Second Night in Equestria
Dark Desert outside Canterlot
 
>You try to answer, but all you can manage is to cough up more blood.
>Getting really close to that life or death quart.
>The white unicorn places her hoof over your hand, applying pressure to your chest wound.
>”Tavi, get over here. We have to... Is THAT Luna?!”
>The grey p0ne shakes Luna’s head, attempting to bring her around.
>She finally manages to rouse the unconscious Princess to.
>She jumps into an alerted state, startling her awakener.
>L:”WHO DARES KNOCK-EST WE UNCONSCIOUS?!”
>”Tavi, she’s up and looks fine, now help me with the one rapidly dying in my hooves!!”
>L:”OCT-! I, mean, Octavia. Where’s...?”
>Luna stares directly at you, catatonic.
>Octavia rushes to your side, followed by a frantic Luna.
>OT:”Vinyl, let me keep pressure, you fuse the wound shut.”
>Despite being in a world of agony, your subconscious picks up the names.
>Octavia and Vinyl.
>At this rate, you won’t be able to thank them.
>The violinist quickly places her hooves on your chest, allowing Vinyl to focus.
>The unicorn closes her eyes, blue waves emanating from her horn towards you.
>V:”Come on...”
>She pushes herself harder, her magic seeping into your open chest.
>It’s closing, but not completely.
>OT:”Vinyl-”
>V:”I know! I’ve never done anything like this before, especially on a different species.”
>Luna breaks from her frozen state, flashing to your side.
>L:”Don’t worry Anonymous. We’ll fix you right up.”
>Vinyl and Luna combine their efforts, their magic crossing and twisting into your body.
>Tissue re-attaches, muscle intertwining once more.
>Blood flows through you, no longer spilling out onto the dirt.
>A sharp intake of air lifts your chest, and you slowly release.
>OT:”He’s alive.”
>Vinyl falls back on her flank, breathing just as deeply.
>V:”That was something else...”
>One p0ny did not feel such relief however.
>L:”This is all my fault. I should have protected him.”
>OT:”With all do respect Princess Luna, you were up against an Ursa.”
>V:”Minor.”
>Luna spins her head to meet Vinyl’s eyes, locking the white unicorn in fear.
>V:”With all do respect. Princess Luna.”
>She ignores Vinyl, instead pacing back and forth in a worried fashion.
>L:”I must tell Celestia-”
>Nop0ny notices the once incapacitated human now standing behind them.
“Tell Celestia what, exactly?”
>L:”Anonymous...”
>You force yourself to move closer to her, despite the lancing pain shooting across your body.
“What do you have to tell her?”
>L:”Well, for starters, that you are ok, and that-”
“Wait wait wait... Is she the reason that you came after me? Did she put you on to me, to find out about me? And after all of this, you were going to report back to her?!”
>L:”Anonymous it’s not like that. I merely-”
>You stop yourself, controlling your fury that had driven you face to face with her.
>Let her speak.
>With great restraint, you breath calmly and clear your mind.
“Then what is it?”
>L:”I came here so that I could make sure you were alright. I wanted to find you, to help you. I stood before you, ready to protect you. And I... failed.”
>Your body refuses to move.
>Your eyes however, widen.
“Luna, I’m-”
>You didn’t notice it's raining.
>V:”Those pegasi, forgetting to clear the skies. I’m gonna have a word with Dash when I see her again.”
>Octavia holds her violin in one hoof above her head, though it's size limits it's ability to cover her.
>She taps her other hoof, her once perfect mane now drenched in water and lying flat on her body.
>OT:"We should really get moving."
>You and the Princess remain in place, locked by both tension and regret.
>Lightning crashes only 10 feet away, leaving a scorched crater behind.
>V:”Yo, everyp0ny. We need to leave, like now.”
>You break the stare first, turning away.
“She’s right. But does anyone even know where we are?”
>L:”You could not have gotten far from Canterlot. Sprinting as you may have been, you still could not have covered that much ground.”
“No. I don’t want to go back there.”?
>Octavia, despite her condition, perks up.
>OT:”How could you not want to stay in Canterlot? It’s full royalty and class.”
“Maybe you didn’t notice, I was drugged by somep0ny I thought to be my friend, betrayed by your ‘benevolent and just’ leader, and on top of all of that, I’m pretty sure they all hate me now. That is the last place I want to be right now.”
>OT:”But if you just-”
>L:”Ok Anonymous.”
>You didn’t even see her standing at your side.
>L:”Aside from Canterlot, the city close enough to us to be a reasonable travel is-”
>Vinyl pumps a fist, jumping as she does so.
>V:”Aw yeah, Manehatten!”
>Luna face-palms.?
>L:”Vinyl, Ponyville is closest, which is what I was going to say if you stopped INTERRUPTING WE!!!”
>She stands, unfazed by the Princess, which the same cannot be said for a certain grey  musician cowering behind you.
>V:”Hey, sorry Princess. But none of us live in Ponyville.”
“Vinyl, check yourself. Luna, didn’t we learn what can happen when you use that loud ass call to let everyp0ny know where we are?”
>Luna audibly sighs.
>The princess pulls you aside, away from the others.
>She leans in close, whispering in your ear.
>L:”She is right, though I don’t like to admit it. I would have no problem finding a place to stay in Ponyville, but for us all, I doubt anyp0ny can make that accommodation. Manehatten however is a much larger city, and not as... Dated... As Ponyville.”
>You rub the back of your head, shifting through your options.
>Fuck it.
“Alright Vinyl, we’ll stay with you.”
>V:”Yeah-”
“But, if we’re all going to be staying together, this-”
>You point to her and Luna.
“Needs to stop.”
>Silence is your only answer, and the four of you head off with Vinyl leading the way.
 
>You feel like you’ve been walking for what seems like eternity now.
>Vinyl said something about finding the train station so they could get out of this awful weather.
>With the cloud coverage blocking the sky, you are unable to see what the time of day is.
>And it’s still raining.
 
>Luna could be keeping it off of you all.
>She’s told you she not only controls the moon, but also has considerable control over clouds.
>In fact, she sometimes rides them.
>But, your last conversation with her left the both of you in quite a different position.
>Needless to say, she’s keeping to herself.
>Besides, you doubt she’s in any hurry to help Vinyl either.
>Speaking of Vinyl, she hasn’t said a word since you started moving.
>Well, the silence is getting to you, so you try to talk to the one p0ny that you think would actually respond.
>You shift your path, bringing your’s closer to Octavia.
“Hey Octavia.”
>She continues her futile attempt to hide underneath her much too small violin, keeping her gaze straight ahead.
>OT:”Anonymous.”
“I never really got the chance to thank you for saving me back there.”
>OT:”With what happened back there, I’m not surprised.”
>Your head hangs a little lower.
“Yeah... I-... It’s just been a long night. Especially for me.”
>OT:”Not just for you. We followed you from Canterlot, after you left us to save Derpy from her torment.”
>Your mind flows backward, remembering the scene at the party.
“That was you and Vinyl, with Rainbow Dash and Pinkie.”
>She nods, the action sending a waterfall down from her instrument onto her.
>You reflexively remove your jacket, and spread it out over her to shield her from the rain.
>She turns to you, smiling and-
>L:”Why thank you Anonymous!”
>Luna slipped into your jacket, donning the ME3 logo with a sneaky smirk.
“Luna-”
>L:”Yes?”
>Sigh.
“Never mind. Here Octavia.”
>You tug at your shirt, pulling it over your head and off your body.
>Temperature never really got to you, and you kinda love the feeling of the rain against your bare skin.
>Besides, your parents had taught you respect and chivalry, so there’s no way you are going to let her get drenched, or catch a cold.
>Can they even catch a cold?
>Disregarding your question, you hold your shirt above her, covering much more then her violin ever could have.
>OT:”Anonymous you don’t have to-”
“It’s fine, I don’t mind.”?
>On the plus side, this is the closest to a shower you’ve gotten here, seeing as you haven’t since your arrival.
>Is she...?
>She turns away from you.
>Vinyl slows her pace, bringing herself right next to Octavia and right underneath your makeshift cover.
>V:”Are you blushing Tavi?”
>So you were right then.
>OT:”No... It’s just... He’s...”
>V:”Making you feel..”
>Vinyl see’s your exposed skin as well, droplets of water falling down it.
>OT:”Uncomfortable?”
>You hear giggles, and turn to see Luna, who quickly holds her hoof up to stop herself.
>V:”Hey, it’s not like that Princess, it’s just he’s a new species and all, that’s it.”
>L:”Of course Miss Vinyl Scratch.”
>V:"Besides, I've seen you stealing glances and getting all flustered. What's that all about?"
>Well, at least they're all talking now.