Chapter 12: Peary's "Friends"
After the story was told, Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Flim, Flam, and the Pear family trotted home with nothing but silence. The Apple Siblings were particularly quiet, but also sad. The story of what happened to Grand Pear and the Pear Family brought back the wounds of how they lost their parents.
It was Megan who noticed right away.
Megan sighed and said, "Guys...”
Ears perked high and their heads up, the Apple siblings hear Megan’s call and turn their attention to her.
“I'm sorry if your grandpa's story made you feel this way. And about what happened to your parents, and your Grandfather back then.”
"It's okay, Megan. Talking about it can help with the grieving process,” Applejack said, a smile suddenly forming on her face, “Besides, it gave me a better understanding about our uncle. When he tore up our cart, I thought he was just a jerk out to ruin the business, but after hearing what Grand Pear and his family went through after our mom's disownment, I now see him as just a poor kid put in a bad situation.”
“Applejack’s right,” Apple Bloom agreed, “It's easy to judge somepony as a jerk because of how they act or treat others. But, when you take a look at what their lives are like, you begin to see them in a whole new light. You start seeing them as just a lost soul who had something go wrong with them and their lives."
"Eeyup," Big Mac said, "And our Uncle Peary was truly a victim of bad circumstances."
"Indeed," Flim said, "I'm just glad Peary found a shoulder to cry on from this mysterious friend of his."
"Indeed," Flam said, "I wonder who his new friend is."
Megan and the Apple siblings shrugged it off.
“By the way, Applejack,” Flim speaks up, “Consider our apprehension of Peary when he tried to vandalize your barn...”
“Our gratitude of thanks for helping us get rid of Gladmane.” Flam finishes for him.
In response to this, Applejack blinked with surprise upon hearing what they said.
“Really?” she asks.
“Why, of course,” Flam says, “If it weren’t for you and your friend, Fluttershy...”
“Then we would never have found any other way to earn money besides conning.” Flim finishes for him again.
The brothers tip their hats off to Applejack, who couldn’t help but shyly blush and smile at the gesture.
“Well, yer welcome, partners,” she says.
Flim and Flam move on from Megan and the siblings to catch up with the others and thank Fluttershy, with the siblings and Megan watching with a smile as they went.
“Well, that was awfully nice,” Megan comments.
“Eeyup,” Big Mac says.
****
Later that night...
Peary was sneaking around the Everfree Forest with a burlap sack full of something. He trotted with caution as he looked behind himself. He kept trotting through the trees until he reached a cave with vines hanging at the entrance. Peary walked through them, and into the darkness of the cave, before going down through a tunnel.
When he reached the end of the tunnel, he saw Cerberus scratching the ears of the head on he had on the left. The canine’s other heads rolled their eyes.
The place Peary went to is Tartarus, a well-known prison Celestia and Luna set up to keep those who are a threat to Equestria locked.
Peary dug through his bag and took out a plate of lemon squares. Then, he set the plate down on the ground, and slid the plate in front of Cerberus. The guard dog took immediate interest in the newfound treats in front of him. While he chowed down on the lemon squares, Peary snuck past him without even making a sound.
He trotted quietly until he reached a cell, the intent being to visit someone who was a prisoner here. It wasn't just any prisoner he was seeing. It was Tirek, Scorpan's brother and enemy of the ponies. The old centaur turned around and saw Peary, but he was happy to see him.
"Peary! Good to see you!" he said.
"Hi Tirek," Peary said, "I brought you more goods."
Peary gave Tirek his sack. Tirek opens the bag, and sees baked goods in it. Ones that Peary stole during his lash-out at the Farmer's Market. Tirek gleefully licked his lips and began eating the baked goods.
"Thank you, My friend," Tirek said, "You really know how to make me happy."
"It's the least I could do," Peary said, "You're the only who gets me, and the only one who understands what it's like to be betrayed. Especially by someone you love."
“Quite right, my boy,” Tirek agreed, “Scorpan was my brother, but his double-cross had left nothing but a scar on me for telling the royals and sending me here to this light-less place. Just as your sister and older brother did with you.”
Peary smiled upon the words Tirek gave him, when suddenly...
He heard a sound coming from his chest. He pulls a small mirror out of his cloak, and it shows Grogar's face.
"Peary Bits!" Grogar shouted, "Have you found any information about my long lost Rainbow of Darkness?"
"No, Master," Peary said, "I got into some trouble, but the knights were somewhere else at the time. I haven't heard anything about it.”
Grogar sighs upon hearing the news, “That’s too bad. It would have been interesting if they were there.”
“Master, Grogar, why do the knights have to be around anyway? Wouldn’t it have been better if they weren’t?”
“Because they know where the Rainbow of Darkness is, you pear-headed idiot!”
His shout is enough to make Peary drop the mirror to the floor. It was a good thing that it didn’t break, otherwise Grogar would have been really mad. After the mirror fell, and Peary kneels himself down to be at eye level with the mirror, Grogar composes himself.
"Find something and do not come back as a failure, next time. Otherwise, I may be tempted to tell a little secret, like how I was able to acquire some...,” he pauses while twirling his hoof, “...certain trophies as you would put it.”
Even though Grogar made that threat as if he was giving the pony a riddle, Peary knew exactly what he was talking about.
Peary sweated and said, "R-rest assured, Sire! I'll find something out as soon as I can!"
"You better!"
Grogar disappeared from the mirror. When he was gone, Peary got up from the ground and hung his head low as Tirek comforted him and put a consoling hand on his shoulder.
"It seems we have another thing in common, don’t we?" Tirek said.
Peary smiles upon the consoling Tirek was giving him.