conductor shouts back from the front

>"Next stop, Canterlot Central Station!"

>"Oh, that's us Anon!" Mosina said excitedly

>"This is so exciting! I can't wait to see the big city!"

"Yeah, me either." You say, staring out the window at the looming towers that were suddenly upon you.

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>The two of you step off of the train and into the crowded terminal

>All around are ponies, griffons, zebras, you name it

>For the capitol of Equestria, Canterlot sure was a melting pot

>You look over to Mosina and see her eyes wide and a toothy grin on her face

>This cosmopolitan atmosphere was probably sending her into a euphoric high

>You shake her shoulder a bit and she snaps out of her daze

"You wanna see the rest of the city or are you content to stand in the train terminal all day?" You ask, chuckling

>"S-sorry Anon, it's just, look at all these different ponies! And these zebras and griffons! I've never seen on up close before!" She stumbled through her words, barely containing her excitement

>You shook your head, remembering your first encounter with her

"Just try not to interrogate everyone we see, alright?" You say, picking up your bags and moving toward the exit

>"I do NOT interrogate anyone Anon! I INTERVIEW them!"

>You shake your head and smile as the two of you step out into the cobbled streets

>The view was magnificent

>Tall ivory towers were all around you, built of pearly white stone, and almost sparkling in the sunlight

>In the streets, the elite of Equestrian society were going about their business

>Shopping in the finest of boutique stores

>Riding in carriages drawn by their less affluent fellow citizens

>Living a life of luxury

>Meanwhile, Ponyville had dirt streets and farms

"Just like home sweet home." You grumble to yourself

>"What was that, Anon?" Mosina asks looking up at you

>You shake your head

"Nothing, just thinking about Earth." You say, adjusting to the environment

>"You'll need to tell me more about that place sometime, I think it'd make for a really interesting side project!" Mosina said enthusiastically

>She really had no off switch

"Sure, if you want all of Equestria to think you're nuts. So where's your uncle?" You ask

>Mosina pulls out her map of the city, and begins studying it intensely

>Almost burying her nose in it

>"He lives over on Lunar Avenue, which according to my map is about 4 blocks away." She says, rolling up her map and putting it back in her bag.

"We should probably get a move on then." You suggest, getting uncomfortable as ponies start brushing past you to get in and out of the terminal

>"Alright, would you mind taking some notes for me along the way? It'll be so much easier now having an assistant, I can keep my eye on EVERYTHING!"

>Great, now you're a living recorder.

>As the two of you make your way through the city, Mosina prattles on about this and that, commenting on every which thing going on around you

>You struggle to keep up taking note of what she says, with her habit of speaking so quickly

>Eventually, you find yourselves on Lunar Ave, a relatively quaint street compared to the rest of the city

>There were no high towers here, but the apartment complexes were still large, and fairly luxurious

>Especially compared to what you were used to in Ponyville

>Mosina was buried in her map again

>"Ah! We're here. The Chateau D'Canterlot!" She says, stopping abruptly at in front of a particularly spiffy looking building

>"He's up in the penthouse, let's go Anon!" She said, rushing inside

>The two of you stand in the elevator as it heads higher and higher, powered by unicorns employed by the establishment

"So, Mosina, what does your uncle do to afford this?" You ask, realizing the topic had never come up

>"Oh he did a lot of work for the Princess Celestia years ago. He was a diplomat and got to travel all around Equestria and even further!" She said, her excitement building

>"He used to tell me stories about the other lands, all the places he'd gone, everything he'd seen. He's the reason I'm so fascinated by the world."

"Makes sense." You shrug

>A rich old government worker, this should be interesting

>The elevator stops, and the door open

>In front of you, flanking the sides of a grandiose doorway, were two royal guards

>As you approach, their wings shoot out to block your entry

>"State your business." One of them says

>"My name is Mosina, and this is my friend Anon. I'm here to see my uncle Silver Tongue." Mosina says calmly.

>"Ah yes, the master has been expecting you. Go right ahead." The guard says as they retract their wings and you entry.

>Mosina curtseys, and opens the door to head inside

>Once the door is closed, you turn to her

"Royal guards? Someone's important." You say, nudging her.

>"I did say my uncle worked for the Princesses, didn't I?" She replies.

>The two of you walk further into the penthouse

>It was a breathtaking scene

>The most lavish of furniture and belongings were all around you

>Beautiful paintings, ancient pottery and all manner of things

>The large windows gave a view of almost the whole of the city

>And a roaring fire burned in the fireplace

>"Uncle! It's Mosina! I'm here!" she called out, almost immediately responded to by hoofbeats

>A mature stallion came bounding out from the other room and toward the two of you, his long flowing silver mane trailing behind him

>"Mosina! My dearest niece!" He cried in a funny accent as he wrapped his forelegs around Mosina in a bear hug

>"It has been far far too long since I have last seen you, my how you have grown!" He said, giving her a final squeeze before taking a step back to look at her

>"Years, yes." Mosina said

>"Mama and Papa send their love, by the way."

>"Bah, of course my little brother couldn't be bothered to come tell me that himself eh? Lazy sod Keekeekeekee." The stallion laughed, before his eyes turned to you

>"And who is your friend?"

>"This is Anon, I met him in Ponyville yesterday. He's from Earth!" Mosina said excitedly

>Silver Tongue eyed you intensely

>"Earth huh? I've never heard of it."

"It's really far away." You respond, shrugging.

"I've told Mosina all about it."

>"Well it seems you two will have stories for me for a change, huh Mosina?" the old stallion laughed, adjusting his regal attire

>"And Anon is going to be joining you on this trip of yours?" He asked Mosina

>"Yes, he's my research assistant!" She responded cheerfully

>"He's already been practicing taking my notes all the way here!"

>Silver Tongue's eyes had not left you in minutes

>His eyes certainly did not match his tone

>They had a very subtle hint of distrust, you could barely pick it up

>Diplomats could be very deceiving

>"Well that's grand, I'm sure he'll make a fine assistant for a lovely young lady like yourself." He said, finally turning back to Mosina

>"You will stay the night here, I have your tickets for the 3 o'clock train to Stalliongrad for tomorrow. I'd like to have a good day and a half to catch up with my favorite niece before she goes off to see the world. I'll treat you to lunch in the castle gardens." He laughed

>"Thank you again for this uncle Silver Tongue!" Mosina said, hugging him tightly

>"Can Anon come with us?" She asked

>Silver Tongue raised an eyebrow

>"I don't know Mosina...he isn't family, I don't know if-"

>"Pleeeeeaaaaaaase?" Mosina begged, putting on her best puppy-dog eyes

>Sure enough, Silver Tongue's demeanor shifted again, and he sighed in defeat

>"Yes, my dear, of course he can come."

>"Yay!" Mosina squealed, hugging him again

>"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" she said in her million-word-a-minute manner

>"Anything for you Mosina. Now come, I'll show you two to your rooms. Your separate rooms." He said, giving you another glaring look with his piercing blue eyes.

>Well this guy was certainly turning out to be a great big ball of sunshine

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>It was a long, restless night

>Mosina and her uncle had been up for hours and hours, talking about every which thing

>Being bat ponies, it didn't seem to cross their minds that SOME people might be trying to sleep

>Still, at some point in the night, you'd managed to drown out their banter long enough to pass out for a few hours

>Your door flies open, rousing you from your sleep

>"Good mooooorning!" Mosina sang as she pranced into the room

"Ughhhhhh...." You groan burying your face in the pillow

>"Oh come on Anon, we've got a big day ahead of us!" She said, yanking the blanket from your grasp, exposing you to the morning chill

"Mosina, please, five more minutes..." You manage to grumble

>She gives you a disapproving look

>"We're leaving in 20 minutes, we're meeting my uncle at the castle at noon." She said as she trotted back out of the room

>Groaning, you force yourself up into a sitting position

>"And wear something nice!" She called from the other room

>"We don't want to look sloppy in front of the Princesses!"

>Your grogginess immediately subsided at that

"The Princesses?" You ask

>"Yes, they'll be joining us for lunch. My uncle pulled some strings to give me a chance to pitch them our research idea! Isn't that exciting?" She said gleefully

>You began to wonder if maybe you were biting off more than you could chew with this one

>Two days ago, you were a lowly dock hand

>Now you were off to meet royalty

"Yeah, that's actually really great." You said, genuinely feeling excited for the prospect

>You throw on the fanciest clothes you had managed to pack

>Admittedly, they were little more than nice looking casual wear, but you had been not been expecting something like this

>In 10 minutes, you were freshly shaved, groomed, and ready to go mingle with high society

>Eventually, the minutes begin to drag on

>Long surpassing the 20 minute deadline she'd set for you

>For having rushed you out of bed, Mosina sure was taking her time...

>You looked to the clock, it was a quarter to noon

"Mosina! Come on we've gotta go!" You call out as you wait by the front door

>"Just a minute!" You hear her call from the other room

>Moments later, she rounded the corner

>Your eyes went wide as you saw her

>Her normal glasses were replaced with the finest spectacles you'd ever laid eyes on

>Instead of her usual ponytail, her mane was loose and wavy

>And instead of her usual pack, she wore a rather stately looking dress

>You were suddenly feeling a lot less confident in your own appearance

>She notices your stare and does a quick turn for you

>"What do you think? Good enough for royalty?" She asked, laughing

"You could BE royalty with that getup." You said, stifling a smile as you fought off your disbelief that this was the same mare from before

>"Oh shush." Mosina said, waving a dismissive hoof at you

>She eyed you up and down as well

>"You look nice! Is that human formal wear?" She asked curiously

>Looking down at yourself, you can't help but laugh

>Maybe you'd be fine after all, not like these ponies know what earthly formal wear ought to look like

"Yeah, you like what you see?" You ask sarcastically, giving her a turn like she'd given you

>She giggled and shook her head

>"Absolutely." She said, rolling her eyes

>"Now come on, we're going to be late." She said, trotting past you to the elevator

"Well who's fault was that?" You asked, nudging her with your elbow

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>As the two of you climb the steps to the castle entrance, notice Mosina is really taking in all the sights

>She talking to herself lowly, as if dictating her thoughts to an invisible recorder

"Something up?" You ask

>"I'm just trying to remember everything I'm seeing here." She answered

>"It's not often I'm without my notes, but this trip will be a very important part of my book!"

"Yeah, I suppose meeting the leaders of the country probably would be something you could squeeze a sentences in for." You chuckle

>"Oh ha ha." She replied, sticking her tongue out at you

>"Please try to take this seriously, we may only have one shot at this."

>As you approach the great doorway to enter the castle, you can see Silver Tongue already waiting for you

>"Mosina, so glad you could make it. I was beginning to worry that maybe you'd gotten lost." He said

>"My my, you look stunning."

>"Thank you uncle. Are we going straight to the gardens?" Mosina asked, looking around again

>"Or do I have some time to look around the castle a bit?"

>The Princesses are on a tight schedule, there will be time to see the rest of the castle later, for now, we eat." Silver Tongue said as he motioned for one of the door guards to allow you passage

>As the three of you make your way through the castle toward the gardens, Silver Tongue prattles on about this and that, mostly etiquette for lunch with the royals

>"Are you getting all of this...Anon was it?" He asked

>He'd been making EXTRA sure that you were picking up on every last detail he could shoehorn in his long winded explanations

"Crystal, sir." You say, getting slightly irritated

>"Good, it's a rare opportunity that someone in your position is allowed to interact with the royal sisters this way. You should feel honored." He responded matter of factly

>He turned to you and gave you the same glaring look he had back at the penthouse

>"So, that's Earthican formal attire?"

>Not this again

>You look down at your collared shirt and khakis

"Earthling, actually. And yes, this is standard formal clothing where I come from." You respond

>He scoffs lightly

>"Yes, well, I've forgotten how different some cultures can be." He said, no longer looking at you

>"Just be on your best behavior."

>He was really starting to get on your nerves

>Mosina was just looking straight ahead, but you could see the discomfort beginning to spread across her face

>"Ah! Here we are!" Silver Tongue announced as you stepped through a grand opening that led out into the castle gardens

>Your irritation with Silver Tongue melted away as the party made it's way through the gardens

>The aroma of the thousands of different types of flowers was heavenly

>And the sea of colors, and great jewel encrusted fountains painted a picture of the most serene beauty you ever thought possible

>It's like you'd died and gone to heaven

>Rounding a corner, you see a round table attended to by servants and guards

>Sitting in their respective places, were the princesses of Equestria

>To your surprise, they stood up to meet your party, rather than remaining seated

>You had been told of the royal sisters, but this was your first time seeing them

>They were truly a sight to see, different than any other pony you'd encountered

>According to those who you'd spoken to, these two were responsible for raising the sun and the moon every day and night

>You thought it had more to do with planetary rotation and whatnot, but who were you to tell magic talking ponies what was possible and what wasnt?

>Silver Tongue and Mosina bowed deeply as they approached

>Noticing this, you immediately (and clumsily) followed suit

>"Sir Silver Tongue, how nice of you to join us today." The white princess said

>"Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, it's always an honor to meet with you." Silver Tongue said, rising from his bow

>"Your majesties, I'd like you to meet my niece, Mosina. She's the one I was telling you about when we last spoke."

>The Princesses looked to Mosina, who had not yet risen from her bow

>"It's a pleasure to meet you Mosina, your uncle has told us much about you." Celestia said

>"T-thank you, your majesty." Mosina stammered, still not rising from her bow

>The sisters looked at each other, smirking a bit

>"You may rise, Mosina." Luna said, motioning for her to stand

>"Yes, p-princess." Mosina said, rising from her bow

>The gaze of the royals then turned to you

>"And who is your friend?" Celestia questioned, examining you thoroughly

>There was no hint of negativity in her tone, or her expression, just pure curiosity

>"That's Anon, Mosina's friend. He'll be accompanying her on her trip." Silver Tongue said

>"Is that so?" Celestia said, still eying you

>"Where are you from Anon?"

>Ohgodohgodohgod

>You open your mouth, but words don't seem to escape

>You'd never spoken to the leader of a country before

>You clear your throat, and try again

"Earth, ma'am." You manage to get out

>Silver Tongue shoots you another glare

>"You will address the princess as "your majesty", Anon." He said sternly

>Will this guy just get off your back?

"I'm sorry, in my country we didn't have royalty..." You say

>Celestia chuckles slightly, and Luna seems to be amused as well

>"It's quite alright, Anon. We're not such sticklers for formalities." Celestia says, motioning for your party to take your seats

>As you all sit, Celestia turns to several servants

>"I think we're about ready to begin, would you bring out everything?" She asks

>As the servants take their leave, the princesses turn back to the three of you

>"So, Mosina, tell us more about your trip." Celestia says in a warm, inviting voice

>"Well...I, uh..." Mosina starts, struggling to put words together

>"Well um, tomorrow we're going to Stalliongrad, to do some more research about the history of ponies of the North." She says

>Celestia simply nods, a smile on her face

>"They're certainly a unique group. The city is ancient you know, almost predating Canterlot." She explains

>"The ponies there and all over the north can be very independent minded, and not very welcoming to outsiders. You'll have to exercise caution and try not to offend them while you're there."

>Mosina at this point is wide eyed, and nodding frantically

>"Y-yes your majesty. In what research I've managed to do I learned that they aren't exactly the most friendly. But I hope that maybe a few will open up and allow me to interview them." She says meekly

>"I'm sure you'll find whatever you're looking for." Celestia says reassuringly

>At this point, Luna speaks up

>"Where else will you be going on this expedition, young Mosina?"

>Mosina stops and thinks

>"Well, after Stalliongrad, Anon and I will probably be heading out to the western frontier, to Appleloosa, then to the southern forests, in Stableside."

>"You certainly have quite the trip ahead of you." Luna said

>"It'll be worth it for my book," Mosina said, finally loosening up

>"I want everypony who reads it to leave knowing something they never did before."

>At that, Luna gave an approving look

>"That's a very noble goal, Mosina." She said

"That's what I told her." You piped up

>The princesses' look turns to you

>"Did you? Well you'd certainly be correct in your assessment." Luna replied

>"So, Anon. Do tell us more about yourself. I do not recall ever meeting on of your kind before."

>Tell us about yourself

>This fucking question

"Well, I'm a human, from Earth like I said before..." You start, struggling to think of what else you could really say of interest

>The table simply looks at you as you pause

"I um...I worked as a dock hand Ponyville, I've been here in Equestria for about 3 months now..."

>"And how did you find yourself here, exactly?" Luna probed

"I honestly don't remember, one day I woke up and bam, here I was." You shrug

>"I see." Luna said, looking to her sister.

>"Well we are glad to have you with us." Celestia said, nodding at you

>"It's not every day you get to meet someone as unique as yourself."

>You?

>Unique?

>You can't help but laugh at the notion, illiciting strange looks from the others

>Calming yourself, you notice the stares

"I'm sorry," you say, wiping a tear from your eye

"Nobody has ever used that word to describe me before."

>"Well, now someone has." Celestia smiled at you, understanding.

>Over the course of your lunch, Silver Tongue and the royal sisters discuss current affairs, politics, other nonsense you weren't too concerned about

>Mosina was very quiet, and barely touching her food

>She caught your stare several times and simply gave you a quick smile before looking back down at her plate

>When all was said and done, the group made it's way back into the castle, when the princesses stopped near the library

>"Mosina, if you wouldn't mind, we'd like very much to speak to you more about your trip in private for a few moments." Celestia said, beckoning her toward the library

>Mosina stood there dumbfounded for a moment

>"Y-yes! Of course!" She exclaimed, trotting in behind them as the closed the door

>"Anon, I'd also like a word with you." Silver Tongue said sternly

>Great, what could it be this time?

"Yes, sir?" You say, looking him in the eye as you spoke

>"I'm going to be blunt with you Anon, I don't much care for you." He started

>Some diplomat

"I thought you diplomats were supposed to be tactful." You quipped, leaning up against a pillar

>"In cases of national importance, yes, but this is a man to man discussion." He dismissed

>"Now, I don't know you, I don't know if anything you've told us about yourself is true, but my niece trusts you,"

>Oh boy, this talk

>"Mosina is very dear to me, and I'm barely more on board with her doing this trip of hers with someone like you than I am with her going it alone." He snarled

"Mosina is my friend, you have no reason not to trust me." You reply

>Silver Tongue simply shakes his head

>"Trust is earned, not freely thrown about." He shot back

>"Regardless, if you are to go with her, I expect her to return in good health and spirits. If she is anything less than that, I will hold you accountable, are we clear?"

>Yeah, this was definitely getting a little out of hand

"Yes, sir." You say, not breaking your eye contact with him

>"Good." He replies, as the library door opens and Mosina comes bounding out, a big smile on her face

"Good news?" You ask

>"I'll tell you on the train, but we've got to get back to the penthouse to get ready!" She said cheerily, trotting past you

>"Come on, I'll race you back!" She said with a devilish grin as she took off

>You turn back to the princesses and Silver Tongue, and bow slightly

"Thank you again for everything, but I have to go catch my colleague." You say, and off you go after her

>"A strange pairing, those two." Luna says as she looks at her sister

>"I'll say." Silver Tongue grumbled

>Celestia shook her head, and smiled at the two

>"Maybe, but something tells me that those two are right where they ought to be."

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

"They're giving you HOW much?!" You ask, your jaw almost on the floor

>Mosina laughs as she changes out of her regal outfit

>"Enough to last a very, very long time Anon. Enough for two lifetimes of research I'd venture." She said, trying her mane back into it's usual ponytail

"There's got to be some sort of catch here..." You say, mildly skeptical

>Mosina just smiles and shakes her head

>"No catch Anon, all we have to do is make a couple of extra stops is all."

>You raise your eyebrow

"Extra stops?"

>"The Princesses have referred me to people we should speak to while we're at our destinations is all. Come on Anon, this is amazing news!" She said excitedly

>You still had the feeling you werent being told something

>But that wasn't important, you and Mosina had just been given the opportunity of a lifetime, and you were going to take it

>Mosina didn't stop talking about everything the two of you were going to do and see in Stalliongrad and beyond on the way to the train terminal

>As you walk on to the platform, you see Silver Tongue waiting for you with your tickets and a bag of bits

>Beside him, was a rather gruff looking griffon

>He looks at you as the two of you approach Silver Tongue

>"I trust all of your things are packed and ready to go?" he said, eying Mosina's bags

>"Yes uncle, I checked, and double checked." She smiled, rolling her eyes slightly

>Silver Tongue frowned a little

>"You must be so, so careful Mosina. I simply couldn't live with myself if anything happened to you." He said

>Mosina simply shook her head and hugged her uncle

>"I'll be fine, uncle. Really, I have Anon to look out for me." She giggled

>Silver Tongue returned the hug, but scoffed at the mention of you

>"Yes well, regardless, I've decided to invest in a little bit of insurance." He said, breaking the embrace and motioning toward the griffon

>"This is Hugo. He's an old friend from my days as an envoy to the griffon kingdoms. He'll be accompanying you and Anon on your trip, expenses paid of course."

>The griffon nodded at you and Mosina without a word as your gaze turned to him

>Mosina was wide eyed like a starstruck fangirl

>You nudge her lightly and she snaps out of her trance

>"Uncle, I appreciate the concern but that really isn't necessary, Anon and I can do this on our own." Mosina said reassuringly

>"I insist." Silver Tongue said, handing Mosina your tickets and bits, as well as your cash for the trip

>"Now, you three need to catch your train. Please, please be careful Mosina." He said, hugging her one more time

>Mosina relented, realizing that the additional company was not optional, and returned the hug

>"I will uncle, I'll send you word when I can." She said, breaking away

>"Come on Anon, lets get going."

"Right behind you." You say, following her as she trots off toward the train

>Behind you, the heavier, padded steps of Hugo the griffon were right on your tail...

>The air began to get noticibly chillier as your train sped further north with each passing moment

>The rolling green fields and hills of central Equestria began to give way to barren steppes

>A light snowfall had also begun in the passing moments

>Mosina had been rapping off a list of all of the monuments and historical sites that she wanted to see, and about the culture of the northern ponies

>With the amount of knowledge she already had, you almost wondered why she even needed to make the trip for her book

>She had told you that the reason for the trip was that there was a big difference between book knowledge and actual experience

>Not like you could argue with that

>For the last two hours or so, she had been asleep, one of the few times you'd actually seen her do so in the last two days

>Hugo had simply buried his face in a book for the entire trip thus far

>In fact, you had yet to hear him say a single word

>Maybe it was time to change that

"So, Hugo, what're you reading there?" You ask

>"A book." The griffon responded flatly, not even looking up from the pages

>Oh this was going to be fun

"Yeah, I can see that. Anything good?" You ask, still trying to be friendly

>"Depends on what you mean by good." Hugo responded, still not looking at you

"Entertainment is usually how I measure that, but I'm not much of a reader." You admit, still trying to get a real response out of your new companion

>"I'm not surprised." He responded.

"What's that supposed to mean?" You ask, feeling like that was a stab at you

>"That means that I took you for a simpleton since I saw you back at the terminal." He replied

>What a dick

>You werent surprised, this was a friend of Silver Tongue after all

"Well excuse me for being stuck on a dock all day every day, doesn't exactly leave much time for such luxuries." You grumble

>"I managed to read the complete works of Leo Scribefeather while in a trench during the war of the three kings." Hugo yawned

>Show off

"Do you have some sort of problem with me?" You ask, getting tired of this bird's attitude

>Finally, Hugo sighs, closes his book, and looks at you

>"My only problem is that I have a child pestering me while I'm trying to read." He says, a tone of clear irritation in his voice

"I'm not a child..." You grumble

>"To me, you are. You're lucky that Silver Tongue's niece has taken so kindly to you or I would not be giving you such patience."

>He calls that shitshow patience?

"Yeah, well, whatever. I still don't think you should even be here, Mosina and I don't need you to babysit us."

>"I'm not here to look after YOU, I'm here to protect my old friend's kin. He and I could care less about what happens to you." Hugo snarled

>Figures, Silver probably thought you'd end up robbing Mosina and abandoning her somewhere, Hugo was here to protect her against YOU

"Then let's just make this easier on both of us and not speak to each other during this trip. In fact, how about you just go back to burying your face in that book and keep it there for the rest of the trip?" You say

>"Fine by me." Hugo says, opening his book and resuming his reading

>Beside you, you hear a yawn as Mosina stirs from her sleep

>Rubbing her eyes, she tries to adjust to the lighting of the train

>"Hi Anon...could you hand me my glasses?" She yawns, feeling around for them

"Sure, here you go." You say, retrieving her glasses from your bag

>You'd taken them off when she fell asleep

>Couldn't risk them getting broken, not on the road with her near blindness

>As she puts on the glasses, she blinks a few times before looking out the window

>Darkness was falling, the horizon a deep red as the sun began falling behind it

>"We should be there in about a couple of hours," She yawned again, producing a map from her bags

>"we'll need to find The Red Square when we get there. It's the inn where we'll be spending the duration of our time in Stalliongrad."

"Sounds good to me." You say bluntly

>Mosina looks at you, you can tell she senses something was on your mind

>"Everything alright Anon?" she asks, a concerned look on her face

"Peachy, I think I'll take a nap. Do you mind waking me when we get there?" You ask, laying down in your seat

>"Sure thing, I have a few things I need to read over in the meantime anyway. Sleep tight!" She says cheerfully, before producing a book and immediately scanning the pages

"You never stop, do you?" You chuckle

>"Nope!" She responds, smiling at you

>"Now get to sleep, if you don't know you might as well stay up the rest of the ride."

"Yes ma'am." You yawn, rolling your eyes.

>Even with that jackass bird over there, you could feel that this was going to be a good trip all the same

>Within minutes, you doze off to sleep as you listen to Mosina muttering this and that to herself, your train pushing forward into the darkening sky and the snowfall getting heavier and heavier

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

>You feel a hoof on your shoulder, shaking you awake in time to hear the train screeching to a halt

>"Wake up Anon, we're here!" Mosina says as she continues to try and wake you up

"I'm awake, I'm awake..." You groan, quickly standing up

"Woah, head rush..." You say, feeling slightly dizzy

>Mosina laughs at you a bit

>"Well don't overexert yourself on my account, but we have to get off the train, Hugo is waiting for us on the platform." She says, putting on a wooly looking cloak

"Great, can we leave him there and just take the train to the next stop?" You groan

>Mosina frowns at you

>"Of course not, that would require another ticket." She winked before trotting through the door

>The two of you step out onto the platform, and immediately you notice how much colder it is

"Brrrrr...why didn't anyone tell me it was gonna be this cold up here?" You say, shivering even with your jacket on

>"I figured you knew." Mosina shrugged, looking at her map

>"According to my map, The Red Square isn't far, a couple of blocks at most, over on Oblast Street.

"Hopefully they've got some heating there..." You mutter

>Hugo raises an eyebrow at you

>You stick your tongue out at him

>As the three of you head to the exit you see two large stallions standing at the gate

>They wear thick, dark military looking coats and furry hats adorned with red star pins

>As you approach, one of them raises a hoof

>"Papers please." He says

>He reeks of hard cider

>"Papers?" Mosina asks, puzzled

>"Papers." The guard repeats

>"Nobody steps into Stalliongrad without their identification."

>Uh oh

>"Well..." Mosina starts

>"We have our ticket stubs, I don't know what sort of identification you're looking for."

>"If you do not have proper identification, you must pay an entry fee." The guard says, eying her

>"And how much would that be?" Mosina questions

>"Uhh...50 bits." The other guard answers

>"Yes, 50 bits." The first one affirms

>Hugo scowls as Mosina gasps in shock

>"50 bits? That's ridiculous!" She cries

"This is a god damn shake down is what it is." You say

>"Guards!" You hear a voice call out

>You look over and see a unicorn coming out of an office dressed in an extravagant uniform

>Her bright blue eyes and white coat stood in stark contrast to the dark fabric of her uniform

>The guards quickly salute

>Clearly she was an officer of some sort

>"What seems to be the problem here?" She says as she approaches the scene

>"These two are telling us to pay an entry fee to the city, there's never been any sort of fee for that in decades." Hugo spoke up

>The officer looks at the guards, who are now looking slightly worried

>"Both of you, into my office now." She commands, to which they promptly obey

>She sighs and turns to your group

>"I apologize for my guards. They've been pulling this 'entry fee' nonsense for weeks now, ever since the new Premier took power over the city Duma." She explained

>"She lets the local guard get away with just about everything."

>Premier? Duma? What was she talking about?

>"Well thank you for helping us," Mosina said

>"I was worried we were going to be forced to leave before we could do our research."

>The officer raised an eyebrow

>"Researchers? Funny, we don't get many visitors in general here, much less researchers. Especially not of your kind..." She said, studying Mosina's face

>"I'm Colonel Snow Sight, by the way, and let me be the first to welcome to our fair city."

>"It's good to meet you, I'm Mosina, and this is Anon and Hugo." Mosina said

>Snow Sight nodded at you and Hugo

>"It is good to meet all of you, is there anything that I can help you with at the present time?" She asked

>"We're looking for The Red Square, it's not far right?" Mosina asked

>"Not at all, simply exit the train station and make a right. Head that way for three blocks and it will be the last building on the corner." Snow Sight answered

"Do they have heating?" You asked, illiciting an elbow from Hugo

"What? It's really freaking cold here." You shrug

>The Colonel looks at you, as if just now noticing you for the first time

>"They always have a fire burning there, but one would think someone coming to Stalliongrad would have known better than to wear such...inadequate clothing." She said, smirking

"I'm a tough guy, I can handle it." You say, trying to hide your chattering teeth

>Hugo simply scoffs

>"Well, thank you again, but we really ought to get going." Mosina said, sensing the tension between you and Hugo growing the longer you all stayed still

>"It is my pleasure. Now, I'm going to go deal with those two, if any other members of the Red Watch give you trouble, just tell them your friend Colonel Snow Sight will have them thrown in the gulag."

>She wasn't playing around

>You could get used to that sort of power...

>With that, the three of you step out into the streets of Stalliongrad

>It was early evening, but torch light still illuminated the city streets

>Snow was continuing to fall, and the ground was blanketed in the powder

>Or it would be if the bitter wind was not blowing it across the streets

"You know, this isn't so bad." You manage to get out between teeth chatters

"By the end of this, I'm gonna have the strongest jaw in all of Equestria..."

>Mosina laughs

>"Don't worry Anon, we'll find you some warmer clothes soon." She says reassuringly

>Finding human clothes in this place?

>Something told you that was some VERY optimistic thinking

>Eventually, you can see a large sign atop one of the many, almost identically depressing looking buildings

>It was a large, red square, with a very fitting description of just that written out inside it

>"Here we are!" Mosina cheered

>"The Red Square!"

"Gee, I wonder why they call it that." You say sarcastically

"Come on, I'm freezing to death out here."

>Opening the door, you're greeted with a very reassuring sight

>Inside are many ponies, drinking, singing, fighting, and generally being merry

>And there was, as promised, a roaring fire in the large ornate fireplace

>In all honesty, it looked more like a bar than an inn

"Finally!" You say, rushing over to the fire and holding out your hands to absorb the warmth

>Mosina is simply looking around, already scribbling notes down as she observes the scene around her

>"Alright Anon, we're supposed to meet with the owner here, his name is Oblast."

"Seems legit, who better to learn everything about the city from than a bar owner..." You say, relishing in the heat

>"Well, he does talk to and know just about everyone in the city. You're bound to hear a lot of stories with a job like that." Mosina says, undeterred

>She attempts to get the attention of several patrons, none of which respond with much more than a grunt, or ignore her completely

>"Excuse me? Sir? Do you know where I can find Mr. Oblast?" She asks one particularly imposing looking stallion

>He looks at her and scowls

>"Why do you wanna know, bloodsucker?" He asks

>Did he just say what you think he said?

>Mosina frowns, but continues

>"My friends and I are here to see him, and we'd really appreciate it if-"

>"Not gonna happen, we don't take kindly to your type around here, so I'd suggest you beat it." He cut her off as he turned back to his drink

>Mosina at this point was looking distraught at this point, but asked once more

>"That really isn't necessary sir, all I need to know is where I can find-"

>"THE ANSWER IS NO." The stallion said, knocking over his chair as he stood up and began approaching her, causing her to fall back

>You stood up and took a step toward them

>"I'm not going to tell a filthy, blood sucking piece of-" He continued as her approached her menacingly

>In a flash, Hugo subdued the stallion, stopping his advance with a choke hold

>"You might want to reconsider that." He said to the stallion as he struggled to free himself

>After a few moments her began to relent

>"I-in the back room..." He gasped

>"Thank you." Hugo said, releasing him as he dropped to the floor gasping for breath

>He looked over to you and Mosina and ran a claw over his head

>"Shall we?" He asked

>In the far back corner of the room was the door labeled "VIP"

"I guess we are VIP if we were told to come meet this guy, huh?" You ask, looking at Mosina

>"I would think so, come on let's check it out."

>She cracks the door open and you all take a look inside

>Inside is a rather large room, with very little lighting

>There are significantly fewer patrons inside than outside, which wasn't too surprising

>It WAS the VIP section after all

>There is a small stage, upon which most of the light is directed

>On the stage, is a slightly stout looking unicorn

>It looked like he was addressing the audience

>"...and since Premier Raven has taken power we have seen naught but frequent abuse by the Red Watch, our properties seized or vandalized, and our very livelihoods threatened in the name of her "social progress.""

>The three of you snuck through the door and sat down quickly in a back corner table

>"Stalliongrad is a proud city, with proud citizens. We have never been under the rule of a tyrant, but my friends, that may soon change if we do not act to unseat the Premier soon." The unicorn continued

>Muffled words of agreement ran throughout the room in the audience

"What the hell is he talking about?" You whisper to Mosina, who simply shrugs

>"Luckily..." The orator continues

>"My contacts tell me that help will soon arrive, and we can put Operation Marebarossa into effect. Until then, this meeting is adjourned, thank you."

>The unicorn steps off backstage and the patrons begin to file out back into the main room of the inn

>The three of you wait until the coast is clear, and then make your way to the stage

>"That's got to be Mr. Oblast," Mosina said

>"we need to go find him."

>She climbs the side steps of the stage and peeks behind the curtain before waving you over

>You and Hugo take your positions behind her as she pulls back the curtain

>It's dark, but there is a single door with light pouring through the cracks

>"That must be his dressing room, come on." Mosina says as she trots forward

"Mosina wait!" You whisper

>She was always rushing headlong into things

>Sneaking up on this guy probably wasn't the best idea and you knew it

>Regardless, she does not stop and you're forced to follow suit

>The three of you sit outside the door, and can hear the unicorn humming a tune to himself inside

>Lifting a hoof, Mosina knocks on the door three times

>Suddenly, the humming stops

>The entire room is silent

>Mosina knocks again

>"Who's there?" the unicorn calls from the inside

>The three of you look at each other

>"Are you Mr. Oblast?" Mosina asks

>"You've got nothing on me, I'm innocent until proven guilty, so you can see yourself to the exit."

"Well this is certainly turning out to be a friendly town..." You say

>"Who was that?"

>Mosina shushes you and turns back to the door

>"That's my friend Anon, and I'm Mosina. We're here from Canterlot and the Princesses referred us to you."

>Hoof beats rapidly approached the door and it flung open

>The unicorn stallion stood there, an excited look on his face

>"You've finally arrived! I was beginning to wonder if maybe the Watch had hauled you off to the gulag."

>"The Watch has given us fewer problems than your own patrons." Hugo scoffed

>Mr. Oblast looked at the griffon suspiciously

>"Given that attitude I'm not surprised."

>He motioned for you all to come inside

>"Please, sit. Would any of you care for a drink?"

>You all shake your heads

>"Suit yourselves." Mr. Oblast said, mixing himself a drink from the minibar

>"Mr. Oblast, I was hoping we could talk about our research here in Stall-" Mosina began, before the unicorn put up a hoof, downing his drink

>"Yes, yes, your research, I'm fully aware of that." He said

>"I can tell you everything there is to know about this city."

>Mosina gave a big smile

>"Anon, start taking notes." She said, taking out a quill and scroll form her pack

>Mr. Oblast shook his hoof again

>"Woah woah woah, hold on. I can help you with your research, but there is something that I require from you first."

"Hey, that's not what the Princesses told us, they said you would give us all the information we need." You say

>Mr. Oblast looks at you

>"And that I will, as soon as you help me put the city's current situation to rest."

>"What sort of situation?" Hugo asked, beginning to sound irritated

>"The Premier of the city Duma, Raven, has been taking steps that will ultimately end with the secession of the city of Stalliongrad from the rest of Equestria."

>Oh boy, here we go

>"It is in the best interests of the citizens of Stalliongrad that this does not happen, as the Premier would then have free reign to rule us all."

"That sounds awful and all but we're not exactly the revolutionary type, so if you'd be so kind as to just tell us what we need to know we'll be on our way." You say, definitely feeling like this was getting out of hand

>"If you do not help us then you will receive no help from me." Oblast angrily replied

"That's fine, we'll just do our own research, won't we Mosina?"

>She nods her head meekly, looking more confused by the minute

>"Ha! Good luck, you are outsiders in this place. I'd wager the Watch will have you locked up on one charge or another within the week."

>"Colonel Snow Sight said she could help us if they gave us any trouble." Mosina said

>"The Colonel is a good friend of ours, but there is only so much she can do."

>"I can give you all the information could ever want and more about this city, all I ask in return is a little bit of help. You are the only outsiders in the city at the moment, noone will suspect that you know or care about our plight. Please, help us?" Mr. Oblast pleaded

>You, Mosina, and Hugo all exchange troubled looks

>Mosina, with a sudden flash of determination, speaks up

>"Yes, we'll help you Mr. Oblast. If what you're saying is true we can't just leave you all to suffer."

>With a hearty laugh, he grabs up Mosina in a great bear hug

>"I knew that we would not be let down! Thank you, thank you, thank you."

>"N-no problem..." Mosina said, being crushed in his arms

>Releasing her, Mr Oblast beams with new found optimism

>"You all can take the suite upstairs, it's large enough for the three of you to be comfortable. Unfortunately, there are only two bedrooms, so you'll have to work that out between yourselves." He chuckled

>Fan-fucking-tastic

>"Follow me, tonight, we party and be merry. Tomorrow, we get to work."

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

>After a long night spent by the fire, and eventually on the floor of your suite, you felt rejuvenated

>You opened you eyes and sprung up from the your makeshift bed

>Too fast, the hardwood floor did a number on you it seems

>Aching a bit, you make your way over to the large window looking out into the city

>The snow had subsided, leaving a white, glistening blanket on the ground

>The citizens of Stalliongrad were going about their business bright and early

>A chill ran up your spine as a cold draft passed through the room

>You really ought have brought a heavier coat

>A funky smell proceeds to make it's way up to your nose

>You lift your arm, investigating the source, and your nostrils are assaulted immediately

>You hadn't washed since you left Canterlot, maybe now was the time

>Not wanting to disturb your companions, you tip toe over to the bathroom

>Walking by one of the two rooms with beds, you poke your head into an open door

>In the bed, or rather ON the bed, Mosina lay haphazardly, one leg hanging over the side

>Her sheets were thrown about everywhere as well

>You laugh to yourself at the scene, as you yourself often ended up in a very similar pose in the mornings

>You turn to the other door, and see that it's closed up tight

>Hugo was a bit more private with the room that you so graciously allowed him to take, totally of your own free will

>Making your way to the bathroom, you turn on the shower and revel in the warm water

>It was heavenly, but a bit uncomfortable as the controls and the tub itself were designed for ponies, not people

>Still, you managed

>After about half an hour had passed in this sauna, you decided you'd had enough

>You pull back the curtain

>And are instantly face to face with a pair of upside down bespectacled eyes

"WHATTHEFUCK" You cry as you jump backwards, slipping and falling as you do

>Mosina simply laughs as you struggle to get back up to your feet

"What the hell are you doing?!"

>"I woke up and heard the shower running, I had to borrow the towel last night so I brought it back for you!"

>You simply stood there, covering yourself and trying to make sense of what she just said

"Thanks..." You say, giving up trying to understand the situation and taking the towel from her hoof

"Could I get a little bit of privacy here?"

>Mosina giggles and drops down to the floor

>"Keekeekee...sure thing Anon, I just couldn't resist."

>Minutes later you emerge from the bathroom clean as a whistle

>Mosina was back in her room, adjusting her cloak in the mirror

>She catches you standing in her doorway in the reflection

>"I hope you didn't hurt yourself too bad, we've got a lot of work to do today."

"I think I'll manage. You've already talked to Oblast?"

>Mosina nodded

>"He came up while you were in the shower, he wants us to take a letter to Colonel Snow Sight in the city park."

"Sounds easy enough. Is he coming with us?"

>"No, he can't be seen talking to her or it'll interfere with their plans. It's okay, it's just a delivery, nothing we can't handle." She said, winking at you in the mirror

>You turn and hear snoring coming from the other room

"I take it the catbird hasn't woken up yet?"

>"Nope! I think we can let him sleep this one off, he had quite a night last night didn't he?"

"Fine by me, the less time we spend around him the better."

>Mosina frowns at you, finally turning to look at you

>"He's here to help us Anon, you two should try to get along better." She said, trotting past you and toward the door

"That's easy for you to say, you're not the one taking his shit every time he opens his beak."

>The two of you step out into the snow covered streets

>Mosina leads the way as the two of you head toward the city park

>You pass by ponies going about their daily business, going to work, coming back from night shift work

>In fact, it was hard to see someone NOT doing some sort of work

>Stalliongradians were very industrious ponies apparently

>As the two of you make your way out of the "new" city, you begin to see a break in the repetitive, dull, sameness

>You stare in awe at the majesty of "old" Stalliongrad

>The domed buildings, the colors, the intricate architecture that made the whole area look like a piece of art

>"Isn't it beautiful, Anon?" Mosina asked, looking around in wonder

>You nod, already making notes of some of the more impressive examples

>Despite the wintery wonderland around you, something was still burning at the back of your mind

>You look to Mosina

>The smile on her face, the glint in her eyes

>She exuded an aura of innocence

>So what had that stallion back at the inn meant when he called her a "bloodsucker"?

>You wanted to ask, but at the same time you didn't want to risk offending your friend

>No, you had to say something, you had to know

"Hey, uh, Mosina?"

>"Yes Anon?"

>She smiled at you

>That damn smile

"I've kinda been meaning to ask you something..."

>The smile didn't disappear as she just raised an eyebrow and looked at you curiously

>"Oh? And what would that be?"

>It was now or never

"What uh...what did that guy at the inn mean last night, when he called you...you know?"

>The smile faded, and your stomach began tying itself in a knot

>Maybe you'd made a mistake

>She could see the discomfort on your face

>"Don't worry Anon, it's okay. You'd have to find out sooner or later." She said reassuringly

>"I don't like to talk about it much is all, I'm not proud of it."

"What is 'it'?"

>She looked you in the eye, with a look of deep shame

>"Bat ponies drink blood, Anon. We have to."

>Your stomach is almost tying itself in half

>"We don't need to do it all the time, and we can sustain ourselves on fruit, vegetables, whatever for a long time. But we eventually need to feed or it starts to mess with our heads."

>Oh, that's reassuring, so she's only a part time bloodsucker

"Oh, okay..." You mutter

>Mosina looks at you, obviously worried

>"I know I should have told you but I didn't think it was going to be an issue...is it?"

>You look at her

>She looks at you

>You look at her

>She looks at you

>You look at the ground for a few seconds, then back to her

>She's still looking at you, tears in the corner of her eyes

>You know, what difference did it make?

>You knew this pony well enough that you would be willing to go on a cross country trip with her

>You trusted her to stay in your home back in Ponyville

>So what if she had to drink a little blood every now and then?

>With everything you'd seen, was it really that strange?

>This was your friend, and this didn't change that

>You knelt down, and put your arms around her, to which she promptly returned the embrace

"No, no it's not an issue." You say, squeezing her tight

>You can hear her sniffle a little bit in your shoulder, but as she pulls away there's that smile back on her face

>"Thank you Anon, you don't know how much that means to me..." She said, taking off her glasses and wiping away the tears

"Hey, it's nothin'."

>You ruffle her mane a bit and stand back up

"Now come on, we've got a Colonel to meet."

>"Hold it right there!" You hear behind you, causing you to stop dead in your tracks

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

>You turn slowly

>Standing behind you, is Colonel Snow Sight

>And she's laughing hysterically

>"You two, you should have seen the looks on your faces!"

>You and Mosina share a sigh of relief

>"What are you doing here Colonel?" Mosina asked

>"I thought we were supposed to meet you at the city park?"

>Snow Sight shook her head

>"Place is crawling with Red Watch, I figured it would be better just to meet you halfway."

>"Fine by us, Anon, give her the letter."

>You reach into your back pocket and pull out the envelope, handing it to Snow Sight

>She stuffs it into her bag immediately

>"I'll read it when we're not so exposed. But I want you two to see something, follow me."

>The two of you follow Snow Sight as she continues on the path toward the park

>She presses onward in silence as you two exchange confused looks

>As you approach the park, you can see that there is indeed a large concentration of guards there

>As you approach the gate, the guards salute

>"Good morning, Colonel." One of them says

>"Will you be joining us for the Premier's speech?"

>"Indeed I am, Private. My guests here will be joining as well."

>The guards nod, and allow you passage

>As you walk past them, you swear you can hear them whispering

>You can see a small crowd gathering around a stage, flanked by members of the Red Watch

>"The Premier gives a monthly address here." Snow Sight tells you

>"It's propaganda if nothing else. She likes to speak of all the great things Stalliongrad is accomplishing, and how under her and the Coltshevik party's leadership it will grow and prosper."

"Well, will it?" You ask

>"Of course not, they are driving the hard working ponies of Stalliongrad into poverty and slavery. It's a slow process, but it is happening."

>Snow Sight sighs

>"I do not expect you to understand. Stalliongrad and it's people are proud. We believe in just reward for hard work, and the Premier is trying to take all we have earned away from us in some social experiment. It isn't right."

"Reminds me of some guys we had back home, heh." You laugh to yourself

>"Then maybe you understand why we're not happy with the present situation."

>You stand at the back of the crowd and wait, the wind rustling the leaves of the park trees and the whispers of the crowd the only sounds

>Minutes later, a carriage pulls up, drawn by two guards in rather extravagant uniforms compared to their comrades

>The guards salute as a lavishly dressed pegasus steps out from the carriage

>Her long mane was tied up in a very conservative knot, and her highly decorated clothing showed either her political career started coming off of a very impressive military career, or someone had been very generous in their awards

>The crowd begins to cheer as she takes her place at the podium on the stage

>She raises a hoof, and they fall silent

>"Greetings, citizens of Stalliongrad!"

>Snow Sight nudges you

>"That's the Premier, in case you wondering."

"Thanks, I'd have never figured that out."

>Mosina elbows you

"What?" You whisper

"I do have two brain cells to rub together you know."

>They both shush you

>Grudgingly, you give in and be silent

>"As always, it warms my heart to see so many of my fair citizens turning out for my monthly address." The pegasus continues

>"As always, I would like to thank each and every one of your for your continued support in the efforts of the Party as we march toward a brighter future..."

>This was starting to sound a lot like every other politician you'd ever heard

>"...a future of progress..."

>Promising this and that, but did they ever follow through? No...

>"...a future of happiness..."

>Happiness for you, maybe

>"a future, of independence!"

>The crowd cheered, and the pegasus simply looked out over the them

>A look of triumph on her face

>Her expression changed to one of utmost seriousness moments later

>"Unfortunately, there are those who seek to halt the advance of progress, to spread unequality for their own gain, and prostrate themselves to a monarchy that does not respect us."

>Boos rang out through the crowd

>Mosina looked to you with a troubled glance

>You scratch her behind the ear, reassuringly

>"These traitors will not be suffered to derail our glorious crusade, for our cause is just, and our will of iron!"

>The crowd was going insane at this point, but the pegasus did not stop

>"We will root them out one by one if we must, and we will make them see the error of their ways, make them serve as examples to those who would keep us in the shackles of tyranny forever. So keep a vigilant eye out, my fellow citizens, do your duty for your friends, for your family, for Stalliongrad!"

>And with that, she stepped off of the podium and made her way back to the carriage to the cheers of the crowd

>"Let's go." Snow Sight said, nudging you

>The three of you made your way out of the park and back into the street

>"You can see what we're dealing with here. Premier Raven has some of the population behind her, a minority, but fanatical."

>"So what's your plan?" Mosina asked

>"We need to take her support away from her, expose her corruption and the corruption of her entire regime." Snow Sight explained

>"But we cannot act openly, not with the Red Watch out and about. That is why we need you to help us, they will never suspect outsiders to care about the problems of the city."

>"We understand, and we're happy to help." Mosina said, smiling at the Colonel

>"You are true friends of the people, the princesses were right to send you to help us. Now go, I'm sure Mr. Oblast has more work to be done."

>With a nod, you make your separate ways from the Colonel and start heading back toward The Red Square

>On the way, Mosina comments on this and that, rapping off her usual million words a minute, much to your writing hand's dismay as you try to keep up with your notes

>Despite the fact that you were now technically revolutionaries, or counter revolutionaries rather, you were already enjoying this trip

>The bitter cold of the previous night was almost like a distant memory now as the sun shined brightly in the sky on you and your friend

>After a long walk, and several pages of notes, you finally make your way back to inn

>Once inside, you see Hugo and Mr. Oblast at the bar talking over a drink

>They notice you, and beckon you over

>You each take a seat, and Mr. Oblast leans over the counter

>"Meet me in the suite in five minutes."

>That can't be good

>You and Mosina make your way up to your room, Hugo following close behind

>Closing the door behind you, Hugo speaks up

>"Did you two have fun on your little date?"

"It wasn't a date, it was a delivery." You say

>"Any reason why you decided to leave me here?"

>"We didn't want to wake you, besides, it's not like this was something dangerous." Mosina chimed in

>Hugo looks to her

>"Everything about this situation is dangerous, Mosina." He said

>"We are acting in opposition to the leaders of the city, this is espionage, subterfuge, and they WILL come after you for it if we're discovered."

>"It's not like we've done anything illegal..." Mosina mumbled

>"It doesn't have to be, I've seen others in your position sent to the gallows for much less."

>Hugo shook his head

>"Do not leave without me again, I'm here to protect you by the request of your uncle, my friend, and I will not let him down."

"Fine, fine, relax, nothing even happened." You sigh as you take a seat at the table

>"This time nothing happened, but next time it might, and I will be there to make sure Mosina is not harmed."

"Who's to say I couldn't take care of things?"

>Hugo scoffed

>"You? I'd trust hatchlings to provide more adequate defense than you."

"Alright, you listen right the fuck here-" You say before you are cut off by the opening of the door

>Mr. Oblast steps in, closing and locking the door behind him

>"We have a bit of a problem..."

"And what would that be?" You ask

>"Two Watchmen came by while you two were out. They were asking a lot of questions."

>"What sort of questions?" Mosina asked

>"They were asking about any suspicious visitors coming through here, disapproval of the Premier or the party. I think they may suspect something."

>"Well that was certainly quick." Hugo groaned

>"Regardless, they can't prove any connection between us and the Premier's opposition, so I think it's just posturing. Did you deliver the letter?"

>"Yes, we did. Snow Sight has it and is probably looking it over as we speak." Mosina replied

>"Well, that's at least one bit of good news. For now, we'll wait for the Colonel's reply before we go forward. But, as I promised, I'll be happy to give you some information about Stalliongrad in exchange for your service."

>"That'd be very much appreciated Mr. Oblast. Anon, get the notes ready!"

>You spend the better part of the next few hours listening as Mr. Oblast regales your troupe with tales of Stalliongrad's history an culture

>You learn that Stalliongrad had developed independently of the Kingdom of Equestria, joining during a time of great crisis

>Some of the populace resented that their leaders had surrendered their total independence in merging with a larger nation, but for the majority it was a welcome decision and brought prosperity to the city

>While all benefited from the union, elements remained to this day that still wished to regain their total independence, namely, the Coltsheviks

>And that brings you to the present situation, with the city government planning and moving toward a goal that would surely isolate and cut off the city from the arrangement that had benefited it's citizens so much

>The stories went on for longer than you thought possible

>Eventually, Mr. Oblast had to return to the lobby

>The nighttime rush was beginning

>Mosina seemed very much satisfied as she thanked him and put away her writing materials

>"This is EXACTLY what we need Anon, the schools never teach this sort of stuff." She said, beaming at you

>"Hopefully we'll get a lot more before we're done here, this is absolute gold!"

"Yeah, it's pretty interesting." You say, rubbing your aching writing hand

>Mosina looks at your hand and gives you a sympathetic smile

>"I hope I'm not working my faithful assistant too hard." She chuckled

"I think I may be coming down with a little carpal tunnel, but it's for a good cause so I'll manage."

>"Let me see your hand." Hugo said

"What for?"

>"Just let me see it."

>Reluctantly, you stretch out your arm for the griffon to examine it

>He takes your arm and looks it over, and using his claws, he puts pressure on two spots

"Woah what are you doing?" You say, taken by surprise

>"Stop moving so much, give me a minute."

>After a few moments and pressure points, he releases your arm

>Much to your surprise, your pain has all but completely subsided

"How did you...?"

>"You learn certain things when you're treating the wounded in a field hospital. Your extremities also resemble those of minotaurs, for some reason, so it was an educated guess that would work."

"Well, thanks...I guess." You say, confused by the sudden act of kindness

>"Can't have you laying around being less useful than you are now."

>Well, so much for what could have been a bonding moment

"Yeah, well I think I'm gonna hit the hay. I get the bed tonight."

>"I don't think so, not after this morning."

"Oh come on!"

>"It's fine Anon, we can share if you want." Mosina laughed, patting you on the back

>Oh my.jpg

"You sure about that?"

>"I don't see why not, unless you think there's a problem?"

"...You're not going to try and sneak any of my blood are you?" You joke

>You almost immediately regretted it, thinking she might take offense

>But to your relief, she gives you a sly look

>"I don't know, you laying there all defenseless and all might be a little too tempting..."

>Hugo groans in frustration

>"I think that's where I take my leave. I'm going downstairs for a drink."

>"See you bright and early, Hugo." Mosina laughed as he waved over his shoulder, exiting the room

"Well, I'm about to pass out so I'm gonna to lay down." You yawn, moving to the bedroom

>"I'll be there in a few, I need to ask Mr. Oblast something real quick."

>You throw yourself on the bed, surprised by it's stiffness

>Sure as hell beats the floor still

>You toss and turn for a few minutes before finding an acceptable position

>You laugh to yourself a bit as the thought of Silver Tongue's reaction if he knew you were sharing a bed with Mosina

>If it rustled his jimmies, you were certainly all the more for it

>As the moments passed you began to wonder when she was coming back anyway

>Moments turned into minutes, and soon your weariness overtook you

>You don't know how long you were asleep, but when you woke, it was still dark

>You try to move a little, but feel another presence in the bed in your path

>As your eyes adjust to the darkness, you can make out Mosina's figure, huddled up next to you

>She was sound asleep, her ear twitching a bit every other moment

>You barely contain the urge to dawh at the sight of it

>Suddenly, you instinctually put your hand up to feel your neck

>No bites, it looks like she kept her word to refrain from feeding on your defenseless self

>You feel a pang of guilt immediately though

>You had also promised her that it wouldn't be an issue

>That you trusted her as a friend

>A cold draft passes through the room, and you notice her shiver a bit in her sleep

>In your half conscious delirium, put your arm around her and pull her closer, and soon the shivering ceases

>As you drift back to sleep, you think back to your house in Ponyville

>You think about your old job, and your old life

>And you thank whatever powers that be that you traded all that for this uncomfortable bed in a freezing inn because you got to share it with this wonderful creature beside you

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

>Several days pass

>Each day you spend working with either Mr. Oblast or Colonel Snow Sight

>Each day you feel like the hole you must be digging for yourself getting deeper and deeper

>But, you know that this is what you have to do

>For the Princesses

>For Stalliongrad

>...For Mosina

>The days are long, delivering messages, (mostly) inconspicuously watching and making note of Party officials

>You begin to wonder how long your troupe is going to be stuck here in this place, or when you'll continue your journey

>Finally, on the sixth day, good news

>"We've located all of the Duma's financial records for the past year." Snow Sight tells you, huddled into an alleyway as cover from not only the wind, but also the watchful eyes of the guards

>"That's...good?" Mosina says, trying to sound more enthusiastic than confused by the news, cheesing hard

"And what can we do with that?" You ask

>"With those records, we can show the citizens of Stalliongrad that the Coltsheviks are squandering their money and assets to line their own pockets, not to create equality."

"And that's going to get the Premier voted out?"

>"Oh, it will have far more dire consequences than that. Corruption is not taken lightly in this city."

>"Great, so where are they lets go get them!" Mosina said enthusiastically

>Snow Sight's face then turned grim

>"The records are in the Duma vault, under constant surveillance by members of the Red Watch."

"Well, that sort of makes things difficult doesn't it?"

>We'll find a way around it. But this news is enough for now to start putting our plans in motion." Snow Sight said confidently

>"That's all for now, take this information back to Oblast, he'll be happy to hear the progress."

"Right away, take care Colonel."

>As you go your separate ways, Mosina looks over her shoulder to make sure you're out of the Colonel's earshot

>"We need to get those records, and soon."

>You look at her, raising your eyebrow

"Isn't that already the plan?"

>"Yes, but I mean we need to do this REALLY soon."

"I think we need to just let the Colonel and Mr. Oblast do their thing here."

>Mosina frowns a bit

>"We can come up with something."

"I'm sure they don't mind suggestions, but they probably know better than we do, don't you think?"

>"Says you!" She says, looking at you with a sly smile

>Back at The Red Square, the two of you relay the news to Mr. Oblast

>"This is fantastic! Soon our mission will be complete and Stalliongrad will be free of tyranny once more!"

>"That's great Mr. Oblast, but do you think there's any way that we could get those records sooner rather than later?" Mosina asks hopefully

>"All in due time, the Colonel knows best with these matters and we should trust her judgement."

>The same disappointed frown crosses her face again

>But she relents

>"Alright Mr. Oblast, was there anything else you needed us to do today?"

>"No, no. With news like this it's time for celebration! Head on upstairs and I'll join you with drinks shortly."

"Thank you, sir." You say, motioning to Mosina to follow you as you head to the stairs...

>Mosina paced to back and forth in your room

>"There has to be a way to speed this up."

"I don't understand why you're getting so antsy, I'd think you'd want to stay here for a bit." You say, flipping through the newspaper

>"You misunderstand, I love the city. But we need to do our part in all this!"

"I thought we were doing our part?"

>"We're messengers, errand runners. We need to do something real for the cause!"

>You can't help but admire her spirit

>The lengths she was willing to go to help others, an entire city even, was truly inspiring

>"You shouldn't underestimate our work." Hugo chimed in, reading his book

>"I just wish we could do more is all. There has to be a way we can get to those records."

>Hugo sighed and sook his head

>"The Colonel and our host have both suggested that we wait and make sure this operation is carried out carefully. You'd be wise to listen to them."

>Mosina rolled her eyes and looked at you

>"Of course Hugo. Whatever would we do without your guidance?"

>"Probably end up in a gulag on your first trip to Stalliongrad." He responded flatly, closing his book and heading to his room

>"It's getting late, you two should get some sleep."

>"Good night Hugo." Mosina said, rolling her eyes and giving you a feigned look of frustration

>When his door finally closes, her eyes drift to your paper

>And they go wide

>"Anon, let me see that."

>You flip over your paper to see what she's looking at

"Why?"

>"Just let me see it please." She says, taking the paper from your hand

>Her eyes scan the page, and a devious smile crosses her face

>"I think I may have just found our plan."

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

"Run me through this one more time so I can be sure just how fucked we are." You say, fidgeting in your crudely fitted suit

>Mosina seemed much more comfortable in her dress, tying her hair up in her "professional" knot

>"I told you Anon, the military parade today will have most if not all the Red Watch distracted, we're going to go to the Duma building, posing as rich folk looking to invest in the city. Any members of the Premier's party will see this as an opportunity to score more cash, and won't refuse if we ask for a tour."

"And you think that they'll just take us right to the vault?"

>"Of course not, but a view of the inside of the Duma will be wonderful for our research, and when we find it, we'll go from there."

>We'll go from there

>Oh brother...

"Glad to see we have this well thought out." You say sarcastically

>"Anon, it'll work, just trust me."

"Does Hugo know about this?"

>"Of course not, there's no way he'd let us do anything remotely dangerous."

>For once, you felt like maybe the bird had the right idea

"Mosina, what are we going to do if we get caught?"

>Frustrated, Mosina finishes tying up her mane and looks at you

>Her expression turns from one of frustration, to one of a cool, unnaturally relaxed look of understanding

>"Anon, I know you're worried, but we can do this," she says, putting a hoof on your hand

>"I just need you to trust me, okay?"

>That look on her face

>She was playing you hardcore

>Resistance is futile

"...Alright, alright, you win."

>With a giddy squeal, Mosina hugs you

>"I knew I could count on you Anon. Now come on, the parade is about to start."

>The ground trembled slightly underfoot as the collective of Stalliongrad's forces marched through the city

>In full battle dress, they were fearsome as they were numerous

>The crowd stood looking in awe as they watched the parade march past them, amazed at the fluid and synchronized motions

>Such discipline was their strength

>As the crowd watched, you and Mosina were making your break for the city Duma

>"The parade is supposed to last two hours, we need to get the records before it ends." Mosina said

"Great, it's good to be reminded we're on a time limit."

>Coming off of Commissar Street, you see the elegant building in which the city Duma presided

>"It's...beautiful." Mosina gasped, taken aback by the architectural marvel

>The great pillars, the domed roof, the murals of Stalliongrad's historical moments of greatness

>Stone statues of the cities heroes and leaders flanked the stairway leading to the entrance

>It was truly a wondrous thing

>Nudging her, Mosina snaps back to reality

"We're on a time limit, remember? Let's get inside."

>The two of you make your way up the deserted stairway, normally under heavy guard

>Today, only the effigies of great heroes guarded this place

>Mosina was gawking at them them, amazed at their mere presence

>As you approached the door, you could hear the parade off in the distance

"Do...do we just open it?"

>"Can't hurt to try."

"...You gonna try?"

>"You try!"

"It was your idea!"

>Mosina just raises an eyebrow at you

>...

"Fine." You relent

>You don't know why you let her win these things

>You turn the great door handle and open it ever so slightly, quickly retracting your hand

>When no response comes, you poke your head inside and look around

>The lobby appears to be deserted

"It's empty, come on."

>You both sneak inside the door

>The lobby is almost as impressive as the exterior of the building

>Gold and red everywhere, highly detailed carvings a in marble along the walls depicting great battle scenes

>There is a large desk in the middle of the room, not manned by anyone

>Mosina rushes over to the desk and jumps behind it, much to your surprise

"Mosina! What are you doing?!" You whisper

>"Anything that'll help us." She whispers back

>Rummaging through the drawers, she finally finds what she's looking for

>"Aha! A tourist map!"

>Suddenly, you hear hoofsteps approaching from down one of the great halls to your sides

"Mosina, get out from behind there!"

>Hearing you, Mosina leaps over the desk and takes a place at your side

>Still holding the map in her mouth

>You quickly grab it and stuff it in your pocket just as the clerk rounds the corner

>She looks at you confused

>"Can I help you?" The clerk asks

"I, uh, umm..."

>"Yes! Yes you can ma'am, my business partner and I were hoping to speak to someone who worked here?" Mosina says as you stumble through your words

>"I work here, what did you need?"

>The clerk wore an ugly brown uniform, very plain and not nearly as dashing as those of the guards

>But, you do notice a red armband, indicating her membership of the Party

>"We were hoping to discuss the possibility of investing in the cities economy, we're very wealthy you see and we see a lot of potential in Stalliongrad under the Coltshevik Party."

>"You...want to give us money?" The clerk said, sounding a bit skeptical

>"Indeed we do. But we thought maybe it would be wise to see just what we're dealing with beforehand, would you mind showing us around?"

>"...I think I'd better get my boss." The clerk said, starting to turn away

>She wasn't buying it

"There's no need for that!" You say, reaching into your back pocket

>Pulling out a bag of bits, you place them on the desk in front of the clerk

>"A quick tour, and you'll be able to tell your boss all about the huge investment you just secured for the city...and you'll get a little extra spending money to treat yourself to something nice."

>Seeing the bag, the clerk's expression quickly warms up

>"Right this way, Sir, Ma'am."

>You give Mosina your best "That was close" look and follow the clerk as she walks off down the great hall

>She leads you through several rooms, the west wing, the east wing...the storage room

>All in all it was a pretty unimpressive tour, mostly the fault of your guide

>Finally after what seemed like forever, you pull out the map and look for anywhere the vault might be

"Excuse me, ma'am? Since we ARE looking to invest financially in Stalliongrad, would it be possible to maybe, see where your fine Duma stores its records? Don't want to go throwing money where it might get lost."

>"That's an...odd place to want to see, but I guess there's no harm in it." The clerk says

>She leads you back to the great lobby, and toward a door you had not noticed before

>It was an unremarkable wooden door, inconspicuous compared to the extravagance of everything else

>If anything you thought THIS might have been a storage room or a closet

>She opens the door, revealing a winding set of stairs going downward into darkness

>"Watch your step, most visitors never see this place, so we don't keep it quite as tidy." The clerk says over her shoulder

>You almost slip on the stone stairs immediately

>Oh this was going to be great, you could tell already

>The three of you walk down the spiraling staircase for almost ten minutes before finally reaching a well lit room, scattered with all sorts of binders and notebooks

>And in the back of the room, a small vault door

>"Well, this is it. I know it doesn't look like much but our records are incredibly well kept all the way back to our founding."

>You need to look around, but the clerk isn't going to just leave you alone

>You need to get rid of her

"Please, tell us more." You say, as the clerk moves ahead of you and begins looking through a notebook

>"Well, it all started back way before the royal sisters..."

>You look over to Mosina, trying to mouth to her to get the clerk to leave

>She looks at you like you've got two heads

>You nod toward the clerk, who's still rambling, and then back up the stairs

>Mosina opens her mouth as if finally getting it, and winks at you

>"Excuse me, ma'am, I hate to interrupt but is there any way you can show me to the bathroom?" Mosina says, doing her best potty-dance

>"Oh, of course, right this way." The clerk says, heading back up the stairs

"I'll just wait here then."

>As Mosina and the clerk get out of earshot, you get to work

>Examining the door to the safe, you can see that there is a keyhole

>Of course, you had no key

>Suddenly, an idea

>You look around the room, through every drawer, but you find nothing

>Mosina and the clerk would be back soon, you had to get that door open

>You take the nearest chair and start whacking the door with it, hoping to maybe bust it open

>Soon you're holding a very broken chair

>You take a paper clip and try your hand a lockpicking

>It doesn't work, go figure

>After exhausting your supply of chairs, your frustration reaches a boiling point

>You punch the door as hard as you can

"FFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!"

>Pain shoots up your arm, and you dance around holding your knuckles

>As you shake your hand and try to ward off the pain, you hear a small creak

>The door had opened

>Typical commie technology, if you hit it hard enough, it'll work

>You rush over and see a binder locked inside

>Taking it, you flip through the pages

>"Department of Revenue and Finances"

"This is it...holy shit this is it!"

>Notes of property and asset seizures lined the pages, with the destinations allocated to Party officials before the trail went cold

>These notes would certainly upset more than a few citizens who'd had their property confiscated

>You take the binder and rush up the stairs, slipping several times

>You burst out into the lobby and Mosina is still desperately trying to distract the clerk

>She spots you, and the binder in hand

>"Well it was really great, thank you so much for the tour, my associate and I will surely be back soon to discuss-"

>"What is that you have in your hand, sir?" the clerk asks

>You try to hide the binder

"Oh it's nothing, we really have to be going the next train to Canterlot leaves in 10 minutes and we have to be on it. Thank you again for the tour!"

>"Sir, you may not leave with anything from this building!"

>You and Mosina start running for the door

>"Stop! Guards!" The clerk shouts

>You and Mosina burst out of the building and high tail it into the street

>"There they are! Stop them!"

>You turn and see two guardsman running down the steps after you

>Guess they weren't all at the parade after all

>The two of you rush into the nearest alleyway, tipping over cans and assorted junk to slow down your pursuers

"Which way do we go?!"

>"I'm thinking, I'm thinking! Go uh...left left!"

>The two of you make your way through the winding dark alleys, trying to lose the guards

>You can hear a bell tolling from the Duma building now, and a voice magically amplified speaking through the air

>"Alert, alert, thieves fleeing the city Duma. All Red Watch are being called to arrest two suspects. Descriptions are as follows..."

>"Oh god they're looking for us!" Mosina cried

"What did you think was gonna happen?!"

>You find yourselves back out in the street, the bell tolls keeping a steady pace, with onlookers staring from their windows and the street

>"This way!" Mosina says, taking off in another direction

"Do you know where we're going?"

>"I think so!"

>She thinks so

>Fucking perfect

>You crisscross and zigzag your way through the city streets as the citizens stare, and the guards chase you

>Eventually, you find Oblast Street

>Rounding a corner, you break the sight of the guards

>"Quick, into The Red Square!"

>You both duck inside the inn as quickly as possible, slamming the door behind you and locking it

>Mosina takes the binder from you, and rushes up the stairs

"Where are you going?!"

>She does not answer you as her wings carry her faster than you've ever seen her move

>Moments later, you can hear the guards outside in the street

>"They can't have gone far, spread out, search every where!"

>Fantastic, now you'd be caught for sure

>Mosina comes rushing back down the stairs

>"Anon, we can't stay here. If we do then all of this was for nothing."

"Are you crazy? If we go out there they'll catch us!"

>"We need to let them catch us Anon, but they can't do it here."

"What are you talking about? They'll throw us in jail! Where's the records?"

>Mosina shook her head

>"They're safe Anon, but I NEED you to understand, we need to go now. If they find us here, they'll search the building, and get the records back. We need to be caught somewhere else to throw off the trail."

>She was right

>If they found you here, they'd take back that binder

"So much for my spotless criminal record, huh?" You say, trying to force a laugh

>Mosina smiles at you

>"Lets go Anon, we're not done yet."

>Poking your head out the door, you see a lone guardsman standing at the far corner of the street

>His back was turned to you

>Now or never

"Go, go..." You whisper as you and Mosina rush out the door and duck into the nearest alley

>You sneak to the other end, and spot more guards patrolling up and down the way

>You give one more look to Mosina, as if to ask her if this was really the only way

>She only returned a half hearted smile, which quickly faded

>This was it

>Stepping out into the street, a group of Red Watch see you

>"FREEZE!" they call out, rushing over to you

>"ON THE GROUND NOW!"

>You slowly comply raising your hands above your head and getting to your knees

>Mosina simply slumps to the ground

>"I said, on the GROUND!" A watchman says, striking you in the gut with his back hoof

>You wheeze as the wind escapes you, and fall to the ground coughing

>The guards begin to beat you, and all you can hear is Mosina's cries for them to stop as you fade to black...

>You awake

>Everything hurts

>You can hear the soft dripping of water

>Sitting up, you find yourself in a very unfamiliar place

>It's dark

>Really dark

>Only a small bit of light pours through a small port to the outside of...wherever you were

>And the walls and floor around you all damp stone

>You see a single torchlight on the other side of the...bars...

>Jail, this had to be jail

>"A-Anon?" You hear from the other side of what must be your cell

>You look over, and see that it is in fact, from the cell next to you

>Mosina has her face pressed up against the bars

>Her glasses are gone, and her mane is a mess

>You force yourself up, through the pain, and make your way over to the bars

"It's me, are you okay?"

>"I'm f-fine...I thought they hurt you really bad." Mosina said, putting her hoof through the bars to try and touch you

>You take her hoof in hand, and sit down next to her

"Where are we?"

>"The gulag...they took us here three days ago now, right after they caught us."

>It'd been three days?

"What's going on? Are they just keeping us here?"

>"I don't know, I think so...Anon I'm so sorry, I had no idea they would do that to you..."

>Tears ran down her face as she spoke

>"I can't see in here, they took my glasses, I thought you were dead."

>You wipe away her tears and put your other arm through the cold bars and try to hug her

"I'm fine, just a little roughed up, don't worry. We're gonna get out of this." You say as she continues to sob

>"It's been three days...nobody's come for us, they might not even know we're here..."

"They'll come, someone's got to come for us..." You say

>Suddenly, you remember something

"What day is it?"

>"I-it's the 18th...I think...why?"

"Today's my birthday..." You say, you had almost forgotten with all the excitement of the last week and a half

"I'm 21 years old..."

>Mosina's sobbing halts for a moment, and she actually manages a small laugh

>She turns, and after feeling around, manages to get both of her forelegs around your neck

>After a few moments, she breaks away and gives you a genuine, if troubled smile

>"Happy birthday Anon..."

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

>You sit in your dark cell for hours

>In silence

>Mosina's occasional sniffles are all that break the dead quiet of your prison

>You don't know exactly how long has passed, but at this point you almost wished you hadn't woken up just yet

>Ignorance is certainly bliss

>You watch the ray of light coming through your one window as it slowly makes its way across the room

>It was a slow day, apparently

>How did Mosina do this for three days?

>Just when you felt you might to mad, you hear a door at the end of the long hall that was your cell block open

>The sound of hooves on cobblestone echoed throughout the cell block

>There were three of them

>Two guards...and a mare

>The guards carried torches, giving a little more light in this dank depressing place

>As they came nearer, you could see their faces

>Before you, in her dark, gloriously decorated uniform, was the Premier of Stalliongrad

>She eyed you and Mosina in your cells

>Much in the same way a child watches the monkeys throw shit at each other at the zoo

>A wicked smile crawled across her face

>"So, you are the thieves that stole our records?"

>You don't answer

>Neither of you do

>You simply stare blankly at the Premier

>"Well, it's not necessary that you confess to your crime, we know that it was you." She scoffed

>"How do you like your new home? I trust you've found our gulag comfortable enough?"

>Mosina is just staring at the floor

>You spit

>"Oh, but where are my manners? We've not made proper introductions yet. I am Raven Song, the Premier of Stalliongrad. What are your names?"

"What do you want?" You ask bluntly

>"Ah, so the monkey can speak. I was beginning to wonder if my watchmen had given you too hard of a beating."

"What do you want?"

>The Premier frowned

>"I want to know where you took those documents. They are the property of the Coltshevik party and you have created a major headache for us by removing them from their proper place."

"If you came here to interrogate us, you're wasting your time."

>"My friend, I didn't come here to interrogate you. I come with an offer."

>Ohboyherewego.png

"Oh generous of you."

>"Exceptionally. Now, if you two tell us who has those documents, you will be immediately released, and put on the next train out of Stalliongrad. No harm, no foul."

"And if we dont?"

>"Look around, you can see Black Dolphin has no shortage of cells. We can keep you here for as long as we like. The choice is yours."

>You stop and think

>Could she be telling the truth?

>Would these crooks really let you go if you turned in your friends?

>Could you live with yourself knowing you betrayed all the people of Stalliongrad?

>...Could Mosina last in this place?

>You look over to her, and she's still staring at the ground, not making a sound

>If you turned in Oblast and Snow Sight, all of their work would be undone

>You had to keep faith that they would come get you out of this

"No, we're not telling you anything."

>"You'd best think twice before making that decision, we're getting closer to finding your traitorous friends on our own, there will be no second chance at this."

>"He said no deal." Mosina said almost robotically

>The Premier scowls, and turns to leave

>"So be it. I'll see that the two of you rot in here for the rest of your miserable lives."

>As the door slams shut, you look back over to Mosina, still unmoving

>You sit in silence for a few moments when she speaks again

>"They're coming for us, right Anon?"

>You scoot closer to her, reaching your hand through the bars and placing it on her hoof

>She felt eerily cold

"Yeah, they are Mosina, they are."

>Two days pass

>You'd begun counting the spiders that ran across the cell floor

>For all you knew, it could be the same one passing over and over again

>At least you hoped that was the case, otherwise you had a helluva lot of spiders in this cage

>Mosina was becoming increasingly unresponsive, often talking to herself or sobbing

>The only way to stop it was if you managed to get a hold of her when she wandered close enough to the bars for you to reach out and touch her

>You were starting to worry

>Today was no different, only she'd taken to a far corner of her cell

>You'd counted the last spider you ever wished to count just as you noticed her ears perk up

>"They're coming."

"What?"

>She moved up to the bars and simply stared ahead

"Mosina what are you-"

>Suddenly, the door on the far end of the cell block blows open

>Six figures rush in, creating a perimeter as they do

>"Mosina! Anon!"

>No fucking way

"Hugo?" You call out in the darkness

>The figures move toward you, slowly revealed by the torchlight...

>Hugo, and five hooded ponies

>"Sometimes I hate being right all the time." He sighed, producing a key and unlocking your cell door

"It's good to see you too Hugo." You say, stepping out into the hall

>"Can you travel?"

"Yeah, who are they?" You ask, pointing toward the ponies

>"Old friends. You call can introduce yourselves." Hugo said as he fumbled with the keys to Mosina's cell

>The ponies step forward, throwing back their hoods...

>Revealing catlike eyes, and fanged smiles

>"You must be the "human" Hugo told us about." One of them said, stepping toward you

>"I am Captain Sterling, and this is my team. Spring Field, Tula, Izzy, and...Clip."

>"Hi!" The rearmost pony called out, waving frantically

>"We're here at the request of our associate to aid in the revolution." Sterling said

"Revolution...?"

>Outside of the gulag, was a scene of chaos

>Black smoke from a hundred fires billowed up and above the city

>The thunderous sound of hooves and shouting filled the air

>And the glow of flames lit up the night sky

>"Beautiful isn't it?" Sterling said, staring at you with her silver eyes

>"The fires of freedom are truly a sight for sore eyes in this little piece of Equestria."

>You stood there with your mouth agape

>Mosina was seemed unaffected

>"Well, are we just gonna stand here or are we gonna go have some fun?" Spring Field said cheerily

>"Always with the rushing, this one. Is like she enjoys fighting peasants." Tula chuckled to the one that must be Izzy in an oddly...slavic accent

>"Is typical sister, they do not share the dignity of the old country."

>Oh god they were both doing it

>"Black Talons, move out!" Sterling commanded as the bats rushed flew toward the chaos

"So, where'd you find this crew?" You nudge Hugo

>"We go back." He said

>"Let's go, the Colonel and Oblast are waiting for us."

>Walking through the city streets, piles of burning garbage line the alleyways

>Angry citizens marched through the streets wielding farming tools and homemade weapons, chanting and beating lone members of the Red Watch

>Hugo led you and Mosina through the scene with a steely determination, back to The Red Square

>Inside, Mr. Oblast and Colonel Snow Sight were looking over maps of the city, with all sorts of lines and markings meaning god knows what

>"We got 'em." Hugo announced, grabbing their attention

>"Anon! Mosina!" Mr. Oblast said excitedly, rushing over to meet you

>"I'm so glad to see you both okay, we had worried that the Premier would have you executed!"

"Nah, nearly bored us to death though."

>He looked at Mosina

>"Is she okay? She looks...off?"

"She spent the last few days in a prison cell, she's pretty shaken up."

>"She looks it. I hope you're both okay to get moving, we're about to put an end to this once and for all."

>"Yes, the rebels are amassing on Commissar Street for one final push to the Duma building. This rebellion will be over before daybreak." The Colonel said, stepping toward you

>"Now, let us go pay a visit to the Premier."

>You do not march alone, as the citizens of Stalliongrad fall in line with your group

>Mr. Oblast explains that after they returned to find the documents hidden under your mattress, they began publishing the records and distributing them around the city

>Quickly, citizens demanded answers, and the Duma began trying to crack down on the growing dissent

>Massive protests sprang up, riots and strikes followed

>Yesterday, the crackdown became violent, and so the resistance did as well

>They were to march into the Duma and force the Premier and the Coltshevik party to abandon their positions and surrender

>And as you reached Commissar Street, you saw that the ponies of Stalliongrad were more than read to do just that

>Colonel Snow Sight stood in front of the crowd, holding up a hoof to silence their chanting

>"Ponies of Stalliongrad, comrades, neighbors, friends; today is the dawning of a new era for our great city. An era of freedom from oppression, freedom from tyranny, and fair treatment for all ponies of the North!"

>The crowd cheered as the Colonel waited for them to quiet again

>"Today, we show the Premier and her cronies that we will NOT be enslaved, and we will NOT let them control our destiny!"

>Turning to the Duma building, the Colonel points her hoof forward

>"Forward comrades!"

>The crowd rushes forward, shaking the ground beneath them

>What members of the Red Watch had been brave enough to watch from the steps, abandoned their posts and fled into the great domed building

>You struggled to keep your footing as the crowd rushed past you

>Mosina seemed to be struggling as well

>Suddenly, great fireballs began raining down from the roof of the Duma

>Unicorns of the Red Watch were hurling them with magic in an attempt to scatter the rebels

>Around you, they crashed into the ground with great force

>They were close, but not close enough to harm you

>You just kept pressing forward through the heat and the smoke

>You stayed beside Mosina as she seemed to stumble along, even with her new glasses

>You look at her

>Something is clearly wrong

>"Incoming!" You hear through the noise

>Suddenly, you're thrown from your feet

>You tumble to the ground as fire rages around you

>You lay there for a moment, forcing yourself to your knees as your ears ring

>You look around and see wounded ponies on the ground around you, crawling away or desperately struggling to their feet

>Then you see Mosina on the ground, not moving

"Mosina!" You scream, struggling to your feet and taking heavy steps

>Your vision blurs, as does your mind

>You don't remember how, but you somehow managed to pick up Mosina and duck into a crater from one of the fireballs

>You shake her, trying to get a response

>It doesn't work

"Mosina wake up!"

>Slowly, she opens her eyes

>"A...get the...with the pancakes..."

"What? Mosina what are you..."

>Suddenly, it comes back to you

>Blood

>Mosina hadn't fed in days

>Maybe a week

>She told you what happened to bat ponies when they didn't feed

>They lost their minds

>Her eyes closed again, and she continued to ramble nonsensically

>Looking around, you find a piece of broken glass in the ditch

>You look at the glass, and you look at her

>You put the edge to your palm, and drag it across

>A deep red begins to flow from the cut

>You hold Mosina's mouth open with your other hand and let the ruby red droplets fall into her mouth

"Please work..." you beg

>She continues to lie motionless

>You squeeze your wound over her mouth, ignoring the pain shooting through your arm

>As more of the blood flows from your cut, she begins to cough

"Mosina? Wake up, please!"

>Her eyes open and she looks up at you

>"Anon..?"

"Shhh, don't talk, here." You say, putting your hand in front of her mouth, holding her head up to reach it

>At first she resists, but she soon takes a lick of your wound, and then another, and another, ravenously

>It hurts, but you know that this is what she needs

>After a few minutes, she pulls away, exhaling deeply

"Feel better?" You say smiling down at her in your arms

>She doesn't respond, only wraps her hooves around you without a word

>You sit there for a minute, before taking her in your arms and carrying her out of the crater and back out into the street

>The crowd has already reached the Duma and have begun breaking through the door

>They seem to be struggling when suddenly, you see a lone flyer crash into the door at top speed

>"Clip! I said to wait!" Sterling called out from above, Tula and Izzy laughing hysterically as Spring Field facehoofs

>"Sorry!" The young recruit calls back

>You carry Mosina up the steps just as they force their way inside

>You hear the shouting

>You hear the crashing and rummaging inside

>And then, cheering...

>When the morning came, the fires had all been put out

>And while the city had been damaged in the uprising, none of the damage was permanent

>The rebels had captured nearly all of the members of the Coltshevik party, huddled in their offices

>They were paraded through the street for the entertainment of the citizens, who booed and threw garbage at them

>The Premier, chief among them, sat in her new carraige...a cage on wheels

>All of the Red Watch had been forced into the cells of Black Dolphin gulag, replaced with volunteers of the citizenry

>By popular demand, Colonel Snow Sight would preside over the provisional government until elections could be held

>Following a night of celebration, you, Mosina and Hugo stood waiting for your train on at the terminal in the cool, snowy morning, Colonel Snow Sight presiding to send you off

>"My friends, I and the city of Stalliongrad thank you for everything that you've done for us. Without you, all of this would have never been possible."

"Ah, it was nothing." You said

>"It was not nothing, thanks to the three of you, Stalliongrad remains a free city, and for that, we thank you. You are all welcome here any time, and will be met with the praise worthy of heroes."

>Mosina blushes

>"H-heroes?"

>Snow Sight smiles, placing a hoof on Mosina's shoulder

>"Among the greatest we've ever known."

>The train pulls up behind you, and ponies begin filing out of it with construction materials, arriving from Canterlot to help rebuild

"Well, I guess this is goodbye." You say, holding out your hand

>The Colonel takes it and gives it a firm shake

>"Hopefully not for too long. Where did you say you were going now?"

>"Out west, to Appleoosa. We've still got a long trip ahead of us." Mosina said

>"Well I wish you luck wherever it is that your travels take you." Snow Sight said, bowing deeply

>You return the gesture as Hugo takes you bags onto the train

>"Lets go, we're holding up the train." He grumbled

>You and Mosina step onto the train as well

>"WAIT!"

>Rushing through the terminal doors, Mr. Oblast crashes into the train door

>"Mr. Oblast?" Mosina asks, confused

>"I'm coming with you." He replied, shaking his head of the blow he'd taken

"W-why?" You asked

>"Eh, I think after all that, a little vacation is in order." He laughed, turning to the Colonel

>"Besides, the city is in perfectly capable hands now."

>"Oh Oblast, you're too kind. It was a great pleasure working with you." She smiled

>"The pleasure was all mine, ma'am." He said, dragging his saddlebag onto the train

>"Okay, well...the more the merrier!" Mosina said, still processing what was happening

>The doors closed and the train began pulling away

>The Colonel waves as you slowly leave the terminal and pull away from the city

>Soon, you're cruising along the rails, and the towering buildings and domes of Stalliongrad are fading into the distance

>After hours of riding, Hugo and Oblast have taken to exchanging stories of this and that

>You sit in your compartment, thinking back on the last few days with Mosina by your side

>She had not spoken to you much since the night of the uprising

>She was just buried in her notes

>You decide that enough was enough

>Nudging her, she looks up at you

>"Yes, Anon?"

"Something up? You've been giving me a bit of a cold shoulder since the other night."

>Sighing, she puts away her notes and looks at the floor

>"I told you I'm not proud of what we do."

"The blood drinking?"

>She nods

>"I'd never have asked you to do what you did for me."

>She looks at your hand, your wound bandaged

"I had to, for you."

>"I'm sorry, I just didn't want to say anything and-"

>You put you finger up to her mouth

"There's no need to be ashamed. Not with me. If you ever need help, I'm happy to."

>For the first time in days, you see that smile that can light up a room come to her face again

>Expecting a hug, you brace yourself, but something else comes

>She stands up and plants a peck on your cheek

>"Thank you Anon, you're the best..."

>You sit there stunned as she giggles and jumps off her seat

>"Come on, lets go bug the guys." She says, walking off toward Hugo and Mr. Oblast's compartment

>Rubbing your cheek, you fight to hide the dumb looking smile on your face

>You stand up, shaking your head as you chuckle

"S-sure, right behind you."

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

>The train sped through the night, cutting through the air like a knife through butter

>The occasional bump on the tracks the only disturbance as the inhabitants of the compartment slept soundly

>Except, for you

>Staring out the window, the night sky twinkled with stars

>For some reason, tonight more than any night in recent memory, it looked like a night sky back on Earth

>Memories run across your mind like a movie reel

>Memories of home, your family, your old friends

>Your old life

>For the most part, this new arrangement was a happy one

>But there were always those days when the heart yearned for home

>Lost in thought, the sudden voice behind you gave you quite the shock

>"Is something wrong Anon?" Mosina asked, rubbing her eye as she lifted her head from her makeshift bed of seats

"No, just thinking about home."

>She gives you a curious look

>"You mean Earth?"

"Yeah. I guess I'm still coming to terms with the fact I'll probably never see it again."

>Mosina rests her chin on her hoof, propping up her head to see you better

>"I'm sorry Anon, I can't imagine how that must feel."

>Sighing deeply, you stare intently at the brightest star you can find in the sky

"You know, I don't either. I'm happy here but...something just seems off. This place is so much like it in some ways, and completely different in others. It's hard to get used to."

>"Well lucky for you, you have friends to help you along the way while you do." She said, giving you a tired smile

>You finally peel your eyes away from the sky and return the gesture

"You know, for a bat pony you have a fairly normal sleeping schedule. Shouldn't you be wide awake at night?"

>She laughs a bit

>"I'm really more of a morning pony, have been for as long as I can remember. Easier to read a map or see the sights in the day than at night."

"I bet the others get a hoot out of that back home, yeah?"

>"Oh I'm sure they would, if they were ever awake to see it."

>You grin a bit, and turn back to the window

"How much further to Appleoosa?"

>Mosina sits up and groggily opens her bag, producing a map of your planned course

>"About four hours, you really ought to get some sleep for the rest of the ride, you look exhausted."

>You nod

"I think I will, wake me when we get there, alright?"

>"Of course. Oh, and um, Anon?"

"Yes?" You ask, settling down into a comfortable sleeping position

>"I'm feeling a little hungry...do you mind if...?"

>You chuckle at her embarrassment

"Knock yourself out, just don't bleed me dry. I kinda need some for myself you know."

>She responds with a roll of her eyes

>"Goodnight Anon."

>You roll over, still looking up toward the night sky through the window

>Closing your eyes, you go back to the images of home

>In minutes, you're fast asleep

>In what feels like almost an instant, you are shaken awake

>You rub your eyes of the grogginess and expect to see Mosina's face

>Nope, just Mr. Oblast

>"Morning, Sunshine. Mosina asked me to get you up."

>Not the first thing you were hoping to see this morning, but whatever

"Thanks Mr. Oblast." You say, jumping up to your feet

>Out on the platform, you're greeted with Mosina and Hugo's warm faces

>Or maybe it was just Mosina

>Or maybe it was that blazing sun above you

"So nice of you to wake me."

>Mosina scratches the back of her neck with a guilty look on her face

>"I'm sorry Anon, there was an issue with the tickets and I had to take care of it. I won't forget next time."

>Looking around, the train station wasn't really...existent

>Just a wooden platform and a ticket booth

"Not much out here is there?"

>"Nope! And that's the beauty of it. Vast, untamed wilderness, sprawling desert sands-"

>"Ridiculous heat?" Oblast said, pulling his bags out of the train

>"Oh it's not that bad." Mosina said, sounding slightly frustrated

"Speak for yourself, I'm sweating like a dog." You say, shedding your jacket

>"Well excuse me for not having packed everyone climate friendly clothing." Mosina groaned, throwing her hooves in the air

>"Leave her alone." Hugo said

>"With how much she packed she couldn't POSSIBLY be expected to consider her companions too..."

>"Very funny, Hugo." She said, her cheeks slightly reddening

>She begins walking to the edge of the platform, and you look around at the expanse of desert in all directions

"So, where's the town? Somewhere a ways out?"

>Mosina shakes her head

>"Nope! It's right here!"

>Behind the ticket booth, is a setting straight out of a John Wayne movie

>If John Wayne liked magical pastel horses

>Saloons, ten gallon hats, and tumble weeds galore

>Ponies and even a buffalo here and there went about bartering, working, living the lives of settlers

>It was truly a PG Wild West

>Mosina holds her hooves out, as if trying to grab hold of the whole scene

>"Welcome to Appleloosa!"

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

>Walking through yet another cloud of dust, you could feel it starting to fill your lungs

>You'd been coughing and hacking since you left the train station

>It didn't seem to bother Mosina, who again came prepared with a head wrap to shield herself from the dust and sun

"So, the princesses have someone for us to meet here too?"

>She nods

>"Yes, we're to find a one "Desert Rose"."

"Well, that shouldn't be too hard, this doesn't look like a big town."

>"I wouldn't even call it a town, more like a street." Oblast said

>"Hell compared to even one street in Stalliongrad this place is a joke."

>"Well we're not in Stalliongrad anymore, things are different all around Equestria you know," Mosina replied, buried in her map

>"that's the whole point of this trip, show everyone how different ponies live."

>"You want them to pity these country folk living in squalor?" Oblast laughed

>"She wants you to respect their way of life." Hugo said flatly

>"Hey, I respect it, I just think it's kind of...you know, primitive."

>You groan as the two bicker back and forth over the meaning of the word "respect".

"So, Mosina, where do you think we can find this pony?"

>"Well, it IS a small town, we can probably just ask someone."

>Looking around, you spot a mare leaning against a fence, watching everyone as they went about their day

>Well, she doesn't look busy

>Walking over to the mare, you cough to try and get her attention

"Excuse me? Ma'am?"

>She tips up her hat and smiles at you warmly

>Then you see her badge

>Must be the sheriff

>"Well howdy there, stranger. What can I do ya for?"

>Her voice was sweet, it oozed friendliness

>If this was any indication of the rest of the population's attitude, this would be light years ahead of Stalliongrad

"Yes, we were just wondering where we might find a pony by the name of Desert Rose, any idea where she might be?"

>She scratches her chin, appearing to be thinking intensely

>"Yeah, I reckon I know where you could find her. She's got a few places 'round town she like to post up. Why? Who wants to know?"

>Better be careful, she might think you're up to some funny business

>Should you mention the princesses' order?

>Like a small town sheriff would believe that

"Well, a uh...mutual friend, told us to meet her here. We'd really appreciate it if you'd tell us where we could find her."

>Nailed it

>She eyes the group

>Scanning over each one of you as if trying to uncover something hidden beneath the surface

>Moments later, her demeanor becomes friendly again

>"Well shoot, ol' Rose is always happy to meet friends of friends. And what might those friend's names be?"

>She was probing, definitely probing

>Mosina decided now would be the time to speak up

>"Well, I'm Mosina. This is Hugo and Mr. Oblast, and that's Anon."

>The sheriff looked over to her

>"Well thank you for the answer little missy but I was speaking to the talking monkey."

>Mosina's cheeks went red and she back up behind you

"She's right though, and I'm not a monkey, I'm Human."

>"Never heard of it, but we get all sorts of crazy critters comin' through from out in the desert so it's not the strangest thing I ever saw."

>This was going nowhere

"Right, well, can you help us find Desert Rose then?"

>"Well, I would, but there's a bit of a problem with that there plan ya see."

>Oh great, problems already? So much for the improvement over Stalliongrad

"What's that?"

>"You already found her!" She says cheerfully, taking off her hat and taking a slight bow

>"Sheriff Desert Rose, at your service."

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

>At the Watering Hole Saloon, Desert Rose spent explained the current situation her frontier town was dealing with

>She told of the renegade buffalo tribe that had rejected the agreement between Appleloosa and Chief Thunderhooves' Tribe

>They would not tolerate the presence of Equestrian citizens on what they considered to be sacred land

>This rogue group had been conducting raids on vital trade routes between the fledgling frontier town and the rest of Equestria

>Supply stocks were beginning to dwindle and if these raids continued, they would soon be gone entirely

>"And that's where you folks come in. The Princesses saw fit to answer my request for help it seems in our most...dire, of circumstances."

>Mosina sat looking at her drink in contemplation

>"I don't understand, what are we supposed to do? If these buffalo weren't convinced when even Thunderhooves was, what more can WE tell them?" She asked

>Desert Rose finished her drink with an impressive swig

>"Well that's for us to put all our heads together and find out, now ain't it?"

>"You boys have any ideas?" Mosina asked, looking for some sort of guidance

>"I think that if we were supposed to reason with these buffalo, they'd have sent your uncle, Mosina." Hugo said

>Oblast, finishing his 4th glass of cider, belched loudly

>"The bird's right, I mean look at Stalliongrad, there's no reasoning with some folks. We'll probably need to force them to stop somehow."

>You couldn't believe what you were hearing

>The group has been here for barely an hour and there's already plans for another conflict?

"Didn't you you get enough of all that in Stalliongrad? There's got to be another way." You say

>Mosina looks over to you with a thankful smile

>You can read her lips as she mouths a grateful "thank you" for your reluctance to resort to force

>Desert Rose does not look so enthused

>"Well then sonny, what's your alternative?"

>This must be how all those hippies feel when asked how they're going to "change the world"

"Well..." You start, drawing a massive blank

"When's the last time anyone TRIED talking to them?"

>"'Bout a month ago, since then there's been three raids. What, you wanna try again?"

"Maybe they just need to talk to somebody different for a change, you know, a third party."

>The sheriff laughed heartily

>"Hooey, you're a funny one Anon. You really think they're gonna care who's asking them to kindly let us use land their consider "theirs"?"

>"Maybe they're just tired of talking to the same people, a different approach can't hurt to try right?" Mosina suggested

>"Well I hate to kill your enthusiasm but I reckon that's a waste of time. We've tried it and they ain't much for talkin'."

"I just think we should give it another try before we do anything rash."

>"Listen to the sheriff Anon, she's been in this situation longer than any of us. She should know what works and what doesn't." Hugo said

"The Princesses sent us to help, clearly that means that SOMETHING different is necessary."

>Hugo stood up from his seat

>"How dare you disrespect our host like that, you might as well be calling her incompetent."

>"Settle down there big boy, ain't no offense taken. Anon here just doesn't understand how things work 'round these parts."

>"I think he understands perfectly, and so do I. We want to try talking to these buffalo before we rush into something we might regret." Mosina said, putting a hoof on Hugo's shoulder to bring him down to his seat

>Desert Rose shifted her eyes between you and Mosina for a few moments, frowning

>In the blink of an eye, she's back to her cheery self

>"You know, maybe you two ARE onto something. Alright, ya got one shot. Tomorrow mornin' my deputy will take y'all to these bandit's camp and you can work your city charms on 'em."

>Mosina's eyes go wide

>"You mean, you're not coming with us?"

>"Heck naw, if they see me with y'all any shot at talking them down is goin' right out the window."

>The sheriff laughed at first, but slowed as she saw the four looks of "are you kidding me" plastered on your faces

>"Oh don't worry y'all gonna be fine. They don't attack folks, just our supply lines. Now let's get a move on, I'll show you where you'll be staying."

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

>For a dirt poor town, Appleloosa had some fine accommodations for visitors

>Despite your insistence, Desert Rose had graciously taken it upon herself to reallocate funds from other sources to put up the group in the town's finest bed and breakfast

>Originally planning to take up four of their six rooms

>Not wanting to accept too much unnecessary generosity from your host (the town's people, rather), Mosina declined to take up a fourth room

>Given that Hugo and Mr. Oblast were not too keen on sharing a room, you and Mosina would be bunking together it seemed

>Not that you minded

>With the sheriff gone, and the rest of the house asleep, the two of you are soon the only ones still stirring

>You lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling while Mosina pours over her notes on Buffalo culture

>"One chance? We just get here and they're giving us ONE chance to talk to the buffalo?" She says, fuming

"It doesn't seem right, does it?" You ask

>"Not at all. If they were going to give us one chance they could have at least given us time to properly prepare."

"Like you allowed us to properly prepare our baggage for this trip?" You joke, trying to lighten her mood

>With an audible groan, she covers her face with her notes

>"This isn't the time for jokes Anon. This is serious!"

>She flutters down and takes the space beside you

>"In a few hours this town and that entire tribe will be in our hands, and the sheriff doesn't seem to be taking this seriously at all."

"Yeah, it seems a little rushed doesn't it? Something doesn't sit right with me about all this."

>Sighing, Mosina puts her notes on the night stand and lays back, covering her eyes with her hooves

>"Anon, what are we going to do?"

>Her voice is trembling

>You can tell she's getting more worried about this by the minute

"We're going to go talk to these Buffalo, and we're going to find out what it'll take to make some peace around here."

>You put scratch her behind the ears, and you can feel the tension melt away

>You drag her closer to you, your arm around her

>She uncovers her eyes and looks at you

>Her eyes are shimmering

>"How are you so sure?"

"I've got faith in our fearless leader." You say, winking at her and ruffling her mane a bit

>She snorts as she laughs, burying her face in your shirt trying to muffle the sound

>God that's cute

>Soon, her laughter begins to subside and she lays her head on your shoulder

>"You always know exactly what to say Anon. I love that."

>You can feel your cheeks burning as the blood rushes to them

"Well, might as well make myself good for something what with Hugo having the tough guy angle cornered and Mr. Oblast being...Mr. Oblast."

>She looks at you with a riased eyebrow

>"You're good for a lot of things Anon."

"Yeah, I'm an excellent blood dispenser." You chuckle

>She rolls her eyes

>"Hugo and Mr. Oblast didn't take me into their home, Hugo and Mr. Oblast weren't there keeping me sane in the gulag, Hugo and Mr. Oblast didn't carry me out of that crater or bleed themselves for me in the middle of a battle." She said, repositioning herself to nuzzle your neck

>"And Hugo and Mr. Oblast don't know how to make me laugh when everything seems to be crashing down around me."

>Your face is on fire

"Yeah well, you know how I am."

>Suddenly, you hear a gurgling stomach beside you

>Mosina chuckles bashfully

>"It's uh, been a couple days."

"Didn't you get any blood on the train?"

>"I decided to let you sleep, it's okay, no need to worry."

"Oh no, we're not letting you go hungry again. Take whatever you need."

>She gives you a worried look

>"Are...are you sure?"

>You smile at her

>"I insist."

>Reluctantly, she shifts beside you and moves her mouth to your neck

>You shiver a bit as you feel her breath on your skin

>"This might pinch a little." She warns

"I've had shots before, I'll be fine." You say, trying to be reassuring

>"Okay Mr. tough guy." She chuckles nervously

>A moment later, you feel the pinpricks of her fangs as they plunge into your neck

>You grab the sheets of your bed as you adjust

>The suction is a strange feeling, but not really that painful

>Coupled with her warmth so close to you, it actually wasn't that bad at all

>You sit there for about a minute when Mosina finally breaks away, a satisfied gasp escaping her lips

>Reaching up and feeling your neck, two little holes are present, a small trickle of blood still escaping

>Noticing this, she give the small stream a quick lick, and grabs a tissue from off the night stand

>She dabs the spot carefully in silence

>For a few moments, the two of you just sit there as she cleans your neck up

>Finally, when she seems satisfied, she throws the tissue into the trash, and returns to your side

>At first, she nuzzles back into your shoulder

>But after a moment's thought, she pops back up and pecks you on the cheek

>"Thank you, Anon."

>Despite this probably having been one of the most invasive moments of your life, you couldn't help but feel a little warm and fuzzy about that

"Anytime..." you say, wrapping your arm around her once again and pulling her close

>You lay there for a while before finally, you both drift off to sleep

>As the sun begins to rise, a loud knock on the door stirs you from your sleep

>Mosina is still out like a light

>The door swings open, and in comes Mr. Oblast

>"Rise and shine comrades, the-oh my." He cuts himself off, feigning embarrassment as he spots Mosina cuddled up next to you

>"I can see you've got your hands full there, lover boy, sort yourself out and meet us downstairs for breakfast, the sheriff will be here in a half hour."

"Yeah, thanks Oblast." You groan as he snickers out of the room

>You peek down at Mosina, her head resting on your chest, snoring lightly

>Disturbing such a sight ought to be a crime, but there was business to be done

>Scratching her behind the ears, you attempt to wake up the slumbering bat pony

"Mosina, wake up...wake uuuuuup." You say, shaking her a bit

>"Hnngngng no grandmother I don't want any biscuits...huh, what?" She says, opening her eyes before quickly shielding them from the morning sun

>"Anon?"

"Well I'm not your grandmother." You laugh

>At first she looks confused, but then she face-hoofs

>"I was sleep talking, wasn't I?"

"Oh yes. Oblast says it's breakfast time."

>Mosina picks up her glasses and flutters toward the bathroom

>"Did he say what it was?"

"No, but don't worry, I'm sure they don't have biscuits."

>She turns and gives you a funny look

>"..Shut up."

>After scarfing down what you could in the meager amount of time you had, a carriage pulled up out front

>As the crew files out of the house, Desert Rose is waiting for you

>"Mornin' folks, hope y'all are ready to meet with the "finest" bunch of buffalo this side of Equestria."

>"We could really stand to take a couple days to learn more about this whole-"

>Desert Rose cut off Mosina with a dismissive hoof

>"Now now, we don't have all that kinda time. I'm sure y'all have done your research just as fine as we did."

>She turned back to the carriage

>"Now, I know I told y'all I wasn't able to come with ya, but I DID promise that one of my deputies would."

>Pointing toward the front of the carriage, you notice for the first time that it's being pulled by...

>A buffalo?

>"Fillies and gentlecolts, this here's Deputy Featherhoof. She joined our little town a few months back when her old tribe took off to the southlands."

>Featherhoof had the strong, dignified look expected of buffalo, but the pony style clothing in place of traditional dress just seemed...off

>"Well it's nice to meet you Featherhoof Mosina said, trotting over and extending a hoof for a shake

>"Likewise," she replied in a gruff voice

>"The sheriff tells me you all plan to talk this tribe down from their raiding, I think that it's a good idea."

>Desert Rose laughs out loud

>"Your sentimental feelin's toward these savages never ceases to amuse me, deputy."

>"Well, they ARE buffalo, sheriff. I can't be too hard on them."

>"And THAT is why I'm the sheriff, and you're the deputy. Gotta put the town before our personal loyalties don't we?"

>Featherhoof stared at the ground, suppressing a reply

>"Yes, of course sheriff. If you folks want to jump on into the carriage, I'll take you to the tribe's encampment."

>One by one, you each climb in

>Desert Rose steps up to close the side door

>"Now you folks be careful, if everything goes south, there ain't much we can do to help ya."

"But you said they didn't care about anyone but the traders heading here?"

>"As far as we know, that's correct. I forgot to mention we don't know too too much about these troublemakers."

"...Gee, thanks."

>The sheriff waves you off

>"Don't worry your pretty little head about it. Y'all have a safe trip!"

>And with that, Featherhoof sped forward, out of town and toward the horizon