An Apple Against Apples

by Prince Luna

Chapter 3

Whiplash has a pretty big cell. I asked him how he got one so big and he gave me a very stern look.
"I know you're not used to terms outside of your factory, Eden, but this is a 'house'." He explained.
He told me the differences between my cell and his house rather braggingly. He ruffled my mane and told me he meant no hard feelings. All the while he packed some old looking brown saddlebags whilst Silver Bullet sat at the table, already prepared wih cold looking metal saddlebags, looking at Whiplash. In her eyes she was focusing on him intently, but through her expression you could tell she was bored.
Grace slowly opened the door and walked in. She too had prepared some stylish and glittery navy blue saddlebags that looked rather overpacked.
"I did not know what to bring, Whiplash, so I brought a majority of anything I could find! Look! A medicine for hoof-rot or a herbal bandage! Oh yes! I also packed some healthy snacks!" She blabbered on for a bit about the wonders of her medical bag.
Whiplash came over to the table the rest of us were sat at and laid out a map. Grace slowly munched on a celery stick.
"Awright everypony. We're here in Appleloon right now." He pointed with his hoof at a green tick on the map, "These very thick grey lines are apple-factory borders. We must avoid them at all costs!"
It was strange. The factory lines were all connected to one another and even seemed to make the start of a shape. This was a small map though so I could hardly tell.
"Unfortunatley because of this, our best best is to go around the walls of the factories and keep our distance so to get to the shrine will take maybe a week at most. Maybe one and a half." He was talking exactly as if he knew what he was on about. I trusted him.
Whiplash had planned for us to reach the next town over, Applemills, within the next two to three days to meet a friend of his. He claimed he knew a fast route through a 'forest', so if we got going as soon as we could then we would reach Applemills in a day and a half.
"Is everypony good with this plan?" He asked.
"I'm certain with my input we can make it there faster." Nodded Silver Bullet.
"It would be best for my mind just to follow you, Whiplash, so that is what I shall do!" Grace said with a clap.
"Ahm ready fer the walkin' Ah guess." I said nervously.
Whiplash gave me a reassuring nod and put on some saddlebags like his around my torso.
***
We had just entered the forest, which was a large mass of greenery, not too soon after leaving. It's still supposed to be a while until the light in the sky turned off, I assume, but the forest is dark and cold. Grace walked closely to me, looking a little scared herself. She's a bit taller than me so she sort of overshadowed me, but I didn't mind. Having somepony close to me makes me feel safer, I think.
Whiplash stopped.
"Did you hear that?" He whispered.
Grace moved even closer to me, her torso touched mine gently.
"W-what?" I asked.
"Listen closely and make little noise." Whiplash whispered again.
I heard a sound coming from our left, from some of the greenery. Everypony looked towards it and the noise stopped. One of those things I hit the guards with made a sound just after that. An extension seemed to creep down closely. I saw a shadow but it quickly jumped towards me. No wait. Towards Grace! AH! What was that noise? A loud bang... Whatever the shadow was, it quickly dropped down in mid-air. I looked towards where the sound came from and there was Silver Bullet with a strange contraption floating infront of her. Her blue aura radiated over it and her horn. It looked strange, like the curve of a circle and made of metal. There was a ring with a little pushing-thing inside it and a hole at the other end.
"Nice work with the pistol, Silver!" Whiplash laughed.
"Never missed a shot. Never have." Silver Bullet gloated.
"Thank you very much!" Said Grace cheerfully, "That thing would have gotten me if it weren't for you!"
Silver Bullet smiled at Grace and we continued walking.
"I reckon that noise scared anything else trying to come for us." Commented Whiplash.
"Hey, so Silver Bullet, what IS that anyway?" I asked.
She laughed and started to explain what it was. She called it a 'weapon'. Apparently it...kills things. But she never used it for bad. Only protection. I felt reassured now that she could keep us safe with it. Then she said something that made me do something I had only done once before. Subconciously.
"You're a unicorn, Eden, can you use magic?" Silver Bullet asked.
"What now?" I returned a question.
"Alrighty. See that stick over there?" She said, pointing at something on the ground. I didn't know what it was.
"Yep. Ah see it." I replied.
"Concentrate on it. Put a little pressure to your head and breathe in. Aim your horn at it and think 'pick it up.'" She instructed.
I did as she told then, like with the guards, my horn began to glow yellow and so did the stick. I thought to myself 'pick it up!' several times and then it began to float. The ponies appluaded me.
"That's magic, Eden!" Silver Bullet explained, "You can do many things with it, like shoot a gun! I'll have to teach you some of my best tricks!"
Silver Bullet and Whiplash laughed. Grace giggled and I noticed we were still touching torsos. She seemed to notice this too and stepped away slightly and awkwardly, avoiding eye contact for a few seconds.
We approached a large circle where there were no trees or anything. Whiplash asked to borrow my bags. He rummaged through them and began to pull fabrics and metal out.
"Say, Eden, why don't you help put up the tents? We're sleeping out here tonight. It's dark now." Whiplash asked and commented.
"Ya mean usin' magic?" I asked.
"Of course! You and Silver can set up the tents. Grace and I will prepare a fire and food." He instructed,
"Oh! Oh! I shall get the tinned beans from my bag! They are scrumptious and healthy!" Grace shouted with joy.
Silver Bullet looked at me and smiled, she stood next to me and began to use magic. I tried it too and eventually we were both preparing the 'tents' with magic! I...I felt happy to be with people I could trust. I love to say it now! I smiled! For the first time ever, I SMILED!