Hearthfire The Sands Of Time

by Predman1227

Chapter 17:Home away from home

Chapter 17:Home away from home

Location: Rest Pit inn

Time: 16/7/2030

Summer Haze’s journal (First person)

Where should I begin ha it’s been a while since I writ in this thing. Well my spelling isn’t all that great but when it comes to my ju…jurnal no journal that’s it. Today is my fourteenth birthday and well…Oh I love it but at the same time I don’t. See only Lilly, Tim and a select few know what I really am and I can’t well be myself with everpony else around. It sucks I hate it, not even my best friend Sapphire knows. I got privet lesions form the villege’s school, yes I went to school here. I was always…well too afraid of the other kids till I met Sapphire. She came into my privet lesion one day and well she was nice to me and after that I started going into the main classes. But I’m still afraid. I guess I’m just not ready yet or is the world’s not ready for me? I don’t know anymore. Theran tells me to buck up in his mean sorta way but he dose mean well, he just doesn’t have to be an ass about it is all. Violet is better though she’s always nice to me and is well like my Mum almost but I never tell her that. Anyway I hope today will be awesome. Bye Mr journal.

Summer Haze

Haze put her pen down and closed her journal, stuffing it back under her pillow. She let out a sigh. “Glad I got that off my chest.” She said to herself. She lay on her stomach completely nude on her bed. She lay there comfortable buzzing her long bug like wings in happiness. She had changed a lot since her filly days. Now she was almost as big as Violet. Her fur had also grown back over time but it wasn’t tan it was black and it didn’t grow back on her scale plated chest. She rolled onto her side and let out a big yawn as she stretched all her legs. Her bed ridden mane stuck out everywhere on the bed as she let out a soft sigh. It hadn’t been long since she woke up so she figured she could sneak in a few more hours. She magically pulled her covers back on and snuggled up to keep warm. The room she was in was the same room Theran had rented six years ago and now it was heirs. The Pegasus who used to own the place passed away some how which was sad but Haze got a free room out of it so…

Since his passing, Lilly and Tim who are happily married now decided to take over and run the place as their very own inn. Violet and Theran had their own rooms as well but Theran hadn’t been in the inn for a few days now but Haze wasn’t worried. He was pretty much indestructible and he always came back. So this was no different except that Violet still didn’t know Theran couldn’t die and he made Haze promise not to tell her. To this day she hasn’t broken her promise cause she was good that way, and cause she feared if she did Theran would punch a hole in the wall or something.

She yawned, her face all warm from sleep and now she was just about to drift back off into a nice, quiet. Suddenly load thumping sounded at the door and Haze sat up with a frightened yelp. “Summer, Summer Haze you awake yet?!” It was Violet’s voice and Haze sighed.

“Um, oh no I totally wasn’t asleep in any form or fashion!” She yelled to the door.

“Can I come in?!” Violet asked from the other side of the door.

“No!” Haze yelled in reply. She paused then added. “Just uh…just give me a minute!”

“Haze I know you’re still in bed, now come on let me in!” Haze sighed and from her bed she used her magic to unlock the door, a trick Theran had shown her and opened it.

Violet came walking in with a happy stride and closed the door behind her. Violet hadn’t changed much over the years. Her mane style was the same her big happy smile was the same. The only thing that was different was her clothes and the armour she wore. Wait she had her armour on, that meant something. Her armour was less than Theran’s. The only bits that were made of steel was her chest plate, a single plate in the middle on her back and all the way down her left foreleg. The rest of it was made of reinforced brown leather and she had a long sword which Theran showed her how to use.

Violet smiled at Haze though she had one eyebrow raised. “What?” Haze asked, shrugging her shoulders and spreading out her forelimbs.

Violet’s smile widened a little. “You’re hair is just a mess hehe.” She covered her mouth as her face scrunched up, trying to hold in her laughter.

Haze gave her an unimpressed look. “It’s not that funny.” She stated with a buzz of her wings.

Violet shook her head still holding back. “No really look in the mirror.”

Haze sighed and rolled out of bed ungracefully. Her hole ridden hooves touched the wooden floor with a clunk and she looked into the bed side mirror. Her mane was all over the place, curly in some places and tangled in others. “Ok…” Haze admitted with a roll of her eyes. “You’re right it’s a mess.”

Violet came up from Haze’s left side and wrapped her right foreleg comfortably around Haze’s neck. “Yeah you got some work to do there missy and oh I got something for you.” She pocked Haze on the nose and Haze looked at her with a beaming smile.

“Oh oh what is it, is it a cookie?” Haze asked excitedly.

“Close your eyes.” Violet said playfully. Haze closed her eyes. “Put out your hooves.” Haze did so and an object was placed there. “Now open them.”

Haze opened her eyes and want lay in her hooves was… “It’s…it’s a hair brush?”

Violet smiled with delight. “You kept saying your old one was getting rubbish so I got you a new one. Well what do you think?”

Haze looked at the brush. It was black with a green band wrapped around it. Haze’s heart sank but she tried not to show it. “It’s great…just what I wanted.”

Violet seemed to detect the bitterness in Haze’s voice and her smile faded. “What’s the matter Haze, you don’t like it?”

Haze instantly regretted her bitterness and gave Violet a reassuring touch on the shoulder. “No no no no Vi it’s fine I love it.” She gave her a hug. “It’s just what I needed thank you.”

Violet returned the hug with her own. She spoke in a very knowing way. “There’s more to this. Come on sweetie what’s bothering you?”

Violet knew Haze all too well and knew when she wasn’t telling the whole story. She let go of Violet and looked at the mirror again. She gazed into her own green eyes and said. “What am I Violet? What am I supposed to be? Cause I look at myself and…I don’t see me I see…I see…” She trailed off.

“See what?” Violet asked in concern.

Haze glanced at Violet before looking at the floor. “That’s the thing I don’t know…I don’t know what I’m looking at. What am I?” Her voice raised in pitch a bit and she stopped. She took some deep breaths to clam her nerves. “I’m sorry Vi I’m…I’m just a mess right now can…can I clean myself up please?”

Violet gave her a sad smile and nodded. “Ok I’ll leave you be.”

She turned away but before she could move Haze reached out at the last second and held her there. “Wait…” She said as she remembered something. “I noticed you’re wearing your gear. What’s going on?”

Violet’s smile brightened as she said. “I got a letter from Theran. He want’s us to meet him on the road so I wouldn’t take too long.”

Haze’s eyes light up at the sound of that. “Really what else did he say?”

Violet shrugged. “Just that we’re to pack up our things and meet him somewhere on the road.”

Haze felt her excitement build but… “Wait a minute how did you read Theran’s hoof writing?” Violet through out the years went to the same little school in the village Haze went to everyday. She didn’t know how to read or write, she didn’t even know about things like tap water. She had been a slave nearly as long as she remembered and was never taught anything except how to survive. Today she knew a lot more than she did six years ago but she still had a long way to go. The only word she truly knew how to spell and write was her own name, everything else was trial and error.

Violet pointed at the door. “Lilly read it for me, uh here you can have a look at it if you want.” She pulled the said letter out of one of her pouches and gave it to her. “Now clean up and get dressed, the others want to see you before we leave.”

“We’re leaving today?” Haze asked in confusion.

“Just read the letter.” Violet stated. “I’ll be waiting down stairs.” Haze let go of Violet’s hoof and she walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Haze stared at the door for a moment before looking at the letter in her hooves. It was already open but on the front it said “From Theran.” And it was in his hoof writing so it wasn’t a fake. She opened it up and read what was inside. “To Violet and Haze. If you two are reading this I am somewhere in the south border of Rest Pit. I want you two to pack up. It’s about time you got to see the world so again meet me at the south of Rest Pit. Oh and Haze, can’t wait to show you what I got for you.” The letter ends there.

Haze huffed. It was like Theran to leave her wondering, like it was some sort of game to him. “Well I’m game.” Haze thought in excitement. Finally after six years they were going to actually go somewhere new. She put the letter and brush down on the bedside table and went to the bathroom. The room hadn’t changed much it was still it’s same old self, with a wooden bathtub, a sink and a bucket in the corner. “Yep…” Haze thought, looking around, “Same old same old.”

She went to the sink and looked in the mirror there. She still looked half asleep so with her magic she floated a plug over, put it in the sink and turned the water on. She used both hot and cold to keep the water at a level temperature. Then she turned them off and got a cloth, put it in the water then dabbed her face. The water was nice and warm on her fur as she felt herself waking up more. She then looked at the mirror again and eyed her reflection. Every time she saw that face it was like looking at a stranger, she could think of it any other way. She closed her eyes, focused and when she opened then again she was staring at herself, the way she used to look like. She tilted her head at herself and smiled, showing her fangless teeth. She then frowned slightly. That smile reminded her of something, something long gone. When she thought long and hard about it she came to a conclusion. When she looked at herself like this she didn’t actually see herself, she saw her mother. A green line flashed across her body and she was back to what she looked like before. The fangs were back and she closed her mouth, hiding them. She looked away from the mirror with a heavy feeling in her heart. Her breathing was a little deeper as she composed herself, wiping away her tears and making little sniffling sounds. After a minute she was fine again like nothing happened and she got to wetting her mane.

…

Once she had finished drying off her mane she went back into the bedroom and sat at the other mirror. She spent about two minutes brushing her mane and tail till it was neat. She always liked her mane short on the top and long at the bottom but not too long, it only just touched her shoulders. She always had holes in her mane though which she found odd but she didn’t complain. She then got her clothes on which were neatly folded on the couch. She put her dark brown shorts on first. There was a gap with buttons so she could get her tail in and then button it back up. Then there was her light brown hoodie with short sleeves. It had holes cut in the back for her wings. Then lastly there were her leg wrappings. She hated the way her hooves looked and when she wasn’t disguised she didn’t want others to see them. When she was done wrapping up her hooves she slid light brown leg warmers on to keep the wrapping in place. After getting dressed she got her dark green saddle-bag and went into her wardrobe. She didn’t have much, just a few books, a wooden toy dragon and her favourite, an old pirate hat. She put them all in her bag and lastly after strapping her bag on did she get a dark brown cape and put it over her back. This was to hide her wings. She made the bed and went to the door. She took one last look at the room, checking to see if she forgotten something. Her hairbrush and her journal. She magically floated them over, neatening up the pillow again and stuffed them in her bag under her cape. Satisfied she opened the door and went out into the hall.

Upon leaving the room she heard many ponies down stairs. She walked over to the railing and looked down. The place was bustling with activity. Ponies of all races and ages gathered around the tables, having drinks, food and chatting with each other. She smiled till she realised she wasn’t in disguise. Everyone around here knew her as the tan coated, blue haired girl. She back off and quickly flashed a wave of green magic and she was what everypony knew her to be. She had learned to control her transformations better over the years. Now she didn’t bust into green flame, just a green line that ran across her body in a blink of an eye. She slowed her breathing and composed herself once more before heading down the stairs at the side. Almost instantly Haze was greeted by Lilly and her mother Mrs Everfree at the bottom of the stairs.

“Summer!” Lilly called out with delight. “Look at ya all grown up, oh it only feels like yesterday ya was just a little filly with that same big smile.” Lilly was slightly taller now but her curly mint mane, light blue fur and golden eyes were pretty much the same. Except for the large bump on her stomach. She was at least five months pregnant now with her first ever child and she looked happy as ever maybe even happier.

“Ah still can’t believe you’re now the same age as ma daughter was working here six years ago. Now look at her almost ready to have her first child.” Mrs Everfree said with delight, hugging her daughter with her motherly embrace.

“Mum you can stop it now we all get it, Tim gets it we’re having a baby no big surprise.” Lilly’s mother hadn’t shut up about the baby thing ever since it was first realised. Haze was thankful she didn’t live with Mrs Everfree. As nice and kind as she was, she is well…annoying when it came to children.

Mrs Everfree then looked at Haze with her big blue eyes. “You know if you play ya cards right in the next six years you could end up like Lilly here. Wouldn’t that be exciting?”

Haze blushed slightly when she realised what she was getting at. “Oh um…haha yeah um maybe not ha I’m not into that sort of thing eh uh.” She felt so awkward right now it was terrible.

Lilly gave her mum a light punch on the shoulder for that. “Mum stop that right now she’s just a kid.” Lilly’s mum rolled her eyes and Lilly went back to talking with Haze. “Anyway am so happy for ya Summer ya come a long way since six yeas ago. Oh and before ah forget here you go.” She hovered over a small sack and gave it to Haze.

Haze could smell something coming from the sack and her eyes widened. “No…is that…”

Lilly opened it slightly and let her see inside. “Ya favourite, Ah baked the is morning.”

Inside the sack was a load of chocolate chip cookies. “Oh my g…thank you.” She gave Lilly a hug.

Lilly had to balance herself from the added weight put on her but she managed. “Ya most welcome sweetie. Now don’t eat them all in one go or ya’ll get a tummy ach.” She looked around. “Well Ah best be getting back to work now, so many costumer so little time haha.” She moved off through the crowd of ponies, nearly all of them giving her space as she walked.

Haze looked at Mrs Everfree as she watched her daughter with a smile then looked at Haze. She offered a Hug. “Take care of ya self Summer.”

Haze accepted the hug and replied. “You too.” And then they parted ways, going off in different directions. Haze squeezed through the many ponies in her way till she was able to see the door. She saw Violet sitting over there waiting for her with her big sword. She was about to approach her when out of nowhere Sapphire popped in front of her with a missive grin.

“Hay there Haze, happy birthday!” She yelled over the crowd.

Haze almost jumped out of her skin and she took a step back. “Sapphire you startled me.” Haze said holding her hoof to her chest. She almost lost her concentration there on her disguise.

Sapphire was a darkish grey Pegasus with a dark blue oversized long mane and dark red strawberry eyes. She was wearing her light purple jacket, which looked Heartland made, dark purple shorts and dark purple leg warmers. She was also a year younger than Haze but she was much taller, nearly as tall as Theran. She looked at Haze with an intense stare, a stare she uses when she wanted to get a reaction out of her. She also hopped slightly on the floor. “What ya doing?” Sapphire asked in her playful way.

Haze wasn’t sure what to say, she was leaving the village soon possibly for a long time and she didn’t know what to tell her best friend. “I uh um…”

Sapphire beat her to it when she noticed all the stuff she was wearing. “You don’t usually wear that much.” She pocked Haze’s side and felt the bag under there. “Is that a bag? Are you going somewhere? OH can I come, can I can I?”

“No Sapph!” Haze said sternly taking Sapphire off guard. “I’m…I’m going away…maybe for a long time.” She couldn’t look Sapphire in the eye it was too painful. “Maybe…possibly forever.”

Sapphire stared at her with a look of utter shock. “Wait what?” She didn’t understand and Haze didn’t blame her. “But we’re…we’re mates you…you can’t just…”

Haze cut her off. “I’m sorry Sapph but this is the way it’s has to be.” She didn’t look at her she couldn’t. “Good…goodbye.” She walked past her quickly and kept on going. Not looking at her friend’s mortified face. She felt like a complete idiot. “Why did I say that?” Haze thought to herself, her guilt building up. “That could have gone so much better.”

Haze was at the door and Violet saw her. “Hay there you are.” She stood up with a smile. “You ready to go?” Her smile faded when she noticed Haze’s down cast look. “Hay sweetie what’s wrong?” She asked in concern.

Haze glanced back in the direction of Sapphire but she was already gone. “Nothing let’s just…” She sighed sharply wanting to get away from this awkward moment. “Let’s just leave ok.”
…

Violet

Violet held one of the front doors open and let Haze walk out. She then followed quickly behind her, closing the door. It was chilly outside but she felt her awareness spike when she breathed in the cool morning air. She let out a soft sigh as her hooves sank into the sallow snow. “Come on Haze this way.” She stated and gestured for her to follow. Haze walked beside her, her gaze fixed on the ground. Violet wondered what was wrong with her. She should be happy they were going to go on an adventure. An adventure with Theran, oh the very thought was exciting. She shook her head. She was going off the topic she wanted to talk about. “So, you gunna tell me what’s bothering you?”

Haze glanced at her with a moody look. “Nothing’s bothering me.” She said, not making eye contact.

Violet raised an eyebrow at that flat out lie. “Haze I know when you’re lying.”

Haze looked at her and made eye contact this time. “Oh…” Haze exclaimed. “How do you know when I’m lying?”

Violet gave her a smug grin. “I know cause you always avoid eye contact when you do and you scrunch your nose up too.”

Haze looked away and scrunched her nose up. “No I don’t.”

“Ah ha see you just did it.” Violet pointed out.

“Did not.” Haze protested still looking away and scrunching her nose.

“Did too.” Violet said with a smug smile.

“Did not!” Haze yelled.

“Did too!” Violet also raised her voice.

“Did not!” Haze yelled again.

“Did too and no come backs.” Violet said as quickly as she could manage.

“Aw man.” Haze said with a pout then mumbled. “I hate it when she dose that.”

Violet claiming her victory asked. “So, you gunna tell me now what’s bothering you?”

Haze waited a moment then let out a big sad sigh. “It’s…it’s Sapphire. I ran into her in the inn.”

Ah now it made sense to Violet now. She felt a ping of regret as she asked. “What uh, what did you say to her?”

Haze looked at the ground as they walked. “I…I said mean things to her. I said I’d be gone forever.”

Violet felt a little shocked. “You did what…Haze why did you say that? We might not even be gone that long.”

“You should have told me that before, now she hates me.” Haze accused.

Violet’s eyes widened in surprise. “Hay don’t blame me for this it’s not my fault. You just…chose the wrong words. I’m sure when we get back she’ll forgive you.”

“I’m not so sure.” Haze said hopeless. “I might have just wrecked my friendship with her now.”

“Oh buck up she’ll be fine. I don’t get it with you teenagers and you’re weird things.” Violet didn’t understand all this falling out making up crap. When she was a teenager and at that time she was a slave she and her friends always yelled at each other but they never fell out. They had to work together to survive no matter what. There was none of this worrying if something they said something that made them hate each other or not. They had to be friends weather they liked it or not. But she had to remember out here it was different. Everypony grow up in different ways and had different views on things. Sometimes those views didn’t see eye to eye.

She looked at Haze and found she was still upset. Violet felt a little bad for what she said. She forgot that this sort of stuff was a dig deal to them and that she shouldn’t mock it. She sighed and was about to say something when her left shoulder flared up with pain. She winced loudly and Haze noticed with concern in her voice she asked. “Vi you ok?”

She rolled her shoulder backwards till she felt it click and the pain stopped. “It’s nothing Haze it’s just my shoulder playing up again.” Even after so much time had past her shoulder never did properly heal and now and then it flares up. Sometimes it’s just annoying, other times it’s really painful.

Violet noticed Haze was looking at her armoured shoulder. “Do you think it will ever get any better?” She asked.

Violet shook her head. “I’m not sure Haze, I don’t thing it ever will.”

They were silent after that, walking to the south of Rest Pit. Rest Pit was actually a big place, the village may be small but its territory was large, spanning the length of a few miles. There was also Legion soldiers patrolling the roads but they were small and were rarely seen. They had walked for a while now and saw no one. “Where’s Theran?” Haze asked in a bored tone.

Violet looked around as they kept on walking. “I don’t know but you know what he’s like, loves surprising us.” She thought of Theran for a bit. It had been a few days since she last saw him and she had been worried till she got the letter. She wished he had been more specific on where they were meeting. He could be anywhere out here on this road and it was leading into an evergreen forest as long as the eye can see. They stopped for a moment as they peered into the thick gloomy forest. “Well…” Violet said as she squinted her eyes. “We’re not over the border yet so we need to keep going.”

“Keep going?” Haze asked in disbelief. “In there?”

Violet looked at Haze’s concerned expression and just rolled her eyes. “Oh stop being such a silly filly. You’re fourteen now you shouldn’t be afraid to walk in a forest in daylight.”

Haze looked at her with a disapproving frown. “Just because I’m fourteen now doesn’t mean it will stop a Timber wolf from biting my flank.” She protested in a witty way.

Violet raised her right eyebrow at that and smiled. “Well if a Timber wolf dose sneak up on us I got this to deter it.” She tapped her sword happily. The sword she carried was a standard steel long sword no bigger than her foreleg. It was meant to be use in her mouth but Theran had taught her to hold it in her hooves and how to balance herself on two legs while using it. The technic was unnatural for ponies and it hurt but Violet was strong enough to manage. She looked at the forest again. “Ok..” Violet said, puffing up her chest. “Let’s go.”

They began walking again and Haze huddled up close to Violet. She was so cute when she freaked out like this. It made Violet laugh inside. But she had to admit Haze did have a point. She had heard roomers about this forest. How large beasts, bandits and Timber wolfs stalker in its shadows. But none of that scared Violet. She could kill Timber wolves with ease and if they ran into bandits she deal with them as well. Ever since her slave days Violet was taught how to fight and kill if necessary and the drug she used to be hooked on gave her well defined muscles. In short Violet can hold her own in a fight pretty well, though it had been some time since she ever had to fight. She might be a bit rusty but only time will tell. “How much longer do we need to walk now?” Haze asked, looking around in worry.

Violet sighed. “Still a bit.” Violet raised her eyebrow again when she noticed Haze was still in her disguise. “Why are you still looking like that? We’re out of the woods so to speak.”

Haze caught on to her pun and Violet smiled. “That wasn’t even remotely funny.” Haze stated unimpressed.

Violet tilted her head in Haze’s direction and said in a happy, playful voice. “You haven’t answered the question.”

Haze looked confused, not at the question but at herself. Her eyes moved from side to side in thought like the answer was so hard to grasp. But before she could answer the question something rustled in the trees to their right. Haze jumped in fright and Violet gripped her sword hilt. “What was that?” Haze asked, her eye wide open.

Violet eyed the trees for movement and pricked up her ears to catch even the slightest hint of sound. Violet was starting to think it was just a bird but something cracked in one of the trees and not long after that something snapped. A dark grey Pegasus with a long blue mane and purple clothing fell out of the trees and face planted the ground in front of them. Violet couldn’t believe her eyes. “What the hell!” She swore.

Summer Haze

Haze moved closer as she just realised who it was. “Wait hang on a minute, Sapphire?!” Haze exclaimed breathless.

Sapphire lifted her head up dizzily with a derpy expression and said groggily. “Howdy Hazey doo looy.” She shook her head and looked confused at her own words. “Wait wa?”

Haze felt her anger rise and she felt her face heating up. “Were you following us Sapph?” She demanded.

Sapphire sat up and rubbed her aching nose. “Uh no…maybe.”

Haze just stared at her dumbfound. All this time she had been following them. She sat down, raised her hooves above her head and yelled. “Why?! I told you, you can’t come and…”

Sapphire cut her off as she began to speak very matter a factily. “Yeah I know what you said and you know what I say, no.” She stood up and put her hoof on her chest. “I don’t take no for an answer you know that so are you really surprised I’m here?”

Violet stepped in before Haze could speak. “Well now you can go back to Rest Pit. Where we’re going is no place for a young mare like you.”

Sapphire took offence to that and fluttered her wings in annoyance. “That is the biggest load of bullshit I’ve ever heard.”

“Sapphire!” Haze yelled in disappointment. “That’s rude.”

“I don’t care.” Sapphire shot back to Haze. “You only just turned fourteen and suddenly you can go into dangerous far off places but I can? Come on what makes me coming out here any different from you coming out here huh?”

“The difference is Sapphire…” Violet chimed in again. “Is Haze has somepony to look after her out here. You don’t. See the difference?”

Sapphire frowned in anger and flapped her wings. “Hay I can take care of myself.”

“Oh…” Violet said smugly. “Do you now. Well then, tell me which of these plants are safe to eat?” Violet pointed at many different plants of verses shapes and colours around them.

Sapphire looked around then pointed at a random plant. “That one.”

Haze followed her hoof and saw a green flower with red leaves at its stem. Violet also looked then eyed Sapphire with a “are you kidding me look.” “Sapphire…that plant is highly poisonous. If eaten its effects are vomiting, direya, organ failure then death.” She gave Sapphire a stern look.

Sapphire stared back at her till her eye twitched and she flopped to the ground. “Please!” She begged. “Don’t make me go back I can’t stand it there.” She looked up at Haze. “It’s so boring, the other kids are mean and my Mum doesn’t give a shit about me. Please Haze I’m begging you don’t leave me there it’s not worth enduring without you.”

Haze felt so helpless. As her friend looked up at her with her eyes all big Haze felt pressure start to build in her head. Haze cared about her but that was the thing. What if they ran into danger and she got hurt or worse. Haze looked at Violet who looked deep in thought herself. “I…” Haze began to speak. “I…I don’t know I…” What was she doing, had she forgotten that the Barrierland had danger around every corner? She had seen it time and time again back when she was 8 years old. It was a natural thing here so she guessed Sapphire was as safe as she was going to get regardless of where she was.

Violet looked at Haze. “Whatever you decide Haze I’ll roll with it regardless of how I fell. She’s your friend after all.”

Haze looked down at Sapphire and shed a tear. “I’m so sorry Sapph.” She lay down and hugged her friend tight. “I shouldn’t have been so mean.” She sniffed. “Of course you can come.”

Sapphire hugged her back and squeaked with delight. “Oh thank Haze thank you.” They got up and let each other go. “Why was that so hard to say? You know I can handle myself.”

Haze wiped her eye and sniffed again. “Sorry I just…I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

Sapphire patted Haze on her right shoulder and said with a beaming smile. “We’re in the Barrierland silly, ponies always get hurt.”

“Ok!” Haze thought. “That sounded a lot less worse in my head.” Haze smiled and was actually glad Sapphire was coming with them. A least now she would always have somepony to talk to who wasn’t awkward or mean.

“It’s settled then.” Violet stated and offered her hoof. “Welcome to the group Sapphire.”