Ponyville – Gem’s first day in town
“You, as in, you can do that?” Twilight smiled in wonder. “Oh goodness…” The purple unicorn said under her breath, quietly pondering the possibilities.
“Seriously?” Asked Dash, addressing the newcomer. “I didn’t know unicorns could do that.”
“Ah didn’ know anypony could do that.” Applejack said… and found the other mares looking at her as if she had sprouted a second and third head.
“Wow Applejack, really?” Said an incredulous Dash… the orange pony felt hurt. Not knowing anything about spells and magic didn’t faze her in the slightest, but if even Rainbow Dash knew anything about this… it stung.
“How do you think I fly?” She continued. “I mean, I know these babies are awesome…” The pegasus flexed and extended her wings a couple of times, smiling and looking towards them, batting her eyes in a way that Applejack had only seen Rarity do. “But you seriously expect them to lift me all by themselves?”
“You see, you have to have a breathing rhythm for flying fast, right?” The multi-hued pony began her explanation, deciding to start from some examples. “And you take a sharp breath when getting ready to buck a cloud to disperse it. Oh! And the Wonderbolts and the Royal Guards are even trained to cut things with their wings!”
Lyra listened in with rapt attention, mostly out of surprise. She had studied this particular subject before, but then again that was in Canterlot! Where the fanciest schools were! (With a couple of exceptions located in other, also important, cities).
She noticed that Twilight was also listening intently, most likely for the same reason; she wanted to see how much Dash knew.
“Your physical energy… the pinions…” Dash trailed off as she felt the incredulous gazes of her friends upon her. Gem was merely listening with a tiny smile on her lips. “And Equestria’s magic… and… wings…”
An awkward pause fell upon the group. Gem’s smile faded, unsure of what was happening.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” Dash asked and, suddenly, her friends seemed unable to make eye contact or form coherent sentences, making her frown. “I’m not a hot-blooded idiot!” She snapped at them, making a guess at their thoughts.
“Nopony is saying that.” Lyra responded quickly and spoke calmly. “It’s just that...” Oh horseapples, she noticed that they didn’t have to outright say it.
“It’s surprising how in-depth your knowledge is!” Twilight chimed in, genuinely pleased at her friend’s academic knowledge -sure, it was still flight-related, as so many other things in the athlete’s life, but it showed that Dash also took it seriously. The honesty in Twilight’s voice placated the flyer’s anger, at least a little. “What grade were you in when you studied that? Was it homework?”
Before the lavender scholar could assault her with a hundred questions about studying, Dash just decided to tell her story. “I flubbed an exam, alright? But if things didn’t change I would fail the class. So the teacher says I can, you know, do a little extra; I would have to work my flank off, but it would prove that ‘it was just a fluke’.”
“Fluke?” Applejack arched an eyebrow.
“Augh!” Dash groaned and threw her hooves in the air in frustration. “Is that all you think of me? Just because I’m interested in sports that doesn’t mean I’m just a jock! Let me guess, you think I can’t touch a stove with a pan without setting myself on fire, right?!”
She angrily glanced around, only to be rewarded with the same embarrassed gestures from before; even Gem cowered a little, although that was from the intensity of the pegasus’s glare.
“Look, without school the pay I was promised when I applied for weather-pony would have been less, then I probably wouldn’t have been interested…” The anger and hurt in her voice faded away quickly as her mind caught up with the implications, leaving behind only worry. “And I would have looked elsewhere; I would have never thought of moving to Ponyville, and I wouldn’t have met you…”
“Ah-Ah’m sorry sugarcube.” Applejack placed a hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “It’s just that those Cloudsdale fellas… well, Ah remember they taunted yah a couple a’ times sayin’ yah got kicked-“
“I didn’t. Get. Kicked out.” Dash interrupted, flicking her tail in annoyance and making the farmer flinch. “I like napping around, but if you need me, I am there. Seriously, oversleep a few dozen times and you’ll never hear the end of it.”
Twilight was reminded of a few incidents back in Canterlot, making a shiver run down her spine. Of course, none of them personally involved her! Of course not! She was the most diligent! Why, no matter what sort of all-nighter she pulled, she’d be right there five -no, ten minutes early for the first class no matter what! Even if she had to get caffeinated up to her ears! No princess! It’s fine! Seriously! Who needs sleep when they have Edgar Allan Poeny and Starswirl the Bearded as company?!
Lyra gave Dash a sympathetic nod, unaware of the moment Twilight’s eye began to twitch.
“If you have to know, I moved away.” The cerulean mare continued, looking away. “Dad found a better job and took it, but it was out of Cloudsdale… he didn’t even warn me.”
Gemini acted. The cherry-haired pony rested her chin on the pegasus mare’s withers; the pony hug startled Dash, not being the touchy-feely type at all.
“Hey now, real-?” She was about to pull away and resume her ‘cool’ act, but the feeling of something warm and wet on her coat stopped her.
“Was… was he looking out for you?” Gem whispered her question more out of the weariness of the heart than a desire for secrecy.
“Well, yeah, of course; it’s what parents do.” Dash paused for a second, and, when Gemini sobbed, she leaned onto the unicorn to briefly return the embrace. “Does this have something to do with… what happened before?” Dash gave the badge on the dress a brief look.
Gem let out a wistful sigh, interrupted by another sob.
“Havin’ family trouble?” Applejack asked while placing a hoof on Gem’s shoulder, making her voice as comforting as she could.
Gem mumbled something that could pass for ‘something like that’ as she stepped away from Dash. The orange pony didn’t let her get too far and wrapped a foreleg over the cherry-haired newcomer.
Nopony was surprised at Applejack being supportive over family matters; she could name at least thirty or so of her own relatives, say what they look like and the name of the farm or business they ran, too, just off the top of her head; she had hundreds of close relatives, and the distant relatives ‘that she knew of’ easily ran far into the thousands.
“Do you need any help?” Twilight asked.
Gem didn’t expect that kind of offer; she broke away from AJ and stared for a few seconds, slightly startled at the ease with which the lavender mare had said it. Twilight’s voice carried genuine concern, and her eyes were fixed on her own while her body leaned towards Gemini’s. This unicorn showed the signs for clear, honest worry. Outside of what few friends she already had, this was a first.
“No.” Gem gave her a tiny smile, appreciating the gesture. That was all it could be, a gesture of sympathy. “Thanks, but there is nothing to do. Not about that.” She gave her flank a quick, sorrowful glance before turning back to the lavender pony.
Applejack shook her head, she just knew that the melancholic tone in those words didn’t mean anything good. “Now there, yah can’t be talkin’ seriously. Ah dun’ know the details, but yah can’t turn yer head to yer problems.”
Lyra placed a hoof gently on her, making the mare look her in the eyes. “Are you... running away from… something?”
“No, I meant that literally.” Gemini said with a remorseful look on her eyes… there was no more dodging that issue; she mentally kicked herself for not being able to keep it secret for longer. “I don’t have any family.”
Rainbow Dash cringed, Twilight and Lyra gasped, and Applejack was dumbstruck.
“When I was… very young…” She said, wording everything as carefully as she could since she didn’t want to board the even messier issue of her actual age; way less than what they most likely would guess. A brief pause. Gem braced for the reaction before continuing, tensing her body, feeling her muscles tighten in a mixture of nervousness and resolve. She breathed deeply to steel herself and let it out without interruption. “I was abandoned so that I could survive.”
Predictably, Twilight and Lyra covered their mouths in shock and even the brave and ever-bold Dash took an involuntary step back. Applejack’s eyes went wide and so did her mouth; her mind trying to turn the words over and around to make sure she understood correctly and she wasn’t dealing with another case of mishearing everything.
“My parents –well, I guess I should say ‘my immediate family’- ran into trouble, or it came to them, I don’t know.” Gemini shook her head, her voice sounding cold and sedate, quite different from the childish, easy-going tones she had used before. “I don’t have any memories of that. I figure they didn’t know what would become of them, so they each went their separate ways; leaving me at the mercy of nature to fend for myself.”
“They left yah alone? Like, completely alone?” Applejack couldn’t believe her ears; for a pony such as her, with such strong family ties, the idea of leaving behind a single member was alien to her –and the fact that it had to be a young one made it absolutely horrifying.
“As far as I know, things were very bad. It was either that, then and there, or chance not being here with you, talking about it.” Gem replied pretty nonchalantly; she accepted it -she didn’t like it, but dwelling on it would drive her crazy. “All I had was the knowledge my parents g-left for me… and this.”
She turned slightly, letting Applejack appreciate the shiny, little metal accessory. “My most valued possession.” And technically the only one other than her clothes, given her current situation. “Nobles with their fancy gold accoutrements or whatever sneer at me for wearing it, but it has seen me trough a lot.”
Of course, it didn’t look the part. The others figured she must take great care of it, since it was spotless and not a single notch, scratch or lump blemished the bright yellow and black surface.
Applejack winced a little, remembering the cold bite of scorn from her days in Manehattan. “Ah know what yer gettin’ at.”
“But how? Just… how?” Twilight asked.
“I am quite adept at survival.” She shrugged. “I can enhance my own senses quite a lot, read energy flow easily, have knowledge of all manner of beasts and plants, I have my special ability… if I were not the way I am, then I would not need…” She trailed off.
She would not need contact. She would not crave the sensation of having another to hold and hold her in turn. Aureolus wouldn’t have needed to stand her crying for hours on end after yet another bad day or night.
“Aer…” She breathed out the name, a nickname; one of… not many, but certainly a list dear to her heart. They met just a year ago. He had changed everything. He had changed her.
“What was that?” One of the mares asked, snapping her out of her reverie.
“Huh?” She looked around, startled, before shaking her head.
“Oh, sorry, got distracted.” Gem kept going on in that calm voice she was using. She considered it might be better to steer away from this particular topic for the time being. “I already said I can look after myself, right?”
“You did.” Twilight caught something, something about what she had said, and now it just made her increasingly curious. “Is that your special talent?”
It didn’t feel right to want to ask about it, much less voice it; it was something that should never happen to anyone, pony or not. Yet it still happened, to many more than just Gemini; pretending that it didn’t would not do any good.
“What is special, being self-sufficient?” Gem asked. Something in her voice told everypony that the question was an answer in itself.
“Is it fancy magic?” Applejack asked, trying to get something good out of something that wrung her heart and tied her stomach into knots. She pushed forward. “Or sumthin’ like that thing from a while ago?”
“Yeah, ‘cuz that’s not something you see every day!” Dash chimed in, her excitement at having a friend with ‘cool’ and unusual skills making her start to smile again; she felt this could help get rid of the unease caused by making the unicorn remember her tough life.
“Oh…” Gemini understood what they were getting at, and couldn’t help but let out a nervous smile. This was uncomfortable. “That? Nah, that’s just a side effect- uh…”
“Of what?” Twilight asked with her eyes wide as saucers. If Gem had been trying to act casual to lessen its perceived importance, it backfired and only served to pique the lavender mare’s curiosity, elevating it to new heights.
“Of…” The cherry-haired pony searched her mind for the right words to use, at least for the time being. “Of my parent’s… legacy, you could say.”
“It comes back to them, huh?” Lyra mouthed under her breath, furrowing her brows.
“Yes!” Gem said, suddenly abandoning the ‘calm and collected’ act; very tense but (barely) restraining herself from actually shouting in the middle of the street. The mint unicorn was surprised at how good her hearing was. “All I know, all I can do, all I am came from them! Sure, I have learned new things, but guess what it can relate to?!”
“So…”
Raising a cream-colored hoof to silence whatever might be said, Gem took the moment of silence and used it to let the stress and indignation fade, turning it into guilt at being at the verge of yelling at her most recent friends. She breathed deeply and once again spoke calmly and softly.
“I did find something I can do, and I’m proud to do… it began with this.” Gemini reached for the back of her head, apparently inside her mane, and pulled her hoof to the top of her head.
Applejack could only stare in confusion at the newcomer… and the brown Stetson hat sitting on her head. She had to reach up just to make sure she was still wearing hers.
Yup, the farmer still had her own hat.
It didn’t stop there; Gemini reached behind herself again and pulled… a golden lyre.
Lyra was quick to open her saddlebag and pull out her instrument for comparison.
“Wha?”
“Duplication.” Gem said, the copies disappearing as red lightning arched through them and seemed to consume them. “All of my kind can do it, but I have turned it into an art form.”
“’Your kind’?” Twilight asked, wondering about the odd choice of words.
“Alchemists.” The reply was quick, calm, and practiced. It wasn’t a lie per se, given the nature of the ability and that it certainly was something that some forms of alchemy could accomplish… but neither was she referring to alchemists as ‘her kind’ nor was that the extent of her ability. Secrets may have power, however, each has their price; right now, she couldn’t bear even the chance of being called-
“Ugh!” Lyra shuddered.
“What happened?” Dash asked.
“No-nothing, I was- well, do you think the changelings can do something like that?”
All of the others grimaced at the mention of the shape-shifters, but Gemini was absolutely furious, reddening considerably.
“Had troubles with those recently?” Gem spoke through gritted teeth, trying to beat her anger and pain into submission.
“Umm… yes?” Applejack’s answer came out resembling a question, but just one look at the other mare’s face had left her confused. It was obvious that whatever she was remembering had been awful, but just how much to elicit such a response?!
Twilight really wanted to do something, but she was unsure of what! Nopony had any wish to elaborate after seeing such a reaction, nor did they want to ask if she had had any brush with them -not right now, at least.
“It’s not fair.” She hissed, her memory assaulting her with all of times she had to deal with the fallout of such an event.
It’s always something like that! Mad sorcerer attack last year? Clearly this alchemist is some sort of mad scientist that is a danger to us as well! This potion-maker cannot be trusted! Shape-shifters last season? Clearly her abilities mean she is a spy like them! Or is trying to replace one of us and steal our young! Chaos energy? Clearly she is one of those insane cultists working to destroy all order and plunge the world into madness and anarchy! Essence of Creation? Clearly she has delusions of godhood like the last one to speak of that and must be stopped before she harms the residents of our poor city!
“Not fair.”
Maybe that thing she gave you is poisoned! Or will turn you into a gnat! Or she will overrun the world with an army of slime-creatures! Or she’ll consume everything in the land! Wait, she’s strong, maybe she’s just-!
“I’m not a monster.” She slumped down, defeated by the sheer weight of the pain brought forth by her vivid memories. Why did she have to pay for the choices and mistakes of others? “I only want…”
“Why would you say that? Why would you be a monster?” Lyra asked.
“Because of what I can do!” She hissed, suddenly bolting back on all fours. “I’m different, alright?! But something always happens that sets townsfolk on edge and I get treated like one of whatever caused problems for them!”
She reared and stomped down with her forelegs, then began pacing back and forth. “I’ve even solved some of them!”
“I don’t want fear!” She was starting to hyperventilate, or would if she… regardless, she stopped in front of the group and turned around as if facing the unknown. “All I wanted was just to see them in the eyes and say: Hello!”
The light cerulean eyes looking back at her shrunk to the size of pinpricks, the bubblegum-pink body they were a part of threw itself up into the air, and then heard a sharp inhalation that almost pulled the twigs out of her hair.
Gemini only saw a blur of pink and raspberry running away from her… and her heart shattered.
Self-control forgotten, her body turned against itself and began shaking, her breath caught on her throat as terror’s icy claws gripped her neck… there were some noises, they seemed to have patterns to them, but she could no longer recognize them.
The ground came up to meet her, water began to flow and everything started to spin.