Of Mice and Mares

by TyHunter

Chapter 3

The sun was setting now, leaving it's last rays of light upon the ranch and farm. Ponies were walking back to their respective bunkhouses in groups of 2's or 3's. The sky was turning a dark orange brown color, and the light made the dirt look the same way. The air was slightly calmer now, the stems of the carrots no longer dancing in the wind.
Applejack and Cloudchaser walked into their bunkhouse together. Applejack had went out with the workers, to have some company other than Fluttershy, but to also learn about what she would be doing the next day. Cloudchaser switched on a tin-shaded electric lamp, and the light burst through the top, fillin most of the room, but leaving the corners still dark. Applejack sat on a crate and Cloudchase sat opposite of her. She started shuffling the deck of cards in front of her.

"Don't worry about it none." Cloudchaser said, "Nopony usually goes out there with them rabbits anyways, glad they've got some company."

Applejack said, "It wasn't nothin' ta' you, maybe, but to her it was a hell of a lot. Hail Celestia, I bet she's gonna try and sleep out there with 'em."

"It wasn't nothin'." Cloudchaser said. "You were right about her though. She might not be too smart, but she stayed all day cleanin' the rabbit pens and feedin' 'em all. Hell of a worker if you ask me."

"Yeah, Flutters' is always tryin' to help out animals. It's like she can talk to 'em or somethin'."

Outside, a few doors closed as the last of the light from the sun left the farm. Luna now had control of the night, filling the windows of the bunkhouse with beautiful twinkling stars.

Cloudchaser set the deck of cards down, and leaned back a bit. "I think it's odd how you two tag along with each other. Not bad, just different."
"Well, what's different about it?" Applejack said defensively.

"I don't really know. Just, none of the ponies around here tend to keep friends for too long. They come, they work, then they leave. It's just odd to see two ponies care for each other as much as you two do."

Applejack sat back also. She closed here eyes, and thought.

"I was born in Ponyville. One day while I was walking through the woods, I heard this little filly crying, and I ran to her. Mind you, I was only a filly ma'self. And there, in a little clearing, was Fluttershy. Said somethin' about how she fell from Cloudsdale, and some butterflies saved her. Nopony's been lookin' for her, so she's been travelin' with me since."

"So she ain't got no parents or nothin'?"

"Not that we know of. Done forget everything before fallin' out the sky."

"Ohh."

"We used to have a lotta fun." Said Applejack. "We used to go fishin' and she would cry whenever we caught one, because she thought the hooks hurt the fish. I'd have to sit down with her for damn near an hour to calm her down. Used to play pranks on her with my friends, and she would always laugh good-hearted. She was a real good sport." Applejack's tone changed to one of confession now. "I used to be pretty mean to her. Especially because she can hardly fly."

Cloudchaser turned her eyes toward Applejack. Applejack just looked down at the ground, and began speaking again.

"One day, we was hangin' out with some of my friends in the Everfree, kind of by the river. We was on a big ol' cliff, and at the bottom, there was water. A little outlet from the river that was real calm, and we used to swim there. Well, my friends kept asking me why Fluttershy wasn't flyin' nowhere with us. I said she just didn't feel like it. But, after a while, they didn't believe me no more. I was just looking out for Fluttershy. Anyways, we was on the cliff, and they started talkin' 'bout how she could hardly fly, doin' this immature little chant. So, I yelled at 'em, I said, 'She can too fly!' and I shoved her off the cliff. She screamed all the way down and landed straight in the river. My friends just laughed and I waited for her to surface. I was so scared. Next thing I know, I'm divin' in the water. I swam straight down, and found her, thrashin' and holdin' her breath. I dragged her back up to the shore with me." Applejack's eyes were glossy now. Cloudchaser felt sorry for her newfound friend. Applejack looked up and into Cloudchaser's eyes. "She was so damn nice to me for grabbin' her up. Completely forgot I pushed her."

Cloudchaser reached over and rested her hoof on Applejack's shoulder.

"I won't do nothin' like that no more." Applejack said.

"She's a nice gal." said Cloudchaser. "She doesn't neet to fly, or anythin' like that to be a nice gal. Sometimes the ones who can do stuff, are the ones who turn out ignorant and full of hatred."

Cloudchaser took her hoof off her friend's shoulder and started shuffling her cards again.

"O' course she is. She's a nuisance a lot of times. Causin' a lot o' trouble. Like what happened in Ponyvi-" Applejack stopped mid-sentence and looked up at Cloudchaser, who stopped shuffling when she realized Applejack was holding something back. Applejack stared at Cloudchaser. "You ain't gonna tell nopony, right?"

"What happened in Ponyville?" Cloudchaser asked calmly, but curiously.

"You won't tell?"

"What happened?" Cloudchaser asked again.

"Well, we was havin' a real bad day at Sweet Apple Acres. These two snooty stallions came from the East with this dumb machine, and they were tryin' to put the Acres outta' business. Said that their machine could make cider ten times as fast as anypony there. So the boss got on our flanks hard, telling us that we had to show these idiots what we was all about. Well, in the middle of filling up bottles of cider like she was supposed to be doin', Fluttershy saw a damn rabbit and followed it into the woods. She left the keg open and the whole Acres storage of cider spilled out while she was away. Needless to say, without any cider, the salesponies ran the Acres out of business. An angry mob chased Fluttershy and I outta' Ponyville. Since then, I been tryin' to get here."

Cloudchaser sat in silence a moment. "Ran out a whole farm, producin' apples for all of Equestria, huh?"

Applejack gave an embarrased smirk and looked down.

"She didn't mean it though." Said Cloudchaser. "I know she ain't like that."

"Course she didn't. She just gotta learn-"

Fluttershy trotted in through the door. She had her hat on, and a wide grin on her face.

"Hey, Flutters," said Applejack. "How was the rabbits?"

"I loved them!" Fluttershy said, wide eyed. "They were so cute and cuddly."

Fluttershy walked over to her bed and layed down, exhausted. She let out a yawn, and turned her head toward Applejack and Cloudchaser.

"How was your day, AJ?"

"It was fine Fluttershy."

"Good." Fluttershy turned her head toward the wall and closed her eyes.

Then, the orange haired pony walked in. "Damn how good that Uni' can play poker. Won near every game we played. Best not have cheated."

She seemed a little happier than she had been earlier in the day.

She sniffed the air, giving a disgusted look. "Mock Luna, that dog stinks! Get her outta' here Cloudchaser. Stinks worse than Tartarus! You gotta get her out."

Cloudchaser got off of her crate seat and walked over by the bed where the dog lay. She petted it gently and apologized, "I been around her so much, I barely notice her smell."
The dog looked up at Cloudchaser and let it's tongue roll out of it's mouth.

"Well, I can't deal with it." Said the orange pony. "It smells even after she's gone."

She took a few strides toward the dog and looked over it. "Ain't got no teeth." she said, "Half-blind. She ain't doin' nothin for you, Cloudchaser. And she's probably just hurting herself. Why don't you just put her down?"

"Well, sheesh! I had her so long. Ever since she was real little. My best friend and I used to run around with her and take her flyin'. "

"Look, Cloudchaser. Listen. This ol' dog is just sufferin' herself. All the time. Every minute of every day. I know you're just tryin' to look out for her, but maybe it's what's best. If you took her out and shot her, right here-" She leaned in and pointed to the back of Winona's head, "-then she wouldn't even know."

Cloudchaser looked to Winona and then to Applejack for an answer. Applejack just sat there quietly. She looked back to the orange pony. "No, Carrot Top," she said softly. "I couldn't do it. I had her for too long."

"She doesn't have no fun," Carrot Top insisted. "And she smells worse than a diamond dog. Tell you what, I'll take her out there myself. Then maybe you won't feel as bad."

Cloudchaser jumped up on her mattress nervously. She looked back down at Winona. "I'm so used to her though." She said softly. "I had her since she was little."

"Well, it's not bein' kind keepin' her like this,"

Cloudchaser looked helplessly at Applejack, tears in her eyes. Applejack didn't know what to say. She gave Cloudchaser an apologetic look. She understood Carrot Top's reasoning, but also thought about how she would react in this situation. What would she do?

"What if it hurts her?" Cloudchaser looked back at Carrot Top. "I don't mind takin' care of her."

Carrot Top said, "The way I'd shoot her, she wouldn't feel a thing. I swear to Celestia. I'd put the gun right here-" She pointed with her hoof again, "-she wouldn't even notice."

Cloudchaser looked around, tirelessly. Tears began to fill her eyes, and she thrusted her face into her pillow.

"Cloudchaser, I know it's hard. But maybe this is the better way. All she's doin' is hurtin' herself. It's best to put her out of her misery. I'll do it right now if ya' want."

Cloudchaser lifter her face off her pillow to speak. "You ain't got no gun." She said hopefully.

"Yes I do. Got a Windigo. Won't hurt her none at all."

Cloudchaser said, "Can we wait for tomorrow?"

"I don't see why." She went over to her bunk and pulled a Windigo pistol out from underneat the mattress. "Let's just get it over with. The sooner it's done, the quicker you'll feel better."

Cloudchaser looked long at Carrot Top for some kind of reversal. She found none. After a few more moments of silence, she gave up, "Alright. Take her." She didn't turn her eyes toward Winona. She turned and buried her face back in her pillow, slightly trembling from sadness.

Carrot Top put her luger in a knapsack and slung it around her back. She walked toward Winona and untied the leash from around Cloudchaser's bed post. She tugged a little at the leash, and Winona got up, following her to the door. "She won't feel a thing." Carrot Top said apologetically.

Applejack stopped Carrot Top, before she treaded out the door.

"Hey."

Carrot Top looked back at Applejack. "Yeah?"

Applejack grabbed a shovel hanging from the wall and passed it to her.

"Thanks." She halfway smiled at Applejack, but then looked down, a bit saddened. She then continued to walk out into the darkness.

Silence filled the room. Carrot Top's hoofsteps faded away, but were replaced moments later. by the sound of wings flapping. A pegasus the same lavender color as Cloudchaser landed in the door. Her man was the same color as Cloudchaser's also, but without the white highlights. It was as if they could be sisters.

She looked in and saw Cloudchaser. Her eyes widened, "Cloudy!" She ran in and sat next to Cloudchaser. She looked at her friend and her face suddenly filled with sadness as she noticed Cloudchaser was crying.

"Cloudchaser, what's wrong? What happened?" She asked frantically
.
Cloudchaser tilted her chin upwards off the pillow so she could talk without showing her face.

"W-winona's gettin' p-put down. She's too old."

The other pony hugged Cloudchaser as tight as she could.

Suddenly, Cloudchaser stopped crying at sat up. "Wait, Flitter? Why are you here?"

"Well, we were doing some training exercises a few miles away, and we set up camp in the forest. I knew you were here, so I snuck away for a bit." She gave a half-hearted.

"Oh, Flitter." Cloudchaser embraced her friend and they sat there quiet for a while.

When Flitter and Cloudchaser finally let go of each other Flitter looked toward Applejack.

"Hi, I'm Flitter."
Applejack said back, "Howdy. I'm Applejack."

She smiled again and then looked back toward Cloudchaser. "Is she getting put down right now?"

Cloudchaser stared blankly at her friend, her eyes filling with tears again. Flitter rested Cloudchaser's head on her shoulder. "It'll be ok."

Cloudchaser sobbed silently.

For a long while silence invaded the room. Not a single sound could be heard. Not a cricket, nor a floorboard. Fluttershy was even sleeping silently for once. Applejack shifted comfortably on her crate, making it creak. It seemed amplified.

Finally, a loud shot was heard in the distance, startling everypony and making them all jump at once. Fluttershy's eyes opened and she sat up sleepily. Flitter looked toward Fluttershy, not even noticing that another pony was in the bunk.

"What was that AJ?" Fluttershy asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Shush now, Flutters. Wasn't nothin', just go back to bed."

Fluttershy was too tired to argue, and fell right back asleep.

Cloudchaser was crying a bit louder now, but still quietly. Her sobs were muffled by her friend's shoulder.

A lean male unicorn poked his head through the door. He was all grey, with a black mane. A grey horn sat atop his head, and he spoke with a bit of uncertainty. "Did any of you hear that?"

Applejack spoke up. "Carrot Top went to put Winona down."

The unicorn looked toward Cloudchaser. "Oh... I'm sorry to hear that Cloudchaser. Wait, who's this?" He said, looking at Flitter.

Cloudchaser took a deep breath and and pushed away from her friends shoulder. Her eyes were sunken, and red. Her mane was frizzed, and she looked a mess. "Cook, this is my friend Flitter. Please don't tell Filthy or Diamond Tiara she's here ok? She'll leave first thing in the mornin' I swear."

Cook looked at her and back at Flitter. "Well, okay." He said, "But I'm not taking the blame for this one."

He pulled his head out the doorway and trotted away.

Flitter layed Cloudchaser down on her mattress. "I don't know if I can stay the whole night, Cloudy, I've go-"

"Please, Flitter. Just one night. I haven't seen you in so long.." She interuppted. Her eyes began to well with tears again.

"I... Alright."

Cloudchaser smiled and layed down, closing her eyes. After a moment, she fell asleep.

"You two know eachother?" Flitter spoke up, talking to Applejack.

"Who, Fluttershy?"

"I think that's her name. The other pegasus?"

"Yeah, she's ma' friend."

"Oh. You two been here long?"

"No, just got here earlier today actually."

"Oh really? Wow. Where did you two come from?"

"Ponyville. Finished work there, and had to move on."

Flitter nodded understandingly. "Yeah, I'm glad you've got someone there for you. Me and Cloudchaser used to be inseparable. But, I guess we just had different interests in life, you know? I'm training for the Royal Guard right now."

"Fluttershy and I are saving up for our own little house, so we can stop movin' so damn much."

"Well that's good. I haven't got to meet her, but she looks like a nice little pegasus. I hope you guys get that house. Invite Cloudchaser and I over one day, I doubt she'd mind."
Applejack smiled. "I'll rememer that."

Flitter yawned. "I think I'm gonna try to get some shut eye. What about you Applejack?"

Applejack agreed. She got up off her crate and switched the light off. She walked to her bunk and climbed on top of it. She layed down and closed her eyes. Rustling could be heard as Flitter got comfortable in Cloudchaser's bed.

"Applejack?" She whispered. "I might be gone before you guys wake up. Do me a favor and take care of Cloudchaser for me will you?"

"Will do." Applejack answered.

"Thanks. I wish the best of luck to you and Fluttershy."

"Same to you, Flitter. Thanks."

Applejack smiled to herself, but then remembered that somewhere out in the darkness, Carrot Top was digging a grave for poor Winona, and her smile turned into a frown.
She mouthed a silent prayer to Celestia for her friends companion, before falling asleep.

Comments

[bluebelle]

Bravo