Who... who're you? Don't come closer, I'm warnin' ya! She steps back, her eyes darting around, muscles tense.
Hey don’t worry I won’t hurt you
How can I be sure of that? I've been possessed for most of my life by an evil spirit named Aquila and I don’t want her back in me again, so just keep your distance please…
Can I ask you a few questions first?
Sure what do you wanna know?
First off, who are you? Second, how did you get out here into the wasteland? Third, why are you out here? Fourth, what's your name and last, where are you from originally?
2. I used the rifts network to travel out here after I escaped the ruins of what used to be Canterra. 3. I am just traveling, trying to avoid the Fae and find a safe place to live. 4. Silva, originally from Canterra, but my family was killed by raiders so I left. 5. I got caught in the middle of an attack by the fungalis when I first entered this world, and they infected me with their spawn which lives inside me still.
Well that sounds rough. Do you have a group? Like any friends or allies?
No, I don’t really have any friends or allies. I’ve managed to survive all this time on my own, but it gets lonely and scary at night…
Why would you want to help me? I’m just a stranger to you…
“Well sometimes you just gotta trust people”
That may be true, but not everybody deserves your trust. For example, the filly over there is possessed by a spirit named Aquila, she’s evil and wants to consume souls for herself, so maybe you shouldn’t trust everypony you meet. Just thought you should know… She points towards a young pony with one horn.
Oh yeah I turn toward the little unicorn, making sure to stay infront of shadow star, blocking her from behind
She takes a defensive stance and readies herself for combat. She keeps her eyes on the pony, waiting for her to make her move.
Hey sweetie over here~ I start walking forward slowly while looking over at the occupied little onesieI sneak up to her suddenly and whisper loudly behind her ear HEY SWEETIE OOOO the pony falls forward a bit before she can raise her head and see me, she is startled at first but soon seems amused by my silly antics. She is confused about why she is suddenly free, but is too happy about it to question it.
She lowers her weapon and watches the girl with curiosity and suspicion. How did you do that?
Well, whenever I’m around ponies I like to trick them into trusting me, then I take the possessions out and the pony becomes free. I smile as the little one giggles and hops around
Oh, wow, that’s amazing. So, what happens to the possessing spirit after the pony is free?
I sigh lightly I’m not entirely sure honestly, I think they just move on into another host, so it’s almost like an endless cycle, but for some reason I still stick around even after freeing them.
How long have you been doing this?
For roughly a year and a half now, I’ve had to learn fast. My family was taken from me by raiders near Canterra when I first traveled through the rifts, it wasn’t till I met a weirdo survivor that told me what had happened and showed me how to keep myself protected
It must’ve been hard to lose your family. What were their names?
There names were Justin, Angela, Helena and James.
It’s gonna be tough losing your loved ones, but in time you’ll get used to it. Just try to remember all the good times you had together. She smiles sadly, remembering her own family and friends that she had lost to Aquila’s power.
I don’t really remember anything, I was only two when it happened, so all I remember is seeing their weapons flashing before everything went black.
I see, well, if you ever need someone to talk to, or help defend yourself from raiders, I’m willing to lend you a hoof. I’m used to fighting them off from when I was possessed by Aquila, she made me kill for her all the time…
Thank you…. I’ll take you up on your offer, I guess I could use some sort of self defense lessons..
Sure, we’ll start with the basics. First, you need to learn how to use a weapon like a spear or a dagger. Both are useful in different situations. A spear is better for ranged attacks and keeping enemies away from you, but a dagger is better up close and personal. Once you’re comfortable with that, we can move onto more advanced tactics. She walks over to a fallen tree limb and hands it to Silva. Here, start with this.
I take the stick and look at it for a few momentsi pretend to stab through the air and move it around a lot, like an army would do in combat I sigh and look over at shadow star, smiling softly while looking into her eyes. thanks shadow star…I gently put the branch down so that the tip faces towards her can you show me how to do it, so I can practice later…?
Of course, first I’ll teach you the proper grip for holding the spear. She reaches out and holds the spear firmly, showing Silva how she grips it. She demonstrates how to hold the spear at different angles, how to lunge, slash and jab with it. Remember to always keep your back away from any potential targets, and if you need to run away, do it quickly and don’t look back.
Ok…. I think I got that. Thank you for teaching me how to use a spear.
Alright, next step will be learning how to defend yourself without a weapon. The most important thing is staying alert and aware of your surroundings at all times. Pay attention to the sounds, sights and smells around you. Trust your instincts and don’t be afraid to run away if you feel like something is wrong. She raises her head and looks around, sniffing the air, listening intently for any signs of danger.
My old military skills kick in as I also start sniffing the air and watching everything around us. I jump slightly as I spot a giant moniter lizard running across our line of sight. And because it’s large size, the ground shakes where it walked ooh, never saw those here before. But they taste great. Uh, did you notice that? Did you see it too? Or am I going crazy?she looks back with wide eyes, a bit worried about going crazy from stress
No, you’re not going crazy. They do exist in these lands, and they are big. They aren’t normally aggressive, but they can be dangerous if provoked. If you need to fight one, aim for the eyes or the neck. Just be careful not to get too close, they have sharp claws and teeth. Now, let’s practice running away from them. She grabs Silva’s hoof and starts running in the opposite direction of where the lizard went. Quick, let’s go!
With her help, I began to sprint with her away from the monitor lizard. As she kept me moving and safe, I looked to the side at her and sighed, appreciating her efforts at helping me out despite not knowing each other. Wait. Shadow Star…I uh, thanks. That’s all I said before I pulled her into a quick and powerful hug, wrapping her arms tightly around her back. After a moment I relaxed my embrace and looked back down at her. I don’t mean to act like a dork… I just don’t meet many people. Thanks again, for being cool…
No problem, it’s my pleasure. Don’t worry, I don’t mind it at all. I understand what it’s like to feel alone in this world. We all need friends and allies to help us through the tough times. So if you ever need someone, you know you can count on me. And remember, you’re never dorky, just genuine. She smiles warmly, and wraps her forelegs around Silva in a hug as well.